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diff --git a/11347-0.txt b/11347-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b49f4b2 --- /dev/null +++ b/11347-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1419 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11347 *** + +THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION. + +VOL. XIII, NO. 370.] SATURDAY, MAY 16, 1829. [PRICE 2d. + + + + +LALEHAM PARK: + + +[Illustration: The Residence of the Young Queen of Portugal.] + + +Circumstances, in themselves trivial, often confer celebrity upon places +hitherto of unlettered note. Thus, a beautiful villa at Laleham, a village +in Middlesex, eighteen and a half miles south west of London, has acquired +frequent passing notice from its having lately become the temporary +residence of the young "_Queen of Portugal_," whose removal to England +appears to have been a prudent measure to keep her _petite_ Majesty "out +of harm's way." + +Laleham is delightfully situate on the banks of the Thames, between +Shepperton and Staines, and is famed for the entertainment it affords to +the lovers of angling. The river narrows considerably here; and about the +shallows, or gulls, the water is beautifully transparent. The above +temporary royal residence is built in an elegant villa style; and the +grounds have been very tastefully laid out under the immediate direction +of the present proprietor, the Earl of Lucan. They comprise 40 acres, with +some very fine elm timber. + +The "Young Queen" is described as an interesting and lively child, and is +within a month of the same age as the Princess Victoria, and Prince George +of Cumberland, both of whom were born in May, 1819. She has not the +slightest tinge of a tropical complexion; her hair is extremely light, her +face pale, her eyes light blue and very sparkling. She is not tall of her +age, but remarkably well formed. Her Majesty arrived in London in October +last, and for some time resided at Grillon's Hotel, Albemarle Street; but +her health requiring change of air, Laleham was engaged for a short period; +although, in allusion to the situation, it was said to be very _low_--a +flat joke indeed. + +In this delightful retreat, the young Queen and her suite at present +reside; and so pacific is our taste, that to enjoy the tranquil scenery +of Laleham, and the sports of the stream that waters its park, we would +willingly forego all the cares of state, and leave its plots and +counterplots to more ambitious minds. We could sit by the waters of +Laleham, and sing with the muse of Grongar: + + Be full ye courts, be great who will; + Search for peace with all your skill; + Open wide the lofty door, + Seek her on the marble floor; + In vain you search, she is not there; + In vain you search the domes of care! + Grass and flowers Quiet treads, + On the meads and mountain-heads. + Along with Pleasure close ally'd, + Ever by each other's side. + + +But great as may be our content, we hope to see her Majesty speedily +restored to the bosom of her family, provided she be secure from the +perils of her distracted country. + +There are some allusions to an interesting part of ancient story connected +with Laleham, Dr. Stukely notices the remains of a Roman encampment on +Greenfield Common, within the parish of Laleham, which he supposes to have +been the camp in which Caesar halted after passing the Thames. + + * * * * * + + +LINES WRITTEN ON VISITING THE ISLAND OF IONA. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + + Wild, sad, and solitary, amid the wave, + Iona mourns her pious founder's grave; + Still o'er his tomb these fretted columns pay + Their crumbling dust, a tribute to his clay. + Frail wreck of time! so crippled with the blast, + Recorder Of the present and the past, + Enough can tell. These Gothic arches show + The height of glory and of human woe; + Alas, 'tis all which occupies the brain, + The lust of power dyes the despot's chain, + Here Learning cast her magic beam around + Light of fair Science, whence our freedom's found, + Resistless spells, attractive power, for long + Brought princes here, and Minstrel's sung their song, + To pay a tribute to the holy sage + Their history told, it formed his faithful page; + Historic power Supreme! within this wall + Gave Bruce the crown, or Baliol the fall, + From proud Edward's grasp in a bark they bore + All Scotland's archives to a distant shore, + Manned by a hardy and a faithful crew, + For Gallia's coast the well skilled pilot drew, + But ere the orphan's eyes had lost the sail + Portending danger, screeching sea gulls wail, + In wild confusion left the angry wave + For distant Staffa's high basaltic cave, + Big heaved the flood, and loud the billows roar + In blackening heaps screened Morvem's distant shore; + High blew the winds, and quick the lightning's flash + And gilded hailstones fell with many a crash. + The story ran from sire to sire. + That Heaven itself was filled with living fire; + Of them no more is told, no more is known, + That widows' tears had scooped this hollow stone. + Here all is silent, save the murmuring sound + Of crystal spray which bathes this sacred ground, + In tuneful sorrow, sheds her friendly tear + To learned virtues, long forgotten here. + When conscience was the punisher of crime, + And blood stained ruffians of Ossian's line + Had taught redemption at the tear-worn shrine, + And barbarous tribes in thousands flocked around + To ask forgiveness on this holy ground. + +R. + + * * * * * + + +LIGHT AND DARK GENII. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +LIGHT. + + In fields of light, I ride, I ride, + Upon the gust-winds back, + And, when I mark the eventide, + Or gathering of the rack; + Like spirit of a pleasant dream, + I mount upon a sunset beam, + And hie me in a flashing stride, + The dark to dash aside, + +DARK. + + In caverns 'neath the vasty deep, + Where sea-snakes in the wreck may creep, + And feed upon man's bone; + Or in the ruins of the past. + Where thoughts that are not used are cast, + And whirlwind, and the earthquake groan + In pity, there, there, am I-- + A withered thought--that cannot die. + +LIGHT. + + But I was born within a light + That kindled in the womb. + And I can never feel the night + When all around is gloom; + For joy looked pleased upon my birth, + And cast a ray e'en on the earth; + And fairies spun it in a ring, + With a feather from their wing, + And called it hope--a charm for tears, + And chained it to their silken ears. + +DARK. + + And I was formed within a light + That kindled in the womb of night, + Of loathsome withered weeds-- + And fate looked on and fanned the flame, + But freed me from the touch of blame, + Of all my evil deeds. + Enchantress waited on my birth, + And bade the hypochondriac walk the earth. + +BOTH, RECITATIVE. + + Together, together, yet, O yet we dwell, + A glimpse of heaven in hell + A glimpse of heaven in hell + Which plays, which plays, like lightning on the tempest gloom, + Or life within a catacomb, + Or life within a catacomb, + Pointing the many passions' mood + To strange but universal good. + + * * * * * + + +DR. JOHNSON. + +(_To the Editor of the Mirror_.) + + +The correspondent who furnished you with the article on "Dr. Johnson's +Residence in Bolt Court," has fallen into several anachronisms, to which, +I beg leave to call your attention. + +He says, "here the unfortunate Savage has held his intellectual _noctes_, +and enlivened the _old moralist_ with his mad philosophy." If you refer to +any biographical account of Johnson, you will find, his residence in Bolt +Court did not commence till nearly twenty years after the death of Savage. +Johnson had no settled habitation till after that event, and they were +both frequently obliged to perambulate the streets, for whole nights, for +want of money to pay for a lodging; and instead of Johnson being an old +moralist at this time, he was but thirty-three when his friend died, +Savage being about forty-four. + +Your correspondent has given a graphic description of our great +lexicographer and his two associates, Savage and Boswell, all three +of whom, he says, met at Johnson's house in Bolt Court, and discussed +subjects of polite literature; whereas his acquaintance with Boswell began +only in 1763, and Savage died in Bristol, in 1742. The work Johnson wrote, +at the time of compiling the Dictionary, was the "Rambler," and not the +"Guardian," as your correspondent asserts. The latter was the joint +production of Addison and Steele. + +The principal events of the Doctor's life are well known; and it is +interesting and not uninstructive to contemplate this master-spirit +struggling with the vicissitudes of fortune, and depending frequently for +his next meal, on the resources of his genius, till his merit became +known. View him and his cotemporary, Garrick, travelling to London +together, mere adventurers, with many plans in their heads, and very +little money in their pockets; we see them both rising to the pinnacle of +fame; one the majestic teacher of moral virtue, and the other delighting +by the versatility of his histrionic powers. Go one step further. They are +consigned to the tomb, and these men, whom friendship had united whilst +living, death has not divided. Near Shakspeare's monument, in Westminster +Abbey, they lie interred side by side. Of Garrick it has been said, "that +the gaiety of nations was eclipsed at his death," and of Johnson we may +truly say he has given "ardour to virtue and confidence to truth." + +HEN. B. + + * * * * * + + +ON GOOD AND EVIL DAYS. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +Notwithstanding the ridicule which in later ages has been deservedly +thrown on the idea of _good and evil days_, it is certain, that from time +immemorial, the most celebrated nations of antiquity, the Chaldeans, the +Egyptians, the Greeks, and the Romans, adopted, and placed implicit faith +in this superstitious notion, which is still prevalent in all parts of the +east. According to Plutarch, the kings of Egypt never transacted business +on the third day of the week, and abstained even from food till the +evening; because on that day, Typhon, who was considered by them the cause +of every evil, was born. The seventeenth day of the month was also deemed +unfortunate, as on that day Osiris died. The Greeks, too, had their +unlucky days, which they denominated [Greek: apophrades]. The Thursday was +generally considered by the Athenians of so unlucky an import, that the +assemblies of the people, which happened to fall on that day, were always +deferred. Hesiod enumerated the days when it might be proper to commence +certain undertakings, and those when it was necessary to abstain from +every employment; among the latter, he mentions the fifth of every month, +when the Infernal Furies were supposed to bestride the earth. Virgil has +the same idea:-- + + Quintam fuge--pallidus Orcus + Eumenidesque satae: tum partu terra nefando, + Coeumque, lapetumque creat, saevumque Typhaea, + Et conjuratos coelum rescindere fratres. + +1 GEOR. 279. + +The Romans also demonstrated in their calendar, the implicit faith they +placed in this distinction of days. The fortunate days were marked in +white, and the unfortunate in black; of these were the days immediately +after the Calendae, the Nones, and the Ides; the reason was this: in the +363rd year from the building of Rome, the military tribunes, perceiving +the republic unsuccessful in war, directed that its cause should be +inquired into. The senate having applied to L. Aquinius, he answered, +"That when the Romans had fought against the Gauls, near the river Allia, +and had experienced so dreadful a defeat, sacrifices had been offered to +the gods the day after the ides of July, and that the Fabii having fought +on the same day at Cremera, were all destroyed." On receiving this answer, +the senate, by the advice of the pontiffs, ordered, that for the future +no military enterprise should be formed on the days of the calends, the +nones, or the ides. Vitellius having taken possession of the sovereign +authority on the 15th of August, and on the same day promulgated some +new laws, they were ill received by the people, because on that day had +happened the disastrous battles of the Allia and Cremera. There were other +days esteemed unhappy by the Romans, such as the day of sacrifices to the +dead; of the Lemuria; and of the Saturnalia, the 4th before the nones of +October; the 6th of the ides of November; the nones of July, called +Caprotinae; the 4th before the nones of August, on account of the defeat +at Cannae; and the ides of March, esteemed unlucky by the creatures of +Caesar. + +In addition to these, were days which every individual considered +fortunate or unfortunate for himself. Augustus never undertook any thing +of importance on the day of the nones. Many historical observations have +contributed to favour these superstitious notions. Josephus remarks, that +the temple of Solomon was burnt by the Babylonians on the 8th of +September, and was a second time destroyed on the same day by Titus. +Emilius Protus also observes, that Timoleon, the Corinthian, gained most +of his victories on the anniversary of his birth. To these facts, drawn +from ancient history, many from more modern times may be added. It is +said, that most of the successes of Charles V. occurred on the festival +of St. Matthew. Henry III. was elected king of Poland, and became king +of France on Whitsunday, which was also his birthday. Pope Sextus V. +preferred Wednesday to every other in the week, because it was the day of +his birth, of his promotion to the cardinalate, of his election to the +papal throne, and of his coronation. Louis XIII. asserted, that Friday was +always a favourable day to him. Henry VII., of England, was partial to +Saturday, on which most of the happy events of his life had taken place. +Oliver Cromwell always considered the 3rd of September, 1650, when he +defeated the Scotch at Dunbar; on that day, in the following year, he +gained the battle of Worcester, but on the 3rd of September, 1658, he +expired. Though this distinction of good and evil days, be in reality as +absurd as it appears to be, I much doubt if it be yet entirely eradicated. +When it is considered how many things concur to keep up an error of this +kind, and that among the great as well as with the vulgar, opinions as +puerile are not only received, but even made a rule of action, it may be +inferred, that in every age and in every country, however civilized, +superstition always maintains its influence, though it may occasionally +vary in its object or name. The human mind alternately wise and weak, +indiscriminately adopts error and truth. + +_Romford_. + +H.B.A. + + * * * * * + + + + +THE NOVELIST. + + * * * * * + +ANNE OF GEIERSTEIN. + + +[The _Literary Gazette_ of Saturday last enables us to present our +readers, (almost entire) the following Legend respecting the house and +ancestry of the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's forthcoming Novel--_Anne of +Geierstein_. The tale is entitled Donnerhugel's Narrative, and was told by +a remarkable Swiss to the English hero of the Romance.] + +"I told you, (said Rudolf) that the lords of Arnheim, though from +father to son they were notoriously addicted to secret studies, were, +nevertheless, like the other German nobles, followers of war and the +chase. This was peculiarly the case with Anne's maternal grandfather, +Herman of Arnheim, who prided himself on possessing a splendid stud of +horses, and one steed in particular, the noblest ever known in these +circles in Germany. I should make wild work were I to attempt the +description of such an animal, so I will content myself with saying his +colour was jet black, without a hair of white, either on his face or feet. +For this reason, and the wildness of his disposition, his master had +termed him Apollyon; a circumstance which was secretly considered as +tending to sanction the evil reports which touched the house of Arnheim, +being, it was said, the naming of a favourite animal after a foul fiend. + +"It chanced, one November day, that the baron had been hunting in the +forest, and did not reach home till night-fall. There were no guests with +him, for, as I hinted to you before, the castle of Arnheim seldom received +any other than those from whom its inhabitants hoped to gain augmentation +of knowledge. The baron was seated alone in his hall, illuminated with +cressets and torches. His one hand held a volume covered with characters +unintelligible to all save himself. The other rested on the marble table, +on which was placed a flask of Tokay wine. A page stood in respectful +attendance near the bottom of the large and dim apartment, and no sound +was heard save that of the night wind, when it sighed mournfully through +the rusty coats of mail, and waved the tattered banners which were the +tapestry of the feudal hall. At once the footstep of a person was heard +ascending the stairs in haste and trepidation; the door of the hall was +thrown violently open, and, terrified to a degree of ecstasy, Caspar, the +head of the baron's stable, or his master of horse, stumbled up almost to +the foot of the table at which his lord was seated, with the exclamation +in his mouth--'My lord, my lord, a fiend is in the stable!' 'What means +this folly?' said the baron, arising, surprised and displeased at an +interruption so unusual. 'Let me endure your displeasure,' said Caspar, +'if I speak not truth! Apollyon--' Here he paused. 'Speak out, thou +frightened fool,' said the baron; 'is my horse sick, or injured?' The +master of the stalls again gasped forth the word 'Apollyon!' 'Say on,' +said the baron; 'were Apollyon in presence personally, it were nothing to +shake a brave man's mind.' 'The devil,' answered the master of the horse, +'is in Apollyon's stall!' 'Fool!' exclaimed the nobleman, snatching a +torch from the wall; 'what is it that could have turned thy brain in such +silly fashion?' + +"As he spoke, he crossed the courtyard of the castle, to visit the stately +range of stables, where fifty gallant steeds stood in rows, on each side +of the ample hall. At the side of each stall hung the weapons of offence +and defence of a man-at-arms, as bright as constant attention could make +them, together with the buff-coat which formed the trooper's under +garment. The baron, followed by one or two of the domestics, who had +assembled full of astonishment at the unusual alarm, hastened up betwixt +the rows of steeds. As he approached the stall of his favourite horse, +which was the uppermost of the right-hand row, the good steed neither +neighed, nor shook his head, nor stamped with his foot, nor gave the usual +signs of joy at his lord's approach; a faint moaning, as if he implored +assistance, was the only acknowledgment of the baron's presence. Sir +Herman held up the torch, and discovered that there was indeed a tall, +dark figure standing in the stall, resting his hand on the horse's +shoulder. 'Who art thou?' said the baron, 'and what dost thou here?' 'I +seek refuge and hospitality,' replied the stranger; 'and I conjure thee to +grant it me, by the shoulder of thy horse, and by the edge of thy sword, +and so as they may never fail thee when thy need is at the utmost.' 'Thou +art, then, a brother of the Sacred Fire,' said Baron Herman of Arnheim; +'and I may not refuse thee the refuge which thou requirest of me, after +the ritual of the Persian Magi. From whom, and for what length of time, +dost thou crave my protection?' 'From those,' replied the stranger, 'who +shall arrive in quest of me before the morning cock shall crow, and for +the full space of a year and a day from this period.' 'I may not refuse +thee,' said the baron, 'consistently with my oath and my honour. For a +year and a day I will be thy pledge, and thou shall share with me roof and +chamber, wine and food. But thou, too, must obey the law of Zoroaster, +which, as it says, Let the stronger protect the weaker brother, says also, +Let the wiser instruct the brother who hath less knowledge. I am the +stronger, and thou shalt be safe under my protection; but thou art the +wiser, and must instruct me in the more secret mysteries.' 'You mock +your servant,' said the strange visiter; 'but if aught is known to +Dannischemend which can avail Herman, his instructions shall be as those +of a father to a son.' 'Come forth, then, from thy place of refuge,' said +the Baron of Arnheim: 'I swear to thee by the sacred fire which lives +without terrestrial fuel, and by the fraternity which is betwixt us, and +by the shoulder of my horse, and the edge of my good sword, I will be thy +warrand for a year and a day, if so far my power shall extend.' + +"The stranger came forth accordingly; and those who saw the singularity of +his appearance, scarce wondered at the fears of Caspar, the stall-master, +when he found such a person in the stable, by what mode of entrance he was +unable to conceive. When he reached the lighted hall to which the baron +conducted him, as he would have done a welcome and honoured guest, the +stranger appeared to be very tall, and of a dignified aspect. His dress +was Asiatic, being a long, black caftan, or gown, like that worn by +Armenians, and a lofty, square cap, covered with the wool of Astracan +lambs. Every article of the dress was black, which gave relief to the +long, white beard that flowed down over his bosom. His gown was fastened +by a sash of black silk net-work, in which, instead of a poniard, or +sword, was stuck a silver case, containing writing materials and a roll of +parchment. The only ornament of his apparel consisted in a large ruby of +uncommon brilliancy, which, when he approached the light, seemed to glow +with such liveliness, as if the gem itself had emitted the rays which it +only reflected back. To the offer of refreshment, the stranger replied, +'Baron, I may not eat, water shall not moisten my lips, until the avenger +shall have passed by the threshold.' The baron commanded the lamps to be +trimmed and fresh torches to be lighted, and sending his whole household +to rest, remained sealed in the hall along with the stranger, his +suppliant. At midnight, the gates of the castle were shaken as by a +whirlwind, and a voice, as if of a herald, was heard to demand his lawful +prisoner, Dannischemend, the son of Hali. The warder then heard a lower +window of the hall thrown open, and could distinguish his master's voice +addressing the person who had thus summoned the castle. But the night was +so dark that he might not see the speakers, and the language which they +used was either entirely foreign, or so largely interspersed with strange +words, that he could not understand a syllable which they said. Scarce +five minutes had elapsed, when he who was without, again elevated his +voice as before, and said in German, 'For a year and a day, then, I +forbear my forfeiture;--but coming for it when that time shall elapse, +I come for my right, and will no longer be withstood.' + +"From that period Dannischemend, the Persian, was a constant guest at +the castle of Arnheim, and, indeed, never for any purpose crossed the +drawbridge. His amusements, or studies, seemed centred in the library of +the castle, and in the laboratory, where the baron sometimes toiled in +conjunction with him for many hours together. The inhabitants of the +castle could find no fault in the Magus, or Persian, excepting his +apparently dispensing with the ordinances of religion, since he neither +went to mass nor confession, nor attended upon other religious ceremonies. +It was observed that Dannischemend was rigid in paying his devotions, +by prostrating himself in the first rays of the rising sun, and that he +constructed a silver lamp of the most beautiful proportions, which he +placed on a pedestal representing a truncated column of marble, having +its base sculptured with hieroglyphical imagery. With what essences he +fed this flame was unknown to all, unless perhaps to the baron; but the +flame was more steady, pure, and lustrous, than any which was ever seen, +excepting the sun of heaven itself, and it was generally believed that +Dannischemend made it an object of worship in the absence of that blessed +luminary. Nothing else was observed of him, unless that his morals seemed +severe, his gravity extreme, his general mode of life very temperate, and +his fasts and vigils of frequent recurrence. Except on particular +occasions, he spoke to no one of the castle but the baron. + +"Winter was succeeded by spring, summer brought her flowers, and autumn +her fruits, which ripened and were fading, when a foot-page, who sometimes +attended them in the laboratory to render manual assistance when required, +heard the Persian say to the Baron of Arnheim, 'You will do well, my son, +to mark my words; for my lessons to you are drawing to an end, and there +is no power on earth which can longer postpone my fate.' 'Alas, my +master!' said the baron, 'and must I then lose the benefit of your +direction, just when your guiding hand becomes necessary to place me on +the very pinnacle of the temple of wisdom?' 'Be not discouraged, my son,' +answered the sage; 'I will bequeath the task of perfecting you in your +studies to my daughter, who will come hither on purpose. But remember, if +you value the permanence of your family, look not upon her as aught else +than a helpmate in your studies; for if you forget the instructress in the +beauty of the maiden, you will be buried with your sword and your shield, +as the last male of your house; and farther evil, believe me, will arise; +for such alliances never come to a happy issue, of which my own is an +example.--But, hush, we are observed.' The household of the castle of +Arnheim having but few things to interest them, were the more eager +observers of those which came under their notice; and when the termination +of the period when the Persian was to receive shelter in the castle began +to approach, some of the inmates, under various pretexts, but which +resolved into every terror, absconded,--while others held themselves in +expectation of some striking and terrible catastrophe. None such, however, +took place; and, on the expected anniversary, long ere the witching hour +of midnight, Dannischemend terminated his visit in the castle of Arnheim, +by riding away from the gate in the guise of an ordinary traveller. + +"The baron had meantime taken leave of his tutor with many marks of +regret, and some which amounted even to sorrow. The sage Persian comforted +him by a long whisper, of which the last part only was heard, 'By the +first beam of sunshine she will be with you. Be kind to her, but not over +kind.' He then departed, and was never again seen or heard of in the +vicinity of Arnheim. The baron was observed during all the day after the +departure of the stranger to be particularly melancholy. At dawn of the +ensuing morning, Sir Herman summoned his page; and having performed his +toilet, he waited till the sun had just appeared above the horizon, and, +taking from the table the key of the laboratory, which the page believed +must have lain there all night, he walked thither, followed by his +attendant. At the door the baron made a pause, and seemed at one time to +doubt whether he should not send away the page, at another to hesitate +whether he should open the door, as one might do who expected some strange +sight within. He pulled up resolution, however, turned the key, threw the +door open, and entered. The page followed close behind his master, and was +astonished to the point of extreme terror at what he beheld, although the +sight, however extraordinary, had in it nothing save what was agreeable +and lovely. The silver lamp was extinguished, or removed from its +pedestal, where stood in place of it a most beautiful female figure in the +Persian costume, in which the colour of pink predominated. But she wore +no turban, or head-dress of any kind, saving a blue riband drawn through +her auburn hair and secured by a gold clasp, the outer side of which was +ornamented by a superb opal, which, amid the changing lights peculiar +to that gem, displayed a slight tinge of red, like a spark of fire. +The figure of this young person was rather under the middle size, but +perfectly well formed; the eastern dress, with the wide trousers gathered +round the ankles, made visible the smallest and most beautiful feet which +had ever been seen, while hands and arms of the most perfect symmetry +were partly seen from under the folds of the robe. The little lady's +countenance was of a lively and expressive character, in which spirit and +wit seemed to predominate; and the quick, dark eye, with its beautifully +formed eyebrow, seemed to presage the arch remark, to which the rosy and +half-smiling lip appeared ready to give utterance. The pedestal on which +she stood, or rather was perched, would have appeared unsafe had any +figure heavier than her own been placed there. But, however she had been +transported thither, she seemed to rest on it as lightly and safely as a +linnet, when it has dropped from the sky on the tendril of a rose-bud. The +first beam of the rising sun, falling through a window directly opposite +to the pedestal, increased the effect of this beautiful figure, which +remained as motionless as if it had been carved in marble. She only +expressed her sense of the Baron of Arnheim's presence by something of a +quicker respiration, and a deep blush, accompanied by a slight smile. + +"The Baron of Arnheim, for an instant, stood without breath or motion. +At once, however, he seemed to recollect that it was his duty to welcome +the fair stranger to his castle, and to relieve her from her precarious +situation. He stepped forward accordingly with the words of welcome on his +tongue, and was extending his arms to lift her from the pedestal, which +was nearly six feet high; but the light and active stranger merely +accepted the support of his hand, and descended on the floor as light and +as safe as if she had been formed of gossamer. It was, indeed, only by the +momentary pressure of her little hand, that the Baron of Arnheim was made +sensible that he had to do with a being of flesh and blood. 'I am come as +I have been commanded,' she said, looking around her: 'you must expect a +strict and diligent mistress, and I hope for the credit of an attentive +pupil.' After the arrival of this singular and interesting being in the +castle of Arnheim, various alterations took place within the interior of +the household. A lady of high rank and small fortune, the respectable +widow of a count of the empire, who was the baron's blood relation, +received and accepted an invitation to preside over her kinsman's domestic +affairs, and remove, by her countenance, any suspicions which might arise +from the presence of Hermione, as the beautiful Persian was generally +called. The countess Waldstetten carried her complaisance so far, as to +be present on almost all occasions, whether in the laboratory or library, +when the Baron of Arnheim received lessons from, or pursued studies with, +the young and lovely tutor, who had been thus strangely substituted for +the aged Magus. If this lady's report was to be trusted, their pursuits +were of a most extraordinary nature, and the results which she sometimes +witnessed were such as to create fear as well as surprise. But she +accordingly vindicated them from practising unlawful arts, or overstepping +the boundaries of natural science. A better judge of such matters, the +Bishop of Bamberg himself, made a visit to Arnheim, on purpose to witness +the wisdom of which so much was reported through the whole Rhine country. +He conversed with Hermione, and found her deeply impressed with the truths +of religion, and so perfectly acquainted with its doctrines, that he +compared her to a doctor of theology in the dress of an Eastern +dancing-girl. When asked regarding her knowledge of languages and science, +he answered that he had been attracted to Arnheim by the most extravagant +reports on these points, but that he must return confessing 'the half +thereof had not been told unto him.' + +"Meantime a marked alteration began to take place in the interviews +between the lovely tutor and her pupil. These were conducted with the same +caution as before, and never, so far as could be observed, took place +without the presence of the countess of Waldstetten, or some other third +person of respectability. But the scenes of these meetings were no longer +the scholar's library, or the chemist's laboratory;--the gardens, the +groves, were resorted to for amusement, and parties of hunting and +fishing, with evenings spent in the dance, seemed to announce that the +studies of wisdom were for a time abandoned for the pursuits of pleasure. +It was not difficult to guess the meaning of this; the Baron of Arnheim +and his fair guest, speaking a language different from all others, could +enjoy their private conversation, even amid all the tumult of gaiety +around them; and no one was surprised to hear it formally announced, after +a few weeks of gaiety, that the fair Persian was to be wedded to the Baron +of Arnheim. + +"The manners of this fascinating young person were so pleasing, her +conversation so animated, her wit so keen, yet so well tempered with good +nature and modesty, that, notwithstanding her unknown origin, her high +fortune attracted less envy than might have been expected in a case so +singular. Above all, her generosity amazed and won the hearts of all the +young persons who approached her. These good qualities, her liberality +above all, together with a simplicity of thought and character, which +formed a beautiful contrast to the depth of acquired knowledge which she +was well-known to possess,--these, and her total want of ostentation, made +her superiority be pardoned among her companions. Still there was notice +taken of some peculiarities, exaggerated perhaps by envy, which seemed to +draw a mystical distinction between the beautiful Hermione and the mere +mortals with whom she lived and conversed. In the merry dance she was so +unrivalled in lightness and agility, that her performance seemed that of +an aerial being. She could, without suffering from her exertion, continue +the pleasure till she had tired out the most active revellers; and even +the young Duke of Hochspringen, who was reckoned the most indefatigable at +that exercise in Germany, having been her partner for half an hour, was +compelled to break off the dance and throw himself, totally exhausted, +on a couch, exclaiming he had been dancing not with a woman, but with an +_ignis fatuus_. Other whispers averred, that while she played with her +young companions in the labyrinth and mazes of the castle gardens at +hide-and-seek, or similar games of activity, she became animated with the +same supernatural alertness which was supposed to inspire her in the +dance. She appeared amongst her companions, and vanished from them with +a degree of rapidity which was inconceivable; and hedges, treillage, or +such like obstructions, were surmounted by her in a manner which the most +vigilant eye could not detect; for, after being observed on the other side +of the barrier at one instant, in another she was beheld close beside the +spectator. In such moments, when her eyes sparkled, her cheeks reddened, +and her whole frame became animated, it was pretended that the opal clasp +amid her tresses, the ornament which she never laid aside, shot forth the +little spark, or tongue of flame, which it always displayed, with an +increased vivacity. In the same manner, if in the twilight hall the +conversation of Hermione became unusually animated, it was believed that +the jewel became brilliant, and even displayed a twinkling and flashing +gleam which seemed to be emitted by the gem itself, and not produced in +the usual manner, by the reflection of some external light. Her maidens +were also heard to surmise, that when their mistress was agitated by any +hasty or brief resentment (the only weakness of temper which she was ever +observed to display,) they could observe dark-red sparks flash from the +mystic brooch, as if it sympathized with the wearer's emotions. The women +who attended on her toilette farther reported, that this gem was never +removed but for a few minutes, when the baroness' hair was combed out; +that she was unusually pensive and silent during the time it was laid +aside, and particularly apprehensive when any liquid was brought near it. +Even in the use of holy water at the door of the church, she was observed +to omit the sign of the cross on the forehead, for fear, it was supposed, +of the water touching the valued jewel. + +"These singular reports did not prevent the marriage of the Baron of +Arnheim from proceeding as had been arranged. In the course of twelve +months the lovely baroness presented her husband with a daughter, which +was to be christened Sibylla, after the count's mother. As the health of +the child was excellent, the ceremony was postponed till the recovery of +the mother from her confinement; many were invited to be present on the +occasion, and the castle was thronged with company. It happened that +amongst the guests was an old lady, notorious for playing in private +society the part of a malicious fairy in a minstrel's tale. This was the +Baroness of Steinfeldt, famous in the neighbourhood for her insatiable +curiosity and overweening pride. She had not been many days in the castle, +ere, by the aid of a female attendant, who acted as an intelligencer, +she had made herself mistress of all that was heard, said, or suspected, +concerning the peculiarities of the Baroness Hermione. It was on the +morning of the day appointed for the christening, while the whole company +were assembled in the hall, and waiting till the baroness should appear, +to pass with them to the chapel, that there arose between the censorious +and haughty dame whom we have just mentioned, and the Countess +Waldstettin, a violent discussion concerning some point of disputed +precedence. It was referred to the Baron von Arnheim, who decided in +favour of the countess. Madame de Steinfeldt instantly ordered her palfrey +to be prepared, and her attendants to mount. 'I leave this place,' said +she, 'which a good Christian ought never to have entered; I leave a house +of which the master is a sorcerer, the mistress a demon who dares not +cross her brow with holy water, and their trencher companion one who for +a wretched pittance is willing to act as match-maker between a wizard and +an incarnate fiend!' She then departed, with rage in her countenance, +and spite in her heart. The Baron of Arnheim then stepped forward, and +demanded of the knights and gentlemen around, if there were any among them +who would dare to make good with his sword the infamous falsehoods thrown +upon himself, his spouse, and his kinswoman. There was a general answer, +utterly refusing to defend the Baroness of Steinfeldt's words in so bad a +cause, and universally testifying the belief of the company that she spoke +in the spirit of calumny and falsehood. 'Then let that lie fall to the +ground which no man of courage will hold up,' said the Baron of Arnheim; +'only, all who are here this morning shall be satisfied whether the +Baroness Hermione doth or doth not share the rites of Christianity.' +The Countess of Waldstetten made anxious signs to him while he spoke +thus; and when the crowd permitted her to approach near him, she was +heard to whisper,--'O, be not rash! try no experiment! there is something +mysterious about that opal talisman; be prudent, and let the matter pass +by.' The baron, who was in a more towering passion than well became the +wisdom to which he made pretence, said, 'Are you, too, such a fool?' and +retained his purpose. + +"The Baroness of Arnheim at this moment entered the hall, looking just so +pale from her late confinement as to render her lovely countenance more +interesting, if less animated, than usual. Having paid her compliments +to the assembled company, she was beginning to inquire why Madame de +Steinfeldt was not present, when her husband made the signal for the +company to move forward to the chapel, and lent the baroness his arm to +bring up the rear. The chapel was nearly filled by the splendid company, +and all eyes were bent on their host and hostess as they entered the place +of devotion immediately after four young ladies, who supported the infant +babe in a light and beautiful litter. As they passed the threshold, the +baron dipt his finger in the font-stone and offered holy-water to his +lady, who accepted it, as usual, by touching his finger with her own. But +then, as if to confute the calumnies of the malevolent lady of Steinfeldt, +with an air of sportive familiarity which was rather unwarranted by the +time and place, he flirted on her beautiful forehead a drop or two of the +moisture which remained on his own hand. The opal, on which one of these +drops had lighted, shot out a brilliant spark like a falling star, and +became the instant afterwards lightless and colourless as a common pebble, +while the beautiful baroness sunk on the floor of the chapel with a deep +sigh of pain. All crowded around her in dismay. The unfortunate Hermione +was raised from the ground and conveyed to her chamber; and so much did +her countenance and pulse alter within the short time necessary to do +this, that those who looked upon her pronounced her a dying woman. She was +no sooner in her own apartment than she requested to be left alone with +her husband. He remained an hour in the room, and when he came out he +locked and double locked the door behind him. He then betook himself to +the chapel, and remained there for an hour or more, prostrated before the +altar. In the meantime most of the guests had dispersed in dismay; though +some abode out of courtesy or curiosity. There was a general sense of +impropriety in suffering the door of the sick lady's apartment to remain +locked; but, alarmed at the whole circumstances of her illness, it was +some time ere any one dared disturb the devotions of the baron. At length +medical aid arrived, and the Countess of Waldstetten took upon her to +demand the key. She spoke more than once to a man who seemed incapable of +hearing, at least of understanding, what she said. At length he gave her +the key, and added sternly, as he did so, that all aid was unavailing, and +that it was his pleasure that all strangers should leave the castle. There +were few who were inclined to stay; when upon opening the door of the +chamber in which the baroness had been deposited little more than two +hours before, no traces of her could be discovered, unless that there was +about a handful of light grey ashes, like such as might have been produced +by burning fine paper, found on the bed where she had been laid. A solemn +funeral was nevertheless performed, with masses and all other spiritual +rites, for the soul of the high and noble Lady Hermione of Arnheim; and it +was exactly on that same day three years that the baron himself was laid +in the grave of the same chapel of Arnheim, with sword, shield, and +helmet, as the last male of his family." + + * * * * * + + +THE TOPOGRAPHER. + +SAWSTON HALL.[1] + + +[Footnote 1: The above brief account of a veritable old English Manor +House, transcribed from a few rough notes, taken at the period of personal +observation, is now supplied by the writer as an article entitled "The +Siege of Sawston," appears this month, in that clever and amusing work +_The United Service Journal_.] + + + Huge halls, long galleries, spacious chambers join'd + By no quite lawful marriage of the arts, + Might shock a connoisseur; but when combin'd + Form'd a whole, which, irregular in parts, + Yet left a grand impression on the mind + At least, of those whose eyes are in their hearts. + We gaze upon a giant for his stature, + Nor judge at first, if all be true to nature. + +BYRON. + + +Quoting from the same poem, we may truly say of Sawston Hall, +Cambridgeshire--"The mansion's self is vast and venerable,"--for it is +one of the most pleasing architectural relics of the "elder time," which +at present exists in England. The house, a large, old, substantial +mansion, built partly, as says the tradition, from the walls of Cambridge +Castle, has been the property of the Roman Catholic family of Huddleston, +for some centuries; and assuming its present appearance early in the reign +of Queen Mary, has, with only the trifling alterations incidental to +necessary repairs, retained it; for the Huddlestons, inhabiting Sawston +Hall, and residing there in each generation, highly respected as country +gentlemen, either from the extravagance of some of the family, or from a +taste for old associations, have been prevented from altering it. As the +manor house, it stands near the church; the baronial chiefs who were +always lords of the manor, frequently building, if seldom patronizing, +their village churches. + +The mansion is a large, square building, situated in a garden, wherein may +be observed the remains of _aggera_, a moat, terrace, &c.; a river so +shallow that it might be easily forded, flows at the back of the house, +and serves as one boundary to this garden. In the very small inner court, +stands a tower, enclosing a spiral staircase, which leads to the top of +the house; the whole length of the southern front of it is occupied by a +gallery, and the dormitories upon this floor, which communicate with each +other, are hung with old tapestry. The principal entrance is through a +porch and door, which opens immediately into the baronial hall, a curious +place certainly, but slightly differing in arrangement and appearance from +what we had previously seen at Arundel Castle, Haddon Hall, and several +colleges. The oriel window, instead of its usual place at the upper end of +the hall, was situated on one side, very near the corner; in the recess +formed by it, stood the baron's table, not as we had anticipated upon a +dais, but at least so veiled from the vulgar gaze of the retainers who +feasted at a separate board in the apartment, that it answered the purpose +of distinguishing ranks equally well. The hall is paved with red brick, +and has a large, open fire-place, intimating well the hospitable spirit of +former days; its panels, curiously carved, are painted white and brown; +the latter in imitation of walnut wood, is probably a mere coating of +paint drawn over the original panels of that material, to ensure their +preservation. Here too are the arms of the family emblazoned, in which +may be observed the lion of Britain and Fleur-de-lis of France, the +Huddlestons being descended from, or united to, the royal line of each +nation. + +There is, near the hall, an ancient refectory, or dining-room, shut up, +and in so dangerous a state as to require to be filled with props to +support its ceiling. The grand staircase, which is of oak, and coeval with +the building, leads to the gallery, in which are situated the principal +sleeping-rooms, distinguished as the green, blue, red chambers, &c., +according to the predominant colours of the ancient and faded tapestry +with which they are hung; nor would the old manor-house deserve the name +of such, was there not in one of these a concealed door behind the arras, +and in another, the report at least of a ghost. A narrow door, near the +end of the gallery, opens immediately upon an old and narrow staircase, +the ascent to that chapel in the very roof of the building, which at the +period of the Reformation, was contrived and fitted up for the secret +advantage of the Roman Catholic proprietors of Sawston; this chamber, for +it is nothing more, is certainly little calculated to impress the mind +of the spectator with an idea of the splendour of Catholic worship; we +approached it by a narrow decaying staircase, stepped over bare rafters, +and were scarcely able to pilot ourselves securely by the faint +glimmerings of day-light, streaming through the chinks in the tiling +overhead. Upon the opening of the chapel door, however, a full tide of +light greeted us, admitted by a dormer window, and this displayed an +apartment, known by its altar and benches to be appropriated to sacred +purposes, the sole decorations of whose plain white-washed walls were some +few engravings of madonnas, saints, and holy families, &c., chiefly +French, and not particularly beautiful or valuable. + +On returning from the chapel we were shown an ingenious hiding-place for +the priest in troublous times: a cell covered by a trap-door in the +staircase, and just large enough to contain one person, a small table, and +a stool; whilst a loop-hole in the wall admitted an apology for light and +air. Of heir-looms, there are at Sawston Hall, plenty of curious old +pictures and engravings, books, missals, a real relic of chivalry, (light, +well-poised, and made of the true lance-wood,) a tilting lance; Queen +Mary's bed, and her pincushion; and a singular glass water-jug, made in +the reign of Queen Anne, which, when the present proprietor of Sawston +took possession of his inheritance, had been laid up for seventy years; it +is now, we believe, off the superannuated list, and sees daily service. +We have only space briefly to allude to the tradition, which, sketched at +length in the valuable periodical to which we have referred our readers, +induced us to supply the present illustrative account. The Princess Mary +fleeing from the persecutions of the heads of the Protestant party, was +entertained and lodged for a night by Sir John Huddleston, of Sawston. The +hall was in consequence besieged by an immense mob from Cambridge, fired, +and nearly destroyed; Mary and her host with difficulty escaped, (she +disguised as a market-woman,) and as queen, she rebuilt Sawston with the +stones of Cambridge Castle. + +M.L.B. + + * * * * * + + + + +MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS. + + * * * * * + +CHINESE CITIES. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +The cities of China are generally of a square form, surrounded with lofty +walls, having projecting towers at regular intervals, and are usually +encompassed by a ditch, either dry or full of water. Distributed through +the streets and squares, or situated in the vicinity of the principal +gates, are round, hexagonal or octagonal towers, of various heights, +triumphal arches, beautiful temples dedicated to idols, and monuments +erected in honour of those who have rendered important services to the +nation, or the people; and lastly some public buildings more remarkable +for extent than magnificence. + +The squares are large, the streets long and of different breadths, the +houses have, for the most part, but a ground floor, and rarely exceed one +story. The shops are varnished, and ornamented with silk and porcelain. +Before each door is fixed a painted and gilded board, seven or eight feet +high, supported on a pedestal, and having inscribed on it three large +characters chosen by the merchant for the sign of his shop, to distinguish +it from all others. To these are often added a list of the articles to be +disposed of, and the name of the seller. Under all, conspicuous for their +size, are the characters _"Pou-Hou,"_ (no cheating here.) + +G.L.S. + + * * * * * + + +FIGS + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +Figs have, from the earliest times, been reckoned among the delights of +the palate. Shaphan the scribe, who made for the use of the young king +Josiah, that compendium of the law of Moses, which is called Deuteronomy, +enumerates among the praises of his country, that it was a land of figs. + +The Athenians valued figs at least as highly as the Jews. Alexis called +figs a "a food for the gods." Pausanias says, that the Athenian Phytalus +was rewarded by Ceres, for his hospitality, with the gift of the first fig +tree. Some foreign guest, no doubt, transmitted to him the plant, which he +introduced into Attica. It succeeded so well there, that Uthanaeus brings +forward Lynceus and Antiphones, vaunting the figs of Attica as the best on +earth. Horapollo, or rather his commentator Bolzani, says, that when the +master of the house is going a journey, he hangs out a broom of fig boughs +for good luck. Our forefathers preferred a broom of birch; as if, in the +master's absence, it was well to remember the rod. + +A taste for figs marked the progress of refinement in the Roman empire. In +Cato's time, but six sorts of figs were known; in Pliny's, twenty-nine. +The sexual system of plants, seems first to have been observed in the fig +tree; whose artificial impregnation is taught by Pliny, under the name of +caprification. + +In modern times, the esteem for figs has been still more widely diffused. + +When Charles the Fifth visited Holland, in 1540, a Dutch merchant sent him +a plate of figs, as the greatest delicacy which Ziriksee could offer. + +H.B.A. + + * * * * * + + +ALNWICK FREEMEN. + + +Alnwick, in Northumberland, is remarkable for the peculiar manner of +making freemen. Those to be made free, or as the saying is, _to leap +well_, assemble in the market place early on St. Mark's day on horseback, +with every man a sword by his side, dressed in white, all with white night +caps, attended by four chamberlains mounted and armed in the same manner. +Hence they proceed with music to a large, dirty pool, called _Freeman's +Well_, where they dismount, and draw up in a body, and then rush through +the mud as fast as they can. As the water is generally very foul, they +come out in a dirty condition; but after taking a dram, they put on dry +clothes, remount their horses, and ride full gallop round the confines of +the town, when they return, sword in hand, and are met by women decorated +with ribands, bells, &c. ringing and dancing. These are called _timber +vasts_. The houses of the new freemen are, on this day, distinguished by +a holly bush, as a signal for their friends to assemble and make merry. + +This ridiculous ceremony is attributed to King John, who being mired in +the well, as a punishment for not mending the road, made the above custom +a part of the charter of the town. + +H.B.A. + + * * * * * + + + + +THE ANECDOTE GALLERY. + + * * * * * + + +DOCTOR PARR. + + +How many a fine mind has been lost to mankind by the want of some +propitious accident, to lead it to a proper channel; to prevent its +current from "turning awry and losing the name of action!" We know not +whether the story of Newton's apple be true, but it may serve for an +illustration, and if that apple had not fallen, where would have been his +Principia? If the Lady Egerton had not missed her way in a wood, Milton +might have spent the time in which he wrote "Comus," in writing "Accidence +of Grammar;" and if Ellwood, the quaker, had not asked him what he could +say on "Paradise Regained," that beautiful poem (so greatly underrated) +would have been lost to us. + +Samuel Parr was born at Harrow-on-the-Hill, June 15 (o.s.) 1747. He was +the son of Samuel Parr, a surgeon and apothecary of that place, and +through him immediately descended from several considerable scholars, and +remotely (as one of his biographers, Mr. Field, asserts) from Sir W. Parr, +who lived in the reign of Edward IV., and whose granddaughter was Queen +Catharine Parr, of famous memory. It does not appear from Parr's writings +(as far as we remember) that he laid claim to this high ancestry; yet the +name of Catharine, which he gave to one of his daughters, may be imagined +to imply as much. His mother, whose maiden name was Mignard, was of the +family of the celebrated painter. It was the accident of Parr's birthplace +that, probably, laid the foundation of his fame, for to the school of his +native village, then one of the most flourishing in England, he was sent +in his sixth year; whilst, under other circumstances, it is likely that +he would have been condemned to an ordinary education and his father's +business. So many seeds is Nature constantly and secretly scattering, in +order that one may fall upon a spot that shall foster it into a a plant. +In his boyhood, he is described by his sister, Mrs. Bowyear, as studious +after his kind, delighting in Mother Goose and the Seven Champions, and +not partaking much in the sports usual to such an age. He had a very +early inclination for the church, and the elements of that taste for +ecclesiastical pomp, which distinguished him in after life, appeared when +he was not more than nine or ten years old. He would put on one of his +father's shirts for a surplice, (till Mr. Sanders, the vicar, supplied +him, as Hannah did his namesake, with a little gown and cassock;) he would +then read the church service to his sister and cousins, after they had +been duly summoned by a bell tied to the banisters; preach them a sermon, +which his congregation was apt to think, in those days, somewhat of the +longest; and even, in spite of his father's remonstrances, would bury a +bird or a kitten (Parr had always a great fondness for animals) with the +rites of Christian burial. Samuel was his mother's darling; she indulged +all his whims, consulted his appetite, and provided hot suppers for him +almost from his cradle. He was her only son, and was at this time very +fair and well-favoured. Providence, however, foreseeing that at all events +vanity was to be a large ingredient in Parr's composition, sent him, +in its mercy, a fit of small-pox; and, with the same intent, perhaps, +deprived him of a parent, who was killing her son's character by kindness. +Parr never was a boy, says, somewhere, his friend and school-fellow, Dr. +Bennet. When he was about nine years old, Dr. Allen saw him sitting on the +churchyard gate at Harrow, with great gravity, whilst his school-fellows +were all at play. "Sam. why don't you play with the others?" cried Allen. +"Do not you know, sir," said he, with vast solemnity, "that I am to be a +parson?" And Parr himself used to tell of Sir W. Jones, another of his +school-fellows, that as they were one day walking together near Harrow, +Jones suddenly stopped short, and, looking hard at him, cried out, "Parr, +if you should have the good luck to live forty years, you may stand a +chance of overtaking your face." Between Bennet, Parr, and Jones, the +closest intimacy was formed; and though occasionally tried, it continued +to the last. Sir W. Jones, indeed, was soon carried, by the tide of +events, far away from the other two, and Dr. Bennet quickly shot a-head +of poor Parr in the race of life, and rose to the Irish bench. + +These three challenged one another to trials of skill in the imitation of +popular authors--they wrote and acted a play together--they got up mock +councils, and harangues, and combats, after the manner of the classical +heroes of antiquity, and under their names--till, at the age of fourteen, +Parr being now at the head of the school, was removed from it and placed +in his father's shop. + +The doctor must have found in the course of his practice, that there +are some pills which will not go down--and this was one. Parr began to +criticize the Latin of his father's prescriptions, instead of "making +the mixture;" and was not prepared for that kind of Greek with which old +Fuller's doctor was imbued, who, on being asked why it was called a +_Hectic_ fever, "Because," saith he, "of an _hecking_ cough which ever +attendeth that disease." Accordingly, Parr having in vain tried to +reconcile himself to the "uttering of mortal drugs" for three years, was +at length suffered to follow his own devices, and in 1765, was admitted of +Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Dr. Farmer was at that time tutor. Of this +proficient in black letter (he was one of the earliest, and perhaps _the_ +cleverest, of his tribe) we are told by Archdeacon Butler, in a note, that +he was a man of such singular indolence, as to neglect sending in the +young men's accounts, and is supposed to have burnt large sums of money, +by putting into the fire unopened letters, which contained remittances, +conveyed remonstrances, and required answers. + +At college Parr remained about fourteen months, when his resources were +cut off by the sudden death of his father. On balancing his accounts, +three pounds seventeen shillings appeared to be all his worldly wealth; +and it has been asserted by one of the many persons who have contributed +their quota to the memorabilia of Parr, that had he been aware beforehand +of possessing so considerable a sum, he would have continued longer in +an university which he quitted with a heavy heart, and which he was ever +proud to acknowledge as his literary nursing-mother. It is melancholy +to reflect on the numbers of young men who squander the opportunities +afforded them at Cambridge, and Oxford, without a thought; "casting the +pearl away, like the Aethiop," while, at the very moment, many are the sons +of genius and poverty, who, with Parr, are struggling in vain to hold fast +their chance of the learning, and the rewards of learning, to be gained +there, and which would be to them instead of house and land. Thus were +Parr's hopes again nipped in the bud, and those years, (the most valuable +of all, perhaps, for the formation of character,) the latter years of +school and college life, were to him a blank. Meanwhile Dr. Sumner, then +master of Harrow, offered him the situation of his first assistant. With +this Parr closed; he took deacon's orders in 1769; and five years passed +away, as usefully and happily spent as any which he lived to see. It was +while he was under-master of Harrow that he lost his cousin, Frank Parr, +then a recently elected Fellow of King's College. Parr loved him as a +brother; and, though himself receiving a salary of only fifty pounds a +year, and, as he says, and as may be well believed, "then very poor," +he cheerfully undertook for Frank, by way of making his death-bed more +comfortable, the payment of all his Cambridge debts, which proved to be +two hundred and twenty-three pounds; a promise which, it is needless to +say, he faithfully kept, besides settling an annuity of five pounds upon +his mother. + +In 1771, when Parr was in his twenty-fifth year, Dr. Sumner was suddenly +carried off by apoplexy. Parr now became a candidate for the head +mastership of Harrow, founding his claims on being born in the town, +educated at the school, and for some years one of the assistants. The +governors, however, preferred Dr. Benjamin Heath, an antagonist by whom +it was no disgrace to be beaten, and whose personal merit Parr himself +allowed to justify their choice. A rebellion among the boys, many of whom +took Parr's part, ensued; and in an evil hour he threw up his situation +of assistant, and withdrew to Stanmore, a village a very few miles from +Harrow. Here he was followed by forty of the young rebels, and with this +stock in trade he proceeded to set up a school on his own account. This, +Dr. Johnstone thinks, was the crisis of Parr's life. The die had turned +up against him, and the disappointment, with its immediate consequences, +gave a complexion to his future fortunes, character, and comfort. He had +already mounted a full-bottomed wig when he stood for Harrow, anxious, as +it should seem, to give his face a still further chance of keeping its +start. He now began to ride on a black saddle, and bore in his hand a long +wand with an ivory head, like a crosier in high prelatical pomp. His +neighbours, who wondered what it could all mean, had scarcely time to +identify him with his pontificals, before they saw him stalking along the +street in a dirty, striped dressing-gown. A wife was all that was now +wanted to complete the establishment at Stanmore, and accordingly Miss +Jane Marsingale, a lady of an ancient Yorkshire family, was provided for +him, (Parr, like Hooker, appears to have courted by proxy, and with about +the same success,) and so Stanmore was set a going as the rival of Harrow. +These were fearful odds, and it came to pass, that in spite of "Attic +symposia," and groves of Academus, and the enacting of a Greek play, and +the perpetual recitation of the fragment in praise of Harmodius and +Aristogeiton, the establishment at Stanmore declined, and at the end of +five years, Parr was not sorry to accept the mastership of an endowed +school at Colchester. To Colchester, therefore, he removed with his wife +and a daughter in the spring of 1777. Here he took priest's orders at the +hands of Bishop Lowth, and found society congenial to him in Dr. Foster, +a kindred whig, and in Thomas Twining, a kindred scholar. + + * * * * * + + +YOUNG NAPOLEON + + +This poor boy, whose destiny has suffered so remarkable a change, appears +to have been a child of great promise, both for intelligence and goodness +of heart. The anecdotes concerning him are of the most pleasing kind. From +the time that he knew how to speak, he became, like most children, a great +questioner. He loved, above every thing, to watch the people walking in +the garden and in the court of the Tuileries, over which his windows +looked. There was always a crowd of people assembled there to see him. +Having remarked that many of the persons who entered the palace, had rolls +of paper under their arms, he desired to know of his _gouvernante_ what +that meant. He was told that they were unfortunate people, who came to ask +some favour of his papa. From this moment he shouted and wept whenever he +saw a petition pass, and was not to be satisfied till it was brought to +him; and he never failed to present himself, every day at breakfast, all +those which he had collected in the course of the day before. It may be +easily supposed, that when this practice was known to the public, the +child was never at a loss for petitions. + +He saw one day under his windows a woman in mourning who held by the hand +a little boy about four years old, also in mourning. This little fellow +had in his hand a petition which he held up from a distance to the young +prince. The boy would know why this poor, little one was clothed all in +black. His governess answered that it was, no doubt, because his papa +was dead. He manifested a strong desire to talk with the child.--Madame +Montesquieu, who seized every occasion of developing his sensibility, +consented, and gave an order that he should be brought in with his mother. +She was a widow whose husband had been killed in the last campaign, and +finding herself without resources, had petitioned the emperor for a +pension. The young Napoleon took the petition and promised to deliver it +to his papa. The next morning he made up his ordinary packet of petitions, +but the one in which he took a particular interest he kept separate, and +after putting the mass into the hands of the emperor according to custom; +"Papa," said he, "here is the petition of a very unfortunate little boy; +you are the cause of his father's dying, and now he has nothing. Give him +a pension, I beg." Napoleon took up his son and embraced him tenderly, +gave him the pension, which he antedated, and caused the patent to be made +out in the course of the day.--_Translated from the French.--Westminster +Review._ + + * * * * * + + +AN ESKDALE ANECDOTE. + +_Extract of a Letter from the Ettrick Shepherd._ + + +I chanced to be on a weeks' visit to a kind friend, a farmer in +Eskdale-muir, who thought meet to have a party every day at dinner, and +mostly the same party. Our libations were certainly carried rather to +an extremity, but our merriment corresponded therewith. There was one +morning, indeed, that several of the gentlemen were considerably hurt, and +there were marks of blood on the plaster, but no one could tell what had +happened. It appeared that there had been a quarrel, but none of us knew +what about, or who it was that fought. + +But the most amusing part of the ploy (and a very amusing part it was) +regarded a half hogshead of ale, that was standing in the lobby to clear +for bottling. On the very first forenoon, our thirst was so excessive, +that the farmer contrived to insert a spigot into this huge cask, and +really such a treasure I think was hardly ever opened to a set of poor +thirsty spirits. Morning, noon, and night, we were running with jugs to +this rich fountain, and handing the delicious beverage about to lips that +glowed with fervour and delight. In a few days, however, it wore so low, +that before any would come, one was always obliged to hold it up behind; +and, finally, it ran dry. + +On the very morning after that, the farmer came in with a wild raised +look. "Gentlemen," said he, "get your hats--haste ye--an' let us gang an' +tak a lang wauk, for my mother an' the lasses are on a-scrubbing a whole +floorfu' o' bottles; an' as I cam by, I heard her speaking about getting +the ale bottled the day." + + * * * * * + + + + +THE SKETCH-BOOK. + + * * * * * + + +CREATING WANTS. + +_An old, but a true Story._ + + +I was bred a linen-draper, and went into business with better than +a thousand pounds. I married the daughter of a country tradesman, who +had received a boarding-school education. When I married I had been in +business five years, and was in the way of soon accumulating a fortune. +I was never out of my shop before it was shut up, and was remarked by my +friends as being a steady young man, with a turn for business. + +I used to dine in the parlour, where I could have an eye upon the shop; +but my new acquaintances told me this was _extremely ungenteel_; that if I +had no confidence in my men I should get others; that a thief would be a +thief, watch him how I would, and that I was now too forward in the world +to be a slave to the shop. + +From being constantly in my shop from seven in the morning till eight in +the evening, I lay in bed till nine, and took a comfortable breakfast +before I made my appearance below. Things, however, went on very well--I +bowed to my best customers, and attended closely to my business while I +was in it, trade went on briskly, and the only effect of this acquaintance +was the necessity of letting our friends see that we were getting above +the world, by selling some of our old-fashioned furniture, and replacing +it with that which was more _genteel_, and introducing wine at dinner when +we had company. + +As our business increased, our friends told us it would be _extremely +genteel_ to take a lodging in summer just at the outskirts of the city, +where we might retire in the evening when shop was shut, and return to it +next morning after breakfast; for as we lived in a close part of the town, +fresh air was necessary to our health; and though, before I had this airy +lodging, I breathed very well in town, yet indulging in the fresh air, I +was soon sensible of all the stench and closeness of the metropolis; and I +must own I began to relish a glass of wine after dinner as well when alone +as when in company: I did not find myself the worse in circumstances for +this lodging; but I did not find I grew richer, and we had no money to lay +by. + +We soon found out that a lodging so near town was smothered with dust, and +smelt too much of London air, therefore I took a small house we had seen +about five miles from town, near an acquaintance we had made, and thought +it imprudent to sleep from home every night, and that it would be better +for my business to be in town all the week, and go to this house on +Saturday, and continue there until Monday; but one excuse or other often +found me there on Tuesday. Coach-hire backward and forwards, and carriage +of parcels, generally cost us seven or eight shillings a week; and as a +one-horse chaise would be attended with very little more expense, and +removing to a further distance, seeing the expense would be saved by not +having our house full of company on Sunday, which was always the case, +being so near town; besides the exercise would be beneficial, for I was +growing corpulent with good living and idleness. Accordingly we removed +to the distance of fifteen miles from town, into a better house, because +there was a large garden adjoining it, and a field for the horse. It +afforded abundance of fruit, and fruit was good for scorbutic and +plethoric habits, our table would be furnished at less expense, and +fifteen miles was but an hour's ride more than seven miles. + +All this was plausible, and I soon found myself under the necessity of +keeping a gardener; so that every cabbage that I before put on my table +for one _penny_ cost me one _shilling_, and I bought my dessert at the +dearest hand; but I was in it--I found myself happy--in a profusion of +fruit, and a blight was little less than death to me. + +This new acquired want, now introduced all the expensive modes of having +fruit in spite of either blasts or blights. I built myself a small hot +house, and it was only the addition of a chaldron or two of coals; the +gardener was the same, and we had the pride of putting on our table a +pine-apple occasionally, when our acquaintance were contented with the +exhibition of a melon. + +From this expense we soon got into a fresh one. As we often out-staid +Monday in the country, it was thought prudent that I should go to town on +Monday by myself, and return in the evening; this being too much for one +horse, a second-hand chariot might be purchased for a little more than +what the one-horse chaise would sell for; the field was large enough for +two horses; going to town in summer in an open carriage was choking +ourselves with dust, burning our faces, and the number of carriages on the +road made driving dangerous; besides, having now a genteel acquaintance in +the neighbourhood, there was no paying a visit in a one-horse chaise. +Another horse would be but very little addition in expense; we had a good +coach-house, and the gardener would drive. All this seemed true. I fell +into the scheme; but soon found that the wheels were so often going that +the gardener could not act in both capacities; whilst he was driving the +chariot, the hot-house was neglected; the consequence was, that I hired +a coachman. The chariot brought on the necessity of a footman--a better +acquaintance--wax candles--Sherry--Madeira--French Wines, &c. In short, +I grew so fond of these indulgencies that they became WANTS, and I was +unhappy when in town and out of the reach of them. + +All this would have done very well if I had not had a business to mind; +but the misfortune was, that it took me off from trade--unsettled my +thoughts; my shopmen were too much left to themselves, they were negligent +of my business, and plundered me of my property. I drew too often upon the +till--made no reserve for the wholesale dealers and manufacturers--could +not answer their demands upon me--and became--_Bankrupt_. + +Reduced now to live upon a chop and a draught of porter, I feel my +_wants_ more than ever; my wife's genteel notions having upset her, she +has lost her spirits. We do little but upbraid each other, and I am +become despicable in my own opinion, and ridiculous in that of others. +I once was happy, but now am miserable. + + * * * * * + + + + +THE GATHERER. + + A snapper up of unconsidered trifles. +SHAKSPEARE + + * * * * * + + +GUDE NEWS. + +_Copied from an inscription over the fireplace of a public-house in +Edinburgh, the frequent resort of Burns._ + + +Willie Christie tells them wha dinna ken, that he has a public house, +first door down Libbertown Wynd, in the Lawn Market, whaur he keeps the +best o' stuff; gude nappy Yill frae the best o' Bruars in big bottels an' +wee anes, an' Porter frae Lunnon o' a' sorts; Whuske as gude as in the +Toun, an o' a' strength, an' for cheapness ekwall to ony that's gaun. +Jinger Beer in wee bottells at Tippence, an' Sma' Beer for three bawbees +the twa bottels out of the house, an' a penny the bottel in. + +N.B. Toddy cheap an' unco' gude if 'tis his ain mackin. + +S.H. + + * * * * * + + +EPIGRAM. + + + Whilst Mary kissed her infant care, + "You like my lip," she cried, "my dear." + The smiling child, though half afraid, + Thus to her beauteous mother said: + "With me, mamma, oh, do not quarrel, + I thought your lip had been my coral." + +E.A.W. + + * * * * * + + +AN EXPLETIVE. + + +A newspaper tells us that an _old_ woman died April 26, at Wolverhampton, +aged 150 years. + + * * * * * + + +LIMBIRD'S EDITION +_of the Following Novels is already Published:_ + + s. d. + Mackenzie's Man of Feeling 0 6 + Paul and Virginia 0 5 + The Castle of Otranto 0 6 + Almoran and Hamet 0 5 + Elizabeth, or the Exiles of Siberia. 0 6 + The Castles of Athlia and Dunbayne 0 6 + Rasselas 0 8 + The Old English Baron 0 8 + Nature and Art 0 8 + Goldsmith's Vicar of Wakefield 0 10 + Sicilian Romance 1 0 + The Man of the World 1 0 + A Simple Story 1 4 + Joseph Andrews 1 6 + Humphry Clinker 1 8 + The Romance of the Forest 1 8 + The Italian 2 0 + Zeluco, by Dr. Moore 2 6 + Edward, by Dr. Moore 2 6 + Roderick Random 2 6 + The Mysteries of Udolpho 3 6 + Peregrine Pickle 4 6 + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, +and Instruction, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11347 *** |