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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:37:11 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:37:11 -0700 |
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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/11542-0.txt b/11542-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8636d42 --- /dev/null +++ b/11542-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1427 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11542 *** + +THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION. + +Vol. 19, No. 544] SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1832 [Price 2d. + + * * * * * + + + +SWISS COTTAGE, AT THE COLOSSEUM, IN THE REGENT'S PARK. + + +[Illustration: Swiss Cottage, At The Colosseum] + +It is now upwards of three years since we directed the attention of our +readers to the wonders of this little world of art.[1] The ingenious +projector, Mr. Horner, was then polite enough to conduct us throughout +the buildings and grounds, and to explain to us the original design of +the unfinished works as well as of many contemplated additions. This was +about three weeks before the Exhibition was opened to the public. The +_Panorama_ was then partly in outline, and we had to catch its +identities through a maze of scaffolding poles, planks, and stages; +while the immense domed area re-echoed with the operations of scores of +_artistes_ of every grade, from the upholsterer nailing up gay +draperies, to the heavy blow of the carpenter's mallet. We took +advantage of our privileged visit, to point out to the reader how much +he might expect from a visit to the Panorama, and, in our subsequent +visits we have not for a moment regretted the particular attention we +were induced to bestow upon this unrivalled work of art. It is justly +described to be "such a _Pictoral History of London_--such a faithful +display of its myriads of public and private buildings--such an +impression of the vastness, wealth, business, pleasure, commerce, and +luxury of the English metropolis, as nothing else can effect. Histories, +descriptions, maps, and prints, are all imperfect and defective, when +compared to this immense Panorama--they are scraps and mere touches of +the pen and pencil--whilst this imparts, at a glance, at one view, a +_cyclopædia of information_--a concentrated history--a focal topography, +of the largest and most influential city in the world. The immense area +of surface which this picture occupies will surprise the reader: it +measures 40,000 square feet, or nearly an acre in extent."[2] This may +be a glowing eulogium; but it is true to the line and letter. + + [1] See _Mirror_, vol. xiii. p. 33. + + [2] A graphic Account of the Colosseum, from the apt pen of Mr. + Britton, the architect. + +We have already illustrated the Panorama,[3] and it is our intention to +introduce other embellishments of the Colosseum, as far as may be +compatible with finished sketches. Our present subject is the principal +apartment in the _Swiss Cottage_, to which the reader or visiter is +conducted through a range of conservatories, containing choice exotics, +with some of the most majestic proportions of leaf and flower that can +be enjoyed in any clime. The communication is by a stone-work passage, +the temperature of which is a refreshing succedaneum to that of the +conservatories, or 72°. This cottage was designed by P.F. Robinson, Esq. +who has evinced considerable taste in a publication on cottages and +cottage-villas, as well as in the execution of various buildings. It +consists of four apartments, three of which may be considered as +finished. The apartment in our Engraving was completed, or nearly so, on +our first visit. It is wainscotted with coloured (knotted) wood, and +carved in imitation of the ornamented dwelling of a Swiss family. The +fire-place will be recognised as the very _beau ideal_ of cottage +comfort: the raised hearthstone, massive fire-dogs and chimney-back, and +its cosy seats, calculated to contain a whole family seated at the sides +of its ample hearth---are characteristic of the primitive enjoyments of +the happy people from among whom this model was taken. Our view is from +the extreme corner, from which point the entrance-passage is shown in +the distance. + + [3] See _Mirror_, vol. xiii. p. 97. + +[Illustration: Apartment Interior] + +The second Engraving shows the recessed window of the apartment, which +faces the fire-place, and commands a view of a mass of rock-scenery, +ornamented with waterfalls of singular contrivance and effect. The +frames are filled in with plate-glass, so that the view of these +artificial wonders is unobstructed. Our artist has, in his sketch, +endeavoured to convey some idea of their outline; but he hopes to supply +an amplification of their scenic beauty in a future engraving. We may, +however, observe that the view from this window deserves the character +of the _sublime in miniature_, and presents even a microcosm, where + + Rocks and forests, lakes, and mountains grand, + Mark the true majesty of Nature's hand. + +The whole apartment presents a finished specimen of joinery, with a +tasteful display of ornamental carving. Its colour is a deep warm or, we +think, _burnt sienna_, brown; the furniture is in _recherché_ rusticated +style, planned by Mr. Gray, whose taste in these matters is elaborately +correct; and it requires but the social blaze on the hearth, (which our +artist has liberally supplied,) to complete the well-devised illusion of +the scene. The apartment was painted about two years since as a scene +for a musical piece at Covent Garden Theatre, the incidents of which lay +in Switzerland. + + * * * * * + + +THE VOICES OF THE NIGHT. + +BY MISS M.L. BEEVOR. + +(_For the Mirror._) + + + Like some young veiled Bride, + Gleams the moon's hazy face, + When tissues that would hide + But lend her charms a grace: + Each winkling starlet pale, + Sleeps in its far, far fold, + Wrapp'd in the heavy veil + Of dewy clouds and cold. + The turmoil, din, and strife, + Of factious earth are o'er; + The turbid waves of life + Have ceas'd to roll and roar; + But tones now meet the ear, + Full fraught with strange delight, + And intermingling fear: + _The Voices of the Night!_ + + Not such as softly rise + When boughs with song o'erflow, + And lover's vows and sighs, + Like incense breathe below; + Not such as warm his breast, + Whose fever'd anxious brain + Toils when all else hath rest, + To bring the _lost_ again! + + But the owl's boding shriek, + The death-cry of his prey; + The tongues that durst not speak + In bright unslumb'ring day; + The murd'rer's curses fell, + His quiv'ring victim's groan; + The mutt'red, moody spell + Which rocks ABADDON'S throne! + + The song of winds that sweep + Impetuously around + Our rolling sphere, and keep + Up conferences profound; + The music of the sea, + When battling waves run mad; + Far sweeter there may be, + But none so wild and sad. + + The wail of forests vast + Thro' which pour storms like light, + Whilst rending in the blast, + They feebly own its might! + Deep thund'rings o'er the main: + The short shrill smother'd cry, + Hurl'd to the skies in vain, + Of drowning agony! + + The SOMETHING _toneless_, which + Speaks awfully to men, + Startling the poor and rich, + For CONSCIENCE _will_ talk then; + These are the watch-words drear, + _The Voices of the Night_, + Which harrow the sick ear, + The stricken heart affright! + + _Great Marlow, Bucks._ + + * * * * * + + + +MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS. + + + * * * * * + + +MAY-DAY GAMES. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +This day of joyous festivity has almost ceased to be the harbinger of +mirth and jollity; and the gambols of our forefathers are nearly +forgotten amidst the high notions of modern refinement. Time was when +king, lords, and commons hailed May-day morning with delight, and bowed +homage to her fair and brilliant queen. West end and city folks united +in their freaks, ate, drank, and joined the merry dance from morning +dawn till close of day. Thus in an old ballad of those times we find + + The hosiers will dine at the Leg, + The drapers at the sign of the Brush, + The fletchers to Robin Hood will go, + And the spendthrift to Beggar's bush. + +And another + + The gentry to the King's head, + The nobles to the Crown, &c. + +The rustic had his morrice-dance, hobby-horse race, and the gaudy +Mayings of Robin Hood, which last were instituted, according to an old +writer, in honour of his memory, and continued till the latter end of +the sixteenth century. These games were attended not by the people only, +but by kings and princes, and grave magistrates. + +Stow says, "that in the moneth of May, the citizens of London, of all +estates, lightlie in every parish, or sometimes two or three parishes +joyning together, had their severall Mayinges, and did fetch in +Maypoles, with divers warlike showes, with good archers, +morrice-dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long, and +towards the evening they had stage-playes and bone-fires in the +streetes. These greate Mayinges and Maygames, made by governors and +masters of this citie, with the triumphant setting up of the greate +shafte, (a principall May-pole in Cornhill, before the parish church of +S. Andrew, therefore called Undershafte,) by meane of an insurrection of +youthes against alianes, on May-day, 1517, have not beene so freely used +as afore." + +The disuse of these ancient pastimes and the consequent neglect of +Archerie, are thus lamented by Richard Niccols, in his _London's +Artillery_, 1616: + + How is it that our London hath laid downe + This worthy practise, which was once the crowne, + Of all her pastime which her Robin Hood + Had wont each yeare when May did clad the wood + With lustre greene, to lead his young men out, + Whose brave demeanour, oft when they did shoot, + Invited royall princes from their courts + Into the wilde woods to behold their sports! + Who thought it then a manly sight and trim, + To see a youth of clene compacted lim, + Who, with a comely grace, in his left hand + Holding his bow, did take his steadfast stand, + Setting his left leg somewhat foorth before, + His Arrow with his right hand nocking sure, + Not stooping, nor yet standing streight upright, + Then, with his left hand little 'bove his sight, + Stretching his arm out, with an easie strength + To draw an arrow of a yard in length. + +The lines + + "Invited royall princes from their courts + Into the wilde woods to behold their sports," + +may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry the VIIIth, who appears to +have been particularly attached, as well to the exercise of archery, as +to the observance of Maying. "Some short time after his coronation," +says Hall, "he came to Westminster with the quene, and all their traine, +and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles of Essex, Wilshire, and +other noble menne, to the number of twelve, came sodainly in a mornyng +into the quenes chambre, all appareled in short cotes of Kentish kendal, +with hodes on their heddes, and hosen of the same, every one of them his +bowe and arrowes, and a sworde and a bucklar, like outlawes, or Robyn +Hodesmen; whereof the quene, the ladies, and al other there were abashed +as well for the straunge sight, as also for their sodain commyng, and +after certayn daunces and pastime made, thei departed." + +The same author gives the following curious account of a Maying, in the +7th year of that monarch, 1516: "The king and quene, accompanied with +many lords and ladies, rode to the high ground on Shooter's Hill to take +the air, and as they passed by the way, they espied a company of tall +yomen clothed all in green, with green whodes and bows and arrows, to +the number of 90. One of them calling himself Robin Hood, came to the +king, desiring him to see his men shoot, and the king was content. Then +he wistled, and all the 90 archers shot and losed at once, he then +whistled again, and they shot again; their arrows wistled by craft of +the head, so that the noise was strange and great, and much pleased the +king, the quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the +king's guard, and had thus appareled themselves to make solace to the +king. Then Robin Hood desired the king and quene to come into the green +wood, and see how the outlaws live. The king demanded of the quene and +her ladies, if they durst venture to go into the wood with so many +outlaws, and the quene was content. Then the horns blew till they came +to the wood under Shooter's Hill, and there was an arbour made of +boughs, with a hall and a great chamber, and an inner chamber, well made +and covered with flowers and sweet herbs, which the king much praised. +Then said Robin Hood, 'Sir, outlaws breakfasts is vensyon, and you must +be content with such fare as we have.' The king and quene sat down, and +were served with venison and wine by Robin Hood and his men. Then the +king and his party departed, and Robin and his men conducted them. As +they were returning, they were met by two ladies in a rich chairiot, +drawn by five horses, every horse had his name on his head, and on every +horse sat a lady, with her name written; and in a chair sat the Lady +May, accompanied with Lady Flora, richly appareled, and they saluted the +king with divers songs, and so brought him to Greenwhich." + +The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a dramatic +cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of King Edward IV. complaining of the +ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who had promised never to +desert him, and "ther uppon," says he, "I have kepyd hym thys iii yer to +pleye Seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod, and the Shryf off Notyngham, and now +when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I without a +keeper." + +In some old accounts of the Churchwardens, of Saint Helens, at Abingdon, +Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry for setting up Robins +Hoode's bower; supposed to be for a parish interlude. + +Perhaps the clearest idea of these games will be derived from some +accounts of the Church-wardens, of the parish of Kingston-upon-Thames: + +" _Robin Hood and Maygame. + £. s. d._ + 23 Henry 7th. To the menstorell +upon Mayday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4 +For paynting of the mores garments + and for sarten gret leveres . . . . . . 0 2 4 +For paynting of a bannar for Robin + Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 2 M. and 1/2 pynnys . . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For 4 plyts and 1/2 of laun for the mores + garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 11 +For orseden for the same. . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For a goun for the lady . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +For bellys for the dawnsers . . . . . . . 0 0 12 + 14 Henry 7th. For Little John's +cote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 0 + 1 Henry 8th. For silver paper for +the mores dawnsars. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 7 +For kendall for Robyn Hode's cote . . . . 0 1 3 +For 3 yerds of white for the frere's cote 0 3 0 +For 4 yerds of kendall for mayde Marian's + huke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 4 +For saten of sypers for the same huke . . 0 0 6 +For 2 payre of glovys for Robin Hode + and mayde Maryan. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 6 brode arovys. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 6 +To mayde Mary an for her labour for + 2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +To Fygge the taborer. . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 0 +Received for Robyn Hode's gaderyng + 4 marks + 5 Henry 8th. Received for Robin +Hood's gaderyng at Croydon. . . . . . . . 0 9 4 + 11 Henry 8th. Paid for 3 broad +yerds of rosett for makyng frer's cote. . 0 3 6 +Shoes for the mores dawnsars, the frere + and mayde Maryan at 7_d_. a payre. 0 5 4 + 13 Henry 8th. Eight yerds of fustyan +for the mores dawnsars cotes. . . . . . . 0 16 0 +A dosyn of gold skynnes for the mores . . 0 0 10 + 15 Henry 8th. Hire of hats for +Robin Hode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 16 +Paid for the hat that was lost. . . . . . 0 0 10 + 16 Henry 8th. Received at the +church-ale and Robyn Hode, all things +deducted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 6 +Paid for 6 yerds 1/4 of satyn for Robyn + Hode's cotys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 12 6 +For makyng the same . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +For 3 ells of bocram . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6 + 21 Henry 8th. For spunging and + brushing Robyn Hods cotys . . . . . . 0 0 2 + 28 Henry 8th. Five hats and 4 porses + for the dawnsars . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4-1/2 +4 yerds of cloth for the fole's cote . . 0 2 0 +2 ells of worstede for mayde Marian's + kyrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 8 +For 6 payre of double solly'd showne . . 0 4 6 +To the mynstrele . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10 8 +To the fryer and the piper for to + go to Croydon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 + +29 Henry 8th. Mem. left in the keeping of the wardens nowe beinge, a +fryers cote of russet, and a kyrtle of a worstyde weltyd with red cloth, +a mouren's cote of buckram, and 4 morres dawnsars cotes of white fustian +spangelyd, and two gryne saten cotes, and a dysardd's cote of cotton, +and 6 payre of garters with bells." + +Having given so many items of the Robin Hood games, it will not be out +of place to furnish some account of the Morrice. + +_The tabor and pipe strike up a morrice.--A shout within._ + +A lord, a lord, a lord, who! + +ENTER THE MORRICE--_They sing_. + + Skip it, and trip it, nimbly, nimbly, + Tickle it, tickle it, lustily, + Strike up the tabor, for the wenches favour, + Tickle it, tickle it, lustily. + Let us be seen on Hygale Greene, + To dance for the honour of Holloway, + Since we are come hither, let's spare for no leather, + To dance for the honour of Holloway. + +_Ed._ Well said, my boys, I must have my lord's livery; what is't, a +maypole? troth, 'twere a good body for a courtier's impreza, if it had +but this life--_Frustra storescit_. Hold, cousin, hold. + +(_He gives the fool money_.) + +_Fool_. Thanks, cousin, when the lord my father's audit comes, we'll +repay you again, your benevolence too, sir. + +_Mam._ What! a lord's son become a beggar! + +_Fool_. Why not, when beggars are become lord's sons. Come, 'tis but a +trifle. + +_Mam._ Oh, sir, many a small make a great. + +_Fool_. No, sir, a few great make a many small. Come, my lords, poor and +needy hath no law. + +_Ed._ Nor necessity no right. Drum, down with them into the cellar. Rest +content, rest content, one bout more, and then away. + +_Fool_. Spoke like a true heart; I kiss thy foot, sweet knight. + +(_The Morrice sing and dance, and exeunt_.) + +SWAINE. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF _NEW WORKS_. + + + * * * * * + + +SITTING IN THE DRUID'S CHAIR. + + +We detach the following scene from one of Mr. Horace Smith's _Tales of +the_ _Early Ages_. The date is the fifth century, about twenty years +after the final withdrawing of the Romans from Britain. The actors are +Hengist, the Saxon chief, Guinessa, his daughter, betrothed to Oscar, a +young prince, and Gryffhod, a Briton of some distinction, and proprietor +of Caer-Broc, a villa on the Kentish coast, where the parties are +sojourning. The incident embodies the _superstition of sitting in the +Druid's Chair_, similar in its portentous moment to sitting in St. +Michael's Chair, in Cornwall. It is told with considerable force and +picturesque beauty. + +"In the morning, Hengist informed his daughter, to her no small dismay, +that he meant to take her to Canterbury for the purpose of introducing +her to her uncle Horsa, desiring her to make preparations for her +immediate departure. 'But before I leave Caer-Broc,' said the Saxon, 'I +would fain mount that lofty cliff up which I climbed fifteen years ago, +in order that I might discover, if possible, upon what coast the storm +had cast me. It commands, as I recollect, an extensive inland view, and +I would show my fellow-soldiers the beauty of the country into which I +have led them.' + +"'It must have been the Druid's Chair, for that is the loftiest headland +upon our coast.' + +"'The higher the better, my child, for so shall we gain the wider +prospect. The morning is at present, clear, and I would climb the cliff +before those clouds which I see gathering in the west, shall be blown +hither to intercept our prospect.' So saying, he invited his comrades, +as well as Oscar, to accompany him; while Gryffhod, on learning his +purpose, joined his party with Leoline and others of his men, in order +that they might render assistance, should any such be required, in +climbing the broken and somewhat perilous ascent to the dizzy summit of +the cliff. Ropes were provided in case of accident, as persons had more +than once slipped from the narrow ledge, and fallen upon lower fragments +of the cliff, whence they could be only extricated by hauling them up. + +"Battered and undermined by the storms of ages, the Druid's Chair has +long since been shivered into fragments and wasted away; but at the +period of which we are writing it formed the outermost of a chain of +crags which were connected together by a tongue of rock and cliff +sufficiently continuous to allow a passage, but broken into sharp +acclivities and descents which rendered the undertaking toilsome to all, +and not without peril for those who were liable to be giddy, or who did +not possess a good portion of activity. 'Surely,' said Hengist, as he +followed Gryffhod, 'this ridge was much more even when I traversed it +fifteen years ago.' + +"'You are right,' replied the Briton; 'but rains and frosts have since +broken away its surface. This is our steepest ascent, but it is the +last. We will help Guinessa to surmount it, and when we gain the summit, +she shall be the first to sit in the Druid's Chair.' + +"With some little mutual assistance, the whole party gained the pinnacle +of the cliff, which was a small and nearly circular platform, with a +central crag that bore a rude resemblance to a chair. 'You shall have +the honour that was promised you,' said the Saxon chief to his daughter; +'but we must first clear away the samphire and weeds which have taken +previous possession of your seat.' So saying, he cut them away with his +sword, and lead his panting daughter to the throne, upon which she was +by no means sorry to rest herself. Hengist then walked repeatedly round +the lofty level, pointing out with his weapon the distant objects that +engaged his attention, and demanding frequent explanations from +Gryffhod, more particularly as to the direction and distance of +Canterbury. While he was thus occupied, the heavy western clouds, whose +threatenings he had been so anxious to anticipate, were swept rapidly +towards them by a sudden storm gust, which lashed up the waves into +fury, and instantly surrounded the foot of the crag whirlpools of foam. +The extensive prospect upon which they had so lately been gazing was now +shrouded in a dense gloom, presently pierced and irradiated by a vivid +flash of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder that made the lofty +crag tremble beneath their feet. To a martial soul like that of Hengist, +this warring of the elements presented a more spirit-stirring and +congenial spectacle, than all the tranquil beauties of the previous +prospect, and he pointed out to the admiration of his comrades the +fiercer features of the scene, shouting with delight as a huge mass of +the next projecting cliff, undermined by the raving waters, fell +thundering into the depths below. + +"While he was thus occupied, either his extended sword was touched, or +his arm was unnerved by the electric fluid, for the weapon fell from his +hand and instantly disappeared in the whirlpool beneath. 'My sword! my +enchanted sword!' exclaimed Hengist with a loud cry of consternation: +'it is lost, it is gone! a hundred pieces of gold to him who recovers my +precious weapon! I would plunge after it myself, but that I am +prohibited by the magician who fashioned it. My sword! my sword! a +hundred horses, besides the gold, to him who finds it. What! my brave +comrades,' he continued, casting a reproachful look at his +fellow-countrymen, 'will you see your leader ruined, and all his hopes +blasted, rather than attempt to get me back my sword?' + +"'We came hither to fight the Picts and Scots, not to drown ourselves in +such a hopeless enterprise,' muttered the Saxons. + +"'Oscar, my intended son-in-law! you are young and vigorous. Show +yourself worthy of Guinessa by plunging into the waters in search of my +lost talisman.' + +"'It is inevitable death; and besides you have promised her to me +already,' replied the young Prince, recoiling with a shudder from the +edge of the precipice. + +"'Craven! recreant! I recall my consent,' shouted Hengist, hoarse with +rage, 'and here in the face of Heaven I promise her to him, and him +only, who shall redeem my sword from the waters.' + +"'Do you swear to that vow?' asked Leoline, starting forward. + +"'Ay, I swear by the sword itself, an oath that I dare not violate, even +if I would.' + +"'Enough?' said Leoline; and springing instantly from the rock, he +precipitated himself down the fearful abyss, and plunged into the +foaming whirlpool below. Bewildered and aghast at this sudden act of +desperation, Guinessa, uttering a scream of agonized terror, would have +thrown herself after him, had she not been restrained by Gryffhod; but +she still bent over the precipice, her long golden hair, as it streamed +upon the wind, together with her white robes and arms, and her fair +features, all shown in strong relief against the dark thunder-cloud, +imparting to her the appearance of an aerial spirit, just alighted upon +this craggy pinnacle to watch the conflict of the elements. Every eye +was rivetted upon the spot where Leoline had cleft the eddying waves; +not a syllable was uttered; every heart thrilled painfully in +expectation of his reappearance, but he rose not again to the surface, +and the fears of the gazers responded to those of Guinessa, as she at +length ejaculated, in a deep and hollow voice, 'He is lost--he is lost!' +Another brief but dreadful pause ensued, when Guinessa, clasping her +hands sharply together, exclaimed, with an ecstatic shout, 'He rises--he +rises--he has found the sword!' and she sank upon her knees, trembling +all over with a vehement and irrepressible agitation. + +"The object of her deep emotion was now visible to all, holding the +recovered sword in his mouth, while with both hands he fought against +the buffetting billows, which hurled him against the foot of the cliff, +and as often by their recoil swept him back again; for the wave-worn +crag offered no holdfast either for the foot or hand. 'He will perish +still; he will be dashed to pieces against the rock,' cried Hengist, +almost wild with apprehension. + +"'He swims like a fish,' exclaimed Gryffhod, 'but he cannot strike out +of that boiling whirlpool; it is too strong for him. The ropes! the +ropes! where are they? let us lower them instantly, and we may perhaps +succeed in hauling him up.' + +"A rope, secured at top to the Druid's Chair, was instantly thrown over, +but the lower extremity being blown about by the wind, it was not till +after repeated efforts that Leoline could succeed in catching hold of +it, when he raised himself out of the water, and began to climb upwards +by supporting his feet against the cliff. More than once they slipped +away from the wet chalk, and he swung in mid-air; but his teeth still +firmly grasped the sword; he soon obtained a drier foothold, and thus +climbed to the summit: which he had no sooner reached in safety than +Guinessa, overcome by the revulsion of her feelings, sank panting and +fainting into her father's arms. Eagerly snatching the redeemed weapon, +its owner ran his eye over the blade, when finding that it had received +no injury, nor suffered any obliteration of the talismanic characters, +he repeatedly kissed it, replaced it in its scabbard, and then cordially +embracing its recoverer exclaimed, 'Thanks, brave Leoline; ay, and +something more substantial than empty thanks. Guinessa was right, after +all; she knows where to find a valiant and a worthy man; and, by Heaven! +I am glad that she preferred you to your rival. Right nobly have you won +her, and honourably shall you wear the prize. There she is; speak to +her; I warrant your voice will revive her more quickly than that of +Gryffhod; her consent you need not ask, for that you have obtained +already, so take her for your wife when you will, and God give you joy +of your choice, as for my part, I thank Heaven for bestowing on me so +dauntless a son-in-law!' + +"Cordial were the congratulations from all parties except Oscar, who, +filled with mortification and jealous hatred, slunk away before the +others; and during the march to Canterbury, which was commenced +immediately after their descent from the Druid's Chair, kept himself +aloof, equally incensed against Gryffhod, Hengist, and Guinessa, and +meditating dark schemes of vengeance." + +Oscar attempts to assassinate his successful rival at Canterbury; he +escapes, but in crossing the sea for Gaul, is taken by the piratical +Picts, carried to Scotland, and condemned to a rigorous and lifelong +slavery. Leoline and Guinessa are married, and Hengist becoming +paramount in Kent, assigns to them a castle with ample domains in the +Isle of Thanet; and in sailing along the coast they often pointed to +"the dizzy summit of the Druid's Chair," which Leoline often proudly +declared to be far more precious to him than any other object in +existence, since it had given him that which alone made existence +valuable--his Guinessa! + +In one of the Tales--of the Council of Nice, in the fourth century, Mr. +Smith indulges his usual felicitous vein of humour, in a burlesque which +he puts into the mouth of a slave of the Bishop of Ethiopia,--"a little, +corpulent, bald-headed, merry-eyed man of fifty, whose name was Mark; +whose duty it was to take charge of the oil, trim the lamps, and perform +other menial offices in the church of Alexandria." The profane wight +deserved, for his wit, a better place. + + * * * * * + + +THE JUST DYING SPEECH AND CONFESSION OF THE PAGAN IMMORTALS. + + + Alack and alas! it hath now come to pass, + That the Gods of Olympus, those cheats of the world, + Who bamboozled each clime from the birthday of Time, + Are at length from their mountebank eminence hurl'd. + + On their cold altar-stone are no offerings thrown, + And their worshipless worships no passenger greets, + Though they still may have praise for amending our ways, + If their statues are broken for paving the streets. + + The Deus Opt. Max. of these idols and quacks + Is now thrust in a corner for children to flout, + And the red thunder-brand he still grasps in his hand. + Lights not Jupiter Tonans to grope his way out. + + Their Magnus Apollo no longer we follow, + He's routed and flouted and laid on the shelf, + And no poet's address will now reach him unless + He can play his own lyre and flatter himself. + + As for Bacchus the sot, he has drain'd his last pot, + And must lay in the grave his intoxicate head, + For although by his aid he his votaries made + Full often dead drunk, they have now drunk him dead. + + O Mars, battle's Lord! canst thou not draw a sword, + As forth from its temple thy statue we toss? + We want not thy lance, since our legions advance + Beneath the bless'd banner of Constantine's cross. + + Juno, Venus, and Pallas, to shame were so callous, + And have always so widely from decency swerved, + That it well might be urged, if their statues were scourged + And then thrown in the kennel, their doom was deserved. + + The pontiffs and priests, who have lost all their feasts, + And the oracles shorn of their hecatomb herds, + Having nothing to carve, if they don't wish to starve, + Must feed upon falsehoods and eat their own words. + + O'er these mountebanks dead, be this epitaph read, + "The Gods, Priests and Oracles buried beneath, + Who were ever at strife which should lie most in life, + Here _lie_ all alike in corruption and death." + + * * * * * + + + +SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. + + + * * * * * + + +SHELLEY AT OXFORD. + + +A delightful paper, entitled, _Percy Bysshe Shelley at Oxford_ is now in +course of appearance in the _New Monthly Magazine_, from the pen of a +fellow collegian and an early admirer of the genius of the youthful +poet. It is in part conversational. Thus, Shelley _loquitur_:-- + +"I regret only that the period of our residence is limited to four +years; I wish they would revive, for our sake, the old term of six or +seven years. If we consider how much there is for us to learn," here he +paused and sighed deeply through that despondency which sometimes comes +over the unwearied and zealous student; "we shall allow that the longer +period would still be far too short!" I assented, and we discoursed +concerning the abridgement of the ancient term of residence, and the +diminution of the academical year by frequent, protracted and most +inconvenient vacations. "To quit Oxford," he said, "would be still more +unpleasant to you than to myself, for you aim at objects that I do not +seek to compass, and you cannot fail since you are resolved to place +your success beyond the reach of chance." He enumerated with extreme +rapidity, and in his enthusiastic strain, some of the benefits and +comforts of a college life. "Then the _oak_ is such a blessing," he +exclaimed with peculiar fervour, clasping his hands, and repeating +often--"the oak is such a blessing!" slowly and in a solemn tone. "The +oak alone goes far towards making this place a paradise. In what other +spot in the world, surely in none that I have hitherto visited, can you +say confidently, it is perfectly impossible, physically impossible, that +I should be disturbed? Whether a man desire solitary study, or to enjoy +the society of a friend or two, he is secure against interruption. It is +not so in a house, not by any means; there is not the same protection in +a house, even in the best-contrived house. The servant is bound to +answer the door; he must appear and give some excuse: he may betray, by +hesitation and confusion, that he utters a falsehood; he must expose +himself to be questioned; he must open the door and violate your privacy +in some degree; besides there are other doors, there are windows at +least, through which a prying eye can detect some indication that +betrays the mystery. How different is it here! The bore arrives; the +outer door is shut; it is black and solid, and perfectly impenetrable, +as is your secret; the doors are all alike; he can distinguish mine from +yours by the geographical position only. He may knock; he may call; he +may kick if he will; he may inquire of a neighbour, but he can inform +him of nothing; he can only say, the door is shut, and this he knows +already. He may leave his card, that you may rejoice over it and at your +escape; he may write upon it the hour when he proposes to call again, to +put you upon your guard, and that he may be quite sure of seeing the +back of your door once more. When the bore meets you and says, I called +at your house at such a time, you are required to explain your absence, +to prove an _alibi_ in short, and perhaps to undergo a rigid +cross-examination; but if he tells you, 'I called at your rooms +yesterday at three and the door was shut,' you have only to say, 'Did +you? was it?' and there the matter ends. + +"Were you not charmed with your oak? did it not instantly captivate +you!" + +"My introduction to it was somewhat unpleasant and unpropitious. The +morning after my arrival I was sitting at breakfast: my scout, the +Arimaspian, apprehending that the singleness of his eye may impeach his +character for officiousness, in order to escape the reproach of seeing +half as much only as other men, is always striving to prove that he sees +at least twice as far as the most sharpsighted: after many +demonstrations of superabundant activity, he inquired if I wanted +anything more; I answered in the negative. He had already opened the +door: 'Shall I sport, Sir?' he asked briskly as he stood upon the +threshold. He seemed so unlike a sporting character, that I was curious +to learn in what sport he proposed to indulge. I answered--'Yes, by all +means,' and anxiously watched him, but to my surprise and disappointment +he instantly vanished. As soon as I had finished my breakfast, I sallied +forth to survey Oxford; I opened one door quickly, and not suspecting +that there was a second, I struck my head against it with some violence. +The blow taught me to observe that every set of rooms has two doors, and +I soon learned that the outer door, which is thick and solid, is called +the oak, and to shut it is termed to sport. I derived so much benefit +from my oak, that I soon pardoned this slight inconvenience: it is +surely the tree of knowledge." + +"Who invented the oak?" + +"The inventers of the science of living in rooms, or chambers--the +monks." + +"Ah! they were sly fellows; none but men who were reputed to devote +themselves for many hours to prayers, to religious meditations, and holy +abstractions, would ever have been permitted quietly to place at +pleasure such a barrier between themselves and the world. We now reap +the advantage of their reputation for sanctity; I shall revere my oak +more than ever, since its origin is so sacred." + + * * * * * + + + +THE NATURALIST. + + +GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY. + +(_Concluded from page 247._) + + +What a lesson may art learn from contemplating scenes of nature. + +_The Thrush._ + +"Thrushes feed very much on snails, looking for them in mossy banks. +Having frequently observed some broken snail-shells near two projecting +pebbles on a gravel walk, which had a hollow between them, I endeavoured +to discover the occasion of their being brought to that situation. At +last I saw a thrush fly to the spot with a snail-shell in his mouth, +which he placed between the two stones, and hammered at it with his beak +till he had broken it, and was then able to feed on its contents. The +bird must have discovered that he could not apply his beak with +sufficient force to break the shell while it was rolling about, and he +therefore found out and made use of a spot which would keep the shell in +one position. I do not know whether Mr. M'Adam has ever observed the +same circumstance, but his ingenious contrivance (if it is his) of +confining stones in a sort of hoop while they are being broken, is +somewhat similar to that of the thrush." + +_The Pike_ it seems, is a formidable foe to _tackle_. + +"The boldness of a pike is very extraordinary. I have seen one follow a +bait within a foot of the spot where I have been standing; and the head +keeper of Richmond Park assured me that he was once washing his hand at +the side of a boat in the great pond in that Park, when a pike made a +dart at it, and he had but just time to withdraw it. A gentleman now +residing at Weybridge, in Surrey, informed me that, walking one day by +the side of the river Wey, near that town, he saw a large pike in a +shallow creek. He immediately pulled off his coat, tucked up his shirt +sleeves, and went into the water to intercept the return of the fish to +the river, and to endeavour to throw it upon the bank by getting his +hands under it. During this attempt, the pike, finding he could not make +his escape, seized one of the arms of the gentleman, and lacerated it so +much that the wound is still very visible. + +"A friend of mine caught a pike a few minutes after breaking his tackle, +and found it in the pike, a part of the gimp hanging out of his mouth. +He also caught another, in high condition, with a piece of strong +twisted wire projecting from its side. On opening it a double eel-hook +was found at the end of the wire, much corroded. This may account for so +few pike being found dead after they have broken away with a gorge-hook +in them. An account will be found, in 'Salmonia,' of a pike taking a +bait, with a set of hooks in his mouth, which he had just before broken +from a line." + +_Affection of Animals._ + +"Animals are so capable of showing gratitude and affection to those who +have been kind to them, that I never see them subjected to ill treatment +without feeling the utmost abhorrence of those who are inflicting it. I +know many persons who, like myself, take a pleasure in seeing all the +animals about them appear happy and contented. Cows will show their +pleasure at seeing those who have been kind to them, by moving their +ears gently, and putting out their wet noses. My old horse rests his +head on the gate with great complacency when he sees me coming, +expecting to receive an apple or a piece of bread. I should even be +sorry to see my poultry and pigs get out of my way with any symptoms of +fear." + +_The Moor-hen._ + +One of Mr. Haydon's new pictures is _the first start in life_--a mother +teaching her infant to walk--it is a clever sketch, but, bearing in mind +the beautiful comparison of Solomon and the lily of the valley, here is +a counterpart. + +"Fishing the other day in Hampton Court Park, I disturbed a moor-hen who +had just hatched, and watched her anxiety and manoeuvres to draw away +her young. She would go a short distance, utter a cry, return, and +seemed to lead the way for her brood to follow. Having driven her away, +that I might have a better opportunity of watching her young ones, she +never ceased calling to them, and they made towards her, skulking +amongst the rushes, till they got to the other side of the pond. They +had only just left the shell, and had probably never heard the cry of +their mother before." + +There is true benevolence in these remarks. How much is conveyed in the +homely expression, that such a man "would not tread upon a worm:" we +should learn to covet such men as friends. + +_The Cardinal Spider._ + +"There is a large breed of spiders which are found very generally in the +palace of Hampton-Court. They are called there 'cardinals,' having I +suppose been first seen in Cardinal Wolsey's hall. They are full an inch +in length, and many of them of the thickness of a finger. Their legs are +about two inches long, and their body covered with a thick hair. They +feed chiefly on moths as appears from the wings of that insect being +found in great abundance under and amongst their webs. In running across +the carpet in an evening, with the shade cast from their large bodies by +the light of the lamp or candle, they have been mistaken for mice, and +have occasioned no little alarm to some of the more nervous inhabitants +of the palace. A doubt has even been raised whether the name of cardinal +has not been given to this creature from an ancient supposition that the +ghost of Wolsey haunts the place of his former glory under this shape. +Be this as it may, the spider is considered as a curiosity, and +Hampton-Court is the only place in which I have met with it." + +Did Wolsey, arrayed in all his glory, ever regard a spider, or think +that his proud name would be coupled with so minute a member of the +creation? + +_Rook-shooting._ + +"Rooks are not easily induced to forsake the trees on which they have +been bred, and which they frequently revisit after the breeding season +is over. This is shown in Hampton-Court Park, where there is an +extensive rookery amongst the fine lime-trees, and where a barbarous and +unnecessary custom prevails of shooting the young rooks. As many as a +hundred dozen of them have been killed in one season, and yet the rooks +build in the avenue, though there is a corresponding avenue close by, in +Bushy Park, which they never frequent, notwithstanding the trees are +equally high and equally secure. I never hear the guns go off during +this annual slaughter without execrating the practice, and pitying the +poor rooks, whose melancholy cries may be heard to a great distance, and +some of whom may be seen, exhausted by their fruitless exertions, +sitting melancholy on a solitary tree waiting till the _sport_ is over, +that they may return and see whether any of the offspring which they +have reared with so much care and anxiety are left to them; or, what is +more probable, the call for assistance of their young having ceased, +they are aware of their fate, and are sitting in mournful contemplation +of their loss. This may appear romantic, but it is nevertheless true." + +Who can read the above without a shudder at the brutal taste of the +lords of the lower world. + +_The Emu._ + +"The only instance I have met with in which the hen bird has not the +chief care in hatching and bringing up the young is in the case of the +emus at the farm belonging to the Zoological Society near Kingston. A +pair of these birds have now five young ones: the female at different +times dropped nine eggs in various places in the pen in which she was +confined. These were collected in one place by the male, who rolled them +gently and carefully along with his beak. He then sat upon them himself, +and continued to do so with the utmost assiduity for nine weeks, during +which time the female never took his place, nor was he ever observed to +leave the nest. When the young were hatched,[4] he alone took charge of +them, and has continued to do so ever since, the female not appearing to +notice them in any way. On reading this anecdote, many persons would +suppose that the female emu was not possessed of that natural affection +for its young which other birds have. In order to rescue it from this +supposition, I will mention that a female emu belonging to the Duke of +Devonshire at Cheswick lately laid some eggs; and as there was no male +bird, she collected them together herself and sat upon them." + + [4] There are now (June) five young emus alive, and appearing + perfectly healthy. + +_The Toad._ + +"It is a curious fact that toads are so numerous in the island of +Jersey, that they have become a term of reproach for its inhabitants, +the word 'Crapaud' being frequently applied to them; while in the +neighbouring island of Guernsey not a toad is to be found, though they +have frequently been imported. Indeed, certain other islands have always +been privileged in this respect. Ireland is free from venomous animals, +of course by the aid of St. Patrick. The same was affirmed of Crete in +olden times, being the birthplace of Jupiter. The Isle of Man is said +also to be free from venomous creatures. The Mauritius, and I believe +one of the Balearic islands, enjoys the same immunity." + +The following anecdote is as pretty as the writer conceives it to be: + +"His present Majesty, when residing in Bushy Park, had a part of the +foremast of the Victory, against which Lord Nelson was standing when he +received his fatal wound, deposited in a small temple in the grounds of +Bushy House, from which it was afterwards removed, and placed at the +upper end of the dining-room, with a bust of Lord Nelson upon it. A +large shot had passed completely through this part of the mast, and +while it was in the temple a pair of robins had built their nest in the +shot-hole, and reared a brood of young ones. It was impossible to +witness this little occurrence without reflecting on the scene of blood, +and strife of war, which had occurred to produce so snug and peaceable a +retreat for a nest of harmless robins. If that delightful poet of the +lakes, Mr. Wordsworth, should ever condescend to read this little +anecdote, it might supply him with no bad subject for one of his +charming sonnets." + +A few entertaining particulars of + +_The Royal Parks._ + +"There are two elm trees, or rather the remains of two, in Hampton Court +Park, known by the name of the 'Giants,' which must have been of an +enormous size, the trunk of one of them measuring twenty-eight feet in +circumference. + +"Cork trees flourish in Hampton Court Park, where there are two large +ones. There are also some ilexes, or evergreen oaks, in Bushy Park, of a +very large size, and apparently as hardy as any other tree there. The +avenues in that park are perhaps the finest in Europe. There are nine of +them altogether, the centre one, formed by two rows of horse-chestnut +trees, being the widest. The side avenues, of which there are four on +each side of the main avenue, are of lime trees, and the whole length, +including the circuit round the Diana water, is one mile and forty +yards. + +"Near the Queen's house in this park is a very fine Spanish chestnut +tree, said to have been planted by Charles II., and to have been the +first which was seen in this country. + +"The trees which at present form so much of the beauty of Greenwich Park +were planted by Evelyn, and if he could now see them he would call them +'goodly trees,' at least some of them. The chestnuts, however, though +they produce some fine fruit, have not thriven in the same proportion +with the elms. In noticing this park I should not forget to mention that +the only remaining part of the palace of Henry VIII. is preserved in the +front of Lord Auckland's house looking into the park. It is a circular +delft window of beautiful workmanship, and in a fine state of +preservation. There are also a great number of small tumuli in the upper +part of the park, all of which appear to have been opened." + +"In addition to the herd of fallow deer, amounting to about one thousand +six hundred, which are kept in Richmond Park, there is generally a stock +of from forty to fifty red deer. One fine stag was so powerful, and +offered so much resistance, that two of his legs were broken in +endeavouring to secure him, and he was obliged to be killed. One who had +shown good sport in the royal hunt, was named 'Sir Edmund,' by his late +Majesty, in consequence of Sir Edmund Nagle having been in at the +'_take_' after a long chase. This stag lived some years afterwards in +the park; and its a curious fact that he died the very same day on which +Sir Edmund Nagle died." + +The volume contains some interesting antiquarian inquiries respecting +Caesar's ford at Kingston, and Maxims for an Angler, by a Bungler. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SKETCH BOOK + + +THE ABBOT OF TEWKESBURY. + +(_For the Mirror._) + + + "After life's fitful fever be sleeps well." + _Shakspeare_. + +(In opening the tomb of the founder of the Abbey at Tewkesbury, the body +of the Abbot was found clothed in full canonicals. The crosier was as +perfect as when, perhaps, first put in the coffin, while the body showed +scarcely any symptom of decay, though it had been entombed considerably +above six hundred years. On exposure to the air, the boots alone of the +Abbot were seen to sink, when the tomb was ordered to be sealed up, and +his holiness again committed in his darkness. On the above circumstance +this sketch is founded.) + +Is this to be dead? Am I not clad in all pontifical splendour? Do I not +feel the crosier on my breast? The holy brethren of the Abbey surround +me. That which distinguished the Abbot when alive, is even here in +collected magnificence. I feel the priestly consequence of the Abbot. Is +this then the Chamber of the Dead? The pious monks are weeping. The +tears which have flowed before the marble shrine are recalled to weep +for a departed brother. The incense is full fragrant. I enjoy the +perception of its odour. It dilates in my stiffened nostrils, but it +supplies me not the breath of life. I hear the loud Hosanna chanted for +a soul which dies in the Lord. I will repeat the strain. No. My voice +refuses to fall back upon the ear. Where is my heart that it beats not +swelling to the anthem's measure? Cold! cold! cold! Nay; I will rise. I +will respond unto the funeral dirge. I will shout. Oh! my trunk is +hardened, and my tongue is glued. Silence! they pause. Say, do they hear +me? No. Silence, horrible and awful. Hark! they mourn with lamentation +on my fate. O, Heaven! must I endure all this? Must the living weep for +the dead, and the conscious dead be doomed to dismal silence. Horror! +horror! horror! IS THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +A convocation! Yes. The holy brothers in assembled synod to elect a +brother holier than themselves. Nay, I do forbid. I, the Abbot who have +loved ye all, refuse permission to your meeting. Disperse, disperse. Do +ye not hear? Is there no charity alive? Who dares usurp my chair, and I +not yet entombed? What! is justice driven out where heavenly men should +dwell? I see it. I mark it. The leaven of pride is kneaded in the +brotherhood. Intriguing hypocrites usurp the House of God. What! brother +John, the fat, the corpulent, the lazy! of whom I know ten thousand +heinous sins; the least sufficient to condemn a soul. An Abbot, chosen +by the holy, is the elect of God. But he--no, no, no. It shall not be. +God will forbid it. They put the crosier in his hand. For shame! for +shame! Let not the vicious living sit in the chair of virtue that is +departed. Why see! he kneels. He kneels before the shrine, where, until +now, he never bent to pray. He grasps the crosier with loving firmness. +It shall not be. Is there no interposing Deity to slay the sinner in his +wickedness? I, I will seize the crosier from his filthy hand. No. My arm +lays idly at my side. Is THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +They chant the funeral dirge. The mighty torches flash their blazing +light upon the frozen features of the dead. Mine eyes are sealed. I +strain to open them. No. Light gleams in upon me as through a clear +veil. Ah! monster of hateful mien! demon deceitful in religious robes! +avaunt! Thou shalt not touch my corpse. No. Thank God! It is a foretaste +of thy love to come. He passes on. He dares not lay polluted hands upon +the dead, whose becalmed face is looking up to thee. The dead, the +sacred dead. The living are for the world, the dead are Thine. Incense, +and prayer, and psalms for the departed. It is respectful, but what heed +I? Man comes into the world only to go out thereof. What then? The +grave! Horror. I have preached thereof. I have shocked others with the +enormities of life until they clung unto the grave. Now, I who have +bidden the virtuous look to the hopes beyond it, myself would cry to +live. But no! they bear me on. He, the foul monster, grins as he looks +upon my outstretched limbs. Wolf, I'll pray for thee. Breathe, breathe +hardly, ye distended nostrils; it is your last pulsation with the air of +earth. No. Sealed as the marble figures by which they bear me. Is this +my Tomb. Is this the narrow house appointed for the living? Is this the +Abbot's palace after death? Nay, I pray thee, brethren, close me not up +in yon receptacle. Where the cold air might shiver on my flesh I may be +happy. Yon tomb is dark and dismal, shut from the eye of day. Louder and +louder grows your chant, I know its terminating cadence. It falls upon +mine ear. Take off this stony lid. Nay, I will knock, knock, knock. My +arms are still unraised. They hear me not. Brethren! men! christians! +no, monks, monks, monks, cold as the stone ye place upon my breast! Have +ye no ears? no hearts? Do I not shout? Do I not pray? Ah! my tongue is +one of marble. It is cold and fixed. They will not hear me. Listen! +their parting and receding steps. Nay, hasten not away. Silence. No. One +step is lingering behind. Thank God! I shout. Brother! what, ho! He +hears. Brother! He pauses. What ho! He goes. Brother! Silence is around, +hushed as my own attempts to burst a voice. Hark! a noise. No. Silence. +Is THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +Yet in the grave. Years have rolled away. Successors to my chair sleep +in the stony sepulchres around me. Monks whom I have awed or blessed, +slumber in death. Men, whom I have known not, walk in the cloisters I +have built. I am but mentioned as a thing that was--the memory of a +name. Enough. There is no communion among the dead. Methought the +spirits of the other world held converse on the joys they left on earth. +But all is still. I cannot hear a lament, even for a rotted bone. The +dead are tongue-tied. In yonder chancel sleeps a monarch, murdered by +bloody relations. Should not such a spirit shriek aloud for vengeance, +or weep a wailing for his destiny? But all is still. I hear no night owl +screech. Earth is the only dwelling place of noise. Death knows it not. +Methinks a shriek were music, a sigh were melody, a groan a feast. But +no. Time has almost used me to its sombre sameness. Is not time tired to +have gone so long the same unchanging course? I cannot move. My joints +are aching with continued rest. I cannot turn:--my sides are sunken in. +Would I could turn and crush them into bones with my reclining weight. +Is my heart sinful that it weighs down all my body. Is this the gnawing +and undying worm? Is THIS TO BE DEAD. + + * * * * * + +Six hundred years and still I am in the tomb. So much of man has sought +a refuge in the grave. I well may ask if life is yet on earth. Has man +degraded or is England ruined! I hear the footsteps of those that gaze +upon the stony sepulchres. I feel the glaring of their curious eyes +between the crevices which time has uncemented. They make remarks. Is +then a tomb a monument of wonder? They talk of monks as things that are +no more. Then is the world no more. At last the time is come. They lay +their iron hand upon the stone. They knock, they knock. Hark! It rings +through the giant isles till the echo thrills with joy. They knock the +stony cerement that enshrines me. Great Heaven! I thank thee! Used as I +am become to my hollow narrowness, I shall rejoice to quit it. The lid +upraises. I feel the air. I feel the air. Now, now, let me rise. I feel +myself prepared. Ah! the boots fall off. I shall ascend. The boots fall +off. What are there none to raise me? See, they grin. Am I not come unto +the resurrection of the life? What! that horrid lid again. O, no, no. +They stifle me again. They fasten me to sleep--to sleep--to sleep. THIS, +THIS IS TO BE DEAD. + +P.S. + + * * * * * + + + +NOTES OF A READER + + +WILLS, + +_Abridged from Powell's Advice to Executors, (just published.)_ + + +_Queen Consort._--An ancient perquisite belonging to the Queen Consort +was, that on the taking of a _whale_ on the coasts, it should be divided +between the King and Queen; the head only becoming the King's property, +and the tail the Queen's. The reason of this whimsical distinction, as +assigned by our ancient records, was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe +with whalebone. + +_A civil Death_ is where a husband has undergone transportation for +life. In such case, his wife is legally entitled to make a will, and act +in every other matter, as if she was unmarried, or as though her husband +were dead.--_Roper's Husband and Wife_. + +_Pin Money._--It has been judicially determined, that a married woman +having any _pin-money_, (by which is understood an annual income settled +by the husband, before marriage, on his intended wife, or allowed by him +to her after marriage, gratuitously, for her personal and private +expenditure during the existence of the marriage,) or any separate +maintenance, may, by will, bequeath her _savings_ out of such allowance, +without the license or consent of her husband.--_Clamey's Equitable +Rights of Married Women._ + +_Compulsory Will._--So cautious is the Ecclesiastical Court in guarding +against restraint of any kind, that in a case in which it was proved +that a man, in his last sickness, was compelled to make his will to +_procure quiet from the extreme importunity of his wife_, it was held to +have been made under restraint, and was declared void. + +_Wills of Criminals._--The lands and tenements of _traitors_, from the +commission of the offence, and their goods and chattels, from the time +of their conviction, are forfeited to the king. They have therefore no +property in either; and are not merely deprived of the privilege of +making any kind of will after the period of their conviction, but any +will _previously_ made is rendered void by such conviction, both as +respects real and personal estate. The law respecting _felons_ is the +same, unless it be worth recording that a remarkable exception exists in +favour of Gavelkind lands, which, even though the ancestor be hanged, +are not forfeited for felony. + +_Bachelors' Wills._--Without any express revocation, if a man who has +made his will, afterwards _marries, and has a child or children_, his +will, made while a bachelor, will be presumptively _revoked_, both as +regards real and personal estate, and he will be pronounced to have died +intestate. The law presumes that it must be the natural intention of +every man to provide for his wife and offspring before all others, and, +consequently, in such a case, apportions his property according to the +Statute of Distributions. But the fact of a marriage alone, _without a +child_, is no revocation; and though both facts conjoin to revoke the +will, yet such revocation is only on the presumption that the testator +_could not have intended_ his will to remain good. If, on the other +hand, from expressions used by him, and other proof, it be made to +appear unquestionable that it was his intent that his will _should_ +continue in force, the marriage and birth of children will not revoke +it. + +_Paraphernalia of a Widow._--These are defined to be "such goods as a +wife is, after her husband's death, allowed to retain in preference to +all creditors and legatees; as necessary wearing apparel, and jewels, if +she be of quality; and whether so or not, all such ornaments of the +person, as watches, rings, and trinkets, as _she used to wear_ in her +husband's life-time. Under the term 'wearing apparel' are included +whatsoever articles were given to her by her husband for the purpose of +being made up into clothes, although he may have died before they were +made up." (_Clamey._) It should be added, however, that the jewels of +the wife are, after her husband's death, liable to the payment of his +debts, should his personal estate be exhausted; though her necessary +wearing apparel is protected against the claim of all creditors. + + * * * * * + + +SUPERSTITION OF SAILORS. + + +The following is from Messrs. Bennet and Tyerman's _Voyages and +Travels_: "Our chief mate said, that on board a ship where he had +served, the mute on duty ordered some of the youths to reef the +main-top-sail. When the first got up, he heard a strange voice saying, +'_It blows hard_.' The lud waited for no more; he was down in a trice, +and telling his adventure; a second immediately ascended, laughing at +the folly of his companion, but returned even more quickly declaring +that he was quite sure that a voice, not of this world, had cried in his +ear, 'It blows hard.' Another went, and another, but each came back with +the same tale. At length the mate, having sent up the whole watch, run +up the shrouds himself; and when he reached the haunted spot, heard the +dreadful words distinctly uttered in his ears, 'It blows hard.' 'Ay, ay, +old one; but blow it ever so hard, we must ease the earings for all +that,' replied the mate undauntedly; and looking round, he spied a fine +parrot perched on one of the clues--the thoughtless author of all the +false alarms, which had probably escaped from some other vessel, but had +not been discovered to have taken refuge on this. Another of our +officers mentioned that, on one of his voyages, he remembered a boy +having been sent up to clear a rope which had got foul above the +mizen-top. Presently, however, he came back, trembling, and almost +tumbling to the bottom, declaring that he had seen 'Old Davy,' aft the +cross-trees; moreover, that the Evil One had a huge head and face, with +pricked ears, and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent +up in succession; to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was +identified by each to be 'Old Davy, sure enough.' The mate, in a rage, +at length mounted himself; when resolutely, as in the former case, +searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent cause of so +much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to be out of sight to +those who ascended on the other side of the vessel, but which when any +one approached the cross-trees, popped up his portentous visage to see +what was coming. The mate brought him down in triumph, and 'Old Davy,' +the owl, became a very peaceable shipmate among the crew, who were no +longer scared by his horns and eyes; for sailors turn their backs on +nothing when they know what it is. Had the birds, in these two +instances, departed as they came, of course they would have been deemed +supernatural visitants to the respective ships, by all who had heard the +one or seen the other." W.G.C. + + * * * * * + + + +THE GATHERER + + + * * * * * + +_Hard Duty._--As a gentleman's coachman washed his master's carriage +during divine service on Sunday morning, he was heard to say that "he +hoped his master and mistress prayed for him, as he had no time to pray +for himself." He brought his lady home from the Opera at one in the +morning; then went to fetch his master from the "Hell" in St. +James's-street, and by the time he had littered and rubbed down his +horses, and got to his own bed, it was four o'clock; he thought after +that he could not do less than sleep till nine; by half-past-ten he had +got his breakfast, and at twelve his carriage was ready; at one he took +his dinner; at two he was ordered to be at the door to take his lady and +the young ladies to the Park; at five he returned, and was ordered out +at six, to carry the family to dinner; after setting them down, he was +directed to come at half-past eleven; and by two o'clock on Monday +morning, the poor man was once more in his bed. + +_Le Due de Bourdeaux._--It was still dark when the order was given to +notify the auspicious birth of the young Duc de Bordeaux, in November, +1820, to the inhabitants of Paris. It was observed to the Duc de +Richelieu, that it might perhaps be better to wait for the break of day, +to fire the cannon; to which he replied, "For news so glorious, it is +break of day at all times." S.H. + +_Scriptural Memoranda._--Verse 18, chap. xii. of the first Book of +Maccabees, will make an excellent motto for a seal. The 21st verse of +the 7th chap. of Ezra, contains every letter of the alphabet. The 19th +chap, of the 2nd Book of Kings, and the 37th of Isaiah, are alike, as +are also the 31st chap, of the first Book of Samuel, and the 10th chap, +of the 1st Chronicles. T. GILL. + +"_Caviare to the Multitude_," is as good a simile as Shakspeare ever +made, for where is the artisan, but after having tasted it, began to +spit and splutter as though he had been poisoned, while the aristocrat, +the one in a thousand, licks his lips after it, as the greatest +delicacy. This article is the roe of the sturgeon, salted down and +pressed, and is imported into this country from Odessa. S.H. + +_Man-killing and Man-eating._--I really do not think the New Zealanders +are half so barbarous as the Russians, whatever other folks may say of +it, and I'll abide by what I've said too: it is true they sometimes +indulge a little by eating a man for dinner, as a delicacy; but leaving +eating out of the question, one Russian chief caused more bloodshed last +year, than all the New Zealanders put together; and after all, it is an +undoubted fact, that a couple of Russians will eat up a rein-deer at a +meal! (that is, they will not give over till they have finished it,) so +they do not want appetite; and if they were in New Zealand, and a man +were to fall in their way, it is very likely that they would eat him. +S.H. + +_Generosity of Marshal Turenne._--The deputies of a great metropolis in +Germany, once offered the great Turenne 100,000 crowns not to pass with +his army through the city. "Gentlemen," said he, "I cannot, in +conscience, accept your money, as I had no intention to pass that way." +T. GILL. + +_Spain._--It is remarkable that the Carthaginians having established +colonies in Spain, drew their riches from that country, as the Spaniards +themselves afterwards did from South America. + +_Breakfast._--It has been observed, such is our luxury, that the world +must be encompassed to furnish a washerwoman with breakfast: with tea +from China, and sugar from the West Indies. + +_Bamboo._--The largest and tallest sort of bamboo, known In India, is +about half the height of the London Monument, or 100 feet. + +_Brick-building_ was practised largely in Italy in the beginning of the +fourteenth century; and the brick buildings erected at this period in +Tuscany, and other parts of the north of Italy, exhibit at the present +day the finest specimens extant of brick-work! + +_Nothing Impossible._--Mirabeau's haste of temper was known, and he must +be obeyed. "Monsieur Comte," said his secretary to him one day, "the +thing you require is impossible." "Impossible!" exclaimed Mirabeau, +starting from his chair, "never again use that _foolish word_ in my +presence."--_Dumont's Mirabeau._ (This brief anecdote should never be +forgotten by the reader: it is more characteristic than hundreds of +pages; it is, to all men, a lesson almost in a line.) + +_"Nice to a Shaving."_--When Louis VII. of France, to obey the +injunctions of his bishops, cropped his hair and shaved his beard, +Eleanor, his consort, found him with this unusual appearance, very +ridiculous, and soon very contemptible. She revenged herself as she +thought proper, and the poor shaved king obtained a divorce. She then +married the Count of Anjou, afterwards our Henry II. She had for her +marriage dower the rich provinces of Poitu and Guyenne; and this was the +origin of those wars which for three hundred years ravaged France, and +cost the French three millions of men: all which, probably, had never +occurred, had Louis VII. not been so rash as to crop his head, and shave +his beard, by which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen +Eleanor. W.A. + +_American Wife._--The following advertisement for a wife appeared a few +years since, in a New York paper:--"Wanted immediately, a young lady, of +the following description, (as a wife,) with about 2,000 dollars as a +patrimony, sweet temper, spend little, be a good housewife, and born in +America; and as I am not more than twenty-five years of age, I hope it +will not be difficult to find a good wife. N.B. I take my dwelling in +South Second Street, No. 273. Any lady that answers the above +description will please to leave her card." W.G.C. + +The following is said to be an unpublished epigram of Lord Byron:-- + + An old phlegmatic Dutchman took + A pretty Jewish wife, + And what still more surprising is, + He lov'd her 'bove his life-- + Oh! Holland and Jerusalem, + What, tell me, do you think of them? + +_A Queer Library._--The eccentric physician, Dr. Radcliffe, when +pursuing his studies, was content with looking into the works of Dr. +Willis. He was possessed of very few books, insomuch that when Dr. +Bathurst, head of Trinity College, asked him once with surprise, where +his study was? he pointed to a few vials, a skeleton, and a herbal, and +said, "Sir, this is Radcliffe's Library." P.T.W. + +_How to detect a Thief._--A watch was stolen in the Pit of the Opera, in +Paris; the loser complained in a loud voice, and said, "It is just nine; +in a few minutes my watch will strike; the second is strong; and by that +means we shall instantly ascertain where it is." The thief, terrified at +this, endeavoured to escape, and by his agitation discovered himself. T. +GILL. + + * * * * * + +_Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand (near Somerset House,) +London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER. 626. New Market, Leipsic. G.G. BENNIS, +55, Rue Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris; and by all Newsmen and Booksellers._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, +and Instruction, by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11542 *** diff --git a/11542-h/11542-h.htm b/11542-h/11542-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2c1ae8d --- /dev/null +++ b/11542-h/11542-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1485 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta name="generator" content= +"HTML Tidy for Solaris (vers 1st October 2003), see www.w3.org" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> +<title>The Mirror of Literature, Issue 544.</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[*/ + + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + blockquote {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;} + pre {font-size: 0.7em;} + + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + html>body hr {margin-right: 25%; margin-left: 25%; width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + html>body hr.full {margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 0%; width: 100%;} + hr.short {text-align: center; width: 20%;} + html>body hr.short {margin-right: 40%; margin-left: 40%; width: 20%;} + + .note, .footnote + {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + + span.pagenum + {position: absolute; left: 1%; right: 91%; font-size: 8pt;} + + .poem + {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + .poem p.i8 {margin-left: 4em;} + .poem p.i10 {margin-left: 5em;} + + .figure + {padding: 1em; margin: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em; margin: auto;} + .figure img + {border: none;} + .figure p + + .side { float:right; + font-size: 75%; + width: 25%; + padding-left:10px; + border-left: dashed thin; + margin-left: 10px; + text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; + font-weight: bold; + font-style: italic;} + --> +/*]]>*/ +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11542 ***</div> + +<hr class="full" /> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page257" name="page257"></a>[pg +257]</span> +<h1>THE MIRROR<br /> +OF<br /> +LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.</h1> +<hr class="full" /> +<table width="100%" summary="Volume, Number, and Date"> +<tr> +<td align="left"><b>Vol. 19. No. 544.]</b></td> +<td align="center"><b>SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1832</b></td> +<td align="right"><b>[PRICE 2d.</b></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class="full" /> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page258" name="page258"></a>[pg +258]</span> +<h2>SWISS COTTAGE, AT THE COLOSSEUM, IN THE REGENT'S PARK.</h2> +<div class="figure" style="width:70%;"><a href= +"images/544-1.png"><img width="100%" src="images/544-1.png" alt= +"Swiss Cottage, At The Colosseum" /></a> Swiss Cottage, At The +Colosseum</div> +<p>It is now upwards of three years since we directed the attention +of our readers to the wonders of this little world of art.<a id= +"footnotetag1" name="footnotetag1"></a><a href= +"#footnote1"><sup>1</sup></a> The ingenious projector, Mr. Horner, +was then polite enough to conduct us throughout the buildings and +grounds, and to explain to us the original design of the unfinished +works as well as of many contemplated additions. This was about +three weeks before the Exhibition was opened to the public. The +<i>Panorama</i> was then partly in outline, and we had to catch its +identities through a maze of scaffolding poles, planks, and stages; +while the immense domed area re-echoed with the operations of +scores of <i>artistes</i> of every grade, from the upholsterer +nailing up gay draperies, to the heavy blow of the carpenter's +mallet. We took advantage of our privileged visit, to point out to +the reader how much he might expect from a visit to the Panorama, +and, in our subsequent visits we have not for a moment regretted +the particular attention we were induced to bestow upon this +unrivalled work of art. It is justly described to be "such a +<i>Pictoral History of London</i>—such a faithful display of +its myriads of public and private buildings—such an +impression of the vastness, wealth, business, pleasure, commerce, +and luxury of the English metropolis, as nothing else can effect. +Histories, descriptions, maps, and prints, are all imperfect and +defective, when compared to this immense Panorama—they are +scraps and mere touches of the pen and pencil—whilst this +imparts, at a glance, at one view, a <i>cyclopædia of +information</i>—a concentrated history—a focal +topography, of the largest and most influential city in the world. +The immense area of surface which this picture occupies will +surprise the reader: it measures 40,000 square feet, or nearly an +acre in extent."<a id="footnotetag2" name= +"footnotetag2"></a><a href="#footnote2"><sup>2</sup></a> This may +be a glowing eulogium; but it is true to the line and letter.</p> +<p>We have already illustrated the Panorama,<a id="footnotetag3" +name="footnotetag3"></a><a href="#footnote3"><sup>3</sup></a> and +it is our intention to introduce other embellishments of the +Colosseum, as far as may be compatible with finished sketches. Our +present subject is the principal apartment in the <i>Swiss +Cottage</i>, to which the reader or visiter is conducted through a +range of conservatories, containing choice exotics, with some of +the most majestic proportions of leaf and flower that can be +enjoyed in any clime. The communication is by a stone-work passage, +the temperature of which is a refreshing succedaneum to that of the +conservatories, or 72°. This cottage was designed by P.F. +Robinson, Esq. who has evinced considerable taste in a publication +on cottages and cottage-villas, as well as in the execution of +various buildings. It consists of four apartments, three of which +may be considered as finished. The apartment in our Engraving was +completed, or nearly so, on our first visit. It is wainscotted with +coloured (knotted) wood, and carved in imitation of the ornamented +dwelling of a Swiss family. The fire-place will be recognised as +the very <i>beau ideal</i> of cottage comfort: the raised +hearthstone, massive fire-dogs and chimney-back, and its cosy +seats, calculated to contain a whole family seated at the sides of +its ample hearth—-are characteristic of the primitive +enjoyments of the happy people from among whom this model was +taken. Our view is from the extreme corner, from which point the +entrance-passage is shown in the distance.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page259" name="page259"></a>[pg +259]</span> +<div class="figure" style="width:80%;"><a href= +"images/544-2.png"><img width="100%" src="images/544-2.png" alt= +"Apartment Interior" /></a> Apartment Interior</div> +<p>The second Engraving shows the recessed window of the apartment, +which faces the fire-place, and commands a view of a mass of +rock-scenery, ornamented with waterfalls of singular contrivance +and effect. The frames are filled in with plate-glass, so that the +view of these artificial wonders is unobstructed. Our artist has, +in his sketch, endeavoured to convey some idea of their outline; +but he hopes to supply an amplification of their scenic beauty in a +future engraving. We may, however, observe that the view from this +window deserves the character of the <i>sublime in miniature</i>, +and presents even a microcosm, where</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Rocks and forests, lakes, and mountains grand,</p> +<p>Mark the true majesty of Nature's hand.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>The whole apartment presents a finished specimen of joinery, +with a tasteful display of ornamental carving. Its colour is a deep +warm or, we think, <i>burnt sienna</i>, brown; the furniture is in +<i>recherché</i> rusticated style, planned by Mr. Gray, +whose taste in these matters is elaborately correct; and it +requires but the social blaze on the hearth, (which our artist has +liberally supplied,) to complete the well-devised illusion of the +scene. The apartment was painted about two years since as a scene +for a musical piece at Covent Garden Theatre, the incidents of +which lay in Switzerland.</p> +<hr /> +<h3>THE VOICES OF THE NIGHT.</h3> +<h4>BY MISS M.L. BEEVOR.</h4> +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror.</i>)</h4> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Like some young veiled Bride,</p> +<p class="i2">Gleams the moon's hazy face,</p> +<p>When tissues that would hide</p> +<p class="i2">But lend her charms a grace:</p> +<p>Each winkling starlet pale,</p> +<p class="i2">Sleeps in its far, far fold,</p> +<p>Wrapp'd in the heavy veil</p> +<p class="i2">Of dewy clouds and cold.</p> +<p>The turmoil, din, and strife,</p> +<p class="i2">Of factious earth are o'er;</p> +<p>The turbid waves of life</p> +<p class="i2">Have ceas'd to roll and roar;</p> +<p>But tones now meet the ear,</p> +<p class="i2">Full fraught with strange delight,</p> +<p>And intermingling fear:</p> +<p class="i2"><i>The Voices of the Night!</i></p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Not such as softly rise</p> +<p class="i2">When boughs with song o'erflow,</p> +<p>And lover's vows and sighs,</p> +<p class="i2">Like incense breathe below;</p> +<p>Not such as warm his breast,</p> +<p class="i2">Whose fever'd anxious brain</p> +<p>Toils when all else hath rest,</p> +<p class="i2">To bring the <i>lost</i> again!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>But the owl's boding shriek,</p> +<p class="i2">The death-cry of his prey;</p> +<p>The tongues that durst not speak</p> +<p class="i2">In bright unslumb'ring day;</p> +<p>The murd'rer's curses fell,</p> +<p class="i2">His quiv'ring victim's groan;</p> +<p>The mutt'red, moody spell</p> +<p class="i2">Which rocks ABADDON'S throne!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The song of winds that sweep</p> +<p class="i2">Impetuously around</p> +<p>Our rolling sphere, and keep</p> +<p class="i2">Up conferences profound;</p> +<p>The music of the sea,</p> +<p class="i2">When battling waves run mad;</p> +<p>Far sweeter there may be,</p> +<p class="i2">But none so wild and sad.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The wail of forests vast</p> +<p class="i2">Thro' which pour storms like light,</p> +<p>Whilst rending in the blast,</p> +<p class="i2">They feebly own its might!</p> +<p>Deep thund'rings o'er the main:</p> +<p class="i2">The short shrill smother'd cry,</p> +<p>Hurl'd to the skies in vain,</p> +<p class="i2">Of drowning agony!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The SOMETHING <i>toneless</i>, which</p> +<p class="i2">Speaks awfully to men,</p> +<p>Startling the poor and rich,</p> +<p class="i2">For CONSCIENCE <i>will</i> talk then;</p> +<p>These are the watch-words drear,</p> +<p class="i2"><i>The Voices of the Night</i>,</p> +<p>Which harrow the sick ear,</p> +<p class="i2">The stricken heart affright!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p><span style="margin-left:3em"><i>Great Marlow, +Bucks.</i></span></p> +</div> +</div> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>MAY-DAY GAMES.</h3> +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror</i>.)</h4> +<p>This day of joyous festivity has almost ceased to be the +harbinger of mirth and jollity; and the gambols of our forefathers +are nearly forgotten amidst the high notions of modern refinement. +Time was when king, lords, and commons hailed May-day morning with +delight, and bowed homage to her fair and brilliant queen. West end +and city folks united in their freaks, ate, drank, and joined the +merry dance from morning <span class="pagenum"><a id="page260" +name="page260"></a>[pg 260]</span> dawn till close of day. Thus in +an old ballad of those times we find</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The hosiers will dine at the Leg,</p> +<p>The drapers at the sign of the Brush,</p> +<p>The fletchers to Robin Hood will go,</p> +<p>And the spendthrift to Beggar's bush.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>And another</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The gentry to the King's head,</p> +<p>The nobles to the Crown, &c.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>The rustic had his morrice-dance, hobby-horse race, and the +gaudy Mayings of Robin Hood, which last were instituted, according +to an old writer, in honour of his memory, and continued till the +latter end of the sixteenth century. These games were attended not +by the people only, but by kings and princes, and grave +magistrates.</p> +<p>Stow says, "that in the moneth of May, the citizens of London, +of all estates, lightlie in every parish, or sometimes two or three +parishes joyning together, had their severall Mayinges, and did +fetch in Maypoles, with divers warlike showes, with good archers, +morrice-dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long, +and towards the evening they had stage-playes and bone-fires in the +streetes. These greate Mayinges and Maygames, made by governors and +masters of this citie, with the triumphant setting up of the greate +shafte, (a principall May-pole in Cornhill, before the parish +church of S. Andrew, therefore called Undershafte,) by meane of an +insurrection of youthes against alianes, on May-day, 1517, have not +beene so freely used as afore."</p> +<p>The disuse of these ancient pastimes and the consequent neglect +of Archerie, are thus lamented by Richard Niccols, in his +<i>London's Artillery</i>, 1616:</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>How is it that our London hath laid downe</p> +<p>This worthy practise, which was once the crowne,</p> +<p>Of all her pastime which her Robin Hood</p> +<p>Had wont each yeare when May did clad the wood</p> +<p>With lustre greene, to lead his young men out,</p> +<p>Whose brave demeanour, oft when they did shoot,</p> +<p>Invited royall princes from their courts</p> +<p>Into the wilde woods to behold their sports!</p> +<p>Who thought it then a manly sight and trim,</p> +<p>To see a youth of clene compacted lim,</p> +<p>Who, with a comely grace, in his left hand</p> +<p>Holding his bow, did take his steadfast stand,</p> +<p>Setting his left leg somewhat foorth before,</p> +<p>His Arrow with his right hand nocking sure,</p> +<p>Not stooping, nor yet standing streight upright,</p> +<p>Then, with his left hand little 'bove his sight,</p> +<p>Stretching his arm out, with an easie strength</p> +<p>To draw an arrow of a yard in length.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>The lines</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>"Invited royall princes from their courts</p> +<p>Into the wilde woods to behold their sports,"</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry the VIIIth, who +appears to have been particularly attached, as well to the exercise +of archery, as to the observance of Maying. "Some short time after +his coronation," says Hall, "he came to Westminster with the quene, +and all their traine, and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles +of Essex, Wilshire, and other noble menne, to the number of twelve, +came sodainly in a mornyng into the quenes chambre, all appareled +in short cotes of Kentish kendal, with hodes on their heddes, and +hosen of the same, every one of them his bowe and arrowes, and a +sworde and a bucklar, like outlawes, or Robyn Hodesmen; whereof the +quene, the ladies, and al other there were abashed as well for the +straunge sight, as also for their sodain commyng, and after certayn +daunces and pastime made, thei departed."</p> +<p>The same author gives the following curious account of a Maying, +in the 7th year of that monarch, 1516: "The king and quene, +accompanied with many lords and ladies, rode to the high ground on +Shooter's Hill to take the air, and as they passed by the way, they +espied a company of tall yomen clothed all in green, with green +whodes and bows and arrows, to the number of 90. One of them +calling himself Robin Hood, came to the king, desiring him to see +his men shoot, and the king was content. Then he wistled, and all +the 90 archers shot and losed at once, he then whistled again, and +they shot again; their arrows wistled by craft of the head, so that +the noise was strange and great, and much pleased the king, the +quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the king's +guard, and had thus appareled themselves to make solace to the +king. Then Robin Hood desired the king and quene to come into the +green wood, and see how the outlaws live. The king demanded of the +quene and her ladies, if they durst venture to go into the wood +with so many outlaws, and the quene was content. Then the horns +blew till they came to the wood under Shooter's Hill, and there was +an arbour made of boughs, with a hall and a great chamber, and an +inner chamber, well made and covered with flowers and sweet herbs, +which the king much praised. Then said Robin Hood, 'Sir, outlaws +breakfasts is vensyon, and you must be content with such fare as we +have.' The king and quene sat down, and were served with venison +and wine by Robin Hood and his men. Then the king and his party +departed, and Robin and his men conducted them. As they were +returning, they were met by two ladies in a rich chairiot, drawn +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page261" name="page261"></a>[pg +261]</span> by five horses, every horse had his name on his head, +and on every horse sat a lady, with her name written; and in a +chair sat the Lady May, accompanied with Lady Flora, richly +appareled, and they saluted the king with divers songs, and so +brought him to Greenwhich."</p> +<p>The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a +dramatic cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of King Edward IV. +complaining of the ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who +had promised never to desert him, and "ther uppon," says he, "I +have kepyd hym thys iii yer to pleye Seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod, +and the Shryf off Notyngham, and now when I wolde have good horse +he is goon into Bernysdale, and I without a keeper."</p> +<p>In some old accounts of the Churchwardens, of Saint Helens, at +Abingdon, Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry for setting +up Robins Hoode's bower; supposed to be for a parish interlude.</p> +<p>Perhaps the clearest idea of these games will be derived from +some accounts of the Church-wardens, of the parish of +Kingston-upon-Thames:</p> +<pre> +" <i>Robin Hood and Maygame. + £. s. d.</i> + 23 Henry 7th. To the menstorell +upon Mayday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4 +For paynting of the mores garments + and for sarten gret leveres . . . . . . 0 2 4 +For paynting of a bannar for Robin + Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 2 M. and 1/2 pynnys . . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For 4 plyts and 1/2 of laun for the mores + garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 11 +For orseden for the same. . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For a goun for the lady . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +For bellys for the dawnsers . . . . . . . 0 0 12 + 14 Henry 7th. For Little John's +cote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 0 + 1 Henry 8th. For silver paper for +the mores dawnsars. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 7 +For kendall for Robyn Hode's cote . . . . 0 1 3 +For 3 yerds of white for the frere's cote 0 3 0 +For 4 yerds of kendall for mayde Marian's + huke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 4 +For saten of sypers for the same huke . . 0 0 6 +For 2 payre of glovys for Robin Hode + and mayde Maryan. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 6 brode arovys. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 6 +To mayde Mary an for her labour for + 2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +To Fygge the taborer. . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 0 +Received for Robyn Hode's gaderyng + 4 marks + 5 Henry 8th. Received for Robin +Hood's gaderyng at Croydon. . . . . . . . 0 9 4 + 11 Henry 8th. Paid for 3 broad +yerds of rosett for makyng frer's cote. . 0 3 6 +Shoes for the mores dawnsars, the frere + and mayde Maryan at 7<i>d</i>. a payre. 0 5 4 + 13 Henry 8th. Eight yerds of fustyan +for the mores dawnsars cotes. . . . . . . 0 16 0 +A dosyn of gold skynnes for the mores . . 0 0 10 + 15 Henry 8th. Hire of hats for +Robin Hode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 16 +Paid for the hat that was lost. . . . . . 0 0 10 + 16 Henry 8th. Received at the +church-ale and Robyn Hode, all things +deducted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 6 +Paid for 6 yerds 1/4 of satyn for Robyn + Hode's cotys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 12 6 +For makyng the same . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +For 3 ells of bocram . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6 + 21 Henry 8th. For spunging and + brushing Robyn Hods cotys . . . . . . 0 0 2 + 28 Henry 8th. Five hats and 4 porses + for the dawnsars . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4-1/2 +4 yerds of cloth for the fole's cote . . 0 2 0 +2 ells of worstede for mayde Marian's + kyrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 8 +For 6 payre of double solly'd showne . . 0 4 6 +To the mynstrele . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10 8 +To the fryer and the piper for to + go to Croydon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +</pre> +<p>29 Henry 8th. Mem. left in the keeping of the wardens nowe +beinge, a fryers cote of russet, and a kyrtle of a worstyde weltyd +with red cloth, a mouren's cote of buckram, and 4 morres dawnsars +cotes of white fustian spangelyd, and two gryne saten cotes, and a +dysardd's cote of cotton, and 6 payre of garters with bells."</p> +<p>Having given so many items of the Robin Hood games, it will not +be out of place to furnish some account of the Morrice.</p> +<p><i>The tabor and pipe strike up a morrice.—A shout +within.</i></p> +<p>A lord, a lord, a lord, who!</p> +<p>ENTER THE MORRICE—<i>They sing</i>.</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Skip it, and trip it, nimbly, nimbly,</p> +<p>Tickle it, tickle it, lustily,</p> +<p>Strike up the tabor, for the wenches favour,</p> +<p>Tickle it, tickle it, lustily.</p> +<p>Let us be seen on Hygale Greene,</p> +<p class="i2">To dance for the honour of Holloway,</p> +<p>Since we are come hither, let's spare for no leather,</p> +<p class="i2">To dance for the honour of Holloway.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p><i>Ed.</i> Well said, my boys, I must have my lord's livery; +what is't, a maypole? troth, 'twere a good body for a courtier's +impreza, if it had but this life—<i>Frustra storescit</i>. +Hold, cousin, hold.</p> +<p>(<i>He gives the fool money</i>.)</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. Thanks, cousin, when the lord my father's audit +comes, we'll repay you again, your benevolence too, sir.</p> +<p><i>Mam.</i> What! a lord's son become a beggar!</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. Why not, when beggars are become lord's sons. Come, +'tis but a trifle.</p> +<p><i>Mam.</i> Oh, sir, many a small make a great.</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. No, sir, a few great make a many small. Come, my +lords, poor and needy hath no law.</p> +<p><i>Ed.</i> Nor necessity no right. Drum, down with them into the +cellar. Rest content, rest content, one bout more, and then +away.</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. Spoke like a true heart; I kiss thy foot, sweet +knight.</p> +<p>(<i>The Morrice sing and dance, and exeunt</i>.)</p> +<p>SWAINE.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF <i>NEW WORKS</i>.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>SITTING IN THE DRUID'S CHAIR.</h3> +<p>We detach the following scene from one of Mr. Horace Smith's +<i>Tales of the</i> <span class="pagenum"><a id="page262" name= +"page262"></a>[pg 262]</span> <i>Early Ages</i>. The date is the +fifth century, about twenty years after the final withdrawing of +the Romans from Britain. The actors are Hengist, the Saxon chief, +Guinessa, his daughter, betrothed to Oscar, a young prince, and +Gryffhod, a Briton of some distinction, and proprietor of +Caer-Broc, a villa on the Kentish coast, where the parties are +sojourning. The incident embodies the <i>superstition of sitting in +the Druid's Chair</i>, similar in its portentous moment to sitting +in St. Michael's Chair, in Cornwall. It is told with considerable +force and picturesque beauty.</p> +<p>"In the morning, Hengist informed his daughter, to her no small +dismay, that he meant to take her to Canterbury for the purpose of +introducing her to her uncle Horsa, desiring her to make +preparations for her immediate departure. 'But before I leave +Caer-Broc,' said the Saxon, 'I would fain mount that lofty cliff up +which I climbed fifteen years ago, in order that I might discover, +if possible, upon what coast the storm had cast me. It commands, as +I recollect, an extensive inland view, and I would show my +fellow-soldiers the beauty of the country into which I have led +them.'</p> +<p>"'It must have been the Druid's Chair, for that is the loftiest +headland upon our coast.'</p> +<p>"'The higher the better, my child, for so shall we gain the +wider prospect. The morning is at present, clear, and I would climb +the cliff before those clouds which I see gathering in the west, +shall be blown hither to intercept our prospect.' So saying, he +invited his comrades, as well as Oscar, to accompany him; while +Gryffhod, on learning his purpose, joined his party with Leoline +and others of his men, in order that they might render assistance, +should any such be required, in climbing the broken and somewhat +perilous ascent to the dizzy summit of the cliff. Ropes were +provided in case of accident, as persons had more than once slipped +from the narrow ledge, and fallen upon lower fragments of the +cliff, whence they could be only extricated by hauling them up.</p> +<p>"Battered and undermined by the storms of ages, the Druid's +Chair has long since been shivered into fragments and wasted away; +but at the period of which we are writing it formed the outermost +of a chain of crags which were connected together by a tongue of +rock and cliff sufficiently continuous to allow a passage, but +broken into sharp acclivities and descents which rendered the +undertaking toilsome to all, and not without peril for those who +were liable to be giddy, or who did not possess a good portion of +activity. 'Surely,' said Hengist, as he followed Gryffhod, 'this +ridge was much more even when I traversed it fifteen years +ago.'</p> +<p>"'You are right,' replied the Briton; 'but rains and frosts have +since broken away its surface. This is our steepest ascent, but it +is the last. We will help Guinessa to surmount it, and when we gain +the summit, she shall be the first to sit in the Druid's +Chair.'</p> +<p>"With some little mutual assistance, the whole party gained the +pinnacle of the cliff, which was a small and nearly circular +platform, with a central crag that bore a rude resemblance to a +chair. 'You shall have the honour that was promised you,' said the +Saxon chief to his daughter; 'but we must first clear away the +samphire and weeds which have taken previous possession of your +seat.' So saying, he cut them away with his sword, and lead his +panting daughter to the throne, upon which she was by no means +sorry to rest herself. Hengist then walked repeatedly round the +lofty level, pointing out with his weapon the distant objects that +engaged his attention, and demanding frequent explanations from +Gryffhod, more particularly as to the direction and distance of +Canterbury. While he was thus occupied, the heavy western clouds, +whose threatenings he had been so anxious to anticipate, were swept +rapidly towards them by a sudden storm gust, which lashed up the +waves into fury, and instantly surrounded the foot of the crag +whirlpools of foam. The extensive prospect upon which they had so +lately been gazing was now shrouded in a dense gloom, presently +pierced and irradiated by a vivid flash of lightning, followed by a +crash of thunder that made the lofty crag tremble beneath their +feet. To a martial soul like that of Hengist, this warring of the +elements presented a more spirit-stirring and congenial spectacle, +than all the tranquil beauties of the previous prospect, and he +pointed out to the admiration of his comrades the fiercer features +of the scene, shouting with delight as a huge mass of the next +projecting cliff, undermined by the raving waters, fell thundering +into the depths below.</p> +<p>"While he was thus occupied, either his extended sword was +touched, or his arm was unnerved by the electric fluid, for the +weapon fell from his hand and instantly disappeared in the +whirlpool beneath. 'My sword! my enchanted sword!' exclaimed +Hengist with a loud cry of consternation: 'it is lost, it is +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page263" name="page263"></a>[pg +263]</span> gone! a hundred pieces of gold to him who recovers my +precious weapon! I would plunge after it myself, but that I am +prohibited by the magician who fashioned it. My sword! my sword! a +hundred horses, besides the gold, to him who finds it. What! my +brave comrades,' he continued, casting a reproachful look at his +fellow-countrymen, 'will you see your leader ruined, and all his +hopes blasted, rather than attempt to get me back my sword?'</p> +<p>"'We came hither to fight the Picts and Scots, not to drown +ourselves in such a hopeless enterprise,' muttered the Saxons.</p> +<p>"'Oscar, my intended son-in-law! you are young and vigorous. +Show yourself worthy of Guinessa by plunging into the waters in +search of my lost talisman.'</p> +<p>"'It is inevitable death; and besides you have promised her to +me already,' replied the young Prince, recoiling with a shudder +from the edge of the precipice.</p> +<p>"'Craven! recreant! I recall my consent,' shouted Hengist, +hoarse with rage, 'and here in the face of Heaven I promise her to +him, and him only, who shall redeem my sword from the waters.'</p> +<p>"'Do you swear to that vow?' asked Leoline, starting +forward.</p> +<p>"'Ay, I swear by the sword itself, an oath that I dare not +violate, even if I would.'</p> +<p>"'Enough?' said Leoline; and springing instantly from the rock, +he precipitated himself down the fearful abyss, and plunged into +the foaming whirlpool below. Bewildered and aghast at this sudden +act of desperation, Guinessa, uttering a scream of agonized terror, +would have thrown herself after him, had she not been restrained by +Gryffhod; but she still bent over the precipice, her long golden +hair, as it streamed upon the wind, together with her white robes +and arms, and her fair features, all shown in strong relief against +the dark thunder-cloud, imparting to her the appearance of an +aerial spirit, just alighted upon this craggy pinnacle to watch the +conflict of the elements. Every eye was rivetted upon the spot +where Leoline had cleft the eddying waves; not a syllable was +uttered; every heart thrilled painfully in expectation of his +reappearance, but he rose not again to the surface, and the fears +of the gazers responded to those of Guinessa, as she at length +ejaculated, in a deep and hollow voice, 'He is lost—he is +lost!' Another brief but dreadful pause ensued, when Guinessa, +clasping her hands sharply together, exclaimed, with an ecstatic +shout, 'He rises—he rises—he has found the sword!' and +she sank upon her knees, trembling all over with a vehement and +irrepressible agitation.</p> +<p>"The object of her deep emotion was now visible to all, holding +the recovered sword in his mouth, while with both hands he fought +against the buffetting billows, which hurled him against the foot +of the cliff, and as often by their recoil swept him back again; +for the wave-worn crag offered no holdfast either for the foot or +hand. 'He will perish still; he will be dashed to pieces against +the rock,' cried Hengist, almost wild with apprehension.</p> +<p>"'He swims like a fish,' exclaimed Gryffhod, 'but he cannot +strike out of that boiling whirlpool; it is too strong for him. The +ropes! the ropes! where are they? let us lower them instantly, and +we may perhaps succeed in hauling him up.'</p> +<p>"A rope, secured at top to the Druid's Chair, was instantly +thrown over, but the lower extremity being blown about by the wind, +it was not till after repeated efforts that Leoline could succeed +in catching hold of it, when he raised himself out of the water, +and began to climb upwards by supporting his feet against the +cliff. More than once they slipped away from the wet chalk, and he +swung in mid-air; but his teeth still firmly grasped the sword; he +soon obtained a drier foothold, and thus climbed to the summit: +which he had no sooner reached in safety than Guinessa, overcome by +the revulsion of her feelings, sank panting and fainting into her +father's arms. Eagerly snatching the redeemed weapon, its owner ran +his eye over the blade, when finding that it had received no +injury, nor suffered any obliteration of the talismanic characters, +he repeatedly kissed it, replaced it in its scabbard, and then +cordially embracing its recoverer exclaimed, 'Thanks, brave +Leoline; ay, and something more substantial than empty thanks. +Guinessa was right, after all; she knows where to find a valiant +and a worthy man; and, by Heaven! I am glad that she preferred you +to your rival. Right nobly have you won her, and honourably shall +you wear the prize. There she is; speak to her; I warrant your +voice will revive her more quickly than that of Gryffhod; her +consent you need not ask, for that you have obtained already, so +take her for your wife when you will, and God give you joy of your +choice, as for my part, I thank Heaven for bestowing on me so +dauntless a son-in-law!'</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page264" name="page264"></a>[pg +264]</span> +<p>"Cordial were the congratulations from all parties except Oscar, +who, filled with mortification and jealous hatred, slunk away +before the others; and during the march to Canterbury, which was +commenced immediately after their descent from the Druid's Chair, +kept himself aloof, equally incensed against Gryffhod, Hengist, and +Guinessa, and meditating dark schemes of vengeance."</p> +<p>Oscar attempts to assassinate his successful rival at +Canterbury; he escapes, but in crossing the sea for Gaul, is taken +by the piratical Picts, carried to Scotland, and condemned to a +rigorous and lifelong slavery. Leoline and Guinessa are married, +and Hengist becoming paramount in Kent, assigns to them a castle +with ample domains in the Isle of Thanet; and in sailing along the +coast they often pointed to "the dizzy summit of the Druid's +Chair," which Leoline often proudly declared to be far more +precious to him than any other object in existence, since it had +given him that which alone made existence valuable—his +Guinessa!</p> +<p>In one of the Tales—of the Council of Nice, in the fourth +century, Mr. Smith indulges his usual felicitous vein of humour, in +a burlesque which he puts into the mouth of a slave of the Bishop +of Ethiopia,—"a little, corpulent, bald-headed, merry-eyed +man of fifty, whose name was Mark; whose duty it was to take charge +of the oil, trim the lamps, and perform other menial offices in the +church of Alexandria." The profane wight deserved, for his wit, a +better place.</p> +<hr /> +<h3>THE JUST DYING SPEECH AND CONFESSION OF THE PAGAN +IMMORTALS.</h3> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Alack and alas! it hath now come to pass,</p> +<p class="i2">That the Gods of Olympus, those cheats of the +world,</p> +<p>Who bamboozled each clime from the birthday of Time,</p> +<p class="i2">Are at length from their mountebank eminence +hurl'd.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>On their cold altar-stone are no offerings thrown,</p> +<p class="i2">And their worshipless worships no passenger +greets,</p> +<p>Though they still may have praise for amending our ways,</p> +<p class="i2">If their statues are broken for paving the +streets.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The Deus Opt. Max. of these idols and quacks</p> +<p class="i2">Is now thrust in a corner for children to flout,</p> +<p>And the red thunder-brand he still grasps in his hand.</p> +<p class="i2">Lights not Jupiter Tonans to grope his way out.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Their Magnus Apollo no longer we follow,</p> +<p class="i2">He's routed and flouted and laid on the shelf,</p> +<p>And no poet's address will now reach him unless</p> +<p class="i2">He can play his own lyre and flatter himself.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>As for Bacchus the sot, he has drain'd his last pot,</p> +<p class="i2">And must lay in the grave his intoxicate head,</p> +<p>For although by his aid he his votaries made</p> +<p class="i2">Full often dead drunk, they have now drunk him +dead.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>O Mars, battle's Lord! canst thou not draw a sword,</p> +<p class="i2">As forth from its temple thy statue we toss?</p> +<p>We want not thy lance, since our legions advance</p> +<p class="i2">Beneath the bless'd banner of Constantine's +cross.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Juno, Venus, and Pallas, to shame were so callous,</p> +<p class="i2">And have always so widely from decency swerved,</p> +<p>That it well might be urged, if their statues were scourged</p> +<p class="i2">And then thrown in the kennel, their doom was +deserved.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The pontiffs and priests, who have lost all their feasts,</p> +<p class="i2">And the oracles shorn of their hecatomb herds,</p> +<p>Having nothing to carve, if they don't wish to starve,</p> +<p class="i2">Must feed upon falsehoods and eat their own +words.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>O'er these mountebanks dead, be this epitaph read,</p> +<p class="i2">"The Gods, Priests and Oracles buried beneath,</p> +<p>Who were ever at strife which should lie most in life,</p> +<p class="i2">Here <i>lie</i> all alike in corruption and +death."</p> +</div> +</div> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>SHELLEY AT OXFORD.</h3> +<p>A delightful paper, entitled, <i>Percy Bysshe Shelley at +Oxford</i> is now in course of appearance in the <i>New Monthly +Magazine</i>, from the pen of a fellow collegian and an early +admirer of the genius of the youthful poet. It is in part +conversational. Thus, Shelley <i>loquitur</i>:—</p> +<p>"I regret only that the period of our residence is limited to +four years; I wish they would revive, for our sake, the old term of +six or seven years. If we consider how much there is for us to +learn," here he paused and sighed deeply through that despondency +which sometimes comes over the unwearied and zealous student; "we +shall allow that the longer period would still be far too short!" I +assented, and we discoursed concerning the abridgement of the +ancient term of residence, and the diminution of the academical +year by frequent, protracted and most inconvenient vacations. "To +quit Oxford," he said, "would be still more unpleasant to you than +to myself, for you aim at objects that I do not seek to compass, +and you cannot fail since you are resolved to place your success +beyond the reach of chance." He enumerated with extreme rapidity, +and in his enthusiastic strain, some of the benefits and comforts +of a college life. "Then the <i>oak</i> is such a blessing," he +exclaimed with peculiar fervour, clasping his hands, and repeating +often—"the oak is such a blessing!" slowly and in a solemn +tone. "The oak <span class="pagenum"><a id="page265" name= +"page265"></a>[pg 265]</span> alone goes far towards making this +place a paradise. In what other spot in the world, surely in none +that I have hitherto visited, can you say confidently, it is +perfectly impossible, physically impossible, that I should be +disturbed? Whether a man desire solitary study, or to enjoy the +society of a friend or two, he is secure against interruption. It +is not so in a house, not by any means; there is not the same +protection in a house, even in the best-contrived house. The +servant is bound to answer the door; he must appear and give some +excuse: he may betray, by hesitation and confusion, that he utters +a falsehood; he must expose himself to be questioned; he must open +the door and violate your privacy in some degree; besides there are +other doors, there are windows at least, through which a prying eye +can detect some indication that betrays the mystery. How different +is it here! The bore arrives; the outer door is shut; it is black +and solid, and perfectly impenetrable, as is your secret; the doors +are all alike; he can distinguish mine from yours by the +geographical position only. He may knock; he may call; he may kick +if he will; he may inquire of a neighbour, but he can inform him of +nothing; he can only say, the door is shut, and this he knows +already. He may leave his card, that you may rejoice over it and at +your escape; he may write upon it the hour when he proposes to call +again, to put you upon your guard, and that he may be quite sure of +seeing the back of your door once more. When the bore meets you and +says, I called at your house at such a time, you are required to +explain your absence, to prove an <i>alibi</i> in short, and +perhaps to undergo a rigid cross-examination; but if he tells you, +'I called at your rooms yesterday at three and the door was shut,' +you have only to say, 'Did you? was it?' and there the matter +ends.</p> +<p>"Were you not charmed with your oak? did it not instantly +captivate you!"</p> +<p>"My introduction to it was somewhat unpleasant and unpropitious. +The morning after my arrival I was sitting at breakfast: my scout, +the Arimaspian, apprehending that the singleness of his eye may +impeach his character for officiousness, in order to escape the +reproach of seeing half as much only as other men, is always +striving to prove that he sees at least twice as far as the most +sharpsighted: after many demonstrations of superabundant activity, +he inquired if I wanted anything more; I answered in the negative. +He had already opened the door: 'Shall I sport, Sir?' he asked +briskly as he stood upon the threshold. He seemed so unlike a +sporting character, that I was curious to learn in what sport he +proposed to indulge. I answered—'Yes, by all means,' and +anxiously watched him, but to my surprise and disappointment he +instantly vanished. As soon as I had finished my breakfast, I +sallied forth to survey Oxford; I opened one door quickly, and not +suspecting that there was a second, I struck my head against it +with some violence. The blow taught me to observe that every set of +rooms has two doors, and I soon learned that the outer door, which +is thick and solid, is called the oak, and to shut it is termed to +sport. I derived so much benefit from my oak, that I soon pardoned +this slight inconvenience: it is surely the tree of knowledge."</p> +<p>"Who invented the oak?"</p> +<p>"The inventers of the science of living in rooms, or +chambers—the monks."</p> +<p>"Ah! they were sly fellows; none but men who were reputed to +devote themselves for many hours to prayers, to religious +meditations, and holy abstractions, would ever have been permitted +quietly to place at pleasure such a barrier between themselves and +the world. We now reap the advantage of their reputation for +sanctity; I shall revere my oak more than ever, since its origin is +so sacred."</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE NATURALIST.</h2> +<h3>GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY.</h3> +<h4>(<i>Concluded from page 247.</i>)</h4> +<p>What a lesson may art learn from contemplating scenes of +nature.</p> +<p><i>The Thrush.</i></p> +<p>"Thrushes feed very much on snails, looking for them in mossy +banks. Having frequently observed some broken snail-shells near two +projecting pebbles on a gravel walk, which had a hollow between +them, I endeavoured to discover the occasion of their being brought +to that situation. At last I saw a thrush fly to the spot with a +snail-shell in his mouth, which he placed between the two stones, +and hammered at it with his beak till he had broken it, and was +then able to feed on its contents. The bird must have discovered +that he could not apply his beak with sufficient force to break the +shell while it was rolling about, and he therefore found out and +made use of a spot which would keep the shell in one position. I do +not know whether Mr. M'Adam has ever observed the same +circumstance, but his ingenious <span class="pagenum"><a id= +"page266" name="page266"></a>[pg 266]</span> contrivance (if it is +his) of confining stones in a sort of hoop while they are being +broken, is somewhat similar to that of the thrush."</p> +<p><i>The Pike</i> it seems, is a formidable foe to +<i>tackle</i>.</p> +<p>"The boldness of a pike is very extraordinary. I have seen one +follow a bait within a foot of the spot where I have been standing; +and the head keeper of Richmond Park assured me that he was once +washing his hand at the side of a boat in the great pond in that +Park, when a pike made a dart at it, and he had but just time to +withdraw it. A gentleman now residing at Weybridge, in Surrey, +informed me that, walking one day by the side of the river Wey, +near that town, he saw a large pike in a shallow creek. He +immediately pulled off his coat, tucked up his shirt sleeves, and +went into the water to intercept the return of the fish to the +river, and to endeavour to throw it upon the bank by getting his +hands under it. During this attempt, the pike, finding he could not +make his escape, seized one of the arms of the gentleman, and +lacerated it so much that the wound is still very visible.</p> +<p>"A friend of mine caught a pike a few minutes after breaking his +tackle, and found it in the pike, a part of the gimp hanging out of +his mouth. He also caught another, in high condition, with a piece +of strong twisted wire projecting from its side. On opening it a +double eel-hook was found at the end of the wire, much corroded. +This may account for so few pike being found dead after they have +broken away with a gorge-hook in them. An account will be found, in +'Salmonia,' of a pike taking a bait, with a set of hooks in his +mouth, which he had just before broken from a line."</p> +<p><i>Affection of Animals.</i></p> +<p>"Animals are so capable of showing gratitude and affection to +those who have been kind to them, that I never see them subjected +to ill treatment without feeling the utmost abhorrence of those who +are inflicting it. I know many persons who, like myself, take a +pleasure in seeing all the animals about them appear happy and +contented. Cows will show their pleasure at seeing those who have +been kind to them, by moving their ears gently, and putting out +their wet noses. My old horse rests his head on the gate with great +complacency when he sees me coming, expecting to receive an apple +or a piece of bread. I should even be sorry to see my poultry and +pigs get out of my way with any symptoms of fear."</p> +<p><i>The Moor-hen.</i></p> +<p>One of Mr. Haydon's new pictures is <i>the first start in +life</i>—a mother teaching her infant to walk—it is a +clever sketch, but, bearing in mind the beautiful comparison of +Solomon and the lily of the valley, here is a counterpart.</p> +<p>"Fishing the other day in Hampton Court Park, I disturbed a +moor-hen who had just hatched, and watched her anxiety and +manoeuvres to draw away her young. She would go a short distance, +utter a cry, return, and seemed to lead the way for her brood to +follow. Having driven her away, that I might have a better +opportunity of watching her young ones, she never ceased calling to +them, and they made towards her, skulking amongst the rushes, till +they got to the other side of the pond. They had only just left the +shell, and had probably never heard the cry of their mother +before."</p> +<p>There is true benevolence in these remarks. How much is conveyed +in the homely expression, that such a man "would not tread upon a +worm:" we should learn to covet such men as friends.</p> +<p><i>The Cardinal Spider.</i></p> +<p>"There is a large breed of spiders which are found very +generally in the palace of Hampton-Court. They are called there +'cardinals,' having I suppose been first seen in Cardinal Wolsey's +hall. They are full an inch in length, and many of them of the +thickness of a finger. Their legs are about two inches long, and +their body covered with a thick hair. They feed chiefly on moths as +appears from the wings of that insect being found in great +abundance under and amongst their webs. In running across the +carpet in an evening, with the shade cast from their large bodies +by the light of the lamp or candle, they have been mistaken for +mice, and have occasioned no little alarm to some of the more +nervous inhabitants of the palace. A doubt has even been raised +whether the name of cardinal has not been given to this creature +from an ancient supposition that the ghost of Wolsey haunts the +place of his former glory under this shape. Be this as it may, the +spider is considered as a curiosity, and Hampton-Court is the only +place in which I have met with it."</p> +<p>Did Wolsey, arrayed in all his glory, ever regard a spider, or +think that his proud name would be coupled with so minute a member +of the creation?</p> +<p><i>Rook-shooting.</i></p> +<p>"Rooks are not easily induced to forsake the trees on which they +have been <span class="pagenum"><a id="page267" name= +"page267"></a>[pg 267]</span> bred, and which they frequently +revisit after the breeding season is over. This is shown in +Hampton-Court Park, where there is an extensive rookery amongst the +fine lime-trees, and where a barbarous and unnecessary custom +prevails of shooting the young rooks. As many as a hundred dozen of +them have been killed in one season, and yet the rooks build in the +avenue, though there is a corresponding avenue close by, in Bushy +Park, which they never frequent, notwithstanding the trees are +equally high and equally secure. I never hear the guns go off +during this annual slaughter without execrating the practice, and +pitying the poor rooks, whose melancholy cries may be heard to a +great distance, and some of whom may be seen, exhausted by their +fruitless exertions, sitting melancholy on a solitary tree waiting +till the <i>sport</i> is over, that they may return and see whether +any of the offspring which they have reared with so much care and +anxiety are left to them; or, what is more probable, the call for +assistance of their young having ceased, they are aware of their +fate, and are sitting in mournful contemplation of their loss. This +may appear romantic, but it is nevertheless true."</p> +<p>Who can read the above without a shudder at the brutal taste of +the lords of the lower world.</p> +<p><i>The Emu.</i></p> +<p>"The only instance I have met with in which the hen bird has not +the chief care in hatching and bringing up the young is in the case +of the emus at the farm belonging to the Zoological Society near +Kingston. A pair of these birds have now five young ones: the +female at different times dropped nine eggs in various places in +the pen in which she was confined. These were collected in one +place by the male, who rolled them gently and carefully along with +his beak. He then sat upon them himself, and continued to do so +with the utmost assiduity for nine weeks, during which time the +female never took his place, nor was he ever observed to leave the +nest. When the young were hatched,<a id="footnotetag4" name= +"footnotetag4"></a><a href="#footnote4"><sup>4</sup></a> he alone +took charge of them, and has continued to do so ever since, the +female not appearing to notice them in any way. On reading this +anecdote, many persons would suppose that the female emu was not +possessed of that natural affection for its young which other birds +have. In order to rescue it from this supposition, I will mention +that a female emu belonging to the Duke of Devonshire at Cheswick +lately laid some eggs; and as there was no male bird, she collected +them together herself and sat upon them."</p> +<p><i>The Toad.</i></p> +<p>"It is a curious fact that toads are so numerous in the island +of Jersey, that they have become a term of reproach for its +inhabitants, the word 'Crapaud' being frequently applied to them; +while in the neighbouring island of Guernsey not a toad is to be +found, though they have frequently been imported. Indeed, certain +other islands have always been privileged in this respect. Ireland +is free from venomous animals, of course by the aid of St. Patrick. +The same was affirmed of Crete in olden times, being the birthplace +of Jupiter. The Isle of Man is said also to be free from venomous +creatures. The Mauritius, and I believe one of the Balearic +islands, enjoys the same immunity."</p> +<p>The following anecdote is as pretty as the writer conceives it +to be:</p> +<p>"His present Majesty, when residing in Bushy Park, had a part of +the foremast of the Victory, against which Lord Nelson was standing +when he received his fatal wound, deposited in a small temple in +the grounds of Bushy House, from which it was afterwards removed, +and placed at the upper end of the dining-room, with a bust of Lord +Nelson upon it. A large shot had passed completely through this +part of the mast, and while it was in the temple a pair of robins +had built their nest in the shot-hole, and reared a brood of young +ones. It was impossible to witness this little occurrence without +reflecting on the scene of blood, and strife of war, which had +occurred to produce so snug and peaceable a retreat for a nest of +harmless robins. If that delightful poet of the lakes, Mr. +Wordsworth, should ever condescend to read this little anecdote, it +might supply him with no bad subject for one of his charming +sonnets."</p> +<p>A few entertaining particulars of</p> +<p><i>The Royal Parks.</i></p> +<p>"There are two elm trees, or rather the remains of two, in +Hampton Court Park, known by the name of the 'Giants,' which must +have been of an enormous size, the trunk of one of them measuring +twenty-eight feet in circumference.</p> +<p>"Cork trees flourish in Hampton Court Park, where there are two +large ones. There are also some ilexes, or evergreen oaks, in Bushy +Park, of a very large size, and apparently as hardy as <span class= +"pagenum"><a id="page268" name="page268"></a>[pg 268]</span> any +other tree there. The avenues in that park are perhaps the finest +in Europe. There are nine of them altogether, the centre one, +formed by two rows of horse-chestnut trees, being the widest. The +side avenues, of which there are four on each side of the main +avenue, are of lime trees, and the whole length, including the +circuit round the Diana water, is one mile and forty yards.</p> +<p>"Near the Queen's house in this park is a very fine Spanish +chestnut tree, said to have been planted by Charles II., and to +have been the first which was seen in this country.</p> +<p>"The trees which at present form so much of the beauty of +Greenwich Park were planted by Evelyn, and if he could now see them +he would call them 'goodly trees,' at least some of them. The +chestnuts, however, though they produce some fine fruit, have not +thriven in the same proportion with the elms. In noticing this park +I should not forget to mention that the only remaining part of the +palace of Henry VIII. is preserved in the front of Lord Auckland's +house looking into the park. It is a circular delft window of +beautiful workmanship, and in a fine state of preservation. There +are also a great number of small tumuli in the upper part of the +park, all of which appear to have been opened."</p> +<p>"In addition to the herd of fallow deer, amounting to about one +thousand six hundred, which are kept in Richmond Park, there is +generally a stock of from forty to fifty red deer. One fine stag +was so powerful, and offered so much resistance, that two of his +legs were broken in endeavouring to secure him, and he was obliged +to be killed. One who had shown good sport in the royal hunt, was +named 'Sir Edmund,' by his late Majesty, in consequence of Sir +Edmund Nagle having been in at the '<i>take</i>' after a long +chase. This stag lived some years afterwards in the park; and its a +curious fact that he died the very same day on which Sir Edmund +Nagle died."</p> +<p>The volume contains some interesting antiquarian inquiries +respecting Caesar's ford at Kingston, and Maxims for an Angler, by +a Bungler.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE SKETCH BOOK</h2> +<h3>THE ABBOT OF TEWKESBURY.</h3> +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror.</i>)</h4> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>"After life's fitful fever be sleeps well."</p> +<p><span style="margin-left:3em"><i>Shakspeare</i>.</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<p>(In opening the tomb of the founder of the Abbey at Tewkesbury, +the body of the Abbot was found clothed in full canonicals. The +crosier was as perfect as when, perhaps, first put in the coffin, +while the body showed scarcely any symptom of decay, though it had +been entombed considerably above six hundred years. On exposure to +the air, the boots alone of the Abbot were seen to sink, when the +tomb was ordered to be sealed up, and his holiness again committed +in his darkness. On the above circumstance this sketch is +founded.)</p> +<p>Is this to be dead? Am I not clad in all pontifical splendour? +Do I not feel the crosier on my breast? The holy brethren of the +Abbey surround me. That which distinguished the Abbot when alive, +is even here in collected magnificence. I feel the priestly +consequence of the Abbot. Is this then the Chamber of the Dead? The +pious monks are weeping. The tears which have flowed before the +marble shrine are recalled to weep for a departed brother. The +incense is full fragrant. I enjoy the perception of its odour. It +dilates in my stiffened nostrils, but it supplies me not the breath +of life. I hear the loud Hosanna chanted for a soul which dies in +the Lord. I will repeat the strain. No. My voice refuses to fall +back upon the ear. Where is my heart that it beats not swelling to +the anthem's measure? Cold! cold! cold! Nay; I will rise. I will +respond unto the funeral dirge. I will shout. Oh! my trunk is +hardened, and my tongue is glued. Silence! they pause. Say, do they +hear me? No. Silence, horrible and awful. Hark! they mourn with +lamentation on my fate. O, Heaven! must I endure all this? Must the +living weep for the dead, and the conscious dead be doomed to +dismal silence. Horror! horror! horror! IS THIS TO BE DEAD?</p> +<hr /> +<p>A convocation! Yes. The holy brothers in assembled synod to +elect a brother holier than themselves. Nay, I do forbid. I, the +Abbot who have loved ye all, refuse permission to your meeting. +Disperse, disperse. Do ye not hear? Is there no charity alive? Who +dares usurp my chair, and I not yet entombed? What! is justice +driven out where heavenly men should dwell? I see it. I mark it. +The leaven of pride is kneaded in the brotherhood. Intriguing +hypocrites usurp the House of God. What! brother John, the fat, the +corpulent, the lazy! of whom I know ten thousand heinous sins; the +least sufficient to condemn a soul. An Abbot, chosen by the holy, +is the elect of God. But he—no, no, no. It shall not be. God +will forbid it. They put the crosier in his hand. For shame! for +shame! Let not the vicious living sit in the chair of virtue that +is departed. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page269" name= +"page269"></a>[pg 269]</span> Why see! he kneels. He kneels before +the shrine, where, until now, he never bent to pray. He grasps the +crosier with loving firmness. It shall not be. Is there no +interposing Deity to slay the sinner in his wickedness? I, I will +seize the crosier from his filthy hand. No. My arm lays idly at my +side. Is THIS TO BE DEAD?</p> +<hr /> +<p>They chant the funeral dirge. The mighty torches flash their +blazing light upon the frozen features of the dead. Mine eyes are +sealed. I strain to open them. No. Light gleams in upon me as +through a clear veil. Ah! monster of hateful mien! demon deceitful +in religious robes! avaunt! Thou shalt not touch my corpse. No. +Thank God! It is a foretaste of thy love to come. He passes on. He +dares not lay polluted hands upon the dead, whose becalmed face is +looking up to thee. The dead, the sacred dead. The living are for +the world, the dead are Thine. Incense, and prayer, and psalms for +the departed. It is respectful, but what heed I? Man comes into the +world only to go out thereof. What then? The grave! Horror. I have +preached thereof. I have shocked others with the enormities of life +until they clung unto the grave. Now, I who have bidden the +virtuous look to the hopes beyond it, myself would cry to live. But +no! they bear me on. He, the foul monster, grins as he looks upon +my outstretched limbs. Wolf, I'll pray for thee. Breathe, breathe +hardly, ye distended nostrils; it is your last pulsation with the +air of earth. No. Sealed as the marble figures by which they bear +me. Is this my Tomb. Is this the narrow house appointed for the +living? Is this the Abbot's palace after death? Nay, I pray thee, +brethren, close me not up in yon receptacle. Where the cold air +might shiver on my flesh I may be happy. Yon tomb is dark and +dismal, shut from the eye of day. Louder and louder grows your +chant, I know its terminating cadence. It falls upon mine ear. Take +off this stony lid. Nay, I will knock, knock, knock. My arms are +still unraised. They hear me not. Brethren! men! christians! no, +monks, monks, monks, cold as the stone ye place upon my breast! +Have ye no ears? no hearts? Do I not shout? Do I not pray? Ah! my +tongue is one of marble. It is cold and fixed. They will not hear +me. Listen! their parting and receding steps. Nay, hasten not away. +Silence. No. One step is lingering behind. Thank God! I shout. +Brother! what, ho! He hears. Brother! He pauses. What ho! He goes. +Brother! Silence is around, hushed as my own attempts to burst a +voice. Hark! a noise. No. Silence. Is THIS TO BE DEAD?</p> +<hr /> +<p>Yet in the grave. Years have rolled away. Successors to my chair +sleep in the stony sepulchres around me. Monks whom I have awed or +blessed, slumber in death. Men, whom I have known not, walk in the +cloisters I have built. I am but mentioned as a thing that +was—the memory of a name. Enough. There is no communion among +the dead. Methought the spirits of the other world held converse on +the joys they left on earth. But all is still. I cannot hear a +lament, even for a rotted bone. The dead are tongue-tied. In yonder +chancel sleeps a monarch, murdered by bloody relations. Should not +such a spirit shriek aloud for vengeance, or weep a wailing for his +destiny? But all is still. I hear no night owl screech. Earth is +the only dwelling place of noise. Death knows it not. Methinks a +shriek were music, a sigh were melody, a groan a feast. But no. +Time has almost used me to its sombre sameness. Is not time tired +to have gone so long the same unchanging course? I cannot move. My +joints are aching with continued rest. I cannot turn:—my +sides are sunken in. Would I could turn and crush them into bones +with my reclining weight. Is my heart sinful that it weighs down +all my body. Is this the gnawing and undying worm? Is THIS TO BE +DEAD.</p> +<hr /> +<p>Six hundred years and still I am in the tomb. So much of man has +sought a refuge in the grave. I well may ask if life is yet on +earth. Has man degraded or is England ruined! I hear the footsteps +of those that gaze upon the stony sepulchres. I feel the glaring of +their curious eyes between the crevices which time has uncemented. +They make remarks. Is then a tomb a monument of wonder? They talk +of monks as things that are no more. Then is the world no more. At +last the time is come. They lay their iron hand upon the stone. +They knock, they knock. Hark! It rings through the giant isles till +the echo thrills with joy. They knock the stony cerement that +enshrines me. Great Heaven! I thank thee! Used as I am become to my +hollow narrowness, I shall rejoice to quit it. The lid upraises. I +feel the air. I feel the air. Now, now, let me rise. I feel myself +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page270" name="page270"></a>[pg +270]</span> prepared. Ah! the boots fall off. I shall ascend. The +boots fall off. What are there none to raise me? See, they grin. Am +I not come unto the resurrection of the life? What! that horrid lid +again. O, no, no. They stifle me again. They fasten me to +sleep—to sleep—to sleep. THIS, THIS IS TO BE DEAD.</p> +<p>P.S.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>NOTES OF A READER</h2> +<h3>WILLS,</h3> +<h4><i>Abridged from Powell's Advice to Executors, (just +published.)</i></h4> +<p><i>Queen Consort.</i>—An ancient perquisite belonging to +the Queen Consort was, that on the taking of a <i>whale</i> on the +coasts, it should be divided between the King and Queen; the head +only becoming the King's property, and the tail the Queen's. The +reason of this whimsical distinction, as assigned by our ancient +records, was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe with whalebone.</p> +<p><i>A civil Death</i> is where a husband has undergone +transportation for life. In such case, his wife is legally entitled +to make a will, and act in every other matter, as if she was +unmarried, or as though her husband were dead.—<i>Roper's +Husband and Wife</i>.</p> +<p><i>Pin Money.</i>—It has been judicially determined, that +a married woman having any <i>pin-money</i>, (by which is +understood an annual income settled by the husband, before +marriage, on his intended wife, or allowed by him to her after +marriage, gratuitously, for her personal and private expenditure +during the existence of the marriage,) or any separate maintenance, +may, by will, bequeath her <i>savings</i> out of such allowance, +without the license or consent of her husband.—<i>Clamey's +Equitable Rights of Married Women.</i></p> +<p><i>Compulsory Will.</i>—So cautious is the Ecclesiastical +Court in guarding against restraint of any kind, that in a case in +which it was proved that a man, in his last sickness, was compelled +to make his will to <i>procure quiet from the extreme importunity +of his wife</i>, it was held to have been made under restraint, and +was declared void.</p> +<p><i>Wills of Criminals.</i>—The lands and tenements of +<i>traitors</i>, from the commission of the offence, and their +goods and chattels, from the time of their conviction, are +forfeited to the king. They have therefore no property in either; +and are not merely deprived of the privilege of making any kind of +will after the period of their conviction, but any will +<i>previously</i> made is rendered void by such conviction, both as +respects real and personal estate. The law respecting <i>felons</i> +is the same, unless it be worth recording that a remarkable +exception exists in favour of Gavelkind lands, which, even though +the ancestor be hanged, are not forfeited for felony.</p> +<p><i>Bachelors' Wills.</i>—Without any express revocation, +if a man who has made his will, afterwards <i>marries, and has a +child or children</i>, his will, made while a bachelor, will be +presumptively <i>revoked</i>, both as regards real and personal +estate, and he will be pronounced to have died intestate. The law +presumes that it must be the natural intention of every man to +provide for his wife and offspring before all others, and, +consequently, in such a case, apportions his property according to +the Statute of Distributions. But the fact of a marriage alone, +<i>without a child</i>, is no revocation; and though both facts +conjoin to revoke the will, yet such revocation is only on the +presumption that the testator <i>could not have intended</i> his +will to remain good. If, on the other hand, from expressions used +by him, and other proof, it be made to appear unquestionable that +it was his intent that his will <i>should</i> continue in force, +the marriage and birth of children will not revoke it.</p> +<p><i>Paraphernalia of a Widow.</i>—These are defined to be +"such goods as a wife is, after her husband's death, allowed to +retain in preference to all creditors and legatees; as necessary +wearing apparel, and jewels, if she be of quality; and whether so +or not, all such ornaments of the person, as watches, rings, and +trinkets, as <i>she used to wear</i> in her husband's life-time. +Under the term 'wearing apparel' are included whatsoever articles +were given to her by her husband for the purpose of being made up +into clothes, although he may have died before they were made up." +(<i>Clamey.</i>) It should be added, however, that the jewels of +the wife are, after her husband's death, liable to the payment of +his debts, should his personal estate be exhausted; though her +necessary wearing apparel is protected against the claim of all +creditors.</p> +<hr /> +<h3>SUPERSTITION OF SAILORS.</h3> +<p>The following is from Messrs. Bennet and Tyerman's <i>Voyages +and Travels</i>: "Our chief mate said, that on board a ship where +he had served, the mute on duty ordered some of the youths to reef +the main-top-sail. When the first got <span class="pagenum"><a id= +"page271" name="page271"></a>[pg 271]</span> up, he heard a strange +voice saying, '<i>It blows hard</i>.' The lud waited for no more; +he was down in a trice, and telling his adventure; a second +immediately ascended, laughing at the folly of his companion, but +returned even more quickly declaring that he was quite sure that a +voice, not of this world, had cried in his ear, 'It blows hard.' +Another went, and another, but each came back with the same tale. +At length the mate, having sent up the whole watch, run up the +shrouds himself; and when he reached the haunted spot, heard the +dreadful words distinctly uttered in his ears, 'It blows hard.' +'Ay, ay, old one; but blow it ever so hard, we must ease the +earings for all that,' replied the mate undauntedly; and looking +round, he spied a fine parrot perched on one of the clues—the +thoughtless author of all the false alarms, which had probably +escaped from some other vessel, but had not been discovered to have +taken refuge on this. Another of our officers mentioned that, on +one of his voyages, he remembered a boy having been sent up to +clear a rope which had got foul above the mizen-top. Presently, +however, he came back, trembling, and almost tumbling to the +bottom, declaring that he had seen 'Old Davy,' aft the cross-trees; +moreover, that the Evil One had a huge head and face, with pricked +ears, and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent up +in succession; to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was +identified by each to be 'Old Davy, sure enough.' The mate, in a +rage, at length mounted himself; when resolutely, as in the former +case, searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent +cause of so much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to +be out of sight to those who ascended on the other side of the +vessel, but which when any one approached the cross-trees, popped +up his portentous visage to see what was coming. The mate brought +him down in triumph, and 'Old Davy,' the owl, became a very +peaceable shipmate among the crew, who were no longer scared by his +horns and eyes; for sailors turn their backs on nothing when they +know what it is. Had the birds, in these two instances, departed as +they came, of course they would have been deemed supernatural +visitants to the respective ships, by all who had heard the one or +seen the other." W.G.C.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE GATHERER</h2> +<hr /> +<p><i>Hard Duty.</i>—As a gentleman's coachman washed his +master's carriage during divine service on Sunday morning, he was +heard to say that "he hoped his master and mistress prayed for him, +as he had no time to pray for himself." He brought his lady home +from the Opera at one in the morning; then went to fetch his master +from the "Hell" in St. James's-street, and by the time he had +littered and rubbed down his horses, and got to his own bed, it was +four o'clock; he thought after that he could not do less than sleep +till nine; by half-past-ten he had got his breakfast, and at twelve +his carriage was ready; at one he took his dinner; at two he was +ordered to be at the door to take his lady and the young ladies to +the Park; at five he returned, and was ordered out at six, to carry +the family to dinner; after setting them down, he was directed to +come at half-past eleven; and by two o'clock on Monday morning, the +poor man was once more in his bed.</p> +<p><i>Le Due de Bourdeaux.</i>—It was still dark when the +order was given to notify the auspicious birth of the young Duc de +Bordeaux, in November, 1820, to the inhabitants of Paris. It was +observed to the Duc de Richelieu, that it might perhaps be better +to wait for the break of day, to fire the cannon; to which he +replied, "For news so glorious, it is break of day at all +times."<span style="margin-left:3em">S.H.</span></p> +<p><i>Scriptural Memoranda.</i>—Verse 18, chap. xii. of the +first Book of Maccabees, will make an excellent motto for a seal. +The 21st verse of the 7th chap. of Ezra, contains every letter of +the alphabet. The 19th chap, of the 2nd Book of Kings, and the 37th +of Isaiah, are alike, as are also the 31st chap, of the first Book +of Samuel, and the 10th chap, of the 1st Chronicles.<span style= +"margin-left:3em">T. GILL.</span></p> +<p>"<i>Caviare to the Multitude</i>," is as good a simile as +Shakspeare ever made, for where is the artisan, but after having +tasted it, began to spit and splutter as though he had been +poisoned, while the aristocrat, the one in a thousand, licks his +lips after it, as the greatest delicacy. This article is the roe of +the sturgeon, salted down and pressed, and is imported into this +country from Odessa.<span style="margin-left:3em">S.H.</span></p> +<p><i>Man-killing and Man-eating.</i>—I really do not think +the New Zealanders are half so barbarous as the Russians, whatever +other folks may say of it, and I'll abide by what I've said too: it +is true they <span class="pagenum"><a id="page272" name= +"page272"></a>[pg 272]</span> sometimes indulge a little by eating +a man for dinner, as a delicacy; but leaving eating out of the +question, one Russian chief caused more bloodshed last year, than +all the New Zealanders put together; and after all, it is an +undoubted fact, that a couple of Russians will eat up a rein-deer +at a meal! (that is, they will not give over till they have +finished it,) so they do not want appetite; and if they were in New +Zealand, and a man were to fall in their way, it is very likely +that they would eat him.<span style= +"margin-left:3em">S.H.</span></p> +<p><i>Generosity of Marshal Turenne.</i>—The deputies of a +great metropolis in Germany, once offered the great Turenne 100,000 +crowns not to pass with his army through the city. "Gentlemen," +said he, "I cannot, in conscience, accept your money, as I had no +intention to pass that way."<span style="margin-left:3em">T. +GILL.</span></p> +<p><i>Spain.</i>—It is remarkable that the Carthaginians +having established colonies in Spain, drew their riches from that +country, as the Spaniards themselves afterwards did from South +America.</p> +<p><i>Breakfast.</i>—It has been observed, such is our +luxury, that the world must be encompassed to furnish a washerwoman +with breakfast: with tea from China, and sugar from the West +Indies.</p> +<p><i>Bamboo.</i>—The largest and tallest sort of bamboo, +known In India, is about half the height of the London Monument, or +100 feet.</p> +<p><i>Brick-building</i> was practised largely in Italy in the +beginning of the fourteenth century; and the brick buildings +erected at this period in Tuscany, and other parts of the north of +Italy, exhibit at the present day the finest specimens extant of +brick-work!</p> +<p><i>Nothing Impossible.</i>—Mirabeau's haste of temper was +known, and he must be obeyed. "Monsieur Comte," said his secretary +to him one day, "the thing you require is impossible." +"Impossible!" exclaimed Mirabeau, starting from his chair, "never +again use that <i>foolish word</i> in my +presence."—<i>Dumont's Mirabeau.</i> (This brief anecdote +should never be forgotten by the reader: it is more characteristic +than hundreds of pages; it is, to all men, a lesson almost in a +line.)</p> +<p><i>"Nice to a Shaving."</i>—When Louis VII. of France, to +obey the injunctions of his bishops, cropped his hair and shaved +his beard, Eleanor, his consort, found him with this unusual +appearance, very ridiculous, and soon very contemptible. She +revenged herself as she thought proper, and the poor shaved king +obtained a divorce. She then married the Count of Anjou, afterwards +our Henry II. She had for her marriage dower the rich provinces of +Poitu and Guyenne; and this was the origin of those wars which for +three hundred years ravaged France, and cost the French three +millions of men: all which, probably, had never occurred, had Louis +VII. not been so rash as to crop his head, and shave his beard, by +which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen +Eleanor.<span style="margin-left:3em">W.A.</span></p> +<p><i>American Wife.</i>—The following advertisement for a +wife appeared a few years since, in a New York paper:—"Wanted +immediately, a young lady, of the following description, (as a +wife,) with about 2,000 dollars as a patrimony, sweet temper, spend +little, be a good housewife, and born in America; and as I am not +more than twenty-five years of age, I hope it will not be difficult +to find a good wife. N.B. I take my dwelling in South Second +Street, No. 273. Any lady that answers the above description will +please to leave her card."<span style= +"margin-left:3em">W.G.C.</span></p> +<p>The following is said to be an unpublished epigram of Lord +Byron:—</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>An old phlegmatic Dutchman took</p> +<p class="i2">A pretty Jewish wife,</p> +<p>And what still more surprising is,</p> +<p class="i2">He lov'd her 'bove his life—</p> +<p>Oh! Holland and Jerusalem,</p> +<p>What, tell me, do you think of them?</p> +</div> +</div> +<p><i>A Queer Library.</i>—The eccentric physician, Dr. +Radcliffe, when pursuing his studies, was content with looking into +the works of Dr. Willis. He was possessed of very few books, +insomuch that when Dr. Bathurst, head of Trinity College, asked him +once with surprise, where his study was? he pointed to a few vials, +a skeleton, and a herbal, and said, "Sir, this is Radcliffe's +Library."<span style="margin-left:3em">P.T.W.</span></p> +<p><i>How to detect a Thief.</i>—A watch was stolen in the +Pit of the Opera, in Paris; the loser complained in a loud voice, +and said, "It is just nine; in a few minutes my watch will strike; +the second is strong; and by that means we shall instantly +ascertain where it is." The thief, terrified at this, endeavoured +to escape, and by his agitation discovered himself.<span style= +"margin-left:3em">T. GILL.</span></p> +<hr class="full" /> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote1" name= +"footnote1"></a> <b>Footnote 1</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag1">(return)</a> +<p>See <i>Mirror</i>, vol. xiii. p. 33.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote2" name= +"footnote2"></a> <b>Footnote 2</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag2">(return)</a> +<p>A graphic Account of the Colosseum, from the apt pen of Mr. +Britton, the architect.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote3" name= +"footnote3"></a> <b>Footnote 3</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag3">(return)</a> +<p>See <i>Mirror</i>, vol. xiii. p. 97.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote4" name= +"footnote4"></a> <b>Footnote 4</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag4">(return)</a> +<p>There are now (June) five young emus alive, and appearing +perfectly healthy.</p> +</blockquote> +<hr class="full" /> +<p><i>Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand (near +Somerset House,) London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER. 626. New Market, +Leipsic. G.G. BENNIS, 55, Rue Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris; and by +all Newsmen and Booksellers.</i></p> +<hr class="full" /> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11542 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/11542-h/images/544-1.png b/11542-h/images/544-1.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dce3049 --- /dev/null +++ b/11542-h/images/544-1.png diff --git a/11542-h/images/544-2.png b/11542-h/images/544-2.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d9da0e3 --- /dev/null +++ b/11542-h/images/544-2.png diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c20f665 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #11542 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11542) diff --git a/old/11542-8.txt b/old/11542-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3beb3c4 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11542-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1851 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and +Instruction, by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction + Vol. 19, Issue 544, April 28, 1832 + +Author: Various + +Release Date: March 11, 2004 [EBook #11542] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + + + + +THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION. + +Vol. 19, No. 544] SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1832 [Price 2d. + + * * * * * + + + +SWISS COTTAGE, AT THE COLOSSEUM, IN THE REGENT'S PARK. + + +[Illustration: Swiss Cottage, At The Colosseum] + +It is now upwards of three years since we directed the attention of our +readers to the wonders of this little world of art.[1] The ingenious +projector, Mr. Horner, was then polite enough to conduct us throughout +the buildings and grounds, and to explain to us the original design of +the unfinished works as well as of many contemplated additions. This was +about three weeks before the Exhibition was opened to the public. The +_Panorama_ was then partly in outline, and we had to catch its +identities through a maze of scaffolding poles, planks, and stages; +while the immense domed area re-echoed with the operations of scores of +_artistes_ of every grade, from the upholsterer nailing up gay +draperies, to the heavy blow of the carpenter's mallet. We took +advantage of our privileged visit, to point out to the reader how much +he might expect from a visit to the Panorama, and, in our subsequent +visits we have not for a moment regretted the particular attention we +were induced to bestow upon this unrivalled work of art. It is justly +described to be "such a _Pictoral History of London_--such a faithful +display of its myriads of public and private buildings--such an +impression of the vastness, wealth, business, pleasure, commerce, and +luxury of the English metropolis, as nothing else can effect. Histories, +descriptions, maps, and prints, are all imperfect and defective, when +compared to this immense Panorama--they are scraps and mere touches of +the pen and pencil--whilst this imparts, at a glance, at one view, a +_cyclopædia of information_--a concentrated history--a focal topography, +of the largest and most influential city in the world. The immense area +of surface which this picture occupies will surprise the reader: it +measures 40,000 square feet, or nearly an acre in extent."[2] This may +be a glowing eulogium; but it is true to the line and letter. + + [1] See _Mirror_, vol. xiii. p. 33. + + [2] A graphic Account of the Colosseum, from the apt pen of Mr. + Britton, the architect. + +We have already illustrated the Panorama,[3] and it is our intention to +introduce other embellishments of the Colosseum, as far as may be +compatible with finished sketches. Our present subject is the principal +apartment in the _Swiss Cottage_, to which the reader or visiter is +conducted through a range of conservatories, containing choice exotics, +with some of the most majestic proportions of leaf and flower that can +be enjoyed in any clime. The communication is by a stone-work passage, +the temperature of which is a refreshing succedaneum to that of the +conservatories, or 72°. This cottage was designed by P.F. Robinson, Esq. +who has evinced considerable taste in a publication on cottages and +cottage-villas, as well as in the execution of various buildings. It +consists of four apartments, three of which may be considered as +finished. The apartment in our Engraving was completed, or nearly so, on +our first visit. It is wainscotted with coloured (knotted) wood, and +carved in imitation of the ornamented dwelling of a Swiss family. The +fire-place will be recognised as the very _beau ideal_ of cottage +comfort: the raised hearthstone, massive fire-dogs and chimney-back, and +its cosy seats, calculated to contain a whole family seated at the sides +of its ample hearth---are characteristic of the primitive enjoyments of +the happy people from among whom this model was taken. Our view is from +the extreme corner, from which point the entrance-passage is shown in +the distance. + + [3] See _Mirror_, vol. xiii. p. 97. + +[Illustration: Apartment Interior] + +The second Engraving shows the recessed window of the apartment, which +faces the fire-place, and commands a view of a mass of rock-scenery, +ornamented with waterfalls of singular contrivance and effect. The +frames are filled in with plate-glass, so that the view of these +artificial wonders is unobstructed. Our artist has, in his sketch, +endeavoured to convey some idea of their outline; but he hopes to supply +an amplification of their scenic beauty in a future engraving. We may, +however, observe that the view from this window deserves the character +of the _sublime in miniature_, and presents even a microcosm, where + + Rocks and forests, lakes, and mountains grand, + Mark the true majesty of Nature's hand. + +The whole apartment presents a finished specimen of joinery, with a +tasteful display of ornamental carving. Its colour is a deep warm or, we +think, _burnt sienna_, brown; the furniture is in _recherché_ rusticated +style, planned by Mr. Gray, whose taste in these matters is elaborately +correct; and it requires but the social blaze on the hearth, (which our +artist has liberally supplied,) to complete the well-devised illusion of +the scene. The apartment was painted about two years since as a scene +for a musical piece at Covent Garden Theatre, the incidents of which lay +in Switzerland. + + * * * * * + + +THE VOICES OF THE NIGHT. + +BY MISS M.L. BEEVOR. + +(_For the Mirror._) + + + Like some young veiled Bride, + Gleams the moon's hazy face, + When tissues that would hide + But lend her charms a grace: + Each winkling starlet pale, + Sleeps in its far, far fold, + Wrapp'd in the heavy veil + Of dewy clouds and cold. + The turmoil, din, and strife, + Of factious earth are o'er; + The turbid waves of life + Have ceas'd to roll and roar; + But tones now meet the ear, + Full fraught with strange delight, + And intermingling fear: + _The Voices of the Night!_ + + Not such as softly rise + When boughs with song o'erflow, + And lover's vows and sighs, + Like incense breathe below; + Not such as warm his breast, + Whose fever'd anxious brain + Toils when all else hath rest, + To bring the _lost_ again! + + But the owl's boding shriek, + The death-cry of his prey; + The tongues that durst not speak + In bright unslumb'ring day; + The murd'rer's curses fell, + His quiv'ring victim's groan; + The mutt'red, moody spell + Which rocks ABADDON'S throne! + + The song of winds that sweep + Impetuously around + Our rolling sphere, and keep + Up conferences profound; + The music of the sea, + When battling waves run mad; + Far sweeter there may be, + But none so wild and sad. + + The wail of forests vast + Thro' which pour storms like light, + Whilst rending in the blast, + They feebly own its might! + Deep thund'rings o'er the main: + The short shrill smother'd cry, + Hurl'd to the skies in vain, + Of drowning agony! + + The SOMETHING _toneless_, which + Speaks awfully to men, + Startling the poor and rich, + For CONSCIENCE _will_ talk then; + These are the watch-words drear, + _The Voices of the Night_, + Which harrow the sick ear, + The stricken heart affright! + + _Great Marlow, Bucks._ + + * * * * * + + + +MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS. + + + * * * * * + + +MAY-DAY GAMES. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +This day of joyous festivity has almost ceased to be the harbinger of +mirth and jollity; and the gambols of our forefathers are nearly +forgotten amidst the high notions of modern refinement. Time was when +king, lords, and commons hailed May-day morning with delight, and bowed +homage to her fair and brilliant queen. West end and city folks united +in their freaks, ate, drank, and joined the merry dance from morning +dawn till close of day. Thus in an old ballad of those times we find + + The hosiers will dine at the Leg, + The drapers at the sign of the Brush, + The fletchers to Robin Hood will go, + And the spendthrift to Beggar's bush. + +And another + + The gentry to the King's head, + The nobles to the Crown, &c. + +The rustic had his morrice-dance, hobby-horse race, and the gaudy +Mayings of Robin Hood, which last were instituted, according to an old +writer, in honour of his memory, and continued till the latter end of +the sixteenth century. These games were attended not by the people only, +but by kings and princes, and grave magistrates. + +Stow says, "that in the moneth of May, the citizens of London, of all +estates, lightlie in every parish, or sometimes two or three parishes +joyning together, had their severall Mayinges, and did fetch in +Maypoles, with divers warlike showes, with good archers, +morrice-dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long, and +towards the evening they had stage-playes and bone-fires in the +streetes. These greate Mayinges and Maygames, made by governors and +masters of this citie, with the triumphant setting up of the greate +shafte, (a principall May-pole in Cornhill, before the parish church of +S. Andrew, therefore called Undershafte,) by meane of an insurrection of +youthes against alianes, on May-day, 1517, have not beene so freely used +as afore." + +The disuse of these ancient pastimes and the consequent neglect of +Archerie, are thus lamented by Richard Niccols, in his _London's +Artillery_, 1616: + + How is it that our London hath laid downe + This worthy practise, which was once the crowne, + Of all her pastime which her Robin Hood + Had wont each yeare when May did clad the wood + With lustre greene, to lead his young men out, + Whose brave demeanour, oft when they did shoot, + Invited royall princes from their courts + Into the wilde woods to behold their sports! + Who thought it then a manly sight and trim, + To see a youth of clene compacted lim, + Who, with a comely grace, in his left hand + Holding his bow, did take his steadfast stand, + Setting his left leg somewhat foorth before, + His Arrow with his right hand nocking sure, + Not stooping, nor yet standing streight upright, + Then, with his left hand little 'bove his sight, + Stretching his arm out, with an easie strength + To draw an arrow of a yard in length. + +The lines + + "Invited royall princes from their courts + Into the wilde woods to behold their sports," + +may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry the VIIIth, who appears to +have been particularly attached, as well to the exercise of archery, as +to the observance of Maying. "Some short time after his coronation," +says Hall, "he came to Westminster with the quene, and all their traine, +and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles of Essex, Wilshire, and +other noble menne, to the number of twelve, came sodainly in a mornyng +into the quenes chambre, all appareled in short cotes of Kentish kendal, +with hodes on their heddes, and hosen of the same, every one of them his +bowe and arrowes, and a sworde and a bucklar, like outlawes, or Robyn +Hodesmen; whereof the quene, the ladies, and al other there were abashed +as well for the straunge sight, as also for their sodain commyng, and +after certayn daunces and pastime made, thei departed." + +The same author gives the following curious account of a Maying, in the +7th year of that monarch, 1516: "The king and quene, accompanied with +many lords and ladies, rode to the high ground on Shooter's Hill to take +the air, and as they passed by the way, they espied a company of tall +yomen clothed all in green, with green whodes and bows and arrows, to +the number of 90. One of them calling himself Robin Hood, came to the +king, desiring him to see his men shoot, and the king was content. Then +he wistled, and all the 90 archers shot and losed at once, he then +whistled again, and they shot again; their arrows wistled by craft of +the head, so that the noise was strange and great, and much pleased the +king, the quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the +king's guard, and had thus appareled themselves to make solace to the +king. Then Robin Hood desired the king and quene to come into the green +wood, and see how the outlaws live. The king demanded of the quene and +her ladies, if they durst venture to go into the wood with so many +outlaws, and the quene was content. Then the horns blew till they came +to the wood under Shooter's Hill, and there was an arbour made of +boughs, with a hall and a great chamber, and an inner chamber, well made +and covered with flowers and sweet herbs, which the king much praised. +Then said Robin Hood, 'Sir, outlaws breakfasts is vensyon, and you must +be content with such fare as we have.' The king and quene sat down, and +were served with venison and wine by Robin Hood and his men. Then the +king and his party departed, and Robin and his men conducted them. As +they were returning, they were met by two ladies in a rich chairiot, +drawn by five horses, every horse had his name on his head, and on every +horse sat a lady, with her name written; and in a chair sat the Lady +May, accompanied with Lady Flora, richly appareled, and they saluted the +king with divers songs, and so brought him to Greenwhich." + +The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a dramatic +cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of King Edward IV. complaining of the +ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who had promised never to +desert him, and "ther uppon," says he, "I have kepyd hym thys iii yer to +pleye Seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod, and the Shryf off Notyngham, and now +when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I without a +keeper." + +In some old accounts of the Churchwardens, of Saint Helens, at Abingdon, +Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry for setting up Robins +Hoode's bower; supposed to be for a parish interlude. + +Perhaps the clearest idea of these games will be derived from some +accounts of the Church-wardens, of the parish of Kingston-upon-Thames: + +" _Robin Hood and Maygame. + £. s. d._ + 23 Henry 7th. To the menstorell +upon Mayday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4 +For paynting of the mores garments + and for sarten gret leveres . . . . . . 0 2 4 +For paynting of a bannar for Robin + Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 2 M. and 1/2 pynnys . . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For 4 plyts and 1/2 of laun for the mores + garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 11 +For orseden for the same. . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For a goun for the lady . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +For bellys for the dawnsers . . . . . . . 0 0 12 + 14 Henry 7th. For Little John's +cote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 0 + 1 Henry 8th. For silver paper for +the mores dawnsars. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 7 +For kendall for Robyn Hode's cote . . . . 0 1 3 +For 3 yerds of white for the frere's cote 0 3 0 +For 4 yerds of kendall for mayde Marian's + huke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 4 +For saten of sypers for the same huke . . 0 0 6 +For 2 payre of glovys for Robin Hode + and mayde Maryan. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 6 brode arovys. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 6 +To mayde Mary an for her labour for + 2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +To Fygge the taborer. . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 0 +Received for Robyn Hode's gaderyng + 4 marks + 5 Henry 8th. Received for Robin +Hood's gaderyng at Croydon. . . . . . . . 0 9 4 + 11 Henry 8th. Paid for 3 broad +yerds of rosett for makyng frer's cote. . 0 3 6 +Shoes for the mores dawnsars, the frere + and mayde Maryan at 7_d_. a payre. 0 5 4 + 13 Henry 8th. Eight yerds of fustyan +for the mores dawnsars cotes. . . . . . . 0 16 0 +A dosyn of gold skynnes for the mores . . 0 0 10 + 15 Henry 8th. Hire of hats for +Robin Hode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 16 +Paid for the hat that was lost. . . . . . 0 0 10 + 16 Henry 8th. Received at the +church-ale and Robyn Hode, all things +deducted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 6 +Paid for 6 yerds 1/4 of satyn for Robyn + Hode's cotys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 12 6 +For makyng the same . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +For 3 ells of bocram . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6 + 21 Henry 8th. For spunging and + brushing Robyn Hods cotys . . . . . . 0 0 2 + 28 Henry 8th. Five hats and 4 porses + for the dawnsars . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4-1/2 +4 yerds of cloth for the fole's cote . . 0 2 0 +2 ells of worstede for mayde Marian's + kyrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 8 +For 6 payre of double solly'd showne . . 0 4 6 +To the mynstrele . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10 8 +To the fryer and the piper for to + go to Croydon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 + +29 Henry 8th. Mem. left in the keeping of the wardens nowe beinge, a +fryers cote of russet, and a kyrtle of a worstyde weltyd with red cloth, +a mouren's cote of buckram, and 4 morres dawnsars cotes of white fustian +spangelyd, and two gryne saten cotes, and a dysardd's cote of cotton, +and 6 payre of garters with bells." + +Having given so many items of the Robin Hood games, it will not be out +of place to furnish some account of the Morrice. + +_The tabor and pipe strike up a morrice.--A shout within._ + +A lord, a lord, a lord, who! + +ENTER THE MORRICE--_They sing_. + + Skip it, and trip it, nimbly, nimbly, + Tickle it, tickle it, lustily, + Strike up the tabor, for the wenches favour, + Tickle it, tickle it, lustily. + Let us be seen on Hygale Greene, + To dance for the honour of Holloway, + Since we are come hither, let's spare for no leather, + To dance for the honour of Holloway. + +_Ed._ Well said, my boys, I must have my lord's livery; what is't, a +maypole? troth, 'twere a good body for a courtier's impreza, if it had +but this life--_Frustra storescit_. Hold, cousin, hold. + +(_He gives the fool money_.) + +_Fool_. Thanks, cousin, when the lord my father's audit comes, we'll +repay you again, your benevolence too, sir. + +_Mam._ What! a lord's son become a beggar! + +_Fool_. Why not, when beggars are become lord's sons. Come, 'tis but a +trifle. + +_Mam._ Oh, sir, many a small make a great. + +_Fool_. No, sir, a few great make a many small. Come, my lords, poor and +needy hath no law. + +_Ed._ Nor necessity no right. Drum, down with them into the cellar. Rest +content, rest content, one bout more, and then away. + +_Fool_. Spoke like a true heart; I kiss thy foot, sweet knight. + +(_The Morrice sing and dance, and exeunt_.) + +SWAINE. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF _NEW WORKS_. + + + * * * * * + + +SITTING IN THE DRUID'S CHAIR. + + +We detach the following scene from one of Mr. Horace Smith's _Tales of +the_ _Early Ages_. The date is the fifth century, about twenty years +after the final withdrawing of the Romans from Britain. The actors are +Hengist, the Saxon chief, Guinessa, his daughter, betrothed to Oscar, a +young prince, and Gryffhod, a Briton of some distinction, and proprietor +of Caer-Broc, a villa on the Kentish coast, where the parties are +sojourning. The incident embodies the _superstition of sitting in the +Druid's Chair_, similar in its portentous moment to sitting in St. +Michael's Chair, in Cornwall. It is told with considerable force and +picturesque beauty. + +"In the morning, Hengist informed his daughter, to her no small dismay, +that he meant to take her to Canterbury for the purpose of introducing +her to her uncle Horsa, desiring her to make preparations for her +immediate departure. 'But before I leave Caer-Broc,' said the Saxon, 'I +would fain mount that lofty cliff up which I climbed fifteen years ago, +in order that I might discover, if possible, upon what coast the storm +had cast me. It commands, as I recollect, an extensive inland view, and +I would show my fellow-soldiers the beauty of the country into which I +have led them.' + +"'It must have been the Druid's Chair, for that is the loftiest headland +upon our coast.' + +"'The higher the better, my child, for so shall we gain the wider +prospect. The morning is at present, clear, and I would climb the cliff +before those clouds which I see gathering in the west, shall be blown +hither to intercept our prospect.' So saying, he invited his comrades, +as well as Oscar, to accompany him; while Gryffhod, on learning his +purpose, joined his party with Leoline and others of his men, in order +that they might render assistance, should any such be required, in +climbing the broken and somewhat perilous ascent to the dizzy summit of +the cliff. Ropes were provided in case of accident, as persons had more +than once slipped from the narrow ledge, and fallen upon lower fragments +of the cliff, whence they could be only extricated by hauling them up. + +"Battered and undermined by the storms of ages, the Druid's Chair has +long since been shivered into fragments and wasted away; but at the +period of which we are writing it formed the outermost of a chain of +crags which were connected together by a tongue of rock and cliff +sufficiently continuous to allow a passage, but broken into sharp +acclivities and descents which rendered the undertaking toilsome to all, +and not without peril for those who were liable to be giddy, or who did +not possess a good portion of activity. 'Surely,' said Hengist, as he +followed Gryffhod, 'this ridge was much more even when I traversed it +fifteen years ago.' + +"'You are right,' replied the Briton; 'but rains and frosts have since +broken away its surface. This is our steepest ascent, but it is the +last. We will help Guinessa to surmount it, and when we gain the summit, +she shall be the first to sit in the Druid's Chair.' + +"With some little mutual assistance, the whole party gained the pinnacle +of the cliff, which was a small and nearly circular platform, with a +central crag that bore a rude resemblance to a chair. 'You shall have +the honour that was promised you,' said the Saxon chief to his daughter; +'but we must first clear away the samphire and weeds which have taken +previous possession of your seat.' So saying, he cut them away with his +sword, and lead his panting daughter to the throne, upon which she was +by no means sorry to rest herself. Hengist then walked repeatedly round +the lofty level, pointing out with his weapon the distant objects that +engaged his attention, and demanding frequent explanations from +Gryffhod, more particularly as to the direction and distance of +Canterbury. While he was thus occupied, the heavy western clouds, whose +threatenings he had been so anxious to anticipate, were swept rapidly +towards them by a sudden storm gust, which lashed up the waves into +fury, and instantly surrounded the foot of the crag whirlpools of foam. +The extensive prospect upon which they had so lately been gazing was now +shrouded in a dense gloom, presently pierced and irradiated by a vivid +flash of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder that made the lofty +crag tremble beneath their feet. To a martial soul like that of Hengist, +this warring of the elements presented a more spirit-stirring and +congenial spectacle, than all the tranquil beauties of the previous +prospect, and he pointed out to the admiration of his comrades the +fiercer features of the scene, shouting with delight as a huge mass of +the next projecting cliff, undermined by the raving waters, fell +thundering into the depths below. + +"While he was thus occupied, either his extended sword was touched, or +his arm was unnerved by the electric fluid, for the weapon fell from his +hand and instantly disappeared in the whirlpool beneath. 'My sword! my +enchanted sword!' exclaimed Hengist with a loud cry of consternation: +'it is lost, it is gone! a hundred pieces of gold to him who recovers my +precious weapon! I would plunge after it myself, but that I am +prohibited by the magician who fashioned it. My sword! my sword! a +hundred horses, besides the gold, to him who finds it. What! my brave +comrades,' he continued, casting a reproachful look at his +fellow-countrymen, 'will you see your leader ruined, and all his hopes +blasted, rather than attempt to get me back my sword?' + +"'We came hither to fight the Picts and Scots, not to drown ourselves in +such a hopeless enterprise,' muttered the Saxons. + +"'Oscar, my intended son-in-law! you are young and vigorous. Show +yourself worthy of Guinessa by plunging into the waters in search of my +lost talisman.' + +"'It is inevitable death; and besides you have promised her to me +already,' replied the young Prince, recoiling with a shudder from the +edge of the precipice. + +"'Craven! recreant! I recall my consent,' shouted Hengist, hoarse with +rage, 'and here in the face of Heaven I promise her to him, and him +only, who shall redeem my sword from the waters.' + +"'Do you swear to that vow?' asked Leoline, starting forward. + +"'Ay, I swear by the sword itself, an oath that I dare not violate, even +if I would.' + +"'Enough?' said Leoline; and springing instantly from the rock, he +precipitated himself down the fearful abyss, and plunged into the +foaming whirlpool below. Bewildered and aghast at this sudden act of +desperation, Guinessa, uttering a scream of agonized terror, would have +thrown herself after him, had she not been restrained by Gryffhod; but +she still bent over the precipice, her long golden hair, as it streamed +upon the wind, together with her white robes and arms, and her fair +features, all shown in strong relief against the dark thunder-cloud, +imparting to her the appearance of an aerial spirit, just alighted upon +this craggy pinnacle to watch the conflict of the elements. Every eye +was rivetted upon the spot where Leoline had cleft the eddying waves; +not a syllable was uttered; every heart thrilled painfully in +expectation of his reappearance, but he rose not again to the surface, +and the fears of the gazers responded to those of Guinessa, as she at +length ejaculated, in a deep and hollow voice, 'He is lost--he is lost!' +Another brief but dreadful pause ensued, when Guinessa, clasping her +hands sharply together, exclaimed, with an ecstatic shout, 'He rises--he +rises--he has found the sword!' and she sank upon her knees, trembling +all over with a vehement and irrepressible agitation. + +"The object of her deep emotion was now visible to all, holding the +recovered sword in his mouth, while with both hands he fought against +the buffetting billows, which hurled him against the foot of the cliff, +and as often by their recoil swept him back again; for the wave-worn +crag offered no holdfast either for the foot or hand. 'He will perish +still; he will be dashed to pieces against the rock,' cried Hengist, +almost wild with apprehension. + +"'He swims like a fish,' exclaimed Gryffhod, 'but he cannot strike out +of that boiling whirlpool; it is too strong for him. The ropes! the +ropes! where are they? let us lower them instantly, and we may perhaps +succeed in hauling him up.' + +"A rope, secured at top to the Druid's Chair, was instantly thrown over, +but the lower extremity being blown about by the wind, it was not till +after repeated efforts that Leoline could succeed in catching hold of +it, when he raised himself out of the water, and began to climb upwards +by supporting his feet against the cliff. More than once they slipped +away from the wet chalk, and he swung in mid-air; but his teeth still +firmly grasped the sword; he soon obtained a drier foothold, and thus +climbed to the summit: which he had no sooner reached in safety than +Guinessa, overcome by the revulsion of her feelings, sank panting and +fainting into her father's arms. Eagerly snatching the redeemed weapon, +its owner ran his eye over the blade, when finding that it had received +no injury, nor suffered any obliteration of the talismanic characters, +he repeatedly kissed it, replaced it in its scabbard, and then cordially +embracing its recoverer exclaimed, 'Thanks, brave Leoline; ay, and +something more substantial than empty thanks. Guinessa was right, after +all; she knows where to find a valiant and a worthy man; and, by Heaven! +I am glad that she preferred you to your rival. Right nobly have you won +her, and honourably shall you wear the prize. There she is; speak to +her; I warrant your voice will revive her more quickly than that of +Gryffhod; her consent you need not ask, for that you have obtained +already, so take her for your wife when you will, and God give you joy +of your choice, as for my part, I thank Heaven for bestowing on me so +dauntless a son-in-law!' + +"Cordial were the congratulations from all parties except Oscar, who, +filled with mortification and jealous hatred, slunk away before the +others; and during the march to Canterbury, which was commenced +immediately after their descent from the Druid's Chair, kept himself +aloof, equally incensed against Gryffhod, Hengist, and Guinessa, and +meditating dark schemes of vengeance." + +Oscar attempts to assassinate his successful rival at Canterbury; he +escapes, but in crossing the sea for Gaul, is taken by the piratical +Picts, carried to Scotland, and condemned to a rigorous and lifelong +slavery. Leoline and Guinessa are married, and Hengist becoming +paramount in Kent, assigns to them a castle with ample domains in the +Isle of Thanet; and in sailing along the coast they often pointed to +"the dizzy summit of the Druid's Chair," which Leoline often proudly +declared to be far more precious to him than any other object in +existence, since it had given him that which alone made existence +valuable--his Guinessa! + +In one of the Tales--of the Council of Nice, in the fourth century, Mr. +Smith indulges his usual felicitous vein of humour, in a burlesque which +he puts into the mouth of a slave of the Bishop of Ethiopia,--"a little, +corpulent, bald-headed, merry-eyed man of fifty, whose name was Mark; +whose duty it was to take charge of the oil, trim the lamps, and perform +other menial offices in the church of Alexandria." The profane wight +deserved, for his wit, a better place. + + * * * * * + + +THE JUST DYING SPEECH AND CONFESSION OF THE PAGAN IMMORTALS. + + + Alack and alas! it hath now come to pass, + That the Gods of Olympus, those cheats of the world, + Who bamboozled each clime from the birthday of Time, + Are at length from their mountebank eminence hurl'd. + + On their cold altar-stone are no offerings thrown, + And their worshipless worships no passenger greets, + Though they still may have praise for amending our ways, + If their statues are broken for paving the streets. + + The Deus Opt. Max. of these idols and quacks + Is now thrust in a corner for children to flout, + And the red thunder-brand he still grasps in his hand. + Lights not Jupiter Tonans to grope his way out. + + Their Magnus Apollo no longer we follow, + He's routed and flouted and laid on the shelf, + And no poet's address will now reach him unless + He can play his own lyre and flatter himself. + + As for Bacchus the sot, he has drain'd his last pot, + And must lay in the grave his intoxicate head, + For although by his aid he his votaries made + Full often dead drunk, they have now drunk him dead. + + O Mars, battle's Lord! canst thou not draw a sword, + As forth from its temple thy statue we toss? + We want not thy lance, since our legions advance + Beneath the bless'd banner of Constantine's cross. + + Juno, Venus, and Pallas, to shame were so callous, + And have always so widely from decency swerved, + That it well might be urged, if their statues were scourged + And then thrown in the kennel, their doom was deserved. + + The pontiffs and priests, who have lost all their feasts, + And the oracles shorn of their hecatomb herds, + Having nothing to carve, if they don't wish to starve, + Must feed upon falsehoods and eat their own words. + + O'er these mountebanks dead, be this epitaph read, + "The Gods, Priests and Oracles buried beneath, + Who were ever at strife which should lie most in life, + Here _lie_ all alike in corruption and death." + + * * * * * + + + +SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. + + + * * * * * + + +SHELLEY AT OXFORD. + + +A delightful paper, entitled, _Percy Bysshe Shelley at Oxford_ is now in +course of appearance in the _New Monthly Magazine_, from the pen of a +fellow collegian and an early admirer of the genius of the youthful +poet. It is in part conversational. Thus, Shelley _loquitur_:-- + +"I regret only that the period of our residence is limited to four +years; I wish they would revive, for our sake, the old term of six or +seven years. If we consider how much there is for us to learn," here he +paused and sighed deeply through that despondency which sometimes comes +over the unwearied and zealous student; "we shall allow that the longer +period would still be far too short!" I assented, and we discoursed +concerning the abridgement of the ancient term of residence, and the +diminution of the academical year by frequent, protracted and most +inconvenient vacations. "To quit Oxford," he said, "would be still more +unpleasant to you than to myself, for you aim at objects that I do not +seek to compass, and you cannot fail since you are resolved to place +your success beyond the reach of chance." He enumerated with extreme +rapidity, and in his enthusiastic strain, some of the benefits and +comforts of a college life. "Then the _oak_ is such a blessing," he +exclaimed with peculiar fervour, clasping his hands, and repeating +often--"the oak is such a blessing!" slowly and in a solemn tone. "The +oak alone goes far towards making this place a paradise. In what other +spot in the world, surely in none that I have hitherto visited, can you +say confidently, it is perfectly impossible, physically impossible, that +I should be disturbed? Whether a man desire solitary study, or to enjoy +the society of a friend or two, he is secure against interruption. It is +not so in a house, not by any means; there is not the same protection in +a house, even in the best-contrived house. The servant is bound to +answer the door; he must appear and give some excuse: he may betray, by +hesitation and confusion, that he utters a falsehood; he must expose +himself to be questioned; he must open the door and violate your privacy +in some degree; besides there are other doors, there are windows at +least, through which a prying eye can detect some indication that +betrays the mystery. How different is it here! The bore arrives; the +outer door is shut; it is black and solid, and perfectly impenetrable, +as is your secret; the doors are all alike; he can distinguish mine from +yours by the geographical position only. He may knock; he may call; he +may kick if he will; he may inquire of a neighbour, but he can inform +him of nothing; he can only say, the door is shut, and this he knows +already. He may leave his card, that you may rejoice over it and at your +escape; he may write upon it the hour when he proposes to call again, to +put you upon your guard, and that he may be quite sure of seeing the +back of your door once more. When the bore meets you and says, I called +at your house at such a time, you are required to explain your absence, +to prove an _alibi_ in short, and perhaps to undergo a rigid +cross-examination; but if he tells you, 'I called at your rooms +yesterday at three and the door was shut,' you have only to say, 'Did +you? was it?' and there the matter ends. + +"Were you not charmed with your oak? did it not instantly captivate +you!" + +"My introduction to it was somewhat unpleasant and unpropitious. The +morning after my arrival I was sitting at breakfast: my scout, the +Arimaspian, apprehending that the singleness of his eye may impeach his +character for officiousness, in order to escape the reproach of seeing +half as much only as other men, is always striving to prove that he sees +at least twice as far as the most sharpsighted: after many +demonstrations of superabundant activity, he inquired if I wanted +anything more; I answered in the negative. He had already opened the +door: 'Shall I sport, Sir?' he asked briskly as he stood upon the +threshold. He seemed so unlike a sporting character, that I was curious +to learn in what sport he proposed to indulge. I answered--'Yes, by all +means,' and anxiously watched him, but to my surprise and disappointment +he instantly vanished. As soon as I had finished my breakfast, I sallied +forth to survey Oxford; I opened one door quickly, and not suspecting +that there was a second, I struck my head against it with some violence. +The blow taught me to observe that every set of rooms has two doors, and +I soon learned that the outer door, which is thick and solid, is called +the oak, and to shut it is termed to sport. I derived so much benefit +from my oak, that I soon pardoned this slight inconvenience: it is +surely the tree of knowledge." + +"Who invented the oak?" + +"The inventers of the science of living in rooms, or chambers--the +monks." + +"Ah! they were sly fellows; none but men who were reputed to devote +themselves for many hours to prayers, to religious meditations, and holy +abstractions, would ever have been permitted quietly to place at +pleasure such a barrier between themselves and the world. We now reap +the advantage of their reputation for sanctity; I shall revere my oak +more than ever, since its origin is so sacred." + + * * * * * + + + +THE NATURALIST. + + +GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY. + +(_Concluded from page 247._) + + +What a lesson may art learn from contemplating scenes of nature. + +_The Thrush._ + +"Thrushes feed very much on snails, looking for them in mossy banks. +Having frequently observed some broken snail-shells near two projecting +pebbles on a gravel walk, which had a hollow between them, I endeavoured +to discover the occasion of their being brought to that situation. At +last I saw a thrush fly to the spot with a snail-shell in his mouth, +which he placed between the two stones, and hammered at it with his beak +till he had broken it, and was then able to feed on its contents. The +bird must have discovered that he could not apply his beak with +sufficient force to break the shell while it was rolling about, and he +therefore found out and made use of a spot which would keep the shell in +one position. I do not know whether Mr. M'Adam has ever observed the +same circumstance, but his ingenious contrivance (if it is his) of +confining stones in a sort of hoop while they are being broken, is +somewhat similar to that of the thrush." + +_The Pike_ it seems, is a formidable foe to _tackle_. + +"The boldness of a pike is very extraordinary. I have seen one follow a +bait within a foot of the spot where I have been standing; and the head +keeper of Richmond Park assured me that he was once washing his hand at +the side of a boat in the great pond in that Park, when a pike made a +dart at it, and he had but just time to withdraw it. A gentleman now +residing at Weybridge, in Surrey, informed me that, walking one day by +the side of the river Wey, near that town, he saw a large pike in a +shallow creek. He immediately pulled off his coat, tucked up his shirt +sleeves, and went into the water to intercept the return of the fish to +the river, and to endeavour to throw it upon the bank by getting his +hands under it. During this attempt, the pike, finding he could not make +his escape, seized one of the arms of the gentleman, and lacerated it so +much that the wound is still very visible. + +"A friend of mine caught a pike a few minutes after breaking his tackle, +and found it in the pike, a part of the gimp hanging out of his mouth. +He also caught another, in high condition, with a piece of strong +twisted wire projecting from its side. On opening it a double eel-hook +was found at the end of the wire, much corroded. This may account for so +few pike being found dead after they have broken away with a gorge-hook +in them. An account will be found, in 'Salmonia,' of a pike taking a +bait, with a set of hooks in his mouth, which he had just before broken +from a line." + +_Affection of Animals._ + +"Animals are so capable of showing gratitude and affection to those who +have been kind to them, that I never see them subjected to ill treatment +without feeling the utmost abhorrence of those who are inflicting it. I +know many persons who, like myself, take a pleasure in seeing all the +animals about them appear happy and contented. Cows will show their +pleasure at seeing those who have been kind to them, by moving their +ears gently, and putting out their wet noses. My old horse rests his +head on the gate with great complacency when he sees me coming, +expecting to receive an apple or a piece of bread. I should even be +sorry to see my poultry and pigs get out of my way with any symptoms of +fear." + +_The Moor-hen._ + +One of Mr. Haydon's new pictures is _the first start in life_--a mother +teaching her infant to walk--it is a clever sketch, but, bearing in mind +the beautiful comparison of Solomon and the lily of the valley, here is +a counterpart. + +"Fishing the other day in Hampton Court Park, I disturbed a moor-hen who +had just hatched, and watched her anxiety and manoeuvres to draw away +her young. She would go a short distance, utter a cry, return, and +seemed to lead the way for her brood to follow. Having driven her away, +that I might have a better opportunity of watching her young ones, she +never ceased calling to them, and they made towards her, skulking +amongst the rushes, till they got to the other side of the pond. They +had only just left the shell, and had probably never heard the cry of +their mother before." + +There is true benevolence in these remarks. How much is conveyed in the +homely expression, that such a man "would not tread upon a worm:" we +should learn to covet such men as friends. + +_The Cardinal Spider._ + +"There is a large breed of spiders which are found very generally in the +palace of Hampton-Court. They are called there 'cardinals,' having I +suppose been first seen in Cardinal Wolsey's hall. They are full an inch +in length, and many of them of the thickness of a finger. Their legs are +about two inches long, and their body covered with a thick hair. They +feed chiefly on moths as appears from the wings of that insect being +found in great abundance under and amongst their webs. In running across +the carpet in an evening, with the shade cast from their large bodies by +the light of the lamp or candle, they have been mistaken for mice, and +have occasioned no little alarm to some of the more nervous inhabitants +of the palace. A doubt has even been raised whether the name of cardinal +has not been given to this creature from an ancient supposition that the +ghost of Wolsey haunts the place of his former glory under this shape. +Be this as it may, the spider is considered as a curiosity, and +Hampton-Court is the only place in which I have met with it." + +Did Wolsey, arrayed in all his glory, ever regard a spider, or think +that his proud name would be coupled with so minute a member of the +creation? + +_Rook-shooting._ + +"Rooks are not easily induced to forsake the trees on which they have +been bred, and which they frequently revisit after the breeding season +is over. This is shown in Hampton-Court Park, where there is an +extensive rookery amongst the fine lime-trees, and where a barbarous and +unnecessary custom prevails of shooting the young rooks. As many as a +hundred dozen of them have been killed in one season, and yet the rooks +build in the avenue, though there is a corresponding avenue close by, in +Bushy Park, which they never frequent, notwithstanding the trees are +equally high and equally secure. I never hear the guns go off during +this annual slaughter without execrating the practice, and pitying the +poor rooks, whose melancholy cries may be heard to a great distance, and +some of whom may be seen, exhausted by their fruitless exertions, +sitting melancholy on a solitary tree waiting till the _sport_ is over, +that they may return and see whether any of the offspring which they +have reared with so much care and anxiety are left to them; or, what is +more probable, the call for assistance of their young having ceased, +they are aware of their fate, and are sitting in mournful contemplation +of their loss. This may appear romantic, but it is nevertheless true." + +Who can read the above without a shudder at the brutal taste of the +lords of the lower world. + +_The Emu._ + +"The only instance I have met with in which the hen bird has not the +chief care in hatching and bringing up the young is in the case of the +emus at the farm belonging to the Zoological Society near Kingston. A +pair of these birds have now five young ones: the female at different +times dropped nine eggs in various places in the pen in which she was +confined. These were collected in one place by the male, who rolled them +gently and carefully along with his beak. He then sat upon them himself, +and continued to do so with the utmost assiduity for nine weeks, during +which time the female never took his place, nor was he ever observed to +leave the nest. When the young were hatched,[4] he alone took charge of +them, and has continued to do so ever since, the female not appearing to +notice them in any way. On reading this anecdote, many persons would +suppose that the female emu was not possessed of that natural affection +for its young which other birds have. In order to rescue it from this +supposition, I will mention that a female emu belonging to the Duke of +Devonshire at Cheswick lately laid some eggs; and as there was no male +bird, she collected them together herself and sat upon them." + + [4] There are now (June) five young emus alive, and appearing + perfectly healthy. + +_The Toad._ + +"It is a curious fact that toads are so numerous in the island of +Jersey, that they have become a term of reproach for its inhabitants, +the word 'Crapaud' being frequently applied to them; while in the +neighbouring island of Guernsey not a toad is to be found, though they +have frequently been imported. Indeed, certain other islands have always +been privileged in this respect. Ireland is free from venomous animals, +of course by the aid of St. Patrick. The same was affirmed of Crete in +olden times, being the birthplace of Jupiter. The Isle of Man is said +also to be free from venomous creatures. The Mauritius, and I believe +one of the Balearic islands, enjoys the same immunity." + +The following anecdote is as pretty as the writer conceives it to be: + +"His present Majesty, when residing in Bushy Park, had a part of the +foremast of the Victory, against which Lord Nelson was standing when he +received his fatal wound, deposited in a small temple in the grounds of +Bushy House, from which it was afterwards removed, and placed at the +upper end of the dining-room, with a bust of Lord Nelson upon it. A +large shot had passed completely through this part of the mast, and +while it was in the temple a pair of robins had built their nest in the +shot-hole, and reared a brood of young ones. It was impossible to +witness this little occurrence without reflecting on the scene of blood, +and strife of war, which had occurred to produce so snug and peaceable a +retreat for a nest of harmless robins. If that delightful poet of the +lakes, Mr. Wordsworth, should ever condescend to read this little +anecdote, it might supply him with no bad subject for one of his +charming sonnets." + +A few entertaining particulars of + +_The Royal Parks._ + +"There are two elm trees, or rather the remains of two, in Hampton Court +Park, known by the name of the 'Giants,' which must have been of an +enormous size, the trunk of one of them measuring twenty-eight feet in +circumference. + +"Cork trees flourish in Hampton Court Park, where there are two large +ones. There are also some ilexes, or evergreen oaks, in Bushy Park, of a +very large size, and apparently as hardy as any other tree there. The +avenues in that park are perhaps the finest in Europe. There are nine of +them altogether, the centre one, formed by two rows of horse-chestnut +trees, being the widest. The side avenues, of which there are four on +each side of the main avenue, are of lime trees, and the whole length, +including the circuit round the Diana water, is one mile and forty +yards. + +"Near the Queen's house in this park is a very fine Spanish chestnut +tree, said to have been planted by Charles II., and to have been the +first which was seen in this country. + +"The trees which at present form so much of the beauty of Greenwich Park +were planted by Evelyn, and if he could now see them he would call them +'goodly trees,' at least some of them. The chestnuts, however, though +they produce some fine fruit, have not thriven in the same proportion +with the elms. In noticing this park I should not forget to mention that +the only remaining part of the palace of Henry VIII. is preserved in the +front of Lord Auckland's house looking into the park. It is a circular +delft window of beautiful workmanship, and in a fine state of +preservation. There are also a great number of small tumuli in the upper +part of the park, all of which appear to have been opened." + +"In addition to the herd of fallow deer, amounting to about one thousand +six hundred, which are kept in Richmond Park, there is generally a stock +of from forty to fifty red deer. One fine stag was so powerful, and +offered so much resistance, that two of his legs were broken in +endeavouring to secure him, and he was obliged to be killed. One who had +shown good sport in the royal hunt, was named 'Sir Edmund,' by his late +Majesty, in consequence of Sir Edmund Nagle having been in at the +'_take_' after a long chase. This stag lived some years afterwards in +the park; and its a curious fact that he died the very same day on which +Sir Edmund Nagle died." + +The volume contains some interesting antiquarian inquiries respecting +Caesar's ford at Kingston, and Maxims for an Angler, by a Bungler. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SKETCH BOOK + + +THE ABBOT OF TEWKESBURY. + +(_For the Mirror._) + + + "After life's fitful fever be sleeps well." + _Shakspeare_. + +(In opening the tomb of the founder of the Abbey at Tewkesbury, the body +of the Abbot was found clothed in full canonicals. The crosier was as +perfect as when, perhaps, first put in the coffin, while the body showed +scarcely any symptom of decay, though it had been entombed considerably +above six hundred years. On exposure to the air, the boots alone of the +Abbot were seen to sink, when the tomb was ordered to be sealed up, and +his holiness again committed in his darkness. On the above circumstance +this sketch is founded.) + +Is this to be dead? Am I not clad in all pontifical splendour? Do I not +feel the crosier on my breast? The holy brethren of the Abbey surround +me. That which distinguished the Abbot when alive, is even here in +collected magnificence. I feel the priestly consequence of the Abbot. Is +this then the Chamber of the Dead? The pious monks are weeping. The +tears which have flowed before the marble shrine are recalled to weep +for a departed brother. The incense is full fragrant. I enjoy the +perception of its odour. It dilates in my stiffened nostrils, but it +supplies me not the breath of life. I hear the loud Hosanna chanted for +a soul which dies in the Lord. I will repeat the strain. No. My voice +refuses to fall back upon the ear. Where is my heart that it beats not +swelling to the anthem's measure? Cold! cold! cold! Nay; I will rise. I +will respond unto the funeral dirge. I will shout. Oh! my trunk is +hardened, and my tongue is glued. Silence! they pause. Say, do they hear +me? No. Silence, horrible and awful. Hark! they mourn with lamentation +on my fate. O, Heaven! must I endure all this? Must the living weep for +the dead, and the conscious dead be doomed to dismal silence. Horror! +horror! horror! IS THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +A convocation! Yes. The holy brothers in assembled synod to elect a +brother holier than themselves. Nay, I do forbid. I, the Abbot who have +loved ye all, refuse permission to your meeting. Disperse, disperse. Do +ye not hear? Is there no charity alive? Who dares usurp my chair, and I +not yet entombed? What! is justice driven out where heavenly men should +dwell? I see it. I mark it. The leaven of pride is kneaded in the +brotherhood. Intriguing hypocrites usurp the House of God. What! brother +John, the fat, the corpulent, the lazy! of whom I know ten thousand +heinous sins; the least sufficient to condemn a soul. An Abbot, chosen +by the holy, is the elect of God. But he--no, no, no. It shall not be. +God will forbid it. They put the crosier in his hand. For shame! for +shame! Let not the vicious living sit in the chair of virtue that is +departed. Why see! he kneels. He kneels before the shrine, where, until +now, he never bent to pray. He grasps the crosier with loving firmness. +It shall not be. Is there no interposing Deity to slay the sinner in his +wickedness? I, I will seize the crosier from his filthy hand. No. My arm +lays idly at my side. Is THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +They chant the funeral dirge. The mighty torches flash their blazing +light upon the frozen features of the dead. Mine eyes are sealed. I +strain to open them. No. Light gleams in upon me as through a clear +veil. Ah! monster of hateful mien! demon deceitful in religious robes! +avaunt! Thou shalt not touch my corpse. No. Thank God! It is a foretaste +of thy love to come. He passes on. He dares not lay polluted hands upon +the dead, whose becalmed face is looking up to thee. The dead, the +sacred dead. The living are for the world, the dead are Thine. Incense, +and prayer, and psalms for the departed. It is respectful, but what heed +I? Man comes into the world only to go out thereof. What then? The +grave! Horror. I have preached thereof. I have shocked others with the +enormities of life until they clung unto the grave. Now, I who have +bidden the virtuous look to the hopes beyond it, myself would cry to +live. But no! they bear me on. He, the foul monster, grins as he looks +upon my outstretched limbs. Wolf, I'll pray for thee. Breathe, breathe +hardly, ye distended nostrils; it is your last pulsation with the air of +earth. No. Sealed as the marble figures by which they bear me. Is this +my Tomb. Is this the narrow house appointed for the living? Is this the +Abbot's palace after death? Nay, I pray thee, brethren, close me not up +in yon receptacle. Where the cold air might shiver on my flesh I may be +happy. Yon tomb is dark and dismal, shut from the eye of day. Louder and +louder grows your chant, I know its terminating cadence. It falls upon +mine ear. Take off this stony lid. Nay, I will knock, knock, knock. My +arms are still unraised. They hear me not. Brethren! men! christians! +no, monks, monks, monks, cold as the stone ye place upon my breast! Have +ye no ears? no hearts? Do I not shout? Do I not pray? Ah! my tongue is +one of marble. It is cold and fixed. They will not hear me. Listen! +their parting and receding steps. Nay, hasten not away. Silence. No. One +step is lingering behind. Thank God! I shout. Brother! what, ho! He +hears. Brother! He pauses. What ho! He goes. Brother! Silence is around, +hushed as my own attempts to burst a voice. Hark! a noise. No. Silence. +Is THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +Yet in the grave. Years have rolled away. Successors to my chair sleep +in the stony sepulchres around me. Monks whom I have awed or blessed, +slumber in death. Men, whom I have known not, walk in the cloisters I +have built. I am but mentioned as a thing that was--the memory of a +name. Enough. There is no communion among the dead. Methought the +spirits of the other world held converse on the joys they left on earth. +But all is still. I cannot hear a lament, even for a rotted bone. The +dead are tongue-tied. In yonder chancel sleeps a monarch, murdered by +bloody relations. Should not such a spirit shriek aloud for vengeance, +or weep a wailing for his destiny? But all is still. I hear no night owl +screech. Earth is the only dwelling place of noise. Death knows it not. +Methinks a shriek were music, a sigh were melody, a groan a feast. But +no. Time has almost used me to its sombre sameness. Is not time tired to +have gone so long the same unchanging course? I cannot move. My joints +are aching with continued rest. I cannot turn:--my sides are sunken in. +Would I could turn and crush them into bones with my reclining weight. +Is my heart sinful that it weighs down all my body. Is this the gnawing +and undying worm? Is THIS TO BE DEAD. + + * * * * * + +Six hundred years and still I am in the tomb. So much of man has sought +a refuge in the grave. I well may ask if life is yet on earth. Has man +degraded or is England ruined! I hear the footsteps of those that gaze +upon the stony sepulchres. I feel the glaring of their curious eyes +between the crevices which time has uncemented. They make remarks. Is +then a tomb a monument of wonder? They talk of monks as things that are +no more. Then is the world no more. At last the time is come. They lay +their iron hand upon the stone. They knock, they knock. Hark! It rings +through the giant isles till the echo thrills with joy. They knock the +stony cerement that enshrines me. Great Heaven! I thank thee! Used as I +am become to my hollow narrowness, I shall rejoice to quit it. The lid +upraises. I feel the air. I feel the air. Now, now, let me rise. I feel +myself prepared. Ah! the boots fall off. I shall ascend. The boots fall +off. What are there none to raise me? See, they grin. Am I not come unto +the resurrection of the life? What! that horrid lid again. O, no, no. +They stifle me again. They fasten me to sleep--to sleep--to sleep. THIS, +THIS IS TO BE DEAD. + +P.S. + + * * * * * + + + +NOTES OF A READER + + +WILLS, + +_Abridged from Powell's Advice to Executors, (just published.)_ + + +_Queen Consort._--An ancient perquisite belonging to the Queen Consort +was, that on the taking of a _whale_ on the coasts, it should be divided +between the King and Queen; the head only becoming the King's property, +and the tail the Queen's. The reason of this whimsical distinction, as +assigned by our ancient records, was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe +with whalebone. + +_A civil Death_ is where a husband has undergone transportation for +life. In such case, his wife is legally entitled to make a will, and act +in every other matter, as if she was unmarried, or as though her husband +were dead.--_Roper's Husband and Wife_. + +_Pin Money._--It has been judicially determined, that a married woman +having any _pin-money_, (by which is understood an annual income settled +by the husband, before marriage, on his intended wife, or allowed by him +to her after marriage, gratuitously, for her personal and private +expenditure during the existence of the marriage,) or any separate +maintenance, may, by will, bequeath her _savings_ out of such allowance, +without the license or consent of her husband.--_Clamey's Equitable +Rights of Married Women._ + +_Compulsory Will._--So cautious is the Ecclesiastical Court in guarding +against restraint of any kind, that in a case in which it was proved +that a man, in his last sickness, was compelled to make his will to +_procure quiet from the extreme importunity of his wife_, it was held to +have been made under restraint, and was declared void. + +_Wills of Criminals._--The lands and tenements of _traitors_, from the +commission of the offence, and their goods and chattels, from the time +of their conviction, are forfeited to the king. They have therefore no +property in either; and are not merely deprived of the privilege of +making any kind of will after the period of their conviction, but any +will _previously_ made is rendered void by such conviction, both as +respects real and personal estate. The law respecting _felons_ is the +same, unless it be worth recording that a remarkable exception exists in +favour of Gavelkind lands, which, even though the ancestor be hanged, +are not forfeited for felony. + +_Bachelors' Wills._--Without any express revocation, if a man who has +made his will, afterwards _marries, and has a child or children_, his +will, made while a bachelor, will be presumptively _revoked_, both as +regards real and personal estate, and he will be pronounced to have died +intestate. The law presumes that it must be the natural intention of +every man to provide for his wife and offspring before all others, and, +consequently, in such a case, apportions his property according to the +Statute of Distributions. But the fact of a marriage alone, _without a +child_, is no revocation; and though both facts conjoin to revoke the +will, yet such revocation is only on the presumption that the testator +_could not have intended_ his will to remain good. If, on the other +hand, from expressions used by him, and other proof, it be made to +appear unquestionable that it was his intent that his will _should_ +continue in force, the marriage and birth of children will not revoke +it. + +_Paraphernalia of a Widow._--These are defined to be "such goods as a +wife is, after her husband's death, allowed to retain in preference to +all creditors and legatees; as necessary wearing apparel, and jewels, if +she be of quality; and whether so or not, all such ornaments of the +person, as watches, rings, and trinkets, as _she used to wear_ in her +husband's life-time. Under the term 'wearing apparel' are included +whatsoever articles were given to her by her husband for the purpose of +being made up into clothes, although he may have died before they were +made up." (_Clamey._) It should be added, however, that the jewels of +the wife are, after her husband's death, liable to the payment of his +debts, should his personal estate be exhausted; though her necessary +wearing apparel is protected against the claim of all creditors. + + * * * * * + + +SUPERSTITION OF SAILORS. + + +The following is from Messrs. Bennet and Tyerman's _Voyages and +Travels_: "Our chief mate said, that on board a ship where he had +served, the mute on duty ordered some of the youths to reef the +main-top-sail. When the first got up, he heard a strange voice saying, +'_It blows hard_.' The lud waited for no more; he was down in a trice, +and telling his adventure; a second immediately ascended, laughing at +the folly of his companion, but returned even more quickly declaring +that he was quite sure that a voice, not of this world, had cried in his +ear, 'It blows hard.' Another went, and another, but each came back with +the same tale. At length the mate, having sent up the whole watch, run +up the shrouds himself; and when he reached the haunted spot, heard the +dreadful words distinctly uttered in his ears, 'It blows hard.' 'Ay, ay, +old one; but blow it ever so hard, we must ease the earings for all +that,' replied the mate undauntedly; and looking round, he spied a fine +parrot perched on one of the clues--the thoughtless author of all the +false alarms, which had probably escaped from some other vessel, but had +not been discovered to have taken refuge on this. Another of our +officers mentioned that, on one of his voyages, he remembered a boy +having been sent up to clear a rope which had got foul above the +mizen-top. Presently, however, he came back, trembling, and almost +tumbling to the bottom, declaring that he had seen 'Old Davy,' aft the +cross-trees; moreover, that the Evil One had a huge head and face, with +pricked ears, and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent +up in succession; to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was +identified by each to be 'Old Davy, sure enough.' The mate, in a rage, +at length mounted himself; when resolutely, as in the former case, +searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent cause of so +much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to be out of sight to +those who ascended on the other side of the vessel, but which when any +one approached the cross-trees, popped up his portentous visage to see +what was coming. The mate brought him down in triumph, and 'Old Davy,' +the owl, became a very peaceable shipmate among the crew, who were no +longer scared by his horns and eyes; for sailors turn their backs on +nothing when they know what it is. Had the birds, in these two +instances, departed as they came, of course they would have been deemed +supernatural visitants to the respective ships, by all who had heard the +one or seen the other." W.G.C. + + * * * * * + + + +THE GATHERER + + + * * * * * + +_Hard Duty._--As a gentleman's coachman washed his master's carriage +during divine service on Sunday morning, he was heard to say that "he +hoped his master and mistress prayed for him, as he had no time to pray +for himself." He brought his lady home from the Opera at one in the +morning; then went to fetch his master from the "Hell" in St. +James's-street, and by the time he had littered and rubbed down his +horses, and got to his own bed, it was four o'clock; he thought after +that he could not do less than sleep till nine; by half-past-ten he had +got his breakfast, and at twelve his carriage was ready; at one he took +his dinner; at two he was ordered to be at the door to take his lady and +the young ladies to the Park; at five he returned, and was ordered out +at six, to carry the family to dinner; after setting them down, he was +directed to come at half-past eleven; and by two o'clock on Monday +morning, the poor man was once more in his bed. + +_Le Due de Bourdeaux._--It was still dark when the order was given to +notify the auspicious birth of the young Duc de Bordeaux, in November, +1820, to the inhabitants of Paris. It was observed to the Duc de +Richelieu, that it might perhaps be better to wait for the break of day, +to fire the cannon; to which he replied, "For news so glorious, it is +break of day at all times." S.H. + +_Scriptural Memoranda._--Verse 18, chap. xii. of the first Book of +Maccabees, will make an excellent motto for a seal. The 21st verse of +the 7th chap. of Ezra, contains every letter of the alphabet. The 19th +chap, of the 2nd Book of Kings, and the 37th of Isaiah, are alike, as +are also the 31st chap, of the first Book of Samuel, and the 10th chap, +of the 1st Chronicles. T. GILL. + +"_Caviare to the Multitude_," is as good a simile as Shakspeare ever +made, for where is the artisan, but after having tasted it, began to +spit and splutter as though he had been poisoned, while the aristocrat, +the one in a thousand, licks his lips after it, as the greatest +delicacy. This article is the roe of the sturgeon, salted down and +pressed, and is imported into this country from Odessa. S.H. + +_Man-killing and Man-eating._--I really do not think the New Zealanders +are half so barbarous as the Russians, whatever other folks may say of +it, and I'll abide by what I've said too: it is true they sometimes +indulge a little by eating a man for dinner, as a delicacy; but leaving +eating out of the question, one Russian chief caused more bloodshed last +year, than all the New Zealanders put together; and after all, it is an +undoubted fact, that a couple of Russians will eat up a rein-deer at a +meal! (that is, they will not give over till they have finished it,) so +they do not want appetite; and if they were in New Zealand, and a man +were to fall in their way, it is very likely that they would eat him. +S.H. + +_Generosity of Marshal Turenne._--The deputies of a great metropolis in +Germany, once offered the great Turenne 100,000 crowns not to pass with +his army through the city. "Gentlemen," said he, "I cannot, in +conscience, accept your money, as I had no intention to pass that way." +T. GILL. + +_Spain._--It is remarkable that the Carthaginians having established +colonies in Spain, drew their riches from that country, as the Spaniards +themselves afterwards did from South America. + +_Breakfast._--It has been observed, such is our luxury, that the world +must be encompassed to furnish a washerwoman with breakfast: with tea +from China, and sugar from the West Indies. + +_Bamboo._--The largest and tallest sort of bamboo, known In India, is +about half the height of the London Monument, or 100 feet. + +_Brick-building_ was practised largely in Italy in the beginning of the +fourteenth century; and the brick buildings erected at this period in +Tuscany, and other parts of the north of Italy, exhibit at the present +day the finest specimens extant of brick-work! + +_Nothing Impossible._--Mirabeau's haste of temper was known, and he must +be obeyed. "Monsieur Comte," said his secretary to him one day, "the +thing you require is impossible." "Impossible!" exclaimed Mirabeau, +starting from his chair, "never again use that _foolish word_ in my +presence."--_Dumont's Mirabeau._ (This brief anecdote should never be +forgotten by the reader: it is more characteristic than hundreds of +pages; it is, to all men, a lesson almost in a line.) + +_"Nice to a Shaving."_--When Louis VII. of France, to obey the +injunctions of his bishops, cropped his hair and shaved his beard, +Eleanor, his consort, found him with this unusual appearance, very +ridiculous, and soon very contemptible. She revenged herself as she +thought proper, and the poor shaved king obtained a divorce. She then +married the Count of Anjou, afterwards our Henry II. She had for her +marriage dower the rich provinces of Poitu and Guyenne; and this was the +origin of those wars which for three hundred years ravaged France, and +cost the French three millions of men: all which, probably, had never +occurred, had Louis VII. not been so rash as to crop his head, and shave +his beard, by which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen +Eleanor. W.A. + +_American Wife._--The following advertisement for a wife appeared a few +years since, in a New York paper:--"Wanted immediately, a young lady, of +the following description, (as a wife,) with about 2,000 dollars as a +patrimony, sweet temper, spend little, be a good housewife, and born in +America; and as I am not more than twenty-five years of age, I hope it +will not be difficult to find a good wife. N.B. I take my dwelling in +South Second Street, No. 273. Any lady that answers the above +description will please to leave her card." W.G.C. + +The following is said to be an unpublished epigram of Lord Byron:-- + + An old phlegmatic Dutchman took + A pretty Jewish wife, + And what still more surprising is, + He lov'd her 'bove his life-- + Oh! Holland and Jerusalem, + What, tell me, do you think of them? + +_A Queer Library._--The eccentric physician, Dr. Radcliffe, when +pursuing his studies, was content with looking into the works of Dr. +Willis. He was possessed of very few books, insomuch that when Dr. +Bathurst, head of Trinity College, asked him once with surprise, where +his study was? he pointed to a few vials, a skeleton, and a herbal, and +said, "Sir, this is Radcliffe's Library." P.T.W. + +_How to detect a Thief._--A watch was stolen in the Pit of the Opera, in +Paris; the loser complained in a loud voice, and said, "It is just nine; +in a few minutes my watch will strike; the second is strong; and by that +means we shall instantly ascertain where it is." The thief, terrified at +this, endeavoured to escape, and by his agitation discovered himself. T. +GILL. + + * * * * * + +_Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand (near Somerset House,) +London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER. 626. New Market, Leipsic. G.G. BENNIS, +55, Rue Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris; and by all Newsmen and Booksellers._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, +and Instruction, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE *** + +***** This file should be named 11542-8.txt or 11542-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/4/11542/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction + Vol. 19, Issue 544, April 28, 1832 + +Author: Various + +Release Date: March 11, 2004 [EBook #11542] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + + + + + +</pre> + +<hr class="full" /> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page257" name="page257"></a>[pg +257]</span> +<h1>THE MIRROR<br /> +OF<br /> +LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.</h1> +<hr class="full" /> +<table width="100%" summary="Volume, Number, and Date"> +<tr> +<td align="left"><b>Vol. 19. No. 544.]</b></td> +<td align="center"><b>SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1832</b></td> +<td align="right"><b>[PRICE 2d.</b></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class="full" /> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page258" name="page258"></a>[pg +258]</span> +<h2>SWISS COTTAGE, AT THE COLOSSEUM, IN THE REGENT'S PARK.</h2> +<div class="figure" style="width:70%;"><a href= +"images/544-1.png"><img width="100%" src="images/544-1.png" alt= +"Swiss Cottage, At The Colosseum" /></a> Swiss Cottage, At The +Colosseum</div> +<p>It is now upwards of three years since we directed the attention +of our readers to the wonders of this little world of art.<a id= +"footnotetag1" name="footnotetag1"></a><a href= +"#footnote1"><sup>1</sup></a> The ingenious projector, Mr. Horner, +was then polite enough to conduct us throughout the buildings and +grounds, and to explain to us the original design of the unfinished +works as well as of many contemplated additions. This was about +three weeks before the Exhibition was opened to the public. The +<i>Panorama</i> was then partly in outline, and we had to catch its +identities through a maze of scaffolding poles, planks, and stages; +while the immense domed area re-echoed with the operations of +scores of <i>artistes</i> of every grade, from the upholsterer +nailing up gay draperies, to the heavy blow of the carpenter's +mallet. We took advantage of our privileged visit, to point out to +the reader how much he might expect from a visit to the Panorama, +and, in our subsequent visits we have not for a moment regretted +the particular attention we were induced to bestow upon this +unrivalled work of art. It is justly described to be "such a +<i>Pictoral History of London</i>—such a faithful display of +its myriads of public and private buildings—such an +impression of the vastness, wealth, business, pleasure, commerce, +and luxury of the English metropolis, as nothing else can effect. +Histories, descriptions, maps, and prints, are all imperfect and +defective, when compared to this immense Panorama—they are +scraps and mere touches of the pen and pencil—whilst this +imparts, at a glance, at one view, a <i>cyclopædia of +information</i>—a concentrated history—a focal +topography, of the largest and most influential city in the world. +The immense area of surface which this picture occupies will +surprise the reader: it measures 40,000 square feet, or nearly an +acre in extent."<a id="footnotetag2" name= +"footnotetag2"></a><a href="#footnote2"><sup>2</sup></a> This may +be a glowing eulogium; but it is true to the line and letter.</p> +<p>We have already illustrated the Panorama,<a id="footnotetag3" +name="footnotetag3"></a><a href="#footnote3"><sup>3</sup></a> and +it is our intention to introduce other embellishments of the +Colosseum, as far as may be compatible with finished sketches. Our +present subject is the principal apartment in the <i>Swiss +Cottage</i>, to which the reader or visiter is conducted through a +range of conservatories, containing choice exotics, with some of +the most majestic proportions of leaf and flower that can be +enjoyed in any clime. The communication is by a stone-work passage, +the temperature of which is a refreshing succedaneum to that of the +conservatories, or 72°. This cottage was designed by P.F. +Robinson, Esq. who has evinced considerable taste in a publication +on cottages and cottage-villas, as well as in the execution of +various buildings. It consists of four apartments, three of which +may be considered as finished. The apartment in our Engraving was +completed, or nearly so, on our first visit. It is wainscotted with +coloured (knotted) wood, and carved in imitation of the ornamented +dwelling of a Swiss family. The fire-place will be recognised as +the very <i>beau ideal</i> of cottage comfort: the raised +hearthstone, massive fire-dogs and chimney-back, and its cosy +seats, calculated to contain a whole family seated at the sides of +its ample hearth—-are characteristic of the primitive +enjoyments of the happy people from among whom this model was +taken. Our view is from the extreme corner, from which point the +entrance-passage is shown in the distance.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page259" name="page259"></a>[pg +259]</span> +<div class="figure" style="width:80%;"><a href= +"images/544-2.png"><img width="100%" src="images/544-2.png" alt= +"Apartment Interior" /></a> Apartment Interior</div> +<p>The second Engraving shows the recessed window of the apartment, +which faces the fire-place, and commands a view of a mass of +rock-scenery, ornamented with waterfalls of singular contrivance +and effect. The frames are filled in with plate-glass, so that the +view of these artificial wonders is unobstructed. Our artist has, +in his sketch, endeavoured to convey some idea of their outline; +but he hopes to supply an amplification of their scenic beauty in a +future engraving. We may, however, observe that the view from this +window deserves the character of the <i>sublime in miniature</i>, +and presents even a microcosm, where</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Rocks and forests, lakes, and mountains grand,</p> +<p>Mark the true majesty of Nature's hand.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>The whole apartment presents a finished specimen of joinery, +with a tasteful display of ornamental carving. Its colour is a deep +warm or, we think, <i>burnt sienna</i>, brown; the furniture is in +<i>recherché</i> rusticated style, planned by Mr. Gray, +whose taste in these matters is elaborately correct; and it +requires but the social blaze on the hearth, (which our artist has +liberally supplied,) to complete the well-devised illusion of the +scene. The apartment was painted about two years since as a scene +for a musical piece at Covent Garden Theatre, the incidents of +which lay in Switzerland.</p> +<hr /> +<h3>THE VOICES OF THE NIGHT.</h3> +<h4>BY MISS M.L. BEEVOR.</h4> +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror.</i>)</h4> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Like some young veiled Bride,</p> +<p class="i2">Gleams the moon's hazy face,</p> +<p>When tissues that would hide</p> +<p class="i2">But lend her charms a grace:</p> +<p>Each winkling starlet pale,</p> +<p class="i2">Sleeps in its far, far fold,</p> +<p>Wrapp'd in the heavy veil</p> +<p class="i2">Of dewy clouds and cold.</p> +<p>The turmoil, din, and strife,</p> +<p class="i2">Of factious earth are o'er;</p> +<p>The turbid waves of life</p> +<p class="i2">Have ceas'd to roll and roar;</p> +<p>But tones now meet the ear,</p> +<p class="i2">Full fraught with strange delight,</p> +<p>And intermingling fear:</p> +<p class="i2"><i>The Voices of the Night!</i></p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Not such as softly rise</p> +<p class="i2">When boughs with song o'erflow,</p> +<p>And lover's vows and sighs,</p> +<p class="i2">Like incense breathe below;</p> +<p>Not such as warm his breast,</p> +<p class="i2">Whose fever'd anxious brain</p> +<p>Toils when all else hath rest,</p> +<p class="i2">To bring the <i>lost</i> again!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>But the owl's boding shriek,</p> +<p class="i2">The death-cry of his prey;</p> +<p>The tongues that durst not speak</p> +<p class="i2">In bright unslumb'ring day;</p> +<p>The murd'rer's curses fell,</p> +<p class="i2">His quiv'ring victim's groan;</p> +<p>The mutt'red, moody spell</p> +<p class="i2">Which rocks ABADDON'S throne!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The song of winds that sweep</p> +<p class="i2">Impetuously around</p> +<p>Our rolling sphere, and keep</p> +<p class="i2">Up conferences profound;</p> +<p>The music of the sea,</p> +<p class="i2">When battling waves run mad;</p> +<p>Far sweeter there may be,</p> +<p class="i2">But none so wild and sad.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The wail of forests vast</p> +<p class="i2">Thro' which pour storms like light,</p> +<p>Whilst rending in the blast,</p> +<p class="i2">They feebly own its might!</p> +<p>Deep thund'rings o'er the main:</p> +<p class="i2">The short shrill smother'd cry,</p> +<p>Hurl'd to the skies in vain,</p> +<p class="i2">Of drowning agony!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The SOMETHING <i>toneless</i>, which</p> +<p class="i2">Speaks awfully to men,</p> +<p>Startling the poor and rich,</p> +<p class="i2">For CONSCIENCE <i>will</i> talk then;</p> +<p>These are the watch-words drear,</p> +<p class="i2"><i>The Voices of the Night</i>,</p> +<p>Which harrow the sick ear,</p> +<p class="i2">The stricken heart affright!</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p><span style="margin-left:3em"><i>Great Marlow, +Bucks.</i></span></p> +</div> +</div> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>MAY-DAY GAMES.</h3> +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror</i>.)</h4> +<p>This day of joyous festivity has almost ceased to be the +harbinger of mirth and jollity; and the gambols of our forefathers +are nearly forgotten amidst the high notions of modern refinement. +Time was when king, lords, and commons hailed May-day morning with +delight, and bowed homage to her fair and brilliant queen. West end +and city folks united in their freaks, ate, drank, and joined the +merry dance from morning <span class="pagenum"><a id="page260" +name="page260"></a>[pg 260]</span> dawn till close of day. Thus in +an old ballad of those times we find</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The hosiers will dine at the Leg,</p> +<p>The drapers at the sign of the Brush,</p> +<p>The fletchers to Robin Hood will go,</p> +<p>And the spendthrift to Beggar's bush.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>And another</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The gentry to the King's head,</p> +<p>The nobles to the Crown, &c.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>The rustic had his morrice-dance, hobby-horse race, and the +gaudy Mayings of Robin Hood, which last were instituted, according +to an old writer, in honour of his memory, and continued till the +latter end of the sixteenth century. These games were attended not +by the people only, but by kings and princes, and grave +magistrates.</p> +<p>Stow says, "that in the moneth of May, the citizens of London, +of all estates, lightlie in every parish, or sometimes two or three +parishes joyning together, had their severall Mayinges, and did +fetch in Maypoles, with divers warlike showes, with good archers, +morrice-dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long, +and towards the evening they had stage-playes and bone-fires in the +streetes. These greate Mayinges and Maygames, made by governors and +masters of this citie, with the triumphant setting up of the greate +shafte, (a principall May-pole in Cornhill, before the parish +church of S. Andrew, therefore called Undershafte,) by meane of an +insurrection of youthes against alianes, on May-day, 1517, have not +beene so freely used as afore."</p> +<p>The disuse of these ancient pastimes and the consequent neglect +of Archerie, are thus lamented by Richard Niccols, in his +<i>London's Artillery</i>, 1616:</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>How is it that our London hath laid downe</p> +<p>This worthy practise, which was once the crowne,</p> +<p>Of all her pastime which her Robin Hood</p> +<p>Had wont each yeare when May did clad the wood</p> +<p>With lustre greene, to lead his young men out,</p> +<p>Whose brave demeanour, oft when they did shoot,</p> +<p>Invited royall princes from their courts</p> +<p>Into the wilde woods to behold their sports!</p> +<p>Who thought it then a manly sight and trim,</p> +<p>To see a youth of clene compacted lim,</p> +<p>Who, with a comely grace, in his left hand</p> +<p>Holding his bow, did take his steadfast stand,</p> +<p>Setting his left leg somewhat foorth before,</p> +<p>His Arrow with his right hand nocking sure,</p> +<p>Not stooping, nor yet standing streight upright,</p> +<p>Then, with his left hand little 'bove his sight,</p> +<p>Stretching his arm out, with an easie strength</p> +<p>To draw an arrow of a yard in length.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>The lines</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>"Invited royall princes from their courts</p> +<p>Into the wilde woods to behold their sports,"</p> +</div> +</div> +<p>may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry the VIIIth, who +appears to have been particularly attached, as well to the exercise +of archery, as to the observance of Maying. "Some short time after +his coronation," says Hall, "he came to Westminster with the quene, +and all their traine, and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles +of Essex, Wilshire, and other noble menne, to the number of twelve, +came sodainly in a mornyng into the quenes chambre, all appareled +in short cotes of Kentish kendal, with hodes on their heddes, and +hosen of the same, every one of them his bowe and arrowes, and a +sworde and a bucklar, like outlawes, or Robyn Hodesmen; whereof the +quene, the ladies, and al other there were abashed as well for the +straunge sight, as also for their sodain commyng, and after certayn +daunces and pastime made, thei departed."</p> +<p>The same author gives the following curious account of a Maying, +in the 7th year of that monarch, 1516: "The king and quene, +accompanied with many lords and ladies, rode to the high ground on +Shooter's Hill to take the air, and as they passed by the way, they +espied a company of tall yomen clothed all in green, with green +whodes and bows and arrows, to the number of 90. One of them +calling himself Robin Hood, came to the king, desiring him to see +his men shoot, and the king was content. Then he wistled, and all +the 90 archers shot and losed at once, he then whistled again, and +they shot again; their arrows wistled by craft of the head, so that +the noise was strange and great, and much pleased the king, the +quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the king's +guard, and had thus appareled themselves to make solace to the +king. Then Robin Hood desired the king and quene to come into the +green wood, and see how the outlaws live. The king demanded of the +quene and her ladies, if they durst venture to go into the wood +with so many outlaws, and the quene was content. Then the horns +blew till they came to the wood under Shooter's Hill, and there was +an arbour made of boughs, with a hall and a great chamber, and an +inner chamber, well made and covered with flowers and sweet herbs, +which the king much praised. Then said Robin Hood, 'Sir, outlaws +breakfasts is vensyon, and you must be content with such fare as we +have.' The king and quene sat down, and were served with venison +and wine by Robin Hood and his men. Then the king and his party +departed, and Robin and his men conducted them. As they were +returning, they were met by two ladies in a rich chairiot, drawn +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page261" name="page261"></a>[pg +261]</span> by five horses, every horse had his name on his head, +and on every horse sat a lady, with her name written; and in a +chair sat the Lady May, accompanied with Lady Flora, richly +appareled, and they saluted the king with divers songs, and so +brought him to Greenwhich."</p> +<p>The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a +dramatic cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of King Edward IV. +complaining of the ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who +had promised never to desert him, and "ther uppon," says he, "I +have kepyd hym thys iii yer to pleye Seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod, +and the Shryf off Notyngham, and now when I wolde have good horse +he is goon into Bernysdale, and I without a keeper."</p> +<p>In some old accounts of the Churchwardens, of Saint Helens, at +Abingdon, Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry for setting +up Robins Hoode's bower; supposed to be for a parish interlude.</p> +<p>Perhaps the clearest idea of these games will be derived from +some accounts of the Church-wardens, of the parish of +Kingston-upon-Thames:</p> +<pre> +" <i>Robin Hood and Maygame. + £. s. d.</i> + 23 Henry 7th. To the menstorell +upon Mayday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4 +For paynting of the mores garments + and for sarten gret leveres . . . . . . 0 2 4 +For paynting of a bannar for Robin + Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 2 M. and 1/2 pynnys . . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For 4 plyts and 1/2 of laun for the mores + garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 11 +For orseden for the same. . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For a goun for the lady . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +For bellys for the dawnsers . . . . . . . 0 0 12 + 14 Henry 7th. For Little John's +cote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 0 + 1 Henry 8th. For silver paper for +the mores dawnsars. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 7 +For kendall for Robyn Hode's cote . . . . 0 1 3 +For 3 yerds of white for the frere's cote 0 3 0 +For 4 yerds of kendall for mayde Marian's + huke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 4 +For saten of sypers for the same huke . . 0 0 6 +For 2 payre of glovys for Robin Hode + and mayde Maryan. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 6 brode arovys. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 6 +To mayde Mary an for her labour for + 2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +To Fygge the taborer. . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 0 +Received for Robyn Hode's gaderyng + 4 marks + 5 Henry 8th. Received for Robin +Hood's gaderyng at Croydon. . . . . . . . 0 9 4 + 11 Henry 8th. Paid for 3 broad +yerds of rosett for makyng frer's cote. . 0 3 6 +Shoes for the mores dawnsars, the frere + and mayde Maryan at 7<i>d</i>. a payre. 0 5 4 + 13 Henry 8th. Eight yerds of fustyan +for the mores dawnsars cotes. . . . . . . 0 16 0 +A dosyn of gold skynnes for the mores . . 0 0 10 + 15 Henry 8th. Hire of hats for +Robin Hode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 16 +Paid for the hat that was lost. . . . . . 0 0 10 + 16 Henry 8th. Received at the +church-ale and Robyn Hode, all things +deducted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 6 +Paid for 6 yerds 1/4 of satyn for Robyn + Hode's cotys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 12 6 +For makyng the same . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +For 3 ells of bocram . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6 + 21 Henry 8th. For spunging and + brushing Robyn Hods cotys . . . . . . 0 0 2 + 28 Henry 8th. Five hats and 4 porses + for the dawnsars . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4-1/2 +4 yerds of cloth for the fole's cote . . 0 2 0 +2 ells of worstede for mayde Marian's + kyrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 8 +For 6 payre of double solly'd showne . . 0 4 6 +To the mynstrele . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10 8 +To the fryer and the piper for to + go to Croydon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +</pre> +<p>29 Henry 8th. Mem. left in the keeping of the wardens nowe +beinge, a fryers cote of russet, and a kyrtle of a worstyde weltyd +with red cloth, a mouren's cote of buckram, and 4 morres dawnsars +cotes of white fustian spangelyd, and two gryne saten cotes, and a +dysardd's cote of cotton, and 6 payre of garters with bells."</p> +<p>Having given so many items of the Robin Hood games, it will not +be out of place to furnish some account of the Morrice.</p> +<p><i>The tabor and pipe strike up a morrice.—A shout +within.</i></p> +<p>A lord, a lord, a lord, who!</p> +<p>ENTER THE MORRICE—<i>They sing</i>.</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Skip it, and trip it, nimbly, nimbly,</p> +<p>Tickle it, tickle it, lustily,</p> +<p>Strike up the tabor, for the wenches favour,</p> +<p>Tickle it, tickle it, lustily.</p> +<p>Let us be seen on Hygale Greene,</p> +<p class="i2">To dance for the honour of Holloway,</p> +<p>Since we are come hither, let's spare for no leather,</p> +<p class="i2">To dance for the honour of Holloway.</p> +</div> +</div> +<p><i>Ed.</i> Well said, my boys, I must have my lord's livery; +what is't, a maypole? troth, 'twere a good body for a courtier's +impreza, if it had but this life—<i>Frustra storescit</i>. +Hold, cousin, hold.</p> +<p>(<i>He gives the fool money</i>.)</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. Thanks, cousin, when the lord my father's audit +comes, we'll repay you again, your benevolence too, sir.</p> +<p><i>Mam.</i> What! a lord's son become a beggar!</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. Why not, when beggars are become lord's sons. Come, +'tis but a trifle.</p> +<p><i>Mam.</i> Oh, sir, many a small make a great.</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. No, sir, a few great make a many small. Come, my +lords, poor and needy hath no law.</p> +<p><i>Ed.</i> Nor necessity no right. Drum, down with them into the +cellar. Rest content, rest content, one bout more, and then +away.</p> +<p><i>Fool</i>. Spoke like a true heart; I kiss thy foot, sweet +knight.</p> +<p>(<i>The Morrice sing and dance, and exeunt</i>.)</p> +<p>SWAINE.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF <i>NEW WORKS</i>.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>SITTING IN THE DRUID'S CHAIR.</h3> +<p>We detach the following scene from one of Mr. Horace Smith's +<i>Tales of the</i> <span class="pagenum"><a id="page262" name= +"page262"></a>[pg 262]</span> <i>Early Ages</i>. The date is the +fifth century, about twenty years after the final withdrawing of +the Romans from Britain. The actors are Hengist, the Saxon chief, +Guinessa, his daughter, betrothed to Oscar, a young prince, and +Gryffhod, a Briton of some distinction, and proprietor of +Caer-Broc, a villa on the Kentish coast, where the parties are +sojourning. The incident embodies the <i>superstition of sitting in +the Druid's Chair</i>, similar in its portentous moment to sitting +in St. Michael's Chair, in Cornwall. It is told with considerable +force and picturesque beauty.</p> +<p>"In the morning, Hengist informed his daughter, to her no small +dismay, that he meant to take her to Canterbury for the purpose of +introducing her to her uncle Horsa, desiring her to make +preparations for her immediate departure. 'But before I leave +Caer-Broc,' said the Saxon, 'I would fain mount that lofty cliff up +which I climbed fifteen years ago, in order that I might discover, +if possible, upon what coast the storm had cast me. It commands, as +I recollect, an extensive inland view, and I would show my +fellow-soldiers the beauty of the country into which I have led +them.'</p> +<p>"'It must have been the Druid's Chair, for that is the loftiest +headland upon our coast.'</p> +<p>"'The higher the better, my child, for so shall we gain the +wider prospect. The morning is at present, clear, and I would climb +the cliff before those clouds which I see gathering in the west, +shall be blown hither to intercept our prospect.' So saying, he +invited his comrades, as well as Oscar, to accompany him; while +Gryffhod, on learning his purpose, joined his party with Leoline +and others of his men, in order that they might render assistance, +should any such be required, in climbing the broken and somewhat +perilous ascent to the dizzy summit of the cliff. Ropes were +provided in case of accident, as persons had more than once slipped +from the narrow ledge, and fallen upon lower fragments of the +cliff, whence they could be only extricated by hauling them up.</p> +<p>"Battered and undermined by the storms of ages, the Druid's +Chair has long since been shivered into fragments and wasted away; +but at the period of which we are writing it formed the outermost +of a chain of crags which were connected together by a tongue of +rock and cliff sufficiently continuous to allow a passage, but +broken into sharp acclivities and descents which rendered the +undertaking toilsome to all, and not without peril for those who +were liable to be giddy, or who did not possess a good portion of +activity. 'Surely,' said Hengist, as he followed Gryffhod, 'this +ridge was much more even when I traversed it fifteen years +ago.'</p> +<p>"'You are right,' replied the Briton; 'but rains and frosts have +since broken away its surface. This is our steepest ascent, but it +is the last. We will help Guinessa to surmount it, and when we gain +the summit, she shall be the first to sit in the Druid's +Chair.'</p> +<p>"With some little mutual assistance, the whole party gained the +pinnacle of the cliff, which was a small and nearly circular +platform, with a central crag that bore a rude resemblance to a +chair. 'You shall have the honour that was promised you,' said the +Saxon chief to his daughter; 'but we must first clear away the +samphire and weeds which have taken previous possession of your +seat.' So saying, he cut them away with his sword, and lead his +panting daughter to the throne, upon which she was by no means +sorry to rest herself. Hengist then walked repeatedly round the +lofty level, pointing out with his weapon the distant objects that +engaged his attention, and demanding frequent explanations from +Gryffhod, more particularly as to the direction and distance of +Canterbury. While he was thus occupied, the heavy western clouds, +whose threatenings he had been so anxious to anticipate, were swept +rapidly towards them by a sudden storm gust, which lashed up the +waves into fury, and instantly surrounded the foot of the crag +whirlpools of foam. The extensive prospect upon which they had so +lately been gazing was now shrouded in a dense gloom, presently +pierced and irradiated by a vivid flash of lightning, followed by a +crash of thunder that made the lofty crag tremble beneath their +feet. To a martial soul like that of Hengist, this warring of the +elements presented a more spirit-stirring and congenial spectacle, +than all the tranquil beauties of the previous prospect, and he +pointed out to the admiration of his comrades the fiercer features +of the scene, shouting with delight as a huge mass of the next +projecting cliff, undermined by the raving waters, fell thundering +into the depths below.</p> +<p>"While he was thus occupied, either his extended sword was +touched, or his arm was unnerved by the electric fluid, for the +weapon fell from his hand and instantly disappeared in the +whirlpool beneath. 'My sword! my enchanted sword!' exclaimed +Hengist with a loud cry of consternation: 'it is lost, it is +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page263" name="page263"></a>[pg +263]</span> gone! a hundred pieces of gold to him who recovers my +precious weapon! I would plunge after it myself, but that I am +prohibited by the magician who fashioned it. My sword! my sword! a +hundred horses, besides the gold, to him who finds it. What! my +brave comrades,' he continued, casting a reproachful look at his +fellow-countrymen, 'will you see your leader ruined, and all his +hopes blasted, rather than attempt to get me back my sword?'</p> +<p>"'We came hither to fight the Picts and Scots, not to drown +ourselves in such a hopeless enterprise,' muttered the Saxons.</p> +<p>"'Oscar, my intended son-in-law! you are young and vigorous. +Show yourself worthy of Guinessa by plunging into the waters in +search of my lost talisman.'</p> +<p>"'It is inevitable death; and besides you have promised her to +me already,' replied the young Prince, recoiling with a shudder +from the edge of the precipice.</p> +<p>"'Craven! recreant! I recall my consent,' shouted Hengist, +hoarse with rage, 'and here in the face of Heaven I promise her to +him, and him only, who shall redeem my sword from the waters.'</p> +<p>"'Do you swear to that vow?' asked Leoline, starting +forward.</p> +<p>"'Ay, I swear by the sword itself, an oath that I dare not +violate, even if I would.'</p> +<p>"'Enough?' said Leoline; and springing instantly from the rock, +he precipitated himself down the fearful abyss, and plunged into +the foaming whirlpool below. Bewildered and aghast at this sudden +act of desperation, Guinessa, uttering a scream of agonized terror, +would have thrown herself after him, had she not been restrained by +Gryffhod; but she still bent over the precipice, her long golden +hair, as it streamed upon the wind, together with her white robes +and arms, and her fair features, all shown in strong relief against +the dark thunder-cloud, imparting to her the appearance of an +aerial spirit, just alighted upon this craggy pinnacle to watch the +conflict of the elements. Every eye was rivetted upon the spot +where Leoline had cleft the eddying waves; not a syllable was +uttered; every heart thrilled painfully in expectation of his +reappearance, but he rose not again to the surface, and the fears +of the gazers responded to those of Guinessa, as she at length +ejaculated, in a deep and hollow voice, 'He is lost—he is +lost!' Another brief but dreadful pause ensued, when Guinessa, +clasping her hands sharply together, exclaimed, with an ecstatic +shout, 'He rises—he rises—he has found the sword!' and +she sank upon her knees, trembling all over with a vehement and +irrepressible agitation.</p> +<p>"The object of her deep emotion was now visible to all, holding +the recovered sword in his mouth, while with both hands he fought +against the buffetting billows, which hurled him against the foot +of the cliff, and as often by their recoil swept him back again; +for the wave-worn crag offered no holdfast either for the foot or +hand. 'He will perish still; he will be dashed to pieces against +the rock,' cried Hengist, almost wild with apprehension.</p> +<p>"'He swims like a fish,' exclaimed Gryffhod, 'but he cannot +strike out of that boiling whirlpool; it is too strong for him. The +ropes! the ropes! where are they? let us lower them instantly, and +we may perhaps succeed in hauling him up.'</p> +<p>"A rope, secured at top to the Druid's Chair, was instantly +thrown over, but the lower extremity being blown about by the wind, +it was not till after repeated efforts that Leoline could succeed +in catching hold of it, when he raised himself out of the water, +and began to climb upwards by supporting his feet against the +cliff. More than once they slipped away from the wet chalk, and he +swung in mid-air; but his teeth still firmly grasped the sword; he +soon obtained a drier foothold, and thus climbed to the summit: +which he had no sooner reached in safety than Guinessa, overcome by +the revulsion of her feelings, sank panting and fainting into her +father's arms. Eagerly snatching the redeemed weapon, its owner ran +his eye over the blade, when finding that it had received no +injury, nor suffered any obliteration of the talismanic characters, +he repeatedly kissed it, replaced it in its scabbard, and then +cordially embracing its recoverer exclaimed, 'Thanks, brave +Leoline; ay, and something more substantial than empty thanks. +Guinessa was right, after all; she knows where to find a valiant +and a worthy man; and, by Heaven! I am glad that she preferred you +to your rival. Right nobly have you won her, and honourably shall +you wear the prize. There she is; speak to her; I warrant your +voice will revive her more quickly than that of Gryffhod; her +consent you need not ask, for that you have obtained already, so +take her for your wife when you will, and God give you joy of your +choice, as for my part, I thank Heaven for bestowing on me so +dauntless a son-in-law!'</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page264" name="page264"></a>[pg +264]</span> +<p>"Cordial were the congratulations from all parties except Oscar, +who, filled with mortification and jealous hatred, slunk away +before the others; and during the march to Canterbury, which was +commenced immediately after their descent from the Druid's Chair, +kept himself aloof, equally incensed against Gryffhod, Hengist, and +Guinessa, and meditating dark schemes of vengeance."</p> +<p>Oscar attempts to assassinate his successful rival at +Canterbury; he escapes, but in crossing the sea for Gaul, is taken +by the piratical Picts, carried to Scotland, and condemned to a +rigorous and lifelong slavery. Leoline and Guinessa are married, +and Hengist becoming paramount in Kent, assigns to them a castle +with ample domains in the Isle of Thanet; and in sailing along the +coast they often pointed to "the dizzy summit of the Druid's +Chair," which Leoline often proudly declared to be far more +precious to him than any other object in existence, since it had +given him that which alone made existence valuable—his +Guinessa!</p> +<p>In one of the Tales—of the Council of Nice, in the fourth +century, Mr. Smith indulges his usual felicitous vein of humour, in +a burlesque which he puts into the mouth of a slave of the Bishop +of Ethiopia,—"a little, corpulent, bald-headed, merry-eyed +man of fifty, whose name was Mark; whose duty it was to take charge +of the oil, trim the lamps, and perform other menial offices in the +church of Alexandria." The profane wight deserved, for his wit, a +better place.</p> +<hr /> +<h3>THE JUST DYING SPEECH AND CONFESSION OF THE PAGAN +IMMORTALS.</h3> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Alack and alas! it hath now come to pass,</p> +<p class="i2">That the Gods of Olympus, those cheats of the +world,</p> +<p>Who bamboozled each clime from the birthday of Time,</p> +<p class="i2">Are at length from their mountebank eminence +hurl'd.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>On their cold altar-stone are no offerings thrown,</p> +<p class="i2">And their worshipless worships no passenger +greets,</p> +<p>Though they still may have praise for amending our ways,</p> +<p class="i2">If their statues are broken for paving the +streets.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The Deus Opt. Max. of these idols and quacks</p> +<p class="i2">Is now thrust in a corner for children to flout,</p> +<p>And the red thunder-brand he still grasps in his hand.</p> +<p class="i2">Lights not Jupiter Tonans to grope his way out.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Their Magnus Apollo no longer we follow,</p> +<p class="i2">He's routed and flouted and laid on the shelf,</p> +<p>And no poet's address will now reach him unless</p> +<p class="i2">He can play his own lyre and flatter himself.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>As for Bacchus the sot, he has drain'd his last pot,</p> +<p class="i2">And must lay in the grave his intoxicate head,</p> +<p>For although by his aid he his votaries made</p> +<p class="i2">Full often dead drunk, they have now drunk him +dead.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>O Mars, battle's Lord! canst thou not draw a sword,</p> +<p class="i2">As forth from its temple thy statue we toss?</p> +<p>We want not thy lance, since our legions advance</p> +<p class="i2">Beneath the bless'd banner of Constantine's +cross.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Juno, Venus, and Pallas, to shame were so callous,</p> +<p class="i2">And have always so widely from decency swerved,</p> +<p>That it well might be urged, if their statues were scourged</p> +<p class="i2">And then thrown in the kennel, their doom was +deserved.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The pontiffs and priests, who have lost all their feasts,</p> +<p class="i2">And the oracles shorn of their hecatomb herds,</p> +<p>Having nothing to carve, if they don't wish to starve,</p> +<p class="i2">Must feed upon falsehoods and eat their own +words.</p> +</div> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>O'er these mountebanks dead, be this epitaph read,</p> +<p class="i2">"The Gods, Priests and Oracles buried beneath,</p> +<p>Who were ever at strife which should lie most in life,</p> +<p class="i2">Here <i>lie</i> all alike in corruption and +death."</p> +</div> +</div> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>SHELLEY AT OXFORD.</h3> +<p>A delightful paper, entitled, <i>Percy Bysshe Shelley at +Oxford</i> is now in course of appearance in the <i>New Monthly +Magazine</i>, from the pen of a fellow collegian and an early +admirer of the genius of the youthful poet. It is in part +conversational. Thus, Shelley <i>loquitur</i>:—</p> +<p>"I regret only that the period of our residence is limited to +four years; I wish they would revive, for our sake, the old term of +six or seven years. If we consider how much there is for us to +learn," here he paused and sighed deeply through that despondency +which sometimes comes over the unwearied and zealous student; "we +shall allow that the longer period would still be far too short!" I +assented, and we discoursed concerning the abridgement of the +ancient term of residence, and the diminution of the academical +year by frequent, protracted and most inconvenient vacations. "To +quit Oxford," he said, "would be still more unpleasant to you than +to myself, for you aim at objects that I do not seek to compass, +and you cannot fail since you are resolved to place your success +beyond the reach of chance." He enumerated with extreme rapidity, +and in his enthusiastic strain, some of the benefits and comforts +of a college life. "Then the <i>oak</i> is such a blessing," he +exclaimed with peculiar fervour, clasping his hands, and repeating +often—"the oak is such a blessing!" slowly and in a solemn +tone. "The oak <span class="pagenum"><a id="page265" name= +"page265"></a>[pg 265]</span> alone goes far towards making this +place a paradise. In what other spot in the world, surely in none +that I have hitherto visited, can you say confidently, it is +perfectly impossible, physically impossible, that I should be +disturbed? Whether a man desire solitary study, or to enjoy the +society of a friend or two, he is secure against interruption. It +is not so in a house, not by any means; there is not the same +protection in a house, even in the best-contrived house. The +servant is bound to answer the door; he must appear and give some +excuse: he may betray, by hesitation and confusion, that he utters +a falsehood; he must expose himself to be questioned; he must open +the door and violate your privacy in some degree; besides there are +other doors, there are windows at least, through which a prying eye +can detect some indication that betrays the mystery. How different +is it here! The bore arrives; the outer door is shut; it is black +and solid, and perfectly impenetrable, as is your secret; the doors +are all alike; he can distinguish mine from yours by the +geographical position only. He may knock; he may call; he may kick +if he will; he may inquire of a neighbour, but he can inform him of +nothing; he can only say, the door is shut, and this he knows +already. He may leave his card, that you may rejoice over it and at +your escape; he may write upon it the hour when he proposes to call +again, to put you upon your guard, and that he may be quite sure of +seeing the back of your door once more. When the bore meets you and +says, I called at your house at such a time, you are required to +explain your absence, to prove an <i>alibi</i> in short, and +perhaps to undergo a rigid cross-examination; but if he tells you, +'I called at your rooms yesterday at three and the door was shut,' +you have only to say, 'Did you? was it?' and there the matter +ends.</p> +<p>"Were you not charmed with your oak? did it not instantly +captivate you!"</p> +<p>"My introduction to it was somewhat unpleasant and unpropitious. +The morning after my arrival I was sitting at breakfast: my scout, +the Arimaspian, apprehending that the singleness of his eye may +impeach his character for officiousness, in order to escape the +reproach of seeing half as much only as other men, is always +striving to prove that he sees at least twice as far as the most +sharpsighted: after many demonstrations of superabundant activity, +he inquired if I wanted anything more; I answered in the negative. +He had already opened the door: 'Shall I sport, Sir?' he asked +briskly as he stood upon the threshold. He seemed so unlike a +sporting character, that I was curious to learn in what sport he +proposed to indulge. I answered—'Yes, by all means,' and +anxiously watched him, but to my surprise and disappointment he +instantly vanished. As soon as I had finished my breakfast, I +sallied forth to survey Oxford; I opened one door quickly, and not +suspecting that there was a second, I struck my head against it +with some violence. The blow taught me to observe that every set of +rooms has two doors, and I soon learned that the outer door, which +is thick and solid, is called the oak, and to shut it is termed to +sport. I derived so much benefit from my oak, that I soon pardoned +this slight inconvenience: it is surely the tree of knowledge."</p> +<p>"Who invented the oak?"</p> +<p>"The inventers of the science of living in rooms, or +chambers—the monks."</p> +<p>"Ah! they were sly fellows; none but men who were reputed to +devote themselves for many hours to prayers, to religious +meditations, and holy abstractions, would ever have been permitted +quietly to place at pleasure such a barrier between themselves and +the world. We now reap the advantage of their reputation for +sanctity; I shall revere my oak more than ever, since its origin is +so sacred."</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE NATURALIST.</h2> +<h3>GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY.</h3> +<h4>(<i>Concluded from page 247.</i>)</h4> +<p>What a lesson may art learn from contemplating scenes of +nature.</p> +<p><i>The Thrush.</i></p> +<p>"Thrushes feed very much on snails, looking for them in mossy +banks. Having frequently observed some broken snail-shells near two +projecting pebbles on a gravel walk, which had a hollow between +them, I endeavoured to discover the occasion of their being brought +to that situation. At last I saw a thrush fly to the spot with a +snail-shell in his mouth, which he placed between the two stones, +and hammered at it with his beak till he had broken it, and was +then able to feed on its contents. The bird must have discovered +that he could not apply his beak with sufficient force to break the +shell while it was rolling about, and he therefore found out and +made use of a spot which would keep the shell in one position. I do +not know whether Mr. M'Adam has ever observed the same +circumstance, but his ingenious <span class="pagenum"><a id= +"page266" name="page266"></a>[pg 266]</span> contrivance (if it is +his) of confining stones in a sort of hoop while they are being +broken, is somewhat similar to that of the thrush."</p> +<p><i>The Pike</i> it seems, is a formidable foe to +<i>tackle</i>.</p> +<p>"The boldness of a pike is very extraordinary. I have seen one +follow a bait within a foot of the spot where I have been standing; +and the head keeper of Richmond Park assured me that he was once +washing his hand at the side of a boat in the great pond in that +Park, when a pike made a dart at it, and he had but just time to +withdraw it. A gentleman now residing at Weybridge, in Surrey, +informed me that, walking one day by the side of the river Wey, +near that town, he saw a large pike in a shallow creek. He +immediately pulled off his coat, tucked up his shirt sleeves, and +went into the water to intercept the return of the fish to the +river, and to endeavour to throw it upon the bank by getting his +hands under it. During this attempt, the pike, finding he could not +make his escape, seized one of the arms of the gentleman, and +lacerated it so much that the wound is still very visible.</p> +<p>"A friend of mine caught a pike a few minutes after breaking his +tackle, and found it in the pike, a part of the gimp hanging out of +his mouth. He also caught another, in high condition, with a piece +of strong twisted wire projecting from its side. On opening it a +double eel-hook was found at the end of the wire, much corroded. +This may account for so few pike being found dead after they have +broken away with a gorge-hook in them. An account will be found, in +'Salmonia,' of a pike taking a bait, with a set of hooks in his +mouth, which he had just before broken from a line."</p> +<p><i>Affection of Animals.</i></p> +<p>"Animals are so capable of showing gratitude and affection to +those who have been kind to them, that I never see them subjected +to ill treatment without feeling the utmost abhorrence of those who +are inflicting it. I know many persons who, like myself, take a +pleasure in seeing all the animals about them appear happy and +contented. Cows will show their pleasure at seeing those who have +been kind to them, by moving their ears gently, and putting out +their wet noses. My old horse rests his head on the gate with great +complacency when he sees me coming, expecting to receive an apple +or a piece of bread. I should even be sorry to see my poultry and +pigs get out of my way with any symptoms of fear."</p> +<p><i>The Moor-hen.</i></p> +<p>One of Mr. Haydon's new pictures is <i>the first start in +life</i>—a mother teaching her infant to walk—it is a +clever sketch, but, bearing in mind the beautiful comparison of +Solomon and the lily of the valley, here is a counterpart.</p> +<p>"Fishing the other day in Hampton Court Park, I disturbed a +moor-hen who had just hatched, and watched her anxiety and +manoeuvres to draw away her young. She would go a short distance, +utter a cry, return, and seemed to lead the way for her brood to +follow. Having driven her away, that I might have a better +opportunity of watching her young ones, she never ceased calling to +them, and they made towards her, skulking amongst the rushes, till +they got to the other side of the pond. They had only just left the +shell, and had probably never heard the cry of their mother +before."</p> +<p>There is true benevolence in these remarks. How much is conveyed +in the homely expression, that such a man "would not tread upon a +worm:" we should learn to covet such men as friends.</p> +<p><i>The Cardinal Spider.</i></p> +<p>"There is a large breed of spiders which are found very +generally in the palace of Hampton-Court. They are called there +'cardinals,' having I suppose been first seen in Cardinal Wolsey's +hall. They are full an inch in length, and many of them of the +thickness of a finger. Their legs are about two inches long, and +their body covered with a thick hair. They feed chiefly on moths as +appears from the wings of that insect being found in great +abundance under and amongst their webs. In running across the +carpet in an evening, with the shade cast from their large bodies +by the light of the lamp or candle, they have been mistaken for +mice, and have occasioned no little alarm to some of the more +nervous inhabitants of the palace. A doubt has even been raised +whether the name of cardinal has not been given to this creature +from an ancient supposition that the ghost of Wolsey haunts the +place of his former glory under this shape. Be this as it may, the +spider is considered as a curiosity, and Hampton-Court is the only +place in which I have met with it."</p> +<p>Did Wolsey, arrayed in all his glory, ever regard a spider, or +think that his proud name would be coupled with so minute a member +of the creation?</p> +<p><i>Rook-shooting.</i></p> +<p>"Rooks are not easily induced to forsake the trees on which they +have been <span class="pagenum"><a id="page267" name= +"page267"></a>[pg 267]</span> bred, and which they frequently +revisit after the breeding season is over. This is shown in +Hampton-Court Park, where there is an extensive rookery amongst the +fine lime-trees, and where a barbarous and unnecessary custom +prevails of shooting the young rooks. As many as a hundred dozen of +them have been killed in one season, and yet the rooks build in the +avenue, though there is a corresponding avenue close by, in Bushy +Park, which they never frequent, notwithstanding the trees are +equally high and equally secure. I never hear the guns go off +during this annual slaughter without execrating the practice, and +pitying the poor rooks, whose melancholy cries may be heard to a +great distance, and some of whom may be seen, exhausted by their +fruitless exertions, sitting melancholy on a solitary tree waiting +till the <i>sport</i> is over, that they may return and see whether +any of the offspring which they have reared with so much care and +anxiety are left to them; or, what is more probable, the call for +assistance of their young having ceased, they are aware of their +fate, and are sitting in mournful contemplation of their loss. This +may appear romantic, but it is nevertheless true."</p> +<p>Who can read the above without a shudder at the brutal taste of +the lords of the lower world.</p> +<p><i>The Emu.</i></p> +<p>"The only instance I have met with in which the hen bird has not +the chief care in hatching and bringing up the young is in the case +of the emus at the farm belonging to the Zoological Society near +Kingston. A pair of these birds have now five young ones: the +female at different times dropped nine eggs in various places in +the pen in which she was confined. These were collected in one +place by the male, who rolled them gently and carefully along with +his beak. He then sat upon them himself, and continued to do so +with the utmost assiduity for nine weeks, during which time the +female never took his place, nor was he ever observed to leave the +nest. When the young were hatched,<a id="footnotetag4" name= +"footnotetag4"></a><a href="#footnote4"><sup>4</sup></a> he alone +took charge of them, and has continued to do so ever since, the +female not appearing to notice them in any way. On reading this +anecdote, many persons would suppose that the female emu was not +possessed of that natural affection for its young which other birds +have. In order to rescue it from this supposition, I will mention +that a female emu belonging to the Duke of Devonshire at Cheswick +lately laid some eggs; and as there was no male bird, she collected +them together herself and sat upon them."</p> +<p><i>The Toad.</i></p> +<p>"It is a curious fact that toads are so numerous in the island +of Jersey, that they have become a term of reproach for its +inhabitants, the word 'Crapaud' being frequently applied to them; +while in the neighbouring island of Guernsey not a toad is to be +found, though they have frequently been imported. Indeed, certain +other islands have always been privileged in this respect. Ireland +is free from venomous animals, of course by the aid of St. Patrick. +The same was affirmed of Crete in olden times, being the birthplace +of Jupiter. The Isle of Man is said also to be free from venomous +creatures. The Mauritius, and I believe one of the Balearic +islands, enjoys the same immunity."</p> +<p>The following anecdote is as pretty as the writer conceives it +to be:</p> +<p>"His present Majesty, when residing in Bushy Park, had a part of +the foremast of the Victory, against which Lord Nelson was standing +when he received his fatal wound, deposited in a small temple in +the grounds of Bushy House, from which it was afterwards removed, +and placed at the upper end of the dining-room, with a bust of Lord +Nelson upon it. A large shot had passed completely through this +part of the mast, and while it was in the temple a pair of robins +had built their nest in the shot-hole, and reared a brood of young +ones. It was impossible to witness this little occurrence without +reflecting on the scene of blood, and strife of war, which had +occurred to produce so snug and peaceable a retreat for a nest of +harmless robins. If that delightful poet of the lakes, Mr. +Wordsworth, should ever condescend to read this little anecdote, it +might supply him with no bad subject for one of his charming +sonnets."</p> +<p>A few entertaining particulars of</p> +<p><i>The Royal Parks.</i></p> +<p>"There are two elm trees, or rather the remains of two, in +Hampton Court Park, known by the name of the 'Giants,' which must +have been of an enormous size, the trunk of one of them measuring +twenty-eight feet in circumference.</p> +<p>"Cork trees flourish in Hampton Court Park, where there are two +large ones. There are also some ilexes, or evergreen oaks, in Bushy +Park, of a very large size, and apparently as hardy as <span class= +"pagenum"><a id="page268" name="page268"></a>[pg 268]</span> any +other tree there. The avenues in that park are perhaps the finest +in Europe. There are nine of them altogether, the centre one, +formed by two rows of horse-chestnut trees, being the widest. The +side avenues, of which there are four on each side of the main +avenue, are of lime trees, and the whole length, including the +circuit round the Diana water, is one mile and forty yards.</p> +<p>"Near the Queen's house in this park is a very fine Spanish +chestnut tree, said to have been planted by Charles II., and to +have been the first which was seen in this country.</p> +<p>"The trees which at present form so much of the beauty of +Greenwich Park were planted by Evelyn, and if he could now see them +he would call them 'goodly trees,' at least some of them. The +chestnuts, however, though they produce some fine fruit, have not +thriven in the same proportion with the elms. In noticing this park +I should not forget to mention that the only remaining part of the +palace of Henry VIII. is preserved in the front of Lord Auckland's +house looking into the park. It is a circular delft window of +beautiful workmanship, and in a fine state of preservation. There +are also a great number of small tumuli in the upper part of the +park, all of which appear to have been opened."</p> +<p>"In addition to the herd of fallow deer, amounting to about one +thousand six hundred, which are kept in Richmond Park, there is +generally a stock of from forty to fifty red deer. One fine stag +was so powerful, and offered so much resistance, that two of his +legs were broken in endeavouring to secure him, and he was obliged +to be killed. One who had shown good sport in the royal hunt, was +named 'Sir Edmund,' by his late Majesty, in consequence of Sir +Edmund Nagle having been in at the '<i>take</i>' after a long +chase. This stag lived some years afterwards in the park; and its a +curious fact that he died the very same day on which Sir Edmund +Nagle died."</p> +<p>The volume contains some interesting antiquarian inquiries +respecting Caesar's ford at Kingston, and Maxims for an Angler, by +a Bungler.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE SKETCH BOOK</h2> +<h3>THE ABBOT OF TEWKESBURY.</h3> +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror.</i>)</h4> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>"After life's fitful fever be sleeps well."</p> +<p><span style="margin-left:3em"><i>Shakspeare</i>.</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<p>(In opening the tomb of the founder of the Abbey at Tewkesbury, +the body of the Abbot was found clothed in full canonicals. The +crosier was as perfect as when, perhaps, first put in the coffin, +while the body showed scarcely any symptom of decay, though it had +been entombed considerably above six hundred years. On exposure to +the air, the boots alone of the Abbot were seen to sink, when the +tomb was ordered to be sealed up, and his holiness again committed +in his darkness. On the above circumstance this sketch is +founded.)</p> +<p>Is this to be dead? Am I not clad in all pontifical splendour? +Do I not feel the crosier on my breast? The holy brethren of the +Abbey surround me. That which distinguished the Abbot when alive, +is even here in collected magnificence. I feel the priestly +consequence of the Abbot. Is this then the Chamber of the Dead? The +pious monks are weeping. The tears which have flowed before the +marble shrine are recalled to weep for a departed brother. The +incense is full fragrant. I enjoy the perception of its odour. It +dilates in my stiffened nostrils, but it supplies me not the breath +of life. I hear the loud Hosanna chanted for a soul which dies in +the Lord. I will repeat the strain. No. My voice refuses to fall +back upon the ear. Where is my heart that it beats not swelling to +the anthem's measure? Cold! cold! cold! Nay; I will rise. I will +respond unto the funeral dirge. I will shout. Oh! my trunk is +hardened, and my tongue is glued. Silence! they pause. Say, do they +hear me? No. Silence, horrible and awful. Hark! they mourn with +lamentation on my fate. O, Heaven! must I endure all this? Must the +living weep for the dead, and the conscious dead be doomed to +dismal silence. Horror! horror! horror! IS THIS TO BE DEAD?</p> +<hr /> +<p>A convocation! Yes. The holy brothers in assembled synod to +elect a brother holier than themselves. Nay, I do forbid. I, the +Abbot who have loved ye all, refuse permission to your meeting. +Disperse, disperse. Do ye not hear? Is there no charity alive? Who +dares usurp my chair, and I not yet entombed? What! is justice +driven out where heavenly men should dwell? I see it. I mark it. +The leaven of pride is kneaded in the brotherhood. Intriguing +hypocrites usurp the House of God. What! brother John, the fat, the +corpulent, the lazy! of whom I know ten thousand heinous sins; the +least sufficient to condemn a soul. An Abbot, chosen by the holy, +is the elect of God. But he—no, no, no. It shall not be. God +will forbid it. They put the crosier in his hand. For shame! for +shame! Let not the vicious living sit in the chair of virtue that +is departed. <span class="pagenum"><a id="page269" name= +"page269"></a>[pg 269]</span> Why see! he kneels. He kneels before +the shrine, where, until now, he never bent to pray. He grasps the +crosier with loving firmness. It shall not be. Is there no +interposing Deity to slay the sinner in his wickedness? I, I will +seize the crosier from his filthy hand. No. My arm lays idly at my +side. Is THIS TO BE DEAD?</p> +<hr /> +<p>They chant the funeral dirge. The mighty torches flash their +blazing light upon the frozen features of the dead. Mine eyes are +sealed. I strain to open them. No. Light gleams in upon me as +through a clear veil. Ah! monster of hateful mien! demon deceitful +in religious robes! avaunt! Thou shalt not touch my corpse. No. +Thank God! It is a foretaste of thy love to come. He passes on. He +dares not lay polluted hands upon the dead, whose becalmed face is +looking up to thee. The dead, the sacred dead. The living are for +the world, the dead are Thine. Incense, and prayer, and psalms for +the departed. It is respectful, but what heed I? Man comes into the +world only to go out thereof. What then? The grave! Horror. I have +preached thereof. I have shocked others with the enormities of life +until they clung unto the grave. Now, I who have bidden the +virtuous look to the hopes beyond it, myself would cry to live. But +no! they bear me on. He, the foul monster, grins as he looks upon +my outstretched limbs. Wolf, I'll pray for thee. Breathe, breathe +hardly, ye distended nostrils; it is your last pulsation with the +air of earth. No. Sealed as the marble figures by which they bear +me. Is this my Tomb. Is this the narrow house appointed for the +living? Is this the Abbot's palace after death? Nay, I pray thee, +brethren, close me not up in yon receptacle. Where the cold air +might shiver on my flesh I may be happy. Yon tomb is dark and +dismal, shut from the eye of day. Louder and louder grows your +chant, I know its terminating cadence. It falls upon mine ear. Take +off this stony lid. Nay, I will knock, knock, knock. My arms are +still unraised. They hear me not. Brethren! men! christians! no, +monks, monks, monks, cold as the stone ye place upon my breast! +Have ye no ears? no hearts? Do I not shout? Do I not pray? Ah! my +tongue is one of marble. It is cold and fixed. They will not hear +me. Listen! their parting and receding steps. Nay, hasten not away. +Silence. No. One step is lingering behind. Thank God! I shout. +Brother! what, ho! He hears. Brother! He pauses. What ho! He goes. +Brother! Silence is around, hushed as my own attempts to burst a +voice. Hark! a noise. No. Silence. Is THIS TO BE DEAD?</p> +<hr /> +<p>Yet in the grave. Years have rolled away. Successors to my chair +sleep in the stony sepulchres around me. Monks whom I have awed or +blessed, slumber in death. Men, whom I have known not, walk in the +cloisters I have built. I am but mentioned as a thing that +was—the memory of a name. Enough. There is no communion among +the dead. Methought the spirits of the other world held converse on +the joys they left on earth. But all is still. I cannot hear a +lament, even for a rotted bone. The dead are tongue-tied. In yonder +chancel sleeps a monarch, murdered by bloody relations. Should not +such a spirit shriek aloud for vengeance, or weep a wailing for his +destiny? But all is still. I hear no night owl screech. Earth is +the only dwelling place of noise. Death knows it not. Methinks a +shriek were music, a sigh were melody, a groan a feast. But no. +Time has almost used me to its sombre sameness. Is not time tired +to have gone so long the same unchanging course? I cannot move. My +joints are aching with continued rest. I cannot turn:—my +sides are sunken in. Would I could turn and crush them into bones +with my reclining weight. Is my heart sinful that it weighs down +all my body. Is this the gnawing and undying worm? Is THIS TO BE +DEAD.</p> +<hr /> +<p>Six hundred years and still I am in the tomb. So much of man has +sought a refuge in the grave. I well may ask if life is yet on +earth. Has man degraded or is England ruined! I hear the footsteps +of those that gaze upon the stony sepulchres. I feel the glaring of +their curious eyes between the crevices which time has uncemented. +They make remarks. Is then a tomb a monument of wonder? They talk +of monks as things that are no more. Then is the world no more. At +last the time is come. They lay their iron hand upon the stone. +They knock, they knock. Hark! It rings through the giant isles till +the echo thrills with joy. They knock the stony cerement that +enshrines me. Great Heaven! I thank thee! Used as I am become to my +hollow narrowness, I shall rejoice to quit it. The lid upraises. I +feel the air. I feel the air. Now, now, let me rise. I feel myself +<span class="pagenum"><a id="page270" name="page270"></a>[pg +270]</span> prepared. Ah! the boots fall off. I shall ascend. The +boots fall off. What are there none to raise me? See, they grin. Am +I not come unto the resurrection of the life? What! that horrid lid +again. O, no, no. They stifle me again. They fasten me to +sleep—to sleep—to sleep. THIS, THIS IS TO BE DEAD.</p> +<p>P.S.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>NOTES OF A READER</h2> +<h3>WILLS,</h3> +<h4><i>Abridged from Powell's Advice to Executors, (just +published.)</i></h4> +<p><i>Queen Consort.</i>—An ancient perquisite belonging to +the Queen Consort was, that on the taking of a <i>whale</i> on the +coasts, it should be divided between the King and Queen; the head +only becoming the King's property, and the tail the Queen's. The +reason of this whimsical distinction, as assigned by our ancient +records, was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe with whalebone.</p> +<p><i>A civil Death</i> is where a husband has undergone +transportation for life. In such case, his wife is legally entitled +to make a will, and act in every other matter, as if she was +unmarried, or as though her husband were dead.—<i>Roper's +Husband and Wife</i>.</p> +<p><i>Pin Money.</i>—It has been judicially determined, that +a married woman having any <i>pin-money</i>, (by which is +understood an annual income settled by the husband, before +marriage, on his intended wife, or allowed by him to her after +marriage, gratuitously, for her personal and private expenditure +during the existence of the marriage,) or any separate maintenance, +may, by will, bequeath her <i>savings</i> out of such allowance, +without the license or consent of her husband.—<i>Clamey's +Equitable Rights of Married Women.</i></p> +<p><i>Compulsory Will.</i>—So cautious is the Ecclesiastical +Court in guarding against restraint of any kind, that in a case in +which it was proved that a man, in his last sickness, was compelled +to make his will to <i>procure quiet from the extreme importunity +of his wife</i>, it was held to have been made under restraint, and +was declared void.</p> +<p><i>Wills of Criminals.</i>—The lands and tenements of +<i>traitors</i>, from the commission of the offence, and their +goods and chattels, from the time of their conviction, are +forfeited to the king. They have therefore no property in either; +and are not merely deprived of the privilege of making any kind of +will after the period of their conviction, but any will +<i>previously</i> made is rendered void by such conviction, both as +respects real and personal estate. The law respecting <i>felons</i> +is the same, unless it be worth recording that a remarkable +exception exists in favour of Gavelkind lands, which, even though +the ancestor be hanged, are not forfeited for felony.</p> +<p><i>Bachelors' Wills.</i>—Without any express revocation, +if a man who has made his will, afterwards <i>marries, and has a +child or children</i>, his will, made while a bachelor, will be +presumptively <i>revoked</i>, both as regards real and personal +estate, and he will be pronounced to have died intestate. The law +presumes that it must be the natural intention of every man to +provide for his wife and offspring before all others, and, +consequently, in such a case, apportions his property according to +the Statute of Distributions. But the fact of a marriage alone, +<i>without a child</i>, is no revocation; and though both facts +conjoin to revoke the will, yet such revocation is only on the +presumption that the testator <i>could not have intended</i> his +will to remain good. If, on the other hand, from expressions used +by him, and other proof, it be made to appear unquestionable that +it was his intent that his will <i>should</i> continue in force, +the marriage and birth of children will not revoke it.</p> +<p><i>Paraphernalia of a Widow.</i>—These are defined to be +"such goods as a wife is, after her husband's death, allowed to +retain in preference to all creditors and legatees; as necessary +wearing apparel, and jewels, if she be of quality; and whether so +or not, all such ornaments of the person, as watches, rings, and +trinkets, as <i>she used to wear</i> in her husband's life-time. +Under the term 'wearing apparel' are included whatsoever articles +were given to her by her husband for the purpose of being made up +into clothes, although he may have died before they were made up." +(<i>Clamey.</i>) It should be added, however, that the jewels of +the wife are, after her husband's death, liable to the payment of +his debts, should his personal estate be exhausted; though her +necessary wearing apparel is protected against the claim of all +creditors.</p> +<hr /> +<h3>SUPERSTITION OF SAILORS.</h3> +<p>The following is from Messrs. Bennet and Tyerman's <i>Voyages +and Travels</i>: "Our chief mate said, that on board a ship where +he had served, the mute on duty ordered some of the youths to reef +the main-top-sail. When the first got <span class="pagenum"><a id= +"page271" name="page271"></a>[pg 271]</span> up, he heard a strange +voice saying, '<i>It blows hard</i>.' The lud waited for no more; +he was down in a trice, and telling his adventure; a second +immediately ascended, laughing at the folly of his companion, but +returned even more quickly declaring that he was quite sure that a +voice, not of this world, had cried in his ear, 'It blows hard.' +Another went, and another, but each came back with the same tale. +At length the mate, having sent up the whole watch, run up the +shrouds himself; and when he reached the haunted spot, heard the +dreadful words distinctly uttered in his ears, 'It blows hard.' +'Ay, ay, old one; but blow it ever so hard, we must ease the +earings for all that,' replied the mate undauntedly; and looking +round, he spied a fine parrot perched on one of the clues—the +thoughtless author of all the false alarms, which had probably +escaped from some other vessel, but had not been discovered to have +taken refuge on this. Another of our officers mentioned that, on +one of his voyages, he remembered a boy having been sent up to +clear a rope which had got foul above the mizen-top. Presently, +however, he came back, trembling, and almost tumbling to the +bottom, declaring that he had seen 'Old Davy,' aft the cross-trees; +moreover, that the Evil One had a huge head and face, with pricked +ears, and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent up +in succession; to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was +identified by each to be 'Old Davy, sure enough.' The mate, in a +rage, at length mounted himself; when resolutely, as in the former +case, searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent +cause of so much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to +be out of sight to those who ascended on the other side of the +vessel, but which when any one approached the cross-trees, popped +up his portentous visage to see what was coming. The mate brought +him down in triumph, and 'Old Davy,' the owl, became a very +peaceable shipmate among the crew, who were no longer scared by his +horns and eyes; for sailors turn their backs on nothing when they +know what it is. Had the birds, in these two instances, departed as +they came, of course they would have been deemed supernatural +visitants to the respective ships, by all who had heard the one or +seen the other." W.G.C.</p> +<hr class="full" /> +<h2>THE GATHERER</h2> +<hr /> +<p><i>Hard Duty.</i>—As a gentleman's coachman washed his +master's carriage during divine service on Sunday morning, he was +heard to say that "he hoped his master and mistress prayed for him, +as he had no time to pray for himself." He brought his lady home +from the Opera at one in the morning; then went to fetch his master +from the "Hell" in St. James's-street, and by the time he had +littered and rubbed down his horses, and got to his own bed, it was +four o'clock; he thought after that he could not do less than sleep +till nine; by half-past-ten he had got his breakfast, and at twelve +his carriage was ready; at one he took his dinner; at two he was +ordered to be at the door to take his lady and the young ladies to +the Park; at five he returned, and was ordered out at six, to carry +the family to dinner; after setting them down, he was directed to +come at half-past eleven; and by two o'clock on Monday morning, the +poor man was once more in his bed.</p> +<p><i>Le Due de Bourdeaux.</i>—It was still dark when the +order was given to notify the auspicious birth of the young Duc de +Bordeaux, in November, 1820, to the inhabitants of Paris. It was +observed to the Duc de Richelieu, that it might perhaps be better +to wait for the break of day, to fire the cannon; to which he +replied, "For news so glorious, it is break of day at all +times."<span style="margin-left:3em">S.H.</span></p> +<p><i>Scriptural Memoranda.</i>—Verse 18, chap. xii. of the +first Book of Maccabees, will make an excellent motto for a seal. +The 21st verse of the 7th chap. of Ezra, contains every letter of +the alphabet. The 19th chap, of the 2nd Book of Kings, and the 37th +of Isaiah, are alike, as are also the 31st chap, of the first Book +of Samuel, and the 10th chap, of the 1st Chronicles.<span style= +"margin-left:3em">T. GILL.</span></p> +<p>"<i>Caviare to the Multitude</i>," is as good a simile as +Shakspeare ever made, for where is the artisan, but after having +tasted it, began to spit and splutter as though he had been +poisoned, while the aristocrat, the one in a thousand, licks his +lips after it, as the greatest delicacy. This article is the roe of +the sturgeon, salted down and pressed, and is imported into this +country from Odessa.<span style="margin-left:3em">S.H.</span></p> +<p><i>Man-killing and Man-eating.</i>—I really do not think +the New Zealanders are half so barbarous as the Russians, whatever +other folks may say of it, and I'll abide by what I've said too: it +is true they <span class="pagenum"><a id="page272" name= +"page272"></a>[pg 272]</span> sometimes indulge a little by eating +a man for dinner, as a delicacy; but leaving eating out of the +question, one Russian chief caused more bloodshed last year, than +all the New Zealanders put together; and after all, it is an +undoubted fact, that a couple of Russians will eat up a rein-deer +at a meal! (that is, they will not give over till they have +finished it,) so they do not want appetite; and if they were in New +Zealand, and a man were to fall in their way, it is very likely +that they would eat him.<span style= +"margin-left:3em">S.H.</span></p> +<p><i>Generosity of Marshal Turenne.</i>—The deputies of a +great metropolis in Germany, once offered the great Turenne 100,000 +crowns not to pass with his army through the city. "Gentlemen," +said he, "I cannot, in conscience, accept your money, as I had no +intention to pass that way."<span style="margin-left:3em">T. +GILL.</span></p> +<p><i>Spain.</i>—It is remarkable that the Carthaginians +having established colonies in Spain, drew their riches from that +country, as the Spaniards themselves afterwards did from South +America.</p> +<p><i>Breakfast.</i>—It has been observed, such is our +luxury, that the world must be encompassed to furnish a washerwoman +with breakfast: with tea from China, and sugar from the West +Indies.</p> +<p><i>Bamboo.</i>—The largest and tallest sort of bamboo, +known In India, is about half the height of the London Monument, or +100 feet.</p> +<p><i>Brick-building</i> was practised largely in Italy in the +beginning of the fourteenth century; and the brick buildings +erected at this period in Tuscany, and other parts of the north of +Italy, exhibit at the present day the finest specimens extant of +brick-work!</p> +<p><i>Nothing Impossible.</i>—Mirabeau's haste of temper was +known, and he must be obeyed. "Monsieur Comte," said his secretary +to him one day, "the thing you require is impossible." +"Impossible!" exclaimed Mirabeau, starting from his chair, "never +again use that <i>foolish word</i> in my +presence."—<i>Dumont's Mirabeau.</i> (This brief anecdote +should never be forgotten by the reader: it is more characteristic +than hundreds of pages; it is, to all men, a lesson almost in a +line.)</p> +<p><i>"Nice to a Shaving."</i>—When Louis VII. of France, to +obey the injunctions of his bishops, cropped his hair and shaved +his beard, Eleanor, his consort, found him with this unusual +appearance, very ridiculous, and soon very contemptible. She +revenged herself as she thought proper, and the poor shaved king +obtained a divorce. She then married the Count of Anjou, afterwards +our Henry II. She had for her marriage dower the rich provinces of +Poitu and Guyenne; and this was the origin of those wars which for +three hundred years ravaged France, and cost the French three +millions of men: all which, probably, had never occurred, had Louis +VII. not been so rash as to crop his head, and shave his beard, by +which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen +Eleanor.<span style="margin-left:3em">W.A.</span></p> +<p><i>American Wife.</i>—The following advertisement for a +wife appeared a few years since, in a New York paper:—"Wanted +immediately, a young lady, of the following description, (as a +wife,) with about 2,000 dollars as a patrimony, sweet temper, spend +little, be a good housewife, and born in America; and as I am not +more than twenty-five years of age, I hope it will not be difficult +to find a good wife. N.B. I take my dwelling in South Second +Street, No. 273. Any lady that answers the above description will +please to leave her card."<span style= +"margin-left:3em">W.G.C.</span></p> +<p>The following is said to be an unpublished epigram of Lord +Byron:—</p> +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p>An old phlegmatic Dutchman took</p> +<p class="i2">A pretty Jewish wife,</p> +<p>And what still more surprising is,</p> +<p class="i2">He lov'd her 'bove his life—</p> +<p>Oh! Holland and Jerusalem,</p> +<p>What, tell me, do you think of them?</p> +</div> +</div> +<p><i>A Queer Library.</i>—The eccentric physician, Dr. +Radcliffe, when pursuing his studies, was content with looking into +the works of Dr. Willis. He was possessed of very few books, +insomuch that when Dr. Bathurst, head of Trinity College, asked him +once with surprise, where his study was? he pointed to a few vials, +a skeleton, and a herbal, and said, "Sir, this is Radcliffe's +Library."<span style="margin-left:3em">P.T.W.</span></p> +<p><i>How to detect a Thief.</i>—A watch was stolen in the +Pit of the Opera, in Paris; the loser complained in a loud voice, +and said, "It is just nine; in a few minutes my watch will strike; +the second is strong; and by that means we shall instantly +ascertain where it is." The thief, terrified at this, endeavoured +to escape, and by his agitation discovered himself.<span style= +"margin-left:3em">T. GILL.</span></p> +<hr class="full" /> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote1" name= +"footnote1"></a> <b>Footnote 1</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag1">(return)</a> +<p>See <i>Mirror</i>, vol. xiii. p. 33.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote2" name= +"footnote2"></a> <b>Footnote 2</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag2">(return)</a> +<p>A graphic Account of the Colosseum, from the apt pen of Mr. +Britton, the architect.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote3" name= +"footnote3"></a> <b>Footnote 3</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag3">(return)</a> +<p>See <i>Mirror</i>, vol. xiii. p. 97.</p> +</blockquote> +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote4" name= +"footnote4"></a> <b>Footnote 4</b>:<a href= +"#footnotetag4">(return)</a> +<p>There are now (June) five young emus alive, and appearing +perfectly healthy.</p> +</blockquote> +<hr class="full" /> +<p><i>Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand (near +Somerset House,) London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER. 626. New Market, +Leipsic. G.G. BENNIS, 55, Rue Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris; and by +all Newsmen and Booksellers.</i></p> +<hr class="full" /> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, +and Instruction, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE *** + +***** This file should be named 11542-h.htm or 11542-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/4/11542/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction + Vol. 19, Issue 544, April 28, 1832 + +Author: Various + +Release Date: March 11, 2004 [EBook #11542] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE *** + + + + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + + + + +THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION. + +Vol. 19, No. 544] SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 1832 [Price 2d. + + * * * * * + + + +SWISS COTTAGE, AT THE COLOSSEUM, IN THE REGENT'S PARK. + + +[Illustration: Swiss Cottage, At The Colosseum] + +It is now upwards of three years since we directed the attention of our +readers to the wonders of this little world of art.[1] The ingenious +projector, Mr. Horner, was then polite enough to conduct us throughout +the buildings and grounds, and to explain to us the original design of +the unfinished works as well as of many contemplated additions. This was +about three weeks before the Exhibition was opened to the public. The +_Panorama_ was then partly in outline, and we had to catch its +identities through a maze of scaffolding poles, planks, and stages; +while the immense domed area re-echoed with the operations of scores of +_artistes_ of every grade, from the upholsterer nailing up gay +draperies, to the heavy blow of the carpenter's mallet. We took +advantage of our privileged visit, to point out to the reader how much +he might expect from a visit to the Panorama, and, in our subsequent +visits we have not for a moment regretted the particular attention we +were induced to bestow upon this unrivalled work of art. It is justly +described to be "such a _Pictoral History of London_--such a faithful +display of its myriads of public and private buildings--such an +impression of the vastness, wealth, business, pleasure, commerce, and +luxury of the English metropolis, as nothing else can effect. Histories, +descriptions, maps, and prints, are all imperfect and defective, when +compared to this immense Panorama--they are scraps and mere touches of +the pen and pencil--whilst this imparts, at a glance, at one view, a +_cyclopaedia of information_--a concentrated history--a focal topography, +of the largest and most influential city in the world. The immense area +of surface which this picture occupies will surprise the reader: it +measures 40,000 square feet, or nearly an acre in extent."[2] This may +be a glowing eulogium; but it is true to the line and letter. + + [1] See _Mirror_, vol. xiii. p. 33. + + [2] A graphic Account of the Colosseum, from the apt pen of Mr. + Britton, the architect. + +We have already illustrated the Panorama,[3] and it is our intention to +introduce other embellishments of the Colosseum, as far as may be +compatible with finished sketches. Our present subject is the principal +apartment in the _Swiss Cottage_, to which the reader or visiter is +conducted through a range of conservatories, containing choice exotics, +with some of the most majestic proportions of leaf and flower that can +be enjoyed in any clime. The communication is by a stone-work passage, +the temperature of which is a refreshing succedaneum to that of the +conservatories, or 72 deg.. This cottage was designed by P.F. Robinson, Esq. +who has evinced considerable taste in a publication on cottages and +cottage-villas, as well as in the execution of various buildings. It +consists of four apartments, three of which may be considered as +finished. The apartment in our Engraving was completed, or nearly so, on +our first visit. It is wainscotted with coloured (knotted) wood, and +carved in imitation of the ornamented dwelling of a Swiss family. The +fire-place will be recognised as the very _beau ideal_ of cottage +comfort: the raised hearthstone, massive fire-dogs and chimney-back, and +its cosy seats, calculated to contain a whole family seated at the sides +of its ample hearth---are characteristic of the primitive enjoyments of +the happy people from among whom this model was taken. Our view is from +the extreme corner, from which point the entrance-passage is shown in +the distance. + + [3] See _Mirror_, vol. xiii. p. 97. + +[Illustration: Apartment Interior] + +The second Engraving shows the recessed window of the apartment, which +faces the fire-place, and commands a view of a mass of rock-scenery, +ornamented with waterfalls of singular contrivance and effect. The +frames are filled in with plate-glass, so that the view of these +artificial wonders is unobstructed. Our artist has, in his sketch, +endeavoured to convey some idea of their outline; but he hopes to supply +an amplification of their scenic beauty in a future engraving. We may, +however, observe that the view from this window deserves the character +of the _sublime in miniature_, and presents even a microcosm, where + + Rocks and forests, lakes, and mountains grand, + Mark the true majesty of Nature's hand. + +The whole apartment presents a finished specimen of joinery, with a +tasteful display of ornamental carving. Its colour is a deep warm or, we +think, _burnt sienna_, brown; the furniture is in _recherche_ rusticated +style, planned by Mr. Gray, whose taste in these matters is elaborately +correct; and it requires but the social blaze on the hearth, (which our +artist has liberally supplied,) to complete the well-devised illusion of +the scene. The apartment was painted about two years since as a scene +for a musical piece at Covent Garden Theatre, the incidents of which lay +in Switzerland. + + * * * * * + + +THE VOICES OF THE NIGHT. + +BY MISS M.L. BEEVOR. + +(_For the Mirror._) + + + Like some young veiled Bride, + Gleams the moon's hazy face, + When tissues that would hide + But lend her charms a grace: + Each winkling starlet pale, + Sleeps in its far, far fold, + Wrapp'd in the heavy veil + Of dewy clouds and cold. + The turmoil, din, and strife, + Of factious earth are o'er; + The turbid waves of life + Have ceas'd to roll and roar; + But tones now meet the ear, + Full fraught with strange delight, + And intermingling fear: + _The Voices of the Night!_ + + Not such as softly rise + When boughs with song o'erflow, + And lover's vows and sighs, + Like incense breathe below; + Not such as warm his breast, + Whose fever'd anxious brain + Toils when all else hath rest, + To bring the _lost_ again! + + But the owl's boding shriek, + The death-cry of his prey; + The tongues that durst not speak + In bright unslumb'ring day; + The murd'rer's curses fell, + His quiv'ring victim's groan; + The mutt'red, moody spell + Which rocks ABADDON'S throne! + + The song of winds that sweep + Impetuously around + Our rolling sphere, and keep + Up conferences profound; + The music of the sea, + When battling waves run mad; + Far sweeter there may be, + But none so wild and sad. + + The wail of forests vast + Thro' which pour storms like light, + Whilst rending in the blast, + They feebly own its might! + Deep thund'rings o'er the main: + The short shrill smother'd cry, + Hurl'd to the skies in vain, + Of drowning agony! + + The SOMETHING _toneless_, which + Speaks awfully to men, + Startling the poor and rich, + For CONSCIENCE _will_ talk then; + These are the watch-words drear, + _The Voices of the Night_, + Which harrow the sick ear, + The stricken heart affright! + + _Great Marlow, Bucks._ + + * * * * * + + + +MANNERS & CUSTOMS OF ALL NATIONS. + + + * * * * * + + +MAY-DAY GAMES. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + +This day of joyous festivity has almost ceased to be the harbinger of +mirth and jollity; and the gambols of our forefathers are nearly +forgotten amidst the high notions of modern refinement. Time was when +king, lords, and commons hailed May-day morning with delight, and bowed +homage to her fair and brilliant queen. West end and city folks united +in their freaks, ate, drank, and joined the merry dance from morning +dawn till close of day. Thus in an old ballad of those times we find + + The hosiers will dine at the Leg, + The drapers at the sign of the Brush, + The fletchers to Robin Hood will go, + And the spendthrift to Beggar's bush. + +And another + + The gentry to the King's head, + The nobles to the Crown, &c. + +The rustic had his morrice-dance, hobby-horse race, and the gaudy +Mayings of Robin Hood, which last were instituted, according to an old +writer, in honour of his memory, and continued till the latter end of +the sixteenth century. These games were attended not by the people only, +but by kings and princes, and grave magistrates. + +Stow says, "that in the moneth of May, the citizens of London, of all +estates, lightlie in every parish, or sometimes two or three parishes +joyning together, had their severall Mayinges, and did fetch in +Maypoles, with divers warlike showes, with good archers, +morrice-dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long, and +towards the evening they had stage-playes and bone-fires in the +streetes. These greate Mayinges and Maygames, made by governors and +masters of this citie, with the triumphant setting up of the greate +shafte, (a principall May-pole in Cornhill, before the parish church of +S. Andrew, therefore called Undershafte,) by meane of an insurrection of +youthes against alianes, on May-day, 1517, have not beene so freely used +as afore." + +The disuse of these ancient pastimes and the consequent neglect of +Archerie, are thus lamented by Richard Niccols, in his _London's +Artillery_, 1616: + + How is it that our London hath laid downe + This worthy practise, which was once the crowne, + Of all her pastime which her Robin Hood + Had wont each yeare when May did clad the wood + With lustre greene, to lead his young men out, + Whose brave demeanour, oft when they did shoot, + Invited royall princes from their courts + Into the wilde woods to behold their sports! + Who thought it then a manly sight and trim, + To see a youth of clene compacted lim, + Who, with a comely grace, in his left hand + Holding his bow, did take his steadfast stand, + Setting his left leg somewhat foorth before, + His Arrow with his right hand nocking sure, + Not stooping, nor yet standing streight upright, + Then, with his left hand little 'bove his sight, + Stretching his arm out, with an easie strength + To draw an arrow of a yard in length. + +The lines + + "Invited royall princes from their courts + Into the wilde woods to behold their sports," + +may be reasonably supposed to allude to Henry the VIIIth, who appears to +have been particularly attached, as well to the exercise of archery, as +to the observance of Maying. "Some short time after his coronation," +says Hall, "he came to Westminster with the quene, and all their traine, +and on a tyme being there, his grace, therles of Essex, Wilshire, and +other noble menne, to the number of twelve, came sodainly in a mornyng +into the quenes chambre, all appareled in short cotes of Kentish kendal, +with hodes on their heddes, and hosen of the same, every one of them his +bowe and arrowes, and a sworde and a bucklar, like outlawes, or Robyn +Hodesmen; whereof the quene, the ladies, and al other there were abashed +as well for the straunge sight, as also for their sodain commyng, and +after certayn daunces and pastime made, thei departed." + +The same author gives the following curious account of a Maying, in the +7th year of that monarch, 1516: "The king and quene, accompanied with +many lords and ladies, rode to the high ground on Shooter's Hill to take +the air, and as they passed by the way, they espied a company of tall +yomen clothed all in green, with green whodes and bows and arrows, to +the number of 90. One of them calling himself Robin Hood, came to the +king, desiring him to see his men shoot, and the king was content. Then +he wistled, and all the 90 archers shot and losed at once, he then +whistled again, and they shot again; their arrows wistled by craft of +the head, so that the noise was strange and great, and much pleased the +king, the quene, and all the company. All these archers were of the +king's guard, and had thus appareled themselves to make solace to the +king. Then Robin Hood desired the king and quene to come into the green +wood, and see how the outlaws live. The king demanded of the quene and +her ladies, if they durst venture to go into the wood with so many +outlaws, and the quene was content. Then the horns blew till they came +to the wood under Shooter's Hill, and there was an arbour made of +boughs, with a hall and a great chamber, and an inner chamber, well made +and covered with flowers and sweet herbs, which the king much praised. +Then said Robin Hood, 'Sir, outlaws breakfasts is vensyon, and you must +be content with such fare as we have.' The king and quene sat down, and +were served with venison and wine by Robin Hood and his men. Then the +king and his party departed, and Robin and his men conducted them. As +they were returning, they were met by two ladies in a rich chairiot, +drawn by five horses, every horse had his name on his head, and on every +horse sat a lady, with her name written; and in a chair sat the Lady +May, accompanied with Lady Flora, richly appareled, and they saluted the +king with divers songs, and so brought him to Greenwhich." + +The games of Robin Hood seem to have been occasionally of a dramatic +cast. Sir John Paston, in the time of King Edward IV. complaining of the +ingratitude of his servants, mentions one who had promised never to +desert him, and "ther uppon," says he, "I have kepyd hym thys iii yer to +pleye Seynt Jorge, and Robyn Hod, and the Shryf off Notyngham, and now +when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I without a +keeper." + +In some old accounts of the Churchwardens, of Saint Helens, at Abingdon, +Berks, for the year 1556, there is an entry for setting up Robins +Hoode's bower; supposed to be for a parish interlude. + +Perhaps the clearest idea of these games will be derived from some +accounts of the Church-wardens, of the parish of Kingston-upon-Thames: + +" _Robin Hood and Maygame. + L. s. d._ + 23 Henry 7th. To the menstorell +upon Mayday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4 +For paynting of the mores garments + and for sarten gret leveres . . . . . . 0 2 4 +For paynting of a bannar for Robin + Hood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 2 M. and 1/2 pynnys . . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For 4 plyts and 1/2 of laun for the mores + garments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 11 +For orseden for the same. . . . . . . . . 0 0 10 +For a goun for the lady . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 +For bellys for the dawnsers . . . . . . . 0 0 12 + 14 Henry 7th. For Little John's +cote. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 8 0 + 1 Henry 8th. For silver paper for +the mores dawnsars. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 7 +For kendall for Robyn Hode's cote . . . . 0 1 3 +For 3 yerds of white for the frere's cote 0 3 0 +For 4 yerds of kendall for mayde Marian's + huke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 3 4 +For saten of sypers for the same huke . . 0 0 6 +For 2 payre of glovys for Robin Hode + and mayde Maryan. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 3 +For 6 brode arovys. . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 6 +To mayde Mary an for her labour for + 2 years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +To Fygge the taborer. . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 0 +Received for Robyn Hode's gaderyng + 4 marks + 5 Henry 8th. Received for Robin +Hood's gaderyng at Croydon. . . . . . . . 0 9 4 + 11 Henry 8th. Paid for 3 broad +yerds of rosett for makyng frer's cote. . 0 3 6 +Shoes for the mores dawnsars, the frere + and mayde Maryan at 7_d_. a payre. 0 5 4 + 13 Henry 8th. Eight yerds of fustyan +for the mores dawnsars cotes. . . . . . . 0 16 0 +A dosyn of gold skynnes for the mores . . 0 0 10 + 15 Henry 8th. Hire of hats for +Robin Hode. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 16 +Paid for the hat that was lost. . . . . . 0 0 10 + 16 Henry 8th. Received at the +church-ale and Robyn Hode, all things +deducted. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 10 6 +Paid for 6 yerds 1/4 of satyn for Robyn + Hode's cotys. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 12 6 +For makyng the same . . . . . . . . . . . 0 2 0 +For 3 ells of bocram . . . . . . . . . . 0 1 6 + 21 Henry 8th. For spunging and + brushing Robyn Hods cotys . . . . . . 0 0 2 + 28 Henry 8th. Five hats and 4 porses + for the dawnsars . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 4-1/2 +4 yerds of cloth for the fole's cote . . 0 2 0 +2 ells of worstede for mayde Marian's + kyrtle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 6 8 +For 6 payre of double solly'd showne . . 0 4 6 +To the mynstrele . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 10 8 +To the fryer and the piper for to + go to Croydon . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 0 8 + +29 Henry 8th. Mem. left in the keeping of the wardens nowe beinge, a +fryers cote of russet, and a kyrtle of a worstyde weltyd with red cloth, +a mouren's cote of buckram, and 4 morres dawnsars cotes of white fustian +spangelyd, and two gryne saten cotes, and a dysardd's cote of cotton, +and 6 payre of garters with bells." + +Having given so many items of the Robin Hood games, it will not be out +of place to furnish some account of the Morrice. + +_The tabor and pipe strike up a morrice.--A shout within._ + +A lord, a lord, a lord, who! + +ENTER THE MORRICE--_They sing_. + + Skip it, and trip it, nimbly, nimbly, + Tickle it, tickle it, lustily, + Strike up the tabor, for the wenches favour, + Tickle it, tickle it, lustily. + Let us be seen on Hygale Greene, + To dance for the honour of Holloway, + Since we are come hither, let's spare for no leather, + To dance for the honour of Holloway. + +_Ed._ Well said, my boys, I must have my lord's livery; what is't, a +maypole? troth, 'twere a good body for a courtier's impreza, if it had +but this life--_Frustra storescit_. Hold, cousin, hold. + +(_He gives the fool money_.) + +_Fool_. Thanks, cousin, when the lord my father's audit comes, we'll +repay you again, your benevolence too, sir. + +_Mam._ What! a lord's son become a beggar! + +_Fool_. Why not, when beggars are become lord's sons. Come, 'tis but a +trifle. + +_Mam._ Oh, sir, many a small make a great. + +_Fool_. No, sir, a few great make a many small. Come, my lords, poor and +needy hath no law. + +_Ed._ Nor necessity no right. Drum, down with them into the cellar. Rest +content, rest content, one bout more, and then away. + +_Fool_. Spoke like a true heart; I kiss thy foot, sweet knight. + +(_The Morrice sing and dance, and exeunt_.) + +SWAINE. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF _NEW WORKS_. + + + * * * * * + + +SITTING IN THE DRUID'S CHAIR. + + +We detach the following scene from one of Mr. Horace Smith's _Tales of +the_ _Early Ages_. The date is the fifth century, about twenty years +after the final withdrawing of the Romans from Britain. The actors are +Hengist, the Saxon chief, Guinessa, his daughter, betrothed to Oscar, a +young prince, and Gryffhod, a Briton of some distinction, and proprietor +of Caer-Broc, a villa on the Kentish coast, where the parties are +sojourning. The incident embodies the _superstition of sitting in the +Druid's Chair_, similar in its portentous moment to sitting in St. +Michael's Chair, in Cornwall. It is told with considerable force and +picturesque beauty. + +"In the morning, Hengist informed his daughter, to her no small dismay, +that he meant to take her to Canterbury for the purpose of introducing +her to her uncle Horsa, desiring her to make preparations for her +immediate departure. 'But before I leave Caer-Broc,' said the Saxon, 'I +would fain mount that lofty cliff up which I climbed fifteen years ago, +in order that I might discover, if possible, upon what coast the storm +had cast me. It commands, as I recollect, an extensive inland view, and +I would show my fellow-soldiers the beauty of the country into which I +have led them.' + +"'It must have been the Druid's Chair, for that is the loftiest headland +upon our coast.' + +"'The higher the better, my child, for so shall we gain the wider +prospect. The morning is at present, clear, and I would climb the cliff +before those clouds which I see gathering in the west, shall be blown +hither to intercept our prospect.' So saying, he invited his comrades, +as well as Oscar, to accompany him; while Gryffhod, on learning his +purpose, joined his party with Leoline and others of his men, in order +that they might render assistance, should any such be required, in +climbing the broken and somewhat perilous ascent to the dizzy summit of +the cliff. Ropes were provided in case of accident, as persons had more +than once slipped from the narrow ledge, and fallen upon lower fragments +of the cliff, whence they could be only extricated by hauling them up. + +"Battered and undermined by the storms of ages, the Druid's Chair has +long since been shivered into fragments and wasted away; but at the +period of which we are writing it formed the outermost of a chain of +crags which were connected together by a tongue of rock and cliff +sufficiently continuous to allow a passage, but broken into sharp +acclivities and descents which rendered the undertaking toilsome to all, +and not without peril for those who were liable to be giddy, or who did +not possess a good portion of activity. 'Surely,' said Hengist, as he +followed Gryffhod, 'this ridge was much more even when I traversed it +fifteen years ago.' + +"'You are right,' replied the Briton; 'but rains and frosts have since +broken away its surface. This is our steepest ascent, but it is the +last. We will help Guinessa to surmount it, and when we gain the summit, +she shall be the first to sit in the Druid's Chair.' + +"With some little mutual assistance, the whole party gained the pinnacle +of the cliff, which was a small and nearly circular platform, with a +central crag that bore a rude resemblance to a chair. 'You shall have +the honour that was promised you,' said the Saxon chief to his daughter; +'but we must first clear away the samphire and weeds which have taken +previous possession of your seat.' So saying, he cut them away with his +sword, and lead his panting daughter to the throne, upon which she was +by no means sorry to rest herself. Hengist then walked repeatedly round +the lofty level, pointing out with his weapon the distant objects that +engaged his attention, and demanding frequent explanations from +Gryffhod, more particularly as to the direction and distance of +Canterbury. While he was thus occupied, the heavy western clouds, whose +threatenings he had been so anxious to anticipate, were swept rapidly +towards them by a sudden storm gust, which lashed up the waves into +fury, and instantly surrounded the foot of the crag whirlpools of foam. +The extensive prospect upon which they had so lately been gazing was now +shrouded in a dense gloom, presently pierced and irradiated by a vivid +flash of lightning, followed by a crash of thunder that made the lofty +crag tremble beneath their feet. To a martial soul like that of Hengist, +this warring of the elements presented a more spirit-stirring and +congenial spectacle, than all the tranquil beauties of the previous +prospect, and he pointed out to the admiration of his comrades the +fiercer features of the scene, shouting with delight as a huge mass of +the next projecting cliff, undermined by the raving waters, fell +thundering into the depths below. + +"While he was thus occupied, either his extended sword was touched, or +his arm was unnerved by the electric fluid, for the weapon fell from his +hand and instantly disappeared in the whirlpool beneath. 'My sword! my +enchanted sword!' exclaimed Hengist with a loud cry of consternation: +'it is lost, it is gone! a hundred pieces of gold to him who recovers my +precious weapon! I would plunge after it myself, but that I am +prohibited by the magician who fashioned it. My sword! my sword! a +hundred horses, besides the gold, to him who finds it. What! my brave +comrades,' he continued, casting a reproachful look at his +fellow-countrymen, 'will you see your leader ruined, and all his hopes +blasted, rather than attempt to get me back my sword?' + +"'We came hither to fight the Picts and Scots, not to drown ourselves in +such a hopeless enterprise,' muttered the Saxons. + +"'Oscar, my intended son-in-law! you are young and vigorous. Show +yourself worthy of Guinessa by plunging into the waters in search of my +lost talisman.' + +"'It is inevitable death; and besides you have promised her to me +already,' replied the young Prince, recoiling with a shudder from the +edge of the precipice. + +"'Craven! recreant! I recall my consent,' shouted Hengist, hoarse with +rage, 'and here in the face of Heaven I promise her to him, and him +only, who shall redeem my sword from the waters.' + +"'Do you swear to that vow?' asked Leoline, starting forward. + +"'Ay, I swear by the sword itself, an oath that I dare not violate, even +if I would.' + +"'Enough?' said Leoline; and springing instantly from the rock, he +precipitated himself down the fearful abyss, and plunged into the +foaming whirlpool below. Bewildered and aghast at this sudden act of +desperation, Guinessa, uttering a scream of agonized terror, would have +thrown herself after him, had she not been restrained by Gryffhod; but +she still bent over the precipice, her long golden hair, as it streamed +upon the wind, together with her white robes and arms, and her fair +features, all shown in strong relief against the dark thunder-cloud, +imparting to her the appearance of an aerial spirit, just alighted upon +this craggy pinnacle to watch the conflict of the elements. Every eye +was rivetted upon the spot where Leoline had cleft the eddying waves; +not a syllable was uttered; every heart thrilled painfully in +expectation of his reappearance, but he rose not again to the surface, +and the fears of the gazers responded to those of Guinessa, as she at +length ejaculated, in a deep and hollow voice, 'He is lost--he is lost!' +Another brief but dreadful pause ensued, when Guinessa, clasping her +hands sharply together, exclaimed, with an ecstatic shout, 'He rises--he +rises--he has found the sword!' and she sank upon her knees, trembling +all over with a vehement and irrepressible agitation. + +"The object of her deep emotion was now visible to all, holding the +recovered sword in his mouth, while with both hands he fought against +the buffetting billows, which hurled him against the foot of the cliff, +and as often by their recoil swept him back again; for the wave-worn +crag offered no holdfast either for the foot or hand. 'He will perish +still; he will be dashed to pieces against the rock,' cried Hengist, +almost wild with apprehension. + +"'He swims like a fish,' exclaimed Gryffhod, 'but he cannot strike out +of that boiling whirlpool; it is too strong for him. The ropes! the +ropes! where are they? let us lower them instantly, and we may perhaps +succeed in hauling him up.' + +"A rope, secured at top to the Druid's Chair, was instantly thrown over, +but the lower extremity being blown about by the wind, it was not till +after repeated efforts that Leoline could succeed in catching hold of +it, when he raised himself out of the water, and began to climb upwards +by supporting his feet against the cliff. More than once they slipped +away from the wet chalk, and he swung in mid-air; but his teeth still +firmly grasped the sword; he soon obtained a drier foothold, and thus +climbed to the summit: which he had no sooner reached in safety than +Guinessa, overcome by the revulsion of her feelings, sank panting and +fainting into her father's arms. Eagerly snatching the redeemed weapon, +its owner ran his eye over the blade, when finding that it had received +no injury, nor suffered any obliteration of the talismanic characters, +he repeatedly kissed it, replaced it in its scabbard, and then cordially +embracing its recoverer exclaimed, 'Thanks, brave Leoline; ay, and +something more substantial than empty thanks. Guinessa was right, after +all; she knows where to find a valiant and a worthy man; and, by Heaven! +I am glad that she preferred you to your rival. Right nobly have you won +her, and honourably shall you wear the prize. There she is; speak to +her; I warrant your voice will revive her more quickly than that of +Gryffhod; her consent you need not ask, for that you have obtained +already, so take her for your wife when you will, and God give you joy +of your choice, as for my part, I thank Heaven for bestowing on me so +dauntless a son-in-law!' + +"Cordial were the congratulations from all parties except Oscar, who, +filled with mortification and jealous hatred, slunk away before the +others; and during the march to Canterbury, which was commenced +immediately after their descent from the Druid's Chair, kept himself +aloof, equally incensed against Gryffhod, Hengist, and Guinessa, and +meditating dark schemes of vengeance." + +Oscar attempts to assassinate his successful rival at Canterbury; he +escapes, but in crossing the sea for Gaul, is taken by the piratical +Picts, carried to Scotland, and condemned to a rigorous and lifelong +slavery. Leoline and Guinessa are married, and Hengist becoming +paramount in Kent, assigns to them a castle with ample domains in the +Isle of Thanet; and in sailing along the coast they often pointed to +"the dizzy summit of the Druid's Chair," which Leoline often proudly +declared to be far more precious to him than any other object in +existence, since it had given him that which alone made existence +valuable--his Guinessa! + +In one of the Tales--of the Council of Nice, in the fourth century, Mr. +Smith indulges his usual felicitous vein of humour, in a burlesque which +he puts into the mouth of a slave of the Bishop of Ethiopia,--"a little, +corpulent, bald-headed, merry-eyed man of fifty, whose name was Mark; +whose duty it was to take charge of the oil, trim the lamps, and perform +other menial offices in the church of Alexandria." The profane wight +deserved, for his wit, a better place. + + * * * * * + + +THE JUST DYING SPEECH AND CONFESSION OF THE PAGAN IMMORTALS. + + + Alack and alas! it hath now come to pass, + That the Gods of Olympus, those cheats of the world, + Who bamboozled each clime from the birthday of Time, + Are at length from their mountebank eminence hurl'd. + + On their cold altar-stone are no offerings thrown, + And their worshipless worships no passenger greets, + Though they still may have praise for amending our ways, + If their statues are broken for paving the streets. + + The Deus Opt. Max. of these idols and quacks + Is now thrust in a corner for children to flout, + And the red thunder-brand he still grasps in his hand. + Lights not Jupiter Tonans to grope his way out. + + Their Magnus Apollo no longer we follow, + He's routed and flouted and laid on the shelf, + And no poet's address will now reach him unless + He can play his own lyre and flatter himself. + + As for Bacchus the sot, he has drain'd his last pot, + And must lay in the grave his intoxicate head, + For although by his aid he his votaries made + Full often dead drunk, they have now drunk him dead. + + O Mars, battle's Lord! canst thou not draw a sword, + As forth from its temple thy statue we toss? + We want not thy lance, since our legions advance + Beneath the bless'd banner of Constantine's cross. + + Juno, Venus, and Pallas, to shame were so callous, + And have always so widely from decency swerved, + That it well might be urged, if their statues were scourged + And then thrown in the kennel, their doom was deserved. + + The pontiffs and priests, who have lost all their feasts, + And the oracles shorn of their hecatomb herds, + Having nothing to carve, if they don't wish to starve, + Must feed upon falsehoods and eat their own words. + + O'er these mountebanks dead, be this epitaph read, + "The Gods, Priests and Oracles buried beneath, + Who were ever at strife which should lie most in life, + Here _lie_ all alike in corruption and death." + + * * * * * + + + +SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. + + + * * * * * + + +SHELLEY AT OXFORD. + + +A delightful paper, entitled, _Percy Bysshe Shelley at Oxford_ is now in +course of appearance in the _New Monthly Magazine_, from the pen of a +fellow collegian and an early admirer of the genius of the youthful +poet. It is in part conversational. Thus, Shelley _loquitur_:-- + +"I regret only that the period of our residence is limited to four +years; I wish they would revive, for our sake, the old term of six or +seven years. If we consider how much there is for us to learn," here he +paused and sighed deeply through that despondency which sometimes comes +over the unwearied and zealous student; "we shall allow that the longer +period would still be far too short!" I assented, and we discoursed +concerning the abridgement of the ancient term of residence, and the +diminution of the academical year by frequent, protracted and most +inconvenient vacations. "To quit Oxford," he said, "would be still more +unpleasant to you than to myself, for you aim at objects that I do not +seek to compass, and you cannot fail since you are resolved to place +your success beyond the reach of chance." He enumerated with extreme +rapidity, and in his enthusiastic strain, some of the benefits and +comforts of a college life. "Then the _oak_ is such a blessing," he +exclaimed with peculiar fervour, clasping his hands, and repeating +often--"the oak is such a blessing!" slowly and in a solemn tone. "The +oak alone goes far towards making this place a paradise. In what other +spot in the world, surely in none that I have hitherto visited, can you +say confidently, it is perfectly impossible, physically impossible, that +I should be disturbed? Whether a man desire solitary study, or to enjoy +the society of a friend or two, he is secure against interruption. It is +not so in a house, not by any means; there is not the same protection in +a house, even in the best-contrived house. The servant is bound to +answer the door; he must appear and give some excuse: he may betray, by +hesitation and confusion, that he utters a falsehood; he must expose +himself to be questioned; he must open the door and violate your privacy +in some degree; besides there are other doors, there are windows at +least, through which a prying eye can detect some indication that +betrays the mystery. How different is it here! The bore arrives; the +outer door is shut; it is black and solid, and perfectly impenetrable, +as is your secret; the doors are all alike; he can distinguish mine from +yours by the geographical position only. He may knock; he may call; he +may kick if he will; he may inquire of a neighbour, but he can inform +him of nothing; he can only say, the door is shut, and this he knows +already. He may leave his card, that you may rejoice over it and at your +escape; he may write upon it the hour when he proposes to call again, to +put you upon your guard, and that he may be quite sure of seeing the +back of your door once more. When the bore meets you and says, I called +at your house at such a time, you are required to explain your absence, +to prove an _alibi_ in short, and perhaps to undergo a rigid +cross-examination; but if he tells you, 'I called at your rooms +yesterday at three and the door was shut,' you have only to say, 'Did +you? was it?' and there the matter ends. + +"Were you not charmed with your oak? did it not instantly captivate +you!" + +"My introduction to it was somewhat unpleasant and unpropitious. The +morning after my arrival I was sitting at breakfast: my scout, the +Arimaspian, apprehending that the singleness of his eye may impeach his +character for officiousness, in order to escape the reproach of seeing +half as much only as other men, is always striving to prove that he sees +at least twice as far as the most sharpsighted: after many +demonstrations of superabundant activity, he inquired if I wanted +anything more; I answered in the negative. He had already opened the +door: 'Shall I sport, Sir?' he asked briskly as he stood upon the +threshold. He seemed so unlike a sporting character, that I was curious +to learn in what sport he proposed to indulge. I answered--'Yes, by all +means,' and anxiously watched him, but to my surprise and disappointment +he instantly vanished. As soon as I had finished my breakfast, I sallied +forth to survey Oxford; I opened one door quickly, and not suspecting +that there was a second, I struck my head against it with some violence. +The blow taught me to observe that every set of rooms has two doors, and +I soon learned that the outer door, which is thick and solid, is called +the oak, and to shut it is termed to sport. I derived so much benefit +from my oak, that I soon pardoned this slight inconvenience: it is +surely the tree of knowledge." + +"Who invented the oak?" + +"The inventers of the science of living in rooms, or chambers--the +monks." + +"Ah! they were sly fellows; none but men who were reputed to devote +themselves for many hours to prayers, to religious meditations, and holy +abstractions, would ever have been permitted quietly to place at +pleasure such a barrier between themselves and the world. We now reap +the advantage of their reputation for sanctity; I shall revere my oak +more than ever, since its origin is so sacred." + + * * * * * + + + +THE NATURALIST. + + +GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY. + +(_Concluded from page 247._) + + +What a lesson may art learn from contemplating scenes of nature. + +_The Thrush._ + +"Thrushes feed very much on snails, looking for them in mossy banks. +Having frequently observed some broken snail-shells near two projecting +pebbles on a gravel walk, which had a hollow between them, I endeavoured +to discover the occasion of their being brought to that situation. At +last I saw a thrush fly to the spot with a snail-shell in his mouth, +which he placed between the two stones, and hammered at it with his beak +till he had broken it, and was then able to feed on its contents. The +bird must have discovered that he could not apply his beak with +sufficient force to break the shell while it was rolling about, and he +therefore found out and made use of a spot which would keep the shell in +one position. I do not know whether Mr. M'Adam has ever observed the +same circumstance, but his ingenious contrivance (if it is his) of +confining stones in a sort of hoop while they are being broken, is +somewhat similar to that of the thrush." + +_The Pike_ it seems, is a formidable foe to _tackle_. + +"The boldness of a pike is very extraordinary. I have seen one follow a +bait within a foot of the spot where I have been standing; and the head +keeper of Richmond Park assured me that he was once washing his hand at +the side of a boat in the great pond in that Park, when a pike made a +dart at it, and he had but just time to withdraw it. A gentleman now +residing at Weybridge, in Surrey, informed me that, walking one day by +the side of the river Wey, near that town, he saw a large pike in a +shallow creek. He immediately pulled off his coat, tucked up his shirt +sleeves, and went into the water to intercept the return of the fish to +the river, and to endeavour to throw it upon the bank by getting his +hands under it. During this attempt, the pike, finding he could not make +his escape, seized one of the arms of the gentleman, and lacerated it so +much that the wound is still very visible. + +"A friend of mine caught a pike a few minutes after breaking his tackle, +and found it in the pike, a part of the gimp hanging out of his mouth. +He also caught another, in high condition, with a piece of strong +twisted wire projecting from its side. On opening it a double eel-hook +was found at the end of the wire, much corroded. This may account for so +few pike being found dead after they have broken away with a gorge-hook +in them. An account will be found, in 'Salmonia,' of a pike taking a +bait, with a set of hooks in his mouth, which he had just before broken +from a line." + +_Affection of Animals._ + +"Animals are so capable of showing gratitude and affection to those who +have been kind to them, that I never see them subjected to ill treatment +without feeling the utmost abhorrence of those who are inflicting it. I +know many persons who, like myself, take a pleasure in seeing all the +animals about them appear happy and contented. Cows will show their +pleasure at seeing those who have been kind to them, by moving their +ears gently, and putting out their wet noses. My old horse rests his +head on the gate with great complacency when he sees me coming, +expecting to receive an apple or a piece of bread. I should even be +sorry to see my poultry and pigs get out of my way with any symptoms of +fear." + +_The Moor-hen._ + +One of Mr. Haydon's new pictures is _the first start in life_--a mother +teaching her infant to walk--it is a clever sketch, but, bearing in mind +the beautiful comparison of Solomon and the lily of the valley, here is +a counterpart. + +"Fishing the other day in Hampton Court Park, I disturbed a moor-hen who +had just hatched, and watched her anxiety and manoeuvres to draw away +her young. She would go a short distance, utter a cry, return, and +seemed to lead the way for her brood to follow. Having driven her away, +that I might have a better opportunity of watching her young ones, she +never ceased calling to them, and they made towards her, skulking +amongst the rushes, till they got to the other side of the pond. They +had only just left the shell, and had probably never heard the cry of +their mother before." + +There is true benevolence in these remarks. How much is conveyed in the +homely expression, that such a man "would not tread upon a worm:" we +should learn to covet such men as friends. + +_The Cardinal Spider._ + +"There is a large breed of spiders which are found very generally in the +palace of Hampton-Court. They are called there 'cardinals,' having I +suppose been first seen in Cardinal Wolsey's hall. They are full an inch +in length, and many of them of the thickness of a finger. Their legs are +about two inches long, and their body covered with a thick hair. They +feed chiefly on moths as appears from the wings of that insect being +found in great abundance under and amongst their webs. In running across +the carpet in an evening, with the shade cast from their large bodies by +the light of the lamp or candle, they have been mistaken for mice, and +have occasioned no little alarm to some of the more nervous inhabitants +of the palace. A doubt has even been raised whether the name of cardinal +has not been given to this creature from an ancient supposition that the +ghost of Wolsey haunts the place of his former glory under this shape. +Be this as it may, the spider is considered as a curiosity, and +Hampton-Court is the only place in which I have met with it." + +Did Wolsey, arrayed in all his glory, ever regard a spider, or think +that his proud name would be coupled with so minute a member of the +creation? + +_Rook-shooting._ + +"Rooks are not easily induced to forsake the trees on which they have +been bred, and which they frequently revisit after the breeding season +is over. This is shown in Hampton-Court Park, where there is an +extensive rookery amongst the fine lime-trees, and where a barbarous and +unnecessary custom prevails of shooting the young rooks. As many as a +hundred dozen of them have been killed in one season, and yet the rooks +build in the avenue, though there is a corresponding avenue close by, in +Bushy Park, which they never frequent, notwithstanding the trees are +equally high and equally secure. I never hear the guns go off during +this annual slaughter without execrating the practice, and pitying the +poor rooks, whose melancholy cries may be heard to a great distance, and +some of whom may be seen, exhausted by their fruitless exertions, +sitting melancholy on a solitary tree waiting till the _sport_ is over, +that they may return and see whether any of the offspring which they +have reared with so much care and anxiety are left to them; or, what is +more probable, the call for assistance of their young having ceased, +they are aware of their fate, and are sitting in mournful contemplation +of their loss. This may appear romantic, but it is nevertheless true." + +Who can read the above without a shudder at the brutal taste of the +lords of the lower world. + +_The Emu._ + +"The only instance I have met with in which the hen bird has not the +chief care in hatching and bringing up the young is in the case of the +emus at the farm belonging to the Zoological Society near Kingston. A +pair of these birds have now five young ones: the female at different +times dropped nine eggs in various places in the pen in which she was +confined. These were collected in one place by the male, who rolled them +gently and carefully along with his beak. He then sat upon them himself, +and continued to do so with the utmost assiduity for nine weeks, during +which time the female never took his place, nor was he ever observed to +leave the nest. When the young were hatched,[4] he alone took charge of +them, and has continued to do so ever since, the female not appearing to +notice them in any way. On reading this anecdote, many persons would +suppose that the female emu was not possessed of that natural affection +for its young which other birds have. In order to rescue it from this +supposition, I will mention that a female emu belonging to the Duke of +Devonshire at Cheswick lately laid some eggs; and as there was no male +bird, she collected them together herself and sat upon them." + + [4] There are now (June) five young emus alive, and appearing + perfectly healthy. + +_The Toad._ + +"It is a curious fact that toads are so numerous in the island of +Jersey, that they have become a term of reproach for its inhabitants, +the word 'Crapaud' being frequently applied to them; while in the +neighbouring island of Guernsey not a toad is to be found, though they +have frequently been imported. Indeed, certain other islands have always +been privileged in this respect. Ireland is free from venomous animals, +of course by the aid of St. Patrick. The same was affirmed of Crete in +olden times, being the birthplace of Jupiter. The Isle of Man is said +also to be free from venomous creatures. The Mauritius, and I believe +one of the Balearic islands, enjoys the same immunity." + +The following anecdote is as pretty as the writer conceives it to be: + +"His present Majesty, when residing in Bushy Park, had a part of the +foremast of the Victory, against which Lord Nelson was standing when he +received his fatal wound, deposited in a small temple in the grounds of +Bushy House, from which it was afterwards removed, and placed at the +upper end of the dining-room, with a bust of Lord Nelson upon it. A +large shot had passed completely through this part of the mast, and +while it was in the temple a pair of robins had built their nest in the +shot-hole, and reared a brood of young ones. It was impossible to +witness this little occurrence without reflecting on the scene of blood, +and strife of war, which had occurred to produce so snug and peaceable a +retreat for a nest of harmless robins. If that delightful poet of the +lakes, Mr. Wordsworth, should ever condescend to read this little +anecdote, it might supply him with no bad subject for one of his +charming sonnets." + +A few entertaining particulars of + +_The Royal Parks._ + +"There are two elm trees, or rather the remains of two, in Hampton Court +Park, known by the name of the 'Giants,' which must have been of an +enormous size, the trunk of one of them measuring twenty-eight feet in +circumference. + +"Cork trees flourish in Hampton Court Park, where there are two large +ones. There are also some ilexes, or evergreen oaks, in Bushy Park, of a +very large size, and apparently as hardy as any other tree there. The +avenues in that park are perhaps the finest in Europe. There are nine of +them altogether, the centre one, formed by two rows of horse-chestnut +trees, being the widest. The side avenues, of which there are four on +each side of the main avenue, are of lime trees, and the whole length, +including the circuit round the Diana water, is one mile and forty +yards. + +"Near the Queen's house in this park is a very fine Spanish chestnut +tree, said to have been planted by Charles II., and to have been the +first which was seen in this country. + +"The trees which at present form so much of the beauty of Greenwich Park +were planted by Evelyn, and if he could now see them he would call them +'goodly trees,' at least some of them. The chestnuts, however, though +they produce some fine fruit, have not thriven in the same proportion +with the elms. In noticing this park I should not forget to mention that +the only remaining part of the palace of Henry VIII. is preserved in the +front of Lord Auckland's house looking into the park. It is a circular +delft window of beautiful workmanship, and in a fine state of +preservation. There are also a great number of small tumuli in the upper +part of the park, all of which appear to have been opened." + +"In addition to the herd of fallow deer, amounting to about one thousand +six hundred, which are kept in Richmond Park, there is generally a stock +of from forty to fifty red deer. One fine stag was so powerful, and +offered so much resistance, that two of his legs were broken in +endeavouring to secure him, and he was obliged to be killed. One who had +shown good sport in the royal hunt, was named 'Sir Edmund,' by his late +Majesty, in consequence of Sir Edmund Nagle having been in at the +'_take_' after a long chase. This stag lived some years afterwards in +the park; and its a curious fact that he died the very same day on which +Sir Edmund Nagle died." + +The volume contains some interesting antiquarian inquiries respecting +Caesar's ford at Kingston, and Maxims for an Angler, by a Bungler. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SKETCH BOOK + + +THE ABBOT OF TEWKESBURY. + +(_For the Mirror._) + + + "After life's fitful fever be sleeps well." + _Shakspeare_. + +(In opening the tomb of the founder of the Abbey at Tewkesbury, the body +of the Abbot was found clothed in full canonicals. The crosier was as +perfect as when, perhaps, first put in the coffin, while the body showed +scarcely any symptom of decay, though it had been entombed considerably +above six hundred years. On exposure to the air, the boots alone of the +Abbot were seen to sink, when the tomb was ordered to be sealed up, and +his holiness again committed in his darkness. On the above circumstance +this sketch is founded.) + +Is this to be dead? Am I not clad in all pontifical splendour? Do I not +feel the crosier on my breast? The holy brethren of the Abbey surround +me. That which distinguished the Abbot when alive, is even here in +collected magnificence. I feel the priestly consequence of the Abbot. Is +this then the Chamber of the Dead? The pious monks are weeping. The +tears which have flowed before the marble shrine are recalled to weep +for a departed brother. The incense is full fragrant. I enjoy the +perception of its odour. It dilates in my stiffened nostrils, but it +supplies me not the breath of life. I hear the loud Hosanna chanted for +a soul which dies in the Lord. I will repeat the strain. No. My voice +refuses to fall back upon the ear. Where is my heart that it beats not +swelling to the anthem's measure? Cold! cold! cold! Nay; I will rise. I +will respond unto the funeral dirge. I will shout. Oh! my trunk is +hardened, and my tongue is glued. Silence! they pause. Say, do they hear +me? No. Silence, horrible and awful. Hark! they mourn with lamentation +on my fate. O, Heaven! must I endure all this? Must the living weep for +the dead, and the conscious dead be doomed to dismal silence. Horror! +horror! horror! IS THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +A convocation! Yes. The holy brothers in assembled synod to elect a +brother holier than themselves. Nay, I do forbid. I, the Abbot who have +loved ye all, refuse permission to your meeting. Disperse, disperse. Do +ye not hear? Is there no charity alive? Who dares usurp my chair, and I +not yet entombed? What! is justice driven out where heavenly men should +dwell? I see it. I mark it. The leaven of pride is kneaded in the +brotherhood. Intriguing hypocrites usurp the House of God. What! brother +John, the fat, the corpulent, the lazy! of whom I know ten thousand +heinous sins; the least sufficient to condemn a soul. An Abbot, chosen +by the holy, is the elect of God. But he--no, no, no. It shall not be. +God will forbid it. They put the crosier in his hand. For shame! for +shame! Let not the vicious living sit in the chair of virtue that is +departed. Why see! he kneels. He kneels before the shrine, where, until +now, he never bent to pray. He grasps the crosier with loving firmness. +It shall not be. Is there no interposing Deity to slay the sinner in his +wickedness? I, I will seize the crosier from his filthy hand. No. My arm +lays idly at my side. Is THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +They chant the funeral dirge. The mighty torches flash their blazing +light upon the frozen features of the dead. Mine eyes are sealed. I +strain to open them. No. Light gleams in upon me as through a clear +veil. Ah! monster of hateful mien! demon deceitful in religious robes! +avaunt! Thou shalt not touch my corpse. No. Thank God! It is a foretaste +of thy love to come. He passes on. He dares not lay polluted hands upon +the dead, whose becalmed face is looking up to thee. The dead, the +sacred dead. The living are for the world, the dead are Thine. Incense, +and prayer, and psalms for the departed. It is respectful, but what heed +I? Man comes into the world only to go out thereof. What then? The +grave! Horror. I have preached thereof. I have shocked others with the +enormities of life until they clung unto the grave. Now, I who have +bidden the virtuous look to the hopes beyond it, myself would cry to +live. But no! they bear me on. He, the foul monster, grins as he looks +upon my outstretched limbs. Wolf, I'll pray for thee. Breathe, breathe +hardly, ye distended nostrils; it is your last pulsation with the air of +earth. No. Sealed as the marble figures by which they bear me. Is this +my Tomb. Is this the narrow house appointed for the living? Is this the +Abbot's palace after death? Nay, I pray thee, brethren, close me not up +in yon receptacle. Where the cold air might shiver on my flesh I may be +happy. Yon tomb is dark and dismal, shut from the eye of day. Louder and +louder grows your chant, I know its terminating cadence. It falls upon +mine ear. Take off this stony lid. Nay, I will knock, knock, knock. My +arms are still unraised. They hear me not. Brethren! men! christians! +no, monks, monks, monks, cold as the stone ye place upon my breast! Have +ye no ears? no hearts? Do I not shout? Do I not pray? Ah! my tongue is +one of marble. It is cold and fixed. They will not hear me. Listen! +their parting and receding steps. Nay, hasten not away. Silence. No. One +step is lingering behind. Thank God! I shout. Brother! what, ho! He +hears. Brother! He pauses. What ho! He goes. Brother! Silence is around, +hushed as my own attempts to burst a voice. Hark! a noise. No. Silence. +Is THIS TO BE DEAD? + + * * * * * + +Yet in the grave. Years have rolled away. Successors to my chair sleep +in the stony sepulchres around me. Monks whom I have awed or blessed, +slumber in death. Men, whom I have known not, walk in the cloisters I +have built. I am but mentioned as a thing that was--the memory of a +name. Enough. There is no communion among the dead. Methought the +spirits of the other world held converse on the joys they left on earth. +But all is still. I cannot hear a lament, even for a rotted bone. The +dead are tongue-tied. In yonder chancel sleeps a monarch, murdered by +bloody relations. Should not such a spirit shriek aloud for vengeance, +or weep a wailing for his destiny? But all is still. I hear no night owl +screech. Earth is the only dwelling place of noise. Death knows it not. +Methinks a shriek were music, a sigh were melody, a groan a feast. But +no. Time has almost used me to its sombre sameness. Is not time tired to +have gone so long the same unchanging course? I cannot move. My joints +are aching with continued rest. I cannot turn:--my sides are sunken in. +Would I could turn and crush them into bones with my reclining weight. +Is my heart sinful that it weighs down all my body. Is this the gnawing +and undying worm? Is THIS TO BE DEAD. + + * * * * * + +Six hundred years and still I am in the tomb. So much of man has sought +a refuge in the grave. I well may ask if life is yet on earth. Has man +degraded or is England ruined! I hear the footsteps of those that gaze +upon the stony sepulchres. I feel the glaring of their curious eyes +between the crevices which time has uncemented. They make remarks. Is +then a tomb a monument of wonder? They talk of monks as things that are +no more. Then is the world no more. At last the time is come. They lay +their iron hand upon the stone. They knock, they knock. Hark! It rings +through the giant isles till the echo thrills with joy. They knock the +stony cerement that enshrines me. Great Heaven! I thank thee! Used as I +am become to my hollow narrowness, I shall rejoice to quit it. The lid +upraises. I feel the air. I feel the air. Now, now, let me rise. I feel +myself prepared. Ah! the boots fall off. I shall ascend. The boots fall +off. What are there none to raise me? See, they grin. Am I not come unto +the resurrection of the life? What! that horrid lid again. O, no, no. +They stifle me again. They fasten me to sleep--to sleep--to sleep. THIS, +THIS IS TO BE DEAD. + +P.S. + + * * * * * + + + +NOTES OF A READER + + +WILLS, + +_Abridged from Powell's Advice to Executors, (just published.)_ + + +_Queen Consort._--An ancient perquisite belonging to the Queen Consort +was, that on the taking of a _whale_ on the coasts, it should be divided +between the King and Queen; the head only becoming the King's property, +and the tail the Queen's. The reason of this whimsical distinction, as +assigned by our ancient records, was to furnish the Queen's wardrobe +with whalebone. + +_A civil Death_ is where a husband has undergone transportation for +life. In such case, his wife is legally entitled to make a will, and act +in every other matter, as if she was unmarried, or as though her husband +were dead.--_Roper's Husband and Wife_. + +_Pin Money._--It has been judicially determined, that a married woman +having any _pin-money_, (by which is understood an annual income settled +by the husband, before marriage, on his intended wife, or allowed by him +to her after marriage, gratuitously, for her personal and private +expenditure during the existence of the marriage,) or any separate +maintenance, may, by will, bequeath her _savings_ out of such allowance, +without the license or consent of her husband.--_Clamey's Equitable +Rights of Married Women._ + +_Compulsory Will._--So cautious is the Ecclesiastical Court in guarding +against restraint of any kind, that in a case in which it was proved +that a man, in his last sickness, was compelled to make his will to +_procure quiet from the extreme importunity of his wife_, it was held to +have been made under restraint, and was declared void. + +_Wills of Criminals._--The lands and tenements of _traitors_, from the +commission of the offence, and their goods and chattels, from the time +of their conviction, are forfeited to the king. They have therefore no +property in either; and are not merely deprived of the privilege of +making any kind of will after the period of their conviction, but any +will _previously_ made is rendered void by such conviction, both as +respects real and personal estate. The law respecting _felons_ is the +same, unless it be worth recording that a remarkable exception exists in +favour of Gavelkind lands, which, even though the ancestor be hanged, +are not forfeited for felony. + +_Bachelors' Wills._--Without any express revocation, if a man who has +made his will, afterwards _marries, and has a child or children_, his +will, made while a bachelor, will be presumptively _revoked_, both as +regards real and personal estate, and he will be pronounced to have died +intestate. The law presumes that it must be the natural intention of +every man to provide for his wife and offspring before all others, and, +consequently, in such a case, apportions his property according to the +Statute of Distributions. But the fact of a marriage alone, _without a +child_, is no revocation; and though both facts conjoin to revoke the +will, yet such revocation is only on the presumption that the testator +_could not have intended_ his will to remain good. If, on the other +hand, from expressions used by him, and other proof, it be made to +appear unquestionable that it was his intent that his will _should_ +continue in force, the marriage and birth of children will not revoke +it. + +_Paraphernalia of a Widow._--These are defined to be "such goods as a +wife is, after her husband's death, allowed to retain in preference to +all creditors and legatees; as necessary wearing apparel, and jewels, if +she be of quality; and whether so or not, all such ornaments of the +person, as watches, rings, and trinkets, as _she used to wear_ in her +husband's life-time. Under the term 'wearing apparel' are included +whatsoever articles were given to her by her husband for the purpose of +being made up into clothes, although he may have died before they were +made up." (_Clamey._) It should be added, however, that the jewels of +the wife are, after her husband's death, liable to the payment of his +debts, should his personal estate be exhausted; though her necessary +wearing apparel is protected against the claim of all creditors. + + * * * * * + + +SUPERSTITION OF SAILORS. + + +The following is from Messrs. Bennet and Tyerman's _Voyages and +Travels_: "Our chief mate said, that on board a ship where he had +served, the mute on duty ordered some of the youths to reef the +main-top-sail. When the first got up, he heard a strange voice saying, +'_It blows hard_.' The lud waited for no more; he was down in a trice, +and telling his adventure; a second immediately ascended, laughing at +the folly of his companion, but returned even more quickly declaring +that he was quite sure that a voice, not of this world, had cried in his +ear, 'It blows hard.' Another went, and another, but each came back with +the same tale. At length the mate, having sent up the whole watch, run +up the shrouds himself; and when he reached the haunted spot, heard the +dreadful words distinctly uttered in his ears, 'It blows hard.' 'Ay, ay, +old one; but blow it ever so hard, we must ease the earings for all +that,' replied the mate undauntedly; and looking round, he spied a fine +parrot perched on one of the clues--the thoughtless author of all the +false alarms, which had probably escaped from some other vessel, but had +not been discovered to have taken refuge on this. Another of our +officers mentioned that, on one of his voyages, he remembered a boy +having been sent up to clear a rope which had got foul above the +mizen-top. Presently, however, he came back, trembling, and almost +tumbling to the bottom, declaring that he had seen 'Old Davy,' aft the +cross-trees; moreover, that the Evil One had a huge head and face, with +pricked ears, and eyes as bright as fire. Two or three others were sent +up in succession; to all of whom the apparition glared forth, and was +identified by each to be 'Old Davy, sure enough.' The mate, in a rage, +at length mounted himself; when resolutely, as in the former case, +searching for the bugbear, he soon ascertained the innocent cause of so +much terror to be a large horned owl, so lodged as to be out of sight to +those who ascended on the other side of the vessel, but which when any +one approached the cross-trees, popped up his portentous visage to see +what was coming. The mate brought him down in triumph, and 'Old Davy,' +the owl, became a very peaceable shipmate among the crew, who were no +longer scared by his horns and eyes; for sailors turn their backs on +nothing when they know what it is. Had the birds, in these two +instances, departed as they came, of course they would have been deemed +supernatural visitants to the respective ships, by all who had heard the +one or seen the other." W.G.C. + + * * * * * + + + +THE GATHERER + + + * * * * * + +_Hard Duty._--As a gentleman's coachman washed his master's carriage +during divine service on Sunday morning, he was heard to say that "he +hoped his master and mistress prayed for him, as he had no time to pray +for himself." He brought his lady home from the Opera at one in the +morning; then went to fetch his master from the "Hell" in St. +James's-street, and by the time he had littered and rubbed down his +horses, and got to his own bed, it was four o'clock; he thought after +that he could not do less than sleep till nine; by half-past-ten he had +got his breakfast, and at twelve his carriage was ready; at one he took +his dinner; at two he was ordered to be at the door to take his lady and +the young ladies to the Park; at five he returned, and was ordered out +at six, to carry the family to dinner; after setting them down, he was +directed to come at half-past eleven; and by two o'clock on Monday +morning, the poor man was once more in his bed. + +_Le Due de Bourdeaux._--It was still dark when the order was given to +notify the auspicious birth of the young Duc de Bordeaux, in November, +1820, to the inhabitants of Paris. It was observed to the Duc de +Richelieu, that it might perhaps be better to wait for the break of day, +to fire the cannon; to which he replied, "For news so glorious, it is +break of day at all times." S.H. + +_Scriptural Memoranda._--Verse 18, chap. xii. of the first Book of +Maccabees, will make an excellent motto for a seal. The 21st verse of +the 7th chap. of Ezra, contains every letter of the alphabet. The 19th +chap, of the 2nd Book of Kings, and the 37th of Isaiah, are alike, as +are also the 31st chap, of the first Book of Samuel, and the 10th chap, +of the 1st Chronicles. T. GILL. + +"_Caviare to the Multitude_," is as good a simile as Shakspeare ever +made, for where is the artisan, but after having tasted it, began to +spit and splutter as though he had been poisoned, while the aristocrat, +the one in a thousand, licks his lips after it, as the greatest +delicacy. This article is the roe of the sturgeon, salted down and +pressed, and is imported into this country from Odessa. S.H. + +_Man-killing and Man-eating._--I really do not think the New Zealanders +are half so barbarous as the Russians, whatever other folks may say of +it, and I'll abide by what I've said too: it is true they sometimes +indulge a little by eating a man for dinner, as a delicacy; but leaving +eating out of the question, one Russian chief caused more bloodshed last +year, than all the New Zealanders put together; and after all, it is an +undoubted fact, that a couple of Russians will eat up a rein-deer at a +meal! (that is, they will not give over till they have finished it,) so +they do not want appetite; and if they were in New Zealand, and a man +were to fall in their way, it is very likely that they would eat him. +S.H. + +_Generosity of Marshal Turenne._--The deputies of a great metropolis in +Germany, once offered the great Turenne 100,000 crowns not to pass with +his army through the city. "Gentlemen," said he, "I cannot, in +conscience, accept your money, as I had no intention to pass that way." +T. GILL. + +_Spain._--It is remarkable that the Carthaginians having established +colonies in Spain, drew their riches from that country, as the Spaniards +themselves afterwards did from South America. + +_Breakfast._--It has been observed, such is our luxury, that the world +must be encompassed to furnish a washerwoman with breakfast: with tea +from China, and sugar from the West Indies. + +_Bamboo._--The largest and tallest sort of bamboo, known In India, is +about half the height of the London Monument, or 100 feet. + +_Brick-building_ was practised largely in Italy in the beginning of the +fourteenth century; and the brick buildings erected at this period in +Tuscany, and other parts of the north of Italy, exhibit at the present +day the finest specimens extant of brick-work! + +_Nothing Impossible._--Mirabeau's haste of temper was known, and he must +be obeyed. "Monsieur Comte," said his secretary to him one day, "the +thing you require is impossible." "Impossible!" exclaimed Mirabeau, +starting from his chair, "never again use that _foolish word_ in my +presence."--_Dumont's Mirabeau._ (This brief anecdote should never be +forgotten by the reader: it is more characteristic than hundreds of +pages; it is, to all men, a lesson almost in a line.) + +_"Nice to a Shaving."_--When Louis VII. of France, to obey the +injunctions of his bishops, cropped his hair and shaved his beard, +Eleanor, his consort, found him with this unusual appearance, very +ridiculous, and soon very contemptible. She revenged herself as she +thought proper, and the poor shaved king obtained a divorce. She then +married the Count of Anjou, afterwards our Henry II. She had for her +marriage dower the rich provinces of Poitu and Guyenne; and this was the +origin of those wars which for three hundred years ravaged France, and +cost the French three millions of men: all which, probably, had never +occurred, had Louis VII. not been so rash as to crop his head, and shave +his beard, by which he became so disgustful in the eyes of our Queen +Eleanor. W.A. + +_American Wife._--The following advertisement for a wife appeared a few +years since, in a New York paper:--"Wanted immediately, a young lady, of +the following description, (as a wife,) with about 2,000 dollars as a +patrimony, sweet temper, spend little, be a good housewife, and born in +America; and as I am not more than twenty-five years of age, I hope it +will not be difficult to find a good wife. N.B. I take my dwelling in +South Second Street, No. 273. Any lady that answers the above +description will please to leave her card." W.G.C. + +The following is said to be an unpublished epigram of Lord Byron:-- + + An old phlegmatic Dutchman took + A pretty Jewish wife, + And what still more surprising is, + He lov'd her 'bove his life-- + Oh! Holland and Jerusalem, + What, tell me, do you think of them? + +_A Queer Library._--The eccentric physician, Dr. Radcliffe, when +pursuing his studies, was content with looking into the works of Dr. +Willis. He was possessed of very few books, insomuch that when Dr. +Bathurst, head of Trinity College, asked him once with surprise, where +his study was? he pointed to a few vials, a skeleton, and a herbal, and +said, "Sir, this is Radcliffe's Library." P.T.W. + +_How to detect a Thief._--A watch was stolen in the Pit of the Opera, in +Paris; the loser complained in a loud voice, and said, "It is just nine; +in a few minutes my watch will strike; the second is strong; and by that +means we shall instantly ascertain where it is." The thief, terrified at +this, endeavoured to escape, and by his agitation discovered himself. T. +GILL. + + * * * * * + +_Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand (near Somerset House,) +London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER. 626. New Market, Leipsic. G.G. BENNIS, +55, Rue Neuve, St. Augustin, Paris; and by all Newsmen and Booksellers._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, +and Instruction, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE *** + +***** This file should be named 11542.txt or 11542.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/4/11542/ + +Produced by Jonathan Ingram, David King, and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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