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diff --git a/11886-0.txt b/11886-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0bf59d8 --- /dev/null +++ b/11886-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1444 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11886 *** + +THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION. + +VOL. XIX. NO. 538.] SATURDAY, MARCH 17, 1832. [PRICE 2_d_. + + + + * * * * * + + + +[Illustration: THE ARBALEST, OR CROSS-BOW.] + +THE ARBALEST, OR CROSS-BOW. + +The Bow would appear to have been in most ancient nations the principal +implement of war; and to keep alive this "mystery of murder," archery, or +the art of shooting with a bow and arrow, seems to have been a favourite +pastime in days of peace. In no country, however, has archery been more +encouraged than in this island; wherefore the English archers became the +best in Europe, and procured many signal victories. Tributary as have been +the bow and arrow to some of the brightest scenes in our history, it is +not surprising that its exercise should have become cherished among us as +an amusement. Strutt tells us that in the early ages of chivalry, the +usage of the bow was considered as an essential part of the education of a +young man who wished to make a figure in life. Hence the long-bow and +cross-bow have been and are playthings in the hands of youth; and would +that they had only been the toys of the playground instead of leading men +to slaughter each other for the costly toys of the game of life. It is +chiefly to the use of the cross-bow that we propose to confine ourselves +upon the present occasion. + +The arbalest, or cross-bow, was not only much shorter than the long-bow, +but fastened also upon a stock, and discharged by means of a catch or +trigger, which Mr. Strutt reasonably enough thinks gave rise to the lock +on the modern musket. The old logicians illustrate the distinction in +their quaintest fashion. Bayle, explaining the difference between +testimony and argument, uses this laconic simile, "Testimony is like the +shot of a long-bow, which owes its efficacy to the force of the shooter; +argument is like the shot of the cross-bow, equally forcible, whether +discharged by a dwarf or a giant." + +The arbalest is said by some writers to be of Italian origin. Verstegan +says it was introduced here by the Saxons, but was neglected till again +brought into use by William the Conqueror, at the battle of Hastings. No +mention is made of bowmen among the troops of Harold; but we read that the +Norman army was fronted by "footmen clothed in light armour, worn over a +gilted cassock, and bearing either long-bows or steel cross-bows." Harold +himself had his eye struck by an arrow, notwithstanding which he continued +to fight at the head of his army. Cross-bows were afterwards prohibited by +the second Lateran Council, anno 1139, as hateful to God, and unfit to be +used among Christians; in consequence whereof they were laid aside till +the reign of Richard the First, who again introduced them, and was himself +killed by an arrow or quarrel, discharged from a cross-bow at the siege of +the Castle of Chalus.[1] + +Cross-bows shot darts called quarrels, or _quarreaux_, or _quadrels_, and +in English _bolts_: they were headed with solid, square pyramids of iron, +and sometimes trimmed with brass instead of feathers. According to Sir +John Smith a cross-bow would kill point blank 60 yards, and if elevated +above 160. There was an officer styled _Balistrarius Regius_; and several +estates were held by the service of delivering a cross-bow and thread to +make the string, when the king passed through certain districts. These you +will find in Blount's Tenures and Jacob's Law Dictionary.[2] + +We find that the pay of a cross-bowman, in the reign of Edward II., was +sixpence _per diem_.[3] Few notices of archery are, however, upon record +till an order by Edward III. in the 15th year of his reign, to the +sheriffs of most of the English counties, to provide bows and arrows for +the intended war against France: these orders, however, relate to the +long-bow. In the famous battle of Crecy, fought in 1346, our chroniclers +state that we had 2,800 archers, who were opposed to about the same number +of the French; which, together with a circumstance to be immediately +mentioned, seems to prove that by this time we used the long-bow whilst +the French archers shot with the arbalest. The circumstance alluded to is +as follows:--Previously to the engagement there fell a heavy rain, which +is said to have much damaged the bows of the French, or rather the strings +of them. Now, the long-bow, when unstrung, may be conveniently covered, so +as to prevent the rain injuring it; nor is there scarcely any addition to +the weight from a case; whereas the arbalest is of a most inconvenient +form to be sheltered from the weather. It is also stated[4] that, at Crecy, +"the Genoese archers, fatigued by their heavy cross-bows, in a sultry and +tempestuous march, rushed forward with loud cries to attack the English +bowmen, who were the strength of Edward's army. These last stood still; +even on the second charge they stirred not one foot! When they got within +shot of their foes, they let fly their arrows so quickly that they came +like snow. The Genoese fled, and some of the heavy-armed troops were +involved in their confusion." At Crecy the English ascribed their victory +to their archers. The battle of Poictiers, fought in 1356, was gained by +the same means. In 1417, Henry V. attributed his splendid victory at +Agincourt to the archers, and directed the sheriffs of many counties to +pluck from every goose six wing-feathers for the purpose of improving +arrows, which were to be paid for by the King. In 1421, though the French +had been defeated at Crecy, Poictiers, and Agincourt, by the English +archers, yet they still continued the use of the cross-bow; for which +reason Henry V., as Duke of Normandy, confirms the charters and privileges +of the _balistarii_, who had been long established as a fraternity in his +city of Rouen. + +We now meet with several enactments by Edward IV. for the appointment of +bowmen with the long-bow; but we pass over these and other records to the +19th year of the reign of Henry VII., who forbade the use of the cross-bow, +because "the long-bow had been much used in this realme, whereby honour +and victory had been gotten against outward enemies, the realm greatly +defended, and much more the dread of all Christian princes by reason of +the same." Statutes for the promotion of archery with the long-bow are now +very frequent; but the cross-bow is proscribed in the same proportion: and, +in the time of Henry VIII. a penalty of ten pounds was inflicted on every +one who kept a cross-bow in his house. + +Though archery continued to be encouraged by the king and legislature for +more than two centuries after the first knowledge of the effects of +gunpowder, yet by the latter end of the reign of Henry VIII., it seems to +have been partly considered as a pastime. + +From this period we pass to the date of the annexed CUTS, for which we are +indebted to the research of an ingenious Correspondent, with the +antiquarian subscription of "JONATHAN OLDBUCK,"[5] who appends to his +sketches the following historical notice: + +"After the destruction of the Spanish Armada, fears being entertained lest +the King of Spain should (out of revenge) send an emissary to attempt the +life of Queen Elizabeth, a number of noblemen of the Court formed +themselves into a body guard for the protection of her person, and under +the denomination of the 'Companie of Liege Bowmen of the Queene,' had many +privileges conferred upon them. The famous Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was +captain of this company, which was distinguished by the splendour of its +uniform and accoutrements. Upon the accession of James I. the company was +disbanded, although those who composed it retained the privileges which +had been conferred upon them by Elizabeth. Upon the breaking out of the +Civil wars Charles reorganized this bodyguard which attended him against +the Parliamentary forces, and afterwards emigrated with Charles II. At the +Restoration this company was maintained, and under the title of 'Royal +Company of Archers' received a new Charter, being the origin of the +present 'Royal Artillery Company' of London. About the time of the +institution of the Liege Bowmen of the Queen, a new kind of cross-bow was +constructed in Holland, by one Vander Foheman, having many advantages over +the old one. This he brought to England and it was purchased and adopted +by the Company.[6] + +"An ARBALEST of Foheman's construction, bearing the date 1579, 3 feet 3 +inches long, exquisitely carved out of black oak, is now in the possession +of A. Nossoc, Esq., the proprietor of a rare and valuable collection of +paintings by ancient masters. By this gentleman's kindness I have been +able to take a sketch of it, a copy of which I enclose. In these +instruments the impulse is not communicated to the arrow directly by the +string, but by means of a movable iron bridge, placed behind the string. I +subjoin outlines of the arrow used with this kind of bow, and also of its +lock.--(_See Cuts._) + +"The end (_a_) of the arrow, Fig. 1., was placed against a small square +plate of metal (_a_) of the bridge, and the other end of the arrow rested +on the steel bow. The string pulled upon the hook, (_d_) Fig. 2, and the +end (_c_) acting with a lever advantage communicated its impulse to the +bridge, (_b_) against which was placed the arrow. The figure 3 will +explain the rest of the contrivance, (_f_) being a spring to keep the +trigger down. + +"The wooden part of the arbalest is beautifully carved with figures; its +front extremity is a lion's head holding in its mouth an acorn originally +of gold, for which a wooden one is substituted, as is the round stock at +the other extremity which was of silver; its lower side has a figure of +Bellona, a terminus, &c., carved out of it; its upper, a sphynx, head of +Medusa, leaves, and numerous other ornaments upon it; the sides are also +beautifully carved, and two steel escutcheons on its sides before the +bridge have engraved on them a trophy, and two roses. + +"As these cross-bows are now extremely rare, I should feel gratified if +any correspondent could inform me whether an arbalest of this description +is preserved in the Tower, or in any public or private collection of +ancient armour; and whether it was used by the Company of Archers after +the Restoration." + +The _Steel Bow_ is of the shape annexed, _Fig. 5_, being a resting-place +for the fore end of the arrow. + +We may here add that the _Cross-bow_ was also called a _Steel-bow_, +because the horns were usually made with steel; and others were called +_Stone-bows_ because they were modified to the purpose of discharging +stones. The cross-bow makers used to exercise themselves in shooting at +the popinjay, or artificial parrot, in a field called Tassal Close in +London, from the number of thistles growing there, now called the Old +Artillery Ground.[7] + +The following description of an archer, his bow, and accoutrements, is +given in a MS. written in the time of Queen Elizabeth. "Captains and +officers should be skilful of that most noble weapon, and to see that +their soldiers according to their draught and strength have good bowes, +well nocked, well strynged, every strynge whippe in their nocke, and in +the myddes rubbed with wax, braser, and shuting glove, some spare strynges +trymed as aforesaid, every man one shefe of arrows, with a case of leather +defensible against the rayne, and in the same fower and twentie arrowes, +whereof eight of them should be lighter than the residue, to gall or +astoyne the enemye with the hail-shot of light arrows, before they shall +come within the danger of the harquebuss shot. Let every man have a +brigandine, or a little cote of plate, a skull or hufkyn, a mawle of leade +of five foote in lengthe, and a pike, and the same hanging by his girdle, +with a hook and a dagger; being thus furnished, teach them by musters to +marche, shoote, and retire, keepinge their faces upon the enemy's. Sumtyme +put them into great nowmbers, as to battell apparteyneth, and thus use +them often times practised, till they be perfecte; ffor those men in +battel ne skirmish can not be spared. None other weapon maye compare with +the same noble weapon." + +Even in Elizabeth's reign the bow was thought to be more advantageous than +the musket; because the latter was at that period very cumbrous, and +unskilful in contrivance, while archery had been carried to the highest +perfection. Mr. Grose tells us that an archer could formerly shoot six +arrows in the time necessary to charge and discharge a musket; and, as a +specimen of the aim to be taken, even in modern days, a practised bowman +has been known to shoot twelve arrows in a minute, into a circle not +larger than the circumference of a man's hat, at the distance of forty +yards. + + +[1] Notes by Mr. Grose, the antiquarian, in _Selections from Gentleman's + Magazine_, vol. i. In the _Archaeologia_. vol. vi. we find it stated + that "Artillery (_artillérie_) is a French term signifying _Archery_, + as the king's _bowyer_ is in that language styled _artillier du roy;_ + and from that nation the English seem to have learnt at least the + cross-bow archery." + +[2] Grose. + +[3] Grose. + +[4] Hist. England, by Sir James Mackintosh, vol. i. + +[5] Dated from Clarence-terrace, Regent's-park. + +[6] Vide Grose on Ancient Armour. D'Alembert, Encyclopedie. Art. Arbalette. + +[7] Maitland's London. + + * * * * * + + +THE GIPSEY FORTUNE-TELLER. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + + Augur only happy days, + Gipsey, when thy glancing eye, + Fain would dart its piercing rays, + Through her future destiny. + + Life is yet without a shade, + She has gathered flowers alone; + Tell her not, that roses fade, + When the ardent summer's gone. + + Sully not her early dream, + With reality's cold hue, + Let her morning brighter seem, + Glittering with the early dew. + + Tell her not, that clouds o'ershading, + Rainbows bright will darkly cover; + Tell her not, that quickly fading, + "All that's bright!" ere noon is over. + + Tell her not of memory's tear, + And affection's broken chain; + Tell her not, that every year, + Brings but sorrow, care, and pain! + + Soon the mist will roll away, + And the soft enchantment fly: + Gipsey, hasten on thy way, + Ne'er unrol her destiny! + + Tell her, if thou wilt, that never, + 'Neath the skies may be her home, + And if thou that _hope_ hadst ever, + Tell her of a world to come! + +_Kirton, Lindsey_. + +ANNE R. + + * * * * * + + + +FINE ARTS. + +THE BRITISH INSTITUTION. + +(_From a Correspondent_.) + +The admirers of modern painting invariably anticipate much delight prior +to the opening of the Exhibition at this institution, and their hopes in +the present instance have not been disappointed, as there certainly is a +fine display of talent in almost every department of the art. There are +nearly six hundred works. + +No. 1. Portsmouth, from the King's Bastion; painted by command of his +Majesty, by Clarkson Stanfield. + +5. The Falconer; a brilliant little picture by A. Fraser. + +6. Sabrina, from Milton's Comus; Mr. Etty delineates the female form with +peculiar accuracy and delicacy, and in the subject before us he has +displayed his usual ability. + +28. A Lady of Rank of the fifteenth century taking the Veil; a work of +considerable promise by a young artist--S. A. Hart. + +30. The Rick Side; beautifully executed by T. Woodward. + +47. A Man saved from Shipwreck; this is an interesting subject by Charles +Hancock. _Apropos_, this gentleman paints much in the fascinating manner +of Mr. Landseer. + +61. Entrance to a Village; painted from nature in a pleasing style by C.R. +Stanley. + +75. Interior of a Highlander's House; E. Landseer, R.A. + +248. Distant View of Goderich Church; Copley Fielding. + +337. The Recruit; by H. Liversege. The principal group in this picture is +treated in the following way: around a table are seated four persons, +among whom are two soldiers--being the recruiting sergeant with one of his +party. The recruit, a rustic looking youth, has a good deal of expression +in his countenance; he seems extremely doubtful concerning the step he has +taken, while an interesting young woman, apparently his sister, is fondly +endeavouring to dissuade him from it. The sergeant complacently smokes his +pipe, and smiles at her solicitude. This is, perhaps, the most unaffected +picture in the whole collection, being a remarkably modest representation +of nature. The composition is good, and the freedom and delicacy of the +execution stands unrivalled. + +386. Hunt the Slipper; A.E. Chalon, R.A. In this picture several figures +are introduced _seriatim_, engaged at this old English, but now rather +unfashionable, game. A little too much vulgarity is displayed, though in +other respects the performance is highly praiseworthy. + +413. Love the best Physician; painted at Paris by Monsieur Destouches. +Although we disapprove of the colouring and some parts of the execution of +this work, the subject is very interesting. A young man of fortune, who +had fallen in love with a beautiful young girl, becomes sick in +consequence of his hopeless passion. The physicians appear to have +rendered him no service, and as a last alternative, his friends prevail on +the girl to visit him, accompanied by her parents. The deep blushes with +which her face is suffused, and her downcast eyes, indicate the violent +agitation of her frame; while the sick man, having raised himself in bed, +stretches out his arms, and eagerly feasts his eyes on the charming object +of his love.--G.W.N. + + * * * * * + + + +SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. + + +SCIENCE OF BURIAL. + +(_From a piquant, rambling paper in Fraser's Magazine_.) + +We arrived at Otaheite just in time to witness the funeral ceremonies of +the pious chief Omaree. He was lying in state at his house above the +harbour where we landed, and we were invited to assist at the obsequies. +His _viscera_ were removed, and his _remains_, properly speaking, were +laid on an elegant palanquin or hanging bier, highly perfumed; around +which, and through the apartment, odorous oils were burning. Several of +his old friends came to see him, and complimented him highly on the state +of his looks and his good condition in various respects. They presented +him with numerous and tasteful gifts, which they assured him were sincere +tokens of their esteem, and hoped he would accept them as such. Omaree +replied by the mouth of an old priest who acted as master of the +ceremonies--assuring the good company, in return, that he was "as well as +could be expected," felt particularly flattered by the kind attentions of +his friends and visiters, and hoped they would make themselves quite at +home. "By the hand of my body," exclaimed the captain, sitting down to a +bowl of fresh Palmetto wine, and lighting a pipe at the foot-lights, "this +is the _dacentest_ wake I ever came across out of Ireland! Noble sir, your +good health and snug lying to you!" + +After a conversation with Omaree on various interesting topics, his +friends and family proposed taking him to see his property in another part +of the island: he gratefully assented to the proposition, and requested +the good company to avoid fatiguing themselves by travelling too rapidly, +as he was in no hurry to leave them. He was then borne in state for some +miles, preceded by dancers, singers, knuckle-drummers, strewers of flowers +and leaves, &c., to a pretty spot by the sea-side, where he had lately +made a tobacco-plantation, and which, he remarked, "would be scarce worth +the plucking, as he had not been able to attend to it of late;--however, +he hoped his venerable and disinterested friend and spiritual comforter, +the priest, would accept the crop, such as it was, as a slight testimony +of his eternal gratitude." Hereupon the crowd clapped their hands with +delight, the singers shouted, the drummers thumped, and the dancers +vaulted their admiration of the piety and generosity of Omaree. + +Here he was placed in an easy sitting posture, in a commodious arm-chair +that commanded a view of the plantation and the Pacific; where, sheltered +from the meridian sun by a lofty arbour of the climbing _cobea_ and wild +vine tastefully trained through a cluster of cocoa-palms, he was invited +to witness a dramatic representation containing incidents which they knew +his memory reverted to with pride and pleasure. This drama, in which a +great company of performers took part, was carried on with much taste and +spirit. The old priest undertook to translate the most interesting +passages for my edification (still acting as the mouthpiece of his +deceased friend), with the exception of a few "love-passages," as Queen +Elizabeth would have called them, the import of which was sufficiently +perspicuous without verbal comment. + +Whilst remaining at Hayti, I took an excursion, on foot and alone, through +the mountains one day, to visit this interesting spot. The ascent to the +cavern was steep and toilsome. I was obliged frequently to change my +course, and pursue a more lengthened route than what my eye had +anticipated; but at length I reached the place, and, pausing a few minutes +to rest after my weary journey, struck a light, and, with lantern in hand, +entered the awful cave. A large stone had been so placed within the +entrance that it might have served for a stopper occasionally. Even in its +withdrawn position I passed it with difficulty. "Now," I exclaimed, "I +shall behold with my own eyes the aboriginal style of burial in these +sacred and almost inaccessible recesses, which that unsatisfactory +historian, Ferdinand Colon, was too lazy to inspect with his own eyes, and +which his father had never seen in all his hunting-matches. Indeed, I don't +think his blood-hounds could climb the ascent to this cave." As I entered, +I felt myself treading on bones! I looked around the narrow chamber of +death, and every where bones--human bones covered the rocky floor; but no +sign of art or trace of religious obsequies rewarded my scrutiny. "Bless +me!" said I, "what a journey I have had for nothing! This is merely the +ordinary HOTTENTOT-HOLE style, with a stone instead of a thorn-bush to +exclude wild beasts!" So I hastened forth, blaming the easy credulity that +drank in traditionary tales of aboriginal tombs. At the entrance I found a +negro standing, leaning on his musket; a brace of pistols were stuck in +his girdle, and a sword hung by his side. I was rather startled, for the +man possessed a fierce and threatening aspect, and I was perfectly +defenceless. Nevertheless there was are air of manly dignity about him +which assured me that he was not likely to be unnecessarily savage. _"Qui +vive?"_ demanded he, sternly. I explained my views in coming to this +secluded spot. He unbent his dark brow on hearing that I was an Englishman. + +"Behold that noble expanse!" said he, changing his tone and language +together. "The guileless race whose bones whiten this rocky den once +ranged over that lovely landscape in peace and freedom. The white savages +came, and were received as brethren. They threw off the mask, and repaid +friendship and love with bonds and tortures. The red man was too innocent, +and too ignorant, and too feeble, to co-exist under the same sky with the +cunning and ferocious white demon--and he retired to his caves to die! His +race is extinct, for _he knew not the use of arms_!" He clasped his musket +to his breast with emotion, and remained silent. "Who are you that feel so +much for the exterminated Haytians?" I inquired. "Their avenger!" he +replied, "and the champion of a darker race whose wrongs can never have +vengeance enough. Christophe!" + + * * * * * + +"You shall see the '_Dead men's feast_,'" said Logan. I followed him in +silence, till we reached the southern bank of the Ohio, not far from his +own residence. The tribe was seated in a beautiful and secluded _prairie_, +that just afforded a vista of the river through the cypress swamp between. +A number of men and women seemed busily engaged in the decoration of +others with belts, beads, and brilliant-coloured garments; and these +latter seemed passive or asleep. Logan laid down the load he carried in +his blanket, and unwrapped the burden that had so long attracted my +attention. "'Tis my grandsire!" said he: "he has only been two years +buried:--I have brought him far. Aid me to cleanse the brave old limbs and +skull from these worms, that his spirit may rejoice over the feast with +his red children. Haste! my father yonder is painted and dressed already." + + * * * * * + +Before I quitted Kentucky, I made a point of visiting the celebrated and +immense nitre caverns or catacombs of the limestone region. Here I found +the mummies of the pigmy race that once inhabited the gigantic valley of +the Mississippi, adorned with strings of shell-wampum and turkeys' +feathers--seated in death like the ancient Naso-menes, grinning at me with +their long _inhuman_ fore-teeth--and came out as wise as I went in. + + * * * * * + +"O," said the captain, "a burial in Canada is no trifle in winter. Just +before you arrived, our drummer died, and we mustered spades, picks, and +shovels, to dig a grave for him; but the ground was one rock every where, +and after trying twenty places we found--that we had spoiled our tools. It +took the armourer next day to steel them all. The third day we got down +four inches and a half, in the softest soil we could find; but it would +only grind up pinch by pinch. The fourth day the armourer was at work +again. The fifth day the whole company turned out in a rage with the +ground, and having got under the frost in some degree, sunk the grave full +nine inches more. This night another soldier, a corporal, died; and his +comrades were almost dead with disappointment and vexation. The bodies +would keep in the frost very well; but we had not a spare room in the +barrack, and their comrades wanted to get them out of the way of a wedding. +Well, sir, the sixth day I divided the garrison in two, and set them at +separate graves; but, unluckily, they drank to keep up their spirits in +the battle with the frost, and fought about the corporal's right of +priority, and the freezing point of brandy. Worst of all, they forgot to +cover the new picked surfaces with straw and blankets, so that when they +came in the morning the points of attack were as invulnerable as ever. In +despair they buried both in one grave--the corporal undermost--without +further efforts to attain a decent depth. As to six feet, it was quite +unfathomable. They heaped all the stones they could loosen over the bodies, +and the chaplain read prayers at last, after a 'week's preparation' and +suspense, 'snow to snow, and ice to ice.' That night a herd of wolves +came prowling by, and carried the corporal and drummer along with them. +The fifer--an Irish rascal--was laughing heartily the whole week; and it +was he set up the corporal's claim to the deep grave, to have his joke out. +When all was over, the sergeant reported him to me, for bragging 'that he +could have buried them six feet deep himself in two hours, and have +covered them up so _nately_ after, that the devil couldn't stick a tooth +in them; but he had kept the secret to be revenged of the corporal, who +had 'listed him one day,' and of the drummer who had 'flogged him.' +'Please your honour,' said he, when called before me, 'I was _sartain_ you +wished to find work for us this _cowld_ weather, and it wouldn't become +_me_ to say what your honour knew as well as myself--that a rousing fire +would soften any frost; and sure, only I know you compassionated the poor +starving wolves, I'd have thrown a few buckets of water through the +grave-stones, and clinched 'em as tight as the bars of Newgate.'" + +The fertilizing properties of an individual in the _chemical_ stage of his +existence, seem only to have been fully recognised since the memorable +battle of Waterloo; the fields of which now annually wave with luxuriant +corn-crops, unequalled in the annals of "the old prize-fighting ground of +Flanders." I have no doubt, however, that the cerealia of _La Belle +Alliance_ would have been much more nutritive if the top-dressing which +the plain received during the three days of June, 1815, had not been +robbed of its stamina by London dentists, who carried off the soldiers' +teeth in hogsheads; and by Yorkshire bone-grubbers, who freighted several +transports with the skeletons of regiments of troopers, as well as +troop-horses, to be ground to dust in Kingston-upon-Hull, and drilled with +turnip seed in the chalky districts of the North and West Ridings of +Yorkshire. The corn of Waterloo is thus cheated of its phosphate of lime; +but the spirits of Cyrus the Great and Numa the Wise, who had a fair +knowledge of the fructifying capabilities of the "human form divine," must +rejoice in beholding how effectually the fertilizing dust pushes the young +Globes, Swedes, and Tankards into their rough leaves, that bid defiance to +that voracious "Yorkshire bite" _the turnip fly_. + + * * * * * + + +BIRTH SONG. + + ANGEL OF WELCOME. + + Hail, new-waked atom of the Eternal Whole, + Young voyager upon Time's rapid river! + Hail to thee, Human Soul, + Hail, and for ever! + + CHORUS OF CHERUBIM. + + A life has just begun! + A life has just begun! + Another soul has won + The glorious spark of being! + Pilgrim of life all hail! + He who at first called forth, + From nothingness the earth; + Who piled the mighty hills, and dug the sea, + Who gave the stars to gem + Night like a diadem, + Thou little child, made thee! + Young creature of the earth, + Fair as its flowers, though brought in sorrow forth, + Hail, all hail. + + ANGEL OF WELCOME. + + The Heavens themselves shall vanish as a scroll; + The solid Earth dissolve; the Sun grow pale, + But thou, oh Human Soul, + Shalt be immortal. Hail! + + CHORUS OF CHERUBIM. + + A life has just begun! + A life has just begun! + Another soul has won + The glorious spark of being! + Oh young immortal, hail! + He before whom are dim + Seraph and cherubim; + Who gave the archangels strength and majesty, + Who sits upon Heaven's throne, + The Everlasting One, + Oh blessed child, made thee! + Fair creature of the earth, + Heir of immortal life, though mortal in thy birth, + Hail, all hail. + + +DIRGE OF DEATH. + + ANGEL OF DEPARTURE. + + Shrink not, oh Human Spirit, + The Everlasting Arm is strong to save. + Look up--look up, frail nature, put thy trust + In Him who went down mourning to the dust, + And overcame the grave. + + CHORUS OF MINISTERING SPIRITS. + + 'Tis nearly done, + Life's work is nearly done, + Watching and weariness and strife. + One little struggle more, + One pang and it is o'er, + Then farewell life. + Farewell, farewell, farewell. + Kind friends, 'tis nearly past, + Come, come and look your last. + Sweet children, gather near, + And that last blessing hear,-- + See how he loved you, who departeth now. + And, with thy trembling step, and pallid brow, + Oh most beloved one + Whose breast he leant upon, + Come, faithful unto death, + And take his latest breath. + Farewell--farewell--farewell. + + ANGEL OF DEPARTURE. + + Hail, disenthralled spirit; + Thou that the wine-press of the field hast trod: + On, blest Immortal, on, through boundless space, + And stand with thy Redeemer face to face, + And bow before thy God. + + CHORUS OF MINISTERING SPIRITS. + + 'Tis done--'tis done; + Life's weary work is done; + Now the glad spirit leaves the clay, + And treads with winged ease + The bright acclivities + Of Heaven's crystalline way; + Joy to thee, Blessed one. + Lift up, lift up thine eyes, + Yonder is Paradise; + And this fair shining band + Are spirits of thy land; + And these, that throng to meet thee, are thy kin, + Who have awaited thee, redeemed from sin. + Bright spirit, thou art blest. + This city's name is Rest; + Here sin and sorrow cease, + And thou hast won its peace, + Joy to thee, Blessed One. + +_New Monthly Magazine_. + + * * * * * + + + +NOTES OF A READER. + + +BONINGTON. + +Mr. Allan Cunningham has completed his fifth volume of the _Lives of the +most eminent British Painters, Sculptors, and Architects_. It contains +Jameson, Ramsey, Romney, Runciman, Copley, Mortimer, Raeburn, Hoppner, +Owen, Harlow, and Bonington; all sketched in the author's most felicitous +style. The memoir of Bonington is of peculiar interest, since all our +readers must recollect the premature death of that promising artist. Mr. +Cunningham observes of his last days: + +"I know not whether Bonington was at all aware in these days that a +visible decay had come upon him, and that in the regretful opinion of many +he was a man marked out for an early grave: whatever he might feel or +surmise, he said nothing, but continued to employ his pencil with all the +ardour of the most flourishing health. He rose early and studied late; nor +did he allow any piece to go hastily from his hand. The French, who are +quick in discerning and generous in acknowledging merit, not only +applauded his works from the outset, but watched his progress and +improvement, and eagerly compared the marine paintings of the young +Englishman with the standard works of the artists of their own country. +M. Gros, who, it seems, had for some unrecorded reason closed his _atelier_ +against him, was so touched by his fine works, that he ere long recalled +him with commendations; and, in the presence of his pupils, said, he +considered it an honour to have him in his studio. A more moderate style +of rapture was to be expected from his own countrymen; nevertheless, cold +as English approbation of talent may seem, his works were welcomed here as +few works of art have been welcomed. His extreme modesty was somewhat +against his success: he was fearful of being thought presuming and forward; +and has been known to shrink from introductions to men of rank and talent, +from a doubt of his own deservings. A letter to me from Mrs. Forster, a +lady distinguished by her own talent as well as from being the daughter of +Banks the sculptor, contains the following passage:--'When Bonington +visited England, in 1827, I gave him a letter of introduction to Sir +Thomas Lawrence, but he returned to Paris without having delivered it. On +my inquiring why he had not waited on the President, he replied,--"I don't +think myself worthy of being introduced to him yet, but after another year +of hard study I may be more deserving of the honour." The following spring +he went to London with his pictures; those which brought him such well +merited fame. He carried a letter from me to Sir Thomas, which he +presented, and was received into his friendship; but, alas! it was of +short duration; for the great success of his works, the almost numberless +orders which he received for pictures and drawings, together with +unremitting study, brought on a brain fever, from which he recovered only +to sink in a rapid decline.' All other accounts concur with that of Mrs. +Forster, in attributing his illness to the accumulation of pressing +commissions: he viewed the amount with nervous dismay; he became deeply +affected; his appetite failed; his looks denoted anguish of body and mind; +a quick and overmastering consumption left him strength scarcely +sufficient to bring him to London, where he arrived about the middle of +September, 1828. The conclusion of his career was thus related to Mrs. +Forster by Sir Thomas Lawrence:--'Your sad presage has been too fatally +verified; the last duties have just been paid to the lamented Mr. +Bonington. Except in the case of Mr. Harlow, I have never known, in my own +time, the early death of talent so promising, and so rapidly and obviously +improving. If I may judge from the later direction of his studies, and +from remembrance of a morning's conversation, his mind seemed expanding in +every way, and ripening into full maturity of taste and elevated judgment, +with that generous ambition which makes confinement to lesser departments +in the art painfully irksome and annoying. + + "But the fair guerdon when we hope to find + Comes the blind Fury with th' abhorred shears, + And slits the thin-spun life'" + +Having not quite finished his 27th year, he died calmly on the 23rd of +September, 1828, and was interred in the vault of St. James's Church, +Pentonville, in the presence of Lawrence, and Howard, and Robson, and the +Rev. J.T. Judkin,--himself a skilful painter--an ardent admirer and +steadfast friend. + +"Bonington was tall, well, and even to appearance, strongly formed. 'His +countenance,' says the French biographer, 'was truly English; and we loved +him for his melancholy air, which became him more than smiles.' The memory +of his person will soon wear away; but it will fare otherwise with his +fame. He lived long enough to assert his title to a high place amongst +English landscape-painters, and had produced works which bid fair to be +ranked permanently with the foremost. They are not numerous, but for that +very reason they will, perhaps, be the more prized. A series of engravings +amounting to some four and twenty, has been published by Carpenter, from +pictures of this artist, some in his own possession, some in the galleries +of the Marquess of Lansdown, the Duke of Bedford, and other patrons of art. +The best of these are the landscapes; and of the landscapes, the worthiest +are of mingled sea and land--pieces distinguished by great picturesque +beauty, and singular grace of execution. His practice was to sketch in the +outline and general character, and then make accurate studies of the local +light-and-shade, and colour. His handling was delicate and true, and his +colouring clear and harmonious. It cannot, however, be denied, that he +wants vigour and breadth; that his more poetic scenes are too light and +slim; and his express copies from nature too literal and real. He was a +softer sort of Gainsborough, with more than his grace, and with not a +little of his taste for scattering happy and characteristic groups among +landscape scenes--but, it must be added, with only a far-off approach, to +the strength of that great master. That, had his life been prolonged, he +would have risen to very high distinction, cannot be doubted. It was his +generous dream, we are told, to acquire a competency by painting +commissions, and then dedicate his time and pencil to historical +compositions,--a dream which many artists have dreamed; but his works have +little of the epic in them. Nature gave him good advice, when she directed +his steps to the surf-beat shore, and bade him paint the swelling tide, +the busy boats, fishermen drying their nets, and the sea-eagle looking +from the rock upon his wide and, to him, fruitful dominion." + + * * * * * + + +MISS KEMBLE'S TRAGEDY. + +FRANCIS I. + + I passed him with his train, + The gathering crowd thronging and clamouring + Around him, stunning him with benedictions, + And stifling him with love and fumes of garlic; + He, with the air he knows so well to don, + With cap in hand, and his thick chestnut hair + Fann'd from his forehead, bowing to his saddle, + Smiling and nodding, cursing at them too + For hindering his progress--while his eye, + His eagle eye, well versed in such discernment, + Roved through the crowd; and ever lighted where + Some pretty ancle, clad in woollen hose, + Peeped from beneath a short round petticoat, + Or where some wealthy burgher's buxom dame, + Decked out in all her high-day splendour, stood + Showing her gossips the gold chain, which lay + Cradled upon a bosom, whiter far + Than the pure lawn that kerchieft it. + +A BEAUTY. + + Had a limner's hand + Traced such a heavenly brow, and such a lip, + I would have sworn the knave had dreamt it all + In some fair vision of some fairer world. + See how she stands, all shrined in loveliness; + Her white hands clasped; her clustering locks thrown back + From her high forehead; and in those bright eyes + Tears! radiant emanations! drops of light! + That fall from those surpassing orbs as though + The starry eyes of heaven wept silver dew. + +A BETROTHED LOVER'S FAREWELL. + + Ay; but ere I go, perchance for ever, lady, + Unto the land, whose dismal tales of battles, + Where thousands strew'd the earth, have christen'd it + The Frenchman's grave; I'd speak of such a theme + As chimes with this sad hour, more fitly than + Its name gives promise. There's a love, which born + In early days, lives on through silent years, + Nor ever shines, but in the hour of sorrow, + When it shows brightest: like the trembling light + Of a pale sunbeam, breaking o'er the face + Of the wild waters in their hour of warfare. + Thus much forgive; and trust, in such an hour, + I had not said e'en this, but for the hope + That when the voice of victory is heard + From the fair Tuscan valleys, in its swell + Should mournful dirges mingle for the dead, + And I be one of those who are at rest, + You may chance recollect this word, and say, + That day, upon the bloody field, there fell + One who had loved thee long, and loved thee well. + +A MONK'S CURSE. + + Hear me, thou hard of heart: + They who go forth to battle, are led on + With sprightly trumpets and shrill clam'rous clarions! + The drum doth roll its double notes along, + Echoing the horses' tramp; and the sweet fife + Runs through the yielding air in dulcet measure, + That makes the heart leap in its case of steel; + Thou--shalt be knell'd unto thy death by bells, + Pond'rous and brazen-tongued, whose sullen toll + Shall cleave thine aching brain, and on thy soul + Fall with a leaden weight: the muffled drum + Shall mutter round thy path like distant thunder: + 'Stead of the war-cry, and wild battle roar,-- + That swells upon the tide of victory, + And seems unto the conqueror's eager ear + Triumphant harmony of glorious discords: + There shall be voices cry, Foul shame on thee; + And the infuriate populace shall clamour + To heaven for lightnings on thy rebel head. + + * * * * * + + + +THE COSMOPOLITE. + + +SUPERSTITIONS, FABLES, &c. RELATIVE TO ANIMALS. + +(_For the Mirror_.) + +A superstition prevails both in England and Scotland (Qu. Are Wales and +Ireland excepted?) that _Goats_ are never to be seen for twenty-four hours +together, owing to their paying Satan a visit once during that period, to +have their beards combed; indeed, since the classical representations of +Pan and the satyrs, from whose semi-brutal figures we derive our own +superstitious idea of the form of the evil one, goats, rams, and pongos +have shared with serpents and cats the obloquy of being in a manner his +animal symbols. The offensive smell of this animal is thus accounted for +by the natives of South Guinea:-- + +Having requested a female deity to allow them to use an aromatic ointment +which she used, the enraged goddess rubbed them with one of a very +different description, and the smell of this has been ever since retained +by the descendants of the presumptuous offenders. + +We may here remark, that of late years some doubts have arisen, and not +without foundation, respecting the wholesomeness of goats' milk, hitherto +believed to be, in many respects, superior even to that of the cow. The +goat was much venerated by the ancient Egyptians, and never sacrificed, +because Pan was represented with the legs and feet of that animal, but the +Greeks destroyed it on account of its cropping the vines. + +Few animals have been the cause, perhaps, of so many superstitions as the +common domestic _Cat_; most of them are too well known here to require +repetition, but the still prevalent, popular prejudice that this creature +sucks the breath of sleepers, especially children, and thereby kills them, +has been signally refuted by modern naturalists, who observe, that even if +it were capable of drawing a person's breath thus, the construction of its +mouth renders it impossible to impede the respiration of the slumberer +through mouth and nostrils at the same time; this vulgar superstition +probably arose from cats liking to lie warm, and nestling consequently in +beds, cribs, and cradles. To dream of cats is considered unlucky, denoting +treachery and quarrels on the part of friends. Cats, from no apparent +cause, seeming shy, agitated, and traversing the house uttering cries, as +if alarmed, is believed to forbode sudden and causeless strife between the +members of the families with whom they reside. That the breath of these +animals is poisonous, that they can play with serpents and remain +uninjured, whilst their fur communicates the infection of the venom of +those reptiles, that they lend themselves readily to infernal agents and +purposes, that certain portions of their bodies possess magical properties +and were efficacious in the preparation of charmed potions, and that they +are partly supernatural creatures, endowed with a power of bringing good +or evil fortune upon their possessors, with other facts just as credible, +was once devoutly believed by the illiterate, as it is partially at this +very day.[1] + +_Dogs_ are generally supposed to possess the faculty of beholding spirits +when they are invisible to mortals, and of foretelling death by lamentable +howls. It is lucky to be followed by a strange dog. The Welch believe in +the apparition of certain spirits under the form of hunting dogs, which +they call dogs of the sky (cwn wybir, or cwn aunwy:) they indicate the +death of a relation or friend of the person to whom they appear, but +though generally accompanied by fire, are innocuous. The tradition of the +Spectre Hound of Peel Castle (Isle of Man) or _Manthe Doog_, is well +known. The religious superstition of Mahommedans lead them to consider the +dog as an unclean animal; but the dog of the Seven Sleepers, according to +a tale in the Koran, is, say the faithful, the only animal admitted into +heaven. A more sweet and soothing creed is held by "the untutored Indian," +who believes that the faithful companion of his laborious mortal career +will accompany him into the everlasting regions; and, indeed, the idea +that animals possess actually an inferior soul, and that, maltreated as +they are on earth, they too have their appropriate heaven, has by many +been considered a speculation less superstitious than truly philosophical. + +The miraculous circumstance of Balaam's _Ass_ being empowered to behold +that startling apparition which his rider's eyes were holden so that he +could not see, may have originated the superstition that animals behold +spirits when they are invisible to man. _Horses_, from frequently starting +at no apparent cause, have thus been placed amongst the seers. In the +Highlands it is deemed lucky to meet a horse; but, according to Virgil, +the sight of one of these animals was ominous of war, the reason for which +may be found in a horse being as a martial animal dedicated to the god of +war. The Persians, Armenians, and other ancient nations sacrificed horses +to the sun. Tacitus says the Suevi maintained white horses in the several +woods at the public charge, to draw omens from them; and there are to this +day vestiges in England of some superstition relative to white horses, and +of supposed Danish origin. + +The _Hyaena_ has been the subject of strange fables: its neck was supposed +to be jointless, consisting but of one bone, and considered of great +efficacy in magical preparations; and the Arabs to this day, when they +kill this fierce animal, bury its head, lest it should be made the element +of some charm against them. It was believed to possess the power of +changing its sex annually; to be able to fascinate shepherds by its eyes +and render them motionless, and its cognomen, "_Laughing_" is, of course, +derived from the idea of its being able to imitate the human voice. + +The ancients believed that if a man encountered a _Wolf_, and the animal +first fixed its eyes upon him, he was deprived for ever of the power of +speech: connected with these ferocious brutes is the fearful superstition +of the _Lycanthropos_, _Were-wulf, _Loup-garou,_ or _Man-wolf_. "These +_were-wolves_," says Verstegan, "are certain sorcerers, who having +anointed their bodies with an ointment they make by the instinct of the +devil, and putting on a certain enchanted girdle, do not only unto the +view of others seem as wolves, but to their own thinking have both the +shape and nature of wolves so long as they wear the said girdle; and they +do dispose themselves as very wolves, in worrying, and killing, and waste +of human creatures." The Germans had a similar superstition regarding +wolves, and the same respecting the wild boar; and with these let us +compare the British belief, that warlocks and weird women possess the +power of transforming themselves into hares, cats, &c. + +_Swine_, which are strangely uneasy in or against tempestuous weather, are +believed to see the wind. In some parts of Great Britain it is a popular +belief that, on commencing a journey, if a sow and pigs be met it will +prove successful, but if a sow only crosses the road, the traveller, if he +cannot pass, must ride round about it, otherwise ill luck will attend him. + +(_To be continued_.) + + +[1] Much of the ill-treatment of the Cat has arisen from its being + invariably the attendant of reputed Witches. (_See page 174, of the + present Sheet_.) In later times the practice of such cruelties may be + referred to the vituperations of naturalists: surely Buffon is among + them. We are happy to see that our Correspondent, M.L.B. writes in the + kindlier spirit towards the poor, persecuted Cat.--ED.M. + + * * * * * + + + +THE SELECTOR; AND LITERARY NOTICES OF _NEW WORKS_. + + +ADVENTURES OF A YOUNGER SON. + +We continue our extracts from this extraordinary work. + +_Madagascar_. + +"Madagascar is one of the largest and most fertile islands in the world; +nearly nine hundred miles in length, and three hundred and fifty in its +greatest breadth. There is a chain of glorious mountains, winding through +its entire length, of varied height, whence many large and navigable +rivers take their source. The interior of this vast island, and its +inhabitants, are little known; but those parts on the coast which, at that +time and afterwards, I have frequently visited, give abundant indications +that nature has here scattered her riches with no stinting hand. Nothing +seems wanting but knowledge to place this magnificent island in the +foremost rank of great and powerful empires. When I was there, the line, +distinguishing the man from the animal, was hardly visible." + +_The Mauritius_. + +"It is worthy of remark that, regarding climate, this island has a +peculiarity I never remember to have found in any other in India. Other +islands are comparatively cool and pleasant on the coasts, and close and +unhealthy in the interior, unless on the heights. Here it is reversed: the +entire coast is so scorchingly hot, and the air so bad, that at Port +St. Louis, and other places round, no one dares venture out in the daytime +during six months of the year, as he may be almost certain of having a +sun-stroke, which occasions a brain-fever, the malignant fever, cholera +morbus, or dysentery; while, at the same period, in the interior, +particularly on the windward side, the air is temperate and salubrious. +For six months in the year, from November to April, the town of St. Louis +is insufferably and noxiously hot; scarcely any one but the slaves could +be induced to remain there, the free inhabitants departing for the +interior. Then again, the dry months at Port St. Louis are the rainy ones +in the central parts; and, whilst the fiercest hurricanes are raging on +the coast, a few miles in-land all is calm and sunshine. I have repeatedly +witnessed this; and it is strange in so small an island." + +"De Ruyter now came up, and we suddenly stood on the elevated plain, +called Vacois, in the centre of the island. Our ascent had been very +abrupt, winding, and rugged. Before us, in the middle of the plain, on +which we now rode, was the pyramidical mountain, _Piton du Milieu_. +Inclining to our right was the port and town of St. Louis. To the south +were large plains, in rich vegetation, divided by a fine river, with one +solitary hill. To the north were other plains, inclining to the sea, white +as if the briny waters had recently receded from them, and only partially +cultivated with sugar-canes, indigo, and in the marshy spots, with rice. +From south to east it was volcanic and mountainous, with jungle and +ancient forests. The north-east was, for the most part, level. The plain, +where we were, was full of little sheets of deep water, forming themselves +into pretty lakes; which, overflowing during the heavy rains, at times +made the plain swampy, and ever overgrown with canes, reeds, and gigantic +grass. Such was the diversified and beautiful scenery now disclosed, as +the sun, having risen above the mountain in the east, dissipated the +yellow mists, and laid bare the hitherto obscured beauties of this divine +island, like a virgin unrobed for bathing." + +"We alighted under the shade of a group of the rose-apple trees, which +seemed to have drawn a charmed circle round a solitary oak, on the brink +of a lake, clear as a diamond, and apparently of amazing depth, the golden +Chinese fish sporting on its surface, and green, yellow, and blue +dragon-flies darting here and there above it. The modest wood-pigeon and +dove, disturbed in their morning ablutions, flew away to the woods. The +gray partridge ran into the vacour, which stood in thick lines on the +brink, impenetrable from its long fibrous leaves, standing out like a +phalanx of lances. The water-hens dived, and the parrots chattered on the +trees, as if they had been peopled with scolding married women; whilst the +sluggish baboon sat, with portly belly, gormandizing with the voracity and +gravity of a monk, regardless of all but the stuffing of his insatiable +maw with bananas." + +"We were told that there were, in this lake, prawns as big as lobsters, +and eels of incredible size, from fifteen to twenty feet long. The two +principal rivers took their rise from this plain, augmenting in their +course by the tribute of an infinity of streamlets; till swollen into bulk +and strength, like two rival monarchs, they ran parallel for a awhile, +trying to outvie each other in pomp and velocity, springing over their +rocky beds. After some distance they separated to the right and left, and +passed through their different districts, to pay, in their turn, tribute +to the mightier ocean." + +"We left the lake on our right, skirted the base of _Piton du Milieu_, +over a volcanic soil of pulverized cinders, and, by gentle descents, +proceeded towards the south. Again we were among mountains, passing green +lawns, and marshes overgrown with vitti-vert, (which is used for +thatching,) fern, marsh mallows, waving bamboos, and wild tobacco. We saw +plantations of the manioc, (bread-fruit,) maize, sweet potatoes, the +cotton-tree, the sugar-cane, coffee, and cloves. Then we crossed rocky +channels of clear rippling water, hedged by dwarf oaks and the +dusky-coloured olive, underneath which flourished the dark-green fig-tree, +with its strawberry-red marrowy fruit, bared by the bursting of its +emerald-green rind. Here the majestic palmiste towered grandly alone, +crowned with its first, tardy, and only fruit; and when deprived of that +diadem, like earthly monarchs, it perishes. We penetrated the wild native +woods, where grew the iron-wood tree, the oak, the black cinnamon, the +apple, the acacia, the tamarind, and the nutmeg. Our path was arched by +wild vines, jessamine, and a multitude of deep scarlet-blossomed creepers, +so thickly interlaced in their living cordage, that neither sun nor storm +could penetrate them; or if a wandering beam found entrance through the +thick natural trellice-work, it was only enough to cover some little tuft +of violets or strawberries, its own offspring, growing up in its genial +warmth with a strength and vigour pre-eminent amidst the pale and sickly +brood of the neglected children of the shade. Nothing I had ever imagined +of the loveliness of nature equalled the reality of these scenes." + +_Coffee in the East_. + +"On entering the zennanah, the old governante, Kamalia, having counted us +on her four skinny fingers, proceeded to fulfil that sacred rite, never +omitted in the east, of presenting refreshments; without the heartless and +niggardly-ceremony of appealing to the guests, as is wont in Europe, to +learn whether they will take them or not, looking on those who receive +them with an evil eye. I followed Kamalia to know how the genuine oriental +coffee is made. Good mussulmans can alone make good coffee; for, being +interdicted from the use of ardent spirits, their palate is more exquisite +and their relish greater." + +"Thus it is:--A bright charcoal fire was burning in a small stove. She +first took, for four persons, four handsful of the small, pale, mocha +berry, little bigger than barley. These had been carefully picked and +cleaned. She put them into an iron vessel, where, with admirable quickness +and dexterity, they were roasted till their colour was somewhat darkened, +and the moisture not exhaled. The over-roasted ones were picked out, and +the remainder, while very hot, put into a large wooden mortar, where they +were instantly pounded by another woman. This done, Kamalia passed the +powder through a camel's-hair cloth; and then repassed it through a finer +cloth. Meanwhile a coffee-pot, containing exactly four cups of water, was +boiling. This was taken off, one cup of water poured out, and three cups +full of the powder, after she had ascertained its impalpability between +her finger and thumb, were stirred in with a stick of cinnamon. When +replaced on the fire on the point of over-boiling, it was taken off, the +heel of the pot struck against the hob, and again put on the fire. This +was repeated five or six times. I forgot to mention she added a very +minute piece of mace, not enough to make its flavour distinguishable; and +that the coffee-pot must be of tin, and uncovered, or it cannot form a +thick cream on the surface, which it ought to do. After it was taken, for +the last time, from the fire, the cup of water, which had been poured from +it, was returned. It was then carried into the room, without being +disturbed, and instantly poured into the cups, where it retained its rich +cream at the top." + +"Thus made, its fragrance filled the room, and nothing could be more +delicious to the palate. So far from its being a long and tedious process, +as it may appear in narrating, old Kamalia allowed herself only two +minutes for each person; so that from the time of her leaving the room to +her return, no more than eight minutes had elapsed." + +To interesting sketches we can only add a scene of sea sport off Fort +Rotterdam, at Macassar, an island between Java and Borneo; shaped like a +huge tarantula, a small body, with four disproportionately long legs, +which stretch into the sea in narrow and lengthened peninsulas. The locale +is + +_Shark's Bay_. + +"My hawk-eyed Arab now pointed out to me a line of dark spots, moving +rapidly in the water, rounding the arm of the sea, and entering the great +bay. At first I thought they were canoes capsized, coming in keel +uppermost; but the Arab declared they were sharks, and said, 'The bay is +called Shark's Bay; and their coming in from the sea is an infallible sign +of bad weather.' A small pocket-telescope convinced me they were large +blue sharks. I counted eight; their fins and sharp backs were out of the +water. After sailing majestically up the great bay till they came opposite +the mouth of a smaller one, they turned towards it in a regular line; one +the largest I had seen any where, taking the lead, like an admiral. He had +attained the entrance, with the other seven following, when some monsters +arose from the bottom, near the shore, where he had been lurking, opposed +his further progress, and a conflict instantly ensued. The daring +assailant I distinguished to be a sword-fish, or sea-unicorn, the +knight-errant of the sea, attacking every thing in its domain; his head is +as hard and as rough as a rock, out of the centre of which grows +horizontally an ivory spear, longer and far tougher than any warrior's +lance; with this weapon he fights. The shark, with a jaw larger and +stronger than a crocodile's, with a mouth deeper and more capacious, +strikes also with his tail, in tremendous force and rapidity, enabling him +to repel any sudden attack by confusing or stunning his foe, till he can +turn on his back, which he is obliged to do ere he can use his mouth. This +wily and experienced shark, not daring to turn and expose his more +vulnerable parts to the formidable sword of his enemy, lashed at him with +his heavy tail, as a man uses a flail, working the water into a syllabub. +Meanwhile, in honour, I suppose, or in the love of fair play, his seven +compatriot sharks stood aloof, lying to with their fins, in no degree +interfering in the fray. Frequently I could observe, by the water's +eddying in concentric ripples, that the great shark had sunk to the bottom, +to seek refuge there, or elude his enemy by beating up the sand; or, what +is more probable, by this manoeuvre to lure the sword-fish downwards, +which, when enraged, will blindly plunge its armed head against a rock, in +which case its horn is broken; or, if the bottom is soft, it becomes +transfixed, and then would fall an easy prey. De Ruyter, while in a +country vessel, had her struck by one of these fish, (perhaps mistaking +her for a whale, which, though of the same species, it often attacks,) +with such velocity and force, that its sword passed completely through the +bow of the vessel: and, having been broken by the shock, it was with great +difficulty extracted. It measured seven feet; about one foot of it, the +part attached to the head, was hollow, and the size of my wrist; the +remainder was solid, and very heavy, being indeed the exquisite ivory of +which the eastern people manufacture their beautiful chess-men. But to +return to our sea-combat, which continued a long time, the shark evidently +getting worsted. Possibly the bottom, which was clear, was favourable for +his enemy; whose blow, if he succeeds in striking while the shark is +descending, is fatal. I think he had struck him, for the blue shark is +seldom seen in shoal or discoloured water; yet now he floundered on +towards the bottom of the bay, madly lashing the water into foam, and +rolling and pitching like a vessel dismasted. For a few minutes his +conqueror pursued him, then wheeled round and disappeared; while the shark +grounded himself on the sand, where he lay writhing and lashing the shore +feebly with his tail. His six companions, with seeming unconcern, wore +round, and slowly moving down the bay, returned by the outlet at which +they had entered. Hastening down to the scene of action, I saw no more of +them. My boat's crew were assembled at the bottom of the bay, firing +muskets at the huge monster as he lay aground; before I could join them, +he was despatched, and his dead carcass laid on the beach like a stranded +vessel. Leaving him and them, I ran along the beach for half a mile to +regain Zela's tent." + + * * * * * + + + +RETROSPECTIVE GLEANINGS. + +WITCHES. + +(_From Howell's Letters, 1647_.) + +We need not cross the sea for examples of this kind, we have too many (God +wot) at home: King James a great while was loth to believe there were +witches; but that which happened to my Lord Francis of Rutland's children, +convinced him, who were bewitched by an old woman that was servant at +Belvoir Castle, but being displeased, she contracted with the devil, who +conversed with her in form of a cat, whom she called Rutterkin, to make +away those children, out of mere malignity, and thirst of revenge. + + * * * * * + + +A RICH MAN. + +"Among the many and various hospitals," says Sir William Temple, "that are +every man's curiosity and talk, that travels their country, I was affected +with none more than that of the aged seamen at Enchuysen, which is +contrived, finished, and ordered, as if it were done with a kind of +intention of some well-natured man, that those who had been their whole +lives in the hardships and incommodities of the sea, should find a retreat +with all the eases and conveniences that old age is capable of feeling and +enjoying. And here I met with the _only_ rich man that I ever saw in my +life--for one of these old seamen entertaining me a good while with the +plain stories of his fifty years voyages and adventures, while I was +viewing the hospital and the church adjoining; I gave him, at parting, a +piece of their coin, about the value of a crown; he took it and smiled, +and offered it me again; but when I refused it, he asked me 'What he +should do with money?' I left him to overcome his modesty as he could; but +a servant coming after me, saw him give it to a little girl that opened +the church door, as she passed by him; which made me reflect upon the +fantastic calculation of riches and poverty that is current in the world, +by which a man that wants a million, is a prince; he that wants but a +groat is a beggar; and this was a poor man that wanted nothing at all." + + * * * * * + + + +THE GATHERER. + +_Nicknames_.--John Magee, formerly the printer of the _Dublin Evening +Post_, was full of shrewdness and eccentricity. Several prosecutions were +instituted against him by the government, and many "keen encounters of the +tongue" took place on these occasions between him and John Scott, Lord +Clonmel, who was at the period Chief Justice of the King's Bench. In +addressing the court in his own defence, Magee had occasion to allude to +some public character, who was better known by a familiar designation. The +official gravity of Clonmel was disturbed; and he, with bilious asperity +reproved the printer, by saying,--"Mr. Magee, we allow no nicknames in +this court." "Very well, _John Scott_," was the reply. + +H.S.S. + + * * * * * + + +_A Village Hampden_.--In the churchyard of one of the parishes of Walsall, +Staffordshire, is the following epitaph on a person named Samuel Wilks, +who appears, like other persons of his name, to have been a great stickler +for the rights of the people:--"Reader, if thou art an inhabitant of the +Foreign of Walsall, know that the dust beneath thy feet was imprisoned in +thy cause, because he refused to incorporate the poor-rates of the Foreign +of Walsall and those of the Borough of Walsall. His resistance was +successful. Reader, the benefit is thine." + + * * * * * + + +_Difference between a Town and a Village_.--The other night it was warmly +contested in the Reform debate in the House of Commons, whether Bilston +and Sedgeley, in Staffordshire, were towns or villages. Mr. Croker spoke +of the "village of Bilston," and the "rural district of Sedgeley," but Sir +John Wrottesley maintained that the right hon. gentleman would find +nothing in Bilston that would give him any idea of sweet Auburn. "He would +find a large market-town in the parish of Wolverhampton, filled not with +trees and waving foliage, but with long chimneys and smoking steam-engines. +The time was also beyond his memory when Sedgeley was a rural district. +The right hon. gentleman would find there no mossy fountains, no bubbling +brooks; the only thing at all like them which he could find there would be +the torrents of boiling water which the steam-engines perpetually +discharged." + + + * * * * * + + +_Dutch Disgust_.--You might seek through all London to find such a piece +of furniture as a spitting-box. A Dutchman who was very uncomfortable for +the want of one, declared, with great indignation, that an Englishman's +only spitting-box was his stomach. + + + * * * * * + + +_Awkward Honour_.--A medical gentleman has written a letter to Sir Henry +Halford on Cholera, in which he takes to himself the credit of being "the +first to discover the disease, and _communicate it to the public_." The +public is much obliged to him.--_Globe_. + + + * * * * * + + +_Newspapers_.--We wish Lieutenant Drummond would calculate the miles of +newspaper columns which every club-haunter daily swallows, and the price +he pays for the same to the proprietaries and the revenue.--_Examiner_. + + + * * * * * + + +_Scandal_.--The tell-tale trumpery and eaves-dropping with which the "Tour +of a German Prince" is trickseyed out, reminds us of an observation by +Lady Morgan: "Admit these fellows into your house, and the only return +they will make you is to put you in their book." + + * * * * * + + +_Yorkshire Fun_.--The assizes and the theatre always open together at York, +and it is common to hear the Tykes say, "Eh, lad, ther'l be fun next week; +t'pla'ctors is cuming, and t'men's to be hung all at t'syame time."-- +_Atlas_. + + * * * * * + + +_Ancient Drunkenness in London_.--Andrews in his _History of Great +Britain_, says, "In the 16th century drinking had its votaries in +abundance. Much time was spent by the citizens of London at their numerous +taverns." In the country, if a bitter writer of the time, (Stub's +_Anatomie of Abuse_,) may find credit, every public-house was crowded from +morn till night with determined drunkards. Camden, who also allows the +increase of drunkenness among the English, imputes it to their familiarity +with the Flemings in the Low Country wars. + + * * * * * + + +The taverns of London were many and much frequented. An old bard has +favoured us with a list of them in _Newes from Bartholomew Fayre_, a black +letter poem, the title page of which is torn off, viz. + + "There hath been great sale and utterance of wine, + Besides beere, and ale, and ipocras fine, + In every country, region, and nation, + But chiefly in Billingsgate, at the Salutation; + And the Bore's Head, near London Stone, + The Swan at Dowgate, a taverne well known; + The Mitre in Cheape; and then the Bull Head, + And many like places that make noses red; + Th' Bore's Head in Old Fish Street, Three Crowns in the Vintry, + And now, of late, St. Martin's in the Sentree; + The Windmill in Lothbury; the Ship at th' Exchange, + King's Head in New Fish Street, where roysters do range; + The Mermaid in Cornhill, Red Lion in the Strand, + Three Tuns, Newgate Market; Old Fish Street, at the Swan." + +The first drinking song that appeared in the English tongue is connected +with _Gammer Gurton's Needle_, and was published in 1551. + +P.T.W. + + * * * * * + + +_Governesses_.--A lady wrote to her son, requesting him to look out for a +lady, such as she described, and such as is ordinarily expected in a +governess, that is to say, all accomplished, with the disposition of an +angel. The gentleman wrote back that he had long been looking out for such +a person, and that when he found her, he should not recommend her for a +governess, but take her for a wife.--_New Monthly Mag_. + +_Counterfeit Kings_.--In the infancy of the Roman Empire, we find a +counterfeit Agrippa, after him a counterfeit Nero; and before them two +counterfeit Alexanders, in Syria. But never was a nation so troubled with +these mock kings as England; a counterfeit Richard II. being made in the +time of Henry IV.; a counterfeit Mortimer in the time of Henry VI.; a +counterfeit Duke of York; a counterfeit Earl of Warwick under Henry VII.; +and a counterfeit Edward VI. under the reign of Queen Mary; and a +counterfeit Protector, in Oliver Cromwell. + +G.K. + + * * * * * + + +_Reading at Meals, &c._--Lectores, among the Romans, were servants in +great men's houses, who were employed in reading while their masters were +at supper. They were called by the Greeks, Anagnostae. Acroama, was a name +given by the Romans to amusing tales, which they recited at their repasts. +The Emperor Severus read himself at table. Atticus never supped without +reading. Charlemagne had the histories and acts of ancient kings read to +him at table. This was a relic of the ancient Greeks, who had the praises +of great men and heroes sung to them while at table. Celsus tells us, +reading is bad, especially after supper, for those whose heads are weak; +but he recommends reading with an audible voice, for such as have weak +stomachs. + +P.T.W. + + * * * * * + + +_Epigrams from the French._ + + "On peut, en vous voyant, devenir infidèle + Mais c'est pour la dernière fois." + +_Chaulieu_. + + "At sight of thee--each lover false might prove, + But having seen--no other e'er could love." + + + "Ce monde est plein de fous--et qui n'en veut pas voir + Doit se renfermer seul, et casser son miroir." + + "With fools the world abounds--who would their presence shun + Must break his mirror--or he'll there see one." + +T.R.P. + + * * * * * + + +_Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, Strand, (near Somerset House,) +London; sold by ERNEST FLEISCHER, 626, Mew 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 11886 *** |