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If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Chambers's Journal of Popular Literature, Science, and Art, No. - 753, June 1, 1878 - -Author: Various - -Editor: William Chambers - Robert Chambers - -Release Date: January 09, 2021 [eBook #64243] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Susan Skinner and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, NO. 753, JUNE 1, 1878 *** - - - - -[Illustration: CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL - -OF - -POPULAR - -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART. - -Fourth Series - -CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND ROBERT CHAMBERS. - -NO. 753. SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 1878. PRICE 1½_d._] - - - - -BIANCONI. - - -Charles Bianconi was altogether a very remarkable person, and not less -for his energy and perseverance than for his public services, ought -to be kept in remembrance. He was by birth an Italian—not, however, -an Italian of the lethargic south, but of the northern mountainous -district bordering on the Lake of Como. We might call him an Italian -highlander. Belonging to a respectable though not affluent family, -he was born on the 24th September 1786. At school he made so little -progress as to be thought little better than a dunce. People did not -quite understand his character. His impulse was to work, not to study. -He wanted to have something to do, and if put on a fair track, was not -afraid of being left behind in the ordinary business of life. With -this adventurous disposition, and with a good physical stamina, he was -bound for eighteen months to Andrea Faroni, who was to take him to -London, and there learn the business of a dealer in prints, barometers, -and small telescopes. Faroni did not strictly fulfil his part of the -contract. Instead of proceeding to London, he took the boy to Dublin, -at which he arrived in 1802; so there he was started in a business -career in Ireland when sixteen years of age. Helpless, friendless, -without money, and ignorant of the English language, his fate was -rather hard; but his privations only served to strengthen his powers of -self-reliance. Like a hero, he determined to overcome all difficulties. - -Faroni, his master, seems to have made a trade of getting Italian -boys into his clutches. Besides Bianconi, he had several others, whom -he daily turned out to the streets to sell prints in a poor kind -of frames, always making a point that they should set off on their -travels without any money, and bring home to him the proceeds of -their industry. At first, Bianconi was at a loss how to carry on his -dealings. The only English word he was made acquainted with was ‘buy, -buy;’ and when asked the price of his prints, he could only count on -his fingers the number of pence he demanded. In a short time, he -picked up other words; and gave so much satisfaction to his employer, -that he was sent off to the country every Monday morning with two -pounds worth of pictures, and a munificent allowance of fourpence in -his pocket as subsistence-money until he returned on Saturday evening. -How he contrived to live on less than a penny a day, is not mentioned. -We daresay, he often got a warm potato as well as a night’s lodging -from the kind-hearted peasantry to whom he exhibited his wares. Opening -his pack was as good as a show. He carried a variety of Scripture -pieces, pictures of the Royal family, and portraits of Bonaparte and -his distinguished generals, all which were profoundly interesting, -and found willing purchasers. On one occasion, an over-zealous -magistrate, thinking there was a treasonous purpose in selling effigies -of Bonaparte, arrested the young pedler, and kept him all night in a -guard-room without fire or bedding, and only in the morning was he -liberated, almost in a perishing condition. Every Saturday night, -Bianconi returned to Dublin to deliver the money he had gathered, and -this he did with an honesty which commanded that degree of confidence -and respect which led to his professional advancement. - -Bianconi’s rambles during three to four years took him chiefly -in a south-western direction from Dublin, towards Waterford, -Carrick-on-Suir, and Clonmel, in which neighbourhood he made many -friends in respectable circles, who were anxious to help him with their -countenance and advice, of which as a foreigner he stood in need. So -encouraged, he dropped the trade of pedler, and set up as a carver -and gilder in Carrick in 1806. Not long afterwards, he removed to -Waterford, and issued cards intimating that he was ‘a carver and gilder -of the first class.’ It was a bold announcement; but he resolved to -make up for deficiencies by incessant industry; and with the exception -of two hours for meals, he worked from six o’clock in the morning until -past midnight. Hear that, ye false friends of the working classes—ye -preachers of the gospel of idleness! Bianconi remained two years in -Waterford, and having improved in means and mechanical knowledge, he -removed to Clonmel, in which he settled down for a permanence. Clonmel -is a thriving borough of some importance, on the river Suir, chiefly in -the county of Tipperary, and fourteen miles south from Cashel. We shall -not go into any account of his growing trade in mirrors and gilded -picture-frames; it is enough to say that Bianconi, by his suavity, -integrity, and diligence in his calling, laid the foundation of his -fortunes, by which he was enabled to project and carry out a very -stupendous undertaking. - -A grand thought burst on Bianconi. He conceived the idea of -establishing a system of cheap and commodious travelling through -Ireland. The only public conveyances were a few mail and day coaches -on the great lines of road. Across the country there was no means of -transit between market-towns, except by private or specially hired -carriages. The plan fallen upon was to start public cars, each with two -wheels, drawn by a single horse, and carrying six passengers—three on -each side, sitting with their faces outward, in the Irish fashion, with -the driver on an elevated seat in front. The attempt was made in 1815, -beginning with a car from Clonmel to Cahir, and subsequently extended -to Tipperary and Limerick. The thing took. A grievous public want was -supplied, and supplied by a foreigner. From town to town, this way and -that way over hundreds of miles, Bianconi’s cars spread, and became a -great institution. On certain routes, cars with four wheels drawn by -two horses, with accommodation for twelve passengers, were established; -and latterly there were cars drawn by four horses, accommodating -sixteen passengers. At Clonmel there was a gigantic establishment, the -centre of the organisation, and at the head of the whole was Bianconi, -like the general at the head of an army—his carving and gilding -business, of course, being given up, and nothing thought of but cars, -horses, drivers, and way-bills. - -Bianconi’s head was not turned by his surprising success. He was -not one of your foolish persons who, having hit upon a successful -enterprise, leave it to its fate, and heedlessly take their ease. His -genius for organisation was exercised now only for the first time. The -smallest as well as the greatest matters occupied his attention; yet -Bianconi was not a mere business monster, set on making money. He was -generous in his gifts for pious objects and the support of schools; -nor was he less noted for his profuse and genial hospitality. He -had, however, higher claims to the character of a public benefactor. -When his cars were generally established, he realised the pleasure -of seeing the good they were doing. In a paper read by him at the -British Association meeting in 1857, he speaks of the many advantages -arising from the speedy and free communication he had set on foot. -‘As the establishment extended, I was surprised and delighted at its -commercial and moral importance. I found, as soon as I had opened -communication with the interior of the country, the consumption of -manufactured goods greatly increased. In the remote parts of Ireland, -before my cars ran from Tralee to Cahirciveen in the south, from -Galway to Clifden in the west, and from Ballina to Belmullet in the -north-west, purchasers were obliged to give eight or nine pence a yard -for calico for shirts, which they afterwards bought for three or four -pence. The poor people, therefore, who previously could ill afford -to buy one shirt, were enabled to buy two for a less price than they -had paid for one, and in the same ratio other commodities came into -general use at reduced prices.’ The introduction of railways naturally -deranged the car traffic. But in 1857, Bianconi had still nine hundred -horses, working sixty-seven conveyances, and travelling daily four -thousand two hundred and forty-four miles. There was in fact as much -car traffic as ever, only changed in many places into cross-roads, and -running short distances in connection with railway stations—a fact -which verifies what is obvious to everybody; for railways, instead -of diminishing the number of horses in the country, as short-sighted -people prognosticated, have greatly increased them. Bianconi felt a -pride in thinking how through the agency of his cars the fisheries on -the west of Ireland had been largely promoted, thereby contributing to -the comfort and independence of the people; and he was prouder still to -say, for the sake of Ireland, that his conveyances, though travelling -night and day, and many of them carrying important mails, had never -once been interrupted by any social disorder, and never suffered the -slightest injury. - -From prudential considerations, Bianconi continued a bachelor -until he was well established in the car business, and was in good -circumstances. When, as he thought, the proper time had come, and -he had a handsomely furnished house in Clonmel into which he might -introduce a wife, he in 1827 married a young and amiable lady, Eliza -Hayes, daughter of a stock-broker in Dublin. Of this marriage there -was a family of a son and two daughters. The son died while still a -young man, and the eldest daughter, Kate, died unmarried. The youngest -daughter, Mary Ann, was married to Morgan John O’Connell, M.P. for -Kerry, and nephew of the famous Dan. O’Connell. Surviving her husband, -this lady has lately given to the world a memoir of her father, -‘Charles Bianconi, a Biography’ (Chapman and Hall, London, 1878), to -which we have been indebted for a number of interesting particulars. -Mrs O’Connell’s recollections picture her father in his early married -life as a man who gave little heed to home affairs. His time was -divided on his cars, electioneering, and getting into the corporation -of Clonmel. He was fond of his children, but too busy to think much -about them. ‘For a man of such excellent common-sense in most things,’ -says his daughter, ‘he was not a judicious father. He suffered my -handsome brother to grow up without a profession.’ This is not said -disrespectfully, but to present a type of men in married life, who, -with excellent abilities and good intentions, habitually neglect the -rearing of their sons to any useful purpose. Who could not point to -lamentable instances of this indiscretion, and the unhappy consequences -which follow? - -Bianconi had an ambition. It was to be Mayor of Clonmel. Some will -think this a weakness, but it was excusable. One who had begun life -as a poor alien boy struggling with poverty, and cared for by nobody, -wished to shew that by the revolution of fortune he was qualified for a -position of honour and dignity. His ambition was gratified. In 1844, he -was unanimously elected Mayor of Clonmel for the ensuing year; and such -was the satisfaction he gave as a magistrate, that he was elected for -a second term of office. For a position of this kind he was eminently -qualified. He had learned to speak English with perfect fluency, and -from observation was able to act his part in a manner equal to that of -any native-born citizen. Intuitively he had caught up the fervour of -the Irish character, as well as a knowledge of the legal disabilities -which had hitherto exasperated the majority of the nation. A friend to -justice and toleration, and on all sides desirous to promote peace and -good-will, it is not surprising that he attained to popular favour. - -In Mrs O’Connell’s memoir of her father we have a glimpse of a few -of his eccentricities. So anxious was he to be helpful when his -interference could be of any use, that while acting as Mayor of Clonmel -he did not mind clambering on the top of his cars to pack the luggage -of passengers; and he would give himself any amount of trouble to get -situations for young men in whom he had confidence. While generous -in his charities, he was scrupulous to parsimony when there was a -chance of making a good bargain. This trait of character, however, is -not uncommon. We have heard related the anecdote of a wealthy London -banker, who one day saw his coachman taking home a pie of tempting -appearance for dinner. Inquiring the price of the pie, he learned that -it cost half-a-crown. ‘If you please, James, I’ll take the bargain -off your hands; there is half-a-crown for you, and you can easily get -another pie for yourself.’ So saying, the banker secured the pie, -which would last him for dinner for a week. Bianconi was equally acute -in trying to turn the penny. ‘One day, in Fleet Street, just after -he had engaged a four-wheeled cab, my father saw a stout gentleman -walking very quickly towards him, and who was evidently in distress at -not being able to find a conveyance. The spirit of Charles Bianconi, -carman, woke up too strongly to be suddenly quelled. “I have a cab, -sir,” he said. “If you will give me your fare, I will set you down -where you like.” The stout gentleman was profuse with thanks, and said -he wanted to go to the Exchange. When they were in the cab, he begged -to be allowed to know to whom he was indebted. “My name is Bianconi,” -said my father. “The great Bianconi?” replied the gentleman. “And what -is your name, sir?” replied my father, without half the politeness of -his companion. “My name, sir, is Rothschild.” My father, in telling me -the story, admitted that he was so much overawed by the presence and -the affability of so famous a man, that he had not presence of mind to -return the compliment and say, “The great Rothschild?” This was by no -means a singular instance of my father’s eccentricities in this way; -often at home, in Ireland, when he was driving in his own carriage -along the high-road, he would take in a traveller who would otherwise -have gone by the car, provided that he paid the car fare.’ - -In his broodings over change of circumstances, Bianconi had nourished -another ambition than that of being some day Mayor of Clonmel. He -wished to be a land-proprietor, but not being a natural-born subject, -he was not, according to law, eligible for buying land until he went -through certain formalities in 1831, after which he looked about for a -suitable investment. His first and principal acquisition was Longfield, -a property in Tipperary, extending to about a thousand English acres. -On it was a large and cheerful house, overlooking the Suir, and -well-wooded pleasure-grounds sloping down to the river. Here, with -splendid views of distant mountains, Bianconi took up his residence—at -his arrival on taking possession there being a grand flare-up of -tenantry with no end of cheering, for the new landlord’s beneficence -and means of disbursement were pretty well understood. Bianconi did -not disappoint expectations. When famine, from the failure of the -potato crops, spread over the land in 1848, he employed all who would -work, and no one died from want at Longfield. His many improvements in -fencing, draining, and building cottages with slated roofs gave some -offence to neighbouring proprietors of the old school; but he did not -mind being looked coldly upon, and by his independence of character -gained general esteem and respect. - -Advancing in life, Bianconi disposed of his interest in the car system -which he originated, several new proprietors taking his place. In 1851, -he revisited Italy with his family, but found himself out of unison -with all that fell under his notice. Some family property that devolved -on him, he presented to several poor relations. It was a pleasure for -him to return to Ireland, with which all his feelings were identified, -and where he had made numerous warmly cherished acquaintances—among -others, Daniel O’Connell, with whom he was in frequent correspondence. -His daughter speaks of the immense mass of letters and papers which -he left behind him, and presents us with a few specimens from persons -of note, all in a complimentary strain. Referring to what he had -effected by his ingenious enterprise, Lady Blessington writes to him -from England—‘I thank you for discovering those noble qualities in -my poor countrymen which neglect and injustice may have concealed, -but have not been able to destroy. While bettering their condition, -you have elevated the moral character of those you employ; you have -advanced civilisation while inculcating a practical code of morality -that must ever prove the surest path to lead to an amelioration of -Ireland. Wisdom and humanity, which ought ever to be inseparable, shine -most luminously in the plan you have pursued, and its results must win -for you the esteem, gratitude, and respect of all who love Ireland. -The Irish are not an ungrateful people, as they have too often been -represented. My own feelings satisfy me on this point. Six of the -happiest years of my life have been spent in your country [Italy], -where I learned to appreciate the high qualities of its natives; and -consequently I am not surprised, though delighted, to find one Italian -conferring so many benefits on mine.’ - -In 1865, when seventy-nine years of age, Bianconi suffered a serious -misfortune. When driving a private car, part of the harness snapped, -and he was thrown violently to the ground. His thigh-bone was broken; -and rarely at his advanced age does any one recover from the effects -of such accidents. In a moment of time he had been made a cripple for -the remainder of his life. He now only moved about with crutches, -or was wheeled about in a Bath-chair; yet he undertook journeys, of -course with proper attendance, and did not lose his characteristic -cheerfulness. ‘When long past eighty, when he got to be stout, lame, -and helpless, he would visit the boys’ Reformatory in the Wicklow -Mountains,’ and encountered other risks inappropriate to his age and -infirmity. By the governing authorities in Ireland he was held in -much esteem for the benefits he had conferred on the country. ‘That -amiable, accomplished, and deservedly popular Viceroy, Lord Carlisle, -never failed to single out Mr Bianconi at the Royal Dublin shows, or -at the other places of public resort, when he happened to be present -in his wheeled chair, for they were great friends, and Lord Carlisle -esteemed him very highly. At first it was hardly expected he would have -lived long after his mishap; but by God’s grace he remained with us for -nearly another ten years.’ - -Afflicted with paralysis and confined to bed, poor Bianconi passed -peacefully away after a long and useful career. Mrs O’Connell, who was -attending on him at the last, strangely omits to give the date of his -decease, which was September 22, 1875, when within two days of being -eighty-nine years of age. His body was interred in a mortuary chapel, -which he had prepared for himself and family within the grounds at -Longfield. Although he had latterly been unable to appear in public -affairs, his loss was felt to be national. Looking to the manner in -which he self-reliantly rose from obscurity to distinction, and to the -success of his vast undertakings, his memory cannot but be endeared -to his adopted country, which stands particularly in need of men with -his sound common-sense and commercial enterprise. In conclusion, we -might almost be warranted in saying that Charles Bianconi did more -practically to advance the civilisation and the prosperity of Ireland -than all its professed patriots and politicians put together. - - W. C. - - - - -HELENA, LADY HARROGATE. - - -CHAPTER XXXI.—TO REMIND. - -‘Gentleman—that is, person—wanted most particularly to know—please to -see him, Sir Sykes!’ deferentially hinted the under-butler, sliding on -noiseless feet up to the angle of his master’s library table. ‘He was -very pressing—send in card,’ continued the man, slurring over the words -he uttered with that inimitable slipperiness of diction of which the -English, and indeed Cockney man-servant possesses the monopoly, and -which seems obsequiously to suggest rather than boldly to announce. Sir -Sykes looked up in some surprise. - -‘Did he mention what he wanted?’ he asked. - -‘No, Sir Sykes,’ replied the under-butler, edging the emblazoned tray -on which lay the card, a little nearer, as an experienced angler might -bring his bait within striking distance of the pike that lay among the -weeds. - -‘You may shew him in—here,’ said Sir Sykes, as, without taking the -card, he read the name upon it, and which was legibly inscribed in a -big, bold, black handwriting. With a bow the under-butler withdrew to -execute his master’s orders. - -Great people—and a baronet of Sir Sykes Denzil’s wealth and position -may for all practical purposes be classed among the great of the -earth—are proverbially difficult of access. It is the business -of those about them to hedge them comfortably in from flippant or -interested intrusions which might ruffle the golden calm of their -existence; and suspicious-looking strangers by no means find the door -of such a mansion as Carbery, as a rule, fly open at their summons. - -The man who had on this occasion effected an entry was not one of those -whose faces are their best letters of recommendation. The card he had -given bore the name of Richard Hold, and under ordinary circumstances, -such a caller as the mariner would never have succeeded in being put -into communication with a higher dignitary than the house-steward -or the groom of the chambers. However, by a judicious mixture of -bribing and bullying, the visitor had induced the under-butler to do -his errand. Under certain circumstances, half a sovereign is a sorry -douceur, even to an under-butler, but when tendered in company with -enigmatical threats of ‘starting with a rope’s end,’ by a seafaring -personage of stalwart build and resolute air, such a coin becomes -doubly efficacious as a persuader. - -Richard Hold, master mariner, came in with a curious gait and mien, -half-slinking, half-swaggering, like a wolf that daylight has found far -from the forests and among the haunts of men. He was dressed in very -new black garments, ‘shore-going clothes,’ as he would himself have -described them; and the hat that he carried in his hand was new and -tall and hard. He had even provided himself with a pair of gloves, so -desirous was he to omit no item of the customary garb of gentlemen; but -these he carried loose, instead of subjecting his strong brown fingers -to such unwonted confinement. - -‘I cannot say that I expected this honour, Mr Hold,’ said the baronet, -stiffly motioning his unwelcome visitor to a seat. - -‘’Tis likely not,’ coolly returned the adventurer, as he took a survey -of the apartment. ‘This sort of place, I don’t mind admitting, is a -cut, or even two cuts above me. Still, business is business, Sir Sykes -Denzil, Baronet, and has got to be attended to, I reckon, even in such -a gen-teel spot as this is, mister!’ - -There must be something in the American twang and the American forms of -speech which all the world over hits the fancy of British-born rovers -of Hold’s caste, for in every quarter of the globe our home-reared -rovers affect the idiom, and sometimes the accent, of Sam Slick’s -countrymen. - -‘I am scarcely aware, Mr Hold,’ said the baronet with cold politeness, -‘what business it can be to which I am indebted for the favour of your -company, to-day.’ - -‘Aren’t you, though, skipper?’ echoed Hold, whose natural audacity, -for a moment repressed by the weight as it were of the grandeur around -him, began to assert itself afresh. ‘Well, let every fellow paddle his -own canoe and shoe his own mustangs. The question is, Are you dealing -fairly by me or are you not, Sir Sykes Denzil, Baronet?’ - -‘I assure you that you are talking Greek to me,’ said the master of -Carbery Chase, with a tinge of colour rising to his pale face. - -‘A nod,’ persisted Hold, ‘is as good every bit as a wink—you know the -rest of it, mister. But since you want plain speaking, you shall have -it. You can’t have forgot, no more than I can, that our bargain was -just this: A certain young lady was to be married to a certain young -gentleman.’ - -‘I apprehend that you allude to—to my ward—Miss Ruth Willis,’ said the -baronet hesitatingly. - -‘You’ve hit it exactly,’ exclaimed Hold, with a slap of his hard hand -upon the crown of his hard hat, which sounded like a muffled drum, -somewhat to the discomfiture of its proprietor, who eyed its ruffled -surface ruefully. ‘When is the wedding to come off?’ - -Sir Sykes contemplated his ruffianly visitor with a disgust which it -required all his prudence to dissemble. - -‘In civilised society,’ he said coldly, ‘events of that sort do not -take place with quite so expeditious a disregard of difficulties as -your very apposite question suggests. In the backwoods it is perhaps -otherwise.’ - -‘In the backwoods,’ roughly retorted Hold, ‘we don’t shilly-shally -about righting a wrong, no more than about the marrying of a young -couple that hev made up their minds to it. And let me tell you, Sir -Sykes Denzil, Baronet, the superfine Saxony you fine gentlemen wear -covers bigger rogues, often, than ever did the deerskin hunting-shirt -with its Indian embroidery of wampum and coloured quills. Backwoodsmen! -I’ve been in white-fisted company less to be trusted than theirs.’ - -Sir Sykes had imbibed too much of the spirit of that modern civilised -society of which he spoke, to be readily nettled into a burst of anger -by such taunts as these. Cool, save for one moment, from the first, the -temperature of his calmly flowing blood seemed to grow more frigid as -Hold’s warmed. - -‘You have, I assure you, Mr Hold, no cause whatever for irritation,’ he -said smoothly: ‘I mean—to use your own expression, which I willingly -adopt—fairly by you. I neither repudiate nor ignore our tacit compact. -It is my dearest wish that my son should become the husband of the -exemplary young lady in whose prosperity you interest yourself.’ - -Hold gave a growl such as a bear, suddenly mollified by the gift of a -glittering slice of toothsome honeycomb, might be expected to emit. His -distrustful eye ranged over the baronet’s plausible face, as though to -test the sincerity of the assurance which had just been given. - -‘We’re in the same boat,’ he said, in a tone that, if dogged, was less -surly than before. ‘Our pumpkins, I guess, ought to go to the same -market, they ought. But fair words don’t put fresh butter into a dish -of boiled batatas. I’m a British bull-dog of the game old breed,’ he -added gruffly; ‘and I keep the grip, however I’m handled. Is there a -likelihood of the marriage coming off soonish?’ - -‘I hope so,’ returned Sir Sykes. He would have given much to have -avoided the slight embarrassment which he was conscious that his manner -indicated, and which was not lost upon Hold’s watchful eye. - -‘No day fixed? No banns put up—stop! I forgot—you swells marry by -special license of the Archbishop of Canterbury—no cake ordered; no -fal-lals bespoken from the milliner; no breakfast; no orange-flowers, -eh? Well, I wish to be reasonable about it, Sir Sykes, but there must -be an end of this. Do the young people understand one another, or do -they not?’ - -‘It does not answer to _brusquer_ these things,’ returned Sir Sykes -apologetically. - -‘It does not answer to _what_?’ interrupted Richard, to whose nautical -ears the French word sounded odder than would have done a fragment of -linguafranca or a scrap of Eboe or Mandingo. - -‘To be too precipitate,’ explained the baronet. ‘I have spoken to my -son. He sees, I hope, the affair in a proper light. He is often in the -society of Miss Willis, but—but’—— - -Sir Sykes wavered miserably here. All his deportment seemed to fail him -before Hold’s merciless eye, the very gaze of which probed him to the -quick. - -‘Aren’t you captain in your own ship?’ asked the adventurer curtly. - -The baronet winced at the question. Captain in his own ship, in the -sense that some men are commanders at home, he had never been. His own -house, his own estate, had not from the first been managed in precise -accordance with the views of him who owned them. But he had been a -decorous captain, a captain who walked quarter-deck as solemnly as the -greatest Tartar afloat, and who got lip-service and eye-service as a -salve to his vanity, until quite recently. - -Now there was a strong and not altogether an obedient hand on the -helm. A new broom was making, in the person of Enoch Wilkins, -attorney-at-law, a clean sweep of various time-honoured abuses such as -always do grow up about a great estate, and the wails of the indignant -sufferers could not always be kept from reaching the reluctant ears of -Sir Sykes. People who were docked of perquisites came in respectful -bitterness of soul to the baronet, and humbly prayed that he would take -their part as against Wilkins the lawyer and Abrahams the steward. - -Captain in his own ship! The word was a telling one, and it hit him -hard. He was only captain in an ornamental sense, because Carbery -was his freehold, and the baronetcy his, and he alone could sign -receipts and draw cheques. He had loved his ease much; and now it was -perpetually invaded. He was sorry for dismissed gamekeepers, and for -tenants whose tenure was to expire on Lady-day. He gave them drafts on -his banker as a plaster for the smart which he nevertheless felt sure -was deserved. An unrespecting City solicitor, and the sharp London Jew -whom Mr Wilkins had inducted into the stewardship, were swelling the -rent-roll in despite of the feeble protests of the nominal lord of all. - -‘I can’t compel Captain Denzil to take a wife of my choosing; that is -beyond the power of a modern English father, at least where sons are -concerned,’ said Sir Sykes with a sickly smile. - -‘No; you can’t do that, skipper. To knot the ninetailed cat and give -the young fellow six dozen for mutiny,’ said Hold, chuckling over the -imaginary scene, ‘would be too strict discipline for mealy-mouthed days -like these. But you might let him have it, Sir Sykes, though not quite -so downright. Make him understand that his allowances and his liberty -all depend on good behaviour, and then see what comes of it.’ - -What Sir Sykes suffered during the delivery of this speech, could only -be inferred from the fact that his lips became of a bluish white and -that he drew his breath gaspingly. - -‘Believe me, Mr Hold,’ he said in a thin broken voice, which gained -strength somewhat as he proceeded, ‘you may intrust the care of -carrying out your wishes—that is, our wishes—to me. I understand my son -best, and I’—— - -He stopped again, gasping for breath, and the lines about his mouth, -traced by pain, were visible enough to attract the notice of his -unscrupulous guest. - -‘You shall have time, Sir Sykes Denzil, Baronet,’ he said -apologetically; ‘take a fortnight if you like. I’m to be heard -of meanwhile at old Plugger’s;’ and he threw the card of that -establishment on the table. - -Then Sir Sykes rang the bell for wine, and the wine was brought. Hold -tossed off a bumper of sherry. - -‘Your health, skipper,’ he said; ‘and success to the wedding.’ And so, -with an impudent leer, he picked up his tall shining hat and departed. - - -CHAPTER XXXII.—A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. - -‘It can’t be done, sir, at the price. I’d do a good deal to meet your -wishes and that, and I don’t pretend to be more sentimental than my -neighbours. But marrying is a serious sort of step, you know. One can’t -cry off and pay forfeit, if one changes one’s mind a bit too late. Miss -Willis is’—— - -Thus far Captain Denzil; but now Sir Sykes interrupted his son with an -irritation unusual to him: ‘Miss Willis is a great deal too good for -you, I am afraid. Indeed I trust to her sound sense to keep some order -in your affairs, and prevent you from driving at too headlong a pace -along the road to ruin. Of course her pretensions to pedigree are very -slight compared with our own, if that be the obstacle in your way.’ - -‘Nobody cares much about ancient blood, in a woman at least, -now-a-days,’ languidly replied Jasper. ‘She is lady enough to take the -head of a dinner-table, or figure creditably in a London drawing-room, -after a few weeks of training, and that’s as much as need be looked -for. And I admit that Miss Willis is—very clever.’ - -Except in the case of an authoress, no one ever applies the epithet -‘Very clever’ to a lady save as a species of covert blame. Sir Sykes -felt and looked uneasy as the words reached him. - -‘If you have any personal objection’—— he began. - -‘Not the least in the world,’ unceremoniously interrupted Jasper. ‘I’ll -even stretch a point, and say I rather like the girl than otherwise. -She’d go straight, I daresay, once the course was smooth and clear -before her. But I do not think, father, you are treating me quite well. -Carbery ought, you know it ought, to go in the direct line, as such -properties do.’ - -‘I apprehend your meaning,’ returned Sir Sykes in his coldest tone, -‘to be that you resent as a grievance the fact that the estate is not -entailed upon yourself. You should be more reasonable, and remember the -singular circumstances under which I became master here.’ - -‘It was a grand coup!’ exclaimed the captain, with an envious little -sigh. ‘Such a stroke of luck does not come twice to the same family.’ - -‘I got this great gift,’ pursued Sir Sykes, ‘from the hand of one who -thought less of what he gave to me than of what, by making such a will, -he took away from others. The old lord’s self-tormenting mind led him -to exult, in the hopes that his testament extinguished, in the injury -done to kith and kin.’ - -‘It was a sell for the De Veres,’ muttered Jasper; ‘they didn’t on -the whole take it badly.’ He looked up as he spoke at the glimmering -blazonry of the great stained-glass window, and realised, for the -first time perhaps, the vexation which the caprice of the late lord of -Carbery had inflicted on those of his own race and name. - -‘The property,’ said Sir Sykes, ‘having become my own a score of years -ago, is mine to give or to withhold at my death, as in my lifetime I -may judge fitting.’ - -‘You have told me that, sir, pretty often,’ retorted Jasper testily; -‘of course it’s yours, and you can leave it to the Foundling Hospital -if you like.’ - -‘Common policy then would dictate,’ said Sir Sykes with deliberate -emphasis, ‘the study of my wishes. And I wish very much indeed that -Miss Willis should become your wife.’ - -‘I can’t, as I said, do it at the price; really I can’t,’ rejoined -Jasper sullenly, as he thrust his hand into a side-pocket and fingered -the cigar-case that lay there. He did not dare to light a cigar in -the library, much as he longed to seek solace in smoke; but he grew -impatient for the interview to come to an end, and to recover his -freedom. - -‘I offered a handsome income,’ said Sir Sykes with an offended look. -‘Had not the sum proposed proved sufficient, that was a difficulty not -insuperable. You had the option of beginning married life with the -revenue of an average baronet.’ - -‘Yes; but you see, sir, you are a trifle above the mark of an average -baronet’ responded the captain; ‘and I naturally should like when -my turn comes—I hope it will be a long time first—to fill the same -position. A bare allowance, or a lump of settled money, won’t make me -the equal of an ordinary eldest son; and I don’t see why, since by -accident I’m not on a par with other fellows of my nominal rank and -prospects, and I am required to marry without being allowed to choose -for myself, I should not be put on a level with men of my own standing.’ - -Sir Sykes fidgeted restlessly in his chair, and the lines of pain about -his mouth, which grew more sharply defined every day, deepened almost -perceptibly. - -‘Consider what you are asking of me,’ he said with an injured air; ‘to -make myself a mere tenant for life where I have been for twenty years -owner in fee-simple! Sons do not ask their fathers to entail an estate -for their benefit.’ - -‘I don’t see why I should be in a worse position than other fellows,’ -sullenly responded Jasper. ‘I may have been extravagant and that sort -of thing; but there’s no reason why my extravagances should be totted -up against me to a heavier sum-total than those of twenty I could name. -Hookham, now, who let his father in for a hundred and eleven thousand -the year that the French horse Plon-Plon won the Derby, is as safe of -the Snivey estates as he is of the Snivey peerage.’ - -‘The Earl of Snivey and his prodigal heir Lord Hookham,’ answered Sir -Sykes with cold urbanity, ‘do not present a case, to my mind, precisely -in point. You cannot in reason expect me, after the sacrifices I have -already made on your behalf, to place you in the position, as you call -it, of heir of entail. I am speaking to you less as a father than as a -man of the world.’ - -‘And as a man of the world, sir,’ said the incorrigible Jasper, ‘I -trust you will excuse my saying that I scarcely care to be huddled and -hustled into marrying I don’t know whom, unless at a very heavy figure, -as my stock-broker, when I was fool enough to go on the Exchange, and -burned my fingers over time-bargains, used to say. I can’t think why -you should mind my coming next, as concerns Carbery Chase here.’ - -This was a home question which, if arraigned before the stern tribunal -of Minos and Rhadamanthus, Sir Sykes would not have found it easy to -answer. He was in the habit of telling himself that Jasper was not a -successor to whom the honour and welfare of a great family could with -prudence be intrusted. Were he master, the old oaks in the Chase might -soon be gambled down from their prescriptive loftiness, and mortgages -might spring up like mushrooms. Here was a noble estate unencumbered, -like some big diamond without a flaw to mar its lustre, and he was -asked to let his spendthrift son inherit as of right. There were Lucy -and Blanche to be provided for. They would marry, doubtless, and their -husbands would probably expect that the brides’ hands should be heavy -with much gold. The bulk of the property would devolve on Captain -Denzil; but then it might be tied up with an ingenious testamentary -rigour that should keep the future baronet in legal leading-strings -through life. Sir Sykes cherished too lively a recollection of the -shifts and straits of his own outlawed progenitor Sir Harbottle, -to wish the reins of government to pass unreservedly into Jasper’s -unsteady hands. - -But Sir Sykes had an unavowed motive for rejecting his son’s -proposition. He was by no means sure how Enoch Wilkins of St Nicholas -Poultney would receive such a suggestion. Mr Wilkins, that over-zealous -pilot, who had insisted on assuming the guidance of affairs, might be -furious at hearing that Jasper was to be promoted from heir-presumptive -to heir-apparent. There was no alliance between the captain and the -shrewd turf lawyer, from whom so much of his lightly expended cash had -been extracted. Jasper by no means relished the elevation of Mr Wilkins -to be his father’s Mentor and right-hand man. Mr Wilkins might guess -that Sir Jasper would send his japanned deed-boxes elsewhere than to -St Nicholas Poultney. And yet Sir Sykes could not venture to offend Mr -Wilkins. - -The conversation was protracted for some half-hour or more, since Sir -Sykes was sincerely desirous to carry his point; but it languished by -degrees, and involved, as conversations on important topics are in real -life apt to do, frequent repetitions of some stock phrase or threadbare -argument. Sir Sykes essayed threats, veiled ones of course, and not -very comprehensible even to himself. Jasper, however, was very little -moved by such threats. There are things that a gentleman cannot do, and -assuredly one of them is to turn his only son out of doors because he -declines a wife of the parent’s choosing. And to no other menace was -the captain amenable. He should probably, as a result of his father’s -displeasure, get no cheques for the next few months; but this stoppage -of pocket-money could not much affect the happiness of a graceless -prodigal who, had he once got a sufficient sum in his possession, would -have turned his back at once on Carbery and all that belonged thereto. - -Jasper, then, was singularly stubborn. He was in general as morally -pliable as a jelly-fish, after the fashion of most so-called men of -pleasure, but now he seemed for the nonce to have developed a backbone, -and to be hard to bend. There was really some lurking sense of injury -at his heart, and he felt on better terms with his own conscience -than was often the case, as he resisted his father’s instances that -he should marry Miss Willis, commence housekeeping on five thousand a -year, and be a reformed character as well as a Benedict. He felt that -all was not right, and was assured that a bride worth the taking would -not be urged on his acceptance with such pertinacity. - -‘I do not see,’ repeated Jasper again and again, ‘why I should be in a -worse position than other fellows.’ - -From that formula, behind which, as behind a breastwork, he strongly -intrenched himself nothing could drive him. It was not, as he explained -with almost unnecessary candour, that he had any undue delicacy with -regard to mercenary marriages; but that what he stipulated for was to -be on a level with other spendthrifts of his own degree and set, with -young Lord Hookham, with Lionel Rattlebury, and wild Lord Viscount -Squandercash, and the rest. Entail the estate, so that it _must_ pass -to him, Jasper, and post-obits would become practicable, and money be -easily raised; and then Miss Willis was welcome to be the partner of -his joys and sorrows—such was Jasper’s simple train of reasoning. It -was a heavy price, but he stood out for it. - -Sir Sykes was not willing to pay the price, at the cost, it might be, -of a second contest with Mr Enoch Wilkins, and the negotiation with his -son came to no satisfactory conclusion. What was to be done? Hold had -named a fortnight as the period of grace that he was disposed to grant; -but the baronet was of opinion that it would not be politic to allow -the time to expire without communicating with this man—who was in some -sense his master. He would inform Hold of Captain Denzil’s unexpected -obstinacy, and plead for a further delay, and—yes—he would send money. -Money has often a wonderfully lenitive effect upon the temper, and its -softening effects should be tried upon this buccaneering fellow. - -Sir Sykes penned his letter, touching as lightly as he could on -Jasper’s recalcitrancy, and expressing sanguine hopes for the future. -He said nothing about the entail, which had been the subject of the -haggling debate between himself and the captain. It would hardly be -prudent to tell Hold of that, lest Jasper should find an unexpected -ally to back his demand. - -‘We had better, under the circumstances, give him, as I believe -whale-fishers say, a little more line,’ wrote Sir Sykes in his -confidential communication to Richard Hold, and he was weak enough to -pride himself on his neat use of a nautical metaphor sure to tell with -a seafaring man. And he signed a cheque for two hundred and fifty -pounds, payable to Mr Richard Hold, or order, and inserted it in the -letter, which he despatched by that night’s post. He could scarcely -have done a more foolish thing. - - - - -OUR VOLUNTEERS. - - -Some persons are old enough to remember the Volunteer system which -prevailed in the early years of the present century. It was an -enthusiastically patriotic movement, for the country was threatened -with invasion by Bonaparte, who, however, as is well known, never -got beyond preparations at Boulogne, and by the victory of Nelson at -Trafalgar received an effectual check. Volunteering at that time, -though very hearty, was at best never anything else than playing at -soldiering. The members of the various corps were only civilians in -uniforms. Discipline was imperfect. At any fancied affront, a man sent -in his gun and walked off. - -We can mention a case in point, which occurred about 1807. The colonel -in command of the Westminster Volunteers, one day lost his temper on -parade, and struck a member of the corps with the flat of his sword. -Such was the general indignation at the outrage, that the greater -number of both officers and men at once sent in their resignation, -and the regiment was broken up. This anecdote was related to us by -one of the sergeants, who resigned and sent in his sword and musket. -Evidently, there could have been no solid reliance on a body of -Volunteers so ill governed and held together so feebly. The whole -fabric was at length dissolved, and was succeeded by militia regiments -strictly under the articles of war. - -The volunteering system of our own day has step by step attained the -character of a Landwehr, or reserve force, liable, if the occasion -arises, to support the army of the line and the militia. It embraces -infantry, cavalry, and artillery, and is constructed on a proper -military basis. As in former times, each town or district has its own -regiment of Volunteers, which may be concentrated at a short notice -by telegraph. In the infancy of the present movement, the peer and -the artisan, the gentleman and the shopkeeper, all ‘shouldered arms’ -together and marched gaily side by side. Dukes, earls, marquises, -and cabinet ministers joined the ranks—Lord Palmerston (then -Prime-minister) himself donning the uniform and learning his drill -as a private in the London Irish Rifle Corps; while in the London -Scottish, the Marquis (now Duke) of Abercorn did the same thing. This -was all well and good; but it could not last long, nor did it. Liberty -is the precious possession of all classes in this country, but perfect -‘equality’ and ‘fraternity’ such as the above incidents indicated -are virtues which have not yet attained to any very great degree -of perfection amongst us. And so it came to pass that these noble -recruits, whose support at that time to the Volunteer cause cannot of -course be over-estimated, were among the first who ‘fell out,’ to make -way for those who really meant ‘soldiering.’ - -Royal reviews and Easter-Monday field-days attracted to the ranks -of our citizen army all those who loved volunteering for the sake -of making a show; but now that the movement has settled down into -real earnest military work, the _true_ manhood of Britain is to the -fore—the spirit which looks upon hard work with as light a heart as -it looks on pleasure, when there is a lesson to be learned or a great -object to be gained. - -The new movement was national in all its phases. The different corps -adopted titles and mottoes which had some distinct connection or other -with their country’s history, or with the local traditions of the -counties in which they were raised. In the former category are the two -national corps we have already named; and in the latter may be reckoned -the ‘Robin Hoods,’ with their uniform of Lincoln green, which is the -only thing about them, however, that reminds one of the days of Robin -Hood and his jovial band. - -Though for some cause which we have never heard properly explained, -there are no ‘colours’ or ‘standards’ in our Volunteer corps, each -regiment has a motto, the favourite ones being _Defence, not Defiance_ -(which is the motto of the National Rifle Association), _Pro Aris et -Focis_ (For our Hearths and Firesides), and _Pro Rege et Patria_ (For -King and Country). If ever our Volunteers are used at all it will be in -battalion formation, like the regular army, for an army of two hundred -thousand men cannot all act as skirmishers, and their colours would be -to them as much the embodiment of their country’s honour as those of -the line are to the regiments of the regular army. The Volunteers of -1804 possessed honourable emblems in the shape of banners or standards, -many of which still adorn the walls of London’s historic fortress—the -Tower. - -In the year 1860 the Volunteer movement received the patronage of Her -Majesty the Queen, in a manner as practical as it was generous and -graceful. The National Rifle Association, which may be said to be the -mainspring of the whole affair, and which has since become one of -our most popular institutions, had decided to hold the first annual -contest in rifle-shooting at Wimbledon Common, and the great ‘Tir -National’ of England was successfully inaugurated by the Queen firing -the first shot. The rifle was laid for her, and Her Majesty pulled the -trigger. By the aid of the ‘mechanical rest’ the bullet struck the -bull’s-eye, and thus with an omen of happy import was commenced the -series of contests which to-day has given us an army of sharpshooters -ready to ‘do or die’ for Britain. The Queen then announced that she -would give a prize of two hundred and fifty pounds to be shot for -annually, the winner having the choice of receiving it either in money -or in a souvenir of the same value. This prize, which is called the -‘blue-ribbon’ of Wimbledon, can only be shot for by Volunteers; and to -it are also attached the gold medal and badge of the National Rifle -Association. The Prince Consort also gave an annual prize to be shot -for, and this has been continued to the meeting by the Prince of Wales. - -These royal acts at once put the seal of popularity upon the Volunteer -cause, and prizes of all kinds were offered for competition. Things -were at first somewhat chaotic at Wimbledon; but as time wore on, -the common changed its fair-like aspect, in which refreshment booths -occupied the most prominent place, to the spectacle which it now always -presents on these occasions—namely that of a neat and well-ordered -encampment where, while the meeting lasts, the strictest military -discipline is understood to prevail. Competitors from all parts of the -world meet there annually, for many of the prizes are of a cosmopolitan -nature. The Dominion of Canada and Australia send teams of marksmen, -for whom special ‘challenge cups’ are prepared; while the Army and -Navy, the two Houses of Parliament, and our great Public Schools also -exhibit their skill in the use of the rifle. - -Our Volunteers had a good deal to put up with in the first few years -of the movement from the street arabs and other idlers, who could find -no better employment than to fling all kinds of rough sarcasm and what -may appropriately be termed ‘gutter criticism’ at the members of the -different corps. An unfortunate Volunteer, for instance, was fined -for shooting a dog on Blackheath Common as he was going to drill, and -almost immediately every Volunteer was hailed in the London streets -with the cry of ‘Who shot the dog?’ Again, when the Volunteers met in -the public parks for drill they were closely surrounded by a critically -tantalising crowd, which obstructed their movements and laughed -heartily at their mistakes. The comic papers were also filled with -amusing caricatures of our citizen soldiers; and a great deal was done -even in high places to throw cold-water upon this patriotic and popular -movement. It has now, we are glad to record, outlived all this, and has -become enthroned in the hearts of Englishmen as one of our greatest -institutions. It numbered at first some two hundred thousand men, -but this included persons of all ages, sizes, and classes; and after -the first flush of enthusiasm passed off, the motives which actuated -many of them were not so much military zeal or any of the more solid -military virtues, as a love of novelty and a taste for good-fellowship. - -The Volunteers are now organised upon a somewhat different footing. -No one is accepted as a recruit who is not physically able to -undergo military work and marching; but should the Volunteer wish to -quit the service, he must comply with the following rules as laid -down in _Regulations for the Volunteer Force_. He must give to the -commanding-officer of his corps fourteen days’ notice in writing of his -intention to quit the corps. He must deliver in good order—fair wear -and tear only excepted—all arms, clothing, and appointments that may -have been issued to him. And he must pay all money due or becoming due -by him, under the rules of the corps, either before or when he quits -the corps. When the above regulations have been observed, the Volunteer -is free to bid adieu to the ranks. His uniform is supplied to him free, -but only on condition that he shall make himself an ‘efficient;’ a -condition which if fulfilled, will earn for the funds of his corps the -government capitation grant of thirty shillings per year. Efficiency is -gained by attending a certain number of drills and parades and gaining -a regulated score of marks for rifle-shooting. - -Thus at a small cost to the state the different corps are made -self-supporting, the Volunteer himself being put to no expense beyond -the time which he gives up to the necessary drills and parades. The -Volunteers have now learned what military discipline is, and have, by -their attending the exercises and manœuvres of the regular army, shewn -themselves willing to submit to it. Most Volunteer officers also take -a pride in knowing their duty, and are no longer helplessly dependent -on the adjutant and the drill-instructor. Instead of being regarded in -the light of a novelty, volunteering is now looked upon as a serious -business by all engaged in it, and as a task which in its perfect -fulfilment will render them worthy citizens of a great and widely -extended empire. - -The service which the Volunteer movement has rendered to Britain is of -incalculable value, for besides giving us a defending army of nearly -two hundred thousand ‘efficient’ men, trained to the use of every -weapon known in warfare, it has been a school in which, during the -twenty years of its existence, thousands have learned those elementary -principles of military life which, in the case of an invasion, would -enable them again to come forward in defence of their Queen and -country. The very fact of Great Britain possessing such an army would -deter, and for aught we know to the contrary, may have deterred hostile -nations from invading her shores. - -The two largest Volunteer corps are Scotch—namely the 1st Lanarkshire -Artillery with seventeen batteries, and the 1st Edinburgh (Queen’s) -Rifle Brigade with twenty-five companies; these being the only two -corps whose strength entitles them to two adjutants each. The militia -and yeomanry trainings of 1876 were attended by seventy-six thousand, -and nine thousand five hundred officers and men respectively; while -the annual inspections of the Volunteers for last year resulted in an -attendance of 159,378 men of all ranks. - -We find by reference to the Annual Returns of the Volunteer corps, -that no fewer than 16,306 officers and sergeants obtained Certificates -of Proficiency in 1877. These are facts which it is consoling for the -public to know, for they ought to dispel in the future any fear of the -consequences of foreign invasion. - -The Civil War in America shewed us what a Volunteer army could do; and -it behoves this country now to see that this magnificent force which it -has at its disposal should be placed on such a footing in relation to -the other forces as will for ever secure its services. Our Volunteers -constitute a force to which no other country can present a parallel; -and as such, irrespective of its being the means of doing away with the -evils of conscription, is worthy of all the support which the state can -give it, for certain events within the past few years have shewn us to -what straits a country is driven, and how great is the misery of its -people when it has been successfully invaded. As a sign of the times -too, we may note with satisfaction the patriotic feeling which has, -in the present crisis of our national history, induced many Volunteer -corps to offer their services to the government for garrison duty at -home, in the event of our army proceeding abroad, one regiment—the -London Irish—even going so far, we learn, as to place itself at the -absolute disposal of the government for service either in or out of the -United Kingdom. - -Long may it be ere these shores are ever again approached by an enemy -bent upon our destruction as a people; but we cannot shut our eyes to -the fact that such an enterprise would perchance ere this have been -effected if it had not been for the patriotic conduct of our youth, who -have enabled Britain to cover herself with an impenetrable shield, -and to find in the arms and hearts of her own sons that indomitable -strength which is best and most appropriately expressed in the peaceful -words that form the motto of our citizen army—namely _Defence, not -Defiance_. - - - - -MONSIEUR DE BOCHER. - - -Badly as the streets of Paris were lighted at the close of the reign -of Louis XV., the art of illuminating ballrooms was as well understood -then as it is in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The guests -who flocked to the receptions of M. de Bocher, after passing through -streets in which a few flickering oil-lamps scarcely succeeded in -making darkness visible, found themselves in the centre of floods of -dazzling light, and surrounded by all that was bright, fashionable, and -gay in the pleasure-loving city of Paris. - -Times had much altered since the days of the Grand Monarque, and the -hard and fast lines of society, then so rigidly observed, were now -well-nigh obliterated. A precursor of the great Revolution which was -hereafter to overthrow the state, was to be found in the invasion of -the saloons of the nobility by financiers and capitalists, who were -received with open arms by those who wished either to borrow money from -them, or to recruit their shattered fortunes by alliances with the -money-bags of the period. Nor was this all; for the poets and writers -of the day, anxious to secure the support of well-known and wealthy -patrons, flocked to these reunions, which they enlivened with their -geniality and wit. - -Monsieur de Bocher could lay but little real claim to the patrician -prefix which he had for some years adhibited to his otherwise plebeian -name. But he held a quasi-official appointment, which, although -outside the Cabinet, gave him almost the dignity of a minister; while -his well-known wealth and splendid entertainments attracted the best -society in Paris. He was, moreover, a man of wit and learning, and -as he possessed the somewhat rare faculty of playing the host to -perfection, had an excellent cook and a cellar of first-class wine, -his mansion in the Faubourg St Germain was one of the most popular in -Paris. Dukes and peers, ambassadors and foreigners of distinction, the -simple gentleman, the poet, the literary man, the barrister, and the -capitalist, all found here a common ground for the display of their -various talents. Fools were rare, for they soon found that the climate -was not congenial; and the conversation was not only remarkable for its -piquancy, but its intellectual character. Each guest, after paying his -respects to Madame de Bocher, mixed at once in the throng, and was soon -busied in discussing the last news of the day, or deep in the question -which agitated Paris. Marmontel and Diderot, La Harpe and Helvetius, -seldom missed a reception; but here, as indeed throughout Paris, -Voltaire was the presiding genius. It was a hopeless struggle for any -young author to attempt to hold his own against so powerful a clique. -Voltaire denounced him before his face; Diderot caricatured him at the -Café Procope; he was jeered and laughed at everywhere, and ended by -submitting to his tormentors. The result of such a censorship was not -difficult to foresee; and in a short time no literary effort which did -not contain at least a covert attack upon religion, in accordance with -the principles of the fashionable philosophy, had a chance of success. -Let us now tell the story of M. de Bocher’s acquisition of wealth. - -His origin indeed was of the lowliest, for his father was but a working -mason in the days of the Grand Monarque. One evening, as the father was -returning home with his work-basket on his shoulder and trowel in hand, -a man wrapped in a long brown cloak, and closely followed by a carriage -without any armorial bearings or ciphers, tapped him on the shoulder -and asked him whether he would like to earn five-and-twenty louis. The -mason eagerly acquiesced; and having entered the carriage, his eyes -were bandaged, and the horses started off at a great rate. For several -hours the carriage was driven rapidly about the streets of Paris, with -the obvious intention of making the occupant lose all trace of the -route he had traversed; and when the object had been accomplished, the -carriage stopped suddenly in the court-yard of a large mansion. Bocher -was then desired to alight; and was at once conducted, his eyes still -bandaged, into a kind of cellar, where his eyesight was restored to -him. Here he found two men, both armed, and with their faces concealed -by masks. The poor man was in an agony of terror, believing that his -last hour had come, but was somewhat reassured by the gestures of his -companions, who, fearful of trusting their voices, made signs to him to -make some mortar of the lime which was lying on the floor. A hole in -the wall disclosed a recess; and the two men raising with difficulty -a weighty strong box, placed it in the interior, and made signs to -the mason to build up the wall afresh. Bocher, seeing that nothing -was required of him but the legitimate exercise of his craft, quickly -recovered his self-possession; and guessing that the proprietors of the -treasure were obliged to quit the country, and had hit upon this device -for concealing it until better times should dawn upon them, the notion -of appropriating it to his own use flashed like lightning across his -brain. - -When he concluded his work, as if intending to give a last polish to -its completion, he placed his hand, thickly covered with wet mortar, -on the new wall, and thus left the distinct impression of his five -fingers on the hiding-place of the treasure-deposit. The promised -five-and-twenty louis were then faithfully counted out into his hand; -his eyes were again bandaged, and he was re-conducted to the carriage, -which after following the same course of deception for three long -hours, at last deposited him in the same street as that in which the -man in the brown cloak had found him. - -From that day forth Bocher abandoned the use of the hammer and -trowel, and passed his time in wandering about Paris inspecting the -houses advertised to be sold, directing his attention especially to -the cellars and lower regions of the buildings; seeking everywhere, -but without success, that imprint of his hand which would point the -way to unlimited wealth. In the pursuit of this phantom, not only the -twenty-five louis but all the little savings of his hard work rapidly -melted away, and misery and hunger began to knock loudly at the mason’s -door. One after another he sold the petty articles of furniture which -had embellished his humble home, to procure the bread which was -necessary to sustain life; and pale and in rags he wandered about -Paris, reading every new announcement of vacant houses, and became a -nuisance to the porters intrusted with the care of shewing them. - -Two years thus passed away—two long years, occupied day by day in -seeking a fortune, and night by night in dreaming that it was found. He -was returning home one evening, sad and dispirited, with the proceeds -of the sale of the bed upon which his mother had died, and which had -been one of the very last articles of furniture he possessed, when -his eye was caught by a large posting-bill announcing the sale of a -magnificent mansion belonging to the Duc de Cairoux, in the immediate -vicinity of his own dwelling. He recollected the story of the sudden -disappearance of the Duke, and on reading the bill, found that the -property was sold under a legal decree, which constituted the heirs -proprietors with a power of sale. A last hope crossed poor Bocher’s -mind, and he at once proceeded to the house, and knocked hastily at the -door. It was almost dark, and no one paid any attention to his eager -summons. After a sleepless night he again made his appearance at the -portal of the Duke’s mansion; but although it was now opened, another -difficulty presented itself, for the porter hesitated to admit a man so -ragged and dirty as the poor mason had become. At length, however, he -agreed to do so upon the understanding that a servant accompanied the -strange visitor during his survey of the premises. The powdered lackey -was scarcely more courteous than the porter, and scornfully exhibited -the rich furniture, pictures, and priceless china which adorned the -apartments, to his humble companion. But these were not what Bocher had -come to see, and at last he induced the man to shew him the cellars. -Whilst the footman was descanting upon the quantity and quality of the -wines around them, Bocher was anxiously scrutinising all the walls, -in hopes of finding that print on the mortar which was to open to him -the door to untold wealth. It was all in vain; and deaf to the man’s -insolence, Bocher was on the point of leaving, convinced that his -last hope had vanished like its predecessors, and that this could not -have been the house he had visited on that eventful evening, when he -suddenly perceived a small cellar situated in an angle of the wall, -which had hitherto escaped observation. He turned back and examined it -closely, his technical knowledge as a mason at once shewing him that -the mortar in one part of the wall was much fresher than elsewhere. He -approached the spot, and there—yes, there was no doubt about it—there -were the marks of the five fingers, plain and distinct! - -‘At last, at last!’ he murmured to himself; and to make assurance -doubly sure, he traced out each of the impressions with a trembling -hand. There could be no doubt whatever about it. At last his long -search was ended. - -Eight days afterwards the property was to be sold by auction, and -numbers of the aristocracy of Paris sent their stewards to bid for it. -It was put up at fifty thousand louis d’or, and two thousand louis were -at once added by the steward of the Duc de Berri. - -‘Sixty thousand louis,’ said a voice from a corner; and the audience -turning round to look at the man who had the audacity to outbid the -richest man in Paris, discovered a poor man whom they had supposed to -be a beggar. - -‘Sixty thousand louis,’ said the auctioneer; ‘sixty thousand louis are -bid, and this fine property is going for only sixty thousand louis!’ - -The steward added five thousand louis, and the offer was at once capped -by the mendicant who bid seventy thousand louis. Thus the war was -carried on until one hundred thousand louis were offered, and people -were aghast at this extraordinary duel between the steward of the -wealthy Duke and a miserable-looking beggar. - -‘One—hundred—and—ten—thousand—louis,’ slowly, but with emphasis, -shouted the steward with a withering look at his ragged opponent. -Bocher hesitated, for although he well remembered how heavy the strong -box was, it was doubtful whether it contained so large a sum as -this, and he was well aware that the penalty for non-payment was the -Châtelet prison for life with all its horrors. There was not much time -for reflection, for already the ‘Going, going’ of the auctioneer was -sounding in his ears. - -‘One hundred and twenty thousand louis,’ he shouted; and ‘One hundred -and twenty thousand louis are bid,’ repeated the auctioneer amidst a -breathless silence. This time there was no advance on the bidding; and -after waiting the stipulated time, the property was knocked down to -Bocher; and the discomfited steward of the Duke quitted the field of -battle, revenging himself with a bitter jest as he passed his conqueror. - -Bocher, with the penalty of non-payment of the enormous purchase-money -staring him in the face, handed over the required sum within -twenty-four hours, receiving in return the necessary title-deeds. - -The mason became a dealer in monopolies, and finished by leaving an -immense fortune and a patent of nobility to his son. - - * * * * * - -Not contented with the house in Paris which had satisfied his father’s -aspirations, the son built himself a splendid château at Montigny, -where he had the honour of entertaining amongst other important -personages, Louis XV. and M. de Voltaire. The château was built on a -hill; and puffed up with the vanity of his riches, M. de Bocher had -the presumption to attempt to surpass the great work of Louis XIV. at -Versailles, by bringing the water from a greater distance and throwing -it to a greater elevation. He had a theatre attached to the château, -and lived the life of great land-proprietors in England, a state of -things quite unknown in France. His museum of natural history, his -collection of pictures by the old masters, his stud of horses, were all -unrivalled, and moreover he had the luck to enjoy his good fortune to -the last, for he died on the eve of the great Revolution, leaving two -sons behind him to enjoy his mysteriously acquired wealth. - - - - -FACTS WORTH KNOWING. - - -From inquiries made among French hatters by Dr Delaunay, some curious -facts concerning heads have come to light. In families developing -towards a higher intellectual standard, heads increase from generation -to generation; while families failing intellectually, shew a regular -decrease in size. The men who made the Revolution of 1789 had bigger -heads than their fathers; while the sons of the present ruling families -in France are craniologically so deficient that hats have to be made -specially for them. In Paris the largest heads are to be found in the -quarter of the schools, and among the schools themselves the secular -stand above the ecclesiastical. - -As flies are said to eat the animalcules in impure air, thus removing -the seeds of disease, leanness in a fly is _primâ facie_ evidence of -pure air in a house, while corpulency indicates foul wall-paper and bad -ventilation. Talking of a foul and fresh atmosphere, there has lately -been adopted in India a novel method of giving change of air to people -who cannot afford to leave home. Patients go up in a balloon, which -ascends to a certain height, and is there made captive. It seems that -a few days passed in this atmosphere, which is quite different from -that on the plains beneath, temporarily braces up the most languid -of invalids. The importance to health of a free perspiration no less -than of fresh air, and what dangers arise from perspiration being -suddenly checked, has been proved by the fact that a person covered -completely with a compound, impervious to moisture, will not live over -six hours. On the occasion of some papal ceremonies, a poor child was -once gilded all over with varnish and gold-leaf to represent the Golden -Age. No wonder that it died in a few hours, when we consider that the -amount of liquid matter which passes through the pores of the skin in -twenty-four hours in an adult person of sound health, is about sixteen -fluid ounces, or one pint. Besides this, a large amount of carbonic -acid—a gaseous body—passes through the tubes; so we cannot fail to see -the importance of keeping them in perfect working order by frequent -ablutions or other means. - -It has often been stated that ocular weakness and diseases in various -forms appear to have been rapidly increasing in recent times. Dr -Loring, in discussing before the New York County Medical Society the -serious question, ‘Is the human eye gradually changing its form under -the influence of modern civilisation?’ confirms the opinion, so far at -least as short-sightedness is concerned. Constant study, now incidental -to the lives of so many, has, he says, a tendency to engender this -derangement of the eye, and it is often transmitted to descendants. In -his opinion, near-sightedness is a disease of childhood, and rarely -develops itself after the fifteenth or eighteenth year. On examining -the eyes of over two thousand scholars in the New York public schools, -Dr Loring found that the proportion of those in a healthy condition -were eighty-seven per cent. among children under seven years, while -between that age and twenty-one, the proportion of normal eyes -was but sixty-one; which shews, he thinks, that near-sightedness -increases directly with the age to which schooling is extended. -In Königsberg, Germany, he found considerably more than half the -population were short-sighted; and in America it is more commonly met -with among the older eastern cities than the new ones of the west. -Among the most prominent causes of the disease are, in his opinion, a -sedentary life, poor food, bad ventilation, and general disregard of -hygienic requirements—all conducing to a laxity of tissue, of which -near-sightedness is an indication. - -The experiments of Mr G. F. Train on himself would seem to give some -corroboration to the reports of fasting girls that crop up from time to -time. In an attempt to prove that eating is merely ‘an acquired habit,’ -he persisted in going without food for six days, and expects in time -to be able to do without nourishment for a much longer period! His -experiments, he asserts, prove three things: First, that all stories of -terrible agony in starvation are nonsense; second, that fasting really -improved his intelligence; and third, that a person who has fasted -six days has no ravenous appetite. This, however, we should think is -accounted for by the sufferer feeling quite past eating at a certain -stage of starvation.—The problem of how to live on sixpence a day has -been elucidated by a London physician, who writing in advocacy of -vegetarianism, affirms that he knows many persons who keep themselves -strong and well on that sum. He further says: ‘I have myself lived and -maintained my full weight and power to work on threepence a day, and -I have no doubt at all that I could live very well on a penny a day.’ -The ‘penny restaurant’ lately announced in New York, where a small cup -of coffee, bread and butter, pork and beans, a slice of corned beef, -oatmeal, and boiled rice, may be obtained at a cost of one cent for -each item, offers the very means of carrying out this theory. What -kind of ‘living’ could be enjoyed on that insignificant sum, is not -explained by the learned experimenter; but without pushing theory to -such an extreme, it is evident that a more careful and judicious outlay -of small incomes would enable many unthinking persons to live well and -economically, who may now deem such a thing impossible. - -The use of horse-flesh as an article of food has made great progress -in Paris, where about a thousand horses per week are said to be -slaughtered, the animals even being imported for that purpose. It is -said that during the Exhibition, the hippophagists of Paris intend -giving a banquet once a month to the journalists of all nations, where -horse and ass flesh prepared in every seductive form will be served -up.—The snail is becoming another fashionable article of diet in -France, and for some time past a particular place has been appropriated -for their sale in the Paris fish-markets. Snails, says one of the -French journals, were highly esteemed by the Romans, our masters -in gastronomy, and are now raised in many of the departments with -success. In the sixteenth century the Capuchins of Fribourg possessed -the art of fattening snails—an art not lost in our day, for in Lorraine -and Burgundy they raise excellent snails, which find sure demand in -the Paris market. There are now more than fifty restaurants and more -than a thousand private tables in Paris where snails are accepted as a -delicacy by upwards of ten thousand consumers; the monthly consumption -of this mollusc being estimated at half a million. Frank Buckland tells -us that snails are becoming scarce in the neighbourhood of London, -where for some time snail-collecting has been a regular trade. - -It is a curious fact that so many dwellings once the homes of poets -should have been public-houses at one time or another. Burns’s native -cottage was a house of this description; the house in which Moore -was born was a whisky-shop; and Shelley’s house at Great Marlow, a -beer-shop. Even Coleridge’s residence at Nether Stowey, the very house -in which the poet composed his sweet _Ode to the Nightingale_, became -an ordinary beer-house. A house in which James Montgomery lived for -forty years at Sheffield was a beer-shop; and the birthplace of Kirke -White is now a house for retailing intoxicating beverages. - -Many facts relating to foreign countries, which strike Englishmen -as being curious to a degree, reach us from time to time. A Spanish -soldier, we are told, will fight for a week on an empty stomach, -provided he can look forward to playing his guitar on the seventh day. -In his country, if a bull intended for the fight falls ill, the animal -is sent to an infirmary. The chief toreador Frasculeo has a fortune of -two million francs; his combat costume represents one hundred thousand -francs in diamonds alone; he is courted by the highest society in -Madrid, is a member of the chief aristocratic club; yet his wife is -a fishmonger’s daughter, and still helps her mother in the market. -On days when her husband performs she sits at her balcony with her -children to receive couriers, who come on horseback waving a white flag -as a sign of success in the arena.—The account of how a titled lady in -Russia has discovered to her cost the penalties of expressing in too -emphatic a manner her disapproval of her governess’s behaviour, will, -if true, convey a curious idea of some social customs in that country. -The Princess Manweloff had a habit of striking her governess, a lady -of noble birth, and the latter complained of her to the local justice. -In this instance the law was a respecter of persons, and the Princess -was ordered three days’ detention in her own house. The governess -was dissatisfied, and appealed to a higher court, which sentenced -the defendant to three months’ imprisonment in the common jail.—As -a curious fact, it has been noted by Sir Samuel Baker that a negro -has never been known to tame a wild elephant or any wild animal. The -elephants employed by the ancient Carthaginians and Romans were trained -by Arabs and others, never by negroes. It had often struck Sir Samuel -as very distressing that the little children in Africa never had a pet -animal; and though he often offered rewards for young elephants, he -never succeeded in getting one alive. - -A curious instance of the acquisition and rejection of fortune reaches -us from New Orleans. A stableman named Pathier, belonging to an hotel -in that city, suddenly found himself heir to eighty thousand francs -at the death of his mother; yet strange to say refused to accept the -money. The law has in vain endeavoured to induce him to avail himself -of the windfall: his only ambition is to smoke his pipe and groom the -horses. To such an instance of contempt of riches it would be difficult -to find a parallel. - -Some curious facts from the world of Nature crop up occasionally, which -are well worthy of consideration. For instance, it has been proved -that the bee may under certain circumstances turn out to be anything -but the pattern of industry it is proverbially supposed to furnish. -Australian colonists have from time to time taken out swarms of bees -to their adopted land, in the hope of deriving practical benefit from -the profusion of flowers with which the whole country abounds. For -some little time the newly imported bees maintained their reputation -for industry, storing up their food in the comfortable hives provided -for them, and supplying the colonists with far superior honey to -that collected by the indigenous honey-producers the ‘mellipones.’ -Presently, however, the hives were discovered unstocked at the end of -the autumn, notwithstanding the long summers of the northern parts -of Australia, and it was found that the bees entirely neglected to -lay by a stock of food, as was their wont. Though the bees increased -and the hives were always regularly tenanted, no honey was brought -home. It soon became evident that, finding the perennial summer of the -tropical parts of Australia afforded them abundance of food, without -the intervention of long winters, the bees forsook their old habits, -gave themselves up to a life of happy indolence, and no longer took the -trouble to convey their superabundant supplies to the hives prepared -for them. In short, there being no winters to provide for, the bees -gave up the practice of storing honey. - -Tenacity of life in eels and cats is proverbial; but from an instance -that occurred at Flinstow Farm, near Pembroke, it appears that the pig -may claim to rank with other creatures in this respect. For sixteen -days a pig was missed from the farmyard, and as every search failed to -discover it, the conclusion was arrived at that it had been stolen. -Some masons who were repairing a brick kiln on the farm one day -discovered the missing animal, which had fallen into the kiln, and was -unable to extricate itself. Though all that time without food, the pig -when rescued was able to eat, and did not seem much the worse for its -long imprisonment. - -An unexpected friend to man has been discovered in a kind of animalcule -engendered by sewage, which prevents the decomposing matter from -becoming a dangerous nuisance. Mr Angell, the public analyst for -Hampshire, having examined the sewage-polluted fluid in Southampton -Water, has discovered that where the suspended matters are thickest -there is going on a silent destruction of the foul matters, through -the agency of millions of the minute creatures, by some held to be -of animal, but by Mr Angell believed to be of vegetable origin. On -examining the muddy fluid through a microscope, it was found to contain -myriads of little brown organisms, surrounded with a gelatinous -substance. Each specimen was found to be active in its movements and -of peculiar shape, being furnished with a belt of cilia round the -centre of the body, and with a long transparent and very flexible tail. -After death, these tiny atoms give off an odour similar to that of -sea-weed, and change to a green colour. During life they evolve bubbles -of oxygen gas, which serve to purify the water from the effects of -the decomposing matter on which they themselves feed. It is a pity, -however, that man, by polluting rivers with sewage, should stand so -much in need of this self-developed scavenger. - -Canada, we are told, claims to have produced the largest cheese on -record. It weighed seven thousand pounds, was six feet ten inches in -diameter, three feet in height, and twenty-one feet in circumference; -requiring one milking of seven thousand cows, or thirty-five tuns -of milk to produce it.—Of numerical curious facts, it may not be -uninteresting to state that no less than sixteen different shades of -green are understood to be patronised by the fashionable world; and -that fifteen persons may dine together a billion times without sitting -twice in the same relative position, by merely changing a chair at each -dinner. So much for the combination of numbers. - - - - -A CURIOUS ANTIQUARIAN HOAX. - - -Every one has doubtless read _The Antiquary_, and enjoyed the skill -with which the keenest archæologist of the literary fraternity raised a -laugh against his own favourite studies. The Kaim of Kinprunes and the -‘A.D.L.L.’ furnish the standard jest with which the Oldbucks of every -future age will be assailed, and the bodle that he ‘thocht was an auld -coin’ helps in the attack. Scotland being thus the scene of the most -famous fictional story of this kind, it is curious to find it also the -home of one of the best authenticated antiquarian hoaxes known to have -been practised. - -The story which we are about to narrate dates back to the reign of -George the Third; and though now sixty years since, one of the parties -to the hoax then perpetrated has just made the details of the story -public in a letter read before the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland -at an early meeting in the present year. The circumstances which led -to the hoax being perpetrated were that, when the ruins of the eastern -portion or choir of the old Abbey Church of Dunfermline were to be -removed for the erection of what forms now the parish church, great -anxiety was manifested to prove the truth of the statement, which, -although found in the records, was to some extent believed to be -doubtful, that Bruce the patriot king of Scotland was interred there. -It may suffice for the purposes of the present sketch to state that the -evidence that King Robert Bruce was really buried here is stated by the -Rev. Peter Chalmers, in his _History of Dunfermline_, to be ‘clear, -varied, and strong.’ Bruce died at Cardross in Dumbartonshire in 1329; -and although he had confided to his faithful follower Sir James Douglas -the task of conveying his heart to the Holy Land, Dunfermline was -chosen by himself as his place of sepulture. Mr Chalmers quotes various -entries in the Chartulary of Dunfermline in support of this; while in -Barbour’s famous poem the king is spoken of as having been laid - - In a fayr tumb, intill the quer. - -In Fordun’s _Scotichronicon_ mention is also made of Bruce being -interred ‘in the middle of the choir’ of the Abbey Church. - -When the excavations were being made in 1818 for the erection of the -new church, the operations were watched by many with great interest; -and the Barons of Exchequer in Scotland, in whose custody were the -royal palaces, &c., took some pains to secure that the remains of the -king, if found, should be properly treated. Fulfilling completely the -expectations entertained, a body incased in lead was found by the -excavators, occupying exactly the place which the king’s remains would -be expected to do. It was inwrapped in a double casing of lead; and -some fragments of gold-embroidered linen cloth were also found, shewing -that here at least was the tomb of no common person. The skeleton was -that of a kingly man, six feet in height, with a splendid head, and -in every way worthy of Scotland’s hero. And when the body came to be -examined, previous to its reinterment, it was found that the _sternum_ -or breast-bone had been sawn through longitudinally from top to bottom, -this being the method adopted by the anatomists of the fourteenth -century to reach the heart, for separate interment. This fact and the -position of the body seemed to render it all but certain that the -remains were those of Bruce; but still there remained a _possibility_ -of mistake. - -It was at this point the hoax was perpetrated of which we now proceed -to speak. On the exhumation of the body, it was at once returned to -the earth, and the place where it was found was closed in, flat stones -being placed over the aperture. The discovery was reported to the -Barons of Exchequer, and excited great interest in the minds of all -Scottish people of patriotic or antiquarian feelings. Considerable -delay, however, was made in determining what should be done; and it -was not till November 1819 that, with much ceremony, the skeleton -was recoffined and reinterred. The tomb was filled up with pitch, -carefully built over and inclosed, and an elaborate Latin epitaph was -prepared to the effect that the interesting discovery had been made -amongst the ruins of the old church, &c. But as we have said, there -was a possibility of mistake; and it entered into the heads of two -young men that it would be a capital thing to convince the good folk -of Dunfermline that their town really did contain the body of the -king. One of these was the younger brother of the architect engaged in -the new church, and the other an artist comrade. Their design was to -get an old or old-looking bronze plate, and after inscribing suitable -characters upon it, to find some means of getting it put into the -partially opened grave, so that it would be discovered on proceeding -with the work. Assisted by the gentleman who now tells the story, a -plate was accordingly prepared bearing a device. - -When the discovery of the plate was made, its existence jumped so -completely with the public wish, that it was hailed with unquestioning -and extravagant joy. So much delight was manifested and so seriously -was the jest taken, that the perpetrators of it were afraid to confess -what they had done. - -A ludicrous incident occurred at the time. The provost of Dunfermline, -a banker, sent for the artist, who joyfully waited on the chief -magistrate, anticipating employment. This it was indeed, but of -unexpected and unwelcome kind, for it was to make a drawing of his own -plate, for the Transactions of one of the learned societies! His heart -sunk, and his hand was tremulous; and he suggested to the provost that -he could make the drawing better if allowed to take the plate home. The -answer was startling. Amazed at the audacity of the request, the banker -said: ‘I have more money in the bank just now than ever I had before; -but I would rather give you the whole of it than let that plate out of -my custody for an hour, until its destination is decided by the highest -authorities.’ So the young artist had to sit down and make the drawing, -afraid to hint at the ‘solemn mockery’ in which he was engaged. After a -time suspicion fell on the plate, and it was generally believed to be a -fabrication, although the details of the story were not known till now. -The Rev. Mr Chalmers, whose work was published more than forty years -ago, speaks of the plate as having been ‘satisfactorily ascertained -not to be ancient.’ In Black’s _Guide to Scotland_, it is stated that -the plate—of the _bona fides_ of which no doubt is expressed—may be -seen in the Museum of the Society of Antiquaries at Edinburgh. But the -estimation in which this relic (which would have been priceless if -genuine) was held by the Society may be judged from the statement made -by the Secretary at the meeting where the above story was made public, -that he had had to search for the plate in the cellar in order to -exhibit it to the Fellows. - -The narrator of the story of which the above is an outline is Mr -John Nimmo, whose name is associated with two journals of widely -different repute. A printer by trade, he left Edinburgh for Paris in -the year 1821, and was for many years one of the principal employés -on _Galignani_. He is now enjoying well-earned repose after a lengthy -life of labour. The cause of Mr Nimmo’s leaving Scotland recalls the -history of a painful event, he having been the printer of the _Beacon_, -a newspaper which gained unenviable notoriety by its virulent personal -attacks on men obnoxious to the government of the day. The newspaper -is memorable in the local history of Scotland from the tragic event in -which Mr Stewart of Dunearn was engaged. Mr Stewart had endeavoured in -vain to ascertain by whom the articles were written, and when the name -of Mr Nimmo was given, he refused to accept him as responsible. After a -while the _Beacon_ was given up, and a successor of the same character -was started in Glasgow. Mr Stewart discovered that some of the articles -in the latter were in the handwriting of Sir Alexander Boswell, the -eldest son of Johnson’s biographer. He challenged Sir Alexander; and in -the duel which ensued the latter was mortally wounded; and Mr Stewart, -who was subsequently tried for the offence, was acquitted. The fact -that Mr Nimmo did not return to Scotland for many years after the -perpetration of the hoax in which he was concerned, and that then he -found the question, if not forgotten, certainly exciting no interest, -may explain why he has only now made public, in a letter to an old -friend in Edinburgh, the above curious story. - - - - -VILLAGE VETERANS. - - -We are somewhat proud of the number of hale old people in our village, -the salubrity of which outsiders are apt to question, on account of -its proximity to the Fens. No doubt ague is still known amongst us -in some degree; but the intending visitor who for that reason equips -himself with stores of quinine, evinces just such an exaggerated dread -as that which inspired Dr Johnson to provide himself with pistols on -his memorable journey to the Highlands. Our death-rate is quite within -the average, and longevity is one of our strong points. We must admit -of course that many of our veterans are placed rather early on the list -by rheumatism or asthma; but it is astonishing how long they contrive -to continue there in spite of coughs and stiff joints. We keep a mental -register of them one and all, know each of them personally, and take a -lively interest in their condition, as becomes a parish doctor. There -is an additional zest to our observations in the marked individualities -amongst them, which a protracted village life has always a tendency -to produce; but over and above local and professional pride in their -length of years and the pleasure which mere character-study yields, -there are certain general and loftier human grounds on which we might -excuse a few remarks regarding our village veterans. - -One sunny spot hard by the southern wall of the old bridge forms the -favourite haunt of the old men in fine weather. There they muster in -strength on the balmy summer mornings, and there the hardier of them -forgather whenever there is a blink of sunshine. - -Most of them walk by the aid of two sticks, the halest amongst them -requiring the assistance of at least one, and on these they lean as -they rest their backs against the warm red-brick wall. It is curious to -note the heartiness of their morning greetings, and the ‘I’m bravely, -thank ye,’ with which an octogenarian doubled up with suffering will -answer the challenge as to his health. Their next task is to compare -notes as to the past night’s experience, this mutual review of coughs -and other specific ailments being often couched in phrases more quaint -than elegant; as when dear old Jemmy Baxter said to his listeners -the other day: ‘Dash my wig, if I didn’t think I wor agoin’ to die.’ -Then follows much babbling of olden times, of strange things which -happened when they were hale and hearty, of the sacks of corn they -could carry, of the acres they could reap, of the hard work and big -pay they had when the great drains were making, and not unseldom of -the merry-makings and junketings of half a century ago. Or they talk -with a keenness of interest, sadly suggestive, of the event of the -day, be it the arrival of a new steam-plough or the latest twin-birth -in the parish. Sometimes a scrap of news from the great world without, -falls among them—a great shipwreck, a fresh battle, or a general -election—and sets them agog with wonder and curiosity. - -Old age, like most other inevitable things, is a great leveller, and -our group sometimes consists of individuals who have held very various -positions in life. The chief spokesman and referee in all matters of -gossip is an old man-of-war sailor. He has many a tale to tell of -’board ship, but is best known as the village Zadkiel; a title given, -we fancy, in derision rather than flattery. He has been every inch -a seaman, and is even yet a good type of an old salt, in spite of -rheumatism and crutches. The other veterans have for the most part -been farm-labourers; some have been mechanics; several innkeepers -and tradesmen; and one or two have been farmers in a small way. All -now meet, however, on the common ground of age and infirmity. Old -Dalboys, at one time the hectoring farmer of Longley, smokes the pipe -of equality with Tommy Hill, whom for thirty years he had bullied -as his horse-tender; while the superannuated schoolmaster gossips -amicably with his ancient enemy the now retired sexton. They have -buried old grudges, feuds, and animosities under that wall with the -sunny southern exposure, as thoroughly as they must in any case do -ere long under the chill walls of the old churchyard. No doubt they -have their little childish jealousies still, but these are of a fresh -growth. Sam Payne and Bill Shipley are both fond of the easy position -afforded by the obtuse angle of a bend in the wall, and grumble a -little when the other contrives to secure it. Occasionally John Shore, -in the pride of his practical knowledge, will make a stir in the camp -by doggedly disputing such a statement as that London lies north-east -of Cambridge. At times, too, Billie Wright, who we fear is the butt of -these veteran schoolboys, will totter off in dudgeon, because, being -no smoker himself, some of the more vivacious of his mates get on the -weather-side of him with their pipes. But these tiffs are harmless and -ephemeral, and one can well afford to smile at and forget them in view -of the genuine friendship and good-will that prevail. - -There is, by the way, a certain hour on a certain day of every -week—Wednesday, we believe—which never fails to bring a number of our -veterans to the old bridge, wet or dry, cloud or sunshine, westling -wind or downright nor’-easter. On such occasions they have company in -the shape of a limited number of widows, most of them also well up in -years, who, let us remark, deserve a full share of whatever sympathy -we may be disposed to grant to our cronies of the other sex. The -occasion of this special weekly gathering is one which a stranger would -consider eminently sad and painful. They are waiting to receive their -dole from the relieving officer, who, having many districts to visit, -and no sheltered stations at any of them, is compelled to perform his -interesting duty in the open air. The poor old souls, especially in bad -weather, look anxiously down the road for the appearance of the gig -and gray pony which conveys their ‘father,’ as, with a kind of grim -humour, they have styled the official. Knowing them as we do, however, -and their general cheerfulness and contentment, we are not disposed -to claim any undue commiseration for their lot in this respect. The -distressing side of such a scene presents itself to the reflecting -onlooker rather than to themselves. They have drifted gradually—in -almost every case be it said by sheer stress of circumstances—into the -condition of outdoor paupers, and their wants have vanished one by one -with the decrease of their means. Besides, none of them is altogether -dependent on the parochial allowance. One has several grandchildren who -earn a little; another has a married daughter who struggles to spare a -trifle; and a third has a wife, younger and stronger than himself, who -goes out as nurse or charwoman; while all of them are the objects of -many small kindnesses at the hands of their better-off and sympathetic -neighbours. Their actual aliment indeed contrasts favourably with -that of several others, whose pinched incomes, derived from their own -savings, place them outside the pale of both public and private charity. - -The humble annals of some veterans of the latter class are, when -rightly read, the record of doughty deeds, of amazing fortitude, and -unwavering self-respect. Their old age is beset with petty cares that -might daunt the hearts of younger men and women. Some are entirely -alone in the world, having outlived kith and kin. They have to pinch -and scrape, in the sternest and least lovely sense of that phrase, to -make ends meet. Their daily anxiety is to keep out of debt; a dinner -here and a supper there are ceded in the struggle, but there is no -thought of surrender while life lasts. One old lady (we use the title -advisedly, although she is only the widow of a jobbing carpenter) is -now in her eighty-second year. She has buried all her family except -one son, who is the village scapegrace and a sad thorn in his mother’s -side. The cottage she occupies is her own; but her entire income from -several other small properties is, when cleared of charges, only some -seventeen pounds a year. She has no word of complaint to make, however, -and her philosophy may be summed up in the few words she said to us -the other day: ‘I am hearty for my years, sir. I have been able to pay -my way all along and, God willing, I shall to the end. My only trouble -is about Harry, and who knows but he may alter yet?’ Brave old heart -and brave old comrades, who thus stand firm and undaunted in the last -assault of the world and its cares! - -But whatever their lot and whatever claim some may have to special -interest and regard, the mere fact that they are all veterans in the -great human array, entitles them without distinction to the sympathy of -a younger generation. What need to pry too closely into their careers? -To what purpose the reflection, that this one or that one did not -acquit himself according to the strict standards of thrift, prudence, -or perseverance? Let us accept the helplessness of age, which may have -been reached through failures and weaknesses, in the same tender spirit -that we do the helplessness of childhood, whose inherent weaknesses are -yet untried. They are all under the wall now whose shadow lengthens -across their forms in the setting of the sun. May the light of human -sympathy also linger with them to the end, till veteran after veteran -has quitted the old bridge for his long home, and his earthly haunts -know him no more. - - * * * * * - -Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Paternoster Row, LONDON, -and 339 High Street, EDINBURGH. - - * * * * * - -_All Rights Reserved._ - - * * * * * - -[Transcriber’s note—the following changes have been made to this text: - -Page 348: beaf to beef—“corned beef”.] - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CHAMBERS'S JOURNAL OF POPULAR -LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART, NO. 753, JUNE 1, 1878 *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law 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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