'I3FJ~, _<j {D _ I.ZKS  1, Lci /'6''-                         e'       /
\ ~~                         ~/'(tX\n'fX\\0    \a\V\!3t  




TALES AND SIKETCHIES
FOR THE FIRESIDE,
BY
iT  Best  IIecritcm   u I tlor.
SELECTED FROM
PUTNAM'S MAGAZINE.
NEW-YORK:
A. DOWLING, 36 BEEKMIAN STREET.
1857.








CONTENTS-COMPLETE.
Page.                                Page.
IRVING S LIFE OF WASHINGTON,.  1 l'OPULAR SUPERSTITIONS AND BALBIRDS,                             4  ILAD LITERATURE OF EINGLAND IN
WHVIAT C11EER?.            8   TIJE:MIDDLE: AfGES,.   378
VICTOR GALBRAITII,.. 25 NEILLIE, AVATCIING,... 387
PLANT-MUMMIES,..    26;OVEI.S, TIEIIR:ME.ANING AND THIIIEI
RURA,[ OBJECT3 IN EUROPE AND AIE-      MISSION..          389
RICA,.... 32 A DAY ON TH.- DANUBE,.. 397
How I CA.ME TO LIKE DIAMONDS,. d0 FAMIOUS QUARIRIES OF TIIE ~WORLD,  404
RECENT AMERICAN POETRY,. 48 A  ITRIP FROM CHIHUAIIUA TO THE SISUMMER AND AUTUMN,.. 75   ERRA MADRE,..     408
HORACE GREELEY,... 76 A THANKSGIVING,... 421
MR. PEPPERAGE'S FOURTH OF JULY       TIHE SHADOW,... 421
ORATION,                       91 CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THIE
OaR CRYSTAL PALACE,. 121   RUSSIAN WAR,. 422
TULOOM,.... 130 TH E REPROOF-TH  EPLY,. 433
CURIOSITIES OF PUR1TAN HISTORY,. 132 THE EDITOR AT LA,.. 434
LETTERS OF PAREPIDEMUS,.. 138 A YANKEE DIOGENES,.. 483
ACADIE AND THE BIRTH-PLACE OF        THE FIRST DISCOVERERS OF AMERIEVANGELINE,... 140   CA,.... 457
TIIE OLD MILL,... 145 CUPID AND THE WASP,.. 470
THE ENCHANTED MULE,. 147 RAMBLES OVER THE REALMS OF
SONNET,.... 150   VERBS AND SUBSTANTIVES, —RaWKEEPING SCHOOL IN TEXAS,.. 151   ble First,.... 472
LETTER FROM HIRAM POWERS,. 154 PLULALITY OF WXORDS,. 503
ACADEMIES AND UNIVERSITIES,. 169 STORY OF AN OPERA SINGER,. 512
REJECTED MSS...       180 COSAS DE ESPANA,.. 517
RUSSIAN DESPOTISM AND ITS VICTIMS, 182 AMERICAN DESPOTISMS,.. 524
ADVENTURES ON A DRIFT-LOG,. 187 BATHING AND BODIES-A DissertaON THE GOTHIC STYLE IN TIlE FINE      tOn,.... 532
ARTS,... 191 VESPERS,.... 536
VIRGINIA: PAST AND PRESENT,. 195 THE THREE G(ANNETS,.. 536
THE TREE OF LIFE,.. 202 CAUSES AND CONSE.QUENCES OF TIIE
REMINISCENCES OF AN EX-JESUIT,. 214   RUSSIAN WAR-Present and FuVISIT TO A GOLD CHAIN MANUFAC-         ture,.... 537
TORY,... 216 AT LAST,.... 550
EDITOR'S NOTES,.              220 WATERING PLACE WORRIES,. 551
NE.W-YORK CHURCH ARCHITECTURE, 233 THE WINDHARP,..   569
CURIOSITIES OF PURITAN HISTORY:     AUF WIEDERSEHEN,... 570
- Witchcrft,... 249 PALINODE,.. 570
SALT LAKE AND THE NEW SARATOGA, 260 COUNT STEDINGK,         345, 492, 571
THE LOVERS,. 269 THART OF EATING,. 581
STATISTICS AND SPECULATIONS CON-    RAMBLES OVER THE REALMS OF
CERNING THE PACIFIC RAILROAD, 270   VERBS AND SUBSTANTIVES-RanmTHE DAY OWLS OF NORTH AMERICA, 277   ble Secon,... 602
OUR NEW PRESIDENT,. 301 IN THE LANE,... 610
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION,.. 315 AMERICAN WXINES,.          504, 611
THE DOOM OF WOULD-BE POETS,. 318 LIVING IN TIHE COUNTRY,. 619
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE    FOftTY DAYS IN A WESTERN I-OTEL, 622
ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE,. 319 To MY HERBARIUM,.. 632
LONDON KNOCKINGS.. 324 OUR PARTIES AND POLITICS-A SoluthFROM THE SUMMER DIARY OF'IINEp.-     erner's View of the Subject,. 633
VA TATTLE,..       330 TITBOTTOM'S SPECTACLES,.. 649
THE PAINTER'S PORTFOLIO,.. 357 MRS. MACSIMUM'S BILL,.. 660
AMAVI,.... 361 POWER'S GREEK SLAVE,.. 666
AFRICAN PROVERBIAL PHILOSOPHY. 362 SEA,.....666
~** A1' the Articles enumerated in this Table are complete in this Volume.








PUTNAM'S MONTHLY,
3    agq1aiW   of Iiter tmre, "ienct, a0II  Art.
VOL. VI.-JULY, 1855.-NO. XXXI.
IRVING'S LIFE  OF WASHINGTON.*
BIOGRAPHY may be said to bear to   modern times we have no heroes; but
history somewhat the same relation  the reason, probably, is not so much
thatportraituredoestohistoricalpainting.  that men or society are yet very differLike other comparisons, there are some   ent from what they have been, as that
points in which this one fails; but it is  we have a different way of viewing
exact enough for purposes of illustration.  things-perceiving that to be accomThe great essential requisite for histori-  plished by the united weight of many
cal composition, as for historical paint-  persons acting under a common impulse,
ing, is the power of grouping. If there   which, according to the old method of
is a failure in this respect, skillfulness  explanation, would have been regarded
and elaboration in details, so far from   as the heroic work of some single indimaking up for it, may only render con-  vidual.
fusion worse confounded, and the failure  History, considered as a science, and
more conspicuous. This power of group-  historical compositions, looked upon as
ing is, indeed, essential to every species  demonstrations, have, no doubt, gained
of composition, whether pictorial or  much by this change. But, the great
written; but a much less degree of it  mass of the reading public are hardly
will answer for biography or portraiture  yet prepared for this journey into the
than for compositions in history. Nor  wilderness of historical speculation, even
is this by any means the only advantage  though the promised land of a reorganwhich the former possess. Though not  ized and regenerated society may be
ranked so high in the critic's scale, their  alleged to lie beyond it; while fed
merits and beauties and power of pleas-  with this philosophical manna, they do
ing are much more level to the common  still look back with great longings and
apprehension, and more likely to be  some murmurings to the flesh-pots of
generally felt and appreciated.      Egypt, breaking out into occasional
History, as it becomes more compre-  complaints that they have been led into
hensive, more scientific and abstract,  the desert to starve.
giving more and more of its attention to  Hence, the popularity of that semirelations and causes not accidental, but  historical species of biography, of which
natural and necessary, comes to deal  Washington Irving, in the volume beless and less with men as individu-  fore us, has furnished the first installals, and to confine itself to those mo-  ment of a very pleasing specimen.
tives and impulses shared by groups  Biography, indeed, in this shape of it,
and masses in common-motives and   may be said to have picked up not
impulses to which, rather than to in-  merely the dropped mantle, but, as it
dividual peculiarities, the course and   were, the cast-off body of the ascending
order of events is every day more and   muse of history; and, as yet, the great
more traced. It is said that in these   mass of readers seem much to prefer a
* Life of George Washington. By WASHINGTON IRVING. New York: G. P. Putnam & Co.
Three vols., Vol. I., pp. 504
VOL. VI.-1




2                       Irving's Life of Washington.                 [July,
teacher of flesh and blood to a mere  effect is, of course, the first great object.
voice crying in the wilderness, and the   The liberty taken by these biographic
pressure of a warm hand to spiritual  historians, of selecting from the rich
communications rapped through a study  field of events-to which, though the
table.                                 subject of their story did not personally
In the biography of Washington-a  participate in them, he yet had a certain
subject well worthy to be treated in  relation-such as best admit of rhetorimore shapes than one-there is cer-  cal embellishment, while they skip over
tainly ample room for such a work as  or ignore the rest, is a great advantage
that which Washington Irving, of all  which they possess over the general hismen in the world, is best able to pro-  torian, who feels himself conscientiously
duce. Parson Weems and the Rev.  bound to tell the whole story, and for
Mr. Headley have, indeed, made some  whose end of philosophical instruction,
very desperate efforts at fine writing  the very dullest portion of it may be even
upon this subject, but they belong too   more essential than its most stirring and
much to the spasmodic and melodra-  romantic incidents.  But this ample
matic school to suit all tastes. The  liberty of expatiation is not without its
biographies of Chief Justice Marshall,  dangers and temptations, especially
and of Mr. Sparks, are highly respecta-  when coupled with the undertaking to
ble works.  The latter, particularly,  fill a certain number of volumes, since
may share the praise which Gibbon be-  it is exceedingly apt to interfere with
stows on Tillemont, of an accuracy  that unity of plan and that justice of
which  approaches almost to genius.  proportion, which, after all, is the
There are, however, to be found in the   crowning beauty of every work of art,
great mass of the Washington papers-   and the neglect of which presents to us
the main fund of material common to  the best things out of place, as only so
Mr. Irving and to the two biographers  many specious deformities.
last above-namedv —a good many little    Looking at the matter in this point
traits and incidents which they would  of view, we are under the necessity of
have rejected as unworthy of the dignity  taking very decided objection to Mr.
of Washington, whom they are hardly  Irving's first chapter, which bears the
willing to have seen except in pre-  running title of Genealogy. It is cercise costume, but of which Mr. Irving  tainly a great matter, and sometimes a
knows how  to make excellent use,  rather puzzling one, to know exactly
thereby recommending Washington to   where to begin. The famous History
our sympathy and affection, without in  of New  York, by Diedrich Knickerany way diminishing our respect for  bocker, has gently satirized, in its first
him. For it is among the precious gifts  book, the habit which historians have,
of Irving's genius, that he not only  or used to have, of beginning from
the creation of the world.  Does not
"Finds tongues in trees, books in the running
brinds tongues  in trees, books n the running   Mr. Irving, in the first chapter, of
Sermons in stones," iwhich we are now speaking, expose
himself a little, as sometimes will hapbut "good in every thing," even in  pen to wits and satirists, to be hit by
those very things which more prosaic  his own arrows?   Since the recent
biographers would have carefully kept  discoveries in geology, which carry
out of sight, or piously modified, lest  back the  creation  to  an indefinite
an involuntary smile on the part of the   period, the habit of beginning from
reader, should seem to be an infraction  that epoch has been pretty generally
of Washington's dignity.              abandoned.  Among English biograBut, although such a work as Mr.  phers and historical writers, the era
Irving has undertaken seems to us ex-  of the Norman  Conquest has been
tremely well suited to his peculiar tal.  usually  substituted; and't is from
ents, and likely to do not less credit'to  that point that Mr. Irving-with  a
him as the author, than to Washing-  parade of citations in this first chapter
ton as the subject of it, still it cannot  not found in the rest of the volume,
be denied, that these historical bio-  and which again reminds us of the
graphies have, also, their peculiar diffi-  venerable  Knickerbocker-has  comculties.                              menced his biography.
In these compositions, as in other    Now, for English writers, treating of
departments of the belles lettres, artistic   English subjects, to go back to the




1855.]                 Irving's Life of Washington.                      3
Norman Conquest, or the Saxon Con-  of place in a biography of Washington.
quest, if they see fit and have any   The only facts about any of these De
lights by which to grope their way, is  Wessyngtons, beyond the appearance,
all very well. In such a case we should  in old records and grants of land, of the
not presume to criticise. But American   names of some of them-the surname
biography, if the subject of it happens to  of De Wessyngton having been assumed
have a genealogy, seems to us to begin  from that of their manor-are thesemost fitly with the arrival of the ances-  William Weshington, of Weshington,
tors of the family upon these American  fought for Henry III. against De
shores. That is our Norman Conquest,  Mountfort, at the battle of Lewes in
and Saxon Conquest, too. The matter  1234, at which that feeble prince was
which forms the first fifteen pages of  taken prisoner; but from what motives
Mr. Irving's first chapter, we should   William Weshington fought, whether he
have no objection to as a note,-but  brought up the rear of'the rout, or was
standing in the forefront, as it does,  one of the first to run away, we are
of Washington's biography, it seems  entirely in the dark. Stephen De Westo us decidedly out of place. Nor has  syngton, bearing for his device a golden
this objection failed to be felt by the  rose on an azure shield, took part in a
author himself. " We have entered,"  tilt or tournament at Dunstable in 1334,
he says at the end of the chapter,  but how he acquitted himself on that
"with some minuteness, into this gene-   occasion we know as little as in the
alogical detail, tracing the family step   preceding case. Sir William DeWeschby step through the pages of historical  ington, subsequent to 1367, was one of
documents for upwards of six centuries;  the privy council of the county palatine;
and we have been tempted to do so by   whether a wise or a foolish councillor
the  documentary proofs of the lineal  we know not. On his death, leaving
and enduring worth of the race. We   only a daughter, the manor of Weshave shown that for many generations,  syington, by her marriage, passed out
and through a variety  of eventful  of the family. This was previous to
scenes, it has maintained an equality   1400; but subsequently to that event, in
of fortune and respectability with honor  1614, John De Wessyngton, probably
and loyalty. Hereditary rank may be   some collateral relative, was chosen
an illusion, but hereditary virtue gives   prior of the Benedictine convent of
a patent of innate nobleness beyond all  Durham-the rights of which position,
the blazonry of the herald's college."   as placing the prior next in rank to the
There are, no doubt, cases which   bishop, and endowing him with a certain
would well justify, and even demand of  palatine-like independence, he zealously
an American biographer, a departure   maintained, not only against the enfrom the strict rule above laid down; and   croachments of the archdeacon, but
if, in this instance, the facts of the case  against those of the bishop himself.
sustained.the excuse offered, we should  Some of his polemical tracts are still
be willing to admit it.  But temp-  preserved in manuscript in the library
tation in this case, as often happens,  of the dean and chapter; and his tombhas assumed a form whidh does not  stone, but tith an obliterated inscription,
rightfully belong to it. There is nothing  is still to be seen in the aisle of the
in what we are told of the De Wessyng-   church which formerly belonged to the
tons, lords of the manor of Wessyngton,  priory.
(who are set down by the English her-   To these barren facts about the De
ald-offices as the progenitors of the   Wessyngtons, Mr. Irving has added
Washingtons,) that gives any proof of  some conjectures as to what might
"lineal enduring worth," or "hereditary   have happened.  "Hugh De Pusar
virtue."  About all that is known of  (or De Pudsay)," he tells us, " during
them is, th;for three centuries, begin-  whose episcopate we meet with the
ning with 1183, they were feudal tenants  first trace of the De Wessyngtons,
of the county palatine of Durham, about  was a nephew of King Stephen, and a
whose bishops, (who were at the same   prelate of great pretensions, proud of
time counts palatine, with an almost  appearing with a train of ecclesiastics
independent jurisdiction) we are told  and an armed retinue. When Richard
by Mr. Irving a great deal more than   Cceur de Lion put everything to pawn
about the De Wessyngtons.  Very cu-  and sale to raise funds for a crusade to
rious matter, no doubt, but entirely out  the Holy Land, the bishop resolved




4                      Irving's Life of Washington.                 [July,
to accompany him. More wealthy than   but that is not exactly the way in which
his sovereign, he made magnificent  to write biographies, or even genealogies.
preparations.  Beside ships to convey   It is, indeed, by this very sort of prehis troops and retinue, he had a sump-  sumptions-in which, most generally,
tuous galley for himself fitted up with  the wish is father to the thought-that
a throne or episcopal chair of silver,  so manyfalse facts, to use an expressive
and all the utensils, even culinary,  though somewhat Irish phrase of Jefferwere of the same  costly material.  son's, have crept and do daily creep into
In a word, had not the prelate been  history. An historical novelist may be
induced to stay at home, and aid the  justified in venturing upon such ground,
king with his treasures, by being made  but hardly an historical biographer.
one of the regents of the kingdom, and  So, again, we have an account of the
Earl of Northumberland for life, the De   participation of Hatfield, bishop of DurWessyngtons might have followed the   ham, in the battle of Nevel's cross, in
banner of St. Cuthbert to the holy  1346, at which David of Scotland was
wars."   An ancestor of Washington  taken prisoner, and of his subsequently
crusading to Palestine, and fighting  joining king Edward's camp before Caunder the banner of St. Cuthbert for  lais, at the surrender of which he was
the Holy Sepulchre, would afford doubt-  present; and this, not because we know
less a very pretty picture to hang up in  that any De Wessyngton was with him,
the hall of the family mansion at Mount  but because one might have been.
Vernon; but in this case the artist is    Now all this would have afforded exobliged to draw rather strongly on his  cellent matter for an article in our maimagination. Who knows that, at that  gazine, and accordingly we have helped
time, the De Wessyngton family had a  ourselves without ceremony; but to
member capable of such an expedition,  meet it in the forefront of a biography of
or inclined to undertake it?  If such   Washington-and that, too, by one on
an one there were, he might, to be sure,  whose unfailing good taste, amid prehave followed the bishop thither-but,  vailing fripperies and affectations, we
then, the bishop did not go.          are accustomed to rely with so much
Other passages we have of the same   satisfaction and security-affects us a
sort, supported, too, by learned cita-  little disagreeably. It calls to mind the
tions. " During the splendid pontificate  remark of an acute though rather saturof Anthony Beke (or Beak), the knights  nine English critic, who speaks of Mr.
of the palatinate had continually to be  Irving as at the head of a school of
in the saddle, or buckled in armor.  writers, of whom the distinguishing feaThe prelate was so impatient of rest,  ture is the making the most of a subthat he never took more than one sleep,  ject. That is a talent by no means to be
saying it was unbecoming a man to turn   despised, and very useful on fitting ocfrom one side to another in bed. He   casions. Who does not feel a certain
was perpetually, when within his dio-  admiration of Braddock's two cooks,
cese, riding from one manor to another,  commemorated by Mr. Irving, "who
or hunting and hawking.  Twice he   could make an excellent ragout out of
assisted Edward with all his force in   a pair of boots, had they but materials
invading Scotland.  In the progress  to toss them up with?"  But then, this
northward with the king, the bishop led  is a skill only to be exercised in times
the van, marching a day in advance of  of scarcity. We can dispense with the
the main body, with a mercenary force,  boots when meat is plenty. There are
paid by himself, of one thousand foot  ample materials for a biography of
and five hundred horse. Beside these,  Washington, without disturbing  the
he had his feudatories of the palatinate,  mouldering records of the county palasix bannermen and one hundred and sixty  tine of Durham. As to those preux
knights, not one of whom, says an old  chevaliers, the lords of the manor of
poem, but surpassed Arthur himself,  Wessyngton,
though endowed with the charmed gifts    Their good swords are rust,
of Merlin.  We presume the De Wes-    Their bodies are dust,
syngtons were among the three great    And their souls are with the saints, we trust"
chevaliers, as the banner of St. Cuthbert had been taken from its shrine  — all, a long time ago; and it does
on the occasion,'" and so on. It is easy   not appear to  us to have been  at
to presume, and often very convenient,  all necessary to raise the one or to




1855.]                Irving's Life of;Vashington.                     5
have called down the other, for the   gets or keeps a manor, even with the
only practical purpose to which this  law of entail to help him, must be a
resurrection or invocation is put, name-  man of merit-a sufficiently common
ly, to explain [see p. 158] by means of   notion, no doubt, but one which Mr.
the "old chivalrous spirit of the De   Irving does not mean to be understood
Wessyngtons'," that " passion for arms"  as subscribing to. To sum up the matwhich made Washington, in spite of the  ter in a word-the name of Washingremonstrances of his mother, anxious to  ton first became illustrious in America.
join in Braddock's expedition. In Wash-  The old English Washingtons may,
ington's younger days, the pursuit of   doubtless, derive a certain illumination
arms was still, in a certain sense, regard-  from the glory of their American deed as the only one fit for a gentleman;  scendant. He shines with a light of
and young men who have, as he says  his own, to which they can add nothing.
he had, the best constitution in the    Before ending his first chapter, Mr.
world, strengthened and hardened, too,  Irving, getting fairly out of the county
by such a course of life as he had led,  palatine of Durham, and the loyal city
are apt, when brought within the sound   of Worcester, lands us happily in the
of drum and fife, to feel some touches  northern neck of Virginia, and in reachof martial ardor, even though not de-  ing his second chapter, which gives an
scended from  or related to  any old  account of Washington's boyhood-is it
feudal family.                        not a little odd that, with all his precision
The De Wessyngtons at last disposed   of dates about the De Wessyngtons, he
of, we come next to the Washingtons  forgets to tell the year in which our
of Sulgrave, in Northamptonshire, and   Washington was born?-we find ourto Sir Henry Washington (nephew of  selves much more at home. Still it is not
our Washington's grandfather), who   yet quite Washington Irving, or at least
took arms for Charles I., and whose  it is Washington Irving on his good
letter (refusing to surrender, except by   behavior, and in his dress-coat, going
express orders from the captive king,  through the common place biographical
the town of Worcester, where he com-  formulary of showing how, given a mere
manded,) is given at length by Mr.  shapeless piece of clay, to wit: the boy
Irving. Of these respectable cavaliers   George-the hereditary virtues of the
we have only to say, that whatever  De Wessyngtons being for this occasion
might have been the course of the   kept out of sight-that boy, by the
Washingtons of Sulgrave, had the  judicious skill of parents and tutors, is
Washington of Mount Vernon hap-  moulded into Washington the man.
pened to have lived in the time of   Doubtless the boy George, good and
the English civil wars, he certainly  dutiful as he was, listened with all prowould have taken sides with the Parlia-  per reverence and respect to his mother,
liament; and that the theory of here-  reading out of Sir Matthew Hale's Conditary tendencies would, in this case,  templations, Moral and Divine. Perhaps,
have been a good deal better substan-  as he was a sober and serious minded
tiated had the English Washingtons  youth, though not contemplative, Sir
happened to have been Roundheads.     Matthew found in him a sympathetic
Washington was descended from an  listener; but that those readings had a
ancient English gentleman's family.  great influence in forming his character,
Those who maintain that blood and  is not by any means so certain. It has
virtue go together are entitled to that  been well observed by Gibbon, that
fact. Nor is it fair, in our opinion,  " the power of instruction is seldom of
to attempt to strip them of it, by set-  much efficacy, except in those happy
ting up, either for the De Wessyng-  dispositions where it is superfluous."
tons or the English Washingtons, any   Washington, we apprehend, would have
special claim of personal virtue or merit.  been no less Washington, had Sir MatThere is no other basis on which to  thew Hale never put his Contemplations
rest such a claim, except the fact that  upon paper. Our readers will see that
they were for centuries lords of the  we are jealous of Washington, as a puremanor of Wessyington, and afterwards  ly American production, perhaps a little
of other manors. But to base a claim   over jealous; it would not be wonderful.,
of "hereditary virtue" and "enduring   considering what an antipathy to forworth" on that foundation alone, would  eigners and foreign influence pervades,
be to assume, that every man who  just now, our American atmosphere:




6                      Irving's Life of Washington.                [July,
but we are not going to yield to Sir  in one shape or other for the rest of his
Matthew Hale's sermonizings an influ-  life. We certainly never were so strongence which we have denied to the blood  ly impressed, as in reading Mr. Irving's
of the De Wessyngtons.               book, with the strength of his claim to be
In Mr. Irving's third chapter, we have   appointed Commander-in-Chief of the
the boy George, first surveying on the   American armies, with the stand which
banks of the Shenandoah, and then, at  he occupied when called upon to accept
sixteen, in love. His foot upon his na-  that trying and difficult office, and with
tive heather, McGregor is himself again:  the completeness of the training which he
there is no mistaking Washington Ir-  had gone through to prepare himself for
ving here, nor in the next chapter, which  it. That training commenced, so far as
takes us back again to the Shenandoah,  employment in a public capacity was
and to Greenway Court, the seat of Lord  concerned, with his appointment by
Fairfax, among the mountains.        Dinwiddie to visit the French posts
Though we do not believe that Wash-  at Venango, and above, on the upper
ingtons spring up out of the transmitted   waters of the Alleghany river, the
virtues of feudal blood, still less that  northern branch of the Ohio.  This
they are to be manufactured to order,  journey, which most of Washington's
by any kind of educational contriv-  biographers dispatch in a paragraph,
ances, yet it is impossible to deny the  furnishes Mr. Irving with the materials
very powerful influence which circum-  for a delightful chapter, exhibiting
stances exert, over the development  Washington, in this his first public
even of the strongest natures, and most  service, the same man he always was
original minds. If nature was kind to  afterwards, called to a constant struggle
Washington, in the gifts of body, mind   with difficulties, which he met with enand temper, with which she sent him   during patience, steady composure, and
into the world, fortune did not favor him  ready resources. It is in these parts
less in the accidents of his surroundings;  of his book, in his sketches of such
nor is it by any conjunction less fortu-  men as Gist, Croghan, Van Bonam,
nate than this-good seed in good   and, indeed, in his whole account of
ground-that the'rarest of nature's  Washington's wild-wood journeys and
products, a great and good man, comes  Indian campaigns, that Mr. Irving parto perfection. It is in fully bringing   ticularly excels.  Washington. as a
out, as he does in a most admirable   Virginian, whether in his private or in
manner, the advantages which Wash-  his public capacity, has never been so
ington enjoyed, in this respect, that  well presented before.
Mr. Irving has left all others of Wash-    The share which Washington perington's biographers, and of those  sonally bore in the last of the French
who  have undertaken  to  illustrate  and Indian wars, of course makes it
his career, very far out of sight. We  necessary for Mr. Irving to enter at some
profess to some acquaintance with this  length into the general history of that
subject, having had occasion to consid-  struggle. It was necessary to mention
er it carefully; yet, we are free to say,  the fall of Quebec; but as Washington
that Mr. Irving, by his extremely skill-  had no hand in it, we do not see that
ful method of handling it, has given a  his biographer was called upon to devote
new and fresh distinctness to our ideas  an entire chapter to that event, nor to
in relation to it. Washington enjoyed-   go so minutely into its history. More
as Mr. Irving has shown, by tracing out,  reason would have existed for doing so,
from  materials furnished by himself,  had the officers and men concerned in
little sketches of his daily life and  that enterprise been to any considerable
occupations-all the advantages of a  extent Americans; but, in fact, the capbackwoods education joined to those of  ture of Quebec must be set down as
being brought up in highly cultivated   being almost entirely a British affair.
and polished society; while. at the same   There was no great enterprise of the
time, he escaped the very serious dis-  whole war to which the colonists conadvantages which, though of very differ-  tributed so little, or as to which the
ent sorts, equally attend an exclusive  mother country so entirely took the
training, either in log-cabins or in draw-  laboring oar. The giving such promiing-rooms.  Scarcely had he touched   nence, as many American writers have
upon manhood, when he entered into  done, to Wolfe, does not exactly suit
the public service, in which he continued   our, perhaps, rather ultra-American




1855.]                           Birds.                                7
tastes.  It seems to us a little like  starved at the same time. Washington's
carrying into history the precedence   participation in the revolution, beyond
which the rules of the British army   that of many other private citizens,
allowed at that time to British officers.  hardly commenced till his appointment
If Wolfe's merits had been overlooked  as Commander-in-Chief of the revoluor neglected, the case might be differ-  tionary armies. It is true that, as a
ent; but considering how very gener-  member of the Virginia House of Burally and abundantly they have been   gesses, and as a delegate from Virginia
acknowledged, we are not prepared to  to the Continental Congress, he had
admit his title to occupy an entire chap-  given all the weight of his high character
ter in the Life of Washington.       to the policy of opposition to the pretenThe part of his book in which Mr.  sions of the mother country. But he
Irving gives least satisfaction, is that in   was not one of those men who take the
which he traces the rise and progress of  lead in popular assemblies. It was not
the revolutionary struggle. This, in-  till he was selected as Commander-indeed, is a rather thread-bare topic, not  Chief, that he began to occupy a place
particularly suitable to his peculiar  in the foreground of the revolutionary
genius, and one, too, which fully brings  canvas.
out the difficulty or rather the impossi-    It is with his arrival at Cambridge,
bility of completely reconciling the  to place himself at the head of the
demands of biography with those of  forces there, that this first volume ends.
general history. What is a great deal  The appearance of the two remaining
too much for the one, may still be a  volumes will give us, we hope, a speedy
great deal too little for the other; and   opportunity of resuming the subject,
the reader is thus exposed to the double  and of giving something more of cominconvenience of being  stuffed and  pleteness to our criticism.
B I R D S.
I.
B IRDS are singing round my window,
Tunes the sweetest ever heard;
And I hang my cage there daily,
But I never catch a bird!
II.
So with thoughts my brain is peopled,
And they sing there all day long;
But they will not fold their pinions
In the little cage of Song!




8                                                                    [July,
WHAT CHEER?
"At last I heard a voice upon the slope,
Cry to the summit,' Is there any hope?
To which an answer pealed from that high land,
But in a tongue no man could understand;
And, on the glimmering limit far withdrawn,
God made Himself an awful rose of dawn!"
TENNYSON.
IN the twilight of a day not long ago,  ed away in thought, and sought for
I sat in a spacious library, where the   some reason more potent to sustain
ruddy firelight glanced and glowed, and   faith in the future, than the subtle
threw wizard gleams on antique furni-  conviction of a private soul. And this
ture, and heavy shelves of old books,  it found, at length, in the memory
and lit, with faint radiance, the tranquil  of some lonely places, where sleep
features of the friend with whom I sat  those whose lives were too beautiful
and talked. The noble portrait of a   and loyal to let us think the visioned
great divine, whose life was lovely and  future a cheat, or that God, who rules
gracious as the May, and whose living  the world, sows hopes in pure hearts
words, now that he is gone from earth,  not to be fulfilled.  Of all such spots
still keep the secret of the morning,  as these, I hardly know one more sawatched us from the shadow of the wall,  cred than that which keeps the revered
and seemed to wear a pensive sympathy,  bones of Roger Williams. It is in the
as we discoursed, with twilight voices,  little State of Rhode Island. There, too,
on themes which his spirit in its earthly  is the city which he founded with pious
life loved so well. We spoke of the   prayers, and named Providence; thus
possibility of a holier future for this  givingto the Republic one town, which,
troubled world, and my friend, who has  in name, at least, remembers God.
a gentle spirit and a great heart, avow-  There, too, in the very core of the town,
ed his steadfast faith in a good time   is a public  legend, which  silently,
coming-not yet come, he said, but on   amidst all commercial and civic tumults,
its rapid way. Far enough off, it was,  recalls to thoughtful eyes the world's
to warn us not to be guilty of spiritual  unsolved problem, and the happy future
absenteeism  in idle reveries of its be-  which God will one day give the race.
nignant days, but to bate no jot of earn-  For, in the very heart of the city stands a
est effort against the wrongs and woes  large building, of brown sand-stone, on
of society which impede its march.  the architrave of which, between two
Coming, and to come, when men get  sculptured sachems' heads, at either
their republican principle of individual  end of the edifice, the builder, "buildrights, which makes them so watchful of  ing better than he knew," has carved
their own well-being, so interpreted as  in block letters, the unselfish and reto make them more watchful of the well-  buking legend, —What Cheer?
being of each other, and expanded and    You stand before it, and the inscripelevated into the Christian principle of  tion resumes its ancient form  of a
social relations. A good time, surely   question, but with a newer meaning to
to come.                              your musing eyes. What Cheer for the
It were unnecessary to record what  wild, disordered world?  What Cheer
answer his speech charmed from my   for the nineteenth century of Christian
lips, but while the rosy twilight softly  advancement, and Christian knowledge?
flashed and failed, and the noble features  What Cheer for the twentieth, yet to
of the portrait on the wall seemed to  come, and for its generations yet unlisten and understand, I thought it a  born?  What Cheer for the suffering
good and happy thing that there are  and the poor?
still hearts in the unbelieving world, who  Even now, the sunset radiance is
do not question the prophetic dreams  slowly mellowing away, and the low,
of youth, and who keep unsullied the   silvery word that reaches us from the
legend and the promise of the good   crowd of figures, standing, or passing
time coming.  Then my spirit wander-  and  repassing, before the  building,




1855.]                        What Cheer?                              9
might, so timid is it, be the parting   sad book, and a dark one, and it will
word of some sylph of the sunset to   make you a dark student!"
the receding splendor.  Yet not from    "Let it make me so," he replies imany sylph, but from the sweet lips of  petuously; "it holds all that is worth
a young girl, has breathed that word  knowing-the secret of all wisdom;
— " Farewell."  Famed of old to make  and I will read it, and be a dark stuthe sad heart linger, it fulfills its office  dent!"
on the young man standing by her    "Ah! it is little use to talk with you;
side, who still holds her hand.       but you will yet change your mind.
" Farevwell, Mabel," he says, "I  will  My dark student"-she says playfully,
see you to-morrow."                   yet with a sorrowful badinage —' go to
"To-morrow," she assents. "But  your dark book!  I will trip home.
to-morrow is the Sabbath. Shall I not  Farewell, my dark student!"
see you with a happier spirit than you  "Farewell, Mabel," he answers.
have shown lately?"                    The last gleam of the sunset follows
"I do not know," he replies, moodily.  her slender figure, as she flits away,
"Happiness is not a mushroom  that  until she turns the corner of College
springs up in a night."               street, and is gone; and then it fades
Her face-and  it is a beautiful  and vanishes, and the twilight only
and cheerful one, though a slight veil  lights the form of the Dark Student.
of sympathy and sorrow for him, and   The wholesome influence of her preshis mysterious condition of mind, covers  ence has departed from his nature, like
it now-becomes a little sadder at this  the sunshine, and his own night returns
answer. She looks in his face with the   upon him, and all the hypochondriac
lingering light from the rich west lying   ghosts nursed in its noxious mystery
softly in her eyes. He does not look   begin to rise. The unheeding crowds
at her, but keeps his gaze on the small  come and go, and momently change
hand he still retains within his own.  around him, like the figures of a phan"' I am afraid you are unhappy with-  tasmagoria. All this busy, active life
out cause-that you are whimsical,"  passing through his consciousness only
she remarks, with innocent gravity.  like the echoes and shadows of a harle-'"I do not know any one with less ap-  quinade, yet intensifies the sense of
parent reason for sorrow than you.  utter isolation.  His wandering eye,
You must not waste your years thus.  tracking the upward flight of a streetYou  are  young-with  health, and   dove, rests upon the architrave of the
wealth, and friends.  Life is before  building, and sneers at the legend.
you; —what are you going to do with   "What Cheer?" he murmurs; "No
it?  The world has a right to expect  Cheer! None!" The feeling promptsome usefulness from you, with your  ed by the words suggests his unhappischolarship and abilities."           ness. Then, because the conviction is
He doos not answer, but clenches his  forced upon him, his lips utter a sublips firmly.                          dued but savage  curse.  Outraged
"Perhaps you have been reading   sentiment and shocked conscience arise
some morbid book lately," she con-  and upbraid him, and a demoniac pertinues.                               verseness urges him to frame defenses
"I do not think all the morbid books  against their charge.  As he walks
between Werther and Malthus would  slowly towards his dwelling, a horde of
much affect me," he replies.  "There   undisciplined feelings, wayward, reckis only one book that I study much,  less, desperate, and insane, start up and
and that is a very morbid one."      join madly in the spiritual conflict
"What is it?" she asks.            which has begun within him.
"The human heart-my own!" is    Philosophic egoism never came, in all
the mournful answer.        I         its monstrous results, to a crazier con"Is that so sad?" she says quietly.  elusion than this.  He goes slowly
"Better leave it, then, and study some  home, not the man he was three years
other human heart. I can readily ima-  before, but an unnatural growth from
gine how one might become foolishly  him. Once his life was generous and
miserable who pored forever with intro-  gracious with Hope and Youth.  In
verted eyes over his own nature, which  the green spring-time of boyhood he
with the best of us is unworthy of what  had seen' the vision of the future stand
we might have made it. Yes —it is a  resplendent in the forward sky, and all




10                            What Cheer?                          [July,
his being yearned to its shining portals.  which society sets up in Babylon, orThen he had noble sympathies, strong   daining also a fiery furnace for all who
enthusiasms, lofty aspirations. Then  refuse the universal homage; to prate
he owned, like a blossomed wand of   eloquently about the royalty of self, till
power, the desire to serve his race and   self forgets that other souls are royal,
time. But his boyhood passed, and  too; to nourish self with all rare culglowing with the noble selfishness which  ture of art, literature, music, and social
bade him follow his ideal of a heroic  intercourse, for the development and
life, he journeyed out from home into  gain of self alone; to study and anathe Babylon of the world. He went  lyzeo the inner mysteries of his own
into society with all his brave, unshaped   spiritual and intellectual nature, for the
ambitions. What lessons had society  delight of self;  to account self the
to teach him?  Had it to teach him how   centre of the Universe, and to forget
to change his noble selfishness into self-  the circumference;-all this he learned
renunciation more noble?  Had it to  to do.  And the crust gathered and
bring him before the snow-white statues  hardened around his heart, and the torof great examples, and mould his plastic' ments and the phantasms which, with
nature to the perfect symmetry of   metaphysic certainty, such lives genertheirs?  Had it to temper and shape his  ate and wreak upon themselves, were
aspirations into earnest, definite aims?   born, and avenged their birth upon
-to warn him against sins that sully  him.
and sadden, and sorrows that enslave    The vision of the future was obscured
the soul?-to confirm his possibilities,  by the siren whirl of illusions. The
and unfold his capacities for noble  sympathies, enthusiasms, and aspiradeeds?                               tions, fell down and died, and their
Not so. It had pitfalls of temptation   corpses were aversions, despairs, and
for his feet, and he fell! It had snares  memories.  The blossomed wand of
of grief to entrap him, and he was a  power-that beautiful desire to serve
bondsman! The imagination which had   his race and time —withered slowly,
stirred his nature to heroism, by glass-  became a serpent, and stung him with
ing, in colossal proportions, the wants  remorse. And he is here now, still
and woes of his time, was now the   possessed by the demon of self. The
magic mirror which magnified his petty  eternal battle of life, he lhas made an
sins and sorrows into enormous guilt  eternal bivouac. Youth is quick and
and shadowy woe, and showed him to  strong in his veins; rare talents, temhimself as a most vile and wretched   pered and made keen by exquisite culman. Had society, then, to teach him;  ture, are his; the magic purse of
with all its myriad voices, the wisdom   Fortunatus is in his hand; and, while
of repentance and endurance?   Not  the moans and cries of the suffering
so. It had to leave him untaught and   world swell up to heaven on every side,
uncomforted; it had, then, to fill the   he is careless and cold.
mirror with gloomy dilations of the     Now, while the twilight deepens into
mean lives and low aims of the men it  night, and the stars come glimmering
had unmade-shocking him with the   one by one, he sits alone in his pleasant
revelation and filling him with misan-  chamber, and awful thoughts and revethropy and despair. It had, then, to  ries possess him. While the hours
conceal the splendid dream of a heroic  come and go, and the drowsy tides of
possibility, by a confusion of glittering   sleep begin their nightly flow upon the
gauds and greeds, and a siren whirl of  town, he sits alone, a miserable and
illusions. It had, then-not to infuse  haunted man. To-night, the thoughts
into his veins the guarding virus of that  and reveries of years are gathering to
philosophy which gives to manly lives  a focus. To-night is, for him, one of
only the containing present and hold-  those seasons of ghastly emotion, which
ing the trustful future, yet resigns it  come and are remembered as epochs in
to God-but to infect him  with the   such lives. As he sits and reads by
prevalent disease of self! He received  the lamplight, horrid fancies and fearit into the currents of his life. To   ful sensations continually thicken in his
cherish his own individuality above  mind; and, while thus doubly occupied,
all things; never to  abandon  the  his consciousness can yet wander out,
resence of his own personality; to  fancy-free, into the night.
bow down in worship to the gigantic I    Without, all is quiet.  The red




1855.]                         What Cheer?                               11
Autumn stars burn in the dark blue   are moving in its unhealthy and haunted
sky.  A  low, warm  wind wanders  calm. The sense of stir-the abstract
through  the streets of the city, so  idea of motion-but of a frantic motion,
softly that not a flame of the street-  which is noiseless-occupies him. But
lamp wavers. The faint perfume which  there is, also, an unearthly consciousfloated from the trailing robes of the   ness of the deep night-quiet that shrouds
Summer, as it swept southward to the   all things in its mysterious veil, and a
tropics, still lingers in the solitary and   more unearthly sense of quietude withshadowy air. There is no noise, save  in, which seem  to be superior to all
some lonely footfalls sounding on the   other emotion. He can hear the throbpavement, and then dying away in the   bing of his own heart, but he cannot
distance.  Quiet in all the thorough-   know that its furious pulses are beating
fares of the great city.  Quiet in the   down with rapid strokes a crowd of
darkened dwellings, with only a dim   minutes which stand between him and
lamp burning here and there, from the  the crisis of his life.
window of some restful chamber. Quiet    Strange that he, whose eyes have
in the newspaper offices, where Satur-  been so long introverted to his own
day night has sunk down with Sabbath   being, and whose intellect is so subtile
healing on weary hands and brains,  in analysis and divination of whatever
quenched the hot glare of gas-lights,  elemental shapes enter and take poshushed the scratch of the pen, the click   session there, does not divine what
of the types, the clashing din of machin-  the emotions that now agitate him porery, and sifted a dust of silence over  tend. But he does not. Foresight and
all. Quiet in the shops and stores,  memory are both gone from him. The
where the ghost of traffic is laid till  airy troops that do their wild work on
Monday dawn; above whose bolted   his nature, vanish into imperishable
doors the golden-lettered signs, illeg-  darkness. Others succeed them-he
ible in dusk, gleam  like funeral in-  knows not how, nor from whence, they
scriptions in a forgotten tongue. Quiet  are born.  He feels a terrible and
in the churches, till the Sabbath morn-   deadly fear-of what, he knows not;
ing wakes sectarian bells, and calls to  and yet he is, outwardly, very calm,
polemics and theologic prayer, from   and, sitting in the quiet lamp-light,
those white spires and belfries which   (how quiet it is!) he reads a favorite
stand  so silently against the divine   volume with interest and pleasure.  It
gloom. Quiet on all the mournful tin-  is a volume of the vague and mystic
tamars of daily life; quiet in the beat-   writings of Jacob Bohmen.  He reads
ing heart and burning brain; on field,  it with a strange, hot mist in his eyes,
and hill, and wood, and on the dark   and a slow whirl in his brain, and finds
and drifting river that slips smoothly   a newer interest, and a sweeter beauty
through the city, beneath the wooden  in its colored metaphors. Yet, while
bridges, past black wharves, and past  thus absorbed, he is conscious of every
the hulls of ships, and widens out into   object in the shadowy room, and aware
the broad waters of the bay, which   of all the outward scenery which slumalso sleeps.  Quiet in the grave-yard   bers under the night silence and the
and the  cemetery, where the cold  stars.
dew gathers on the tombstones, and       The room is very still. The wind
sparkles on the late flowers and wither-  lifts the long trailing curtains of the
ing grasses of the decaying  year.  windows, and waves the dusky shadows
Quiet everywhere.  If any stir at all,  on ceiling, and floor, and wall. It hardly
it is in the bones of Roger Williams,  moves the steady flame of the brass
moving in their mouldering coffin, as if  lamp on the table by which he sits and
dimly conscious that all has not gone   reads. Near him, on a pedestal, stands
right in the old State and City whose  the lovely bust of the Greek Clytie.
foundations he laid with prayer and   The hushed  and mournful face is
pride. If any stir beyond this, it is in  turned towards him', and seems to
the heart of the Dark Student.         muse on his mystery.  He is conAnd, by this time, there is stir  scious of all this. He thinks of it as a
enough there; for the heart that, wak-  picture-himself reading, and the beauing or sleeping, has learned to keep  teous head watching him-the two cenManfred's solemn vigil, is now filled  tral objects in the room. The room
with fever, and the ghosts of madness  is large, high, and square, and full of




12                             What Cheer?                           [JulyI
soft, shifting lights and shades. It is  to smile, at what his intellect perceives
richly furnished. There is a fire in the  is amusing.
grate, which spreads a fan of crimson    He rises from his chair, and, holding
glow  over the warm-colored carpet.  the lamp above his head, looks in the
On the gray wall opposite, it has cast a  mirror. The face he sees there does
dappled radiance which is like a halo  not occur to him to be his own, and he
on the colder light around it. There is  regards it with a sad and alien interest!
a portrait —his own-set in a deep,  There is a cold sweat on the pallid counburnished gilt frame, which  gleams  tenance. The eyes are very bright and
fiom  the dappled  dusk of the wall.  large under the brows. The black curlCouches, cushioned chairs, screens,  ing locks droop heavily, damp with perhanging shelves crowded with books  spiration. One blue vein is swollen and
and  pamphlets, a mirror, and, on   unusually visible in the forehead. He
either side of the room, two fanciful  thinks this strange, and finds himself
brackets supporting marble statuettes,  wondering why it is so.  Then he
from  which  long, straight shadows  smiles, and remembers, like a disconpoint up the lighted wall, complete  nected memory, that he is somewhat
the general appointments of the cham-  excited. Then he laughs silently. He
ber.                                   gazes in the mirror for long minutes.
The Dark Student shuts his book, and   The sense of his own personality abanlooks around the room. His own wild  dons him. The face he sees, still less
mood does not, as usual, color and in-  than ever, if that could be, seems his
form the scene. The chamber appears  own. He finds a stronger, a more absweetly sombre. A faint, rich perfume   sorbing interest in the contemplation of
softens the air. The shadows take no  its mournful beauty. How bright and
unnatural shapes, as they have some-  calm  are those eyes!  How  sternly
times done.  The furniture does not  sweet is the mouth, and the full rounded
seem alive, and watching him, nor does   chin! How graceful the drooping locks
he see to-night, in every hole or cranny,  around the forehead! He watches the
searching eyes that look him through   fine tremble in the dilated nostrils. Then
and through. Nothing is wrong, save   he finds himself touched with pity for the
this dead, unnatural quiet. Even that  pallor and mortal sadness of the face.
seems to be rather in the solitude of his   Gradually, an awful consciousness reown being, than in the night. It is in  turns and mingles with that lunacy of
his own soul that this unearthly lethargy   pity, and, as he gazes, he sees the eyes
has spread itself. There, too, the fierce   grow humid, and overflow with tears.
sense of motion, without noise contin-   God!
ues. He has visions of gigantic figures  The exclamation, bursting from his
whose faces he cannot discover, though  lips, startles the silence of the room,
they watch him-and who rave in un-  and seems the charm which calls forth
known tongues but noiselessly-noise-  the solemn clang of a bell. He hears
lessly!  He has visions of smooth,  it, from  the belfry of a neighboring
enormous spheres that spin with horri-  church, strike the hour of eleven.
ble velocity, but with no sound. Both   Every stroke vibrates on the night, and
spheres and figures sometimes diminish  seems to shake the stars. The tears
to mere specks and pigmies, and then   are his own. He dashes them from his
rush out rapidly into their former colos-  eyes, and clenches his lips till they are
sal proportions.  The slow whirl that  suffused with a stain of blood, in the
goes on within his brain, seems to be   effort to keep down the stormy sobs
enlarging his head. Already it is the  that rise in his bosom. The agony rehead of.a giant.  When he puts his  mains until the last vibration dies on
hands to it, they feel like the hands of  the shadowy air. Then he is calmer,
a child. His teeth alone retain their  and more proud and stern. But the
former size. He feels them  foolishly   whirl in his brain continues, and the
small, and disproportioned to the Titan-  terrific spectres thicken in his haunted
ic space they now occupy. Although   mind. In that dense, inward lethargy,
oppressed by a deadly and motiveless  there is now a mingled sense of despair
fear, he yet feels that this is droll, and   and exultation rising with a mighty and
therefore smiles —not because his mirth  thundering stir. The hot blood leapsis really quickened into life, but because  in his veins like lightning, and his heart
he feels that it would be unnatural not  throbs with the pulse of a Titan.  Yet,




1855.]                        What Cheer?                             13
outwardly, he is calm, but it is the   skull stares up to him with a mocking
calmness of a marble statue possessed   and mournful grin. Then all the light
by a fury.                           dies out in darkness, and he is alone,
He sits like one dead, while this inte-  with that sense of a dreadful roar in his
rior tumult rises in breast and brain,  mind, and yet no audible sound!
and grows wilder and stronger as the   Some vague feeling that a shadow
slow minutes drag by.  It does not  has fallen, softly and suddenly, upon
abate nor pause. Yet now, sweet fan-  him, and then a thought.  Death!
cies and sad, tranquil thoughts, like soft  What is it?  Only to cease, and be
rays of heavenly light, fall and fade   borne by a sad procession of black
upon the stormy midnight of his mind.  figures to an oblong cavity-the only
He thinks how quietly the sleeping   hole in the wide natural landscape, and
multitudes lie beneath the dark and si-  the smooth, unbroken blue above-and
lent sea of sleep which floods the town.  to be laid therein. To have the earth
He sees, as in a dream, the numerous  heaped over him, and covered with a
strange faces of the sleepers, young and  layer of the sward. To lie there, slowly
old, beautiful and ugly-faces that are  mouldering away to a yellow skeleton,
brown and wrinkled, or fair and smooth   with which the undetectable and sentient
-holy, evil, sensual, delicate, sullen,  soul still lingers. To look up at night,
queer, lovely, and mournful faces-all  filled with an abiding sense of rest, and
in the one horizontal position, all with  be conscious of the gentle weight of
closed eyes, all shadowed, smoothed,  earth reposing on the coffin-lid.  To
and softened by sleep. He thinks of  watch the worms, the mystic roots and
the bright, living faces that looked into  fibres of the herbage, the gem-like dew
his own that day with smiles and greet-  glittering on their tops, and above themn
ings-all composed, changed, and quiet  all, the broad and hollow dark. To look
in their slumber. He remembers his  up, as the mocking and mournful skull
mother, who sleeps in the home beyond   has looked, into the pallid faces of those
the evening hills. He sees her grave   who bend above the grave. To lie there
and placid countenance, with all its  till the bones are dust, and the moveless
reverend wrinkles smoothed with rest.  dust shut in by the confining clay, goes
He sees his young brothers and sis-  slowly around with the gigantic revoters in their childish, innocent repose.  lutions of the whirling globe-while
While the fury and madness eddy in  stars and suns wax and wane, and the
his brain like a whirlpool, his wandering   great ages waste away; full of rest,
fancy floats away to the distant grave   and without change, while the roaring
of his father, and sheds a weird light  mob of life, and all the solemn joys and
upon the withering herbs and grass  miseries of earth, sink and swell unheard
which fringe the lettered head-stone,  forever. Around and around with the
and spire from the narrow mound, all  big world-a little heap of wise and
crusted with a thin hoar frost, and  happy dust, lying movelessly beneath
gemmed with cold dew which glitters in  the grass-grown surface!
the pale light of the stars. The weird  Was it a clap of thunder, was it a
light he has imagined rests still, and  still, scornful voice, that spoke from its
shows the inscription on the stone, and  roar-Obey? Of course; it only needs
every blade and leaf of the crisp herb-  a steady hand and calm courage. His
age on the grave. Then it sinks, slowly,  hand is steady; his courage is calm.
down into the dark earth, making   Calm?-Yes, calm-somewhat giddyit transparent as crystal, and shows  somewhat excited-but calm. Will the
small pebbles and shards interspersed   motion of the spinning world be unthroughout the clay, and the tufted   pleasant to the sentient bones?  This
roots and jagged fibres of the vegetation   awful whirling in his brain is not pleasabove; and the fat, red worms lying in  ant; but it will be different then. He
small coils and spirals, or wriggling   will lie still-it is only the great globe
through the earth, and vacant worm-  that will whirl.  Hush! i-Ie will not
holes pierced in the yellow loam; and  think of them-but the faces of his
then, the slimy coffin-lid, with mouldy   mother, brothers, and sisters, and every
stains and smears upon its silver plate.  face he knows, crowds his memory.
It sinks lower, and illuminates the quiet  Farewell, then, all-and now, no more!
skeleton reposing in the dry, gray dust  The sleeping image of Mabel rises in
within the mouldering coffin.  The  his mind.  Her soft, gray eyes are




14                             What Cheer?                          [July
closed in slumber, but her countenance   whoever touches will take away his hand
is surpassingly fair, and sweet with a   — red!  Will it horrify him?  Will. he
happy dream. Farewell, Mabel; and   start away, and get water to wash the
now, no more! What will she say?-   smear from his hand?  Will it be some
Hush!-What will Murdock  say?-   weak man, who will faint, and sink down,
Who cares! Curse him! he had his  deadly white, beside him? Or will it
rent to-day, and may attend to his busi-  be some strong-nerved man, who will
ness, just as if nothing had happened.  merely turn a little paler, and not mind
Let him wonder why he did it. Let  it more? How everything in the room
every one wonder, if they like. When   will be tainted with the general horror
a man is weary of the world, he has a   of that ghastly group gathered around
right to die: his life is his own. But  the prone, relaxed body! How livid the
why not? Yes, certainly; it will settle  light willbe! Howglaring the sunshine!
conjecture. He takes a sheet of paper,  Listen!  The low note in the colored
and writes, in large, black letters-   throats of the pigeons, sitting as usual
W~eary of the world. This he puts in  on the eaves bf the building near the
a conspicuous place on the table, and   back windows, heard distinctly in the
then breaks the pen, and flings the frag-  hush of the chamber! The statues will
ments away.                            feel what has been done, and will declare
Rising, he crosses the room with slow   it in their stillness. Every object in the
footsteps. The lamplight shines softly  room will be seen by strangers' eyes,
on the bust. The dark, deep shadows   and be remembered with the deed forlend a tenderer grace to the pure fea-  ever.
tures.  He puts his arm  around the      He looks at the razor in his hand.
graceful neck, and gazes in the hushed,  The steel blade shines bluely in the
sad face.  Then he murmurs gently,  quiet light. There will be a thin, red
"Farewell, dear Clytie," and presses  stain upon it then!  How they will
his lips to the sweet and quiet forehead.  shudder when they look at it!  A
He hasleftastainthere! Blood! How   ghastly smile starts out upon his face
came his lips bloody?  They are stiff,  as he thinks-which of them will dare
and slightly pained. Going to the mir-  to use their own the next morning!
ror, he wipes them with his handkerchief,  The fancy brings a more ludicrous one
and then scans his face. It is slightly  in its train.  He imagines them  all
flushed now. How bright his eyes are!  wearing their beards; he imagines them
No matter: they will be dim soon.      with long beards on their breasts like
Now comes a pause in which the blood   Jews. How droll Murdock would look
seems to creep away from his heart, and   so!  Then his mind rebounds to its
all madness dissolves, leaving him sen-  deadly purpose, and, with a sudden mosible, cold, resolute, and desperate. He   tion, he puts the blade to his throat.
has something in his hand, something   Supposing he should fail! He pauses
that gleams in the shadow by his side,  and thinks. After all, it is not safe to
like steel. He stops and thinks. Who   trust the chance-he might fail.
will come up first to his room in the    Therefore, he flings down the instrumorning?  His neighbor the dentist,  mnent, and, going to his bedroom, brings
probably, as usual. How he will start  thence a vial and a glass.  This will
when he sees him lying there! Then   be better-strange he had forgotten it!
he will rush over, and touch him. Will  Is there enough?  Yes; enough,! He
he drop the hand when he finds it cold?  empties the liquid in the wineglass,
Will he hurry from the chamber, and   and puts down the vial.  The rapid
bring up a crowd of other people?   fumes of the laudanum have tainted the
Hush!  What low whispering-what  air of the room. Well, it is not like the
frightened faces-what unusual tumult  famous Aqua Tofana —the subtile poison
in the bright morning sunlight of the   of Italian vengeance, and fatal wine of
room! Hush! How strange it will be  the Borgias-whose mere odor withered
-how ghastly-howawful! The white,  the breather's life away, as the Autumn
rigid face of the corpse, its distorted   withers leaves. But it will suffice, and
features staring from the black, bedab-  there is romance in the death that it
bled hair, up at the ceiling —with one  brings.  Let the thought which has
dark gash on the throat, and the linen  flowered around the draught be to it a
stained with frightful scarlet! On the  garland of night-shade and funeral rue.
carpet beside it, a dark, wet stain, which   Farewell, earth!  Stay-what is the




1855.]                        What Cheer?                             15
time of exit?  The hands of his watch  to the deserted square. Water street,
point to a quarter of twelve. So: and   dark and still, stretches beyond the
now-                                  bridge to the southward. A few slenThe liquid has already wet his lips,  der masts stand upright at the adwhen one long, thrilling shriek shivers  jacent wharf.  The sachems' heads,
the quiet! It streams through his mad-  on the architrave of the What Cheer
ness, and blows it away like a wind!  building, are dim in the darkness.  He
One wild leap of his heart, which drives  can but faintly trace the letters of the
the blood through every artery, and  legend.  What Cheer?  No Cheer!
then, stricken with a paralysis of fright,  None for you, grim  ghosts of redhe listens in the curdling silence! The   browed braves, who, centuries ago, with
glass has fallen from his hand, and lies  the sole kindly English words ye knew,
broken on the carpet. For a moment. he  welcomed Roger Williams to the strand
thinks the cry sounded within the room,  where Miantonomah was king! None
and stares to see some one whom he  for you in your unlegended graves, from
imagines has hidden there, and watched   Canonicus to the least of you! None
him. Then he is suddenly sensible that  for the White Man after you! None
it came from without, and, recovering  for the Dark Student!
himself, he rushes to the window.       None? For him, and the public geneThe shriek evidently came from  a  rally, there is, in one sense at least,
range of dark and dirty houses huddled   Cheer, and very good cheer too, in the
together in a narrow alley beneath him,  cellar of the low wooden house, a few
on the tops of which, leaning from the   paces on, where a gleam of light from
window, with all present memory of  below shows the sign over the entrance
what he had been about to do banished   -J. GINN, RESTAURANT. Toward this
from his thought, he now gazes. There  sign he wanders. He is now in the
are no lights, and everything is still.  mood when one goes anywhere for the
For a moment he asks himself whether  sight of another human face beside his
he was deceived-whether that long,  own, and freely accepts any chance for
thrilling shriek, like the voice of a wo-  converse, with even the lowest human
man, was the work of his own fancy. It  being; so he goes down the stairs of
could not have been, and yet-there is  the cellar to the interior. Its further
no sound-no disturbance among the   end is lighted by a sconce on the low
Irish families in the houses beneath him.  wall, in the full glare of which stands a
Seemingly, every one is asleep. Dart-  bright mulatto boy, his brightness someing from the window, he seizes his hat  what clouded just now by the darkened
and cloak, and leaving the chamber,  aspect of Mr. Ginn, in which he cowers
rushes down, gains the front street, runs  sulkily-his round head set in opposiquickly around to the rear of the build-  tion to his hunched shoulder, which has
ing, and stands in the fetid alley.  He   ceased to propel the arm in the interwalks through the place, peering up at  rupted operation of cleaning knives.
the dark windows, and into the dismal  Mr. Ginn stands with his back to the
door-ways, mostly open, and voiding   entrance, poising his clenched fist in a
into the cool air the filthy miasmas of  manner peculiarly his own, as if calcuthe wretchedness and poverty within.  lating how much it weighs, and whether
But there is nothing to be seen or heard.  it is heavy enough to drop upon the black
He fancies it was the cry of some one   bullet-head of his small scullion. The
asleep. He leaves the alley, and walks  boy, meanwhile, with the corner of his
listlessly down the street. His excite-  white apron gathered in his left hand,
ment, like his interest, has sunk down   which he swings slowly to and fro, and
to a dull, lethargic, wearied calm. He  his right heel slowly rubbing the calf of
does not think of returning to his room,  his left leg, eyes Mr. Ginn, askance,
nor does he-so little self-consciousness  with a queer expression of sulky humor
have the events of the last few minutes  on his bright, dogged face.
left him-think of the dread verge on    "Well, Guinea," remarks the Dark
which his spirit had been tottering,  Student, adopting, with an attempt at
when the shriek dissolved the cloud of  jocosity, the customary amplification of
madness on which he had floated thither,  Mr. Ginn's name, invented by the boys
and blew him over and beyond it into  of Brown University, from whom the
the natural world. Drowsed to utter  cellar derives some patronage-" so
apathy, he wanders down the street  you're maltreating Charley, again?"




16                            What Cheer?                          [July,
Mr. Ginn drops his clenched right  in his littleness. He weighs him with
fist with a smart clap into the open  the Ideal Man, and finds him wanting.
palm of his left, and faces about briskly   He sums him up as a being-one of a
with a long expectoration at the spit-  mob of things fashioned in clay to the
toon in the corner.                  image of humanity, who might well be
"Maltreatin'?-A-am that," he re-  swept from the earth, and no one be the
plies, in a measured drawl, and with  loser.
dignified gravity-" your uncle's just up  Meanwhile Mr. Gin n stands, his legs
to that thing, as usual. Come a minute  a little asunder, and his hands in his
later, and you'd a seen him goin' right  pockets, softly whistling a popular
into him. That's what you lost, you  negro melody. He has no intimation
know. Where did you drop from?   of the estimate placed upon him by the
Take a chair with a plush cushion, and   other.
set down on the floor."                 "What's your com-prehensive intelThe Dark Student accepts the invi-  lect revolvin' over, about this time?"
tation disguised in these metaphorical  asks Mr. Ginn, suspending his whistle.
terrms, by seating himself on a stool.    The Dark  Student, his felt hat
Mr. Ginn surveys him with his hands  slouched over his brows, and his cloak
in his pockets, under his white apron.  wrapped around him, is sitting moodily
He is a short, thickset man, very neat  in the glare of the camphene lamp on
and dapper, with very high-standing   the wall. His comprehensive intellect
collar, of unsullied purity; a very gay  is revolving Mr. Ginn, very much
neckerchief, with a red cornelian dog in  to that person's  damage;  but he
it for a bosom pin; a brown sack coat,  omits to say so, and merely remarks
and black trousers, with an ample  that he is thinking of nothing particuspring full over his brightly polished  lar.  Mr. Ginn lights a cigar, offers
splay boots. He has black hair, curled   him another from his own case, tendertightly, and well oiled-a great deal of  ing his own for a light, and requesting
forehead-not much nose, but a great  him, jocosely, not to draw  all the
deal of nostril-a thick, frowsy, black   Spanish out of the borrowed weed in
beard around his pale face-and thin,  igniting his own. Both smoking, Mr.
compressed lips.                      Ginn, with his cigar in his mouth at an
"You're open late, Guinea," says   angle of forty-five degrees upwardthe young man, wearily.              the lighted tip being level with his left
"A-am  that," responds Mr. Ginn.  eye, which he keeps closed-surveys
"But your uncle just thought he'd  the Dark Student with his right.
brush up  the  saloon  a little  on     "A-was a-goin' to get at your idee
Saturday night, you know.  Cleanli-  of charity - ben-evolence - chuckin'
ness is the pe-culiar feature of this  away quarters to ragged boys in the
establishment. Mind that, you young   street-but a-won't; —but what's your
Mandingo cuss in the corner, or you'll  idee of life now?-in an ordinary sense,
get your hide trimmed smart, you may  that is?"
bet your life on it!"                   "My idea of life?  Well, Guinea,
Mr. Ginn has certain prominent con-; I'll tell you one of these days. What's
versational peculiarities. The first is  yours?"
(and in a world given over to self this  "Life," replies Mr. Ginn, recovermay take the guise of a colloquial vir-  ing, "is a reg-u-lar double-jointed sum
tue!) an utter abstinence from the use  in algebra, with an awful remainder.
of the personal pronoun "I."  His  It's a com-plete thimble-rig-when you
nearest approach to an acknowledg-  look for the little joker he aint nowhere
ment of his own personality is slurred  in particular.  That's your uncle's
over in the sound —"A" —which he   opinion, an' he don't tell it to everypronounces short, as in "fat."  He  body for nothin', you can bet your
prefers (which is his second peculiar-  life!"
ity) to shadow his own personality by   "And what do you know about algethe term "your uncle," thus admit-  bra?" asks the Dark Student, surlily.
ting everybody indiscriminately as his    "Algebra?  That's  your uncle's
nephew.                              favorite study, an' you'd better believe
The Dark Student watches him with  he's posted up in it. The arts and
a quiet eye, and philosophizes on him.  sciences are his weakness, sir. They
He takes high ground, and surveys him   are that."




1855.]                         What Cheer?                             17
The peculiar manner, and the rowdy    Dark Student! In the old romances
lingo of Mr. Ginn, so familiar to the  that you love to read, there are stories
Dark Student as to excite no attention   of strong men who were wont to obey
under ordinary circumstances, impress  their impulses and do such deeds as
him  vividly  to-night.  IIe contrasts  this man did, only that their chivalry
him with Sir Philip Sidney, and Roger  was far more cruel, and took expiation
L'Estrange-with Fenelon and Chan-  of the wrong done, never short of
ning, and decides him to be a gross and  heart's blood and heart's life. They
vulgar caricature of humanity.  He  were called  knights  errant.  They
accounts him a social barbarian whom   wore the coat of mail, the barred hel
no missionary can, or will convert. He  met, and the plume. You read their
calls his speech, jargon; his manner,  chronicles with pleasure and with pride.
apish; his life, a farce; his soul-has  And the point we make against you is,
he a soul?                             Dark Student, that you cannot see
" Life, my young friend," resumes  your own ideal of chivalric motives
Mr. Ginn, with much philosophical  and chivalric- deeds, when it leaves the
profundity of manner, "is a case.  mist of beauty which belongs to disWhen a man drinks, it's a awful case.  tance and time, and stands in the clear,
Not that a-don't take my toddy when   common air of daily life, without the
a-can-moderate, ye understand, an'  coat of mail, the barred helmet and the
for the good of the corporation. But  plume!
there's some people who do swill it    " If you had given some food to the
down dreadful. When a-come across  woman and her children, and let her
a man of that description, ye know,  husband alone, you'd have done better,
it does make me savage-well, it does.  in my opinion," continued the young
And when a-catch him  a-lickin' his  man. "But you're more ready to fight
wife —well, now, that's tryin', ye see!  than feed, Mr. Ginn."
a-just drop him!"                        Mr. Ginn says nothing, but turns
He puts up his left hand to imper-  away. "You got that basket ready,
sonate the man that does it, and slaps  Charles?" he demands, fiom behind
his clenched fist against the palm, to  the counter.
illustrate the way in which he " drops"  "All right, sa," pipes the answering
him. The Dark Student sinks him  treble of the boy, as he lifts a covered
down another grade, as a ferocious  basket from the floor.
wretch, and is disgusted.                The Dark Student looks at the bas"Similar to that," continues Mr.  ket, and Mr. Ginn looks in a furtive
Ginn, "is a hod-carrier a-come across  way at the Dark Student.
t'other day. A cussed Irishman, of       "It's some dirty towels," remarks
course. Gets drink somehow; dunno  the caterer, carelessly, feeding thus a
how, for he aint in work. Licks his  supposed hunger of curiosity in the
wife, just for rum  an' ugliness, an'  mind of his visitor, "a-goin' to the
drives the children out o' doors. Preci-  wash."
ous little they git for mudgeon, a-can   But the Dark Student does not heed
tell ye. They'll starve yet, or your  him. He has taken the cigar from his
uncle's no prophet. A-just catches  lips, and is listening.
him  at that game, t'other night-wo-     "What's that noise, Ginn?" he asks.
man a hollerin', but keepin' the cries   They both listen intently to a strange
shady. you know, for-a-m blowed if  sound like dropping water, penetrated
a-ever see the like of them women!-   at intervals with something like a low
they won't get their husbands into   moan. Unable to determine its nature
trouble by singing out, if they can help  for a moment, they then recognize it as
it, an' they'll stand any given amount of   sobbing. It evidently comes from the
wallopin' from the brute beasts. Well,  sidewalk, up the steps.  The Dark
ye see, a-detects him a puttin' it on to  Student walks hastily to the door, follber, and a-just tears at him, tail up,  lowed by Mr. Ginn, and looks up to the
yanks him down stairs, an' trims him   street. Mr. Ginn passes him, and disllawful handsome, a-can tell ye!"    covers a child at the top of the descent,
" Look here, Ginn," says the Dark  shrinking away from the light.
Student; "I don't admire your vio-       "Hullo, boy,"  cries  Mr. Ginn,
lence. You were just as bad as he   "what'sthe row?! l[ee, youjust come
was. Just as bad.'                    down here."
TOL. Vr.- 2




18                              What Cheer?                          [July
The child lingering, he seizes, and   has she to do with him-how do you
deposits him on the cellar floor.      know he's got one?"
"Blessed if it aint one of'em,'" he   "Wh-y! don't a man of your great
ejaculates.                           intellect per-ceive that this boy's mothWho "one of' em'" is the Dark Stu-  er's that very Irish woman whose husdent does not at all apprehend.  But  band licks her?  TIe's one o' the chilthe child before him is a very small,'ren. An' don't ye recollect givin' that
stunted, dirty  boy, barefooted and   boy a half a dollar out here in College
ragged, who sobs and whimpers bitterly  street this very day?  Saw ye do it,
with his little fists in his eyes.     my-self, from a-window."
" What-in-thunder-are you doin' out    "' O-h!" murmurs the Dark Student.
o'doors this time o' night?" asks MIr.  It has not occurred to him before.
Ginn.  "Come now, sonny, don't ye    "' O-v  course," drawls MIr. Ginn.
break your heart for nothin', ye know,  "There's a somethin' in the wind, ye
or yer uncle'11 have to go into mourn-  see, and a-am  bound to find it out!
in', and crape's awful ex-pensive. Dry   Why aint -ye at home, sonny? Father
up-dry up.'0 Susanna, don't ye cry   been a-cuttin' up his pe-culiar didoes
for me,' is the word.  Where's yer  again, hey?  Out with it!"
mother, an' what's the special difficulty  The little boy begins to cry again,
now?-"                                and sobs out plaintively, in a voice just
It is some time before AMr. Ginn sue-  touched with a slight brogue, that faceeds in reducing the child's grief to a  ther came home drunk, and he was afraid,
low, stertorous sobbing. It is with some   and ran away.
difficulty that he gets him to that state  " That's it, is it," says AMr. Ginn.
in which he consents to keep his small,  "Did he lick yer mother?  No? Was
dirty fists from his eyes. His face-a   a-goin' to, I suppose, soon's he got
pinched, squalid, tear-stained, begrimed  ready. All right. We'll fix him."
face-is expressive of real anguish.      " How came youto come down here?"
He is cold, too, and shivers. Mr. Ginn   asks the Dark Student, kindly.  "Did
takes him  summarily by the collar,  you-'"
drags him along on the run to the other  " Never you mind how he came down
end of the cellar, seizing a stool on the   here," interrupts Mr. Ginn, growing
way, and planting it before the few coals  very red in the face.  " He follered his
in the range, sets him on it to get warm.  nose, probably. Wich is a small one,
Then he gets some victuals on a plate,  but ekal to the occasion."
and brings it to the child. He has to    The Dark Student forgets to resent
use some persuasion to make him eat  this rude speech in wondering why Ginn
what he has brought, which end he ef-  colored so when he made it.
fects in his own rough way. The little   " For that's all right, you may bet
fellow at last eats, and sobs-the former  your life," continues Mr. Ginn, "an' if
with some voracity. Some secret thrill,  it aint we'll make it right ill the mornin'.
just stirring in the heart of the Dark   Now then, we'll just shut up this shop,
Student, confesses that Mr. Ginn is not  an' tortle. Say, you Charley, there's
such a bad sort of a person, after all.  yer week's wages on the counter. Ye
But he suppresses it, and bides the   can leg it now, an' mind ye'r here
sequel.                                dreadful bright an' early on Monday
"Now, then, my young cove," says  morning, or I'll trim ye till yer skin's
Mr. Ginn, briskly, "a-just want to know   white!"
— cat-e-gorically, where ye come from,    Off scrambles the mulatto boy with
and what ye'r a doin' out this time o'  great celerity. Mr. Ginn sees that everynight?   Where's yer mother?-an'  thing is in order, and then turns down
how come she to let ye loose when you  the light. The Dark Student is already
ought to be a-bed?  Give'n account of  on the sidewalk. Mr. Ginn, with his beayerself. Don't ye be afraid of your  ver set jauntily on his head, the covered
uncle, for he's goin' to be good to ye,  basket on his arm, and the child beside
an' you know he might leave ye some   him. follows, locking the door behind.
property in his will."                   "Of course you know where he lives,"',Don't talk to the child in that way,  said the Dark Student, absently, refer
Ginn," snaps the young man; " he wont  ring to the boy.
understand you. You've asked for his    " Don't a-though," answers Mr. Ginn
mnother half a dozen times already. What  a "Well, a-don't know anything else!"




1855.]                         What Cheer?                              19
They go up North-Main street, in si-    Mr. Ginn scowls, and looks dissatislene- the little fellow trotting along  fied.
beside them, with an occasional snuffle.  "0 well, a-don't care," he blurts out,
" Ginn," says the Dark Student, sud-   "if ye just want to put yerself in
denly, as they reach the building in  danger, a-am  willin'; on'y yer uncle
which he has his chambers, "do you   wouldn't like to see ye spotted all over,
know  that I heard a scream in this  an' yer head lookin' like a huckleberry
quarter to-night?"                     puddin', and beyond vaccination, yp
"No? Did ye, though?" is the an-  know.  Go ahead, Timmy; and don't
swer; "what else?"                    ye miss yer way in the dark, sonny."
"Why, nothing else," is the reply;    Timmy goes ahead, and they follow
"it evidently came from  those Irish   him up the cavernous gloom of the dark,
houses in this alley, but I couldn't find   crazy stairs, slowly groping their way
out who made it."                      on tip-toe. The boards creak beneath' "Well, this boy lives down here,"  them at every step. The darkness is
says Mr. Ginn, as they enter the dark   close and thick around them. Horrible
lane; "perhaps he knows about it."     smells, with one dense, sickly odor of
The child, upon being questioned,  greasy boiled cabbage above them all,
does not know.                         fill the stifling air. Up one flight into
The trio stop for a moment before a   a thicker darkness, where the smells are
wooden tenement, from whose half-open   stronger; five uncertain steps along the
door issues a sickly smell, which makes   corridor, holding by the clammy banisthe Dark Student shudder. His com-  ter; around a corner up three stairs;
panion is of less delicate sensibilities,  around another, where they both stumand has been, perhaps, inured by long   ble upon more stairs; up these, and
endurance of such odors, for he mani-  they pause at length, with no definite
fests no emotion whatever. He waits,  idea of the shape and extent of the
with stolid gravity, to hear some in-  place where they stand. The house,
timation of separation for the night,  is strangely astir to-night.  Subdued
from the lips of the young man. He   movements and deadened tones, which
evidently expects the Dark  Student  attended their groping ascent, with into depart; but no such intention is in  articulate sounds, gruff, muffled voices,
that person's mind. He is rather curi-  and low whispers, now reach them as
ous to see what sort of a den this squalid  from  a pit below, all blended in one
boy is nightly kenneled in, and waits  vague sense of a hideous life, awake
Mr. Ginn's escort.                    and moving in the wretched dwelling.
"Hadn't we better go in, Ginn?" he   What has broken the slumber of this
remarks, carelessly;'" let's see the end   many-peopled den to-night? Listen to
of it."                               the murmurs that infest the darkness!
"' Y-e-s," hesitates Mr. Ginn; "look-  Listen!
o'here; ye see that wooden house up      The boy has opened a door-it must
the lane, across the street, don't you?   have been ajar, for it made no sound in
House with a-porto-ricor, and pillars?   opening. They have a consciousness
O-v course; say, why couldn't ye just  of some cavity, through which creeps a
step along there-walk in at the front  breath of warm, foul air, tainted with a
door-'tain't locked, ye know-into the   strange, vapid odor. What is it?  It
room, right hand side of the entry-   flashes upon the Dark Student, and
that's my room-and just wait there five   conscience rises in his breast, aghast,
minutes, and a-'ll be right along, and   and smites him! The dying murmurs
tell ye all about it.'Cause, you know,  seem to swell into a wild, accusing roar.
there's a desperate case o' small-pox in   The memory of what he would have
this house, and you'd better not risk   done an hour ago sweeps upon him
comin' in."                           like a whirlwind; a blacker darkness
The Dark Student listens to this pro-  rushes down and floods the impeneposition. He sees the house with the  trable gloom; and, while his knees
portico and pillars. He sees, also, that  tremble, and a cold sweat starts upon
Mr. Ginn wants to get rid of him.     his forehead, and thrills of fear creep
"Bother, Ginn," he replies, "I'm   through his frame, he feels the sense af
not afraid of the small-pox; I want to   a dreadful finger, pointing at him from
go in with you; I want to talk to the  the eclipse around. He perceives the
boy's mother. Come, let us go ahead."  odor of laudanum.




20                            What Cheer?                         [July
He hears the voice of his companion  bottle lying on the floor near his hand.
subdued to a low whisper, bidding the  Rum, of course. He has drunk himself
boy wake up his mother, or get a light.  to death. Take it up! smell of it! No:
He hears the little bare feet pattering   he drank much rum in his poor, besotabout in the darkness, and then he hears  ted life; but for his last and most effecthem stumble. There is an incoherent  tual draught, he chose another poison.
sound of other children's voices from a  There is nothing in the bottle, now, but
room within, talking and crying blended.  the smell of the laudanum that killed
Then there is a low moan, and the child  him.
begins to cry. Is it something white,    Take the question to your heart, Dark
stirring there within on the floor? Hush!  Student, and meditate it well! Judge
another moan; another stir of that white,  between a deed attempted and a deed
formless something! The child is still  done; compute the difference, and decrying, but in a hushed, forlorn way.  cide whose is the greater sin!  You
He hears his companion fumbling in his  would, after your manner, have drunken
clothes, and then he sees the blue scratch   poison from a dainty glass, because you
of a lucifer on the adjacent wall. Ano-  were weary of the world, which had
ther, and another, and the match spits  done nothing to weary you-and you
bluely and ignites.  Before it fairly  knew too little, and cared too little, what
flames, Ginn has stepped softly into the  it had done. This poor extinguished
room, shading it with his hand.  It  clod-perhaps, he too, was weary of the
lights, and the darkness vanishes. Good  world; and I will give you odds that he
God! what is this!  There is a man  had some good, substantial, desperate
lying on his back on the floor, and a  reason for being so, where you had
woman huddled near him in her night-  none. He, too, after his coarser mandress!  The light only glares for an   ner, drank his poison from a vulgar
instant on her agonized and ashen face,  bottle, with no dark, romantic thought
and the glassy stare of her eyes, and   of Aqua Tofana, the subtile poison of
then goes out, leaving them in a more  Italian vengeance, and fatal wine of the
dreadful darkness. What is it? what  Borgias; but, perchance, with some
is it?  A hundred whispering voices  unutterable, savage, and frightful rage
seem to gibber the words upon the air.  at the life which he had never known
He had only one glimpse of his com-  how to command, and turn to profit or
panion, in which he had seen him stand-  to honor; and with a violent desire to
ing with the basket on his arm, and the   drown it with the liquid death which is
match in his raised hand; but he had  now within him. Think of it! He was a
seen him in that moment turn deadly  poor, ignorant, besotted, brutalized Irish
pale, and open his mouth like one who  laborer. Generations past, and a geneasped for air. Quick, Ginn, quick!  ration present, of a selfism of which
or God's sake! there's something the   yours is but the microcosm and pigmy
matter here! The match will not light,  symbol, resulted in him, as in millions
Ginn tries another, succeeds, and gets a  like him, making him all he was, and
lamp lighted which he has found on the  never to rise above that level, but to
chimney-piece. The awful secret of the  sink lower and lower forever. You are
room is laid bare!                   not poor, nor ignorant, nor besotted.
They have raised the woman from   nor brutalized, nor branded, even in the
the floor, and laid her, feebly moaning,  Christian land where all are free and
in the bed. They have touched the   equal, with the stigma of an alien
body on the floor. It is moist and warm   birth and low  condition; nor have
to their touch, but the life is there no   you ever done the fair day's work
longer.  He is quite dead. It is a  for the unfair day's wages, which
dreadful sight to see the corpse in its  cursed him with the unequal curse of
torn, soiled, laborer's clothes, lying  the race of Adam. He lies there on
there amidst the squalid confusion of  the bare floor of this wretched chamber,
the room, the burly limbs all relaxed,  stark dead, with a hundred reasons for
and the yellow, rigid, brutal face, and  his death written on his miserable visage.
bleared eyes wide open, staring at the  You, too, could you have had your way,
low ceiling. A lamp, which had fallen   would have lain thus in to-morrow's
from her hand, lies there beside him,  sunlight; but not upon a bare floor, nor
with its tube and wick soaking in a  in a squalid chamber, nor with one exsmall prol of oil. There is a black  cuse legible on your face, or on the his



1855.]                        What Cheer?                            21
tory of your luxurious life, for such an  told him  to the Dark Student. He
act; but only your base and selfish  drank laudanum  a little while before
weariness of a world in which men like  you tried it, Dark Student-about the
you should be healers and redeemers  time when your egoistical life had
-only that excuse which is a pretext  brought you to the conclusion of doing
and a lie! Think of it, Dark Student!  a dreadful something with a razor to
Think of it while the crust around your  that fine throat of yours.  And she
heart is shattering before an agony and  shrieked just in time to postpone your
a sorrow not your own. Think of it  thirst-that is, just in time to keep you
while you hear the heart-broken moans  from your purpose, till God could send
of the wife who clung to him, and loved  you here to learn a wholesome and an
him, though beaten and abused; and  awful lesson.  Learn it well. young
think of it while you listen to the firight-  man. Think of it when you next ponened sobbing of his child!           der the philosophy of Each and All;
His child. Ginn has seated himself  and when you remember that nothing
in horror and stupefaction, and the  is bound to itself alone, but that everylittle fellow cowers near him, terrified,  thing serves all things, think that the
and crying.  There is more crying,  shriek of stricken agony which eased
too, hard by.  In an adjoining room   this poor woman's heart, went out on
there are two little girls. They are  the Autumn night with another ministry
to be seen sitting in a trundle-bed,  for you, and was the angel cry which
afraid to leave it, and weeping bitterly.  pierced and dissolved your madness!
None of the children know precisely    He does think of it, and can only
what has happened.  Their childish  stammer out some incoherent words in
lamentations, mingled with the low   reply, so miraculous and awful is the
moans of the mother, hardly disturb the  thought of it.  The thought of it
fearful inner hush of the room. Ginn  keeps him deathly white, and bathes
gets up, and motioning his companion   his forehead with a cold sweat, and
to silence, takes the boy in his arms,  makes him tremble. Ginn is white,
carries him into the room, and, putting   also: and, when he speaks, there is an
him into the bed with them, bids him   emotion in his hoarse and whispering
stay there, and sitting down on the bed-  voice, which subdues whatever is gro 
side, questions the little girls. They  tesque in his speech, and makes it
are more intelligent and less stupefied  tragic with simple horror and wonder.
than the boy. He learns from them      "This is a awful case," he says,
that mother was in bed, and father came   "Just look at that woman, and them
home swearing. He cursed very loud.  children, and that man there! What'r
Mother was frightened, and came into   we goin' to do about it?  Where'd he
our room. Father didn't come into our  get the pison?  Who's the'pothecary
room. Father wasn't drunk, because  sold it?  Its laud'num  ye know, an'
he didn't stagger.  Father stopped   where's the label on the bottle?'Taint
cursing and swearing, and drank out of  there!  A-just want to know  what
a bottle which he took from his pocket.'pothecary sells that amount of laud'num
Then he breathed very loud for ever so  to an Irishman like Gilhooley, an' don't
long. Then he opened the window, and  put no label on the bottle, ye know!"
cursed two or three times. Then, in a    The Dark Student does not answer,
little while, he fell down very hard.  but he -Tremembers that he himself purMother was frightened, and ran in with  chased laudanum  that very day at a
the lamp to him. Mother tried to lift  druggist's near by, where the counter
him up, but she couldn't. Then mother  was tended by a boy, who sold it to him
screamed very loud, and fell down, and   without asking any questions, or labelthe lamp went out, and they heard her  ing the vial. If to him, why not to
groan. Nobody came up stairs. We  Gilhooley?
didn't go in to mother, because we were  " Where'd he get the money, an' he
afraid. We sat in the dark, and called  not in work?  That's the question,"
for Jimmy. We didn't know where Jim-  demands Ginn.
my had gone to. We don't know any      A terrible supposition darts into the
more. What ails father, Mr. Ginn?   young man's mind. He goes quickly
Mr. Ginln soothes them as well as he  to the children's room.
can-tells them  to keep quiet-and,    " Boy," he whispers, "what did you
coming back, rehearses what they have   do with the silver I gave you to-day?"




22                              TFhat Cheer?                         [July,
"Father took it away from  me,"   worst look at the matter. That man
whimpers the child.                    aint had no work for a month. No,
The young man totters back again,  sir!  Not for a month, an' he couldn't
with a burning mist in his eyes.       get it, an' he has a wife an' three
"It's awful-a-say it's awful!" con-  chil'ren to feed. What's yer opinion
tinues Ginn, with a fierce energy of   of life now, under similar circumstances?
manner, but keeping his voice down to   Ye know ye were a-goin' to tell me,
the horrified whisper.  "Look at it.  one of these days. Supposin' ye just
The last time a-looked at that poor,  let it out now!"
dead cuss, a-yanked him  down, an'       "My God! Ginn, how did they live?"
licked him for beatin' that woman on   exclaims the appalled listener.
the bed; an' now we come in, twelve      "Well, a-guess some of'em didn't
o'clock o-night, an' we find him stiff  live," answers the caterer, with somedead with pison. Damned if it don't  thing like a ghastly smile creeping out
make yer uncle's hard heart soft!"  on his face.
He stops a minute to wipe away some-     " A-didn't want to let ye know," he
thing from his eyes, with a red hand-  resumed, fiercely; ";a-didn't want to
kerchief. Perhaps it was a tear, which   have ye up here to-night-though its
the hard heart had overflowed them with   well you've come —but ye'r in for it.
in softening.                          That basket-ye needn't look in it.
"Look a-here," he resumes; "a-am   It aint towels. Its bread an' its meat
a regular, ugly devil, an a-know it.  for that woman an' her little chill'rn.
A-am a total cuss, an' keepin' a eatin'  Don't you say a word. A-don't want
saloon don't improve no man's temper,  to be buttered for nothin'. Yer uncle
but this does take the starch out o' me.  don't leave no money in his will tc
A-am down on that man for committin'  the charitable institu-tions, an' get his
suicide, an' when he lammed that wo-  name put in the papers; nor he don't
man, a-was onto him; but you just  stick up big posters round the street
put yerself in his boots, an' consider  when he gives a dollar. But he c-a-n't
it. Look a-here-a-am  posted up in  let a woman and chil'ren starve before
the facts.  Miss Gilhooley, there, she   his eyes, no how. A-'ve fed'em, and
told me that he got seventy-five cents  that's the way they lived. A-'ve fed'em
a day for totin' brick an' mortar up a   for three weeks-cuss the expense, aladder, from mornin' to night. That's  say, but a-couldn't ha' done it forfour dollars an' a half a week, ye-  ever. That's the story."
know, -an' will ye have it now, or    There is a tear on his face, and this
wait till ye get it,'s the principle,  time he does not wipe it away.  The
you understand, with the man that  Dark Student sees it roll slowly down,
hires him. How'd you like to do that  and drop from his cheek, to be lost in
amount o' work, an' have a wife and  the air. Lost? No; not lost.
three young uns to feed, for four dol-    "An' now, look o'here," he bursts
lar an' a half a week?  Mind-he don't  out, starting up; "there's something
get his wages any way regular, but  to be done. Hear that woman moantakes it out in store-pay-orders on a  ing! Somebody ought to be called in.
grocery, ye see, which takes off a-  A-can't bear the idea of gettin' a stupid
profit. A-say it's hard! A-say a-don't  watchman, who couldn't do nothin'!
blame no man for gettin' desperate an'  An' if a-wake up  somebody in the
takin' to drink under them circumstan-  house, we'll on'y have a lot of Irish
ces. An'whenaman'sinliquor, hedoes  women yellin' an' kickin' up the devil
get ugly, an' don't care who he hits.  for nothin'! Say —you stay here, an'
Hadn't no education, ye see, an' don't  a-'ll drop over to Miss TMiles-that's
know  different. An' it does rather  where my room  is-an' she'll come.
strike yer uncle that, if he was in   She's used to treatin' sick folks, and
that po-sition, and saw big-bugs wal-  dead folks, an' a-'ll be back soon."
lowin' in cash, and not willin' to do    He goes off suddenly, on tip-toe, leavanything for him, he'd feel uncommon  leaving the Dark Student alone. Alone
savage-well, he would, now."'         in that fearful room —the dull gleam of
He stops again, and, with a strong   the lamp showing the dead mian staring
contortion, chokes down a tremble in  at the smoky ceiling-the low moans
his voice.                             of the heart-broken woman, on the bed,
"But," he continues, "here's the  in his ears —he can yet only think of




1855.]                        What Cheer?                              23
the good things in the man he had   Saw ye give him a half a dollar then,
so despised, and his heart does justice   and walk off. Why didn't ye foller
to Mr. Ginn. Not Sir Philip Sidney   him  up then, when ye'd a chance?
nor Roger L'Estrange, debonair and   Don't blame ye, ye understand, but
stately gentlemen of a poetic day;  you see ye're one of them kind that
but a man who, if they were what  don't get up an interest in such things,
the world believes them, would have   because ye don't know what they are.
shone in their honor and esteem. Not  Yer uncle does! Somebody aint got
Fenelon or Channing, but a creature  no time, not no cash for everybody
with a very human heart.             that wants it. Ye see?"
He comes back, at last, with Mrs.    Yes. The Dark Student does see,
Miles.  She is a little, middle-aged  not exactly through Mr. Ginn's unwoman, with mild, bulging, blue eyes,  statesmanlike, unphilosophic eyes, it is
and a yellow handkerchief tied round  true; but then, he sees. He sees that
her head, under her chin. She is very  individuals and institutions have each
much horrified just now, but not quite  their own special fish to fry, and are
as agitated as might be expected. For  pre-occupied, to the sore detriment of
Mr. Ginn has prepared her mind with  the  Gilhooleys.  He, sees that the
the whole story outside, and she has got  separation of Church and State has
over the worst effects of it.  While the  been accomplished a little too effectually
two men lift up the body to a table, and   -religion being one thing, and politics
close the staring eyes, and decently  another. He sees that there must be
compose the limbs, she applies herself  some victims to the spirit of societyto the task of reviving the poor woman  the selfism which binds upon its forein the bed. This she succeeds in doing   head like a frontlet, and writes upon
to some extent at last. Her efforts at  its broad phylacteries the words, Every
consolation are, of course, fruitless.  Man for Himself, and God (why not
They serve little other purpose than  the devil, too?) for us all, —until its
to touch the heart of the Dark Student,  tardy charity, scared into Christian reand revive his fallen respect for human   membrance by a thousand  starving
nature.                               cries, denies its selfish philosophy, and
"Ginn," whispers the young man,  starts up in make-shift plans for public
"why didn't she-what's her name?-   soup and calico balls!  When shall
Mrs. Gilhooley-why didn't she apply  the beautiful and wise compassion that
for relief to somebody? Why didn't  fed the Syrian multitudes, eighteen
she go to the City, and represent that  centuries ago, be poured into the heart
she was in want?"                     of this world's life, and animate its
Mr. Ginn looks at him steadily, and   hand to work a social miracle, and feed
purses up his lip, as if he would whis-  forever the multitudes to-day?
tle. Then he smiles faintly.            "Besides," resumes Mr. Ginn, sink"Why didn't the City go to her?"  ing his voice to a lower whisper, and
he answers sententiously. " Supposin'  putting his hand over his mouth as if to
she didn't want to be bundled to the   keep the voice down, "Miss Gilhooley
poor-house?-that's all the City'd do  there aint no beggar.  She's an unfor her. Supposin' she had a streak of   common fine Irishwoman, ye know;
pride, and didn't want to be a pauper?   an' if she hadn't had him for a husband,
Why didn't the City fix things so's  or if it hadn't gone wrong with'em both
her husband could get work, an' why   -he wan't in work half the time, ye
didn't they shut up the rum  shops, an'  see-an' he got down-hearted, an' took
indict a man who lets such a house as  to drink, she told me-she'd have been
this, which aint fit for no decent hog to  somebody. She's got her own notions
live in, though poor folks have to?   of pride, though she's come pretty low;
Say? Why didn't somebody come an'  an' she'd rather work, if she knew how,
see to her, without waitin' to be asked?  than beg a favor, ye see. Tell ye
I did. Didn't send -up no card, but  what, my boy, there's a good many
walked straight in, you know, with her  stripes and shades o' poor folks, an'
boy under my arm.  Say-why didn't  you'll get your eyes peeled to that fact
you come yourself?  Saw you to-day,  one of these days-well, ve will!"
on the sidewalk, when you asked that    "Well, Ginn, he's dead now, and
small boy of hers why he didn't have   what are they going to do?" asks the
no shoes.'Aint got none,' says he.  young man, sadly.




24                             What Cheer?                         [July,
"Don't know," replies Mr. Ginn.  heart cannot understand, and, without
"Something'11 turn up, I reckon. Some-  a word, suffers the young man to pass
thing does, generally. He's dead, any-  from the room, and leave him and his
way, an' a-don't know as he'd have done  landlady there alone.
any good by livin' longer.  Fello de    Alone, while the Dark Student blindly
se, the coroner's jury'11 find him guilty  gropes his way down the stairs, his eyes
cf, to-morrow.  Can't blame him, all  blotted with repentant tears. The same
things considered, for'times was hard  low murmurs and whisperings he had
with him, an' that's a fact."         heard, when he brought his hard and
The Dark Student turns away for a  careless heart up to that fearful room,
minute.  When he faces Mr. Ginn. awake again behind the closed doors of
again, there is a strange trouble in his  the many families the wretched house
face.                                 contains, as he descends; and attend
" Ginn," he says, faintly, "I'm going   him going down-no longer with a hard
home. I want you to give this to her  and careless heart-until he passes out
when she recovers, and I'll see to it  from the filthy portal into the pure air.
that she does not come to want."      The stars shine, with an ancient and an
It is a twenty-dollar note. Mr. Ginn   awful beauty, over wood and field, and
looks at it with amazement, and then   sea and sleeping city, and on the darklooks at the Dark Student.            ened continent. Their signs and cyphers
" It's a saw-hoss," he murmurs, iden-  of holy fire burn solemnly above a
tifying the printed XX. on the bill.  world gone wrong. Yet trust that the
" Well, I swear!-If this ain't gener-  world gone wrong, and still going wrong
ous —"                                from year to year beneath their sacred
"No, Ginn, it is not," interrupts  and passionless rebuke, shall yet go
the young man. "It is you who are  right! for they shine to-night above an
generous, and not me.  You were a  altered heart; and wherever, on the
poor man, and out of your narrow means  wide globe, one such awakens from its
you sustained the poor. I am not poor,  baleful dream of self, and renews its
and-O-0 I blame myself for not knowing   early vows of service to humanity,more about the poverty-the want and  there is born a beam of that struggling
misery, under my very windows. But  morning, destined to rise in human
I'll do better."                      souls, and broaden grandly down blessed
So be it. You were sick with self,  ages yet to be.
young friend, and are now convalescent.    The Magian of the world's hope, ponThis humble and thoughtful charity,  dering known laws of the contagion
this dawn of sympathy with your suffer-  of example, will calculate what space
ing kind, and this promise of a better  of time must elapse before the profuture, are worth far more than all the   cess of the reduplication of the Dark
careless silver you have ever given at a   Student's life is complete in fifty such
street-corner-far more than the mur-  as he, presaging the  blissful era.
derous coin you blindly gave.         Yet, now he waits, and must wait, for
"Look a-here!"  Mr. Ginn foams  the man perfect in self-forgetfulness
over with enthusiasm. "Well, I swear!  and heart, the genius of whose example
I say ye'r a brick-with a gilt edge!  shall work the beginning of the end.
Yer uncle's proud of ye!"            Ah! must he wait long?  You, who
"Hush! Ginn," says the young man,  read this page, perhaps it is you who
with a motion towards the bed. Ginn   were the Dark Student whose episode I
understands it, and is mute.          have just told. If so-if so in any re"She'll get it," he whispers, sub-  semblance or experience-it is with you
siding. "It'll help the poor creatur';  the question lies!  Let him not, then,
and, maybe, when she gets up again,  wait long. Let him, the Magian of the
she'll find somethin' to do for her chil'-  world's hope, at least, at some not too
ren."                                 distant time, have it to answer —" The
"I'll see to that," replies the young   star of the Human Commonwealth is in
man. "I've found the way here, and  the sky," when some sad questioner, pale
I'll come again. This is an awful  with watching for the day, shall sigh to
-awful lesson.  Oh, God  forgive  him the words whose legendary music
me,"                                floats from the grave of Roger WilThe victualler is mute before this sud-  liams —" WHAT CHEER, BROTHER,den burst of an emotion which his simple   WHAT CHEER?"




1855.]                                                               i25
VICTOR GALBRAITH.
UNDER the walls of Monterey
At daybreak the bugles began to play,
Victor Galbraith!
In the mist of the morning damp and gray,
These were the words they seemed to say;
"Come forth to thy death,
Victor Galbraith!"
Forth he came with a martial tread,
Firm was his step, erect his head;
Victor Galbraith,
He who so well the bugle played,
Could not mistake the words it said
"Come forth to thy death,
Victor Galbraith!"
He looked at the earth, he looked at the sky,
He looked at the files of musketry,
Victor Galbraith!
And he said with a steady voice and eye,
"Take good aim; I am ready to die!"
Thus challenges death,
Victor Galbraith.
Twelve fiery tongues flashed straight and red,
Six leaden balls on their errand sped;
Victor Galbraith
Falls to the ground, but he is not dead,
His name was not stamped on those balls of lead,
And they only scath
Victor Galbraith.
Three balls are in his breast and brain,
But he rises out of the dust again,
Victor Galbraith!
The water he drinks has a bloody stain,
"0 kill me, and put me out of my pain!"
In his agony prayeth
Victor Galbraith.
Forth dart once more those tongues of flame,
And the Bugler has died a death of shame,
Victor Galbraith!
His soul has gone back to whence it came,
And no one answers to the name,
When the Sergeant saith
" Victor Galbraith!"
Under the walls of Monterey
By night a bugle is heard to play,
Victor Galbraith!
Through the mist of the valley damp and gray
The sentinels hear the sound and say;
"That is the wraith
Of Victor Galbraith!"




'26                                                                   [July,
PLANT - M U MMIES.
THE Psalmist says: —' rhou madest  to elude his grasp, he descends into the
man to have dominion over the works  past, and raises even the spirits of tile
of thy hand; thou hast put all things   departed to serve him.
under his feet."  And truly, man is the    Man had exhausted the resources which
ma-ter of the world.                   the vegetable world of our day afforded
There comes a joyous breeze in free-  him; every herb bearing seed, and
dorm through the air, and sings its merry   every tree in which is the fruit of a tree
songs in rush and reed, or plays sport-  had been to him for meat. But he desired
ively with branch and briar. But see,  more, and his restless, insatiable mind
man stands upon the breezy hill, and  longed for new realms and new powers.
catches the light-footed wanderer above;  So he went back into distant ages and
he stops him on his fruitless errand and   exhumed the bodies of ancient generamakes him a servant, a slave. The wind  tions. For animals and plants both,
can no longer roam at will over hill and   are made faithfully to return, to their
dale; he must turn, in restless haste, the   common mother earth, whatever they
huge wings of a mill, or he is bound in  have taken from  her.  The beast of
towering sails, and has to drive mighty  the field, and even proud man die,
ships through the impeding waves.      and dust returns to  dust.  Plants,
There rushes a bright, cheerful spring   also, the firstborn children of the earth,
from  its cold mountain  home down   must die, and return to the bosom of their
into the plain, and as it leaps over  great mother. But they sink only to
rock and root, it dashes its snow-white  rise again, or if buried beneath the ruins
foam  into the dazzling sunshine, and   of ages, they preserve, even there, in
raises its little anthem of thanks and   eternal night, a breath of their former
praise at every fall, in every valley.  vitality, and centuries after, their dead
But here, also, the master stands in its  bodies become, in the hands of man,
way and compels it, a child yet, to turn   once more a source of light and life.
the mill-wheel; or he loads the well-    From the western coast of France,
grown river with heavily-laden barges,  vast desert plains stretch far east,
that it must carry from  land to land to  through northern Germany and Rusthe mighty ocean.                      sia, until they are lost in distant and
The fish of the sea, the fowl of the   unknown Siberia. The traveler shudair, and every living thing that moveth   ders, he knows not why, as the boundupon the earth, the trees and the herbs,  less expanse first strikes his eye. There
the stones and the metals-they are all  is no fresh waving tree to whisjer words
slaves and serfs of man.  Even the   of good cheer and pleasant welcome;
lowest, made in the image of God, is  there is not a hill, "which God destill master of all the powers of Nature.  lighted to dwell in."  All is level, coThe South Sea Islander makes plants  vered with brownish-red heather, with
support him, and beasts serve him;  the golden blossom of the broom  and
they build his hut on land, and carry  thorny juniper-bushes.  Only now and
him in boats over the seas.  Savage and  then a green marsh relieves the oppresinhospitable winter fashions the water  sive monotony, and grazing herds of
into clear blocks of ice to build the Es-  cattle give life to the scene; but soon
quimaux' house; the seal furnishes oil  again the desolate moor spreads far befor his lamp, the whale gives him ribs   yond the horizon in dark, dreary dullness.
for his boat, and heads for his arrows.   The air hangs in gloom over the lifeBut it is not the strong arm  and the  less swamp; even the moor fowl cries
skillful hand of man that make him thus   as in agony, and the swift swallow,
master of Creation. His mind is the   chasing light-winged dragon-flies over
ruler of the world, the true Lord of Na-  the rushes, twitters in an undertone,
ture. It makes the sea and the moun-  and utters mournful complaints. Potain his slaves, so that the ice of the   verty alone dwells on the borders of
Pole, and the heat of the Tropics must  these desolate plains; low huts scarcely
serve him as he wills. And when he has  venture to raise their turf-roofs a few
mastered all that eye can see, and hand   feet above the ground, and the dwellers
can grasp, when the present has nothing   on marsh and moor show in their pale,
more to give him, and the future seems  downcast features, that the clear air of




1855.]                        Plant-Mummies.                             27
heaven but rarely greets them, and that  sion above the dark-brown water bethe pure water of highland springs is a  neath.
luxury unknown.                          This turf-cover, consisting of countYet, these moors are a world of their  less partly decayed plants and their
own, peopled by races of beings, found   closely interwoven roots, is our peat;
nowhere else, and furnished with plants  those vegetable masses that have accuunknown to other lands. They have   mulated at the bottom of the moor are
their history as well as the lofty moun-  bog-earth, and below them, as the oldest
tain and the rich valley; they are born,  layer of all, lies the so-called black
they grow and prosper, they decay and   peat. As early, even, as the thirteenth
vanish.                                century, these remnants of minute
On many a plain, on lofty table   mosses were used as fuel; but it was not
lands, or close to the ocean's restless  until the sixteenth century that the
pulse, wherever water gathers, from a  Dutch especially, who know no other
thousand invisible sources little pools  kind of fuel, devised a systematic mode
and miniature lakes are formed, which   of making these treasures permanently
the clayey ground or solid rock beneath  available. Now, the upper turf is, duprevents from reaching their great home   ring the dry season, cut out into large
in the sea. Upon these waters, little  square pieces, that serve mainly to
tiny plants appear, hardly visible con-  cover the lowly huts, which the dwellers
fervoe; they come, man knows not  in those regions bury half under ground,
whence, but they multiply in amazing   and then raise a few feet by loosely
haste and soon cover the stagnant pool  arranged  stones.  There they  live,
with living green. Of a sudden, how-  the most miserable of men upon earth,
ever, they are gone; they have sunk   dark gloom all around them, and deeper
down  to  the bottom.  There  they   gloom yet within their cheerless, unform layer upon layer; slowly, indeed,  lighted hovels.
for the naked eye measures them only    If the moor is deeper, ditches are dug
by hundreds of generations; but as  to carry off the dismal water, and then the
particles of sand and stone gather in  lower peat is carried awayin large pieces
their hidden folds, and as the bodies  to serve as fuel. Often, when it is too
and shells of countless minute animals,  moist, it has to be kneaded, pressed into
who found a home in the waters above,  form, and then carefully to be arranged
are buried amidst them, they rise year  in large, well-aired sheds, to dry and to
after year. Gradually they afford a  settle. If water be allowed to stand on
footing and food for numerous water-  the excavated moor, the peat is renewed
worts, in whose  mouldering remains  in a few years, and may be cut again,
mosses and rushes begin to  settle.  though the period varies from twenty
These bind their roots firmly, they join  to two hundred years in different porhand in hand, and arm in arm, until at  tions of Europe.
last they form a soft green cover of    Vast regions of our globe are covered
peaty mould, far and near, over the   with these remnants of once bright,
dark, mysterious waters.              blooming flowers. The table lands of
The older the moor, the firmer and  the Cordilleras in South America, the
stronger is, of course, this turf cover over  boundless plains of'Siberia, one-tenth
the brownish pool, that gives out a faint  of all Ireland, a large portion of Gerbut piercing fragrance.  Near the sea-  many, part of Scotland, Jutland, and
shore, and in rainy regions, larger quan-  Norway-even the sides and valleys of
tities of water frequently remain between  the Alps abound with such moors. The
the firm ground and the felt-like cover,  Polar Circles are not free from them;
so that the surface breathes and heaves  there, also, mosses and algae still grow,
like the waves of the great ocean. In   and so closely and thickly that they
drier countries, heath, hairgrass, and  form, as it were, but one great mass of
even bilberry bushes grow in the treach-  woody fibre. Their growth is peculiar;
erous mould. But the moisture beneath  they add every year new shoots to the
gnaws constantly at their roots, so that  upper extremities, whilst the lower as
they die off, whilst the herb above clings  constantly die and change, when dry,
pertinaciously to life, and sends out  into rich humus, but, when kept moist,
ever-new  shoots-a faint, false sem-  into peat. Thus the famous Tundra,
blance of life, like the turf on the moor  the giant-morass of Siberia, is an almost
itself, in its restless, unstable suspen-  inexhaustible storehouse of this most




28                            Plant-Mummies.                         [July,
valuable material. In our own United   like the despairing eye of the dying
States, it is well known, swamps of  sinner. Even the bright sun of heaven
enormous extent abound in the South,  cannot light up the haunted  mirror
overgrown mostly with cypresses, and  — its  golden face looks  pale  and
containing large peat-bogs, into which  leaden. No fish swims in the inhospiman can only venture at the peril of his  table water; no boat passes swiftly
life.                                 from shore to shore.  Whatever has
Almost inaccessible in days of yore,  life and dreads death, flees the treachhaunted by ghastly spectres, and illu-  erous moor. Woe to the unfortunate
mined only by the treacherous light of  man who misses the narrow path!  A
will-o'-the-wisps, these dreary but valu-   a single step amiss, and he sinks into
able- regions are now cut through by rail-  the gulf; the green turf closes over
ways and canals. For miles and miles  him  and drowns the gurgling of the
the traveler in Europe passes through   waters and the anxious cry of the victim.
the midst of countless gigantic heaps of    Far, far down in the depths of the
peat. Here and there, miserable huts  moor there lies many a secret of olden
are half hidden; stunted, squalid child-  times.  Below the grim, ghastly surren, play around them in dogged si-  face, below the waters, below the black
lence; in the distance a cross, formed  remnants of countless plants, lie the
of white birch poles, rises high in the   sad memorials of ages unknown to
air, and before it, lies prostrate their  the history of man. Huge trees stand
mother, buried in anxious prayer. Be-  upright, and their gigantic roots rest
yond it, you see long rows of laborers,  upon the crowns of still older foreststrong, swarthy men, breast high in the   giants! In the inverted oaks of Murten
swamp, digging with eager haste, whilst  Moor, in Switzerland, many see the
others carry huge masses, well-balanced  famous oak-woods that Charlemagne
on their heads, to the drying-house.   caused to be cut down, now, more than a
Here also the power of the small  thousand years ago. For centuries the
in the great household of Nature is  moors have hid in their silent bosom
strikingly illustrated.  Tiny confervae  the gigantic works of ancient Rome,
and barely-visible swamp-mosses form   and posterity has gazed with awe and
vast moors, the fuel of nations, giving   wonder at the masterly roads and
bread to thousands, regions full of won-  massive bridges, like those built of
ders and mysterious charms. A diminu-  perishable wood by Germanicus when
tive water-lentil (Lenna trisulca) is the   he passed from Holland into the valley
main laborer in this unknown and unseen   of the Weser. Far, in the deep, lie
process.  With its little, dark green   buried the stone hatchets and flint
leaves, it lives entirely under water;  arrow-heads of Frisians and Cheruski,
only when about to blossom, it rises for  by the side of the copper kettle and the
awhile into the air, and then sinks for-  iron helmet of the Roman soldier. A
ever to the bottom, there to be changed   Phoenician skiff was found of late, and
into  peat.  It forms closely-woven,  alongside of it a boat laden with bricks.
thick layers, filled with sand and snails,  The skeletons of antediluvian animals
and even trees. When confervoe alone  rest there peaceably by the corpses of
are at work, the peat lies in the shape   ancient races with sandals on their feet
of thin, paper-like leaves, as if. year  and the skins of animals around their naafter year a new generation had lain  ked bodies. Hundreds of brave English
down to rest on the corpses of the pre-  horsemen, who sought an honorable
ceding season. Small streams of water,  death in the battle of Solway, were
flowing under ground, complete the   swallowed up, horse and men, by the
decay of the vegetable matter, and con-  insatiable moor. And in years bygone,
solidate the whole, till it becomes   a Danish King Harold, called the Blue
blended in one confused mass.          Tooth, allured with foul treachery a
Dark  and  dismal the green turf  fair princess of Norway, Gunhilde, to
stretches far away, as far as eye can   Jutland. She came, and she vanished
reach.  It knows neither spring nor  from the memory of man. History had
summer. Below is the dark, unfathomed   forgotten her, tradition even began to
abyss. Here and there fierce gusts of  fade; but a peat-bog opened its longwind, or strange powers from  below,  closed lips, and accused, late but loud,
have torn the gloomy shroud asunder,  the bloody king of his wicked deed.
and the dark, black waters stare at you,   The poor princess was found, far below




1855.]                        Plant-Mummies.                             29
the peat, strangled and tied to a post,  miles and miles they stretch into the
where her merciless foe had buried her,  sea, these wide oceanic meadows. Enas he thought, forever, in the abyss.  gulfed plains, sunken marshes, where
It is a strange and most melancholy  thousands of years ago a joyous world
charm which these low  chambers of  lived and loved, are now the home of
death have for the careful observer.  fishes and muscles. Often a tempest
Where once gigantic animals dwelt,  brings large tracts of this watery peat
and  tropical  plants  flourished  in  to the shore, or a fisherman drags huge
splendor, where broad roads passed   pieces of bog from the deep.
through  the land, or forests  stood     Stranger still is it, when the air enin ancient pride; where trade and   closed ill the fine, firm texture of matted
commerce prospered, and richly laden  roots and fibres, buoys a bog and raises
vessels sailed from port to port-there  it high up into the air. Then large
now the dead moor covers all life and   pieces are torn from their ancient restspreads its dread winding-sheet alike  ing places, and are carried about like
over the deepest sea and the richest  floating islands, at the mercy of winds,
valley.                                until the waves rend them  into fragEven in our day, moors grasp with   ments, or the water they imbibe makes
their death-hand at living nature around  them too heavy, so that they sink once
them. Here and there a lofty tree still  more down to their proper home. Such
rises from the dismal depth; in moun-  islands of peat have been found large
tain valleys even groves and forests  enough to afford pasture for a hundred
sometimes break the sad monotony.  head of cattle; but a few years destroy
But in the unequal struggle the moor  their form, and they disappear without
is sure to win the battle.  Like foul  leaving a trace behind them. Near St.
disease, the hungry moor-water gnaws   Omer, in France, these islands are left
at the roots of noble trees. It softens  to roam freely, during summer wherethe ground, it changes it into morass,  ever they list, but in winter they are
and the proud giants of the forest  tied fast to the shore. Still others bear
fall one by one, before the dark,  trees, even, on their surface; and both
invisible foe beneath  them.  They   Russia and Chili have such strange
resist long and bravely; but their roots  vagrants, formed of sea-grass, even in
are drowned with the abominable liquid,  clear, transparent water.
their hold is loosened, their leaves turn  Rarely only, the moor despises the
yellow  and crisp; the wintry storm   slow  progress of undermining  and
comes in fury, and the noble trees  silently engulfing living nature, and
sink powerless into the grave at their  breaks, in wild fury, through its long
feet. The struggle may be marked,  quiet.   The putrefying waters and
even now, in all its stages. Thus, in  the  fermenting  masses of decayed
the famous Black Forest of Germany,  vegetation, beneath the closely woven
there rise on many a breezy hill glori-  turf, develop gases which then raise
ous old fir-trees and graceful, silvery  the plain into hills and change the
birches. Only a few  yards beyond,  whole aspect of the landscape. When
however, the eye meets but with sorry,  this force is very great, or when rocks
stunted dwarfs, trees crippled before  and masses of earth impede its convulthey reached their hight, old before their  sive movement, the swollen bog suddentime, and weak already, in the days of  ly opens with hoarse thunder, and a
their youth. Their crowns are wither-  black torrent of foul, hideous mire pours
ed, their branches hung with weird,  forth with overwhelming violence. Thus
weeping mosses. Then the trees be-  it happened in 1821, at Tullamore,
come still fewer and smaller; low, de-  Ireland, when a huge bog, several acres
formed trunks, with twisted branches  in extent, broke loose, and traveled for
alone survive.  At last, these also dis-  nine miles, over a broken country., It
appear, and the dead quiet of the moor  laid waste everything it met in its
with its humble heath, broken only here  course.  Houses were leveled with the
and there by a dying bush, or a lowly  ground at its touch; trees torn up by
hillock, reigns alone and triumphant.    the roots; the fields were covered and
Even the sea has its moors and its  the valleys filled with bog.  Thousands
bogs. When the tide recedes from the   of men were summoned to arrest its decoasts of France and England, vast  structive march; dams were built, and
hidden morasses become visible. For   walls were erected, but all in vain. The




30                            Plant-Mummies.                          [July,
torrent rested not in its fatal course,  tall grasses were then  rocking and
until its fury  was  exhausted, and   dreaming of the wondrous time, that
silence once more brooded on the black   would come when Man should be born
moor.                                  after the image of God. Trees, high
Far in the deepest deep of our mo-  and strong, bushes of strange, fantastic
ther earth lie still older mummies of  shapes, unbounded forests of colossal
plants, that flourished and withered  reeds and flags, overshadowed the shores
long before the gates of heaven were  of the dark ocean, encircled with dense
opened and God's bow was set in the   night, large, ever-silent marshes, and
cloud.  They date back to the myste-  crowned in graceful groups the tablerious days when the hardly formed  lands of these islands.  But silence
globe, still incandescent, was but loose-  brooded over them all. As no flower
ly held together by a thin crust of pri-  ever graced their lofty columns, so no
mary rocks.  Below them the pent up   bird ever sang in their branches, no
fires of the vasty deep glowed  and   deer ever rested in peace under their
raged in untamed fury; above them   shadow.  The  sea alone, the great
huiig a hot, stifling air, and huge mass-  sea, had its life. Here the huge, flat
es of heavily laden clouds. Rain, fierce,  head of a monstrous lizard rose heavily
incessant rain, poured down upon the   from under the roots of a mighty fern;
chaotic scene; here and there the slight  there a shark of unmeasured dimensions
cover burst, volcanoes rose, continents  shot, like a flash of lightning, through
gree'ted first the light of heaven, and  the turbid flood; polypi, snails of
islands sank, to be seen no more. All  quaint shape, and muscles resplendent
the powers of nature were unchained;  in brightest colors, crowded the shallow
the earth was one vast battle field, on   estuaries. A thousand curious forms,
which the elements fought for the em-  no longer found upon earth, peopled
pire of the world. It was in those hours  the silent waters, and generation after
of gigantic strife, and, amidst the thou-  generation passed away, unseen by man
sand thunders of a quaking earth and   and unknown for countless ages to come.
a threatening heaven, that huge forests   They rose, they lived, and they died
were buried in the bosom of the earth,  in utter silence and darkness. They
to wait in patience for the day of their  returned dust to dust, or they sank into
resurrection.                          the bottomless ocean. Now the fury of
Upon the first islands that rose out  fiery volcanoes would bury whole forof the gurgling, struggling waters, when   ests under masses of burning porphyry
land and water were parted  by the   and basalt —then the sea itself would
Most High, there grew forests of gi-  rise in solemn majesty, and, racing upgantic forms, of horse-tails and club-  wards, fall upon ancient woods, breakmosses, fill of beauty and luxuriant  ing down young and old, high and low,
vigor, but they bloomed and blossom-  and leaving behind it but one vast mass
ed not.  Sigillaria gently waved their  of sand and stone, under which it had
lofty  crowns on their slender, cu-  hid all their glorious beauty. Where
riously marked trunks.  In the pride   neither fire nor water came, with giants'
of their grandeur, rising high above the   power, to destroy, the huge ferns died
lowly bushes around them, they ranged   a slow and silent death.  One by one
themselves in copses and foyests. Pa-  they would sink,'weary of life and worn
rasite ferns fluttered in the restless   out by the fierce storm all around them,
winds, like green pennants, from  co-  until gentle rains came, and with tenlumn-shaped, gigantic  canes, whilst  der sympathy, spread a pall of white
gentler breezes whispered sweet secrets  sand and bright colored stones over
to the graceful rushes along the banks  their buried bodies. A new race sprang
of interminable marshes, and Stigmarias   up from  the exuberant bosom of napainted the quiet surface of peaceful  ture; it also was laid low  and buried
inlets, with the beauteous image of their  under massive rocks and green turf,
graceful foliage. Algoe and mosses  and a new forest rose, phoenix like,
grew  in pleasing forms on rock and  from its ashes. And again and again
stone, and struck their tiny roots deep  the furious tempest swept along, and
into cleft and fissure.                covered them  with  dense  layers of
Where now Spitzbergen and Green-  sand, or  heaped  rocks  over their
land, Melville and Bear Island rise in  grave, as if he would fain have silenced
the splendor of eternal snow and ice,  forever the revengeful whisper of ante



1855.]                       Plant-Mummies.                              31
diluvian forests.  There are places on  ful garlands of unknown creepers. The
earth, where one hundred and fifty of  rich tracery of delicate leaves and
such successive generations may dis-  tendrils is marked in deep black on the
tinctly be counted!                    lighter surface of the surrounding rock.
But tenderly as nature had covered   Lofty trees stand, as they stood counttheir dead bodies, still their race was  less ages ago, in all the luxury of their
not yet run, their purpose but half ful-  massive trunks, their wide spreading
filled. Tree by tree, and herb by herb,  branches and beautiful foliage. Fossil
they lay peacefully in their grave.  trunks have been found, whose yearThe  storm  sighed  no  longer  in  rings told of an age of more than eight
their branches, the upheaving  earth  centuries! Palms and tropical trees
shook not their lofty trunks.  Warmly  alternate with the pines and poplars
imnbedded they  slept in their quiet  of northern regions; and there, too,
chambers. Thousands of years passed,  sleeps the animal world of those days.
and their rest was unbroken, their very   Here is the big lizard, not one of her
existence unknown. No human eye had  tiny  scales wanting;  there  is  the
seen them  in their prime; they had   colossal shark, in all his huge dimendied and sunk into their grave long be-  sions. They are all there, every plant
fore man dwelt in the world.  But now,  and every animal, uninjured by the unafter centuries, man came and made   sparing tooth of time.  Not a line is
his way through vast layers of clay and   effaced, not a letter is illegible in this
firm strata of rock; he descended into   great book of nature.
the deep of the earth, to exhume the     Man soon determined to employ the
huge forests that had lain there buried   new power thus granted him; but, alsince the days of creation. He brought  though Marco Polo tells us that the
them forth, the corpses of long forgot-   Chinese used coals as far back as his
ten plants, to the light of a sun they   own time (1270), Europe did not employ
had never seen before; he made their  them  until about a hundred years ago.
remains to work for him-his busiest  Then, however, began the reign of the
servants, his most efficient slaves.  It  new  agent in man's rule over the
was thus that- the ruins of the past  earth, and the strange  spectacle is
became the masters of the present.  presented in some places, that the mumThese flowerless firstlings of creation   mies of long-forgotten trees, reared in
were made to rule and control, at the   regions once tropical, but now icebound,
bidding of the children of this day,  must serve to warm the houses of men
wind and water, space and time. The   and to force tropical fiuits in northern
light of earliest ages, safely buried in  climates. Now, coal as fuel, drives the
the bosom of our mother earth, was  railway train and the steamer; it works
called to life once more, and made to  in every factory, it burns on every
shine bright and brilliant over land and   hearth; it is to England more precious
sea.                                   than gold and costly jewels.
In the lofty mountains of Peru, man    Its gases, the terror of the poor
found the black, shining mummies; far  miner who but too often falls a victim
from under the ocean's bed, he brought  of the terrible " fire-damps," have been
to light the same mysterious plants, the   changed from a death-bringing enemy
same gigantic fern-trees.  A new book  into a most useful servant. To drive them
was opened to him; the coal-fields of  out from the mines, they were at first
the earth became chronicles of ages   conveyed in tubes to the outer air, By
unknown to history or tradition. Leaf  accident it was found that they could
after leaf was unfolded, and not a letter  ignite, and from this simple attempt to
was found to be effaced. Whatever had   effect an escape for a nuisance, man
had life upon land or in water, was care-  derived the light which now rivals the
fully preserved, in image or substance,  noonday-brightness, and gives peace
in the long hidden treasury. Not a   and security even to overgrown cities.
plant was missing, not a leaf was want-  All this, and much more, we owe
ing to rebuild the wondrous world of  to the long buried mummies of plants
earliest ages. The dark night of deep  that lived, we know  not how many
mines unfolded an incredible richness  ages ago. Truly, we see, as yet, but
and splendor of vegetable forms. As if  " as if in a glass, darkly," and His
with gorgeous tapestry, their walls and   wondrous works are hidden to our dim
ceiling were found covered with grace-   eyes.




32                                                                   C[July,
RURAL OBJECTS IN ENGLAND AND AMERICA.*
THE publication of this modest vol-  duller skies, and in a climate most libernume introduces a new feature in  al of cloud and snow than of sunshine.
American literature. Numerous as have   That branch of art which delights to
been the English works devoted to rural  portray the richness or pictiresqueness
life and the objects of the country, this  of vegetation, the infinitely varied efis, so far as our knowledge extends, the   fects of cloud and sunshine, the expresfirst American book of tke kind. That  sive outline of mountain and plain, the
it is so is remarkable, for as a people  pursuits and habitations of rural life,
we have a strong appreciation of the  flourishes best not in the southern clime,
interest which surrounds natural objects,  but among the mists of Britain, or under
and descriptive poetry is an abundant  the sober skies of the Rhine. As of
element of our literature.             painters, so of poets. Not the ApenWe know that learned treatises on   nines, but the hills of Cumberland, inparticular branches of natural science  spired Wordsworth. Tennyson, whose
are sufficiently numerous among us, but  poems contain such a gallery of vivid
no writer has before blended the whole  landscapes, was born in level Lincolncircle of investigation together, and   shire. Wilson's energetic descriptions,
given us the general picture of an in-  Miller's legends, all the German tales
teresting locality, as scanned by an ob-  of imagination, lead the reader through
serving and reflecting mind, through all  the hills and woods of the North,-the
the changes of the seasons, and in all  Grampians, the Hartz, the Black Forthe variety of its animal and vegetable  est.  Southern painters and poets deal
life. So thoroughly fresh and -healthy   with persons and passions; —to northa book as this, when it gradually gains  ern poets and painters are reserved the
the wide diffusion which is its just due,  elements of nature and that which inmust develop new sources of interest  habits them.
to many dwellers in our villages and     In our own hemisphere, also, the love
among our farms, and call into activi-  of nature, as evinced by our poets and
ty minds before torpid in what they   by our landscape painters, seems to be
may have considered hopeless seclu-  strongest among our more northern
sion. In this way, Miss Cooper is a  people. This volume, therefore, comes
public benefactor, contributing efficient-  fitly, not from among the ancestral doly to improve the tone and taste, as well  mains of the summer States of Virginia
as the intelligence of our population at  and Carolina, but from the high cool
large, which is eminently a rural and   valleys of Central New York, where
agricultural one.                      snow covers the earth for a third of
It seems to us worth noticing, that  the year, and foliage is in perfection
the love of nature and of the country  through less than half the circle of the
appears especially to characterize the   seasons; from a region of monotonous
inhabitants of regions not generally es-  ridgy hills, tall and silent woods, with
teemed the most beautiful, or the most  an atmosphere as quiet in general effect
favored in climate. It is not among the   and richness as any in our land.
dwellers in Italy, where every interest    The appearance of a book like this
arising from  historical association js  naturally suggests, to those familiar with
blenided with all that is magnificent in  the many similar accounts of English
scenery, mellow and gorgeous in atmos-  rural life and scenery, some comparison
phere, and luxuriant in vegetation, that  between the two countries.  Lying, if
a love for rural life and an interest in'not between the same parallels of latithe country and its objects have been  tude, at least in climates as nearly equinurtured. The vineyards of France, the   valent as may be found on opposite
bold olive-covered plateaus of Spain,  shores of the Atlantic; peopled by the
have produced no such appreciation of  same race, inheriting the same language
landscape beauty, no  such  intimate  and literature, the same arts, and, to a
knowledge of the wild products and   very great degree, the same habits and
tenants of the soil, as have been the   customs, they present, as might be
growth of more northern lands, under  expected, many points of close resem* Rural Hours. By A LADY. Third edition. New York: G. P. Putnam & Co.




1855.]            Rural Objects in England and America.                  33
blance, though the points of difference   shelter woefully wanting in the Yanare still so many and so conspicuous,  kee house, which is, indeed, in this
that the New World is, in all its fea-  respect, far inferior to the humble log
tures taken together, whether of nature   cabin. And then our better houses,
or society, very far from the Old.     close to the highway, erect, stiff, sharpThe authoress of " Rural Hours" has,  cornered, full of windows as a lantern,
in a contribution to the beautiful volume,  so that we look through them from side
entitled "Home Authors and Home   to side, and see the clouds and sky
Artists," brought before oulr mental vi-  beyond;-they are sufficiently comfortsion many of the contrasts between our  able, but they too often suggest a chill
own new, half cleared, wooden-built  and shiver to the passer-by on a winter
country and the rural districts of Eng-  day. The English farm-house, in its
land and France. Of all these, the single  retired  situation, broad, low-roofed,
difference of the materials of building   heavily built, sober colored, backed by
produces a dissimilarity which strikes   elms or ashes of a century's growth,
the traveler with constant surprise. We   may not be really better in a practical
remember distinctly, how, on first put-  way, but it is certainly pleasanter to
ting foot on English ground at the little  the eye. Who could put a Yankee
hamlet of Sennen, near the Land's End,  white two-story clap-boarded house,
and repairing to the humble hostel,  surrounded by its white picket fence
called "the first and the last inn inEng-  and some nineteen fresh planted, poleland," we were impressed with the stone  like, hard-maple saplings, in a picture?
solidity of the walls before us. Fresh   And yet, how attractive, on the same
from Central New York, where a stone   canvas, is the substantial looking  home
or brick building was rarely seen out of  of the English farmer!
the towns, and where an outhouse built    Turn to our farm buildings for the
of anything but pine or hemlock boards  shelter of our crops and four-footed
was an unknown thing, we were as  friends. We miss the long row of wellmuch surprised at the massy walls of  thatched ricks and stacks,-the barn
sheds and stables as afterwards at those  itself, a timber frame with sides of perof castles and ruined abbeys. The cities,  pendicular boards, and a roof of the
though grave and sombre in their'air,  straightest, sharpest outline and angles,
were not unlike our own, but we found  is simply a rectangular portion of space
ourselves constantly wondering at the   enclosed by the thinnest of partitions.
country towns past which we were   We know that our agriculturists conwhirled on the railways. To our eyes,  sider them better than stone walls with
accustomed to the shining New York  thatched roofs, that they keep hay and
or New England villages, whose clap-  grain sweeter and freer from  mould;
board' and  shingle  " clinker-built"   nevertheless, tested by their effect on
houses, white as paint can make them,  the'eye, and the capacity for pictorial
gleam through the long valleys for miles,  representation, our barns are worse
the sober, red and gray, bricky looking  than our houses. Morland could have
villages of Warwickshire and Hamp-  made nothing of such farm-yards as
shire were a constant surprise.        those of Herkimer and Oneida.
Our manner of building is as' dif-    So far as men's work is concerned,
ferent from that of Old England as our  the general air of pleasantness and apmaterial. Here no low-caved, heavy-  propriateness is decidedly better in the
"thatched cottage hides, under a pictur-  rural districts of England than in Ameesque exterior, a multitude of sins, and  rica. That is, In comparing the strucclothes even sullen poverty with humble  tures of generations, still existing, or
grace. The poorer class of dwellings in  not long passed away. And if we dwell
our country are of the barest, thinnest,  for a moment on the far past, how much
most chilly appearance, and are as desti-  there is in England and how very little
tute of characteristic expression as the  in America, of interest connected with
face of a simpleton. Their inmates have,  ages long gone by!
doubtless, a dry board floor instead of    Gilbert White, in his "Selborne," tells
the cold earth, and their shingled roofs  us how hundreds of coins bearing the
are better than decaying, soaked and   effigies of Antoninus and Faustina, were
mildewed thatch. Yet, so far as ap-  found in the dried bed of Wolmer Pond.
pearances are concerned, the English   Knapp, in the "IJournal of a Naturalist,"
cottage has an air of snugness and  in describing his rural parish near the
VOL. VI.-3




34                Rural Objects in England and America.               [July,
Severn, gives an account of the still  found on such grounds, we have seen a
distinct mounds of an encampment at-  brass ring, bearing the mystic cipher,
tributed to the legions of Ostorius, and   I H S., a memento of early Jesuit misof ill-defined, yet undoubted traces of. sions near the "Salt Lake," and a
Roman roads. Everybody has read of  silver medal, stamped on one side with
the still standing towers, of the wall of  a rude view of Montreal, (the British
Severus, in the north of England; of  flag flying from the walls,) while on the
altars, votive inscriptions, and various  reverse is engraved the name and tribe
relics of Roman dominion in the same   of its tawny ownerregion. And, not to dwell on the works of
a yet remoter period, products of infinite         o  ANoDAGS.
labor of the wild tribes who held Britain
previous to the beginning of its written  But such things as these are not anhistory-such as Stonehenge, or the  tiquities; they are relics but of a few ot
Pictish towers and vitrified forts of  the last generations; and whatever dates
Scotland; nor on the relics of the later,  may be imagined for the inscription
yet half-fabulous, Saxon days-all Bri-  on Dighton rock, or the mounds of the
tain, and England, in particular, is full  West, there is, in Central New York,
of buildings showing the work of the   but slight foundation on which to base
early Normans,,and scarce a parish is  any ante-revolutionary history.
without church, or hall, or grange, dat-  But, leaving out of view the works of
ing from  before the discovery of our  man, and turning to nature itself, our
continent, and associated with events of  comparison with England assumes a
public history, or legends of local or  character more agreeable to our selffamily interest.                       complacency. Our climate, if, from
But how is it with us? An old house  its extreme variation,* and the sedenbuilt of Dutch bricks, with a crowstepped  tary habits it induces, it is less healthy
gable; a mansion temporarily occupied  than the mild and humid atmosphere of
by some general officer in the Revolu-  Britain, is far more splendid in its
tionary war-such are the antiquities  features; indeed, we may fairly claim
of our towns. In the country, there is  that, embracing all the English varieties
generally nothing, save the Indian flint  of weather within other portions of our
arrow-heads ploughed up in our fields,  year, we have, in our intense midwinter
that primitive artillery of man, the com-  and almost tropical summer, two addimon relics of the first rude hunter-tribes  tional seasons beyond those known in
on either continent. We can trace, in  the sober land of our forefathers.
our vicinity, the remains of old fortified  Interesting as a comparison of the
villages, whence the Onondaga warriors  two climates would be, we forbear to
were summoned eighty years ago, to  enter upon it, and turn to the considerfall cruelly upon the Mohawk settle-   ation of the living forms of the oppoments. They are generally situated on   site sides of the Atlantic.
a projecting point on the slope of a hill,
protected on the sides and front by      The animated population of our woods
steep ravines, while a stockade, and,  and fields presents a close general resometimes, a shallow ditch, guarded the   semblance to that of Britain, yet, in
more exposed parts of the circuit.     detail, it is almost entirely different,
On a Dutch map of the New Nether-  and, we think, more varied.
lands, dated 1659, such forts or en-      Among the larger quadrupeds, now
closures are depicted among the bears  fast disappearing, our cougar is a cat
and deer, which, " for want of towns,"  of size and fierceness matched only by
fill the blank now occupied by Central  tropical species, at least, by no EuroNew York; and beneath them  is in-  pean congener.  Two lynxes are here
scribed the explanation, "' Modus muni-  found, to offset the common wild cat of,endi apud Mahikanenses."  Within the   Britain; and the bear, so frequent in
area of these enclosures, burnt spots,  our forests, has not been known there
with bits of charcoal, mark the sites of  within the historical period. Among,the wigwam fires. Among other relics  the deer, our moose is the largest exist+ On the 8th of March, 1843, we noted the thermometer, at sunrise, at 40 below zero. The
morning was clear, with a mild south wind, and, at 1 r. M., the same thermometer was at 51' —
a change of 55 degrees in six or seven hours.




1855.]           Rural Objects in England and America.                  35
ing form, except the similar, or identi-  than the single line,-" The mink lives
cal species of Scandinavia, and our  on fish, haunting ponds; it is about two
wapiti, or stag, is a third larger than   feet in length."  He is too much of a
the Scottish red deer.  Against our  character among our rural population
common, or Virginia deer, Britain shows. to be passed over so briefly. We have
two smaller species, the roe and fallow   watched him often with much amusedeer.                                 ment, diving from driftwood or stones
Turning to the smaller quadrupeds,  for his scaly prey, or stealing along
we find the foxes of both hemispheres   under the shore in search of some unclosely similar. The European badger  wary bird or ground squirrel, when he
is wanting in our Atlantic States, and   has sometimes ventured past within a
the field marmot, or "woodchuck," so   yard of our feet as we sat silently on
familiar an object of chase to all our  some old tree-trunk lying on the water's
country boys and dogs, is unknown in  edge. We once hooked one on a troutEngland. That celebrated politician,  line! While fishing in a quiet pool of
the raccoon, has no known relative   a forest stream, a mink, apparently not
nearer than in tropical America, and   observing us, swam across it beneath
for any species of the remarkable family  the surface, and as we drew our bait
here represented by the opossum, we  quickly before him, darted at and seized
must look far beyond the limits of  it precisely like a trout. He was hookEurope.  The British polecat is sur-  ed but slightly, and after a flounce or
passed, if not in offensiveness of odor,  two disengaged himself, and escaped in
at least in its penetrating and far-reach-  a great hurry. The fur of the mink is
ing power, by our skunk. We do not  among the most beautiful of our peltries,
wonder at Miss Cooper's statement that  and though long neglected, is now
a family had left its cellar in " quiet and   coming into general use for cuffs, viepeaceable possession" of one of these  torines, and other many-titled articles
intruders until it should take its volun-  for ladies' wear.
tary departure. One was molested in      Our miniature beaver, the musquash,
our cellar once, and though we were at  or musk-rat, is dismissed quite as briefly
the time half a mile off, we immediately  in "Rural Hours."  It is "an aquatic
perceived in the air unmistakable evi-  creature, about eighteen  inches in
dence of the domestic catastrophe.  length, quite common," —and that is all.
Burnt pitch and roasted coffee made the   But that is not quite all. We could
house bearable again before long,-but  say a great deal about the musk-rats if
that morning was an event in its history.  we had space. When a boy, we trapped
Our Canada porcupine is a much larger  them, we shot them, and caught them
and finer animal than the little hedge-  in another way, not mentioned in any
hog of England, (they are, by the way,  book of natural history.' When coastof two very different families of animals,  ing the frozen lake with a troop of
in spite of the similarity of their cover-  companions, every weed and stick in
ing); the British martin is matched by  the shallow  water distinctly  visible
ours, the British weasel and ermine by   through the thin transparent ice, we not
similar American species. The beaver,  unfrequently saw beneath it a musnow nearly extinct in both countries,  quash on, one of his subaqueous excurand the otter, so rapidly disappearing,  sions from  his burrow  in the bank,
are closely allied if not identical forms.  searching for shellfish.  Skating beWe have, however, a miniature of each,  tween him  and the shore, the animal
unknown in England, which, undestroy-  was frightened into deeper water, and
ed by civilization, will ever remain  kept there for some minutes, until, examong us, interesting representatives of  hausted for want of air, he turned on
the families to which they belong.     his back and floated dying under the
This miniature otter is the mink, that  ice. A hole was soon broken, and the
large aquatic weasel which haunts all  poor musquash pulled out and dispatchour streams and lakes, harboring under  ed, when he would be carried swinging
roots and hollow banks, preying on fish,  by the tail from the hand of his young
crawfish, and all the tenants of the   murderer for miles, and finally flayed,
waters, and occasionally making de-  and his pelt sold for eighteen pence to
structive foravs into the poultry yard.  the hatter. We regret our share in
We are sorry, since Miss Cooper speaks   such tragedies now, and indulge the
of him at all, that she can say no more  race as far as possible to make amends.




36               Rural Objects in England and America.             [July,
They haunt our boat-house freely, sit  pare the birds of the two sides of the
and eat clams on the steps of our bath   Atlantic.
and cover the bottom with a debris of    Beginning with the predaceous tribes
sharp-edged shells with impunity, and  of eagles, hawks, and owls, we find a
are not molested even for bringing, in  few identical species existing on both
the Autumn, bushels of sticks and  shores, such as the golden eagle, the
weeds, and building their rude beaver-  peregrine falcon, the osprey, and the
houses underthe roof. These cabins are  great white owl. Generally, however,
conspicuous among the reeds and willows  the species are not the same, but there
of our marshes and ponds in November;  is about an equal number and variety in
domed structures like small haycocks,  each country; and species are found to
in which the furry families nestle  represent, in each, those of the other,
through the cold weather, and whence  generally corresponding in size,-form,
they have covered ways to the waters  and habits.
below the ice, there to swim to and fro,    And, while speaking of hawks and
and gather shells and roots at will.  owls, we owe a brief tribute to the
The two last mentioned animals are  memory of one of the latter, with whom
unknown in England, and unrepre-  we were intimate some years ago.
sented by any similar forms, the com-  Caught unfledged, and turned out of
mon British water-rat being far smaller  doops as soon as he could fly (for we
than our musk-rat, and having different  were tired of providing for him in the
habits.                               house), he refused to leave us at all.
If we consider the hares and rabbits,  He would sit all day in the fork of a
the species on opposite sides of the  pine, and towards sunset would come
Atlantic are about equal in number.  out and be very sociable, always sweepOur hare, however, instead of frequent-  ing down to our feet when summoned
ing open ground, like its British con-  by clapping the hands, and following us
gener, inhabits dense marshy woods, so  for a bit of meat, or, what he preferred,
that, if no other cause existed, its chase  a small fish. On giving him half a dozen
d l'Anglaise, with horse and hound and   at once, we have seen him thoughtlessly
horn, would be impracticable.         bolt them  indiscriminately, heads or
Squirrels are found with us in re-  tails foremost, but, on perceiving the
markable variety.  In place of the   error, he would bring them all up again,
common British squirrel, we have not  and swallow them regularly, head first.
only the similar red squirrel, but the  He was of the large species, the Virlarge black and gray kinds, the remark-  ginia horned owl, with powerful beak
able nocturnal flying squirrel, and the   and talons, eyes large and round as
striped ground squirrel, or chipmuck,  dimes, and wings three or four feet in
are found in almost every wood. If  extent, and, when sailing noiselessly
the last-mentioned little fellow had been  down directly to us, often reminded us
an Englishman, he would have long  of the harpies of ancient fable.  He
since been celebrated in many a country  once scared out of the dining-room a
book and rustic story. In our garden,  whole bevy of ladies, seated at their
they have been so numerous, at the  summer evening tea, by soaring in at
cherry-season (gathering the pits), that  the open window, and perching in the
they seemed to replace the bright and  centre of the table on a dish of blackalmost equally active lizards which so  berries. Growing older, his predatory
abound in the gardens of Italy; like  instinct began to develop itself, and
them, scampering across the walks and   after pouncing on and prostrating the
running up the fences in every direction.  head of our family of poultry, he was
The various squirrels half domesticated  exiled to the woods, whither our best
in the public squares of Philadelphia,  wishes and many regrets attended him.
are a beautifulfeature in those pleasant    In no branch of natural history is
grounds.                              more conspicuous, than in the birds,
Leaving the quadrupeds, and not  that remarkable system, in accordance
stopping to remark on the bond of union  with which the fauna of remote regions
between the two countries, existing in  is so generally found to be made up of
their common stock of domestic rats  forms not identical with, but closely
and mice, or the differences in their  analogous to each other. The English
aboriginal population  of field-mice,  thrushes, including the nightingale, are
moles and shrews, let as briefly com-  here unknown, but they are fairly rep



1855.]           Rural Objects in England and America.                  37
resented  by our mocking-bird, cat-  made by perforating the sap-wood of
bird, brown-thrasher, and several other  small trees, overgrown by a hundred
species. The English partridge is but  and forty or fifty annual layers, so that
a larger form of our quail; the Scotch  the marks were in the heart of the tree.
black and red grouse are matched by   This inscription, dating back to about
our ruffed grouse and prairie hen, while  A.D. 1700, is about as fair an "American
the same ptarmigan is common to the   antiquity" as most of which we read.
colder part of both continents.  Spar-  These birds are fond of drumming, for
rows and finches abound in both England  their own delight, on dry, sonorous
and America, but the species, though   prongs of trees which have long ceased
similar in size, general form, and habits,  to harbor grubs or worms. One of them
are distinct. We have not the bright-  was accustomed to vary the monotony
hued little kingfisher of the Thames and   of his search for insects in our grove,
Avon, but a larger species, the white-  by resorting every hour or two to a
necked, crested, blue kingfisher fills the   metallic spout, on which he would rattle
vacancy, and makes his rattling cry  and drum with great result of noise, and
heard constantly along our lakes and   evidently to his own entire satisfaction.
streams. It seems as if creative power  His first effort in this way roused a serhad followed one general plan, but with  vant at daybreak, who, on opening the
an intention to make the minor details  door to see who knocked so early and so
constantly varied, or, as if there had  loudly, was confounded to trace the
been a tendency in nature to develop  reveillee to a little spotted bird clinging
similar forms in distant lands. This is  against the rain-water conductor.
observed in all forms of life, and also in  We surpass England in the number
the plants of the remotest countries-   of our swallows; there four species are
but this is too wide a sweep for our pre-  known, here six are common, haunting
sent topic; let us back to our birds  sand-banks, barns, crevices of buildings,
again.                                 and chimneys.  It is a pleasant and
We remarked a great excess in the   curious thing, to notice how neatly all
variety of American squirrels over those   of this tribe avail themselves of conveof England; we may notice the same   niences attached to man's dwellings.
thing among that family of birds which   The brown chimney-swallow deserts its
seems analagous to them, the wood-  former nesting-place, the hollow sycapeckers. While in Britain there are   more, for the sooty flue; the martin
but three common species, we find here  and green swallow possess themselves
in a single piece of woodland six or  of the crevices in our roofs, or the
eight kinds, of which the brilliant red-  boxes put up purposely for their accomheaded and golden-winged species are   modation; the fork-tailed swallow inmost conspicuous. The smaller kinds,  habits our barns, building against the
however, are equally interesting; and  rafters. The cliff-swallow, which seems
we have watched, with some curiosity,  to have arrived from  the back-woods
the habits of the crimson-throated spe-  within twenty or thirty years, is now
cies. They were in the habit of piercing   numerous, and its peculiar narrow-neckour thrifty young mountain ashes and   ed nests, instead of clustering under
sugar-maples with such numbers of  rocky ledges, now cling in dense rows
closely-planted holes, as to cause the   under the eaves of our farm-buildings.
bark to die in patches, and even to   We have seen eighty or a hundred on
girdle and destroy the tree. The object  the barns round our farm-yard; and
of this proceeding is by many supposed   when at sunset the whole population of
to be to procure the sweet sap, whence   old and full-grown young, to the numtheir common name of "sap-suckers."  ber of perhaps five hundred, were wheelThis may very probably be so; but on  ing above the gathered cattle, they
shooting one in the act of depredation,  seemed to fill the air like a swarm of
wve found his beak filled with ants and   bees.
flies, attracted by the sweet fluid oozing  We have not space to go on with the
from the perforated bark; and it occur-  comparison of our birds with those of
red to us that the bird, in thu's tapping   "the Old Country," but we have a few
the tree, might be directed by instinct  deficiencies to lament, and some excluthus to bait and collect its insect prey.  sive possessions to rejoice in.  The
We have found the traces of these  famous magpie is not a resident of our
woodpeckers, the rows of little scars.  land, though in the neighborhood of the




38               Rural Objects in England and America.               [July,
Rocky Mountains it is abundant. We   have found among them individuals as
miss also the rooks, those time-honored   worthy of attention as the old tortoise
colonists of church-yard elms or the   of Selborne, with which he has made
stately groves of the hall. The jack-  so many familiar. In snakes, we surdaw, too, so constant an inmate of the   pass our British brethren.  Their viper
steeple in Europe, is here unknown;  is a harmless reptile compared to our
and a more desirable addition to our list  copperhead, or to that other form  so
of birds, would be the skylark of Britain.  singular, that if Bruce had found it in
It is said that they have been success-  Abyssinia, and described a snake with
fully introduced on Long Island; if so,  a rattle at his tail, it would at once
we may yet hope to hear their "matin  have been pronounced the greatest
o'er moorland and lea."  We regret the  falsehood in his book. Beside these
absence of the familiar robin of England,  venomous and rapidly diminishing speso unlike the clumsy thrush which has  cies, we have many harmless forms
here usurped his name; but our exclu-  among them; the green grass snake,
sive possession of the bluebird is a fair  the milk snake, so grotesquely marked
compensation.                         with its chain-like pattern and calico
Our humming-bird is always an ob-  colors, and the striped garter snake.
ject of interest to English tourists, so   Abhorred as the whole race are by
unlike anything in their country, in   many, these kinds are beautiful and inits bullet-like flight, its fairy minute-  teresting to those who are free from
ness, and its dainty food. We ought  prejudice and fear, and are fairly adto be proud, also, of some others of our  missible among the objects of attenpurely American birds. The bobolink  tion in the country. And our frogs,
is an unrivaled character. His quaint,  too, may not be justly be passed in
pied garb, his active, busy manner, and   silence; for the deep bass of the bullhis inimitable song, as he flutters across  frog, the sharp whistle of the "springthe meadow, would have made him world-  peepers," and the cheerful, bird-like
famous, had he lived to be appreciated  twitter of the tree-frog, are among the
in France or England. His reputation   sounds most intimately associated with
is, however, annually on the increase   our spring and early summer.
in the newspapers, and since Irving,    Among insects, our moths and butBryant and Hoffman have been his  terflies are often identical with English
laureates, he is acquiring a creditable  species, their eggs or chrysalides having
place in literature.                   very probably been brought across the
Our brilliant orange oriole is also a   ocean by vessels, among plants, straw,
notable bird. He arrives at the same   or other vegetable substances, as some
time with the bobolink, and while the   most mischievous insects are known to
latter jingles and chatters in the open   have immigrated. We had always supfield, the former sounds his clear whistle  posed that classical insect, the glowfrom our tallest locust, whence his pen-  worm, to be unknown in America, until
dant nest begins to show before the   a lady of Westchester county assured
young foliage can hide it. Last spring,  us that they were common there, and
we laid out materials expressly for their  fortified her position by sending us half
use, consisting of skeins of the gayest  a dozen by mail. We are, therefore,
worsted, from which great part of four  as well off for glow-worms as our Engnests were woven, all within an acre.  lish cousins; beside that, we have a
On securing one of them after the birds  far more brilliant and conspicuous inwere flown, we found that the proprie-  sect in our fire-fly, which dances in
tors had not confined themselves to  such a maze of sparkles over the
materials honestly devoted to their use,  meadows, in a warm July evening.
but had stolen an entire fishing line    If we compare the fresh-water fish of
from the grass on which it had been  the two countries, our trout and salmon
temporarily left, the line and silkworm   are as fine as those of Scotland, and
gut being woven into the fabric of the   our perch and pike are not excelled in
nest, and the hook safely fastened in  the meres of Cambridgeshire; indeed,
its outer surface.                    our muscalunge are the largest and
Leaving our feathered population,  finest of all the pike family. Though
we may glance for a moment at our  we want the grayling so dear to the flyreptiles and fishes. Of tortoises we  fisher, we have, exclusively, the strong
have plenty, and Gilbert White might  and active black bass, which, on the




1855.[           Rural Objects in England and America.                  39
rapids of the Oswego, or-the rocky   a medium hight of one hundred and
shoals of our lakes, affords sport of the  thirty, an extreme hight of upwards of
most exciting kind, and, afterwards, a   one hundred and ninety feet, rising
dish fit for the best of tables. The  -above the maples and beeches so high,
laveret, or gwiniad, of the Scotch lakes  that the forest seems a two-story oneis here replaced by several species of  the lower half of deciduous trees, the
the same famnily, known as white-fish,  upper half of pines; and the same tree,
(among which is the mis-named "Ot-  when grown to full size in an open
sego bass,") and they are among the   situation, has a breadth and richness
best of all fresh-water fishes for the   of foliage unsurpassed. The drooping
table, as travelers on our great lakes  elms of our valleys are famous; tho
well know. Among the viler fry, we   huge trunks of our old buttonwoods,
will rank our cat-fish against the Euro-   conspicuous by their white bark, and
pean barbel; our suckers and eelpouts  picturesque in their hollow tops and
against the chubs, tench, and other ple-  dry summit boughs, have as marked a
beians of the foreign streams. These   character as any tree of Europe. Our
are respectively characteristic of the   maples far surpass those of England in
rivers of the two continents, and the   size, while their autumnal tints are
extent and local distribution of such   world-celebrated; our ashes, beeches,
families of fishes is, in the hands of  and birches, are as stately and beautiichthyologists, one of the most interest-  ful as any. Our basswood, or linden,
ing and instructive branches of re-  equals the lime in the profusion and
search in natural history.             sweetness of its blossoms, and, as to
The botany of our northern States  size, there are some which stand more
has been well compared with that of  than an hundred feet high, on our own
Europe, by Miss Cooper.  She has  ground. Our hickories (an exclusively
noted the fact that almost all the plants   American group) are of nearly equal
of our road-sides and cultivated fields   stature; our tulip tree, or whitewood,
are European immigrants; the native  is considerably larger, our chestnuts are
herbs, like other native races, being   equal to those of central Europe, or
mainly driven back to live in the woods.  England, and our locust is a favorite on
In some of these introduced tribes, we   the older continent, both as an ornahave pleasant links of association with   mental and timber tree.
the meadows of old England, as in the    In our larches and silver firs we are
buttercup, and "the dandelion's globe  less fortunate; the former are less in
of down," though the want of the daisy   size-in beauty; the latter smaller and
is to be regretted, and, in an ornamen-  less enduring than  similar trees of
tal point of view, that of the gay corn-  Europe.  Our spruces, too, are not
poppy also.                            equal to the splendid Norway species;
And, then, our forest trees. Mighty  and we are entirely without the yew,
oaks, like those of England, are rare  that tree of such widely different assoamong us. There are some of stately  ciations-linked with our memories of
growth; one on our own farm is near  English church-yards, and with the gay
twenty feet in circumference, and on   ballads of olden archery. Our hemthe Genesee flats, and rich plains of  lock is its nearest representative; a
the West, are far larger specimens.  noble tree in stature and expression,
Yet these are nd match for the sylvan   and, like the yew, applicable to the
giants of England, whose boughs spread   purposes of archery; at least, we rean hundred feet, and which are known,  member very good cross-bows made of
by history or tradition, to have waved   hemlock boughs, which we used before
over the head of King Rufus, to be,  we attained the possession of fire-arms.
perhaps, the same whence                 But we have dwelt too long and
minutely on the comparison of the wild
"The wood-wele sang and would not cease,  fauna and flora of the Old World and
Sitting upon the spray,             the New, the result of which is, after
So loud, he wakened Robin Hood
In the greenwood where he lay."     all, a divided judgment.  The two
countries, when the rural objects of
But our trees are yet majestic and   one are compared with those of anobeautiful. The pines cut on our hills,  ther, seem  to have, alternately, the
(the same which Miss Cooper describes   better and worse; from one point we
as standing in the Otsego woods,) have   see greater advantages in one; from a




40                   How I came to Like Diamonds.                  [July,
second, a greater variety in the other.  examples as Mary Howitt, Fredrika
Our rambling paper may not be without  Bremer, Miss Martineau  and Mrs.
good effect, if it suggests to any that our  Jameson, showing how strongly talent
own wealth of rural beauty and interest. and keen observation are attracted by
is too little known, and if it directs some  the love of Nature, there is now added
to a familiar acquaintance with the ad-  an example nearer home, and dealing
mirable work which forms the text, or  with objects familiar to us. If there is
rather the pretext, of this article, from   any portion of the English people poswhich it has too widely strayed. Liv-  sessed of a real superiority, and suitable
ing in a locality closely similar, in its  for a model to others, it may be consituation and character, to her own  fessed to be the best and most intellibeautiful village on the shores of the   gent class of Englishwomen not inOtsego, we are a competent and will-  volved in gay and fashionable life.
ing witness to the accuracy and truth-  Among these, there is no more marked
fulness of the author's descriptions,  and healthful peculiarity than their inwhile the healthy and cheerful senti-  timate knowledge of and interest in
ment and literary merit of the book need  the animated races and plants and trees
no commendation beyond its perusal.    which surround their beautiful homes,
There are too many of our country-  whether domesticated favorites of the
women born and bred among fields  farm and garden, or wild denizens of
and woods, educated and accomplished  forest and field; and the staunchest
women, too, who are ignorant or unob-  native American, or the most sensitive
servant of all which surrounds them;  patriot, cannot object to our injunction
who know no difference in birds, but  on the ladies of this country, that they
between sparrows and robins; none in  should imitate such examples, and learn
trees, but between evergreen and de-  to feel an intelligent interest in the unciduous; none in skies, but between  failing variety of natural objects which
sunny and rainy. For the benefit of  lie open to the study of all, and to draw
such, we may rejoice that to such   constant instruction therefrom.
HOW I CAME TO LIKE DIAMONDS.
CHAPTER I.               hands and face, trowsers with immense
rents in the legs, from the bottom upAM a gentleman. Not by nature, or  wards, and shoes without toes or soles.
blood, or position, but by an accident.  The men whom I saw every day enWhen I say —I am a gentleman, I mean  couraged the boys of the village in their
that I am conscious of that instinctive   contempt for all good manners. They
regard for the feelings of others, that  could stand anything but a milksop.
inner and hidden delicacy of thought,  To be a man, was the first lesson for a
that chivalrous sympathy for distress,  boy to learn. And the finished juvenile
and that central heart of love, which   man, in their eyes, was a little, knowing,
make up the elements of a gentle-  burly, swaggering chit, fierce as a bullman.                                  dog, cool as an icicle, dirty as a scavenI was not born or bred so.          geri and with his mouth always crammed
I was, essentially, a low, vulgar child.  full of oaths and tobacco. Above all.
My birth-place was a small sea-port of  everything that savored of the feminine
New England, and the fishermen and   and pathetic was to be utterly scouted
poor mechanics, who were my only  and trampled under foot. Those myriad
companions and standards, made my   touches of tenderness, 6f sympathy and
coarse nature coarser, and grafted a  native sentiment-that flood the hearts
rougher style of manners upon a being   of children, and bind them so sweetly,
naturally rougher than they. Among   when unchecked, to mother, and broththe first things I remember, was a  er, and playmate-these I was laughed
sort of reckless satisfaction in dirty  and shamed out of. Bold would have




1855.]               How I Came to Like Diamonds.                      41
been the boy of that village, who dared   my supper with some difficulty through
to address his little sister or female  its unyielding ring, and inwardly vowschool-mate in any other tone than that  ing that it should never ornament my
of rough banter, or ruthless bullyism.  person again.
Older women, too, we were taught or    In this amiable frame of mind, it may,
encouraged to tease, and fight, and hate.  easily be conceived that any visitor
My knowledge of these last, however,  whatever stood a chance of a cool rewas confined principally to two. One   ception from me. Certainly, had my
was the schoolmistress, a hard virago,  grandfather desired to make an impresand the other was my grandfather's sis-  sion on me, he would have chosen any
ter, a sharp-faced maiden lady, who  time but that. Besides, I was prejutook care of me at home. She was al-  diced against him by some conversation
ways called Aunt Deborah. I regarded   I had heard shortly before, from  an
both of these persons with aversion.  older boy at school. It was in the way
The presence of either of them always   of taunt to me, and to the effect that
kindled in me a desire to kick and throw   when my grand relation came back, I
stones.                               should, of course, be a little "gentleMy grandfather came home from   man."  This sneer cut me to the quick,
France. It was in the first year of this  and I silently resolved that, when my
century, and at the time when the Cor-  "grand relation" did come back, I
sican adventurer was gathering the   would be more coarse than ever. I had
crowns of Europe into his lap, and   made up my mind that my grandfather
driving their bewildered wearers before   was a fine gentleman; and though I
him like flocks of sheep, that my grand-  did not exactly know what that was, as
father came home from France. He   I had never seen one, yet I hated it, as
had resided at Bordeaux for many years  in duty bound, with all my heart.
as the partner of a great American      I think I see my grandfather now, as
mercantile house.  He had seen the   he burst into the large, old-fashioned
Old Regime, the Revolution, and the   parlor, kissed and embraced my aunt
Reign of Terror; and had marked the   Deborah, lifted me above his head as if
advent of the extraordinary  youth,  I had been a feather, kissed, and put
at whose sight a thrill went through   me down again; then flung himself into
the nations, and at whose name only  two or three chairs, and gazed in perkings then grew pale. My grandfather  feet silence among the huge, burning
brought with him an ample fortune.    logs, as if to wrest from the roaring
He found both my parents dead; my   abyss some deep secret of the past,
mother sleeping in the village burying-   and of his home.
ground, and my father in the depths of    I had expected to see an old man,
the ocean, drowned on a distant voyage.  gray and decrepit; but the person beExcept his sister Deborah, who inhab-  fore me was in the prime of his strength
ited his old mansion on the hill by the   and manhood. A drab surtout, of fine
sea, I was the only living creature in  broadcloth, with a multitude of small
whose veins ran a drop of his blood.  capes at theshoulders, one beneath the
How well I remember the evening   other, flung widely and carelessly open
when my grandfather returned from   as he sat before the fire, revealed a
France. It was a dull, rainy afternoon  form whose vast proportions approached
in Novembdr. I had come home from   the gigantic. Yet there was nothing unschool that afternoon in a particularly   wieldy in his person. An indescribable
bad humor, which was not greatly di-  air of health, grace, and self-possession
minished by the process of scrubbing   pervaded the entire man. Thick massand dressing under the relentless hands   es of long, light hair floated negligently
of my aunt Deborah. She invested me   upon his neck, and in or upon his right
in a whole Sunday suit, in anticipation   hand (1a hand the size of my own), as it
of the expected arrival, and ended by  touched the back of a chair near him,
barricading my neck with an immense  flashed something, I knew  not what,
ruffled shirt-collar, often before an ob-  except it were imprisoned lightning. A
ject of ridicule among the village boys  keen, fierce, resistless point of intoleron Sunday mornings, and which now   able splendor, which blinded me with its
provoked me more than ever, since it  jagged edge, stabbed me through and
seemed to me wholly needless for the  through, and seemed to cut the room
occasion.  I remember gulping down   into a thousand pieces, as it shot madly




42                    How, I Came to Like Diamonds.                 [July,
through it. It was the diamond of a  dull sense of aversion towards him
large finger ring which my grandfather  whose presence had revealed to my unmoved gently up and down, tapping the   welcome view, even in a moment, my
chairs beside him.'                   own infinite inferiority.
Having never seen one before, and
being wholly overwhelmed by the nervous shock which my grandfather's unexpected appearance and behavior gave             CHAPTE  II.
me, I ran into a dark corner, covered
my eyes with my hands, and set up a     WHEN I went down the next mornstentorian blubber, the mere effect of  ing, I was somewhat relieved to learn
uncontrollable excitement.  My aunt  that my grandfather had left the house
Deborah, who ha4, since the first meet-  on business, to be gone for some hours.
ing with my grandfather, been hiding   I ate my breakfast in silence, and
her embarrassment under color of bustl-  started for the school-house. To reach
ing preparation for tea, at once sprung  it, it was necessary to pass through the
at me, cuffed me lustily as usual, with  village. I should have stated before,
the stereotyped exclamations, "naugh-  that, on getting up that morning, I
ty boy! wicked child! Don't you see  found by my bedside the Sunday suit
your grandfather has come home? You   which I had taken off the previous
shall go to bed this instant, unless you   night, my usual clothing having been
are still."  To which I answered in the   carefully removed from the chamber.
loudest tones,'I I won't; get away. I  At ordinary times, this occurrence
don't care for him."                  would have been the signal for a pitched
Mygrandfather turned his eyes slowly  battle between me and my aunt Debofrom the fire on hearing these words,  rah; but that morning I felt, for some
rose, or, as it appeared to me then,  reason, as though I had waked in a new
towered to his full proportions, ad-  world. I buttoned up the long rows of
vanced to the corner where I was, and,  shiny buttons without one scream or
putting my aunt Deborah calmly aside,  kick; and I was perhaps partly reconsaid, with a smile, whose dewy sweet-  ciled to the innovation by the absence
ness -enveloped me like a soft wind,  of the abhorred shirt-collar.
" Horace, go to bed now. We will talk   On arriving at the edge of the village,
to-morrow."  I raised an angry hand to   I met two or three boys of my acquaintstrike him; but, as I did so, the some-  ance, who cried out, as soon as they saw
thing on his finger flashed full in my   me, "Hallo! Here's Horace Don. His
eyes again, and I burst out once more  grandpa has got home. 0 my! see
into a paroxysm of tears. My aunt  the buttons!  Don't we live in a big
Deborah hustled me off to bed, and left  house on the hill now."  They pointed
me alone in the dark, with a brain  at me with derisive laughter, until I was
crammed to bursting with new and con-  almost bursting with rage. I seized a
flicting emotions.                    large stone from the side of the road,
Among the multitude of thoughts that  flung it in among them with all my
crowded my young fancy and shaped   strength, and ran down the street at full
themselves distinctly into questions,  speed, pursued by their yells and
were these:                           shouts.
Why should a full-grown man kiss    In the centre of the village was one
anybody; and, above all, my aunt De-  of those variety, or grocery stores, so
borah?                                well known in New  England as the
How could a fine gentleman have a   main gossiping places of your true
frame so powerful and athletic?       Yankee town. A miscellaneous collecAnd what was that inexplicable thing   tion of farmers, fishermen, sailors and
on his hand which played through and  loafers-general, were accustomed to
through me, like the keen blade of a  haunt its walls. In this dingy exchange
sword?                               I had passed day after day, and evenI revolved these things for hours in a  ing after evening, listening, for the
puzzled mind; while among them and   most part in silence, to the uncouth and
above them floated a dim and bitter con-  oath-larded wisdom which there presciousness of my own newly discovered   vailed. There the foundation of my
ignorance, clownishness and vulgarity.  education was laid. There genuine and
The last feeling, I remember, was a   hearty Red Republicanism  ruled and




1855.]               How I Came to Like Diamonds.                      43
swelled. I had there leaned to hate  Johnson and me fought; that's all,"
everything nobler and loftier than my-  said I, with the true shame of a street
self, whether in manners, gifts or pos-  imp to be under obligations to any
sessions.                             protector. Tim Johnson's bloody visOn the morning in question, I entered   age met my grandfather's eye.  "Ah!
the store to do some errand for my   ha!" he cried quickly, with something
aunt Deborah. I went in somewhat  like half a smile flitting across his feareluctantly, for I felt, I know not why,  tures. "' Not all on one side, eh?" and,
a little "likd a fish out of water."  so saying, he caught up his riding-whip,
Even at that early hour a quite numer-  turned abruptly on his heel, sprang into
ous collection of the usual visitors was  the saddle with me still in his arms, and
there. The moment I appeared, a great. in a few moments, without one word of
overgrown boy, in a green jacket, who   comment, lifted me upon the door-step
was seated on a barrel-head near the   of his old mansion-house, and rode carecounter, pulled my cap over my eyes  lessly round towards the stables.
as I passed by him, and said, with a    I sat down on the threshold, and did
horse laugh, " Bran fine new gentleman   not attempt to go in. This was partly
come to town. Wonder what time'tis  from the mortal faintness and dizziness
by my gold watch."  I stepped back   which I felt coming over me, and partly
fiom his reach, my blood boiling in my   from  dread of the encounter which I'
veins, and seizing a small iron weight  knew awaited me with my aunt Debothat lay on the counter, with a frantic  rah. Before me was the wide landscape,
roar of defiance, I hurled it straight at  the village, the forests, the harbor, the
my assailant's head. I stopped only  long line of beach wave-fondled; and
long enough to see red blood spouting   beyond, the deep dark sea. I knew
from  a long gash in his forehead; I  that all these were there, but I saw nothen fled into the road like a hunted  thing distinctly. I seemed to be the
deer. I was pursued, overtaken, dragged   centre of the great Norway Maelstrom
back to the store, and there pummeled   described in the school geography. All
by my wounded tormentor as long as  things revolved about me. Blacker and
he could safely delay staunching the   blacker grew every object, and a sudden
deep cut I had given him. I fought  sweat covered me. A deadly sickness,
with hands, feet, head and teeth. My   a thought and terror of death; a sense
face was covered with a mixture of  of falling, falling through infinite space,
tears, dirt and blood. My clothes were  and thei-ientire unconsciousness.
draggled and torn upon the rough and
filthy floor, and I howled like a young
hyena with rage and pain. It was all
in vain. My antagonist was too much               CHAPTER III.
for me; and the assembled company,
though they seemed to enjoy the des-    "THE boy stirs, Deborah," said my
peration with which I fought, were yet  grandfather, putting down a long spyas well contented that I should get at  glass, and coming towards the bed.
last what they considered my deserts.   Upon it lay a pallid child, who
At the very moment when I was being   stretched out from the clothes two thin
pitched back into the street in the con-  hands sprinkled with warts, and half
dition I have described, a tall man, on   opened two very wild and sunken eyes.
horseback, passed leisurely by the door,  "Water," said I, (for it was I,) in a
whom even the sad plight I was in did   whisper.  My grandfather passed his
not prevent me from instantly recog-  hand over my forehead. Something in
nizing as my grandfather. Attracted  it burnt me. I looked for a coal of
by the confusion at the door of the  fire; and, as I looked, myriads of sunstore, he turned his head just in time   beams passed into me, and I closed my
to see me fall headlong. In an instant  eyes in half unconsciousness again.
he was on the ground, and I in his   "Do you know me, Horace," said my
arms.                                 grandfather. The depth and sweetness
" Who dares maltreat this boy?" he   of the tone brought me once more from
exclaimed, advancing into the centre of  the land of dreams, where, on the very
the store, and laying his heavy riding-  edge of that other land from which no
whip with great deliberation on the  traveler returns, I had been wandering
counter.  " Nobody; nobody.  Tim   for some weeks in a raging brain fever.




44                   How I Came to Like Diamonds.                   [July,
" Yes," I answered languidly, and tried   den aversion to my old life of ignorance,
to turn over in bed. But my strength  dirt, and clownishness, and, at the same
had vanished, and only my head obeyed  time, I had discovered that I was fit
the impulse of my will. As that turned  for no other. In short, I had reached
on the pillow, a thousand rockets were  one of those points in life known as
suddenly loosened from my brain, and  the parting of the ways.
the whole solar system came tumbling    Every day after dinner I lay down a
about my ears. Lights of crimson, blue  little while on my bed in the east chamand purple danced around me in swarms,  ber. And every day my grandfather
and through all, and brighter than all,  came up there, too. But he took no
not moving, but still, not twinkling like  notice of me whatever. Indeed, neither
a star, but fixed like a planet, sailed into - at these nor any other times did he ever
the resplendent haven of my fevered  speak to me, except the most casual
fancy, the one fierce effulgence which   word.  And I never addressed him.
my  grandfather had mastered  and   When he came into my room, he used
chained to his right hand. Little by  to seat himself at the east window, with
little, these brilliant images retired, and  his back to the bed, and gaze, as
I fell'into a profound and refreshing   motionless as a statue, on the distant
sleep. When I awoke, my aunt De-  sea line. He always had a spy-glass in
borah was standing by the bed. She  his hand, but I never saw him use it.
gave me some nourishment, and told me  When I had become sufficiently rested,
in her dry way that there was no dan-  I used to rise softly and creep stealthily
ger of my dying now; and that if I lay   down stairs.
quietly for a few days, I should be out    One day I asked my aunt Deborah
of doors again.                       what my grandfather did up stairs by
The prophecy was realized. I rapidly  the window. I had a vague notion that
recovered; and in three days from my   he might be taking some' astronomical
return to consciousness, I was able to  observations. I remembered that a sea
sit at the east window of the great chain-  captain from the village once came over
ber where my sick bed was, and gaze  to our house for that purpose, because,
out upon the sea.  A dreary prospect  he said, there was a good horizon. I
it was in those December days; yet  had watched him at that very window
less dreary to me than the little village,  taking sight with a complicated-looking
a part of which was likewise visible,  brass instrument, for which I now
and from which I recoiled as from a  imagined the spy-glass might be a subden of wild beasts.                   stitute.  When  I asked  my  aunt
I considered it very strange that my   Deborah about it, to my surprise she
grandfather did not come in to see me;  turned upon me with an air of curiosity
but the thought of him  raised such   and made me describe all my grandcommotion in my weak brain, that, on  father's motions. I saw from her inthe whole, I was glad to have him stay   quiring and eager manner that I was
away. Child as I was, I knew, or ra-  really telling her news, and that she
ther felt, that in him a great luminary   was a good deal excited about it.
had risen upon me, but whether it por-    So things went on for nearly a week.
tended good or evil, life or death, was
hidden from my eyes. Either I was a
little beast (so I thought sometimes), or
else this strong, beautiful being was a           CHAPTER IV.
great devil. He had magnetic power
over me, and I could not tell whether    IT was now near the close of the
I wanted to strike him dead before me,  year. The dim  sun through all the
or to put my head on his breast, my   brief day seemed  clinging  to  the
arms round his neck, and so love him   southern  horizon.  Oftener it was
like a woman and worship him as a  veiled in clouds.  The sea was algod.                                  most jet black. In the morning, inIn a week I was nearly as well as  numerable rolls and masses of vapor
ever; but I had not returned to school.  lay on its cold bosom, and at night I
I strolled among the out-buildings and   could hear the great waves chafe and
fields, and sometimes as far as the sea-  boom and bellow among the rocks.
beach, without a companion and deso-    One cloudy afternoon my aunt Delate at heart. I had conceived a sud-  borah sent me on an errand to the




1855.]               How I Came to Like Diamonds.                       45
house of the light-house-keeper, who  to bound my journey, I felt somehow a
was, almost, our nearest neighbor.  childish and exultant premonition of adHis wife was a crony of my aunt's, and   venture. It was now clear that a heavy
the journey was, therefore, a frequent  blow was approaching, nay, had already
one for me. The lighthouse was situ-  come, and that all my strength and
ated at the end of a long, narrow pen-  courage might be tasked, if not exhaustinsula or beach, called Cedar Point,  ed, in reaching my home. The wind
which ran with a  southerly  curve   began to sweep across the narrow beach
directly into the sea, and formed the  with considerable force, and far out into
north side of the little harbor. My  the deep long lines of white breakers
grandfather's house was at the head of   were taking the place of the dark green
the peninsula, and midway between the   billows which usually rolled silently
lighthouse and the village, perhaps a  along the brine.
half mile from'each. The peninsula     The gathering tumult of the elewas a rocky beach, only a few rods in   ments seemed in some way to pass into
width, and so few feet above high-water  my own frame. The truth, probably,
mark that in extraordinary tides the   was, that for some weeks I had been
sea swept clean over it into the harbor,  drooping for some kind of excitement,
making an island out of Cedar Point,  and that I instinctly abandoned myself
and sometimes threatening the safety  to the first that offered. As I picked
of the light-house-keeper and his fami-  my way over the slippery pebbles of
ly, its only inhabitants.              the beach, and beheld all the stir and
The day had been lowering, but not  muster of earth, and sky, and ocean, I
stormy. The wind, however, was ris-  felt my animal spirits tise, and all my
ing, and as I was getting over the last  faculties exalted to their highest tenstone wall which separated my grand-  sion. My intellect was clear, my imfather's English grass-fields from  the   agination vivid, and my courage invinnaked and pebbly beach, I saw one   cible. Great exploits shadowed themor two great flakes of snow in the air,  selves before me. I became all at once
and far off over the water, to the east,  a little hero in my own eyes; and my
hung a heavy  bank of dark cloud.  satinet jacket could hardly bear, without
As I walked along, choosing, of course,  ripping, the tremendous thumps with
the outside beach, skipping a stone or  which the climbing heart within astwo into the waves, and poking here  serted its claims to a wilder freedom.
and there among long heaps of sea-  I ran through my whole life with a
weed for some of the innumerable  thought. I saw its vulgarity, its rudetreasures which boys are always find-  ness, its boorishness. I hated it. Yet
ing on the shore, I observed that the   I knew of but one way of escape, and
surf was running quite high. and that  -that was barred.  My grandfather!
the tide was on its flood. This multi-  He who had, in an instant, like a
tude of signs. told even me that an  flash of light, unveiled to me what I
easterly storm was coming on, and that  was and what he was; he was so differI had no time to lose, if I wished to  ent from all I had known, so immeasurescape a ducking.                      ably superior to all I had conceived;
I hurried along pretty briskly, yet  he appeared to me seated like an anwithout alarm. I was as familiar with  tique immortal on the summit of an inevery foot of that beach as with my   accessible mountain,-cold, passionless,
own bed-chamber; and I had tramped   and unapproachable.  If he would only
on it, with other half aquatic urchins,  speak to me, only take me in his arms,
the offspring of sailors and fishermen,  only even scold or whip me, I thought I
in storm and calm, summer and winter,  would find some way of storming the
at morning and even at midnight. In-   secret of his heart. For that such a
deed, it was my earliest playground, and   secret was in him, I had, I know not
as I cannot remember the time when I  how, become firmly convinced.
was unable to swim (the tradition of    In the midst of these precocious and
the place being that every native child  unchildish thoughts, just before arrivswims at birth), I feared drowning  ing at the light-house, I heard a heavy
about as much as does the pearl-diver  gun from over the ocean, and, looking
of the Indian seas.                   up, there came out of the dark wall of
Yet as I neared the great white shaft  mist, not more than a half mile from
-beloved of the mariner-which was  where I stood, the hull of a great




46                   How I Came to Like Diamonds.                   [July,
strange ship. Other guns followed in  of terror and agony, and all was siquick succession, and I knew that they  lent save the hoarse voice of the temwere signals of distress.             pest.
I ran to the light-house in a moment,    Up to this time, my attention had
but before I could reach the door the   been so entirely swallowed up in the
keeper and all his family were on the  fate of the ship, that I took no heed of
beach. The huge ship towered before   what was passing on the beach. I now
us like a fortress, and approached   saw that a crowd of men had arrived,
nearer and nearer the shore. She was  and that they were hauling two small
standing in on the larboard tack, and   surf-boats down to the edge of the
trying to head to the northward. She  water. Striding up and down among
was not deeply laden, but her deck, and  tlhem, and issuing orders in deep, quick
particularly her high, curiously painted  tones, was the colossal figure of my
stern, swarmed with human beings.     grandfather.  He had some kind of
She was lying as near the wind as  colored sash about his waist, and wore
possible, but the gale had now increased   a large French chapeau.
to almost a hurricane. The sea inshore  He was as calm as death. A preterwas tremendous, and  every squall  natural paleness sat on his visage.
nearly threw  her on her beam-ends,  His lips were iron, and his face was
and while it completely deadened her  marble.
headway, drove her palpably nearer the    "' Three with me in this boat," cried
lee shore.                            he, "and John Burnet in the other.
But one resource now  remained,  Who goes with him?   Speak quick,
and we waited in breathless silence to   men," he added, with passion.  " A
see her tack ship. Why she delayed   minute is an age now. Who goes with
it so long we knew not, and we never  John Burnet? "
knew. A few rods ahead of her was a     No one stirred. The sea was now
long sunken ledge, running out at right  strewn in all directions with the loose
angles from the beach nearly opposite  furniture of the ship, and here and
my grandfather's house. It was invisi-  there through the surf could be seen
ble to the devoted ship's company. In  crowds of men and women clinging to
calm weather, several of its large rocks  spars and fragments of the wreck. To
wore above water, but in the fearful  launch boats in such a sea was, indeed,
yeast of foam which tossed and tum-  a most desperate undertaking.
bled through the storm, and in the      " One hundred silver dollars to each
darkness which began to environ all  man in John Burnet's boat."  One man
things, the great ship was driving on to  came forward. No more.
unconscious but sure destruction. The   " Two hundred dollars," shouted my
light-keeper and myself ran along the  grandfather. None moved.
beach towards the west, and, as for me,    " Accursed cowards,"  roared he.
I felt wings growing on my shoulders.  "You may save a hundred  lives.
I whirled my arms in frantic gestures,  Here  are women  perishing  before
and yelled and shouted like a savage,  your eyes."
as if these feeble signals could really  No one advanced a step.
warn the majestic vessel of her im-    "'Can Lyou go with one man, Burpending doom.  In vain.  She kept  net?"
straight on to the point of horror, and  "Hardly, sir, I will go with two."
just as we arrived at the ledge where it    I could keep back no longer. I
joined the land, she struck near its  rushed forward to Burnet's boat, and
outer extremity.  Her  close-reefed  took a place by his side. A cry of
topsails flapped once or twice with a  surprise and remonstrance arose from
quick spasm; her stern drifted slowly  the crowd, and  many voices said,
round towards the land, and then she   "Take the boy away."  My grandrolled heavily upon her bilge,-her  father looked at me for half a minute,
sails sopping up the sea at every heave,  as though he did not know me, and
and great waves robing her each meo-  then a shade of something unutterable
ment in a white veil of spray and foam.  passed across his features. He sprang
They were weaving her shroud. There  towards me, as if to press me to his
came to  our  horror-stricken  ears,  heart, then, checking himself as sudthrough the gloom that was settling   denly, he dashed something from his
on earth and ocean, one wild, faint yell  finger upon mine, and said coldly to




1855.]               How I Came to Like Diamonds.                      47
the crowd, "He shall go."  And I    Another huge wave swept over us,
went.                                 and we were driven rods apart in the
Almost at the same moment, the two  midst of the deep. I clung to my hold,
boats were launched into the surf, and   and felt the strength of giants.
headed as nearly as might be for the    Luckily, the dark locks and the light
hull of the ship. For two or three   scarf had got twisted about my hands
minutes, I only remember being whirled  and arms, and I cried aloud for help.
and hauled and jerked in every conceiv-  Burnet came to me, and together we
able direction, and holding on to the   drew over the rails the fairest vision of
boat's gunwale with all my strength to  beauty incarnate on which my eyes had
prevent being washed overboard, or  ever rested, just as our frail boat was
hurled into the air. The first, thing I  dashed ashore, and crushed to atoms.
saw distinctly was, that the two boats  " A light here!" shouted I, when I
had bec6me entangled with a sort of  found myself unhurt upon the beach,
raft, or mass of sails and cordage,  with my young prize clinging to my
formed by the spars and rigging which   garments. A lantern was brought, and
had been torn away from the ship. It  its uncertain and gusty flicker fell upon
was alive with the heads and limbs of  the delicate form of a girl, apparently
human creatures, and wild and stifled  sixteen years of age, and upon a counoutcries of despair arose from  every  tenance whose inexpressible and unpart of it. Several drowning wretches,  earthly loveliness gave me a shock like
apparently sailors, caught hold of our  an electric machine.  The horrible
little craft, and we dragged them in. I  night, the storm, the howl of the wind,
saw something white floating almost  the wrestle of wave and wreck, of life
under the boat, which resembled a  and death, all passed away from before
woman's scarf.  I clutched convul-  me, and I saw only tranquil sunrise
sively forward and a soft, cold hand   and the still glories of tropic summer.
grasped mine. At that moment a tre-  But a pang shot through me like an
mendous wave broke over us, and my   iron bar as I heard in fancy that awful
hold was gone. Something remained   cry, "Florence, my wife," ringing like a
in my hand, which was cut and bleed-  knell. She murmured a word or two in
ing. It was a diamond ring. It was  some strange tongue, opened her eyes
the work of a second to clasp it on my   languidly, and, fixing them on me, said,
finger, and reach out for the long scarf   with a foreign accent and a half smile,
which I now saw drifting again near  " Good boy, how strong you are. You
me, mixed with thick masses of dark  saved me."  Then and there I became a
hair. I grasped them once more, and   gentleman.
a girl's sweet face rose above the waves    My grandfather never reached the
and lay still and pale on their maddened  land.
bosom. At that instant, the other boat    Do you wish to know now why I like
was flung within a few feet of ours, and   diamonds, and why I wear two on my
I saw my grandfather towering in her  right hand?
bow, like the Lord of the Tempest.    Ask Florence, and she will tell you.
He caught a glimpse of the face I have   She knows, and she is-my wife.
described, and, with  one  agonized     Such are the freaks of fate. She
shriek, and one cry of "Florence, my   was to have married my grandfather,
wife!  " he sprang into the sea between   on her arrival in America.  Seven
us. I saw him no more.                years afterwards she married me.




48                                                                    [July,
RECENT AMERICAN POETRY.*
TT unfortunately happens that a notice   now collected her verses into one large
of books of verse, written a few   handsome  book.  The  first poem,
months after their birth, when, swad-  "Lyra, a lament," is the key of the
died in pompous placards, they caught.  whole voluime. It is unreal, imitative,
the eye of the moment, and the news-  luxuriant, felicitous, fanciful, and ulsatpapers of the next day announced an  isfactory.  It indicates a mind, which
immortality which the end of the month  has been charmed with the pomp and
failed to confirm, is often too much like   diction of old English verse, and it rea crowner's'quest sitting upon the body.  produces its quaintness.  It is a vague
The foot-notes that record the names  echo of Milton, and of all the old poets,
and dates of the books, are like head-  so far as they were pastoral and elegiac.
stones. The article, itself, is an epi-  Its landscape is of no particular geogrataph. "Come, let us moralize among the   phical region. It might be American:
tombs," is the half implied invitation of  it is, in its spirit if not in its details,
every critic who proposes to discuss  English. This uncertainty in a poem
the poetic volumes of the past twelve   Which regards detail, is a serious defect.
months.  "Rubbish shot here," is the   The poem might have been written two
uninviting programme.  Those dreadful  centuries ago. It has no relation to
men, who, thirty and forty years since,  this time, nor to the spirit of this age,
dwelt among the fastnesses of Black-  nor to the influence which must have
wood and the Edinburgh, like the An-  moulded the mind of the author.  It is
syrii, or assassins of the east, in the   a sweet and cloying echo of an old
gorges of Lebanon, and poured down in  song. This unreality is its great defect.
avalanches of destruction upon poets   Read the lines that follow, and rememand other pastoral people below, who   ber the nervous, manly grief of "Lywere ambling unobtrusively to oblivi-  cidas."   How all the landscape, how
-n, have had their day. But even they   ail the pastoral forms and images are
mould not harm the travelers who carried   brought to decorate that tomb, yet how
on their breasts the amulet of genius.  all details are subjected to the lofty
Wordsworth, and Keats, and Lamb,  thought of the poem! "Lyra, a laand Coleridge, and more recently, Ten-  ment," begins thus:
nyson, have gone up into the delectable mountains of immortality, and echo   "Maidens, whose tresses shine,
wonders where the assassins are.        Crowned with daffodil and eglantine,
Of the books named at the head of this    Or, from their' string6d buds of brier roses,
article, there have been many "kind"    Bright as the vermeil closes
notices in reviews and newspapers. We    Of April twilights, after sobbing rains,
do not propose to be I "kind," but, if pos-    Fall down in rippled skeins
sible, just: at any rate, honest. It is easy    And golden tangles low
to say that lines are graceful and pleas-   About your bosoms, dainty as new snow;
ing and promising. But it is not courte-    While the warm shadows blow in softest gales
img                                     Fair hawthorn flowers and cherry blossoms
ous to measure any bow by a meaner        Fh          lower       y
weapon than that of Apollo. To say          white
that a temple is not so lovely as the Par-    Against your kirtles, like the froth from pails,
thenon, is to compliment it by compar-    O'erbrimmed with milk at night,
thenon, is to compliment it by comparte,   When lowing heifers bury their sleek flanks
ingitith  the best. Anycfody can write,   In winrows of sweet hay or clover bankswith proper care, graceful and pleasing    Come near and hear, I pray
verses. Poetry is the work of genius,   My plaind roundelay."
whether it be Shakespeare's poetry or
Brant's.
Alice Cary is a name not unknown in    Here is a string of very sweet words,
our recent literature.  She has publish-   and the result is a very weak wailing.
ed two or three prose volumes, and has   The whole poem proceeds in the same
X Poems. By ALICE CARY. Ticknor & Fields: Boston.   Poems. By THOMAS WILLIAMI PARSONS. Ticknor & Fields: Boston.-Poems of the Orient. By BAYARD TAYLOR.
Ticknor & Fields: Boston.-I, elicitis, a Metrical Romance. By ELIZABETH C. KINNEY. James
S. Dickerson: New York.   Poems. By ERASTUS W. ELLSWORTH. F. A. Brown: Hartford




1855.1                     Recent American Poetry.                          49
strain; it is a repetition of natural de-   go no further than Tennyson for many
tails.  There is no scope, no rebound.  of them; but in Tennyson they are
The lovely life of nature,.the break of  like the hues in a flower; it is imposday, have no exquisite promise to this  sible to conceive of that flower without
moaning shepherdess.  It is merely a   those hues, or of that poetry without
lament; and this would be enough if it  those  characteristics.   " Murmurous
were a noble sorrow.  But, when the   glooms," "starry blooms,"  "warbled
survivor of Lyra lives in a world where  interfuse," " Spring thaws the wold,"
it is proper to invite " piteous maids" to   " ribby blue," " encrown with flowers,"
— these are all phrases indigenous to the
" —Keep your tresses crowned as you may   poetry of Tennyson or Keats; but in
With eglantines and daffodillies gay,   "Lyr"  they are instinctively recogAnd with the dew oe myrtles wash your  nized  as exotics.  And, although it is
nized as exotics. And, although it is
cheneks, fla   streaksnot easy to say why they seem exotics,
UpruWhen finamy streagayOrient, tellof morn it is an impression which the further
Upruning the gay Orient, tell of morn  reading of the volume only confirms.
While 11 forlorn,                       Is this opening of " Hyala " not a disPour all my heart in tears and plaints, instead,       of  Hyala  not a disFor Lyra, dead-"                       tinct echo of Keats?
she has then removed herself from  the    "Low by the reedy sea went ancient Ops,
sympathy of the world, in which Lyci-      Tracking for crownlcss Saturn; quietly
das said to his shepherds,                 From her gray hair waned off the sober
light,
"Weep no more, woful shepherd, weep no     For Eve, that Cyclops of the burning eye
more,                                  Slow pacing down the slumberous hills,
For Lycidas, your sorrow, is not dead,      was gone.
Sunk tho' he be beneath the wat'ry floor;  Under the black boughs of a cedar wood,
So sinks the day-star in the ocean bed,   Weary with hunting, Dian lay asleep,
And yet, anon, repairs his drooping head,  Kissed by the amorous winds."
And tricks his beams, and with new spangled ore                               We have said that "Lyra" is the
Flames in the forehead of the morning sky."  key-note of all the poems.  It is so in
many ways; by its smoothness and
We do not say that " Lyra" is a poor   sweetness, and by the fact that it is a
poem because it is not a good imitation   dirge. Everything in the volume, with.
of "Lycidas," but because it deals  few exceptions, is a dirge.  In all the.
affectedly with an unreal sentiment;   woe of all the melancholy verses of that
and is an inadequate study from a grand   doomed and much-enduring class of
original.  Of course we do not mean to   men, the young poets, there is no such
charge a malicious imitation upon the   awful grief as moans up and down these
author.  "Lyra" is simply the result  pretty pages.  The book is drenched
of an excitement of poetic feeling by   with tears.  It is a sob in three hunsympathetic and appreciative study of   dred and ninety-nine parts.  Such termodels which are not only poetic, but  rifle mortality never raged in a volume
are poetry.  The general sweetness of   of the same size before.  It is a parish
the verse is, however, much injured by   register of funerals rendered into doleby such a line as this-                 ful rhyme.  "Lyra" dies on the very
"I think about what leaves are drooping   first page; the " little brother" follows.
round                               "The Minstrel" dies; "Miriam" dies;
A smoothly shapen mound."             "Agatha" is dying, and three men on
three gray mules are murdered; "Jessie
There are many things in "Lyra"   Carrol" dies. Then the poet, having a
that would be positive excellences, if  spare page,like an undertaker fallen upon
they were not taken from  places in   a day without a funeral, keeps her hand
vwhich they are  characteristic.  But  in by performing a dirge for Keats.
they become, by  the  transplanting,   Then the mortality is resumed. "Annie
equally real deformities. Thus there is   Clayville" dies; "Helva" is betrayed;
scarcely a word of all the many choicely   "Nellie Gray"  and "nmy playmate"
culled words in the poem that is not to   die. The "WoodLily" goes mad; "Cabe found in some admirable line of some   roline" dies, and " Lily Lee" is " angelEnglish poet.  This is true, even of the   stolen."  "Alda" dies.  Somebody in
most quaint and fantastic.  We need   "Glenly moor" dies.  The " mother"
YOL. VI.-4




50                       Recent American Poetry.                     [July,
dies. He of the "tryst on Rosemary-  shines every day upon the truest sorhill" does not keep his tryst, because  row. Profound suffering is not so fond
he dies.  "My brother and I" can only  of grave-yards and black bombazine.
sing of the dead.  "Rosalie" dies.  There is, in this general swash of tears
"Rinaldo" dies; "she" dies; and yet,  and tribulation, too much of the Arab
with all this remorseless destruction,  hired mourner, or of the Yankee crone,
we are not more than half through the   who never misses a funeral.
book, and the poet and death have it    That we may not be thought to speak
all their own way to the end. While  too strongly, we take the first nine
the havoc is proceeding, girls go into  poems in the volume.  "Lyra" is a
confessionals and convents; they are   dirge; "In  illness," continues  the
betrayed, and ruined and lost;':De-  theme; "To the Night" concludes it.
spair" is invoked; " Remorse" is justi-   "The minstrel" dies; "Hyala" shoots
fled; there is a song, a little premature,   "aplumpgoat." "Picturesof Memory"
"of one dying;" premature, because  is the story of a little brother's death.
the next page would certainly have   " Grand Dame and child" tells of Miriam
proved fatal to her. On another "off"   who dies.  "Agatha to Herold," is a
page the Rev. George Burroughs, who   blighted girl, who anticipates with pleasuffered a dreadful death in the " Puri-  sure the grave-yard in which she shall
tan reign of Terror," is commemorated;  soon be laid.. A "Legend of Seville,"
and again, in an interval of the epi-  is of three men who are murdered.
demic, the poet cheerfully assures her   The facility with which these " melolover-                                 dious tears" are poured out is wonderful.
"Oh! my lover; oh! my friend,      Rain does not gush more abundantly
This I knew would be the end;     from  an April cloud. Miss Cary has
Only when our ashes blend,        the fluency of improvisation. WVe could
Will our heavy fortunes mend."    readily believe that there was no especial reason for the end of the book but
The other " off" pages are enliven-  the firm  resolution of the publisher.
ed by a "Death-song," "Musing by   Such a stream of elegy must be dammed
three graves, " The Orphan girl," (who,  sooner or later, by the publisher or by
of course, wishes very much to die,)  the public. This fluency, an obvious
" Doomed," and finally, " The Maiden   ear, a luxuriance of fancy, and a ready
of Tlascalla" ends her love-lorn life and   vocabulary, seem to us to be the excelthe life-lorn book together. Of course,  lences of the volume. But, to say the
long before the three hundred and nine-  truth, the fancy is not good nor original.
ty-ninth page-for over no less space   Thus:
stretches this cemetery-the monotony   "Where late, with re.d mist thick about his
of misery has exhausted the sympathy       brows,
and the patience of the reader.  There   Went the swart Autumn, waing to the
are no grand, heroic deaths recorded,      knt the s at Autumn, ading o he
but only such a faint oozing away of    Through drifts of dead leaves, shaken from
life, as the reader might suppose would    Through rt o  ea leave, haken rom
be the natural ending of "Jessie Car-       the boughs
rol" or "Annie Clayville," or "Nellie
Gray" and the other unfortunate young   No student of poetry can fail to recogwomen, whose early blight is com-  nize the school from which that figure
memorated.  It is  all  dismal and   comes. In these lines,
dreary.  It is a  sentimental sing-      "The first of the September eves
ing of the hard fact of death, as if        Sunk its red basement in the sea,
that were the natural and inevitable        Sund, like swart reapers, bearin   sea,
And, like swart reapers, bearing sheaves,
corollary of youth, and beauty, and         Dim shadows thronged immensity;"
affection. Such verses can only gratify
a lachrymose sentimentality.  They   which we select at random, we have an
have no thought, and very little natu-   example of Miss Cary's favourite meral description. They freely use the  thod of treating nature.  But surely
conventional accessories of grief, and  the image of a "basement" in a Sepa forced sympathy of nature with sor-  tember twilight, is purely unpoetic.
row. But Miss Cary should remember   Tennyson has well called a heavy mass
that the loveliest maids sometimes die  of thunderous sunset clouds,
at morning; and the brightest sun        "A looming bastion fringed with fire,"




1855.]                   Recent American Poetry.                         51
but the form of the expression, and the   scholarly elegance, enlivened throughfigure itself, remove from the mind all  out by a genial and peculiar humor,
idea of unrelieved weight, which is in-  which make them delightfully conspicuseparablefrom "basement." And when   ous among the fiery effusions which will
the appearance which is so described is  not call the sun sun, nor the moon
only the gray gloom of coming evening,  moon. Mr. Parsons' familiar acquaintthe epithet becomes utterly inexpressive   ance with Italian literature, and hlis
and inappropriate. The two succeeding   metrical skill, were abundantly proved,
lines are the wildest vagary of a fancy   a few years since, by the publication
that adopts anything which seems to   of a translation of part of "Dante's
have a meaning. But why dim shadows   Inferno,"  and  the  same  exquisite
thronging immensity are like swart reap-   quality is apparent in  these more
ers bearing sheaves, except that "swart  recent productions. Yet he has, evireapers" and "dim shadows" are both   dently, not printed his portfolio. There
dark, it is not easy to say. Are they  is a uniform  excellence in the poems
like swart reapers bearing sheaves in the   which indicates careful choice; and
daylight, at which time, only, reapers  the fastidiousness of the critic is reare visible? or how do swart reapers  vealed by the artistic care which is
differ in appearance at night from their  evident in every line. With one or two
blond brethren?  This might be justly  exceptions, there is, among all our
called hypercritical, if the fancy quoted   poets, no one who has so thoughtfully
were not a fair illustration of the general  elaborated his verses as Parsons. They
range of such conceits throughout the   have a repose, a self-possessed ease
book.  Spring is called "the flowery   and vivacity, which recall the manner
huntress;"  snow is "dainty snow;"  of Pope, although the humor is more
"the sunbeams, like sentinels move"   genial and the pathos less artificial
"through the cloud armies."  "White  than those of the great poet of society.
as a lily the moonlight lies," etc., etc.  Like Pope, also, our author shows less
Such conceits as these are neither accu-  of the fine frenzy, and more of the savoir
rate images nor the result of actual  faire of the man of the world. The
observation.  They have a superficial  pathos is suggested.  It does not take
prettiness, which is pleasant enough in  you by storm, as in bad poetry.  Obits way; but it is not poetry, nor thought,  serve, in the following " Song for Sepnor imagination, nor even an agreeable  tember," the tender delicacy of sentifancy.                                 ment, the shade of human sadness that,
There are several sweet verses scat-  inspired by the season, falls back upon
tered through this volume. If the gene-  the season and gives it a deeper meanral tone seems weak and morbid, and  ing, so that, for the moment, all life,
the vocabulary is borrowed, it would  and youth, and beauty, are touched by
still be strange if an author of such  the pensive month with a vague sense
evident sensibility and facility had not  of decay.  In the last half of each
done something that we should wish to  stanza there is a modulation, as into a
quote to balance the hard things that  minor key, which is very remarkable,
we have been compelled to say. Miss  and which we remember to have seen
Cary writes much better verses than   noticed in Dwight's Journal of Music.
most women who write and publish poe-    " September strews the woodland o'er
try. That is the highest praise that       VWith many a brilliant color;
can be awarded to her.                    The world is brighter than beforeWe turn willingly, from the artificial    Why should our hearts be duller?
air that characterizes Miss Cary's vol-    Sorrow and the scarlet leaf,
ume, to the poems of Mr. Parsons. We        Sad thoughts and sunny weather;
regard his verse as the most original,    Ah, me! this glory and this grief
polished, and valuable, that has come       Agree not well together.
from  any of the recent bards.  He       " This is the parting season; this
is entirely unspotted with vermilion.       The time when friends are flying;
There is nothing spasmodic, nowr mor-     And lovers now, with many a kiss,
bid, nor strained, nor affected, nor crude,  Their long farewells are sighing.
in his volume; and, in these days, such    Why is earth so gaily drest?
an aggregate of negatives amounts, of       This pomp that Autumn beareth,
itself, to a positive excellence.          A funeral seems, where every guest
The verses have a graceful flow and       A bridal garment weareth.




52                         Recent American Poetry.                          [July,
" Each one of us, perchance, may here,     To that cold Ghibeline's gloomy sight,
On some blue morn, hereafter,           Who could have guessed the visions came
Return to view the gaudy year,            Of beauty, veiled with heavenly light,
But not with boyish laughter.           In circles of eternal flame?
We shall then be wrinkled men,            *'*   *
Our brows with silver laden;             Peace dwells not here —this rugged face
And thou this glen mayst seek again       Betrays no spirit of repose;
But nevermore a maiden!                  The sullen warrior sole we trace,
The marble man of many woes.
"Nature, perhaps, foresees that spring     a   x   x   ~  
Will touch her teeming bosom,            Oh, Time! whose verdicts mock our own,
And that a few brief months will bring     The only righteous judge art thou;
The bee, the bird, the blossom.          That poor, old exile, sad and lone,
Ah! these forests do not know-             Is Latil's other Virgil now.
Or would less brightly wither-           Before,lr: name the nations bow;
The virgin that adorns them so,            His wo,  are parcel of mankind,
WVill nevermore come hither."            Deep in whose hearts, as on his brow,
Mr. Parsons' great merit is his indi-       The marks have sunk of Dante's mind."
viduality. He knows his scope and his        The first poems in  Mr. Parsons'
power, and his uniform  success is ex-   volume are a series of epistles from
plained by that knowledge.  He does   an imaginary Englishman in America
not cover want of thought and percep-   to various well-known  Englishmention with a cloud of turgid conceit; and   Samuel R. gers, Charles Kemble, Edhe respects his own thought and good   ward Mox',,n, and Walter Savage Lansense, and the thought and sense of   dor. They are full of the most sprightly
other men, so much, that he will not   and humorous satire, both upon Engsuffer himself to become an imitator   lishmen and Americans, and expressed
either of a popular tendency of thought   with infinite grace and propriety.  The
or form of expression. Of all the books   poet speaks of the English mania of
of verse, during the last year, how    American-travel-writing:
many are free  from  this reproach?   "Hence this poor land so scribbled o'er has
Was not "F Firmilian," although a poor          been,
performance, yet a satire justly pro-'Tis like a window in some country inn,
voked by the favorite poetic school of    Where every dolt has chronicled his folly,
the moment?  A  poet who, like Mr.    His fit of headache or of melancholy,
Parsons, has sat for years at the feet    With memorandums of his mutton oft,
of Dante, could hardly be guilty of such    And how his bed was hard, his butter soft;
treason to himself and his calling.  A      How some John Tomson, on a rainy day,
man who could so profoundly appre-    Found nought to eat, but very much to pay,
ciate Dante, and salute his bust in a    And how said Tomson wished himself away.'
strain  adequate to the theme, would         So Charles Kemble, an Englishman,
hardly be guilty of mistaking an in-   deplores the decline of the drama, and
flamed fancy for the fine frenzy, or   has a few  sly cuts at Boston, which
verbal affluence for imaginative rich-   turned a theatre into a church.
ness.  Observe the sinewy vigor and
sculpturesque  beauty of these  lines'"BeyondthatCape whichmortals christen Cod,
upon  a bust of Dante, aond mark how    Where drifted sandheaps choke the scanty
every word fits its place, lilke a stone        sod,
in a  wMosaic.                             Round the steep shore a crooked city clings,
Sworn foe to Queens, it seems, as well as
" See, from this counterfeit of him          Kings.
Whom Arno shall remember long,,,,, a                 * a
How stern of lineament, how grim,       This town, in olden times of stake and flame,
The father was of Tuscan song.          A famous nest of Puritans became.
There, but the burning sense of wrong,               *    *,         X  
Perpetual care and scorn abide;         Stage plays, especially, their hearts abhorred,
Small friendship for the lordly throng;  Holding the muses hateful to the Lord;
Distrust of all the world beside.       Save when old Sternhold and his brother bard,
Faithful if this wan image be,          Oped their hoarse throats, and strained an
No dream his life was, but a fight.         anthem hard.
Could any Beatrice see                 From that angelic race of perfect men,
A lover in that anchorite?             (Sure, Seraphs never trod the world till then!)




1855.]                    Recent American Poetry.                             5[{
Descends the race to whom the sway is given,  an eastern story was shown in a chapter
Of the world's morals by confiding Heaven;   from one of his recent books of eastern
These of each virtue know the market price,  travel, which was first published in
And shrewdly count the cost of every vice;   this Magazine, for August, 1854: " An
So, to their prudent adage faithful still,  Ethiopian Night's Entertainment." His
Are honest more from policy than will,  cosmopolitan sympathy enabled him at
As if with tIeaven a barmai.t+hey had made,  once to enjoy the peculiar spirit of EastTo practise goodness, and to be well paid."   ern life, and his " Poems of the Orient"
Finally, we cannot forbear quoting   are another certificate of his surpassing
the first stanza of an exquisite poem,   excellence as a traveler.  A man who
"upon a lady, singing."                   can so absorb the character of the countries he visits, and reproduce it in such
"Oft as my lady sang for me    I I
"O  as my lady sng for ma delightful manner, has no right to
That song of the lost one that sle.  by the sea,  stay at home, excet long enou
Z)                   [        Xstay at home, except long enough to tell
Of the grave on the rock, and th.presstre,  his story.  The best poem aong the
Strange was the pleasure that over me stole,  lon   ones in the present vplure, is
For'twas made of old sadness that lives in my  ones in the present volue, is
~~sou~l."                  "The  Temptation  of Hassan  Ben
sou~."                             Khaled." The story is told with clearIs there any, expression in literature   ness and simplicity, and the accessories
more exquisite than this last line, of that  have a proper Oriental richness.  It
peculiar haunting regret, as 2,f an an-   opens with the song of Hassan, sungterior remembrance, which,s always                     " —With a frown
awakened by certain music?                        Of the severest virtue-"
Bayard Taylor's "Poems of the Ori-  to the effect that he is especially blest,
ent" are a wonderful advance upon his    "Whose conduct is his prayer's interpreter."
previous volumes of verse. It seems to
us, however, as was stated in the last      But the severely virtuous Ben Khaled
number of this Magazine, in a review of   sings a milder strain after two days,
his books of travel, that Mr. Taylor's   having been, meanwhile, one who has
peculiar distinction is that of a traveler.  had  experiences.  He has learned huNor does this volume, good as it is, alter   mility and wisdom. For by the Gate of
our opinion. The mental characteristics   Victory in Cairo, Hassan Ben Phaled
that are so striking in his records of   met one wvho led him to a lovely Paradise
travel, and which so strongly help to   on earth, nd to a Houri who dazzled
determine his career, are the same that   and distracted him, until
we recognize in his poetry, although in                " In broken gleams,
the latter it is mixed with somethings   Glimmered the things I saw, so mixed with
not quite real and individual. The same        dreams,
robust delight in adventure-the same   The vain confusion blinded every sense,
clear, daguerreotyping eye-the same   And knowledge left me."
loyalty to high  principle-the - same       When he awoke he was at the Gate
freedom from  sentimentality, and per-   of Victory again, but Hassan's real
ception of genuine feeling-the same   weakness had been betrayed to him,
good-sense and sweet humor-the same   and he was sadly humble.  His host,
manliness and vigor, that are apparent  however, to whom he tells the story of
in whatever else he does, are no less   his fall, which supplies the bulk of the
evident in his poetry.  But they are   poem, exhorts him to be less abased:
mixed, in the poetry, with a deference   "'And yet, I fain would have thee shake the
to literary traditions, and an elaboration     load
of which the artificiality is not suffi-    Of shame from off thy shoulders, seeing still
ciently concealed. His poetry indicates    That by this fall thou hast increased thy will
a lofty literary ambition; a thoughtful    To do the work that makes thee truly blest.'
study, without imitation, of the best    Hassan Ben Khaled wept, and smote his
models; and a conscientious care in'Hold, hold   man!' he cied,'why make'Hold, hold, O man!' he cried,'why  make
composition. There are poems of great          me feel
vigor, and of simple pathos, in his    A deeper shame? Must I to thee reveal
volume.  But we look in vain for that    That sin is as the leprous taint, no art
creative power, that marked individuali-    Can cleanse the blood from? In my secret
ty, which we seem  perpetually  upon           heart
the point of discovering.                  I do believe I hold at dearer cost
Mr. Taylor's singular skill in narrating    The vanished pleasure, than the virtue lost.'




54                        Recent American Poetry.                          [July,'" Amran's Wooing" is a romance of   and they are fuller of real Eastern exthe desert, capitally told.  " The Wis-   perience than Lalla Rookh, although
dom of Ali," if not a genuine Arab le-   entirely without that voluptuous and
gend, is quite good enough to be so, and   sensuous glow, that wealth of oriental
"' Kilimandjaro," originally published in   detail, that penetrating  pathos, that
Blackwood, is a dignified and majestic   magic atmosphere in which everything
ode to the newly-discovered mountain   dissolves into romance, and that absorbof Central Africa.  "Charmian," de-  ing interest of narration, which still
scribing a gradual surrender to unholy   make Lalla Rookh the most oriental
desire, ends thus finely:                 of Eastern poems written in the West.
Mr. Taylor is a curious student of the' But see! one memory rises in my soul,   eastern sun  but it does not heat his
And, beaming steadily and clear,       healthy blood into fever, and when he
Scatters the lurid thunder-clouds that roll    abandons himself to the fire, it is rather
Thlough  passion's sultry atmosphere.   willfully than irresistibly. We can easily
An alchemy more potent borrow           fancy him springing upon his steed at
For thy dr eys, enticing sorceress  dawn, and bounding off to the horizon,
For, on the casket of a sacred sorrow,   and  crying "ha! ha! to the desert."
and crying "ha! ha! to the desert."
Their shafts fall Fpowerless."          His sweet and robust nature would hail
" The Goblet" is a half mystic poem,  with hearty welcome the wild freedom
which the reader will interpret accord-   of Arab life; and the wisdom of Arabian
ing to his degree of imagination.         legends would be full of meaning to his
1" On the Sea" has this most musical   mind.  His poetic instinct would seize
stanza:                                   and reproduce the picturesqueness of
the Orient. But the essential East
i' Oh, boatman, cease thy mellow song!   would still be a "Daughter of Egypt,"
Oh, minstrel, drhop thy lyre!         and a "Charmian."  His sturdy nature
Let us hear the voice of the midnight sea,    would still defy it, and cry out:
Let us speak as the waves inspire,
While the plashy dip of the languid oar  "Strong goddess of desire, I will not be
Is a furrow of silver fire."            One of the myriad slaves thou callest thine,
To cast my manhood's crown of royalty
The " Bedouin Song" has been much        Before thy dangerous beauty: I am free!"
quoted and praised.  But, admirable as
it is as a study and a picture, we prefer   Felicitn: A metrical romance, oceethe concentrated music of the following   pies one hundred and eighty-eight pages
" Song," addressed to some sumptuous   of irregular rhyme, entirely without reaKushuk Arnem, and in a strain of manly   son, interest, or point.  It opens thus:
dignity.  It is sadly marred, however,   "The convent bell now calls to vespers,
by the mixed metaphor of the last two         All the nuns together come;
lines:                                      Ave Marias blend in whispers,
"Daughter of Egypt, veil thine eyes,       Solemn music fills the dome.
rWhere is Felicitd —the maid
I cannot bear their fire;
Nor wI cannot bear their fire;  ~       WThose pensive step is always lingering?
Those altars of desire. sAh! there she comes, in white arrayed,
Abstractedly her missal fingering!
For they are flames that shun the day,ctedly her mil 
And their unholy light
And their unholy light  hy, oh, why, then, is she there;
Is fed from natures gone astray'W,-ho's the maid Felicita?"
In passion and in night.
"The stars of beauty and of sin,          The poet answers by describing her
They burn amid the dark,            father:
Like beacons that to ruin win              "He's a trafficker, who, bent
The fascinated bark.                        Ever on his sordid wishes,
Then, veil their glare, lest I forswear     Deems that gain is life's intent;
The hopes thou canst not crown,           While his heart by coins inclosedAnd, in the black waves of thy hair,          Thick as on the backs of fishes
My struggling manhood drown!"             Are the lapping scales disposed —
At the best, however, we regard              Hath no generous opening."
these "Poems of the Orient" as only         This scaly monster has seduced a
successful studies.  They are better,   young girl, who dies, leaving a child,
indeed, than Milnes's Palm  Leaves,   Felicitti.  Pending his intention to sell




1855.7                      Recent American Poetry.                            55
her as a slave, the father immures her   "He burnt-his ardor was compassion,
in a nunnery.                                 By purest sentiment refined;
But not a spark of selfish passion
" Timid child!  her slender throat          Was with that holiest flame combined."
Choked with feeling there confined,
When she found herself consigned         The Doctor did not love her, it was
To the cloister's dismal wall,        too painfully clear, and the indignant
Whose dark frown did her appal."      and sympathetic poet demands:
In brief-for the reader may judge         "How could he do himself such wrong?"
the house from  the brick-the father        But the ardent Felicita could hardly
sells her to Achmet Bey, an Algerine   restrain herself from telling the Doctor
gentleman, who cannot understand her   how great a wrong he did himself, and,
reluctance  to  become  queen of his   one day, easing herself with a song
harem.  Being  recusant, Felicita is   very much to the purpose, Dr.
"put to prison" until, like Lord Bate-           Giacinto, at her open door,
man, "her life was almost weary."                 Stood unperceived,"
Jules rescues her, and, upon  their
flight, he is slain by the wily old Jew,   and the oat leaped out of the bag, to
the amiable parent, who, thus eating   ths tune:
his cake and having it, decamps with              "Why, if he loves me,
his daughter and the money he has re-                So silent always?
ceived for her.  He proposes to pass               Love, when it moves me,
through Italy, and sell her again in the             Its feeling betrays.
East.  But he dies in, Italy, and the              But he says never,
heroine endured three months of soli-                In tones of the dove,
tude in a strange land:                            Thee I love ever,
Thee only I love."
"And then, her nature, from long tension —
Threelingering months had thus elapsed-  The italics are the poet's, this time,
Tho' wide its powers were of expansion,  for the case is getting to extremity.
Sank down exhausted and collapsed."   The dove-like Dr. Giacinto flutters back
The italics are our own; a poem of   to his own chamber, and regards this
this intensity does not require typo-   sudden discovery and condition of affairs
graphical devices of emphasis.  The   ascollapsed Felicita is raised by Giacinto,    " A jagged precipice which lay
an Italian medical gentleman, who had          Before them, yawning for its prey."
"'That union rarer        He reproached himself, the dove-like
Of beauty, physical and moral-        Doctor, andThat, joined with gifts and graces oral,
Gives, whomsoever is its sharer,
Giives, owhotsoever is its sharer,       L"Asked pardon for the fatal feeling,
A power o'er others to be dreaded,           hich only pity him did teach."
If it were not with honor wedded."    For it seems thatHe carries her to a convent to be         "Of love he had no light conception,
nursed, and she gratefully falls in love       As the spent impulse of an hour;
with Dr. Giacinto, who,                      He felt it a divine perception
Of beauty's natural, moral power."
Some duties to himself he made,    He hoped, therefore,
And often visits, thus collateral,    "That to love's law her mind would wake,
Unto the Sisters' convent paid."     And her heart find its own mistake."
But the unsuspecting Dr.
On the contrary, Felieita slips a letter
" Giacinto, like all generous spirits  into his hand, revealing everything. Dr.
WVho estimate too low their merits,   Giacinto, very much perplexed, coos in
Never in other minds expected         the most dove-like strainTo see, as in a glass reflected,
Impressions his meek self had made."    "For, with unguarded words to lance her,
Therefore, when  Felicit  told he ad been true womanhood to wrong-"
Therefore, when Felieita told her
mournful story, the  man  of "oral  that he had much friendship, and no
graces" was touched.  But, alas! al-  love, to offer.  But the unappeased
though                                    Felicita wrote again; and, receiving no




56                           Recent American Poetry.                        [July
reply, waits upon him  at the hour,   advertisement, because  he expressed
when                                      the inevitable opinion which every sensible man must hold of such dreary
"     the midnight oil         platitude.
Wasted within his lamp-"               We had seen the best of Poems by
and, with a large knife in her hand,   Erastus TV. Ellsworth, in the pages of
apostrophises the dove-like Dr. Giacinto   this Magazine.  In the second number
thus:                                      of our first volume, there was a striking
"0! if the heart of mmn          poem, —" What is the  use"-which,
th halthough needlessly drawn out, is one
Within thy bosom cold is beating,  of the best things in the volume.  Here
Look, and deny, if manhood can,          is a manly strain, improved by the tone
Love to the maid, whose voice repeating'In~~ ~ r           of quaintness in the expression.
In agony its first, last prayer,
Implores thee, in love's name, to spare  "I have surveyed the sages and their books,
A heart than which no truer lives,        Man, and the natural world of woods and
WVhich here its life, or death-thee gives."  brooks,
Seeking that perfect good that I would
Then was                                      choose;
" Giacinto, frozen by the sight               But find no perfect good,
Of incensed love's majestic sprite;         Sethat is the understood,
WVhat is the use?
And prayed her to renounce that steel,  "In woman's love we sweetly are undone;
Which gentle hands should never feel."   Willing to attract, but harder to be won,
Harder to keep is she whose love we choose
And, after a prolonged colloquy,           Loves are like flowers that grow
"He said: and as to lift her made,          In soils on fire below,
But seiz'd adroitly danger's blade."        What is the use?
Months passed, and the Doctor is           "Some pray for wealth, and seem to pray
aright;
"' Yielding to melancholy's power."    They heap until themselves are out of sight,
Blut it appears that,                       Yet stand in charities, not over shoes,
And ask of their old age,
" From contemplation into reverie             As an old ledger page,
Small space there is, and this he leaped;   What is the use?
But back again as quickl.y stepped,    to which listless and  querulous, but
To greet another angel-"             natural complaint, the poet replies,
who comes to tell him  that "a dove"   "Dust tho' we are, and shall return to dust,
desires to pour "love's plaintive melo-    Yet, being born to battles, fight we must;
dy" into the Doctor's breast.  In fine,    Under which ensign is our only choice,
Felicita dies; but, in her last moment,        We know to wage our best,
unhappy Dr.                                    God only knows the rest."
"Giacinto lived his past anew.             If the volume were sustained at this
And now as murderous crime did see   bight, it would be a valuable contribuHis fatal candor, held to view         tion to our poetic literature.  But we
In light of an eternity."            have quoted our singer's sweetest strain.
His book opens with  a poem  called
And, after seeing her die, and erecting   6" The Chimes," which is too suggestive
a monument to her memory, he con-   of Longfellow  to pass unchallenged.
fesses, kneeling at her grave,             The reader of Longfellow  will easily
"'Twas because love's effluence tarried,  trace him in these stanzas, which recall
That my heart, a desert arid,          not only his music, but the very charGave no answering bloom,             acter of his thought.
To the fair and fragrant blossom,          "It was evening in New England,
Which did waste upon my bosom                 And the air was all in tune,
Its divine perfume."                      As I sat at an open window,
In the emerald lmonth of June.
This poem has been actually extolled
by "kind" criticism, and we have seen           From the maples by the road-way,
a gentleman insulte'd in a publisher's           The robins sang in pairs,




1855.]                      Recent American Poetry.                             57
Listening and then responding,               The oldest swain,
Each to the other's airs.                  With longest cane,
*   *   *   *    *   *    *              And sad experience in his brain,
And I thought of the airs of bargemen,   On such mad mirth shall fail to wink,
Who tunefully recline,                 And grimly go aside to think."
As they float by Ehrenbreitstein,       But was itnot natural, on the whole,
In the twilight of the Rhine.     remembering the character and anteceJC*  *X    *    *   *    *            dents of Bacchus, or Theseus, that he
Thus, I said, the poet's music,      should steal away from a mistress who,
Though a lonely native air,        finding him gone, awakes and says:
May appeal unto a rhythm              "And I will turn again, if yet I may,
That is native everywhere.           To where the rolling rondure of the deep
Broadly affronts the sky's infinity."
For altho' in scope of feeling,
Human hearts are far apart,           Mr. Ellsworth's simplicity and humor
In the depths of every bosom          are " tolerable, and not to be endured."
Beats the universal heart.          "A ballad of Nathan Hale" is ludicrous;
This is followed by the longest poem    we are sorry to say it, but there is no
in the collection, " Ariadne," in the form    other word:
of a masque.  This is an admirable           "Lord Howe, Cornwallis, Percy earl,
Academic performance.  The changing             Were come in wide array;
emotions of Ariadne's mind, as she re-        And from Long Island to New York
fleets upon her loss, are well depicted;        Had pushed our guns away.
but theyr are a little too philosophical,    "Our Father looked across the Sound,
and much too prolonged in expression,           Disaster groaned behind;
to be true in the highest sense. Ariadne      And many dubious, anxious thoughts,
was hardly such a very sensible woman..         Were laboring in his mind.
The love-lorn lady weeping on the shore,        nowlton,' said heI need a man
could scarcely, in the first gush of woe,treason so admirably as thisa:-S
reason so  dmirbly  as thisA trusty, brave, and loyal man,
"By these and many special instances,           And skillful in deceit.'"
It doth appear, or may be plainly shown,
That of all life affection is the savor-   We are glad sach men are rare: nor
The soul of it-and beauty is but dross;  can we very clearly see how they could
Being but the outer iris-film of love-   be otherwise.  To be at once "trusty,"
The flitting shade of an eternal thing.  "loyal," and "skillful in deceit," would
Beauty-the cloudy mock of Tantalus —     be difficult.  Will the candid reader,
Daughter of Time betrothed unto Death,   will Mr. Ellsworth himself, deny that
Who, all so soon as the lank Anarch old  this is ludicrous:
Fingers her palm and lips her for his bride'" He heard the larks and robins sing,
Suffers collapse, and straightway doth be-  And tears came in his eyes,
And tears came in his eyes,
A hideous comment of mortality."            Was cast from Paradise.
WVas cast from Paradise.
True, wise young Judge, and most
discreetly put.  But, is this Ariadne'Well, Hedge,how's turnips? What'sin this?
just roused to the consciousness that          Now who be you?' said Hale.
Bacchus has deserted her, or is it state-'Iaint no Hodge.'Taint turnips. Stop.
ly Portia reasoning well?  The key of          Let go! This here's for sale.'"
the masque, to use a musical term, is        There is a poetic simplicity and a
well observed. It has a quaintness bor-   prosaic simplicity.  The  "ballad of
rowed from  the time when masques   Nathan Hale" is an unpardonable perwere  written,  and  uses freely  the   formance for a man who  can write
phraseology  of old  English  poetry.   " What is the use?" and a sonnet which
Thus:-                                    we shall presently quote. It is so poor
"Now all are gone to Arcady,           as serious verse, that we have an unHead-bent on rousing jollity.        comfortable suspicion that Mr. Ellsworth
Now riot-rule will be, anon,         intends it as a joke, and that the laugh
That shall the very sun aston';      is upon us for supposing it to be a sober
By waters whist, and on the leas,    attempt at a ballad.  But, if this be our
Under the great fantastic trees.     poet's simplicity, let us observe his




58                          Recent American Poetry.                        [July,
humor.   "A  Domestic Lyric" com-             "When the night is wild and dark,
mences thus:                                   And a roar is in the park,
And the lightning, to its mark,
"How d'ye do and good morning,               Cuts the gloom,
You see my adorning;                    All the region on the sight,
Curl papers, and kerchief, and boddice ajar;  Rushes upward from the night,
But what is the sinning                 In a thunder-crash of light,
To pinch for a spinning?                    O'er Tuloom."
Tul lul la lul lirra, tul lul la la la.   It is like seeing a picture with the
*     *     *     *                 accompaniment of solemn music.  "A
"lMy present miscarried,            Railroad Lyric," a poem  in the style
When Rosalie married;              of Schiller's Song of the Bell, is too
Her sudden departure was quite an ah ha!   jagged and confused, but it has a great
And certain late candles           deal of vigorous description.   " To..Of yours, rumor handles.         Kate -," is one of the sweetest and
Tul lul la lul lirra, tul lul la la la.  most truly simple poems in the volume.
X           *     * +             Some lines on Shakespeare have this
" Hist! isn't it shocking?        good thing:Somebody is Iknoclking,             " Who, in a volume so compactly writ,
Just do me a favor-unfasten the bar.       Has hived the honey of all human wi
Hias hived the honey of all human wit."
AIe mercy! who is it?
So early a visit!                  We have rarely met so unequal a colTul lul la lul lirra, tul lul la la la."  lection of poems: none, indeed, rising
to the highest rank, and many sinking
"The Cock of the Walk" maltreats   quite beyond notice.  What the author
his " son and heir," and is thus saluted   says, in the last lines of the following
by the poet:                              beautiful sonnet, is very  true; but
ought it not to be so? " Sir," said'To-day, when he had done no harm       ought it not to be so?  "Sir," said
But stretch his throat, and mock your bawling   John to James, "how  is that egg "'i Tolerable, Sir."  "And, Sir, would
You ruffed your neck as big's my arm,
And knocked him sprawling.            you eat a tolerable egg?"
" Robert of Gloster, in an old romance
"' Down in a twink, as straight's a rail, Robert of Gloster, in an old romance
Makes mention of a rich but captious King
Astonished into beings civil,,Whose daughter grew so fair of counteThen up, and off, with head and tail      Whose daughter grew so fa
Both on a level.                            nance,
That many gallant Knights came worship"But though your prowess you may boast,      ing.
And though in dreary dumps so sad he,      All men desired her-both the fool and wise
I know not which to pity most,           Warmed in the splendor of her lustrous eyes;
The son or daddy."                      But the rich captious King withheld, the
while,
The man who has no car for music    His child for him whose wit should make
may be forgiven if he cannot distinguish       him smile;
tunes; but he is inexcusable if he tries    But all who tried, and failed to make him
to compose a symphony.  In the same            merry,
way, it would have been venial in our    Beheaded were in manuer sanguinary.
author to have omitted all humor in his    So runs the poet's doom: if he succeed,
volume, since he evidently has no per-       To a pure fame we marry him forever;
ception of it.  But is it pardonable,    But if we take no unction of his rede,
especially in a man who is good, when        We cut his head off for his vain endeahe is grave, to publish such dreary dog-         vor.'
grel?  We must not leave the volume         We are obliged to defer a notice of
without showing, once more, how good   some other poets, including two young
our author can be.  The  ballad of  Englishmen, Owen Meredith, the nom
"Tuloom" is not unknown to the read-   de plume of Robert Lytton Bulwer,
ers of "Putnam."                          and Matthew Arnold.




18554]                                                                  59
CAPE COD.
THE PLAINS OF NANSET.
[Continued from page 640.]
THE next morning, Thursday, October  is dreary enough has a certain beauty
11th, it rained as hard as ever; but  to my eyes, and in this instance its
we were determined to proceed on foot,  permanent qualities were enhanced by
nevertheless. We first made some in-  the weather. Everything told of the
quiries with regard to the practicability  Sea, even when we did not see its waste
of walking up the shore on the Atlantic  or hear its roar. For birds there were
side to Provincetown, whether we should   gulls, and for carts in the fields, boats
meet with any creeks or marshes to  turned  bottom  upward against the
trouble us. Higgins said that there was  houses, and sometimes the rib of a
no obstruction, and that it was not much   whale was woven into the fence by the
further than by the road, but he thought  road-side. The trees were, if possible,
that we should find it very "'heavy"   rarer than the houses, excepting apple
walking in the sand; it was bad enough  trees, of which there were a few small
in the road, a horse would sink in up to  orchards in the hollows. These were
the fetlocks there. But there was one   either narrow and high, with flat tops,
man at the tavern who had walked it,  having lost their side branches, like
and he said that we could go very well,  huge plum bushes growing in exposed
though it was sometimes inconvenient  situations, or else dwarfed and branchand even dangerous walking under the  ing immediately at the ground, like
bank, when there was a great tide, with  quince bushes. They suggested that,
an easterly wind, which caused the sand   under like circumstances, all trees would
to cave. For the first four or five miles  at last acquire like habits of growth. I
we followed the road, which here turns   afterward saw on the Cape many full
to the north on the elbow-the narrowest  grown apple trees not higher than a
part of the Cape-that we might clear  man's head; one whole orchard, indeed,
an inlet from the ocean, a part of Nanset  where all the fruit could have been
Harbor in Orleans, on our right. We  gathered by a man standing on the
found the traveling good enough for  ground; but you could hardly creep
walkers on the sides of the road, though   beneath the trees. Some, which the
it was " heavy" for horses in the middle.  owners told me were twenty years old,
WYe walked with our umbrellas behind   were only three and a half feet high,
us, since it blowed hard as well as rain-  spreading at six inches from the ground
ed, with driving mists, as the day before,  five feet each way, and being withal
and the wind helped us over the sand at  surrounded with boxes of tar to catch
a rapid rate. Everything indicated that  the canker worms, they looked like
we had reached a strange shore. The   plants in flower pots, and as if they
road was a mere lane, winding over bare   might be taken into the house in the
swells of bleak and barren-looking land.  winter. In another place, I saw some
The houses were few and far between,  not much larger than currant bushes;
besides being small and rusty, though   yet, the owner told me that they had
they appeared to be kept in good repair,  borne a barrel and a half of apples that
and their door yards, which were the  fall. If they had been placed close tounfenced Cape, were tidy; or, rather,  gether, I could have cleared them all at
they looked as if the ground around   a jump. This habit of growth should,
them was blown clean by the wind.  no doubt, be encouraged; and they
Perhaps the scarcity of wool here, and   should not be trimmed up, as some
the consequent absence of the wood-  traveling practitioners have advised. In
pile and other wooden traps, had some-  1802 there was not a single fruit tree in
thing to do with this appearance. They   Chatham, the next town -to Orleans, on
seemned, like mariners ashore, to have  the south; and the old account of Orsat right down to enjoy the firmness of  leans says:-'"Fruit trees cannot be
the land, without studying their postures  made to grow within a mile of the ocean.
or habiliments. To them it was merely   Even those which are placed at a greater
terra firma and cognita, not yet fe'rtilis  distance, are injured by the east winds;
and jucunda. Every landscape which   and, after violent storms in the spring, a




60                                Capae Cod.                          [July,
saltish taste is perceptible on their bark."  taken up, at the end of two years, it is
We noticed that they were often cover-  said, they are as plenty there as ever.
ed with a kind of yellow rust, or lichen.  It is even affirmed by many persons,
The most foreign and picturesque   that it is as necessary to stir the clamlooking structures on the Cape, to an in-  ground frequently as it is to hoe a
lander, not excepting the salt-works,  field of potatoes; because if this labor
are the wind-mills —gray looking octago-  is omitted, the clams will be crowded
nal towers, with long timbers slanting  too closely together, and will be preventto the ground in the rear, and there  ed from  increasing in  size."  But,
resting on a cart-wheel, by which their  we were told  that the small clam,
fans are turned round to face the wind.  mya arenaria, was not so plenty here
these appeared, also, to serve in some   as formerly. Probably the clam-ground
measure for props against its force. A   has been stirred too frequently, after
great circular rut was worn around the   all.
building by the wheel.  The neighbors,    We crossed a brook, not more than
who assemble to turn the mill to the   fourteen rods long, between Orleans and
wind, are likely to know which way it  Eastham, called Jeremiah's Gutter. The
blows, without a weathercock. They   Atlantic is said sometimes to meet the
looked loose and slightly locomotive,  Bay here, and isolate the northern part
like huge wounded birds, trailing a wing   of the Cape. The streams of the Cape
or a leg, and reminded one of pictures   are necessarily formed on a minute
of the Netherlands. Being on elevated   scale, since there is no room for them
ground, and high in themselves, they  to run, without tumbling immediately
serve as landmarks-for there are no tall  into the sea; and beside, we found it
trees, or other objects commonly, which   difficult to run ourselves in that sand,
can be seen at a distance in the horizon;  when there was no want of room.
though the outline of the land itself is  Hence, the East channel where water
so firm and distinct, that an insignificant  runs, or may run, is important, and is
cone, or even precipice of sand is visi-  dignified with a name. We read that
ble at a great distance from over the sea.  there was no running water in Chatham,
Sailors making the land, commonly   which is the next town. The barren
steer either by the wind-mills or the   aspect of the land would hardly be
meeting-houses. In the country, we are  believed if described. It was such soil.
obliged to steer by the meeting-houses   or rather land, as, to judge from appearalone. Yet, the meeting-house is a kind   ances, no farmer in the interior would
of wind-mill, which runs one day in  think of cultivating or even fencing.
seven, turned either by the winds of   Generally the plowed fields of the Cape
doctrine or public opinion, or more  look white and yellow, like a mixture of
rarely by the winds of heaven-where  salt and Indian meal.  This is called
another sort of grist is ground, of which,  soil. All an inlander's notions of soil
if it be not all bran or musty, if it be   and fertility will be confounded by a
not plaster, we trust to make bread of   visit to these parts, and he will not be
life.                                  able, for some time afterward, to distinThere were, here and there, heaps of   guish soil from sand. The historian of
shells in the fields, where clams had   Chatham says of a part of that town,
been opened for bait, for Orleans is  which has been gained from the sea,
famous for its  shell-fish, especially   "there is a doubtful appearance of a
clams, or, as our author says, ".to  soil beginning to be formed.   It is
speak more properly, worms."  The   styled doubtful, because it would not be
shores are more fertile than the dry   observed by every eye, and perhaps not
land. The inhabitants measure their  acknowledged by many."  VWe thought
crops, not only by bushels of corn, but  that this could not be a bad descripby barrels of clams. A thousand bar-  tion of the greater part of the Cape,
rels of clam-bait are counted as equal  There is a "beach" on the west side of
in value to six or eight thousand bush-  Eastham, which we crossed the next
els of Indian corn, and once they were  summer, half a mile wide, and stretchprocured without more labor or expense,  ing  across the township, containing
and the supply was thought to be inex-  seventeen hundred acres, on which there
haustible.  "For," says the history,  is not now a particle of vegetable mould,
"after a portion of the shore has been  though it formerly  produced  wheat.
dug over, and almost all the clams   All sands are here called "beaches,"




1855.]                          Cape Cod.                                61
whether they are waves of water, or of  be raised here, and it may be owing,
air that dash against them, since they   as others have suggested, to the amount
commonly have their origin on the   of moisture in the atmosphere, the
shore.                                 warmth of the sand, and the rareness
But, notwithstanding the real and ap-   of frosts. A miller, who was sharpparent barrenness, we were surprised   ening his stones, told me that, forty
to hear of the great crops of corn   years ago, he had been to a husking
which are still raised in Eastham.  Our  here, where five hundred bushels were
landlord in Orleans had told us that he   husked in one evening, and the corn
raised three or four hundred bushels of   was piled six feet high or more, in the
corn annually, and also of the great  midst, but now, fifteen or eighteen
number of pigs which he fattened. It  bushels to an acre were an average
was here that the Pilgrims, to quote  yield. I never saw fields of such puny
their own words, "bought eight or ten   and unpromising looking corn, as in
hogsheads of corn and beans," of the  this town.  Probably the inhabitants
Nanset Indians, in 1622, to keep them-   are contented with small crops from a
selves from  starving.  "In 1667 the   great surface easily cultivated.  It is
town [of Eastham,] voted that every   not always the most fertile land that is
housekeeper should kill twelve black-  the most profitable, and this sand may
birds, or three crows, which did great  repay cultivation, as well as the fertile
damage to the corn; and this vote was  bottoms of the West. It is said, morerepeated for many years."  In 1695,  over, that the vegetables raised in the
an additional order was passed, namely,  sand, without manure, are remarkably
that "every unmarried man in the town-  sweet, the pumpkins especially, though,
ship shall kill six blackbirds, or three   when their seed is planted in the intericrows, while he remains single; as a   or. they soon degenerate. I can testify
penalty for not doing it, shall not be  that the vegetables here, when they sucmarried until he obey this order."  The   ceed at all, look remarkably green and
blackbirds, however, still molest the corn.  healthy, though perhaps it is partly by
I saw them at it the next summer, and   contrast with the sand. Yet the inhabitthere were many scare-crows, if not  ants of the Cape towns, generally, do
scare-blackbirds, in the fields, which I  not raise their own meal or pork.
often mistook for men.  From which I   Their gardens are commonly little
concluded, that either many men were   patches, that have been redeemed from
not married, or many blackbirds were.  the edges of the marshes and swamps.
Yet they put but three or four kernels   All the morning we had heard the sea
in a hill, and let fewer plants remain  roar on the eastern shore, which was
than we do. In the account of Eastham   several miles distant; for it still felt the
in the "Historical Collections," printed   effects of the storm  in which the St.
in 1802, it is said that "more corn is  John was wrecked,-though a schoolproduced than thd inhabitants consume,  boy, whom we overtook, hardly knew
and above a thousand bushels are annu-  what we meant, his ears were So used
ally sent to market. The soil being free  to it. He would have more plainly
from stones, a plow passes through it  heard the same sound in a shell. It
speedily; and after the corn has come   was a very inspiriting sound to walk
up, a small Cape horse, somewhat larger  by, filling the whole air, that of the sea
than a goat, will, with the assistance of  dashing against the land, heard several
two boys, easily hoe three or four acres  miles inland. Instead of having a dog
in a day; several farmers are accustom-  to growl before your door, to have an
ed to produce five hundred bushels of   Atlantic Ocean to growl for a whole
grain annually, and not long since one   Cape! On the whole, we were glad of
raised eight hundred bushels on sixty  the storm, which would show us the
acres."  Similar accounts are given to-  ocean in its angriest mood.  We conday; indeed, the recent accounts are in  versed with the boy we have mentioned,
some instances suspectable repetitions   who might have been eight years old,
of the old, and I have no doubt that  making him walk, the while, under the
their statements are as often founded on  lee of our umbrella; for we thought it
the exception as the rule, and that by   as important to know what was life on
far the greater number of acres are as  the Cape to a boy as to a man. We
barren as they appear to be. It is suffi-  learned from him where the best grapes
ciently remarkable that any crops can   were to be found in that neighborhood.




62                              Cape Cod.                            [July,
He was carrying his dinner in a pail;  formation of equal interest-town hisand, without any impertinent questions  tories, which at length run into a history
being put by us, it did at length appear  of the church of that place, that being
of what it consisted. The homeliest  the only story they have to tell, and confacts are always the most acceptable to  clude by quoting the Latin epitaphs of
an inquiring mind. At length, before  the old pastors, having been written in
we got to Eastham meeting-house, we   the good  old days of Latin and of
left the road and struck  across the   Greek. They will go back to the ordicountry for the eastern shore, at Nanset  nation of every minister, and tell you
Lights-three lights close together, two   faithfully who made the introductory
or three miles distant from us. They   prayer, and who delivered the sermon;
were so many that they might be dis-  who made the ordaining prayer, and
tinguished from others; but this seemed   who gave the charge; who extended the
a shiftless and costly way of accom-  right hand of fellowship, and who proplishing that object. We found our-  nounced  the benediction; also how
selves at once on an apparently bound-  many ecclesiastical councils convened
less plain, without a tree or a fence, or,  from time to time to inquire into the
with one or two exceptions, a house in  orthodoxy of some minister, and the
sight. Instead of fences, the earth was  names of all who composed them. As
sometimes thrown up into a slight ridge.  it will take us an hour to get over this
My companion compared it to the rolling   plain, and there is no variety in the
prairies of Illinois. In the storm  of  prospect, peculiar as it is, I will read a
wind and rain, which raged when we  little in the history of Easthaml  the
traversed it, it no doubt appeared more   while.
vast and desolate than it really is. As  When the committee from Plymouth
there were no hills, but only here and   had purchased the territory of Easthalm
there a dry hollow in the midst of the   of the Indians, "it was demanded who
waste, and the distant horizon was con-  laid claim to Billingsgate?" which was
cealed by mist, we did not know whether  understood to be all that part of the
it was high or low. A solitary traveler,  Cape north of what they had purchased.
whom we saw perambulating in the dis-   "The answer was, there was not any
tance, loomed like a giant. He ap-  who owned it.'Then,' said the colmpeared to walk slouchingly, as if held   mittee,'that land is ours.' The Indians
up from  above by straps under his  answered, that it was."  This was a
shoulders, as much as supported by the   remarkable  assertion  and adlmission.
plain below. Men and boys would have   The Pilgrims appear to have regarded
appeared alike at a little distance, there  themselves as Not Any's representabeing no object by which to measure  tives. Perhaps this was the first inthem. Indeed, to an inlander, the Cape   stance of that quiet way of " speaking
landscape is a constant mirage. This  for" a place not yet occupied, or at
kind of country extended a mile or two   least not improved as much as it may
each way. These were the "Plains of  be, which their descendants have pracNanset," once covered with wood, where  ticed, and are still practicing so extenin winter the winds howl and the snow   sively. Not Any seems to have been
blows right merrily in the face of the  the sole proprietor of all America betraveler. I was glad to have got out of  fore the Yankees. But history says,
the towns, and my spirits rose in pro-  that when the Pilgrims had held the
portion to the outward dreariness.     lands of Billingsgate many years, at
As we thus skirted the back-side of  length " appeared an Indian, who styled
the town, for we did not enter any vil-  himself Lieutenant Anthony," who laid
lage till we got to Provincetown, we   claim to them, and of him they bought
read their histories under our umbrellas,  them. Who knows but a Lieutenant
rarely meeting anybody. The old ac-  Anthony may be knocking at the door
counts are the richest in topography,  of the White House some day?  At
which was what we wanted most; and,  any rate, I know that if you hold a
indeed, in most things else, for I find  thing unjustly, there will surely be the
that the readable parts of the modern   devil to pay at last.
accounts of these towns consist, in a    Thomas Prince, who was several times
great measure, of quotations, acknowl-  the governor of the Plymouth colony,
edged and unacknowledged, from the   was the leader of the settlement of Eastolder ones, without any additional in-  ham. There was recently standing, on




1855.]                           Cape Cod.                                  63
what was once his farm, in this town, a   cradle several of his last years.  That,
pear-tree which is said to have been   certainly, was not an Achillean life.
brought from  England, and  planted   His mother must have let him slip when
there by him, about two hundred years  she dipped him  into the liquor which
ago.  It was blown down a few months  was to make him invulnerable, and he
before we were there.  A late account  went in, heels and all.  Some of the
says that it was recently in a vigorous   stone-bounds to his farm, which he set
state; the fruit small, but excellent;  up, are standing to-day, with his initials
and it yielded on an average fifteen   cut in them.
bushels.  Some appropriate lines have     The ecclesiastical history of this town
been addressed to it, by a Mr. Heman  interested us somewhat.  It appears
Doane, from which I will quote, partly  that "they very early built a small
because they are the only specimen of   meeting-house, twenty feet square, with
Cape Cod verse which I remember to   a thatched roof through which they
have seen, and partly because they are   might fire their muskets"-of course, at
not bad.                                the devil.  "In 1662, the town agreed,
" Two hundred years have, on the wings of  that a part of every whale cast on shore
Time,                              be appropriated for the support of the
Passed, with their joys and woes, since   ministry."  No doubt, there seemed to
thou, Old Tree!                    be some propriety in thus leaving the
Put forth thy first leaves in this foreign   support of the ministers to Providence,
clime,                             whose servants they are, and who alone
Transplanted from the soil beyond the  rules the storms; for, when few whales
sea.                               were cast up, they might suspect that
*,, *,,        their worship was not acceptable. The
[These stars represent the more cleri-   ministers must have sat upon the cliffs
cal lines, and also those which have  in every storm, and watched the shore
deceased.]                              with anxiety.  And, for my part, if I
were a minister, I would rather trust to
" That exiled band long since have passed  the bowels of the billows, on the baclawVay,                             side of Cape Cod, to cast up a whale for
And still, Old Tree! thou standest in the   me, than to the generosity of many a
place                             me, than to the generosity of many a
place                              country parish that I know. You canWVhere Prince's hand did plant thee in his          country minister's salary,
day-                               not say of a country minister's salary,
day-.                            commonly, that it is " very like a whale."
An  undesigned memorial of t r his race  Nevertheless, the minister who depended
And time; of those our honor'd fathers,  on whales ast up must have had a tryon whales cast up must have had a tryThey came from Plymouth o'er and settled  to    e Falkla   Isles wither harpoon,
here;                              to the Falkland Isles with a harpoon,
~~~~here;  ~and done with it.  Think of a whale
Doane, Higgins, Snow, and other worthy   having the breath of life beaten out of
mnen,                              him by a storm, and dragging  in over
Whose names their sons remember to re-  him  by a storm, and dragging in over
the bars and guzzles, for the support of
*   *   *   *   *   *             the ministry! What a consolation it
"Old Time has thinned thy boughs, Old Pil-  must have been to him!  I hae heard
grim. Tree!                        of a minister, who had been a fisherman.
And bowed thee with the weight of many   being settled in Bridgewater for as long
years  a time as he could tell a cod from a
years;k.  Generous as it seems, this
Yet,'mid the frosts of age, thy bloom we   haddock    Generous as it seems, this
see,                               condition would empty most country
And yearly still thy mellow fruit appears."  pulpits forthwith, for it is long since the
fishers of men were fishermen. Also,
There are some other lines which I-  a duty was put on mackerel here to
might quote, if they were not tied to   support a free-school; in other words,
unworthy companions, by the rhyme.  the mackerel-school was taxed, in order
When one ox will lie down, the yoke   that the children's school might be free.
bears hard on him that stands up.        "In 1665, the Court passed a law to
One of the first settlers of Eastham   inflict corporal punishment on all perwas Deacon John Doane, who died in' sons, who resided in the towns of this
1707, aged one hundred and ten.  Tra-   government, who  denied  the  Scripdition says that he was rocked in a   tures."  Think of a man being whipped




64                               Cape Cod.                           [July
on a spring morning, till he was con-  vious summer for fear of introducing the
strained to confess that the Scriptures   cholera, and that they would have been
were true! "It was also voted by the   held earlier this summer, but the rye
town that all persons who should stand   was so backward that straw would not
out of the meeting-house during the   have been ready for them; for they lie
time of divine service, should be set in  in straw.  There are sometimes one
the stocks."  It behoved such a town   hundred and fifty ministers, and five
to see that sitting in the meeting-house  thousand  hearers, assembled.   The
was nothing akin to sitting in the stocks,  ground, which is called Millennium
lest the penalty of obedience to the law   Grove, is owned by a company in Bosmight be greater than that of disobe-  ton, and is the most suitable, or rather
dience. This was the Eastham famous  unsuitable, for this purpose, of any that
of late years for its camp-meetings, held   I saw on the Cape. It is fenced, and
m a grove near by, to which thousands  the frames of the tents are, at all
flock from all parts of the Bay. We  times, to be seen interspersed among
conjectured that the reason for the per-  the oaks. They have an oven and a
haps unusual, if not unhealthful devel-  pump, and keep all their kitchen utenopment of the religious sentiment here,  sils and tent coverings and furniture in
was the fact that a large portion of the   a permanent building on the spot. They
population are women whose husbands  select a time for their meetings when
and sons are either abroad on the sea,  the moon is full. A man is appointed
or else drowned, and there is nobody  to clear out the pump a week beforebut, they and the ministers left behind.  hand, while the ministers are clearing
The old account says that "hysteric  their throats; but, perhaps, the latter do
fits are very common in Orleans, East-  not always deliver as pure a stream as
ham, and the towns below, particularly  the former. I saw the heaps of clamon Sunday, in the times of divine ser-  shells left under the tables, where they
vice. When one woman is affected, five   had feasted in previous summers, and
or six other, generally sympathize with  supposed, of course, that that was the
her; and the congregation is thrown   work of the unconverted, or the backinto the utmost confusion.  Several old  sliders and scoffers. It looked as if a
men suppose, unphilosophically  and   camp-meeting must be a singular comuncharitably, perhaps, that the will is  bination  of a prayer-meeting and a
partly concerned, and that ridicule and   pic-nic.
threats would have a tendency to pre-    The first minister settled here was the
vent the evil."  How this is now we did   Rev. Samuel Treat, in 1672, a gentleman
not learn. We saw one singularly mas-  who is said to be " entitled to a disculine woman, however, in a house on  tinguished rank among the evangelists
this very plain, who did not look as if  of New England."  He converted many
she was ever troublcd with hysterics, or  Indians, as well as white men, in his
sympathized with those that were; or,  day, and translated the Confession of
perchance, life itself was to her a hys-   Faith into the Nanset language. These
teric fit-Nanset woman, of a hardness   were the Indians concerning whom their
and coarseness such as no man ever  first teacher, Richard Bourne, wrote to
possesses or suggests. It was enough   Gookin in 1674, that he had been to see
to see the vertebra and sinews of her   one who was sick, " and there came from
neck, and her set jaws of iron, which   him very savory and heavenly expreswould have bitten a board-nail in two   sions," but, with regard to the mass of
in their ordinary action-braced against  them, he says, " the truth is, that many
the world, talking like a man-of-war's-  of them are very loose in their course, to
man in petticoats, or as if shouting to   my heart-breaking sorrow."  Mr. Treat
you through a breaker; who looked as  is described as a Calvinist of the strictest
if it made her head ache to live; hard   kind, not one of those who, by giving
enough for any enormity.  I looked   up or explaining away, become like a
upon her as one who had committed in-  porcupine disarmed of its quills, but a
fanticide; who never had a brother, un-  consistent Calvinist, who can dart his
less it were some. wee thing that died in  quills to a distance and courageously
infancy-for, what need of him?-and   defend himself. There exists a volume
whose father must have died before she   of his sermons in manuscript, " which,"
was born. This woman told us that the  says a commentator, "' appear to have
camp-meetings were not held the pre-  been designed for publication."  Iquote




1855.]                              Cape Cod.                                   65
the following sentences at second hand,   for them by long and loud fits of laughfrom  a Discourse on Luke, xvi., 23,  ter."
addressed to sinners: —                      This was the man of whom  a well
known anecdote is told, which, doubt"Thou must ere long go to the bottomless  less  many  of my readers have heard
pit. Hell hath enlarged herself, and is ready   less, many of my readers have heard,
to receive thee. There is rooom enough for  but which, nevertheless, I will venture
thy entertainment;   "                    to quote.
"Consider, thou art going to a place pre-    "After his marriage with the daughter of
pared by God on purpose to exalt his justice   Mr. Willard (pastor of the South Church in
in; a place made for no other employment but  Boston), he was sometimes invited by that
torments. Hell is God's house of correction;   gentleman to preach in his pulpit. Mr. Wiland, remember, God doth all things like him-   lard possessed a graceful delivery, a masculine
self. When God would show his justice, and   and harmonious voice; and, though he did
what is the weight of his wrath, he makes a   not gain much reputation by his'Body of Di
hell where it shall, indeed, appear to purpose."   vinity,' which is frequently sneered at, particu
" Woe to thy soul when thou shalt be set up   larly by those who have read it, yet in his
as a butt for the arrows of the Almighty —-."   sermons are strength of thought, and energy
"Consider, God himself shall be the princi-  of language.  The natural consequence was
pal agent in thy misery,   his breath is the  that he was generally admired. Mr. Treat
bellows which blows up the flame of hell for  having preached one of his best discourses to
ever; —and, if he punish thee, if he meet thee  the congregation of his father-in-law, in his
in his fury, he will not meet thee as a man;   usual unhappy manner, excited universal dishe will give thee an omnipotent blow."    gust; and several nice judges waited on Mr.
"Some think sinning ends with this life;  Willard, and begged that Mr. Treat, who
but it is a mistake. The creature is held   was a worthy, pious man, it was true, but a
under an everlasting law; the damned in-   wretched preacher, might never be invited
crease in' sin in hell. Possibly, the mention   into his pulpit again. To this request Mr.
of this may please thee. But, remember, there   Willard made no reply; but he desired his
shall be no pleasant sins there; no eating,  son-in-law to lend him the discourse; which,
drinking, singing, dancing, wanton dalliance,  being left with him, he delivered it without
and drinking stolen waters; but damned sins,  alteration, to his people, a few weeks after.
bitter, hellish sins; sins exasperated by tor-  They ran to Mr. Willard and requested a copy
ments, cursing God, spite, rage, and blas-  for the press.' See the difference,' they cried,
phemy.-The guilt of all thy sins shall be laid'between yourself and your son-in-law; you
upon thy soul, and be made so many heaps of   have preached a sermon on the same text as
fuel."                                    Mr. Treat's, but whilst his was contemptible,
"Sinner, I beseech thee, realize the truth   yours is excellent.' As is observed in a note,
of these things. Do not go about to dream'Mr. Willard, after producing the sermon in
that this is derogatory to God's mercy, and   the handwriting of Mr. Treat, might have
nothing but a vain fable to scare children out   addressed these sage critics in the words of
of their wits withal. God can be merciful,  Phuedrus:though he make thee miserable. He shall'En hic declarat, quales ritis judices.'"
have monuments enough of that precious                               Lib. v., Fab. 5.
attribute, shining like stars in the place of                        Lib. v., Fab..
glory, and singing eternal hallelujahs to the  Mr. Treat died of a stroke of the
praise of him that redeemed them, though, to   palsy, just after the memorable storm
exalt the power of his justice, he damn sinners   known as the Great Snow, which left
heaps upon heaps."
"But," continues the same writer, "with  the ground around his house entirely
the advantage of proclaiming the doctrine of   bare, but heaped up the snow  in the
terror, which is naturally productive of a   road to an uncommon bight.  Through
sublime and impressive style of eloquence,  this an arched way was dug, by which
('Triumphat ventoso glorie curru orator, qui
pectus angit, irritat, et implet terroribus.' Vid.  the Indians bore his body to the grave.
Burnet, De Stat. Mort., p. 309,) he could not  The reader will imagine us, all the
attain the character of a popular preacher. His   while, steadily traversing that extensive
voice was so loud, that it could be heard at a   plain in a direction a little north of cast
great distance from the meeting-house, even
great distance from the mceting-houee, even  plain in a direction a little north of east
amidst the shrieks of hysterical women, and   toward Nanset Beach, and reading unthe winds that howled over the plains of   der our umbrellas as we sailed, while it
Nanset; but there was no more music in it,  blowed hard with mingled mist and rain,
than in the discordant sounds with which it
was mingled."                             as if we were approaching a fit anniversary of Mr. Treat's funeral.  We
"The effects of such preaching," it  fancied that it was such a moor as that
is said, " was that his hearers were   on which somebody perished in the
several times, in the course of his min-   snow, as is related in the " Lights and
istry, awakened and alarmed;" yet, we   Shadows of Scottish Life."
are assured that "his manners were           The next minister settled here, was
cheerful, his conversation pleasant, and   the "Rev. Samuel Osborn, who was
sometimes facetious, but always decent.   born in Ireland, and educated at the
He was fond of a stroke of humor and a   University of Dublin."  He is said to
practical joke, and manifested his relish   have beenVOL. VI.-5




66                                  Cape Cod.                               [July,
"' IA man of wisdom and virtue,' and taught  completely covers every dark spot in a field;
his people the use of peat, and the art of  his mind was as serene as the sky in a mild
drying and preparing it, which, as they had   evening in June, when the moon shines withscarcely any other fuel, was a great blessing   out a cloud. Name any virtue, and that virto them. He also introduced improvements  tue he practiced; name any vice, and that
in agriculture. But, notwithstanding his many   vice he shunned. But if peculiar qualities
services, as he embraced the religion of Ar-   marked his character, they were his humility,
minius, some of his dock became dissatisfied.   his gentleness, and his love of God. The
At length, an ecclesiastical council, consisting   people had long been taught by a son of
of ten ministers,; with their churches, sat upon   thunder: [Mr. Ireat,] in him they were inhim, and they, naturally enough, spoiled his  structed by a son of consolation, who sweetly
usefulhess.  The council convened at the   allured them to virtue by soft persuasion, and
desire of two divine philosophers, Joseph   by exhibiting the mercy of the Supreme
Doane and Nathaniel Freeman. In their re-   Being; for his thoughts were so much in
port they say,'it appears to the council that  heaven, that they seldom descended to the
the Rev. Mr. Osborn hath, in his preaching to   dismal regions below; and though of the
this people, said, that what Christ did and   same religious sentiments as Mr. Treat, yet
suffered, doth nothing abate or diminish our   his attention was turned to those glad tidings
obligation to obey the law of God, and that   of great joy, which a Savior came to publish."
Christ's suffering and obedience were for himself; both parts of which, we think, contain  We were interested to hear that such
dangerous error.'                         a man had trodden the plains of Nanset.
"Also-' It hath been said, and doth appear
to this council, that the Rev. Mr. Osborn, both  Turning over further in our book, our
in public and private, asserted that there are   eyes fell on the name of the Rev.
no promises in the Bible but what are condi-  Jonathan Boscom, of Orleans: " Senex
tional, which we think, also, to be an error,tus, et auct
and do say that there are promises which are
absolute and without any conditions,-such   gantium  verborum, facetus, et dulcis
as the promise of a new heart, and that he will  festique sermonis."   And, again, on
write his law in our hearts.'             that of the Rev. Nathan  Stone, of
"Also, they say,'it hath.been alleged, and   Dennis:   Vir humilis, mitis, blandus,
doth appear to us, that Mr. Osborn hath declared, that obedience is a considerable cause   advenarum  hospes;  [there was need
of a person's justification, which, we think,   of him there]; suis commodis in terra
contains very dangerous error."'          non  studens, reconditis thesauris in
And many the like distinctions they   ccelo."  An easy virtue that, there, for,
made, such as some of my readers,   methinks, no inhabitant of Dennis could
probably, are more familiar with than I   be very studious about his earthly comam.  So, far in the East, among the   modity, but must regard the bulk of his
Yezidis, or Worshipers of the Devil,  treasures as in heaven. But, probably,
so-called, the Chaldeans and others,  the most just and pertinent character
according to the testimony of travelers,   of all, is that which appears to be given
you may still hear these remarkable  to the Rev. Ephraim  Briggs, of Chatdisputations on doctrinal points going   ham, in  the  language  of the  later
on.   Osborn  was, accordingly,  dis-   Romans:  "Seip,  sepoese, sepoemese,
missed, and he removed  to  Boston,   wechekum —" which, not being interwhere he kept school for many years.   preted, we know  not what it means,
But he was fully justified, methinks, by   though we have no doubt it occurs,
his works in the peat meadow; one   *            may-be, in the Apostle Elliot's
proof of which is, that he lived to be   Epistle to the Nipmucks.
between ninety and one hundred years         Let no one think that I do not love
old.                                      the old ministers.  They were, probaThe next minister was the Rev. Ben-   bly, the best men of their generation,
jamin Webb, of whom, though a neigh-   and they deserve that their biographies
boring clergyman pronounced him " the   should fill the pages of the town histobest man and the best minister whom    ries.  If I could but hear the "glad
he ever knew," yet the historian says,  tidings" of which they tell. and which,
that-                                     perchance, they heard, I might write in
"As he spent his days in the uniform dis-  a worthier strain than this.
chai ge of his duty, [it reminds one of a country  There was no better way to make
muster,] and there were no shades to give   the reader realize how wide and peculiar
relief to his character, not much can be said  that plain was, and how long it took to
of him. [Pity the devil did not plant a few
shade trees along his avenues.] His heart  traverse it, than by inserting these long
was as pure as the new-fallen snow, which   extracts in the midst of my narrative.




1855.]                                                                  67
AUSTRALIANA.
THE CAMPBELL TOWN ELECTION.
[Continued from page 607.]
THE Griffins were the first to arrive in    In the rear of the column rode the
town. As the head of the column   candidate himself, Mr. Ethelwood Grifbroke in sight, the widow Kearney threw   fin. He was well mounted. His horse,
open one of her front bed-room win-  a beautiful iron gray, showed off to the
dows, looked out, waved her'kerchief,  sprightliest advantage. The bridle, headand with redundant smiles sent forth a  gear, saddle-cloth - everything was
thousand welcomes to the friends of  perfect. The young candidate rode
Peace and Order. The head waiter  superbly.  Born in Tasmania, he had
waved the flag. The cook and chamber-  been cradled in the saddle. His face
maids, the stable-boys and book-keep-  and figure were picturesque.  Dark
er buzzed and swarmed at the door.  brown eyes, lips and nose finely cut,
The sons and daughters of the plump   broad shoulders, heavy beard and flowCornelia (the oldest not six years old)  ing hair, deep chest, small round hands,
exhibited themselves effectively at vari-  staunch thighs, and (what the widow
ous points, within and without the   herself pronounced to be) the "beautihouse.                                fulest foot."  Ethelwood Griffin was,
Clipper, the tomb-stone cutter, huz-  every  inch, a winning, handsome,
zaed for the widow. Carter, the Laun-  noble  fellow.  Generous  almost to
ceston carrier, called for three cheers  recklessness; faithful, frank, couragemore. The Chaplain became spasmo-  ous; deserting nothing, denying nodie with enthusiasm, whilst the Medical  thing, fearing nothing; nothing that his
Superintendent nearly broke his neck  large heart bid him cling to, confess, or
with a bow. Mrs. Kearney never saw   dare-no one, socially, was more besuch a beautiful sight before. Prosper-  loved than he. He fell ill of fever one
ous, her impoverished birth-place, in  day. The news flew quick and wide.
its palmiest days, (not even when the   For miles and miles around, one might
great Daniel O'Connell passed through   have felt the deep vibration, the pulsathere from Tullamore) ever turned out  ting, throbbing sorrow, which the news
so well.  Oh, if James Kearney had   awoke.
only lived to see it!                   The rich, the poor, the rude, the
The widow's heart sunk within her.  gentle, the young, the old-aye! the
But the sight of the sub-district con-  wildest scamps that scoured the country
stable-a middle-aged bachelor in new   in search of quail or kangaroo, and kept
boots and prime condition-mounted on  the inns in uproar, on the high-road and
a fat black horse, suddenly revived her.  in the Bush, the whole year roundHe lifted his hat to Mirs. Kearney, and,  they whom people (experienced people,
so doing, bobbed against the neck of his  religious people) might have said had
horse, leaving a considerable portion of  no thought, no sensibility, no sense of
the rear of the saddle exposed. Mrs.  duty, not the  smallest!-they, too,
Kearney kissed hand, doubled up her  came flocking in from every quarter, in
kerchief, and pressed it to her eyes.  every sort of costume, in every kind of
Did the thought strike the widow Kear-  vehicle, and some on foot, to know how
ney, that Giles, the sub-district consta-  Ethelwood was getting on.
ble, might one day (and that not far    Ah! it is well that heavy visitations
distant) lead her to the stone of sacri-  come upon us sometimes; that we are
fice?  She would have denied it proud-  struck down in our exulting strength,
ly. Giles, indeed! A Welchman! A   and laid helpless on our bed; for at such
foreigner! An Irish widow marry out  moments do we awake to the consoling
of her own kin and country! The world  knowledge that Heaven keeps around
wasn't at an end yet, said Mrs. Kear-  us friends we little dream of; friends
ney. For all that, six months after,  who, from various pursuits and scenes,
there was no longer a Mrs. Kearney in  from lonely or from populous places,
Campbell Town. When strangers en-  come together at one stroke of nature,
quired for that name, they were asked   and throw light upon our darkened
"if it wasn't Mirs. Giles they meant?"   couch; friends who, despite of all the




68                            Australiana.                         [July,
gaiety they dance or dash through, all  into the contest for it much  sound
the flattery they drink in, all the frivoli-  knowledge, a clear, quick brain, a fluent
ty, dissipation, and debauch they flit  tongue and aresolute, high-toned nature.
or reel through, still retain the diviner    He was on the wrong side, however.
impulses that conduct them, through all  Public opinion emphatically declared he
the forms of sin and death, to pious  was. The public press, with one excepduties and inspiring visions.        tion, resisted his claims, and assailed
Ethelwood's education had not been  him fiercely. Generous, honest, courageof a very brilliant order. University  ous fellows frequently commit this same
men would have said so. Literary peo-  mistake. They very often appear on
ple, generally speaking, would have  the wrong side. The very weakness of
been of the same opinion. Ho knew   it, the discredit which attaches to it, the
nothing of the classics. He never had   opprobrium which threatens those who
to sit down in a sepulchral study-room,  stand up for it-all invest it with a fasbefore a grim oak desk, mutilated with  cination which excites the devotion
the hieroglyphics of five or six mischiev-  and sympathy of the chivalrous. No
ous generations, and worry his brain  one said that Ethelwood Griffin took
with the fables of Phbedrus or the legends  the side he did from unworthy motives.
of Lucian; never had to prepare two   No one charged him with mercenary
hundred lines of a Georgic by ten o'clock   desires, for he was rich whilst he was
of a winter's morning, with his chilblains  generous. No one charged him with
burning, and the fear of man and all the   being a candidate for the compliments
immortal godstbefore him; never work-  and favors of the government folk;
ed himself into a frenzy with a Philippic,  for his social position left all such poor
or stumbled to the ludicrous with Lon-  temptations far below him-whilst his
ginus on the Sublime.  Horace was  own proud nature, had they been inviGreek to him, and Ovid as unfamiliar as  tingly -displayed, would have trampled
the Euxine. But he had Lempriere's  them in the dust.
dictionary, and Maria Hack's stories of    The other side had, far away, the best
the Hellenic Confraternities. He had   of it. It was cheerful, beautiful, and
a popular translation of Livy in his  bright with the budding hopes of a fubook-case, and the luminous pages of  ture already dawning, in which the
Gibbon completed his knowledge of the   young colony would rise above the imCcsars.                             purities and malediction of its childIt was the same way with the sciences   hood, and, in a purer atmosphere, on a
as they have been taught during many  loftier level, efface the features with
dusky centuries in the sombre colleges  which, in its cradle, by a malignant
of Europe. He knew nothing of them.  magic, it had been cursed. All that
But, in a plain, cheap way, he had been  was good, hopeful, generous, pious,
taught to be a man-an  intelligent,  manful; all that was noble in thought,
useful, active, eloquent, strong man.  impulse, prayer and purpose; all were
He knew enough of kings and dema-  with the cause of which, this day, the
gogues, quacks and statesmen, creeds  Blue Cockade had been chosen as the
and commerce; knew  enough of the  symbol. The other side attracted to it
progress and decline of nations, the   all the noisy flies and greedy vermin,
politics of latter times, the history of the  all the tame snakes and silken spaniels,
great old monarchy that had planted the  that had birth, congenial refuse, food,
colony which he loved, and had the  warmth and caresses, within the drawearnest will to serve; knew enough of  ing-rooms, waiting-rooms, out-offices
the statistics, industrial and otherwise,  and sculleries of the Colonial Courtof this same little colony; knew enough  the Petit Trianon-the paltry lodgingabout her young and growing interests,  house of a green-room king.
and had mastered a sufficiently accurate    In their progress through the town,
and forcible diction to convey his views  the Griffins were variously received.
upon all these matters tellingly to his  Mrs. Kearney kissed hands to them, and
hearers; and thus, though but slightly   waved her snowy'kerchief. This we
qualified for a grand debate in West-  have already seen. But Hodgens, the
minster, or an elegant gossip at Qore  butcher, who had figured in the famous
House, or a morning with Lady Mor-'Bristol Riots, and had largely partaken
gan, he was fully equal to the position   of the chief magistrate's port wine,
he now strove to occupy, and brought  whilst that venerable city was in flames,




1855.]                       Australiana.                            69
shook his cleaver in defiance at them;  seemed irrevocably turned. A martyr
pointing, at the same time, to a fat  to the gout, he wore yellow worsted
wether, recently slaughtered, as indi-  slippers, and rested on a thick, heavy,
cative of the destiny which, in his opi-  knotted brown stick, round which a
nion, so sheepish a mob incontestibly  flabby snake had been carved. The
deserved.                            smoke from his pipe rose up in clouds,
Hodgens was a Chartist. He was a  softly curled, glided, and lingered about
rude, blunt, boisterous man; but honest,  his hat.  Having the good luck to be
intelligent, and generous. His hatred  the owner of the house at the door of
of the English aristocracy was intense.  which he stood, he was a man of subHe would have fallen on them with the  stance in the village. He was corpulent
vengeance of a Couthon. Warwick cas-  besides; and this, added to the fluency
ties and Woburn abbeys, Elizabethan  of his speech and. the vigor of his
halls and Norman keeps, would have  voice, rendered him  an oracle with
speedily disappeared in the red tempest  his customers.
of his torch. Not a pillar, not a porch,    Over the doorway was a large square
not a tomb-stone  with a scrap of  lamp. It was painted green, and bore
heraldry upon it, would he have spared.  an imperial tin crown, as yellow and
Trees that had been planted long before  ponderous as a sun-flower.  Various
the rival White and Red roses bloomed,  inscriptions were legible on the glass.
and were sacred to the children of the   They contained a synopsis of the reknights of Poictiers and Agincoult, he  sources of the house. The passer-by
would have dealt with as the fig-  learned from them that gin and chops,
tree of the Gospel. Their very roots  tobacco and beef-steaks, brandy and
would have been reduced by him to  soap, nutmegs and nails, pickled salmon
charcoal. With their ashes he would  and Panama hats, were supplied within
have marked the pale forehead of the   on liberal terms by Isaac Napoleon
nobility, and have dismissed the sinner  Dodd.  A signboard over the lamp
out upon the world to do penance, in  represented the great Corsican, on a
poverty and hard labor, for the iniquity  powerful bay horse, clearing the Alps
of his birth. Out from the huge facto-  at a bound. The house was called the
ries; up from  the mysterious mines,  Bridge of Lodi, and Isaac Napoleon
where generations had gnawed their way   Dodd had a hay-stack, three quarters
like worms, and had toiled, and writhed,  of an acre of sand and bulrushes, a
and died without knowing there were  flock of geese and dog-kennel, a mile
flowers, and streams, and stars, and  outside the town-all which came under
sunshine overhead; down from the gar-  the denomination of Fontainebleau.
rets, where the spider had been their    The historic partialities of Mr. Dodd
silent companion for years of labor and   were manifest. He worshiped the medesolation, and through the damp and   mory of the first Napoleon. Could he
darkness of which, beautiful and strong   have sung like the blind balladist of
thoughts had sometimes gone forth,  Scio, the victories of the Consulate and
winged and armed like warrior angels,  Empire would have been celebrated in
to disturb the dull reign of falsehood   an epic not less majestic than the Iliad.
and servility; from  all these places  As it was, he named his children in
he would  have  summoned a new   commemoration of the famous fields of
nation into power. Men of less truth,  Germany and Italy, over which the
less courage, less heart and -thought,  eagles of the Clhamp de Mars had
have had their triumphal cars, their  winged their boldest flights. Thus it
crowns of laurel, statues in cathedral  was set down in the baptismal register
and pantheon, public obsequies and   of the parish of Campbell Town, that
sumptuous catafalques decreed them.    on such and such a day, in such and
At the door of a public-house stood  such a year, Friedland Dodd had been
an old man of the name of Dodd-   born, and Arcole Dodd had been born,
Isaac Napoleon Dodd. He was stone  and Westphalia Dodd had been born.
blind. Dressed all in white, with a  When his youngest daughter, his last
long white pipe in his mouth, he was a  child, was born, the pious father had
remarkable figure in the panorama of  her christened, amid the loudest cackthis memorable contest. He wore no  ling of the geese at Fohtainebleau, as
spectacles. The blank eyeballs glis-  Maria Louisa St. Helena Dodd. All
tened in the sun, towards which they   public events and questions were viewed




70                             Australiana.                       [July,
by him as having reference, immediate  reminiscences, until his voice, in a gasp,
or remote, to the glory of the name  broke down; and swung his hat until
which with such pertinacity he had  he swung it in his delirium from him;
inseparably interwoven with that of  and flourished his stick, and stamped a
Dodd. Somehow or other he came to  muffled peal) with his slippers on the
the conclusion, that, in this contest  door-step, until he fell back exhausted
between Wagstaff and  Griffin, the  into his high-backed arm-chair, which,
Napoleonic  interest was at stake;  with a delicate providence, had been
and, by a process of reasoning equally  placed by Josephine Beauharnais Dodd
as intelligible, he'determined to throw  in close proximity behind him. During
himself, heart and soul, into the ranks  all which performance, Wagram beat
of the latter gentleman; convinced that,  the drum on both sides, drowning the
by so doing, he w6uld best evince his  shouts of the multitude, and driving the
fidelity to the deceased Napoleon.   horses in the gay procession to despera"Are they coming?" he asked, with  tion. During all this performance, too,
his eyeballs fixed in the direction of  Mr. Griffin stood erect in the carthe sun.                             riage, took off his hat, bowed to Dodd
"They're coming," shouted a score  (bowed over and over again, to Dodd),
of voices.                           pressed his hand to his heart, swept his
" Wagram," said he to his eldest son,  hat through the stormy air in a final
"beat the drum."                     burst of gratitude, and then fell back (he
The boy brought out the drum, slung  couldn't help it, for the horses had bethe broad leather strap over his neck  come unmanageable) into his seat once
and under the left arm, and flourished  more.
the drum-sticks about his head-        It was some time before the worshiper
"Here's Wilkins, the lame Chaplain,"  of the Sun of Austerlitz revived. When
shouted the crowd about the Bridge of  he came to life, he called for a fresh
Lodi.                                pipe and a glass of his favorite gin.
" Three cheers for Wilkins! and three  The latter being handed him, calling
cheers for Marshal Soult!" cried Isaac  for silence, he proposed a sentimentDodd,'waving his white hat, and sending   "Victory to Griffin, and success to Fonup a pillar of smoke as hethrew down  tainebleau!"
his pipe.                              The drum, the crowd, the candidate,
"And here's the Doctor in his gig,"  the horses-all tumultuously replied,
exclaimed the drummer.               and, in a whirlwind of enthusiasm, swept
" Three cheers for him!" cried Dodd,  on. Mr. Dodd collapsed into his caneand he waved his white hat again.    bottomed chair, and, with his hazy eyes
"And here's old Clipper and his  still fixed intently on the sun, drank in
wife!"                              the cheers and tumult of the departing
" Hurrah for Lannes and Davoust!"  crowd.
cried Dodd.                            Arrived at the Rainbow, the Griffins
"And here's Mr. Griffin himself,"  halted; and, breaking line (if they ever
shouted the friends of the blind man, as  kept it), threw themselves in shapeless
they rushed past him, towards the car-  mass against the platform, on which,
riage of the young candidate, and lost  agreeable to the wording of his Excelthemselves in the throng which beat  lency's proclamation, the nomination
around it and behind it, enveloping it in  was to take place. Up from this underdust, and shaking it to pieces.      growth of heads and arms and legs,
"Beat the drum, my boy!" cried  through which, in various shapes, the
Dodd, waving his hat with redoubled  gaudy colors of their leaders shone like
energy; flourishing his big stick, and   wild flowers, the banners of young
joining in the uproar with lungs and  Ethelwood waved and danced, swung
limbs, until the buttons of his waistcoat  languidly or violently, to and fro in the
and the vacant eyeballs seemed to  dusty sunshine.
start. "Beat the drum, my son!" he    The Police Magistrate, Josiah Thomas
cried;'.beat' The Caliph of Bagdad!'  Briggs, Esq., staid his impatient step,
beat' The Conquering Hero Comes!'  and jerking up his shirt-collar to the last
Hurra for Bernadotte! hurrah for Gene-  extremity, performed a pirouette upon
ral Rapp! hurrah for Murat and the  his boot-heel, and then came down on
Pyramids!"                          both soles firmly, boldly facing the auIsaac Napoleon Dodd shouted his  dience in the parquette before him.




1855.]                      Australiana.                             71
The consciousness of the greatness of  the Medical Superintendent and the Pohis position threatened at the moment  lice Magistrate; between the Chaplain
to turn to apoplexy. His face inflamed,  and Englebert, the landlord of the
the brass buttons of his claret-colored  Rainbow; between the Baptist preacher
dress-coat broke into symptoms of in-  and Mr. Clipper (the tomb-stone cutter),
stant dissolution. The audience cheer-  concerning a piece of melancholy art,
ed him; some being under the impres-  on which the chisel of the latter gentlesion he was already committed to their  man had been for some time (during
views; others, not quite so convinced  lucid intervals) engaged;* some more
of this, believing it would be easy to  shouting and waving of hats and bansecure him by an early manifestation of  ners; a great deal of smoking, and
regard.                              copious refreshment of another kind;
The disabled Chaplain was the first to  and then came the pioneers of the
mount the platform: he did so very un-  Wagstaff procession.
gracefully (that leg of his was always    James McGuillicuddy was one of
in the way), and with considerable pal-  them.  Billy Bolton, the rich farmer
pitation of the heart. The condemned  from Jacob's Sugar Loaf, was another.
foreigner from Ceylon assisted him with   Old Tucker, the blacksmith, was the
his arm. The tomb-stone cutter en-  third.  McGuillicuddy rode  several
couraged him  with patriotic adjura-  paces in advance; and, as he danced
tions. Having accomplished the ascent,  up the street with his noble Garibaldi,
soothed his forehead with his spotless  flourishing his hat and cheering on the
cambric, let out a reef or two of his  column, even Mrs. Kearney, though
shirt and waistcoat, and, with a solemn  inveterately opposed to Wagstaff and
pause, quieted the palpitation with  all who backed him, couldn't but admire
which he was afflicted, the Rev. Mr.  her countryman.
Wilkins advanced towards Mr. Briggs,    "More power to you, Doctor!" she
and, lifting his hat, did homage to that  exclaimed; "but't isn't there you ought
gentleman. Mr. Briggs stiffened him-  to be."
self, buttoned his coat a button tighter,    The Doctor flourished his hat (everytightened the proclamation under his  body was flourishing his hat to-day),
arm, and, jerking out the right boot,  laughed, cheered, hurraed.  Garibaldi
returned the salute with inflexible pre-  may be said to have done the same.
cision. The multitude cheered again.  The widow became excited, forgot her
The banners shook-Isaac Dodd's big  principles, forgot herself, and loudly
drum announced another epoch in the  invoked the blessing of Heaven on the
struggle.                            Doctor.  At this crisis, Mr. Hodgens
Next came the Medical Superin-  joined the procession.
tendent. Not a smile, not a motion of    How magnificently they moved up
the lips-not a motion of the eyes. As  the street to the place of nomination!
though he had been starched all over,  With what thrilling effect the Brothers
dried, crimped, ironed out, from  the  of St. Cecilia gave forth their notes of
boot-heel to the hat-band, he walked up  triumph!  How  dazzlingly the blue
the steps. A sneeze would have broken  banners waved! How deafeningly the
him in two. He saluted the Magis-  cheers for Wagstaff and the freedom
trate as he would salute a statue. The  of Tasmania pealed along the line
Magistrate saluted him with equal pro-  With what exuberant courtesy and
priety. But the one was flushed-the  sweetness young Wagstaff bowed, flatother frozen.  It was Bagstock and  tened his hand to his heart, and exDombey. The notables of Leamington  pressed himself deeply overcome! How
had removed to the Pacific. The spec-  Isaac Napoleon Dodd groaned as the
tators were at a loss whether to cheer  procession swept by the Bridge of
or not, but thought it as well to do  Lodi!  How radiantly the ladies in the
so. They had, for the moment, nothing   church-yard (all the mothers and daughelse to do, so they cheered. The Medi-  ters of Tasmania were in favor of the
cal Superintendent frowned-the Magis-  League) smiled, blushed, throbbed, ejactrate looked grand. The big drum of  ulated, as the formidable column halted
Wagram completed the effect.         before the Rainbow-it is unnecessary
A few minutes' conversation between  to say
* 3r. Clipper had a tender soul, and poured constant libations to the dead.




72                            Australiana.                         [July,
At the moment the hostile forces met,  open in full force that day on the enethere was a slight disturbance. It was  mies of his Queen.
inevitable. A dozen blows were rapidly  "They shall have it-the rebels!exchanged. Here and there, a hat was  they shall have it," he cadaverously
bruised. Here and there, a sash was  swore, as he finished the lemonade, and
torn. Here and there. a flag-staff was  shut up the Report with a blow of his
savagely grasped and broken.  Mr.  sinewy clenched hand upon the volume.
Hodgens threatened the Episcopalian    He left the parlor and came upon the
minister.  The minister, with his fat  platform the precise moment the prehand, waved an anathema on the butcher.  siding officer, Josiah Thomas Briggs,
Mrs. Cecilia Bunn upbraided the Medi-  Esq., had ventured to open the procal Superintendent. There were groans  ceedings. The tumult was not altofor Griffin; there were groans for Wag-  gether hushed. But it had been to some
staff. Cheers and counter-cheers, in-  extent appeased.  The most athletic
describable excitement, and confusion  rioters gradually grew exhausted. The
all round. The Baptist preacher ex-  pianissimo passage of the overture was
tended his hands, and, with a long  now about being played.  The Police
neck, implored the spirit of peace and  Magistrate thought he had a favorable
good-will amongst men. The Chief  chance. Buttoning his coat to the throat
Constable felt disposed for a naiscella-  — he did it easily, the buttons were faneous arrest.  Under the impulse, he  miliar with the business-pulling up his
buttoned his coat and turned up his  shirt-collar, which had completely lost
wrist-bands.  The Magistrate became  its stiffness from the frequency of the
convulsed; the blood rushed from his  operation, tightening his hat upon his
socks to his wig, and there permanently  head, a little on one side, opening out
settled. The windows of the Rainbow,  his port-folio, clearing his voice and
overlooking the platform and the com-  twitching the side.curls of his wig, he
batants, were occupied by the ladies of  began to read the proclamation authorthe house, and numerous acquaintances,  izing the election.
in bonnets, from abroad. The uproar    "Read louder," shouted the Blackseemed  to exhilarate theml greatly.  smith.
They laughed immoderately, occasion-    "Peace be with you," interposed the
ally interspersing the merriment with   Baptist preacher.
an improvident scream.  The candi-    "Remember Austerlitz!" cried Dodd,
dates, all the while, stood composedly   who had just come upon the platform,
at a short distance from each other;  supported by Arcole and St. Helena.
Ethelwood Griffin, with a quiet good-    The Magistrate resumed. With conhumor, noting down the sayings and  siderable difficulty he got through readincidents of the scene; Mlarmaduke  ing the proclamation, and, having exhortWagstaff, with folded arms, biting his  ed the candidates and their respective
lips, looking stern and invincible. The  friends to conduct themselves with depicture cannot be more  effectively  corum, retired to the back of the platdescribed. The reporter of the Laun-  form, where a pine-wood bench had been
ceston Wallaby gave it up in de-  placed by the Chief Constable, for the
spair.                               convenience of his worship. And now
What was the McGuillicuddy doing   commenced the fight in good earnest.
all this time? Where was the gallant,  Heretofore there had been skirmishing,
sporting, fiery, rollicking old Celt?  and on the whole a desultory conflict.
In the stable, loosing the girths of  But now the combatants stood face to
Garibaldi, hunting out a feed of oats for  face, closed up together; and delivered
him, shaking down some fresh hay-in  their fire at the shortest range.
every possible way insuring the comfort    Benjamin Thorne, Esq., of Hawthorne
of his restless, black favorite.     Lodge, came forward to propose a fit
Where was the Medical Superintend-  and proper person to represent the inent?                                 fluential district of Campbell Town in
In a private parlor of the Rainbow,  the Legislative Assembly of the colony.
sitting at a small table, with a govern-  He was an old manl-genteel, inarment Report, and a glass of thin lemon-  ticulate, and imbecile. Forty years ago
ade before him. The inexorable'Wood-  a merchant in Hamburg, he had seen
house! He was driving home the last  something of the world-had supped,
charge in the battery he had vowed to  by-the-by, with Dumouriez and Napper




1855.]                        Australiana.                           73
Tandy-and in the wild wastes and  falsehoods, the severities or frauds they
rude society of Van Diemen's Land had  have been guilty of, meet, in a rude way,
scrupulously preserved the urbanity  their just rebuke.  Benjamin Thorne
which his early intercourse with gen-  found this to be the case to his utter
teel society had enabled him to culti-  consternation, shame, and torture.
vate. But he had little beyond his ur-    He came forward to propose Marmnabanity to recommend him. A book-case  duke Wagstaff, Esq., as a fit and proper
may be very polished and quite empty.  person to represent the district of CampBenjamin Thorne was very polished and  bell Town. His bald head was greeted
highly-finished. But Benjamin Thorne  with cheers and groans, as it glistened
had nothing in him. A surly master,  on the margin of the platform. The
an avaricious man, a grim father, his  cheers were sickly. The groans were
dealings with his servants, the world,  vigorous. He put on his spectaclesand his family, were harsh, mean, and  they were rimmed withgold and lozengeheartless. But from the stranger-from   shaped-and drew forth a manuscript
the casual visitor to his house-his ur-  from the breast-pocket of his coat. The
banity concealed everything-concealed  groans revived and multiplied.
the worst. A satin cloak, edged with   "Gentlemen," said Mr. Thorne.
the softest ermine —it surely was-which  " You ain't no gentleman," cried an
hid the thongs, the iron clasps, the   enemy in the crowd.
sponge dipped in gall, he had ever    "I have attended here," continued
ready for his household and dependents.  Mr. Thorne.
He had married three times. His third    "Go home, then," the enemy conwife was living, and in her young arms  tinned.
he was a babbling and inconvenient    "The fabric of our glorious constituchild.  A magistrate, however, the  tion," the urbane old gentleman went
owner of thirty thousand sheep, an old  on to say.
settler in the colony-one of the very  " Shut up!" shouted his indefatigable
oldest-he was a man of decided note.  persecutor.
His velvet-cushioned pew in the parish  "If there's one thing dearer to my
church, his carriage with its silver  heart than another," the venerable sinmountings, his coachman with his drab   ner pathetically observed.
box-coat and three capes, and the foot-    "It aint your wife," roared the
man with his lean calves sheathed in silk,  anonymous assailant.
established his respectability and weight.    "It is the freedom," continued the
Moreover, like old Wagstaff of Mona  speaker, "of this my adopted counVale, he gave great dinners; and when  try."
he went to Hobart Town, to ship his    Loud cheers burst forth, loud groans
wool for Liverpool, he played whist and  -intense hisses-cries of " go home,"
supped at the Union Club, and so no-'"don't give kangaroo any more to
boqy denied the purity of his blood.  your men," "pay them their wages,"
But for all such men, a day  of  and many other delicate injunctions of
reckoning is sure to come. Within  the kind. Mr. Thorne was unable to
their households they are safe. Their  proceed further. HIe put on his hat,
infirmities, insincerities, and tyrannies,  pocketed his manuscript, and retired,
encounter there no criticism.  The  with the most dismal sensations, to the
very impunity, however, they have  rear of the platform.  Had he been
reveled in at home, is but a snare which  dragged through the Macquarie river
lures them to their proper chastisement.  and drenched to the bone, he could not
Safe at home-safe and triumphant for  have been more thoroughly depressed.
many years at home-ignorant that the   Captain Skelton, of Skelton Castleworld outside has been taking notes re-  the Castle was a portentous barn, byspecting them, and that-as though  the-by —seconded the nomination of
there had been no walls to screen them   Marmaduke Wagstaff.  A  sailor for
— their misdemeanors have been all the  five and thirty years, the gallant capwhile the gossip of the bar-room, the  tain was limited in his diction. He was
market-stall, the public offices, the high-  no orator. He bluntly confessed it.
way, the gambling den and stable-yard;  On the quarter-deck, in a gale, he was
they obey their vanity and appear in  thoroughly at home. On a stone platpublic. Here the secrets of the house-  form, defining his position, he was an
hold come to light-here the follies, the  harpooned porpoise in the chains of the




74                            Australiana.                           [July,
forecastle. Now, he said his brief word  it in ribbons to the audience.  "Who
and was silent.                       was Griffin?" he would as>. "Privately,
The melancholy stilness produced   a moral, amiable, devout young man.
by the severe appearance of the gal-  Publicly, an advocate of abominations
lant Captain, was followed, when he   and a champion of dishonor. [Cheers
put on his hat and fell back, by a vigor-  and uproar.] An Adonis by the fireside,
ous outburst of feeling, partly jovial,  he was little better than a Caligula in
partly recriminatory, in both phases  the forum. [Immense applause.] Most
absolutely lawless, which neither the   of them had read Virgil. [Cheers.] In
presiding officer, Jonathan Briggs, Esq.,  that celebrated book there was a king,
nor the Chief Constable, old Simeon   Mezentius, mentionedGrabb, an insolvent truss-maker, late of    " Three cheers for Murat and MarenLondon; nor the Baptist preacher, one  go!" shouted Dodd.
Caleb Whitehead, formerly a sausage     "Mezentius had lashed," the doctor
manufacturer in the suburbs of Not-  continued, "living  bodies  to  dead
tingham; nor Hodgens, the Herculean   ones. The British government did the
butcher; nor Mrs. Cecilia Bunn, with  same. Tasmania was a beautiful, fullher brown cotton umbrella and mission-  grown child. Convictism was a corpse.
ary labors; nor the post-master from   The Government had bound the two
Ross, with his formidable eyebrows;  together."  [Immense applause  and
nor the proprietor of the Scotch Thistle  hisses.]  The doctor said he would say
himself, with all his popularity-and it  no more.  The cause was safe.  It
was great, for he had a multitude of  would equally defy the seductions of
debtors, and he was liberal and patient  the Treasury and the terrors of the
to excess; nor the Rev. Mr. Wilkins,  Tower. [Renewed applause.]  It was
with his inflated waistcoat and volumi-  thecause of freedom, of innocence, of
nous white cravat; nor Mr. Balantine,  free labor, high wages, responsible govthe Jew, who conducted the largest  ernment, decent living, and voluntary
dry-goods establishment in Campbell  emigration.
Town; nor Captain Skelton, though,    The Medical Superintendent would
with a single revolution of his eye, he   wish to say a word.
might have calmed the troubled elements    James McGuillicuddy wouldn't let
at any other moment; nor Isaac Na-  him say a syllable. The storm broke
poleon Dodd, with his military remi-  out afresh. Dodd and Bolton opened
niscences; nor anybody else, however  precipitately on each other. The Chief
influential, jocose or stein, pompous or  Constable, venturing too near the edge
familiar, learned or illiterate, intellee-  of the platform, missed his footing,
tual or athletic, profane or pious, lovable  (some said old Wagstaff hit him,) and
or terrific he might be, found it possible  tumbled heavily on the drummer. The
to compose. The storm had its own   Brothers of St. Cecilia, on the outskirts
way; and, when it had done its best,  of the crowd, over near the railing of
gave in, gave an expiring throb or t~wo,  the church-yard, struck up the Druids'
and then closed up.                   March in Norma; whilst Cooper, the
And then McGuillicuddy spoke. The  red-haired carpenter, impetuously waved
fall of Babylon; the submersion of  the banner of the League, violently fanSodom and Gomorrah; the fate of the  ning the Medical Superintendent with
legions of Sennacherib; the siege, and  its folds, and sweeping off his hat. The
sack, and desolation of Jerusalem; the  robber from Ceylon was in danger of
plagues of Smyrna and Venice; the erup-  his life. Mrs. Kearney, who had come
tion of Vesuvius, and the earthquake   upon the ground with her cohort of
of Lisbon; the snows of Siberia and   young cherubs clinging to her green
the sands of Zahara; all the woes, catas-  satin skirts, called upon the blessed
trophes and tortures that had ever come   Angels and holy St. Bridget to protect
upon the earth, were invoked and pro-  her; whilst Brickells, the saddler, and
phesied by him against the island, a   MacTavish, the druggist, and Hughes,
considerable section of which he had now   a dealer in valuable odd volumes and
the honor to address, should Griffin be   broken china-ware, with Leonard, the
returned.                             pound-keeper, appealed in honor of their
"Who was Griffin?" asked the elo-  respective and conflicting sentiments, to
quent old gentleman, flinging down his  the last resort of nations.
hat, tearing off his neck-tie, and pitching  After this, James McGuillicuddy,




1855.]                     Summer and Autumn.                           75
Esq., M. D., could say little that was  and all that is beautiful and sad, goodly
intelligible. He faced the tumult, or,  and opprobrious, lost and living within
as he  said himself, he "faced the  the island of Tasmania.
music," and did his best to get the     There's a broad lake on the summit
better of it. Yet without avail. His  of a mountain-range, stretching away
concluding words it would bQ impossible  from east to west, in the center of the
faithfully to transcribe.  There were  island, two thousand feet above the sea.
allusions to Clontarf and Garibaldi-to   Numberless little promontories, piled
the loveliness of the valleys of Tasmania  with rocks, thickly set with shrubs,
-to the chastity and beauty of her  deeply shadowed with the native oak,
daughters-to the snowy richness of her  blue pine, and gum tree, break the waperambulating flocks and the salubrity  ters into bays and nooks, where the wild
of her encircling sky-to the aromatic  dogs come down to drink at sunrise, and
sweetness of her umbrageous woods,  the wild birds, burying themselves in the
and the prolific fecundity of her virgin  sedge and rushes, close their wings at
soil. [Laughter and loud cheers.] The  twilight.  Lofty hills, wooded to the
remarks were broken, and their effect  topmost peak, darken the waters all
dissipated, in the buzz and turbulence   along the northern shore. Dense forests,
of the obstreperous audience he address-  and, here and there, the most desolate
ed. He retired in the midst of a temp-  of swamps, girt them in upon the south,
est-wishing from the bottom of his soul  the east and west. Away, far off in
he had the harp of Carolan, the sword  the darkness, a sheep-dog gives forth
of Sarsfield, the crozier of St. Patrick,  his melancholy howl, keeping patient
the bag-pipe of Ganzy, the patriarchal  watch whilst his rough master sleeps.
piper of Killarney, and the tongue of    Fagged and feverish with the noise
Grattan, to rouse, inspire, direct, redeem   and rioting-the squabbles, the cheers,
and save them!                        the oaths. the eloquence, the anger, vul-   *    -   *    *    * $   garity and mischief of the day-MarmaIt is time to throw away the pencil.  duke Wagstaff had ridden up, accomThe light flickers in the socket of the   panied by three well-loved friends, to
lamp, and the duskiest shadows gather  this lonely lake. He had won the fight.
on the canvas. It is time to blow the   The Government party had been defeeble glow-worm out-time to rest the  feated. A very large majority of the
acihing head. Time to setfree the mind   electors had voted for the young chamfrom the clod and rubbish through which   pion  of the  League.  Marmaduke
it has been ploughing; time to let it  thought he had never seen the stars
spread its wings, and, along the path-  look half so bright. And there was
ways strewn with the sapphires of the   a softness in the night-wind, and a fraSouthern night, betake itself to the soli-  grance from the leaves and blossoms of
tudes it has loved. Beautiful as Esther  the Bush, and a grandeur in the shadows
-gentle as Ruth among the Reapers —  of the woods and mountains, he had
the Queen of the Silent World looks  never known before. In the deep soliforth upon the mountains, the woods,  tude of that mountain lake-amid those
the waters, the foul prison-houses, the   waters, those solemn forest shades-his
fair white homesteads, the gardens and  triumph became purified in his eyes of
the golden fields, the countless flocks,  the grossness in which it had been born.
SUMMER AND AUTUMN.
THE hot midsummer, the bright midsummer
Reigns in its glory now:
The earth is scorched with a golden fire,
There are berries, dead-ripe, on every briar,
And fruits on every bough!
But the autumn days, so sober and calm,
Steeped in a dreamy haze:
When the uplands all with harvests shine,
4And we drink the wind like a fine cool wineAh, those are the best of days!




76                                                                  [July,
HORACE GREELEY.*
SOME five and twenty years ago, an  stantly available.  From  the position
overgrown, awkward, white-headed,  of a humble mechanic, gaining a scanty
forlorn-looking boy was seen trudging   supply of bread by his daily toil, he has
through the streets of New York-a  advanced to the rank of a leader of pubpack suspended on a staff over his right  lie opinion. Wielding the resources of
shoulder-his dress unrivaled in sylvan   a press of signal energy and comprehensimplicity since the primitive fig-leaves  siveness, he compels the most intellecof Eden-the expression of his face  tual and cultivated classes to listen to
presenting a strange union of wonder  the daily words of the self-taught printer
and apathy-and his whole appearance  from the back-woods. Born in the most
giving you the impression of a runaway   obscure class of the New England yeoapprentice in desperate search of em-  manry-indebted to no high seats of
ployment.  Fresh from the forests of  learning for congenial culture-unaided
Pennsylvania, he had come to seek his  by the dazzling prestige of wealth or
fortune in the great metropolis.  The  fashion-too fearless and too personal
sum of ten dollars in his pocket consti-  in the expression of his opinions, for the
tuted the extent of his exchequer. An   enjoyment of continued party patronage,
equal amount, perhaps, was invested in  and too independent in his feelings and
his wardrobe, which he carried about  his manners to court the caresses of
his person. Ignorant alike of the world  profitable friendships, he affords a conand its ways, he seemed, to the spruce  spicuous example of the power of selfdenizen of the city, almost like a wan-  relying ability to conquer the force of
derer from  some other planet.  His  circumstances, and to gain breadth of
ungainly motions had something so gro-  influence and brightness of renown in
tesque in their gracelessness, that peo-  spite of the most untoward difficulties.
pie stopped in the streets to gaze at him.    In the present article, we do not apUpon a nearer view, they found the face   pear as the eulogist of Horace Greeley.
of this uncouth lad lighted up with a  Only to a limited extent do we share his
peculiar beauty.  The lines of rare  convictions or enjoy his sympathies.
intelligence were discovered beneath the   We have not the advantage of his inlistless expression which masked his  timacy, though we think we understand
features.  A high, smooth forehead,  his character.  With no apology for
rounded with artistic symmetry, seemed  the indulgence of prejudice, we certainly
made to be the dome of thought. His  are not beguiled by any glow of personal
firm, well-cut lips, combining sweetness  enthusiasm.  Our admiration of his
and force in harmonious proportions,  merits is duly tempered by a sense of
revealed the workings of an active,  his imperfections.  We cannot fully
vigorous mind, and showed that the   adopt either his political principles, or
strolling adventurer was indeed "no   his plans of social reform; but, for that
vulgar boy."                          reason, we cannot be prevented from
Such was HORACE GREELEY, at his  doing justice to the character of a brave,
entrance upon the career which has  earnest, intelligent, and humane man.
since made him a marked man among   Our remarks, therefore, will, perhaps,
the celebrities of the day. His progress  be too impartial to satisfy the extreme
from obscurity to eminence is full of  partisans on either side, with whom the
interest and instruction. He presents  position of Horace Greeley is a subject
an extraordinary illustration both of the   of controversy.
spirit of the age and the genius of Ameri-    Horace Greeley is a genuine product
can institutions.  In another country,  of the New England soil. He belongs
or at a previous date, his history would  by birthright to the nasal, angular,
have been well-nigh impossible.  He   psalm-singing, pumpkin-growing genewas born, it would seem, at the precise  ration, which, according to Diedrich
epoch which demanded such natural  Knickerbocker's veritable annals, was
endowments as his, and in a state of  a source of such infinite annoyance to
society which made them  almost in-  the primitive Manhattaners.  His neg-' The Life of Horace Greeley, Editor of the New York Tribune. By J. PARTON. 12mo.,
pp. 442. Mason Brothers.




1855.]                        Horace Greeley.                            77
lect of the arts of the beautiful in his  in the pastures; there is rock along the
devotion to utility-his preference of  road'; rocks on the sides of the hills;
hard, shrewd common-sense, to the  rock on their summits; rock in the
amenities of a merely superficial culture   woods; rock, rock, everywhere rock."
-his love of the homeliest vernacular  The town of Amherst, N. H., in which
phrases in comparison with the dainty  this humble dwelling is situated, has
terms of classic refinement-the natural  received from capricious nature a stern
ungainliness of his address and manners  soil and ungenial climate. The only
-and his aptitude for dry, blunt humor,  jewels it can show, are the swarms of
may be reckoned among the traits for  young men whom it sends forth from
which he is indebted to the place of his  its sterile borders to fill the high places
nativity. But, with the mountain air of  of the land. The toil of the farmers is
his childhood, he breathed in nobler  of the severest kind.  "To see them
qualities, which now form an essential  plowing along the sides of those steep,
part of the staple and substance of the  rocky hills, the plow  creaking, the
man. He early learned to prize reality  oxen groaning, the little boy-driver
more than pretense. He acquired the  leaping from sod to sod, as an Alpine
habit, which he has never lost, of looking   boy is supposed to leap from  crag
below the surface to the depth of things  to crag, the plowman wrenching the
-of combining a Gradgrind-like per-  plow round the rocks, boy and man
ception of facts with the quest of the   every minute uniting in a long and
principles that underlie and vivify them.  agonizing yell for the panting beasts to
Like most Yankees, he cut his eye-teeth  stop, when the plow is caught by a
so early as not to be the easy dupe of  hidden rock, too large for it to overhumbug, and, at the same time, began  turn, and the solemn slowness with
to take a sharp look at matters for him-  which the procession winds and creaks
self, without any excess of reverence   and groans along, gives to the languid
for the vision of others. Imbued with  citizen who chances to pass by, a new
the enthusiasm which forms one of the  idea of hard work, and a new sense of
inner characteristics of the universal  the happiness of his lot."
Yankee nation, though not always visible  The parents of Horace Greeley beto the naked eye, he has never been  longed to the plain, hard-working yeocontent with the hum-drum routine of  manry of this rugged district.  His
existence, but has busied his teeming   mother, who was the first instructor of
brain with all sorts of projects for social  the child already eager for knowledge,
melioration, for converting politicians  was a remarkable specimen of the New
into sages and saints, shaping legislation   England woman.  With a masculine
after the pattern of the Decalogue,  vigor of constitution, though of a bland
founding commonwealths, of all possi-  and kindly disposition, she was a model
ble and impossible virtues, from which   of strenuous industry, never for a mo"cakes and ale" should be excluded,  ment idle, and never regarding any usebanishing all the fruits of Adam's fall  ful task as irksome or repulsive. Her
from earth by one fell swoop of radi-  genial flow of animal spirits spread
cal reform, and appeasing the impati-  around her a perpetual cheerfulness.
ence of visionaries, by bringing about  Little children delighted in her presthe premature advent of the millen-  ence, while her exuberant kindness of
nium.                                  heart, and her natural vein of humor,
The place of his birth was a con-  made her a favorite with persons of
genial nursery for the growth of hardi-  every age. Her inexhaustible store of
hood, robust effort, stern resistance of   old ballads, quaint legends, and rustic
unfriendly realities, and, by contrast, of   songs and stories gave an overflowing
ideality and enthusiasm. It was a low-  life to her conversation, and attracted
roofed, one-story house, enclosed by a   young and old to her society. "She
straggling country fence, of rudest con-  worked," says one of her neighbors, "in
struction, the old-fashioned well sweep,  doors and out of doors, could out-rake
with the moss-covered, oaken bucket  any man in the town, and could load the
swinging high in air, and the surrounding   hay-wagon as fast and as well as her
scenery presenting but one almost un-  husband. She hoed in the garden; she
mitigated mass of rock. "There is  labored in the field; and, while doing
rock in the old orchard behind the   more than the work of an ordinary man
house; rocks peep out from the grass  and an ordinary woman combined, would




78                           Horace Greeley.                      [July,
laugh and sing all day long, and tell  week. He anticipated its advent with
stories all the evening."            eager impatience, and counted the days
The young Horace imbibed his first  until the happy hour should strike.
taste for learning, while listening to  Long before the weather-beaten postthese stories from his mother's lips, as  rider came in sight of the house, Horace
she spun them out with the threads of  would walk down the road to meet him,
her distaff, both tongue and wheel mov-  and seizing the precious sheet from his
ing with equal energy. He learned to  hands, would hurry with it to some seread before he hac fairly learned to talk,  eluded spot, where he could lie down on
at least before he could pronounce the  the grass and greedily devour its conlonger words. He cannot remember the  tents. This was the only bearer of
time when he was destitute of this ac-  tidings from the great world to the
complishment, nor the process by which  young solitary. But he was not apit was acquired. When he was little  peased by this scanty supply of informore than two years old, he would pore  mation. Books were a necessity of his
over the venerable family Bible, as it  existence. In pursuit of them he scoured
was opened for his amusement on the  the country for miles. Having exhausted
floor, and pry into the contents of the  the collection of the neighbors, he carnewspaper that was given him to play  ried his search into the neighboring
with, with a devoted curiosity that  towns. There was not a readable book
might seem to betoken the destiny of the  in that whole secluded region which he
future journalist. At three years of age,  did not get hold of during his residence
he could easily read any of the common  in Amherst. He was never without a
juvenile books; and at four, any book   book. As soon as he was dressed in
whatever.  A precocious tendency to  the morning, a book was the first thing
many-sided research might be detected  in his hands. "He read every minute
by connoisseurs, in the fact which his  of the day, which he could snatch from
biographer relates, that at this time he  his studies at school, and on the farm.
was not content with reading a book in  He would become so absorbed in his
its ordinary position, but loved to exer-  reading that, when his parents required
cise his ingenuity in making out the  his services, it was like rousing a heavy
words, however the book was placed,  sleeper from his deepest sleep, to awaright-side up, up-side down, sidewise,  ken Horace to a sense of things around
or otherwise.                        him and an apprehension of the duty
At the district school which he at-  required of him.  And even then he
tended, he was soon noted as a prodigy;  clung to his book. He would go read-'especially in the art of spelling. His  ing to the cellar and the cider-barrel,
performances in this line seemed mar-  reading to the wood-pile, reading to the
velous to his school-fellows; and in the  garden, reading to the neighbor's, and
spelling-matches, which were then held  pocketing his book only long enough to
with the enthusiasm of some grand lite-  perform his errand, he would fall to
rary tournament, he was always selected  reading again the instant his mind and
as the favorite champion. The nearest  his hands were at liberty."  When it
school-house was a mile and a half from   was too dark to read by day-light, he
his home. Until his tenth year, he was  would kindle a large pine-knot in the
constant in his attendance, walking the  huge fire-place, pile up his books on the
distance both winter and summer, in the  floor, lie down on the hearth with his
former season sometimes narrowly es-  head to the fire, and silent, motioncaping being buried in the snow-drifts.  less, and dead to the world around him,
His love of. reading increased with his  read through the live-long winter evenyears, until it grew into a decided pas-  ings.
sion. Great was the difficulty to find  Thus rapidly passed away the early
convenient food for its indulgence. His  boyhood of Horace Greeley.  It was
father's stock of books contained little  the life of the silk-worm among mulmore than a Bible, a Presbyterian Con-  berry leaves, preparing materials for
fession of Faith, and a couple of dozen,  future costly productions.  Although
perhaps, of straggling volumes. But a  fed to repletion, his mind as yet showed
weekly newspaper came to the house,  but few signs of spontaneous activity.
which formed the main reliance for the  He had not attained the consciousness
appetite of the studious boy. The day   of mental power, nor given any mark
of its arrival was the brightest of the  by which to detect the presence of




1855.]                       Horace Greeley.                            79
genius. About the eleventh year of his  this class that they received the most
age, he fell in with a copy of Mrs. He-  appreciative recognition, or the most
mans' Poems.  These touched a new   cordial and profound homage. Scholars
chord in his heart, aroused the latent  of fastidious culture, thinkers of athletic
springs of enthusiasm, and made him   and sinewy force, verbal critics of exaware of the better impulses of his na-  quisite nicety, greeted her enthusiastiture.  "I remember," he tells us in a  cally as the poet, or the prophetess, of
sketch written for a popular Annual,  a new moral evangel, and crowned her
";as of yesterday, the gradual unfolding   genius with laurels, whose greenness
of the exceeding truthfulness and beau-  and brilliancy have long since faded
ty, the profound heart-knowledge-to  into obscurity, past all hope of revival.
coin a Germanism-which characterizes  Among the tributes that were laid
Mrs. Hemans' poems, upon my own   at her feet, the most flattering were
immature, unfolding mind.'Casabi-  from one of the keenest and subtlest
anca,''Things that Change,''The  intellects of American growth, since
Voice of Spring,'' The Traveler at the  most honorably distinguished  as an
Source of the Nile,''The Wreck,' and  historian, and from  an austere devomany other poems of kindred nature,  tee of sacred literature, who was seare enshrined in countless hearts-es-  duced by the enchantments of the fair
pecially of those whose intellectual ex-  lyrist to leave the "burdens of the Bible
istence dates its commencement between   old," and dwell awhile in the pleasant
1820 and 1830-as gems of priceless  bowers of poesy. Can we wonder, then,
value; as spirit-wands, by whose elec-  that her kindling productions warmed
tric touch they were first made con-  the heart of our sturdy young aspirant
scious of the diviner aspirations, the   at the "gates of Wisdom," with an unloftier, holier energies withiS them.",wonted fire?  That they opened anew
The influence of such a writer as Mrs.  world on his imagination, just awakenHemans, on his robust, matter-of-fact  ing to a perception of the loveliness of
intellect, may appear surprising. But  nature, and the mysteries of moral senthe pensive sentimentalism of her poems  timent?   That they sent a genial
does not usually act most powerfully on  impulse to his being, calling thoughts
temperaments kindred with her own.  and feelings into conscious vitality,
The delicate vein of feminine piety   which are still garnered up in the
which pervades them, the ethereal purity   memory as among the most precious
of their moral suggestions, their ten-  treasures of experience?
der and reverent sense of nature, and   A few years after this epoch in his
their stately, imaginative diction-often   mental progress, we find Horace as an
throwing a silvery veil over their pover-  apprentice in a country printing office
ty of thought-have exercised a weird  -a post which had long been the dream
charm over minds of a coarser texture,  of his youthful fancy, and which now
and awakened the deepest enthusiasm  filled up the measure of his ambition.
in hearts the most " unused to the melt-  Here he received his initiation into
ing mood." In admirable contrast with  political debate. He soon became an
the morbid and misanthropic egotism of  oracle with the little knot of rural statesByron, the voluptuous softness of Moore,  men who submitted their disputes to
and the fine-spun idealities of Shelley,  his decision. The editor of the village
Mrs. Hemans' healthy appeals to the  newspaper, on which he was employed,
domestic affections, her frequent bursts  often found himself graveled by the
of sweet and tender pathos, and her  apt queries and suggestions of the exmconstant revelations of natural, womanrily  bryo controversalist.  At the weekly
feeling, place the reader in a state of  meetings of the "Lyceum," Horace
gentle enchantment, refreshing the toiler  obtained a fit theatre for the exercise
amid the realities of the world with sub-  of his gladiatorial talents, and soon belime and holy visions, and quickening   came a leading member of the society.
his moral nature to a vital sympathy   Here "he was a real giant. To the
with their influence. Upon the first ap-  graces of oratory he made no pretense,
pearance of her poems in this country,  but he was a fluent and interesting
they were welcomed with a deep joy by   speaker, and had a way of giving an
the young and susceptible, on whose  unexpected turn to the debate, by rehearts they shed "a perfume of rich,  minding members of a fact well-known
distilled sweets;" but it was not from   but overlooked: or by correcting a




80                            Horace Greeley.                         [July,
misquotation, or by appealing to what  issued in April, 1841. The progress
are called first principles.  He was an   and position of this journal are too
opponent to be afraid of, yet his sin-  familiar to the public to require any
cerity and his earnestness were so evi-  special comments in this place. For
dent, that those whom he most signally  the greater part of its existence, it has
floored liked him none the less for it.  been the direct  reflection  of Mr.
He never lost his temper."             Greeley's personality.  A  considerBy this time Horace had become   able portion of its original matter has
master of his trade. He was already   usually been written by his own hand,
the best workman in the office, and his  and it has always been the faithful exservices were also in request in editing   ponent of his principles, his convictions,
the newspaper.  Some of the:numbers  and, doubtless, as all editors are human,
were almost entirely the work of his  of his prejudices.  The successive
hand.  Having  reached the age of   volumes bear the stamp of his vigortwenty, he left the scene of his early   ous idiosyncrasies.  No other person
triumphs, and, with a stout heart and   could have made it what it is; his fame
practical intellect, though with a scant  is identified with its character; his
supply of the world's gear, set forth to  spirit has pervaded its columns; in the
look at a wider sphere of life with his  eye of the public, the Tribune is Horace
own eyes. After "dallying with for-   Greeley, and Horace Greeley is the
tune" in various country printing offices,   Tribune.
he pocketed his meagre earnings, dimin-  Our rapid sketch of the career of
ished by a large proportion bestowed   Horace Greeley exhibits him  conspicuupoli his father, who was struggling   ously in the character to which we have
with poverty in the wilds of western   already alluded, as a self-made man.
Pennsylvania, plunged into the woods  His position in this respect, is so remarkin the direction of the Erie canal, and   able, as to divert attention, in some
at length arrived in New York, in the   degree, from his intrinsic qualities. We
extraordinary plight already alluded to.  always think of him as a man, to whom
For fourteen months he was employ-  life has been a succession of battlesed as a journeyman printer.  Subse-  who has attained whatever eminence is
quently, he opened an office on his  his lot, not by the favors of fortune,
own account, but the dream of editor-  but by hard fighting-whose very culship did not cease to haunt his imagina-  turb has been wrested from a world
tion. His first successful attempt was  that, from the first, refused to dandle him
the establishment of the New Yorker.  in the lap of indulgence-who has been
iCthis was a new step in the progress of   obliged to contest every step of his
Anmerican journalism.  The first num-  progress, with wind and sun in his face,
ber of tHe NTew Yorker appeared in the   and, thus early inured to the sternest
springof 1834. It stole quietly into  habits of self-reliance, has learned to
existence, with no preliminary tumult  seek reality in the neglect of appearof gun or trumpet, and gradually rose   ance, and to carry his point in spite of
to a respectable circulation.  Public  all opposition, by dint of energy and
attention was soon attracted  by its  address, without applying the usual arts
marked  character.  It was  distin-  of conciliation.  Such characters, inguished for the vigor and point of its  deed, are not uncommon in this country.
editorial articles, the completeness and   They are called forth by the peculiar
accuracy of its news department, the   tendency of our institutions, and certain
boldness and good taste of its literary  types of the variety are found in all the
criticisms, and its choice collection of  relations of society. But, for the most
miscellaneous paragraphs.  The press,  part, they are distinguished in the walks
in general, proffered it a friendly and   of practical life, rather than in the
approving welcome, and the editor be-  domain of intellectual activity.  They
came, at once, known  and valued   become great financial operators, merthroughout the country.  Various cir-  chants famed wherever there is'saltcumstances, however, conspired to pre-   water, celebrated founders of business
vent it from obtaining pecuniary suc-  and industrialenterprises, and not unfrecess, and, after an unprofitable struggle  quently, successful cultivators of politifor seven years, it was finlly merged   cal ambition. But it is not often that
in the Tribune, of which now well-  they obtain high intellectual distinction,
known print the first number was  or become recognized as leaders in the




1855.]                       Horace Greeley.                          81
sphere of purely literary effort. The  think they are all the world in thempowerful writers, original thinkers,  selves. Springing from intense activity
and effective guides of opinion, in the   of thought, his opinions have nothing
world of ideas, are with us generally  of the frigid, stereotype cast of heredimen who have enjoyed the best facilities  tary ideas; they blossom  with the
of early education, and who have been  luxuriance of life, reminding you of
warmed into eminence by.the bland   Aaron's rod which budded, when all
influence of culture as well as of oppor-  around there was nothing but dry, saptunity.                               less sticks.
Horace Greeley however, is an ex-    But the self-made man is liable to
ception to the prevailing course of  peculiar mental infirmities, of which
things, to which we have referred. His  those who have enjoyed a more generous
early struggle with difficulties has not  education, if not altogether exempt
given him any remarkable skill in pray-  from them, are certainly not so much in
tical affairs, he has little power of  danger of becoming the victims. He
execution in the world of action, and, in  soon learns to believe in the infallibility
the conduct of business, often shows a  of his own judgment. He has nothing
want of sagacity and self-help that would  else to rely on, and he leans on that with
awaken  surprise even in far inferior  perfect confidence, against the world.
men.  It is in quite another field that  Hence, he can scarcely conceive of an
he has won his brightest laurels. His  honest opposition to his own views. He
most genuine distinction is, as a man  is less disposed to convince his opponent
of thought, and intellectual influence.  of error, than to put him down as an
This is the point at which he has  enemy. He is often tempted to try the
always aimed, though, perhaps, at times  force of hard words, rather than of sound
unconsciously, and in the attainment of  arguments. Nor has he often the pawhich, he has absorbed the finest ener-  tience even to look at the various aspects
gies of his nature. Whether the pro-  of a question, before fully committing
cess, by which he has reached this emi-  himself to one side. Rash and impetunence, is favorable to the highest devel-  ous in his judgments, he attaches little
opment of character, may fairly admit  value to the habit of mental circumspecof a question. In point of the harmony,  tion. He strives to look into every
the full, complete, symmetrical propor-  object of examination, but not to look
tions, the spiritual balance and rhythm,  around it. His conclusions, accordingwhich the Greeks regarded as the per-  ly, are often precipitate.  His very
fection, the music of humanity, the self-  earnestness leads him  into error. A
made man is apt to labor under essential  calmer, more considerate frame of mind,
deficiencies.  His characteristic merits  would have been a more certain guaranare usually freedom  from  authority,  tee of truth. With this passionateness
slight attachment to words compared   of conviction, he acquires an excessive
with things, and the exercise of common  love of controversy. He would make
sense instead of reliance on vague tra-  his own opinions the law of the world.
dition or arbitrary custom.  He has  He makes no allowance for the doubt,
little respect for any opinion, however  hesitation, or even the sense of justice,
propped up by the sanction of ages,  of more accurate and ingenuous minds.
unless substantial reasons for its ac-  Everything with him is either black or
ceptance are proffered to his own mind.  white-he has no patience with the
He loves to pry into the foundation of  caution which would discriminate bethings, to challenge every passing re-  tween the delicate lights and shades of
port, every habitual practice, every   a many-colored tissue.
prevailing institution, with little defer-    Nor is he likely to do justice to modes
ence for anything else except his own   of culture or forms of character widely
eye-sight.  His convictions thus ac-  different from his own. He makes his
quire a freshness, a vitality, a power  own experience the universal standard.
of sympathetic action, which clothe   He has prospered in the world, without
them with a potent influence, irrespect-  the knowledge of Greek, and therefore
ive of their soundness, or real practi-  Greek is a superfluity. He is conscious
cal value. They are all the world to  of his superiority to many college-bred
him, and, if you listen to the native   dunces, and, accordingly, a university
eloquence which generally accompanies  education is a humbug. Every man,
such a habit of mind, he will make you   he supposes, can pursue the same path
VOL. VI.-6




82                            Horace Greeley.                         [July,
with himself; and if he is not equally   with which he has acted. In this way
fortunate, the fault is in his want of   he has lost many friends who stigmatize
brains, not in the imperfection of the   his  circumspection  as time-serving.
method. In short, a large and generous   But no one who understands Horace
comprehensiveness of mind is not often   Greeley can accuse him  of this base
a characteristic of the man who has  propensity. If he refuses to go all
forced his way to distinction, through   lengths with impetuous partisans, it is
unfriendly influences.  This trait, in-  because his theoretical ideas are modideed, is rare-except in the most admi-  fled by common sense, and not from a
rably endowed natures-it demands for  disposition to truckle to the fancies of
its production, an equal felicity of tem-  the hour. His devotion to books is not
perament and of culture; but its ab-  vitiated by any tincture of pedantry.
sence is more striking in the self-made   He is not a man of quotations.  He is
man, by reason of the superior qualities  not fond of leariied allusions. Even on
with which it is brought into contrast.   subjects with which he has become
Like other persons belonging to this  familiar by extensive research, he makes
class, Horace Greeley doubtless exhibits  no parade of his knowledge.  Unedua portion of the defects and merits to  cated men are at ease in his company.
which reference has been made. He  He does not lug in his information,
adheres strongly to his convictions, is  head and shoulders, for the sake of
not free from prejudice, on many points  astonishing the natives. But his strong,
is not a little opinionated. A delicate  homely sense often throws the pretenappreciation of character is not one of  sions of scholars into the shade. By a
his distinguishing traits-he keeps no  single pointed remark, he sometimes
courtesies in reserve for the pretensions  relieves a mass of inflated vanity of its
of office, or caste, or profession-a judge  inconvenient proportions.  A  pithy
or a bishop, in his eyes, is only a man-   phrase from his lips easily dissipates
and may be a very ordinary man at that;  a world of learned verbiage.
and he is sparing of his. eulogies on    Horace  Greeley is famed for his
branches of education, with which he is  eccentricities. Beyond the circle of
not conversant himself.  But, on the  his intimate acquaintance, these, perother hand, he is wholly free from the in-  haps, first occur to the mind, when his
tellectual vices which so often mark the   name is mentioned. Many regard him
conventional scholar. Though a lover  as rudely defiant of the proprieties of
and student of books. he is no book-  social life. He is a tempting subject
worm. The period of devouring dry  for caricature. Numerous legends have
leaves voraciously passed away with his  already clustered around his personal
early youth. Since he has held a promi-  history. If all the current stories renent position before the public, he has  lating to him are preserved, he will be
learned more from  action than from   surrounded, in future times, by a no
study. His views are not those of the  less brilliant mythical halo than Romucloset, but of real life. With all his  lus or Pythagoras.  In some circles,
tenacity of opinion, a noble vein of   he is habitually looked on as a sort of
candor pervades his intellect. No fore-  terrible monster, a strange, hirsute,
gone attachment to theory can blind   bloodthirsty ogre, capable of devouring
him to the evidence of facts. He has  his own children without sauce. His
an uncommon degree of mental hospil-  worst eccentricities, however, are of a
tality. Indeed, the facility with which   very harmless character.  Doubtless,
he entertains new  ideas has become   he is frequently rude in speech-his
proverbial. This, however, does not  tongue does not play patly in the castarise from  an excess of credulity, but  iron social formulas-his replies to your
from a love of intellectual justice. Free   conventional questions will have little
from all extravagant reverence for anti-  of a conventional tang-and if you bequity, he delights in giving fair play to  long to that class of worthies called
every alleged discovery, whether in  bores, and venture to claim  his prothought or practical affairs. He cer-  longed attention, you will probably be
tainly does not betray an innate passion   explicitly notified of his disgust and
for innovation; on the contrary, his  abomination at your audacity. But go
tendencies lean  towards a moderate  to him with an appeal in behalf of some
conservatism    He has seldom  been  laudable benevolent object, even of
found with the extremes of any party   your own personal difficulties, if you




1855. J                       Horace Greeley.                            83
happen to have got into a scrape-  intended for him  unexpectedly upon
especially if you are an Irish patriot,  yourself.  His dry humor never foror an Italian martyr-you will find the   sakes him.  He has a joke  always
growl of sympathy with which your  ready, and often so opportune that it
demands are  met indicate a heart  seems cut and dried for the occasion.
"open as day to melting charity," and   His fund of anecdote is rich, indeed
two hands no less open than the heart.  quite exhaustless.  He tells a short
Indeed, the almost verdant simplicity  story with infinite glee, and laughs as
with which his purse-strings are relaxed   hearty as any one at its point. A long
in aid of vagabond wretches, who are  story he seldom indulges in.  With
loudest in their abuse after they have   all his apparent impracticableness, he
exhausted his kindness, is a matter of   never loses his presence of mind. He
common notoriety.  In his manners  is too sure of himself to be easily disand costume, he certainly is no stickler  concerted.  His memory is excellent,
for fashionable etiquette. His bearing   and you rarely find him at a loss for a
in the street never betrays the instruc-  fact. With such stores of knowledge
tion of a Parisian  dancing-master.  in his mind, and so admirably under his
Near-sighted, long-limbed, with head   control, his conversation is singularly
and members that seem to be on ill  instructive, whenever he meets with a
terms with the main body to which they   congenial listener. For the mere froth
belong,-his shambling gait does no jus-  and scum of fashionable talk, he shows
tice to the philosopher, whose wealth   a blank indifference. His bluntness is
of wisdom is buried beneath the ample  sometimes offensive to delicate ears.
folds of "that inevitable white great  He is incapable of flattery, even to
coat." But who knows how far the dress  that part of creation which  often
is the fault of the tailor, or of the man?   claims it as a  prescriptive  right.
His apparel, it must be owned, is sel-  "Have you read my last poem, Mr.
dom not the worse for wear-his hat,  Greeley?" asked a young and beauwhich once warmed a veritable beaver,  tiful authoress, naming the production.
now has a forlorn look, as if battered   "Madam," replied he, "do you call
in a street fight-and the precise boun-  that a poem?"  On another occasion,
dary between his boots and trowsers,  addressing one of Dr. Griswold's most
like some other boundary qustions, is  celebrated "female poets of America,"
in a state of litigation. It is not, per-  in a room full of company, he remarks,
haps, an extravagant degree of toler-   "Mrs. X. Y. Z., I have just read a
ance to suggest that Horace Greeley   criticism  on your writings, in which
is too much of a traveler to attend   you are greatly overrated."  Such unminutely to the graces of the toilette  complimentary frankness, however, is
-that he is too profusely powdered   generally taken in good part. Horace
with the dust of frequent journeys to   Greeley has few enemies among the
allow an extensive patronage of the   fair sex.  His rude sincerity is not
"' Golden Bell"-and that a more quiet  without a charm. Margaret Fuller is
life might have  permitted  a more  not the only highly intellectual woman
anxious cultivation of the outer man   who has been proud to number him
-but still, we apprehend, that on this  among her friends.
point, his eccentricity must be con-. The interest of Horace Greeley in
ceded, and that we must accept him,  the reform movements of the day, is
as he is, without demanding of the  founded on a sentiment of justice and
country-bred editor the smooth refine-  humanity, but receives a sharper edge
ments of a Brummell or a D'Orsay.     from  the intensely practical cast of
In general society, Horace Greeley,  his intellect. His nature is one that
as might be inferred from his personal  delights in the application of ideas
antecedents, does not appear perfectly  to tangible relations. Hence, almost
at home. His neglect of the etiquettes   every project for human improvement
of polite life has an air of innocent  challenges his sympathy. His tastes,
unconsciousness that is almost pathetic.  in this respect, are absolutely universal.
You would take him  for a genuine   He is ready to listen to any plan that
specimen of the primitive man; but  promises to promote the material or
do not presume too much on his fancied   spiritual welfare of society, from  the
simplicity; you will soon be met by a   construction of a plow to the establishsudden turn that brings the laugh you.  ment of a phalanstery. His methods,




84                            Horace Greeley.                        [July,
doubtless, partake of the dominant  its aim  and widening its sphere of
character of his mind. They grow out  action. With strenuous and persistent
of his special idiosyncrasy.  Often in  labor, he has helped to make it the
advance of the current opinions of his  vehicle for conveying prompt and accontemporaries, they betray the san-  curate information to the remotest borguine,  impetuous  temperament  in  ders of the land. His reputation for
which they had their origin. On the  the correctness and the rapidity of the
other hand, they are condemned by   election returns announced in his jourthe more ardent radicals of the extreme  nal, is the fruit of industry the most
left, as timid and inconsequent; but  indomitable, and of attention the most
this is the fruit of the innate caution   vigilant. The arrangements for this
which is blended in his composition   purpose, matured under his eye, and
with a passion for improvement. That  applied for a long time by his personal
his principles of reform  are open to  efforts, have been the admiration of all
criticism-that, on many points, they   classes of politicians. No party has
are partial and incomplete —that, in  undertaken to question their efficiency.
certain aspects, they betray the en-  They have been relied on equally by
thusiasm  of the visionary, while in  political opponents and by personal
others they may be regarded as frigid  friends. Nor is his energy less reand superficial, cannot be denied by   markable in the other news' departhis warmest admirers; this is the lot  *ments belonging to a daily journal. No
of frail humanity; but that they are  leader of the press is more solicitous to
adopted from earnest conviction, and   present a full and exact compendium
applied with' a sincerely beneficent  of passing events. His mind, naturally
intent, will probably not be gainsayed   so eager for facts, is stimulated to a
by his most decided adversaries.       perpetual alertness in regard to current
Allusion has already been made to  intelligence. His hawk-like vision takes
Horace Greeley's position as a jour-  in every point of the horizon, and no
nalist. A few words, however, are de-  significant occurrence in either hemimanded on his more general character-  sphere escapes his notice. But he is,
istics as a conductor of the press. His  by no means, a mere collector of facts.
professional enthusiasm  is worthy of  He combines a keen perception of
unmingled commendation. Everything   principles with a wonderful memory for
pertaining to a printing-office is the   events. Hence, his comments on the
object of his deepest interest, it might  topics of the day form an important
almost be said, of his impassioned affec-  element in his ability as a journalist.
tion.  In his view, the consummate  In the course of his professional labors,
editor does not emerge from  classic  he has written an immense amount of
groves, but from the dusky domains. of  original matter. His productions of this
the disciples of Faust. He has not  kind would fill many volumes. They
sought his diet with "the immortal  embrace every variety  of subjectgods," but has been fed with printer's  political discussion and controversy,
ink.  Instead of "out-watching the   essays on points of social and indusBear, to unsphere the spirit of Plato,"  trial interest, reform  papers, literary
he has slept on a pile of old news-  criticisms, and sketches of travel and,
papers, awaiting the latest telegraphic  personal incidents.  More, probably,
dispatches.  The transition from  the  than any editor in the United States,
composing-case to the editor's chair,  he has supplied the columns of his
according to Horace Greeley, is as  journal with his own compositions. His
natural as from  the forecastle to the   pen has been always active, and has
cabin. The attainment of this emi-  never lost its sharp point. Since the
nence is the highest prize of a man's  great impulse which American journalambition. It is in this spirit that Ho-  ism has received within even the last five
race Greeley has devoted himself to   years, it is true that the duties which he
journalism. His career in the profes-  once discharged almost single-handed,
sion marks a new epoch of its progress  are now shared among numerous colin this country. Without claiming for  laborators.  The newspaper-press has
his influence an undue share in giving  taken a more extensive scope, called
the American press the elevation which  into its service a greater variety of
it has attained, in common with others  talent, entrusted its leading specialities
he has largely contributed to ennobling  to men peculiarly qualified to do them




1855.]                       Twice Married.                           85
justice; the great journals' are now   alleged enormity, his influence has never
rather corporate institutions than indi-  been deprecated by those who have had
vidual organs; and, hence, the former  the greatest experience of its power.
autocratic influence of men like Horace   His private virtues, of course, are less
Greeley is on the decline; and the  frequently the subject of general obserpowerful action of the press on public  vation. But they are said to awaken
sentiment is determined by its general  unmingled admiration, in-those who are
ability, rather than by personal con-  most fully in the enjoyment of his considerations. Still, the position of Ho-  fidence. We believe there are few, even
race Greeley, as an American jour-  among his most strenuous opponents,
nalist, must always command a weighty   who will venture to call in question the
influence on political affairs and popular  essential integrity of his character, the
opinion. People have been accustomed   versatile activity of his intellect, or the
to quote him as an authority; to watch   purity and benevolence of his life.
his course, as involving the secrets of    The biography, on which this article
vaticination, and to attribute to his per-  is founded, is the production of a young
sonal convictions the importance which   and enthusiastic admirer of Horace
attaches only to a collective mass of   Greeley. It is unequal in its execution,
wisdom and experience.                but is, probably, correct in its general
We have thus briefly sketched the   details. A greater degree of comprescharacteristics of Horace Greeley, in  sion in the narrative would have inthe most prominent aspects, in which   creased the interest of the reader. It
his reputation may be regarded as the   contains several lively and picturesque
property of the public. It has been no   descriptions incidental to the main subpart of our plan to dwell on the moral  ject of the work, some of which leave a
and intellectual traits, which are reveal-  highly favorable impression of the aued on a more intimate acquaintance,  thor's skill in word-painting. With his
and which delicacy to the living pre-  evident quickness of perception and freeludes from discussion beyond the circle  quent beauty and energy of style, we
of familiar friends. The faults of Horace   may look for still more valuable producGreeley are exposed to the public gaze  tions from his pen, in fulfillment of the
-they are constantly the theme of ex-  promise of which this first venture is an
plicit criticism-and in spite of their  earnest.
TWICE MARRIED.
MY OWN STORY.
[Continued from page 587.1
CHAPTER VI.               green hill-sides. The maize stalks,
bending with the weight of lusty ears,
THE last great wain-load of red-top   had been despoiled of their nodding
and clover had long since been hauled  plumes; and between their long rows
home from  the most distant outland  hosts of round, yellow pumpkins lay
meadow, and with much clamor and re-  ripening in the sun, among the withered
joicing had been safely garnered upon   vines. In the orchards, beneath the
the lofty summit of the fragrant mow.  trees, the fallen fruit reddened the
Where, erewhile, had waved fields of  ground. Great heaps of rosy apples
stout timothy, and golden oats and bar-  were piled beside the sheds, where all
ley, now herds of cattle roamed at will,  day long the creaking cider-mills uttered
gleaning after the reapers, unchecked  loud complaints, while from the press
by gates and bars, and safe from moles-  hard by the rich must trickled from the
tation and pursuit, as trespassers, by   pummnice, with a pleasant, tinkling
angry men and dogs. The pipe of the  sound, into the brimming vats. The
quail was heard among the patches of  foliage of the woods upon the western
yellow stubble that checkered the yet  cliffs was mottled with gaudy hues of




86.                          Twice Married.                       {July,
red and yellow. Even the crowns of the  paper, and began to read, with an unhardy elms were no longer green, and   usual inflation of tone and pomposity of
each rude breath of wind shook from   manner, "By His Excellency, the Goaloft a shower of rustling leaves. In  vernor of the State of Connecticutthe chilly mornings, beneath the oaks  A Proclamation;"  the deacon quickly
and chestnuts, the frosty sward- was  roused himself, snatched the covering
bestrewn with mast, where provident  from his head, and sat upright beside
squirrels, mindful of the coming winter,  his rigid spouse. Every eye was fixed
filled their capacious cheeks, and then   upon the aged minister, and every ear
scampered nimbly homewards with their  was strained to catch the mangled sylspoil along the tops of walls and fences.  lables as they fell from his sunken lips.
The berries of the mountain ash and  Even the mischievous boys, in the high
asparagus, and the capsules on the rose  fastnesses of the side galleries, shut
bushes had grown to ruddy maturity.  their jack-knives and peered over the
By the roadside the withered milk-weeds  tops of the pews, where, secure from
displayed the glossy, silken contents of   observation, they were wont to disport
their bursting pods, and the hazy air  themselves during the tedious sermon
was full of thistle-down and floating  time, and gave strict heed, for once, to
gossamer. The frowzy pastures were  what was proclaimed from the pulpit.
bright with the yellow blossoms of the   Straightway, in the excited imaginations
golden-rod and mullen. The measured,  of these ingenious youth, rose appetizing
muffled thump of flails, and the clatter  visions of broad pewter platters, whereon
of fanning-mills all day resounded  lay sprawling on their backs huge turthrough the valley. At night the pen-  keys, which as yet stalked monarchs of
sive crickets chirped the requiem of  the noisy poultry-yard; of mighty pasdeparted summer, and petulant katy-  ties, hot from the oven, with crisp and
dids joined in the melancholy chorus  melting crusts bulging upwards like a
with harsh, dissonant cries. October,  dome, and pregnant with tender delectthe month of plenty, had arrived, with  able morsels of dismembered chickens;
its bright but dwindling days and hale  of other pies, skillfully compounded of
and frosty nights.                   pumpkins, mince-meat, or apples; of
It was a warm and sunny Sunday  round-bellied puddings, speckled with
afternoon, and the staid and pious popu-  plums and unctuous with suet, and of
lation of Walbury had assembled, for  numerous other spicy dainties that are
the second service, within the walls of   wont to load the groaning tables at
their ancient meeting-house. The scrip-  Thanksgiving-time. Nay, I fear not to
ture had been read, the first hymn sung,  aver that even the mouth of Parson
the long prayer devoutly uttered, to the   Graves himself watered as he enunciated,
final amen, and the weary-footed con-  with sonorous emphasis, the concluding
gregation, once more seated at their  words —" By His Excellency's comease, had listened admiringly to the  mand: Thomas Day, Secretary;" and
singers in the gallery, while, with various  folding up the document laid it carefully
rates of speed, each had followed, as  between the leaves of the big Bible;
best he might, in the wake of Joab,  for, albeit he was nearly toothless, he
bravely leading them through the intri-  was, nevertheless, a stout and famous
cate windings, turnings, and doublings  trencherman, a quality that had greatly
of that famous old fugue melody of  enhanced his popularity among two
"Majesty." The parson had put on his  generations of notable Walbury housespectacles and risen to his feet, and  wives.
Deacon Sweeny, as was his custom of    But, though in like manner, the
a Sunday afternoon, had thrown over  minds of nearly all the congregation,
his bald crown a red bandanna handker-  thus suddenly diverted from  things
chief, and, leaning his reverend head  spiritual, were busy with thoughts and
against a post that stood handily in the   anticipations relating to the household
corner of his pew, had comfortably dis-  cares and carnal delights which pertain
posed himself for a quiet nap. But  to the annual feast-day of New England,
When, instead of opening at once the  there were a few among the hearers of
well-worn covers of his sermon-book,  the proclamation, to whom it was sugand giving out the text, Parson Graves  gestive of ideas of a different kind.
slowly spread out before him on the  Thus, while Deacon Sweeny was going
desk a broad stiff sheet of crackling  through with a mental calculation of




1855.]                       Twice Married.                           87
the probable profits that would accrue  one need be shocked or surprised,
to him, by reason of the increased de-  therefore, to hear that Colonel Manmand for raisins, ginger, all-spice and  ners and his godly brother-in-law, the
molasses, which experience had taught  deacon, met each other, that Sunday
him  to expect as incidental to the  night, at the bar-room of the tavern,
season, Mrs. Axy, his amiable con-  where, of a Sabbath evening, it was the
sort, was forming a determination to  habit of the village elders to assemble
avail herself of the very first oppor-  for the purposes of social intercourse,
tunity to call the matter of Joab's and  the exchange of news and opinions,
Lucy's wedding to the mind of her  and the discussion of town, state and
brother. The Colonel, himself, some-  national affairs and politics.  These
what pricked in the conscience for his  conclaves selected, from time to time,
neglect and procrastination, was resolv-  the candidates for selectmen and depuing to delay no longer, but to open the  ties to the General Assembly, and the
same subject that very night to his  town and freemen's meetings rarely
wife, and to enjoin upon her and Lucy  failed to ratify these nominations. Each
the commencement of a series of pre-  of the grave seniors, in his turn, used
parations for the momentous event.  to call for a mug of flip or sing, which,
~Mrs. Manners, with lips a little com-  when prepared by the landlord, was
pressed, was slyly watching the face of  passed from hand to hand, and from
her sister-in-law, the deacon's wife,  mouth to mouth. Even Parson Graves
occasionally giving a quick glance of  himself not unfrequently took his seat
observation at the Colonel, though,  at the bar-room fire, and though he
meanwhile, she affected to be gazing  never paid a reckoning, like the rest of
steadfastly towards the pulpit. Lucy,  the company, it was not because he
upon another seat of the pew, was  abstained from imbibing his full share
pouting with anger, and almost ready   of the good liquor furnished by the
to cry with vexation, because Joab,  smiling publican. Those were good old
from the gallery, facing her, was trying  times, when every man had a -stomach
to catch her eye, and when he thought  under his waistcoat, for whose sake he
he had succeeded in this maneuver, to  deemed it his duty to drink a little of
convey to her the intelligence of what  something more potent than water.
was passing in his own mind. John,    But our fathers kept early hours,
duly observant of Joab's winks and   and so, soon after the clock struck
leers, was one moment tingling with  nine, Deacon Sweeny and the Colonel
suppressed wrath, and, at the next,  started on their way homewards. At
flushing in an extatic agony of anxious  the Deacon's gate, they paused for a
hope, when he recalled to mind the   moment, and just as the Colonel was.
confident prediction of his aunt Betsy,  about to resume his walk, Mrs. Axy
that never, the longest day of his life,  appeared at the door, and invited her
would Joab Sweeny be the husband of  brother to come into the house. "I
Lucy Manners.                        expect," said she, as she closed the
Thirty years ago, the New England   door behind him with a slam, and castSabbath ended at set of sun. When,  ing a look of wormwood and vinegar at
closely watched by impatient children,  her spouse; "I expect the Deacon
the orb of day slid slowly down the  was a goin' to let you marvel right
western sky, and finally vanished from   straight along hum, arter all my wearin'
the sight, beyond the distant mountains,  myself out a tellin' him, over and over
a universal shout of juvenile gladness  agin, to be sure and have you step in
saluted his departure; and even the  here a minute, ef he found you to the
grave visages of the elders, weary with  tavern-the most kerless crittur I -"
the strait religious aspect, relaxed into  " Come, come, Axy," cried the Coloanwonted smiles.  Then commenced  nel, who, since he had paid the sixtynoisy sports upon the village green, and  five hundred dollars, often ventured to
sprucely attired swains set forth to   make head against the torrent of his
where buxom damsels, all made ready   sister's scolding; " now, you jest shet
to be courted, awaited the coming of  up, and let the Deacon have a minute's
their beaux. Then, thrifty housewives,  peace; or,' by jingo! I'll clear out
of the brisk and bustling sort, were ac-  without ever offerin' to set down."
customed to begin the weekly labor of    To this rebuke, Mrs. Sweeny, who
the wash-tub and pounding-barrel. No   had an especial reason why she did not




88                           Twice Married.                        [July
wish to displease or irritate her brother,  a word, he pulled off his boots with a
made no reply, but discreetly restrained  jerk, and drew up his arm-chair to the
her wrath; though, as the Deacon well  fire, with an angry hitch. Lucy lit her
knew, and trembled at the conscious-  candle, and was going to slip out of the
ness, it never lost any of its vigor by  room, but a stern, abrupt command
being pent up in this way; but, like  from her father' slips, stayed her tremsmall beer, was all the more lively,  bling steps. She put down her light
pungent, noisy and sparkling, for being  upon the table, and stood waiting with
bottled awhile.                      a throbbing heart for the next word.
After Sally Blake's unfortunate suc-  It was not long delayed, for the Colonel
cessor had brought in a dish of Early   was full of his subject, and the account
Greening apples, and a pitcher of  which he had just received from Joab.
brisk new cider, and then, in obedience  of the disdainful dismissal that Lucy
to a sharp-toned command of her mis-  had given his suit, artfully embellished
tress, had crept up, in the dark, to her  with false or garbled reports of the reanest in the garret, Mrs. Sweeny, with-  sons therefor by her assigned, and of
out further delay, brought forward for  her unfilial declarations of independconsideration the subject of the pro-  ence, had exasperated him to a degree
posed alliance. What was afterwards  altogether unprecedented.
said and done by and between the high   "So, Miss Lucy," said he, turning
contracting parties, in Deacon Sweenv's  towards her, "you don't think the huspresence andhearing, duringtheremain-  band I've chosen for you is good
der of the interview, it wouldbetedious to  enough, eh? Think you know better'n
relate, for Mrs. Axy, when excited, could  your old father, do you? Mean to suit
talk enough, in the space of ninety min-  yourself, whether your father, that gave
utes, to fill a large octavo volume of fine  you a bein', likes it or not, hey? Come,
print. Neither do I think it worth the  let's hear some of your brave speeches
while to set forth the earnest dialogue  now. Jest talk as promp' to me as you
which took place, when, on his way   did to Joab. Speak up," continued the
home, the Colonel met Joab, returning (Colonel, waxing warmer as he went on;
in a fit of unusual and extreme dejection  I" don't stand there a sulkin', you little
from his weekly courting visit. Let it  hussy! You expect to jilt Joab, don't
suffice to say, that at parting, the uncle  ye?"
shook the nephew by the hand with       "I don't love him, papa," replied
great vigor, and assured, him, with  poor Lucy, with a quivering lip and an
many vehement asseverations, that he,  imploring look at her mother's calm
the Colonel himself, would do the rest  face.
of the courting, and would do it in a    The Colonel, with an effort, stifled a
hurry, too.                          strong inclination to open profanity, and
Lucy was in her mother's bed-room,  then continued in a hightened, sneering
relating, with angry vivacity, a narration  tone. I"Don't love him, eh?  He aint
of the open rupture which had that  so smart and slick as them'are dandyevening been the final result of Joab's  fled clarks and stoodents to Har'ford,
renewed and persistent allusions to the  mebby?  Don't use pomatum, praps.
subject of the wedding. She had just  Don't smell enough like a skunk to suit
finished the burden of her story, and  ye, eh? sich a fine stylish lady as you've
was proceeding, according to the cus-  got to be, I expect you're ashamed of
tom of young ladies in the like circum-  your country relations-old clod-hopper
stances, to gratify her pique and vexa-  of a father, and all. By jingo! I was
tion, by coupling sundry disparaging   a dumb fool, I'm afraid, as your aunt
epithets, denoting the absent Joab, with   Axy says, to let you go to that infernal
divers scornful and contumelious adjec-  school. I might ha' known you'd get
tives, when she heard her father's step   your idees raised too high, and your
at the door. A moment afterwards he  foolish little head turned arter some
entered the room. A single glance at  smoothily-spoken fop or other."
his flushed and angry face told the two  Lucy's eye began to kindle, for she
women that the crisis had at length ar-  was not one of your spiritless damsels,
rived. Mrs. Manners, however, con-  whose only reply to abuse is a flood of
tinued knitting busily, but her keen,  tears. She was about to retort in a very
gray eyes stealthily followed the mo-  undutiful tone and manner, but a quick
tions of her husband, as, without saying   glance of reproof and warning from her




1855.]                       Twice Marnied.                          89
mother checked the untoward impulse,  -no —I mean wife-as she'd took a
before it had matured into action.   fancy for; if so be she'd ha' chosen a
"Husband," began Mrs. Manners,  decent young feller; though, even in
"let me say a word."                that case, I should ha' rather she'd ha'
"Well, say it," replied the Colonel,  had Joab; well-no-but-well-I dewho entertained so profound a respect  clare," added the Colonel, after a brief
for his wife, that even when the most  pause, during which he had diligently
angry and out of temper, he never ven-  rubbed his forehead; " I get it out sort
tured to speak to.her with harshness.    o' confused; but my meanin''s plain.
"I wish," continued Mrs. Manners,  I can state the upshot o' the matter
pausing in her knitting; " I wish that  middlin' quick," he continued, his irriyou'd let Lucy have a little more time.  tation manifestly hightened  by his
She's young yet, a mere girl, and at  recent failure to express his ideas with
present it seems don't fancy Joab for a  distinctness; "and that's this. You
husband, but  -"                     and your cousin Joab are to. be married
Here the good lady hesitated, and  next Thanksgivin' night; you underbegan to knit again; and her husband,  stand that, don't ye, Miss Lucy?"
after waiting decorously for her awhile,    "Yes, sir," faltered Lucy.
resumed his remarks.                   " And you're a goin' to mind, aint ye,
"Betsey," said he, "I must say I  say?"
never heerd you talk so kind o' foolish,    "No, sir," replied Lucy, with a sudand little to the purpose in my life. I  den boldness.
know you're more'n half agin this    "Heavens and airth! what do ye
match, and I'm sorry enough you be,  mean?" cried the Colonel, starting from
for my heart is set on it, my promise is  his chair in wrath and surprise. "Jest
given, and my mind's made up. As for  look a here, Miss-"
waitin', you know and I know,'taint no  "Husband," began Mrs. Manners.
use. She's as old as you was when we    "I tell ye, Betsey," said the Colonel,
was married, and you've allus made a  striving to lower his voice to a respectgood wife. The fact is, delays is dan-  ful key while speaking to his wife; "I
gerous, and the gal won't be no more  tell ye, now, don't interfere. The child
willin' a year from this time than she is  is mine as well as yourn, and I'm a
now. I'll leave it to her. Come now,  dealin' with her now.'Taint fair, nor
Lucy, answer, honor bright, would you  proper, nor best for you to meddle, and
be?"                                you musn't. When you begin fust you
" Speak the truth, Lucy," said her  you shall have the floor, as they say to
mother.                              Gin'ral Court; but now it's my turn,
"No, sir," replied Lucy, stoutly.  and I raly do wish you'd wait till it's
" There," cried the Colonel; "what  fairly yourn.'
did I tell ye? Now, the fact is," he   " nly don't be rash," pleaded the
continued, "the fact is just this, and  mother.
there is no gettin' round it. This wed-    "I ain't agoin' to be," resumed the
din' has got to take place next Thanks-  Colonel. Nevertheless, no sooner had
givin' night, and'twont be a year afore  he turned once more towards the fair
you'll both own I was right. Lucy'11  rebel, who, frightened but resolute,
be all reconciled, and wouldn't be on-  stood shrinking and cowering before
married for a fortin', and the old home-  her father's fiery glance, yet meeting
stead here will be goin' to be inherited  it with a steady, defiant look, than his
by my father's grand-children; jest as  voice again rose to an angry pitch.
he told me on his death-bed he wanted  " Do you mean to tell me," he cried,
to have it. I've gin up expectin' that  "that you're agoin' to refuse to obey
it can go in the name, but it'11 go in  your father-you-you-ain't you agothe blood, and my grand-child will be a  in' to marry Joab when I bid you to?"
Manners, both on his father's and      "No, sir," replied Lucy, in a low but
mother's side, and that will kind o' make  determined tone. " I don't love him, and
up for his not havin' the name. Ef  I won't marry anybody I don't love."
Lucy had jest been a boy now, so that    " But you'll larn to love him," said
it could ha' been kep in the name, I  her father, trying hard to keep his temshouldn't ha' been strenoous, and I  per within safe bounds, and deigning
wouldn't ha' undertook to have inter-  to argue the case with his refractory
fered with her choosin' sich a husband   daughter.




90                           Twice Married.                        [July,
" I hope not," cried Lucy, passion-  "I don't doubt it a bit," continued
ately, for she was thoroughly roused.  his wife, with an accent of reproach
"Oh! I hope not. It would be dread-  that was by no means lost on her husful to have a heart capable of loving   band. "I know you too well to doubt
such a creature!"                   it."
"By    ~!" cried the Colonel,    "You may be sure on't," said the
swearing outright for the first time in   Colonel; "and so may Lucy."
twenty years.  "There!" he added,    "An oath so solemn should be requite aghast at the profanity. " Do you   corded," resumed Mrs. Manners. "' I
hear that?  You've made your father  remember your very words; for I took
swear, you wicked child. The Lord  care to notice what you said.  I'll
forgive me! and I'm a church-member  write'em out, and you shall put your
and a Justice of the Peace! But it  name to'em."
shan't be for nothin', I tell ye! I won't    "Poh, psha!" said the Colonel, with
take the Lord's name altogether in vain,  a sheepish, sullen air; "what's the use
for I do solemnly swear   _"         of all that ceremony?"
" Oh! hush, my dear husband!" cried  "Because," said his wife, "I intend
Mrs. Manners, pale with emotion and  that Lucy shall obey the conditions of
alarm. But her husband enjoined si-  it to the very letter. The penalty is
lence by an imperious gesture. " I do   pretty severe if she fails; nothing short
solemnly swear," he continued, holding   of being disowned and disinherited."
up his right hand, "that unless you    At this point Lucy's sobs filled her
marry with my consent-unless you  father's heart with anguish. The tears
marry your cousin, in this house, on  came into his eyes. "All she's got to
next Thanksgivin' night, in my presence,  do is just to obey me, and that's her
I will disown you for a disobedient  dooty, you'll own yourself," said he,
daughter, and cut you off with a shil-  with a deprecatory manner.
lin' in my will-so help- me God!"      "Of course, and I intend she shall;
While the angry old man was utter-  but she ought to have the command,
ing his oath, his wife sat with her eyes  enforced as it is with a penalty, and
fixed upon his face, her breath restrain-  that by an oath, fairly written out.
ed, her lips apart, a very statue of anxi-  Come, you're not afraid to put in writous attention; while Lucy stood before  ing what you've uttered with your
him, pale, erect, and rigid; and no  tongue."
sooner had he ceased speaking, and her    " Write it out, then," cried the Colomother had, with a long breath, fallen   nel; whereupon his wife, after another
back in her chair, than she began with   whisper to Lucy, rose, went to the desk,
flashing eyes and dilated nostrils, "And  took a pen and wrote a few words upon
now hear me!" she cried; "I swear,  a sheet of paper, which she brought to
that I will marry no one else than-'"   her husband on a book. There; read
"Lucy! Lucy!" cried her mother;  it," said she; "they are your very
" stop, I command you! Hush! hush!"   words."
she repeated, as the excited girl, after    " Um —m-m-, yes," said the Colohesitating for an instant, attempted to  nel, "yes; that's what I mean to
resume her speech, " sit down!" Lucy   stick to."
obeyed, and leaning her head against    "Sign it, then," said his wife, handthe side of her bed, began to sob con-  ing the pen to him.
vulsively. Her mother stooped over    The Colonel took the quill, and
her and whispered in her ear. Mean-  slowly subscribed his name. He was
while the Colonel, recovering somewhat  not a dexterous penman; the book
from the exaltation of his wrath, began   made but an unhandy desk; and he
both to look and feel a little foolish and  wrote without his spectacles.
ashamed, albeit he strove hard to keep  Meanwhile his wife stood looking over
his anger hot.                       his shoulder, with a shrewd smile upon
"Husband," at last said Mrs. Man-  her lips, and her gray eyes twinkling.
ners, still keeping Lucy's hand in hers,  Lucy, with her face buried in the bed"you've taken a very solemn oath."   clothes, continued at intervals to sob
"I know  it," replied the Colonel,  faintly.
doggedly.  "I don't need to be told    "There," said the Colonel, returning
on't, Betsey  I've taken an oath, and, the pen to his wife, but carefully avoidwhat's more I mean to keep it."      ing at the same time to meet her glance.




1855.]           Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oration.               91
"Now," said Mrs. Manners, after  in each eye. The old gentleman held
she had folded up the paper, and put it  out his arms, and Lucy put hers about
carefully away in a drawer of the desk,  his neck. He kissed her wet cheek,
"now, there's your oath in black and   and smoothed down her disordered
white, so that some future day, if neces-  curls.  "Love will come with the basary, we may know just what it calls for.  bies, sissie," said he; whereat Lucy
On my part, I intend to do all that I can   burst out crying again, and was led off
to make Lucy perform what is therein  up stairs to her own chamber by her
required of her to the very letter."  mother, sobbing with redoubled vehe"If she will," said the Colonel,  mence.
glancing towards the bed, "there aint    "By George!" said the Colonel,
nothin' I won't do for her."         talking to himself, after the women had
"I want you to promise, then," said  got out of hearing. "By George!"
his wife, " that if she conforms to what  said he, blowing his nose, and nodding
was written on that paper, as I shall  his head in a positive manner; 1"there's
try to make her, you'll forgive her for  nothin' like bein' firm  and decided
what's happened to-night; and though   when you've got women to deal with.
you may yourself be sorry for having   I vow I didn't expect, one spell, that
compelled.her to marry her cousin,  Lucy would ha' gi'n up so quick and
you'll not blame her for her strict ob-  easy; for she's gritty as buckwheat
servance."                            bran when she gets her Ebenezer up;
"Promise! of course I do," cried   and as for her mother, really, I was
the Colonel.                          afeared she'd take up on her side agin
" Come, then," said Mrs. Manners.  me, and there'd be the Old Nick to
"Lucy, kiss your father; bid each   pay. I'm  actilly tempted to tell Axy
other good night, and then I'll go up to  how it came out arter I put my foot
bed with you, my child."              down, jest to shut her mouth when she
Poor little Lucy lifted her head from   says that Betsey leads me by the nose,
the bedside, with her hair falling all  and ollers makes me do jest as she
over her face, and came tottering to-  wants to have me. I'm the head of
wards her father, with a white knuckle   my own family yet, I guess."
[To be Continued.]
]MR. PEPPERAGE'S FOURTH  OF JULY  ORATION.
WE always go to the country of a  pleasant place. You get to Jehosaphat
Fourth of July. We do so from a  by that stupendous specimen of Amerisense of duty. A man who sits twelve   can enterprise-the Long Island railhours a day in his counting-house, ought  road-on which the travel, especially
to take one day in a year for recrea-  during the whole of the 3d of July, is
tion.                                 so immense, that every gentleman is
Our usual resort is Jehosaphat, a  obliged to stand up in the passages, or
beautiful village of Long Island-the   on the platforms, to make room for the
Long Islanders affect scriptural names,  ladies. It is true that the Company
you know-which combines the mari-  have a whole year's notice that there
time and the rural in graceful propor-  will be an unusual crowd on that day;
tions; the staple of its productions being   but a whole year is not enough to encorn and clams,-the one the finest  able them to accommodate the multiflower of the land, and the other the  tude who rush out of the city by this
richest gem of the sea. Corn, when  favorite mode of conveyance.  The
manufactured into whisky, and clams,  dividends of the road, we suspect, are,
baked in their own liquor under the   on that day at least, enormous.
sand, are the meat and drink of the in-i    The last time that we went to Jehosahabitants, who are duly grateful that  phat was on the Fourth of July, 1855,
Providence has cast their lot in a very   whenMr.Pepperage deliveredtheannual




92               Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oration.             [July,
oration.*  He was a new comer there,  and they gathered in front of the hotel,
and his fellow-citizens had selected him   with all the ardor of veteran warriors.
for this high and important function, not  Captain Joe Mott was officer of the
as a compliment to his abilities and cha-  day, and he performed prodigies in
racter, but to discover who and what he  getting his men into line. "'Tention,
was. Where he had come from, or his  the hull," he cried, with a voice like that
business, nobody knew, nor did he care  of the German Emperor who could be
to tell. He was, in fact, a remarkably  heard from one end of his army to the
silent man, of grave and unsocial de-  other-"Companee! Fall in! —Dress!!"
portment, who went to the post-office,    But as a considerable number of the
at ten o'clock precisely, each morning,   "companee " had begun quite early to
for his Tribune, and after that was not  fortify themselves against any premaseen for the rest of the day. All the  ture application of the Maine Law, their
gossips had speculated about his con-  "dress" did not answer, in every respect,
dition and pedigree until they had nearly  to the definition of a mathematical line.
broken their weasands, but without    "Companee!" shouted Captain Jo<,
coming to any satisfactory result. One   once more —"'Tention! Eyes right!of them, indeed, had gone so far as to'dress!" and again, after considerable
ask him "point blank to his face," who   movement, the line represented Hohe was, when he stared confusedly for  garth's line of beauty'rather more than
a while, then laughed, and finally turn-  any other line.
ed on his heels.                         Captain Joe strode up and down the
The glorious day, —the immortal  front several times in the greatest perFourth,-was ushered in, if we may be  plexity, and finally exclaimed —" Now,
allowed so novel an expression, with  sodgers, look-o'-here! I want you all to
the ringing of the bell and the firing  form in as straight a column as you can;
of a cannon.  Little boys exploded   with your backs to that are house, and
several crackers in the street, a squad   your noses pintin' to the liberty-pole!
of overgrown, larger lads shot off a  Now, then-Companee!-'Tention the
horse-pistol; a farmer, with his wife  hull! —Eyes right!-Dress!"
and three daughters dressed in white,    It was an unhappy order the Captain
rode about in their farm-wagon; a cou-  had given; for, each man after pointing
ple of negroes pitched pennies in the   his nose to the pole, looked over his
shadow of a wood-shed, and the star-  shoulder afterwards to see if his back
spangled banner drooped triumphantly   was right, so that the greater part of
from the top of the liberty-pole. It was  them had the appearance of lay figures,
as hot as griddle-cakes, of course, and   with the heads set the wrong way.
the majority of the free and independent    "Very well," said Captain Joe Mott,
citizens appeared in their shirt-sleeves.  seeing that he was not likely to get his
The only exceptions were two dozen   men any nearer to a right line,  "'Tenpersons who had the honor to belong to  tion, the hull! Show'd ums!" and
Company A, division 1, of the second  there was a general shaking of muskets.
battalion of the Jehosaphat Indefensi-    "Music! For'd, Aiarch!" and the
bles. Thesehavingbeendressed, froman   military moved off in procession, to
early hour in the morning, in a heavy  the manifest admiration of the entire
blue cloth coat and black leather hat,  circle of spectators. The orator, with
and carrying about fiftypounds of match-  the reader of the Declaration and a
lock, buttons and feathers, looked dis-  clergyman, rode behind in a barouche,
tressed even before the drum had beaten   drawn by two steeds splendidly caparithe call to parade. Their faces were as  soned in Dutch collars and sprigs of
red and wet as a lobster just taken   asparagus to keep off the flies.
from the kettle; while their bodies were    Arrived at the church, the clergyman
as limp as washed rags. But the first  made a prayer. Mr. Zeph. Conover, the
strains of the inspiring martial music,  promising young lawyer of the place,
consisting entirely of a base drum and  read the Declaration, in a full, loud,
a willow fife, put mettle into their limbs,  round voice, and with a determination' If any over inquisitive reader is disposed to ask us how we could get a report of the doings
on that day, seeing that our Magazine is printed several days beforehand, we deem it sufficient
to reply that we keep " a medium," who anticipates the mails and the telegraph, whenever we
have an occasion.-EDITOR.




1855.]            Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oration.               93
of manner that would have frightened   hundred and nineteen Jacksons, three
any crowned head in Europe out of his  hundred and ten Clays, ninety-eight
wicked designs, if he could only have   Clintons, and seventy-five Calhouns,
heard it; and the choir sung an ode  recall the noble deeds and heroic virtues
wirtten expressly for the occasion, by   of the immortal demigods, after whom,
the gifted editor of the Independent and   with a brilliant fecundity of patriotism,
Democratic Bivalve-from  which we  if not of invention, they are called.
extract the closing stanza, addressed   How mighty and beautiful the spectacle,
to our emblematic bird:                reminding us of the sweet lines which
the great Roman Consul so aptly applied
"Oh! proud bird of freedom! oh! long  to the legions worshiping in the Sacred
may'st thou soar,                 Temple:With thy storm-daring pinion, and sun-' O! forsitan patria pulchra,
gazing eye!
Through the blue empyrean, where wild      Nemo decorum et dulce eat!"
tempests roar,                    -Here the schoolmaster nodded to the
And the lightning of battle gleams fiercely  clergyman, who frowned, in reply,on high.                          probably at the Pagan sentiment of the
With thy bloody-red beak and thy talons of  poetry a
steel,'" But why this general joy and acclaSwoop gallantly down upon tyranny's  mation?  Why this ringing of bells
hawks,..     and firing of crackers, and waving of
Till those saucy and black-hearted minions  flags, and drinking of inger-beer, with
Thallt our national chicken is cock of a   other liquors, and setting off of fire-works
That our national chicken is cock of all
walks!"                         in the evening?  Is there any one in
this intelligent and enlightened assemThe orator of the day then came   bly who cannot tell?  The child unborn
forward, with a white handkerchief in   might give the answer. It is because
one hand, and his manuscript in the   we are freemen, and we meet to celeother, and said:                       brate the rights and triumphs of free" Friends and fellow-citizens: It is  dom. Our fathers, who lived, as it has
universally admitted, that this day,  been sagaciously observed,'in times
which we halve now assembled to cele-  that tried men's souls,' bequeathed to
brate, is a great day-the natal day of  us the precious heritage of liberty and
freedom, when liberty was born and   equality; and we come up together
independence was cradled, and which   annually to testify to each other our
has never been surpassed since the   devotion to those sacred principles.
primeval day on which  the world was  We are all free, and we are all equal!
creatQd, and will never be equaled till  The rights, the dignity, the sacredness
the ultimate day of judgment. As the   of man, as man, is the  corner-stone of
Greek poet felicitously expresses it:  our political faith; and where is the,o fi t  dastard, the slanderer, and the liar, who'       To, c/reea ~6 7oS 2L vxat~ov.  "    dares to intimate that any of our politi-At this classical allusion, the clergy-   cal and social relations are not built on
man nodded approvingly to the school-  that foundation?"
master, who sat upon the same bench   -The orator here paused a few minutes
with him on the stage, and smiled fool-  for a reply, and to wipe his forehead.
ishly in return.'                      "It is common, I know," he re"On this day," the orator continued,  sumed, "for envious and unprincipled
"'the free and happy people of fourteen  foreign tourists to say that four milthousand five hundred and sixty-nine  lions of people among us are not'free
villages (the precise number of villages  and equal'-in fact, that they are noin the United States, according to the  thing more nor less than s-l-a-v-e-slast census) send up their grateful  but this is a libel and an untruth, and
hearts to God, in thanks that they are  ought to blister the mouth of every
the greatest people of all the earth. On   lily-livered, pink-hearted, black-coated,
this day, nine hundred and fifty-two   venial sycophant of royalty who utters
cities or towns named Washington,  it! There are a few of the swarthy
seven hundred and thirty-six named   children of Africa, who, rescued from
Jefferson, five hundred Hamiltons, three  the brutalities of their native kings, are
hundred and twenty Madisons, three   held in an involuntary servitude under




94                Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oration.            [July,
a system  inherited from  the British   boons, and the domestic happiness of a
two centuries ago,-but they are not  thousand firesides wrecked by excess of
half as -much  slaves as the white  ourang-outang8 and ring-tailed apes!"
serfs of Birmingham  and Manchester!  -As the eloquent gentleman proceeded
Are not their mouths ever full of pos-  to unfold the outlines of this fearful
sum-fat and hominy?  Are they not  picture, his voice was gradually drowndressed in the best tow-cloth half the   ed in the sobs and sighs of the female
year,-while it is too hot to wear any-  part of the audience, whose tender senthing the other half? Do they not raise  sibilities were wrought up to a pitch of
their own pig and chickens, and fish for  almost frantic excitement. He, there-' cats' and snapping-turtles of Saturday  fore, magnanimously forbore to press the
nights? And have they not the Gospel  subject further.
statedly preached to them by one of      "But," he remarked, "to change the
their own number on the Sabbath day?   theme, if there be any one so insane
Slaves, forsooth! why they are the   as to believe that we Americans fall
happiest working people on the globe!  short of the lofty and beautiful ideal of
Well would it be, friends and fellow-  our fathers, let me point him to our
citizens, for the poor Irish bog-trotter,  liberal and magnanimous treatment of
and the English coal-heavers, and the  foreign immigrants. As our great maxim
French sans-culottes, and the German  is that'man is man,' we make our couneater of sour-crout, and the consumers  try emphatically the' home of the exile
of macaroni at Naples, if they could be   and the- asylum  of the oppressed.'
as well fed and cared for as these ob-  The half million refugees from Eurojects of misguided and fanatical philan-  pean despotimi, who annually come to
thropy! Wellwould it be for us, even,  us, we welcome with warm hugs and
if we were always so sure of our rice   very open hands.  They touch our
and sweet-potatoes!  The supreme and   country-and,-we set'em to work on
ultimate end of human existence being,  the rail-road, at six shillings a day!
as the Scriptures tell us,'what we   They take part in our political life,shall eat and wherewithal we shall be   and, instead of seeking to deprive them
clothed,' the greatest and happiest of   of the privilege, we often pay them for
mortals are they whose mouths are  voting.  But it may be questioned
stuffed with good fat bacon, and whose   whether we have not, in this, reversed.
persons are ornamented with a red  the true and patriotic process. Far be
bandanna handkerchief!                it from me to intimate that our political
" Besides, friends and fellow-citizens,  arrangements are not perfect in any
-as those eminent philosophers Messrs.  respect: but, as the citizens of Athens,
Nott and Gliddon inform  us-it has  in the most flourishing period of their
not yet been proved that Africans are   democracy, caused themselves to be
men! It is true that they look like   paid out of the public treasury, for the
men, that they are formed like men,  discharge of their laborious duties in
that they talk like men, that they rea-   attending public assemblies, listening to
son and feel like men, but appearances,  the orators, talking politics, and monopyou know, are fallacious. In spite of   olizing legislation: so it seems but just,
such superficial resemblances, the well-  considering how much more exacting
attested physical facts that they often   our duties are in all these respects, that
have projecting jaws like monkeys,  every native of the United States should
sometimes a flat foot like a goose,  go untaxed, and be supported at public
and always wool on their heads like   expense. I say every native, because
sheep, are facts which admit of no   of the extraordinary merit of that class
reply. They show that we should at  of citizens, in having got themselves
least hesitate  in  recognizing  their  born on this continent, and because it
claims to humanity. It would be an  is clear that aliens, with their foreign
awful thing to mistake a monkey for  manners and habits of thought, can
a man, and, under that terrible de-  never be made to understand the peculusion, to plunge four millions of infe-  liarities of our institutions. Let me,
rior animals into all the refinements  therefore, suggest this proposal to the
and  delights of civilization!   Our  Hermetical Benevolent Societies, or
fancies shrink appalled from the con-  those which, sealed at both ends, devote
sequences-the  streets of populous  themselves so industriously to the good
cities running, red with pink-faced ba-  of themselves,-and the public!"




1855.]            Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oratian.               95
-At this point in the discourse some  tures called Babies, at the recent exhi
disturbance was created by an Irishman,  bition in the Great American Museum,
who cried "LBravo," when several native   exceeded everything of the kind ever
and stalwart Jehosaphatians fell upon   before conceived. Why there were inhim, and, after beating his face into a  fants there, not twelve months old, so
semblance of raw beef-steak, ejected   prosperous in fat that not a single feahim from the window. As soon as the  ture of their innocent faces was discheering, with which their prompt inter-  tinguishable!  There were American
ference was greeted by the whole assem-  mothers there, who could throw threes
bly, had subsided, the speaker resumed.  far more easily than you could turn up
"Yes, my dearly-beloved friends and   double-sixes in a dice-box!
fellow-citizens, it is the glory of our in-  "Again, do they not slaughter more
stitutions and our society, that every   hogs in Cincinnati than in all the rest
man is allowed to pursue his happiness  of the world?  Do they not make betin his own way. The impartial spirit  ter champagne at Newark  than in
of our laws, while it confers no privileges   France, or even in Broad street?  What
and suffers no monopolies, doesn't in-  oysters are equal to the Blue Pointers of
terfere materially with anybody.       Downing; or in what region of the habi"But not to waste your time, fellow-  table world, barbarian or civilized, bond
citizens, upon irrelevant topics, let me   or free, are there canvas-back ducks
recur to more pleasing contemplations!  like ours?  Oh! my friends, I could
Let me remind you of what, in your   weary your patience almost with agreehabitual modesty, you are so apt to for-  able statistics of this kind, and you ought
get-your sure and solid and stupendous  to thank the beneficent Power, for the
greatness as a nation! Let me recall  inconceivable greatness of your endowthat distinguishing and consolatory fact,  ments and the overwhelming grandeur
that your country covers already ar   of your destinies!
area of nearly four million square miles,  "In the arts of peace, and in the
and that it would be still bigger if the   deeds of war, you are equally distintwo oceans were filled in. Who shall say,  guished. Itwas your happy lot to have
in view of the accomplishments of mod-  produced  Singer's sewing  machine,
ern enterprise, that it is not practicable  the clipper ship Blue Thunder, Blake's
to level the Apalachians and so obtain  fire-proof paint, the aboriginal mintsufficient material for this purpose,  julep, the improved sherry cobbler,
whenever it shall be demanded by the   and the trotting-horse Fanny Fern,
increasing density of our population and   as well as the authoress of the same
be warranted by the price of lots?  name —alike the envy  and admiraWhat were Greece and Rome, about  tion of mankind. In the department of
which the historians keep up such a  the Fine Arts, your immortal Jackson
bother, compared  to  this?   Why   and his horse, both standing on one hind
Greece, with all her pretensions to art  leg, and the panorama of the Mississippi,
and science, was only a little peninsula  painted on forty miles of canvas, cover
about twice the size of Long Island, and   you with renown. But, perhaps, the
Rome, though she called herself, in her  Washington National Monument will be
vainglorious pride, the Mistress of the   considered by posterity as your most exGlobe, was nothing more than a single  traordinary performance. Composed of
city, situated on a river no deeper than   different sized stones from every part of
one of our goose creeks! What, too,  the globe, and a few aerolites supposed
is England compared to us-that boast-  to have been engendered in the moon,
ful and arrogant England,' whose morn-  it also illustrates the peculiar architecing drum-beat,' as some one has ludi-  ture of every nation and age-from the
crously said,'follows the sun in his  Egyptian obelisk and the temple-cave
course?'  A  narrow, misty, marshy,  of India to the wigwam of the red man
miserable coal pit, easily contained in a   and the corn-stalk orders of Western
Virginia cornfield, and which you would  prairies. Indeed, that remarkable pile
have to look for with a telescope on an   of stones (or bricks, were they?) once
Illinois prairie!                     attempted on the plains of Shinar is the'In respect to natural productions   only edifice of history which can be
and national industry we have also every   compared to it, either in design or exereason for exultation and pride. The   cution.
display of those useful domestic crea-   "Then, again, your literature has




96               Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oration.           [July,
created a new epoch in the brilliant  sand living lustres, from roof and wall
autobiography of Barnum, which has  and floor?  But time would fail to
sold to the number of a million copies  specify the glories of that fairy scene.
at least, which has been translated   The foreign  exhibitors  themselves,
into ten different languages, not in-  ashamed of the figure they cut, slunk
eluding our native dialects, and which  from the competition, and have never
would have been translated into others  since dared to come for their goods,
but for the fears, on the part of the  which still remain on hand, kicking
kings and princes, of its tremendous  about among the dust and cobwebs of
political influence amongtheir subjects.  the now deserted show! They say, to
Besides, it has been noticed in every  excuse this neglect,-for everybody
leading review, though, it must be  who is beaten has always an excuse at
confessed, in an envious and carping  hand,-that our Crystal Palace Comspirit.  Bulwer, Dickens, Thackeray,  pany are insolvent, and have failed to
Dumas, and all the other great writers  return their goods; but the excuse
of fiction, secretly own  themselves  proceeds from sheer envy-from  the
beaten,  and  Macaulay delays  his  malicious envy of unprincipled foreignhistory in the vain hope that this  ers! Do you suppose that an Amerinovel excitement in the reading world  can could be guilty of such dishonorwill pass. Meritorious and inimitable  able conduct as the excuse implies?
Barnum-fortunate man! thine was  No! ten thousand hands would rush
the magic wand which took captive all  into their pockets rather than that such
our pockets-thine the fertile imagina-  an indignity should fall upon our good
tion which has added new forms to  name!
creation and new pleasures to existence  "Why, gentlemen, you ought not to
-and thine the disinterested virtue   be surprised if these same envious forwhich twines a wreath of very green  eigners should next attempt to decry
evergreen round the altar of thy coun-  the moral uses of that great and pecutry's fame!"                        liar institution of some parts of our
-The irrepressible enthusiasm of the  happy country, which is excellently
audience could be contained no longer,  typified in our native and original inand, at this point, broke out in a  vention, the Bowie-knife. I refer to the
distinct "Hurrah  for Literature and  institution of a species of jurisprudence,
Barnum!"                            which readily supersedes all other juris" Everybody," pursued the orator,  prudence, and, without the tedious for"everybody, especially in this great  malities of judges, juries, lawyers, stacountry, admits the unprecedented ad-  tute-books and other antiquated contrivances that we have made in practical  vances of society, arrives at instant and
art,-of which fact there could not  substantial justice-a justice that does
have been a more transcendent proof,  not often require any appeal!  How
if proof were needed, than the im-  would the bold pioneer of the frontier,
measurable superiority of our Crystal  you naturally ask, get rid of his enePalace to the World's Fair of London,  mies and supply his necessary wants, if
the Dublin Exhibition, the present Ex-  he were compelled to look into musty
position at Paris, and everything of  and worm-eaten law-books to find out
the kind that has yet been attempted   what he might and what he might not
anywhere. Its variety and brilliancy   do?  Law-books are not as thick as
were only equaled by its financial  huckle-berries in the woods.  How
success.  What wealth of  plows,  could the benevolent and patriotic citiwhat splendors of sole-leather, what  zen of Missouri control the elections
luxury and magnificence of corn-shell-  of Kansas, if he had to consult the
ers and patent pumps!  Who did not  pandects of Justinian, and if he were
see, and seeing admire, the beautiful  not allowed to use his knife and rifle
Central Temple erected by Genin, and  freely among the interloping marauders
hung round with baby-linen, as a  from other States? Some will, perhaps,
heart-felt homage to nascent human-  reply, that, if others should resort to the
ity?  Who could turn to those huge  same weapons, the condition of things
cases of  variegated soaps, without  must result in civil war.  In civil war!
imagining himself in some grotto of  will it?  Ah! how little such greenthe genii, where precious stones and  horns must have studied the theory of
gems flashed, in a thousand, thou-  our constitution, which so strikingly




1855.]            Mr. Pepperage's Fourth of July Oration.                 97
conciliates law and liberty, or popular  to the flames, and the poor remnant of its
sovereignty with the supremacy of gov-  insolent inhabitants, who had dared to
ernment!  The whole secret of the   resist the commands of Brother Jonathing is simply this: that each commu-  than's consul, and fling bottles at his
nity has an inalienable right to do just  ambassador, were driven to the forests
as it pleases, and, if by chance it comes   and the swamps!  Oh, intrepid and
into conflict with some other community,  mighty exploit! The glories of Therthe General Government acts as umpire   mopylhe and Marathon, yea, of Donbetween them, and sees that they have   nybrook Fair, hide their diminished
a fair fight. In other words, to compare   heads before thee! and, to the end of
great things with small, the General  time, poets will sing thy praise, as the old
Government is a bottle-holder to all the   Homer sang the conquest of the greatly
separate popular sovereignties, and does  inferior Troy?"
not suffer any one of them to pitch into   -The applause of the company was
another more than is good for the whole-  about to be renewed, as the orator had
some of the latter!  Thus, Missouri  finished this touching and patriotic pasinvades Kansas; but, is it going to hurt  sage, but was restrained by the breathKansas? Not at all: it is only going to  less interest that attended the first words
save it the trouble and expense of legis-  of his peroration, which now began.
lation, while the President and his       " I shall close," said the eloquent oraCabinet look on quietly, in order to see  tor, "by an allusion to the vital greatthat Kansas behaves herself with proper  ness and sempiternal importance of the
gratitude and respect.                 national Union."
" But not alone on this negative side   -This sentence was greeted by a salvo
of duty are our merits conspicuous. In   of tremendous cheers, and cries of'" Go
the active pursuits of war and diplo-  it, Pepperage!"
macy we play a second fiddle to no       "The Union!" perorated Mr. P.-"Innation. Consider, by way of illustra-  spiring theme! How shall I find words
tion, the grand military events of these  to describe its momentous magnificence
latter years. England and France, as   and its beatific lustre?  The Union!you are aware, have been trying, with  it is the ark of our safety!!-the pallaall their fleets and all their armies, for  dium of our liberties!!!-the safeguard
more than a twelvemonth, to take the   of our happiness!!-!and tle aegis of
single  small fortress  of Sebastopol.  our virtues!!!!! In the Union we live,
They have tried in vain. Their ships   and move, and go a-head. It watches
have done nothing but drag their an-   over us at our birth-it fans us in our
chors; and their hosts are food for  cradles-it accompanies us to the disfever and the army-worm. All man-  trict school-it gives us our victuals in
kind are laughing at their impotence   due season-it selects our wives for us
and want of skill. But turn to gaze  from'America's fair daughters,' and it
upon another picture! Behold the siege   does a great many other things; to say
and sack of Greytown!  Call to mind   nothing of putting us to sleep somethe disproportion of the forces,-and   times, and keeping the flies from our
then, the celerity of the American at-  innocent repose.  While the Union
tack, and the completeness of the Amer-  lasts, we have the most reasonable
ican victory!-A single ship engaging   prospect of plenty of fodder, with occaan entire nation!                      sional drinks. By its beneficent ener" Nor did the daring deed require a   gies, however, should the present supyear,-or a month,-or a week,-no!  ply give out, we shall rise superior to
only a single day.'Surrender,' said  the calculations of an ordinary and narthe gallant Hollins to his proud and de-  row prudence, and take in Cuba, Hayti,
fiant foe.' We won't,' they answered   and Mexico, and such parts of all conin the plenitude of their full security.  tiguous islands as may offer prospects' Then, by the rapacious eagle at the   for an advantageous investment. Palpeak,' rejoined the puissant chief of the   sied be the arm, then, and blistered the
war-worn Cyane,''11 blow you to the  tongue, and humped the back, and
devil!' and he did. Within the space   broken the legs, and eviscerated the
of five short hours, the hitherto im-   stomach, of every person who dares to
pregnable Greytown was leveled to the   think or even dream  of harming it!
dust; its forts, its walls, its magazines,  May the heaviest curses of Time fall
its churches, and its palaces were given   upon his scoundrelly soul!  May his
VOL. VI.-7




98                       Editorial Notes-Literature.                     [July,
juleps curdle in his mouth!  May he   and horrid night would mantle the skies,
smoke none but New Orleans tobacco!  and one by one the strong pillars of the
May his family be perpetually ascend-   universe go crumbling into ruin, amid
ing the Mississippi in  a steamboat!  the gleam of bowie-knives and the lurid
May his own grandmother disown him!  glare of exploding steamboats!"
And may the suffrages of his fellow-citi-  The plaudits that greeted the perzens pursue him like avenging furies,  spiring orator, on this splendid close,
till he is driven, howling into Congress.  became absolutely terrific; and such
For, oh! my dear, dear friends-my   numbers of men rushed forward to conbeloved fellow-citizens-who-can fore-   gratulate him on his success, that he
tell the agonies, or the sorrows, or the   was almost crushed by the crowd. A
blights, and the anguish, and the de-  few more judicious friends hurried him
spair, and  the black eyes, and the   at once out of a back window into a
bloody noses, that would follow, upon   carriage, in which he was rapidly driven
the dispersion of our too happy, happy   to his. home, not so exhausted by his
family?                                 effort as one might suppose. It was by
"The accursed myrmidons of des-  this timely ruse, however, that he was
potism, with gnashing teeth and blood-   saved from an immolation by his enthustained eyes, would rush at large over  siastic admirers.  But the latter, not to
this planet.  They would lap the crim-   be defeated in their purpose, at once
son gore of the most wealthy and re-   held a public meeting, and unanimously
spectable citizens. The sobs of females   nominated him for President. Whether
and the screams of children would min-   he accepts this honor may, doubtless,
gle with the barking of dogs and the   be learned from the next number of the
crash of falling columns. A universal  Independent and Democratic Bivalve.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
AMERICAN  LITERATURE  AND  REPRI NTS.
RELIGIOUS WORKS.-A posthumous work   devotional feelings, that another rendering
of the late Mr. ANDREWS NORTON, of Cam-  of any part, even though it should be more
bridge, appears in his New Translation of the  precisely correct, would not appear to posGospeis, with explanatory notes, and an ac-  sess the same force and beauty. Mr. Norton,
companying volume on the genuineness of  for instance, in the first of the Beatitudes
the evangelical narrative. He spent many   says, "'Blessed are they who feel their
of the best years of his life on this labor,  spiritual wants, for theirs is the kingdom
which, for careful scholarship, research,  of heaven;" but how much more direct
and independent, but not extravagant,  and touching is the old form, "Blessed are
opinions, does his memory the greatest  the poor in spirit."  Or, again, in that
credit.  It has been edited, by his son,  beautiful illustration in a subsequent part
from manuscripts left after his decease,  of the Sermon on the Mount, he translates,
with the most pains-taking industry, and   A' nd why are you anxious about clothing?
in excellent taste. In typographical exe-  Observe how the lilies of the field are
cution, too, the work is an honor to the   flourishing. They toil not, they spin not;
press of its enterprising publishers, IMessrs.  but I tell you that not even Solomon, in
Little, Brown & Co.                      all his glory, was arrayed like one of
But the undertaking itself is one that  these."  In the Lord's Prayer,' we have
cannot have much value or interest, except  "' Our Father in heaven, may thy name be
for professional readers and scholars. The  reverenced. May thy kingdom come. 3May
popular mind will continue to prefer the  thy will" 1b done on earth as it is in heaven.
old version of the Scriptures, executed   Give us this day our needful food. For
under King James, to any new translation   give us our offenses as we forgive those
that is likely to be given. Its words and   who offend against us. Bring us not into
phrases are so associated with our deepest  trial, but deliver us from evil," with all




1855.]                    Editorial Notes-Literature.                         99
the rest, the doxology omitted. The first  is evident, from a moment's reading, that
chapter of John reads thus: "In the be-  he was a scholar of rare attainments, of
ginning was the Logos, and the Logos was   cautious habits of thought, and of the
with God, and the Logos was God."  But  sincerest purposes.
in all these and a thousand other cases,    Mr. Norton's sentiments are given most
where the change of sense is almost imper-  at length in the accompanying volume on
ceptible, the words used seem to us infe-  the Internal Evidences of the Genuineness of
rior in simplicity and force. What is the   the Gospels, which are elaborate, and, in
Greek Logos compared with our noble, old  some respects, profound treatises on all the
and significant WORD? We wonder why   topics usually discussed between believers
any change should be made, when the sense   and infidels, but, more especially, those
itself does not require it, and the old forms   suggested by Strauss's mythical theory of
convey the thought with perfect fidelity  the life of Jesus. It does not seem to us
and strength.                             that the defense is put upon the highest
The most indefensible change made by   grounds; indeed, we think, that Mr. NorMr. Norton, is in the use of the personal  ton's whole philosophy of the Gospel
pronouns, of you for ye, which takes away   exposes it to more serious inroads than
a great deal of the quaint and pertinent   Strauss has yet been able to make; but we
significance of the style, without being   must still admire the erudition he brings
a whit more easy or grammatical.  We   to the argument, and the frankness with
confess, also, that we think the change of   which he meets the essential perplexities
the old verbal termination in eth into the   of his subject. In his rooted aversion to
participle in ing, no improvement, as' the   nearly all forms of German speculation,
little girl is not dead but sleeping," for   he fails to do justice to the extraordinary
"she is not dead but sleepeth."           grasp and acuteness of the German mind,
It is stated, in an editorial note prefixed   so that one is often inclined to smile at
to the book, that Mr. Norton was induced   the panic terrors into which he is thrown
to undertake this translation because there   by the Teutonic monsters of metaphysics,
was no translation extant, sufficiently accu-   but his aim is, for the most part, towards
rate, and, at the same time, sufficiently   an impartial estimate of all opponents.
simple, to reflect the real meaning of the    — The first chapter of Genesis has been
original; but, surely, he must have forgot-   a source of considerable trouble to those
ten the very able version of Dr. George   theologians, who think it incumbent upon
Campbell, which, in accuracy, is quite  them to reconcile the teachings of their
equal to his own, and in style, we think,  creeds with the teachings of science. The
superior; while the preliminary disserta-   difficulties, if we understand them, have
tions, and the notes, are among the ablest  sprung out of the two statements, first, that
of the kind that have ever been printed.  light was made two days before the sun,
The notes of the second volume are very   which we are taught, by modern authorifull, learned, candid, and instructive. They   ties, to look upon as the cause of light;
give the reasons of the author for any   and, second, that the several processes of
changes or omissions he may have made   creation are confined to periods of a day
in his translation,-his sense of the mean-   each, whereas geology and other sciences
ing of doubtful passages, and the opinions   show us that the physical world must have
of competent critics on the textual difficul-  undergone vast progressive revolutions in
ties, with essays relating to the chronolo-  the course of its attainment of its present
gy, the characters, the figurative language,  state. Mr. TAYLER LEWIS, in a new work
and so forth, of the Scriptures. These notes   on the subject, entitled the Six Days of
are a thousand fold more valuable than   Creation, discarding all the old theories,
the translation is likely to be, and, as a   and professing a very slight respect for
commentary on the Gospels, deserve to be   the deductions of science, undertakes a
in the hand of every person who wishes   philological investigation of the real meanto take intelligent views ofChristianity.  ing of the chapter. He has devoted two
They are, of course, open to controversy.   years of patient study to it, and the conThey express the sentiments of a Unitari-  clusion at which he arrives is, that the
an, and of one who was peculiar, even in   creative periods called "days," in the
his Unitarianism; but, at the same time, it   Bible, are indefinite periods, or, of a dura



100                       Editorial Notes-Literature.                      [July,
tion not measurable by any subordinate   quite out of place to discuss here, that we
division of time derived from the present  must dismiss it with a single remark as to
constitution of things. They are spoken  the care and conscientiousness with which
of as days, for three reasons: first, because  the writer has arrived at a position, somethis is the best language the Hebrew or any   what novel among his class of men. He
other ancient tongue could furnish; sec-  has been compelled to differ from the preond, because of their cyclical or periodical  vailing authorities in his Church, but he
character; and third, because this periodi-  does so with becoming modesty, and yet
cal character is marked by two contrasted   with an honorable independence of judgstates (evening and morning), which could   ment. We have no doubt that his book
not be so well expressed in any way as by   will have a tendency to expand the range
those terms.                              of speculation on the high themes of which
Each of these indefinite periods, then,  it treats, without, at the same time, enwas employed in an alternating series of   couraging a reckless or extravagant style
growths, which had a supernatural begin-  of philosophizing.
ning, but, in the processes of their develop-  -The History of the Life and Institute of
ment, were natural.                       St. Ignatius Loyola, by Bartoli, an Italian
Yet this use of the word day, it is con-   writer of the beginning of the seventeenth
tended, is not a mere fanciful conjecture,   century, has just been translated into
or a philological resort to escape a diffi-  English, by Madame CALDnnoN  DE LA
culty of science, but is forced upon us by   BARCA, a lady whose eminent qualifications
considerations which lie upon the very face   as a translator are well known.  The
of the account, especially in the description   original, composed about a century after
of the first four periods which preceded   the death of the great Catholic Founder,
the regular division of days by the sun.  by a member of his Society, who cherished
"By representing them as ante-solar, the   the profoundest admiration of his characwriter, whatever may be his science, gives  ter, and who had access to the most authenus a clear intimation that the days of  tic means of information, is the most enwhich he is speaking, are not the common   tertaining, if not in all respects the most
diurnal revolutions measured by the rising   able life of Ignatius that we have. Madand setting of the heavenly bodies."      ame Calderon has rendered the liquid
This general position Prof. Lewis makes   periods of the Italian into clear and graceout, with great wealth of learning, and   ful English, without sacrificing more of the
some force of logic; but he has connected   southern vivacity and the naive simplicity
the simple philosophical inquiry with so   of her author than was inevitable, considmany metaphysical theories, that his con-   ering the difference of the two languages.
tributions to knowledge on one side are   Bartoli himself is really a charming narraquite overlaid by untenable, or, at least,  tor; and though the characters and events
indeterminable speculations on the other.  which he describes are, many of them, reHad he given us the results of his re-  volting to our more liberal conceptions of
searches as to the meaning of the words  the nature of the religious life, he writes
and sentences used by Moses, he would   with such an unquestioning faith in the
have  laid  us under obligation; but,  most wonderful things, with such a hearty
in attempting to illustrate them by his  enthusiasm, and with such a romantic sensiown peculiar philosophy, he sometimes   bility to adventure, that it is a pleasure to
rather confounds than enlightens us.-   read his accounts. Nor was he deficient in
When, for instance, he speaks of nature,  sagacity of insight or in depth of reflection.
as a "self-subsistent and self-acting pow-  His sketches of men are often admirable
er," or, again, as "a force developing   portraits, while his remarks on life and
itself by law which God has given it;" or   manners evince observation and thought.
again, of a tree or animal, as "developing   In his honest, and obviously well-founded
itself by its own internal law," he either   details of the early Jesuits, we get, perhaps,
uses language which has no meaning, or   a fuller statement of the original objects
which teaches the grossest kind of natu-   of the Company of Jesus, and of the spirit
ralism.                                  in which it was conceived, than in the
There are so many questions started by   more pretentious and elaborate general
this book, however, which it would be   histories.




1855.]                    Editorial Notes-Literature.                        101
For three hundred years, the powerful  the society; but in respect to the minutest
society which Ignatius founded, has been   directions of those in power, as to sleeping,
an object of intense devotion on the part  and walking, and speaking or not speaking.
of its friends, and of as intense hatred by   Its members were to have no will but the
its enemies. In all the nations of the world   will of God, and that will was represented
it has made itself felt, either as an instru-  by the Superior, "in whom, whether wise
ment of good or of evil. The bones of its  or imprudent, holy or imperfect, resides the
martyred missionaries have whitened the   authority of Jesus Christ himself."  They
soil of every part of the globe, from the   were to have no life outside of the life of the
Mississippi valley to the interior of India,  society; to acknowledge no ties of kindred
while it maintains its influence among the   or country; to accept of no dignities or
most civilized states, and is supposed by   honors; to attach themselves to no promany to dictate the policy of some of the   fessions, no pursuits, no favorite studies,
cabinets of Europe. Abhorred and reve-  except as permitted by the society: and to
renced, distrusted and loved; branded in   hold themselves ready, at a moment's
one place as a secret conspiracy for the   warning, to surrender their existing duties,
most worldly and unworthy objects, and   whatever they were, for other tasks imposed
eulogized in another as the most self-  by the commands of the corporation. In
denying and modest of religious bodies,  the words of Ignatius himself, each member
it would seem to be impossible to arrive at  was to consider himself as " soft wax" in
a correct notion of its true character. If  the hands of the Order-as "a dead body
we take Protestant authorities, we shall  without will or intelligence"-as "a little
find it represented as the most wickedly  crucifix which is turned about irresistingly
ambitious scheme for the government of  at the will of him who holds it, or as a staff
the world, by means of its superstitions,  in the hands of an old man, who uses it as
that was ever contrived; but if we take   he requires it, and as it suits him best."'
the defenses of its members, we shall be-   It is easy to discover, from  this brief
hold only a vast and well-organized bro-  sketch, the various causes which have led
therhood, sworn to the most sincere and   to the tremendous influence of this society,
*earnest piety, incapable of official honors  in human affairs; its powerful spring of
in Church or State, and exclusively devoted   action in its intense conception of the na,
to the spiritual regeneration of mankind.    ture of love to God; its energetic vitality
But while there is this diversity of opi-  in the despotic compactness of its organinion as to the tendency of the Society of  zation; and its almost universal offensiveJesus, under the developments given to it  ness to men, in its rigid exclusion of all
by time, there need be no doubt as to the  those personal motives, even the most innocharacter and designs of its great origina-  cent, by which men are usually governed.
tor. According to ]Partoli's own showing,  Whether it has always been enabled to
and in the midst of all his loving venera-  maintain the.high religious tone in which
tion, one sees that the saint was an intense  it was begun, is a question for the historians
fanatic, who by a long series of almost  to settle; but we think we see enough in
incredible macerations and austerities, had  the avowed principles of its founder, to
subdued every human propensity in his  account for the hostility which it has so
own soul, under the assumption that this  often provoked, without imputing to it
was necessary to the pure love of God, and   those ambitious and cunning designs, which
who sought to work a similar change in   have made the name of Jesuit, in popular
the souls of all other men. The extirpation   acceptance, a synonym for all that is selfish
of self-love from the heart, and the sub-  and treacherous. In otherwords,we should
stitution therefor of the love of God and   be willing to acquit the society of the usual
the Savior was his ideal of Christianity;   accusations of its enemies, as to its practical
and, in order to diffuse this ideal through-  interferences in civil and domestic affairs,
out the world, he organized a society which   and yet find enough in the very principles
should aim at no other end. He organized   of its constitution to justify a very earnest
it on the most despotic principles. Its  dislike and opposition.
first, fundamental, pervading law was obe-    — In the Golden Reed of Mr. BARRETT, we
dience to the superiors - obedience not  have a discussion of the true idea of the
only in respect to the general objects of  Church, mainly from the stand-point of




102                      Editorial Notes-Literature.                      [July,
those who receive the doctrines of the   tory," which took place in 1745, and in
great Swedish Seer-Swedenborg.  The   which he displayed extraordinary activity,
principles illustrated are these: that the  judgment and courage. For his conduct in
unity of the Christian spirit is compatible  the siege he was knighted by the king, and
with diversity of belief-that error may be   his little army received apublic welcome in
innocent, or rather, that false doctrines do   Boston andothercities. Abriefbut spirited
not condemn, unless willingly adopted into   description of the whole affair will be found
the life; that salvation is possible in what-  in the closing pages of Bancroft's third
soever heresy, and even among Mohamme-  volume, with a map of the town, the fortidans and Pagans; and that the true Chris-  fications, and the position of the contending
tian Church is universal, embracing within   French and colonists. The " strongest forits ample spiritual folds men of every per-  tress of North America," says Bancroft,
suasion and of every tongue, who have   "capitulated to an amy of undisciplined
lived honestly, according to the best light  New England mechanics, farmers and fishvouchafed them, under the circumstances   ermen."
in which they were placed by Providence.    The materials of Mir. Usher are drawn
It is the end for which a man lives, says Mr.  partly from an old package of letters, which
Barrett, which determines his character,  had been exposed, for half a century, in an
and not his speculative opinions on theolo-   old shed on the Pepperill estate, consisting
gy, or anything else, nor the name by   of letters to and from correspondents, and
Which he is called.                       partly from manuscripts in the possession
The object of Mr. Barrett's book is to   of the Massachusetts Historical Society.
show that these are the teachings of Swe-  He has used them judiciously, and made a
denborg; so that there is not much of his  valuable volume out of them, which not
own writing in it, but liberal extracts from    only describes the progress of the famous
his author. It has struck us as peculiar,  siege, with more particularity than has
by the way, that the greater part of those   hitherto been done, but throws light upon
who adopt Swedenborg, when they come   contemporary history, and preserves the
to explain his system, usually resort to this   memory of a remarkable character.
method. It would seem  as if they had       -We class the little work with the title
either not thoroughly digested his princi-  Cotton is King, among histories, because,
ples in their own minds, or as if they felt  though its primary object is to vindicate
bound always to give his sentiments in  the institution of slavery, its principal
his own words. With the exception of Mr.  value consists in the historical details
Henry James, of this city, and Dr. Wilkin-  which it gives of the growth of the cotton
son, of London, we scarcely know a writer,  trade, and also of the movements underamong this class of men, who evinces any   taken toward the amelioration of its culoriginality, or any spontaneous freshness,  tivators, the negroes. The writer endeain his explanations of either philosophy or   vors to show, by this history, that slavery
theology. The master seems to sit upon   has increased with the increase of the efforts
them as an incubus, paralyzing their facul-   made against it; that it is altogether imties, or at least confining them to the driest  pregnable upon any moral grounds, and
repetition of his formulas and phrases.  that it is so inwrought into the interests
Why is this?  Will not some expositor of  of the manufactures and commerce of
the old Scandinavian sage give us a reason   the world, that any attempts to unsetfor so curious an intellectual phenomenon?   tie it would produce the most disastrous
HISTORIES.-T-he Life of Sir Wtilliam Pep-  results. As it is the monopoly of the culperill, Bart., by USuER PARsoNS, is an ac-  ture of cotton, which imparts to slavery its
count of the only native of New England,   economical value, the author argues that
as we are told on the title-page, who was  the system will continue as long as this
created a baronet during our colonial con-  monopoly is maintained. Slave-labor pronection with the mother country. This is  ducts have become necessities of life to the
some ground of distinction, certainly; but   extent of more than half the commercial
Sir William  possessed other and better   articles supplied to the Christian world.
titles to remembrance. He was the hero   The future efforts of the Abolitionists are,
of the expedition to Louisburg, "the great-  therefore, destined to be as impotent as
est warlike enterprise of our colonial his-  they have been in the past. But, the wri



1855.]                    Editorial Notes-Literature.                         103
ter thinks, something might be done if the   but they are brought together with such a
manufacturing monopoly of Great Britain,'perception of" effective situations," as the
the offspring of her pretended "free-trade,"   play-wrights say, that the reader is altercould be overthrown, or if the free colored   nately exploding with laughter, or suffused
people, who are adapted to work in tropi-  in tears. Either work, in fact, is as good
cal climates, should devote themselves to  as a play, and much better than most
the production, in Liberia or somewhere   plays, for vivacious dialogue, discriminaelse, of the tropical commodity. IHe does  tion of character, and plot. We welcome
not profess to be a friiend of slavery, which,  Mr. Reade as. another genius added to the
he says, is neither a malum in se nor a di-  brilliant corps of our fictitious writers.
vine institution, as fanatics on either side   The same publishers furnish us with a neat
contend, but is a social despotism, incident  and affecting story, called the School of
to certain states of society, and which can   Life, by ANNA MARY IIOWITT, the author
only be removed by great social causes.  of those charming sketches of "An Art
His book, written in an independent spirit,  Student in Munich," and daughter of Mary
contains, with considerable error, a great  Howitt, whose wreaths, as a poet and talemany thoughts which it will be profitable   writer, she promises to inherit, as well as
for all parties in the slavery quarrel to   her name. We remark, in her works, the
read.                                     same amiable sympathy in all the struggles
NOVELS.-A good, a piquant novel is,  and trials of the poorer and middling
to the professional reader of that kind of   classes of society, and the same application
literature, like a glass of soda water after  to them of a sweet Christian philosophy,
a surfeit. It exhilirates his faculties and   which have rendered the books of the
cleanses the bosom of much "perilous stuff   mother a household treasure wherever the
that hangs upon the heart."  We have   English language is read.
found specimens of such novels in the       -Among the American romances of the
diverting little tales of Mr. CHARLES READE,   day, those which have chiefly engaged our
recently republished from the English edi-  attention are, first, Ernest Grey, or the
tions, by Ticknor & Fields, whose good   Sins of Society. a tale of New York life,
taste is proverbial. The first is named  in which the writer powerfully depicts the
Peg IWoffington, and is founded upon inci-  evil influences of that unrelenting scorn
dents in the life of the famous actress of   and aversion with which society pursues
that name, and the second Christie John-  the criminal, even after he shall have paid
stone, in which, the scene is laid among   the penalty of his offenses, and given evithe rude fisheries of New Haven, near Edin-   dence of a disposition to improve his life.
burgh. Most excellent reading are they   She notices, also, incidentally, the defects
both,-fresh, lively, sensible, characteris-   of our prison discipline, which, she argues,
tic, and as full of meat as any nut. It is  is the worst that could be devised, so far
difficult to say which one of the two is the   as purposes of reforming the criminal are
more admirable. Peg Woffiington, because   concerned. In the illustrations of these
it relates to public and well-known per-  principles she has drawn her materials
sons,-men and women  who figure in  from actual facts, and the pictures she predramatic history-will likely prove more  sents, skillfully colored as they are, ought
generally acceptable to the mass of read-  to have the effect of directing the inquiries
ers; but Christie has so much of the real  of those who have the right to inquire into
life of the people in it, is so marked by   the abuses complained of. The story, as a
strong and bold touches, that it will make   story, abounds in interest, and evinces a
a more permanent impression on the dis-  knowledge of the every-day life of the
cerning few. The leading qualities of both   people, which is quite marvelous in a
works are,-originality of form running,  refined and cultivated woman. 2d..Mary
almost, but not quite, into eccentricity-    Lyndon, or the Revelations of a Life, a
ready and genial wit —a keen insight into   work of the intense and passionate school,
character-accurate, but picturesque, de-  looking upon the darker side of present
scription of persons and events-sound,  things, but cherishing the most earnest
manly sense —and a mastery of dramatic   hope of a better and brighter future. The
art. The incidents are few, and not at all  scene is laid, at the outset, in New Eng"thrilling," after the stereotyped models,  land, and afterward in New York, and




104                       Editorial Notes —Literature.                     [July
the characters that are meant to represent  serene and cheerful wisdom, which is one
the people, are the people among us every   of the highest graces of true religion. He
day.  The heroine, a morbidly sensitive   is a master of pathetic emotions, and
New England girl, badly educated, and   knows how, by a few simple touches, to
with no very agreeable surroundings, gets   move the deepest founts of feeling in the
very religious, turns Quaker, marries a   heart. 4th. The several tales, which Mr. Pehard and unsympathizing man whom she  terson, of Philadelphia, has published, deafterward  deserts, and  then  runs the   serve a more elaborate notice than our
gauntlet of the various schemes of reform,   space allows us to write at this time. The
which. a few years since, addled New Eng-   Kate J./ylesfordl. by C. J. PETERsoN, is a
land. In the midst of her new happiness,, romantic but truthful story of the refugees
her husband steals her daughter, which   of New Jersey, during the time of the Reputs her in a world of trouble, but the girl  volution, told with simplicity and earnestis stolen back again, not long after, and   ness, but with great dramatic effect. This
our heroine comes to New York, where.  kind of historical novel has gone out of
after lecturing  on physiology, writing   date for the present, but Mr. Peterson has
novels, and various vicissitudes, she meets  revived it with a rare knowledge of its
with an extraordinary young man, whom    capabilities, as a means of moving the
she marries, and is now very happy. There   emotions and giving pleasure.-The Ellen
is some earnest and powerful writing in  JVbrbury of E.ERso N BENNETT, whose prethe story, but not much dramatic or artis-   vious works have related chiefly to border
tic talent, nor much interest as a story.  life, and scenes of Indian and prairie war~We have no dotubt that it is an actual  fare, introduces us into the no less savage
transcript from the life of an imaginative,   and desolate regions, inhabited by the
and  somewhat fantastic  person, whose   poorer and degraded classes of a large city.
memory of her sorrows,, whas over-   Associating himself with IMr. Muller, a bepowered her art. A good many of the   nevolent gentleman of Philadelphia, who
"Apostles" of various kind of new things,   has made it the duty of his life to search out
figure in the work under a very thin dis-  cases of distress and destitution, and to reguise, and a good many of all the modern  lieve them if he could, the author became
notions, from Swedenbourgianism to Bloom-  familiar with many of the most abandoned
erism, and the water-cure, are jumbled   characters, and the most horrible scenes,
together in its philosophy. Among the   incident to a corrupt civilization, and out
personages of this Life-Revelation, Poe   of these materials he has constructed his
and Albert Brisbane are mentioned by   book. It is almost needless for us to say,
name, and Alcott, Charles Lane, bIenry  that it is consequently one of the most
Wright, Dr. Lazarus, and Mr. and MIrs.  thrilling and even painful interest, leading
Gove Nichols, are easilyrecognized. There  the reader to doubt whether such men and
is, however, in these sketches of character,  such occurrences could be found in our day
though taken from life, little real portrait-  and generation; but we are assured that
ure, and little discernment of the inmost  every description is derived from actual
springs of conduct.  The writer is too   facts, and every character is a counterpart
intensely reflective  and sentimental to   of real life. Yet, the writer has allowed
describe well, while she seems to  be   some gleams of light to fall upon his dark
somewhat bewildered  by the multitude   pictures, and he relieves the details of misof "theories" that have passed through   fortune and misery, by the contrast of hapher head. But, on the subject of n"Free   piness and beauty.  Beside these original
Love," and the'"Rights of TWoman," she   novels, Mr. Peterson has issued an edition
appears to be remarkably clear and de-   of that truthful and charming novel of
cided. 3d. Peeps from a Belfry, by the   German life, the Initials, one of permaRev. Frederick W. Shelton, is a series of   nent value and entertainment; and what is
quiet and genial sketches of parish life,  especiallyto  be  noticed, a complete
which combine instruction with entertain-   edition of Dickens' Works, modeled after
ment, and seriousness with humor.  The  the best London edition, and containing
author is one of the keenest observers, as   all the original illustrations, furnished by
well as most graceful writers, in our coun-   Cruikshank. Thisedition comprisestwelve
try, and inculcates, in all his works, that  neat and'onvenient volumes, which will be




1855.]                   Fiditorial Notes-Litcrature.                        105
gratefully welcomed by the innumerable  of slavery, and its inevitable adjunct, the
admirers of' that most versatile, witty and   monopoly of the land. Michelet, in his
pathetic of the modern English novelists.   too rapid History of Rome, had taken essenMIScELLANIEs.-The Literary and Histori-  tially the same view; but he has not
cal Miscellanies of our distinguished histo-  developed it, by any means, with the same
rian, GEoRGE BANCROFT, will hardly add  logical concatenation of events or fullness
to his reputation; but what is, perhaps,  of details. Nor has Michelet done the amthe highest praise, they will not detract  ple justice to the sagacity and character
from it.  His characteristics as a writer  of the elder Gracchus, which the truth reand thinker are so marked, his excellences   quired, and which the more decided repuband defects so obvious, that they are to be  lican sympathies of Mr. Bancroft have enfound in all his works alike, in the brief  abled him to render. This vindication of
essay no less than in the protracted history.  the Gracchi is honorable to his sentiments,
The skillful critic will discern the same   while the fearlessness with which he has
hand in these early studies in German   portrayed the influence of slavery on the
literature, or in these occasional addresses,  wealth, manners, and virtues of nations,
which he finds in the History of the Colo-  entitles him to the thanks of every man
nization of the United States. There is  sincerely interested in the well-being of
the same breadth of view, the same pene-  humanity.
tration of insight, the same nervous vigor    Mir. Bancroft's Address before the Histoof expression, and the same brilliant rhe-  rical Society, caused a good deal of surprise
4torical finish; with, also, some of the same   at the time, by one or two crude pantheisoccasional vagueness of thought and infla-  tical sentences, which, we are happy to
tion of style.                            see, he has suppressed. As it stands, it is
This general similarity is the more re-  a most brillant performance; and yet, we
markable, because these Essays cover a pe-  confess, to some extent, an unsatisfactory
riod of more than aquarterofa century; the   one. It runs over too vast a field to be
first are dated from 1824, and the last from    as complete as it ought to be in every
1854. We do not, of course, mean that they   part, and its teachings, consequently, are
are all of equal merit. Some of them, as the   rather suggestions, than fully developed
sketches of German literature for instance,  thoughts. We wish that the author had
evince an immaturity, which is in striking   taken advantage of the opportunity to
contrast with the varied skill and maturity   give us a more connected and copious
of others, such as the Dissertation on the   illustration of his views of the Philosophy
Progress of Mankind, read to the Historical  of History, which he barely hints at now;
Society of this city. Could the author write   but which, after having passed his life in
them over again, he would, doubtless, write   historical researches, he must be so capathem quite differently. He would not now   ble of treating with profundity and profit.
indulge, we suspect, in so superficial a   We know of no subject, apart from the
view of Goethe as he has allowed to stand   great purpose of his life, the History of
among his early and hasty interpretations   America, on which would rather see his
of the German writers. But, in spite of   pen employed.
these more juvenile errors, his writings ex-    -It was by no will of his own, that the
hibit many of the same qualities of mind   miscellaneous contributions ofHExRY WVRD
throughout; and, from reading the essays,  B3EECHER to the Independent took the name
one might easily predict the historian.   of the Star Papers, for as they had been
The ablest article in the volume, as it  distinguished from others by the signature
appears to us, and the most in accordance   of a Star, it was very natural that they
with the peculiar endowments of the writer,  should come to be called the Star Artiis that on the Decline of the Roman Peo-   cles. This fact will excuse the apparent
ple, which, apart from its general historical   affectation and singularity of the title of
interest, has a special adaptation to the   his book, which contains such of those concircumstances of our own country. Mr   tributions as are not controversial. In
Bancroft shows, with convincing clearness   other words, these papers relate to travels,
of statement, and a touching eloquence,  art, and rural affairs, and exhibit the great
that the real causes of the downfall of the   orator of the platform in quite a new asgreat republic of Italy, were the existence   pect,-as the lover of the country, as a




106                      Editorial Notes —LiteratuV.                       [July,
trout fisher, and as an observer of men.  sence of all excitement, save the gentle
Passing the vacations of his professional  and most healthful, which are the chalabors in the country, he has written about  racteristics of the country, are not the
the subjects which attract his attention   prevailing characteristics of these sketches.
during  those holiday seasons.  He has   Or, if Mr. Beecher will read a page of
written in a free and easy style, adapted   Thomson's Seasons (a work not to be deto the holiday character of the topics.  spised by any means), and then a page of
Emancipated from the restraints, the toils,  Wordsworth, or, better still, a page of the
and the battle of an active clerical career,  more genial Chaucer, he will understand
as well as from the noise and dirt of cities,   what we mean. It is simply-that he is
and escaping into the silence, the seclu-  not " native and to the manner born."
sion, and the rampant freedom  of the       Yet, we are grateful to Mr. Beecher for
country, he gives up heart and mind to   his book, because we trust that it will have
the inspirations of the change, with all the   an influence in drawing our people from
the rush and crush of their too feverish
animal vivacity of a boy let loose from
school, or of a colt that has broken its hal-  town and city life to the quiet and dignity
ter. He scampers over hill and meadow;   of the country. With a nature as beautihe revels among, trees, he luxuriates in  ful and varied as any in the world, there
flowers, he gets into ecstacies over brooks,  never was a people needing more than
and he is lifted up to the seventh heaven   ourselves the refreshment and solace of
by a sunset.                              country life, in its better forms. " The
It is highly honorable to Mr. Beecher's  period at which we have arrived," says
sympathies, to the goodness of his heart  Miss Cooper, in her thoughtful and charmand the integrity of his mind, that he can  g introduction to the 
abandon himself so joyously to the  im son of Country Life," "is rife with high
excitement; the fever of commercial specupler influences of nature.  His enemies, 
who thinfck of him  only as the  stern re-  lation, the agitation of political passions.
who think of him only as the stern reformer, will think the better of him for  the mental exertion required by the rapid
progress of science, by the ever recurring
love himwarmlye will lovea hism allthe more   controversies of philosophy, and, above all,
love him warmly, will love him all the more
for his child-like enthusiasms. But we  lthat spirit of personal ambition and emuoughttowarn   reelation, so wearing upon the individual, and
ought to warn  r. eecher, and through   yet so very common in America, all unite
him the public, that the kind of writing   to produce a combination of circumstances,
which he has adopted here, is not his true   rendering it very desirable that we should
function. It may do very well by way of
turn, as frequently as possible, into paths
recreation; but he and his readers must  of a more quiet and peaceful character.
not suppose that it is a genuine thing.  We need repose of mind. We need the
His true place is in the pulpit or on the   shade of the trees and the play of healthful
platform, and not among lilies or trouts.  breezes to refresh our heated brow. We
He is by nature a spe-aker —a prophet, per-  need the cup of water, pure from the spring,
haps-but not a poet. He has a sensi-  to cool our parched lips; we need the
bility to  poetic things, as every good   flowers, to soothe without flattery; the
speaker must have; he loves nature, no   birds, to cheer without excitement; we
doubt; but he has no special vocation to   need the view of the green turf to teach
write about nature or beauty. What he   us the humility of the grave; and we
does write is correct enough, and interests  need the view of the open heavens to tell
and amuses us, by its abounding animal  us where all human hopes should centre."
spirit, but is still a little too much in the   Should  Mr. Beecher's book, then, aid in
tumultuous oratorical vein. One expects  bringing about this end, it will have conto hear the clapping of hands at the end   tributed to human happiness as much, perof the sentences. It is not quiet, deep,  haps, as the more ambitious reforms at
unpretending, racy, such as all good rural  which he directly labors.
description is, and ought to be. It is not    -The new Gazetteer of the World, by
like the easy touches in Wolfert's Roost,  LIPPLCOTT, GRAMBO & CO., is the comfor instance; or like White of Selborne,  pletest work of the kind that we ever exor Walton, or Evelyn, in his Silvia. The   amined. It embraces not merely a larger
sweet repose, the dewy coolness, the ab-  variety of names than previous volumes




1855.]                Editorial Notes —The Fine Arts.                        107
of the same sort, but is fuller in the infor-  ness of its arches, which are generally
mation it conveys, while it possesses this  narrow in proportion to their breadth, by
special advantage, that the names of places  its tall and slender windows rarely divided
are given in all the different modes of   by mullions, and by the noble simplicity
spelling adopted by different usages, with   of its ornament, which is derived, in almost
a correct pronunciation of each name. It  every instance, from the forms of leaves
appears to have been a work of almost  and flowers. If one would get a complete
incredible labor.                        idea of the spirit of this ornament, he has
-Margaret Fuller was among the most  only to study attentively the capitals of
illustrious women of an age which has pro-  the small pillars at the angles of the niches
duced Georges Sand, Miss Bronte, Elizabeth   which surround the nave and chancel of
Barrett Browning, and Fredrika Bremer;   Trinity Chapel. They are, we doubt not,
and we are rejoiced, therefore, that a com-   as well worthy of careful examination as
plete edition of her writings is in press.  any work of the sort that ever was execuFragmentary and miscellaneous as they  ted, and the eye cannot fail to be delighted
are, like too much of her life, they abound   and improved by a study of their bold and
in vigorous thoughts, varied learning, and   varied designs, the best work of the sort
a noble and generous spirit. True to her  that has yet been seen in America. In
own genius, Margaret was no less true to  truth, they are the key note to the whole
the genius of the period in which she lived,  structure, and, in their completeness, and
and, as "much as any writer that we know,  in the evidence of loving study which they
expressed, along with its transitional and   afford, may be seen in little, what we feel
superficial phases, many of its deeper  that the architect has desired to accomplish
yearnings. Like a multitude of her cotem-   throughout his work. For Trinity Chapel
poraries, she mistook the life of the intel-  is, so far as we know, the only church yet
lect for the true life, and was filled with   built in this country which is in every part
disappointment and unrest; and it was  just what it looks to be, the sincerity of the
only towards the close of her sad career,  design and the truthfulness of the execution
when her actual participation in domestic  being an actual refreshment after the
and civil troubles awakened the affections,  weariness of stucco imitations of stone, and
that she began to perceive the full signifi-  lavish ornaments in cheap pine elaborately
cance of her existence.  But, she was   painted to look like carvings in expensive
always an earnest, aspiring, and fearless   woods, with which we have so long been
soul, and what she said had for her, as it  furnished. Trinity Church was greatly in
may have' for others, a genuine meaning.  advance, in this respect, of anything that
Her brother, who was educated by her-   had been done here before,-the wood-work
a gentleman of culture and ability, and   throughout being oak, and the exterior
who claims to have known her more inti-  being of finely-cut stone,-but the plaster
mately than any one else-has undertaken   deceptions in the interior took away from
the editorship of the work.  Besides her  the impression of sincerity and good intenbooks already published, it will contain  tion which all the rest was fitted to convey.
many miscellanies and letters that have   But the architects of that building have
never before been collected or appeared   proved that they are not men to stand still
in print.                                in their profession, nor to be content with
partial excellence. They have shown, in
T H E FI N E A   T S.             Trinity Chapel, a determination to do the
best that could be done among us at the
TRINITY CHAPEL. —Trinity Chapel, which   present day in design and execution, and
is now completed and consecrated, is ex-  to make an era in the history of architecteriorly a building of great simplicity of  ture in America, as important at this day
form and treatment, in the early English   as that made by Trinity Church at the time
Gothic, the architect having adhered, with   of its building. And so far as a mostfaithgreat faithfulness, to the style throughout  ful study of their new work, from the day
the edifice.                              of its commencement to the present hour,
The early English is the purest of   when it stands in completed beauty, can
all the phases of pointed architecture   assure us, we believe that a sincere effort
It is characterized by the extreme sharp-  has at length been made among us to build




108                    Editorial Notes — Te Fine Arts.                     [July,
a church in which the fullest requirements  those days could not draw better, but beof the most cultivated taste should be met  cause they wished to obey what common
so far as relates to the quality of the design   sense, and a clear perception of the beauty
and its execution.                        of fitness, told them was a reasonable law.
But tkere are several serious faults in   Hence, in the windows'of Amiens Cathethe building and in its decoration, which   dral, in which large figures are introduced,
we must notice, hoping that some of them   their drapery is made large and free, and
will be corrected in the present structure,  covered with a clear, distinct geometrical
and that those which it is too late to amend,  pattern, so that, at the distance from which
will be avoided in future edifices. And we   the whole window is seen, and where the
cannot but feel that the most serious mis-  full value of the traceries and openings is
take in the whole edifice is in the substitu-   perceived-the figures lose all their value
tion of figures, for mosaic ornament, in the   as figures, and become only a portion of
glass of the chancel windows. It would  the geometrical design of the whole winseem as if the beautiful western window of   dow. This is a clear principle, and obediTrinity Church even, not to mention the   ence to it will be found the only means by
unapproachable glories of the glass in the   which a good painted window can be made.
Chartres and Amiens Cathedrals, with which   Now, look for a moment at the chancel
the architect is, doubtless, familiar, might  windows of this chapel. The figures in
have prevented the fixing of the very infe-  them are painted without any reference to
rior work of Trinity Chapel in its place.  the shape of the window-openings, which
It is not only poor in its design, and weak   are throughout this building made with
in color, but it will be observed that the   one light, undivided by mullions.  The
shape of the windows is entirely sacrificed   consequence is, that at a distance-and at
to the mere object of telling a story, and   no great distance either-the shape of the
that in an entirely indifferent way. Now, the   chancel windows is entirely lost, and also
shape of the window openings is important   all the effect which the same colors now
beyond all other considerations, and the   used in the design would have given had
best painted  glass alone fully answers  they been properly confined bt geometr/i
every just requirement in the beauty of  or arabesque patterns. Animmediate and
its color and the transmission of a due   instructive contrast maybe seen by turning
amount of light, at the same time that it  from the chancel windows to any of the
does not injure the proper effect of the   side windows, or to the small ones which
traceries and tfie openings. This is not an   are on either side the principal entrance.
unimportant consideration, but one which   These little windows are the best in the
has its root in common sense; and surely,   church, and, set in their lovely niches, make
if it is worth while to have stained glass   pictures of themselves. We speak of these
at all, it is worth while to see what prin-   chancel windows more at length than we
ciple lies at the bottom of it, and to keep   otherwise should in this place, because we
that principle in mind. The difficulty of   hope to see them removed before long, and
introducing figures into the designs of   glass which will fulfill the requirements of
painted windows with good effect, so far as   good taste substituted in their place.
the openings and traceries are concerned,    It was our good fortune, in the course of
was early felt; it was seen that the most  frequent visits to the chapel during its
valuable feature of a window is the open-   building, to see the chancel before the canoing that admits the light; that next in   pies which now deform it, were put up. It
value come the tracery bars which sepa-   was a beautiful specimen of perfect simplirate the window opening into distinct por-  city and unity of feeling.
tions, and which are intended to make that  The altar, too, was there, yet unspoiled
necessary separation a source of beauty,   with paint; an object of faultless beauty,
and that to both these essential features, the   making us exult in the fact that artists who
color of the window and the pattern[ in   could design such work, and workmen who
which that color was disposed, should be   could follow them, had at last appeared in
subservient. Thus, whenever, in the best  America. Around the apsis were placed
of the old windows, figures are introduced,  niches of even more excellent form than
they are drawn with great formality of  those which grace the nave, and the screen
outline and attitude-not because men in   which separates the organ room from the




1855.]                 Editorial Notes —The Fine Arts.                       109
chancel could be seen in its whole hight.  touched it, it was in beauty, as it is in the
At that time, also, the central window,  sacredness of its consecration, the central
which is now filled with painted glass con-  treasure of the church.
taining a very poor figure of Christ, and   Oak, also, is in itself beautiful as to color
two kneeling men much better done, was  and marking, and paint can only injure it.
filled with a good mosaic pattern, making   We believe that the pulpit, as it at present
an effect of color far preferable to that  stands, contrasted with the rest of the
which has since taken its place. Since the   untouched wood-work, must convince any
canopies were put up, the chancel niches  cultivated eye that it had better have been
and the organ screen might as well be away,  left unpainted, and the panels filled with
for they are almost completely hidden from   carving.
any but a careful observer. We cannot    The observer who notes the meagre and
reconcile ourselves to these canopies. They   bald appearance of the capitals to the
are perfectly useless, and they shut out of  painted wooden pillars, that help to sustain
sight things which are more beautiful.  the roofs of the nave and chancel, will be
They are useless. for what use can they   surprised to know that, before thoee capitals
possibly serve? They only play the part  were painted and gilded, they showed as
of canopies in two portions of their whole  beautiful design as those of the columns to
extent, and in those places separate and   the niches in the nave. The color has
distinguishing ones might have been more  been applied on wrong principles, it is true,
easily and appropriately erected. They   but no color, however well applied, could
are, moreover, clamped into the wall and   have made them  look better than they
supported by brackets in such an evidently  came from the carver's hands. While on
forced and unnatural manner as plainly to  this subject of painting, let us note that the
show that they are an afterthought and do   color of the roof has a dull and weak effect,
not spring from any necessary use of the   owing, we think, to the purple-slaty ground
church, and nave no part in its construe-   on which the mouldings are picked out.
tion.                                     The bosses at the ends of the hammerThe pulpit, font-cover, and altar, are   beams are curiously ugly, and why, in the
painted in a way which seems to us objec-  name of reason, was that foolish purple
tionable, because, whatever may be said, we   shadow painted round them?
are sure that they ought not to be colored  We close the list of our objections with
at all. Caen stone, of which the altar is  three of minor importance. The first is to
made. and fine oak, of which the pulpit and   the unmeaning gilt star stuck up on the
font-cover are constructed, were never  front of the church, over the door; the
meant to be painted. They are beautiful  second is to the two gaudy and obtrusive
in themselves, and the only color they   sexton's signs, which are hung in such
need is that which the light of heavjen   prominent positions over the two small
throws upon them in passing through the   windows in front, and which every one
stained glss of the windows. The color  must feel to be out of place; the third is
of Caen stone is most delicate and lovely;  to the main doors themselves, whose baldit is so in broad masses. of plain surface, as  ness and poverty-struck appearance cannot
in the upper portions of the side walls of   be excused under the name of elegant simthis church, it is so in the most finely-cut  plicity. Trinity Chapel owes it to herself
ornaments, as in the capitals of the pillars  to give access to her beauties through fitting
throughout the church and in the carving   doors, and those she has now are not in any
on the altar and font. Look at the capitals  respect suitable.  She has shown us that
we have already referred to; what do they   whatever can be done elsewhere, even in
want of better color?  See how tenderly  the domain of beauty, can be done here.
and yet boldly they take light, and give   Let her now give us bronze doora, on which
back the reward of shadow. Color, how-' all the genius of our best sculptors shall be
ever delicately applied, would only injure  lavished, and which shall worthily usher us
them, and gilding, or positive color, as we   to the loveliness of her architecture.
see in the case of the unfortunate altar,   At the north end of the chapel, several
would ruin them irretrievably. Surely, in   beautiful architectural features may be
the painting of the altar, there is a positive   found in the bold projection of the apsis,
loss, for, as it stood before the brush bhad   the door-way of the porch and the bell



110                       Editorial Notes-The Opera.                       [July,
tower. They lose something of' their effect  will allow to be multiplied for the public.
from the fact that they get little sunlight  The lovers of Beethoven ought to move his
in the course of the day, and so cannot  heart in the matter. The grim-featured
develop all their beauties of light and   head which scowls in the Miinster Platz at
shadow; but the beauty of parts and the   Bonn, and that sardonic mock Jupiter,
elegance of proportion make up greatly   with hair unkempt, which snarls from so
for the loss. It is earnestly to be hoped   many parlor-walls, have, long enough, bethat the church corporation will not allow   lied the master of modern music, and territhe lot upon which the chapel stands to  fled his admirers.
be built upon by others, and so entirely
shut out from view an important building             T H E  O P E R A.
which is far from being well placed even    The past winter has been a winter of
now.                                      real, unusual discontent.  Failures, and
SCULPTURE  AT BOSTON.-Mr. Richard  rumors of failures, have disturbed the
Greenough, the worthy representative of  people; the necessaries of life have been
an honored name, has just sent off to   dear and its luxuries cheap, whereby any
be cast at Springfield, the model of a   man may see the equilibrium  of things
statue of Franklin, which will be the   must have been sadly disturbed. Yet this
fitting compeer of Brown's fine and for-  most unpropitious season has been fruitful
cible Washington. This statue, which is  in artistic enjoyments of a very high order.
to be handsomely erected in Boston, is a    The Academy of Music has afforded us a
real addition to the treasures of American   succession of fine singers, and of admirable
Art. The thought of it, which is the high-  operas, produced in a style which, howest matter, is simply admirable. It brings   ever far it may have been from perfection,
before us the unaffected, genial, acute old  has, certainly, been far in advance of
man, in his best mood. Unexaggerated   any previous accomplishment. " Fightings
equally in costume and in expression, he   within and fears without," may have made
looks simplicity, and strength, and wisdom,  actors and directors prematurely old, but
the manliest of diplomatists, and the most  we, the public, have had no little delight.
sensible of philosophers.                   We have had an Opera House which it
It is an honor to Boston that she should  is a pleasure to enter, and (rarer this!) in
find, among her modern children, a sculp-  which it is not painful to remain.
tor capable of doing such excellent justice  It is a good house to quarrel with; there
to her greatest son.                      are faults in the decorations, faults in the
Another young Bostonian, Mr. W. W.  coloring, great faults in the arrangement;
Story, has just sent home a pleasing statue   architects, builders, and painters, may all
of his learned and amiable father, the   come in to be snubbed. But, after all,
Judge.  This work is destined for the   you must own, reader, that it is a very
Chapel at Mount Auburn, the which hide-  good house to visit, that you can sit there
ous structure, we are sorry to learn, is to   at your ease, that you can hear there withbe thoroughly restored.                   out an effort, that the influences of that
The statue of Judge Story had hardly  illuminated hall dispose your mind to tranbeen "unpacked," when Crawford's mag-  quil enjoyment and breed thoughts, at
nificent bronze of Beethoven arrived to   once sumptuous and calm.
swell the list of New England triumphs.     There we heard Grisi, the long desired
This noble work, to be placed in the Music  of all, and Mario, the idol of maidens. The
Hall, at Boston, has already received an   wondrous tragic power of the great prima
ovation in Munich, at the hands of the   donna more than made up to us for some
King of Bavaria and his accomplished   disappointment in respect of her voice.
court.                                    She filled the stage and lorded it over us;
It would be unjust to dismiss it here,  statue, queen, and despairing woman, she
finally, with a' paragraph. The tasteful  was all by turns, and, in all, she was
and generous young citizen of Boston, to  sublime.
whose munificence his fellow-countrymen     And Mario, the idol of maidens, deare indebted for this great work (for such   served (did he not?) to be their idol. A
it really is), received, some time since, a   very pretty fellow he certainly was, and
plaster-cast of the bust, which, we hope, he   if we found fault with him for cosseting




1855.]                   Editorial Notes-The Opera.                           11I
his dainty voice, we forgave him freely     Our old friend Steffenone may long be
when he lavished it upon the passion of  an ornament and a comfort to us, if she
Fernando, the tenderness of Ottavio, or the   will take the trouble of preserving herself.
swan-song of Edgardo.                     Her fine voice is far from being worn out,
After these came Steffenone, with her  but it is sadly worried, and needs great
troupe, and the modest, accomplished Brig-   care.
noli, and the handsome, aspiring Vestvali.    We remember a jovial confession once
And we heard, for the first time, William    made by a fair countrywoman of the StefTell and the Trovatore, master-pieces, each   fenone to a friend of ours, on the piazza
in its way, but with a difference. Rossini   of the airy Hotel at Nahant.
lavished a year's income of his rich genius  We were a group carelessly ctatting, as
upon William Tell, but Verdi has expended   is the manner of that pleasant place; and
his capital upon "'I1 Trovatore."         our friend, thinking himself addressed by
We listen to William Tell in the most  the exuberant vocalist, courteously said,
complacent of moods, as we wander through   "You spoke, madame?"  "If I smoke.
the banqueting halls and gardens of a   replied the lady, catching the words imprincely festival, where every detail bears   perfectly, and quickly turning, with her
witness to the opulent resources of the host.  infectious ringing laugh: "If I smoke.
In  hearing the Trovatore, we were   O yes, I smoke, and I trink, and I do everyreminded of Mrs. Perkins's ball. It was  ting tat is wicious!"
fine, it was pretty, it was pleasant. But   Nor, indeed, could any one, looking on
hMrs. Perkins cannot " put her folding doors  her, doubt that she led a life, not literally
under the bed,"' every week in the year,  "wicious," but irregular and disorderly.
nor hire handsome men from Fortnum and   The opportunities, the trials, the tastes
Mason's, more than once in a season.      and the fatigues of a musical artist, singuCritics, of a very Teutonic turn of mind,  larly conspire to bring about such habits,
found fault with both these operas as being   and they have ruined many a noble organ.
mere "spectacles," and " illegitimate " suc-  We should be sorry to believe that we are
cesses.                                  to lose our excellent Steffenone in this sad
We beg leave to differ. We like a ballad   way. Her admirable powers as an actress
none the less, when we hear it on the rocks   make her doubly valuable on the lyric
by the sea, in the moonlight, and the most  stage. She was very effective in "II Trogorgeous music takes a finer meaning in   vatore," and she won laurels in"ILucrezia"
an atmosphere that is quickened with the   from  the Bostonians, on the very boards
pomps of motion and the glow of scenery.  which still echoed with the triumphs of
Let us have shows, then, with our song, by   Grisi.
all means.                                  The void left by Mario has been partly
But there can be no objection to our cul-  filledbyBrignoli, a gentlemanly and modest
tivating a certain measure of prose and   artist, whose voix larmoyante much resemprobability. The story of "II Trovatore"   bles that of Mario in quality, is fresh and
is so excessively absurd in itself, such a   vigorous, well-trained and attractive. The
mere showy hunchback of a story, that  beautiful Vestvali sings rather to the eye
there is no need of aggravating its defor-  than to the ear, though her voice is a
mities by such a confusion of armors and   pleasing voice, and her method good. She
of decorations as bewildered brain and   acts like a lady on a private stage, natueye on the boards of the Academy. We   rally and with spirit; but she is too thodon't object to the date of "1490," for  roughly civilized a person to present the
though Troubadouring had come to an end   fierce, nervous impulsive passion of the
some time before that epoch, there is,  Spanish gipsy as it should be rendered to
really, no Troubadour at all in the Opera,  make the r6le of Azucena in the Trovatore
and the name is but a name.  But we   a marked and memorable thing. It would
suggest that soldiers, supposed to be Euro-  hardly be fair to speak of the achievements
peans of the fifteenth century, should not   of the two great troupes, without a warm
look like modern Tartars, and that Spanish   word of praise for the manly, orotund and
gipsies, though they be vulgarly called   efficient Badiali. He was a tower of strength
Bohemians, do not habitually wear the   to both, and we cannot consent to part with
dress of Eastern Europe.                  him.




112                     Editorial Notes-The Opera.                 [July, 1855.
Think a moment, reader, on the operatic  calization is extraordinary, her tones are
successes represented in the names over  rich, sweet and sure, and she sings with
which you have glanced with us, and say   charming grace and piquancy. The energy
if we are not right in affirming, that the   of this fair little lady is not her least reexperience of the past winter demonstrates   markable quality. She has sung through
the ardor and sincerity of the public inter-   a long tour, with a steadiness and goodest in the Opera?  If so much has been   will which ought to put the impressario at
done under the imperfect and objectionable   her feet, and should conciliate in her favor
system heretofore prevalent, what may we   the suffrages even of those obdurate good
not expect from a strong, substantial, and   people, who labor under the belief that an
thoroughly responsible management, found-   operatic singer must of necessity be a termaed upon the recognition of the Opera as a   gant and an'enfant terrible" at the least.
public institution, a centre of cultivation,  Miss Louisa Pyne has been moderately
an influence to be wielded in the interest  well supported. Mr. Harrison, the tenor,
of the national taste.                  is, however, intolerable, but unlike TalleyHad we enjoyed such a management, we   rand's lady, that is not "his only fault."
should have been spared the preposterous   His sins as a singer might be overlooked
and disgraceful scenes which accompanied   at the "Coal Hole;" but his carriage and
the advent of Madame Lagrange, and we   demeanor would hardly be stomached by
should have heard that most charming   the habitues of that elegant resort. Mr.
singer under the best auspices, and in the   Borrani, the basso, belongs to the venerable
most becoming circumstances.             company of those who suppose that the
As it was, we would hear her, and the   emotions of a bass singer should seem to
genuine feeling of the musical public did  be pumped up from his boots.
her justice. A more accomplished vocal-    Still the Pyne operas have been, on the
ist has never visited our shores. Her vic-  whole, creditably produced; and it is
tories are true victories of art. Heaven   worthy of notice here, that in these entergave her a little voice, but great will  tainments we have been lately gratified, and
and judgment and feeling. She does so  for the first time, with the spectacle of an
much with her one talent, that one wishes   American conductor at the head of an
one could enrich her with some misplaced   operatic orchestra. Mr. Bristow has abuntreasure, as for instance the affluence of  dantly shown that he needs but time, and
tones now thrown away upon the indolent  the command of a really fine orchestra,
Tedesco. Her singing soon begets in one   (such as we must have,) to put him among
that sense of quiet confidence, which was  the marshals of the musical baton. We
so delightful a trait of the "Jenny Lind   put this fact on record here, with the more
feeling."                                interest, because it is to Mir. Bristow, and
In spite of the growing dislike of our  his peers, that we are to look for original
musical people to the "starring system,"   English Opera.
the visit of Madame Lagrange will not be   It is rather humiliating that an English
a failure. But let us hope that the end of  Opera Company in America should owe its
these things is at hand. We have by no   successes to French and Italian Operas, in
means exhausted our proof that it ought to   which there is nothing good that is not conbe. For beside the Italian Opera at the  tinental, and nothing very bad but the
Academy, we have done more than our  English translations. And yet; who can
share in maintaining the English opera  blame a fine singer, for wishing to take
troupe of Miss Louisa Pyne; and our Ger-  refuge from  the "Bohemian Girl," and
man fellow-citizens gave us an opportunity   "Maritana," in "La Sonnambula," and the
of hearing some so-styled German operas   "Crown Diamonds?"  The German Comat Niblo's, with Miss Lehmann as prima   pany had no such excuse, for inflicting
donna.                                   upon us their tawdry imitations-their gerMiss Louisa Pyne, besides a very pretty   man-silver Donizettis. They did, however,
likeness to Queen Victoria, possesses at-  sing "Der Freischuitz" passablement bien,
tractions of voice and manner more legiti-  and "Flotow's Martha" quite as well as it
mate, and of no common order. Her vo-  deserves.




PUTNAM'S MIONTHLY.
VOL. II.-AUGUST 1853.-NO. VIII.
OUR CRYSTAL PALACE.
ONE of the most fruitful days that we  first as of the earth, earthy-but as of
passed in London, not long since, was  the air, ethereal-only separated from it
a day of remarkable contrasts. The morn-  by the thinnest film of materiality-and
ing we spent amid the memorials of  yet, on a closer view, it was found subWVestminster Abbey, and the afternoon in  stantial, vast, and endurable. Buoyant
the aisles of the C(rystal Palace. Thus,  as a bubble in its appearance, it needed
the past and the present, in two of their  only to be touched, to awaken the promost significant emblems, were before us,  foundest convictions of its reality and
and we have no desire ever to forget,  strength. Those firm  iron pillars, and
though we may never be able to describe,  those compact and riveted joints, binding
the trains of thought which they sug-  and supporting its immeasurable faqades
gested.                                 of glass, were the marriage of power with
Westminster Abbey was black with  beauty, and more than any other structure
the stains of time: its pavements were  that we ever saw, impressed us with a
worn with many footfalls: the dust of  sense of man's infinite ingenuity. It is
ages covered its heavy walls, and lay   easy to understand how the massive stone
thick upon the roofs; and it rose amid the   cathedrals of the old world have been
green trees and the garish modern build-  laboriously reared by the toils of many
ings like some huge spectre of a former  generations of people, but there was someday, sullen and gloomy with the remem-  thing that struck one as miraculous, in
brance of glories that had passed away.  the mighty palace of glass,-as if the
In the interior, the tombs of poets, war-  fairies and the giants had combined to
riors and statesmen filled the melancholy  surpass the greatest work of man,-and
chapels; the banners of a perished nobility,  to present him an edifice which should be
once the pride of England, hung waveless  as delicate as the web of the spider, when
in the air; and our thoughts, as we  morning hangs it with dew, and yet as
walked among them, were dark, solemn,  massive as the caves where the Cyclops
and sorrowful.  The generations of a  forged the bolts of Zeus.
thousand years had come and gone since   The Crystal Palace was the first origiits foundations were laid; it had seen the  nal piece of architecture in modern times.
vast and innumerable changes of English  It was new alike in its materials, and in
civilization,-its battles, its successes, its  its mode and style of construction, as well
agonies, its intrigues, its toil, its splendors,  as in the purpose for which it was deits woes,-and now, of all the busy workers  signed. The accomplished architect who
in those scenes only the marble effigies, or  revealed it to the world, did not borrow
the dust of their coffins, remained. A   his idea from the tombs of Egypt, nor the
weight of melancholy fell from the heart,  palaces of Assyria, nor the temples of
therefore, when the musing visitor retraced   Greece, nor the, amphitheatres of Rome,
his steps to the fresh and open air.   nor the mosques of Constantinople, nor
But the Crystal Palace, to which a few   the pagodas of China, nor the cathedrals
minutes' walk brought us-light, graceful  of Germany. It was not fashioned acand transparent, seemed rather like an  cording to any of the recognized orders of
exhalation of the dawn, than a build-  classic art: it did not. like the wretched
ing made with hands. It looked not at  imitators, who designed the new Houses of
VOL. II.-9




122                         Our Crystal Palace.                      [Auglst
Parliament and the Smithsonian Institute,   Grecian festivals, of Roman gladiatorial
seek to appropriate a structure of the   shows, of German imperial coronations, of
fifteenth century to the uses of the nine-  mediseval tournaments, or Fields of the
teenth: but, though of a length greater   Cloth of Gold, or Vienna Congresses;
than that of any building that had been  there was none to compare in dignity, granbefore attempted, and covering a larger  deur and significance, with the opening
area than the Karnac, the Pyramids, or  of the World's Fair. For they but signalSt. Peter's-it was entirely novel, because  ized the triumph of individuals, the prowperfectly adapted to its ends. Mr. Ruskin,  ess of warriors, the pride and selfishness of
a writer of great penetration and learning,  despots, the barbaric splendors of a court;
had just demonstrated that nothing in   while this was a palace reared in the interwhich iron was largely used, nothing   ests of all Humanity, a solemn and magwhich was the work of machinery and not  nificent recognition of the supremacy of the
of the direct manipulation of man, could  People, a universal homage to the utility.
be properly called architecture, when Pax-  the excellence, and the power of industry,
ton, the gardener, reared in the centre of   skill, and genius. Well might the Queen
Hyde Park this cosmopolitan castle of in-  of the most civilized of European nations
dustry, made of molten sand and cast iron,  be proud of the task of initiating the disto refute and put to shame the pedantry of  play, and well might the Church, through
the schools. It was not "architectural,"  its most honored prelates, commend it, in
-oh no! but all the world admired the   earnest prayer, to the smiles and blessperfect symmetry of its proportions, its  ings of God.
graceful outlines, its brilliant effect, its    It is very natural that the success of
imposing grandeur, and its incomparable  the Great Exhibition should beget a numfitness.                               ber of minor repetitions, that Ireland,
But the chief glory of the Crystal Pal-  France, and the United States should be
ace was the object for which it had been  stimulated by it into a distant rivalry,
erected-an exhibition of the work of   and that the great fact of the practicability
the world. It invited out of all nations,  of these cosmopolitan reunions should
the men of cunning hand and wonderful  grow into an almost annual occurrence.
skill, to bring their products together, and   For, though the London Exposition was
to show the heights and the depths to  complete in itself,-which completeness,
which their practical arts had been car-  by the way, was one of its most remarkried. It said to mankind, let us take an   able traits,-there is no reason to be found
inventory of the great and useful things  in its immense superiority and perfection.
that we have achieved; let us see how   why similar expositions should not be atfar humanity has advanced in the con-  tempted on a less imposing scale. Because
quest of nature; what means it has for  the wondrous Agave Americana blooms
bringing the treasures of the earth from   but once in a hundred years, shall we disits dark bowels; by what processes it  courage the blossoms that ornament our
chains the elements; how it converts the   hedges every spring, or the thousand
stone, and the metal, and the tough fibre  flowers that wave so gracefully in the
of plants, into shelter, and food, and cloth-  summer fields?
ing; how it fashions the coarse wool of ani-    Our own "Association for the Exhibimals into fabrics of exquisite beauty; how   tion of the Industry of all Nations," in
it moulds the flexible steel into keen and   New-York, deserves, then, the kindest
polished blades;-in short, how it extorts  regards of the public, and in devoting a
its secrets from every department of na-  few pages to the history of its rise and
ture, giving will and animation to dumb   progress, and to the thoughts which the
material things, trampling upon the might  Fair now open supplies, we conceive that
of the seas, annihilating space, and steal-  we are lending our aid to an enterprise of
ing the very rainbow of Heaven, to spread   great promise and general good.
its brilliant and glorious colors over all.  This project was begun as a private
The first of May, 1851, then, which saw   speculation, and has thus far been conthe consecration o; the Crystal Palace,  ducted by private hands; but it has resaw also the apotheosis of labor. The  ceived such direct and ample countenance
mighty multitude of all tongues and cos-  from the governments of both the State
tumes, which it brought together,-with  and Nation, and is so largely accepted by
its gay embroidery of queens, princes, and   public opinion, that it may now be treated
nobles, —were gathered to celebrate the in-  as a public work, one in which the honor
auguration of Art. There had been be-  and pride of the whole community are confore in the history of our race, other vast  cerned, and which, as a failure or a sucassemblages of men, but never before an  cess, will reflect disgrace or credit upon
assemblage like that! In all the pomp   the American people. At the same time
and variety of oriental processions, of  it should not be forgotten; in any estimate




1853.]                       Our Crystal Palace.                           123
that may be formed of its results, that  but the materials to be employed on it
the private nature of its origin has thrown   had been precluded by the grant from the
peculiar difficulties in the way of its pro-  city; MR. EIDLITZ, MR. BOGARDUS, MR.
gress, has not always attracted to it the   ADAMS, all skilful and competent men,
confidence which any work undertaken   presented others; yet the choice of the
by the government is apt to receive, and   Board, after mature consideration, fell
has excited local and personal jealousies  upon a sketch submitted  by Messrs.
which a State enterprise never awakens.  CARSTENSEN and GIIDERMEISTER, and we
By these considerations, therefore, the  think no one, after looking at the finished
discredit of a failure is lessened, while the   structure, will regret the selection of the
merit of a clear success is enhanced.    committee. It seems to possess every
It was on the 11th of March, 1852, that  requisite, is strong, spacious, and gracethe State of New-York granted a charter  ful, and does an infinite credit both to the
to the company of gentlemen who had   original designers and to the workmen by
taken this matter in hand. They were   whom it has been executed.
empowered to purchase and occupy their    In its general appearance, as well as the
real estate, to erect their building, to in-  materials employed, the building resembles
vite the competition of nations, to award  the Crystal Palace of Hyde Park, but in
prizes, and to do whatever else was essen-  the details of its construction it departs
tial to the execution of their main design.  sufficiently from its prototype to make it
Some little opposition had to be encoun-  quite a new and interesting object. Its
tered in the outset, but on the 17th of the   motiv, as the Germans would say, is that
same month, the body was organized by   of a Greek cross, surmounted by a dome
the appointment of THEODORE SEDGWICK   at the intersection. The length of each
as President, and WILLIAM WHETTEN as  diameter of the cross, according to the
Secretary. A circular of the objects of   official description, is 365 feet 5 inches,
the company was immediately issued, ac-  and the width of its arms is 149 feet 5
companied by a call for subscriptions to  inches.  In length, therefore, it correthe stock, and, though the investments  sponds, undesignedly we presume, with
of capital were gradual, the shares rose  the number of days in the year, just as
very soon to nearly double their original  the English palace corresponded in length
value. The Federal Government was in-  with the number of years of the Christian
duced to lend its co-operation and support,  era. But, although the form is that of
so far as it could consistently with the  the cross, the outline of the ground plan
limits of its functions; the municipal  is more nearly a regular octagon.  By
authorities expressed a warm interest in  ingeniously filling up the triangular interthe scheme, and the agents of the foreign   vals between the arms of the cross, with
powers were liberal in their exertions to   a lean-to of one story, 24 feet in height,
procure the favorable reception of the  the space of the floors has been greatly
cabinets and people of Europe. But that  enlarged, and the most available use made
power, which, in the United States, is per-  of almost every inch of the site. The
haps more influential than any other, the   slight architectural defect, which this
public Press, lent its instant and earnest  arrangement occasions, in diminishing the
aid to the work, and thus all the auspices  perspective of the interior, is amply comwere rendered unusually propitious.      pensated by the substantial advantage of
The city government having granted   more room.
the site of Reservoir Square, to the uses of  The slender but graceful columns of the
the Association, steps were immediately  interior divide it into two principal naves.
taken to procure an adequate plan for the   each 41 feet and 5 inches wide, leaving at
building. But here the most serious dif-  the centre, just under the magnificent
ficulties were met. It was desirable, in-  dome, a noble octagonal space, 100 feet in
deed peremptory, that the structure should  diameter, which is appropriately occupied
be one of combined glass and iron: but  by the colossal equestrian  statue of
iron construction on a large scale, had   Washington, by the Baron Marochetti,
never yet been attempted in the United   while the sides of the octagon are devoted
States. The problem for the architects,  to the Amazon of Professor Kiss, and
therefore. was, considering.the nature of   other grand pieces of statuary.  But the
the ground, the material to be used, and   columns still further divide the aisles and
the purpose sought, to contrive an edifice  the triangular intervals into squares and
which  should answer every condition.  half-square compartments, of 27 feet each
Sir JosEPH PAXTON, the pioneer of the   on the side, whilst the aisles themselves
modern art, furnished a design of singular  are covered with galleries of their own
beauty, but it was unsuited to the locality;  width, to which a multitude of broad
the late and much lamented DOWNING   stairs conduct the visitor. The naves are
offered another of remarkable ingenuity,  carried above the roofs of the galleries to




124                          Our Crystal Palace.                       [August
admit light, and are spanned by 16 semi-  to which the cast-iron shoes for the ribs
circular arches of cast iron, 40 feet 9   of the dome are bolted. The latter are 32
inches tin diameter, and placed at. a dis-  in number. They are constructed of two
tance of 27 feet from  each other. Our  curves of double angle-iron, securely conpractical readers will take an interest in  nected together by trellis-work. The rethese additional statistics of the struc-  quisite steadiness is secured by tie-rods,
ture:                                    which brace them  both vertically and
The number of cast-iron columns upon   horizontally.  At the top, the ribs are
the ground floor is 190; they are 21 feet  bolted to a horizontal ring of wrought and
high above the floor, octagonal, and 8   cast iron. which has a diameter of 20 feet
inches in diameter; the thickness of the  in the clear, and is surmounted by the
sides varies from half an inch to one inch.  lantern.  As in the other roofs of the
The cast-iron girders, 3 feet wide, of which   building, the dome is cased with matched
the longest are 26 feet and 4 inches, and   deal and tin sheathing. Light is communithose of wrought-iron, 40 feet and 9 inches  cated to the interior through the lantern,
long, are indicated by the dotted lines.  and also in part from the sides, which are
The first tier of girders sustain the floors  pierced for 32 ornamental windows. These
of the galleries, and brace the structure  should have been glazed with stained
in all directions. They are united to the   glass, representing the arms of the Union
columns by connecting pieces 3 feet 4   and its several States; they would have
inches high, which have the same octago-  formed no inconsiderable part of the intenal shape as the columns, and flanges and   rior decoration.
lugs to be bolted together. The number     The external walls of the building are
of girders in the first tier is 252. The   constructed of cast-iron framing and panel
second story contains 148 columns, 17   work, into which are inserted the sashes
feet and 7 inches high, which rest on   of the windows and the louvers for ventithose below them, and have the same   lation.  The glass is one-eighth of an
shape. They receive a second series of  inch thick, and was manufactured at the
girders numbering 160, which support the   Jackson Glass Works, N. Y., and afterroofs of the aisles. They also receive the   wards enamelled by Cooper & Belcher, of
semicircular arches of the naves.  All  Camptown, N. J.  The enamel, with
the roofs are supported upon arches or  which the whole of it is covered, is laid
upon girders, by means of wrought-iron   upon the glass with a brush, and after
inverted trusses which receive the angle-  drying, is subjected to the intense heat
iron purlins of the rafters: the latter are  of a kiln, by which the coating is vitrimade of strips of wood inclosed between  fled, and rendered as durable as the glass
iron sides. The roofs are uniformly con-  itself. It produces an effect similar to
structed of boards matched together, and   that of ground glass, being translucent,
covered with tin.                        but not transparent. The sun's rays, difThe dome, noble and beautiful in its  fused by passing through it, yield an
proportions, is the chief architectural  agreeable light. and are deprived of that
feature of the building. Its diameter is  intensity of heat and glare which belong
100 feet, and its height to the springing  to them in this climate. In the absence
line is nearly 70 feet, and to the crown   of a similar precaution in the Crystal Paof the arch 123 feet. It is the largest, as  lace of Hyde Park, whose roofs as well
well as almost the only dome hitherto  as walls were inclosed with transparent
erected in the United States.  To our un-  glass, it was found necessary to cover the
travelled countrymen it may be an in-  interior of the building with canvas.
structive example of the beauty and fine   At each angle of the building there is
architectural effect of which this structure  an octagonal tower, 8 feet in diameter
is capable, although its dimensions are  and 76 feet in height.  They contain
trivial when compared with the majestic   winding stairways, which  lead to the
domes of the Pantheon or St. Peter's, or  galleries and roofs, and are intended for
those other wonderfnl erections of classic  the use of the officers and employees of
and mediaeval times when architecture  the Association. The flooring of the galwas a passion, and united with religious  leries is made of closely matched planks,
enthusiasm  to produce the triumphs of  while those forming the floor of the first
the art.  The, dome is supported by 24   story are separated by narrow intervals,
columns, which rise beyond the second  in the same manner and for the same
story, and to a height of 62 feet above the   purpose as in the London building. Over
principal floor. The system of wrought-  each of the principal entrance halls, the
iron trusses which connects them together  galleries open upon balconies, which afat the top, and is supported by them,  ford ample space for placing flowers, vases,
forms two concentric polygons, each of 16   and statues for decoration. Above the
sides. They receive a cast-iron bed-plate  balconies, the ends of the naves are adorn



1853.]                       Our Crystal Palace.                           125
ed with large fan-lights, corresponding to  tion of the ceilings. The only exceptions
the semicircular arches within. On each  to the use of oil colors are the ceiling of
side of the entrances there are ticket  the American lean-to and the dome; these
offices, and, adjacent to them, rooms are   decorations are executed on canvas, and
provided for the officers of the Associa-  attached to the roof covering these parts.
tion, telegraph, &c.                     The effect of the interior of the dome is
The rapid and unexpected increase of   superb. The rays from a golden sun, at
the applications of exhibitors induced the  the centre, descend between the latticed
Association to erect a large addition to  ribs into a soft heaven of azure.
the building already described. It con-    The building is supplied with gas and
sists of two parts, of one and two stories   water in every part. The gas is designed
respectively, and occupies the entire space  for the use of the police in protecting the
between the main building and the Reser-  -property by night, but is so arranged,
voir. Its length is 451 feet and 5 inches,  that, should it be deemed expedient to
and its extreme width is 75 feet. It is  open the building in the evenings, there
designed for the reception of machinery in   will be ample light. The water is accesmotion, the cabinets of mining and mine-  sible at numerous points, which are proviralogy, and the refreshment rooms with   ded with conveniences for drinking, and also
their necessary offices.  The second story,  for the attachment of hose in case of fire.
which is 21 feet wide, and extends the     The whole quantity of iron employed
whole length, is entirely devoted to the  in the construction amounts to 1,800
exhibition of pictures and statuary. It is  tons; of which 300 tons are wrought, and
lighted from  a sky-light, 419 feet long,  1,500 tons cast-iron.  The quantity of
and 8 feet and 6 inches wide.            glass is 15,000 panes, or 55,000 square
THE DECORATIONS Of the building were  feet. The quantity of wood used amounts
intrusted  to HENRY GREENOUGH, Esq.,  to 750,000 feet, board measure.
of Cambridge, brother of the lamented      Such is the building —inferior to the orisculptor of the same name. Mr. Green-  ginal Crystal Palace in size and imposing
ough has made Art his study, and, in its  effect, but superior to it, all confess, in light
pursuit, has resided long in Italy. As he   and graceful proportions. A capital mishas promised to unfold the general prin-  take was made by the Directors in acciples and details of his present work in  cepting Reservoir Square as the locality,
an essay to be published in an early num-  because its nearness to the massive granite
ber of the Illustrated RECORD, we will  walls of the Reservoir dwarf and crush
state at present only a few facts.      its fine dimensions, and because the unThe leading idea in the plan of decora-  appropriated neighborhood has allowed of
tion has been to bring out the beautiful  the erection, in the immediate vicinity, of
construction of the building-to decorate   a multitude of mammoth shanties,-but
construction rather than to construct de-  in spite of these drawbacks, no one can
coration. To do this, and at the same   approach the edifice, and, especially can
time to preserve a general harmony of   no one enter it, without a feeling of strong
effect, gave Mr. Greenough ample op-  and grateful pride in the skill and enterportunity to display his knowledge of   prise by which it has been built. We
the resources of his art. The result is  confess that, in the outset, our own sentisurprisingly beautiful.  The decoration   ment in regard to the plan was one, not
was commenced only on the 27th of   entirely of incredulity, but yet of doubt
April, as soon as the progress of the   and semi-distrust. We knew the energy
construction would permit.  The colors  of our men of capital; we were aware, too,
employed on the exterior and interior are  of the skill of our mechanics; but we
mixed in oil, the base being the white   were not ignorant, at the same time, of
lead manufactured by the Belleville Co.  the thoughtless and characteristic haste
The exterior presents the appearance of a   with which we are apt to run into new
building constructed of a brilliant bronze,  schemes, and to undertake what it is beof which, all the purely ornamental parts  yond our capacity to accomplish. When
are of gold.                             it became certain, therefore, that the time
The interior has a prevailing tone of  for the exhibition must be postponed, we
buff or rich cream-color, which is given to  almost regretted that another year had
all the cast-iron constructive work. This  not been set apart for the laborious duties
color is relieved by a moderate and judi-  of preparation.  But when, at last, the
cious use of the three positive colors, red,  proper hour came, when we saw  the
blue. and yellow, in their several tints of  stately columns planted, and the crystal
vermilion, garnet, sky-blue and orange,  walls made fast, and the mighty dome
(certain parts of the ornamental work  suspended, our hearts broke forth in
being gilt), to accord with this arrange-  spontaneous gushes of gratulation and
ment of colors employed in the decora-  delight. Our expectations had been more




126                         Our Crystal Palace.                      [August
than surpassed, and we experienced a   Arts, and willingly allows the foreigner to
pang of shame that we had ever indulged   carry off the honors of the exhibition in
even a temporary doubt of the energies  this kind; but in the different spheres of
and talent of our countrymen.          the practical and -useful, she may hold up
At the time we are compelled to write,  her head among the worthiest, proud of
the contributions to the Fair have not  the attainments she has made during the
bees finally arranged, so that we must  brief period of her existence. Deficient in
postpone to a future occasion, any criti-  some respects in originality of design, as
cisms or comparisons that the display may   well as completeness of finish, there is yet,
suggest. But we have seen enough of it  in others, a degree of perfection that strikes
to warrant us in expressing our high   us with surprise.  In agricultural imadmiration of its variety and excellence.  plements, in many kinds of machinery,
All the leading nations of the world are  and in cabinet and other wood-work. our
munificently represented.  The mother-  working-men manifest an ingenuity and
country, —for such we are ever proud to  skill that will amaze those who have not
call England,-animated by the example  before observed their products.
of her illustrious Queen and Prince, has  But, without dwelling upon any combeen generous in her offerings of the solid  parisons now, let us remark that whatwares of Manchester, Birmingham  and   ever may be the ultimate judgment as to
Leeds, which have long given her the   our achievements in ornamental art, it is
first position in the industrial world;  obvious that in all shows of this kind we
France, who surpasses her in elaborate  appear at a disadvantage. We do so, for
design and exquisite finish, parades her  the reason, that the industry which best
Gobelin tapestries, her beautiful porcelain  illustrates our national life, which is best
of Sgvres, her exquisite jewelry and her  fitted to declare what we have done, and
unequalled silks; Belgium and Germany   what we are, is on a too gigantic scale to
are scarcely behind in the display of ele-  appear even in a crystal palace. It cangant fabrics; Turkey still maintains her  not be crowded into a glass case, nor put
supremacy in those peculiarly rich and   up in a bandbox. Yachts like the North
delicate textures which have made the   Star, steamboats like the Francis Skiddy,
works of the oriental looms and hands a  clipper ships like the Flying Cloud, hotels
proverb throughout the earth; while  like the St. Nicholas, canals like the Erie,
Italy, retaining her ancient devotion to the  the thirteen thousand miles of railroad,
fine arts, has almost filled the building  the endless reaches of the electric telewith the splendors of sculpture and paint-  graph, these are the objects to which our
ing. Of these things, however, we intend   practical talent has been heretofore mainto speak hereafter in detail.          ly directed, and cannot be shown in ExYet we cannot dismiss the topic without  positions, and will not, of course, be apsignifying our astonishment at the extent,  preciated in models.  No; the stranger
diversity, and general merit of the Fine   who would learn the nature and value of
Arts department, in which we think the   our industry, must count the number of
present almost equals the great model  acres that have been redeemed from the
exhibition of London. Besides the gigantic  wilderness in sixty years, the bushels of
statue of Washington, by Marochetti, and   grain that are reaped from  them, the
the famous Amazon of Kiss, and the Web-  cities and towns that have been built
ster of Carew, every niche and corner of  upon them, the vast highways that conthe edifice have their appropriate marble  nect them, the steam marine that furrows
complement.  Venuses, Dianas, Joves,  the rivers, the lakes, and the oceans, the
Cupids, Psyches and Apollos are strewn   children that have been educated, and the
every where with true Italian profusion,  hosts of starving emigrants that have
and lend a graceful aid to the more prac-  been fed and clothed and made rich!
tical contributions. Nor are the paintings  Let him take his position on a spur of the
of both ancient and modern schools scat-  Alleghanies, and sweep with the telescope
tered with a more sparing hand. From   of his fancy the populous plains that
the "' Head of an Angel," by Raphael to  stretch from the Atlantic to the Missisthe full-length portrait of " His Majesty  sippi; let him mark how towns are rising
Victor Emanuel II." there are many   every where, as if they rose by thought
admirable specimens of the genius of  and not by careful human hands; let
Italy —only rivalled in number, if not in  him see every stream crowded with vesworth, by the contributions of the Dussel-  sels, and every distant shore bearing the
dorf school, where sixty-two eminent ex-  footmarks of our commerce; let him beamples of their style constitute a leading  hold the measureless fields rich with harattraction.                            vests, and the cattle on a thousand hills,
Our own country makes no pretensions  and the smoke of engines curling above
in the higher departments of the Fine   every hamlet; and then as he reflects




1853.]                      Our Crystal Palace.                          127
that it is almost within the memory of  power could give.  He must, like the
man when a trackless forest covered the   philosophers of ancient days, spend all his
continent, and only savage men and savage   years of vigor in travelling; must roam
beasts enjoyed the prodigal bounties of  in the varied regions of India; watch the
nature, he will get some adequate idea  artisan in the streets of the towns of Chiof what American industry and American   na; dive into the mines of Norway and
energy have achieved.                   Mexico; live a life in the workshops of
At the same time let us add, that we have   England, France, and Germany; and trace
no thought of depreciating, by this strain  the western tide of industry and art as it
of remark, our successes in the more ele-  spreads over the valley of the Mississippi.
gant and decorative departments of Art;  And when he had done all this, and howmuch less have we any desire to question   ever carefully he had done it, yet how dethe utility of such exhibitions as those of  fective must it be at least in one point!
the Crystal Palace. On the contrary, we   How far must it be from a simultaneous
have a confidence that all Americans will  view of the condition of the whole globe
look with grateful pride to the evidences  as to material arts!  During the time
of progress which this display furnishes,  that he has been moving from place to
while we anticipate other lasting and ex-  place, the face of the world has been
tensive benefits from the event.  Could  rapidly changing. When he saw Tunis it
our men of enterprise travel abroad for  was a barbarous state; now that he has
years, or be sent to the workshops of the  to make up his account, it is the first
old world for instruction, as the scions of  which asks for a leading place among the
our richer families are sent to its universi-  civilized communities of the industrial
ties; could the ingenious working man   world. When he visited the plains of
pass at his leisure from London to Paris,  Iowa and Wisconsin, they were wild praifrom  Paris to Brussels, from  Brussels  ries; they are now the fields from which
to Vienna, from Vienna to Berlin. study-  the cereal harvest is swept by the latest
ing the processes and improvements of  improved reaping machine.  When he
industry, as the young artist studies   was at the antipodes, the naked savage
the pictures of the world-renowned mas-  offered the only specimen of art in his
ters, there might not, perhaps, be any   rude club and frail canoe; now there is
need of these international unions; but  there a port whose lofty ships carry reas he has neither the time nor the means  gularly to European markets multiplied
for such an investigation, he must supply  forms of native produce and manufactures.
its place by the opportunities of a World's  Even if his picture be complete as to surFair.  As Mahomet cannot go to the  face, what anachronisms must there be in
mountain, the mountain must come to  it!  How much that expresses not the
Mahomet, —the Exposition will serve in-  general view of the earth, but the accistead of travel, and bring the wonders of  dental peculiarities of the traveller's perhuman labor to his door.                sonal narrative!  And then, how  dim
Indeed, Professor Whewell, in his Lec-  must be the images of the thing seen mature on the results of the Exhibition, ela-  ny years ago compared with that which
borating this thought, contends that it  is present to the eye! How impossible to
would be quite impossible by any activity  compare the one with the other-the obof travel, to reap such rich harvests of in-  ject now seen in age with a similar object
struction as are to be gained from a dili-  remembered in youth!  And after all,
gent survey of a universal exposition. He   when we have assumed such a traveller
says, that a traveller, passing from land   -such a one as never has been-the
to land, might see a wonderful collection   Ulysses of modern times-seeing the ciof the works of man in many different  ties of many men, and knowing their
countries, and combining all these in his  minds-seeing the workshops of all nathoughts, have in his mind a representa-  tions, and knowing their arts-we have
tion of the whole progress of human art  but one such. His knowledge is only his.
and industry up to the last moment, and   He cannot, in any clear or effective mana picture of the place which each nation   ner, communicate any large portion of it to
at that moment occupied in the line of  others. It exists only for him-it perishes
progress. " But what time, what labor,  with him. And now let us, in the license of
what perseverance," he asks, "what ac-  epical imagination, suppose such a Ulyscess to great and powerful men in every  ses-much-seeing, much-wandering, muchland, what happiness of opportunity,  enduring-to come to some island of Cawould be implied in the completion of  lypso, some well-inhabited city, under the
such a survey!  A life would scarcely  rule of powerful and benignant, but plainly,
suffice for it; a man could scarcely be  he must believe, superhuman influences,
found who would achieve it, with all ap-  and there to find that image of the world
pliances and means which wealth and   and its arts, which he had vainly tried to




128                         Our Crystal Palace.                      [August
build up in his mind, exhibited before his  profession is open before him: the secrets
bodily eye in a vast crystal frame; —true   of his predecessors stand revealed, —their
in every minutest thread and hue, from the   errors and their triumphs,-but whether
sparkle of the diamond to the mighty bulk  errors or triumphs, the glorious inspiration
of the colossus; true to that which be-  of their example prompts him to the task
longs to every part of the earth; and this,  of emulation. It is true, that when this
with the effects which the arts produce,  opulence of performance is first unfolded
not at the intervals of the traveller's wea-  to his aching vision,-when he finds himry journey, but every where at the present  self in the presence of the Transfiguration
hour. And, further, let him see the whole  of Raphael, or the Assumption of Titian,
population of the land-thousands upon   or the Night and Morning of Michael
thousands, millions upon millions, stream-  Angelo,-when he bows in mutest revering to his sight, gazing their fill, day after  ence and awe beneath the exhaustless
day, at this wonderful vision, inviting the   ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, or wonders
men of neighboring and of distant lands  whether any hand less potent than the
to gaze with them; looking at the ob-  Divine hand could have rounded the dome
jects, not like a fairy picture in the dis-  of St. Peter's, or sent up the aspiring shafts
tant clouds, but close at hand; compar-  of the cathedral at Cologne-he is smitten,
ing,'judging, scrutinizing the treasures  in the consciousness of his own feeble
produced by the all-bounteous earth, and   powers, with a sense of blank and utter
the indomitable efforts of man, from pole  despair. But when, on a longer investito pole, and from east to west: or, as he   gation,-and this is the value of these
would learn more truly to measure, from   great galleries,-he compares the first
east to east again. When we have sup-  timid, trembling, almost abortive efforts of
posed such a vision, do we not seem  to  art, with its marvellous later glories; when
have gone beyond                        he sees by what gradual and gentle transi" Quicquid Grecia mendax,      tions it passed, from  age to age, from
Audit in historia;"             master to master, from nation to nation;
all the wonders of that wondrous ancient  when he beholds the stiff  ungainly,
Odyssean tale? And yet, in making such   awkward, perspectiveless. colorless daubs
a supposition, have we not been exactly  of the forerunners of Giotto and Cimabue
describing that which we have seen with-  slowly transformed into the correct outin these few months?  Have not we our-  lines, the graceful figures, the harmonious
selves made part of the population of such   groups, the suggestive chiar'oscuro, the
a charmed isle,-of the crowds which have   magical color of Guido, and Domenichino.
gazed on such a magic spectacle? "     and Corregio, and Raphael,-he begins to
There may be some exaggeration in  feel that he too may become a painter,
this view, if we apply it to any transient  and that there are no miracles in art
exhibition, and yet we can easily imagine   which his genius may not, by patient
how a permanent exhibition of the past  study and energetic effort, accomplish.
and present results of practical art might    But why should this kind of instruction
rival in brilliance, and perhaps surpass in  and incitement be confined to the Fine
usefulness the most celebrated galleries of  Arts exclusively? Why may we not have
the Fine Arts. There are, we know, at  schools of design, in the useful branches
the Louvre, the Belvidere, the Pinacotek,  of Art, equal in their way to those in the
the Pitti Palace, the Vatican, and many   more ornamental and elevated? Why
other places in Europe, the most complete  should not our young mechanics. whose
and beautiful collections of the works of  labors contribute so much to the decorapainters and sculptors, illustrating the  tion as well as the enjoyment of social life,
artistic development of all nations, and the   have similar available opportunities with
peculiarities of all ages and schools. The   our young painters and sculptors, or our
artist who desires to inform himself, not  young scholars, lawyers and divines?
only of the present state, but of the history   Surely their functions are quite as imporof art, finds there, arranged in ample and  tant to the progress and refinement of
~well-lighted rooms, and in chronological  society, as those of many an attorney, or
order, specimens of almost every master  other professional man! Surely, we have
from Praxitiles to Powers, or from Apelles  need in this country, of every thing that
to Turner; and thus, by the study of the   may adorn, chasten, exalt and beautify
originals, or most faithful copies, he ac-  our existence, so that we ought to extend
quires a profound and discriminating   every appliance and facility that is likely
knowledge of all that human genius has  to raise the standard of excellence among
accomplished in that department, and, if  those who contribute to the physical
he be a man of native force and talent, is  means of civilization.
led to an inference of what remains to be  There is in Paris an institution which
done. In other words, the library of his  very nearly fulfils the requisites which




1853.J                       Our Crystal Palace.                           129
we are here urging, and to which we can-  regular courses of lectures by the most
not but ascribe much of that superiority  eminent, scientific men that can be emin elegant art which has so long charac-  ployed by the government, are delivered
terized the French. We refer to the   gratuitously to large audiences of workingConservatoire des Arts et Metiers, situ-  men, who take delight in attending, beated, if we remember rightly, in one of the   cause the means of such thorough instrucout of the way streets, and not so often  tion are at hand, and because they find
visited by strangers as the Louvre or Ver-  the knowledge acquired in this way of
sailles, but full of interest and value to  such direct and valuable use in their vothe native working-men and students. It  cations. Indeed, we were told, nor was
is a kind of repository of machines, imple-  it difficult to observe for ourselves, that
ments, drawings, engines, apparatus, and  the classes who were in the habit of availmodels of buildings, designed to show, in  ing themselves of the privileges of the
the most direct and familiar manner, the   school, were among the most intelligent,
whole course of mechanical improvement,  thrifty, and respectable of all classes of
its past history of industry and its present  French society. With the exception of
condition, and as a consequence, its pros-  the few professional men, and persons repects for the future. The several spacious  lated to the wealthier families, they were
apartments into which it is divided, are  among the most cultivated people to be
crowded with models of inventions and   met, and exercised a prodigious influence
manufactures.  In one you find smelting   for good upon general society.
furnaces, from the earliest to the latest  The Conservatoire is in some respects
made; in another, the weights and mea-  incomplete, and does not entirely corresures of all nations; in a third, agricultu-  spond to our ideal of an industrial museum
ral tools from the rude Chinese plough to  and school; but it is an embryo, a prothe best American reaping machine; and   phecy, of what is yet to be done,-of that
in others again, architectural plans, looms  permanent exposition to which, we hope,
for weaving, locomotives, ventilators,  our Crystal Palaces are destined to lead.
chemical substances, dye-woods, musical  Could an annual display of the actual
instruments, cabinet-ware, &c., &c., in   products of industry be added to its acquite indescribable variety. Do you wish   cumulations of models, &c., could the
to learn the real history of human contri-  periodical Fair be engrafted upon the pervance, in respect to the application of steam,  manent repository, it would more nearly
for instance; you will there find specimens   approach the objects at which our reof everyengine,fromtheearliestrudebegin-  marks now aim. We should like, therenings of Watt, to the powerful and perfect  fore, to  see our Astors, Coopers, and
railroad engine of Stevenson; or would   Grinnells,-we use these names to indiyou investigate the gradual growth of the   cate a class,-lay the foundations in this
spinning jenny and the throstle, you will  city of a sort of perpetual World's Fairthere see models of them, from the infan-  an institution that should combine the
tile ingenuities of the Chinese, to the splen-  advantages of the Paris Conservatory of
did combinations cf Jacquard and Dan-  Trades with those of an exposition-to
forth. In fact, an observant walk through   which our mechanics might resort, to preany room of this establishment will teach   vent the misapplication of ingenuity, of
you more in an hour than could be learn-  which we have melancholy evidences in
ed from books in a month.               the Patent Office, to be animated to higher
Connected, too, with the more practical  perfection in design and execution, and to
departments, are ample provisions for sci-  place themselves on a level with the best
entific instruction; for, every Sunday,  workmen of any nation or age.
and several evenings during the week,




130                                                                [August
TULOOM.
ON the coast of Yucatan,
As untenanted of man
As a castle under ban,
By a doom,
For the deeds of bloody hours,
Overgrown with tropic bowers,
Stand the Teocallis towers
Of Tuloom.
One of these is fair to sight,
Where it pinnacles a height,
And the breakers blossom white
As they boom,
And split beneath the walls,
And an ocean murmur falls
Through the melancholy halls
Of Tuloom.
On the summit as you stand,
All the ocean and the land
Stretch away on either hand;
But the plume
Of the palm is overhead,
And the grass beneath your tread
Is the monumental bed
Of Tuloom.
All the grandeur of the woods,
And the greatness of the floods,
And the sky that overbroods,
Dress a tomb,
Where the stucco drops away,
And the bat avoids the day,
In the chambers of decay
In Tuloom.
They are battlements of death,
When the breezes hold their breath.
Down a hundred feet beneath,
In the flume
Of the sea, as still as glass,
You can see the fishes pass
By the promontory mass
Of Tuloom.
Towards the forest is displayed:
On the terrace, a faqade
With devices overlaid,
And the bloom
Of the vine of sculpture led
O'er the soffit overhead
Was a fancy of the dead
Of Tuloom.
Here are corridors, and there,
From the terrace, goes a stair,
And the way is broad and fair
To the room




1858.]                            Tuloom.                               131
Where the inner altar stands,
And the mortar's tempered sands
Bear the print of human hands
In Tuloom.
J'er the sunny ocean swell
The canoas, running well
Towards the isle of Cozume.,
Cleave the spumeOn they run, and never halt
Where the shimmer from the salt
Makes a twinkle in the vault
Of Tuloom.
When the night is wild and dark,
And a roar is in the park,
And the lightning, to its mark,
Cuts the gloom,
All the region, on the sight,
Rushes upward from the night,
In a thunder-crash of light
O'er Tuloom.
O! could such a flash recall
All the flamens to their hall,
All the idols on the wall,
In the fume
Of tlie Indian sacrifice,
All the lifted hands and eyes,
All the laughters and the cries
Of Tuloom.
All the kings in feathered pride,
All the people like a tide,
And the voices of the bride
And the groom!
But alas! the prickly pear,
And the owlets of the air,
And the lizards make a lair
Of Tuloom.
We are tenants on the strand
Of the same mysterious landMust the shores that we command
Reassume
Their primeval forest hum,
And the future pilgrim come
Unto monuments as dumb
As Tuloom?'Tis a secret of the clime,
And a mystery sublime,
Too obscure in coming time
To presume;
But the snake, amid the grass,
Hisses at us as we pass,
And we sigh, alas! alas!
In Tuloom.




132                                                                  [August
CURIOSITIES OF PURITAN HISTORY.
THE character of the settlers of New-  first duty of the state to enforce conformity
England has been so frequently and so  to the Divine law. The men with whom
fully discussed, that it would be useless  revelation was such a vivid and ever-preat this day to attempt to change the  sent reality, could not let heedless souls
opinions of the reading public. The Puri-  rush upon destruction while there was
tan had no negative traits: there was  power to stay them. The New Testament
much to admire, somewhat to condemn,  did not appear to inspire these enthusiasts
but nothing upon which the mind could  with such an ecstatic fervor as did the
be in doubt.  The Quaker, who was  bold imagery of the Prophets. They prewhipped at the cart's tail, or swung from   ferred to turn backwards, to catch the farthe gallows, and the Anabaptist to whom   off brightness of the bush, that burned
banishment was a welcome escape from   but was not consumed, and to stand awethe pillory and the stocks, could not be  struck in view of the lurid grandeur of
expected to leave to their descendants any   Sinai, rather than to look upon the milder
extraordinary veneration for the men who  radiance that encircled the head of the
had so sternly swept them out as chaff  Son of Man. But the spirit of Force which
from the Lord's threshing-floor. So, too,  ever attended Judaism has been overcome;
the churchmen, English or Catholic, who  though it will be long before the traces of
have never found this grim antagonist  its career will be obliterated.
disposed either to give or take quarter-  But we set forth with no intention of
the Cavalier, and the votary of pleasure,  writing a disquisition.  We wished to
with whom the Puritan is the type of  preface the fragments to be presented with
fanaticism, the foe of chivalry and the  a few words, to show that it is not to exdisenchanter of romance- these, from   pose the Puritan to ridicule, or to furnish
natural constitution and education, are  his enemies with srrows from his own
blind to all but the gloomy traits of his  quiver, that we gather any memorials of
character, and regard him  as either a  his er2ors.
cruel, bigoted tyrant, or a selfish, calcu-  The " Curiosities " have been literally
lating hypocrite. But those who appre-  copied from  the MS. Records of the
ciate the value of the institutions which   General Court of Massachusetts. At the
the Puritan founded, will not be disposed   outset we beg our readers to understand
to condemn his illiberality without weigh-  that we do not design to make any acing also his merits. The town meetings,  curate classification of subjects; nor do
pure democracies; the free schools; the   we pretend to enter into any very thorough
independent churches; the spirit of ready  investigation of particular topics; still less
sacrifice of individual interests to the  to attempt to bring forward new ideas.
public welfare; the habits of industry and   The great wains have passed over this
frugality, —all of which not only made  earliest field of American history, and
national independence possible, but neces-  gathered its golden sheaves; it is our
sarily led to it-these were of Puritan   purpose only to glean what we choose
growth. No other branch of the race,  from what has been overlooked or refrom  which we sprung, possessed these  jected.
ideas, or so fully exemplified these virtues.    From the intense and pervading sentiThe progress of liberal ideas among suc-  ment of religious veneration, the clergy
ceeding generations, has served to render  were by far the most influential class.
their bigotry and intolerance somewhat  Though not nominally in office, they
obsolete; let us hope that their inflexible  really constituted an upper house, from
integrity may not also go out of fashion.    whose judgment no appeal could be taken.
Remembering, then, what great prin-  Many instances occur where doubtful
ciples the fathers of New England estab-  points of constitutional law, as, for instance,
lished, their children may peruse without  the construction of obscure clauses in the
anger the record of their faults. That  colonial charter, were formally referred to
record shows nothing that sprung from   the "teaching elders" for exposition, as to
duplicity, cowardice. frivolity, or pampered   a supreme court. At the annual election
appetite; none that were infected with  in May 1637, when a difficulty arose bethese vices, could claim fellowship in a  tween two parties that threatened to end
commonwealth established on a purely  in anarchy, Mr. Wilson, a prominent
religious basis. The faults of the domi-  minister, got upon the bough of a tree
nant class were the resultof theirtheology;  (the meeting being in the open air), and
wholly absorbed in spiritual things, and   by his eloquence induced the people to
deeming every worldly interest as worth-  proceed with the business of the day. As
less in comparison, they considered it the   a necessary result of this controlling in



1853.]                 Curiosities of Puritan History.                     133
fluence, the  laws against blasphemy,  sidered as so many Satans claiming fealty,
Sabbath breaking, want of respect to   was a severe trial to his conscience; the
ministers and church  ordinances, and   stocks or bilboes would have been mercikindred offences, were sufficiently severe.  ful in comparison.
Like Paul, the priest magnified his office;    "Mr. John Haule bound himself in 201.
and the audacious wight who ventured to  for his servant, John Burrows, that hee shall
cast opprobrium on the anointed, could  not seduce any man, nor move questions to
not hope to escape unpunished.  The  that end, nor question wth any other, except
following are taken from among a multi-  wth the magistrates or teaching elders."tude of similar instances:               Vol. 1. 232. 1638.
"fforasmuch as ye open contempt of God's    It would seem that John had been quite
word and messengrs thereof is ye desolating   successful among unstable souls, but was
sinn of civill states & churches, & yt ye   henceforth to content himself in trying his
Tr aching of ye word by those whom God   artillery upon the impregnable fortresses
doth send is ye cheife ordinary meanes or-  of the rulers temporal and spiritual. Truly
dained of God for ye converting, edifying   a hopeless business.
and saving ye soules of ye elect, *  *  *  The next case is somewhat more severe;
*  * It is therefore ordred & decreed,  few on these or any other records are
yt if any christian, so called, wthin y' ju-  more so.
risdiction shall contemptuously behave himselfe toward ye word preached, or ye mes-.  Whereas the Court and Jury did not
sengrs thereof, * *  X  e or, like a sonn   agree in Crosmans Case, who is new a prisof Corah, cast upon his true doctrine or him-  OnOr for blasphemy, and so it Necessarylie
selfe any reproach, to ye dishonor of ye   Coming to this Court to be determined, the
Lord Jesus who hath sent him, &. to ye   Court on a full hearinge of the Case uppon
dispagmt of yt his holy ordinance, ma-  the evidence given in, doe Order & deterking God's wayes contemptible & ridicu-  mine as follows: vizt, that the sd Crosman
los, yt evry such  son ort msons * *X * *   be severely whipt in open market place, &
shall for ye first scandole be convented and  Imediately after to be burnt in his forehead
rep)ved openlybyyemat rat i  * *  * *   with the letter: B: and after to be banished
and if a second time they break forth' into  for ever out of Or Jurisdiction." Vol. 2.
ye like contemptuous carriages, either to  328. 1651
pay 51. to ye publicke treasury, or to stand  A " Scarlet Letter " one would not wish
two houres openly upon a block, 4 foote  to wear 
high, on a lecture day, wt h a pay fixed on  "Steven Greensmyth for affirming that
his breast, wth this: A WANTON GOSPEL-  all the mirs (except Mr. Cotton, Mr. WheelLER, written in capitall lettrs; yt others  rigt  hee thought Mr. Hooker), did teach
may fear & be ashamed of breaking out into   rght & hee thought Mr. Hooker), aid teach
a Covenant of works, was for a time Cointhe like wickedness-Vol. 2. 156. 1646.    ited to the marshall, & after enioyned to
We should think such a discipline might  make acknowledgment, *  *  * and was
be an excellent corrective for the prevail-  fined 401. and standeth bound in 1001. till
ing levity and irreligion of our own times.  this bee done."-Vol. 1. 187. 1636.
Imagine the block, "4 foote high," yet     "The Corte thinke it convenient yt order
standing by the Old South Church, and   be given to ye Auditor to send 12 gallons of
the modern scoffer, infidel or reformer  sack & 6 gallons of white wine, as a small
doing penance thereon, in view  of the   testimony of ye Corts respect, to yt revrend
throngs of Washington street!           Assembly of Eldrs at Cambridge."-vol. 2.
"Mr. Ambros Marten for calling the   66. 1644.
church Covenant a stinking Carryon & a     This was the Assembly that formed
humane invention, & saying hee wondered  the famous "Cambridge Platform."  We
at gods patience, feared it would end in  should be pleased to see such a testimony
the sharpe, & said the ministers did de-  of respect offered in our day. Fancy GENthrone christ & set up themselves; he was   ERAL WILSON or COLONEL SCHOULER profined 101. & counselled to go to Mr. Mather  posing to send a demijohn by way of comto bee instructed by him."- Vol. 1. 240.  pliment to one of the annual gatherings
1688.
of white neckcloths assembled at the MarlThe various phrases by which men   boro' Chapel or the Melodeon! Apropos
have endeavored to express the idea of  to wine, there is a curious order concerning
gradual diminution, will all have to yield  its sale to Indians, which may be inserted
to that of "ending in the sharpe."  It  here.
must be allowed that the sturdy heretic     "The Court apprhending yt it is not fit
spoke good idiomatic Saxon. There was  to deprive ye Indians of any lawfull Com.i
a refined cruelty in his sentence, however  fort wCh God aloweth to all men by ye use
salutary it might prove in the end; to   of wine, do ordr yt it shalbe lawfull for
send him for instruction to Mr. Mather,  all such as are or shalbe alowed license to
the very chief of the class whom he con-  retaile wines, to sell also to ye Indians so




134                    Curiosities of Puritan History.                 [August
much as may be fit, for their needfull use or  We should have felt some sympathy for
refreshing."-Vol. 2. 66. 1644.           the Captain under his fine (equivalent to
But religion did not claim the exclusive   at least $1500. now), had it not been for
veneration of the age. Such pains were  the very poor pun in which he vented his
not taken to support one section of the   anger; but "Just-ass!"-no, "'tis toleraarch alone; rising from the same plane,  ble and not to be endured."
the State inclined in equal curve toward   "It is ordered that Ensigne Jennison
the Church, and, meeting it, gave and re-  shal be ffyned the some of XXI., for upceived support. The Magistracy was sur-  braydeing the Court with Iniustice, utterrounded with an outward state that now   ing theis words,'I pray god deliver mee
seems impossible in an elective govern-  from this Court,' professing hee hadd wayted from Court to court, & could not have
ment. The very halberdiers, who pre-  iustice done him."-Vol. 1. 133. 1634.
ceded the Governor on public occasions,
were more reverenced than the Governor    We suspect that if all the weary suitors
himself is now. Merchants a nd men of  in modern courts were called to account
himself is now. Merchants and men of n
wealth were not the important personages  for similar ebullitions of impatience, their
they have since become. The aristocracy   Honors, the Judges, would have plenty
of birth was not extinct; the aristocracy  to do.
of wealth had not arisen. The Lawyers,    "It is ordred yt Edmo Bridges, for his
who have managed latterly to engross  neglect of shooing Mr. Symonds horse
nearly all the places of honor or profit,  (when he was to come to Corte,) should be
were then rather more moderately es-  required by warrant from this Co'te to anteemed. It seems indeed to have been a  swere this complaint & his neglect to
matter of special reproach to one of the  further publike service, at ye next County
early magnates that he had been an 1"At-  Corte, &c.Vol. 2. 170. 1647.
turney."                                   "Richrd Cluffe, for saying,'shall I pay
12d. for the fragments wch the grandiury
"It is ordered that Thomas Dexter shalbe  roages have left?' hee was bound to his
set in the bilbowse, disfranchized & ffined   good behavior. & fined three pounds, sixe
XLI., for speakeing refchfull & seditious  shillings & eight pence, woh was discountwords against the Gou'mt here established,  ed by Mr. Robrt Saltonstall, upon account."
& findeing fault to dyvrs wth the acts of the  — Vol. 1. 284. 1640.
Court, sayeing'this captious gou'mt will    The laws forbade innkeepers charging
bring all to naught,' adding, that'the best  more than twelve pence for a meal; so
of them was but an Atturney.' "-Vol. 1. 96   of course, they never charged less.  It
"' It is ordered that John Lee shalbe whipt  would appear that Cluffe was so unfortu& ifined, for calling Mr. Ludlowe false heart-  nate as to come to din   the Grand
ed knave, and hard-hearted knave, heavy   Jury; and, finding the fragments altoffriend."-Vol. 1. 111. 1634.             gether unsatisfactory, demurred to the
"It is ordered that John Lee shalbe whipt  landlord's bill. He might have come off
and ffyned XLl. for speakeing refehfully  easily if he had expressed himself circumof the Gou'nr, sayeing,'hee was but a Law-  spectly, for the Puritan did not dislike the
ers clerke, & what understanding hadd hee  spirit that resisted imposition; but to almore than himselfe?' also, taxeing the Court  low the Grand Jury to be called " roages,"
for makeing lawes to pick men's purses, as  was not to be thought of.
also for abusing a mayde of the Gou'nr,pre-    "Thomas Starr, being accused for speaktending love in the way of marriage, when
himselfe professes hee intended none, as also  ing against the order of Court about swine,
for intiseing her to goe with him into the   and the same ged that hee said'the law
come feild." Vol. l. 133. 1634.          was against gods law, and hee would not
obey  it': so hee was comited, and enJohn seems to have been ambitious of  ioyned to acknowledg his fault the 14th, at
filling a whole criminal's calendar alone.  the genrall Court, and was fined 201., and
However venial his rage against -"ye wor-  to give security for his fine, or pay the
shipfull'matrats:2 may have been, yet, in  same before his releasement.'-Vol. 1. 215.
view of his perfidy to the " mayde " whose   1637. 0. S
ear he beguiled, we must deem him most     The higher law is here plumply avowed,
justly punished.                         and the fugitive swine law trampled upon.
"Capt. John Stone for his outrage com-  The doctrine of the harmony of law with
itted in confronting authority, abuseing Mr.  cs is as old as the race.  Each age
Ludlowe both in words and behavour, as  imagines the conflicts which arise besalting him, and calling him a lust as &c.,  tween its idea of the Right and the existis ffined Cl. & Vhibited comeing within  ing institutions and laws, to be new, and
this Pattent wthout leave from the Gou'mt,  that great principles are for ever settled in
under the penalty of Death."-Vol. 1. 103.  the encounter. But, truly, we move in a
1633.                                    circle; and, notwithstanding the substan



1853.]                  Curiosities of Puritan History.                       135
tial progress of civilization, there is still a  " Katherine Cornish, found suspicious of
sense in which it may be said, there is no-  incontinency was seriously admonished to
thing new under the sun. The philoso-  take heed."-Vol. 1. 225. 1638.
pher of a century hence will puzzle over    And Thomas Owen, about the same
some of the problems of to-day, precisely   year, though acquitted of adultery, of
as though Emerson, Fourier, Parker and   which the punishment was death, was
Brownson had never existed.               nevertheless believed to be culpable, and
The Magistrates of the Bay received no   was made to sit two hours under the galcompensation for many years; never more  lows with his paramour by his side, and
than enough to pay travelling expenses.  a "roape " around his neck. Wearing a
Tea Rooms, Contingent Expenses, and   " paper," as the records generally express
other plausible modes of covering appro-  it, was a very common punishment.
priations for personal comforts, had not
"John Davies for his grosse offences in
then been invented. They did not know   attempting lewdnes wth divers woomen,
how to derive revenue from the sale of   was sentenced to bee severely whiped both
ferry slips, for the only profitable ferry   heare and at Ipswich, & to weare the letter
right was given to aid the infant college   V upon his breast upon his uppermost garat Cambridge.  They could not expect a   ment untill the court do discharge him."
percentage on land sales, for to the settler,  -Vol. 1. 238. 1638. 0. S.
"The world was all before him where to choose."  "Robte Coles is ffined VI. & enioyned to
They took nothing from paving contracts,  stand wt h a white sheete of pal on his back
Tor if the stumps were dug up, and the   wherein A DRUNKARD shal be written in
for if the stumps were dug up, and the      eate lies & to stand therewth soe long
boulders r out f th  roadtwaallgreate lres & to stand therewth scoe long
boulders rolled out of the road, it was all  as the Court thinks meete, for abuseing himthe hard-working pioneers could accom-  selfe shamefully wth drinke * * * *  &
plish. Even then some towns were sharp-   othr misdemeanrS." —Vol. 1. 102. 1633.
ly enjoined to "mend their ways " many
ly enjoined to "mend their ways"15 many     This sentence, as might have been extimes before they obeyed. But, after six-       s sentence, as might have been exteen years' service, the members of the   pected, produced only a temporary effect;
Court ventured to ask in foro conscien-  for, but a short time after, we find him
tice for reasonable pay; and they inti-  again before the Court, when the followmated that it was nothing less than the   ing order was passed.
religious duty of the governed. We in-      " It is ordered that Robte Coles, for drunsert the application of the Deputies, simi-  kenes by him comitted att Roxbury, shalbe
lar to that of the Magistrates, made at  disfranchized, weare about his necke & so
the same session; and only regret that  to hange upon his outward garmt, a D
neither were of any avail. The people,  made of redd cloath & sett upon white, to
doubtless, thought the honor of office to  contynue this for a yeare, and not to leave
dobtes  tought the hofficienorewad  it of att any tyme when hee comes amongst
be its proper and sufficient reward.      company, under penalty," &c.-  ol. 1. 108.
"It is ordred that it shall & may be law-, 1633.
full for ye Deputies of this howse to aduise  One Richard Wilson, a servant, for
& consultt wth theire Elders & ffreemen,  theft was sentenced to three years addiwhoe are desired to take it into serious con-                                  his
sideracon, whether God doe not expect that   nal service, and to wear a T upon his
all ye inhabitants of this Colony alowe, as   outer garment.
to theire mag" t', soe to all other yt are called  Sometimes the punishments were yet
to Country service, Vporgonable alowance   more whimsical.  Witness the following,
& mayntenance answerable to theire seu'all  upon one of the officers of the Fort.
places & imploymts, annually or otherwise,  " It is ordered that Srieant Perkins shall
& uppon wt grounds; & they are further de-  carry 40 turfs to the ffort, as a punishmt for
sired to send in their thoughts & determi-  drunkenes by him comitted."-Vol. 1. 103.
nagons in wrighteinge at ye next gen'all  1633.
Courte."-Vol. 3. 1644.                      "Edward Palmer, for his extortion, takeIn criminal proceedings the Court exer-  ing ~1. 13s. 7d. for the plank wood work of
cised unlimited power. From blasphemy   Boston stocks, is fined 51. & censured to bee
and heresy down to petty larceny or   set an houre in the stocks."-Vol. 1. 250.
breaches of the sumptuary laws, every of-  1639.
fence was dealt with; and where positive    One feels a sort of satisfaction in this
statutes were wanting, the laws of Moses   sentence;
were ready to supply the deficiency.  Oft-     " For'tis the sport, to have the engineer
en the prisoner, against whom a case could      Hoist with his own petard."
not be clearly made out, was either pun-    The common penalty for swearing or
ished for an offence of a minor grade, or  railing was putting the offender's tongue
dismissed under bonds, or with a repri-  in a cleft stick; a very painful as well as
mand. Thus                                humiliating punishment.-Thus:




136                     Curiosities of Puritan History.                   [August
"Elisabeth, the wife of Thomas Aplegate,   A curious instance occurs where the dewas censured to stand wth her tongue in a   privation of this prefix was considered a
cleft stick, for swearing, railing and revile-  sufficient punishment for theft; while the
ing."-Vol. 1. 178. 1636.                  accessories, who were of the lower class,
"Robert Shorthose, for swearing by the   having neither dignity to lose nor money
blond of God, was sentenced to have his                             to l     m
to atone for their crime, had to submit
tongue put into a cleft stick, and to stand   their backs to  the constable's whip.
so by the space of haulfe an houre." —VoL   Though  it has  been  printed  before
1. 178. 1636.                             Though  it has  been  printed  before,
It is to be lamented that modern inno-  (Hutchinson's Hist. Cass.,) it may not
be amiss to insert it here.
vations have rendered it so difficult to
visit medical quackery with the punish-     "JIt is ordered that Josias Plastowe shall
ment it deserves. The newspapers are so  (for stealing 4 basketts of come from the
iththeadertiemet drug-   Indians) returne them  8 basketts againe,
burdened with the advertisements of       be fined VI. and hereafter to be called by
mongers, that a foreigner might reason-  the name of Josias, and not Mr. as form'ly
ably suppose that Americans breakfast   hee used to be, and that Willam Buckland
upon pills, take lotions instead of baths,  and Tho: Andrewe shalbe whipped for
bitters for juleps, and after dinner fortify   being accessary to the same offence."against indigestion with "pepsin."  Our   Vol. 1. 83. 1631.
fathers, good men, did not let empirics      The most respectful term  which could
throw children into epilepsy, nor sell mo-   be applied to the untitled was, " Goodlasses-and-water for sarsaparilla, with im-  man," or  Goodwife;" in the latter genpunity;> e. g.                           erally abbreviated to " Goody,"-very sug"Nich: Knopp is fyned Vl., for takeing   gestive of red cloaks, broom-handles, and
upon him  to cure the scurvey by a water  other appliances of witchcraft.  Thus:
of noe worth nor value, which he solde att a
very dear rate, to be imprisoned till hee   "  Gooddy ftinch was censured  to bee sepay his ffyne or give securytie for it, or els  verely whiped to morrow, and so kept in
to be whipped, and shalbe lyable to any   prison."-Vol. 1. 282.1640.
mans acton of whome hee hath receaued       A variety of admonitions, sentences, &c.
money for the sd. water."-Vol. 1. 67. 1630.  are given, to illustrate more fully the miThe distinctions in society, as before ii-  nute surveillance exercised in regard tc
timated, were somewhat broadly marked.  morals and manners.
At a later period, it was customary in      "John Stone and his wife were admonishevery congregation to have the seats in  ed to make biger bread, and to take heede
the meeting-house assigned once a year to   of offending by makeing too little bread
the people according to their rank; this     "Willi: Wake was counselled to go
was termed "seating the meeting."  Ma-        Willi: Wake was counselled to go
whom to his wife, and upon his a  Smise so to
gistrates and others in official station, the   do, his repentance and testimony of his good
military., and persons of good families or  behavior hee was discharged  -Vol. 1. 294.
estates, were scrupulously designated by   1640.
their appropriate titles. We insert some    " Richrd Hollingsworth, for prophaning
of the names of the officers chosen in  the saboth in travelling, was censured to
1646; a random specimen.                  bee set in the stocks upon a lecture day at
"John Winthrop, sen. Esqr, Gou'nr       Salem.",Vol. 1. 237. 1637.
Thomash  rDudley, Esqr, Dept Gou'nr        "Benjamin Hubberd was also solemly
John Endeott, Esqr, AssisDept Gounr     admonished of his failing for being in comjohn Endecott, Esqr, Assistant.
Herbert Pelham, Esqr, Assistant.        pany wth James Browne and the rest, and
~Increase Nowel, gent, Assistant and Se-  often drinking of the strong water bottle
IncreWase Noell, gent, Assistant and Se-  wt h them, and not revving them."-Vol. 1.
cretary.
Wm. Pinchon, gent, Assistant.           198. 1637.
fMr. Rich: Russell, Treasurer.            "James Davies, for his unquietness wt h
Capt. Wmi. Ha:thorne is chosen speaker  his wife, was enioyned to appear at the next
of the howse of Deputs for this session."-   Court of Assistants."-Vol. 1. 282. 1640.
voL 3. 63. 1646.                            "Thomas Makepeace, because of his novile disposition, was informed, wee were
The names of HAWTHORNE and PYN-  weary of him unlesse he reforme."-Vol. 1.
CHON will be at once linked together in   240. 1638.
the reader's mind. The ancestor of our       "Ezekiel HIolliman,  appearing  upon
most gifted novelist, and the founder of   sumons, because bee did not frequent the
the family whose name is preserved in   publike assemblyes, and for seduceing many,
the  "House of Seven  Gables," could   hee was referd by the Court to the minishardly have dreamed of the tie that has  ters for conviction."  Vol. 1. 216. 1637.
since joined them so indissolubly.          The Court, with commendable liberaliThe appellation " Mr." though not the   ty, were unwilling that a forsaken woman
highest, was still a very respectable one.  should always remain in widowhood.  In




1853.]                   Curiosities of Puritan History.                       137
the following instance, one would think   Three items, of the proposed great reforthe period quite long enough.              mation we subjoin:
"Mr is Dorothy Pester, whose husband    C"8. Wheras much Grieff lyeth on ye spirits
went into England some ten yeares since,   of many godly, & much dishonor redounds
and was never to this day heard of, uppon   unto God, by sleepinesse of Psons, in ye
her petition to this Court, hath liberty   publique ordinances of Christ, wee conceaue
granted her to marry when God by his pvi-  it meet from  this Court bee declared, yt
dence shall afford her an Oppertunitie."-   It is ye duty of such Vsons, who, while ye
Vol. 3. 352. 1652.                         ordinances of Christ are dispensing, shal sit
Whether the  patient Dorothy  ever   neere such Psons, to awaken ym, and, In
found her " Oppertunitie," the records do   case they shal bee offended, to Admonish
not tell.                                  ym  priuatly.  If, notwithstanding, they
not~.tell.             shall 5sist therin Vversely, yn to ComDaniel Fairfield, a notorious offender  plagne of yi  to ye magistlyat  or commisagainst morality, was most severely, and   plage of ym to ye magistat or cotsagainst morality was most severely, and   sionr or Townsmen of yt Towne, who are
(if mutilation were ever justifiable) most  sharply to admonish ym. This order to bee
justly punished by whipping, slitting his   publiquely posted In some open place of ye
nose, &c. He likewise wore a rope two   meetinghouse by ye Constable of yt Towne."'
or three feet long round his neck for seve-  " 9. That, In all Elections wherein ffreeral years.  His wife, with a forgiving af-   men and non ffreemen voat, Its conceaued
fection which even the wretched husband   meet yt, whereas Scotch, seruants, Irish,
must have wondered at. petitioned the   negers, and Psons under one and twenty
Court, session after session, for permission   years have liberty to voate, yt ffreemen
to drop the ignominious badge;* and, at   who undergoe all ye burdens of this Conm-'welth should haue a double voate."
last, having been successful in that, she    "10. This Court considering ye Cruel
asked and obtained leave to emigrate.  and malignant spirrit yt haue from tyme to
This is the answer of the Court:           tyme been manifest in ye Irish Nation'
" Upon the petition of Elisa: ffairefeild,   against ye English doe hereby declare thyl
it is granted that her husband, she & their   Vlhibition  of any Irish men, women or
children [may] depart out of this Jurisdic-   childrens being brought Into this Jurisdiction unto such other parts of the world as  tion" &c.
it shall please God to dispose."-Vol. 2. 232.
1649.                         -              At a later period, when a series of calamities overtook the Colonyv comemunicaThe curtness of this license would in-  tions came in from the country expressing
dicate that the magistrates were quite as   very great concern at what were conwell pleased with the departure as the   sidered evident marks of the Divine disheart-sick woman herself.                  pleasure.  Whereupon a committee was
The extreme severity with which the   formally appointed to consider the sublaws were executed at first seems to have  ject, and "to inquire into the causes of
relaxed somewhat about 1653. Among   God's wrath!"  The matter is too long
the more zealous religionists, the lamenta-   and wordy to be quoted here.
tions for the decline of piety were loud     It has been imagined by some that the
and frequent.  At length  the General   Puritans, from  their stern treatment of
Court took up the matter, and referred   idleness and vice, were deficient in charity
the whole subject of the dissoluteness of   to the poor.  But this was far from the
the times to a special committee, with in-  fact.  The unfortunate. whether from
structions to present a plan for thorough   sickness or accident, never applied to the
reformation.  A  long report was made   Court for aid in vain.  The benefactions
by the committee, and is now on file,   of that day were in far greater proportion
Mass. Archives, vol. 10., fol. 338. 1654.  to the slender resources of the colony.
It recommends reform  under fourteen   than  are our boasted charities  to the
distinct heads.  The preamble reads thus:  immense wealth we have accumulated.
" Concearning many Evells growing   Nor were the recipients of charity herded
amongst us of sundry kinds, we conceaue   like animals or criminals, and left to die
ye Lord calls us to soleme and serious hu-   without the presence of a friend to cheer
milliation, yt euells may be discouered and   the last moments of life.  The order folpr vented, ye lord therin appearing eying   lowing, of which there are many parallels.
the many mercyes wee haue receued, and   will show the fact we have stated, as well
our unsutableness thereunto."              as the simplicity of the times:
Among the subjects specially mention-      "It was ordered that Alexander Beck
ed, are, Fasts, public and private, more   should have 24 bushels of corne for Marv
liberal support of the Ministry, a House   Joanes for the time past, & for the time to
of Correction for the idle and dissolute,   come, a bushell of corne a weeke, & to
punishment of aggressive heretics, pirates,   have two blankets & a rug to keepe her
slanderers, and the improvement of schools.   warme."-Vol. 1. 295. 1640.
VOL. II.-10




138                         Letters of Parepidemus.                       [August
Corn in 1640 was worth 4s. sterling,  witches, by watching them a certaine time:
equal to nearly $2 50 now.                It is orderd that the best & surest way
The following order contains the first  may be forthwth be put in practice, to benotice of witchcraft upon the records of   gin this night if it may be, being the 18th
the General Court, although some faint  of the 3rd mi, [May,] & that the husband
foreshadowing of its terrible career was   may be confined to a private roome, & be
observed at Springfield a year or two   also then watched."-Vol. 2. 203. 1648.
previous.                                   A further account of this remarkable
"The Corte desire the Course wch hath   superstition, as well as many other topics,
been taken in England for discoury of   must be reserved for another article.
LETTERS OF PAREPIDEMUS.
NUMBER TWO.
WTY  DEAR SIR,- Do people in general,  To cease to exist, to vanish, to give place.
_ upon this side of the great water, read   in short, to some nobler kind of men, in
Homer?  Virgil, I know, in some parts   whose melodious and flexible form  of
of the Union, is a lady's book; nor is there,  speech the old Homer will have a chance
I think, any ancient author that better   of reappearing unimpaired, or possibly
deserves the honor.  But the man's book,  some new Homer singing the wrath of
Homer?  It is not every boy that learns   another Achilles and the wanderings of a
Greek; and not all who learn Greek read   wiser Ulysses.
through the whole forty-eight books of      Fiat voluntas! Let us go forward to
the Iliad and the Odyssey. Is Pope much   our manifest destiny with content, or at
studied?  I should fancy not: and, in-  least resignation, and bravely fill up the
deed, though one is glad to hear any one  trench, which our nobler successors may
say that he has, in the past tense, read   thus be able to pass.
that ingenious composition, it is not easy  In the mean time, various attempts in
to bid any one, in the future, go and read   Blackwood's Magazine, and  elsewhere,
it. And, if not Pope, whom  can we re-  have been made in the last few years at
commend?  Chapman is barbarous, dis-  rendering  Homer in  modern  English
sonant, obsolete, incorrect.  In IIobbes   hexameter verse.  We venture to prothere are two good lines, well known, but  nounce them  unsuccessful.  It is not an
they cannot be repeated too often —       easy thing to make readable English hexa"And like a star upon her bosom, lay   meters at all; not an easy thing even in
His beautiful and shining golden head."  the freedom of original composition, but a
(They are of Astyanax in the arms of his  very hard one, indeed. amid the restricmother; and how that first of English   tions of faithful translation. Mr. Longprosaists was inspired with them remains   fellow has gained, and has charmed, has
a problem to all generations.)  Cowper,  instructed in some degree, and attuned
who could read, however much enjoined   the ears of his countrymen and countryto it?  In short there neither is, nor has   women (in literature we may be allowed
been, nor in all probability ever will be,  to say), upon both sides of the Atlantic, to
any thing like a translation.  And the   the flow and cadence of this hitherto unwhole Anglo-Saxon world of the future   acceptable measure.  Yet, the success of
will, it is greatly to be feared, go forth   Evangeline was owing, not more, we think,
upon its way, clearing forests, building   to the author's practised skill in versificaclippers, weaving calicoes, and annexing   tion than to his judgment in the choice
Mexicos, accomplishing its natural mani-  of his material.  Even his powers, we
fest destiny, and subsiding into its primi-  believe, would fail to obtain a wide poputive aboriginal ignorance. Accomplishing   larity for a translation even from a language
our manifest destiny! to be, that is, the   so nearly akin to our own as the German.
"hewers of wood and drawers of water"   In Greek, where grammar, inflection. into the human race in general; and then,  tonation, idiom, habit, character, and
peradventure, when the wood has all been   genius are all most alien, the task is very
hewn, and the water drawn, to cease to   much more hopeless.
exist,' to be effaced from  the earth we    Moreover, in another point, it may be
have subdued —                            right to turn the Louise of Voss, and the
"Fear no more the heat of the sun,    Herman and Dorothea of Goethe into
Nor the furious winter's rages,     corresponding modern  so-called  hexaThou thine earthly task hast done,            If the verse  is clumsy i  our
Homeward gone, and ta'en thy wages."  meters. If the verse is clumsy in our




1853.]                      Letters of Parepidemus.                            139
rendering, so was it to begin with in the   beg you will no longer trouble either
original.  If no high degree of elegance is  yourself or them-but, some one, I foreattained, no high degree of elegance was  see, of the numerous well-instructed future
there to be lost.                          readers of this private correspondence will
But in Greek there seems really hardly  interpose with his or her objection, and
a reason for selecting this in preference to   will tell me, You read your Latin verse
some readier, more native and popular   wrongly, you don't put the stress upon
form of verse.  Certainly the easy flowing   the ictus,-you should pronounce Virgil
couplets of Chaucer, the melodious blank   like Evangeline, Evangeline is the true
verse of Shakspeare, or some improved   hexameter; in Virgil the colloquial accent
variety of ballad metre, such as Mr. Frere   which you follow was lost in the accent
used in translating the Cid, would be. on   of verse.  The Romans of old read it, not
the whole, not less like the original music   Ut b6lli signum Laurnnti Tfrnus ab arco,
of the Iliad and Odyssey than that which   but
we listen to with pleasure in Evangeline,               Ut belli signtim.
and read without much trouble in the   0 dear! and can you, courteous and wellHerman and Dorothea.  Homer's round-   instructed reader, positively read your
ing line, and Virgil's smooth verse, were   Georgics or JEneid in that way? Do you,
both of them  (after more puzzling about   as a habit, scan as you go along?  Do
it than the matter deserves, I have con-   you not feel it very awkward, must not
vinced myself) totally unlike those lengthy,  the Romans also have felt it rather awkstraggling, irregular, uncertain slips of   ward, to pass so continually and violently
prose mesuree which we find it so hard   from the ordinary to the sing-song accento measure, so easy to read in half-a-dozen   tuation?  And if, as I think you must
ways, without any assurance of the right   allow, there was some awkwardness in it,
one, and which. since the days of Voss,   why is it that Virgil, and the other good
the Gothic nations consider analogous to   versifiers, so constantly prefer that form
classic hexameter.                         of verse in which this awkwardness most
Lend me, if you can spare them  for a   appears?  Why is
moment or two. my dear sir, your ears,  SpArgens h-fmida mella, soporif6rfimque papAver,
and tell me, honor bright, is
where there is no such difficulty, a rare
Conticuere omnes, intentique ora tenebant  form, and " Ut b6lli sfgnurn," where there
the same thing as                          is, a common and favorite one?  Do you
Hilab' ich den Markt und die Strasse doch nicht so   know?  I shall venture to assert that in
einsam geseben.                            the Latin language, the system of accenWere I to interpolate in a smooth passage   tuation was this, which enjoined the awkof Evangeiline a verse from  the Georgics   wardness you complain of; the separation,
or the Eneid, would they go together q     in general, of the colloquial and the metriIs the following a metrical sequence:    cal accent, the very opposite of that which
awe observe. who, unless the two coincide,
Thus, in the ancient time the smooth Virgilian verses   we observe who, unless the two coincide,
Feli on the listening ear of the Roman princes and
people.                                 however.
Ut belli signum Laurenti Turnus ab arco.     Return, Alpheus, the dread voice is
There is one line, one example of the   past-come back, my dear sir, we will
smooth Virgilian verses, which perhaps   talk no more prosody-only just allow
Mr. Longfellow would have allowed him-   me to recite to you a few verses of metaself to use, and his readers consented to   phrase, as they used to say, from  the
accept, as a real hexameter.               Odyssey; constructed as nearly as may be
Spargens humida mella soporiferumque papaver,    upon the ancient principle; quantity, so
might, perhaps, have been no more ob-   far as, in our forward-rushing, consonantjected to than                             crushing, Anglo-savage enunciation-long
Tous les Bourgeois de Chartres et le carillon de Dun-  and short can in any kind be detected,
kerque.                                 quantity attended to in the first place, and
Yet even this most exceptionable form, with   care also bestowed, in the second, to have
the natural accents very frequently laid
its special aim at expressing, by an adaptation of sound to sense, the              upon syllables which the metrical reading
depresses.
Scattering of liquid honeys and soporiferous poppy,  The aged Nestor, sitting among his sons
is a model of condensation, brevity, smooth-   at Pylos, is telling Telemachus, who has
ness, and nettete, compared with that   come from  Ithaca to ask tidings of his
sprawling bit of rhythmical prose into   father, how, after the taking of Troy, the
which I have turned it.                    insolence and violence of the Achaeans
But, we are going to be learned, my   called down upon them the displeasure of
dear sir; so I release your kind ears, and   the Father of the Gods and the stern blue



140                  Acadie, and  the Birth-Place  of Evangeline.                      [August
eyed virgin, his daughter.   Agamemnon    See whether my companion has skill of his own for
and  Menelaus, flushed with wine, quar-   Or is invincible only, when I too enter tle onset.
relled  openly  in  an  assembly  held  at   And when the might of his hand shall have driven
sunset, which broke up in disorder and                  the war from the galleys,
unseI whichbrokpndiorden        Then let him come back safe to nme by the side of my
tumult; the leaders, some of them. stay-                vessels,
ing' behind to please Agarnemnon, others    Unhurt, bringing me home my arms and all my
n b ~~~~~~~~~~~companions.
drawing down their ships without delay    So in his prayer he spoke; and the Zeus, the Counand sailing off with Ulysscs, came as far               seller, heard himn:
as Tenedos, and then turned again back.   Granted him half his desire; but half the Father
denied him;
But I, says Nestor-                               Granted him that his friend should drive the war and
the onset
But I, with my ships in a body, the whole that   Back from the galleys; denied him his safe return
obeyed me,                                        from the battle.
Fled, well perceiving that wrath was rising against us,
Tydides also fled with me, his company calling;      Here, in a milder mood, the poet for
Later, upon our track followed the yellow Menelius;   the conclusion of his first book  describes
In Lesbos found us, debating there of the longvoyage,   the    living" gods.
Were we to sail, to wit, by this side of the rocky   the  easy living" gods.
Chios,                                      " So the live-long day they thus were unto the sunset
Making far Psyrie-isle, Chios being kept to the lar-   Feasting; neither did heart lack ever a portion of
board,                                            banquet,
Or to the far side, Chios along by the windy Mimante.   Nor lack ever the lyre, sweet-toned, in the hand of
Will this sort of thing please the modern            Apollo,
Nor the muses, in turn singing sweetly with beautiear?  It is to be feared not.  It is too                ful voices.
late a day in this nineteenth century to    But as soon as the shining light of the sun had de-ate a day in this nineteenth century to     scended,
introduce a new principle, however good.   They, to lay them  down, went every one to his
into modern European verse.  We must                    chamber,
Where for each one a house the far-famed Worker
be content perhaps, in this, as in other and            with both hands,
higher matters, to-take things as we find    Even Hephcestus, had made with the skill of his unthem, and make the best we can of them.   Zuderstanding.
them, and make the best we can of them.   Zeus also to his bed, the Olympian flasher of lightning,
You. I dare say, my dear sir, though per-   Where he was wont before, when slumber sweet
haps no great lover of hexamneters at all,              came upon himn  a  Thither gone-up was sleeping, the white-armned HIeera
will prefer to my labored  Homerics the                 beside him."
rough and ready Anglo-savage lines that              The  best translations of Homer into
follow. They render the prayer of Achilles    this verse which I am  acquainted  with
when he is sending out Patroclus with the    are those by Mr. Lockhart and   r. Ha —
TMyrmidons to check the victory  of the    trey in the little oblong-quarto collection
Trojans.                                          of English  Hexameters.   Yet after all
Donontan, Pelasgican Zeus, up in heaven above us,    --
King of Dodona, the stormy and cold, where thy       At any rate
Selli attend thee,
Barefoot, that wash not their feet, whose bed is thd   My dear sir, here is a chapter, which, be it for better
earth, thy expounders-                            or worse, is
Once when I prayed thee before, thou gavest me all   From beginning to end about hexameter verses;
my petition,                                 Could they but jingle a little,'twere better, perhaps;
Gavest me honor, and greatly afflicted the host of      but the trouble
Achaia;                                      Really is endless, of hunting for rhymes that have all
Even so now too, Zeus, fulfil my prayer and petition;   to be double.
I am myself staying here, alone in the midst of Iny    Adieu, till the next time, when either in prose or
vessels.                                          in rhyme I
But I am sending my friend, and the Myrmidon   Ilaply may find something better to gossip about in
people about him                                  a letter.
Into the battle: O Zeus, Wide-Seer, accord to him    In the meanwhile, my dear sir, till writing again
honor,                                            may beseem us,
Strengthen, embolden the heart in his breast; that   I am, your faithful, obliged, and obedient,
Hector to-day may                                                            PARE'IDErUms.
ACADIE, AND THE BIRTH-PLACE OF EVANGELINE
TOR some time I had been possessed with    sants have departed, and every trace of
a strong desire to visit Nova Scotia.   them  has. without doubt, been  effaced.
Of this province, less perhaps is known    But yet there remains the  land which
than of any other in British America, so   they reclaimed from  the sea, and from  the
that this of itself was sufficient to awaken    forest; their old haunts may still attract
curiosity.  But the pages of "Evangeline"    the traveller, and  around  the  beautiful
which I had lately perused threw a new    spot which they inhabited, some charms
interest around Acadie.  "Ah," thought   still may linger.  I will visit this land,'
I  "Evangeline no longer dwells in her   said I, " and see the home of the tender
peaceful home; those simple-hearted pea-   and lovely Evangeline."




1853.]           Acadie, and the Birth-Place of Evangeline.                141
Full of these thoughts, I left Boston,   "A darn lazy set of fellows, them Proand when I arrived at St. John, the blue   vincials," said he, "they aint got the proshores of the other province, just visible  per stuff in them. See theim goin' off to
above the horizon, drew me on with a   their hammocks instead of stayin' on deck
stronger attraction. After spending three  like men. They'll never make nothin'.
days in this city, I left for the town of   They're too lazy."
Digby on the other side of the bay. The    "Do you know much about the provdistance was only forty miles, but the  inces?" said I.
steamer in which it was my luck to em-     "Wal, a little.  I lived in Yarmouth
bark, was so inconceivably slow, that eight  three years arter I married. and got tired
hours were consumed on the passage.  to death of the place, so I had to go. But
How would Americans endure this rate  it's a beautiful country; why. law bless
of speed?  But after all, I thought, as I   you, I've seen some of the finest orchards
looked around on the Provincials who   and fields of corn thar that you could
were my fellow-passengers, it seems fast  think of; and Jerusalem! sich medders!
enough for them.  They were reclining   They have fish continewally swimmin'
lazily on the seats of the upper deck,  around them, wantin' so much to be
and many had gone below to their berths.  caught, that they go up in millions into
Although they were all large and healthy   the rivers, and what do these people do?
men, yet they seemed listless and dull,  Precious little. They don't desarve' the
displaying none of that unwearied activi-  country. They're lazy! "
ty which always characterizes a citizen of  I let him run on thus for some time,
our republic. The ennui which reigned   and found much resemblance between his
supreme, presently seized upon me also,  sayings and those of the great Samuel
and after making desperate attempts to   Slick.
rid myself of it, I was finally compelled to  "Do you think they will ever be ansuccumb to its power. Sad and misera-  nexed? "
ble I walked forward, and lighting a cigar,  " I don't know. If they wur to be, the
gave myself up to gloomy reflections.  country in ten years would be all overrun
" Guess you've never been down East  with Yankees, and before the Provincials
afore, mister," said a sharp, cracked voice   knew it their water powers and best lands
behind me.  It was not a particularly   would be put to sonime profit. And the
mirthful remark, but my melancholy van-  villages, which are the thunderinest pooty
ished at once, and a kind fellow-feeling   places you ever see, would soon look a litcame over me; for, turning round, I recog-  tie lively."
nized a fellow-countryman.                 "Ah well, Captain, they have not yet
Reader, have you ever seen a Down East  had time to develope themselves; wait a
captain?  If not, let me advise you to go  few years, and things will be different."
at once in search of one, for he is an oriri-  "Wait a few years! I guess we'll have
nal. You will not have to travel far to  to wait till eternity then. I bet my pipe
find him.  Go to the wharves at Boston   agin a tenpenny nail, that they'll never
or New-York, go to any seaport town, and   become any thin' till they get some Yanyou will see one. In fact, go where you   kees among them. The wust of the busiwill, east or west, north or southl to the   ness is to see how they look down on us
wilds of Oregon, or the islands of the Pa-  Yankees? "
cific, and you will probably see him eve-  " Look down on us?"
rywhere before you. The one before me      "Be shoor they do!  One Provincial
was a type of his class. He seemed to  thinks himself as good, and a trifle better,
have dressed himself in his holiday garb.  than two Yankees. I swow, Job himself
His beaver was of the fashion of the last  would be riled to hear them. I haint no
age. He had a frill shirt, whose collar  patience with them, and their talk about
turned over a glaring red and yellow cot-  their old families, and loyalty, and-but
ton handkerchief, an extremely tight pair  blame it, my pipe's out. Good day, Misof pantaloons, a blue coat with brass but-  ter."
tons, the collar of which braced his head  The harbor of Digby is formed by the
behind, and to crown all. a calf-skin vest.  widening of the Annapolis River, which at
Having entered into conversation with  this place has the appearance of a large
him, I found that he was born in Eastport,  lake. Here the river rushes into the bay,
and that his wife lived in Yarmouth, N.  having burst its way through cliffs 1000
S. He had not seen her for three years,  feet in height.  This opening goes by the
was on his way there now, and almost  name of Digby Gut. It is a wild and
broke his pipe by letting it fall on the   sublime chasm in a chain of mountains,
deck, while he gave a yell of delight at  which seem to have been torn asunder by
the thought of soon seeing his Mehita-  some convulsion of nature.  So deep is the
bel.                                     cleft, that in some places no bottom has




142              Acadie, and the Birth-Place of Evangeline.          [August
ever been reached with the sounding lead.  week, during which time I had roamed
At the base of a hill facing the water, and  through all those enchanting spots which
looking up the river, lies the town of Dig-  are scattered around it in such profusion.
by, appearing beautifully from the water,  "Ah," thought I, as I sat beneath the
with its houses half hidden among trees.  shade of some lofty elms, fanned by the
Multitudes of cherry-trees grow here; in-  unceasing sea-breeze, "if all Nova Scotia
deed, it may be said, that in no place in  resembles this place, how beautiful a land
the world do cherries grow with greater  must it be! If Digby were in the United
profusion, or attain a greater degree of  States, how thronged would be its quiet
perfection than in Digby. There were  streets! With its beauties, and advanalso plum  and peach trees, and great  tages for sea-bathing, which cannot be
numbers of apple-trees, covered with their  surpassed, in a short time it would be the
beautiful blossoms.  The streets were  most frequented watering-place in all
clean and neat, sheltered in many places. America."
by shady trees. From the summit of the    Annapolis is a town of about the same
hill behind the town, the eye might roam   size as Digby. It was founded by the
over an enchanting landscape, from where,  French, and in their time, under the name
beneath the gazer, Digby lay embosomed   of Port Royal, was the capital of the proamong trees, along a fertile coast broken   vince. The town is very beautiful, and
by the outlets of small rivers, to where,  the country in its immediate vicinity is in
twenty miles away, the' spires and-church   a high state of cultivation, but there is
towers of Annapolis rose. The water be-  nothing here of so striking a nature as
fore is always dotted with vessels, and  the landscape at Digby. As I was in
from the lofty rocky bank on the right,  haste to see the birth-place of Evangeline,
you may occasionally hear a deep roaring   I soon left. There were no railroads here,
sound, as some huge pine-tree thunders  and for this I was not sorry; for to me,
down the side of the mountain into the   a leisurely traveller, it was more pleasant
water below. I was delighted with this  to ride slowly, and see the country, thanI
lovely town.  But though I loved the  to be borne onward like the wind amid
quiet of this little spot, yet there seemed  smoke, dust, and cinders. A coach was
a sad want of energy and busy action.  my conveyance, and, while riding along,
Every one was idle and listless. And   I fancied myself living one hundred years
there was another circumstance yet more  ago, for every thing was this much behind
surprising. Numbers of those beautiful  the present age.  The country beyond
ladies, for which Nova Scotia is still fa-  Annapolis is exceedingly rough.  Such
mous. might be seen riding and promena-  heaps of stones and rocks. such wildness
ding, but no young men were there to at-  and desolation, such obstacles in the way
tend to them. " Where were they? " I  of cultivation, I never saw, except in the
could not help inquiring. "Oh, they're   State of Rhode Island; but there the
all gone off to the States," was the answer,  barrenness is that of the desert, while
and this was always the reply to such a  here it extends for but a few miles, and
question. The " States' seems to be the  its ruggedness is that of a mountainous
only country in which the Nova Scotia  country.
youth think themselves able to prosper.    A little old gentleman was sitting beBut so beautiful was the country around   side me. Suddenly he spoke-" Dis mus
me, so fertile the soil, so pleasing the   be a ver strong land to bear de vate of
manners of the people with whom  I  such beg stones, Monsieur; he, he, he!"
became acquainted, that I could not im-    I started and turned round in horror.
agine what motives could induce one  Looking closely at him, I recognized him
who was born here to leave his lovely  as a Frenchman, a native of the province.
home. Why can they not be as success-  whom I had seen in the hotel at Digby a
ful in this new country as in ours?  The  few days previously.  "And have the
government is almost the same.  The  Acadians. the honest, unsophisticated Aca
people are of the same race, their manners  dians, fallen so low? Will the descendant
and customs are precisely the same. The  of those oppressed but noble-hearted men
resources, whether mineral or vegetable,  make a pun?"'Twas too true. But.
are unbounded. Myriads of fish inhabit  after all, I felt an involuntary respect for
these waters.  Forests of ship-timber   him, an affection for him and his race. I
grow  on these hills. Then, good hea-  thought of the gentle Acadienne, Evangevens! why should a youth, with energy  line, and forgave his observation.
enough to succeed in another land. aban-    Entering into conversation with him, I
don his more attractive home, when there  found him to be well-informed about Nova
are so many ways in which one may with  Scotian politics; a relation of his was a
safety invest either capital or industry.    member of the Provincial Parliament.
I left Digby after a stay of about a  Party strife, he informed me. ran very




1853.]           Acadie, and the Birth-Place of Evangeline.              143
high in this province during the time of   garden on the right, and behind, the eye
election; relations often became so em-  wandered down a long extent of dike
bittered toward one another, that they  land, which spread away, intersected with
never after became friends.  In many  rivers, and glowing in the freshness of its
parts, one party never would think of   new vegetation.  "Wait a little while,"
speaking to the opposite side. I was  said my friend, "and I will take you to
much surprised to hear of such virulence  some beautiful spots, and I think you will
and ill-feeling among these unenergetic and   acknowledge that you would find it a difquiet people.                           ficult task to produce places in New EngMy companion informed me, however,  land to equal them in loveliness."
that on the question of politics the Nova  I did not reply, but smiled at the unScotians were always most excitable.    diminished pride of country which my
We stopped for half an hour at the  friend evinced.
pretty village of Bridgetown, and after    We walked out after dinner, and went
leaving it, found that the country became  up the road along which the village is
more fertile as we advanced. There were  built. Long rows of poplars and willows
hosts of beautiful places, called by such   grew on either side, cooling us by their
names as " Eden," Paradise," and they   shade. A hill lay before us, upon which
were worthy of them. The road, though   stood a handsome edifice in an unfinished
long, was not monotonous. Sometimes  state, a college, I believe. We ascended
it went for many miles through a thick  it, and, after arriving at the top, turned
forest, then coming to the top of some hill,  and looked back. I was astonished at
a beautiful and well-cultivated plain would  the prospect. The village stretched along
meet the eye. At other times long rows  the foreground beneath us, its houses
of willows and poplars lined the road on   peeping out from surrounding groves and
either side.  There were many large   orchards. Farther in lay the dike lands,
orchards, which we continually passed,  extending for a great distance, its level
some of which consisted of several thou-  surface broken in one place by an island,
sand trees.                            which rose up covered with trees. Farther
Toward evening we appproached a  away lay the Basin of Minas, with its
beautifully situated and attractive village,  blue waters hemmed in by lofty rocky
called Kentville, which, after changing  shores, and from out its midst rose boldly
horses, we at once left. and rattled onward  upward a towering cliff called Blomidon.
to Horton. This is the present name of   This cliff is formed by the abrupt terminathe country where Evangeline lived. It  tion of a chain of hills, which extend along
is onlyseven miles from Kentville, so that  nearly the whole western shore of the
we speedily arrived there. Here was the   province.
end of my journey, and leaping from the   "How do you like that? " said my
tiresome coach, I entered a little inn, not  companion.
intending to visit any place until the mor-    " Surpassingly beautiful! I had never
row.                                   expected so much.  But all the dike
The Rev. Edward Barrell and I had  land-how came it here?  Who reclaimbelonged to the same class at Harvard  ed it from the water? "
seven or eight years before. He was the   "It was the work of the early Acadian
only representative of the provinces at the  settlers, and all this part of the province
college, and stoutly did he stand up for  was originally cultivated by them; you
his native land. To hear him, you would   may often meet with the ruins of their
imagine the Lower Provinces, and especi-  houses in places now worn out by long
ally Nova Scotia, to be a second Eden, a  cultivation."
land of promise, the garden of the world.    "The ruins of their houses?"
Although I believed his statements to be  "Yes, there is one a little way behind
somewhat colored by patriotism, yet I  you."
could not help thinking that there must    We turned, and after walking about
be something uncommon in this country,  one hundred yards, came to a small holeven if one half of what he said were true.  low in the ground, which looked as if it'He had been pastor of a church in Horton   had once been the cellar of a house.
for three years, and here I expected to   Around it were many bricks and stones.
find him.                              It was at the extremity of a small clearCalling upon him, the next day, I met  ing, which had been made long ago in
with a most warm reception. His house  these woods. In a small gully at a short
stood at a little distance from the road,  distance a brook bubbled and gushed
with large shadowy trees before it, and  forth, tumbling, as it flowed along, over
on the left was an apple-orchard, whose  rocks and fallen trees. The woods encirtrees were covered with delicious blos-  cled us on three sides. Apple-trees were
soms. Flowers of many kinds grew in a  there which seemed to have been planted




144              Acadie, and the Birth-Place of Evangeline.          [August
a hundred years ago. It was a beauti-  Once seen, it is not soon forgotten. But it
ful spot. " Could not this have been your  has one fault, which it holds in common
home, Evangeline?  Might not this soil  with many other beautiful places. The
have been pressed by your feet, and these  inhabitants are ignorant, and indolent.
trees planted by your hands?"  I re-  When you come closer, these houses will
dined on the grass. From the surround-  appear less romantic, and those irregular
ing woods a thousand birds were singing,  fences will appear hideous." We descendand beneath me the brook uttered no less  ed, and if from the summit the prospect
pleasing music. There was enchantment  was charming, nothing was lost as we dehere!                                   scended the mountain, until we drew near
" Have you such places as this in New   the village, and then truly the charm was
England? " said my friend.             broken. Dirt and filth were every where.
This aroused me.  "Like this-it is  Every thing showed carelessness and indovery beautiful, but-why yes, of course  lence. Pigs ran rampant through a mudwe have."                               dy lane, which I suppose was called a
"Come on a little farther, and we may  road; and the bridge which crossed the
see sofie other places. Here, follow this  river seemed hourly in danger of falling
way, we will make a rush through the  in. Ignorance and stupidity dwelt upon
woods."                                the expressionless countenances which met
A path lay before us, along which we   my eyes.
passed. It had been trodden by many       "We have nothing like this in New
feet, and every obstruction had been re-  England," said I to my now silent commoved. We came to another brook some-  panion. My friend's servant had brought
what larger than the first. Small camps  his carriage here, and waited our arrival.
had been reared along its banks by the  We jumped in, and rode down along the
students of the college below. These  river. The fields gradually wore a better
woods were delightful: above they were  appearance, and the houses began to apfilled with birds, and below grew myriads  pear neater; the road, too, became better,
of wild flowers, such as "linears," and   and was lined with trees on either side.
others to me utterly unknown.  We  Many orchards were here, and gardens
came out at length into a road and walked  filled with peach and plum trees.  We
for a half mile or so, but the scenery  came at length to the "Gaspereaux's
grew rather tame.                       mouth."  There was the place where the
" Where on earth are we going to? " I at  English ships lay; and here, too, I thought
last exclaimed.                         perhaps on this very spot, stood the poor
"Be patient, you will see in a short  exiles. What a sight must it have been
time," cried he.                        when the poor defenceless Acadians were
"Something better than New  Eng-  compelled to leave a home like ths! They
land  "                                 were rudely torn away from the paradise
" You shall judge."                   where they dwelt in simplicity and innoWe had been slowly ascending ever  cence. They were snatched from these
since we left the village. The summit at  their green fields, and from the fertile
last lay before us; we still walked on,  meadows which their own hands had so
and at last came to where there was a de-  laboriously cultivated; and while their
scent. Here a new scene opened upon us,  houses were burnt to the ground, they
different from that which had before ap-  were scattered all over America.
peared. The hill went abruptly down       We turned away from the place, and
for a great distance, and opposite arose  rode back to the village. The valley of
others more lofty. A lovely valley lay  lhe Gaspereaux seemed yet more beautibeneath, through which flowed a river in  ful by twilight. Countless fireflies spara winding course, whose banks were lined   kled through the woods, before, behind,
with green willows and poplars. Look-  and around us. The lowing of cattle reing up the valley to the right, the river  turning home, and the tinkling of bells
was lost amid trees and bushes. Looking  from  flocks and herds, the bleating of
down, it appeared at times through the   sheep, and the noise of the rushing river,
branches of elms and willows, until at  added to the enchantment of the scene.
length, taking a turn, it became lost to   We looked down again from the top of the
view.                                   hill. " Beautiful valley! why should such
" What in the world is the name of this  shiftless and  ignorant people  inhabit
place?" I enthusiastically inquired of  thee?"   My American feelings came
my friend, who stood gazing with a confi-  strongly over me.  "If this were the
dent smile.  "What a charming spot!  United States," Ithought,-and I thought
and here it lies hidden completely from the   aloud,-" If this were the United States,
world unknown and unvisited."           what a glorious place would this valley
" This is the valley of the Gaspereaux.  become! Those dirty houses would soon




1853.]                           The Mill.                               145
be torn down, and beautiful dwellings  which lay before them being shaded by
erected."  "Yes, and if this were the   spreading elms and tall poplars. The sun
United States," replied my incorrigible  shone brightly down upon this lovely valfriend, "every tree would be cut down.  ley. A rustic picture was there. Some
Those cottages, which, when' seen from a  old men sat smoking their pipes before
distance, are so romantic, would give place  an ale-house; a blacksmith was shoeing a
to unsightly two-story houses, and cotton   horse in front of his shop, and while I
factories would line the banks of this  looked, a group of laughing merry children
lovely river."'burst from a little thatched school-house,
On the following day my friend told me   and the whole village at once resounded
that there was one place to which I must  with their shoutsgo, for in his opinion it was the gem of Aca-    "Sweet Auburn-loveliest village of the plain! I
dia. We rode toward the village of Lower  I muttered half unconsciously.
Horton, which was about four miles away.    " Sweet Auburn! Yes, you may well
The scenery along the road was very fine,  call it so," replied my friend, " and whenand the country was in a good state of  ever I ride down this hill that line occurs
cultivation. We ascended a hill which  to me.
lay in the way. On arriving at the sum-    " This village was the principal home
mit, I gazed around, and the scene which   of the Acadians, though none of their
met my view was such as baffles all de-  houses remain. That wide plain yonder
scription. Beneath us lay a broad ex-  is Grand Pr6. Look ahead a few milespanse of dike land, waving with luxuri-  there is the Gaspereaux's mouth. That is
ant vegetation, intersected by roads, and  the spot where the vessels anchored.
winding  streams, whose  banks were   Down this road came the long train of
adorned in many places by groves and   weeping exiles, as they went to those
long rows of trees. On one side the  ships which were to carry them for ever
plain was protected from the water by a  from their homes."  There was a short
long island which arose,-a natural dike,  pause, and my friend continued, " You
through the green groves of which peeped   will find scattered through Nova Scotia
forth white cottages and barns. In the   many such places as this, and if you exdistance the blue Basin of Minas ap-  tend your journey to the other province,
peared, encircled with its lofty rugged   you will meet with villages, where to the
cliffs, among which the ever-present Blom-  beauty of landscape, and romantic situaidon towered highest. I turned away,  tion, are united the simple manners and
unable to express my admiration. But  primitive hospitality of the Acadians."
this was not all. Glancing down the hill    "No, my friend," replied I, warmly,
there appeared another scene, which I had   " this province has no place equal in innot before noticed. In the valley lay the  terest to Horton, for our Longfellow has
village of Lower Horton; the small and  rendered it immortal; and around Horton
comfortable houses, so old-fashioned, and  the remembrance of the tender love and
yet so attractive in their appearance, were  constancy of Evangeline will throw an
built along the road, the neat gardens  unfading lustre."
THE  OLD  MILL.
UNDER the hill
Standeth the quiet mill.
Deep are the shadows that gather below
Under the dripping flumeDreamy the water's musical glow,
Down in the noonday gloom.
Many a year
The phebe hath builded here,
Morning and night from the broken door
Chaunting her solemn strain,
She sits where the sunshine checkers the floor,
Singing of what has been.




146                             The Mill.                          [August
Close beside
The green quiescent tide,
The maples lift up in the airs of spring
Their tufts of vermeil flowers,
And the afternoon robin stops to sing
His song in the twilight hours.
Day by day,
Musing and watching his prey,
The silent kingfisher sits on high,
Dreaming under the leaves,
Where the fitful breezes wander by,
And the birch its fragrance gives.
Through the trees
That almost mingle their leaves,
Steals down the blue of the summer sky,
Down where the lilies grow;
And the sudden swallow flitting by,
Dips his blue wings below.
From hidden springs,
Where the mottled ground thrush sings,
And willows, and ferns, and water-docks stand,
Sliding along through the quiet profound;
With babble of banks and shining sand,
The trout-haunted brook comes downMingling its tune
Dreamily all the afternoon,
With the tinkling echoes down in the wood,
Where the cattle stand in the dell;
And the cool dull plash of the dripping flood
Beating the broken wheel.
Far away
In the light of the open day,
With the sunshine glowing along their banks,
Over the dam and the trees,
The clouds are marshalled in yellow ranks,
Gleaming beyond the leaves.
Large and fair
Were the castles I built m the air,
Lifting on high their golden walls,
With domes of the summer blue,
And pillars of cloud and far-reaching halls,
And the bright years shining through.
Fairer to-day,
In its green and quiet decay,
With its shatter'd windows and broken wall,
Is this crumbling tottering thing;
With the sunshine of memory over all,
And the silence of death within.
Rondout, June, 1853.




1853.]                                                                          147
THE ENCHANTED MULE.
A LL the readers of Putnam's Monthly   al-and  one not crammed down your
A1  doubtless know something by hearsay   throat with hcec fabula docet-teaching
of romances of chivalry, and the more  firmness, perseverance, courage, temperbookish, antiquity-loving part ofthem must  ance and prudence, and this moral conhave smiled with mingled pleasure and   veyed in a story, which, in spite of the
surprise, over some of the most noted of   essential incredibility of its every incident
the more modern among those charmingly   -and no one expects you to believe itpreposterous, and yet truthful productions   is a model of simple, direct and vivid narof antiquity.  We will not apologize to  ration.  If you cannot find all this in the
either of these classes for presenting them    work of our story-teller, we are sorry
with a translation of one of the most an-  for you, and can only hope for the sharpcient stories of romance and  chivalry   ening of your wits, and the improvement
known to us. It was written in the   of your taste, from the faithful perusal of
eleventh century by Paysans de Maisieres,  the pages of Putnam's Monthly, of the
a French fablier of that period.  It is in   ministrations of which you are plainly in
verse, and  in the langue  d'oil, —that   need.
dialect which- drove out the langue d'oc,     At the Feast of Pentecost, King Arthur*
or provenpale, in which the troubadours   held open court at the royal city of Carwrote, and became the language of all  duel; t and all the noble ladies, the great
France.' It is worthy of remark, in pass-   barons and knights in his kingdom, were
ing, that many words of this old langue   there. On the second day, as they rose from
d'oil, which faded from  the memory of   table, they saw far oft upon the plain a
Frenchmen hundreds of years ago, exist   woman, who appeared to be coming toward
in our language, and are used at this day   the castle, and who was mounted upon a
with little variation from their old forms.  mule without bit or bridle. This awakened
This tale has been paraphrased in English   their curiosity.  The king, the queen,
verse in Mr. Way's metrical translation   every body, ran to the windows; and
of tales from the collection of Fabliaux   each one, in the endeavor to  solve the
ou Contes, made by M. Le Grand d'Aussy;   mystery, ventured a conjecture.  ]When
but it is only by a translation at once  the maiden had arrived at the gate, they
faithful and idiomatic, such as we have   saw that she was young and very beautiattempted to give, that the spirit and   ful.  The knights all flew to meet her;
graphic power of the old fablier can be   they assisted her to dismount, and noticed
preserved.  Some readers mayr regard   that her cheeks were wet with tears, and
the tale as puerile, fit only for the enter-  that her countenance was full of sorrow.
tainment of very young children, and          Having been brought before the king,
may wonder how a man could write such   she saluted him  respectfully, and, drying
trivial extravagance, and yet more, how    her eyes, prayed him  to pardon her for.men could listen to it and preserve it;   coming to trouble him  with her griefs;
and, last and most, how a man who has   but the bridle of her mule had been stolen
travelled on a railway, read news sent by   from'her; and from  that day she had
magnetic telegraph, and seen a Bloomer,   wept, and found herself condemned to
could spend his time in translating it for   tears until it was recovered.  Only the
the August number of Putnam's Monthly,   bravest of knights could retake and restore
in the year 1853.  Courteous reader if  it to her; and where should she seek such
such be your thoughts on  your frst   a hero but at the court of so great a king?
perusal of our story, we must beg you to   She then begged King Arthur to allow
read it once again, and look a little beneath   some of the brave gentlemen who heard
its surface of extravagant and fantastic   her to interest themselves in her sorrow.
incident; and if you cannot find a mor-   She assured the knight who consented to
* The King Arthur of the old French and English romances is the same monarch who
" stole three peeks of barley meal
To make a bag pudding."
This exploit is equally veritable with all the others attributed to him. He is entirely a creation of the English
romances, who called him and his peers into being as companions and counterbalances to Charlemagne and
his paladins, the heroes of France.
t The old romancers assigned four royal cities to King Arthur, Carlisle, Caradigan, Carainalot, where was
the famous round table, and Carduel. There were the scenes of most of the adventures related of him and his
twelve followers. " Open court " was held three or four times yearly by the kings of the middle ages, who
were at other times shut up in their castles like any other lords of the soil in those days. At these open courts
it was the privilege of any one of the monarch's subjects to present himself and be received according to his
degree.




148                              The Enchanted Mule.                               [August
become her champion, that he would be   rible when the poor seneschal had passed
conducted to the place of combat by her   into it, and when surrounded by serpents,
mule; and for the reward of his bravery,   scorpions, and dragons belching flames, he
she  promised  publicly  to  become  his   went on only by the lurid light of these
mistress.                                      infernal fires.   Around  him  tempests
All offered themselves, and contended   howled, torrents roared with the voice of
for the honor of the adventure; but the   thunder, and mountains heaved up and
seneschal Queux* spoke first, and it was   down in horrible confusion; and though
but right to  accept his services.   He   the air was colder, icier than that of a
swore to bring back the bridle, if it were   thousand  winters  together, the  sweat
at the end of the world.  But before he   rolled  in  streams from  his body.  He
started, he demanded  a kiss from  the   passed safely through the dreadful place,
maiden, as an earnest of his recompense-   in spite of all its perils, the mule being his'; on account," as the merchants say-and    all-sufficient protector; and having gone
stepped forward to take it.  She utterly   forward for some distance, he reached at
refused any reward until he returned with   last a river, wide and deep, over which
the bridle; and promised him  then not   there was no bridge, and on whose dark
only what he asked, but greater guerdon    waters he saw no boat; only from side to
beside.  Queux was obliged to be content-   side stretched a single bar of iron. Queux,
ed with her word; and arming himself,  faint-hearted, and forgetful of the safety
he departed, letting the mule choose its   secured to him  in former danger by the
way, as she had advised him.                    animal on which he rode, seeing, as he
Queux, although the foster brother of   thought, no means of crossing the river,
King Arthur, and his standard-bearer and   gave up the adventure and turned back.
seneschal, was a great braggart, a slander-   But, unfortunately, he had to repass the
ous-tongued fellow, and though  always   valley and the forest. The serpents, lions,
quarrelling, was always beaten.  He was   and monsters rushed again upon him with
ever ready to undertake that which, as it   a seeming frenzy of delight, and would
proved, he had not the ability to perform;   have devoured  him  a thousand  times,
and was more than suspected of being   could they have done it without touching
something of a coward.  He had hardly   the mule.
entered  the forest when troops of half-          When the knights and ladies saw  him
starved lions, tigers, and leopards rushed,   afar off from  the castle, they  began to
rsoaring terribly, to  devour him.  Then   laugh.   The  knights  assembled in the
poor Queux repented sorely of his indis-   court-yard, as if to receive him with great
creet boasting; and would, with all the   honor: King Arthur came himself, and
heart he had left, have renounced all the   proposed to conduct him  to receive the
kisses in the world to be well out of his   promised kiss: all, in a word, ladies and
danger.  But when the ferocious animals   gentlemen, ridiculed him  without mercy;
recognised the mule, they fell down before   and the unhappy seneschal, not knowing
it to lick its feet, and then turned back   how to answer them, and not daring to
into the wood.                                  raise his eyes, disappeared and hid himAt the end of the forest was a valley so   self.
dark, so deep, so black, that the bravest         The maiden was yet more troubled than
man could not venture into it without a   he.  Abandoning  herself to despair, she
shudder.  And it was yet far more hor-   wept bitterly  and  tore her hair.  The
* This Queux, as the reader will gather from what follows, was the butt of King Arthur's court. lie is
almost always made by the romancers the first to attempt an offered adventure, in which he never succeeds,
and his failure in which acts as a foil to the brilliant achievement of some more fortunate and deserving and
less-boastful knight. lie appears in the Boy and the Mantle, which will be found in Percy's Reliques, and in
which his name is transformed into Kay. There comes to Carlisle a "kind courteous child" who had a mantle
which no lady who, as a wife, had "once done ainisse." Queen Guenever first assayed to wear it by virtue of
her rank, which according to the test was the only virtue she possessed; for
" When shee had taken the mantle
Shee stood tas shee had beene madd;
It was from the top to the toe
As sheeres had itt shread.
One while it wras gule;
another while it was greene," 1&c.
Consequently the lady, like the mantle, was dreadfully cut up and turned all sorts of colors. Nothing daunted
and not waiting for any other trial
"Kay called forth his ladye,               When she had tane the nlAntlo
And bade her come neere;                  and cast it her about;
Saies, Madamn, and thou be guiltyS        Then was shee bare
I pray thee hold the there                Before all the rout.
Forth came his ladye                      Then ever knight
shortlye and anon;                       that was in the kinges court,
Boldlye'to the mantle                     Talked, laughed and showted
then is shee gone.                       full oft at that sport."
Thus it was always with Queux; and Quenx is not dead yet.




1853.]                      The Enchanted Mule.                           149
brave knight, Gauvain, was touched with   dwarf disappeared without an answer.
her grief. He approached, and with mod-  The knight went on his way through the
est confidence offered her the service of   vast and fearful solitude of the castle, and
his sword, and promised to dry her tears;  soon saw a giant, hideous to look upon,
but, like poor Queux, he would have a  come from a cavern; his hair bristling as
kiss in advance. The dangers of the ad-  if with rage, and armed with a huge batventure were now known, and the grief of  tle-axe. Gauvain waited quietly to disthe lovely lady increased tenfold, and be-  cover the giant's intention, when the latside, how could she refuse so gallant a  ter, instead of attacking, or even berating
knight, whose oft-tried bravery inspired   him, applauded his courage, but pitied
such confidence. The kiss was granted,  him  for undertaking an adventure, the
and Gauvain mounted the mule and left  issue of which could not but be fatal, and
the castle.                             from which the terrible iron palisade outThe same dangers through which poor  side the castle should have deterred him.
Queux passed, again presented themselves;  Nevertheless, he offered the knight his
Gauvain only laughed at them. The ser-  services, gave him food, treated him well,.
pents and the lions came out to fall upon   and showed him the chamber where he
him; he drew his sword and gave them   was to sleep. But before going out, he
battle. But there was no need; the mon-  ordered the hero to strike off his head,
sters, kneeling again before the mule, went  saying that he should come in the morning
quietly away. At last he arrived at the  to do the same thing for his guest in turn.
river, saw the bar of iron stretching from   Gauvain immediately drew  his sword,
side to side, and knowing that there was  struck, and the giant's head rolled at his
no othermeans of passing the dreadful wa-  feet. What was his surprise at seeing the
ters, and that his way lay across them, he   monster pick it up, put it upon his shoulcommended himself to God, and tried   ders, and stalk off! Nevertheless, as he
the perilous bridge. It was so narrow   knew that he should need all his wits and
that the mule could hardly set half its  all his strength on the morrow, he went'foot upon it. The moment that Gauvain  to bed and slept tranquilly, undisturbed
began the passage, the black waters broke   by fear of coming danger. At break of
into foaming waves, which heaved and   day the giant came with his axe to fulfil
roared all around him, as if to sweep   his promise. He woke the knight, and
him away, and swallow him up; but he   according to the conditions stated to him
was immovable, and arrived safely upon   on the day before, ordered him to present
the opposite bank.                      his head. Gauvain, sure that nothing
There. he found a strong castle, before  could be gained by refusal or hesitation.
which stood a row of four hundred iron  instantly bent his neck. It was but a
stakes, each of which, with one exception,  trial of his courage. The giant, instead
bore upon its point a bloody head; this  of striking off Gauvain's head, praised
one, yet bare, seemed to be waiting for its  and embraced him. The knight then
horrible decoration. The fortress, sur-  asked whither he should go to find the
rounded by deep moats, which were filled   bridle, and what he must do to obtain it.
by a foaming torrent, turned round as   "You will know before the day is over,"
if upon a pivot, like a gigantic millstone.  was the answer, "but summon all your
It had, besides, no drawbridge, and seemed   courage; you never needed it more."
to deny to Gauvain any opportunity to     At mid-day, Gauvain presented himself
display his valor. He, nevertheless, de-  at the place of combat, and found there
termined to waits hoping that the castle,  an enormous lion, foaming, gnawing his
in one of its revolutions, would offer him   chain, and tearing up the earth with his
some sort of entrance; and determined, at  claws. At the sight of his adversary,
all events, to perish on the spot, if it did  the savage beast broke into a fearful roar.
not; rather than to return with disgrace.  bristling his enormous mane; his chain
And finally, a door did open; he spurred  fell from him and he threw himself upon
his mule, which at one bound cleared the   Gauvain, whose coat of mail he tore open
enormous moat, and he found himself  at the first bound.  They fought long
within the walls of the castle.         and furiously, but the lion was killed.
Here every thing seemed to indicate a   Another, yet larger and more savage. was
recent desolation. The courts and passages  let loose; but he perished like the first.
were empty, no one looked from the gap-  Gauvain, seeing no other enemy appear.
ing windows, and on all sides was solitude   demanded the bridle; but the giant, withand a deathlike silence. A dwarf finally  out answering, led him to his chamber.
came out and looked closely at the knight.  There he made him eat to recover his
Gauvain asked him who was his lord or  strength, and soon afterward led him belady; where they might be found, and  fore another opponent.
what they expected him  to do. The        This was a formidable knight; the




1 50                                 Sonnet.                             [August
same who had set up the iron pales out-   After some flattering reproaches of the
side the castle, and with his own hands   bravery which had succeeded in depriving
had placed upon them  the heads of the   her of all means of resistance, she confour hundred vanquished champions.  A   fessed to him  that she was the sister of
horse and a strong lance were given to  the maiden with the mule, and that she
each; they rode away to take distance for  herself had taken the bridle, "But," she
their career, and hurled themselves against  said, " if you will renounce your rights as
each other.  At'the first shock, their  victor, if you will remain with me, and
lances flew into splinters, and their saddle-   devote to my service that invincible arm
girths burst. Both sprang up to renew   whose prowess I have just proved, this
the fight on foot. Their arms rang under   castle, and thirty-nine others yet more
their  formidable  blows, their shields   magnificent, shall be yours, with all their
flashed fire, and for two whole hours the   wealth; and she who begs you to accept
victory was doubtful.  But Gauvain re-  them will feel honored by becoming herdoubled his energy. and let fall upon the   self the prize of the victor."
head of his adversary such a terrible blow,  Gauvain was nothing moved by these
that, cleaving his helmet to the visor, it  seductive offers. He persisted in exacting
brought him reeling to the ground.  This  the bridle which he had undertaken to
was the end of him: for he must have   obtain; and when he had received it, he
expected instant death if he had not con-  departed on his mule amid the joyful
fessed himself vanquished, and already   shouts of a crowd of people, who, to his
the attendants began to unlace his helmet.  great surprise, crowded around him. These
But he surrendered his sword, and asked   were the inhabitants of the castle, who, confor life. From  this moment all opposi-  fined till now in their apartments by the
tion was over.  The victor had a right  tyranny of their mistress, could not leave
to the bridle; it could not be refused.  them  without being instantly devoured
There remained only the hope of en-  by her lions, and who, freed at last, came
ticing him  to give it up willingly; and   to kiss the hand of their liberator.
this was the manner in which they trusted   Upon his return to Carduel, the knight
to succeed.                               was received by the maiden with those
The dwarf presented himself, and salut-  transports of joy and gratitude which
ing  the victorious knight respectfully,  were due to such a service. She embraced
invited him, on the part of his mistress,  him a hundred times, and confessed that
to sup  with  her.  She received  him,  a hero who had done so much for her,
adorned with all the attractions which   deserved far more than such a trifling
art can add to beauty, and sitting upon a   recompense.. But she prepared instantly
sumptuous couch,* whose silver pillars  for her departure.  In vain did King
sustained a pavilion decorated with em-  Arthur and the queen beg her to stay
broidery and precious stones.  The lady   until the festival was over; nothing could
placed him  at her side, and during the   retain her. She took leave of all, mounted
supper used the same plate with him.  her mule, and disappeared.
SONNET.
I WATCHED the clouds at midnight swiftly glide
With graceful motion o'er the heaven's blue floor:
Bright robes of amber flecked with white they wore,
Amid whose floating folds the stars did hide.
Their unshod feet gave forth no echoing tread;
They made no music, breathed no joyous tone;
But silently, like one who walks alone,
Through the lazulian halls of air they sped;
And as I viewed each wanderer passing by,
To my dull brain there came a sudden thought;
Nature perchance hath with the poet wrought,
And these bright forms, that throng the glorious sky,
Are of ideals an embodiment
Which slumbered erst within his heart's white tent.
* It will be remarked that the lady receives Gauvain upon a couch, and, placing him by her side, sups
with him, sharing his plate. This custom, a relic of the manners of Rome, and which is alluded to in one of the
most solemn and interesting passages in the New Testament, is frequently named in the older romances.




1853.]                                                                   151i
KEEPING SCHOOL IN TEXAS.
SAFELY arrived in Texas, after a week's  with the waiter on his head, containing
rest, I entered upon my daily duties.  our noonday meal, his services were soon
Ye who have ever lived in cities, and been   engaged to rout the disturbers of our liteaccustomed to the comfortable, and often  rary labors; which was accomplished by
luxurious houses devoted to education,  fastening burning cotton to the end of a
would smile, perchance laugh outright, at  long pole, and carrying the war to the
the rough log cabin where I teach. It is  enemy's camp.  The children opened
pleasantly located in a grove of oak-trees.  their tin buckets, containing the neverwhose shade would be agreeable, were it  failing corn bread and bacon, and having
not infested by legions of gnats, whose  quenched their thirst at the pure spring
bite for venom  and violence would do   near, were off at their plays. I listened.
credit to larger insects. It has one door,  A party of them  were imitating the
and a window without sash or glass, but  services at a camp-meeting. and their
there is no lack of ventilation, the spaces  shouts, groans and amens, made the
between the logs admitting the pure air  primeval forest echo; a portion were
in larger quantities than desired. With  all excitement in a combat with lizards
a brave heart I crossed the threshold, and   and wasps. Some had strayed off to gathrang a little bell as a signal for the schol-  er a peculiar root, much used here for toothars to assemble.  They came with a  brushes. Several of the larger girls had
whoop and halloo, twenty-five in number.  brought big black bottles of snuff, and' Is it books, mem?" they shouted. "' It  seated under the oak shade were blackis the school hour," I replied, and bade  ening their ruby lips and pearly teeth
them  be seated, which they reluctantly   with the disgusting dust.
did, crowding close to " the new teacher,"  After an hour's relaxation, I thought
some of the boldest girls fingering my   to reassemble my little crowd by the
dress, and asking the price of my " cali-  ringing of the bell, but found it minus a
cur." Others plucked the artificial flowers  tongue. I continued, however, to sound
from my bonnet, and arranged them into  the recall to study. The very first little
bouquets for themselves. Just as I had   girl that approached, Cleopatra Alethea,
succeeded in establishing some degree   had the missing tongue strung round
of order, down dropped a dozen or two   her neck by her shoe-string, seemingly
of wasps, from a nest in the upper part of  unconscious of any misdeed.  " Please,
the roof, which sent the children and my-  niarm, put me in potash," she demanded.
self out of doors for safety. The wasps  " I have none," replied I; " and why, my
not finding any one to molest, soon flew   pretty child, do you wish to be flayed alive
away, and we returned to our places. In  in potash? The child's big black eyes, looktaking down the names of my little flock,  ing all the larger for want of intelligence
I was struck with the love of the high   and education, stared at me, as if wondersounding and romantic, manifested by the  ing at my stupidity; at the same moment
parents.  Cleopatra Alethea, Phedora  she pointed in her spelling-book at the
Constantia, Ariminthea Azilian, are a few   column commencing with the word potspecimens of their extraordinary names.  ash. The mystery solved, I forthwith
A few of the interesting group could read.  overjoyed her little heart by advancing
Some who knew the letters by sight could  her to the desired column. A girl of
not call them by name.                 twenty came with her slate to be taught
I had just commenced a lecture upon   division, which I expounded clearly to
the duties of scholars, when I saw all  my, as I supposed, attentive listener.
eyes again directed to the roof. On   When I had finished, and turned to exglancing upward, what was my consterna-  plain the problem, behold, she was fast
tion at beholding an enormously long   asleep. Overwhelmed with the mountain
snake, coiling and uncoiling himself with  of ignorance I was expected to remove,
the utmost sang-froid, and gazing with a  though amused with the oddity of my
twinkle in the corner of his eye, on the  situation, I strayed musingly homeward,
scene below, as if much amused at the  so absorbed that I narrowly missed being
fear we manifested. Flight was our only  stung by a tarantula in the path. The
alternative; and setting the example, I  next day saw me again at my task in the
was followed by my twenty-five pupils,  log school-house, unmolested this time by
leaving his snakeship and the nest of  reptile or insect, and anticipating a profityoung wasps undisputed monarchs of the   able eight hours' service to my charge;
building.  Sambo just then appearing   but alas for human expectations!




152                       Keeping School in Texas.                     [August
On our way to the school-room two or  place: or, as my home is in the far
three bayous must be crossed; streams   South Western wilds, perhaps the timid
insignificant in a dry season, but swelling   deer, the hungry bear, the gaunt wolf,
into little rivers with swift currents, after  or clumsy buffalo, are trampling down
an outpouring from  the cisterns above.  the tall waving grass over my lonely
The dark clouds, as if compelled by some   prairie grave.
minute-gun  signal, gathered  suddenly     Phillis, my mirror. What red eyes,
from the north, south, east and west, and   encircled with a purple halo! what blue
concentrated all their weight over the  lips and pallid cheeks! and then, this
very spot we filled. Soon the rain poured   mysterious tremor. My teeth beat the
in such torrents as are only seen in low   devil's tattoo against each other, at immilatitudes. In two hours the roads were   nent risk to the unruly member imprisoninvisible and impassable for any one but  ed near them. Are the days of witcha genuine Texian, and such my pupils  craft returned?   Is Hawthorne's old
proved themselves.  The frail bridges   Matthew  Maul come to  revisit  the
having floated away, like "the baseless  glimpses of the moon, and mistaken me
fabric of a vision," no carriages or horses  for a Pyncheon. It is strange,'tis passcould be sent to convey us home. I sum-  ing strange, but truth, we read, is stranger
moned a council of war (war against the  than fiction. " There are more things in
elements), and we all decided that to re-  heaven and earth than are dreamed of in
main where we were, through the night,  our philosophy.:'  Chairs and tables,
supperless and without lights or bedding,  shovels and tongs, may be made to dance,
was a consummation most devoutly not  for though they have no inclination so to
to be desired. So, linking hands, for  do, still no objections have they against
singly we could not stem  the current,  it; but that I, the belle of the prairie,
most of the girls, bonnetless, with their  should, contrary to my will, be shaking in
long dark hair, not floating to the breeze,  such a fashion, is incomprehensible. Now
but hanging in heavy draped  masses  I reflect; my head has been aching for an
around them, we essayed to reach home.  hour or two, and like " the times," I am
During two hours we were exposed to the   strangely out of joint, and like my piano.
storm, trying  every imaginable route.  out of tune too. The withering blasts of
What a chance for the study of charac-  an Arctic winter seem to be sweeping
ter!  Danger there certainly was, and   over me, Warmth I must have. Sunhow was it met?  Some made merry at  shine, fire, hot water, vapor bath, ho! to
the war of the elements, and sang snatch-  the rescue. Pile up the blankets, Ossa
es of songs, as, " I'm afloat,"  "Come, mar-  on Pelion. Run for the doctor and mininer, down into the deep with me."  A   ister. If I am really bewitched, the latfew wept, and talked of being drowned;  ter is the best physician, and can pluck
but all advised crossing the bayous on  from me this shaking sorrow.  (Enter
the phantoms of the swept away bridges.  doctor and minister breathless, with sadOn we pressed, ankle, waist, neck deep;  dle-bags and hymn-book.)  These two
so long as our feet had support we pushed   gentlemen being somewhat different from
forward. Now for a shout! all are safely  the common herd, and the very antipodes
across the deep waters, and what a drip-  of each other, I must be a vanished scene
ping from our wet garments!  Truly, we   till you have a slight sketch of them.
more resembled those fictions of the poet's  The former looks as if built-I will not
brain, yclept mermaids, than daughters  say born, for it is difficult to imagine him
of Eve. For once in my life, I felt like a   ever an infant, so large, massive and Gibheroine, and thought of putting on the   raltar-like-to bid the grim monster defiairs of one; but when I saw how coolly  ance.  His face is ruddy as the rising
my companions spoke of the dangers  sun, and seems to cast a smiling light on
passed, I desisted, and merely dipped my   all upon whom it beams. He is goodpen in ink, to preserve a slight record of   humored to excess, but as rough as the
the scene.                               coarse blanket through which his head is
The dwellers in green Erin believe that  thrust, a' la Texiana.  Be assured his
when one feels a cold, creeping, shivering   house harbors no growlerie, nor with him
sensation, it is a sign that some one is  is the wind ever other than southwest.
moving over his grave. Myriads of busy   The very creak of his shoes works a cure
feet, with no measured tread, must be   upon his hypochondriacal patients. It is
dancing over mine just at this time. The   his custom, when sent for, to remain with
galopade, the waltz, the mazourka, the  the person convalescing, or entirely cured,
schottisch, the highland reel; all, in hetero-  until he receives another call.  I once
geneous confusion, are being jumped over  knew him  to stay three weeks at the
the one narrow strip of terra firna na-  house of a patient, who recovered in a few
ture has designed as my final resting-  days, and set out on a journey, leaving




1853.]                    Keeping School in Texas.                         153
the doctor to the tender mercies of his  neighbor Wade's log cabin, and forms
wife, who, not being gifted with conversa-  gaily garbed are flitting by. The sight is
tional powers, and knowing no way to  an unusual one, for Wade is a poor, hardamuse him, set him to fringing napkins and   working man, rising to the plough with the
taking charge of the children, which   morning twilight, and spending his small
treatment he seemed to consider a special  earnings in the absolute necessities of life
mark of favor. The minister, as I have  for his numerous family. It is no holiday.
remarked, is his opposite in all respects;  It is the busy spring-time, when, wearied
slightly built, with a mild, melancholy   with labor, they all retire early for the
countenance, he looks as if sorrowing for  balmy' sleep they so much need. Let us
the sins of others, for none has he of his  peep through the open window, and see
own. Diffident to excess, he never com-  what causes this unusual stir. Ah, see
mences conversation without a deep blush   Ruth, the only daughter, bright, blue-eyed
suffusing his wan features. It is only in   Ruth, is dressed  in white. She has
the pulpit this painful consciousness leaves   "snatched a grace beyond the reach of
him; then, carried away by the mighty  art," and almost a child as she is, with a
importance of the subject, his eye sindles,  taste in unison with her years, has adorned
the deep mellow tones of his voice, com-  her sunny brown curls with wild flowers
bined with his prophetic fervor, penetrate  of every hue. The mother has on her
all hearts, and echo long and loudly in  best cap. Wade and his boys are dressed
their inmost recesses. Notwithstanding   in their Sunday suit, home-made, it is
their dissimilarity in character, the physi-  true, but scrupulously neat and clean.
cian of the spiritual and the physician of   The grandmother, knitting Nelly, as she
the physical nature were often together,  is called, from always having her knitting
the latter leading the way, and the for-  in hand, for a wonder has laid it aside,
mer walking in his broad shadow-the   and sits in the big arm-chair, smoothing
one ever laughing, the other sighing. It  down her capacious apron. IIappier is
was thus they entered my apartment.  Ruth standing  there with  her simple
"Are you so very ill?" inquired they   attire, her gloveless hands, without ribboth in a breath. " Cesar told us'his  bons. jewelry or lace, than the royal
missis war dying."' "Judge for your-  French empress, with pearls, velvet, and
selves whether the witches have been   diamonds. Health and contentment are
tampering with me," I exclaimed. The   her dowry, and she has them without
doctor haw, haw, hawed, in his own loud,  stint. She smiles, how confidingly, on the
rough way; the minister sighed sorrow-  tall athletic youth by her side, whom the
fully.  " You have only a chill," they   minister, in his sad, solemn voice is now
said. " I am only dying, you mean, for  pronouncing hers for weal or woe. And
never have I suffered more. Water, wa-  so it has been a wedding,-and our pretty
ter!  Open the windows; run for the  little Ruth, the idol of her parents, the
fans; off with the blankets; has my   pride of the neighborhood, and the darling
head scorched the pillow?  Are my eye-  of those many brothers, is to leave on the
lashes singed?  There is fire enough in   morrow for her new home. The morrow
this fever to dry up Red River, and burn   has come. Why are tears in the mother's
the raft, thereby saving great expense to  eye, why falters the father's voice? Ruth
the government."  Thus raving, I fell  is to be separated from them only a day's
asleep, and awoke the next morning-   ride. She is married to an honest though
well; but, thanks to the rich soil, and   poor man, whose strong arm will bar the
consequent miasma, doomed in three days   door against want. They love each other
again to undergo the same martyrdom.  -why sadden their happiness! Can it be
Such, gentle reader, is my first experi-  that shadows of future sorrow. visions of
ence of a Texian chill.                  sudden death shed their funeral blight
The bitter oftener than the sweet is a   over the rich mosaic of the scene?
draught we all must quaff. The chalice     The bridal pair mount their horses, for
may be of gold, studded all over with   carriage they have none, and set out upon
precious gems, and wreathed with flowers.  their journey. Suddenly the sky becomes
but are its contents the more palatable?   overcast, the lightnings flash, the thunIs there not a seeming mockery in the   der rolls solemnly, tall trees wave to the
sorrow that comes to us in a gilded form?  winds and lie uprooted in their path, and
Yet why these suggestions should arise,  the "garnered fulness of the clouds " deunless upon the principle of contraries, I   scends upon their devoted heads. Poor
cannot imagine; for my tale is of those   Ruth. in her thin muslin dress, without
whose palm gold never crossed, and whose  shawl or other protection from the rain,
daily bread comes fromn their daily toil.  "bides the pelting of the pitiless storm."
The lights are shining brightly,'and   William's stern employer, though rolling
gleaming cheerily through the chinks in  in wealth, was a tyrant to his hirelings.
VOL. II. —l




154                       Letter from  Hiram  Powers.                     [August
and bade him be at his post that night,-    murmur her last low words in strangers'
and so they rode on. Let us not blame   cars?
the newly-married man.  His bride of a       It is sad indeed! On a low pallet by
few hours-how could he leave her, or   her side lies stretched the  once strong
how could he himself remain when their   man, now feeble as an infant. The light
mutual support depends on his retaining   has fled from his eye, the color from his
his place! The bayous were swam, the   cheek,  nid his parched lips utter only
dangers of the road over. and they alight  confused sounds. 0 life! O death! what
in the dim twilight at their own cabin;-    mysteries are ye! The bride of last week
truly a cheerless home for the drenched   sighing, sobbing, has passed to the spirit
travellers. It consists of a solitary room,  land.  William rouses not to a sense of
with only a bed, table, and three chairs.  his loss till after her burial.  He now
No cheerful fire blazes upon the mud   weeps like an infant, and the scalding
hearth, no kind mother is there to change   tears course down his pallid cheeks for
her wet garments, and no friend to proffer   hours at a time.  He wanders to the grave
assistance.  A cold chill creeps over her.  of his buried love, and there mourns like
She sickens.  Her husband, too, complains  the dove for its mate.  Will he ever reof fever, and soon they are in a critical  cover the shock? I ask, and look round at
state.  A messenger is despatched to her  the many widowers who have consoled
parents with tidings of her danger.  The   themselves with a second marriage.  But
father reads the message in the bearer's  then his happiness was so fresh and new,
eye, and exclaiming. " My daughter is dy-   and the loss so grievously sudden and uning," swoons away. Ile becomes delirious,  expected.
and raves about his darling child. The       To return to the father,-he lingered
mother, anxious almost to insanity, can-  three days after his daughter's departure,
not desert her sick husband, even for a   when the silver cord was loosed and the
daughter's dying bed.  The messenger   golden bowl was broken.  The bereaved
returns; no mother, no father with him.  mother and  heart-broken  widow  now
And must Ruth, the loving, loved, and   moves about her lowly home, trying to
lovely, but recently so joyous and happy   repress her tears and groans for the sake
with youth, health, and the wealth of a   of those whom God has spared her.
true heart just pledged her, must she
LETTER FROM HIRAM POWERS.
APPENDED to a notice of Horatio Greenough, in our March number, is a list of his works, in which it is
stated, that a new and improved method of modelling in plaster was a joint invention of Greenough and Powers.
This, we learn, is a mistake. The process was invented by Powers alone, who imparted it to his friend
Greenough. By their mutual friends they were often heard to converse about it together; and hence arose
the error. Of this process, which is destined to be of great value to the art of sculpture, we have received
from Mr. Powers the following description:
THE NEW METHOD OF MODELLING IN PLASTER FOR SCULPTURE.
THE tools used, are:                      open files are of various forms and sizes,
1st. Trowels, the handles of wood, the   curved, rounded, flat, &c. They are made
blades of Gutta Percha, set in metallic   of steel or of hoop-iron, and by a machine
backs or sheaths. These are of various   which  punches the holes at, the same
forms and sizes, and, being elastic, the   time that it raises the teeth.  The form
plaster can be put on with them some-  is given to the file after the holes and
what as with a brush.                     teeth have been made.
2d. Chisels of various shapes and         Having the tools, the material must be
sizes.                                    prepared, and this is common plaster of
3d. Scrapers.                           Paris. Suppose the work projected is an
4th. Perforated or open files, every   erect statue, the process is as follows:tooth having an opening in front of it  A pair of irons corresponding to the bones
through the body of the instrument, so   of the legs in direction, though not necesthat the filings or dust may pass through   sarily in shape, must be set up on a platand escape from the outer side, thus leav-  form, rising nearly as high as the hips,
ing the teeth unclogged and free to act.  with the lower ends bent sideways in
A common file or rasp would soon fill,  order to have a good anchorage in the
iand cease to act upon the plaster.  The   plaster which is to form the base of the




1853.]                   Letter from  Hiram  Powers.                       155
statue. Around these irons the base is  must be scraped or filed before beginning
commenced by pouring a sufficient quan-  anew; otherwise the plaster will not adtity of mixed plaster to form it. We have   here firmly.
thus before us a platform of plaster, with    If an alteration be desired in the position
a pair of irons standing in it. The statue   6f the head, the arms, Dr even the body, it
must now be built up with bricks and   can be made by sawing the parts in two,
mortar.                                  and then reuniting them by forcing fluid
The bricks are made of plaster, and the   plaster (with a syringe) into the fissures.
mortar is plaster and water.             The arms can be taken off and finished
The bricks are made by laying down a  separately, putting them on from time to
piece of oil-cloth upon the floor and pour-  time to see the effect.
ing upon it a quantity of plaster, made    It is unnecessary to keep the model
liquid with water. So soon as this be-  wet; the dryer it is the better.
gins to harden, it must be scored, like    There are other details of the process
short-cake, so that when quite set or hard,  which would require too much space to
it may be easily broken into many frag-  specify.
ments of various shapes and sizes.         The advantages of this process of moHaving a quantity of those bricks on   delling over the clay process are numerone side, and a barrel of mixed (fluid)  ous: I will mention a few of them.
plaster on the other, and a trowel in the  The plastering is unchangeable; it neihand, the work is commenced by sopping  ther shrinks nor swells, and it does not
a brick in the fluid plaster, and placing it  require wetting and covering with cloths
against the base and side of one of the   or oil-cloths, to keep it intact and in orirons; and then another and another, fill-  der.
ing in the crevices with plaster-mortar.   No moulding is necessary to transfer
Thus the work goes on, until the body is  the form from clay to plaster. The model
reached, when it is continued in the same   for the marble is not a cast; but the plasway, except that a cavity is left in the  ter-figure, as it came from  the artist's
centre, to be closed at the neck.-which   hands, is itself the model.
is made solid, —and  reopened in the       The process is less tedious than clayhead.                                    modelling, for by means of the open files
Having  the figure (legs, body, and   more can be done with plaster in a day
head) up, the chisels are now to be used  than with clay in several days.
in roughing it into the general human      A clay model cannot be changed mateshape.  This done, the arms are to be  rially after it has once been commenced;
added. A long brickc is sopped at one  for the iron skeleton which sustains every
end in fluid plaster, and placed against  part of it is a fixture. But in the plasterone shoulder. It soon adheres, and forms  model, the iron frame-work is only in the
the nucleus of the upper arm. To this  legs, all the rest can be cut apart, and vais added another long brick, to form the   ried from the original design in accordance
forearm. Additions are then made to fill  with any afterthought of the artist; and
the arm out.  The whole is now gone  this is a very great advantage.
over with the chisels, taking off here and  Modelling in plaster is not new, but my
adding there, as may be found necessary,  way of doing it is new; at least, I know
until the chisels are no longer required.  of none who have done it, if I except such
Then the open files come into play. They   as have been instructed by me. But my
act like planes, and soon produce even   method would offer very little advantage
surfaces, taking off all irregularities. The   over the old way of working in clay, were
trowels are still useful in filling up cavi-  it not for the open file, an instrument quite
ties and making slight additions. Small  new and of my own invention. It is made
brushes are useful when very little is to   by a machine constructed by me for the
be added.                                purpose, and which produces them rapidIt is necessary to cover the bricks en-  ly and with very little manual labor.
tirely with a coating of plaster, for other-    In Florence there are models of statues
wise they will appear, and disturb the   several hundreds of years old, done eviharmony of the surface.  The surface,  dently in plaster, but roughly done. The
moreover, should be kept quite clean, else   difficulty always has been to finish a
the plaster will not adhere. It should al-  plaster-model. By my method, and with
ways be brushed before putting new plas-  my instruments, the highest finish can be
ter on, and, in case the work has been laid  obtained with ease.
aside for a long time, the whole surface                          H. POWERS.




156                                                                    LAugust
WENSLEY.
A STORY WITHOUT A MORAL.
Continued from page 94.
CHAPTER IV.                 staunch Federalist, of the extremest sort?
IN WHICRH I LEARN WHO THEY AER&   like most of his profession in New EngI WAS soon at the parsonage, and, as it  land at that time, and that Jasper was no
was too early for the minister to have   whit behind him in zeal.
relaxed from  his task of sermon-work,     "0O Lord, no, sir!" he exclaimed, with
I walked round to the garden at the back   a sortof deprecating tone, as if he had really
of the house. There I found Jasper, hoe   gone too far, in having excited such a susin hand, whistling merrily as he waged   picion, "not a Dimmocrat!  He an't so
war against the weeds, which had, appa-  bad as that, sir! He's only an Old Tory."
rently, availed themselves of a temporary  I laughed heartily at Jasper's distincsuspension of hostilities, and made a stand   tion; for, like Yorick, I do love a good
against the foreign intruders upon their  one; in my heart; and, after all, there is
native soil.                             something respectable in a well-preserved
" Jasper," said T,. "who is it that lives  good old prejudice, always provided that
in the large house on the river road, about  it is old enough. An old gentleman in
two miles from here? "                  breeches and hair-powder is a respectable
" The big house with the two rows of   object in all eyes, while a man in a five
trees behind it? " he asked in his turn.    years'-old coat is one justly contemptible
"To be sure," said I; "there is but one  to every well-regulated mind. There was
that I can mean. Who lives there? "     something very comic in this conflict of
" Queer man, sir, queer man, sir! " he   prejudices in Jasper's mind. But, on the
replied, shaking his head mysteriously,  ethical theory of somebody (I forget who)
and resuming his work with great gravity.  of doing the duty that lay nearest him,
"Queer or not," I answered, "I sup-  he honestly hated the Democrat of the
pose he has a name, hasn't he??"        present generation more than the Tory
"Name! "he responded, "name enough,  of the last.
sir, for the matter of that! Bad name,    "What amuses you so much? " said a
too, sir."                               voice behind me, and, looking round, I
"Well, what is it, then?  It won't  saw Mr. Bulkley, who had come out to
hurt me, will it?  Tell me, I'm not afraid  take a turn before tea; " has Jasper been
of it," said I.                          saying something witty? "
"Mr. Miles Allerton is his name, sir.    "Rather wise, sir, than witty," I replied
They call him Colonel Allerton. But I   (for I was a fierce Federalist, too), and I
don't think he's any business to be called  told the minister what had passed beso here."                               tween us, and the occasion.
"Why not?  Why shouldn't he be          "Ah, that's one of the few points of
called so, if he be a colonel?" I asked.    difference between me and Jasper," said
" I don't think they ought to call such   Mr. Bulkley, smiling, " he has no charity
sort of folk so," he replied, " it a'nt right.  for the Tories, and thinks it a weakness
It makes me mad to hear'em."           in people that they are beginning to for"Why, what's the matter with him,  get to hate them. But every body has
Jasper? " I asked, my curiosity being a   not such a memory as you, Jasper. It
good deal aroused. " He's an honest man,  doesn't last for fifty years, generally."
I suppose, isn't he?"                     "I shall never get to like a Tory," re"I don't know that," he replied, with   plied Jasper, doggedly, "if I live fifty
an emphatic stroke of the hoe into the   years more. They're too mean."
ground; "we didn't use to think such       "Nor a Democrat. either, I suppose? "
kind of folks none too honest. But times  said the minister, laughing.
is changed from what they used to be."     " No, indeed, sir," answered Jasper, con
"He pays his debts, don't he?  He   spirito, "not if I live a hundred."
isn't a swindler, I hope? " said I, laughing.    Mr. Bulkley and I laughed again, and
"O Lord, yes, sir, he pays his debts  then paced up and down, side by side, the
well enough. Why, he's the richest man   centre walk of the garden, which was
this side Boston, they say! "          nicely edged with box, and hard with well"Well, then. in the name of every thing   rolled gravel.
mysterious, what ails him?  He isn't a     " So you took shelter at Colonel AllerDemocrat, is he?" I persisted, for I had  ton's," said he, "during  the thundermoused out that Mr. Bulkley was a   shower. You were in luck, for it is not




1853.]                             Wensley.                                157
easy to get admission there. And did       "She was the daughter of Peter Aryou see Miss Eleanor, too? "            buthnot, another famous Tory. He was
I told him all the circumstances of my   Registrar-General. I remember her well,
adventure, and concluded by begging him   before the siege. as a pretty little girl.
to let me know who these mysterious  Her father was made a commissary, and
people were.                             afterwards became a contractor, and made
"All I know about them," he replied,  a large fortune in Mr. Pitt's first war
"is soon told. You must have heard of   against the French Revolution.  This, I
the famous Tory, John Allerton, so no-  presume, all went to his daughter, Mrs.
torious in Colonial history before the Re-  Allerton, for his only son died before him.
volution. He was Attorney-General, and  in Jamaica, of the yellow fever. I knew
afterwards Judge of Admiralty under the   him  well, poor fellow, and so did your
Crown, in Hutchinson's time, and went  father."
away with the Tories. Well, this gentle-   "And Mrs. Allerton is dead, too, I supman is his son, who, at the time the siege   pose," said I.
was formned, was in college, and, not being  "Yes, she died ten years or more ago,
recalled in season, was cut off from  the  in the south of England, where they
town, and prevented from joining his fa-  lived after their marriage, chiefly."
mily. We kept him, together with other     "And how came they in this country
members of Tory families, in the same   again?" I inquired, " and when did they
predicament, women and children, chiefly,  come?"
in a sort of honorable captivity, as hos-  " They came about two years ago," he
tages for the good treatment of the fami-  replied, " but the why and wherefore I do
lies of the patriots who were detained in  not profess to know. Mr. Hayley, his
Boston. I was acquainted with Judge   man of business in Boston, told me that
Allerton's family, and was able to make  it was to look after the landed estates of
the young man more comfortable than he   his great-uncle, Ralph Clarke, who died
would have been otherwise."              without heirs, just as Madison's War be" Was there no communication between   gun, in 1812, and which escheated to the
these prisoners at large, in and out of the   State. He has sent in a petition to the
town, and their families, all that time?"   General Court, and is prosecuting it; but
I inquired,                             the estates are hardly valuable enough to
"When a flag was sent in or out on   account for such an exertion, even if his
other business." he replied. "open letters,  chance for getting them were better than
to be inspected by the authorities on  it is like to be."
either side, might be exchanged.  That     "But how came they here?" I asked;
was all that could be allowed. I tried to   "what particular attraction drew them
get permission for young Allerton to go  to Wensley, of all places in the world?"
into the town, when it became tolerably    "Why, I believe I must do my modesty
certain that it must be evacuated; but the  the violence to say that I consider myself
apprehension of the mischief that the   a main cause of that," responded the
British troops might do, as they retreated,  minister. "I was in Boston, attending
prevented our parting with any pledge of  the Convention,* during election week,
their good behavior. He was sent to  just at the time he arrived in town from
Halifax, however, in the first cartel that  New-York, where he came from Engcame in for exchange of prisoners after-  land. and happened to meet him at dinwards."                                  ner at General Bradstreet's.  He remem" And what was his history then? " I  bered our old acquaintanceship, which
asked.                                   was renewed the sooner that I was al"I merely know its outlines," replied   most the only one surviving of his former
Mr. Bulkley.'"The British Government  friends. He came up to visit me, and
behaved well, as you know, to the loyal-  just at that time the estate where he now
ists who had suffered in its cause. Judge  lives was for sale. Old Mr. Remington,
Allerton received a liberal compensation   whose father built it early in the last
(though necessarily not a full one) for his  century, was just dead, and his third wife.
losses, and was appointed Chief Justice   promoted to be his widow, preferred living
of Barbadoes, where he died. This son,  in Boston, where her wisdom  has been
the only child he had, received a commis-  justified," he went on, laughing, " by her
sion in the army, and rose early to the   marrying, the other day, Dr. Hobart, of
rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He resigned,  the New East Church."
however, many years ago, on his marriage   " And so he bought the Remington eswith Esther Arbuthnot."                 tate," suggested I, to bring him back from
"And who was she, sir? " I inquired.  this episode.
* Of congregational ministers, held that week in Boston from time immemorial.




15 8                               Wensley.                            [August
"Yes," he replied, ";its solitariness  at the tower, as if he beheld in vision its
seemed to suit him, and there was some-  future glories.
thing about the lay of the land and the    "Deacon Holt," he went on, "objected
disposition of the trees, which reminded  to it as unscriptural, at first; but I put
him of Walford Hall, his house in Devon-  him  down with the Dial of Ahaz, and
shire. I flatter myself that my being his  clinched the argument by the examples of
neighbor was no objection in his eyes;  the Old South and other sound churches
but I am quite sure that there being no   of Boston; so it is all settled now, sir.
other within seven miles, was a still  and the orthodoxy of the clock is fully esgreater inducement."                    tablished."
"It must be rather dull for the young    And he laughed out one of his ringing,
lady," said I.                           musical laughs, which I still hear in my
"One would think so," said he, "but  mind's ear (why* should not the mind
she seems perfectly well content with   have an ear as well as an eye? it certainly
their way of life. She is a charming crea-  should be allowed the. full possession of
ture, although a most loyal subject, like   all its senses), and then led the way into
her father, to His Britannic Majesty.  the house to tea. As the Sabbath began
Still, she has won all hearts in the town   at Wensley'on Saturday night at sunby her beauty and graciousness. Even   down, ceasing at sundown on Sunday, I
Jasper has surrendered to her, though he  retired to my chamber after tea, and spent
still holds out against the Old Tory, her  the evening in preparing an Epistle to the
father."                                 Deipnosophoi, describing the adventures
"-And is he the only one of the Wens-  of which their enthusiasm for the vital
leyans that holds fast to the faith that  principles of their foundation had been
their fathers delivered to them, of hating   the remote cause. This finished, and dithe Tories?" I inquired.                rected to Tom Stacey, the worthy Head
"Almost the only one," he replied.  of the Order, I went to bed, with even a
"Colonel Allerton's liberality and kind-  better opinion of Wensley as a place of
ness of heart have succeeded in driving   academic  retirement, than  I had the
away the prejudices and suspicions with   night before.
which he was at first regarded. Even
Jasper's professions of dislike, I fancy to
be rather a point of honor than of feeling            CHAPTER V.
with him.  Corporal Berry himself, al-          MY FIRST SUNDAY IN WENSLEY.
though he has limped through life cursing  THE next morning was a truly delicious
the Tories, ever since he was shot through   one. The shower of the afternoon before
the leg at the time of Arnold's attack on   had cleared the air, and breathed a fresh
New London, could not withstand the  life of verdure into the trees and grass.
battery of blankets, flannels, meat, wine   White, fleecy, Raphaelesque clouds floatand firewood, that was kept up in his  ed in the azure depths, relieved in sharp
citadel at the north part of the town,  perspective against the blue, and their giwhen he was close besieged by the rheu-  gantic shadows gave a fresh grace to the
matism. last winter. He even calls his  landscape as they glided over meadow,
benefactor'Colonel,' which Jasper has  stream and tufted hill. I sat at my winnot made up his mouth to do, yet," he   dow, after breakfast, and revelled in the
added laughing.                          affluence of rural sights and sounds and
"You give them a good character, sir,"  smells, which were poured out around
I said.                                  me. I had left the minister in sole pos"No better than they deserve," he an-  session of his study, both that he might
swered. " I have unlimited authority to  give, if he chose, a finer edge and point to
call upon him in case of any distress in the   the spiritual shafts he had been forging
town. And, what is better. he and his  the day before, to be aimed on this at the
daughter often visit in person poor people  hearts of his flock; and also because,
in sickness or other trouble, to see for  though there was nothing in the least
themselves what they really most need.  grim  about his piety, he maintained a
He says it is a habit they formed at home,  uniformity of seriousness in his deportby which he means England, of course.  ment on Sundays, very different from his
And what else do you think he is going   working-day manner, which made it more
to do for the town, sir?" and he rub-  agreeable to me to Sabbatize by myself
bed his hands gleefully at the thought;  in my own room.'a clock, sir, a clock for the meeting-house!    We often hear of the Sabbath-stillness
He had old Willard here last month, and   of a day or place, and it seems to be genhas given him an order for one of his best.  erally taken for granted, because Sunday
It will set the poor old thing quite.on its  is a day of rest, that it is, therefore, a day
legs again," and he looked affectionately  of unusual quietness. Now it was not so




1853.]                            Wensley.                               159
at Wensley. On the other six days of  back, but more in bellows-top chaises, or
the week, the very spirit of repose seemed  gigs with leathern heads that shut back
to be brooding over the town. Sitting   with springs, and had a certain resemat my back window, which commanded a  blance to the follicular convenience from
lovely bend of the Quasheen, always  which they derived their name. A few
brimming to the brink, but never over-  were conveyed in vehicles which have
flowing, rich fields sprinkled with timber,  been long numbered among the extinct
sloping down green and firm to its very  races, and which had come down from the
margin, and, on the further side, the  middle of the last century. Square-top
sweetest little wooded knoll lying clasped  chaises they were denominated, or gigs
in its embrace. Sitting there, I say, one  with immovable leathern heads and little
might imagine one's self leagues away from   windows at the back and sides. Some of
any habitation or haunt of men.  No   them had a seat in front for a boy to sit
sight or sound was there that was not en-  upon and drive. But modern Wensley
tirely rural.  The silence was audible,  (or young Wensley, as it would be called
and made only the more palpable by the   now), turned up its nose at these venerchirping of birds, the hum of insects, the   able relics of a former generation, and (to
quiver of the leaves, and the rippling of   anachronize a little slang) voted them
the waters. And, on the street-side, it  "slow," —which, indeed, they were. But
was only now and then that an ox-cart  the greater part of the people, young and
came creaking lazily along the road, or a  old, honestly trudged on foot. They came
barefooted urchin loitered whistling by,  trooping along, in families and sometimes
as he drove the cows to pasture or home  in pairs, the latter, not unfrequently,
again. It always seemed to me as if it  looking rather sheepish and conscious,
were an outlying dependency of the Castle  though I am sure I don't know why they
of Indolence just beyond the park-pal-  should.  They were perfectly well-beings, and that one might see its dreamy   haved young men and women, as far as Iturrets rising above the woods in the dis-  could see.  Arrived at the church the
tance, if one would but take the trouble to   "leathern conveniences " were put in the
look for them. I daresay it was not a  horse-sheds which formed a sort of outgreat way off.                          work on three sides of the meeting-house.
But, on Sunday it was quite another  The women all entered the house as they
thing. Then there were sights and sounds  arrived and were seen no more by me for
that gave a human interest to the scene.  the time; but the men remained without,
As long as Mr. Bulkley lived, there was  standing about the door or dispersed in
no schism in Wensley. Methodists, Bap-  groups over the green, discussing the
tists, and Universalists refused to disturb   weather, the crops, or the next election.
the quiet of his parish while it was his.  It was their weekly exchange.
But when he slept with his predecessors,    As I watched this lively scene, the
the revolutionary spirit, which had been  second bell began to ring.  Presently
controlled by the personal affection felt  Jasper tapped at my door to let me know
for him, broke forth, and its monuments  that the minister was ready to proceed,
are to be seen in three or four ugly little  and I incontinently joined him.  The
wooden conventicles, which perk their  moment the door. of the parsonage opened
pert cupolas in the face of the good old  and the minister was seen to issue forth,
meeting-house, like so many irreverent  the bell began to toll and the men about
Quakers or Anabaptists giving themselves  the church-door to hurry in. Mr. Bulkley,
airs of equality in the presence of an  leaning upon my arm, walked on erect
ancient, substantial, steeple-crowned Puri-  and stately, while Jasper, no less stately
tan magistrate.  But, in my time there  and erect, followed us, a few paces behind,
was no open dissent. The meetinghouse   with a music-book under his arm. As
at the Centre was the only one in the   we advanced in this state, I saw a plain
town. It was a large building, with two   carriage and pair drive up from the direcgalleries, and every part of it was entirely  tion of the bridge and stop at the meetingfilled, every Sunday.  It was a sight  house door. Of course I knew that it
which has not been seen in New England,  must contain my hosts of the thunderI suppose, for twenty years, at least; if,  shower. The horses were spirited and
indeed, this were not the last surviving  restive, and before the elderly coachman
example of an absolutely unbroken parish.  could descend from his box, a white-headed
After the first bell had rung, the roads  old man hobbled up and opened the carleading to the meeting-house: which was  riage-door and let down the steps. The
fully commanded by my window. began   minister pressed my arm and said, with
to be alive with church-goers, and to pour  rather a week-dayish look out of the
an increasing tide upon the green on which  corner of his eye, in a low tone,
the building stood. Some came on horse-    " Corporal Berry opening Colonel Aller



160                                Wensley.                            [August
ton's carriage door! Toryism is trium-   worship. As it was, I could only observe
phant in Wensley, I'm  afraid; or would  that Miss Allerton was quietly attentive
be, but for Jasper!"                    to what was going on, while her father,
A guttural ejaculation, rather emphatic  like an old soldier as he was, fairly dropped
than distinct, and which we will chari-  asleep with a cannonade of the heaviest
tably believe had no element of profanity in  sort thundering over his head, aimed at
it, was heard behind us, expressive of the  the errors of the Church of England, of
patriotic consistency of that veteran's   which communion he and his daughter
opinions. There was a slight symptom of  were the only two members within a dozen
incipient rebellion in the region round   miles. But the serene height, away up
about the minister's mouth, but he reso-  under the sounding board, from which he
lutely quelled the insurrectionary tendency   manceuvred  his ecclesiastical artillery,
and arrived at the church-door the very  saved the good parson from the mortificapersonification of gravity.              tion of seeing how his hot shot passed
Mr. Bulkley strode up the broad aisle  over the head of the enemy.
with majestic self-possession, the whole   Dear old man! he never held back his
congregation remaining standing to receive   hand from smiting the heretical Philistine-,
him. I, who was not accustomed to be  that infested the region round about. His
the target at which such vollies of eye-  were good old-fashioned polemical sermons,
shot were directed as were now aimed at  well fortified with texts of Scripture, and
me, followed him  with less ease and a   garnished with quotations in the original
good deal more self-consciousness.  Ar-  tongues, which were none the less relished
rived'at the pulpit-end of the aisle, he   by the congregation because they did not
opened the door of his pew, the front one   understand them. It confirmed them in
on the left hand side, and, waving me   the faith. which was only second to that
into it, ascended the pulpit stairs, as a   they entertained for Holy Writ, that he
king might mount to his ancestral throne.  was the most learned man in the world.
As soon as he had disappeared in its vast  To be sure, there must have been, all this
recesses, a noise not unlike an irregular  time, an undercurrent of heresy loosening
volley of musketry was heard over the   the hold of some of his people upon their
house, being that of the seats slamming   old anchorage, as we know from its breakdown which bad been turned back on  ing openly forth as soon as his restraining
their hinges, for the advantage of room.  hand was removed, and scattering abroad
It was a fortunate hearing for me, for not  the barks which had remained peacefully
being acquainted with this fact in the  in the old harbor as long as he had comnatural history of the old parish churches   mand of the fleet. But, during that periQd
in the country, I should have infallibly  no piratical Universalist nor buccannering
seated myself on the floor, but for the   Methodist ventured to hoist a flag in
warning sound.  This same salute was  the calm  waters of Wensley. But he
repeated every time that the congregation   kept his batteries pounding away at
resumed their seats after rising for any of  them, and at all dissentients from  the
the services, and was generally executed   strictest rule of the ancient faith of New
with a fervor commensurate, as I suppose,  England, all the same as if they were
with the warmth of their devotion.       within point-blank range of his guns. I
Jasper I had missed as soon as we   have often thought whether this persistent
entered the hous;e, and I was pleased to   warfare upon his theological enemies, and
discern him belaboring a huge bass-vial  the constant statement of their arguments.
in the choir (for that innovation had   which was necessary to give force to his
reached even the seclusion of Wensley),  refutations, might not have had something
when we stood up at sninging-time. I also  to do in bringing about that dispersion
discerned that the Allerton pew was on   which followed so soon after his death.
the opposite side of the aisle, answering to  Mr. Bulkley was, as I have said, a
the minister's. But devout church-goers   Calvinist of the very straitest sect, and he
need not to be told that this is one of the   was none the less earnest a one from havmost unfavorable situations for personal  ing become such, as the Quakers say, "by
observations, of an edifying nature, that  way of convincement."  He was born and
the economy of an ecclesiastical interior   bred in the Arminian, or Latitudinarian
affords.  A place in the deacon's seat,  school of the last century, and when that
where Deacon Holt and Deacon Williams,  form of faith lapsed into Unitarianism, at
the one burly and red-faced and the other  the beginning of this, he was at first
lank, lean and squinting in every direction,  carried by the tide into those waters.
sat with their backs to the pulpit, over-   The investigation, however, which that
looking the audience, would have been a   controversy induced, led him ere Iong to
much more eligible'position for enjoying   cut away from his old moorings and to
some of the incidental advantages of public  drop his anchor where he thought it




1853.]                            Wensley.                               161
would take a firmer hold. But, surely,  me and rode furiously over me. But
never did a more genial and affectionate  though he could overrun me, he could not
spirit qualify the severe necessities of   keep possession of me. All I knew was,
religious logic. A milder and kinder soul  that my father and mother had been
never looked forward to the ultimate   Unitarians, and I regarded it as a point
damnation of the vast majority of mankind,  of honor, binding upon me as a gentleman,
including all Heathendom, ancient and   not to forsake the faith in which they had
modern, and all unregenerate infancy.  lived and died. I was by no means clear
For he was not a man to shrink from the  that my mentor was not right, and that
logical consequences of his premises. He  the doom which he so fervidly described
pitied the Unitarians, but he cordially  as that of all such misbelievers did not
despised those divines, claiming to hold  impend over my head. But that made no
the good old Orthodox faith, who devised   difference. It merely gave me a kind of
ways of escape from the stern results of  exhilaration of spirits (I neither account
the doctrines of Election and Reprobation,  for the phenomenon, nor defend it; I
of Original Sin and Redemption by Grace.  merely describe the sensation), such as a
He used to call them:; but, on the  suspicion of danger, or the knowledge that.whole, it's no matter what he used to call  he is considered as exposed to it, is apt
them.  It was not a complimentary  to inspire in a lad of spirit. And I rather
epithet.                               think I was quite as well fitted to die for
But not only did he keep at bay, dur-  my faith, in a war of religion or at the
ing his time. all avowed adversaries of the   stake, as a good many heroes and saints
faith that was in him, but he kept at a  who have won for themselves the crown
distance, also, all irregular practitioners  of martyrdom. But all Mr. Bulkley's preeven of the regular school. " How many  lections for my benefit were confined to
years have you preached here, sir? " I  Sunday and the pulpit. He never labored
asked him  one day.  "I have reigned  for my conversion in private. Either, he
here," he replied, nodding his head cor-  saw that I had a good share of that virtue
nerwise at me with an indescribable look   which we call firmness in another, when
of fun out of his gray eyes, "I have  it answers our purposes, and obstinacy,
reigned here forty years save one."  And   when it thwarts them, and so knew it
it was very much so. It was his busi-  would be of no use; or else, he thought
ness to take care of the souls of his parish,  that his Sunday labors would be more
and he would have no assistance but such  likely to act favorably on my mind, if he
as he chose to call in on his own responsi-  left them to their natural influences durbility. No strolling Revivalist or starve-  ing the week, without disgusting me with
ling Evangelist ever ventured to set foot  his zeal by making it a perpetual annoyon the remotest corner of his territories,  ance. Whatever his motive might have
as long as his sway lasted.  Had he  been, I was very happy to compound for
heard of such an incursion, I will not say  the result.
that he would have taken down the fire-    When the services were at last over
lock of Lexington, or drawn the sword  (and it was a-! at last, for Mr. Bulkley
of Yorktown from their honorable retire-  was none cl your twenty minute men),
ment over his fireplace to vindicate the in-  and the benediction was pronounced, I
tegrity of his soil; but I do think he   hastily gathered together my hat and
would have charged the invader, at the   gloves, and was for joining in the precipihead of Jasper, gold-headed cane in hand,  tate retreat I had always seen expected
and driven him over the border, an ex-  from all the churches I had ever attended
ample to all such intruders for the time  before.  But I had no sooner thrown
to come.  And the whole parish would  open the pew-door, and put one foot out
have stood by him.                     of it than I saw that all the rest of the
For my own part, I had many a sermon   congregation  remained standing, with
launched at my head during the time I  faces turned towards the broad isle. I
lived with him, as I sat defenceless under  drew back, and, raising my eyes, encounthe shadow of his pulpit. For I was (to  tered those of Colonel Allerton, who stood
use another Quakerism) a "birthright "   facing me. He smiled at me, as if underUnitarian; and he, doubtless, felt it to be  standing my case (very likely it had been
his duty to set in order before me the   his own once), and bowed as if recalling
errors of my hereditary faith.  But it  our interview of the day before. I rewas all in vain. I knew nothing of the  turned it, not a little abashed at finding
arguments on my side of the question.  myself again the centre of all the eyes
Indeed, I could not well see that there   Wensley had in its head, and abiding the
was any such thing as standing up before  result, presently perceived that it was the
the battalions of texts and squadrons of  custom  of the town  (once universal
syllogisms with which he bore down upon  throughout New England) to wait and




16 2                               Wensley.                            [August
let the minister go out first. Presently,  sensations; for, of course, he (or she)
Mr. Bulkley descended the pulpit stairs,  takes it for granted that I fell fearfully in
not having, apparently, hurried himself  love with the fair Eleanor at first sight.
at all, and passed slowly down the aisle,  But they must wait awhile, I am not
bowing royally from side to side in ac-  quite ready to go into the confessional,
knowledgment of the rustic salutations  just yet, with his (or her) ear glued to
which he received. As soon as he ap-  the grating. Perhaps I scarcely knew
proached me, he gave me a sign to follow   how I felt, myself. For I have more
him, and then shook hands with Colonel  than once acknowledged my inaptitude
Allerton, who joined him in his progress  for the dissections and demonstrations of
through the capital of his dominions.    metaphysical anatomy. And, perhaps, it
It was a necessary consequence of this  is hardly fair to require a man to conduct
order of procession that Miss Allerton and   his own autopsy.  But whatever may
I came out face to face into the aisle.  have been my state of mind, one fact, morShe graciously returned my bow and we   tifying as it may be, I must needs confess.
walked after the elders, side by side, kind-  It must be admitted, that the beautiful
ling yet more speculation in all the eyes   Eleanor did not fall in love with me, either
of Wensley, and eager to spy out what I   at first or second sight. Perhaps it was
could be. As we came out into the porch   no proof of her taste or discernment; but
the two gentlemen remained a little on  the fact cannot be denied. Her deportone side in conversation, and I proceeded   ment towards me was perfectly kind and
to put the young lady into the carriage,  well-bred; but, I could not help feeling
which stood ready drawn up at the door.  that my image might never again occur to
I hoped that she had experienced  no   her, if not recalled by my bodily presence.
harm from the shower, yesterday after-  Of course, such a conviction was not flatnoon, which hope she was able to inform   tering to my vanity (if, indeed, I or any
me had become fruition. I then informed   man was ever subject to such a weakher that it was an uncommonly fine day,  ness); but did it go near breaking my
and on this point I am happy to say our  heart?  It is altogether too near the end
views cordially coincided. What I should  of a chapter to enter into an inquiry of
have stated next I can hardly imagine, for  this intricacy, and so it must be adjourned
the congregation were now swarming out,  to a day future. I am none of your Epic
and many were lingering within ear-shot,  writers, who dive at once into the middle
to discover what sweet influences this  of things, and then plunge and splash
bright particular star of theirs was shed-  about until they have, some how or anoding upon me; and the consciousness of  ther, brought the beginning and end togdthis fact did not help to concentrate my   ther. I am a plain narrator of a simple
ideas. But, fortunately, just at that mo-  passage of biography, and tell things just
ment her father approached, and, as he   as they happened, and must be allowed to
stood with one foot on the carriage step,  take my own way, or shall be sure to
he offered me his hand, saying,          make a botch of the whole thing.
"Mr. Osborne, I am  happy to know        When they were gone, Mr. Bulkley put
your father's son. I met him often and   his arm  in mine, and we walked off toknew him well at Paris, when I was there   wards the parsonage together.  He told
during the peace of Amiens."             me, what I had surmised before, that I
I bowed and blushed my acknowledg-  was what they were talking about, he
ments for his goodness.                  having asked Colonel Allerton if he had
"I hope," he continued, "that I shall  not known my father during his public
have the pleasure of seeing you at Wood-  life in Europe. He had then told the
side, at some time when you can have a   colonel who I was, and, as I surmised. the
less stormy reception than that you had   occasion of my residence in Wensley; but
yesterday."                              he did not say so, nor did I ask, as the
" I could not have a kinder one. I am   day, if not the subject, was too serious for
sure, sir," I replied, "nor one that I  a joke, and it would have been too much
should be more happy to experience again,  for his human nature or mine to have
if you will allow me to pay my respects  suppressed one. under such  favorable
to you and to Miss Allerton."            circumstances. The order of our return
"With all my heart," said he, smiling,  home was the reverse of that which had
"only without the thinder and lightning,  distinguished our march to the meetingif you please. We three may meet again  house: for Jasper, instead of bringing
I hope; but not, I trust, in thunder, light-  up our rear, was discerned far in our van,
ning, and in rain! So, good morning."    and, in fact, just entering the parsonage.
And they drove away, leaving me upon   This apparent breach of subordination.
the steps. And now, I suppose, the saga-  however, would have been pardoned by a
cious reader will expect an account of my   stricter martinet than I, on beholding the




1853.]                            Wenstey.                               163
excellent cold dinner which he had set out  day. He was a student of men as well as
in the study, ready for us on our arrival.  of books, and I have never known any one
At least, he would have been if the mar-  better versed in the niceties of Yankee
tinet in supposition had been as hungry  character and dialect than he. He could
as the worthy parson's diatribe against  draw them  out with marvellous skill, of
bishfops had made me.                   which the subjects were perfectly unsuspicious, and all with no shadow of
ill-nature or purpose of satire. It was
CHAPTER VI.                simply the study of man, in which he deAN INVITITION AND A DINNER AT WENSLEY.    lighted, and for which he must use such
THE Allerton pew was empty in the after-  materials as came in his way. As we sat
noon. I was not sure that it was not  round the wall in summer, waging interthe morning's onslaught upon the Angli-  necine war with the mosquitoes, or round
can Church that had driven away its in-  the fire in cold weather, discussing all
habitants, until Jasper assured me that  manner of public and parish politics with
they never went to meeting in the after-  the apples and cider, which formed the
noon. This he resented as a slight to his  staple entertainment, there were odd traits
master, and as one of the many mischiefs  of character and curiosities of expression
of the Church of England, for which the   enoughto have made the fortunes of a score
worthy Afrite had much the same mys-  of Yankee Hills or Halliburtons.  I wonterious horror that many excellent peo-  der whether there are any such people
ple feel for the Church of Rome. And,  left any where in New England now? I
probably, with about the same degree of   am afraid that they have had all their
knowledge.  I discovered, afterwards,  sharpness ground down by the mill-wheels.
that it was the belief of Wensley that  and that they are all reduced to undistinthere was a chapel fitted up at Woodside,  guishable particles; or that their originalwhere the colonel read the Service of the  ity has been all crushed out of them by
Church to his daughter and her maid.  the locomotives that fly, screaming like so
Ann Petchell, the only other member of  many devils, all over the country.
that communion in Wensley. This was       Major Grimes, I must do him  the jussome explanation of the phenomenon to  tice to say, had changed his mode of'iAd`
its curious inhabitants, and, perhaps, made   dress towards me, since he had put me in
them easier under it, on priest Bulkley's  the right way, two days before. He was
account, of whose honor they were as  perfectly respectful and deferential, now
jealous as Jasper himself; I am bound to  that he found that the priest had actually
say, however, that a tolerably intimate  received me under his roof, and had disacquaintance with the house, in after  covered fturthermore who I was.
times, never revealed to me any such se-    " You find priest Bulkley a fine man,
cret place of worship; and Colonel Aller-  sir," said he, when he had an opportunity
ton, with all his various excellencies,  for an aside. "don't you?" using the
seemed to me as little likely to become an  epithet fine, as almost all Americans do,
amateur chaplain as any possible man,  to denote mental and moral qualities, and
when I came to know him better.         not as an Englishman uniformly does, to
These facts, or myths, I learned that  express fine presence and personal beauty.
evening from the conversation of Deacon   You may hear an Englishman say, " IIe is
Williams and Major Grimes, and one or  a very fine man; what a pity that he is
two of the parish, besides, who called in  such a fool! " and an American. " She is
to see the parson and, possibly, to take a  a very fine woman; what a pity she
look at me, also. When the sun went  should be so homely! " But this is parendown on the day which bears his name,  thetical.
all the Sabbatical shade of seriousness   " From what little I have seen of him,
which rested upon it passed away with   I judge him to be a very fine man," I anhim. By this time Mr. Bulkley's spirits  swered coolly.
seemed to rebound from the pressure of un-    "You will think more and more of him.
wonted solemnity, and to be elastic and   sir, the more you see of him," replied the
joyous as usual. His stories were more  major. "I didn't think he meant to take
and better. he fought his old battles over  in any more young college gentlemen;
again with new vigor, and his jest was  but when I heard'who you were from
more'frequent and his laugh more resonant  Jasper, when he came after your things,
than ever. Sunday evening was the time  I knew he would."
when his parishioners usually came to call    "Indeed," said I, "you know more of
on him. Then they were mutually at  my influence over him than I did, then."
each other's service. They had nothing to  "O. but your father and he used to be
do and he was well content to do nothing   so thick together," rejoined the martial
in their company, after the labors of the  dispenser of toddy; " they were the




164                               Wensley.                           [August
greatest cronies you ever saw, and the old  be more than ever in all places at the
priest isn't a man to forget his friends,  same time, "rather hard upon me and
alive or dead, I can tell you. That's why   my daughter, perhaps! But it is a positive
he took you, sir."                      pleasure to be flogged by some people, it
"I'm very glad of it, whatever brought  is so cleverly done."
it about," said I.                        I thought the deacon might have said
"Your father used always to put up his  that it was well for some other people,
horses at my place. when he came to  that like tops, the more they were whipped
Wensley. He used to drive a phaeton  the better they slept. But he did not.
and pair, and good horses they were, I  Perhaps the dispersion of his vision over
can tell you, sir. Are you fond of horses,  the remoter regions of the meeting-house
sir?" he went on.                      prevented his seeing what was so directly
"I like them well enough when I have   under his nose. What he said was,
occasion for them.  I am no judge of      " I'm glad you liked it, sir."
them, and have nothing of the fancy for   "Liked it! To be sure, I did," rejoined
them that some men have."              the colonel; "and egad, parson, I should
"Because if you ever want a saddle-  be sorry to be required to answer you.
horse, I don't believe you can find a better  But I'm  not converted, for all that, you
in Boston than my Turk, and for a chaise  know.  You can't suppose me such a
(videlicet, gig,) you won't often sit be-  pitiful fellow as to be driven from my
hind a better beast than my mare, Black  religion merely because I can't defend it
Sally. Colonel Allerton wanted to buy   against a militant minister, armed to the
her. but it was of no use. I wouldn't  teeth, like you. No, no! you must make
part with her."                         another breach before you'll carry me by
"The colonel is a judge of horses,  storm-much less Eleanor."
then, I suppose," said I.                 "I shall try for it, you may be sure,"
" A judge! I believe you! " he replied,  said Mr. Bulkley, smiling, " for I am sure
briskly; " there isn't a man in New Eng-  that if you are hard to carry, you will be
land that knows horseflesh better. Why,  very easy to hold. There'll be no backhe keeps five, himself, here; and I have  sliding in your case, or Miss Eleanor's
heard say that he had near twenty in  either."
England."                                 "I think you're right, by Jove!" re"It's no wonder, then," I said, "that  turned the colonel, "and that we may
he fell in love with Black Sally. I should  keep your good opinion the better, I think
have thought he would have had her at  we'll not backslide from where we stand
any rate."                              now. But do all you can to unsettle us.
"Well!" returned her fortunate pos-  pray. You are perfectly welcome to do
sessor, rather drawlingly, " you see he  so, if you can, I do assure you."
wasn't willing to give me quite as much   I felt as if he always had the invention
as I thought he ought to for her. At the   blessed by Sancho by him, to wrap himsame time that I offered her, reasonable  self in and to serve as
too, to the colonel, I told him he might        Feather-bed'twixt castle-wall
have Turk for three hundred.  But he           And heavy brunt of cannon-ball,"
didn't want a saddle-horse, just then, he
said.  And I'm  glad of it, for I should  that he was reallyin no great danger from
have missed him  training days.  He'll  the good parson's theological gunnery.
stand cannon, musketry, music, any thing.    After a little more talk between them,
General Smithett would give me five dol-  in which no one else joined, unless appealed
lars a day for him any muster, if I didn't  to, the deacon and the major, followed by
want him myself."                      the other village visitors, rose and took
I was just telling my military friend  their leave. As soon as they were gone,
that I would certainly try the quality of  the colonel said to the minister,
his cavalry on my first occasion, when a  " Well, parson, to show that I bear no
quick double knock was heard at the door,  malice, I have walked down this fine
and in another moment the personage   night to ask you and Mr. Osborne to come
whose name was the last word in our  and dine with me as soon as you can.
mouths was ushered into the presence by   When shall it be? To-morrow? "
Jasper.  lie entered nimbly and shook     "To-morrow is rather soon," Mr. Bulkhands cordially with the minister, and  ley replied, "as Mr. Osborne and I have
afterwards with me; and then, bowing   not yet reduced ourselves into our order
kindly to the other guests, all of whom   of studies. We had fixed upon to-morrow
rose on his entrance, he sat down by me.  to begin."
"The parson gave us a capital sermon    "Very well. If not to-morrow, fix a
this morning, Deacon," said he, addressing   day for yourself. Only let it be some day
that functionary, whose eyes seemed to  this week."




1853.j                             Wensley.                                165
"Shall it be Thursday? " inquired Mr.    " Is he as close as to his life in Europe?'
Bulkley, looking over to me.             I asked.
I intimated that all days were alike to  "Very nearly," he replied; "that is, as
me, and that Thursday suited me perfectly  to the more recent part of it. IIe talks
well. So the dinner was fixed for Thurs-  fast enough about old times, and very
day.                                     well, too.  However, it's none of my'I wish to have you come this week,"  business, and I suppose he is of the same
said the colonel, rising to depart, "be-  opinion. But you will find him a charmcause I shall have to go to Boston next  ing companion, as well as Miss Eleanor,
week, and may not be able to return until  and I am glad you have got admission to
the very end of it, or the beginning of the  the house."
week after. On Thursday, then, I shall     "Is she as sly as her father?" I inexpect you."                             quired. "She does not seem to have so
And he was taking his leave, when the   much to say, at any rate, judging by the
parson and I thought that we would walk  little I saw of her."
with him, the night being extremely fine,  " I hardly see enough of her to judge,"
as far as the bridge. Our society was  he answered.  "And, besides, I am afraid
gladly accepted, and we walked merrily   I am hardly the confidant she would be
along the road, accompanied by many a   likely to choose, if she had any thing to
story and jest, and followed by many a   tell. But it would not have been strange
laugh.  No doubt as we passed by the  if her father had sometimes, by chance,
scattered houses of the village, people  let fall to me something of his history or
said. "That's priest Bulkely's voice! I  plans that might not be proclaimed in
should know  it among a thousand. I   Grimes's bar-room. But no such chance
wonder if any body's been took sick! It  has ever happened. You know as much
can't be, though, or he wouldn't laugh   of them as I do, and what I have told you
so."                                     I obtained from other sources than themAt the bridge we parted, the colonel  selves."
pursuing his way by the river-road, and    We were now at home, and I bid him
the parson and I going back over our  good night, smiling a little, privily, at the
steps.                                   good man's curiosity (of which he did not
1" It was so like him!" said Mr. Bulkley,  seem  at all suspicious) to know of his
as soon as we were fairly out of hearing.   neighbor's affairs; which, however, I
"What do you mean, sir?" I asked,  am given to understand, was no idiosyn"what was so like him? "                crasy of his particular constitution, nor
" His coming so instantly to invite you,"  even one confined to small rural parishes,
said he.  "'He never hangs fire —the  like Wensley. There was a shade, however,
colonel.  Ile always goes off at half-  of wounded feeling in his expression, as if
cock."                                   he had not received quite a just return
"Well, sir," I replied, "provided he  for the fulness of confidence he was ready
hits as well as he has to-night, it's not a   to pour into the bosom  of his friend, at
bad way of going off."                   which I had no disposition to smile. But
"Not at all, not at all," he returned, "a  is there any of us that has not some Blueshort aim is generally the best. But he's  beard's chamber in his heart, which he
a queer man, sir, as Jasper told you. An   keeps close shut even to his nearest and
odd compound of openness and reserve.  dearest? I do not pretend to any personal
He seems so transparent that you would  knowledge myself; but, from what I have
think you could see straight through him   seen and heard, I surmise that there are
at a glance. But you will find yourself  married men even who would be ready to
mistaken. You may look your eyes blind   play Bluebeard in good earnest, if they
without really making him out."          should find that the very wives of their
" Do you suppose, sir," I asked, "that  bosoms had found a cranny through which
he has any thing really to conceal, or that  to peer into those prohibited recesses.  I
he does not choose to make talk of his   wonder what they would see there! And
private affairs, merely because they are   Mr. Bulkley himself. would he have exprivate? "                              posed to the eye of his dearest friend the
" I can't tell," he replied. "I can only  sacred, though dishonored, image of his
say that intimate as I have been with  fatal Julia, and the troop of recollections,
him, and the only person he really associ-  emotions, and agonies that waited upon
ates with for the greatest part of his time,  it?  I think not, even to have the veil
he has never let a word drop as to any of  lifted from the most secret places of any
them; not even as to his motive for com-  other life.
ing to this country, or the probable length  Thursday arrived, as it usually does, as
of his stay. It must be systematic to be   nearly in the middle of the week as posso uniform."                             sible. And, moreover, it was a very finu




166                               Wensley.                           [August
day, so that Mr. Bulkley and I chose to  sation of the side dishes at her end of the
go to Woodside on foot rather than disturb  table.  With two elders at table, who
the bones of old Whiteface, the minister's  talked so much and so well as her father
horse, from  their repose in the stable.  and Mr. Bulkley, there was little occasion
Jasper had brushed up his master's  or opportunity for us to display any conbuckles, and made him as smart as his  versational gifts we might possess, except
best coat and breeches (it would be hardly  that greatest one of listening well,-that
historically correct to call them his new   "grand  talent pour le silence," which
ones), could make him; and, as he was a   Talleyrand (or whoever it was) showed
vigorous walker, we were soon at the   more' wit than sense in laughing at.
hospitable door, which stood open to wel-  What would he have done, I should like
come us.  On the threshold stood the  to know, if there were not some people
master of the house, ready to give us a  willing to hold their tongues?
most cordial reception, and to usher us   It was entertainment enough to sit and
into the presence of his daughter. She   hear the two men talk, and to look at the
looked handsomer than ever, and as she  lovely mistress of the house.  Colonel
sat in the window, which she had had cut  Allerton had seen all the public and litdown to the ground (an astonishment to  erary men of the end of the last century,
all Wensley!) opening into her flower-  and the beginning of this; and had known
garden, in the light of that lovely day,  many of them, personally. It was someshe did look as lovely as the day itself.  thing to hear a man talk who had seen
The dinner was excellent, such as wealthy   Garrick during his last season, and had
gentlemen of that day used to set before  had the vision of Dr. Johnson rolling
their guests.  The table furniture was  along Fleet-street, though he had never
handsome but plain, and all display of  met him face to face as an acquaintance.
wealth was evidently repressed.  The   He had breakfasted in company with Gibtable linen was of the finest of damask,  bon, and had dined at the same table with
and the service of Nankin china. The   Sheridan; and of all the orators, and ausilver forks were the first that had pene-  thors, and beauties of that period, he had
trated to Wensley. and were a marvel and   had opportunities of personal observation,
a mystery to its oldest inhabitants, who   and could make report of them from what
had never heard of the like. At that time   his own eyes had seen. Whatever secret
this luxury, which has now become almost  reserve he might have to his best friends,
a necessity, was confined, even in the cities,  of which Mr. Bulkley had complained,
to the very rich-and, indeed, not always  there was no sign of it in his conversation.
in daily use with them. So that it is no   Nothing could be more free and flowing
wonder that their advent caused a sensa-  than his stream of talk. It seemed as if
tion in Wensley, nor that Jonathan Snell,  you had only to give it a direction, and it
the colonel's coachman, should have con-  would waft directly to your feet all the
descended, one day, to take a specimen  facts of his experience. But he was not
in his pocket to show to the astonished  in the least an overpowering talker. He
inhabitants, at their special instance, after  did not compel you, as Carlyle says Colecustom  had bred familiarity with that  ridge did, "to sit as a passive bucket, and
great man. But Mr. Bulkley would never  be pumped into, whether you consent or
give in to this new-fanglement, as he call-  not;" which, he goes on to say, justly,
ed it. So he was always supplied with   "can in the long run be exhilarating to
a good old-fashioned three-pronged steel  no creature."  On the contrary, he carefork, with which —" savitque tridenti" —  fully drew out Mr. Bulkley, and made
he did manful execution.                him appear to his best advantage, and was
Mr. Bulkley, of course, took Miss Aller-  very far from neglecting me.
ton in to dinner, which ceremony he per-    Mr. Bulkley, indeed, was not a man to
formed by bearing her hand aloft, with an   be easily put down. Just to others, he
old-world grace, like a septuagenarian Str  was just also to himself, and it would
Charles Grandison.  He would have   have been a clever man that could rob
scorned the custom, had he been cogni-  him of his fair share of what talk was
zant of it, of clapping a lady's hand under  going on. But nobody who had ever
his arm, like a brown paper parcel from   heard him talk (your oppressive talkers
the grocer's. The colonel and I followed   never hear any body but themselves),
after them, and though he made no sign   would ever wish that he should talk any
of remarking the good man's gallantry,  less. Though he had lived in retirement
he could not control a little twitching of  so long, still his seven years' apprenticethe muscles about the corners of the   ship to the world, during the war, had
mouth. During dinner I had but little to   made him a master of that craft, and had
say to Miss Allerton, beyond taking wine  furnished him with inexhaustible stores
with her. and assisting her in the dispen-  of personal recollections, all connected




1853.]                               Wensley.                                  167
with the most interesting times and peo-  round, except Deacon Holt.  The deacon
ple.  Then the very quaintness of man-   maintained the faith long after all the rest
ner and speech which his solitary life had   had given in."
bred, set off by his extensive, though odd   "And how did you overcome him?"
reading, gave a rare raciness to his talk.  inquired the colonel.
His intimate acquaintance, too, with the     "I'll tell you," pursued the parson. "I
peculiarities of character, and dialect of   knew that he was as self-willed as one of
the country people, whom  he had made   his own bullocks, and so I left him until
his study for so long, and his uncommon   the very last of the opponents had subpowers of mimicry, which he would exert  mitted.  Then, supposing he must have
in safe societies, made him, I think, the   been somewhat mollified by the change
most entertaining companion I ever met  of opinion in the parish, I moved up to
in the course of a pretty long acquaint-  the attack myself.  I found the deacon
ance with the world.,        sitting at his front door one fine Sabbath
"The choir sung very well, last Sun-   evening about sundown, and soon entered
day, parson," said Colonel Allerton, with   on the subject.'Deacon,' said I,'I am
the slightest possible glance at his daugh-   surprised to find that a man of your piety
ter and me.  But if there were any irony   and discretion should oppose the substituin the tone, the parson did not notice it.    tion of Watts' for the Old Version,' and
" Yes. I think they improve," he said;  then proceeded to give. the reasons in favor
"I'm  sure  I take pains enough with   of the one over the other.  He shook his
them."                                     head,'Parson Bulkley,' said he,' I'll tell
"Do you know," returned the colonel,  you what.  I've two good reasons why I
" that I was rather disappointed on coming   won't never agree to it.'' May I ask.'
here, at finding the noses of good old  said I,'what they are?'My first objecSternhold and Hopkins put out of joint  tion is,' said he,' that Watts isn't an exby Dr. Watts? I was in hopes of hearing   pired man.'' Watts  not an  expired
once more sung, line by line, by the whole   man!' I exclaimed;'my dear sir, I am
congregation, as of old, " The Lord will  astonished to hear a man of your intellicome, and he will not;" and then, as a   gence say such a thing! I do assure you
distinct proposition, puzzling to my infan-  that there is nothing more certain than
cy-" Keep silence, but speak out!"         that he is an expired man.'' Be you sar" If you had  come only five years  tain?'  the  astonished  deacon  asked,
sooner, you would have had your wish,"  somewhat shaken by my confidence.' I
replied Mr. Bulkley; "I believe Wensley   am not more certain of my own existence,'
was the last town that yielded to the in-   I replied;'it is a perfectly well establishnovation. I withstood it as long as I   ed fact.''Well,' said he, slowly,'if you
could, but the Association* would give   be sartain sure, I s'pose I must give up
me no rest till I fell in with it.  But I   that pint."
found it hard work, I assure you."           We all laughed merrily at this, and the
"What, were the people unwilling to   colonel said, "And what was the other
make the change?" exclaimed the col-  point, parson?"
onel; "I respect them for it."               "That's just what I asked the deacon,"'Loth enough, at first," responded the   he replied, "and the deacon said,'My
parson; "most of the old women actual-  second pint is, that there's a word in it
ly believed  that those were the very  that isn't in Scriptur.''Indeed!' said
strains which King David sang to his  I,'that is vital.   Pray, what is the
harp, and looked on the change proposed   word?''PAUsE!' said  the  deacon;
as little short of blasphemy."' there's the word pause in it, and it ain't
"And how did you manage it?" asked   nowhere in the Bible!' and he looked triMiss Allerton.                             umphantly at me, as if he had cornered
"Why, to tell you the truth, my dear   me now.t'My good friend,' I replied,'I
young lady," returned the minister, "I   am more astonished at this objection than
found the young people my best allies.  at the otheri.  Pause not in the Bible!
The allurement of a singing-school for   Please just reach it to me.  Look here.
the winter nights, and the glories of the   now: 1 Samuel, 17: 37, "The Lord hath
singing-gallery on the Sabbath, were more   delivered me out of the paw of the lion,
than they could resist; so, by playing off  and out of the paw of the bear."  The
the vanities of the young against the pre-   paw of the lion and the paw of the bear
judices of the old, I gradually brought all  taken  together, make'paws,"  don't
* In New England, from the earliest times, the Congregational ministers, within a convenient distance of
each other, form Associations, which meet at regular intervals.
t The non-evangelical reader, if, unfortunately, there are any such, may need to be informed that Dr.
Watts hath divided his longer psalms and hymns into two or more portions, by the interposition of the word
" PAUsE"




168                               Wensley.                           [August
they? How can you say then, and you   bigoted a follower of the Byronic school
so well read in the Bible, that the word  to allow him more than a very small mopaws isn't in it? "                    dicum of merit. I remember that I made
We all shouted with laughter, at this  her lift up her hands and eyes by denying
new exegesis, and Miss Eleanor fairly  that he was the founder of any school at
clapped her hands, saying, " And was the   all,-only a duller sort of Cowper, with
deacon silenced?"                      Cowper's knack at landscape-painting, but
"Completely," replied Mr. Bulkley, "he   without his wit. She retorted, however,
has never been heard to say a word against  by asserting that Byron plagiarized from
Dr. Watts or his Psalms from that day   Wordsworth in the third canto of Childe
to this. My victory was complete. But  Harold, which I stoutly denied; declarthis is the first time I ever told the par-  ing, however, that if he had. Wordsworth
ticulars. and you will see that I have put  should be for ever obliged to him for the
myself in your power. It is a secret of  honor done him. This was all said playthe confessional. But I am not afraid to  fully and banteringly, on both sides, and
trust you."                             when the two gentlemen came in to coffee
The cloth being removed, Colonel Aller-  we were on the easiest terms imaginable.
ton said that, out of regard to Mr. Bulk-    After coffee, Miss Allerton gave us some
ley's feelings, he would give the presi-  music. In those days people had not got
dent's health first; but it was on condi-  too fine to like Tom Moore, and she sung
tion that the king's should be duly hon-  " Oft in the Stilly Night," and the "Last
ored afterwards. As the wine was excel-  Rose," with a roundness of voice and palent, of course the minister made no ob-  thos of tone, which made the tears roll
jection to this, only, when the toast was  down parson Bulkley's withered cheeks.
given, he slyly improved it as he drank it,  Moore was as fresh to him as Byron, and
thus, " The king's health —and amend-  he could not deny his lyric power. He
ment!"  And even there, his loyal sub-  was never tired of hearing his melodies
jects, in view of the recent developments,  sung even by me, much less by the fair
consequent on the queen's trial, could  Eleanor. But as there must be an end
hardly say that his majesty was abso-  of all things, however pleasant, so the
lutely beyond the reach of such an aspira-  time came in due course when we had to
tion.                                   take our leave. Mr. Bulkley made the
Miss Allerton soon withdrew, and, as  move about eight.o'clock. Miss Allerton
the two gentlemen began to talk politics  cordially offered me her hand at parting,
earnestly, about which I cared nothing, I  and joined in her father's hearty and reovercame the opposition of my natural  peated invitation to visit Woodside as oftbashfulness, and yielded to the influence  en as I could. Mr. Bulkley said. as we
of the more attractive metal in the draw-  went along, that I was a lucky dog to
ing-room,-or, parlor, as it was called in  find such a solace to my exile in that outthose days,-and soon joined her. She  of-the-way place; and, indeed, I was very
made room for me by her window, and,  much inclined to think that my reverend
the excellencies and oddities of Mr. Bulk-  friend was not far wrong in his opinion.
ley giving us a beginning, we soon went  We talked the day over merrily, as we
off into a brisk conversation.  Perhaps  walked home, where we found Jasper
she found that I was not quite such a  waiting for us in the study. I went to
booby boy as she might have taken it for  bed early, and fell asleep in a confused
granted I was. I did not waste much of  whirl of ideas and images. I remember
my time at the university, to be sure, up-  that I could hardly believe that it was
on the stupid routine laid down by the  only a week since the scientific session of
authorities; but then I was extremely  the Deipeosophoi had resulted in my findwell read in many authors not contained  ing myself where I was. It seemed an
in the college course.   The respective  age since then. I don't see why it should.
merits of Lord Byron and Walter Scott,  Why should my making the acquaintance
the mystery hanging over the Waverley  of two old gentlemen and one young lady
Novels, the relative rank to be assigned  (for I don't believe Jasper had any thing
to those delightful fictions, the compari-  to do with it) make that week seem so
son of our opinions as to our favorite  long?  I am sure it had been a pleasant
characters, gave us plenty to say. We  one enough. But, as I have said formerdid not always agree, by any means. For  ly, I am no metaphysician, and only state
instance, she was a warm  admirer of  facts in psychology, without pretending
Wordsworth, whereas I was entirely too  to explain them.
(To be continued.)




1853.]                                                                   169
ACADEMIES AND UNIVERSITIES.
HE  principle on  which  particular  scholars to settle in Italy, where they esclasses of men and institutions have  tablished schools which became the basis
been created and provided for by govern-  of the academical institutions that arose
ment, is that of their general utility. The  in the surrounding countries. In Italy
obvious illustrations of this principle are  the number of academies increased with
to be found in the public offices of the  such rapidity that in a short time they
government itself, and in the organization   amounted to 550, the city of Milan alone
of the military and naval service of the   having 25. Among the most celebrated
country. The origin of our colleges in  of the Italian Academies was the AcadeAmerica, it is well known, was the need   mia Lyncei, established at Rome in the
of suitably educated men to fill the profes-  beginning of the seventeenth century, for
sions of. medicine, law, and divinity, and  the advancement of the physical sciences.
the posts of public trust connected with  It was composed of the most eminent
state affairs. These institutions, however,  philosophers of the age, among whom
are limited in their design to the diffusion   was Gallileo.
of the learning and science already in ex-    About the middle of the sixteenth cenistence in the world, and contribute no-  tury was established what was afterthing, except incidentally, to their further  wards called the Academia Florentina, or
advancement.  Hitherto no steps have  Florentine Academy, the attention of
been taken in this country, and very little   which was directed chiefly to Italian
has been done in England, either by gov-  poetry. It has produced many excellent
eminment or by voluntary contribution,  works; and for the last two centuries
except what has resulted from the efforts  has included most of the eminent characof scientific men themselves, unaided by  ters of Italy.
the rest of- the community, to carry for-    The Academia della Crusca gave to the
ward the various branches of human   world the Italian Dictionary. a well known
knowledge to a higher condition.  On   work of great merit, and Torricelli dethe continent of Europe, different, and, it  livered in this academy many of his philomust be acknowledged, more enlightened  sophical discourses.
views have prevailed as to the public     The Academia Bononiensis was founded
utility of a higher cultivation and greater  at Bologna by Eustachio Manfredi in 1690.
improvement of the sciences, and the obli-  At the early age of 16, this young man
gation of the ruling powers to found and   associated with himself some of his comfoster institutions having this object in  panions with the view of discussing those
view.                                   subjects which, in the course of their
The organizations for the purpose have  studies, occupied their attention. In 1714,
been of two kinds, the Academy and the  this academy was united with the BonoUniversity.                             nian Institute, which was a kind of colThe term  Academy is employed "to  lege under the protection of the senate,
denote a society of learned men, associa-  and richly endowed by Clement XI. and
ted for the purpose of advancing the arts   Benedict XVI., as well as by the liberality
and sciences, and communicating to the   of private individuals.  Not only were
world the discoveries which are made   persons of both sexes admitted members
either by its own members or by other  of the academy, but several ladies were
learned individuals." The first institution   raised to professorships, some of whom
of the kind, in modern times, was that  became very eminent.  The celebrated
established by Charlemagne, by advice   Signorina Agnesi, of Milan, after the proof his preceptor Alcuin. It was com-  duction of her great mathematical work,
posed of the learned men of the court, at  was elected a member of the Institute of
the head of whom was the emperor him-  Bologna by acclamation, and the Pope
self, and had for its object to promote a   conferred on her the title of Professor of
taste for polite literature and improve the   Mathematics in the University of that
language of the country, which was at  city.
that time in a very rude state. As this   The place in which the academy met
object could only be attained by a careful  was an enormous building containing
study of the compositions of antiquity, it  above 40 apartments, with many halls
was required of each member to give an   below them; the cabinet of natural hisaccount of the ancient authors he had  tory is provided with ample specimens in
read, and communicate his remarks upon  the three kingdoms; the library contains
them.                                   above 120,000 volumes, not including the
The overthrow of the Roman Empire  valuable manuscripts which fill a whole
by the Turks in 1453 drove several Greek   apartment, and the separate apartments
VOL. II.-12




170                      Academies and Universities.                   [August
that are allotted for study are furnished   and various other causes, must inevitably
with an individual library for each science.  perish, or at least remain buried in obscuThe celebrated hall of Anatomy contains  rity, and be lost to all useful purposes;
exhibitions in wax of every part of the   unless collected and brought together by
the establishment of a common centre of
human frameld, u   nequalled perhaps by any   communication and classification, to which
in the world, except those in Florence.  they may respectively be imparted.
I. s  1  or,.. Ad *   they may respectively be imparted.
The Royal Academy of Sciences in Turin   " One of the first great steps towards an
was instituted about the middle of the   accurate knowledge of the construction of
eighteenth century, and afterwards called,  the heavens, is an acquaintance with the
under the  French  rule, the Imperial  individual objects they present: in other
Academy of Sciences, Literature, and the   words, the formation of a complete cataFine Arts. Many volumes of its memoirs  logue of stars and of other bodies, upon a
in quarto form a valuable portion of the   scale infinitely more extensive than any
library of Columbia College, in this city.  that has yet been undertaken; and that
Among the German Academies the   shall comprehend the most minute objects
most distinguished is the Royal Academy   visible in good astronomical telescopes. To
of Sciences at Berlin, founded by Fred-  form  such a catalogue, however, is an
ic  I., after the model of the Royal So-  undertaking of such overwhelming labor,
etycrick I., after the model of theRoyl S-  as to defy the utmost exertions of individciety of London. A large number of the   ual industry. It is a task which, to be
volumes of its memoirs also enrich the   accomplished, must be divided among numlibrary of Columbia College.             bers: but so divided as to preserve a perThe Royal Society of London was in-  feet unity of design, and prevent the loss
corporated  by royal charter in 1663,  of labour which must result from several
though founded in 1645, the king and   observers working at once on the same
the Duke of York entering their names  region, while others are left unexamined.
as members. It was a voluntary associa-   This great desideratum, it is presumed,
tion of, at first, a small number of men en-  will be attained by a society founded on
gaged in similar pursuits, not supported   the model of other scientific institutions,
by government. It numbers at present  lhaving for one of its objects the formation
766 fellows. Each pays on entrance ~10,  of a collection or deposit of manuscript oband an annual subscription of ~4.  A   servations, &c., open at all times to inspeclarge library of books, a museum of natu-  tion.-2em Ast.Soc, Lond. vol 1 pp 2ral history, and a collection of apparatus  One of the results is the splendid Bribelong to this society. Since 1800 it has  tish catalogue of 10,000 stars.
published a volume of transactions every   The publication of its memoirs and
year. From  1565 till 1800 it had pub-  monthly notices has contributed not a
lished 90 volumes. There is a donation   little to the impetus given to astronomical
fund for assisting scientific men in their  science of late years in England and in
researches, and four medals adjudged   this country.
yearly as prizes, known as the Rumford     The Royal Spanish Academy was esmedal, the Copley medal, and two Royal  tablished at Madrid in 1714.
medals.                                    The Royal Academy of Sciences at
The Royal Society of Edinburgh is of a   Lisbon in 1779. It is divided into three
similar character.                       classes, that of Natural Sciences, MatheThe Astronomical Society of London,  matics. and national Literature. It has
in the first volume of its memoirs, pub-  an allowance from government which has
lished in 1822, thus states the object of   been sufficient to establish an observatory,
its formation:-                         a museum, a library, and a printing-office.
" Owing to the great perfection which    The Royal Academy of Science of Petersthe construction of optical instruments has   burg was conceived by Peter the Great,
attained in England, and the taste for  but carried out by his successor Cathascientific research universally prevalent,  rine, who settled a fund of about ~5000
there have arisen in various parts of the   sterling per annum for the support of the
kingdom a number of private and public  academy. Fifteen members, eminent for
observatories, in which the celestial phnno-  their attainments, were admitted under
mena are watched, and registered with  the title of Professors, and salaries apassiduity and accuracy, by men whose lei-  pointed to them out of the public fund.
sure and talents peculiarly adapt them for  Among these were the celebrated Nicholas
such pursuits: while others, with a less  and Daniel Bernoulli.  The fund was
splendid establishment, but by the sacrifice                                The
of more valuable time, pursue the same   subsequently more than doubled.  The
end with equal zeal and perseverance   academy  was divided into three classes,
Considerable collections of valuable obser-  ist, Geography  and  Astronomy;  2d,
vations have thus originated; by far the   Physics and Mathematics; 3d, Mechanics.
greater part of which, however, owing to   The Royal Academy of Sciences at
the expense and difficulty of publication   Stockholm had its origin from six private




1853.]                   Academies and Universities.                       171
persons, of whom Linnaeus the celebrated   The 2d class, or that of moral and ponaturalist was one. Professor Silgestr6m,  litical sciences, six sections, 1. Analysis of
who, in a recent visit to this country for  sensations and ideas, 2. Morals, 3. Social
scientific purposes, made so favorable an   science and legislation, 4. Political Econoimpression, and who has just published   my, 5. History, 6. Geography.
a work on American education, is a salaried  The 3d class, or that of Literature and
member of this academy.                 the Fine Arts, contain 8 sections. 1. GramThe Philosophical Society at Philadel-  mar, 2. Ancient Languages, 3. Poetry, 4.
phia, which, in past years, has enrolled   Antiquities and monuments, 5. Painting,
the names of some of our most eminent  6. Sculpture, 7. Architecture, 8. Music
scientific men, has been latterly on the   and Declamation.
decline. The volumes of its transactions   Each section was composed of six Pariscontain  some  very  valuable  papers.  ian members and six country members.
Among them, one on the Coast survey of     The 8th article runs thus: "The Legisthe United States, by its late superintend-  lative corps will fix every year upon the
ent, Professor Hasler, published in 1825.    presentment of the Directory a sum for
The Philosophical Society of this city,  the support and labors of the Institute."
of which the late Dr. Hossack was so effi-  The 9th article, thus: "For the formacient a promoter, has for some time   tion of the Institute, the Executive Direcceased to exist.                        tory will nominate 48 members, who will
The most admirable academical model  elect the 86 others."
at the present day is the French Insti-    The 29th: "When an important work
tute. The predecessor of this, the Royal  in the sciences, letters, or arts, shall have
Academy of Science, was founded in 1666,  appeared, the Institute may propose to
by Louis XIV., whose minister, Colbert,  the Legislative corps to extend to the auwas instructed to form a society of men  thor a national recompense."
distinguished for learning and talent, who  Such was the organization under the
should  meet under the  royal protec-  Republic. In the year XI. (1803) a new
tion and communicate their respective dis-  organization took place by a decree of the
coveries. They were chosen from among   First Consul Napoleon. To the 1st class
the most celebrated in Physics, Mathema-  was added a section of Geography and
tics, History, and the Belles-lettres. This   Navigation, and the titles of the other secacademy was abolished at the Revolution,  tions were somewhat changed.  On the
and the National Institute was established   classes was conferred the right of naming
in its place. It was at the suggestion of   100 correspondents among national and
Condorcet, in 1795. The following is the  foreign savans. The 2d class, composed
1st article of its organization by the law   of 40 members, was "particularly charged
of 3 brumaire, year IV, 25th Oct., 1795.   with the perfecting of the Dictionary of
"The National Institute of Science and   the French language."  The 3d class had
Arts belongs to the whole Republic; it is  for the object of its researches the learned
fixed at Paris; it is designed, 1st, to per-  languages, antiquities and monuments,
fect the sciences and arts by uninterrupt-  history, and all moral and political sciened researches, by the publication of dis-  ces in their relations with history. They
coveries, by correspondence with learned   were to attach themselves particularly to
foreign societies; 2d, to pursue, conform-  enriching the French literature with Greek
ably to the laws and decrees of the Ex-   works. They were to occupy themselves
ecutive Directory, the scientific and litera-  with the continuation of diplomatic collecry labors which shall have for their ob-  tions. This class could nominate 60 corject general utility and the glory of the   respondents, national and foreign.  The
Republic."                               4th class was divided into 5 sections of
It was composed of 144 members resi-  the fine arts. The 11th article of the new
dent at Paris, and an equal number of as-  organization prescribed that the Institute
sociates spread over the Republic. The   should receive annually from the public
number of foreign associates permitted   treasury 1500 francs for each of its memwas 24. It was divided into three classes,  bers not associates, 6000 francs for each
each into many sections, as follows: the   of its perpetual Secretaries, of which there
1st class, or that of Physical and Mathe-   are two in each class, and for its expenmatical sciences, contains the ten sections   ses a sum which shall be determined eveof 1. Mathematics, 2. Mechanic arts, 3.  ry year upon the demand of the Institute,
Astronomy, 4. Experimental Physics, 5.  and comprised in the budget of the MinisChemistry, 6. Natural History and Miner-  ter of the Interior.
alogy, 7. Botany and General Physics, 8.    In 1816 the Institute was new modelled
Anatomy and Geology, 9. Medicine and   again by order of Louis XVIII., and comSurgery, 10. Rural Economy and the Ve-  posed of four Academies: 1. The French
terinary art.                            Academy, 2. The Royal Academy of In



172                      Academies and Universities.                   [August
scriptions and Belles lettres, 3. The Royal  2d, Sculpture; 8 in the 3d, Architecture;
Academy of Sciences, 4. The Royal Acad-  4 in the 4th, Engraving; 6 in the 5th?
emy of Fine Arts.                        Musical Composition, one perpetual SecreUnder Louis Philippe the 1st article of  tary,and one honorary perpetual Secretary,
the Ordinance relating to the Institute   10 free academicians, 10 foreign associates;
ran thus: "The ancient class of moral  the following are among the names: Rosand political sciences is and remains re-es-  sini of Bologna, Meyerbeer of Berlin, Overtablished in the bosom of the Institute of   beck of Rome; 40 correspondents and 4
France, under the title of the Academy of  honorary correspondents.
Moral and Political Sciences. It is divid-    In the Academy of Moral and Political
ed into 5 sections, to wit: 1. Philosophy, 2.  Sciences are 5 sections, and in each 6 mernMorals. 3. Legislation, Public Law and   bers. In that of Philosophy we meet the
Jurisprudence, 4. Political Economy and   name of Victor Cousin. In the 4th secStatistics. 5. History and General Philoso-  tion. that of Political Economy and Staphy.                                     tistics, that of the baron Charles Dupin;
As at present constituted. the five Acad-  in the fifth, that of History, those of Miemies of the Institute are composed as fol-  chelet and Thiers. In this academy are
lows: The French Academy of 40 mem-  5 free academicians and 5 foreign associbers, and one perpetual Secretary and   ates; one perpetual Secretary.  Among
Treasurer. The Academy of Inscriptions  the associates are Lord Brougham and
and Belles Lettres, of 40 members; ten   Mr. Hallam.
free academicians, called, under Louis     A powerful organization this for the adXVIII., academicians, and formerly hon-  vancement of science, literature, and the
orary members, who are attached to no   arts, and a fit model for any that may
particular section; eight foreign associ-  hereafter arise.
ates, with one perpetual Secretary and 50  It was the want of something of this
correspondents.                          kind, and the consequent inferiority of
The Academy of Sciences is divided into   England to France in scientific achieve11 sections. The first five are of the ma-  ments in every department, which led, a
thematical sciences.  Section 1, Geome-  few years since, to the formation in En,try, has the following members: Biot,  land of the British Association for the AdPonsot, Libri, Sturm, Lame, Binet. The   vancement of Science, a voluntary associ2d, of Mechanics, 6; the 3d. of Astrono-  ation of scientific men, one of the prime
my, the 6 following, Mathieu, Liouville,  original objects of which was to influence
Laugier, Mauvais, Leverrier, Faye.  4,  the government, by the authority of so reNavigation, 3 members, 5. General Phys-  spectable a body, to form something which
ics, 6, among whom we find the names of  would answer the purpose of the Institute
Gay Lussac, and Duhamel. Under the   of France.
general head of Physical Sciences are      Through all the changes of government
comprised the 6th section, Chemistry,  in the latter country, from the Republic
containing 6 members, among them The-  through the Consulate, the Empire, the
nard. The 7th, Mineralogy, 6 members;  restoration, and the limited monarchy of
the 8th, Botany, 6 members; the 9th,  Louis Philippe, but one opinion seems to
Rural Economy, 6 members; 10th, Anat-  have been entertained as to the political
omy and Zoology, 6; the 11th, Medicine   expediency of maintaining the Institute
and Surgery, 6. There are two perpetu-   as one of the most important elements
al Secretaries of this academy, one of whom   of the public welfare and the national
is the celebrated Arago, 10 free academi-  glory.
cians; 10 foreign associates. The 1st sec-  Associations like the British first sprung
tion, Geometry, has 5 correspondents; the   up in Germany, and seemed to have for
2d, 5; the 3d, Astronomy, has 15, and   their object to bring together the scattered
among the names are those of Encke,  rays of scientific genius not concentered
Herschell, Struve, Airy, Carlini, and  in the universities and academies of science
Captain Smyth.  The 4th, Geography  in the great capitals. An association of
and Navigation, 7 correspondents, includ-  this kind has within the last half dozen
ing the names of Scoresby, Parry, Sir  years been formed with great success in
John Franklin, and Prince Demidoff. The   our own country, and will no doubt exert
5th section, 9, among them Brewster and   a salutary influence upon both the general
Barlow; the 6th, 9; the 7th, 8; the 8th,  and State legislatures, which, indeed, it
10; the 9th, 10; the 10th, 10: in the list of  has already done on various scientific
whom is to be found the name of Agassiz;  questions of importance to the whole comthe 11th, 8.                             munity as well as upon the general inThe Academy of Fine Arts has 14  terests of science. Every professor occumembers in the 1st section, that of Paint-  pying a scientific chair is ex officio a meming, among them Horace Vernet; 8 in the   ber on subscribing his name to the articles




1853.]                  Academies and Universities.                      173
of association; other members are elected  the secondary schools, in which reading,
by the body.                            writing, arithmetic, poetics, music, and
Whether these voluntary associations  gymnastics were taught. Thales, Anaxcan be kept up without the fostering hand   agoras, Heraclitus, and Pythagoras were
of government, or foundations, is still a  really university professors of the highest
problem.                                class, devoting their lives to the investiThe Royal Society of London has cer-  gation of truth, the advancement of knowtainly deteriorated. There are symptoms  ledge, and the instruction of eager learners
of coolness in the zeal of the English   who gathered around them. These were
Association, and even in our own, within  followed by Socrates and Plato at Athens,
the last year, short as its existence has  the centre of Hellenic culture, in the groves
been, though the papers which it has pro-  of Academus, whence the word academy,
duced will compare advantageously with  and by Aristotle in the Lyceum.
any ever read. However interesting the    Even when subdued by the Romans,
pursuits of science to scientific men, their  Athens remained for centuries afterward
attention is apt to be drawn off from them   the most celebrated high school in the
by duties which they cannot neglect, duties  world, where the greatest Romans of the
connected with  their callings, and a  republican period, Cicero, Caesar, Cato,
thorough and entire devotion of their lives  and Brutus, acquired knowledge, and where
can be expected only when the calling it-  a student's life, and a pretty rough one,
self is original scientific investigation.  too, with clubs, etc., existed.
The Smithsonian Institution, the history  The museum at Alexandria was more
of the foundation of which is generally  of the nature of an academy; its objects
known, is of somewhat anomalous charac-  were languages, mythology and astronter. Under the able guidance of its ac-  omy, and provision was made from the
complished secretary and efficient board  national fund for professors.  A  magof management, which present some of   nificent library of 700,000 volumes was
the most distinguished names in American  founded for their use, and the great astroscience, it has made valuable contributions  nomical work of antiquity, the Almagest.
by various publications, particularly of  may be considered one of the fruits of this
works on Americanl Natural History and   distinguished seat of learning and philosoEthnology, and Astronomical Epheme-  phy. This example was followed by the
rides; and is now occupied with a gigantic   Roman Emperor Vespasian, and in the
scheme of meteorological investigation,  third century the grammar schools were
which cannot but produce correspondent  well endowed, especially that at Athens,
results.                               where the salaries were most liberal. UnThe Hydrographic  Bureau also at  der Theodosius the Christian clergy came
Washington has its thousands of ships  into power, and strove to destroy the
employed in observations for systematiz-  heathenish education en masse. In the
ing the phenomena of winds and currents.  East, however, the heathen schools were
We have, we trust, set forth, as clearly  preserved as late as the seventh century,
as could well be done in so brief a space,  communicating their sciences to the Arabs,
the nature and offices of the Academ'y as  who in turn handed them  over to the
it has existed on the Continent of Europe.  European nations.  The first Arabian
We propose now to examine the results  university for mathematics, astronomy,
aimed at and effected by the Continental  architecture, and medicine, was erected in
and British universities.              the seventh century at Damascus. From
In this country, educational develop-  the seventh century learning was preserved
ment ought to be eminently successful if  in the sacerdotal schools of Christendom.
there be any truth in the opinion of the   Alcuin of York caused schools to be
German writers, that the reason why   erected at all convents and collegiate
among the old Greeks any true science is to  churches.
be found rather than among the Hindoos    In the eleventh and twelfth centuries
and Egyptians, from whom they received   men appeared, who drew  around them
it in its first imperfect form, is to be sought  crowds of disciples to listen to the teachnot only in their natural endowments, but  ing of sciences unknown to the convent
also in their free political constitution, and   and  collegiate  schools.  These  were
the absence of a hierarchy. In consequence   mostly  laymen.  In  Paris. Rhetoric,
of which there rose instead of colleges for  Dialectics, and Theology were taught by
the sacredotal orders, universities for  William de Champeaux and Abailard; in
science, which in the short space of three   Bologna the Roman law by Irnerius; in
centuries (from Solon to Alexander the   Salerno, Medicine, which had been replaced
Great) attained an eminence never reached   by prayers, amulets, and relics, was
in any of the older nations.           taught by Constantine of Carthage, who
Among the Greeks, too, first appeared   had travelled in the East.  The high




174                      Academies and Universities.                    [August
schools which thus arose were called uni-  which were called inns, hostels, or halls.
versities, a term  originally meaning com-  The system was one of unrestrained liberty.
munities, associations, incorporations, and   They were subject to no authority except
not expressing the totality of knowledge,  what was derived from  themselves; and
as now used. The universities exercised   we are to suppose that at Oxford and Cama most important influence in the State,  bridge were gathered together all persons
chiefly by forming a class which may be  in the country who desiled to become studenominated the aristocracy of learning   dents in law, medicine, or theology, or any
other extant form of knowledge, who either
in opposition to t hat of birth or of hier-  simply disliked, or desired to combine in
archy.  The right of autonomy or self-  active opposition to, the dominant ecclesigovernment has been enjoyed by the uni-  astical system."
versities from  the first, and expressly                  Baliol College, Oxford,
acknowledged both by popes and princes.  spru ng       origina lly from thebounty of John
The first teachers of the new era, Abai-sprung originally from thebounty of John
The firstantine, &c., receied new era, Abai-  Baliol though his purpose was executed
l t           o teach from the Church or authority   by his widow rather than himself. " The
to teach from the Church or any other  real founder of the collegiate system  in
source. Afterwards, it was thought fit-  Oxford was  alter de  Merton.    is
ting that those qualified to teach should be   first foundation  which was four years
indicated by the acknowledged masters  before that of Baliol was 
of science; and hence arose the degrees of  in his manor of Baliol, was a religious house
Baccalaureate Licentiate Master of Arts    n hs manor of Malden, in Surrey, which
and Doctor.'. I              he endowed liberally for the maintenance
These titles and attendant rights were   of twenty scholars residing at the school
acknowledged by all other universities,  at Oxford,or elsewhere in England where
as well as that conferring them, and had   a university might exist."- Ox. Unisomewhat the effect of an order of knight-  versity Commission Report.  Ile prohoohd. Of a much latert origin were the   vided also for ministers of the altar, a
hood. Of a much later origin were the   warden  and lay brethren  or bailiffs,
restrictions imposed upon the right of   warden, and  lay brethren  or bailiffs
teaching by the State and canonical au-  whose business was to cultivate the proteaching by the State and canonical au-  perty.
thorities.                               perty.
With this general preface we proceed to  "The mass of students remained as bea more particular account of the history  fore in their lodgings or their halls; scarceand condition of the existing European   ly profiting, unhappily, from  the better
universities.                            example which was set them by Walter de
To begin with the English-             Merton's charity boys; but with the latter,
or immediately after them, arose, with a sim" Out of the mist and darkness, however,  ilar purpose, similar institutions, Baliol,
in which the whole subject is involved, this   iar purpose, similar institutions,  alen,
gleam of truth seems to emerge, that about  University  and the rest, where the relathe time of Alfred, we find the first distin-  tions  neighbors, or towns-people of the
guishable traces of the existence at Oxford  founders might study to  godly purpose."
of certain schools of learning, which con-  -West Rev., Oct., 1t52, pp. 173-174.
tinued from  that period to develop and
establish themselves, till out of the crude  ":The foundation of the College of St.
elements there came forth the full-formed   Mary Winton in Oxford, commonly called
University."-N. Brit. Rev., Nov. 1847, p. 13,  New College, which took place in 1386,
(Amer. Ed.)                              forty-six years after that of Queen's, was
" The historical period of Oxford discloses   an era in the history of these institutions.
to us, on its opening in the thirteenth cen-  William of    keham not onl endowed
tury, a system of unknown antiquity, which    am of Wykeham not only endowed
appears already on its decline. The uni-  it on a more magnificent scale, but gave it
versity, like most other long-lived institu-   a more ecclesiastical or rather monastic
tions, is rooted out of sight in a mythology,  character than had belonged to any prewhich, when submitted to criticism, yields   vious foundation. He states that he hopes
only that at some time or other subsequent  better things from a body of learned men,
to the union of the northern and southern  than had prevailed amidst the abuses of
kingdoms, a republic of students formed  the monasteries, and apparently intended
itself by voluntary association on the banks  to create an institution which should avoid
of the Isis. The central situation of-Oxford  the. evils of the great abbeys, but combine
may have led to its selection, although this  their chief purposes with those of a li*erary
is no more than conjecture; but we find it  foundation.  The very character of his
in the thirteenth century filled with students, who selected their own teachers   buildings, secluded and gloomy outwardly,
determined their own rule of life, and   but stately and convenient within, his
either lived in the town in private lodgings   noble chapel and his cloisters, intimate
of their own, or grouped themselves in   what was in his thoughts."-Ox. Univ.
bodies under the superintendence of a   Com. Report, p. 132.
master of their own choice in large houses,  Magdalen College is also a close imita



1853.]                    Academies and  Universities.                        175
tion of New College. But it offers some      Besides the duties of our presidents of
important peculiarities.  It is to have a   colleges, the Vice-Chancellor has those of
school in Oxford open to all comers.  In   a magistrate, with very summary powers.
this college we find the first attempt to   The office of High Steward is also one
supply gratuitous instruction to the uni-  of great honor and distinction.  He is the
versity at large, by the establishment of   deputy of the Vice-Chancellor, and also
college lecturers, who were to be chosen   holds his court.
without any restriction, and to deliver     The two Proctors are elected annually,
lectures to the whole university.         being each nominated by one of two colNo distinguishing characteristics belong   leges, according to a certain circle.  They
to the other colleges; the whole number   are the guardians of public morals, and
being some four-and-twenty.               have extraordinary powers of visitation
The University of Cambridge contains   and expulsion of certain classes of residents.
in itself seventeen colleges, or halls which  There are two Taxors, for inspecting
possess equal privileges with the colleges,  weights and measures; two Scrutators;
differing only in name.                   they announce enactments, count the votes,
" The dawn of the Reformation morning   &c. The office of Orator is one of great
found every wakeful mind in Oxford intent  honor. He is the spokesman of the Senate,
on the unobserved and unobtrusive labours  presents persons of rank to honorary
of the Tutor, rather than of the Professor."  degrees, writes letters of thanks and con-N. Brit. Rev., Xov., 1847, p. 20.        gratulation.  The names of Librarian and
" Walter de Merton was not aware of the   Registrar explain themselves.  The three
greatness of his measure.  He was little   Esquire Beadles are in the nature of maceconscious that in making provision for the   bearers.
permanent education of a few poor scholars  The legislative body of the University
he was creating an institution that was   of Cambridge is called the Senate, comdestined to flourish with unimpaired vigour  posed of two houses corresponding to the
for six hundred years, and seems at this  academical distinctions of Regents an
day to have a future of equal duration still  Non-Regents. "dThe   ofegent House conbefore it." —Ed. Rev., July, 1852, p. 121.  Non-Regents.   The Regent House cosists of the Chancellor, the Vice-ChancelEach of the colleges consists essentially  lor, the Proctors, Taxors, Moderators,.*
of a number of fellows, with a head, com-  Esquire Beadles, provided they be Masters
monly called the master, though the name   of Arts, all Masters of less than five, and
varies, chosen by them from their number,   Doctors of Divinity, Civil Law and Physic,
who holds the office for life.            of less than two years' standing.
There are also, in nearly all, free scho-    The Non-Regent House of Masters of Arts
bars, elected or appointed, as are the fel-  of more than five years' standing, Bachelows, in different ways, but generally by   lors of Divinity who have previously been
their own body, in accordance with the   Masters of Arts and Doctors of Divinity,
will of the founder, together with paying   Law, Physic, of more than two years'
under-graduates.                          standing. —Cam. Un. Rep.
About half a dozen of the fellows serve   From the members of the two houses
as college tutors, lecturing five or six  there is formed annually a Council, called
times a week to the under-graduate mem-  the Caput Senatus, consisting of the Vicehers; and holding sometimes semi-weekly,  Chancellor, a Doctor in each of the Faculand always annual examinations upon the   ties of Divinity, Civil Law and Physic,
subjects of the university examinations,  one Non-Regent, and one Regent Master
which will be spoken of more at length   of Arts, appointed as follows: The Vicehereafter.  The private tutors, however,  Chancellor proposes five persons, each of
are in general the real instructors of the   the two Proctors five. Out of these fifyouth, and derive often a very consider-  teen, five are elected by the Vice-Chanable revenue from their labors.           cellor, the Heads of Colleges, the Doctors
The highest office of the university is  of the three faculties and the two Scrutathat of the Chancellor, for many years  tors. These five with the Vice-Chancellor
past filled by individuals of exalted rank.  constitute the Caput.
It is only on rare occasions of e'xtraordi-  The ordinary subjects for the action of
narv interest that he officiates.  His du-  the Senate are supplicats for degrees
ties wre performed by the Vice-Chancel-  and graces, under which name graces, all
ior, elected annually by the senate or con-  orders, rules, &c., are included.  The supvocation, on nomination by the heads of   plicats and graces are first submitted to
colleges, there being two nominees, and   the Caput, each member of which has an
by custom  these are heads of colleges,  absolute  veto.   This the Commission
though not necessarily by statute.        proposes to change and give greater free* Two of the four mathematical examiners are called by this name, descriptive of their original duty of
presiding at the scholastic disputations on arts




1 76                      Academies and  Universities.                   [August
dom of action to the Senate. After pass-  Professors and various University officers.
ing the Caput, the grace is publicly re-  To it belongs the Ecclesiastical patronage
cited first by the Scrutators in the Non-  of the University. A  veto, similar to
Regent House, then by the Proctors in the   that of the Caput at Cambridge, rests
Regent House. The congregation is sus-  with either the Vice-Chancellor or the
pended for a customary interval of time.  Proctors jointly, the former rarely exOn reassembling, the grace first passes   ercised, the latter sometimes.  The Comthe Non-Regent, then the Regent House.  mission propose to add the Professors and
Such is the constitution of the University  college Tutors to the Hebdominal Board;
of Cambridge. That of Oxford is similar.  that the House of Congregation should also
The legislature of this University origi-  include them; that this latter body should
nally consisted of one house only, in   have the power of debating matters prowhich all the Masters and Teachers had a   posed by the Hebdominal Board, or its
seat. called " The Congregation."  The   own members, to be finally passed on in
degrees conferred by this body were real  convocation.
licenses to teach. This was sought after-   We pass now to the constitution of the
wards as an honor rather than a profes-  separate colleges composing the University.
sion; and a desire to leave to teachers the  A college, as we have said, consists esmanagement of those matters which be-  sentially of a Head and Fellows, and some
long peculiarly to them, gave rise to an-  of them  have no other members. The
other house composed of all who had at-  Head is elected by the fellows of each coltained a certain academical rank.  This  lege, from  their own number with some
body was called the "Great Congrega-  exceptions, and holds his office for life.
tion," and met only at intervals, the   The functions of the Heads are much
other being perpetual, and summoned to  the same in all the colleges, though they
this day by the sound of a bell.  The   bear the various names of Master, Prinsame house was called also "Convoca-  cipal, Warden, Provost, Rector, Presition," from being called together by Bea-  dent or Dean. The Fellows were origdles. The latter became naturally of the   inally all teachers of the "Scholars," and
more importance of the two, including all  both were provided for by the founder.
the members of the former, and the ever-    " The modern  practice of admitting
increasing number of those who were not  other students in addition to those on the
actual teachers, and also as determining   foundation, although in some measure
questions of interest to the whole academi-  contemplated by the founders, was still
cal community.  The most important  viewed by them with little favor, and the
change in this early constitution was the   greatest care taken in educating only the
institution of the Hebdominal Board or  best-qualified applicants."-Camb. Comrn.
weekly meeting, consisting of the Vice-  Rep. p. 143.
Chancellor, the twenty-three other Heads    "From  the foundation of Magdalen
of Houses, and the two Proctors.          downward, it became the custom to make
The congregation at present consists of  two classes of members on the foundathe Vice-Chancellor, and Proctors, the re-  tion: the one consisting of fellows who
sident Doctors, the Heads of Colleges and   as a general rule were to be graduates
HIalls, the Professors and public Lecturers,   at the time of their election, the other
the Examiners, the Deans or Censors of   of persons usually  elected  as underColleges, and "Necessary" Regents. The   graduates. Servitors were a class existcollege tutors have no place in this body.  ing at a time when menial duties were
hMany of the functions of this body have   not regarded as they now  are.  They
been transferred to the Hebdominal Board,  were to live on broken meat from the Feland those which it retains are purely for-  lows' table. to wait on the Fellows, but
mal.  " The present House of Convoca-  they were to be instructed in grammar
tion meets only for the purpose of hearing   and plain song, to have time to pursue
measures proposed which it cannot dis-  their studies like other students, and to
cuss, of conferring degrees to which can-  have a preference in elections and fellowdidates are already entitled, and of granting   ships.
dispensations which are never refused.*     There are but few colleges at which it
The convocation now consists of all Doc-   was originally intended that any should
tors and Masters of Arts, who have taken   be educated but members of the f~undaout their regency.  It passes on the mea-  tion and their attendants.  Th,:re is a
sures proposed by the Hebdominal Board.  division of the under-graduates into sevewhich thus become statutes. It elects  ral classes, based upon their pecuniary
tie Chancellor, the Representatives of the   resources.
University in Parliament, many of the       "Fellow-Commoners are'young men of
* Of the right of legislation which originally belonged to it, nothing remains but that in it are mostly promulated all statutes three days at least before they are proposed to convocation.




1853.]                    Academies and  Universities.                       177
fortune,' as the Cambridge Calendar and   position, or to obtain assistance in any
Cambridge Guide have it, who, in consider-   mathematical subject they may be readation of their paying twice as much for ev-  ing, more advanced than that in which the
erything as any body else, are allowed the   lectures are given, but such attendance is
privilege of sitting at the Fellows' table in   optional.
Hall and in their seats at Chapel; of wear-  " During the fifth term of their residence,
ing a gown with gold or silver lace, and a   students have to attend two examinations
velvet cap with a metallic tassel; of having   weekly, in the Divinity subjects required
the first choice of rooms; and as is general-  for the previous examination of the Unily believed, and believed not without rea-   versity.
son, of getting off with a less number of   "After the fifth term candidates for mathchapels per week. Among them are in-  ematical honors have to attend a lecture
eluded the Honorables not eldest sons-on-  every day.
ly these wear a hat instead of the velvet   " Candidates for the ordinary B.A. degree
cap, and are thence popularly known as  attend three lectures weekly in elementary
Hat Fellow-Commoners.  The noblemen   mathematics and natural philosophy, durproper, or eldest sons (of whom there are  ing their sixth, seventh and eighth terms.
never many in Cambridge, Oxford present-  (By the new University regulations they
ing more attractions for them), wear the   will then be engaged in professional lecplain black silk gown and hat of an M.  tures and examinations.)
A., except on feast days and state occasions,  "In their ninth term  they attend three
when they come out in gowns still more  classical lectures weekly, in addition to the
gorgeous than those of the Fellow-Common-   mathematical lectures.
ers.  A Fellow-Commoner of economical       "In their tenth term they have to attend
habits (and it is not easy for one of them to  examinations twice a week on the whole
be of such habits) requires ~500 a year, and   range of subjects required for their degree,
for the generality of them ~800 is not too   and their performances are reviewed by
much. I made the experiment with ~400,  the lecturers.
partly from  ignorance, partly from  the    "Students who declare their intention of
dashing way an American has of going at  proceeding in law after their previous exaany thing and trusting to Providence to get  mination, are consigned to the charge of the
through. The not surprising result was   college law lecturer, whose lectures and
that at the end of seven months I found   examinations they attend.
myself a thousand dollars in debt. Indeed,  "Any who fail to comply with the above
so great is the expense necessarily incurred   regulations, incur admonition, and more
by this class, to say nothing of their great-  serious punishment if the offence be repeater temptations to unnecessary expenses,  ed." —Cambridge Evidence.
that even eldest sons of peers sometimes
come up as pensioners, and younger sons      The regulations at other colles vary
continually do.                          from these, and are usually less strict.
"Pensioner is the name given to the main   The great bulk of the undergraduate's
body of the students. Sizars answer to the  time is ordinarily given to the private
beneficiaries of American colleges.  They  tutor, who is chosen by himself from
receive pecuniary assistance from the col-  among the resident Fellows, with whom he
lege, and dine gratis after the Fellows on   associates on terms of the greatest intithe remains of their.table. In former times   macy and friendship and by whose aid
they waited on the Fellows at dinner, but  he prepares for the University examinathis practice has long been abolished."-  tions, irrespective of the college lectures.
Bristed's Five Years at an English Universi-  By an estimate of the Dean of Ely,
ty, pp. 13, 14.                           ~50,000 per annum  is paid for private
The'University commission's reports  tuition at Cambridge.
make the average expense less. That of a    Professorships in the Universities have
commoner, which is the Oxford title, or  been created from time to time by private
pensioner for the three years, is from 500   foundations, by royal grants for the purto 600 pounds.                           pose, or by act of the University itself;
To show the ordinary routine of in-  the title is sometimes that of Reader, or
struction in one of the colleges, as a spe-   Prelector, or Lecturer. But few of them
cimen, we give the regulations for attend-   are at present sustained with any activity
ance on lectures, &c., at Trinity Hall,  or efficiency.' The earliest were those of
Cambridge:-                              Divinity, founded by Margaret, Countess
of Richmond, that at Oxford in 1496, at
"All students are required during the         *   *'  
first five terms of their academical course,  Cambridge     1502. The income of the
to attend five classical lectures, and from   latter is near ~2,000.
four to six mathematical lectures every     There are 26 Professorships, 15 Sadleweek.                                    rian lecturers, and 4 Barnaby lecturers at
"They have opportunities of attending   Cambridge, and not far from the same
some of the lecturers on certain evenings   number at Oxford.
in the week, either for instruction in corn-  The instruction is almost entirely by




178                        Academies and  Universities.                     [August
private tutors, and the process of instruc-   Philosophers-Cicero, Tusculan  Question what is called " cramming" for the   tions, De Officiis, De Oratore; Quinctilian,
examinations.  These examinations are  Institutes.
two, one about the middle of the three        Orators-Cicero, 12 Orations.
years' course of study for the degree of      " In addition every candidate is required
A. B., and the other at the end of it. A   to pass an examination in four books of
candidate for this degree must have kept  Euclid, in Aldrich's Syllogistic Logic, and
ten terms between that of entering and   to translate English prose into Latin prose
that of leaving the University.  As there   with tolerable accuracy. The latter constiare three terms in the year, this fulfils  tute one day's work, and the entire examithe letter of the  statute which prescribes   nation of an ordinary candidate is finished
the letter of the statute which prescribes
four years, the actual attendance being   onthe afternoon ofthe second day
but little over three.                        " The proportion of candidates rejected is
ordinarily about 30 per cent.; the proporThe study is mostly done just previous   tion who withdraw voluntarily, the same.
to the examinations.  The students select  So that out of 160 candidates, 60 would
from a prescribed list of authors those on   disappear altogether, 90 obtain ordinary
which they desire to present themselves.  certificates, and 10 be placed in the 4th
Out of the 500 ordinarily examined for   class of honors."
the Bachelor's degree, some 90 of the best    The three first classes constitute the
are  selected for a second  examination   tripos, for which there is a separate exaeight days subsequent, by the result of   mination.
which they are arranged in three classes
in order of merit, called a mathematical or   "All the candidates for honors," that is
classical tripos, according as the examina-  for the trips,  have the same printed
tion is a mathematical or classical one.  questions proposed to them  to be answerAs the subjects of the University exam    ed in writing. This branch of the examiAs the  subjects of the University exam-   nation occupies five days, the oral part one
nations, and the precise mode of conduct-          half to two and a half hous.  Th
and a half to two and a half hours. The
ing them, will be of interest to many of   books almost invariably  brought up,"
our readers, we make the following ex-   though optional, "are the Ethics and Rhetracts from the "Evidence," published in  torei of Aristotle; the Histories of Thucythe Oxford and Cambridge Commissions'  dides, Herodotus, and some portion of the
Reports.                                   best writings of Livy and Tacitus, the traThe public examinations at Oxford oc-   gedies of ~schylus and Sophocles, the
cupy three weeks.                          poetical works of Virgil, Horace and Juvenal.  Those who aspire to the highest
"The statute of 1830 requires every can-  honos add  to the  lists, for the most part,
didate for the degree of Bachelor of Arts,  the  politics of Aristo, or some of the
to bring up for examination the four Gos-  philosophmica           of Plet he
pels in Greek, and the 39 Articles of the   philosophical dialogues of Plato, and perpels in Greek, and the 39 Articles of the   haps the treatise of Aristotle on Poetry.
Church of England, with the scriptural   haps the treatise of Aristotle on Poetry.
Church of tEngland,  ith the scriptural   Occasionally Theophrastus, or Xenophon's
proo"s od them.                            Memorabilia; the Odes of Pindar; four or
" Under the head of Literae Humaniores,  six of the Comedies of Aristophanes; some
ey  are required to bring up (t their  of the Orations of Demosthenes; some porowii option) at least three Greek and IRo-  tions of Polybius; four of the six tragedies
man writers of the best age and mark.   of Euripides; Lucretius; the Comedies of
Custom requires a portion of two Greek   Terence; some of the philosophical works
and two Latin works to be brought up, one   of Cicero. In addition to this they are reof which must be a historical work.
"The Greek authors on former lists of the   quired to exhibit a tolerably accurate knowExaminrs are:                           ledge of the rules of syllogistic logic, to
write good Latin and Greek translations
Historians-Thucydides, 4 books; Her-  from English prose, and shjow themselves
odotus, 4; Xenophon's Expedition of Cyrus.  fair critical scholars, and acquainted with
Poets-Homer, Iliad, 12 books; iEschy-  the laws of classical taste.
lus, 4 plays; Sophocles 4; Euripides 4;    " The general subjects of theMathematical
Theocritus.                                examinations are Arithmetic, Geometry,
Philosophers-Aristotle, Ethics, 6 books,  Algebra, Plane and Spherical Trigonometry,
Rhetoric; Plato, 4 dialogues.              Conic Sections, Newton's  Principia, the
Orators-Demosthenes, 12 orations; De-  Differential and Integral Calculus, Mechanmosthenes and ~Eschines, De Corona.        ics, Optics, Hydrostatics and Plane AstronLATIN AUTHORS.                omy. Of late less attention has been paid
to Geometric knowledge, e. g. it is now
Historians-Livy, 6 books; Tacitus, An-   to Geometric knowledge, e.'. it is now
nals, 6; Tacitus, Histories, 5; Ciesar; Sallust,  rare for a candidate to bring up the first
with the Catilinian Orations of Cicero.
Poets-Virgil, Eclogueand Geogis   1830, and more expertness is required in
Poets-HVirgil, Eclogues, E.    and' r   the use of the analytic method." —Ox. Ev,
Aneid; Horace, Odes, Epodes and  Ars
Poetica, Satires, Epistles; Juvenal; Lucre-   P 290, et ante.
tius; Terence.                               At Cambridge the examination of candi



1853.]                    Academies and  Universities.                         179
dates for honors in the Mathematical de-     Co-ordinate Geometry. —O'Brien, Hymers,
partment " commences on the Tuesday next  Salmon, Walton's Examples.
succeeding Dec. 30th in every year, and is   Differential and Integral Calculus. —Moigcontinued three days. The subjects of ex-  no, Navier, Miller, Hind, Heming, O'Brien,
amination during these three days are Eu-  Hall, Hymers, De Morgan, Peacocke's Exclid, Conic Sections, Arithmetic, Algebra,   amples, Gregory's Examples.
Plane Trigonometry, the elementary parts    7Theory of Gravitation.-Airy.
of Statics, Dynamics, Hydrostatics and Op-   Statics and Dynamics.-Poisson, Whewtics, the first three sections of Newton's  ell, Earnshaw, Pratt, Griffin, Walton's ExPrincipia, and the elementary parts of Plane   amples.
Astronomy. The examination is conducted      Hydrostatics. —Miller, Webster, Walton's
entirely by printed papers of questions   Examples.
placed before the candidate, and a certain   Geometrical Optics. —Griffin.
fixed time allowed for answering the ques-   Plane Astronomy.-Herschell's Outlines,
tions in every paper. The written answers   Grant, Hymers.
to the questions are carried away, and ex-   Differential Equations and Finite Differamined by the moderators and examiners   ences.-Hymers, Herschell's Examples.
in their own rooms." There is no viva voce   Solid Geometry.-Hymers, Gregory.
examination at all.                          Physical Astronomy.-O'Brien's Tracts,
"On the Saturday of the following week   Airy's Tracts.
the moderators and examiners declare what    Undulatory Theory  of Light. — Lloyd,
persons have shown sufficient proficiency   Airy, Moigno.
to deserve places in the list of honors, and                       Camb. Ex. p. 229.
also what persons, though not sufficiently   There are three periodical honorary
qualified for honors, have yet acquitted   classical examinations:
themselves in the examination well enough
to be allowed to pass for an ordinary de-    "1. That for the University Scholarships,
gree, so far as the subject of Mathematics   which vary in value up to ~75. 2. That
is concerned.  The examination of the   for the Chancellor's medals, of which there
former is resumed on the following Monday,  are two, valued at 15 guineas each, open to
and continued five days. It embraces all  incipient Bachelors of Arts who may have
the other parts of Mathematics and Natural  been placed on the list of Wranglers or
Philosophy, which are the subjects of study   Senior Optimes in the January preceding.
in the University, and is conducted in the   3. The examination for the classical Tripos,
same manner as in the first three days."   now open to all who may have obtained an
At the closethe candidates are ar-  honor in the mathematical Tripos or a first..At the close, the cclass in the list of ordinary degrees."
ranged in three classes, called respectively
Wranglers, Senior Optimes, and Junior        There are also special classical prizes,
Optimes, constituting the Mathematical  as well as mathematical, from  different
Tripos, and the names of each class are  founders, assigned by different rules.
placed in order of merit.                    The number of names in the list of
classical honors varies from twenty to
"The subjects required to pass the B. A.  classical honors varies from  twenty to
degree are the first three books, and first   thirty.
six propositions of the sixth book of Euclid,  In the three  xaminations above mencertain specific rules of Arithmetic and   tioned, the can idates are required to
Algebra, and certain prescribed elementary  translate passages from Greek and Latin
principles and propositions of Mechanics and   authors into English, and passages from
Hydrostatics."                             English writers into Greek and Latin
Besides the general examination in Jan-   prose and verse.
uary, there are three additional for the     " In the first two, subjects are proposed
B. A. degree in every year; one just be-  for original composition in Latin prose and
fore Ash Wednesday, one at the begin-  verse. In all these, questions are set on
ning of the Easter term, and one at the   points of Grammar, Archoeology, or History,
beginning of the Michaelmas term, all  arising out of the passages for translation,
conducted as above described.              and general questions on Ancient History
List of Elementary Mathematical Works   occupy thesixthday."             Camb. Ex.
used at Cambridge.
Such is the constitution of the English
Algebra. - Peacocke, Hind, Wood, De   Universities. In our next will be preTrigononetry.-Hymers, Hind, SnowbalL   sented a brief sketch of the most imporGeometrical Conics.-Whewell, Hustler.   tant of those now existing on the continent
Theory of Equations.-Hymers, Steven-  of Europe.
son.




180                                                                  [August
REJECTED  MSS.
I NEVER would do for a publisher. I  the rule, and the acceptance the excepdon't mean to say that I could'nt work  tion; and if he only brought the tangible
for the public for nothing, and find my-  evidence of his toil and his many-a-wearyself. That I could do, in the usual way:  hour-enduring faith and hope-my forI could deceive myself year after year  tress would be carried at once. In every
with the idea that the time was corn-  one of those various-looking reams of
ing when my efforts would be appreciated,  spoiled paper, that I ought to look at as
and paid for in some way. I'm not with-  so much merchandise, I should see lampout experience in that sort of self-deceit.  light-work; and early-morning-work; and
I was once agent of a charitable associa-  note-book-thoughts copied out and amtion. Neither do I mean that I could'nt  plified; and ideas, or their substitutes,
carry on a business where every one, on   conned over and brought forth with that
both sides, producer and consumer, con-  intent frown that indicates brain-throes;
sidered me, as go-between, fair game;-   and whole pages rewritten merely to
where all taken from me was looked on   give a more felicitous turn to a sentence;
as a hard-earned right, and all rendered   and paragraphs read aloud to the family
me as an undeserved favor. Oh no! I  with strict injunctions of secresy, (violadon't mean that that would frighten me  ted by loving, second-person vanity, for
off. I once taught school. I don't mean  the sake of mysterious hints about our
that I could'nt go into a business where  book;) and corrections made solely for
endless detail was a necessity, and exact-  the sake of encouraging the timorous
ness of calculations and accounts an im-  critic-who, in fact, made the criticism
practicability;-where the second duty  solely for the sake of showing her affeewas always over-due before the first was  tionate interest; —all these things should
commenced —where adding to your force  I see, and many more, where I ought
of assistants. and thus to your expenses,  only to see so many pages of manuscript,
seemed to add also to your load; lighten-  which would make a book of so many
ing only that of those below you-where   pages, which such and such booksellers
the choice of occupation was limited to   would buy at such and such a price, in
the exercise of judgment, as to which job   such and such quantities.
was farthest behind-hand.  Far be it    Neither would selfish reasons alone defrom me. Reader. I have been, for some  ter me from setting up my hospital-my
time, in some sort, editor of a paper!  dispensary of out-door relief, to save calBy the by, as for this last sort of  low clients from the tender mercies of my
work, the making up for lost time —the   successful neighbor. But it would be no
levelling down of the obstacles that stick   kindness to any body. At the end of the
up highest-it is the kind that pays best,  two years aforesaid I should fail, and then
for there the least labor makes the most  the whole lot of authors (each reckoning
show. The higher the grass, the more  what a sale of 10,000 copies would have
hay you can cut in a day. Set no more  brought him), would think they had lost
copies, "Procrastination," &c. It's not the  by me all the money I hadn't paid them;
thief, it's the purchaser, and it pays well,  instead of having made out of me all I had
too. The horse that keeps ahead, half  paid them! Any time for twenty years
drags his wiser mate, who keeps behind.  afterward, you might hear Thomas, RichBut this by the way.                   ard, and Henry, making mysterious alluThose things are what I don't mean.  sion to fabulous sums they had lost by
If they were all (but they are not half) I  their publisher.
could be a publisher. What I do mean,    Poor fellows! The money they lost
is: I never would do for a publisher, be-  was a myth, but their real loss was the
cause I never could refuse a manuscript.  loss of a publisher. Never again-but I
My shelves would be crammed with a  am getting quite sentimental on a hypofrightful mass of trash, of the sort face-  thesis. It's only because poor authors
tiously known as " good stock to keep on   are concerned.
hand;" and my store would be as notori-    But  suppose  my  friends set me
ous in the trade as the hospital for the gra-  up again, to use the common phrase;
tuitous support of authors. In two years  which being done and interpreted, signifithe trade-sale people would have made  eth that I am joined in bonds (though
their fortunes out of me. I might occa-  neither holy nor matri-) monial with
sionally, if a man did not send his work,  somebody who will give me all the work
drop his letter surreptitiously into the   and none of the pay-all the blame and
basket, and give him a silent refusal; but  none of the discretion. Then it would be
even then I could not make the refusal  the old story of so many "successful part



1853.]                          Rejected IhSS.                             181
nerships" over again. A miserable rich     There is only one effort to be compared
man without leniency, dragging along an  to the offering of my book to a publisher,
unhappy poor man without obduracy, and   and that is scarcely enough unlike to
no one, not even the authors, but would  serve as an illustration. It is the offering
be worse off than ever.  When there  of a man's self to a maiden. The lover
were no publishers they didn't write  and I both stake our all on a single throw,
books. Very good. When I was alone,  feeling as if we should never do it but
I with a bland face accepted them. Very   once. We both impart for the first time
good.  When he was alone, he with a   to others what has been our owli staple
stern face refused them. Very good. But  of thought for months or years.  Even
now, they do write books, and the firm   our follies in the management of our vendoes refuse them, but not as before he  ture are similar. We both attach an exalone did; in an appropriate manner-a   aggerated importance to the influence that
manner that says, "I won't publish your  trifles may have on its success, whereas it
book because I don't want to-because  is probably decided long beforehand, in
the public wouldn't buy it-because you   his case and in mine. There will be no more
have'nt got talent enough to write a   doubt in the mind of the publisher ten
book."  That puts a man at his ease.  minutes after he has opened my budget
He does not go lingering away, thinking   than there will be in the mind of the girl
how unlucky he is-which is a very hard  ten seconds after she has opened his. If
thought to bear. He goes away briskly,  it is by letter, we both make many rethinking what a deuced fool he must have   vises; tearing up the first because it looks
been, which is a comparatively comforting   as if we had been too solicitous about its
one. Oh no. He of the frozen face says  exact wording; and the last, because it
stonily to me, " No! "  I of the melting  looks as if we had made several copies beface say sympathizingly to the expectant,  fore completing this fair one without blot
" My dear sir-I hardly know what to  or blemish. Even the color of the envelsay-the book is excellent on many ac-  op-his person and my parcel-are offered
counts-it has given me great pleasure to  in are the subjects of anxious deliberaread it-it would no doubt have a large  tion!
sale-" then finding myself getting near-   We both think of the possibility of a
er and nearer to acceptance, and further and   rejection-or at least we try to. We do
further from rejection, I begin again, and  think of it bravely when we are in firstbeg him to excuse the trouble we have put  rate spirits-after a strong cup of coffee,
him to-but-we are so full of business-   for instance - bravely - fearlessly - for
and then I feel as if I would like to cry, or  then it looks so very small. But, when
run away down the street without my   it comes fo the point, we have to turn our
hat, as hard as I could go, or do some-  backs on this same possibility, to keep it
thing desperate. But it doesn't stop till  from overshadowing us entirely:-it has
hie has, with fatal facility, removed all my   grown like a night-mare. We both hang
objections, and we've had an unhappy   our destinies on an idol we ourselves have
time a good deal longer.                 made, which wojld never have been a
What a humbug this sympathy is!  deity without us, and others like us.
Verily, it's sea-water to thirst —it's oil to    In case of a rejection we both are grieflames- it's ipecacuanha to sea-sickness!  vously distressed at what is probably the
Of course the man's wretched. Might he   best thing that could have happened to
not better be repulsed with the handle of   us. Not but what publishers make misthe awl than the point?  Wouldn't the   takes. Indeed they do! They have beback-track be better over rock than over  fore now refused books that would have
sand?  Ile sees from my air how much   made their fortunes! (The particular
cause I think he has to be miserable, and   one, who will understand the allusion,
he believes me. I see in him the embodi-  will please take notice that I bear no
ment of all the humanities herein before   malice. No indeed! I only pity him!)
mentioned, so he sees it too. If I saw on-  I wonder if WV. C. Bennett wrote this
ly the four hundred and eighty-second re-  poem before he had published any thing.
jected applicant, he couldn't do less than   I think not, however. Men write such
agree with me again, or, if he didn't, it  things, looking back on the feeling that
wouldn't be my fault.  Sympathy is a   prompted them.
humbug-in literary misfortunes.
So I never was made for a publisher.      "The scholar, he sits in his lonely room
(There being no one to dispute the propo-      In the heart of the noisy town,
sition is of course no reason for not repeat-  Asut little e marks its buscktle anghts dowin
ing it.  On the contrary it removes the       He flingss him back and he lives the time
strongest reason I could have against urg-     When, at last, to the people known,
His book shall make, with its toil of years,
ing the matter.)                               A home and a name his own.




182                  Russian Despotism  and its Victims.               [August
"The scholar, he lies in his lonely room,  No, I never would do for a publisherOn the bare cold floor he lies,
With the horror upon his upturn'd face  or if I did, any body could do for a pubWith which the self-slain dies;   lisher; and I, as a publisher, should inOn the table his work, refused, return'd,  continently be  done for."
Completed, yet known to none;
And where are the fame and the laughing home
That the scholar in hope had won! "
RUSSIAN DESPOTISM AND ITS VICTIMS-LEO, PRINCE OF ARMENIAIVAN GOLOVIN.
SOME few months since, the curiosity of   Bond-street, formerly one of the most
U the habitues of the London theatres  fashionable, but now  one of the most
was piqued by flaming posters put out by   rapidly declining business streets of Lonthe lessee of one of the minor houses,  don, are seated two persons, whose apannouncing the speedy production of a   pearance presents a remarkable contrast
new five act piece, under the title of Leo   both in physical and intellectual developthe Terrible.  The lover of the marvel-  ment. The elder of the two, a small but
lous promised himself a treat; and as  compact and well-formed man of about
his eye took in the colossal letters that  five and thirty, sat carelessly lounging on
formed the fiery centre-piece of one of  a sofa placed at right angles with the fireFrancis's most elaborate ajfiches, the his-  place, and listening with a sort of impatient
torical student puzzled his memory to fix  interest to the observations of his comits application.  Of the numerous Leos  panion. From the strongly marked Oriinscribed upon the roll of fame as warriors.  ental cast of his features, and large flashphilosophers, pontiffs, and patrons of let-  ing black eyes, he might have been taken
ters, he could not hit upon one whose  for an Israelite, a supposition strengthened
atrocities would have made out a satis-  by the characteristic precision of dress and
factory title to this formidable appellation.  love of ornament which distinguish the
The mystery remained unsolved until the   more opulent classes of the London Jews.
production of the piece. Never was a   The face, on the whole, was what would
public more completely sold.  Leo the   be styled by most people a handsome one,
Terrible turned out to be one of the   but it did not satisfy the critical observer,
tamest and most harmless of quadrupeds.  who looks for beauty rather in those traits
Scarcely had the amusement excited by   that indicate mental power, than in the
this incident begun to subside, when the   regular outlines that captivate women.
appearance of a truculent proclamation   There was an unsteadiness, too, about the
addressed to the Armenians, by an indi-  eye, and a nervous restlessness about all
vidual signing himself Leo, a sovereign  the movements of this otherwise faultless
prince, residing in the broken-down lo-  personage, that left an impression far from
cality of AMortimer-street, raised some   favorable to the strength and earnestness
doubts in the minds of the London gobe-  of his character.
mouches, whether their theatrical friend   Opposite him, buried in the depths of a
were not getting up another excitement,  huge leathern arm-chair, and enveloped
and contemplating a second edition of Leo  in the folds of a picturesque-looking dressthe Terrible. So little, in fact, is known of  ing-gown, evidently foreign both in its
the personage who presents himself under  texture and cut, sat a young man some
such a cloud of titles, and claims almost  few years the junior of the other, whose
to be heaven-born, that our cockney friends   massive square head, high cheek bones,
may well be excused for being doubtful  and expansive forehead, instantly arrested
as to its authenticity. Now, as none of  one's attention. From the Calmuck-like
our London contemporaries have thought  conformation of his features, and sluggish
proper to satisfy the general desire to  repose of manner, it was evident that he
know who this new potentate really is,  was one of those slow-blooded children of
who throws his weight into the balance  the North, in whose veins the fire of their
of the Turkish question, it becomes im-  Asiatic origin had been chilled down by
perative upon us to supply the omission  the influences of climate. His words fell
by laying before our readers such facts as  slowly and with apparent effort from his
personal opportunities have placed within  lips, and it was difficult at first to deterour reach.                               mine whether this heaviness of expression.*     *       *      *      *       was the result of constitutional indolence,
In a small and dingily furnished apart-  or of a studied control over his speech.
ment on the second floor of a house in   This latter supposition became confirmed




1853.]               Russian Despotism  and its Victims.                   183
when you found yourself subjected to the   Neros, Lusignans, and defenders of our
steady scrutinizing gaze of his cold gray  faith; and we say to you, let us defend our
eye, and had time to analyze the practical  creed and its purity from invasion until our
good sense and logical force of his obser-  last drop of blood."
vations.  At times, too, when certain      The country formerly subject to the
political topics were introduced, it became   rule of the Armenian monarchs, although
evident that there was no latent deficiency  its limits have varied from time to time,
of energy in his character.  He would   may be described generally as lying beforget for the moment the severe discipline  tween the Kur on the north, and the
of his usual manner, and give way to a   Khurdistan mountains on the south, havburst of vehement declamation that car-  ing the Euphrates from the ridge of Mount
ried every thing before it. When in these   Taurus or Erzingan on the west, and
moods, it became difficult to identify the   approaching to near the Caspian Sea on
fierce, thrilling demagogue before you  the east.  The soil is in general fertile,
with the cold, self-possessed, passionless  and where irrigation is practised, the probeing whose monotonous accents had been   duce is varied and abundant. In addition
falling so listlessly upon your ear.     to the Armenians, or native inhabitants,
In the first of the personages thus  the population is composed of Turks, Perbriefly sketched, we have introduced to  sians, Russians and pastoral hordes of
our readers Leo, Prince of Armenia; and   Turkomans and Kurds. After being long
in the second, Ivan Golovin, Prince of  governed either by independent princes or
Howra, an ardent republican despite of   vassals of the Assyrian and Persian emhis origin; both men in whose persons  pire, Armenia became the theatre of fierce
the most sacred rights have been violated   and protracted  struggles between the
by the Russian despot. Before entering,  Persians and  Romans.  Its monarchs
however, upon the chapter of Prince Leo's  were engaged in perpetual contests to
wrongs, it will be necessary for us to  preserve the independence and integrity ofquote the document above referred to, and  their territories, and although their reigns
then to take a rapid review of the histori-  present scarcely any thing but a long list
cal evidence upon which his claims are  of disasters, they exercised an important
founded:-                               influence upon the destinies of Western
Asia. Leo the First, who ascended the
Leo, by the glae of God, Soveregn  throne in 1123 at the death of Theodore
Prince of Armenia, Prince of Korinos, Prince   h        t
de Lusignan, Prince of Georgia, Prince of  his eldest brother, became so formidable
Gassan, Duke of Tyr, Count d'Almarie, and  that the Emperor John Comnenus was
Defender of the Armenian Faith. To the   compelled to raise a powerful army against
Armenians in Turkey:-Beloved brothers  him. Leo was taken prisoner, with his
and faithful countrymen:-Our will and   wife and two sons, and died in captivity
our ardent wish is that you should defend,  at the end of four years. Thoros, or Theoto the last drop of your blood, your country   dore II., his eldest son, succeeded in effectand the Sultan against the tyrant of the  ing his escape, and ascended the throne in
north.  Remember, my brothers, that in  1144. Leo II., surnamed the Great, and
Turkey there are no knouts; they do not  grandson of the preceding monarch, suctear your nostrils, and your women are not  ceeded to Rhoupen, his eldest brother, in
flogged secretly or in public. Under the   1183. He waged a successful war with
reign of the Sultan there is humanity, while  the Turkoman emir Roustan added conunder the tyrant of the north there are
nothing but atrocities.  Therefore, place  siderably to hs dominions, and obtained
yourselves under the protection of God,  from Pope Celestin III., and the Emperor
and fight bravely for the liberty of your  Henry VI., permission to assume the title
country and your present sovereign. Pull  of king.  He was crowned by Conrad,
down your houses to make barricades, and   Archbishop of Mayence, and anointed by
if you have no other arms, break your  the patriarch Gregory in 1198. He esfurniture and defend yourselves with it.  poused, immediately after, the sister of
May Heaven guide you on your path to   Guy de Lusignan, King of Cyprus, and
glory!  My blessings and prayers shall  distinguished himself by his victories over
attend you wherever you go. My only  the Sultan of Iconium, and the Mussulmen
happiness will be to fight in the midst of   of Syria and  Asia Minor. Leon III. sucyou against the oppressor of your country  ceeded in 129 to his father, Heythorn I.
and our creed. May God incline the Sul-to                        er
tan's heart to sanction my demand, because   who retired into a monastery. Leo IV.,
under his reign our religion remains in its  son of Theodore III., succeeded to his uncle
putre form, while under the northern tyrant  Heythorn II., who abdicated in his favor.
it will be altered.  Remember, at least,  He was massacred in cold blood by Bilbrothers, that the blood that runs in the   arghou, a Mogul general, who surprised
veins of him who now addresses you is the   him in his capital. Leo V., son of Oschin
blood of twenty kings; it is the blood of   and nephew of Heythorn II., succeeded to




184                  Russian Despotism  and its Victims.               [August
his father in 1320.  The Mamelukes,  under any other government which they
Tartars, and Turkomans,'successively in-  have had for the last three centuries.
vaded and ravaged his kingdom; whilst  Colonel Monteith says: "You may now
a fugitive and confined a prisoner in inac-  travel in perfect security with post-horses
eessible mountains, he vainly implored  from the mouths of the Phasis to the Kur,
succor from  the Sultan of Persia and   and the Caspian, through countries where,
the Pope.  He died in 1342 without pos-  in 1815, the roads were all but impractiterity.                                  cable, and exposed to the unrestrained
Jean de Lusignan was then elected to  attacks of robbers and other banditti."
the throne, and took the title of Leo   The consequence of this improved state
VI. He was of the same house of Lusig-  of things has been an extensive emigranan of Cyprus, a daughter of which had  tion of Armenians from the Turkish and
espoused Leo the Great. The history of   Persian provinces to those of Russia.
this monarch presented some features of    Owing to its migratory character, it is
romantic interest, which would have form-  difficult to estimate accurately the present
ed a fertile theme for the novelist. Im-  population of Armenia, but it is supposed
mediately after his accession to the throne,  to amount to upwards of 2,000,000, of
Cilicia was invaded by Shahar Ogli, a   whom two-thirds are under the Ottoman
Mameluke general, who ravaged the coun-  rule. The Armenian religion differs little
try with fire and sword, and forced the  from the Greek, although, as may be seen
king to take to the mountains, where he  from the vehement appeal made on this
remained concealed for nearly two years.  subject by Prince Leo to his countrymen,
In 1375 Leo returned to Tarsus, just as  the difference is sufficient to embitter
his wife Marie, believing him to be dead,  their relations with Russia. The Armewas on the point of wedding Otho, Duke   nians reject the decrees of the Council of
of Brunswick. Having re-assumed the   Chalcedon, and admit only of a Divine
crown, he endeavored to negotiate a peace  nature in Christ. In general they do not
with the Sultan of Egypt, who would not  acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope,
listen to his propositions.  War again   but since 1441 they have recognized as
broke out, and after a fierce, but ineffec-  their spiritual superior the Patriarch of
tual struggle, Leo again lost his kingdom   Echmiadzin, who resides at the famous
and his liberty, the latter of which he   convent of the Three Churches, near
only recovered by the mediation of the   Erivan, now in possession of Russia.
King of Castile, John I. He then tried     The descendants of the Jean de Lusigto engage the kings of France and   nan above mentioned, although stripped
England to interfere in his favor, but  of the greater portion of their hereditary
those princes confined  themselves to  possessions in the successive wars and ingranting him a pension for life. He re-  vasions to which their unhappy country
tired to Paris, where he fixed his resi-  was subjected, yet continued to preserve
dence, and died there in 1393.           that consideration and respect to which
With the efforts made by this last  their ancient lineage entitled them. The
monarch, every trace of the independence   Armenians could not forget that with the
of Armenia disappeared, and she was  history of this unfortunate family were
effaced from the list of nations. The peo-  identified some of the most glorious pasple began to seek an asylum in other  sages in their annals, and the hope was
countries, and were soon widely diffused  long ardently cherished, that in the revoover Persia, Turkey, Russia and India.  lutions to which  the Ottoman empire
Until a comparatively recent period, Ar-  seemed destined, the scattered elements of
menia was divided between Persia and   nationality might be again re-united, and
Turkey, but the latter ceded to- Russia,  the descendants of this long line of warrior
by the treaty of Adrianople, a considera-  monarchs replaced upon the throne. The
ble portion of the Armenian territories;  cession, however, of one of their fairest
and in 1827 Russia acquired the entire  provinces to Russia, and the certainty that
province of Erivan.                      where that formidable power had once
Notwithstanding the allegations con-  obtained a foothold, she would endeavor to
tained in the proclamation above quoted,  extend her sway, crushed the last aspira-,
and which may be in some degree attri-  tions for freedom that had animated their
buted to a keen sense of personal injus-  breasts. Even in the minds of the detice, there are grounds for believing that  throned family all hope was now extinthe occupation of part of Armenia by the   guished, and several members of it enterRussians is considered advantageous by   ed the civil and military services of Rusthe inhabitants. Whatever dissatisfaction   sia.
may exist on the score of religion, there  Prince Leo, the head of the family, and
can be no doubt that life and property  the subject of the present sketch, entered
are infinitely more secure than they were  the Russian army at an early age. His




1-t8531]..Russian Des'lpotism'  atdt'its T  ictims.         185
natural vivacity of character, amiable  occurred' to' his miind,:-and which is the
manners and ancient lineage, soon praur-  first to suggest itself to persons in his
ed for him the notice of all the distin-  position.    WFas vain, however, to specuguished  families' in- St. Petersburg.  late, and he knew too well the nature of
With the ardent temperament of youth,  the decree of which he was the. object to
of high spirit, and the opportunities that  hope that any' thing that he could say or
noble birth and ample means afforded-  do would alteirlis-destiny. Seals having
him, it is not to be wondered at that he  been placed upon his effects, including
plunged eagerly into that vortex of gayety  hereditary jewels to an immense amount,
and dissipation which renders the Russian   he was' informed that: he. would only be
capital so attractive to the provincial  permitted to take with him the few thounoblesse. There is no more dangerous  sand roubles that he happened tohaive in
ordeal, perhaps, for a youth to pass  his escritoire.  He was then hurried to a'
through, than that of Russian society.  drotsky that stood at the gate, and driven'
Ground down under the iron heel of a  off rapidly on a route which relieved his
despotism which fetters not only the free  mind from the apprehensions with which
expression of opinion, but which watches  it had been at first assailed. On reachwith the most jealous surveillance- even  ing the German frontiers he was liberated,'
the social intimacies, of those whose ante-  and laconically informed that the Emperor
cedents afford any room for doubt, an   had decreed his banishment from  the
entire abandonment to all the pleasures  Russian dominions, and that he ought to
of the capital seems in St. Petersburg to  feel grateful to his majesty's clemency for
be the only'mode of disarming the lynx-  not sending him to Siberia.
eyed vigilance of the authorities. Whether    We must here pause in our narrative to
from a conviction of this fact, or from the  reply to the obvious inquiry that arises
natural liveliness of his disposition. Prince  in the minds of our readers, as Xt the
Leo seemed for several years to forget  motives that di&ated this cruel and sumthat there was any other purpose in life  mary measure. To this day it remains
than that of enjoyment. His time ap-   without an explanation. We believethat
peared to be passed in one-unvarying  the''Piince himself is ignorant of the
round of military duty and dissipation,  slightest groupds'on which suspicion
and he was the last amongst the gay and   could be attached to his conduct. He
volatile youths of the capital to whom a  mixed himself up- with no political insuspicion of any political leanings could  trigues, and avoided as much as possible
apparently be attached.                being seen in the company of men who
This Sybarite career was, however,  were thought to be suspectes.  Like all
destined to-be suddenly cut short. Jeal-  the caprices of that inscrutable policy
ous of such an uninterrupted course of   which affects not only the omnipotence,
good fortune, Fate rudely severed at a  but the mysterious attributes of the Deity
blow the silken tissue of this butterfly  himself, the question seems destined to
existence.'         remain for ever unsolved.
At a late, hour one night in the depth  Making his way to Berlin the exiled
of winter, as the prince lay buried in  prince contrived to interest the Prince of
sleep, a'rough hand was laid on his  Prussia in his favor, and an intimation
shoulder, and he was summoned, in per-  was conveyed to him that the King had it
emptory tones, to arise. He started to  in contemplation to bestow a pension upon
his feet, and found himself in the presence   him. He was beginning to get reconciled
of the Chief of Police.                to his destiny, and to indulge even a hope
Pointing to some clothing that lay be-  that through the interference of the Prusside his bed, and which had been substi-  sian government his property in Russia
tuted for the full dress costume he had   might be restored to him, when the sun
worn in the evening, the stern official or-  of his favor at court suddenly became
dered him to put it on, and to prepare for  overcast.  He heard no more of his
his instant departure.  An earnest en-  promised pension, and it was finally hinted
treaty to know the grounds of this harsh  to him by the Prince that his further stay'
proceeding, or at all events the place of  in Berlin might be productive of incon-'
his destination, was met by the usual  venience. On pressing for an explanation,
reply of the Russian police. that it was  he learned that the Russian ambassador
their business to execute. and not to dis-  had been making strong representations
cuss the motives and intentions of the  to the King as to the displeasure with
Emperor. Feeling that it would be use-  which any interest testified in him would
less to remonstrate further, the Prince at  be held at the court of St. Petersburg.
once attired himself and made hasty pre-  Feeling it useless to struggle against such
parations for his journey. His heart  powerful influences, he decided upon retirsank within him at the terrible idea that  ing either to England or the United
VOL. II.-13




186                 Russian Despotism  and its Victims.              [August
States, countries in which the iron hand   convinced him, if indeed he had not preof the despot could no longer reach him.    viously arrived at that conclusion, that the
In London, in which for the present he  whole system of government in Russia
ultimately resolved on fixing his residence,  was'based on a wicked and monstrous
he found, if not the ease and courtly pa-  delusion. The comparison of the free intronage which had been promised him at  stitutions of England, with the debasing
Berlin, at least the security and freedom   and iron despotism of his native land, so
which had been denied him in other coun-  thoroughly disgusted him that he began
tries. Living a retired life, owing to his  to weigh the possibility of his returning
straitened circumstances, and mixing but  to live under such a system. The fruits
little with the fashionable circles of the   of his reflections were committed to writing
metropolis, but little is known of his his-  almost without a purpose; he exhausted
tory and misfortunes, beyond the circle of  the whole question, and his new views aphis immediate acquaintances.  To his  peared so conclusive to him, that he ulcredit be it said, that no one can bear with  timately resolved upon committing them
more equanimity those petty annoyances  to the press. On announcing for publica-.with which fortune delights in harassing  tion his " Russia under INicholas I.,"
her quondam favorites.                 a peremptory order was conveyed to him
Such is a brief sketch of the history of  from  St. Petersburg to withdraw  the
this descendant of a long line of warrior  manuscript from the hands of the printkings, who displayed, by the by, a greater  er, and return home.  The high-spirited
average amount of virtue and patriotism   young man returned a haughty refusal,
than is to be found recorded of any other  and the consequence was the immediate
dynasty. Although the passionate energy   and entire confiscation of his estates.
of his appeal to feelings long since dor-    From that hour Ivan Golovin openly
mant, if not wholly extinct, in the Arme-  proclaimed his attachment to republican
nian breast may excite a smile in some, it  principles. He entered warmly into the
is impossible not to feel moved at the re-  theories that were beginning to sap the
cital of his misfortunes. There are some  foundations of Louis Philippe's power,
points of analogy, too, between his posi-  distinguished himself by a series of pubtion and that formerly held by the pre-  lications, directed principally against the
sent ruler of France, which remind us  iniquities of the Russian government, and
that however remote seem the chances of  formed personal intimacies with all the
the political future, there are elements at  leading political characters who contributwork that may bring about the most im-  ed to bring about the revolution of'48.
probable events. After all, why should   Clear-sighted, sagacious, and moderate in
not our Bond-street acquaintance find   his views, however, he shrank from the
his Strasbourg and Boulogne on the   consequences that followed upon that
shores of the Caspian?  The man who   catastrophe. Confining himself to literary
invaded France with a live eagle and a   pursuits, he ceased to take any active indozen of champagne, eventually planted  terest in the events that were passing
the one on the arc de Triomphe, and   around him. On the accession of Louis
hob-nobbed the other in the halls of the   Napoleon to the throne, he felt that Paris
Tuileries. We do not despair of seeing   was no longer a safe residence for him,
our little pretendant yet realizing the idea  and accordingly withdrew to Turin, where
of the London manager, and astonishing   he established a journal advocating his
the world under the title of Leo the Ter-  peculiar views, and waging unceasing hosrible.                                 tilities with the Russian Government.
*  *  *      *     *     *      Owing to the medium in which it was
Ivan Golovin, Prince of Howra, is the   published, (French,) the paper did not
descendant of an ancient family, whose   meet with sufficient support to justify its
possessions, although not large, still placed  continuance. Its failure was the more to
them in a respectable position amongst the   be regretted, as it displayed evidences of
Russian nobility. More than usual pains  an earnestness and ability that might
were taken with his education, and his  have rendered important services to the
own habits of application and reflective   cause of popular freedom in Italy.
turn of mind effectually seconded the     For the last year M. Golovin has been
views of those who directed it. Having  residing almost entirely in London, occuearly acquired a thorough knowledge of   pied in the preparation of a work, entitled
the classics, he applied himself to the   L'Europe Despotique et Cossague. For
study of the French, Italian, and German  the consideration of the questions which
languages. As soon as he had mastered  its title implies, few men are better adaptthem, he solicited and obtained permission   ed, his enlarged views and varied acquirefrom the Emperor to travel. The results  ments rendering him fully competent to
of his observations in other countries soon  the task. Although a firm republican, he




1853.]                   Adventures on a Drift-Log.                        187
is far from being fanatical in his views;  his countrymen. Although but a young
he was one of those who were the first to   writer, his works have been extensively
recognize the truth forced upon us by the  translated on the Continent, and notwithpolitical events of the last few years-that  standing their prohibition in Russia, we
the republican theory is not always ap-  have reason to know that many of them
plicable-the results of the several at-  find their way there. It is men like M.
tempts made to force it upon the French   Golovin who collect' and keep alive the
having proved that it is yet unsuited to the   despised and half-extinguished embers of
genius and habits of that volatile people.    popular freedom. To a mission so disinA  severe political thinker, an ardent  terested and patriotic, if we cannot afford
philanthropist, and an indefatigable stu-  any very active support, we can at least
dent, 1M. Golovin seems likely to exercise  offer the full measure of our sympathy.
an important influence upon the minds of
ADVENTURES ON A DRIFT-LOG.
FROM THE UNPUBLISHED JOURNAL OF BANVARD THE ARTIST
g A HEAVY rise," as the boatmen call  severe concussion. I ran on deck to see
A  it, had been pouring its floods from   the cause, when I found an immense cotthe upper Missouri, and the surface of the  ton-wood tree, some hundred feet or more
Mississippi was covered with immense  in length, had been drawn into the eddy
masses of drift-wood, wafted from the great  with the roots directly against the bow
tributaries of the North, or-wrested from   of my boat, staving a hole in the s' guntheir crumbling alluvial banks. At such   wale plank," but fortunately above water,
periods, the navigation is extremely danger-  so that no leak occurred. I ran immedious for the poor flatboatman, as it is with  ately to the bow, where I discovered that
great difficulty he can force his unwieldy   one of the knotty branches of the root
craft through the moving raft of floating   was still sticking in the hole it had made,
matter; and, when he lands for the night,  and as the branch end above was " on the
it is of the greatest moment that a secure  swing " out into the current of the eddy,
harbor should be found behind some jut-  which was flowing at about three miles
ting point, away from  the " thread of the  the hour, it became immediately necescurrent," to keep out of the flow of the   sary to disengage the tree before it should
drift.                                  swing around square in the current, to
I had been toiling all day through one   prevent it from tearing the entire bow of
of the heaviest masses of floating wood I  my boat out; for the root had taken "a
ever saw on the great Father of Waters,  set " behind one of the upright stanchhad broken the blade of my starboard' ions, and, if not ejected before the tree
oar, which was caught in the dead branch   should form a right angle with the boat,
of a huge cotton-wood tree, and had   stanchions, planking, deck, and all were
rowed up directly against my flat, de-  bound to give way to the powerful centritermined to land at the first convenient  petal force that the huge log had now
harbor that presented itself, repair my   assumed in the whirling eddy. No time
broken oar, and lay by for the night;  was to be lost. I jumped on the bow,
as it was late in the afternoon, it be-  and with the handle of a boat oar tried to
came highly important to select, in time, a   force out the tree. I found this beyond
good landing-place, protected from, the   my power. By this time my two hands
floating timber.                        had got two sticks of wood, and come to
The sun was fast approaching the hori-  my assistance, but our combined efforts
zon, when I found myself in a "left-hand   were futile, for every second the tree bebend," with rugged shores, and no land-  came bound in tighter and tighter, and
ing-place visible; fortunately, at the point  finding it impossible to clear log, I orbelow, the current struck off sharply into  dered one of the men to cast off the bowthe right-hand bend, leaving a small eddy  line, so that the boat should offer no redirectly under the point, free from the   sistance to the immense leverage, as it
drift-wood, and in this eddy I effected a   were, of the tree. The timber of the bow
safe landing, made my craft fast to good   began to crack before the man could free
stakes, and prepared to stay all night.  the line, which was now extended taut.
I had hardly been seated ten minutes  Finding he could not free the line, I seized
in the cabin, when the boat received a  an axe which lay near, and severed it




188                     Adventures on a Drift-Log.                    [August
with a blow, just in time to save my craft.  tremely crooked, and the waters preThe boat now swung round, in the grip  cipitated from  the points to the bends,
of the Mississippi monster, and swung   where the flatboatmen find it sometimes
away from the shore by the bow, while the   very difficult to keep their boats from
stern remained fastened by its line, which   being forced ashore, on the bend side of
would reverse our position, and give the  the stream, especially at the place where
log a free berth to clear itself. But find-  this diagonal current strikes from the
ing my boat would not come clear around,  shore point above; this place is called
on account of its long "steering oar," I  by the boatmen the " bite of the bend."
jumped upon the log to assist it out of the   Well, I naturally supposed my log would
hole, by prying it a little. I had hardly  strike the shore near this place, in the
touched the log when my boat came clear  bend on the right, as the current was
round, the tree floated off free without  driving me directly towards the shore.
any further damage, and carried me along   I watched the line of the drift, and began
with it. I was now in a predicament, as  to make a resolution about at what point
I had no small boat wherewith I could   my log would strike, and ran my eye
get off the log, so I ordered the men to  along the shore to try and discover some
secure the fiat, and one of them to run to the   settler's cabin where I could hail for asupper end of the eddy with a small line.  sistance. I could discover none; however.
and at the point where I thought I should' my log began to approach the shore very
necessarily approach, to throw it to me.  rapidly, but, as I could see no settlement
He did so, the log drifted within fifteen   on the banks, I began to consider the
feet of the point, and had I known then   policy of leaving my bark, by jumping
what afterwards occurred, I could have   ashore in the wild woods, inhabited by
swam  ashore, cold as the season was.  all kinds of " varmints," as the backwoodsMy man threw me the line, which I made   men call -the wild beasts, where I would
fast to the root, but it was a small rope,  be likely to spend the night. But it was
inadequate to the task of holding an over-  not for me to decide; for, on approaching
grown cotton-wood tree, and it snapped like  the bend shore, I found the "boils " kept
a piece of thread, while the log receded   me from touching the land, even had the
farther and farther from the shore, when  fallen trees and brush which encumbered
one end struck the outward current of  the banks allowed the log to approach
the river, and the whole mass whirled  sufficiently near. These "boils," as the
round with the velocity of the fly-wheel  boatmen call them, are immense upheavings
of a steam-engine, and was then drawn   of the moving waters, which rise with a
out of the eddy into the furious current  convex surface, sometimes spreading out
of the river, and was wafted away at the  to near half an acre, and will whirl a
rate bf four miles an hour. My men-and  loaded flatboat round like a top, frequently
there were only two of them-when they   affecting the steerageway of a rapidly
saw I was carried away, endeavored to   moving steamer, and producing those anget the flat out of the eddy, and come  noying eccentricities which the river pilots
to my relief. The boat was cast off, and   call " sheers," not unfrequently throwing
drifted to the head of the whirling pool,  the vessel suddenly off its course. and
but wlien she came to the line of the cur-  causing it to run headlong into the banks
rent and the eddy, having no person to  or on the sand-bars with a heavy conguide her by the steering-oar, as the two   cussion, to the great terror of the passenmen had as much as they could do to pull  gers, and danger of the craft. These boils
the" bow oars," she whirled right round,  are the largest and most annoying in the
and was drawn back again into the eddy.  bends of the river, especially at the " bites"
I saw them make two turns in the whirl-  of the bends, where the diagonal thread
ing basin, and then tie up the craft, find-  of the current recoils from  the shore.
ing, it impossible to get her into the   These boils, too, are very capricious, for
stream. The current had now carried me  sometimes they assist the current in drivoff from the point into mid river, and I  ing the passing boat upon the shores, or
was fast driving into the bend on the   snags with which they are hedged, especiright, and as I knew from former experi-  ally should the boat be between the breakence of its being a "hard setting bend," I  ing up of the boil and the shore; of course
expected I would come into the shore,  the convex surface of the water being
where I could find a place to jump off the   outside, it is something like rowing a
tree on to terra firma.                 vessel up hill in endeavoring to keep away
One of the most striking peculiarities  from the shores. Then again these boils
of the Mississippi current is, that it never  force the thread of the current out from
runs in the centre of its bed, but is cbn-  the shore, and in this case it is as difficult
stantly flowing diagonally across from one  to land a boat, as in the other to keep it
side to the other; the river being ex-  from landing itself. But I am digressing,




1853.]                   Adventures on a Drift-Log.                       189
having followed the thread of the current  along the shore, and the rustle of the evetoo closely, even into the philosophy of it,  ning wind through the leaves, when the
and neglected the thread of my yarn.    end of my tree entered the counter curThe name of the bend I was in was  rent, between the main current, or thread,
known as the Cypress Bend, from the im-  and the shore. This whirled my log right
mense trees of this species found along its  round, as one end was travelling at the
shores, and I recollected that the next one  rate of five miles per hour, and the other
below contained the cabin of a squatter well  in the counter current at about two miles.
known to traders on the river asJohnny   Presently the root end of my craft was
Gheeho; so I concluded to stick to the log   brought round to the shore; I now ran
until I should be driven into the next left  towards this end as best I could, for the
hand bend, where I could hail his cabin  log was round, free of its bark, and slipfor assistance, and from his house it would  pery. I now had the satisfaction of seebe only a mile or so to cross the bend by  ing it going directly for the point, and I
land, back to my boat, although some   sought for a good position to spring ashore
twelve miles round by the river. I clam-  from one of the upper branches of the
bered up and seated myself in the bifulrca-  roots.  But I was doomed to be disaptions of the roots, which made me a very   pointed, for on nearing the point the sunkcomfortable arm-chair, and watched the   en branches of the root struck against a
passing shore. In my anxiety the cur-  huge "cypress knee " about fifty feet from
rent, though flowing at least four miles  the bank, when the tree swung round, rean hour, appeared more tardy than usual,  coiled, then shot off from the point into
while the declining sun seemed to de-  the current again, when I found myself
scend faster towards the horizon than I  drifting away to near mid river.  The
ever beheld it. I cast my eyes anxiously  concussion was violent, and brought me
down the bend to try and discover the   headlong into the lower branches of
right hand point, and the opening in the  the root. and partly into the water,
left hand bend below; but the bend in  scratching my right arm rather severely;
which I was appeared endless, in fact it is  but I clambered up again into my original
one of the largest and deepest on the Mis-  position in the fork of the tree.
sissippi. The sun began to dip behind     Night now began to approach, and I
the cypress-trees before I was half way   became rather melancholy. The stream
round the bend, and I began seriously to   was smooth, save where the huge boils
think I should have to spend the night on   bursted up with a rushing sound, and octhe log. I looked among the floating   casionally whirling my log around as if it
mass of drift-wood near me to try and   were a reed. I cast my eyes constantly
discover a small log, or slab, upon which   down the river, and thought the point
I could paddle myself along faster, or land   would never appear. The shades of night
when I saw a favorable opportunity. I  began gradually to creep over the landsaw none near-all were too small or full  scape, and I finally concluded that I
of branches. Just as the sun had disap-  would have to spend the night on the
peared below the impervious foliage of the  log. While watching the gradual disapcypress-trees, I observed a small "false  pearance of the sunlight, I heard the
point' in the bend, that is, a small projec-  rushing sound of an approaching snag,
tion resembling a point of the river bend,  and on looking down the stream I could
and which so frequently deceives the pi-  just descry it in the pale twilight close
lots in running of dark nights, when they   aboard, when suddenly my log struck
are taken for real points, causing them to  it, and for a moment it resisted our furmake their "crossings" before they ought,  ther progress, and I really began to fear
when they run their boats upon the sand-  it would hold the tree in its stubborn grip,
bars opposite. I naturally thought my   and refuse to let us pass; but it began
log would near this point, perhaps strike   gradually to sink beneath the weight of
it, when I could jump on shore and then  the huge cotton-wood, when the tree glidselect a smaller one on which I could pad-  ed off, and the snag reared itself twenty
dle along, and land myself at pleasure. I  feet in the air, swaying from one side to
watched the floating drift, and saw it  the other, like a savage monster recovermake directly towards this point, and  ing from a deadly struggle.
soon my huge cotton-wood began to ap-    At last the long wished for point began
proach it. I descended from my seat to  to appear, and the left hand bend to open
be ready for a spring; the small end of  wider and wider. Presently I discerned
the tree began to point for the shore. I  smoke in the distance: my courage revived.
ran towards this end and clambered out  I slowly began to near the point on the
on a projecting branch, ready for a leap.  right, but the current instead of being
The current flowed swiftly. I alrealy   driven over from the point into the left
began to hear the noise of the little eddies  hand bend, as I thought it would, was




190                      Adventures on a Drift-Log.                   [August
drawn into the " chute" of the island be-  and did not feel much like singing, "I
hind the point, and soon I was closed in  can ride and sleep."
the narrow channel of island No. 78. On   I now saw the light of a wood-yard
all sides I heard the rushing noise of end-  far down the river, and watched it with
less snags, and the falling of the crumb-  some anxiety, for I certainly expected to
ling banks, being washed away by the   be extricated from my unenviable predicrising waters. and I was fearful some   ament, if I could only make the people on
huge tree would fall from its hold and  the shore there hear me, for the woodmen
crush me to the bottom. It was now   usually' keep a skiff, or a "'dugout" at
dark. O! I shall never forget that pas-  their landings. While watching the flicksage through the island chute on my lone-  ering light, I heard the sound of voices
ly log on that gloomy night. Bounding   on shore, in the right hand bend.  I
from root to snag, from  snag to bank,  hailed, " Holloa, ashore there!" " Holloa
grinding, crushing  between masses of  yourself, dare," responded the voice of a
floating timber and falling trees. I grasped   negro. I told the negro the fix I was in,
the roots on both sides of me with my   and asked him to go and tell his overhands, to keep me from being cast into  seer, or master, to send a skiff out and
the furious flood at every blow the log  take me off the log. " No skiff, no nofwould make against the banks or snags.  fing on dis plantation; too fraid de niggers
All was dark, and the stars appeared to   will run off wid dem." I inquired where
wink with pity upon me. In about half  the next house was below. " Down on
an hour I emerged from this terrific pass  de pint, but dey got no skiff dare neider."
and drifted to the open river.          This was too bad. I heard two voices
By passing through the chute of the  then disputing about a Mr. Martin having
island I missed the left hand bend alto-  a skiff; one said he had, the other said
gether, and did not see the cabin of   he hadn't. I then shouted out, "Has not
Johnny Gheeho, as I had expected. I  Mr. Martin there got a skiff?"  "No,"
now heard the noise of a steamer ascend-  " Yes," came at the same time. "Where is
ing the river far below me, but of course   Mr. Martin's?"  " Down in de bend, cross
she would steer wide of the running drift-  de ribber, where you see de fire-light."
wood, so I neither expected any aid from  My hopes now centered on the light in
her, or danger of being run down. Pres-  the bend. "cross de ribber." and I was
ently I saw her lights, as she came round   gratified by seeing it burn brighter and
the point below, and as the pilot kept  brighter; the cause of this was soon exwell away from the shore bars towards  plained by the approach of another steammid river, I concluded to hail her as she  er, as they were kindling it up as a signal
passed.  She  approached  nearer and   of wood for sale. As the steamer came
nearer; at one time I thought she was  up she commenced ringing her bell, notiabout running over me, and I heard her  fying the people at the wood-yard that
stop her engines as she struck a heavy   she wanted wood, and when I was about
drift-log. but she was too far away for  a mile above I had the gratification of
me to hail. I sincerely hoped when she  seeing her land to take on wood, while
neared me she would run on another  the current was setting me over on that
log, that her machinery might be stopped,  side of the river towards her.
so the people on board could hear me      As soon as I was sufficiently near I
when I raised my voice. But no such   hailed, but had to call several times, as
good luck; for she came up and passed  the noise of throwing the wood on board
swiftly on, about half a mile to my right.  prevented the crew from hearing me. At
However, I shouted out lustily when she  last my hail was returned, as I floated
had arrived abreast of me. No answer  within two hundred yards of the boat.
came; on she kept her way, leaving me  I described the fix I was in, when the
drifting down the dark tides of the furi-  captain sent his yawl and took me on
ous river. As I sat listening to the re-  board.  It proved to be the steamer
verberation of her escaping steam, as it  Kentuckian, bound for Louisville. I had
echoed through the everlasting cotton-  drifted near eighteen miles from the point
wood forests on either side, I heard the   whence I started, and was' imprisoned
engines again cease their motion. Had   on the drifting log about five hours.
the crew heard me?  I shouted again.    After having taken on her supply of
No. She merely struck another floating   wood, the steamer continued her voyage
log, and on she kept her steaming way,  up the river. and I was safely landed at
and "left the world to darkness and to   my craft about 3 o'clock, A. M., which I
me."  Presently her swells came grind-  found moored in the eddy where I left it.
ing the floating drift, and splashing over  Of all the voyages I have made in my
my log, riding me up and down, but I  lifetime, I shall never forget that on the
did not find any poetry in the motion,  drift-log down the Mississippi.




1853.]                                                                  191
ON THE GOTHIC STYLE IN THE FINE ARTS.
IF that copy of Dante's Divine Comedy,  nothing but grotesque and  fantastic
which was once owned by Michael Ange-  variety. Our next we take from Archilo, and the margin of which was adorned  tecture, to which Sculpture was then only
with sketches illustrative of the text,  an adjunct or auxiliary.  Here we are
were now in existence, reprints of it  struck with a wonderful symmetry and
would make the fortune of some publish-  profound mathematical exactness.  How
er, and might afford material aid to the  did the samne age combine in itself characauthor of the present essay. But the  teristics so strongly contrasted?  Let us
book with all its pictorial treasures has  look into this matter a little deeper: it is
been lost,-sunk forever beneath the sur-  worthy of some study.
face of the sea. We must get along as    And here I must request the reader to
well as we can without it,-let us try.  examine any good print of the Cathedral
In the dark, or as we sometimes call  of Strasburg. Build in imagination the
them, the middle ages, when Architec-  wanting spire-(for like many other great
tore, Painting, Sculpture and Poetry were  churches, this one has grown old before it
awakening from their long slumber, they   was finished)-gaze upon it as a whole,
all bore a strong family likeness, and   until your eye is perfectly satisfied with
were animated by the same peculiar spirit.  its faultless proportions, — endeavor to
Whoever has had the good fortune to  realize what study, what calculation it
stand before some old Gothic Cathedral,  must have required to produce a combinasay that of St. Denis. and has pondered  tion of so much airiness with so much
over the grotesque sculpture in stone  stability;-examine well the three stories
with which the faqade is so widely cov-  of the faqade, and the three horizontal
ered. may have fancied himself gazing  divisions of each story: the main entrance
upon some of Dante's. wildest conceptions  leading the eye inwards by its perspective
petrified. He has seen demons of every  of clustered columns and groined arches:
possible shape, and in every conceivable  the two side entrances after the same style:
attitude, grinning, writhing, wrestling;  the gorgeous rose-window  emblazoned
some bearded, some clawed, some with  like the plumage of an angel's wing, and
satyr-hoofs and  coiling  tails, —goblins  encircled by a ring of flowered stone so
many-legged, amorphous, unimaginable,  light and graceful that it looks like a thin
sometimes tugging at each other in dead-  circumference of cloud around the orb of
ly conflict, sometimes trodden under foot  the rising sun;-mark carefully the slenby mitred bishops and mantled cardinals,  der mullions, the floriated window-shafts
sometimes crushed beneath monstrous'on each side of this; then the airy piercweights, until their eyeballs seem start-  ings in the division above; then the tower
ing from their sockets, and every feature   with its four spiral staircases at the four
is wrenched into distortion.           corners, which look as though they were
Entering the edifice, he beholds a con-  winding up into heaven; —and lastly, run
tinuation of the same fantastic imagery.  your eye up the diminishing line of the
A boat-load of the same kind of figures  spire until it rests exactly at that point
-even wilder than those without-frog-  of ascending space in which you wish to
headed, owl-faced, vulture-clawed, are  see the sacred symbol of our Holy Faith;
represented as pulling and tearing at  do this in a thoughtful and contemplative
Dagobert I., on his passage through pur-  spirit, and you cannot fail to admire the
gatory. The relief consists of three parts:  genius which conceived, and feel grateful
In the first, the king is portrayed as we   for the hands which executed such a
have just described.  In the second, St.  transcendent master-piece of art. ObDenis advances to the rescue: the oars  serve, too, the difference between this and
drop from the hands of the devils splash-  the horizontal symmetry of the Grecian
ing into the water, some of the demons  orders, —they, leading the eyefbrwards in
leap overboard, some howl and writhe  the space; this, lifting the eye and the spirit
under the blows of the saintly champion,  upwards: the one standing firm, but low
and the whole group is utterly panic-  upon the earth, at times almost crouching,
struck. In the third and last scene, the   as if afraid to rise too high: the other,
liberated monarch is borne to heaven by   with its aerial pinnacles and flying butangels-in a sheet.                     tresses, and cobweb tracery, mounting as
Is not this a better commentary upon  if self-poised and buoyant, with a spirit
the spirit of that curious age, than could  of irrepressible saliency.
be furnished by a hundred volumes?      And yet examine all this closely and
Our first example has been taken from   in all its minute details outside and in,
Sculpture.  It has presented us with  and you are confounded by its startling




192                On the Gothic Style in the Fine Arts.              [August
grotesqueness.  Viewed at a distance, or  ioned it in length, breadth, and height;
by moonlight, you are fascinated by its  and that all the other mystic numbers
symmetry, its grace: no treatise on   which belong to the Christian system
geometry ever presented the eye or the  found therein each its representative and
understanding with a greater number of  embodiment.
regular figures, squares, triangles and in-    Let us now take a glimpse at the art
tersecting curves. Stand before it by   of Painting, at that time, like Sculpture,
daylight, or enter and muse upon the   subsidiary to the master science. Here
mystic figures portrayed upon its painted   we find the same intimate interfusion of
windows, view with attention its statues,  the two antagonist principles spoken of.
its relievos, its gargoyles, and the hell and   And here, too, a third principle comes in,
heaven of the Scandinavian Edda do not  and, like the vital principle in an organic
swarm with more monstrous or fantastic  body, harmonizes the action of the flexor
forms.                                  and extensor muscles.
The very clock inside-we are still    To illustrate this branch of the subject,
speaking of the. Strasburg Cathedral-   we will select a well-known picture by
combined in its workmanship the same   Van Eyk, the inventor of painting in oil,
apparently antagonistic  principles, and   and the first artist who boldly cast off
was animated by the same wonder-work-  the trammels of the old Byzantine school,
ing spirit. Every hour of the day, we  with its gold ground and traditionary
are told (for though the old horologue is  stereotyped forms.  This picture is still
still there, it is now dead and speechless),  to be seen in the Cathedral of St. Bavon,
a cock advanced, flapped his wings and  in Ghent, and has always been looked
crowed twice; every quarter of an hour,  upon as a master-piece. It represents
an image of our Saviour came forwards  the Pascal Lamb.  The typical animal is
and drove back the devil; an automa-  represented as standing on an altar, with a
ton  boy struck  the hour, and  every  stream  of blood gushing from a wound
twenty-four hours a symbolical figure,  in his breast, and.curving down into a
representing the day of the week, drove   vessel on the pavement below. The Holy
round his chariot. As illustrative of the   Spirit, in the form of a dove, is seen at the
same quaint spirit, I will mention that I  top of the picture, radiating from her outhave seen an old town-clock in the public  spread wings, streams of effulgence which
square of the city of Heilbronn, before   dart in all directions, and which particuwhich two brazen rams stood confronting   larly illuminate with an encircling halo,
each other, and clashed the hours with  the head of the dying Lamb.  Groups of
their wreathed horns. In all this, what  worshipping  spectators stand  around,
a union of frolic, fancy and accurate cal-  each group having some allegorical signiculation!                               fication.  On one side the priests of the
But to return to these old cathedrals.  old dispensation, on the other those of the
What a subtle and mysterious symbolism   new, swing their censers and offer incense
pervades them! This seems to have chis-  to the bleeding victim, whilst angels with
elled every stone and to have fashioned   many-colored pinions gleaming far back
every figure. The Cross formed the model  in the holy illumination, lead the eye upfor the ground plan. The idea of the   wards and inwards, and add to the general
Atonement was the animating'heart of   adoration.
the whole structure. This moulded and     And yet there is something about this
spiritualized the whole; for necessarily   picture so naive and quaint, that, in spite
dependent upon this is the other idea of   of its extreme innocence and beauty, the
the Trinity, which, with vitally organic  spectator can scarce suppress a smile. A
power, concurred in shaping and vivifying   man unacquainted with the types and
the stony mass. Hence in so many of   symbols of the Mosaic law, and their fulthese old minsters, a nave and two side-  filment in the New Testament, would, we
aisles: hence the body of the church and   are rather afraid, feel disposed to laugh.
the transept: hence the triple windows  But to us, the sacred ideas and associain the east, each one containing a triple  tions which cluster around it, must ever
division: hence the three steps to the   preserve it from ridicule, and sanctify its
altar: hence the threefold division, hori-  outward absurdities. One gazes with a
zontally and vertically, of the faqade.  gentle, half smile at the long jet of blood
Every thing was significative and sym-  bending in parabolic curve, and falling,
bolical, from the octagonal font of bap-  with the accuracy of a well-aimed bombtism  near the entrance to the distorted   shell, into the vessel below, and as he
figures sculptured upon the eaves and   gazes, he blesses the simple-hearted and
water-spouts. Of such buildings may we   childlike artist of other days, who, having
not say that the idea of Unity compacted   no irreverent mirth in his own bosom,
the mass; that the idea of Trinity fash-  suspected none in others. The lamb




1853.]             On the Gothic Style in the Fine Arts.                   193
himself standing, in spite of his profuse  animals,-the whole, doubtless, profoundly
bleeding, firm on his legs, and apparently  emblematical.
unconscious of his slaughter, is a sweet    And now that we have passed through
innocent lamb, and the sight of him pro-  the lower forms in which this strange,
duces the same impression on the mind   mediaeval spirit showed itself, we are
as do those simple words which Shaks-  better qualified to appreciate its perfect
peare puts into the mouth of Clotem. " and   and enduring manifestation. If we have
every thing that pretty bin," and, which,  beheld with wonder the same tri-fold
though they offend the rules of grammar,  character impressed on the most intracgo straight to the heart by their artless-  table materials, can we look for any thing
ness.                                    else when we fix our eyes upon that masVan Eyk in many of his works has a   ter artist, who, ere the dawn of art had
middle and two side pictures, thus repre-  yet brightened into day, and whilst all
senting the same object at three different  things looked strange in the twilight of
epochs in time, and by three different  morning, wrought out his immortal conmanifestations in space, and yet all three   ceptions, not upon stone, or wood, or canforming but one whole,-mechanically, by   vas, or painted glass, but who built, and
being included in the same framing; spi-  painted, and carved, with written words,
ritually, by being banded together by   and words alone. The magic of language
unity of subject. A fine example of this  in the hands of such a master defies the
pictorial trilogy is to be found in his tri-  powers of calculation.  Open the'book.
une picture of the Virgin. And thus, in   Here you find the same wonderful wedfreeing himself from the stiff, hereditary  lock before alluded to. Open the book
symbolism  of his predecessors, did this  and examine for yourself.  But before
old artist adopt a symbolism of his own   reading a line, take another long look at
more in accordance with the spirit of the  the author's likeness.  That' expanded
age, and which, at the same time that it  and capacious forehead; those high cheekappealed to the understanding, left fuller  bones, sad and angular in their meagrescope to the powers of original invention.  ness; that keen aquiline nose; that proNor is this confined to the Flemish  tuberant under-lip, pouting with habitual
school. Micheal Angelo, both with pencil  but not malevolent discontent; that
and chisel, worked in the same spirit, and   sharply outlined chin; but most of all,
gave embodiment to the same bi-form   those deep-sunk, wonderful eyes, beauticonceptions.  Reason, the demigod, em-  ful for their very woefulness, gazing forbraces Phantasy, the Cloud. and the off-  ward into the empty void as if half in bespring is a combination of two opposite   wilderment at some strange vision just
natures. Hence his statue of Moses dis-  evolving from the innermost depths of his
figured by a pair of horns. Hence, in his  stormy-tender spirit,-doesn't he look
last Judgment in the Cistine chapel, the  like the builder of the Divine Comedy?
grim ferryman with his uplifted oar, the       "Col viso, the tacendo, dicea' taci.'"
thwart, distorted attitude, the dismal yvam-  Let us now examine the grand old
pyre wings, the giddy, headlong fall; and   poem itself with a quick but scrutinizing
even the ascending figures, the saints and   glance; let us look at it outside, and inmartyrs, are seen bearing aloft the instru-  side, and all over, in the same spirit in
ments of death and torture, as if even   which we should study some magnificent
heaven itself must be filled with the sym-  Gothic minster. As a whole, what faultbols and remembrancers of earthly agony.  less symmetry! in detail, what thoughtThe whole, both in conception and execu-  bewildering irregularity! In its outlines,
tion, is Dantesque in the extreme.       mathematical to a fraction; in its imagery,
But before coming to Dante himself,  fantastic to extravagance;-one, and yet
let us take a hasty glance at the curious  composed of three equal parts. Why, the
carvings in wood which were produced   very structure of the verse (terza rima) is
about the same period, and were another  a succession of triplicate evolutions,-a
outgrowth of the same wonder-working   perpetual twisting of the same threeera. We have seen in an old church in  stranded cord,-a triple intertwining of
Belgium the pulpit upheld by four figures  an embroidered network which extends
carved out of oak, —the ox, the lion, the  from heaven to hell, reminding us of what
eagle, and the man. —the well-known   Spenser quaintly calls "the trinal triplisymbolical representations of the four  cies."  Have we not here the cruciform
evangelists.  In another, the preacher's   Gothic cathedral, the three aisles of the
desk was supported by the trunk of a   Strasburg minster, the three portals, the
tree, the branches extending upward,  trefoil windows, the three-fold division of
arched over in the form of a leafy canopy,  the facade?  And, yet, what poem  or
the tree surrounded by a vine, and both   what church ever possessed more perfect
filled with bird and beast and climbing   and complete oneness?




194                 On the Gothic Style in the Fine Arts.              [August
Viewed in this connection, we find that  imagery. of the poet and the sculptures
a trifling inequality of one of the corn-  and paintings we have just been conponent parts is perpetrated for the very  sidering.
purpose of attaining a higher equality, a  In canto VII of the Inferno we read of
more transcendant evenness. I allude to  one of the evil spirits who
the fact that one of the great divisions        "Storse la bocca, e di fuor trasse
into Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, contains    La lingua, come bue che'l nass leccho;"
thirty-four cantos, whilst each of the  thus grotesquely comparing him to an ox
others has only thirty-three, thus making   who puts out his tongue to lick his nose;
up the round and even number one hun-  an action which we have all of us witdred, a multiple of the sacred number  nessed, but which none but a poet of the
ten.                                     middle ages would have introduced into a
And here we may observe that Spen-  Divine Comedy. And that other quaint
ser's Fairy Queen, though built more than   passage where, in describing the Lake of
a century and a half later, is a structure   Pitch, he brings before the reader's eye
of the same general character; for Spen-.  a cluster of sinners, croaking upon its.
ser assumed a style and language much   borders, with only the nasal organ exmore antique than that which belonged   posed above, the fluid. like a parcel of
to the age in which he lived. Here we  frogs with only the nose above the staghave (viewing it according to the origi-  nant water.
nal ground-plan of the poet, which he      But enough. In conclusion, I would
lays down so quaintly, but at the same   only observe that the same thing may be
time so definitely, in a letter to Sir Wal-  seen in the works of nature. It is singuter Raleigh, Knt., but which he never  lar with what numerical regularity. in
lived to complete,) here we have for the  the midst of boundless variety, she has
number of lines in a stanza 3 X 3-9; for  measured most of her productions. The
the number of books XII., the same as  motion of the spheres as well as of Dante's
that of the cardinal virtues; the number  poem is graduated by the most unvarying
of cantos in each book also XII.         exactitude. There are as many forms of
But this contains only half of the mag-  inflorescence as there are of versification;
nificentdesign. "For," says theallegori-  the octave stanza corresponds.to the
cal bard, in his own quaint way, " I labour  octandria of botany. The same thing is
to portraict in Arthure, before he was  observable in the motions of the animal
king, the image of a brave knight, per-  creation. Bees and pheasants fly in lines
fected in the twelve private morallvertues,  perfectly straight; cows return in single
as Aristotle hath devised; the which is  file from pasture; wild-fowl fly over our
the purpose of these first twelve bookes;  heads every spring and autumn in the
which if I find to be well accepted, I may  form  of a wedge or open triangle; parbe perhaps encoraged to frame the other  tridges sleep at night in little circles with
part of fpoliticke vertues in his person,  their heads outwards.  Who  has not
after that hee came to be king."  Of this  heard of the structures of the beaver?
grand conception little more than one  Who  has not read of the wonderful
fourth, if ever executed, has come down   mathematical problem  involved in the
to us. Six books we have entire. One   cells of the bee-hive?  And, to go down
small but exquisite fragment, which was  still lower in the scale, who that has ever
intended to belong to some part of the   witnessed the magic of crystallization,
unfinished structure, but what part is  as exhibited under the solar microscope,
now uncertain, still hangs without foun-  has failed to trace the same wonderdation or support, self-poised and buoy-  working law pervading even inanimate
ant by its own intrinsic and aerial loveli-  and inorganic nature-the same-but I
ness. And, yet, within this mathemati-  desist-the subject is not so easily excal. regular plan, marked out by line and   hausted as may be the reader's interest
compass, what involution of plot, what  in it, and I shall here bring my remarks
fantastic and unbounded variety of detail.  to a close, hoping that in the world to
almost rivalling in this respect the magic  come we may all witness higher and
creation of the great Florentine!       more ravishing manifestations of wonders,
To return for a moment longer to Dante,  of which, as yet, we have caught but fugiI shall only adduce a few examples to  tive and imperfect glimpses.
showv the striking analogy between the




1853.]                                                                     195
VIRGINIA: PAST AND PRESENT.
him-for the Indian roamed there still.
THE PRESENT RACE OF VIRGMANS AND THEIR ANCES-  Newspapers and literature at large were
TORE.                   a proscribed commodity, thanks to Sir
IT is scarcely possible to realize fully at  William Berkeley and his successors: he
this day the difference between the   knew not what was going on in the next
present race of Virginians aid their ances-  county, and the man who had made a
tors. There is no more similarity be-  journey to the little metropolis-of Midtwecn the people of Virginia in past times,  dle Plantation, or Williamsburg-was
and in our own, than there is between the  listened to by his neighbors as to a miniaold colony, hugging with fond jealousy her  ture Herodotus. At intervals might have
isolated country life, and the new  land   come wandering rumors from  the norwe live in, with its railroads, canals, cities,  thern cities, telling of government oppresand watering-places-all so undreamed of  sion and colonial murmurings; or vague
a century ago!                          reports of Indian campaigns, and wholeNow the traveller is whirled along on   sale frontier massacres, far beyond the
his way, by a power which has revolu-  Blue Ridge, and Winchester, that sentinel
tionized that Old World: a power which   of a forlorn hope which had dared to cross
asks you but to tax for it the stream, the  the mountains, and penetrate the heart of
forest, and the bowels of the earth, to  the Indian woods. At intervals a vessel
simply hew down the hills, bridge the   arrived-from  London or the West Indies,
rivers, and tunnel the mountains, and in   which brought with a new Order in Counturn, lilke the Arabian carpet, it will an-  cil, or a fresh instalment of negroes, some
nihilate for you space and time.  In a   confused items of foreign news; or, perfew hours the man of our day is borne   haps, -some young Virginian, fresh from
with the speed of the wind beyond the   Oxford or Cambridge, astonished  the
borders of his State, and at New-York a  country gentlemen of his native county,
steamer awaits him, which in ten days  with the last intelligence from the mother
will land him in the Old World. He may   country-the newest Parisian mode-or
go and remain a week at the Trans-Alle-  better still, brought in his travelling trunk
ghany watering-places, and return to his  the best productions of English or Eurohome on tide-water, before his absence   pean writers, or the earlier numbers of
has been remarked.  Unceasingly the  the "Gentleman's Magazine," or a file of
steamboat and the railway pour into his  London papers which would afford plealap, at prices almost nominal, the newest  sant reading for the next month, to the
and most striking productions of Euro-  neighbors, for miles around. In  later
pean and American literature: newspapers  times, of course, this changed in a sensible
freighted with intelligence from all parts  degree, and the journals slowly found their
of the world come daily to his doors; and   way into the colonies.  For a long time,
should New Orleans to-morrow be swept  however, the Virginia country gentleman's
away, the telegraphic. wires would bear  library consisted of a copy of Shakspeare,
him the intelligence before the fleetest wind   some works. on Tilling and Farriery, a
could waft to him the wailing of the South.  Turf Register, recounting the exploits of
Every hour the never-tiring current  favorite horses, and a few odd volumes of
communicates some new matter for won-  old-fashioned novels: a newspaper was
der, every day the papers spread for his  seldom seen among them.
delectation a feast of marvels, whether    There were no cities in Virginia, even
from the feverish South, or the many-sided   no towns. at the tilme of which we speak.
North: at stated  periods Europe' and   The country gentleman. had a peculiar
California tell him of their doings, and for  and most genuine dislike for centralization
the mind which revolves and ponders the  in every form. He had an aversion to
progress of humanity, food in lavish abun-  too much government, and gladly encoundance is never wanting.                  tered the alternative of too little, if he was
To realize the Virginian's life in the   but left to lord it in peace and quiet over
past, all these things must be forgotten,  his large and well-conditioned household.
for the shadow of such marvels even had   Here he was supreme lord-a species of
not fallen on his mind. He could not  feudal baron, living in a sort of noble protravel as men now travel, for no cars or  fusion and case, which gave room for all
steamships.were in existence; and had   his peculiarities and  idiosyncrasies to
the trackless forests of the colony been   spread themselves at will, and gratified at
pierced by his lumbering carriage, no gay   once his hobby of paramount rule and
springs such-as now glitter past the rug-  his virtue of liberal and indiscriminate
ged Alleghanies would have welcomed   hospitality. In vain did the government,




196                     Virginia, Past and Present.                  [August
whether in London or Williamsburg, ful-  tor's" table afforded; he was treated
minate act after act at this instinct; de-  kindly; assisted, if need be; but with
creeing even that tobacco, the staple of  the profuse hospitality lavished on him,
Virginia, should not be shipped except at  all connection between them ended. To
certain spots upon the rivers; in vain  do more would have tbeen to forget what
were towns laid out and incorporated.  in the nature of things he could never
The cities did not appear, the towns were  lose sight of —the fact that he was one of
not built up; and these localities remain to  the gentry —his guest a commoner.
this day with their dilapidated wharves.
and old crumbled warehouses, an eloquent
memento of the vain attempt to force thisef outline, with a thousand
stubborn race to abandon what they clung   salient points hurried over or omitted, was
to with the pertinacity of martyrs-their  the Virginian of the tide-water region.
He remained such until the Revolution;
But this life was not in another sense  by which time Western Virginia settled
isolated. At every court-day the county
was brought together. Visits were cour-  the poorer class, many of the rich too, to
teously exchanged between neighbors,  its thriving borders.
and the owner was proud of his fineblooded horse, his trotting mares, or the                I.
six well-conditioned grays which thun-    THE MOUNTAIN REGIONS AND ITS INHABITANTS.
dered along with the old family chariot.  THESE " endless mountains," as the InThis vehicle, which had come all the way   dians called them, grand and beautiful,
from  London, was, on all occasions of  with their winding rivers, and valleys,
ceremony, of indispensable importance, and   and old forests, nourished, and still nourish
in journeys of any length it ever came  a race of men rugged as their granite,
prominently into play. That was no trifle,  untrammelled as their torrents. Here,
to travel in state the twenty or thirty   where pine rises above pine, peak above
miles a-day which it accomplished. The   peak, until their azure melts into the
coachman must time his posts by the   deeper azure of the sky, nature would
road-side taverns or private residences,  seem to have fixed the peculiar dwellingcompetent to recruit the energies of him-  place of those who have inhabited the
self, his animals. and the half-dozen per-  region.  It is the land of hunter John
sons who, temporarily, existed in this mov-  Myers, and  numberless Leatherstocking mansion.  The appearance of the  ings; —of Indian wars, and vast skeletoncoach was every where greeted by the  filled mounds, of which the tall hunter in
artisan or humble farmer with great re-  that little lodge on the brow of the rough
spect, but ill-concealed distaste.  The  gap yonder can tell you inuch. He has
pedestrian was covered with a cloud of   good reason to recollect those times; for
dust as it rolled grandly onward, and the  the frontier " settlement" of his boyhood
humble carter must carefully keep from   was one night kindled into a bright blaze,
the middle of the road; otherwise a splin-  and his father's gray hairs were dabbled
tered wheel and a roll in the dirt would  in his life-blood, and the old man now
warn him to make way, next time, for  narrating to you these far away things
the " gentry."                         was carried away into the wilderness by
And here we come to trace the repulsive  his Indian captors, who met their fate at
side of this old generation: —as we have  his childish hands.*  A thousand such
spoken of their other deficiencies, very  incidents dwell still on the memories of
briefly.  Honorable, hospitable, and at  old hunters; and these men are now
the bottom of their hearts kind and chari-  what they were then called, "kings"table, they yet nursed a high and over-  kings of a vast range of mountain and
weening sense of their own importance  valley, where they have for subjects, adand dignity.  Long supremacy among  ministering to their wants, the deer, the
their negroes and indented servants had   otter, the bear, and every beast of the
taught them to expect implicit obedience  forest —their regalia a hunting-shirt, fur
from all inferiors; and, if any one so un-  cap and a rifle.
fortunate as to belong to the commons and  He is unchanged from what he was in
thus to be inferior to them in blood, re-  the past time he tells of-though now the
finement, and possessions, did not yield to   whole race is dying away before the inextheir arrogance, every means was put in  orable immigration of the poor European,
requisition to reduce him to his proper  and the rich speculator. But while he
level. Such a man was at all times wel-  lives his glance will wander to that dim
come to the best the "gentleman Proprie-  past, and he will again live in its scenes
* See Kercheval's'"History of the Valley of Virginia."




1853.]                  Virginia., Past" and Present.                   197
of honor and delight; —in its triumphant  table intellects who have risen in this
hunting campaigns, of which the opima   new continent of ours, the world knows,
spolia, more precious than gold and fine  are Virginia-born: and here she will ever
linen, were the meat and fur of the game;  be great and powerful.
-in its strange, wild, uproarious jubilees,    Not so in physical, material things.
when the young men of the border " ran   There yet sleep in the vast mountain-ribfor the bottle," and courteously offered  bed regions of the west those inexhaustbroad knees to their fair partners, when  ible mines of mineral wealth which were
the dance was kept up from early torch-  placed there at the creation. Comparalight until dawn.                      tively nothing is done; nothing when the
These men are distinctively of the Vir-  evil is so manifest, and the immeasurable
ginian type-the unmixed blood of Eng-  good go plain! A  vast, never-ending
land-such  men as came hither with  supply of minerals, more valuable than
Captain Smith. Watch the hunter when  all the gold of California and Peruhe comes in his mountain wagon to the  though gold too is there-lying inactive,
Berkeley or Sulphur Springs to sell the  because of the supineness of the heirs to
buck, the result of his early tramp in the  all this mighty wealth: —this is the West.
forest. In the clear, well-cut profile there   Cities which slumber on the banks of
is neither German, Irish, nor French cha-  stately rivers to the murmur of their waracter; the bold and keen yet frank and  ters, or, waking from their sleep at interopen eye which rolls under the shaggy   vals, talk loudly of their political rights,
brow cannot be mistaken. His gait is  constructions of the Constitution, and the
that of the descendant of men who knew   good old "Resolutions," never casting
what liberty was, and prized it; and added  any single thought upon that rich western
to this is the bold carriage of one who  region which calls to those cities to assist
has trod the mountains from his child-  it in building up their commerce and
hood. He carries his rifle with a careless,  their strength, but slumbering on: —this
easy grace, knows not what it is to feel  is the East.
abashed in the presence of any man, and  But the tide-water does not always respeaks with calm simplicity and ease. He  main supinely inactive, forgetting its own
knows nothing of this gay company, how-  interests and that love which it has alever:- how should he?  He wears the  ways felt for the people of the Trans-Allehunting-shirt and carries the rifle and  ghany. At stated periods it rises in its
knife-the knife still red with the blood  strength, and lately has done well, as all
of the slaughtered deer: they shine in  acknowledge: —still there is a barrier, and
broadcloth and satin, and dangle delicate,  that is no trifling obstacle.
ivory-headed canes from fingers cased in  This barrier between the two regions is
perfumed gloves. He has dwelt all his  the Blue Ridge;-that "Blue Mountain"
life in the rugged wilds of the mountains,  which was the Ultima Thule of Spottswith scarcely any company but that of  wood's march, far back, in the beginning
the deer, the wild-fowl, and the ever-chang-  of the last century-which divided him
ing skies and forests:-they are from the  from  the Indian and unknown landeastern cities, where they pass their lives  and which stands still a mighty barrier
shut up in brick and dust, and live con-  in our day. It alone separates the tidetented with their town duties and enjoy-  water from the beauty and wealth of the
ments, careless of all he prizes. In no-  great valley. For long, the East and the
thing are the hunter and the crowd alike:  West hurled themselves against it with
-he does not sympathize with them, or  unavailing effort. It still stood, crowned
understand them. All their pursuits are   with its clouds, and seemed to bid defialien to his tastes, all their pleasures a  ance to all attacks. But of late this giwonder to him.                         gantic strength begins to totter; its hoary.
Give him his money and he will return,  entrails have been pierced; and soon it
happy and contented, to his wilds, singing   will groan and murmur as the long train
as he ascends his mountain.            shoots though its heart toward Staunton,
or, scaling the heights at Manassa's Gap,
flies along the banks of the Shenandoah,
II.L                  toward Strasburg, past the old haunted
THE BLUE BIDQE, THE BARRIER.    Massinutton.
VIRGINIA can never be great and power-    It is a sad sight to see —these old
ful until her eastern and western country   mountains laughed at and marred by the
are banded together with iron and steam.  hands of yonder specks which delve into
Great she assuredly has been, and is, if  their bosoms; to see these noble solitudes,
the fame of the child reflect aught of glo-  and beautiful upland farms, no longer fair
ry on the mother —rather the fame of  and retired; that a few more barrels of
many great sons. Many of the most no-  corn, a few more bushels of wheat. may




198                     Virginia, Past and Present.                 [August
seek, through Alexandria, the ocean. But    With such veritable scenes of true histheir beauty and strengthshall avail them   tory in the memory, these old blackened
nothing-their historical and tradition-  walls grow eloquent of the past-of other
ary interest must yield to more pressing  times and other men.
claims-the claims of the new era. Those    In Western Virginia the scene is " with
enormous pines which stretch out their  a difference' the same. This too is one
branches toward the South, imploring   vast battle-field, and more than even the
pity, shall crash down-the tallest oaks,  East-though it point back to Captain
century, or centuries old, which have  John Smith and Powhatan, and their maseen the Dark Ages of Virginia, shall lie  ny contests-the battle-field of races.
prostrate, like fallen giants. Let them   Scarcely is there a spot but could relate
crash! let them  fall! -We lose a real  its story, worthy to be preserved in our
good, but we grasp by that loss a greater.  chronicles. Yonder old and strong-built
Soon the treasures of the West will pour  house of weather-embrowned timber, or
through a thousand channels down into  rugged limestone, was in times past a
the East, and, like a strong man waked   "Fort "-it is called by some such name
by good news, Virginia will rise up in her  to this day. On every alarm of'lndijoy and strength, and see that the old  ans!" the neighbors for ten miles around
things have passed away, and behold all  flocked with their families and their housethings have become new!               hold utensils, hastily bundled together, to
the walls of "The Fort," leaving: their
houses to be plundered of the few articles
HISTORICA REMAIN8 OF THEE EAST AND WEST: IN  remaining, and then to be burnt, as was
THE FORMER, OLD MANSIONS; IN THE LATTER,  the Indian custom. Some hardy persons
MOUNDS AND SCENES OF COMBAT.          disregarded the warning and were butchEVERY WHERE in the Eastern lowlands,  ered, but the bravest thoughtit no shame
and the Western mountains (though  to hasten to the strongly bastioned fortthere are fewer found there), are old  ress. That was a dreadful foe who came
houses, which, if their walls could speak,  over periodically —in May and the Indian
would unfold many things which our util-  Summer —from  the Muskingum, to the
itarian age would gladly give ear to. To   Hockhocking  and the Kanawha, who
the traveller in the tide-water region, ap-  spared no lives and allowed no house to
pear at intervals over the low moorlands,  shelter in peace the alien race which had
or the cypress and juniper swamps, old  usurped his birthright. You may yet see
edifices with  torn   window-shutters,  the marks of fire on the stockades, where,
blackened brick, and moss-covered, and   under cover of night and silence, the wary
broken-down walls. Could he live for a  savage applied the torch, only to meet his
time in the past, he would see these de-  fate from the rifle of the sleepless borderserted mansions peopled with their hos-  er. These river cliffs have echoed savage
pitable owners and their families; the   shouts; these large pines have sheltered
grounds well-kept and pleasant to the  the Indian or the white hunter; along
eye, every where order and repose. Then  that mountain-path the tender wife of the
some morning a corps of British soldiers  settler has been dragged, her skirt cut
would clatter to the door, and thunder  above her knees to accelerate her pace,
for admittance; the afflicted family would  by the wild bands who have rifled her
fly, and the brave gentleman himself think   husband's house, slaughtered her children
it no disgrace to bring up the rear of the   on the threshold, and who, if she encumgalloping party, belonging as he did, heart  ber them, will strike her dead without
and body, to Washington and America.  pity.
Once admitted by the old negro major-    Scattered throughout the whole valley,
domo, the ravage commenced:-windows  and far befond the Alleghanies-as well,
were broken for sport; costly china and   are vast mounds, in which the tribes, after
cutglass dashed to pieces with their pistol  their life-long conflict with the pale faces,
muzzles; the old.pictures of the family  laid down to rest. They are overgrown
-brave warriors, and divines, and states-  with holly, brambles creeping around the
men, all hanging, in quiet, long upon the   cairn-like stones and stunted pines. But
walls-dragged  out and riddled with  now and then the trees are levelled, these
balls, or burnt for a bonfire; finally some  ancient graves turned up with the plough,
torches, carelessly or intentionally drop-  and the antiquary-equally too the histoped, and soon,a conflagration, a soaring   rian-finds much of interest. Enormous
of flames, darting from  open windows,  skeletons —" whose jaw-bu;nes pass over
and in the light the half-drunken troop-  an ordinary man's face with ease " —are
ers-fresh now from the cellar-laughing   discovered; they are warrio's whose
and cracking their rude jokes at the   names a hundred years ago were a ter"rebel's" flight.                      ror and a hatred to the grandfathers of




11853.]                  Virginia, Past and Present.                       199
those standing around.  In the grave   has been written of it, and it is little
with the large crumbling bones are carved   known: but not the less on that account
stone pipes, and tomahawks, and rifles;  worthy to be known. It holds to the
and all the paraphernalia which the wild  past-in the Court House of the county
religion of those tribes forced them to car-  are preserved to this day the minutes of
ry to the happy hunting grounds beyond.  the year 1640.
If in Eastern Virginia the historian has  A low  level beach of shifting sand
archives and private, records; here he   which nourishes a peculiar vegetation;
has the actors-old and dying-but the   salt-water creeks, and coves and narrow
actors themselves still. That is the dif-  passages between the main land and the
ference. The history of tide-water Vir-  long, flat, islands which are unceasingly
ginia goes back to dim  times, and the  lashed by the surges of the Atlantic; a
seeker of to-day to know  those times  merry and hospitable people, who pride
rightly must toil and travail in its rough  themselves on their beautifully built vehimemorials with no ordinary pertinacity  cles and the speed and pure blood of their
before he can construct, of the crumbled   horses; this is Accomac. Separated by
and crumbling materials, the moulding, /the Chesapeake, here almost an inland
the statue, and the inscription. It is pos-  sea, the Eastern Shore scarcely considers
sible, still; for those archives exist which  itself a part of far-away Virginia: follows
will enable him to bring up all before  its own fancies, and is content to have no
him. These archives are not only public   majestic mountain scenery, so long as the
records properly so called, but those fami-  ocean landscape is left to it. and the wealth
ly letters, MSS. and Bibles, which often   of the sea.
preserved with care, but oftener left to   Tide-water is not less different from
decay in- garrets and dusty chests, may  the western portion of the State. On the
be found in many of the country houses  beach. low and sandy, live a race of fisherof Virginia. They hold clasped in their  men, who form in themselves a commonantique pages the life and deeds of that  wealth, wild, careless, sometimes indepenland we have bid farewell to so long ago   dent to the verge of lawlessness. These
-colonial Virginia: and you have but  men labor hard, and at the end of the
to blow away the dust, open the disco-  week have realized from their traps and
lored leaves, and the beings and modes of  fishing a fair amount of money, but this
thought of another age crowd on you; for  money is spent in coarse indulgence-too
these old parchments exhale an aroma of   seldom brought to their families. Minthe past.                                gled with this class are the worthless free
The history of the Valley, and of West-  negro, and the debased Indian, the deern Virginia, does not reach back thus far,  scendant of kings and emperors, who still
and those men who shaped that history   clings to the old habitudes of his race. and
still live, with the bright sunshine on   makes his living by hunting and the protheir gray heads as they bask in it, and   duce of his fish-nets. Lying in the sun
their earnest eyes, as though' the long past  on the shore or the banks of the river, he
with its actors defiled before them, and   passes his idle and useless existence in a
their picturesque language, clear and for-  dreamy carelessness; but his thoughts are
cible, though garrulous in detail, they   not of the time when his ancestors held
carry the listener back more agreeably  sway' where he now lives on an equality
than any written chronicle could possibly   with the slave. fIe thinks only of his
do. These old men figured in the scenes  whiskey, and scarcely considers himself
of which they discourse, and though these  the equal of the negro who passes, singing,
things happened so long ago, they revive  to his work. African blood indeed is in
again the joys and sorrows of the bright  his veins, and you could with difficulty
and sombre past, with the ease of one   distinguish him from that negro, were it
who narrates the events of yesterday.  not for the long straight raven hair, the
All the rugged life of that transition peri-  high cheek-bones, and the keen black eye.
od is reflected from their discourse.  Cer-  Tide-water Virginia is not exhaustedtainly their solemn or pleasant memories  as the cry has been for years. Its lands
are more attractive and valuable than any   are certainly not unworn, but marl has
books.                                   been and still is working wonders for the
river hills, and the rich low grounds still
v.                     produce immense crops.   The inhalbBRIEF OUTLINE: OOMMENCING AT THE EASTERN  itants, it is needless to say, are all that
SHORE.                  Virginians have been in the past. and are
AccoMAc is in a great measure terra in-  now-from the northern neck, celebrated
cognita still —the foreign, far-away land   for its rollicking, joyous, fox-hunting men,
which Sir William  Berkeley fled to for  to the North Carolina boundary line.
refuge when pursued by Bacon. Little       The country through which the nor



2o00                     Virginia, Past and Present.                   [August
them  cars pass-from Richmond to the   as it led in the past, and its strange inPotomac, is not a favorable portion of the   habitants not unlike the old borderers of
State; from this line to and'includting. the   a century ago. -In this brief outline there
Piedmont region, whilst there is much ex-  is no' Aom  to draw at full length or incellent land, numerous beautiful dwellings  deed at:llmore than allude to the singuand estates, the country is not ric'h.and   lar habits: and modes of thought which
thriving.  The greater -portion- of this  the mountain men have.inherited from
Piedmont region is the homeof the blue-  their fathers —their' running  for the
thistle and the broom; in many places  bottle,"'their "housewarmino," their numpoverty reigns with almost undisputed   berless. superstitions.  They,7 re wholly
sway, and the vast fields of stunted pine   differenit-t —his much may be said, from
and broom.wave mournfully in the wind  the inhabitantis..of those thriving western
of the long autumn evenings, so mourn-  towns; dliffereit from,that vast swarm of
fully that the sound affects. the heart like   squatters who have taken up their abode
a knell. (Often the houses of'wood, and   on the rough unsettled mountains and
weather embrowned —are seen falling' de-  hills, and the whole class of land specuserted, you may almost imagine that the  lators.
grass grows upon the hearthstone, and      To accurately trace the peculiarities of
the fox is, looking from the paneless.win-  any one of these divisions as they deserve
dow.: Settlers came here long ago but  would take a volume. I have only this
couBi make nothing of the land;: rather  insufficient hurried sketch to offer-while
thae  starve they have deserted their  waiting- for the pen.which shall perform
haqses, they'have gone beyond the moun-  the "work'in full.
taisto'the more fertile vall, bag'and
baggage, never to return. This pictuie. mar be too strongly colored, and doubt-                  V
less there are numerous portions of this   GERM  POPULATION: T1EIR SUPERSTITIONS.
long narrow belt'which thrive and flour-  THE head-quarters of the German popuist,' -full of population and labor.' But  lation in Virginia, is some twenty miles
we believe our.brief outline is veritable,  south of Winchester1 along  the  Fort
or we would never have traced it.        Mountain, where the Shenandoah. bendiooking from the Blue Ridge, the great  ing eastward at Strasburg, flows straight
valleyisaill eifoyre ryou-;rich, tisy, going  toward the Blue.Ridge.  Southward they
onwar. with'the" stride of a giant t&.pros-  strike-against the Scotch-Irish of Augusperity and plIower.':Ull here:is flourishnmg   ta-n iwar.d against the purely Virginand hopefiul-all: whether'nati-ve, Virgi-  ia;ncounties.f Clarke and Frederick-on
nians, or' immigraniit.Germans,'Scotch and-  either side, east and west, the Blue Rlidge
Irish see'before them competence and hap-  and the North Mountain hem  them in
piness. For the land is a fruitful mother,  effectually. These are thriving farmers,
producing all sorts of crops easily and   who ride excellent horses, live on the fat
with little labor. From the waving wheat-  of the land, and have always money to
fields of. Jefferson, to the tobacco coun-  spare.  They are a law-abiding people,
ties of'the South, the soil is fruitful and   averse from  any interruption  to their
albundant i in.itg:returns. Already innu-  comfortable, well to do existence, prompt
merable travellers seelking the watering   payers of their taxes, and contented to
plaie:f.-r -heah~ or pleasure, pass:- back-  labor hard and honestly. No class are
wai.':.an'd:forwrd'.through the entire   more remarkable for material prosperity,
leIfh' ~f the:valley, adding to its life, and   and none deserve it better-since their
busife? —buit when'the Centdral and Man-  full larders, their well-conditioned stock,
ass)'pa'*railroads' have::orqo'the  their smiling fields are theirs by right of
m.o       new life will bee infused'into  toil and careful husbandry. 
the!,!ge. The ShenandQ0:h one of the  They came here long ago-many in
i. bi.utiful rivers in:the w 4o'd, has  search of ginseng-and  brought with
every where-scemes of beauty and grandeur  them  their Flemish horses, their saur
to'ofrthe'tourist, and only, the:-efective  kraut, their German, traditions and love
modes of conveyance have prevented the   of legends.
worldfroin discovering as much'; a thou-   The Fort Mountain is to the German
sand'German farms are clamoring for a   no longer a shaggy giant merely, clasping
market for their produce, of' which the   with pine-clad arms the little valley of
wandering assessors alone know any thing.  the Fort: but a ghost-hauntec, witch
The cry of the valley is for railroads!  mountain. The well-to-do farmer riding
railroads!                               homeward on his Flemish horse, hurries
Of that vast mountain region past the   along the bridle-path fearfully, where the
Blue Ridge, and the valley I have else-  precipice'is dotted with vultures, and
where named; of its rough wild life, such   Passage Creek breaks the silence of even



1858.]                  Virginia, Past a9nd Present.                     201
ing with its murmuring. He hastens on-  ture years, and existing only in the dreamward, for he knows the place is haunted:  land of the past.
that waving bush, dim in the twilight, is    The rich brother, it may be, pities while
a spook to waylay travellers and carry  opposing the  poor old  brother:-he
them off to terrible secret recesses, where  stretches out the hand of friendship.
the demon will force them to sign an aw-  "' Come, I will rejuvenate you!-abanden
ful contract written with human blood;  this dream-land, forget your "resolutions
moanings such as rolled from the oaks of  of'98," your Washington, Jeffiers,
the IHartz Mountains are heard in the   Madison, Henry, and do not ponder on
pines tossed by the winds; and that well-  their old, forgotten, glorious deeds. Iisknown character 01Ol Powell, who long  ten to this page from Proudhon, and enago coined money here, in defiance of law,  deavor to grasp a greater than the past,
and growing rich in accordance with his  the glorious future!"  Never: he will ot
devil-compact, barrelled up his treasure  see the hand-turning his threadbare
and died, watches still over his gold. In  back, he will not hear the sentiments of
vain is the farmer told that Powell, if he  the great apostle-they shock him. His
ever existed, is dead. Not so! Look   brother is rich and handsome, smiling
where that flock of gyrating buzzards  and hopeful; he is poor and needy-perhover over the dim firs, above the tall  haps not content-but there can be no
pine there against the red sunset. The  friendship between them. They swear by
largest and baldest is the spook of Powell,  different Gods.
and he looks down on the traveller with   But soon the rich brother will make
flashing eyes, while Passage Creek and   himself heard: he has a deed of trust and
the pines are murmurous with indigna-  he will sell, as the law gives him the right
tion. Such is no untrue outline of the  to do.  Yes, sell; and the old, worn-out
German superstition. as this is no unreal  fellow must move sadly away, snapping a
legend: the legend is there to this day,  chord of his great and overflowing heart
and the men who have shaped it, nay,  at every step. Let him return in a fkw
originated it, are the Germans.         years, and lo! the old things have past
Of their other superstitions, and their  away, and all is become new. The
odd, fatherland custom days of rejoicing,  grounds are well tilled; the fenees no
such as marriages, etc., much has been  longer broken down; the old house which
written. As they were then, they still  he grew to year by year, and loved so
remain. Strasburg speaks scarcely any   from his childhood, dazzles his eyes with
thing but German.                      its new and brilliant accessories, and will
not let him  recognize its familiar face.
The old servants, gray-headed and vainly
NOB~fVIL    A          D  (301rTH: ABdreaming of a calm old age on the old
1?OzTH, soBerT: TH~IC  L~v3U~~ ~x  plantation, are gone-ah, how sadly he
IN all those northern counties, but more  knew that! The whole is changed: the
than all in Fairfax, the North and the   place he lived in knows him not, for it
South stand face to face, and survey each   does not know itseff —the old worn-out
other with alien glances. They know   homestead-but feels the life-blood of
each other not. How should they? How   capital and science poured into its veins
Bhould the rich, enterprising disciple of  and its very heart no lon r still.  The
progress, recognize his poor, broken-  familiar faces are all gone, and spruce
down, poor-gentleman  brother, out at  white servants supply the place of the
elbows, and looking back on years of  family negroes; the grove is felled, and
affluence only to contrast them with the  corn waves and murmurs ower its shadedim, unhopeful future?  Here commences  less knolls. All has passed away that
the well-nigh mortal struggle: the com-  was dear and familiar, and the new things
bat between a race armed with power,  shock his heart, for they strike at once
energy and enterprise, and an old, weary   with a death-blow his affections and his
generation, with no great hope in the fu-  pride. How can he survive it?
voL n..-14




202                                                                    [August
THE TREE OF LIFE.
life together; and now, to all intents and
E it established.                        purposes, some millions of miles are be) "Shut the book, and do not mark the  tween us.  What shall we say about
page, you will not need to recur to it-    "faith;" what shall we say about " conput out the light-fasten the chamber-  victions?"  My conviction is, that our
door, that none may come in when you   faith is established, our faith in each other
are lost in your thought-sit down and   I mean, on a foundation so firm that it
reflect in this solitude on what you have   cannot be moved. If you dislodge the
done-consider what you will do."        faith, I will return to no conviction whatThis said I to myself, and this did I.    ever in regard to it.
Pax vobiscum!  But unluckily I am        The horrible journey, undertaken by
yet in the flesh.                        "the forsaken," yet "strong-minded woIt has all happened so unexpectedly, so   man," alone, and of all seasons at this
strangely.                               season, is now  ended; indeed I might
Well! of one thing I am very certain,  have written this much a week ago, for at
dear Lina, I have seen the sun set for the  that time the journey came to its conclulast time in Savannah-and another orb,  sion.
a son of Adam, has also disappeared from   To-day is Sunday; a Sunday in a remy sight-he will not dawn on me again.  gion where " the pine forests cover the
Amen. Let the " red clay and a breath"   mountains as the shadow of God."  It is
go his way in peace!                    worth one's while to travel, even thus far,
You have seen Wayland before now;  in order to discover what meaning, minds,
he has told you all about it; I shall not  spiritualized  and  solemnized  by  this
say a word in self-defence, or otherwise;  "shadow," attach to the fourth commandhear what he has to tell you; or, think   ment. They have a Sunday look, a Sunon what he has told you, and form your  day address, a Sunday demeanor up here;
own conclusion; I rather enjoy putting   and nature makes as much of the day as
you to this test.                       the people do. The skies betray a deeper
What am I going to do?  I am going   consciousness of the mysteries they hide,
to answer my sister's call; I am going to  of the Infinity they symbolize. I think
rush into Northland, mid-winter though it  as I gaze into their pure depths of what
be. Physicians in desperate cases resort  our dear, untravelled friend used to say so
sometimes to severe and savage modes of  rapturously-" There's nothing on earth
treatment. May be this is a desperate  so beautiful as the sky!"  The snow;
case, may be not.                        you can't begin to guess what snow is!
What will I do when I am fairly at the   The snow is more dazzlingly, reproachlong journey's end, and am bodily arrived  fully, bewilderingly pure than it was yesin "that drear region of the shadow of  terday, though not a fresh flake has faldeath," as you were pleased to call it,  len since then-(indeed one wonders if
when Flora's word came to me?  Do?   ever those majestic heavens will suffer a
You shall know when I get there; mean-  cloud to wander in between them and the
while remember that what follows is a   earth)-and the sun looks upon the snow
portion of my creed:-                    with a radiant Sabbath glance, as if to
"We live in deeds, not years: in thoughts, not  assure us again and again, if we need the
breaths:                            reassurance, that there's joy in heaven
In feelings, not in figures on a dial.  to-day.
We should count time by heart-throbs. He most  to-day
lives                                 The bells in the village rang-we went
Who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.   to church-all the vil
And he whose heart beats quickest, lives the longest; t oc  the  ilage went-so quiet
Lives in one hour more than in years do some  as it is down there! it is like Holy Land;
Whose fat blood sleeps as it slips along their veins."  the people seem to think that living among
AGNES BOND.    the mountains brings them nearer to heaven, and this sort of sanctity has come of
II.                   the thou ht-such is my impression, at
GOETHE, speaking of the Christian reli-  least; perhaps my imagination: for they
gion, you remember, says: "Faith in it  are, after all, rather a stolid-looking set
must be immovable, if it would not be  down there in the village.
instantly undermined. Every doubt of it    I said to Miss Renwick, after dinner.
is fatal. One may return to his convic-:" Can we not have a quiet game of cards.
tions, but not to faith."  All which may  the doctor and Flora, and you and I;" but
be very true; Goethe ought to know.  I think that while I remain I shall proThe remark has a large application. You   pose no more such queries; a torpedo exand I, Lina, have read strange passages of   ploding at her feet could not have occa



1853.]                       The Tree of Life.                          203
sioned the like excitement. So I have  laugh, thinking the resemblance must be
come into my room to write to you.     striking between a tiny, golden-haired.
Oh where shall I begin?  What shall  joyful creature, who, in storm or sunshine,
I make of my letter?  Shall it be descrip-  is always bright and happy as a bird, and
tive, sentimental, philosophical, or thorny?  the object you have known.  This staid
Shall I exclaim in the language of the   brother of mine has speculative and penelady who was, during one stage of the  trating eyes, but he is in this particular
journey, my companion-" Dear heart! I  laboring under the most extraordinary
am like a poor foundling lying at some-  optical delusion.
body's door-I want to be taken in and    I believe I left you weeping; can you
treated kindly."  Such an outbreak as  not safely pronounce upon the manner of
that might have been made a week ago,  my proceeding when I next found myself
but not now-for I am here.             in the presence of a friend? Flora made
Shall I contemplate what I have to do   me almost breathless with her embraces,
in despair, " sighing like furnace" mean-  kissing me repeatedly, talking incessantly
while for a' celestial telegraph" that  — dashing away the tears when they
could communicate to you all my thoughts,  gathered in her eyes (just such tears they
saving me thus the utterance. I have not  were as one may dash away with a laugh,
yet settled it in my own mind that we  chatting on meanwhile as gladly and as
have not such a telegraph.             gaily as though tears were impertinences
But, if we have, who will teach us how   not by any means to be recognized); it
to use it? Now, at last, you are to be in-  was like the shining of the sun on a May
troduced to Flora, and Washington, little   day while one hears the rain-drops dis-'Bel, and Miss Renwick.                tinctly, and yet doubts the sound, as
You have seen the miniature of Flora's  they patter for a second, ad not a second
mother and mine. Nothing could more  longer, on the roof.
nearly resemble that lovely face than the    In vain did I, so much older, " so much
face of the young creature who ran, sarg   wiser," she declares, Heaven save the
hood or shawl, over the frozen snow, and   mark! attempt to exercise the self-control
drew me out from the mysterious depths  that Flora manifested in her way, and a
of the stage that had halted before her  charming way it is, through this scene.
gate; the half-laughing, half-crying little   I spoke of my deafness; I attributed it to
body, who hurried me into the house at  my slumber; perhaps it was, instead,
such a desperate rate that the transporta-  owing to the intentness with which I
tion left me so bewildered that I found   carried on a certain argument within
myself there as dumb as a post and almost  myself in those very moments. But the
as deaf. for, horrible to relate, yet the truth  argument was all of no avail; I was at
will out, through all that last stage of my   least wholly and totally overcome; with
journey I had slept, and it was not easy  the suddenness of a summer thunderfor me to persuade myself, thus awaken-  storm  the dark cloud sailed into sight.
ed, that I was a fact dealing with facts.  and for the space of five minutes there
Besides, I was half frozen.            was a violent downpour.
As for Flora, her conduct was a keen    It seemed to me that I was given into
reproach; sleep was far enough from her  the conduct of an imp of darkness for
eyelids.  She had received that same  that hour; and he took a special delight
morning the letter that announced my ap-   in thrusting upon my recollection, then
proach, and the impulsiveness, of which  and there, every hard experience I had
she gave such evidence, was eminently  passed through, every grief I had borne,
characteristic of her. She was anticipating   every hope I had laid in the coffin and
my arrival, and therefore when the stage  buried in my heart's thickly populated
paused in its progress towards the village,  cemetery! the valley of dry-bones became
none but I could possibly have arrived-   on an instant filled with life, and such
though, be it known unto you, that in all  life!
the region roundabout, the deacon's house  Though we had not met before, Flora
is renowned for the hospitalities here dis-  and I had, as you know, often spoken
pensed; and every day people come and   with each other; but in our correspondgo at their " sweet will," as if the house  ence we had confined ourselves chiefly to
were a tavern.                         a discussion of our external fortunes. We
Just imagine our meeting.  Think of  had said from time to time, I am living
us as we stood for the first thne in our  here, or there; I am doing this, or that.
lives face to face, surveying each other  We had hardly gone beyond these stateafter the hurried words of greeting were  ments ever. Therefore, though for the
over.                                  most part acquainted with the leading
Renwick says that we are alike; he  incidents of each other's lives, we were
says a vast many odd things.  You will  like strangers. And, in some respects,




204                          Tke Tree qf Lfe.                        [August
even after such a week as has just gone   of each; —or by recording some conversaby, we may yet be strangers; still in the  tion-or some deed, or some habit peculiar
life of our affections there is at this  to them.
moment a perfect understanding and       I observe with no small degree of
unity. But we are so unlike!  Our edu-  satisfaction that Renwick has not taken
cation, our habit of thought and life. has  this little sister of mine into his heart,
developed us so differently; and then to  regarding her merely as a plaything-he
go back to the beginning, we are not  shares with her his best thoughts-she
alike by nature. If we touched upon   knows his highest aspirations. He has a
some points which we have not yet  blunt way of speaking that would amuse
touched upon, we should be sure to dis-  yeou-you would be exceedingly unwise
agree; and for that I have as little dis-  if you suffered it to offend.  Society
Dosition as Flora herself could have. I  which does so much for us, both of good
hear your emphatic interrogatory, Could  and ill, would constrain him to choose his
these north winds have so effectually   words, and adapt his manner to its laws.
frozen up the troubled sea of thought 7  But up here in these wilds he is what I
Keenly alive am I to the fact that no such  like to meet-a growth of the soil and air
miracle has been wrought. If you were  — a resolute strong mind, a good heart, a
here, doubtless we should again enter  keen perception, a ready wit. He takes
upon our customary contests. We should  you by the hand in a way that is proof
again attempt to compass sea and land in  positive that if you are deserving of his
the vain hope of making of each other a  friendship, nothing shall prevent your
proselyte. Here I have no such ambition.  finding a plaoe in his affections, and, if
am not Lucifer; I bring no Apple of  need be, in his dwelling. Those with
Discord here.                           whom he associates are either every thing
You have already formed a clear idea  to him, or nothing. If I cherished a
of my Flora-for, as I said, she resembles  sophism, suspecting it to be such, he is
the likeness of our mother-and her  the very last man to whom  I would
character and daily life are exactly such  expose it. He is a Carlyle, with the
as you would imagine the face expressed   bitterness (Carlyle is something beside
-full of joy, fuller of gentleness, fullest  AN MsSENCE OF BITTERNESS, is he not?)
of thoughtful consideration for the happi-  left out. He would not deal gently with
ness of others.                         anything that looked to him ungenuine,
The life that Flora livas you can plainly  untrue.
see is the very life she was fitted to live;    Tall, rugged, an eye like an eagle's,
-not for her the government, but the   under a massive brow; —large featuredwise yet gentle suggestion;-not for her  hair of the blackest black-not so awkthe commanding, but the loving. There   ward as careless, or, I fancy, perverse,
has been here no thwarting of design-the   after a good old Yankee fashion; opiniopurpose of her life is apparent-she is fit-  nated, sincere, of few words, thoughtful,
ted for her " sphere;" is happy in it. Her  solemn; this is the style of man whom I
life flows on peacefully as the broad deep  call "brother Renwick," whom  church
river flows to the sea. I find her strong   people call "'deacon Renwick," whom the
in her affections —her piety is simple and   poor of t-he village call " the doctor,"sincere, without cant and without bigotry,  whom Flora calls " dearest,"-whom Miss
and without formality. She is proud of * Susan styles " Washington."  Certainly,
Renwick, and respects him. He is not  obviously, evidently, he is not like your
undervalued, be you sure of that. Her  Frederick, with his dashing independence
life has nobly and trustingly resolved   of thought, word, and deed; nor like the
itself into a constant and glad rendering   courtly Clarence, who might shine in
of sacrifice to him. It never can be truly   king's houses; nor like Albert, whose
ill with her in this life, unless " circum-  courage is never found wanting in dire
stance," which Byron calls an " unspirit-  extremity, but who, nevertheless, is noted
ual God and miscreator," interpose to  for an almost girlish timidity. Not like
mar the image of manliness now apparent  any that you have about you. You would
in him.                                 stare at him a day or two, I think, wonFlora is Renwick's second wife. He is  dering what this farming physician really
full ten years older than she. His little  is to himself, and.his family, and the
Isabel is three years old-and then, there  neighborhood; to the church, and to the
is Miss Renwick. How shall I bring all  poor. But if you made him your diligent
these before you?  By telling you the   study during that day or two, as I did,
separate height of each individual-their  you would love him heartily as I do, at
shape and size by actual measurement-  the conclusion of the investigation; whethe color of their hair —thi color of their  ther that weare advisable and desirable, or
eyee-the expression most characterisic  not.




1853.]                       The Tree of Ife.                            205
Miss Renwick is the doctor's sister; a   they all are.  Certainly she is a very
true New England growth, just as her  child-like child-a lovely, wayward little
brother is. And so is Flora as to that;  thing.
there are violets as well as pines up here.    The unmistakable affection lavished
This lady is the keeper of the house,'and   upon little'Bel by her stepmother is my
is older than the doctor. I like her, and   study at present. While Flora aims to
I don't like her. I like her straightfor-  do a mother's whole duty, she is at the
wardness; it is peculiar. and such as I   same time careful lest her tenderness
have not observed in any other woman.  lapse into weakness-lest so from an unI like her independence; the way in  due fondness she should fail in performwhich she sets at naught conventionalities  ance of her duty. There's a great deal
is curious and amusing enough. I like  of womanly dignity about this little young
her industry; only it seems a sort of  stepmother, but for the life of me I can
continual rebuke of the idle habits I con-  but think of her and'Bel as children totracted under your roof, Lina, in that  gether.
enervating, dear, and blessed Southern    These, with the servants, form  the
land. Not that so much as a shadow of  members of this household: a word as to
a suggestion ever escaped her that a  its location, that you may behold me as I
woman of my years ought by this time  am actually surrounded, a fixed fact withto have fully ascertained what she shall  in a fact. Renwick's tent is pitched in a
do and be.                             mountainous region, as you already know;
I like her because she is a natural cnri-  from one of the windows of my chamber
osity, and I don't like her because I can-  I have a glimpse of the ocean; in annot. Have.I not made a clear case of it?   other direction, and near at hand, I can
Perhaps again, because when Flora says  see a tiny lake that now, at this moment.
she is perfection itself, I begin invariably  lies like a burnished shield-a broad and
to question as to wherein the perfection  smooth expanse of ice, glistening like gold
lies, perhaps, because I have come to  between the hills in the light of to-day's
the conclusion that if perfect it must be  sun; around us, or rather before us, the
after the manner of the super-excellent  view extends over many miles; it must
machine that couldn't, if it would, go   be grand in summer-time when the valwrong. It may betoken my total de-  leys are green, and the rocks stand out
pravity that I do not, and cannot chime   gray and bold, the pines crowning them.
in with Flora when she says, "Susan is  the streams leaping over them, as Flora
so good, my only wonder is that Renwick  tells me they do.
should ever have thought of marrying me'   The house stands in the centre of a lawn
as long as he had such a companion;"  -eveh now the place is very beautifu —
but at such times I am always sure to re-  you need not be told, though the grass is
mark something after this style, " Brother  covered with snow three feet deep, that
R. wouldn't have married a woman like  the lawn is remarkably well kept; the
his sister if she had been the only woman   varieties of trees, protected in varioua
his eyes ever looked upon, though I dare   ways from the frosts, tell that care has
say he is very fond of her."  You should  not only been taken in procuring, but alsee the pleased expression with which, af-  so in securing, and in cultivating beauty
ter listening to such an assurance as this,  here. The building is of wood, painted
the little wife looks up and says, " Yes,  white, and built in a halfcircle; the central
Agnes, I know that I can love him a great  part of the house is square and flanked
deal better-" and here the sentence is  on either side by a smaller house; these
left unfinished; only once did she make   wings are attached to the main building
the addition and climax, " than she,'" and   by corridors, or galleries, whose outer
when it was said Flora looked as if she  presentment is that of a curved green
should never be quite happy again until  blind. The effect is beautiful. Approachshe had recalled the words.            ing the house by a terraced walk, you exBut more of her hereafter. Let me es-  pect to find in it all the happiness and
cape to little'Bel, who is very pretty,  beauty that is really abiding there. Tovery good, and very dear to all the house-  kens of Renwick's generosity, Flora's
hold; the youngest of four, and the last  taste, and Miss Susan's careful overlooksurviving of the doctor's children.  She  ing, meet you at every hand. They lead
has light hair, of the palest yellow-it is  no pinched life up here in the mountains;
almost white-and her face is the index   and I were worse than the daughters of
of perfect health. She has a winning  the horseleech if I did not cry "enough,"
voice. and winning ways; for the rest, I   now that I am here, and at peace.
do not see that she differs much from Ma-    For I am at peace.
ry's children; little provocatives to vexas  No ghost or vision passes through my
tion, laughter, sympathy, and tears, as  memory; I have been a child; but the re



206                          The Tree of Life.                       [August
collections of that time shall not trouble  alas for poor weak human nature! he
me here. I shall attain to forgetfulness  must humbug the people, or they wont
by taking to myself the full benefit of the  listen to him. He must by his looks,
curse that lighted upon Adam; there was  speech. and deeds, inspire them with a sort
a blessing latent in that curse: I will la-  of respect, an awe-ful sort of reverence,
bor, labor, labor, and if I die —why, be-  else how shall he dispose of their differenlieve that I have frozen, and not that the   ces —and be really their advocate, and
coroner rendered a verdict of a " diseased  judge, as he is-else how shall he induce
heart "-of such "Aunt Ag" will never  the heathenish to practise love, harmony.
die.     Adieu.               A. B.    virtue, godliness?  Let him be only as
A MAN among them, what would become
of the exalted and commanding influence
III.                  that he now exerts? So though the
One would think that I came up here  solemn phiz is not natural with him, yet
into the frozen regions in search of a. lover  it is his prerogative —and let him wear it,
rather than    Well! did ever any one  and thank, as I know he does, the Proviperish of a laugh?                     dence that leads him into these heights
I arrived here on a Wednesday after.  once a week where he can see the sunnoon, and every Wednesday evening finds  shine in all its brightness, and drink in
Pastor Islington partaking the hospitali-  somewhat of the poetry of life.
ties of Deacon Renwick's table, so of     Long before he reaches his destination
course he was at the deacon's when I ar-  we see him  as he comes. Little'Bel,
rived. Did I ever mention him before?    stationed at the window, announces the
In a village like this, the pastor is a  first appearing with an exclamation of
man to be taken into special considera-  delight. Jonathan, also on the look-out,
tion. You desire to know of all my sur-  hurries to the outer gate, the minister
roundings-then you must listen with pa-  alights-Miss Renwick or Flora, and
tience while I talk of him, for already we  sometimes both of them, go to meet him
are the best of friends. By the way, let  at the hall-door; he has a cordial recepmae tell you I am already in office; the  tion, he comes in, as to his own house,
organ in his church has been closed for a  and seems ready to fold us all in his arms,
year, as there was no organist living in  and to his heart. Yes, verily-and I bethe village; but I have made bold to open  lieve he would not exclude even me.
its doors, and am now duly installed, the  He is a tall, well-built man, but he has' chief musician" there! Besides, I am   not used himself with perfect justice.
going to write a book.                 The student is very apparent in him;
And I think I shall take the pastor for  when he sits, and when he walks, he
my hero.                               stoops and bends. It may be gracefully
I intrust you with my secret. When   enough, but not in the manner conducive
the volume is announced Mr. Wayland  to the expansion of chest and lungs. In
may hear of it. You will not trouble him  the pulpit he is handsomer than any man
with the idea that it is my design to   I have seen. From the sky-light above
edipse him in his own peculiar sphere; let  the desk the rays fall upon his broad forehim shine as he will, I am content. There  head like a blessing, and the simple fervor
are already a great many stars in heaven,  of his speech, the solemnity of his manner
but doubtless space might be found there  make him quite the model preacher, to my
for more.                              mind.
But about our divine, Mr. Islington.    There are tones of his voice which reTo whom shall I liken him?  To Dean   mind me of a voice I shall not hear again.
Swift, if you can conceive of that worthy   Oh Lina, it is a strange thing to be thus
dispossessed of all his vile qualities and  reminded of those whom we once associatattributes. No-no, indeed! what a mis-  ed with all our dreams of the future; to
take. It is unfortunate that I should  know that they be in the world, fulfilling
have alluded in such a connection to so  all you had desired, to you they are no
gross a composition as the ridiculous, the  more than as dead and buried.  You
worse than absurd lover of Stella and   know very well all about that voice, perVanessa.                               haps you are still listening to it every day;
Down in the valley, in the midst of his  it has wonderful strains of tenderness and
flock, I can imagine that this pastor is a  pathos, has it not? And in its strength,
very different sort of person from that we  and energy, and majesty, it can be quite
have for our guest these pleasant social  terrible at times, can it not?
Wednesday evenings. There he has his    Islington is unmarried: at home. in his
professional dignity to maintain! He must  little parsonage, down in the village, he
go about as if he were answerable for the  lives alone, with an old housekeeper who
sins of the whole community. He must.  loves him, and regards him as she would




1853.]                       The Tree of Life.                           207
a son, revering him likewise as her pas-  ton; she was born in 1810, married in
tor. Years ago he would have establish-  1830, died in 1842."
ed another mistress in the place of this  "And that is all: born, married, and
old woman, but Renwick was the more  died! I should judge from the picture that
fortunate suitor. This was a great disap-  something beside might be told of her
pointment, Miss K — observes, and yet,  thirty-two years. Had she not a great
she says, he had here a good opportunity  deal of character, and a great deal of infor showing the genuine nobleness of his  fluence? "
character. During the lifetime of that    "All that, and more."
lady, as now, the minister was a frequent    " What was she to Renwick?" I asked,
and an always welcome guest here.      my curiosity provoked by the way she
Renwick himself also told me of this  answered my questions.
one day, and he added, " It is my duty to  " She was every thing; if you had been
find a wife for the good fellow. I have  here when she died you would not care
been a long time about the business-and  to hear any thing about it."
really,' aunt Ag.,' I don't know of a bet-    "I fancied as much; a woman with a
ter disposition you could make of your  countenance like that must live a life
heart than just to give it over at once  that will make itself deeply felt. Those
into his charge, then you will be settled   associated with such characters, feel as if
for life."                              wounded in the vitals when they die."
I am at the confessional, or I would    Was not that skilfully said?  If I had
leave you to guess at my reply. Alas!  gone on with my questioning I might
you would never guess at my weakness;  have questioned till now, and have been
that I sprung up as one electrified and   no wiser; but my words unlocked Miss
exclaimed, " You are in jest-but even in  Susan's heart, and a flood of words poured
jest you must not speak so to me;" that  forth.
then the poor fool, who never will attain  "For my own part I've no desire to
to the meanest degree of self-control,  live through another such trial as we had
rushed from  the room, and (this you   when Rachel died. Washington seemed
will understand and believe) that by the  to have lost his senses; at first he raved
time she had arrived at this climax, she  like a madman, and then all at once he
was so ashamed of her weakness that she  became silent, and never spoke, except to
would gladly have torn her hair, or raved,  give some order to his workmen, for
or wept, or'disciplined' herself in any   weeks.  There was no reasoning with
Catholic manner, had she not known that  him. I never tried it but once, and Mr.
the words she had spoken could not thus  Islington told me just to leave him alone
be ignored. When wuill this life of mine  with God. It was so different here when
learn to conduct itself?              the children died. Then we all wept toWhile I was still in this state of mind   gether, and comforted each other; but
Miss Susan came into my room; there was  now the whole house seemed to have falla book in the little secretary that she  en with Rachel."
wanted. Instead of making her exit im-    "Yet he married again, and one so difmediately, as was her custom, for she  ferent."
never loses any time in loitering by the  "Alike in no one thing. But you see
way-side, she came and stood by my table  how Washington loves Flora, as if she
-when she entered the room I had taken   were his daughter. She is a blessed child.
up my pen, supposing that this would   I am glad there is such a difference; he
save me all necessity of speech; but no,  would never think of the contrast, nor atshe must come and say-                 tempt to compare the living wife with the
" You are very fond of this little instru-  dead one, as he might have done had they
ment; you find nothing that pleases you   been at all alike. There is room in his
quite as well in your new home."        heart for both-it is a large heart."
" Oh indeed," said I, " there are a vast    " But the wonder is that he should have
number of things that I greatly prefer to  thought of marrying again."
this."  And to convince her of my sin-    " It was the most proper and natural thing
cerity I added, "I should prefer just now   in the world," said the sister instantly.
that you would tell me the history of that    " He had you," rejoined I; " it was very
portrait."                              strange."
"That!" with a good deal of evident    " It was God's doing," she said humbly
surprise, "why, that is the likeness of  and seriously; "what could I be to him?
Washington's first wife! "             I could manage very well, and make him
" Yes-so Flora told me. but she must  comfortable, and I know we are very
have had a history for all that," I said.    much attached to each other. But Wash" Her father was a preacher of the  ington requires more, and your sister
Methodist faith; she lived at Northamp-  makes him very happy; he is very proud




t08                          The Tree if Life.                       [August
of his little, young wife, and she loves him   -more indeed, I thought, than the occaas much as Rachel ever did. But it is so  sion warranted; but Flora's sympathies
different, as you can judge by their por-  are always uppermost.
traits. You find a great friend in your   " Such is the fact," I said, "and I have
pen," she continued, returning to that  been playing the fool before Renwick.
point, "I have often wished that I had   What shall I do with myself?"
the'pen of a ready writer;' though per-  "Sit down," said Flora, "and behave
haps if I had I shouldn't make good use   yourself."
oS-it. Mr. Islington says that you are a  " Is not your Mr. Islington ever going
poet," and with this remark she left me.  to marry?" I asked.
A poet! here was a thought. Let me' Sit down, and I will tell you about
tell you what I did with it; I arose from   him," was the answer.
my seat, I went to the bow-window, I      So "I turned myself as a sunflower"
looked into the distance, in the direction   (vide, Hans Anderson), sat down-and
of a projecting cliff, which is made more  prepared myself to listen; and this was
clear to my observation by the solitary   what I heard: " Renwick told you that
and gigantic pine that crowns it. I am   he and the pastorwere rivals once. Then
looking at it now.  How clearly and  the poor man had another disappointment,
sharply defined its branches show against  Helen McLeod-"
the skiey background! I have a fancy      " The blind girl I'm going to see with
that this may be to me a Tree of Life, for  the divine man to-morrow? " interrupted I.
it suggests invariably a train of thought  " Yes; he would have married her-but
which I believe is destined to lead me   there was a younger and gayer man who
somewhither-to a climax where I shall  stole her affections when she was at school
at last remain established, a fixed point.  ia Boston. He died, was killed on his
Certainly, as to itself, at this distance the   way here, and was buried the very day
tree looks as though its place were eter-  they were to have been married. And
nal in the heavens; as though it could  Islington went with her as a mourner to
never fall; as though neither shock of  the funeral. He is certainly the noblest
time, nor lightning blaze, could uproot or  fellow in the world. She wept herself
east it down from its dizzy pinacle. If   blind-I was to have been her bridessummer actually visits this region, as Flo-  maid."
ra assures me that it does, I shall scale  " It is a sad story; but I am wonderthat height, impracticable as the feat now   fully relieved having heard it.  What
seems from  this distance.  One might  shall I do and say when I get down there?
hope to receive, in what seems to be an   She receives none of her friends, the pastor
eternal solitude, the Law of Life, not in-  tells me."
deed on visible tables of stone, but on the  " I have not seen her since the day of
tables of the heart; and one might pray  the funeral. Mr. Islington told me that
that He whom  the Lawgiver typified   he had prevailed on her to receive you.
would break that iaward table, and -leave   And now you have something to do that's
the triumphant law an everlasting wit-   worth doing. Do it well,' aunt Ag.' You
ness there for itself.                  will have all sorts of reconciliations to
Well I looked at the old pine, and pon-  bring about; for this calamity has had a
dered on the office of the poet. I cate-  dreadful inward effect upon Nelly."
chised myself without mercy. I thought    " There is one thing I will teach her,"
upon the minnesingers of to-day, on those  said I, " that she ought to know and to
who flourished yesterday, on the horde  take for her consolation those words of
of " little names,  as Bulwer calls them-   ByronHeavens! what a horde! and then, with'The love where death hath set its seal
al becoming reverence, I approached my       Nor time can change, nor rival steal,
table, raised therefrom my pen, and laid            Nor falsehood disavow."'
it on an altar-of coal within the stove!    Flora looked up anxiously at me, as
And satisfied with the bright blaze that  much as to say, " Do I not deserve your
arose therefrom, I went, burdened with  confidence? "-but I was blind and deaf;
the recollection of my morning's inter-  not dumb, for I said, " Do you want me
view with Renwick, into Flora's room.  to turn author, Flora?"
She was gathering up the picture-books    ": We've all been talking about it," she
which h-d been used for'Bel's amuse-  replied, looking brightly up, and laughing
ment. I spoke out without ceremony,  gently, as is her way when she is greatly
"Did you know that I was actually very  pleased. There's the ring of true metal
nearly married once?"               in that laugh.
No-of course she knew nothing about    "'Then you must all be prepared to
it, and she began to look at me with a  hear my decision," said I.  "I'm  not
wonderfuldegree of sympathy and surprise  going to swell the list of bardlings, the




1853.]                      Mle Tree of Life.                            209
Felicias and Letitias —never! and I shall  fered so much that I can never rely again
make a very prosaic affair indeed of my-  on any earthly hope, however fair in its
self. One never succeeds in any vocation   seeming it may be. I fear nothing, for I
unless he gives himself up to it-if I make   have known the worst. I desire nothing,
that my profession I shall be faithful to  for there is nothing to be desired. Pity
it —give it all my powers, thoughts, affeo-  me not-you are exposed to the same
tions and desires. I shall live in my room   trials I have borne: leave me alone-what
in the midst of creatures of my own ima-  have you to share with me that I could
gining, and all you outside my door will  wish?" This certainly has been the lanbe like'thin air' visions and so on.'Bel  guage of her conduct to all except the
will be afraid of me-I shall be afraid of  pastor. who would never listen to such
myself; after a very little time I shall be   message or idea-and now he has premightily changed from what I am now;  vailed upon her to adopt another language
I shall be "-I was going on speaking  towards me. You see in his conduct how
more and more earnestly, and from my   a true man can truly and steadfastly love
honest convictions, when Flora exclaimed,  without selfishness, without pride-for
"For goodness sake stop, Agnes! you  the dictate of a common pride, the sugshall never be an author in this house."    gestion of an ordinary selfishness, would
And that wound up the discussion, for  prompt him to far other action than this'Bel awoke. And I went off, carrying her  we behold in him.
in my arms, she laughing gleefully, and   In person Helen is quite beyond the
quite unconscious of the transformation   ordinary height, and she is exceedingly
that could be effected in her bearer to her  graceful. Her eyes are of a light blue.
terror and perpetual consternation. And   Mr. Islington says they were brilliant
with this my letter ends. You see how it  once as this firmament, which to-day, and
goes on with us here. We are a happy set  I'd almost said every day, I think of, as
of gossips-the days come and vanish like   an immense and perfect sapphire in the
beautiful shadows-the country is splen-  signet ring of the King of nations. Her
did-and my companions are a blessed   hair is a light brown, and this she wears
study. Here endeth this epistle.        braided, and looped up in a very becoming
A. B.    manner. She is not a distinguished looking person, but a girl that must be loved
with utmost tenderness by those that love
her. Her voice is just the voice I expected
I HAVE seen "-Salathiel!"-Mine eyes  to hear issuing from her lips-musical,
have beheld the Wandering Jew! Not  firm, calm, and deliberate in its utterances.
Metta Fuller's —nor Eugene Sue's-nor  It is a luxury to listen to the delicious
yet the Rev. George Croly's Wanderer,  languor of her speech at times, and then to
though it strikes me the old Quaker might  note its sudden changes with the changing
worthily have been taken by either as a  thought.  She is such a woman as one
type-in his outer presentment, that is  (myself) loves to gaze upon and think
to say.                                 about.
He is the father of Hellen McLeod-     I sat down beside her as beside an old
and she it was, you may remember, whom   friend, feeling as if I had known her alI was to visit the day after my last letter  ways. Don't you want to know how
was written.                           we talked, and what we talked about?
Well, the visit was made, and many      After a few minutes' chat the pastor
another has been made since; but of that  left us, to visit one of his parishioners, and
I'm to tell you.                       then followed this conversation. When
Our call was well timed, for we found   Mr. Islington had closed the door after
none beside Miss McLeod and the servants  him, Helen said, "I have asked so many
in the house: that is, the old man was  questions about you, Miss Bond, that I
away from home. Helen has no mother  have ascertained exactly your look. Of
-on earth. The good woman went to  course you and Flora think it very
heaven when Nelly was a child.         strange that I should consent to receive
When we went into the parlor, which   you when I had so often declined her
quite eclipses every other in the village in  visits. It is all Mr. Islington's fault. He
the matter of fine decoration, we found  insisted on your coming, and lectured me
Miss Helen there, and as she arose to rc-  on my duties in such a way that I felt as
ceive us, her eyes glancing towards the  though I had been guilty of some heindoor through which we entered, it seemed   ous crime in barring out my friends so
impossible to believe that their light was  long. I want to hear you talk. Tell me
gone for ever. Rarely have I seen a more  if the tea-rose stands exactly in the right
attractive, "speaking" face; and this, to  place; if the sun shines upon it in the
my thinking, was its language, " I have suf-  way it should; and if the roses are per



210                              The Tree of Life.                           [August
fect and beautiful.  Talk to me as you do   You might measure these beards not by
to the pastor and your sister, if you think   the inch but by the yard.  I wish all the
it worth your while; otherwise-"            world could go there and worship!"  By
"Otherwise be off, and say nothing?   which exclamation you  will see, Lina,
That I cannot do, for Mr. Islington has   that I am not yet wholly recovered from
driven the horses away," said I.  " Yet I   the effects of our last visit, but I was dothank you for the suggestion; it is like   ing my best at description, and of course
opening a door very graciously for one   was bound to present my own impreswho hardly hoped for more than oppor-  sions with every sort of emphasis.
tunity to hammer away at the bolted            "What a place to die in!" was Helen's
obstacle, with no manner of assurance   only exclamation.
that it would ever be opened.  But as to       It was the very thing natural for her
the tea-rose, you know all about it that I   to say, but I did not like to hear it. and I
can tell you.  You know that it stands   said, "The last place in the world.  Inalone on the frame made for it; and that   finitely preferable is the clear open space
on no account would any one venture to   where the sunlight meets with no obremove it, or to place other plants beside   struction. No! when our souls go through
it.  You know moreover that the number   the shadow of death, let the natural sunof buds apparent thereon is 969, or there-   light at least be around us.  The place is,
abouts; that not less than twelve roses are   however, consecrated by a death, a tragic
in full blossom; and that the sun is  fate.  They tell the story of a youth who
shining on them all as if it loved 4them,   was so impressed and affected by his visit
and had taken them under its special care.  to this remarkable spot, that he gave
You know that the room  is filled with   himself over to Charon there, voluntarily
their fragrance-why should I tell you   throwing himself into the dark and turabout the rose-tree. then?  I had much   bid stream  that flows along its borders.
rather hear you  sing'Consider the   He must have been possessed of a wild
Lilies."'  " Who told you that I sung it,  imagination, and so ran violently down
Agnes?"  "The pastor, Helen."  "Tell  and perished in the waters."
me first about the Georgia Cathedral."         " Some unendurable grief was the occa" Who  told  you that I had seen it,  sion, doubtless.  Now I will sing for you,
Helen?    " The pastor, Agnes."  " Very   before you ask me again. that you may be
well," said I; " when your friends go to   convinced of my desire to please you."
Savannah, tell them  to continue  their        And she sang, or rather chanted. with
travels to Bonaventura, a place about five   the sweetest and purest voice I ever heard,
miles distant from that city.  Not for the   some verses, two or three of which I copy
purpose of looking at the ruins of a place   for you, they are so beautiful.  The pasonce, and for aught I know to the con-   tor bad repeated them  for her, and she
trary still, in the possession of a commo-   remembered them, and gave to them  a
dore in our navy, but for the purpose of   tune; but he could not tell, neither do I
wandering through a road that rejoices in   know, the author.  They are called
the name of'Thunderbolt Road.'  The                   "THE INTERCESSOR,
avenue is more than a mile long, and the
stillness of death  reigns  through  its
length and breadth.  The roof of this   "FATrER! I bring a worthless child to thee,
Cathedral of Nature its fretted arches-       To claim thy pardon, once, yet once again.
CathedralI oar srReceive him at my hands, for he is mine.
that is to say, the intertwined branches      He's a worthless child-he owns his guilt:
of those splendid oak-trees, the majestic     Look not on him-he will not bear thy glanceLook but on me-I'll hide his filthy garments;
pillars that line the great aisle-cannot be   He pleads not for himself-he dares not plead;
compared  for beauty and  vastness to         His cause is mine-I am his Intercessor.
those arranged by any human architect.,"By that unchanged, unchanging oath of mineSuch a light falls there as was never seen    By each pure drop of blood I lost for him;
even in the twilight gloom of the grand-    By all the sorrows graven on my soul:
e            ven in the twilight gloom of the grand-    By every wound I bear-I claim it dueest   storied fane.' The grove is of live-    Father divine I I would not have him lost!
oak trees, and this is the wonder of it all;    He is a worthless child-but he is mine I
from thee, brancheso  those trees d    hepe onder o Sin hath destroyed him-sin hath died in me;
from the branches of those trees depend       Satan hath bound him-Satan is my slavelong festoons of hairy moss, gray and most    Death hath desired him-I have conquered Death.
venerable in appearance; you think as   " I could not bear to see him cast away,
you look upon the bearded trees, of Abra-    Vile as he is, the weakest of my flock,
The one who grieves me most, that loves me leastham, Isaac and Jacoh, and when the wind       Yea, though his sins should dim each spark of love,sighs through the branches, swaying the       I measure not my love by his returns.
pendant moss solemnly to and fro, you         And, though the stripes I send to bring him home
Should serve to drive him further from my arms,
say in a poet's words,' It soundeth like     Still he is mine. I lured him from the world,
Amen sung by a choir of mourning men;    He has no home, no right, but in my love.. o        Though earth and hell combined against him rise,
an affrmation full of pain and glorying!     I'm bound to rescue him-for We are one."




1853.1                        The Tree of Life.                            211
I saw Mr. Islington passing through   crown woven-given the wearer-a King
the yard while she was singing the first  whose dominion shall have no end-in his
verse; he did not make his appearance in  last hour of life on earth; how emblematic
the parlor, but remained in the entry, un-  of the life that He had lived! They who
til Helen had finished; his face was ra-  gather beneath this Tree may also rest,
diant when he came in; he had caught  but their couch is not one of ease and luxthe words, and it was a great hope, either  ury. The fruit they may gather, but it
of the pastor or the friend, perhaps both,  will neither intoxicate them nor much rethat shone in his eyes and broke forth in  joice them. Yet will they be well content
his words then, for he spoke as one in-  to rest there, and to feast thus, and to
spired:                                  choose their staff from the thorn-branch,
"When I hear a song like that, or any   and, leaning on that, to be recognized
that has the spirit of devotion in it, sung   among the subjects of the King that was
in the church or out of it, by one or many,  thorned on Calvary. For they know that
I love to think of itas ascending from this  the revellers might as well feed on ashes
earth, mounting higher and higher through   as on that golden fruit. For them is it
the arches of holiness, until at last it falls  reserved to behold a' splendor in the grass,
as a purified and pleading angel before   a glory in the flower' quite independent of
the Throne of God. And I believe that  the visible beauty-in every act and duty
the office of music, of song, is, legitimately,  of life they recognize a sacredness. The
to exercise just such an influence upon  incidents of life are but accordant links in
our souls as we might suppose would be  the chain of Providence; to them  every
produced did the angel song, of which I  passing event is full of wonderful signifilove to dream, kneel actually before our  cance. Joy or sorrow, let it come as it
Father, and plead for us in heaven."     will, it's his ordaining, they accept it with
This was a strain in which I had not  -not resignation, let us not say thatheard the pastor indulge before, and of   but with thankfulness.  God is over all
course for a little time I was quite struck   and in all; why can we not see that, and
dumb. I seem indeed to have beheld him   act upon it? How well Ruskine has said,
in an altogether new capacity in this house,' His infinity is not mysterious, it is only
as another sort of man. As the consoler,  unfathomable-not concealed. but incomcertainly he has the most refined and ex-  prehensible; it is a clear infinity, the
alted idea of what human friendship may   darkness of the pure unsearchable sea.'"
be. And this office of the consoler he fills  And much more that I do not now bear
so well-he does the work here given him  in mind; of which perhaps you will be
to do so cheerfully, apparently in perfect  glad.
self-forgetfulness, as if in constant remem-'This friendship, of three links, I probrance of the lines,                     phesy is to be no ordinary affair. Miss
"The bruisd reed He will not break  Renwick says it will end in a marriage.
Afflictions all His children feel,  I hope it may, as I tell her also; and
He wounds us for His mercy's sake,  then sometimes she looks surprised, and
sometimes incredulous; she will not beSo is he waiting patiently for the heal-  lieve that I am not eventually to take my
ing and the restoration; hoping manfully,  place down there in the parsonage and
and doing unobtrusively what he may to  become the minister's helpmeet! Quite
hasten the desirable result. In the course   obviously she is not yet awakened to an
of our conversation Helen spoke of life as  idea or a respectable appreciation of the
of a desert, and such I can well imagine it  manner of friendship, which so much inappears to her!                          vigorates the pastor and me!  But let
But the good man would not allow it  her " gang her ain gate" and think as
for a moment.  " Let us rather call it a   she can; so long as she does not actually
garden, my friends," he said. " It is filled   proceed to proposing terms in my behalf,
with trees, and herbs, and flowers. True,  I am content.
the weeds find ample room  for growth,    I am, after all, most fortunate. And I
but we may help to remove them; and   know that you are envying me this disas to the shade-trees, we may choose be-  covery I have made of a character that
tween them. Here is the Tree of Know-  could love so profoundly as to weep itself
ledge-there the Tree of Thorns. Choose.  blind when death came between it and
Here is enervation, sloth, and a sensuous  the object of its love. It does indeed
joy —there toil, self-sacrifice, the rewards   delight me that such a study is before
of faith! Under the branches of one of  me; I shall master it, be very sure. And
these trees a table is spread in the shade   I wonder if such a study could be afforded
of the tree! and the fruit piled thereon is  elsewhere than up in this region where
golden-does it seem  fair and'good'?  impressions seem for the most part to be
From  the branches of the other was a  frozen in, or imbedded like crystals, amid




212                          The Tree of Lift.                       [August
the natural and abundant rocks of the  that oppresses me-but in the stillness of
human nature, as developed. In all the  the woods! if I found myself in the Bene"fiery Southerners" I have seen, I have   ventura Cathedral on the verge of that
never discerned the glowing of a passion   stream, I wonder what my next step
so genuine as in this girl, of whom I have   would be? But this is trash, and not
spoken so at length, for your edification.  worthy the pen of one who intends to be
Yea, not of one who has turned suddenly  the Bacon "of America"!!
to stone-or iron, alas. for I feel this last            Your,         A. B.
to be much the most applicable term; but
this blind girl is a more agreeable, touching, edifying, and lovable monument.
I saw "Salathiel"  as we came from      It is spring-time here in the mountains;
the house after we had taken leave of  and, more than spring-time, it is summer.
Helen. I had seen him before and have   Oh Lina, I have seen the miracle, and yet
seen him since: he is, as I told you, Helen's  I'am not satisfied... Very clearly I befather. Her loveliness and his hideous-  hold the truth.. There is nothing left
ness make a contrast such as only a very  for me! I must get me a thorn-branch
daring artist would attempt to portray on  from that tree of which the pastor spoke,
the same canvas.  But in spite of his  and feast on its fruit, and then go on my
loathsome appearance, they tell me his  way trusting to it for my support in the
heart is tender as a girl's, and his fond-  journey. The spring that was to have
ness for his poor child has no bound. He   strengthened me, has made me as weak
goes about arrayed in a coat that only  as a child; I could better endure the face
does not drag upon the ground as he   of nature when she lay wrapped in the
walks; a broad-brimmed hat, his head   pure white shroud, than now, after this
bent upon his chest, his eyes greedily  resurrection, when she appears so radiant
peering ground-ward, and a more infernal-  in her joy and gladness.
looking object you never beheld. He had   You speak of Wayland's successes;
been an intemperate man for years, but  why should you name him, and why do
his daughter's affliction seems to have   I?  Let him pass. I do not know if I
wrought a change in him, and to have  am glad or grieved to hear of him, and it
done a good work for him so far. But  were folly to stop and strive to analyze
the vile habit has been so long indulged   my thought upon the subject.
in that he is branded with it. and must    But though this spring-time has, through
bear about with him as long as he lives  its influences, shown me to myself in a
the proof of his fatal infatuation. What  way most likely to humiliate, I can but
a blessed thing it is that they who,  think, how infinite a compensation is it
Nebuchadnezzar-like, go feeding as beasts  for them who endure the storms of winter,
through the fields of the world, must  the piercing winds, the searching frosts.
themselves bear their burden; that how-  For them  the disappearing snow, the
ever they may distress, and trouble, and   breaking and the falling towers of ice;
wrong others, the chief woe must alight  the warmer and the warmer wind, the
on their own head! Blessed provision of   budding tree, the springing grass, the
Providence!                           unfolding flower; these are in their infiuSince our first visit, I have been to the   ence so happy that one thinking of these
McLeods' alone, and such talks as we  north-land people might well speak of the
have, Lina! I may be doing this young  regenerating influences of the spring-time;
girl some good by my cheerfulness-(my   understanding in the heart what that
cheerfulness!)-and  conversation; but  means.
she is doing more for me than I can do    If I were a poet, I should be singing
for her. I am willing to own it. I be-  now, and, as it is, herein you find a suplieve she will prove to me to be, to all  plement to the confession of weakness
intents, the philosopher's stone.  They   made above.  I often do find myself
say that the spring bursts suddenly on  singing in my heart. There is occasional
this "up country"-that a day of warm   melody there. It is surprising how at
sunshine works a miracle here. I am   times we can totally forget ourselves,
waiting with impatience for the time to  entirely lose our self-consciousness. We
come; and listening, I cannot tell how   seem in such moments translated to a
eagerly, for the first song of Undine as  height above all individual griefs, and so
she comes dashing through the forests,  transfigured that they cannot recognize
and over the mountain-side.            us. I have been made alive to this fact,
After that, I shall be fully revived;  this spring-time.
but now, oh for a little warmth beside   There is another little child in the
that of the roaring stoves! I want to be  house —and they call him  Islington
alcn3) not in the solitude of my chamber-   With Flora he is exalted into a sort of




1853.]                       The Tree of Life.                           213
household god-an object for general ad-  is given to him solely because none say
miration and favor-and yet, it is touch-  to her, or act to her this truth, that aning to observe the increase of tenderness  other can be to her what he was. She
that marks her demeanor towards the   has a loving heart, and one that Provieldest child.'Bel was never surer of her  dence never intended to go languishing
place in the step-mother's affections than   among graves, in the place of sepulchres.
at this very time, when one would not  She is too young to be utterly and for
greatly wonder if the young parent were  ever cast down. I believe I know of one
engrossed in her new care.              who but loves her better, more tenderly
A few mornings ago we were electrified,  and devoutly, because of her affliction, and
if I may use so strong a term of expres-  her manner of receiving it. And yet I
sion, by the entrance at the opened win-  say this, even while I bear in mind that
dow of a large and beautiful butterfly,  Miss Renwick observed to me this mornwhich fluttered about the room, and set-  ing, " When may your friends be so pretled at last on the hand of the nurse,  suming as to congratulate you, Agnes? "
who held little Islington in her arms.    Do you guess what she meant? I ask,
And at this, the thoughtless old creature  ed, and the stupid answer was, "When
must go groping back, searching through   will our pastoress be inducted into her
her memory for a corresponding event-a   new living? "
newspaper story, of an insect that thus   To say that I stared upon the questioner
alighting, came, as ours proved by the   with an ill-controlled indignation, would
after-event, to warn the household of a  be but a feeble expression of my glance,
speedy death there. The poetical feature  thought, or feeling, I fear; to say that
of the-incident was not that which most  something of an ominous and terrific tone
deeply impressed Flora-she was lying in   was in my voice when I spoke, would
a dead faint when I went to her bedside!  hardly be doing justice to the exceedingly
since then she has been very ill, and I am  * tragic emphasis with' which I said, " Miss
now writing in her room, and keeping   Renwick, was it of me that you were
watch here. Meantime the penitent old  speaking with the pastor this morning
nurse-woman looks every moment as if  when I disturbed you?  You were counshe were about to dissolve in tears. It is  selling him to marry the stranger who
certain she will tell no more of her stories  had found shelter for a few weeks under
for our edification; but as to the young  your brother's roof! Let me tell you I
Islington —death, I am confident, will not  regard this as a most cruel breach of the
come nigh him. Yet though Flora has  laws of hospitality, and if you wish to
all the sureties of his long life that perfect  drive me from this place you are doing
health can give, an arrow is lodged in her  exactly that thing which will accomplish
heart that will not, I fear, be removed  the object."  But after I left the poor
speedily.                              creature to the contemplation of these
Helen McLeod, I have had, for some  words, a thought of Flora and Renwick
time, under my special supervision! I  hurried me back to her still more rapidly,
have adopted her in my heart; and very  and I found her standing as if petrified in
likey I shall go into the village and take  the same place: then I compelled myself
my.t:bbde with her, for this is her plea,  to say; "L am not as happy as I have
and'"Sa'lathiel's," whenever I meet them!  been in my life, why and wherefore you
What shall I make of her?  I am   will not ask, but I will say that you wound
sometimes quite at a loss to know. Is it  me in a way that you would not willingly
not at all times and in every ciroumstance,  wound a fellow being, when you speak to
an important, a momentous question?  me and of me as you have."  I suppose I
And the inquiry even from me is not pos-  was half weeping when I said it, and I am
sibly so absurd as you might deem  it.  sure I must have been half beside myself
For really I believe I have it in my power  when I made this sort of confession to Miss
to make of her what I will. She defers,  Sugan, but the true woman came up and
and submits, and depends upon me, in a  triumphed in her over other central powers.
way that would sorely trouble me if I had  I knew it, though all she said was, " I am
not the pastor at hand, who has at heart  very sorry, Agnes."  I suppose besides
her best interests, and who will be sure to  that I forgave her thereupon when she
counsel wisely.  From  my convictions I  asked me to do so-though perhaps not
honestly say, that if I could, I would im-  as entirely as I should have done, or,
mediately give to her another human love.  would I be telling this to you?
Not that she might thus be brought to     I must have a talk with Islington.  I
forget the old. But I am  clearly con-  am glad that he declined the honor of
vinced that, though no words of mine  my hand!  Of late I have prevailed upon
would induce her to believe it, all this af-  Helen to climb the hills back of her father's
fection which she is lavishing on the dead   place with me, we have wandered off many




214                    Reminiscences of an Ex-Jesuit.                [August
times into the country round about, arm   words cut me as a two-edged sword,
in arm, and in such excursions I have oc-  and yet they make me glad. She speaks
cupied myself, and amused her, by telling  to me now with perfect freedom of the
how the views which her eyes had sur-  bereavement that smote her so sorely;
veyed a thousand times, strike my eyes  and while over my own heart's story I
as they gaze upon the country from these  have kept dead silence, I have striven to
points for the first time.             console her. Had she but known, or could
She is happier than she has been in  she now guess the faintness of that heart.
many months, and she says that she has  a wilful, perverse, idle heart which I claim
to thank me for it, that she believes I was  for my own, with shame and consternasent here for the express purpose of con-  tion oftentimes, I am not at a loss to know
verting her from the heathenish darkness  the treatment my consolations would reinto which she had fallen! Lina, these  ceive.
(To be concluded in our next)
REMINISCENCES OF AN EX-JESUIT.
ENEDICAMUS Domino! Reader, it  brother peering in. As sure as I am alive.
B  is four o'clock in the morning in mid-  I will be caught, and must expiate my
winter in a little valley in Switzerland,  offence by a public penance in the refecwhere- the sun shines four hours a day at  tory. I bounded from my bed, an instant
most. In a long room or dormitory are  sufficed to wash and dry my face pro
ranged a number of alcoves, each contain-  tempore, pantaloons soon invested my
ing a bed, and a wight immersed in sleep,  legs, and my loose cassock thrown around
but also sleep broken by the unwelcome * me completed my attire: the belt I put
invitation to praise the Lord.  It is a  on as I went my way to the chapel.
Jesuit novitiate; and the lay brother, him-  Conscious of my regularity, I proceeded
self half asleep, enters with his candle,  to the front of the kneeling band in the
and by these words rouses all to their  chapel, and knelt with all due reverence.
daily routine.  The younger and more  I was safe. This was not all: the brother
fervent novices immediately answer, "Deo   Excitator having performed his second
gratias," and leap from their beds, jealous  round, entered the chapel a moment after
of giving to sloth one fraction of a moment.  me, and approaching the father Minister,
Time was, when I too bounded to the cold  the sort of housekeeper in the establishfloor at these words, and began the ablu-  ment, reported your humble servant as in
tion of face and hands; but I am now in  bed. "'Brother Maridule in bed!" quoth
my second year; my enthusiastic zeal to  the Minister; " what do you mean, man!
do more than the strict letter of the law re-  do you not see him there before you?"
quired, has given way to a spirit of special  The astounded brother looked up, and as
pleading, and I weigh the words of the rules  he recognized me piously endeavoring to
and of the novitiate regulations with all  prevent an explosion of laughter, exthe jealousy that a court brings to the   claimed in quite a pet, " I left him in bed
construction of a penal statute. Half an   and came straight here; how he got here
hour, thinks your humble servant, is given   I do not know," and off he went. By the
to wash, dress, and make a short visit to   way, there is some danger in this rapid
the chapel previous to the time of daily  dressing. To ground novices in humility
meditation or mental prayer.  Well!  it is usual always to give them clothes
Washing, dressing, and visit, at most re-  already worn by others, and it often hapquire seven minutes and a half, in one as  pens that the Wardrobe brother in his
expeditious as myself, consequently I may   anxious desire to give the young enthu-be here just twenty-two and a half min-  siasts ample matter for mortification and
utes, and will be in time even though the  self-denial, will bestow on some lean and
Excitator should find me past my time  hungry specimen of our race a garment
taking my comfort. Having thus settled   made for some rival of St. Thomas Aquiin my own mind the feasibility of the  nas in obesity. Such was the fate of my
operation, and absolved myself from sloth  friend Devigne. One morning, aroused by
on the principle of the hare in the fable. I  a sense -of danger, as I was just now, he
turn,                                  sprang from bed, but, unfortunately, in
Like one who winds the drapery of the couch around  his hurry thrust both his pedal extremihim,                               ties into the same leg of the capacious
And lies down to pleasant dreams.      garment which ill-luck or the malice of
Faith! I forget myself. Here is the lay  the wardrobe sprite had assigned to him.




1853.]                  Reminiscences of an Ex-Jesuit.                         215
He did not discover his mistake. till his  extinguishes his candle: another is soon
cassock and belt were on.  It was too   had, but when it arrives, he perceives that
late  to  change-the  chapel must be   in his hurry he has mistaken the room.
reached, and I leave the reader to picture  Instead of the offending scholastic he beto his own imagination the curious at-  holds some paintings,. and other similar
tempt at progress made by my friend   articles.  It was a store-room.  A sucalong the corridor. " Locke on the Human   cession of peals of laughter, louder and
Understanding" was nothing to the prob-  louder rising caught his ear, and with all
lem he had to solve.  Despite the smiles   possible speed he beat a sudden retreat to
and contortions of face in those he passed,  his own room. Amid the bustle, Valdez,
on he went, till a series of hops brought  sly dog. dressed himself at leisure and
him to the chapel. Here a new difficulty   demurely proceeded to the chapel. Much
met him: how could he kneel: in vain   did we owe thee. Valdez! Never again
did he attempt to let himself down. gently  that scholastic year was our corridor proand easily, the well-worn cloth would not  faned by these inquisitorial visits. Peace
befriend him; it gave way and the knee' reigned throughout.
was rent asunder.  Poor Devigne! in          These visits to the chapel, or as they
attempting to escape the Scylla of a pen-  are called, visits to the Blessed Sacraance for not rising in time, he fell into the   ments, occur frequently during the day,
Charybdis of a still heavier one, for his  and vary in length according to the devooutrageous violation of the virtue of holy  tion of each.
poverty, in so utterly rending and lacerat-  It is now half-past four; the bell rings,
ing the garment in question.  Besides   and each returns to his room, and, after
this, he was most unmercifully quizzed   standing for a moment before his prayingby us all, when recreation-time set our   desk, kneels down to his meditations. The
tongues at liberty.  I, more fortunate,  subject of these is chosen the previous
could  quiz  the  excitator, and  excite  evening in some book of meditations on
scruples in his conscience as to the pro-  the life of Christ or in the Gospel itself;
priety of accusing innocent persons of   and arranged in points for more ready
sloth and violation of the rules. At all  consideration and reflection.  The method
events, he left me in peace for a consider-  is based upon the Exercises of St. Ignaable time.                                 tius, and each evolves the points as his
Reading this over, I cannot but insert  devotion, state of mind, or imagination
here a queer incident, which, when I was   dictates.  The time is spent, kneeling, sita scholastic, gave us a power over the   ting, or standing; though the close is alminister, which enabled us to "rejoice in   ways spent on the knees, being a direct
our beds" a reasonable time.  He was a   prayer to Heaven. In this intercourse
regular martinet, and his excitator was   between man and his Maker I shall not
a most obnoxiously precise and punctual  intrude:
fellow. One morning he reported Brother       E'en the same doze, where they should pray,
Valdez as still in bed.  Determined to        And fancy oft in wildest play
make an example, the minister seized a        Roams the wide world about....
candle and hurried up to the long corridor   The hour is past, and at the signal, each
on which our rooms opened. In nervous   sits down to examine how well he has
haste he seized the knob of the door of   performed  his meditation.  This is a
the offending scholastic.*  To his horror,  master-stroke.  There is no surer path
the knob turned, but the door was un-  to success than for a beginner to examine.
opened. Locked! a room locked-it was   after each attempt, how he has succeeded,
high treason —nothing can be locked,  the why and wherefore of the good or unroom, or desk, or trunk, or closet.  In   favorable result, and to adopt some plan
vain he knocked, in vain he called on   for future operation.  With this precauBrother Valdez to open.  To all calling,  tion, which would require but a few moto every adjuration, even in the name of   ments, many a man might escape reverses,
Holy Obedience herself the rebellious in-  which seem to follow him like a shadow.
mate of the room was deaf. A lay brother   It is a good lesson, and I have often used
was dispatched for a bundle of keys: the   it with success.
corridor was excited: heads peered from      After the review, the bell rings once
every door, with curiosity depicted on every   more, and, in the novitiate, each proceeds
countenance. At last the keys arrive, the   to make his bed, put his wash-hand-stand
door is opened, but as the irate minister   and its fixtures in order, polish his shoes,
impetuously rushed in a current of air   where that is the custom, and, if time per* Those who, after their novitiacte, are applied to teach or study, are called scholastics. Novices derive it
from the Greek ZXoAaao'lKos, a simpleton, but the scholastics themselves deduce the word from the Latin
sclola. As it makes some difference in the meaning, it is not a mere quibble. I commend it to scholars




t16                 Visit to a Gold Chain Manufactory.               [August
mits, sweep his room. It is a little re-  suspect his former position: for, in his
public of the Spartan stamp; there are  intercourse with us, he was all ease and
no servants, no menials. Each must do   affability-in nothing differing from the
his own work in spite of any aristocratic  rest. This sweeping has various advanpretensions he may have: and these in  tages, too.  A fellow-novice of mine, a
some parts of continental Europe are no   doctor of some eminence, discovered that
slight matter. Be he what he may, once  it is an exercise extremely beneficial to
invested with the black cassock of the  health, calling into play the muscles of
order, distinctions are forgotten; and My   the arms and breast: the only objection
Lord This, or Cardinal That, is reduced   being that the dust raised was apt to ohto simple Brother or Father.;At one  struct the lungs. He, in fact, drew up a
time the number of really titled nobles to  short treatise to show how beneficial it
be found in religious orders was quite   was, with minute instructions to enable
great, and, during the time of the Penal  the novice, in the science of sweeping, to
Laws in England, many Catholic peers  collect the various particles of dust into
embraced the religious state, and there  heaps, by strokes of hair or broom nicely
was once a residence in Belgium, of which   bound into what are commonly called
the Earl of Shrewsbury was rector, a vis-  brooms, without at the same time raising
count and baron, minister and subminis-  so many of the particles into the air as to
ter. Even in the present century, an ex-  produce what is commonly called a dust.
king, in the abundance of the article, be-  This learned treatise has perished, but of its
came a lay brother among the Jesuits in  profoundness the reader may judge by
his kingdom of Sardinia, and, in all pro-  the fact that the author has published
bability, died amid his prayers and beads,  four folio volumes on theological matters,
a happier man than his ill-starred descend-  and bids fair to be annexed to the celeant, Charles Albert, lured by ambition,  brated corps of Bollandists in his native
by republican and national feelings, and  land of Belgium.
by papal encouragement to cope with the   It generally happens that midway in
power ofAustria and die a fugitive at Lisbon.  our room operations the bell rings for
This levelling in religious orders dispels  mass, and I will go to hear it, or serve it
all complaint; and one who had seen Car-  if it is my turn. If you know what mass
dinal Odescalchi, a few years since, after  is, I need not tell you; if you do not, go
holding the highest offices in the court of  to some church; there are several here in
Gregory XVI., afterwards as a simple   New-York, and try and form some idea;
Jesuit, sweep his room, and proceed along   but go in the morning. I add this, bethe corridor with the dust-pan in one  cause poets and novelists will persist in
hand, and the broom in the other, could  having mass in the afternoon'and evening,
not feel himself lowered by doing the   which is
same. Good Father Odescalchi! how
same.  Good Father Odescalchi! how,"Rara avis in terris: nigroque similior cygno "-_
gravely he moved along! Verily, the
broom seemed a crozier, and the dust-pan   that is to say, never.
some sacred vessel, so dignified his port    When I return and proceed in my daily
and mien. This alone would lead you to  routine, I may continue my reminiscences.
VISIT TO A GOLD CHAIN MA U FACTORY.
"t CAN you inform me what that build-  tramp in the shape of an obliging and
ing is, sir? " queried we of a passer  courteous gentleman, under whose guidby, in the pleasant town of Springfield on  anoe we directly started on a tour of the
the Connecticut, as we looked at a brown   works.
thiree-storied house, having "No admit-    To our surprise we learned upon intance," rather prominently displayed upon   quiry, that only one kind of jewelry,
it.                                    gold chains, were here made. But there
"Rumrill and  Shumway's Jewelry  is much in the manufacture of the simFactory," was the hurried response.    plest chain that is interesting, much that
Notwithstanding the "no admittance"   demands not only mechanical skill and
on the front, we took the liberty of knock-  good judgment, but also a certain amount
ing at the door, and being shown into the   of scientific knowledge,-many processes
aounting-room handed our card to a gen-  which their myriad wearers neither know
tleman who proved to be Mr. Shumway,  nor suspect; and we propose to follow
and Mr. Shumway turned up a decided  one through each successive stage of its




1853.]               Visit to a Gold Chain Manufactory.                    217
manufacture, from  the gold in the mass,  inches long, by two and a half wide,
to its perfect completion, as we that after-  pierced with some two hundred small
noon saw it.                             holes, and yet mechanics with all their
The gold employed in the factory of   skill and experience, and men of science
Messrs. Rumrill and Shumway is chiefly   with all their knowledge, have labored
U. S. coin. Some California gold is used,  unavailingly  for twenty-five years to
but comparatively little. The gold hav-  make another like it. We inquired its
ing been cut into small pieces to begin  coist.  Seventy dollars, was the reply.
with, is taken into the basement of the   Afler passing through one of these plates
building, and there delivered to the melt-  if tibre be any inequality of size or surface
er, so called, who devotes his whole time   yet remaining, it is obviated by passing
to this part of the business, and through   it nex; through a diamond plate. These
whose hands all the metal used in the es-  plates,re formed of jewels, similar to
tablishment must pass. This operation   watch jewels, pierced with a hole of the
is performed in a "'portable blast fur-  required size of the wire, and placed in a
nace," having a power blast. And here   metallic setting. This operation leaves a
we may remark in passing, that in all the   perfect wire.
operations carried on in the factory which  The wire having been thus completed,
admit of it, water power is used. The  the next process is to form it into links.
wheel employed has been pronounced by   This is accomplished by winding it closely
skilful engineers, one of the finest in this  on a " mandril " and subjecting it to the
State, so noted for the nicety and perfec-  action of the " cuttc r."  The " mandril"
tion of its machinery, and is an overshot  is a steel rod of an oval, or circular, or
of twenty-six feet in diameter, built by   whatever the required shape of. the link
the well-known  Fisk. The water by   may be, and of the size of which the link
which it is carried comes from  some   is wanted. When completely encircled
thirty to forty springs, and is unfailing in   with a coil of wire. the "'mandril" is
the dryest seasons.                      passed through the cutter, which consists
When melted the gold is cast in ingots  of a steel plate perforated with a hole
in iron moulds.                          sufficiently large to admit its passage, and
The next step is to reduce it to wire.  with a knife so arranged on one side and
This is effected by passing the ingots  so gauged at just such a depth below the
through the wire mill, consisting of two   edge of the hole as to cut the top of the
steel rollers whose surfaces are in con-  wire as the mandril is drawn through.
tact, one of them having graduated grooves  With these instruments the whole operaof any and every size. Previous to the  tion of forming 200 perfect links takes
introduction of this machine the first pro-  much less time than we have occupied in
cess in the wire drawing was to reduce   describing it. Previous to the introducthe ingots to thin strips, or ribbons, by   tion of this simple but ingenious " cutter,"
means of rolling mills, a fine specimen of  the links were severed by a saw at a
which we found in the wire room.        much greater expenditure of time and
Coming from the mill, the wire is not  labor. The links being thus formed, they
always perfectly even. To remedy this,  are next to be united in a chain. To
it is in the first place passed through the   witness this operation we proceeded to
" French Filigree Draw Plates."  These  the chain room in the upper story of the
plates obtained from France, were all of   building, —large, airy, and well lighted.
them manufactured at least a quarter of a.  We may here remark that a good light
century ago; for, since that period there   -neither too feeble nor too strong-is of
has been no man living able to make them.  the utmost importance in performing this
The manufacturer is supposed to have   nice work. Around the entire length of
been killed in the French Revolution, and   the room  ran a work-bench at-which
his secret perished with him, thus adding   were seated some twenty young girls
another to the list of the "lost arts," a   whose delicate fingers  are peculiarly
fact which we commend to the attention   adapted to this branch of the business;
of Wendell Philips, Esq.. and authorize   -each with a drawer before her,-a box
its use at the next repetition of his lec-  of links and solder,-a gas-light and a
ture. It is known that the metal of   blow-pipe. Each link is separately taken
which they are composed, contains the   up with pliers, &c., and hooked on, if we
finest steel, copper and zinc, but in what  may use the expression-a piece of solder
proportions, and how united, has as yet  is laid at the opening and the blow-pipe
eluded all attempts at discovery. We   is applied to fuse it. The rapidity with
picked up from the work-bench one of   which this operation is performed is wonthese plates, almost romantic in its his-  derful. These girls form each from three
tory, and examined it. It appeared to be  to five feet of the finest chain per day,
simply a piece of soft iron, about seven   each foot containing 348 links, the amount
VOL. I. —15




218                  Visit to a Gold Chain iManufactory.               [August
formed depending not only on the intri-  finest quality of gold, that it should be
cacy of the pattern and industry of the   subjected to this process. As we have
laborer, but also in a great degree on their  previously remarked, each link in the
experience. The gold used for solder is  chain requires to be soldered, and an
of a quality slightly inferior to that used  inferior quality of gold is necessarily used.
for the chain, as it is necessary that it  Now when the chain comes to be polished,
should flow easier on the application of  the places where the ends of each link are
heat.                                    soldered are of a lighter color than the
The chain as it now appears has aot  other part.    Besides, in many of the
the form which it is to exhibit ultim ately   more complicated styles, it is impossible to
and is of a dull blackened copper -olor.  get at the interior part of the chain so as
It has still to be annealed, twisted trawn,  to polish it. Were it not colored, then, it
pressed, colored, and polished o, lapped.  would remain in the unclean state in
The operation of annealing is frequently   which it came from the workman's hands,
necessary during the various processes to  after being subjected to processes of heatwhich the gold is subjected before a com-  ing which give it the aspect of darkened
plete and perfect chain is formed, in order  copper. Thus, we see that it is essento prevent its becoming brittle and too  tial to the beauty and finish, and does
hard to work.                            not detract from the purity of the chain,
The twisting is accomplished simply by   that it be subjected to the coloring profastening one end of the chain in a vice  cess. That process we will now describe
and taking it at a shiort distance with a   as exhibited to us by Mr. Shumway in his
pair of nippers, giving it a half turn,  coloring room.
producing that flatness of the sides ob-   The materials of which the coloring
servable in the regular guard chain. The   matter is composed, are saltpetre, common
drawing of the chain is to test its strength  salt, and muriatic acid. This makes what
and to finish it perfectly even and smooth.  is technically termed the liquid color, alum
It is effected by passing it through a   being also added to produce the dry color.
steel bit or a wire plate.               The saltpetre and salt having been pulThe pressing is accomplished by a steel  verized and united with the acid in cerpen which operates to throw the chain  tain definite proportions by weight or
back and leave it perfectly even.        measurement, they are poured into  a
The chain proper having been thus far   crucible, the bottom of which is embedded
completed, another and perhaps the most  in a furnace of heated coal. The crucibles
interesting  operation remains-that of  used are manufactured of black lead, and
coloring.  Shakspeare laughed at the   are mostly procured from New Jersey
idea of " painting the lily and gilding   They stand some half-dozen heatings.
refined gold" as a great absurdity.  We   Pine coal is'used as affording a more
know nothing about the lilies, but can   even heat, and one better regulated.
vouch for the fact that Mr. Shumway can   When the temperature of the mixture has
"' gild refined gold," and do it too in such   been brought to a certain degree, the gold
a style as to increase its beauty and   to be colored is immersed in it. Here it
enhance its usefulness for the purposes  is that the greatest care and good judgof ornament. We know that the idea is  ment are required, as if the gold be pera very prevalent one among the few who   mitted to remain in the solution only one
are aware of the fact that gold can be   minute too long the jewelry will be rucolored, that articles of jewelry  thus  ined.  Mr. Shumway himself takes the
colored are of an inferior quality. Fine   personal charge of this branch of the
gold, say they, has itself naturally the   manufacture, and informed us that alrichest hue, why then color it?  Various  though there was probably not a person
are the reasons. First, there is a great  employed in the factory who was unacdiversity in taste as to color in the wearers  quainted with the process, there was not
ofjewelryr,-some think that only is pure  one to whom, with safety, it could be ingold which is of a deep orange,-the   trusted, so great is the care and expeshrewdness of another has convinced him   rience required to accomplish it successthat a sort of dark straw color is the sure  fully. When the gold has remained in
indication of fineness,-and yet a third is  the crucible the proper length of time it
enamored of that reddish cast which we   is removed and washed in pure water.
frequently see. So marked is this fact,  The reddish hue is produced by an addiwe were informed, that one dealer would  tion of water to the mixture deseribed,
always order his jewelry of a certain  and the different shades of yellow by vashade, another of a different one, &c.  riations in the proportions of the ingreBut apart from diversity in taste, there   dicnts, and in the time during which the
are reasons which render it necessary,  metal remains immersed. The mode in
even where the chain is constructed of the   which the coloring mixture acts is this




1853.3              Visit to a Gold Chain Mianufactory.                  219
It is a dissolvent of the metal, and acts,  parts of the mounting are then soldered
not in the alloy, but only in the pure me-  together, and then solidly filled.
tallic base, which, inclining chemically  We had now passed through the entire
with the acid, forms on the surface a   building, and seen each of the processes
coating or incrustation, perfectly pure,  requisite in the manufacture of a gold
and almost an enamel, harder than gold,  guard-chain (which, with slight variations,
not subjected to this process, and incapa-  are the processes for the making of all
ble of cracking. We find here then two   kinds of fob and vest chains also), and
additional reasons in favor of the color-  we returned  to  the counting  room.
ing process: increased durability and in-  Opening the immense safe, Mr. Shumway
capability of tarnishing.  The mixture  took thence and cast on the table before
being a dissolvent, (how does it happen   us large bunches of finished chains in
that our school chemistries and some of  every imaginable style, from those high
our dictionaries of arts and sciences inform   andbeautiful specimens intended expressly
us that the famous "aqua regia," a mix-  for ladies, to the ponderous and massive
ture of nitric and muriatic acids, is the   styles which find their only purchasers in
only dissolvent of gold? ) there is, of  the  California  market.  Conspicuous
course, an immediate loss to the manufac-  among them all was the " animal centie,"
turer arising from  diminished weight.  a beautiful vest chain, so called from the
This loss is ascertained to be six penny-  fact that the central portion of the chain
weights in forty-five. It is not, however,  is occupied by the figure of some animal
a total loss, as we shall hereafter explain.  cast in solid gold. This casting is a sepHaving gone through the coloring process,  arate branch of the manufacture, and is
the chain is then to be lapped or polished.  not carried on in the building. It has
The former is preferable where the sur-  not, until recently, been considered pracface of the chain is such as to admit of it,  ticable to cast these delicate figures on
as it gives the best finish and greatest  account of the shrinking of the metal by
brilliancy. It is performed by applying   cooling. Messrs. Rumrill and Shumway
the surface of the chain to the side of a   obtain them from New-York. We saw
wheel formed of lead, antimony, copper,  one, a running'stag, very appropriately
and zinc, charged with the flour of emery,  chased, whose antlered head thrown
and rubbed  down with agate stone.  back, and corded limbs, and ruby eyes alWhere the form of the chain does not ad-  most starting from the head, possessed a
mit of this process it is polished by ap-  truly artistic appearance.
plying it to swiftly revolving brushes,    We now requested Mr. Shumway to
filled with moistened rouge. The chain  fulfil his promise made in the coloring
proper now having been completed is  room to inform us how he recovered the
next to be mounted.  The mounting   gold lost in the process.
consists of the "swivel," "hook," and     "Oh!" said he, "we lose nothing here,
"slide."                                not a grain.  The sweepings of every
To form these an ingot of gold is passed  room in the building are carefully saved,
in the first place through a steel rolling   the crucibles broken up and preserved,
mill, and reduced to thin ribbons. These  and the sediment of the coloring mixture,
ribbons are then cut into pieces of the   after it has been allowed to stand some
proper size, and are to be stamped of the  length of time, is added to the heap.
desired shape, in a steel die, by means of  This we give into the hands of the sweep
the "drop," so called. This consists of  smelter, who in a week's time makes us a
two upright parallel posts of iron, placed  return of its exact value in gold and silabout one foot apart, and some twelve   ver."
feet in height. Between them, on a solid  About forty persons, we were informed,
block, rising about two and a half feet  were regularly employed in the factory,
from the floor, is placed the die, in which  including a chaser, and die c4itter or
is sunk the desired figure, firmly secured   worker in steel; most of them Americans,
by four powerful screws. Over this is  and the remainder foreigners, who have
laid the piece of gold ribbon, on which   been trained to the business in the jewelry
is placed the "force," a piece of steel  shops of the old world.
bearing a raised figure, exactly fitting  And thus having gratified our curiosity,
that which is sunk in the die. This is  and satisfied ourself that those forbidding
then struck with the " hammer," a piece   words, " no admittance," however large
of iron faced with steel, weighing about  the letters in which they are displayed,
75 lbs., and playing in grooves on the in-  are not such a barrier that a true Yankee
ner sides of the posts, by means of a rope   cannot overcome it, we expressed our
passing over a pulley at the top. The  thanks, and made our adieu to Mr. Shumblows are repeated until a perfect im-  way.
pression, has been obtained. The two




220                                                                  [August
EDITORIAL NOTES.
LITERATURE.                the late Dr. OLIN, whose biography in
AMERICAN.-The " Poetry of the Veg-  two volumes has just been issued. Beetable World," by Professor SCHLEIDEN   sides the sketches of his own early life,
of Jena, published in a translation at  which they furnish. they present us with
Cincinnati, is an admirable production,  many pleasant reminiscences of Myron
teaching the lessons which the plants ad-  Lawrence, Dr. Bates, and other persons
dress to the imagination and the heart,  of local celebrity. Dr. Olin was succesrather than those they address to the  sively a resident of Carolina, Virginia,
intellect, although  it does not forget  Alabama, Connecticut and New-York,
science in its poetry.  The beauties of  was known as an eloquent preacher all
vegetable nature, the spiritual aspects of  over the Union, had been president of a
it, if we may so speak, are the themes on  flourishing college, travelled extensively in
which the writer utters many a charming   Europe and the East, maintained an active
discourse. He says very appropriately  correspondence with  distinguished acin the preface, that a large proportion of  quaintances, &c, and his biographer must
the uninitiated, even among the educated   have been dull, indeed, not to have made
classes, are in the habit of regarding the  a book of interest out of such materials.
botanist as a dealer in barbarous Latin   The descriptions of the holme-life of Dr.
terms, a man who plucks flowers, names  Olin, and of his last illness and death. in
them, dries and wraps them up in paper,  the second volume, are quite touching.
and whose whole wisdom is expended in    — We anticipate from Professor SILthe classification of this ingeniously col-  LIMAN, a record of whose travels in
lected hay and stubble; but this is a  Europe is now in the press of Putnam &
great error, because botany in its true   Co., a work of high utility and worth.
sense is one of the most delightful as well  As it promises to give the results of his
as philosophical of the sciences, lovely and   scientific researches into the geological
captivating in the pursuit, and most in-  secrets of the most important regions.
structive in its results. The reader will,  especially of the volcanic formations of
at any rate, find SCIILEIDEN'S work any   Italy, the scientific world will eagerly
thing but abstract or dry.              await its publication.
A Southerner. Dr. WADDELL, has is-    - Another scientific work of unusual
sued a review of Uncle Tom's Cabin, in  value, which is announced as in preparawhich he vindicates Southern Society  tion, is one on the;" Crustacea," by PROwith great force and intelligence, while  FESSOR J. D. DANA, being a second inadmitting the great literary merits of the  stalment of the results of the exploring
book, the interest of its narrative, and the   expedition to the South Seas, of which he
fidelity of some of its pictures.       made part. We have already spoken
-The great work of RANKE, author of  highly of his monograph on the Coral Reefs
the Lives of the Popes, called " Civil Law   of the Pacific, to which the Crustacea will
and Monarchy in France," has been is-  form an appropriate sequel.
sued in a translation by the Harpers. It has    - A "Life of Talleyrand," the famous
the reputation of being the best history of  wit and diplomatist, will shortly appear.
the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries  If treated with any degree of skill, it will
in France that has yet appeared. The  make one of the most entertaining as well
author had access to valuable new mate-  as instructive narratives that could be
rials, and has availed himself of them,  written. But who is the man to discover
with his usual discrimination and judg-  the traces of the old fox?  Where were
ment. A more interesting book we have  the materials of his career to be found?
not latelytperused.                     A cautious diplomatist, as he was, could
The fine edition of Coleridge's  scarcely have left any voluminous account
Works, by Professor SHEDD, to which   of his private life, while any thing but
we have before alluded, has reached its  authentic particulars would be worse than
sixth volume, and is. we think, altogether  useless.
the best collection of the author that we  — A history of the " Naval Engageare likely to have. It is remarkably com-  ments during our Last War. by J. T.
plete, containing both the poetical and   HEADLEY, who has a penchant for warprose writings, with the best annotations  like themes, is forthcoming.
of English editors. and copious American    — " 7'he Bible in the Counting-House."
additions.                              The ten Lectures of Doctor Boardman,
- Few men in the Methodist Episcopal  which were preached to the merchants of
Church possessed more talent, or wielded   Philadelphia, have been published by
a wider or more beneficial influence than   Lippincott, Grambo & Co., of that city, in




1853.]              Editorial Notes —English Literature.                   221
a volume of 420 pages, under the title of  he shares with two dozen other individuthe Bible in the Counting-House. The   als; yet it is an honor,-and a curious cirtitle is a proper one enough, but it hardly  curnstance, too, that this distinguished
indicates the thoroughly practical charac-  nobleman is likely to be remembered. not sb
ter of the lectures, and the direct manner  much as the minister or statesman, as the
of the lecturer's teaching. There is very  supposed writer of a few anonymous newslittle of the Bible in the lectures, in the   paper communications. What a provoshape of quotation, but the spirit of the   cation is mystery?  Had the letters of
blessed book breaks through every page   Junius appeared with the name of Sir
of it. It is a good thing that our Phila-  Philip Francis, or Lord Temple, or of any
delphia merchants have such a preacher  of the other persons to whom they are
among them, to teach, so copiously, in  ascribed, they would have created no little
such pure, simple, and  lucid English,  contemporary sensation, but could scarcely
the great truth, that honesty is the best  have come down to posterity with the
policy, which is the burden of Doctor  lustre in which they now shine.  Our
Boardman's lectures. The merchants of  curiosity is so much piqued by the imPhiladelphia, and our merchants, too,  penetrable secrecy in which the authorought not to stand in need of instruction   ship is involved, that we seeUm determined
in the first principles of successful busi-  not to let the book die until we have
ness operations; but, since they do stand   found out all about it. We do not deny
in need of such teaching, it is a good thing   the obvious merits of the style, the force
to have.a preacher so capable of enlighten-  and grace of the composition, and the adin, them as Doctor Boardman. If these   mirable irony and lofty scorn of the senlectures had been delivered to the Phila-  timents, but these merits alone are not
delphians a few years earlier perhaps the   sufficient to account for the perpetuity of
repudiation of Pennsylvania might not  discussions, in the substance of which the
have left a stain upon our national charac-  world has no longer any interest.
ter. They may prevent a repetition of      As to the question whether Lord Temthat great mistake. The lectures are ten   ple wrote the letters, we do not care a
in number, and, though intended for Phila-  snap.  Mr. James Smith, the editor of
delphia audiences, they will serve, like, the volumes before us, thinks that he has
the almanacs, for almost any latitude, and   settled the matter conclusively, and so
for every class of people. It is not sur-  have thought a score of his predecessors
prising that a preacher whose audiences  in the same line.
are composed chiefly of commercial men,    -A  Syrian gentleman, whose name is
should be familiar with the terms of trade,  HABEEB  RISK  ALLAH  EFFENDI, who
but we must confess that the seeming in-  writes "M. R. C. S." and "Associate of
timacy of Doctor Boardman with all the   King's College" to his name, and who was
tricks of trade, and his extensive know-  for some time engaged in some diplomatic
ledge of mercantile transactions, have   capacity in London, has written an autorather astonished us; for men of his pur-  biography of himself, which gives us many
suits are generally strangely ignorant of  pleasant inklings of domestic and social
the affairs which are of the greatest in-  life at the East. He calls his work, rather
terest to those whom it is their duty to  affectedly, " The Thistle and Cedar of
instruct. It is greatly to his credit that  Lebanon," but the substance is better
he has studied his flock, literally, like a   than the title. He was born, it seems, at
book, and, with a loving, but sure and   Shuwai-fut, on the Lebanon, was afterunsparing hand, touches their raw spots.  wards secretary to the Prince of Lebanon,
The style of these lectures is altogether  then in the Turkish service, at Damascus,
admirable, and perfectly adapted to their  then travelled on a public mission in the
subject; it is free and familiar without  East, had a price set on his head by Ibraever descending to commonplace or flip-  him Pacha, and, finally, securinethe propancy, and is often impressive and elo-  tection of the British forces, was sent to
quent, without being suggestive of the pul-  England. But an extract, describing an
pit.                                     evening party at Damascus, will please
our readers more than any thing we can
ENGLISH.-An interesting  book has  write about the book. Here it is:
been made out of the " Correspondence      "The music striking up is the signal for
of Richard Greville, Earl Temple, the      "The music striking up is the signal for
of Richard Greville, Earl Temple, theied    the nearest invited neighbors to make their
Right Hon. George Greville, theirfrienzds            They arve, the men cld in
and contemporaries."  What gives it its  appearance. They arrive, the men clad in
ancontemporares. atves it its  long, loose, silken robes: the women enparticular interest is the fact that Lord   veloped in their white izars; but these
Temple has been regarded by many as  latter are speedily thrown aside at the inthe writer of the celebrated letters of   vitation of the lady of the house, who asJunius. The imputed honor is one that  sists in helping the guests to disrobe, and




222                  Editorial Notes —English Literature.                 [August
then confides their izars to the trusty care  it?' The party fixed upon is obliged to
of the handmaiden.                        guess, and he names some bird or flower
"Now these veils are all of the same make,   which he heard some one call himself; if
and they have no initials or other distin-  the guess is wrong, he has to hold out his
ghishing mark. Notwithstanding this, no   hand and receive three stripes from a closeconfusion ensues on the breaking up of a   knotted handkerchief, and then the party
party as to identification, every lady is  referred to is next obliged to guess to whom
quick to recognize her own peculiar izar  the'Tuthun' belongs, and so on all round
from the mass of white sheets that are fold-  the circle till the right name has been dised and piled one above another upon the   covered. Then the king resigns his post
divan in the upstairs dressing-room. Soon   and handkerchief, and is relieved in his
the whole party have arrived and the   office by him or her that made the right
amusements of the evening commence with   guess.
vocal and instrumental music.  After this,    "After these games, some one tells a story
some of the gentlemen stand up and go   or recites a poem, a specimen of which I
through the graceful attitudes of the Syrian   am enabled to introduce literally transdance, then some other volunteer the sword  lated:dance, or the Bedouin dance, sorqe of the                    I
married ladies then take courage, but it requires coaxes and threats to induce the     "Alas! and ah well-a-day, that my rosetimid damsel to display her skill. Persua-  faced love, my intimate, my soul's comsion being out of the question, some old   panion, should be enveloped in a shroud 
gentleman gets up, and pretends that he is   That tongue, once familiar with so many
going to dance instead of her, and he goes  languages, gives utterance now to none.
through a few steps till he comes close up   I listen vainly and am astonished not to
to some girl that he has singled out from   hear thy once-loved voice.
the circle. Seizing her arm with no very                     I.
gentle force, he whirls into the centre of   "Tell me, 0 Grave, tell me, is her inomthe yard, and meanvhile some one who   parable beauty gone?  Has she, too, faded
has watched the manceuvre, acts the same   as the petals fall from the sweetest flower,
part-by some other blushing maiden. These   and her lovely face changed-changed and
are confronted face to face, and there is  gone!  Thou art not a garden, 0 Grave,
now -no escape, so tnhev commence at first  nor yet heaven; still all the fairest flowers
timidly and bashfully, but getting gradually   and the brightest plants are culled by
excited by the music, they lose all this pre-  thee.
tended bashfulness, and do their best to
outshine each other; and truly there is
rarely a more graceful sight than two        "O0 black, mysterious Ground, tell me
beautiful Damascene girls, elegantly dressed   how or wherefore have we sinned, that
and bespangled with jewels, displaying   thou art prone to hug the beautiful, the
their graceful figures to the best advan-   chaste, the rare-and yet so cold thy love.
tage, to the slow but becoming measures   Stones alone hast thou for pillows for the
of the dance. All the other young ladies  tender, the loved, the fair.
now follow their example, and as each                        Iv.
couple retires at the termination of their
efforts to please, they are hailed with shouts
of applause, and liberally besprinkled with  think not the treasure that is withering in
rose and orange-flower water.  The old  thy grasp is thine.  O no! thank God hel
ladies evince their approbation by a peculiar  soul, her immortality, is far beyond thy
vibrating scream, produced by the voice  reach.
passing through the nearly closed lips,                      v.
while the under lip is kept in a continual  "Earth, unfeeling Earth, thy heart is
tremulous state by the rapid application of  adamant; nor hope, nor pity find a place
the back of the forefinger to that feature.  in thee. Yet seeds sown in thy bosom
When dancing is over for the evening,  spring up as flowers beautiful and rare.
games of forfeits are introduced, and pro-  Without thee, a solitary soul-a blank is
duce much mirth, especially one game   the world to me-nor merry laugh, nor
called'Tsithun, Tzuthhun, min  Tuthun'-   cheerful glance has now a charm.
a game of Turkish origin, as its name denotes, and which is played thus: —Every
one in the circle takes the name of a bird,  "Sometimes I weep alone to think that I
a tree, or a flower, while the king of the   have lost thy love for ever-and then, oh!
game goes round and collects in a handker-   bitterly I weep to see thy mother's furrowchief some small article from each one pre-   ed brow-full well she feels the treasure lost
sent. These he afterwards shuffles to-  — the young child and the- beautiful. I
gether, and then drawing one out, which   marvel not, angel, that thou art gone-for
he carefully conceals in his hand, he fixes   heaven were better fitted for thy home
upon some one in the circle, to whom he   than earth; but I marvel that we can live
puts the question —'Tuthun, Tuthun, min   yet awhile on earth-live without thy
Tuthun?' or,'Tobacco, tobacco whose is  smile.




1853.]               Editorial Notes —English Literature.                   2o
VII.                    was vastly better than the petty vexa"And thou who couldst barely resist the   tions of Austrian or Russian despotism.
eold-thy fate is hard-nor friend to whis-   But our readers who take an interest
per comfort, nor careful eye to watch-in  in European politics will be glad to learn
thy cold, solitary, mysterious grave-none  from the testimony of this writer that the
can give comfort.  But how foolish! I   days of Austrian supremacy are coming
speak to dust. Thy soul, thank God! is  to an end. The very policy which that
far beyond the hurt of man or evil spirit."   nation, aided by Russia, has adopted for
reviving the feeling of nationality among
At such parties as the above, the smok-  the Sclavonic raes will in thi end be the
ing is incessant, the married ladies-espe-  cause of its races will in the Croats, who
cially mothers of famiihes-indulging in  cause of its ruin. Even the Croats, who
cially mothers of filies-in    g    in   i  th  last war sided against the Hungawhiffs at the narghili. It is considered   rians, are now bitterly hostile to the Emunbecoming in a young lady to smoke,  pire. The British resident says:
and they never do so in public, but as
they often serve the narghili to distin-    "But his Croatian subjects are likely
guished guests, they are compelled to  soon to be suspected also; for I learnt at Cartake some whiffs, as it is customary to  lovacz, with some degree of certainty, tkat
present it lighted, "and,"s opines the un-  if another attempt on the part of the Magpgeenerous Effendi,  as this process does   yars should take place, they will be eagerly
enerous Effendi,  as this process does  joined by the Croats. It appears that the
not appear to make them unwell. we na-  former people still hope to achieve, if not
turally imagine that, on the sly, these   complete national independence, at least
young ladies frequently indulge them-   more liberal institutions than they have an
selves with a pipe."                      yet enjoyed under the Austrian rule; and
-A  new magazine, to be called the   that another insurrection is projected, which
" London Illustrated ]MIagazine," was  is not intended to break out until its prinissued on the  1st of July, under the   ciples shall have spread over all the SclaeditorshipofRIcHARD BRINsLEY KNowLEs,  vonian provinces of the Austrian empire;
and with the assistance of William Carle-   while the Croatians now understand the
ton, the Irish novelist, Thomas Miller,  errorthey fell into by opposing the  ungathe basket-maker, Captain Mayne Reid,  rians  and will in future make common
the basket-maker, Captain Mayne Reid,  cause with them. They were induced to
and others. It promises to be profusely  follow their Ban in his campaign against
illustrated by the best English artists.
illustrate  by the bes  Enis  ats. Hungary, by promises of political enfran-The " Educational Institutions of   chisements, and of diminutions in their fisthe United States," is the name of a   cal burdens, which promises have subsetranslation from  the Swedish of P. J.  quently been belied by hirm; and he is now
SILJESTROM, a most accomplished and in-  as unpopular among them as he was fortelligent gentleman, who travelled in this   merly revered. Their natural sympathies
country a few years since, at the instance   are all in favor of the Hungarians, although
of the Swedish government.  He took   they equally object to a Magyar supremacy:
pains to inform himself minutely of the   and the general discontent, which seems to be
condition of our social and political affairs,  glowing amongst the inhabitants of Austria
and, particularly, of the state and pros-   which do not belong to the Germanic race,
pects of our public schools and we have  is rife in Croatia. It is, therefore, probable,
the result of ourf his inquiries on the latter  that in the future inevitable vicissitudes
the result of his inquiries on the latter of the empire this people will appear in
subject in the work now issued. It con-   af te  light, and a widely different one
tains little that is new to Americanreaders,  from that in which they have lately made
and yet there are suggestions in it that  themselves known."
all who are concerned in the question of
advancing public education should read.  Austrian and Russian empires is the most
-A work of more than usual interest  Austrian and Russian empires is the most
difficult they have to manage, and must
at this time is the " Frontier lands of   before long achieve independence. Our
the Christian and Turkl," by a gentle-  author thus describes their character
man who purports to have been a " British   anther aspirations:
resident of the East for twenty years."
It has no great merit as a book of travels,  of" In Austria there are only six millions
and yet, coming at this particular junc-   of Germans to control twenty-three millions
ture, when the affairs of Turkey and Rus-  of, Sclavonians, including  those of Austrian
sia are exciting the attention of the world,  Poland; and, in Prussia, exclusive of the
its observations have a  special significance.   Rhenish provinces, three millions and a half
The writobser admittions hat he a speial significance.  of Germans to four millions of them. These
The writer admits that he entered Turkey   proportions are pregnant with great results,
with strong prejudices aginst the Turks,  for this people is now almost every where
but that the effect of a more intimate ac-  displaying a high degree of national energy.
quaintance was to correct his opinions,  They have given birth to a new branch of
and to convince him  that Turkish rule  literature, and in many of the states incor



224                  Editorial Notes —French Literature.               [August
porated in the German dominions they  thought. The story of his sufferings and
write vig rously and successfully on their  persecution is admirably told in the preown condition and destinies, especially in  face to the Sixth volume of the PhilosoAustria, where their dream  is national  phie Positive, though with some bias tounity; and they evince a stubborn perse-  wards himself, which has given it a not
verance in the pursuit of this theme, which,  altogether impartial tone. Yet this soliit were blindness to deny, must produce,  tary  student, this mathematician, this
if not its hull realization, at least a serious  tary  student, this mathematieean  ths
endeavor ti, attain their object. They are   man of rigid thought, has not been withessentially an intellectual and a warlike   out his romance, and in one of his later
race, and these two elements of national  books, tells us in the most naive and
character, w hen united, can never fail in  simple way, of his falling in love with an
generating remarkable events. Whatever  accomplished but unhappy woman, who
be their ultiunate issue, and however they   was separated from  her husband, and
may turn, they will attract the attention   with whom he kept up a profound but
of Europe, aid influence its prosperity, be-  platonic intercourse to the day of her
coming consequently most interesting to   death. Such a revelation, in the midst of
England, the workshop which supplies the  the dry discussions of the most dry and
continent, and the factory whose returns   positive of all schemes of philosophy,
must greatly depend on the wealth of its
customers. It is, therefore, time that the     
subject should be considered, in order that  man so much in earnest, and of such
the probable results of its incipient fermen-  vigorous power, that you respect him
tation may be rightly appreciated, ere they   while you laugh. This love, too, made
take us by surprise."                   him  religious; and he who only wrote
of'science, got into raptures over poetry,
But the subject is considered; for the  love, and devotion.
last United Service Journal predicts
with confidence the speedy emancipation    FRANcE.-Our Protestant readers will
of the Sclaves, while the Paris Journal  be especially interested in the History of
des D6bats is equally positive that a   the French Protestant Refugees (HisSclavonic Republic is among the inevitable  toire des Refugies Protestants de France)
events of the near future.              published at Paris, by M. CHARLES WEISS.
-Under the title of" The Great Sint  Long and careful researches, aided by the
of Great Cities," the author has repro-  authority of the French Government, with
duced a certain article from  the West-  personal visits and investigations in Engminster Review which excited a good  land, Holland, Switzerland and Germany,
deal of attention at the time it was writ-  where after the revocation of the Edict
ten, and deserves to be read for the most  of Nantes most of these three hundred
important facts it unfolds.             thousand sufferers took refuge. have put
— In the absence of any complete trans-  M. Weiss in possession of a fund of novel
lation of the "Positive Philosophy" of   and instructive materials, such as have
AUGUSTE COMTE, Miss Martineau  has un-  been at the command of no former hisdertaken a free and condensed version.  torian. He treats the situation of the
But Comte, if he be read at all, must be  Protestants in France, both before and
read as a whole, and not in any imperfect  after that fatal act of Louis XIV., the
or abridged form. His method of investi-  causes and the agencies of the persecution
gating and expounding his problems are  to which they were subjected, the losses
so close, succinct, and logical, that they   of France by their banishment, the estascarcely admit of dilution or paraphrase.  blishments  they  founded  in  foreign
Besides, Miss Martineau, with her own   countries, the services they rendered, and
loose habits of thinking, and rather dif-  the favors they received from the governfuse style, is not the person to give the   ments which admitted them among their
most acceptable introduction to the great  subjects.  M. Weiss justly holds, and,
French philosopher.                     indeed, we suppose no sensible and wellOomte is a curious phenomenon; born  informed person can have any other opina Catholic and a monarchist, he became  ion, that the revocation of the Edict, and
in early life a St. Simonian, then a wan-  the persecutions arising from it, are to
dering and half-starved mathematician,  be reckoned among the blackest crimes
earning a pittance as a teacher, and, final-  and most pernicious faults recorded in
ly, the French Bacon, as he is called,  modern history. His book merits the
a thinker of such rare originality and   attention of all who would inform them
depth as to have produced comparisons be-  selves on this most interesting topic.
tween himself and Descartes and Leibnitz.    — We have lately mentioned several
His whole life has been a solitary one-   successful experiments in the application
one of deprivation and friendlessness-but  of photography to the copying of natural
at the same time one of intense labor and   scenes, as well as of engravings; another




1853.]              Editorial Notes-French Literature.                   225
work of the kind, worthy to be classed  classes of that vast empire. But while we
with the best, is M. DELESSERT'S Photo-  admire the art and power of the writer, we
graphic Reproductions of the Prints of  cannot say that there is much that is either
Mark Antony Raimondi. Raimondi was  noble or attractive in the life he describes.
a famous engraver of the time of Raphael,    -The Imperial printing establishment
and an intimate friend of that great artist,  at Paris has done a good thing in giving
after whose designs his best works were  to the world a collection of the unpublished
made. The prints have now become ex-  letters of Charles XII., that royal hero
ceedingly rare. and attainable only at a   and adventurer, who, along with Don
price beyond the means of ordinary con-  Quixote was born into the world at too
noisseurs.  M. Delessert's photographic  late a day. Had they both lived during
copies are, however, quite perfect, and  the time of the crusades, they would have
quite cheap. Henceforth, every body who   come down to us without a blemish in
desires, may possess the best specimens of  the glory of their renown. Of the two,
the genius and skill of this incomparable  however, we may say that Charles XII.
engraver.                              is much the more interesting personage,
— POUCHET'S Histoire des Sciences  and these letters, mostly confidential and
Naturelles au Moyen Age (History of  unrestrained, exhibit his character in a
the Natural Sciences in the Middle Ages)  very pleasing light. At the same time
is a book which no thorough savan can  they add much to the political history of
dispense with. It exhibits very completely  the time, and especially of the court of
the progress.of science from the fifth to   Russia, in the beginning of the seventeenth
the seventeenth century, and shows that  century. The letters are published in the
Albert von Bollstadt, commonly known   original Swedish, accompanied by a French
as Albertus AMagnus, was the beginner of  version, which is the work of the Editor,
that experimental method by means of  M. Geffroy, who found them in the library
which the splendid triumphs of modern  of the gymnasium at Liibeck.
times have been gained.  As literary      -The Imperial printing establishment
history, M. Ponchet's book is also to be   has also sent forth the first octavo volume
consulted; for he gives with admirable  of the History of the Island of Cyprus
lucidity the essence of the writings of each   under the reign of the Princes of the
author of any account whom he has oc-  Lusignan  family, a work for which,
casion to refer to. It is a monument of  twelve years since, the author, M. L. de
conscientious learning and masterly talent.  Maslatrie, received a prize from the Aca-M. GUSTAVE PLANCHE has published,  demy of Inscriptions and Belles-Lettres.
in two volumes, the Portraits d'Artistes,  Since then it has been much expanded by
which he had previously given to the  the enthusiastic researches of the author,
world in the pages of the Revue des Deux   who has visited every country and every
11iondes. The student of art will find in  place where there was a chance of adding
them a valuable mine of historical informa-  to his store of documents. When, in 1191,
tion as well as of criticism, in respect to   Richard Cceur de Lion went to Palestine,
both painting and sculpture. The special  his fleet stopped at Cyprus, which was
heroes of M. Planche are Phidias and  then held by the Greeks, and governed by
Raphael; the friezes of the Parthenon,  one of the Comnenus family with the
and the frescoes of the Vatican, he holds to  title of emperor. This potentate forbade
be the ne plus ultra of artistic beauty and  the English to land, and thereupon Richard
power.                                  made war upon him by way of practice.
-Another contribution  to Western  before setting-to with the Saracens. The
knowledge of Prussian literature is M.  Greeks were routed, their emperor taken
CHoPIN'S Choix de Nouvelles Russes, a   prisoner, and put in chains of silver, while
volume of novellettes, translated from   Richard sold his island to the Templars
Lermontoff, Pushkin, Von -Wiesen, and  for a sum  equivalent to about a million
Palevoi. One of these stories, Bela, or  and three-quarters of our dollars of the
a Hero of our Epoch, by Lermontoff, is  present day, some $700,000 being paid in
a vigorous and striking picture of a sort  cash.  The Templars, however, found
of Russian Byron, who is weary of exist-  their purchase likely to prove unprofitable
ence at the age when luckier men are  to them, and sold out to Guy de Lusignan,
just beginning it, and who, to escape from   who had previously been king of Jerusaennui, goes through a variety of strange  lem, but had been turned out of that
and characteristic adventures, in Circassia,  dignity by the warlike Saladin.  The
Armenia and Persia. We may, perhaps,  descendants of Guy continued to reign at
fairly tale this tale with its mingled ele-  Cyprus for some three centuries, when
gance and coarseness, energy and impo-  they made way for the Venetians, who in
tence. enthusiasm  and skepticism as an  turn surrendered to the Turks, in 1598
illustration of the social state of the higher  The documents, and the notes upon them




226                Editorial Notes-German Literature.                [Augusi
all relative to the history of the island, its  ligious Journey in the Orient), by the Abbe
administration, and social developments  MICHON, is the narrative of an enthusiasduring the three centuries of Lusignan  tic son of Rome who went to the East
domination, will be comprised in two of the  to study the condition of the Christian
four volumes of which the work is to be  churches in those countries, in order percomposed. The third volume will relate to  fectly to understand the points on which
the geography of the island, the organiza-  they are separated from the Roman Cathtion of the courts of justice, the ecclesias-  olic Church, and to find out, if possible,
tical organization, the genealogies and   some means of uniting them to it. Only
history of the many aristocratic families.  the first volume has yet been published,
These three volumes, as we have said, will  and this contains little beyond the obsercontain only the materials of the history,  vations and experiences of the traveller.
with such notes as the author judges  The religious portion will be given in the
necessary, while the history itself will be  second volume.
contained in the fourth volume, the last    -  To the amateurs of horses we comto be published. Relating, as it does, to   mend M. HouEL's  Histoire du Cheval
persons and events eminently romantic  chez tous les Peuples de la Terre, depuis
and little known, we are confident that it  les temps les plus recules, jusqu'a nos
will be found one of the most attractive   jours, (History of the Horse among all
of modern historical publications.      Nations from the remotest times to our
- A useful contribution to the history   day) in two vols. 8vo. The first volume
of the times and a rather interesting book  is occupied with the horses of antiquity,
in itself, is M. DuPIN's Presidence de l'As-  the various breeds then existing, the
semblee Legislative. For two years and   modes of breeding, breaking, harnessing
a half M. Dupin presided over the late  and riding. In the second we have the
National Assembly, as the elect of the   noble animal as he appears amid the light
conservative majority. In that capacity  of modern civilization and science. All
he was as just and impartial as could- be   modern races of the horse are here deexpected toward the members of the vari-  scribed from the splendid breeds of Araous cliques into which the Assembly was  bia, Turkey, and: Persia, to the degenerate
divided, that is to say, he habitually fa-  ones of China and India; and from the
vored the anti-republican factions and   powerful animals of continental Europe,
their measures. Thus he contributed all  the coursers of Barbary, and the race-horin his power to the final downfall of the   ses of England, to the mustangs of Mexico
republic and the advent of the present  and the wild horses of the South Ameriempire; and when Louis Napoleon finally  can Pampas. We know of no other book
overthrew the Assembly, it is notorious  which treats the horse with such eloquent
that M. Dupin, who as its President  enthusiasm, or such abundant learning;
ought to have shown some firmness and  it deserves to be popular among the cencourage, conducted himself like a coward-  taurs of all future ages and generations.
ly old poltroon. However, the little vol-  Let every scholar who has manhood
ume, in which he gives a condensed   enough in him to know and love a good
though egotistic and somewhat gossiping   horse, and courage enough to mount a skitaccount of his stewardship, may be read  tish one, set about the study of M. Houel's
with advantage by any one who knows  history.
enough of the facts not to place implicit
confidence in what the author sees fit to  GERMANY.- The History of the Opera
say.                                    at Berlin is the theme which Mr. L.
-  Ulrich de Hutten Zuingli is the ti-  SCHNEInER developes with due erudition
tle of a new book in two volumes by M.  and the proper degree of artistic sentiVICTOR CHAUFFOUR, in which the life and   ment. From  1800 to the present day,
acts of the two Reformers and Martyrs of   whether under the Teutonic or the Latin
Switzerland are narrated with ability,  form, German or Italian in style and lanspirit and learning.                    guage, we have here the continuous chron- ALPHONSE KARR has two tales in his  icles of whatever concerns that important
last volume of Romans. and very agreea-  institution at the capital of Prussia. A
ble tales they are. Hortense is the name   book worth studying we solemnly declare
of the first, and The Late Brenier of the  this history to be; and if along with the
second. The firtt is good, but the second   public musical drama as rehearsed and
is better. Long live Alphonse Karr, his  performed upon the stage, Mr. Schneider
wit, his sarcasm that hurts nobody's feel-  had given us a little more insight into the
ings, his love of nature, and his artistic  private life and adventures of the many
skill, which lends a charm even to the   notable persons he refers to, we are confifamiliar and commonplace.               dent it would not have lost any thing in
-  Voyage Religieux en Orient (Re-  point of curious interest.  A  strange




1853.]             Editorial Notes-German Literature.                    227
strange world is that of musical and dramat-  are especially interesting as an indication
ic life, rich in intrigue and scandal, a  of the future greatness of the man.
world replete with some of the meanest    -A  variety of elaborate statistical
and some of the noblest aspects of human   works have lately appeared in Germany.
nature, and all outsiders see it revealed   Among them  we may mention MAHLwith something of the same feelings as  MANN)S Statistisches Worterbuch (Stathey entertain toward the people of distant  tistical Dictionary) von Deutschland, exlands, and laws, and manners, quite unlike  clusive, however, of Austria; the Handtheir own.                              buch der Statistik des oesterreichischen
- DR. A. JELLINEK is making accessi-  Kaiserstaates (Manual of Austrian Stable a most occult department of Literature  tistics), by PRASCH; and the Staaten
in the Answahl kabbalistischer Mystik,  Europas (States of Europe), by BRA(Selections from Cabalistic Mysticism),  CHELLI.  Mr. Mahlmann  announces a
of which the first part lately appeared at  larger work on the general statistics of all
Leipsic. With the ordinary mystical wri-  Germany.
ters of the middle ages, we have long had  -The most entertaining and instructive
the means of becoming familiar, but the   product of recent German literature is,
efforts of Hebrew genius in that line have   beyond a doubt, a book called lFi7nfzi
till now been a closed book even to scho-  Jahre in  beiden Hemisphdren (Fifty
lars. That these mystics any more than   Years in both Hemispheres,-Reminiscences
the others will attract or repay the atten-  from the Life of a Merchant), lately pubtion of the genreral reader nobody will  lished at Hamburg, with the name of
pretend, but even in America there are a   VINCENT ROLLE, as its author. The hero
few transcendental scholars and affection-  of this varied and eventful history was
ate, explorers of the by-places of the hu-  born in Leghorn, of German parents, was
man intellect who will be glad to know   educated to mercantile life on the largest
of the labors of Dr. Jellinek.          scale, and during his active career was
- Linguists and Phonographers will  engaged either as employe, partner, or
find something worth their study in  independent operator, and friendly correHEYsE's System der Sprachlaute (Sys-  spondent with such houses as that of
tem of Spoken Sounds) which has been   Hope, Barings, and Ouvrard. He came
reprinted from a philologic periodical in  into contact not only with the great
which it first appeared. It goes into the   bankers and merchants of the world, but
analysis of articulate sounds as an element  with its leading rulers, politicians, and
in the study of language, and attempts a  artists, and thus his memoirs will not only
new classification of them according to the  repay those who read for amusement, but
particular organ and method by which  contain valuable materials for the historian.
they are respectively produced.         Of Napoleon a great many new and strik- An excellent picture of German ru-  ing circumstances are here related. The
ral life may be found in PRdHLER'S Pfar-  first time the writer saw him was after
rer von Grunrode (Parson of Griinrode).  the victory of Arcole, as he entered LegIt is the daily history of a country minis-  horn at the head of the Republican army,
ter from the beginning to the end of his  "a small, youthful man, of pale, almost
career, written with charming naivete, hu-  sallow  complexion, and long, straight,
mor and goodness. The details of his  crow-black hair, hanging down over his
general and official experience are given  ears, like the Talapouche Indians of.
with the accuracy of a daguerreotype,  Florida."  "There was a constant smile
and while the book has not a trace of art,  about his mouth, a smile with which eviit has all the interest of nature.      dently the rest of the man had nothing to
-Aesthelische Fragen (Esthetic Ques-  do. For the staring, unsympathetic look
tions), by J. FRAUENSTADT, is a clear and   of the eves showed that the soul was busy
simple, but by no means weak or super-  elsewhere. Never again have I seen such
ficial, attempt to settle sundry disputed   a look. It was the dull look of a mummy,
matters, such as the distinction between  except when a flash of intelligence begenius and talent, the relation of poetry  trayed the life within, though even this
and philosophy, the good and the beauti-  seemed of a pale and feeble brightness.
ful, and sundry other topics of kindred   The words of Macbeth to the ghost of
nature.                                 Banquo:' There is no speculation in these
-A  newly published volume of corre-  eyes,' would almost have applied to him,
spondence between FREDERICK PFAFF, an   had not the events that had already oceminent mathematician of the last century,  curred demonstrated what power was
and Duke Charles of Wiirtemberg, Bouter-  hidden in that dull, staring look."  In the
wek, Alexander von Humboldt, Kastner.  early part of the present century, the
and other savans, has good points. The   author came to the United States on an
letters of Humboldt, written in his youth,  important mission from  Hope & Co., in




228                 Editorial Notes-French Literature.               [August
the execution of which he made the ac-  has published, in two octavo volumes
quaintance of such men as Jackson, Henry   Die Lehre der Reibungs electricit dt,
Clay, Aaron Burr, Wilkinson, Claiborne,  (The Doctrine of Frictional Electricity), an
Livingston. Robert Fulton, and others; he  excellent manual, which cannot too warmly
witnessed the first experiment of Fulton's  be recommended to such as are engaged
steamboat, and personally took part in the  in the study of that science. Even those
battle of New Orleans, under Jackson.  who already understand it perfectly will
He became an American citizen, and esta-  not read this work without profit.
blished himself in New Orleans, where he  -Die  Moriscos in  Spanien (The
did a very heavy and prosperous business,  Moors in Spain), by A. L. ROCHAU, adds
chiefly in cotton, until the crisis of 1825-26,  nothing to previous knowledge of the sub.
when he failed in consequence of the fail-  ject, but is a vivid and agreeable book,
ure of a house in Liverpool, with which he   with  occasional singular  eccentricities
was connected. From this calamity he never  which to a reader at this distance are
recovered, though he attempted to retrieve  rather amusing than otherwise. For inhis fortunes, first in Havre, then in Boston,  stance, there are passages which would
then as contractor to furnish the new   seem to indicate that the author is an enFrench National Guard in 1830, and  thusiastic Moslem, and that the only fault
afterwards in various other enterprises,  he has to find with the Moors is the insome of which took him to Rome, to  stitution of polygamy. But for this, he
Constantinople, and to America again,  tells us that they, with their religion,
until at last, at an advanced age, he aban-  would  have subjugated the whole of
doned the struggle, and contented him-  Europe, and that the event would have
self with a modest existence at Hamburg,  been a happy one for the world.
as a writer for commercial periodicals.   — Charles Guirin, roman de nceurs
Here he has written the eventful narrative   canadiennes, by HoN. PIERRE  J. 0.
of his life, in a clear and worthy style, and   CHAUVEAU, is a work which we are at a
without any of the sour and bitter senti-  loss how to classify, nationally, whether
mentality of disappointment. No doubt  among French, English or American prothe book will soon be put into the English   ductions; it is the first work of fiction
language, and made accessible to our  conceived, written, and published in Canreaders.                               ada, that we remember bfai'ng seen. The
-Two books that are not without in-  author, the present Solicitor-General for
struction for students of the English   Lower Canada, is a French Canadian,
language are ABEL'S Deutsche Personen-  whose most distant travels have been
Namen (German proper names), and   bounded by Boston: the hero and all the
WIEGAND'S Oberhessische  Ortsnamen,  personages are'Canadians in Charles
(Names of Places in Upper Hesse). The   Gu6rin; the scene is laid at Quebec, and
origin of these names is, as may well be  in the vicinity. It was assuredly imposimagined, not only worthy of study as de-  sible to adhere more strictly to Beranger's
rived from the earliest times, and most  injunction, to "stick to one's country."
primitive life and circumstances of the Teu-  Like many of the early epopees and
tonic race, and as thus adding something to  ballads of other nations, this first-born
our knowledge of its earliest history, but  Canadian novel is a sort of politicois calculated to shed light upon the pure  pastoral tale, with just enough incident
meaning of many words of daily use in  to prevent monotony, and just enough
English as well as German.              passion to sustain the interest to the end
-The second part of WACKERNAGEL'S  of the volume. The bulk of readers will
Geschichte  der  deutschen  Literatur  peruse with pleasure the naif history of
(History of German Literature), embrac-  the fates and fortunes of the two brothers
ing what is called the Middle High German   Guerin. There is, in truth, nothing very
Period, has appeared at Basle, and is  strikingly original in their case. Theirs
loudly recommended by the most trust-  is the story of all young men, who, after
worthy critics, not only for the richness  completing their education, are thrown
of its matter, and the surprising erudition   upon the world to seek their fortune, with
it betrays, but for the correctness and   no other aid than their own energy, and
justice of its critical judgments.     a very limited field for its development.
-The Yucatan of our lamented coun-  Assailed by the usual misfortunes of
tryman, Mr. JOHN L. STEPIqENS, has been   heroes of romance, each in his way overpublished in a German version at Leipsic  comes them, and is happy at last.
with a map and all the plates of the ori-    This slender plot is happily set off with
ginal. The German critics regard it as  fresh pictures of Canadian scenery, and
the best and most substantial of all his  Teniers-like Sketches of village life on the
works.                                 borders of the St. Lawrence. Dialogues,
-RIEss, the eminent savan of Berlin,  too. on subjects of political and social in



1853.]         Editorial Notes-N-ote from  Henry C. Carey.                 229
terest, are interspersed throughout the   countenance, if not even aid, from  the
narration, and show that the author had   public press.  Far from  it, however.
a higher aim in view than the mere grati-  In the twelve years that followed its pubfication of curiosity. Their tone is in-  lication, I never saw a single American
tensely and exclusively Canadian. One   notice of it that might not have been
might almost infer from them that the   written by a student fresh from college
world was bounded by the Canadian   and inflated with the idea that he had
frontier. A Parisian dandy, speaking of   qualified himself for the office of critic by
the Nubian deserts or the slopes of the   puzzling himself during the last term, in
Amazon, would not use language very  trying to understand the confused and
different from that in which the interlo-  worthless systems of Wayland or Say,
cutors allude to the United States. Patri-  which will account for no facts, and of
otism is all very well; but a poet and   which the several parties are'in perpetual
philosopher-who was never suspected of  conflict with each other. At the end of
any lack of the virtue —has said, and  that time, it began to be seen that my
Canadians would perhaps do well to re-  books were studied in Europe-that they
member it:                               had been, or were being, translated and
"Chacun est du pays de son intelligence;  republished-and finally it came to be
Je suis concitoyen de toute Aine qui pense,  known that my whole system, from comLa vfrit6, c'est mon pays I       mencement to close, had been reproduced
NOTE FROM HENRY C. CAREY.           by one of the ablest of European economists, and among the most brilliant of
[We could not afford all the authors who   French writers-and then, and not till
may take exceptions to our notices of  then, it began to be thought by our own
their works, space in our columns to  reviewers that I might, perhaps, have
refute the opinions we publish, but we   "some method in my madness."  Of this
give Mr. Carey the benefit of his remarks  they are not even yet quite certain, for I
upon our brief notice of Mr. Smith's  have not yet been indorsed in England,
Manual, in our last, for reasons that will  the country that dictates all our modes of
be obvious enough to our readers. We   thought, and is as little competent for the
will make no other remark on Mr. Ca-  task as almost any one in Europe. Neverrey's complaint than that we consider his  theless, of all the reviewers who have for
argument against international copy-right  so many years thus treated " social
is one of the strongest that could be made  science," nine-tenths are advocates of inin favor of that measure. If Mr. Carey  ternational copyright, as tending to give
has not received that consideration from   us American literature, and to promote
his countrymen to which his merits enti-  originality of thought. It may be that
tle him, it is because the non-existence of  fact would be its effects, but if so it is a
an international copy-right has rendered   measure against which our authors should
them intellectual vassals of Europe, and   to a man protest, for originality is death
destroyed the feeling of independence in  to their hopes of success. To furnish oriliterature which they are so proud of in  ginal ideas, a man must have placed himtheir politics.]                         self in advance of his neighbors, and in
To the Editor of Putnam's Monthly.  advance of his reviewer-and as the latIt is now sixteen years since I under-  ter finds himself unable to determine their
took to show that the English economists  value, he slurs them over as best he may,
had been engaged in treating a leg or an   and then, if benevolently disposed towards
arm under the mistaken belief that they   his victim, he praises him for something
were treating a body, and that the reason   that is common to himself and a dozen
of this was that they had adopted princi-  others, and thus " damns him with faint
ples that had no foundation in truth, and   praise."  If otherwise disposed, he waits
could not, therefore, be made to explain   until he can find some depreciating article
the phenomena of the lungs, heart, or  by some stupid Englishman, and reprints
brain, the consequence of which had been  that as evidence that his countryman is
that they had been compelled to eliminate  an ass. All this is precisely what has
all the nobler parts of the system, and   happened to me. Ill-natured articles by
confine their investigations to the meaner  such Englishmen, ignorant of the first
ones. I then showed that there existed   elements of social science, have been resimple and beautiful laws, by whose aid  printed here, but in no single instance
all the phenomena could readily be ex-  that I now recollect has any thing complained, and that they constituted a great  mendatory been republished. Such being
system of "social science," perfectly har-  the facts, would one err much in saying
monious in all its parts. This was a great  to an author, that if he would have his
work to undertake, and it might have   books to sell he must avoid all pretension
been supposed that I would receive some   to originality of thought?




230            Editorial Notes-Note from  Henry C. Carey.            [August
Some fifteen years since, I published   dred pages; and yet your reviewer ada little book on credit and banking, which   vises me to be more concise! The age of
contains in 100 or 120 pages more infor-  pocket encyclopmedias has, unfortunately,
mation than can be found in all the Eng-  not yet arrived. The difference between
lish books on the subject put together;  Mr. Mill and myself is this: He has atand the reason for this is, that I laid down   tempted to prove the truth of propositions
some simple principles- those abstract  that are not true, and to do this he has
ideas that your reviewer does not like;  been compelled to bring together thouand then showed that all the facts of  sands of small facts that seemed as if
the world were in accordance with them.  they might do so, and the result is, that
Those ideas were adopted in France, and   his various facts are in constant antagonI have had for several years a book in  ism with each other, and his reader is bewhich it is shown how readily by their  wildered. He has no idea of any enlarged
aid all the revulsions of England and   view of man and his actions, nor of the
France could be accounted for. Within  laws by which he and they are governed,
a month, I have received an elaborate  and hence the multiplicity of words. I
work by an able writer, just from the   have given a few very simple principles,
press in France, in which my little vol-  covering the whole ground, and have
ume is freely used, and is pronounced to be  called in the chief nations of the earth to
"' un des plus beaux ouvrages" on this sub-  prove their truth, and thus establish the
ject that has ever appeared. Nevertheless,  highest point to which social science can
having been so unfortunate as to contain  be carried, and yet, because I chose to
original ideas, it never received the small-  call my book " The Slave-trade," your reest notice here beyond some trumpery   viewer would have your readers believe
newspaper paragraph, while long articles  that its object had been little more than
were given to enormous English volumes,  the determination of a question relative
written down to the level of reviewers,  to the trade in cotton, woollens, and iron!
and the authors of which proved nothing   I could not but ask myself if he had read
by their multiplicity of words, except  the book. It seemed to me not, for if he
that they had got to learn the A B C of the  had he certainly would have spared himscience they had undertaken to teach.  self the trouble of recommending me to
And yet our people talk of the necessity  study social science. Read it yourself,
of international copyright as tending to  and then tell me if you know any other
promote originality of thought!        that throws so much light on that science.
Mr. Smith has, for the first time, given  Among the contributors to the science,
the world a manual of social science.  and among the most eminent writers of
Science must be based on laws. Laws  our day, are Guizot and De Tocqueville.
are abstract ideas, and yet your reviewer,  Why are they so eminent? Because, havwhile talking of science, reproves him for  ing no idea of principles, or laws, they do
his abstractions. His book is an excel-  not offer them to the consideration of their
lent one, but it requires that its readers  readers. Both of them prove that they
should take some little trouble to think,  do not know enough to define even the
for there is no royal road to science. The  words about which they write-Civilizastretch of thought that it requires is, how-  tion and Democracy. Their readers are
ever, not greater than might be looked   beguiled with the idea that they are being
for in any clever college student. In ac-  taught, but they end as they began-not
cordance with the fashion of the day he  in the least wiser-and hence it is that
has called it political economy, and your  the books have had so much success.
reviewer has failed to see in it that social  Had they written over the heads of their
science he desiderates! Heaven help the  reviewers, they would have been irretrievauthors should originality ever become   ably lost. Their books are, disgracefully
the order of the day among them!       to us, text-books in our colleges, because
The ultimate object of " social science"  they are written down to the level of our
is the determination of the conditions un-  professor, an indispensable requisite for
der which man advances most rapidly  success in a text-book. In one of my
towards that perfect freedom of thought,  books is a review of De Tocqueville, and I
speech, and action, necessary to his per-  have just had a letter from an eminent
fect responsibility for his actions before  French economist, expressing a strong deGod and man. The slave is an irrespon-  sire that it should be translated and repubsible being. To reach that highest point  lished, that the people of France might see
in science is the object of my last book,  and appreciate the real character of a book
and to do so it was needed that I should  so popular among superficial men.
pass over the whole ground occupied by    Last autumn, when your publishers
Mr. Mill in his two ponderous octavos,  wrote me about contributions to the Maand this is done in far less than a hun-  gazine original American thought, &kc., I




1853.]            Editorial Notes —Note from  Dr. Brewer.                231
replied, if you recollect, that my system   proper value to either praise or censure
being original, I could not write other-  bestowed without knowledge, and though
wise; but that, for that reason, my con-  I may feel the kindness of the first, it intributions would not suit them. To be ac-  spires me with no higher feeling of respect
ceptable, it would be needed, as I said, that  than the last. I desire the criticism of enI should regriid Malthus, Ricardo, Mc-  lightened men-men who feel the truth and
Culloch, &c., as your reviewer of Seward  pursue the search in a fair and honest spirit;
has just now done. Was I right or wrong?  but such criticism is hard to find. Twenty
Would you have accepted a review of Mr.  years since I read that a man who had a
Seward, the author of which should have  theory to republish, had the labor of a
taken original American ground, and de-  life before him, and that such has always
monstrated that there was a real social  been the case, history furnishes evidence.
science, by the laws of which he was to  So I have found it; but I can say with
be tried?  Would it have been as accept-  Galileo, "Ancora, si nuovre."  I have the
able as one in which the existence of sci-  satisfaction of knowing that while the
ence is denied, and in which we are told  "old fogies" of Europe are against me, I
that expediency is the test, while contra-  have the young men who are to direct the
dictions stare the writer in the face at  modes of thought of future generations.
every step of his progress?  I fear not.  Of the former, not a man has the courage
Why then talk of original thought? We  to take up the gauntlet that I have reare bound up in the chains of intellectual  peatedly thrown down among them in the
slavery to a people far inferior to ourselves.  pages of their own journal-the Journal
A few days since, I had a conversation   des Economistes, of Paris. With this they
with the most accurate observer, and most  are, as I see, reproached in the last number
original thinker, I have ever known, and  by an able disciple of the new school, whose
the man, who, of all others, has done most  article the editor found himself compelled,
in the country for the advancement of his  most unwillingly, to publish; such is his
science-and in the course of it, he said  policy to shut out discussion.
that he was "tired of life."  There is, said  I will have the young men of this counhe, nobody to talk to-no one to whom to  try, as well as those of Europe. The excommunicate a new idea with any hope  istence of a great social science will be adthat it will be appreciated, even when it  mitted, and it will be acknowledged that
involves. perhaps, a total revolution in the   I had been the first to proclaim its laws,
science in which they are themselves en-  and all of those laws may be found by
gaged. Here, said he, I teach for years  any careful student of that little book of
important ideas that are scarcely listened   mine of which your reviewer has so poor
to, but in time they travel to a distance,  an opinion.
whence they return backed by the name             Yours very truly,
of some learned Theban of Europe, who                    HENRY C. CARET.
reaps all the credit of them. Is not this    Burlington, N. J., July 2, 1853.
a true picture of the whole country? Is
it not just what has happened between    NOTE FROM DR. BREWER, EDITOR OF
Bastiat and myself?  Are we not in a  WILSON'S  ORNITHOLOGY.-"- An obserstate of vassalage of the most debasing   vant and well-informed writer upon Fishkind?  Should it continue to be so?  Is  Hawks and Falcons, in the July number
it not time that we had at least one journal  of Putnam's Monthly, refers to an ediin which an original idea might be pro-  tion of Wilson's Ornithology, published,
duced without the certainty of its ruining   several years since, with a synopsis prethe producer in the estimation of his coun-  pared by me, and attributes to me several
trymen?  Your journal should be that  extracts from its notes. Although this
one. We need a vehicle for American  reference is made in quite a friendly spirit,
ideas, and not for the rehash of English   and would be quite complimentary were
ones.                                  it not based upon a misapprehension of
I am as anxious to see the educated  the authorship of the passages in question,
white man free in the exercise and ex-  a due regard for the truth and the rightpression of thought, as to see the ignorant  ful claims of the real writer, requires me
negro free in the application of his mus-  to disclaim the credit for that which becular powers; and hence it-is that I trou-  longs not to me, but is from the pen of
ble you with this long letter. As regards  quite another person. Not only are the
my own doctrines, I have no fear for them   passages quoted not mine, though atsince Europe has adopted them. They  tributed to me, but they are also adduced
have made their way in despite of the sneers  in confirmation of certain views in regard
and frowns of our editors in the past, and  to a controverted point in Ornithology
are safe for the future. Sixteen years' ex-  that are in dissonance from my own conDerience has qualified me for attaching the   victions. I am equally unwilling to seem




232               Editorial Notes-Note from  Dr. Brewer.               [August
to consent, by my silence, to appropriate  seldom frequent the sea-shore, but are alhonors that really belong to another, as  most exclusively found on inland ponds and
well as to be made at the same time to  lakes, the American bird is rarely seen
indorse and confirm views which I be-  about our fresh-water rivers and lakes.
lieve to be founded in error. I ask but a   but collects in large communities along our
brief space in your valuable pages, that  sea-coast. Besides this remarkable and
the correction may follow  the original  constant difference of habits, essential vastatement through the same channel to  riations in their anatomical structure have
the public.                              been found that warrant their separation
The passages quoted by this writer and  into distinct species. I have also recently
attributed to me are from the pen of a more  ascertained that well-defined and constant
accomplished Ornithologist, Sir William   variations between the markings of the
Jardine, of whose excellent edition of   eggs of the American Fish-Hawk and the
Wilson's Ornithology, the one I edited   European Osprey confirm  these specific
was, to a great extent, but a reprint.  differences. No opportunities, that I am
The opinions of this writer, which I am   aware of, have been afforded for any comthus made to seem to indorse, that the   parisons of the anatomical structure of the
Fish-Hawk of this country is identical  Australian  representative of this group
with the Osprey of Europe, or that either  with the European or American species.
of them  are the same species with the   I have no doubt, however, that, whenever
Pandion Leucocephalus of Australia, are  this comparison is carefully instituted, it
not in accordance with my own belief. I   will be found to be a distinct and separate
am well aware that the pages of Putnam   species from either American or European.
are not intended for the dry details of   This belief amounts almost to conviction
scientific researches. I ask not, therefore,  from the possession in my cabinet of the
to occupy any space with the anatomical  egg of the Australian species, which exand other investigations that demonstrate,  hibits positive and well-marked variations
very evidently to my own mind, that the   from my specimens of the egg of both
Fish-Hawk and the Osprey, though pos-  European and American species. Thanksessing many points of resemblance in  ing this writer, in common with many
external appearance and markings, as well  others of your readers, for his very excelas in many of their habits, are yet quite  lent and attractive paper upon so interdistinct and different species. Indeed this  esting a family in Ornithology, I must at
very observant writer in Putnam, himself,  the same time disclaim all credit for the
refers to a very striking and important  passages he so kindly assigned to my pen,
difference between the habits of the Euro-  and even dissent from at least one of their
pean and the American birds. While the   conclusions. Yours truly,
former are found only in solitary pairs,                  THOMAS M. BaREwER.




PUTNAM'S MONTHLY.
~'agtiltR of ~itWatmtR, ftiencm, ad ~,rt,
VOL. II.-SEPTEMBER 1853.-NO. IX.
NEW- YORK CHURCH ARCHITECTURE.
Church of the Ascension, Fifth Avenue.
EW  YORK  City is proud  of her  thrift and greatness.  The renaissance,
Churches anci she well may be, as the   progress, and culmination of Gothic archiforest of spires seen above the roofs of the   tecture in the New World, may be here
level lines of houses, indicate as plainly  seen in the course of a morning's walk.
as the forest of.masts at her wharves, her   Passing through a few streets. or, in fact,
VOL. I.- 16
VOL. II. —16




234                    New-York Church Architecture.                [September
through one only, we may
see the objects which fu-  -
ture  archaeologists  will.       -.
make the subjects of ponderous essays; but the
crowd that sees these majestic structures rising up
day by day scarcely bestows a passing thought
upon them, or stops to
moralize on the mystery
of these resuscitations of
dead centuries in the midst
of our busy metropolis.
The moral influence of the
revival of the so-callgd                                                 nme
Gothic style of church
architecture, would form a
most profitable subject for
a sermon, and we imagine
that there would be no
great difficulty in tracing            German Lutheran Church. —167.
the tendency to purple chasubles in many of our ProtestaNnt clergy,  miration, the claim is sufficiently large —
to the mediaevalisms in church edifices  we shall examine its validity. There are
which have been introduced among us  two causes for the incorrect and uniinduring the past twenty years. Sir An-  posing architecture of the greater number
thony Absolute shrewdly remarks of   of churches in New-York; the one is the
novel-reading, that those who are so fond  incapacity of the architects who design
of handling the leaves, will, in time, have a   them-the other is the ignorance of the
longing for the fruit. It is a natural re-  people who pay for them.
sult, if not inevitable, that those who re-  Now, for the ignorance of the latter,
build the churches of the fourteenth cen-  there is every excuse which the most
tury, will also desire to revive the worship  charitably disposed person in the world
to which they were consecrated. But we   could desire to find.
will not infringe on the province of the   We don't wish to be sweeping and unpreacher; our present business is with the   just this morning; on the contrary, every
thing disposes us to mildness
and amiability. We shall not
say we think things are good
when we know they are bad.
and could prove it, if we had a
mind. Intending, therefore, to
do every thing that is right, we
shall admit that we, as a people,
are making great strides towards excellence in the various
departments of art; and that
x'-          x-'                          there are a great many men
among us who cannot be caught
by mediocrity, and who demand
from every man the best he can
give. 
mis teThe great evil is, that while
there is plenty of private criticism  in circles whose judgment in these matters is final.
the public criticism is for the
Old French Church. —1704.          most part shortasighted. illogical, narrow, and dictated by
minster and not the ministers.  If the   whim and pique. We know fifty cases,
rapidity with which these ecclesiastical  and men who are more intimate with
structures have sprung up in every.street:  these matters than we. know many more,
and the general respectability of their ap-  in which works of art'and literature have
pearance, constitute any claim on our ad-  been either mercilessly hacked, or stoutly




1853.]                  New- York Church Architecture                      235
ignored by the press, merely because the
editors had some private troubles with the
authors or artists in question. Only once
in a great while does a candid, impartial,
generous criticism appear in our journals.
It is hardly fair, perhaps, to hold the press
responsible for the deficiencies of public
taste, but it assumes to be a teacher, as well
as a chronicler, and it should, at least, be
able to give a proper tone to public opinion.
The subject of architecture is one, however, of such magnitude that it is overlooked. The form of a foreign government
is a subject that the press will scrutinize
and dilate upon, but the form  of the'          __
church next door is not worth considering.
Well, when it comes...::-_ 
to this, that the press
has nothing to say which
is worth  hearing, we
must expect that the
public, mainly educated
by the press, will know
very  little about art,
and that little will be the..
result of its instincts_________                                        _ —__
in default of other teachers; and the instincts                         __
of our people, like the in-      ---.
stincts of the English, are
somewhat dull in aesthetics. We have first rate
painters among us, and           _
one fine sculptor, but          -
for some reason, not very..
plain, we have as yet                                                      -...
Trinity Church, Broadway.




236                   New- York Church Architecture.              [September
utterly failed to make any mark in the   dilettanteism; which shall fear no critidomain of art, and the prospect of our  cism, and shrink before no knowledge;
doing so is very slight for many years to-  in short, until a leader come, we have no
come.                                   right to blame the public for want of
One thing is plain as daylight to every  taste, and say that "to paint good picbody.  Until some one of our artists  tures, and make good statues, is to throw
pearls before swine," because the experimnent has never fully been tried. There
are many splendid examples of liberality.......... _and good construction in our church edi-__  -____ _____  ___       fices. and, if they do not display the same
__r____ —_-             degree of inventive genius which we can
point to in our bridges, aqueducts, and
other great public works designed for the
general good, it will be wrong to infer
that we are, therefore, deficient in architectural ability. The fault lies not, we
= ______ =_ ___E_=:=   are persuaded: either in national, or indiidual disability, but in the narrowness of
sectarian judgment. Our architects have
not been left free to exercise their genius.
or they could have accomplished things
___________'=_______________L'"-  in church-building equal to our national
if_:~______ _=__                   achievements in ship - building. Our
___ i ________ -churches have been designed to conform
to a superstitious reverence for symbolism, and our architects have been cramped
by the foregone opinions of their employers, that the science of ecclesiology was
=___    _-___  -~  incapable of improvement or advancement;
--  so there was no other course but to imi==____  — _  tate some existing edifice, in the old world,
_== ______~  as nearly as the changed order of society,
and the improvements in art and science
would permit. Some of these imitations
have been very successful, as imitations
and there may be seen church edifices in
our finest streets, placed between houses.Sii.....              of great elegance and beauty, that display
i__ ___  almost as much Gothic ignorance and bad; taste, as any of the mouldy remnants of
___________  I ii'  ~    the thirteenth or fourteenth century. But
______    -  it is quite impossible, with our improved
l tastes, and refined habits, to wholly imi_____  btate the barbarisms of our ancestors, even
in church architecture, and the most Gothic of our ecclesiastical structures display
elegances and conveniences which the best
of them were strangers to. Houses are
built to dwell in, as Bacon says, in his
essay on building, and churches were designed to worship in; but the prevalent
opinion seems to be, that churches are intended for some other purpose, to symbolI   lize a religious idea, or to perpetuate a sectarian dogma.
St. Paul's Spire.            We may call our progress in architecture
a leap rather than a progress-because
shall do something that will stand in   within five years, more has been done than
spite of all the flattery of friends, and all  in the thirty preceding the five. America
the abuse of enemies, which shall sav for  has never produced a great-nay, a reitself, without waiting for any one to say  spectable architect. No set of men have
it-" I am excellent, come and admire  done so much to bring the profession into
me;"-which  shall abide through all  disgrace, as the so-called New-York archichanges of fashion, and all the whims of  tects. There is hardly in the whole city a




1853.]                 New-York Church Architecture.                        23'
single  correct
building,  and
but  few   of
t h e  modern
churcheswhich
are  sincerely
and faithfully                        -   
built. This is
not the place to
preach   from   - -''          ___
this text. We
shall  take                                                                  li
speedy oppor-          __        _        ---          — =- il
tunity to utter                         -        I 
our convictions 
on this point,.             I
however; and       I
content  our-      i 
selves at present with mere- ois   ]
ly  hinting at     I!                      _-__
our sentiments.
The architects
of New-York    ll         1
must in each              I           I1                                 I  
and every case 
shoulder  the
blame of the                         Interioi of St. Paul'a
inc o ngruities,
the weakness, the want.of impressiveness,  street,  which
which mar our public and private build-  was    erected
ings. When a man is spending  half a   nearly  thirty
million of dollars on a building, is it pos-  years ago, was
sible to believe that he would not rejoice  the  first  atto find an architect capable of making a   tempt of the
grand design, and carrying it out grand-  kind,   and,
yv?  A man who knows always con-  though it has
trols the man who does not know, and   since been  so
an intelligent architect always can rule  entirely  overthe will, the taste, and the purse of his  shadowed   by
client.  Trinity, yet,
There are, in the city of New-York,  considering the
about two hundred and thirty churches,  state  of  art
or houses of worshich the majority of   among  us  at
which are merely convenient houses for  that time, it
public assemblages, respectable enough   must beregardin appearance, and answering all the pur-  ed as a great
poses for which they were designed; but  success.
making no pretensions to architectural     The   early..
splendor, or  ecclesiastical symbolism.  churches   of
There are some, however, which would   New-York, like all the Dutch buildings,
command attention in any city of the old   were very ugly. The Germasl Lutheran
world, by their size, solidity of construc-  Church was built in the years 1766-7, in
tion, impressiveness of aspect, and ele-  the swamp, at the corner of Frankfortgance of finish. The greater number of   street. Six years before, a few houses had
them are of the various styles of Gothic.  begun to be built in that part of the highand belong generally to the Presbyterians   road to Boston which led toward "Fresh
and Episcopalians, the two wealthiest, if   Water,"' extending from Broadway to the
not the most numerous of the different  place where the negroes were burnt in.
religious sects of New-York.             1741, and to which the gallows had lately
The Episcopalians made the first at-  been removed; this road then began to be
tempt at reviving, or rather transplanting,  regulated as a street.  The place near
the Gothic style of architecture, on this   which this church was built was what its
side of the Atlantic. St. Thomas' Church,  name implies, a swamp.  The French
on the corner of Broadway and Prince-   Church. "Du St. Esprit," was erected in




238                     New-York Church Architecture.                 [September
1704, by the Protestant Huguenots escaped from France,
and settled at Brooklyn, New 
Rochelle, &c.  Both  these           - -:
churches are now destroyed to                 = =
make room for other buildings.            - -   l       -i
We regret their loss, because
though they were informed by         _ —: _..
no spirit of beauty, they were        --        __ —;118
built in a sincere desire to do
the best that lay in the builders'                    1....
power, ankd, at all events, were. 
marred by no pretence, and          ___
told no falsehoods.
The visiter to our city, who:T
comes from over the water, sees 
the spire of Trinity Church
rising far above the mass of..
houses  and  the  clustered i!
masts.  It is a graceful and
beautiful spire-the crotchets,
perhaps, are a little too thickly 
placed, and not of sufficiently i.                                 __
marked character; and we                        
could have wished that the
windows had  been  omitted
from it, since, unless these
features are kept very small- 
too small in such a spire to be 
of any use-they invariably
interfere with the upward tendency of the lines.  To have
omitted the windows, however, would have been to have           Church of the Divine Unity, Broadway.
lost a good opportunity for
making  money, an  opportunity which   ther  ecclesiastical or viaductile, never
American and English committees, whe-  lose sight of. Accordingly, we find that
"a fee is expect===-=  -_ —: _____  ____________ _ed  "  by  the  Sacris_ I-= —---- ~~______ _ -- -_tan for allowing
_______________~i_      _______________-~  _the            little   tow erstaircase door to
_ —___ — -.                      remain open from
sunset to sunrise,
_______________    and we may add,
________~~-~-~~-~~-~ —~~  ~ l t-rthat the expectations of this enterprising gentleman
are very seldom
disappointed. We
are sorry for him,
- but truth demands
of us to state that
the Latting Observatory offers much
better accommodation to visitors
and a more extensive view. at no advance in price. The
present " Trinity
Church" is every
way a more beautiful building than
First Baptist Church, Broome-street.          the dingy old stone




1853.1                  New-York Church Architecture.                           239
-:_' —=-~ —-~ —-=r —'-I
displaced.  That was a very plain, mat-  from sunrise to sunset, is entered by two
ter of fact structure, with an incongru-   side porches, and on Sundays by the
ous semi-circular porch jutting out in  large door in the Tower.  The tower is,
front. A model of the old church was pre-   with the spire, 280 feet high and is proserved till lately in the vestry room of the   vided with  a clock, which strikes the
modern  building, and afforded a very   hours, and chimes the halves and quarters,
edifying contrast.  The new church be-   and a full chime of bells-the only one in
longs to the  Perpendicular Period  of   the city, and a gift, for which the writer of
Pointed Architecture, and was erected   this article desires to make his best bow
between the years 1838 and 1845, after  to the Corporation for all the pleasure it
the design of Richard Upjohn, an English   has given him  to hear.  Over the prinarchitect, if we mistake not. settled in   ciple door there is a large window filled
New-York.  The material is the light   with elaborate tracery, which lights nobrown freestone, from  the Little Falls  thing and is of no use.  It is put there
quarries, in New Jersey. and is, through-  like the niches in the tower sides, for
out, finely cut.  The church, which, un-   show  and we wish that the architect had
like all the other Protestant churches in   been willing to leave those spaces bare.




240                        New- York  Church Architecture.                     [September.
St. Patrick's Cathedral..-=:_______    ____and put the mo_____________                     ______h____                         ney    and    labor
____' which they re-:__ ~  -~~2'~  ~   ~_      present into
real    stone.._~                         ~-~-=- ==_=s-~~_ -~ ~groining for the
_____________________       three   porches.....________                                  ___                 ~      which, as  we
~                          -~~~~~~~       ~    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~-r-~ —~
have  said  before, yawns. at
_____-_______re         present,   di s_______                     gracefully in
~~~~I~~~~~~i~~~~~~~TI~~~~~~~~~II~ ~ ~ -IIII
I    2                   ~~~~~~tronizingly that
I''~~~~~l  "Trinity  is  a
fine building''
I;~~~~~~~~~~~~~tla  yes, very finebut it's all
wd spire.   Nows
all that we imhe designed it
-: —ras to imitate
goodaexstion
I~~~examples.  We
__  ___                       - I~~take it for granti~',~ ~ ~      ~ ~ ~~wih ai t;!Ile
ed  he did  noteboe tit s. all
design thexecut- ahi
Church of the Messiah, Broadway         ing an original
eds to do when
r-                                          iii  fine buildinf~~~~~~~~~f:- I
i~~~~~~~_~go                    yexst er ingt~~~~~~~~~~~~~u il                                               s eamles W'=1. —                                                               pre        o
aied he drcid o'-  Chur~~~~~~~~tch  of  the Msih rawy n noiia




1853.]                 New-York Church Architecture.                       241
work. If he did, he does not know what
original means-because every thing in
Trinity is copied from old examples from
first to last. and the only question for the
critic in testing its merits is, whether it be
a correct copy or not. Now, working on
this principle, Mr. Upjohn is quite right
in making his tower and spire the dominant feature in the church, because it was
the great principle on which the old
churches, or the best of them, were designed. The tower and spire, or the tower when there was no spire, was the great
exterior feature of the building. It was
the life and soul of the structure. It represented the character of the buildingit strove to embody its spirit-it was the
portion which first caught the eye-to
him who came over the sea or over the
_     --..... hill, that beckoning finger first gave wel= _........... come sign of home-,~tt~ii,~~' ________:=               the cheering voice, hid
within, first gladdened
_______....___                    his  eager  ear.  All
___~ ~ ~...._~       ~the  best art of the
builder went into the
_____ -l_ i_~       3    tower, or the principal
_ E__ 1~_1_=__       I I      door, or the spire which
___  ~    crowned the whole. To
make all beautiful was
his aim, but invariably
___________ _:the  spire  drew   into  it~ —— ~ ~self all the harmony and
__________ __-   genius of the whole.,,":'/~-5=        ~ —_____________                  Now we cannot say
_ —~~ —-~~ — i~;___________          __          very  eulogistic things
Grace Ch:rch.
Grace Church.




242                     New-York Church Architecture.                   [September
of the imposing spire
of Trinity. We think
it clumsy, and wanting in lightness of
line, and in the whole
quality of aspiration
which is the first element demanded  in
a spire.  But we insist  that  its  size
shall not be brought
up against it, because
it is undoubtedly according to law that
it should be larger
than  the body of
the church would
seem   to  demand.
Beside, when we remember that the tower is the best part of                                     v      it.
the church, we shall
find it unreasonable
to complain that this
is the very part of
which they have given us the most. The
body of the church
is poor, and decidedly wanting in character —a crowd of
buttresses which support nothing, a foolish battlemented sky
line, a double range:of very ordinary windows, one serving as
a copy for all the
rest-this is all that
the bodyof the church
has to offer us.
The interior of the
church is. at first
glance, very fine. It..
would continue to be
considered  fine by 
any criticism which
chose  to  overlook
the evident insincer-                    Interior of Grace Church.
ity of the whole affair.
The side-walls, the whole roof, and the   which stare us in the face  and, after
chancel are of plaster, colored to imitate  they are once found out, destroy much of
stone.  The columns of the interior are   our pleasure in visiting it.
stone as far up as we can see —we are        Higher up Broadway we have St. Paul's
unable'to vouch for more. As we have         respectable old-fashioned St. Paul's of
already said, Nature is asserting herself   which Willis sang in his flippant way:
nobly in damp and mould, and making all           "On, or by St. Paul's and the Astor,
the architect's deceptions plain in the light      Religion seems very ill planned;
of truth.  The - 7oodwork throughout the           For one day we list to the pastor,
church is of o',K; the screen in the chan-         For six days we list to the band."
eel, the reading desks and chairs, the pul-   That band of Barnum's whose bray wakes
pit, the organ and organ gallery. are all  the discordant echoes all about, is the one
elaborately carved.  The church would   he alludes to-playing its two-and-sixbe ar. object of which our city might well  penny discords, to the unspeakable debe proud, if it were not for the deceptions   light of all the pie-women in the neigh



1853.]                lXew-York Church Architecture.                       243
borhood. In spite of
the fresh coats of                                          _-__.........._. — ____
paint bestowed upon
St. Paul's, and the   ~  X...._ _                                     ----
excellent repair, in   _:    _...
which it is kept, it  =_  -_- _.......... 
has a very venerable'::
appearance, and we...........:
believe it is the oldest   __             
building in Broadway 
with one exception.
The grand old trees
in the  churchyard,.=.which are probably       _              _
coeval with  it, are
very fitting compan- 
ions for it. The build-                              Ui  Square.
ing of St. Paul's chaon the 30th of Octo 
ber, 1766; and his ex-        L: 
in it a band of music,                    
hich  reqluest was         i
granted, on the condition that the band wi
should only join in      -
such part of the ser-  -
vice'as was usual and
customary in such
caseso and that no                  Church of the Pilgnrms Union Squarae
other pieces of music
should be allowed but such only as were  church is of stone or brick stuccoed on
adapted to the service of the church on  the exterior colored brown, and marked
such solemn occasions. The inauguration   off in lines, to give it the appearance of
of Washington, as President of the United   being built of small blocks of rough stone,
States took'pace, as is well known, at the   The principal porch on Broadway, and
City Hall. After the'ceremonial was over,  the rear porch in the west, with the
the general retired, with the civil and miii-  pediments, together  uith the cornice and
tary officers in attendance, to St. Paul's  its moulding are of wood, with stone colChapel, in order to un    itth them  in  umns, paited, andsanded. The principal
such religious services as were appropriate  porch, we may add, is very clumsy, and
to the occasion. And here also he fre-  violates ail rules of architectural propriety.
quently received the holy communion." *    Thus we have a church dedicated to the
The spire of St. Paul's, a partial copy   worship of a God of Truth. whose minfrom one of Wren,!s is a great ornament  isters declare that he will cast into Hell
to our city; and, together with the spire  every thing that loveth or maketh a lie,
of St. John's, which we have been unable  in which not one of its outward parts is
to have engraved in season, deserves a   what it pretends to be, but purposes to
prominent place in any critical notice of   be something better, more solid, and more
New-York church edifices. The tower is  costly than it is.
placed at the west end of the church,      The interior of this chapel is highly inthe entrance being at the east.  It is  teresting, not for its architectural beauty,
built of wood, and painted brown to imi-  of which it has little, but for its oldtate stone, the same old story, which a   fashioned appearance, and the hints it
man gets so heartily sick of in examining   gives us of the simple tastes and modethe architecture of New-York, that he  rate ideas of splendor which belonged to
can hardly find words strong enough to  our ancestors. The white pillars-we reexpress his vexation. The body of the   joice that no modern hands have framed
* Berrian's Historical Sketch of Trinity Church. 1847.




244                    New-York Church Architecture.                jSeptember
Church of the Annunciation. Fourteenth-street.
them-and thus made the inside as false  rian, now  Universalist, astonishes and
as the outside-the odd and ugly bits of   amuses us. As seen from Broadway, it
broken entablature which spoil them, the  is in truth nothing but the front door to
queer chandeliers of glass, the pulpit with   a very long and gloomy entry which runs
its Damoclean sounding-board. the ex-  back to the real church-a very large
ceedingly accurate representation of the   building, full of pretence and cheap expethunder and lightning on Mount Sinai ac-  dients, whose rear is on Crosby-street.
companying the giving of the Law,-all  Exteriorly, the true church building is
these things will suffice to make a visit to  nothing.  A very blank series of unthe church very interesting, and we hope   painted brick walls, innocent of all deno Vandal will presume to alter the church   ception, hardly prepare the beholder's
in any particular, until time shall with   mind for the painted splendors of plaster
his destroying finger first have given the   and pencil. and the black walnut wainscotsign. Farther up Broadway "the church  ing, and beautifully carved pulpit he will
of the Divine Unity." formerly Unita-  find within.




1853.]                  New-York  Church Architecture.                           245
_-. _rr~ —-~ — 3~ —-~ —-------:z' -.   Cy=-~-f~Z~~__
St George'. 
The Church of the Divine Unity was   wears an aspect of peace and good will.
built by the first Congregationalist society   It is not among our best specimens of
in New-York. which formerly worshipped   Gothic. but it is a well built and commoin Chambers-street, in the small church   dious edifice, and one of the finest of the
which stood in the spot now occupied by   Baptist meeting-houses.
the Savings' Bank.                            The Church of the Holy Redeemer,
The meeting-house of the First Baptist   (R. Catholic,) is a novelty amid the uniChurch in Broome-street, was erected in   versal display of pseudo-Gothic architecthe year 1841, from the designs of Mr.  ture, which meets our eye in every portion
Lafever. It is built of rough, gray stone,  of the city. We have understood that it is
having two large octagonal towers at  the first work of a young architect, Mr.
the angles of the south front, and two   Walsh, who certainly shows some feeling for
small turrets on the same front, running   picturesque effect. The tower looks well
up the sides of a very elaborate perpen-   from a distance, and, we are told, has a pecudicular window.  The windows in the   liarlystriking appearance from Brooklyn
sides are square-headed, and very simple;   and the East River. Built of shabby materithe towers, the gables, and the sides of   als, and, we suppose, intended to be stucthe building are battlemented; but, not-  coed. it is a wretched affair when closely
withstanding the embattliments, every   inspected. We think the interior the very
thing about. and within the holy edifice   ugliest, most trashy piece of tinsel and
builtbythef -irst~ongregaionaistocity   It s nt  mon  ou  bet  pecmen  o
in ~      ----- New-ork whc  omrywrhppd Gti.bti sa  elbitadcm
]n Chmes-tet in-~-_-~~-~-~= —-- th   mllcuc    doseif —ice  n   n   fth   ieto  h
which ~ ~    ~     -;;= sto  i  hesotnwocui   y  atstmetnhoss
the- Saig' ak                           TeCucho   heHl  Rdee
The meetin -hos ofth  irs   atst (.Ctolc)i    nvlyaidte
Chure  In  room -stet was —------ erce  n vrsldslyofped-ohi   rh
th  ya 14]  ro   hedeinso  M.   uewhc  mes uree nevryprto
Lafever. — It —- isbito  og   rysoe     fte iy        ehv   nesodta  ti
hain  two larg  ocaoa   oesa    tefrtwr   fa on   rhtc    r
the~~~ — anle  ofte  othfonan   wo     Wls-hoetanysossmfelng
smal trres o  th  sme ron, rnnig    ictresue -ec.   he owe loks  el
up ~   ~     ~     _ the sides ofavr  lbrtepre- fo      isacad  eae od  a   
dieular ~ ~    ~     ---- widw  h    idw    n  h  irysrkn   ppaac   rmBoky
sids resqlae-eaed ad  er smpe; andth EstRier  Bil o saby  atri
th   oes tegbe, n   h   ieso             lanw   upse  nedd ob  te
the buidig  rebatlmete;  ut nt- eod.itisa  rechd  ffirwhn loel
w-_ —ithstanding-     th ebttemnsevr ispced e hikth itrir  vr
thngabut ad  itinth  hol  edi-~-fie ulstmotrahpeeofin                         d




246                    New-York Church Architecture.                [September
St. George's. —Interior.
bad taste we ever saw. Every thing is  known, but the addition mentioned above
of the most impoverished description; we   was designed byMr. Rodrique. The cashould hardly be justified in making a  thedral is a very ugly building, as the cut
jeer at poverty; but when it is coupled   will show. The pediment of the east
with extravagant prefension, what else  front has never been approached in the
remains?   Here we have an immense   world in desperate deformity.
church which must have cost a great sum    The Church of the Messiah was among
of money, its blue roof blazing with tar-  the earliest endeavors made in this city to
nished brass stars, the rest of the interior  attain unto the sublimity ~of the Gothic
a mass of dull white plaster, the high al-  Cathedral of Europe.  Who designed it
tar a heap of wretched gew-gaws. But  we do not know-we trust that he has
the tower, as we have said, has quite a   repented of his deed-but we well remempleasant effect when seen from a disance,  ber the praise that the fearful object drew
where the detail escapes-the eye, and in-  forth when it was first built.  We redeed the rear of the building forms a very   member the astonishment of elderly laagreeable mass, although, judging from the   dies and gentlemen, and the contemplative
exterior ornaments and the whole interior,  stare of  "we children" at the masterly freswe should imagine this excellence an acci-  coes, 1"fac-similes, sir, from Westminster
dent.                                    Abbey!" which adorn the east end and the
We are  informed that Archbishop   ceiling. We remember the dumb astonHughes intends erecting a very large and  ishment with which we gazed at the macosty cathedral in the coming spring. That  hogany miracles yclept severally a pulpit
in Mott-street was begun in 1809. but was  and organ, which set the carpenters into
not consecrated till 1815.  The original  an envious frenzy.  We remember all
building was of solid stone stuccoed. It  these things, and we sigh as we find that
was 120 feet long, but in 1842, an addi-  an intelligent audience still holds the
tion of 35 feet was made in order to afford  church, and gazes year after year at these
a new Sanctuary and proper sacristies.  pool; attempts, without the  slightest
The cost of the whole was $150,000.  qualms of conscience, or the slightest apThe name of the original architect is un-  parent symptoms of an outraged taste.




1853.1                 New-York Church Architecture.                       247
of Public Buildings."  We would not on
any account pretend to differ from so
learned an authority; but if we mity offer
a slight paraphrase on an old and respectable proverb-we would beg to propose
__',I =  j I  "all that flams* is not Flamboyant."
Grace Church is no
credit to the architect who built it, but
it  commands  the
whole sweep of Broadway, and  makes a
picturesque termination  of  the  view
from the lower part.
The interior is like a
_____.-                   poor kaleidoscope.:____ —-' —5- =                   For a Protestant
____________' -church  what could
ove the princil   be more  absurd
entrance,-_____    than this interior;
merely            _       ______        a ta wdry imitation
___nde of_ thebuilding.in lath and plaster
of bits of
genuine
work in
stone and
marble.....of,"'~/"          TheChurch'"l Owen's/"Hints  oof the Puritans  is  a
\Y?':'.::   I;iji'   white   marble edifice,
an example,"  to
quote again
i{:i from  Mr.
c.without
_ much  embellishing
---— L   ~ ~ _~-~~ ~ornament
0_.~"'_:001:'~~~~ -of the later
Norman or
Calvary.                             L o m bard."
It is of mar
The exterior with its staring, useless tow-  ble, one side, and the rear of the church
er, its very ugly and unmeaning window   being of brickplastered.  The architectis
over the principal entrance, and its side  the same who designed Grace-Mr. James
entrance, half door and half window, are   Renwick, Jr.
merely accessory  pieces of ill taste,     The Church of the Annunciation, in
which entirely correspond with the re-  Fourteenth-street, is built of gray free
mainder of the building.                 stone with a slated spire. It is noticeable
"Grace Church, on Broadway, New-  for nothing unless it be the entire absence
York, is a sparkling specimen, on a small  of elegance which characterizes it, a want
scale, of a cathedral with transept in the   however, in which it is fully equalled by
style of Gothic prevailing on the Europe-  many other ecclesiastical structures in the
pean continent about the commencement  city.
of the fifteenth century, the early Flam-  Our cuts of St. George's Church and its
boyant."  We quote from  Mr. Robert  interior do not do that admirable building
Dale Owen's "Hints on the Architecture  justice. It is the most chastely designed;
*'To Flam' is a good word, and is used by Dr. South.




248                     New- York Church Architecture.                [September
and the most sincerely
built Church  in  New
York City-we are not
afraid to say in the Uni-                        -        -\
ted States. It is in the                                                    ~
Byzantine style, built of                                            __brown  freestone  and
finished in a style worthy of imitation.  The                                    _ 3  J
edifice is not completed
according to the designs
of the architect; the two
spires are yet wanting,
but we are not certain
that the general effect
will be improved by them
as the appearance of too
great height, which the
church now has will be
greatly increased by the
addition of the slender
spires, which are seen
in the  engraving.  St.
George's Church stands
in a noble position, fironting Stuyvesant Square,
and is the finest architectural feature which
the eastern section of
the city can boast of.       &
The interior of this no-.
ble church is the grandest and most imposing
of anybf our city churches.  The finish is ex-* 
tremely simple, and the                   First Presbyterian Church.
absence of pillars, the
need of which has been obviated by a   admirable settings of turf and trees. The
hanging galle.ry,. gives it a very roomy and   church is placed in the centre of one side
majestic appearance.                      of a square, the grounds belonging to it
Calvary Church was erected in the year   extend to the streets on the north and
1846-7, after the designs of James Ren-   south of the lot. It is refreshing to see
wick, Jr., at an expense of $80,000.  these little bits of verdure and leafiness in
The most that can be said for this edifice  the midst of our city, but "position" is a
is that it has a picturesque exterior when   grace which our architects and church
it is not seen too closely. It is constructed   corporations have not sufficiently studied.
of brown. free-stone of a very sombre       Our Frontispiece-the Church of the
tint, and has two skeleton wooden spires   Ascension, on Fifth Avenue, corner of
which are painted to correspond with the   Tenth-street, is erected from drawings by
body of the building.  Each spire is sur-  Mr. Upjohn, the architect who designed
mounted by a wooden cross. There are   Trinity Church and Chapel. It is solidly
many incongruities in Calvary Church   and sincerely built of brown stone, and the
which must be too obvious to every one   walls are clustered with a beautiful garwho looks at it with a critical eye, to re-  ment of our American ivy (ampelopis)quire psinting out. In the rear of the   which, although a mass of dry sticks in
church is the rectory, which corresponds   winter, is a treasure of verdant loveliness
in style with the main  building.         in the light and shade of spring and sumThe First Presbyterian Church, on.the   mer, and glows in gorgeous scarlet and:Fifth Avenue, is a zery pleasing edifice,  richest browns and purples through the
much lighter and more delicate than its  autumn days.  Will not the architect of
neighbor the Church of the Ascension, al-   Calvary aEnd Grace take this hint of a
though the latter seems a more solid piece   natural veil, and persuade the several corof work. We wish that other societies   porations of these buildings of its efficacy
would follow the example. of this church   in such desperate cases as these?
corporation, and give their buildings such             (To be continued.)




1853.]                                                                      249
CURIOSITIES  OF  PURITAN  HISTORY.
WITCHCRAFT.
"Credo equidem cum pietate pugnare, si Diabolo tribuatur potestas naturam superans.,"
Va, 4 Inont.
" Quicquid autem est prcter operationem nature vel artis, ant non est humanum, ant est fiatum et fraudibus
occupatum."-Roqer Bacon.
THE history of the Salem Witchcraft is     But, notwithstanding this, the Puritans
rarely alluded to in modern times, ex-  were eminently distinguished for their
cept to furnish the foundation for an in-  solid common sense.  As long as their
vective against the Puritans, or to over-  minds were free from  the dominion of
throw  some new theory that involves  fear, they took nothing to be true without
occult or supernatural influences. It ap-  the clearest evidence. We are able therepears to us that the opinions of the world  fore to discriminate, in the relations which
concerning the phemomena witnessed in  have come down to us, between such as
that era, have been rather hastily formed.  will stand the scrutiny of daylight, and
Men seem  to attach but little weight  those that bear the impress of night, solito evidence, however unimpeachable its  tude and terror. During the intense exsource, if it contradict their experience,  citement which prevailed, the most trivial
or. if the conclusions to which it leads be   and irrelevant matters were adduced as
either heretical, or beyond the limits of   conclusive evidence of witchcraft; but,
what they consider possible. Skepticism   for a long time previous, when no such
is the easiest philosophy.  To stand upon   panic prevailed, when the minds of men
the negative costs but little effort of rea-  were calm, there must have been someson, and involves no risk of reputation.  thing beyond the tales of old crones, to
But it is neither ingenuous nor manly  produce an impression so universal and so
to attempt to dismiss a stubborn fact with   profound as that which rested upon the
an incredulous sneer, or a philosophic   minds of our fathers.  After rejecting
doubt.  Besides, the doubter may fall  whatever is manifestly absurd, or inconinto the opposite extreme of credulity by   sistent,-after allowing for the exaggeraattribating a foresight, power and ubiquity  tion of excited minds, and for the share
to the supposed contrivers of imposture,  which private feuds and jealousies may
more wonderful even than the vulgar,  have had  in inventing or magnifying
supernatural theory.                     charges against supposed witches, there
The distance in point of time from an   still remain well attested facts, which are
occurrence can make no difference with   utterly irreconcilable with the philosophy
any fair mind as to the evidence on which   of to-day,-unless, indeed, one take refuge
it rests, provided the parties concerned,  in  the vague, and, as yet. indefinable
and the relator, are known to be above   notions of modern spiritualism.  Thus,
suspicion. The memorials of the era of   when children prate of seeing old women
Witchcraft are ample, and, with the con-  alight from aerial tours, transform themstruction we shall give them, are reliable.  selves into cats, mice or monkeys. or fly
It is perhaps here due to the character of   away again as eagles, we may justly treat
the Puritans, to make a brief comment  the whole relation with contempt.  When
upon a few paragraphs from  Macaulay's  young girls, with palpable symptoms of
essay on Milton, which may occur to the   hysteria, would have us believe the areareader as tending to invalidate their testi-  tions of their morbid imaginations to be
mony.                                    real, bodily existences, we may recom"The Puritans were men whose minds  mend them  to quiet their nerves with a
had derived a peculiar character from the  little physic. When Cotton Mather tells
daily contemplation of Superior beings and   us that the devil sat all night upon his
eternal interests. * * *  Instead of catch-  chest, oppressing his breathing, and well
ing occasional glimpses of the Deity through   nigh killing him with his weight, we may
an obscuring veil, they aspired to gaze full  properly advise him to eat no more indion the intolerable brightness, and to com-  gestible suppers, and to sleep no more on
uinlne with Him face to face. * * *  In   his back and so be rid of the nightmare
his devotional retirement, he prayed with            devil tog    But when the
convulsions and groans, and tears. He was  and the  evl tother.  But when the
half maddened by glorious or terrible illu-  same Cotton Mather and scores of othe
sions. He heard the lyres of angels or the  reputable people testify that they have
tempting whispers of fiends. He caught  seen the laws of  gravity defied,-that
a glimpse of the Beatific Vision, or woke  they have seen a young wornan raised
screaming from dreams of everlasting fire."  from her bed to the ceiling, and held there
VOL. II.-17




250                    Curiosities of Puritan History.              [September
horizontally for seconds together, without  "And once her tormentors pulled her up
any apparent human agency, and under  to the ceiling of the chamber and held her
circumnstances where trickery was impos-  there before a very numerous company of
sible, we feel obliged to give some other  spectators, who found it as much as they
~an~swer than "'humbug."  We may not  could all do to pull her down again." Miore
be disposed to refer the phenomena to
supernatural agency; we may wait for a     Mr. Calef was a stout skeptic in regard
further developement of natural laws to  to witchcraft; indeed, the object of pubexplain what appears so miraculous. But  lishing his book seems to have been to
simply because our reason is at fault we  attack the Mathers for their participation
shall not take refuge in Sadducism, as  in the detection and trial of persons acGlanvil has it.                          cused; and, by his version of the case just
The reader would perhaps be pleased to  cited, he leaves us to infer that Margaret
see for himself the evidence of the "eleva-  was not to be implicitly trusted,-that the
tion "; of Margaret Rule, the young woman   whole account is highly colored, and that
of whose case we have spoken. Though   many supposed diabolic thaumata were
this was in Boston, and some months after  the results of skilful imposture.  But,
the tragical occurrences in Essex county,  though his explanations or conjectures as
still in its main features it does not mate-  to most of the particulars are highly prorially differ firom others of an earlier date.  bable, he is evidently nonplussed by the
We have selected it, because, having been   account of her being raised to the ceiling;
the subject of some controversy, more full  he stammers wofully over it, neither adand satisfactory evidence of it has been   mitting nor denying. In fact there was
preserved.  The account is taken from   nothing for him to say, for Mather had
"More Wonders of the Invisible World."  taken the precaution to procure deposia series of papers collected by Robert  tions from various persons who had witCalef, a merchant of Boston, and printed   nessed the spectacle.  Thus:
at London in 1700. Margaret Rule was a      I do testify that I have seen Margaret
young woman of reputable character and   Rule in her afflictions from the invisible
parentage, and was reared under the spirit-  world, lifted up from her bed wholly by an
ual instruction of Rev. Cotton Mather, by   invisible force a great way towards the top
whom the account was written. She was   of the room where she lay; in her being
afflicted in September, 1693, with the   so lifted, she had no assistance from any use
usual symptoms that were observed in  of her own arms or hands, or any other'; bewitched " persons, and so severely as  part of her body, not so much as her heels
to be confined to her bed for six weeks.  touching her bedl, or resting on any support
According to the narrator. she was tor-  whatsoever.  And I have seen her thus
mented with unusual assiduity. She was  lifted, wIen not only a slrong person hath
often choked, was stuck with an incredible  thrown his whole weight across her to pll
number of pins; her jaws were wrenched   her down; but several other ersons hlave
-..        endeavored with all their might to hinder
violently asunder, while she struggled asher fiom  being so raised up, htichl 1 supthough resisting the swallowing of some   pose that several others will testify as well
bitter dose, the room  meanwhile being   as myself when called unto it.
filled with a strong scent of brimstone,     Witness my hand,    SAMUEL AVEs."': whereof" as Mather says, "there are     Two similar depositions follow, sined
scores of witnesses."  She kept a fast of    wo s ar  eposi
eight days, looking nearly as well at the   by five persons.
An occurrence like this could not fail
end as at the beginning. She seems also
to have been at times wht is termed a   to attract considerable attention, even at
to have been at times what is termed a
~~clairvoyant.  ~the present day. But to understand the
full weight of the impression made upon
"This Margaret Rule once in the middle  our fathers, we must bear in mind the
of the night laInented sadly that the spec-  great changes that have taken place since
tres threatened the drowning of a young  the closeof the seventeenth century. Then
man in the neighborhood, whom she natned  the spiritual world was not a dim shadow,
unto the company: well, it was afterwards   a far off sphere, whose existence was refound that at that very time this young   cognized only in the words of a formal
man, having been prest on board a man of  ritual; with them it was an ever present
war then in the harbor, was, out of somean entity th
dissatisfaction, attempting to swim ashore;  gible ideas to their minds as London or
and he had been drowned in the attempt'  gible ideas to their minds as London or
and he had been drowned in the attempt, Ly.    Not content with acknowledgif a boat had not seasonably taken him up    Leyden.'lot content with acnowledgit was by computation a minute or two   ing in general terms an overruling Proafter the young woman's discourse of the   vidence, they habitually ascribed every
drowning that the young man took the   event to the will of the Great Being, for
water. * *  *  "                         whose power nothing was too vast, for




1853.]                   Curiosities of Puritan History.                       251
whose inspection nothing was too minute."' evoked by pale, bright-eyed "mediums"
The long contest between the Good and   to  give  their faintly-heard  rap-a-taps,
Evil principles, was with them no myth.  while the noiseless fingers hovered over
but an actual strife, in the result of which   the alphabet,-or to animate the passive
they had an incalculable personal interest.  hand with a capricious and electric energy,
The Devil, whose name from  very fami-  not its own, while it dashes off telegraphic
liaritv has come to be associated with   dispatches friom  beyond  the  Styx, as
ludicrous, quite as often as with terrific  though fleet Puck or tricksy Ariel beideas. was the embodiment of all that   strode the pencil.
could affright the soul.  They could not      We need adduce nothing further to
ignore or fbrget him; for they were con-   show that the popular belief in witchcraft
tinually aware of his wiles.  Ubiquitous,   did have some substantial basis; at least
vigilant, crafty, daring, he strove to win   what in an age of limited knowledge, and
to his service, if it were possible, the very   of fervent religious enthusiasm, appeared
elect.  We suspect that the boldest Puri-  to be substantial.  And, whether true or
tan never cast a furtive glance over his  false, that belief might have existed for a
shoulder at night, without fearing that   century, as it had done for nearly a centhe baleful eyes of the arch enemy might   tury before, without leading to any very
be glaring at him through the dark:        serious results, had it not been for an un"Like one, that on a lonesome road     fortunate sequence of circumstances that
Doth walk in fear and (dread,         roused the half-dormant superstition into
And hiavinr once turned round walks on,  a frantic terror.
And turns no more his head;
Because lie knows, a frightful fiend     The history of the lamentable delusion
Doth close behind hin tread."         which commenced in Salem village. now
The intellect at that period did not seem    Danvers, in which twenty or more persons
to have a healthy, free action; hemnmed   were executed, is doubtless so familiar,
in by rigid rules, and feeling a distrust of   that but a brief mention of it will be
its powers from disuse, it tottered like an   necessary to introduce what we have
infant if once away from its accustomed   gleaned from the State papers.
surroundings. Though wise at the council     The first persons afflicted were some
board, brave in the field of battle, and   children of the family of Mr. Samuel
ready to die sooner than renounce their   Parris, the minister; this was in February
faith, their free spirit animated them only       699;   An intelligent physician of the
while their feet rested on a tangible, firm    present day would have no difficulty in
foundation.  To soar with free wings to  referring their symptoms to epilepsy or
the heavens, and follow the stars in their   hysteria. Seeing that their cases attracted
circling courses, - to descend  into  the   unusual attention, they probably conabysses of night, and to pierce there the   cealed none of their ailments, if; indeed,
heart of mystery, —was not given to them.   they did not feign more.  An Indian
In this age, neither height nor depth is   woman named Tituba, a servant in the
beyond the reach of the dauntless inquirer;  family, who had evidently filled the chilnothing in the universe is too sacred or too   dren's minds with all the traditional lore
trivial for investigation or analysis. And.  of witchcraft, attempted to open their
with the spirit of free inquiry that has   spiritual eyes to behold the tormentor, by
become part of our existence, we find it  the use of cakes; not salsve fruges, but
difficult to sympathize with the childlike   rather less savory.  The charm operated
timidity of two centuries ago, creeping   so well that they accused Tituba herself.
cautiously along the narrow limits of the   She at length confessed that the devil had
known, and nearly as ignorant of the   urged her to sign his book, and also to
mighty secrets of the earth on which its  afflict the children.  She was committed
head rested, as the infant is of the mechaia-  to prison, and lay there till sold for her
ism of the watch that ticks at its ear. Not  fees. The account she gave of it was, that
to speak of the great circle of natural   Mr. Parris, her master, beat her to make
sciences, that age was not familiar with   her confess, and to discover and accuse
the experiments which we have witnessed   her sister witches; that her confession,
in mesmerism  and clairvoyance.  The   and her accusation of others, came solely
almost miraculous power of the human   from this ill usage: and that he had rewill, whose occult mode of influence has   fused to pay her jail fees unless she stood
thus far baffled all philosophic inquiry,   to what she had said.  Whether this
was known to but few even of the learned;   were true or not, it will be evident that
and by them  only from  Van Helmont,   Mr. Parris may justly be suspected of unwho attributed it directly to a superna-   christianly conduct in subsequent cases.
tural source.  Tables were not then en-       These girls, Elizabeth, the minister's
dowed with gyratory and see-sawing pro-   daughter, Abigail Williams, his niece, and
pensities.  Nor were disquieted ghosts  their play-fellow  Ann Putman, were not




252                     Curiosities of Puritan History.               [September
only the prime beginners of the mischief,  cried out they were priekt. Mary Walcott
but continued to be accusers of most that   was prickt in the armi till the blood came.
were arrested during the whole excitement.  Abigail Willialns was  prickt  on  the
Though they might at first have been   stomach, and Mary Lowes was prickt in
self-deluded by the thick-coming fancies  the foot
of hysteria or some other morbid state of   Taken by SAMuEL PArrI.
the nervous system, there can be little         Mass. Archives, VTl. 135, Fol. 20.
doubt, we think, that when the legal  "lThe examination of Sarah Buckley, 18
mockeries called trials became frequent.      May, 1692.
their evidence was but a. tissue of lies.    "Abig. Williams said,'This is the woman
If Mr. Parris, instead of beating the simple  that hath bit me with her scragged teeth
squaw into an acknowledgment of guilt,  a great many times.'
had tied the little hussies to a bed-post    "Mary Walcot, Ann  utman, an(l Susan
with  their garters, or administered a    Shelden unable to speak. Mtary Lewes
wholesome correction with birch twigs,  said she see her upon her feet last night
" Mary Walcot's testimony read.
more teminpolium, the Salem  W;Vitchcraft   " Eliz. Hubbard said,' I see her last Sab.
might never have been heard of. But the   day hult Mary Walcot in the meeting-house,
number of the accused increased.  Sarah   but I do not know that she hurt me.'
Good, melancholy and half crazed, Goody'" Ann Putman's testimony read.
Osborne, a bed-rid woman, Goodwives         "Mary Warren said that'She saw this
(Dory and Nurse, and many others, were   woman and a great company, and that this
arraigned and tried.                      woman would have her, the said Warren,
The examinations took place in presence   go to their Sacrament up to Mr. Parris.'
of all the accusing witnesses; nor was the  "Susan Shelden said this woman hath
common rule of criminal trials observed,  tore her to pieces, and tempted her with
of separating the witnesses, in order to    "Ann Putman, carried to this examinant
test their agreement with  each other.  in a fit, was made well upon the examiThe afflicted persons alleged that they   nan's grasping her arm.
were grievously tormented whenever the      "Susan Shelden the like.
witch's eye fell upon them, but were re-    "Mary Warren the like. When the exastored by her grasping their arms. Some-  minant was pressed to confess, She said She
times this was varied by their complain-   did not hurt them, She was inocent. Susan
ing of receiving hurt when she adjusted   Sheldon said'there is the black man whisher dress, as by pinning a collar anew.  pering in her ear.'
The examinations which follow will give     "'"This is a true copy of the substance of
an idea of the whole.                     the original examination of the above 2d
Sarah Buckley. Witness my hand, upon
"The examination of Mfary Black, (a negro)  my oath, taken this day in Court, 15th Sept.
at a court held at Salem Village, 22d   1692.                  SAM. PARRIS.
Apr. 169 2.  By the JMagistrates of     "6b. Feb. 22."
Salem.                                  It seems difficult to imagine how men'Miary, you accused of sundry acts of  reared under the influence of English inwitchcraft: Tell me be you a witch?'    stitutions could have departed so far from
Silenlt.                                 the principles of jurisprudence which were'hIow long hlie you been a witch?'    then well settled. Evidence which would'I cannot tell.''But have yvo been a witch l.'         provoke only a smile from us, did we not
know that it had driven tender women to'Whyf do you hurt these folkst e'      the scaffold, was received in court without'I hurt nobody.'                       any apparent sense of its absurd irrele-'Who doth.'                           vancy.  Indeed, very little of it rested'I do not know.'                       upon the bodily senses of the witnesses;
[Benjamin Putman interrupts by saying,  they testified that the acts complained of'Her master saith a man sat down upon   were done by the "spectres," or "shapes"
the form with her about a twelve month   of the accused: and these they did not
ago.']                                    pretend to behold with their bodily eyes.'What did the man say to you?'          The injunction in the Pentateuch, "Thou'He said nothing.',            shalt not suffer a witch to live," by an'Doth this Negroe hurt you?' (To thA   odd process of reasoning, is made to serve
afflicted persons.)                       a double purpose. To those who denied
Severall of them said,'yes.'           the existence of witches, it was urged,' Why do you hurt them.I'I did not hul t then.'                that the Divine command was surely not'Do you prick sticks?'                in vain; that the malediction would be'No, I pin my neck cloth.'             pointless, if their exploits were fabulous.'Well, take out a pin, and pin it again.'   And if the objector then insisted that
"She did so, and several of the afflicted   upon a capital trial the long established




1853.]                   Curiosities of Puritan History.                         253
rules of evidence should be adhered to,  the ministers or magistrates; and many
the same Scripture was quoted as peremp-   of the trivial or grotesque incidents were
torily demanding their extirpation. And,   doubtless omitted by them: but the detherefore, if from  the artifices of Satan   position which follows is copied from  the
the legal forms could not be complied   deponent's own hand.  The reader, to
with —their evil deeds not being generally   appreciate the intelligence which dictated
appreciable by the natural senses, —why,  it, ought to have the pleasure of puzzling
justice was not so to be cheated, and the   over the MS. for himself.
court must even take the best evidence
that could be advanced, and be thankful    Zecheriah Davies' depn. vs. Tillr Morse's
if any way the ":Thus saith the Lord"         "Wen I lived  wife.
could be obeyed.  The infatuation that   se's wief asked at Salbury, Tillim  Masse's wief asked  of me whethler' i could let
prevailed must have been fearfully strong.   her have as mall passell of wingesl  and I
When men of learning and character, like   teld her I woode; so she would have me
the Mathers, gave all their zeal and influ-   to bringe them  ower fol her the next time
ence in favor of the prosecutions, what   I came ouer; but I came ouer and did not
means remained to stem  the current of   think of the winges, but met gooddy Masse.
popular prejudice?  None but scoffers,  she asked me where I had brought ouer
the' witlings of coffee-houses," as Cotton   her winges? and I tel her no, I died not
Mather styles them, discredited the fables  think of it; so i came 3 are 4 tiunes, and
that imposed upon the government, or   had them in my mind a lital before I came
remonstrated  against the  shedding  of   ouer, but stil forgot them  at iny coiing
innocent blood.  Yet it is certain that the   away. so, meeting with hi b     every time
that i came ouer without them, aftar that I
Mathers, father and son. had counterhad promised her the winges, so she tel me,
arguments before them, which now must  she wonder at it, that my nemor   should
she wonder at it, that my memory should
be regarded as conclusive.   Upon our   be so bad; but when I came home I xent
table there is a quarto volume in which   to the barlne, and there was 3 eafes in a
is the autograph of Increase Mather; dated-  pen; one of them fel a dancinlg and roueat London, 1691, the year preceding the   ing, and was in such a condition as I neuer
trials at Salem; the work has               see one cafe in before; but being almost
"An old-fashioned title page, such as presents,  night, the catel came home, and wTre put
A tabular view of the volume's contents."  him to his dam, and he socks and was well.
"THE DISPLAYING OF suPPosED WITCHCRAFT.  3 are 4 days and one of my brothers cllame
Wherein is affirmed that there are man+   over to nubery, but wee did not think to
sorts of Brctiotrs  anl  imnrposftr%, anld  send the winges; but when he came home
I)ivers persons under a passive Delusion of   re aent to tie barne; this cafe fel a daneMZfELANCHOLY  AND  FANlCY   Btut  ing and 1oreing again.  wee put hiln to the
that there is a Corporeal League made be-   cowe, but lie would not socke, but ran a
twixt thre )EVLlndl thre WTCIci or that he   roreing away; so wee take him again with
sucks on the WVLitches 0Body, has Ctalnal   much adoe, and put him into the barne, and
Copulation, or that Witches are turned into   we heard him roor seleall times in the
Catrs, Dogi, raise Tempests, or the like, is  night; and in the morning I went to tie
utterly denied and disproved.  Whrereiil   brhane, and there he was, seting up on his
also, is handled the Existence of Angels  tail like ml doge, as i neucl see no cafe set
and Spirits, the truth of Apparitionis, the   aftar that manner before; and so lie reNature of Astral and Syderial spirits, the   mained in those fits while he died."
force of Charms and( Philters; with other          Mlass. Archives, TVol. 135,'ol. 14.
abstruse matters. By John Webster, Prac-      Such of our readers as reside in the
titioner in Physick." *  [London, 1677.]    country,-we  mean  the  old-fashioned
This treatise, though sufficiently tinc-   country, not the suburbs to which the
tured with the erroneous theories of the   elegance of Beacon Street or the Fifth
times,  as the title indicates, is yet a   Avenue is temporarily  transplanted,learned and able argument.  Nor could   will appreciate the homely fidelity of this
the author's mode of reasoning have been   relation.  It is a piece of Dutch painting.
objectionable to the Puritan Divines, for   The  old  dame, because, forsooth, she
the whole discussion proceeds on strict  could not get the turkey wings wherebiblical grounds.                          with to brush the ashes from the devices
To return to the trials.  We shall give   of the hearth stones into the cavernous
some of the evidence at length.  It will  fireplace, must needs be-devil the poor
be seen that the suspicion of witchcraft  calf, till he roars in agony, and sits erect
having once  attached  to the accused,   "on his taile like a doge."   Naughty
"trifles light as air" became "proofs in   Goody ilassie!
confirmation strong as Holy Writ."  The       The trial of Job Tukey, or, as he was
evidence was generally taken down by   sometimes called, Stuky, shows how
* The mottoes prefixed to our article are quoted from this work.




254                     Curiosities of Puritan History.               [September
dangerous it was to play practical jokes   could Raise the Diuell when he pleased.
in those serious days.  It seems that he   Salem June the 4th 1692
had endeavored to frighten some silly                    "Majr Bart. Gedney
girls by claiming power to raise the devil.               Joonat Colwin
He succeeded so well in his exorcism, as                  Jno. Hathorne."
to find it difficult to get clear of the gal-                        ib. fol. 26.
lows as a reward for his pains. Subjoin-    To illustrate more fully the subject, we
ed is a part of his examination before  insert some depositions used in the trial
Major Gedney, with some of the evi-  of Eunice Cole, some thirty-five years
dence.                                    previous at Hampton.  The idea of witchcraft was stereotyped; there were slight
"Did you not say the other day that,you   variations to be sure, but not so many as
saw the devil?  Ans. I knew not then   there are versions of Greek manuscripts.
what I said.
"-The said Stuky lookeing upon   "The Deposition of Mary perkins ye wife
the afflicted persones struck them down           of Abraham perkins Senr.
with his eyes and recovered them by tak-   "lwho saith thatt many years scince, one
ing of them severally by the hand or wrist.  Sabath Day when mr. Dalton was preach"Mary Warrin is a trance said that  ing, this Deponantt Saw a Small creature
Gamaliel Hawkins was dead in Barbados   aboutt the bignes of a mouse, fall outt of
and Job Stuky did stick a great pin into  the bosom of Vnis Coule and fell into her
him. *  *  Susanna Sheldon said that  lap, itt being of a lead Couller, & as Sone
Stuky had killed one Andrew Woodberry   as itt was in her lap itt run away; and
and one Garnaliel -    (but was just then   Goodwife peabody, being startled att itt,
choakt.) A little after she proceeded and   tooke vp her Stoole & wentt away to anosaid that Tuky had niurdered  Trasks  ther place in a frightt; and Vnis Coule
child, and that he run a great pin into a   preiuding [qr. perceiving.?] itt semed to
poppets heart, which killed the said Haw-   draw Her mouth together & to flew att itt.
kins.                                     and this Deponautt further testifieth, thatt
"Warrin said she saw a young child un-   att another time, being appointed with
der the table cryeing out for vengeance   other women, by Captain Wigins to Sareh
uponI Stuky.. *  *  *                    Vnis Coule, She found a strang place in het
"Mary Walcott saw 3 men 3 women and  legue, being a Conjunction of blew vaines
two childrens apparishons, who all cryved   weh vere Sweld with blood and all rnett
for vengeance against Stucky. *  *  *   together, uhere was a strang ventt of all
they.appeared in their winding sheets, and   these vaines as this Deponantt did judg.
looked pale upon her, but Red upon Stuky."  "Sworne on 7th 2d mo. 1693. Before
Mass. Archives, Vol. 135. Fol. 28, 1692.  mee Saml' Dalton Comsr.
ib.fol. 8, 1656.'"SXusalnnah Shelden Mary Warren and      The reason for describing the "strang
Ann Putman all testified, yt this 4 of June,  place" upon the poor woman's le   t
whleat Job Tuck~ey wvas examined before   place" upon the poor woman's leg, tile
whe  a Job Tucratskey was  examined befople  common case of varicose veins, doubtless,
ye magistrats  wee did see flue people yt   willnot appear to those  who have but a
Inose trlsy  ed  ag  fte    eto will not appear to those who have but a
arose from ye dead; two of them men, two
women & one child; w.ch all csred'Ven-   slight acquaintance with the subject.  It
gance, Vengance!'                        was the vulgar belief, that the familiar
Before John HaIIthorne Just. Peace"   spirit fastened upon the knuckle of the
ib. fol. 26.    witch, or upon some wart or other exerescence, like an infant upon the mother's
"John Stacy * *   testifieth and sayth   breast.  Hence it was a part of every exthat this day hee heard Job Tuckey of   amination, at least of a female, to search
Beverley * * say yt he would take mr.  for these indiciae of familiarity with the
Burrows his part;,and then the afflicted   devil  "Shockin*                o
persons * * * were greatly afflicted and     e    li       t  "Dsgusting! some
did then complaine of him."              may exclaim. But we cannot account
ib. fol. 21.    that wholly unworthy of notice which has
decided the question of life or death for
"Job Tuckey sayth its not he, but ye   so many wives and mothers. The deposidiuell in his shape yt hurts ye peopel."  tion that follows is of the same purport.
ib. fol. 26.  "The deposition of Richard Ormsbey, consta"John Lander * X * testifieth, that Job             ble of Salisbury.
Tuckey * * did this day say, that'I can    -   That being aboute to stripp Evnice
as freely discours the I)iuell, as well as   Cole to bee whipt (by the Judgemlent of the
he,' speaking to him said Lander."        Court att Salisbut-y) looking vppon hir
ib. fol. 27.  brests, vnder one of hir brests, (I thinke hir
left brest) I saw a blue thing, like vnto a
"Mary Warren and Ann Putnam  &   teate, hainging downeward aboute lhre
Susannah Shelden all made Oath before vs   quarters of an inche longe, not very thick;
that Job Tuckey did this day tell them in   and, haueing a great suspition ill my minde
his owne person that he had learning and   about it, (she being suspected for a witche)




1853.1                  Curiosities of Puritan Hstory.                      2S55
desired the Court to sende some women to  like a Grey Catt, and Spake to Her, & Said
looke of it; and 1Fsently herevppon she  to her, thatt if She would Corn to Her, on
pold or scrasht it of in a violent manner,  the Vgly Day, She would Give Her fine
and some blood with other moystnes did  things; & further this Deponantt Saith
appeare clearly to my apprhension; and   nott.
she said it was a sore. Jlno. Goddard doth  Ann Smith Affirmed to this Above writtestifie that hee saw hir with hir hand vio-  ten ye 12th 8thm. [Oct.] 1672, before mee,
lently scratch it away.                   Saml I Dalton."-ib. fol. 6.
Sworn in the Court att Salisbury, 12th, 2d  We are admonished to hasten on in the
mr 1656.  Vera copia.'j me, T'ie: BRAnaB-  narration.  Very soon after the enchant*Y.-Ib.folI. *                  mIent of the three girls came to be beiieved,
"The deposition of Thomas ilbrick.
The deposition of Thmas2 **rick.      they ventured upon more daring experiThis deponent saith that goodwife Cole                               n 
said, that if this deponents calves, if they   ments, feeing secure from  punishmont,
did eat any of hir grass, she wished it might  because regarded as irresponsible m1e so
poysen them or choke them; and one of   possessed. At church, one Lord'- day, afthem  I     oever see it more, and the other  ter the psalm was sung, Abigail Williams
calfe came home and died abeute a week   said to the minister,' Now stand up and
after.                                    name your text!"  After it was read she
Taken upon oathe before nmee            observed " it was a long text."  One Mrs.
TiIo: WIGGIN.    Pope in the beginning of the sermon exVera copia,'V me  TnIo: BRADBURY. rec.  claimed, " Now there is enough of that!"
ib. fol. 2.    Ann Putman said "there was a yellow
"The deposition of Goody Matston and   bird that sat on his hat as it hung on
Goodwife Sussanna Palmer who being   the pin in the pulpit."  Those who reSworne saith that goodwife Cole said that  member the extreme solemnity which has
shee was shure there was a witche in the   always prevailed in New England churchtowne, and Shee krnew where hee dwelt,  es. will understand the horror and confuand who they are; and that thirteen yeares  sion such episodes would be likely to ocagoe she knew one bewitched as Goodwife  casion.  Mr. Parris, instead of striving to
Maston childe was; and she said, shee was
sure that party was bewitched, for it toule  allay the rising storm, seems to have addhiu see, and it was changed from a man to  ed new fury to it. He preached a seran ape, fas Goody Maston's ehilde wavs;   mon from  the text "Have I not chosen
and she had prajed this thirteen years that  you twelve, and one of you is a devil?"
god would discover yt witch, and further    The number of the accused increased
this deponent saith not.                  amazingly; it is evident that many deTaken upon oathe before the Comr' of  formed, sickly, melancholy, or ill-favored
Hampton the 8th of the 2d m" 1656.       persons, as well as those entangled in
WILL. FFULLER,    neighborhood feuds, fearing to be arrestHESP.Y DonIE.     ed, feigned to suffer themselves and aaVera copia j me, TriO: ~B~RADIBURv, rec.    cused others. In May, 1692, the number
of persons committed to the jail amounted
Goody Cole escaped death at that time;  to one hundred.  A special commission
but, as usual with persons accused, never  issued for their trial. At the trial of Sawas free fiom suspicion.  Subsequently,  rah Good, mentioned before, one of the
1672, she was again arraigned, with what  afflicted pretended to receive a stab from
result we are not able to say. The fol-  a pen-knife, and produced a part of the
lowing deposition of a child was read at  blade, which she said was just then brothe trial; it was bolstered up by other   ken off in the attempt.  Here a young
vague evidence; but such absurd puerili-  man held up a klnife with a broken blade,
ties need no comment.                    which the fragmnent exactly fitted.  iIe
"The deposition of Ann Smith, aboutt 9 years  said that he broke it by accident the day
of Age.                  before, and threw away the point. The
This deponantt testifieth thatt when she   magistrates bade the witness tell no more
was in the Cabbage yard, thatt there came   lies, but, nevertheless, used her evidence
a woman to hler in a blew Coatt &- a blew   against others as before. It was this Sacape, blew Apron, and a whitt neck cloath;  rah Good that uttered the memorable exand the woman tooke her by the head and   pression attributed to Maule in the'' House
carried her into the Ovil yard [oval-yard]   of Seven Gables."  At her execution, Mr.
under the pear maine tree; and then she
tooke up a Stone and knocked hler on tshe   Noyes urged her to confess, and told her
Head; then She turned into a little Dog and   "she was a witch, and she knew she was
run upon the tree; then She flew away like   a witch."  To which she replied, "You
an Eagle, and further this Deponant Saith,  are a liar; I am no more a witch than
thatt if Shle Came again she would kill IIer.  you are a wizard; and if you take away my
and att another time Scinee snart,;!ne Nit-  life, God will give you blood to drink'!"
ting in the Corner, thatt there Came a thing  In September of the same year, the in



256                     Curiosities of Puritan History.              [September
fection had spread into the surrounding   cused; the special commission came to an
towns, so that fifteen received sentence of   end. A short interval of reflection showed
death, eight of whom were executed.  The   the thing to be too monstrous even for facart which conveyed them to the gallows   naticismr to abide. At the rate of increase
hill was set for some time; the afflicted,  the country would soon be depopulated,
whose spiritual eyes were opened, saw the   and the whole church of God swept clean
devil blocking the wheels.  Stupid devil!  into the devil's lap. When the people reIf he had desired to save his friends, he   covered from their fright long- enough to
should have interfered earlier.  On the   see the inevitable horrors towards which
scaffold several of the condemned bade   the whirlwind careered. the boldest could
their friends and the world farewell with   but pause. In January following those
such touching pathos, as to send tears   under sentence of death were reprieved.
down the unaccustomed furrows of Puri-   The prosecutions, being now vehemently
tan cheeks.  Giles Cory. husband to one   opposed by the majority, were dropped.
of the women executed, being himself ar-   A few cases lingered on in the courts, but
raigned. pleaded not guilty, but refused to  as the judges refused longer to admit
put himself on trial by the jury, knowing   spectre evidence, the charges fell to the
that the same witnesses would appear   ground, and the jails were soon emptied.
against him, and that the jury had cleared  The reader will wonder perhaps at the
none.  He was therefore subjected to the   number that confessed themselves guilty.
peineforte et dure, the barbarous English   But it is to be remembered, that the
penalty for silence, and was pressed to  stoutest asseveration of innocence had no
death. In his agony, his tongue protrud-   effect upon the pitiless court; and as all
ed from his mouth, and the brutal sheriff   other hope of escape was cut offl confescrowded it back with his cane!            sion, seasoned with a godly penitence,
The trial of Mr. George Burroughs, for-  seemed to be the only resource. It is almerly minister at Wells, is a melancholy  so curious to observe the apparently indiinstance of the length to which prejudice   rect efforts to propitiate the ministers in
and fanaticism may drive men.  The prin-  these confessions. For instance, there had
cipal witnesses were those who, in modern   been a serious division of long standing in
phrase, "turned state's evidence," and ap-  the church at Salem village; a part being
parently expected to gain favor by attack-   vehemently opposed to Mr. Parris, and
ing him; for certain expressions of Cotton   desirous for his removal.  The two conMather's leave little room to doubt that  fessions which we subjoin, attribute this
he was exceedingly disliked by some of   opposition to the influence of the devil.
the more rigid brethren.  Mr. Burroughs,   who was endeavoring to drive there an
though of small stature, possessed prodi-  entering wedge, and so rend asunder the
gious strength. It was testified that he   kingdom of Christ.  Whether Mr. Parris
could raise and level a gun seven feet long   dictated  these confessions we have no
with one hand; some said he had lifted a   means of knowing; but Mr. Calef says,
gun simply by one finger thrust into the   that the most of them  were written for
muzzle. He could take up a barrel of ci-  the poor wretches, who, with the terrible
der and perform feats with it that would   noose before their eyes. reluctantly affixed
be the admiration of the crowds at the   their names. A large number, after the
Hippodrome. His speech at the gallows   storm subsided. declared that their confesaffected the multitude so deeply, that an   sions were utterly untrue, and dictated by
ominous murmur began to run round.  the extremity of fear while in duress.
But the accusers said the black man stood   One of these confessions also has a side
and dictated to him; and Cotton Mather,  thrust at the Baptists. by affirming that the
to counteract the growing feeling of pity,  devil's mode of baptism was by plunging
stood upon his horse and made an ha-  the head under water.
rangue, recounting the conclusive evidence   "Eliz. Jonson's Confession, August 11, 1692.
against the prisoner, and reminding the   ye Majestrates to her:" you have already
people that even Satan could transform   confessed you are a witch; how long have
himself into an angel of light. The inexo-   you bin soe?
rable gallows, thanks to its champion, was  Ans. Four year. She sd ye devill, like a
not defrauded of a victim. The treatment  blue man, and goodwife Carriel~ perswaded
of the dead body by the malignant sexton   her to be a witch * * and they promnised
is too shocking to be related.            her she should be safe, and should not be
At length, when twenty lives were sac-  found out: they also pIromised her a slilrificed, and eight more were under sen-  lig in money, but      s he never head it.
tence  of death; when above a hundred   She sd she d'd not presently afflict persons,
— not till she had bin bnbtized by ye devill
and fifty were in jail, of whom fifty con-   which was about 3 a ears agoe, in goodwife
fessed themselves to have been witches;  Carrier's well. She sd she scratcht ye devills
and two hundred more at large were ac-  book with her finger when she signed to it,




1853.]                   Curiosities of Puritant  History.                      257
so she signed it. She sd ye devill never   yt all his people should live bravely,-that
aTpeared to her from ye time she signed till  all persones should be equall,-that there
the was babtized; after she was babtized,   should be no day of resurection or of judghe apl)ca'ed like two black catts.  She   merit, and neither punishment nor shame
forgot wliat ye devill sd to her when she   for sin. He sayth there was a Sacrament
was baptized by him, but he dipt her head   at vt meeting; there was also bread &
over in water. She owned she had bin at   wyne. X  * *  H*  e said he know Mr. Burye witcheses meeting * * there were about  roughs and Goody How to be such persones;
six score att ye witch meeting at ye Vil-  and that he heard a trumpet sounded at the
ladge, that she saw, * * they had bread   meeting, and thinks it was Burse [Burand wine at ye witch sacrament, * * *   roughs] that did it. The sound is hear4
there was a minister att that meeting; and   many myles off, and then they all come one
he was a short man, & she thought his name   after another.  In the spring of the yeare
was lBorrouglls.  She sd they agreed that  the witches came from  Connecticut * *
time to affl ct folk, & to pull downe ye King-   but now they have left it off: And that he
dom of Crist & to sett up ye devils king-   has been informed by some of the grandees
dom. * X * She brought out 3 poppits,   yt yr- about 307 witches in the country,
made of rags or stripes of clothe two of   * * * and that he hes not known or heard
them, the other was made of a birch Rhine,   of one Innocent persone taken up & put in
[rind] one poppet had four peices or stripes   prisone.  He saith he is heartily sorry for
of clolh, rapt one upon another, which she   what he has done, * * * desires pravers
said was to afflict four persons with, * * *   for himselfe, promises to renounce the devil
a second popet had two such peices of rags   and all his works * *
rolld up togetlher, & 3 pins stuck into it.   August 29, 1692.
* * * She afflicted An  Putnam  with a   The above said is the Truth as wittnese my
spear; & was asked whether ye spear was                   hand:  William Barkel."
Iron or wood? she sd either of them would                               ib. Adl. 39.
doe. She was asked whare  her ffamillier
kt her She was askhowed whaone of her knck-famillier  This last confession is a gem of its kind.
les of her finger, & sd there was one place,  It represents the devil as a very respectait looked red.  She sd she had two places   ble red republican.  Think of the luxury
more where they suckt her: & women   of having one's debts paid, living comforwere ordered to search them  out; & they   tably, all equal!  No wonder the hafound two little red specks yt sd Jonson sd  rassed debtor fell into the snare.  The
were all that then was to be seen:-they   particularity of the census, too, has often
were playn to be seen when they were   amused  us; three hundred and seven
newly sucked.  one of sd places was behind   witches, according  to  the  "grandees,"
her arm.  * *  *                           who, of course, are presumed to know.
Taken in characters by Simon Willard."     Leporello's catalogue of his rascally palass. Archives, Vol. 135, Fol. 33.  tron's mistresses was not more minute.
"Wm Barker of Andovers examination &             "In ItaliA, seicento e quaranta,
confession.                                     In Almnagna, duecento trent' una,
He confesses lie hes been in tie snare of       Ma in Ispagrna son gi mille e tre."
the devil three yeares, that the devil first  Barker, or whoever indited this veraappeared to him lyke a black man, and per-  cious confession, seems to have had quite
ceived he had a cloven foot,-That the de-   a talent for graphic description.  It was a
vil demnancled of him to give up himself  fine thought to assemble the witches at
soul & body unto him, wlich he promised   theblastofthe trumpet.'Ttba rti7unl
to doe. Ile said he had a great family,                    the
world went hlard with  him, * * *And   spargenssonum.  One could imagine the
the devil told  him  he  would  pay all  sight, as dusk was coming on, and the
his debts, and lie should live comfortably   Stars faintly showing in the gray sky.
* I-e confesses that he has afflicted   The wind sweeps by fitfully, frolicking
* * * his three accusers; —that he did   among the bushes, or wrestling with the
Syne the dcvils book with blood brought to   stout old trees.  Dim cloud-specks gather
him in a thing lyke an Inkhrn;-that lie  around the horizon, seeming to move ondipt his finger vr in and made a blott in   ward in converging lines.  Nearer they
tile book, which was a confirmation of his  come, their ragged edges fluttering in the
Covenant with the devil.  IIe confesses he   breeze.  Are those real clouds that bear
was at a meeting of witches at Salem  vil-  those vague, grotesque shapes, like those
lage where he judges there was about a   which one's fancy traces in the moon?
hundred of ym,-that the meeting was upon   But now  the  mystery is solved,-or
a green peece of ground neare the nministers   heightened.  Yonder under the whisperho~use.  I-I sid he mtt hee o (esro        heightened.  Yonder, under the whisperthat place, by reason of the peoples bei in g la  birch-tree one has descended, like a
divided & t e  iffring  it yr  iniste    parachute;-or did it vanish?  Is the
Satan's dlesign was to set up his owne wor-   mist dissipated, or did it only envelope that
ship, abodlish all the churches in the land,   figure you now  see emerging from  the
to fall next upon Salem, and soe goe through   flickering shadows into the moonlight on
the countrey.  lie sayth the devil promised   the grass?  Bent over her staff, rumbling




258                      Curios-ities of Puritan History.               [September
with flabby lips, she hobbles towards the   and is Tortured, Afflicted, Consumed, Pined,
trysing place; nor alone, from every bush   Wasted & Tormented, and also for sundry
starts up a shape as fantastic as those   other Acts of Witchcraft by the said Sarah
carved by some  Gothic artisan.  Fitz   Buckley —comitted and done before and
James witnessed not a stranger trans-  since that time against our Sour Lord and
formation,                                 Lady the King & Queen theire Crowne &
Dignity and the forme in the Stattute.  In
"When every tuft of broom gave life,  that cse made and Proied."
To plaided warrior armed for strife,"  that case made and Prouiled."
Mass. Archives, Vol. 135, _/'ol. 23.
than that of the field appointed for the
rendezvous of the powers of darkness.        At a later period the petitions for the
Nor, in truth, was there such cause to  reversal of sentences, for payment of exshiver at bristling steel, as at the brand-   penses incurred in trials, and for restituishing of those multitudinous broomsticks   tion of confiscated property, which were
and hazel wands.                           presented to the General Court, showel
But their uncanny rites are not for us   an aggregate of injury and misery that
to describe.  We leave them  to their   was appalling.  Those who had remained
plots, their unholy sacrament, or, per-   a long time in jail, experienced such sufchance, to their darker incantations, at  ferings from cold and privation, as we in
which the dogrs howled, the winds rushed   modern times, since the mission of Miss
away in affright. and the moon swooned   Dix, have but a faint idea. Numbers of
in eclipse!                               these petitions are on file in the Archives.
Lest some of our friends of the legal  We select one which strongly impressed
profession should consider it a serious   us by its unaffected simplicity.  The peomission, we insert a copy of an indict-  titioner at the time of her sentence was in
ment.  It will be seen that it has nearly   a state of pregnancy, and her execution
all that elegant redundancy which charac-   was therefore deferred.  This was prior
terizes similar documents at the present  to the pardon of which she speaks.
day.  When Jones knocks down Smith,          We should  add  that  reparation —
we are informed that he " wickedly, ma-  the only reparation possible-was made
liciously, and  without  cause, struck,  in the year 1710.  The attainders were
bruised, beat, trampled on and wounded   reversed, and  compensation  made  for
him, the said Smith, in the peace, &c.,  damages sustainbd.
then and there being,  with fists, feet,  "To the Honble the Greate and Generall
clubs, stones, knives, tomahawks, &c., &c,   Court of the Province of ye Massachuseta
&c."'  However, when false syntax and        Bay, assembled att Boston.
obsolete orthography are sanctified in our   "The petition of Abigail, the wife of ffrantranslation of Holy Writ, merely because   cis ffaulkner of Andover in ye County of
of antiquity, these venerable absurdities   Essex,
may pass.  Our rooms are ample enough   "Humbly sheweth:
for the cobwebbed heirlooms as yet; but      "That whereas in ye yearc 1692 when
when the new tenants, of the next cen-   many were accused and imprisoned att Salem as Witches, and somne executed, mv
tury, come in, we fear a great deal of the   selfe w        be aicted,  lo
old trumpery will go to make kindling-  tended to see me by theire spectr'all sight,
wood.                                      (not with theire bodily eyes,) and that I af" Essex in the Province  Anno R. Rs. and   flieted them; upon whose accusations, (and
of the Massachusetts lRegine Gulielmi  theires only,) I was examined, Imprisoned
Bay in New Egland & Marie Angl,   and br-,ught to tryall, these being all that
13 s.        I E g J &c., Qeiarto, An-  gave in anny Evidence against me upon
noq: Domini 1602.  Oath. Yett ye Jewry, (upon only theire
The Guriors for our Sour Lold and Lady   Testimony,) brought me in guilty, & the
the King and Queen doe present that Sarah   sentence of Death was passed upon me.
Buckley, wife of William  Buckley of Sa-  But it pleased god to put it into ye heart
lem 1In1 the County of Essex, shoemaker    of his ExCy Sir Willm Phipps to grant mne a
In & upon the Eithteenth day of May...  repreve and att Length a pardon; the InIn the year aforresaid, and diuers other days   sufficiency of ye proofe being in Sd pardon
and times as well before as after, Certaine   Exprest as the Inducement to ye granting
detestable Arts called Witcheraft, or Sorce-  thereof. Soe that Through the greate goodries, Wickedtly, Mallitiously and felloniously   ness of God I am yettplreserved;-The parhath used, practised and Exercised, At and   don haveing soe farr had its Effect as that
in the Toune of Salem, in the County of Es-  I am as yett suffred to live; but this only
sex,.      aforesaid, in, upon & against   as a male factor, convict upon record of ye
one Ann Puttman of Salem,..... afore-  most henious crimes that mankind can be
said,.    single woman,.     by which   Supposed to be guilty off: which, besides
said wicked acts ye said An Puttoam  ye  its utter Ruining and Defaming nly RepuDay & yeale aforesaid, and diuers other  tation, will certainly Expose my selfe to
days and times both before and after was  Iminent Danger by new accusations, which




1853.]                   Curiosities of Puritan History.                      259
will thereby be ye more redily believed,-   errors, and desiring to be exculpated or
will Itemnaine as a perpetuall branld of Infa-  forgiven by the surviving friends of the
my upon my family. And I, knowing my   unhappy victims.
owne Inocency as to all such Crimes, (as    It must be remembered, that at this peWill att ye last fully appeare,) and being   riod the belief in witchcraft and other
soe defained in my Reputation, and my life   demoniac agencies had been universal.
exposed, besides the odium cast upon my   The most eminent judge on the English
posterity,-Doe humbly pray that this high   The most eminent judge on the English
Cand iooble Court will please to take ry   bench had sentenced many to death for
Case in to serious Consideration, and order   ts supposed crime.  The philosophy of
ye Defaceing of ye record against me; Soe  the day, nearly all the treatises on law,
that I and mine may be freed from yc Evill  medicine and divinity, recognized the poConsequents Thereof. And your Petiolr as  tential interference of the devil in human
in duty bound shall ever pray."-Mass.  affairs, and the possibility of working miArchtives, Vol. 135, IFol. 113, 114.      racles by those in covenant with him.
The learned treatise by Webster, to which
We desire not to be misunderstood as  we have referred, was almost alone in the
to any expressions which we may have   positions it assumed.
used concerning the sternness of courts,     Further, we do not hesitate to say,
the fanaticism of the clergy, or the blind   there were phenomena in those days,
fury of the people. The active partici-   which were not only beyond explanation
pants were in error, but most of them   by contemporary philosophy, but are not
sincerely thought they were doing God   without difficulty even yet. Let mateservice.  It is true, after the trials be-  rialists sneer as they will, there have alcame frequent, all considerations of duty   ways been, in every age, manifestations
and honor were forgotten by the unthink-   more or less palpable, which rouse, as by
ing multitude in the frantic instinct of   an electric shock, the innermost sensations
self-preservation. As in a burning thea-   of our being-sensations which are usualtre, each rushed for the only avenue to  ly considered as the offspring of a weak
safety, heedless as to whose life was trod-   and womanish superstitlon.  Inquiry has
den down in the fierce crush.  Similar   been more at fault as thesc manifestations
circumstances would develope a similar   have multiplied.  From Van Helmont to
latent ferocity in any age. With all the   Mesmer, and down to Dr. Westervelt
boasted advance in humanity, witness any   with the Veiled Lady, the subtle, resistscene calculated to show the selfishness  less power of the human will has been reof men-a boat on fire for instance, and   cognized and wielded; but who has ansee how many exhibit any thing of chiv-   alyzed this agency, or shown the secret
alry or heroism.                          by which the "subject" becomes conOf course the tragedy we have been   scious of another's mind within his own, an
considering could never be re-enacted; no   interior force within force?  The daring
more than the mishaps of the lubberly   pretensions of clairvoyance are not so
schoolboy could befall the maturer man.  well settled; but allowing the most modeThe world by the advance in science has  rate statement of the matter to be true,
outgrown something of its childish fears;  could the connoisseur in diablerie furnish
it is outgrowing the childish desire to see   any thing from the fables he has gathered
men tramp, in uniform, to the beat of the   more astounding to a reasoning mind?
same "drum  ecclesiastic."   Perhaps a   Of the later manifestations, before alluded
further advance in the same direction   to, there is not time to write; nor, in
would not be altogether undesirable.      truth, while so many things necessary to
As we before remarked, there can be   a fair consideration of the subject are still
no doubt of the sincerity of the principal  in dispute, is it desirable to enter into disactors in this affair.  The ministers strove   cussion upon its merits.  We believe that
to learn God's will by earnest prayer and   the phenomena which characterized the
fasting. The judges and jurors showed   abnormal condition of the sibyl, the somby their subsequent conduct that they   nambulist, the mesmeric "subject," and
had been actuated by the most conscien-  the modern spiritual "medium" were, in
tious desire to do their duty.  Chief Jus-   all or in part, observed at the commencetice Stoughton, after the delusion was over,  ment of the witchcraft mania; and they
sent a note to the pulpit on Sunday de-   were too astounding for the age. Under
siring prayers for his pardon, if in any   the circumstances which we have endeaway he had sinned by his course in the   vored to portray, the progress of the detrials; and as it was read he stood up in  lusion was natural and inevitable.  We
his pew, showing by his quivering lip the   may be thankful that its victims were
strong feeling within. A number of the   barely a score, and not numbered by
jurors signed a paper (printed in Mr.  thousands, as in Scotland and upon the
Calefs collection), acknowledging their   Continent.




260                                                               [September
SALT LAKE AND THE NEW SARATOGA.,IY frie dlThompsonand I weresittingin  ionable resort, in comparison with Salt
our tent door the other evening, look-  Lake."
ing out upon the rolling prairie. It was a  The idea was novel to me, and the reJune night-the most immaculate of sum-  mark closed the conversation. I pondermer. The atmosphere was rare, the sky   ed it far into the night, and at last said I
high and distant, and, in the absence  aloud to myself, "Is it possible?"
of the moon, its surface glittered with   "Who, who, who-who-o-o!" remarked
sharp-pointed stars.  The prairie which   an owl from a neighboring thicket.
had shimmered all day in the heat, now    Nay, nay, 0 my owlish judge, notwithstretched away darkly as the sky, and   standing your summary contempt, we are
with innumerable fire-flies flashing on it,  pleased to consider the question-if only
became another sky, radiant as the heaven-  for the sake of our children.
ly one with stars.                        We have with us an unlettered Dane,
I remember I suggested as much to   but yet he has seen and cannot forget
Thompson.  lIe only replied with an  IIeidelberg, and beautiful Tivoli, and the
"umph " —like an Indian's' ugh," mean-  summer prime of Copenhagen. Often we
ing any thing and nothing-and taking   sit and watch the great shadows running
his rifle, sauntered off to the nearest  over the flowing grass of the prairie, till
branch.                                 they glide into some thick woodland
When I first met my friend Thompson   which lies undulating in the horizon, very
he was lounging in the D iisseldorf Gal-  glorious with the sheen of the sun on its
lery, with a lady on his arm. I noticed  shifting leaves. And as often as we do.
him  for his ton-ish cravat tie and most  and speak of Fatherland, he shakes hi.s
symmetrical boots. 1 think I heard him   head and sighs, " Oh, de summer time, de
use the words' chiaroscuro,"" "fore-short'-  summer time."  And I think he sees
ning," and the like. I next saw him on   broad highways where ancient trees grow
the Plains.  He was driving three jack   and heavy shadows lie, sees vineyards
mules and riding a fourth. Iie wore a  and purple hills, and from them  looks
red flannel shirt and moccasons. I cannot  down upon woodlands that lie concave to
say which costume became him best. I  his eye, and seem immortally green, as
am hapyty to state that my friend Thomp-  the hunting grounds the Indian dreams of.
son has seen life, and learned to despise  The Dane is right; his sigh is natural.
externals. He has polkaed at Newport,  So we all say, sing, or sigh, " Oh, the sumswam at Nahant, ridden at tournaments   mer time."  We long for it. We dream
in the Old Dominion, and driven fast  of green woods and sweet fields, and clear
horses, and flirted the requisite number of  brooks. We go where the checkered shade
seasons at Stratoga.                   falls upon the green sward, where masses
A young lady, who had said "yes"   of leaves shimmer in the white light.
with rose-buds and glances for a 4onth,  and the audible stir of the wind among
most unfortunately said "no" with her  the trees moves us to sentiment, to poetry,
lips one fine morning, and Mr. Thompson   perhaps to religion-we are all poets
went West for change of air.           then. We wonder no more at the interSince then he has bought porcupine  land sweetness of Keats, or the tranquil
work of the Blackfeet, had mules frozen   pictures of Bryant. In the season when
to death under him in South Pass, been   open field and forest put on the glory of
shot at by the Apaches, and wintered   summer, brick and mortar become hateful
with the Mormons at Great Salt Lake.  to us. The dust and din of the city are
As he is on the summer side of thirty, I  not to be endured; if we had been Romrans,
think his chance yet good of being shot by   we should have retired before the dogthe arrows of the Crows, or struck by   star to our villas on the "Yellow Tiber,"
the not less mortal darts which flash -in  or pushed off to Brundusium, or to the
the languid air of Saratoga.            Apennine hills. As it is, we go to Lake
I have thus particularly spoken of my   George, to the White Mountains, to the
friend Thompson, that, seeing his experi-  Falls of St. Anthony, or lose our identity,
ence, no one shall impugn the wisdom of   and become No. 49 or 400-and-somethe remark he made somewhat later in  thing at some one of our thousand fashthe evening. We had been speaking of  ionable resorts. As for myself, I go bethe Pacific Railroad, of Salt Lake, and of  yond the Mississippi.  I am confessedly
summer travel.                         partial to the unadulterated air of the
"In less than twenty years," he said,  prairies, rather than to the thrice-used
"Saratoga will be'nowhere' as a fash-  atmosphere of a watering-place. On a




18.53.]              Salt Lake and the New  Saratoga.                       261
windy night, I prefer the flapping of tent  steady that offered the morning glass;
canvas to the chattering of window-shut-  peeping furtively in the open door adown
ters. It is a matter of fancy, merely.   that hall of illusions, where the " dearest
If we yielded to the call of summer   girl" we loved and lost, queened it so
alone, and followed first impulses, I pre-   modestly twenty years ago.
sume we would each seek out some           My respectable old snob with the buff
charming spot in the country, some place   waistcoat and overgrown seals, you will
unprofaned by the clamor of porters and   go for no such reasons. I know you. You
gongs. But our tastes are too refined for  will go. as you always have gone, to sit
that. We don't like the country raw.   in the porch, to cool your corpulency with
Small portions of it, dished up into gar-  iced sherry and'" smashers," and leer and
dens, promenades and "grounds," we can   comment upon fair, frail forms, whose
relish. We love the country-seen from   young loveliness should shame you into
the windows of our hotel. Walks in the   virtuous thought, even if your gray hairs
country are so delightful, if well gravel-   will not. But you will go, nevertheless.
led. There is such abandon and sim-  We shall all go.
plicity about country life, in a splendidly  We make a business of our summer
lighted ball-room. So we take the city  recreation. We pursue it with feverish
with us. Besides this, we are eminently   heat. We start on our yearly hunt for
gregarious. We pour from our city hives   pleasure, we ride hard after it through
in swarms. We hive for the season where  the heat of the summer solstice, locomothe queen-bee of the season directs. We   tives are scarcely swift enough for our
seek the retirement and solitude of coun-  impatience. We fly fronm the sea-shore
try life, and conclude, justly, with Byron,  to the mountains, from  waterfalls to
that we can never be so thoroughly alone   springs.  Our ears are hardly habituated
as in a crowd. What other influences  to the roar of breakers at Cape May, than
and motives jam  us together in this or   we crave the cool spray at the Falls of
that fashionable resort, fatigue us with   Montmorenci. It is a way we have. We
ceremony, increase the specific gravity of   cannot sit quietly in the woodland's edge,
our hearts and lighten that of our purses,  where the undulating prairie flows for
my dear Mrs. Johnes and her three dear  leagues away, letting the eye dream along
unmarried daughters must answer, I can-  the level ridge, where elegant deer draw
not.                                     up their fleet limbs and proud heads in
But for one reason or another, we all  relief against the blue sky, or in the green
frequent watering-pla&es, and we always   valleys, where graceful spotted fawns are
will, in this world. It has become a fixed   playing, and let the landscape sink like a
social habit with us-more than that, a   dream of beauty into our souls, to be
necessity, a principle. In the name of the   a "joy for ever!" We must pursue the
American people, I would say to the Re-  trembling game with horse and hound, we
former; Sir, ask us to abandon our prin-  must butcher the splendid stag, and put a
ciples of'98, and our Fourth of July; to  leaden bullet through the fawn's faultless
relinquish our Eagle and our Sea-Serpent,  head, and dim  for ever the lustre of its
our Cuba and our China, and we will lis-  girl-like eyes. So we rush to the chase.
ten with some degree of patience; but  We do the whole Union in one season, and
don't touch our watering-places, don't at-  return to our homes fagged and confused.
tempt to chain the summer overflowings   There are dim remembrances, floating in
of our cities; you will only prove yourself  our brains, of moonlight and gaslight; of
a greater ninny than Xerxes. On this  heavenly  nights and  headachy  mornplea or that we will swell the fashionable  ings, of bewitching eyes, and lips never
exodus. If we are invalids, we ought  parted wide enough to utter the Saxon
to go. If we are young and single, we   "No;" of something about " eternal love
must go. If we are advanced down the   and constancy," which we may have read.
vale of life to where the lengthened sha-  but hope we haven't spoken; and in our
dows fall, we desire to go. We love to   hands a crushed rose-bud.
see again the old haunts that were like    This is all.  These are our summer
heaven to our young hearts, when love,  trophies.  No doubt they will furnish
beauty and hope, tinted life. Like sha-  agreeable topics for review when we are
dows we creep along the screened walks   old, and the green grass of churchyardsis
under the glorious old trees, while sha-  growing over "our set."  It is a comdows of the lovely and brave of other  mendable mode and end of life. It will
days keep us company, growing sad, and,  read well in our biographies.
I trust, better and gentler hearted amid   To return.  We not only steam  in
the old memories. Stooping at the same   hot haste from this to that old and fashspring where a timid glance or a rustling   ionable recognized haunt, but we demand
of silk, was wont to make the hand un-   new ones continually.  Each season some




262                   Salt Lake and the New  Saratoga.              [September
new spring, a more romantic waterfall, a   Will my friend Mrs. Johnes and the three
clean beach, or the sea-shore, becomes a   Misses Johnes, ever give over importuncandidate for the summer's dissipation,  ing old Johnes, the capitalist, until he beand the summer's romance. The insati-  stirs himself and invests his money as he
able thirst for novelty goads us on. We   ought to?  Will not their smiles, and
already pack our trunks for the Upper  tears, and poutings, be more potent than
Lakes, and the head-waters of the Missis-  the speeches of Col. Benton, the explorasippi. Even this is not enough, there is  tions of his son-in-law, the reports of
yet something beyond.                    Lieut. Maury, or the Memphis ConvenNot that old Congress Spring is forgot-  tion?  I think so. Degraded woman has
ten or uncared for, by any means. It has  lost her " rights " since the days of tourheld its brave position since Leather-  naments, but we all remember that her
stocking brushed aside the leaves, and   "persuasive lips " were more powerful
quaffed its sparkling bubbles, and it will  than the eloquence of Sheridan or Pitt,
hold it. Fans and hearts will be broken  in the Westminster elections.
at its shrine.  Fresh-hearted girls will    The Pacific Railroad is, as every body
learn to doubt the truth of vow  and   knows, a foregone conclusion.  No one
promise, and men will learn to doubt the   west of the Alleghanies will have a motruth of ditto, to an indefinite extent.  ment's quiet, and few east of them will
More splendid equipages will dart along   enjoy a whole night's sleep until it shall be
the streets, gayest apparel will flaunt the   completed. We are just now only differing
showy walks. Beauty, and luxury, and   as to its eastern terminus. Every body,
fashion will rule it. Joy and envy, vanity  as usual, wishes it to run through his own
and light-heartedness, will push on the   door-yard and be contiguous to his wood
throng to the time of evening instru-  pile. Every' sovereign" has his pet line.
ments, which discourse more deliciously   With all modesty, I confess to a partiality
than the full-throated singing of thrushes.for a certain route. and I am not alone in
in an old wood at sunset. The old revel  my notion of its practicability. I would
must go on-" let the music knock it."    have the line run through the middle
Indeed, we have a thousand associations  States, have it follow the plainly desigabout the gay and sad place, and we shall  nated way of the Great Divide from which
love it as long as there is a bubble in the  the streams all make northward to the
dear old spring.  But, alas, it is near at  Great Lakes. or southward to the Ohio
hand, the hunt is getting tame, we want  river; thence due westward to St. Joseph,
wider range. Ah, I see how it is, we are  up the south bank bf the North Ford of
longing already for Salt Lake.          the Platte to Fort Laramie, and so through
The practical reader, who snuffed great  South Pass to Salt Lake, letting those
saline manufactories and immense profits   who wish steam it northward to Astoria
in the title of our article, thinks we have   and Puget's Sound. I am aware of plenty
wandered widely from the text.  But we   of other proposed routes, but I trust we
beg him to remember that Salt Lake is as  shall all meet this side the Sierra Nevada.
yet difficult of access, and he will pardon   I think this route the'best because it is
the fondness which lingers a little in the  the most direct; because the section this
beaten roads of the Atlantic shore, before  side the Missouri, at least, is the easiest of
we strike a tangent for the Mormon Tem-  construction; and, lastly, because it lands
ple. Great rivers lie in our way, and   us all safely at Salt Lake, where I should
deserts; and, as somebody says, the "first  else have found it very difficult to conduct
families-Bruin and red Ishmael," still  our watering-place devotees; and I am
dispute our path. The Pacific Railway  the more encouraged to think it will
is not yet laid. We, who are accustomed  triumph, because I am  certain of their
to the roughness of camps, and can en-  active co-operation.
dure the sweltering heat of the plains, and  To avoid all misconception of my mothe chill of rocky ledges, can manage  tives by the shrewd, it may be necessary
the matter with mules and moccasons;  to state that I own no city lots among the
but my delicately-slippered ladies above   Mormons, that I never expect to establish
Bleecker must wait for the cushioned car.  pre-emption rights in Nebraska, and that
The rails are yet to be laid, and I count  my entire real estate consists. i am sorry
the influence of those same ladies who   to say, in certain castles and islands which
are waiting for the cushioned car, and   any body may see at sunset,
that " love of a new watering-place," as    "Steeps that hang in the twilight sky,
among the most potential to effect the       And weltering oceans, and trailing streams
great work. When they know (as I am          That gleam where the dusky valleys lie."
determined they shall) whet new arena   The country is not generally considered
is awaiting them, will they ever cease  arable, except by poets.
teasing for the road to take them to it?   The valley in which Great Salt Lake




1853.]                Salt Lake and the New  Saratoga.                      263
lies is some hundreds of miles in length.  of Avon and the White Springs of Virginia.
Its soil is light and sandy, in some parts   No valley offers greater scope for the
little better than a desert, and scarcely   curious in science, or presents more novelany where susceptible of cultivation ex-  ties for those who only look and learn not.
cept by extensive irrigation.  Fortunately   I think it very kind of Nature to reserve
the steep ranges of mountains which hem   this prince of watering-places for our
it in, furnish a fair supply of clear, cool  princely need.
rivulets for this purpose. The lake, some  There is a point on the Missouri where
forty miles in length, is shallow, has a   the impetuous river makes a d6tour, leavbottom of fine, white sand, and a margin  ing a bold bluff on the eastern shore.
of incrusted salt. Its waters will float  From  that bluff Nebraska lies level to
the most unskilful and leaden swimmer.  the eye, and, in the season, one can follow
It supports no living thing; and its shores  for miles the broad trail where the whiteare barren of vegetation, and desolate as  topped emigrant wagons are  winding
those of the Dead Sea. Another Sodom   towards the setting sun. I have stood
and Gomorrah might be entombed there,  there when jubilant cannon were firing,
and not be misburied.  West from  the   and marked how the echoes went booming
southern end of the lake, and twenty-five  like thunder down the river curve, and
miles distant, is the site of the Mormon   then were flung to the Indian shore, which
city. The town is built upon a slope gently  growled sullenly and muttered a disconinclining towards the lake. As we stand   tented response-the reply of barbarism
upon the hill in the rear, and look down   to the overtures of civilization-and I
upon it from a distance, it presents the   seemed to see, instead of white-topped
appearance of a densely peopled city. But  wagons, a train of steam carriages slwingit is a city of farms. Even Fourier could  ing industriously over the plain, bearing
not condemn it. Each house has its own   aloft its black flag of smoke, conquering
three acres of ground. Here the products  the ground as it went. And I seemed to
of the larger farms are deposited in stacks   hear, above the roar of the flood, the shrill
for the winter. Cool streams from  the   scream of the locomotive piercing the dishills arc trained to irrigate and refresh the  tant plains, which no more growled deentire town. The view is novel, and very  fiance, but joined the ringing cry of propicturesque to the eye is the city with its  gress.  And the rattling train, with its
green lots, regularly built houses of sun-  rich freight of adventurous beauty and
dried bricks, and its sparkling veins of   ever-restless fashion, keeps on its way. It
water, which permeate every field, and   startles the wastes of the Platte with its
murmur along the streets. In full view   brave summer travel; it flashes by the
from the city is the lake, placid as death.  sweet waters, the gorges and peaks of the
And so rare and clear is the atmosphere   Pass shout' welcome;" -with a roar and
of the region. that the lake seems just be-  bound it leaps into the valley, and tremlow you and hardly a league distant. But  bling and snorting like an affrighted horse,
my friend Thompson (who was introduced   checks its speed in sight of the Great
to the United States at the outset of this   Temple, where Mr. Young, and an indearticle) assures me, that leaving the city  finite number of Mesdames Young " worone sharp January morning, with four  ship according to the dictates."
untamed mules "'in hand." scampering       It is only a vision of an idler of the
down the slope in a half mad shamble-  Missouri bluff?  My dear sir, or madam,
gallop-and-bolt gait, six hours elapsed be-  it is you who are drowsy or dreaming, if
fore their hoofs struck  the incrusted   you see it not. Heaven help us! if we
shore,-and all the while the lake lay just  were all like you, it might be a vision for
before, and fooled him with its treacherous   ever, and we never should see the Giant
distance.                                Railway, nor any thing but our certain
To the south of the city, on the slope,  per cent. in the grand consolidation, and
are the most extensive farms of the new   by and by a spare grave. But the road
colony. These are abundantly irrigated,  is already built —morally; the mere
and no land on the continent gives more   mechanical labor is of small concern.n
bountiful return for labor.              comparison.
An almost infinite variety of springs    When the material lines are completed,
gush up every where.  You will find   we shall make the distance from Broadthem on the flats and the hillsides, bub-  way to Salt Lake in less than five days,
bling forth in the city streets and in the   with ease.  We can easily see it will be
cultivated "three acres."  There are hot  worth one's while to shut up the countsprings and springs tepid, springs cold as  ing-house, and look about a little then.
if they had flowed over subterranean ice-  The herds of wild horses and buffalo will
beds, and sulphur springs, strong enough   hardly await our approach, and Bruin
for those who delight in the atmosphere  ("F F.") accustomed only to  private




264                             The Tree of Life.                     [September
interviews of closest intimacy, will not  and views enlarged by the contemplation
be "'at home" for a public reception of   of a domain whose vast unity no age can
his Atlantic cousins.  But the infinite   parallel.
panorama of prairies, rivers, and plains,    Few of us may live to write or read the
and icy peaks, will kindle into a sort of  chronicles of fashion at Salt Lake, if we
enthusiasm —even our blase watering-   be now advanced in years.  Yet the old
place friends.  We are all fond of the   masquerade will go on there.  Dress and
reputation of travel and adventure, when   beauty will be paraded, plot checked by
it can be obtained at a slight sacrifice;  counter-plot, and fortune met with envy;
and here are all the facilities. Our gallant  and hearts will be lost at love, and money
gentlemen will ride  northward to the   lost at faro. It is the old game of the
buffalo ranges, will whip the streams for   world, and I suppose there is no Utopia
speckled trout, and in their winter club-  of the passions at Salt Lake. If we forturooms speak of antelopes and deer chased   nately can delude ourselves into hope of
on the southern hills, and hint darkly at  such any where, the Island of Atlantis
those terrible fellows, the Apaches.  Our   will still lie in the western seas. Ah!
invalids will grow  stout in the bracing   how we blindly yearn with our weary
mountain air, and luxuriate in cold baths   souls for some earthly Atlantis. oblivious
and hot ones, and unlimited  sulphur.  that the fabled one is but a shadow of
And our belles, whirling along that mag-  the true.
nificent drive to the lake, skirting the     It is not the intention of this article to
Mormon farms, hunting the sources of   alarm the hotel proprietors of Saratoga by
the streams and sipping the pure water,-  this impending stampede in fashionable
will not the bloom deepen on their cheeks,  life. Nor would the present writer counsel
and their footsteps become doubly elastic?   them  (just now) to curtail their outlays
Mrs. Johnes (and I) have already arranged   for improvements, to sell their plate, to
that old Johnes, the man of capital, shall  lessen the retinue of their servants, or
meantime be looking after his investments   neglect the stocking of their wine cellars.
in San Francisco.  On the whole, I think   But they are provident men.  They will
we shall make quite a season of it, and   keep a wise eye on the future. They will
return to our own glorious Indian summer,  take care that their investments can at
and  its pomp of forests, with spirits  any moment be transferred to meet the
freshened by the exhilarating atmosphere,  changed face of these shifting times.
THE TREE OF LIFE.
(Concluded from page 214.)
TT is well for us that none but the All-  does a good work for us all, and so we
strong knows our individual weaknesses  think her a blessed child.
as we know thefi; each soul is girt about  I have just been wandering with her
as with a wall of fire: its secrets none   off on the Barcliff road; of course, you
can know; this, I say, is well for us. And   know exactly where that is situated.  I
you say to me that our estrangement is a   had promised to take her to the watersin and a disgrace, and fthat Wayland re-  fall which I visited alone a few days begards it so?  Tell him-tell him nothing.  fore.  This fall looks wonderfully like the
This little'Bel. not four years old by   working of a man's hand; the taste of a
many a month. is. in the house, more than   human artist, you think, must have been
a "well-spring of pleasure."'  She is a   consulted in its arrangements; yet, how
very emphatic preacher, commending to   absurd! As if man were the teacher of
us in divers unconscious ways, a practical  nature!
illustration in our lives of the lessons we  The stream  is a small and quiet one;
strive to teach her. She calls forth sym-   it comes from the thickest of the wood.
pathies which, but for her, would be   and from far beyond it, to make this leap;
unevoked; she leads us to good speech,  between two high, bald rocks, the descent
when there would often be silence not  is made; perhaps the stream  has worn
good; to think earnestly, when otherwise  the rock thus asunder.  Yet that could
there might be a too frequent lapsing into   not be, for the knoll in the background is
dreamy moods, or moody dreams.  She   smoothly cut, and regularly laid in large
makes the deacon and doctor thoughtful  blocks of granite, as though the workof the little children in the village; she   man's chisel and mallet had arranged




1853.]      T3.e Tree oJ L-fe.                                           2O6
them. But the waterfall itself!  Looking  lution!  What grace had I to answer
down you see it, far, far down, how beau-  her? and yet I dared not keep silence
tiful! like a misty, silvery veil, and when   now-" You do not see him," I said with
the sun happens to glance into the rocky   hesitation, praying meanwhile, as I never
cavern, as we saw it to-day, what a reve-  prayed before, that if to her the words
lation of beauty is made! This must be  should have no significance, she might at
Undine's shrine.                       least be made to understand their spirit.
It is near-this fall, on the summit of a   " You do not see him,'Bel, but he is every
neighboring rock, that the tree stands for  where. He made you and me; He made
which my eyes conceived such a friend-  every thing in the world.  He is more
ship last winter; already I have made  beautiful than the flowers, or He could
my pilgrimage thitherward, and I vowed   not have made them so beautiful; He is
a vow, and said a prayer there, of which  stronger than these great mountains and
my life, not my words, shall be a witness  the world, or He could not have made
for you.                                them.  But we are a little blind, and so
In the woods my little companion and   we cannot see him yet, but after a time
I gathered many flowers; and, arrived at  He will help us, and then we shall see."
the fall, we sat down there to rest. For  "What made the flowers we picked wilt
a long time we remained there seated in  so yesterday?  Will these wilt?"  You
silence. At last, after playing with the  see, Lina, how we were entered into the
lilies and violets until she wearied of them   depths of mystery at once. I, alas! as
as I imagined,'Bel threw them into my   much a child as she in the knowledge of
hands, and asked me, with that confidence  such things, set over her to teach her of
with which childhood alone proposes these  them! "Yes, in a day or two," I said,
deep questions-" Aunty Ag, who made   "they will wilt and die-and so shall we,
those flowers?"                        and then"-Thus was all said that I could
Oh Lina!-I who knew, and yet who   say. I believe that was an hour of no orknew not, turned away from the little  dinary significance to either of us. With
questioner. I hid my face-how start-  sorrow, and half with a rebellious indigIingly from such a questioner comes a  nation, I threw upon her life the burden
Nword like this! Was it cowardice, my   of this knowledge, for, unconscious to it
friend?  I know not what would have   as she may at present remain, it must retempted me to become her companion that  turn to her, it will inevitably return to
day, had I guessed the query with which   her again and again, as long as she shall
the lesson would open.                  live-and who can tell with what aggraI did not answer: presently she came  vated force these truths shall appeal to
up closer to me, and laid her little hands  her? It makes me shudder to think of
upon my head, and stooping, that she  it. "Will I wilt, and you wilt, and mammight look into my covered face, she said   ma, and all-and be thrown away? "
again, " Won't you tell me who made the   I had no need to answer the question,
flowers?"  " God, my child," I answered.  for it was barely asked w4hen'Bel sprang
Immediately she turned away from me,  away from me and ran off laughing in the
and began to gather up again the blossoms  wood-path, coming back the instant after
which had fallen in the grass. I looked   hand in hand with Pastor Islington! I
upon her-I could not see her face, it was  thought it most fortunate, most pleasant;
hidden in the fair hair that fell in confu-  I think so still.
sion about it. But I needed not to look   He sat down with us by the waterfall.
into her eyes that I might be convinced   We spoke of innmnerable things; the reof what I sincerely believe at this moment.  tirement of the Place, the beauty of the
The soul of the child had awakened, or  day, led us to utter our thoughts from
it had just been born into this world's  the depths of our hearts, I believe. Old
life! in that hour it had aroused to a   memories came of their own accord, and
first consciousness of itself in its nezw   we were not afraid to reveal them to each
abitation.                            other; there was no danger that either of
For a long time we sat there thus quietly  us would be guilty of misunderstanding
together. My thoughts were wandering   while we spoke thus.  Poor Miss Renaway into the future.  I had forgotten   wick!
all around me, and even that of which I   By degrees the conversation, as it comhad just spoken. But the child had not  monly does, fell into his hands, and adforgotten, for presently she said, and in a  mirably he cared for it. He did what he
way that convinced me that one thought  does rarely-talked much of himself. He
had prevailed during these minutes in her  told me of the struggles he had passed
mind-" Who did you say God is?" Alas,  through in his youth-his early love of
the question of questions had arisen in her  study, and how that love was developed,
mind, and she was looking to me for a so-  fostered, and gratified, by the devotion
VOL. II.-18




266                           The Tree of L/ife.                    [September
and labor of his mother-of the vacilla-  am as certain that he has determined that
tions of his youth, the disappointments he  it shall at no time disturb the deep peace
occasioned her-of the steadying influence   which the love of God has given his soul.
exercised by Renwick upon his mind.  His trials and disappointments hitherto
He spoke of the chastenings his early am-  have sanctified him. My friend! my
bitious aspirations had received, of his first  friend! would that I could say this of
attempts to walk by faith rather than by   myself; but my " pride," and my " pashuman sight.  How he had gone wrong,  sion,"- what words are these you have
and lost his way, and stumbled, but yet  recorded against me, and how significant
had persevered in his striving, the path  they are! To him the Tree of Thorns has
day by day growing clearer, and the light  proved the Tree of Life; when shall I be
of Faith brighter, until now he relied upon   able to say as much?  My heart is like
it with perfect trust, well'ssured that the  the street of a ruined subterranean citylight would never fail, that it would illu-  the marks of the chariot wheels are there,
minate even the shadow of death.  He   and. unless an earthquake utterly destroy
spoke of affliction, not lightly, but as one  the city, a convulsion upheave the founwho had lived with it, and known it well;  dation, I know not how the traces of the
as one who recognized it as the agent of the  triumphal procession of my pride will be
Refiner and Purifier of souls. He spoke of  removed. You refer me to the story of
the Vanquisher of Grief-of Hope's mani-  the Spartan boy, and the stolen fox-and
fold resurrections.  He spoke of earth, of   demand that I shall discern the moral,
the changes which go on so steadily within  and make the application! You profess,
it, sending forth to the surface their evi-  beside, to discern very clearly that I am
dence; and of the  counterpart these   disgusted with this north land, that my
changes have'in Human Nature. How   heart aches for the southern sunshine.
we in our mortal lives do seem a concen-  You have strangely misjudged me, Lina.
tration of the truths which a universe un-  I am  going to work a miracle-and to
fblds; of the mind he spoke as an epitome   finish my book-for... for, it is fairly
of the glory of the natural world-of its  begun! and the pastor is, in very truth,
power, its majesty, its beauty. As these   my hero!
forests, which in time will give way to    You should have seen Miss Renwick's
others of totally different growth, he said,  consternation and befogment when'Bel
our present trains of thoughts, emotions,  told her of our long chatting in the woods;
and hopes, will give place in a future state,  but I believe she is now fairly silenced,
doubtless, to others just as natural, but  and no more is to be apprehended from
of a higher order. The mind's sponta-  her incipiently-developed love for seeing
neity he spoke of, regarding it as having a   afthings go on swimmingly in the matchprefiguration in the spontaneity of earth,  making way. Still she will not believe
as destined to give hereafter more wonder-  that a predestined spinster appears before
ful evidence of itself, and for Him who   her in'the person of Flora's sister; as
created and endowed it, than the earth  regards herself, evidently she believes this
can do; and much he argued from this  particular phase of life to be the very
fact, that, thrown up from  no matter  height of felicity; but she would fain
what depth, earth, exposed to the sun and   exclude all others, me especially, from a
air, will show how thoroughly it is alive  like fate. Poor, dear, old soul!
by the verdure that at once overspreads                Thine,           A. B.
its surface.
He spoke of hum i:hopes, how they
s" all do fade as the lea' and contrasted                 VI.
with these the Hope that is Unchanging,    Oh, Lina, George is dying!
because it is the gift of the Changeless.    He came to the village to lecture-it
He spoke of Friendship-of its high offices  was during a week of last month when I
and its ennobling influences-of the foolish   was too ill to leave my bed. He came to
limitations put upon it: he called me his  lecture before a newly-formed association,
friend;-oh that Miss Renwick had heard   and the lecture is delivered; and that is
him speaking thus! and oh that she had   all-his race is run-he will die!
seen the prophesied pastoress listening    I did not hear his name mentioned-I
thus!                                   knew nothing about it, until the day when
Then he began to talk of Helen Mc-  I was able to leave my bed, Miss RenLeod; and I saw a deeper interest was  wick, whom during this sickness I learned
aroused in him by t]e reference; and it  to love from my heart, poor dear old fuss!
was speaking of her that we returned   said to me, " We have another invalid in
home together. I believe this, that a   the house, Mr. Wayland, an old friend of
great human hope has again found lodg-  brother Washington."   I was startled
ment in the pastor's breast; and yet I   when I heard the name; but I was very




1853.]                      The Tree of Life.                         267
certain that it could not be to him whom   into the tearfullest wail at last, for before
I knew by that name that she referred.  him lies the form of one most dear to him,
This gentleman, she said, came up from   vanquished by the Destroyer, and the
Cambridge to lecture; on his way here  poem closes with a groan.  You know
he contracted a violent cold, and fever,  that it has been my wish to stand beside
and now was very ill.  Renwick had  some death-bed; that I have longed to
brought him home with him on the lec-  watch the departure of some spirit from
ture night, and here he had remained ever  its clay. I have the opportunity at last!
since.                                Think you these eyes will bear to gaze
It is now several days since I learned  with his down into the mysterious depths
this; and I have not seen him yet. But  of the Dark Valley, striving to penetrate,
I know that George Wayland is his name.  as his will, beyond, where the brightness
Flora has told me about him-oh, so  is? Oh thou great Heaven, that it should
much! but I have not yet the strength  come to this! Why may we not die at
to go to him. Yet I must go. My place  will?
is there-what a place for a reconciliation!
To-morrow, yes, to-morrow I will go
down and compel myself to look upon                    VIL
him-to speak with him, and remain with    The summer is nearly ended. How
him. But to-day I cannot do it. It is  long it is since I have written to you,
not probable that I shall write you again  Lina! Often I have attempted to do it,
after that.                           but words have failed me; and now what
I had resigned myself to perpetual  shall I say?  Has your heart, has your
solitude of soul and heart. I had said I  mind been in mourning? Throw off the
was resigned to it. Alas, how I deceived  gloomy garments; put you on the most
myself! Yet what hope could have lin-  glorious apparelling!  Be joyful and
gered in my heart?  Hope, is that the  glad; for he that was dead is alive again!
word?  Dying! is it not incredible?    I am coming back to you; and I shall
George Wayland dying! We have known  bring a friend with me. For this northhim so long-have seen him so conspicu-  land winter which is at hand, will never
ous in manly strength and beauty, ab-  do for him. He is a sort of Calvin Edson
sorbing in himself so much of dignity and  just now, though he denies it; and the
pride that other men seemed robbed of it,  storm wind would cause him to vanish
as contrasted with him  and his gifts!  as though he were a wraith-which he
He will remain to you for ever this image;  was near to being. You are to help me
but I must see him otherwise; I must  in my care of him, for you are to join us
watch, and know, and see the life fading,  on our way to Havana. I hear at this
and the light dying.  You and I have  moment your consenting, joyous YEA.
heard him  dream; he could dream   Miss Renwick awakens to the appreciagrandly.  And he would have realized  tion of some astounding facts, viz., that
every vision. They were prophecies, not  the pastor will doubtless take unto himvisions, with him. If I could but forget  self a wife; for at this moment a letter
our parting!-His plans were laid on a  lies upon my table from Helen McLeod
broad foundation; all he took for granted  in Boston; she has her sight again! This
was-life! the rest was the fruitage of  is the pastor's work, and mine (with a
the labor on which he had determined.  little aid from the hand of a Boston ocuThis man is dying! The silence that  list)! and moreover, that the pastor will
reigns in the house is intolerable-he is  make me a wife-not his own, but
dying!                               another man's-.even the said "Calvin's!"
Lina, no matter what the world may   Why am I up here among these mountell you to the contrary, never, never  tains? what have I to do with these dear
believe that love can be outlived, or out-  people around me? how came I here?
grown, or forgotten. I dare not fairly  what have I accomplished? How absurd
think the thoughts that crowd upon me;  it all seems! Yet my book is written!
my grief will not blind me, but I believe  and Wayland has read it —and-saysit will kill me; I have not said to you I  it-shall-be-published! So I suppose
hope it will. God knows, and he only,  we had the quarrel, and Wayland wanhow all will eventuate; but there is a  dered away hither, and every thing else
tempest in the air, and a hurricane at  happened as it did, that my book might
hand. Shall I stand up and perish in the  be written!
embrace of this simoom?                All you have now to do, therefore, is to
Do you remember Bryant's Hymn to  hearken, and pay good heed to the speech
Death? and the concluding lines?  He  of the critics. It must be a wonder-book
celebrates the triumphs and the glory of  that needed so much preparation of mind
the unconquered King, but his song breaks  and heart! Indeed-yes: I think so.




268                          The Tree of Life.                    [September
And I have stood, besides, in the very   guessed that my friend was at the point
shadow of death, and Renwick says, he  of death had you seen me after he comsays. Lina, that if I had not been here,  municated this counsel, that night. No
nothing is more certain than that our  stoic could have betrayed a colder indifferbrother would have gone the way of all  ence. At ten the house was still as the
life! That the disease ran its course, and   grave. Only in the kitchen were other
did not destroy, because a sovereign elixir  members of the family astir.  Jonathan
was found in Flora's words when she   and Mary, they alone of the household,
preceded me into Wayland's chamber,  beside Renwick and I, kept the watch.
and said, "Agnes is here."  Do you be-    At eleven o'clock George said to me, in
lieve this?  If it be true.......     a voice so strong that it startled and
But whether all that has occurred,  alarmed me, " Agnes, read something for
occurred that a life might be saved, or,  me."  I looked at Renwick, he bowed his
that two lives might be saved, in a higher  head in token that I was to comply. I
sense, judge then. I am aware of it now;  had in my pocket a little book - Jean
we needed both to learn the very lessons  Paul's " BrST HOURS " —I drew nearer to
we have learned.  Well, we shall not  him, and read, " Canst thou forget, in the
forget the text, and the comment, I trust.  dark hour, that there have been mighty
Renwick says, looking at me, but clasp-  men amongst us, and that thou art following Flora in his great, strong arms, " What  ing after them?  Raise thyself like the
shall we do without you. Aunt Ag? "-   spirits which stood upon their mountains,
He, and they all, will do very well with-  having the storm of life only about and
out me, I fancy, with such a measureless  never above them. Call back to thee the
content does he regard his little wife, our  kingly race of sages and of poets, who
darling, and every body's darling, Flora;  have inspirited and enlightened nation
and so happy are they all in each other.  after nation."
I always shall think of this household as  " Is there not a more elevating thought
of a heaven upon earth. Do you know   than this? a name greater th.an any other
what makes it heavenly? a very little  known among men, that you might
word, which is however God's greatest  name?" said Renwick in mild reproof,
name-and man's name, in his "best  unconsciously uttering the very thought
estate."                                Jean Paul had expressed, and I read the
Why have I come up here?  Do you   next passage-" Remember Jesus Christ,
ask it still?  From time immemorial the  in the dark hour-remember him who
great, strange, and blessed works, have   also passed through life-*mnember that
been wrought among the mountains.  soft Moon of the Infinite Su  given to enNever ask to what end, Lina. Have I  lighten the night of the world. Let life
not here been told of the Tree of Life;  be hallowed to thee, and death also, for
have I not taken the Thorn Branch in my   he shared both of them with thee. May
hand, and for ever renounced the golden   his calm and lofty form look down on
fruit which is ashes to the taste? Away  thee in the last darkness, and show thee
with the old specious dreams, and so-  his Father."
phisms, the fancies, and follies: blessed,    I closed the book here. Renwick advanblessed is our life, and, as another has  cing took my place, I stood back, a solitary
said, it is of itself a sacrament. Joyfully  in the gloom, while he watched narrowly
let us partake thereof. Oh I know, you   every symptom-it was the watch of an
say, it is an easy thing for the happy to  eye clear to discern the awful conflict
give thanks. Do not even thus rebuke   going on. How was it with me during
me.  I dare not recall the last letter  that suspense while I stood alone, waiting
that I wrote you; nor the thought with  for the knowledge which was to set the
which it was written. I can only say,  seal to my own fate as well as his? I had
God is infinite in mercy.              comforted myself in our estrangement with
I thought when I wrote those few words  high thoughts of Friendship-of Labor.
that if I ever wrote you again it would   And doubtless had we not met again I
be to tell you how he died, and where we   should-nay, I should never have forgothad buried him. I will be mindful of  ten, but I would have become as insensiwhat I know to be your wish, and tell  ble as I fancied that I was already. Had
you of the last momentous watch we kept  I foreseen how I could, how I should
together-Renwick and I.                wait, and watch, and petition for that life!
The doctor had told me that he antici-  " They sin who tell us love can die"-and
pated a change in his patient at midnight,  yet I can reconcile this belief with the
and that its result would be final; and,  knowledge to which I have attained as to
he said, that unless I could be prepared   how it is " inwardly " with Helen McLeod!
for any fate, I must not remain in the sick  A solitary, a homeless. friendless orroom with him. You would never have  phan; this I felt myself to be while I




1853.]                           The Lovers.                                269
waited and watched.   At last, at last  lington.  Very, very beautiful is sheRenwick turned from the bedside-looked   you meet her glance and feel that an anat me-and his voice faltered when he   gel has blest you.  Flora believes that
said, " Go now and thank God for his  sorrow has indeed made of the bride an
mercy; Agnes, our friend will live!"    angel. So do we all believe.
They came up here for a purpose today-when that purpose was accomplishThe happy pastor has been up here  ed, I said to Helen, "You are richer than
with his bride to day, and Salathiel was  when I came; I am glad to know that not
with them-but the poor old man had   a soul needs me now, that I am going."
less of the infernal in his look, and more   But what their answer was I shall not
of the picturesque, than I have seen before.  say. Life! Life! let us drink freely and
I believe, however, that my blindness has  largely of the grand libation! Oh then,
been only less profound than Helen's,  Thorn-crowned, we thank thee for the
since I came into this region; but if I was  cup.
blind I do now see, as does also Helen, the  And now, they call me by another name
village partners —the happy wife of Is-  than Agnes Bond-oh Lina!
THE LOVERS.
And make life all that now it seems,
J WATCH their mien of trembling joy,       As full, as fresh, as pure, as joyous.
- Their glance, with timid secrets laden: y
He is a rosy village boy,
And she a graceful village maiden.     How soft the May-time hours steal on;
The merry school girls laugh and call;
His proud look hints, her blushes tell,  Sweet sing the birds; elm-blossoms fall;
What bliss begins when school-time     The violets come; but he is gone.
closes;
He shielded her when snowflakes feel     Those steps that each to each did cling,
And now'tis almost time for roses.    Are parted by a wider space;
And long from that slight girlish face
Have lips yet given voice to heart?     Has autumn dried the tears of spring.
I know not-but each day shows clearer
How conscious blushes draw apart         How calmly flows the tide of time
The steps resistless Love draws nearer.    O'er all the wealth of smiles and dreams,
And its forgotten beauty seems
Their world is changed; historic names    To live but in my careless rhyme.
For her are shrunk to merest zero;
And poet-loves and novel-fames           Yet not m grief the end is told,
Arend poet-lor bes anide th e living heo.  Death closed the tale and left it pure,
re poor beside the living hero.  With no dark chances to endure
For him-all sweets of earth and air,     Of withered joys or love grown cold.
The softest breath of soft May morning,
Too coarse, too harsh, too common are    Who knows what gathering dangers died
To match that girlish beauty's dawning.    When those clear eyes were closed to
earth,
The wallI upon enchanted ground;         And what new dreams and deeds had
The school, the street, are lands elysian;  birth
A song of spheres is every sound;        When the new mystery opened wide?
Each glance a beatific vision.
And in her heart may yet be room
O Teacher, sage! in vain you pore       Where one dim memory has remained,
O'er black-boards wide, with science   The thought of one brief love unstained,
laden;                             To tinge an aimless life with bloom.
The blindfold boy lends deeper lore
To village youth and village maiden    OTme  thou followest close upon
Tvlgytadia   maid The prayers of our presumptuous hours;
O Time! secure these children's dreams'Tis well thou gatherest in thy flowers
From ills that darken and destroy us,    Ere the frail bloom grows sick and wan.




270                                                               [September
STATISTICS AND SPECULATIONS CONCERNING THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
" Equo oredite Teucri."
Y g    a horse shall Ilium perish,' ran the  How the Old World prophecy, which
prophecy in Old World times.'By   has been above placed parallel with the
a horse America shall live,' saith the Ora-  oracle uttered to the New World, had in
cle to the New World. Let the words be  fulness of time its accomplishment, the
pondered. A wise people will beware how   world has known for a score of centuries.
it slights an oracle, for the tripod, if deri-  How Ulysses Polymetis, ingenious gentleded, will avenge itself. But a people of  man, Diomed Hippodamoios the Marscunning understanding will at the same  Bruiser, and other worthies hiding in the
time be careful in what manner it gives  belly of the wooden horse, got themselves
heed to the voice prophetic, or the words  dragged within the city barriers, which
of the spirit are notoriously words of  for ten years they had beaten their heads
crookedness, and delight to fulfil them-  against with even less than the usual cornselves at a time when no man knoweth,  fort, profit, and consolatory reflections anand in a mode which no man reckoneth  ticipated by persons who dash their craof. It needs a crafty wit, a strong afm,  nia against stone walls; how at midnight
and a wilful spirit to deal with the jug-  they emerged from the fir-tree ribs, clove
gling fiends. It were better thou hadst  down poor old Priam, cut up the minisnever been born. than with simple un-  try, slew, burned, and scattered, and sent
derstanding or faltering heart, seek for  LEneas, that hero so pious and at the same
a secret from the children of darkness.  time so fascinating, to be flung hither and
They have the truth if thou canst rob  thither by the seas, and tossed from tenthem of it. Only for a sword's point at  der Carthaginian Queens to tough Italian
the breast, and an iron hand around   Kings: —all these things the world has
the throat, will they give up the trea-  rang of since that night of wrath. Nosure; and then, in sooth, they will palm  thing availed it that Jove thundered with
off, not truth, but a snare; not gold, but  the guns of all Olympus; nothing that
poisonous copper, unless thine eye be as  Minerva drove the chariot of her champitrue as thine arm.  Dull folk and cra-  on through the battle; nothing that Nepven have been led into all kinds of trou-  tune Enosichthon rocked the foundations
bles by the bantering voices of the air, from   of the mountains and stamped on the seathe time of the wise men of Egypt to that  shore till Distheiron heard the rafters of
of the weird women of the heath, and from   his hell a-cracking. The celestial energies
the days of the Delphic whispers to the   were simply wasted. Valor was nothing,
moment of the last squeak at Mountain  divine rage nothing. The Fates did their
Cove. But the crafty and the daring   work not by gods, not by horses, but by
throttle the treacherous imps with gloves  an imp almost too pitiful to announce the
of steel, and straightway they whine like  crack of doom to a rat's-nest. It would
spaniels.  It is on such, their masters,  have been all the same with the great city
that they dare not practise those      Ilium, if Zeus had masked his guns, and
"Equivocations of the fiends  vastly more to the benefit of sea-faring
That lie like truth,"                   men in coming times, if the sea-green
wherewith they so delight to lead Adam's  king, instead of crazing the stony brains
unwise children to perdition.           of Ida, and scaring the underground proWhether America will be outwitted by   prietor, had driven his steeds to the other
the imp, and find herself at some day lit-  hemisphere, and spent the afternoon in
erally saved by a horse, but at the same   knocking over the mountains at Tehuantime destroyed by him-the promise be-  tepee.
ing kept to the ear, but broken to the    Since the parallel has been suggested,
hope-time alone can tell.  Allow us,  why not pursue it further?  It is well
however, to express entire confidence in  known that the overthrow of Troy was
the ability of Brother Jonathan to crack   not all that came of the wooden horse.
wits with an oracle, and to entertain an   The inventors of the snare met various
humble trust that the genius of that mys-  rewards for their ingenuity. The excelterious Oriental land which so many have  lent Polymetis, with all his tact and expecome from, but which no one was ever  rience, was obliged to make a ten years'
known to go to,-celebrated in verse and   cruise of it to Ithaca, and narrowly esprose as Down-East, will not find itself  caped the gridiron of the Cyclops at that;
at last overmatched by a pettifogging Di-  another leader finding no room for himself
abolus from the realms of air.          at home, where a benevolent neighbor had




1853.]              Speculations on the Pacific Railroad.                271
kindly volunteered to occupy his place in  utter and final confusion of our evil genbed and at board; had no choice but to  ius. Grant, however, that the poet do not
seek new quarters in the far West: an-  have such disasters to rehearse of Telaother was transfixed by lightning, and the  mon Benton and Whitney Polymetis, as
King of men himself crossed the threshold  befel the authors of the wooden iniquity.
of his house only to receive the adulterer's    The Epic of the Iron Horse! Think
axe in his brain.  While on the other  of it ye shepherds of the people, and behand, the last of the Trojans (so the story  stir yourselves if you would be catagoes) landed on the Italian shores, and  logued in the second book. Think of it
there planted a seed. It sprouted, and  ye mighty men of finance, if you would be
Rome came of it —Rome, Caesar, a senate  done up in heroic verse for coming genepublishing decrees for a world, empire,  rations to admire, and for future Alexanconquest, glory, and, as great as all, an epic  ders to envy. Think, ye who say that the
song which sounded throughout the earth   Divinities have left us, how it will be
long after Roman renown had died, and   sung that the God of the Silver Bow rethe tombs of the emperors been trampled   appeared at the mint and in Wall-street
on by barbarians.                       -or that Hephkestus, encouraged by the
And the Iron Horse, the earth-shaker,  blackness of the tariff, opened rolling
the fire-breather, which tramples down the  mills in the iron mountains, and, at the inhills, which outruns the laggard winds,  stance of some fair Thetis, exerted once all
which leaps over the rivers, which grinds  his cunning in the construction of a locothe rocks to powder and breaks down the   motive, as erst he did on the armor of
gates of the mountains, he too shall build   Achilles. The clangor of the mail flung
an empire and an epic. Shall not soli-  on the ground frighted the Myrmidons.
tudes and waste places cry for gladness at    Ta a' vE',3paxe 6a6axaa,rdara.
his coming? Shall not cities be formed
from his Vaporous breath, and men spring  Imagine, then, the vulcan-wrought engine
up from the cinders of his furnace?  Shall  rushing from sea to sea, dispensinglidhtHercules in his labors be greater than he  ning from its sides and thunder from its
in his sport, for at his shriek will not sa-  wheelsthe one-eyed smiths, from the
vage men flee to their fastnesses, and mon-  doors of their workshops in the mountain,
sters amongst the hills clamber growling   watching the progress of the prodigy with
to higher crags?  Shall he not strengthen   grm delight!
leagues. crush treason, conquer enemiestis a long w                 th
Shall he not run from ocean to ocean, an  the Iron Horse, and we greatly fear that
iron Mercury, the swift herald of the   after all, the assurance of being sung in
State, beautiful but bearing terror, "swal-  twelve books would be but a dull spur in
lowing the ground with fierceness and  the sides of our men of might, who would
rage? "  And by and by let us hope that  figure as its front rank champions. Still
an epic will come of these marvels. To-  -and let us rejoice therefor-the heroes
day's pigmy may be to-morrow's giant,  are not all dead yet. Even the Agamemand upset the statue of the giant of the   nons of the new Iliad are not insensible t
day before. I myself may yet stand on  the grandeur of the enterprise. The downthe pedestal of Hercules. So let us with  fall of the mountain's gate will be greeted
all confidence assure ourselves, diminutive   with a shout, which the cliffs of the present
as we may be in our own eyes, that if we  time will not have done echoingas long as
overmaster the obstacles which just now   there is a generation of men on the earth to
listen to the reverberations. And not alone
frown in the pathway of our progress, we  because of the spoil gained by the victory,
fall heirs to a renown greater than that  will this exulting cry be raised, but also
of the son of Atreus and his followers.  Willthis exulting ry  be r   aised, but also
Their exploit was but the gymnastic feat  because of the glory of the triumph. Naof a youth, ours will be the triumph of  ture never yields great successes to men
the full grown man. With what unction  too sluggish, or too covetous to heed the
can the bard sing how for many years we   grandeuroftheevent. Troyswill notbe
beleagured the vast barrier that girds the   overthrown but by heroes worthy of an
States of the Pacific; how Senatorial  Iliad.
thunders shook the spheres and editorial
earthquakes rocked the very earth under   The history of the conception and birth
foot, and that, too, to far better purpose  of the project of communication by rail
than the commotions of the sea-green agi-  between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
tator of yore; how we choked the truth  reveals the existence of a susceptibility to
out of the quibbling fiend, and at last by  infatuation in the minds of men possessed
main force broke down the wall, and rode   apparently of comprehensive intelligence
through in triumph on the Iron Horse,  of mind, which may well be recorded for
to the full satisfaction of the Oracle, and  the instruction of the next young nation




2i72                Speculations on the Pacific Railroad.         [September
that finds itself started in the world with   was little in the prospect to allay the paa wild continent on its hands. When,  nic. Beyond the prairies the mighty barmany years ago, the vanguard of western  rier loomed up, long as a continent, high
emigration emerged from the gaps of the   as the heavens, firm as brass; and from
Alleghanies, our pioneers, leaning on their  the ramparts Bruin  and red Ishmael
rifles, looked down upon the immense val-  looked off, seccure in their fastness as
ley before them, and believed that beneath  eagles of the crag. Had it been in the
them lay a land which would be a posses-  nature of our countrymen to, despair in
sion for themselves while living, and an   any extremity, they might now have been
ample inheritance for their children, and   pardoned for giving way to total discourchildren's children, for ever. The great  agement. But that was not according to
globe had not such another valley. Fully  their fashion. They doggedly determined
five hundred leagues it extended from   to breathe as long as any fresh air was
Lake to Gulf, and fully as far would the  left, and, in the meantime, to contrive if it
hawk fly westward, crossing the world's  were possible, some way, of getting a draft
mightiest rivers in his flight, before he  through the Republic before the citizens
reached  its' opposite boundary. That  perished like the prisoners in the black
mountain barrier, they said, must ever be  hole at Calcutta. Steadily the frothing
the further wall of the Republic. Beyond  line that marked the tide-wave of emigralies the heritage of Bruin and red Ish-  tion moved across the prairies. Huger,
mael-given to those savage brothers as  more inexorable than ever, the great walls
a possession through all time. But what  frowned upon the forlorn hope that moved
matters that? Europe may pour all her  to the assault; wile Bruin and Co.
nations into this basin, and for all there  grinned derision not utterable in the imwill be room. Even with these it would  perfect speech of human kind.  But lo,
be centuries before civilization pushed her  as the scouts approached, the gates flew
outposts to the foot of the Western moun-  open of their own accord. Ishmael, foltains. So our infatuated predecessors went  lowed by his worthy brother-in-arms,
down into the valley and pitched their  scrambled down from his perch in distents, nothing doubting, happy in the de-  may. A gust of fresh air sucking through
lusion that their remotest posterity would  the Great Valley gave immediate relief to
there be accommodated with cornland  the fainting populace, and that portion of
and house-room, and with here and there  the multitude which happened to be neara township to shoot a deer in. Before  est the newly-discovered vomitory, rushed
forty years had passed away, however,  out of doors to the instantaneous relief of
they found with dismay, that it might be  the sufferers within.
necessary to remodel their calculations.    In this manner drainage was opened,
People began to be oppressed for breath.  which must for ever secure the MissisNeighbors jostled on the prairies. One  sippi States against ruinous pressure of
could with difficulty turn round in the   population.  It might now be supposed
crowd. The backwoodsman, who com-  that our countrymen would have folded
placently stuck his stakes on the banks of  up their arms and breathed at ease. It
the Ohio before there was scarcely a cor-  is not their fashion to fold up their armsporal's guard of white men west of the  it is not their nature to breathe at ease.
Muskingum, was yet a hearty man, and   Relieved from one tribulation, they know
able to bring down a buck at three hun-  no peace till they have found another, and
dred yards, when they put up a six-  the dissipation of one anxiety is but the
story hotel on the site of his log-cabin,  signal for the production of a new one.
and when fifty thousand men, women,  Fumbling the portfolio of the learned Dr.
and children, nightly went to bed within   S   -x, a few days ago, I found a sata radius of three miles from  the spot  isfactory account of the origin of this
where he spread his bear-skin on the  trait of the nation's character in the folevening of his arrival. Within half a cen-  lowing heretofore unpublished apologue of
tury of the time when it was insanelyTHE RED PEDLER.
proclaimed that there was room enough
for every body in the Great Valley, a cry  " Soon after the birth of Brother Jonaof agony arose from the multitudes actu-  than, the fairies assembled from all quarally jammed, wedged in between the  ters, according to the time-honored cusRocky Mountains and the Alleghanies,  tom  of their race, for the purpose of
while yet thousands were pouring in upon   making presents to the child.  One
them every day.                        brought him a jack-knife, another a tunAs the danger of suffocation increased,  ing-fork, another a spelling-book, another
people naturally turned their eyes toward   a sea-serpent, another a map of North
the West, to see what chance of ventilation   America-all which gifts, with many
there night be in that quarter. There  others the urchin scrutinized with sur



1853.]              Speculations on the Pacific Railroad.                 273
prising intelligence, and (with the excep-  to by putting himself under the tutelage
tion of the serpent, which he turned out  of such a friend as the Red Pedler, "I
to brine with the mark " B. J." on its left  guess-I guess you may leave that box if
fin), stuffed into his pockets without any   you hain't no objections.'
"timid forebodings" with regard to the    "There," said the Pedler, "I know'd
capacity of those receptacles. By and by   you wouldn't be such a fool. Here take
the crack of a whip was heard on the  your box, and always remember who
road, and a pedler's wagon rolled up to  your friends are after this."
the little rough gate before the log cabin,    The fellow again set the box on the
in which the heir of the Americas first  floor, and the boy eagerly ran his arm into
saw light. The establishment was pre-  the hole in the lid. But, in a moment he
cisely after the fashion of the high, long,  gave a scream of pain, and drew his arm
well-springed, two-horse cruisers which   out much more hastily than it went in.
the manufacturers of cigars send on the   A steel-trap with sharp teeth was clingroads with their fragrant wares. To corn-  ing to his hand, from which half a dozen
plete the resemblance, a pair of spanking   streams of blood were flowing.
bays flanked the pole, and a strapping,    "Haw, haw, haw!-haw, haw, haw!"
robustious fellow with immense whiskers  roared the Red Pedler," Haw, haw, haw!
rode on the box. He wore a jacket of  Be sure you don't forget who your
some rough red stuff which reached to his  friends are —ever."
hips, and to all appearance was the very  The fellow  then got on his wagon,
pink of rowdies.                        cracked his whip, and whirled away in a'"Look out for the Red Pedler, Jona-  cloud of dust.  Jonathan's mother rethan," said a fairy with a broad-brimmed  leased his hand from the trap, and put a
hat, who had brought the child a pair of  rag on it. She then tried to take the
drab breeches; "and if he offers to give  box out of the house, but curious to rethee any thing, don't thee take it."    late, it could not be removed. Neither
Pretty  soon the fellow  entered  the   could it be destroyed, although the hired
cabin, bringing with him a large black   man tried his best to break it up with an
box.                                    axe. So it had to remain Where the ped" Here, my little man," said he, "is a nice  ler had deposited it.
box for you. worth all these gimcracks, and  By and by the boy's hand got well.
catechisms, and spelling-books, put toge-  One day his mother, when in the garden,
ther. All you have got to do is to run   heard a terrible screaming in the house.
your arm through that hole in the top of  In she ran, leaving her half-filled pan of
it, and you will pull out something pretty,  early potatoes, and found the boy rolling
I can tell you. And what is best of all,  on the floor with another trap on his
it will never be empty-no, never, as long   hand. The bleeding member was released
as you live."                           as quickly as possible, and another course
"I guess I haven't got any occasion for  of linen rags and hartshorn was gone
your box, Mister," the urchin replied  through with. One would think that the
coolly. "We've got a good many big  lad would have learned wisdom by this
boxes now, you see, and the house aint  time. But no-hardly had his wounds
large. I guess I wont trouble you to  healed before he again thrust his hand
leave it."                             into the box, and again pulled out a
" Well, you little fool, you needn't have  sharp-fanged steel-trap.
it if you don't want it," the pedler said,    And so it has been ever since. It is
taking up the box and turning away;  true that his whiskers and stand-up collar
"but there's a boy in the next house that  sprouted long before the laws of physiwill be glad enough to get it, you had bet-  ology warranted his friends in looking for
ter believe. Then we'll see who will be  those members. and that he has got marcock-of-the-walk you snivelling little blue-  ried, broke with the "old man," and
nosed, gingerbread-nibbing spawn of a   moved into his new and big house, and
Presbyterian granny. There's a boy over  keeps a fast-trotting horse, and:chaws'
there, that aint afraid of his friends.  tobacco, and carries a revolver, and says
There's a boy that aint afraid to let his  bad words, while the little Canuck neighfriends make a man of him. He'll be  bor's boy is yet tied to his mother's aprondriving a trotting horse, my sucker, and   string. But the black box followed him
sassing the old man too-and wearing  into his new house, and even now, as
a stand-up collar too-and chawing to-  soon as his hand has recovered from one
bacco  too-before  you have got your  wound, he feels an irresistible impulse to
first pair of trowsers."                try his luck once more. So down goes
"'Hold on, Mister," Jonathan  cried,  the arm, and just as certainly as it goes
overwhelmed with jealousy at this prophe-  down, it comes up with a steel-trap
cy of what the neighbor's boy might come  clinching the fist.




274                 Speculations on the Pacific Railroad.         [September
Thus, with all his wealth and with all  we all rejoice in, that a certain ancient and
his accomplishments, he never has a hand  ingenious acquaintance of our race, fertile
entirely sound, and in consequence cannot  in expedients beyond belief. always preenjoy his whiskers and his collar with so  sents himself at such junctures with some
pungent a satisfaction as other young   new thing "for idle hands to do," and
gentlemen, whose knuckles have not been   will be but too happy to do a friendly
peeled by the fangs of a trap, can enjoy  turn to the descendants of the pilgrims,
theirs.                                 notwithstanding the shocking bad usage
The oracle has told him that if he will  he received in time past from those un" lick" the Red Pedler, he will be able to  compromising pioneers.
get rid of his gift. While his hand is    So in the present case; as soon as the
raw, he sometimes vows that he will go  public was relieved from anxiety on the
on the rascal's beat, and "lick" him   score of death by suffocation, down went
within an inch of his life. But his infa-  the arm into the box again, and what
tuated belief that some treasure of price-  fresh trouble does one suppose came forth?
less value may, after all, lie in the box,  A Pacific Railroad! Jonathan scrutinized
proves too powerful for his resolution,  it with undisguised pleasure. It was cerand before his hand is fairly sound, you  tain to last his patrons ten years at the
see him going around with a fresh fist-full  least, and might not be worn out in
of peeled knuckles. Besides, the neigh-  twenty. So he clapped down the lid, put
bors pester him out of his temper with  the key in his pocket, and laid the new
their advice and salves, and the "old  tribulation before the public with satisman" croaks out from the other side  faction tingling the very tips of his finof the pond, "I know'd you'd never come  gers.'Twas a palpable hit. The scales
to no good. I know'd you would drive  fell from our eyes, and we saw that we
to'1 faster than a four-'orse coach, and   were undone  without three thousand
I'm glad of it."  At that the young man   miles of iron rails, a hoop, as it were, to
lets fly a stone, and the old gentleman   prevent the public barrel from falling to
ducks his shiney bald head under the   pieces. Every body saw that the one
hedge-although  the reprobate, being  thing indispensable to keep the whole
obliged to fling with his left hand, makes  country from going over the damn  was a
a poor fist at shying stones.           railroad across the  mountains-if not
So he yet guards this miserable box as  through the North Pass-then through
one of the most valuable pieces of furni-  the South Pass-or, if not through either
ture in his house. Let us hope, however,  of those, then through the Middle Passthat he will, by and by, determine to be a   or if not through the mountains, then over
man, and go out and' flax' the Red Ped-  them, or if not over the mountains, then
ler worse than Lavengro pummelled the   under them-at all events a railroad, and
Flaming Tinman, and compel him to  that pretty  soon-before the Republic
come and carry away his pestilent gifL    goes to the dogs towards which it is evidently sliding. Facilis descensus Averni
-was the cry —meaning,'tis a steep grade
Thus the Doctor. The learned man, of  to the Styx, and no bridge when you get
course, covers some profound meaning  there-nothing to be expected but a
under this mystery which it is not for us  plunge to the bottom of Cocytus, unless
to presume to look into. It will. to a  the opposition road be put through incertain extent, apply here. In fact, while  stanter by the spades of all Erin.
collecting statistics for this valuable arti-  Thus the project of com muncation by
cle, the similar idea occurred to us, that  rail between the two oceans, which not
our countrymen possessed some great  many years ago floated before our imagibox full of tribulations, in which they   nations, as a scheme which it might be nefumbled for a new trouble as soon as the  cessary to make a subject of serious conone on hand was disposed of. They  sideration at some future time, has now,
seem to cherish it as the choicest heirloom   by a succession of unprecedented events,
of the Republic, and hand it down to the   been brought forward as a subject for
next generation with as much care as  prompt action and immediate considerathough  they feared that it would be  tion. The desire has given way in the
stolen. But at the rate its treasures have   mind of the country to a determination
been drawn of late years, one is fearful  to have our long rail at all events, and at
that a few more such wasteful generations  any cost. Many incipient steps toward a
will exhaust it. The tenth generation from   commencement of the enterprise have been
this present, poor dogs, will find the old  taken. There have been reconnoissances,
family box entirely empty we fear. How   measurements, computations of time, togethe bore of existence will be endured might  ther with pamphlets, conventions, senatobe another question but for the assurance  rial eloquence, and editorial speculation.




1853.]               Speculations on the Pacific Railroad.                  276
Puget's Sound finds its friends, the Gila  us here to count a few of our chickens.
is not destitute of advocates, and the me-  even before the eggs are laid. The temprits of each possible terminus and route  tation to look forward to the time when
are canvassed with an earnestness befitting   the iron trail shall traverse the prairies
the importance of the subject. For the   of the Upper Missouri and Oregon, and
purpose of acquainting the many thou-  to enjoy by anticipation, a few of the masand readers of these valuable and instruc-  nifold comforts whch will then be postive pages, of the precise situation of these  sessed by the citizens of our country. is so
controverted matters, and of informing   seductive, that Humboldt himself, before
them of the numberless facts, ideas, and   entering on the promised course of " cosexpedients brought forward in the nume-  mical speculation," would, I believe, wet
rous works treating of these topics, we   his whistle at this fountain as a preparahave a scheme which must strike all  tionfor enduring the rarefied air of the
minds favorably for its candor, and its  altitudes before him.
certain avoidance of error and misrepre-   It is calculated that when we get our
sentation. We will refer them for every  track through to San Francisco or Puthing which they wish to know to the ori-  get's Sound, and have our line of mail
ginal sources of information, giving them   steamers to the Asiatic coast, we in the
thus opportunity to quench their thirst  cis-Missourian States will get our China
at the fountain itself, instead of conveying   mail in some forty-five days. Now is it not
the water to their mouths through un-  evident that when one can " put a girdle
wholesome pipes.                         around the earth," at that rate; we want
If they wish to know topography, let  no Ariels?  It will then be well worth
them go to Col. Fremont-if they desire  one's while to live. I get my crate of
discussions of the bearing of the enterprise  long-legged fowls from Shanghai, or my
on the world's commerce, let them go to  package of parrots from Pekin, or my bale
Mr. Whitney-if they want to hear some-  of tigers from  Bengal, in the calendar
thing of ways and means, let them apply   month succeeding the day of their shipto the Editors and the Memphis Conven-  ment. The ape, chattering aesthetics in
tion-if they wish a gauge of the qualifi-  the groves of Japan in June, finds himself
cations of the buffalo-bull for a commis-  in dog-days transferred to the top of my
sion in the corps of topographical En-  barrel-organ in the Bowery, and the Targineers, Cl1. Benton is their man —Lieu-  tar Khan from the outer-shadow of the
tenant Maury will furnish a set of inter-  Great-Wall, on the fiftieth day after he
esting facts relating to the tides, currents,  bids adieu to the little Tartars in the
and winds of the Pacific Ocean, as bearing   door of his own tent, sips his bowl of
upon the subject, and the Congressional rq-  mare's-milk beside my mahogany at Chiports, the newspapers and magazines, will  cago! Think of these things.
supply a vast amount of information,       Consider further, with what delight I
which, when found. will gratify our friends  fly from the scorching dog-star to the
vastly more than any resum6 which we  shadows of the North Pass, or sit under
might have the skill or patience to pre-  the dripping summits of St. Helen's. To
pare. Our pathway leads along the high   escape the clamor of the town and the
road of cosmical speculation, where read-  gubble of dunces, I leave the train at a
ers of strong minds and philosophical spi-  way-station in the middle of the mounrit, will prefer to follow, rather than  tains, and thence wind through gorge and
scramble through the rocks and sand-  canon to the inmost glen, where now the
banks of the safer, but more terrestrial  grizzly matron caches her incapable cubs
path from which we have just turned   what time she prowls in search of man or
aside.                                   beast to feed them withal. But as I there
sit wrapped in cosmical speculation, the
red man doth not make my jacket a mark
There is an old saw, which drily ad-  for his arrow, neither does the ursine movises producers of poultry to postpone the   ther take me in her mouth to her rocky
census of their juvenile fowls till the pe-  kitchen, for Bruin and Red Ishmael.have
riod of incubation has fully terminated.  been crushed to death by the Iron Herald
The wisdom of the counsel must be ap-  -a sad thing to think of, indeed. Yet,
parent to all who have observed the va-  what help was there for it? What asylum
riety of disasters which may befall the   could we entice them into?  And yet, to
embryo hen, before the appearance of its  leave them here was a thing not to be
bill through the spherical wall which in-  thought of; for think,  philanthropist,
closes it, gladdens the maternal breast.  what culture or what study could make
In short,'tis an unimpeachable old saw,  a tolerable hotel-proprietor  out of a
which will outlast the Iliad. To disregard,   "grizzly" even with the latitudinarian
however, its injunctions for once, permit  allowance of " good intentions." Even, sup



276               1 Speculations on the Pacific Railroad.         [September
pose that your precepts had pierced his  for a moment nonplussed, and orders the
shaggy ear, and that Caliban with the best  fleet to come to anchorjust out of gunshot
of intentions should " seek to merit a share  from  the shore, while he considers in
of the public patronage"-alas, would he   what manner to do honor to the hospitanot be a bear, after all, and when you be-  lity of the " authorities."  Before the vesspoke a tit-bit as a lunch for your fair  sels have been half an hour at anchor, encompanion, would he not quite probably  terprising patentees from Connecticut are
deposit on her lap  a whole  quarter  screwing torpedoes to their keels. By and
freshly torn from a wild horse? No, edu-  by-pop!-goes one of His Majesty's frication, march of mind. and all that, will  gates —Pop! pop! —in a minute go a cougo a great way toward refining the untu-  ple more like the corks of champagne
tored nature, but as for this original  bottles-then another pop! and by and
American, this scion of the undisputedly  by, while all gaze in consternation-bang!
first family, he is savage hopelessly, and   with a crash of thunder, the twin-brother
unless muzzled will eat the second families  of Leviathan, anchored a cable's length
bodily and uncooked.                    from the Admiral, bounds out of the waOr to leave these pretty reveries. be-  ter, bursts asunder with a flash and a
hold the steamer bearing his black plume  roar, and falls back-food for divingthrough the Archipelago-red islanders  bells! Admiral Sir Ajax Dunderguns,
meanwhile watching from the promonto-  K.C.B., sweating dreadfully, signals the
ries, and pagan priests gazing from the  residue of the fleet to back water, and
watch-towers of their idols. Around yon-  puts to sea with precipitation, not knowder bays, now shaded by forests of fir and  ing whose patent may be screwed to his
pine, hear the steady roar of commerce,  own keel, and feeling very much like a
the coughing of engines, and the clamor  man who suspects that a hornet has got
of anvils.  Behold innumerable herds  under his clothes, and may sting him at
grazing on the ancient pastures of the   any moment.  Thus  the Unicorn  of
buffalo.  Listen to the halloo of the   Albion turns tail. and seeks safety in a
herdsmen in the mountain-girt basins of  headlong scamper, like the elephants of
Oregon. Hear the blasts of miners on   Pyrrhus, made frantic by the fireballs of
the hills, the chorus of bargemen on the  the Romans. Thus the clouds of war,
rivers, and, rising above all, the infernal  which anon rose grumbling above the
horn of the locomotive, quavering in the   western sky, are rolled backward in raggorges like the gathering-cry of a Prince   ged heaps, as when a herd of cattle is sudof Pandemonium!                        denly confronted by a lion, the bullocks in
Perhaps as we watch, rumors of wars  the van wheel back upon the others, and
are in the winds. War-ships are standing   great confusion of horns and hoofs ensue.
across the Pacific toward our shores-not    " Perhaps the objector may urge," (as
sluggard men-of-war wallowing the brine  clergymen say when about to go into the
beneath their hills of canvas, but long  ring with some poor shabby scoundrel of a
leviathans, fire-winged,  with  armies  man-of-straw, that has not sense enough
hidden in their trunks. Scouting vessels  left in his noddle after the pummelling of
behold them  afar off after nightfall,  five generations of divines, even to show
emerging like torch-bearing apparitions   which way the wind blows), that these anfrom  the thunder-clouds that wall the  ticipations of advantage in a military
horizon.  Swifter than  sea-gulls  the   point of view, will be disappointed by the
scouts  fly landward, and  signal the  prevalence of peace and harmony in the
coming enemy. In an hour the intelli-  human brotherhood by the time that our
gence is at the War-Office: in another it  railway communication with the Pacific
has sped to all quarters of the land. Next  shall be perfected.
day, hosts of minute-men are moving       Possibly this may spoil the egg, but
across the prairies in cars swifter than the   we count upon this chicken with much
wild horses that erst galloped there be-  confidence. That the human race is a
fore the pursuing fire, and when the  brotherhood, is a truth not to be denied by
enemy's ships are ready to disgorge their  the sons of Adam; but that it is a family
armies, the fire-eaters of the Republic   which sets a very good example to the
stand ranged on the shore, with matches  neighbors, may well be questioned. It is
alight, guns trained, cartridges rammed   absolutely necessary for every governhome, and the next Presidency looming   ment on the earth to go armed like a desbefore the eyes of the Commander-in-  perado. There are, at this moment, at
Chief and all his Brigadiers. Admiral  least a half a dozen of our older brothers
Sir Ajax Dunderguns, seeing from the   who envy us the possession of our manydeck of His Majesty's Steamer Leviathan,  colored coat, and would be glad to sell
that preparations have been made to give   us to the Egyptians any day. No man
him a public reception on his landing, is  of discernment has the remotest hope that




1853.]               The Day Owls of North America.                      277
either Paul or Apollos will be able to  in the days of those old pagan dynasties
work a change in their propensities, be-  that dragged the earth captive at their
tween the date of these presents and the   chariot wheels.
evening which we have set down for the    One living in a cage of lions cannot do
public reception of friend Dunderguns  a wiser thing than to become a porcupine.
some years hence. The objector need       If Joseph's brothers will sell him  to
not be alarmed. The desperate ugliness  Potiphar, Joseph's discretion will illusof the human disposition is a sufficient  trate itself, by making it apparent to
guarantee that an epidemic of harmony   Simeon and Gad that they will make
will not carry off the war-establishments  more money by keeping their hands off
of the world for a long time to come. We   him, and selling Reuben instead. Our famust go on fortifying, drilling, and talk-  thers persisted in their fancy that at some
ing big for a century, at the very least cal-  day the robber powers of the old world
culation. There will be wars and rumors  would band together to crush Freedom in
of wars. Castles will be blown up —walls  her new-found home. That association
will be battered down-cities will be fired   of banditti seem likely to have so much
— capitals bombarded-bastions stormed   employment at home, that their antici-strong-holds escaladed. Empires will be  pated professional tour will hardly be exsmi'tten to the earth-armies will be trod-  pected at present. Still a fortunate turn
den under foot-fleets meeting in the mid-  of circumstances may enable the madle of the ocean will be torn to pieces by   nager to announce his troupe much earcannon balls, and the great brotherhood  lier than we anticipate. Our elders were
joining in internecine strife, will glory in  by no means blind men, and we have
destruction like a den of wild beasts. Art  often before found their hints well worth
and science have not yet quieted the sa-  attending to. In this case it will do no
vage temper of man. Christ's Gospel has  harm, at least, to bear the warning in
not yet cast out the legion of devils by   mind, notwithstanding we are so exceedwhich he is driven amongst the tombs; but  ing wise, and so exceedingly sharp, and so
covetousness of rule, greed of conquest,  much superior in all respects to the
and all those mighty passions which sway   "old folks."
nations, are yet as strong and as cruel as
A FEW WORDS ON THE DAY OWLS OF NORTH AMERICA.
TO  the scientific naturalist, and to the   Good, for the existence of natural evil, as
mere amateur explorer of the secret  it would appear, on a limited and unphicharms and mysteries of nature, there are  losophical view, to exist in the instincts,
few more attractive points in the beautiful  habitudes, and dispositions of many genestudy which they both pursue, than the  ra of the brute creation; the carnivorous
observation of the exquisite nicety with   more particularly, which are found in evewhich the whole system is constructed;  ry phase of the animal world, from the
no link wanting in the wondrous chain of  mighty mammalia, and swift-winged rapacreation, no abrupt transition, no check or  cious birds of prey, to the stealthy reptipause in the interminable succession and  lia, the voracious fishes, veritable Tritons
gradation of kindred or allied species, each  among the minnows, and even to the infollowing the last, and seeming naturally  sect tribes, some of which, in every order,
to spring from it, with points of similarity,  family, and genus, subsist by the destrucvarying step by step, small by degrees  tion of their fellow creatures.
and beautifully less, until every allotted  Without entering on a discussion as to
station has its appropriate occupant, and   how far we can, in our present condition,
no function can be imagined which has  seeing only now  "as through a glass
not its appointed exercise and office.  darkly," discover and decide the real comIt is not always easy for the human in-  parisons of suffering, whether of men or
tellect, with its limited range and finite  animals; and pronounce when, and by
capacity, to discover the purposes, or duly  how much, this escape from the sea and
appreciate the boundless utility and per-  storm of life is more lamentable or more
feet excellence of all and every one of the  desirable than that-which, considering
phases of infinite creation. More especial-  that we cannot envisage the contingencies,
iy has it disturbed and perplexed many   perhaps, consequent on a different result
inquiring spirits of the truest and most  in the present, must be at least uncertain
earnest believers, how to account, in a  -and certainly without daring to arroworld arising from  the fiat of the All  gate to ourselves the power of explaining




278                   The Day Owls of North America.                 [September
or bringing into clear light what He of   sence of time wherein to suffer is matter
plurpose has left unexplained and dark, we   of the highest mercy.
may at least venture, without offence, to   Be these things as they may, however,
suggest a reason as patent, for the exist-  certain it is that the increase of every anience of destructive agents, subsisting them-   mal race, civilized man alone excepted, is
selves on the life of others, that it can   checked, limited, prevented, above an esscarcely fail to be recognized at once, as a   tablished standard, by the regular desufficient cause, whether it be the true   struction of its surplus, or excess, through
cause or not, for this seeming anomaly,  the agency of its natural, appointed enebut most real harmony and consistency   mies; which become scarce or plentiful
in the terrestrial works of the Creator.  themselves, in exact proportion with the
That is, in one word, the insufficiency of  increase or decrease of their prey.  Thus,
the whole vegetable world, to support a   in the province of New Brunswick. not
tithe even of the existing links of earth,  many years ago, the farmers were afflictair, and water, as they are now  seen.  ed and panic-stricken by the sudden apthinned and reduced one and all by their  pearance of hordes of travelling squirrels,
continually and implacably pursuing ene-  which, like one of the plagues of Egypt,
mies, much less as they would have been   entered the cultivated regions from  the
seen at this day, had they all been vege-  northern wilderness, and literally laid the
tarians, all gone on, since the order was   country bare, devastating one field before
given, at creation's dawn, to increase and   entering another, and leaving little better
multiply, without other limitation than   than a desert behind them.
that of natural disease and death.         No means that were suggested had the
What are the degrees of sensibility in  smrllest success in thinning, much less
various creatures from  plants, grasses,  overpowering these pests of agriculture;
trees, to the mollusc, the oyster, the self-  and, their numbers defying all hope of
reproducing cold-blooded reptile, the mute  eradicating them, a famine began, at the
fish, the half-reasoning dog, and semi-hu-  last, to be seriously apprehended; when,
man elephant, up to the Bushman, the   suddenly, where foxes had been comparaEsquimaux, and last as highest, the ner-  tively unknown before, foxes appeared by
vous, sanguine, intellectual man of the   thousands and tens of thousands, no one
Caucasian breed, none can conjecture, or  knew whence nor how, and devouring the
presume to say. But it is nearly clear,  swarms of field squirrels, became so fat
and agreed on by greatest physiologists,  and lazy, before autumn, that they were
that the higher the nervous and cerebral  run down by men on foot and knocked on
organization of the creature, in like degree  the head with sticks, in such numbers
the higher his sensibilities and suscepti-  that, as I have been credibly informed,
bilities, whether to pain or pleasure.   their peltries, and the fur and meat of the
Almost self evident is one thing, that  bears, which in turn came in pursuit of
the mere physical pang ending in sudden  the glutted foxes and fattened on the
death, whether inflicted by the cannon-  corpses of the slain, went far to remuneshot, the tiger's paw, the eagle's beak, or  rate the farmer for the destruction of his
the serpent's fang, as unconnected with  crops.
any thing of preparedness for death, which  In like manner, as every hunter can
in the lower animals is a point not to be  tell, when deer become, from any cause,
considered, bears no comparison whatever,  superabundant in any region of the counin regard of suffering, to the protracted   try, where wolves have been apparently
struggles of mortal disease, the miseries   almost extinct for ages, those savage beasts
of paralyzed old age, much less to the   of prey will reappear, and prevent the
agonies of thirst and famine, which are   wild cattle of the waste from encroaching
the natural termination of the lives of ani-  too far on the lands set apart for the submals, whether of field or forest, air or  sistence of man, and of the domestic anlocean, in their wild condition.          mals necessary to his well-being.
Most violent deaths are unquestionably   The converse of this proposition is well
far less painful to him who dies, than the   proved; namely, that by the undue and
feverish bed of slow, natural disease; be-  wanton destruction of the races of desides that the suddenness of the bloody and   stroyers, at the hands of man, the races
rash end precludes the possibility of men-  which would otherwise have been held in
tal anguish. And this last consideration   check, if not destroyed by them, may be
it is, which renders " battle, murder, and   augmented to such a degree, as to become,
sudden death" things especially fearful to   however individually insignificant, of sethe man who would have time to think   rious detriment to a country, insomuch
lest his soul perish also; while to the ani-  that the aid of legislation has been inmal, which has no consciousness of sin, or   voked for their protection.  Especially
hope of life beyond the grave, the ab-  has this been the case in the instance of




1853.]                The Day  Owls of North America.                       279
the small birds and warblers, which have    All testimony shows that in nature
within a few years been nearly annihila-  there is no such thing as intentional cruted in many districts by wanton pot-  elty, no infliction of needless or wanton
shooters, so that insects, caterpillars, and   torture, unless in perverted man's nature;
grubs, of all the most destructive species,  who, alone of animals, has invented racks
were becoming incalculably troublesome   and engines, especially constructed for inand numerous, and actually threatened an  flicting anguish on the frame of his broEgyptian plague of flies and locusts.    ther man. Each living thing, that kills
Hence it becomes, at once, apparent how   others for its own support, kills with the
nicely adapted to their ends are the means   best application of the weapons nature
employed by Providence. and how justly   has given it, at the least expense of time
balanced and defined are the instruments  and trouble; and, in every victim to the
employed to preserve the harmony and   huge paw of the felines, or the cleaving
consistency of nature, and to further the   beak of the accipitrines, the merciful wish
utility of the whole.                    is realized, which was expressed by the
If, bearing this scheme ever in mind,-   Scottish host to Marmion's bold esquires:
for it seems too well established to admit    "Strong be the arm, and sure the blow,
so vague a term as theory-we apply our-        And short the pan g that lays thee low."
selves closely to the observation of the va-  Again, we nickname the lordly eagle
rious races of destroyed and destroyed,  merciless and savage, who rides the wings
we shall find that precisely where one   of the hurricane, rejoices in the blue glare
species of the rapaces ceases from its de-  of the lightning flash, and gazes undazzled
predations, another species commences its  at the noonday sun, because he grips in
sphere of havoc. So that. while no order   his murderous talons the bleating fawn,
of the carnivora lacks its peculiar and   or the complaining wood dove, which we
appropriate prey, no order of the smaller  compassionate because they shrink, and
and nominally gentler animals is without  shudder, and complain, with something
its particular, and, as it were, predestined   that reminds us of human capacity to
enemies, by whom its increase is limited,  suffer and lament; while we name the faand its numbers kept within bounds. I   miliar robin-redbreast, the most gentle
say nominally gentler, because our appli-  and  affectionate. the  moon-serenading
cation of terms indicative of human pas-  nightingale the most delicate and gracious
sions and propensities, to brute animals  of the birds of heaven, utterly regardless
and their habitudes and instincts, is natu-   of the agonies of the mute worm or caterrally incorrect and ill-defined; as, indeed,  pillar, that writhes out its last anguish
the very deductions, which we draw from   in the warbler's beak.
the application of those instincts, are inap-  There is no end to the injustice done by
plicable, one-sided, and unjust.         man's judgment to the characters, if we
In the first place, we abhor in animals,  may so term  them, of animals; as there
and stigmatize with opprobrious names,  is no limit to the cruelties, which he inhabits and practices entirely analogous to  flicts, either in wantonness or thoughtour own, and differing from them only in  lessness, on those of the inferior races.
degree, and in the nature of the victims to   which are neither competent to resist, or
their appetites, or exigencies.          to complain, under their sufferings.
Thus we call the tiger and the lion      This last fact is perhaps not unworthy
cruel, ferocious, savage, and the like;  of a moment's reflection.  Would eels
merely because, endowed with the like   have been skinned alive, from time imcarnivorous propensities to our own, they   memorial to this present day, if they could
indulge them on different objects, and for   shed tears in their anguish, and complain
the most part on creatures with which we   so as to melt, or howl so as to terrify,
hold some relation either of kindred or of  the hearts of all bystanders? Would the
sympathy, or perhaps merely of admira-   patient and enduring ass have been bartion for their grace, innocence, or beauty.   barously beaten from the days of Balaam,
The appetite of the felines for human   when for once he opened his mouth and
flesh, or, when that cannot be obtained,  spake, if he could either lament like a
for the venison of the graceful antelope,  man, or resist like his conquerors, the dethe gentle doe, or the timid weeping ca-  sert barb, and forest zebra?
meleopard, is, though certainly more ob-   We admit. and rejoice to admit, that
noxious to our own fears or feelings, no   the fanciful absurdities of closet naturalwhit more cruel or ferocious than our own   ists, laboring to round eloquent periods
taste for succulent beef-steaks, or frolick-  and frame fictitious woes of the brute creasome young lambs, or delicate spring   tion, such as Buffon, the Plutarch and the
chickens. Nor is their mode of slaughter-  Kotzebue combined of the animal kinging one particle more cruel than our own,  dom, are fast falling into disrepute; and
nor even more painful to the sufferer.   that students of natural history now study,




280                   The Day Owls of North America.                [September
for the most part, with an ardent and      The owls, occupying, as I have observed,
honest zeal, truthfully to understand, and   the next grade to the buzzards, which are
patiently to develope, the mysteries of the   the slowest on the wing, the laziest in
wonderful works of God; not to gratify   habit, and perhaps the least courageous
their own ambition, and gain a brief re-  of thefalconidce, commence their range of
pute for ingenuity and  smartness, by   depredation, as might be expected, almost
coining fantastic theories out of empty   exactly where that of their bolder and
air, and manufacturing  characters for  swifter neighbors terminate; a few of the
royal kings of beasts, and puissant rulers   owls, whose habits are more diurnal than
of the air, no more consistent with the   those of the others of their class, trenching
accredited and established nature of the   on the province of the falcon tribe, and
lion and the eagle, than are the titles of  taking the same prey with them  in the
majesty with the surroundings of the   broad daylight, gallantly and by force.
bare-breeched negro of Honduras on the     For the most part, however, the moveMosquito shore.                          ments of this tribe are nocturnal, and their
It is in such a spirit, that we propose   prey such as they can surprise by pouncto dwell, for a little while, on a class of  ing on them in their roosts, if birds, while
the feathered creation, to which in all  sleeping in exposed spots, as open meaages the strangest notions of mysterious   dows and the like, where by the singular
and superstitious awe have been attached;  structure of their large eyes they can
which played no inconspicuous part in the   easily detect them among the deepest shahierophantic lore of the Egyptians, as is  dows; or, as they take them, if quadrutestified by their sculptured images, on   peds, while rambling about like themthe walls of their subterranean temple-  selves in search of food during the hours
tombs, which are day by day revealing   of darkness, gliding upon them unheard
their marvels to an astonished world, after  and unforeseen upon their wide, downy
the lapse of countless generations; which,  pinions, singularly adapted for noiseless
in the days of Greece's glory, sat with  flight, and mastering them with their poMinerva on the heights of the Acropolis,  tent talons and curved hawk-like beaks.
the bird divine of wisdom and of glory;    The larger day species, as the eagleand once, amid the reeling of the naval  owl, noblest of his race, the great snowy
fight at Salamis, poised itself, manifest to  owl of the north, and that greatest of the
the eyes of men, upon the topmast of  tribe, the Arctic owl, discovered by Rich
Themistocles' trireme, a certain omen of   ardson in the far off fur-countries, are
Hellenic victory; which, through  the   notable poachers and game-slayers, striklong centuries of Roman supremacy, was  ing the mountain hare, and pouncing on
venerated as a singular and awful omen,  the ptarmigan and grouse, as certainly'whensoever he ventured forth from his  and boldly as if they were not mousing
congenial shadows into the light of day;  owls, but falcons. towering in their pride
which, after consorting with witches and   of place. The majority, however, are feednecromancers, through the long darkness   ers on the tribes of the darkness, nightof the middle ages. the right-hand minister   warbling birds, field mice, moles, lizards,
and domestic fowl of necromancers, fiend-  frogs, and whatever of small weak quadwakers, and doers of the deeds of darkness,  rupeds or birds, not excluding the leatheris to this day, in many parts of Europe,  winged shrill-sounding bat, they may
the object of strange awe and the subject  either surprise in motion, or pounce upon
of the wildest legends, among the ignorant  while at rest. Some few will become asand uneducated of the lower classes, and   siduous nightly visitants, most murderous
even among the better born of melancholy  to the inmates of henroosts, where the
and superstitious temperament.           birds are exposed to their depredations;
The owl, next in the scale of the rapa-  and some have been known to take up
cious birds to the proud sun-soaring eagles,  their abode in pigeon cotes unsuspected,
to the swift-winged and noble falcons, to  and therein at will to fluster the inhabithe fork-tailed kites and circle-wheeling   tants, as did Caius Marcius of old, the
buzzards, is, in truth, though no more like   Volsces in Corioli.
to these in proud port and puissant bear-  The owls of North America are fouring than was Hamlet's spirit of light to a   teen in number, of specific varieties; and,
goblin damned, by no means the sordid,  although most persons are inclined to reloathsome, lurking, obscene fowl, which   gard them  as the asinine species among
he has been depicted by many of the school  birds, deceived by the hypocritically stolid
of wiseacres to whom we have before al-  appearance of the fowl, will be found exluded. Nor is he devoid, in almost every  ceedingly well to repay the trouble of him
instance, of daring courage, and in some   who cares to investigate their manners
instances, especially of the larger species,  and habits, a little more narrowly than
of spirited countenance and bold demeanor.  usual.




1853.]                The Day Owls of North America.                       281
It is quite possible that they may not  of which I am familiar, and as inhabiting
arrive at the high renown of the famous  districts within the easy scope and cogniscions of chivalry, the gentle falcons, who   zance of all sportsmen and men of science.
were believed to remain true through all  Yet, of a surety, no such bird is familiarly
extremities, through all changes of for-  known in the northern portions of the
tune to the good knights their masters,  State of New-York, or in the'Canadas
until the vital spark should be extinguish-  with thefauna of which, generally, I am
ed, and then, leaving the senseless clay   not unacquainted. It is probably identi" in cold obstruction's" apathy to traverse  cal with the great arctic owl referred to
land, sea, and barren wastes of air, until  above as the bubo arctica, which Richthey found the lady-love, or the brother  ardson believes also to be the same with
in arms, of the poor chevalier. and reported  the strix scandiaca of Linnaeus, and
the tidings of his fall, made certain by   which was first accurately described in
their voiceless presence.               his Northern Zoology.  The arctic or
It is not probable that they will ever  white horned owl, bubo arctica.
divide the honors of my lady's aviary      "This very beautiful owl appears," says
with the slender and melodious mocking-   Dr. Richardson in the narrative of his
bird, or share her affections with the soft  first expedition, "to be rare, only one
and tender dove; but, should they be pro-  specimen having been seen by the memmoted to the occupancy of a quaint abode   bers of the expedition. It was observed
in the ruined towers of some old Norman  flying at mid-day in the immediate vicinkeep, real or simulative, such as they oc-  ity of Carlton House" —a trading post of
cupy in Arundel castle, on the coast of  the Hudson Bay Company in the Fur
Sussex near the British channel, our  countries-" and was brought down by
reputation on it, they will not be found,  an Indian boy with an arrow. I obtained
ignorance and superstition to the contrary   no information with regard to its habits.
notwithstanding, to deserve the character   " The facial disk is very imperfect; the
of obscene, rapacious, stolid fowls of night,  ears small and without an operculum, as
but to possess a combination of instincts  in the bubo Virginiana; the ear feathers
as sagacious, habits as interesting, and in-  ample, but the disk even smaller than in
telligence, at the least, as well defined as  the last-mentioned bird-viz. the Virginany others more favored of the feathered  ian horned owl-and the tarsi somewhat
race.                                    longer.  The toes similarly connected.
The owls of the United States, are, as I  The tail is of moderate length, and conhave observed, fourteen in number, inclu-  siderably rounded, the bill is strong, and
ding a great, recently established, variety,  rather short.
mentioned by Bonaparte, and before him,    In his second expedition Dr. Richardby Dr. Latham, as inhabiting arctic Ame-  son had further opportunities of testing
rica and classified from an examination of  the habits of this owl, with which he beHudson's Bay specimens, as the arctic or  came better acquainted, as we find from
white horned owl, the largest, and perhaps  the following graphic sentences: "It is
the boldest of the family, exceeding in  by no means," he says, "a rare inhabitsize even the great Virginian horned owl,  ant in the far countries, being an inhabit —
or eagle owl of Europe, which is common   ant of all the woody districts lying beto both continents, and probably identical.  tween Lake Superior and latitude 67~ or
Of these owls, several are common to  68~, and between Hudson's Bay and the
America, Europe, and the northern parts  Pacific. It is common on the borders of
of Asia; and three or four to portions so   Great Bear Lake; and there, and in the
remote of this continent, that little, com-  higher parallels of latitude, it must purparatively speaking, is known of their  sue its prey during the summer months
manners or instincts, they having been for  by daylight. It keeps, however, within
the most part classified from preserved  the woods, and does not frequent the
specimens, brought in by chance voyagers,  lower grounds, like the snowy owl, nor
who have not closely attended to their  is it so often met with in broad daylight
peculiarities or instincts.              as the hawk-owl, but hunts principally
The most remarkable of these are the   when the sun is low; indeed, it is only
great cinereous owl, strix cinerea of   at such times, when the recesses of the
Linnaeus, measuring 30~ inches in length,  woods are deeply shadowed, that the
by 48 in clear extent, and said to inhabit  American hare and the marine animals,,
the regions north of 420, and to nest in  on which this owl chiefly preys, come
high trees. I cannot, however, but sus-  forth to feed. On the 23d of May, I dispect some confusion respecting this enor-  covered a nest of this owl, built on the
mous bird, which is represented as vastly  top of a lofty balsam poplar of sticks and
larger than either the great horned Vir-  lined with feathers. It contained three
ginian owl, or the snowy owl, with both  young, which were covered with whitish
voL. II.-19




282                  The Day Owls of North America.               [September
down. We could get at the nest only by   ly defined arctic owl, bubo arcticus, of
felling the tree, which was remarkably   Richardson, while it as greatly differs
thick; and whilst this operation was go-  from the mottled owl, bubo avio, which
ing on, the two parent birds flew in circles  has the true cat-like face, and is purely a
round the objects of their care, keeping   nocturnal bird; the habits of both the
however so high in the air as to be out  others being more or less diurnal. The
of gun-shot; they did not appear to be   subgenus surnia was constituted by
dazzled by the light. The young ones  Dumarit of the day-owls, without earwere kept alive during two months, when  tufts, with small, imperfect faces, and ears
they made their escape. They had the   not exceeding those of ordinary birds of
habit common to other owls, of throwing   prey, yet it includes the great round-faced,
themselves back and making a loud snap-  snowy owl, on account of its habits, withping noise with their bills, when any one   out respect to its structure or appearentered the room in which they were  ance.
kept."                                    Without dwelling, however, on such
It is clear by this account, that the   discrepancies longer than merely to inarctic owl is one of the species which,  dicate them to the student of natural hiswith the snowy owl, surnia nyctea, the  tory, and to suggest the propriety of the
great-horned owl, bubo Virginianus, the   division of the strigidce into subgenera,
hawk owl, surnia funerea, and  the   having their basis solely on structural
short-eared owl, otus brachyotus, form   points; and the further subdivision of
the connecting link between the diurnal  each subgenus into diurnal and nocturnal
birds of prey, eagles, kites, buzzards,  species, by which plan the absurdity of
hawks, and falcons, and the true noctur-  excluding from the day-owls some of the
Mal owls, which sleep away the hours of   most entirely diurnal birds, such as the
daylight in the darkest and most um-  Arctic owl, which is a bubo, and the
brageous woodland haunts, in hollow   short-eared-owl, which is an otus, would
trees, rock-caves, or ruined buildings, and   be avoided, I shall pass on to the chacome forth to hunt only when it is com-  racters of some of the most interesting
pletely dark; a season for which the con-  species.
struction of their eyes and ears, and the  And first of these, to the great Virginconformation of their plumage, downy and  ian horned owl, which is assuredly the
soft, and admirably calculated for swift,  noblest and most dauntless of his kind,
noiseless, gliding flight, so singularly ad-  known to the temperate regions of
apt them.                               America.
I may here observe, with Mr. T. M.    " This noted and formidable owl," says
Brewer, the intelligent editor of the last  Wilson. the oldest, and all, save Audubon,
edition of Wilson's Ornithology, that the   most picturesque of American ornitholosubgeneric nomenclature of this class of   gists, " is found in almost every quarter
birds does not appear to me in the least  of the United States. His favorite resisatisfactory, the distinctions being taken   dence, however, is in the dark solitudes
in some cases with reference to the habits,  of deep swamps, covered with a growth
and in others to the formation, of the   of gigantic timber; and here, as soon as
birds, the two particulars in no sense co-  evening draws on, and mankind retire to
inciding; since some of the owls closely  rest, he sends forth such sounds as seem
allied in form are diurnal, and others noc-  scarcely to belong to this world, startturnal, thus approximating in habit to  ling the solitary pilgrim as' he slumbers
those which have the least affinity to   by his forest fire,
themselves in shape and structure, and            Making night hideous.
vice versd.
Thus the great French naturalist, Cu-  Along the mountainous shores of the
vier, draws the distinction between the   Ohio, and amidst the deep forests of Ineared owls, which have an imperfectly de-  diana, alone, and reposing in the woods,
fined disk to the face, and a small exter-  this ghostly watchman has frequently
nal orifice to the ears, and those horned   warned me of the approach of morning,
owls which have full round faces and   and amused me with his singular exclalarge auricular orifices, giving to the   mations, sometimes swooping down and
former the title bubo, while to the latter  around my fire, uttering a loud and sudhe assigns the subgeneric term of otus.    den Waugh 0! Waugh 0! sufficient
Yet, while to the former subgenus he  to have alarmed a whole garrison. He
gives the eagle owl of Europe for a type,  has other nocturnal solos, no less melodihe excludes from it the bubo Virginianus,  ous, one of which very strikingly resemor great Virginian horned owl, though it  bles the half-suppressed screams of a
agrees in all respects to his own conditions,  person suffocating, or throttled, and canin which it perfectly coincides with the new-  not fail of being exceedingly entertaining




1853.]               The Day Owls of North America.                      283
to a lonely, benighted traveller, in the   screeches which would naturally strike
midst of an Indian wilderness!         terror into any not accustomed to the
This species inhabits the country round   sound or acquainted with its origin; but
Hudson's Bay; and according to Pennant,  which, to those who love the works of
who considers it a mere variety of the   nature and can find something of interest
eagle owl (strix bubo) of Europe, is  in all the habits of the animal creation,
found in Kamschatka; extends even to  add something of pleasurable and lifethe Arctic regions, where it is occasionally  like excitement to the strange sense of
found white, and even so low as to As-  solitude and silence which broods over
trakan.                                 the hunter's camp, fitfully illuminated by
"The great horned owl is not migra-  the flickering glare of the night fire, at
tory, but remains with us the whole year.  te mysterious and witching hour of midDuring the day he slumbers in the thick   night.
evergreens of deep swamps, or seeks shelter  On one occasion when I was camping
in large hollow trees. He is very rarely seen   out with a band of Ojibwas, near the outabroad by day, and never but when disturb-  let of Lake Nipissing into the great
ed. In the month of May they usually begin   Georgian bay of Lake Huron, one whoopto build. The nest is generally placed in the   ed down to the fire of which I was for
fork of a tall tree, and is constructed of  that night the watcher; and, after circling
sticks piled in considerable quantities, lined   around it so closely that I thought he
with dry leaves and a few feathers. Some-  would have brushed me with his silent
times they choose a hollow tree; and, in   wing alighted on the loose bough of a
that case, carry in but few materials. The
female lays four eggs, nearly as large as  gigantic white pine, on some of the lower
those of a hen, almost globular, and of a   arms of which our guns and rifles were
pure white. In one of these nests, after  suspended, and near to them a solitary
the young had flown, were found the heads  specimen of the spotted or Canadian
and bones of two chickens, the legs and   grouse, which we had not needed for our
head of the golden-winged woodpecker,  evening meal. For some ime I amused
and part of the wings and feathers of seve-  myself watching his grotesque motions,
ral other birds. It is generally conjectured   as he sat equally watching me, with some
that they hatch but once in the season.  suspicion, as it would seem, but no fear,
The length of the male of this species is  and blinking his great eyes at the fire as
twenty inches; the bill is large, black, and  it rose and fell.
strong, covered at the base with a cere; Suddenly his glance fell upon the woodthe eyes, golden yellow; the horns are    ouse; he cocked his head knowingly,
three inches in length, and very broad, con-  let himself drop in perfect silence, half
sisting of twelve or fourteen feathers, their  let himself drop in perfect silence, half
webs black, broadly edged with bright  expanding his great downy wings, from
tawny; face, rusty, bounded on each side   branch to branch, keeping a bright lookby a band of black; space between the   out on my movements, as if expecting me
eves and bill, whitish; whole lower parts  to interfere, until he was in easy reach of
elegantly marked with numerous trans-  the game. For a while he seemed to susverse bars of dusky on a bright tawny   pect some trick, evidently conscious that
ground, thinly interspersed with white;  the bird, which hung head downward,
vent, pale yellow ochre, barred with nar-  was no longer numbered among the
row lines of brown; legs and feet large,  living; but at length, seeming to pluck
and covered with feathers or hairy down   up heart of grace from my immobility, he
of a pale brown color; claws, very large,  gently detached the grouse with his beak
blue black; tail, rounded, extending about  from the twig on which it was affixed,
an inch beyond the tips of the wings, cross-    d trussing h
ed with six or seven narrow bars of brown,  and trussing him  in an instant in his
and variegated or marbled with brown and   powerful talons, glided away into the
tawny; whole upper parts finely penciled   darkness with a degree of speed that
with dusky, on a tawny and whitish ground;  would have frustrated me, had I enterchin, pure white, under that a band of  tained the least idea of hostilities, and
brown, succeeded by another narrow one   with a repetition of triumphant whoops,
of white; eyes, very large.            that seemed to exult over his audacious
The female is full two feet in length, and  robbery.
has not the white on the throat so pure.    Another interview, which I had with
the has also less of the bright ferruginous  the Virginianhorned owl, has led me to
or tawny tint below; but is principally  the opinion that, in the safe and solitary
distinguished by her superior magnitude."  retreats of his on woodland wilderness
retreats of his own woodland wilderness,
With this fine owl I have had consider-  this noble bird of prey is much less nocable personal acquaintance, as he has  turnal in his habits than Wilson has demany times visited my camp-fire in the   scribed him. He certainly in the glooms
wild woods of the western solitudes,  of the primeval forest is a day-hunter.
uttering those mournful and dissonant     On one occasion, during the same ex



284                   The Day Owls of North America.                [September
pedition to which I have alluded above,    "Early in February, the great horned
at about three o'clock on a November  owls are seen to pair. The curious evoluafternoon, when there was a sprinkle of  tions of the male in the air, or his motions
snow on the ground, I was crossing a   when he has alighted near his beloved, it is
short portage on one of the tributaries of  impossible to describe. His bowings, and
the French river, with the Indians a little  the snappings  of his bill, are extremely
ludicrous; and no sooner is the female asin my rear, carryinng the canoes, camp-  sured that the attentions paid her by the
kettles, and provant, when suddenly a   beau are the result of a sincere affection,
small water-spaniel, which was questing   than she joins in the motions of her future
about, flushed a  ruffled grouse, tetrao   mate.
umbellus, which I knocked down and in-     " The nest, which is very bulky, is usually
continently bagged.                     fixed on a large, horizontal branch, not far
Immediately after, a second and third  from the trunk of the tree. It is composed
grouse rose, and flew rapidly across me   externally of crooked sticks, and is lined
through the light coppice of scattered   with coarse grasses and some feathers. The
hemlock saplings, which was the only   whole measures nearly three feet in diamegrowth on the steep and rocky penin-  ter. The eggs, which are irom three to six,
sula.                                    are almost globular in form, and of a dull
suMa. scnbregaagodcon                white color. The male assists the female
My second barrel gave a good account  in sitting on the eggs. Only one brood is
of twhe second; but to my exceeding won-  raised in the season. The young remain in
der, while the echoes of my gunshot were  the nest until fully fledged, and afterwards
yet ringing in the air, a great pair of  follow the parents for a considerable time,
wings swept down over my head, whence   uttering a mournful sound, to induce them
I knew not, and I recognized my friend  to supply them with food. They acquire
bubo Virginianus in full pursuit of the  the full plumage of the old birds in the
grouse, which he chased as boldly and as  first spring, and until.then are considerably
fleetly as any hawk I have ever seen fly  lighter, with more dull buff in their t-aTts.
at game.  The nature of the ground   I have found nests belonging to thllis species
favored my view of the proceedings, for  in large hollows of decayed trees, and twice
ttsummit  in the fissures of rocks. In all these cases,
the land fell gradually from the summit  little preparation had been made previous
on which I stood to the river, which was  to the laying of the eggs, as I found only a
there expanded into a small pool; the   few  grasses and feathers placed under
wood was scattered in sparse clumps, re-  them.
lieved by the white background of the      " The great horned owl lives retired,
snow, and I clearly discerned every move-  and it is seldom that more than one is
ment of the pursuer and pursued.        found in the neighborhood of a farm, after
The former, soon finding that his enemy   the breeding season; but as almost every
had the speed of him, made several at-  detached farm is visited by one of these
tempts to dodge his attack, twisting in  dangerous and powerful marauders, it may
and out very swiftly among the saplings;  be said to be abundant. The havock which
but the great owl stuck to him with a   it commits is very great. I have known a
power and command of wing, which I   plantation almost stripped of the whole of
was very far from  suspecting, and  at last  the poultry raised upon it during spring,
by one of these daring foes of the feathered
forced him to quit the covert, and attempt  by one of the se da of the ensuing  inter.
toace, in th course of the treamensuing winter.
to cross the stream.                       "This species is very powerful, and
Then darting on him with the speed of   equally spirited. It attacks wild turkeys
a rifle-bullet, but without rising to pounce,  when half grown, and often masters thenm.
he griped the unfortunate in his great  Mallards, Guinea-fowls, and common barnclaws; and, bearing him  off to a tall  fowls, piove an easy prey; and on seizing
pine on the farther shore, settled on a   them, it carries them off in its talons from
weather-bleached branch near the summit  the farm-yards to the interior of the woods.
and proceeded at once in full view of my-  When wounded it exhibits a revengeful
self. whether he saw me or no, to discuss  tenacity of spirit, scarcely surpassed by any
his victim, on whom  he did not bestow   of the noblest of the eagle tribe, disdaining
the coup de grace until he had gained  to scramble away like the barred owl, but
the tree.                               facing its enemy with undaunted courage,
protruding its powerful talons, and snapI find a passage in Audubon confirming   protruding its powerful talonsi and snapping its bill, as long as he continues in its
my opinion as to the occasional move-  presence.  On these occasions, its large
ments of this bird by daylight, and as it is  goggle eyes are seen to open and close in
pleasantly written, and moreover proves   quick succession, and the feathers of its
the bird's amatory, as well as predatory,  body, being raised, swell out its apparent
instincts to be at times diurnal, I make   bulk to nearly double the natural size."
no apology for extracting it entire from a  Next in succession, we come to the
note in Brewer's edition of Wilson's Or-  snowy owl, strix nyctea; which, as the
nithology, p. 437.                       last described, may be named analogous




1853.]               The Day Owls of North America.                        285
in many of its habits, and especially in its  length, is generally pure white; but the
mode of feeding, to the golden eagle-    upper parts are more or less variegated
though addicted more than that prince of   with arrow-headed marks of bluish-black,
thefalconide to twilight chases, and less  and the lower parts with semicircular
partial to the noonday blaze-possesses   brown dashes. His legs are covered to
many points in common to the  bald  the claws with long, dirty, white hair,
eagle, though more industrious and ac-  like feathers; his claws are very long
tive than that bumpkin fowl, that lazy   and sharp, pure black; his bill bluish;
and rapacious plunderer —he hunts for  his irides golden yellow.
himself, and disdains to subsist on the    It appears to me that Wilson has oversecond-hand robbery of others.           stated the rarity of this northern species;
He is thus described by Wilson, from   or it may be, that since he wrote, as is
a specimen killed at Egg Harbor, in New   manifestly the case with many other
Jersey, in which State, during the winter,  birds —the buddy duck, or salt-water
they are not by any means uncommon:-   teal, for example-this owl has become
more civil in his demeanor, and more
"This great northern hunter inhabits  southern in his local habitation, than he
the coldest and most dreary regions of the   was wont to be.
northern hemisphere on both continents. However this may be, it is certain that
The forlorn mountains of Greenland, covered with eternal ice and snows, where, for  he is nowadays, at least so often as winnearly half the year, the silence ofdeath  ters of unusual severity occur, by no
and desolation might almost be expected   means an unfrequent visitor of the seato reign, furnish food and shelter to this  coasts of New Jersey; and that during
hardy adventurer; whence he is only   my residence in that State, which does
driven by the extreme severity of the wea-  not exceed eight years, I have observed
ther towards the sea-shore. He is found  the snowy owl on no less than four occain Lapland, Norway, and the country near  sions, in the neighborhood of the Passaic
Hudson's Bay, during the whole year; is  river.
said to be common in Siberia, and numer-   On one occasion in the hard winter of
ous in Kamtschatka. He is often seen in  1851-52 when the Passaic was frozen
Canada and the northern districts of the over for three consecutive months bove
United States; and sometimes extends his   Newark bridge, I had been absent from
visits to the borders of Florida. Nature,  home a few  days during the severest
ever provident, has so effectually secured   home a few  days during the severest
this bird from the attacks of cold, that not  weather; when  on my return I eas aseven a poiiit is left exposed. The bill is  sailed by my servants, open-mouthed,
almost completely hid among a mass of   with a rigmarole tale of a great blue
feathers that cover the face; the legs are  eagle, which had roosted every night, for
clothed with such an exuberance of long,  a week, on a dwarf cedar in the rear of
thick, hair-like plumage, as to appear near-  my dwelling, not twenty  yards from
ly as large as those of a middle-sized dog,  several out-buildings.
nothing being visible but the claws, which  They all asserted that they had seen
are large, black, much hooked, and ex-  him many times, constantly arousing him
tremely sharp. The whole plumage below   whenever they went out after dark with a
the surface is of the most exquisitely-soft,  light; that once, in a thick dark day,
warm, and elastic kind, and so closely   while the snow was falling, they had seen
matted together as to make it a difficult  him seated on his favorite tree; and that
matter to penetrate to the skin.
matter to penetrate to the skin.         hem seated on his favorite tree; and  that
" The usual food of this species is said to  he employed himself soaring and swoopbe hares, grouse, rabbits, ducks, mice, and  ing about over two or three unfrozen
even carrion. Unlike most of his tribe, he  reaches of the river, within sight of the
hunts by day, as well as by twilight, and   windows.
is particularly fond of frequenting the    He had not made his appearance, they
shores and banks of shallow rivers, over  said, for the last two or three days, which
the surface of which he slowly sails, or sits  had been bright and very cold, and had
on a rock a little raised above the water,  entirely weather-bound the open places
watching for fish. These he seizes with a   on the stream.
sudden and instantaneous stroke of the     On proceeding to inspect the alleged
foot, seldom missing his aim. In the more
southern and thickly-settled parts, he is  roost, I was greatly surprised to find by
seldom  seen; and when lie appears, his  the broad white flakes on the lower
size, color, and singular aspect, attract  boughs of the tree, and the bushes under
general notice."                        it, that it had been unquestionably the
nightly abiding place for some consideraThe general color of this huge bird,  ble time of some large fowl; and what
which measures fifty-two inches in ex-  completed  my  astonishment, was an
tent, from  tip to tip of his expanded   abundance of the bones, scales, and
wings, and not less than two feet in  exuvive of small fishes strewed about the




286                  The Day Owls of North America.                 [September
place, together with some feathers, and   to the former in the smallness of its head,
the bones of small quadrupeds.           narrowness of its face, and in its length of
A few days of bright, frosty weather  tail. In short, it seems just such a figure
succeeded, and I heard no more of my   as one would expect to see generated beguest; but, within a week, there came a   tween a hawk and an owl of the same
partial thaw; the air-holes opened, and   size, were it possible for them  to prothe river might be seen running in four or   duce; and yet it is as distinct, independent,
five places within sight, where the current  and original a species as any other. It
was strongest, dark and turbid, among   has also, another strong trait of the hawk
the masses of white and glittering ice.  tribe —m flying and preying by day, conOn the first morning after this change,  trary to the general habit of owls. It is
I was summoned out of my study by a   characterized as a bold and active species,
clamor of shouts, " Here he is-here is  following the fowler, and carrying off his
the eagle again," and sallying out, surely   game as soon as it is shot. It is said to
enough there was a great grayish bird,  prey on partridges and other birds; and
gliding smoothly along close to the sur-  is very common at Hudson's Bay, where
face of the water, now casting up into the   it is called by the Indians Coparacoch.
air for a few seconds, wheeling on ex-  We are also informed that this same spepanded wings, and again descending to.cies inhabits Denmark and Sweden, is
alight, for a moment or two, on the ice  frequent in all Siberia, and on the west
near the brink of the water.             side of the Uralian chain as far as Casan
All day I watched the bird with   and the Volga; but not in Russia. It was
anxious eyes, and with no conception   also seen by the navigators near Sandwhat he would prove to be. It was very   wich Sound, in lat. 61 degrees north.
clear there is no such hawk or eagle as    This species is very rare in Pennsylthis; and, besides that he was superior in  vania, and the more southern parts of the
size to any of the gulls, his flight and all  United States. Its favorite range seems
his motions in the air, were widely differ-  to be along the borders of the Arctic reent from those of any sea fowl.          gions, making occasional excursions southWhen it was beginning, however, to   wardly, when compelled by severity of
grow dark, I saw him strike something,  weather, and consequent scarcity of food.
and rising at once from the surface of the   I some time ago received a drawing of
water, having it in his claws, to make his  this bird, from the district of Maine, where
way straight toward me, not very high in  it was considered rare.
air, as I crouched pretty well concealed   The hawk-owl has never fallen under
behind a low clump of evergreens, on   my notice; and, as it appears to be more
the hillside, about midway between my   especially an European and Arctic variety,
dwelling and the river.                  which is little likely to fall in the way of
In a few seconds, he came straight over   my readers, and of whose habits, mode of
my head, affording me a fair shot, by   nesting, food and such more interesting
which I did not fail to profit. He came   particulars, Wilson was unable to give
down, shot quite dead, with a little white  any account, I do not consider it worth
bass about a quarter of a pound weight  the while to say more of it than to subjoin
in his talons; and then it was that I first  the following brief extract from  Mr.
suspected my booty to be the great  Brewer, which most fully corroborates all
snowy owl of the north.                  that has been said of its falcon-like port
Since then I have seen several, one on   and demeanor, as also of its bold and
the only cold day of the last winter, fish-  predatory disposition, and facility of flying in nearly the same locality; but that  ing and feeding by day:specimen, as it was the first, so it will be
the last snowy owl, assuredly, that will    "In this we have  he true form  of a
ever fall to death-shot of mine  diurnal owl. The head is comparatively
Overfall thdeaother ho  of Ame*ri. a te   *small; facial disk, imperfect; the ears
Of the other day owls of America, the   hardly larger than in birds of prey, and
most remarkable is the  hawk  owl,  not operculated; the wings and tail more
surniafunerea, which has been detailed   hawk-like, the former, as Wilson observes,
above, and of which Wilson speaks as   with the webs scarcely divided at the tips.
" another inhabitant of both continents, a   Flies by day, and, according to Dr. Richkind of equivocal species, or rather a con-   ardson, preys during winter on ptarmigan,
necting link between the hawk and owl.    which it constantly attends in their spring
This is another inhabitant of both conti-  migrations northward, and is even so bold,
nents, a kind of equivocal species or rather   on a bird being killed by the hunters, as
a connecting link between the hawk and   to pounce down upon it, though it may be
owl tribes, resembling the latter in the   unable from its size to carry it off."
feet, and in the radiating feathers round  The other true day owls are the sparthe eye and bill; but approaching nearer  row owl, styx passerina, which is found




1853.]                The Day Owls of North America.                       287
only in Nova Scotia. The day owl of  proper, where it is only known as a winColumbia, styx passerinoides,whose local  ter bird of passage-building its nest upon
habitation is the Columbia river; and the  the ground, amidst the heath; arrives and
burrowing owl, or prairie owl, as he is  disappears in the south parts of England
sometimes  called,  styx  canicularia,  with the woodcock, that is, in October
which has his habitation west of the Mis-  and April; consequently it does not breed
sissippi, and is famous among the trappers  there. It is called at Hudson's Bay, the
and voyagers of those wild plains for his  mouse hawk; and is described as not
singular habit of living in burrows, in  flying, like other owls, in search of prey,
company with the prairie 1pg, as it is  but sitting quiet on a stump of a tree
termed, which is really a sp~cies of mar-  watching for mice. It is said to be found
mot, arctomys ludovicianus, and the rat-  in plenty in the woods near Chateau
tlesnake, crotalus horridus; the latter  Bay, on the coast of Labrador. In the
apparently  perfectly inoffensive to its   United States, it is also a bird of passage,
innocuous neighbors, and even acting as  coming to us from the north in Novema defence to them against foreign enemies.  ber, and departing in April. A  bird
There is, however, yet another species  of this species recently was shot in New
of owl, which, though it is not classed   Jersey, a few  miles below  Philadelunder the head of surniie, or admitted   phia in a thicket of pines. It has the
to the dignity of ranking as a day owl,  stern aspect of a keen, vigorous, and acis yet essentially diurnal in his move-  tive bird; and is reputed to be an excelments; and is, moreover, one of the most  lent mouser. It flies frequently by day,
commonly encountered of his species whe-  and particularly in dark, cloudy weather,
ther here or in Europe, as well as one of  takes short flights; and when sitting and
the most interesting of his tribe.       looking sharply around, erects the two
This is the short-eared owl, otus bra-  slight feathers that constitute its horns,
chyotus, with  many of the American   which are at such times very  noticeas well as English habits, of which I am   able, but otherwise  not perceivable.
perfectly familiar; and to which I shall  No person, on slightly examining this
therefore dedicate a little more space than   bird after being shot, would suspect it to
usual, both on account of its intrinsic in-  be furnished with horns; nor are they
terest, as well as for the purpose of de-  discovered but by careful search, or premonstrating the absurdity of subdividing   vious observation on the living bird. Beit from the diurnal species, and attaching   wick, in his History of British Birds,
it to the night owls, to none of which,  remarks, that this species is sometimes
unless it be the long-eared owl, otus   seen in companies,-twenty-eight of them
bulgaris, which is purely a nocturnal  having been once counted in a turnip field
species, and probably the most widely dif-  in November.
fused throughout all America, has it any   Length, fifteen inches; extent, three
reference.                               feet four inches; general color above,
It is herein, I think, that is shown the   dark brown, the feathers broadly skirted
fallacy of Cuvier's distinction, of which   with pale yellowish brown; bill, large,
Mr. Brewer observes-" Otus has been   black; irides, rich golden yellow, placed
formed by Cuvier for the reception of  in a bed of deep black, which radiates
those species with aigrettes where the fa-  outwards all around, except towards the
cial disk is conspicuous, and the head pro-  bill, where the plumage is whitish; ears,
portionally small, as in bubo; and where   bordered with a semicircular line of black
the ear cord is large, extending, as in  and tawny yellow dots; tail, rounded,
this species from the posterior part of the  longer than usual with  owls, crossed
orbit behind the limit of the lower jaw.  with five bands of dark brown, and as
The plumage is loose and downy. the habit  many of yellow ochre; some of the latter
nocturnal."  Yet of this subgenus, con-  have central spots of dark brown, the
taining only two species, one is decidedly   whole tipped  with white  quills, also
the most diurnal of all its race, unless it  banded with  dark  brown  and  yelbe the hawk owl; while the same discre-  low ochre; breast and belly  streaked
pancy occurs in the subgenus bubo, dis-  with dark brown, on a ground of yeltinguished in like manner from the day  lowish; legs, thighs, and vent, plain dull
owls, which again contains but three spe-  yellow; tips of the three first quill-feathers.
cies, one only of which is nocturnal.    black; legs, clothed to the claws, which
The short-eared owl, otus brachyotus,  are black, curved to about the quarter of
saysWilson," is another species common to   a circle, and exceedingly sharp.
both continents, being found in Britain as  The female I have never seen; but she
far north as the Orkney Isles, where it  is said to be somewhat larger, and much
also breeds"-meaning that it breeds in   darker, and the spots on the breast larger
the Orkney Isles, not in Great Britain   and more numerous.




288                               Wensley.                        [September
I must here take leave to differ from   edly remained to breed, and had probably
the brilliant pioneer of American ornitho-  reared broods here; which is rendered
logy, as he has repeatedly been called;  more probable by the fact, that, on each
for I cannot admit the short-eared owl  of these occasions, I found six or eight
to be absolutely a winter bird of passage,  birds in company, though I did not at
although it may be such in a majority of  the time pay any particular attention to
instances, inasmuch as I have shot it,  the respective ages of the specimens.
myself, on so many occasions during the   To this I will only add, that whether
summer months, and in such very differ-  in Europe or America, there is no more
ent localities, that I cannot believe its  destructivgqbird to game than this O-wl;
presence to be merely accidental. I am   and that paticularly to quail, no falcon is
convinced, on the contrary, that it quite  nearly so dangerous an enemy.
frequently builds and rears its young in  For this reason, when I have a gun in
this district of country; for most part I  my hand, I never spare a short-eared owl.
imagine in reed beds and tussocky marsh   On one occasion, while hunting the exmeadows, to which they resort, I pre-  tensive reedy and brushy meadows in the
sume, in consequence of the abundant  vicinity of Somerville, N. J., I observed a
prey which such situations supply to  brace of owls beating the fields, rising
them and to their youthful broods.      and falling, turn and turn about, and
I have shot the short-eared owl in the   quartering their ground as regularly as a
State of Maine, in the month of July,  brace of well-trained setter dogs. At last
while in pursuit of young herons, by cer-  one of them pounced suddenly into the
tain marshy river sides and low wood-  long reeds, and did not rise again; but on
lands in the vicinity of Brewer in Penob-  every side, with shrill and startled whirscot county; I have shot them in Salem   ring of terrified wings, upsprung in disand Gloucester counties, in New Jersey,  may a large bevy of quail. To these the
on several different occasions, on the   mate of the bird which had pounced gave
woodcock marsh meadows, and, lastly, I  immediate chase, and, within a hundred
have shot them early in September on the   yards, struck down his victim also, and
Aux Canards river and snipe marshes in  settled quietly into the grass to devour it.
Canada West; certainly amounting in all    Stealing up cautiously, I contrived to
4~o not less than twenty or five and twenty  get a fair shot, and to avenge the murder
individuals, which I must consider as by   of the first quail, whom I found headless
far too great a number to be regarded   and half devoured; but the report of my
as the mere exceptions that go to prove  gun warned the second marauder of the
a rule.                                 wrath to come, and he escaped his doom..
The seasons and the distances at which  I had hoped to say a few words conthese birds were found asunder, render  cerning  the  night owls  and  night
it scarcely possible that they should have  hawks, in this paper; but its already
been merely accidental stragglers, de-  somewhat extra-limital length imposes
tained casually in this country, as will  silence, and I must defer the night bird's
often happen to migratory species, through   shriek of warning to another hearing, and,
the occurrence of slight wounds, or  it is to be devoutly wished, to a cooler
otherwise.                              month than this present.
They must, I conceive, have undoubtWE N S LEY.
A STORY WITHOUT A MORAL.
(Continued from page(168.)
CHAPTER VII.               that offered of putting the virtues of Turk
Y  acquaintance with Miss Allerton  to the test of experience. Perhaps I did
went on prosperously from that time   not feel as much surprise, after this taste
forward.  The next Sunday evening I  of his quality, at Colonel Allerton's rewalked over to Woodside to call upon its  fusal to come up to the worthy Major's
inhabitants, after their hospitality, and  terms at the time the treaty for the poswas invited to join their riding party the  session of that valuable animal was pendnext afternoon. This enabled me to re-  ing, as his gallant proprietor expressed
deem my promise to Major Grimes, that  when he gave me the history of the negotiaI would improve the first opportunity  tion. But I forbear to dilate on his per



1853.]                            Wensley.                               289
sonal qualities. Such a digression would  lonely lanes and solitary wood-paths, is
be foreign to the purpose of this work. If  not the worst way of being brought into
his performance did not absolutely come   confidential communications with a charm
up to the promise of the Major, still, I im-  ing young woman. Sometimes. you know.
agine, that officer was not the first mili-  one cannot avoid guiding her bridle-hand
tary commander whose bulletin was more  in some emergent difficulty, and cases
brilliant than his campaign. If he did  have come to my knowledge, in which an
not excel all other steeds in swiftness, he   enlightened philanthropy could not be samight be pardoned as a comfortable ex-  tisfied without supporting her jimp waist
ception to the celerities of the fast age, in   with a sustaining arm, in narrow and pewhich he lived-though, indeed, at that  rilous passes. A painful and dangerous
time it was but just getting its speed up. If  position, indeed; but then, you must alhe did stumble a little, now and then, let  low, one could not suffer her to run the
the biped that hath never done the same   risk of falling from her horse. I wonder
thing, and with less provocation, and on  the Humane Society does not reward such
a shimother toad,: throw the first stone at  heroic risks by the awarding of gold mepda:dr-Grk.;  I remember him with emo-  dals to the virtuous adventurer.  Merely
tions if'tenderness, for he is associated   plunging into the water to pull out a stuwith' the beginning of a charming ac-  pid, blundering man, or boy, were a safe
quaintanceship, and of a succession of as  and easy feat in the comparison.
charming  rides, that lovely summer,    My Monday's ride with Colonel Allerthrough a country as lovely, in my eyes,  ton and his daughter was blessed to me
as the summer itself.                  in this very form and manner. Finding
Philosophers differ as to the very most  that I was a tolerable horseman, and withal
advantageous position in which one can   a very modest and discreet youth, the
be placed in relation to a charming young   Colonel proposed to me that I should aclady, on whom one has no specific objec-  company the young lady in her rides durtion to making an agreeable impression.  ing the rest of the week, which, as he had
Some think that a walk "by moon or  previously informed me, he should be obglittering starlight" is the very best in-  liged to pass in Boston.
vention that the wit of man hath ever hit  " And, by-the-by," said he, in reply to
upon. Other some, that the corner of a  my blushing acceptance of his proposition,
blazing wood-fire, on a winter's evening,  "by-the-by. I think you had better make
is indeed "a coign of vantage," if rightly  use of my Prince, here, I fancy he will
improved by a judicious mind.  There  carry you better than the beast you have
are who hold that a sleigh-ride, in a clear,  under you. Isn't that the horse Grimes
cold, crackling winter's night, is not in-  wanted me to buy?"
capable of being turned to a good account,    "The horse you wanted to buy of him,
with all its manifold exhilarations and   rather, I replied, laughing, "for that was
excitations. And there are not wanting  the statement the Major made to me of
who maintain that a ball-room, with all  the case."
its heat, and crush and bustle,           "Was it, indeed! " he answered laughing in his turn, " I certainly ought to have
" When music softens and when dancing fires,"    ing in his turn, I certainly ought to hav
wanted to buy him if he had had half the
furnishes that exact combination of prox-  virtues vouched for him by the Major, and
imity and isolation which constitutes the   he would have been cheap at twice the
most congenial atmosphere for civilized   price. But it was he proposed the trade
love to grow in, from the fwist incipiency   and he had the impudence to ask three
of flirtation to the final desperation of pro-  hundred dollars for him."
posal. There was much to be said in be-    " So I inferred from  what dropped
half of this theory in the days before the  from him afterwards," said I, "but your
incursions of barbarian dances had shaken  refusal, sir, raised you many degrees in
the institutions of civilized ball-rooms to  his estimation. He thinks you a Doctor
their foundations. The country dances of  in the science he esteems the highest of
our ancestors, and the quadrilles of our  all, the science of horseflesh."
own times, were not unfavourable to the':I could hardly help picking up the
gentle flutterings of the hovering loves.  elements," he  replied, "considering I
But it must be a stout cupid, indeed, of a   was for more than twenty years in a cavrobust constitution and a hardy disposition,  airy regiment. I do not profess to be a
that can stand up before the frantic rush   Doctor, or even a Master in the Art; but
of a polka or redowa, and not be swept  I know enough to know that such a brute
away into utter annihilation by the very  as that is not worth the half of three huntempest and whirlwind of those whisking   dred dollars.
petticoats. But it is my notion that a    The next day, Colonel Allerton departtete ca tote ride on horseback, through   ed for Boston, and in the afternoon I




290                               Wensley.                        [September
walked over to Woodside and found Miss  or knight of Faery in quest of advenEleanor all ready waiting for me, her  tures."
Fairy and her father's Prince pawing the  "We must first find a well-disposed
gravel before the hall door. We were   magician or benevolent enchantress to
soon in the saddle, and as she was per-  clear our way for us," I answered, "for
fectly well acquainted with the country   I fear that we shall never find the under
for ten miles round, we were not long in  growth cleared away by any Yankee unreaching as charming a winding and  til the caitiff is ready to hew down the
wooded by-road as any county could fur-  trees too,-as, indeed, he is but too wellnish. The mania for improvement, so  inclined to do. We are but beginning to
deeply seated in the character of New   outgrow the antipathy which our fathers
England; and which, at the beginning of  instilled into us against trees and Indians.
this century, found its relief in cutting   As they grow scarce we may grow merinfinitely extended straight lines of turn-  ciful to the aborigines of both kinds."
pike roads in every direction over the    Talking thus we rode along and my
country, had spared this remote corner of  companion entertained me with descripits domain. Even the road to Haverford,  tions of the neighborhood of Wolford
by which I had journeyed to Wensley,  Hall and the differences between those
was the Old Road, which, avoiding the   scenes of ancient civilization and exact
turnpike, (as the road itself is invariably  culture and the rough and half-reclaimed
called in New England), meandered about  country around us. Presently she drew
from village to village, according as the  rein at a narrow opening into the forest,
early settlers had arranged the division of  which the wood-cutters might be supposed
the soil, when they first helped them-  to have made for their own occasions.
selves to it. And so the by-roads, through  "Come," said she, "what say you to
which the course lay, wound themselves  trying our luck down that path?  Who
around the homesteads and out-lying   knows but it may lead us to some advenfields of the farmers, or swept by the  ture. I know all these roads by heart,
skirts  of their woodlands, (woodlots  and, if you will back me, I will try and
they call them  there), like Schiller's  find out a new one."
river-                                    "I imagine you will find it a passage,
ilonoring the holy bounds of the property."    like those in the long story, that leads to
nothing," I answered, "but still if you are
"Is this ride anything like those you  for the trial I'll not fail you. Only, let
had in Devonshire, Miss Allerton?" I  me have the honour of leading the van
enquired of my fair companion, as we   and facing the perils of the enterprise first,
plunged into a depth of wood, thick with  as becomes a good knight."
under-brush, the branches of the pines al-    I turned my horse's head for the purmost making the road impassable for two   pose of preceding her, and in the first
riding abreast, so broad and long did they   place, of removing two or three bars which
stretch themselves, "you are too civilized  crossed the entrance. But she was too
there, I take it, to permit such impedi-  quick for me. Giving her mare a smart
ments as these to cross your path."     blow with her riding-whip, like another
" Yes," she replied, " England has been   Di Vernon, she made her leap the low
inhabited rather too long to have left many  fence and so secured the lead, for the
such primitive scenes as this,-at least, in  path-way was too narrow to admit of my
the South where I have mostly lived. I  passing her. Now, though I was a tolernever saw  that, for instance," she said,  able horseman, as I have already said, I
pointing with her riding-whip to the tang-  had had no particular experience in leapled under-brush which choked up the pas-  ing fences, that being a freedom in which
sages between the trunks of the trees, I  we are not much indulged in this land of
never saw anything like that, till I came  liberty. But, still, like Frank Osbaldistone,
here.                                   I was piqued to show my horsemanship
" And you wish it away, as a deformity,  by such an example and, accordingly
I suppose," said I.                     pressed my steed to the point, not with"No, not as a deformity," she replied,  out a secret misgiving that I might find
~ it is characterestic of an aboriginal wood,  myself performing a mathematical curve
as I suppose this really is,-for though   of some unknown description over his
the ancestors of these trees may have been   head. It was lucky for me that I was
cut away once or twice, I fancy it has  backing Prince at this critical moment,
never been anything but a forest,-and it  for I should be sorry to have put Turk
is picturesque and beautifulinitself. But  up to such a trial of his mettle.  But
I own I long for an opening now and then   Prince took the fence as if he were used
under the trees, by which one might es-  to much greater feats than this and
cape from the beaten road, like a damsel  thought but little of it. So I followed




1853.]                            Wensley.                               291
my fair leader, who shook her golden   which the reader looks and listens to me,
curls, which had escaped from under the  may represent the bars or lattice, and
control of her riding-cap, and shot me  shall be ready to make a clean breast of
through-and-through with her laughing  it in due time. Perhaps I am not, at this
glances, as she looked back at me.      point of my narrative, in a sufficiently
She was in the highest spirits, and talk-  penitential frame of mind. Possibly; I
ed and laughed in a most bewitching man-  am not clear in my own mind how it was
ner. We could not proceed very rapidly,  with me at that precise point of time.
and, as I followed in her track, I had an   You know that my acquaintance with
excellent opportunity of admiring her firm,  her was very young. " Ah, yes! "you will
erect figure and the admirable manner in  reply, " and so is Dan Cupid very young,
which she sat on her horse. Still she of-  too. We all know from authentic story,
ten turned her face to me,and chatted  if not from our own experience,-we all
away with me in the liveliest way possi-  know that he springs to life, all armed, at
ble. The absence of mind which I had   a single glance of an eye! "  I admit the
observed at my first interview, and of  general proposition; but, then, I have
which there had been an occasional trace  already assured you that she had not
at the few times I had seen her since, was  shown the faintest symptom of falling in
entirely gone. The exhilaration of the  love with me. But here you shake your
fine clear sky; the delicious air, fragrant  heads with one consent, and agree that
with the spicy smell of the pines, and  that is nothing to the purpose. Why,
growing cool as the sun dipped lower and   what would become of the whole tribe of
lower; the excitement of the exercise join-  novel-writers and story-tellers if the
ed to the scene of pleasure which must  course of true love ran smooth all the
always, I suppose, attend an exploring  time? Are they not obliged to cast
expedition, on however minute a scale,-  about, every mother's son of them, for
all united to make her a totally diffexent  sticks and stones to throw  into the
creature from what I had imagined her  stream, so as to make it chafe and murfrom my previous observations.  And,  mur the more musically rough in its
possibly, it might have been that the com-  passage to the tranquil lake of matrimony
panionship of the only young creature   which they have spread out to receive it,
she had seen for so many months. helped   at last?  This, again, I cannot gainsay.
to unlock her spirits by the secret magic  But, then, I have not told you yet the
of youthful sympathy. She must have  fatal truth, that she must have been at
discerned that I was a harmless as well  least a year, if not two years, older than
as a -sheepish youth, without the least  I! I positively looked upon her with a
mixture of the lady-killer in my compo-  certain sensation of respect for her adsition. She could not but know that I  vanced years, and whatever sentiment I
admired her extremely, and in that desert  entertained for her, it was qualified by a
even the admiration of a College lad like  feeling of reverence for her age. I think
me. was something.  Moreover, I had  she must have been as much as twenty.
made no demonstrations of a love-making   And here, once more, you all look arch
nature. I was by far too modest for that,  and knowing, and ask me if I don't know
had I had any constitutional tendency to  that a man always falls in love, for the
that complaint, or rather vice. Making  first time, with a woman older than himlove, indeed! A vile phrase! As bad as  self? You are right, again, my friends.
that of "falling in love," which Yorick   Your observation is founded in the Nature
justly reprobates as implying that " love  of Things, and is just as well as original.
is something beneath a man!"  No, no!  But, then, how  do you know  that it
Love is none of your confounded manu-  was the first tine?  Have I opened to
factures.  It is an indigenous growth.  you the seals of. all the books of my
You cannot make it. You may tend and   whole past history?  Did I tell you who
cherish and foster, it and sit in its shadow,  it was that I used to lift off her horse,
and crown yourself with its blossoms, and   when it was on the very tip of my tongue,
feast upon its fruits unto everlasting life.  when narrating one of the most surprisBut you can no more make it, than you  ing adventures of this true history? If
can make a rose-tree or a grape-vine.   you only patiently bide your times, you
And now I suppose my readers would   will be. told all things that are fit and
like to know whether this magic growth  edifying for you to know.
had sprung up in my heart, and taken      In this manner we fared onwards, findpossession of me. A very natural curi-  ing it, very often, hard enough to keep
osity, I admit, but one which I hardly  our saddles, so difficult was it in places
think it time to satisfy. I fully concede  to make our way good through the
the reciprocal rights and duties of this  boughs interlacing across our pathway.
Confessional, of which these lines, at  Presently, however, she called cheerily




292                              Wensley.                         [September
to me, to make haste after her, for she   person than Miss Allerton. But, though
had come within sight of land. I was  she had lost her seat she had not lost hei
soon by her side, and found that our nar-  presence of mind, and she held fast by
row way emptied, so to speak, into a wide  Fairy's mane, being well assured that she
clearing, which showed signs of having   would bring her through her peril. I
been cultivated, though then in a slug-  threw myself from my horse and was algardly conOction. At intervals charred  ready in the river when my hopes of being
stumps raised themselves above the level  the preserver of my fair charge were unof the field, but they looked as if the rains  expectedly disappointed. A man suddenly
of many summers and the snows of many   stept into the river opposite where she
winters had been blanching their grim   was (for Fairy had swam a little way
skeletons, since they were first submitted   down the stream), and seizing Miss Allerto the ordeal of fire. But the greater  ton by her floating riding habit, drew her
part of the plain was perfectly cleared,  towards him and then carried her in his
and furnished a sufficiently hard surface  arms to the landing-place whence she had
for riding purposes. It was nearly sur-  made her plunge.
rounded by wooded hills, the pine trees   0. shouldn't I have liked to have killed
sloping upwards to the hill-tops, and   him at that moment! And then, to have
looking like spectators in some vast am-  to be obliged to thank him for having
phitheatre, peering over one another's  robbed me of my unquestionable prerogaheads at the arena in which we were  tive! But any such emotions as these
the sole actors.                       were soon put to flight by the effect which
"A  race! a race!" she exclaimed,  her rescuer produced upon Miss Allerton
and, suiting the action to the word, she  as soon as she fairly recovered herself
put her mare to her speed, and I was  enough to look at him-which was as soon
not slow to do the same good office by   as he set her, dripping like a Naiad, upon
Prince. The horses sprung forward over  her feet. Clearly, all recollection of her
the turf in the direction of the only open-  recent danger, and of her obligation to the
ing in the amphitheatre of hills, which ap-   man before her was lost in stronger emopeared to be about a quarter of a mile  tions.  She seemed struck mute with
distant.                               amazement and to be pale with some yet
My horse was much stronger and hea-  stronger passion. It seemed to me that
vier than hers, and in a long run he would,  it looked like fear. The man was obundoubtedly, have had the advantage.  viously a gentleman, though he was
But for a short distance Fairy was more  roughly dressed for trout-fishing, in a
than a match for him, and, besides, her  coarse sailor's jacket, boots which came
mistress was perfectly well acquainted   up above his knees and a weather-beaten
with her ways, and could command her  broad-brimmed hat. His face was as pale
best speed as I could not well do the first  as hers, but calm  with a calmness that
time I had ever been upon Prince's back.  concealed deep feelings of some sort. In
So my companion had fairly the start of  the surprise and suddenness of the whole
me, and was entering the gap in the hills,  thing I could not read his features very
which was the goal at which we aimed,  accurately; but, as I remembered them
when I had not cleared much more than   afterwards, it seemed to me that they contwo-thirds of the distance.  She was hid  veyed a strange expression of exultation
from me for an instant by the shape of  and defiance, with some deeper passion
the ground, and the next moment I was  under all, but I could not make out whehorror-stricken to hear a sudden splash  ther it were love or hate. I remember I
and scream from the direction where she  thought it could hardly be the first. H e
had disappeared. I struck my spurs " up  must have long since survived that pasto the rowel-head" into the sides of my   sion at the age he had reached.  He
horse, who leapt forward as if intelligent  was, probably, about five or six and thirof the distress, and in a minute I was on  ty.
the spot from which the cry came.  The    As soon as Miss Allerton could comfirst glance showed the nature and occa-  mand her voice, she said to him, with a
sion of the accident. The Quasheen, which  tone in which was mingled no gratitude
washed the wood on that side, was so  for the service he had done her, but only
near the opening at which I had lost sight  coldness and aversion, and as it still seemof my companion, that, before she could  ed to me, some dash of terror, " And so
check her speed, her horse carried her into  you have followed us hither, too! "
the middle of the stream, where, by the    "' You I have followed hither, and will
suddenness of the shock, she lost her seat  follow farther than this, as you might
and was plunged in the river.           have guessed. But," he paused, and turnThe stream, though not wide, was deep,  ing to me, said, "perhaps this young gemand quite sufficient to drown a stouter  tleman will be good enough to catch your




1853.]                              Wensley.                               293
horse for you, or it may get out of reach  He advanced towards her, but she
down the stream."                       turned from him, and, beckoning to me,
I understood the drift of his suggestion  invited my assistance to place her in her
and looked at Miss Allerton for instruc-  soaking saddle. She turned her horse's
tions.                                   head away from him, and took no notice
Do," said she, inclining her head to  of the parting salutation he made her. I
me; so I had nothing left for it but to go   mounted Prince, whom the stranger had
and leave them together, to my most cruel  secured to a tree, after I had gone in
disappointment, for the adventure seemed   search of Fairy, and followed her, touchto be fast reaching its climax. I hurried   ing my hat to my unknown acquaintance,
along the bank of the river, sometimes  which he did not return,-not, however,
having to wade in it up to my middle, as  from incivility, as I judged, but because
the trees often grew so close to the water's  he was looking so earnestly after the lady
edge that there was no room to stand on.  that he did not see me. Miss Allerton
I had toiled on in this way for about a   disappeared first in the wood, and as I
quarter of a mile before I came to poor  took a parting look behind I saw him
Fairy, who had not yet found rest to the   slowly turn away and walk towards the
sole of her foot. She was just trying to   bank of the river.  But I imagine his
scramble up a steep bank on the opposite  fishing was over for that day.
side of the river when I came upon her,    Miss Allerton and I pursued our way
so I had fairly to plunge in, accoutred as  in silence. As I followed her I could perI was, to reach her, and thus was as thor-  ceive that she was deeply agitated, and
oughly drenched in her service as I had  that she was indebted more to Fairy's inbeen most desirous of being in that of her  stinct than her own care for getting safely
mistress. My only comfort was that her  over the narrow and uneven pathway.
mistress seemed as little pleased with the   In one part of the pathway it was just
way of her escape as I could be myself.  wide enough for two persons to  ride
So contenting myself as well as I could  abreast.  She drew  on one side and
with these reflections, I took Fairy's bri-  walked her horse as an invitation to me
dle over my arm and made the best of my   to join her.
way, like an active personage whose name   "Mr. Osborne," she presently said, in
it would be improper to name in this pre-  an agitated voice, " I have a favor to
sence,                                   ask of you. It is that you will not men"O'er bog, or steep, throngh strait, rough, dense or  tion what you have seen to-day to any
rare."
until I found myself at the point from     I readily gave her the assurance she
which I had started.                     asked for.
If I had happened to be in love with' I cannot tell at this moment," she
the fair Eleanor, I certainly had no occa-  went on, " how far I may explain to you
sion for jealousy in the relations she   what you must have thought so strange.eemed to hold with the stranger. They   -not stranger, I am sure, than it has
were so absorbed in what they were say-  seemed to me. But you shall know all
ing that they did not notice my approach   about it some time or another."
at first, so that I could not help hearing  " If I can be of any service td you, my
Miss Allerton say-                       dear Miss Allerton," said I, "tell me
"I owe you no thanks for that, I could   what you think best. But I do not dehave saved myself without your help, and   sire to pry into any of your affairs as a
if not, God knows I had rather have died   mere busybody in other men's matters."
than owe my life to you! "                 I lied there, for I was dying to know
"You are an ungrateful girl," he re-  all about them.
plied with a smile which made me hate    "; O, Mr. Osborne," she resumed, in a
him more than ever, "but you will be-  voice scarcely audible from  agitation, "I
have better by-and-by, and know that I   am an unhappy girl! No mother, no sisam, if you will let me be so, your best  ter, no friend! and yet needing so much
friend."  Eleanor made a gesture of im-  the sympathy and help of the wisest and
patience. "At least you know," he re-  tenderest friendship! "
sumed, as if provoked, but still calmly,    She could contain herself no longer, but
"you know that it is not the first time   fairly burst into tears on Fairy's neckI have saved you. It may be," he added   on Fairy's, who seemed perfectly callous
significantly,-;' it may be that the time   to the blessing! Launce's dog could not
may come when I will not. But here  have been more insensible to the affliction
comes your horse," perceiving me for the   of that respectable family.  Was there
first time, " let me put you on him, and   never another neck near that would serve
entreat you to lose no time in getting   her turn?
home."                                     I was a tender-hearted youth at that




294                               Wensley.                        [September
time, and the sight of a woman crying  like an animated joint of meat, primitively
was too much for me. Perhaps I ought  suspended by a string, with a taste for
to be ashamed to confess that it was all I  roasting. Miss Allerton retired up stairs;
could do to keep from bearing her com-  and I saw her no more that day. When
pany, but I am not. I was deeply moved  the Master of the Horse was ready I
at her distress, and would have given the  joined him, and we set forward for the
world (or as much of it as usually falls  village.  That eminent officer of the
to the share of any one person), to corn-  household, of course, was curious to
fort her distress.                      know the particulars of our adventure,
" But, my dear Miss Allerton," I eja-  which I gave him with no more of the
culated, thinking, like a fool, that I must  suppressio veri than the case required.
say something, "' there is your father!"    He was not a man of many words, and he
"0 yes," she exclaimed, with a fresh   made use of very few on this occasion;
burst of weeping,-" yes, dear. papa! But,  but it was quite clear to my mind that
then, he-   " she interrupted herself,  he thought me a very incompetent person
and presently added, "I hardly know   to have charge of his young lady. And,
what I say, my spirits are so confused by   perhaps, he was not far wrong. When
the surprise of this afternoon. Pardon   we came to the post-office, instead of drivme if I say nothing, for I may say what I  ing by as I had hoped, he drew up at the
ought not."                             door, which was watched, as it seemed to
As we were now approaching the high-  me, by a double corps of observation,
road she evidently made a strong effort to   which made ample use of its opportunities
command herself.  She dried her eyes,  as I sat holding the reins. Jonathan, as
and pulling down her veil, proposed that  he resigned them  to my deputed care,
we should get over the ground as fast as  took a letter from  his pocket which I
possible, that we might avoid at once both  saw  at a glance was carelessly folded
observation and the ill-consequences of  and hurriedly written and directed to
our exposures. Though she said this, I  Colonel Allerton. He said Miss Eleanor
believe she was thinking as little as I of  was earnest that it should not miss the
the watery plight which we were both in.  mail-coach which would pass through from
I believed the strong excitement she was  Pentland, on the edge of the evening of
under would prove an effectual antidote  that day. So she had written to her fa
to the wetting she had got, and as for  ther an account of the adventure she had
mine I cared nothing for it. I would re-  encountered. It was, then, nothing pepeat the treatment every day for a month,  culiarly and especially her own.  That
in her good company. We fortunately ar-  was some consolation in my ignorance.
rived at Woodside without meeting any   What could be the rights or the wrongs
of the Wensleyans, but were received by   of the matter?  I had no time for proJonathan Snell, when he came to take our  tracted speculation, however, for I was
horses, with the most unequivocal marks  soon deposited at the minister's door, who
of astonishment and concern. And no   was at first alarmed at my appearance,
wonder, for a pair of more thoroughly  and then diverted by my story told, as it
ducked fellow-creatures could have sel-  had been to Snell, according to Captain
dom come within the range of his philoso-  Absolute's directions. with " no more lies
phy.                                    than were  absolutely necessary."   I
"Mr. Osborne," said Miss Allerton to  thought he would never have done ralme when we alighted, " I insist upon  lying me on my misadventures as a Squire
your coming in until Jonathan can put  of Dames. But I was too full of what I
the horse into the gig to take you home."   could not tell him, to mind much his coI remonstrated, but she persisted.' You   mic commentary on what I could. My
need not fear giving extraordinary trouble,  roguish sensitiveness was somehow hardenfor I must send him to the village direct-  ed over since the morning. I did not
ly, and he can take you round perfectly   mind his fun half so much as I should
well."                                  have, the day before. Indeed, it was raThis being the case, I yielded to her  ther a relief to me.
kindness, and not the less willingly from
the consciousness of what a figure I should         CHAPTER VIII.
cut in passing the strait by the bridge,
between the post-office and the black-     IN WHICH NOTHER CHARACTER APPEAR
smith's shop, as well as of the gossip of    "Osborne," said Mr. Bulkley to me the
which I would be the theme for the next  next morning, as we sat at breakfast, "do
week. So I went into Colonel Allerton's  you recollect who  your grandmother
own room, where his fire was still kept  was? "
trimmed and burning, notwithstanding his  "My grandmother," I repeated; " I
absence from home, and gyrated before it  suppose I must have had the usual al



1853.]                             Wensley.                                295
lowance-but, really sir, upon my word,  ally put an end to our rides together for
I -.." and I shook my head; "but  the time being, I could not tell what inwhat is my grandmother, supposing I had  fluence he might have upon the fair Eleaone, apropos to?-to boots?"            nor's fortunes; but I was sure I cursed
"No, no," returned he, "to something   him by my gods for his sinister interfermuch more to the purpose than boots. I   ence with mine.
mean your father's mother-was she not      Colonel Allerton returned before the
a Shuldham? "                           end of the week, recalled, doubtless, by
"That was the name, I am quite sure;  his daughter's letter.  I had called, of
though I am  afraid I should not have   course, the day after our adventure, on
been able to recall it of myself. But what  Miss Allerton, to "humbly hope she
of her, sir?" I asked.                  caught no cold from her accident;" but' Much, and to the purpose," he re-  Petchell, her maid, brought me a very
plied, " Your grandmother, Shuldham's  kind message, saying, that she should not
mother, was a Tindall, daughter of Lieu-  leave her chamber for a day or two in
tenant-Governor Tindall, who  died in  consequence of it, after which time she
office in the year 1717, or thereabouts,  should be glad to see me. So I had perand his son Matthew, who was for so  force to wait until her father came back.
many years Speaker of the House, had   After his return I visited at Woodside as
an only daughter —do you understand? "   usual, and was even more cordially and
"Well, sir," I answered, "I cannot de-  kindly treated.  Eleanor looked a little
nv it, if I wished to; but how  does it  paler than usual, though her roses were
concern me?"                            usually rather Yorkish than Lancastrian,
"Thus," he replied, "that daughter  but all the more charming from the new
married Judnge John Allerton, and was,  and mysterious interest I felt in her. Noconsequently, the mother of the Colonel.  thing could be kinder than her reception
D'ye see now, young man?"                of me when we first met, and, after that
"Why, yes," I answered, "I see that  meeting, at which her manner was, nethe Allerton's and I are far-away cousins,  cessarily, a little tinged by a consciousness
and - "                                  of what had passed when we were last to"Far-away cousins! " he interrupted,  gether, she fell back into very much her
only four degrees removed! Do you call  former way of life and conversation. Perthat far-away? When I was a young   haps a shade more of sadness clouded her
man, sir, I should have called cousins  serene beauty, and perhaps her thoughts
with a pretty girl like Mliss Eleanor, if it  wandered oftener from the things around
were twice as many."                     her. Perhaps, however, this was only
I laughed, assured him  that I was in-  my imagination, and, at any rate, I had
finitely obliged to him, for bestowing   now no difficulty in accounting for and
upon me so charming a relation, and that  excusing those untimely flights from the
I would claim all my cousinly privileges,  ignorant present to the past or the future.
even though the claim were as many re-  What would I not have given to have
moves farther off. And this I subse-  been able to look down through those
quently did, and it gained me one great  lustrous eyes at the soul that looked out
advantage, when my cousinship was al-  of them and saw what was hidden from
lowed, as it was, with much merri-  my sight, and to have known why it
ment, as soon as I communicated to them   was disquieted within her! What were
this result of the good parson's genealo-  the phantoms, the spectres, that passed
gical studies, in which, indeed, he was a   before her eyes when they looked into
great proficient.  Miss Allerton and I  vacancy'?
became Cousin Eleanor and Cousin Frank        Ah, fixed on empty space, why burn
from  that time forward, an advantage,          Her eyes with momentary wildness?
which, if the reader doth not appreciate,     And wherefore do they then return
To more than woman's mildness?"
he is unworthy of ever having a pretty
cousin: an institution, the blessings of  How I longed to protect her, to cherish
which should be confined to those who   her, to drive far away whatever it was
can properly value them. But this was  that molested and made her afraid! But
not immediately acquired, as it was some   this adventure was not reserved for me.
time before I felt that I was intimate     After the colonel's return our rides
enough, or that Miss Allerton  would   were resumed, and Jack once more had
relish a jocose interlude of this sort, after  the honour of keeping company, by their
the tragic, or, at least, melodramatic ad-  grace and favour, with Prince and Fairy.
venture of the forest and the river. In-   Occasionally, when her father was occudeed, I did not see her for the rest of that  pied, I was again allowed the privilege of
week. That playing fellow in the jockey-  escorting her alone. But we had no more
boots, whoever he might be, had effectu-  adventures of the wood and the stream.




296                               Wensley.                        [September
Eleanor's passion for exploring seemed sa-  sition met with my cordial approbation,
tisfied if we kept to the highway in as hum-  and Jasper was forthwith called into
drum a fashion as the most vapid stickler  council, as to the possibility of carrying
for the proprieties of life could require. She  it out.  As I had already established
saw no more, when I was in company, the   myself in his good graces by my admiintrusive benefactor of the Quasheen, and  ration of his master, and my eager atshe never made any allusion to him or  tention to his own personal narrative,
his works. So I was obliged to solace  which I delighted in extracting from
myself with the recollection of her pro-  him, and which, to do him justice, he
mise, that one day I should know all  was ready enough to communicate, he
about him, Indeed, I cannot deny, tho'  was not long in consenting to advise what
Eleanor proposed no new voyages of dis-  he saw we both wished to be done. He
covery, that I may not have attempted  loved a good horse, he said, and should
one or two on my own account. I whipped  like to take care of one of Mr. Frank's,
the Quasheen for trout, for miles more  if he only had time. This objection Mr.
than one Saturday (though neither the   Bulkley made light of, and I made away
Quasheen nor the trout suffered much   with by offering to pay for the hire of as
from the flagellation) in hopes of coming   much out-door labour as would make
upon that anomalous angler, yet once  good his outlay in my behalf. This havagain. But I saw him not. He was as  ing been made all plain, the next thing
shy as the trout themselves. Afterwards  was to obtain the consent of Mr. Moulton,
I visited the taverns of the neighbouring   my guardian, to this investment in horsetowns, and made many a libation of  flesh. As my application was backed by
punch and toddy on the altar of my cu-  the recommendation of Mr. Bulkley, and
riosity —and not wholly in vain.       supported on the ground of my valuable
Captain Pettingell, who kept the Rising   health, Mr. Moulton interposed no more
Sun in Bradfield, the next town, thus  opposition than was essential to indicate
invoked, told me from the oracular re-  his authority in a matter of this moment.
cesses of his bar, that a person answering   And his letter containing his assent inmy description had stayed at his place for  eluded, also, a proposition by no means
a week or ten days. That his name was  repugnant to my own ideas of the fitness
Smith, and that he was gone all day with  of things. He suggested, as this was a
his fishing-tackle, and sometimes, he  purchase of some importance, and which
added, came back with enough of fish for  it was as well should be entirely to my
a week's consumption, and sometimes  own mind, that I should come down to
without having had a bite. The Captain   Boston for a week, and assist at the rebelieved him to have been a Britisher,  searches preliminary to its final adjustbut as he paid his way well, and was a  ment.  To this suggestion Mr. Bulkley
good friend to the house, he overlooked   was pleased to lend a friendly ear, and
that error, as well as a way he had of  with his full consent I intercepted the
profanely cursing and swearing (the Cap-  Haverford coach the next morning (havtain was a professor and a pillar of Dr.  ing, I trust it is needless to say, walked
Bobson's Church), when anything hap-  over to Woodside, where the transaction
pened to go against the grain. And by   excited the interest its importance deservthe Captain's account, he had given his  ed, to give notice of my intended absence),
vocabulary in this kind, an airing extra-  which in due time deposited me at Mr.
ordinary one night when he came home  Moulton's door in --   street.
dripping wet from having  missed his    This gentleman was no ill specimen of
footing, and fallen into the river. He  his class, with specific idiosyncrasies of
seemed to have taken this accident, one  his own. He was descended of an old
surely ordinarily incidental to the gentle  New-England family, which, however, had
craft, so much to heart that he had re-  gone to decay for one or two generations.
tired from the neighbourhood in disgust,  He found himself, on attaining to man's,
and taken the Pentland coach the next  or rather youth's estate, in a remote counmorning for Boston. This was all I got  try town, with no advantages of educain repayment of much time and some  cation but such as the town-school had
liquor which I wasted in this research, and   afforded him, with no capital but what he
it was pot much more than I had known   carried in his head, and what he had investbefore.                                ed in an excellent character. After various
Matters went on thus for a few weeks,  struggles to rise above his hereditary powhen my frequent complaints of the in-  sition in the country, he changed the
adequacy of Turk to the exigencies of  scene of action for the city, (or rather the
my case, induced Mr. Bulklcy to suggest  metropolis, for Boston was a town, only,
whether it would not be better for me   for years after that), where he buffetted
to have a horse of my own. This propo-  and battled with fortune, with alterna



1853.]                             Wensley.                              29Y
tions of failure and success (which, well-  negligent of me, at all. He had a cordial
told, would be a curious picture of life),  detestation of vice in all its shapes, and,
until he at length achieved a place among   without preaching, made me feel that he
the foremost merchants of the nation. It  looked upon me as incapable of any thing
is unnecessary to say, that he was a man  so low and ungentlemanlike.  This conof eminent ability, for such is almost ne-  fidence was, no doubt, as well-judged as
cessarily implied in great success of any  it was well-intentioned, and, I trust, was
kind. The talent that could build up a  not misplaced or unrewarded. But, pergreat fortune from nothing, by commerce,  haps, the kindest and wisest thing he did
if it had received another direction, would,  for me, was, his introducing me to the
in all likelihood, have achieved eminence  excellent society which at that time, as
on the bench, or in the senate, or, per-  much as any other before or since, dishaps, even in literature.               tinguished Boston. To be sure, my conMr. Moulton might, possibly, some-  nections with the prominent members of
time be caught tripping in his speech,  that society entitled me to be fiee of it;
and his verbs and nominative cases might  but it was to the kind encouragement and
not always bear that precise relation to  good offices of my guardian that I owed
each other that the more bigoted disci-  an earlier initiation than my years deples of Priscian may exact; but the sub-  manded.  His own children were grown
stance of what he said was good sense,  up and married off, excepting one bachaccording to the sense of his times, and   elor son at home, so that he seemed
most unequivocally to the point. He was  to feel, and certainly expressed, in his connot without his provincialisms and his  duct, the sort of partial, yet discreet inprejudices.  He verily believed that as  dulgence of a sensible man to his youngest
Massachusetts politics went, so would go  child. All this, however, is not particuthe country, and as the country the world.  larly to the purpose of my narrative, of
He really thought that all the hope of lib-  which I am by no means the hero, and I
eral principles throughout Christendom   do not know why I should suppose that
depended on the small fragment of the  the Putnam  public will care about my
New England mind that had accepted for  own private concerns. But the image of
truth the Unitarian idea. He was bene-  this worthy gentleman rising up before
volent and open-handed to the poor, and   me as I looked back at that particular
would found charities, and endow profes-  portion of my life, I felt impelled to jot
sorships; but he would take the bread   down the slight pen-and-ink sketch you
out of the mouth of every democratic  see above. And as I hate rewriting any
lawyer, minister, doctor, or artisan, if he  thing, we will let it stand.
could, and count it to himself for righteous-    "I am glad you came to-day, Frank,"
ness. He gloried in his liberality of opin-  said Mr. Moulton, after the first cordial
ion, but he hated and despised a colonist  greetings were passed, " for I expect a
in about equal proportions, and was firm-  youngster to dine with me, not long from
ly of the faith that no good thing could  college."
come out of that Nazareth.  His multi-    " Indeed, sir," I replied, " and who may
farious affairs and complicated commer-  he be? "
cial connections, made, him intellectually  " 0, none of your acquaintances," he
aware of the fact that a considerable por-  answered, " none of your Yankee Collegition of the civilized world lay beyond the  ans, let me tell you. He is from Oxford
purlieus of State-street, and, probably ar-  or Cambridge, one or both, and I want
ithmetic would have convinced him, had   you to be civil to him."
he applied it to the subject, that a good    "'An Englishman, then, I take it for
deal of the mind of Christendom lay be-  granted," said I.
yond the domain of the Unitarian deno-    "Why, yes, he is after a fashion," Mr.
mination; but, practically, as far as his  Moulton replied; " that is, he was born
walk and conversation were concerned,  in England, but his father was a Refugee
the one constituted the true State and the   Tory-James Markham, who raised and
other the true Church Universal.  But  commanded a company of Tories during
where his prejudices did not interpose be-  the Revolution."
tween his natural goodness of heart, and  "And what is his business here, sir? "
any person or class that he could benefit,  I inquired.
he was liberal, even generous, of his    "His business is his pleasure, I guess,"
money, his time, and his influence with  returned Mr. Moulton; "the Bellinghams
others.                                 and Mildmays are a sort of cousins of his,
I am sure that I have good reason to  and he has been renewing the connection.
speak well of him, for he took excellent  Anne Shippen " (one of his married daughcare of my estate, and let me do very  ters) "thinks that he is sweet upon Esmuch as I liked. And yet he was not  ther Mildmay."'
VOL. ii.-20




298                               Wenstey,                        [September
"Indeed," I rejoined, "and has he been   at Oxford a year before with good reputalong enough here for that? I never heard  tion, and was therefore a personage of
of him before."                        great dignity and high interest in my
" Why, as to that," he answered, " how   sight. I was never tired of cross-examlong think ye, does it take a young fellow   ining him as to the details of University
to get up a flirtation? And how long do   Life and Discipline in England, and he
you suppose it takes for the report of it  had not been so long delivered from them
to get wind?" looking at me with a  as not to like to recount them. During
quizzical kind of significance, which made  the fortnight of my stay in town (for my
me feel as if a sudden growth of nettles  week grew by degrees to that size), we
was springing under favorable circumstan-  were constant companions. By day we
ces from the entire surface of my body,"  scoured the country round, in search of
and as to your not having heard of him   points of view (for he was an excellent
before, why, if a young gentleman's  draughtsman) and of historical interest.
health requires his going into the coun-  In the evenings we resorted to the pleasant
try, he mustn't expect to be posted up to  societies still to be found even in many
the very last minute. However, he has  town-houses, although it was early in
been here about a fortnight. But much   August, for the dispersion of the summer
may be done in a fortnight, Master Frank,  was not then as universal as it has since
I would have you know."                 become-or else we drew rein at some of
I could not have reasonably denied this  the villas within ten miles of the city,
proposition, if I had felt disposed to be  where we were sure of a hospitable enterargumentative,-which I did not. I was  tainment. Pleasant, cheerful, happy hours
wondering whether any rumor of my fre-  they were! And why not? It were hard.
quent visits at Woodside had reached my   indeed, if the hours between eighteen and
guardian's ears. And if so, whether he  two-and-twenty were not pleasant, cheerbad drawn any inferences from them to  ful and happy, and those, too, the hours
the effect that I was in love with the  of a fine August flitting over the face of a
charming Eleanor. Like most shy people  lovely country, fit residence of as lovely
I was as proud as Lucifer, and scorned  inhabitants. At least, some of them.
the idea of being supposed sighing at any  I have forgotten to mention, what was
lady's feet, seriously, until it was known   not unimportant to the prosecution of
that she had consented to extend her  those adventures, that I had succeeded
royal hand to place me by her side. Of   admirably in accomplishing the object of
course, I was never without some princess  my visit to Boston. I had mounted myor other, whom I served most faithfully  self to my entire satisfaction, and in this
till she was dethroned by some fresher  had derived material assistance from the
usurper; but nobody ever regarded these  skill of my new friend in horseflesh. He
transitory submissions as even looking   had not wasted the whole of his time at
towards a permanent allegiance.  So I  the university over Latin and Greek.
was resolved to take up my very last flir-  He had improved a portion of his hours
tation just where I had left it off, two  in more practical pursuits,-among which
months before, and to prosecute it with   might be reckoned the occasional pursuit
redoubled zeal by way of blinding my   of foxes and hares, and one result of these
Argus. Whether or not it was the most  studies was a more than common knoweffectual way, experts in the Art of Love  ledge of the noblest of the servants of
must decide according to their own expe-  man. Having thus secured what I had
rience. But I must defer these passages  come down for, soon after my arrival, I
of mine with Matilda Robinson, until I  thought it advisable to give my new purhave more space than my share of these  chase a full and fair trial before taking
pages allows me. I have in contempla-  him to the distant solitudes of Wensley.
tion the preparation of a work to be en-  Hence, these rides, of which I have spoken,
titled "The Philosophy of Flirtation, its  and hence the agreeable episodes I have
Origin, Uses and Tendencies: with Illus-  hinted at in the course of the last paratrations from the Life."  Should this plan   graph. So Whitefoot, for such was the
be carried into effect, the reader will there   Homeric designetion we bestowed upon
find every thing made clear which the  him from the color of his off fore-foot;
stern necessities of this particular case  Whitefoot and I formed the friendship
compel me to leave under a cloud.      which lasted for the rest of his life, under
Dinner-time came, and brought Harry  these pleasant circumstances and in this
Markham with it. He was three or four  good company. To be sure, it took some
years older than I, and therefore I was  time to satisfy all my scruples as to his
the more disposed to like him, when he  sufficiency, and we had to make a good
showed an inclination to be friends with   many afternoon and evening excursions,
me. He had taken his Bachelor's degree  not always unaccompanied by side-sad



1853.]                              Wensley.                                299
dies and riding-habits, before, he had vin-  and beast. and I could warrant him a frienddicated to himself his claim to my entire  ly reception from all the rest. He thankconfidence. But it was erring, if erring   ed me and promised to come at some conit was. on the side of prudence and dis-  venient season, before he left New England
cretion-virtues, which were early de-  on his tour through the country. I was a
veloped in my character, and which I still  little surprised at his not being more in a
regard as its chiefest jewels.           hurry when I made an accidental discovery
I do not know what inference my read-  in the course of one of our rides. We
ers may draw from  this voluntary pro-  were discussing the comparative claims of
longation of my leave of absence. Per-  two rival beauties, both of whom we had
haps I ought not to have told of it. It  visited in the course of the afternoon. I
may not be creditable to me that I was  do not remember how it came about, but
willing to exchange the society of Miss   I illustrated some criticism of mine by a
Allerton for that of any number of other  reference to Miss Allerton, whose superibeauties. I certainly saw none other so   ority over both the ladies in question I
handsome; but then, you know, safety   maintained. I averred that, charming as
may lie in other multitudes than those of  they both were, they had nothing so strikcounsellors.  In fact, although I do hate  ing as the effect of Miss Allerton's upward
inconstancy as much as my Lord Byron   glance, from the contrast between her dark
did, and, like him, "loathe, detest the  flashing eyes and her "fairly fair" commortal made of such quicksilver clay that  plexion and golden hair.
on his breast no permanent impression can   " It is perfectly unique," I said, " as far
be made," (I do not remember the quota-  as my observation goes. I have seen notion accurately enough to reduce it to ver-  thing like it."
ses); but still, even the most constant    "Not so remarkably so," he replied,
swain will, occasionally, make an excur-  quickly, " as her downward look.  Her
sion to gaze on other shepherdesses than   eye-lashes are perfectly preternatural!"
his own, if it were only to glory in her   "What!" I exclaimed, "then you have
supremacy over all others. And, perhaps,  seen her! I had not an idea of that! "
I may have had a lurking idea that my       "Why, yes," he answered, a good deal
cousin Eleanor might value her newly-  disconcerted, for he had evidently comfound relative none the less, for a brief   mitted himself very much to his own vexinterval of absence. All this on the sup-  ation, " why yes. Have I never mentionposition that she was more to me than   ed it to you before?"
any other pretty woman, which, you are     " Mentioned it! " I responded, "to be
aware, I have not yet admitted.  But  sure you have not!  But where did you
story-readers, as well as story-tellers, are   meet her, and what do you think of her,
a gossiping generation and can seldom see   and why have you not been up to see
a young man and woman in company to-  her  "
gether without putting constructions on    "Why as to that," he replied, still somewhat they say and do, which, perhaps, it  what confused, "I hardly feel myself sufhad never entered into their hearts to con-  ficiently well acquainted with her to visit
ceive. But as my course is a perfectly   her at this distance of time and place. I
straightforward one, with no traps and   met her once or twice in Devonshire, when
pitfalls set to catch the interest of the   reading there during the long vacation
reader. it is my duty to remove out of the   two years and a half ago. It was not long
way all objections that arise, as they   before they came to America, I believe."
come along.                                "But did you not think her splendidly
But still. as my fortnight's fast was   handsome? "I inquired. "You don't mean
drawing to an end, I began to feel a good  to say that you have many such women
wholesome appetite for Wensley again.  in England, do you?  Was not she as unNot only did I feel the wish growing strong   common there as here?  "
within me to renew my cousinly relations   " She was very handsome, certainly,"
at Woodside, but I longed to see the good   said he, with Imore coolness than suited
parson once more, and the worthy Jasper,   my own ideas. " But her style is not so
whose sable image formed, as it were, the   rare in England as it is here. Yes," he
shadow of that of his master. In my talks   continued, with an air of deliberation, "' I
with Markham I told him all that I have  think I may say that I have seen as handtold you about these characters in my ru-   some women as she."
ral drama, and he expressed a strong wish  I did not believe him, and put down his
to be brought face to face with them. Of   affirmation to the credit of his John-Bulk
course, I was not slow in asking him to  ism, which would not suffer him to admit
come and pay me a visit. Major Grimes's  that any thing could be better in this coundoors, both of his house and his stable,  try than he had left at home.
ever stood open for the welcome of man     Having talked over the daughter a lit



300                               Wensley.                        [September
tle more, I tried to get him upon the fa-  the waves of the Quasheen! There could
ther, and endeavored to extract from   not be a doubt of it. Though I had seen
him some further particulars of his- his-  him but for a moment, the circumstances
tory than I had been able to gather from   of that sight sufficed to stereotype his
Mr. Bulkley. But if he knew any thing  looks upon  my memory  for ever. I
about him, he kept his own counsel, for I  should have known him if I had met him
got nothing by my cross-examination. He  on the top of Mount HIecla. He looked
lived like a gentleman, he said, with no-  at me from under his shaggy eyebrows
thing observable or distinguishing about  (which, however, didnot hinder his being
him. He had, himself, been brought into   a very well-looking fellow), as if he had
contact with him, from the circumstance  seen me somewhere before. But I do not
of his being employed by the British Gov-  think he recognized me, as he probably
ernment in the dispensation of the boun-  took much less notice of me than I did of
ties of the Crown to the families of the  him. His scrutiny of my countenance,
loyalists. He was the accredited agent  however, was over the moment his eyes
through whom the friends of many of  glanced at my companion. He, evidently
those that had suffered in the Revolution   enough, recognized him, and derived no
reached the beneficiaries-especially those   particular satisfaction from the recogniof them who had returned to America, or  tion. He was, very clearly, not a man to
settled in the provinces.  He possessed   be easily taken aback, and one that had
the confidence of the ministers, and was  a tolerable command of his countenance;
eminently fitted for this business by his  but he could not control the expression of
personal knowledge of almost all those  surprise and displeasure that was exunfortunate exiles, reaching back in many  torted from  him  by the suddenness of
cases to the very time of the emigration.  the encounter. Markham's face showed
Markham's own father having belonged  less equivocal marks of dislike, if not of
to this same category, he had had some  surprise, as became his younger   ears
intercourse with him  at the agency in  and less disciplined facial muscles. He
London, on his part, and in consequence  muttered an indistinct comment on the
of this had received friendly attentions  occasion which dild not reach further than
from him when he came into the neigh-  my ears-which being the case, and as it
borhood of Walford Hall, on the occa-  involved an adjective or two which might
sion above recited. All this was natural  justly grieve godly ears, I shall forbear
enough, and I could not gainsay a word  to put it upon permanent record. He on
of it. Indeed, I believed it was all lite-  the coach-box made a kind of a motion
rally true; but I was by no means so  of the nature of a salutation in the direcsure that it was quite the whole truth.  tion of the brim of his hat, which MarkMarkham, too, seemed to be entering   ham acknowledged by the faintest perinto the conspiracy to mystify me about  ceptible swaying of his head, and then
these people, whose affairs were, cer-  turning away, rode on through the arch
tainly, no business of mine. But, then,  that led to the stables.
if people attended only to their own af-    " That gentleman doesn't seem  to be
fairs, a stupid world we should have  fond of you, Markham," said I as natuof it!                                rally as I could, " who may he be?"
Nor was this the only share he had in  " O, he's a countryman of mine," he
my mystification. Not long afterwards  replied, "that is, he is my countryman
we werejust returning from a ride, and   and yours too. He's a half Yankee, as
were proceeding towards the livery sta-  well as myself. We are not over fond
ble, which was connected with the Ex-  of one another, as you suspect."
change  Coffee  House,-at that time      "And his name is Smith, is it not? " I
the chief hostelry that Boston boasted,-   put interrogatively.
just as the New York stage-coach drove    "Smith! " he answered, " what do you
up to the door of the hotel. Every body   mean by that?  Do you suppose every
who visited Boston at that time will re-  Englishman is named Smith?"
member that the passage-way in front of    "Why, it is a tolerably generic name,"
that house of entertainment was very dis-  I answered, "but I had a more specific
proportionately small, when compared  reason for supposing it to belong to him,
with its size and pretensions; so much  for I have been told so by a landlord
so, that we were interrupted in our career  of his."
by the sweeping round of the four horses,    " For God's sake, what do you mean,
and had to pull up for a moment. But  Osborne?" he demanded in strong surthat moment was sufficient. For, just  prise, "where have you ever seen him?
before my eyes, sitting on the coach-box,  He surely doesn't pass here by that
was the identical interloper whom I had   name! "
last seen emerging, like a water-god, from  I then stated that I had met this per



1853.]                      Our New President.                           301
sonage, whoever he might be, in the  ing his name without royal license. But
neighborhood of Wensley, when fishing,  Englishmen have a character to be odd,
not long before, and that I had accident-  and, possibly, this is the form which Mr.
ally learned from the landlord where he  Ferguson's oddity takes unto itself. At
lodged, that he rejoiced in the general ap-  any rate," —he went on as if talking to
pellation I had applied to him. Of course,  himself again,-" we will hope there are
I made no mention of my cousin Elea-  not many Englishmen like him. He's a
nor's name in the business, and seemed   black sheep!"
to know no more of him than I have just    He then changed the conversation; and
related. Why shouldn't I have my little  as it was plain he wished to avoid the
mystery, too? And I rather imagined  subject, I could get no more satisfaction
that he would have given all I wanted to  from him about it. And as this was the
know in exchange for what I had to tell.  last time we were to be together, preBut my lips were sealed, of course, as to  violus to my return to Wensley, I had no
all that had passed between them in my   further opportunity of recurring to it.
presence, and Markham had to spell out  At parting, however, he promised me,
the mystery as deep as he could, without  of his own accord, that he would cermy assistance.                         tainly beat up my quarters before very
"This is very strange!" said Mark-  long; until what time I was perforce comham, half to himself; "what could he  pelled to adjourn my curiosity. We parted
have been lurking about there for, under  that night, and the next day Whitefoot
a nonm de guerre! " And then addressing   carried me safely to Parson Bulkley's
himself to me, he went on,'The man's name  door, at which we were, both of us, joyis Ferguson, and I am almost as much  fully received both by master and man.
at a loss as you to account for his chang(To be continued.)
OUR NEW PRESIDENT.,R. PIERCE came into power with the   view to initiate a different order of things.
A1I best opportunities for doing good of any   Nullifiers, seceders, free-soilers, barnburnof our later Presidents. Not since Wash-  ers, hunkers, hards, softs, and Webster
ington inaugurated the constitution, or Jef-  and conservative whigs, all voted for the
ferson gave a proper democratic direction   Baltimore nominee, who had been preferto its functions, has any chief magistrate  red to Cass, Marcy, Buchanan, and Doughad a fairer chance for distinguishing him-  lass, and who was subsequently chosen.
self, or of imparting a new and noble im-  over General Scott. The rigid demarcapulse to the energies of the country.  tions of parties were not drawn, and there
The auspices of his advent to which we  was a ready and almost universal acquiesrefer were these,-a virtual dissolution of  cence in the result.
the old parties by which former adminis-    The successful competitor therefore had
trations have been held in check. and a  no very embarrassing antecedents: as he
general willingness of the whole people to  had never openly solicited his position, as
enter upon a new, original, and generous  he had made no pledges to insure the repolicy. We say, " a dissolution of the old  sult, as he was indebted for success, speciparties," because the whig party had vir-  fically, to no clique or faction, and owed no
tually abandoned its distinctive grounds  allegiance but to the great leading princias an organized body,-a fact which has  ples of Democracy; he entered upon his
since been abundantly confessed by its  career apparently untrammelled by comleading exponents,-whilst the democratic  mitments. or secret connections, or party
party, though it nominally adhered to an   debts. He was no more, nor less, when
alleged scheme of doctrine, admitted the   elected, than the first executive magistrate
most heterogeneous elements into its can-  of this democratic republic, and, in the devass, and by rejecting its well-known lead-  termination of his course, had no sinister
ers, and accepting an almost unknown   influences to consult; nothing but the
candidate, deserted the strict line of prin-  broadest and best suggestions of demociple for a make-shift.                cratic truth.  No man, no set of men
We infer, consequently, from these facts,  could say to him, " You were our candia disposition on the part of the electors of  date exclusively, and we elected you, and
both parties to relinquish the issues which   you are thereby bound, in the distribution
had, for some years, divided them, with a  of your patronage, and in the shaping of




302                          Our New President.                     [September
your measures, to regard solely our inter-  what means?  Whether, in the repleted
ests and wishes. We are your creator,  condition of the treasury, the public lanids
or, which is the same thing, you are our  of the United States were to be made free
puppet and tool; and we mean that you  to all settlers, —thereby proclaiming to
shall do as we say, or we shall charge you  the world, for the first time in its history,
with recreancy, ingratitude, and the viola-  one of the most important and fundamention of contracts."                     tal truths of political economy, that there
No man, nor set of men could have ad-  is no value in land, but only in the labor
dressed him thus, because he was able,  by which it is cultivated and improved?
with the utmost propriety, to reply, " Not  Whether the government was to be restorso: inasmuch as my election was, under  ed to the only just and democratic method
the circumstances, the act of a majority,  of raising revenue, which is, by direct
variously composed, which expects me to  taxation? Whether that oppressive mobe the President of the nation, and not  nopoly and nuisance, the Post Office estaof a faction; past differences appear to   blishment, was to be reformed according to
have been waved, if not forgotten. My   the spirit of the age, brought up to the acpolitical life dates from the 2d day of  tualrequirements of the business commuNovember. As a young man, a compara-  nity, or abandoned altogether? Whether
tively new man, for whose sake the old no-  the vast number of executive appointtabilities were thrust aside, and old party   ments, which have given to the President
issues kept in the background, I have but  a more than imperial power, which render
one obligation, and that is to Duty, under  our political controversies a mean and dethe present circumstances of the country,  graded scramble for office, and which have
and according to the best lights that my   already undermined the integrity. of the
mind can discover. I am clearly absolved,  electoral body, ought not to be immedithen, from all sinister, collateral, and re-  ately relinquished to the people? Whether
strictive ties, and must look only to the  the expensive and useless system of diwelfare of the whole people."            plomatic intercourse, now maintained for
Admitting this to have been the case,  no other apparent purpose than to furnish
let us ask, What were the duties of a free   places for the reward of partisan leaders,
President of the United States; of one  should not be restricted, and altered into
chosen to initiate in some sort a new era,  a more effective service,-and that should
forgetting, like St. Paul, the things that  help to create democrats abroad instead
were behind, and pressing forward to the   of feeding and fostering aristocrats at
prize for the high calling of God? What  home?-and, finally, Whether the young
policy ought he to have adopted, what  republic now advanced to the position of
measures should he have made the dis-  the first power of the world, is to make
tinguishing objects of his administration?   itself felt as such throughout the world,
The ancient topics of division, as we   the dread of tyrants, and the hope of the
have said, were kept perdu, if not oblit-  oppressed in all lands,-or whether, purerated altogether, because the subjects  suing only a material success, aiming only
themselves had been settled. The doc-  at an outward splendor and prosperity,
trines of a national bank, of a protective   without the high, noble, and expansive
tariff, of internal improvements by the   spirit which is the justification and highfederal government, &c., though not com-  est grace of prosperity, it shall harden
pletely and definitively determined upon  into obdurate selfishness, or gradually
a strict scientific basis, had yet passed out  sinking into effeminacy, welter like anoof the active discussions of the day; the  ther Dragon of Wantley, in the filth of
people had pronounced upon them, and  its own corruptions?
there was no longer need of keeping them   These, we repeat, were among the quesin agitation. But new questions had arisen  tions presented to every politician and
of immediate and pressing concern; other  statesman, in or out of place,-to every
questions of large promise loomed in the   citizen,-and with which a new adminisdistance; and besides the controversies ac-  tration ought to grapple, if it designed to
tually up. or soon to advance, there was a   make itself a character. They are the
general lurking impression, among men of   questions of the day, and demand soall shades of opinion, that the Govern-  lution.
ment, both in its domestic and foreign     We shall not undertake to  discuss
policy, was called upon to take a conspic-  them in detail, but we shall indicate the
uous and decided stand.                  views which we think the nation, or its
Among these questions were the fol-  directors, are bound to adopt, by exlowing: Whether the Pacific Railroad,  pressing a single and master truth. Every
the most stupendous industrial enterprise   nation has a peculiar character, and a
of this, or any other age, was to be   peculiar destiny, and the instincts of its
carried into successful operation, and by   people are the surest interpreters of




1853.]                      Our New President.                           303
what that character and destiny are de-  tical relations of men that was ever utsigned to be. The conclusions of great  tered. It proclaims to all mankind their
men, deduced from their reading and ex-  inherent rights,-their freedom, and their
perience, the speculations of newspaper  equality, and guarantees them the broad
editors, derived from local and personal  universe for the display of their powers,
influences, the suggestions of cabals and   opening every motive to action, stimcliques, looking to the triumphs of spe-  ulating every energy, appealing to evcial interests, may possess a limited sig-  ery generous desire; and then, in the
nificance and value, but they cannot guide   end, crowning exertion with the richest
a whole people in the right way. They   guerdons of success, the consciousness of
more often divert action from its true   a position conquered for one's self, and the
course, and lead all those who trust to  smile of Heaven. A  democratic admithem into morasses and quagmires. But  nistration, therefore, if it would be more
the spontaneous, native, untaught and  than an echo of old and effete party
unsophisticated impulses of the masses,  organizations,-whose professed princiare a more genuine inspiration, and far  ples are the mere husks of doctrines outmore certain guide.                     grown, and whose rallying cries are the
Now, the whole history of this country,  shallowest and most nauseating cant, —
as well as its natural position, and the  should make the prevalence of this living,
instincts and peculiarities of the people,  active, vitalizing democracy its cardinal
show  that it was designed to be a   object, removing every obstacle in its
straightforward, fair, upright and out-  way, and enlarging its scope by every
right DEMOCRATIC  REPUBLIC,-clearly  practicable effort.
distinguishable from all other nations, no  The administration of Mr. Pierce,
less in the spirit of its people than in the  though it has been for eight months in
structure of its government,-and set  power, has made no formal declaration
apart by circumstances and by time,-or  of its policy, and we care not, therefore,
in other words, by the Providence of  to criticise it in respect to the questions
God, —for the manifestation, on the high-  we have indicated. It has, however, taken
est scale, of the truth, the beauty, and   many occasions for showing the spirit in
the goodness of that creed which recog-  which it means to approach its great renizes the equality and brotherhood of  sponsibilities, and these we shall note
the human race. Other nations that have   We have no disposition  to prejudge
gone before us, have had other objects to  its case; indeed, we have been willing
accomplish in the developments of his-  to indulge the  most sanguine hopes
tory; have been forced to play other  of its future career; yet we are comparts in the shifting glooms and splen-  pelled to say, reluctantly, that thus
dors of the social drama; but it was re-  far we find in what it has done, no
served for this nation,-blessed be the   evidences of a large, magnanimous, and
Lord for it!-to determine and mould its  true-hearted statesmanship. On the conown character; to organize the democracy,  trary, we do find the most unmistakable
-to make the people their own govern-  signs of a narrow, petty, superficial, and
ors,-the sources of power, as well as the  intolerant partisanship, alike wanting in
objects of its exercise,-the judges and  judgment and dignity, and utterly unefficient agents of their own best welfare.  worthy of this people, both in the ability
If it does not accomplish that, if it recurs  and tone with which affhirs have been
to any of the antiquated and effete formu-  conducted. The government has been
laries of the past; if it becomes the mere   managed, and not administrated, as we
echo, or servile imitator of European   shall see by recurring briefly to its proexamples, it may grow into a splendid   minent acts.
offshoot, but can never be an indepen-    The inaugural address was well enough
dent, self-subsistent, original nation. True  in its way, for, as nothing is expected of
democracy is our glory; while the mere  that formality but common-place congratuattempt  at it, the vague image and  lations and vague generalities, nobody
shadow  of it, must inevitably be our  was disappointed. It was, perhaps, too
disgrace.                              sophomorical and inflated in style, and
If it is asked what true democracy   abounded too much in what is vulgarly
means, we answer in a single phrase-   termed " Fourth of July clap-trap," but
That condition of society in which the in-  it was not, on the whole, worse than some
dividual is left to work out his own desti-  of the inaugurals by which it had been
ny, as far as he can do so, without infring-  preceded; a great deal of it was unexing the natural rights of others. This  ceptional, because insignificant, or what
expresses the full meaning of the word,  no man disputed.  It is enough, in all
and is the most pregnant, inspiring, bene-  cases, for the chief magistrate to execute
ficent, and lofty conception of the poli-  the laws as he finds them, and not to




304                           Our New President.                    [September
make a parade of unneeded zeal.  His  future. Now a great man, —a man clearsath of fidelity to the constitution, was  ly discerning his position, forecasting the
a sufficient earnest of his determination   end from the beginning, resolved to conto uphold the Union, without the rhetori-  trol events, and not to allow the winds
cal surplusage of a promise.             and tides of circumstance to shape his
In the selection of his cabinet, Mr.  course,-surrounds himself with men of
Pierce exhibited neither wonderful shrewd-  the same clear, energetic, decided characness nor wonderful strength. It was not  ter. He does not make the noodles and
such a cabinet as a man of earnest pur-  nobodies that he may scare up any where,
pose, clear conviction, or strong reliance   his chief agents.
upon his own principle would have chosen.    It has, unfortunately, become the first
It was one which rather evinced a weak   work of an administration in this coundesire of conciliating all factions and inte-  try, to distribute the offices within its
rests. It was composed on the plan of  control. The odious practice of political
reconciling contrasts and harmonizing op-  proscription, originally justified by Mr.
posites. A New England whig, who had   Marcy, under the  barbarian  military
achieved the bad eminence of shining in   maxim, that "(to the victors belong the
the councils of John Tyler, and who had   spoils," —a soft translation of the vae vicbut recently been converted to the so-  tis of ancient brutality, —has been carried
called democratic party; a New-York  to such lengths, that politicians almost
conservative, identified  with  no great  universally consider the emoluments of
measure, but intimately connected with  office as the rightful reward of partisan
the machinery of party  management,  services. One hears them speak of their
which had long been the opprobrium of  claims to this place or that, with as much
New-York politics; a Southern seceder,  familiarity and confidence as a man renotorious for extreme and violent opinion;  fers to an estate that had been left him
a Western free-soiler, and unknown men   by will, or a laborer to the wages that
from  parts that one does not care to   are his due.  They make a few ward
charge his memory with,-formed toge-  speeches, get their names on committees,
ther a compound that instantly suggested   spend money at the grog-shops where
to the newspapers the famous descrip-  voters assemble, subscribe largely to the
tion  by Burke of the  speckled  and   expenses of an election, vote the regucheckered cabinet of Lord Chatham,-" a   lar nomination, and then forthwith inpiece of diversified mosaic, a tesselated   sist that they have earned a collectorship,
pavement without cement; here a bit of  or a place as charge d'affaires.  If
black stone, there a bit of white; patri-  they are refused by the appointing power,
ots and courtiers, king's friends and re-  they feel themselves both injured and agpublicans,"-so that the colleagues whom   grieved. They tell over their numerous
he had assorted at the same board, stared   services to their friends, speak of the inat each other, and were obliged to ask-   gratitude of the great men they have
" Sir, your name? "-" Sir, you' have the   helped to make, and threaten rebellion
advantage of me!"- " Mr. Such a-one, I   and uproar, until they are finally appeas.
beg ten thousand pardons." Mr. Marcy   ed by promises for the future. It scarceand Mr. Cushing, it is true, were sagacious  ly matters what their capacities, what
and able men, particularly skilled in par-  their characters, what their social relaty tactics and secret manceuvres, but the   tions may be; they may hail from  the
others were undistinguished, or only dis-  purlieus of Mercer-street or the Five
tinguished in very circumscribed localities.  Points, they may lead notorious bands of
Had they been young, as well as obscure   violent men, they may be under criminal
men, the country might have hoped to  indictments-but as they have establishfind in them some as yet undiscovered   ed a claim upon their party, that party
freshness of talent; but as they were not  must provide for their payment, must seyoung, and still obscure, there was no   cure them a place, as the guerdon of past,
chance of escape from the settled convic-  and the gauge of future fidelity.
tion of their mediocrity. Had they been    Need we attempt to describe the disasmen of matured and certain opinions,  trous effect of such a system upon all the
either out-and-out conservatives, or out-  functions of public life? Does it not attack
and-out abettors of Young  America,  political virtue at its source; corrupt the
their appointment would have furnished  integrity of the electoral body; inflame
a clue to the probable course of the new   controversies, which should be the conadministration; but they were neither  flict of great principles, into intemperate
one nor the other; and from the day of their  and violent personal hatreds; convert
advent at Washington, until the present  popular suffrage into a farce, or what
time, the country has floundered in a sea  is worse, into a falsehood and a fraud;
of conjectures as to the destinies of the  introduce the most unworthy  agents




1853.]                       Our New President.                            305
into the most responsible trusts; bring a   this political degeneracy; but, if the corscandal upon government, and thereby   ruptions to which we refer, are allowed to
weaken, if it does not wholly destroy, the   spread, how many decades will it be besanctity of law, and open the way for  fore the empire will be sold by a band oj
mercenary, vicious, and destructive legis-  Pretorians to a second Didius Julianus?
lation?  Have we not already seen the     It was supposed when Mr. Pierce came
great city of New-York, having in vain  into power, under such circumstances as
essayed the ordinary remedies by which   we have referred to in the outset of this
wrongs are righted, compelled to rise (al-  essay, that there would be an end put to
most in its primary capacity as a society),  this nefarious and wholesale bartering of
in order to rid itself of a nest of profli-  office. As he was comparatively a young
gates and gamblers, who  had baffled   man, with few friendships to gratify, and
juries, baffled courts, baffled legislatures,  few enmities to punish, as the leading poand contemned public opinion, in their  litical parties had dropped much of their
shameless career of peculation? Are not  political acerbity,. closed for a time the
the lobbies at Albany beset by as savage   Temple of Janus; as he had himself never
a crew of cormorants as ever gathered   shown an extraordinary avidity for ofabout a carcass in the desert; and were  fice, and on two occasions had voluntanot some of the debates of the State  rily relinquished it, the country found it
Senate, during the last winter, in tone,  difficult to imagine any motives, for him to
language, and spirit, as vile as the squab-  indulge in a vindictive and party rancor.
blers of a pot-house, or the drunken con-  A certain number of removals from office
versation of a brothel?  Who, at Wash-  is alwayvs expected, is indeed necessary to
ington, are getting to be the men of in-  give unity to an administration. A change
fluence and distinction? who carry off  in the heads of departments, in the leadthe best offices? who secure the most lu-  ing collectorships, in the diplomatic corps,
crative contracts? whose names are most  takes place  under nearly all governconspicuous in the newspapers?  Not,  ments where there is a change of policy;
surely, the men of probity, of indepen-  but an almost universal sweeping out of
dence, of sincere persuasions, of high cul-  subordinates is peculiar to the late histure, of dignified, though perhaps humble,  tory of this nation, and is as disgraceful
social position!                        to the parties who are the instruments of
Why is this? No American will ques-  it, as it is dangerous to morals and polittion the general intelligence and honesty  ical virtue. It is a mean, bigoted, maof his fellow-citizens, nor give heed to  lignant and cruel practice, utterly unthat slander which asserts that it is the   worthy of a party that has the remotest
inevitable tendency of a democratic so-  claim to the title of great, and only fit for
ciety to debase itself, until it finally sinks  the adoption of those Eastern despots who
into a corruption, whence alone it can be   delight to  surround themselves with
snatched by some Napoleon or Coesar.  fawning satraps, and trembling slaves.
But every American must confess, and   The same proscription, in any other walk
lament while he confesses it, that for the   of employment, would bring upon the
last few years a gradual decay and de-  perpetrators of it the indignation and
gradation has come over the spirit of pol-  scorn of the whole  neighborhood to
itics. Our best men are not so common   which it might become known. How, the
as formerly in the councils of the nation,  other day when the president of an inand inferior men, inferior in mind, in cha-  surance company was removed, not for
racter, in patriotism, have taken their  his opinions, but, as it was supposed, for
places. Why?  Can you ask? Because  cause; how the bare suspicion that there
the infamous doctrine of political reward   was no cause aroused the indignant reand proscription has thrown politics into   buke of the whole mercantile commuthe shambles; has put office up at auc-  nity?  Yet, every day in politics, men
tion, to be won by a certain amount of  are made penniless for daring to express
money, and a certain degree of service; has  their sentiments as freemen, by the sucrendered our political contests no longer  cessful parties to which they may be opa controversy about the great principles  posed! Do we not remember, too, that
of government, but.a scramble for place;  Jefferson, during one of the most violent
and has sunk the consideration of the   political controversies that ever shook
right, the justice, the excellence of pro-  the nation, and when all the offices of the
posed measures, into a consideration of  government were filled by men who had
their bearing on party creeds and party   been appointed under influences that he
intrigues.  There is yet, thank Heaven,  deemed most hostile to the true policy of
sound principles and virtue enough in the  the republic,-influences, indeed, that he
great body of the community, to counter-  suspected of a strong monarchical tenact and nullify most of the mischiefs of  dency, and therefore bitterly opposed to




306                          Our New President.                     [September
him, and to the character which he   citizens conferred; but you go about soliwished to impress on all his measures,-   citing it. wringing for it, intriguing for it,
did not venture upon a single subordi-  lying for it, buying it; and your young
nate removal, until he had fully declared   President, who ought to have the ingenuthe motives of it, in an elaborate and ju-  ous feelings of youth, if not the stern indicious letter; saying how  painful the   tegrity of age, prolongs, and protracts, and
duty was, and that he should confine the   encourages the debasement.
number of displacements to the unworthy    There was no excuse for this in Mr.
and the dangerous. The rule of selection,  Pierce, for he knew better; as long ago
also, he announced to be, " Is he capable?   as 1842, when he was in the Senate of
is he honest?" while for the eight years of  the United States, seeing the iniquities of
his incumbency, full of tumult, exacerba-  proscription, he denounced it with the
tion, and trouble as they were, only  seeming indignation of an honest man.
thirty-nine persons were dislodged for  "There is no part of General Jackson's
all causes put together! It would be no   administration," he said, C' which I failed
startling thing, in these latter days, to see  so uniformly to approve (for he was a
as many thousand removed.                warm friend of Jackson) than his habit
But Mr. Pierce made no attempt to  of rewarding his friends and punishing
avert this flagitious practice.  On the   his enemies," adding, in.reply to Mr.
other hand, his approach to Washington   Clay, who defended the guilty participawas a signal for the gathering of all the  tion of the whigs in the same baseness,
crows and jackals of party, from  the   on the ground of state necessity:
waters of Passamaquoddy to the sands       "Sir, this demand of the nation-this
of the Pacific. The turkey-buzzards of  plea of'state necessity,' let me tell genthe South, the foxes of the North, even  tlemen, is as old as the history of wrong
the wolves of the wilderness, all flocked   and oppression. It has been the standing
towards the same centre, as if certain of  plea —the never-failing resort of despotism.
their prey. Like the followers of a camp,  " The great Julius found it convenient,
when the victory is declared, they hung   when he restored the dignity of the Roupon his front, and flank, and rear —unre-  man Senate, but destroyed its indepenbuked by his frown-unrestrained by his  dence. It gave countenance to, and justimonitions; nay, hounded on by his pro-  fled, all the atrocities of the Inquisition in
mises, and the piecemeal dispensation of  Spain. It gawe utterance to the stifled
the booty. More repulsive or disgraceful  groans from the black hole of Calcutta.
scenes were scarcely witnessed in the sa-  It was written in tears upon'the Bridge
turnalia of the Roman republic, when the   of Sighs' in Venice; and pointed to those
spoils of Antiochus were given to the con-  dark recesses, upon whose gloomy portals
quering army. Bar-rooms, streets, and  there was never seen a returning footstep.
public offices, were alike filled  with' It was the plea of the austere and ambrawlers; rich men, who wanted honors,  bitious Stratford, in the days of Charles
had their paid agents there faring sump-  the First. It filled the Bastile of France.
tuously every day; poor men, who want-  and lent its sanction to the terrible atroed riches, sent men of honorable titles as  cities perpetrated there. It was the plea
their solicitors; many, with the irnmod-  that snatched the mild, eloquent, and paesty of the keeper of a country booth,  triotic Camille Desmoulins from his young
extolling the merits of his performance,  and beautiful wife, and hurried him upon
shouted  their own excellence  at the   the hurdle to the guillotine, with thoustreet corners; and even women ogled,  sands of others, equally unoffending and
coaxed, and beseeched the dispensers of  innocent. It was upon this plea that the
favor for lovers, husbands, and friends.  greatest of generals, if not of men,-you
Our readers who have been in Italian   cannot mistake me,-I mean him, the precities, in Naples or Rome, where the tra-  sence oftwhose very ashes within the last
veller at every step is almost crushed by   few months was sufficient to stir the hearts
the begging lazzaroni; where a crew of  of a continent,-it was upon this plea that
dirty, whining, lazy, leprous louts stop his  he abjured that noble wife who threw
path, and deafen his ears, with cries and   around his humble days light and gladprayers for alms, have seen a pendant of  ness, and by her own lofty energies and
the picture exhibited at Washington, by   high  intellect, encouraged  his  aspiraAmerican citizens, under the approving  tions. It was upon this plea that he
eye of an American President. Our faces  committed  that worst and  most fagrow crimson as we write this truth of  tal act of his eventful life. Upon this,
the descendants of Washington, Jefferson,  too, he drew around his person the impeMacon, and Jay.  Oh! degenerate Ame-  rial purple. It has in all times, and in
ricans, your fathers scorned all place but  every age, been the foe of liberty, and the
such as the free voices of their fellow-  indispensable stay of usurpation.




1853.]                        Our New  President.                             307'Where were the chains of despotism   hold to be the truths of God, and absoever thrown around the freedom of speech  lutely essential to the welfare of' the huand of the press,. but on this plea of  man race.  The poor, oppressed nations'state necessity?' Let the spirits of  look  to  us and  our representatives
Charles the Tenth and of his ministers   with yearning hearts, and if we do not
answer.                                   yield them  our earnest sympathies, we
"It is cold, selfish, heartless; and has   are basely recreant to our high trusts,
always been regardless of age, sex, condi-  and unworthy of the name of freemen.
tion, services, or any of the incidents of  Yet in the face of these obvious considerlife that appeal to patriotism  or human-  ations, a large part of our new diplomaity.                                      tists are men, not designated by capacity,
"Wherever its authority has been ac-  acquirements, or sympathies for their poknowledged, it has assailed  men who   sitions; but mere serviceable politicians,
stood by their country when she needed   who must be complimented personally, and
strong arms and bold hearts; and has as-  who are connected with factions that resailed them when, maimed and disabled   quire to be appeased. Indeed, it has been
in her service, they could no longer bran-  asserted, without contradiction, by a redish a weapon in her defence.             sponsible press, that, in one case, the
"It has afflicted the feeble and depend-  place was bought; —but of whom, or by
ent wife for the imaginary faults of her  what intermediate, does not appear. In
husband.                                  another case, it has been also asserted by
"It has stricken down innocence in its  another responsible press, that, the charbeauty, youth in its freshness, manhood   acter of the nominee was so infamols,
in its vigor, and old age in its feebleness   as to render his appointment a disgrace
and decrepitude.  Whatever other plea  to the administration. At the same time,
of apology may be set up for the sweep-  when such nominations were made, there
i#lg, ruthless exercise of this civil guillo-  were before the President, as we have
tine at the present day-in the name of  been informed by good authority, the
liberty, let us be spared this fearful one   names of young men of the highest deof' state necessity'- in this early age of  sert, young men of old and honorable
the republic, upon the floor of the Ame-  families,-(who had served the republic
rican Senate, in the face of a people yet  without reward or thought of reward, in
free."                                    its darkest days,)-of conspicuous talents,
Slightly ambitious, but every word of  of unsullied reputation, of sincere and
it true; yet, if "state-necessity" cannot  earnest democratic opinions,-in  short,
justify political proscription, how  much   possessed of every qualification of manless, 0 President Pierce, can mere party-  ner and acquirement likely to redound to
necessity, or, rather, mere party-clamn-  their own and the country's credit. Yet
or?                                       these were overlooked. But, supposing
But, admitting for the nonce, the pro-  that their names had not been presented,
priety of the indiscriminate removal of  we hold that they ought to have been
subordinates, not one of whom is charged  looked up  and complimented.  We do
with incompetency or want of fidelity in   not contend that the favors of governhis trust, we have still objections to   ment should be conferred upon a partimake to the mode in which this patron-   cular class, and that persons of current
age has been bestowed. In the first  and traditionary respectability alone are
place, respecting  the foreign  appoint-  to be'selected for office; but we do inments, we allege that, with one or two   sist, precisely because we impugn this sysexceptions, they have not been of a pro-  tem of favoritism, that mere  superserper sort. It is as clear as any principle   viceable politicians are not to enjoy a
of government can be, that if we must  monopoly of political distinction. There
send abroad men to represent the nation,  are hundreds of young literary men in
they ought to be men of varied accom-  every part of the nation, —young men of
plishments, of high personal character, of  science, young artists, —skilled in landignified and urbane manners, and, above   guages, of accomplished address, of more
all, of thorough republican sympathies.  than ordinary powers of mind, of local
They should know at least the language   consideration and repute, but not preof the courts to which they are addressed,  eminently endowed with the gifts of forbe familiar with European politics, and   tune, to whom subordinate places, such
international relations, both of commerce   as  chargeships,  secretaryships, consuand diplomacy, and should stand ready at  lates, would be a benefaction; and the
all times to help on, so far as they can   duties of which they would discharge
consistently, among any people struggling   with fidelity and honor, while reaping
for emancipation and their just rights,  for themselves and their native!and the
those truths of political science which we   richest harvests of skill and culture. Why




308                          Our New President.                     [September
are these nearly always forgotten? Why   business is the defence and the furtheris Hawthorne, the biographer of President  ance of the broad interests of the whole
Pierce, the solitary example of an ap-  nation, according to just and comprehenpointment of this kind?   Why are ig-  sive principles, and in the most impartial
norant, coarse-minded, coarse-mannered   spirit. The moment he steps into office,
speech-makers, and who possess no re-  he is no longer the chief of a clique, the
commendation beyond the fact that they   head oligarch, the captain of banditti,
are boisterous and windy politicians, pre-  a joint worker with factions or parties;
ferred for office, to less assuming, but  but he becomes in some sort the Father
a thousand times more meritorious citi-  of the People, charged with a universal
zens?  Why should our good fame be  responsibility, and for ever removed from
aspersed in Naples, as it has been in  one-sided, or sinister. or sectional objects.
years past, by the licentious orgies of   We are not urging that he should have
a profligate, or in Berlin, as it has been,  no principles, or that these principles may
by the delirious outrages of a drunk-  not be the principles of some party; but
ard?  Is republicanism  in such excel-  simply that he should proclaim and exelent repute in Europe that it can bear  cute his principles, without descending to
these stabs? Or are we, as a nation, in-  the ignoble task of composing private and
vulnerable to reproach as well as destitute  factious squabbles, by shifts and comproof shame?                               mises, or a two-faced distribution of the
Again; in respect to the domestic ap-  offices in his gift.
pointments, we say that the policy of the  Worse than all this, however,-the efdistribution has been governed by an ab-  forts to which we refer are in reality nosurd, because an impossible scheme for heal-  thing less than an enterprise to control
ing the divisions of party by the salve of pa-  human convictions by motives addressed
tronage. A radical, inveterate, and long-  to a low cupidity and selfishness. " Supstanding opposition exists, as every body   port me," says the patron," suppress your
knows, between certain factions of the so-  individual predilections; forego the excalled democrats, especially in New-York.  pression of your honest sentiments, and
It is an opposition that has grown out of.  join heartily with men that you know to
fundamental differences of principle, and   be wrong, and suspect to be knaves, and I
a decided divergence of political conviction   will make you a secretary and your friend
and sympathy. Years of ardent contest  an ambassador."  What is that but solihave nursed it into a bitter animosity.  citing the client to become a prostitute?
Its hatreds partake of the virulence of the   What is it but asking him to sell his soul
odium theologicum.  It cannot be com-  for a place?  How does it differ from the
promised, nor bridged over, nor reconciled.  most mercenary transaction of the marTime can only widen the breach, and   ket-place?  The President does not say,
whatever temporary arrangements may   "because you are a man of merit, fitted
be made, the issue must show that they   for the place, and likely to confer honor
were no more than temporary.  Now, in  on yourself and the country by your dissuch a state of opinion, to undertake by   charge of its duties I request you to take
the bestowal of a few offices to the lead-  it;" but he says, "because you are a seers of the hostile camps, to remove the   cessionist, willing to sink your secessiongrounds of enmity, betrays a superficiality  ism; because you are a free-soiler, not
of judgment, a want of insight, an igno-  troubled with conscience; because you
rance of human nature, and a depravity   are a unionist, with no fear of the safety
of principle, that we are sorry to see in  of the Union, —ready to join in any scheme
any position of influence.  The attempt  for building up a harmonious party, —you
is one of those errors, which, as Talleyrand   shall sit upon my right hand and my left."
said, was worse than a crime,-a mistake,  And we are sorry to say that seceders,
or rather it is both a mistake and a crime,  unionists, and free-soilers, like the fanatic
-a mistake, because, from the nature of  follower of some Abou-ben-Abou, tear
things, it must prove a failure; and a crime,  their turbans, and place their mouths to
because it is an abandonment of the high   the dirt, and shout Allah, Allah. Allah,objects of government for the sphere of   Sun of the universe, thou art great! Thus,
low partisan tactics. It is not the busi-  douceurs are offered to dishonesty, a preness of the chief magistrate of a great  mium  is paid to hypocrites, the emolunation, to try to dance upon two cross  ments and honors of office bestowed on
wires; to come down from his lofty seat  sycophants and lickspittles.
to adjust the brawls of street-fighters, or  Our impressions of the want of intellecto contrive plans for the artistic manage-  tual ability and moral elevation. on the
ment of local jealousies and ambitions.  part of the new administration are conHe should leave all that to the quidnuncs  firmed by the incidents of the late tour
of the Pewter Mug, or the Shades. His  to New-York, to assist in the inaugura



1853.]                       Our New President.                            309
tion of the Crystal Palace. We do not  ciations, which were the great occasion of
arraign the taste of the President and his  the pilgrimage, scarcely a word was utcabinet in joining in that ceremony, as  tered by any mortal lip..The great and
some have done, who attach a peculiar  pressing themes of the moment, —the
dignity to office; but we complain, that  triumphs of industry, the uses of art, the
having accepted the part assigned them in  connection of science with the developthe programme, the chief magistrate and   ment of society, the influence of peace on
his suite showed themselves unequal to its  the physical wealth and the moral dignity
requirements. It was a special occasion,  of nations, the ties of friendship woven by
the first of its kind that had occurred in  commerce+, between the remotest regions
our history, and, in itself, amply suggestive   of the globe; the contrasts and changes
of the most important thoughts. Indus-  that have taken place in the aspects of
try,-its history, its progress, its bearing   the world since the warlike virulence of
upon all the interests of the world, were  nations has been converted into rivalries
the key-notes sounded by the event, but  of artistic skill, since the battle-field has
not one of which were responded to by the   given place to the workshop, the tenleading performers. From the outset of  dency of the whole towards a purer detheir jaunt to the close of it, they turned the   mocracy and a more universal Christianity;
aff ir, and allowed it to be turned, into a   in short, all the opulent and varied sugmeagre and common-place political glorifi-  gestions of an International Fair, fresh,
cation. The President was beslavered with  inviting, and important as they were, and
complimentary addresses, and in return   which every body expected to see treated
beslavered the people with the usual adu-  by the men of foremost position of their
lation and flattery. Disraeli, in one of his  country, and therefore presumed to be
novels, describes a  German archduke,  better qualified than other men to prowho always received his friends somewhat  claim the lesson and deduce the moral of
in this wise-" Sir, I feel great pleasure in  the day,-all were wholly ignored, and
having you presented. to me. Sir, you  the public served instead with the twice
ought to be proud of the name of an   and thrice concocted, the stale and stereoEnglishman. Sir, the English are a noble  typed common-places of political harangue.
nation. Sir, I have the highest respect  Now, rather than this, they should have
for the English nation."  When the next  said nothing; silence might have passed
person advanced, he said-" Chevalier, I  for wisdom; but, as it was, the unity and
feel great pleasure in having you present-  tone of the occasion were shockingly
ed to me. Chevalier, you ought to be  violated, —as much so as the performance
proud of the nameof Frenchman. Cheva-  of a grand oratorio would be by the inlier. the French are a grand nation. Chev-  troduction of Yankee Doodle on a jewsalier, I have the highest respect for the   harp, or an imposing ceremonial in a church
French nation!"  Thus, the subtlest di-  by a prelude of Ethiopian minstrelsy,
plomatist could never discover to which   or the  Countess de Teba's quadrilles.
of the nations the archduke inclined.  Nor does it make any difference. in our
And Mr. Pierce, in the same way, told  estimate of the calibre of the new administhe multitude at Baltimore, that the peo-  tration, whether we ascribe this singular
ple of Maryland were a great and noble  contretemps to its want of sagacity to
people; at Wilmington, that the people  catch the spirit of the occasion, or to an
of Delaware were a great and noble peo-  incompetency to appreciate its bearings;
pie; at Philadelphia, that the people of  for in either case the failure is significant
Pennsylvania were a great and noble peo-  in respect to other and more important
ple; and at New-York, that the people  occurrences that are likely to arise. Men
of New-York were a great and noble peo-  of genius or of real power never fail: they
ple,-the phrase in each case, perhaps,  are at home in small as well as great
slightly varied by local historical allu-  emergencies; and whether their business
sions that all the schoolboys knew, but  be to impart an interest and a grace to a
the burden ever the same. It was evi-  transient festival, or to conduct national
dent, that a more multitudinous set of  issues to a successful close, they acquit
great and noble fellows was never got  themselves with distinction, or at least
together on this footstool. Meantime, Mr.  leave an impression of their ability.
Cushing entertained  his auditors with    In arraigning the present government
his filibustering propensities; Mr. Davis  thus, showing how far it has fallen short
-talked of State Rights and the Pacific  of the capabilities of its position, and what
Railroad; and Mr. Guthrie returned his  demoralizing and dangerous aberrations it
shanks for the distinguished honor, &c.  has already countenanced, it is needless
But Mr. Marcy displayed his usual saga-  for us to disclaim  all partisan motives.
city by remaining quietly at home.       The tenor of our discussion will acquit us
As to the Crystal Palace and its asso-  of that imputation in all candid minds.




310                           Our New President.                    [September
It will be at once seen that our aims have  there were no such pledges, only the-hope
been much higher and more generous.  that events might turn out better than
We have had, and could have, no desire  the promise. Now, is this a reliance for
to bring the agents of power into disre-  a people that boasts of its enlightenment
pute; but we confess that we have wished,  and freedom?  Ought the control of their
by the signal example of their failure, to  political destinies to be made over to
illustrate the absurdity and hazard of   chance?  Must they continue to run the
that party machinery, by which  such   risk hereafter of elevating mediocre and
agents are designated.  Such is the con-  incompetent men to places of vital importtrol of the caucus and convention system   ance?  The chances of an hereditary monover all our politics, so embracing and   arch being a suitable governor, are greatstringent the discipline of'faction, that the   er than in the case of a chance nomination
election of the most important officers is  like that which made Mr. Pierce our Presiliterally taken out of the hands of the   dent. A material check might be given
people. A  few self-appointed and irre-  to the prevailing irresponsible system of
sponsible men, acting in the name of the   nominations, by amending the constitutwo great parties, now regulate the whole  tion so as to abolish the electoral colleges,
matter; or, we may say with more pro-  and restore the vote for President directly
priety, that a lottery regulates it, as no  to the people.  It would enable every
man, not even the managers of-the scheme,  man in the Union to cast his ballot for
can tell beforehand'to whom  the prizes  the person that public discussion and his
will fall. Had the choice of a President  own obvious qualities might point out as
been given directly to the people, before  the most deserving. But we fear that an
the meeting of the late Baltimore con-  amendment of the constitution is not now
ventions, it is not probable that Mr. Pierce  feasible; a conservative dread of innovawould have received five hundred votes  tions in other respects will, for a long time
out of the millions cast. A dozen men   prevent any reform of that instrument.
among the democrats, and quite as many   It is fortunate, therefore, that we are not
among the whigs, would have stood in  left to one mode of redress, and that there
advance of him: yet, through the hocus-  is another, less direct, but probably no
pocus of a convention, this comparatively  less effective. We mean, the stripping
unknown man, scarcely qualified for the   of the executive office of its enormous
governorship of his own small State, to   patronage!  Curtail the power of the
the surprise of himself, and of every body   office, and you so far diminish the danelse, is suddenly raised to the control of   gers of an improper election.  Let the
the foreign relations and the domestic pros-  appointment of the sixty  or seventy
perity of twenty-four millions of people.  thousand office-holders dependent on that
When he was once nominated. there was  mastodon of monopolies, the post-office
no alternative for those who were in the   be rendered to the people, or the monopoly
habit of voting with the democrats, but  be abolished; let the appointment of those
to throw away their votes, or give them to   numerous and active agents of political
the opposing candidate, whom they likely  intrigue, the custom-house subordinates,
considered equally unfit.  His nomina-  be also rendered to the districts in which
tion, therefore, was virtually his election.  they serve,-let the expenditures of the
It had the advantage, as an accidental  treasury be confined strictly to the legitiresult, of relieving him of all special obli-  mate objects of government, and not exgations to this faction or that, and some   tended to special schemes and private
of us cherished sanguine hopes from that  plunder,-and a most powerful means of
fact; but what perils it also involved!  corruption, an imminent and alarming
What did the people know of the man;  danger. will have been removed.  The
what evidence' had he given of capacity;  distribution of fifty millions of dollars a
how could they be sure that he would  year, and the allotment of a hundred
not misuse his trusts? In other cases, a   thousand offices, are the objects which have
long life of devoted, capable and efficient  filled our parties with violence, fraud, and
services, in conspicuous public stations,  corruption, and swelled the federal auwould have been a sufficient pledge of  thority into the monstrous proportions of
ability and character; but in this case,  a despotism.




1853.]                                                                     811
REMINIS-CENCES OF AN EX-JESUIT,
NUMBER TWO.
A II  happy men resting in your beds till  tiate or scholasticate.  The dinner and
the sun verges towards noon! Here  supper are the regular meals, and the
it is half-past six, I have been up two   whole community for them  assemble at
hours and more, and must wait yet a time   the sound of the bell, and before them
for breakfast. Mass over, the Admonitor  penances are performed, of which more
of the novices rises and leads the way   anon, and during them one of the commuback to our general room. There is now   nity, priest, scholastic or novice, reads a
half an hour of what is called "Free-  portion of the scriptures or of some pious
time: " but, reader dear, do not commit  book, and could we listen more and yield
the error of a novice whom  I knew, who  less to sensuality, while at table, doubtless,
took it to mean time in which you may   as our instructions tell us, we "might
do what you list. Far from it. The free-  profit greatly."  There is more of this at
dom-is like the freedom of conscience in   breakfast, for breakfast is an innovation
New-England erst; where freedom in mat-  on the old customs of the order, and noviters of religion was granted to all who   ces only have a fixed time: the priests
agreed with the platform of the General  come when they  please, before eight
Court. Freetime in the novitiate may be   o'clock.
employed in reading some pious permitted   After breakfast the day properly bework, or in the second year in study. The   gins: Amid oases of freetime come halfpriest may say his office then. the sly one   hours for reading "Rodriguez," a treatise
may scribble as I do now. The novice to  on  Christian  and  religious perfection,
whom I allude entered a novitiate in a   abounding in anecdotes of the most apcountry of great liberty. where the novi-  propriate and often of the most amusing
tiate had just commenced; the master of   character.  It is in fact a general comnovices was confined to his room by ill-  mentary on the exiles and life of the Sociness, and our novice novice had nothing   ety of Jesus, and was originally delivered
but a book of regulations to guide him,  in the form of conferences, of which we
for his fellow-novices were as novice as he.  shall soon speak. It is a standard Catholic
He was, or thought he was, a musician:  work, and undoubtedly the one best adaptheaven knows how; a violin was in the   ed to give a stranger an insight into the
room, and in freetime our friend, to make   modes of life and thought of the society
it both free and easy, seized the cremona.  which produced it.  Our novice-master
IIe drew the bow: certes, it was not sa-  called it our " daily bread:" we read it
cred music; waltzes andjigs soon resound-  an hour a day and sometimes more, and
ed through the astonished house, and at  this for two years, so that after all his
last the Rector came running up to ascer-  term was not unappropriate.
tain the lunacy, for he looked upon his    In the morning too all are sent for half
duty as the mere execution of a supposed   an hour to perform some manual labor,
writ "de lunatico inquirendo."  No man   help the cook, the pantler, the gardener
in his senses would have thought of doing   or any other'chef de departement' in the
the like! But our friend was no lunatic;  house, who on these occasions has comas he saw the Rector he fiddled away with  plete power over his temporary inferior
new energy, as if to deserve an encore, and   and sometimes makes him feel it. Novices
when at last made aware that it was con-  at this time should observe strict silence,
trary to all ideas of propriety, he pointed   but as it is a period of real fun, the rule
with a face indicative of perplexity and  is not kept much better than certain laws
doubt to the fatal words  "Freetime," as  are now or the Maine liquor law would
if to demand an explanation from the re-  have been, had it passed the last legislatreating Rector. But, reader dear, such  ture.
things never occurred in our staid novi-    As far back as the time of the founder
tiate.                                  it seems that novices sent to the kitchen
At seven o'clock we descend to the re-  availed themselves of the time to talk and
fectory: the admonitor says grace as we  chat, and one preacher of much distinction
stand ranged in front of the table, and we   in his day was thus acquired. His name
then slide into our places. The meal is  was Edmund Auger. At the age of about
simple, bread ad libitum, a bowl of coffee,  fourteen he left his native village in France
or in some countries wine or beer,-not  to seek a relative in Rome, by whose aid
beer in Italy, my friend, but in Belgium,-  he hoped to push his fortunes in the city
constitute the fare of the breakfast table  of the Pontiffs. As fortune would have
of a Jesuit house, whether college, novi-  it our young man on reaching his destina



312                    Reminiscencs of an Ex-Jesuit.                [September
tion, found that death had deprived him   novice is generally obedient beyond exof his proposed patron, and in want of   pression, —so much so that the scholastic
money, friends and all, he very wisely de-  definition of a novice "Animal risibile,
termined to take up with any thing, and   vitreum frangens, oleum fundens," chronapplying to the Jesuits, was received into  icles the over-strict obedience of one who
their house and temporarily placed in the   was drawing oil when the bell rang for
kitchen. His education had not been ne-  the end of manual labor and left the oil
glected: his poetical talents were great,  running, as turning the spigot would have
his fun and humor unexhaustible, and he   been working past time! Novices deny
soon became a general favorite, especially  the fact, but as it is in Latin it must be
with the young novices who came to share  true.
his labors.  These he amused by his        The next exercise is the conference, a
stories in prose and verse, his epigrams,  sort of homily given by the novice-mascompliments and the like. At last Father  ter on one or more of the rules of the
Ignatius heard of the wit, and sending   order. These are enlivened by anecdotes
for him, bade him write some verses on   and illustrations, and as may be imagined,
himself. Seizing pen and paper, he soon   are sometimes entertaining, sometimes
dashed off a sonnet in which praise was   prosy, sometimes the source of warm disliberally bestowed on the even then great  pute and discussion. Instead of the conLoyola. The founder of the Jesuits read  ference, occasionally takes place what in
it with a smile: there was talent there,  the language of the Jesuits is called the
but assuming a serious air, he asked "Do   exercise of modesty, which is, however,
you believe all this deserved? " " If you   nothing more or less than the chapter of
are not what I represent you to be," said  the old monastic orders, and which in althe wit, "your conscience will tell you   most the identical form I have met in the
that you ought to be."  The answer de-  societies with Greek names or Greek letcided his fate, a place in the novitiate was  ters in our ofn American colleges. TheP
offered him: he accepted it and when ad-  little community are ranged around in a
vanced to orders returned  to France.  circle; in the centre kneels one as a kind
During the wars of the time, he was often   of scape-goat, and the novice-master asks
in danfger, and once actually had the hal-  each in turn what fault against the rules
ter around his neck, when an enthusiastic  he has observed in the culprit.  The anofficer obtained his reprieve in hopes of   swers are often amusing, for he is sure to
winning him over to the Reformed party.  be accused of just opposite faults by differAuger, however, found means to escape,  ent individuals; one finds him too gay,
and was in Lyons when the Huguenot  another too melancholy, one not sufficientarmy sat down before it. Suddenly one  ly pious in his outward behaviour, annight it was discovered that the Hugue-  other affecting a kind of nunlike piety.
nots within had concerted to open the   Of course there is often sly humor, and
gates of the city at midnight to the force   even malice in these charges, and the pawithout, which was already divided and   tience of the patient is sometimes sorely
stationed at the several gates; the Catholic  tried. A father and his son were once
force within was too small to meet the   both novices at the same time, and the
emergency: a general terror reigned, and   son the senior novice of the two. The
a messenger was sent at last to Father  father was on the floor; when the quesAuger to ask his advice, it being deemed  tion was put to the son, he accused his
that a man whose head was so near the   fellow-novice of making some mistakes in
halter would devise some means, —nor   saying his ordinary prayers: this was too
were they mistaken.  His plan shows   much for the old gentleman: " You scamp
the humor of his character. He sent for  you," he exclaimed starting up, " who
all the sextons in town and by their help  taught you your prayers, pray!"
set every clock in Lyons fast or slow;     It is amusing to see an irascible young
midnight struck at all possible moments   man working to command himself on such
from ten till two, and the besiegers and   occasions, amid a volley of most prepostheir friends within were so perfectly dis-  terous charges, and it is wonderful to see
concerted that no two parties met in time   the self-command which results from it.
at the same gate, and the city was saved.  The idea seems borrowed from  the old
But this is enough of a digression on   Greek philosopher, who sent his disciple
Father Auger.                            to get, or even hire men to abuse him, in
This time of manual labor is the tradi-  order to acquire that self-control, that
tionary time for the various trials of novice  stoic indifference, which was deemed the
obedience by queer, or absurd, or contra-   height of wisdom. The disciple, as the
dictory orders, such as that of planting   story goes, at last entered the hall of anccabbages with the head down and the like,  ther philosopher who always greeted the
but such I never saw; on the contrary the   new comer with a volley of abuse. This




1853.]                  Reminiscences of an Ex-Jesuit.                     313
perfectly delighted the searcher for truth.  themselves true.  The hearty laugh at
" Jupiter! " he cried in huge glee, " I have  the mishap of some offender in a story is
been paying men to abuse me, and here is  often a better incentive to the young in
one who can outdo a fishwoman and does  the path of innocence than a homily on
it for nothing."  Yet after all to be criti-  the virtue or a declamation against the
cised by one is but one stab, but to have   opposite vice.
twenty or thirty at the game is a test for  These parables are often distinguished
a man's power of self-command which   by great poetic beauties, and some are to
must be tried to be realized.            be found in almost every European lanWhen the conference is over the novices  guage, well or is: told. They are never, perdivide into groups and go over the matter  haps, to be met in a better form than when
treated of, asking explanations if needed,  given by a young ecclesiastic in his Inand then retire to their places to note  struction of the village children on a Sundown the heads of the conference in books  day afternoon, in some valley or secluded
kept for the purpose.                    spot in central Europe.
The next morning exercise is the Cate-   We have now nearly got through the
chism, which is not however usually an   morning exercises of the novitiate: at
every day exercise. The manner of giv-  noon a bell rings for the examination of
ing catechetical instructions on the Conti-  conscience, to which a quarter of an hour
nent is peculiar. and is often a more diffi-  is devoted at this time and also before recult matter than preaching.  It affords  tiring in the evening. Besides the general
scope for more varied talents, and must be   examination of faults into which each one
well performed to produce the desired ef-  has fallen during the morning, faults
fct. Among the Jesuits who were cate-  against the minute and precise regulations
chists almost before the organization of   of the novitiate or the rules of the order
their order this is much attended to. and   which have a bearing on every movement
in the novitiate there is found a sort of   and every moment, there is what is called
rehearsal or essay in the art. A novice is  a particular examen. Franklin, who pronamed a day beforehand to prepare him-  bably had never read any Catholic ascetiself. At the appointed time the novices  cal writer, describes this quite agreeably
assemble, the catechist begins. Prefacing  in his own biography: though perhaps
all by the usual prayers he rises and pro-  after all he may have got his first idea in
ceeds to examine them  on the letter of  the Catholic family with whom he boardthe portion of the catechism assigned him:  ed in London. Be that as it may, we will
the novices affect ignorance, stupidity or  proceed to tell you what the particular
indifference; he must patiently set them   examen is. Each one examining himself
right and repeat for them  to  repeat.  finds that he is subject to some predomiWhen all are apparently sufficiently drill-  nant fault, and sadly in want of the oped, a hymn is usually sung in the churches,  posite good quality. He makes this the
but not in the novitiate: these being uni-  subject of his particular examen: on risformly omitted in rehearsal. In real prac-  ing in the morning he proposes seriously
tice, however, they intervene between all  to himself to diminish the number of
the portions of the " Catechism," as the  times he may commit the fault and inwhole is termed. The catechist then pro-  crease the number of acts of the opposite
ceeds to give a short, clear, distinct ex-  virtue. At noon he examines and notes
planation of the matter of the day suited   how often he has fallen: in the evening
to the capacity of the supposed children:  he does the same and compares progress,
pausing from time to time to put a ques-  during the day, and also his progress since
tion in order to satisfy himself that he is  the day before. This serious attention to
followed and understood. When he has  a particular point always results in deconcluded he goes over the whole ground   stroying or forming a habit, if carefully
in questions, and invites them to put ques-  followed. Franklin, if I remember, says
tions as to any point on which they  that to acquire the habit of order cost him
need explanation.  After this he gives  most trouble of all, but that by perseversome little exhortation as to some Chris-  ing self-examination he succeeded. Rodtian duty and concludes with the example,  riguez advises that when a person finds't story having a direct bearing on the   he does not gain but loses ground, he
matter of the day. Here the story-teller's  should fix a penalty and inflict it on himpowers are tested. Stories are found in  self, and undoubtedly this would be a very
all abundance in old annals, chronicles,  efficient aid to the memory.  He or somelegends and in modern collections. Some   body else tells of one who pinched himself
are true, some doubtful, some written as  for each fault, but I am afraid that most
true, others —though this is not generally   would, as I should. pinch too lightly to be
known-as allegories inculcating  some   of much service.
truth, but with no pretensions to be       We have mentioned the Admonitor of
VOL. II.-21




314                     Reminiscences of an Ex-Jesuit.                [September
the Novices. He is one of the number   vice is said to have continued'orbem terchosen as a sort of leader in the exercises  rarum  fregerim!' to  mean  "broke an
of the community.  His post is not over   earthen plate."  Many a one puts in his
enviable; for instance, on certain days   C tardius surrexerim" or "silentia defueduring the noon examen he has to go   rim."  Such  accusations are sometimes
around to each novice, and ask him what  ordered.  One queer youth was caught
faults he has observed in his conduct, and   by the minister as he entered the refecadmonish the novice of any that he has  tory, and ordered to accuse himself of
remarked.  Alas! how poor self-love does   breaking his Prie-Dieu or praying-desk.
suffer! It is absolutely uorn to rags be-  It was too late to consult a dictionary, too
fore he gets through.  Well, the bell rings  late to remonstrate, plead innocence or the
at last, and the novices rise and prepare to  like, though this last is considered' infra
descend to the refectory, after saying the   dig' in one who professes a life of mortifiAngelus which is then rung.               cation. Well, our friend kneels down:
The refectory is usually a fine room;  when others had got through their accuour novitiate had been an old convent,  sations, he began, and got bravely on to
and I have seldom  seen a finer hall: the   the "nempe quod," quod, quod, quod, he
reading desk was one of those beautiful  repeated, turning over in his mind how he
specimens of elaborate carving which have   was to ciceronianize the term Prie-Dieu;
escaped so many revolutions, the windows   at last he gave it up, and looking up to
were of stained glass, the ceiling high and   the minister he exclaimed: " Father! how
groined with curious art; we were but a   do you say Prie-Dieu in Latin?"   A
handful to occupy it, and seemed lost in  shout of laughter such as was seldom
its magnitude.  The community stands   heard  there, echoed through the hall.
ranged in silence in front of the tables;   "Say aliquid."  When these penances,
the reader stands by the desk, in front of  if any, are ended, the reader begins by
which on some days, especially Fridays, a   reading a chapter or a portion of one from
little table is set. A few on such days are  the Scriptures, followed by a portion of
seen kneeling in the middle, with out-  the chronicles of the order in Latin, and
spread arms, an ancient attitude of prayer,  then by some work in the vernacular.
still occasionally to be seen  in village   When the dinner is almost over, the Recchurches on the continent.  Here it is a   tor calls for the Martyrology, read here,
penitential act, done at the choice of the   but chanted in older orders.  Each day
party for some slight fault: the grace be-  in this work has a list of saints honored
fore meat is said in Latin, and the com-  on it, and the places of their deaths; it
munity take their seats. Others are now   concludes with the strange sounding forseen on the days we have mentioned to go   mula-" Et alibi aliorum plurimorum sancand kiss the Superior's feet, or kneel at the   torum  martyrum  et confessorum  atque
little table to dine thus uncomfortably,  sanctarum  virginum. All then answer
while others accuse themselves either gen-   " Deo Gratias," take their station in front
erally of all their faults, or directly of some   of the tables, and grace is said. Occaparticular fault against the rules. This ac-  sionally the martyrology is read first, and
cusation is made in Latin except by the lay   the Rector says, " Deo Gratias," and all
brothers. and the Latin of novices for cer-  have liberty to converse during the meal.
tainarticles in common use is very frequent-  I shall not describe the dinner, it is good
ly what in other days was deemed a frac-  and. plain.  After dinner all proceed to
ture of Priscian's head. It begins, " Rev-  the chapel for a visit, and then to the
erendi patres et fratres carissimi, accuso me   place of recreation.  How goes the afterde mne& osl, nempe quod"' &c. One no-  noon you will know anon.




1853.]                                                                   315
THE MEDICAL PROFESSION.
"Vita brevis, ars longa, momentum urgens, experientia fallax, judicium difficilM."
HIPPOCRATIB APHOBRSMI.
SOME time ago, a writer in Putnam's  pose to prove by most conclusive logic.
Monthly chose " Doctors" for his theme.  Prepare yourself for conviction! Leave
He portrayed. not so much a body of  unlocked the gateways of your intellect,
men, as individuals of a class; describing   while we march in to take possession;
faithfully  the peculiarities incident to  armed cap-a-pie with argument. Reasonsingle members, but touching not those  ing by induction, by analogy, by synthegeneric distinctions, which separate the  sis, by exclusion-by reference to experdoctor par excellence, the " regular" phy-  imentation, and the rules necessary to
sician, from  the bevy of empirical men  success therein-by entreaty, and appeal,
of healing, who compass him about on   and ridicule —by denunciation, and arguevery side.                             mentumn ad hominem-all is fair in this
Now be it known, that we, of this pre-  war; so "up guards and at them! "
sent writing, are a "regular " physician  We have made some stout assertions.
of the straitest sect; and that in our func-  In their support we start with this proption as editor of a medical monthly, we  osition. ~ Any exclusive system of mediare noted for orthodoxy immaculate;  cine is necessarily erroneous.
yielding not an inch to the pretensions of  And here we can imagine a mighty conthe hosts of quackery. We do not often  course of sisters (male and female, in petfind occasion to denounce empiricism in  ticoats and trowsers both. but still all
the pages of the before-mentioned periodi-  generically sisters,) uplifting their myriad
cals. Our readers are themselves ortho-  hands in uni-voiced dissent.  They addox; and we do not choose to waste our  duce cases without number to the contralogic, without a prospect of its reaching  ry. Oh yes, good friends! certainly! we
the heart of some transgressor. When   admit all your statements. We have not
however the  occasion arises, we are  the least doubt, that the pious and Rev"enough for it." tIomceopaths, Hydro-  erend Mr. Silvertongue did, by process
paths, Eclectics, Thomsonians. Chrono-  of parboiling, recover from his bronchitis.
thermalists, Eidopaths, and the smaller  He washed not seven times only, but
fry of cancer doctors, and nostrum ven-  seventy times seven, in the Jordan of hyders, are alike anathema  maranatha.  dropathy; and was healed. (Query. Is
So strictly conservative are we, that we  the fact that the prophet Elisha was the
hold all these various forms of medical  first to prescribe hydropathy-vide case
art to be arrant quackery; and we will  of Naaman the leper-the reason why our
not even in the remotest and most indi-  clerical friends take so like ducks to the
rect manner, hold fellowship with any of   water? or do they live such unsexed and
them.                                   effeminate lives, that their systems feel
Our object in thus "defining our posi-  peculiarly the need of this kindly tonic?)
tion," is to draw upon ourselves the ne-  And you too, Mrs. Newlight; undoubtedcessity of defending it; and to open the  ly your charming infant did survive the
eyes of our readers to our true relations,  measles under homoeopathy. We admit
and to the good and sufficient reasons we  your assertions. Dont, madam, bring up
have for claiming an infinite superiority  that lusty, hair-pulling baby in testimoover all the heresies just enumerated.  ny! We see it is alive and breathing, and
All these are quackery-you, my dear  acknowledge the whole force of the argusir, who are acquiring new  health and   ment.
vigor from the wet sheet baptism of the   But we ask most solemnly, what of it?
hydropath, are doing so in an unconsti-  In'days of old, when medicine had no extutional manner; and the very influence  istence save as a mysterious element in
your cure may have upon others. is a se-  the sacerdotal function; when men lived
ductive inducement to wrong-doing. You   or died as God willed, without the luxury
too, my transcendental sister, placing   of a doctor, or the agony of his bill; peoupon the ruby tip of your tongue that  ple';ved about as long as they do nowinfinitesimal pellet, and solemnly attribut-  children. had measles, and were tucked
ing the sensations of many succeeding   away in a corner, to recover by the unhours to the nonentity you have swallow-  aided powers of nature. Strong men lay
ed, are a sinner for that very act! Think   down with fevers; and lived, or died, acnot to shield yourself behind the cloak of   cording as their time had come or not.
your medical adviser! The thing is either  Medication is not the most essential eleright or wrong. That it is wrong, we pro-  ment of cure.




316                         The  Medical Profession.                  [September
Disease is self-limited.  Its tendency,  tends to more than it can accomplish.
in nineteen out of twenty cases, is toward   Now without descending to details, withrecovery; and that, uninfluenced as to   out illustrating by this or that disease,
the ultimate result of death or recovery   and without resort to professional techni(more or less complete), by any medical  calities, we propose to show the impossiinterference; unless, indeed, the latter   bility of any exclusive system  in medishould be murderously severe.             cine. A "system" supposes that all the
A judicious physician will rarely say   laws of disease have been investigated and
that he has cured a patient.  The patient  ascertained; that some great principles
regained his health truly, but that medi-  have been evolved, which are alike applical observer who has a true insight into   cable to all phenomena; that we have unthe laws of disease, knows that in all  erring powers of diagnosis, and can locate
probability he would have recovered un-  with certainty a disease, and predicate
aided. Medical philosophers have a just  positively its character and tendencies;
horror of the post hoc ergo propter hoc   that we have certain remedies, whose
reasoning. The laws of evidence should   qualities are well known, and whose efapply as strictly to a medical observation,  fects can be unfailingly anticipated; and,
as to a trial for a capital crime. Nothing   finally, that we are fully aware of all the
should be assumed. The true physician  influences, climatic, dietetic, pertaining to
guesses at nothing.  He analyses all facts  regimen, mental, constitutional, and mebefore him. By reading and lohg prac-  dicinal, which are acting upon our patient.
tice he learns to attribute to symptoms   Now not one of all these necessary pretheir true value. We say he guesses at  cursors of certainty and system is, in the
nothing. If, therefore, any impenetrable  full sense of the word, attainable.  Disveil is thrown over a case, rendering it too   ease is changeable-it has, to use a trite
obscure for his acumen, he "I waits for de-  allusion, a Protean shape.  It is subject
velopments."  He never acts upon an un-  to unknown influences, geological, topocertainty, never administers a drug, with-   graphical, and epidemic, which we cannot
out a distinct idea of the effect to be pro-   estimate.
duced, and its bearing upon the disease.     All this is in accordance with the maniIf he cannot do this, he should do noth-  festations of God's will to man.  For His
ing, or resort to the common resource of   own all wise purposes, He has implanted
" calling counsel."                       within us the seeds of decay, which must.
Now, my dear Mrs. Newlight, it does   and will germinate.  So it is that medinot follow, because your interesting child   cine is ever reaching for that beyond its
took sugar pills antecedent to a recov-  grasp;  ever stretching its eager hand
ery from the measles, that the pills had   toward the impossible; surmounting one
any thing to do with its cure. Most  difficulty to encounter another; but yet.
intelligent physicians prescribe nothing   not walking in a circle; neither defeated
for this disease, save the recumbent pos-  nor discouraged; ever progressing, and
ture, and light diet. And so of the great-  acquiring new control over human sufferer number of the offspring of Pandora's  ing, but ever as it seems to attain its long
box. They are themselves curative, and   sou'ght certainty, like the fruit which
need only the watchful eye, and the gen-  Tantalus beheld, it evades our grasp.
tle hand of the physician, without his   Therefore it is that medicine can have no
drugs.                                    system, for system implies certainty.
Why then employ the doctor?  Why          What then shall it do?  Shall it sit
draw down upon yourselves the phleboto-  with folded hands and see the tide of humv of his bill?  Because you are un-,, man suffering roll by-upturned, implorskilled, you cannot estimate the import-  ing faces of strong men, and mothers and
ance of a symptom. The case that is tri-  gentle babes shrieking for help, unanvial to-day, may be moribund to-morrow.  swered-calling for Lethe, but in vain?
Call your physician then, not as an apoth-  Not so! For if we have not a system.
ecary anxious to sell his drugs, but as an   we have at least a museum of facts, vast
observer. careful to note, and quick to ap-  and venerable with time, in which the
preciate;  forewarned   and  forearmed,
" Clustering ages blend their common toil"
and ready to meet the first indication of
danger with cautious skill, or Napoleonic  and to which unwearied modern effort is
energy, as the case demands.              constantly adding. We have the knowBut we are blowing our trumpet in self-  ledge of anatomy; we have an imperfect,
glorification, unmindful of the Jerichoan   but still valuable physiology: teach the
walls to be demolished. Place, then, gaunt  student these; tell him all we know about
quackery in the pillory, and send home   disease; teach him to distinguish one from
your missiles of argument!               another; spread before him our vast mayWhat is quackery?  That which pro-  teria medica; tell him its qualities, and




1853.]                     The Medical Professio.                          31'
its varied control over different morbid   an ancient and well-approved curative.
actions; and then send him into the world   We have before us a certain black-letter
of sickness, to wield these weapons cau-  tome, in which one Nicholas Cyrillus, who
tiously.                                flourished in Naples at the close of the
And here is the great point of distino-  seventeenth  century, treats learnedly
tion between the regular profession and   De Usu Frigidae, et Frigidorum  in
the systemists. The latter are men of   Febribus;" and in best apothecaries' Latone idea. Let us instance. Homceopathy   in, discourses " apud liberaliorem usuri
says, that like cures like; that the less   de aquam" in fevers. Water is one of
the cause, the greater the effect. Hydro-  our most cherished weapons, stolen from
pathy points to the clear running brook,  our armory by the peasant Preissnitz.
and the health-giving fountain, as the on-  But Preissnitz, like a child with a new
ly remedy for disease.  The Thomsonian  toy, applied it to all manner of illogical
and the Eclectic show us the vast array   and contradictory uses.  It is a good
of the vegetable materia medica, and says,  thing, but shall we therefore put our"These alone are our weapons."  The   selves to soak like so much dirty linen?
chronothermalist insists upon periodicity  To the Thomsonian and eclectic —ar
as the great first principle of all diseases;  nobile fratrum, the same with a differand the nostrum vender offers his panacea  ence. It argues thus: You have some
with the reckless assurance that it is al-  good notions, my friends, and you mean
ways safe.                               that the world  shall appreciate their
Wherein do we differ from these sects?   merits; but what have you that we
Legitimate medicine refuses to take the   have not?   Did you, oh wisest of all
position of a sect, and will recognize no   Onondaga farmers, invent the vapor bath.
system, until the necessary knowledge   Was lobelia an unknown weed, until you
for its formation is attained.  The time   upset your stomach with it?  You are
has not come-in all probability, it never  certainly (but purely accidentally) the
will come, when we can have general  nearest right of all exclusive schools, but
principles in medicine. For a principle   why confine yourself to one arm of the
must have no exceptions, and so long as  service?  It is very well to have differan exception exists, the principle is erro-  ent forces, but in a well-conducted war,
neous and unsafe.  Common consent has   we need horse, foot, and dragoons. Stick
given to a rule the privilege of occasional  valiantly then to steam and lobelia; but
error, if it is only generally right; though   cast not aside, as useless, those other and
wherein lies the philosophy of the motto   gentler means, provided to our use.
exceptio probat regulum, we could never    Jam satis.  Here is our ground. Lediscover.  To each of these misnamed   gitimate medicine demands the whole
systems we return  such  answers as  domain of Nature, in which to seek its
these:  We say to the homceopath, that  remedies. The myriad forms of vegetaif like cures like, so also do contrary  tion, the peculiar products of the animal
causes produce cures. The coincidence on   kingdom, all the potent revelations which
either side is equal. To be a principle in  chemistry has tortured from  the thickmedicine, your degree should know, no   ribbed earth and its minerals; air, fire,
exception, for the first one may cost a   and water; diet, regimen, ventilation,
life, or, in the sequence of chances, a   mental stimulants, and mental antesthehundred lives in succession. Hence the  tics.-all are its remedies. We will allow
danger and absurdity of devotion to a   no theory to forbid their use, and when
theory.... The infinitesimal notion is  the private judgment of the individual
one to which reasoning cannot apply.  practitioner dictates the exhibition of any
The strongest argument against it, is this-    one of them, no system should prevent it.
it is contradictory of an axiom; of the   The private judgment of the individual
self-evident truth, that an effect will be  is the only safe criterion, and he should
great, in proportion to the greatness of   be answerable only to his own sense of
its cause. This is what is called a first  right and wrong. This is the soul of our
truth, an innate, or transcendental idea;  code of ethics.  All that our associations
which has the force of higher law, and   and authoritative conventions demand, is,
overrules all seeming contradictions.    that each should concede to others this
Against the pluvious doctrines of the  liberty of opinion.  Such is the republic
hydropath, legitimacy indues itself in  of medicine-truest of all republics, holdindia-rubber garments; and thus fortified,  ing perfect individual freedom consistent
it assures him of the distinguished consid-  with the safety of all.
eration in which it holds water as a beve-  Permit us, patient reader, if not alrage. and a remedy. Both uses are valu-  ready wearied with "much physic," to
able; but shall we, because water is a   tell you, ex cathedra, what you should
curatve, reject all other remedies?  It is  expect from your medical adviser. A per



318                   The Doom of Would-Be Poets.                 [September
fect physician-one competent to all emer-  a charity. In nearly all of our dispengencies-is an impossibility. Hence the  saries, and in very many hospitals, the
frequent necessity for consultations. The  larger amount of medical service is perlabor of centuries (were so long a term   formed gratuitously; and it is from indiconceded to o e human life) would be in-  vidual labor alone that the physician can
sufficient to fill the memory with all the   acquire wealth. He can delegate no porfacts having a direct or indirect bearing  tion of his functions to clerks or assistupon our art, and necessary to its highest  ants. This is ever to us a painful subattainment. But this does not imply that  ject for reflection; and from our inmost
you have not a very good physician next  heart goes up the groaning supplication.
door. He, who, having many facts, has  Eheu! Quandiu Domine!
also a judgment capable of applying them,    It is (and we thank God for the knowis the safest man to employ.  Choose,  ledge of a truth which gives us faith in
therefore, one sensible and honest, whose  human nature)-it is our privilege to know
discretion you would trust in ordinary   many men-physicians in the deep obmatters; not given to bestriding hobbies,  scurity of country villages, or in the deeper
moderate in opinion, quick in perception,  solitude of cities-men great in mind and
and calm in danger. Let this man be  in attainment, pure in life and charitable
habitually studious, and you will not go  in heart, contented with the oblivion
amiss.  Such a man will deal honestly   which surrounds them, in the consciouswith you, will inform you of probabilities  ness of fulfilled duty, hiding under a napas they appear, and dangers as they arise;  kin those talents which might shine gloriand when his skill has eased your suffer-  ously among men, yet destined to hear,
mgs, has given sleep to your pillow, or  "Well done, good and faithful servant! "
composure to your mind; when it has  from the Lord of the vineyard. We know
(as it not unfrequently may) rescued   men of talents, which in trade would
you from death itself, or from the wretch-  make them  merchant princes; in law
ed sequences of imperfect cure, then pay   would bring them honor and distinction;
him liberally. As you value your life, shun   or who in literature would rank as stars;
a cheap physician. The old proverb ap-  toiling night and day without sleep, or
plies-" Cheap and nasty," and is as true  that Sabbath rest which we deny not to
of doctors as of drygoods.             the beast of burthen, for a pittance of
We take it for granted that we are ad-  support, unworthy of a steamboat-rundressing generous souls. To secure the  ner's talents
presence of talent in a profession, its ser-    Toil on, oh faithful hearts, by fevervices should have a high cash value. But  beds, and rank contagion in the hovels of
no other profession performs so much un-  the poor!  Better than gold the conrewarded labor; no craft displays so wide  sciousness. of doing good!
THE DOOM OF WOULD-BE POETS.
ROBERT of Glo'ster, in an old romance.
Makes mention of a rich but captious king,
Whose daughter grew so fair of countenance,
That many gallant knights came worshipping.
All men desired her-both the fool and wiseWarmed in the splendor of her lustrous eyes.
But the rich captious king withheld, the while,
His child for him whose wit should make him smile;
But all who tried, and failed to make him merry,
Beheaded were in manner sanguinary.
So runs the poet's doom-if he succeed,
To a pure fame we marry him for ever;
But if we take no unction of his reed,
We cut his head off for his vain endeavor.




1853.]                                                                     319
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.
THE 28th of July was the day appointed   ments individually so diverse. This asfor the meeting of the American Asso-  sociation is the U. S. Congress of Science,
ciation for the Advancement of Science.  but one without parties or patronage, and
During the week after that date, Cleve-  in which all departments of genuine know]and, the Forest City of the West, teemed  ledge and philosophy find recognition and
with an unwonted convocation. Steam-  representation. In this convocation many
boats and railroad trains poured forth in  of our noblest minds display their stores
her shaded streets groups of enthusiastic  of lugged wealth, and genius here exhibits
savans, bearing hither, as to a shrine, the  the pearls it has drawn from the depths
fruits of their two years' thought and labor.  of truth's great ocean. Calmly and soIn answer to a formal summons from the   berly, with a style, perhaps void of eloappointed hierarchs, the sunny South, the   quence and grace, yet earnest, direct and
cold, contemplative North, the commercial  truthful, does the inquisitor of nature tell
East and the wilderness West, sent forth  of the confessions he has extorted from
their'" representative men," their observ-  the animate and inanimate realms of the
ers, their experimentalists and their phi-  created.  Feebler minds at times will exlosophers, to give and to gather the unseen   pound crudities and venture rash flights,
wealth of thought.  Happy is the day   but some voice of sage philosophy or cool
when our geologists and naturalists, our  experience is ever at hand to correct mischemists and engineers, our astronomers  conceptions or cripple a too lawless wing.
and mathematicians, our geographers and   A generous and delightful spirit of amity
ethnologists, our physiologists and bota-  has hitherto prevailed, almost without
nists, give to each other the right hand of  interruption, in these meetings, and great
fellowship, and come to know each other  would be the pity and the shame, if a less
as coworkers in one great labor. It is a   tolerant and courteous feeling should ever
sight to gladden one's heart, when the   enter an assemblage devoted to objects
modest and shrinking man of thought or  so noble and elevating. He is more of an
genius, through the long years a lone la-  egotist than a true student of nature who
borer in his better than Californian or  can engage in fierce contention on points
Australian mines, at last meets his com-  of science.
peers and finds the warm welcome and re-    In September of 1847 " The Association
cognition which had been his early ambi-  of American Naturalists and Geologists."
tion, but had long ceased to be his hope.  while assembled in Boston, decider' o exIt is a moment in which philosophers show   pand its organization so as t- oring the
forth the deep and strong human heart  entire field of positive science within its
that is in them, when, after a long seclu-  compass, and accordingly resolved itself
sion, they grasp anew the hand of such  into the "American Association for the
friendship as springs from  sympathetic   Advancement of Science."  The geologists
tastes and mutual respect.               created by the great necessity for geoloIts constitution declares that "the ob-  gical exploration over our magnificent
jects of the association are, by periodical  domain, and the naturalists engaged in
and migratory meetings, to promote inter-  parallel and often associated labors, found
course between those who are cultivating   it necessary to ban i together, and at apscience in different parts of the United   pointed meetings, to learn from each other
States; to give a stronger and more gene-  the results of their respective labors. As
ral impulse, and a more systematic direc-  this association grew vigorous and comtion to scientific research in our country;  pact, the need of a broader basis for opeand to procure for the labors of scientific  rations was felt, and at last led to that
men increased facilities and a wider use-  expansion which has made for us an asfulness."  Collegiate professors, and the   sociation, organized on the same principles,
few, who, scattered through the industrial  and for the same ends, as the British Asand professional walks of life, have power  sociation for the United Kingdom, and
and leisure to do something positive in  the earlier general association for Gerthe interpretation of nature, chiefly con-  many.
stitute this nomadic association.  The     The instauration meeting of this new
sympathetic bond of scientific investiga-  body was held in Philadelphia, during
tion, of endeavor at some point to tran-  September, 1848.  A  constitution was
scend the line which divides the known   then adopted, which, with some modificafrom the unknown in nature and in man;  tions, is still in force. The idea was too
this union of purpose is that central thread   new to meet with full success, and accordof connection which makes a unity of ele-  ingly, that meeting, of four days duration,




O20            Amer. Association for Advancement of Science.    [Septembe;'
exhibits less of interest than the subse-  to this date, induced the standing comquent ones. Yet much was done towards  mittee to postpone the proposed meeting,
making generally known what the objects  so that no assembling of the association
proposed really were.                  occurred until that which is just conThe second meeting was held in Cam-  eluded. After fully canvassing the conbridge during August, 1849. The vene-  venience of all concerned, it was decided
rable shades of Harvard swarmed with  to meet in Cleveland for the week followphilosophers, and new voices resounded  ing, July 28, 1853. This meeting lasted
within her time-honored walls. A full  five working days, and progressed with
attendance, numerous communications of  increasing interest, the number of papers
interest and importance, many social cour-  being over eighty. A very decided pretesies, and a harmony which knew  no   ponderance of physical subjects was found
check, made a tout ensemble held by many  to prevail, the departments of natural
in delightful memory.                  history and geology not being as strongly
Next was appointed and held a semi-  represented as usual.  The non-attendannual meeting at Charleston in March,  ance of Prof. Agassiz, the Rogerses, Dana,
1850. Here several elaborate papers on   Hitchcock. Foster, and other leading spirgeological and botanical subjects were pre-  its, who always have ample contributions,
sented, and the proceedings exhibited much   was a deficiency seriously felt, and gave a
variety. Unfortunately a gleam of mid-  too partial character to this meeting,
dle-age intolerance dared to intrude and   which was much regretted. We trust
to foment some animosity under the cloak  that this is not to be construed into a lack
of religion. But we trust that the time   of interest or of fealty on the part of the
is past when science need fear boldly to  geologists and naturalists, and we hope
speak out its truths, however unwelcome  that this association, their own fosteror provocative of the odium theologicum.  child, is not through their defection to
We hope the drama of Galileo will under  become lop-sided and incomplete. That
all forms and disguises be hereafter hissed  some disaffection exists we are well aware.
from the stage.                        but we would say in all earnestness, let
The next meeting was held for a week   not this be the means of dissevering this
during the latter portion of August, 1850,  natural unit; rather let the next meeting
at New Haven. The quiet and beautiful  be entered into with the hearty concurcity of elms extended a cordial greeting  rence of all, andwith the thorough resoluto the scientific soldiers who responded at  tion to waive all discordant memories, and
the yearly roll call. The communications  at least to try again fairly to execute the
read were numerous and of marked inter-  fundamental idea of this association. We
est, especially in the department of general  believe such an effort will be made, and
physics. A semi-annual meeting was then  that it will fully succeed. The Cleveland
appointed and in due time held at Cincin-  meeting came at a time inconvenient for
nati, during the second week of May,  many, nor was the place central; which,
1851; at which  communications  on   with the loss of interest consequent on
geological subjects predominated.  The  the two years interval, will explain the
total number of papers was about one  inferiority of this meeting to that held in
half of that at New Haven. The most  Albany, without supposing any positive
striking incident was the triumph of Prof.  secession. Washington, the next point of
Mitchell's method of reer-ding astronomi-  meeting, is a place where all sections of
cal observations.                      the association should array their full
The succeeding annual meeting was  strength and present the complete federaheld at Albany, and was probably the  tion of the sciences in a representative
most interesting of the series. The num-  congress. The last Wednesday in April,
ber of members in attendance (doubtless  the soft, delightful month of flowers and
exceeding 300), the variety, interest, and  foliage, is the appointed day of convoca,
scope of the papers presented (being 134  tion. With Congress in session, and nain number), and the indefatigable hospi-  ture in gala array, with a certainty of
tality of the Albanians. made up a week   welcome and hospitality, with our capitol
of continuous mental vitality and social  lions to be seen and our capitol orators to
ovation.  The subdivision into sections  be heard and to hear, there would seem
was more complete than it had been be-  to be enough to insure a full and fruitfore, and each section had full occupation.   bearing meeting.
It was there resolved to accept the invi-    The election of officers at the Cleveland
tation by the corporation of Cleveland to   meeting resulted in the choice of Professor
hold the next meeting in that city, corn-  Dana, for President; Professor J. Lawmencing on the third Wednesday of  rence Smith, for General Secretary; ProAugust, 1852. The prevalence of cholera  fessor Joseph Lovering, of Cambridge, for
and other diseases in the Westjust prior  Permanent Secretary, and Dr. Elwyn, for




1853.]         Amer. Association for Advancement of Science.               321
Treasurer. These officers elect will enter  wretched days of patrons. The moneyon their duties at the next meeting.     makers are usually two or three removes
The six volumes of proceedings of this  from the prime investigators whose search
association at the six meetings first held,  is for principles.  Wide indeed is the
exhibit a rich aggregate of research and   tract between Castalia and Pactolus.
suggestion covering a large part of the    As the presidents and acting officers of
scientific specialities which have been cul-  this association are all men in whom the
tivated among us. It is indeed lamenta-  public has a certain right of property, and
ble that so large a portion of the most  as they will well bear being delineated, it
important communications made, are not  seems proper here to present, for such as
included in the proceedings, being, through   may be strangers to them, a series of outthe delays and neglect of their authors,  line sketches of these post-of-honor-bearentered as "not received."  It is also  ers in this migratory Congress.
matter of much regret, if not of complaint,    The first president was W. C. Redfield,
that the presidents, with the exception of   Esq., who officiated at Philadelphia. A
Professor Bache (who is the most occu-  noticeable man, too, is Mr. Redfield. One
pied of all), have not furnished  their  would scarcely expect to find, under. so
annual addresses for these volumes. To   placid and venerable an exterior, a spirit
us it seems incumbent on the president to  living in storms and hurricanes. Yet it
make his retiring address an elaborate  is true that his keen eye is steadily bent
production, in which the general progress  on the wind bags, (how invaluable had he
of science during the year shall be review-  been to Ulysses!) nor can a breeze indulge
ed; or in which some large and positive  in any gyrations or irregularities, but he
subject of scientific interest and impor-  is sure to put black marks against it in
tance shall be thoroughly, and yet popu-  the books.  Long has Mr. R. been a
larly treated. For instance, we would   weather-sentinel, and meteorology owes
have liked to have heard from Professor  him much, both in the field of observation
Agassiz a summary of what has been   and in the far higher domain of speculadone, and what is still desired, in the  tion. Bat for a few live-minded men of
natural history of North America. Or  this cast, rational meteorology would long
still better would we have relished from   since have been dead and buried in figures,
this highest source, a discourse on the in-  which dull men can accumulate, though
tellectual element in organic structure.  to interpret them requires the keen eye
Why, too, should not Professor Pierce   of subtle, but patient reasoning. If, as is
unfold a year hence, how America needs  likely, Mr. R. is wedded to his theories,
a real university, and what such a uni-  there is no lack of counter-theorists to
versity should do if organized.  Some   battle  his unproved  positions, and in
positive subject should be chosen, or else  rather a stormy temper too; a fault which
the annual addresses should be a syste-  seems quite to beset our weather-seers, as
matic expos6 of what has been done during  if the shrewishness of our climate comthe year, as it usually has been made by   municated itself to those who supervise
the British association presidents.     its whimsicalities. Mr. Redfield is, moreWe are happy to record the generous  over, a good geologist, having specially
action of Charleston. Cincinnati, Albany,  studied the fossils and fossil rain-drops of
and Cleveland, in assuming the expenses  the Connecticut Valley red sandstone.
of publishing their respective volumes of  The second president was Prof. Joseph
proceedings. The citizens or the corpora-  Henry, the secretary of the Smithsonian
tions have in these instances taken on   Institution, who presided at Cambridge.
themselves the burden of publication;  He is a hale and rather portly man, with
which generosity is alike an honor to   a face alternating between abstraction and
them and to the association. This body   a very kindly consciousness, and looks as
has no source of income, except the fees  if he had a mission to work for man anof members, amounting only to $2 per   other score of years. He was born an
annum, or $3 with the annual volume of   experimental philosopher, and so lived at
Proceedings; (just changed to $1 fee, and   Albany and Princeton, until he was
Proceedings at cost). The liberality it  elected to his present administrative post.
has experienced is thus very fortunate,  To his discoveries in electricity, the teleespecially when we remember that the   graph owes its practical development, and
possession both of wealth and of philo-  we verily believe, that with industry on
sophic lore, rarely falls to the lot of the   his part, and a fair chance thus to apply
same individual. With all its utilitarian   himself, electrical science in all its fields
biases in these days, science rarely en-  might have owed him more than it dyes
riches the coffers of its cultivators, so  to Faraday. But this hope was extinthat truly original researches are still  guished under the Southern tower of the
well-nigh  as unremunerated  as in the   Smithsonian Institution.  There he is




322            Amer. Association for Advancement of Science.    [September
busy with what others, doubtless, could  abeyance by the intense externality and
do as well; and thus is left undone what  practicality of American life.
none other could do at all. This is a new        Professor Louis Agassiz was the next
instance of taking a man of proved abilities  president, acting as such at the Albany
in one sphere to do what belongs to an-  meeting. Ile is a man of highest genius,
other and quite dissimilar one for which   who does great things quite naturally and
he has no birth-mark. We ought to learn   yet with intense labor. Take him all in
that men are of most value when doing   all, he towers quite above every living nathat for which they have a special faculty,  turalist, and may not inaptly be called
and it is a fair question whether Professor   Cuvier Junior. His physique is of the
Henry, doing that for which nature in-  noblest kind. and his ample forehead gives
tended him, would not during his life  token of the mind within. He comes to
effect more in advancing science, than the   us from the Alps, an Alpine man. TrainSmithsonian Institution in its aggregate  ed under Cuvier, and by him honored as
existence is likely to do. High as this  residuary legatee to a large field of reInstitution stands as a practical fact, and   search; he has been an enthusiastic and
useful as it is and will be, if it is to ex-  most fruitful laborer in ichthyology. paletinguish the experimental researches of   ontology, glacial geology, animal classifiProfessor Henry, we could fain say, give   cation, embryology. and especially has he
us back the man and let the institution   carried new light among the inferior orgo.  Professor Henry lacks but mathe-  ders of animate beings.   His work on
matical training and energy of purpose   Fossil Fishes, has recently been crowned
to do something greater than has yet  with the Cuvier medal, then given for the
been accomplished among us in the domain  first time, though founded by Cuvier who
of physical science.  Will he do so, is  died in 1832. He was Professor of Natthe question!  Facts within our know-  ural History in the Swiss university at
ledge assure us that this must and will  Neufchatel, until in 1846, when he came
be.                                     to this country, and was soon made proNext on the list of presidents comes  fessor in the Lawrence Scientific School.
Professor A. D. Bache, the superintendent  Harvard University.  Here he has done
of the Coast Survey, who presided at  distinguished service to Natural History,
Oharleston, New Haven, and Cincinnati.  and has been continuing the great labors
lie is a fortunate man in having found   of his life. A large cabinet has grown up
exactly the place for which nature and   around him, where he is buried in a multraining have best fitted him. His quick  titude of special and general investigations,
eye, facile perception, and actual attain-  which unfortunately he rarely puts in
ments in science and in the knowledge of  form  for publication, leaving scores of
men, make him the eminently able ad-  important researches and discoveries quite
ministrative man which he is fully ad-  unrecorded.  He much needs collabomitted to be. Heading his class at West  rators and reporters, to save his labors
Point, encountering, as an officer of en-  from  oblivion. Among other herculean
gineers, the stern actualities of engineer-  toils, he is maturing. and will in time proing; as a professor and college president  sent to the world, the broadest and comin Philadelphia achieving eminent success,  pletest classification of Animated Nature,
he grew in that stature of mental training   which has been made. From such a man
and experience which makes his eminence   was the discourse by the retiring presiand usefulness in his present post a natural  dent, this year, to have come, had not ill
result. It is a rare thing to find so fortu-  health  prevented his attendance. We
nate a combination of administrative and   have doubtless thus been deprived of some
scientific talent, nor do we believe the   of those exhilarating generalizations and
country possesses another man who could  enthusiastic bursts which so characterize
so well thread the complications incident  his genius and indicate its superiority to
to Professor Bache's position.  He is  the mere talent of the ordinary investigaclearly Franklin's grandson. Whether,  tor or descriptive naturalist.
if permitted the requisite leisure, he would  The president now officiating, and who
strike out and execute any great inven-  presided at Cleveland, is Professor Bention, discovery or research, is a question  jamin Pierce of Harvard University. As
not easily answered; for though his ori-   we look on his floating locks, furrowed
ginal researches are highly creditable,  brow, thin face and figure, and especially
especially in discussing the tides, they are,  his clear, deep eye, it is not difficult to reof course, only such as were compatible  cognize the first American Mathematician
with his incessant life of action. The   and  Physical Astronomer.  His mind
deeply  reflective element whence the   plays foot-ball with transcendental ftince
greatest achievements spring, has in him,   tions, and runs algebraic gauntlets with
as in most of our best men, been kept in   a facility scarcely inferior to that of




1853.]         Amer. Association for Advancement of Science.               323
Gauchy, the "pre-eminent mathematician   ments and copious collections in Ornithoof France, who, declining to swear by   logy and Ichthyology, besides a general
Louis Napoleon, was a few months since  study of Natural History. With a physiejected from his government professorship  cal and mental vigor developed in collectin Paris.  (Why will not some million-  ing specimens, and still unscathed by time,
naire invite M. Cauchy to America, provid-  he unites excellent business qualities, and
ing for him  as Mr. Abbott Lawrence did  thorough acquaintance with publishing.
for Professor Agassiz?) Professor Pierce   He is the American editor and chief transis an excellent refutation of the usual  lator of the Iconographic Encyclopedia,
slip-shod idea of a mathematician.  He is  which, with his duties in publishing and
a most interesting, earnest, and cultivated   distributing  the Smithsonian contribugentleman, of marked kindliness and ge-  tions, has peculiarly qualified him for the
niality, and excellent company for any   labor of editing and publishing the assoman of sense.   Scarcely could a less  ciation proceedings.  Nor is there any
genial man so long make part of that  one whose intimacy with the scientific
most high-toned, refined, and cultivated   men in this country is more general and
circle of college society in Cambridge,  desirable. His youth and mental vitality
without at least an external exhibition bf   give assurance of many years of effective
the humanities of culture and of life. So   service still in those labors where he is
fully has the professor president mastered   already so much at home.
the perturbations of the planets, that he  The general secretary of the association
may be said to have put these wanderers  is Prof. J. D. Dana, of Yale College, if one
under centennial bonds to keep the peace.  so cosmopolitan in knowledge and jourWhen the world was all agog with Le   neyings can properly be assigned to a
Verrier's discovery of Neptune, through   locality. (Professor St. John. of Cleve-.
the perturbations of Uranus, Professor  land, acted in this capacity at the last
Pierce publicly declared that the planet  meeting, as Professor Dana was unable to
discovered was not the planet called for  attend.4  He is one of the solid human
by Le Verrier's theory: a bold saying   columns on which our national scientific
that was, and we then thought a rash one,  reputation may safely repose. Beneath
but he was quite right, as the daily con-  a kindly and modest exterior, he has
firmation of the lamented Walker's Ephe-  managed  to  amass  treasures of acmeris fully proves.  Once, too, he was  curate  knowledge, sufficient  to stock
wrong; but when he found his error. he   many ordinary heads to repletion.  He is
was prompt to confess and disclaim it as  indeed a man of wonderful scientific
publicly as possible: a nobler thing than   learning for one still in his fresh manconvicting Le Verrier of oversight. Pro-  hood; and this learning is made prolific
fessor Pierce has long been a sort of back-  by a philosophic and reasoning mind.
bone to the physical astronomy of the   Among American mineralogists he is facile
country, as has of late been shown in his  princeps, as evinced by his treatise on
services to the new Nautical Almanac;  mineralogy; and we much doubt if in
and we hope he may long survive to fill  this branch the world can show his equal.
this post of labor and of honor.         The Natural History of the Wilkes ExAt the fourth meeting, the only salaried   ploring Expedition, which he accompanied,
office of the association, that of permanent  owes him a burden of obligation which
secretary. was created, and a salary of   will long be recognized by naturalists
$300 per annum established. the term of   Nor is it probable that a higher authoroffice being three years. Professor Spen-  ity can be cited in respect to volcanic
cer F. Baird, of Dickinson college, Penn-  phenomena. These pipes of the Titans
sylvania, now the Natural History Secre-  he has sniffed and scrutinized " the world
tary of the Smithsonian Institution, was  around," having indeed carried on quite
chosen to this new post. His duty in-  a flirtation with Pelee in the Sandwich
eludes arranging for reports of proceed-  Islands. His researches among the coral
ings, the issuing of circulars to members,  formations, and his writings thereon, take
nearly all the current correspondence, and  the very highest rank, and his monothe charge of publishing and distributing   graphs on Crustaceae, Zoophytes, and Methe volumes of proceedings. The smooth  dusse would alone entitle him to the highworking of the business matters of the   est standing in Natural History. As one
association depends very much on the   of the chief editors of the American Jourskill and fidelity with which the duties  nal of Science, he is abundant in good
of this office are discharged; and it is  deeds and good works. Professor Dana
fortunate that one so competent in every  is not perhaps a man of the highest genius,
respect was chosen to it. Professor Baird   but he will leave the world decidedly the
was a favorite pupil and intimate friend   wiser for his labors and researches, even
of Audubon, and has made special attain-  though he do no more in the future.




324                            London Knockicngs.                      [September
But we trust he will through many years  confident anticipation of reason, that new
be spared to apply his well-trained powers   wonder-workings will not soon cease to
to the boundless researches ever inviting  flow from the cornucopia of speculative
them.                                      and experimental science. When we reDr. A. L. Elwyn, of Philadelphia, is  flect how few are cultivating philosophical
now, and has been nearly from  the first,  researches in our midst, and compare this
treasurer of the association.  His distinc-  petty band with the mighty results to be
tion lies not in any particular department  achieved through their labors, and the
of science, but he is much interested in  limitless harvest waiting for reapers, our
promoting it. and ever ready to aid its  spontaneous aspiration is, without stint,
advance.  He has paid much attention to   and by all legitimate means. to increase
agriculture, and has a model farm, on   the numbers and strengthen the arms of
which he is laboring to give a scientific  this too feeble fraternity.
direction to the too empirical processes of  America has not yet attained that scithe routine farmer.                        entific maturity which must, we hope, ere
And so ends our talk of the retired   long entitle her to claim a foremost rank
presidents, and actual officers, of this sci-  in the world-federation  of philosophy.
entific body. We might dwell on the   Pre-eminent in all the mechanical and
functions of  the  standing  committee,  practical functions of living and of labor,
which is its governing council of elders,  we lack that deeper element of digested
but this would possess very little general  learning and reflective culture, which will
interest.  It is on nomination by the   give continuous vigor, and  systematic
standing committee, that new members   power, to our scientific progression.  Our
are elected, and such nominations may   low  tone of mathematical culture prebe procured through any actual member,  cludes us from all access to some of the
by any person really engaged in prosecut-  richest placers of physics, and throws
ing positive science.                      many of our ablest minds on a subtle and
The subject of scientific advancement  tricksy sleight of mind, in researches
in the United States, is one of peculiar   where  the well furnished  investigator
interest and importance. The work which   would cleave a sure, straight road to the
science has to do, in cultivating the vast  end.  With leisure and wealth will come
field of descriptive knowledge presented   an accession of solid strength and deliberby our still new continent, in ministering   ate direction to our too spasmodic vaultto all the common arts of life, in evolving   ings into the realms of discovery.  When
the grand principles and mysteries of  the man of science is relieved from the
nature, and in nurturing a higher and   excessive labor, and stupefying routine of
more beneficent spiritual faith; this is a   the professorial function, when research
work of  such  transcendent  moment,  becomes a self-sustaining vocation, and
that our loftiest conceptions are but fee-  when approved genius is permitted to
ble images of the unseen reality.  The   address all its fire and energy to elabowhole surface and substance of modern   rating and verifying its originations; then
life is undergoing a ceaseless transforma-   American science, erect and self-reliant,
tion, through  the manifold  ministries   will tower upward into a column of true
which science is daily embodying in the   national majesty, more honoring to us,
forms and operations of manufacture and   and more diffusive of blessing to man,
of art.  Though no prophecy reveals what  than  even  our glorious constitutional
the future may have in store, it is still the   fabric.  Speed that day, whoever can!
LONDON KNOCKINGS.*
BY ONE BORN WITHIN SOUND OF BOW BELLS.
I awoke this morning in London-in a   ancestors, its panes were made of horn.
dense November fog-darkness that   Occasionally the gloom without was deepmight be felt. It was useless to draw near   ened by a passing shadow; and afar, in
the window, which looked at a little distance   one of our public buildings, gleamed one
as if pasted over with thick brown paper,  candle, star-like; but the street was very
or as if. like the windows of our Saxon   silent, the thickness of the atmosphere
* In London, where all the minutise of daily life have long been regulated by system, there is a code of
never-broken rules, by which, without inquiry, you know at once the nature of the business and the quality
of the person who pulls the bells of your house or area, or lays his hand upon the lion's-headed knocker of
your front door.




1853.]                       London Knockings.                           325
had even deadened sound.  I dressed   writing, listening eagerly as it is read
drearily, fumbling with hooks and buttons  aloud, and the face of the sister who ran
in the darkness, and went down to break-  down for the letter, following every word
fast with my landlady. I have made that  as it is read by the mother.  Maria has
arrangement, being alone. The landlady  led them into a new world; they are smilis a pious English matron, and has prayers  ing over her descriptions of palanquins
daily in her family. As, reading by the   and porpoises,-the voyage and arrival.
scant gleaming of one mutton dip, she     At the next house, in an upper window,
thanks Divine Providence, according to the  another scene is going on. Shortly after
formula, for "C granting us the light of an-  breakfast, I saw a young girl with a large
other day," I came very near laughing.  bundle pinned up in brown paper, ring
The family being well used to such obscu-  the front door bell.  She had brought
rities of the atmosphere, the absurdity of  home the young lady's dress for her first
the words does not appear to strike any   ball. I see her at an upper window trymore reverent member of the little con-  ing it on. It evidently delights her. She
gregation. By degrees, during breakfast,  prinks before her mirror. The dressmaker
the extreme darkness of our street appears  has smoothed out every plait, and now,
to lighten.  I look out and behold the   with her bare neck and white arms glancmorning sun,-round, rayless, like a blood-  ing through her gauzes, she rushes down
red moon, peering at us through the dark-  to the drawing-room, to claim her dear
ness. One can look him full in the face,  mother's sympathy and applause. Alas!
without the eye of an eagle. My trunks  the postman's knock has brought no pleahave not yet come up from the custom-  sure to that dwelling. Her father and
house. I cannot venture forth for want  mother stand together by the window.
of my best bonnet. I will stand here at  They are holding between them a letter.
the window, and recalling London cus-  She holds out, to show it off, her glistentoms with all the pleasure that we feel in  ing skirt, and dances towards them. They
renewing long-forgotten, once-familiar as-  turn as she comes in. Never will she forsociations, watch the proceedings of the   get those faces full of woe. "Oh mother!
neighborhood.                          what is it? " she cries, and flings herself
I hear a sound. Rat-tat, and a ring.  into her arms, and for a moment thinking
At every house along the street it seems  only of herself, weeps frantically upon her
to be repeated. I recognize at once the   mother's shoulder. The only son,-the
professional knock of the general post-  only brother, has been taken ill in Wales,
-tman. Here he comes, dressed in a scarlet  is dying and alone. This letter summons
coat, hurrying along. Stopping one mo-  the family. I see the young girl with her
ment to see what letter comes next, then   gay robe laid aside. Her dress will soon
darting up some door-step,-crossing the   be sable.  I see her trying to gather
street-and lookingup at windows whence  strength for the occasion - strength to
beam eager faces full of expectation. He  console and help her mother. I see her
is rarely kept waiting. I alone, seem to  praying for strength beside her little bed.
expect nothing out of his leathern bag.  -I see her the next moment (for there is
No one of the epistolary disposed multi-  no time to be lost), helping the maid to
tude will think at present of addressing   bring down from the attic a portmanteau.
me a letter. I console myself with think-  I see her on her knees before it, packing.
ing of the poor friendless young lad, who   Her tears are dropping fast upon the linen
after thanking the Boston sailor's mis-  she lays in. I see her fasten her poor
sionary for giving him permission to write   mother's cloak. I see her, with a quiverto him from Rio, pathetically adds, "It  ing lip, trying to say some words of good
made me quite happy to think that I too,  cheer as the coach comes to the door; and
like others, could say in a foreign port, I  the father and the mother start upon
will send a letter home."              their journey. I see her watch them off,
I have noticed an elderly woman oppo-   and then in an agony of grief she flies to
site, for half an hour past, standing at her  her own chamber.  There is no longer
window. I observe she is flustered as the   any motive to hide her apprehension.
post draws near. The India mail is in.  How strange it seems to her that all the
She is expecting a letter from her young-  world is not darkened by the calamity
est daughter, lately married, and gone to  that has befallen her; that while she is so
Calcutta with her husband. The instant  very wretched, others can laugh, talk, eat
that the postman knocks, the door is  and be merry, notwithstanding her great
opened; some one has been waiting be-  sorrow.
hind it. The money is ready to put into   The general postman has nearly passed
his hand. I watch the mother's face as'out of my sight. Yet no. I see him still.
she reads of her absent Maria. I watch   He has forgotten a letter, and comes back
the old father, who cannot read crossed   along the street. His rat-tat sounds upon




826                           London Knockings.                     [September
a neighboring knocker. He leans over  But MacMurdoch must live, and send his
the area rail, and drops a letter to the   sons to school, and lay by portions for his
maid, who is down on her knees scrub-  daughters, and feed his gallant sleek black
bing. The American mail is in to-day, as  steeds who wear the nodding plumes, and
well as that from India. How her face  pay his grooms and mutes, and keep the
reddens as she picks up her own letter:  moths out of his palls and other " mortuaHow she rushes to her attic in the house  ry properties."  Alas MacMurdoch! thou
top to get him her last shilling-how she   art not the only man for whose benefit
polished up her majesty's face with a last  other men must " shuffle off this mortal
wipe of her apron, not from any sentiment  coil," who if the Angel of Death cut himof loyalty perhaps, but with a sort of   self down with his own scythe, would
loving, affectionate, regretful appreciation  lament over the calamity. In the house
of the value of a shilling. But the knit-  directly opposite, I have been watching a
ting together of the bands of affection will  young woman. She is not handsome, and
be worth it, half-filled though Jim's ill-  wears spectacles. Spectacled women, apwritten scrawl may be with tender remi-  peal to the respect, though rarely to the
niscences of home, instead of news such as  affection of the public. They are mostly
that with which we more experienced cor-  marked out "old maids " from their birth,
respondents would fill a foreign letter.  and belong either to the ranks of the fus" Sarah, who is that letter for? " says the   sily benevolent, or the literary obscure.
young lady of the house, roused by the   My neighbor at No. 6 sits at a high desk,
post knock, hanging over the bannister.  and is evidently literary. Rat-tat.  She
" For me, Miss," replies Sarah, and disap-  springs up from her seat; for a week past
pears with her letter.                   she has been expecting a communication
I hear another rat-tat in the street. Is  from her publisher. It has come; the
that the post? It seems to me the post is  large, sprawled, business-looking handnever silent.  This time it is the two-  the "Madam" at the beginning of the
penny post-man, distinguished from  his  sheet (she has never been addressed as
brother of St. Martins, by his rat-tat  Madam before). Her hand trembles as
without the ring.  He is dressed in a   she takes it from the servant:s tray.  She
swallow-tailed blue coat, with  scarlet  glances her eye over it. To be or not to
cuffs and collar; the remainder of his per-  be?  Poor child —have you weighed well
son terminating in corduroy, which is not  what it is to have your wish-have you
likewise " the property of her majesty."  counted the cost of what it will be for you
Poor fellow! His pay is small, and his la-  to be an author?-To be i —  Oh! hapbor excessive. On his beat there is al-  piness.....see how the mother and the
most an hourly delivery. By the time he  little sisters who have watched every line
goes to bed at night, he may calculate to  of her production almost as it dropped on
have walked upwards of twenty miles.  paper from her pen, come about her and
Rat-tat at our door. What has he left  rejoice with her.  To be! He has " refor us? My landlady throws it down in  ceived from a literary friend an account of
great disgust. It is only a printed circu-  her work of fiction, and if she thinks fit
lar.' MacMurdoch, undertaker  and  to adopt his suggestions as to a few alterupholsterer.   Funerals  splendidly, or  ations, he shall have great pleasure in
neatly furnished," is "thankful for past  producing the work. She is eager to have
favors, and respectfully solicits a continu-  the suggestions of that awful literary
ance of the same!"                      reader. She is eager to be advised by one
What a memento mori! Let us re-  who knows the nature of those lions
member how the Turks never destroy a   lying dreadful on her path-the awful
paper, lest upon it should be inscribed the   Vehmgericht of criticism.  How  glad
holy name of Allah. This circular of J.  that night will be her dreams! By her,
MacMurdoch, had she not flung it away   more than by most of us, will it be veriso hastily, might have preached a sermon   flied, that
to any landlady.  "Have you been to
hear a sermon? " said a friend to Arch-  "Folded eyes see brighter visions than the waking
bishop Leighton. " I have met a sermon
-for I met a funeral," was the good old   Already the money she will make is apbishop's answer. So do not let us say in  propriated in fancy. For her dear mother
our haste,'"Send your circular not to us,  she will buy a watch, and something for
Mr. MacMurdoch, but to the family over  each sister.  She will give herself the
the way."  But let us lay to heart the   books she has long wanted, and make an
warning; and our souls being prepared   anonymous donation, such as she has
for heaven, may it (for the sake of those   often longed to make, to her favorite
who love us) be long before MacMur-  charity.  "'Half the profits," says the
doch works his will upon our frames.  publisher: "should any arise."  Oh! but




1853.]                       London Knockings.                             327
some will arise! The public cannot judge   your mind, and to retrieve your failure;
the work more severely than he. If he  or whether you will turn to other purcan risk it, she is safe. What will she  suits, less exciting and more womanly.
make by it?  Fifty pounds?  Can it be   Perhaps,-but I think not, your specfifty pounds? She drops asleep at length,  tacles almost preclude the hope,-perdimly remembering that she has some-  haps you may marry; and, as matron
where heard that Mrs. Gore has ~500   cares increase, and as little rosy children
for a novel, and Bulwer ~800.           cluster round your knees, you will wonDream  happily, poor girl!  A  few   der at the dream  you once indulged
weeks hence-the prophetic spirit is upon   of literary effort; be thankful for that
me-and I know what I should see a few   stern review, standing like God's flaming
weeks hence, standing in the twilight at  Angel, with a drawn sword before Bathis window. It will beupon a Saturday.  laam, scaring you back thus early from
A boy will ring at your front door and   that path; and, clasping your baby to
shout out "Paper!"   Amongst those   your breast, or looking up fondly (withweekly newspapers he brings, there will  out spectacles) into the eyes of your husbe one on whose wise pages you have   band, you will say, "These children of
pinned your literary faith since you were   my heart are worth to me ten thousandten years old. You will open the front  fold any children of my brain," and you
door yourself, to the news-boy's great  will wish your husband to forget you
surprise, and take that paper. You will  ever were an author.
glance at its table of contents. It will be  Dear me! my interests in the post
there. The criticism you have so long   have led me off so far, that hundreds of
anticipated, prefigured, dreamed of; will  knockings, aye, and of ringings too, have
be there. You will rush with it away to  taken place along the street while I have
some quiet spot, where you may read it  been indulging an excited fancy.
all alone, and resolve, if it should tell you  Ringing at two area bells (such peoof your faults, to bear it bravely. You   ple never pull the bells of the front doors),
will shut yourself in yonder upper chain-  I see an Irish orange woman and butchber, and fall breathless on the couch.  er boy. The former belongs to that
Your hands will tremble so as you un-  costermongering race, whose history is
fold the sheet, that you will lay it on   written in the book of Mayhew. She is
your knee till you grow calmer. Read   a worthy soul, trying hard " to keep the
it,-read it at once, —read it, poor child.  life in her."  Withal, a little given to
There it stands in rigid lines of type, so  strong drink, but honest, and even affecpitilessly just, so coldly, calmly, terribly  tionate to an habitual customer. She
severe. After a time, your family will  carries her heavy basket on her head,
grow anxious to know what keeps you   crushing flat her straw bonnet with her
so long silent.  They will already be  load. I wonder how it looks when offaware you have received the paper. They  that bonnet. In the summer season she
will whisper together, "Will it do to dis-  will bring from Covent Garden any flowturb her?" and your youngest, your pet  ers you may want, or fruits in bottles.
sister, stealing from the rest, will find her  She is an old acquaintance of mine-is
way up to your chamber. She will open   Mrs. Doolan. I think that I must speak
the door softly, and come in, and take  to her.
out of your stiff hand the criticism that  " Ah! long life and indeed to your
has so moved you. Her tears will stream   ladyship. And shure ye've been and
fast down her face, but yours be dry, un-  come back from over the seas. And its
til you throw your arms about her neck,  meself that has a brother in the Canadas;
and exclaim, "Say me some poetry, some-  and shure ye've seen him where ye've
thing to change the current of my   been, miss?"
thoughts, to rouse me from this state;"    She has a long story to tell, poor creaand she will begin to repeat to you the  ture, of the child she has buried, and the
Genevieve of Coleridge. As she goes on,  husband in the hospital.  "And shure
you will begin to weep. Yet with you   it's the bonnet she wears that I giv her."
the clouds of grief will not melt away in   Mercy upon us! Is that thing the fancy
tears. You will not, like the children,  straw bonnet that I brought from Paris,
be able to "cry and have it over."  I   which was considered so extremely pretty
pity you with all my heart, poor girl!  half a dozen years ago?  Surely TeufelsAnd for the future-  nay; the spirit  droick omitted an important chapter in
has deserted me. I cannot look into the   his Sartor-a chapter on the ultimate
future. I cannot tell whether you will  destinies and liabilities of clothes. I buy
have sufficient determination. or sufficient  some of her oranges, two for a penny,
force of character, or sufficient literary  twenty for a shilling; for cheap fruit is
power in reserve, to gird up the loins of  more plenty and more cheap in London




328                          London Knockings.                    [September
than in any place I know of in our zone.    A few doors off resides a proficient in
And I have some little banter with her  music. A neat little Brougham has'driven
about the larger oranges, whose size I  to the door, and out of it gets an elegant,
have read is sometimes increased by melt-  perfumed, mustachioed  little foreigner,
ing a lump of tallow on the top to give a   who rings before he gives his double
juicy plumpness to the fruit) and to swell  knock at the front door, whereby I know,
out the rind.                           - though I should not otherwise have
I have hardly shut the door, when pre-  thought it, —that he too is a professor.
suming on my benevolence, from my long   He will make more by his one hour's
colloquy with Mrs. Doolan, comes a man  instruction, than  poor Miss MacNeile
in a threadbare suit of black, with a sin-  will make by her three hours daily for
gle knock, the announcement of a beggar.  a month. He has a roll of music in his
A card is put into my hand, with the   hand. See with what ease and grace he
intimation that an answer will be called  steps up to the piano. His pupil is dofor in the evening. Tucked upon the card  lighted to receive him.  He earns his
are twelve steel pens and a holder, a pen-  guinea without trouble. Being at the
knife, pair of scissors, and a wafer stamp.  height of his profession, the pupils that
All for one shilling. I will buy his little  he takes give him little to do. They have
venture, not having been as yet impor-  some preliminary chat about the concerts
tuned to desperation.  Hurrying along   of the season. Then comes the lesson,the street as the clock is striking noon,  then, for contrary to the wont of his race,
comes a pale, but lady-like looking little  he is good-natured,-he sits down and
woman. She rings the bell of No. 10, then   performs for her. How his fingers fly
gives a modest little knock. Such is the   over the instrument!  As he takes his
sign de rigeur of the arrival of a teacher.  leave at the end of the hour, we think his
She must be, I suppose, that Miss Mac-  guinea lightly earned.
Neile I heard some children speaking of   Did you ever go into a nursery of
just now as they went past my window,  musical talent,-a place, I mean, where
lamenting that the hour had come for her  young pupils are trained up for professors,
arrival. Poor Miss MacNeile! I see you   and see their blank and weary faces;
have a headache,-tired out, probably,  watch their tired little hands, the cruelty
with your long walk from Islington, and   with which they are treated; all joy and all
the lessons you have given earlier in the   childhood crushed out of their little hearts,
day.  But that will never do.  Your  and the professional jealousies that are
pupils, to whom you have engaged to  fostered in them! Hundreds of children
teach "Music, Drawing, French, and the   musically disposed, are probably killed
rudiments of  Latin, with the usual  yearly in this way in the great capitals.
branches of an English education," are    At last comes one that has the luck to
lively, full of spirit, and require a firm   live, and he's a prodigy.
hand. If you falter, if you flag, if you  Shall we envy him his guinea? Do not
fail to come up to the mark, above all, if  the mass, still struggling towards a prize.
you appeal to their sympathies, or give  rather look on the good fortune of the few
them the least inkling of the confusion in  as something like encouragement to the
your head, you will be plagued out of   many?
your life,-every thing will go wrong with  Lower down in the street, there is a
them and you. Children, doubtless, may   knocker tied up in white kid. Any Amehave kind little hearts, but they never  rican who has read the history of the
choose to have their sympathies presumed   eighteenpenny gloves of Mr. Kenwigs,
upon. Once draw a bill on their pity for  knows the meaning of that announcement.
forbearance, and it is sure to come back to   The angel of Death has not been there,
you protested.  In your dealings with   but the Spirit of the Almighty, giving
children you must                       breath to a young child. The house has
"Suffer and be strong.'      become protected since last night by one
Evidently Miss MacNeile is not fitted   more guardian angel. A plain green chafor her station. She has no natural love  riot, with tired horses, stands before the
for teaching. She is a gentle little thing   door; there is no crest upon its panels.
of ordinary education, whose heart is in   The doctor is up-stairs. I see him puther home, whence she has been driven  ting on his gloves. I see him speaking
into the world without adequate prepara-  to the father who is writing hurried letters
tion. She will be very glad when this  for the post, and is despatching to the
day's work is done, and she can go back   Times the important announcement. I
to the side of the sick bankrupt, her  can guess at what is hidden by the closed
father. She will be very faint before she   blinds of the sick chamber. I can see in
gets home again to Islington-having   imagination, that little, frail, fresh specitried to do without the expense of a bun.  men of our race, with all the appearance




1853.]                       London Knockings.                           329
of having been recently fashioned out of  knock at the front door.  The Senator
the red clay of humanity, " squaring away   came out in the same ship with me. He
at life," with his crooked little arms.  has been all day walking about London.
What wilt, thou be, baby, thirty years  He finds great fault, of course, with the
hence, in the year 1883, when we have   dense atmosphere, and asks me if I go to
irn our race, and are reposing wearily?   church at St. Paul's. He is bewildered
Wilt thou be then a great man-(great  by our vastness, dazzled by our wealth.
men, it seems to me, are commonly born  and heart-sick at the poverty he has alin obscure streets)-or greater than a  ready seen. Shall I tell him all the beggreat man-(young mother, in thine ear  gars who, with true American liberality,
these words are whispered not), a holy  he has that day relieved, were, most prospirit in the courts of Heaven?        bably, impostors; but that if he lifts the
I said that all great men are borjn in  dense veil that shrouds from his eyes the
obscure corners. It is an opinion I have  wickedness, and the real wretchedness
formed from long association with a friend   of London, if he goes into the by-ways,
who has a mania for reading of celebrities,  the mews, and the courts that are hidden
and then visiting their birthplaces. Won-  from his sight by our gay houses (to say
derfully crooked and narrow were the  nothing of Drury Lane and its purlieus.
streets, into which his zeal has often   Saffron Hill, and St. Giles's), he will pick
dragged me. Alas! the place of many a  up occasion enough for benevolence in one
great man's birth knows his memory no   day to last a philanthropist his lifetime?
more. I remember upon one occasion,  He will find, too, noble efforts being made,
this friend of mine was dining in Bread-  efforts made so quietly that they are
street with a retired India merchant of  hardly yet recorded, to stern the tide of
the old school, who had married  his  corruption and of poverty, of ignorance,
kitchen-maid. In one of the pauses dur-  and sin.
ing the entertainment, he inquired of that    "One word, my dear sir, before you go.
lady if she could tell him in what house   You must excuse me; but being a stranger
in that street the famous John Milton..... Well, then, in London a visitor
was born.  "Indeed no, sir," said the   must announce himself by a double knock,
late Miss Dripping, with a toss of her  not by a ring at the front door."  "A
head,' so many persons have broke up   double knock? How is that? " says my
and gone away since we came here. that  friend the Senator, and he gives two little
I'm sure I cannot tell you any thing about  taps, like the knock of a postman, on my
him 1 "                                 table. "' No, indeed," I exclaim, " that is
And such is fame,-even the fame of  worse. Such a knock as this is the leq<t
Milton. We talk of a literary reputation  that will do for you,-rat-tat; tat-tat, ta!
as more enduring than an empire; we   That will announce to the inhabitants of
talk of extending it by translations into  the house at which you call. a modest
all manner of strange languages; but what,  gentlemanly visitor. At your own door,
if after all, our greatest chance of extend-  you knock first and then ring; the sign
ing it amongst our race, were by letting   some member of the family is coming
the love and knowledge of our greatest  home."
minds soak more into the masses-by        Who have we next? I confess the neat
making Milton, Shakspeare, and Com-  knock puzzled me. The knocker gave but
pany, familiar amongst the millions who   one uncertain sound. It was a knock and
already speak, and ought to read and   ring like the general post. But the knock
write, our native English tongue?      was not assured; there were three raps
There is a modest ring at our front  instead of two. "Who was that, Mary?"
door. Mary puts a card into my hand.' Please, ma'am, the taxes.'5  I had
It is inconsistent with her ideas of eti-  forgotten that uncertain knock. "What.
quette that any man who only rings,  Mr. Lillyvick, the water rate collector?"
should have a card case. " The person is  I rush down stairs to gaze on such a man.
in the hall, ma'am, and would like to see  but find myself mistaken.  It was the
you."  " The person!  Show  him up.  "' assessed taxes " of my landlady, which
He is my very good friend, an American   I find her reading off a long, coarse sheet.
gentleman,-one of the most remarkable   "Well Mrs. J., do you still pay for hair
men in our country! A Senator from the   powder?  Are you still charged an anWest,-Secretary of something in the last  nual amount under the head of armorial
administration." Mary, quite bewildered,  bearings, for having in possession your
ushers in the Senator, endeavoring to  late husband's big seal, and for the privimake amends by extreme civility for not  lege of using those twelve old silver forks,
recognizing pretensions unannounced on   with your grandfather's crest upon their
his arrival,-supposing. indeed, that by   handles?"
some mistake she did not hear his double  I have been so much occupied with my
VOL. II.-22




330            From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.    [September
neighbors. that the day has faded into  rive in hired flies; guests are rare who
twilight. I have been too much absorbed  come in hackney coaches.
to have taken note of time. At No. 11,    Balls and great routs were intended, I
there has been all day a bustle.  Gentle-  believe, to afford a kind of solitude to
men's servants, with their loud ring, or  lovers; to enable them to meet for an extheir ring and sinzale knock, have been  change of words and glances. They are
carrying notes all day to the door. I see  a compromise with Propriety who conthe arrival of hired plate and lamps, and   demns retirement. I see the young Oxcandyr baskets from  the confectioner's.  onian flirt with the girl in blue; they
To-night they give a ball. A hansom cab   have found out a retreat under my eye in
has rattled down the street. and from it  the corner of a window.. They are waltzthere springs out a handsome young colle-  ing,-on his shoulder float her long light
gian. He wears Trinity colors, blue and   curls,-he breathes the perfume of her
white, in his neckerchief-I am sure he is  hair. He leads her down into the icean Oxonian.  His carpet-bag is handed  room, plays with her fan, breaks it. that
out. His mother and sisters rush forward  he may have excuse next day for sending
to embrace him. "It was so good of him   her the handsomest that can be bought in
to try and come!"  His father hopes he   Oxford.
is not violating any rule in coming up on  Without, in the street, little is left but
this occasion. " Oh, no," the young scamp   the hoarse link-men, calling up the caranswers,'only he must leave London by   riages. Hoping "your lordship has enthe early mail-train in the morning-He   joyed yourself."  It may have been once
has arranged about his absence with the   a profitable style of flattery to a certain
Dons."  I think I know better than his  class, but Thackeray has written, and
family what has brought him up to town.  snobbism is out of fashion now.
I have not watched at the window for    I rise in the middle of the night. —the
nothing, all the morning; some of the se-  last of the guests,-even the links have
crets of the neighborhood are in my keep-  gone. I see the policeman on his beat,
ing. I see him looking opposite at No. 28,  whom the Oxonian has bribed with a half
and I saw a pretty girl there throw a shawl  crown. to call a cab for him in time for
over her curl papers, and peep out at the  the early train. There is no longer any
hansom cab as it set him down. I will  knocking on front doors. If the doctor
watch her at the ball to-night. I know   is wanted in hot haste they ring his night
what she means to wear, for I saw her  bell. Any disreputable straggler. who
getting a champagne stain out of a blue  hopes to get at this hour into his home,
silk gown.                              must enter with his latch-key. It is the
Day has closed in, and twilight deep-  hour between three and four, when Lonened into darkness. Lamps are lighted   don lies in its profoundest slumber. In a
in the streets. Before going to bed, I look   short time early carts will begin to pour
out of the window. Carriages one after  into the market of Covent Garden. At
another are setting down at the festive  this hour between the beginning of night
door. The footmen of private equipages  to the dissipated, and to the early rising
announce the superior consequence of the   and industrious the beginning of day, we
families they serve by knocks that rattle   may almost say all is asleep in the Great
all the window panes along the little street.  City. —One hour of rest to twenty-three
Rat-tat, tat-tat; rat-tat, ta!   More  of Day.
modest knocks content the many who arFROM THE SUMMER DIARY OF MINERVA TATTLE.
Yewport, Auqgust.
IT certainly is not papa's fault that he  told me she had heard of it every where, and
doesn't understand  French; but he  that it was ten times as absurd each time
ought not to pretend to. It does put one  it was repeated. By the by, Tabby is a
in such uncomfortable situations occasion-  dear creature, isn't she?  It's so nice to
ally. In fact I think it would be quite as  have a spy in the enemy's camp, as it
well if rwe could sometimes " sink the pa-  were, and to hear every thing that every
ternal," as Timon Crcesus says. I sup-  body says about you.  She is not handpose every body has heard of the awful  some, poor, dear Tabby. There's no despeech pa made in the parlor at Sarato-  nying it, but she can't help it.  I was
ga. My dearest friend. Tabby Dormouse,  obliged to tell young Downe so, quite de



1853.]          From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.                  331
cidedly. for 1 really think he had an idea   apartment so stately and so appropriate
she was good-looking. The idea of Tabby   for that display, I recall the taste of the
Dormouse being handsome!  But she is a   Crim Tartars. to whose ruler I had the
useful little thing in her way; one of my   honor of being first accredited amrbassaintimates.                               dor.  When I behold, with astonishel
The true story is this.                eyes, the entrance of that sable society,
Ma and I had persuaded pa to take us  the measured echo of whose foot-falls so
to Saratoga, for we heard the English   properly silences the conversation of all
party were to be there, and we were  the nobles, I seem to see the regular army
anxious they should see some good socie-  of my beloved Sennaar investing a conty. at least. It seems such a pity they   quered city. This, I cry to myself with
shouldn't know what handsome dresses  enthusiasm, this is the height of civilizawe really do have in this country! And   tion, and I privately hand one of the priI mentioned to some of the most English   vates in that grand army, a gold dollar,
of the young men, that there might be  to bring me a dish of beans. Each green
something to be done at Saratoga.  But  bean, 0 greener envoy extraordinary, I
they shrugged their shoulders, especially  say to myself with rapture, should be well
Timon Croesus and Ganche Boosey, and   worth its weight in gold, when served to
said-                                    such a congress of kings, queens, and
"Well, really, the fact is, Miss Tattle,  hereditary prince royals as are assembled
all the Englishmen I have ever met are-in   here. And I find," continues the Pacha,
fact-a little snobbish. However."        "that I am right.  The guest at this banThat was about what they said. But  quet is admitted to the freedom of corn
I thought. considering their fondness of   and potatoes, only after negotiations with
the English model in dress and manner,  the sable military. It is quite the perthat they might have been more willing   fection of organization.  What hints I
to meet some genuine aristocracy. Yet,  shall gather for the innocent pleasureperhaps, that handsome Col. Abattew is  seekers of Sennaar, who still fancy that
right in saying with his grand military   when they bargain for a draught of rose
air,-                                    sherbet, they have tacitly agreed for a: The British aristocracy, madam,-the   glass to drink it from.
British aristocracy is vulgar."            "Why, the first day I came," he went
Well, we all went up to Saratoga.  But  on, "I was going to my room, and met
the distinguished strangers did not come.  the chambermaid coming out. Now, as I
I held back that last muslin of mine, the   had paid a colored gentleman a dollar for
yellow one, embroidered with the alps,  my dinner, in addition to the little bill
and a distant view of the isles of Greece   which I settle at the office, I thought it
worked on the flounces, until it was ini-  was equally necessary to secure my bed
possible to wait longer. I meant to wear  by a slight fee to the goddess of the chaitit at dinner the first day they came, with   bers.  I therefore pulled out my purse,
the pearl necklace and the opal studs, and   and offered her a bill of a small amount.
that heavy ruby necklace (it is a low-  She turned the color of tomatoes.
necked one).  The dining-room  at the      "'Sir,' exclaimed she, and with dignity,
" United States " is so large that it shows' do you mean to insult me?'
off those dresses finely. and if the waiter    "a'Good heavens, miss,' cried I,'quite
doesn't let the soup or the gravy slip,  the contrary,' and thinking it was not
and your neighbor, who is, like as not,  enough, I presented another bill of a larwhat Tabby Dormouse, with her inca-  ger amount.
pacity to pronounce the r: calls "some     " Sir,' said she, half sobbing,'you are'aw,'uff man from the country." doesn't  no gentleman; I shall leave the house!'
put the leg of his chair through the dress,  " I was very much perplexed. I began
and if you don't muss it sitting down-   again.
why, I should like to knowe a prettier     "'Miss —my dear —I mean madamplace to wear a low-necked muslin, with   how much must I pay you to secure my
jewels, than the dining-room of the " Uni-  room?"
ted States" at Saratoga.                    "' I don't understand you, sir,' replied
Kurz Pacha, the Sennaar minister, who  the chambermaid, somewhat mollified.
was up there, and who is so smitten with    "'Why, my dear girl, if I paid Sambo
Mrs. Potiphar, said that he had known   a dollar for my dinner, I expect to pay
few happier moments in this country than   Dolly  something for my chamber, of
the dining hour at the " United States."    course.'
"When the gong sounds." says he, "I       "'Well, sir, you are certainly very
am reminded of the martial music of Sen-  kind, I-with pleasure, I'm sure,' replied
naar. When I seat myself in the midst  she, entirely appeased, taking the money,
of such splendor of toilette, and in an   and vanishing.




332             From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.    [September
"I," said Kurz Pacha, "entered my       " Ah! there's Milton; now we'll see."
room and locked the door. But I believe   But when he opened the case, which was
I was a little hasty about giving her the  foolishly left unlocked. he took down only
money. The perfection of civilization has   a bit of wood, bound in blue morocco,
not yet mounted the stairs. It is confined   which he turned slowly over, so that
to the dining-room.  How beautiful is  every body saw it. and then quietly rethat strain from the Favorita, Miss Mi-  turned it to the shelf, saying only —
nerva, tum tum, ti ti, tum turn, tee tee,"  "I beg pardon."
and the delightful Sennaar ambassador,    Old Pot, as Mrs. P. calls him, happenseeing Mrs. Potiphar in the parlor, danc-  ed to be passing at the moment, and cried
ed, humming, away.                      out in his brusque wayThere are few pleasanter men in socie-   ":'6 Oh! I haven't laid in my books yet.
ty. I should think with his experience   Those are only samples-pattern-cards.
he would be hard upon us, but he is not.  you' know. I don't believe you'll find
The air of courts does not seem to have  there a single book that a gentleman's
spoiled him.                           library shouldn't be without. I got old
"My dear madam," he said one even-  Vellum to do the thing up right, you
ing to iMrs. Potiphar, " if you laugh at  know. I guess he knows about the books
any thing, your laughing is laughed at  to buy. But I've just laid in some claret
next day. Life is short. If you can't  that you'll like, and I've got a sample of
see the jewel in the toad's head, still be-  the Steinberg. Old Corque understands
lieve in it. Take it for granted. The  that kind of thing, if any body does."
Parisienne says that the English woman   And the two gentlemen went off to try
has no je ne sais quoi.  The English wo-  the wine.
man says the Parisienne has no aplomb.    I am astonished that a man of Kurz
Amen! When you are in Turkey-why,  Pacha's tact should have opened the
gobble. Why should I decline to have a  book-case. People have no right to supgood time at the Queen's drawing room,  pose that the pretty bindings on one's
because English women have no je ne  shelves are books. Why, they might as
sais quoi, or at the grand opera, because   well insist upon trying if the bloom on
French women lack a plomb?   Take   one's cheek, or the lace on one's dress, or,
things smoothly.  Life is a merry-go-  in fact, one's figure, were real. Such
round. Look at your own grandfather,  things are addressed to the eye. No gendear Mrs. Potiphar,-fine old gentleman, I  tleman uses his hands in good society.
am told,-rather kept in what the artists  I've no doubt they were originally put
call the middle-distance, at present, —a  into gloves to keep them out of mischief.
capital shoemaker, who did his work       I am as bad as dear Mrs. Potiphar
well, —Alexander and John Howard did  about coming to the point of my story.
no more:-well, here you are, you see,  But the truth is, that in such engrossing
with liveries and a pew in the right  places as Saratoga and Newport, it is
church, and altogether a front seat in the  hardly possible to determine which is the
universe,-merry-go-round, you know;  pleasantest and most important thing
here we go up, up, up; here we go down,  among so many. I am so fond of that
down, down. &c.  By-the-by, pretty   old, droll Kurz Pacha, that, it:I begin to
strain that from Linda; tum tum, ti tum   talk about him I forget every thing else.
tum," and away hopped the Sennaar  He says such nice things about people
minister.                              that nobody else would dare to say, and
Mrs. Potiphar was angry.   Who  that every body is so glad to hear. IHe
wouldn't have been? To have the old fam-  is invaluable in society. And yet one is
ily shoes thrown in one's teeth! But our  never safe. People say he isn't gentleambassador is an ambassador. One must  manly; but when I see the style of man
have the best society, and she swallowed  that is called gentlemanly, I am very glad
it as she has swallowed it a hundred   he is not. All the solemn, pompous men
times before. I quietly remarked —.    who stand about like owls, and never
"Pity Kurz Pacha drinks so abomina-  speak, nor laugh, nor move as if they
bly. He quite forgets what he's say-  really had any life or feeling, are called
ing!"                                   "gentlemanly."  Whenever Tabby says
I suppose he does, if Mrs. P. says so;  of a new man —" but then he is so gentlebut he seems to know well enough all the   manly!" I understand at once. It is antime: as he did that evening in the libra-  other case of the well-dressed wooden
ry at Mir. Potiphar's, when he drew   image. Good heavens! do you suppose
Cerulea Bass to the book-shelves, and   Sir Philip Sidney, or the Chevalier Baybegan to dispute about a line in Milton,  ard, or Charles Fox, were " gentlemanly"
and then suddenly looking up at the  in this way?  Confectioners who underbooks, said-                           take parties might furnish scores of such




1853.]          From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.                333
gentlemen, with hands and feet of any re-  are going this year, so I suppose we shall
quired size, and warranted to do nothing   have to go along."
9"ungentlemanly."  For my part, I am      There was a blow! There was perfect
inclined to think that a gentleman is some-  silence for a moment, while poor pa looked
thing positive, not merely negative. And   amiable, as if he couldn't help embellishif sometimes my friend the Pacha says a  ing his conversation with French graces.
rousing and wholesome truth, it is none the   I waited in horror; for I knew that the
less gentlemanly because it cuts a little.  girls were all tittering inside, and every
He says it's very amusing to observe how   moment it became more absurd. Then
coolly we play this little farce of life, -    out it came. Nancy Fungus leaned her
how placidly people get entangled in a  head on my shoulder, and fairly shook
mesh at which they all rail, and how   with laughter. The others hid behind
fiercely they frown upon any body who  their fans, and the men suddenly walked
steps out of the ring. "'You tickle me  off to the windows, and slipped on to the
and I'll tickle you; but, at all events,  piazza. Papa looked bewildered, and half
you tickle me," is the motto of the crowd.  smiled. But it was a very melancholy
"Allons I " says he, " who cares? lead off  business, and I told him that he had better
to the right and left-down the middle  go up and dress for dinner.
and up again. Smile all round, and bow    It was impossible to stay after that.
gracefully to your partner; then carry   The unhappy slip became the staple of
your heavy heart up chamber, and drown   Saratoga conversation.  "Young Boosey
in your own tears. Cheerfully, cheerful-  (Mrs. Potiphar's witty  friend) asked
ly, my dear Miss Minerva.-Saratoga   Morris audibly at dinner. "Where do the
until August, then Newport till the frost,  parvenus sit? I want to sit among the
the city afterwards; and so an endless  parvenus."
round of happiness."                      " Of course you do. sir," answered
And he steps off humming n segreto   Morris, supposing he meant the circle of
per esser felice!                      the creme de la creme.
Well, we were all sitting in the great    And so the thing went on multiplying
drawing-room  at the "'United States."  itself. Poor papa doesn't understand it
We had been bowling in our morning   yet. I don't dare to explain. Old Fundresses, and had rushed in to ascertain if  gus, who prides himself so upon his family
the distinguished English party had ar-  (it is one of the very ancient and honorarived.  They had not. They were in  ble Virginia families, that came out of the
New-York, and would not come.  That  ark with Noah, as Kurz Pacha says of
was bad, but we thought of Newport and   his ancestors, when he hears that the
probable scions of nobility there, and were  founder of a family " came over with the
consoled. But while we were in the   Conqueror "), and who cannot deny himmidst of the talk, and I was whispering   self a joke, came up to pa, in the barvery intimately with that suDerb and  room. while a large party of gentlemen
aristocratic Nancy Fungus, who should   were drinking cobblers) and said to him
come in but father, walking toward us  with a loud laugh:
with wearied air, dragging his feet along,    " So all the parvenus are going to Newbut looking very well dressed for him. I  port: are they De Famille? "
smiled sweetly when I saw that he was     "Yes!" replied pa, innocently, "that's
quite presentable, and had had the good   what they say. So I suppose we shall
sense to leave that odious white hat in his  all have to go, Fungus."
room, and had buttoned his waistcoat.    There was another roar that time, but
The party stopped talking as he ap-  not from the representative of Noah's ark.
proached; and he came up to me.         It was rather thin joking, but it did very
"Minna, my dear," said he, "I hear  well for the warm weather, and I was glad
every body is going to Newport."       to hear a laugh against anybody but poor
" Oh! yes, dear father," I replied, and   pa.
Nancy Fungus smiled.  Father looked       We came to Newport, but the story
pleased to see me so intimate with a girl  was before us, and I have been very much
he always calls "' so aristocratic and high-  annoyed at it. I know it is foolish for
bred-looking," and he said to her-      me to think of it. Kurz Pacha said"I believe your mother is going, Miss   "My dear Miss Minerva, I have no
Fungus? "                              doubt it would pain you more to be
"Oh! yes, we always go,"' replied she,  thought ignorant of French than capable
" one must have a few weeks of Newport."  of deceit. Yet it is a very innocent igno-' Precisely, my dear," said poor papa,  rance of your father's. Nobody is bound
as if he rather dreaded it, but must con-  to know French; but you all layo much
sent to the hard necessity of fashion.  stress upon it, as if it were the wiikJ duty
They say; Minna, that all the parvenus   of woman to have an "air," and to speak




334             From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.           [September
French, that any ignorance becomes at  again on Monday evening.  TIe's grown
once ludicrous. It's all your own doing.  very quiet and docile. Mrs. P. usually
You make a very natural thing absurd,  takes him a short drive on Monday mornand then grieve because some friend be-  ing. and he comes to dinner in a white
comes a victim.  There is your friend   waistcoat.  In fact, as Mrs. Potiphar says,
Nancy Fungus, who " speaks French as   " My husband has not the air distinguE
well as she does English."  That may be   which I should be pleased to see in him,
true; but you ought to add, that one is of  but he is quite as well as could be expectjust as much use to her as the other-that  ed."  Upon which Firkin twirls his hat in
is, of no use at all. except to communicate   a significant way; you and I smile intelplatitudes. What is the use of a girl's  ligently, dear Miss Minerva; Mrs. Green
learning French to be able to say to young   and Mrs. Settum Downe exchange glances,
Tite dle Choux, that it is a very warm day,  we all understand  Mrs. Potiphar and
and that Newport is charmante.  I don't  each other, and Mrs. Potiphar undersuppose the knowledge of French is going   stands us, and it is all very sweet and
to supplyher with ideas to express. A   pleasant, and the utmost propriety is obgirl who is flat in her native English, will  served, and we don't laugh loud until
hardly be spirituelle in her exotic Frenchl.  we're out of hearing, and then say in the
It is a delightful language for the natives,  very softest whispers, that it was a reand for all who have thoroughly mastered   markably true observation.  This is the
its spirit. Its genius is airy and sparkling.  way to take life, my dear lady. Let us
It is especially the language of society,  go gently. Here we go backwards and
because society is, theoretically, the play-  forwards.  You tickle, and I'll tickle, and
ful encounter of sprightliness and wit. It  we'll all tickle, and here we go roundis the worst language I know of for poetry,  round —roundy! "
ethics, and the habit of' the Saxon mind.    And the Sennaar minister danced out
It is wonderful in the hands of such mas-  of the room.
ters as Balzac and George Sand, and is     He is a droll man, and I don't quite unespecially adapted to their purposes. Yet  derstand him. Of course I don't entirely
their books are forbidden to Nancy Fun-  like him, for it always seems as if he
gus, Tabby Dormouse, Daisy Clover, and   meant something a little different from
all their relations. They read Telemaque,  what he says. Laura Larmes, who reads
and long to be married, that they may   all the novels. and rolls her great eyes
pry into Leila and Indiana: their French,  around the ball-room, —who laughs at the
meanwhile, even if they wanted to know   idea of such a girl as Blanche Amory in
any thing of French literature, —which is  Pendennis,-who would be pensive if she
too absurd an idea,-serves them only to   were not so plump, who likes' nothing
say nothing to uncertain hairy foreigners  so much as walking on the cliff by moonwho haunt society, and to  understand   light,;"-who wonders that girls should
their nothings, in response. I am really   want to dance on warm  summer nights
touched for this Ariel, this tricksy sprite   when they have Nature, "'and such naof speech, when I know that it must do  ture" before them,-who, in fact, would be
the bidding of those who can never fit its   a mere emotion if she were not a bouncing
airy felicity to any worthy purpose. I   girl,-Laura Larmnes wonders that any
have tried these accomplished damsels   man can be so happy as Kurz Pacha.
who speak French and Italian as well as    "Ah! Kurz Pacha," she says to him as
they do English. But our conversation  they stroll upon the piazza, after he has
was only a clumsy translation of English   been dancing (for the minister dances,
commonplace.  And yet, Miss Minerva,  and swears it is essential to diplomacy to
I think even so sensible a woman as you,  dance well), "are you really so very
looks with honor and respect upon one of  happy?  Is it possible you can be so
that class. Dear me! excuse me! What  gay?  Do you find nothing mournful in
am I thinking of? I'm engaged to drive  life? "
little Daisy Clover on the beach at six    "Nothing, my best Miss Laura," he
o'clock.  She is one of those who garnish  replies, "to speak of; as somebody said
their conversation with French scraps.  of religion. You, who devote youself to
Really you must pardon me, if she is a   melancholy, the moon, and the source of
friend of yours; but that dry, gentle-  tears, are not so very sad as you think.
manly fellow, D'Orsay Firkin, says that  You cry a good deal, I don't doubt. But
Miss Clover's conversation is a dish of  when grief goes below tears, and forces
tate de veau farce.   Aren't you com-  you in self-defence to try to forget it, not
ing to the beach? Every body goes to-day.  to sit and fondle it, —then you will underMrs. qiu has arrived. and the Potiphars  stand more than you do now.  I pity
are hi, —that is, Mrs. P. Old Pot ar-  those of your sex, upon whom has fallen
rives on Sunday morning early, and is off  the reaction of wealth,-for whom there




1853.]          From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.                335
is no career, —who must sit at home and   and young Topaz meet on the common
pine in a splendid ennui,-who have learn-  ground of a good cigar. Mrs. Peony and
ed and who know, spite of sermons and   Daisy Clover are intimate at all hours.
sound, sensible views of things,' that  Why?  Because on the one hand Mrs. P.
to enjoy the -;high privilege' of reading   knows that youth, and grace, and beauty,
books,-of cultivating their minds, and   are attractive to men, and that if Miss
when they are married minding their  Rosa Peony, her daughter, has not those
babies, and ministering to the drowsy af-  advantages, it is well to have in the neighter dinner ease of their husbands. is not  borhood a magnet strong enough to draw
the fulfilment of their powers and hopes.  the men. On the other hand Daisy Clover
But, my amiable Miss Larmes, this is a   is a girl of good sense enough to knowclass of girls and women who are not so-  even if she didn't know'it by instinctlicitous about wearing black when their  that men in public places like the prestige
great-aunt in Denmark dies, whom they   of association with persons of acknownever saw, nor when the only friend who  ledged social position, which, by hook or
made heaven possible to them, falls dead   by crook, Mrs. Peony undoubtedly enat their sides. Nor do they avoid Mrs.  joys. Therefore to be of Mrs. P.'s party
Potiphar's balls as a happiness which they  is to be well placed in the catalogue-the
are not happy enough to enjoy-nor do   chances are fairer —the-gain is surer. Upthey suppose that all who attend that  on seeing Daisy Clover with quiet little
festivity-dancing to Mrs. P.'s hired music   Mrs. Clover, or plain old aunt Honeyand drinking Mr. P.'s fine wines-are ut-  suckle,-people would inquire, who are
terly given over to hilarity and superficial  the Clovers?  And no one would know.
enjoyment.  I do not even think they   But to be with Mrs. Peony, morning,
would be likely to run-with rounded   noon, and night, is to answer all questions
eyes, deep voice, and in very exuberant  of social position.
health-to any one of us jaded votaries of  But, unhappily, in the city things are
fashion, and say, how can you be so happy?  changed. There no attraction is necessary
My considerate young friend,' strong walls  but the fine house, gay parties, and undo not a prison make,'-nor is a man ne-  derstood rank of Mrs. Peony to draw
cessarily happy because he hops.  You   men to Miss Rosa's side. In Newport it
are certainly not unhappy because you   does very well not to dance with her.
make eyes at the moon, and adjudge life   But in the city it doesn't do not to be at
to be vanity and vexation. Your mind is  Mrs. Peony's ball. Who knows it so well
only obscured by a few morning vapors.  as that excellent lady? Therefore darling
They are evanescent as the dew, and when   Daisy is dropped a little when we all reyou remember them at evening they will  turn.
seem to you but as pensive splendors of:' Sweet girl," Mrs. P. says, "really a
the dawn."                              delightful companion for Rosa in the sumLaura has her revenge for all this snub-  mner, and the father and mother'are such
bing; of course, she does not attempt to  nice, excellent people. Not exactly people
disguise her opinion that Kurz Pacha is  that one knows, to be sure-but Miss
a man of "foreign morals," as she well  Daisy is really amiable and quite accomexpresses it.  "A  very gay, agreeable  plished."
man, who glides gently over the surface   Daisy goes to an occasional party at the
of things,. but knows nothing of the real  Peony's. But at the opera and the theatrials and sorrows of life," says the mel-  tre, and at the small, intimate parties of
ancholy Laura Larmes, whose appetite   Rosa and her friends, the darling Daisy
continues good, and who fills a large arm-  of Newport is not visible. However, she
chair comfortably.                      has her little revenges. She knows the
It is my opinion, however, that people  Peonys well: and can talk intelligently
of a certain size should cultivate the hila-  about them, which'puts her quite on a
rious rather than the unhappy. Diogenes,  level with them in the estimation of her.with the proportions of Alderman Gobble,  own set. She rules in the lower sphere,
could not have succeeded as a Cynic.    if not in the higher, and Daisy Clover is
Here at Newport there is endless op-  in the way of promotion. Yes, and if she
portunity of detecting these little absurdi-  be very rich, and papa and mammna are at
ties of our fellow-creatures. In fact one of  all presentable, or if they can be dexterthe greatest charms of a watering-place to  ously hushed-up, there is no knowing but
me is the facility one enjoys of understand-   Miss Daisy Clover will suddenly bloom
ing the whole game, which is somewhat  upon the world as Mrs. P.'s daughter-inconcealed in the city. Watering-place life  law, wife of that "gentlemanly" young
is a full-dress parade of social weaknesses.  man, Mr. Puffer Peony.
We all enjoy a kind of false intimacy,    Naturally it pains me very much to be
an accidental friendship. Old Carbuncle  obliged to think so of the people with




336             From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.    [September
whom I associate.  But I suppose they   bor. Besides, dear Miss Minna, I prefer
are as good as any.  As Kurz Pacha  tropical cruises to the Antarctic voyage."
says: "If I fly from a Chinaman because   And the old wretch actually looked at
he wears his hair long like a woman, I  my black hair. I might have said somemust equally fly the Frenchman because  thing-approving his taste, perhaps, who
he shaves his like a lunatic. The story of   knows?-when I saw  Mrs. Potiphar.
Jack Spratt is the apologue of the world."  She was splendidly dressed in the silk, and
It is astonishing how intimate he is with  it's a pity she doesn't become a fine dress
our language and literature. By the by,  better. She made for me directly.
that Polly Potiphar has been mean enough  "Dear Minna, I'm  so glad to see you.
to send out to Paris for the very silk that  Why how young and fresh you look toI relied upon as this summer's cheval de   night.  Really, quite blooming.  And
bataille, and hasjust received it superbly  such a sweet pretty dress, too, and the
made up. The worst of it is that it is  darling baby-waist and all,-"
just the thing for her. She wore it at    *"Y.es," said that witty Gauche Boosey,
the ball the other night, and expected to  "permit me, Miss Tattle,-quite an inhave crushed me, in mine. Not she! I  carnate seraphim, upon my word."
have not summered it at Newport for-      "You are too good," replied I, "my
well, for several years, for nothing, and   dear Polly, it is your dress which deserves
although I am rather beyond the strict  admiration, and I flatter myself in saying
white muslin age, I thought I could yet  so, for it is the very counterpart of one I
venture a bold stroke. So I arrayed a' la  had made some months ago."
Daisy Clover,-not too much, pas trop      " Yes, darling, and which you have not
jeune. And awaited the onset.           yet worn," replied she. "I said to Mr. P..
Kurz Pacha saw me across the room'Mr. P.,' said I,'there are few women
and came up, with his peculiar smile.  upon whose amiability I can count as I
He did not look at my dress, but he said  can upon Mlinerva Tattle's, and, therefore,
to me, rather wickedly, looking at my   I am going to have a dress like hers.
bouquet:                                Most women would be vexed about it,
" Dear me! I hardly hoped to see spring   and say ill-natured things if I did so.
flowers so late in the summer."         But if I have a friend. it is Minerva Tattle;
Then he raised his eyes to mine, and I  and she will never grudge it to me for a
am conscious that I blushed.            moment.'  It's pretty; isn't it?  Just
"It's very warm. You feel very warm,  look here at this trimming."
I am sure, my dear Miss Tattle," he con-    And she showed me the very handtinued, looking straight at my face.    somest part of it, and so much handsomer
" You are sufficiently cool, at least, I  than mine, that I can never wear it.
think," replied I.                        "Polly, I am so glad you know me so
"Naturally," said he, " for I've been   well." said I. "' I'm  delighted with the
in the immediate vicinity of the boreal  dress. To be sure it's rather prononc6
pole for half an hour-a neigborhood in  for your style; but that's nothing."
which, I am told, even the most ardent    Just then a polka struck up. " Come
spirits sometimes freeze-so you must  along! give me this turn," said Boosey,
pardon me if I am more than usually dull,  and putting his arm round Mrs. Potiphar's
Miss Minerva."                         waist, he whirled her off into the dance.
And the Pacha beat time to the waltz   How I did hope somebody would come
with his head.                         to ask me. Nobody came.
I looked at the part of the room from   " You don't dance?" asked Kurz
which he had just come, and there, sure   Pacha, who stood by during my little
enough, in the midst of a group, I saw   talk with Polly P.
the tall and stately, and still Ada Ai-    " Oh! yes," answered I, and hummed
guille.                                the polka.
"He is a hardy navigator." continued   Kurz Pasha hummed too, looked on at
Kurz Pacha, "who sails for the boreal  the dancers a few  minutes, then, turnpole. It is glittering enough, but ship-  ed to me. and looking at my bouquet,
wreck by daylight upon a coral reef, is  said:
no pleasanter than by night upon New-    " It is astonishing how little taste there
port shoals."                          is for spring-flowers."
"Have you been shipwrecked, Kurz       At that moment young Croesus " came
Pacha?"  asked I suddenly.            in," warm with the whirl of the dance,
He laughed softly: " No, Miss Minerva,  with Daisy Clover.
I am not one of the hardy navigators; I  "It's very warm," said he, in a gentlekeep close in to the shore.  Upon the   manly manner.
slightest symptom of an agitated sea, I  " Dear me! yes, very warm," said
furl my sails, and creep into a safe har-  Daisy.




1853.]          From  the Summer Diary of MIinerva Tattle.              337
" Been long in Newport? "           horses, and was universally liked. Dear';No; only a few days. We always  me! appearances are so deceitful! who do
come, after Saratoga, for a couple of weeks.  you think he was?"
But isn't it delightful?"                "I'm sure I can't imagine."
"Quite so," said Timon, coolly, and  ".Well, the next spring she went to a
smiling at the idea of any body's being   music store in Philadelphia, to buy some
enthusiastic about any thing. That ele-  guitar strings for Claribel, and who should
gant youth has pumped life dry; and   advance to sell them, but the Russian
the pump only wheezes.                 Minister! Mrs. Gnu said she colored-"
" Oh! " continued Daisy, "it's so plea-    " So I've always understood," said
sant to run away from the hot city, and   Gauche, laughing.
breathe this cool air. And then Nature    "Fie! Mr. Boosey," continued Mrs. P.
is so beautiful. Are you fond of Nature,  smiling. " But the music-seller didn't beMr. Croesus? "                        tray the slightest consciousness. He sold
"Tolerably," returned Timon.         her the strings. received the money, and
"Oh! but Mr. Crcesus, to go to the glen,  said nothing, and looked nothing. Just
and skip stones, and to walk on the cliff, and  think of it! She supposed him to be a
drive to Bateman's, and the fort, and to  gentleman, and he was really a musicgo to the beach by moonlight; and then   dealer. You see that's the sort of thing
the bowling-alley, and the archery, and   one is exposed to here, and though your
the Germania. Oh! it's a splendid place.  friend may be very nice, it isn't safe for
But, perhaps, you  don't like natural  me to know him. In a country where
scenery, Mr. Croesus? "               there's no aristocracy one can't be too ex" Perhaps not," said Mr. Croesus.    elusive. Mrs. Peony says she thinks that
"W Mell, some people don't," said darling  in future she shall really pass the summer
little Daisy, folding up her fan, as if quite  in a farm-house, or if she goes to a waterready for another turn.                ing-place, confine herself to her own rooms
"Come. now; there it is,"  said Timon,  and her carriage, and look at people
and, grasping her with his right arm,  through the blinds. I'm  afraid, myself,
they glided away.                      it's coming to that. Every body goes to
" Kurz Pacha," said I. " I wonder who   Saratoga now, and you see how Newport
sent Ada Aiguille that bouquet?"        is crowded. For my part I agree with'Sir John Franklin, I presume," re-  the Rev. Cream  Cheese. that there are
turned he.                             serious evils in a republican form of gov"What do you mean by that?" asked I.  ernment.  What a hideous head-dress
Before he could answer, Boosey and  that is of Mrs. Settum Downe's! What a
Mrs. Potiphar stopped by us.           lovely polka-redowa! ":" No, no.,Mr. Boosey," panted Mrs. P.,    " So it is, by Jove! Come on," replied
"I will not have him introduced. They  the gentlemanly Boosey, and they swept
say his father actually sells drygoods by   down the hall.
the yard in Buffalo."                     "Ah! ciel!" exclaimed a voice close by
"Well, but he doesn't, Mrs. Potiphar."   us-Kurz Pacha and I turned at the same
"I know that, and it's all very well for  moment. We beheld a gentleman twirlyou young men to know  him, and to  ing his moustache and a lady fanning.
drink, and play billiards, and smoke with   They were smiling intelligently at each
him. And he is handsome, to be sure,  other, and upon his whispering something
and gentlemanly, and I am told, very in-  that I could not hear, she said " Fi!
telligent. But, you know, we can't be   donc," and folding her fan and laying her
visiting our shoemakers and shopmen.  arm  upon his shoulder, they slid along
That's the great difficulty of a watering-  again in the dance.
place, one doesn't know who's who. Why    "Who is that? " inquired the Pacha.
Mrs. Gnu was here three summers ago,    "Don't you know Mrs. Vite? " said I,
and there sat next to her, at table, a mid-  glad of my chance. " Why, my dear sir,
dle-aged foreign gentleman, who had only  she is our great social success. She shows
a slight accent, and who was so affable   what America can do under a French
and agreeable. so intelligent and modest,  regime. She performs for society the inand so perfectly familiar with all kinds of   estimable service of giving some reality to
little ways, you know, that she supposed  the pictures of Balzac and George Sand,
he was the Russian Minister who, she  by the quality of her life and manners.
heard. was at Newport incognito for his  She is just what you would expect a weak
health. She used to talk with him in   American girl to be who was poisoned by
the parlor. and allowed him to join her  Paris, —who mistook what was most obupon the piazza. Nobody could find out  vious for what was most characteristic,who he was. There were suspicions, of  whose ideas of foreign society and female
course. But he paid his bills, drove his  habits were based upon an experience of




338             From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.    [September
resorts, more renowned for ease than ele-   " and at the end of the game she may go
gance,-who has no instinct fine enough   break her heart. I suppose."
to tell her that a lionne cannot be a lady,  " Hearts are not so brittle. Miss Petti-who imitates the worst manners of for-  toes," replied Norman. " Besides, why
eign society, without the ability or oppor-  should you girls always play for such high
tunity of perceiving the best,-who pre-  stakes?"
fbrs a double entendre to a bon-mot,-who   They were just about beginning the
courts the applause of men whose ac-  waltz again, when the music stopped, and
quaintance gentlemen are careless of ac-  they walked away. But I saw the tears
knowledging, —who likes fast driving and  in Caroline's eyes: I don't know whether
dancing, low jokes, and low  dresses,-  they were tears of vexation, or of disapwho is, therefore, bold without wit, noisy   pointment. The men have the advantage
without society, and notorious without a   of us because they can control their emodesirable reputation. That is Mrs. Vite."  tions so much better. I suppose Caroline
Kurz Pacha rolled up his eyes.         blushed and cried, because she found her"Good Jupiter! Miss Minerva," cried   self blushing and crying, quite as much as
he, " is this you that I hear2? Why, you   because she fancied her partner didn't
are warmer in your denunciation of this  care for her.
little wisp of a woman than you ever were  I turned to Kurz Pacha, who stood by
of fat old Madam Gorgon, with her pro-  my side smiling and rubbing his hands.
digious paste diamonds. Really, you take   "A charming evening we have had of
it too hard. And you, too, who used to  it, Miss Minerva," said he, " an epitome
skate so nimbly over the glib surface of  of life-a kind of last-new-novel effect.
society, and cut such coquettish figures   The things that we have heard and seen
of eight upon the characters of your  here, multiplied and varied by a thousand
friends.  You must excuse me, but it  or so. produce the net result of Newport.
seems to me odd that Miss Minerva   Given, a large house, music, piazzas,
Tattle, who used to treat serious things   beaches, cliff, port, griddle-cakes, fast
so lightly, should now be treating light  horses, sherry-cobblers, ten-pins, dust,
things so seriously. You ought to fre-  artificial flowers, innocence, worn-out
quent the comic opera more, and dine   hearts, loveliness, black-legs, bank-bills,
with Mrs. Potiphar once a week. If your  small men, large coat-sleeves, little boots,
good-humor can't digest such a hors  jewelry, and polka redowas ad libitum,
d'ceuvre as little Mrs. Vite, what will you   to produce August in Newport. For my
do with such a piece de resistance as   part, Miss Minerva, I like it. But it is a
Madame Gorgon?"                          dizzy and perilous game. I profess to
Odious plain speaker! Yet I like the   seek and enjoy emotions, so I go to waterman. But, before I could reply, up came   ing-places. Ada Aiguille says she doesn't
another couple, —Caroline Pettitoes and   like it. She declares that she thinks less
Norman de Famille.                       of her fellow-creatures after she has been
"You were at the bowling alley?" said he.  here a little while. She goes to the city
"Yes," answered Caroline.              afterward to refit her faith, probably.
"You saw them together?"              Daisy Clover thinks it's heavenly. Dar"Yes."                                ling little Daisy! life is an endless German
"Well, what do you think? "          cotillon to her. She thinks the world is
"Why, of course, that if he is not en-  gay, but well-meaning, is sure that it goes
gaged to her he ought to be. He has  to church on Sundays, and never tells lies.
taken her out in his wagon three times,  Cerulea Bass looks at it for a moment
he has sent her four bouquets, he waltzes   with her hard, round, ebony eyes, and
with her every night, he bowls with her  calmly wonde-s that people will make
party every morning, and if that does not  such fools of themselves. And you, Miss
mean that he wants to marry her, I should   Minerva, pardon me,-you come because
like to know what it does mean," replied   you are in the habit of coming-because
Caroline, tossing her head.              you are not happy out of such society,
Norman de Famille smiled, and Caro-  and have a tantalizing sadness in it.
line continued, with rather a flushed face,  Your system  craves only the piquant
because Norman had been doing very   sources of scandal and sarcasm, which
much the same thing with her.            can never satisfy it. You wish that you
"What is a girl to understand by such  liked tranquil pleasures and believed in
attentions?"                            men and women. But you get no nearer
"Why, that the gentleman finds it an  than a wish. You remember when you
amusing game, and hopes she is equally   did believe, but you remember with a
pleased," returned De Famille.           shudder and a sigh. You pass for a bril"MlVerci. M. de Famille," said Caroline.  liant woman. You go out to dinners and
with an energy I never suspected in her,  balls; and men are, what is called,' afraid




1853.]           From  the Summer Diary of Minerva Tattle.                 339
of you.' You scorn most of us. You are     Kurz Pacha smiled again.
not a favorite, but your pride is flattered  "Suppose, Miss Minerva, I say the
by the very fear on the part of others   Golden Rule is my theory of life. You
which prevents your being loved. Time   think it vague; but it is in that like most
and yourself are your only enemies, and   theories. Then I propose that we shall
they are in league, for you betray yourself  all be good. Don't you think it a feasito him. You have found youth the most  ble proposition?  I see that you think
fascinating and fatal of flirts, for he to  you have effectually disposed of all cornwhom your heart and hope clung despair-  plaint by challenging the complainer to
ingly, has jilted you and thrown you by.  suggest a remedy.  But it is clear to me
Let him go, if you can, and throw after  that a man in the water has a right to cry
him the white muslin and the baby-waist.  out, although he may not distinctly state
Give up milk and the pastoral poets.  how  he proposes to avoid drowning.
Sail, at least, under your own colors;  Your reasoning is that of those excellent
even pirates hoist a black flag. An old   Americans who declare that foreign nabelle who endeavors to retain by sharp  tions ought not to strike for a republic
wit and spicy scandal the place she held  until they are fit for a republic-as if emonly in virtue of youth  and spirited   pires and monarchies founded colleges to
beauty, is, in a new circle of youth and   propagate  democracy.  Probably you
beauty, like an enemy firing at you from   think it wiser that men shouldn't go into
the windows of your own house. The  the water until they can swim. Mr. Cardifficulty of your position, dear Miss  lyle, I remember, was bitterly reproached
Minerva, is, that you can never deceive  for grumbling in his ";Chartism," and
those who alone are worth  deceiving.  other works, as if a man had no moral right
Daisy Clover and Young America, of  to complain of hunger until he had grasped
course, consider you a talented, tremen-   a piece of bread.   What do you propose
dous kind of woman. Daisy Clover won-  to do, Mr. Carlyle?' said they,'what
ders all the men are not in love with you.  with the Irish, for instance?'    Mr. C.
Young America sniffs and shakes its little  said that he would compel every Irishman
head, and says disapprovingly,'strong-  to work, or he would sink the island in
minded woman!'  But you fail, you   the sea.'Barbarous man, this is your
know, notwithstanding.  You couldn't  boasted reform!' cried they in indignant
bring old Potiphar to his knees when he   chorus, unsuited either way, and permitfirst came home from China, and he must  ting the Irish to go to the dogs in the
needs plunge in love with Miss Polly,  mean while. So suffer me, dearest Miss
whom you despised, but who has certainly   Minerva, to regret a state of things which
profited by her intimacy with Mrs. Gnu,  no sensible man can approve. Even if it
Mrs. Crcesus, and Mrs. Settum Downe, as  seems to you light, allow me, at least, to
you saw by her conversation with you   treat it seriously, nor suppose I love any
this evening.                            thing less because I would see it better.
c" Ah, Miss Minerva, I am only a benight-  You are the natural friuit of this state of
ed diplomat from Sennaar, but when I re-  things, 0 Minerva Tattle. By their fruits
fleet upon all I see around me in your  ye shall know them."
country; when I take my place with ter-    After a few moments, he added in the
ror in a railroad car, because the certain-  old way:
ty of frightful accidents fills all minds  "Don't think I am going to break my
with the same vague apprehension as if a   heart about it, nor lose my appetite.
war were raging in the land; when I see   Look at the absurdity of the whole thing.
the universal rush and fury-young men   I'm  preaching to you in your baby-waist,
who never smile, and who fall victims to  here in a Newport ball-room at midnight.
paralysis; old men who are tired of life   I humbly beg your pardon. There are
and dread death; young women pretty   more potent preachers here than I.  Beand incapable; old women listless and   sides, I'm  engaged to Mrs. Potiphar's
useless; and both young and old, if wo-  supper at 12. Take things more gently,
men of sense, perishing of ennui, and long-  dear Miss Minerva.  Don't make faces at
ing for some kind of a career;-why, I   Mrs. Vite, nor growl at your darling
don't say that it is better any where else,  Polly.  Women as smart as you are, will
-perhaps it isn't,-in most ways it cer-  say precisely as smart things of you as
tainly is not. I don't say, certainly, that  you say of them. We shall all laugh,
there's a higher tone of life in London or  first with you, and then at you. But
Paris than in New-York, but only that,  don't deny yourself the pleasure of saying
whatever it may be there, this, at least,  the smart things in hope that they will
is rather a miserable business."         also refrain. That's vanity, not virtue.
"What is your theory of life, then?  People are much better than you think.
asked I.' what do you propose? "       but they are also much worse. I might




340                  Editorial Notes-French Literature.             [September
have been king of Sennaar, but I am only   know, and the drive at six. Au revoir."
his ambassador. You might have been   And he was gone. The ball was breakonly a chambermaid, but you are the  ing up.  A few  desperate dancers still
brilliant and accomplished Miss Tattle.  floated upon the floor. The chairs were
Turn, tum, tum, Ti, ti, ti-,-what a pretty   empty. The women were shawling, and
waltz!  Here come Daisy and Timon  the men stood attendant with bouquets.
Croesus, and now  Mrs. Potiphar and   I went to a window and looked out. The
Gauche Boosey, and now again Caroline   moon was rising, a wan, waning moon.
Pettitoes and De Famille.  She is smiling   The broad fields lay dark beneath, and as
again, you see. She darts through the  the music ceased, I heard the sullen roar
dance like a sunbeam as she is. Caro-  of the sea. If my heart ached with an
line is a philosopher.  Just now  you re-  indefinite longing,-if it felt that the airy
member, it was down, down, down,-now   epicurism  of the Pacha was but a sad
it is up, up, up. It is a good world, if  cynicism, masquerading  in  smiles,-if
you don't rub it the wrong way. Sit in   I dreaded to ask whether the wisest were
the sun as much as possible.  One pre-  not the saddest,-if the rising moon, and
serves one's complexion, but gets so cold  the plunging sea, and the silence of midin the shade. Ah! there comes Mrs.  night were mournful, —if I envied Daisy
Potiphar.  Why, she is radiant!  She   Clover her sweet sleep and vigorous wakshakes her fan at me. Adieu, Miss Mi-  ing, —why, no one need ever know it, nor
nerva. Sweet dreams. To-morrow morn-  suspect that the brilliant Minerva Tattle
ing at the Bowling alley at eleven, you  is a failure.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
LITERATURE.                 publish a manual of the histrionic art,
FRANCE.-M. VIOLLET LEDUC, one of  intended for the use of members of the
the first of living French architects, is  profession.  Its title is Art Theatrale,
now publishing in numbers, a Diction-   and the critics unanimously praise it benaire raisonn6 de l'architecture fran-   forehand.
raise du onzieme au seiziene siacle,      -An important branch of the revoluwhich is to be completed in two volumes,  tionary annals, is made more widely and
with three hundred engravings.  Two   completely accessible to the public, by the
parts have already appeared.             Abbe JAGER, in his lately published
-A  very complete chronological work is   Histoire de l'Eglise de France pendclat
that of M. ANDRE DE BELLECOMBE, of which  la Revolution.  It not only narrates the
two volumes have already appeared at  events of that great cataclysm  in their
Paris, while a third  is now  in press.  relation to the church, but enters at length
With this volume the entire chronology  into the share which the latter had in
of the human race, down to the Christian   bringing  it about. It is replete with
era, will be completed. The same author  documentary information, and  written
is about to publish a universal history of   with great fairness, considering that its
literature art and science.              author is himself an ecclesiastic.
-A book very warmly, and we judge        -Alexander Dumas is at work on a
very justly praised, is Professor CHASTEL'S  translation of the dramas of Kotzebue.
Etudes historiques sur l'influence de la   As he does not know a word of the oriCharite  durant les premiers siecles   ginal, he employs a German who puts it
Chretiens (On the Influence of Charity  into French, after which our Alexander
during the first centuries of Christianity).  the Great comes in to polish and finish
It was written for a prize offered by the   the job.
French Academy, in order to defend alms-   -Physiologie du Duel is the title of a
giving  and  eleemosynary  institutions   curious work  by  ALFRED D'ALnIBAT.
against the criticism of imprudence and   It' is not so much a regular treatise on
indiscretion put forth by Malthus, and   duelling as a collection of historical facts,
that of uselessness urged by the Sociailsts.'anecdotes and reminiscences, -which no
The prize was gained in 1852, and the   reader is likely to lay down till he has
work is now given to the public. The  finished the whole.. Of course it relates
author, is professor of ecclesiastical his-  to the practice as it exists and has always
tory at Geneva.                          existed in France, where it diffrls consid-SANsoN, of the Theatre Franqais, one   erably from the same institution in other
of the first actors of France, is about to  countries.




1853.]              Editorial Notes-German Literature.                     341
-Didot, of Paris, has published in a   and his criticisms, if sometimes one-sided,
style of unusual elegance, a work by M.  are never without the stamp of manly
E. LANGIER, called  Documents histo-  good sense and sound culture.
riques sur la comedie franpaise (His-      -MR. VOGUMIL GOLTZ, an eccentric autorical Documents on the French Thea-  thor on his travels, has published Der
tre).  Our readers who have been in   Kleinstddter in Egypten (The SmallParis will understand that this does not  Citizen in Egypt), which those who love
refer to the French drama in general, but  an exaggerated style, farfetched fancies,
simply to the leading theatre of Paris.  and absurd ideas, may consult with gratiThis theatre has always stood under the  fication.
special patronage of the Government, and   -Baron STERNBERG has published at
for centuries has enjoyed a sort of mono-  Leipsic a new novel, Macargan, which
poly, not only of the best dramas, but of  the German critics handle without mercy.
the best'actors. Probably no other his-  The only good thing they find in it is a
trionic establishment in  the world is  picture of the court of Catharine II. of
equally perfect in the performances it  Russia, with Prince Potemkin as a prooffers to the public, and certainly none   minent figure. All admit the author has
has been connected with so long a series  talent, but all proclaim  that he fools it
of illustrious writers and gifted artists.  away quite shamefully.
Its history is the history of what is most  -Pleasant reading may be found in the
eminent in French dramatic literature,  Novellen und  Schilderumgen  (Novels
and though M. Langier has not under-  and Pictures), by L. STEUB. a collection of
taken to write it with any pretension to  little tales, fairy stories, and sketches of
completeness, he has collected and pub-  real life, written in an excellent style and
lished a valuable mass of materials   most agreeable spirit.
which may be used hereafter in such a      -The beautiful and the sublime have
work.                                    often enough served as topics of literary
discussion, but their opposites have hithGERMANY.-For some time past the   erto been left undisturbed by philosoAugsburg Allgemeine Zeitung has con-  phers and book makers. But this could
tained articles on Italian literature and   not endure for ever, and accordingly we
history, which, though conceived in an ul-  now have before us a treatise called -Estra conservative spirit, have been marked   thetik des Hdcsslichen (Esthetics of the
by all the qualities of uncommon learning   Ugly), by Prof. K. Rosenkranz. It is an
and literary ability. Their author, Count  attempt to define philosophically and by
ALFRED VON NEUMONT, a German diplo-  practical illustrations the nature and limmat residing at Florence. has now publish-  its of the use of the ugly, the disagreeed two volumes called Beitrdge zur ita-   able, and the vile, in art, literary as well as
lienischen Geschichte (Contributions to   plastic. Though it is not quite satisfacItalian History), in which all thoughtful  tory either philosophically or practically,
persons will find instruction. A most in-  it is yet one of the most remarkable proteresting chapter treats of Galileo, and a   ductions of recent German literature, and
large part of the first volume is devoted   may be studied with profit by all who
to the Italian diplomats and diplomatic  take an interest in mesthetic questions.
relations fiom the 13th to the 16th cen-    -Professor ZINKEISEN has now comtury. The work is dedicated to Leopold  pleted his History of the Jacobins (Der
Ranke.                                   Jakobiner-Klub), whose first part was
-JULIAN SCHMIDT, one of the editors of   published some time since. Its two thick
the Leipsic Grenzboten, a weekly maga-  volumes form a most important contribuzine of ability and value; has published  tion to the History of the French Revoluthe first volume of a History of German   tion of'93. written with indefatigable reNational Literature in the 19th century  search, all possible philosophic impartial(Geschichte der deutschen National litera-  ity, in an animated and agreeable style.
tur im 19 Jahrlundert). It begins with   So thoroughly has the author used his
the death of Schiller, and concludes with   materials, that his book must serve as a
the period immediately before the appear-  manual of reference to future historians. If
ance of Henry Ieine; the second volume,  it does not exhaust the subject, it is a comwhich will come down to the present day,  plete collection of the facts relating to it.
is to appear in the course of the present    -A pocket collection of American litemonth.   Mr. Schmidt, who is a liberal  rature has been commenced by Wigaud,
conservative, is no admirer of the literature  the Leipsic publisher. The first volume
he discusses, but not disposed to set it  contains selections from  Cooper, Irving,
down as indicating the entire perdition of   Dana, Mrs. Kirkland, and others,-in all
the world. His spirit, if not the most  fifteen tales and sketches.
generous and comprehensive, is hopeful;    -Aus dem  Saden (from the South),




342             Editorial Notes-Letter from  Henry C. Carey.    [September
by JULIUS VON WICKEDE, is a series of  the treatment my books have received at
sketches by one of the most spirited and  the hands of reviewers, but I certainly
satisfactory of the younger German writers,  had no intention to complain of any one.
who may justly be classed in the brilliant  My sole object in writing the letter was
category  of recent travelling  authors,  to place before a friend a statement of the
headed by such names as Kinglake, and   actual condition of affairs throughout the
Thackeray.  The subjects treated in this  land, in the hope that it might have some
little volume are: Life in the Harbor of  influence with him, in reference to the
Genoa; a Shipwreck in the Mediterrane-  management of a journal that may do
an; sketches from Corsica; a day in Gib-  much good, or evil, and of which he is the
raltar; Cadiz; Lisbon; Oporto and its  responsible head. It was my wish to call
Port Wine; Algiers and Constantine.      your attention to the fact that a large
-To the list of military memoirs grow-  portion of our teachers-professors and
ing out of the Revolution of 1848 and 1849,  reviewers-are actually behind' the comin the Austrian empire we have now to   mlunity in which they undertake to teach,
add  those of Field-Marshal W ELDEN)  and are laboring to perpetuate error when
whose Episoden  aus meinem  Leben   they should be employed in disseminating
(Episodes from my Life) has just made  truth, and that they are so because they
its appearance at Gratz. It narrates the   will not take the trouble to think a little
story of the suppression bf the Italian and   for themselves.  The whole system of our
Hungarian revolts, in so far as its author  higher schools tends in that direction, and
was concerned in them, and is regarded   our young men go to College to learn that
by Austrian writers as a very valuable   which the intelligent among them find
book, in a military as well as a historical  themselves forced to unlearn when they
sense. It will be remembered that Wel-  pass into the world.  A student reads
don was the immediate predecessor of  Ricardo and McCulloch to qualify himIaynau, in the command of the army   self for teaching from  the professorial
operating against Hungary, in 1849.      chair. that if the many are every where
hewers of wood and drawers of water for
the few, they are so in virtue of a great
LETTER FROM II. C. CAREY.          law of God, which provides for a conDEAR  SIR,-Hastily written, and at  stantly increasing tendency towards the
first intended for no eyes but your own,  division of mankind into two great classes
my MS. appears to have been hardly dis-  -the masters and the slaves. He studies
tinct enough for your compositor, who has  the doctrines of the disciples of Malthus
changed, and not for the better, several of  that he may qualify himself to teach from
my words.  There is, however, only a   the pulpit of a Chris,tian church, that if
single case, in the last paragraph, in which   poor men will indulge in the luxury of
there is produced a change of sense re-  having wives and children, those who are
quiring correction,' a theory to republish"   not poor owe it as a duty to themselves, to
being there substituted for " a theory to  society, and to their God, to remain unestablish."  I have republished no old   moved by their distress, and to permit
theories, but have desired to establish a   them, unassisted, to suffer every calamity
new one.  For other reasons, however,  "short of positive death." —and to teach
than the mere correction of literal errors,  further, that if they permit their feelings
I should have been glad to see the proof,  to induce them to " stand between the eror the letter itself before it went to the   ror and its cure "-famine and pestilence
printer.  Although authorized in the clos-   -they are to be regarded as aiders and
ing paragraph, which you have not print-  abettors in the perpetuation of the sin.
ed, to dispose of it as you pleased, I scarce-   He studies the books of these men that
ly supposed it would meet the eyes of   he may learn that it is his duty to teach
others than yourself without previous re-  that the Creator did not provide a place
vising, that I might satisfy myself if the   at his table for all, and that the poor man
private letter was fitted to appear in pub-  has no more right to expect to obtain a
lie-and its reperusal would certainly   market for his labor than the wool maLnuhave been followed by some change in  facturer has to expect a market for his
what was said concerning persons, al-  cloth.* IIe studies Mons. de Tocqueville's
though all that has been said concerning   celebrated work, that he may be prepared
things would have remained unchanged.   to teach that under an aristocracy there
And now, allow me to say a few words  prevails an universal feeling of kindness
in relation to your preface.  In it you   and good will, and that inequality of conspeak of my " complaint," in reference to  dition does not degrade the souls of men,
* The reader who desires to see those atrocious doctrines fully set forth, may do so on an examination
of the Edinburgh Review for October, 1849-Art. Unsound Social Philosophy.




1853.]        Editorial Notes-Letter from  Henry C. Carey.                  343
but that with every step forwards equality,  their " liveries, " we shall find ourselves
the'idea of " right " disappears and' force"   disappointed. Flunkeyism abroad is a netakes its place, and furnishes " the only  cessary consequence of absence of knowguaranty for the future."  He studies  ledge among the teachers at home.
him that he may be prepared to travel    You think that this state of things is to
abroad and every where admit that, while  be remedied by the adoption of internaaristocracy tends towards equality, by   tional copyright. That is your theory;
bringing the many nearer to the elevation   and if it be correct, the facts must prove
of the few, democracy tends towards the  it.  How stand the facts? Does intellecequalization of conditions. by sinking the  tual slavery diminish where your system
few towards the lower level of the mass,  is adopted?  Ireland has been in the enand that the most oppressive of all tyran-  joyment of it for half a century, but not
nies is " the tyranny of the majority."  only has she ceased to produce books, but
He studies Mons. Guizot, that he may fit  she has almost ceased to produce men cahimself worthily to represent this country   pable of writing them. The British proat the courts of Europe, —thus to furnish   vinces have the system, but the whole conAmerican authority for the doctrine that  sumption of printing paper among two
all who would seek in any manner to   millions of people is less than that of
change the existing relations of the state,  a single printing office in your city, and
the church, and the people, throughout  less, probably, than the average of halfEurope, are to be regarded as " enemies of   a-dozen of them. They produce no writsocial order "-" anarchists "-and, worst  ers, nor do they print books, and in all
of all, "republicans."  He studies Mons.  their discussions they exhibit intellectual
Chevalier to learn that the laws of political  slavery to a remarkable extent.  We
economy vary with time and place, and   write books and print them, yet we have
thus qualify himself for editing a journal  not adopted the system.  Can you exin which pro-slavery shall be taught at  plain the causes of these facts, so opposed
one time and anti-slavery at another, as  to your theory?
the one or the other may appear most       We are told that Germany, France, and
likely to advance his private interests.  England, have recognized the rights of
Having read them all, and having taken   foreigners, and that we must follow their
all the degrees, he is led inevitably to the   example.  German books in France and
conclusions, that the Creator instituted no   England, and French and English books
laws for the government of man-that  in Germany, are, however, luxuries; and
there is no such thing as social science —  the regulations in regard to them.are of
that expediency is the only test of truth  little more importance to the people of
and success, the only test of conduct-   those countries than is the rate of duty
and, of course, that the prosperous knave   upon cloves or nutmegs. The only case
is entitled to the respect and considera-  of real importance, in which the question
tion of his fellow-men —and now he finds  has ever come before the world. is the one
himself qualified to occupy the judgment  now on the carpet, where two great naseat in the court of literature, and to de-  tions have the same language, and are
termine upon the opinions that are to be   producing daily the literary food required
taught to the young generations growing   for the consumption of the whole body of
up around him.                           the people, and in regard to that one I
Such being the doctrines of the books   have never yet seen an argument that
that are studied in our schools, need we be   was entitled to carry with it a conviction
surprised at the figure that is made by the   of either the expediency, or the duty of
students? I think not. Of all the Ameri-  such a measure-nor one that indicated
cans who cross the Atlantic, but one in a   that its writer had studied the question.
hundred knows any thing of the principles   On the contrary, I am satisfied that there
upon which our system  is based, and   are few intelligent and disinterested men
hence it is that flunkeyism, to use Car-  in the country that would not, on a
lyle's expressive word, is so general among  thorough examination of it, arrive at the
them. " Why," said Lord Brougham, " is it  conclusion that there are valid reasons
that Americans abroad so studiously seek   why copyright should neither be perpetto forget every thing that at home distin-  ual nor universal, and that neither justice
guishes their nation from other nations?"   nor expediency requires our adoption of
They do forget it, or rather they have not  the system urged upon us.
learned it. Hence it is that it has recently  Until now, I have never, so far as I can
been so justly remarked by a foreign di-  recollect, written a line on this subject for
plomatist, speaking of the late circular in  publication, having always had entire conreference to dress, that if we expect to  fidence that such a measure could never
rid ourselves of the "lackeys" among our  be forced through Congress. It is now,
diplomatic representatives. by discarding   however, proposed to remove the difficul



344            Editorial Notes-Letter from  Henry C. Carey.    [September
ty by superseding the House of Represen-  -Russia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden,
tatives, and placing the law-making power  Belgium, the Northern States, and now
altogether in the hands of the President  even Spain. Does not intellectual freedom
and Senate, and in that way the friends  grow in all of them as employment beof the measure may succeed. If they do,  comes diversified, and the demand for in-,t will be well for Senators to provide for  tellectual power increases? That such is
their own safety by inserting a provision  the case must be admitted. What is the
authorizing the abrogation of the treaty  cause of the difference? In the former the
at the shortest notice, for they will need  farmer is not protected in his efforts to
to avail themselves of it. Of this they   draw the artisan to his side, and he is
may rest assured.                       compelled to depend upon distant marTo enable men to become free in thought,  kets in which to sell all he has to sell,
they must have education, and that they   and buy all he has to buy, with great
cannot have without the power of associa-  waste of labor, and great deterioration
tion with their fellow-men. That power  of his land. In the latter he is protected,
increases with every increase in the va-  and he has a home market in which he
riety of employments, and it diminishes as  sells nearly all he raises, and buys nearly
that variety diminishes. When the car-  all he consumes, with great economy of
penter and the blacksmith, the mason and  labor and improvement of his land. If.
the millwright, the spinner and the weaver,  then, you desire intellectual emancipation,
the miner and the smelter of ores, are en-  would not your journal advocate protecabled to take their places among the men  tion to the farmer and planter in their
who follow the plough and the harrow,  efforts to draw the carpenter and blackall are enabled to combine their efforts,  smith, the shoemaker and the hatter. the
and not only is there then an increased  spinner and the weaver, the mason and
ability to maintain schools, but there   millwright, the miner, the smelter, and
arises a demand for intellectual power that  the founder, to their sides, and thus enoffers a premium on every effort for its  able them to combine their efforts for the
improvement. Where, on the contrary,  building and maintenance of schools. the
there is no pursuit but agriculture, there  collection of libraries, and the foundation
is no power of association, little ability to  of institutions among themselves in which
maintain schools, and little reason for  education might be carried up to the
effort to increase the intellectual power,  highest point of social science? Would it
because men of every grade of intellect  not by this course be aiding in the emanare forced to find employment in the rude   cipation of the farmers and planters of the
labor of the field.  More than a century   country from the necessity for choosing
since Montesquieu told his countrymen   between dispensing with education on the
that "a nation of agriculturists must be   one hand, or on the other, sending their
a nation either of slaves or beggars," and   children to a distance, at great cost, and
all experience proves that he was right. To  for little purpose, except that of having
drive all the nations of the world into ag-  them educated in a manner that unfits
riculture, as the sole means of support,  them  from  appreciating the admirable
is the object of the whole British system   system  under which we live? I beg of
of trade-that system which is taught in  you to reflect upon these questions. That
nearly'every college in the Union; and  the day will come when your answer will
we need scarcely wonder that it tends  be affirmative, and when your journal
here, as every where, to produce intellec-  will be ranged on the side of intellectual
tual slavery. Look, I beg of you, at all  freedom, I feel assured, and equally well
the countries in which that system is per-  am I assured that when you shall have
mitted to obtain, because of the absence  thoroughly studied the subject, you will
of either the will or the power to resist it  agree with me that neither duty nor ex-Ireland, Portugal, Italy, Turkey, India,  pediency requires of us any change in the
the British Possessions, Brazil, Mexico,  present system in relation to literary proand other Southern States. Do you find   perty.
intellectual freedom  growing in any of           I am yours very truly,
these? Look next at the countries which                    HENRY C. CAREY.
have the will and the power of resistance    Burlingto N. J. August 8th, 1853.




PUTNAM'S MONTHLY.
3  Wagaen n      of g ttrature, inte te,    aru   t.
VOL. IV. —OCT. 1854.-NO. XXIT.
COUNT ST-EDINGK.
Co NTENTS.
PREFACE-Early Legend of the Family of Stedingk-Parentage and Birth-Ensign at Stralsund-Arrival at
Stockholm-Education at Upsula-State of Sweden-Enters French Army-Baron Trenck-Stedingk at
Versailles-Marie Antoinette-Personal Appearance of Stedingk-Letter to Gustavus III. describing
Birth and Baptism of the Dauphin-Character of Gustavus-Voltaire and Charles XII.-American Campaign-Newport-Granada-Stedingk's Letter to Gustavus III. describing Assault upon Savannah-Reflections-Return to France-Efforts to be re-employed in America-Disappointment-Honors conferred upon
Stedingk-Forbidden to wear the Cincinnati-Consequent Correspondence with Gustavus-Reflections
upon the Conduct of Gustavus-His Disingenuousness-The Cincinnati worn in Stockholm at the present
day.
PREFACE.
THE story of a.great soldier and states-   moned to the lead. When the fortunes
man, whose blood was shed in the   of Sweden had sunk in shadow, t'otcause of American Independence, should  tering, it seemed to ruin, Stedingk was
be better known to those who to-day   named to a Regency, guiding the helm
reap the harvest of the stormy seed-  of State. At another time, a soldier
time. A  Swedish hero, who bore the   again, we find him upholding the fortune
standard of the young Republic through   of Swedish arms throughout a campaign,
fire and slaughter in the enemy's midst,  disastrous, it seems, everywhere where he
merits at our hands at least American   was not; and when later the Northern
record.  A  "bubble,"  "Reputation,"   Nations banded themselves against Nablown at the cannon's mouth in a foreign   poleon, Stedingk, at the head of thirty
war for freedom, and soaring in after  thousand Swedes, first of the allied army
years high in the Swedish sun, reflects  to force the gates of Leipsic, marched
prismatic beauty from a long career of   with his crown prince victorious to the
warlike chivalry, patriotism, and ever-  Rhine. Selected next to meet the great
ready wisdom in council.                 negotiators of the day, he signed his
No one of the gallant foreigners who   name to a broad page of history-a
came to our aid attained in after life   memorable peace of Paris. And when
dignity and honor more elevated at home   at last, surrounded  by children  and
than Field-Marsllal Count von Stedingk.  grandchildren, a white-haired patriarch
He was a general-in-chief of the armies   of ninety years lay down to sleep, his
of his country. He led them in the field   heart and conscience reposed  in  the
to victory and honor, and won in his   memories of almost a century.  Heart
long career the affection of four suc-  and conscience reflected almost without
cessive kings. For a quarter of a cen-  a pang upon the long retrospect. IHe
tury he was their ambassador at courts  had loved his neighbor; he had lived
whose policy and empire pressed hardest  among events whose great history bears
upon Sweden. In war and in diplomacy,  his name honorably throughout the page;.
wherever there was doubt and danger,  and his weeping sovereign came to lay
Stedingk for forty years was ever sum-  upon his tomb a wreath of oak and laurel.
VOL. iv.-23




346                           Count Stedingk.                           [Oct.
The life of Stedingk and its moral  selected from official despatches, private
should attract us, even if it had no claim   correspondence  and  other interesting
upon our gratitude. A  career more   memoranda published some years since by
varied, and a richer experience than his  his son-in-law, Gen. Count Bj6rnstjerna.
in the great life and society of his time,  One episode, prcbably the least inexcusacannot easily be found. In youth, a  ble, is gathered from a sort of private
favorite of Marie Antoinette and of the   history of the election of the Bernadotte
great Catherine of Russia, the familiar  dynasty to the crown of Sweden; an
friend  and correspondent of brilliant  event abundantly proved to have been
Gustavus the Third, the graphic narrator  the salvation of Swedish independence.
of historic scenes in which he bore a  The sketch of this event is drawn from
part-the story of his life, if it taught no  the personal narrative of the young
lessons, would at least engage our inte-  subaltern, who first conceived the prorest.                                   ject, and who, intrepid and resolute,
With this belief, an American desires  clung to his great idea through every
to introduce to his countrymen a hero  obstacle and danger. Other historical
with claims to their acquaintance, and   memoranda added here and there, have
hopesthat intervals in official vocation may   been written upon current authoritieshave been properly employed in compiling   Hildreth and Mahon; Thiers, Segur,
the  following  memoir.  The  events  and Geffroy; several Swedish annalists,
related, at least those in which Stedingk   and upon the information of living
is concerned, stand upon his own ster-  observers.
ling testimony. Much of the narrative is
compiled, and all the letter-extracts are    Stockholm, June, 1854.
PART I.
TiLE  earliest traces of the family of  days, in Prussia, for every male child to
Stedingk, are found in what was long   wear a red collar, as a pledge of future
known as Swedish Pomerania.  Not far  service in the army. Our little Stedingk
from the little town of Anclam, in that  in Pomerania, the grandson of the miliancient province, the barons of Stedingk  tary tutor of Frederic the Great, was
for five centuries held the castle of  also  thus labelled; and his warlike:Pinnau. Its founder was a Westphalian   sponsor, holding him over the baptismal
knight,-a refugee from his native coun-  font, exclaimed " May God one day make
try, after the murder of a priest, who,  this infant what I am now! -May he
astradition runs, had impiously retorted   bravely serve his country, and win the
upon the Stedingk's parsimony.  A   baton of a marshal I"  The child grew
trifling silver coin  was the unmeet  up in fame not inferior to his renowned
church-offering of a wealthy baron; and   grandfather, and in due time the marwhen his wife knelt to receive the com-  shal's baton was his well-earned trophy.
inunion wafer, the  irreverent priest    In 1757, war broke out between Swethrust the paltry gift into the lady's  den and Prussia, and the elder Stedingk
mouth.  She fainted with the fright;  repaired to the headquarters of his king.;and her husband sacrilegiously drawing   He had previously served under Prussian
his sword, plunged it into the church-  colors, an aide-de-camp to Schwerin;
man's heart at the foot of the altar.  and Frederic the Great, beset with eneEscaping into Pomerania, he  bought  mies, Austrian, Swedish, French and
lands and fiefs, and founded the barony   Russian, wrote urgently to the son-in-law
of Stedingk.                           of his aged marshal to enlist upon the
At the beginning of the seven years'  side of Prussia. It appears to have been
war, the castle of Pinnau had descended   against the real inclination of Stedingk,
to Baron Adam  von Stedingk. who  that he determined to be a loyal Swede.
married the daughter of the famous  He confessed in his reply to Frederic
Prussian Marshal Schwerin.  Their son,  that "with four children he must first
the subject ofbur memoir, and the eldest  of all consider their future, and that being
of four childin, was born in the paternal  a subject of the king of Sweden, he was
castle, on the 26th of October, 1746. He   unable to follow the wishes of his heart."
was baptized  Curt Bogislaus  Louis    Pomerania was repeatedly ravaged by
Ohristopher. It was the cust  in those  the Prussians.  Young Stedingk, an en



1854.]                        Count Stedtngk.                            347
sign of thirteen years, marched with his  connected with government. The kingfather; and  at Stralsund, when  the   domn was at the mercy of the highest
beleaguered Swedes beat off their assail-  bidder, and nothing could have arrested
ants, the brave boy, listening to the balls  the sale, but the firmness and promptness
whistling around, held up his colors un-  of Gustavus the Third; —a great " coup
daunted and grew  familiar with the   d'6tat" as it would now  be termed,
sight and sound of war.                which rendered his reign one of the most. In the meantime the fortunes of the  remarkable in history.
family were ruined.  Pinnau was laid      Our hero arrived in Stockholm from
waste, the castle sacked and burnt, and   Upsala some short time before this crisis,
upon the restoration of peace our hero,  and was domesticated in the family of
still a boy, was sent to Sweden to ask   his father's ancient friend, Count Charles
relief for his homeless parents.  He  de Sparre, the governor of the city, a
passed a winter at Stockholm, where his  senator, and the leader of the Hats.
tender years, his misfortunes, and his  The youth was often the reluctant bearmodest bearing excited general interest.  er of packages of money sent by this
Many prominent families  entertained   personage to various members of the
him, and he became the playmate of  Diet; and whatever was under discusthe young Vasa princess. The intimacy  sion was usually decided by the weight
and favor with which he was afterwards  or lightness of the packages with which
distinguished  by Gustavas the Third,  he was charged. These things made a
grew much fiom this early friendship;  lasting impression upon young Stedingk;
but relief for his parents, in their ruined  inspiring him with disgust for the Diet
castle across the Baltic, does not appear  of his own country, and probably preto have followed.                      paring his mind for no great friendship
Stedingk, however, and his younger  for representative assemblies in general.
brother, profited well by their position   Greater minds than his have been
and a system of education humorously   warped and cheated by single experiensketched by a late member of his family.  ces less sad than this. His early prediChildren, at that time, never presumed  lections for military life were therefore
to sit in the presence of their parents,  rendered by no means less ardent by the
not even at dinner. Much Latin, much   contemplation of senatorial proceedings.
catechism, no wine, no coffee, and the   Under most other circumstances, the no
whip every Saturday. "I know not if  cessity of seeking employment under
it was a good system," our authority  foreign colors might have weighed against
adds, "but Curt became field-marshal  his choice of profession, but it had beof Sweden; and Victor, his younger  come one of those melancholy  cases
brother, grand-admiral of the fleet."  when love and respect for native country
We have already seen the elder of the   could be better cherished abroad; and
brothers, a boy ensign at the siege of  Stedingk resolved to take service in
Stralsund. In the following year, he was  France. He carried with him excellent
appointed lieutenant of infantry, but  recommendations, and almost immedienjoyed, nevertheless, the good fortune   ately received from the French Ministry
to be sent to the university of Upsala,  a subaltern's commission in the' Royal
where great philosophers, Linn6 and   Regiment of Swedes."
Celsius, were renowned professors. At    A singular incident occurred soon after,
the age of twenty-one, he was honorably   which was not without its influence upon
graduated at the Swedish Alma Mater,  the fortunes of Stedingk. Baron Trenck,
and went forth well prepared for the  the famous hero of captivity and misstirring scenes, and all the great variety  fortune, was the editor of a newspaper
of his career.                         in the city of Treves, and early in
The condition of Sweden at this time   August, 1772, he astonished his readers
was deplorable.  The state was divided   with an announcement that the King of
in two great political factions, alike   Sweden had accomplish  a revolution,
sordid and corrupt. Bribes from abroad  that the Senate and Diet.:]d beeni overwere received unblushingly by senAtors  powered by the royal troops, and that
through the hands of the king's most  the king had assumed absolute power.
confidential officers. It was the period   The Swedish officers in the service.of
of the "'Hats" and "Caps "; "France   France, quartered at the time in Strasand Coimmerce " against "Agriculture   burg, called upon Stedingk now one of
and Russia."  It is scarcely possible to  their captais, and charged him with the
exaggerate the corruption amongst all  composition of an address congratulating




348                           Count Stedingk.                           [Oct.
the king.  It was imlmediately done;  and fancy of his correspondent. A spethe signatures of all were affixed, and   cimen of this will throw  his military
the letter was hurried off by special  heroism  perhaps into stronger. relief.
courier.  It reached Stockholm on the   The following are extracts of a letter to
19th, the very day on which the king   Gustavus the Third; a familiar account
marched upon the Senate House, and was  of the birth of a child whose fate seems
therefore the first offering of felicitation   even yet a mystery, and who, some of
from abroad. How Trenck became in-  us lately believed, had been discovered
formed of the plot remains to this day   at last in America, a remote and lonely
among the unexplained mysteries of his  missionary.
life.
It should be understood that while in              " Versailles, October 22d, 1T81.
foreign service, Stedingk still remained  "SIRE,nominally in the Swedish army. Gusta-      *    *    *    *    The queen
vus the Tllird did hot forget his play-  has a dauphin-born this  afternoon,
mate, nor did he forget the felicitation   twenty-five minutes after one. She was
and loyal haste of the Swedes in France.  perfectly well last evening, played and
The promotion of Stedingk at home  talked as usual; and this morning, at
kept equal pace with  his promotion   nine o'clock, after a quiet night, she
abroad.   He  was made  lieutenant  went into the bath, where she remained
colonel in France, and four years later  somewhat more than an hour. *  *  *
was appointed simultaneously colonel of  The king, with Monsieur and the Count
Swedish cavalry and of French infantry.  d'Artois, was ready for the hunt. The
He remained however on duty at Ver-  carriages were at the gate, and many
sailles, where he lived in intimate friend-  people had already gone.  The king
ship with Count Fersen, another Swedish   went into the queen's room, and although
volunteer in the cause of American   she would not admit it, he saw she was
Revolution. It was the same gallant  suffering, and instantly countermanded
hero who drove the carriage of Louis  the hunt. This was the signal for everySixteenth and Marie Antoinette on the   body to run to the queen's apartments;
night of their flight and seizure; and  the ladies all in d6shabill —the men in
who, in after life attaining high Swedish   hunting coats. The doors of the antedignities, was'torn in pieces by a Stock-  chamber were closed, and strict order
holn mob in the Inad belief that he had   preserved. I called at the Duchess de
poisoned the crown prince. Stedingk,  Polignac's. She had gone to the queen,
no less than his brilliant comrade, became   but I found the Duchess de Guiche,
remarkably a favorite of the unfortunate   Madame de Polastron, the young CountMarie Antoinette, whose  gaiety  and   ess de Grammont, and Monsieur de
heedless friendship for the all-admired   Chlalons. It was a cruel quarter of an
" bean Fersen," scandaldid not hesitate  hour before one of the queen's women,
to color indelicately and falsely. *   dishevelled and quite beside herself,
Stedingk was less handsome than his  rushed in screaming'a dauphin! a
superb friend, but was distinguished for  dauphin! but not a word must be said
that thorough-bred look which imposes  about it!'  This was impossible. We
more than actual beauty, and which,  all sprang from the room into the hall
with much grace of demeanor, and a  of the queen's guards, and the first perphysiognomy no less remarkable for an  son I met was Madame flying to the
expression of kindness than of his cha-  queen.'A dauphin, Madame,' I cried
racteristic manliness, never failed to  out,'what a blessing!' It was all an
attract and win.  His letters at this  accident, and my excessive joy, but it
period already exhibit literary talent.  has become a great joke, and the story
Graphic sketches of military events, and  is told in so many ways that I fear
army discipline in France, show him to   Madame will bear me no great love herehave become well acquainted with the   after. She had not been in the queen's
theory'of his profession, and to have  room.  There was no one there but
been seriously alive to its realities; while,  Monsieur, the Count d'Artois, the minisat the same time, his trifle-writing to the  ters, and a few of the great officers.
elegant gossip upon the throne of Swe-  Everybody else had gone to hunt. The
den, was skilfully adapted to the taste   The Duke of Orleans returned first,
*Lord Holland's "Foreign Reminiscences." See refutation in London Quarterly Review, 1851.-Littell's
Living Age, Number.367.




1854.]                        Count Stedinyk.                           349
then the Prince de Cond6, and the Duc  exception the prettiest child I ever saw,
de Chartres in the evening. The ante-  but to-day looked to disadvantage, in her
chamber of the queen was a charming   efforts to draw attention upon herself.
picture. The joy was excessive. Every-'The dauphin is a fine large child.
body's head was turned. People laughed,  He has not cried yet, a good sign of being
and then cried. Men and women jump-  well. Indeed nothing was ever more
ed upon each other's necks, and even  lucky, and it is all attributed to the good
people who don't love the queen were  regime of the queen, and to her daily
glad in spite of themselves.           baths for the last seven or eight months.
"Presently, the folding doors of the   Monsieur Vernon has gone contrary to
queen's  chambers were flung  open,  custom in all this, and seems to be very
and' Monsieur le Dauphin' was announc-  proud of it.  Everybody had been anxed. Madame de Guden6n6, radiant with  ious; the poor queen had not had a
joy, held hiln in her artms and passed   happy experience, and she was herself
through into her own apartment. Cries  alarmed. *    *    *    *    *
of delight and clapping of hands follow-    *    *    *    *    *    *
ed, and I think must have penetrated her    "They thought best not to tell her
majesty's heart. It was now who should  immediately that it was a dauphin, feartouch the child, or even the little cushion  ing the effect of too much emotion.
on which -he lay. He was worshipped.  Everything around, therefore, was kept
The archbishop was for decorating hiln  quiet; and observing in this a sort of
with a cordon bleu; but the king said they   constraint, she felt sure it was a girl.
must first make him a Christian, and at  She said,'You see I am resigned-I ask
half-past three he was baptized. It was  no questions.'  The king's eyes overa most august ceremnony; there were  flowed, as he  rose  and  exclaimed,
crowds of people of rank, and the whole' Monsieur le Dauphin deinands admitassembly was touched and rejoicing.  tance!' Those who saw what followed
The king and the princes took places in  describe the scene as beyond everything
the middle of the church, and Madame  touching.  The child was brought to
de Guemene entered by the great door  his mother, who at last said to Madame
with the dauphin in her arms. The   Guem6ne,' take him, he belongs to the
church resounded with applause, and, in  State, but I must have my daughter.'
spite of the guards, she could scarcely     *    *    *    *    *    *
move for the people crowding about her.  But it is high time I finish this bulletin.
Cardinal Rohan performed the ceremony   I beg your majesty's pardon humbly for
in his gorgeous pontifical robes. The  its incoherence. I heard a courier was
joy of the king was delicious. During  to set off for Sweden, and I have no time
the whole ceremony his eyes were glued  to collect myself. I cannot deny myself
upon the baby, and now and then he laid  the opportunity of placing myself at
his hand upon it to make sure his eyes  your majesty's feet, it is so long since
did not deceive him. Count d'Artois  anything may have recalled me to your
proved that his love for their majesties   mind.
was stronger than self-interest or disap-    "I write this at the Prince de Poix's.
pointment for his own children. Every-  He would also place himself at your
thing about him  spoke happiness and   majesty's feet, as well as Madame de
joy. Monsieur and Madame lookedcom-  Deux-ponts, and Edward Dillon.
posed. She remained seated throughout      " I am, etc., etc., etc.,
the ceremony, claiming to be in an inte-             "CuRT V. STEDINGK."
resting situation, while Monsieur and
Madame Elizabeth acted as sponsors for    The king's replies were usually punethe emperor and Madame de Piedmont.  tual. He acknowledged "infinite pleaAll the royal personages signed the act  sure" in all this gossip. "I laughed,"
of baptisinm; and, after a grand Te Deum,  said he, "at your gallant nlanner of
the Court retired to the apartments of  announcing to Madame that her hasthe infant. Everybody was free to enter  band's hopes of being King of France
his chamber, and, as I am very intimate  were at an end."  He made his reply, as
with Madame de Gum6ne6, I remained   usual also, an occasion of advising
there the whole afternoon. All France   Stedingk to return to his own country,
seemed to be at the palace. I was sorry  and like a sterling friend as indeed he
to see the little princess, the king's  knew  how  to be, wrote some sound
daughter, quite piqued at being now   sense upon this point. "I know well
somewhat secondary. She is without  the attractions and seductions of Paris;




350                            Count Stedingk.                           [Oct
and that the kindness of the queen, whom    architect. He built an elegant operait is so natural to love, and the charms  house, delighted in masked balls, and
of a most delightful society, are hard to   disguised as a knight-errant, spent fifty
give up; but on the other hand, your  thousand dollars on a single tourney.
perspective in France is extremely limit-  Ten years later, in the midst of grave
ed by your religion and by your foreign   administrative cares, and at a time when
allegiance. A man of condition, more-  we are told the loyalty and patriotism
over, is always better at home than   of his people needed the stimulus of
abroad. Reflect on these things, and   war, he wrote to Stockholn, —"Bring
write your views fully. If I can aid   me the zEneid, Moliere's volume of Fetes
you, it will give me great pleasure."   at Versailles, and Father Men6trier's
*    *    *    *    *    *         work upon Jousts and Tilting; Ariosto
Few historic characters have more  also, Jerusalem  Delivered, L'Esprit des
contradictory elements upon their sur-   Femmes Celtbres; bring me these books
face than those which puzzle the bio-  in Finland; you see we are planning a
graphers of Gustavus the Third. Fear-  tourney."  His court was the scene of
less and intrepid as any fabulous knight  outrageous scandal; and as it was his
in the days of old romance, it followed   dreadful fate to be murdered at last,
that he possessed many kindred qualities  there seemed to lurk even in the attendto give lustre to his career. With a   ant circumstanoes a sort of appropriate
resolute self-devotion hardly surpassed,  tableau. Charles the Twelfth was murhe wrested the government at every per-  dered in jack-boots in the trenches of a
sonal hazard from a most corrupt and   siege, Gustavus the Third in a silken
factious aristocracy, and, possessing him-   doublet at a fancy ball.
self of power more absolute than any      As my countrymen are supposed to
autocrat of the day, he was yet great  have more respect than the Swedes for
enough to encompass it, of his own   Voltaire's historic researches, it may be
accord, with decorous limits; —a fact  well to say, that the belief is general in
which, considering the period and the   Sweden, that Charles the Twelfth died
training of the man, should be noted with   by the hand of an assassin. Thirty
high honorto Gustavus. Unfortunately,  years after the event, and several years
it was not sustained. His country saved,  after Voltaire wrote, the wound was
and his fame without a blemish, he tra-  carefully reixamined, and by testimony,
veiled through Europe exhibiting the   thus obtained, it appears to have been
vanity of a boy, and seeking every oppor-  established, that the bullet could not
tunity to relate the story of his revolu-   have come from the enemy's works, but
tion.  Incessant applause is unwhole-   must have been discharged from within
some, and the mind of Gustavus lost its  the trench in which the king was rehealthfulness. " What reign," exclaimed   cining. A French aide-de-camp, who
he to his Council of State-" what  was in attendance at the moment, has
reign was ever glorious without war?"   been chiefly suspected, instigated, it was
He attacked his neighbor ruthlessly and   supposed, by the prince and princess of
unawares; and his best apologists find   Hesse. The latter, the sister of the
no better explanation than that the Rus-  king, is related to have bestowed upon
sian armies were on distant service, the   this aide-de-camp, who first brought
Swedish mind stood in need of diversion,  her the news, a golden ewer, in which
Pultawa must be avenged, and-the   she was washing her hands. She beempress called hiln contemnptuous names,  came Queen Ulrica, and abdicated in
-" fancy actor." and the like. A hesi-  favor of her husband, Frederic the First.
tating and unskilful general, he returned   Voltaire's defence of the accused parties
baffled and humiliated, but happily with  is rejected by a learned historian of the
wiser resolutions.  He busied himself  present day, Professor Geffroy.
with plans for the internal improvement            * *    *    *    * *
of his country, and encouraged refine-    Stedingk, already a man of the world
iment and letters, which did him honor;  and an accomplished courtier, underbut there was an insatiate extravagance   stood the ladders, by which men climbed
and love of pleasure which mingled   more readily in those days, and did not
drawbacks in every enterprise. Utterly  lose his opportunities. He wrote Gusunable to comprehend events in France,  tavus enchanting little flatteries, scarcely
or to profit by their lessons, he could  tainted, however, with the fulsomeness
write clever comedies and paint, make   of style that belonged to the age. He
music and rear palaces, himself the   was too manly and too frank for the




1854.]                         Count Stedingk.                             351
dedication phrases of the day, but pos-   with a convoy. St. Vincent was then
sessed, nevertheless,  much  of  the   taken by the French, and with a fleet
adroitness of a modern Raleigh.         largely  reinforced, they  mnade  their
In the midst of courtly charms and   descent upon Grenada. On all these
fascinations, with which he was now sur-  occasions Stedingk won high honor in
rounded, the war broke out, in which,  the bulletins. At Grenada he was a
with a hundred gallant foreigners, he   hero in an action of no common chawas to become dear to America. En-  racter.
thusiasm fast grew up in France for the    The troops disembarked on the 2d of
transatlantic patriots, and Europe was  July (1779) in a little cove just beyond
amazed to see the ancient court of the   the range of the British  guns. They
Bourbons allied with republican revolu-  scrambled with difficulty over rocks and
tion. Great names were inscribed as sim-  cliffs, which hem  the shore, and were
ple volunteers. Vauban, Noailles, Lau-  drawn  up next morning  on  better
zun, Coigny, Perigord, Segur, Dillon,  ground, ready for the assault.  The
Fleury, and abundant others. Lafayette   English commander, Lord Macartney,
had already sailed in his own ship for the   had fortified himself, he believed, irnwestern world, taking with him  the   pregnably, on the summit of a steep hill,
veteran de Kalb. Kosciusko, Pulaski,  which commanded all the surrounding
and Steuben were already in the field,  plain. At three o'clock in the morning
and our Swedes, Stedingk and Fersen,  the French advanced in three columns,
came early to claim  the sacred. service.  Stedingk leading the centre in front of
Fersen was placed upon the staff of  the enemy's main battery.  The crest of
Rochambeau, fought under Lafayette,  the hill was at once a sheet of fire.
and received from the hands of Wash-  Bombs and grenades fell also from forts
ington in person, the badge of Cincin-  and ships in the harbor, thick upon the
natus. Stedingk, commanding a brigade   assailants, who advanced silently almost
of infantry, sailed in 1778, two years  to the foot of the works, and then rushed
earlier than his friend, in the fleet of  forward, storming the entrenchments,one
Count d'Estaing.                         after the other. Stedingk, with a single
*e  *ic    *    *    *    *        soldier at his side, was the first man at
*    *    *    *    *    *    the main redoubt. It was too high for
At this day, while we may concede   him  to scale without assistance. He
the departure of the fleet from Newport  desired  the soldier to push  him  up.
to have been an act of prudence and   "No," said the man, whose name ought
good judgment under the circumstances,  to have been preserved, "I will mount
it is less easy to understand why the   first and help you to follow."  As he
4000 troops, promised to Sullivan, should  spoke, the unknown hero was struck
not have beenlanded. Itmust have been a   down with a mortal wound, and "his
bitter moment, when the signal to weigh   dead body," wrote Stedingk a few days
was seen floating at the admiral's mast-  after, "served one as a ladder."  The
head. D'Estaing was not a man to have   French were ruthless victors, and in the
issued the order without emotion. His  terrible massacre that ensued, it was at
heart was controlled doubtless by a deep  the imminent risk of his own life, that
sense of necessity, and we may fancy   our chivalrous Swede, interposing at a
the chafing spirit of Stedingk and Dillon,  timely moment, beat down the bayonets
as they gazed from  the French decks,  of his infuriated men, and rescued the
their ears saluted with  the  roar of  lives of two young English officers.
the American guns booming over the        The chief treasures of the town had
quiet waters of the bay without an echo   been removed before the action, into the
from their allies.                      fort. Here and in the town also the
After two months at Boston, which   booty was immense; and in the harbor
these events rendered extremely com-  no less than sixty vessels became the
fortless, D'Estaing sailed for the West  prizes of the French. At daybreak the
Indies. His first essay, the relief of St.  English admiral attacked D'Estaingwith
Lucia, was unsuccessful, and he was  a fleet of twenty-one ships of the line;
chased by Byron, with a superior fleet,  but after an obstinate engagement was
to Martinique. Here he was compelled   completely beaten, and having the weato decline repeated challenges of the   ther gage, escaped under cover of the
British admiral, who at length sailed   night.*
* Stedingk's letter to the Swedish ambassador, in Paris, dated " Grenada, July 12, 1790." Mr. Hildreth
calls the naval engagement indecisive, adding, that the English fleet, greatly damaged, put into St. Christo



352                           Count Stedingk.                          [Oct.
Early in the following month the French  if he could destroy General Prevost's litfleet, increased to twenty-two ships of  tie army before reinforcements could
the line, appeared off the coast of Geor-  arrive from New York, there would be
gia. The admiral had already despatch-   an end of British dominion in this part
ed letters to Lincoln, the American gene-  of America. There would have remainral at Charleston, and a plan was con-  ed, in fact, but a handful of English
certed for the attack upon Savannah.  troops at St. Augustine.
Lincoln marched with a large body of    "'Enterprising, active, and brave in
militia, but did not arrive so promptly  the highest degree, our commander overas D'Estaing  expected. The French   came every difficulty and every danger.
commander had alleady invested the   The anchorage was unsafe, the season
town and begun a regular siege; but  was advanced, the weather treacherous,
impatient and anxious, and against the   and the landing of troops was attended
earnest counsel of Stedingk, whose skil-  with unheard-of difficulties.  On the
ful eye detected rashness and impracti-  other hand, he counted upon powercability in the enterprise, he suddenly  ful assistance from  the Americans in
resolved  upon  an  assault. Stedingk   their own cause, on the valor of his
relates the unfortunate story in the fol-  own troops and officers, and much also
lowing letter to the King of Sweden:-   upon the good fortune which had often
befriended him. The Americans sent us
"PsRIs, January 18, 1780.   scarcely two thousand men-and these
"SINE, —                               so badly armed, so badly clothed, and I
"I begged permission to send your  must say so badly commanded, that we
majesty an account of our last expedi-  could never turn them to much account.
tion, but finding nothing upon the sub-  We had but little assistance, also, from
ject in the newspapers, and not knowing   pilots, and little from the country people.
why the ministry had not published a   It seemed as if the Americans in general
bulletin, I felt obliged.to remain silent,  were tired of the war. Their troops were
because unhappily nothing of a confiden-  reduced almost to a band of deserters and
tial nature can be written here with any   adventurers from every country; and in
safety. A narrative, however, has at  drawing a comparison with English sollast appeared in the Gazette de la Cour.  diers, first rate troops, men well accliIt is tolerably true, but rather too much   mated, well kept and trained to war, it
abridged; and moreover our going to  is astonishing that America has not long
Georgia was not an accident, nor in con-  since been subjugated. One can but
sequence of stress of weather and   have a better opinion of English minis-'broken rudders.' It was a mature and  ters than of English generals.
well-considered plan. The British had    "' Fifteen days elapsed before we could
shown a disposition to strengthen their  effect a landing. Several of the transhold  upon  the Southern  provinces,  port boats were lost, and before getting
which, although less highly cultivated   over the bar I was three days and three
than the North, are more beautiful and   nights in a ship's long-boat, whose conmore fertile. Masters of Florida and   dition was so leaky that we were comGeorgia, it was only also necessary to take   pelled to fire cannon in distress, although,
Charleston to be masters of the Caro-  with  several thousand cartridges on
linas, and perhaps of Virginia, where  board, every discharge threatened  to
the people  are  three-fourths  tories.  blow us up. All this delay, and the litFurthermore, the British foresaw that  tle acquaintance the Americans had
they must lose something; and rather  with the country, gave General Prevost
than lose the South, it would be better  time to get his troops well posted at
policy to give up New England, which,  Savannah, and to mount in battery more
if held in check by Canada and the  than a hundred and twenty guns. His
southern provinces, would necessarily  lines were  formed alternately  of a
become dependent both politically and   redoubt with fraises and palisades covercommr'cially.  During the preceding  ing two hundred men each, and a horsesummer they had threatened Charleston,  shoe battery of ten and twelve guns in
but finding the place in a state of   embrasure. Behind this first line, at
defence, and anxious to lose no men,  half musket shot, was a trench in which
they withdrew  without making  an  the enemy had mounted low batteries
attempt. Count D'Estaing foresaw that  of swivels and two pounders. In this
pher's for repairs. Lord Mahon, on the contrary, says that D'Estaing was enabled to avoid an engagement
-by a timely retreat at night. Of such is the concordance of history.




1854.]                        Count Stedingk.                            353
manner their troops were quite covered   pal assaults. Count Dillon commanded
from our guns; and behind the trench   the other; Viscount Betisi, the vanwere places d'armes, with cannon and   guard, and the Count de Noailles, the
chevaux de frise, where the men could  reserve. We were resolved to conquer
rally if driven fiom the lines, while on   or die-the whole army-with one acan eminence upon which stood the city,  cord. We crossed a marsh, in which we
there were three batteries from which a   sank to our waists-struggling along be-plunging fire might command the first  tween the redoubts and the batteries,
redoubts. The whole entrenchment was  which fired grape close upon us, the passurrounded by an abatis of cedars.     sage allowing but six men abreast; but,
" The solid strength of this position   at length, we forced our way up to the
obliged us to open trenches and begin a  last entrenchment, where I had the plearegular siege. Our numbers, small indeed  sure to plant the American flag. Here
for such multiplied work, were, includ-  the enemy swarmed upon us, and a cross
ing the Americans, but six thousand  fire cut our people to pieces. The admen; in want of all accessories, and   vance guard was driven from  the reoften short of bread. The ardor and   doubt, and falling back upon the rear
the gallantry of the men, however, bore  column, threw it into disorder. Retreat
up against everything. We encamped at  was inevitable. The recall was sounded
half cannon shot from the enemy's lines,  and we fell back, still under a heavy fire
in a wood which covered us a little, but  from  the batteries.  Of nine hundred
which was by no means secure shelter  choice troops which I led into action,
against his fire.                      four hundred men and thirty-nine officers
"We opened the trench at a hundred   were dead or wounded. Count Dillon
and twenty fathoms, and pushed the  lost almost as many. I had myself been
work half-way to the enemy's lines.  wounded early in the attack (an affair of
Here we mounted twelve and ten-pound-  only three-quarters of an hour), but hapers, which we dragged through the sand   pily not disabled.. The moment of rewith infinite trouble. Our fire, how-  treat, with the cries of our dying comever, soon silenced the enemy's outer  rades piercing my heart, was the bitterworks, where he had but six twenty-  est of my life. Up to that very moment
four-pounders, and the rest, nines. We   everything had succeeded. My doubts
repulsed every sortie that he made, and   were all gone. I believed the day was
were on the point of gathering the fruit  our own; and in a moment every hope
of our labors, when the fleet became so  disappeared.  I wished for death, and
harassed by heavy weather, and the   should have sought it had my own life
crews so afflicted by disease and want of   been the only one I had to throw away.
refreshment, that Count d'Estaing yield-  But the safety of four hundred men yet
ed to the incessant complaints of the   depended upon me, the relics of my brinaval officers, and determined to change  gade, almost without officers, under a
his plan. He resolved upon a general  murderous fire, and their retreat appaassault, and, as he said,' sauter le bdton.'  rently cut off by a broken bridge. I ralAccordingly, he chose a point some dis-  lied them fortunately; and the retreat
tance from the trench in front of less  was continued in good order, the enemy
formidable works of the enemy, but  charging and vainly trying to break
where local difficulties quite counter-  through the column.  I got back to
balanced.                              camp, bringing in my wounded, two
" I had hitherto commanded the cen-  hours after the return of the rest of the
tre.  Count d'Estaing wished on the  army.
day of the assault to give me the van-        "I am, sire, &c., &c., &c.,
guard, and to charge me with the attack              " CURT v. STEDINGK1."
of the main redoubt, upon which hung
the fortune of the day. I ventured to    The assault was made on the 9th of
decline it, and I confidently predicted to   October, 1779.  Stedingk's reflections
him the issue. I entreated him to let  upon the American troops which were
rme march with a musket, a volunteer  present, sad evidences of our forlorn conby his side. This did not please him at  dition at the moment, are unfortunately
all, and I thought he would deprive me   confirmed to some extent, by Lincoln's
of all command; but, on the contrary,  own report to Washington, Vat the
he sent me a reinforcement of four hun-  southern militia could not be depended
dred Americans, and persisted in order-  upon.  Pulaski, mortally wounded, fell
ing me to make one of the two princi-  more than ever a hero at the head of his




354                           Count Stedingk.                           [Oct.
glorious legion. Other corps also well  would be easy to manage matters so
sustained their credit; but it was the  that our young officers might have a betdarkest hour of the Revolution, and it  ter school here than hitherto. Whatcannot be wondered that Stedingk and   ever regiment they give me, I am sure to
his comrades despaired for us. A dreary   embark very soon. I have given in a
fatality, moreover, appeared to rest upon   memoir to the ministry to prove the adthe union of French and American co-  vantage of sending foreign rather than
lors. Three successive attempts at co-  native regiments to America, and I beoperation had miscarried; New York,  lieve I have  gained  this point  at
Newport, and now  Savannah, where  least."
more than a thousand lives were sacri-    Every effort was in vain. Gustavus
ficed in vain. The loss of the British   did not evince the sympathies Stedingk
did not amount to sixty. Our worsted   hoped for, and our hero was reluctantly
allies lifted their anchors with sad fore-  detained at Versailles. His blood, howbodings for America; and but for the   ever, had flowed in the cause, and his
indomitable spirit of Lafayette, who fol-  name will live on the list of heroes revelowed them  to Paris and eloquently  renced in American history. The minispleaded our cause, all hope from France  try, well-nigh alone, in France were
would probably have forsaken us. New-  churlish to the brave Swede. The king
port was destined again to witness what  gave him  the command of an Alsace
men already thought fatality. A fourth  regiment, and made him knight of the
time clouds darkened over the union   Protestant branch of the order of St.
of American troops with  those of   Louis. He endowed him  also with a
France, and it was not until Washing-  life pension of six thousand francs, and
ton and Rochambeau marched side by  took opportunities to distinguish him
side to Yorktown, that fortune began to   with graceful compliments. "We have
smile upon the allies.                 a warm  morning to-day, M. de SteIt was no fault of Stedingk that he  dingk," said Louis the Sixteenth, addressdid not share the crowning glories of the  ing him  in the garden at Versailles,
war. He exhausted every device to be   "but not so warm as you found it in
re-employed in America, but the failure   Grenada!"
of the attempt upon Savannah, accord-    The King of Sweden gave him a coloing to his subsequent letters, evidently  nelcy of dragoons in token of his gallant
brought upon the whole army of D'Es-  behavior in America, and made him
taing the relentless displeasure of the  knight of the order of the Sword. StedFrench ministry. Rochambeau's expe-  ingk wore his honors modestly, and
dition was on foot; but not even the di-  in due time received from  Washington
rect influence of Marie Antoinette, ac-  the badge of Cincinnatus. He wore it
tively employed in favor of Stedingk,  proudly in the saloons of Versailles, uncould  obtain  employment for  him.  til, to his astonishment, he found himself
"The queen told me yesterday at a  compelled to lay it aside. It is unnelittle party, at the Countess Jules de Po-  nessary to characterize the spirit, which
lignac's (wrote Stedingk to Gustavus the  inflicted this humiliation, but we may
Third), that she could do nothing to  fancy the feelings of a chivalrous heart,
make ministers hear reason. I see then  laboring under a sense of no choice but
but one way: —that your majesty should  obedience. He wrote to Gustavus:
do me the favor to write the king, and
a word to M. de Maurepas. This would                      "Paris, March 2d, 1784.
be conclusive. They would not dare re-  "SIRE,fuse; but if your majesty should prefer    "Baron de Stael* has communicated
to write the queen, she will be charmed,  your majesty's order, forbidding Count
and with such a recommendation she  Fersen and me to wear the insignia of
would be strong, indeed. The pleasure  the society of Cincinnatus, instituted by
of making. others happy is' enough to  President Washington, for the superior
engage your majesty's consent to this,  American and foreign officers, who had
and, in the meanwhile, I will presume   the good fortune to distinguish themagain to add that a foreign regiment  selves during that war.
under my command would offer an open-     "I should first of all explain to your
ing to the Swedes, whom your majesty   majesty, that I have worn this decoramay permit to enter this service, and it  tion, with all my companions in arms,
* Swedish Ambassador in Paris; - the husband of the authoress of" Corinne."




1854.]                        Count Stedingk.                           355
in France. If I have done wrong, and   hope, that the course proper tor me to
if I am so unfortunate as to have dis-  pursue may be graciously prescribed,
pleased your majesty, I am  most un-  and that the anxiety I feel in having
happy. I very humbly beg your ma-  acted against your majesty's wishes
jesty's forgiveness; but I appeal, how-  may soon be at rest?
ever, to your majesty's own sense of         "I am, &c., &c., &c.
justice. Was it possible for me to fore-              " CURT v. STEDINGK."
see my error? ~ The Cincinnati, strictly
speaking, are not an order. They have    Without comment upon the notion, no
neither a grand-master, nor receptions,  less of Stedingk than of a large party
nor oath; nor, in fact, are there to be   even at home, upon the possibility of the
nominations in future. It is a society of  Cincinnati becoming a body of American
distinguished men, as is shown upon the   "nobility," let us read the king's reply.
insignia, who desired to secure consider-  Gustavus was travelling in Italy, and
ation in a country, whose Constitution   his letter was dated
is founded upon equality. They have                      "' Rome, March 26, 1784.
obtained the authority of Congress, that    "I have just received your letter of
the distinction shall be hereditary in  the 2d of this month. Your frank contheir families, and in all these measures  fession of the fault you have committed,
they have associated their foreign bro-  in decorating yourself, without my perthers in arms. If, hereafter, the society   mission, with the order of the Cincinbecome an American nobility, it can be  nuti, is evidence of your confidence in
nothing to a Swede or a Frenchman, ex-  me, and merits, therefore, the indulcept a testimonial that they served in  gence, that my friendship would in any
America with their sovereign's consent.  case have prompted. I might say, that,
This is so true, that no express permis-  wearing my order of the Sword, and
sion to wear the insignia has ever been   being a Swede, you should not be ignothought necessary  by  the King  of  rant, that, both by the statutes of the
France, whose ministers replied to those,  order, and the laws of the kingdom, you
who requested such permission, that  are without authority to accept a mark
none was necessary, as the society was  of honor without permission of the
not an "order." To these considerations  grand-master, and  of the sovereign.
another may be added, which your  But for every sinner be there mercy.
majesty will value highly. One of the  My ambassador has notified to you my
first measures of the Cincinnati was to   wishes, and I do not doubt that you
assess themselves for the establishment  have conformed to them by laying aside
of a fund for the relief of widows and  immediately the Cincinnati decorations.
orphans of officers killed in  battle.  You should never have accepted them. I
How could such things be declined? In  am not misled by a title. The name
short, when I received the decoration of  matters nothing; and be it society or
the Cincinnati, I saw in it the oppor-  order, it would be neither wise nor
tunity of doing good, and an additional  politic to permit my subjects, particuproof of the goodness of your Majesty,  larly those distinguished by their rank
through whose grace I and my descend-  and by my private friendship, to wear,
ants should enjoy an honorable mark of  and to think themselves honored by, a
my services. May I presume to add  public mark of successful revolt against
that your majesty had permitted me to   a rightful sovereign: — more especially
accept every advantage that I could ob-  a revolt whose cause and motives were
tain in this country; and the Cincinnati  so unjust, and so unfounded. I do not
I could not refuse. If your majesty for-  forget, that America is now regarded as
bid me to wear the decoration, my name  an independent State, and even my ally;
will nevertheless remain  among the  but the success, which has legalized the
members, unless, indeed, you should com-  enterprise, cannot justify it. Our own
mand me to write to Mr. Washington,  troubles are so lately over, that there
to strike it from  the list. Whatever  exist undoubtedly amongst us the seeds
your majesty shall find fitting, I have  of old divisions, and it is my duty to rid
firm confidence in your ever kind judg-  us of every object which might tend to
ment, and I pray your majesty to be-  revivethem. These are reasons for which
lieve that I am incapable of failing in  you, as well as Count Fersen, are formy first and dearest duty: namely, to  bidden to accept and to wear this badge
have no other rule of conduct, than your  or order of the American army; and it
majesty's will. May I be permitted to  is in these terms that I have advised the




356                               Count Stedingk.                                [Oct.
King of France, by Cardinal Bernis, of         There was, however, more "method"
my purpose. I did not know  that there   in the ignorance of Gustavus.  Forbidwere but two of my subjects who had   ding his subjects to read American hisreceived the Cincinnati. I should, in that   tory,* he would himself teach them its
case, have given you my reasons at first,   proper value  by  letters  like  this to
in the certainty that you would respect   Stedingk.  These letters came not from
them.  This confidence, however, could   a shallow  head, but from  a sometimes
not have applied to all.  You may be   hollow heart.  This is none the less true
at ease now, concerning the effect of   because the proof is found in facts which
your hastiness.  I assure you that it is  tended to our national advantage.  Six
sincerely pardoned, and that I regret   months before the triumph of the Ameextremely  the  annoyance you feel in   rican patriots, Gustavus secretly  made
laying aside a decoration that you have   overtures to Doctor Franklin, recognizing
once worn. The circumstance, however,   American Independence.t
will in no manner change the feelings of       He was the first sovereign in Europe
friendship, with which I pray God, &c.,   who volunteeredafriendsl ip for the rebels
&c., &c.                   " GSTAVUS."    yet in open war, whom, in his letter to
Stedingk, he presently denounced. He
If Mr. Bancroft had not written his   professed to glory in the fact, and styled
searching fourth volume, we might read   the conduct of these rebels "wise and
this royal letter with incredulity.  Had   gallant."  This minister signed a treaty
we not been told that a British minister   with them  before their Congress made
of state, presiding over Atlantic colonies,   peaces and yet, twelve mqnths could
had called New England an island, and   not elapse before he rebukes a Swedish
thought Jamaica somewhere near the   gentleman for thinking himself honored
coast of Italy, it might be difficult to be-   by the Cincinnati, and for presuming to
lieve that the chief of a state, with a mind   wear the badge of " a revolt whose cause
of the first order, and trained from boy-   and motives were so unjust and so unhood to state affairs, could gravely tell  founded."  It would not be difficult to
a man like Stedingk that the American   discover the convenient shelter this inRevolution was unjust, and its motives   dignation had hitherto enjoyed, but the
unfounded.  In point of fact, there is  subject is not attractive.  Rather let us
room  for doubt if American affairs are   reflect upon the open honor of a later
much better comprehended at the pre-   Swedish king, under whose enlightened
sent day.  Within ten years the writer   rule the men of the north are cheered
of these pages, conversing with a learned   upon the forward march of the times.
Theban, a councillor of a king whose   The proper spirit reflects itself even in a
broad realm is less distant friom America   recognition of the long obnoxious Cinthan the nearest province of Gustavus,   cinnati.  The son of Stedingk, commandsaw  learned eyes widen with astonish-   ing the Lifeguards of King Oscar, wears
ment that slaves in the United States are   the insignia daily under his sovereign's
not replenished from the coast of Africa.   eye.  The honored inheritance ~ decoSurprise became utter incredulity, when   rates the uniform  of a Swedish soldier,
it was naturally added that fifty years   side by side with imperial diamond stars
ago, when the " Law of Nations" found   and crosses; and the fame of Washingno fault with slave-trade, and all other   ton, and the justice of his cause, are
nations of the earth encouraged and sus-   venerated in the ancient realm of Gustained it, the American Congress branded   tavus the Third as becomes a nation
it with odium, and first in all the world   whose patriot, Vasa, was almost a Washpunished it with death.                      ington.
* The circulation of the Abbe Raynal's work upon the American Revolution, of which an edition was published in Stockholm, was forbidden by Gustavus the Third under severe penalties.
t Sparks's Dip. Correspondence of the American Revolution; vol. 3, p. 371. Ibid.; vol. 7, p. 3.
$ The treaty with Sweden was signed in Paris before the 7th of March, 1783. The news of preliminary
articles of peace arrived in America on the 12th of the same month, and five weeks afterwards the cessation
of hostilities was proclaimed.-Sparks's Dip. Correspondence; vol. 4, p. 76. Hildreth; vol. 3, p. 438.
~ Since the foregoing was written, I have observed, in Mr. Hildreth's History of the United States, that
the hereditary principle, in the order of the Cincinnati, was so distasteful to the great civilians of the day.
that at the first general meeting of the order, in 1T84, Washington caused it to be stricken from the statutes,
Without doubting a statement of so valued an author, I only leave unaltered what was written under a different impression, because, both at home and abroad, I have seen the badge worn as an inheritance by the
present generation.
(To be continued.)




1854.]                                                                357
THE PAINTER'S PORTFOLIO.
I.
InD you observe this face-how nobly grow
D The arching eyebrows o'er the eyes-how slow
In wise determination rest the. lips
In most suggestive silence? The brow dips
Securely forward, like a Poet's head,
Brooding above his verse, that shall be read
And felt and heard: those little lines to be
Strong golden-threads in the world's history,
The chestnut hair, also, not curling, nor
Straight-hanging, but slow undulating o'er
The rounded head in wavy lines, the brow,
Wreath-like, adorning; —for so, sometimes, grow
Chaplets and garlands natural on those
Who live a summer life of sweet xepose,
But full of latent power-so did he,
Of whom this portrait shows the possibility.
He was a Priest in Rome, whom I first knew,
From loving so his eye's peculiar blue,
That, with a painter's privilege, one day
I met him in the street, and dared to say,
" If you will pardon me, sir, and believe
I mean the best I can, if'twould not grieve
Your grace to humor a poor painter, I
With your eye's hue would shame this summer sky."
I spoke and paused: a melancholy flame
Of sympathy into his soft eye came.
" I thank you for your courtesy; nor can
I be offended that the only man
Whom I have noted specially should be
The one who asks what you have asked of me;
And, as the oldest, I should long ago
Have spoken to you; but in Rome, you know,
You strangers are not anxious to entwine
Yourselves in friendly bonds, with robes like mine."
And he glanced down upon the sables, while
Meandered on his lips a meaning smile,
Until he said: "But oould you pleasantly
Pass a few days in Tivoli with me?
The birds and trees invite you, and the flowers
Suck wondrous secrets from the mountain showers,
And breathe them round the little window, where
Your brow shall bathe in the serenest air
That breathes on silent Italy: at hand
The shadeless spaciousness of sea-like land,
That sweeps against the city-walls, dim seen
From Tivoli across the lonely green,
Will give your pictures the deep distances
That you might hope to find in tranquil seas.
You shall be lonely: you shall have the day,
The night, the house, myself-all your own way.
And, while you paint my portrait, I will be
A marble fragment of Antiquity,




358                       The Painter's Portfolio.                      roct.
If so you please, and if you chance to find,
Th-e more you ponder me, aught to your mind
For studies of gods, satyrs, devils, and
Gnomes, poets, or odd fish of sea or land,
Transfix it on the canvas -let me see
How many gods or monsters hide in me;
Your wish and mine invite you; will you come?"
That evening I was in his country home.
II.
And thus I painted him.'Twas better soA simple portrait-tho' sometimes would grow
A singular expression o'er his face,
And all fine features since, I search to trace
Some hint or shadowed outline of that look,
Which coloring or copy would not brook.
If you could fancy Caesar playing dolls,
Or great Napoleon tumbling on green knolls,
With summner-idle peasants, raise the head,
And lean upon the hand, while o'er them fled,
Like a tale told in lightning, what might be
Their possible command and majesty,.
Which, indeed, others always saw, but they
Only for happy hours in some choice dayThen could you fancy the one look that gave
A greater grace to his hair's flowing wave,
A calmer calm to that pure eye serene,
A kinglier dignity to that grand mien.
It was a flame in these firm eyes-but, no,'Twas rather a suffusion, a keen glow
Of soul more palpable. Yet I conceive
You would more surely that strange look perceive
In this poor picture, if the head declined
But a leaf's thinness more-perhaps, refined
The mouth its meaning sweetness more, or here
A heavier ringlet drooped upon the ear.
No! No! I cannot seize it. Do you see?
I cannot even guess, coherently,
With what changed features was the weird look blent,
Or if the face the least change underwent.
How could I dream to say it? I did well
To let the simple portrait simply tell
How the man looked. These placid features show
That world of power at rest. Is there a glow
Of passionate force, of purest love or hate,
Of delicatest thoughts that emulate
The fineness of an angel's sympathy,
That in this face you'd be surprised to see?
Conceive you with what interest I wrought,
As if I had been painting a pure thought.
Day dawned and died, but in a trance I lay,
From conscious dreams to sleep I sank away;
Woke to this glance, which still could only make
Me doubt, if, seeing that, I could be yet awake.




1854.]                    The Painter's Portfolio.                      359
III.
At length a month was ended, and the head
Stood thus upon the canvas; and I said,
"To-morrow I must back to Rome; I've been
A trespasser upon your grace, I ween."
And he replied, "You ween as much as I
That you have been," and made no more reply,
But went out smiling, and at midnight he
Said kindly, "' If you go from Tivoli
To-morrow morning truly, I will not
Plead the perfection of this summer spot,
tNor the long days without you, nor the trees,
Which will sigh toward you in the evening breeze;
Yet, for your picture, I perhaps should say
I, also, am an artist, in my way."
Then he stopped suddenly, and through my mind
Went smiling the meek features, time-refined,
Of Fra Beato, of Fiesole,
Who drew the forms of angel purity,
And folded in sweet grace, could never draw
Men passion-wasted, whom he never saw
In mild monastic dreams, but painted only
The pallor of Madonna's melancholy,
And crowned with real gold in the blue sky.
And Fra Bartoloineo o'er me smiled
With his love-brooding virgins, and pure child
With radiant eyes: in dim procession mild
These monkish artists and their fair designs
Passed by and touched me with remembered lines,
As I at midnight heard the grave priest say,'I am an artist, also, in my way."
Then he paused suddenly, and the same smile
Or look, or hue, steeped his fine features, while
I thought to see in his portfolio
Features Homeric, the unbending glow
Of stern-eyed prophets, fronting evil times,
And cleaving them with sharp and scornful rhymes,
Like pointed wings of hopes majestical
Soaring to purer airs; and the strange thrall
Of feminine perfection, such as he
In his rapt beatific world might see,
Grew, flattering my hope, till suddenly
IIe shook my dreaming — " You'll not hope to see
Paintings or drawings, and you will not grieve
To own that you are able to perceive
That I, a priest, am no religious manI mean no pietist-you would not scan
My life, and find it a saint's life. I am not
A mystic or ascetic. This fair spot
I love because its unobtrusive beauty lies
Perpetual balm upon my weary eyes.
I hide my hope in this deep-hearted sky,
Not for the sequestration, and that God
Will be more manifest to the poor clod
I call myself-I call myself not so,
But live, a man, in this encircling glow,
Bending myself to all the streams that flow
From Art and Nature-happiness and woe.




360                       The Painter's Portfolio.                    [Oct.
"But why this garb? How early I perceived
That I of my career must be bereaved,
I need not say; but this:-Fate gave to me
Mere birth and hopelessness in Italy;
It is your privilege to smile in hope
Which fits your years, and to suggest that scope,
And power, and the sweet firuit, success, belong
To regal will; and so they do in song,
And in young hope-perhaps in factThat matter my few words shall leave intact.
"When presently I found to me denied
My natural avenues of life, I tried
My skill in painting, for an artist's soul
Burned in me always, theo' supreme control
Of men, not brushes, came more naturally;
And that, impossible, abandoned-see!
Sculpture the same, all plastic arts, which none
Could feel more inwardly than I, all gone
From my attainment, for the lack of skill
To use the tools-then went a chilling thrill
Quite through me for a day-the utter sting
Of hopelessness of realizing
Aught equal to my power-and yet was left
The calmness to behold myself bereft
Of opportunity.'Tis a fierce day
When a proud man must proudly turn away
From the grand outline of a hope-sketched life,
Relinquish the world's mistress for his wife,
And wed a pretty peasant. So, serene,
(It is my nature, not my pride, I ween)
I turned to the sole art I could pursue.
Shaven and habited in this dark hue,
I serve at the high altar as you serve
Your lofty Muses. My thoughts never swerve
From this artistic ritual. The Church
May be the vulture whose unyielding clutch
Throttles the springing hope of Italy,
And makes my life a shadowed field to see,
Flowerless but green. Yet, if to my mind
In her magnificence lies deep enshrined,
Deeper than what her ministers express,
A heart of Art's serenest lovelinessIs it not beautiful revenge to wring
My satisfaction from herself; to sing
In their wise-worded phrases, the sweet praise
Of what transcends her knowledge and her ways?
"Now you could paint a Venus which would be
Another than that of Antiquity,
And yet no less a Venus; so can I
Serve at the altar well and faithfully,
And yet believe not that the wine I drink
Is sacred blood, more than you need to think
The paint you use makes the expression
Of Beauty which it shows. That I am won
And held to such a life, perhaps is strange.
It may be sad, to you, but in the range
Of Art was there no other for me; and
I yielded gently to the guiding hand
That led me hither. Mark well! this is play,
I know, with you; but my Life had no day




1854.]                            Amavi.                               361
Of fit development. This is to meThis Art-what Botany, Conchology,
And other studies are to other men,
Only a recreation."
Pausing then,
His glances swept my features to descry,
If I well understood. His placid eye
Seemed satisfied. Silent he rose, and turned
To leave the room; the wasted candle burned
In his right hand, and in fine shadow threw
His noble profile on the wall. He drew
Once a long breath-looked wistfully at me,
For a brief space, as wishing I might see
What words can never utter. Bowing then,
He closed the door: I saw him not again.
AMAV I.
I LOVED: and in the morning sky
How fairy-like the castle grew!
Proud turrets ever pointing high,
Like minarets, to the dreamy blue;
Bright fountains leaping through and through
The golden sunshine; on the air
Gay banners streaming;-never drew
Painter or poet scene more fair!
And in that castle I would live,
And in that castle I would die;
And there, in curtained bowers, would give
Heart-warm responses-sigh for sigh;
There, when but one sweet face was nigh,
The orient hours should glide along,
Charmed by the miagic of her eye,
Like stanzas of an antique song.
O foolish heart! 0 young Romance,
That faded with the noon-day sun!
Alas for gentle dalliance,
For burning pleasures never won!
Oh, for a season dead and goneA wizard time, that then did seem
Only a prelude, leading on
To sweeter portions of the dream I
I loved: but withered are Love's flowers;
No longer, in the morning sky,
That fairy castle lifts its towers —
Like minarets, ever pointing high;
Torn are the bannerets, and dry
The silver fountains in its halls.
But the wild sea, with endless sigh,
Moans round and over the crumbled walls I
VOL. IV.- I




362                                                                         [Oct.
AFRICAN PROVERBIAL PHILOSOPHY.
UPON  the western coast of Africa   pect was compared by Mungo Park to
there is a lagoon so lovely, that the   the American oak, and by Duncan to
foreign residents, borrowing the enamor-  the English laurel, and which supplies
ed phrase of the natives, know it only as  the whole region with the luxury pressed
"the beautiful Ossa.'  It lies parallel  from its oily kernels; and there is the
with the north side of the Bight of   monarch  of the  tropical forest, the
Benin, extending from  the river Ogum   superb Bombax, or silk-cotton tree, towerat Lagos on the east, nearly to the river  ing 150 feet below  the  fork  of the
Volta on the west-a distance of two   branches.  These last trees have their
hundred miles.  It is separated fiom the   English name from  a white down, simisea by a barrier of land, sometimes a   lar to that of the Balm of Gilead, which
mere strip of sandy beach, but elsewhere  their branches disseminate; and their
stretching to the width of two miles,  immense white trunks, seen in mist or
and bearing towns of five thousand in-  twilight, resemble fulil-sailed ships behabitants upon its surface.  The lagoon   calmed.
itself varies in breadth from  seventy      All this fringing forest is hung with a
yards to six miles, but is always shallow,  superb drapery of climbing orchidaceous
smooth, and gentle, with a current from   plants and vines, among which countless
west to east, not exceeding two miles an   blue and white convolvuli peer out their
hour;-and it is adorned with a wealth  fresh blossoms-the glory of the African
of beauty which can be but a dim   morning.  Jasmines fill the air with
though delicious dream, to those who   odor. Strange fragrant parasites trail
have not themselves floated among the   and twist in thick festoons over every
perilous enchantments of an African   stem, and toss from bough to bough their
river.                                    showers of blossoms, crimson, p)ink, and
As we glide, propelled by poles, along   white.  There is one vine, the llucuna,
the gentle current, our way is only im-   which winds up the tall trees to the very
peded by white water-lilies, white flag  top, and thence lets fall its threadlike
flowers, and floating islands of the deli-  flower-stalks, many feet in length, and
cate emerald PJistia.  Mangrove trees   covered with yellow blossoms.
rise along the banks in occasional swam-    Among the branches of these trees,
py clusters, tokens of a slight influx of   and through the gorgeous openings of
salt tide; the tree does not exceed fif-  these festooning vines, there flit and
teen feet in height; while the drooping   warble birds whose song and splendor
branches take root in the bed of the   are unknown in zones more temperate;
stream, and form a strange colonnade.  the red-necked horn-bill with its hoarse
If the water were lower, we should be   cry; the red and yellow weaver-birds,
startled by the sight of enormous oys-   whose oval nests hang suspended, soimeters clinging to these branches, like un-  times two hundred on a single tree; sulcouth and ragged flowers; but it is the   tanas or water-hens, green, violet, and
season of high water now, which con-  white, with a distinct black arrow down
ceals roots, and suckers, and copper-  the breast; the African  oriole; the
colored mud, and shows only the rank   night-jar, with  its  long  filamentous
leaves and the red pods. Elsewhere the   streamer in each wing; gorgeous little
mangroves are wanting, and the stately   sunbirds, white, green, blue, or crimson;
trunks of a more varied forest form an   rose-winged  parakeets, crimson  nutendless avenue for our wondering pro-   crackers,  scissor-bills,  cranes,  kinggress; aloes, agaves, dates, tanmarinds,  fishers, oxpeckers, guinea-fowls, and all
iron-wood, feathery cocoas, and broad-  the rest. Little monkeys spring froin
leaved bananas.  There are vistas of   tree to tree, as if to race with us as we
luxuriant palms, the most graceful aisles  float slowly by; there peeps out a redin Nature's cathedral; there are fig-   cheeked squirrel, and there whirs a flytrees, with their red wood, white bark,  ing-squirrel with a spiny t:il; on the
and conspicuous fiuctification; there is  sides of the scarlet an-t-lleap1s bright
the immense and clulnsy Baobab, or mon-  lizards bask in the sun;  and a drove of
key-bread-fruit tree, with its pendant  slnall slender-legged antclopes glides siclusters; there is the  kola-nut tree,  lently away, as we applroachl.  Nearer a
whose pods are so precious to the native;   hippopotamus splashes unseen aimongi the
there is the shea-butter tree, whose as-  long Guinea-grass at the edge of the I:



1854.1.        African Proverbial Philosophy.                         363
goon; and that scaly log, which sudden-   which can be heard from  three to four
ly moves out of the sunshine into the   miles (in Africa as in South America);
water,; is an alligator.                  — and the low solemn roll of the distant
Amiidst the forest there occur patches   ocean merges all minor sounds into a
of cultivation, Awith  plantains, yams,   grander music.
-cassada, stugar-canes and bananals. Ad-     But lest our readers should complain
joininin  these are huts consisting of rude   of being thus transported, even to   tlhe
f'rname-work,  thatched with reeds, and   beautiful Ossa," without being shown the
lung with moats of split bamrnboo. Where   way, we will warn them, that before
anl eddy occurs, we often see a fishing-  reaching these tranquil waters, they must
hut, built of wicker-work, and raised on   incur the peril of landing on the beach
high poles; the piantain-fibre net hangs   outside. This is no slight thing; there are
below, ready to be drawn up, whenever   points where the surf has heaped the sand
the fislelrman from  his height observes  into cliffs almost inaccessible at any time;
the fislh within reach.  The fish are at-  and there are seasons of the year when
tracted (as our Down-Easters collect  all access is impracticable, at any point.
mackerel) by scattering bait upon the   At the stillest times and places, the surf
water: sometimes they substitute the   rolls onward in three distinct ridges,
powdered leaves of a leguininous plant,  through whose foam  the most experiwhich stupefy the prey so that they can   enced native boatman  cannot always
be caught by hand.  Sometimes, also,  guide the boat in safety.  These boats
thev stake out a sort of trap in the water,  are flat-bottomed, rising at each end;like an English eel-trap, with a sliding   the passengers being placed in the bow,
door; and  sometimes they fish with   and surrounded by high weather-boards
hook and line. All these processes we   to keep off the spray. The oarsmen are
may watch from the water, as we pause,   a joyous race, such as is found all along
at times, to pay toll at some barrier,  the coast, singing songs in their broken
iiiade of alternate piles and bars. Mean-   English, and occasionally hitting the sides
while a canoe, hollowed from a cocoa-   of the canoe  with  their paddles in
trunk, and bearing a dusky native, glides   cadence.  They sing perhaps, "3Man-o'out of a creek and disappears in another;   war come again, come again, come
or a royal canoe comes in siglht, bearing   again," with an occasional " whist," and
a red flag to denote the presence of somne   a long stroke of the paddle;-then" white
sable majesty, clothed  in an  English   man, good man, dash (give) a dollar,,military coat, and with another tattered   dollar, dollar," "white  offisher, dash
flag for drapery.  Or perhaps a darker   dollar, big white dollar,"-and so onscene occurs; and yonder fatal and per-   until they reach the more dangenus
fidious bark contains a shipment of new-   part of the surf, when the song is exly-captured  slaves,  naked,  branded,   changed for a slow religious invocation,
ironed, and never to float upon the lovely   and at last we are landed on the beach.
lagoon ngain.                             This we cross, take boat again upon the
Evening drops suddenly. For an hour  lagoon, and land at last in Badagry.
or two the air is intensely close, until the  Badagry is not a spot sufficiently atnight-wind blows, and with it the un-   tractive to detain us long.  If the charhealthy Ibg (like whiat is oddly called in   acter of the place disgusts us, let us rethe Ea-t Indies "the essence of owl')   meinber that it is Europe and America
comes creeping fiom the bushes.  But   which have made it what it is. But fir1
the hour of stifling quiet that precedes   what is called " Christian civilization,"
is a tiine of strange imnl) essiveness to a no-   Badagry would have been a town like the
vice in the tropics. As we look into the   inland towns-happy, industrious, busy
dense j ungle, the dark leaves are gorgeous   in agriculture, in the simplest mechaniwith fire-flies; the  five stars of the   cal processes, and the siml)lest comnmerce,
southern cross glitter over the brown   -that, namely, in which it takes a whole
ripples of the current; or the new moon,   day of shouting  and gesture  to purwhich all throlugh western Africa is the   chase  a yam; busy above all with
signal for rejoicing and sacrifices, calls  discordant  music  in  honor  of  the
forth wild groups to join in the dance,   great god Oberan, and his incarnations,
and their drums and horns resound fiorn   Ifa and Orisha.  Christian civilization
the distance. Close bv, there is a volume   has, however, interfered, and made this
of sound friom innumerable insects; tree-   population a base, besotted, violent race,
fi'rogs and bull-frogs join in the serenade;   whose imports aree rull and tobacco, paid
the bell-bird tolls his long clear note,  for in huran bodies and souls. Indeed




364                    African Proverbial Philosophy.                     [Oct
the Badagrians are types of the class of  bananas, or drinks from these sparkling
whom Captain Allen, of the Niger expe-  fountains in the groves of palm. Yet
dition, declares, that they prefer their  the country is now at peace. The people
liquor unmixed. " At the sea-side, King  in the cities and villages will be glad to
Boy and his royal relatives would swal-  see us. We shall stop at the suburb of
low  vast quantities of rum  undiluted,  Awoyade (according  to custom), and
but, as we advanced into the interior,  send notice of our approach to Abbeomore unsophisticated palates were found,  kuta. The public crier will be at once
and it would gradually bear more water,  despatched to  notify  the citizens;until at last moderately strong grog had   dressed in his professional garb of manya very potent effect."                  colored native cloth, with his head-dress
Under these circumstances, it is not  of black monkey-skin, adorned  with
strange that Badagry did not prove a   coins. He will strike his stick upon the
successful missionary station. The eleven   singular bell, which he carries in one
thousand wild Popos, or Dahomians, pre-  hand, while the other hand grasps his
ferred their civilization, as they did their  ferocious broadaxe, with its toothed and
rum, undiluted by any purer element.  knotted handle.  He will tell the chiefs
In 1845, the English Church Missionary  that we are coming, and they will asSociety sent six missionaries thither, "a   semble in the public square, with their
church and dwelling-house were built, a   gaudy umbrellas, and spend the remainday and boarding-school for boys, and a   der of the day in discussing as to who
Sunday-school for adults were establish-  shall have the honor to entertain us.
ed."  But now the Society have only to     The successful competitor leads us to
report, with desponding brevity, that  his house-an assemblage of clay-built
" the Popos have neglected their oppor-  huts, surrounding an inclosure. In these
tunity, and the mission is now  with-  huts the several branches of the family
drawn."  In fact, Badagry was to the   reside. The roofs are thatched  with
missionaries only a stepping-stone to Ab-  palm-leaves,  and  their  overhanging
beokuta and the great Yoruba country:   caves form   a  sort of veranda, and
they used it for this, and so have we.  shelter the out-door seats which  the
For we wish to introduce the reader,  family chiefly occupy. The houses are
not to a drunken town of 11,000 inhabi-  dark, being windowless, but the doors
tants, but to a wide nation of 3,000,000   are always open, and the floors are paved
-— a people active, keen, commercial,   with clean-swept fragments of broken
ingenious. affectionate, moral, with  a   pottery. The walls are sometimes colorremarkable  langTuage,  and  the  most  ed with various clays, and the wooden
remSable  collection of proverbs ever  doors are rudely carved with figures of
discovered among a people possessingT no   heads, of swords, and of uncouth alligaother literature.  They are a people  tors. Our couch is a mound of earth,
whom Lander praised, —who have in the   covered with a leopard's skin, and a
West Indies shown themselves superior  piece of scarlet cloth; or, perhaps, only
to any other emancipated negroes, who   with mats and some dry grass.
have imparted a new life to Sierra Leone,    In the morning we breakfast with the
since their exiles recruited its popula-  family at seven. That is to say, the
tion, and  who  have (in  their own   whole household repairs to a cook's
country) put the only serious check to the   shop, to partake of a bowl of gruel made
advancing powerof the Mohammedan   of Indian corn. The principal Ineal is
Tellatahs. The check, however, was not  taken a few hours later, and consists of
complete, for a large part of the Yorab   balls of Indian corn, called "denge,"
country (which once extended from the   served up in a sauce made of meat and
Niger to Dahoney) has been subjected or  vegetables, with salt and pepper. The
alienated, though the tide of conquest  family sits in a circle, around a large
appears now to be checked.              earthen bowl; each takes his ball of
As we now go up from Badagry into   corn, and dips his portion in the sauce
Yoruba Proper, we shall see many traces   as he eats it.
of those sanguinary wars in which Mo-    If we visit the markets, we shall see
hammedans have been only the agents of  an array of commodities which, on every
Christian civilization, in capturing vic-  fifth day, assumes an increased variety
tims for the slave trade. We shall see   and importance.  Indian and  Guinea
desolate farms and ruined villages, some-  corn, beans, sugar canes, yams cooked
times twenty in a day. Only the tired   and uncooked, meat, fish, fowls, dried
traveller now plucks these cocoa-nuts and   rats; pepper, ginger, pine apples, oranges,




1854.]                African Proverbial Philosophy.                       365
plantasis, bananas, apples, papaws, limes,  house was assaulted because she had
ground nuts, kola nuts, rice, cassada,  taught her little boys to read; in her
ready-made soup, palm wine, palm oil,  despair she bade the children chant the
beer; cotton raw or in reels, cloths, san-  alphabet aloud, and the rioters, unfadals, leather bags  and  embroidered   miliar with district school performances,
cushions, saddles, stirrups  and  bits,  thought it a magical incantation, and
knives, axes, swords, hoes, earthenware,   moved on. In most cases, they scourged
carved and colored calabashes, ropes and   the female converts, and shaved the heads
cords, baskets, glass mnats, clay pipes,  of the men, " to shave off baptism."
blue and red dye-balls of Tephrosia and   But it was all borne with a patience
camllwood, and whips of rhinoceros skin.  that amazed them. They asked, " what
All these things are the product of native  is it that Oibo (the white man) gives
skill; and Christian  civilization  adds  you to drink that makes your hearts so
rum and gunpowder. If we wish to pur-  strong?"  The surprise was increased
chase any of these commodities, we must  by the circumstance noticed in the mispay in white shells or coories, whose  sionary operations of all religions, that
value nas estimated by Lander at an  the stoutest unbelieving Sauls were freEnglish shilling a thousand, though the   quently found among the prophets at
author of " Abbeokuta, or Sunrise within  last.
the Tropics," puts a much higher price    The history of these transactions will
upon themin                             be found well recorded in the work
The habits we describe are common to  above mentioned, "Abbeokuta," puball the towns of the Yoruba region. The  lished by the Church Missionary Society,
peculiarity of Abbeokuta is its having   and recently reprinted.  The missionbeen the point selected by a large band   aries have labored faithfully for eight
of returned SierraLeone emigrants, who   years, and have made many native prowent thithler in 1846, under the auspices  selytes, in addition to  a number of
of the Church Missionary Society. It  returned Christian negroes from Sierra
would appear from  the narrative just  Leone.
quoted, that some good results have fol-    The chief opposition to their move-'owed from this introduction of mission-  ments has naturally  come from  the
aries, besides the baptizing of several  native princes, whom  the transatlantic
hundred nominal converts out of a popu-  slave trade had demoralized. The most
lation of nearly a hundred thousand.  deadly  evidence of this was in the
It appears that kidnapping has decreased   Dahomian attack in 1851.
in that precise part of Yoruba proper;    The Dahomians are the most formihuman sacrifices have almost ceased   dable race in western Africa, unless we
(though this has occurred also in wild   distinguish them from the Fellatahs, of
Dahomney); and the singular observances   whom they form a branch. Town after
of native  religion, called  "country  town has fallen before them; in one
fashion" by the people, are considerably  case, the enormous number of 20,000
diminished.  The converts do not now   slaves is estimated to have been led capworship large trees, nor the hills of the   tive from a single city. Abbeokuta was,
U bug-bugs" or ants. They do not throw   of all places, most hateful to King Gezo;
slaves into the river to propitiate the   and, when in May, 1850, his capital was
water-deity Yemaja; nor offer sacrifices,  visited by Commander Forbes and Mr.
as formerly, to their own foreheads, a   Beecroft, and  5,000 female warriors
symbol which we commend to our phre-  were paraded before them, " the fierce
nological friends. And they have greatly   cry went up from these unhappy women,
slackened their devotions before " the'Give us Abbeokuta!  Attappahm  is
twenty-one palm  nuts and the sixteen   destroyed; give us Abbeokuta!'"
pieces of iron, which, suspended on a     The remrnonstrances of the Englishmen
piece of iron, represent the goddess Ila."   were vain; they only obtained a delay,
These  things were  not, however,  and warned the Yorubans of their daneffected without great opposition fiom   ger. On Monday, MIareh 3, 1851, the
the friends of "country fashion."  Oro  final attack took place. The city was
was implored to defend himself (appa-  walled on three sides, and exposed on the
rently a sort of policeman of the deities,  fourth; but, thanks to the friendship of
who keeps order in towns); and the   the inhabitants of Isagga (a town sevenpriests cried aloud against the mission-  teen miles distant) the invaders approacharies,  01Oh, Lion of the book-people,  ed it on the strongest side. Yet there
seize them, seize them"'  One woman's   was a formidable disproportion between




366                    African Proverbial Philosolphy.                       [Oct.
the forces.  Tle Yorubans could mus-  are weak, and  weak where they are
ter only 8,000 fighting men, none of   strong.
whomn -were well disciplined; the Daho-      1. It resembles them, however, in its
mian army mustered 10,000 men and   first peculiarity, namely, the regularity
6,000 women, the latter being (as is now   of the formative process by which verbs
iwell known) the flower of the troops of   become nouns, through a system of prethat nation.  As the enemy approached   fixes.  This is so perfect, that it permits
on thle southwest, the old, the sick, and   the indefinite enlargement of the vocabuthe children of the city, were seen pour-  lary, for popular or scientific purposes;
illg  in  weary  procession  from   the   without the possibility of misconstrucnortheastern  gates.   The missionaries  tion.  The following  table  will suffiascended a high rock within their pre-   ciently illustrate this:
cinct, and vwatched the battle.  Had the    Se, "sin;" the original idea of the
attack been made as at first intended, no   verb.
power could have saved the city; the        Ese, "sin;" the noun.
inission premises would have been the       Lese, "to have sin;" verb of possession.
battle ground, and all would have perish-   Elese, "one who has sin;" noun of
ed.  As it was, the trembling fugitives   possession.
called as they passed, "Oh, white man,      Ilese, " the act of having sin."
and white nlan's God, save us!"            Ailese, "the not having sin."
Tthe battle was fought for six weary      Lcailese, "to  possess freedom  from
hours, under the full heat of a tropical  having sin."
noondaly sun. Its result was, the coin-     Alailese, "one who possesses," &c.
plete discomfiture of the invaders. Three   Again we have
thousand of the Dahomians were esti-         Fe,' love."  Ife, "the act of loving."'
mated as killed, and one thousand were   Afe, "the state of loving."  Atife, "the
taken prisoners.  This includes the re-   beginning to love. A ife,' the state of
sult of a long and hot pursuit by the   not loving;" and so on.
Yorubans. But not less than eighteen        In the South Afiican dialects, howlhundred lay dead before the walls of  ever, there is a system  of classification,
Abbeokuta, and " they were chiefly wco-  in these prefixes, distinguishing animate
nmenz, who are always placed in the fore-  from inanimate objects, which is entiremZost of their battles, as more to be de-  ly wanting in the Yoruba language.
pendedl ol."  In the spot where the con-     2. In the Yoruba tongue, moreover,
flict had been hottest, one of the nmis-  there is a singular euphonic concord besionaries counted  eighty dead  bodies  tween the verb and the pronoun, by
lying within an area of a few yards; and   which the form  of the pronoun varies
all of these, exceptficc, were women!     with the vowel sound of the verb.  InSulch are the scenes of wild terror   deed, the pronoun of the third person
whichl diversify life in Africa.  But it is  singular has seven different forms, each
not our oblject to describe the manners   being a simple vowel-sound  to corresof the Yorubans, or to wlrite their history,  pond with that of the verb. The same
but to present the peculiarities of their  variations occur, to some extent, in the
language and their mental character, as   negative  particle.  In  other  African
developed, chiefly in  the writings of  dialects there are euphonic changes, but
Rev. Samuel Crowther, a Christian na-  they are effected by mleans of consonant
tive, educated in England, and ordained   sounds, not by vowels.
by the bishop of Sierra Leone.  We are       3. A great peculiarity  of all other
also indebted to Bishop Vidal for some   African languages is the perfection  ot
general observations, prefixed to  Mr.  that mode of conjugation, termned  by
Crowther's Yoruban vocabulary; and   Bunsen the Semitic: namely, by rarying
we shall, in the ensuing remarks, draw   tlme root. In the Hebrew there are seven
freely upon these sources, deferring all  conjugations, eight in the Arabic, eiglht
ap(olo-ies for our own sllortcomings in  in the Kafir, eleven in the Alpongwe
&Afiican philosophy till we find some one   and Woloff —including the Preparatory,
else who klnows enough to teach us.       the Iterative, the Diminutive, and the'Ehle Yoruban language is a very re-  Intensive Negative.  lnt all these are
mauLrkable one, differing from  all other   wanting in thle Yoruba, -lwhere conjungaAftiican dialects.  It is not, perhaps,  tion is only effected through the auxiliary
superior in elaborateness and regularity   verbs, the root remaining ulnaltered.
to the TWoloff and Kafir languages; but     4. AWe may mention one inore pecuit appears to  be strong where they  hlarity of this htnguage, in the singulex




1854.]                     African Proverbial Philosophy.                              367
perfection   of  its  adverbial  system.          Again:
Each adverb includes the idea, not only
of a certain qualification, but also of a   Aki iglsa akaka lowo akiti;
distinct  object of qualification.  Thus    AMk iga ille babba enni lowo enni.
every adjective has its appropriate ad-   So no one can dep cure a monkey of squatting;ht."
So no one can deprive a man of his birthright."
verb, and every adverb is limited  in its
application.  In English, there is scarce-        Again (we spare the reader the orily an adjective, to  which  the  adverb    ginal):
"very "  could  not be  prefixed.  We
should  say, for instance, "the tree  is,"A pistol has not a bore like a cannon;
very highl," " the bilrd flies very high,")    A poor man has not money at his command like the'this cloth is very yellow," "the scarlet        rich."
is ~verly 1red," " the glass is very dazzlin~g."   ", A wild boar, in the place of a pig, would ravish the
town;
B3ut to use  ally  colrresponding   adverb       ton;
But to use  ally  corresponding  adverb    And a slave, made king, would spare nobody."
thus frieely in Yoruba, would ruin our 
reputation  as sclholars.  We must say            Sometimes we find a triplet:
" iggri gafiofo," " eiye fo tiantian,"'"aso
yi pon rolirolci," " odido pipa roro," and   i" The world is an ocean,
so on.  Thlis is, of course, an an additional   Mankind is the (lagoon) Ossa,
burdlen lupon the memory of the stuldent,   One cannot swim, so as to cross the world."
but it gives proportionate compass and            Again
accuracy to the language.
"Sorrow is before weeping,
Mortification is after trouble,
All the community assemble, they find no sacrifice
It is past question, that the most re-        against mortification."
markabie result of our knowledge, respecting the Yoruba language, is to  be            Sometimes the verses are even longer,
found in  the  wonderful richness  and   and solnetirles the arrangement of the
variety of their Proverbial Philosophy.   lines is reversed.  The following illusTWe are aware, that this departlnent of   trates this, and also shows the accuracy
literature does not belong to the intel-   of the national ear:
lectual maturity of a nation. In tact,
Lo rd Chesterfieldty of aver nation.  In fact,       Three elders cannot all fail to pronounce the word
Lord Chesterfield avers, that no  man r           kulu;
of fashion ever uses proverbs.  But our   If one says ekflu,
Yoruba friends are by no means men of   The second may say ekulu;
fashion.  Yet nothing tests the natural   But the third will say ekulu.1"
quickness and keenness of a nation more
than its proverbs, and tried by this test,        Once more, still more elaborately:
the Yorubas are triumphant. They have           When the day dawns
no poetry, no oratory; all the intellect   The trader takes his money,
of the race is condensed into proverbs.   The spinner takes her spindle,
In fact, they constitute a sort of poetry.   The warrior takes his shield,
Every object affords its metaphor, every    The weaver takes his batten,
thourght  becomes  an  aphorism;  and    The farmer wakes, himself and his hoe,
not this only, but the most elaborate of   The hunter wakes, with his quiver and his bow."
these sentences assume invariably that           This final rhyme is an irresistible temlpOriental parallelism, which is the  pri-   tation of the translator.  The original
nary forlnation of poetry. Every featule    has rhythm-but not rhyme.  The folof Hebrew verse, as analyzed by Lowth   lowing   example  shows  the  nearest
anmd Herder, with all their classification    approxilation to rhyme, in a sort of
of" gradational, antithetic, synthetic, and    unmeaning netrical jingleintroverted," finds its corresponding trait
among the Yorubas.," Ojo pa batta
Observe, for instance, the following    Bata batta bata,
couplets:                                      Li ori apatta;
Li ode ajalubata,
Bata ni iggi, batta li awe.
Bi iwo ko li oweo, o li ena;                   The rain on the bata (shoes)
Bi iwo ko li ena, o li ohun rere li ennu.      Goes patter, patter, patter;
"If you have no money (to give), you may pay   As on the apatta (rock);
visits;                                 In the street of the ajalubata (head drummer)
If you cannot visit, you may send kind messages."    The bata (drum) is of wood, the batta (shoes) of skin."




368                    African Proverbial Philosophy.                     [Oct.
As it is the main object of this essay   He who waits for chance will have to
to give a full exhibition of these aphor-  wait a year.
isms, we proceed to make a copious         God made different creatures differselection from  the mass. Those who   ently.  (The original has a jingle to it,
have read Mr. Trench's recent " Lessons  like " many men many minds.")
from  Proverbs" will find an especial    Want of consideration and forethought
interest in these specimens, though they   made six brothers pawn themselves for
have been almost wholly overlooked by   six dollars.
that agreeable writer. We have  ar-    A  one-sided story is always right.
ranged these under approximate heads,  Ear, hear the other side, before you
and added some explanations and refer-  decide.
ences.                                     Ile who marries a beauty, marries
trouble.
1. PRACTICAL PROVERBS.             Though a man may miss other things,
he never misses his mouth.
He runs away from  the sword, and        We wake, and find marks on the
hides himself inthe scabbard. (' Outof   palm  of our hand, but we know  not
the frying-pan into the fire.")          who made them; we wake, and find
The stirrup is the father of the saddle.  an old debt, and cannot remember how
(" C'est le premier pas qui coate.")     we incurred it.
He who has no cross-bow but his eye-    If the poor man's rafter does not
brow will never kill anytlling. (" Bark-  reach the roof in the morning, it will
ing dogs- never bite.")                  reach it in the evening. (This refers to
If your stomach is not strong, do not  a traditional poor man  who  advised
eat cockroaches. (Moderation.)           splicing two rafters in raising a house;
If one cannot build a house, he builds   and whose advice was at first despised,
a slled. (" Half a loaf," &c.)           and finally followed.-See Eccl. ix. 5.)
One lock does not know the wards of      The bill-hook cut the forest, but with
another.                                 no profit to itself; the bill-hook cleared
A bald-headed person does not care for  the road, with no profit to itself; then it
a razor.                                 was broken, a ring was put on its handle,
The thread is quite accustomed  to  and it was still kept at work. (" Sic vos
follow the path of the needle.           non vobis.")
The sword shows no respect for its
maker. (" Bad actions return to plague      2. PROVERBS DRAWN FROM NATURE.
the inventor.")
The sole of the foot is exposed to all    The dawn comes twice to no man.
the filth of the road. ("Evil communica-   To-day is the elder brother of to-mortions," &c.)                            row, and a copious deer is the elder
The pot-lid is always badly off; the   brother of the rain.
pot gets the sweet, the lid gets the       One day's rain makes up for many
steam.                                   day's drought.  (" It never rains but it
Without powder a gun is only a rod.    pours.")
When the man on stilts falls, another    When the rain beat upon the parrot,
gets the bamboo (stilt) —(i. e., "Pride   the woodcock rejoiced, thinking that his
shall have a fall.")                     red tail was spoiled, but the rain only
The pestle and the mortar have no  increased its beauty.
quarrel between them-(i. e., they are      The sprout of the iroko tree, must be
only instruments of another.)            plucked while it is yet tender. (" As
The covetous man, not content with  the twig is bent," &c.)
gathering the fruit of tree, took an axe   The parasite (vine) claims relationship
and cut it down. (The goose with the   with every tree.
golden egg.)                               To be trodden upon here, to be trodI almost killed the bird, said the fowler.  den upon there, is the fate of the palmAlmost never made a stew, was the re-  nut in the road.
ply. (" Almost takes away half.")          Unless the tree falls, one will never get
It is only the water which is spilt;  at the branches.
the calabash is not broken: (that all is   No one should ask the fish, of what
not lost.)                              happens in the plain, nor the rat of what
He chokes me like ekuru. (Said of a   happens in the water.
tedious person. Ekuru is a very dry       It was the death of the fish, which incake; —" the remainder biscuit.")       troduced it to the palace.




1854.1                 African Proverbial Philosophy.                      369
The rat said, I am less angry with the   such as Se-orum, the setting sun, when it
man who killed me, than with him  who   appears like a globe. Eni-awen, the
dashed me on the ground afterwards.  flickering appearance of a rarefied atmo(" Adding insult to injury.")            sphere under sunshine, supposed to proThe ajao, is neither rat nor bird.  ceed from an underground fire made by
(Said of persons who are "' neither one   the tortoise to kill the trees by burning
thing nor the other,"-" neither fish,  the roots.]
flesh, nor good red-herring!")
When the hawk hovers, the poulterer           4. COMMERCIAL PROVERBS.
looks uneasy.                              Tle trader never confesses that he has
It is easy to cut up a dead elephant.  sold all his goods, but, when asked, will
If the ccgiliti (or guana), will die to-  only say, " Trade is a little better."morrow  for want of water, rain will  (Proverbs, xx., 14.)
surely come to-morrow.  (" Man's ex-       The palm of the hand never deceives
trernity is God's opportunity.")         one. (" A bird in the hand," &c.)
If you abuse the ettu, you give,the awo  Men think the poor man is not as wise
the hlead-ache. (i. e. Persons feel slights  as the rich, for (they say) if he were wise,
cast upon their relatives; —these being   why is he poor? (Can Wall street detwo birds of the same genus.)            vise a more ingenious defence?)
Conquer the agballe, you must conquer    He is as persuasive as a seller of cakes.
the arabi.  (Two insects always found   (Sam Slick can say nothing more to the
together.)                               point.)
The veranda in the house of a for-       The borrower, who does not pay, gets
toise, will not accomodate a guest. (The   no more money lent him.
veranda being the projecting part of       He runs into debt, who cuts up a pigeon
the shell. Said of inhospitable persons.)  to sell by retail.
When the fox dies, no fowl mourns;       A man walks freely before his defamer,
for the fox rears no chickens.           when he knows that the latter has not
When the fish is killed, his tail is in-  twenty cowries in his pocket. (Quite a
serted in his own mouth.  (Applied to   new modification of the "vacuus canone who suffers for his own misdeeds.)  tabit" philosophy!)
When fire burns in the fields, the flakes  A gift is a gift, and a purchase is a
fly to the town.                         purchase, but no one thanks you for
The crow was going to Ibara; a breeze   " I sold it very cheap."
sprung up behind. This will help me        Aje (god of money) often passes by
along famously, said the crow.           the first caravan that arrives, and loads
He is a fool who cannot lift an ant,  the last with blessings. (" The race is
and yet tries to lift an elephant. (" Strain   not to the swift," &c.)
at a gnat," &c.)                           Inordinate gain makes a hole in the
pocket. ("He earneth wages to put it
3. PROVERBS SHOWING A FEELING FOR    into a bag with holes." —Iaggai, i., 6.)
NATURAL BEAUTY.
5. PROVERBS OF COMPASSION.
Behind and before, the butterfly praises
God, yet, when touched, it crumbles like   The wicked man would not treat his
a cinder.                                own child as he treats those of others.
Heaven and earth are two large cala-    A slave is not a block of wood (lit.,
bashes, which, being shut (together), can   child of a tree). When a slave dies, his
never be opened.                        mother hears nothing of it; yet the slave,
There is no market in which the dove  too, was once a child in his mother's
with  the prominent breast has not  house.
traded (alluding to the shape of the cow-  Birth does not differ from birth; as
ries used as money).                    the freeman was born, so was the slave.
Twinkling, twinkling, twinkling stars;  The aro (a sort of cripple) is the porter
like so many chickens behind the moon.  at the gate of the gods. (" They also
The mock-bird says-I sing 200 songs  serve who only stand and wait.")
in the morning, 200 at noon, and 200 in
the afternoon, and yet I sing many          6. MORAL AND RELIGIOUS PROVERBS.
frolicsome notes for my own amusement.     All mankind are related to one an[The proverbs abound in evidences of  other.
observation of animal peculiarities.  We   He who does not love his neighbor
also find striking descriptive phrases,  acts maliciously.




370                   -African Proverbial Philosophy.                     [Oct.
Anger does nobody good; patience is  race. It is a singular fact, yet proved by
the best of dispositions. Anger draws   ample testimony, that the Yorubans, in
arrows from thie quiver; patience draws   common with all the western Africans,
kola-nuts friom the bag.                possess, in a high degree, those two
The okun (a reptile) has 200 hands and   qualities which we claim as especially
200 feet, and yet acts gently.          American-mechanical ingenuity  and
A cutting word is as tough as a bow-   commercial enterprise.  Their markets,
string; a cutting word cannot be healed,  as above described, prove the just claim,
thoughll a wound may.                   and all eye-witnesses confirm it.  " TraCovetousness is the mother of unsatis-   vellers all agree" (says a writer in HIunt's
fled desire.                            Merchant's Magazine for July, 1852),
Consideration is the first-born, cal-   "that these nations exhibit a remarkable
culation the next, wisdom the third.    degree of genius for mechanics."  "The
A bribe blinds the judge's eyes, for  palm-tree is applied anmong them," he
bribes never speak the truth.           adds, "to no less than three hundred
lie who has committed a secret action,  and sixty-five different uses."' " In most
supposes himself the subject of all con-  towns in this region," says John Duncan,
versation.                              "the mechanic is very much esteemed
IIe who despises another despises him-   on account of his craft, but especially
self. Contempt should never be shown   the blacksmith, who, in their own lanto a fellow man.                        guage, is called a cunning 1manc, ranking
Wherever a man goes to dwell, his  next to the fetish-lman or priest."
character goes with him.                   To the mercantile character of these
He is to be feared who sends you   races, the most emphatic testimony is
on a message, not he to whom you are   borne by Captain William Allen, in his
sent.                                    narrative of the ill-fated Niger expediLeave the battle to God, and rest your  tion.
head upon your hand.                       "The strongest characteristic of the
So plain is it that all the wit, wisdom   inhabitants of the interior of Africa is
and fancy, all the observation and phi-  the love of traffic; it is, indeed, the rullosophy of the nation are crystallized  ing passion, which, if rightly developed,
into this aphoristic form, that the Yoruba   may become the instrument for raising
phrase for a wise statesman is "'a man  them  in the scale of nations. Every
who understands proverbs."  These say-  town has a market, generally once in
ings form an unwritten code of law and   four days; but the principal feature is
ethics, and afford a perpetual replenish-  in the large fairs held at different points
ment to the thoughts of common men.  on the river, about once a fortnight, for' A proverb," the natives say, "is the   what may be called their foreign trade,
horse of conversation; when the con-  or intercourse with neighboring nations.
versation flags, a proverb revives it."   They are professedly held sacred, whatNor are these sayings traditional only,  ever wars may be in the land.  (Narrabut are coined readily by the people for  tive I., 398.)
immediate use. In every way they love      "Kings, priests, warriors, down to the
the encounter of keen  wits. When   meanest slaves, all are traders in Africa;
families are seated in the moonlight, on   and although this ruling propensity hlas
summer evenings, in the favorite open   been perverted to the worst of purposes,
court which forms the centre of every  it may be turned to the best.
habitation, after the fairy tales are      "The several expeditions into  the
exhausted, the lighter entertainment of   interior of Afi'ica have proved that the
riddles begins:  "What is that small  people there are far from being devoid
confined room which is filled with pins?   of civilization. That they have, in fact,
The mouth and teeth."  " What is that  institutions and tendencies which, if
little steep hill that nobody can climb?   fully  developed, would aid much in
An egg."  "What is that which any one   healing the wounds which have been
can divide, but no one can see where it  inflicted by the perversion of them.
has been divided?  Water."  And after   They have justice, which lends its halevery success. or failuree, follow bursts of  lowed name to the worst of purposes;
African laughter more inextinguishable  and they  have commerce, which  is
than the Homeric, to convulse the sultry   absorbed by the most ruinous of all
air.                                    speculations-the sale of their fellows."
A word, finally, in regard to the more  (II., 430.)
practical faculties of this interesting    "Nothing can be more unjust than




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exile.                  371
our assumption, that the natives of   agriculture  withers, invention droops,
Africa are devoid of civilization. It is  and all human  feeling dies. Let the
true that the inhabitants of many parts   Church  Missionary  Society  send  its
of the coast, and principally at the mouths   devoted apostles to convert their four
of large rivers, where they have had   hundredto a nominal Christianity; there
proh pudor, most intercourse with the   is a mightier opponent than all native
whites, are, indeed, deserving the name   heathenism,  to be met.  Christendom
of savages.  *  *  *  It is, however,   hires all western Africa to fight one endvery different the farther we go into the  less, and bloody war, simply to supply
interior."  (I., 391.)                    the slave-ships with new human victilns.
WVe regret to find, in the narrative of  For this fiendish service-which would
MIr. John Duncan, of the Life Guard   stain the purity of whitest silver, or un(London, 1847), the suspicion of the slave   tarnished gold, if used in the bargaining
trading cast even upon the Christianized   -Christendom  pays in Rum  and Gunnatives of Abeokuta; although, we must  powder: the price being a sufficient ill,
use some caution in accepting the con-   without the merchandise, or the merclusions of a witness, who asserts of the   chandise without the price. And finally,
largest slave-dealer in western Africa,  to add one crowning horror, beyond the
that "a more generous and benevolent  range of ordinary woe, the chief agency
man never existed."  Be that as it may,  in  the  monstrous traffic is given  to
it is certain that it must require cen-   women, and to that very race of women
turies of purer missionary effort than   whose spontaneous beneficence Mungo
any which Christendom   Ilas  yet put  Park has made immortal.  In presence
forth, to  overcome  the  ruin which   of these facts, what hope from the mere
Christendom  causes, every year, by its  agency  of  missionaries  for  western
horrible commerce with western Africa.  Africa?' Physician  heal  thyself."
Commerce, usually the first civilizer of  Even while we write, some new  incurnations, here only leads the native races  sion of this terrible soldiery may have
deeper into barbarism.  As inland trees   prostrated the final strongholds of the
droop and wither, where the sea-fogs   Yorubas, and of all their poetry and phireach them, so, where the slave-trade  losophy, these pages may be the last
creeps up from  the  sea-board, there   memorial.
ISRAEL POTTER; OR, FIFTY YEARS OF EXILE.
(Continued from page 290.)
CHAPTER xIII.                ledge of the fact that a stranger was imimured in the mansion.  If discovered
HIS ESCAPE FROM THE HOUSE, WITH VARIOUS ADVEN-  Inued ill the mansion. If disco e
TURES FOLLOWING.             then, prowling here in the inmost privacies of a gentleman's abode, what would
HE started at the funereal aspect of the   befal the wanderer, already not unsusroom, into which, since he last stood   pected in the neighborhood of some unthere, undertakers seemed to have stolen.  derhand guilt as a fugitive? If he adThe curtains of the window were fes-  hered to the strict truth, what could he
tooned with long weepers of crape. The   offer in his own defence without convictfour corners of the red cloth on the   ing himself of acts, which, by English
round table were knotted with crape.      tribunals, would be accounted flagitious
Knowing nothing of these mournful  crimes?  Unless, indeed, by involving
customs of the country, nevertheless, Is-  the  memory of the  deceased  Squire
rael's instinct whlispered him, that Squire   Woodcock in his own self-acknowledged
Woodcock lived no more on this earth.  proceedings, so  ungenerous a charge
At once, the whole three days' mystery   should result in an abhorrent refusal to
was made clear. But what was now to   credit his extraordinary tale, whether as
be done? His friend must have died   referring to hilnself or another; and so
very suddenly; most probably, struck   throw him  open to still more grievous
(\down in aL fit, from which he never more  suspicions?
rosse.  With him had perished all know-     While wrapped in these dispiriting




372               Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                [Oct.
reveries, he heard a step not very far off  I will return to it, and see what I can
in the passage. It seemed approaching.  find to serve my purpose.  It is the
Instantly lie flew to the jamb, which re-  Squire's private closet; hence it is not
mained  unclosed;  and  disappearing   unlikely that here some at least of his
within, drew the stone after him by the   clothing will be found.
iron knob. Owing to his hurried vio-       With these thoughts, he cautiously
lence, the jamb closed with a dull, dismal  sprung the iron under foot, peeped in,
and singular noise. A shriek followed   and seeing all clear, boldly re-entered the
friom within the room. In a panic, Is-  apartment.  He went straight to a high,
reel fled utp the dark stairs; and near the   narrow door in the opposite wall. The
top, in his eagerness, stumbled, and fell  key was in the lock. Opening the door,
back to tile last step with a rolling din,  there hung several coats, small clothes,
which reverberated by the arch over-  pairs of silk stockings, and hats of the
head smote through and through the   deceased. With little difficulty Israel
wall, dying away at last indistinctly, like   selected firom these the complete suit in
low muffled tlhunder among the clefts of  which he had last seen his once jovial
deep hills. When raising himself in-  friend. Carefully closing the door, and
stantly, not seriously bruised by his fall,  carrying the suit with him, he was reIsrael intently listened;-the echoing  turning towards the chimney, when he
sounds of his descent were mingled with  saw the Squire'ssilver-headed cane leanadded shrieks from  within the room.  ing against a corner of the wainscot.
They seemed some nervous female's, al-  Taking this also, he stole back to his
armed by what must have appeared to  cell.
her supernatural or at least unaccounta-  Slipping off his own clothing, he delible noises in the wall. Directly he heard   berately arrayed himself in the borrowother voices of alarm undistinguishably   ed raiment; silk small-clothes and all;
commingled, and then, they retreated to-  then put on the cocked hat, grasped the
gether, and all again was still.        silver-headed cane in his right hand, and
Recovering friom his first amazement,  moving his small shaving glass slowly
Israel revolved these occurrences. No   up and down before him, so as by piece
creature now in the house knows of the   meal to take in his whole figure, felt concell, thouglht he.  Some woman,-the   vinced that he would well pass for Squire
housekeeper, perhaps,-first entered the   Woodcock's genuine phantom. But after
room  alone.  Just as she entered, the  the first feeling of self-satisfaction with
jamb closed. The sudden report made her   his anticipated success had left him, it
shriek; then, afterwards, the noise of  was not without some superstitious emnmy fall prolonging itself, added to her  barrassment that Israel felt himself enfrigllt, vwhile her repeated shrieks brouglht  cased in a dead man's broadcloth; nay,
every soul in the house to her; who,  in the very coat in which the deceased
aghast at seeing her lying in a pale faint,  had no doubt fallen down in his fit. By
it may be, like a corpse, in a room hung   degrees he began to feel alnost as unreal
with crape for a man just dead, they also   and shadowy as the shade whose part he
shrieked out; and then with blended  intended to enact.
lamentations they bore the fainting per-  Waiting long and anxiously till darkson away. Now  this will follow; no   ness came, and then till he thought it
doubt it hzas followed ere now:-they   was fairly midnight, he stole back into
believe that the woman saw or heard  the closet, and standing for a moment
the spirit of Squire Woodcock. Since I  uneasily in the middle of the floor, thinkseem  then to understand how all these  ing over all the risks he might run, he
strange events have occurred; since I  lingered till he felt himself resolute and
seem to know that they have plain coin-  calrn. Then groping for the door, leadmnon causes; I begin to feel cool and   ing into the hall, put his hand on the
calmn again. Let me see. Yes. I have   knob and turned it. But the door refusit. By means of the idea of the ghost  ed to budge. Was it locked? The key
prevailing among the frightened hous-  was not in.  Turning the knob once
hold; by that means, I will this very   more, and holding it so, he pressed firmnight make good my escape. If I can  ly against the door. It did not move.
but lay hands on some of the late Squire's  SMore firmly still, when suddenly it burst
clothing-if but a coat and hat of his-    open with a loud crackling report. Being
I shall be certain to succeed. It is not  cramped, it had stuck in the sill. Less
too early to begin now.  They  will  than three seconds passed, when, as Ishardly comle back to the room in a hurry.  rael was groping his way down the long




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exile.                373
wide hall towards the large staircase at  Hill, Charles River, and Boston town, on
its opposite end, he heard confused hur-  the well-remembered night of the 16th
rying noises from the neighboring rooms,  of June. The same season; the same
and in another instant several persons,  moon; the same new-mown hay on the
mostly in night-dresses, appeared at their  shaven sward; hay which was scraped
chamber-doors, thrusting out alarmed   together during the night to help pack
faces, lit by a lamp held by one of the   into the redoubt so hurriedly thrown up.
number, a rather elderly lady in widow's  Acted on as if by enchantment, Israel
weeds, who, by her appearance, seemed   sat down on one of the cocks, and gave
to have just risen from a sleepless chair,  himself up to reverie. But, worn out by
instead of an oblivious couch. Israel's  long loss of sleep, his reveries would
heart beat like a hammer; his face turn-  have soon merged into slumber's still
ed like a sheet. But bracing himself,  wilder dreams, had he not rallied himpulling his hat lower down over his eyes,  self, and departed on his way, fearful of
settling his head in the collar of his coat,  forgetting himself in an emergency like
he advanced along the defile of wildly  the present. It now occurred to him
staring faces. He advanced with a slow   that, well as his disguise had served him
and stately step; looked neither to the   in escaping from the mansion of Squire
right nor the left; but went solemnly   Woodcock, that disguise might fatally
forward on his now faintly illuminated   endanger him if he should be discovered
way, sounding his cane on the floor as he  in it abroad. He might pass for a ghost
passed.  The faces in  the doorways   at night, and among the relations and
curdled his blood, by their rooted looks.  immediate friends of the gentleman deGlued to the spot, they seemed incapa-  ceased; but by day, and among indifble of motion. Each one was silent as  ferent persons, he ran no small risk of
he advanced towards him or her; but as  being apprehended for an entry-thief.
he left each individual, one after another,  He bitterly lamented his omission in not
behind, each in a frenzy shrieked out,  pulling on the Squire's clothes over his
" the Squire, the Squire!"  As he pass-  own, so that he might now have reaped the lady in the widow's weeds, she   peared in his former guise.
fell senseless and crosswise before him.    As meditating over this difficulty, he
But forced to be immutable in his pur-  was passing along, suddenly he saw a
pose, Israel solemnly stepping over her   man in black standing right in his path,
prostrate form, marched deliberately on.  about fifty yards distant, in a field of
In a few minutes more he had reached   some growing barley or wheat. The
the main door of the mansion, and with-  gloomy stranger was standing stock-still;
drawing the chain and bolt, stood in the   one outstretched arm, with weird intiopen air. It was a bright moonlight   mation pointing towards the deceased
night. He struck slowly across the open   Squire's abode. To the brooding soul of
grounds towards the sunken fields be-  tile now  desolate Israel, so strange a
yond. When midway across the grounds,  sight roused a supernatural suspicion.
he turned towards the mansion, and saw   His conscience morbidly reproaching him
three of the front windows filled with  for the terrors he had bred in making
white faces, gazing in terror at the won-  his escape from the house; he seemed to
derful spectre. Soon descending a slope,  see in the fixed gesture of the stranger
he disappeared from their view.         something more than humanly signifiPresently he came to hilly land in  cant. But somewhat of his intrepidity
meadow, whose grass having been lately  returned; he resolved to test the appacut, now lay dotting the slope in cocks;  rition. Composing itself to the same
a sinuous line of creamy vapor mean-  deliberate stateliness with which it had
dered through the lowlands at the base  paced the hall, the phantom  of Squire
of the hill; while beyond was a dense   Woodcock firmly advanced its cane, and
grove of dwarfish trees, with here and   marched straight forward towards the
there a tall tapering dead trunk, peeled   mysterious stranger.
of the bark, and overpeering the rest.    As lie neared him, Israelshrunk. The
The vapor wore the semblance of a deep   dark coat-sleeve flapped on the bony
stream  of water, imperfectly descried;   skeleton of the unknown arm. The face
the grove looked like some closely-clus-  was lost in a sort of ghastly blank. It
tering town on its banks, lorded over by   was no living man.
spires of churches.                       But mechanicallycontinuing his course,
The whole scene magically reproduced  Israel drew still nearer and saw-a scareto our adventurer the aspect of Bunker  crow.




374                Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exile.                 [Oct.
AN ENCOUNTER OF GHOSTS.            hesive to the inside of the breeches and
coat sleeves, to produce the most irritatNot a little relieved by the discovery,  ing torment.
our adventurer paused. more particu-         The grand moral question now came
larly to survey st deceptive an object,  up, what to do with the purse?  AWould
which seemed to have been constructed   it be dishonest under the circumstances
on the most efficient principles; probably  to appropriate that purse?  Considering
by some broken down wax-figure cos-  the whole matter, and not forgetting
tumer. It comprised the complete ward-   that he had not received from the genrobe of a scare-crow, namely; a cocked   tleman deceased the promised reward
hat, bunged; tattered coat; old velveteen   for his services as courier, Israel conbreeches; and long worsted stockings,  eluded that he might justly use the mofull of holes; all stuffed very nicely with   ney for his own.  To which oplinion
straw, and skeletoned by a frame-work   surely no charitable judge will demur.
of poles.  There was a gireat flapped   Besides, what should he do with the
pocket to the coat-which seemed to  p)urse, if not use it for hlis own?  It
have been some laborer's-standing in-   would have been insane to have returned
vitingly open. Putting his lhands in,  it to the relations.  Such mysterious
Israel drew out the lid of an old tobacco-   honesty would hlave but resulted in hIis
box, the broken bowl of a pipe, two rusty   arrest as a rebe!, or rascal. As for the
nails, and a few kernels of wheat.  This   Squire's clothes, handkerchief, and specreminded hiilm  of the Squire's pockets.  tacle-case, they must be put out of sight
Trying them, lie produced a handsome   with all despatch.  So, going to a maolhandlerchief, a spectacle-case,  with a   rass not reinote, Israel sunk them deep
purse containing some silver and gold,  down, and heaped tufts of the rank sod
amounting to a little more than five   upon  them.  Then  returning to  the
pIounds. Such is the difference between   field of cori,, sat down under the lee of
the contents of the pockets of scare-crows   a rock, about a hundred  yards from
and the pockets of Awell-to-do squires.   where the scarecrow had stood, thinkEre donning his present habiliments,  ingwhich way he now had best direct his
Israel had not omitted to withdraw his  steps.  But his late ramble coming after
own money from  his own coat, and put  so long a deprivation of rest, soon proit in the pocket of his own waistcoat,  duced effects not so easy to be shaken
wThich he had not exchanged.              off, as when reposing upon the haycock.
Looking upon the scare-crow  more   He felt less anxious too, since changing
attelltively, it struck him that, miserable   his apparel.  So before he was aware,
as its wardrobe was, nevertheless here   he fell into deep sleep.
-was a chance for getting rid of the un-     When he awoke, the sun was well up
suitable and perilous clothes of the Squire.  in the sky.  Looking around lie saw a
No other available opportunity might   farm-laborer with a pitch-fork coming at
present itself for a time.  Before he en-   a distance into view, whose steps seemed
countered any living creature by day-   bent in a direction not far from the spot
ligllt, another suit must somehow be had.  where he lay.  Inmllediately it, struck
H-is exchange with thle old ditcher, after   our adventurer that this oman imust be
his escape fromn the inn near Portsmouth,   familiar  with the scarecrow; perhaps
hlad familiarized hlim with tile most de-   had himself fashioned it.  Should he
I)lorable of wardrobes.  Well, too, lie   miss it then, he might make immediate
knlew, and had experienced it, that for a   search, and so discover the thief so imIman desirous of avoiding  notice, the   prudently loitering upon the very field of
imore wretched the clothes the better.   his operations.
lFor who does not shun the scurvy wretch,    Waiting until the man momentarily
Po:,verty, advancing in battered hat and   disappeared in a little hollow, Israel ran
lamentable coat?                           briskly to the identical spot where the
Without more ado, slipping off the   scarecrow  had stood; whllere, standing
Squire's raimnent, he donned the scare-   stiffly erect, pulling the hat well over his
crow's, after carefully shaking out the   face, and thrusting out his arm, pointed
lay, whlich, fiom  many alternate soak-   steadfastly towards the Squire's abode,
ingrs and bakinlgs in rain and sun, had   lie awaited the event.  Soon the man
Ibeconle quite broken up, and would have   reappeared in sight, and marchling right
been alinost dust, were it not for the   on, paused not far fronm Israel, and gave
mildew which dal-nped it. But sufficient   him an one earnest look, as if it were his
of this wretched old hay remained ad-   daily wont to satisfy that all was rigtht




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                 375
with the scarecrow. No sooner was the   and pausing, gazed amazed into Israel's
man departed to a reasonable distance,  eyes. With a stern and terrible expresthan, quitting his post, Israel struck   sion Israel resolutely returned the glance,
across the fields towards London. But  but otherwise remained like a statue;
he had not yet quite quitted the field,  hoping thus to stare his pursuer out of
when it occurred to him to turn round,  countenance. At last the man slowly
and see if the man was completely out  presented one prong of his fork towards
of sight; when, to his consternation, he   Israel's left eye. Nearer and nearer the
sav the man returning towards him,  sharp point came; till no longer capable
evidently by his pace and gesture in un-   of enduring such a test, Israel took to
mixed amazement.  The man must have   his heels with all speed, his tattered
turned round to look, before Israel had   coat-tails streaming behind him. With
done so. Frozen to the ground, Israel  inveterate purpose the man pursued.
knew not what to do. But, next mo-  Darting blindly on, Israel leaping a gate,
ment it struck him, that this very mo-  suddenly found himself in a field where
tionlessness was the least hazardous  some dozen laborers were at work; who
plan in such a strait. Thrusting out his  recognizing the scarecrow-an old acaram again towards the house, once more   quaintance of theirs, as it would seemnhe stood stotk-still, and again awaited  lifted all their hands as the astounding
the event.                              apparition swept by, followed by the
It so happened that this time in point-  man with the pitchfork.  Soon all joining towards the house, Israel unavoida-  ed in the chase; but Israel proved to
bly pointed towards the advancing man.  have better wind and bottom than any.
Hoping that the strangeness of this   Outstripping the whole pack, he finally
coincidence might, by operating on the   shot out of their sight in an extensive
Inan's superstition, incline himn to beat  park, heavily timbered in one quarter.
an immediate retreat, Israel kept cool  He never saw more of these people.
as he might.  But the man proved to        Loitering in the wood till nightfall, he
be of a braver metal than anticipated.  then stole out and made the best of his
In passing the spot where the scarecrow   way towards the house of that goodhatd stood, and perceiving, beyond the   natured farmer in whose corn-loft he had
possibility of mistakle, that by some un-  received his first message from  Squire
accountable agency it had suddenly re-   Woodcock. Rousing this man up a little
moved itself to a distance; instead of   before midnight, he informed him somebeing terrified at this verification of his   what of his recent adventures, but careworst apprehensions, the man pushed on   fully concealed his having been employed
for Israel, apparently resolved to sift this  as a secret courier, together with his
mystery to the bottom.                  escape from Squire Woodcock's. All he
Seeing him  now determinately corn-  craved at present was a meal. The meal
ing, with pitchfork valiantly presented,  being over, Israel offered to buy froim
Israel, as a last means of practising on  the farmer his best suit of clothes, and
the fellow's fears of the supernatural,  displayed the money on the spot.
suddenly doubled up both fists, presenting'  lWhere did you get so much money?"
them savaagely towards him at a distance   said his entertainer in a tone of surprise;
of about twenty paces; at the same   "your clothes here don't look as if you
time showinfg his teeth like a skull's, and  hliad seen prosperous times since you left
demloniacally rolling his eyes. The nman   mae. Why, you look like a scarecrow."
Ipaused bewildered; looked all round      " That may well be," replied Israel
him; looked at the springing grain; then   very soberly.  " But whlat do you say?
across at some trees; then up at the   will you sell me your suit? —here's the
sky; and satisfied at last by those obser-  cash."
vations, that the world at large had not   " I don't know about it," said the farundergone a miracle in the last fifteen   mer, in doubt; " let me look at the mominutes, resolutely resumed his advance;   ney. Ha!-a silk purse come out of a
the pitchfork like a boarding-pike now   beggar's pocket!-Quit the house, ras-.aimed full at the breast of the object.  cal, you've turned thief."
Seeing all his stratagems vain, Israel     Thinking that he could not swear to
now threw himself into the original atti-  his having come by his money with
tude of the scarecrow, and once again  absolute honesty-since indeed the ease
stood immovable. Abating his pace by   was one for the most subtle casuistdegrees almost to a mere creep, the man   Israel knew not what to reply. This
at last came within three feet of ]lim,  honest confusion confirmed the farmer;




376              Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.               [Oct.
who with many abusive epithets drove  the monster away, Israel's hat fell off,
him into the road; telling him that he   upon which the dog pounced with the
might thank himself that he did not  utmost fierceness, and thrusting  both
arrest him on the spot.                paws into it, rammed out the crown, and
In great dolor at this unhappy repulse,  went snuffling the wreck before him.
Israel trudged on in th- moonlight some   Recovering the wretched hat, Israel
three miles to the house of another  again beat a retreat, his wardrobe sorely
friend, who also had once succored him  the worse for his visits.  Not only was
in extremity. This man proved a very   his coat a mere rag, but his breeches,
sound sleeper. Instead of succeeding in  clawed by the dog, were slashed into
rousing him by his knocking, Israel but  yawning gaps, while his yellow  hair
succeeded in rousing his wife, a person   waved over the top of the crownless
not of the greatest amiability. Raising   beaver, like a lonely tuft of heather on
the sash, and seeing so shocking a pau-  the Highlands.
per before her, the woman upbraided      In this plight the morning discovered
him with shameless impropriety in ask-  him  dubiously skirmishing on the outing charity at dead of night, in a dress  skirts of a village.
so improper too. Looking down at his de-    " Ah! what a true patriot gets for
plorable velveteens, Israel discovered that  serving his country!" murmured Israel.
ihis extensive travels llad produced a great  But soon thinking a little better of his
rent in one loin of the rotten old breeches,  case, and seeing yet another house which
through which a whitish fragment pro-  had once furnished him with an asylum,
truded.                                he made bold to advance to the door.
Remedying this oversight as well as he  Luckily he this time met the man himmight, he again implored the woman to  self; just emerging from  bed. At first
wake her ihusband.                     the farmer did not recognize the fugitive;
"That I shan't!"  said the woman   but upon another look, seconded by
morosely. " Quit the premises, or I'll  Israel's plaintive appeal, beckoned him
throw something on ye."                into the barn, where directly our advenWith that, she brought some earthen-  turer told him all he thought prudent to
ware to the window, and would have   disclose of his story; ending by once
fulfilled her threat, had not Israel pru-  more offering to negotiate for breeches
dently retreated some paces. Here he  and coat. Having ere this, emptied and
entreated the woman to take mercy on  thrown away the purse which had played
his plight, and since she would not waken   him  so scurvy a trick with the first
her husband, at least throw  to him   farmer; he now produced three crown(Israel) her husband's breeches, and he  pieces.
would leave the price of them, with his   " Three crown-pieces in your pocket,
own breeches to boot, on the sill of the   and no crown to your hat!" said the
door.                                  farmer.
" You behold how sadly I need them,"   " But I assure you, my friend, rejoined
said he; " for heaven's sake befriend  Israel," that a finer hat was never worn,
me."                                   until that confounded bull-dog ruined
"Quit the premises!" reiterated the  it."
woman.                                    "True," said the farmer. "I forgot'The breeches, the breeches! here is  that part of your story.  Well, I have a
the money," cried Israel, half furious  tolerable coat and breeches which I will
with anxiety.                          sell you for your money."
" Saucy cur," cried the woman, some-    In ten minutes more, Israel was equiphow misunderstanding him; "do you   ped in a grey coat of coarse cloth, not
cunningly taunt me with wearing the   much improved by wear, and breeches
breeches? begone!"                    to match. For half-a-crown more, he
Once more, poor Israel decamped, and   procured a highly respectable-looking
made for another friend. But here a  hat.
monstrous bull-dog, indignant that the    "Now, my kind friend," said Israel,
peace of a quiet family should be dis-  "can you tell me where Horne Tooke,
turbed by so outrageous a tatterdema-  and John Bridges live?"
lion, flew at Israel's unfortunate coat,    Our adventurer thought it his best
whose rotten skirts the brute tore com-  plan to seek out one or other of those
pletely off; leaving the coat razeed to a  gentlemen, both to report proceedings,
spencer, which barely came down to the   and learn confirmatory tidings concernwearer's waist.  In attempting to drive  ing Squire Woodcock, touching whose




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.               377
fate he did not like to inquire of  from before the present realities of poor
others.                                 Israel Potter. The Brentford gentlelnan' Horne Tooke? What do you want  had flattered him with the prospect of
with Horne Tooke?" said the farmer:  receiving something very handsome for
"He was Squire Woodcock's friend,  his services as courier. That hope was
wasn't he?  The poor Squire! Who   no more. Doctor Franklin had promised
would have thought he'd have gone off  him his good offices in procuring him a
so suddenly. But apoplexy comes like a   passage home to America. Quite out of
bullet."                               the question now. The sage had likeI was right, thought Israel to himself.  wise intimated that he might possibly'"But where does Horne Tooke live?"  see him some way remunerated for his
he demanded again.                      sufferings in his country's cause. An
"He once lPed in Brentford, and wore  idea no longer to be harbored. Then
a cassock there. But I hear he's sold  Israel recalled the mild man of wisdom's
out his living, and gone in his surplice   words-" At the prospect of pleasure
to study law in Lunnon."               never be elated; but without depression
This was all news to Israel, who, from   respect the omens of ill."  But he found
various amiable remarks he had heard  it as difficult now to comply, in all refrom Horne Tooke at the Squire's, little  spects, with the last section of the maxim,
dreamed he was an ordained clergyman.  as before he had with the first.
Yet a good-natured English clergyman     While standing wrapped in afflictive
translated Lucian; another, equally good-  reflections on the shore, gazing towards
natured, wrote Tristamn Shandy; and a   the unattainable coast of France, a pleathird, an ill-natured appreciator of good-  sant-looking cousinly stranger, in seanatured Rabelais, died a dean; not to   man's dress, accosted him, and, after
speak of others. Thus ingenious and in-  some pleasant conversation, very civilly
genuous are some of the English clergy.  invited him  up a lane into a house of
"~ You can't tell me, then, where to  rather secret entertainment. Pleased to
find Horne Tooke?" said Israel, in per-  be befriended in this his strait, Israel yet
plexity.                               looked inquisitively upon the man, not
" You'll find him, I suppose, in Lun-   completely satisfied with his good intennoll."                                 tions.  But the other, with good-hu" What street and number?"           mored violence, hurried him up the lane
"Don't know.  Needle in a hay-  into the inn, when, calling for some
stack."                                spirits, he and Israel very affectionately
" Where does Mr. Bridges live?"     drank to each other's better health and
"Never heard of any Bridges, except  prosperity.
Lunnon bridges, and one Molly Bridges     " Take another glass," said the stranger,
in Bridewvell."                        affably.
So Israel departed; better clothed, but    Israel, to drown his heavy-heartedness,
no wiser than before.                  complied. The liquor began  to take
What to do next?  He reckoned up   effect.
his money, and concluded he had plenty    " Ever at seal" said the stranger,
to carry him back to Doctor Franklin in  lightly.
Paris. Accordingly, taking a turn to      "Oh, yes; been a whaling."
avoid the two nearest villages, he directed  " Ah!" said the other, " happy to hear
his steps towards London, where, again  that, I assure you. Jim! Bill!"  And
taking the post coach for Dover, he ar-  beckoning very quietly to two brawny
rived on the channel shore just in time   fellows, in a trice Israel found himself
to learn that the very coach in which he   kidnapped into the naval service of the
rode brought the news to the authorities   magnanimous old gentleman  of Kew
there that all intercourse between the   Gardens-his Royal Majesty, George III.
two nations was indefinitely suspended.   "Hands off!" said Israel, fiercely, as
The characteristic taciturnity and formal  the two men pinioned him.
stolidity of his fellow-travellers —all   " Reglar game-cock," said the cousinlyEnglishmen, mutually unacquainted with  looking man. " I must get three guineas
each other, and occupying different po-  for cribbing him. Pleasant voyage to
sitions in life-having prevented  his  ye, my friend," and, leaving Israela prisooner hearing the tidings.            soner, the crimp, buttoning his coat,
Here was another accumulation of mis-  sauntered leisurely out of the inn.
fortunes. All visions but those of even-  " I'm no Englishman," roared Israel,
tual imprisonment or starvation vanished  in a foam.
VOL. IV.-25




378                  Popular Superstitions in England.                    [Oct.
"Oh! that's the old story," grinned     And now, -we might shortly have to
his gaolers.  "' Come along. There's no   record  our adventurer's part in  the
Englishmen in the English fleet. All  famous engagement off the coast of Coforeigners.  You may take their own   romandel, between Admiral Suffrien's
word for it."                           fleet and the Englishl squadron, were it
To be short, in less than a week Israel  not that fate snatched hinm on the threshfound himself at Portsmouth, and, ere   old of events, and, turning him short
long, a fore-topman in his majesty's ship  round whither he had conle, sent him
of the line, "Unprincipled," scudding be-  back congenially to war against England,
fore the wind down channel, in company   instead of on her behalf. Thus repeatedly
with the "Undaunted," and the "'Un-   and rapidly were the fortunes of our
conquerable;" all three haughty Dons   wanderer planted, torn up, transplanted,
bound to the East Indian waters as rein-  and dropped again, hither and thither,
forcements to the fleet of Sir Edward   according as the Supreme Disposer of
Hughs.                                  sailors and soldiers saw fit to appoint.
POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS AND BALLAD LITERATURE
OF ENGLAND IN THE MIDDLE AGES.
W HAT are the true objects of history?   and popular ballads, superstitions and
During the past twenty years the   romances, give back to us the habits of
works of Guizot and Thierry, Niebuhr  thought, the interests and the feelings of
and Bunsen, Arnold and Carlyle, have   the class from whence they sprung.
awakened public attention to the subject,  The glory and the beauty of Angloand all the thinking world now joins in   Saxon literature passed away with Alfired,
the inquiry, HIow may the lessons that  in whom " tle scholar and the man outhistory professes to teach stand us in the   shone the king."  Before his time, the
stead of experience of our own?          Anglo-Saxon seems to have been more
We begin to perceive that all history  rich in literature than any language in
does not consist in the domestic affairs  Europe. Into it flowed, as into an ocean,
of monarchs, in the battles they have   the tributary legends of the old Norse
fought, in the alliances that they con-  sea-kings, and the more fanciful legends
tracted, in the meed of praise or censure   of poetic Britanny which held Celtic
that they won. The present object of   superstitions in common with the reinhistorical inquiry is the 2)eople's history.  nants of that ancient British race, the
We desire to know  how  the political  traces of whose pagan creed still linger
changes carried on by intriguing court  among the peasantry of England as if
favorites, or kings at the head of armies,  indigenous to the very soil.
affected their condition; we would fain    The hoar old poem of Beowulf dates
trace the formation of national character,  so far back that its real age is lost
the gradual rise of social institutions, and   amongst the clouds and mists of trathe growth of opinions popular in our  ditionary antiquity.  "It is," says Mr.
own day. But all these subjects were   Longfellow, "like a piece of ancient
of little interest in the eyes of contem-  armor, rusty and battered, and yet
porary chroniclers, or of subsequent com-  strong. From within comes a voice, sepilers of history in the last century, and   pulchral as if the ancient armor spoke,
when we attempt to supply the de-  telling a straight-forward narrative, with
ficiency, we discover, to our astonish-  here and there the boastful speech of a
ment, that almost the only  sources  rough old Dane, reminding one of those
whence we can recover what is lacking   made by the heroes of Homer."
of the spir-it of history, are the legends  Cadmon, the monk of Whitby, died
of the people, and their laws.          before the reign of Alfred.  His poem (a
The real condition of a population is  paraphrase of Scripture) opens with the
exhibited without disguise in the civil  theme of Paradise Lost. The fallen
remedies that have been framed to meet  angels hold council in " swart hell,"
it; a fugitive slave law proves that the   wliere Satan harangues them, proposing
popular sentiment in favor of personal  to his companions in misfortune the conliberty is all-pervading at the North;   quest of the world. And the description




1854.]                Popular  Superstitions in England.                   379
and conception of Lucifer bear so close a   left to us of the activity and energy
resemblance to the grandest of all poetical   of those times, in the Gothic structures
creations in the Paradise Lost, that we   -the pride of the Church of Englandare not surprised to learn that the first   which date their erection almost unitranslation of Monk Cadmon's poem was   versally from  the days of the Norman
nmade into English by one of our earliest  King.
Anglo-Saxon scholars, wh-lo wrote under    So great was the enthusiasm for such
the name of "Junius," and lived in   pious works, during that period, that
Milton's time.                           almost the entire population of Britanny
A taste tor literature seems to have   became masons. Binding themselves by
expired under the rude rule of the Danish   oath to bestow their time and skill upon
robber-kings. Canute, indeed, seems to   no edifice that was not destined to the
have been willing to exten(l a scanty   service of heaven, they spread themroyal patronage to the verse of hlis con-   selves over the country in  itinerant
quered people, but the drunken Harolds   bands. It was a crusade of the lower
and Hardicanutes who succeeded him   classes against religious indifference and
set a fashion of excess and debauchery   barbarism!  It is not probable, howwhich found its way from the camp to   ever, that any of this enthusiasm had at
the court, and from both into the cloister,  that time found its way into the hearts
corrupting the fountain-heads of learning,  and homes of the Saxon population. The
from whence, in times of turbulence, all  five hundred and fifty-seven cathedrals
literature sprung. "The Anglo Saxons,"  and religious houses, which owe their
says William of MHallnesbury, a man not   origin to the reigns of the early Norlikely to be prejudiced in favor of the   mans, added architectural embellishment
conquering race, "had long before the   to the rural beauties of England, but
coming of the Normans given up all  were erected by Norman workmen, and
study  of letters or religion."   And   endowed by Norman funds. It is even
another writer of that period tells us  to the pious liberality of the invaders, in
" that a churchman who had learned his  providing  such  asylums for learning
Latin grammar was a marvel."            throughout the country, that England is
It is, therefore, to her Norman rulers  indebted for that large body of conthat England is indebted for a fresh in-  temporary history, compiled by Saxon
fusion of vitality into her literature.   chroniclers in the eleventh and twelfth
Normandy had borrowed a taste for po-   centuries, whose stores of interesting inlite learning from  her neighbor, the   formation are destined, during the preromantic Britanny; academies and eccle-  sent period  of historical interest, to
siastical establishments flourished on the   become more generally known.
Seine, and the scholars who had been       The fairy mythologies of the North of
bred up in them took their share in the   Europe claim a common origin. As far
enthusiasm for erudition which succeed-   as we can look into the mists of antied the revival of letters on the conti-  quity, and trace the literary or religious
nent —a revival which was consequent  history of the Teutonic nations, we find
upon tle opening of the treasures of Ara-   an universal belief in the existence of
bian literature —an introduction through   familiar spirits, known amongst the peathe commentators to Aristotle and Plato   santry of different countries by the
-and the commencement of the great  names of nickers, brownies, poulpicans,
controversy between realists and nolni-  hobgoblins, and elves.  What the exact
nalists in scholastic philosophy. Learned   origin of these superstitions may have
men were found in sufficient numbers in  been, it is now impossible to ascertain
the cloisters of Normandy to fill all the   with certainty. We may assign it to
chief offices in the church of the Saxons.  some original tradition (brought, it may
We nmust own, in justice to the character   be, fiom  the gates of Babel) of days
of William, that his distribution of church   when the " millions of spiritual beings"
patronage reflects lustre on his reign;   who "walk the earth" were manifest to
and, under the guidance of such prelates   human senses-when Satan tempted our
as Lanfranc and Anselm, England began   first mother in Paradise-and Adam was
to share in the spirit which all classes of   permitted to hold personal intercourse
society on the continent at that period   with God; or think with a modern
displayed.                               writer* on these subjects, that the chaMost wonderful monuments have been   racter and form of the unpremeditated
* Thomas Wright, M.A., F.S.A.




380                  Popular Superstitions in England.                    [Oct.
creations of man's imagination depend   of that divinity whose favor was the aim
largely upon  external impressions, so   of cabals and intrigues on Olympus, but
that whereas the ferocity of Scandina-  who, having once sworn in his wrath,
vian and Gothic heroes could admit into   never swerved from its decrees.
their mystic creed no beings but such as   During the later period of Anglorevelled in wounds, drunkenness, and   Saxon dominion, monkery seems not to
blood-while the mountain hunter, fami-  have been considered a vocation of reliar with danger, and with nature in her  spectability-that is, it was little countegrandest and most awful forms, peopled   nanced by the higher orders of society,
the supernatural world with fierce ma-  who sided with the Crown in the struglignant demons; "just so, the solitary   gle between the secular and the regular
hermit who, in the earlier ages of west-  clergy; and it derived its main strength,
ern Christianity, fixed his abode in the   as well as its support, from the ranks of
deserts and the fens, rude inhospitable  the people. It was not then as it was
tracts, could conceive them  to be peo-  under the feudal system, when the "great
pled by nothing but demons.  But to  republic," the Church, opened her arms
the peaceful peasant, on whom  nature  to men of talent, whose condition allowever smiled in joyous mood, she was   ed no hope of distinction in any other
peopled by gay harmless spirits who,  career; when the peasant mother, who
like himself, loved to play and laugh.  saw in her best beloved son indications
The beings he feared were restricted to  of energy or genius which fitted him for
mountains, whose heads rose in the dim   something better than the condition of
distance, or their visits were confined to  his kindred, hastened to devote him to
the darkness of night. Popular super-  the service of the sanctuary, and might
stitions are not easily removed; and with  live to see him take lis seat in St. Peter's
the introduction of Christianity the An-  chair.  Still, a certain distinction was
glo-Saxons did not cease to believe in the   conferred on the young peasant, by the
existence and operations of the elves and   woollen frock and cowl. If ambitious,
the nickers, the ores and the giants; nor  he became a member of a powerful body
did they cease to trust in the effect of   already in close league with all-usurping
charms and incantations, or to revere   Rome. If devout, he enjoyed a reputawells and fountains. The preachers of  tion for sanctity. Retiring into lonely
the faith of the Redeemer saw nothing   glens, in solitude and darkness, lie had
in that faith contrary to the beliefs that  struggles with the Evil One; and dreamthey had sucked in with their mother's  ing dreams, and seeing visions, he soon
milk; for, though it asserted the unity   became an object iof veneration to those
of God, it did not deny the existence of   who had been formerly his equals and
spirits. The belief of the monks them-  friends; or, if only  inclined  by naselves in those spirits will account for the   ture to self-indulgence in creature cornsilence with which they are passed over  forts, the wealth and general character
in the homilies and religious discourses   of the large fraternities to which he
of the times.  When. they preached   bound himself, seemed to promise hlim
against heathenism, they broke out into   every opportunity of leading a mere anideclamations against the heathen prac-  mal existence at his ease. Under these
tices of the Greeks and Romans."         circumstances, the monastic orders could
This is scarcely wonderful, considering   well afford to make light of the little
how large a leaven of paganism is yet  estimation in which they were held by
working unsuspected beneath the surface   court circles, or amongst the military
of fashionable Christianity and of modern  leaders and thanes.  The St. Guthlacs,
civilization. If we unhesitatingly con-  St. Botolfs, and Godrics of the tenth,
demn the superstitions of the vulgar, who   eleventh, and twelfth centuries, were
connect all that their ignorance finds in-  mere ignorant peasants, who, having
comprehensible with supernatural agen-  been imbued in infancy with the supercies, we grant a ready toleration to the   stitions of their condition, carried the
paganism of the educated, who have im-  same belief into their cells. They adoptbibed from  classical sources a code of   ed the popular stories, and turned them
morality far better suited to the votaries  into saints' legends; and a more extenof Mars and Venus than to the " pure in  sive knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon
heart" and "poor in spirit" commended   fairies may, perhaps, be gathered from
in the Gospel; and our notions of a su-  the legends of the Anglo-Sax)n saints
perintending Providence are not a little  than all other books can afford.  In this
founded on the character and attributes  transformation, the elves, whlen mis,




1854.]                Popular Superstitions in England.                      381
chievously inclined, became devils; when   on the fading traditions of an ignorant
beneficent, angels.                       and semi-pagan people, has embalmed
The imagination of a devout monk   them to be the glory and delight of culbecoming exalted by his calling and by   tivated ages.
his residence as a hermit in deserts and
sedgy fens, no wonder that he fancied      You are that shrewd and knavish sprite
hlinself personally engaged in contests    Called Robin Goodfellow. Are you not he
with the devil; not the devil of the    That fright the maetimes labour in the   quern,
Bible, nor any grand poetical conception,    And bootless make the breathless housewife churn;
but one of those grotesque hobgoblins    And sometimes make the beer to bear no barm;
with which his pagan forefathers had       Mislead night-wanderers, laughing at their harm?
peopled the hills and gloves, and which    Those that Hobgoblin call you, and sweet Puck,
his own creed had subsequently trans-    You do their work, and they shall have good luck:
mnorified  into demons.  The familiar
name Old Nick, populally applied to         In this passage the familiar spirit of
the great spirit of evil, is borrowed from   our forefathers stands revealed.  In this
the vocabulary of paganism, the nickers   description, and the reply of Puck which
being water-fairies, who not only dwelt  follows it, we recognize act for act, and
like kelpies in the lakes and rivers, but  feature for feature, the very being whom
had their habitations in the sea. Nothing   but just now  was so disgusting and
can be less attractive than the popular   devoid  of interest in  the  monkish
legends of monkish encounters with this  legends. But the magic wand of the
description of devil. There is nothing   great Prospero has touched  his elfin
that commends itself either to our fancy   race-the hobgoblins are idealized into
or our feelings in the idea of St. Dun-   poetry and beauty-we take them  to
stan seizing the nose of an inquisitive   our hearts, and are half disposed to
demon with a pair of red-hot pincers;   believe in them ourselves.
nor indeed in any of the popular stories    How  strange is the history of the
of little black elves hatched out of an   English family of fairies. At first they
incubus, who spent their time in alter-   were the denizens of the forests and the
nately  persecuting  and  assisting  the   fountains; the fauns, the nymphs, and
human race. The Pucks and follers of   dryads of a grotesque yet cruel creed.
domestic life, they generally haunted the   Thence engrafted upon Christianity, they
houses of the peasantry, whence neither   became the ministering spirits of the
holy water nor exorcism  could drive   author of evil. The only poetical notion
them.  They were invisible, but usually   which we find in ancient chronicles conmade known their arrival by throwing   cerning them, is contained in the works
about stones and wood, and even pots  of Giraldus.  He says (on the authority
and kettles. They also appear to have   of one of their own number) that " elves
conversed  with considerable freedom.  and fairies were a portion of the angels
These were  the  devils with  whom    who fell with Lucifer from Heaven; but
witches were afterwards held to have   inasmuch as having been seduced and
had  intercourse.  In an old  MIS. in   deluded, they were not so criminal as
Vienna, written before such familiarity  their fellows-their sentence had been
with the world of spirits was considered   less severe: they were allowed to live
to deserve the pains of heresy, we find   on the earth, some of them having their
penances imposed upon those "who had   peculiar  dwelling-places  in  the  air,
thrown little bows and small shoes into   others in the waters; some again in
their cellars and barns, in order that the   trees and fountains, and many in the
hobgoblins might come and play with   caverns of the earth." The elfin informer
them, and might, in return, bring them    also  confessed, that "'as Christianity
other people's goods."  The same class  spread, they had much less liberty than
of stories is still popular in Britanny;   formerly."  From  being the spirits of
but as we look over any record of the   the earth and air, they degenerated into
senseless  pranks  of these  " lubber  the bugbears of an ignorant peasantry,
fiends," we are tempted to regard them    and in more modern times have played
as neither devils nor fairies, but to con-   a melancholy part in the history of the
sider them  mere coarse creations of   delusions of the human mind. At one
fanatic  minds.  Yet these  thoughts  time the superstitions connected with
become instantly rebuked as we remem-   this belief turned the philosopher into a
ber how  a master-hand  has evoked   magician, and led the scholar in wilder
poetry from materials so vile, and seizing   vagaries after the elixir of life and the




382                  Popular Superstitions in England.                   [Oct.
philosopher's stone, than  ever Robin  heroic cycles, and the early literature ot
Goodfellow led the benighted traveller.  Germany boasts its glorious "Song of
At a still later period of European history,  the Cloudy  Land" (the  Nibelungen
when education had been much more   Lied) so there is  supposed to have
widely spread, these superstitions, in the   existed amongst our Anglo-Saxon foregreat cry agsainst witchcraft, drenched   fathers a grand parallel cycle with viEngland as well as France and Germany in  kings for its heroes, of which the poem
blood: When we see that at that period   of Beowulf formed a portion, together
the learning that had been so widely   with many others, of which fiagments
spread served only to defend the popular  only are now  preserved. The Norman
belief, we shall easily  perceive how   cycles of Armorican origin (i. e. the
ilnpossible it was for  the primitive   Round Table Romances, and those of the
missionaries to eradicate it from  the   Palladins of Charlemagne) are instances
minds of their converts.                of this  species of compilation  in  a
We have dwelt thus long upon the  later century, and whilst these were
legends and superstitions of the Anglo-  popular in bower and hall amongst the
Saxon peasantry because they indicate  higher classes, the peasant bard sang
the state of feeling prevalent throughout  stories of the green wood, and told of
the country at the time of the Norman   knights of noble blood, who, notwithinvasion. But the Conquest brought in  standing their Norman origin, had been
new  animosities, new  feelings, new   reduced by outlawry to the same condithernes of popular and  romantic in-  tion as the pIeasant, and like iln had beterest to engage the sympathies of the   come the natural enemy of the sheriff and
people and to supply new subjects to  his co-administrators of the game-laws.
their bards.                              It is curious that the first elaborate
We are indebted to French historians  investigation of any value into the hisfor the earliest philosophical attempts to  tory and origin of the Robin Hood halinvestigate the effects produced by that  lads should have been by a Mr. Barry, a
extraordinary  revolution which  made   gentleman of Scottish extraction,. who
the island  of Great Britain for the   wrote a treatise on the subject in French,
first time an object of interest to the   and presented it as a thesis to the TJniEuropean powers; introduced into it the   versity of Paris preparatory to talking
foreign feudal system; and after a couple  his degree.
of turbulent centuries ended by the ab-    The earliest Robin Hood ballads that
sorption of the conquering race in the   have been committed to writing, and
ranks of the conquered. Whilst the sub-  have reached our times, seem referable
ject offers to the historian many oppor-  to the reigns of Edward I. and Edtunities for investigation and philosophi-  ward II. The name of Robin Hood does
cal deduction, it also embraces a wide   not occur in these, but the incidents
field of romance in which the laborers  are the same as those which are popahave as set been few.                   larly related of him, and which a century
Stories of the victims of political op-  later began to be arranged as -we read
pression-Saxons who were outlawed in  them now.
the fens or in the forests-enemies of the  When printing was introduced, the debarons  and  the  king-soon  became   mand became very great for this descrippopular amongst the suffering peasantry;  tion  of peasant literature. But the
and —when after the reign of Stephen,  ballad writers of that time were not
new  political interests had begun to  endowed with very inventive minds, and
wear off the edge of the hatred between   it was therefore much easier to change a
rival races, and had given the conquerors  little the circumstances and persons of
an  interest in the soil,-the  people  the older stories, and to publish them as.
adapted the groundwork of these tales  new, than to write originals. Any one
to  the  grievances which their social  familiar with old English or Scottish
condition  rendered  the most galling,  ballads must have remarked how  frefroml an amalgamation of such patriotic  quently a favorite incident does duty in
romances and national fancy legends was  this description of literature; and indeed
formned thle grand cycle of the Robin  how often (as in the " birk and briar'
Hood ballads, in w-ich animosity to the   ending of all border love tales) he meets
gamne-laws, the greatest grievance of the   over and over again with even a stereopeasant, took the place of hatred against  typed form of words.
an invading people.                       Whilst the lower classes had thus their
As the ancient Greeks had poems in  cycles of poetry sung at their May-day




1854.]                Popular Superstitions in England.                      383
festivals, their wakes, and fairs (all po-  the state of opinions, and the social conpular remnants of the feasts of Pagan-   dition of the times in which they were
ism) the higher orders imported not only   composed, and connmmended themselves
their learning but their ininstrelsy from    to the sympathies of the audiences bebeyond  the  channel. The  Normnan   fore which they were intended to be
churchmen of the twelfth century have   sung.  "To hate one's neighbor, and to
left us some beautiful and voluminous  love one's neighbor's wife," was a creed
Latin poems, less remarkable, perhaps,  that found favor in court circles, in the
for the purity of their idiom than for the   days of Isabella and " the gentle MIortivigor of their conceptions, their genuine  mrer."
poetic feeling, and their fiamiliar allusions  An interesting class of literature, more
to the customs of the times.              national and more manly, became popuThe eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth  lar in England early in the twelfth cencenturies have bequeathed to us a large   tury. The romances, which had for their
body of Anglo-Latin  literature  upon   heroes the old Danish sea-kings, such as
every variety of subject; and whilst the   Haveloc, Horn, Guy of Warwick, Bevis of
cloistered scholar borrowed largely fronm   Hampton, &c., were imported apparently
the traditions of the Bretons, and their po-  from Normandy, where the descendants
pular quasi historical lays, nor disdained   of the followers of Rollo long preserved
to sing of Merlin or King Arthur in the   the language of their forefathers, and
vernacular of Virgil, the minstrels, who   where Danish proverbs and customs still
relieved the monotony of feudal state in  linger round Bayeux.  They were calthe barons' castles, robbed the records   culated, however, to be popular amongst
of antiquity for the history of the heroes   all classes in England, being, as Mr.
-whose mighty deeds they sang. These   Wright considers, "only a reproduction
poems soon became so popular that they   of the older mythical romances of the
pressed into their service the  whole   Anglo-Saxons;" and some of them  still
circle of history, romance, or classic  lend their interest to certain spots of atliterature.  They had too little know-  tractive scenery, or are the delight of
ledge of the spirit of the past to mistrust  English children, in the form. of nursery
their own powers of description; anachlro-  tales.
nisnms or plagiarisms were not sins upon    The crusaders, likewise, turned the
their consciences, and no dread of the   streams of oriental literature into a
critic's knife ever laid its restraint upon   western channel, and we discover many
their hands. They sang of human na-  of the most beautiful of Queen Scheheture according to their own experience,  razade's narratives amongst our remains
and had no scruple in adapting medieval  of early literature, by no means improved
manners to their Greek and Roman   by their adaptation to medieval manthemes. The crusading adventurer of  ners, or their Anglo-Norman costume.
the middle ages goes a-masking in their     Thus we find the ballad literature of
stories as Hercules or Alexander. Ar-  England, from whatever source importthur, the Breton hero, is adopted as an   ed, essentially Teutonic, with a flavor of
Englishman, and is accommodated with   classic learning and of oriental superstithe traditionary famne of some petty  tion.
and local chief of British origin. Suit-    The Jougeleur of northern France,
able localities are provided for his deeds   who found his way into the halls of the
in Cornwall, Wales, or Scotland, a pedi-  Norman nobility of England, had not
gree is formed for him, and a date is  unseldom  travelled in the train of the
given him contemporary with the land-   crusaders into eastern lands, where he
ing of St. Augustine in England. Over  not only acquired new tales of romantic
all of which the minstrel threw a color-  interest, and new stores of fabliaux, but
ing of courtly morality such as was   added to his various accomplishments
fashionable in his own day. The knights  feats of oriental legerdemain. The songs
and ladies of the heroic romances were   he sung in the halls of tile nobles were
the knights and ladies of the twelfth and   seldom of his own composing, nor were
thirteenth centuries. A clown may play   they by any means in the lyrical strain.
the part of Pyramus, or wear an ass's  They were almost always, as we have
head, but all the time the tutored imagi-  seen, long chronicles in rhyme, put togenation needs "no more better assurance  ther (like modern serial romances) with
that Pyramus is not Pyramus, but Bot-  less regard to general effect and consistoIm the weaver."                        tency than to striking incidents and a
These romances represent very fairly   certain completeness in the different por



384                   Popular Superstitions in England.                     [Oct.
tions of the story; for it was seldom    nobles; the people, who at first had
that the Jougeleur staid long enough in   blindly followed where their leaders led,
the castle of the baron to give more   were learning by experience their own
than a few chapters of his poem.  " The   political value, and claimed from whichTroubadours of the South, meanwhile,"   ever party they agreed to serve certain
says Mr. Longfellow, " poured forth their   privileges as their reward.  The oppressongs of love upon a balmier air and in   sions of the feudal system were, indeed,
the more melodious numbers of the Lan-  less heavy than in preceding centuries;
gue d'Oc."  Their poems are almost en-   but "Jeshurun had waxed fat," and they
tirely lyrical.                           became more galling.  The church, too,
At the close of the fourteenth century,   was no longer the sanctuary of liberty
troublous times began to dawn on Eng-   and the refuge of the wronged; other
land, and the attention of the nobility   callings were now open to an ambitious
was absorbed by those long and bloody   peasant, by the institution of manufacwars of the succession known to us as the   tures and the formation of the " middling
Wars of the Roses: a period deeply in-   classes" —-and the abuses of the cloister
terestingr to the statesman and philoso-   were spoken of aloud. During the fourpher, and which no great historian of   teenth century, a sense of intolerable
any nation has yet been found to analyse   oppression had roused the lower classes
with cautious discernment.  The barons,  in many parts of Europe.  The savage
engaged in the struggle for existence, had   rising of the Jacquerie, and the more
little leisure or inclination to listen to   civilized  insurrection  of great towns
the rhyming minstrels once welcomed to   amongst the Flernings, found much symtheir  halls, whilst interest in the reli-   pathy in England.  John Bull and Wat
gious controversy, awakened by the Lol-   Tyler were (like the white-caps on the
lards, began to engage the attention of   troubled ocean) themselves a part of the
persons of both sexes, not actively em-   great "waste of waters," but raised into
ployed in forwarding the war.  The   a momentary consequence by the agitaJougreleur now found his calling dispa-  tion of the whole.
raged and himself oppressed.
When Adam delved, and Eve span,
No more on prancing palfrey borne,          Who was then the gentleman?
He carrolled light as lark at morn;
No longer courted and caressed,      was not alone the crazy doggerel of the
High placed in hall, a welcome guest,
He poured to lord and lady gay       Kentish priest, but some tens of thouThe unpremeditated lay.              sands of peasantry at his back were
*   *   *   *   *   *   *            fiercely echoing the question.
A wandering harper, scorned and poor,   The English have had always a turn
ile begged his bread from door to door,  for satirical versifying, and we find poems
And tuned, to please a peasant's ear,
The harp a king had loved to hear.   of this nature extending, at considerable
intervals, from the reign of Edward
And thus it occurred, that even the   I. to that of the fourth Henry, when,
courtly tales of Arthur and of Charle-   public attention  having been called to
magne contributed their quota to the   religious abuses, the monks and clergy
joint-stock  incidents of the popular   came in for an abundant share.
fraImers of ballads.  Guy of Warwick        A large number of political songs that
and Bevis, the Palladins of Turpin, and   celebrate the Wars of the Roses have
the Knights of the Round Table, took   descended  to  our time, and  in  the
their place beside more humble heroes,  reign of Henry VIII. the corruptions of
though, as is still the case amongst the   monkery furnished the theme for many
savage inhabitants of Trastevere-the   hundreds of verses, of which the sumclassical quarter of the Eternal City-    ming up is in the works of Skelton, the
the lowest in rank can boast the oldest  scurrilous and licentious incarnation of
blood.                                    the spirit of the times. But, in general,
A taste for ballad poetry became uni-  no branch of polite literature has suffered
versally diffused in England. The min-   more than such compositions from the
strels accommodated their songs to the   Lethean waters with which old Time is
sympathies of the people, and it is chief-  ever besprinkling  the  dust- of ages.
ly to the fifteenth  and sixteenth centu-   Poems of this description are ephemeral
ries that the ballad literature of England   in their nature; they are like all kinds
may be considered to belong.  Grave   of effervescing liquids, good only when
interests now occupied the race of feudal  first opened. Hudibras itself is little




1854.]                Popular Superstitions in England.                         385
read, and no person cares to purchase                       OLD SAXON.
political poetry when  the  excitement            Guise, guise, gadn dear 
which prompted it has passed over.  A               Wur schell-hey waene daer;
singular theory, however, has of late             Op stuyrs, aendoen stuyrs,
End in mdlyd is schem bear.
years been broached by Mr. John Bel-              Dere ei met een ouwel-man,
lenden Ker, which looks, at first sight,           D'aet woedn' aet sie eeis Par-heers!
very like a hoax to the common-sense              Hye tuck heim by die left legghe,
reader, but, as Mr. Ker's book (published          End seer reuve hem doe aen stuyrs.
in 1832) has long since reached a second
edition in the hands of highly respect-                  ENGLISH oIEANING.
able publishers, and has been reviewed              Hear their insolent clamor 
The committee, what axes!
in England as a serious essay on a serious          From us church-ridden elves
subject, we suplpose we must consider it             Nought but new rates and taxes,
put forth in good faith.  His theory, if            There they sit, in the tap-room,
credible, would put us in possession of a            Nor once think of compassion;
large number of lampoons, not, indeed,              We must pummel their noddles
belonging to the period of which we are              If they grind in this fashion.
now.speakingbut   under the head zLet us stop their long speeches,
now speaking, but coming under the head              Their high vaunting words;
of political songs.                                 And, when they are gone to pot,
According to this theory, in days of               We shall alllive like lords.
yore, when Charlemagne was persecuting
the Saxons, and oppressing the peasantry      We have selected  by far the most
by a foreign and onerous church sway,   striking specimen of this poetry in illusbringing with it a ministry of priests to  tration of 5Mr. Ker's extraordinary theory,
whom the goaded people attributed fraud   and, although we cannot believe in his
and vexation, the sufferers sought re-   strange notion of systematic corruption
venge by lampooning their tormentors.  in this branch of Saxon literature, we are
For a time the other party paid no at-  persuaded to think it not impossible that
tention to these squibs of a mob, till at   our nursery lyrics may be of very ancient
length these became so violent and so nu-   origin-may have originally been Saxonmerous as to call for retributive mea-   and, passing down to us from mouth to
sures.  We must allow Mr. Ker to give   mouth, may have gradually transformed
the remainder of his own theory as fol-  themselves (without assistance from the
lows: —" The remedy was ingenious, and   monks) into the unintelligible English
worthy of the astuteness of the fiiars.   which has lulled to sleep generation after
An unparalleled and constant corruption   generation of our forefathers, and which
of the dialect in which they were coin-  is now to be heard, not in Britain only,
posed was taken advantage of, and the   or on our eastern coast, but in Oregon,
invective of the lampoon was gradually   Australia, andin "farthestInd," wherever
undermined  by the introduction of a   the Anglo-Saxon race has spread.
harmless. unmeaning medley, of a pre-        May our children continue to be nurcisely similar sound and metre, in the   tured with mere nonsense in the cradle!
latest forms of the altered dialect, till in   There has been of late years a conspiracy
time its original import was forgotten,  to supersede the fairy tales and Mother
and its venom  and familiar use replaced   Goose, but we implore both the poet
by the present NYursery Rhymes!"           and the utilitarian to lay no sacrilegious
It is frightful to imagine the amount of  hand upon the literature of long pettidisguised republicanism  which the ears  coats. Mothers and nurses take the side
of the best English conservatives have   of law and order, church and king, by
drunk in in their childhood; how  em-  nature; alarm them not, O antiquary! by
bryo archbishops have crowed over pro-  translating  into  revolutionary  verses
phesies of the destruction of church rates   their favorite baby-songs.  The age has
and church establishments; and infant  grown too sceptical, because, according
voices, afterwards to be raised in defence  to our own new theory, we must underof the rotten borough of Old Sarum, have   stand and explain everything.  Let mysshouted in nursery numbers the first re-  tery at least rally round the cradle, by
formers' cry. Let us take as an amusing   the side of each little epitome of human
specimen the time hallowed old ditty of  life, who, to the philosopher-who has
"Goosey, goosey, gander:"-                the humility to confess with David, that
any of the works of God are "too wonderful" for him-is the greatest mystery
of all.




386                   Popular Superstitions in England.                      [Oct.
From  the period of the Reformation,   a considerable change, not only in the
when  the  English  language  became   dialect of political poetry, but in its
settled, with the Anglo-Saxon of the   character, its adaptation, and its themnes.
vulgar for its groundwork, and with   About this time the manners of society
valuable additions fronm the Norman   in England appear to have experienced
tongue, it becomes no longer difficult to   a very perceptible change, and the reign
trace the current of popular opinion; nor   of James I. is perhaps the  time  at
are we forced to search out in black   which we may date tile decline of the
letter volumes the scanty relies of popu-   "old  English  hospitality."  A  change
lar songs.                                frequently alluded to, especially in the
There are few things which more dis-   well known song "'TThe Fine Old English
tinctly mark the conmmnencenment of the   Gentleman," and its counterpart, which,
period of modern history, than the set-  in nearly the same language that we
tlement of language, although we may,   have them  now, were written in King
perhaps, refer this Inainly to that great   James' reign, to describe the change of
invention which comnmunicated a simnul-   manners so distasteful to the public, and
tancous impulse to all classes —which   to compare "the queen's old courtiers"
gave to the liglher ranks their Shake-   with those of the Scottish king.
speare and tile classics-to the peasantry    Whoever has read  -Mr. ~Macaulay's
their broadside ballads,-and to both the   spirited ballad upon " the entry of the
revelation of the Almighty in the corn-   Cavaliers into London," has caught the
melon tongue.  We know, however, very   very echo of the verses of the Long
little of tile state of feeling among the   Parliament times.  The language, style
lower classes during the golden age of   and sentiments are precisely those of the
English literature.  The attention of the   ballads embalmed in the thin, square and
student of history is absorbed by certain  long-forgotten volumes with which the
"bright particular stars," which, by   press of England (as mluch of it as was in
their very brilliancy, obscure the "lesser   the hands of the king's party), during
lights" around themni.  We know  that  this period of English  history teemlled.
the rule of Queen Elizabeth bore harshly   The Cavalier poets even vouchsafed an
on her nobles and the squirearchy, whom    ironical assistance to the Roundheads.
it was ever the policy of the Tudor race   The following  stanzas  (though  very
to bring into abject submission, but her   unlike his usual manner) are by the
memory is still cherished among  the   mystical, quaint, emblem-loving Francis
people of England; even Cromwell, in   Quarles:Ilis speeches, refers affectionately to her
"' glorious days;" and it was not until      Know then, my brethren, Heaven is clear,
the reign of her successor, when the dig-      And all the clouds are gone,
ity of the crown was lowered, while           Therighteous nowshall aourish,and
the kingly prerogative was strained-           Gooddaysarecomingon:
when theProtestantcausewasabandon-  Come then, my brethren, and be glad,
wvhen the Protestant cause was abandon-        And eke rejoice with me;
ed on the continent, and the Scots, exas-    Lawn sleeves and rochets shall go down,
perated by changes in church-discipline,       And hey! then up go we!
made league with the Puritans of the
North, that we find the nobles, for the      We'll break the windows which the whore
first time since the Conquest, again in        Of Babylon has painted;
league with royalty, and the people of       And when the Popish saints are down,
in oppositio  to thr k*     Then Barrow shall be sainted;
England in opposition to their king.         There's neither cross nor crucifix
What causes were at work beneath             Shall stand for men to see!
the surface of society to produce these      Rome's trash and trumperies shall go down,
political changes, which break suddenly        And hey! then up go we!
upon the reader of history, and which a
knowledge of the condition of the lower      We cannot conclude this brief review
orders of society during the reigns of the   of the popular superstitions of the middle
Tudors would best explain?                ages, without remarking the effect they
The political poetry of England during   have produced upon the current opinions
the reigns of Elizabeth and Mary is ex-  of more recenlt times, especially that
tremlely scanty. The great bards, whose   belief in fairies and  familiar spirits,
writings we so proudly inherit, wrote   which, as we have seen, dates from the
only for the educated classes, and on   days of the Druids, and as far back as we
subjects not likely to interest " the mil-  can trace the history of any portion of
lion."  In the time of James I., we find   the Celtic race. These popular delusions




1.854.]                       Nellie, Watching.                           387
even directed the earliest enquiries of  astrology;  professors  of philosophy
science; and while we mourn over the   were learned in the Cabala, and societies
talent abused, the time and money  for the advancement of mlagic and of
wasted in searchings after the philoso-  alchemy were not uncommonly formed.
pher's stone, or the elixir of immortality,  If we examine the reports of the trials
we must not forget that these pursuits  for witchcraft which the Camllden Society
were paving the paths of modern science   has reprinted within the last few years,
from  the Aristotelian system  of mere   we shall find that the greater part of the
verbal definitions to that of experimental  stories alleged in evidence were imere
investigation and discovery.            mischievous freaks, in which we immneThe astrologer of the fifteenth, six-  diately recognize the mad pranks of
teenth, and seventeenth centuries was  Robin Goodfellow. If we are not nmissupposed to hold communications with  taken, one of the last executions for
the spiritual world, and indeed all sci-  witchcraft, which took place in Norfolk,
ence was regarded by the vulgar as un-  so late as the eighteenth century, was
der the especial patronage of the Evil  preceded by a trial based almost entirely
One. The fairies were always believed   upon a charge of suddenly startling
to be dwellers in dens, and lakes, and  teams of horses, and overturning hartrees, and the astrologer conjured them    vest carts without apparent cause, an
into his glass or crystal, to direct him   amusement in which Puck and his fellow
to the hidden treasures which they only  elves of happier memory were wont very
knew.  The witch differed front the  largely to indulge. Unless indeed swe
astrologer, inasmuch as her power over  are willing to admit that the familiar
the spirits was believed to be the result  spirits of a pagan age became the groof a compact with the Spirit of Darkness,  tesque and popular demons of our own,
whereby he bound himself to serve her  it would be difficult to account for the
for a time, on condition that he should  extraordinary and inconsistent attributes
afterwards be her master for ever. The   which the great author of evil has aswitches were among the peasantry what  sumed. Whence has he borrowed the
astrologers were in rather more refined   cloven foot he wears? Certainly not on
society, in their intercourse with the   the authority of Scripture; but the faspirits.  Royalty, religious feeling, and   miliar spirits which haunted the houses
popular superstition, agreed during the   of our forefathers, and presided over
first half of the seventeenth century  their household arrangements when they
upon a  single  subject only.  King  lived in caves and dens, are always thus
Jamie gave his loving lieces a trea-   described. One of the earliest woodtise  upon  witchcraft; the  Puritans   cuts that has come down to us is apapplied verses fiom the Old Testament  pended to a ballad of Robin Goodfellow,
(directed  against the magicians and   and represents him  with horns, hoofs,
astrologers of the East) to the miserable  and tail, deformed and hairy, dancing in
old women whom circumstances or local  the midst of a ring of subject elves, such
prejudices invested with the character  as the astrologers afterwards divided
of witches; up to that period all scien-  into legions, tribes, and bands of devils.
tific discoveries had been connected with
NELLIE, WATCHING.
YOU might see the river shore
From the shady cottage door
Where she sat, a maiden mildNot a woman, not a child;
But the grace which heaven confers
On the two, I trow was hers:
Dimpled cheek, and laughing eyes,
Blue as bluest summer skies,
And the snowy fall and rise
()f a bosom, stirred, I weet,
By somle thought as dewy sweet
As the red ripe strawberries,
Which the morning mower sees;




398                          Nellie, Watching.                         [Oct.
Locks so long and brown (half down
From the modest wild-flower crown
That she made an hour ago,
Saying, "I will wear it, though
None will praise it, that I know!")
Twined she round her fingers whiteSitting careless in the light,
Sweetly mixed of day and nightTwined she, peeping sly the while
Down the valley, like an aisle,
Sloping to the river-side.
Blue eyes! wherefore ope so wide?
They are fishers on the shore
That you look on-nothing more.
Pettishly she pouts. Ah me!
Saucy Nellie, you will see
Ere an hour has fled away,
Little reeks it what you sayThat those eyes with anger frowning
Darkly, will be near to drowning,
And the lips repeating so
Oft and proudly "Let him go!"
Will be sighing.
Ah, I know!
I have watched as you have done
This fair twilight, pretty one,
Watched in trembling hope, and know,
Spite of all your frowning so,
That the wave of sorrow, flowing
In your heart, will soon be showing
In the cheek, now brightly blushing,Hark!'tis but the wild birds hushing
To their nests —and not a lover
Brushing through the valley clover!
Purple as the morning-glories
Round her head the shadows fall;
Is she thinking of sad stories,
That, when wild winds shriek and call,
And the snow comes, good old folks,
Sitting by the fire togother,
Tell, until the midnight cocks
Shrilly crow from hill to hill,
Stories not befitting ill
Wintry nights and windy weather?
The small foot that late was tapping
On the floor, has ceased its rapping,
And the blue eyes opened wide,
Half in anger, half in pride,
Now are closed as in despair,
And the flowers that she would wear
Whether they were praised or no,
On the ground are lying low.
Foolish Nellie, see the moon,
Round and red, and think that June
Will be here another day,
And the apple-boughs will grow
Brighter than a month ago:
Beauty dies not with the May!




1854.]             Novels: their Mleaning and Jiiission.                b89
And beneath the hedgerow leaves,
All the softly-falling eves,
When the yellow bees are humming
And the blue and black birds coming
In at will, we two shall walk,
Making out of songs and talk
Quiet pastime.
Nellie said,
"Those fine eves I shall be dead,
For I cannot live and see
Him I love so, false to me,
And till now I never staid
Watching vainly in the shade."
"In good sooth, you are betrayed!
For I heard you careless saying,
"Tis not I for love that pine.'
And I've been a long time staying
In the shadow of the vine!"
So a laughing voice, but tender,
Said to Nellie: quick the splendor
Of the full moon seemed to fade,
For the smiling and the blushing
Filling all the evening shade.
It was not the wild birds hushing
To their nests an hour ago,
But in verity a lover
Brushing through the valley-clover.
Would all watches maidens keep,
When they sit alone and weep
For their heart-aches ended so!
NOVELS: THEIR MEANING AND MISSION.
THE  announcement of philosopher  elevating everything she touches to the
Fourier, that "Attractions are propor-  dignity of apotheosis, has touched with
tioned to destinies," albeit false in many,  her mystic wand this side of the manyis, nevertheless, true in some respects.  sided soul; and lo! it lives and breathes
Thus, in literature, every longing and   perennially.
every susceptibility of the soul, and, in  History, again, develops the infinite in
fact, every mental want, creates for itself  man; and, as Frederick Schlegel rea satisfaction and a supply. So, too, we  marks, "replies to the first problem of
may regard every phasis of literature as a  philosophy-the restoration in man of
typal manifestation of some profounder  the lost image of God; as far as this renecessity that underlies and procreates it.  lates to Science."
For example: The Epos gives utterance    So, both the physical and the metato all the untold heroisms of our nature;  physical sciences respond to opposite and
and the Iliad is at once the embodiment  distinctive poles in our mental organism;
of a nation's warlike daring, and the   while the fine arts, which hold a maesorealization, to a certain extent, of a  thetic position between the two, are, in
heroic ideal that finds its home and   all their provinces, an effort after the
birth-place in every soul of man. Each  realization of that which finds full exman is, in a measure, an Achilles, and   pression only in that absolute, which is
burns with the flame of his awful ire  the birth-place of the soul. Thus, the
[M7vtL Oiv;X6,uCv]; but genius alone, in   mind, unsatisfied with itself and subjec



P90               NXoels: their Meaning and Mission.                  [Oct.
tive existences, ever struggles after ob-  form, and extended the boundaries of its
jective forms and embodiment; for "na-  province of action-now taking in one
ture," as  Emerson tells us, "rwill be  field, and again another-jutting out in
reported."                             strange extravagances and outre developBut, besides those faculties and ten-  ments, and then rising to the natural and
dencies already named, and which find  the true; till now, when its domain elnexpression in some form  or other, we  braces infinity and absorbs every subject
have to take cognizance of that class  of human feeling and action, thought and
which have relation to the imagination   emprise.  Carlyle says that romance
and the fancy; and which also find for  has not ceased to exist; that, on the
themselves "a local habitation and a   other hand, it is now in its full meriname," as well as a place in the world  dian splendor. And verily, we are inof letters. I refer to romance litera-  clined to believe it-if not in life, yet in
ture.                                  literature.
That this species of composition is a  Nothing is more easy or gratuitous than
normal and legitimate development of  the vituperative condemnation and conthe mind, mankind have endorsed by  tempt that have so often been lavished
the fact of every nation's having given   on novels and novel writing. They are
birth to productions of this kind, and by   "trash,"  " yellow-covered literature,"
the extreme avidity with which fabulous  "; wishy-washyism, namby-pambyism,"
and romantic narratives have in all times  &c., &c. The guardian makes it a point
been received.  Finding its primeval  to keep his ward as carefully from a novel
home in the gorgeous East-amid scenes  as from the measles, and would as lief
of vastness and of splendor, where the  that she would dose herself with ratsmnagnificence of nature's visible forms,  bane as devour a romance. Our vceneand the voluptuous quiescence of life,  rated ancestor (peace to his manes), who,
invite to lolling repose, giving birth to  in early manhood, was so annoyed by the
dreamy fancies; while every balsamic  flirtations of his gay younger sister,
breeze and Sabean odor wafts on its  which seemed always to succeed profound
wings reveries of grandeur-it reached   and long-continued brooding over the
its full Eastern perfection in those won-   pages of the novels sent her from Londerful phantasies: The Thousand and   don, had, one should say, some reason
One Tales.                             for cautioning us, among his last words
Of Eastern romance, we may remark,  of advice, to " Beware of novels."
en passant, that it will be found the al-    Uncle Greybeard, too, imagines that
most unmixed product of fancy (or phan-  he has completely annihilated the whole
tasy).  The tendency of the oriental  tribe when he utters a "'Pshawv!" and
mnind was not sufficiently introspective   something about " vapid sentimentality,"
to elevate them to the dignity of works  and " man-millinerism."  True, O grave
of imagination; and, besides, every-  Greybeard; those which chiefly filled
thing in nature was symbolical and sug-  the shelves of your village library were
gestive, and speech itself was nearly   most deserving of the epithets, and even
pure metaphor. The East is the home   at the p)resent day many a heated press
of the language of flowers, and the  labors day and night to satiate the public
poetry of mathematics.                 appetite for just such " trash."
Transported to the West, romance as-    The truth, however, is, that the dosumed a more intellective and also a  main of romance-composition has been
more emotional cast; losing many of its  so materially extended within the last
outer splendors, it clothed itself in a  quarter of a century, the fields of thought
stronger garb, and partook of the active   and feeling commented upon so altered,
form  of Western life. This is the hey-  and the type of popular novels so comday of the European chivalry and ro-  pletely changed, that what could, to a
mnance epoch, displayed in the genial  great extent, be very well predicated of
satire and the glorious humor of its  novels fifty years ago, is totally false in
brightest exponent, Miguel de Cervantes  its sweeping application to our present
Saavedra; and the gallant or amatory  species. We have now no desire for the
harp of the Troubadours and the Minne-  extravagances of sentiment and action
sillgers.                              that, with a few brilliant exceptions,
IThe subsequent course of romance   characterized English novels of former
literature, down to the present time, is  times. On the other hand, we are disknown to every one, and need not here  gusted with such productions, and covet,
be pursued; as it modified its original  above all, the natural in thought and




1854.]               Novels: their Meaning and Mission.                      391
feeling. -What is wanted to constitute  in lieu of a better, to affix the appellation.
a good modern novel, is not a monstrous   Novels, Romances, &c. They are total
assemblage of grotesquely illusive pie-   misnomers, every one of them.  The fact
tures of life and nature, interlarded with  is, that the thing itself has repeatedly
inconceivable sentiments, unheard-of ad-  changed, while the name has not, and
ventures, and impossible exploits. Not  thus thing and name are mutual contraat all.  We demand that they be verit-  dictions.  And, indeed, it is very much
able and veracious segments of the great  to be desiderated that Samuel Taylor
life-drama, displaying Nature and Man   Coleridge, instead of racking his and our
as they are, sentiments as they are felt,  brains with  Exemplastics, and  other
and deeds as they are done. Novels are   such, had given us a good title for this
judged as Art products, and as little sym-   very important class of works which are,
pathy is felt with the bizarreries that are   even to the present day, denied Christian
heaped together, for the gratification of  baptism.  Novel is just quelque chose
very weak  brains, as for the fanras-   de nouvelle-something new, novel; and
tic adornings of a Dutch house, or the   thus is as applicable to one thing as to
architectural proportions of a Chinese   another. Romance, as the word itself
pagoda.                                   imports,* is confined to the middle ages;
We are now-a-days really very little   and Fiction, though originally a harmless
interested in the history of that amiable   enough word, and, in fact rather exprescreature, Miss Angelica Celestina Sugar-  sive, denoting the result of mental picheart, with whom that equally generous   turing —(fingo)  imagining-has  now
gent, Peter Giraldine Gingerbread, fell  come to be symbolical simply of aJfib.
in love. The life-views and vicissitudes         ", Only this, and nothing more."
of this sentimental pair-how  AMa was       On the other hand, you can scarcely,
opposed to it, how Peter (poor Peter!)   with strict propriety, call them works of
took to melancholy and the sea, and,  imagination or fancy: for, in so doing,
after innumerable prodigious adventures   we include, under that term, poetry, orawith pirates on the Gulf of Mexico, re-  tory,      everything else to some extent.
turned just in time to shoot a rival, and   We shall, then, have to be satisfied with
espouse Angelica  Celestina, who after-  the old names-earnestly desiring that a
wards lived, in great connubial felicity,ore interp
new and more interpretative term  may
in a chlarming cottage by the side of a   be speedily devised.
lovely lake. Even Miss Blandish would       Te doin  of the noel ranges over
not declare that this is quite'divine"   the    field of the real and the ideal
the entire field of the real and the ideal,
now-a-days. On the whole, we have
no -days.  On the  hole, we have   and thus touches at every point of man's
come to receive  these overwhelming   consciousness-in the evolution of indicommunications with very considerable   vidual character, and the development of
sanglroid. Novels are now, many of
sangfroid.  Novelts are now, many of  human life and nature, in their actual
them, the productions of men of the   phases. And in these points, it is co-orhighest intellectual and moral worth, andextensive,  at oce,  ith
are at present more generally read, and   poet         e and the drana. With poetry, in
probably exercise a greater influence than        a veritable 
any or all other forms of literature to-        a         e   d      n  t 
gether. Then, in the name of truth and   tion; and with the dramal, in its plan or
cslet us throw down the   plot-in the involution of circumstance,
common sense, let us throw down the
cdton, and cry " Halt!" to sneers and   character, and passion, and the evolution
sneerers at novels.  Rather would awe   from  the complexity of these life- andendeavor to investigate the nature and   death cmmirngling scenes of grallnd  itl
le    n      writing, and   results and important practical lessons.
legitimate field of novel writing, and   Tus novel  especilly those that are
point out the meaning and the mission   Thus, novels, especially those that are
point out the mneaning and the mission        I       I
woi    orks,  m       u the transcendent productions of the imof such works.                            agination, take hold of everything that
A few words prefatory, however, on   is in rapl2ort with the infinite in man.
the subject of a name.
The subject of a name.                    The artist -who created them
There is no more unfortunate circurnstance than the lack of an appropriate           "Builded better than he knew;"t
and experienced name for that kind of  for, in displaying the phenomenal, an
composition to which we are necessitated,   enticing hint has, at times, been thrown
* The word is French. The language was then called Liinguce Romanac, and any book written in that
tongue received the name of livre Romzanss (liber Romanus), or simply ilomans; that is, Romans bookromans, whence romance.
t Emerson's Poems-The Problem.




392                  Novels: their Meaning and Mission.                     Loct.
out, that led us on with winning smiles  the real and the practical, it might be
to the h1ome of the real: one touch of   well to  remember that theory  ever
the human harp-chord, the Infinite, has   stands at the base of practice; and the
set a-thrilling the old "Eternal Melo-  ideal, being the greater, includes the
dies."  For so it is, that everything in  real. And, indeed, Leigh Hunt, in one
life has a relation at once to the me and   of his papers, argues that it would be
the not-me; and while the obverse car-  extremely difficult to prove that imaginlies the relative, the reverse bears the   ings have not as real an existence as
stamp of the absolute.                    those to which we are in the habit of
Regarding these idealistic creations, a   applying that rather ambitious title. Beremark or two may, at the present mo-  sides, if the dictum of our great masterment, not be inappropriate.               philosopher be true, that
There be persons to whom nothing is
comprehensible but what comes through                W we are such stuff.the  gross lalpabilities  of the senses. *As dreams are made of, and our little life
the gross palpabilities of the, senses.        Is rounded with a sleep,"They can appreciate nothing that comes
not in positive cuffs and downright hard   why may not those remembered characblows. Now with these it is no inten-  ters that jut out with a glorious psychal
tion of ours to discuss the question as   existence, be as veracious to me as any of
to the comparative value of the real and   the shadows in buckram by which I am
the ideal-the practic and the theoretic.  surrounded. Apply sensuous tests to
We have but to say that there are two   them.  Were you never influenced most
worlds: there be two sides to everything   materiallybyabook-character? Wereyou
in this world and out of it. There is  never stopped-physically arrested-by
the world of which your senses are cog-  a thought? Were you never " struck "
nizant-that which your eyes see, and   by some purely brain-delineation?  Did
your ears hear, and your hands handle-    Sir John Falstaff never sit and swear
the physical. We will even become sen-  with you at your drinking bouts; or
sationalists enough to admit, that you   what do you think of a poor Burns carhave a solid frame of integument, mus-  rying in his pocket a copy of Paradise
cle, and adipose tissue surrounding you,  Lost to fortify his mind and stay himself
and  an  epigastric  region  somewhere   up with the defiant courage of Milton's
about the middle of said framework;   Satan? Aha! my friend, you will have
we will accede to your proposition, that  to come to the confession that:the earth you tread on has a solidity and
a reality (contingent); and admit that if," There are more things in Heaven and Earth
you apply a loaded pistol to your head,       Then are dreamt of in your philosophy!"
and pull the trigger, it will stand a chance 
of blowing out what nature meant for  intellectual witnesses have we all around
your brains. There is no denying your  us and taking np their home with us!
creed so far.  But, if you insist that that  To whom  we refer as precedents in
is all, then we cry "halt," in heaven's  every action-with whom, consciously
name!   To your doctrine, friend, we   or otherwise, we advise every course of
can't subscribe Credo!  Nay, on that  conduct and from whom  we draw unscore we are utter ieTrnroKo-   unbelievers.
scorife, weare u otte cicirraoiunblieer.  *  told consolations and benefits.
1And if ye were not                         We think of a heroic Patience-man-~ " Quanti cherci        a Prometheus Vinctus-chained to the
Si della mente" *              craggy rock-enduring the gnawings of
the vulture, and still exclaiming:
so squint-eyed in mind, you could not
help  knowing  that there  is another   "KpEtCov ydp oiatc rTde Zarpvetv 7r8r0o
world-the world of your longings and'H v7arppt qvvat Zvi t'rlT70ov dyye2ov."r
your dreadings and your imaginings- 
the spiritual. Where roam
the spiritual. Where roalm                or of his parallel Satmpson  Agonisres;
we think of:
" Those thoughts that wander through eternity,"
" The great Achilles whom we knew," $
with fields and blessed isles of its own,
and an infinite blue concave stretching   of Dantean paradises and infernos; of
all around.  As for the predilection for  blundering yet sage old Don Quixote;
* Dante's Inferno, Canto VII., ver. 40-1.  t 3MEschylus' Pronmethe us Vinactus. 996.
f Tennyson's Poems- Ulysses.




1854.1             Novels: their Meaning and AMission.                   393
of the hurrying words of Shakespeare's  above indicated. And more particularly
metropolitan brain; we go on adventures  is this true in regard to Novels since the
with Tom  Jones, or dwell in desert  rise of our present new and better school
isles with Robinson Crusoe; we philotso-  of imaginative writers, who have elevaphise with Moses (Vicar of Wakefield)  ted this species of composition to its
and exclaim "Prodigious!" with Domi-  true  dignity-and  regarding  which
nie Sampson; we muse with Manfred or  school, we have a few words to remark
we curse with Mephistopheles. And so it  by and by. But, in the mean time to
is throughout every province of human   our divisions.
action-we are never without our comrn-    I. The purely Romantic: 1. The Apopagnons de voyage. They hover around  logue —the didactic; 2. Extravaganzas;
us or dwell with us, and perhaps there   3. Romance Sentimental:
could be no more noble tribute paid to    II. TheNovel proper: 4. Historico-Dethe glory and veritability of such genius-  scriptive; 5. Novels Analytic-of -Men
creations.                             and Mlanners;  6. Novels  Idealistic.
Such and so vast is the scope of novel-  Besides which classes, it will be necescomposition taking in the Unseen and   sary to include Novels —Philosophicalthe Eternal as well as the Temporal;  Political, Religious-Eclectic.
embracing at once the life that now is,    The first three divisions, namely, the
and that which is to come. Their name   Apologue, Extravaganza, and Sentimenis Legion-numbered by the million-   tal productions, have relation to the class
while thousands of Ann street presses teem   we call Romances; the last three, and
with untold quantities more-diurnally.  the minor subdivisions, are what we may
Of every possible species-and of every   with propriety name Novels, taking that
grade of merit-from  a "Pirate's Re-  term as indicating imaginative in oppovenge" or an "Alamance" (which may  sition to fanciful works. And, whether
be taken as minimum) up to a "Vanity  intentionally or otherwise, we find that
Fair," or a " Wilhelm Meister" (which ap-  we have, with considerable correctness,
proach to the maximum)-a distance that  given them place in the order of their
you and 1, friend, would rather not tra-  development in actual literature. For.it;
vel over. So, to assist us, we shall  is a fact that tales, having their founda —
endeavor to make a few great general  tion in the fancy, ever precede the noble
divisions, under which all Romance-  flights of imagination. Even as in the
productions may be included.           individual, the fancy precedes, in relation
It is worthy of note that the terms  of time, the imagination; so in the ado —
"Novel" and "'Romance," though often  lescence of a national literature, we have
confounded-are, in a general signifi-  the grotesque and the arabesque beforeo
cation, analogous to the philosophico-  the lofty idealistic.
metaphysical divisions,' Imagination"   The first division, the Apologue, is one
and  "Fancy."   "The  fancy,"' says  of the earliest developments in all litera —
Coleridge in his Biographia Literaria,  ture. For the order of progression seems:
"the fancy combines, the imagination  to be thus:-The madrigal-the primal
creates."  Now  this, though  perhaps  form-merges into fable or allegory, and
not a rigidly philosophical distinction,  this continues until a higher type takes.
is yet capital as a general definition.  its pl)ace. And here again the circum —
Putting  them  side by side, then, we  stance in literature finds its analogue in
have Fancy-Romance; Imagination-   life, for at no time are persons so didacNovel; that is, the term  Romance is  tic as in youth, except when a garrulous
indicative of a combination of wonderful  senility has brought back a second child —
deeds and darings; outreismls and bizar-  hood. Thisfactisabundantlyillustratedin
reries; while novel (not the name —   European literature. There was first the
for that is senseless in such an appli-  troubadour and chivalric period,. whba
cation-but the thing) carries the idea  all was song. When "believers," says
of an Art-creation; not an accretion of   Tieck, "sang of faith; lovers of. love;
circumstances and particulars from with-  knights described knightly actions and
out, but an inly production of the mind   battles; and loving, believing, knights
in its highest imagining or poetic moods.  were their chief audience."  But the age
Of course, it is not intended to be inksi-  of chivalry passed away, the wodrd awoke
nuated that they are not found in con-  to the sternness and the reality, the mysstant affiliation-as are all the mental  tery and the majesty of life, and they
tendencies-yet the preponderance of   asked to be taught. And so arose the
the faculty will run in the direction   Fable, the Allegory, the Auologue.
VOL. Iv. —26




394                 Novels: their Meaning and Mission.                    [Oct.
- Of this class of writing, no finer type   that the enumeration of any other than
could be desired than that marvellous  typal representatives is out of the quesGesta  Romanorum, or that exquisite  tion.
German, Reinecke der Fuchs, Reynard       At the head of this class, in both its
the Fox. This form of writing is, how-  departments, stands, without doubt, Sir
ever, by no means a desirable one, and   Walter Scott. He has harried not only
is always indicative of a transition state  every nook and cranny of Scottish lite
in literature.                          and manners, but has rummaged allnost
The second division is that to which   every salient point of history for matewe have given the name of Extrava-  rial. If Scott, and Professor Wilson, and
ganzas. Under which we may include   Mrs. Ferrier be the illustrators of Scotnot only those jeux d'esprit-the innu-  land and the Scotch, in their great namerable " voyages imaginaires" of former  tional peculiarities, assuredly so may
times —exemplified lately in another field,  Mrs. Hall be considered of Ireland and
that of astronomy, by Locke's "Moon   the Irish, in the home-life of that people,
Hoax," and the " Hans Phaall" of Edgar  while Charles Lever displays its more
A. Poe, but also the bizarreries of Mrs.  farcical phases. The English " Upper
Radcliffe, Kotzebue, and numerous other  Ten" find at once a satirist and an exGerman and French writers —those ter-  ponent in Hook and Thackeray, while
rifico-ghostly, blood-and-thunder books,  "John Bull" never had a more jolly apas well as the stories of exploit and ad-  preciator, or more faithful chronicler,
venture, e. g., Captain Marryatt's tales;  than Dickens; the salient and spirited
and also productions which owe their  soul of Parisian life is not so salient as
effect to the illustration of practicaljoke,  to elude the grasp of a Balzac, nor so
such as " Charles O'Mallev" and " Harry  spirited as not to be seized by a Paul de
Lorrequer," " ValentineVox" and " Stan-  Kock; German life has its thousand exley Thorn."  As a political extrava-  positors; Italy its faithful Manzoni, and
ganza, the "Utopia" of Sir Thomas More  its eloquent Madame de Stael; while
is undoubtedly the most capital thing   Northern Europe is familiar to us as
extant.                                 household scenes through the felicitous
Of the third division, we need fortu-  sketches of Miss Breumer; and the East,
nately say but little, as they are so per-  in all its grandeur and gorgeousness, is
fectly familiar to every one, as to require   ours through the pages of Anastasius and
no illustration. They are usually well  E6then.
seasoned with " molasses," and generally   America has no national novel, for the
conclude with the moral-" And they   very good reason that there is no such
liveed happily all the rest of their days."  thing as American society. Particular'They are still the bane of our literature,  portions, indeed, and particular sides:and are the chaff among which are found   thereof have found interpreters. West-a few golden-grained products of true   ern and Indian life has a Cooper; Sduthgenius.                                 ern, a Kennedy; and New England, a
There is, however, another class of  Hawthorne and a Sedgwick; but her
sentimental works, or rather (for that  "idea" has never yet been embodiedterm is abused in its present application)  her pulse, the state of it, has never yet.works of sentiment, or (if the term be   been recorded; for the reason that arteendurable) sesthetical productions, which   rial circulation  has hardly yet comhave their foundation in heart-feelings,  meneed; her "mission" has not quite
and make their thesis the emotional.  got itself evolved; and the American
These are some of the quiet home books  Novel, like her " Coming Man," is only
of Grace Aguilar, Mrs. Kirkland, Eliza-  a-" coming."
beth Oakes Smith, and (to be brief) Ike    In a far higher than a historico-desMarvel, as seen in his "Dream-Life"   criptive sense are Dickens and Thackeray,
and " Reveries of a Bachelor;" while of  Rousseau and Bernardin de St. Pierre,
the sentimental, in its boldest and most  Hawthorne and Mrs. Stowe, Richter and
analytical point of view, Rousseau and   Goethe; novelists, as recorders, not of
Bernardin de St. Pierre are undoubtedly   phases of society and national characterto be taken as the most excellent repre-  istics, merely, but of (5) men and mansentatives.                              ners; as students of elemental human
Division four brings us to the most  nature; and observers and reporters of
prolific and popular type of novels-the   this great life-drama.  This it is that
Iistorico-Descriptive.  Under this head   brings them into rapport with Shakesthere is such a multiplicity of writers,  peare and the heart of universal life;




1854.]              Novels: their Meaning and Mission.                  395
this is their crown of glory-every one  the new impulse is with greater probaof them; and that which will not al-  bility to be sought for in the more prolow them to perish, like the ephemeral  foundly earnest spirit ofthe age. Wenote,
productions of romance, but give them a   amid the crudities and absurdities of this
lasting interest: an interest co-extensive   era, the primal movement towards a
with that human nature which they.de-  radically stronger and nobler theorem of
pict, and elevate them to the dignity of  life and literature in all their departments
classics.                              -of a deeper theosophy and a more
Closely allied with the former division  transcendent philosophy. The world's
are those works that have for their ob-  " Idea" now is the true. This idea it is
ject a purely idealistic aim-which are  that is leading us back to the search
not so much analyses of human nature  after a more satisfactory solution of all
as art-products-with a tendency purely  the problems that affect human existence
7roLtnrKos-creative; having the subjec-  and its concerns; that makes physical
tive as their basis, and, as thesis, the   science the offspring of the nineteenth
development of a subjective state in its  century; that has turned criticism upside
connection with objective realities. These  down; that has given us an Emerson
have their value in the involution of the   and a Carlyle —a Schiller and a Goethe;
mystic —UV:tKOS —in the sense of the   and that ha  swept away the "old
Schlegels. In regard to which produc-  drowsy shop" of Aristotelian logic and
tions, says Poe: " With each note of the   ontology, and erected-or, at least, laid
lyre is heard a ghostly, and not always a   the foundation-of that splendid fabric,
distinct, but an august and soul-exalting   of which some of the master-builders are
echo. In every glimpse of beauty pre-  Sir William  Hamilton, and Kant, and
sented, we catch, through long and wild   Fichte, and Schelling, and the Schlegels,
vistas, dim and bewildering visions of a  and Novalis, and Jean Paul Richter.
far more etherial beauty beyond.  A   And this idea has at last taken possession
Naiad voice addresses us from  below.  of the field of imaginative writing-of
The notes of the air of the song tremble  novels; and is leading us back to the
with the according tones of the accom-  ultimate principles of the art, which are
paniment."                             truth itself, to the investigation of the
This form is to be found in full perfec-  true, with reference to society and the
tion in the exquisite imaging of Jean  legitimate field of the ideals. It is givPaul Richter, in the etherial "Undine"  ing us, instead of the puling sentiof De la Motte Fouqub-analogous, in a  mentality of those eternal love-developdifferent form, to that magnificent tragic   ments, true home-sentiments and honest
embodiment of i2schylus, "Prometheus   heart-feelings; instead of solemn pedanVinctus," or the " omus" of Milton, or  try, true knowledge —all understood and
Coleridge's "Christabel," or Shelley's  clearly elaborated; instead of a conglo"Alastor."  Poe, too, has given us some  meration of fantastic bizarreries, fit only
curious specimens of ideal fantasying;  to bamboozle one, and cause him  to
and, like that of Paganini, it is fantasy-  wonder where he is straying, presenting
ing on one string. No one could better  us with high ideals of life, and pointing
push to its utmost a hoping or a dread-  out to us the heroism  of doing and
ing, or a vague longing, or a tendency of   daring. We will not take hyperismthe mind or of the emotions, or an idio-  we demand honesty. And hence our
syncrasy of character.  Witness his  love for Bernardin de St. Pierre, and
"Gold Bug," or " Legeia," or the "Fall  Mme. de StaOl, and Manzoni, and De Foe,
of the House of Usher."                and Goldsmith, and Dickens, and Thackeray, and Kingsley, and Hawthorne, and
The characteristic and the glory of the   Cooper, and Mrs. Stowe. Dickens, and
new school of novelists is, without doubt,  Thackeray, and Kingsley, and Goldsmith,
its vigor and earnest veracity. As we   are universally satisfactory, just because
before observed, a quarter of a century  they are faithful to life throughout its
has had the effect of completely revolu-  various phases; De Foe and Cooper and
tionizing this department of literature.  Manzoni we glory in on account of their
By some this happy movement is refer-  minutiae and likeness of detail-in the
red to the influence of one writer, and  forest or on the sea they never fail uls;
by others to another. Some say God-  Tieck and Hawthorne and Simms are
win's "Caleb Williams" led the way;  artistic to a fault; while with Miss
others make Fielding its great proto-  Bremer and Hans Andersen, we are
type; and so on. But the true secret of   delighted on account of the quietude and




396                Novels: their Moaning and Mission.                  [Oct
unwarped simplicity of their depiction   at every possible point. They have al
of still life.                         ready absorbed every field of interest.
So much for the meaning of novels.  As pictures of life, and as developments
Their mission, we think, is palpable  of the passions, they have almost entirely
enough. We spoke, in the introduction,  superseded the drama; while every subof every desire and proclivity of the   ject of interest, every principle of scimind being the prediction of its satisfac-  ence, of art, of politics, of religion, finds
tion in literature. Novels (we think it  a graceful appreciater and interpreter
will, by this time, be understood what  through the popular novel.
class we mean) are the filling up and the  So that, do you wish to instruct, to
satisfying of that in the soul which   convince, to please? Write a novel!
otherwise would be blank and vacant.    Have you a system of religion or politics
And peculiarly are they the product  or manners or social life to inculcate?
of this nineteenth era when there is  Write a novel!  Would you have the
such a fecundity and such an overflowing   " world " split its sides with laughter, or
of mental and psychal life. They are  set all the damsels in the land a-breaking
one of the "features" of our age. We  their hearts?  Write a novel!  Would
know not what we should do without  you lay bare the secret workings of your
them. And, indeed, there is a class of   own heart, or have you a friend to whom
writers who, if they did not develop in  you would render that office? Write a
this way, would find no other mode of   novel!  Have you "fallen out "-got
utterance whatever. How could Kings-  into a consquabulation with your wife
ley have written except through "Alton   (as an English baronet, a famous noLocke" and "Yeast?"  What vehicle  velist, did), and are you fain to give her
could Dickens have found for the com-  a public castigation (as the English bamnnication of just his class of ideas but  ronet desired)? Write a novel!  (The
that of "Nicholas Nickleby," of "David   English baronet did so.)  Or, on the
Copperfield," or of "Hard Times?"  other hand, should any wife feel like
How could Thackeray have given us his   Caudleising and retaliating on her huspictures of society, but through  the   band?  Again we say, write a novel!
camera obscura of "Vanity Fair" and   (By the way, the baronet-novelist's lady
"Pendennis," and "The Newcomes?"       did so, also.)  Have you any tit-bits
But still they.(novels) are not the   of wit or humor-any morceaux of fun
whole of literature. Assuredly not! no   or frolic-any "insight" into art or Pesmore than sauce piquante makes a din-  thetics?  Why, write a novel  Do you
nher, or the hours we spend in jocularity   wish to create a sensation?  Write a
and abandon a life. They are didactic;  novel!  And, lastly, not least, but loftibut it is philosophy wearing a smiling   est, would you make (magnum et veneface, and holding out a winning invita-  rabile nomen!)-would you make motion. They are the Utile clothed in the  ney? Then, in Pluto's and Mammon's
garb of the Dulce. And in this dulcet  name! write a novel!
manner, they touch human consciousness




1854.]                                                                  397
A DAY ON THE DANUBE.
IF was a cold, drizzly and desolate morn-  for aught I know, till the next morning.
ing, when I was rapped out of the   It should be added, to prevent mistakes,
comfortable bed of the Stadt London, in  that these women were not of a beauty
Vienna, to take the omnibus for Nuss-  or charm of personal appearance to rendorf, four miles from the city, where the   der these proceedings at all aggravating
Danubian steamers lie.  In any other  to the spectator, even though far from
place, I should have been disposed to  home.
keep to the sheets; but I had got so out    For some miles, after leaving Nussof patience with the little annoyances of   dorf, the Danube is without interest; for
the Austrian despotism, that I was will-  the shores are flat, and that morning
ing to leave it on the first occasion. The  such objects as there might else have
day before, they had kept me waiting a  been to see, were quite enveloped in
couple of hours, at the police-office, to   mist. Yet an enthusiastic old Austrian,
get my passport returned, along with a  with grey beard and grey moustache,
passirschein or permission to depart,  who had taken a liking to me, at the
which everybody must have before he  breakfast table, because I shared a glass
can quit. Thus, your out-going, as well  of his detestable Austrian wine without
as your in-coming, is noted by the police,  making a wry face, went into raptures
and one feels as if his every step became  over a fine old castle, which he called
the subject of a written description. It.  Greifenstein, and which he said was so
would have been wiser, perhaps, to re-  named because a griffen had left the immain; for I had not half seen the city,  print of its claws upon the hard rock.
and two dozen museums, with fifty or  He farther assured me that it was highly
more picture-galleries, were lost to my   interesting, because  my countryman,
admiration. But one does get so weary   Richard Coeur de Lion, had once been
of parading these long halls to look at  imprisoned within its walls.  But his
paintings and curiosities which he can-  good opinion of me was evidently chillnot recall five minutes after they are out  ed, when I replied, firstly, that I had not
of sight!                              the honor of being a countryman of the
The steamboat we found fast filling up   aforesaid Richard; secondly, that it was
with passengers, and when it was com-  doubtful whether he had ever been in
pletely full, a company of soldiers march-  prison there; and, thirdly, that I could
ed on board, to be transferred to some   not see the first stone of the castle, on
place up the river. Poor fellows! they   account of the rain. It would have been
were a sorry-looking set, and I could not  more gratifying to share in his raptures
help pitying them as they took leave of  than in his wine; but how could I, under
their friends and companions, chiefly  the circumstances? As a compensation,
women, with tears in their eyes. A few   however, when he had gone a little furof them, however, who had saved a  ther, I did contrive to get a glimpse of a
kreutzer or two, to pay the expense, car-  half-finished, and, therefore, half-ruined
ried their damsels with them, and in  old Augustine monastery, named Klosthat way managed to spread the leave-  terneuberg, and I admired it accordingly,
taking over the greater part of the day   dim and shadowy as it seemed in the disand the next night. Some sat in the  tance; but this was not enough for my
shelter of the smoke-pipe, and ate black  friend, who also insisted that I should
bread and drank wine, with a kind of  believe in a wonderful miracle perpeforced and tragical mirth; others laid  trated there, some six hundred years
down in the barrels and boxes with their  ago. The Margravine Agnes, it appears,
cloaks drawn snugly over them and their  desired to build a holy house in these
inamoratas; and several couples paraded  regions somewhere, but could not tell
the' front deck, arm  in arm, or closely  precisely where, when a sudden wind
embraced, while their lips, ever and anon,  carried off her veil, and took it to parts
came together with a smack that had   unknown. Nine years afterwards, her
the whole heart in it. Later in the day,  husband, hunting in the forest, discoverand as the evening drew on, I saw one   ed the identical veil, hanging to an elder
pair, leaning against the wheelhouse, in  bush, sound and whole as the day it was
the tenderest hug, with lip to lip, and  lost, in spite of the delicacy of the texthey maintained their position for seve-  ture, and that fact was regarded as a sure
ral hours, till I went to bed at least, or,  indication of the will of heaven, -as to




398                        A  Day on the Danube.                         [Oct.
the spot on which the monastery should   castle of that name on the frontier of
be built. It was, therefore, erected, or   Styria, near the old town of Freisach,
rather partly erected, there, and we ad-  where he was arrested."
milred what was left of it through the     "Not at all,' hie resumned; "it is all a
mist.                                   mistake; the' oid.-;toniclers make it
It was not until we reached JKlems,  clear that he was -i:isoned at Tyrn"failous for its  mustard and  gun-  stein, which is the ancient spelling of
powder," said my Austrian  cicerone,  Dtirrenstein, and this is the place."
that the clouds broke away, giving him     But as we approached another ruin,
a chance to add, "and yonder is Stein,  the castle of Spitz, our conversation was
with its fine old churches, though they   broken off by this new object of remark.
are now turned into salt magazines."  I  It was not so massive as the last, though
was glad to see it clear, for the river  equally impressive, because it leads the
here draws the great rocky hills to its   way to a kind of palisade, which extends
banks, producing a succession of the   along both sides of the river, overboldest and most picturesque views in  looking the other rocks, and is fitly
the world. I had nothing to do for  named the Devil's Wall. At the other
hours but utter exclamations of wonder   end of it is the castle of Aggstein, sitting
and delight at the various scenes which   on the top of a conical crag, while the
opened upon us. For miles upon miles,  village of Ilein-Aggbach lies crouching
tle lofty crags, each crowned with some   at the foot, like a flock of sheep watched
broken castle or convent, rise almost  by a grim and bearded giant. A circuitdirectly out of the water, which frets  ous path, numerously guarded by bridges
and dashes around their bases, as if it  and gates, winds up- the several declidesired to shake them  down into its  vities fiom the town to the ruin. How
angry tide. Quaint little villages nestle  the poor people of the valley ever disin the valleys between them, or seem as  lodged the reckless old robbers who once
if striving to climb the rough slopes,  inhabited the heights, is a-wonder; and
while here and there patches of vineyard  they never did so honestly; but, as the
straggle along the natural terraces, or  tradiition goes, they only captured them
clasp the, very tops of the hills.  At one   at last by stealth.  A  fellow  named
place, great fissures had been cut, appa-  Schreckenwald, a veritable terror of the
rently by descending  streams, in the   woods and consummate marauder, was
granite, which bristled above in a hun-  one of the most famous possessors of the
dred sharp pinnacles, or stretched away,  castle, in the good old knightly times;
like a battlemented  wall, from  the   and when lie died, he left it to a worwater's edge, to the dark fir woods in  thy follower, named Hadrmar, whose felwhich they were lost.  "IHow  wild,  lows were called the "Hounds."  He
how grand," said I, to the infinite de-  robbed  at will, and  whenever  his
light of a group of natives, who had   enemies banded together and came to
gathered about me as if on purpose to  take him, he rolled huge stones down
see what effect the scenery would have  upon their heads, until they were all
upon a foreigner. "Ah Gott, yes," they   killed, or if any of them  chanced to
replied in chorus; "and see, oh heavens,  remain alive, he plunged theim  afterthere is old Diirlenstein!"            wards headlong through a certain trapThis Diirrenstein, or Hardstone, as we   door, seven hundred feet down, to his
should say, is an immense donjon keep,  "bed of roses," as the old joker facethe remains of a castle, perched on the  tiously termed the stony debris below.
summit of a high ridge of rock, and well  But once upon a time a merchant Rudidefended by solid masses of masonry, but  ger set a bait for him which took. He
without a tree or shrub near it, which   despatched a vessel, apparently laden
gives it a look of stern desolation.  "A   with rich goods, past the stronghold of
majestic ruin," remarked a German stu-  the peremptory knight, and no sooner
dent at my elbow, " and the more interest-  was it seen, than the alarm-trumpets
ing, because it was beneath that window   were  blown, and  Hadmar and  his
there to the right, that Blondel, the   Hounds rushed down upon the prey.
favorite minstrel, played to  Richard   But the bark, alas for them! carried, like
Coeur de Lion, during his imprison-  the Trojan horse, thirty or forty lusty
ment."                                  fighters in its belly, who seized the
"Ahl" said I; "my impression was,  invaders before they were aware, and
that the' Diirrenstein where Richard is  sent them to "kingdom come."
said to have been imprisoned, was a       This story I translated out of the




1854.]                     A  Day on the Danube.                           399
guide-book to a pleasant-looking young   and their reception by the wife of RudiGerman lady, who was sketching from   ger.
the main-deck, when she added, "Excellent! but the place has a still deeper in-   "Die Fenster an den Mauern sah man offen stahn
terest. It was the scene of one of the    Die Burg zu Bechlaren die war aufgethan,
most romantic incidents in history, and    Da ritten ein die Gaste, die man viel gerne sah,
especially interesting to you as an En-    Es hiess dar Wirth, der edle, gutes Gemach ihnen
especially interesting to you as an En-      schaffen da.
glishman.  It was here that Richard
Cceur de Lion was imprisoned, on his re-    Die Riidigeres Tochter mit ihrem Gesinde ging
turn from  the Holy Land, and that his    Das Sie die edle Konigen viel minniglich empfing,
favorite page, Blondel, performed the    Da war auch ihre Mutter, des Markgraven Weib,
Mit Liebe war gegriisset mancher Jungfrauen
sweet air by which he was recognized."
No doubt that young lady thought me
very rude, for I could not help laughing    Sie fassten sich bei den Handen, und gingen so.
in her face; and my imported German,         dann
unfortunately, was not courlteous enough    In einem Palast, einen grossen, der war viel wohl
to explain clearly the grounds of my         gethan,. toeincearl y      toldgrounds  f  s I    Da die Donaue darunter bin floss
merriment.   But I told her, as well as I    Sie sassen an den Liften und hatten Kurzweile
could, that I had already that morning       gross."
seen three of Richard's prisons, while
my red-covered hand-book insisted that     It was quite inspiring to hear the
it was at a fourth place, called Trifell,  Niebelungen repeated, by pretty lips,
that the famous serenade of Blondel  amids the very scenes to which its old
came off.  "Or," I continued, not to  epic incidents are referred, and I could
crush her illusion entirely, "he might  have listened the whole afternoon, but
have been imprisoned in a dozen places,  the objects of emotion follow each other
at different times, like my excellent  so rapidly on the Danube, that one has
fiiend, Harro-Harring, whose virtuous   not more than a moment to spare to any
political sentiments have made him ac-  one of them. We had scarcely left Peckquainted with every jail in Europe, while  larn before the German student, to whom
he is also obliged to keep a pocket-map   I have referred, directed our attention to
of the various districts and towns from   the little village of Marback, and above
which his ardent patriotism has caused  it, on a hill, to the two towers of the
him to be banished."                     church of Maria Taferl, a noted pilgrim
"Ah 1" she exclaimed, smiling, " have   shrine. This church was built, some two
you seen Harro? he is a noble man; how   centuries since, on the site of a sacred
could he write such an abusive ode about  old oak, ornamented by an image of the
our good Goeithe?"                     Virgin, to which the peasantry were acBut the convent and ruined castle of   customed to gather to offer up prayers
Schdnbfuhel, the magnificent palace-like  for an abundant harvest, and to eat a
convent of Moilk, the battlemented tow-  kind of religious love-feast.  In  the
ers of Weideneck, planted on the bare  course of time, the oak decayed, and a
granite, the old town of Great Pechlarn,  countryman was about to cut it down,
which we rapidly passed, diverted our  but he cut off his leg instead, when the
attention from the discussion of Harring,  image began to speak with him, chiding
and it was not long before my amia-  him for his sacrilegious act, but healing
ble young companion was in the midst  his wound, at the same time, by way of
of a series of recitations, from the Niebe-  recompense. Ever since, the church has
lungen Lied, descriptive of the ride of  been the goal of a large yearly pilgrimder gute Riidiger, when he and his gal-  age —fifty, and sometimes one hundred,
lant train brought the fair bride of Etzel  thousand  devotees visiting it in the
(Attila) along the right bank of the   course of the month of September.  "I
Danube, from Passau to Vienna. The   have seen," said the student, "thousands
rude, homely old German strains rolled   upon thousands assembled on the hill, at
from her tongue with a sweetness that I   one time, most of them  from  Austria
had never before noticed in them, and I  and Bavaria, but some from Italy and
was almost persuaded to adopt the Ger-  even distant France and Spain. A more
man enthusiasm which raises the poem   imposing sight cannot be imagined. The
to a level with the Iliad and the Odyssey.  varied and lively costumes of the differWhat she repeated to me was the part  ent groups, as they advance in proceswhich tells of the arrival of the caval-  sion; their rude encampments in the
cade at Becklaren (the modern Pechlarn),  edges of the wood, where women are




400                       A DVc  on the Danube.                         [Oct.
busy in preparing meals; the rich voices  shivered, point us back to the glories of
of the peasants, mingling in some fine me-  the imperial rule, to the splendors  of
lody (not always sacred), which is echo-  chivalry, to epochs of mighty developed back from the cliffs and precipices;  ments and renowned events, to characthe. broad river in the foreground; the  ters as strong and rugged as the rocks
waving corn-valleys and vineyards be-  they trod, and as true as the steel they
tween, and the remote snowy ranges of   unsheathed only in the cause of woman
the Styrian Alps-Dachstein, Otscher,  and God! Nor wasreligion then a superSchneeberg-conspire to lend a singular  stition, as somle call it, but an ever-living
enchantment to the spectacle.  One  sense of the Invisible, which spread the
loathes the superstition which is the oc-  outward  memorials of his existence
casion of it-he pities the poor creatures   everywhere, in the loneliness of the
who have wandered so far fiom their  forest, in caves and grottoes, in the
homes to engage in a fruitless and de-  crowds of the market place, along highbasing rite-but still one admires, too,  ways and bridges, as well as amid the
the beautiful accompaniments!"         pomps and grandeurs of the cathedral.
Turning to me, he added, "But you   It is easy enough, in these days, to make
have something similar in your country,  a jest and a mockery of the pious usages of
-in the Camp Meetings of your Metho-  our fathers; but to them  they were a
dists, as I have read?" to which I re-  profound and earnest life, full of the
sponded, "No, these gatherings are simple  sweetest consolations and the most inencampments for worship in the woods,  spiring hopes. Those legends of monks
without the picturesque dresses  and   and devils, those simple hymns, those
music, without the poetry, and I trust  crucifixes at the roadside, those images
without the superstition,-thus leaving   of the Holy Virgin on trees and houseout both the best and the worst parts of   hold altars, were not only the poetry of
your display."                         their existence, but its solid food and
These  Watlfahrten, or pilgrimages  nutriment. Nor in the substitution of
are common all over the continent,-   trade, politics, travel and revolution, for
and are made in France, to the shrines  these simple, but hearty religious faiths,
at St. Eloi, Marseilles and Puy,-in Spain,  have your modern people gained much
to St. James of Compostella (see Southey's  either for the soul or the mind."
poems),-in Switzerland, to our Lady of    This speech, which  seemed to be
Einsedeln,-in Styria, to Maria Zell,-in  thrown down as a challenge to the stuBohemia, to St. John of Nepomuc, and   dent, was immediately taken up, and in
in Ireland, it is said, to Crow Patric.  less than ten minutes, he and the old
Each shrine'has some romantic legend   man were in hot dispute as to the compaconnected with it, and is the means of  rative  merits  of the  ancients  and
drawing considerable revenue into the  moderns, the catholics and protestants,
church, while it is more than hinted that  faith and science. I can not say that I
the most astonishing miracles continue   wholly comprehended it, but the stuto be performed, especially when some   dent, I believe, contended that there was
votive offering of rare value is laid upon   more poetry in truth than in error, and
the altar.                             that tihe most unlimited popular freedom,
"It would be dreadful to me," inter-  both religious and political, was not inposed the hoary Austrian in the midst  consistent with  the deepest reverence
of my reflections, "to be compelled to live   or the holiest emotions of love, gratitude,
in America, where life must be so dry,  faith and devotion.
hard, practical, without the endearing   "Tlhe time will come, if it is not
remembrances of our past, or the deep,  already," he exclaimed, with a fine enrich, many-colored experiences of our  thusiasm, " when science itself will make
present, where, indeed, you have the   known to us a structure of society of
barrenness of a laborious youth without  which all previous conditions of society
its fresh and living verdure of imagina-  have been but the faintest expectation and
tion! Ah, how different," he continued,  prophecy; when the virtues and accolmturning to the student, " in our Germany,  plishments of the different ages and nawhose every city, building, rock,wood and  tions of the past shall be revived and
hill is venerable with the lore and deposits  combined in all mankind; when the
of antiquity! These piles of stone, beauti-  glorious arts of Greece, purified and elefnl even in their rude and moss-grown   vated by the deep-toned piety of the
dilapidation, which  the lightnings of  middle ages, and directed by the enercenturies  have  toppled  down  and   getic action of America, shall be a com



1854.]                     A  Day on the Danube.                             401
mon possession; when the lowliest man        Hear what a German mother said,
shall lodge more sumptuously, and be         Wildly waving a banner red,
surrounded by more appliances of intel-      As her country's host went trailing past,
lectual and moral enjoyment than the         With rolling drums and trumpet blastlectual and moral enjoyment than the
haughtiest nobility now; and when the       ", Come forth, my sons, come, join the band,
genius of our race, emancipated from the     Who battle for our fatherland;
distractions of toil and necessity, shall    Come, leave the plough! come,clutch the sword i"
devote its entire activities to the realiza-  Three noble youths came at her word.
tion of its ideal of excellence in every     The first is sunk to his last sleep;
sphere"-                                     The second rots in a dungeon deep;
"Ah!" interrupted the Austrian, "but      The youngest, wounded, writhes in pain;
that will be in heaven!"                    Ah! he will never walk again!
" Yes," continued the student, " in the
heaven which man will make for him-    "What recks it?" said that mother greyself, under God, on this round green      Their name and mine shall live for aye;
woeeeyaoyangself,  udGoonsroan, genThey fought for fatherland and right,
earth, whose every agony, and groan,         And God accepts my widow's mite."
and bloody sweat, has been a step inthe
process of her divine redemption!"         It was a bold strain for the Austrian
This student, by the way, was a cha-  dominions, but one had a right to doubt
racter, as I found on further conversa-,  whether the old stronghold of Frienstein,
tion with him.  He was tall and thin,   which we were then passing, and which
with long, curling black hair, which fell  had listened to many a bolder one in the
fiom  his cap to his shoulders, had a   days of its robber-knights, would echo it
bright glassy eye, and a face expressive   back to the ears of the Kaiser, or his
of mingled simplicity and earnestness.  spies, at Vienna.  I was disposed to
His dress consisted mainly of a long   grapple the student to my heart, for I
linen travelling frock, fastened round the   found that we had republican sympathies
waist by a leather belt, high top boots,  to exchange, and mutual republican aspia broad shirt-collar, turned over without  rations for Germany to indulge.  We
a cravat, a canvas-bag, which hung at  quite forgot the fair scenery in the enone side, and an old much worn guitar,  thusiasm  of our talk, relating, on his
suspended at the other.  "Ich bin ein   part, to the hopes of the liberals in EuDichter (I am a poet)" said he to me, in  rope, and, on mine, to occasional remireply to a question, "and am wandering   niscences of Kossuth, whom I had seen
over the Fatherland to see its people  in New York.
and scenery. Ach Gott, what a beauti-       When we had finished our talk, which
ful land it is, glorious in mountains and   seemed to us more grateful. and spiritrivers,-and  such  noble  men  and   ed than the small bottle of Auslager
women! Can America be half so beau-  by which it had been moistened, the
tiful or good?"                           moon was glimmering through the trees
Without, however, giving me time to   of a wild gorge into whiqh the steamer
reply, he pulled a small package of manu-  seemed about to penetrate by force.
scripts out of his bag, and said, "These   There was a sensation perceptible on deck,
are my poems, read them; they are fine,  too, which indicated that we were near
full of the true sentiment, and I hope   some exciting locality.  I found that we
soon to go to Leipsic to get them pub-  were approaching the Strudel and Wirbel,
lished."  The cramped German hand in  as a rapid and whirlpool, formed by the
which they were written looked for-  passage of the river over sunken rocks
bidding to me-a novice in that chiro-  between an island and the mnain land, are
graphly-and I asked him to repeat some   respectively called.  It was formerly a
of them, which would be better. Straight-  dangerous passage, but the rocks have
way he unstrung his guitar, and sung, in  since been partly removed, and the cura fine, manly voice, to a skilful accom-  rent is  comparatively  smooth.  The
paniment, several strains, which were,  rapids of the St. Lawrence are a thousand
indeed, as he said, full of sentiment, and,  times more formidable, but the scenery,
as I fancied, not without thought.  One   on all sides, what can surpass that?
of them-whether original or not, I can-  The high rocky island, surmounted by
not say-was a stirring, martial air, and   the watchtower of a dilapidated castle,
the words ran, as nearly as I can recall  and a huge stone crucifix —the hoary,
them, in this wise:-                     moss-covered tower of Langenstein-the
swift eddying strean —the illuminated
forests —and the dark ravines of the




402                            A  Day on the Danube.                                 [Oct.
shores-filled  the   imagination   with             "What means," he cries, " that musicawe and  rapture.  It was such a scene                 Those strains so heavenly clear?
as I lad never before looked upon-wild,               Who comes in the midnight watches,
To greet my slumber here?"
grand, mysterious, full of the gigantic
strength and  ruggedness of the middle                Alas! the tone that lures thee
ages, but softened into a varying grace                Plays one thou dost not know I
by the mild splendor of the moon, now                 Behold it dancing and dipping
shimmering  over the water, and now                    Down in the flood belowl
dancing in a thousand  sparkles among
the trees.  Yet, as we advanced, the                "It bears me-the sweet cadence
stream narrowed, the mountains on both                 On wings to my native land;
Where sits my beloved-the dear one-.
sides grew  more precipitous, the  ruins               Why wrings she so her hand?P"
more frequent, and the whole prospect
more wild.  The current appears to have               Well might she sit there weeping,
broken its way through a mountain of                   Knew she thy fate forlorn;
granite, for the rocks rise sheer out of              For thou on those airy pinions,
the water, here and there feathered with               To quite other land art borne I
forests, and everywhere seemingly carried up still closer to  the sky by the              "What soothing balm is thisp
"What soothing balm is this?
structures which man has raised for wor-             I dream that from gloomy cerements
ship or defence.  Around the points of                 I rise to a realm of bliss!"
the bleak rocks the river roars and foams,
towns are crushed into. the silence of               Ah, no! it is not dreaming,
death  between  the  gorges, and  the                  Thou brave young Swedish knight;
steamer, as she forces her way among                 Thy soul, in the moon's pale glimmer,
the cliffs, seems some newborn monster,                Is taking its fnal flight 
come to drive away the elves and cobolds             The music sinks into silence,
with which the earlier fancy of our race               Its fatal wol is done;
peopled regions like  these.  We  were                The river, through the darkness,
kept upon deck, by the fascination of the              Goes rushing and roaring on l
scene, until a late hour of the night,
nor  were  the  weird  stories  of  the          In the morning  we found  ourselves
Black Monk, who has haunted these hills   fastened to the wharf at Linz, the capital
since the eleventh century, as narrated   city of Upper Austria, lying in an exby the German lady, a small part of the   quisitely beautiful region near the celecharmn.  Even atter I had retired, too, I   brated Salzkammergut, and as I proposed
could still hear the  strings of the stu-   to stop there, the old Austrian, in taking
dent's guitar faintly ruffling the air with   leave, kissed me on the right cheek and
its low  melodies, while  his voice gave   the left, the student warmly pressed me
forth, in a strange, half-startled, half-   to  his  breast, and  the  young  lady,
plaintive tone, the following legend of   shaking my hand, asked me to visit her
one of the crumblinog ruins: —                and her parents, who lived at Andernach,
on the Rhine.  I was grateful to them
On Weissnicht's rocky borders,         for all these tokens of interest, except
An ancient castle stands,             the  kisses, which, coming  from   the
Which glances in the moonlight,
Far over the neighboring lands.       bearded mouth of an old fellow  that
might easily have been my grandfather,
A deepround its basement rver         and whose pipe, just removed from  his
You hear for many a furlong            lips, was evidently as venerable as himThe roar of its angry waves.         self, would have been pleasanter from
another source that I thought of, but
There, from earliest ages,             will not name 
Oft in the quiet night,
Mysterious music awakens                 Whom should I meet, as the first person
A ravishing, wild delight.            on  landing, but Bison, that veritable
Great Western, puffing away at a tawny
Who treads its silent halls?         meerschaum, while he gave directions to
A captain and his trainbands           a courier about the destination of his
Have come to watch on the walls.     luggage.  " To  the Rother Krebs," he
shouted, with  the air of an  English
Has laid him down to rest-            milord, and  catching me by the arm,
The pallid moonbeams bathing           hurried me off to the Gast-stihbe (,f that
His face and his heaving breast.      excellent inn. He had just returned from




1854.]                    A  Day on the Danube.                          403
Regensburg or Ratisbon, as it is some-  there is a public garden, are exceedingly
times called, whither he had gone after  picturesque. They overlook the massive
his remarkable escape from the countess  fortifications of the town, and beyond an
and her husband at Vienna. "An in-  extensive  plain, through  which  the
structive place to visit," he remarked, as  Danube wanders, with pleasant villages
we got quietly seated at a trout break-  at intervals, and in the remoter distance,
fast in the restaurant of the Red Crab,  ranges of snow-covered peaks. It was in
" with plenty of old churches, a cathe-  this plain, and among those mountains,
dral, a palace, a town-house, and the  that the bloody battles between the
most delectable dungeons. I spent a   peasants and  their oppressors were
day in inspecting the instruments with  fought in the year 1625, just a century
which our ancestors, in the good old  later than the more famous peasant-war,
times, tortured  their fellow-citizens.  which desolated so large a part of GerThey were in a chamber on the ground-  many. Ferdinand II., who was one of
floor of the Rathhaus, which I take it  those monarchs who persuaded themmeans a human rat-trap. We crawled,  selves that subjects ought to think with
by the light of a lantern, through a   the king, had resolved to extirpate Prodamp narrow vault, opening on each side  testantism finom his estates, and he sent
into a series of gloomy cells, till we   out his army to perform the work of conreached a broad apartment, named the   version. His ally, Maximilian of Bavaria,
Torture Chamber. At the door was a  joined him in the scheme, and they had
bench, on which  the  prisoner was  a fine butchery of it together. But after
allowed to sit while his amiable friends  a time the most loyal people get tired
were preparing the peculiar machinery   of being killed, which was the case with
of their vocation. No doubt he was kind-  the peasants then, and they matde a
ly permitted to choose which one of the   stand against the slaughter, under a
infernal spits he'would prefer being put  stalwart and wealthy  hatter, named
to worse than death upon. There was  Fadinger. They soon cleared the country
the "larded hare" (der gespiekte Haase),  of the troops, giving back, as was the
for instance, a huge roller armed with  custom of those days, as good as they
spikes, on which he could be drawn back   had received, and leaving only a few of
and forth by means of a windlass at one  the fortified towns, Linz among the rest,
end; or, there was the "bad Bessy"  in the possession of the regulars. Fadin(die  schlimme  Liesel), an  immense   ger was killed in trying to take Linz, and
triangle of wood, on which his arms or  his successor in command also badly
legs could be stretched from his body;  wounded; and the poor peasants would
or, again, there was the "Maiden's lap"   have been compelled to retire from  the
(die Jungfrauen loos), a high arm-chair,  field, if a new  commander had not
with a cushion of spikes, on which he   appeared in the shape of an unknown
might sit with heavy weights hanging   student. His name they could not learn,
from his feet; or a dozen other similar  and history is ignorant of it to this day;
contrivances, all just as facetiously  but he fought like a hero; he drove the
named. What a pious set they were,  Austrians and Bavarians from the city;
too, with all their fun, as the great  he  afterwards defeated Adolph, the
crucifix shows! And that the judges  Duke Holstein, at Wesenufer; he routed
might not be cheated out of the penalties  General Lindlo in the forest of Pram;
they ordered, a simple trellis-work only  overcame General L6del on the Welzerseparated  them  from  the  sufferers;  Weide, and severally repulsed the bethere they could see every writhing   siegers at Gmunden, Weibern and Efferand hear every crack of the bones, as  ding, where  lie  had  taken up his
well as the extorted confession; and   positions. In all these engagements no
when they were done with their victim,  quarters were either asked or given on
a trap-door hard by dismissed him to the   either side, and the carnage was terrible.
eternities!"                           But the army having recruited its forces
"Bison," said I, "your narrative is  under Pappenheim, the student was at
enough to breed an indigestion, so let us  last driven back. He retreated, making
take a stroll about Linz!" We did so,  a desperate resistance all the way, to the
but were not much interested by the city,  Calvarienberg, near Gmunden, where lihe
which is like a poor picture in a beauti-  and his poor followers preparei for a
ful frame. For the environs, especially  final rally.  In a discourse which he
the view from a hill behind, on which   pronounced to them, he inflamed their




404                 The Famous Quarries of the World.                     [Oct.
religious sentiments to a pitch of ferocious  his life for them, without hope of reward
enthusiasm; then, singing their Lutheran   or fame.
hymns, they fell upon the Bavarians        In the afternoon we took our reluctant
with ilnpetuous but vain prowess; they  leave of the Danube. It is much the
were repulsed and pursued into the very   noblest river in Europe; in size comstreets of Gmnunden, being cut to pieces  parable to the great rivers of America,
at every  step; and  from  Gmunden  the Ohio, the St. Lawrence, the lludchased to Wolfsegg, where the brave   son; and rich everywhere in historical
noble soul of the student breathed its  associations. It has floated the armies
last. Many of his followers were quar-  of Trajan; it bore the crusaders in their
tered alive, and their bodies burned by   chivalric quests; Sobieski and Montecuthe hangman; but a green hillock among   culi fought on its banks; it witnessed
the beautiful Salzburg Alps is still pointed   some of the most brilliant deeds of the
out as tile spot in which they were  all-conquering Napoleon; and it is now
buried. Popular gratitude, as embodied  the centre of battle between Russia and
in the popular tradition, has converted  the Turks. As we jumped  into  the
the Unknown into a scion of nobility, led   Eilwagen, on our way to Salzburg, I felt
by his sympathies to take part in the  like quoting the lines of Campbell, writcause of the oppressed; but to me the   ten on quitting tmle grand old stream, but
story is more impressive, if we consider  I found them too long, and not remarkahim, as by birth and descent, a genuine   ble for their local fidelity.
son of the people, willingly casting away
THE FAMOUS QUARRIES OF THE WORLD.
SITUATED in a beautiful valley, shut  ciple, perhaps, that a bad picture needs a
in on three sides by high mountains,  splendid frame to sell it.  They are well
and open, on the fourth, to the sea, four  aware that the poorer the work, the betmiles distant, is the busy town of Car-  ter must be the marble; for, the first
rara. Its population of seven thousand   thing that many modern connoisseurs
inhabitants exist entirely by the employ-  speak of, in viewing a work of sculpture,
ment afforded them in the quarrying and  is the quality of the marble: if pure,
working of marble.                      they congratulate the artist on his wonThle town is a cluster of studios and   derful success.
workshops. In ever street, and in al-    The government of Carrara has, for
most every house, can be heard the clang   many years, endeavored to improve her
of harnmers and the click of chisels, and   citizens in taste and knowledge of the
in the studios can be seen the finest ar-  fine arts. They have a free academy of
chitectural and ornamented work ever  design, containing casts of all the most
executed in marble; but those of ideal  celebrated Greek statues, where artists
sculpture, whether original or copies from   can study under competent teachers; but
the antique, are of an inferior quality.  in the midst of the most splendid models,
They always lack a proper finish, and are  and enjoying all the advantages of tnioften deficient in proportions. The price  tion, there is no approach to tile original
at which they are sold is an apology for  talent of former ages. Every year there
the formner, and ignorance is an excuse for  is a subject given out by the council for
the latter-if for ignorance there be any   a bas-relief, which must be produced in
excuse. The town is full of fine casts   a given tine, without the assistance of
of the celebrated Greek statues of Rome   drawings or models. The students who
and Florence; but it is seldom  that a   contend for the prize are searched to see
satisfactory copy is produced; apd they   that they have nothing that will assist
are often made in marble of second qua-  them, and locked into separate apartlity, while modern originals, that are a   ments, where they work until the time exdisgrace to the men who produce them,  pires, when their works are compared, and
are made of the purest marble to be  the student that evinces the most talent is
found in the quarries, on the same prin-  sent, for three years, to Rome to study




1854.]             The Famous Quarries of the World.                       405
in the academy of St. Luke, at the ex-  He could not afford to get a good likepense of the government. It is surpris-  ness, so he got a bad one.
ing to see the conventionality that exists  The ornamental branch of sculpture is
amonlg them; their bas-reliejf are so near  imuch more extensive and successful. In
alike, in composition and in sentiment,  that department they have few equals.
that one would suppose they were all  Nearly all the ornamental work for ardone by the same artist, who made slight  chitecture that is called for in Europe,
chlanges in his design. It is not always   and also many of the fountains, and all
the most promising one who becomes the   the garden statuary, is executed in this
pensioner; many a poor fellow has been   vast manufactory.  While at Grand
rejected, who afterwards, by his own   Cairo, Egypt, I saw a large and costly
exertions and perseverance, has become   fountain in the villa of the Pasha, at
eminent, while his successful rival re-  Shoobra, that I recognized at once as the
mnained for ever in obscurity. A striking   Carrara work. Upon inquiry I was ininstance of this fact is the celebrated   formed that the fountain and the floor
French artist, Delaroche, who, when a   of the great mosque, now building in
student at Paris, was not thought by the   the Citadel, were made at Carrara.
learned council of the academy to have     The quarrying of this world-renowntalent enough to warrant his being sent  ed marble is quite another thing from
to Rome, as a pupil in the government  working  it in  a quiet studio.   To
academy.  His attempts to accomplish   have a just impression of the immense
*that object all proved unsuccessful; he  labor and danger that attend it, one
was rejected with contempt by men who   should visit the caves in a week day,
have since paid him  homage. He has   when everything is in operation.  The
been, for many years, president of the   path from  Carrara to the quarries lies
institution that would not receive him   beside the torrent Torano, which flows
when he needed their assistance. His  through a village of the same name;
transcendent genius has eclipsed all his  after passing the village you enter the
former rivals who, with every advantage  fine gorge, partly artificial, between the
and encouragement, have gone down to   Monte Grestola and the Poggio Silvesoblivion.                                tro, when you reach the quarries of
Of the multitude of artists that study   Grestola and Cavetta. The former supin this, and in other schools of design in   plies the best statuary marble in the
Italy, very few are ever heard of out of   world. There are upward of two huntheir own city. In one room of the Car-  dred quarries that are now worked, but
rara institution, are casts of the best  out of this number there are but five or
works of sculptors, who acquired their  six that yield the first quality or statuafirst ideas of art in this school of design.  ry marble.
They are few in number, and one reads      Even these sometimes produce nothe names of most of their authors for  thing but second quality marble for
the first time; among them, however, I  months.  The statuary  marble from
saw the name of Tenerani, who is still  the Grestola quarry is superior to all
living at Rome, and whose name be-  others in hardness, transparency, and
longs with those of the great men of   delicacy of tint, which brings it much in
Italy.                                   demand for nude statues. It is often
In some of the studios I visited, they  too transparent for a portrait bust, or
appeared to be working for the American   for small works; but, for ideal busts and
market.  They were manufacturing all' statues it is unsurpassed.
kinds of busts of Washington, except    Some of the other quarries turn out
such as would be considered faithful like-  marble of good quality; being generally
nesses; and in another, they had busts  less transparent, it is better suited to
and statuettes of Franklin in every state  bas-relief sculpture, and statuettes, as too
but the finished, and that state they   great transparency destroys the force of
seemed to have no acquaintance with. I  light and shade where the cutting is
met a gentleman there who had bought  delicate. It will all take a good finish
a bust of Washington that he wished my   except the kind known as "' Bittuglia,"
opinion of. I gave it; I did not think   which appears good, but is too soft.
it well done, nor a good likeness ac-    The Serevezza marble, which is quarcording to the authentic portraits. He   ried ten miles further south, in the same
replied: "What could you expect for  range, is, by some sculptors, preferred to
such a price?"  I admired his love for  all other. It will take a higher finish
Washington, but I despised it for art.  than any other marble of Italy. It is a




406                The Famous Quarries of the World.                    [Oct.
close-grained stone, not very transpa-  they are far behind the age in all the
rent, and admirably adapted for small  facilities afforded by mechanics.
works.  The vein is, unfortunately,, I am sure that those quarries, in the
worked out, but they hope to strike an-  hands of American or English directors,
other in the course of time.  Some  would produce double the quantity of
years ago, the Emperor of Russia got  marble, with one fourth the labor and
the lease of the quarry for a given time,  expense. I have been over the grounds
for the purpose of getting out marble  many times, and I see nothing to prevent
for a church; before his lease expired,  the construction of a railroad from the
he had succeeded in exhausting the vein  "Marina" to the farthest quarry. The
of all that was suitable for sculpture.  ascent is gradual, and the distance only
What little there is left in the hands of   eight miles.  Such an improvement
the marble dealers, readily sells at four  would reduce the price of marble at least
dollars a cubic palmn, which is a large  one-third. The blocks that now require
price when the blocks are small,       two weeks' time and from fifty to an hunThe Brandon qu:arry of Vermont pro-  dred head of cattle to move them, could
duces ilarble that bears a close resem-  be taken to the shipping place in a few
blanc(e to the Serevezza, but the former  hours.
is a stratified stone, that renders it unfit    There might also be some means defor statuary. By going deeper into the   vised of getting the marble from  the
quarry they will find the marble free  cove into the valley, without such loss
from, this objection.                  of material as they are now liable to.
The best quality of veined marble  The last time that I visited the quarries
found in the quarries of Carrara, is the   I was accompanied by an English sculp-'" Ravazzone."  The cave is three miles  tor, who had never seen then before.
further up the ravine, under "Monte   His astonishment at their Cyclopean
Sagro."  This portion of the quarry   operations was amusing. We stood on a
district is most picturesque; the view   high jutting rock that overlooked the rafroin the sumnmit is extensive and grand.  vine for miles. Some distance below us
On the one side is seen the town of  they were throwing the marble from a
" Massa" and the Mediterranean Sea-   cave, high up the face of the mountain,
on the other, a range of lofty moun-  into the gorge, a thousand feet beneath.
tains, with warm grey peaks, that give  I pointed it out to my companion, who
evidence of inexhaustible mines of mar-  replied that he could see nothing but
ble.                                   some small fragments rolling down.
The quarries are always dug into the   The transparent atmosphere, peculiar to
face of the mountain, often at a height  that country. had deceived him with reof fifteen hundred feet above the valley,  gard to the distance. lIe had been acand four thousand feet above the sea.  customed to looking through a London
They commence the quarry by blasting  fog; but when he heard the thunder that
off the discolored and broken surface of  their fall causes, rumbling through the
the rock, until the sound marble is  valley, he' exclaimed, "Truly this is a
reached, which is cut into  blocks-   fearful place."   Upon returning, we
drawn to the mouth of the cave, and   passed some of the blocks we had seen
launched into the valley beneath.      coining down the mountain. One of
While there the last time I saw  a  them  I measured, and found it would
quarry that was opened a few  days  weigh over fifty tons. The first fall that
previous to my visit. They drilled to  it made was from a ledge upwards of an
the depth of thirty-two feet, at an angle  hundred feet high; it then struck an inof forty degrees, into the face of the   cline, and bounded until it reached the
mountain, after which they inserted a  lowest point of the ravine-a depth of
copper tube, and poured through it a  nine hundred feet-nor did it stop then,
large quantity of diluted muriatic acid,  but rebounded and landed sixty feet
which decomposed the marble, until the   higher on the opposite side of the gorge.
bottom  of the cavity was of immense  It was of course much bruised and brosize, they then charged it, with seven   ken, and its value greatly diminished.
hundred pounds of powder, which threw   If such blocks were squared in the quarry
off the whole face of the cliff. Thou-  and slid down an inclined plane into the
sands of tons of refuse marble, slid in-  valley, by machinery, they would more
to the gorge beneath. Such operations  than pay for the extra expense of doing
are not of unfrequent occurrence, and it  it, and in any but an Italian country it
is the most reasonable thing they do, for  would be done.




1854.]              The Famou,. yllarries of the World.                  407
Tiles for floors are wrought in the   some of which are still in a good state of
caves and broutght down *the rugged   preservation, having resisted the elepaths by the women who are employed   ments for more than two thousand years.
in the quarries. They make about six  Such would hardly be the case, had the
journeys a day, carrying each time from   marble been blasted from  the quarry
fifty to seventy pounds of marble upon   with gunpowder. Previous to 1687, the
their heads.  For this laborious work   Turks had possession of the Acropolis,
they receive one Tuscan paul, or ten and   which was, even then, used as a fortress.
a half cents per day.                  They had long been in the habit of hewThere are no labor-saving machines  ing their cannon balls from the marble
among them. It was only year before  of the temples; the Parthenon, with the
last that they had any means of shipping   exception of what it had suffered firom
the marble, but to take it from a sandy  their depredations, was perfect. Time
beach, with a flat boat, to the vessel,  was willing to spare it, for the wonder
which was compelled to lie at a distance   and admiration of ages to come, but the
on account of shoal water. In August,  destroyer's hand was against it. It was
1852, an English marble dealer built a  besieged in the above year by the Venepier, on his own account, which the  tian army, under command of Morrosini,
Italians look upon as a new era in the   when a bomb-shell fell through its roof,
business, and probably the Grand Duke   causing the explosion of a magazine, that
of Tuscany thought the marble would  hurled its proud columns to the earth,
get out of the country too easily, for soon   and scattered its glorious sculptures to
after that he levied a tax upon every  thewinds.
pound of marble that is exported. It is    The quarry of Paros, that produced the
now  all weighed with steelyards, for  Parian marble, is, in one respect, unlike
they have no idea of scales, where cart  all others. It was commenced at the top
and all can be weighed without unload-  of the mountain, which fo)rmed a vast
ing. This process is as slow as it is la-  pit, from which the marble was raised to
bOious, and greatly adds to the first  the surface; it had not been worked for
cost of the marble.                    twelve centuries, when the French GoI asked a gentleman who has an inter-  vernment, in 1840, got permission to
est in the quarries there, why he did not  quarry marble enough for the tomb of
try to introduce some improvements   Napoleon at Paris. The marble is known
among them; for instance, the method   by its coarse granulation, exhibiting,
we employ for splitting rocks of granite,  when broken, shining spatrry crystals.
tet'ined the "' feather and wedge"-a. pro-  It is usually of a warnm, and sometimes of
ces too simple to require more than a   a pinky hue, that probably made it a
single demonstration.                  favorite marble with the ancients for
He replied that he had tried to en-  nude statues-the Apollo Belvidere, the
lighten tlern in various ways, but found   Venus di Medicis, and many other of
it was of no use; that they could or  the celebrated statues, are made of it.
would not comprehend anything'that    The blocks from  these quarries were
w(as not manual labor. Such, I am con-  never of large size; probably the largest
fident, is the case, from what I know of  block of statuary marble ever got out,
Italian  character, and their laws are   was the one used for the group known
such as forbid the employment of any   as the Farnese Bull now in the museum
labor- aving machines. There is not a   at Naples.
stealn-engine in Central Italy. All the  While last at Carrara, I saw the largest
boards and timber used for building and   block ever got out of those quarries. It
other purposes are sawed by hand.      was free from veins or defects of any
I lhave seen nearly all the quarries of   kind, and measured twelve hundred and
marble in the world, and I am sure that  thirty Genoese palms, or more than one
none of them are, or have been, worked  thousand cubic feet, and was valued at
to suchl a disadvantage as the quarries of  eight thousand dollars. It had not then
Carrara.                               undergone the perils of an avalanche,
The Pentelic quarry, in Greece, and   which will more positively decide its
also that of the famous Paros, were   value. When considered as a precious
worked with the greatest'economy and   stone, it is of large size, but, when viewed
knowledge of the material. The caves  alone, as a stone, it would not be noticed
to this day plainly show it. The former  by the side of many of the products of
furnished the marble for the Parthenon,  the ancient quarries of Egypt. The obeand for many other temples of Athens,  lisks, some of which have been carried




408           A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.              [Oct.
to Rome, are larger blocks of stone than   sand. I saw many others, in the deserts
any that are quarried in these days. The   of Egypt, of sizes that would hardly be
one erected in the Piazza del Popolo is  credited, but, as my object is merely to
often mentioned as being seventy-six feet  give some illustrations of what has been
long, nine feet square, and the companion   done, in the way of quarrying, that will
of the one now standing on its original  show what might be done at Carrara in
foundation at Heliopolis, in Egypt. I  these enlightened times, I have said
think there is a mistake in the account  enough.
of its dimensions, or in that of its having  The marble quarries of America are
occupied that position, for I made an   yet to produce the marble that will be
accurate measurement of the latter, and   called for in the United States; the time
found it to be seventy-two feet high fiom   will come when little or no marble will
its true base (which was reached by an   be imported from Italy. Experience has
excavation of five and a half feet), and nine  shown that the mountains of our own
feet by seven feet and a half at the base.  country contain the marble best adapted
It is well known that the obelisks occu-  to our climate, but as yet we have not gone
pied either side of the entrance to the   deep enough to find the first quality. The
Egyptian temples, which would lead one  Brandon quarry, of Vermont, before alluto infer that they were of equal length.   ded to, produces marble of afine grain and
The one in the Piazza of the Church of  delicate tint, but it is a stratified stone,
St. Peter is eighty-three feet in length.  which renders it unfit for the purposes of
It formerly stood in an ancient circus  sculpture. By going deeper into the ledge
that occupied the site of the sacristy of  they will, undoubtedly, find it of a coarser
the church. It was moved out, and   granulation, and, conseqently, free from
placed in its present position, in the four-  this objection. The Rutland quarry, in
teenth century, at an expense of ten  the same state, produces marble similar
thousand pounds sterling.               to the " Bittuglia," of Carrara, but infeThe column known as Pompey's Pillar,  rior, as it contains veins of flint, that
that formerly stood in ancient Alexandria,  make it very difficult to work.
but which stands one hundred and ten      The exports of Carrara to this country
rods from the walls of the modern city,  are almost as great as those to all the
is composed of a base, surmounted by a  rest of the world. This marble is insolid shaft of red granite, twelve feet in  disputably far superior, in beauty, to any
diameter, and ninety feet long, upon   we have yet discovered, but if the attenwhich is a cap, sixteen feet square at the  tion and enterprise of our people were
top, and ten feet high. Some of the   earnestly directed to the subject, I beblocks, now lying in the walls of the  lieve that our own country would be
Temple of the Sun, at Baalbec, in Asia  found as rich, in this product, as she
Minor, contain six thousand cubic feet,  has proved to be in many others that
and one that is still in the quarry, and   were thought to belong alone to the old
handsomely squared, measures nine thou-  world.
A TRIP FROM CHIHUAHUA TO THE SIERRA MADRE.
URING the last winter. while living  from behind every object large enough to
in the city of Chihuahua, I was  cover the form of an Indian, nobody, if
looking out for an opportunity of visiting   he can help it, thinks of travelling alone;
the western part of the State, a country   and the kind reader, who will follow me
nearly unknown to geographers and   only one day's journey on a road studded
naturalists, though promising a con-  with the monuments of murder, and
siderable degree of interest to both, as I  through a country desolated by it. will
was led to suppose even from the scanty  not call me a coward, if 1, like others,
information I had been able to gather  wished to find some reliable travelling
about it at the capital. In that country,  companion. This I found at last in the
where the treacherous Apache lurks in  person of my friend Don Guillermo, who
every chaparral and every glen of rocks;  is a merchant in the city of Chihuahua,
where a deadly arrow may be expected   and was about to vis4t some of the most




1854.]          A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.                    409
western settlements of the State, near   escape.  As he knows that liquor makes
the frontier of Sonora, for the purpose   him  mad, he never touches mezeal nor
of collecting money.                        aguadiente, nor brandy  nor whisky,
At thi beginning of February we were   and, as the reader sees, is altogether to
ready to start.  The journey, as far as   be recommended  as a guide  to any
the condition of the road would allow it,  traveller in the north of Mexico.
was to be made in a carriage drawn by         We left Chihuahua the afternoon of
two excellent horses, and driven by Don   the 3d of February, taking the road to
Guillermo  himself, while his servant,  the little town of Santa Ysabel, distant
Jesus Dominguez, on horseback, was to   about 30 miles south by west from  the
ride ahead of us, to see whether the road   capital. Immediately outside of the city,
was safe, and to warn us in case of   the  wilderness  begins.  Leaving  the
danger.  I need not say that we were   bold  and bare summit of the  Cerro
well armed.  Two pairs of Colt's revol-   Grande to the left, and the rocky glen
vers, two double-barrelled shot guns, and   of a wild mountain torrent of crystalline
one rifle, all ready for use, were in our   water to the right, the road leads over
carriage, and a rifle and pair of pistols  rocks of porphyry and scattered fragformed the armament of Jesus.               ments of basalt, and through deep arThis man had the well merited reputa-   royos or ravines, occasionally the hidingtion of great courage and much expe-   places of Indians, who, from  time to
rience and skill in the daily little wars  time, amuse themselves even here, a few
with the Indians, of which this country   miles from  the seat of government, in
is tne theatre.  When a boy, he was a   killing some poor old woman or some
prisoner among the Apaches, who killed   boy going behind his jackass laden with
his father and  brother, while he was   a few  shillings' worth  of roots and
happy enough to become a favorite of   branches of bushes, which are used fbr
the famous Gomez, at that time the most  fuel in the city.  We had to travel only
terrible chief of these savages.  Gomez   12 miles this afternoon, and arrived soon
himself gave him  liberty, and brought   at the Rancho* del Fresno, where we
him back in safety to the settlements in   camped at the side of one of the houses,
the neighborhood of the city, and when   and had soon a good fire burning, at
he left him, gave him friendly advice how    which Dominguez  was preparing  our
to avoid the danger of again falling in   supper.  Before a quarter of an  hour
with his tribe. " When you travel," the   had passed, different persons travelling
old chief said to him, "never go on the   the same road  and attracted by  theroad, but always some hundred steps   cheerful aspect of our camp, had gathered
aside of it; for near the road the Apa-   around us, and the evening was passed.
ches are hidden and will kill you."  To   in good humor and lively conversation.
us, Dominguez was as much as an escort   The latter chiefly turned upon the perils
of ten men.  He would have suffered   of the road.  A  man coming with his
himself to be scalped alive before he   servants from  the Rio Conchos and drivwould have deserted us in a moment of   ing a herd of cattle for sale to the city,
danger.  He was as good-natured as a   brought "novedades "t from the southchild, which, as he is a man of a colossal   era part of the state.  A  party of men
stature and mighty frame, makes a very   from Chihuahua on their way to Duranfavorable impression. At the same time   go, where it was their intention to buy
he is generally of good temper and an en-   horses, had been attacked by a band of
tertaining disposition, and his dramatic   Comanches and completely routed, leavtalent in the imitation of an Indian, by   ing several dead, some mules and three
which he has sometimes amused himself   thousand dollars in cash on the spot.
to frighten a party of cowards, is worthy   An old man from the Villa de la Concepof all praise.  He has been in many   cion, a place we were then bound to,
a scrape with the savages, has been   gave an account of the depredations latewounded more or less severely several  ly committed by the Apaches in  that
times, and  has had  many a narrow    neighborhood, and  exhibited  several
* "Rancho" is the designation of a smaller cattle-farm, and sometimes means the buildings of such a one,
while lands put in cultivation for the purpose of raising corn or any other crop are called a labor. A large
estate is called a hacienda; but to merit that designation in Mexico, an estate must have a very considerable
extent indeed. Between Chihuahua and El Paso the road leads for eight days through one single hacienda,
that of Encinillas.
t Novoedades, i. e. news, is always meaning wrnappy accidents, chiefly such as are caused by the Indians.
Vd. No tiene nosedades?" or "has no misfortune befallen you?" is the common question of politeness
mutually addressed to each other by travellers on the road, and always chiefly in respect to the Indians.
" No hay novedades "-there is no news —means as much as the road is safe, no Indians have been seen.
VOL. IV.-27




410            A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra MAadre.              [Oct
wounds on his body, caused by balls and   in this section of country for hundreds
arrows received in his former encounters  of miles. The scenery is not without an
with the savages. In short, nobody, ex-  aspect of grandeur, but very desolate.
cept myself, was present at our camp-  Nevertheless, when  a hund&ed highfire, who had not experienced more or  grown yuccas around you, lifting their
less severe injuries or losses by them.  plastic crowns over the lower chaparral,
The plains, valleys, hills, and moun-  waft their bunches of a thousand white
tains of the eastern portion of northern  lily-shaped flowers in the air, or the scarMexico, bear a vegetation of quite a pe-  let panicles of the fouquiera shine like
culiar character, forming what is called   burning flames on the tops of the high,
chaparral.  The word is derived from   thin, leafless, spiny stems, the desert is
chaparra, which, in the Spanish lan-  clad in a kind of strange beauty, suggestguage, means a dwarf-oak.  The cha-  ing to me the idea of an antediluvian
parrales of Mexico, however, are formed  flower-garden, calculated for a race of
by a diversity of shrubs belonging to   men of three or four times the measure
quite other families of plants, and the   of our own race.
thickets of dwarf-oaks, which, indeed,    This type of vegetation, which may be
occur in the more western part of the   characterized as that of the valley of the
country, are not comprised under that  Rio Grande and its neighborhood, condenomination. In Mexico, a chaparral  tinues, in  an easterly  direction, into
is a tract of country covered with shrubs   western Texas, where it begins to pass,
and bushes, mostly armned with spines,  by the gradual transition of a beautiful
belonging, however, to very  different  park-like country, with increasing numfamilies of plants. Among these, the   ber, size, and diversity of trees, into the
Mezquite (Algarobia), and some other  timbered lands of the Mississippi basin.
shrubs of the family of the Mimosce, are   On the other side, in a westerly directhe most common. Others, like the   tion, the transition into another charac" creosote-plant" and "grease-wood" of   ter of vegetation is less gradual, and on
the Americans, the first being the Larrea   our road the change could be observed
Mlexicana, the second a chenopodiaceous   even in the first few miles from the city.
shrub, predominate in other sections of   The chaparral disappears, the grass grows
country.                                 denser. Farther on, different kinds of
Some remarkable forms, like the "Fou-   evergreen oaks, stinted and shrubby at
quiera splendens," the "Junco," or Koe-  first, but attaining more and more the
berlinia, the "Tepopote" and others, will,  size and form  of trees as you proceed'by their strange appearance, strike even   more and more to the west, appear thinly:the most superficial observer. Inter-  scattered, or in patches on the mountain.mixed with these singular shrubs appear  sides. The high table-lands which you.the stiff and spiny forms of cactuses  have to traverse, form  savannas of a
yuccas, agaves, and  dasylirions. Be-  nearly exclusive gramineous vegetation.
tween these bushes and prominent plants   The Sierra Madre, at last, is covered with
the soil is often bare, being composed, in  high timber of the finest pine trees, and
some places, of loose sand, in others of   beyond it is the "' tierra caliente," or hot
hard clay; other tracts are covered with   country of Sonora and Sinaloa, with
a carpet of grass and flowers. Now and  the luxuriance of a tropical or subtropi-:then even patches of pure grass are in-  cal vegetation.
terspersed, or the chaparral itself is alter-  The next morning we had to pass the
nating with fine savannas. But these do  ill-renowned Catiada del Fresno, one of
not. predominate in the section of coun-  the most dangerous places in the state of
try referred to. Trees, with some ex-  Chihuahua. This is a little valley about
ceptions, are of the most rare occurrence.  four miles long, affording, by the form
Some fine groves of cotton-wood trees   of the hills on either side, and the nature
and.willows are found in the bottom-  of the vegetation, consisting of thickets
lands of the Rio Grande; the same kind   of stinted oak, a series of hiding-places,
of trees are seen along the course of some   admirably well fitted for ambuscades, of
little streams, and the " alamedas," or  which the Apaches have so well availed
public walks of the towns, derive their  themselves, that, in the whole length of
denomination from  the Spanish word,  the passage, there is scarcely a distance
Alamo, which means cotton-wood.  Oc-  of a hundred steps which has not soaked
casionally the traveller may discover a   the blood of some unhappy traveller.
lonely ash or walnut-tree.  But, with   Some governor of Chihuahua, who once
these -exceptions, no trees are to be seen   passed here, and found the road so stud



1854.]        A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.               411
ded with crosses as to appear like an im-  in which they have been able to arrive
mense grave-yard, gave order to remove   near the road without being observed,
and burn them, observing that these sad   and from which they could make an unmionuments could have no other effect  expected and successful attack.
but to frighten the traveller. Since that    The table-land on which we were now
time, these memento moris have again * travelling, presented one of those views
augmented to a number sufficient to keep. characteristic of northern Mexico, which
your Inind well prepared for death all  the sensible traveller may have seen a
the time till you have reached the open   hundred times repeated, without ceasing
savanna on the table-land beyond the  to be affected by the peculiar style of
cainada. During our passage, Jesus Do-  beauty which they exhibit.  If nature
minguez gave proof of his redoubtable  has any charms here, she does not hide
courage. With rifle in hand, he rode   any of them, and leaves nothing for
always some hundred yards ahead of us,  imagination or sentiment to add to what
investigating every thicket, every corner  stands in clear, distinct, naked reality
of the hills, and every hole in the ground.  before you. No cluster of trees casting
Don Guillermo drove his horses at as  their shade over a patch of green turf,
quick a pace as the road would allow,  make you dream  of the happiness of a
while I, sitting at his side, with a pair of  homely spot. No stream  of running
revolvers in my belt, and a double-  water leads your thoughts down the valbarrelled gun, loaded  with buck-shot,  ley; nor makes you inquire for the disbetween my knees, kept a lookout on  taut country where its waves are bound
both sides of the road. We found, how-  to. No clouds are moving on the sky
ever, no use for our arms. The road was  above your head. The atmosphere forms
so much travelled this morning, that it  no part of natural scenery here-it is
was altogether safe. We met several  only the empty space around it-and the
" conductas," or caravans, going either  mountains at the horizon close the piein our, or in the opposite direction, and,  ture so harmoniously and satisfactorily,
without "novedades," we reached the  that you forget to ask what is behind
plateau, where we saw the fine buildings  them. It is the mere plastic beauty of
of the Hacienda de los Charcos in the  form which strikes your mind. Before
distance, and herds of cattle spread over  your eye spreads a wide, smooth, level
the savanna.                           plain, covered uniformly with  tender
This beautiful and valuable estate is  grass, without any other visible object. It
the property of Don Estanislao Porrlas,  is surrounded by steep, bare, rocky mIounone of the richest men in Chihuahua, and  tains.  The striking contrast of their
one of the few rich men in the country  sharp and alpine forms, with the horiwho owe their wealth to their own exer-  zontal surface of the plain, is softened by
tions. At the upper extremity of the   a beautifully curved concave line of trancanada Don Estanislao is erecting a large   sition at their foot. No awkward defortified building destined to form  a  tail nor petty ornament is to be seen.
refuge to travellers, the greater part, of   The whole is executed by nature, as
the valley being likewise his property.  the artist would say, in the rigorous puFour weeks later, after we had safely  rity of the historical style; and of a
returned  to the capital, a band of  historical character is, indeed, all you
Apaches took possession of this house  see. It is the simple record of great and
during the night, and from behind the   simple natural accidents you have before
walls which were intended to afford pro-  your eyes.
tection against them, killed a party of    The road over the savanna was smooth
twelve or fifteen persons carelessly pass-  as a table.  Don Guillermo, who, in a
ing at dawn of morning. On the high sa-  joking manner, wanted to try the speed
vanna which we had reached beyond the   of our vehicle in case of danger and incafada, we saw another proof of the indus-  sufficient courage on our side, drove our
trious activity of Don Estanislao. From   horses at a gallop. Our carriage rolled
the foot of the mountains to the north-  over the plain at the speed of a railroad
east, distant at least eight or ten miles,  car. Soon the savanna was passed, and
lie constructed a canal running straight  we found ourselves at the entrance of a
down to the road and intended to irri-  mountain defile, through which, over
gate the interveningtract of land. This  rocks and heaped-up fragments of porgr'eat improvement, too, has proved fatal  phyry and basalt, with scattered pieces
to some unfortunate travellers.  The   of bluish and  greenish  chalcedony;
savages have used the canal as a trench,  the  road  descended: into  the  deep




412           A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra iladre.          [Oct.,valley of Santa Ysabel, where, along   place is situated in a pretty well cultithe course of a little river, lined with  vated valley. Its little river joins that
cotton-wood trees and willows, with-  of Santa Ysabel, and their united waters
out leaves, of course in this time of  run into the Rio Conchos, one of the
the year, we saw green fields of wheats  chief tributaries of the Rio Grande. The
cultivated by irrigation.  During the   valley, like others in this section of
summer, when the meadows aroun4 the   country, is formed by a sharp cut into
town are green, and the trees along the  the table-land over which the road from
little river cast a dense shadow over the   Santa Ysabel had led us this morning,
crystalline waters which run over peb-  and over which we had to continue our
bles of every color, Santa Ysabel must  voyage to-morrow. At Carretas this
be a lovely spot. The valley is sur-  cut is about 500 feet deep, forming a
rounded by high mountains of grotesque  steep escarpment of corresponding elevaforms. Those to the north were for-  tion to the southwest.
merly inhabited by a tribe of Apaches.    Not only this evening, but also the
When at night their savage revels were  following day, which was a Sunday, was
accompanied by an equally savage music,  spent at Carretas, where we enjoyed the
their drum was heard in the town, and   most amiable and kind-hearted hospitalstill these rocks are called the "Sierra del  ity in the house of Don Felipe.
Tambor"-the mountains of the drum-  Wherever I have entered the houses of
mer. The town has been originally   Mexican country-people, I have found
established as a mission among the  hospitable, most polite and perfectly
Tarumare Indians, and its situation, like  decent manners. The style, it is true, is
that of all similar places, has been admi-  neither fashionable nor corresponding to
rably well chosen.               -   the notions of English or Anglo-AmeriIn the afternoon, while Don Guillermo   can life. There is however no want of
was attending to some business, I took   natural good taste, and the unprejudiced
my gun and went, along the river for the  observer must defend this people against
purpose of shooting ducks. During this  the unjust representations to which they
walk I suddenly hit upon a man who   have been exposed.
had not seen me till I stood quite near    Sunday evening some of the principal
him, and now looked at me with that  men of the place were assembled in the
wondering interest with which I would  house of our host. The Apaches formed
lhave looked at an aerolite just fallen  the chief topic of conversation, and I
down from beyond the clouds. "Where  took a great deal of interest in hearing
did your grace come from?" he asked  some anecdotes of a famous chief of these
me in rather frightened tone. "From   savages, who some time ago had been
Europe," I jokingly answered. "Just  the terror of the country around. This
now?" "Some time ago." " But where  Indian had been well educated by a
from just now?"  "From your town."  priest in Sonora. At a certain age, how"But how did your grace get there?"  ever, he had run away, had returned to
"In a carriage."'" With Don Felix?"  his tribe and become its chief.  As
"No, with Don Guillermo."  "O, with  such he soon made himself terrible. He
Don Guillermo of Chihuahua," he now   used to rob the mail, open the letters,
said in a recomposed tone;' I know his  and, as. he had learned to read, inform
grace very well, and as your grace has  himself of the time when some rich
seen the world, you certainly can give  transport of goods was to pass. He had
me information of a youth, who is a re-  carried off a Mexican girl, with whom
lation of mine. He was placed with a  he lived, and who appears to have loved
mnan at Donana as apprentice for four  him most passionately; for, when his
years to learn four different trades. Now   band was ultimately exterminated by a
six years have passed and no notice from   party of Mexican troops, and he himself
him has ever reached here."           was killed, she refused to surrender to
This evening I saw a man who, some  her own countrymen, and fell, fighting
years ago, had the arrow of an Apache  like a true Indian squaw, after her arshot into his body, of which the point  rows had pierced the bodies of several
has remained ever since. Yet the man  soldiers.
is healthy and of a powerful constitution.    Monday morning we left Carretas.
Our next day's journey was a short  The road which ascends the escarpment
one. We left Santa Ysabel at noon,  of the table-land is very steep. When
and at four o'clock in the afternoon were   we had reached the high plain, we saw
at the little town of Carretas.  This  the village, surrounded by fields of green




1854.]        A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.              413
wheat, deep down at our feet. Beyond  table-land as the islands of an archipelago
its valley the eye follows the horizontal  are surrounded and divided by the sea.
line of the opposite section of the table-  Several kinds of evergreen oaks, growland, over which several detached groups  ing to the size and form of a vigorous
of mountains rear their rocky summits  old apple-tree, are scattered all over the
in the dark-blue sky.                  savanna, forming little groves or patches,
Our road on the table-land took a   or standing singly in almost regular disnorthwesterly direction, ascending, at a  tances. They grow more densely where
very slow and uniform rate, it is true,  the table-land, either to the right or left,
but without interruption for more than   shows one of those slight depressions
six hours. Before us two twin moun-  which form the uppermost beginning of
tains of conical form appeared above the   some side-branches of the valleys of
horizon, the depression between them   Carretas and San Borja. This latter
coming nearly down to the general level  valley could not be seen when we first
of the latter, which was formed by the   arrived on the table-land this morning,
table-land itself. Through this depres-  and the distant, dark mountain-chain
sion, which is called the "Puerto de  beyond it, which is called the Sierra de
Coyachic," we had to pass, I was told.  San Borja, seemed to stand immediately
As the deep cuts or glens which intersect  on the edge of the table-land. As, howthe plateau in the neighborhood of these  ever, the road led us on, we occasionally
mountains could not be seen nor even   caught a glimpse of the intervening valguessed from the distance, it appeared  ley, and the steep slopes down into it,
quite singular that a road, made by   spotted with numberless oak trees, which
reasonable men, should have been direct-  stand scattered over the wide mountain
ed just through a nar'row mountain pass,  savannas with the regularity of the trees
while the country all around appeared   of an immense orchard, presented one
flat and smooth like the floor of a par-  of the most singular views I have ever
lor. More to the left, another isolated  seen.
mountain was seen rising from behind     On the southeastern side of the Puerto
the margin of the plain. This was the   de Coyachic the traveller finds no diffi"Bufa de Cosihuirichlic," described by   culty. The elevation is inconsiderable,
Dr. Wislicenus, who gives its elevation,  and the slope pretty gradual. But when,
according to barometrical measurement,  from the wild mountain scenery which
at 7,918 feet above the sea, and 1,643  fills the space between the two twinfeet above the town of Cosihuiridchic.  summits at the highest part of the pasAs the latter is situated in a glen cut at  sage, he looks down what is called the
least seven hundred feet deep into the   Cuesta de Coyachic into the deep valley
surrounding table-land, the bufa cannot  below his feet, of which he does not
rise more than nine hundred feet above   even perceive the bottom, while on the
it, and the elevation of the table-land   opposite side his eyes meet an almost
near Cosihuiriachic and Coyachic must  perpendicular wall of escarpments, worn
be about 7000 feet above the sea. Near  out by time into the most fantastical
Carretas it is a good deal lower; near  shapes, the possibility of getting safely
SantaYsabel still more so; and the valley   down into the valley and out of it again
and plain of Chihuahua, according to  on the other side will appear somewhat
Dr. Wislicenus, is only elevated 4640   doubtful. The road, however, is much
feet above the sea. Thus, the general  better than it appears. The priest of
level of the country is seen to be rising   Coyachic, Padre Gallejo, has shown a
in a western or southwestern direction,  degree of enterprise as rare with his
and this rising was found to continue till  countrymen as with the particular class
we reached the eastern foot of that chain  to which he belongs.  On his own
of mountains, to which the natives  private expense, and according to his
strictly apply the name of Sierra Madre,  own directions, he has caused the most
a name which they never extend, as  important improvements to be made on
some travellers have done, to the more  this tract of road. The padre, however,
eastern chains. Nor can these be called   has not acted as a mere patriot; he is
the branches of the Sierra Madre, as  even more, he is at the same time a
they are in no connection with it, their  speculator. After we had passed Coyacharacter being that of short and de-  chic, lie sent a boy after us to collect a
tached ridges, which run parallel to each  toll of half a dollar for his road improveother, and are surrounded and divided   ments.
by the smooth savannas of the general    Coyichic is a small village of a few




414           A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.                [Oct.
houses. It has been important, how-  is another road, passing round the southever, as a mission among the Tarnumares,  ern extremity of the Sierra, and keeping
and the buildings of that establishmnent,   without interruption on the fiat tablewhich still remain in good condition,  land; but the Bajio del Ciiato, as it is
form  a remarkable object and make a   called, has even a worse reputation.  On
striking effect in the wild scenery of this  our return from  Concepcion, we took
valley.                                 this latter route, but, though we were
Some miles beyond  the village we   alone then, we passed the dangerous
stopped for the night near the camp of a   place, as we now did the Puerto de
caravan of travellers and pack-mules,  las Casas Coloradas, without any molescarrying goods to the Villa de la Con-  tation.
cepcion. This was our route, too, and as  From the Puerto I first saw the Sierra
we had to pass a very dangerous section   Madre. It appeared to be little or not
of the country the next day, we resolved   at all higher than the mountains we had
to keep in company of this " conducta."  seen op our way from  Chihuahua.  The
Before daybreak  the next morning,  character, however, is entirely different.
Dominguez had prepared our coffee, and   It is a long, uninterrupted chain of mounsoon we were again in motion. The  tains, thickly covered with high pine
ascent from the valley to the table-land  timber. At its foot, just opposite the
over the steep escarpments north of   Puerto, near a little lake surrounded by
Coyachic is toilsome, but safe. When  the most beautiful savannas, the village
the traveller has reached the top, the   of Cerro Prieto is situated. The pine
change of scenery is so sudden and ex-  forest comes down from the Sierra into
traordinary, that the effect can only be  the plain, and nearly to the shores of the
compared to one of the most striking  lake, which gives a peculiar charm  to
changes of decoration in the representa-  this interesting spot, where the waters
tion  of an  opera. The edge of the   of the Gulf of Mexico divide from those
escarpment which forms the slope of the   of the Gulf of California. The little lake
valley is so sharp, and the smoothness  of Cerro Prieto does not appear to have
of the savanna on the horizontal table-   any outlet, but it could have one to either
land, into which the valley with its little  side, being situated just on the line of
branches is cut as with a knife, is so per-  division. Certain it is, at least, that
feet, that there is only the transition of  south of it the water descends into the
a few steps in space and of a few seconds  gorges of Coydchic, Cosihuiriachic, and
in time, to bring you from  the woody   San Boija, and is carried into the Rio
sides of a deep chasm where a wild chaos   Conchos, Rio Grande, and Gulf of Mexico,
of confused mountain masses surrounds   while north of it the plateau which folyou into a plain without a single tree, ex-  lows the eastern foot of the Sierra Madre,
tending in some directions to the very  contains the head waters of the Rio
horizon, while new groups of mountains,  Yaqui, which, after a northerly course of
now first seen, emerge in other directions  some seventy or eighty miles, suddenly
in the distance —some little lake spread-  turns to the west, passes through a deep
ing its quiet waters in the foreground,-   and narrow  gap in  the Sierra, and
the whole a scene of repose and peace.    rapidly descends to the Gulf of CaliWe travelled in a northwesterly di-  fornia.
rection over this table-land, till we reached  Thus it appears that the Sierra Madre
the eastern foot of the Sierra de las  is decidedly situated on the western verge
Casas Coloradas, which we passed, and   of the North American continent. And
descended on the other side, in the val-  the Rio Yaqui is not the single affluent
ley or plain of Cerro Prieto. From both  of the Californian Gulf which comes fr'om
sides of the Sierra we had a fine view   the eastern side of this mountain chain.
over that portion of the table-land which   Along its eastern foot the highest portion
extends to the southeast, and contains  of the Mexican table-land is situated,
the beautiful Laguna de los Llanos, a lake  while its western base stands some six
of considerable extent. The Puerto de  or more thousand feet deeper in the low
las Casas Coloradas, as the passage over  country of Sonora and Sinaloa.
the Sierra is called, is much feared by   We passed the night at some houses
the travellers to and( from the Villa de  called Los Ranchitos, where all the conmla Concepcion. A tribe of Apaches is  fort we could obtain consisted of some
living here, not distant fiom  the road,  green oak wood, to make a bad fire in a
and manv a whole conducta has been   court-yard.  We succeeded, at least, to
robbed, or even destroyed here. There   make a thick smoke, from which our eyes




1854.]        A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Jiadre.             415
became sore without our hands becoming   with its scanty population, it is considered
warm from  the fire. We had had no-  as the granary of the state of Chihuahua,
thing to eat since our scanty breakfast at  and when, some years ago, that state
daybreak, the provisions we had taken   suffered severely from excessive drought,
along from Chilluahua being finished, and  the supplies from  Concepcion, and its
all our exertions to get anything which   neighborhood alone, saved the population
could possibly serve as a supper, resulted  from  famine. The wooded mountain
in the mnonotonous "no hay nada"-   belt of the Sierra Madre favors atmos" there is nothing."  After dark, at last,  pheric precipitation, so as to make the
an old woman, who had heard of our  cultivation of corn and wheat possible
wants, and was either more kind-hearted   without the aid of artificial irrigation,
or more speculative than the rest, sent  which, nevertheless, is not neglected.
us some "tortillas," or corn-cakes, and a   The winter is a good deal colder than at
small plate of "frijoles," or beans. We   Chihuahua, and may be compared to
were wise enough to master our appe-  that of Switzerland and southern Gertite, and keep half the quantity of these   many. Peaches grow perfectly well here,
delicacies for our next breakfast, passed   and apples are of superior quality. To
the night, which was exceedingly cold,  all these natural advantages must be
in our carriage, and left the inhospitable  added that the mountains in the neighplace very early in the morning.       borhood contain immense treasures of
The whole region, from Cerro Prieto  gold and silver, and that the hot country
down to the village of Temosachic, where  of Sonora, with its entirely different prothe Rio Yaqui bursts through the Sierra  ductions, is quite near. Wheat and corn
Madre, a distance of seventy or eighty  are regularly sent from here to Jesus
niles, is essentially of the same natural  Maria, a famous mining place in the
character, and can be described at once.  Sierra Madre, and apples, which have
It is a strip of the general table-land,  been worth here three dollars a mule's
from fifteen to twenty miles wide, run-  load last fall, have been sold at forty
ning between the Sierra Madre and a  dollars at the port of Guaymas.
more eastern parallel chain, of which the  Under these circumstances it is not
Sierra de las Casas Coloradas forms the   extraordinary that there is a certain
southern extremity. The general direc-  degree of wealth in this section of the
tion of the two Sierras, and the valley   country, which is chiefly concentrated at
or plain between them, is about north-  the Villa de la Concepcion. The people
northwest. The elevation of Cerro Prieto  from that little town are considered the
must be between 7000 and 8000 feet  best customers of the merchants of
above the sea. From  that point to Te-  Chihuahua, who always have a good
m6sachic, I should suppose the level of  day when a conducta from there is in
the country to sink about one thousand  the city. The morals of Concepcion,
feet. The whole valley is naturally  however, have a bad reputation.  Its
covered with the finest savannas I have  inhabitants are the greatest gamblers in
ever seen. No finer pastures. and in a  the state; and as in other countries the
finer and healthier country, can exist in  credit of a man depends from what he is
the world. Beautiful little streams of  known to have won or lost in mnercantransparent water come down from the  tile speculation, so here it appeared to
Sierras on both sides, and soon make the   depend from  what he won or lost at
Rio Yaqui to be quite a respectable little  the gaming table. " Will Don
river. As it continues its course, its bed   pay me?" you may ask a confidential
is cut deeper into the general level of the  friend here. " Yes, I think he will-he
valley, leaving a terrace or piece of table-  won five thousand dollars the other day,"
land at tIle foot of each of the two moun-  is the answer.
tain chains, of which the eastern contains  Like all other sections of the state,
plenty of oak, the western plenty of pine   however, this too has suffered severely
timber. The whole country is altogether  from the depredations of the Apaches.
the best and most beautiful part of the   From the Ranchitos down to the village
state of Chihuahua, and would be, under  of San Antonio, which is half-way to
different political circumstances, a de-  Concepcion, we saw only deserted and
giihtful place to settle. Though it con-  ruined habitations.  Some of them, as
tains, besides the town of Concepcion,  those of El Rosario, have been very
some five or six considerable villages,  extensive buildings belonging to large
there would be room  enough for a hun-  estates now entirely deserted. And even
dred thousand new settlers. Even now,  these ruins, which are on the very road,




416           A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.                [Oct.
must be avoided by the traveller, who   Sierra Madre, particularly in the neighturns his horse round them in a respect-  borhood of the town of Batosedgachic,
able distance. Several times a party of   which is a famous mining place, a
savages have taken possession of the old  population of Tarumares is to be found
walls, and from behind them have made  in an undisturbed and original state,
their attacks on the unsuspecting people   with their old Indian religion and social
who  happened  to  travel the  road.  condition. But, without being actively
When we passed here, the sharp and   hostile  to the Hispano-Mexican race,
experienced eye of Juan Dominguez dis-  they abstain from every kind of intercovered a number of horses and men   course with foreigners. When unexpecthalting in a distant part of the savanna.  edly a traveller enters their habitations,
He declared  them  to be a party of  they leave them; when they see him
Apaches. If they were, however, they   coming, they go out of his way; when
left us unmolested. Near San Antonio  he puts a question to them, they give no
and Concepcion we saw fine herds of   answer, though  they understand him
cattle. These, however, are but poor  well; nor will the highest offer induce
remnants of a former wealth. Herds of  them to trade with him.
hundreds of thousands have been destroy-   We left our carriage at Concepcion,
ed by the savages.                      and continued our voyage on horseback.
We arrived at Concepcion early in   The first village below is Santo Tomas.
the evening, and remained here  the   The situation of this place has a good
whole of the next day. This town,  deal of interest. The eastern Sierra has
with its full name, is called the Villa de   a very high summit here, which is called
la Concepcion de Papigochic, the last  the Cerro Grande de Santo Tomas, and
word being the old Indian name, which,  horizontal strata of cretaceous limestone
in  the Tarumare language, means a   are placed across the valley, forming a
place of snipes or plovers. A consider-  barrier of hills which only leave a deep
able number of Tarumare Indians still  and narrow ravine through which the
live here, as they do in all'the villages  Rio Yaqui winds its course, till it reaches
farther down the valley, which have the   at the village of Tejologachic, the open
rights  and  prerogatives  of  Indian   valley again. The study of this locality
" Pueblos," even if their present popula-  would prove highly instructive in a geotion consist chiefly of " gente de razon,"  logical point of view, as the relations
" reasonable men," as the Hispano-Mexi-  between the horizontal cretaceous strata
cans call themselves in opposition to the   and the upheaved masses of older fossiliIndians. These  Tarumares, however,  ferous, metamorphic, and volcanic forthough among themselves they still con-  mations of which the high Sierras on
tinue to speak their old language, appear  both sides of the valley appear to conto have lost their original manners.  sist, must be easily observable here. I
There are others of their villages situated   am  very sorry that circumstances did
in some less frequented parts of the   not allow me to spend some time in this
country, where, though they have adopt-  investigation.  We hastened on without
ed the name of Christians, and are in a   losing one moment's time. Passing Teloose  political  connection with  the   jol6gachic we came to Matachic, where
government of the state, a part of their  we slept that night. The Apaches had
old social system has been preserved.  driven away here, only a few days ago,
Their lands, there, are common property   one hundred and fifty head of cattle, and
of the community, and, from  time to   nearly all the male inhabitants of the
time, are divided according to the wants  place, united with those of Tejologachic,
and working capacities of the families.  Santo Tomas, Temobsachic, and Yept)A certain portion is reserved in favor of   mera, were out on a' campania" to fight
the old, the sick, and the helpless. This  the savages in their very mountain reis worked by all those who are able to  cesses. The people of these villages are
work, and the produce is stored in public  very brave, and well exercised in the uso
magazines. These stores, as well as the   of the rifle. They are generally successindividuals whom they are intended to  ful in their expeditions against their
serve, are superintended by certain male   mortal enemy.*  But this war is a war
and female officers which  are called   of extermination, and will not soon be'Tenanches. In  some valleys of the   closed. Between Matachic and Tem6* The government of Chihuahua, not long ago, had ordered its citizens to abstain from such private cam-paigns against the Indians, not, as might be expected, with the object of restoring peace with them, but'"because such war was the business of the military."




1854.1        A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.           417
sachic, we passed the rancho of an old  written by his dying father, in which he,
gentleman, Don Bias Bencomo, with  the son, was recommended to Don Guilwhom Don Guillermo had some busi-  lermo, who was entreated to extend to
ness.  We found him in a deplorable  the latter the friendship he had shown to
state. Some weeks ago he was pursuing  the former.  Don Guillermo complied
two Apaches. Just in the moment when   with the request, and the young man
he had overtaken them, he fell with his  took a bill of goods on credit. Three
horse, and immediately was lanced by  years passed since that time, and he did
one of the savages. The arrival of his  not pay. Now Don Guillermo suddenly
son only, who killed the Indian, saved  appeared at Tem6sachic.  "Where is
the old man's life.                   Natividad Andrada living?" he asked
The village of Tem6sachic, which was  the first person he met. " There is the
the farthest point of our voyage, has a  house of his mother," was the answer,
very remarkable situation. The valley   while the place was pointed out with the
of the Rio Yaqui seems to be entirely  hand. We rode up before its door, in
shut here. The gap in which the river  which a decent looking old woman apburst through the Sierra Madre is so  peared.  "Is Natividad Andrada in?"
narrow that it is difficult to discover it,  "No, sir."  "Is he near?"  "Yes, sir,
and the communication which exists, in  he is in the village."'" Then, let him
a northwesterly direction, between this  come; I must speak him."  In a few
valley and the plains of Carmen and Cor-  minutes he appeared. He was a young
ralitos, which extend towards the cele-  man of fine proportions and a regular
brated Casas Grandes and the Gila River,  face, whose originally noble expression,
is equally hidden from the view. The  however, was disturbed by the consevillage of Yep6mera, two miles to the  quences of a disorderly life. " Nativinorth of Tem6sachic, is the outermost  dad," Don Guillermo addressed him, "as
settlement in this part of the state of  you do not come to me, I must come to
Chihuahua. To the west, the boundary  you. Why did I never see you at Chiline of the state of Sonora is only a few   huahua?"  "Sir, I was unable to pay
miles distant, while the country to the  you; I had no money."  "Can you pay
north and northeast is entirely deserted,  me now? "  "No, sir, I cannot; I am
since the beautiful haciendas situated   poor; I have nothing." "Do you know
there have been destroyed by the In-  how much you owe me?"  "Not exactdians. Hundreds of miles of the finest  ly, sir."  " It is three hundred dollars."
country in that direction, are now with-  "It is so, as your grace says so." "And
out inhabitants.                     you really cannot pay me?" " No, sir i"
Contrary to the general dryness of  "Not even part of your debt?" "I have
northern Mexico, the valley of Temrnsa-  nothing."  " Then you must come along
chic and Yep6mera is full of springs and  with me, and I shall make you work."
little streams. The water of some of  "Well, sir, I think it is but just." "Then
them has an elevated temperature, which  make ready; for I am returning without
keeps the meadows green and the cattle  delay."  "I am ready. What I have on
fat all over the winter.             my body is all I have to take along."
It is well known, that one of the  This property consisted of an old straw
greatest social evils of Mexico is the in-  hat, a ragged old blanket, a coarse cotstitution of peonage, or the law which  ton shirt, a pair of wide pantaloons of
puts the person of a debtor, unable to  unbleached cotton, and a pair of sanpay, at the disposal of his creditor. We  dals.
delayed only one single hour at Tem6sa-    During this whole conversation, we
chic, yet this short time afforded me an  had not alighted from our horses, and
occasion to observe how this institution  the old woman had said nothing. Now
or law is working, and taught me more  she burst forth in tears, while she adthan a whole volume on Mexico could  dressed Don Guillermo: "Your Grace is
have taught me.                      in your right," she said, "but how miserA respectable citizen of that village  able am I-old and helpless as I am! He
used to be a customer of Don Guillermo,  is my only child; yet I have long known
who had no objection to give him a few  that he would not be the consolation of
hundred dollars' worth of goods on cre-  my age. He did not follow the example
dit, and the customer regularly paid his  of his father.  But, alight from  your
account at the end of the agreed term.  horses, gentlemen, and enter my humble
the man died, and his son came to Chi-  dwelling," she added, with that politehuahua with a letter pretended to be  ness which is natural even to the lowest




418           A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.             [Oct.
of Spanish extraction, and she repeated   pression of sadness and regret, " will not
her invitation till we accepted. "Yes,"  bless me!" " Man!"' Guadalupe addresssaid Don Guillermo, on entering the little  ed him, "what, dost thou sigh now?house, "his father has been an honest  Regret is good for nothing!-Begin a new
man. But how came it that his son is  life! —Does not Don Guillermo, a most
in so bad circumstances?"  "O, sir, the   excellent and acco'nplished gentleman,
boy gambled away all he had." " With-  open the gates of the world to thee?out the letter of his dying father, I would   What dost thou know of the world?not have given him credit: how could   Nothing!-Now  thou wilt know it!his grace write that letter, knowing the   Thou wilt see the United States!-Thou
bad character of his son?"  "0, sir, my   wilt become a manr!-Thou wilt pay thy
husband never wrote that letter; the   debts!-and when, after an absence of
boy, following the bad advice of a com-  years, thou wilt come back to thy na.tive
panion, forged it."  "Then it is right  place, thy mother may be dead, but thy
that you are punished," said Don Guil-  children will be grown up, arid their
lermo addressing Natividad; *" and you,  father may even aspire to become alcalde
sefiora," he added, speaking to the old  of Tem6sachic?:'
woman, " may consolate yourself. The     All this is so entirely characteristic of
boy, as he is now, is of no advantage to   Mexican life that I could not omit
you. I shall take care of him. I shall  its particulars. The two fellows who
teach him  how  to work and live in  now were, and still are the peones of
a decent manner, and, if possible, shall  Don Guillermo, exhibit some of the bad
make him return to you an honest man.  and some of the good qualities of MexiYou shall go with me to Texas," he said  cans. or if the reader does not agree to
to the young man.  "Whenever your  find any of the latter in the two characGrace pleases," he replied; and, after a  ters as I have represented them, I mnay
short delay more, during which we took   say that good qualities, at least, were
some "tortillas" and "frijoles," while Na-  readily developed in them  as soon as
tividad went to see a young woman and  they were placed under better moral ina child of which he was the father, we  fluences than those under which they
left.                                  had formerly lived. I have since travelIt is worthy of remark that this whole  led with both these men through differtransaction, which entirely changed the   ent parts of the  state  of Chihuasituation of a family in less than half-  hua and down  to San Antonio  de
an-hour, was without the interfereLce   Bexar, and have been pleased to see
of any public authority. When we came  their honesty, activity and good will.
back to the Villa de la Concepcion,  And their situation is that of the Mlexinearly the same transaction was repeated   can nation in general-a nation which is
in respect to another debtor of Don   placed by the history of the whole
Guillermo. Guadalupe Vargas appeared   Spanish race under circumstances most
to be a very smart and satirical, but  unfavorable to moral development, but
equally careless and good-natured fellow.  is' endowed with good natural qualities
He had been a pedlar, had bought goods  which will not be lost in the destiny of
on credit, had gambled the value away,  the new world.
and, like Natividad, had left Don Guil-    But T have to return once more to
lermo unpaid. And he made as little   Tem6sachic, and to relate the few inciresistance to  follow us as his fellow   dents of our voyage back to Chihuahua,
debtor had made-though he accepted   which may be worth mentioning.
his fate in a very different mood. When  While in the house of Natividad, a
he heard that he would have to follow   fine young woman came in, inquiring for
his new master on a voyage to Texas, he  information of her husband, who was
merely begged leave to see his old  gone to Chihuahua, and was absent bemother, who was living at a village in  yond the usual time.  I mention her
the neighborhood of Carletas, some dis-  because she had an appearance very
tance aside of our rdad. "He wanted the   different from  what is believed to be
blessings of his mother for his long and  the exclusive type of Mexican blood.
dangerous voyage in a foreign country,"  She had flaxen hair, blue eyes, and
he said, in a most frivolous mixture of  the fairest and most delicate complexpiety and sarcasm.  Nativida(d, who,  ion. Persons of this description are
with all his vices, showed a more serious  not at all rare in the " tieria fria," or
and sentimental character, sighed deeply.  high cool region of northern Mexico.
"My mother," he said with an ex-  Whether it is the influence of climate and




1854.]        A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.              419
the flexibility of the human constitution,   creased, when, attracted by curiosity,
or, on the contrary, the ineffectuality of   some  dozens of children  assembled
climnate and stability of that constitution,  aropnd us, all of them the offspring of
what they prove, I do not presume to  the inmates of that single house. Famiconjecture.                            lies with a numerous offspring are, inWhen we mounted our horses to leave   deed, very common in this part of MexiTembsachic, I felt shocked by the idea  co. At Santo Tomas, where we passed
of Andrada being obliged to follow us on  the following night, the wife of our host,
foot and to keep pace with the lively   who was quite a young and very finetrot in which we started. I could, how-  looking lady, told us that she was the
ever not help it, but only looked in   mother of eight children.
silent astonishment at him as he trotted  At this latter place we went, in comalong like a faithful dog, now behind,  pany of the alcalde or chief magistrate,
now before, now aside of us. At Con-  to see the church, a down-crumbling edicepcion he was joined by Guadalupe,  fice, built by the Jesuits, who first estabwhose swiftness, at first start, proved in-  lished here a mission among the Tarusufficient to keep with that of our car-  mares. The high altar, with its surriage, but who soon learned how to move  rounding ornaments and the ceiling, are
his legs, when he saw no alternative but  thickly covered with  gold.  Though
either to follow or to be left behind in  nothing of good taste can be expected at
the wilderness without arms, and to run   such a place, still there is a considerable
the danger of being scalped by some   degree of finish on that part of the instraggling Apaches. This must appear  terior. The rest consists either of naked
cruel to anybody who considers it under  walls, or is ornamented in the most baranother, but a Mexican point of view.  barous style. Among different paintAfter the first day, however, the two   ings of very different merit is that of
fellows often amused themselves, just as  one of the first padres and most active
dogs use to do, to run ahead of the   missionaries, who died here in 1640.
carriage, while it was in its quickest    In a room below the church are the
motion. What Mexicans of the lower  sepulchres of all the padres who have
classes can accomplish in travelling on   ended their lives here. Among them is
foot is nearly incredible. When, in the  that of the founder of the mission. The
month of April, General Trias marched   alcalde led us down. When we arrived
on Mesilla, I travelled with the brigade,  we found Jesus Dominguez, who had
and had occasion to witness the whole  preceded us, standing before the eminfantry trotting without interruption   balmed corpse of that same saint-for
for hours, to keep pace with the cavalry,  the padre really has been canonizedartillery and wagons, whatever the rate   which he had taken out of his grave
might be at which the horses could get  and placed upright against the wall.
along on a good piece of road; and one   Just as we entered he was addressing
day the brigade  made twenty-eight  the corpse in a most frivolous manner,
leagues, or about eighty miles in twenty-  making some very disrespectful craniofour hours to reach the next watering  logical remarks on the exceedingly small
place*, and not only soldiers but even  size of its skull. The alcalde laughed.
women, bearing a little child on one   We ordered the corpse to be carefully
arm and a calabash with water in tile  replaced, and the grave to be well shut
hand of the other one, made that forced   again. This little incident is quite chamarch, on which to hold back was to  racteristic in respect to the present state
die.                                   of religious feeling, if not in Mexico in
We passed the first night on our  general, of which I do not venture to
way back at the rancho of Don Bias  judge, at least, in the State of ChihuaBencomo. If the Apaches kill a great  hua.
number of people in this country, the    I have nothing to relate of our second
survivors know  how  to restore the   stay at Concepcion, except that the wealosses. " Que muchlacheria!" —" what a  ther had become exceedingly cold, and
bevy of girls! "-cried Jesus Domnin-  accordingly the large "sala" in the
guez, when we entered the court-yard   house of Don Raphael, having neither
of the rancho, and saw us surrounded   window or fire-place, very uncomfortaby more than half a dozen of young   ble. Tllis was not the fault of our kind
women.  Our wonder, however, in-  host, who treated us in the most hospi* From the Ojo de Luzero to Gaudalupe, on the Rio Grande. The Charcos Gradeo had no water.




420           A  Trip from  Chihuahua to the Sierra Madre.             [Oct.
table manner, and did everything to  chief round his head to keep his long
honor and please us.  Chimneys are  hair from falling over his eyes, he put
rarely, and glass windows nearly never  fresh caps upon his rifle and pistols, and
found in that country. Everybody, in  fearlessly galloped ahead straight to the
cold weather, is wrapt in his "serape"  very place of supposed danger.  We
(blanket) or "capa " (cloak), even in his  armed each of the two men who formed
room. The poor people who have not  our infantry, placed our revolvers and
sufficient covering, suffer exceedingly  rifles at hand, and followed him. No
during the cold season. As soon as the  enemy, however, could be discovered.
sun rises in the morning, they are seen   A little farther on a new  alarm  was
to stand about in the streets and lean   given.  Dominguez had advanced so
against the walls of the houses, for the  much that he was covered to our view
purpose of thawing their stiffened limbs  by a little elevation of the savanna.
in its rays. Happily these rays are very   Suddenly we saw a traveller at a diswarm, even in winter, while a piercing  tance to our right, who made signs to us
cold may prevail in the shade.         to hasten on, pointing in the direction of
From the Ianchitos to Coyachic we  Dominguez. We could only suppose that
took a route different from  that by   he was attacked by the savages.  I
which we had come. We passed west of   grasped the rifle, Don Guillermo drove
the Laguna de Cerro Prieto, at the very  the horses into gallop; Natividad and
foot of the Sierra Madre, which, however,  Gaudalupe kept pace with them, and
near as we were, we could not see, the  thus we raced up the little hill, where
atmosphere being entirely obscured by   we saw our servant standing quietly in
falling snow. We passed a night at  the road with a peaceable traveller,
Cerro Prieto, where the direct road from   whom  the other one to our right
Chihuahua to the mines of Jesus Maria  hand had seen approaching, and believed
enters the Sierra., We then came to the  to be an Apache. Trifling as these little
village of Los Llanos (the plains), situa-  incidents are, they show the degree of
ted at the lake of that same name, and,  fear and excitement in which the inhatravelling along its northeastern shore,  bitants of this country are constantly
arrived at the Bajio del Chato. As al-  kept while travelling.
ready observed, we had the good for-    The rest of our voyage passed withtune of seeing no Apaches at that ill-re-  out any accident, and we safely arrived
puted place. We did not pass it, how-  at Chihuahua after an absence of sevenever, without having, at least, some   teen days.
little excitement. Just at the most dan-    If the kind reader should ask how it
gerous spot, where a little ravine runs  happened that, travelling through  a
down from the southern extremity of  country reported to be the most dangerthe Sierra de las Casas Coloradas against  ous part of the State of Chihuahua, I
the lake, a cloud of cranes, geese, and   have  not even' seen  those  terrible
ducks, suddenly rose more than a thou-  Apaches, of whom  I have spoken so
sand steps before us. As we saw no   much, I have to answer that these
traveller on the road-who could have   savages are rarely to be seen except
scared these birds but some Apaches?-    when they attack, and that they never
signs like this are always regarded as  attack except when they believe themwarnings in an Indian country. Jesus  selves sure of success without risking
Dominguez rode up to our carriage and  too much.  If, therefore, I had seen
calmly observed that, "Los Indios"  them on this journey, it is very likely I
might be in the "arroyo."  And here  should be unable to give a description of
again he showed his courage. Handing  the interview.
his hat over to us, he bound a handker



]854.]                                                                     421
A  THANKSGIVING.
MY heart is full of songs unsung,
That shame the slowness of my tongue;
And God beholds how thronged with praise
My thoughts walk down the silent ways
That lead from life.
I pray, thus with your hand in mine,
We may encounter Proserpine
At evening, wife.
You know, my love by any grace
Was caught, till held in your embrace.
But if true-love was that estate,
Some truer word must vindicate
My present life.
I lay and sang by Hippocrene
To your sweet eyes, who should have been
In battle, wife.
But now if any ill or care
Assail me,'tis not hard to bear
With you. And sweet becomes more sweet,
And in the footprints of your feet
Blooms my full life.
What matter, from its starry aim
My shaft diverged, your eyes proclaim
The victor, wife.
Ivictor! Go, give God the glory:'Tis too improbable a story.
Do I not wonder every day,
As one might, finding fruit in May,
That this my life
With no one purpose well begun,
Is crowned before the race is run,
By thee, sweet wife?
You stay me here. Well, be it so.
Yet when I kiss you softly, know
It is in pledge of fealty
That my worse spirit owes to thee.
Ah bitter life!
Without thee; and ah! gentle death
That joins us by a fleeting breath,
For ever, wife!
THE SHADOW.
THERE is but one great sorrow,
All over the wide, wide world;
But that in turn must visit us all,The Shadow that moves behind the pall,
A flag that is never furled,
Till he in his marching crosses
The threshold of the door,
Usurps a place in the inner room
Where he broods in the awful hush and gloom,
Till he goes, and comes no more!
Save this, there is no sorrow,
Whatever we think we feel;
But when Death comes, all's over:'Tis a blow that we never recover,
A wound that will never heal I




422                                                    [Oct.
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE RUSSIAN WAR.
PAST AND PRESENT.
SUCH is the title which we give to the   and the Mediterranean Sea was nothing
following article. In our next number,  but a Roman lake. Never did an emit is our purpose to follow  it up with a   pire possess advantages of climate, soil,
second,. to be called: "RUSSIA, PRESENT   productions and facilities for intercomAND FUTURE."  Within the compass of   munication, comparable to that of which
these two articles, of moderate length, it  the "Seven Hilled City on the Tiber"
is our desire and intention to treat of   was the capital.  In these respects, the
tllose things in the History, Present Con-   empire of the Czars is far from  being
dition anm  Prospects of that great em-   equal to that of the Ccosars.  On the
pire, which may be interesting to our   contrary, from its very northern position,
readers at this momentous period; and   and the sterility of the soil in immense
especially of such events as may throw    portions of it, the Russian empire labors
some liglht on the causes and probable   under very great disadvantages.  With
results of tihe present war between Rus-  the  exception  of the trans-Caucasian
sia and Turkey, in which England and'  province of Georgia, no portion of the
France are taking so remarkable a part,  Russian empire lies south of 420 50';
and  to  which  Austria, Prussia, and   whilst its extreme northern line is in
Sweden hold relations so interesting and   latitude 79. WTe may safely say that
important.                                nearly all of it that is of much account
It is with good reason that well-in-  for agriculture, lies between latitudes of
formed men,-men of a philosophical  440 and 600. This zone, 16 degrees (or
spirit, who have read history not simply   1112 miles) in width, includes the southto know the Past, but also to foreknow the   ern part of the entire empire, with the
Future,-are beginning to contemplate   exception of Georgia. This zone, we
the position, great extent, immense re-  ma; may add, includes, it is probable,
sources, and vast military strength of   four-fifths, if not more, of the entire
the Russian empire with very  serious   population.  Even in the southern porapprehension.  The portion of that em-   tion of the empire, there is scarcely a
pire which lies in Europe is greater by   river which is not frozen up during four
more than a quarter of a million of square   months every winter; whilst those in
miles than all tihe rest of that continent.  the northern are rendered unnavigable,
The Asiatic is far more than double the   for the same cause, from  six to eight.
European part in geograplhical extent-    All the seaports are closed for months
the former having  nearly  4,500,000   by the ice; and commerce entirely ceases
square miiles, and the latter 2,025,000-   during that season of the year.
and if we add Russia in Amnerica, and       As to the populationr of the Russian
the Island of Nova Zernil:, we shall finld   empire, very differelnt estimates are made
that the Russian emlnire contains more   by different authors —fom 57 up to 70,than seven millions of square miles, and   000,000! It is evident that many writers
is little less than one-seventh part of the   are deceived by not looking at the Rusland-surface of the earth! It is the   sian authorities with sufficient care; for
largest empire of which history has ever  these seldom  include eitlher modern Pospoken.  That of Rome was not so ex-  land or Finland in what thley call Russia.
tensive; nor will those of Alexander,  The consequence is, that when they speak
Tamerlane and  Charlemagne compare   of populalion of the country, number of
with it.                                  Roman Catholics, Jews, &c., it is absoOn the other hand, formidable as Rus-  lutely necessary to know  whether they
sia really is, her power is tfar from  cor-  mean to include the whole empire, as it
responding to her geographical dimnen-  now standls, or not; for want of precision
sions. In this respect, the Ronman em-  in this respect, tle authors of the seventh
pire in  its palmiest days,-those  of  edition of the Encyclopediac Lritannica
Trajan, when it had one hundred and   have comllmitted several errors of a setwentv  nlillions  of inhabitants,-far  rious nature in their notices of Russia.
exceeded anythling which Russia has yet  Thle same thing was done by the Hon.
reached; for it included all Middle and   Win. H. Seward, ill a speech which he
Southern Europe, Northern Africa and   delivered in the Senate of the United
Western Asia, to the confines of India;   States, a few years ago, in which he said




1854.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.                  423
that the population of Russia was 64,-  Great Britain and Ireland combined, is
000,000. It' he had added the population   capable of sustaining, with ease, two
of Poland and Finlald he would not  hundred millions. Even although a large
have been much aside from the truth, so   portion of the zone north of latitude 60~
far as Europe is concerned.              may be poor, marshy, abounding  in
When we were in St. Petersburg in  lakes, and in many places abounding,
1846, Count Kisseleff, the minister of the   too, in rocks, and much of the southern
Pubiic Domains, was kind enough to   part sandy and sterile, and containing, in
give us from  the books in the Depart-  the southeast, large steppes, on which
Inent of the Interior, as well as from his  nothing grows save buffalo grass, the
own, maniy statistics relating  to  the   stinted cactus, and small shrubs and
empire. At that time, he assured us  bushes; yet there is a vast extent of exthe population of the entire empire might  cellent land in tile central, western, and
be safely put down at 66,500,000. It  southwestern parts, which is even now
is now  probably not far from  69 or  populous, and is destined to become far
70,000,000; of which about 63,000,000   more so. It is precisely this part of
are in European Russia, including modern   Russia which is so steadily and even
Poland (:a country about as large as  rapidly advancing in population, manuPennsylvania, and having a population   factures, education, and everything else
of 4,500,000 or 5,000,000), the Baltic  that belongs to true civilization.  The
provinces (Courland, Livonia, and Es-  climate, though cold in the winter, is
tilonia, which  once  belonged to  the   not excessively rigorous, as it is in the
Counts of Prussia and to Sweden), and   north. It is the land of wheat, rye,
Finland, most of which has been annex-  barley, oats, buckwheat, flax, hemnp, of
ed to Russia within the present century.  the apple, the pear-, thie peach, the plum;
It will be seen, fromn this statement,  and in it rise the Wolga, the Don, the
that the Asiatic and American portions   Dnieper, the Dniester, which flow down
of the Russian empire must be very  into the Caspian, the Asoph, and the
thinrly populated. In fact they are but  Black seas. In it, too, rise the Limna and
little worth, excepting for their vast  the Dwina (or Duna, as tile R.ussians
mlineral resources, their fisheries, and   call it), which  fall into  the Arctic
their furs and skins.  Siberia, as the   Ocean, and the Neva (which is the outentire of Asiatic-Russia (with the ex-  let of lakes Onega and Ladoga), another
ception of Georgia), is commonly called,  Duna, the Niemen, and  tile Vistula,
is a vast extent of mountains and sterile   which fall into the Gulf of Finland and
plains or steppes, with a very small pro-  the Baltic.  These ten rivers are navigaportion of ground fit for cultivation.  ble in the six or seven warm  months for
We have known personally several gen-  boats of various sizes. On their lower
tletnell, Russians and others, who resided   courses steamboats are now to be seen
or travelled there for years, and they have   ploughing their way; and on some of
given us but one testimony in regard to  them, a considerable number.
that \ast and dreary region.  It is only   Large portions of this vast countryin tile western and southern portions of  larger, as we have already said, than all
it, where its gold, platina, and other  the rest of Europe —atle covered with
mines-in the Oural Altai mountains-    primeval forests.  This is especially true
are found, that there is any permlanent  of the northern, eastern (towards and
p,)ldllation worth sl)eaking of: It is to  along the Oural Mountains), the western,
tlhose portions of Siberia that the "coll-  and  southwes.tern  "governments"  or
victs" are sent-friom  seven to eight  provinces.  We have often travelled ten
tihousand every year-not to work in the   and even twenty miles at a stretch, in
Ininms, save in the case of great crinmi-   Western Russia, without seeing a house
hal., but to become serfs of the crown,  or a field-nothing but tle forest tar and
andl cultivate the public lands.         wide. This is quite remarkable in the
But although the Asiatic and Ameri-   western confines of Russia proper, and
can portions of the Russian emlpire will  the eastern side of old Poland, in its
never have a great population, and are   most powerful day, about thie longitude
chiefly valuable for their mineral re-  of Smolensk, and even fuirtlher west.
so)urces, their fisheries, and the abundance  But enough of geographical descripof' kins and furs which they yield, it is  tion. Let us advance to more interesttfar otherwise with the European part of  ing, though scarcely less important subit. That vast country, whose population  jects.  We say scarcely less imnportant,
is now nearly equal to that of France,  for God has with His own finger, (s it




424            Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.             [Oct.
were, written the destinies of the nations  fundamental to all correct knowledge of
on the very surface itself of the earth.  the history of the Russian empire. It is
Its great features have determined, and  true that Russia in Europe may be said
will long determine, the history of man-  to be one vast plain; the greatest, prokind. Mountains, and seas, and straits,  bably, on the earth. The northern and
and to some extent even rivers, have con-  southern portions of it, for hundreds of
tributed to separate the human family,  miles inward from the Arctic Ocean and
and create numerous states and king-  Black Sea, are almost perfectly level.
doms, for the most part small-in the   and the central parts are scarcely more
former case bold, brave, hardy, and war-  than undulating, or at most hilly. We
like; in the latter, adventurous, and   have several times passed over the road
addicted to commerce and colonization.  from St. Petersburg to Moscow, and have
Widely different have been the conditions  seen nothing approaching to a mountain
and pursuits of men when congregated  in point of height, even on the table-land
on large plains. Tnere it has not been   on which rise the great rivers of the
found difficult to bring large masses  country-some flowing off to the southunder the government of an ambitious  east, and others to the northwest. Mosand powerful military chief, which his  cow stands in what may be called a vast
descendants, if possessed  of similar  plain. With the exception of a ridge of
character and talent, may continue to  some elevation on the west, which the
hold. Where there is but little civiliza-  Russians dignify by calling it the " Spartion, military power is the only force  row Mountains," but which we should
which is sufficient to maintain the adhe-  hardly consider respectable hills, there
sion, or agglomeration rather, of man-  is nothing but a boundless plain in all
kind in masses. The plains of the Eu-  directions.
phrates, the Tigris, the Ganges, the Yang-    Russia is not only very level, but it is
tse-Kiang, and many others of greater or  low; so much so, if it were made a perless extent, illustrate  this  position.  feet plain, it has been calculated that it
When civilization has become sufficiently   would have an altitude of only 350 feet
advanced, it makes it possible to bind   above the ocean. Whereas, if Europe
men together in large nationalities by   were reduced to a dead level, it would
suitable political institutions, and still  be 630 feet above the sea. Russia is the
more by strong and reciprocal interests.  lowest country of large extent in Europe;
Civilization, too, can bring under one  Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Turgovernment neighboring and even dis-  key, and Greece are the highest.
tant portions of the human race, which   How, then, if Russia be a plain, as it
have been sundered by mountains, by   were, of such great extent, has it haprivers, by straits, and even by seas and   pened that it was not sooner brought
oceans; for it can furnish the means of  under one government? We will exovercoming, and, as it were, of removing   plain this, by calling the attention of the
such barriers. The good common-road,  reader to the important fact, that from
the railroad, the ship, the steamboat,  very early times, until within a few centhe diffusion of a common language and  turies, emigration from  Asia greatly
a common religion, the planting of   affected the interests and destinies of the
colonies-all these are means which   countries on the eastern and contiguous
civilization can employ (as we see illus-  side of Europe. This emigration was en
trated in our own great country and   masse, for the reason that it was made
some others at the present day, and as  by whole tribes of people, headed by
will be illustrated all over the world in  bold chieftains, who fought their way,
some future era), to give political gov-  sword in hand, into regions better, as
erninents vast extent and influence over  they supposed, than those which they
large portions of mankind, even where  had  quit.  Our old  historians used
there is considerable diversity of lan-  to say that these great emigrations came
guage and religion.                    from  " about " or "beyond the Black
But the history of Russia does not seem   Sea,"-sometimes from about or beyond
to confirm some of these positions; for,  the Caspian Sea; and there the matter
although it is a plain, ages upon ages  ended. But it is now settled that these
passed away before it was brought under  emigrations came from  the high tableone government. In fact, that consum-  lands of what is now called Independent
mation has been reached only within   Tartary and Bokara, where the soil is far
comparatively modern times. Let us  from being fertile, or the climate genial,
look at this subject for a moment. It is  and whence the inhabitants, nomadic in




1G54.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.               425
their manner of living, were induced to  time from  the Greekl colonies on the
emigrate, from time to time, in the hope  northern coasts of the Black Sea, and in
of finding better countries in the distant  process of time the Greek  Colonies
West, or in the distant East (for they did  themselves, suffered a complete prostraemigrate sometimes, and even recently,  tion.
into China), and the more distant South.    As for the tribes of Asiatic barbarians
On their way to Europe, they must go   who did the mischief, some of them-as
either south or north of the Caspian and  the Magyars, for instance, the progenithe Black Seas. Those who went south,  tors of Kossuth, and a part of the modern
mnust traverse Asia Minor, and cross the   Hungarians-penetrated into the valley
Hellespont or the Bosphorus. As soon   of the Danube, one of the finest countries
as civilization was sufficiently advanced  in Europe. Others penetrated into Gerin Greece, the inhabitants of that won-  many, and traces of them are to be seen
derful country resisted this invasion of  to this day. Odin and his followers
Europe, so far as their country was con-  reached even Denmark, and the southern
cerned. Twice they repelled the Per-  portions of Sweden and Norway, took
sians, and saved Europe. To this day   possession of those countries, and laid
the young Greeks, who strut about the  the foundations of the Scandinavian states.
streets of Athens, dressed in the gay   Their descendants made their mark effecAlbanian costume, are for ever talking of  tually in England, France, and other porMarathon, and Salamis, and Platea, and  tions of Western Europe.
saying-" If it had not been for our brave  But the greater number of the Asiatic
ancestors, what would have become of  barbarians, who came like swarms of
Europe?"  They have some reason for  bees from  an old hive, and reached
talking in that way. Alexander the   Europe by the route which we have just
Great, and his successors in the Macedo-  named, took up their abode, if abode it
nian kingdom, for two centuries, and the   may be called, either of choice or necesRomans for many centuries more, effectu-  sity, on the plains of Scythia and Sarmaally prevented the southeastern part of  tin, as the western portion (afterwards
Europe from being desolated by Asiatic  called Poland) was sometimes desigbarbarism.                             nated. Then they roamed about, living
But it was not so with the north-  in tents, having no possessions but their
eastern part of Europe-what is now   cattle, their sheep, their goats, and their
called Russia. The Greeks planted colo-  horses. The chase and the fishery furnies in the Crimea, and along all the   nished much of their food, for a long
north coast of the Black Sea, and those   period, if we may judge of them from
colonies flourished at times, and enjoyed  the scanty notices which the Greek and
extensive commerce with Greece, and   Roman historians of those earlier times,
all the countries on the Euxine, the   and the Byzantine historians of the
iEgean, and the Mediterranean Seas.  "' Lower Empire," have deigned to give
But these colonies had no protectors.  us at a later day. Often at war with
Neither the Macedonian kings, nor the   each other, and nomadic almost without
Republic of Rome, nor, indeed, the em-  exception in their manner of life, it is not
perors of Rome, nor even those of Con-  astonishing that the progress of civilizastantinople, ever took possession of Rus-  tion, and ultimately of Christianity, was
sia, or Scvthia, as it was then called.  so slow in that vast trans-Euxine and
They did not conquer or hold even the   almost Hyperborean country.
southern part of it, though it was much   And yet there was progress. During
less distant from Rome, and incompa-  the intervals-which gradually became
rably less distant than some countries in  greater and greater between the descent
the east, which they both conquered, and   of these avalanches of Asiatic barbarism
long retained.                         and  heathenism, and  afterwards of
The result was, that there being no   Mohammedanism-civilization.andChrisbarrier in that direction, tribe after tribe  tianity did make some advances. For a
of armed and uncivilized people marched  long time, however, their influence was
round the Caspian Sea, or through the   only felt in the portion of the country
Caucasus, into Europe. There was a   which borders on the Black Sea. Gradugreat gateway between the Caspian and   ally they penetrated further and further
and the Oural mountains, and no one to  into the interior, until, after the lapse of
defend it against such desolating irrup-  ten centuries, they reached the very heart
tions, before which the incipient civili-  of the empire, and afterwards spread up
zation which spread out from time to  to the shores of the Baltic Sea and the
VOL. iv. —28




426            Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.                [Oct.
Arctic Ocean. Certainly, it was a very   sounds of the instruments employed;
imperfect civilization  and Christianity   and an awful dissonance is heard for
which made these achievements. Be it  some time. This is intended to represo; they were better than barbarism and   sent Chaos! At length, and very graheathenism; certainly better as a pre-   dually, something like harmony begins
paration for still greater and better things.  to be noticeable, and the tones of the
Whatever they were, they were dear to  clarionet are heard above all the rest;
the people who received them, and are   and, finally, every vestige of confusion
dear still to their descendants.  They   and discord disappears, and the most
are no way disposed to ignore either the   delightful stream  of symphony flows
civilization or the Christianity of their  forth —every note falling into its proper
ancestors, or of themselves, And they   place. The effect is wonderful. Just
know full well that they are indebted to  so, in her early history, Russia is all conthe Greeks, and the Church of Greece,  fusion. Every  petty  tribe, and the
and of the Greek empire, for both. By   number was immense, seems to be on
the simple-hearted and imperfectly civi-  bad terms, if not at open war, with its
lized and Christianized Russians, Con-  neighbors. The manners of the people
stantinople was regarded for ages as the   were repulsive. They were an uncivilgreatest city in the world. And it was  ized, ignorant, rude collection of tribes,
for a long period-from A.D. 400 and   speaking -different dialects, and, in some
thereabouts, to 1450, a period of a thou-  cases, different languages, among whom
sand years-a wonderful city. With all  nothing was more striking  than  an
the miserable government which somre-  entire want of everything like nationtimes existed there, it was still a great  ality.
and proud city. During the latter half     By degrees, and very slowly, accordof that period, and far more, it was vast-  ing to the Russian historians, the Sclaly superior to Rome, or any other city in   vonic tribe gained the ascendancy, and,
the world. When the "Great Schism"   in the fifthl century of the Christian era,
took place, in the ninth century, which   founded the cities of Kief, on the Dnieseparated the Latin or Western, or   per (or Borysthenes), in  the south;
Romish  Church, from  the  Greek, or  Novgorod, on  the Volkopp, in the
Eastern Church, the Russian Christians,  north; and Cracow, on the Vistula, in
as was natural, took sides with the lat-  the west. Each of these cities became
ter', and looked up to the Patriarch of  the capital of a kingdom; the last named
Constantinople as the  head  of their  becoming the capital of the kingdom of
church.                                  Poland. For several centuries, these
We have said enough to show why the   three kingdoms were wholly insignifiRussians-the people of Russia proper es-  cant. In the ninth century, Ruric, who
pecially-who, to the number of fifty mil-  is said to have been a " Northman," or
lions, profess the faith and practice the   Norwegian, came with a large number of
rites of the Greek Church, should so  armed followers, by sea, and, ascending the
strongly  sympathize with  the Greek   Neva, founded on its banks the city of
Church in Turkey, and why they should   Ladoga, a short distance fiom the lake
feel so much interest in everything that is  which bears the same name. Conquerconnected with Constantinople-the city  ing the surrounding tribes of uncivilized
to visit which was the highest wish in the   people, he ventured to march to Novgohearts of their ancestors. And, although   rod, 120 miles to the south, took it, and
the "Tartar Invasion" did, for a long   established himself there; and there he
time, cut off all direct intercourse   died. His son Igor succeeded him, but
between their country and Constanti-  being a minor, or imbecile, his uncle
nople, yet they could not think of having   Oleg, or Olap, carried on the governa Patriarch of their own until the Greek   ment for him. The wife of Igor, whose
empire and Constantinople fell a prey to   name was Olga, was the first of the perthe Turks, the last great horde of Asia-  sons connected with the Russian Court
tics which invaded Europe. But, let us  who professed Christianity.  Oleg translook a little at the Political History of  ferred the government from Novgorod
of Russia and also of Poland.            to Kief, which he had conquered-thus
Reader, have you ever been present at  the northern and southern portions of
the performance of Haydn's Oratorio  the Sclavonic race were brought under
ef the Creation?  If you have, you   one sceptre. A grandson of Igor, Walmust remember that there is at the out-  dimir the Great, was a man of vast
set a tremendous mingling of all the   energy of character, and success in war;




1854.]         Causes and CUonsequences of the Russian War.                427
and, if the Russian historians are to  lested by those of the Crimea. At the
be believed, he gave to Russia almost  same time, the Swedes, the Livonians,
her present limits, so far as Europe is  the Teutonic Knights, and the Poles, atconcerned.  His  wife, Anna, was  a   tacked them  from the west and northGreek princess. Through her influence,   west.  The Poles conquered  all the
probably, at least in part, Waldimir   western side of the empire, and held it
embraced Christianity. He did much   for nearly three centuries. They took
in the way of giving good laws to his   Moscow, and held it some time, and even
people; but committed the great mis-  advanced their armies to Kasan.  Betake of dividing his vast empire between   tween the Tartars, on the one hand, and
his numerous  sons, constituting  the   the Poles on the other, the empire of,ldest the paramount prince at Kief, and   Russia was, in the fourteenth and fifthe others subordinate to him. This  teenth centuries, well-nigh annihilated.
arrangement nearly ruined the empire,  This fact constitutes a second cause of
and was the source of nmany civil wars  the deadly hatred which the Russians
for a long period.                       have ever since had for the Poles. It
In the twelfth century, a descendant  also shows us why they so hate the Tarof Waldimir founded the city of Moscow,  tars, and, in fact, all Mohammedans. and
and made it the capital of the empire.  especially the Turks, who, after their
By this time, Christianity had penetrated   conquest of the Greek empire, overran
up into the northern portions of the   the northwestern part of Russia, and
country, and the prevailing and estab-  founded intimate alliances with the Tarlished form of it was that of the Greek   tars of the Crimea, commonly called the
Church. On the other hand, the mis-  Crim-Tartars. It was the deep and setsionaries who carried Christianity into  tled purpose of the Russians, cherished
the Western Sclavonic kingdom, or Po-  through the period, five centuries and
land, as it has long since been called,  more, to " settle up" with both the Rowere from  Rome. It is said, however,  man Catholic Poles and the Mohammethat the Poles received, as did the Hun-  dan Tartars and Turks, for the injuries
garians, the Moravians, and the Bohe-  and even persecutions which their Church
amians, their first ideas of Christianity   endured at their hands. They have paid,
froin Greek missionaries, but that they   and overpaid, the Poles and the Tartars:
were speedily supplanted by missionaries   with the Turks, they have not yet gotten
from Rome. It is quite likely that the   through. It was Ivan I. (commonly callPatriarch of Constantinople and the Bis-  ed Vasilievitsch the Great), who reigned
hop of Rome would make strenuous  from  1462 to 1505, that freed Russia
efforts to make their respective churches  from the yoke of the Tartars. His granddominant in those countries. Rome tri-  son, Ivan Vasilievitsch II., did much for
umphed: the Poles became Roman Ca-  the civilization of Russia, but was not
tholics, and this fact constituted the   so successful in his wars with the Poles.
earliest and one of the most effective of   He conquered Kasan in 1552, and Astrathe causes of hatred and of war between   can two years later, and put an end to
two nations whose origin was essentially  the reign of the Tartars in the eastern
the same.  The Eastern and Western   and southeastern parts of the empire.
Churches were, in the latter part of the   His son Feodor, or Theodore, who died
ninth century, and in  the tenth, at  in 1598, was the monarch who conquered
" swords' points" with each other, as they   Siberia, or rather the western part of it.
have been ever since. But the Poles   With hiin terminated the dynasty of
advanced more rapidly in civilization,  Ruric. After fifteen years of an interunder the dynasties of Piast and Yagel-  regnum, in the first part of which Boris
lon, than did the Russians, because of   governed the country, Michael Romnanoff
their proximity to Germany, and great  was chosen  Czar, and ascended  the
intercourse, alternately peaceable and   throne in 1613.  Upon his death, in
warlike, with the German nation.         1645, his son Alexis succeeded, and
About the middle of the thirteenth  reigned until 1676. It was in his reign
century, the Tartars, emerging from Asia  that the Russians had their first war (in
by a northern route, overran and conquer-  1671) with the Turks, who had bena
ed almost all Russia-driving the " Grand   their neighbors since 1472. Feodoer II.,
Prince," or monarch, up to Novgorod;  his son, was a good ruler, but he died in
and for two hundred years, the Russians   1682, leaving the throne to Ivan III., an
were tributaries to the Tartar princes of  imbecile brother, and to Peter (known as
Astracan, and were much longer mo-  the Great), his half-brother. In 1689,




428            Cauzses and Couscguencea of the Russian  War.            [Oce
Ivan was persuaded to abdicate, and   ington, in the autumn  of 1840. Since
Peter alone took the helm of state, and   that tune she married, and died. HIer
set about making Russia an Eitrosean   father still lives, we believe. And tlfis
country, whereas it had hitherto been  is the end of the House of the Great
Asiatic.  The Strelitz, a body of troops   Khans of the Crim-Tartars!
like the Janizaries of Constantinople,    The unfortunate, but well-meaning,
which Ivan II. had created, Peter anni-  Paul, succeeded his mother in the throne.
hilated-killing some of the chiefs withl  and was put to death by Count Paniml
his own hands. He changed entirely the   and others, in March, 1801. Alexander,
organization and discipline of the troops;  his son, reigned from 1801 to December
entered the army himseIf as a common   1, 1825. During his reign Russia extendsoldier, and rose to the rank of a gene-  her boundaries in the direction of Turral, under the instruction of foreign offi-  key, to the Pruth, and the month of the
cers.  His efforts to create a navy and   Danube, gained possession of Georgia, a
establish manufactures were incessant.  province beyond the Caucasus, comIn his wars with the Swedes, he was emi-  pleted the annexation of Finland, and
nently successful, and founded the city  received, at the Congress of Vienna, the
of St. Petersburg (in 1703), as soon as he   Grand Duchy of Warsaw, which Bonacould get possession of the adjacent coast  parte had created in 1809, but which
for a few miles. Hle did much for the  thenceforth took the name of the "*Kingcivil administration of his empire, and to   dom," or rather " Vice-Royalty of PoEuropeanize its army and its institutions.  land"?'  This gave to the Russian emHe was, in all respects, a wonderful man.  pire its present limits. The reign of
He died in 1725. The reign of his wife,  Nicholas, who succeeded his brother
Catherine I. (17215-227), and of his grand-  Alexander, has, up to this time, added
son, Peter II. (1727-30), were unmarked   nothing of importance in the shape of
by events of importance. The Empress  territory, so far as we can remember, to
Anne, a niece of Peter, reigned from   the empire. The war with Persia, in 1826,
1730 to 1740. During her reign, Russia   and that with Turkey, in 1827-28, did
conquered Azoph, and extended her in-  little- luore than illustrate the Russian
fluence in the direction of Poland. In   arms. The suppression of the attempted
her reign, the military school system of  revolution in Poland, 1830-31, and the
iRussia was commenced.                  aiding of the Austrians against the Hun.
Urnder the government of the Empress   galians in 1849, have been the only
Elizabeth, 1741-62, and that of Cathe-  other military events, previous to the
rine the Second (or Great), 1762-96, the   present war with Turkey, England, and
boundaries of Russia were greatly ex-  France, which have marked the reign of
tended. The three'Partitions" of Po-  the present Emperor.
land (1772,'93, and'95), occurred in her  We have given this little sketch of
reign; by each of which Russia received  the history of Russia, for the double
a part of the possessions of her ancient  purpose of setting forth the growth of
rival and enemy, or "recovered," as the   Russia, and the causes of her feelings
Russians say, what Poland took from   and her conduct in relation to the Tarlher.                                  tars, the Poles, and the Turks. Without
The Crimea was conquered in 1783,  some preliminary survey of this sort, we
and the reign of the Khans of Crimn (or  should hardly be able to form  correct
Little) Tartary came to an end. In 1851,  opinions either of the origin and objects
there was still living in the Crimea the   of the present war, or of the probable
last lineal descendant of these Khans; a  Future of this gigantic empire, whose
man rich in lands, abounding in flocks   great power and menacing attitude are
and herds, and much respected by all  beginning to create so much alarm in
-who knew him. The Emperor Alexan-  the minds of not a few men, who have,
der took him to England in 1815, where  till recently, not been able to descry any
lie was educated, at Oxford, renounced   sinister omens in the Orient.
Mohammedanism  for Christianity, and      As to Poland, we may say, in passing,
married a young lady of Edinburg-a  that she seems to have owed her disapMiss Neilson-whose mother, brothers,  pearance from  the list of nations (not
and sisters we know well. Their only   nationalities), which we trust is but for
child —  daughter, then an elegant young   a season, to several important causes.
lady of eighteen years-we had the plea-  One was the vicious nature of her
sure of seeing at the house of Mr. Pole-  government, which, however the Poles
tiea, once the Russian minister at Wash-  may call it a Cn oonm owealth, was one in




85a4.]         Causes and Comsequences of the Russian tar.               429
which the people were almost nothing,  ants, of whom ninety thousand may be
and the king, the nobles, some Roman   Poles. And yet we heard at Warsaw,
Catholic bishops, and a few delegates  in 1846, onil what we deem good authc(rifrom the larger cities, everything. The  ty, that there were some fanatical Ropeasants were, for the most part, serfs   man Catholic proprietors, who, stirred
till 1793, and the Jews, half a million   up by its fanatical priests, just before an
in number, not much better. How was  expected revolutionary outbreak (which
it possible that there should not be great  actually occured in Gallicia, the Austrian
perturbations, arising from  faction, in   part of Poland), could, and did, p[ut
such a government, especially after the   knives into the hands of their depcrnyear 1572, when, the Lithuanian dynas-  dents, in order that they might massaty coming to an end, the Poles changed   cre their few protestant neighbors.
their government into an elective mon-    Not only did the government of Poarchy, with a Diet still composed of  land oppress and persecute the protestsuch materials as we have described?  ants in the western side of the kingdom,
Of the ten monarchs whom the Diet  they oppressed and persecuted the neinelected in the period of two hundred   hers of the Greek Church in the eastern
vears-from  1572 to 1772-some were   part of it. And all this to please Rome.
able and distinguished men. Certainly,  And what was gained by it?  The prono one can ever pronounce the name of  testants, in their distress, could hardly
Sobieski without the greatest respect.  do otherwise than rejoice when protestBut the greater portion of them were  ant Russia was ready to intervene in the
poor creatures, and the immorality of   affairs of the kingdom. The same feeltheir court exceeded  even  that of  ing existed, it is reasonable to suppose,
France, which is saying a great deal.  in the breasts of the members of the
The first of these elected monarchs   Greek Church in the provinces which
made his escape from Poland, and re-  Poland had conquered from Russia. It
turned to France, where he was after-  is difficult to believe that they were not,
wards the worthless Henry III.  The   at least very many of them, by any
third on the list was Sigismund, a rene-  means, very reluctant to see Russia ingade Protestant, a descendant of the  terfere and re-annex them to her domigreat and good Gustavus Vasa, of Swe-  nions.  And  this actually  occurred;
den; we are grieved to write it. The   Austria, a Roman Catholic country, recPoles consider him to have been one of  ceiving the smallest, but by far the best
their ablest monarchs. In our opinion,  part, of Roman Catholic Poland. And
he did more to ruin Poland than any   when  attempts at revolution  were
other man who ever occupied her throne.  made in the modern kingdom of Poland,
lIe was a Jesuit, and labored hard to put  which  is Russian, in  1830, and  in
down, and even extirpate, Protestantism   Austrian  Poland  (Gallicia), in  1846;
in the kingdom, which, in his day, still  — attempts which  enlisted the symincluded the great western provinces of   pathies of every protestant in these
Russia-Courland, Lithuania, Podolia,  United States and Great Britain-the
Volhynia, and the Ukraine, and could   man who should have been their friend,
not have had much less than eighteen,  because he calls them  his " children,"
if not twenty, millions of inhabitants,  gave  the  revolutionists  the  most
half of whom, all in the eastern portion,  fatal stab  of all.  Reader! do you
belonged to the Greek Church, having   ask who he was?  It was Pope Pius
been converted to that faith when under  VIII., in the former case; and Gregory
the dominion of Russia.  During his  XVI., in the latter. Certainly, by this
reign, of thirty-six years and more, a  time, the Poles ought to know who are
course of oppression and persecution  their friends. Can any man believe that
was commenced in relation to the pro-  if Poland had become a protestant
testants, who once numbered several  country (as England, Holland, Scotland,
mnillions, and formed nearly half the   Sweden, and some others), in the sixDiet, which ended in their being almost  teenth and seventeenth centuries, as she
rooted out of the kingdom. There are   would have done, if the government
inot half a million of people at this day,  had given that protection which  it
\within the limits of what was ancient  ought, that the bravest people in Europe
Poland, who are protestants, and many   would have been conquered, and parcelof them are Germans. In the modern  led out like a flock of sheep, by such nakingdom of Poland, there are about one  tions as Russia, Austria, and Prussia,
hundred and ninety thousand protest-  were then-even if those nations had




430            Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.                [OcG.
dared to make the attempt?  We have   be done. Peter felt an interest in liteheard intelligent Roman Catholics of   rary societies and institutions. He was
Gallicia confess that Prussia has govern-   not ignorant of the  importance  of
ed her portion of Poland best, Russia  science; and he certainly did somlething
next best, and Austria worst of all.  in that direction. But his schemes did
And she is a Roman Catholic nation,  not go down deep enough. And as to the'aLld the Poles who fell to her share by   manners of the higher classes, but little
the infamous spoliation were also Ro-  improvement was made in his reign.
manl Catholics.                          What if he did require the nobles to
Nor ought the Poles to forget that in  shave their beards (and occasionally lie
the day of their power they treated Rus-  carried the rule into effect perforce), upon
sia very much as Russia has treated them   the pain of not being allowed to conie
in turn. God is just. It is a dangerous  into the palace? his own life was immothing for one nation to do wrong to an-  ral, his manners so rude, and his examother. Let Russia beware, lest, in her   ple in living in his little cottage, which
lust for territorial conquest, she wake up   greatly resembled an Irish shanty, in the
a spirit of retaliation which will one day   centre of the fortress which he built onl
work her destruction. But let us return   an island in St. Petersburg, was not calfrom this long digression.               culated to give his nobles very elevated
No one can read the history of' Russia  ideas of princely morals and princely
with care, without being struck with the   manners.
fact that its civilization may be said to  Certainly there was no great advance
have made exceedingly slow  progress  in the brief reign of his wife, Catherine I.,
before the reign of Peter the Great. Nor  who, unless belied by history, was inhas it been half so rapid since, as it would  temperate in her habits, and even worse,
have been, if all his successors on the   if that be possible. Peter II. was a mere
throne had had as enlightened views as   boy of thirteen years, and reigned only
he had of what is needed to secure the   three years. The Empress Anne was, in
civilization aud elevation of the people.  some respects, a woman of better chaThere were many and great defects in  racter than some of the other female
views and plans, but he was a great man   sovereigns of Russia; and yet she was
in many respects. IIe undertook a task   no better than she should be. The miliwhich required the strength of a giant.  tary and political affairs of the empire
Unfortunately, Peter  commenced his   were ably  managed  by AMtnich  and
work at the top, instead of the bottom,  Ostermann; but better was done for the
of society, or rather, he ought to have   education and elevation of the people.
commenced at both the top and the bot-  Ivan IV., her nephew, -who succeeded
tom —not neglecting the middle. The   her, if we may so speak, was but two
entire population, throughout all its   months  old!  And  he  reigned  but
strata, was in his day rude, ignorant and   eighteen months, when he was, poor
barbarous after the Asiatic type. The   child, dethroned  by  the  voluptuous,
noble.; or boyards, wore thin, long   proud, ambitious, sensual daughter of
beards and their sheep-skin coats, and   Peter the Great, who bore the name of
many of them were beastly drunkards.  Elizabeth. What could be expected under
The cities were small in size, and not  her reign, in the way of advancing civilinumerous, and in none of thern was there   zation, or any other good thing amlong
the least spark of true European civiliza-  the masses?
tion. There is no great amount of "mid-    Reader, if you desire to know  somedle society" or of "middle classes" in  thing of the character of the Empress
Russia in the present day, with all the   Elizabeth of Russia, and of the manners
help that the annexation of the Baltic  of her court, we advise you to procure the
provinces, Finland and the modern king-   "Memoirs of the Princess Dashkoff," pubdom of Poland has given her; there was  lished in London by Murray, some twelve
none at all, or none worthy of mention, in   or fifteen years ago, in two goodly octavo
Peter's day.                             volumes.  They are worth a cart-load
Peter did not go to work with vigor   of the volumes which the present war is
to educate the laboring people of the   calling forth in such quantities in England
cities and villages, as he should have   and France, of somne of which we shall
done. He knew  nothing  of Normal  perhaps have a few words to say either
Schools, institutions absolutely necessary  in this present article, or in our next.
to fbrmn teachers in such a country as   Among other things you will find, that
Russia, or any other where much is to  this paragon of an empress ivouted a




1854.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.                 431
noble lady and sent her to Siberia, be-  plore it fiomn top to bottom, to hear many
cause she had provoked her jealousy!   classes examined, to learn the nature and
You will find, also, that quarrelling with   extent of the studies, occupations, amuseone of the noble courtiers, she had a   ments, etc., etc., of these 750 pupils;
great nest made for hiln in a corner of  many of them  belonging to the very
one of the rooms of her palace (we think   highest families in Russia.
it was the Winter Palace), and sentenced   Catherine the Great established two
him to sit in it for days, like a goose, and   Institutions for Foundlings; one at Mosto cackle like a goose! Having no chil-  cow, the other at St. Petersburg, whic!
dren of her own to succeed her, she left  are the largest probably in the world.
her crown to the son of her sister Anne   As they were for a long time conducted,
-another daughter of Peter the Great-   they offered a premium, if we may so
who took the name of Peter III.  After  speak, for licentiousness. All children
a reign of six months, he was dethroned   that were brought were received, and
and put to death by, or through the con-  those that survived were trained up to be
nivance of his wife, who ascended the  teachers, governesses, mechanics, etc.
throne, under tile name of'"Catherine   In the month of September, 1840, we
the Second," as the Russians call her, or  examined the books of both of those in"Catherine the Great," as she is com-  stitutions, and the one in Moscow had
monly called by the historians of other  16,000 entries already for that year,
countries. The Princess Dashkoff, who   and they would, as we were informed
rode by her side when she galloped into   by the physicians and one of the directhe city fiom  a suburban palace (both  tots, probably  reach twenty-eight or
dressed as military officers and seated in  thirty thousand by the end of the year!
men's saddles), to summon and harangue   Those of the Institution of St. Petersthe regiments and then ascend the throne,  burg had not reached so high a figure.
denies that the empress was privy to the   But the  emperor has made a great
murder of her husband, though she ad-  change within a few years. Illegitimate
mits that she consented to his dethrone-   children may be received, but to remain
ment, and this after they had been mar-  only a certain time; then they will be
ried seventeen years! The pretext was  given to any one in the country who will
that his government was unpopular, be-  take them and bring them  up; whvllilst
cause it favored Prussia, as well as for  the persons to be brought up in the esother reascos.                           tablishment must be the children of
Catherine reigned thirty-four years,  officers of the army and navy, and otheri
and died in 1796. She was a woman of   employ6s of the government, whose,
strong sensual passions; and yet she   salaries are small.
possessed much good sense and a sound      Certainly the manners of the people,
judgment. Her energy of character was  especially of the higher classes, had irnmost extraordinary. She did a great deal  proved  considerably  in  the days of
to increase the territorial dominions of  Catherine the Great, whatever their
Russia, develop its resources,-and promote   morals might still be. Yet there was
its commerce and manufactures. The  rudeness enough, as we might expect,
present emperor, who is her grandson,  if what the youngest sister of Frederick
is of the opinion that she did more for  the Great of Prussia, wrote to her brothe true interests of the empire than   ther (then an exile from the court of his
even Peter the Great. She was not in-  father) about the character, conduct and
different to the subject of education,  habits of the Russians who accompanied
especially that of the nobles and middle  (if we remember rightly) the husband of
classes. The "Smolna Monastery," as it  Catherine the Great and his wife when
is still called, (because it was once a mo-  they visited the Court of Berlin, about a
nastery) situatedin the upper part of the   hundred years ago. If they had been
city of St. Petersburg, and near to the   beasts, instead of human beings, they
Neva, is the largest female school we  could scarcely have left the rooms in the
have ever seen, and one of the best.  palace which they occupied in a worse
There are there 750 young ladies, from   condition. It is well known that it was
fourteen or fifteen years up to twenty-  an amusement with Catherine and hel'
two, and from all parts of the elnpire.  courtiers to play "hide-and-go-seek"
This institution is very complete. It has  and " blind-man's buff."  We cami assure
a fund of seven millions of'"paper rubles,"  the reader that no such " doings " take
which in our money may be put down   place in the Winter Palace at St. Petersat $1,540,000. It took us a day to ex-  burg, in these times. The strictest do



432             Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.               [Oct.
corum is maintained, and the most refin-  still commits the grand mistake, and has
ed and easy manners are everywhere  always done so, of giving up so much of
visible, in all assemblages of the nobles   his time, and expending so much money,
and others at the palace of the emperor.  in behalf of the army and navy. By far
There is no court in Europe where great-  too much money is expended upon the
er propriety of conduct is seen than in  navy, for a country which has comparathat of the Russias in these days.      tively so little commerce. The navy of
The Emnperor Alexander did much for  Russia is the third in the world in point
Russia, in some respects.  The empire   of extent; and yet her commerce is far
was greatly enlarged in his reign of  from having attained to a corresponding
twenty-four years. Universities, gram-  importance. Her army at this moment
mar schools, schools in the military colo-  must embrace a million of officers and
nies, female schools and schools for the   men-perhaps 1,200,000. And although
common people, certainly advanced much  the Russian soldier does not receive a third
during his reign.                       part of the wages-perhaps not a fourth
The Emperor Alexander was an amia-  part of the American or English soldier,
ble but not strong-minded man. During   still the aggregate of the expenditures on
the last twelve years of his life he cer-  a million of soldiers and fifty or sixty
tainly appeared to be a man greatly  thousand sailors, must be a large sum.
under the influence of religious principles.  One thing is certain; it is that the
For two or three years before his death,  Russians are not behind the other nations
his health greatly failed, and he made up  in military science. The twenty-seven
his mind, whilst on a visit which he made   military schools, embracing 9200 young
to the Crimea in the autumn of 1825-    men, and from which 1100 annually go
leaving the empress at Taganrok, a water-  forth into the army, are admirably coning place on the Sea of Azoph-that he   ducted. It employed us diligently one
would resign the sceptre to his brother   whole day to visit the three military
Nicholas (and so wrote to his good friend,  schools in St. Petersburg.  The first one
Prince Alexander Gallitzin) the next year,  we examined had 1000 cadets, all young
and would spend the rest of his days on   nobles, the second had 650, and the third
a beautiful home which he had found   had 158. The instruction is almost idenin that most beautiful of all the parts of  tical with that of our West Point acaRussia, with a few friends, "trying," as   demy. The text-books are French, for
lie said, " to prepare for heaven."     the most part, so far as our memory
The present emperor is certainly one   serves us. The colonel who accompanied
of the most able of all the monarchs who   us at the close of the visit lent us the
have reigned in Russia. He has done a   then last Report of the Grand Duke Migreat deal to promote the material inter-  chael, the commander-in-chief of the
ests of the empire; nor has he been in-  army, to his brother, the emperor, on
different to the education of the masses.  the state of the military schools, as well
Of his thirteen ministers not one is more  as of the army in general.  We were
estimable than Ouvazoff, the Minister of   permitted to keep that document one
Education. He is himself a scholar and a   night. Jt comprised  110 manuscript
good man, and takes a deep interest in  pages, and was written in French. We
the education of the people. From  his  also visited the admirable naval school at
statemnents to us, and published docu-  Tsarskoeselo, 24 miles from St. Petersments which he put in our hlands, a few   burg, and nearly on the road to Moscow.
years ago, we certainly infer that educa-  The literature of Russia is far more extion is advancing in Russia, and with it  tensive than most Americans suppose.
the desire for knowledge is. increasing.  The universities are seven in number,
Of the Ministers of Agriculture, Com-  and are at St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kasan,
merce, the Interior, Justice, the Public   Charkoff, Kief, Dorpat, and Helsingfors.
Domains, who were then in office-and   The last named is for Finland, and is
most of them are still-we formed a very   established at the capital of that country,
favorable op)inion. They are doing much   and no longer at Abo (Obo, as they proin their respective spheres to promote  nounce it), where it long was. The inthe best interests of the empire. It is  struction is given in the Swedish language
certain that the interests of agriculture,  in this university.  The university of
manufactures, commerce, internal im-  Dorpat is in Livonia, one of the Baltic
provements, education, %etc., are much   provinces, and is probably the best of the
cared for under the present reign, al-  whole. The instruction is given in Gerthough the emperor, it must be allowed,  man. The other five universities are for




1854.]                         The BEditor at Large.                                433
the instruction of the Russian  youth.   population of the European portion of the
The institution at Wilna is not, we be-   empire.  The emperor, some twelve or
lieve, a university, though it is often   fifteen years ago, was greatly bent on
called such.  There is no university at   carrying into effect the gigantic scheme
Warsaw, nor has there been since 1831.   of liberating the serfs, forty-eight millions
The young men of Poland are required   in number, of whom  20,000,000 belong
to go to Dorpat for their university eda-   to him —or, as we should say, to the
cation.                                       crown or government-1,600,000 live on
It will be seen from  the preceding   appanages of the crown-that is, on the
statements that there has been a great   estates that support the various portions
deal of progress in Russia, in certain di-   of the imperial family-and 26,500,000
rections, within the last 150 years, and   to the nobles.  Most of the serfs are culespecially within the last fifty.  The rail-  tivators of the ground, though many are
road is going to do wonders for that   mechanics.  They cannot be separated
great country.  Abounding in iron and   from  the estates on which they were
manual labor, it will not be difficult to   born.  Those who are farmers pay either
construct great lines of railroads in all  in kind, or in money, the rent which is
parts of the empire, especially as the   due to the proprietors.  The mechanics
country is so level.  The road from St.   and crown serfs pay in money, so much
Petersburg  to  Moscow  is completed.   per head for themselves and their famiThere is one in progress from the former   lies, except the children under four years.
city to Warsaw.  It will be 700 miles   The amount is far from  being excessive.
long.  There are several railroads in Po-   All that they can make beyond is their
land, uniting Warsaw  with Vienna and   own property.  Some  of them   grow
Berlin, as well as with places within that   wealthy. They often buy their freedom,
kingdom.                                      and set up as proprietors themselves.
Nothing astonished us more in Russia   The emperor's plan was to require the
than the perfection to which the manu-   proprietors to sell the serfs as much land
factures of that country have attained —   as they can cultivate, at a fixed price,
especially those of iron, woollen, and   and allow  them  a certain number of
cotton.  Their manufactures of leather,   years in which to pay for it.  Some prohemp, copper, as well as some other   prietors are acting on this plan, which
articles, are quite remarkable.               was recommended by an ukase some years
These things give us the conviction   ago.
that Russia, notwithstanding the Asiatic        But we are in danger of making this
looks, dress, and manners of the masses,   article too long.  We will therefore stop
is very steadily, if not very fast, becom-   here, and in our next resume the coning an European country, and that her   sideration of the present state and proscivilization is so far advanced that it will   pects of Russia, and give a sketch of the
soon have a vast effect to increase the   rise and progress of the present -- ar.
THE REPROOF.                                   THE REPLY.
On merry wooer, leave thy hoarded jest,      LIFE needs its play and love its varied phase;
Thy armory of" quips and wreathed smiles,"   The bended bow wears out with constant strain;
Lay by thy graceful trifling for a while,     And feeling, sharpened into arrowy pain,
Put serious earnest feeling to the test;      Frays the tense heart and spends its strength in vain.
Giving thy weary wits a welcome rest,         Engrossing passion dulling, droops, decays
Let thought and sentiment the time beguile.   Or cumbers with its load the aching brain.
Sport is the wreath upon the capital        Its sluggish stream moves turbidly along,
The pillar's solid majesty to crown.           While mountain torrent glitters on its way;
But pillars built of wreaths would crumble down  The merry sunshine leaps within its spray,
With their own weight. So, fading, on us fall  which bounding, bubbling, trickles liquid song;
The flowery columns of thy Palace Hall.       The foam that floats upon the reddening glass
Wit is thine enemy,-upon it frown;            Proclaims its force and vigorous overflow;Or thou, blind Sampson, at thy foe's proud call,    So frolic's effervescence does but show
Shroudest thyself in an inglorious pall.      The life and brilliance of love's wine. Alas!
O man of strength, who might lift Gaza's gate,  For stagnant souls, love's fantasies who blame,
And quell Philista's power, shun Sampson's fate I  And call its vital vehemence but shame!




434                                                                    [Oct.
THE EDITOR AT LARGE.
DIMES is once more the rage. Since  burning with anxiety to train up a conD.the publication of our last number,  ventional race of human creatures, has
he has suddenly come into fashion. Two   put forth the tables of his law in the
-ears ago, Dimes was the adored of Fifth  shape of a manual of etiquette, which
Avenue and Grammercy Park. He was   has already run through three editions.
very young, very rich, with most exqui-  We would give the ticket for Perham's
sitely thin legs.  His redowa was a   gift enterprise that we bought the other
miracle, and his small-talk never flagged.  day, to meet a man whose life was
He led "the German" with an easy grace   modelled on MI. de Meilheurat's book.
that his peers strove in vain to imitate,  He must be the most unhappy wretch in
and, for a brief space, reigned the moo-  existence. Neither his feet, his hands,
narch of the winter season. But, alas!  head, face or body, are his own; thley
in an evil hour, he cultivated moustache   all belong to M. de Meilleurat. Tlis
and whiskers. Scarce had his youthful  awful man marches among his species,
beard attained a sufficient length to give   armed like a French gardener, with
employment to his hand in the pauses  huge shears, clipping  humanity into
of conversation, when a rival, with a   what he believes to be symmetry.  Our
smoother face, a larger fortune, and   natures must have no offshoots; no rethinner legs, burst from his state of school  markable boughs sticking out so as to
chrysalis into the gay garden of fashion,  give us an individual character. A moand the star of Dimes paled before the   notonous uniformity must reign amongst
ascending planet of Waffles. From that  men, or M. de Meilheurat will expire of
time forward, Dimes was comparatively  disgust. We must not look at the furnia misanthrope. IHe joined the Hudson   ture of our friends' rooms when we enter
club, frequented the New York Hotel,  them. It is a crime against M. de Meiland lounged in the lobbies of the opera,  heurat. When we talk to a lady we must
with a huge lorgnette, through which he  turn the conversation upon the topic of
stared at Waffles in the private box that  dress, in order that we may praise hers.
le used to occupy, and leaning over the   We must not write to people of distincladies in whose ears he used to whisper.  tion unless the four angles of our enDires had gone out of fashion.  But  velope are exact right angles. We must
things are changed now.                 seal with red wax.  If we sit next a
Yes, we are speaking well of you,  lady at dinner-and we always do when
gentle Dimes, even though we did not  we can get one under fifty-we must
know that you were looking over our  keep our eyes firmly fixed on that happy
shoulder while we were writing your  female's plate, so that the instant she has
praises. If we had detected your pre-  eaten the last morsel of her spring
sence, we would perhaps have said some-  chicken, we may, with telegraphic speed,
thing ill-natured, for it is pleasant some-  furnish her with her roti. We must not
times to have a quarrel with one's  brush our hat with our hands while payfriends. Such acts like a thunder-storm,  ing a visit, because such is the habit of a
and clears the social atmosphere, and the   bourgeois. We must not wear our hair
sun shines out all the brighter afterwards.  beyond a certain length; and, in his
Do you know, Dimes, that M. Alfred de   anxiety to make us entirely perfect, Mi.
Meilheurat, the distinguished author of   de Meilheurat absolutely informs us that
the -lanuel de Savoir Vivre, lately pub-  we must not make our appearance in solished in Paris, would have pronounced   ciety with dirty nails!  This Parisian
It ill-bred in you to look over our shoul-  Confucius further acquaints us with his
der in the manner you have been doing?  definition of a distinguished man.  He
That wonderful master  of etiquette  says that''a distinguished man may be rewould have condemned you to some   cognized by the fineness of his linen, by
French Siberia for such a crime. M. de  the elegance of his boots, the careful disMieilheurat mustbe a marvellous man, and   posal of his hair, and the perfect fit of
the next time you go to Paris, seek him   his gloves."  This definition is encourout and court his society. You will re-  aging, my Dimes. How easy to be disturn to us with additional lustre, my   tinguished!  With what ease can we
Dimes, after having enjoyed the intimacy   pick up from tailor, bootmaker, and cheof such a rare being. M. de Meilheurat,  misier, the necessary qualities to elevate




1854.]                      The Editor at Large.                           435
us above the common herd!. On the   great men have bean in debt.  Byron
other hand, what paltry fellows Sir  was embarrassed, Coleridge dreamed on
Walter Scott with his thick shoes, and  through an army of duns; and we doubt
Dr. Johnson with his snuffy coat, must  not, but that Will Shakespeare had his
have been!  Could M. de Meilheurat  little account scored up behind the door
ever get over that grease spot on the   of the Bidford  tavern.  Leigh Hunt
velvet coat that poor Goldsmith used to   generally resides in an atmosphere of
hide with his hat?  Would Daniel Web-  pecuniary difficulty. The number of exester, in blue coat and buff waistcoat, ever  cutions that take place in his house are
pass muster before an autocrat who pro-  appalling, and render it a sort of domestic
nounces a black suit to be indispensable   Tower Hill. Thackeray dedicates one of
at a banquet?  We do not wonder, O   his books to his tailor, as the only tribute
Dimes, that three editions of such a book   he can render that worthy individual for
were demanded in a few months. It is  having trusted him for innumerable coats
so pleasant to know that at the annual  and waistcoats, and the con amore manexpense of a few thousand friancs we can   ner in which the difficulties of Mr. Richbe immediately distinguished.            ard Sniveller are described by Dickens,
A distinguished man, according to M.  seem  to indicate an experience on the
de Meilheurat, was the late Count d'Or-  author's part of the pains and pleasures
say.  Yet, even  d'Orsay's marvellous   of debt.  You have never known the
coats and faultless boots were not able   word, magnificent Dimes! It is an exto preserve his memory from the soiling   perience lost.  You, who have had a
touch of slander. Mr. Patmore, father  check-book since you were fifteen, and
of that most impudent of all bad poets,  have never been able to " overdraw,"
Coventry Patmore, has been, of late days,  have no acquaintance with the debtor's
writing a book made up of reminiscences  side of human nature.
of his "firiends and acquaintances."  It    In England, somehow, native literature
seems, by the general scandal in which   does not appear to be flourishing just at
lie involves everybody lie mentions, that  present. The way in which genius is nehe has treated all his acquaintances like   glected in the British islands is really
friends. Among other victims, the Count  shameful. Men of acknowledged ability
d'Orsay comes in for his share; and Mr.  are forced to have recourse to public apPatmore resuscitates the old story of the   peals, while the publishers spend their
celebrated dandy having been a tailor's   money lavishly on transatlantic authors.
model, and not paying his tradesmen's  The touching and modest advertisement
bills. This is indignantly denied, in a   which we subjoin. clipped from a London
letter to the Athenrnmn, from the Count's  literary journal, will at once exemplify
accountant, a Mr. Hutton, who says that  what we allude to:
d'Orsay, during the space of twelve        YOUNG GENTLEMAN, an Author, whose writyears, paid upward of ~18,000 to trades-    ings have obtained universal praise, will be
men. This does not seem to us to mtake   happy to give a LECTURE on THE BEAUTIFUL, in
public or private. Poetry, Prose, and Acrostics
the matter any better. Every one knows  written. One of his poems for 14 stamps-Address
that Count d'Orsay lived at the rate of   AUGUSTus, 6, Friar's Wharf, Oxford.
six or seven thousand pounds a year,    Here is a man of evidently brilliant
which, multiplied by the twelve years,  talents and a classical name. That his
makes a total of seventy-two thousand   authorial instincts are of the sublimest
pounds. This, less the eighteen thou-  character, we have no excuse for doubtsand, becomes fifty-four thousand pounds,  ing.  Tile offer which he so frankly
which, of itself, constitutes rather a pret-  makes to lecture on THE BEAUTIFUL, suffity little debt. Bat, after all, as Belisa-  ciently indicates that his soul revolves in
rius Mynus says, what is debt?  Debt,  an elevated sphere of thought. Then
sir, is the umbilical cord of Genius, that  what a contrast between the powers of
binds it to its mother earth. Were it  the man, and the means of subsistence he
not for debt and its consequences, where  is compelled to have recourse to.  " Auwvould not the poet soar to? He would   gustus "-would that we knew his patrorise beyond the sphere of common im-  nymic also!-is doubtless a bard of exaginations; he would wander in empy-  traordinary merit and wondrous force.
real halls, where the footfall of the vul-  He may be Sydney Yendys for all we
gar can never sound. But debt, as it  know, and  "Balder," that avalanche
were, humanizes him, and casts over the   of incomprehensible beauty, may have
ethereal nature enough of mortality to  tumbled fromhis Alpineintellectupon the
endear it to thle  niversal heart.  All  astonished world!  Whoever he be, for




436                        The Editor at Large.                         [Oct.
his genius is all that we can assert of him,  most flourishing specimens of a literary
he has our sympathy. His grand mind   Bohemian that one could meet lounging
has to lower itself to writing "poetry,  in the Quadrant in the afternoon, with
prose or acrostics." For the small charge   close-buttoned coat and empty pockets.
of fourteen penny stamps, he will inclose   Now to read his book, one would never
one of those divine productions of his  imagine that once he wrote jokes for
intellect. Even Parnassus is invaded by   small comic periodicals at threepence a
the spirit of progress. We doubt not  line. He has risen a little in the world
but that Castalia is fitted with a modern   of late years. Thackeray employed him
pump. That Pegasus has been trained to  to scrape together, in the British museum,
do his mile in " two forty," and that Mel-  the learning with which his lectures on
pomene has exchanged the cothurnus for  the English humorists was adorned. Mr.
prunella shoes.                        Hannay is a fine classical scholar, and a
London is the only city we know of  man of extensive reading. One can see
-always excepting Paris, which is the  in his own lectures what sort of labor he
natal place of Bohemians-that furnishes  is fresh from.  There is a subdued
the class of literary vagabonds, to which   Thackerayian coloring about them. The
we presume "Augustus"' belongs, in- its  same colloquial style that gives Thacketrue perfection. The literary Bohemian  ray's orations their original air, peeps
is one of the strangest animals under the  faintly out beneath Hannay's more elasun; ungrateful, too, when he becomes a  borate essays. The same way of depictlittle successful. We have been the more  ing the genius of an author, more by picforcibly reminded of this on meeting  tures than by analyses; the same rapid
with a volume by James Hannay, entitled   grouping of accessories, and the use of
" Satire and Satirists," being six lectures  the same emphatic and sometimes startdelivered by that young gentleman in  ling phrases, all indicate that the author
London last spring. Originally a mid-  of" Singleton Fontenoy," and the juvenile
shipman in the navy, he one day cut the   writer in "Punch," has made a close
service, or the service cut him, a question   study of the author of " Vanity Fair."
that has never been satisfactorily settled.  But there is no class on which Mr. HanHe took his revenge, however, for what-  nay is so hard as that from which he has
ever injustice he may have suffered at  scarcely yet emerged-the small comic
the hands of his commanders, by pub-  writer.  He is merciless upon his old
lishing a little volume called "Biscuits  companions. The pet bird, when loosed,
and Grog," which was fiull of person-  after a year of luxury and high feeding,
alities and sneers at the naval service   assaults, without distinction, his wild
and its dignitaries. This was followed   comrades of the trees, and Mr. Hannay,
Dy "The Claret Cup," and a book   petted by "Punch," for an admission to
entitled "King Dobbs, or Sketches in   whose columns he once sighed in vain,
Ultramarine," which last is by far the   and taken by the hand by Michael Anbest light work that Mr. Hannay ever  gelo Titmarsh, turns with sudden ferocity
published. All were distinguished, how-  upon those whose ranks he has forsaken,
ever, by the same savage satirical spirit,  and lays about him with venomous goodsparing no one, and especially bitter  will.
towards the lords of the Admiralty.    And strange fellows are those same
These brochures were followed by a novel  Bohemians, to whom their late leader has
in three volumes, called " Singleton Fon-  turned traitor. They number, probably,
tenoy," which has been reprinted in  not more than twenty or thirty, and live
this country, and is a work of very   entirely among themselves. They seem
unequal merit. The chief portion of Mr.  to have no respectable acquaintances,
Hannay's early literary life has been,  but are free of the theatres, and spend
however, devoted  to  starting  comic   much time behind the scenes. Nearly
periodicals, every one of which  died   all of them have at some time or other
almost as soon as born. Having watched   done something in the theatrical way,
over the cradle and the grave of such a   either adapting a piece from the French,
number of jocular infants, he was one day   or doing some portion of a burlesque, in
summoned from  his duties as midwife  partnership with some other Bohemian,
and undertaker, to the important task   one supplying the plot and songs, the
of feeding a grown up funny paper, and   other putting in the jokes and smart bits
became enrolled on the list of con-  of dialogue. They meet at one another's
tributors to Punch. Yet Mr. Hannay was  rooms-that is, all who have got rooms,
himself, about four years ago, one of the  for some lead a nomadic life, and are




1854.]                     Tlhe Editor at Large.                         437
never knovwn to have an address-where  sisters. But sometines after lie had made
they drink gin, provided by whichever  "'a haul" out of some paper or theatre,
of the party has got any money, make   he would suddenly disappear from society,
epigrams that are worthy of immortality,  and the next his friends would hear of
and forget all trouble or care for the   him was that he was in Paris.
morrow in the jovial atmosphere that      To do them justice, "' the gang" were
they themselves create.  They are all  generous enough towards each other.
uee(ly, and all seedy. If you had ever  They seemed to have a common purse. If
the luck to have been present at the   one of them happened to have any money,
toilette of a member of that body, O   they all dined with him until itwas gone.
Dinmes, thou  superb apparition! you   If none of them were in funds, they still
would have been initiated into mysteries  dined together-on credit. They were
of dress which even your fertile brain  being continually "sold up" by landlacould scarce have imagined. You would  dies, and continually spending  their
have seen the edges of the hat carefully   money, when they got it, with a rush.
inked, and the cuffs of the whitening   Tle way they herded together was cucoat submitted to the same process.  rious. Once upon a time, one of them
You would have seen a wonderful pro-  went to Paris, and by some extraordinary
cess of legerdemain, by which a white  piece of good luck, or good management,
pocket handkerchief is converted into a   established what he called "a tick," at
shirt-bosom.  You would have beheld   a hotel. This wonderful event was, of
expedients to conceal the frailties of   course, communicated without delay to
boots, and astounding mechanical skill  his compeers in London.  The next
brought into play for the purpose of re-  packet brought over four of the gang to
suscitating gloves.  You would have   share their companion's good fortune.
seen window-blind cords turned into   They established themselves at the hotel,
braces, and braces into trowser-straps.  and lived like princes, but whether the
You would have witnessed the construc-  adventure  terminated  in  Clichy, or
tion of paper phantasms that looked like   whether the landlord loved literature
shirt-collars, yet were not. In short,  too well to imprison its votaries, we never
you would have been the observer of  heard. But, with all their faults, they
nmysteries compared to which those of   were a fine set of fellows-clever, goodIsiss must have been puerile. There was  hearted and reckless; and doubtless, with
one man, a member of the London So-  more money, they would have been honciety of Bohemians-which, by the way,  ester men. However that may be, Mr.
w-as known as " the gang" —who was a   Hannay, who was their leader and their
milracle of attire. Meet him  at three  idol, and who used at Mr. Blanchard's
o'clock in the afternoon, going to dine at  chambers to lay down the law over gin
one of the cheap French cafes in Leices-  and water, they listening and applauding
ter Square, and you met him in his glory.  all the while, should scarcely have turned
It would certainly strike you that there   his hand against his friends.
was something odd about his costume.    This gossip about literature and literaA painful tightness and strapping-down-  ry men seems to affect you, Dimes.
edness everywhere, but no more. Ilis  What are you fumbling for in that tight
black moustache was well waxed; his  pocket?  Oh! nonsense. You are quizhat wvas jaunty, and had a mock shine  zing. You don't mean seriously to say
upon it; his tread, though cautious, was  that you have been writing a poem?
easy and assured. You saw that he had   Oh!' only an imitation! Struck by the
gloves, too, for he held them in his hand.  rhymes of the poem called " The Weeder,"
But to those in the secret he was a shamn.  in our September number, you were conThey knew that he was exteriorly corn-  sumed with an ambitionto rival it. Well,
posed of ink, and pins, and fragments of   we don't agree with you, Dimes, that
garments. They knew that he held his  the rhymes constitute the only excellence
gloves in his hand because they were not  of " The Weeder," for we think that the
fellows, and that he had spent an hour  subject is very picturesquely treated; but
at least pasting oil-skin over his broken   we will read your poem to please you.
boots, so as to make them look like pa-  What is it called? " The Vegetarians."
tent leather. This man was a comic   Ah! so you have been dining with those
writer, and composer of burlesques. He  absurd people, who maintain that "Fruit
was very clever, but very poor; honor-  is the only proper food of man."  Well,
ably, so we heard, for it was whispered   we pity you.  Notwithstanding all the
that he supported a mother and two   treatises written to prove that farina



438                              The Editor at Large.                                 [Oct.
ceous food is the, natural one, we never   which you have eclipsed the author of
met a disciple of the school who was not   "The Weeder."  You, in a greater numa fool in grain.  But for your poem,   ber of verses, do not once resort to the
Dimes.  Attention!                             participial adverbs ending in'!y'' for a
rhyme, whereas, he makes use of four.
THE  VEGETARIANS.                  There: let that calm  your perturbed
The feast was spread; and such a shabby feast!  spirit.  But, let us give you a piece of
From all such feasts I cry, Good Lord deliver us!   advice, O Dimes. Don't build your hopes
No soup smoked there; no sign of any beast,    upon poetry; stick to prose, old fellow,
And I-I was carnivorous I                     as long as you can.  There's Bardax, the
great publisher, will tell you olthat poetry
There at the head, where once the sirloin reigned,                           you t 
Emblem of Saxon plenty and of happiness,     is a drug, and it's no use for you to IeA sago-pudding now the place maintained        ply, like Halleck, that "you wish it were
In most insipid pappiness.                    a drug, for then it would sell."  Poetry
is an awful swamp to get entangled in;
The turkey too, that lordly bird was fled,     and unless you have  a powerful lanthorn
No more to satisfy our keen voracity,         of your own the ignesfatui will lead you
And watery beans lay smoking in his stead       o.   e
Wmithl wonderful audacity.                   to destruction. See howv poetry is appreciated.  There's Tom  Hood, one of the
Gone was the sucking-pig, whose tender flesh   greatest of modern poets.  He died in
Was with so many healthy juices succulent;    poverty, and  now   they have built a
The black-cock, too; the partridge, white and fresh,   monument to him, and Monckton Milnes,
With head of wild boar, truculent.           the  parliamentary  rhymer, speaks  an
There was no sign of rabbit or of hare,        oration over the sculptured stones.  But
No tiny red-bird yielded odors savory;       Hood wanted the loaf while he was alive
Unheard-of dishes thronged the bill of fare,   more than the marble now that he is
In farinaceous bravery.                       dead.  There, for many a sad year, was
that great genius obliged to paint his
Nor could I see that grand and famous joint,   face, and  play  the  clown, while  the
On which e'en kings bestowed their royal benison;    d    play  the  clown, while the
What carried flavor to its highest point,crowd flung   im  coppers for   s jokes.
The noble haunch of venison!                 I-e whose heart was swelling with the
sublimest and most natural poetic inTo seek upon that ample board, was rash,       stinct;  he whose  love of fields and
For any substance by a Christian edible;      flowers, and lofty trees, amounted to a
Nothing was seen but cabbages and squash,      passion; whose subtlety of poetic  esOr something as incredible.
Or something as incredible         pression is not surpassed by any writer,
Pumpkins in pies, and pumpkins boiled, and fried,    living or dead;             ed out of
And stewed, and all without a grain of nutriment;  the blackness of a night, on Westminster
What trouble, too, the real thing to hide      bridge, a tragedy of womanly despair,
Beneath some false accoutrement!            that will live for ever; and who, with a
single song, shook every heart in Londor
Potatoes dressed in fifty different ways,      with an eal thlquake  of pity.  This mnn,
As if the soul of dinner was variety,        so full of tenderness so full of the knowWith several courses of the Indian maize
Amaized us to satiety.                       ledge of his own poetic powers, had to
spend his life wringing puns and qulips
Dishes like these, the lengthy table swelled,  from  his brain, in order that he might
So that if one came by, with glances cursory,  live.  Now and then the mask is lifted.
From all the paplike mixtures he beheld,       Non  and then we see that Hood,  the
tte'd fancy'twas a nursery.
jovial punster, is a melancholy, h1eartI could not stand a banquet in such style;     broken, disappointed man.  A  nigitinSo, after chronicling these strange occurrences,  gale that flies about the world, yet finds
I took my hat, and, with a bitter smile,       no echo for its natural melody, and is
I went to dine at Florence's.                 fain to sing grotesquely, if it would find
protection. We can never think over
Well, certainly Dimes, you appear to   Hood's fate, the jester by profession, anid
have used up all the triplet rhymes in   poet at heart, without disgust at the
the dictionary.  Some of the rhymes are   want of discernment in  those  amoirg
good, but entre nous, old fellow, I don't   whom  he lived.
think much of the poem.  There! don't             But let us leave such melancholy topfly into a rage about it; every one must   ics, my Dimes.  Let us put the cypress
make a beginning, you know; and, as a   wreath into its sheath, as The Letter H
salvo, I will tell you  one  point on   would say, and unfold the falchion of




1854.]                     Tlhe Editor at Large.                         439
merriment.  What shall we talk about?  foriners, as giving them ptarts that they
Whom shall we abuse? Shall we de-  will like. Actors are the most whimsiscend with an avalanche of ridicule on   cal and thick-headed race  in existthe head of the American Correspondent  ence. They have no idea of the proprieof the London Critic, the ftiuniest and  ties of nature, and in nine cases out of
most foolish individual we have encoun-  ten, act by tradition. If Garrick had
tered in print for a long time. Or shall  thought fit to stand on his head in the
we talk to you about Gray's autographs,  mad scene in Hamlet, all actors since
which have just been sold in London.  that time would have religiously stood
The MS. of the Elegy, by the way, is a  upon their heads in the same place, at
curious specimen of word-polishing. In  the same time, and for the same number
nearly every line there are three, and   of seconds as the great Mr. Garrick. Who
sometimes five corrections, and what is  that has studied our English style of
still more curious they are nearly all for  declamation on the stage, has not been
the better. We do not believe in sys-  disgusted with its artificial character?
tematic poetry, but we do believe in   Let any man, with  a good musical
elaborate revision. A good poem is, we   ear, listen for half an hour to the elothink, generally dashed off hurriedly at  cution of even our best tragedians, and
first, though the germ may have been a  then declare  impartially, if he ever
long time slumbering in the author's  heard any man, under the influence of
brain.  But to the after-polishing and   even the most powerful excitement, inphrase-altering that it gets it must un-  flect his voice in like manner. Their
questionably owe much of its success.  voices seem continually climbing some
Gray must have taken immense pains  vocal Alps; now shrilling on the topmost
with his poems, if the MS. of the Elegy   peak of the gamut, the next instant dartbe a Air specimen. Let it be a lesson to  ing like an avalanche to the very bottom
those poets that print in haste and repent  of some ravine of sound. Even Rachel,
at leisure. But we see you are weary of  who is the very queen of artifice, and who
all this literary talk, my Dimes. Let us  produces with a single intonation more
glide gracefully off to some more varied   powerful effects than any living tragedian,
region. What say you to a chat upon  is eminently unnatural. With her, howthe drama?  See what theatrical pros-  ever, the distortion is of such colossal
pects loom upon us!  The New York   proportions that it becomes majestic,
Theatre, rising Phcenix-like from  the   even as the human-headed Bulls of Nimashes of the Metropolitan. Devoted joint-  roud, impossible monsters that they are,
ly to the production of English opera and   quell with unexplainable dignity, our
native dramas, may we not expect some-  smiles at their strange outlines. To us it
thing pleasant in the ensuing winter?  seems as if the French vaudeville actors
Now is the time for you, O Dimes, who   were the only faithful delineators of naare ambitious of earning literary laurels,  ture that the stage has ever seen. Their
to write a grand original American   exits, entrances, and movements on the
Drama l  Don't let it be  historical.  boards are easy and unaffected. They
Don't call it "Bunker Hill," or the   do not turn directly to the boxes when
"Siege of New Orleans," or anything of  they make a point, and they are not
that sort. Let us have a good comedy   afraid to play certain scenes with their
of American life; not vulgarly flippant, or  back towards their audience, when the
nationally slangular, but delicately anato-  proprieties of the piece require it. What
mizing the various shades of our very  can be more absurd on our stage, than
peculiar and somewhat anomalous society.  to see a couple of lovers in a drawingWe know no.man better calculated than   room which is only furnished half-way
you to accomplish such a work; but above   down the stage, on account of the necesall, do not forget to appeal to the feminine   sity of scene-shifting, deliberately leave
sentiment. Have a tender, loving woman  the furnished portion, and, chair in hand,
in  it, and somewhat of impassioned   march down gravely to the footlights bespeeches from the Adonis to the Diana  fore they begin their conversation? We
of the piece. The success of that trashy   have absolutely seen a devoted lover,
drama of Bulwer's, "The I,ady of Lyons,"   while talking with his mistress through
is owing almost entirely to its broad   a window at the back of the stage, turn
appeals to the feminine heart.         his back to her and his face to the anuStudy your actors before you write.  dience with every sentence that he utFix upon a certain company, and do not  tered. A French actor, however, does
trouble yourself so much about suiting   on the stage precisely what he would do
the capabilities of the individual per-  in his own apartments. He does not




440                        The Edilor at Large.                         [Oct.
keep sticking himself into picturesque   utterable sorrow, that, after the first
attitudes, that the young ladies in the   glance, there was no man in the house
private boxes may admire him; he is  that dared not to pity him. The audience
just as much at home as our actors are   was moved, and by degrees the clamor
abroad.                                subsided into a solemn silence.  Ile
Actors, poor fellows! sometimes can-  stood near the foot-lights, quiet and denot help carrying their home with them   jected. When all was calm, he spoke,
on the stage. WVV3 will tell you a little  and, in a voice broken with sobs, prostory, Dimes, for the truth of which we   ceeded to offer his little explanation.
can personally vouch. It will make you    "Ladies and gentlemen," he said,
sad perhas, but we should rather like to   " though, in my performance to-night, I
see those fine eyes of yours filled with  am conscious of having merited your distears.                                 pleasure, believe me that in one point
We went one night to see a comedy.  you do me an injustice. IamnotintoxiThe chief actor was a favorite one, and   cated. Emotion alone, and that of the
the theatre crowded. The curtain drew   most painful kind, has caused me to fulup, and amid a burst of applause the  fil my allotted part so badly. My wife
hero of the piece made his appearance.  died an hour ago, and I left her bedside
Ile had, however, scarcely uttered twenty  to fulfil my unavoidable engagement
words, when it struck us that something   here. If I have not pleased you, I imstrange was the matter with him. The   plore of you to forgive me. I loved her,
play was a boisterous comedy of the old  grieve for her; and if misery and anguish
school, and required considerable vivacity  can excuse a fault, I bear my apologyon the part of the actors to susta.in it  here!"'
properly; but this poor man seeimed       He placed his hand upon his heart, and
utterly lifeless. He walked and talked   stopped. A burst of tears relieved for a
like a person in a dream;l the best points   moment his paroxysm of grief, and there
he passed over without appearing to have   was not a corner of that house, Dimes,
perceived them; his limbs trailed as he  that did not re-echo that poor actor's
walked; his smile was ghastly, his laugh   sobs. The audience was completely overhollow and unnatural; and frequently he   come, and an honest burst of sympathy
would stop absently in the middle of a   made the painted trees on the stage
speech and let his eye wander vacantly  tremble as if struck with a sudden storm.
over the audience. Even when in his  Women wept loudly, and strong men
character of the silly husband, he had to  silently, and during the remainder of the
suffer himself to be kicked about the   evening the performance was scarcely
stage by the young rake of the comedy,  audible through the hurricane of applause
and afterwards to behold that careless   with which the crowd sought, after their
individual making love to his wife and   own fashion, to soothe the poor actor's
eating his supper, while he was shut up   wounded heart.
in a closet from which he could not    There was something very melancholy,
emerge, his contortions of ludicrous  my friend, in the thought of that wretched
wrath that had never before failed to   man's coming from the bed of death to
bring down thunders of applause, were   don gay attire, and utter studied wittinow such dismal attempts to portray the   cisms for the amusement of a crowd, not
passion, that hisses were plainly audible  one of whom  dreamed of the anguish
in various parts of the theatre. A storm   that lay festering under the painted cheek
of sibilation and abuse, long gathering,  and stage-smile. Think you not, then,
now burst on the head of the devoted  that in the great theatre of Life there
actor. Insults rang through the house;  are many around us like that poor actor,
noisy people pounded with sticks and um-  smiling gaily at the multitude, while at
brellas on the floor; and to verbal attack,  home lies some mystery of sorrow, whose
orange-peel, apples, and pea-nuts soon suc-  shadow  is ever present with them in
ceeded. The poor fellow stopped at last,  busy places, and in solitude revels upand turned to the shouting crowd. Never  on their hearts as a ghoul among the
did we behold such misery in a human  tombs?
countenance. His face, worn and hag-    Depend on it, there is many such a
gard, showed doubly meagre in the gas-  life-drama enacting near us, as fevered,
light, and large tears rolled down his  though not so spasmodic, as Alexander
painted cheeks. We could see his lips   Smith's.
auivering with inward agony; his bosom   Talking of Slnith, suggests a theory
swelling with suppressed emotion, while   which we formed the other night in bed
his whole mien was so eloquent of un-  regarding poetry. It is this, that sum



1854.]                     The Editor at Large.                         441
mer is prolific of poetry, at least, of such   London, comes in for his share under the
poetry as we get now-a-days from such   name of Apollo~., the critic. Gilyoung gentlemen as condescend to write.  fillan's mission is, it would seem, to disIn the firstplace, people goto the watering   cover poets. Sydney Yendys is a bantplaces in summer, and at that time may  ling of his; he had, we fancy, something
be supposed to gather those delightful  to do with Smith, and has lately dug up
similes about the sea, which every one  a new bard, Bradbury by name. In the
reads now  with  so much  pleasure.  drama, "the splendid writer" perishes
Thence come the manes and tails, the   as Apollodorus in the very exercise of
tawny hides, the creamy bosoms, the  his mission. He is standing at the base
emerald hair, the starry tabards, the   of the pillar of St. Simon Stylites, sighmilky arms, the moony eyes, the sandy  ing for a new poet, while Firmilian, the
whiskers, and oyster-shell teeth, with  hero, is on the summit, conversing with
which old ocean has of late been deco-  a poetaster. Firmilian, wishing to exrated. Neptune, as described by the   perience the sensations of a murderer,
Smiths, Biggs, and Bradburys, would  chucks the poetaster over the parapet,
present a remarkable appearance. What  and, just at the moment that Apolloa subject for an imaginative artist!  But  dorus is entreating Heaven to send
our theory! Summer is liberal of light-  him a poet, down comes the required
ning; summer is liberal of rain and   article on his cranium, and critic and
moonlight, of dust, of leafy vines, golden   poetaster perish together. Read Firsuns, and silver moons. Now, of these   milian by all means, my Dimes, it
above-mentioned properties, and of these  may cure you of ever attempting Life
alone, is our modern poetry made up.  Dramas.
They are to be picked up only in sum-    But not even the pungent ridicule of
mer, therefore summer is the cause of   Blackwood's editor can entirely extinthe poetry. Therefore this present sum-  guish the spirit of true poetry. Almost
mer-vide the columns of the Critic and   while Firmilian was being concocted, all
the Athenmaum-has produced an un-  London was ringing with the fame of a
equalled crop of poets. The amount of   ballad of which even the authorship was
stars, moons, and suns, that these gentle-  unknown. A new poet had started up
men have consumed must render the   under the very noses of hostile reviewsupply alarmingly short for their success-  ers, and, at a single bound, marched into
ors. No man can be expected to use  the temple and usurped the shrine.
second-hand planets, and we regret to   This wondrous production, as yet unacsay that the remaining stock is exceed-  knowledged, became known through
ingly short. There are still, perhaps,  one of those devious paths by which
enough of stars left to satisfy a moderate  great creations sometimes wander into
demand, but suns and moons are at a  the daylight of celebrity. Strange to
premium. "Amorous waves, wagging  relate, it was first sung at one of those
their creamy tails like tawny lions,"  convivial places of resort so admirably
quote at a moderate figure; but if any-  described by Thackeray in the opening
body requires a Mars, perfectly new, and  number of the " Newcomes," under the
warranted with " fiery hair," we would  title of " the Cave of Harmony."  This
advise an early application.           fact induces us to believe that the author
You have not read "; Firmilian," you   mustbe of obscure position, and probably,
say? 0! Dimes, thou art a man to be  goaded by want, disposed of this glorious
pitied. Aytoun, the Blackwood man,  ballad to some one who put it to a use
and reputed author, has never done any-  unworthy of the immortal fire that
thing so good before. It is a withering  illuminates the verses. This glorious
satire upon Smith, and Bigg, and Brad-  poem is entitled, " The lemoncholy trabury, but more  particularly  Smith.  jedy  of Villikins and his Dinah."
Under the nom de plume of Mr. Percy   There is no clue on the title-page to its
Jones, Aytoun has let loose a torrent of  origin; it has gone forth to the world
unmerciful ridicule on the distinguished  in what Charles Selwyn would call
author of the Life Drama, all the more   "grand simplicity."
effectual, because the imitative stuff with    It opens finely, with an epic sublimity
which the volume is filled is mingled with   which rejects all unnecessary prologue.
many passages of true poetry, that show   To plunge thus into the middle of the
what the man could do if he liked.  subject indicates a fine self-reliance in
George Gilfillan, too, "the splendid  the author, a daring consciousness of his
writer," as the Punch men call him in  own power to suggest all the preliminaVOL. Iv.-29




442                             The Editor at Large.                                 LOct.
ries usually told by other poets.  He   is touchingly  simple.  The true aritist
begins thus:                                   speaks in the fewness of the  touches.
Here we have no insane ravings; no pre-' It is of a rich merchant I am going for to tell,  liminary declaration of desperate deeds.
Who had for a daughther an onkimmon f         infully and earnestly she ple
Painfully and earnestly she pleads her
young gal, 
Her name it was Dinah-just sixteen year old,  cause, and opens to us the nobleness of
With a werry large fortin in silvier and gold.  her heart in the surrender of her wealth.
Singing, toorali, toorali, toorali day I  Again, at this point, do we observe the
Choriouse-(vlch I always sings by myself-)  art of the author.  He gives us no intiSinging, toorali, toorali, toorali day!"  mation of the previous engagement of
her virgin affections, but, without his aid,
In the second verse we enter boldly on   a ray  of light breaks mysteriously  in
the drama, and all through will be ob-   upon us.  Else why this earnestness of
served in the quaint interpellations of   protest against a man  she has never
prose with which the lines are sprinkled,   seen?  Why this unqualified  surrender
the strange humor which, as it were, do-   of her vast possessions?  It is at once
minates the fancy of the poet:                 manifest that she loves another.
"Now as Dinah was a valiking in the garding von  The next verse is occupied with the
day-                                        exasperiation  of the parient agen his
(this was the front garding surriounded   progeny," in which he declares that, unwith the green railings)-          less she marries the individual he desThe father comed up to her and thus to her did say,   tines for her, he will entirely disinherit'Go dress yourself Dinah in jorjeouse array,   her.  Here the first part may be really
And I'll bring you home a husiband both galliant and   said to close.
gay.'    
Singin-Toorali, toorali, toorali day!  The opening of the second portion inntof thri'     o    troduces a new character, of whom  the
Choriouse-(on account of the preposition of the       h
parient, and the wedding breakfast he was about to  reader has had what may be called an
order of the pastry-cook around the corner).   impersonal glance already.
Singin —toorali, toorali, toorali day X"
Singin-toorali, toorali, toorali day Now as Villikins was a valiking in the garding all
We will proceed to the third verse:               round(this was the back garding where the
" Oh! father, dear father, the daughter she said,  He spied his dear  inah lng dead upon the ground
I don't fel inclied to be  aie spied his dear Dinah lying dead upon the ground,
I don't feel inclined to be marrivd,           With a cup of cold pison lying close by her sideAnd all my large fortin I'll gladly give o'er             (it was labelled the best British brandy)
If you'll let me live single a year or two more,  And a billy dux, saying as how'twas by pison she
Singin-toorali, toorali, toorali day!    died."
Choriouse-(on account of the hanticonnubial remonstrance of the hoffspring to the hauthor of her  0  dark catastrophe, equalled only by
Singin-toorali, toorali, toorali day I'    that last terrible scene in Lucrezia Borgia, with what sudden and dramatic force
The plot thickens.  We see that un-   art thou brought before us! From a runatural " parient " is about to consign his   ral picture of a back garden, stocked with
daughter to that worst of living deaths-    all the luxuries of the horticultural season,
an  unhappy matrimonial union.  Nay,   where the cucumber swells its verdant
we even see that, consonant with the    cylinder, and the gourd climbs through
mercantile spirit that dwells in him, he   the mossy boughs of aged apple-trees, that
tries to bribe his only child into com-   rise from beds of curling greens, we sudpliance with his wishes, by telling her   denly stumble over the dead body of a
to attire herself in splendid garments, or,   woman!   How    that  sunny   garden
as he curiously terms it, "jorjeouse array,"   changes; what dark shadows creep over
meaning to insinuate thereby that he is  the white apple boughs, and the shinwilling to  pay her dress-maker's bill.  ing cabbages I what awful sorrow encomPoor Dinah I  God help  her!  In the   passes that funereal group  of living
next verse we meet with her indignant   lover standing starkly above the corpse
protest; a true woman, she entreats and   of his mistress.  We know of no scene
defies by turns, and knowing the merce-   in modern poetry more dramatic and apnary disposition of her inhuman parient,   palling; the more so, because it is divestthinks that his feelings are, after all, to be   ed of any melodramatic accessories, and
reached through money.  Her entire for-   is nakedly grand like the stone tragedy
tune she gladly offers to sacrifice on the   of the Laocoon.
altar of lher freedom.  Her remonstrance




1854.]                                                                   443
A YANKEE DIOGENES.
Walden; or, Life in the Woods. By HENRY D.  for his amusement, he liked to go into
HOR.EXu. Boston: Ticknor & Fields. 1854.  Concord and listen to the village gossips
in the stores and taverns. Mr. Thoreau
THE New England character is essen-  informs us that he lived alone in the
tially anti-Diogenic; the Yankee is   woods, by the shore of Walden Pond, in
too shrewd not to comprehend the ad-  a shanty built by his own hands, a mile
vantages of living in what we call the   from any neighbor, two years and a half.
world; there are rio bargains to be   What he did there besides writing the
made in the desert, nobody to be taken   book before us, cultivating beans, soundadvantage of in the woods, while the  ing Walden Pond, reading Homer, baking
dwellers in tubs and shanties have slender  johnny-cakes, studying Brahminical theoopportunities of bettering their condition  logy, listening  to  chipping-squirrels,
by barter. When the New Englander  receiving visits, and having high imaginaleaves his home, it is not for the pleasure  tions, we do not know. He gives us the
of living by himself; if he is migratory  results of his bean cultivation with great
in his habits, it is not from his fondness  particularity, and the cost of his shanty;
for solitude, nor from any impatience he   but the actual results of his two years
feels at living in a crowd. Where there   and a half of hermit life he does'not
are most men, there is, generally, most  give. But there have been a good many
money, and there is where the strongest  lives spent and a good deal of noise made
attractions exist for the genuine New   about them, too, from the sum total of
Englander.  A Yankee Diogenes is a   whose results not half so much good
lusus, and we feel a peculiar interest in  could be extracted as may be found in
reading thoe account which an oddity of  this little volume. Many a man will
that kind gives of himself. The name of  find pleasure in reading it, and many a
Thoreau has not a New England sound;  one, we hope, will be profited by its
but we believe that the author of Waldern  counsels. A tour in Europe would have
is a genuine New Englander, and of   cost a good deal more, and not have proNew England antecedents and education.  duced half as much. As a matter of
Although he plainly gives the reasons  curiosity, to show how cheaply a gentlefor publishing his book, at the outset, he   man of refined tastes, lofty aspirations
does not clearly state the causes that led   and cultivated intellect may live, even in
him to live the life of a hermit on the  these days of high prices, we copy Mr.
shore of Walden Pond. But we infer  Thoreau's account of his first year's opefrom  his volume that his aim was the   rations; lie did better, he informs us,
very remarkable one of trying to be  the second year. The entire cost of his
something, while he lived upon nothing;  house, which answered all his purposes,
in opposition to the general rule of  and was as comfortable and showy as he
striving to live upon something, while  desired, was $28123. But one cannot
doing nothing. Mr. Thoreau probably  live on a house unless he rents it to
tried the experiment long enough to test  somebody else, even though lie be a
its success, and then fell back again into  philosopher and a believer in Vishnu.
his normal condition. But he does not  Mr. Thore'u felt the need of a little
tell us that such was the case. He was  ready money, one of the most convenient
happy enough to get back among the  things in the world to have by one, even
good people of Concord, we have no   before his house was finished.
doubt; for although he paints his shantv-    "Wishing to earn ten or twelve dollars
life in rose-colored  tints, we do not  by some agreeable and honest method,"
believe he liked it, else why not stick to  he observes, "I planted about two ares
it? We have a mistrust of the sincerity  and a half of light and sandy soil, chiefly
of the St. Simon Sylites', and suspect that  with beans, but also a small part wit}i
they come down fiom their pillars in the   potatoes and corn, peas and turnips."
night-time, when nobody is looking at  As he was a squatter, lie paid nothing
them. Diogenes placed his tub where  for rent, and as he was making no calAlexander would be sure of seeing it,  culation for future crops, he expendedl
and Mr. Thoreau ingenuously confesses  nothing for manure, so that the results
that he occasionally went out to dine,  of his farming will not be highly instrucand when the society of woodchucks  tive to young agriculturists, nor be likely
and chipping-squirrels were insufficient  to be held up as excitements to ftarning




4 41                         A  Yanckee Diogenes.                         [Oct,
-prsuanits Jby agricultural periodicals.  He   though it don't exactly speak volumes in
says:                                    favor of his system to announce that he
"My farra outgoes for the first season   only continued his economical mode of
were, for implements, seed, work, &c.  life two -ears.  If it was "the thing,
b14 72-.1  Thre seed corn wafs given mle.  why did he not continue it?  But, if he
h'i'sis never costs anything to speak of   did not always live like a hermit, squatnliess  vou  plant ms re a than enough. i   ting on other people's property, and degot twelve bushels of beans, and eighteen   pending upon chance perch and pickerel
bushels of potatoes, besides some peas  for his dinner, he lived long enough by
and sweet corn.  The yellow corn and   his own labor, and carried his system of
turnips were too late to come to any-  economy to such a degree of perfection,
thiing. My whole income fromn the farm   that he tells us:
$23 44        "More than five years I maintained myDediucting the outgoes....  14 725   self thus solely by the labor of my hands,
There are left....... S 1      and I found that by working about six
besides produce consumed and on hand   weeks in a year, I could meet all the exat the time this estimate was made of the   penses of living. The whole of my winvalue of $4 50, —the amount on hand   ters as well as most of my summers,
much more than balancing a little grass   I had free and clear for study  I have
which I did not raise. All things cousi-  thoroughly  tried  school-keeping, and
which I did not raise. All things considered, that is, considering the ilnpor-  found that my expenses were in proportance of a man's soul and of to-day, not-  tion, or rather out of proportion, to my
withstanding the short time occupied  income, for I was obliged to dress and
train, not to say think and believe, acby my experiment, nay, partly even be-,    to say think and believe, accause of its transient character, I believe   cordingly, and I lost my time into the
that that was doing better than any   bargain.  As I did not tch for the
farmer in Concord did that year."        good of my fellow-men, but simply for a
livelihood, this was a failure.  I have
We will not extract the other items   tried trade; but I found that it would
which Mir. Thoreau favors us with in  take ten years to get under way in that,
the accounts of his mennage; according   and that then I should probably be on
to his figures it cost him twenty-seven   my way to the devil. I was actually
cents a week to live, clothes included;  afraid that I might by that time be doing
andl for this sum he lived healthily and   what is called a good business. When
happily, received a good many distin-  formerly I was looking about to see what
guislh-' visitors, who, to humor his style,  I could do for a living, some sad experiuse' o leave their names on a leaf or a   ence in conforming to the wishes of
clllp, when they did not happen to find  friends being fresh in my mind to tax
him at home. But, it strikes us that all  my ingenuity, I thought often and sethe knowledge which the "Hermit of  riously of picking huckleberries; that
Walden" gained by his singular expe-  surely I could do, and its small profits
riment in living might have been done   might suffice,-for my greatest skill has
just as well, and as satisfactorily, with-  been to want but little,-so little capital
out any experiment at all. We know   it required, so little distraction from my
what it costs to feed prisoners, paupers   wonted  moods, I  foolishly  thought.
and soldiers; we know what the cheapest  While my acquaintances went unhesitaand most nutritious food costs, and how   tingly into trade or the professions, I
little it requires to keep up the bodily  contemplated this occupation as most like
health of a full-grown man.  A  very  theirs; ranging the hills all summer to
simple calculation will enable any one   pick the berries which came in my way,
to satisfy himself in regard to such points.  and thereafter carelessly dispose of them;
and those who wish to live upon twenty-   so, to keep the flocks of Admetus.  I
seven cents a week, may indulge in that  also dreamed that I might gather the
pleasure. The great Abernethy's pre-   wild herbs, or carry evergreens to such
scription for the attainment of perfect  villagers as loved to be reminded of the
bodily health was, "live on sixpence a   woods, even to the city, by hay-cart.
day and earn it."  But that would be  loads.  But I have since learned that
Sybaritic indulgence compared with Mr.  trade curses everything it handles; and
Thoreau's experience, whose daily ex-  though you trade in messages from heapenditure hardly amounted to a quarter  ven, the whole curse of trade attaches to
of that sum. And he lived happily, too,  the business.




1854.]                       A  Yankee Diogeznes.                          445
"As I preferred some things to others,  passage might have been written by Mr.
and especially valued my freedom, as I   Tapley if that person had ever turned
could fare hard and yet succeed well, I  author, for the sake of testing the prodid not wish to spend my time in earn-  vocatives to jollity, which may be found
ing rich carpets or other fine furniture,  in the literary profession:
or delicate cookery, or a house in the
Grecian or Gothic style just yet. If       "Sometimes, when I compare myself
there be any to whomit is no interruption   with other men, it seems as if I were
to acquire these things, and who know    more favored by the gods than they, behow to use them when acquired, I relin-   yond any deserts that I aim conscious
quish to them the pursuit. Some are "in-  of; as if I had a warrant and a surety
dustrious," and appear to love labor for  at their hands which my fellows have
its own sake, or perhaps because it keeps  not, and especially guided and guarded.
them out of worse mischief; to such I have   I do not flatter myself, but if it be posat present nothing to say.  Those who   sible they flatter me. I have never felt
would not know what to do with more  lonesome, or in the least oppressed by a
leisure than they now enjoy, I might ad-  sense of solitude, but once, and that was
vise to work twice as hard as they do,-   a few weeks after I came to the woods,
work till they pay for themselves, and   when, for an hour, I doubted if the near
get their free papers.  For myself, I   neighborhood of man was not essential
found that the occupation of a day-labor-  to a serene and healthy life. To be alone
er was the most independent of any, es-  was something unpleasant. But I was
pecially as it required only thirty or  at the same time conscious of a slight
forty days in a year to support one. The  insanity in my mood, and seemed to forelaborer's day ends with the going down   see my recovery.  In the midst of a
of the sun, and he is then free to devote  gentle rain, while these thoughts prehimself to his chosen pursuit, independ-   vailed, I was suddenly sensible of such
e4t of his labor; but his employer, who   sweet and beneficent society in Nature, in
speculates from month to month, has no   the very pattering of the drops, and in
respite from one end of the year to the   every sound and sight around my house,
other.                                   an infinite and unaccountable fiiendly"In short, I am convinced, both by   ness all at once like an atmosphere susfaith and experience, that to maintain  taining me, as made the fancied advanone's self on this earth is not a hard-  tages of human neighborhood insignifiship but a pastime, if we will live sim-  cant, and I have never thought of them
ply and wisely; as the pursuits of the   since. Everylittle pine needle expanded
simpler nations are still the sports of the   and swelled with  sympathy and bemore artificial. It is not necessary that  friended me. I was so distinctly made
a man should earn his living by the sweat  aware of the presence of something
of his brow, unless he sweats easier than   kindred to me, even in scenes which we
I do."                                   are accustomed to call wild and dreary,
and also that the nearest in blood to une
There is nothing of the mean or sor-  and humanest was not a person nor a
did in the economy of Mr. Thoreau,  villager, that I thought no place could
though to some his simplicity and ab-  ever be strange to me again.
stemiousness may  appear trivial and'Mourning untimely consumes the sad;
affected; he does not live cheaply for      Few are their days in the land of the living,
the sake of saving, nor idly to avoid la-   Beautiful daughter of Toscar.'
bor; but, that he may live independently   " Some of my pleasantest hours were
and enjoy his great thoughts; that he   during the long rain storms in the spring
may read the Hindoo  scriptures and   or fall, which confined me to the house
commune with the visible forms of na-  for the afternoon as well as t'.e foreture. We must do him the credit to   noon, soothed by their ceaseless roar and
admit that there is no mock sentiment,  pelting; when an early twilight ushered
nor simulation of piety or philanthropy in  in  a long  evening  in  which  many
his volume. He is not much of a cynic,  thoughts had time to take root and unand though we have called him a Yankee  fold themselves. In those driving northDiogenes, the only personage to whom    east rains which tried the village houses
he bears a decided resemblance is that  so, when the maids stood ready withl
good  humored  creation  of Dickens,  mop and pail in front entries to keep the
Mark Tapley, whose delight was in being   deluge out, I sat behind the door in my
jolly uLder difficulties.  The following   little house, which was all entry, and




446                          A  Yankee Diogenes.                          [Oct.
thoroughly enjoyed its protection. In   which, we imagine, was more powerful
one heavy thunder shower, the light-  in leading him to his eremite way of life,
ning struck a large pitch-pine across the   than his love of eastern poetry, and his
pond, making a very conspicuous and   fondness for observing the ways of snakes
perfectly regular spiral groove from top   and shiners. If there had been a camp of
to bottom, an inch or more deep, and   gipsies in the neigborhood of Concord, he
four or five inches wide, as you would   would have become a king among them,
groove a walking-stick.  I passed  it  like Lavengro. It breaks out here with
again the other day, and was struck with   unmistakable distinctness:
awe on looking up and beholding that
mark, now  more distinct than  ever,       "As I came home through the woods
where a terrific and resistless bolt came   with my string of fish, trailing my pole,
down out of the harmless sky eight years  it being now  quite dark, I caught a
ago.  Men frequently say to  me,'I   glimpse of a woodchuck stealing across
should think you would feel lonesome   my path, and felt a strange thrill of sadown there, and want to be nearer folks,  vage delight, and was strongly tempted
rainy and snowy days, and nights espe-  to seize and devour him raw; not that
cially.'  I am tempted to reply to such,  I was hungry then, except for that wild-This whole earth which we inhabit is  ness which he represented.  Once or
but a point in space.  How far apart,  twice, however, while I lived at the
think you, dwell the two most distant in-   pond, I found myself ranging the woods,
habitants of yonder star, the breadth of  like a half-starved hound, with a strange
whose disc cannot be appreciated by   abandonment, seeking  some kind  of
our instruments?  Why should I feel  venison which I might devour, and no
lonely? Is not our planet in the Milky   morsel could have been too savage for
Way? This which you put seems to me   me. The wildest scenes had become unnot to be the most important question.   accountably familiar. I found in myself,
What sort of space is that which sepa-  and still find, an  instinct toward  a
rates a man from his fellows and makes   higher, or, as it is named, spiritual life,
him solitary? I have found that no ex-  as do most men, and another toward a
ertion of the legs can bring two minds   primitive, rank, and savage one, and I
much nearer to one another. What do   reverence them  both. I love the wild
we want most to dwell near to?  Not to   not less than the good.  The wildness
many men surely, the depot, the post-  and adventure that are in fishing still reoffice, the bar-room, the meeting-house,   commend it to me. I like sometimes to
the school-house, the grocery, Beacon   take rank hold on life and spend my day
Hill, or the Five Points, where men most  more as the animals do. Perhaps I have
congregate, but to the perennial source   owed to this employment and to hunting,
of our life, whence in all our experience   when quite young, my closest acquaiinwe have found that to issue, as the wil-  tance with Nature.  They early introlow stands near the water and sends out  duce us to and detain us in scenery with
its roots in that direction.  This will  which otherwise, at that age, awe should
vary with different natures, but this is  have little acquaintance. Fishermen, hunthe place where a wise mani will dig his  ters, woodchoppers, and others, spending
cellar. *       *  Ione evening overtook   their lives in the fields and woods, in a peone of my townsmen, who has accumu-   culiar sense a part of Nature themselves,
lated what is called "'a handsome pro-   are often in a more favorable mood for
perty,"-though I never got afair view   observing her in the intervals of their
of it,-on the Walden road, driving a   pursuits, than philosophers or poets even,
pair of cattle to market, who inquired   who  approach  her with  expectation.
of me how I could bring my mind to   She is not afraid to exhibit herself to
give ul so many of the comforts of life.  them. The traveller on the prairie is
I answe. ed that I was very sure I liked   naturally a hunter, on the head waters
it passably well; I was not joking. And   of the Missouri and Columbia a trapper,
so I went home to my bed, and left him   and at the Falls of St. MAary a fisherllan.
to pick his way through the darkness   He who is only a traveller learns things
and the mud to Brighton,-or Bright-  at second-hand and by the halves, and is
town,-which  place he would  reach   poor authority.  We are most interested
some time in the morning."               when science reports what those men already know practically or instinctively,
There is a true vagabondish disposition   for that alone is a true humanity, or acmanifested now and then by Mir. Thoreau,  count of human experience.




1854.]                      A  Yankee Diogenes.                         447
"They mistake who assert that the      "Most men appear never to have
Yankee has few amusements, because  considered what a house is, and are
he has not so many public holidays, and   actually, though needlessly poor all their
men and boys do not play so many games  lives, because they think  that they
as they do in England, for here the inore   must have such an one as their neighprimitive but solitary amusements of  bors have.  As if one were to wear
hunting, fishing and the like, have not  any sort of coat which the tailor might
yet given place to the former. Almost  cut out for him; or, gradually leaving off
every New England boy among my con-  palmleaf hat or cap of woodchuck skin,
temporaries shouldered a fowling-piece   complain of hard times because he could
between the ages of ten and fourteen;  not afford to buy him  a crown!  It is
and his hunting and fishing grounds  possible to invent a house still more conwere not limited like the preserves of an   venient and luxurious than we have,
English nobleman, but were more bound-  which yet all would admit that man
less even than those of a savage. No   could not afford to pay for. Shall we
wonder, then, that he did not oftener  always study to obtain more of these
stay to play on the common. But al-  things, and not sometimes to be content
ready a change is taking place, owing,  with less? Shall the respectable citizen
not to an increased humanity, but to an  thus gravely teach by precept and exincreased scarcity of game, for perhaps  ample, the necessity of the young man's
the hunter is the greatest friend to the   providing a certain number of superfluous
animals hunted, not excepting the Hu-  glowshoes, and umbrellas, and empty
mane Society."                          guest chambers for empty guests, before
he dies? Why should not our furniture be
There is much excellent good sense  as simple as the Arab's or the Indian's?
delivered in a very comprehensive and   When I think of the benefactors of the
by no means unpleasant style in Mr.  race, whom  we have apotheosized as
Thoreau's book, and let people think as  messengers from heaven, bearers of dithey may of the wisdom or propriety of  vine gifts to man, I do not see in my
living after his fashion, denying oneself   mind any retinue at their heels, any carall the luxuries which the earth can af-  load of fashionable furniture. Or what
ford, for the sake of leading a life of law-  if I were to allow-would it not be sinless vagabondage, and freedom  from   gular allowance?-that our furniture
starched cellars, there are but few readers  should be more complex than the Arab's,
who will fail to find profit and refresh-  in proportion as we are morally and inment in his pages. Perhaps some prac-  tellectually his superiors!  At present
tical people will think that a philosopher  our houses are cluttered and defiled with
like Mr. Thoreau might have done the  it, and a good housewife would sweep
world a better service by purchasing a   out the greater part into the dust-hole,
piece of land, and showing how much it  and not leave her morning's work unmight be made to produce, instead of   done. Morning work! By the blushes
squatting on another man's premises,  of Aurora, and the music of Memnon,
and proving how  little will suffice to   what should be a man's morning work
keep body and soul together. But we   in this world? I had three pieces of
must allow philosophers, and all other  limestone on my desk, but I was terrified
men, to fulfil their missions in their own   to find that they required to be dusted
way. If Mr. Thoreau had been a prac-  daily, when the furniture of my mind
tical farmer, we should not have been   was all undusted still, and I threw them
favored with his volume; his corn and   out of the window in disgust.  How,
cabbage would have done but little to-  then, could I have a furnished house?
wards profiting us, and we might never  I would rather sit in the open air, for no
have been the better for his labors. As   dust gathers on the grass, unless where
it is, we see how much more valuable to   man has broken ground.
mankind is our philosophical vagabond     "It is the luxurious and dissipated who
than a hundred sturdy agriculturists; any   set the fashions which the herd so diliplodder may raise beans, but it is only one   gently follow. The traveller who stops
in a million who can write a readable vol-  at the best houses, so called, soon discoume.  With the following extract fiomr  vers this, for the publicans presume him
his volume, and heartily recommending  to be a Sardanapalus, and if he resigned
him  to the class of readers who exact  himself to their tender mercies he would
thoughts as well as words from  an  soon be completely emasculated. I think
author, we must take leave, for the pre-  that in the railroad car we are inclined
aent, of the philosopher of Walden Pond.  to spend more on luxury than on safety




448                Editorial Notes-American Literature.                 [Oct.
and convenience, and it threatens, with-  to know the names of. I would rather
out attaining these, to become no better  sit on a pumpkin and have it all to mythan a modern drawing-room, with its  self, than be crowded on a velvet cushdivans, and ottomans, and sunshades,  ion. I would rather ride on earth in an
and a hundred other oriental things,  ox-cart with a fiee circulation, than go
which we are taking west with us, in-  to heaven in the fancy car of an excurvented for the the ladies of harem and the  sion train, and breathe a malaria all the
effeminate natives of the Celestial Em-  way."
pire, which Jonathan should be ashamed
EDITORIAL  NOTES.
L I T E R A T U  R E.        animation and apparent fidelity. Cuba
is now a subject of such universal attenAME.RICAN.-N- a- Iotu, or Reef-Roy-  tion in this country, that every word
ings in the South Seas, is the title of a  relating to it has some value. Mr. Ballou
narrative of adventures among the Ha-  adopts the theory that Spain is linked
waiian, Georgian, and Society Islands,  with France and England in a plan to
with maps and original illustrations, and   "Africanize the island," and is consideran appendix relating to the resources, so-  ably disturbed by the prospect of the
cial and political condition of Polynesia,  speedy execution of the plot. But as he
and other subjects of interest in the Paci-  furnishes no convincing evidence of the
fic, by EDwARD T. PEIxEIsS. The author  truth of his belief, we may be perwas six years ago one of the crew of an   mitted to doubt whether his agitation
American whaler, and subsequently a pas-  is not a little premature.  That Spain
senger in an English brig, sailing in the   has adopted measures for the improveSouth Pacific, and his book is the result of   ment of the condition of the slaves is
those voyages.  The word Na-Motu,  clear enough; and that these measures
which he has chosen for his general  will lead to the ultimate emancipation of
title, means in the Tahitian dialect, " The   a great many of them is also clear; but
Islands;" and he accordingly confines his  why we in the United States should be
descriptions to the two groups of the   particularly troubled by such movements,
Sandwich and Society Islands. In the   we do not see. Cuba is a dependency of
first part we have some entertaining and   Spain, and, so long as she remains so,
lively sketches of life on board of a   must be subject to the regulations of the
whaler, which is an agreeable introduc-  mother country. It is no duty of ours
tion to the more serious account of life  to interfere with her domestic affairs,
and manners on the islands. An incident  especially when the management of them.
of the death of a boy from Raratonga  tends, as it is alleged, to the restoration
Island is feelingly described, with the   of so many human beings to the liberty
exception of a few ambitious phrases in  of which they have been wrongfully dethe course of it, and gives us a good im-  prived. We have recently asserted, in
pression of the heart of the writer. The  regard to our own territories, the prinadventures are rather miscellaneous,  ciple that each community must be percovering a long residence in the different  mitted to take care of its own business,
islands, and not being connected with  and we cannot, with any consistency,
each other; but most of them are inte-  while maintaining this policy for ourresting as well as novel. The valuable  selves, depart friom it in regard to others.
information of the book is to be found in  If the inhabitants of Kansas are perfectly
the appendix, in which the author has  competent to regulate their own institucondensed a large number of important  tions, we suppose the inhabitants of Cuba
facts as to the present condition and   must be, and the intervention of the
prospects of Polynesia. We are indebted   United States is not at all required.
to him for some hours of pleasant read-  Whether the effects of emancipation
ing, and not a little instruction.     would be beneficial or otherwise, it is for
- The History of Cuba, by MATURIN  those immediately interested to say, and
M. BALLOU, is rather an account of Cuba  not for us, who belong to another nation.
as it is than a history of the island. It  No one can doubt that it would be greatly
does not give us much new knowledge,  to the advarntage of the island, cormmerbut what it does impart is conveyed with  cially, politically, and socially, to be an



1854.]             Editorial Notes —American Literature.                449
nexed to the United States; but, until the   a genuine comic vis in it, remindinding  us
people of the island are in a state to  at times of the political writings of Swift.
appreciate that advantage, and to avail  Indeed, one may pick out of the book
themselves of it, by a determined move-  not a few sentences that would be taken,
ment of their own, there is nothing for  standing alone, for Swift's. But it is o-nly
us to do in the premises.              separate sentences that recall that emliMr. Ballou bears witness to the gene-  nent master, for he has not a continuous
ral good treatment of the Cuban slaves,  power in this line. He is apt to fall from
and their apparent contentment. His  it into mere eccentricity or oddness.
account of the life and manners of the   The topics treated by Dr. Elder are
people is also full of interest, and adds  exceedingly miscellaneous-enough so to
considerably to our knowledge. The   give his book the appearance of a hodgestatistics given in some of the latter chap-  podge; but there is scarcely one on which
ters are particularly valuable.        his remarks are not suggestive of thought.
— Our readers may remember an   Some of them might have been omitted
article which appeared in this magazine,  without injury to the permanent value
entitled "General Ogle-a Character."  of the volume; and we are not sure that
It was from  the pen of Dr. WILLIAM   the "Characters and Tales" alone would
ELDER, of Philadelphia, and excited a  not have made a better book; but, as it
good deal of admiration and mirth at the  is, we are sure that the reading public
time. As a sketch of a peculiar genius,  will welcome a second book, to be cornit was cleverly done, and showed a re-  posed of ethical and philosophical Essays,
markable discrimination, as well as con-  which the doctor promises for the future.
siderable wit. Dr. Elder has since pub-    - An ambitious volume is the Cornm
lished it in a volume, which he names,  plete Encyclopedia of 1music, by JouN W.
Periscopics; or, Current Subjects Extem-  MocuRE, of Bellows Falls, Vermont, but
poraneously Treated, and which, besides   one that was greatly needed, and does
the General Ogle, contains a variety of  honor to the industry and learning of the
his other contributions to the newspapers  author.  It is a dictionary of all the
and periodicals of the day. They are  leading subjects, terms, and men, known
distributed under the heads of " Cha-  to music, compiled with great care and
racters and Tales," "Slashy," "Fancy,"  patience, and covering a vast reach of
and "Politico-Economical," the charac-  topics. The technical words of fmusic,
ters and tales being decidedly the largest  the elementary rules, the historical inciand best. In a lively preface, the doctor  dents, and the biographies of persons
defines his title, after Webster, in this  illustrious in every department of the
wise —" Peliscopic, a viewing on all  art, are alphabetically arranged, and lusides; a term applied to spectacles having   cidly treated, and with a fulness and
concavo-convex glasses, for the purpose   precision of detail that we shall look for
of increasing the distinctness of objects  in vain elsewhere. Mr. MNoore has spent
viewed obliquely," and insists that he   seventeen years, as he informs us, in the
has many precedents for converting the   preparation of his work; he has defined
adjective into a plural noun. One might  over five thousand technical terms; writquestion whether he has succeeded in  ten the biographies of more than four
viewing his topics "on all sides," though   thousand celebrated performers or comwe believe there will be no doubt as to  posers; he has given directions for the
his having given many "oblique glances."  use of all known musical instruments;
Our author is both an earnlest man and   and he has added to these vast labors
an humorist. He has sincere and pro-  some two hundred short but important
found convictions, and yet most fre-  essays on the scientific principles of the
quently he likes to play with his subjects,  art-on counterpart, thorough-bass, moas a kitten does with a ball of yarn.  dulation, harmony, composition, &c., &c.
There is a tone of vivacity in all he   Of course, he has fallen into sonme errors
says, but not so much as to obscure the  in the execution of so comprehensive a
deep and serious purpose at which he   design; but, on the whole, we have
aims. His power of illustration is un-  found such parts of his work as we have
usually fertile, and though he now and   had occasion to consult, remarkably corthen descends into vulgarisms and bad  rect. In the life of Mozart, for instance,
taste, he is always pertinent, keen, sar-  he says that he was taken from Paris to.
castic, and wide-awake.  The Yankee   Vienna, by order of his sovereign, the
term "smartness " scarcely describes the   Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg, which is
character of much of his wit, which has  an evident misprint of Vienna for Salz.




450               Editorial Notes-American Literature.                 [Oct.
burg. He also says, t],at, while compos-  and a thousand others, waiting to have
ing his Idomeno at Munich, he fell in  their biographies written. Mr. Bungay
love with a young lady, who afterwards   has a quick hand at the work, and may
became his wife. It was the sister of   devote the rest of his life to the task
his future wife with whom  he fell in  he has begun. As everybody with himn
love, and by whom he was jilted. These  is "justly-celebrated," "extraordinary,"
and others, however, that we might point  "splendid," " eloquent," "mighty," "hapout, are small inaccuracies, which do not  pily constituted," &c., he can have no
materially impair the solid value of the   difficulty in extending his labors to the
work. The author has been partly as-  crack of doom. In the midst of his alsisted in his labor. by John S. Dwight,  most universal admrirations, however, he
and Richard Storrs Willis, who are among   does not confess to any love of men who
our most accomplished and sagacious  are in favor of slavery; and he adminiscritics, and whose opinions on the sub-  ters many a caustic rebuke to those who
ject of music are always well matured,  fail to " give in their testimony " against
and worthy of attention.               the South. We are afraid that in some
In the sketch of Grassini, the famous   of his future volhmes, Mr. Bungay's facontralto-indeed, the first female con-  vorite mode of comparison may fall
tralto who appeared on the Italian stage,  short; for, as we have already the "Canand well known as a favorite of the Em-  ning of America," the "' O'Connell of
peror Napoleon, who carried her from   America," the "Brougham of America,"
Milan to Paris-an anecdote is told not  &c., and as the great men on this side are
inappropriate at this time. She had a   so numerous, he may get into perplexity
niece, a little girl of Bologna, whose pa-  in finding further parallels. Let us hope
rents tried to make her a singer, but  for the best, however, and put confidence
were disappointed, and solicited the aid  in genius.
of her aunt. Her aunt asked her to sing,   A-   little work. entitled The Youth
and, when the timid child had sung,  of Jefferson, is full of lively charactersaid, "Dear girl, you will want none of  izations and dialogues. It purports to
my assistance. Those who called your  be a record of certain college scrapes at
voice a contralto were ignorant of music.  Williamsburg, in Virginia, in the year
You have one of the finest sopranos in  1764, founded upon the earlier letters of
the world, and will far excel me as a  Jefferson, and is executed with skill and
singer. Take courage, my love; your  humor. The author has a keen sense for
throat will bring you a shower of gold."  the grotesque and amusing; and, in
The prophecy was fulfilled, for the name   the course of his two hundred short
of the young girl was Giulia Grisi.    pages, gives us many a laugh. The main
- It is an affected title which M r. Geo.  incident, in which a young lady personW. Bungay has given to his book, "Off-  ates the young man to her own lover,
hand Talcings and Crayon Sketches," but  without being detected, is wholly imnot more affected than the contents. It  probable, and the characters are more
is a series of remarks on the noticeable   merry over their talk than the real wit
men of the age, beginning with Daniel  of it sometimes warrants; but, on the
Webster, and ending with John Mitchel,  whole, the story is well told-is jovial,
the interval being filled in with some   sustained, and captivating —vhicle is all
fifty or sixty other individuals, more or  that the reader cares for.  Our great
less prominent. Included in the list are   philosopher and statesman figures in a
Abbott Lawrence, Dr. Boardman, P. T.  somewhat new light, but one which does
Barnum, E. P. Whipple, Moses Grant,  no great violence to the traditions of his
William  R. Stacey, Edward Beecher,  earlier days.
Peter Cartwright, Alfred Bunn, B. P.    -Mrs. OAKEs SMITH, who has achieved
Shillaber, James Gordon Bennett, Rev.  distinction as a poet, prose writer, and
Mr. Wadsworth, E. L. Snow, Philip S.  lecturer, and no less as a woman of inWhite, and others of equal celebrity. On   dependent and free thought on various
what principle the selection was made,  subjects of public interest, has condensed
does not appear; but it must have been   her sentiments into a little romance,
a most comprehensive one, to enable the   called Bertha and Lily, which the reader
ingenious author to make such a long   will find a candid and plain-speaking
list of "noticeables."  We see no reason   book. It touches the question of Wowhy he should not extend it to a dozen   man's Rights with a firm  hand-more
volumes. There are Sam Patch, Solon  firm, some will say, than delicate-and
Borland, Col. George, George Christy,  on other matters is not over reticent.




1854.]             Editorial Notes-American Literature.                    451
But it is as a romance that we have to  and comprehensive geography of the
deal with it, in which character we have   medieval times like this of Professor
not been impressed by its merits. Mrs.  Koeppen, which gives us not only accuSmith has poetic sensibility, and a strong   rate maps of the nations at six different
feeling of the sufferings of her sex, and   periods of their existence, but carefully
she writes with great earnestness; but  prepared and luminous letterpress illusas an artist she is deficient. She wants  trations of their history. The care, reunity in the structure of her plots, and   search, and fidelity with which the whole
simplicity in everything. Her characters  has been executed is remarkable.
are generally too high strung, and would   The utility of such a work every stube better with a little more common   dent of history, literature, jurisprudence,
sense. In the use of language, too, she   and even science, must appreciate.  It
is inflated. Instead of saying that "it  was in Europe, during the middle ages,
snowed," or that "snow  covered the   that the foundations of our modern civilground," she says," The earth assumed  ization were laid, and it is impossible to
its ermine mantle;" and this is charac-  comprehend thoroughly the institutions
teristic of i nany of her descriptions. At  and manners of the present, without an
the same time, it is proper to add, that  intimate acquaintance with that part of
she writes with such evident sincerity  the past. How impossible is it to read.
of conviction, that it is impossible not  Gibbon, Hallam, Guizot, or the early
to get interested in her stories. With   chroniclers, intelligently, without a good
more care, however, and writing for the   map, and a careful digest of contemporasake of art, not for the sake of some   neous events. Now this work of Promoral or social ism, she would be vastly  fessor Koeppen supplies both wants; it
more agreeable.                          presents the map and also the digest;
-The title, Notes of a Theological  and any student, with this work in his
Student, which Mr. JAMES MASON HOP-  hand, will be able to comprehend the
PIN has given to his little book, does not  movements of the period with half the
fairly represent the nature of the con-  labor that was formerly required.
tents.  They might as well have been       The parts of the book relating to Eastcalled notes of any other kind of student  ern Europe and Asia, are drawn from the
or traveller, for they are not theological,  Professor's personal observation and trathough a deep vein of piety runs through   vels, and are particularly valuable. But
them. The work consists of a series of   another advantage of his volume is, that
descriptions and remarks, suggested by a   it gives due prominence to the Scandinabrief sojourn in different parts of Europe   vian and Sclavonic races, which have been
and Asia, and embraces such various   hitherto overlooked, while he has entopics as the Home of Luther, Schiller's  livened the dry details of geography and
Cottage, the Hartz Mountains, German   history by sketches of persons, instituMusic, Parnassus, the Greek Ideal, Beth-  tions, religion, language, literature, &c.
lehenm, the  Study of the Bible, &c.  Every statement is verified by ample
These essays are pleasingly and grace-   authority, and a most copious index puts
fully written, and exhibit no little origi-  every part of the volume at once into the
nality of thought.                      reader's possession.
— PROFESSOIR KOEPPEN, of Franklin and
Marshall College, in Pennsylvania, has at    RPEPRINTS.-The fine uniform edition
last completed his work on The World  of the British poets, edited with so much
of the Middle Ages-a work of vast re-  care and  ability by Professor Childs
search and high utility.  It is a histori-  of Cambridge, and for copies of which
cal geography of Europe, during the   we are indebted to Evans and Dickerson,
middle ages, with accounts, also, of the   of this city, comprises among its latest
origin and development, the institutions  issues the poems of Sir Thomas Wyatt,
and literature, the manners and customs,  the poems of the Earl of Surrey, and the
of the several nations of Europe, Western   poems of Thomas Campbell. The two
Asia, and North Africa, from the close  former are among the rarest of the old
of the fourth to the middle of the four-  English writers, and though once the
teenth centuries. No other work that  most fashionable poems of the day, have
we remember covers precisely the same   since fallen into obscurity.  But they
ground. There have been several geo-  possess a kind of perennial interest in
graphies of the ancient world, such as  their relations to the age in which they
those of Cellarius, Danville, Heeren, &c.,  were produced, if not in their intrinsic
and there have been mediteval atlases   merits. It would seem that the poetic
in Germany and France, but no general  genius of the earlier part of the sixteenth




452                Editorial iVotes —Americarn Literature.                [Oct.
century was almost exclusively in the   not be tolerated now. An author who
amatory vein, for ninety-nine out of a   should make use of such a language tohundred of the songs, sonnets, odes,  wards his contemporaries now-a-days,
rondeaux, lines, &c., of both Wyatt and   would be hooted from society.  It is no
Surrey are expressive of some phase of  longer the custom, except in Congress, for
the tender passion —either despair, com-   gentlemen to call each other liars, knaves,
plaint, hope, or triumph.  The titles of   fools, idiots, imbeciles, donkeys, asses, bythem run in this wise:-"The lover for   pocrites, and so on; yet such are the
shamefastness hideth his desire in his  epithets which the iVoctes mnen, Wilson,
faithful heart;"' The lover describeth   Lockhart, Maginn, &c., were in the habit
his being stricken at the sight of his  of hurling at the heads of the most illuslove;" " The wavering lover willeth and   trious of their contemporaries with whom
dreadeth to move his desire;"' The   they had any political differences. But the
lover compareth his state to a ship in   epithets lose one-half their force when we
perilous storm, tossed on the sea;":"The   see what kind of language tlhey used todeserted lover consoleth himself with   wards each other in their plnyful moods,
remembrance that all women are by   and how roughly they dandled L their favonature fickle;" "The lover praiseth the   rites. The only person who is treated with
beauty of his lady's hand;" "The lover   deference and respectin the Noctes,was the
prayeth Venus to conduct him  to the   most worthless rascal of the day, and the
desired haven."  Nor are the poems less   meanest monarch that has sat upon the
quaint or chivalric than  their titles,  English throne. Him they delighted to
while many of them  possess a striking   call "the first gentleman of Europe,"
natural grace and beauty. A historical  and, in their drunken riots never assailed
interest is moreover attached to those of   him  with a loose joke. But the lVoctes
Surrey, in that he is accredited to have   men were tories, and tories are by nature
greatly improved English versification,  toadies. The young readers, to whom
and to have been the first to introduce  the Noctes are a tradition, we imagine,
blank verse into the English language.  will open their eyes with astonishment
His changes in the old versification was   at the reeking blackguardism, the gross
the regulation of the value of syllables   personalities, the cursing, irreverence,
by accent and not by quantity, and the   nastiness and coarseness which pervades
limitation of heroic verse to ten syllables,  these famous pages. But, among these
divided into five equal Iambic feet, with   coarsenesses will be found great wit, brilthe further refinement of breaking the   liant thoughts, sagacious criticisms, proline into pauses. This example has since  found learning, and an immense literary
been followed by all standard writers,  power  which  riots  in  extravagance
which is the best proof of its correctness.  from  mere excess of animal spirits.
Of Campbell's poems we need not speak,  Whatever we may think of the sentiments
as they are well known to all readers of   of the Noctes, every one must, or at
poetry. We may observe, however, that  least should, admire the boldness, the
the edition before us is enriched by a   courage, the power and the humor with
memoir of the author, written by the   which the sentiments are uttered. The
Rev. W. A. Hill, who  married  the   criticism  on men  and literature  of
favorite niece of the poet, and was con-  the present time is a mere imbecile
sequently familiar with his domestic life   whine compared with the style of exand character. It opens with a bio-  pression indulged in by Kit North and
graphical sketch from  Campbell's own   his compeers. He was himself the jolliest
pen, which adds, however, very little to   and most genial of the set, Maginn was
the knowledge of him we have gained   the wittiest, most learned and most reckfrom other sources.                      less, and Lockhart the most savage and
-Mr. Redfield has rendered the read-  revengeful. Professor Wilson told N. P'.
ing public an essential service by the   Willis that Lockhart wrote the first
publication of the Noctes Ambrosianca  number, and that he, Wilson, wrote the
articles complete from Blackwood's Ma,  remainder. The rollicking Irish songs,
gazine; for the present generation of   which reek of whisky and tobacco, were
writers are gradually falling into such a   mostly the production of Maginn. One can
delicate style of refined voluptuousness,  hardly believe that the sedate and severe
that the good, strong and healthy coarse-   editor of the Quarterly could have written
ness of these famous papers will have an   the trenchant coarseness.of the first
invigorating influence upon the impaired  Noctes, but its savage severity is like
digestion of our reading people. Such   him.
writing as abounds in the Noctes would     The volumes are encumbered by a




1854.]                Editorial Votes —English  Literature.                        453
good many uncalled for platitudes by the   candles, to write editorial sby.  He tells
editor, in the shape of notes, which will  the story of his life in a modest and
be rather annoying to the reader.  One   touching preface to the poems.  That he
does not like to have his attention arrest-  is a real poet, no one can doubt who
ed, and his eye directed to a foot-note, to   reads his verses, though they are often
be informed that "Ebony is a pun upon   Inarred by the faults of immaturity, and
the name of Blackwood," because all  the imitation of bad models.  He is apt
readers may be supposed to have suf-  to  fall into that inflation and  extraficient intelligence to surmise that such   vagance  which   too   many  of  the
is the fact, though there does not happen   young English  writers have mistaken
to be any pun in the case.  Neither is it  for force.  His subjects, however, are of
at all necessary to a proper comprehen-   a quiet domestic nature, and almost insion of the spirit and meaning of the   variably please.  An American edition
text, to be informed what Dr. Mackenzie   of Massey's poems will shortly be issued
thinks of this man or that; an allusion   by J. C. Derby, containing several origito Lord Byron's tragedy of Sardana-   nal poems which have not been pubpalus, elicits a foot-note from  Dr. Mac-   lished in London.  As a specimen of his
kenzie, informing us that he regards the   best manner, we extract the following
first act of that tragedy as worth all the   stanzas, which are the introduction to the
dramatic literature of modern times-an   principal poem of the volume:
opinion which may be sound or not, as
the reader chooses, but which has no   When Dana6 Earth bares all her charms,
bearing whatever on the text.  When-            And gives the God her perfect flower,
ever a name occurs, Byron's for instance        Who, in the sunshine's golden shower,
the obliging editor informs us who that   Leaps warm into her amorous arms
person was, what he thinks of his works,
where he was born, and where he died,          hen buds are bursting on the briar,
&c.  If the Noctes had been edited by            And all the kindled greenery glows,
And life hath richest overflows,
Dr. Mackenzie for popular reading in   And morning fields are fringed with fire:
Timbuctoo, his notes, or at least some of
them, might have been  necessary to    When young Maids feel Love stir i' the blood,
elucidate the text, but there are few            And wanton with the kissing leaves
Englishl readers who will be the wiser           And branches, and the quick sap heaves,
for any light lie has thrown upon his   And dances to a ripen'd flood;
author.  However, there may be some
readers who require such enlightenment   Till, blown to its hidden heart with sighs,
as the editor affords theme; but the ma-        Love's red rose burns i' the cheek so dear,
jority, we imagine after i1eading the first     And, as sea-jewels upward peer,
eorsix noese, w ote bea   the trl    Love-thoughts melt through their swimming eyes:
five or six notes, will not be at the trouble
of' reading any luore.
of ieading any more,                       When Beauty walks in bravest dress,
- The  Appletons  have  reprinted             And, fed with April's mellow showers,
Katherine Ashton, a beautiful domestic          The earth laughs out with sweet May-flowers,
novel, by the accomplished authoress of   That flush for very happiness:
Amy Herbert, &c.
And Spider-Puck such wonder weaves
ENGLISH.-Next to Alexander Smith,             0' nights, and nooks of greening gloom
the most successful young poet of En-           Are rich with violets that bloom
glarld is unquestionably GERALD MASSEY.   In the cool dark of dewy leaves:
His Ballad  of Babe  Christabel, with
other  lyrical poems, have  not burst   When Rose-buds drink the fiery wine
upon the world with  the splendor of            Of Dawn, with crimson stains i' the mouth,
Smlith's Life -Drama, but it has created        All thirstily as yearning Youth
some sensation, which, in these days of   From Love's hand drinks the draught divine;
rhylnesters, is a  success.  Massey, it
seelus, is the son of a poor canal boat-   And honey'd plots are drowsed with Bees:
And Larks rain music by the shower,
man, and first worked in a factory, and         While singing, singing hour by hour,
then  became  an  er-end-boy.  While   Song like a Spirit sits i' the Trees I
acting in the latter capacity he formed
an indirect connection with a poor man's   When fainting hearts forget their fears,
newspaper, and wrote articles of merit.         And in the poorest Life's salt cup
But he lost his place as errand-boy in          Some rare wine runs, and Hope builds up
consequence of setting up and burning   Her rainbow over Memory's tears!




454                     Editorial Notes-English  Literature.                             [Oct.
It fell upon a merry May morn,                   Washington's  mind  in  his  favor, he
I' the perfect prime of that sweet time       enters u
When daisies whiten, woodbines climb-         cussion uon  the following  critical disThe dear babe Christabel was born.
-   LORD  MAHON  has completed  the              " First, then, had Washington any good ground
Hi'story  of E~ngla~nd,   on which  he has   for relying on the judgment of the Court of Inquiry 
been engaged for the  last  twenty years.   Of whom did that Court consist? As we have albeen.engagedfor,   lasttwentyyeas.    ready seen, of twelve American, and of two EuroIt comprises the period from  the peace   pean field-officers. Now, it must be borne in mind,
of Utrecht, in  1713, to  the  treaty of   that the American Generals, at that time, were, for
Versailles, in  1783, just seventy years.   the most part, wholly destitute of the advantage of
The final or seventh volume, embraces   a liberal education. They were men drawn from
1780-1783. This period is not the most   the plough-handle, or from the shop-board, at their
remarkable in the annals of England, but   country's call. Greene himself, the President of the
tribunal, had been a blacksmith by trade. These
as it includes  the american  war, it is   humble avocations afford no reason why such men
especially interesting to us on this side   might not always do their duty as became them in
of the Atlantic.  We need not say that   the field; why they should not sometimes acquire
it has been treated with candor, industrly    and display military skill; why, at the present day,
and research.  Lord Mahon is not a bril-   their names should not be held in high honor by
liant rhietor-ician,  like Macaulay, nor a   tleir countrymen. But they do afford a reason, and
as it seems to me, a strong one, why such men,
profound generalizer, like Guizot, nor an    having no light of study to guide them, having
eloquent and declamatory narrator, like    never probably so much as heard the names of
Bancroft.  He gives us no such original   Vattel or Puffendorf, could be no fit judges on any
views as we find in Thierry, nor does he   nice or doubtful point of national law. And by
paint such striking and impressive pic-   whom had they been assisted?  By Lafayette,
ntures as Michelet * but lie is faithful,   who, though for some years a trans-Atlantic Genetures as  Michelet; but he  is faithful,    ral, was still only a youth of twenty-three, and who,
honest, amiable, and  eager to  acquire    as he tells us, had learnt little or nothing at his
and  state the truth.  He is singularly   college. By Steuben, who had undoubtedly great
free from  historical biases, and though,   knowledge and experience, but who, speaking no
like every other writer, he has some pre-'English, while his colleagues spoke no French, was
conceived theories, he can  scarcely  be    unable to discuss any controverted question with
accused of any wilful partiality.  In his
accused of any wilful partiality.  In  It follows, then, that the verdict of such a tribujudgments, indeed, he is often too lenient,   nal ought to have no weight in such a case; and
failing  to  deal  that  rigorous  justice   that Washington, far from  relying upon it, was
always which the offences of great per-   bound either to refer the question to such men as
sonages demand, and allowing the guilty    Knypausen and Rochambeau, adjoining with them
to escape the sentences of the Nemesis   perhaps Steuben; or to ponder and decide it for
himself. Had he considered it with his usual calmness
which  ought to  preside  over histoy.    and clear good sense, it seems scarcely possible that,
He is a professed  conservative, but at,  with all the circumstances so utterly unlike, he
the same time, his tone is liberal and    should have pronounced the case of Andr6 to be the
independent,                                     same as that of a common spy. And waiving for
The last volume includes in its subjects   the present the disputed point as to the flag of truce,
the Gordon riots in England, the Pro-   it is clear, at all events, that when Andr6 was artes tatagitaionthrested, he was travelling under the protection of a
testant agitation, the conquest of India,   pass which Arnold, as the commander of the West
and the latter part of the war for inde-   Point district, had a right to give. The Americans
pendence  in  the  United  States; and    contend that this right was forfeited, or rendered of
among the characters described or alla-   no effect, by Arnold's treacherous designs.  Yet
ded to, are those of Washington, Grat-   how hard to reconcile such a distinction with
tan, Richard Brinsley Shes-idan, William    plighted faith and public law! How can we draw
the line, and say at what precise point the passes
Wilberfor  e, Thomas  Grenville,  Lord    are to grow invalid-whether, when the treachery
Rockinghaa, and others of equal note.   is in progress of execution, or when only matured
He  is severe upon Rockinghlam, com-   in the mind, or when the mind is still wavering upon
pared with the fine eulogy of Macaulay,   it? In short, how loose and slippery becomes the
in one of his essays, and he even ques-   ground, if once we forsake the settled principle of
tions the perfect justice of Washington,   recognizing the safe-conducts granted by adequate
tons t ne ~perfect ~ustice  oI Wasinlgtont   authority, if once we stray forth in quest of secret
in the execution of Andr6.  As this last   motives and designs l
criticism  is like to excite some attention,       "It has, indeed, been asserted that'Washington
we extract it, as a moderate English-   signed the order for Andr6's death with great relucman's view  of the only assailable point   tance; but the army were dissatisfied, and dein  the   career  of  our  great  man.   manded the sacrifice.' This assertion, however,
After  detailing  all the  incidents  of    rests on no sufficient evidence; and were it most
oeAfter   etalng  all c the  incidents   of    fully established, would not relieve the CommanderAndre's offence and  capture,  and  de-   in-Chief from his legitimate responsibility. Nor can
scribing  the  efforts made to  influence   the inflexibility of Washington, in both awarding




1854.]                 Editorial  iotes —English Literature.                           455
death to Andrl, and denying him the last consola-  the shop or the plough, for some of them
tion and relief he sought-to die the death of a   were men well read in the military art.
soldier-be vindicated, as I conceive, by any sup-   Greene who presided, though a self-eduposed necessity, at that time, of a severe example.
Had Arnold, indeed, or any American taking part   cated man, was thoroughly instructed in
with Arnold, been in question, that motive might,  his business.  Lafayette was young, but
no doubt, have justly carried considerable weight.   may be presumed to have known someBut what end could Washington hope to effect by   thing of the laws of nations.  Steuben,
even the utmost extremity of rigor against Andr6?   though he spoke no English, had good
Let another most gallant and accomplished so'lier  interpreters by his   de ord  Sterlig
answer for me.'Mr. Washington,' says Sir Henry
Clinton, in his Memoirs,'could not be insensible   was a veteran; and, to say nothing of
that the example, though ever so terrible and igno-   Clinton, Knox, and Paterson, Hamilton,
minious, would never deter a British officer from    whom  Washington consulted on all imtreading in the same steps, whenever the service of   portant points, and  may be presumed
his country should require his exposing himself to  to   have   been   consulted  on  this, was
the like danger in such a war.'  
"It behoves us, no doubt, to ponder reverently,   as sagacious and  profound  a counselere we attempt to cast any censure on a man so   lor as he could have chosen.  There is,
virtuous as Washington. Yet none of his warmest   moreover, no reason for supposing that
panegyrists can assert, though they sometimes im-   Washington  did not refer the  matter
ply, that his character was wholly faultless; and   to Rochambeau, who was not distant,
here, as it seems to me, we are upon its faulty point.  and whose opinion he would naturally
He had, as his friends assure us, by nature strong   be solicitous to obtain.  But whether he
and most angry passions; these he had curbed and   be sol c itou s  to obta in.  But  whether he
quelled by a resolute exertion of his will, but he   did or not, he was clear in his own mind
did not always prevent them  from  hardening   that the decision of the  tribunal was
into sternness. Of this we may observe some indi-  right.  It had framed its sentence accations here and there in his private corres-   cording to the facts that Andre was taken
pondence, as, for instance, in the case of the   in citizen's dress, bearing upon his person
suiciies at Boston. But such indications are confined to words, and addressed only to his familiar   documentary evhdence of a conspiracy,
friends. Here, on the contrary, the fault appears   vhich, if it had been carried into effect,
in action. Here it gave rise to what, unless I greatly   would have prostrated the cause of Amerideceive myself, the intelligent classes of his country-   can liberty for years.  He came before
men will, ere long, join ours in condemning-the   themr  as an ordinary spy, and as such he
death-warrant of Andr6; certainly by far the   wascoldemned.  The passofthemergreatest, and perhaps the only blo' in his most noble
career."                                       ican general, bearing the name of one
Anderson, could hardly be construed into
We have no space, nor, if we had   a protection for a British general officer
space, have we the disposition, to discuss   whose name was Andr6.  Washington,
the question which is here raised, pre.-   with all his passions, was most reinarkferring to leave it to the biographers of   able for his moderation and justice, and
Washington, and to the historians of the   this event will no. tarnish his fame in
country, especially to Bancroft, who must   that respect with  impartial posterity.
soon, in the regular course of his labors,   We may  lament the  sad fate  of thle
approach this point, to defend the con-   youthful and  accomplished  major, but
duct of the American general.  But we   we cannot deny  that it was one he
will remark, that the grounds on which   brought upon himself, by engaging in a
Mahon  criticises the Court of Inquiry    nefarious plot.
which condemned Andr6, seem to us en-             The most interesting chapter in Lord
tirely superficial and impertinent.  It is   Mahon's volume relates to the life and
true that several of the officers that cons-   manners of the eighteenth century, where
tituted the board were taken from  the   the writer is at home, and paints a picplough or the shop, that they were not   ture not at all flattering to the virtues of
imen  &,;  " liberal education," that they    his ancestors.  The highway robberies,
had ne. er read Vattel or Puffendorf, and   the gambling, the dissipation, and the
that they were guided in their decision   indecency of the period, are illustrated
by their naked sense of justice and right.   by  extracts  fiom  contemporary  chroBut we do not see that they were any    nicles, which  force  us to congratulate
the less qualified on that account to de-   ourselves, as we read them, that we have
termine the case according to the evi-   reached a better era, and  serve to condeumce.  It was simply a question whether   vince us that there  is an unmistakable
Andre was a spy, and that once deter-   progress in human affairs.
mined, the application of the laws of             -  The London Athenceum, which prewar was inevitable. Besides, all the menl-  tends to considerable authority in matbers of that court were not taken from    ters of art, says that "Lentze's statue of




456                      Editorial Notes-English  Literature.                              [Oct.'Washington at the Battle of Monmouth,   digestive organs prevented him from tasting any
will be shortly exhibited at Brussels.  It   fermented liquors, or touching any food but beef and
is at  present  in the sculptor's studio at   mutton, or poultry and game, dressed with perfect
plainness. He never touched anybut black tea, and
Berlin."   This would  be an interesting    was very particular about the quality of that, always
bit of intelligence, but for the fact that   using the most expensive that tould be got: and he
the artist's name is Leutze, not Lentze;   used, when living alone, to consume nearly a pound
that his workl is a picture, not a statue;   in a week. A cup of Hazlitt's tea (if you happened
that he is a painter, not a sculptor, and    to come in for the first brewage of it) was a peculiar
that his studio is at D-osseldorf, not Ber-   thing; I have never tasted anything like it. He
always made it himself; half-filling the teapot with
lin.  Besides, it will be first exhibited in   tea, pouring the boiling water on it, and then almost
the United States, and not at Brussels.           immediately pouring it out; using with it a great
-  A gossipping volume has been put   quantity of sugar and cream.
forth, by a Mr. P. G. PATMORE, under the           i" To judge from its occasional effect upon myself,
name of My Friends and Acquaintances,   I should say that the quantity HIazlitt drank of this
consisting, as the second title informs us,   tea produced, ultimately, a most injurious effect upon
him; and in all probability hastened his death, which
of "memorials, mind-portraits, and per-   took place from  disease of the digestive organs.
sonal recollections of deceased celebrities   But its immediate effect was agreeable, even to a
of the nineteenth century, with selections   degree of fascination; and, not feeling any subsefrom their unpublished letters."  A great   quent reaction from it, he persevered in its use to
deal of the book is trivial and uninterest-   the last, notwithstanding two or three attacks simiing, and none of it very original, but the   lar to that which terminated his life.
anHis breakfast and tea were frequently the only
writer  announces, in  the course of it,   meals that Hazlitt took till late at night, when he
that he is in possession of an unpublished    usually ate a hearty supper of hot meat-either rumpdrama by Charles Lamb, and in the lat-   steak, poultry, or game-a partridge or a pheasant.
ter part are certain dramatic  sketches   This he invariably took at a tavern; his other meals
which Mr. Patmore ascribes to Sheridan.   (except his dinner sometimes) being as invariably
Among  the  persons who figure in  his   takenathome.
" There were three or four houses only that he
pages are Hazlitt, Lamb, Plumer Ward,   frequented; for he never entered the doors of any
the  Smiths,  Horace  and  James,  the    one where his ways were not well known, or where
Countess of Blessington, Count d'Orsay,   there was any chance of his bill being asked for till
Leigh Hunt, and Thomas Campbell.  The    he chose to offer payment of it. And when treated
latter he accuses of not having  wvritt~en    in a way that pleased him in this latter particular,
the  life  of Mrs. Siddons to which his   he did not care what he paid. I have known him
name is affixed  but the publisher of the   pay with cheerfulness, accumulated sums of twenty
nalne  is afixed, but the publisher of the    or thirty pounds for suppers only, or chiefly.
work  gives a peremptory denial of this             ", The houses Hazlitt frequented were the Southcharge.  He also accuses D'Orsay of not   ampton Coffeehouse, in Southampton Buildings,Chanpaying his tradesman's bills, but this, too,   cery Lane; Munday's, in Maiden Lane, Covent Garhas been as peremptorily  denied.  On    den; and (for a short period) the Spring Garden
Coffeehouse. The first of these he has immortalized.the whole, it is a wothless publication,   in one of the most amusing of his essays,' On Coffeeevidently got up as a speculation.  Here    house Politicians.' Here, for several years, he used
is a sketch of Hazlitt's mode of life, how-   to hold a sort of evening levee; where, after a cerever, which is not without interest to the    tain hour at night (and till a very uncertain hour in
admirers of that fine essayist:                   the morning) he was always to be found, and always
more or less ready to take part in that sort of de"Hazlitt usually rose at from one to two o'clock in   sultory' talk' (the only thing really deserving the
the day-scarcely ever before twelve; and if he had    name of' conversation') in which he excelled every
no work in hand, he would sit over his breakfast (of   man I have ever met with. But of this hereafter.
excessively strong black tea, and a toasted French    Here, however, in that little bare and comfortless
roll) till four or five in the afternoon-silent, motion-   coffeeroom, have I scores of times seen the dayless, and self-absorbed, as a Turk over his opium-   light peep through the crevices of the window-shutpouch; for tea served him precisely in this capacity.   ters upon'Table-Talk' that was worthy an intelIt was the only stimulant he ever took, and at the   lectual feast of the gods."
same time the only luxury; the delicate state of his




PUTNAM'S MONTHLY.
9  g1astagayine of  itieratur, Bienet ac,rt.
VOL. IV.-NOV. 1854.-NO. XXIII.
THE FIRST DISCOVERERS OF AMERICA.
"Non est de nihilo quod publica fama susurrat,
Et parteim veri, fabula semper habet.
HTISTORY, while it seeks to perpetuate  rica visited by thTem, full five hundred
11 the fleeting events of time, accepts  years before he landed at San Salvador.
nothing on the credit of mere hypothe-    That this assertion will startle from
sis, but exacts, from all, the solemn sane-  their favorite prejudices all firm believers
tions of truth. Having no axioms like  in popular history, we entertain no doubt.
mathematics, from which, as postulates,  To such, the language is unequivocally,
it can draw certain conclusions, it is left,  incurably heterodox, and smells rank of
in each particular instance, wholly de-  treason to cherished national opinions.
pendent upon the amount of positive  In mooting the question, we have not
light to be deduced from approved evi-  closed our eyes to this contingency, and
dence. Hence, its criteria can never be  we propose, accordingly, to treat it in a
fixed, but must vary, and fluctuate, with   manner which shall seem to court, rather
the vicissitudes of versatile humanity-   than shun, the test of open, candid diskeeping in view only that one great para-  cussion, and which, if it serve not to
mount object, Truth.                   carry conviction to every mind, will at
Among the many names of distin-  least awaken it to the necessity of reguished men, which history has immor-  viewing its own preferred, and long
talized in song and story, that of Chris-  adopted conclusions.  Especially does
topher Columbus has ever stood pre-  that duty seem incumbent upon all, when
eminent.  His is a name, with whose  the subject relates so directly to the hisvirtues the whole civilized world has  tory of our own country, and appeals no
rung  for centuries, and which has  less to our patriotism than our love of
everywhere passed into a household sy-  truth. If, as we claim, the ante-Columnonym, for indefatigable enterprise and   bian history of America is either geneundaunted adventurousness. There is a  rally unknown, or popularly prejudged
singular and melancholy fact connected   against any European discovery, prior to
with the life of this great captain, men-  the year 1492, it is not to be charged so
tioned by Irving, that, while the world   much to the absence of real, substantial
has persisted in styling him the discoverer  light upon the subject (which is within
of America, he should actually have lived,  every one's reach), as to a popular bias
and died, in entire ignorance of ever  favoring Columbus's claim to the title of
having touched upon the new continent;  discoverer, and created chiefly by the
and it is still more strange that it should  clat which his voyages produced in the
now be ascertained, by the most indubi-  south of Europe. We know how much
table proofs, that Columbus never, in fact,  and how deeply we are indebted to Codiscovered America; but that Greenland  lumbus.  We appreciate and acknowwas discovered and colonized by the  ledge, in every department of motive
NORTHMEN, and other portions of Ame-  power, the genius of Fulton. And, in
VOL. IV.-30




458                  The First Discoverers of America.                   LNov.
that fraternal bond uniting the uttermost  clothed with supernatural horrors. Yet,
parts of earth, and annihilating both   mingled with these feelings was a lurking
time and space-through which remotest  apprehension of fair lands beyond, such
nations send messages of love, and peace,  as mortal eyes had never rested on, and
and greeting, on currents hardly less  whose description was borrowed from
swift than thought itself-who fails to  the sunset glories that distinguished their
recognize the splendid intellect of Morse.  horizon. It is true that the enterprising
Yet, Fulton did not discover steam, nor  Phlcenicians had sailed past the Pillars of
Morse magnetism. Practically, they did   Hercules, and made frequent voyages to
what none of their predecessors had done   Cornwall, in quest of tin, with which to
before them, and gave new impetus to a   supply the marts of Inner Asia. But
dormant energy hitherto unemployed.  this was the limit of western exploration,
Measuring utility by success, we can ac-  and all beyond was air and sea. Even
cord theim the highest meed of praise;  Agricola's fleet, which first discovered
and apportioning our gratitude to the   that Britain was an island, ventured not
number of comforts and conveniences  to sail westwardly of this Ultima Thule;
conferred upon us, we have reason daily  for to them  the Western Sea was the
to remember and exalt their names.  domain of chaos, dark, terrible, untriedPrecisely similar is the analogy which
obta.ins iL the vase a,- Coi.mbiu,. Hl  did     "; vast _:limitnle oco..n,
not, as we shall eventually show, disco-     Without height, or depth, or bound"ver America; for the Northmen were
here centuries before him, as their mo-  the refuge of those Titanic powers that
numents and histories sufficiently attest;  ruled the very elements themselves, and
yet, no permanent good attended their  sported with  the foundations of the
visits to our strand; while his landing   round world. Nevertheless, there was a
inaugurated the dawn of a new and en-  steady belief in the existence of a fair
during civilization upon the shores of the   island, or continent, in that direction.
Western Continent.  In his footsteps  Men clung to the hope of some day disfollowed colonies, which have since de-  covering it, and gaining new dominions,
veloped themselves into flourishing com-  together with exhaustless treasures. Like
mInunities and powerful republics.  Comn-  a fireside legend, it had passed into the
merce and agriculture, science and art,  current literature of antiquity, and was
with all their attendant blessings, have  recounted by all classes as a promise yet
completed the furniture of this rich ter-  to be fulfilled.  Plato had frequently
ritory, which his tireless enterprise open-  mentioned it by the name of Atlantis,
ed as a long-sought inheritance to the   and Seneca, writing in a vein of almost
over-populous, swarming Europe. Never  inspired prophecy, revealed the true desdid earth witness such a triumph of  tiny of the world in these vaticinal
peaceful industry as this. For it seemed   words:
as though human destiny had suddenly
changed its course, and Time, renewing          Venient annis secula sers,
his youth, had plumed his wings for a           Quibus oceanus vincurerum
loftier,. _ ~~~~~~~Laxet, et iSerap jsateat telus
loftier, more millennial flight. No wonder      Tiphysque novus delegat orbes,
is it that so dazzling a glory should have      Nec sit terris Ultima Thule.
been retrospective as well as prospective,
and obscured, in the popular mind, at  Was ever prophecy more signally accomleast, the less noted, though far more   plished than this? Where now is earth's
daring, deeds of the Scandinavian naviga-  Ultima Thule?  One might as well look
tors who preceded him. Let us inquire,  for the end of the rainbow; and the
then, unto whom  belongs the  credit  good pilot Tiphys would be sore puzzled
(small though it may be) of having first  to find new lands, towards which the
penetrated the dim mists of superstition   prow of another Argo could be turned.
which shrouded the unknown regions of   But it was reserved for the hardy chilHesperus.                               dren of the North, nurtured on a barren,
The fruitful imagination of mankind   churlish soil, and chafing for opportunihad, in the early age of the world, always  ties of distinction, to solve this great
attached a mysterious import to the great  geographical enigma. Alike indifferent
Western Ocean. It was the abode of  to pain or hardship, the Viking seemed to
darkness, whirlwind, and tempest; and   court the terrors of the elements, and
men looked shudderingly at that blank,  death itself, for the sake of such advenunknown realm, which their fancy had   tures as might be sung by Scalds, at high




1854.]              The First Discoverers of Anmerica.                  459
wassailings, and inscribe their names in  statement of the results of those early
imperishable ruins. We find, according-  voyages which it commemorates. From
ly, that they sailed out into the great  such of these materials as he had access
unknown sea, far to the westward, until  to, Torfaeus  elaborated  his  Veter~i
they reached Iceland and Greenland, to   Groenlandice D)escriptio  and Historia
which places they gave both a name and   Vinlandice Antiquca, works of pricecolonies.                              less value to the antiquary, and, in our
The history of tile eighth, ninth and   country, extremely rare. In like mantenth centuries is filled with accounts of  ner, very exact relations of these disthe maritime expeditions of the Scandi-  coveries have been preserved in Arngrin
navians.  However terrible they may  Jonas' Specimen IslandisE Historicum,
hlave been by land, it is very evident  Adam von Bremen's Ecclesiastical Histhat they were even more so by sea, and  tory, and in many other contemporano portion of Europe went unscathed of   neous writings, which we shall presently
their irruptions. They covered the seas  have occasion to cite. But these works
with their marauding vessels, and levied   are, comparatively  speaking, recent,
contributions indiscriminately upon all  when contrasted with the original MSS.
kingdoms and nations. Neither distance  from which they have been compiled,
notr disaster could deter them. Their  and which deserve a passing notice in
very name was dreaded from the North  this connection.  The history of the
Cape to the shores of Italy. The potent  early discoveries in America is contained
Charlemagne himself, is said to have  in the two sagas of EIREK THE RED and
wept at their defiance of his name, de-  THORFINN KARLSEFNE. The former narsp)ite the precautions he had taken to  rative makes part of the beautiful veloppose them; and Alfied was the first  lum  MSS., called  Codex Flateyensis,
English monarch whose prowess was  which is a collection of histories tranequal to the task of repelling them from   scribed from  older MSS. between the
the oft-scourged shores of Britain, after  years 1387 and 1395, afullcentury before
they had incessantly ravaged, and fre-  Columbus landed in the New  World.
quently subdued it, through a period of  The MSS. of the later saga is also on
over two hundred years. Being sole  vellum, and was evidently written about
masters of the Northern Ocean, and en-  the close of the thirteenth century. It
couraged by their success, they at differ-  forms part of the celebrated Arna Magent times became possessed of all the   naan collection in the library of thle
islands in it.  Among these we must  Copenhagen  University.  The  Codes
principally notice Iceland, the brightest  Flateyensis was presented to Frederick
literary star in the hyperborean firma-  III. of Denmark by a bishop of Skalholt,
ment, and whose ancient history is said  and is preserved in the Royal Library.
to be the most perfect of any European   So Inuch hesitation having been exhibitcountry.  It is not material, however,  ed on the part of European scholars, not
to the subject under review, that we  aware of the existence of these records,
should make any further mention of  to credit the belief that a rude people,
Icelandic history, except in its relation   scarcely included within the pale of
to the discoveries of the Northmen in  civilization, should have crossed the AtAmerica. As the only apparent source  lantic repeatedly, at a period of time
from which positive and certain informa-  antecedent to the invention of the astrotion touching the early voyages to the  labe or compass-yet so  successfully
Western Continent can be drawn, we  withal as to establish colonies on the
must refer to it. The track is well  barren coast of Greenland, and even bebeaten, having been trodden before; nor  yond, with which communications were
shall we be likely to go astray in follow-  regularly kept, that the Royal Society
ing the steps of the distinguished scho-  of Northern Antiquaries at Copenhagen
lars and antiquaries who have so often   undertook the weighty task of collecting
and critically passed over it.         and publishing all the evidence upon
That portion of the Icelandic sagas, or  this subject, which they could secure.
histories, to which our attention is called   Possessing themselves not only of the
in furtherance of this object, has been   original documentary proofs contained
Inade the basis of all modern compila-  within the archives of the northern
tions upon the subject, and although not  kingdoms, but also including among their
unscathed by the " grim gloating glan-  members the first Icelandic scholars and
ces" of carping critics, has yet, in the  runologists, it may be conceived that
main, continued  unimpeached, in its  they brought to this undertaking an




460                   ThIe First Discoverers of.America.                   [Nov.
amount of light and learning, unsurpassed   land, and  called  the  place Midjokul.
in  power,  and  fully  colllpetent to   Thence he coasted along the shore in a
illumine the darkest recesses of runic  southerly  direction.  He  passed  the
lore.  Accordingly, in the year 1837,  first winter, in Eireksy, near the middle
they published the results of these labors   of Eastbygd. In the following spring he'
in a ponderous quarto, written in Ice-   entered Eireksfiord, and there fixed his
landic, Danish and Latin, under the title  residence. After spending the ensuing
of ANTIQUITATES AMERICANX:.*  This  summer in exploring the western part of
tri-lingual volume contains all the infor-  the country, and tarrying  throughout
niation we have elsewhere alluded to,  the winter, lie returned in the third sumsupported and substantiated by contem-   mer to Iceland.  He called the land
poraneous  narrations  of  continental  which lie had thus discovered Greenland,
writers, together with collateral evidence,  saying that men would be induced to
deduced from recently discovered Inonu-   emigrate thither, by a name so inviting.
ments in Greenland, and a critical ex-   In the ensuing sumnner he returned to
amination of those already known to  the land which he had discovered, to
exist in our own country.  The work is   make it his permanent residence.  This
finished with a perfection of detail that  (latter) event happened  /ifteen winters
everywhere evinces the high ability of   before the Christian religion was estaits editors, and their unsparing devotion   blished in Iceland.t
to the cause of learning; while the proud   "Among the names of the many persons
monument that Professors Rafn  and   who accompanied Eirek on his return to
Magnussen have thus consecrated to the   Greenland (there were enough to require
service of history, entitles them to a lofty  twenty-five vessels, it would appear) that
niche in her temple.  We shall therefore   of Heriulf stands conspicuous.  He was
closely adhere to their text in the fol-  of an old family, beingkinsman to Ingolf,
lowing narratives, abbreviating only such   the first settler in Iceland. Now, Heriull
parts as are not indispensable to the   had a son named Biarne, a youth of great
unity of our sketch, and partake of a   promise.  This young man being agreat
more discursive character than would be   traveller, was absent in Norway, when
compatible with its limits.  And first, as   his father, with his household, passed
to the discovery of Greenland and Vin-   over to Greenland.  Heriulf fixed his reland, we have-                            sidence at Heriulfness.   Eirek  established his at Brattahlid.  During this
AN AOCOUNT OF EIREK TIIE RED, AND OF    same summer, Biarne returned to IceGREENLAND.                  land, when, discovering that his family
had removed, he was sore distressed, in"There was a man named Thorvald,  somuch that he refused to disembark.
of honorable lineage.  He and his son   Being asked what his future intentions
Eirek, surnamed the Red, were  corn-   were, he replied:' To do as I have been
pelled to flee from  Jadar (on the coast  accustomed, and spend the winter with
of Norway), on account of a homicide    ny father. I wish to proceed to Greencommitted by them.  They settled in  land.' And when his sailors expressed
Iceland, at that time fully  colonized.  their willingness to accompany him, he
Eirek's father soon died. He again coIn-  said:' Our course seems somewhat foolmitted a homicide. Having been con-  ish, since none of us has ever crossed the
demned (to banishment) by the court,  Greenland Ocean.' Nevertheless, having
he fitted out a vessel.  When all was  refitted their vessel, they put to sea.
ready, Eirek informed his friends that he   " They made sail for three days, when
had determined to seek the land which   the fair wind fell, and strong northeast
Gunnbiorn had seen; when driven into   winds sprang up, accompanied by thick
the Western Ocean, he had found the  fogs. They were borne before the wind
islands since called'the rocks of Gunn-  for many days, they knew not whither.
biorn,' saying, that, if he found land   At length, the face of the heavens bethere, he would revisit them. He set  came once more visible, and sailing one
sail from  Snaefellsjokul (on the west  day further, they saw  land. But not
coast of Iceland).  At length he found   being mountainous, and in this particular
* Antiquitates Americanae: sive Scriptores Septentrionales Rerum Ante-Columbianarum in America.
Edidit Societas Regia Antiquariorum Septentrionalium. Hafniae 1837.
t Christianity was first introduced into Iceland through the efforts of Olaf Tryggvasson, King of Norway,
in the year 1000. The emigration to Greenland, therefore, took place in 985, and Eirek's discovery three
years before, or in 982.




1854.]                The First Dtscoverers of Amnerica.                   461
failing to answer the description of   three, and four, the last of these being an
Greenland, Biarne  would  not  land.  island, which, sailing with a southwest
Leaving it, therefore, on their left hand,  gale, was at the proportional distance of
they put about, with stern towards the   four front the southern extremity of
land. They then sailed two days before   Greenland. Now, a glance at the map
they saw  land again.  This also, not  will show, that the only places on the
being mountainous, but, on the contrary,  American continent which satisfy this
level, and woody, they again turned their  problem analytically, as to distances arnd
prow from  land, and stood out to sea.  physical aspect, are  (beginning  with
Sailing three days with a S.W. wind,   Greenland and retrograding), first, the
they once more made land. This was  island of Newfoundland, second, the pehigh, mountainous, and covered with ice.  ninsula of Nova Scotia, and lastly, some
Without relaxing sail, they coasted the   promontory within the present limits of
shore till they perceived that this was an   Massachusetts, possibly Cape Cod. But
island. Again putting the ship about,  we will not anticipate the more particuand standing out to sea with the same   lar narrative of Leif (son of Eirek)
wind, (S.W.) which blew so strong as to   who, following  Biarne's  description,
compel them to shorten sail, they kept  visited and named all these localities.
on their course forfour days, when they   It is in substance as follows:
again saw  land.   This corresponding      "Leif purchased Biarne's vessel, and
with the descriptions of Greenland which   manned it with a crew of thirty-five. He
he had received, Biarne approached the   requested his fatber to take command of
land towards a certain promontory, on   the expedition, but, beig discouraged
which Heriulf (his father) dwelt. Then   by an accident when on the way to the
lie betook himself to his father's house,  ship, Eirek returned home. Leif, with
and remained with him till the period of   his thirty-five companions, among whom
his decease."  *  *  *  *  *  *  *      was a German named Tyrker, then went
on board, and set sail. The first land to
We ask the reader to pause here for  which they came was that last seen by
one moment, while he turns to an atlas   Biarne.  They cast anchor here, and
of the Northern Ocean, and institutes an   went on shore. There was no herbage
inquiry into the direction of Biarne's  to be found. All above were frozea
course. It will be recollected that he   heights, and the whole space between
was in quest of Greenland.  Coming   these and the sea, was occupied by bare
from Iceland, he was, therefore, bound   fat rocks.  Leif thereupon  called  it
west. After sailing three days on that  Helluland (that is, land of broad stones).
course, strong northeast gales super-   After this they put out to sea, and came
vened, with dense fogs, which state of  to another land, and, having gone on
things continued-for many days. Having   shore, found it to be low, level, and
no means to judge of, or rectify his  covered with wood.  In  many places
course, he may be considered fairly to  there were white sands, and a gradual
have been at the mercy of the winds,  rise of the coast. Then, said Lief, let
and in the most likely condition to lose  this be called flarkland (land of woods).
his reckoning. After it clears up, and   Re-embarking, they sailed on for two
the sun is again visible, he sails on one   days with a northeast wind, and again
day further, when land is discovered.  came in sight of land.  Approaching
Then the ship is put about, and stands  this, they touched upon an island, lying
out to sea with a southwest wind, the   opposite to the northeasterly part of the
land being left, to larboard. After sail-  main land. They observed the grass
ing two days with this wind, they make   covered with dew, which, on being acciland anew.  Thence continuing, with   dentally tasted, they perceived  to be
their prow  from  land, on the same   strangely sweet.*  Returning  to their
course, in three days they come to an   ship, they sailed through a bay, which
island. Once more the ship  is put  lay between the island and a promontory
about, and, with the same southwest  running towards the northeast, and, dibreeze, now freshened into a gale, they   recting their course westward, they
sail four days, and finally reach Green-  passed beyond this promontory. In this
land. We want, therefore, three points,  bay, when the tide was low, there were
at the proportional distances of two,  shallows left of very great extent.t They
* Honey-dew is very common on the island of Nantucket.
t This description is strikingly applicable to the shores of Buzzard's Bay, Vineyard Sound, and the adja.
cent islands.




462                  The First Discoverers of America.                   [Nov.
went on shore at a place where a river  spring he sent out a party in the boat to
poured out of a lake. When the tide   explore the coastto the south.  On their
rose, they passed up the river into the   return, in the autumn,they reported havlake.*  Having disembarked, they erect-  ing found the country everywhere very
ed temporary habitations, but determrin-  beautiful, and well wooded; but, with
ing soon to spend the winter there, they   the exception  of a wooden shed, no
built more permanent dwellings. Both  traces of man or beast. The following
in the river and the lake there was a   summer, 1004, Thorvald sailed eastward
great abundance of salmon. So great  from Leifsbooths, and then northward,
was the goodness of the land, that they   past a remarkable headland, which, with
inferred cattle would be able to find pro-  an  opposite headland, inclosed a bay.
vender in winter, none of that intense   Here a violent gale driving them  into
cold occurring to which they were ac-  shoal water, and damaging the keel of
customed at home, and the grass not  their vessel, Thorvald was compelled to
withering very much.  Leif organized  remain some time to replace it.  He
daily exploring parties, with the injunc-  caused the old keel to be set up on the
tion of always returning at nightfall. It  headland, from which circumstance he
happened, one evening, that one of the   called the place Kjalarnes (Keel-ness, or
company, the German, Tyrker, was miss-  Cape Keel); sailing along the coast to the
ing; whereat Lief, being much concerned,  eastward, he came to a finely wooded
started with twelve others in search of   promontory, which he landed upon, and
him. When they had gone but a short  greatly admired. Being about to embark,
distance, Tyrker met them, his manner  they observed  three canoes (sealskin
being so changed as to awaken surprise.  boats) on the beach, under each of which
To all Leif's inquiries, he for some time   were three Skraellings t or Esquimaux.
gave no answer, except in German, and   Of the nine natives they killed eight, one
rolled his eyes and twisted his mouth   escaping.  Soon after, having betaken
strangely, meanwhile.  At length, he  themselves to rest, they were awakened
spoke in the Norse language, and said:   by a number of canoes filled with Skrael-'I have not been far, but I have some-  lings, coming from  the interior of the
thing new  to tell you; I have found   bay against them. Raising battle-screens
vines and grapes.'  And Leif, asking   on the ship's sides, they succeeded in
whether this was true:'Yes, indeed,' he   beating them  off, but in the conflict,
answered,'I was brought up in a land   Thorvald received an arrow wound unwhere there was abundance of vines and   der the arm, which proved mortal. Findgrapes.''Then,' said Leif,'there are  ing himself about to die, he advised his
two matters now to be attended to, on   companions to depart speedily, desiring
alternate days —to gather grapes, or bet-  first that they might bury himn on the
ter, to cut down vines, and to fell timber,  headland, with a cross at his head, and
with which we may load the ship.' The   one at his feet, and henceforth call the
task was immediately commenced. It  place Krossanes (Cross-ness).  They did
is said that their long boat was filled with  as he ordered, and then returned to their
grapes. And now, having felled timber  companions at Leifsbooths, where they
to load their ship, and the spring coming   passed the winter, and, early in the spring
on, they made ready for their departure   of 1005, set sail for Greenland, with a
(A.D. 1001). Leif gavetheland a name   cargo of timber, grapes and vine sets.
expressive of its produce, and called it  Not long after this, Thorstein, the third
Winland dat Gode (the good Vinland).  son of Eirek, made an ineffectual attempt
They then put out to sea, having a fair  to reach Vinland, with his brother's veswind, and at length caine in sight of   sel, but was driven by stress of weather
Greenland.                              into Lysufjord,4 where he died."
*    *    *    *    *    *            Here ends the saga of Eirek the Red,
"On hearing the favorable account that  upon which we forbear, at these presents,
Leif gave of Vinland, his brother Thor-  making either gloss or commentary, the
vald, set out in 1002, in Leifs vessel, with  rather as we have already called attenthirty men, and arrived safely at Leifs-  tion to the geographical problem  conbooths (Leif's dwelling). The following   tained in it, in our review of Biarne's
* Probably Mit. Hope Bay.
t This was a term of derision applied by the Northmen to the natives, and suggested by their dwarfish
stature. Arngrin Jonas fllrnishes some clue to the etymology of the word, where he sneeringly calls then
"Pis gmaeos bi-cisbitatles!"
Supposed to be Igsorbok Creek, on the east side of Baffin's Bay.




1854.]               The First Discoverers of America.                   463
voyage.  The identification of the va-  visions ran short. Soon after, a whale,
rious localities visited and named by Leif,  of a species unknown to the Northmen,
will be duly established, after we shall  was cast ashore, and they partaking of it,
have rehearsed the next chronicle, which   were sickened. And now they began to
is a                                    dispute as to where they should next go,
when Thorhall, with eight men, left
NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION OF       Thorfinn, and sailed northward, to exTHORFINN KARLSEFNE.            plore Vinland; but after passing Kjal"In the autumn of 1006, two ships  arines, was driven out to sea,and cast
came to Greenland from Iceland, the one   upon the coast of Ieland.   horfinn and
commanded by Thorfinn Thordson, sur-  his people sailed south, and came to a
named Karlsefe (thI e Hopeful), the other  river that flowed through a lake on its
bay e3jarni Grilnolfsson, and  Thorhall  tway to the sea, and the mouth of which
Gamlason.  Thorfiun  was a wealthy   was so beset with sandbanks as to be only
man, and  belonged to a distinguished   accessible at high water. To this place
family. Having passed the winter with   he gave the name of Hop (Estuary).
Eirek the Red, and heard a great deal  They found the country very beautiful,
about the fine salmon and wild grapes of  with good pasturage, and everything in
Vinland, they came to the resolution of   abundance, corn groing wild on the low
founding a colony there.  Meanwhile,  grounds, and vines on the hills, the woods
however, Thorfinn  fell in love with and   stocked with game, and the rivers teemmarried Thorstein's widow, Gudrida. In  ing with fish.  It was resolved to make
the spring of 1007, the two vessels were  this their winter quarters, in accordance
refitted for the projected voyage to Vin-  With which they set up booths at a short
land, as also a third one, by Thorvard,  distance from  the lake. No snow fell
another son-in-law of Eirek.  He was  during the winter, and their cattle reaccompanied by a dark, ill-looking man,  mained in the fields. Having been often
named Thorhall, who had long served   and repeatedly attacked by the SkraelEirek in the capacity of hunter. There  lings, and, on one occasion, put to flight,
were, in all, one hundred and sixty indi-  Thorfinn, with his companions, felt conviduals, furnished with cattle and other  vinced that they would be constantly exlive stock in abundance.  They first  posed to such dangers, and consequently
sailed to the western district of Green-  returned to Straumfjord, where they
land, and to Bjarney,* and then, for two   passed the third winter. In the ensuing
days in a southerly direction to Ilelluland,  spriig they sailed homewards, touching
where they describe the large, flat stones  at Markland, and finally reaching Eireksor rocks, several of them  twelve ells  fjord in safety (A.D. 1010).
broad. Two days more brought them to        *    *    *    *    *    *
the woody shores of Markland. They        "In the same year a vessel arrived in
killed a bear on an island near the coast,  Greenland, from Norway, commanded by
which from that circumstance they called  two brothers, Helgi and Finnbogi, whom
Bjarneyt (Bear's Island).  Sailing for  Freydisa (daughter of Eirek), persuaded
some time southwest, with land to star-  to undertake a voyage to Vinland. They
board, they reached Kjalarnes, where  accordingly sailed thither, spent the winthere were trackless coasts and white  ter at Leifsbooths, and returned the next
sandy beaches of s8zch length as to ob-  year."
tain the name of Furdurstrandir' (Marvellous  Strands).  Continuing  their    Such are the accounts transmitted to
course, they entered a bay, off the mouth   us of the discoveries of Greenland and
of which was an island covered with   Vinland, which latter region, it is not
eider ducks' eggs. A strong current ran   hazarding too much to suppose, is identipast this island, and also further up the   cal with that portion of the American
bay, from  which  circumstance they   continent now designated as New Engnamed the former Straumey (Stream Isle)  land. We have abbreviated these narraand the latter Straumtjord  (Stream   tives much beyond what we could have
Frith). Here they unloaded their ships,  wished, selecting only those particulars
and passed the first winter, during which   as points of induction, upon which a
Gudrida gave birth to a son, called   generalization can be successfully based;
Snorri. That winter was very severe, and   for the quaint style of the old Norse
as they could neither hunt nor fish, pro-  idiom in which they are told, carries an
* One of the islands on the Coast of Labrador.  t Supposed to be Cape Sable Island.




464                  The First Discovcrers of America.                   [Nov.
atmosphere of truth about it that dis-  tween Cape Le Have, and Port Medway,
arms doubt, and repels criticism. And   the coast to the seaward is level and low,
the question really seems to  be, not  and the shores marked with white rocks.
whether they are true, but how far their  From  thence to She]bourne, and Port
descriptions coincide with the choro-  Roseway, are woods.  The land is low
graphy of certain well-known localities   with white sandy cliffs.  Cape Sable is a
ofn our coast. It is a mere comparison,  low woody island, at the extremity of a
therefore, that we are called upon to in-  range of sand cliffs."T Nor can there be
stitute, and one in which each mind can   much doubt that Kjalarnes is identical
judge for itself how nearly these elements   with Cape Cod. As to the Furdurstranof resemblance approximate and concur.  dir, or Marvellous Strands, of the NorthAt the outset, it will be noticed, that a   men, they correspond so exactly with the
certain succession of events occurs to   coast of Nauset Peninsula, and the
each of the expeditions sailing to Vin-   Chatham and Monomoy beaches, that no
land. In other words, we find that,  description could be more accurate. Dr.
Helluland,  Markland,  and  Vinland,  Hitchcock says, speaking of this region:~
the three lands of stone, wood, and   "The dunes, or sand-hills, which are ofvines, always follow successively, to the   ten nearly or quite barren of vegetation,
Northruen sailing a southwest course   and of snowy whiteness, forcibly attract
from Greenland. These facts of them-  the attention on account of their pecuselves, even if unsupported by collateral  liarity. As we approached the extremity
evidence, would suffice to show that the   of the Cape, the sand and the barrenness
countries so called could be none other  increase, and in not a few places it would
but the projecting( headlands of New-   need only a party of Bedouin Arabs to
foundland, Nova Scotia, and New Eng-   cross the traveller's ilath, to make him
land. But, lest we shall be found wan-  feel that he was in the depths of an Aradering in the hazy domain of conjecture,  bian or Lybian desert."  Professor Rafn
we have another important element of  thinks, that the name of Marvellous
information imparted to us, in the time   Strands may be chiefly due to the pheconsumed in reaching these various local-  nomenon of the -mirage, witnessed there
ities.  Thus Leif and Biarne were each   by the Northmen, and in support of this.ftur days in sailing between Greenland   conjecture, Hitchcock remarks that, "In
arld Helluland. Now, the distance from   crossing the sands of the Cape, I noticed
Cape Broil, on the southeastern extrem-  a singular mirage or deception. In Ority of Newfoundland, to Cape Farewell,  leans,for instance,we seemed to be ascendin Greenland, is some 600 nautical miles,  ing at an angle of three or four degrees,
which, with a fair wind, night easily be   nor was I convinced that such was not
run in four days. And the description   the case, until turning about, I perceived
of this region, as given by the Northmen,  that a similar ascent appeared on the
is thus corroborated by modern travel-  road just passed over."  Following the
lers. Anspach, a German writer, speaks  course pursued both by Leif and Thorof the bare, and large flat rocks, without  finn, as described by the Saga-men, it
a tree or shrub.*  The old Icelandic geo-  would appear that they must have passed
graphies call Newfoundland, Little Hel-  through Nantucket Bay, and Vineyard
luland, and Labrador, Great Helluland.  Sound, thence up the Seaconnet Reach,
In the "'Philosophical Transactions,"t a   Pocasset River, and into Mt. Hope Bay,
writer, speaking of Labrador, says:   where'Leif fixed his booths on Tauntol
"The surface is everywhere uneven and   River; and for this, though no certainty
covered with large stones, some of which   of locality can be predicated, the eviare of amazing dimensions. In a word,  dence is still unblemished, as in the case
the country is nothing more than a pro-   of any of the before-mentioned promondigious heap of barren rocks."  But if  tories. A careful examination will sattheze descriptions startle us by their  isfactorily prove this to be so.  If we
similarity, they will be found still more  suppose that Straumfjord was Buzzard's
coincident in their application to Mark-  Bay, and Straumey either Martha's Vineland, or Nova Scotia. Says a modern   yard or some of the contiguous islands,
work: i" The land is low in general, and   then the Gulf Stream will sufficiently exnot visible twenty miles off. ALspotogon   plain the strong currents mentioned in
hills have a long leCel appearance. Be-  these narratives. Lyellremarks:? "That
* Mallet's Northern Antiquities, p. 270.  t Vol. LXIV. pp. 874-7, quoted in Antiq. Am., p. 419.
T$ he New American Pilot. London, 1815. Antiq. Am., p. 42.3.
~ Report on the Geology of Ma:ssachusetts, p. 96.   1 Lyeil's Geology, Vol. I. p. 384: 5th Lond1on Edition.




1854]                The First Discoverers of America.                     465
it is the beach of Nantucket which turns  true locality of VINLAND. An objection
the current of the Gulf Stream." Taking   urged with much cogency and fervor,
it for granted that Thorfinn passed his  and bearing a semblance of validity
first winter at Buzzard's Bay, Hop will  about it, is very commonly made against
be found perfectly corresponding in de-  this emplacement of Vinland-based upscription with Mt. Hope Bay. We wish,  on the apparent difference in climate behowever, to notice that no weight is at-  tween the sea-board of Rhode Island and
tached to the occurence of these homony-  southern Massachusetts, and the region
Inous words, by antiquaries; their coin-  visited by the Northmen. But, in reality,
cidence being deemed, if not purely ac-  there is no contradiction here, which
cidental, at least of too trivial a nature   may not be easily and satisfactorily exto afford any safe grounds for judgment.  plained.  Especially will this appear,
It is otherwise with the topography. For   when the difference in the condition of
there is a river, Taunton River, flowing   parties making these observations is takthroiegh a lake, Mt. Hope Bay may al-  en into account. And, on the whole, the
most be called a lake, on its way to the   variation is no greater than can be acsea-by the Pocasset River, and Seacon-   counted for by physical laws. It should
net Reach; which owing to their sandy   be remembered, at the outset, that the
shoals, are only navigable at high water.  saga accounts, and those of the pilgrim
Can any description be more precisely  fathers, had reference to particular winaccurate?  Even after the lapse of eight  ters, and not to that season generally;
centuries, and when the erosive action   therefore, both might well be true as
of water must have somewhat changed   marked instances of climatic oscillation;
the general configuration of the coast,  which supposition is far more reasonable
we still find it, in all its essentials, strict-  than to assume that the granting the vely conformable to present circumstances.  rity of the one, necessarily invalidates
It is seldom that a chain of circumstantial  the correctness of the other. It should
evidence is so harmonious in all its parts;  also be borne in mind whence the differeach one of which, even when taken   ent voyagers came. The Northmen,
separately, carries with it the sanction of  bred amid the inhospitable wastes of the
truth, and the whole presenting a cumula-  Arctic zone, and beneath the "icy fang
tive demonstration of historical veracity.  and churlish chidings of the winter's
It is, doubtless, a matter of no incon-  wind," may well have fancied themselves
siderable difficulty, to locate with preci-  transported to some terrestrial Gladsion each particular place mentioned in  sheimr, as they beheld, through all the
these chronicles. An occasional feature   winter months, " the grass not withering
of resemblance, or moderate degree of   very much."  While the pilgrims, chilsimilarity, do not necessarily constitute   dren of a milder clime, and little accusan identity; but when these concur in a   toined to buffet the elements, happening
striking manner, and are, moreover, sup-  to land here in an unusally severe winported by collateral evidence, they then   ter, have presented us a fearful picture
form the strongest measure of proof upon   of unrelieved suffering. But the Northwhich the human mind can exercise   men also speak of a winter which was
itself. In addition to the topographical  very severe, a term, when used by them,
resemblances which have been traced,  of most portentous import; so that, after
we are told, that when the first English   all, the littoral climate of Vinland was not
settlers arrived in New England, they   Arcadian enough in character to exclude
found vines growing wild on the hills, and   it from a possible domicile on our shores.
Indian corn on the plains, the rivers   The better opinion seems to be that Vinteeming with fish, and the islands covered  land was never successfully colonized,
with wild-fowl, just as the Northmen did   and, apart from trading voyages which
centuries before them; whales, also, were   may have been undertaken there for the
frequently taken upon the coast. With   purpose of trafficking in furs with the
all these data at hand, we are forced to   natives, the Icelandic records furnish us
the conclusion, that they can be correctly   with very slight memoranda of its hisapplied to only one portion of the Ame-  tory. The most important event is the
rican continent, and that we must look,  sailing of Bishop Eirek thither, in 1121,
therefore, to the State of MAsSiACHUtS rsE   though the purpose of his visit, whether
— more particularly to that part of it in-  ecclesiastical or not, is not recounted.
eluded within the limits of the Old Co-  The last mention of it is of the date of
lony, as well as to portions of Rhode   1347, when a Greenland bark is said to
Island bordering upon the same, for the  have run into Straumfjord, having lost




466                  The First Discoverers of America.                   [Nov.
her anchors. It is far otherwise with  iktoarsoak, in 72~ 55' north  latitude,
the history of Greenland, to which our  long. 560 west of Greenwich, a repreattention  must, for the  present, be  sentation of which we here insert, tranKINGIKTORSOAX  ROCK.
turned. There, colonies sprang up, trade   scribed from the Antiq. Am. This stone
and commerce were established, and   was discovered in the autumn of 1824,
regular intercourse maintained with the   and has caused much discussion among
mother country. Churches were gathered,  the European sarans*. It bears a genuand an Episcopal See constituted, suffra-  ine runic inscription, and consists of
gan to the Archbishop of Drontheim.  plain, unequivocal runic characters, with
The last bishop was appointed in 1406,  much fewer of the cryptographic symsince which time the colony has never  bols than we often meet with. This
been heard of. At that day it consisted  inscription was submitted to Professors
of 280 villages. Various have been the   Magnusen and Rask, and Dr. Brynjulfoconjectures raised to explain its fate,  son, of Iceland, and these distinguished
some ascribing its depopulation to the   runologists, without any intercommuniravages of that fearful scourge of the   cation upon the subject, respectively arMiddle Ages, the black death, and others,  rived at the same interpretation of the
with perhaps more justice, to the per-  characters, with the exception of the last
nicious system of commercial policy pur-  six, which Magnusen and Rask finally
sued by the mother country. Be this as  agreed meant the numerals MCXXXV.,
it may, the country was henceforth   while Brynjulfvson, though he believed
known as the lost Greenland; nor was it  them to be mere ornaments, was yet of
till the year 1721, that a re-discovery  the opinion, from the form of the other
took place, and now colonies established.  characters, that they belonged to the
But whatever hesitation may be expe-  eleventh or twelfth centuries. The folrienced at receiving these narratives  lowing is their version of it:
as positive conclusive evidence of early
Scandinavian settlements in America,   ELUJaRGSIaVATHS'-so: R OK JANN  TORTARsoN:
and whatever doubts may still linger in   OK: ENRITHI ODDSSON: LAUKABDAK IN: PYRIR
the public mind as to the localities there-      -V* RDo TE' OK RYDU: MCXV.DA
in described, must vanish and disappear
before the irrefragable testimony of ex-  Or rendered into Englishisting monuments. They are silent, yet
eloquent witnesses of past events, and    "ERLING SIGROATSSON, AND BlARN! THOARSON,
come to us free from all imputation- of   AND EINDRIDI ODDSSON, ON SATURDAY BEFORE GANGDAY
prejudice or subornation. In their pre-  (the day of Victory, or April 25th) ERECTED THESEI
sence unbelief stands rebuked, and truth   MARKS AND EXPLORED, 1135."
is vindicated anew by this internal evidence of its existence, which it awakens   Other runic inscriptions have been
in every mind.                          found in Greenland, but not of sufficient
"Quem non moveat clarissimis monu-  importance to deserve a mention here.
mentistestata consignataque Antiquitas?"   They are, for the most part, sepulchral,
The first and most important of these   and have no direct reference to the submemorials, is, without question, the cele-  ject. Ruins have also been discovered
brated rock found in the island of King-   at Ikigeit, and foundations of a church
* See Humboldt's Examen Critique de l'histolre de la Geographie, &c, &c., tom. ii. pp. 97-101.




1854.]               The First Discoverers of America.                 467
inclosing an area of 120 feet by 100, at  if not by the Northmen?'We leave the
the shores of Igaliko Creek, which are  reader to furnish an answer.  With
supposed to be the remains of the Cathe-  Dighton Rock, and its merits as a runic
dral?f Gardar. But the most remark-  memorial, we confess to a shadow of
able ruin yet discovered, is at Kakortok,  doubt. Not but what it was visited and
where is to be seen an edifice, evidently   may have been engraved by the Viking,
a church, fifty-one feet in length, and  of which it bears evidence, but simply
twenty-five in breadth, having a round-  because its characters partake of a crypheaded window at either gable, and four  tographic indeterminate form, akin to Ino
square windows in each of the lateral  runic symbols, and affording no evidence
walls, which are from four to eight feet  of verbal construction, being  interthick, and of massive stone. In New Eng-  mingled and coalescent. We do not
land there are two well-known monu-  question the authenticity of these monoments, which tradition has immemorially  grams; we merely consider them unenascribed to the handiwork of the North-  titled to the lofty character of archives.
men; and which, despite the learned  and quite as useful to the antiquary in
objections raised against their authen-  some other and more humble way.
ticity, and the great amount of paper  Again, we might allude to the skeleton
bullets shot at them, are slowly and  in armor, exhumed some years since in
surely moulding public opinion to a  the vicinity of Fall River, Mass., as
favorable reception of their elaims.  pointing to a Scandinavian origin, but,
They are, the old tower or mill, at New-  having followed in the steps of the Danish
port, and  the Dighton writing-rock.  antiquaries, and their candor allowing
Their locality being admitted, as within  them to presume nothing, and compelling
the limits of the ancient Vinland, the  them to prove everything, their inability
sole question turns upon their origin.  to express a positive opinion upon this
As to the first of these, it has been  subject, must enjoin a like reserve upon
treated as a sort of architectural sphinx,  us. In this connection, it may not seem
which every neophyte was invited to  amiss to incidentally notice the Royal
explain, so long as he avoided giving it a  Society of Northern Antiquaries, to which
Scandinavian derivation.  The oldest  science is so deeply indebted; the more
colonists found it as it stands, and  so, as among many, their labors have
imagination has been racked to furnish  not found, even in their purely philanit with aboriginal builders, ever since  thropic character, immunity from  the
the country was settled. But all these  insatiate archery of truculent criticism.
theories have failed to rob the sturdy   To the honor of American scholars, be
Northmen of their rightful claim, and  it said, this ungenerous treatment has
their case grows stronger daily. Well it  found few, if any, imitators among them,
may. For they have all the evidence  and while the jibes and jeers of self-conwhich history and analogy can afford  ceited ignorance have long since gravithem, and the false judgment heretofore  tated to their appropriate level, the
rendered against them, springs more from   society's labors stand pre-eminent and
the ignorance of the judges than the  unimpeached, like Galileo among the
weakness of their cause.  Prof. Rafn  cardinals. There is a fool-hardy preshows conclusively, that the style of its  sumnption manifest in this impugnment of
architecture is of the eleventh century,  the Danish Society-a society which has
and of the order in which the Northmen  always numbered among its active memcommonly built. It is a simple tholus  bers the most eminent and trustworthy
of the monopteral kind, and has many  savans of the age, and which, for the exanalogues extant in the north of Europe;  tent of its researches, the profundity of
and the type of this same order is also  its investigations, the cautiousness of its
visible in tile Greenland ruins. Among   movements, the amount and value of its
existing edifices of that period which   discoveries, the invaluable character of
possess common traits of resemblance, he  its publications, the importance of MSS.
cited Vestervig Church, and the crypt at  materiel preserved, the immense collecViborg, in Jutland, Biernede Church, in  tion of articles illustrative of ancient
Seeland, and Mellifont Abbey, in Ireland.  manners and customs accumulated  in a
These points, then, presenting so many  word, by the light' it has shed on
coincidences, and such apparent difficul-  archaeological and  kindred  pursuits,
ties existing as to the origin of the  stands confessedly at the head of all antistructure, the question arises:-By whomrn   quarian societies in the world. It will
can this tower possibly have been built,  probably be asked why, if these Icelandic




468                  Tie First Discoverers of America.                L[ov.
MSS. and contemporaneous chronicles  whether these interpolations are neceshave so long been in existence, they should  sarily fabrications, and whether any
be, comparatively  speaking, so  little  graver charge than that of misplacement
known. To this we reply, that it is an   can be urged against them. But the
erroneous belief, and that, if they have  Heimskringla is not the authority upon
not become more familiar to us, no blame  which the ante-Columbian theory must
can be attached to the Danish or Swedish  stand or fall. For the authorities for
antiquaries. In attestation we need only  these discoveries are more ancient even,
refer to Forster's Northern Voyages,  and in no wise less authentic, though disRobertson's America, Belknap's Ameri-  tinct from these chronicles of the kings
can Biography, Wheaton's History of  of Norway. Sturleson's Chronicle was
the Northmen, Pinkerton's Collections,  compiled sometime between the years
Crantz' History of Greenland, Pontop-  1230 and 1241, in the latter of which he
pidan's Norway, Malte Brun, Hakluyt, all  was slain. Whereas Prof. Rafn presents
of which are of course at second rate.  us with excerpts from the Landnamabok
While among those who may be supposed   and Islendingabok of Ari hinns Frode
to have had access to the original MSS.  (Ari the Wise), a learned Icelandic eowe may cite Arngrim  Jonas, Perings-  clesiastic, born in the year 1067, in which
kiold, Torfaeus, Siihm, Schoning, Lager-  very extended notices exist of the Scanbring. Hormskiold, Schroeder and the   dinavian voyages to Greenland and Vineditors of the Antiquitates Americanae.  land. CArils Annals extend from  the
It would seem that Torfacus, whose  latter part of the ninth to the beginning
work has furnished the basis of most  of the twelfth centuries, and include the
modern compilations upon the early dis-  most important events connected with
coveries in America, was not aware of  the settlement of Iceland, the discovery
the existence of the MSS. saga of Thor-  of Greenland and the introduction of
finn Karlsefne. Prof. Rafn consulted   Christianity.*
five other MSS. of different ages, all    But the most conclusive, satisfactory,
which agreed in their accounts of this  and  unimpeachable authority  extant,
history, and  he and  his co-laborers,  one against whom  not even the weakthereupon, caused its insertion in their  ness of national pride can be urged, for
volume. It has been a common error to  he was not an Icelander, had never visitsuppose, that the whole theory of the   ed Iceland, and could have been actuated
ante-Columbian discovery rested upon   by no motives of sectional glorification,
a single passage in the Heimskringla of  is Adam, canon of Bremen, who wrote
Snorri Sturleson, and that an interpolated   an ecclesiastical  history in the year
one; when, in fact, Rafn presents us  1075. He informs us that, while on
with extracts from  eighteen authors,  a mission in the North, for the propachiefly Icelandic, several of whom con-  gation of Christianity, he was entertained
tain detailed accounts, and all of them   at the court of Sveyn Ethrithson, King
allusions, to these  western  voyages.  of Denmark, who informed him  of the
Sturleson, who was distinguished as a  discovery  of Vinland.  "The king,"
historian, and received the appellation  says the learned ecclesiastic, "also made
of the Northern Herodotus, in his great  mention of another region discovered in
work, entitled Heimskringla (a chronicle  the Northern Ocean, which had been
of the kings of Norway) could not legi-  visited by many people, and was called
timately detail particulars of the dis-  Wineland, because grapes that produce a
coveries in America, as part of the res  very good wine, grow there spontaneousgestme  of  the Norwegian  dynasties;  ly; corn also grows there without sowthough there is a passage in which dis-  ing, in great abundance;" and emphatinct mention is made of Vinland, and  tically adds, "we know this not by
of Leif's voyage thither. A Swedish  fabulous hearsay, but from authentic acscholar, Peringskiold, in his edition of  counts furnished by Danes."t Ordericus
Sturleson's work, made a transcript from   Vitalis, who also lived in the eleventh
the original MSS. records of those dis-  century, and during part of the twelfth,
coveries, and embodied it in the text;  and  wrote an  ecclesiastical  history,
Schoning, in his edition of the Heim-  makes casual allusion to Vinland and its
skringla, published in  1777, rejected   situation. Humboldt  says, that  the
Peringskiold's interpolated version, and   geographer Ortelius was the first who,
inserted Paul Vidalin's.  We  submit  in 1570, announced to  the world the
* Wheaton's History of the Northmen p. 99.  t Adam Bremeusis de situ Danima,-c. 246.




1854.]               The First Discoverers of America.                   469
Scandinavian  discovery  of America.  results. The narratives of the Northmen
But after the numerous citations already   are too brief and statistical, in a word,
made, we can hardly claim  attention  they are too little imposing. They give
longer, under either the plea of necessity  us no details of their cares and anxieties,
or demonstration. Upon a subject like  of the difficulties, hardships, disasters,
this, it is extremely difficult to know   and distresses which they underwent, to
when, and where to pause, for, viewed   harrow up our feelings, and awaken our
in its relation to history, it acquires a  sympathies. For them, minstrelsy has
magnitude, which exacts a correspond-  not been warmed into tributary  eningly extensive development in its dis-  comium, nor gentle dames moved unto
cussion, and when narrowed down to the  tears. Nor vielle, nor rebeck, nor harp,
unstable foundation of a myth, it loses  have thrilled the listening throng with
both identity and import. We have  pans in their behalf, nor ecclesiastical
treated it in that manner, which, while  praise chaunted a Te Deum over their
it argued respect for its character, would,  triumphs, nor heralds proclaimed their
on that account, afford us the freer scope  feats at every Christian court. Rude
for analysis; and the conclusion to which   men they doubtless were, living in an
we have  arrived, has been  doubly  iron age, and little "trained to deeds of
strengthened by the reflection, that it ac-  tender courtesy," yet abounding  in
cords with the sanction, and expresses  valor and daring.  Courting  dangers,
the opinion of the majority of modern   braving hardships, overcoming obstacles,
historians. Mankind, in general, are too   shrinking from no perils however great,
apt to measure worth by the fickle  and no consequences  however fatal.
standards of popularity and success, and   With minds full of courage, and hearts
too little inclined to look beyond the  full of faith, they boldly launched their
horizon of a cherished prejudice. That  barks upon an unknown, trackless sea,
this barrier subsists between the public  venturing upon its virgin waters without
mind and the entertainment of any   compass, or quadrant, or chart, their
belief in  ante-Colurnbian  discoveries,  only guide the stars, by night; by day,
must be reluctantly confessed. We have
all been taught to believe that Columbus     "The sun in his unbounded tour."
discovered America. From earliest childhood upwards, in school and out, this  Who then shall say that Eirek, and Thorhas been rung in our ears. It is not to  finn, and  Heriulf, all of " honourable
be expected, therefore, that a belief thus  lineage," sitting as polnpous thanes in
early inculcated can be easily dispelled,  their mead-hall, and indulging in unfor it has become almost a truism. Nor  stinted compotations with their peers,
can we omit to notice that prevalent  may not have presented as distinguished
error, which places a low estimate upon   exemplars of their own age, as the more
the character of the Icelandic sagas,  courtly De Gamas, Corte Reals, and
from the supposition of their being mere   Verazzaris of a later day. Time can
fragments of bardic literature, the first  never efface merit, though it may impair
attempts of illiterate men at composition,  the quality of its aspect, and while we
obscure in meaning, and little to be de-  must ever consider Columbus as the true
pended upon, when, in truth, these   herald of western civilization, the father
annals were written by men distinguished   of a new era in history-the founder of
for erudition, and living amid a flourish-  our American cycle, clarum et venerabile
ing literature. But the paramount ob-  nomen, it is taking nothing from his real
iection, after all, to the truth of Scandi-  glory to say, that the bold Scandinavian
navian discovery, seems to spring from   sea-rovers preceded him in the discovery
the misfortune of its circumstances and   of America.




470                                                                  [Nov.
CUPID AND THE  WASP.
CUPID one day unyoked his sparrows,
And then sat down to mend his arrows.
First, on the grass beside a brook,
He, from his golden quiver, shook
A sight to see of broken darts,
The sad result of callous hearts:
There's many a heart as hard's a whin-stone;
Cupid as well might shoot a grindstone.
All these his arrows he inspected;
Some he retained and some rejected;
Replaced the splintered and the stunted,
And tipped the battered and the blunted,
Till, having trimmed them to a tittle,
He shut and put away his whittle;
When, casting down a random look
To the wet margin of the brook,
lie saw a wasp, the quiverings
Of whose steel-colored back and wings,
Most unmistakably displayed
Him working at the mason's trade.
Then, with a gesture courteous,
Cupid addressed the insect thus:
"My interesting friend," said he,
"A very grave necessity
Prompts me politely to address
News of extreme unpleasantness
Directly to your private ear:
You know how very, very dear
My Psyche is-how I adore her,
And set no other Nymph before her.
I love her very tenderly,
And she is just as fond of meA creature full of flutterings,
One of the timidest of thingsAnd you must also know that soon
She will be here, this afternoon,
To pick a lily for her tresses,
And interchange a few caresses;
But if her eye should find you here,
The effect of it I truly fear.
Therefore, the surer to prevent
Any unpleasant accidentWhile, solemnly, I do, and shall
Disclaim all grudges, personalYou must perceive that it is best
I should respectfully request
That you would quickly say your prayers,
For-to explain it in a breathYou must at once be put to death."
Thus having spoken, unawares
He let his truest arrow fly,
Killing the hapless wasp thereby.
Scarce had he done the wanton deed,
And in his quiver stored the reed,
When Psyche came, along the brook
Wading, with many a forward look



1854.]                     Cupid and the Wasp.                           471
With pallid feet, and gathered dress,
A little cloud of loveliness.
Down on the bank they sat together,
Happy as birds in summer weather.
Psyche was full of languishment;
But Cupid, not so innocent,
Devising wily fraudful harm,
Laid the dead wasp on Psyche's arm.
She, with a marvellous quickness, took
The hue of marble in her look;
Distracted, even to desperation,
She ran and screamed with consternation,
At which her rascal of a lover
Bolted into a clump of clover.
Venus, who was not far away,
Hearing what Psyche had to say,
Came down and beat the grass about,
And found the little villain out.
A sprig oi myrtle, then, she peeled,
And seized the youngster rosy-heeled:
" Come out of this, you little god,
Richly you have deserved the rod!
You naughty, naughty, naughty, pet,
You have deserved what you will get!"
Cupid protested, begged, besought her
Not to inflict the switch's torture
By turns he struggled, screamed, and kicked her,
By turns he blessed and cursed her picture.
Till, seeing the Queen resolved to tutor,
At last he swore outright he'd shoot her;
Yet none the less, did she apply
All of the pain and penalty.
THE MORAL.
Now listen, Reader, to a serious truth:
Why has true love so often gone amiss,
That one has said: "it never did run smooth?"
He gives his reasons-wars and sicknessesFriends interposing-age mismatched with youthBloods feudal-these have made a deal of ruth
In many a lover's Paradise of bliss.
Our fable shows another reason still:
Passionate love too fierce and fiery is,
To keep the bounds of reason and good will;
Its loftiest rapture treads the verge of woe;
Passionate love doth sometimes kiss and kill;
" Therefore, love moderately; long love doth so 
As the good friar said to Romeo.




4'72                                                                       [Nov.
RAMBLES OVER THE REALMS OF VERBS AND SUBSTANTIVES.
RA MBLE FIRST.
P R E P A R A T O R Y.          quote (capitals, italics, and all):  "We.
have no Grammar of it (thle English
-  the succeeding series of plhilologic
e suceein  series of                 tongue) that is taught in any School thats
papers, it is our purpose to ramble.   we ever heard of  We have no good
Now, take notice, we give fair warn-   Dictionary to bring it into Method, with
ing that such is our intent-our design   an  account of the  Derivations, an(
is formed with malice prepense. We
for    notio  ofalice prelodding  through   several Senses and Uses of Words.  We
1have.o.otion of ploddig,.,        slhave no Collection of its Idioms, Phrases,
the entire journey on the dusty highway,  atld  right Use of its Particles.  Tle
even though it have the advantage of   Instructors of our Youth c'ae not to
being the straight and established path.  trouble themselves with it; our Clergy
Often will we vault over the fence (of   think it doth not belong to their Carle
rigid  forms), and  away thrloug~h  the   though it be the true Key of Knowledgle.
fields, hat in hand, after some gay ety-   Our Universities sufer it not to be
mologic butterfly; or lonely  wander   spoken in their Schools and Theatres;
mid-                                      nor hath any Patron of Learning provicded one single Professor, who should
The intelligible forms of ancient poets,  tvrn  his  Thoughts anPosr, tmwho sl
The fair humanities of old religion,    tntrn h   Thoughts  and Care tw ads
The power, the beauty, and the majesty,  that.   Now, this  is  assuredly  bad
That have their haunts in dale or piney mountains,  enough; but, before we quit the good
Or forest, by slow stream or pebbly spring,  old Bishop, let us see how he proposes
Or chasms and wat'ry depths "           to supply the deficit.  " When we shall
have a good Grammar, made plain for
Or, with runic spells, evoke the pagan   the Purpose, and Masters are a little
wanderers from  their graves in  the   used to it, I do not see but that either
visionary Eld. But, while we intend   Singing or D)ancing or Writing-Masters
making digressions (di-gredior, i. e. step-   may teach it to either Sex in three
ping aside), we trust never to get out of   months." 0, thou Genius of Philologysight of the eternal blue empyrean.       Singing or Writing or Dancing-Masters!
This science of Philology that is now     The very object of the science was
working a radical revolution in every   mistaken.
domain of literature, is to be regarded as  "Philology," say the Encyclopoedias
almost exclusively the offspring of our   of a few years ago —" A science, or rather
own fecund nineteenth era, and the few   assemblage of several sciences, consisting
years preceding.  Lexicography proper   of grammar, rhetoric, poetry, antiquiis but a century old; for exactly one   ties, history and criticisml. Philology is
htmdred years ago Samuel Johnson pub-   a kind of universal literature, conversant
lished his, for the times, extraordinary   about all the sciences, their rise, prodictionary. Previous' to  that period,  gress, authors, etc. It makes what the
"there was," as he himself remarks,  French call the Belles-lettres.  In the
"wherever one turned  his attention,   Universities it is called  Humanities."
complexity to be disentangled, and con-   Et prcetera nihil!  And  thus, by a
fusion to be regulated; choice was to be   species of all-emnbracing generalization,
lnade out of boundless variety, without  it was made to include the omne scibile
any established principles of selection;   of letters and  philosophy. Even the
adulterations were to be detected, with-  famous Dictionnaire de l'Acad6mie Franout any settled test of purity; and modes   Qaise defines philology to be "Erudition
of expression to be rejected or received,   qui embrasse diverses parties des belleswithout the suffrages of any writers (?)  lettres, et principalement la critique."
of classical reputation or acknowledged     Now, however, we have come back to
authority."                              the true Grecian reception of the science,
A  rare old tract, written by Bishop   as the love and study of words. A
Ilutchinson, and published the early part  brighter day has dawned for it; and it is
of last century, presents us with a most  beginning to unfold some of its glorious
vividly lugubrious picture of the state   capabilities, and splendidly illustrating
of philology then, and the appliances for   many a hitherto  dark corner in the
the study of the English language.  We   world's history.




1854.]     Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.           473
We have no desire to enter into the   of the voice; but the actions themselves
abyss of contest and controversy on the   were expressed by their suitable monosubject of the origin of language and   syllable.'  And to place this primitive
other such speculations-for our design   universal language, in a still more distinct
lies in another field-but it is absolutely  light, he tells us that "Bag Wag" meant
indispensable  that we recall a few   bring water; "Bag, Bag, Bag," they
theories and some established principles  fought very much. And such he conon the subject, if we would at all rise to  siders " as a just, and not an imaginary
general views of its philosophy. We   specimen  of the  earliest articulated
have, then, as one theory of the origin  speech!" *
of language, that which inculcates it as    A very good specimen, indeed, we conbeing the immediate gift of the Deity;  ceive it to be of the extravagant length
and then, as antithetical to that (since  to which hastily-adopted d priori reasonthe poles of all philosophers are anti-  ing will conduct; but of anything else, a
podal), the  famous  "Orang-outang"   very decidedly bad specimen. The fact
theory of Leviathan Hobbes. These we  is that, d priori, we know just as much
merely state, designing no discussion.  about the genesis as we do about the
And, indeed, the great danger of error in  exodus of language-and simply nothing
all such theories, as Frederick Von Schle-  of either. And, in truth, the modifygel well observes, lies in the attempt at  ing circumstances in the mechanism of
the explication of all the immeasurable   a language are so numerous and so comrichness of the phenomena of language  plicated as to blow into shivers the finestin general, by any single hypothesis, or  spun and most elaborately-woven suppothe deriving them from any one origin.  sititious system of speech-development.
We cannot, however, leave this part  We have no example of a language in
of our subject without presenting the   exactly its puris naturalibus (fig-leafreader with a brief account of Dr. Alex-  apron state); so that every position we
ander Murray's theory of the formation  take in philology other than that which
of language-as an example of the utmost  mathematicians call the zetetic, must be
stretch of persfrlage to which an empiri-  hypothetical. This " present editor" has
cal philosophy could, in this direction,  faith in the development of a system of
attain. He is so facile and off-hand in  philosophy profounder by far than the
his account of the modus formandi of  Baconian-but yet he is also convinced
language, that one would suppose he was  that, in the present relations of things,
really present therat. It is in his rather  the careful investigation of actual facts
ambitious "'History of European Lan-  and phenomena will lead to more satisguages," that he favors us with its de-  factory and more splendid results than
velopment. The burden of the book is  any mere hypothesis, brilliant though it
that the following nine words are the  be. And this as well in philology as in
foundations of language:               physics.
Our great modern master philolo1. Ag, wag, Hwag.             gists all recognize this principle; and in
2. Bag, Bwag, Fag, Pag.       the hands of such scholars as Adelung,
8. wag, Thwag Twag.           Vater, Bopp, J. Grimm, Wilkinson,
5. Lag, wlag.                 Goethe, Von Humboldt, the Schlegels,
6. Mag!                       Savigny, 0. Ritter, Kopiter, and others,
7. Nag, Hnag.                 it has given birth to results rivalling in
8. Rag, Hrag.                 glory the most magnificent discoveries in
9. Swag!                      the realms of Nature. A Champollion
Delightfully luminous, and as philo-  has arisen to recall from the dead Past a
sophie also! On this foundation he de-  buried people and a buried tongue-reclares "An edifice has been erected of a  constructing a tenuous  shadow into a
more useful (?) and more wonderful  living spirit; and not by the exercise of
[Q. E. D.!] kind thand any which have  imagination, but by patient and accurate
[Q. E. D.!] kind than any which have  research, giving to
exercised human ingenuity. They were
uttered, at first, and probably for several     __ An airy Nothing,
generations, in an insulated manner. The      A local habitation and a name."
circumstances of the actions were communicated by signs and the variable tones  And so, too, at the present day-a Grote
* See the Diversions of Purley-Additional Notes by R. Taylor, p. 1.
VOL. IV. —31




474        Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.         [Nov.
and a Niebuhr have almost revived pri-  nations the most diverse and locally dismeval Greece and Rome; and now the  tant, there exists a close affinity and
hitherto cloud-involved "Gorgeous East,"  affiliation; and the gentile kinships that
that birth-place of peoples, and tongues,  are sometimes educed are such as to
and faiths, is being forced to render up   astonish one who is not prepared for any
her embosomed mysteries; the sphinx-  wonder. What will be the result when
riddle is being read; riddle-readers are  the development of Glossology and Comthere on the ground, to "expound the  parative Philology have had their perfect
runes in the native land of Runic lore "-   work; when, instead of scattered leaves,
and from crypts and sarcophagi, and   and twigs, and branches, we shall have
runed temples, and gorgeous palaces, the  the genealogical tree of the human family
buried treasures of barbaric art are being   and its languages, in all the symmetry;otf
brought forth to the light of day, and to  its unity, with its roots reaching deep
the eagle glance of investigation, and are  down to the kingdoms of yore, and its
being caused to read a story that extends  ramifications world-wide-we are unable
away down to the bosom of the antique  to determine; but assuredly it will evenby-gone. While on the subject of the  tuate in the evolution of a far more proEast, it may be well for us to recall what  found and far more perfect science of Ethit will be absolutely necessary that we  nography and philosophy of history than
keep continually before our minds in all  any we as yet have.
our researches into the chronology and   The languages of Europe are generally
the philosophy of language-namely, that  referred to three great families, viz.: the
all races and their tongues find their ulti-  Keltic,Germanic, and Sclavonic;* and thus
mate home in Asia. The recognition of  these linguistic divisions correspond with
this very principle has created a revolu-  the three great races who —in their many
tion in philology; for we are too apt to  offshoots-and at different epochs-have
look at the families of man in their scat-  peopledthe whole of Europe. We would
terings and their isolations, instead of  have it distinctly noted, however, that
viewing them in their old primal home  these divisions-which are by no means
-which home is undoubtedly to be found   absolute-have a reference merely local
on the banks of some of the great Asiatic  and chronological, that is to say, they
rivers.  Thence, by divergencies north-  stand for the three great streams of
ward and southward, eastward and west-  population who, at successive periods,
ward, they have come to inhabit every   migrated from Asia and settled in Eulatitude and people every shore.       rope; —the origin being one, albeit the
The legitimate result of the prodigious  dialectic, idiomatic, and linguistic diveramount of d posteriori investigation on  sities be infinite. Their geographic poalmost every province of human con-  sition most clearly points to the relative
sciousness, has been to drive us from   epochs of their entrance into Europe;
nearly every formerly-received d priori  thus, we have the Keltic race diffusing
theory. Instance the sciences of Astro-  itself (or driven?) over the extreme
nomy and Geology, or the subject we  western portions; the Gothic or Teuhave at present on hand. For example,  tonic-the second stream-occupyingthe
it is a well-known fact that the former  central countries of Europe; and, lastly,
theory, that held Greek to be the parent  the Sclavonic, which inhabits the eastern
of the Latin, has been completely dis-  parts. Of these glottic groups, we have
proved; and now, instead of establishing  to do, immediately, only with the second;
this relationship between them, we know   and this only to remind you that the
that the latter is but a younger sister of  race to which we belong-the Saxonthe former, and that they find a common  is one of the subdivisions under this great
parentage in their mother, the Sanscrit  Teutonic family of races.  Thus, per-the faithful parent of so many dialects.  chance, our ancestors dwelt on the GanNow, not only does there obtain an inti-  ges, skirted the Caspian Sea, and crossed
mate connection between the Greek and  the Ural mountains; traversed the imLatin and the Sanscrit, but all the very   mense tracts of Russia and central Eunumerous Gothic or Teutonic tongues  rope, dwelt in the German forests, ruled
have a close analogy therewith; and the  in Britannia, and, through us, rule the
widespread branch of Indo-Germanic dia-  world. There pulsates within us, even,
lects is clearly referred to the great Ori-  some of the Berserkir rage of the Vikental genealogical tree. Thus, between  ingr-(and are not traces of it at times
* See Mallet's Northern Antiquities, and Turner's Hist. Anglo-Saxons.




1854.]      Rambles over the Realmns of Verbs and Substantives.           475
discernible in John Bull and  Brother  may be compared to the diluvial rocks
Jonathan?)-and can boast not only of   which  belong to  the  secondary forhaving in our veins a share of          mation. As the latter have arisen out
of, or have been formed, by floods and
All the blood of all the Howards,"  inundations, so these mixed languages
owe their origin to the great European
but may, with tolerably respectable pre-  migration of nations; or, perhaps, were
tensions, clain a no less distingue proge-  formed by the East, by similar Asiatic
nitor than the great Odin himself. A   migrations, at a still older epoch, and in
notable descent, indeed! And so we ob-  primeval times.  Those languages, on
serve that "words" (and, we might al-  the  contrary, at least as compared
most add, men) "which sprang up at  with those which are manifestly inere
Agra, and Delhi, and Benares, four thou-  derivatives from them, we may call prisand years ago, are but now scaling the   nlary. In this class we may mention the
Rockv Mountains of western America."*   Roman among those of Europe, and the
America, by the way, offers an interest-  Sanscrit among those of Asia. These,
ing-we might almost say analogue-to  then, stand on the same line and dignity
what we might suppose to have been the   with the so-called primary rocks. No
modes of the diffusion of Asiatic popu-  doubt, even in these, further investilation and the modifications of language.  gation will discover many traces of a
We see the overflowing East pushing out  mixture, no less palpable, indeed, but
its superfluous inhabitants westward-    one, however, in which the constituents
for it is ever the case, that           neither were originally so heterogenous,
nor since have continued  so totally
6" Westward, the course of Empire takes its ways"-  unchanged.  For, in the same manner,
granitic rocks, and others of the primary
that population, forming communities of   order, are also found to be composite in
its own, and these offshoots, gradually  their mineral constituents. These, likemodifying their phases of life and their   wise, point to a still earlier convulsion
language, so that they come to possess a   of nature, to which they owed their first
very decided idiosyncrasy of their own.  production."
And were it not for the constant com-    Now the English may be regarded as
mingling of peoples-tending towards an   by far the most striking example of a
assimilation of speech and habitudes, and   composite language that we can have.
assisting in the preservation of the old-   The epithet romantic which the German
who shall tell at what point these diver-  critics apply to the mixed drama, might,
gencies would cease, and how changed   with propriety, be employed with rewould the national characteristics and   ference to our language-taking that
language become, in the course of centu-  appellation in the sense of the product of
ries?                                  the union of several elements. We have
A few observations by Frederick Von   no design of repeating the oft-told and
Schlegel, will close this part of our  familiar tale respecting the various dysubject. He is drawing a comparison   nasties that have possessed Great Britain
between Philology and Geology, "A   -and of the influence of the several
simile from physical science will perhaps  peoples on the formation of the English
lead us by the quickest and shortest road  tongue. What we would remark, is the
to the object we are in pursuit of, and,  possibility of a recdnstruction of the hisindeed, the geological branch of natural  tory of these political revolutions by an
history may well be considered cognate  examination of the component elements
to the inquiry before us; for what geo-  thereof.  " The history of a people is, in
logy properly investigates, is the antiqui-  fact, the history of their language. The
ties of this terrestrial planet, and the pri-  scenes, the circumstances, the occupamal condition of the mountain ranges,  tions, through which they pass, will ever
observing and seeking to read the long-  form the materials from which their lanhidden memorials that are brought to   guage must be drawn."
light of pristine convulsions, and to num-  To attempt this, take, for instance, the
ber the successive epochs of gradual  matter of proper names. We have as the
change and decay. * * Those composite   name of our language-English, and as the
languages which have been formed out  appellation of its birth-place-England
of a mixture or aggregation of several,  that is Engla-land, the land of the Engles
* See a book entitled " The Rise, Progress, and Present Structure of the English Language," by Matthew
Ha*tson, one-half of which is excellent-the other wishy-washy in the extreme.




476        Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.           [Nov.
or Angles —which Angles we know to   Roman domination and traces of their
have been a nation belonging to the   conquest and warlike spirit? Then glance
Saxon Confederacy and inhabiting An-  at the quite extensive list of proper
glen, in the present duchy of Sleswick;  names of places, terminating in Chester
and so we have, with reference to their  or Caster, i. e. Castrum, indicating the
language-as expressive of their origin  site of a Roman fortress in the locality
-the term Anglo-Sa xon.*  Now, though   bearing that ending; e. g. Conechester,
the general denomination of the country  the camp on the river Coln, Lancaster,
followed the name of the more numerous  the camp on the river Lune-see also
tribe, the Angles, we. have a living re-  Winchester, Colchester, Manchester, &c.,
cord of the Saxons, also, in the divisions   all of which are suggestive enough.
of Essex (Excessa), Middlesex and Sussex,    Again, the character of the Danes,-the
(Sudsexet) which, expanded, stand for  Northmen, is well known; we  are
East Saxons, Middle Saxons, and South  acquainted with their proclivities towards
Saxons. The mass of the names of places,  freebooting and piratical excursions. In
however, are Anglo-Saxon-indicative   making their descents, then, on England
of that strong tenacity  with which,  they could not but land on its eastern
through all their reverses, our forefathers  coasts, and would, with great probability
clung to their homes and hearths. Thus  give names to the places they visited and
we have the very numerous  termi-  plundered. Now the Danish word for a
nation in ton-an inclosure or garden;  bay or cove is vig or viig, which by a
e. g. Boston, Burton, Brighton, North-  very simple transition might become
ampton; in ham, which is just home   wich or wick; and this supposition re(Scotch harte); e. g. Hamton, i. e. Home-  ceives additional confirmation from the
town, Higham, Langham, Southamton,  great number of names bearing that teri. e. South-home-town; in burg, borough,  mination. Running the eye down the
or bury, a city or fort; e. g. Canter-  map, along the coast, from North to
bury, Peterborough, Scarborough, Shrews-  South, we meet with Berwick, Alnevick,
bury; in ford-vadum-as Hereford,   Dunwich, Ypswich, Harwich, Woolwich,
i. e. Army'sford from here an army, Ox-  Greenwich, Sandwich. Moreover, they
ford, which in Chaucer we find written   have left us further traces of their existOxenford:                               ence in the ending by or bye, which in
Danish means a town. Thus, glancing at
"Whilom ther was dwelling in Oenforde,  Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, we find
A riche gnof, that gestes helde to borde,  Whitby, Selby, Grimsby and Spilsby-so
And of his craft he was a carpenter."
The Mlillere's Tale, 28.    We have also Netherby, Appleby, Derby.
Now, these localities can be proved, from
But, notwithstanding  the immense   other circumstances, to have been chief
preponderance of Saxon proper names,  seats of Danish emigration.
we are all aware that the Saxons were      Should we extend our research further
not the original possessors of the island;  into the component elements of the
and so we find:                         English in general, we would meet with
little difficulty in the construction of a
" Glimmering thro' the dream of things that were,"  complete and correct theory of the political and social changes that have taken
some few  old Keltic  words —scanty   place in Great Britain.
on account of their complete over-        And now let us jump over the Norman
throw by subsequent aggressors); thus   Conquest under William the Bastard, ~
the name "London"  is said to  be   when so very large an accession of Norcompounded of the two Keltic words   manno-Franco-Celtic words was grafted
lawn, populous, and dinas, a city,-the   on our ancient Saxon, and take a peep in
populous city; though others make the   at how our language gets on in the 14th
signification to be the "city of ships "-   century.  In these rambles we are, of
either, however, might almost be con-  course, not to be considered as being ensidered as prophetic. We have even   cumbered with the  inconvenient and
some debris from the old Druidical wor-  rather vulgar envelopes of space and
ship; witness the carns or cairns which   time. Festus Bailey, it will be rememare with much probability referred there-   bered, makes Lucifer and his fellow-trato. Do you wish to see the remains of   veller* See Bosworth's Anglo-Saxon Grammar, p. X.
t Vide Doomesday-Book, in which the word is constantly written as above.: Vide Bosworth's Anglo-Saxon Dictionary.        ~ 1066.




1854.]        Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and  Substantives.                      477
"Beat the sun,                "And even more, he hadde a sovereine pris."
Ia the longest heat that ever was run."                 Prologue to the Canterbury  itles.
But then, unfortunately, (?) we are. e.-prize, from  "prendre" to tale, past
neither Lucifer nor Festus Bailey, and   part. pris.
besides, their coursers were "' Ruin" and          " And of his port as meke as is a mayde."
"Destruction," while you and I would
prefer less fractious nags for our excur-     port" that is bearing frol  porter.
sion; would not we?  But should the
reader be  indisposed to  so glorious a            "He was a veray parft gedi knight."
morning's  airing-why, just hand  us                                                 lb.
down our Chaucer-of course, we use                "Gentil" is the Latin gentilis, from
Tyrwhitt's edition-and we need not stir   gens a clan-i. e., belonging to a clan, or,
out of our cosy parlor.  Ther.e!  Mufti,   as the Scotch say, clannish; and this is its
where wilt thou begin?  Ab initio?            primitive  signification.   See  Tacitus:
"Eloquentia, gentile domus nostrae"Whanne that April with his showres sote     Eloquentia,   gentile   doius   nostr
The droughte of March hath perced to the rote,
And bathed Every ve/ne in swiche icour,   by which it passed from one who has reOf whiche vertue engendered is theflour;  lation to some race, or, as we say, of birth,*
When Zephirus Eke with his sote brethe    in contradistinction to him who can lay
Enspired hath in Every holt and hethe     claim   to  none-even   the  ignoblest
The tendre croppes, and the younge Sonne  "family," to its former (old  English)
Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,
And smale fowles maken mnelodie,          and then to its present import   ight,
That slepen alle night with. open eye,    had we opportunity to trace it, be curiSo priketh him nature in his corages,     ons enough.  For the present, however,
Than longen folk to gon on pilgrimages,   compare it with its very striking analoAnd palmers for to seken strange strondeg,  gue kind (adj.) from kind (sub.) and conTo serve halwes couthe in Sondry londes;  sult Froissart, V. ii. c. 77.-" I y avoit
And specially from Every shire's ende
Of Englelond to Canterbury the wende,     un  Chevalier, Capitaine de la ville
The holy blissful martyr for to seke      point gentilhomme  n'estoit-et  l'avoit
That hem hath -holpen whan that they were   fait, pour sa vaillance, le Roy Edouard
seke."                                Chevalier."
Prologse to the Canterbury Tales.
"With him ther was his sone, a yonge squier.
You will see that we have italicised            A lover and a lusty bacheler,
the principal words that come from, or             With lockes crull as they were laid in presse;
through the French.   The  proportion              Of twenty year of age he was I gesse."
is not by any means, so great as we find                                             lb.
in innumerable other passages, or such            "Escuyer"  was  the  Archaic  form
now spelled eecuyer, supposed to be from
"To Canterbury with devoute courage,.L. secutum, a shield, i. e. a shield-bearer.
At night was come into that hostelrie     The transition in this word is curious,
Wel nine-and-twenty in a compagrnie."     too.  Once it was a term  of dignity;
_1b.     now rather of indignity.  For instance,
Courage,"   hostelrie" and "coi-   we all know that, when our friend Smellp   Courage,"  "hostelrie," and "corm-   fungus receives epistles, they invariably
pegnie," all receive their coloring through    bear the address: To P. Q. R. Smellthe Norman. In hostelrie will be recog-   fungus, Esq. * *  Bachelor is the French
nized our hotel, by the elision of the s   appellation for those unfortunate speciand the superposition of the circumflex;   mens of the human family who are cornalso host, in which the s again makes its   monly conceived and believed to be the
appearance.                                    living embodiments of all the ills that
"At the Siege eke hadde he be of Algesir."  flesh  is  heir  to.  And, by  the way,
lb.      bachelor and imbecile are both from  one
A  "Siege" is just a seating before.   root.  We don't pretend to insinuate the
See analogues in the Latin Obsidio and    moral.
the Greek  repotKciOc7rt.                         "And French she spoke ful fayre and fetisly,
After the scole of Stratford atte Bowe,
"At mortal batailles hadde he ben fiftene."    For French of Paris was to hire unknowe."
lb.                                              lb.
* Gens is from yzy( to be born. So that these words, in their primal origin, do, in reality, merge into
one. Genteel, gentle, and gentile are all one word.




478         Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substcanties.                    [Nov.
"Fetisly" is, perhaps, allied with f6te,  jective, in the other, of an objective exhence gaily, neatly.  Is good Madame   istenee; in the one, an only heart-life,
Eglentine the "noune" entirely without   pulsating with doings and darings; in
representatives among us, or be there not   the other, the outer and the conventional.
damsels, even in our days, who are as   The Saxon demands, and will be satisfied
blissfully ignorant of the "Frenche" of   with nothing short of trouth, and fre"'Paris," as was the excellent Prioresse?   domLike Uriah Heep, we ask it "umbly,"
and only for infoirmation.                     " High over the regions of space and of time,
The noblest of thoughts waves its pinion D"
"Therefore in stede of weping and praires,
Men mote give silver to the pourefrere.."   He requires the downright and the
CaZnterbry Tales.    earnest-le serieux; the Gallican is con"The estat, th' araie, the som bre, and eke the   tented with 1' honneur and " curtesie."
cause."                      EM      Well, this  has  been recognized  long
"Eke Plato sayeth, who so can him rede,    enough.  Take the opinion of the fifth
That werdes most ben cosin tothe dede." 
*. a  century: "'Francis familiare est ridendo
" Were it by avesture, or sort, or cas."   fidem frangere."*  " Si perjacet Francus
b,.    quid novi faciet, qui pejurium  ipsurn
"The herautdes knew him weI in specia."    sermonis genus putat esse non  crimiIn prisnes."t  "Francl mendaces, sed  hospi-' In prison~            tales." 
Perpetssel, he u' olde no rauno.o         tales.* 
lb.       And what entered so largely into their
"Testif they were, and lusty for to play."  composition  in the fifth  century, has
The Reves' Tale, p. 35.    probably left some traces even unto our
own nineteenth.  But, to enumerate all
Testy is our present form.  The word   the French and Norman, the Francois very expressive; tete, the head, i. e.   Latin and the Normanno-Latin elements,
heady, or, as we generally say, head-   would be to quote every line; we can,
strong.                                      then, but present you with the following, which are prodigiously characteristic
"Hire yelwe here was broided in a tresse   and replete with suggestions:-Accord,
Behind hire back, a yerde long, I guesse."  advocate, agree, arreste (arrest), avance
(advance), adventure, alegeance (allegiYou see they were up to the noble art        ance), anie   annture, appetite, banc  -
of guessing, even in Chaucer's day; and   ance), anoie  (annoy), appetite, apitaincremember that all this was written  a           anger,  bokeler    uckler),  capitaine
century before Americall   was dreamed of,  (captain), clerk, counseil (council), crois
or Cristoper         ica waolumbus  dreamed of,  (cross), constable, cowardise (cowardice),
or Cristopher Columbus was born.  culprit, curfew, dance, danger, deliver,
To say nothing of the NorIman element,   dure (endure), embrace, entaile (entail),
what do you think of the following as a   faine (feign), force, gaillard, grace, jude
piece of philosophy?                         Q(judge), jugement (judgment), law, mais"Freres and fendes been but litel asunder!"'   ter (master), maugre, obeyance (obediThe Ferees' Tale, p. 64.    ence), outrage, page, portecolise (port" A knighte ther was, and that a worthy man,  cullis), revel, rime (rhyme), prelat (preThat fro' the time that he firste began   late),  parlement, sauf  (sate), markis
To riden out, he loved chivalrie,         (marquis), sergeant, sire, table, vitaille
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curtesie."  (victual).  And  there are among  the
Prologue to the Knighte's Tale.    thousands of other such, introduced or
Here"knight,"  to  which  further   employed by him whom people will perHere    knight,"   to  whicsl urther          sistin callingreference will be made  hereafter, is,
strange to say, Saxon.  " Chivalrie" is            ", The pure well of English, undefiled L"
of course Norman. In the fourth line,
we  have  "trouthe"  and  "fredom,"             So great, indeed, was his fondness for
Saxon;  " honour" and "' eurtesie" come   French terms, that he received the nickto us through the French.  And what   name of the " French Brewer," and the
volumes do they speak to us of the psychi-   probability  seems  to  incline  towards
cal and social constitution of the two?   making even himself of Norman descent.
We have in one the evidence of a sub-           The following we quote as a rare spe* Vopiscus Proc., c. xiI., p. 23T.                   t Salvlan de Gub. Dei, lib. iv., p. 82.
t lb. lib. vn., p. 116.




1854.]       Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.                 479
cimen of astrological lore, as well as for   " When the lift grew dark, and the wind blew loud,
the large preponderance of the Saxon-    And garley grew the sea."
the E7ngi~sh element —in it:
A similar idea also pervades the Latin
"Peraventure in thilke large book         calunm, from the Greek Kcorov, hollow.
Which thal men clipe the Heven gwritten was  To the Saxons we are also indebted for
With sterres, whan that he his birthe took  our most beautifully expressive designaThat he for love should han his deth alas!  tion of the Deity-God —which, in the
For in the sterres, clearer than is glas  Saxon, is the same form as the adjective
Is writen, God wot, who so coud it rede,  good. The Germans, leaning  to  the
The deth of every man withouten drede,
In sterres many a winter therebeforn     emotional side of theosophy, employed
Was writ the deth of Hector, Achilles,   the name of His, to us, most endearing
Of Pompey, Julius, or they were born;    epithet; while the Hebrews followed the
The strif of Thebes, and of Hercules,    idea of an absolute existence, imitated by
Of Sampson, Turnus, and of Socrates      the Platonic'OQN.
The deths; but meunes uwittes ben so d uJl
That no wight can wel rede it at thefull."  "Home," also, we receive from  our
The Man of Lawes' Tale, p. 43.    German progenitors-ham, which  the
Scotch hame approaches nearer, or, in
Oh! yes, once, was there a mystery   fact, has deviated less from, than has our
and a majesty in the earth and in the   form.  Also the components thereof, as:
heavens!-before science  had  harried   homely, i. e. lhamlic, hornelike; —which
every province of the seen-of the phe-   charming expression, we are sorry to see,
nomenal-and made us believe that that   has been wrung from its primitive sense.
was all-that we had got into the inner-  Is it, that what is home-like has become.
most.  Then did there repose a soul in   homely,-has become tiresome and uninnature-then did there live the Jupiters   teresting in our eyes?  What an underand the Thors, the Naiads and the Elves;   valuation!  "Man," and  "wife,"  are
man recognized a divinity in all, and re-   both Saxon, as well as the affectionate
verently bowed before its shrine-be-  terms father, mother, brother, sister.
holding in everything more than was   "Wife," by the way, has quite a little
presented to the eye of sense, and recog-   history wrapped up in it.  It is the Saxon
nizing the soul's own mystic relation to   wif allied in form and signification to the
the great whole.  What saith our high-   Danish wyf, and German weil; words
est?                                        which, in their derivation, involve the
notion of spinning or oweaving, and seem
" The old men studied magic in the flowers,  to point to that as the legitimate feld of
And human fortunes in Astronomy,
And an ounpotesnce in chemistry!        womanly occupation.  Chaucer makes
the "Wif of Bathe," thus give us the
But now, the age of faith, like the age   sumlmum  totum   of feminine energizof chivalry, has gone                       ings:- "All these have vanished,  " For all swiche wit is geven us in our birth;
They live no longer in the faith of reason"-  Deceite, weping, spinning, God hath geven
To woman kindly, while that she may liven!"
and we are Sophists, and Atheists, and                     The Wif of Baith, Prologue, 54.
Apathists!
"iHeven,"  or, as we  now  spell it,        From which it would appear that the
heaven, is, we know, Saxon.  It is heo-   character given  of a  certain  Roman
fon, heofen or heofun, from  heafan, to   matron, is the highest possible:
heave, that is something heaven or
heaved up-over our heads-which word,, Domum mansit-lanam fecit."
(head) together with heft, huff, hoof, hovel, hat, hut, haven and oven, are, ac-   So quaintly and yet so forcibly rendered,
cording to Horne Tooke, all from  the   into the vernacular by Douglas:
same verb.  The Scotch furnish us with
an interesting  wvnlogue  in  the word   " She kepet in the hous and birlet    the quhole!"
"lift," used in the same sense, and just
the abstract form of the past part. of the    An interesting passage from  King Alverb to lift.  Take a couplet from  that   fred's Translation of Bede, presents us
splendid  old ballad of  "Sir Patrick   with the original form  of three or four
Spens."                                     noticeable words:
*R. W. Emerson's Poems.-" Blight."




480         Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.             [Nov.
"The present life of man, O king!  fickle; but when an old man is present,
seems to me, if compared with that after-   he looks at once to the past and the
period which is so uncertain to us, to re-  future-(before and behind)-that the
semble a scene at one of your country   matter may be best for both parties.)feasts. As you are sitting with your   Iliad, lib. III., 108, 9, 10.
ealdormen and theyns about you, the fire
blazing in the centre, and the whole hall    "Everich for the wisdom that he can
cheered by its warmth; and while storms      was hapeich for to ben an alderman."
Canterbulry Tales.
of rain and snow are raging without, a
little sparrow flies in at one door, roams  Chaucer does not inform us what this
around our festive meeting, and passes   "shaper" was like;  but there seems to
out at some other entrance. While it is  have been, all along, a fiction of it not
among us it feels not the wintry tempest.   being very tenuous.  But to return. We
It enjoys the short comfort and serenity   cannot resist noticing here a very singular
of its transient stay; but, then, plunging   social phenomenomenon among the Anglointo the winter from which it had flown,   Saxons. We refer to the idea of worship,
it disappears from  our eyes. Snch is   which, indeed, is just worth ship-analohere the life of man,"   etc. We do not   gons to the Latin term valor (valeo-to
quote this merely for the sake of the very   be worth). Among them  every indiexcellent moral philosophy which it con-   vidual was under bail to  a certain
tains; but to notice the terms King, Al-  amount (his worth-ship) for his good
derman and Thane.  Thane has passed   behavior.  "Every man was valued at
entirely out of use-baron supplying its   a fixed sum, which  was called  his
place-and in our usual readings Shakes-'were;' and  whoever took  his life,
peare alone recalls it. "King," however,  was punished  by having to pay this
and Alderman, we still preserve. "Kwing "   woere." I  Moreover, in addition to this,
is Cyning,t i. e., Cun-ing-the can-ning   there was a pecuniary fine imposed,
man-the man of might.  We all re-   called the " wite"-an expression which
member how hero-worshipping Carlyle  the Scotch still preserve, with the signigloats over this derivation.  And for-  fication of blame-and one thus paying
sooth, it is expressive of a good deal.  the forfeiture of all his worth-ship, pre"Ealdorman" is, of course, just elder-  sents us with the original idea of afelon,
man, as we ought to write it, and not Al-   which is, feo-lun —destitute of property.
derman. It has reference to the early   Now, besides this, there was a fine for
Saxon societies, when the people imagin-   every personal injury; for instance, the
ing that the elders would be more apt to  loss of an eye or a leg was considered
have wisdom and authority, chose to ap-   worth the compensation of fifty shillings;
point them as their rulers. By an easy   for " breaking the mouth," twelve shiltransition it came to express chief or  lings; for cutting off the little finger,
greatest, as "Yldest wyriht" (Eldest  eleven shillings; for piercing the nose,
wright)-the chief workman, etc.           nine shillings; for cutting off the thumb
This notion of the wisdom  in grey   nail, for the first double-tooth, for breakhairs, seems to have been a rather com-   ing a rib-each, three shillings; for every
mon one. Thus, we have  the Latin   nail, and for every tooth beyond the first
Senatus-our Senate-from  Senex, an   double-tooth, one shilling! Their system
old man; and the Greek wrrpe,3vrepos: so   of punishments, also, has transmitted to
that our Presbyterian church is properly   us one of our common words, viz:
just that in which the government of   ordeal, Saxon ordal or ordel-a punishthe elders (rtpEa[vrepot) obtains. And   ment or trial. And this ordeal was the
what saith Homer, the divine?             trial through which an accused passed,
in order to prove his guilt or innocence.
" Ale  d'irAooratpoov avdpYv qpevet;}epE0om-   It consisted of two kinds-the ordeal by
ra9'                              hot water, and the ordeal by hot iron.
Ot5 6d' yeptov serjlaev, adja irpoaaco iKa 6rita-  The modus operandi was this: with
aw                                 many attendant circumstances of pomp
Ae aeat, Or;os  ~X' tpt~a ra Lter' auLoorepolaU  and solemnity, the person plunged his
yevr7Tat."                          hand as far as the wrist, or his arm  as
far as the elbow (according to the mag(For the minds of young men are ever   nitude of the charge), into a vessel of
* See Turner's Hist. Anglo-Saxons. Vol. I. p. 239.             t Verstegan.
$ Turner's History Anglo-Saxons. Vol. II., 132.




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                481
water boiling  "furiously  hot;"  and      One "word" more. It is transienttaking out therefrom  a piece of iron,  trans-eo, passing away-equivalent to the
three pounds in weight, he carried it the   French passager. With plaintive saddistance of nine feet and let it drop.  ness it sings the "mutability of human
Then, after three days, the hand was  affairs!" and the requiem of human life.
inspected, to see if "foul" or " clean,"  It is the thesis of that enchanting little
and sentence was passed accordingly.  idyl by John PierpontThis literary very "fiery trial" is the
originator of our "fiery ordeal," and per-  "Passing away! passing away I
haps (since such things could be done by     Was it the chime of a tiny bell" etc.,
proxy) lies at the basis of our expression-'I would go through cfire  atnd   which, indeed, is just an expansion of
wvater for you!"
woater for you!1"                       this thesis. Said Ina's queen to her liege
Gentle reader, thou hast this handful  lord-" Are not all things, are not we
of nuts to crack; think not, however,  ourselves, like a river, hurrying heedless
of nuts to crack; think not, how,  and headlong  to the dark ocean of
but that we have whole sackfuls in store   and headlong to the dark  ocean of
for thee-some of which we hope to
present thee with-here a little and              " sic transit gloria mundi I"
there a little -and in all of which thou
there a little-and in all of which thou  "Now Jesu Christ, that of his might may sende
wilt find sweet kernels and agreeable      Joye after wo, governe us in his grace,
nourishment, if thou wilt but take the      And kepe us alle that ben in this place."
trouble to open them.                                The Man of Lacnes' Tale, p. 50.
ISRAEL POTTER; OR, FIFTY YEARS OF EXILE.
(Continued from page 878.)
CHAPTER XVI.                on the endless drifts of the Bunker Hills
s WI ISRAEL IS SOR UNDER TWO FLAGS, AND IN  of the billows? But like many other
THREE SHIPS, AND A" I ONE NIGHT.  repiners, Israel was perhaps a little
premature with upbraidings like these.
A S running down channel at evening,      Plying on between Scilly and Cape
11 Israel walked the crowded main-deck   Clear, the Unprincipled-which vessel
of the seventy-four, continually brushed   somewhat outsailed her consorts-fell in,
by a thousand hurrying wayfarers, as if  just before dusk, with a large revenue
he were in some great street in London,  cutter close to, and showing signals of
jammed  with  artisans, just returning   distress. At the moment, no other sail
from their day's labor, novel and pain-  was in sight.
ful emotions were his. He found him-       Cursing the necessity of pausing with
self dropped into the naval mob without  a strong fair wind at a juncture like this,
one friend; nay, among enemies, since his  the officer-of-the-deck shortened sail, and
country's enemies were his own, and   hove to; hailing the cutter, to know
against the kith and kin of these very   what was the matter. As he hailed the
beings around him, he himself had once   small craft from the lofty poop of the
lifted a fatal hand. The martial bustle   bristling  seventy-four, this lieutenant
of a great man-of war, on her first day   seemed standing on the top of Gibraltar,
out of port, was indescribably jarring to  talking to some lowland peasant in a
his present mood. Those sounds of the   hut. The reply was, that in a sudden
human multitude disturbing the solemn   flaw of wind, which came nigh capsizing
natural solitudes of the sea, mysteriously  them, not an hour since, the cutter had
afflicted him. He murmured  against  lost all four foremost men by the violent
that untowardness which, after condemn-  jibing of a boom. She wanted help to
ing him to long sorrows on the land,  get back to port.
now pursued him with added griefs on       "You shall have one man," said the
the deep. Why should a patriot, leaping   officer-of-the-deek, morosely.
for the chance again to attack the op-     "Let him  be a good one then, for
pressor, as at Bunker Hill, now be kid-   heaven's sake," said he in the the cutter;
napped to fight that oppressor's battles   "I ought to have at least two."




482               Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exile.              [Nov.
During this talk, Israel's curiosity had   of itself severe work enough to manage
prompted him  to dart up the ladder  the vessel thus short of hands. But to
from the main-deck, and stand right in   make matters still worse, the captain
the gangway above, looking out on the   and his officers were ugly-tempered felstrange craft. Meantime the order had  lows. The one kicked, and the others
been given to drop a boat. Thinking   cuffed Israel. Whereupon, not sugared
this a favorable chance, he stationed   with his recent experiences, and madhimself so that he should be the foremost  dened by his present hap, Israel seeing
to spring into the boat; though crowds   himself alone at sea, with only three
of English sailors, eager as himself for  men, instead of a thousand, to contend
the same opportunity to escape from   against, plucked up a heart, knocked the
foreign service, clung to the chains of   captain into the lee scuppers, and in his
the as yet imperfectly disciplined man-  fury was about tumbling the first-officer,
of-war. As the two men who had been   a small wash of a fellow, plump overlowered in the boat hooked her, when   board, when the captain, jumping to his
afloat, along to the gangway, Israel  feet, seized him by his long yellow hair,
dropped like a conlet into the stern-  vowing he would slaughter him. Meansheets, stumbled forward, and seized an  time the cutter flew foaming through
oar. In a moment more, all the oars-  the channel, as if in demoniac glee at
men were in their places, and with a   this uproar on her imperilled  deck.
few strokes, the boat lay alongside the   While the consternation  was at its
cutter.                                 height, a dark body suddenly loomed at
" Take which of them  you please,"   a moderate distance into view, shooting
said the lieutenant in command, address-  right athwart the stern of the cutter.
ing the officer in the revenue-cutter, and   The next moment a shot struck the water
motioning with his hand to his boat's  within a boat's length.
crew, as if they were a parcel of car-     " Heave to, and send a boat on board!"
casses of mutton, of which the first pick  roared a voice almost as loud as the
was offered to some customer.  " Quick   cannon.
and choose. Sit down, men "-to the         "That's a war-ship," cried the captain
sailors. "Oh, you are in a great hurry   of the revenue vessel, in alarm; "but
to get rid of the king's service, ain't  she ain't a countryman.".you? Brave chaps indeed!-Have you        Meantime the officers and Israel stopchosen your man?"                      ped the cutter's way.
All this while the ten faces of the      "Send a boat on board, or I'll sink
anxious oarsmen looked with mute long-  you," again  came  roaring  from  the
ings and appealings towards the officer  stranger, followed  by  another  shot,
of the cutter; every face turned at the   striking the water still nearer the cutter.
same angle, as if managed by one machine.  "For God's sake, don't cannonade us.
And so they were. One motive.           I haven't got the crew to man a boat,"
"I take the freckled chap with the   replied the captain of the cutter. "Who
yellow hair-him;" pointing to Israel.    are you?"
Nine of the upturned faces fell in sul-  " Wait till I send a boat to you for
len despair, and ere Israel could spring   that," replied the stranger.
to his feet, he felt a violent thrust in his  " She's an enemy of some sort, that's
rear from the toes of one of the disap-  plain," said the Englishman now to his
pointed behind him.                     officers; "we ain't at open war with
"Jump, dobbin!" cried the officer of   France; she's some blood-thirsty pirate
the boat.                               or other. What d' ye say, men," turnBut Israel was already on board.  ing to his officers; "let's outsail her, or
Another moment, and the boat and   be shot to chips. We can beat her at
cutter parted. Ere long night fell, and   sailing, I know."
the man-of-war and her consorts were       With that, nothing doubting that his
out of sight.                           counsel would be heartily responded to,
The revenue vessel resumed her course   he ran to the braces to get the cutter
towards the nighest port, worked by but  before the wind, followed by one officer,
four men: the captain, Israel, and two   while the other, for a useless bravado,
officers.  The cabin-boy was kept at the   hoisted the colors at the stern.
helm. As the only foremast man, Israel    But Israel stood indifferent, or rather
was put to it pretty hard. Where there  all in a fever of conflicting emotions.
is but one man to three masters, woe   He thought he recognized the voice from
betide that lonely slave. Besides, it was  the strange vessel.




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exrile.              483
"Come, what do ye standing there,  out a steersman in such an emergency.
fool? Spring to the ropes here!" cried   The other officer and Israel interlocked.
the furious captain.                    The battle was in the midst of the chaos
But Israel did not stir.              of blowing canvas. Caught in a rent
Meantime, the confiusion on board the   of the sail, the officer slipped and fell
stranger, owing to the hurried lowering   near the sharp iron edge of the hatchof her boat, with the cloudiness of the   way. As he fell, he caught Israel by the
sky darkening the misty sea, united to   most terrible part in which mortality
conceal the bold inanceuvre of the cutter.  can be grappled. Insane with pain, Israel
She had almost gained full headway ere   dashed his adversary's skull against the
an oblique shot, directed by mere chance,  sharp iron. The officer's hold relaxed;
struck her stern, tearing the upcurved   but himself stiffened. Israel made for
head of the tiller in the hands of the  the helmsman, who as yet knew not the
cabin-boy, and killing him  with the  issue of the late tussel. He caught him
splinters. Running to the stump, the   round the loins, bedding his fingers like
captain huzzaed, and steered the reeling   grisly claws into his flesh, and hugging
ship on. Forced now to hoist back the   him  to his heart. The man's ghost,
boat ere giving chase, the stranger was  caught like a broken cork in a gurgling
dropped rapidly astern.                 bottle's neck, gasped with the embrace.
All this while storms of maledictions   Loosening him  suddenly, Israel hurled
were hurled on Israel. But their exer-  him  from  him  against the bulwarks.
tions at the ropes prevented his ship-  That instant another report was heard,
mates for the time from using personal  followed by the savage hail —  You down
violence. While observing their efforts,  sail at last, do ye? I'm  a good mind to
Israel could  not but say to himself,  sink ye, for your scurvy trick. Pul.
" These fellows are as brave as they are   down that dirty rag there, astern!"
brutal."                                  With a loud huzza, Israel hauled down
Soon the stranger was seen dimly wal-  the flag with one hand, while with the
lowing along astern, crowding all sail in  other he helped the now slowly gliding
chase, while now and then her bow-gun,  craft from falling off before the wind.
showing its red tongue, bellowed after    In a few moments a boat was alongthem like a nad bull. Two more shots  side. As its commander stepped to the
struck the cutter, but without materially   deck, he stumbled against the body of
damaging her sails, or the ropes imme-  the first-officer, which, owing to  the
diately upholding them. Several of her  sudden slant of the cutter in coming to
less important stays were sundered, how-  the wind, had rolled against the side
ever; whose loose tarry ends lashed the   near the gangway. As he came aft, he
air like scorpions. It seemed not im-  heard the moan of the other officer, where
probable that owing to  her superior  he lay under the mizzen shrouds.
sailing, the keen cutter would yet get    "What is all this?" demanded the
clear.                                  stranger of Israel.
At this juncture, Israel, running to-    "It means that I am  a Yankee imwards the captain, who still held the   pressed into the king's service; and for
splintered stump of tiller, stood full be-  their pains I have  taken  the  cutfore him, saying, "I am an enemy, a   ter."
Yankee; look to yourself."                 Giving vent to his surprise, the officer
"Help here, lads, help," roared the  looked narrowly at the body by  the
captain. "a traitor, a traitor I"       shrouds, and said, "this man is as good
The words were hardly out of his  as dead; but we will take him to Captain
mouth when his voice was silenced for  Paul as a witness in your behalf."
ever. With one prodigious heave of his     "Captain Paul?-Paul Jones?" cried
whole physical force, Israel smote him   Israel.
over the taffrail into the sea, as if the  "The same."
man had fallen backwards over a teetering  " I thought so. I thought that was
chair. By this time the two officers  his voice hailing. It was Captain Paul's
were hurrying aft. Ere meeting them   voice that somehow put me up to this
midway, Israel, quick as lightning, cast  deed."
off the two principal halyards, thus let-  " Captain Paul is the devil for putting
ting the large sails all in a tumble of can-  men up to be tigers. But where are the
vass to the deck. Next moment one of  rest of the crew?"
the officers was at the helm, to prevent  "Overboard."
the cutter from capsizing by being with-  "What?" cried the officer; "come on




484              Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.              [Nov.
board the Ranger. Captain Paul will  finger here, anditwasn't longbefore,what
use vou for a broadside."              with hauling wet ropes, and what not, it
Taking the moaning man along with  got a kind of grown down into the flesh,
them, and leaving the cutter untenanted   and pained me very bad, let me tell you,
byanyliving soul, the boat now left her for  it hugged the finger so."
the enemy's ship. But ere they reached   "And did the girl grow as close to
it, the man had expired.               your heart, lad?"
Standing foremost on the deck, crowd-    " Ah, Captain, girls grow themselves
ed with three hundred men, as Israel  off quicker than we grow them on."
climbed the side, he saw, by the light of    " Some experience with the countesses
battle-lanthorns, a small, smart, bri-  as well as myself, eh? But the story;
gandish-looking man, wearing a Scotch   wave your yellow mane, my lion-the
bonnet, with a gold band to it.        story."
"You rascal," said this person, "why   So Israel went on, and told the story
did your paltry smack give me this  in all particulars.
chase? Where's the rest of your gang?"  At its conclusion, Captain Paul eyed
"Captain Paul," said Israel, "I believe   him  very earnestly. His wild, lonely
I remember you. I believe I offered   heart, incapable of sympathizing with
you my bed in Paris some months ago.  cuddled natures made hum-drum by long
How is Poor Richard?"                  exemption from pain, was yet drawn to"God Il Is this the courier? The Yan-  wards a being, who in desperation of
kee courier?  But how  now; in an  friendlessness, something like his own,
English revenue cutter?"              had so fiercely waged battle against tyr"Impressed, sir; that's the way."    ranical odds.
" But where's the rest of them?" de-    "Did you go to sea young, lad?"
manded Paul, turning to the officer.      " Yes, pretty young."
Thereupon the officer very briefly told  "I went at twelve, from Whitehaven.
Paul what Israel had told him.         Only so high." raising his hand some four
"Are we to sink the cutter, sir?" said  feet from the deck. " I was so small, and
the gunner, now  advancing towards  looked so queer in my little blue jacket,
Captain,Paul. "If it is to be done, now   that they called me the monkey. They'll
is the time. She is close under us, astern;  call me something else before long. Did
a few guns pointed downwards, will settle  you ever sail out of Whitehaven?"
her like a shotted corpse."               "No, Captain."
"No. Let her drift into Penzance, an   "If you had, you'd have heard sad
anonymous earnest of what the white-  stories about me. To this hour they say
squall in Paul Jones intends for the  there that I,-blood-thirsty-coward dog
future."                               that I am,-flogged a sailor, one Mungo
Then giving directions as to the course   Maxwell, to death. It's a lie, by heaven!
of the ship, with an order for himself to   I flogged him, for he was a mutinous
be called at the first glimpse of a sail,  scamp. But he died naturally, some time
Paul took Israel down with him into his  afterwards, and on board another ship.
cabin.                                 But why talk? They didn't believe the
"Tell me your story now, my yellow   affidavits of others taken before London
lion. How was it all? Don't stand; sit  courts, triumphantly acquitting me; how
right down there on the transom. I'm  then will they credit my interested
a democratic sort of.sea-king. Plump on   words? If slander, however much a lie,
the wool-sack, I say, and spin the yarn.  once gets hold of a man, it will stick
But hold; you want some grog first."    closer than fair fame, as black pitch
As Paul handed the flagon, Israel's  sticks closer than white cream. But let
eye fell upon his hand.'em slander. I will give the slanderers
"You don't wear any rings now, Cap-  matter for curses. When last I left
tain, I see. Left them in Paris for safety."   Whitehaven, I swore never again to set
"Aye, with a certain marchioness  foot on her pier, except, like COesar, at
there," replied Paul, with a dandyish   Sandwich, as a foreign invader. Spring
look of sentimental conceit, which sat  under me, good ship; on you I bound to
strangely enough on his otherwise grim   my vengeance!"
and Fejee air.                           Men with poignant feelings, buried
"I should think rings would be some-  under an air of care-free self-command,
what inconvenient at sea," resumed Is-  are never proof to the sudden inciterael. " On my first voyage to the West  ments of passion. Though in the main,
Indies, I wore a girl's ring on my middle  they may control themselves, yet if they




1854.]          Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.             485
but once permit the smallest vent, then  " Was as close to him as I am to you
they may bid adieu to all self-restraint,  now, captain. In Kew Gardens it was,
at least for that time. Thus with Paul  where I worked gravelling the walks. I
on the present occasion. His sympathy   was all alone with him, talking for some
with Israel had prompted this momentary  ten minutes."
ebullition.  When it was gone by, he    "By Jove, what a chance! Had I
seemed not a little to regret it. But he  but been there!  What an opportunity
passed it over lightly, saying, " You see,  for kidnapping a British king, and carrymy fine fellow, what sort of a bloody  ing him off in a fast-sailing smack to Boscannibal I am.  Will you be a sailor  ton, a hostage for American freedom.
of mine?  A sailor of the captain  But what did you?  Didn't you try to
who flogged poor Mungo Maxwell to  do something to him?"
death I"                                " I had a wicked thought or two, cap" I will be very happy, Captain Paul,  tain; but I got the better of it. Besides,
to be sailor under the man who will yet,  the king behaved handsomely towards
I dare say, help flog the British nation to  me; yes, like a true man.  God bless
death."                              him for it. But it was before that, that
" You hate'em, do ye?"           I got the better of the wicked thought."
"Like snakes. For months they've      "Ah, meant to stick him, I suppose.
hunted me as a dog," half howled and  Glad you didn't. It would have been
half wailed Israel, at the memory of all  very shabby.  Never kill a king, but
he had suffered.                     make him captive. He looks better as a
" Give me your hand, my lion; wave  led horse, than a dead carcass.  I proyour wild flax again. By heaven, you  pose now, this trip, falling on the grounds
hate so well, I love ye. You shall be my  of the Earl of Selkirk, a privy counselconfidential man; stand sentry at my  lor, and particular private friend of
cabin door; sleep in the cabin; steer my   George III. But I won't hurt a hair of
boat; keep by my side whenever I land.  his head.  When I get him on board
What do you say?"                   here, he shall lodge in my best state" I say I'm glad to hear you."     room, which I mean to hang with dam"You are a good, brave soul. You  ask for him. I shall drink wine with
are the first among the millions of man-  him, and be very friendly; take him to
kind that I ever naturally took to. Come,  America, and introduce his lordship into
you are tired. There, go into that state-  the best circles there; only I shall have
room for to-night-its mine.  You of-  him accompanied on his calls by a sentry
fered me your bed in Paris."          or two disguised as valets. For the earl's
" But you begged off, Captain, and so  to be on sale, mind; so much ransom;
must I. Where do you sleep?"        that is, the nobleman, Lord Selkirk,
" Lad, I don't sleep half a night out  shall have a bodily price pinned on his
of three. My clothes have not been off  coat-tail, like any slave up at auction in
now for five days."                   Charleston. But, my lad with the yel"Ah, Captain, you sleep so little and  low mane, you very strangely draw out
scheme so much, you will die young."    my secrets. And yet you don't talk.
"I know it: I want to: I mean to.  Your honesty is a magnet which attracts
Who would live a doddered old stump?  my sincerity. But I rely on your fideWhat do you think of my Scotch bon-  lity."
net?"                                  "I shall be a vice to your plans, Cap" It looks well on you, Captain."  tain Paul. I will receive, but I won't
" Do you think so? A Scotch bonnet  let go, unless you  alone loose the
though, ought to look well on a Scotch-  screw."
man. I'm such by birth. Is the gold    "Well said. To bed now; you ought
band too much?"                     to. I go on deck. Good-night, ace-of"I like the gold band, Captain. It  hearts."
lo&~s something as I should think a     "That is fitter for yourself, Captain
crown might on a king."              Paul; lonely leader of the suit."
"Aye."                               "Lonely? Aye, but number one can" You would make a better looking  not but be lonely, my trump."
king than George III."                  "Again I give it back.  Ace-of"Did you ever see that old granny?  trumps may it prove to you, Captain
Waddles about in farthingales, and carries  Paul; may it be impossible for you ever
a peacock fan, don't he? Did you ever  to be taken. But for me —poor deuce, a
see him?"                           treize, that comes in your wake-any




486              Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.              [Nov.
king or knave may take me, as before  scribed prudence of war, and every obnow the knaves have."                  ligation of peace; combining in one
"Tut, tut, lad; never be more cheery  breast the vengeful indignation and bitfor another than for yourself. But a  ter ambition of an outraged hero, with
fagged body fags the soul. To ham-  the uncompunctuous desperation of a
mock, to hammock! while I go on deck  renegade. In one view, the Coriolanus
to clap on more sail to your cradle."  of the sea; in another, a cross between
And they separated for that night.    the gentlemnan and the wolf.
As Paul stood on the elevated part of
the quarter-deck, with none but his confidential quarter-master near him, he
CHAPTER XV.               yielded to Israel's natural curiosity, to
THEY SAL A FAR AS THE CRAG OF ILSA.  learn something concerning the sailing
of the expedition. Paul stood lightly,
NEXT morning Israel was appointed   swaying his body over the sea, by holdquarter-master;  a subaltern  selected  ing on to the mizzen-shrouds, an attitude
from'the common seamen, and whose   not inexpressive of his easy audacity;
duty mostly stations him in the stern of   while near by, pacing a few steps to and
the ship, where the captain walks. His  fro, his long spy glass now under his
business is to carry the glass on the   arm, and now  presented at his eye,
look-out for sails; hoist or lower the  Israel, looking the very image of vigicolors; and keep an eye on the helmsman.  lant prudence, listened to the warrior's
Picked out from the crew for their supe-  story. It appeared that on the night of
rior respectability and intelligence, as  the visit of the Duke de Chartres and
well as for their excellent seamanship, it  Count D'Estaing to Doctor Franklin in
is not unusual to find the quarter-mas-  Paris-the  same night that Captain
ters of an armed ship on peculiarly easy   Paul and Israel were joint occupants of
terms with the commissioned officers  the  neighboring  chamber-the  final
and  captain.  This berth, therefore,  sanction of the French king to the sailplaced Israel in official contiguity to  ing of an American armament against
Paul, and without subjecting.either to   England, under the direction of the Coanimadversion, made their public inter-  lonial Commissioner, was made known
course on deck almost as familiar as  to the latter functionary. It was a very
their unrestrained converse in the cabin.  ticklish affair. Though swaying on the
It was a fine cool day in the beginning   brink of avowed hostilities with Engof April. They were now off the coast  land, no verbal declaration had as yet
of Wales, whose lofty mountains, crested   been made by France.  Undoubtedly,
with  snow, presented  a Norwegian  this enigmatic position of things was
aspect.  The wind was fair, and blew   highly advantageous to such an enterwith a strange, bestirring power. The  prise as Paul's.
ship-running between Ireland and Eng-    Without detailing all the steps taken
land, northwards, towards the Irish Sea,  through the united efforts of Captain
the inmost heart of the British waters-    Paul and Doctor Franklin, suffice it
seemed, as she snortingly shook the  that the determined rover had now atspray from her bow, to be conscious of  tained his wish; the unfettered conthe dare-devil defiance of the soul which   mand of an armed ship in the British
conducted her on this anomalous cruise.  waters; a ship legitimately authorized
Sailing alone from out a naval port of  to hoist the American colors; her conr —
France, crowded with ships-of-the-line,  mander having in his cabin-locker a
Paul Jones, in his small craft, went forth  regular commission as an officer of the
in single-armed championship against  American navy. He sailed without any
the English host. Armed with but the  instructions.  With that rare insight
sling-stones in his one shot-locker, like  into rare natures which so largely disyoung David of old, Paul bearded the  tinguished the sagacious Franklin, Uhe
British giant of Gath. It is not easy, at  sage well knew that a prowling beave,
the present day, to conceive the hardi-  like Paul Jones, was, like the prowling
hood of this enterprise.  It was a  lion, by nature  a solitary warrior.
marching up to the muzzle. The act of   "Let him alone;" was the wise man's
one who made no compromise with the   answer to some statesman who sought
cannonadings of danger or death; such  to hamper Paul with a letter of instruca scheme as only could have inspired a   tions.
heart which held at nothing all the pre-  Much subtle casuistry has been ex



1854.]           Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.               487
pended upon the point, whether Paul  military warrant of Congress, swarthy
Jones was a knave or a hero, or a union   Paul darted hither and thither; hoverof both. But war and warriors, like  ing like a thunder-cloud off the crowded
politics and politicians, like religion and   harbors; then, beaten off by an adverse
religionists, admit of no metaphysics.    wind, discharging  his lightnings on
On the second day after Israel's arri-  uncompanioned vessels, whose solitude
val on board the Ranger, as he and Paul  made them  a more conspicuous and
were conversing on the deck, Israel sud-  easier mark, like lonely trees on the
denly levelling his glass towards the   heath. Yet all this while the land was
Irish coast, announced a large sail bound  full of garrisons, the embayed waters
in. The Ranger gave chase, and soon,  full of fleets. With the impunity of a
almost within sight of her destination-   Levanter, Paul skimmed his craft in the
the port of Dublin-the stranger was  land-locked heart of the supreme naval
taken, manned, and turned round for  power of earth; a torpedo-eel, unknowBrest.                                 ingly swallowed by Britain in a draught
The Ranger then stood over, passed   of old ocean, and making sad havoc
the Isle of Man towards the Cumberland   with her vitals.
shore, arriving within remote sight of   Seeing next a large vessel steering for
Whitehaven about sunset. At dark she  the Clyde, he gave chase, hoping to cut
was hovering off the harbor, with a  her off. The stranger proving a fast
party of volunteers all ready to descend.  sailer, the pursuit was urged on with
But the wind shifted and blew fresh,  vehemence, Paul standing, plank-proud,
with a violent sea.                    on the quarter-deck, calling for pulls
"I won't call on old friends in foul  upon every rope, to stretch each already
weather," said Captain Paul to Israel.  half-burst sail to the uttermost.
" We'll saunter about a little, and leave    While thus engaged, suddenly a shadow,
our cards in a day or two."            like that thrown by an eclipse, was seen
Next morning, in Glentinebay, on the  rapidly gaining along the deck, with a
south shore of Scotland, they fell in with  sharp defined line, plain as a seam of the
a revenue wherry. It was the practice   planks. It involved all before it. It
of such craft to board merchant vessels.  was the domineering shadow  of the
The Ranger was disguised as a merchant-  Juan Fernandez-like Crag of Ailsa. The
man, presenting a broad drab-colored   Ranger was in the deep water which
belt all round her hull; under the coat  makes all round and close up to this great
of a Quaker, concealing the intent of a  summit of the submarine Grampians.
Turk. It was expected that the char-    The crag, more than a mile in circuit,
tered rover would come alongside the  is over a thousand feet high, eight miles
unchartered one. But the former took  from the Ayrshire shore. There stands
to flight, her two lug sails staggering  the cove, lonely as a foundling, proud as
under a heavy wind, which the pursuing   Cheops. But, like the battered brains
guns of the Ranger pelted with a hail-  surmounting the Giant of Gath, its
storm  of shot.  The wherry escaped,  haughty summit is crowned by a desospite the severe cannonade.            late castle, in and out of whose arches
Of the Mull of Galoway, the day fol-  the aerial mists eddy like purposeless
lowing, Paul found himself so nigh a  phantoms, thronging the soul of some
large barley-freighted Scotch coaster,  ruinous genius, who, even in overthrow,
that, to prevent her carrying tidings  harbors none but lofty conceptions.
of him to land, he dispatched her with   As the Ranger shot nigher under the
the news, stern foremost, to Hades; sink-  crag, its height and bulk dwarfed both
ing her, and sowing her barley in the   pursuer and pursued into nut-shells.
sea, broadcast by a broadside. From   The main-truck of the Ranger was nine
her crew he learned that there was a  hundred feet below the foundations of
fleet of twenty or thirty sail at anchor in  the ruin on the crag's top.
Lochryan, with an armed brigantine.    While the ship was yet under the
He pointed his prow thither; but at the   shadow, and each seaman's face shared
mouth of the loch, the wind turned  in the general eclipse, a sudden change
against him again, in hard squalls. He  came over Paul. He issued no more
abandoned the project. Shortly after,  sultanical orders. He did not look so
he encountered a sloop from  Dublin.  elate as before. At length he gave the
HIe sunk her to prevent intelligence.  command  to  discontinue  the  chase.
Thus, seeming as much to bear the   Turning about, they sailed southward.
elemental commission of Nature, as the   "Captain Paul," said Israel, shortly




488               Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.             [Nov.
afterwards, " you changed your mind   athwart the Drake's bow, so as to have
rather queerly about catching that craft.  all her decks exposed point-blank to his
But you thought she was drawing us too   musketry. But once more the winds
far up into the land, I suppose."      interposed. It came on with a storm
"Sink the craft," cried Paul; "'it was  of snow; he was obliged to give up his
not any fear of her, nor of King George,  project.
which made me turn on my heel; it    Thus, without any warlike appearance,
was yon cock of the walk."             and giving no alarm, Paul, like an invi" Cock of the walk?"                sible ghost, glided by night close to land,
"Aye; cock of the walk of the sea;  actually came to anchor, for an instant,
look,-yon Crag of Ailsa."              within speaking-distance of an English
ship-of-war; and yet came, anchored,
answered hail, reconnoitered, debated,
decided, and retired, without exciting the
CHAPTER XVI.               least suspicion. His purpose was chainTHEY LOOK IN AT CARRICKFERGUS, AND DESCEND ON  shot destruction.  So easily may the
WHITEHAVEN.              deadliest foe —so he be but dexterousNEXT day, off Carrickfergus, on the   slide, undreamed of, into human harbors
Irish coast, a fishing boat, allured by the   or hearts. And not awakened conscience,
Quaker-like look of the incognito craft,  but mere prudence, restrain such, if they
came off in full confidence. Her men   vanish again without doing harm. At
were seized, their vessel sunk. From   daybreak no soul in Carrickfergus knew
them  Paul learned that the large ship  that the devil, in a Scotch bonnet, had
at anchor in the road, was the ship-of-  passed close that way over night.
war Drake, of twenty guns. Upon this    Seldom has regicidal daring been more
he steered away, resolving to return  strangely coupled with octogenarian prusecretly, and attack her that night.   dence, than in many of the predatory
"Surely, Captain Paul," said Israel to  enterprises of Paul. It is this cornbinahis commander, as about sunset they  tion of apparent incompatibilities which
backed and stood in again for the land,  ranks him  among extraordinary war"surely, sir, you are not going right in  riors.
among them this way?  Why not wait    Ere daylight, the storm  of the night
till she comes out?"                  blew over. The sun saw the Ranger ly" Because, Yellow-hair, my boy, I am   ing midway over channel at the head of
engaged to marry her to-night. The  the Irish Sea; England, Scotland, and
bride's friends won't like the match;  Ireland, with all their lofty cliffs, being
and so, this very night, the bride must  simultaneously as plainly in sight beyond
be carried away. She has a nice taper-  the grass-green waters, as the City Hall,
ing waist, hasn't she, through the glass?  St. Paul's, and the Astor House, from
Ah! I will clasp her to my heart."     the triangular Park  in  New  York.
He steered straight in like a friend;  The three kingdoms lay covered witlh
under easy sail, lounging towards the   snow, far as the eye could reach.
Drake, with anchor ready to drop, and    "Ah, Yellow-hair," said Paul, with a
grapnels to hug. But the wind was  smile, "they show the white flag, the
high; the anchor was not dropped at  cravens. And, while the white flag stays
the ordered time. The Ranger came to  blanketing yonder heights, we'll make
a stand three biscuits' toss off the unmis-  for Whitehaven, my boy. I promised
giving enemy's quarter, like a peaceful  to drop in there a moment ere quitting
merchantman from the Canadas, laden  the country for good. Israel, lad, I mean
with harmless lumber.                  to step ashore in person, and have a per" I shan't marry her just yet," whis-  sonal hand in the thing. Did you ever
pered Paul, seeing his plans for the time   drive spikes?
frustrated. Gazing in audacious tran-    "I've driven the spike-teeth into harquillity upon the decks of the enemy; and  rows before now," replied Israel; " but
amicably answering her hail, with com-  that was before I was a sailor."
plete self-possession, he commanded the  " Well then, driving spikes into barcable to be slipped, and then, as if he  rows is a good introduction to driving
had accidentally parted his anchor, turned   spikes into cannon.  You are just the
his prow on the seaward tack, meaning   man. Put down your glass; go to the
to return again immediately with the   carpenter, get a hundred spikes, put them
same prospect of advantage possessed at  in a bucket with a hammer, and bring
first. His plan being to crash suddenly  all to me."




1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.               489
As evening fell, the great promontory   Now, sailing on the Thames, nigh its
of St. Bee's Head, with its lighthouse,   mouth, of fair days, when the wind is
not far from Whitehaven, was in distant  favorable for inward bound craft, the
sight. But the wind became so light,  stranger will sometimes see processions
that Paul could not work his ship in close   of vessels, all of similar size and rig,
enough at an hour as early as intended.  stretching for miles and miles, like a long
His purpose had been to make the descent  string of horses tied two and two to a
and retire ere break of day. But though   rope and driven to market. These are
this intention was frustrated, he did not  colliers going to London with coal.
renounce his plan, for the present would  About three hundred of these vessels
be his last opportunity.               now lay, all crowded together, in one
As the night wore on, and the ship  dense mob, at Whitehaven.  The tide
with a very light wind glided nigher and   was out. They lay completely helpless,
nigher the mark, Paul called upon Israel  clear of water, and grounded.  They
to produce his bucket for final inspection.  were sooty in hue. Their black yards
Thinking some of the spikes too large,  were deeply canted, like spears, to avoid
he had them filed down a little. He saw   collision.  The three hundred  grimy
to the lanterns and combustibles. Like   hulls lay wallowing in the mud, like a
Peter the Great, he went into the small-  herd of hippopotami asleep in the alluest details, while still possessing a genius  vium of the Nile.  Their sailless, raking
competent to plan the aggregate.  But  masts, and canted yards, resembled a foroversee as one may, it is imrpossible to  est of fish-spears thrust into those same
guard against carelessness in subordinates.  hippopotamus hides.  Partly flanking
One's sharp eyes can't see behind one's  one side of the grounded fleet was a fort,
back. It will yet be noted that an im-  whose batteries were raised from  the
portant omission was made in the pre-  beach. On a little strip of this beach,
parations for Whitehaven.              at the base of the fort, lay a number of
The town contained, at that period, a   small rusty guns, dismounted, heaped topopulation of some six or seven thou-  gether in disorder, as a litter of dogs.
sand inhabitants, defended by forts.   Above them  projected the  mounted
At midnight, Paul Jones, Israel Potter,  cannon.
and twenty-nine others, rowed in two      Paul landed in his own boat at the foot
boats to attack the six or seven thousand   of this fort. He dispatched the other
inhabitants of Whitehaven. There was  boat to the north side of the haven, with
a long way to pull. This was done in  orders to fire the shipping there. Leavperfect silence. Not a sound was heard  ing two men at the beach, he then proexcept the oars turning in the rowlocks.  ceeded to get possession of the fort.
Nothing was seen except the two light-    " Hold on to the bucket, and give me
houses of the harbor.  Through the stil-  your shoulder," said he to Israel.
ness and the darkness, the two deep-la-    Using Israel for a ladder, in a trice
den boats swam into the haven, like two   he scaled the wall. The bucket and the
mysterious whales from the Arctic Sea.  men followed. He led the way softly to
As they reached the outer pier, the men  the guard-house, burst in, and bound the
saw each other's faces. The day was  sentinels in their sleep. Thenarranging
dawning.  The riggers and other arti-  his force, ordered four men to spike the
sans of the shipping would before very  cannon there.
long be astir. No matter.                " Now, Israel, your bucket, and follow
The great staple exported from White-  me to the other fort."
haven was then, and still is, coal. The  The two went alone about a quarter
town is surrounded by mines; the town   of a mile.
is built on mines; its ships moor over   " Captain Paul," said Israel, on the
mines. The mines honeycomb the land   way," can we two manage the sentinels?"
in all directions, and extend in galleries  "There are none in the fort we go to,"
of grottoes for two miles under the sea.  "You know all about the place, capBy the falling in of the more ancient  tain?"
collieries, numerous houses have been    "Pretty well informed on that subject,
swallowed, as if by an earthquake; and   I believe. Come along. Yes, lad, I am
a consternation spread like that of Lis-  tolerably well acquainted with Whitebon, in 1755. So insecure and treacher-  haven. And this morning intend that
ous was the site of the place now about  Whitehaven shall have a slight inkling of
to be assailed by a desperado, nursed,  mens. Come on. Here we are."
like the coal, in its vitals.             Scaling the walls, the two involunVOL. Iv.-32




490              Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.            [Nov.
tarily stood for an instant gazing upon  There was a lonely house standing
the scene.  The gray light of the dawn  somewhat disjointed from  the town;
showed the crowded houses and thronged  some poor laborer's abode. Rapping at
ships with a haggard distinctness.    the door, Israel, pipe in mouth, begged
"Spike and hammer, lad;-so,-now   the inmates for a light for his tobacco.
follow me along, as I go, and give me a    " What the devil,' roared a voice from
spike for every cannon. I'll tongue-tie  within; "knock up a man this time of
the thunderers. Speak no more!' and  night, to light your pipe? Begone!"
he spiked the first gun. "Be a mute,"    "You are lazy this morning, my
and he spiked the second. "Dumfounder  friend," replied Israel; "it is daylight.
thed' and he spiked the third. And so,  Quick, give me a light. Don't you know
on, and on, and on; Israel following him   your old friend? Shame! open the
with the bucket, like a footman, or some  door."
charitable gentleman with a basket of    In a moment a sleepy fellow appeared,
alms.                                 let down the bar, and Israel, stalking
"There, it is done. D'ye see the fire  into the dim  room, piloted himself
yet, lad, from the south? I don't."   straight to the fire-place, raked away
"Not a spark, Captain.  But day-  the cinders, lighted his tobacco, and
sparks come on in the east."          vanished.
"Forked  flames into the hounds!    All was done in a flash. The man,
What are they about?  Quick, let us  stupid with sleep, had looked on beback to the first fort; perhaps something  wildered. He reeled to the door; but
has happened, and they are there."    dodging behind a pile of bricks, Israel
Sure enough, on their return from   ha'd already hurried himself out of
spiking the cannon Paul and Israel found  sight.
the other boat back; the crew in confu-    "Well done, my lion," was the hail he
sion; their lantern having burnt out at  received from  Paul, who, during his
the very instant they wanted it. By a  absence, had mustered as many pipes as
singular fatality the other lantern, be-  possible, in order to communicate and
longing to Paul's boat, was likewise ex-  multiply the fire.
tinguished.  No tinder-box had been    Both boats now pulled to a favorable
brought. They had no matches but sul-  point of the principal pier of the harbor,
phur matches.  Loco-focos where not  crowded close up to a part of which lay
then known.                           one wing of the colliers.
The day came on apace.                 The men began to murmur at persist"Captain Paul," said the lieutenant  ing in an attempt impossible to be conof the second boat, "it is madness to stay' cealed much longer. They were afraid
longer.  See!" and he pointed to the  to venture on board the grim colliers,
town, now plainly discernible in the grey  and go groping down into their hulls to
light.                                fire them. It seemed like a voluntary
" Traitor, or coward!" howled Paul,  entrance into dungeons and death.
"how came the lanterns out? Israel,    " Follow me, all of you but ten by the
my lion, now prove your blood. Get me  boats," said Paul, without noticing their
a light-but one spark!"              murmurs. "'And now, to put an end to
" Has any man here a bit of pipe and  all future burnings in America, by one
tobacco in his pocket i" said Israel.  mighty conflagration of shipping in EngA sailor quickly produced an old stump  land. Come on, lads! Pipes and matches
of a pipe, with tobacco.              in the van!"
"That will do;" and Israel hurried    He would have distributed the men so
away towards the town.                as simultaneously to fire different ships
" What will the loon do with the  at different points, were it not that the
pipe?" said one. "And where goes he?"  lateness of the hour rendered such a
cried another.                        course insanely hazardous.  Stationing
"Let him alone,"7 said Paul.        his party in front of one of the windThe invader now disposed his whole  ward colliers, Paul and Israel sprang on
force so as to retreat at an instant's  board.
warning. Meantime, the hardy Israel,    In a twinkling, they had broken open
long experienced in all sorts of shifts and   a boatswain's locker, and, with great
emergencies, boldly ventured to procure,  bunches of oakum, fine and dry as tinder,
from some inhabitant of Whitehaven, a  had leaped into the steerage. Here,
spark to kindle all Whitehaven's habita-  while Paul made a blaze, Israel ran to
tions in flames.                      collect the tar-pots, which being presently




1854.]           Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                491
poured on the burning matches, oakum   boat, he saw the man at whose house he
and wood, soon increased the flame.    had procured the fire, staring like a sim" It is not a sure thing yet," said Paul,  pleton at him.
" we must have a barrel of tar."         " That was good seed you gave me,"
They searched about until they found  said Israel, " see what a yield;" pointing
one: knocked out the head and bottom,  to the flames. He then dropped into the
and stood it like a martyr in the midst  boat, leaving only Paul on the pier.
of the flames. They then retreated up    The men cried to their commander,
the forward hatchway, while volumes of  conjuring him not to linger.
smoke were belched from the after one.    But Paul remained for several moNot till this moment did Paul hear the  ments, confronting in silence the clamors
cries of his men, warning him that the  of the mob'beyond, and waving his soliinhabitants were not only actually astir,  tary hand, like a disdainful tomahawk,
but crowds were on their way to the  towards the surrounding eminences, also
pier.                                  covered with the affrighted inhabitants.
As he sprang out of the smoke towards    When the assailants had rowed pretty
the rail of the collier, he saw the sun   well off, the English rushed in great numrisen, with thousands of the people. In-  bers to their forts, but only to find their
dividuals hurried close to the burning   cannon no better than so much iron in
vessel. Leaping to the ground, Paul,  the ore. At length, however, they bebidding his men stand fast, ran to their  gan to fire, having either brought down
front, and, advancing about thirty feet,  some ship's guns, or else mounted the
presented his own pistol at now tumul-  rusty old dogs lying at the foot of the
tuous Whitehaven.                      first fort.
Those who had rushed to extinguish    In their eagerness they fired with no
what they had deemed but an accidental  discretion. The shot fell short; they did
fire, were now paralyzed into idiotic inac-  not the slightest damage.
tion at the defiance of the incendiary;' Paul's men laughed aloud, and fired
thinking him  some sudden pirate or  their pistols in the air.
fiend dropped dowfh from the moon.       Not a splinter was made, not a drop
While Paul thus stood guarding the in-  of blood spilled throughout the affair.
cipient conflagration, Israel, without a  The intentional harmlessness of the reweapon, dashed crazily towards the mob  suit, as to human life, was only equalled
on the shore.                          by the desperate courage of the deed. It
"Come back, come back," cried Paul.  formed, doubtless, one feature of the
" Not till I start these sheep, as their  compassionate contempt of Paul towards
own wolves many a time started me! "  the town, that he took such paternal care
As he rushed bare-headed, like a mad-  of their lives and limbs.
man, towards the crowd, the panic        Had it been possible to have landed a
spread. They fled from unarmed Israel,  few  hours earlier, not a ship nor a
further than they had from the pistol of   house could have escaped. But it was
Paul.                                  the lesson, not the loss, that told. As it
The flames now catching the rigging   was, enough damage had been done to
and spiralling around the masts, the   demonstrate-as Paul had declared to the
whole ship burned at one end of the har-  wise man in Paris-that the disasters
bor, while the sun, an hour high, burned   caused by the wanton fires and assaults
at the other. Alarm  and amazement,  on the American coasts, could be easily
not sleep, now ruled the world. It was  brought home to  the enemy's doors.
time to retreat.                       Though, indeed, if the retaliators were
They re-embarked without opposition,  headed by Paul Jones, the satisfaction
first releasing a few prisoners, as the   would not be equal to the insult, being
boats could not carry them.            abated by the magnanimity of a chivalJust as Israel was leaping into the  rous, however unprincipled a foe.
(To be continued.)




492                                                                           [Nov.
COUNT  STEDINGK.
PART II.
CONTENTS.
Stedingk returns to Sweden-Parting with Marie Antoinette-Swedish Invasion of Russia-Stedingk's Military
Exploits in Finland-Gustavus III. and the Battle of Swensksund-Swedish Navy in 1790 and 1854 —Alarm
in St. Petersburg-Catherine's Preparations for Flight-Stedingk Ambassador to Russia-First Despatch'Prince of Nassau-Bulletin Quarrel with Gustavus III.-Satires-Court of Catherine-Stedingk's Presentation-Russian Rewards and Decorations-Ball at the Hermitage-Imperial Family-Diplomatic Conversation upon the Execution of Stestesko-Ivan-Extravagant ideas of a Russian Ambassador-Stedingk's
Success-Sketch of Czars-Accession of Catherine-Her Character, Talents and Personal AppearanceMurder of Gustavus III. at a Fancy Ball-Death of Marie Antoinette-History and Murder of Count
Fersen-Effects upon Stedingk-Accession of Gustavus IV.-Adolphus.
STEDINGK  remained at the French   ral peace of 1814. Meantime, however,
k  Court seven years after his return from    his fortunes were to lead through scenes
America; seven years of almost uninter-   equally momentous; he was to achieve
rupted luxury and charm, whose influence   victories, and sign treaties, which have
upon most men would have been effemi-   made marks of greater meaning in Swedish
nating. Moreover, he became as much a   annals, although less conspicuous upon
Frenchman as a Swede; and as we shall  the page of Europe.  We must therefore
presently see, an unconquerable longing   return to 1787, and to Gustavus the Third,
for France, although never tainting his   who was meditating  his dishonorable
loyalty, stood sometimes in the way of a   aggressions upon an unoffending, unsusgraceful, ready decisionin accepting Swe-   pecting neighbor.  Stedingk had left the
dish honors and trusts, which the partial-   king almost an idol of his countrymen.
ity of his sovereign heaped upon him.   He returned to find him detested.  War
Gustavus well understood Stedingk's ca-   was believed necessary to stimulate loyalpacities.  They were indeed of a high and   ty; and Russia, at war with the Porte,
brilliant order; but there had been a   and her Polish frontier lined with troops
music in the parting words of Marie  (for Kosciusko was yet at large)-Russia,
Antoinette, which remained long ringing   weak for the moment, was to be the
in his ear, ind he rose among the most   victim.  Without condescending to orprominent Swedes of the time, almost   dinary  formalities, Gustavus  secretly
in spite of himself. Had he not possessed   ordered his commanding-general in Fina nicer sense of honor and of loyal duty   land to cross the frontier.  The order was
than some of his contemporaries, and had   secret, because the constitution of Sweden
the Bourbons prospered in their legiti-  forbade the king to make offensive war
macy, we should have traced his career in   without the consent of the Diet.  The
a direction different from  that in which   bad faith of Gustavus was practised therewe are now to follow him.  Yielding at  fore no less against Russia than against
last to the wishes and to the counsel of   his own people, and the immediate conGustavus, he tore himself froni the petit  sequence was revolt in his army, and
soupers of the queen, and from  all those   entire defection in the House of Nobles.
blandishments of her court, which, from    Thirty of the latter were arrested, and
his letters, must, indeed, have been seduc-  the submission of the remainder was only
tive.   "Remember, Monsieur de Ste-   restored by a powerful demonstration on
dingk," said Marie Antoinette, bidding   the part of the burghers and peasants.
him  farewell,- -   remember to  depend   A story was current that the king had
upon me, and that no misfortune shall  stooped to a trick to deceive his subjects;
befall you!" —Poor queen!  Six  years   -that in order to persuade them  that
after uttering this omnipotent assurance,  the war was a defensive war, he caused
she was dragged to the scaffold, through   a troop of his own cavalry to dress themevery vilest degradation.                  selves in Cossack costumes (supplied friom
Stedingk left France in 1787; and did   his own fatal opera house) and to make
not again revisit the scenes he loved so   a false attack upon his advanced guard.
well, until, in command of the Swedish   The story is questionable, but it served
army and ambassador of the Swedish   the turn of the conspirators, and chimes
king, he repaired to Paris, to sign the gene-  in singularly with the theatrical destiny




185'4.]                           Count Stedingk.                                493
of the king. Whatever may be the truth   don for attacking the enemy with inferior
of the anecdote, it is beyond question   forces; —you know  well, my dear Stethat a stratagem  of some sort was re-   dingk, that your actions render such
sorted to.*                                 apology extremely superfluous."
Stedingk rode at the head of his dra-       These were the current rewards of ingoons, second incommand of the northern   defatigable and arduous exertion, as well
division.  His superior officer, Hastfer,  as of consummate gallantry and skill; but
fell into disgrace, and Stedingk saved the   the war was so faithless, and its results so
campaign fromn  ruin.  Gustavus found   little corresponding with its promise, that
himself beset with enemies from  every   Gustavus wrote, as it were, in a penury
quarter, and grateful for the trifling success   of glory.  His nobles revolted.  Whole
achieved hy his favorite, we find him at   regiments went over to Catherine.  The
various titnes writing ejaculations like   Danes invaded his southern shores; and
these:- " A  thousand thanks for your   a campaign, which no one doubted was
officers and their bravery.  For yourself,  to result in the fall of St. Petersburg,
my dear Stedingk, I embrace you with   and the conquest of Livonia, was wellall my heart.  You well know my friend-   nigh confined to a few gallant, but profitship for you, and your glorious day at  less exploits of Stedingk.
Porosalmi redoubles it.  It is with ex-        At length, however, in the following
treme pleasure that I name you Grand   year, Gustavus rallied; and, after three
Cross of tile Sword;-you are the first   years of mortification, the contest was
of my soldiers to receive it.  I add a   ended by a victory whose trophies were
pension warrant for a thousand dollars,  then unrivalled in the annals of war.
but I pray you keep this a secret.  I   The Swedish fleet had been driven from
would give you more, "mais le Barnais  the gulf of Viborg, and the king, goaded.t pauvre, although he has a good heart."  to desperation, ordered his admiral (the
A little later again: —" Major Enchjelm    brother of our Stedingk), to turn and face
arrived yesterday, my dear  Stedingk,   the pursuers.  He declared his resolution
bringing your glorious news; news no   to retreat no further.  At Swensksund
longer of unlucky Stedingk, but of Ste-   he exclaimed, "You shall give me a
dingk the victorious, enriching my arsenal   monument of victory or a tomb."  The
with trophies. To make you Major-Gene-   famous battle immediately followed. The
ral after such exploits is less to recompense   Russians were much superior in force,
you than to give you means to reap new    but the trophies of the victorious Swedes
glory.  We have sung Te Deum for your   were no less than fifty-three vessels of
victory, and all Sweden will sing it.  But   war, fourteen hundred guns, three hunyou are much too good and gallant, to give   dred officers. and six thousand men, priyour prisoners their baggage.  This is  soners of war.t  The best result of the
not the way the Russians themselves be-   victory, however, was peace.  Gustavus,
have.  They burn  down  my people's  on  leaving  Stockholm, had  publicly
houses; they fire upon my flags of truce;   threatened to destroy every monument
they wantonly lay waste our fields, and   in Russia save one; he would spare, he
their empress refuses to call me king.   said, the statue of Peter the Gieat, only
*  *  *  It is time then to lay aside this  to engrave his own name upon the pedesknightly gallantry. But, after all, I should   tal.  He returned, grateful that a lucky
probably have done the like.  If the   act of desperation enabled him again to
Russians do not deserve it, it is none the   look his people in the face.
less becoming in us."                         The Empress Catherine. whom Stedingk
Again, and yet later:-" You ask par-   was presently to know so well, confessed
* Bjornstierna, Tom. 1, p. 101.
t Letter to Stedingk from the king (July, 14, 1790):" It Ls a rude lesson for the vaporing Prince of Nassau; and that I may not fall into the same fault, I
shall leave Monsieur de Charpentier to tell you what he has seen: 300 officer and 6000 men prisoners of war,
more than 50 vessels, and 1400 guns. There you have the result of the battle of the 9th of July;"
The writer has lately seen an account of the Swedish navy at this period; in which it appears that Gustavus the Third had at his disposal a force of no less than
8 ships of the line   74 guns each   592 guns.
17T do.     do.   64  do.      10588 do.
14 fr6gates   do.   44  do.     616 do.
8 corvettes  do.   18  do.     144 do.
7 do.      do.   12  do.        84 do.
Total 54 vessels,     mounting in all 2524 guns.
In 1S54, the Shwedish naval force is published at 2~3 ships, mounting 1180 guns; and 241 gun-boats, mounting
on an average two heavy guns each.




494                           Count Stedingk.                          [Nov.
to him that she had despaired of saving   "Madam," replied I, "the story seems
her capital,-" but" added she, with that  to have some foundation; and but for the
Russian indomitable spirit which was so  character of your majesty, I should have
loftily displayed in 1812, and which   believed it."
perhaps is not extinct, "but", she said,    " And you do well, sir," said Catherine.
"after retreating from St. Petersburg, I  "Listen to me. The story is founded
should have fought you at Novogorod;  upon my having ordered five hundred
then at Moscow; next at Kasan; and   post-horses at every station. I have done
again at Astrakan. Do you think your  this to bring some regiments that I wish
master would have followed me?"        to have here. I remain; be sure of that.
An eyewitness of the alarm  in the   I know that your colleagues are puzzled
Russian capital has left us an account of   what they shall write home. I wish to
the events of the day, so graphic that no   spare you any trouble. Write to your
apology may be needed for extracting   government that if I leave my capital,
one of his charming pages.*            it will be to march against the King of
"Every moment we expected to see  Sweden.
the Swedes. We heard that Gustavus        "I believed her at the time. There
had absolutely invited the ladies of Stock-  was a fierce assurance in her look which
holm to a ball at Peterhoff, naming the   convinced me. But I know since, from
very evening; and to a grand Te Deum   people who saw her all that day, that
which he meant should be sung in the   she had been irresolute; that there were
Cathedral of St. Petersburg.  The whole   moments when the fear of falling into
capital was in dismay. There were all  Gustavus's hands got the better of her
sorts of makeshifts for soldiers. Coach-  courage, and that she gave orders to premen, footmen, workmen, young and old.  pare for flight."
I have still a caricature of the day, clever-    The two  Stedingks had been  the
ly representing some of these tall, gro-  Swedish heroes of the war. Their king
tesque clowns, marching and counter-  was now to exhibit his gratitude, and
marching; drilled by children from the   accordingly, we suddenly find the elder
military school, who, standing on chairs  of the brothers, our gallant soldier, asand benches, reach up to set aright the  tonished  and  half-dismayed, by  the
necks, heads, and muskets of their giant  following letter.
recruits.
" On all sides we heard that the palace,, Camp at Verele, Aug. 13,1790.
also had caught the general terror; that    "Monsieur de Bury has brought me
they were packing up everything, money,  your letter, my dear Stedingk, —but I have
jewels, furniture and papers; that a great  a different proposition to make to you.
many post horses were ordered, and that  Will you have the embassy at St. Petersthe empress, astonished and defenceless,  burg?  It will be highly agreeable in
was to disappear that very night,-flying   the new order of things which must exist
to Moscow.                             between the two courts; and as you have
Determined, if possible, to ascertain  an excellent temper, and are skilled in
something to write to my government,  the manners of a great court, and espefor I have no love for false news, I went  cially, as you have lhad the honor to beat
to the palace, hoping that my eyes, or  the Russians, you will be popular, and
ears, or some lucky accident, would serve   you will be at once also of high conmy purpose; and I was not disappointed.  sideration. At the same time, I shall
The empress saw me, and called me to  have sincere pleasure in contributing to
her. "Diplomacy," she said, "must be  repair what you lose by the suppression
making all sorts of guesses just now.  of your French pensions. Moreover, I
Does it believe the town stories?"    shall see you often. But you must say
" I made rather an audacious reply, for  nothing of this to any one. Keep secret,
I was anxious to discover the truth in  and let me have your answer at once."
her looks, at least. " There is one story
Madam," said I, " Which is very curious,    The proposition was completely unexbut which is gaining credit fast; they   pected; and the reply, compared to the
say your majesty means to go to-night to   graceful skill usually displayed in SteMoscow."                                dingk's correspondence, was embarrassed
"And you believe it, Monsieur le  and awkward. Ever hoping for France,
Comte?" she asked with imperturbable  he quite implored the king to relieve him
composure.                             from a task for which he felt no qualifi* M6moires on Souvenirs du Comte de S6gur, French Minister at the Court of the Empress Catherine.




1854.]                        Count Stedingk.                            495
cations, and which was in fact repugnant  your majesty. He replied, with characto him. Gustavus insisted, and the re-  teristic nobleness and frankness, that his
luctant soldier was persuaded into the  love and respect for your majesty would
career which led him ultimately to the   never have allowed his serving against
very highest dignities a Swedish subject  Sweden, but that he had become a Ruscan attain. Stedingk was singularly un-  sian sailor before the war, and what alaware of his own capacities, and almost  ternative, therefore, had he?-that, as
trembling at the threshold, declared to  for his letter, it was ordered and dictated
the king that a battle required but half  by the empress. I said it was an order
the amount of courage.                  fit to be disobeyed.  But this is a word
Bidding his army farewell early in   unknown  in  Russia; and, indeed,
September 1790, and, accompanied by   from confidential particulars and assurtwo secretaries and a troop of Swedish  ances which he gave me, and in which
attendants, he travelled from his head-  I could but confide, he had no choice but
quarters direct to St. Petersburg by   obedience during the perfect rage the
land. The journey was marked by the   empress was in at the time. They say
most signal and courteous hospitality on  she wrote a farce against your majesty,
the part of his late enemies, the command-  which was played at the theatres. If
ants of the different Russian stations   possible, I will send a copy."
through which he passed; and his reception by the empress gave immediate    In justice to Gustavus, let us pause
promise of the influence he was soon after  here to read an anecdote which, perto obtain over this extraordinary woman.  haps, fortified Stedingk in writing so
One of his *most distinguished living  frankly. A short time before the begincountrymen, the one who is perhaps best  ning of the war, a Swedish, and rather
acquainted with Swedish diplomatic his-  unsparing satire against the king, had
tory, assured the writer that for a long   been published in Stockholm. The autime his control of her judgment and ca-  thor was detected and summoned to the
prices was something quite extraordinary.  palace. The poor man naturally looked
This official correspondence, according  for condign punishment.  "I see," said
to Swedish custom, was often addressed   Gustavus, after some little questioning,directly to the king.  His narratives,  "I see you have much talent and much
familiarly written for the amusement of  wit; but, poor fellow, I fear you have
an accomplished mind like that of Gusta-  not muchbread. I am desirous that you
vus, are extremely agreeable, and if it  shall not be so hungry again, and I
were possible to impart their full spirit  therefore appoint you inspector of my
to. an English version, I should run no  library." Similar traits are often discovrisk of making too large selections.   ered in his story, and Stedingk's allusion
The following are extracts from his  to the comedy, written by Catherine,
first letter, announcing his arrival, and   might be accepted as a compliment.
describing his reception, together with   The imperial wit, however, unsharpened
the fates and rejoicings consequent upon   by hunger, was passing dull. Gustavus
the peace.                             was represented in travesty-a northern Quixote, under the guidance of a
"St. Petersburg, September 22, 1790.    wicked fairy. The poor king is ambic*.*    *    *    *    *         tious to wear the armor of a famous
"I had  nearly reached the hotel,  giant.  Accordingly he repairs to the
when my carriage was stopped by an   giant's castle and steals the coveted troequipage, in which I presently recognized   phies.  He puts on the helmet, which
the Prince of Nassau. He professed en-  reaches below his shoulders, and the jackchantment at seeing me; offered a thou-  boots mount above his waist.  Thus
sand services; and said he would call as  armed, he attacks a dismantled and desoon as he could return from the empress,  serted redoubt, from  which, however,
to whom he was at that moment going.  there suddenly emerges a limping, superHe came in an hour, and entreated me to  annuated soldier,who brandishes a crutch,
dine with him next day, to see the prin-  and the Swedish paladin takes to flight.
cess, who was in the country, and about  The piece, of course, obtained for the
to set off for Switzerland. I told him   empress the applause of the audience,
roundly that it was quite impossible;  but the compliments were awkward.
that not only as an ambassador, but as a  Gustavus's quarrel with the Prince of
simple Swede, I had been shocked by   of Nassau was a newspaper war, with
the manner in which he had written to  inken broadsides, delivered regularly as




496                             Count Stedingk.                             LNov.
the diatribes to-day, between the " Jour-  spectable as that of your majesty to a
nal de St. Petersburg," and the "London   document so filled with errors and falseTimes."  The prince was a foreign ad-   hood.
miral, employed by Catherine, in cornm-     "I hope your majesty will have been as
mand of the Russsian fleet. The second   angry as I, and that you will not decline
in command, and probably the leading   to suppress the statement, and render
spirit, was our own revolutionary Paul  homage to truth.  If, contrary to all proJones, whom  the jealousy of courtiers,  bability, your majesty be the author, I
however, soon disgusted with the ser-  shall not doubt that you have been crivice. Early in life, Gustavus and the   minally deceived by false reports; and
prince had met at Spa, and the former  that your majesty's love of truth, the first
had been struck with the gallantry and   virtue of kings, will impel you to disspirit of his new  acquaintance.  Nas-   avow and punish the officers who shall
sau subsequently took service with the   have rendered so faithless an account.
Empress Catherine, and when the Swe-        " I append to this letter my refutation
dish war broke out, Gustavus, remem-   of the Hamburg narrative.  My honor is
bering his German friend, wrote him  in  the guarantee of the truth of what I adthe following  characteristic language:   vance. My prisoners, my prizes, and the
" I had been led to hope," he said, " from   fleet which I command are my testimony.
the remembrance of our old acquaint-   My fleet, far from being crippled, kept thQ
ance, that I should have the pleasure to   sea with every ship for eighteen days
receive the offer of your sword; but  after the action, and did not come into
since, to my great regret, you are going   port until after the gale of the 12th instant.
-to fight against me, I flatter myself with   A part of it, sire, is still at sea, and ready
the prospect of one conquest at least,-   for other battles; but it cannot find the
the esteem  of my adversary."  Brave   enemy.
words; but unkind fortune soon changed      " Your majesty is too honorable a king
the royal temper.  The Prince of Nas-  to disapprove the warmth with which I
sau won a victory, and Gustavus could   defend my honor.  The motives which
little brook the bulletin of the victor.  which dictate my letter, make it my duty
There soon appeared in the Gazette of   also to publish it; and your majesty's
Hamburg, a Swedish statement of the   answer, I trust, will enable me to repeat
facts, signed  by  the  defeated  king.  publicly, the assurance of profound reWhereupon, the Russian official journals  spect that I have cherished for your maput forth the following indignant refuta-  jesty, and with which I have the honor
tion by the prince:                       sire, to be
"Your majesty's &c. &c."
"To his Majesty, the King of Sweden:" St. Petersburg, September 20, 1789.  I have not discovered the king's dis"SIE, —                                   avowal, and judging from the contempo"Your majesty did me the honor to   rary memoirs of Count S6gur', it is likely
write me lately, saying that you addressed   that none was made. Nassau was sorely
a knight who everywhere sought glory   distressed at the misunderstanding, and
and honor.  I shall certainly endeavor  thanks to his subsequent tremendous deto justify your majesty's opinion; but in  feat by Gustavus, and the good offices of
the search for honor, honesty must be   Stedingk, made his peace at last by putabove suspicion; there must be open   ting the whole blame of his letter upon
truth,-truth which may be sustained   the angry empress.
and proved before the world.                After this long parenthesis, we return
" With these opinions I have seen with  to Stedingk's first dispatch.
indignation in the Hamburg Gazette, a       "I supped in the evening at Count
pretended narrative of the combat I had   Astermann's, with  all the  diplomatic
the honor to sustain again your majesty's  corps, and a large company. Next day
fleet. This narrative, sire, conflicts with   was the great day.  An officer of the
mine. It is often absolutely false, and I   ceremonies came at five in the afternoon,
am surprised to find that some one has  to announce my audience.  I went en
had the audacity to affi: a name so re-  filocchi,*-with  equipage and liveries,
* En flocchi:-a term which, although at the present day generally accepted in a figurative sense as "en
gala;" or in full official dress, had, and occasionally still has, in diplomatic state ceremony, the precise signification of the words; fiocchi being tall plumes decorating horses' heads on state occasions. The writer
happens to know that within a few years past they were used by a French ambassador in Rome, on an occasion of presentation, as special ambassadorial insignia.




1854.]                         Count Stedingk.                           497
fine as possible. Not having with me  me, for my audience. It was over at ten
proper livery braid, I used broad gold lace,  o'clock, when everybody went home.
which, with the Swedish scarlet dress,    "Saturday was given up to making
had a very elegant air. I met a number  visits-an endless business here.
of generals and court officers in the great    " On Sunday was the grand fbte. The
hall, who were extremely civil; and after  Secretary of the Senate read a speech to
waiting a quarter of an hour, I was usher-  the empress in Russian, which lasted
ed to the empress, in the great throne   quarter of an hour. The vice-chancellor
room. She was superbly dressed for the  replied, and then followed the distribution
fete, glittering with diamonds, and stood   of favors.  Presents, decorations, and
near a window not far from the throne,  all such things lay on a table covered
with M~. d'Ostermann a little behind.  with muslin, on the right of the throne,
AMy heart beat, but I managed to push   and everything was a grand secret.
my compliments along. Meanwhile she   For an hour, it rained swords with diawas exceedingly gracious, and I quite  mond hilts, —diamond stars, decorations,
forgot to kiss her hand; but Mr. Ostermann   crosses, serf-warrants, and promotion.
made a sign to me, and I repaired nly   The empress gave everything with her
error with the more empressement. She  own hands. The Prince of Nassau was
spoke slowly, and with little pauses. Her  quite dissatisfied with a sword heavy
joy, she said, was no less than your  with diamonds. Count Soltikoffreceived
majesty's that a war was over which  the cross of Saint Andrew in dieamonds,
should never have existed. She hoped   a sword also set in brilliants, of imrnmense
that friendship and harmony would meet  cost, and a Lieut.-Colonelcy in the horse
with no more interruption.  She was  guards. Marshal Romanzow the same
glad your majesty's choice had fallen   appointment. M. Denisoff six hundred
upon me, as she had heard much good of  serfs. M. de Michelson the order of Saint
me, and she hoped I might be pleased   Anne in Diamonds. M. d' Iglestr5m was
and  happy in St. Petersburg.  Then   made General-in-Chief,with a magnificent
came questions concerning your ma-  sword, and the thanks of the Senate.
jesty's health; and your majesty's re-  Mr. de Markoff got nothing, although he
turn to Stockholm. She spoke also of  had been strutting about all the morning
France, of my old regiment of Swedes,  rather more than ever. The prodigality
of their good conduct during the troubles,  however, was immense, and would have
and observed that my late campaigns had   gone on all day, but for a courier from
left their traces upon me (a remark   Potemkin, who wrote that if it went on
which does not particularly  disturb  in that style, there would be nothing lef
me).                                   for his officers when they returned.'"After all this grand business, which      *      *       *      *
cost me more than a brush with your            *      *      *      *
majesty's enemies, I was conducted by    "The grand duke* is not so ugly as
Prince Galitzin across the inner galleries  he was, but the duchess has grown
to the Hermitage. My cavaliers were  old. The young princes Alexander and
already there, and were presented to the  Constantine are handsome, tall, and
empress, who stopped to say a few more  strong for their age, especially the first,
words. I was placed upon a bench with   who is extremely graceful. They made
the other ministers, and her majesty seated  their compliments for your majesty very
herself with the Princes Alexander and   nicely.  *  * *  *  *  *  *  *  *
Constantine, and M. de Cobenzell, the    "In the evening there was a ball at seemperor's ambassador, who is one of  ven o'clock, in the gallery. The foreign
her special intimates. It is a fine hall,  ministers were there to kiss hands. We
and they gave Tancred; changing the  all received large gold medals, worth some
last act for the empress, who has no  thirty ducats,-but those given to the
fondness for the killing. Tancred there-  higher dignitaries were larger. The ball
fore gets well and marries Amenaide.  began with polonaises, or rather promeShe was well done by Mile. Soulier,  nades en cadence, and then minuets. The
who has improved since I saw her at  Princess Alexandra danced her first miStrasburg. Ofrene was but the shadow   nuet gracefully, and with the artlessness
of himself. Tancred was pretty well,-   of a child. The empress looked on for
but all the rest bad. The play is usually  some time, and then retired to whist,
on Thursday, but was postponed, they tell  having done me the honor to call me to
* Afterwards the Emperor Paul.




498                             Count Stedingk.                            [Nov.
the game, together with the Hungarian   seemed much  affected, and said that
ambassador, and Count Soltikoff. She   the empress, whom'it was Soltikoff's
was in a very good humor, talked a great  purpose to embitter against your majesty
deal to me, and was gay and gracious'all  by all sorts of bad news, was extremely
the evening. Tickets were distributed   distressed-that she always hoped your
for supper, and mine was for the empress'  majesty would pardon the conspiracy,
table. They told me, afterwards, it was   and thus signalize the happy peace. I
the number next after the imperial fami-  told him  I *was not surprised at the
ly. The story, perhaps, is true, because   news,-notwithstanding your majesty's
it was number sixteen; but there is one   repugnance to such measures, your reign
thing quite certain, I would rather have   having been a constant proof of clemency
had the last number of all at your majes-  and pleasure in pardons.  The interest
ty's table. There were three tables, with   of the State exacted this sacrifice-there
eighty covers each; and really, the splen-  must be an example, I said. He answered
dor of the dresses, the style of the people,  that the empress did not think so; that
the music of Cimaroso, written for the   she was satisfied to shut up such crilmioccasion, and the sumptuous elegance of   nals; that he,  M. d'Iglestr6m, had
the tables, made it a brilliant soir6e. It  already, during his administration, sent
was all over before midnight.            three Peter-the-Thirdst to Siberia; and
" The favorite just now is a youth with  that grander conspirators had been sufa beautiful face and dark eyes, rather  fered to live as well. At length, he read
delicate looking, not tall, much like a   me part of a long letter he had just repretty Frenchman, in the style of Mon-  ceived from the empress, praying me, for
sieur de Puisegur; and with a counter-  the love of God, to keep it a secret. It
feit look of M. de Lambert, of the Life   was, as far as I understood, an account
Guards, whom your majesty saw at Ver-   of her affliction at the news Soltikoff had
sailles. For the rest he is polite, good-   brought,- her lamentations that, while
natured, and amiable, and extremely civil  all was joy at St. Petersburg, Stockholm
to me.             *    *                 was the scene of bloody scaffolds.  She'"In spite of all the fine welcome   said there should have been amnesties
offered me, I foresee that when it comes  instead, that real joy usually  opens
to business, there will be trouble. The   hearts to pity and mercy, that your macourt is much divided, and factious; one  jesty, therefore, cannot be so really glad
party incessantly opposes another. They   to have peace, and that it was her desire
have only one point of resemblance, and   that M. d'Iglestrom  should bring these
Jthat is, the immense opinion they have   matters to the attention of M. de Steof themselves.  And so, too, with the   dingk. He read no more, but added that,
sovereign, as I am quite satisfied, after  from the reports of the Russian prisoners
conversing with people in office.  The   just returned, Sweden  was evidently
only way to succeed in business is to be   filled with malcontents.'Proof,' interwell with the empress,-to interest her  rupted I,'that an example was necesself-love, her generosity, and her personal  sary; as the empress herself, while teachfeelings generally. She is charmed to  ing the world lessons of humanity, and
have peace with us, and I am sure she   abhorring blood, had been forced, neverentertains hopes of forming a still closer  theless, to put Ivan to death, upon whom
alliance* with your majesty.              her heart would rather have heaped
*     *    *    *    *    *          benefits.'  The conversation  dropped
"September 23d, 1790.    here."
[This was, perhaps, a clever diplomatic
" In  conversation with M. d'Igles-   antithesis; and Stedingk's fearless reply
strSm, after some d6tours and compli-  is quite admirable in defence of his masments upon my success last evening, I   ter. His audacity, however, may not be
learned  fiom him  that a nephew of   at once apparent, unless the reader call
Count Soltikoff had returned from Stock-  to mind that this Ivan was the lawful
holtm with the news that Hesteskot had   emperor; and that Catherine, already
been executed, and that the other crimi-  suspected of the death of her husband,
nals would suffer the same fate. He   had been accused of a double murder and
* Referring probably to the subsequent and unlucky betrothal of her grand-daughter with Gustavus the
Fourth.
t A Finland nobleman who had conspired against Gustavus during the war.
$ Peter-the- Thirds, —meaning pretenders to the throne. Peter the Third, the husband of Catherine, had
been murdered,-but his death was not universally believed. Hence there were frequent Jack Cades
during the reign of the empress.




1854.]                         Count Stedinyk.                             499
usurpation, in the death of Ivan. He   diamond ring, diamond watch-chain, and
was a grand nephew of Peter the Great,  diamond snuff-box, and that they are not
and, from infancy, had languished a long   dear at 15,000. I am not convinced by
life in prison. A  revolt in his favor,  this Muscovite logic, but I had to conamong his jailoers, was made the pretext  sent to it. He will have two parade
for his assassination; but the complicity   coaches, with six horses each, eight butof Catherine is rejected by respectable  lers, two messengers, two chasseurs, two
authorities.  Stedingk discreetly called   heiduques (footmen in Hungarian dress),
it an execution. Count Segur, his French   two hussars to follow his carriage (it is
colleague, does not qualify it so civilly,  the custom here), a quantity of footmen,
but totally exonerates Catherine, never-  four gentlemen of the embassy, secretary,
theless.]                                and three clerks, four to six aides-deBut to continue Stedingk's letter:     camp, and four couriers. There is no
house big enough in Stockholm for this' The conversation was presently re-  sort of thing, but without wounding his
sumed, when M. de Iglestram confirmed   self-love and the current Russian notions
the news of the arrival of Potemkin's  of what an ambassador should look like,
courier; and that, consequently, the em-   it is impossible to beat him down to
press had withheld from him (AM. d'Igle-  less."    *    *    *    *    *
strom) his promised 4,000  serfs, and      Stedingk, now  regularly and band60,000 silver rubles.  The Prince of   somely installed in his embassy, devoted
Nassau, too, had lost by the same inter-   himself to obtaining influence and poference, 3,000 serfs, and the commission   sition desirable for many nice and imporof general-in-chief.                     tant objects of his mission. He had no
" There is a rumor to-day that Su-   difficulty in winning the good graces of
warrow, with 20,000 men, has been   the empress. In addition to remarkable
beaten by the Turks, and that he was   amiability of disposition, and the polish
killed. The mishap is laid at the door   of a long residence at Versailles, his cha-of Potemkin, who has no love for Su-  racter was rounded by a German bonhowarrow. I am told, also, that poor M.  mie, highly acceptable to  Catherine,
de Markoff has got his thousand serfs.  almost his countrywoman; for both were
But it is time to finish this enormous   natives of northern Germany. Both.
volume, although I have not said half   also, cordially detested the revolution
that I have to say. But I am tired out,  then fast undermining the Bourbons. In
and I dispatch a courier because your   short, the favor of the empress was soon
majesty ought, at least, to know of my   bestowed upon the new ambassador. He
arrival.    *    *    *         *        became a member of her intimate circle,
"I am, &c., &c.,             a society in which she presided with pro" CURT V. STEDINGe."     verbial grace, and in whose favored reunions the restraint of court ceremmLia
A Russian ambassador was now to be   was quite proscribed.
named for Sweden, and the selection was    The character of Catherine I., tainted
a matter of interest to all parties. The   as it is, should be judged, nevertheless, as
empress fixed upon Baron d'Iglestrdm,  under the weight of the Russian period.
whose extravagant notions of embassy,  Her foibles and her crimes were moulded
amusingly sketched in Stedingk's next  by the pressure of Russian necessities;
letter, would astonish the present econo-  but overgrowing these at length, and,
mical age.                               after an unprecedented reign of progress
"Baron d'Iglestrom has several times   and reform, she reached a grandeur in
consulted me about his establishment.  history only inferior, if indeed it be inThe empress offers him  an outfit of   ferior, to that of her great predecessor.
20,000 silver rubles* and a salary per   Peter declared he could reform  his emmonth of 4500, without including an im-   pire, but not himself. He was a heartmense vaisselle. According to his own   less husband, an unnatural father, and a
estimates, lie must have 50,000 outfit,   murderer of 8,000 of his subjects, whose
and I think he will get it; it is true that   execution he personally superintended.
it includes what has rather surprised me,   He was, nevertheless, the pioneer of
-I mean 15,000 rubles for the trinkets   Russian civilization. Forty years after
of this fine gentleman. He says an ambas-   him, and fifty years after his threat to
sador ought to have, at the very least, a   hang all the lawyers in his empire but
* Seventy-five cents each.




500                           Count Stedingk.                          [Nov.
one, Catherine summoned a Russian con-    Such was the introduction of a daughgress, consulted the deputies of every  ter of little Anhalt to the throne of all
tribe and province, and, having with her  the Russias,-vast regions which, under
own hand  compiled a code of laws,  her auspices, expanded unceasingly. It
which she based upon the maxims of   was first, during her reign, that Russia
Montesquieu, submitted her work to the  took positive rank with the power and
judgment and ratification of the assem-  greatness of the western nations. She
bly. "Many queens," said Frederic the  introduced order and law into a vast
Great, "have won immortal fame; Se-  chaos of barbarity. Her activity founded
miramis by conquest; English Elizabeth  academies, factories, public banks, and
by sagacity; Maria Teresa by fortitude;  foundries. In her capital alone, she edubut Catherine alone, of women, deserves  cated 7,000 pauper children, and, to perthe name of lawgiver."                 suade her ignorant millions, submitted
*e    *    w    *    *    * rherself first, in the empire, to the expeDuring the whole of the seventeenth  riment of vaccination. She made corncentury, and nearly half-way through   mercial treaties with Europe and China.
the  eighteenth, barbarism  continued   Her navigators explored the remote Pato rest upon the Russian empire. The  cific, while she at home, corresponding
earlier czars, emerging- from  the Tar-  with Voltaire, Fox, and d'Alembert, pubtar yoke, a long series of murderous  lished her own manuscript treatises upon
Ivans and Fcedors mounted the throne,  philosophy and law. The Jesuits, driven
each over a deposed predecessor. At  from  every other region in Europe,
length came the Romanoff's, the first of  found refuge only with the Greek high
whonk Michael, of Prussian ancestry, was  priestess. Her genius -was wonderful;
elected and proclaimed in 1613. He was  her activity and ambition without limit.
the contemporary and the vanquished   She rose at six, lighted her own fire in
rival of Gustavus Adolphus, of Sweden.  the winter morning, and forthwith reHis grandson, Peter the Great, lighted   ceived her ministers for work. These
the first taper of civilization, and died in   ministers were little else than clerks, to
1725, when his wife, an abandoned   whom  she dictated dispatches and dewoman from the lowest class of life, re-. crees, her own brain being sole council
sumed the early imperial crimes, by steal-  of state.
ing the crown of the lawful heir. The    In youth she had been beautiful, and
princes of Menzikofi sons of the pastry   when Stedingk first saw her, there recook of Peter the Great, restored the   mained abundant traces of her early
rightful sovereign, whose early death, at  charms. A brilliant, pure complexion,
15 years ofage, was the more deplorable  aquiline nose, comely mouth, and blue
because he was the last male Romanoff.  eyes deepened under dark brows, but
His aunt, the Empress Anne, in a ten   softening with a smile gentle and winyears' reign of terror, covered Russia  ning, are all gracefully recorded by one
with scaffolds, and peopled Siberia with  of the most accomplished and observant
exiles. The unhappy Ivan, cited in Ste-  foreigners at her court. Her dress, at
dingk's letter, her lawful successor, was  this period, when the outlines of her
snatched from his cradle by the Empress  figure began to betray the effects of time,
Elizabeth, and hidden in a dungeon. The   was an ample robe, garnished with emusurper imported to her succession a fo-  broidery and jewels, and made with
reign nephew, a duke of H6lstein, Got-  wide falling sleeves, after the ancient
torp. This was the wretched Peter the   costume of Moscow. Her portrait, the
Third, whose wife, Sophia of Anhalt  usual gift of a condescending sovereign,
Zerbst, the daughter of a petty German   was one of Stedingk's early tokens of her
prince, was baptized by the Russian  favor. The picture, although failing, perpriests Catherine.  She was also the   haps, in justice to a proverbial majesty
cousin of her husband, but never was,  of look, recalls forcibly the superb feamarriage more ill-assorted. The czar, in  tures of Siddons, as drawn in the modern
hopeless desperation at his inferiority,  Tragic Muse.
plotted repudiation and death for his    Such was the famous empress of whom
wife. A base treachery recoiled upon   Stedingk became the much-trusted conhimself, and his indignant nobles cast  fidant. She is said to have never abanhim  into prison, where, and it may be   doned a friend or an undertaking; her
unknown to Catherine, his keepers, im-  constancy being unbounded in all relapatient with a slow  poison, strangled  tions of life, save that which a faithless
him.                                   and unworthy husband, "like the base




1854.]                        Count Stedingk.                            501
Judean, richer tnan all his tribe," taught    He also passed unsuspected; and in
her to fling valueless away.           the solitude there was now no evidence
*      *      *      *      *       beyond the curdled blood upon the floor,
Catherine and Gustavus, late mortal  the pistol already found, and the knife
enernies, were now loving friends. The  sharpened like a dagger, which lay benew relations were brought, by the adroit  neath a pile of masks and artificial flowmanagement of Stedingk, to a pitch of  ers.  The pistol sufficed. An armorer
mutual enthusiasm, which fast ripened   declared to whom he had lately sold it.
into a coalition against France.  The   The purchaser, a nobleman, named Anplan was drawn out in full, and the am-  karstrom, lately commanding a troop of
bition of Gustavus rejoiced in the pros-  life-guards, at once avowed the act and
pect of leading allied Swedes and Rus-  the cause.  He had been tried a short
sians to the rescue of French " legiti-  time before for some misdemeanor, and
macy."  The project which might have   although acquitted, resolved upon reled to great events, was cut short by the   venge.  A desperate man, in short, he
murder of the king.  In the midst of  readily listened to the conspiracy, and
an activity, in strong contrast with the   became its agent.  His accomplices,
negligence of his first campaign, he fell  names among the highest in the realm,
a victim, at last, to the hostility of his of-  were disclosed immediately, but most of
fended and uncompromising nobles. He  them escaped, while Ankarstrom died as
had been cautioned earnestly by many   cruel a death as human ingenuity could
friends at home and abroad against a con-  devise.
spiracy well known on the other side of the  Meanwhile, Gustavus was slowly dyBaltic. Even on the day of the fatal mas-  ing. His last hours were the greatest of
querade, he received a letter urging him   his life. He forgave his assassins. He
not to attend it. All such counsel, how-  prayed his brother to watch over the
ever, lie treated with disdain, and wrap-  tender years of his son; he named a counping himself in a domino with silken mask,  cil of state for the regency; appointed
lie entered the theatre at midnight. A   Armfelt governor of the city, and surdozen masks collecting together, and  rounded by his family, died with words
without apparent rudeness, managed   of faith and love still trembling on his
presently to surround him, and the re-  l4s.
port of a pistol, although scarcely louder    He wasa picturesque, romantic king; at
than the buzz of conversation> or the   one time, like his ancestor, Gustaf-Vasa,
clang of the orchestra, startled and ter-  haranguing the Dalesmen, in their Mora
rifled the assembly. The poor king fell,  valleys, and again, marching victoriously
mortally wounded, in the arms of his de-  at their head against the invading Danes.
voted Count Armfelt. Utter confusion   The tourist throughbeut Sweden will find
followed. An immense crowd, swaying   a traveller's interest constantly recurring
to and fro, dispersed the conspirators.  to his story. His beautiful opera house
The pistol was found upon the floor, but  fronts upon the great square of Stockthe hand that pointed it was hidden   holm, the death scene of its founder, and
among the innocent.  Gustavus alone  the cradle of Jenny Lind. Royal blood
seemed to preserve his presence of mind.  has left its mark upon the stage, as last" Let the doors be closed," he exclaimed;  ing as the poor Italian's in the hall of
"let all unmask," and looking around   Holyrood. Does it troop fitly with the
upon every face, and seeing but one gene-  first note of Lind, and the first bound of
ral expression of alarm and grief, a na-  Taglioni? These, at least, are its fellows
tural greatness in his soul rose upper-  in local fame, and the traveller who remost.  "God grant," said he, "God   calls the "actor" sneer of Catherine,
grant he may escape!"  There were nine   may moralize them like the melancholy
accomplices present.  Eight of them   Jacques, into a thousand similes.
left the theatre with the awe-stricken   Stedingk had hitherto met with no
crowd, all alike examined, but passing   misfortune so distressful.  His manly
out without suspicion.  A single guest  heart bitterly deplored the  fate  of
still lingered, the most impressed appa-  his benefactor.  He  had  no  friend
rently of all who had been present, and   whom  he loved so well; his boyish
at length, slowly and sadly approaching   playmate, companion of youth, and
the officer of the guard, saluted cour-  comrade in arms; and to these endearteously and said, "As for me, sir, I trust  ing recollections there was added, on the
you entertain no suspicion of me." This  part of Stedingk, an inherent loyalty of
man was the assassin.                  disposition, which signalized the ardor of




502                            Count Stedingk.                           [lo"
his personal affections. He was destined   him high consideration at court, and he
to a series of similar trials.  A  few   became a devoted, fascinated adherenri
months later his friend, Count Fersen,  of the Bourbons.  The queen, especially~
himself soon to be torn in pieces by a   distinguished him, and in the memorable
mob, sent him  first intelligence of the   flight to Varennes, he was the disguised
death of Marie Antoinette.*  Fersen's  coachman  of the unhappy  fugitives.
devotion to the unhappy queen is well  They were overtaken and captured, and
known. Evil spirits have tried to blacken   Fersen escaped to Prague, where he was
her memory with reproach in this, and   secretly employed by Gustavus the Third,
the same defamers would have given  in furthering the Russian and Swedish
their own color to the emotion pictured   project for re-instating the French royal
in Fersen's correspondence. In the fol-  family. The plan was, as we have seen,
lowing letter, which was found reverently   cut short by the murder of Gustavus.
preserved among Stedingk's private pa-  The guillotine began its fearful work in
pers, there is a depth of feeling unmis-  Paris, and there was no French exile
takably the offering of an honorable   wandering  about  the  world  more
heart. I trust these traits may still be   wretched than this faithful Swede. He
discovered in an English version.        returned at last to his native country.
Wealth, rank, royal favor, and fine
"Brussels, 21 October, 1798.   capacities, elevated him to high trust and
"My DEAR FRIEND, —                       dignity. He became the favorite of the
"The certainty of your faithful sym-  king.  His sister enjoyed, in an equal
pathy could alone induce me to write to   degree, the favor of the queen, and both
you in this moment of grief; and the   grew haughty and unpopular.  Fersen
certainty of your devotion to a princess   was made Grand Marshal of Sweden,
whose fate we can now only deplore,  and a host of enemies plotted his ruin.
leads me, my friend, to send you the   Opportunity soon served.  The sudden
news of her death. Let us weep together.  death of the crown prince gave rise to
She has been put to death by savage   suspicion. Poison and the Fersens were
monsters.  Her condemnation and exe-  words whispered together in the ears of
cution required but two days.  I have  the people.  Suspicion and resentment
no positive details yet, but her great soui,  spread like a dark cloud over the city,
and the courage she has shown in four  and the sight of Fersen, in his gilded
years of wretchedness, well warrant a   coach of state, marshalling the funeral
heroism  for the last hours of a life so   pageant, was a signal for the storm to
beautiful.  Your heart shares my grief,  burst.  The troops looked on with inand you heart only can conceive it. It  difference.  They lined the street, but
is beyond the sense of words.           it does not appear that a single hand was
"AxEL FERSEN."    raised in defence of the victim, whom
the mob slowly and deliberately tortured
Count Axel von Fersen, the chief of   to death.t  The sister, disguised as a
an ancient Swedish family, was educated   Dalecarlian  peasant girl, was hunted
principally at the military academy of   furiously through the country, and after
Turin.  tHe entered the service of his  infinite peril, escaped across the Baltic.
country a captain of dragoon guards;       Stedingk, still at St. Petersburg, learnbut wearied with inactivity, he followed   ed the news of his friend's death in a
Stedingk to Versailles, and became his  dispatch from the Swedish Foreign Ofcomrade in the "Royal Regiment of  fiee.   His official acknowledgment of
Swedes."  He was nine years younger  this dispatch is characteristic.
than  Stedingk (having been born  in       *    *    *    "That which is most
1755), and  served  in our revolution   unhappy in this atrocious crime, is the
later than he, under Rochambeau, re-  dishonorable mark it leaves upon the
ceiving from  Washington's own hands   Swedish name. It can never be effaced
the badge of the Cincinnati. Upon his  unless the swiftest. severest punishment
return to France, he was named colonel  prove to the world the horror with
of his old regiment. A remarkable ele-  which a deed like this* inspires the nagance of person, much wealth, and tal-  tion. If I were insensible to the fate of
ents of a showy order, soon obtained for  a friend whose worth and honor no one
~ With these also should be enumerated the execution of his first commander, Count d'Estaing, under
circumstances which, if Lord Mahon be reliable, must have changed Stedingk's natural grief into a much
more distressful sentiment.-Mahon's Hist., chap. lviii.
t Swenskt Konversation's Lexikon.




,85i.]                     Plurality of Worlds.                        503:new so well as I,-if I were indifferent  and he who tracinglegends to their source,
p the danger which must threaten the   may hope to find an ivy-bound ruin for
Iountry if this crime go unpunished, my   the monument of Fersen, should here
horror of popular cruelty and wrong  rejoice in a gentle picture of family, surwould be none the less,-especially when   passing the charm of moss-grown towers.
such a wrong is allied with the basest,  These may chime with the muffled tone
perfidy."                              of a dark history, but it is well when
The event is enveloped in mystery,  the music of human life may be tuned
dark as any legend of the past.  The  to a happier key.
actors and their accomplices are gone,    Gustavus the Third was succeeded by
to be judged where no human witnesses  his youthful son, the most unfortunate
need be summoned.  Fersen's memory  of his race, "Gustavus the Fourth,
remains among men as of a guiltless and   Adolphus."  The uncle of the young
heroic victim, but his name has gone  king assumed the regency, and with a
from  among the generations.  Family  policy diametrically opposed to the late
halls which the last of his line decorated  reign, recognized at once, the Republic
with princely state, are tenanted by   of France.  Sweden was thus the first
strangers.  A palace and its terraces,  kingdom to take this step. Throughout
eminently adorning the Stockholm Grand   all these changes Stedingk continued at
Canal, like the Foscari balconies of an-  his post in St. Petersburg, enjoying enother Venice, are not, like these, however,  tirely the confidence of his own governa moaument tottering to decay, but the   ment, and the very decided partiality of
beautiful abode of living active kindness;  Catherine.
PLURALITY OF WORLDS.
ITKNOW not if those wondrous orbs of light,
Which gaze upon us like immortal eyes,
And with their sweet looks cheer the darkling skies,
What time the shadowy hours lead on the night,
Their courseskeep, impenetrably bright,
For worlds and beings of another birth
Than we and ours, or only shed on earth
Infinite loveliness and deep delight;
Either were fit; but though, beyond all sight,
Glorious they fill immeasurable space,
Enough, that when HE sought earth's ruined race,
His heralds they along th' empyreal height,
And they his glittering pavement, when HE strode
His path triumphant home through heaven's resplendent road.
IDEM LATINE REDDITUM.
NESCIO, certb, quae volvuntur sidera coelo,
Atque oculis inde immortalibus aspiciunt nos,
Sub grato quorum lucet mox vespera vultu,
Horae quum incipiunt velatae ducere noctem,
Si teneant cursus latos, fulgentia semper,
Orbibus aeque aliis, necnon aliisque creatis,
Nos ultra et nostra; aut solbm terrae super orbein
Laetitiam aetheriam diffundant et decus almum;
Aptum utrumnque; etsi sint, non flammantia nobis,
Sidera, coeli gaudia, pervadentia vastum;
Sufficit, ut Servatorem ipsum hominis venientem
Praedicebant lumina quaeque per aethera candent,
Illi eadlemque pavimentum sunt facta coruscans,
Quum victor coelum rediens hinc advenit altum.




504                                                                    [Nov.
AMERICAN  WINES.
CAMERICAN WINES!" says John   the master ship-builder, looking at the
A    Bull, setting down his glass of   place where the live oak forest stands no
untasted port ill amazement. "Ameri-  more, says, "We must build ships of
can Wines!  If Catawba and Isabel-  iron."  So, too, we substitute coal for
la once get domiciled in the  Lon-  wood, gas for oil, steam for sails. For
don docks, there is an end, sir, to church   every want there is a compensation.
and state, constitution, loyalty, liberty  How does it stand with wines?
of the subject, army and navy, game       This is an important question.  The
laws, magna charta, pension list, courts  tendrils of the vine, are intertwined with
of chancery, royal prerogative, and, in  civilization and refinement in every age.
fact, sir, to everything that is respectable.  "The thyrsus guides the savage and unThe time has come, sir, when it is the duty  governable panthers;"  so the Greek
of every Briton to set his face against  loved to typify its power over barbaric
these new-fangled enterprises. Catawba!  nature. To Bacchus, more than to any
faugh! bring me some small beer!"       other god, do the ancients ascribe the
There are many persons, even on this  greatest achievements; "especially was
side of the Atlantic, who look at objects  he celebrated for his advancement of mothrough a reversed glass, very much like  rals, legislation and commerce, for the culour respected relative on the other side.  ture of the vine and the rearing of bees."
They remind one of those old Austrian   There are mysterious truths in that old
generals who said of Napoleon, " This fel-  heathen mythology; truths well worth the
low does not fight according to our estab-  attention of the wise in these blatant tinlished system of tactics; he is an innova-  trumpet days, when the most brilliant astor; look at his troops! instead of having   sortment of public virtues is kept on hand
their hair powdered and properly put  constantly by every threadbare politiup in a pigtail, every head in the army   cian, and exposed to the crowd, like gold
of France is cropped, and he even pre-  watches in a mock-auction shop.  " For
sumes to substitute loose trousers for  every want there is a compensation;"
tight breeches and spatterdashes; per-  and now, while large bodies of men are
fectly absurd, to pretend to carry on a  moved by the temperance question, at
campaign  without  the  proper-        the very outstart, it is important to conHark! The French drums again; let's  sider this, and to estimate what effect
be off, fly, run, never mind the colors,  the culture of the vine will have upon
in time this young man will find out his  the American people.  If we compare
error; we will abandon the field to him  the vine-growing with  the non-vinefor the present, and, by-and-by, come  growing countries of Europe, we find
back and retake it!'                  that drunkenness, with its car-loads of
Let us look through the green spec-  evil, traverses the non-producing north
tacles of this Monthly of ours, and see  only, while the south furnishes a prevailthings in a new light, at least.       ing example of national sobriety.  Let
There seems to be a perpetual balance  us turn our eyes, then, to these great
of compensation throughout the world.  facts, and profit by them, instead  of
Art has exhausted itself in the Greek   watching the efforts of political philanmarble. Not so; painting succeeds, and  thropists, who seem obstinately bent upon
the "Virgin" of Raphael finds devotees  driving human nature tandem  through
more numerous than the "Jupiter Olym-  every state, with a horse-whip. And in
pius " of Phidias.  Cadmus brings the  this relation it is well to observe, that
alphabet from Phoenicia; Egypt invents  by the abstract of the seventh census, we
papyrus; the jealousy of the Ptolemies  are informed that the imports of foreign
prevents Eumenes of Pergamis obtaining   wines in the United States for the year
enough of this article for his library, so  1851, amounts to little over six millions
he substitutes parchment; paper su-  of gallons, while our home manufactures
persedes  parchment;  Faust  leaves  of whisky, ale, and spirituous liquors,
his imprint on the paper, and goes off  reached the enormous sum of eighty-six
in a cloud of brimstone to the other  millions of gallons; one quarter of a
world; and Morse, guiding an element  gallon for each person, and in value only
hitherto the most intangible and imprac-  ten cents per year, is the fearful wine
ticable in nature, flashes intelligence  score of this inebriated nation, while
across a continent in a second. So, too,  temperate France consumes nine hun



1854.]                        American  Wines.                             50G
dred millions of gallons of wine, equal  ladelphia, that the Jesuits had there a
to 251 gallons to every man, woman, and   very  successful vineyard, when that
child (of either sex)j in her population.  country belonged to the French, and
Place six millions of American consump-  were afterwards ordered by the French
tion against nine hundred millions of   government to destroy it, for fear the
French consumption and let the balance   culture of the grape should spread in
stand in favor of the soberest nation.   America and hurt the wine trade of
Twenty years ago (in 1834) there was  France."
a little book published in Philadelphia,   The results of Dufour's journeyings
entitled, "Observations on the character   and experiments are embraced in  a
and culture of the European Vine, dur-  volume which, even to this day, is a
ing a residence of five years in the vine-  text-book  for the cultivators in  the
growing districts of France, Italy, and   west.t
Switzerland; by S. I. Fisher." Whether     Contemporary with Adlum and Dufour
the writer be living or dead we know not,  we  find  Longworth, of  Cincinnati,
but there never was a truer patriot, nor  whose unintermitting labors in vine cula soberer.  And the day must come   ture for more than thirty years have at
when among our national benefactors,  last been crowned with success.  "To
few will rank higher than the names of   Mr. Longworth, more than to any other
Adlum, Dufour, Longworth, and Fisher,  man in the West, we are most indebted
our pioneers in grape culture in this  for our knowledge in grape culture," is
country.  In reading the writings of   the language of Mr. Buchanan, the
each and every one, we are impressed   author of an invaluable little treatise
with the warm, constant, and devoted   on American vines and wines. And like
patriotism by which they are actuated.  Adlum and Dufour, we perceive in all
Adlum, in the preface to his book,*  his writings on the vine, the same consays:                                    stant endeavor to promote national
" A desire to be useful to my country-  prosperity, national temperance, and
men has animated all my efforts, and   national hilarity.
given a stimulus to all my exertions.      Lastly, Fisher, whose sojourn  for
It is this desire, in connection with a   five years in France, Italy, and Switzerwish to satisfy the numerous inquiries  land, was solely for the purpose of obthat have been made upon the subject,  taining information upon this important
that I have been led to undertake the   subject, returns, and lays his tribute on
present work, which, I hope, will induce  the altar of the Republic.  Let us see
others to follow my example, in culti-  what he says regarding temperance:
vating the vine, and be the means of       " I have passed three years in France,
spreading a knowledge of the subject  where I never saw a drunken Frenchamong my fellow-citizens. As I am ad-  man. Eighteen months in Italy, and in
vancing in years, and know not when I   that time, not an Italian intoxicated.
may be called hence, I am  solicitous   Nearly two years in Switzerland, of
that the information I have acquired   which I cannot say the same, but I can
should not die with me."                safely aver, that during that period, I
Dufour, who, although an alien, seems   did not see twenty drunken men; and
influenced by the most ardent love of   whenever my feelings were pained at
this country and its institutions, takes   beholding a prostration so sad over betthe pilgrim's staff, and not only returns  ter principles, it was invariably on an
to visit the vine-growing countries of   occasion of extraordinary festivity."
the old world, but also those places in    Again, in another page, he thus advises
the United States where the vine has had   us:
a foothold. He says:                      1" The cultivation of the vine will do
"I went to see all the vines growing   more towards the furtherance of this
that I could hear of, even as far as Kas-   object, than a host of non-consuming
kaskia, on the borders of the Mississip-  resolutions.  On all efforts shall legislapi; because I was told by an inhabitant  tors look with indifference, and withof that town, whom I met with in Phi-  hold from the moral improvement of the
* A Memoir of the cultivation of the vine in America, and the best mode of making wine. By-John PAlum,
Washington, D. C., 1823.
t The American Vine Dresser's Guide, being a treatise on the cultivation of the vine and the process of
wine making; adapted to the soil and climate of the United States: by JOHN JAMBS DUrOuR, formerly of
Switzerland, and now an American citizen, cultivator of the vine from childhood, and for the last twenty.
five years occupied in that line of business: first in Kentucky, and now on the borders of Ohio, near Vevay,,
Indiana. Cincinnati, 1826.
VOL. iV.-33




606                           American  Wines.                           [Nov.
community the aid so liberally granted   value, the most profitable staples in the
to railways, and canals, and sectional  vegetable kingdom.
improvements?  We hope otherwise,          Buchanan, in the preface to the fifth
and that the fostering hand of govern-  edition of his work "on grape culture
ment, in aid of the numerous associa-  and wine making," says:
tions for ameliorating the condition of    "The year 1853 (in Ohio) was the
man, will be extended to the cultivation   most favorable since 1848, and the yield
of the vine. To the system that should  unusually large, averaging about 650
banish intemperance from our land, will  gallons to the acre, from the best cultibe justly due a conspicuous rank among   vated vineyards, and from a few, 800 to.the improvements of the age.  It is  900 gallons. The writer obtained from
from this cultivation that we can confi-  five acres 4236 gallons, or 847 gallons
dently hope such a blessing, a blessing   per acre. In some parts of the country,
which shall infuse throughout the land a   the crop was shortened by'the rot,'
life-giving energy, and imbue with the   and in many vineyards by careless cultihappiest influence the moral atmosphere   vation; so that the average yield for
that surrounds us, an influence (to bor-  the whole country did not exceed 400
row the language of a distinguished his-  gallons to the acre."
torian)' more salutary than that which    Think of it! and wine worth one dolthe vestals of Numa derived from the   lar per gallon at the press!
sacred fount of Egeria, when they drew     A gentleman in Midway, Kentucky,
from it the mystic waters with which   a cultivator of the vine, writes us:they sprinkled the sanctuary.'"            " Wine can be made as cheap in KenWherever the vine flourishes, there,  tucky as it is in France or Germany; it
too, is a happy people. The vintage!   can be made as cheap as cider, and at
What pictures rise upon the mind at the   fifteen cents per gallon it will pay better
mere mention of it!  What memories  than  any of our staple productions.
cluster around it; what skies and scenes;  And now for the proof-say that an acre
what happy songs; what festive dances!  of vines will average 400 gallons.
What images of gay Provence, sunny         "400 gallons of wine, at 15c., is $60.
Andalusia, and the castellated Rhine!      "An acre of our best land in hemp will
What names of poets and orators; of   average six hundred weight.
architects and sculptors; of columns,      "600 weight of hemp, at $5, is $30.
vases, urns, friezes; of satyrs, nymphs,   "Leaving a balance in favor of the
and  dryads;  of cymbals, trumpets,  vineyard $30 or 100 per cent.
harps; of "breathless cups and chirping    "One acre of corn will average fifty
mirth;" of graceful youth, and happy   bushels, worth thirty cents per bushel.
age; of heroes, prophets, gods; of all     "50 bushels, at thirty cents, is $15.
that makes the antique world "a thing      "Leaving balance in favor of the vineof beauty, and a joy for ever;" and,  yard $45.
united with all that is noble and sacred   " The expenses of establishing a vinein the history of man!                   yard will be balanced by the cost of
seeds of hemp and corn sown annually,
" 0 for a draught of vintage, that hath beeneeds of hemp and corn sown annually,
Cooled a long age in the deep-delv'd earth,  making all things equal n that respect.
Tasting of Flora and the country-green,  The tillage of the vineyard, and making
Dance, and Provengal song, and sun-burnt  wine, is not so laborious, nor near so exmirth I                          pensive per acre, as the tillage and labor
0, for a beaker full of the warm south,  of securing the products of an acre of
Full of the true, the blushful Hippocrene,  corn or hemp. If we could get one dolWith bearded bubbles winking at the brim,  lar per gallon for wine when redy for
And purple stain'd mouth;             market
That I might drink, and leave the world, unseen,, or fifty cents per gallon from
And with thee fade away into the forest dim."    the press, what a source of wealth it
would be! Set it down at half these
So sings Keats to the Nightingale, so  figures, and the gold mines of California
may we sing, and haply not in vain.      would be poor in comparison. Only to
As a source of national prosperity, the   think that 100 acres in vineyard, the
cultivation of the vine can have no rival.  products at fifty cents per gallon, amounts
By its wonderful productiveness in the   to $20,000 per annum I A man having
most sterile soils, the ease with which it  five acres, which he could manage himis attended, its not requiring the use of   self, would find them  more profitable
fertilizers or manures, and its suitability  than a Kentucky farm of two hundred
to nearly every climate, it supersedes, in  acres, with three negroes to cultivate it."




1854.]                      American Wines.                           507
Let us turn from these pleasing pros-  produce from it at four tons of grapes
pects for Kentucky, and look at the   per annum.  In  productiveness the
annual income France derives from the   American vines will compare with those
poorest and (for other purposes) the   of France; and as to the quality and
most worthless of her lands.          value of the wine, let himn say, who has
The actual returns from the depart-  tasted our common country wine and the
ments of France, show a grand total of   common country wine of France, which
about 924,000,000 of gallons, as the year-  is the best. We have ventured to place
ly produce, of which, in round numbers,  our wines in comparison, not with the
about 24,000,000 of gallons are exported.  " Vin du pays," but with the most faIt is impossible to estimate the value of   mous vintages of Europe, and even then
these wines, so various are the qualities and  the verdict has resulted usually in favor
prices; the vintage of a favorite year, in  of the American wine. So that in quansome districts, will command double and  tity and quality we may venture to vie
triple the price of those preceding or  with France at least, although the temesucceeding. Estimating the entire crop  rity of the act is almost equal to that
at 15 cents the gallon, however, we find  which once prompted us to cross bayothe net amount reaches the not incon-  nets with the veterans of King George
siderable total of $138,600,000.  One  the Third, of pious memory.
hundred and thirty-eight millions, six  Not alone in the production of wine is
hundred thousand dollars!  And this  this great staple valuable. The seeds of
fiom wine at five cents a bottle! A sum   grapes are eaten by birds; and a fine
more than sufficient to pay off our na-  fixed oil, similar to olive oil, is made
4ional debt, or purchase Cuba, or buy a  from  them  in Parma, Lombardy, and
large piece of South America, perhaps  other parts of Italy, suitable either for
enough to include the Amazon; and all  cooking or burning in lamps. The cutin a single year. Here, in a country of  tings of the vines are always salable to
such vast extent, embracing every cli-  propagate new vineyards; the leaves can
mate, with hillsides and plains favora-  be used to feed cattle, and they are fond
ble for the cultivation of the grape, and  of them. The finest printer's ink is made
native vines overspreading the forests and  from the carbon of the charred stalks of
marshes, in almost every state; we, pro-  old vines. And from the lees of wine
fessing to be a great agricultural people,  we get cream of tartar, which no family
so far, have closed our eyes to these great  should be without. And then the raisins!
facts, and, except in a few instances, ne-  whether it be from the enormous crop
glected to avail ourselves of the most  of children raised annually in our States,
fruitful source of national wealth ever  or from some other unknown reason, we
within the reach of man.              import more raisins than all the rest of
Let us look at another fact. We have  the world put together! Three times as
seen by Mr. Buchanan's report, that the  many as England, seven and a half times
average yield for the whole State of Ohio,  as many as France, thirteen times as
was about 400 gallons of wine to the  many as Germany, fourteen times as
acre, including vineyards ill and well-  many as Holland, twenty-one and a
cultivated. This, also, is the estimate of  quarter times as many as Italy, and two
the probable yield in Kentucky. The  hundred and fifty times as many as his
mean produce per hectare in France, is  majesty the Czar. To the rising genera617 gallons; a hectare being little less  tion, or citizens in the pod, this is
than two and a half acres (2,471), equiva-  of more consequence than all the rest.
lent to little over two hundred and fifty-  We might refer to the energy and actinine gallons to the acre. But as we ad-  vity that would be given to certain mevance southward in the States, we find  chanical trades by this new element in
the vine more luxurious in growth than   home productions. Before the introducin Ohio and Kentucky.  The famous  tion of Croton water in New York, a
Scuppernong sometimes covers acres of  dozen plumbers would have been suffiground with a single vine, the stalk of   cient for all the city,-now plumbing is
which is measured by feet in circumfe-  a leading profession, and plumbers are as
rence, and the weight of the grapes by   plenty as rogues. So, too, if vine culture
tons. So, too, the Isabella is a most prolific  take a prominent place in America,
bearer in this neighborhood. A gentle-  must glasshouses flourish, and coopers
man in the country, within an hour's ride  increase and multiply; turners will find
of New York, planted a single acre with  employment in making bangs; and a
t1' favorite vine. and he estimates the  lively trnde spring up in live-oak staves




508                              American  Wines.                              [Nov.
for barrels, and hoop-poles for hoops.   wine.  A gallon of foreign brandy will
Osiers will have to be grown for baskets,   be diluted in drinking with three gallons
and a thousand new wants arise to em-   of water, in all four gallons, paying 15s.
ploy thousands of hands.  So much for   duty, worth, with the cost of the article,
the vine as a source of natural prosper-   about 20s. Four gallons of wine pay 23s.
ity.                                        6d. duty, worth, at prime cost, from 3s. 6d.
It may be as well to refer here to an-   to 20s. the gallon, as the case may be.
other fact in political economy.  In non-   Now the wine of the highest price will
vine-growing countries, where the use   not contain more than ten or twelve per
of wine is interdicted by extravagant   cent. of brandy, nor any wine of more
duties, the consumption of spirits in-   than sixteen or seventeen.  The stimucreases in an alarming degree. England,   lant powers of the spirit and water are,
with a population of 24,000,000, con-   therefore, much greater, at a rate vastly
sumes 28,000,000 gallons of spirits (ex-   cheaper, even with the enormous duty on
clusive of porter, ale and beer), while   foreign brandy.  How much more is this
France, with a population of 33,000,000,   the case with whisky and home-made
consumes but 15,000,000 of her own   spirit, at half the duty of the foreign?
brandies, and of these a large proportion   An ad valorem duty on wine is not posis used in manufactures, in fortifying   sible  in  practice, therefore  the duty
wines for shipment, and in the prepara-   should be reduced one-half at least.  We
tion of fruits and confections, made only   profess a high regard for public morals,
in her own, territories.  We have seen   we talk about improving the circumthat the manufacture of whisky, spirits,   stances of the people; yet in typhus,
and ale, for home consumption in the   which ravages England so fearfully, wine,
United States, amounts to 86,000,000 of   the main remedy, is shut out from  the
gallons.  This is exclusive of exports!   poor, while its liberal administration is
A pretty formidable nut to be cracked   necessary.   So with the fevers of our
by the Carson League, or any other.   marshy districts; wine and bark are the
Our extravagant duties on wines here-   sole dependence, yet the last is forbidden
tofore, have done more to encourage in-   by the price, which is a positive cruelty.
temperance than the most cunning de-   The people are encouraged to drink arvice that could be invented by the Father   dent spirit in consequence —but then the
of Mischief.  In regard to the high du-   revenue profits?
ties of England, Redding says:                The consumption of wine in England
for the undermentioned years was in pro"The enormity of the duty is the   portion to the population:
cause of the diminished consumption of
Year. Population. Gallons.
1700  5,475,000  5,922,504 French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German only.
1750  6,467,000  8,894,912 Ditto. Duties being raised.
1801   8,872,980  7,006,310 Of all kinds. Imperial Gallons.
1811  1,063,676  5,860,874 Ditto.      Ditto.
1821  11,978,875  5,016,569 Ditto.     Ditto.
1832  13,889,675  6,386,687 Ditto.     Ditto.
1841  15,911,725  6,184,960 Ditto.     Ditto.
1851  17,922,768  6,448,517 Ditto.    Ditto.
Scotland for three periods:
Year.                    Population.                   Gallons.
1801.                     1,599,066........................ 817,883
1811........................ 1.805688..........................40,247
1891.......................... 2,098,456..........................890,000
The duty in 1801 was ~1,922,987, and   increased from 873,840 gallons to 7,732,in 1821, ~1,797,491, with an increase of   101, keeping pace with the increase of
population in the latter year of 2,299,696.   crime; as if not only the temperature of
In 1841 the duty was only ~1,800,127.   the atmosphere, but the amount of miIt is clear the people of England drank   sery, poverty, and crime, were to be
in 1700 three times as much wine in pro-   guaged by alcohol.  Ireland, in 1821,
portion as they do now.  The natural   paid duty only on 2,649,170 imperial
consequence has been the increased con-   gallons of home made spirits, but in 1828
sumption of spirits.  From 1730 to 1830,   on no less than 9,004,539 imperial galthe consumption of British made spirits  lons.  In 1849 the amount was reduced




1854.]                       American Wines.                             509
to 6,973,333 imperial gallons. Scotland,  brance of that culture, and of the great
in 1784, distilled but 268,503 common   advantage procured by it, was not yet
gallons of spirit; in 1833, 5,1 J8,556.  all gone from the memory of men; traThus there were made in England, in the   dition had kept even the details most
year ending January 5, 1850, 9,053,676   necessary in the art of vine-dressing.
imperial gallons; Scotland, 6,935,003;  The vines, brought again from  Sicily,
Ireland, 6,973,333. The total being 22,-  Greece, the Archipelago, and Africa,
962,012 gallons. It is, therefore, a fact,  became the origin of those innumerable
however much of an anomaly it may ap-  species of grapes that now cover France.
pear, that inebriety in this country has  It was a charming and grand spectacle,
increased with the diminution of the  to see crowds of men, women and chilwine consumption, and morals as well as  dren, spontaneously and eagerly devoting
health have suffered by the same de-  themselves  with  enthusiasm  to  that
crease, and the augmented use of ardent  grand and sublime restoration of liberty
spirit."                               -to replant vineyards. Effectually, all
could take part in it-for the culture of
Experience is, or should be, a lamp to  grape vines has that peculiar to itself,
the feet of statesmen, and the statement  that in details it offers occupation to suit
made by this accomplished writer, that  the strength of both sexes of all ages."*
in proportion to the population, three   To Helicon, a blacksmith of Helvetia,
times as much wine was drank in Eng-  is ascribed the honor of first introducing
land 150 years ago as now, should not be  the vine in Switzerland. This was in
disregarded.  Place wine within  the  the days of Julius Caesar. The slips came
reach of all classes, and King Alcohol  from Italy. Germany gives the paterwill have to bundle off with the Fool  nity of the Rhine grape to the Asiatic
and Mad Tom.                           Bacchus. Spain and Portugal furnish
If then, supplanting intemperance with   no history of the introduction of the
temperance, opening new and profitable  vine in their prolific territories, but the
sources of employment, both to farmer  earliest mention of the wines of Hispania
and mechanic, increased revenues, de-  and Lusitania does not antedate the
creased imports, national prosperity, and   Christian era. Martial, himself a native
antional happiness, be objects worthy of  of Bibilis, on the Spanish river Iberus,
our warmest desires, surely the subject  praises the wines of Tarragona (Ep.
of this article is entitled to our pro-  XIII.) and so does Silius Italicus. Some
foundest consideration.                etymologists have even ventured  to
Let us look at the present condition   assert that Xeres is but a corruption of
of the vine in the Old World. It is almost  the name of the place in Persia from
mlnnecessary to say that there is not an   whence all the vines in Europe are deirldigenous grape in Europe. The stock   rived-" Shiraz."  At all events there is
is of Asiatic origin, and both history and   not an indigenous grape in Europe. The
ftable unite in attributing it to-the Orient.  vines have been propagated by cuttings
The Phoenicians introduced its culture  and layers, year after year, century after
on the Islands of the Archipelago, in  century. The "malleoli" (cuttings) or
Greece, in Sicily; lastly in Italy and in   "mergi" (layers) afforded the means by
the territories of Massalia (Marseilles).  which the Roman husbandmen of the
rThence it extended over the whole South   Augustan age planted new vineyards:
of France, and the Johnny Crapeaus, in  precisely the modern method of culture.
the times of Solon and Sappho, had their  If we could replace the pieces on the
claret and olives: and probably drank   parent vines, we might have a chronoto the health of Nebuchadnezzar when  logical plant, running  through  many
he captured Jerusalem, June 9th, 587  thousands of years back to its wild anB. C.                                  cestor on the mountains of Ferdistan.
The next important event connected     Differences of soil and climate effect
writh its history was the succession of  important alterations in the grape, yet
Domitian, the " cruel and rapacious,"  doubtless there were many  different
who ordered its extirpation as well as  species among the wild vines of Persia.
the extirpation of Christianity. Two   Thus, in the variety of wines we still dishundred years after, the "wise and   cover a family likeness in the Johannesvaliant" Probus restores to Gallia Anti-  berger of the Rhine; the Amontilla.o of
qua, liberty to plant vines. "The rememn-  Spain, and the Sercial of Madeira: es



oxO                            American  Wines.                             [Nov.
sentially different in flavor, yet alike in   up their affairs as speedily as possible;
the peculiar properties of dryness, deli-  commerce has ceased almost entirely;
cacy and superior value over all other   and this once famous island presents as
wines of their respective countries.  So,  cheerless an aspect as the shop of a banktoo, we may trace the Burgundy grape   rupt, with its empty shelves, its dusty
in the Collares (of the little parish of that  desk, its old, mouldy ledgers, and thle disname, near Cintra, in Portugal), the Tinto   colored space where once the sign stood,
of Madeira, and the Assmannshauser of  in all its gilded glory. Not less fatal has
the Rhine; while the Muscadinefurnishes   been its appearance in Portugal; the
examples in the Malvasia, or Malmsey   "Old Port"  which Englishmen  were
of Madeira, the Malvasia of Italy, the   wont to praise, is no longer yielded by
sweet wines of Malaga, and the Con-  the generous grape of the Douro. In.stantia of the Cape of Good Hope. That  Italy, the Orvieto and the Monte Fiasthese varieties sprang from  stocks of   cone will soon be historical wines onlydifferent species among the wild grapes,   wines of traditional excellence, like the
is not unreasonable.  Our native vines  famous Chian and Falernian, of Horation
afford a wonderful assortment of flavors,   memory; and France, proud France, has
fiom the excessively sweet Muscadines of   yet to see her dreariest days.  " Not
Georgia, to the dryest of all wines, " the   a working-man in France is now able to
Ilerbemont," of North Carolina.           have his customary bottle of wine," is the
"Let us look at the present condition   information conveyed in a letter from
of the vine in Europe," we have said;   a gentleman whose extensive information
and the reader, by this time, naturally  in  regard to  the wines of his native
inquires what all this has to do with it.  country may not be disputed.*  If, then,
Very much, good reader, lend us still a   we call to mind that all the wines of Eulittle patience, and we will get along   rope are of one stock, derived, mainly,
bravely.                                  from the wild grape of Persia, that these
A few years ago there appeared a dis-   have been propagated by one method
ease among the vines of Madeira, which,   only, layers or cuttings, through many
up to the present time, has not ceased;   centuries,-that this is opposed to the.
and so extensive have been its ravages that  method by which nature reproduces its
entire districts Flave been  completely   kinds, and that one common, fatal disorstripped, not only of the grapes, but of   der has attacked  these vines at the
the vines themselves. The disease first  same time -a disorder whose end is
manifests itself upon  the berries and   certain extermination, we must incline
leaves, then extends to the branches, and   to the belief that some general cause
finally attacks the body of the vine itself,   must have produced so general an effect.
which speedily dies.  Singularly enough,  It cannot be in the climate, for climates
the disease was first observed  in the   vary; it cannot be in the soil, for soils
grapery of an English gentleman, Mr.  vary; it cannot be in the culture, for culTuckor, from  whom  it is named the   tures vary; nor can it be in the species,
"O'idium Tuckori."  Simultaneously, the   for species vary.  What if it be in the
vines on the Duoro were affected; the   method of propagation?  What, if cutgrapes of Medoc; on  the  Charente  ting after cutting, have, at last, exhausted
(whence we get our fine Cognacs); in  the reproductive powers of nature, even
the south of Spain; in Italy, and, in fact,  in the vine, the most hardy of her chilmore or less throughout the wine coun-   dren?  This is not unworthy of contries of the Old World. The more hardy   sideration. The potato, subjected to the
vines of the north, in Burgundy, on the   same treatment, yields up its Irish ghost
Rhine, and in the Champagne district,  in less than three centuries; and why not
appear less susceptible of its effects; but  the vine, in more than twenty?  Europe
there is no doubt but that the famous   may have to return to the wild grapes
wines of the south, in the course of a few   of Ferdistan for her future vineyards, or
years, will be no more. In Madeira, the   she may supplant her Chateau Margaux
grape-vines are rooted up and cast out   and Sercials, with the Catawbas and
from the most celebrated vineyards; the   Scuppernongs of America.t
old established wine-houses are winding     The average produce of the vineyards
* M. G. F. Guestiere, of Bordeaux, Peer of France, but better known as a member of the house of Barton
and Gustibre, owners of the estates of Langoa, Leoville, Beychevelle, and Batailley.
t Very many American vines have already been planted In Madeira. They, also, are subject to the
" Oidium," we understand; probably from sympathy. The "Isabella," appears in the catalogue of grapes,
of Messrs. Audibert Freres, Tonelle, Department of Bouches du Rhone, France.




1854.]                        American Wines.                            511
of the old world, heretofore, has been  second draught," he quaintly says, "four
over two thousand millions of gallons of   months old, willfoxe t a reasonable pate."
wine annually, an amount almost beyond   William  Penn, in 1683, and Andrew
the  limits  of finite  comprehension.  Dore, in 1685, attempted to establish
Whither this mighty revenue will drift,  vineyards near Philadelphia; Kaskaskia,
as the oriental vine bows before time,  on the Mississippi, still earlier, had its
fate, and circumstance, is the question?   vineyards planted by the Jesuits; Fort
Here, where the soil and climate unite to   Du Quesne, now Pittsburgh, produced
produce the largest yield, and the spon-  its vines and wines under the French,
taneous growth of the grape is without a  prior to the year 1758. Volney, who
parallel, here seems to open a golden   visited America in the year 1796, speaks
opportunity. What if we neglect it?  of drinking an American wine at GalliWhat if we embrace it?                 polis, Ohio; Dufour, in 1796, speaks of a
The earliest discoverers of America,  Frenchman at Marietta, on the Ohio,
the Northmen, landed at the island   who was making several barrels a year
where now Newport stands, and chris-  out of the wild grapes, known by the
tened  the  new  world  "Vineland."  name of sand grapes. "I drank some
" I am  not surprised that the North-  of the wine when about four months old,
men should have called this'Vine-  and found it like the wine produced in
land,"' says an old gentleman of our  the vicinity of Paris, in France, if not
acquaintance, who was born and bred at  better." In the beginning of the present
Newport; "I can remember, when a   century, the vineyards at Spring Mill,
boy, seeing the wild grapes growing all  near Philadelphia, and the Swiss settleover the banks, down to the water's   ment at Vevay, Indiana (in 1805), were
edge."                                  established. At Spring Mill, a variety
Sir John Hawkins, who was knighted   of foreign grapes were tried and abanby Elizabeth, for his services in the   doned, but a native vine, " The Schuylaction with the Spanish Armada, still  kill," an abundant bearer, succeeded well
better known as the Englishman who   as a wine grape. This, under the name
introduced  the slave-trade, speaks of   of "the Cape grape," was transplanted
drinking a wine from American grapes  to Vevay, Ia., where it flourished many
in Florida, in the year 1564-tnemora-   years. It produces a coarse, red wine,
ble as the birth-year of Shakespeare.  of tolerable quality only, not to com" Landonniere says, writing the history   pare with the wine of the Catawba and
of his voyage to Florida in 1562, that the   Isabella.  These two vines, hereafter,
trees were environed about with vines  may form  the great arterial branches
bearing grapes, so that the number would  through wyhich the future prosperity of the
suffice to make the place habitable." *  Northern States shall flow. In the next
Master Ralph Sone, in 1585, commends  number of the Monthly, we shall pursue
the grapes of Virginia-" grapes of suche  the subject. Meanwhile, reader, think
greatnesse, yet wilde, as France, Spaine,  of it. Think of the effects of this terrible
nor Italie have no greater."  Vineyards  oidium in Europe! Think of the thirsty
were established in Virginia as early as  world, minus ten thousand  millions
1620. Beauchamp Plantagenet, in 1648,  bottles of wine, and America the only
commends the wine of Delaware (Uve-  country able to supply it!
dale) for its intoxicating qualities.  "A
* Redding.                      t " Foze," intoxicate.
(To be continued.)




512                                                                    [Nov.
THE STORY OF AN OPERA SINGER.
[From the French of Scudo.]
N a beau'tiful day in the month of  the school of classic music founded by
August, 1826, a young man passed   Alexander Choron.  Called into being
with a dreamy air and a smile of perfect  in 1816, it disappeared in 1830 with the
happiness, through a street of the peace-  government which had created it. In
able faubourg Saint Germain. A little  spite of its short existence, it had an iragirl, about twelve years old, paddling in  portant influence upon the musical movethe dirty water which ran along the   ment of that epoch; and, hereafter, I
gutter, sang this popular refrain:     will tell all that it has done for the propagation of the true principles of the art.
"A la barridre du Maine,           At the time when this story commences,
On mange de bons goujons-bon I"   Choron was fifty years old. He was a
rotund little fellow, almost entirely bald,
and in letting out this last syllable, she   with a wrinkled face, fine and delicate
sounded a glorious soprano la, which  features, and a lively, smiling countestartled the practised ear of the passen-  nance, which expressed a rare benevoger. The young man stopped, looked at  lence. His little eyes were full of life,
the little girl, and said, "So you love to  spirit, and mischief. He did not walk,
sing, my pretty child?"  "Yes, some-  he ran, he skipped, singing, whistling,
times, sir."  "And you are right; for  now stopping short to reflect, now reyou have a beautiful voice."  "You   suming his course, and not reaching his
think so?" answered the girl, bridling   destination without ten or a dozen such
prettily. "Do you understand music?"  stoppages. All his movements were ab" No, sir."  " Would you like to learn?"  rupt. He spoke rapidly, often slapping
"Yes; but I am not rich, as you see."  his forehead, as if to jerk out more rapidly
"'There are schools where they teach  the idea which he wished to utter. He
for nothing; and if you wish "-  " Ah!  was a man of great talent, variously and
I do wish, indeed."  " Do you live far  profoundly learned.
from  here?"   "Two steps."  "Then        He studied at the Polytechnic School
lead me there."                        at the time of its foundation, and distinThe young man followed the little  guished himself; but, carried away by an
girl, who gambolled before him, and  irresistible love of music, he abandoned
they arrived thus in a gloomy corridor  the career for which he was destined, to
leading to a room, the misery and squa-  the great dissatisfaction of his family.
lor of which I will refrain from describ-  He studied music at a late day; for he
ing.  The mother was at work in a   was at least twenty-five years old when
corner.  The young man saluted her  he placed himself under the learned inrespectfully, and learned from her that,  structions of the Abb6 Roze.  So, alnot counting the girl whom he had en-  though  Choron was one of the first
countered in the street, she had four  theorists of Europe, he never completely
children, of whom she was the sole sup-  controlled the mechanism of composition.
port.  He consulted this poor mother  The silence of his study and much reflecupon the precocious talent for music ex-  tion were necessary for his comprehenhibited by her daughter. But to all his  sion of the simplest harmonic combinaquestions the, mother constantly replied,  tions; and even these he handled with
"You see, sir, that I am too poor to  timidity. But that which distinguished
give my daughter the instruction neces-  him and made him stand alone, was an
sary;" so that, finally, the stranger said  exquisite sensibility, a profound feeling
to her, that if she would consent to  for the tone, erudition of a high order,
abandon a part of her authority over the   an uncommon knowledge of the history
child, he would undertake to obtain ad-   of the art, and, above all, a perception,
mission for her in a vocal school. "I  the far-seeing penetration of which was
can but bless you a thousand times."  truly prophetic.  Duprez had yet atThe stranger and the girl, who laughed  tained but fourteen years and the feeble
in merry peals, went away together.    voice of childhood, when Choron said to
Among  the  secondary  institutions  him, "Mind me, you will be the first
which owed their existence to the muni-  singer of your day."
ficence of the Restoration, one of the   Both from his constitutional organizmost remarkable, without a doubt, was  ation and his musical studies, Choron




1854.]               The Story of an Opera Singer.                      513
had an almost exclusive admiration for  in the salon of a minister as in his own
the old Italian school,-the Scarlattis, the   house. Choron was an excellent man,
Pergolises, the Porporas, whose works he   obliging, generous, ready to. aid with his
edited. lHe initiated his pupils into the   purse and his advice all who were in
knowledge of these great masters: he   need of them. He loved his pupils much,
made them sing those limpid melodies  and was adored by them. He knew how
devoid of unmeaning ornaments, but rich  to awaken their enthusiasm, and to direct
with an incomparable beauty. In them   them in that way for which they were
the singer is left to his own resources;  best fitted. No one could be more pashe must struggle with difficulties the   sionately devoted to his art than he: he
more arduous, because they are all of  gave himself up to'it, body and soul:
sentiment.                             and this last word will not be thought
Thrice a-week all the pupils of Choron,  hyperbolical when it is known that he
who numbered nearly a hundred, came   died of grief at the abandonment of his
together in one class, over which the   school by the government of July.
master himself presided. Then strange     He travelled yearly through the proscenes took place. What pupil of Cho-  vinces in search of fit scholars. He went
ron does not remember the beautiful  through the towns and the villages; he
duet of Roland, by Piccini, sung by the   entered  the colleges, the boardingyoung Duprez and Mille. Duperron, now   schools, all the establishments for public
Madame Duprez?                        instruction, where he had all the scholars
brought before him. First he examined
Quedor, vous avee lieu de croire,  their physical constitution: then he said,
jourSing something for me. Let us see,
At these words Choron adjusted his  sing me the gamut, ut, re, mi, fa."  The
little silken cap, turned up the cuffs of  child, who understood nothing of all
his coat, struck one hand into the other   this, stood aghast. " What, you rogue,
and cried, "It is not so that that reci-  do you know nothing?  Sing me, then,
tative should be sung, mademoiselle.  Ah! vous dirai-je, maman?"  The child
Listen to me."  Then he coughed, and   sang, and then the master said, "Well
recommenced with his little sharp voice:  done; you have a charming voice; you
shall go with me; your fortune is made."
" M6dor, vous avez lieu de croire,  Choron returned to Paris with a dozen
Que je m'int6resse a vos jours I"  brats in wooden shoes, whom he presented to us, saying, " Here is the hope
Mademoiselle Duperron began again  of France "
in turn,-                                These last words recall to me an interesting incident in his life.
" MWdor, vous avez lieu de croire.   Among those of his pupils who had
made an epoch in the school of Choron,
But you haven't it yet, my child.  there were four whom he loved much
What the devil! This is the expression   and whom he always brought forward
with which you must give it,"          when he wished to give the best idea of
W"Mdor —                         his instruction: these were Duprez, of
the opera, Boulanger-Kiintze, an excel(His voice quivered,)                lent professor of singing in Paris, Vachon,
who has left Europe, and he who relates
vous avez lieu de croire."  this story. Each of these youths, with
more or less of talent, had a particular
(He struck his forehead, he became   style which the master had been able to
agitated.)                             discover and help to form. At sixteen
years Duprez already possessed that
" Que je m'interesse a vos jours!"  large style, that canto spianato, which
has won for him his splendid reputation.
(He sobbed, he wept silently and then   On account of the promising talents of
aloud, and his pupils wept with him.)    these pupils, and the high favor which
Choron was not sufficiently master of  they enjoyed with the head of the inthat precious sensibility without which   stitution, they were honored with the
there is no great artist. An impressible  style and title of artists. Was there a
man, he abandoned himself to the emo-  fAte, a dinner, a soiree, Choron presented
tion of the moment. He gesticulated,  himself, accompanied by his four evanhe sung, he laughed, he wept as freely  gelists. On breaking-up days; when he




514                   The Story of an Opera Singer.                    [Nov.
had money, which did not always hap-  the Minister of the Palace, Rue de
pen, he stole into the refectory, and   Grenelle Saint Germain.  A  terrible
whispered to some one of us, "Don't  thumping of our hearts seized us when
cram so much, there will be some sweet-  the huissier announced-"Monsieur Chomeats."  This was as much as to say  ron and his pupils."
that we should go to the Rapee to eat a   - We entered a vast saloon, where we
matelote.  Then indeed our forks lay  found a dozen persons. A commanding
idle: we turned up our noses at every   voice said to Choron, "Are these all
thing, even at the lard omelette. Madame   your scholars?"  "No, your Excellence,
Choron, who suspected the plan, grum-  they are my best: they are the expectbled in a reproachful under tone, "' They   ancy of France."'; The devil they are!"
are going to the Rapee."  "' That, in-  laughed Lauriston.  " Your Excellence
deed," answered  Choron.  And  he   shall judge," replied  Choron.  Then
escaped, laughing.                     making us all approach, and taking each,
One day he arrived at the school, out  in turn, by the hand, " This is the lover,"
of breath. He called all four of us, and   said he, presenting the broad-chested
said, " Messieurs, here is news!  The   Duprez; "Boulanger, the demi-caractere:
minister of the palace is changed; he is  Vachon, the graceful; and il signor
now a M. de Lauriston, so ill-disposed   buffo cantante."  "It seems that you
toward us, that he wishes to suppress  have in your school all styles and all
the school. I have obtained, with dif-  varieties of talent," said the minister,
ficulty, that before making such a deci-  smiling.  "Yes, your Excellence, all
sion as that, he will hear us. We go  styles. Duprez, Scudo, sing your beauthis evening. Courage, then! Our future  tiful duet from  Bella Nice."   We apdepends upon it. You must sing your  proached the piano-forte with some lack
best: first, each one an air, afterwards   of confidence, but resolved to make the
two duets. Duprez, come hither, my   best of it. Pauseron, who accompanied
lad: you will sing, 0 des amantes deites  us, struck a few chords to give us breathtutelaires: You, Boulanger, Oh! que je  ing time. At last we began.  There
fus bien inspirie! You, Vachon, simple-  was a dead silence: all eyes were bent
ton that you are, Di piacer mi balza il  on us. Ten measures and an approving
cor: do you understand? Dipiacer mi  murmur arose to swell our bosoms. Our
balza il cor: and you, my charming Vene-  voices vibrated, rung-our style became
tian, Non piu andraifarfallone amoroso.  elevated-they covered us with applause.
Ah! Monsieur de Lauriston, so you   "Charming," we heard on all sides.
would bid us good by-O des amants-   "Yes, yes, it is charming, it is ravishDi piacer —non inandrai,-he cannot  ing," said Choron, his eyes full of tears.
resist: no, no and the conservatoire   "Begin again, my lads; all goes well.
would be in despair."  Saying this, he   The country is saved." lie whispered to
danced, he laughed, he sung. "'All will  us. The evening finished as happily as
go well," he added, i" very well. Go   it had begun. We left the hotel of the
and brush your coats and your boots,  minister dancing like fools, and throwing
rub up your buttons: be brilliant, daz-  our chapeaux above the tops of the trees
zling. Above all, eat little: d'ye hear?  on the boulevards. The school was susYou shall have a drop of Medoc to ele-  tained, and when we went to the opera
vate your imaginations."               the men in office said, as we passed,
After having dined as sparingly as he   "There goes the hope of France!"
had recommended us to do, and covered    Such was the school into which the
ourselves with immense chapeaus, which   young girl whose story I am relating was
formed a part of our uniform, we left the   about to enter. Her name was Rose
corner of the Rue Mont Parnasse, and   Niva. Mademoiselle Rose Niva was not
followed the Boulevards.  It was a   what is usually called a pretty girl. She
beautiful July evening. The moon flung   was too large for her age, meagre, and
her lovely light upon the tops of the   wanted that grace of manner which is
trees which waved their dense foliage  the result of good breeding. But she
above us. We walked in silence, each   had a little foot, a charming figure, a
charged with a roll of music, following  face full of character and vivacity, eyes
our master, who went on with his head   black and gleaming, and a mouth somebowed and speechless.  We practised   what large, it is true, but made lovely
under breath, diminishing a tone, ven-  by a smile quite adorable.  She had
turing upon a roulade, contriving a ca-  talent, Inuch  talent, but no culture.
denza. We arrived thus at the Hotel of  She must needs be unmade and remade.




1854.]                The Story of an Opera Singer.                     515o
Lively, fickle, and unaccustomed to re-  made her give him a minute account of
straint, she was difficult to manage.  her time. Every action of this young
Happily, a rare aptitude and an exquisite  girl was under his control; no one could
sensibility caused great hopes to be en-  seduce him from his solicitous task, and
tertained of her. Niva's character inte-  neither her mother nor Choron ever oprested M. Rarnier, an intelligent young   posed the will of Ramier.
man, then a professor in the school of    Little by little Niva's voice, becoming
Choron. His generous soul was touched   controllable by numerous and well graat seeing such a beautiful soul crfshed   duated exercises, acquired a remarkable
by hard fortune. He tendered her a  sonority.  Enchanted by the progress
friendly hand, and from that moment he   of his pupil, Ramier no longer confined
considered it his duty to open for this  his instructions to music. The intelliyoung girl a way to a happier future.  gence of Niva was ready for everything;
At first it was but a natural pride in  but it was not without much trouble on
his waif which caused Ramier to pre-  his part and many tears on hers that it
sent Mdlle. Niva to Choron; but this  was brought under control. The use of
sentiment soon changed and manifested  rigorous means was also necessary to
itself in a way which astonished even   bring her into habits of obedience and
him.                                   regular labor.  There were many atMademoiselle Niva was admitted to  tempts at revolt, many threats of returnChoron's school and confided to the par-  ing to native freedom. But Ramier was
ticular care of Rainier. His class was  immovable: he kept her constantly
composed of men, children, and young   under the yoke of his will. In other
girls. It was conducted with the most  respects Ramier was extremely kind to
perfect order; not a word was ever  Niva. He gave her all his time; he negheard to shock propriety. The severity  lected his private affairs to watch over
of Ramier was so great in this regard   her education; he provided for a part
that he was the butt of the pleasantry   of her needs-in a word, he became her
of his comrades.                       providence.
The first lessons which Madlle. Niva   Thus Niva grew under the instructions
received from  Rainier were  original  of Ramier. She was no longer the poor
enough. After having presented her to  little girl whom he found in the street;
her class-mates, he called her to him,  she had become a charming person, with
and said, " Mademoiselle Niva, they   a slender figure, refined  and distindoubtless speak very ill of me to you, do   guished manners, conversing with ease.
they not?  Own it frankly. They tell  He could not look at her without pride;
you that I am a grumbler, harsh, and   he could not hear her praised without sayhard to please." Niva responded to this  ing to himself-" It is I who have made
question  by  a  mischievous  smile.  her what she is." When it was whispered
" Well, well," said Ramier, "but you   around him,  What a charming person!
will see that they have calumniated me;  what wit! what talent!" his  heart
for to-morrow I will set you no other  bounded with joy.
task than to wash your face, and after    During her lessons, when she sung at
that we will see."  A general laugh fol-  his side, and her voice broke forth in
lowed the speech of the professor. On   sad and plaintive strains, his eyes were
the morrow Niva presented herself in a   constantly fixed on her. He looked at
somewhat better plight. " Now," said   her with delight; he breathed with difRamier, "you will devote yourself to  ficulty, so much did he fear to lose one
your hands; and I give you a week for  of those accents, the utterance of which
that important ablution."  In a week   he had been able to teach her.  It was
the metamorphosis was complete; the   because Niva was the work of his hands,
beautiful teeth of Madlle. Niva were as  the echo of his soul. Entrancing sight!
white as ivory, her collar was adjusted  to look upon the unfolding of an intelliwith more taste, her hair well combed,  gence which owes its existence to you.
her dress in better keeping with her  Ramier, who had devoted three precious
pretty figure; in a word, there was an   years of his life to the education of this
entirely new aspect in affairs, and the   young girl, to bend her to his slightest
feminine instinct had been aroused.    will, to accustom her to a passive obeRamier then devoted himself to her   dience, now that he had obtained what
musical education. Having entire control  he desired, now that he had made her a
over her, he watched her with a severe  perfectly charming creature, was afflicted
eye, marked out her hours of study, and   at the perfection of his work.  This




516                   The Story of an Opera Singer.                  [Nov.
obedience, this docility, this unclouded  the preference of Ramier, and the parsweetness, chagrined him and made him  ticular care he bestowed upon her. A
unhappy. He would have had a little  day was fixed on which Niva should be
mutiny, some caprices. He wished that  heard.  This sort of presentation had
Niva did not believe herself obliged to  always taken place at formal lessons,
obey without uttering complaint. He   over which Choron presided. It was an
would have seen her a woman, and his  imposing sight. Each professor, with
equal. This will be understood. Ramier  his class, defiled before the head of the
loved Niva. The poor girl whom  he   establishment, who approved or cenhad educated with so much severity,  sured. It was.not Choron whom the
whom but now he had treated with so  scholars feared the most, but the critilittle consideration, was mistress of his  cism  of their comrades. A  smile, a
heart.  He was kneeling before the   murmur made them tremble, and utterly
work of his own hands. It was a pas-  confused them. It was on a Saturday,
sion the more profound because he dared  in the year 1829, that Niva was to make
not manifest it. The question was how   her debut before all the pupils of Choto pass the gulf which separated him   ron's school. The ban and arriere-ban
from Niva-how to lay aside the sem-  had been summoned. There were also
blance of an almost paternal authority  some strange ladies, who, knowing the
in order to avow the tender sentiments  romantic story of the young artist, had
with which she had inspired him —how   expressed a desire to hear her.  The
to abandon the severe and dignified cha-  curiosity was general. All were eager
racter which he had sustained till then,  to observe the result of three years of
that he might bow himself before a girl  study; every person had come with feelwho trembled before him? Niva, who  ings more or less favorably disposed toowed everything to Ramier, who feared   wards the debutante.
as much as she respected him, how        Choron says to Rainier, " My good
would she receive the avowal of a sen-  fellow, we are ready."  Conducted by
timent which she was far from suppos-  her teacher, Niva advanced upon the
ing to exist in her benefactor. Love is  platform.  She trembles, her breast
a jealous god, who will have independ-  heaves with effort. Ramier is at the
ence. On the other side, the character  piano-forte, his heart oppressed with
of Ramier was too high-toned, he was  agitation. He strikes a few chords, and
too deeply penetrated with the noble  whispers to Niva, " Courage!"  Niva
mission which had fallen to his lot, to  then commences to sing that beautiful
abuse for a moment the boundless con-  air of Nicolini's,fidence with which he had inspired his
youthful pupil.                            " Or che son vicino a te,
Stanca son di palpitar,"
Meanwhile, Niva made progress daily:
She had surpassed the highest hopes of  which Madame Pasta gave with such
Ramier. Her aptitude at appreciating   grand magnificence of style. When Niva
the most delicate shades of expression  reached the touching passage,was surprising.  Her beautiful voice,
her striking figure, her large and vigor-  " Tanto amore e tanta fe."
ous style, were the astonishment of all
who heard her. Whenever she sung in   a storm  of applause overwhelms her
Ramier's class there was no end to the   voice. Choron springs upon the platstamping and applause. In the world  form, weeping like a child, and throwing
her success was yet greater. She was  himself upon Niva's neck, covers her
overwhelmed with presents and kind   with kisses, unable to utter a word. All
attentions: then, with tearful eyes, she  the pupils rise spontaneously. Ramier,
would say to Ramier, " My master, it  leaning his head upon the instrument,
is to you that I owe all this."        endeavors to master his emotion: at
Niva had been three years in Choron's  the sight of him, Niva disengages herself
school, before she was heard by any  from the arms of Choron and springs
other person except the pupils of Ramier.  towards her benefactor: " Bravo, bravo!"
One day Choron said to Rainier, " When   on all sides. It was a thrilling scene,
shall we hear your prodigy?"  This  the brightest day of Ramier.
malicious question showed that Choron    Some time previous Choron had enhad allowed himself to be prejudiced  riched the class of Rainier with a new
against Niva by the wounded self-love   pupil,-a young man of attractive exof her companions, who were jealous of  terior. He called himself Rifaut. The




18i4.]               The Story of an Opera Singer.                   517
first time that he saw and heard Niva    He had lived six months at the town
he was struck with admiration. From   of -, when there arrived a young
that moment he did not lose sight of her.  cantatrice who was the subject of high
Assiduodsly attentive to her, he never  eulogy. She was about to give a conlost an opportunity to pay her a com-  cert. Upon the appointed day the large
pliment. Ramier did not long remain  saloon of the Hotel de Ville was throngignorant of this bit of romance. He  ed: all the best society of the place was
took it as a sore affliction. He essayed  present. Ramier was among the first
to crush this budding attachment; but,  there, and placed himself just in front of
as almost always happens in such cases,  the piano-forte.  After an overture,
the remedy aggravated the evil.       played by the amateurs of the town, the
One Sunday in the month of May,  prima donna appeared. The programme
1830, Rainier and Niva were to dine at  announced an air by Nicolini.  The
the house of some person of rank, who  young vocalist approached the pianohad taken an interest in the prospects of  forte with confidence, and, without apthe young singer. Niva excused herself  pearing in the least disconcerted by her
on the ground of indisposition. Ramier  numerous audience, she began with much
went alone; but, anxious about the  sweetness that beautiful adagio,health of his pupil, he slipped out immediately after dinner and went from      "Or che son vicino ate:the Chaus6e d'Antin to the Rue Babylone, where Niva lived. As the weather  then she stopped short.  Her voice
was beautiful, he followed the Boulevard  trembled, her visage paled. She endeades Invalides. It was, perhaps, eight  vored to recommence  but it was imo'clock, in the evening.  Bearing an  possible! Her eyes filled with tears. Seeenormous bouquet for Niva, his heart  ing her about to swoon, Ramier sprang
wvas in one of those perfectly happy  to her aid, placed her in a chair, took
moods which are so rarely enjoyed in
moods which are so rarely enjoyed in  the music from her hands, and stepped
this life, when he saw two persons ap-  forward to sing in her place
proeaching him. At once his eyes swam,
his knees bent and trembled: he endea-     Stanca son di palpitar" —
vored to walk, but in vain: he was
obliged to lean against a tree: he had  with an accent and an expression which
recognized Niva on the arm of Rifaut I  thrilled the whole assembly. The evenDumb with astonishment, the sweat  ing was broken up; the concert could
stood in great drops upon the face of  not go on. Niva, for it was she, had
Ramier: his grief was of that kind which  recognized Ramier, who, after singing
cannot find relief in tears. After a few  the air, went out and left the town on
silent moments, Ramier, summoning all  the next day.
his self-possession, went on his way with-    Ten years after the event just related,
out a word, leaving Niva in utter con-  they gave an opera at the Royal Acasternation. For him, all was over. He  demy of Music which attracted all Paris.
never alluded to the occurrence with his  A prima donna beloved by the public
pupil, never addressed a reproach to her:  achieved a great success. In the fourth
he continued his care as if nothing had  act, during one of the most dramatic
altered the sentiments which he had for  scenes in the composition, sobs were
her. Some months afterwards the revo-  heard from  an obscure corner of the
lution of July occurred, which put an  orchestra: it was Ramier, who wept hot
end to the school of Choron. A fort-  tears at recognizing Niva in the person
night after this event Ramnier quitted   of the favorite prima donna, who calls
Paris.                               herself now-a-days, RosINA STOLTZ.




518                                                                    [Nov.
COSAS DE ESPANA.
(Continued from page 22.)
xv.                    are mounted; let them have their nap
out. The mules, too, the whole eight of
ADIEU, BARCELONA!~
them, are asleep, each on his three legs.
AND  now, in the midst of all thy   All-passengers, postilions and mulesA  gaieties, adieu, Barcelona-fairest of   are waiting for the conductor, with his
the towns of Spain! I leave thy Ram-  mail-bags.
bla and thy sea-washed walk, thy green-  Here he comes. One leap, and he is
swarded ramparts and thy Catalonian   on his box. The tail of his cap reaches
towers, thy vine-hills and thy mountain  the small of his back; and his moustops of snow. Softer, they tell me, are  tache mounts, scarcely less than the
the maids of Andalusia, and milder the  length of his cap, in the air. A volley
airs of the Murcian shore. But thy   of preparatory oaths and sacramentis
Pyrenean skies have been a heaven to  clears the road of boys, beggars and byme, and the grace of thy veiled daughters  standers.  And  now,:vamos!  Crack
has held my roving heart captive for  your whip, cochero;-go it, ropes!  The
ninety days!                           conductor swears and shouts at the top
Now  then, vamos!  Already I see  of his voice; the postilions put the spurs
before me, rising up out of the southern  into the poor brutes' sides; and a runner,
sea, and beckoning me on, the minarets  keeping pace with the cantering caravan,
and the palm-trees of Valencia.         plays the lash most dexterously about
backs and bellies. The whole affair
sweeps down the avenue "like mad."
And, possibly, before they are well off
xVI.                   the pavement, as uneven, in many parts
of the town, as the rolling sea, a movement will take place in the stomachs of
THE starting of the Valencian Dili-  some of the travellers, analogous to that
gencia from the great square of Barcelona  experienced by the passengers of a Dover
is a spectacle for men and boys, if not  and Calais steam-packet, on leaving the
for angels. The huge, ponderous vehicle  quay. A couple of heads, maybe, are
is itself a piece of joinery which, if ex-  seen dangling out of each window, in
hibited as a curiosity in any of our States,  such a state of wretchedness, as must
not too far south or west, would bring  throw the most compassionate and decoa shilling per head quick. It has the air  rous of observers into an uncontrollable
of an old stager, indeed. Yet, though   fit of laughter. So they go out of the
on its last spokes, it, like all veterans,  town-gates-the passengers cascadingdies hard. Its well-patched appearance  the postilions cracking their whips-the
indicates that it has passed through   exhausted runner laying on his last
many hair-breadth escapes, and accidents  blows-the conductor still calling upon
by flood and field. But no turning of  the saints, and uttering over his poor
somersets, no getting stuck in the mud,  brutes' heads half the imprecations conno involuntary voyages down the moun-  tained in the vernacular.
tain torrents, have ever succeeded in     Once on the queen's highway, the
dislocating its original timbers. There   whole concern would soon be lost sight
it stands-its leathern top clouted like   of; for it goes down in the holes of the
old shoes —its body as unwashed as the   road like a ship in the troughs of the
great body of the Spanish people-and   sea. You think they have all descended
its interior crammed full of men, women  into the pit which has no bottomand babies, every one of the former of   mules, riders and diligence. But, anon,
whom, before taking his place, has made   you see them slowly staggering up the
his last will and testament, and got an   next summit of the billowy road, all
insurance on his ribs for double their  tight and right. Therein lies the great
value.                                  peculiarity of the Spanish stage-coach,
For the last hour, all have been  that when it goes into the mire deep
packed, passengers and luggage. But  enough to bring it to a complete standthere is bad luck in starting in a hurry in  still, everything about the machine gives,
Spain. No corre priesa. The postilions  nothing breaks. The ropes stretch a




1854.]                      Cosas de Espania.                        519
point; they don't part. The braces  finished proverb on his lips, and in a
settle; but the superincumbent body   manner highly derogatory to the dignity
does not come to the ground. Anywhere  of a personage who was one day to be
out of Spain, a single screw left loose will  the governor of an island. The Don disbring a fall to the best-contrived vehicle,  appeared from the table soon after the
as well as the most upright-standing  ladies; and it is not known what became
man or woman; but, here, nothing is  of him. Not a little nettled he seemed,
more common, at least, in the case of  as I thought, towards the close of the
diligences, than for theml to have all  sitting, that nobody would believe a
their screws loose at once. Then they   word of what he repeatedly affirmed
go the fastest. The matter may not be  respecting the beautiful foot of Dulcinea
quite comprehensible-'tis a Cosa de  del Toboso.  Tery likely, he went back
Espanfia.                             before morning to his panel. I can
Of course, I did not myself go to  simply say, that when I arose from my
Valencia  in the  diligencia.  By no  seat at the supper-table, neither he, nor
means. I waited a week, and went by   any other of the guests was there to
my good ship, the Barcino. I was  wish me buenas tardes; and that on
desirous of making one more voyage in  awaking next morning, the only thing I
company with my friend, the Don.  noticed was the fact that the Barcino
And there, sure enough, he still was,  was dropping anchor in the roadstead of
doing battle on the panel with the pig-  Valencia.
skins; and there was Sancho Panza,
standing aghast, alike at the fury of his
master, and the loss of the liquor. The
good knight, now that I had become                   XII.
familiar with him and his trusty squire,
in the streets of Barcelona, seemed to me      SPANISU BREAKERS.
more like life-Spanish life-than ever.   IT was blowing a small gale of wind;
This was true also of the inn-keeper, and  for the Mediterranean is a moody sea,
the inn-keeper's two princesses, and the  changing sometimes very quickly from
half-dozen fellows who had tossed Sancho  smiles to frowns. A gale of wind, and
Panza in the blanket. Accordingly, we  no harbor at Valencia, or within a hunwere at once "' hale fellow well met."  dred miles of it;-such is the inhospitality
After the other passengers had retired   of this'rock-bound, though beautiful coast.
for the night, the cloth was laid for our  Therefore, I had my choice between consupper. The Don came down from his  tinuing on to Alicante, with a chance
door, and was placed at the head of the  of meeting no better luck, and being
table, though in his shirt-tails. An   obliged to go even to Cartegena, and the
Ostende rabbit had been ordered to be  extremest south, or of landing in an open
stewed expressly for Sancho Panza, as  boat in the breakers. I had much more
the best thing to stop his mouth, and put  time for reflection than was needed for
an end to his proverbs. Sancho at sea,  deciding a question which had for me, in
by the way, proved to be a good deal of  fact, but one side to it. Yet, hour after
a Jonah, and would inevitably have sunk  hour passed away; and no boat was
the ship from the exceeding weight of  seen pushing off from the shore. No
his sayings, had not his attention been  good comes from hurrying in Spain. El
adroitly turned to something he relished   gue se apresura se muere; y el que no,
even better than his own puns. The  tam bien. He who hurries, dies; and he
inn-keeper, after placing his damsels  who does not, dies too. The sea was
each on one side of the worshipful,  running so high on the beach, that the
though somewhat disconcerted knight  boatmen had a good excuse for their dilaof La Mancha, set himself down as my  toriness, and kept us waiting full half a
right-hand man; and the way in which   day.
we all drew on the only remaining skin  At length, just as I was making up my
of his well-preserved Benicarlo, was  mind that they would not come at all,
worthy of the very best days of Spanish  off they shoved. It was a good-sized
history. I must do mine host the justice  barge, with a dozen or twenty lusty felto say-and I do it most cheerfully-  lows, in red caps, at the oars. We were
that excepting myself, of course, he was  lying almost three-quarters of a mile from
the last of the party to go under the  the shore; and the boat, now tossed to
table; while Sancho Panza, I regret to  the top of the waves, and now comadd, led the way, falling off with a half-  pletely lost to view in the hollow, took,




520                          Cosas de Espa~ia.                         [Nov.
as it seemed to our impatience, a small  time,-the roaring wave is close upon
fraction of eternity to get to us. The   us, —another instant, and we shall all
rowers were, doubtless, taking it fair and   be whelmed in the deep. Pull right!
easy, and husbanding their strength for  pull left! pull, for the love of God, pull!"
the final pull among the breakers, on     We escaped. Just the curling crest
their return. At last, they got along-  of the heavy billow broke over the boat's
side, when began the labor of letting   stern, as Tam O'Shanter's mare saved herdown the ship's sides, into the uneasy  self from the carlin with loss of her tail.
barge below, the luggage and the ladies.    But it was in the stern that I sat with
The former was badly thumped, and the   my fair burden; and, as the good sealatter worse frightened. It took the   nymph would have it, there was suffiSpanish brown out of a good many   cient brine thrown over me to wash well
cheeks,-making one or two, in parti-  my soiled garments. I had, in fact, a
cular, as white as if they had beeh washed  lapful of it. But I never in my life was
in good soap and water.                 more in need of a ducking; and took it,
Everything, at last, was tumbled into   under the circumstances, as a special
the  boat, and  stowed  away,-men,  favor of the naiad charged with doing
women, trunks, boxes, bags and umbrel-  the washing of the Mediterranean.
las. I was so seated as to have one of    Safe, at length, from the perils of the
the latter articles, belonging to a very  sea, and the perils of beauty, I set my
nervous native, playing, at intervals, the  foot on the Valencian shore, a grateful,
amusing part of a catapult against my   though thoroughly drenched man. To
right flank. But to distract my attention  tell the truth, I planted my foot on the
from these attacks, I had, on the side  terra caliente with something analogous
nearest my heart, the most graceful little  to a shiver. There was no help for me.
Valenciana I ever came in contact with.  At least, there was none on the beach,
At the very first pitch of the boat, after  where I had to fight my way through the
leaving the steamer, she began to cling  ranks of almost as bad a set of beggars
to me as for dear life. Another pitch —  as those who made the attack on nme at
and if it had been for dear love, she  the port of Barcelona. But this time, I
could not have grasped my arm tighter.  contended with the desperation of a man
One more-O, frailty, thy  name  is  having his lap full of cold sea-water. I
woman —the left leg of my trousers was  put the whole legion to route with simruined for'ever I Cloak, trousers, and boot,  ply my umbrella; and pitching into the
all deluged by a cascade from lips which,  first cart which offered itself, I cried out
a moment before, seemed to have been  to the cochero to let loose his leader.
made only for kissing! My interest in a  Vain-attempt to hurry a native-born
damsel, the loveliest in a land where all  Iberian! El que se apresura se muere;
are fair, in an instant of time completely   y el que no, tam bien. Besides, the road
" swamped;" and my left leg worse than   which led to the city was so shockingly
water-loggedI                          bad, and the cart in which I was conIt is said to be one of the virtues of a  veyed thither so destitute of springs,
travelled man to take things as they come.  that to drive at any other pace than a
So did I take this. Had all my best china   walk, would have been probable death
ware come down at a crash,I could nothave   both to horse and passenger. Yet, the
received the shock with more sangfroid.  stranger is told that this is the favorite
The most critical observer would not  summer-promenade of the fashion of
have known, by any twitch'of my face-  Valencia. Everybody, then, goes to the
muscles, that the avalanche of so great a   Grao, to bathe in the blue, now  mudmisfortune had fallen upon me. I knew   colored, waters of the sea. The ladies
that my left trousers leg was inevitably  hold their court in the pellucid waves;
ruined, but I made no sign. I simply  and a revelry is kept up in the cooling
held myself the firmer up under the   element equal to any gambolling of the
weight of the leaning beauty, who was  ancient nymphs and sea-gods. But my
thus making me the recipient of a shower  case was different. My bath had been
of favors I had not solicited. However,  an involuntary one, and had been taken
some little relief was destined to come  at an altogether too low a temperature
speedily.                              to be agreeable. As I sat in my cart,
The barge was now nearing the shore.  wet and dripping, the way seemed to me
We were getting into the breakers.  anything but a pleasure-drive; and as I
"Pull, boys, pull!" cried half a dozen   passed through the gates of this heaven
helmsmen, at once. "Now indeed is your  of the Moors, my bones shook like those




1854.]                      Cosas de Espanca.                          521
of a poor soul entering a polar purgatory.  immense level garden, or huerta, shelWhat happened to Cwesar, "when he was  tered on the north and west by a mounin Spain," happened likewise to me.   tain range, and having a southeastern
exposure to the Mediterranean.  This
"'Tis true this god did shake.  whole huerta is irrigated by a network
of canals, which are connected with the
The Fonda del Cid received and re-  upper springs and torrents,-the work
stored me. No blazing fire, indeed, wel-  of the Moors. Hereby, every foot of
corned me to a hospitable hearth; nor  land is supplied with abundant moistule,
any register let in upon me a drying   and, being acted upon by the rays of an
summer gale. But a simple change of  almost tropical sun, scarcely yields in
raiment set me up; and a Spanish din-  productiveness to the banks of tile Nile.
ner, washed down by a bottle of French   When I saw the huerta, it being in early
wine, made me as brave as the Cid, and  spring, a large proportion of that part of
twice as merry. I retired that night as  it lyingin tie immediate neighlbohood
good-natured a man as if I had not been   of the town, was waving with deep green
dipped in cold sea-water in the course of  wheat, about two feet in height.  No
the  morning; and lay  cheerfully down   fences divided the fields, but simply rows
to dream of the gorgeous days when the  of mulberry and olive trees, with here
Moor here held his gilded court, mid  and there a rose or cactus hedge. The
flowers and fountains, and finally passed  straight, tapering stems of the palm tree
hence by an easy transit to the houris  towered up out of many isolated groves,
wheo beckoned to him ferom the walls of  and hung out their tufted crowns over
their overhanging heaven. "For," saith  the city walls.  Villas, villages and
the record, "the Moors did locate their  towns, were thickly scattered over the
Paradise on the Valencian shore, which   plain; while, at the southern extremity,
was a fragment fallen from the Paradise  stretched out the broad lake of A1in the sky."                          bufera.
Nor was the city itself less picturesque.
The flat roofs, and the movement on the
house-tops, gave it an Oriental aspect.
2XvII.                 Its gilded domes and minarets, piercing
THE HITERTA AND THE ALAMEDA.       with a hundred points the sky, showed
that it had once been the city of the
GLORIouS dawn after showers! Now,  Moor, who had left traces of his taste, as
as I awoke for the first time in Valencia,  well as of his blood, behind him. The
the rising sun streamed in at my eastern   hum of business was scarcely loud enough
windows, gilding whatever it touched,  to reach the cathedral's top; but chimes
and lighting up with the full blaze of the   of bells, calling to prayer, rang sweetly
southern morning, both house and town.  out of many a spire upon the sunny air.
On my balcony of flowers, the rose leaves  The scene, comprising town, plain, mounand the carnation cups were hung with  tains, and the sea-remains one of the
drops as wit' diamonds. The fresh air  pleasantest of those daguerreotyped on
had the sweet perfume of orange orchards  my memory in Spain.
and mountain violets. The firmament    Soon after my descent, the clock struck
was transparent azure. It was my wel-  five,-the hour for going to the Alamrnecome to Valencia by the houris, returned   da. In Valencia, the world of fashion
in the chariot of the rising sun, from the   goes out of town to promenade on the
distant skies, whither they had gone to a   banks of the Turia every day in the year,
revel on the day of my arrival.       between the hours of five and six. A tarThough not given to steeple-chasing,  tana is awaiting at the inn door, to take
I went, without loss of time, to the top   you thither. Indeed, thereis always one
of the Cathedral, to get a view of the   waiting for you. Even after a whole
town and surrounding country. Imagine   morning spent in strolling, you will be
a large, semicircular plain, the circumfe-  accosted with the question, If your
rence of which is hedged in by moun-  honor does not wish for a tartana?  In
tains, and the diameter formed by the  other countries, one is solicited to take a
sea. A radius drawn from the town to  coach on going out of his hotel; here,
the mountains would be from fifteen to   when coming into it. For the prometwenty miles in length, while the dis-  nade to the Turia you accept the tartatance to the shore is from two to three.  na, for it is not the ton to go on foot.
Valencia, accordingly, is situated in an   Af the gentle folks of Valencia keep carVOL. Iv.-34




522                          Cosas de Espai-a.                         [Nov.
riages for the afternoon airing, and all  as it was in the days of the Moors, and
of this particular species.             now containing upwards of a hundred
But what, pray, is a tartana?  It isno   thousand inhabitants-there would be
more nor less than a covered, two-  no room for the promenade. Hence the
wheeled cart. Without springs, or with   necessity for the tartanas, to take you
but apologies for them, with a polished  through the unpaved streets, out of the
leather top, a seat on either side, a win-  gate of la Glorieta, and over the bridge
dow in front, and a door behind, it is the   del Mar, to the pleasant river-bank.
araba of the Orientals; or, if you will, an   Here, within sight of the picturesque
omnibus on two wheels, less the side win-  towers of Valencia's walls of tapia, you
dows. -No vehicle can well be conceived   pass up and down the long avenues, in
of, more ugly or inconvenient.  Only  one of a hundred carriages. The wilthe two persons sitting by the front win-  low's graceful tresses droop by the waydows have any chance of seeing or being   side; the tall pine spreads over head its
seen,-excepting such as may be con-  deep green foliage; the silver poplars
tented to sit by the door, and survey the   uncurl their leaves among the earliest of
world from behind. Of the half-a-dozen  the spring; the bamboo shoots up its
seats, therefore, the two forward ones  slender form; and the palm, bearing on
are the places of honor.  Here  are  its head the glory of a hundred seasons,
always placed the prettiest and most pre-  towers high above all.
sentable ladies of the party. The plainer  Or, leaving your carriage, you walk
or inferior personages occupy the places  through the beautiful grounds and garnext below; and by the door sit the do-  dens, between rose and lemon hedges,
mestics and duennas. In this cart the   beneath the fruit and flowers of the
city belles promenade daily on the Ala-  orange trees, mid beds of pinks and popmeda, and never at any faster gait than   pies,  mid geraniums, cactuses, and
a walk.                                 honeysuckles. Here, with the setting
But the Valencianas, if not fast, are  sun pouring its glowing rays into bower
fair. They sit half hid behind their cart  and arbor, gilding the city domes, turnwindows, and half concealed in their  ing the mountain tops to purple, and the
dark mantillas; but they never fail of   sea to gold,-how fair the scene of the
recognizing all their acquaintances, or of   Valencian promenade! A walk in this
showing themselves to all their admirers.  sylvan retreat, is very different from
From their convenient ambush, they let  going down Broadway a-shopping.
fly their tiny, but fatal shafts, right and  As to this New York alameda, -it has
left.  Their eyes are reckoned among   now  become to  such  a  degree  a
the most dangerous in all the Spains.  thoroughfare for business, that the most
They are, indeed, the fit portals of Love,  graceful lady cannot pass along it without
whence winged messengers fly out, bear-  having the air of walking for a bargain.
ing invisible torches to inflame men's   With one eye on the beaux, she has the
hearts.  In the terra caliente, hearts  other on the shop windows. She is eviburn like stubble in the fields. Before a   dently bent on spending her pin-money,
man's span of life has half run out, his   Her pockets are full of ribbons; and her
left breast is like an exhausted crater-a   boddice is stuffed-for aught you know
mere receptacle for ashes.  Nor even   -with  unpaid shop-keeper's bills. If
then-at least, if he comes to the Ala-  she passes you without notice, do not
meda-will the lovely cease from trou-   deem it a slight,-she is thinking of a
bling him. They will inflame his very   purchase of laces. If the smile of her
cinders. Kindled by a spark from their  greeting wear not its customary sweetvestal orbs, the merest ash-heap of a   ness-ten to one'tis not because you
bosom  glows like a furnace.  Nor is  have not called to pay your respects
there any relief in sighing; it only blows   within the last fortnight, but merely bethe fire. As for tears, they cannot be   cause a silk she had set her heart upon
shed in Spain-they are so hot, they   has been sold to another. A lady's face
pass off in vapors ere they get half the  in Broadway is no certain index to the
length of your nose. The only effectual  state of her affections, but is always liaremedy I ever heard of, is to run the   ble to change its expression with the
country, and even that will sometimes  fluctuations of the markets.
fail.                                    But the Valencian alameda has nothAs I was saying, the Alameda lies on  ing of the market-place about it, save its
the banks of the Turia. In the narrow   greetings.  The news of the day is told,
streets of the town-as closely packed  the pleasures of the evening are agreed




1854.]                        Cosas de Espania.                            523
upon. Here is society without ceremony,  wretched plight they have been reduced
and  entertainment without expense.  to before entering the arena, takes away
Within a few minutes' drive, there is a   well-nigh all the beholder's pity for them.
pleasant change of air. The town is left  Such hideous-looking brutes inight fight
behind, with its cares and confinernent;  till dooms(lay; and all Spanish eyes, at
and the country receives you to groves  least, woul(l retain their constitutional
and gardens. Beautiful Alameda! would   dryness. Should the contest last so long
that similar retreats could be planted   as a quarter of an hour, or more, there
in the neighborhood of our American   will be so much the more time for bettowns, where a lady might take her  ting; and at the end of it the duros will be
daily airing without being covered with  tossed across the pit, fiom loser to winthe dust of the streets, or having her  ner, astliickand fast as hailstones. There
sweet face clouded with cares financial.    are judges present, sitting in seats of
authority, to decide all nice points. But
the well-practised eyes of the audience
rarely make a mistake, and quickly deXIX.                    tect any attempt at foul play.  All is
COCK-FIGHTING AND PIGEON SHOOTING.   done decently and in order. The birds
are either killed outright, or are withIN Valencia, it is comme ii faut to go   drawn when disabled. In a drawn game
to the cock-pit. This is a handsome lit-  they are parted; and they are hooted out
tle theatre on the banks of the Turia,  of the pit when they decl'ne taking part
where, on two days in the week, parti-  in the performances.  This, however,
cularly if they happen to be saints' days,  rarely happens. For cocks in Spain are
the stranger may be entertained or dis-  always as mad as March hares.  They
gusted with this very Spanish amuse-   will fight, and crow, as long as they can
ment. Cock-fighting here is second only  stand, and often much longer than they
to bull-fighting, to which all things are   can see.  Poor things! their little life
second. It makes the blood run; and   was not given them to be thus sported
your Iberian is a lover of it, even though   away; they were made to have their
it be chicken's blood.                   heads cut off at a single blow. But'tis
Attached to the theatre is a large pen-  partly their own fault-if they will keep
nery, where clipped roosters are kept to  such dreadful tempers!
fighlt against each other, and all comers.  Whoever may not fancy going to the
The John Bulls are esteemed the most  cockfight, may go down to the dip of the
pugnacious; being fed on roast beef and   Turia, to witness the pigeon-shooting.
plum pudding, probably. There being'Tis more hutnane, and is done in no
no Yankees in the roost, the Britisher  theatre's walls, bult in the open face of
is warranted to lick any cocks, Christian   day. Of a holiday afternoon, all the
or Infidel, that may presume to crow at  world is there, looking on. The river's
him. He is understood to beat the Gal-  bed is dry and grassy; for it is only at a
lic cocks, out and out, except it be in crow-  season of unusual rains, that the slender
ing. His own neck he rarely deigns touse   mountain torrent rises sufficiently high
for this purpose on more than two occa-  to fill its banks. Here, below the bridge
sions, —first, when he goes into the ring,  del Mar, is a broad, open space, well
and last, when, having struck his anta-  suited to the game of el tiro de las pagonist the fatal blow, he goes out of it.   lomas.
The process of cock-fighting being a    The birds are thrown up into the air
feat at arms which has delighted every   by their owner, and whoever has a gun
boy who has ever seen a barn-yard,   and pesetas may have a shot at them.
needs no description. The only differ-   The person who has the privilege of firing
ence is, that what at the farm-house is  first, and has the advantage of a position
done according to nature, is done in the   nearest the thrower, pays a fee of a pesepit on scientific principles, and after the   ta, provided his shot proves a successful
rules laid down in the books.  The   one. In that case, he is also entitled to
champions must be duly and shockingly  the pigeon. If lie misses his mark, lie
clipped. Particularly, their tailfeathers  pays nothing and gets nothing. Theremust be cut off short. All their beautiful  upon, as many persons as choose to give
plumage must be sacrificed on the altar of  a couple of reals for the privilege of a
AMars, before they are deemed worthy to  shot, may fire as fast as they like, until
fight his battles. They are not even al-  the poor bird either falls or gets away.
lowedl combs, crowns, or top-knots. The   If killed, it belongs to the successful




524                        American D)espotisms.                       [Nov.
marlksman, and is brought in by small  gain to the owner, besides a life saved to
boys, aided by dogs, whose share of the  the poor bird.
sport is by no means the least. As half-    This game of pigeon-shooting is a favoa-dozen guns may be let off the same   rite diversion with the Valencians. The
moment, there is a judge present to de-  marksmen vie with each other in showcide all disputed claims among the sports-  ing their skill, and the best shot carries
men. His  interference, however, is  off a load of popular honors, besides birds
rarely necessary; for the boys, and even   enough to make a stew-pie. A holiday,
the dogs, seem always to know, as if by   at the same time, is made for hundreds,
instinct, to which one of the guns belongs  and even thousands, of spectators, who
the honor of the victory, and the prize.  cover the river-bed, the quays, and the
Most birds which get off out of the range  bridges.
of the guns in the bed of the river, are    So idle, so easily amused, are the
brought down by the peasants, who lie in  dwellers on these happy shores. With
wait under the neighboring trees, for  trifling toil, the earth yields them its inchance shots, and who are allowed to fire  crease. Their wants are few and simple.
at any fugitive coming within  their  They think not of the morrow. Grant
limits.  Occasionally, a fortunate pigeon  them, then, but an occasional pigeonsoars high in the air, above the reach of   shooting or a bull-fight, a procession of
all missiles, and, after describing a few   priests, or a parade of soldiers, the sight of
circles in mid-heaven, shapes its course to   a prince, or even of an elephant and monits well-remembered  home, on some   keys, and their happy, heedless hearts,
house-top in the city.'Tis so much clear  will want no more to render life a perpetual merry-making.
AMERICAN DESPOTISMS.
-IE remember, in crossing the British  such petty interferences with the rights
T Channel once, that we had taken   of men were permitted in our own dear?ith us an odd number of Punch, to   native land beyond the sea. A man, we
while away the tediousness of the passage.  said to ourselves proudly, may read what
On landing at Boulogne, it was crammed   he pleases there, never saying, "by your
into a side pocket, for safety, but the  leave," to any emperor, priest, or catchgendarme,  who  inspected  travellers'  poll of them  all.  The press is free,
luggage, seeing the paper, tore it into a   opinion is free, locomotion is free; and
thousand pieces before our face, looking  the wayfarer, though a stranger, may
as fierce as a pandoor all the time, and  think his own thoughts, say his own say,
repeating, " II est defendu, monsieur! it  and be happy, or miserable, as he likes,
is forbidden!"  It seemns that Punch had   without let or molestation  fiom  his
been in the habit of drawing a small  neighbors, or the government.  Hail
man with a big nose, which Louis Napo-  Columbia! we exclaimed, in a fit of paleon took for himself-this was before he  triotic enthusiasm; home of the exile,
ant.l Victoria shook hands and kissed —  asylum of the oppressed, refuge of the
and he avenged the indignity by exclud-  gagged and persecuted, etc., etc., etc.
ing Punch from the republic. Subse-   " Where the fiee spirit of mankind, at
quently, on entering Vienna, we had a  length, throws its last fetters off;" where
London Morning Chronicle sequestered   a boundless field is open for every seed
in the same manner because it contained   of truth to germinate; where an unlimisome account of the progress of Kossuth  ted career is proffered to the excursions
in the United States; and a friend of   of the mind; where no tyrant, no creed,
ours, not lng after, crossing the Po, from   no church lays its heavy interdict upon
Austrian Italy into the Estates of the  the growth of human thought!  Hail,
Church, had his Bible taken away,  thou latest born of Time; mighty in thy
though copies of Voltaire's Candide, and   youth; chainlessand unchained; "gleamByron's Don Juan, were left untouched  ing in the blaze of sunrise when earth is
in his carpet-bag.                     wrapped in gloom."  Oh, mayest thou
These were specimens of European  long be proud and worthy of thy gloridespotism, and we thanked God that no   ous dower!




1854.]                      American Despoltisnms.                         525
But calmer reflection taught us to  souls, if they do not canker their bodies.
inquire, after a line, whether our pa-   There are inquisitions of obloquy and
triotisin, taking the bit in its mouth, was  hatred which succeed to the inquisitions
not running away with our reason. Is   of the faggot and flame.  There is a
it true that there is no despotism  in   moral  coventry almost as humiliating
America?   Have  we no authorities,  and oppressive as the stern solitude of
which take the control of opinion, and   the dungeon. The spirit of bigotry may
assume to be infallible?  Are there no   survive the destruction  of its carnal
institutions, no tribunals, no self-consti-  weapons; despotism  may retain its intuted judges, which impose injurious re-  stincts, and give vigorous signs of vitastraints upon the freedom of thought?  lity, long after the sword shall'have
Have we extinguished the spirit and   been wrenched from its grasp; and the
habit of persecution along with its out-  fires will burn in the eyes of bigotry
ward symbols, the rack, the stake, the   when they have already ceased to burn
dungeon, and the prison-house?  We   upon its altars. For what is the essenanswered ourselves in this wise: We do  tial and distinctive characteristic of desnot, it must be confessed, resort to the   potism?  Not its outward instruments,
same compulsory methods against the   -its Bastiles, its gibbets, its bayonets,
human understandings, as obtained in  its knouts, and  its thumb-screwa,former ages, and still obtains in some   but its animating purpose. It is the discountries.  We do not stretch the limbs   position to suppress the free formation
of men on instruments of torture, be-  and publication of opinion, by other
cause they refuse to conform to this or  means than those by which the mind is
that standard in respect to the most in-  logically moved,-by other influences
comprehensible dogmas,-we do not pil-  than motives addressed to the underlory our poor De Foes, for the political  standing, the reason, and the better feelcrime of writing candidly on public af-  ings of the heart.  Wherever a man's
fairs, nor imprison our humble Bunyans   bread is taken away because he votes
foir proclaiming the gospel in the streets;  with this party or that, wherever he is
we do not bury our statesmen under the   denounced to public odium because of the
sea as they do in Naples,-we do not  heterodoxy of his honest sentiments,
banish our most illustrious artists and   wherever moral turpitude is imputed
poets, because they are liberals, to the  to him  on account of his speculative
wild swamps of Cayenne, as they do in  errors, wherever he is in terror of the
France,-all this must be confessed, and   mob on any account-wherever the init must be confessed, too, that these are   veteracy of public prejudice compels him
noble advantages to have achieved over  to remain silent altogether, or to live a
the spirit of intolerance.  We cannot  life of perpetual hypocrisy, wherever
too highly estimate their worth  and   his sincere conviction can not be disglory. They are priceless victories won   closed and promulged for fear of personal
fromn the old empire of darkness and in-  discomfiture and annoyance, wherever
tolerance.  They lift us into a security  even a limit is fixed to the progress of
and elevation which baffles for ever the   research, there despotism flourishles, with
malice of a whole infernal brood of ser-  Inore or less strength, —and only needs
pents, who may now hiss about the rock  the concurrence of circumnstances to be
of our retreat, but cannot sting us to   nursed into muscular violence and fury.
death. Their fangs are extracted, and the  Now, as we have said, it seems to us
poison-bags, with which their malignant  that, tried by this te4r, we have despotheads are still sometimes swollen, serve   isms in the United States, just as they
only to inflict themselves when they   have elsewhere, and, that with all our
distend with a disarmed and impotent  advances in liberality of which we justly
rage.                                    boast, we come sllort in practice of tile
Yet, if the advanced civilization of our  brilliant id,'l of otur institutions.  We
age and country rejects the grosser ap-  have not attained to a genuine and uniplications of force by wlicll opinion was   versal liberty, —(we will not say tolewont to be controlled, there are others,  rance, because that word is bolrowed
it seems to us, which are not enrtirely  fromn an age when freedoln was suplosed
di.c,)ntinued.  A less barbarotls, a more  to be a boon and not a right) —and we
refined tyranny is still compatible with  fail not in one or two, but in mnany resthe general sense of propriety and jus-   pects. 1im the C(Jhurch, in the State, in
tice. There are chains whichl mene forge   thie popular audlitorium, and in the mnore
for their fellows, which fret and cut their  private relations of society, we surround




526                         American Despotisms.                           [Nov.
oulrselves with  needless barriers, we    "This is the book where each his dogma seeks,
build walls of separation between our-      And this the book where each his dogma finds,"*
selves and the great realms of intelli-   -we must still suppose, that a revelation
gence yet unexplored, and we paralyze   from  the Infinite will contain infinite
those intellectual energies which are  resources of truth.  Neither its alleged
our only instruments for exploiing them,  origin, which is from  the perfect God,
the only tools for working the golden   nor its alleged destiny, which is the final
mines of truth.                           redemption of mankind from error, will
In the first place, we cannot but con-   allow  us for a moment to treat it as
sider a large number of our ecclesiastical  an ordinary message, soon told and as
organizations as so many restraints upon   speedily comprehended.  It must conthe freedom of the mind. Founded upon   ceal inexhaustible riches, or not be what
creeds which admit of no possibility of   it purports; while to suppose it to be
truth beyond their own formulas, they   what it purports, and yet to attempt to
discourage inquiry in the largest and   inclose its treasures in the frail and
nmost important domains of thought. We   rickety caskets of words which men
agree with Kant, the great German philo-   devise, is an enterprise for pouring the
sopher, who, in one of his valuable minor   ocean into a- quart-pot, or for bottling
writings, discussing the question whether   the air of the whole heavens in one's
any association is justified in binding   private cellar.  Nor is the attempt less
itself to certain immutable articles of   pernicious than:it is absurd: for it erects
faith, in order to exercise a perpetual   each little  consistory into a separate
and supreme guardianship over its mem-   popedom, issuing its infallible decrees
bers, and indirectly througA them  over   and denouncing  its interdicts with all
the people, contends that a compact of   the arrogance of its Roman prototype.
this kind, entered into, not as a simple   As an inevitable consequence, two things
bond of union for the interchange of   result justly, that the supreme control
common sentiments, but with a view to   of the religious sentiment of nations
conclude the human race from  further  falls into the hands of the priesthood,
enlightenment, is a crime against hu-   who are conservative by position and
inanity, whose highest destination con-  training,-and, secondly, that the enersists emphatically in  intellectual pro-   gies of the churches are absorbed in congress.  "A combination," says he, "to  troversy or sectarian propagation, at thel
maintain an unalterable religious system,  expense of a free and earnest inquiry
which no man is permitted to call in   after new truth, and the culture of gedoubt, would, even for the term  of one   nial hopeful feelings. The history of our
man's life, be wholly intolerable.  It   American sects, for instance, is an almost
would be, as it were, to blot out one   unbroken record of fierce and bigoted
generation in the progress of the human   disputes.  New England has been a kind
species towards a better condition; to   of theological Golgotha, and the fields
render it barren and hence noxious to   are covered with battered skulls.  The
posterity."   This conduct, in the reli-  clergy have been the ruling powers, too,
gious world, proceeds upon the assump-  not only there but everywhere; and the
tion that our knowledge of divine things   people have dared to laugh only with
cannot advance like our knowledge of   the consent of the deacons.  We are
natural things: that the first investiga-   aware that this aspect of things has miators of the Scriptures exhausted their  terially changed of late years; we know,
contents, and that nothing is left for   also, what inappreciable  services tile
those that come after them, but, as   churches have otherwise rendered to
Johnson says of the followers of Shakes-  society; but we must not forget, in the
peare, to new-name their characters and   midst of our ready gratitude for these,
repeat their phrases.   But does this   how many of them  by means of their
view  do justice to the "ocred word?   creeds, and the terrors of their excomGranting that its leading principles may   munications, as well as the power of
be easily discerned, —a thing difficult to  their social influences, —still hang as an
grant in the face of two hundred con-  incubus upon the minds and consciences
flicting sects, each of which finds its   of their adherents.   Nor upon them
support and nutriment in  the same   alone, but many others-even those who
pages; for, as Sir William  Hamilton is  do not professedly wear their colors.
fond of quoting,                          They too often terrify the ardent refor* " Hic liber est in quo quierit sua dogmata quisque
Invenit, et pariter dogmata quisque sua."




1854.]                       American Despotisms.                            527
mer, whose bright hopes they change   into power.  There are tribes in Africa,
by the magic of fear into dread spectres;   which sacrifice a hundred or two of men
they too often arrest the uplifted arm of   every time a new prince ascends the
science when it would strike fiorom the   throne; but then they confine the imrock or open out from the bowels of the   molation to the leaders only of their eneearth some precious fountain of use;-    minies; our whigs and democrats, less
and they too often array themselves on   discriminating than the Africans, on the
the side of effete traditions and mouldy   occasion  of their advent to  power,
abuses, when they should be pressing   butcher all the opposing chiefs, and all
forward under the ever-living inspira-  the subordinate functionaries, down to
tions of hope and freedom. It is said  the drill-sergeant or the sutler.  Like
that Justinian, when he had completed   William the Normlan, when he conquered
the compilation of his Institutes, issued   England, they distribute all the lands,
a decree that no comment should be   and messuages of the vanquished, to their
written upon  them, which aimed at   own set. A regular Domesday-book is
more than a sketch of their contents or   opened, and the fiefs and holdings are
a transcription of their titles;-well, the   parcelled out with a coolness of effrontery,
sects are apt to copy this imperial and   which almost persuades us that the perarbitrary  example, —they  impose on   petrators of the outrage are unconscious
others, as exclusively right and authorita-   of its monstrous meanness.  It is an intive, their own slender selections out of   justice which, however, works the usual
the vast complexity of truths, the few    effects of despotism. It degrades the chapearls they have fished out of the mea-   racter of all who are concerned in it; reducsureless sea, fancying  that they have   ing political life into the sheerest scramble
banished error, when they have only ex-  for spoils, and bringing the suspicion of
tinguished the independence of thought.   mercenariness upon every man who takes
Indeed-, it is scarcely too much to say, ap-   office. In either aspect, the practice is
propriating the figure of Mirabeapu, where   signally disastrous.  By debasing  the
he compares truth to the statue of Isis,  standard of official eligibility, it places in
covered by many veils, that they teach   high position men of corrupting and pertheir followers to  lift a single one,  nicious example, and  by relaxing the
whilst they fling their clubs and battle-  tone of public controversy, it saps and
axes at the heads of all who would re-   undermines the private integrity of the
move the others.  "Procul, oh! procul,  people.  No service which government
esti Profani! " rings the chorus, and the   renders to society is more  important
poor audacious " infidel"-as every dis-  than its influence in preserving a sense of
sentient is sure to be called,-is handed   the general good as superior to indiviover to an everlasting contempt.  Now,  dual interests. Indeed, this may be rewhat chance truth has in such a hubbub   garded as one of its finest functions-the
it is needless to say.                    education of the masses, into a percepWe recognize, secondly, an oppressive   tion of the supremacy of the general
exercise of despotic power, in the conduct  over particular ends.  Our natural imof political parties, both in respect to the   pulses, our family ties, our necessities of
violence, and bitterness of their hatreds,  business, tend perpetually towards the
and the relentless proscriptions which   development of a selfish egotism, which
crown their victories.  The former is,  our participation in public affairs tends
perhaps, not to be avoided in the present  as perpetually to counteract.  But, if
imperfect state of enlightenment, and   that participation, instead of being aniChristianity; but the second is wholly   mated by a sense of devotion to the pubindefensible anywhere, and especially in  lic good, is converted into an intense
a republican society. The primary, essen-   struggle for the accomplishment of inditial, distinctive right of man, in a free   vidual purposes, we lose one of the most
state, which rests upon popular choice, is  salutary restrait.s, one of the noblest inthe right of election, and to assail that   spirations of the civilized state. We reright, by direct or indirect means, by   solve society into what Hobbs contended
force of arms, or the abstraction of one's   was its original condition —a state of
subsistence, is treason against the funda-   war.  We confirm the multitude in their
mental principles of democracy-le/se ma-  narrow  and low  ambitions; and we
jeste done to the people.  Yet, every   restrict their actions to the petty circle
one of our political parties justify them-   of their own private and individual conselves in a wholesale political slaughter   cerns. Again; the examples of really
of their opponents, whenever they come   great statesmen are among the Inost pre



528                         American Despotisms.                         [Nov.
cious and indestructible inheritances of   fulness of the public mind over public
a nation.  No matter how  great their  interest, and the chronic tendency to
services in averting dangers froIn the   rectify abuses or to avert evil by the
commonwealth, or in achiieving advan-  instant insurrection of opinion, but the
tages for it, by the direct exercise of   excessive resentment of that opinion
their faculties, these cannotbe compared   when provoked.  It is that unwillingwith their indirect utility, in presenting   ness to be corrected which makes it
to thie people a high, manly, dignified,  rather a prejudice than an opinion,and heroic ideal of devotion to the pub-  that tenacity with which it clings to its
lic weal. Their life-long abnegation of   customary formulas, —and the severity
self; their cautious wisdom; their mode-  with which it often resists even tlhe
ration of temper; the spectacle of their  slightest departures from  themn.  We
constant preference (,f a broad and ulti-  comnplain of it because it erects the mamate good to local expedients and tem-   jority into an idol, a monarch, a tyrant,
polal triumnphs, habituate the general' and begets a deference to it which is almind to the contemplation of lofty ends,  most as bad as any savage superstition or
and models of excellence in conduct.  loyal sycophancy. It weakens the very
Thus, the characters of Washington, of   springs of character in men, and then
Franklin, of Marshall, of Madison, etc.,  lords it over their weakness with an
are infinitely more valuable to us Ameri-  irresponsible  violence  and   outrage.
cans than the immediate effects of any   Take, for instance, the pro-slavery senbattles they may have won in the field, or  timent of this country as it prevailed a
the forurn, because they have filled our  few years ago,-how arbitrary, ferocious,
histo)ries with pictures of a disinterested'and overwhelming it was! Not merely
virtue. But are such characters possible  in the South, where the vast interests
in public life, when that life is no longer  involved and the peace and security of
a contest of great minds for great ends,  society itself justify an extraordinary
but a pot-house squabble-when the des-  sensitiveness towards all impertinent
potism of party machinery excludes from   interference, but throughout the nation,
public service every man  who is not  where no such exigencies of danger can
sufficiently base to stoop to its arts, and   be alleged. In the most secluded disto roll in its ordure?  Dowe not, by our  tricts of New England even, where a
party intolerance, by the proscriptions   black slave was never seen, and thouwhich tread upon the heels of every suc-  sands of miles away from where they
cess, rob the community of a twofold  are, the expression of anti-slavery views
guaranty of its progress, of the services   has been almost a courting of martyrof its best men, and of a high moral tone   dom. The feeling dominated tlhe church,
of public sentiment?                     the senate, tle popular assembly, and
But this leads us to the third species  the private  saloon.   Let a preacher
of despotism  which we think it impor-  plead the cause of the negroes, and his
taut to note, and which, instigated by   salary was stopped; let a newspaper
the bad examples of both church and   attempt the discussion of the subject,
state, may be described as that of popu-  and it lost its subscribers; let a reprelar opinion.  We do not agree with  sentative broach it in Congress, and he
those foreign writers who represent the   was gagged and excluded from the Cmtyranny of the majority in this country   mittees, or politely invited to fight a
as absolutely terrific: they have exagge-  duel. Public meetings called to consider
rated its effects; but their criticisms are  it were dispersed by thle mob; petitions
not without a tincture of truth.  Comn-  to the Federal Legislature  against it
pared with the older nations, there is a   were indignantly tramipled under foot;
larger freedom of opinion, on most sub-  the United States mails were feloniously
jects, in this country, than anywhere  invaded in its behlalt,-while the agents
else on the globe,-but, compared with   of anti-slavery societies were coated awith
our own stan(lards, or the ideals of our  tar and feathers, or mutilated, or hung
institutions, we are on manifold sub-  upon a tree.  It is trule that all this has
jects lamentably deficient.  It is natural  been since changed, but by means of
in a society whose stability depenlds as  what sufferings, what struggles, what
much upon opinion as upon law, and   strenuous atid long-co)ntinlued comnbats!
more upon opinion  than  force, that  Even at this time, thle pro-slavery sentiopinion, like other powers, should occa-  ment is so largely int the ascendattt, that
sionally play the despot; but wthat we   no man of the most moderate anticomplain of is not the habitual watch-  slavery convictions can hold office under




1854.]                      American Despotisms.                           529
the Federal Government,-though that  proved the contrary of both. It has
government represents, or ought to re-  shown how  the virulence of prejudice
present, not a faction or a locality, but  soon runs into lynchings and mob-law,
the whole people.                        whence its peculiar dangers; and it has
De Tocqueville makes it an accusation   shown, at the same time, by the reacagainst democratic societies, that they   tions of the last few years, how effecsubstitute a many-headed tyranny for  tively the most overbearing majorities
that of a single man or of a single class,  may be resisted.   Yet, as we have
and the history of the anti-slavery contro-  already acknowledged, there is a basis
versy in this country, to our shame be   of truth in De Tocqueville's animated
it said, forces us to confess that, in this  charges, as might be amply demonstrated
respect at least, his remarks are well  from  the long, arrogant, insulting, and
grounded.  "Fetters and headsmen," lie  rancorous preponderance of the proexclaims, " were the coarse instruments  slavery sentiment.
which tyranny formerly employed; but' But, this sentiment has grown out of
the civilization of our age has refined the  the existence of slavery itself, the last
arts of despotism, which seemed, how-  kind of despotism  to which we shall.
ever, to be sufficiently protected before;  allude. It is needless to remark upon
the excesses of monarchical power have  its character as such, beyond the statedevised  a variety of physical means  ment of the simple fact that four milof oppression; the democratic republics  lions of human beings are held as proof the present day have rendered it as  perty, a fact settling that point with an
entirely an affair of the mind, as that  emphasis. From its very nature, it is a
will wlich it is intended  to coerce.  despotism of force, of law, and of opinion
Under the absolute sway of an individual  comrnbined,-partially mitigated in pracdespot, the body was attacked in order  tice by humane personal considerations,
to subdue the soul; and the soul escaped   but in theory absolute.  It is administhe blows which were directed against  tered, for the most part, by the whip; it
it, and rose superior to the attempt; but  is sanctioned by legislation; and it adsuch is not the course adopted by the   mits of no scrutiny or discussion.  The
tyranny in democratic republics; there   master and the slave, therefore, are
the body is left fr'ee and the soul is en-  alike dominated by the system. All that
slavedl. The sovereign can no longer  can be said of it, in the regions where it
say, " You shall think as I do on pain of   prevails, even by those most deeply indeath," but he says, " You are free to  terested in its results, must be said in its
think differently from  me and retain  favor, on pain of peremptory banishment
your life, your property, and all that you   or assassination.  Indeed the illusions
possess; but if such be your determina-  as to its benefits and the sensitiveness as
tion, you are henceforth an alien amongst  to its dangers, are both so extreme, that
your people: you may retain your civil  many a slaveholder allows himself to
righlts, but they will be useless to you,  read no book nor to hear any conversafor you will never be chosen by your  tion in which his positive, unqualified,
fellow-citizens, if you solicit their suffra-  eternal right is disputed. What a pitiable
ges; and they will affect to scorn you   and insane extravagance! And, if he
if vou solicit their esteem.  You will  were consistent, to what a total intellecremain among men, but you will be de-  tual solitude would he be reduced, in the
prived of the rights of mankind. Your  present state of the civilized world. He
fellow-citizens will shun you like an im-  would cut himself off from all the literapure being; and those who are most  ture, and science, and politics otf mankind.
persuaded of your innocence will aban-  He could read no magazine, foreign or
don you too, lest they should be shunned   domestic: the best works of genius would
in their turn.  Go in peace! I have   be closed to him; the investigations of
given you your life, but it is an existence   science seem infectious; and the debates
incomp)arably worse than death." There   of Congress intolerable. In fact there
are, however, two fallacies in this,-    would be no recourse for the class who
first, in supposing that the social pro-  institute this moral quarantine, but to
scription alluded to could subsist with-  imitate the habits of the ciligo, as it is
out passing over into muscular violence,  described by Sydney Smith, where he
and, second, in the implication that the   says that each one sets up its separate
soul is less likely to, rise superior to   ulcer, and has his own private poriion of
mloral than  to  physical persecutions.  pus. One would suppose that tinder the
The experience  of this country has  tremendous responsibilities of its condi



530.                        American Despotisms.                        LN ov.
tion, and the embarrassing perplexity   with the vast extent and variety of huof the problem  it is called to solve,   man error, the more. distrustful we grow
it would welcome every honest sugges-   of the authenticity and correctness of
tion likely to  throw  light upon the   our own decisions. Yet, in the midst ot
case, and even court that collision of   the almost overwhelming, multiplicity of
opinion out of which the truth is gradu-   crude and preposterous speculations, in
ally struck. But it does no such thing:   the wild chaos of conflicting  beliefs
it repels every approach as an insolence   which storm around us, we do discover
and an invasion  of its rights: and   that the general mind is slowly elirninatblindly surrenders itself to the darkness  ing one truth  after another; the iinof fate. It is fortunate that all slave-   mense laboratory of seething and ferholders are not of the same temper, that   menting thought is ever turning up some
there are men among them  too liberal  valuable and brilliant product; and keen
and intelligent to fall into such unreason-  research and grappling argument securo
ing bigotry, who, on the contrary, study   us substantial conquests from tile realms
with an intense solicitude the bearings   of ancient Night. Discussion-free, open,
of their social structure, and eagerly   manly, patient discussion-is the key
seize upon every view of it which may   which opens the treasure-chambers of
afford them hope for the future. It is  nature and revelation, and the deep huto them that we look for the wise man-   man soul. Like the cradles of the Caliagement of their fearful trusts, and the   fornians, it sifts the golden metal from
eventual extinction of what they must  the common filth and dust. Summoning
confess to be a most undesirable rela-   every variety of intellectual instruments
tion.  They are as yet sadly overborne   to its aid, contemplating things in all
by the pressure of opinions instigated by   their aspects, exposing falsehood, detectinterest, but will soon acquire a strength  ing fraud, baffling selfishness, overwhelmwhich will place the control of events  ing ignorance, and rectifying hallucinain their hands.                          tion, it opens the way for the slow but
Now, in respect to the several forms   majestic and beneficent march of the
of despotism which we have briefly enu-   human intellect towards the mastery of
merated, we shall not dwell upon their  the world.
radical inconsistency with the life and    No sensible man will now dispute the
spirit our entire polity; for this consider-   gigantic advances which  the civilized
ation is too obvious to require pressing.  races have made in the various departNor is there any occasion, now, to show   ments of  mathematical and physical
the inherent weakness of any cause, or  science, since they were commlitted to the
position, whlich shrinks from the fullest  hands of free inquirers, nor wish to reand fairest examination.  But we can-   vert to those political institutions and
not forbear remarking upon the deep   religious scruples by which their proand abiding injury which every man,  gress was so long fettered. But itwould
w'ho is unwilling to bring his actions or   be no less absurd to despair of the speedy
his sentiments to the test of scrutiny,  success of the moral and political sciences,
does to himself, and the rest of mankind.  once emancipated from the despotisms
He shuts himself and society out from    by which they are checked. The very
the only means of correcting error and   triumphs of the former sciences are a
attaining knowledge.  We know of no   ground of hope for the rapid and extenmethod of arriving at the true relations   sive improvement of the latter, when
of a subject, but the frank and candid  these shall have adopted the methods,
discussion of it in every aspect. The   and be prosecuted in the spirit of those.
time is past for believing in the existence   "The practice of rejecting mere gratuiof any infallible authority, whether pope   tous hypotheses," says the able author of
or king, whose decrees are to be consi-  "The Letters of an Egyntian Kafir," " ot
dered the final arbitrament of truth.  demanding facts, of requiring every step
There is no class or rank of men to   of reasoning to be clearly exhibited, of
whom we may look for a fixed and irre-  looking with perfect precision to the use
vocable standard of what it is right to   of terms, of discarding rhetorical illuthink or proper to do.  Our individual  sions, and mere phrases, of scouting prejudgments are contracted, uncertain,  tensions to  infallibility, or exemption
warped by prejudices; and the more  from rigorous scrutiny, are all required
profoundly we have penetrated into the   as indispensable in physical research, but
complex problems of life which solicit  cannot possibly be confined to the desolution, the more familiar we become   partment of material philosophy.  They




1854.]                      American Despotisms.                           531
will necessarily be extended to moral in-  men of a nation, are among its best inquiries; and, supposing that, in conse-  structors, and that they feebly discharge
quence of social proscription, or priestly  their function, if they are not free to
or political tyranny, these latter subjects  utter their wisest thoughts, their most
were totally abandoned, received no di-  beautiful inspirations, on every subject
rect examination, were exposed to no   which concerns the interests, the sensibidiscussion for even a long period, were  lities, and the hopes of our humanity.
withheld (if we can conceive it possible),  Whether they pour forth their sense of
from the very thoughts of men, for half a   beauty, grace and gentleness in strains
century, yet the influence of physical  of poetry, or enlarge our knowledge of
investigation upon them  could not, in   man in  sketches of travel, or bring
the end, be prevented.  All the correct  nearer to us the countless charms of our
principles of reasoning, all the improved  landscapes by natural descriptions, or
methods of research, all the habits. of   help us to a clearer conception of great
comparison and discrimination, all the   characters in biographic notices, or lift
love of truth, which the pursuit of any   the disposition into  cheerfulness and
science has a tendency to establish or  buoyancy by outgushings of humor, or
engender, all the impatience of vagueness,  refine our views of life and happiness by
and obscurity, and assumption, which  ideal portraitures, or snub pretension,
the prosecution of inquiry superinduces   and arrogance, and folly, by caustic satire,
in the spirit of men, would gather round   or unfold  the magnificent vistas of
the prohibited subjects, ready, like hun-  science, or canvass the movements of
gry lions, to rush on what they hlad been   parties and the measures of government
withheld from, by the bars, and chains,  in the light of great general principles,and bolts of social or political despotism."  they still belong to that higher priestWith the frequent admonitions of that  hood, whose ministrations emancipate
paragraph, which we commend to all in   us from the care and littleness of daily
the United- States, who wish to obstruct  life, who enkindle in us the love of the
the advances of opinion, on any subject,  loveliest things, who reveal the depths
we dismniss- our theme.                  of our spirits, and " whose voices come
Before quitting it entirely, however,  down from the kingdomn of God."  But
let us add that we have been drawn to  in order to the true manifestation of this
it by criticisms that we have seen, from   exalted character, a. free scope must be
time to time, passed upon the conduct  given to the action of their genius; and
of this magazine. A feeling of surprise  such we trust they will ever find in the
has sometimes been expressed that we   pages of this Monthly.
should mingle with our lighter entertain-  Figaro said that he once conceived
ments, grave and thoughtful considera-  the project of setting up a journal, and
tions: of the leading political, social,  that when he applied to the governscientific and  religious topics of the   ment for the necessary permit, they ac.
day.. But, surely they who express that  cepted his scheme with the warmest apfeeling can neither have studied our  plause. "It will be a capital, excellent
course from  the beginning, nor have  thing," said they; "and provided you
thoroughly digested in their own minds  never touch upon religion, nor politics,
the proper aims and duties of a first-class   nor private society, nor the affairs of the
periodical. It was never our intention   opera, and submit each article to the
to issue a monthly exclusively for the   decision of three censors, it shall receive
milliners; we had no ambition to insti-  our heartiest concurrence!"
tute a monopoly manufacture of love-       Whereupon, adds Figaro, "finding
tales and sing-song verses; and, if we   that the best name for it would be Le
had, we should have despaired of success  Journal Inutile, I concluded to drop
amid  the  brilliant successes already   the enterprise."  As for ourselves, we
achieved in that line.  No  we had   have no desire to publish a "useless
other conceptions of the variety, the   journal," and if we cannot "say our
importance, the dignity, and the destiny   say" of what is passing, or, if we must
of literature. Our thought, in establish-   cultivate the wonderful art by which
ing this enterprise, was, and it still is,  politicians  talk for a month without
that literature is the full and free expres-  saying anything, we shall imitate the
sion of the nation's mind, not in belles-  discretion of Figaro, and hasten to other
lettres alone, nor in art alone, nor in  fields, and leave journalism  for those
science alone, but in all these, combined   who either have no opinions of their
with politics and religion. It seemed to   own, or have the amiability to say one
us, that the cultivated men, the literary  thing while they think another.




532                                                                      [Nov.
BATHING AND BODIES.
A DISSERTATION.
No swan-soft woman, rubbed with lucid oils,
The gift of an enamored god, more fair."
BROWNING.
WE shall not set out fromt Damascus   mere idle curiosity, and him  who has
— we shall not leave the Pearl of  tasted its delight and holds it in dlue
the Orient to glimmer through the seas   honor. Only the latter is permitted to
of foliage wherein it lies buried-with-   know  all its mysteries. The former is
out consecrating a day to the Bath,   carelessly hurried through the ordinary
that material agent of peace and good-  forms of bathing, and, if any trace of the
will unto men. We have bathed in the   cockney remain in him, is quite as likely
Jordan, like Naaman, and been made   to  be disgusted  as pleased.  Again,
clean; let us now  see whether Abana  there are many second and third-rate
and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, are   baths, whither cheating dragomen conbetter than the waters of Israel.        duct their victims, in consideration of a
The Bath is the "peculiar institution"   division of the spoils with the bathof the East. Coffee has become colo-  keeper. Hence it is, that the Bath has
nized in France and America; the Pipe   received but partial justice at the hands
is a cosmopolite, and his blue, joyous   of tourists in the East.  If any one
breath congeals under the Arctic Circle,  doubts this, let him clothe himself with
or melts languidly into the soft air of the   Oriental passiveness and resignation, go
Polynesian Isles; but the Bath, that  to the Hamman el-Khyateen, at Damassensuous elysium  which  cradled the   cus, or the bath of Mahmoud Pasha, at
dreams of Plato, and the visions of Zo-   Constantinople, and demand that he be
roaster, and the solemn meditations of  perfectly bathed.
Mahoinet, is only to be found under an     Come with me, and I will show  you
Oriental sky. The naked natives of the   the mysteries of the perfect bath. Here
torrid zone are amphibious; they do  is the entrance, a heavy Saracenic arch,
not bathe, they live in the water. The   opening upon the crowded bazaar.  We
European  and  Anglo-American wash   descend a few steps to the marble pavethelmselves, and think they have bathed;  ment of a lofty octagonal hall, lighted
they sh!udder under cold showers and   by a dome. There is a jet of sparkling
pero)rln  laborious antics with coarse   water in the centre, falling into a heavy
towels. As for the Hydropathist-the   store basin. A platform about five feet
Genius of the Bath, whose dwelling is  in height runs around the hall, and on
in Darmascus, would be convulsed with  this are ranged a number of narrow
scornful laughter, could he behold that  couchtes, with their heads to the owall,
aqueous Diogenes sitting in his tub, or  like the pallets in a hospital ward. The
stretclhed out in his wet wrappings, like   platform is covered with straw matting,
a sodden mnummny, in a catacomb of  and from  the wooden gallery which
blankets and feather beds. As the rose  rises above it are suspended towels,
in the East has a rarer perfume than in   with blue and crimson borders.  The
other lands, so does the Bath bestow a   master of the bath receives us courtesuperior purification and impart a more   ously, and conducts us to one of the
proto;und enjoyment.                    vacant couches. We kick off our red
Listen not unto the lanrmentations of  slippers below, and mount the steps to
travellers, who cornmplin of the heat,  the platform.   Yonder traveller, in
an(l the steam, and the dislocation of  Frank dress, who has just entered, goes
their joints.  They belong to the stiff-  up with his boots on, and we know,
ne(.ked generatio,n, who lesist the pro-  from that fact, what sort of a bath he
cesses, whereunto the Oriental yields   will get.
himself body  and soul.  liHe wh(, is     As the work of disrobing proceeds, a
batllled in Dalllascus, must be as clay in   dark-eyed boy appears with a napkin,
the 1indls of a potter.  Thle Syrians   which lie holds before us, ready to bind
m:Mtvel how the Franks can walk, so  it about the waist, as soion as we regain
difficult is it to bemd theirt joints. More-  our primitive form. Another attendant
over, they know the differenlce between  throws a napkin over our shoulders and
hiln who comes to the Bath out of a   wraps a third around our head, turban




1854.]                       Bathing  and Bodies.                          533
wise. He then thrusts a pair of wooden   attendant will exclaim, as he shakes out
clogs upon our feet, and, taking us by   his hair-gloves: "O Frank! it is a long
the arm, steadies our tottering and clat-  time since you have bathed."  The other
tering steps, as we pass through a low   arm  follows, the back, the breast, the
door and a warm ante-chamber into the   legs, until the work is complete, and we
first hall of the bath. The light, falling   know precisely how a horse feels after
dimly through a cluster of bulls'-eyes in   he has been curried.
the domed ceiling, shows, first, a silver  Now the attendant turns two cocks at
thread of water, playing in a steamy at-  the back of the alcove, and holding a
inosphere; next, some dark motionless   basin alternately under the cold and hot
objects, stretched out on a low central  streams, floods us at first with a fiery
plattbrm  of marble.   The attendant  dash, that sends a delicious warm shiver
spreads a linen sheet in one of the   through every nerve; then, with milder
vacant places, places a pillow  at one   applications, lessening the temperature
end, takes off our clogs, deposits us   of the water by selni-tones, until, from
gently on our back, and leaves us. The  the highest key of heat which we can
pavemnent is warm beneath us, and the   bear, we glide rapturously down the
first breath we draw gives us a sense of  gamut until we reach the lowest bass of
suffocation.  But a bit of burning aloe-  coolness. The skin has by this time atwood has just been carried through the   tained an exquisite sensibility, and anhall, and the steam  is permeated with  swers to these changes of temperature
fragrance.  The dark-eyed boy appears   with thrills of the purest physical pleaswith a narghileh, which he places be-  ure. In fact, the whole frame seens
side us, offering the amber mouth-piece   purged of its earthy nature and transto our submlissive lips. The smoke we   formed into something of a finer and
inhale has an odor of roses; and as the   more delicate texture.
pipe'bubbles with our breathing, we       After a pause,: the attendant makes
feel that the dews of sweat gather  his appearance with a large wooden bowl,
heavily upon us. The attendant now   a piece of soap, and a bunch of palm
reappears, kneels beside us, and gently  fibres. He squats down beside the bowl,
kneads us with dexterous hands. Al-  and speedily creates a mass of snowy
though no anatomist, he knows every  lather, which grows up to a pyramid
muscle and sinew whose suppleness gives   and topples over the edge. Seizing us
ease to the body, and so moulds and   by the crown-tuft of hair upon our shamanipulates them  that we lose the   ven head, he plants the foamy bunch of
rigidity of our Imechanism  and become   fibres full in our face. The world vanplastic in his hands. He turns us upon   ishes; sight, hearing, smell, taste (unless
our' face, repeats the same process upon   we open our mouth), and breathing, are
the back, and leaves us a little longer to  cut off; we have become nebulous. Allie there passively, glistening in our own   though our eyes are shut, we seem to see
dew.                                    a blank whiteness; and, feeling nothing
We are aroused firom a reverie about  but a soft fleeciness, we doubt whether
nothing by a dark-brown shape, who re-  we be not the Olympian cloud whllich
places the clog<, puts hlis arm around our  visited Io. But the cloud clears away
waist and leads us into an inner hall,  before strangulation begins, and the velwith a steaming tank  in the centre.  vety mass descends upon the body.
Here hle slilps us off the brink, and we   Twice we are thus "slushed" from head
collapse over head and ears in the fiery  to foot, and tmmade more slippery than
fluid. Once-twice —we dip  into the   the  anointed wrestlers of the Greek
delicious hleat, and then are led into a   games. Then the basin  comes again
marble alcove, and seated flat upon the  into play, and we glide once more mufloor. The attendant stands behind us,  sically through the scale of temperaand we now perceive that his hands are  ture.
encased in dan'k hair-gloves. He poun-     The brown sculptor hlas now nearly
ces upon an arm, which lhe rubs until,  completed his task.  The figure of clay
like a serpent, we slough thie worn-out  which entered the bath is transformed
skin, an(l resume our infantile smooth-  into polihlied marble. He turns the
nes and fairness. No mamn canl be called   body froin side to side, and lifts the limbs
clean, until he has bathed in the East.  to see whether the workmanship is adeLet Mhim walk directly from his accus-  quate to his conception. His satisfied
tomed bath and self-frictiomn with towels  gaze proclaims his success. A  skilful
to the Hlammam-el-Khjyate~n, and the   bath-attendant has a certain  esthetic




634                         Bathing and Bodies.                        [Nov.
pleasure in his occupation. The bodies  feridjee, that she has allowed the veil to
he polishes become to some extent his  drop by a skilful accident, as she passed,
own workmanship, and he feels respon-  and has startled me with the vision of
sible for their symmetry or deformity.  her beauty, recalling the line of the PerHe experiences a degree of triumph in  sian poet: "' Astonishment! is this the
contemplating a beautiful form, which   dawn of the glorious sun, or is it the
has grown more airily light and beauti-  full moon?"  The Circassian face is a
ful under his hands. He is a great con-  pure oval; the forehead is low and fair,
noisseur of bodies, and could pick you   " an excellent thing in woman," and the
out the finest specimens with as ready   skin of an ivory whiteness, except the
an eye as an artist.                   faint pink of the cheeks, and the ripe,
I envy those old Greek bathers, into  roseate stain of the lips. The hair is
whose hands were delivered Pericles,  dark, glossy, and luxuriant, exquisitely
and Alcibiades, and the perfect models  outlined on the temples; the eyebrows
of Phidias. They had daily before their  slightly arched, and drawn with a delieyes the highest types of beauty which   cate pencil; while lashes, like "rays of
the world has ever produced; for of all  darkness," shade the large, dark, humid
things that are beautiful, the human   orbs below them. The alabaster of the
body is the crown. Now, since the de-  face, so pure as scarcely to show the
lusion of artists has been overthrown,  blue branching of the veins on the ternand we know that Gre6ian Art is but  pies, is lighted by those superb eyesthe simple reflex of Nature-that the   "Shining eyes, like antique jewels set in Parian
old masterpieces of sculpture were no       statue-stone,"
miraculous embodiments of a beau ideal,
but copies of living forms-we must ad-  -whose wells are so dark and deep, that
mit that in no other age of the world  you are cheated into the belief that a
has the physical Man been so perfectly  glorious soul looks out of them.
developed. The nearest approach I have    Once, by an unforeseen chance, I beever seen to the symmetry of ancient  held the Circassian form in its most beausculpture was among the Arab tribes of   tiful development. I was on board an
Ethiopia. Our Saxon race can supply   Austrian  steamer in  the  harbor of
the athlete, but not the Apollo.       Smyrna, when the harem of a Turkish
Oriental life is too full of repose, and   pasha came out in a boat to embark for
the Ottoman race has become too dege-  Alexandria. The sea was rather rough,
nerate through indulgence, to exhibit  and nearly all the officers of the steamer
many striking specimens of physical  were ashore. There were six veiled and
beauty. The face is generally fine, but  swaddled women, with a black eunuch
the body is apt to be lank, and with im-  as guard, in the boat, which lay tossing
perfect muscular development. The best  for some time at the foot of the gangway
forms I saw in the baths were those of  ladder, before the frightened passengers
laborers, who, with a good deal of rugged   could summon courage to step out. At
strength, showed some grace and har-  last the youngest of them-a Circ.ssian
mony of proportion. It may be received   girl of not more than fifteen or sixteen
as a general rule, that the physical de-  years of age-ventured upon the ladder,
velopment of the European is superior  clasping the hand-rail with one hand,
to that of the Oriental, with the exception   while with the other she held together
of the Circassians and Georgians, whose  the folds of her cumbrous feridjee. I
beauty well entitles them to the distinc-  was standing in the gangway, watching
tion of giving their name to our race.  her, when a slight lurch of the steamer
So far as female beauty is concerned,  caused her to loose her hold of the garthe Circassian women have no superiors.  ment, which, fastened at the neck, was
They have preserved in their mountain  blown back from her shoulders, leaving
home the purity of the Grecian models,  her body screened but by a single robe
and still display the perfect physical  of light gauzy silk. Through this, the
loveliness, whose type has descended to   marble whiteness of her skin, the roundus in the Venus de Medici. The Frank,  ness, the glorious symmetry of her form,
who is addicted to wandering about the   flashed upon me, as a vision of Aphrodite,
streets of Oriental cities, can hardly fail  seen
to be favored with a sight of the faces,Through leagues of shimmering water, like a star."
of these beauties. More than once it has
happened to me, in meeting a veiled  It was but a momentary glimpse; yet
lady, sailing along in her balloon-like  that moment convinced me that forms of




1854.]                     Bathing and Bodies.                           535
Phidian perfection are still nurtured in  back to the surface of the body with a
the vales of Caucasus.                 misty glow, like that which steeps the
The necessary disguise of dress hides  clouds of a summer afternoon.
from us much of the beauty and dignity    We have but one more process to unof Humanity. I have seen men who   dergo, and the attendant already stands
appeared heroic in the freedom of naked-  at the head of our couch.  This is the
ness, shrink almost into absolute vulgar-  course of passive gymnastics, which exity, when clothed. The soul not only  cites so much alarm and resistance in the
sits at the windows of the eyes, and  ignorant Franks.  It is only resistance
hangs upon the gateway of the lips; she  that is dangerous, completely neutralizspeaks as well in the intricate, yet bar-  ing the enjoyment of the process. Give
monious lines of the body, and the ever-  yourself with a blind submission into the
varying play of the limbs. Look at the   arms of the brown Fate, and he will lead
torso of Ilioneus, the son of Niobe, and   you to new chambers of delight.  He
see what an agony of terror and suppli-  lifts us to a sitting posture, places himcation cries out from that headless and   self behind us, and folds his arms around
limbless trunk!  Decapitate Laoco6n,  our body, alternately tightening and reand his knotted muscles will still express  laxing his clasp, as if to test the elastithe same dreadful suffering and resist-  city of the ribs. Then seizing one arm,
ance. None knew this better than the   he draws it across the opposite shoulder,
ancient sculptors; and hence it was that  until the joint cracks like a percussionwe find many of their statues of distin-  cap.  Tile shoulder-blades, the elbows,
guished men wholly or partly undraped.  the wrists, and the finger-joints are all
Such a view of art would be considered   made to fire off their muffled volleys;
transcendental now-a-days, when  our  and then, placing one knee between our
dress, our costumes, and our modes of  shoulders, and clasping both hands upon
speech either ignore the existence of our  our forehead, he draws our head back
bodies, or treat them with little of that  until we feel a great snap of the vertereverence which is their due.          bral column. Now he descends to the
But, while we have been thinking   hip-joints, knees, ankles, and feet, forcing
these thoughts, the attendant has been   each and all to discharge a salvo dejoie.
waiting to give us a final plunge into the   The slight langour left from the bath is
seething tank.,Again, we slide down to  gone, and airy, delicate exhilaration, bethe eyes in the fluid heat, which wraps  fitting the winged Mercury, takes its
us closely about until we tingle with  place.
exquisite hot shiverings.  Now comes     The boy kneeling, presents us with a
the graceful boy, with clean, cool, laven-  finjan of foamy coffee, followed by a
dered napkins, which he folds around   glass of sherbet cooled with the snows
our waist and wraps softly about the   of Lebanon. He presently returns with
head. Tile pattens are put upon our  a narghileh, which we smoke by the
feet, and the brown arm  steadies us  effortless inhalation of the lungs. Thus
gently through the sweating-room and   we lie in perfect repose, soothed by the
ante-chamber into the outer hall, where  fragrant weed, and idly watching the
we mount to our couch. We sink gently  silent Orientals, who are undressing for
upon the cool linen, and the boy covers  the bath or reposing like ourselves.
us with a perfumed sheet. Then, kneel-  Through the arched entrance, we see a
ing beside the couch, he presses the folds  picture of the Bazaars: a shadowy paintof the sheet around us, that it may ab-  ing of merchants seated amid their silks
sorb the lingering  moisture and the   and spices, dotted here and there with
limpid perspiration shed by the departing   golden drops and splashes of sunshine,
heat. As fast as the linen becomes damp,  which have trickled through the roof.
he replaces it with fresh, pressing the   The scene paints itself upon our eyes,
folds about us as tenderly as a mother  yet wakes no slightest stir of thought.
arranges the drapery of her sleeping   The brain is a becalmed sea, without a
babe; for we, though of the stature of  ripple on its shores.  Miud and body
a man, are now infantile in our helpless  are drowned in delicious rest; and we
happiness. Then he takes our passive   no longer remember what we are. We
hand and warms its palm by the soft  only know that there is an Existence
friction of his own; after which, moving   somewhere in the air, and that wherever
to the end of the couch, he takes our  it is, and whatever it may be, it is
feet upon his lap, and repeats the friction   happy.
upon their soles, until the blood comes    More and more dim grows the picture.




536                    Vespers —The Three Gannets.                    [Nov.
The colors fade and blend into each  at an end. We arise and put on our
other, and finally merge into a bed of  garments, and walk forth into the sunny
rosy clouds, flooded with the radiance  streets of Damascus.  But as we go
of some unseen sun.  Gentlier than   homewards, we involuntarily look down
"tired eyelids upon tired eyes," slhp  to see whether we are really treading
lies upon our senses: —a half-conscious  upon the earth, wondering, perhaps, that
sleep, wherein we know that we behold   we should be content to do so, when it
light and inhale fragrance. As gently,  would be so easy to soar above the
the clouds dissipate into air, and we are  house-tops.
born again into the world. The Bath is
VESPERS.
I SIT beneath the oriel porch
That looketh towards the western sky,
And watch, while Eve the shepherdess
Her white flocks hurries by:
And watch the truant cloudlets stray
Far off upon the azure deeps,
To lose themselves amid the stars
That troop adown the steeps,Poor little lambkins of the air,
White-fleeced like Innocence below.
That yearning still for brighter paths,
Too oft astray will go.
The blessed night comes down to me,
And nun-like chants her solemn prayers;
The stars she counteth as her beads,
The moon upon her bosom bears,A white and holy scapularBeneath whose crescent rim afar
The azure secret of the skies
In wondrous quiet lies.
O moon f O stars! O silent night!
My teachers, as my theme, are yeFair missals for my faith to readMy hope's dear rosary.
THE THREE GANNETS.
ON a wrinkled rock in a distant sea
Three white gannets sat in the sun;
They shook the brine from their feathers so fine
And lazily one by one,
They sunnily slept while the tempest crept!
In a painted boat on a distant sea
Three fowlers sailed merrily on,
And each took aim as he camne near the game,
And the gannets fell one by one,
And fluttered and died while the tempest sighed!
Then a cloud came over the distant sea,
A darkness calne over the sun;
And a storm-wind smote on the painted boat,
And tile fowlers sank one by one,
Down, down with their craft, while the tempest laughedl




1854.]                                                                       537
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE RUSSIAN WAR.
PRESENT AND FUTURE.
oN a previous article* we have spoken   vinces of that empire, to fall under Mol of RUSSIA, PAST AND PRESENT. We   hammedan dominion. This occasioned
have traced the rise and growth of that   deepest grief throughout the Christian
vast empire, and spoken of the relations   world. The tomb of the Saviour was
which it has sustained to other nations,  in  the hands of the Infidels!  Many
particularly to the Turks on the one   were the insults and sufferings which
hand (including their co-religionists and   Christian pilgrims suffered at those hands
kinsmen-if we may so call them —the   for three centuries. At length the CruMongolians and Crim-Tartars), and the   sades commenced, and from  the end of
Poles on the other. We have shown the   the eleventh to the end of the thirorigin of the deadly hatred that has for  teenth centuries, those astonishing moveages subsisted between the Russians and   ments by which Western Europe precipithese races, which, like themselves, are  tated masses of men, who professed to
Asiatic in their character and manners,   be followers of Christ, on Western Asia
and the last-named, a branch also of the   -for the recovery of the Holy Sepulgreat Sclavonic family of nations.  We   chre.  It was emphatically a Roman
proceed now to speak of RUSSIA, PRE-   Catholic movement-the Greek Church
SENT AND FUTURE.                          taking but little heartfelt interest in it.
And here, at the outset, we will enter   The intense hatred between the Greek
without further remark, upon the con-   or Eastern Church, and the Latin or
sideration of the present war between   Western Church, from the year A. D.
Russia and Turkey, which has already   860, accounts for this fact. The Crusadinvolved France and England, and may   ers held Jerusalem  from  1099 till 1187,
involve, before it is ended, all the great   when Saladin, the Caliph of Egypt, took
powers of Europe.  The history of its  it.
origin and progress is in the highest de-   In the succeeding century, the Crugree interesting.  To  understand  the   sades ceased; but the cause which had
real, though latent, causes which have   led to their being undertaken, did not
led to this war, we must look back into   cease to be felt.  In the century followthe middle ages for a moment.             ing, Palestine, as well as almost the enThose of our readers who are familiar  tire of the Greek Empire, fell beneath
with history need not be told that the   the victorious arms of the Turks. In
successors of Mohammed, at an early   one century more, Constantinople fell,
day, commenced the struggle between   and the Greek Empire was no more!
the Crescent and the Cross, which has       When that event occurred, the Chrislasted, with various fortunes, for nearly  tians in the East were left for two or
twelve centuries.  From  the nature of   three centuries without the protection of
the case, the Eastern or Greek Empire   any Christian prince or government. At
was the first portion of Christendom   length France, who had taken the lead
that felt the scymitar of the Impostor  in the Crusades, began to advocate their
of Arabia.t  That empire embraced, in   cause by making treaties with the Subthe  seventh  century, nearly  all the   lime Porte, in which there were stipulacountries of Western Asia which had   tions in favor of Christians residing in,
belonged to the Roman Empire in its   or visiting, the Holy Land. But these
palmiest day. It included, also, a portion   treaties contemplated mainly, or rather
of Northern Africa, the southern part   only, the rights, privileges, and protecof Italy, and the islands in the Levant.  tion of Christians of the Latin or WestAs might be expected, Palestine, or the   ern Church. France cared little for the
"Holy Land," the birth-place of Chris-   millions of the "schismatical" Greek
tianity, was one of the first of the pro-   Church. She has for eleven centuries
* Putnam's Monthly for October, pages 422-435.
t In the eighth century, Hos!em zeal and fury carried the Standard of the Prophet across the entire
northern end of Africa, and planted it in Spain, and for a time even in France. That standard was
planted for a while in Southern Italy and the Mediterranean Isles in the century following. In the thirteenth century, the Mongols and Tartars carried the sword of Mohammed into all southern and eastern
Russia, and finally, Mohammedanism took up its abode, in the fifteenth century, in what is now called
Turkey.
VOL. IV.-35




538            Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.             [Nov.
considered herself as at the head of the   Turkish dominions. But in process of
Roman Catholic nations, and the pro-  time, the scale turned the other way.
tector, as well as champion, of the Ro-  The progress of civilization and the arts,
man Catholic or Latin Church. As to   -a progress for which Russia is indlebtthe members of the Greek Church, and   ed to Christianity-gradually raised up
the five other Oriental Churches-the   that great country from the feeble conArmenian, Nestorian, Syrian, Coptic,  dition in which it had so long been,
and Abyssinian-inasmuch as they ac-  during which, it was a prey to thle Monknowledged not the Bishop of Rome,  gols, the Tartars, the Poles, Livonians,
but looked up to their own Patriarchs,  the Lithuanians, and even the Swedes.
they were left by France, the Emperor  In the year 1672, the Russians, for the
of Germany, and the other Roman Cath-  first time, began to measure swords with
olic governments, to the tender mercies  the Turks, of whom they had lived in
of the Sultan of Turkey and his confe-  dread for two centuries. In a little more
derates. Centuries of oppression, cruel  than a century after that, the Tartars
injustice, and persecution in one form   were entirely conquered, and the Turks
and another, passed away.              were driven to the southwest-almost
But at length God raised up an Avenger  to the frontier of the empire. In 1812,
in the Czars of Russia. That great coun-  Russia extended her boundary to the
try, as we have stated in our former arti-  Pruth, and even to the Danube, from
cle, received its Christianity and its civil-  the mouth of the Pruth to the Black
ization from Byzantium, or Constantino-  Sea. Even before the treaty of that
ple, as it has been called since the fourth  year, the Russian czars had begun to
century. It was to missionaries from   demand protection for their "brethren"
the Greek Church, that she was indebted   of the Greek Church in the Turkish dofor the Scriptures, and the institutions   minions. Nor has the present emperor
of the Gospel. The most intimate rela-  been indifferent to this subject; on the
tions sprung up between the Churches   contrary, he has gone farther than any
of Russia and those of the Greek or  of his predecessors. It is not easy for
Eastern Empire. The Greek Patriarch   us to conceive the intense interest with
of Constantinople was the acknowledged   which all the Christians in the Turkish
head of the Russo-Greek Church. This  Empire, excepting the Rotnan Catholics,
state of things lasted more than a thou-  have watched the growing power of
sand years. Even the conquest of the   Russia for the last century or two  From
entire southern part of Russia by the   that quarter they began to hope for deTartars and Poles (the former Moham-  liverance. There has been abundant
medans, the latter Roman Catholics,  proof, since the commencement of t&e
and both bitter enemies of the Greek   present war, of the strong sympathy
Church), did not destroy the sympathy   which subsists between the Christians
of the Russian Church for that of the   of the Greek Church in Turkey and
Greek Empire-although it rendered  the kingdom of Greece, and the people
much intercourse between them impossi-  of Russia. Not only has Russia deble. And when Constantinople fell un-  manded protection for the Greek Church
der the dominion of the Turks, four cen-  in Turkey, which is the chief church in
turies ago, and with it the whole of the   that country, and embraces twelve milEastern Empire, the official connection  lions of souls (this is the estimate of the
between the churches of the two coun-  Emperor Nicholas); she has also intertries ceased, but not their sympathy.  fered for the protection of the residents
About that time, one of the Patriarchs  and pilgrims of the Greek faith in the
of Constantinople (of the Greek Church)  Holy Land. On this subject we must
fled to Moscow. Thus the Patriarchate  say a few words, inasmuch as it is in
of that city commenced,* and with it  some degree connected with the origin
the independent existence of the Russo-  of the present war.
Greek Church. At this period, and for    There are in Palestine certain buildseveral centuries afterwards, the Czars  ings and places which are called the
of Russia were too weak to do anything   "Holy Places," and sometimes, but not
whatever in behalf of the oppressed   very accurately, especially by the French
people of the Greek  Church in the   dipblmatists who have figured in the
* The Patriarchate of Moscow continued till the year 1T00, when it ceased. Peter the Great substituted
the " Holy Synod" for it. The Synod has cognizance of doctrines and discipline; the Emperor is at the
head of the Church in relation to secular affairs, but has less power over it than the Queen of England has
over the Established Church of that land.




1854.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.               539
present contest, the "Sacred Shrines."  ing disorder and violence often occur,
We believe there are eight or ten of  even within their sacred walls.  To
such places. One of them (the site of  such lengths do matters often go, that
the temple and the localities connected  the soldiers of Islam have to be called in
with it), the Mohammedan governments  to make the "Christian dogs," as they
which have ruled that country for almost  contemptuously call them, cease from
twelve centuries have never allowed  their strife. The cause of the quarrel
Christians to visit. Sometimes even the   has often been: Who shall have the
Christian pilgrims have not been allowed   precedence, the Latin or the Greek
to go down to the river of Jordan, and   Christians, on these occasions? For a
bathe in its sacred water. It has often  long time the Latins bore off the palm.
been dangerous for them  to visit the   They were allowed to have the keys of
"Mount of Transfiguration," in the   the churches; and, of course, they did
northern part of the country. But they   very much as they pleased. Often the
have had access, more or less unrestricted,  Greeks could scarcely gain admittance
for a long time, to the two places which   at all, without many and most violent'
are, probably, the most sacred in the   efforts.
thoughts and feelings of those who have   For three hundred years* France has
desired to make pilgrimages to the land   stood up for the Latin, or Roman Catholic,
where the Saviour lived, which was  Christians, and maintained by treaty
trodden by his blessed feet, and bedewed  their claims,-not only. to protection,
by his tears and his blood.  One of   but also to precedence. For a long time
these is the " Church of the Nativity,"  she had the field to herself. There was no
at Bethlehem. According to tradition,  nation which professed the Greek faith
it stands n the very spot where the   that was strong enough to say a word in
stable stood in which the Saviour was  behalf of the claims of the Greek Church.
born.  A  silver star, suspended by a   The Protestant nations took little or no
cord from the ceiling, hangs over the  interest in the matter, as may well be
spot where the "manger" stood, in  supposed. They regarded with pity, if
which the "Infant Christ" was laid by   not coitempt, the miserable superstition
his blessed mother.  The other is the   of both the corrupted and degenerated
"'Church of the Holy Sepulchre," at  churches which were prominent in the
Jerusalem, which is built over the sup-  dispute.
posed tomb of of our Lord. The tomb       But Russia at length appeared on the
is a small building in the centre of the   scene, and began to make her influence
church.                                felt in behalf of the Greeks, as France
Every year these churches are visited   had made hers felt in behalf of the
by all the pilgrims who flock to the   Latins. She, too, made the question a
Holy Land, and by other Christians who   subject of diplomacy at the court of the
may be in the country. It is difficult to   Sultan. Nor did she toil in vain. She
say whether the Roman Catholics, or the   gained, a few years ago, some advantages
Greek, and other oriental Christians  which were deemed important for the
take the deeper interest in, and attach  followers of the Greek faith. This prothe greater importance to, these "Sacred   voked the jealousy of France, and Louis
Shrines."  It would  seem  as if they   Philippe (in 1847) directed hlis embassawere, for the most part, about equally  dor to negotiate with the Sublime Porte..influenced by an ignorant and debasing   Certainly the annals of diplomacy do not
superstition, which had its origin in the  furnish the names of many men who were
wants and the demands of an unenlight-  less fit for such a delicate and difficult
ened heart, and a smitten and oppressed   mission, than M. de Lavalette, who was
conscience. The epochs of greatest con-  the French embassador at Constantinocourse are Easter amnd Christmas. It is  ple at that time. This gentleman-long
the testimony of every traveller who   known in the salons of Paris as an acvisits Palestine at these seasons, that the   comrplished and fashionable man, and at
churches in question are crowded at  length as the husband of the widow of
those times by pilgrims, most of whom   an eminent American bankert-who had
belong to the Latin and Greek commu-  had no diplomatic experience excepting
nities. As the hatred of these churches  what he hlad acquired as theFrench consul
is reciprocal and intense, scenes of shock-  general in Egypt, betrayed an impetuosity
* Her first treaty in favor of the " Franks," or Latin Christians, was made in 1535.
t The late Mr. Wells of Boston, of the firm of Wells, Green & Co. at Paris.




540           Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.              [Nov.
of temper, and a degree of imprudence   by the emperor.  Prince Menschicoff
even, which came well-nigh occasioning   arrived at Constantinople on the 28th of
the mlost serious trouble.  Arriving at  February, 1853, and on the 16th of
Constantinople the second time, in a   March he presented to the Porte his first
90 gun steamship (contrary to the treat-  communication, in which the ministers
ies of the Porte with foreign powers),  of the Sultan are charged with having
he demanded certain things in behalf of   violated the firmans issued in favor of the
the Latin Christians who visit the " Holy   Greeks, of having wounded the religious
Places."  The affrighted government of  convictions of the emperor, and of havTurkey yielded. Instantly Russia inter-  ing been wanting in respect to his person.
vened, and made new demands for the   It concluded with asking an effectual
Greek Christians; and Turkey yielded in  redress of these grievances, and an arturn to her; for she did not dare to re-  rangement which would put an end to
fuse.  This led France to reiterate her  the dissatisfaction of the Greek subjects
demands, to the astounded and, we may   of the Sultan, and give them sure gua-'add, confounded Porte. Reschid Pasha,  rantees for the future. The Porte was
the Grand Vizier, knew not which way   alarmed by this note, and Col. Rose, the
to turn. He had made engagements to   English Charge d'Affaires (in the absence
France and Russia which were utterly   of Lord Stratford) summoned the British
irreconcilable.  Fortunately the Empe-  fleet in the Mediterranean to approach
ror of France recalled M. de Lavalette,  the waters of the Dardanelles. On the
and sent M. de la Cour, a man of pru-  19th of April, Prince Menschicoff addence and moderation, who pursued a   dressed a note to the Minister of Foreign
conciliatory course, and effected an ar-  Affairs, in which he stated in rather arrangement of the difficulty. In this af-  rogant and unusual terms, tlAtt he was
fair Russia, on the whole, came off victo-  instructed to demand: "1. A firman conrious.  Much credit is due to Louis  cerning the key of the Church of BethNapoleon, who had succeeded Louis  lehem, the Silver Star,t and the possesPhilippe, as ruler of France. It is pro-  sion of certain Sanctuaries; 2. An order
bable also, that the influence of Ehngland   for the repair of the Dome and other
was not without avail in the case,  parts of the Church of the Holy Sepulthrough her excellent embassador, Sir  chre; and 3. A Sened, or convention,
Stafford Canning*. We know not upon   guaranteeing the strict status quo of the
what principle the difficulty respecting   privileges of the Catholic Greco-Russian
the "Holy Places" was arranged in all  Faith of the Eastern Church, and of the
cases, but we suppose that it was mainlyi  sanctuaries which are in the possession
on that of equal occupancy, but at dif-  of that Faith, exclusively or in particiferent hours of the days, and probably   pation with other sects at Jerusalem."
also on that of alternation.-             These  demands were  substantially
But however that may be, the affair was   granted, through the influence of Lord
settled peacefully, happily, to the joy of   Stratford and M. de la Cour, the embasall good men; for many fears had been   sadors of England and France, who had
entertained lest war between Russia and   returned to Constantinople some days
Turkey, involving France, if not other  before. The firmans were delivered to
countries, might grow out of it.  This  Prince Menschicoff on the 5th of May;
was the state of things at the commence-  and though the convention referred to in
ment of last year.  Alas, the prospect  the latter part of the prince's note had
soon became overcast by clouds of doubt  not been conceded or even discussed,
and fear. Difficulty sprang up suddenly,  it was hoped that there would be no dif-from  another and distinct cause. To   ficulty in arranging everything amicathe surprise of all the world, the Em-  bly. This was the state of the case on
peror of Russia sent down to Constanti-  the morning of the day just named. But
nople Prince Menschicoff, one of his  that evening, Prince Menschicoff sent
ministers, with a large suite, or staff  another note to the minister of Foreign
rather, of officers civil and military, in a   Affairs, which was of the nature of an
war steamer. The high position which   ultimatum.  It demanded the immedithis extraordinary embassador occupied   ate conclusion of a Sened,-or convenin the government of Russia shows the   tion, having the force of a treaty. A
estimation in which the mission was held   draft of such a convention accompanied
* Now Lord Stratford de Redcliffe.
t This Star had been stolen, and the Latin Christians charged the Greeks with having committed the
theft! This happened a few years since, and was one of the causes of trouble.




1854.]        Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.              541
the note, which the Porte was required   whatever, the note delivered by Prince
to agree to, without negotiation! and   Menschicoff before his departure.
only five days were allowed for the con-    We have in these few  paragraphs
sideration of the matter.             given as full a notice of the cause of the
When the contents of this note were  present war between Russia and Turkey,
made known to the English and French  as the nature of this article either deembassadors, they dispatched, each, a  mands or allows. It cannot be denied
war steamer that night, bearing the news  that the conduct of Russia in this affair,
to their respective governments. The  has been summary, overbearing, and indemands made in the proposed Sened or  solent, especially in the second stages of
convention were two, which we give in  it.  Even in the first, the discussions
a literal translation from  the original  concerning the sacred places, the empeFrench:-                              ror resorted to the extraordinary courlse of
"1st. There shall be no changes made  addressing an autograph letter to tile Sulin the rights, privileges, and immunities  tan, in which he charged the Turkish
which the Churches, the Institutions of  Government with acting in bad faith.
Piety, and the Orthodox Clergy (of the  And in the second -stage, Prince MenGreek Church) have enjoyed; or are in  schicoff's conduct at Constantinople was
possession of ab antiquo, in the States of  outrageous, in refusing to call on the
the Sublime Ottoman Porte, which has  Minister (Fuad Effendi) of Foreign Afbeen pleased to grant them for ever, on  fairs, and insisting on a personal interthe base of the statu quo, which exists  view with the Sultan; and this, conthis day.                             trary to the usages of the court, on
" 2(1. The rights and advantages which   Friday, the Mussulman's Sabbath. This
may be conceded by the Ottoman Go-  gave great offence to the Sultan and his
vernment in future, to other Christian   ministers.
sects (cultes), by treaties, conventions, or    Of subsequent negotiations we need
special grants, shall be considered as  not say much. The Sultan, contemplatbelonging also to the Orthodox Church."  ing the storm that was gathering and
These demands were deemed by the  preparing to burst on his country, inTurkish Government, under the advice  voked the interposition of France and
of England and France, it is believed, to  England, and they endeavored to induce
be wholly inadmissible; and Prince Men-  Austria and Prussia to join them in susschicoff was so informed on the 10th of  taining the cause of the weak against the
May. On the 21st of that month the  strong. Russia invaded and took posprince left Constantinople. At the mo-  session of the trans-Danubian Principalment of his departure, he sent a final  ities of Wallachia and Moldavia.  At
note to the Minister of Foreign Affairs,  first, the pretext was the desire to have
in which he reiterated the demands of  a "material guarantee" that Turkey
his master in stronger terms, requiring   would comply with her demands; aftereven that if at any time any advantages  wards the ordering of their respective
should be granted by special favor to  fleets to the waters of Constantinople,
the foreign legations accredited to the  by England and France, was the pretext
Sublime Porte, these advantages should  for this high-handed measure.  Indeed,
also be accorded to the Orthodox (alias  the entire diplomatic correspondence of
Greek) Church in the Turkish dominions.  Russia, including the proclamations, even
According to this demand the Porte could  of the emperor addressed to his own
grant no special permission for religious  people, during the summer and autumn
services in connection with any of the   of 1853, is degraded and disgraced by
foreign  legations, which  would  not  an unparalleled amount of base shuffling,
equally, and of right, belong to the  insupportable arrogance, unworthy disGreek Church.  On the 31st of May,  simulation, and opeh and downright
Count Nesselrode, the Russian Minister  falsehood. In this respect, the contrast
of Foreign Affairs, addressed a note to  between it and that of Lord Clarendon,
the Porte, in which the threat was made,  M. Drouyn de L'huys, and Reschid Pasha,
that in a few weeks the Russian troops  the three ministers of England, France,
would receive orders to cross the Otto-  and Turkey, for Foreign Affairs, is very
man frontier, not to make war, but to  remarkable.  Tile four powers made
obtain a minterial guarantee as a security   many efforts, through their embassadors
for the rights claimed by the emperor,  at Vienna, to prevent resort to the
unless the Turkish Government would  sword; but it was all in vain. At one
promptly accept, without any change  time the desired object seemed to be on




542                Causes and  Consequences of the Russian  War.                        [Nov.
the point of being accomplished.  But   in this affair.  Hence, too, the zeal in
Turkey would only engage to allow  the    behalf of the cause of Turkey, manifested
Orthodox  (Greek) Church* to partici-   by the Roman Catholic archbishops of
pate in the advantages accorded to other   Paris, Lyons, Quebec, and their dioceses
Christian communions, also subjects of   in all parts of the world.  They c:ill it
the Porte.  Just here turned the whole    a;' Holy war," a war against a "Schisdifficulty.                                      matical Church," in their mandemens or
And here we cannot but think there    circulars to their clergy, in which they
was something deeper than what meets   exhort them  to pray for its success.  The
the eye.  That Turkey should deny  to    Pope is, doubtless, pleased to see ProtestRussia all right to interfere in what con-   ant England engaged in that war, by
cerns the internal administration of her   the side of Roman Catholic France; and
affairs, was legitimate enough.  But we    would be still better pleased if he could
are not able to see why, if the Turkish    see Prussia, Sweden, and  every  other
Government allows France and Austria    protestant country engaged in weakeling,
to interfere in behalf of the Roman Ca-   if not destroying, a sehismatical church
tholic or Latin  Christianst residing in    and nation, who have no sympathy with
her dominions, as she certainly has done,   Rome.
she should not allow  Russia to interfere           Well, at length Turkey declared war
to the same extent, in behalf of the mem-   againstRussia; and certainly hler achievebers of the Greek  Church, in  similar   ments in the valley of the Danube have
circumstances.  And if the Porte grants   been worthy of her ancient renown.  In
special immunities and privileges to com-   Asia she has been less fortunate.  After
munities, convents, &c., of Latin or other   months of negotiation and delay, EngChristians, who are not her subjects, we   land and France also declared war against
do not see that Russia is to be blamed    Russia; but up to this time their deeds
for demanding that these same immuni-   are far from  corresponding to the hopes
ties and privileges should be granted to   to  which  their preparations and their
Greek Christians who are subjects of the    promises gave rise. After the unfortunate
Porte, and tenfold more numerous than    affair at Sinope, the combined fleet took
its Latin  subjects.  This point France    possession of the Black Sea; but with
has fully comprehended; and here, we   the exception of an attack on Odessa, and
think  we see her hand, and  that  of   some less important places, it has done
Rome, too.  France knows, and the Pope    nothing  worthy of note.
knows, that if the Sultan should grant              There are five things which ought to
what Russia has demanded, there would    be done, and must one day be done, if
be an end for ever to all "special favors,"    Russia is to be disarmed of her tremenin behalf of the Roman Catholic Church    dous power to do evil by influences from
in the Turkish dominions!  Hence the    without.   1. The  reestablishment  of
promptitude and zeal with which France    Poland, with something  like  her  anespoused the cause of the Sublime Porte    cient limits-giving her a population of
* It is remarkable that Count Nesselrode repeatedly asserts in his correspondence, that all the rights and
privileges claimed by Russia, in behalf of the Greek Church in Turkey, are fully guaranteed by previous
treaties, particularly those of Kainardjii and Adrianople. Then why demand a sened or convention, sanctioned by a new treaty, unless it be to seek occasion for a quarrel with Turkey? It is worthy of remark,
that in the treaty of Kainardjii, the Porte engages to protect the Christian (not the Greek) religion and
its churches; and permitted the Russian embassador to make a plea in behalf of a specified Greek Church,
and its attendants. The treaty of Adrianople (1829) merely confirms the articles of the previous treaty. Ns
mention is made of the Greek, or any particular community or sect.
One of the most remarkable things in Menschicoff's first communications with the Porte, when envoyextraordinary at Constantinople, was the fact of his employing the expression, " privileges of the Ctathoire
Greco-Russiarn Faith," to designate the Greek Church in Turkey-thus seeking in a covert way, to identify
that church with Russia, a country with which it has no real connection, and never had.
f Much was said in France as well as in England against the recent demand of Russia, in regard to the
Christians of the Greek Faith. It was pronounced to be a demand for a protectorate, and utterly inconsistent with the rights of an independent State. The demand was declared to be outrageous, and wholly
inadmissible. Be it so. We have no doubt that it was inconsistent with all proper independence of thoe
Turkish Government. But it differed in nothing from what France and Austria have demanded in regard to
Roman Catholics residing in Turkey. The proof of this was furnished even in the midst of the discussions
in question. It was thus:-The Turkish Government ordered the subjects of the King of Greece, residing as
merchants, artisans, &c., in Constantinople, and we believe other cities of the empire, to quit the country,
on account of their supposed complicity with the recent Greek insurrection in Epirus, Thessaly, and other
parts. But what did the French embassador at Constantinople (Baron Baraguay d'Hilliers) do in the
case? He instantly, and with threats, demanded that " Greek Catholics," that is Greeks wha were members
of the Roman Catholic Church, should not be included in this peremptory and ruinous order. tIere was a
protectorate with a witness, as Sir Stratford de Redcliffe justly maintained. And what was the result?
Baraguay d'Hilliers was recalled by the Emperor of France to be punished, by being appointed to command
the French troops sent to the Baltic, and with the bdton of a Marshal of Fratce! And the "Catholic Greeks'"
have remained undisturbed at Constantinople.




1854.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.              543
20,000,000. 2. The reestablishment of  the modern kingdom  of Poland, have
Hungary, giving her ttie entire valley of  immense resources, which are as yet but
the Danube to the Black Sea, which   partially developed. Even now there is
would make her population at least  a large interior trade carried on on her
25,000,000. 3. The union of all Ger-  southern rivers (the Wolga, the Don, the
many, with her 42,000,000 of people, un-  Dneiper, and the Dneister), as well as
der one effective but liberal government,  on her northern (the Vistula, the Nieprobably a federal republic.  4. The  men, the Duna, the Neva, the Dwina,
consolidation of Italy under one good   and even the far distant Petchora or
government.  5. The bringing of the  Ijina, (misprinted Lima in our forScandinavian countries-Sweden, Fin-  mer article.)  The head streams of
land, Denmark, and Norway-under  several of these southern and northern
one government, with Copenhagen for  rivers almost interlock on the great table
its capital. But when will the world  lands in the centre of the country, and
see all these things brought about?  are, in fact, connected by a system of
Perhaps sooner than any one now suppo-  canals, commenced by Peter the Great.
ses, good reader. The tendency in Europe  By means of these channels of commfinihas long been towards the reconstruc-  cation in the summer, and by roads in
tion of governments on the basis of na-  the winter, an immense quantity of protionality-the only true exponent of   ducts, natural and manufactured, make
which is LANGUAGE.                     their way to the great cities and seaports,
But let us return to Russia.  The   either directly, or through the fairs of
present war will do nothing to diminish   Nishni-Novgorod (on the Wolga, 250
her territory; perhaps little or nothing   miles east of Moscow), and some twenty
to diminish her power. What, then, is  other places in the empire. The amount
to be her FUTURE l This is a great ques-  of business done at these fairs does not
tion; let us look at it.               fall much short of one hundred millions
It is clear to our minds that Russia is  of our dollars per annum, and is steadily
destined to be, perhaps for centuries, one  increasing.
of the great powers of the world. In-    2. The population of Russia in Europe
deed it is evident, we think, that her  may be safely stated to be sixty-three
power will increase until she will be by   millions at the present time, and that of
far the strongest country, not only in  the entire empire at seventy millions.
Europe, but in the Old World. She is  No other government in Europe has in
now very powerful-in fact, unconquer-  one country, or in many contiguous
able. The Tartars, the Turks, the Poles,  countries, so large a number of souls
the Swedes, and the French (with the   under its sway. And yet the population
"' greatest captain of twelve centuries at  of Russia must, in the lapse of half a
their head"), all failed to conquer her.  century, much exceed one hundred milAnd yet Russia, save in the last in-  lions, for it now increases at the rate of
stance, was nothing in comparison with  one and a half per cent. annually.  In
what she is now. Let a few facts be  the early and middle centuries of the
borne in mind.                         Christian era, it was not possible that
1. Russia is a country of vast extent,  the population of Russia could be either
as we have shown in our former article.  great or increase rapidly. The inhabitLeaving out of view the Asiatic portion   ants were but very partially civilized,
(as well as the American), as being com-  and many of them pursued a nomadic
paratively of little account, excepting as a  life, which is inconsistent with rapid inpoint d'appui in regard to central and   crease. The various tribes of men that
eastern Asia,, and having only something   roamed over its vast plains were often
like five millions of inhabitants at pre-  at war with each other; and, as if that
sent, notwithstanding its almost bound-  were not enough, the incursions of
less dimensions, we must not forget that  Asiatic hordes on the one hand, and the
Russia in Europe embraces 2,025,000  invasions of the Lithuanians, the Poles,
square mniles, and is much larger than all  and the Swedes on the other, attended
the rest of that continent; and although   often by wide-spread and long-continued
much of its northern, and some of its  desolations-villages and towns sacked
southern, and especially its southeastern  and destroyed; and human beings, as
portions, are incapable of sustaining a  well as herds and flocks, Swept awaygreat population, the resources of the   often concurred to complete the picture
great central region-Great Russia, or  of misery. It was not possible that the
Muscovy-and the western, embracing   population of the country should in



544            Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.            [Nov.
crease. In the early part of the eight-  variations and differences formed among
eenth century, Peter the Great caused  these and smaller portions of the race
the first census to be taken. It included  are dialects. Hence the inhabitants of
little more than Great Russia, or Mus-  Muscovy and all Central Russia converses
covy, which then had only nine millions  with readiness with the Sclavonic races in
of people; now it has thirty-four or  Poland, inBohemia, in Moravia, in Hunthirty-five millions. —The increase of the  gary, and in the northern parts of Turentire empire is gradual but steady;  key, and in Northern Asia, even to the
that of the European part may be said to   mouths of the Amour. Fifty-six or fiftybe rapid, and increasingly so. And what  eight millions, out of seventy millions of
must the population of that country be  the population of Russia, speaking the
one hundred years hence?  What will  same language! What a fact! and what
it be, in all probability, two hundred   a mighty bearing it must have on the
years hence? It would be a very low   destinies of that nation and of Europe!
estimate to say that it will be two or  Never has the Old World seen anything
three hundred millions. Certainly, the  like it, out of China,-if indeed that councountry is abundantly capable of sus-  try constitutes an exception. In our own
taining three or four times its present  great country there is a parallel to it.
population.                            The English language is evidently desCompared with Russia, what are the  tined to be the common language spoken
prospects of the other countries of'Eu-  over our vast country, and possibly, one
rope? Probably every one is increasing in  day, that of the entire of North Amepopulation, some of them  slowly, and  rica. At all events, so far as the United
some of them with considerable rapidity.  States and the countries north of them
But can France, and Germany, and Eng-  are concerned, the English language will
land, and Spain, and Italy, and the Scan-  unquestionably absorb every other landinavian countries be expected to have   guage which may come in its way. So
any such increase as Russia must long   will it be with the Selavonic language in
continue to have?  When will they see  Russia. In process of time the other
their respective populations doubled?  languages and dialects of that great emAnd if they should see that fact, how will  pire will be merged in it. The true
they stand individually considered, in  policy of the government will concur
this respect, in comparison with Russia?  with other and obvious causes to bring
3. But what is most of all worthy of  about this result.
remark is the fact that Russia is evi-    But, what a bearing this great fact,
dently destined  to attain vast power  we repeat it, must have on the destinies
through the homogeneousness of her po-  of Russia, and perhaps of Europe entire!
pulation. Even now, this state of things  Nothing can be more natural than that the
is apparent and striking. The great and   offshoots of the Sclavonic stem,where they
dominant portion of her inhabitants be-  are numerous enough to constitute a delong to Sclavonic race. That race is  cided majority of the population, should,
estimated to embrace eighty millions of  in process of time, be absorbed into the
souls, of whom  fifty-six or fifty-eight  great race residing in Russia. Should
millions live in Russia. The Sclavi of   +hat be the case, the limits of Russia
Russia in Europe constitute the great  may extend still further to the west and
trunk of that race. Mluscovy may be  southwest; especially if it should prove
considered the home, or birth-place  true that the small remnants of former
rather, of that race. There the language   nations and tribes still existing between
is spoken in its native simplicity and  the great Sclavonic race in Russia and the
purity,-even in many cases, by the pea-  Teutonic race in Germany, have a greatel
sants and other laboring people.       affinity, through the medium of language,
This subject has been well treated by   or religion, with the former than with
Count A. de Gurowski in his able and  the latter. However this may be, it is
invaluable work entitled RussIA As IT  easy to see an amazing expansion or
Is.*  According to this excellent autho-  growth rather of the Sclavic race in Eastrity, the Sclavi of Russia have little or  ern Europe and Northern Asia.  The
no difficulty in conversing with any of   day must come when the Sclavi will have
the branches of the great Sclavic family,  an overshadowing influence in the Easta fact which shows that they speak the   ern  Hemisphere,  especially  in  the
"mother tongue" of the race, and that  northern portions of it.  Shall that in* Published a few months ago by D. Appleton & Co.




1854.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.               545
fluence be for good?  Or shall it be for  Eastern Prussia, in Bohemia, in Moravia,
evil? These are momentous questions.  and in Hungary, have advanced most in
We are not sanguine, but our hopes pre-  civilization, and in the knowledge of their
ponderate over our fears. We will give   civil and religious rights, and will, at no
our reasons.                           very distant day, be prepared to vindicate
If the state of the world were what it  them.
was four centuries ago, our opinions     The true light is penetrating further
would be very different from what they   east. The Poles in Austria and Russia,
are. At that period the civilization of   and the Sclavic Christians in Turkey in
Europe, Western as well as Eastern, was  Europe, feel its influence. Still more: it is
exceedingly low. Brute force had much  felt even in Russia, thevery seat and home
more influence on the destinies of man-  of the Sclavi. The progress may be slow
kind than it has now. Knowledge was  for a time. Be it so; nevertheless there
possessed by the few; the masses were  is progress, and that is a fact which is
ignorant, and had no share in the govern-  full of hope. It is the "day of small
ment of the nations. It is far otherwise  things," which is not to be despised.
now. Civilization has advanced greatly   There is a great disposition in certain
in all Christendom. The arts and scien-  quarters,-partly through ignorance, and
ces have made astonishing progress. The  partly through prejudice,-to underrate
masses live in greater comfort, are far  the progress of things in Russia. Proper
better educated, and have more know-  allowance has not been made for the fact
ledge of their rights, and of the duties  that it is only within a century and a half
as well as the nature of civil government.  that Russia has begun to be in any sense
The opinion,-the conviction rather-   an European country. It is still more
that the PEOPLE should have their just  Asiatic, so far as the masses are coninfluence and share in the government,-  cerned, than' European. And because
inasmuch as the State ought to be, and  this is so: because they do not find there
may be, as important and as dear to one  the civilization of Great Britain, of
man as to another, to the poor man as  France, of Germany-in a word, of westto the rich man, to the unlearned as to the   ern Europe-there are men who affect a
learned,-has gained ground most ex-  contempt that is unworthy of them, for
tensively in all the civilized countries,  everything in Russia. Many forget that
especially those in which the protestant  Russia is in a transition states; they forreligion prevails.  These sentiments are  get how  many ages have marked the
gaining ground in the world every year,  gradual progress of civilization and civil
and indeed every day.  It is not in the   and religious liberty in Western Europe,
power of any government to exclude   even in the countries most advanced;
them long from the sphere of its action  they forget-even Englishmen forgetand control. The great Reformation of  that the MAGNA CHArt-A was given by
the sixteenth century gave birth to these   King John in the year 1215, that is 639
opinions, and has done much to propa-  years ago. There are among ourselves
gate them.-The press, with  all its  not only Americans, but also Germans,
powers; the common school; the popu-  Frenchmen, Poles, and Italians, whohave
lar meeting, however small; the rail-  come  hither from  countries  where
road; the steamboat; the electric tele-  scarcely a particle of liberty, civil or
graph, are all contributing, more or less  religious, is to be found, who, neverthedirectly, to make men think, inquire, re-  less, most vociferously rail at the despotflect, and resolve. It is not possible that  ism, the ignorance, and the low state of
any government can very long endure  civilization of Russia. Such men are
in these times, in which the PEOPLE do   wholly incapable of appreciating what
not possess in a good degree, their civil  has been done-what is now doing —in
and religious rights.                   that great country. Certainly such men
In every part of Christendom these in-  should lay no claim to the possession of
fluences are at work, with more or less  philosophical and Christian spirit. Let
activity. Even the great Sclavic race are  us look at what is going on in that great
beginning to feel them, and in this case,  country, as well as what has been done
contrary to what has been the progrless  within the last century and a half. As
of moral as well as the natural light,-   we called the attention of the reader to
from east to west,-the truth is spread-  this subject in the latter part of our foring from west to east. The Sclavi who   mer article, we shall give it nothing more
have penetrated furthest westward in  than a coup d'esil at present.
Europe, and taken up their abode in       The education and manners of the




546            Causes and Consequences of the Russian  War.              [Nov.
higher classes have greatly improved;  rest are in the German, French, English,
this cannot be denied, however much   Polish, Latin (one newspaper), Georgian
there is still to desire.                and Lettish. We are not sure that there
Manufactures, agriculture, and corm-  was one newspaper published in the
merce have advanced greatly within that  empire when Peter the Great took the
period. Russia had no commerce worth   helm of state into his own hands, in
speaking of when Peter the Great came   1689,-one hundred and sixty-five years
to the throne. She had not a port  ago.
except Archangel on the White Sea; her     There has been a good deal done to
manufactures were rude and Asiatic, and   diffuse the sacred Scriptures in Russia,
her ag'riculture waslittle better than that  and much to circulate religious tracts
of the savage state. The government is  since 1812, and not in vain. The great
doing much for the interests of their  fairs furnish admirable opportunities for
great national industries.               scattering the truth far and wide.
There was not a good road in Russia     The laws of Russia, consisting of the
when Peter the Great ascended the   ukases of the czars, have been codified
throne. A good deal has been done, and   within a few  years, and made more
much  has been  commenced in  this  intelligible; and a law-school has redirection. Several railroads have been   cently been opened in St. Petersburg,
made in Poland, one has been made from   the first ever seen in Russia.
St. Petersburg to Moscow, and another      Although the censorship of the press
is making from  St. Petersburg to War-  has, probably, not become less rigorous,
saw. The day will come when Russia   yet it is better regulated than it was.
will be covered with railroads.          With the exception of works on political
The education of the middle classes, as  subjects, and such as advance opinions
well as of the lower-especially the serfs  on the subject of religion hostile to the
of the Crown-has made much progress,  Greek Church, there is but little difficulty
however much remains to be attempted.  in getting anything through the censorOne of the best of the ministers of the   ship. However rigid the censorship may
emperor, M. Ouwaroff-a scholar and a   be, a vast amount of important knowgentleman-is at the head of this depart-  ledge on almost all subjects is annually
ment. At the same time universities   published in Russia. The Tract Society
have been founded, and the interests of   publishes nearly two hundred different
literature have been not a little pro-  tracts, in many languages, which set
moted.                                   forth clearly the great doctrines of salHowever rigorous the government  vation, without attacking any form  of
may be in punishing  offences, —civil,  faith or worship.
political and criminal,-there have been    The "Holy Synod," in matters congreat ameliorations in the laws within   cerning the National Church (the Grecothe last 150 years. The administration   Russian) and the "'Senate," exerts an
of the courts is bad enough still; never-  intermediate and important influence in
theless there has been progress here also,  the affairs of the government.  And
as we could easily show.                 there is far more independent action on
The term  of service in the army and   the part of the " communes," or townnavy has been considerably abridged, and   ships, and larger civil " districts," in the
that service is much improved. Excel-  management of local affairs than most
lent military and naval schools have been   foreigners have any idea of.  These
established, as we have shown  in our  communes will one day be the normal
former article.*                         schools of real liberty in Russia.
The relations of the serf to his master,  We might enumerate, if necessary,
as well as his rights and duties, are bet-   many other subjects of great moment
ter defined, and his position is greatly  relating to the state of things in Russia,
ameliorated.                             and in regard to which there has *been
There are ninety-five newspapers in   much progress within a comparatively
Russia, and  sixty-six  magazines -and   short period. We have stated enough
periodicals, devoted to the proceedings  to show that there is progress, and that,
of learned societies.  Of these, seventy-  too, in the right direction.  The next
six newspapers and forty-eight maga-  hundred and fifty years will, probably,
zines are in the Russian language. The   see a far greater progress than the last
* Through some confusion, the military school at Tsarsko-Sdlo was spoken of in our former article as a
navaZ school; the naval school referred to is at Peterhoff, near Cronstadt. There are five naval, and sevenbeen military academies in Russia.




1854.]           Causes and  Consequences of the Russian  War.                      547
have done. Russia is becoming more and   reform:-1st. The breaking up of the
more an European country.                     whisky (or brandy, as they call it), moA umighty change is going on silently   nopoly, which  is spreading  ruin  over
and gradually.  Her Asiatic despotism,   ihe elnpire; for the government, in order
her Czarism,*  or that peculiar  auto-   to raise a revenue, farms out the right
cracy  of  the  emperor, which  seems   to  make and sell brandy (rye-whisky)
to  have come from   an  imitation  of   in all the  provinces, and so raises at
the Tartar Princes of Kasan and Astra-   least $26,000,000, which  is about the
kan, and  the  Khans of the  Crimea,   fifth part of tile entire revenue of the
will give place to a constitutional mion-   empire.  2d. The  abolition  of slavery
archy-or  else  to  a  Republic!  Nor   or serfage.  This his father seemed bent
is the day of ttlis great change as far   upon doing some fourteen years ago, but
distant as many suppose.  The "Czar- hli has relinquished the project.  He has,
ovitsch," or heir-apparent, is an enlight-   however, taken some good preparatory
ened and amiable man, and much re-   steps, by recomimending to his nobles to
sembles his uncle, the late Elnperor Al-  liberate their serfs for a pecuniary conexander, after whom lie has been named.   sideration. 3d. The reorganization of the
He was born in April, 1818, and conse-   public establishments of education, and
quently is 36 years of age.  Should he   the introduction  of a popular schoolsurvive his father, he will come to the   system of universal operation.  4tL. The
throne at a mature age, and having con-   granting a full and equal measure of
siderable experience, and not as his fath-   religious liberty, and thus opening the
er, who was called to the throne unex-   door to  unobstructed  religious effort.
pectedly to himself (his older brother,   These great measures we deem  fundaConstantine, ret'fusing to take it, in obe-   mental, and absolutely necessary to sedience to  a compact made with  his   cure a good constitutional government,
brother Alexander, three years before   foumided on the basis of a proper amount
the death of the latter), at the age of   of liberty.  Nor are we without hope
29, and with scarcely any experience in   that something like this will be attempted
public affairs.  Good men in Russia have   if this prince should come to the throne.
for years entertained great expectations   We have ceased to expect anything of
from   him.  His character is amiable,   the sort firom  his father, whose grand
and his mind well-informed, though not   errors have been an inordinate passion
remarkable for strength.  He is a lover   for military affairs-for having an imof peace, and of the arts of peace.  He   mense army, and, even a }arge navy, far
is the author of some of the best mea-   larger than the commerce of Russia desures going forward in Russia, one of   mands; too great a fondness for governwhich  is the railroad  enterprise.  We   ing; and too great an attachment for
have heard him deplore, with much sim-   both routine and display; and a great
plicity  and  earnestness, the backward   neglect of the true moral wants of the
state of Russia with regard to civiliza-   nation.
tion.  It is reported that he is opposed        As to the Emperor Nicholas, now  in
to the present war, and that he, on this  the 59th year of his age, and still in the
account, is not on the best terms with   vigor of his life, it is not easy to speak
his father.  It is known that he has in-   of him in terms which will satisfy either
terceded with  his father in behalf of   his warm admirers or his bitter enemies.
distinguished men exiled to Siberia for   By the former he is lauded as if he were
political offences.  It is hoped that he   an ANGEL7 and by the latter he is dewill turn his attention  promptly, and   nounced as if he were a DEMON.  Tall
with  energy, to four great subiects of   and well-formed in person, possessing
* The word Czar, in Russian, is spelt Tsar, and is not derived from Ccesar, or Kaiser (the German form
of Caesar, and now signifying eimperor), as many have supposed. The same word occurs in several Assyrian names mentioned in the Bible-such as Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and others which terminate in
zar, which signifies prince, or exrcellency. Czarism has been employed to signify that peculiar and emphatically Asiatic authority which the emperors of Russia have acquired, and which appears to partake of
the nature of the mysterious, and even the superhuman, in the estimation of the masses, especially the
smonjiks or peasants. Some of the emperors have affected this distant and unapproachable authority,
which is so intensely Asiatic. After the manner of the ancient kings of Babylon, Persia, and other countries,
much more than others, Peter the Great, had, with all his freedom of manners, something of this character.
Some of Ivans had it, much of it, particularly Ivan the Terrible, whom we have called Ivan II., in our
former article. He was the second Ivan Vasclivitsch, but is commonly called, in his tongue, Ivan IV. According to this enumeration, the half-brother of Peter the Great was Ivan V., and the successor of the
Empress Anne was Ivan VI., instead of Ivan III. in the former case, and Ivan IV. in the latter, as represented in our former article. There is a good deal of confusion in the Russian histories,in relation to
these names.




548            Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.             [Nov.
large blue eyes and features of great  "destiny" to fulfil, but is not yet very
beauty, wearing whiskers and a short  "manifest."  Hitherto all its instincts
moustache, and carrying himself with   have led it to look, so far as its aggressive
great dignity, he is, physically consi-  course is concerned, to the East, or
dered, the beau-ideal of a prince. In  rather to Mohammedan countries, such
disposition he is said to be naturally  as Khiva, Persia, and Turkey. There is
amiable; and for a long time his cha-  not a moujik in Russia who, if he knows
racter was believed to be free from the   anything at all, does not believe that it
stain of immorality. But a change has  is the grand mission of Russia to subbeen going on for years.  Possessing  jugate Mohammedan nations, and destroy
great determination of mind, and an  Islamism,-to place the Cross above the
iron will, his temperament has, in the   Crescent,-and this because of the inlapse of almost thirty years spent in  sults and injuries which CLristianity, in
wielding a power by many deemed ab-  the persons of the Russians, suffered at
solute, been greatly and even sadly  the hands of Mohammedan Mongols,
affected by daily collisions, resistance,  and Tartars, and Turks. Any war with
and disappointment.  His countenance,  Turkey will be popular with the masses
which in younger years often wore a   of Russia, who belong to the Greek
most winning smile, is now  become   Church.
sterner, and often severe and repulsive.    But it is possible that by coming into
Benevolent impulses have often led him   contact with Western Europe, they may
to perform generous and noble deeds;  at length conceive the idea of conquest
but it is equally true that his treatment  in that direction-especially in the porof political offenders of a high rank-es-  tions of it in which there are remains of
pecially in cases aiming at the over-  the Sclavic race, as in the eastern parts
throw of his throne, as, for instance,  of the Austrian Empire, and the kingthe attempt at revolution on the day   dom of Prussia. It may be that there
(December 26, 1825) of his ascending  is danger for Western Europe from that
that throne, —has often been harsh and   quarter.  Bonaparte predicted that all
unrelenting. The Russians say that the   Europe will become Cossack or Repubczar ought to have an iron-hand, but  lican. As to the danger in questionthat it should be gloved! It is certain  should it arise, it must be met by the
that the Emperor Nicholas sometimes   united energies of the nations of Westforgets to' put on the glove. As seen   ern Europe. They are, and long will
promenading in the midst of a thousand   be, abundantly able to meet and repel
courtiers, majestic and stern, he appears  that danger, if they will be united. It
to be what lie is, the very embodiment  is clear that Russia can have but little
of the czarism of which we have spoken.  hope of success in such an enterprise
"It is not good," said the old and ex-  — even if headed by an Ivan the Tercellent Bernadotte of Sweden, when near  rible, or a Tarnerlane-for these fifty or
his eightieth year, " for kings to become   one hundred years, unless the Western
old."  This is but too true; for if na-  nations become infatuated. And long
turally amiable, they are in danger, in  before one hundred years pass away,
old age, of falling under the influence of  there will be a Power in Western Europe
favorites, and giving up the reins to   which will be invincible by all such
them; if decided and firm, they are  assaults. It will not be Monarchy, with
in danger of becoming obstinate and  its feudal institutions and ideas, but
tyrannical. Nicholas is illustrating the   Democracy.
latter of these positions; his brother,    But czaric despotism will not be in
Alexander, illustrated the former.     existence in Russia a hundred years from
As to the future of Russia, it is easy  this time, but constitutional monarchy,
to forsee that the great Slavic race which   or better still, a well-established Repubconstitutes her entire population, with  lic, unless the cause of republicanism is
the exception of twelve or fourteen mil-  to be retarded other half-centuries by
lions, and is destined to absorb them,  the frightful excesses of vain, conceited,
will, as it advances in civilization, be-  irreligious, and consequently immoral,
come amazingly powerful. Count Gu-  red-republicans, of the French School
rowski has justly represented that race   of 1793, and 1848. But we hope for
as naturally inclined to amalgamate with   better things from the increase of popuand absorb other races, instead of anni-  lar education, the diffusion of knowhilating them, as the Teutonkc nations  ledge, and the progress of a pure Biblical
have done.  It has some wonderful  Christianity which is now seen,-slow,




1854.]         Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.                 549
but steady,-not only in Western Europe,  her liberation from  the Tartars very
but also in Russia itself. We confess to   much to them. The protestant clergy
being old-fashioned enough to believe   (chiefly ill conquered Finlhnd and the
that republican liberty (and there is little   Baltic provinces) will be found in the
else that is worth much) is impossible  right place when their help is needed,
without virtue, and virtue is impossible  and so will their people. Nor should
without religion-the  religion of the   we overlook the "Dissenters" in Russia,
Saviour, which nmakes a man feel that  more than a million in number, who
he is a man; not superstition, which   have left the National Church, among
makes men the tools and slaves of a   whom there are many excellent peoplepriest.                                  resolute people, who have endured opAs to Russia, there are 48,000,000 of   pression and even persecution. Where
people who are serfs, and 22,000,000   will they be in the grand struggle for
who are not, of whom about 750,000 are  liberty? The question needs no answer.
nobles. Subtract both serfs and nobles,  The freedom  of Russia will probably
and you have more than 21,000,000 mer-  spring from a religious movement. It is
chants and traders, artisans of various  to such a movement that England and
classes, peasants and soldiers.  These  these United States owe their liberties
millions are advancing in knowledge and   and their free institutions.*
civilization.  They will constitute the    Nor will the lower classes of the nobles
great basis on which free institutions   go en masse with despotism. Nor will
must trest.  Several millions of these  the serfs, as they advance in knowledge,
people live in cities, towns and villages.  as they are certain to do, be wanting to
Eight millions are in the Principality of   the friends of liberty in the grand and
Poland, the Baltic Provinces, and Fin-  protracted struggle which is drawing
land, and Bessarabia. Two millions and   near.
a half are Protestants. Among these        So much in the way of speculation on
21,000,000 are to be found all the mercan-  the future of Russia. Our readers will
tile activity, most of the enterprise, and   see that we are not disposed to look only
much of the wealth of the empire. Nor  at the dark side of the picture. We
must we forget the influence of the parish   have some confidence in humanity, but
priests of the Greco-Russian Church-a   a vast deal more in God, and His great
Church which includes 50,000,000 souls,  and good purposes in relation to this
out of 70,000,000 of people, who con-  world,-Russia included.  As to the
stitute the entire population. This body   present war, it is not likely to do more
of priests is great; and, including their  than restrain the ambition of the emfamilies, they constitute a caste of half a   peror, and save Turkey for a season.
million!  The priests of the Greek   Neither Austria nor Prussia will go into
Church in Russia must be married men.  it heartily, or at all, if they can help it.
They are poor, many of them  ignorant  France and England and Turkey will
and degraded, and some of them intem-  have to go on without their active aid.
perate  and  immoral. We have seen   Their neutrality is something, especially
many of them. They are not univer-  if Austria  keeps Russia out of the
sally the debased and immoral set which   "Principalities," as she seems resolved
some writers have represented them to  to do. We had hoped that the war
be. There are many  excellent men   would be a short one; but just now the
among them-virtuous men, intelligent  prospect is not so favorable for peace.
men, and good men. And their influ-  But who can tell what may be the continence is immense among the masses.  gencies of the coming winter?  Europe
They live among the masses, associate  is in a singular state. The death of the
with the masses, sympathize with the   Emperor of Russia, or the Emperor of
masses; and when the day comes, they   France, would have an amazing influence
will throw their mighty influence into   on the present position of things.
the scale of popular rights, and the lib-  It was our purpose, in concluding this
erties of the people. They have little   article, to say something respecting the
sympathy with the nobles and the offi-  works which have been written on Ruscial myrmidons of the throne. Russia  sia. A few words must suffice.  If any
has felt the influence of her priests for  one desires to get a general view of the
good in many an evil hour. She owes  literature of Russia, and especially of her,* We often wonder that the friends of an Evangelical Faith in this land do so little to spread the Truth in
Russia. The door is open for immense efforts in the distribution of religious tracts, and to some extent, the
Bible.




550           Causes and Consequences of the Russian War.             [Nov.
authors, let him get and read Professor  his Court andpeople," is an excellent one,
Otto's excellent work; it has been   and contains much valuable information.
translated and published in England.  Of Count A. Gurowski's RssIA AS I IT IS
Schnitzler's volume on the Universities   we have spoken elsewhere. It is the
of Russia is very valuable, as are his  best of all, on many accounts-the most
other works on that empire. Of recent  impartial, philosophical, and hopeful.
books of Travels in Russia, that of the   Several works have recently appeared
Marquis de Custine is, perhaps, the most  in England relating to Russia. Oliimportant; but it abounds in French   phant's Russian Shores of the Baltic
prejudice, enormous exaggerations in   may be read with advantage, though it
regard to the discomforts, vermin, and  is far from being free from  prejudice.
almost everything else with which he  As to  the  Rev. Henry  Christmas's
met.  Nevertheless, M. de C.'s book   " Nicholas I.," it contains considerable
contains many truly philosophical views,  information, but it is too much made up
and ought by all means to be read. He   of extracts from  Marmier, Lagny, Olihas understood the Oriental or Asiatic  phant, and others.'It is remarkable that
character of the country better than any   Mr. C., writing this year, should not
other modern writer.  His representa-  know that the Grand Duke Michael, the
tions of the Greek Church, and its in-  brother and best friend of the emperor,
fluence, are far from being correct. In-  has been dead nearly five years! He is
deed, if one may judge from his astound-  far wrong, in what he says on the subject
ing ignorance of Protestantism, it ought  of religious liberty in Russia. As to
not to appear surprising that he has not  the older works on Russia, written by
done justice to the Greek Church of  Englishmen, that of Dr. Edward Clarke
Russia. M. de Custine is too much of a  is most interesting. Archdeacon Coxe's
Roman Catholic to do justice to the   work contains much information. Barreligion of Russia. Another Frenchman,  row's Travels in Russia is a superficial
M. Marmier, has written a very read-  work, and is now of little worth. Raikes'
able book about Russia, but it is super-  and Leitch's works (published some
ficial, and abounds in misstatements. As  twenty years ago) are worth reading, and
to M. de Lagny's little work (which has  so are the two volumes of the Marquis of
been republished in this country) it is a  Londonderry, for they contain much
very poor affair. The Travels in Russia  valuable statistical information respecting
of our lamented Stephens is a very inter-  the trade of Russia with Asia. Among the
esting book, but treats mainly of things  works written in England, long time ago,
which lie on the surface.  The work   we may mention John Milton's M8oscovia,
of Mr. Maxwell, entitled, " The Czar,  which is still worth reading.
AT LAST.
IT  comes at last! the hour so long awaited,
The hour that weary Hope so long iforetold,
It finds the strength of Passion unabated,
It meets a love that ne'er grew faint nor cold;
Forgotten is the dull and aching sadness,
Forgotten all the painful dreary past,
I hear thy words, I see thy glance of gladness,
I press thee, darling, to my heart at last!
I do not know if years have dimmed the splendor
That early passion found within thine eye,
I only feel its lovelight, soft and tender,.
Charm, as it charmed me in the days gone by;
I cannot tell what land, what fates await us,
If wealth or want along our way be cast,
I only know, if Fortune bless or hate us,
That heart to heart we live and die at last.




1854.]                                                                     551
WATERING-PLACE WORRIES'.
AFTER  withstanding, for these five   eyes looking  upward, something like
years, the annual urgency of my   "kicking down the ladder?"
wife and daughters for a peep at the       But we had no time to philosophize.
seaward border of our great metropolis,  The business of the moment was to enjoy.
during the season when all the world   The day being decided on, and the plan
flies about " like thin clouds before a   laid, I went to my office with renewed
Biscay gale," I promised, in some des-  spirits, visions of rural repose and quiet
perate or happy moment, that the sum-   throwing a golden haze over musty books
mer of 1854 should not pass away until  and o'er-labored pen arid ink.
I had give them a taste of the home        It occasioned some slight shock to the
ocean breezes, to say nothing of salt  fair fabric that had sprung up in my
water and roasted clams, the proper  imagination, to find that the very next
dainties of such excursions. To tell the   morning after the grand decision saw
truth, I was myself not a little inspired   three dress-makers installed in our sewby the animating images called up by   ing-room; but as I had not been so silly
the talk of my girls; and I fancied them   as to take literally my wife's assertion
walking on the beach, with good thick   that no dress was needed for a jaunt to
shoes, their fair hair blown back and   the sea-shore, I made no remark, though
tendrilling around their sun-bonnets, and   I inwardly ejaculated a hope that the
their cheeks rosy with health, early  sojourn of these Parcm might be short,
hours, and exercise; or sporting in the   since much experience has taught me to
surf, taking the wave with shouts of in-   class mantua-makers (qu. man-tormentnocent laughter, and emerging round-   ors?) among the absorbents, in no comheaded and shining, like seals or poer-  mendatory sense. A day or two after,
poises, only to plunge again for fresh   coming home to dinner exhausted, and
exhilaration.  Who does not love to see   perhaps a little cross, not a lady of the
his darlings enjoying themselves in the   family was to be found, and it was ten
sports proper  to their age, that "bring   minutes past five when Mrs. Q. and
no afterthought df pain," but stores of  the girls came in, like the Miss Flanmbohealth and gladness, and the power of  roughs, " all blowzed and red with walkcheerinlg others?  I co,nsented with a   ing," but rather silent (tor a while), and,
good grace (Illy wife said, for once), and   to speak within bounds, in not much
was as imlatient for tile day to come   better humor than myself. This had the
as the youngest of the party.           effect of what is called at the West a
What pleased me, especially, and si-  back-fire, which they kindle about the
lenced tile last doubt, was the reiterated   homestead to prevent that which apassurance of wife and daughters, that no-  proaches from the forest from becoming
body dressed at Rocky Branch. Not that  too destructive. My ill-humor was chasan altogether Paradisaic state was inti-  tised and kept under by the evidence of
mated, but the expression was offered as  disappointment and displeasure on the
a type of the utter indifference to out-  faces of my dear ones. I said nothing
ward adornment in which ladies visiting   about having waited dinner, but only
the sea-shore llabitually indulge. "Why   asked (mildly, I assure you) what had
should they dress," my wife would ema-  happened to disturb the newly-arrived.
phatically ask. "Why should we dress j ust  This brought down a shower of words.
to run about in the sand, or drive in a   All spoke at once, and it was not immecountry wagon, -or go a fislhing in a   diately that I could discover the source
imuddy boat?" Why, indeed! it was my   of unhappiness. But it resulted in this
own setltiment, exactly.  So we were   -Madame  F. (celebrated for making
all of one mind, and the tlhird day of  loves of caps and darlings of bonnets)
July was fixed upon as that of happy   "says she cannot possibly get our hats
escape from the heat and noise of the   done by the third, because all the Bloomcity, the day cOllnmemorative of out na-  ingfords had already bespoken theirs;
tional iindependence  being  unhappily   and the Gossins and the Tarnes theirs,
that now-a-days cho en by tile " better   a week ago. That's always the way with
classes" (!) to signalize their contempt  us!  We leave everything till the last
for the rule pleasures of "the ma.sses."   minute, and that's the reason we never
Quere, whether thi.s does not appear, to   can have anything like other people!"




552                       Watering-Place Worries.                      [Nov.
This glanced rather sharply upon me,  rious economical ways, out of old mateas my habitual reluctance to undertake   rials; but afterwards my good wife, with
expeditions of this nature-a reluctance,  her usual foresight, came to the conclulet me say, founded on much experience  sion that when one is getting a thing, it
-had been the cause of delay in the  is by far the best economy to have it
present case. But I kept my temper,  good; and so she purchased various briland took the blame meekly, simply ob-  liant stuffs and resplendent borderings
serving that I had supposed in a case  for herself and the daughters, and a scarwhere no dress was needed, two weeks  let and olange outfit for myself; so that
would afford ample time for preparation   when, on the night before our departure,
to pass three. This proved an unlucky   we tried on this "simple" gear, we
venture, for my wife's feelings were  looked fitter for a dance of witches or a
deeply Jhurt at what she felt to be an   bandit pantomime, than for sober bathers,
imputation upon her well-known econo-  who desire no spectators with better
my. Did I suppose she would buy a   eyes than the porpoises. But as I was
single thing for so short a sojourn that  told that " everybody" had such, I had
would not be useful-nay, necessary-   not a word to say.  Let me always do
afterwards?  And my daughters-were  as "everybody" does!
there any girls in town that dressed so  The days of preparation completed, we
plainly, and with so little expense? Had  found ourselves in a condition to set out,
not Caroline had her blue silk turned  — comfortably, my wife said,-and the
and made over and new-trimmed, at a   carriage came punctually, and New York
cost of barely ten dollars, and Alida  waved her fiery sword behind us to chase
worn her mantilla ever since April?  us away. Two men, perspiring profusely,
There was certainly no pleasure in going   brought down a trunk about the size and
anywhere, unless we could look like other  shape of a two-story house, and as they
people!                                rested it on the door-step, I could not
Truths like these are never disputed   but congratulate myself that my dear
by prudent husbands and papas, and   Sally, knowing my aversion to the care
from that time forward till the day of   of a complication of movables, had put
our migration, I never opened my lips  the family luggage into so compact a
on the subject of dress or dresses, nor  form; for, although bulky and heavy, it
my ears when bonnets, bracelets, cash-  was but once, and all was over. The
meres or cameos were in question.      poor fellows could wipe their beaded
My good wife on these occasions is less  brows, and go their ways. Alas! this House
intent on deceiving me than herself.  of Pride was but the advanced guard of
She desires in her heart to do the thing   an army of baggage-a trunk apiece
with little cost, and imagination draws a  and one extra-as good tea-makers put in
flattering picture of success which real-  a spoonful for each of the company and
ity fails to fill out, making the forgotten   one for the pot. O for the days of trunk
accessories come to ten times as much   hose, when a man could carry in his
money as the carefully counted must-  pockets wearables and eatables (if Huhave. What right have I to play the   dibras is to be trusted), enough for a tomaster, and try to substitute my wants  lerable campaign! Mrs. Partington didn't
and wishes for hers? We look at the   wonder that there were' trunk railways,'
matter from different points of view, and   nor do I.  Our army of trunks was atonly the petty domestic tyrant forgets  tended by a whole park of flying artilthis. Thus I lectured myself, and re-  lery in the shape of band-boxes.  I
solved that no frowns of mine should   demurred a little at this; but as each parembitter the taste of rural pleasure we   ticular piece that I proposed to leave
had all promised ourselves.            behind, held, as I was assured, something
All I stipulated for was that we should  essential to the comfort and respectabihave no cumbrous loads of baggage,  lity of the trip, I was fain to make the
cramming our little lodging-rooms, and   best of it, especially as my daughters
tormenting waiters and stage-drivers.  declared, with one breath, that the array
O! certainly not, a few summer articles   was absolutely nothing compared with
could not take much room; we would   what Mrs.- and her two daughters
take a moderate trunk a piece. (I have  took with them for a single week at
generally found those single trunks to   Rocky Branch.
possess a good many branches.) Bathing-  After all, —I philosophized to myself, as
dresses were of course in request; and   usual-though we make so much selfish
these it was proposed to make up in va-  outcry at the trouble occasioned by female




1854.]                    Watering-Place Worries.                        553
paraphernalia, should we be the gainers if  to their little, ugly, brown boots than
they took us at our word, and left behind   my daughters to their ditto, but further
and out of use all those delicate and cha-  I could not penetrate. There must have
racteristic superfluities that contribute  been something,- however, for it consito make more obvious the distinction   derably damped the spirits of our party
between man and woman? Should we   for some time.
enjoy travelling and visiting with ladies  Once seated in the rail-car, after our
who carried only a spare suit apiece?  impedimenta had been safely stowed and
Do we covet the companionship  of  ticketed, I had leisure to observe the
strong-minded women, who delight in  various individuals and groups that were,
broadcloth and leather, or fast women,  like ourselves, setting out for the counwho go out to tea in riding-habits, and  try,-many of them  well-dressed mercarry switches instead of fans? If there  chants and lawyers, to whom a peculiar
should be a ball at Rocky Branch, and my   air of domesticity and kindliness was
daughters had to stay at home for want  imparted by the various baskets, parcels,
of evening dresses, would the remem-  and flasks of which many of them were
brance that we had travelled without  the bearers, as they returned to their
band-boxes console me for their loss of   expectant families after the labors of the
pleasure?                              day. My imagination followed them to
Thus I reasoned after my fashion, and  their rural homes, more or less elegant,
soon found that the seemingly great  and pictured gentle, loving wives and
difficulties were not able to destroy my   fair daughters, awaiting their return in
pleasure, and determined they should  vine-shaded porches, while the setting
not, by my means, interfere with that of  sun covered the landscape with a tender
others.                                 glow, like the flush of a sweet welcome.
I need hardly say that, to a man like   I rejoiced that so many of our men of
myself, tied, from year's end to year's  business provide these pleasant homes
end, to the dull routine of business life,  for their families, far from the city's noise
a journey of even twenty miles is no   and dust, and at least somewhat removed
small pleasure. The very crossing of the  from the city's hardening influences. The
ferry, to which my ordinary affairs  weariness of some of the faces about me
never call me, was a delight. When I  served to enhance the expression of the
gazed upon our lovely bay and its islands,  scene, for it suggested most forcibly the
and felt the fresh breeze that had " been  sweetness of repose, and the value and
out upon the deep at play," I was ready   happiness of these country homes. One
to wonder' that anybody should ever  by one, and group by group, we dropped
wish to go further for health or pleasure.  the home-goers, and at length my pleaMy heart swelled and my eyes over-  sant reveries were broken by the sight
flowed, as I contemplated the splendid  of a long row of uncouth vehicles drawn
aspect of my native town, the evidences  up at the side of the platform, and
of her prosperity, the promise of her  labelled in every variety of lettering and
future  pre-eminence.  Even  London  illustration that the taste and means of
herself, queen of the world's commerce  the  painters  allowed. I  was  quite
and intelligence, scarcely reposes on her  amused with these anomalous carriages
river-shores  with  more  magnificent  and the throng that hurried towards
effect, though London is the work of  them, but my wife put to flight my
two thousand years as New York is of  quiet thoughts, by an exclamation that
two hundred. No city on earth pos-  we were losing all the best places, and
sesses such unlimited natural advantages  might even find ourselves without any
as ours, such as no amount of misgovern-  places at all, if we did not make a rush
ment and desperate shameless corruption   and take care of our rights. So on we
can-                                   dashed, pell-mell, elbowing and elbowed,
Here my wife whispered me that she   crowding into seats and being turned out
hoped I saw the Z- family on board,  again by somebody's assertion  of a
with new travelling dresses that threw   prior claim; until, at last, I thought we
ours completely into the shade; a fact  were finally, if not fairly, squeezed into
which I was fain to receive on authority,  some very uncomfortable nooks and
for the most dutiful scrutiny on my part  corners, when it was suggested that all
failed to discover the superiority of our  the trunks and bandboxes were still
neighbors' outfit.   I believe Mrs. Z-   standing on the platform, and that I had
had one more bow on her bonnet than   very much failed in escort duty, in not
my wife, and the Misses Z- higher heels  having seen them  properly bestowed
VOL. IV. —36




654                       Watering-Place Worries.                      [Nov.
outsidebefore I buried myself in the   with which we attempted to repel them,
interior. I tried to do the necessary   while it was provokingly suggested by
shouting from a window, but the lady   an old stager that if we had only rubbed
who occupied it remained, as it seemed,  our faces and hands with camphorated
totally unconscious of my desire, and I  spirits just before we started, we should
was, after all, obliged to drag myself and   have been in far less danger of blotches.
my boots through the flounces of two or  This might not be true; but it annoyed
three others until I reached the scene of  us to think it might. One of the greatest
the merle, when I found the last piece of  comforts under misfortune is to think it
luggage had just been hoisted to the top.  inevitable; and I have always dreaded
Once more I had to pass the frowning  those good people who feel it their duty
ordeal, amid the crush of skirts and the  to show you, when it is too late, how
artillery of indignant eyes, before I could  easily what ruffles you might have been
subside into the welcome obscurity of  avoided. Instruction is valuable, but it
the corner, and take up the thread of my   should be well-timed; one does not care
thoughts, wofully frayed by the last rub.  much about the future while suffering
Yet I could not help being amused at the  from the musquito-bites of life.
impudence that provided and stowed        The last expanse of bare sand having
such carriages, and the simplicity that  been passed, we drew up before a piazza
endured them; and after I had sagely  long enough for St. Peter's, the roar of
asked myself if this was what is called   ocean in our ears, and its wind stilnulat"Pleasure,' I more wisely answered the  ing every nerve. I sprang out of my
question in the affirmative, since the occu-  troglodytish nook with a feeling of depation of my own thoughts with these  lightful relief, and Mrs. Q. and the girls
novel trifles, had already served, I was  forgot their annoyances, and inhaled
conscious, to smooth some of the ruts of  the new life with evident pleasure. The
care, and rub out a few of the wrinkles of  breeze was now quite too much for the
application. Counter-irritation is an ima-  mosquitoes, who lack the parasitic power
portant agent of medication-of the old  to " pursue the triumph, and partake
school, yet homceopathic-and I acknow-  the gale."  They disappeared, and we
ledged its good effects. Not so Mrs. Q.  felt with delight that we had only to
and the girls. Jam is not good for ladies'  find our rooms and bestow our movables,
crinolines, and the crowded state of the   and then return to enjoy the evening
coach certainly threatened the fashion-  among the motley company that thronged
able  orbicular contour of skirts too  the piazza, which, to our tired eyes, wore
severely not to have some effect upon  the appearance, at the moment, of a dis.the brows of the wearers. It was plain  jointed rainbow, swaying and fluttering
that the balm of rural quiet had not yet  in the breeze.
begun to make itself felt among us. The   Here, it will be perceived, an importcoach was like the branch of a tree on   ant item had been momentarily forgotwhich bees are swarmed, and the heat  ten-the evening meal, rendered a matand the buzz were worse than Wall street.  ter of consequence by the journey and
Green plains, dotted  with trees, lay  the sea-air, to say nothing of the depleeverywhere around us,a perpetual sooth-  tory labors of the mosquitoes. But of
ing platitude, like some companionships.  that anon.
Here and there would be seen an oid-    We found rooms considerably larger'fashioned farm-lhouse, with its grass-  than those recesses in which refractory
plot and honeysuckles, and, perhaps, a  nuns used to to be immured, and Ilost
maid with a milk-pail; but the landscape   carefully excluded from every sight and
had no points more salient than these.  sound of the ocean, though not from the
The fields grew sandier and more thinly   odors and din of the kitchen and stables.
covered as we neared the ocean; the   To the narrowness of our lot we subsea-breeze met us with a flurrying wel-  mitted, as we best might, but to the
come, and with it calne a cloud that we   total absence of what we had most parwere not at all disposed to welcome-   ticularly come to enjoy, we demurred a
composed of myriads of mosquitoes that  little; our remonstrances, however', were
had evidently come a long journey, by   at once silenced by the intelligence that
the keenness of their appetites. In vain   we must have these rooms or none, as
the ladies veiled their faces, and the   all the seaward ones were already engentlemen  plied  their handkerchiefs.  gaged by "permanent boarders," or for
Piquant were the attentions of the new-  their friends.  Indeed, before we got
comers, and rather impatient the gestures  fairly settled, we began to feel quite like




1854.]                    Watering-Place Worries.                       555
intruders. Everything was pre-engaged   mentation reminded me of that of ships
by the " permanent boarders."          of the line on gala days, and gentlemen
Our rooms were entirely destitute of  flaming all over with gilt buttons, diawardrobes and bureaux, as the " per-  mond brooches, and cigars, and then
manent boarders " had required all that  found a corner to sit down, thinking no
had been provided for us. Even our  sight so fine as the rising moon, no
washing apparatus, wofully scanty at  music so delightful as the roar of ocean.
best, had been sifted by the lady on the  We were scarcely seated when a riteopposite side of the entry, who had come  ous shriek reached my ears, and I
with seven children and three nurses,  jumped up, thinking some unfortunate
for the summer, so that we were fain to  dog or cat had been trodden upon in the
borrow and lend sundry articles usually  parlor. I found, however, that it was
thought indispensable.  We rang and   only the beginning of a favorite Italian
rang in vain to have these deficiencies  song, with which a young lady was
remedied, for as far as we could discover,  favoring a circle of her fashionable
the 1" permanent boarders " required all  friends. I looked in at the window for
the servants as well as all the furniture   a moment; but the poor girl appeared
of the house.                         in such distress that I could not bear to
This was quite a new aspect of hotel  see her contortions of face and person,
life for my experience. I had always  though I was assured she was only singconsidered an inn or boarding-house a  ing in opera style.  I thought within
place of equal rights-where each in-  myself-" Hic labor, hoc opus est," but I
mate, paying his way, had as good a  said no such word, believe me; I felt
right to whatever his habits required as  more like knocking down some coarse
his neighbor. But my wife and daughters  young men, who were quizzing her undecided that this was always the way at  mercifully, as they walked up and down
such places, and that to expect anything  the piazza, looking in at the windows.
else only betrayed our want of fashion-    By the way, and let me say it here, as
able habitudes. The only way, she said,  I dare say it nowhere else, by what
to secure any comfort at Rocky Branch   strange perversion of nature and taste is
was to take the best apartments for the  it that music, meant by Almighty Proentire season.                         vidence for the soothing and sweetening
Before we were half settled in our  of poor human nature, has become, in
closets, the gong howled, and we hurried   our time, a laborious thing-a thing of
down to tea, not, however, quickly  exhibition and emulation?  There is,
enough to find anything but bread and  indeed, a class who must make music a
butter upon the table. There had been  labor-those who practise it as a profesfruit, as we saw by the plates of our  sion; but why do our young ladies feel
neighbors, but when we desired a share,  it necessary to imitate these people? It
we were politely told that it was all  seems to me rather humiliating that a few
gone. The lady with seven children  imported  opera singers and pianists
had, I should judge, concluded that her  should have power to effect a domestic
first duty was to provide for her family,  revolution in this respect, so that the
and, accordingly, divided  everything   present object of singing and playing is
within reach among them. At least I  no longer the pleasure of husbands and
could not help noticing, at the close of  fathers, and little brothers and sisters,
the meal, that the little dears had not  and the home circle generally; but the
been able to devour half she had endowed  imitation of Signora So-and-so and Herr
them with. For myself, I wanted spe-  This-or-that, who may happen to have
cially sea-fare, so I asked for some roast-  the public by the ears. I have felt someed clams, which I saw much relished by  times that I should enjoy playing St.
several gentlemen who seemed as hungry   Dunstan to some of these sublime gentry,
as I felt; but alas! I only touched the   whom I regard with about as much affecold string. All the roasted clams had  tion as the saint felt for his infernal
been  absorbed by the  "permanent  adversary.
boarders," and I was obliged to content    I do not complain that the girls sing
myself with a slice of cold ham.       Italian songs, or play elegantly; but only
But the fine air that we were to enjoy  that their inducement is a mean and not
on the piazza till bed-time soothed our  a generous one; that the excessive labor
irritation, and made us forget for the time   required by the new standard absorbs
all meaner wants. We promenaded till  much of the interest and attention due
we were tired, among ladies whose orna-  to other things, and that it is difficult for




556                       Watering-Place Worries.'[Nov.
them to condescend to ilease the vast, rable puppies and children, whose gammajority of their hearers, who desire  bols occupied pretty much the whole
something simpler and more easily com-  space. I observed that most of the perprehended. If one succeeds in obtaining  mlanents soon disappeared, but thought
a ballad or a sweet English song, it is so  little of the matter until, on inquiring for
bedevilled with incongruous graces, that  places in the vehicle provided for those
it is, after all, no more than a very in-  who wished to go to the beach, I found
sipid hybrid, lacking both the home-  it had already started, being primarily
sweetness we covet and the scientific per-  at command of the favored class, with
fection that the Italian music is so prized  their bonnes and children, dogs and
for.                                   baskets.
I do not pretend to be a connoisseur in  " It will soon be back," said my informusic, but I will yield to no man in my   mant, consolingly; " it does not take
appreciation of what makes home happy;  them more than an hour," but as this
and I know, to an absolute certainty,  hour included the top of the tide, we
that to sing like a dog whose tail has  felt a little put out, especially as we asbeen trodden on, or even like an indig-  certained that the huge old lumbering
nant or melancholy cat, is not the music  vehicle had not been quite filled, the
of the home circle, though it may obtain  permanent ladies not liking to admit
white-gloved applause in company, or  strangers.
the envious commendations of those       We got down after a while, however,
whose organs are less docile. To me,  just as most of the dipping and frolickthe cold, staring circle that gathers  ing was over for the day, and with
round the fashionable performer looks  rather tamed enthusiasm, sought bathing
like a committee employed to test the   houses in which we might prepare for the
pretensions of a fire annihilator, or a   water. But not only were most of the
crowd watching the progress of a dog-  bathing-houses "private," but unhappily
fight in the street, with not the least  those who had bathed were now dresspersonal interest in the result. Is there  ing, and we were obliged to walk up
not a sad blunder somewhere-in heart  and down in the deep sand, under a
or head?                               broiling sun, while one and another of
*    *    *    *    *    *         the habitues arrayed himself or herself
The next morning saw us on the alert  with (as it seemed to us) uncommon defor breakfast, determined to be ready at  liberation, after which we enjoyed the
the first sound of the gong, before the   privilege of bathing alone, with the tide
" permanent boarders" had had time to  half out and the surf quite subsided.
make a locust progress over the eatables.    " What shall we do with our bathing
But we missed it again; for there was a  dresses, Papa?" my little Dora called
fixed determination on the part of the  from her sentry-box, the door of which
waiters not to bring on anything but the   was off its hinges, and had to be lifted
commonest fare until the favored class  bodily every time the occupant of the
saw fit to descend from  their rooms.  sentry-box wished to pass.
In vain I asked for oysters and chickens;    Here again I was at fault. The knowthe first seemed to be in the vasty deep,  ing ones had packed their wet garments
and the others would not come when I  in the wagon which had now gone up
did call for them; so we breakfasted  for the last time, and I was fain to conhumbly on ham and eggs, with bread by  fide ours to an old sea-dog in red flannel,
no means sweet, and butter that would   who professed to assist bathers, though
have been too much for its parent cow.  he was reputed always to make for the
But we did not mind it much, for we   shore when there was the least alarm.
were going to bathe.                   (The next morning when we came down
Here was a fine day for the surf; the  to the beach we had the pleasure of findsky a little veiled, but the breeze full of  ing all our various and partycolored
balm, and the numerous guests that  gowns and trousers made spread eagles
dropped in by twos and threes till they   of; on the broad-side of a shed under
filled the tables, promising a gay time.  which the ladies and gentlemen were
We retired from the field just as the  in the habit of reposing and cracking
broiled chickens came in, and walked  jokes at odd hours.)
the piazza a while, waiting for the hour    But, not to get before my story, at
at which it was fashionable to go to the   dinner, after our first bath, I observed
beach. Here were polychromatic morn-  with no little uneasiness that my wife
ing dresses in abundance, and innume-  and daughters, who had professed them



1854.]                    Watering-Place Worries.                        5517
selves hungry enough to eat even the   Nothing could touch us further! Our
poor leavings (on the dishes), of the  three weeks would not clean us of the'i permanents," touched scarcely anything,  stain. The red would turn brown after
and after a few whispers among them-  a day or two, and the skin must either
selves, sat silent and evidently unhappy.  peel off, like bad stucco, or wait in leaWhen the dessert came on, I made des-  them  pertinacity for the slow process of
perate dives after spoonfuls of various  natural wear and tear. hMy bright Alida,
puddings that were passing towards the  who is always a little brown, declared
head of the table, and once came nearly  she should not be fit to be seen all the
to blows with the waiter, who snatched   winter; and when I hinted that I did not
from my hand a tolerable tart that I had  think a shade more or less would be noin my secret mind appropriated to my   ticed in her complexion, she did not seem
family's wants.  But though the war  at all comforted.  Caroline, who has
thus resolutely carried on was not with-  light hair and blue eyes, felt that she
out its trophies, in the shape of sundry   was a peculiar sufferer, because if a blonde
little spots of sweet things on our plates,  is not lily fair, she is nothing. Dora
no relaxation of the gloom on each side   did not mind the matter so much, for
of me was discernible.  I inquired in  she is a lively little gipsy, and can get
anxious whispers, but the thing was evi-  fun out of anything; but /Mrs. Q. was
dently not of a nature to bear talking   so seriously hurt, that I could not, as a
about. I secured three almonds a piece,  good husband, do less than let her lay
and some of the lcose raisins that re-  all the blame on my shoulders, where,
mained in the fruit-dishes after all the  indeed, it generally alights by hook or
bunches had been snatched to load the   crook. In truth, I consider this a covert
plates of a row of children, with large   compliment, both to my good nature
bows on their shoulders and their hair  and to my importance in the family; and
excessively bandolined; and very soon  the habit of blaming me in private has
after, obeyed my wife's signal of with-  the advantage of enabling my wife always
drawal, longing to know what unhappy  to be perfectly amiable in company.
contretemps could have occurred beyond   All I could propose was, that since the
and besides all the petty vexations I  misfortune had happened, we must only
had already become cognizant of, only a  make the best of it; and to this end I
part of which I have attempted to de-  suggested that the next best thing to
scribe here.                           being fair was being good-humored and
In a remote corner of the great dining  lively, laughing off what was inevitable,
room, out of hearing of the "perma-  and turning our attention to the rural
nents," who already occupied, either in  enjoyments, for which we had expressly
person or by proxy, every window that  come. I thought the girls had better
faced the sea which we had all come to  dash out and behave as the other young
look at, the sad truth came out. It had  ladies did, i, e., as if there was nobody
been discovered that all the stylish peo-  in the world but themselves.
ple — all who went from  home often      " Nonsense!" my wife  said.  The
enough to know what other people did-   girls were not fast girls, nor couldn't
wore masks while bathing, so that we,  be. It wasn't their style; and besides,
ignoramuses convict, protected by no-  they hadn't brought even their ridingthing better than huge flats that would  habits, or whips or dogs.  Caroline
blow about-had burned our faces red,  had a guitar at home, to be sure, but
while the knowing ones were fair and   even if she had it here, she could
carm  as a summer morning, quite at  not muster courage to play unasked,
leisure to stare at our tell-tale ruddiness,  among so many strangers. Elinor had
and to conjecture that we had emerged   a Fanny-Kemble suit, that she had had
from  the sub-marine regions of East  made for the woods a year or two since,
Broadway or Henry Street, into which,  when she went to Uncle John's, in
the doings of the New York great world  the wilds of Albany county; but what
are longer in penetrating, than the ori-  could she do with it on the beach, where
ginal rumors from Paris take in crossing  the winds were always blowing in that
the Atlantic to the happier imitators in  violent, unmeasured sort of way? Dora
Fifth Avenue.                          was naturally a romp; but where was the
Here was a horror. The thing was  use, where we didn't know any young
done; there was no help for it. No ap-' men? We never went anywhere-never
plication of oiled silk, or Indian rubber,  did as other people did-were really unor even papier mache, would now avail.  fitted for good society, &c., &c., &c.




558                       Watering-Place Worries.                      [Nov.
Upon this, the ladies all betook them-   hension of the father of a family, unfit
selves to their rooms, while I, full of  for the breathing of wives and daughters.
regret at their various disappointments,    If it be said that the proprietors and
lighted my invariable after-dinner cigar,  heads  of these  large establishments
and walked up and down the piazza for  cannot be answerable for the manners
an hour or two, jostled on every hand,  of their guests, I reply that if the favor
but pondering the whole subject of these  of arrogant and overbearing people were
summer sojourns, and marvelling within   not especially courted, the whole state
myself whether these things must be so,  of things would be very different, and
now and for ever.                      quiet and respectable families could enjoy
Can there be no rural retreats for us  the sea-side without being starved or
o'erlabored  citizens, driven from  our  insulted for the sake of those less scruhomes by heat and dust, and natural de-  pulous than themselves. We all know
sire of variety,-wherein may be found   very well that ladies are rather unmancomfort, repose, amusement, and whole-  ageable —(none better than I!)-but no
some air and food, instead of the poor,  one should be allowed to usurp the rights
ill-managed, partial, scrambling (I had   of others, and the evil is by no means
almost said swindling), uncomfortable,  solely ascribable to the female portion of
and ruinously-expensive abiding-places,  these partial and ill-conducted housewhich are now denominated fashionable?  holds. That this is winked at, if not
I know there are farm-houses, so-called,  planned, at many of our so-called fashwhere one can find quiet, but nothing  ionable places of summer resort, is past
else; neither amusement, nor comfort,  all denial,. and hundreds grumble at it
nor even country-fare, since every atom   every year without thinking of a remof first-rate provisions is sent to the   edy.
great cities. But these are not what we  But the question recurs-where are
need. They too often swindle on a   we to go for sea-side recreation?
small scale, as the greater humbugs do   After much cogitation, as I promenadon a large one; that is to say, they take   ed the piazza with a hundred others,
your money without rendering or seek-  yet alone, for my dear ones were still
ing to render a just and equal return, or  pouting up stairs, I thought I would try
planning for anything but the filling of   my unpractised pen on a little sketch of
their own pockets, trusting to your pa-  a corner of our vexations, and send it to
tience, and the natural reluctance to   Putnam, as we put an advertisement to
"make a fuss," by returning to town   the newspaper, trusting that the operabefore the specified time of endurance  tion of the well understood law of dehas elapsed. The grander take-ins not  mand and supply, might, before next
only give you poor living and uncom-   summer, induce some of our enterprising
fortable lodging, and allow all the com-   citizens to get up a real family hotel, at
forts and advantages there might still be   once elegant and comfortable, where all
found to be usurped by certain people,  who pay alike shall be treated alike, and
who seem  never to reflect that their  whence every shadow of partiality and
grasping selfishness amounts to absolute  exclusiveness shall be carefully excluded.
dishonesty; but they are kept in such a  I put my name down first on the list, for
way as to encourage a rude and loose, if   a suite of rooms looking on the ocean.
not vicious tone, especially among the   Perhaps I am only wanting a chance
young men who frequent them, till the  to try my own grasping powers!
whole air seems, to the sensitive appre



1854.]                                                                   559
EDITORIAL NOTES.
LIT E R A T U R E.            The author sums up the doctrines of
AMERICAN.-We have a new tract for  the modern spiritists, as a pantheistic
the times, in a work named Apocatastasis,  theology, identifying God with matter,
or Progress Backwards, in which the au-  or a blind sore of the world, a denial of
thor endeavors to show that the modern   man, sin, and guilt, and of his responsibispirital phenomena are not new, but  lity to anything but the deified laws of
were well known to the ancients, and   nature, a heaven after death which reespecially in the latter days of the Ro-  sembles the sensual oriental paradises,
man Republic. Adopting the notion of   "a linsey-woolsey tissue of ancient and
certain philosophers, that the heavenly   modern sophistry, absurdity and impiety,
bodies and great spheres of the universe  sugared over with sickly sentimentalism
pursue a regular circle, and come round   and milk and water morality, with the
to the same relative positions after pe-  privilege of perpetual appeal, for its
riods, called the apocatastasis, bringing  true interpretation, to the re-established
with them in their return a kind of cor-  pagan oracles."
respondence in human affairs, he likens   We do not get from this writer any
the existing age to that of the Roman  specific statement of his own philosophy
Republic about the time of Sylla; and,  of the manifestations, although he more
on this basis, constructs a curious paral-  than suggests that he considers them
lelism. But his chief object is to prove   analogous to the demoniacal possessions
that the leading phenomena of the Spi-  of the New  Testament.  Leaving to
ritists were largely anticipated in those  science, consequently, the inquiry as to
days, and the philosophy by which they   how far physiological causes may be inwere accounted for was pretty much the   volved in the physical effects, he devotes
same.  They had their "fascination,"  his attention to the arrogant, and, as
which was a kind of magnetism by the   he considers, blasphemous pretensions
eye, their mesmeration of water, their  of its teaching. Apart from the latter,
clairvoyant pythonesses, their divina-  the manifestations are of no higher imtions, their intercourse with the dead,  port than the tricks of Signor Blitz; but
their writing and speaking mediums,  with them, they acquire a consequence
and, in short, all the variety of ob-  which deserves an indignant exposure.
sessed or possessed people of which we   This the author has undertaken in no
are accustomed to hear in these days.  mincing spirit, and he deals about him
In those days, too, as in these, some   with the lusty and strong arm  of an
looked upon the whole thing as a fraud,  enraged Hercules, sometimes knocking
others as a mere physiological effect,  down the object of his wrath, and at
others again as the work of evil spirits  other, objects that are quite innocent of
or demons, while others believed it a  offence.  While we are not surprised,
true manifestation from Heaven.         therefore, at his indignation, we do wonOur author has treated the subject in  der that he should not have discrimipart jocularly, and, on that account, has  nated between the genuine disciples of
to some extent defeated his own purpose.  religious progress, and the pretenders he
The learning he has introduced is ex-  assails, and between (whatever we may
tremely interesting, and his earnest pro-  think of this system) the large-minded
tests against the debasing and frivolous   and noble-hearted Swedenborg, and such
character of much of the recent Spirit-  chaps as Apollonius, Davis, Dexter, &c.
alism, deeply impressive; but his objects  There is another question which the
and his arguments have not at all helped   writer ought to have discussed, i. e., how
art by his art.  The latter has the ten-  far these "spiritual theories " are a direct
dency of diverting the mind from the   out-growth of the prevailing and popureal subject, without enlivening it, or  lar theology, which, though a scheme of
coming in as a relief to the more serious  spiritual truths in the minds of enlightparts.  We wish, therefore, that he   ened men, as it is commonly explained
had treated the whole question in the   and stated, is a gross naturalism, and
sedate and eloquent manner of his few   hardly more respectable than the reveries
concluding chapters. We except, how-  of Davis or the rest of the revelators.
ever, from this wish some of his ironical  Much of the Christian teaching that we
passages, which are conceived in a fine  have heard in the conventicles, and which
style of humor.                        we have read in the so-called religious




560                Editorial Notes-American Literature.                [Nov.
newspapers, is as far from any true spiri-  in the reader. It does not appear that
tual perception of Christianity, is as pro-  Canot was much of a monster hilnself,
foundly immersed in a sensuous philoso-  though lie had a great nmany monsters
phy, as a great deal which our author  to deal with, whom  he manages with
condemns in Davis and Edmonds. The  thie astuteness and determination which
only real corrective, consequently, for  does honor to his sagacity and courage,
these later aberrations, will be f'ound, not  if not his humanity. He gives us a
in intense objurgatory paragraphs, nor  better glimpse of the economy of African
in denunciations from the pulpit, but in  life than any writer that we have read,
the twofold care, first, of natural science,  while he describes his own adventures
which will explain much that is now   with the sangfroid and good nature of
seemingly mysterious; and, secondly, of  a Gil Blas. He makes light of a great
a truly spiritual Christianity, which will  many things that would revolt a more
make clear to the commonest apprehen-  refined sensibility; but no one, we are
sion, the eternal distinction between   quite sure, would acquire a desire to
natural truth, which is conditioned in  engage in the nefarious traffic, from the
time and space, and revealed truth, which   pictures of it that he has drawn. His
is unlimited and absolute.              views of the aboriginal life of Africa are
-We have been greatly instructed as  fearful, in the debasement and brutality
well as pleased by CAPTAIN CANoT'S  which they reveal, but they are not
Twenty Years of an African Slaver,  utterly hopeless.  Many of the tribes
prepared for the press by Mr. Brantz  have been subdued into a kind of semiMeyer, of Baltimore.  When we took it  civilization by the spread of Mohammeup, we were almost loath to open it,  danism, which, as a monotheistic refrom  an apprehension  that we were  ligion, is vastly superior in its influences
about to be introduced to all the horrors  to the fetischtic and polytheistic worof the slave-trade, which the discussions  ships of rude paganism. But, whether
in England, during the early part of the  this or any other cause will raise the
present century, made us familiar. But  savages into a capability of higher dewe were agreeably disappointed. Cap-  velopment, is one of the problems of the
tain Canot, or his editor, has had the  future.  The colony of Liberia is no
art of passing over the more repulsive   doubt destined to play an important
details of the subject, and of giving us, at  part in its solution.
the same time, all the information that    -Mr. VAN SANDTVOORD's Lives of the
is needed to enable us to draw our own   Chief Justices of the United States, is
inferences. Canot was an Italian boy,  an interesting and able work. It not
who sailed for a while from the port of  only narrates the lives of the Chief JusSalem, but afterwards being wrecked on  tices of the Supreme Court, but details
one of the West India Islands, got in-  the actions of that court, forming a kind
volved in the slave-trade at Havana.  of history of its influence upon the jurisHe made one or two voyages as a prin-  prudence of the nation. The author excipal man in a slave-trading expedition,  presses a doubt whether his account of
and then became a factor on the African  the cases decided might not be found a
coast, where he had plenty of oppor-  little tedious; but, for our part, we contunities of studying the manners and   sider it the most valuable and instruccustoms of the native Africans, as well  tive part of his volume.  As a contrias the characters of those who are em-  bution to our legal literature his book
ployed in the commerce of men. He   possesses a very high worth, and no one
made several excursions into the interior  will read it without deriving from  it a
of the continent; sometimes as a visitor  great deal of instruction. His narrative
to the chiefs, and sometimes in quest of  style is generally easy, his description
slaves; was once or twice captured and   of character discriminating, and his diimprisoned by either the British or the   gests of principles concise, and yet clear.
French; was present at a great many   A little more is made of some of his
scenes of barbarity, massacre, and can-  personages than their abilities and infinnibalism; and, in short, meets with a   ence in the world warrant; but, on the
thousand novel and surprising adven-  whole, his treatment is judicious and
tures, which make his narrative as ab-  truthful. His incidental notes, too, consorbing as any romance, from the begin-  tain a great variety of useful intellining to the end. The stories are told in  gence.
a lively, pleasant style, and with an air  Another work of a similar kind, but
of truthfulness that inspires confidence   much inferior in its execution, is the




1854.]            Editorial Notes-American Literature.                   561
Party Leaders of Mr. J. G. BALDWIN,  their fellow-men by a rigid adherence to
which gives us sketches of Jefferson,  their own peculiar views-persons who
Hamilton, Randolph, Jackson, Clay, and   are sent into the world to arrest the
other distinguished statesmen of the Re-  movements of an old system  of things,
public. Mr. Baldwin's style is too am-  and to inaugurate the advent of a new;
bitious for this kind of' writing; but he   but the great mass of men can lay no
has brought together a mass of valuable  claim  to this elevated character, and
materials, and is occasionally eloquent  must be content to share in the governin his remarks.                        ment, if they share at all, according to
In reading these lives of the great  the established method of political action.
men that are gone, and seeing what a  In other words, they must take sides
chaos of errors and truths all party con-  with one party or another, choosing that
flicts are apt to be, we are led to a great  which comes nearest in its aims to their
many interesting speculations as to the   own estimate of what is best to be done,
bearings of the party conflicts of the   and striving to raise and purify it in
present day.  What bitterness, what  those particulars in which it may be
violence, what struggles mark the lives  deemed deficient.
of these leaders, and yet, when they     This is the course to be pursued under
have passed away, how little, if at all,  ordinary circumstances, or when they
seems to us of any real and vital im-  are really contending for distinctive and
portance! How  much were they all  important principles; but the great pracmistaken, both in regard to each other,  tical difficulty of a participation in party
and in regard to the bearing of measures  action is, that nearly all parties soon get
on which they had staked honor, feeling,  to be corrupt. They turn aside from
almost their lives?                   their ordinary and legitimate objects,It is sometimes a question, whether  they fall into the hands of men who have
parties are more injurious or beneficial  selfish schemes to accomplish, and who
to a political society; but however this  do not care for principles,-they conquestion may be decided, it is clear that  struct a machinery of management which
parties will continue te exist. Spring-  comes to work by its own force, and
ing fiom some of the same necessities in   without reference to the impulses which
which political society itself has its  originally set it in motion; and thus, in
origin, they are likely to cease only upon  the end, they degenerate into an organized
two conditions; to wit, the establish-  conspiracy for the mere achievement or
ment of a despotism which should sup-  retention of office. Under these circumpress all expression of opinion, or such   stances, it is almost impossible for any
an unlimited perfection of individuals as  man to control or modify their action;
would dispense with government alto-  he must either submit to their despotism,
gether. But so long as men remain  becoming a mere tool or cypher in their
what they are, so long as government is  hands, or he must break away from them
the mere organ of the majority of inte-  at once, and take an independent stand.
rests and opinions, there must be divi-  He cannot join the opposition, because
sions and combinations of sentiment,  the opposition may be in a similar conwhich, carried out into action, form   dition, or because its professed aims are
what are called parties.               hostile to his convictions, and there is
The position taken by certain men,  no recourse but in entire independence.
therefore, of a superfine morality, or a  Yet, to assume such an independence is
transcend!ent philosophy, that each indi-  often to shut himself out completely
vidual of the state should labor to assert  from any participation in affairs, to go
his own individual convictions, regard-  into a kind of voluntary anchoretism or
less of the convictions of his neighbors,  exile, and so become useless to society.
and  steadily refuse to coalesce with  It is true that a strong man, or one who
them until they shall have reached his  has the right with him, may, by strenustandard of judgment, is simply imprac-  ous efforts, form a party of his own, and
ticable. It has no other effect than to  by that means counteract the corruption
deprive the individual taking it of his  of the older parties; but the great mass
just influence in the management of civil  of men, as we have said, are not of this
affairs, and to remand the government  make and calibre. They must either act
of society to others who are less scru-  with parties, or not act at all. Without
pulous, and'perhaps less capable.  No   the force which is necessary to become
doubt there are persons of rare genius  reformers, if they take a separate posiand attainments, who can best serve  tion, they do so at the hazard of abun



562                Editorial Notes-American Literature.                  [Nov.
dant ridicule, and an utter impotence.  of poets, and a Quaker full of the spirit
One of the most embarrassing problems,  of battle, writes, nevertheless, agreeable
consequently, that presents itself to a   and graceful prose. His Literary Rceconscientious mind for solution, is, how   creations are collections from  his newsfar he may or may not act with the pre-  paper fragments, and form an acceptable
dominant political parties of his country.  miscellany.  They make no pretension
If he Petires from all exercise of his po-  to profound thought or high originality,
litical rights, he may be abandoning his  yet they are suggestive and profitable.
country to the control of sharpers and   He is a most uncompromising assertor of
knaves; if he contents himself with the   his principles, and still genial, courteous,
simple expression of his private views,  and tender. The shams of this earth
he relinquishes his effective influence;  find no favor at his hands, whether they
and if he joins the regular opposition,  are the cruel ones or the sentimental,
he gives countenance to a policy an-  although his heart overruns with fine
tagonistic to his real convictions. In   affections and hopes. He can speak of
either case it is obvious that he does not  his brother poets, too, without envy, in
discharge his duties as a citizen, respon-  the spirit of praise and candor, passing
sible, to the extent of his ability, for the   lightly over their defects, and warmly
public action of the community of which   admiring their excellences.  As to its
he is a member.                         subjects, the book is literally what its
This embarrassment arises from  the   title imports, a recreation, various, light,
facility with which parties in their prac-  fanciful, and serious, by turns. One can
tical operations slip away from the theo-  beguile an hour or two with it with ease
retical principles on which they were   and advantage.
originally constituted.  Sometimes they    -Mr. BAsKERvILLE'S translations of the
are unconsciously misled by the sudden   German poets (with the German on one
adoption  of rneasures whose ultimate   page and the English on the other),
bearings they have not perceived; some-  though it comprises selections from  a
times the mere spirit of opposition to  large number of them, is remarkably
old hereditary antagonists betrays them    well executed throughout.  Here and
into a false position; sometimes a man   there we meet a stanza that might have
of rare and commanding popular talents   been more felicitously rendered; but on
dazzles them into momentary blindness;  the whole, his success is decided. Stuand sometimes. they wilfully  pervert  dents of the Germanlanguage, therefore,
truth and honesty in a desperate hunger  will find his book a considerable assistfor emoluments and power. But what-  ance in their tasks; one that will introever the cause, they are pretty sure to   duce them to some of the finest poetry
go wrong, and once wrong, the absurd  in the world, and fill their minds with
pretension to infallibility, with which   faithful and happy phrases. Mr. Gar1l public bodies are more or less insani-  rigue, the publisher, has brought out the
fied, backed by the machinery of organ-  volume with commendable neatness and
ization, is apt to keep them wrong for  taste.  A  critical introductiion on the
years.  It is in vain that individuals  school of German poetry might, perhaps,
protest against their errors-in vain that  be an improvement to a second edition.
their enemies expose their inconsistency   -The Hermit's Dell, from the Diary
-in vain that they suffer temporary   of a Penciller, is a pleasing sketch of
defeats; the  tremendous  mechanism   the incidents of country life, sometimes
works on, carrying them  further from   gay, and sometimes sad, but always
their point of departure, and wider and   healthful and true. It is, apparently, a
wider from their true end.              first attempt by the author, but one
In this view ot the action of parties,  that gives high promise. He has an eye
such works as those of Mr. Van Sant-  for the picturesque in scenery, as well as
voord or Mr. Baldwin, have a special  a heart for good sentiment, and his pervalue in the light which they throw   ception of character is also penetrating.
upon the action of parties in the past,    -The fine edition of SIMMs' writings,
and in the instruction we are enabled to   which Redfield is publishing, has reached
derive from them in regard to the pre-  as far as The Scout, one of the most sucsent and future. But we are writing an   cessful of his numerous sketches of the
essay, we find, instead of a notice, and  life and manners of the South of the last
must postpone the subject to another   century. The scene is laid in the time
opportunity.                            of the Revolution, and the narrative
-Mr. WHITTIER, who is the Tyrtaeus  gives us a vivid picture of the adven.



1854.]             Editorial Notes-American Literature.                  563
turous life of the wild troopers of those  ture, and its aspect of slavery, are
days.                                  simple, natural, aund well put.  The
-An address delivered  before the   thoughtful reader will linger over the
literary societies of Rochester Univer-  pages, and gravely ask himself what the
sity, by HENRY J. RAYMOND, on A State  influence of such and so large an accesSystem of Education for New York, is  sion to our domain  might be.  But
an eloquent and vigorous vindication of   among all the works to which eager and
the author's views of the necessity of a   interested readers among us turn, athigher public education.  We cannot  tracted by the constantly increasing fassay we agree with him in his principle  cination and prominence of the Cuban
as to the duty of the State in furnishing   question, there is none which will preeducation to the people; but we cer-  sent, in so convenient a compass, so intainly do agree with him so far as he main-  telligible a picture of the aspect and
tains the deep and vital importance of  character of Cuban life. To the man of
liberal studies to the best interests of  imagination and the poet, Gan-Eden will
society.  The earnestness, the ability,  seem well prefaced by a chain from oriand the learning with which Mr. Ray-  ental story. Through the whole he will
mond has argued his theme, does great  trace and enjoy the subtle sympathy of
credit to his character, as well as his  the South and the East,-thle same minpowers of mind.                         gled sweetness and sadness, the same
— Can Eden, or Pictures of Cuba, is  luxury and loveliness, and will rise natuthe title of a new volume of impressions  rally to the strain of mela-ncholy and
of Cuba recently published by John P.  impassioned music with which the auJewett & Co. of Boston. The title and   thor sings L'Envoi.
the motto sufficiently indicate the cha-    — " Shakeseare's Scholar," the quaint,
racter of the work. The motto is select-  but very significant title of Mr. RIduARn
ed from that tale of the Arabian Nights,  GRANT WHITE'S volumne of critical essays
in which the garden of delight, to which   on the editors, annotators, and improvthe Caliph Haroun al Raschid resorts for   ers of the text of the great poet, appears
recreation, is called Gan-Eden.  And   to have been eagerly read, and very
indeed all the mottoes throughout the   favorably reviewed  by Shakespearian
book have an aroma of the South and   students in England. Even the London
the East, which is the proper atmo-  Atheuneum, which has been the chamsphere of a record of tropical inpressions   pion of Collier's folio emendations, the
and pleasures.  Gan-Eden is a book be-  piece de r6sistance at which Mr. White
longing to the most recent class of Ame-  directs his critical catapult with unsparrican literature of travel; charged with  ing vigor, reviews the volume in the
the personality of the author, and in a   most complimentary manner, though not
series of glowing, graceful, suggestive,   wholly coinciding in all the opinions of
and brilliantly colored pictures, impart-  the trans-Atlantic critic. Those of our
ing so pungent a sense of the region and   readers who read the essays in previous
life described, that the reader seems to  numbers of Putnam's Monthly, on Mr.
have apprehended them by his own sen-  Collier's Folio, which form the: basis of
ses, rather than by those of another; to   Mr. White's volume, need not be inhave even smelled and tasted the South.  formed of the critical ability displayed
It is by far the most tropical account of  by him in handling the subject; but we
Cuba we have had; not scorning statis-  imagine that the devoted zeal and comtics nor the details of information, it is  prehensive learning manifested in Shakeyet the picture of a poet and not a tariff  speare's Scholar, will be a surprise even
of merchandise and values.  The style  to them. Mr. White has the zeal, the
runs and revels about the theme in a   industry, and the enthusiasm  of a remanner which shows the exuberant enjoy-  ligious fanatic; but then his fanaticism
ment of the author, yet with an under-  is the result of a genuine appreciation
tone of satiety and sadness, which reveals  of that which is entitled to the homage
the true character of the South. The   of the wise and virtuous; it is a fanatisympathetic observation of the author   cism that is perfectly compatible with a
among all the luxuriance and loveliness  cool judgment, and a love of truth. He is
of the tropics is only another proof of  not one of the enthusiasts whose venerathe sad fact that, in the places where  tion manifests itself in a dilettanti-like
nature is most lavish, there man is most  fondness for relics and Shakespearian
unworthy. The remarks upon the social  curiosities, but for the purity of the text
condition of the country, upon its litera-  of his author; and his efforts will entitle




564               Editorial Notes-American Literature.                [Nov.
him to the gratitude of every unpreju-  specimens of the art that we have seen
diced lover of Shakespeare. The Athe-  executed in this country. Of the text,
nceum says, "it is a most meritorious  we cannot now speak; but we did not
volume-one of the most stirring vol-  suppose that the ornithology of the Bible
umes of Shakespearian criticism we have  was so limited, until we glanced our
read."  Considering who have hereto-  eve over this pretty volume. We have
fore written volumes of Shakespearian   now had the Women of the Bible, the
criticism, it strikes us that this is quite  Flowers of the Bible, the Bards of the
the highest praise that the critic could   Bible, and the Birds of the Bible; the
have bestowed. Not the least valuable,  Beasts, the Men, and the Fishes, yet reor interesting chapter of Mr. White's  main to be done.
volume, is that in which he discusses the    — Afraja is the title of a tale of Nortrue orthography of Shakespeare's name,  wegiau and Lapland Life, translated by
and we think that he establishes beyond   EDWARD JOY MORRIS, late our charg6
question, that it should be spelled as he  at Naples, from the German of Theodore
writes it-Shakespeare. -The Athenceum   Miigge.  It is a recent publication in
omits the first e, which is the more com-  Germany, and it has had a great and
mon orthography in England; but, in  very deserved success, for it is a story
quoting the author under review, allows  of the most absorbing interest, written
him the privilege of spelling according   with great vigor and purity, and conto his own standard. Some of our own   taining  descriptions, remarkable  for
papers, we observe, in noticing the work,  romantic picturesqueness and novelty.
make the author conform to their own   Lindsay & Blakiston, Philadelphia.
crude ideas in spelling the name of    — The tenth edition of a book is rather
Shakespeare, which is a very great in-  strong presumptive evidence of its exjustice; thus, the Tribune, for instance,  cellence, particularly if it is of a grave
puts the author in the ridiculous plight  character.  We have received  from
of spelling the name, bereft of two   Murphy & Co., of Baltimore, the tenth
vowels, notwithstanding his elaborate  edition of Fredet's Modern History, a
and conclusive argument proving the in-  work which has probably been circumcorrectness of that method. We do  scribed in its circulation by its sectarian
not, by any means, agree with Shake-  character.  The same publishers have
speare's Scholar in all his criticisms; but  also issued the fourth edition of the
we most heartily commend the spirit of  same author's Ancient History, and a
his volume, and do not doubt that it will  pocket edition of the Abbe Segur's "Short
have a marked and lasting influence, in  and Familiar Answers to the most comrestoring the purity of Shakespeare's  mon Objections urged against Religion,"
text, and freeing the world from volumes  edited by Dr. Huntington.
of useless and annoying annotations and    --  Old Redstone," is the odd title of
emendations, in  future editions. We  a good sized volume which will be a demust observe in conclusion-for we have  light to presbyterian readers. There is
attempted nothing more than to call at-  a pious unction in it which many books
tention to the book-that it is in all the   of much greater pretensions would be
details of its making up, a model volume,  the better for. The author is the Rev.
and we hope it will be used as such, by   JOSEPH SMITH, D. D. and his theme is
our publishers hereafter.             the history of Western Presbyterianism.
-The approach of wintry weather and   Published by Lippincott, Grambo & Co.,
the holiday season, is indicated by the   Philadelphia.
appearance on our table of some of the   -"Kansas and Nebraska" by EDWARD
butterfly books which come out of the   E. HALE, is a timely volume from the
chrysalis state, at this time of the year.  firm of Phillips, Sampson & Co. of BosWe shall have to postpone until our  ton. It is not a political tract, but a
December number, a notice of these  practical work on the geography, history
winter beauties. But our eye has been   and resources of the new Canaans of our
attracted by a crimson-covered volume,  confederacy; the information which it
of very beautiful appearance, published   contains is full and reliable.
by Lindsay & Blakiston, of Philadelphia,    -Evans & Dickerson, of New York,
called the Birds of the Bible, which we  are the publishers of a series of the fittest
notice briefly now.  The illustrations   and most agreeable books for children
consist of very beautiful drawings of  that we have seen; they are not only
the birds mentioned in Scripture, printed   good, as to matter, but manner. Too little
in litho-tint. They are quite the best  attention has been hitherto paid in child



1854.]              Editorial Notes-English Literature.                  565
ren's books to externals; they have been   gary, including a life of Kossuth, bringbadly got up, slovenly in look and mean  ing his memoirs down to the present
in illustrations. But these little volumes  day; a History of Russia, compiled from
are beautifully printed with good clear  Karamsin, Segur, and others; and a
type, white paper, and well drawn illus-  prose translation of Aristophanes, much
trations; so that the eye and the mind   better than any poetic one that we have
are simultaneously taught to love and   seen. These volumes are neatlyprinted,
appreciate  what is excellent.   The  in uniform  size and shape, and most
aesthetic sense is thus appealed to, and   carefully edited.
educated in the right way, as well as    — There is no writer on serious topics
the moral sense.                        in England, whom we read with greater
-Appleton & Co. have published "A   profit or pleasure than PROrEssolR MAUComplete Treatise on Artificial Fish-  RICE, whose recent lectures on The EcBreeding," translated from  the French   clesiastical History of the First and Seby W. H. FRY, Esq. This little work is  cond Centuries is worthy of his high
not merely a translation, however, but a  fame as a Christian and a scholar. They
compilation of all that has been pub-  might more properly be called comments
lished, both in France and England, on   upon the history of the church, than a
the new and interesting art of piscicul-  history, for he mingles so much fine
ture. Though the subject is a peculiarly  philosophic reflection and sagacious retechnical one, yet the author has infused   mark with the course of his narrative,
into it dashes of his own humor and  that his book is as much a treatise as a
earnestness, and the treatise will be read   story.  He guides his reader to the
with pleasure even by those who do not  sources ofknowledge, while he gives them
intend to avail themselves of the inform-  a picture of the times of which he writes;
ation which it contains, in reference to  and his sentiments are so liberal, his tone
the important art of breeding fish, as we   so elevated and earnest, that one finds
cultivate fruits and flowers, or hatch   no fault with the occasional points on
chickens, by systematic rules.         which he is compelled to disagree with
-Messrs. Sheldon, Lamport & Blake-  his author. The biographic sketches of
man have published a novel of modern so-  the fathers, and other leading men, are
ciety, by Mrs. LINCOLN PHELPS, of Patap-  admirably well done, and impart a genial
sco Mills in Maryland; the book is dedi-  interest to the details of controversies
cated to her pupils for whose edification   and doctrines. Mr. Maurice is inflexibly
it was written.  But, books for young   orthodox in maintaining the doctrine and
people, like their food, should not merely  discipline of the church; but he has such
be free from improper substances, they   a quick sympathy with character, and
should also be enjoyable and nutritive.  such a keen discernment of the causes
Ida Norman, however,-the title of Mrs.  and tendencies of error, that his portraits
Phelps's novel, is one of the least offen-  of the great heretics, and their opinions,
sive of its class, and at the same time the   have the most vivid and life-like fidelity.
least juicy. The scene is laid in New   He enters at once into the conflicts of
York; but the kind of people introduced  their consciences, and the struggles of
are not to be found in any society, we  their intellects, and thus portrays them
imagine, that lays claim to humanity. In  to us as veritable flesh and blood, and
addition to its purity of motives it has  not as portentous and unintelligible
the not trifling merit of being grarnmati-  monsters, as they are too often depicted.
cally written.                         We might pick out a dozen of these historical portraits,-if we had space,ENGzLISH.-The fine library editions  which would gratify our readers, and
of standard and classical works, issued by   cast a new light upon their understandBohn, are almost as much American as  ing of those earlier days.
English, for they are as widely circulated  -A  translation of FEuERBACH's Essence
in this country, through the agency of  of Christianity, by Miss EVANS, is an
Bangs & Brother, as they are in Eng-  attempt to transplant the extreme left of
land. Among the later works which   German speculation into English soil.
enrich this series, are Gibbon's Rome,  Feuerbach cannot be called a Rationalist,
with various new notes, including those  because he criticises the Rationalists unof Guizot, Wenck, Schreiter, and Hugo;  mercifully; nor a Spiritualist, with whom
the complete works of DeFoe, that  he deals in the same severe spirit; and
astute and wonderful narrator; a new   the proper school wherein to class him
translation of Strabo; a History of Hun-  is that of the Humanitarians, or that




566                Editorial Notes-English Literature.                 [Nov.
which seeks to establish a religion of Hu-  ism; a feeling which will be shared by
manitarianism. His main positions are   a good many honest orthodox presbytethese,-that there are certain qualities  rians, of which faith we imagine Mr.
of human nature, as love, will, and un-  Bridges to be a member; but which
derstanding, which possess the indivi-  each of the sects involved will rebel
dual, rather than that he possesses them;  against, as not being so amiable or just
that these qualities, being projected out  as it might be.
of the individual, constitute a being    -The Athenceum  gives a notice of a
which he considers a deity; and that,  new  work, recently published by Proconsequently, the essential characteristic  fessor Ansted, the geologist, whose visit
of deity is that of an idealized humanity,  to the United States will be rememand not that of a self-subsistent indepen-  bered by many of our scientific men.
dent personal Religion; therefore, is the   The work is called,' Scenery, Science,
relation of man to himself, and his highest  and Art; or, Extracts from  the Noteduty, the love of his race. Whoever  Book of a Geological and Mining Engisucceeds in manifesting this love in a  neer."  The Athenmaum says:
supreme degree, is a Christ, because the  "That the volume is one of varieties
consciousness of the race then supplants  may be inferred from a transition to the
the individual consciousness. All specu-  great'Hotel Question,' illustrated by
lation that attempts to transcend nature  the practice of New York. Professor
and humanity is vain and fruitless. Miss  Ansted arrived on New Year's day:Evans has made an excellent version of    "'I found an excellent dinner at the
the work for those who care to perplex   hotel (Astor House) at which I put up,
themselves in the strange theology of  and learned that the proprietors took this
the author.                            opportunity of paying a compliment to
-Few natural philosophers have won a  their friends by giving a better meal
more eminent name thanlJohrn Dalton,  than usual, and providing  excellent
the originator of the atomic theory of  champagne ad libitum  without extra
chemistry, now almost universally re-  charge. As it is the practice in the
ceived by the adepts in that science. A   States generally for each person to pay
Memoir of his Life and Scientific Re-  a fixed and uniform  rate per day for
searches, written by his friend Dr. W. C.  board and lodging together, at all houses
HENRY, and printed by the Cavendish   of public entertainment, which in fact
Society, gives interesting details of his  rather resemble boarding-houses than
personal character and his discoveries.  our hotels or inns, this arrangement is
He was a self-taught man, but, by dili-  not so extraordinary as it would othergence and self-reliance, combined with   wise appear. It was certainly very
original genius, he rose to the highest  agreeable; as, owing to our long voyage,
rank in the walks of science. His inti-  and the difficulty of preserving the flavor
mate acquaintance with Davy, La Place,  of meats in an ice-house, our appetites
Berthollet, Arago, Biot, and other dis-  were such as to enable us to do full
tinguished sarans, has enabled his bio-  justice to the excellent venison and other
grapher to impart an unusual interest to  delicacies served up. The price charged
his memoirs.                           at the first hotels for board and lodging,
— " Irvingism and Mormonism, tested  (except wines and liquors) is not more
by Scripture," is the title of a small  than 10s. 6d. per day; and for this one
volume recently published in London, by   may have breakfast at any hour, dinner,
the Rev. EILIJus GuERs, with prefatory  tea, and supper; and I must say that,
notes by JAMES BRIDGES Esq.  The au-  here, at least, no one need complain of
thor gives a brief history of Irvingism   the hurry of the dinner, or the difficulty
and Mormnonism, but Mr. Bridges in his  of obtaining anything wanted. All that
prefatory notes, which are refreshing for  is needed is to speak to the waiter, and
their sturdy orthodoxy, classes together  give him to understand that some proa good many other isms, whose holders  spective good in the way of a half dollar
will be shocked to find them ranked with  awaits him if he looks after your intesuch outre company. Mr. Bridges thinks  rests, and he will then take care that you
that the Devil " is more dangerous when   shall want for nothing.'
he decks himself out as an angel of light,' "He admits that the Americans are
than when he makes open show of his  fond of asking questions; but insists
hoof and scorpion tongue."  And there-  that they answer, with particular courfore he ranks together Socinianism, Pu-  tesy, inquiries that are made of them  in
seyism, Papacy, Irvingism and Mormon-  return. A tourist who never puts a query




1854]                  Editorial Notes-Fine Arts.                        567
is not necessarily polite,-he may be   characters are not so well sustained; inmorose. The Professor's impressions of   deed, some of them  are strikingly deAmerican society appear to have been  fective; but the work deserves to be
highly pleasurable; but his notes with  republished in this country, if it is not
respect to the States are chiefly of a sci-  already by the time this notice reaches
entific description. His book, altogether,  our readers.
is agreeable and interesting."           -One of the most pleasing and agree— The last novel of Mr. HARRIsoN   able of the late English publications is
AINSWORTH, who appears to be as pro-  the Satires and Satirists of Mr. JAMES
lific as the inexhaustible James, is named   HANNAY-himself a satirist of some little
the Flitch of Bacon; or, the Custom of  reputation. He treats his subject in the
Dunmow, and is interesting on account  best light, not philosophically, or in the
of the singular custom which it illustrates.  way of definition, but historically and
It seems that about the beginning of the   pictorially, giving us sketches of the lives
thirteenth century, a Sir Waltar Fitz-  and works of the principal satirists, from
waltar left a legacy to the Priory of Dun-  Horace to Thackeray and Dickens. Why
mow, providing that a flitch of bacon   he leaves out Aristophanes and the
should be given to every married couple  Greeks, and why he overlooks the Gerwhich could prove that, for one year and   man, Spanish, and Italian satirists, we
a day after marriage, no nuptial trans-  cannot say; but of those that he does
gression had been committed by either,  treat, he has furnished most lively and
that no "household brawls or strife"  instructive characters. The remarks on
had occurred between them, and that  Erasmus, Butler, and Swift are espeneither had uttered the wish to be un-  cially good; and we are glad to see that
married again. This legacy was intended  in what he says of the latter he is inevidently as a sly satire upon the mar-  dined to break a lance with Thackeray,
riage relation, but it was taken in good   although Mr. Hannay himself does not
faith by the people, and from  time to  do complete justice to the masterly old
time various couples came forward to   Dean. A fine appreciation and sympathy
claim the prize. But the intervals ap-  runs through the entire volume, which
pear to have been pretty long ones. The  we commend to our publishers as a most
first claim was made in the seventh year  appropriate one for republication.
of the reign of Edward IV., the second
in the reign of Henry VI., and the third
in Henry VIII.'s time. The last su-                 F I NE A  T S.
cessful claim on record was proffered in    IT must not be inferred that what we
1751. Mr. Ainsworth has made the   call Fine Art "suffers a syncope and
singular old custom the groundwork of  awful pause," because there are no
his novel, which seems to us very  popular exhibitions of paintings or staamusing, and even instructive, in its por-  tues to attract public attention. The aptraitures of the men and manners of the   preciation for art must be very general
times. It is by far the best novel that  and sincere, before there can be any
he has written.                        imposing collections or galleries. In this
- The Hide and Seek of Mr. WILIKIE  case, as in commerce, the demand for art
COLLINS, the author of Antonina, is a ro-  must precede the supply of the article.
mance of the present day, of rare artistic   Men of talent and genius cannot afford
merits, and evincing uncommon powers  to waste their time in producing works
of narrative and portrait-painting. There   which find neither purchasers nor adis not much originality in the plot, but  mirers. But, if there is no furore about
the characters are vividly presented, and  the fine arts among us, there is a growworked up with great effect. One of  ing fondness for ornamentation in archithe personages, a Mr. Blythe, an eccen-  tecture and furniture, which cannot fail
tric, kind-hearted, simple-minded old  to lead to something better, and beget
artist, who devotes himself to his art in  artists, who will minister to higher
the pure love of it, without power to  tastes than those that are gratified by
achieve greatness in it, is admirably  imitations of Louis Quinze sofas and
drawn, and the work deserves to be read,  picture-frames.  The opening of the
if only to make his acquaintance. It is  new Opera House, in Fourteenth Street
one of those touches of nature which only   -the "New York Academy of Music,"
genius can give. His daughter, too, the   as it has been called by Legislative enactdeaf and dumb girl, the Madonna of his  ment-has revealed to our public, possienthusiasm, is an exquisite sketch, but is  bilities of ornamentation which transnot so original a creation. The other  cend the wild dreams of Arabian Nights




568                    Editorial Notes-Fine Arts.                    [Nov.
cend the wild dreams of Arabian Nights  rather expensive rate of three dollars a
readers. It is the greatest glorification  lesson. An academy of music should
of gew-gaw that we have seen in the  not expend all its means in external deNew World; and the marvel of it is,  corations; some provision ought to be
that it causes no marvel. So accustomed   made for the education of neophytes in
have our people become to gorgeous  such a costly temple of art; and we
shows of gilt gingerbread, that this, the  cannot but think that if a small portion
greatest of all, is considered no great  of the three hundred and seventy thouthings; and musical critics, who are not  sand dollars, which the building alone is
necessarily critics of everything else,  said to have cost, had been appropriated
pronounce our magnificent new Opera  to the development of musical talent
House a mistake. It is not the largest  among us, the enterprise would have
Opera House in the world, but the most  paid better in the end.  An opera
expensively ornamented; yet it does not  house should be elegant and beautiful,
come up to the expectations of Young  and the eye should have pleasant objects
America, who requires something more  to engage it in the pauses when the ear
elegant and brilliant. Thus we compli-  is not engaged by the music.  But a
ment ourselves. And why not? Steam-  little less showy ornaments, and now and
boats that cost half a million of dollars,  then an original piece of music from a
lie unnoticed at our docks, and why   native composer, would have been likely
should we permit ourselves to be excited  to attract larger and better pleased audiat the opening of a new opera-house,  ences. However, we can afford to make
which cost but three hundred and seventy   a good many more steps in our progress
thousand, and which, after all, is but  towards perfection, and we will be
an exaggerated steamboat saloon? But  thankful for every step in the right diwe must allow, however, that the Aca-  rection. We have got a cage for singing
demy of Music has an imposing ex-  birds, and that may cause us to be on
terior, and that inside, its richness of or-  the alert to catch the songsters to put
nament, and vastness, are rather bewil-  into it. At present the Opera House is
dering and astounding until the eye be-  about a mile too far up town, but this is
comes familiarized with its absurd cary-  a fault soon remedied by New York proatides (which we heard a lady of fashion  gress. It was " inaugurated," as the
call cantharides); its needless brackets,  phrase goes, by Grisi and Mario, in Norwhich are heavy enough to crush the  ma. It is to be hoped that judicious
pillars that they form continuations of;  management may yet make this costly
its fluted pilasters, with capitals longer  enterprise as creditable to the taste and
than their shafts; its ponderous pillars,  good sense, as it is to the liberality of
which support nothing; and its dome,  its projectors.
which has no supports; its super-gaseous    We have only room  to notice the
brilliancy in some parts, and its cavern-  arrival of LEUTZE'S great historical
ous gloom in others, where light and  picture of Washington at the Battle of
brilliancy are most needed. There is no   Monmouth, which its munificent owner,
color in the body of the house, and the  David Leavitt, Esq., has allowed the
ornaments lose half their value for the  public the privilege of seeing.  This
want of a proper background to relieve  picture is the largest, we believe, that
them. Pure white and gold do not form   Mr. Leutze has yet executed; and,
a fine combination.  Nature colors all  judging from the impression of a single
her productions, and she is a very safe  examination of it, it is decidedly his best
guide to follow in attempts to please the  production. It is full of a hearty, vigoreye. In the new Metropolitan Theatre,  ous nature, the groupings are exceedingly
built on the site of the Lafarge totel,  natural, and all the details are given
which is much superipr to the new   with a fidelity and naturalness that will
Opera House in form, and the arrange-  satisfy the most exacting admirers of the
ment of seats, the dominant tint is buff,  literal in art. The figure of Washington
relieved with gold, the effect of which,  is extremely natural, but not noble, and
by gas-light, is transcendently beautiful  his countenance has not the dignity of
and agreeable to the eye.             energy and passion, but of anger. AlThe name of the New York Academy   though it is lacking in the higher qualiof Music is not merely a mistake, it is  ties of imagination, its merits are so
a deception, for it is not in any sense an   great and so palpable that it cannot fail
Academy, unless the public are to be  to be popular with the masses, and to
regarded as pupils, who take occasional  greatly enhance the reputation of the
instructions in operatic singing, at the  artist.








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PUTNAM'S MONTHLY.
VOL. IV.-DEC. 1854. —NO. XXIV.
THE WINDHARP.
I TREASURE in secret some long, fine hair
Of tenderest brown, but so inwardly golden
I half used to fancy the sunshine there,So shy, so shifting, so waywardly rare,Was only caught for the moment and holden
While I could say Dearest! and kiss it, and then
In pity let go to the summer again.
I twisted this magic in gossamer strings
Over a windharp's Delphian hollow;
Then called to the idle breeze that swings
All day in the pine-tops, and clings, and sings'Mid the musical leaves, and said, —" Oh, follow
The will of these tears that deepen my words
And fly to my window to waken these chords!"
So they trembled to life, and doubtfully
Feeling their way to my sense, sang —" Say whether
They sit all day'neath the greenwood tree,
The lover and loved, as it wont to be
When we"        but grief conquered, and all together
They swelled such weird murmur as haunts a shore
Of some planet dispeopled, —" Nevermore!"
Then from deep in the past, as seemed to me,
The strings gathered sorrow and sang forsaken,"One lover still waits'neath the greenwood tree,
But'tis dark"-and they shuddered-" where lieth she,
Dark and cold! For ever must one be taken?"
But I groaned,-" 0, harp of all ruth bereft,
This scripture is sadder,-the other left!"
There murmured, as if one strove to speak,
And tears came instead; then the sad tones wandered
And faltered among the uncertain chords
In a troubled doubt between sorrow and words;
At last, with themselves, thev questioned and pondered,
" Hereafter? —--— who knoweth? " and so they sighed'Down the long steps that lead to silence, and died.
TOL. v. —37




570                                                                  [Dec.
AUF WIEDERSEHEN!
SUMMER.
r.
THE little gate was reached at last,
Half hid in lilacs down the lane;
She pushed it wide and as she passed,
A wistful look she backward cast,
And said,-" auf wiedersehen! "
II.
With hand on latch, a vision white
Lingered, reluctant, and again
Half doubting if she did aright;
Soft as the dews that fell that night,
She said,-" auf woeder8ehen."
mII.
The lamp's clear gleam flits up the stair;
I linger in delicious pain;
Ah, in that chamber, whose rich air
To breathe in thought I scarcely dare,
Thinks she,-" auf wiedersehen! "
IV.'Tis thirteen years; once more I press
The turf that silences the lane;
I hear the rustle of her dress,
Ismell the lilacs, and —ah, yes,
I hear "' auf wiedersehen "
V.
Sweet piece of bashful maiden art!
The English words had seemed too fain,
But these-they drew us heart to heart,
Yet held us tenderly apart,She said, " auf wiedersehen! "
PALINODE.
AUTUMN.
Still thirteen years:'tis autumn now
On field and hill, in heart and brain;
The naked trees at evening sough,
The leaf to the forsaken bough
Sighs not,-" We meet again!"
II.
Two -watched yon oriole's pendent dome
That iow is void, and dank with rain,
And one —O, hope more frail than foam I'the bird'to his deserted home
Sings not, —" We meet again!"




1854.]                            Count Stedingk.                                  571
III.
The loath gate swings with rusty creak;
Once, parting there, we played at pain;
There came a parting, when the weak
And fading lips essayed to speak
Vainly,-" We meet again!"
IV.
Somewhere is comfort, somewhere faith,
Though thou in outer dark remain;
One sweet, sad voice ennobles death,
And still, for eighteen centuries saith
Softly,-" Ye meet again!"
V.
If earth another grave must bear,
Yet heaven hath won a sweeter strain,
And something whispers to despair,
That, from an orient chamber there,
Floats down, " We meet again!"
COUNT STEDING K.
PART III., AND CONCLUSION.
CONTENTS.
His Wedding Disappointment-Death of Catherine-Accession of Paul —Stedingk negotiates the Armed
Neutrality of 1800-Dinner at the Swedish Embassy-Private Treaty between Paul and Stedingk-Project
of Russian and French Conquest of India-Character of Paul-Anecdotes of Stedingk and Paul-Murder
of Paul —Grief of the Emperor Alexander as privately shown to Stedingk —M. Thiers-Russian Invasion
of Finland-Stedingk in the Swedish Regency-Misfortunes of Gustavus IV.-Loss of Fialand-Stedingk's
Remonstrances-The King draws his Sword upon Stedingk-His Deposition and Banishmneat-lharles
XII. —Stedingk negotiates the Peace of Frederickshamn-Cession of Finland and Aland-Stedingk
returns to the Embassy in Russia-His Honors and Dignities-He is made a Count and Field-Marshal —
Dispatches-Napoleon disappointed in a Russian Princess —Marriage Gossip-Election of Beraadotte to
the Swedish Throne-Stedingk's Surprise-Baron Mdrner first Projector of this Event-Sketch ofi:Mdrner's
Narrative-First Interview with Bernadotte-Intrigues at Paris-Mdrner threatened and driven from
Stockhhnlm-Arrest-His Fearlessness and Activity-Portrait of Prince Oscar —Vote of the Diet-Triumph.
A   DARLING project of the empress   these were apparently adjusted, and the
was now disclosed to our hero. She   wedding day arrived.  Evening came,
had long treasured the hope that her   and the imperial halls were ablaze with
beautiful grand-daughter should be Queen   light and splendor.  The great empress
of  Sweden.   Negotiations  prospered   sat upon her throne, surrounded by the
rapidly.  A splendid hospitality awaited   most gorgeous court in Europe, impaa royal traveller, and the princess, gifted   tiently awaiting the bridal procession.
with surpassing beauty and a charming   Where was Gustavus, the simple boy of
wit, completely captured the heart of   eighteen, whom  the wily Russian had
her youthful visitor.  The regent, al-  led to the verge of the snare    An in.
though  a friend neither to Catherine   nocent bride trembled at the thought of
nor to Russia, found no fault with his   a faithless lover, when Gustavus, rustenamored nephew, and the  marriage   ling in his wedding suit, demands to see
contract was drawn up. There had been   the marriage contraot.  It had -been
difficulty about certain relisious clalses   withheld from  him  under various exwhich roused the suspicions Ct  a Swe Ish   cuses.  The young king demands at the
bishop, the  tutor  of Gus, lVus;;  t   last hour that it be produced, and lo! -a




572                          Count Stedingk.                         LDec.
bold treachery comles to light. He sees   "une tr's bonne soupe," "mais quel erhimself about to be pledged to make  cellent caviar," were already buzzing
war upon the French,-he, the first ally  about the table, when the host received
of their republic; and what amazed himn   a pressing summons to the palace. Exeven more, he is to give his royal war-  cusing himself to his guests he hurried
rant to the Greek faith of a Swedish  away,and found the emperor impatiently
queen. Enraged at a monstrous strata-  waiting in his cabinet.  "Well, well,
gem, he tore himself from  love and   well," he exclaimed, before Stedingk wans
hope, sacrificing all for country, and the  fairly in the room, "here is a pretty
humbled empress was the victim of the  business. I must not lose a moment to(
plot.  A funeral pageant usurped the  fly to the assistance of my friend, your
splendor of the wedding feast. Rage,  good king. He shall have fifty thousand
mortified pride, unspeakable disappoint-  Russians. I name you their commander,
ment reaped the whirlwind, and the  and my son Constantine your aide-desorrowing bridegroom  had scarcely re-  camp.  You shall march to-nmorrow.
gained his home, before the heart of the   Sit there and write out a treaty; you
mighty empress was still for ever.    and I will sign it."  Stedingk knew his
Let us hasten to acquit Stedingk. No  friend well. There was but one way to
hand of his had meddled in these sad  manage his impetuosity-it must run
nuptials. Special ambassadors had been  itself out. Paul dictated, and Stedingk
their master's stewards; and we read  (impransus) wrote.  The emperor and
of Russian gold, of course, among the  the ambassadors  signed  the  treaty
persuasive arts of this as of other pe-  within the hour.  The Grand Duke
riods. Stedingk had a far more difficult  Constantine was summoned, and readily
task.  He was to allay the troubled   accepted service under the Swedish
waters. Success would have been later,  general.  The emperor looked happy,
had Catherine lived; but happily the   and when he settled quietly to repose
new Emperor Paul was tractable. He  after the excitement, Stedingk ventured
loved Stedingk; his "preux chevalier,"  to propose that the troops should wait
as he always styled him. Reconciliation  for confirmation of the rumor.  Paul
was not long delayed, and the young   unwillingly  consented, and presently
Gustavus was comforted with a fair-  came news that the whole story of rehaired German bride, the most lovely  volt was false. The troops were counqueen, we are told, that had yet adornedl  termlanded; and on the following Thursthe Swedish throne.                   day the guests at the Swedish embassy
$    *    *    *    *    *        did not dine without their host. The
A prominent event in the career of Sted-  treaty, completed and signed, a singular
ingk during the reign of Paul, was his  diplomatic curiosity, was brought awn V
negotiation with Rostopchin of a famous  by Stedingk, and preserved, a legacy to
treaty of armed neutrality.  It was  his family.
signed at St. Petersburg, on the 16th   Another interesting document found
December, 1800, and although destined   among the Stedingk papers, was a deto be blown to atoms at Copenhagen by  tailed account of Napoleon's winning the
the guns of Nelson, its influence in the  partisanship of this unhappy Paul. His
world's affairs will ultimately surpass  fantastic imagination  was completely
the naval victory. The sublime justice   won away from Great Britain by the
which our own Franklin urged upon the   First consul gravely proposing a Russian
nations, and which this fatuous treaty  and French conquest of India. A plan
meant to engraft upon general law is  for the expedition was written out, and
admitted, at last, by its late  arch   at the time of his death, Paul had absoenemy.                                lutely ordered troops for the service.
The alliance of Sweden and Russia,  A scheme so wild and senseless might
closer at this period than ever before  well shake the confidence of all about
or since, may be illustrated by an anec-  the emperor's person, and already, indote of the Emperor Paul, which, at  deed, after a long series of folly and
the same  time, speaks volumes for  tyranny combined, his deposition had
Stedingk. A report reached St. Peters-  come to be regarded as a state necessity.
burg of rebellion  in a neighboring   His son, the Grand Duke Alexander,
Swedish province. The rumor was first  suffered himself to join the conspiracy,
spread upon a Thursday, the regular day   persuading himself of patriotism, and
of a weekly dinner-party at the Swedish  historians release him from the charge
embassy. The guests were seated, and   of parricide. Stedingk had long been




1854.]                         Count Stedingk.                             573
regarded by the imperial family in the   man's life was safe. Ministers, the emlight rather of an old family friend than   press, the imperial children were threat,
a foreign ambassador; and accordingly,  ened alike. Four empresses, since the
on the morning after the murder of   great Peter, he remembered, had taken
Paul, we find his successor hastening to  their husband's crowns, and poor Paul,
the Swedish embassy, throwing himself  fortifying himself with salique decrees,
upon Stedingk's neck, and sobbing aloud   still locked his wife's door at night.
-" I am  the most wretched of man-   His palace was a citadel, and his haughkind!"  "You must be, indeed!" was  tiness, of which Stedingk witnessed a
the answer of the honest old soldier.    curious instance, overstepped all bounds.;*    *    *ic  *~f    *    *        The emperor was seen one day to
*    *    *    *    *    *         whisper mysteriously to his grand chain"The Emperor Paul," says Monsieur   berlain, M. De Narishkin, who was so
Thiers, "an intellectual and not a bad   well known to stand ill in the imperial
man, was, however, extreme in all his  graces, that the circumstance created no
feelings, and like all such men, was ca-  little surprise, and no little curiosity.
pable of good and bad deeds, according   The diplomatic corps stood on tiptoe,
to the impulse of the moment. If such   until M. de Narishkin put them at ease.
a temper is unhappy in private life,   "He told me I was durack" (fool), said
what must it be among princes, and   he, "and not another word beside."
especially among those whose power is   Next day, the emperor, in conversation
absolute. In these cases it results, at  with  Stedingk, began  to  abuse his
length, in insanity, often of a bloody dye.   " durack " chamberlain, and our Swede,
Everybody in St. Petersburg began to  true to his instincts, gallantly defended
tremble. The emperor's greatest favor-  an absent friend. Unluckily, however,
ites of to-day thought of Siberia and   he styled him  a "grand seigneur."  At
exile to-morrow."                       this  imprudent word  the  emperor
Sympathetic and chivalrous, Paul felt  changed countenance, and raising his
a lively sympathy for the victims of the   voice, "Mr. Ambassador,"  said  he,
French revolution, and cherished hatred   " know that in Russia there is no grand
against its abettors.  Catherine endea-  seigneur except him  to whom  I speak,
vored to rouse Europe against France,  and he is only such while I speak."*
but never equipped a Russian soldier in    The unhappy Paul was to be 1muithe quarrel. Paul sent Suwarrow  and   dered. Many a Russian knew  it; and
a hundred thousand men into Italy. He   Stedingk, probably, did not doubt it. A
forbade every  import into  France;   plot was hatched by the governor of the
books, fashions, dresses, alike, and Rus-  city, Count Pahlen, who, with consumsian nobles thought it an excess of anti-  mate skill, carried out his purpose withrevolutionary zeal. The wind changed,  out delay. The young prince Alexander
and the weathercock turned. Portraits  consented to depose his father, but he
of the republican Bonaparte covered the   exacted from the conspirators the most
imperial walls: his health was the pub-  solemn oath to spare his father's life.
lic toast, and war was declared against  The second chief of the conspiracy was
Great Britain.  This time the Russian  the celebrated Benningsen, a German
nobles were enraged.   The loss of   officer, and commander-in-chief of the
fashions, gloves, and the perfections of   Russian army. Poor Paul began to read
civilization, they had borne with pa-  his doom. "Were you in St. Petersburg
tience; but how should they turn their   when my father was assassinated?" said
hemp and tallow into money if at war  he to the chief of the police.  " I was,
with England?  Domestic cruelties fol-  sire."  "What were you then?"  "A
lowed-a crowd of unfortunates were  subaltern cavalry officer, serving with
hurried to Siberia, and Paul, touched   my regiment, your majesty."  "Very
with  their lamentations, called them    well," continued Paul, eyeing his minisback, but forgot to restore their confis-  ter suspiciously, " there is a plan, to-day,
cated homes. Worse lamentations filled  to play that tragedy over again."  "I
the ears of the emperor, and in a rage he   know  it, sire: I am  in the plot."
sent them  back again to Siberia. No   "How! you are in the plot?"  "I am,"
* A similar speech of Paul is related in the memoirs of Count S6gur, as having been addressed to Count
Dumouriez. The story was given second-hand to S6gur, who had long before left Russia, and unless (as is
probable) Paul used such words on more than one occasion, it is most likely that Sdgur mistook the French
for the Swedish general. The anecdote as given above, was related by Ste-dingk to his family, and appears
in the work of Count Bjdrnstjerna.




574                              Count Stedingk.                              [Dec.
was the answer, "but only to fathom it-    Russia, fifty years ago, an emperor must
to be better able to care for your ma-   be throttled to set policy aright, in Engjesty."  Paul was reassured by the calm-   land a policy of peace could succeed a
ness of the arch-conspirator, for such he   policy of war by the quiet going out of
was, the deepest of the band.              Pitt, and the quiet coming in of AdOn the 23d of March, 1801, there was   dington.
a dinner party at the residence of this                        *     *    *    *
chief of police.  Pablen and Benningsen       *    *    *            *    *    *
alone, of sixty guests, drank nothing at a    Stedingk was now in his sixty-second
feast where conscience was to be drowned   year.   A  vigorous  constitution,  and
in wine.  Midnight came, and the con-   cheerful temper, gave eclat and grace to
spirators stole to the palace.  Gates and   the experience of so many years passed
doors were unbarred to the high digni-  among the most prominent of the events
taries of the empire.  Two faithful ser-   of the age; and his natural wisdom and
vants watched and defended their master's  talents had richly profited by great opbed-room.  One was silenced with a   portunities.  Of all his countrymen at
dagger: but the other sprang to give the   this period he was probably the most
alarm.  The emperor, startled at the   capable of conducting  the  war; but
noise, leaped out of bed.  The door to   Gustavus the Fourth does not seem  to
the empress he had himself barricaded.   have had a proper estimate of his miliEscape was hopeless, and he crouched   tary talents.   Six years later, in the
trembling in the folds of a screen. —Ben-   great campaign of 1814, he was selected
ningsen stumbled upon his hiding-place,   by one of the best of modern captains
and sword in hand presented the act of   to command the Swedish army; and inabdication.  " On this condition," says   deed there is no room  for doubt that if
he, "I answer for your life."-Paul re-   Bernadotte had been king in 1808, and
fused, implored, struggled; and the lamp   Stedingk his field marshal, Sweden would
which shone upon this frightful scene   not have been despoiled of its oldest and
was overturned by the half-drunken con-   most cherished province.  Finland was
spirators.  Benningsen went to the ante-   conquered not by Russian force, which
chamber for another, and returned to   did not at first exceed 20,000 men,* nor
find the emperor yielding his last breath.   by Russian skill, for in the field the
The scarf of an imperial guardsman had   Swedes were victorious; but was lost
done the work of the bowstring.            through the unpardonable mismanagePahlen had remained without.  He   ment and treachery of those whom Guswent to the prince, whose grief, the se-  tavus intrusted with its defence.
cret torment of his subsequent life, burst    In the meantime Stedingk entered upon
in bitter reproaches.  He was conducted   his administrative duties as one of the
to the troops.  Shouts of proclamation   Regents of Sweden.  The king, who
rent the city,-but with the first pause   chose to affect the character of Charles
of repose, the  wretched  Alexander   XII., had gone to Aland, intending to
sobbed, as we have seen, upon the neck   direct the operations of his army in perof Stedingk.                               son.  It does not appear that hie ever
Here let us pause with the historian   confronted the enemy; but, on the conThiers, to look at institutions.  At ano-   trary, remained passively in an island
ther end of Europe, adds the philosophi-  fortress, surrounded by troops and guncal narrator of this terrible event,-upon   boats, watchful of his personal safety and
a great and ancient throne, there also sat   fast undermining all foundations of the
a mad prince;-a king whose reason for   loyalty of his people.  No king ever
whole months would be in eclipse,-often   hastened more blindly to his own dein moments critical for empire.  Did   struction and the ruin of his country.
the thought of murder cross an English   It is customary in Sweden to attribute
mind?  Yet, let it be repeated, men are   his misfortunes to insanity, and the sevefar less to blame than institutions.  If in   rity of his judges should be moderate
* I have been told that there was formerly current in Stockholm a story of a trick successfully played by
the Russian ministry, by which Stedingk was deceived into a belief that the force sent against Finland was
overwhelming. The invasion was without announcement, although Stedingk and everybody knew that it
was to be made. The troops on their way to Finland marched past the Swedish Legation, and in order
to make their numbers formidable in Stedingk's dispatches, each regiment having once passed, made a
detour, altered some trifling part of their equipment, and marched a second time under his windows. Whatever be the truth of the story, I have not found in Stedingk's dispatches that the ruese was successful, or
that at any time the force appeared to him so large as to give him anxiety for the result. On the 14th
February, 1808, he wrote the Commanding General in Finland that the invading army would not amount to
20,000 men. On the 20th they crossed the frontier, and Stedingk immediately demanded his passports.




1854.]                        Count Stedingk.                           575
therefore. This insanity, moreover, was    Stedingk often hazarded remonstranom.
apparent before as well as after the loss  His counsels were given with the frankof Finland, and the remedy was as much   ness and fearlessness of his character,
in the hands of the Diet before as after.  but always fruitlessly.  The king anHis dethronement was postponed three  swered hotly that he made his own
years too long, and the fault surely lay   decisions —nothing should change them,
not with the king. When Stedingk ar-  and that never in this world would he be
rived in Stockholm, Sweden seemed   at peace with that "Anti-Christ Bonatottering to destruction.  Surrounded   parte." —'" Then," said Stedingk, losing
with enemies, she made face on every  all patience, " if it must be war, learn at
side, North, East, and South.-17,000  least how to make war."  The rebuke
Russians occupied lower Finland, op-  was not forgotten.
posed by an equal number of Swedes    In the meantime the patience of the
and Finns on their own ground, and   country was exhausted. Among responanxious to defend the sacred cause. A   sible men there was but one opinion in
strong Swedish reserve was at hand also  all Sweden; that nothing was left but to
in the islands of Aland, while the Rus-  depose and banish the king.  A  plot
sians, dispirited and without supplies,  ripened fast, and its chiefs are held up to
hesitated to advance. At this moment,  history as the liberators of their country.
against all reason and sense, according   " Sire," said Baron Adlercreutz, entering
at least to the opinion of his aide-de-camp,  the royal apartment at the head of the
Count Bibrnstierna, the Swedish General  resolute band, "in the name of the
Klingsparre ordered a retreat, abandon-  nation I demand' your sword."  Gustaing half the province to an enemy who   vus drew it undaunted, and would have
needed but a single blow to complete his  struck do wn the audacious speaker. Seruin. The great Gibraltar-like fortresses  vants and guard sprang to the side of thas
of Swartholm and Sweaborg were sur-  king, who struggled and fought like a
rendered by their commanders; the first,  madman; but overpowered, at last, hq
in overt treason, and the latter veiled for  was borne away a prisoner, foaming with
appearances, but unquestionably in real  rage, to the castle of Gripsholm. Not a
treachery.   These are sore points in  drop of blood was shed. The people of
Swedish history.*                      Stockholm heard the news with perfect
It was at this hopeless period that  satisfaction, and in the evening thronged
Stedingk entered, in some degree, upon  to the theatres as if the day had been the
the scene of action. He was summoned  feast day of the nation. In Dalecarlia,
by the king, not to command the army   where the first Vasa declaimed against
unfortunately, which was still left with  tyranny, a sentiment of loyalty for his
Klingsparre, but to give his counsels and   decendant rose to the surface; but reaexperience at the royal headquarters.  son and right were soon manifest to the
The obstinacy and infirmities of Gusta-  noble  Dalesmen, and the revolution
vus, however, increased day by day.  was unanimous. The conspirators hasHe had the unparalleled folly to reject  tened to the uncle of Gustavus, the
an offer of 11,000 English troops, because   prudent and skilful Regent who had
their English general did not suit his  governed Sweden during the late minofancies. With more than 100,000 men   rity. HIe was made protector, and finally
under arms, he managed never to have   elected by the Diet King Charles XIII.
10,000 together. They were continually   Stedingk was loyal as a Dalecarlian. HE
exhausted in forced marches across the   had heard early rumors of the revolt,
length and breath of the kingdom, from   and hastened to put Gustavus on his
Norway to Russia, and again from Rus-  guard. "Traitor," cried the unhappy
sia to the strait of Elsinore. All system   king, drawing his sword upon his faithwas set at naught. English subsidies  ful white-haired old servant, and threatand Swedish supplies, lavishly afforded   ening to plunge it in his breast.by his allies and by his patient people,'Traitor!"
were squandered senselessly and ungrate-  Stedingk often related to his family
fully; and in the midst of all, we read   circle the effect of this ungrateful word.
that he absolutely sold ammunition and   "Should I," said he, "like the Sture of
stores.- to the Russian quarter-  old, pierced by the sword of Eri, —
masters.                               should I have drawn it from. my breast,
* Two years afterwards, Stedingk wrote home from St. Petersburg that the commandant of Sweaborgl v
rewarded by the emperor with a pension of 4,500 Hamburg dollars; and that Swartholm had been sai& t
the enemy even before they croshed1 the frontier




576                          Count Stedingk.                         [Dec.
kissed it reverently, and replaced it in  direction of foreign affairs. It was dethe hands of my gracious sovereign? No,  clined. Our hero found it repugnant to
I could be no such dastard."  His hand   his loyalty to risk even the suspicion of
indignantly sought the hilt of his own   sharing a revolution which, however
weapon, and the movement sufficed to  necessary he may have judged it, had
hurry that of the king back to its  not yet been able to reconcile his heart.
scabbard.                             Much urged at length to return to service,
Gustavus and his innocent son were  and seeing its necessity, he undertook to
banished by acclamation. The son, a  make peace with Russia, whose armies
child of eleven years, was innocent, in-  were marching, with the consent of
deed; but the crown of Sweden has ever  Napoleon, to make the conquest of
been elective; and the house of Gustavus,  Sweden.  It was the saddest task of
a distant branch of the lineal Vasas, had   Stedingk's life.  Finland, lost by the
itself been elected within fifty years, to  fortune of war, could not be reconquered
the exclusion of a race with better  by diplomacy. Peace, however, was the
founded claims to legitimacy. Stedingk,  extreme need of his country; no one,
and all others whose instincts might have  probably, could patch up a better one
clung to the succession, believed that  than Stedingk, and hoping only to save
they saw in the boy early traces of his  the islands of Aland, he set out with a
father's infirmities, and shuddered at the   heavy heart to meet a Russian negotiator
prospect.  Results have  abundantly  at Frederickshamn. Bent upon the single
proved the wisdom of a total revolution.  object of recovering the islands, he had
The Diet pronounced it unanimously, and,  demanded and obtained the promise of
voting to the exiles a generous annuity  king, cabinet, and the Diet itself, that
($26,000), dismissed them  across the  they should never be yielded. Foreign
Baltic.  Gustavus contemptuously de-  influence, however, stood uppermost at
dlined the pension, and died in 1837 a  home; and Aland, whose Russian guns
proud exile,-poor and lonely among the  to-day almost echo along the Swedish
mountains of Switzerland. Iis son, an  fiords, was bitterly signed away with
Austrian soldier, is the present prince of  that precious and long happy Finland
Yasa.                                 where, eight hundred years before, the
Charles XIII., Duke of Sudermania,  Swedish priests taught Christianity to
was elected to the crown of his unfor-  pagans.  There  was no  choice  for
tunate nephew in 1809, when the present  Sweden but this dear-bought peace of
complicated and laborious Constitution   1809. Its consequences, luckily, were
came into existence. The new king had   peace also with Denmark, and at length
passed a long life profiting by the expe-  with Napoleon, who, in return for entire
rience of brother's and nephew's errors  acquiescence in his " continental system,';
and misfortunes. He was now sixty-one   gave  back  Pomerania  and  Rugen.
years of age. His countrymen have  Stedingk returned to the embassy at
thought him  a weak prince,-distin-  St. Petersburg, from which he had beert
guished, however, for prudent and   absent a little more than a twelve-month,
cautious policy. As Regent he had been  and was received by the emperor with
the first to recognize the French Repub-  all the distinction and affection of past
lic, and the kings of Europe called him   years. Decorations, dignities, rewards
Jacobin. He has been recklessly accused   of every description, comforted his inof connivance in the murder of his bro-  creasing age.  His own king promoted
ther, Gustavus III., and in the deposition   him a grade in the rank of nobility. He
of his nephew, the late king; but neither  became " Count von Stedingk," as well
of these charges, it seems to me, is sus-  as "His Excellency a Seigneur of the
tained, and in royal misfortunes there is  Kingdom;" and covered with  Grand
usually a speculative mystery which   Crosses of Northern Europe, he was
spares no convenient survivor. He had   presently also named field-marshal of
lived for several years in retirement at  the Swedish army. From his letters at
his country palace of Rosersberg, entirely  this period may be selected the following
disapproving the policy of his nephew;  extracts, rendered especially interesting
and his first measures on coming to the  by subsequent events.
head of affairs, were to hasten peace with
Europe. To this end, Stedingk, respected         St. Petersburg, 9th February, 1810.
and beloved by four successive sovereigns,    "The peace which your majesty has
under whose reign his manhood passed,  made with France created much sensawas immediately requested to accept the  tion here.  The emperor remarked to




1854.]                        Count Stedingk.                            577
the French ambassador that Napoleon   promised also his mother's consent, with
had granted us good terms: and the   a little delay; but it is likely that neither
reply, I understand, was that Sweden   promise would have been kept.  At all
was rather far from  France.   Count  events, Napoleon chose to think so. The
Romanzoff has congratulated me, and   Prince of Coburg prospered no better,
insists that it is all a consequence of the   and the beautiful prize was carried off
peace of Frederickshamn; and assumes  by the late king of Holland.
it, therefore, to be in part his own cre-    Soon after the election of Charles XIII,
ditable handiwork.  I cannot well con-  a Crown Prince was also elected in the
ceive how we can long exist a neighbor  person of Prince Charles Auguste of
of this colossus, unless either his strength   Augustenburg. The sudden death of this
be diminished or ours increased. Norway   beloved and promising successor to the
would be a great prize for us, and with-  throne, and the murder of Count Fersen
out it we shall be lost before half a cen-  by the people of Stockholm on suspicion
tury.  The Russians will never rest  of his having poisoned the prince, are
until they reach the German Ocean:  events which, as affecting the memoirs
but if Napoleon lives, which he seems  of Stedingk, we have already  noted
inclined to do, there will probably turn  sufficiently.
up some miscount in the Russian calcu-    A  grand event in modern Swedish
lations."                               history, the election of Bernadotte, is
c *    *    *    *    *    *e    *  next in the order of our narrative; and
January 17th, 1810.   although Stedingk was quietly in St.
"The great news of the intended   Petersburg, looking on at a distance, and
marriage of Napoleon arrived here on   at first not a partisan of the French
Thursday.  The  French  ambassador,  marshal, whose election took him, like
Caulaincourt, is much cast down about  many others, by surprise, there had been
it; having had it greatly at heart that  no circumstance yet in his career which
his sovereign should choose a Russian   so immediately affected his interests, and
princess (the Grand Duchess Anne). It  which so signally led on to the highest
would have been a great windfall for him;  destinies of his life.
whereas the present marriage will in-     The following is from his letter concrease neither his credit nor his influence.  gratulating the king:The Russians are no less stupefied by it.
Their vanity looked complacently upon               "St. Petersburg, August 22, 1810.
the prospect of a Russian princess on      " SIRE,-The two couriers arriving
the throne of France, and they believed   successively on the 15th and the 22d
it certain. When I say the Russians, I  instant, have brought me news of an exmean only the party uppermost in the  tremely different character.  The first
emperor's council.  The bulk of the  taught me to think that your majesty's
nation, in fact, detested the idea, and   wishes and those of the nation were
they say the empress-mother would not  united in favor of the Prince of Augus.
tolerate it; but vanity and self-interest  tenburg [brother of the late Crown
would have carried the day if the demand   Prince], and now I am informed by his
had been pressed. The grand duchess   Excellency Baron Engestrornm that the
will have to content herself now with   Prince of Ponte Corvo has been elected
her old lover, the Prince of Coburg; who   unanimously.  Not being advised of
was here last winter and made himself  what can have occasioned a change so
very agreeable to the dowager empress."   sudden and unexpected, I confine myself
*    *    *    *    *    *    *    *   to-day to the earnest hopes that it may
Wedding gossip being always more or  be for the good of the country and to
less attractive, we are the more bound   your majesty's satisfaction. These things
to correct these predictions. The grand   occupy my heart most in this world.
duchess, whom  Stedingk would have        "The sensation produced here by this
given alternately to the French emperor  great event surpasses all idea. Ministry,
and the Prince of Coburg, might, indeed,  grandees, the whole people, look upon it
have made her choice.  According, at  as crowning the  misfortunes which
least, to M. Thiers, Napoleon exerted   threaten the country. Everybody beevery means to get a Russian bride both  lieves the moment at hand when French
at Erfurt and afterwards; and his de-  influence will compel Russia to abandon
mand of the Austrian archduchess was  every usurpation of the last century.
but an angry and sudden pique. The          *      *      *    It is quitecerRussian emperor promised his sister, and   tain, I think, that Russia as well as Den



578                           Count Stedingk.                          [Dec.
mark, is in despair at the choice; a good   Paris with a letter to Napoleon, asking
omen, it seems to me, for Sweden."      his opinion.  The courier left Stockholrm on the 6th of June, accompanied
The Russian anxiety does not how-   by young Mdrner, travelling on furlough,
ever appear to have lasted long. Two   but at the same time charged to take care
months later, Stedingk wrote, that,   of the courier's dispatches in case of
" Prince Kourakin, just returned from    accident. The mind of the young travelhis mission to Paris, brings news highly  ler was filled with secret speculations,
satisfactory to the emperor, who is quite   and strayed boldly into the idea that
reassured of the friendship of Napoleon;   Sweden needed a prince possessed of
and, in fact, the terror at first excited   something more than the accident of
by the election of the Prince of Ponte   royal blood.  Brooding on the great
Corvo is entirely dissipated."  The idea   thought, he became satisfied that a party
had been almost universal that the elec-   could easily grow up in Sweden in favor
tion of Bernadotte was a consequence of   of some tried French soldier. BernaNapoleon's direct influence; a singular   dotte was not at first in his mind exerror, in fact, although a general belief   clusively.  His imagination dwelt as
of its being the wish of the French em-   much upon Macdonald, and others; and
peror operated conclusively in the result.  the Prince Eugene, whose daughter has
Napoleon was indifferent, or at least in-   since brought to the Swedish throne the
active. The Swedish king sent a special   rich inheritance of her father's and
messenger to Paris to find out the em-   grandmother's virtues, is equally named
peror's wishes, and the reply was he had   in the memoir as among the worthiest
none. A few years afterwards he said,  in his fancy.
at St. Helena, that the true Swedish      Morner's travelling companion, bearking, for his policy and for French in-   ing the secret dispatch of the king, was
terests, would have been the King of   a fellow-soldier in the Swedish service,
Denmark [an early candidate], " because   Colonel Ankarsvdrd.  Their conversaI should then have governed Sweden   tion during a long journey naturally
simply through my contact with Danish   turned often upon the grand topic of
provinces.    *    *    *    Berna-   their country, the royal election; and
dotte came to me for my consent, affect-   by the time they arrived in Paris, Moring great dependence upon my pleasure.   ner seems to have determined to enter
I told him he had better profit by the   actively upon a project which had engood wishes of those who proposed him;   grossed his thoughts thus far in perfect
that I desired to go for nothing in the   secresy. He had an old and much reelection, but that he had my consent and   spected firiend in Paris, an aide-de-camp,
my wishes."                             and confidential secretary to Napoleon,
The first person to conceive the pro-   a Colonel Lapie, whom he resolved to
ject of elevating Bernadotte to the   make his first confidant. He found Lapie
throne of Sweden, was a young lieu-   on the evening of his arrival, and protenant in the army, by name Baron Carl  ceeded at once to discover which of the
Otto Mfrner. This gentleman, who is   great Frenchmen then in Paris his old
still living, published in 1829 a memoir,  friend might think most capable of a
of which I have the good fortune to pos-   sceptre. All this sounds much like the
sess a copy;* and it occurs to me that a   vagary of a boy, and so indeed it was;
sketch of the accession of the new dy-   but it was a vagary nevertheless which
nasty may be drawn with profit from    resulted in the destiny of the Swedish
the narrative of its projector.         crown, and it is a vagary, therefore,
In the choice of a new sovereign, the   worthy of record. M6rner was the son
party in favor of the House of Augusten-   of an influential Swede, the governor of
burg, comprising most of those who had   the province of Upsala.  The youth,
deposed Gustavus, was at first decidedly   moreover, was a member, by inheritin the ascendant. It was natural to   ance, of the legislature of his country.
look to a worthy brother of the late   These circumstances, together with his
popular prince, whose many virtues had   sudden arrival in Paris, bearing secret
won their way into the people's hearts,   dispatches, may have impressed Lapie
and whose family were endeared there-   with more respect for the subject profore to Sweden. The king, easily per-   posed to his attention than probably
suaded of this, sent off an express to   would otherwise have been the case.
* It is entitled Kort berattelse om ursprunget till thronf5ljare-valet i irebro, ar 1810; upsatt af Carl Otto
Mlraer.




1854.]                           Count Stedingk.                                579
M5rner began the conversation with    a readiness to change his religion, in
a sketch of the precarious state of affairs    order to be eligible, I had no longer difat home, and presently astonished his   ficulty in seeing through this appearance
hearer with an abrupt announcement   of indifference."
that Sweden was in need of the best           Almost at the moment of this inteman in France for king; who should it   resting interview, GeneralFabien Wrede,
be?  Bernadotte, Macdonald, Beauhar-    Swedish ambassador at the French court,
nais; Lapie must say who is most wor-   was in private audience with Napoleon,
thy.  The Frenchman mused for a little   exerting himself to obtain some concluwhile.  He would not too hastily com-   sive answer to the royal letter proposing
mit an opinion, which might one day    the Swedish dynasty to the opinion and
pass for a crime. He had gone unharmed    advice of the then arbiter of Europe.
through the revolution, and he  now    It is a question if Napoleon's indifference
prudently invited his friend  to come    was more real than Ber.nadotte's.*  Swenext morning to breakfast.  After a    den was more remote from France than
night's reflection, and with the secret   now, and the part she should adopt in a
conviction  that his  imperial master   war with Russia was possibly less imlooked to undermine the power of Rus-   portant in the mind of Napoleon I. than
sia, his mind came to rest, and he pro-   of Napoleon III.  General Wrede, acnounced unequivocally for the Prince of    cording to M6rner, obtained from  the
Ponte Corvo.  A long conversation en-   emperor nothing beyond an assurance
sued, and the friends separated, mutually   that the Swedish  election should be
pledged to work discreetly and secretly;   "' free;" that he, the emperor, would
M6rner to seek new sympathisers in his   meddle with nothing affecting it.
dream, and Lapie, as MOrner hoped,            This reply, corresponding  perfectly
probably to tell the story to the emperor.   with Napoleon's declaration at St. Helena
The young Swede next visited his   already quoted, was immediately discoconsul, Mr. Signeul, to whom  he also    vered, and communicated by Lapie to
committed his secret; and who, after a    M6rner.  The young intriguer then felt
day's reflection, joined heart and hand    encouraged. to confide his secret to the
in the enterprise.  Signeul had long pre-   Swedish  ambassador, whom   he  had
sided over the Swedish  consulate  in    known at home. It was a bold measure,
Paris, and was thoroughly versed in    but boldness only could achieve his end.
state affairs affecting the external rela-   There was an expression of anxiety and
tions of his country.  His adoption of    mystery on the countenance of M6rner,
the project was a grand step in its suc-   when he presented himself to the amcess; and it was owing to his manage-   bassador.  He must have had the air of
ment that Morner, three days afterwards    being in some youthful scrape.  "How
(on the 25th of June, 1810), obtained a   now, M6rner, have you a duel on your
secret interview  with the great man    hands?"  "No General," was the answer,
whose royal destiny he had thus rough-   "I have something rather more importhewn.  In the words of Mdrner, the    ant;" and having obtained a promise of
prince " manifested much indifference,   secresy, he disclosed fiankly all he had
suspecting  the whole to be a snare.   planned, and all he had thus far effected.
Napoleon, he knew, was privately not   "'I have, to-day," he added, "spoken
his friend, and  while  certainly flat-   with the Prince of Ponte Corvo, and I
tered by a proposal which might lead to    have his reply, that with the permission
a crown, he prudently affected great in-   of the emperor, he is ready, if elected,
difference. Indeed, had I not been some-   to become Lutheran and Crown Prince
what prepared," continues M6rner, "for   of Sweden."
such a reception, I should have been          It is extraordinary how, immediately
persuaded that the prince had no ambi-   the project of this inexperienced, and as
tion for a throne; but when, at length,   it were, obscure young soldier, carried its
after further conversation, he professed    way with every Swede to whom it was
* Mr. Alison, who, by the way, seems to have had no knowledge of Baron Mbrner, considers the indifference
professed by Napoleon to have been hypocrisy, and that he secretly sent an agent to Sweden for the purpose
of " securing the election of his general to the throne of a monarchy bordering upon Russia, without openly
committing himself in his cause. The extreme anxiety," continues the Scotch historian, " which Napoleon
evinced for some time afterward to convince the cabinet of St. Petersburg that he had taken no concern in
the election of Bernadotte, renders it the more probable that he was in reality at the bottom of the transaction." —Alsors's History, chapter lxv.
It is certain, as we shall presenly see, that an agent from France did conduce much to the event, and it
appears certain that this agent did profess to be employed by Napoleon; who, however, disavowed him, and
whose whole conduct in the matter from the first appears to have been inconsistent.




580                           Count Stedingk.                          [Dec.
confided. It was like some new light,  Engestroii, who, as he read, changed
which a necromancer might have corn-  color, and at intervals glanced angrily at
pounded for suddenly illuminating the  the bearer. "' Who bade you, sir, mingle
minds of a nation at fault. The Swedish   yourself in these matters? How have
ambassador pledged himself at once, and   you dared, sir, to do this?"
unconditionally; he would labor, he said,    Before OMrner could speak, two others
to the utmost extent of his power, in the   of the State Council entered the room,
election of the Prince of Ponte Corvo.   and were informed of what was passing.
In the meantime the future Crown-   They questioned the youth closely, and
Prince and king repaired to St. Cloud,  told him that if he went further, it would
to consult the emperor, to obtain  his  cost him his head; —thus far, they said,
opinion, and to make sure that he should  the matter might be harmless, because
be the first to disclose to him the idea.  the king had already chosen his succesMIOrner saw the prince for the second   sor. MOrner answered, that come what
time, immediately after his return firom   might, he feared nothing; " other heads,"
this audience, and was assured that the   he said, "will pay, perhaps, the cost of
emperor had not only made no objection,  mine."  Undismayed by frowns and
but while he seemed determined not to  threats, he knew that no successor had
influence the election, promised to op-  been chosen. His resolution was unpose no obstacle to its results, as planned   shaken. - oreover, there had been someby MOrner.                             thing in the air of one of his questioners,
The ambassador, after communicating   Count von Essen, which hinted that he
the secret to the Due de Gadore, and   at least did not entirely resent what had
through him to Savary, prepared a dis-  passed in Paris. The other ministers,
patch relating the circumstances, as in  presently, in a milder tone, advised
duty bound to his own government. This  MOrner to banish the thought of Bernadispatch, it was agreed, should be borne   dotte, which they called a giddy youthful
by MO5rner, who, on the day of his depart-  dream (Ungdomsyra), otherwise it would
ure had a third interview with his future  be necessary to order his arrest. MOrner
sovereign.  "Say to your king," said  resolutely replied, that in that case the
Bernadotte, into whose heart the pro-  people would rescue him; and finding
spect had now worked its way, "that the  that he could not be intimidated, the
emperor makes not only no objection,  ministers at length dismissed him, with
but in case of my election. he will per-  renewed recommendations to  get the
mit me to receive the flattering confi-  better of a boyish delirium.
dence of the Swedish people. Say, also,    Disregarding all such counsel, MOrner
that I will accept it with its constitutional  went diligently to work in search of
conditions, and change my religion."   partisans. He first appealed to the offi"I quitted Paris," MOrner afterwards   cers of his own regiment. The colonel
wrote, "in very agitated spirits. The  (Lagerbring), withwhom he was a favordifficulties of my plan seemed to increase  ite, openly declared for the French marin imagination, but I soon forgot such  shal. The lieutenant-colonel and several
gloomy fears as I reflected that the cause  junior officers immediately, also, and
was one through which Sweden should  zealously embraced the project. Leading
have the best of kings.  If it fail, I  members of the House of Peasants next
thought, posterity will lament the doom   became his converts, all pledging themwhich must close my days-a fate which   selves to win over their colleagues in the
seemed in my heart the sweetist of all, —   Diet. Several of the House of Clergy,
death for the good of the Fatherland."    and of the Burghers, also promised their
Thus far everything had prospered.  their votes and influence. In a word,
It seems probable that all hitherto in the  the indefatigable MOirner created in a
secret, suspected MOrner to have more  few days a powerful faction. His friends
or less of authority from home, for what  seeing his danger, for the resentment of
he agitated; and the impulse of all was  the government could not be long withat least compliance. MOrner alone knew   held, earnestly advised him to leave the
the audacity of his proceeding. He alone  city, pledging themselves to work faithknew that his life hung upon the stake;  fully in the cause.  The old king was
and it was with no common courier's  exceedingly angry.  His choice had
sensations that he entered Stockholm,  fixed upon the Prince of Augustenburg,
and bore his dispatches to the office of  and a French party plotting against the
foreign affairs.  He was received in the  royal will, might well incur royal reprivate bureau of the minister, Baron   venge.




1854.]                      The Art of Eating.                           581
MOrner retired to Upsala, where he   way also in the service of his father. A
labored among all classes, but where the   vigorous and stirring pamphlet, wellmalice of the government pursued him.  written, by MOrner, appeared and spread
The colonel of his regiment was ordered  through Sweden. The army seemed to
to put him under arrest, but contented  fire with the thought of Bernadotte.
himself with the promise of the young   The committee faltered, rose, and reoificer not to leave Upsala.  The diet  assembled to declare for the Prince of
~assembled, and Mirner's parliamentary   Ponte Corvo, whom  the king, carried
right was withheld.  He remained a   away at last with the flood, formerly
prisoner of state within the limits of his  begged his faithful Diet to give him as
native town.                            his heir.
Meanwhile, the revolution in the Swe-   The vote was taken on the 21st of
dish mind worked apace.  The king,  August, 1810, and resulted unanimously.
however, demanded the Prince of Au-  The House of Peasants were first to give
gustenburg, and a committee to which  in their adhesion, early in the morning.
the proposal was referred were almost  Nobles, clergy, burghers, followed in
unanimous in adopting it. At this crit-  eloquent succession; and, from Hapaical moment, General Wrede, just re-  randa to the southernmost cape of Scania,
turned from  Paris, was added to the  the name of Bernadotte rang with acclacommittee, and a French emissary ar-  mation. The prince answered the sumrived with documents which gave color  mons in person. The indefatigable M6rto the growing belief, that Napoleon   ner, enriched with broad lands and prodesired the election of his marshal. A   motion, became his Royal Highness's
portrait of the youthful son of the   adjutant-in-chief; and Sweden, happy in
French candidate was also received and   an independent king, re-entered on her
circulated, and the boy-features of his  sometime broken career of progress,
present excellent majesty, won their  victory, and honor.
THE ART OF EATING.
FROM  THE EARLIEST AGES DOWN  TO THE PRESENT TIME.
~T is not to be doubted that the prac-  carnivorous  power  was materially
- tice of eating was introduced at a   checked in its tendencies by want of
very early period of man's existence.  knowledge of the art of cooking.  As
Adam   was directed to  eat, and  a  yet restaurants were not, oysters could
liberal allowance was assigned to him,  be eaten raw, as they are now; but
that is, of the vegetable kingdom, for it  science which had not dawned could not
is not said that on the fowls of the air,  be applied even to the simplest process
the fishes of the sea, or the cattle of the   of roasting a sirloin or frying smelts.
field, he was permitted to feed.  It  No individual was able to prepare a-lamight be that the teeth were not yet pre-  mode beef, or serve up a goose stuffed
pared to masticate grosser food than   with sage and onions. Civilization was
fruit, which requires only the incisors,  greatly advanced before new appliances
or front teeth; but as soon as man found   were discovered, before mock turtle
the use of the eye, or canine teeth, he   soup or mince pies could be presented.
began on solid food, which being trans-   The first mention of meat as diet is
ferred to the molars, the system of grind-  when Isaac, near his end, directs his son
ing took place, and meat was in a state   Esau to kill some venison; and, although
fit for nutrition. It is not said how soon   he was grossly deceived, by kid being
the eye teeth appeared; those of late  substituted in its place, it seems to have
generations come very early, particu-  strengthened the old patriarch, simple
larly in this country; it is certain those  though the food was, for no mention is
of Eve came late in life. Alas! too late   made of currant jelly for the one, or
for posterity. However, this is no busi-  mint sauce for the other.  The next
ness of ours; all that can be said is, that  direct notice of the use of animal food
man immediately became carnivorous,  was immediately previous to the deparand so remains to this day.  Still this  ture of the Hebrews from Egypt. En



582                         The Art of Eating.                          [Dec.
slaved, as they had long been, by the   morsel of the fattest part, strew  over it
Egyptians, their food  was probably   a little salt, place it under the saddle,
light; and as they had reason to believe   when, after a gallop of a few hours, it is
the journey before totem would be long   brought forth well heated and tender
and painful, they wisely endeavored to  enough to be eaten without further preobtain physical strength by a large sup-  paration. We are fond of recurring to
ply of food more nourishing than that  the past, and praising the simplicity of
on which they had been forced to live.  former times; this we often do without
Accordingly they supped on roast lamb   sufficient reflection.  This  primitive
and spinach.  The lamb was fairly   mode of preparing meat is not commendroasted with fire, " not raw nor sodden   able, and happily is no longer necessary.
at all with water:" and what is more,  The march of mind, the boast of our
one entire roast was made of the entire  times, has led to refinement, and to more
aninmal. This, it is true, was an incipi-  intimate knowledge of an element, the
ent step in the culinary art, though not  judicious use of which has developed
in accordance with our rules, deduced,  science and enlarged our enjoyments.
as they are, from a combination of theo-  We allude to fire.
retical science and practical experience.    The first man was, as we are told,
Of this repast, thus prepared, the Hebrews  created in a warm climate; of course it
partook largely, as they were directed   was not likely he should early learn the
to do, and as they were further required   use, or even make the discovery of an
"to let nothing of it remain until the   element that his feelings told him  was
morning."  It was hardly necessary to  not necessary, although one which civillay upon them the first injunction, for  ized moderns of all climes cannot now
they were hungry, and had long lived   exist without. It is not the father of
upon less nourishing diet; neither is it  cookery, but it may be called its godmatter of surprise that they should be  father, for it certainly stands sponsor
unwilling their task-masters should know   for the most of the aliments that sustain
how well their own private larder was  us.  One thing leads to another: no
stored, nor the manner their meat was  sooner was it discovered that fire in alcooked. That they were unaccustomed   most every department of cookery was
to such delicate food, and in fact, little  necessary, than cookery in grateful acused to animal diet, may be inferred   knowledgment  introduced chemistry,
from the circumstance that when, some-  and this in turn led to pharmacy. See,
what later, while on their wearisome   then, what blessings, moral and physical,
journey, they murmured at being obliged   have been bestowed on the world by
to eat of one vegetable substance morn-   cookery as produced by fire, and how
ing, noon, and night, for breakfast, din-  much our happiness is promoted by the
ner, and supper, they sighed over the   union of the two. It is true, fire has
remembrance "of the fish, cucumbers,  occasionally been grossly perverted from
melons, onions, leeks; ~nd garlic they  its original beneficent purpose by being
had so freely eaten during their abode   employed to produce conviction on the
inEgypt."  No mention is here made  mind of unbelievers of particular dogof meat. From this time forward, flesh   mas; but this is not cooking; and cookbecame a standing dish; and although  ing, which may be considered as the
the Hebrews, when settled in their new   chief cause of bringing fire into service,
abode, are said in their entertainment of  is in no way chargeable with the ill-use
strangers to have set before them bread,  of the properties of its auxiliary. It
fruit, and wine, it is pretty certain that  appears, then, that the cook, the chethe first course was of some more solid   mist, and the apothecary, act in unison
substance. It is, however, singular that  for the benefit of those who eat; and the
in the approaches made by the Hebrews  number of these is not only quite large,
and nations immediately succeeding, the   but is constantly increasing; the cook,
culinary art, simple as it was with them,  by converting the elements into nutrimade slow  progress, and in some in-  ment, the chemist by analyzing their
stances actually retrograded. The Be-  properties, and the apothecary by redouins dried their meat in the sun, and   moving them when they do harm to the
the Croats, of more modern days, employ   system.
a method quite simple, and one that does  Having in these preliminary remarks
not in the slightest degree interfere with  referred to the early habit of eating, and
their habitual pursuits.  It is, that  the period when meat was first brought
when they kill an animal, they cut a   on table, we shall endeavor to show the




1854.]                       The Art of Eating.                            583
method practised in rendering this new     This of course was a stew.  Afterarticle of food palatable: in other words,  wards,give an insight into the art or science     Then when the languid flames at length subside,
(as it is called by its professors) of cook-  IHe strews a bed of glowing embers wide;
ing. Here we are forced to leave the        Above the coals the smoking fragments turns
most early records, as they are deficient  And sprinkles sacred salt from lifted urns."
in details, and must be content with
gleaning from profane history such facts   This was a broil. As yet gridirons
as may shed light on this interesting and   were not.
highly important topic. We have con-       The party ate and drank plenteously.
sulted Greek and Roman history (we are   Madame Dacier and other commentators
tired of Babylon and Nineveh), but do   are pleased with the simplicity of the
not discover, except in a few instances,  entertainment, and remark with admiraaccounts sufficiently minute for our pur-  tion on the free and easy style in which
pose. The habits and mode of life of  it was conducted. Patroclus, the friend
these ancient people were entirely dif-  of the host, was the chief cook; no serferent from those of the moderns; to be   vants appeared, each guest helping himsure, they made speeches almost as long   self as he liked. It is to be supposed, as
as ours, but as they fought and killed   Achilles and Patroclus both labored in
game with bows and arrows, instead of  the preparation, it was intended the
muskets that produce fire, they were  festival should be worthy of the exalted
ignorant of the many uses to which this  personages who were to partake of it;
element may be applied. The advance-  these were no less than a king, the son
ment of civilization and intelligence has   of a king, and three renowned Grecian
brought us to the knowledge, that while  generals. All seemed pleased; yet by
it is a powerful instrument in taking   closely viewing the matter, it will be
away life, it is also a means of sustaining   seen that this was only outward show,
it. Nor do we find that these people  for it did not produce the effect intended.
enlightened as they undoubtedly were,  If fleas were then as numerous and as
could waltz, or dance the polka, both of  nimble as those of the present day, each
which so much enliven the spirits, refine   ambassador returned home with one in
the taste, and, above all, sharpen the   his ear; and this, exclusive of the feast,
appetite. The earliest notice of Grecian   was all that was obtained, while Achilles
cooking is found in the 9th book of the   resisted their entreaties, and remained as
Iliad. It is known to all scholars that  obstinate as ever. How is this to be
Achilles and the commander-in-chief of  accounted for? Simply thus-there was
the army had a bitter quarrel about a   a defect in the cooking. Had they comlady, called each other hard names,  menced with a potage d la Reine, or even
and separated deadly foes. Achilles be-  a consomme, with a glass of sparkling
ing of a fiery temper, left the army,  Catawba immediately after, it would have
which, in consequence, suffered many   produced  an agreeable feeling; then
reverses. It being thought necessary to   bouilli and turbot, or anguille d la
success, that he should resume his place   Tartare, with a few hors-d'ceuvres, and
as one of the chiefs, three envoys were   a genial spirit would have been created;
dispatched to urge his return.  The  these, followed by lamb or kid (leaving
deputation consisted of Ulysses, Ajax,  out the pork) as roti, it cannot be
and an old man named Phenix, a calm   doubted the party would have risen
country member,  who  was doubtless  from  table  in  harmony with  each
selected for the purpose of standing be-  other, the object of the meeting being
tween the cunning of Ulysses and the   accomplished, and the war more speedily
ardent temperament of Ajax. Achilles,  terminated.  It is, however, unfair to
on the lookout, seeing them approach'  condemn  people for ignorance; the
immediately desired his friend, Patroclus   Greeks could compose a poem  which
to fill the largest bowl with the best  is still the admiration of the lettered
wine, and knowing they would be hun-  world, but they had never been taught
gry, directed him  to prepare refresh-  the art of cooking on scientific prinments.                                  ciples; had not discovered the new combinations science has developed. Let' He said. Patroclus o'er the blazing fire,
"He said, Patroclus o'er the blazing fire,  US add, too, to their praise, that they
Heaps in a brazen vase three chines entire;  were the original inventors of the sauThe brazen vase Antomedon sustains,    sage. Their first attempt was made by
Which flesh of porket, sheep, and goat contains."   mingling with a moderate quantity of




584                         T]he Art of Eating.                        [Dec
pork, the flesh of rabbit, pheasant, and  time of William  the  Conqueror, and
peacock, which being spiced with judg-  were considered a great delicacy. Fish
ment, the whole was made very tasteful,  was abundant, and of great variety, yet
and was imitated with great success by   cod, haddock, and halibut do not apthe moderns down to the sixth century.  pear to have been known, or if so, were
A distinguished Italian poet who flourish-  not valued.  Of the solid meats, the
ed about the same period, composed, in   most of them were the same as those
honor of the sausage, a song that enjoyed   we eat; but the young of the common
much reputation among all gourmands.  ass (asinus) and young puppies (cabuli
It is neither convenient nor necessary to  lactantes), were they never so well fatcontinue the account of Grecian gastro-  tened, we could never tolerate.  Yet
nomy. It probably improved by inter-  the last were evidently thought a delicourse with foreign nations, and by the   cacy, for they formed part of the enterincrease of wealth, which generates  tainment given by Mmecenas to Augustus
luxury. Let us pass to others.     -   and Horace.  It was not that the
The Romans were a hardy race of  Romans were deficient in comestibles;
people, of strong minds,-what we should  these were abundant and various; what
call a go-ahead people, —but deficient in  they lacked was judgment in the choice,
refinement. Much of their literature,  and art in  combining them.  They
and nearly all their cookery, were derived   could well discipline large armies, that
from the Greeks, after time had produced   conquered wherever they were led, yet
an improvement in Grecian art. In their  they had not the skill necessary to susearly career, their best cooks were from   tain life agreeably; or, in other words,
Sicily, and their nicest dishes were de-  they were deficient in knowledge of
signated by the name Sicuce dapes. Yet,  cookery. They could make wise laws
although thus provided, their tables were  for general government, yet lacked skill
loaded with solid materials rather than   to give fresh zest to food.  Many of
with skilfully compounded dishes. The  their laws are adopted into our code,
profusion was marvellous; they thought  but we eschew  their kitchen.  They
to dazzle by display rather than to win   were  wanting in  invention.  They
good will and appetite by delicate food   were good eaters, but this is not enough
scientifically prepared. No better proof  to form  a man of pure taste.  The
need be given of the want of delicacy of  French professors say, -" L'homme
the Roman appetite, than their great  mange: l'homme d'esprit sait manger."
fondness for pork; a hard, slow of di-  And then their sauces! It is painful to
gestion, substance that should rarely be  think  of them.  Modern adepts will
eaten. Their method of killing, intend-  wonder at their taste. It is doubtful if
ed, no doubt, to remove this objection,  what delighted patrician palates would
did not make the meat any better. They   agree with our plebeian ideas. The most
thrust a spit red hot through the body   celebrated of their sauces was the garum.
of the pig, and suffered it to die without  This was composed in the following
bleeding. Even if by this method the   manner:-" The intestines of fish are
flesh was made tender, the retention of  thrown into a vessel, salted, laid before
the blood changed its color, and disposed  the sun, frequently turned; when suffiit to more speedy putrifaction. It may   ciently heated, the garum is drawn from
be said, en passant, that pork was not im-  them."  This was highly esteemed; yet
proved by a modern invention. A living  it will at once be perceived that, leaving
pig was taken (only about two hundred   out the seasoning, it is no other than our
years ago) made to swallow  vinegar,  common fish oil, of a most rancid odor.
water, a great variety of herbs, all boiled   Other sauces were made, rendered even
together, then immediately whipped to   more pungent by a sprinkling of asadeath, and roasted forthwith. None of  fcetida (silphium), the odor of which we
these practices, we are happy to say,  have no terms for. It is matter of SUrprevail at present.                    prise that the Romans should have been
The Romans eat of many dishes we   so long contented with combinations of
are accustomed to, many we are not,  so gross, and, to us, so repulsive a nature,
and many we never think of as food.  more especially as they had so intimate
Game was always in repute. Wild and   an intercourse with the more refined
domestic fowls were much liked, as they   Greeks.  During the early period of
are with us, except the nightingale, the  their history, they sent a deputation to
cuckoo, and the peacock. Of these last  Athens to request a copy of the laws of
the tongues were in vogue down to the   Solon, besides which, many of the




1854.]                      The Art of Eating.                           585
Roman youth were sent there to study   the stranger. The immigrants scorned
belles-lettres and philosophy; it is hardly  the delicacies before them, the art by
to be supposed these individuals, in   which they were created, and the hands
search of knowledge, would return with-  that had labored to combine them.
out bringing with them  correct notions  Palaces were destroyed, and with them
of the fare they had been accustomed  the cooks who had made them joyous
to, with the manner it had been pre-  abodes. By the irruption of the barba-.
pared. In fact, this intercourse did at  rians, the internal as well as the external
last bring forth a change; and when, by   glories of Rome were effaced, and this
their all-conquering arms, the world was  was followed by a period of darkness
at their feet, and riches accumulated, the  that rested  long over the  civilized
Romans became refined in their taste,  world.  Everything fell before Alaric
and the luxury of the table kept pace  and his rough hordes; nothing was rewith the mighty power of the state.  spected.  Soups and science, fish and
Then the universe was ransacked for  fine arts, bouilli and belles-lettres, pastry
rarities, and the ingenuity of men was  and poetry, all shared alike in one comtasked to discover new modes of grati-  mon fate, were involved in the same unifying the new  and varied tastes that  versal ruin, and ages elapsed before the
were formed. Poultry and truffles were  light of knowledge and the art of cookbrought from Africa, rabbits from Spain,  ing were restored, to brighten the mind
pheasants from  Greece, and peacocks  with one, and refine the appetite of manfrom the extreme parts of Asia; exclu-  kind with the other.  The conquerors
sive of this, increased attention was  were for a time constant to their horse
given to the cultivation of fruit, as well  flesh, or meat of domestic animals,
exotic as indigenous, so that nothing was  which they eat raw; but climate and the
left undone to make Rome the focus of  example of the vanquished ere long
gastronomy, as she was the mistress of  brought about a change. They found the
the world.  Thus she remained many   delicately prepared meats of the south
centuries, supreme in power, the centre   more pleasant to the taste than their
of art, the seat of literature, the home of  own coarse food, and by mingling in the
eloquence, and last, though by no means  repasts of the conquered, they became
least, the abode of a class of men who, by  insensibly tinctured with civilization,
their scientific labors, gave dignity to a  and learned, at last, to estimate the genhitherto neglected department of domes-  tleness of social life. A general improvetic economy, made it the means of in-  ment took place about the fifth century
fusing a kindly spirit, and taught man-  of our era, a period when the councils of
kind the salutary precept that reconcili-  Ephesus and Chalcedon were in session,
ation is often produced, benevolence  for the purpose of settling certain conawakened, and many of the passions  tested religious dogmas. As these counthat disturb  social life calmed by a  cils were composed of from six to eight
copious dinner, scientifically prepared.    hundred pious priests, who for a long
Time rolled on, and the flame of the  time were engaged in most solemn disculinary art burned long and bright to  cussions, conducted frequentlywith angry
cheer the world; but the kitchen fire,  debates, it is fair to believe their appelike man, is as liable to trouble, as the  tites were rendered keen by their ardusparks to fly upwards. Sad, very sad, is  ous labors, and, judging by the effects
the thought that, just as we have ac-  produced, it is highly probable that in
quired a pure taste of earthly pleasures,  satisfying these appetites, which they
a chilling blast of adversity comes into  certainly did, this large assembly of culthe midst of our enjoyment, withers the  tivated persons afforded, by example,
sweet flowers we have tended with so  quite as much aid to the cause of good
much care, and robs us of our delight.  cookery as they did by precept to the
The morning dawn may display its  general interest of the church.  We
brightness, filling us with hope, the noon   mention these two circumstances togemay be clothed in splendor, but the  ther to show  that good feeding and
evening be shrouded in gloom; and so it  orthodoxy are not unfrequently found
was with ancient Rome.  Her night  hand in hand.
came; her glowing hearths (particularly  Although the progress of amelioration
the kitchen hearths) became solitary, or  was occasionally checked, it yet graduwere guarded by new and uncouth forms,  ally gained ground. It was most conwho knew  nothing but hunger: her  spicuous in France, where it took a stand
harvests were trodden by the horses of   under the enlightened government of
VOL. v. —38




586                         The Art of -Eatiny.                        [Dec.
Charlemagne, and continued to advance   zation. The early stage of manhood is
during the reigns of his successors. But  marked by men cutting slices from the
a most notable change took place fromr  living animal and eating themn raw; the
the moment Chivalry commenced to  second period is when the meat is broiled
bring an influence on social manners,  or stewed; the third, when the mind beThen, among many of its achievements  comes enlarged, and human skill is exerwas that of the introduction of females  cised in forming combinations to foster
into social circles, which not only soft-  the desire of all created beings to reach
ened the harsh features in the character  a point beyond the one on which they
of men, but tended still further to im-  rest. Here is civilization. Here is the
prove the gastronomic taste of the age.  world's progress clearly defined by CookCookerywasimlnmenselythe gainer. The  ery, which thus has a merit unnoticed
fair and noble dames, who embellished   even by its most zealous partisans.
the court, or smiled on suitors, did not    The present offers a fit occasion to hold
disdain to cast an eye on the kitchen,  a little tete-a-tete with our readers, for
whence now issued aliments made more  the purpose of showing what we considalluring by varied embellishments be-  er our duty, and what they may reasonstowed upon them. Pheasants appeared   ably expect from us. We do not profess
on table, their claws gilt with gold, and  to be historians or biographers-to give
the peacock was presented with its gor-  the life and adventures that have passed
geous tail expanded, to charm  the eye,  in various kitchens-furnish a date for
while it enticed to a more material sense.  each event, or follow a chain of years
Fair hands, hitherto unused to toil, now   link by link. This would check the easy
assisted in some of the minor details of  freedom we like to take to ourselves,
the kitchen, and pastry soon occupied a  and greatly weary those who are kind
station which succeeding ages hlavre con-  enough to listen. Nevertheless, we shall
firmed. The Venetians furnished the   observe a certain degree of order, for the
spices of the East, and the Arabians thle   purpose of giving what we have to say
perfumed liquids. Meats were served up  somewhat tile air of an historical treatin fantastic forms, and fish was some-  ise. We shall be diligent in research,
times boiled in rose-water.            faithful in relation, and draw our facts
Cookery, like some of the best quali-  from every accessible source. It is the
ties of our nature, may be diverted from   habit (some call it tile mission) of these
its true purpose, by being carried to ex-   United States, our beloved country, to
tremes. So thought some legislators,  wander far and take whatever they can
who attempted to apply a corrective, by   lay their hands on; it is equally the elepassing sumptuary laws. These, people  vated mission of the culinary art to prolaughed at and evaded, so that at last  mote civilization and refinement, by
they became, like other historical monu-  bringing from far the effect of skill and
inents, thought of, but neither read nor  experience home to the bosoms and
observed. The world moved on, and   stomachs of those on whom the light of
every one lived as well as he could.  science has not yet shone. As we adThe meat in the pot simmered-the joint  vance in our narrative, we find cookery
turned with the spit-the stew frothed   and refinement of manners keep com-the fry uttered its welcome sound, and   pany. Germany was slow in its progress,
the gridiron stood a fire which even Tay-  and it was only till the armies of France
lor or Scott would have winced at. If  carried with them victory and cookery,
historical report be true, excellent fare  that gastronomic taste was infused into
was always to be found within the ab-  the nation. Still it was long obstinately
beys, convents, monasteries, and like es-  bent on plain roast and boiled, and even
tablishments, which, being well endowed,  to this day simplicity and solidity are the
governed by people of discernment, and   characteristic traits of this people. Hollittle subjected to the gaze of the pro-  land would not raise its head above its
fane, enjoyed culinary prerogatives de-  marshes.   Caviar, sourcrout, and gin,
nied to worldly communities.           were the favorite diet; and although
Having brought our batterie de cuisine   within alnost speaking distance of the
thus far into good company, a place is  fountain of good taste, resisted its culinow open to present cookery in another  nary blandishments with the same vigor
and highly important point of view. It  it withstood its armies. Her manners
is astonishing to perceive the aid chro-  were in harmony with her diet. Engnology has received from cookery, and  land, the " Defender of the Faith " the
how well it traces the progress of civili-  champion of free government and ardent




1854.]                       The Art of Eating.                            587
promoter of civilization, could not be   France belongs the honor of being the
allured to the refinements in cookery,  guiding star in an untrodden path, of
which the age was striving to bring   being the great patron of the aspiring
forth. The food of the highest of the   genius of cookery, and bringing home to
Plantagenets was more coarse and ill-  the bosoms of mqn the pleasure to be
dressed than what is now given to negro   derived from the cultivation of the culislaves, nor when their power fell to   nary art.  This elevated position she
the house of Tudor, was improvement  still retains by common consent, reflectvisible.  Henry VIII. was a regular  ing persons perceiving her singular aptibeef-eater-his successor, Queen Eliza-  tude for the higher branches of the art,
beth, was not more delicate, while her  and that she possesses a clear perception
naids of honor breakfasted on stock-fish   of the wants and wishes of a large porand beer. What could be expected from   tion of the civilized world. At this time
a people with such antecedents?  One   coffee was introduced; it was brought
whose digestive powers had never been   into Europe by the Dutch; sugar apbrought under a systematic course of ed-  peared in larger quantity than formerly.
ucation. To these habits they steadily  It is doubted among economists whether
clung many years. About the middle  the ancients were acquainted with sugar
of the seventeenth century  a partial  as we use it, it being a work of art; but
improvement was made. Charles II.,  it was early found by the moderns to be
who had passed much of his life abroad,  an essential ingredient in many preparaalthough not always able to buy a dinner  tions for eating and drinking. Brandy
for himself, saw enough to teach him to   was known some time before, but not
appreciate a good one. The return of  till now was its use extended; and tothis king gave an impulse to the genius   bacco, hitherto confined to a few, was
of cookery, and taught the nation-what  now brought forward to complete the
they did not know before-that man is  list of stimulants. Whether the world
not made merely to digest. Still John   is benefited by these two last discoverBull was rugged, which made an ambas-  ies is very doubtful.  Happily, refinesador of Louis XIV.'s, of France, corn-  ment kept pace with gastronomy. The
plain that he was sent among barbarians   physical strength of Louis XIV. declinwho had a dozen religions and only one   ing as he advanced in years, various
sauce-melted butter.  This very tardy   restoratives were invented which still
progress is the more remarkable, as a few   hold place among the liqueurs of the
signs of refinement of manners, if not  day. The spirit of good cheer, with its
of cookery, were visible as early as the   improvements, was not however conmiddle of the fourteenth century. This,  fined to France.  Queen Ann of England
it must be noted, was observable only   had the reputation of being fond of good
in convents, where, as may be supposed,  living.  It was said she had frequent
more attention was bestowed upon this  conferences with her cook, and  the
point than in the open world, where   " Tracts for the Times" make mention
moved the rough barons who governed   of several dishes prepared after " Queen
it. The following is a description of a   Ann's fashion."
female at her meat, as given*by Chau-      Notwithstanding the unfortunate closcer:-                                   ing scenes of the life of Louis XIV., the
THE NUN.                  culinary art and the public taste did not
"At mete was she well ytaught with alle-  decline. But it was reserved for the
She lette no morsel from hire lippes falle,  commencement of the Eighteenth CenNe wette hire fingers in hire sauce depe,  tury to cheer the continent of Europe,
Wel coude she carie a morsel and well cepe,  after a long war, by presenting to the
Thatte no droppe ne felle upon hire brest,  world the enlivening display of the dinde
In curtesie was sette ful moche hire lest.  aux truffes (turkey stuffed with truffles).
Here over lippe wiped she so clene,   This was an achievement of the Regent
That in hire cuppe was no farthing sene  Orleans for which his memory is still
Of grese, when she drunken had hire draught
Full semely after hire mete she raught."  cherished, and his moral irregularities
forgotten. Other discoveries were made,
We are now arrived at a period when   great amelioration was introduced into
art, science, and cookery attained to dis-  the arrangements of the dinner table, a
tinction by their intrinsic merits.  The   spirit of conviviality was fostered, the
impulsion was first visible in France the   dinner hours were changed, so that more
early part of the Seventeenth Century,  time might be given for social interduring the reign of Louis XIV.  To   course; at the same time, domestic affairs




588                         The Art of Ea ti n.                        [Dec.
and political discussions were found to  plates once tin, but then iron; this, too,
be better understood and arranged when  in the midst of a country rich in the
the parties were under the influence of  products of forest, field, and flood. If
a good dinner ora dejeviner  clafourchette.  the commander-in-chief of the army fared
Even the Revoiution, with all its horrors,  no better than this, is it to be supposed
did not sensibly check the disposition to  those of inferior rank fared even so well,
convivial reunions, and many who, in  and how must it have been with the,
the morning had denounced a political  public in general? Count de Grasse and
opponent in the Assembly, sat down   the polished Rochambeau came a little
without thought, while cutting his meat,  later with troops, yet no improvement
that the sharp axe of the guillotine was  appeared. Far be it from. our intention
in readiness to take away his appetite  to disparage the character of the ever to
and head together.                     be praised natives, the sons of liberty.
Having brought our notice down to a  They were a noble race, and the food
comparatively recent period, chiefly con-  they lived upon was no doubt well
fined, it is true, to the state of the culi-  adapted to give them energy, mental and
nary art, with its influence in Europe, it  physical, to withstand the assaults of
seems proper to consider what progress  their enemies.  Their fare, though
we of this Great Republic have made in  neither delicate nor well served, was
this notable element of civilization. It  nourishing, and this was all the times
is humniliating to be forced to admit that,  required. Yet, admitting that this renotwithstanding our numerous advan-  past might, for the most part, be a
tages, we are in this respect behind   healthy diet, we must demur to the
many of the minor cities of Europe.  vegetable portion of it. Another cause
Nature has been most bountiful, but art  of the backwardness of our people to
is deficient to render her gifts enticing.  fiaternize in a gastronomic way with the
This backwardness to adopt new modes  auxiliaries, was a lurking dislike to the
may have been caused by too close an   French as a nation. The Americans, as
observance of the wise axiom in our De-  colonists, had been much annoyed by
claration of Independence which says,  them, and this they remembered; to
" Prudence will dictate that governments  this was added a portion of the mother's
(modes of cooking) long established should  hatred which the children had inherited.
not be changed for light and transient  This ill feeling was openly manifested in
causes; and, accordingly, all experience  the intercourse between the American
bath shown that mankind are more dis-  and French officers in Rhode Island,
posed to suffer while evils (bad modes)  which, but for the efforts of Washingare sufferable, than to right themselves  ton, and the conciliatory disposition of
by abolishing the forms to which they   Lafayette, might have produced unforare accustomed."  The words within  tunate consequences.  The Americans
brackets will show how the axiom is to   were willing the French should fight for
be applied to our subject. In whatso-  them, but would not be prevailed upon
ever manner the patriots of our Revolu-  to eat with them. During the whole
tion argued, it is still matter of surprise  course of our struggle, fish was seen only
that we did not begin to feel a desire  in its most simple form; en matelote it
for improvement while an intimate inter-  was unknown, of course its virtues uncourse was maintained with the French,  prized. How we were able to continue
when they came to our aid. Lafayette  on such friendly terms with the French
came from aluxurious court, and no doubt  during their stay of two years and a half,
was able to give useful hints; then came   without imbibing any of their refinement,
I)'Estaing, with an ambassador, both  can be explained only by the extreme
mnen of rank, who, to their civil and mi-  necessity we were under for their miliI'itary abilities, must have added taste  tary aid, not for their culinary know-'and judgment in culinary art sufficient  ledge. That they rendered us good serto offer many sound precepts. Yet their  vice during the contest is beyond dispute;
example or advice, presuming they gave  whether we profited by their taste and
both, had no effect; in proof of which,  skill in cookery, it must be confessed, is
we need only refer to a dinner given by   very doubtful. It may not be difficult
Washington at West Point, a few months  to account for the pertinacity with which
after their arrival, to a few of his friends.  our predecessors adhered to their accusThis consisted of boiled pork, roast beef,  tomed fare, when we take into view the
beans, greens, and apple pies, all put on  force of education, climate, and occupato the table pell mell, and eaten off of  tion; beyond this, there is another ele



1854.]                      The Art of Eating.                           589
ment which has a material influence on  the hull floating on top, was now strainour character, this is not merely the food,  ed, by which process the teeth were not
but chiefly the manner it is prepared.  clogged, and more could be eaten without
Herein we fail, and herein we are sub-  jarring the palate. Chowder, a national
jected  to the reproof of foreigners.  dish peculiar to the Eastern States, was
French food is light-the French are a   first produced by the inventive genius of
sprightly people. English food is heavy,  our venerable and pious ancestors at
and the English are solid and serious,  Plymouth.  Our reverence for them
while the Americans are so little guided   created a fondness for this dish, and we
by scientific rules in their cookery as to  still cherish it for that and its intrinsic
give Europeans occasion to accuse them   merit. The refinements introduced into
of being wanting in national character.  its composition, while they have added
It is not intended to be understood that  to our enjoyment, have not entirely
we entirely neglected the bright ex-  effaced its simplicity, or diminished our
amples set before us, but rather that we   gratitude.  The French matelote is an
were too much wedded to established  imitation, but is so much tinctured with
habits, and admitted change with reluc-  monarchical ornament as to be far retance. Still, changes did take place, as  moved from the simplicity of the original.
will hereafter appear.                    While on the subject of fish, it is not
We got so well out of the war, the   amiss to remark on the astonishing vaspirits of the people were raised, and the   rieties that inhabit the waters. If we
dinner table felt the influence. As soon   may believe Hindoo  philosophy, the
as peace was proclaimed, currant jelly   ocean is the source from which sprang
was served with venison; this was an   all living beings; that the human species
improvement introduced by Governor  were brought forth in the waters, and
Hancock, who, to his many patriotic  that it is by change of air and habit
qualities, added that of being an excellent  alone men were brought to rest in a tercaterer; fish was occasionally dressed  restrial element. However this may be,
with port wine; sauces received atten-  we certainly feel no reluctance to feedtion, though much was left unfinished;  ing on our cousins of the deep, and aland among the higher circles sugar was  though their flesh is less nourishing than
used in the making of pumpkin pies in-  that of animals, it offers a pleasing variety
stead of molasses, as heretofore. This was  in our gastronomic festivals. Anchovy
doing well for a beginning; even Lord  sauce and lobster salad were now preBacon would have noticed "the advance-  sented. The last is an agreeable horsment of learning;" yet a still more favor-  d'o3uvre, combining a marine aliment
able symptom appeared, and this was a   with a vegetable substance, offering a
desire to do even better. People were  pleasant zest to a light nourishment.
uneasy; local politics were in confusion,  This may be said of sandwiches, a deliwhich tended to make matters worse;  cacy devised for the special benefit of
besides which, the confederacy was found  ladies of feeble health and small appetite.
insufficient to keep the nation together  Puddings, of which all were fond, are of
in harmony. During this anxious state,  doubtful character; they may be light
in happy hour, mock turtle soup was  and nutritive, or heavy and indigestible.
invented, and immediately our present  They are of English origin entirely, were
excellent Constitution was framed. Be-  brought over in the Mayflower, and coning young as a people, just out of lead-  stitute an important item in the list of
ing strings, unaccustomed to entire self-  our eatables. Sober nminded men, accusgovernment, it was not to be expected  tomed to reflect before they act, ponder
close attention could be paid to culinary   before they partake of them, and it is
art. We had just built our house, we   only the young and vigorous who can
had now to see how its interior economy   take them without discrimination. Pork,
should be ordered; and as to food, each  in a few forms, is with many a favorite
one got according to his means. Few   dish. Our forefathers, as soon as they
could stop to think how it should be   could raise animals at Plymouth, made
dressed; still, a few did think, and well  it an essential article (f food. In their
for us there were such persons; the con-  forlorn condition they were glad to feed
sequence was, that improvement slowly  on a substance so easily procured; beand quietly crept on. In the course of  sides which, their relish for it was
this progress, pea soup, which had   heightened by knowing that it was held
hitherto been presented with the pea  in abhorrence by unbelieving Jews, on
partially boiled lying at the bottom, with  the same principle as that which made




590                         The Art of Eating.                         [Dec.
them  avoid celebrating Christmas, be-  gristle or tough morsels, besides being
cause it was a religious festival of Catho-  wanting in that fine flavor which gives
lics. About fifty years ago, some of our  so much reputation to those of the
exquisites boiled ham in Madeira wine.  eastern world. Another cause operates
Tlhis was an expensive luxury which met  powerfully to lessen the merit of our
with little encouragement. It took its  American sausage.   Sinister remarks
rise from an incident that occurred in  are thrown out on the ingredients of
Prussia. Frederick the Great once con-  which it is composed, and when spoken
descended to partake of a festival pre-  of, or brought on table, allusions are
pared for him by one of his courtiers,  whispered to its supposed illegitimate
and among many dishes of exquisite  parentage.
flavor, he was particularly struck by    It is unnecessary to dwell longer on
that of a lham. He partook of it copi-  the various substances that constitute
ously, accompanying each mouthful with   our food; we have them in profusion;
great praise, not only of the meat, but  our defect lies in the want of scientific
of the cook who had prepared it. A   knowledge in  their preparation-the
short titme afterwards, his majesty di-  proper method of displaying them on a
rected a ham to be cooked that should  table, so as to produce a good effect, and
have the same flavor as the one he had  skill  in  adding  side  dishes  (hors
so much enjoyed. On being told how it  d'c3uvres), to give fulness to the group.
had been boiled, he expressed astonish-  Mistakes are made in placing the courses;
ment at the novel method; yet, not to   a rTti sometimes comes in before an
lose the pleasure lie promised himself,  entree; and what ought to be a side dish
ordered the cook to apply to the courtier  is often made to figure out of its proper
for the requisite quantity of wine. The   place. In the eyes of the uninitiated these
king being an absolute monarch, the   are slight defects, which time may reliquor and lives of his subjects were at  move, and they are not mentioned to
his disposal; and being of a despotic  depreciate the fare that is presented.
temper, no one thought of disobedience;  But it should be known, for the benefit
the wine was furnished, but to check   of our successors, that a well-ordered
future like requisitions, the practice of  table affords refreshment to the mind
boiling ham in wine was discontinued,  while it presents nourishment to the
and it is believed has not been renewed.  body. If, as some people assert, the seat
The aliment under immediate notice   of the soul is in the stomach, how importshadows forth a topic which we would  ant it is that the etherial part should be
willingly pass over, but in our quality of  properly cherished. It is not, however,
faithful annotators we may not shrink  the kind of food one eats, or the more
from the duty this title imposes.      or less skill with which it is prepared,
Sausages are a delicate question. We   that is the essential point; there is antook occasion to mention them  when   other consideration comes in worthy of
treating on Grecian art, from which they   equal notice, this is the manner the food
date their birth. "Westward the course  should be eaten. There are five kinds
of empire takes its way," and so it was  of eaters. 1. There is your dull man,
with  sausages.  They  passed  from   who seems to eat merely from  habit,
Greece to Rome, and rested long in   mainly because his parents did so before
various parts of Italy. Bologna, where  him, and he expects his children will
the famous painters Caracci. Guido, and  follow his example. 2d. Your impatient,
Domenichino founded a school of painting  fidgety being, who is all activity, and
enriched by their works-a city that  who falls to at once on the dish that
gave several popes to the church-was  happens to be before him. 3d. Your
also the centre of art, science, and sau-  careless eater, without education, who
sages, a distinction  it still retains.  considers so much time as lost that is
Thence they (the sausages) passed to  passed at the table, puts all dishes on the
Lyons, in France, where, with occasion-  same level, and hardly knows the differally an exception; they form an agreeable  ence between the breast and the drumcondiment; they  then traversed the   stick. 4tll. Next comes your ravenous
ocean to our western hemisphere, and it  animal, who thinks only of quantity,
is painful to add they suffered by the  takes everything that comes in his way,
voyage, being now greatly deficient in  as if anxious to show the capacity of hlis
delicacy. Our sausages are made chiefly,  stomach. 5th. Lastly, come the protesif not altogether, of pork, are indiffer-  sors, men of taste, who cast a practised
ently seasoned, without care to reject  eye over the table before they eat, use




1854.]                      The Art of Eating.                           591
judgment in the choice of such dishes as  the host may feel justified in recommendsuit their habits, and eat sparingly of  ing another glass of brown stout, with
each, that their palate may be gently ex-  another piece of cheese.  The  party
cited by variety. These are the guests  should leave the table all together, and
who are the best dinner-table talkers.  take coffee in the drawing-room; when
And here we take the liberty of present-  there, individuals may, if they wish, take
ing a precept given by an ancient philo-  each other aside to converse on any spesopher. whose name we do not remem-  cial topic; there will always be a few
her, neither is it of consequence, that the  left to chat with ladies, who wish to
mouth is the vestibule of the soul, the  talk instead of reposing. All this disgate of discourse, the portico of thought;  plays, as we believe, the happy moral
of course nothing unclean (of course un-  and physically favorable effect of a good
palatable) should go in or come out.  dinner, with a choice selection of guests.
To this we beg leave to add that nothing  The general course of these our reunclean should be about the mouth, that  marks leads us to the thought that an
is, if napkins are to be had.           essential part of education is neglected
It is time to bring our remarks to a  in this city. We have schools where
close, and some of our friends may think   book-learning is poured into the heads
we have already said too much.  But,  of scholars in streams; we abound in
exclusive of the interest we take in what  lecturers, who treat on all possible subwe consider an essential matter, and  jects; and we have societies for the eneven at the risk of wearying those  couragement of religion  and morals,
whose friendship  we value, we shall  besides associations and laws to teach
throw out a few hints on what we con-  people what they shall drink and how
ceive to be the most classical mode of  much they shall drink. How is it, then,
forming an agreeable dinner party. It  that in the great desire to ameliorate
should consist of eight or nine-more  the moral and physical condition of our
would require a parade whichl would be  people, no society has been formed to
tiresome; in this number ladies must  regulate their eating?  Few things are
certainly be included. Care should be  more needed. Almost all men eat more
taken to seat the guests that are conge-  than they ought; and this is done in a
nial to each other. It is not advisable  hasty manner.  In the midst of colnto talk much when one begins to eat.  imercial anxiety, literary irritation, or
Each person is placed at table to per-  moral vexation, a man will sit down and
form a service, and the first course has  eat ravenously, his plate filled with every
the effect to give an idea of the work to  variety that the table affords, all put tocome; then the guest has time for reflec-  gether. The next day he feels uneasy,
tion, his mind becomes composed, after  and  wonders what is  the  matter.
which he may gradually unfold it.  If  In a month or two our gormandizer
the party be large, conversation can be  finds he has the dyspepsia, which lingers
held only with the person near by; if  about him for years, and affects his mind.
small, it may be made general. Don't  All things are bright when you have
touch champagne until the commence-  eaten enough-they are gloomy when
ment of the second course, if you do you   you have eaten too much.  Now, we
will be gay at the wrong timle. Above   cannot but believe a remedy might be
all, violent emotions should be avoided   applied that would relieve the mind and
in the early stage of the repast; as this  save the lives of Inany of our suffering
proceeds, hilarity will naturally follow;  brethren. We abound in pure philanthe soul as well as body will exhibit the   thropists: let them lose no time in uniteffect by fresh color to the countenance,  ing for the purpose. If what we have
brightness to the eyes, and lively sallies,  written shall have the effect to awaken
while a gentle warmth will pervade the  them to the performance of this act of
whole system. The conversation should   humanity, we shall hail the bright day,
be on the common topics of the day,  amply recompensed for our labors by
music, poetry, the opera, painting, men,  seeing our disinterested efforts made the
women, and books, on politics very little.  means of teaching the ignorant, enlightThe greatest care should be taken to  ening the partially instructed, and inprevent argumentation. If a guest feels  creasing the enjoyment of a large portion
inclined to commit this mnisdemeanor,  of the community.




592                                                                     [Dec.
ISRAEL POTTER; OR, FIFTY YEARS OF EXILE.
(Continued from page 491.)
CHAPTER XVII.               and deeply displeased, if not vaguely
THEY CALL AT THE EARL OF SELKIRK'S; AND AFTER-  alarmed at the characteristic manner of
WARDS FIGHT THE SHIP-OF-WAR DRAKE.  Paul, the lady, not entirely unembarrassed, replied, that if the gentleman came
rHE Ranger now stood over the Sol-  to view the isle, he was at liberty so to
way Frith for the Scottish shore, and at  do. She would retire, and send him a
noon on the same day, Paul, with twelve   guide.
nmen, including two officers and Israel,    "Countess of Selkirk," said Paul, adlanded on St. Mary's Isle, one of the   vancing a step, "I call to see the earl.
seats of the Earl of Selkirk.           On business of urgent importance, I call."
In three consecutive days this element-    "The earl is in Edinburgh," uneasily
al warrior either entered the harbors, or  responded the lady, again  about to
landed on the shores of each of the   retire.
Three Kingdoms.                           " Do you give me your honor as a lady
The morning was fair and clear. St.  that it is as you say?"
Mary's Isle lay shimmering in the sun.    The lady looked at him  in dubious
The light crust of snow had melted, re-  resentment.
vealing the tender grass and sweet buds   " Pardon, Madame; I would not lightof spring mantling the sides of the cliffs.  ly impugn a lady's lightest word; but I
At once, upon advancing with his party  surmised that, possibly, you might sustowards the house, Paul augured ill for  pect the object of my call; in which case,
his project from  the loneliness of the  it would be the most excusable thing in
spot. No being was seen. But cocking   the world for you to seek to shelter fiom
his bonnet at a jaunty angle, he conti-  my knowledge the presence of the earl
nued his way. Stationing the men si-  on the isle."
lently round about the house, followed    "I do not dream what you mean by
by Israel, he announced his presence at  all this," said the lady with decided
the porch.                              alarm, yet even in her panic courageousA grey-headed domestic at length re-  ly Inaintaining her dignity, as she retired,
sponded.                                rather than retreated, nearer the door.
"Is the earl within?"                  "Madame," said Paul, hereupon wav" He is in Edinburgh, sir."          ing his hand imploringly, and then ten" Ah-sure?-Is your lady within?"    derly playing with his bonnet with the
"Yes, sir-who shall I say it is?"    golden band, while an expression poetic-'"A gentleman who calls to pay his  ally sad and sentimental stole over his
respects. Here, take my card."         tawny face; " it cannot be too poignantAnd he handed the man his name, as  ly lamented, that in the profession of
a private gentleman, superbly engraved   arms, the officer of fine feelings and
at Paris, on gilded paper.              genuine sensibility should be sometimnes
Israel tarried in the hall while the old  necessitated to public actions which his
servant led Paul into a parlor.         own private heart cannot approve. This
Presently the lady appeared.          hard case is mine. The earl, Madame,
"Charming Madame, I wish you a   you say is absent.-I believe those words.
very good morning."                     Far be it frolm  my soul, enchantress, to
"Who may it be, sir, that I have the   ascribe a fault to syllables which have
happiness to see?" said the lady, censor-  proceeded fiom so faultless a source."
iously drawing herself up at the too      This probably he said in reference to
frank gallantry of the stranger.        the lady's mouth, which was beautiful
" Madame, I sent you my card."       in the extreIne.
" Which leaves me equally ignorant,    He bowed very lowly, while the lady
sir," said the lady coldly, twirling the   eyed him with conflicting and troubled
gilded pasteboard.                      emotions, but as yet all in darkness as to
"A courier dispatched to Whitehaven,  his ultimate meaning. But her more
charming Madame, might bring you more  imInmediate alarm had subsided; seeing
particular tidings as to who has the ho-  now, that the sailor-like extravagance
nor of being your visitor."             of Paul's homage was entirely unaccolmNot comprehending what this meant,  panied with any touch of intentional dis



1854.]           Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exile.               593
respect. Indeed, hyperbolical as were     "Shame.  I thought we were three
his phrases, his gestures and whole car-  gentlemen."
riage were most heedfully deferential.    "So are the English officers in AmePaul continued: "The earl, Madame,  rica; but they help themselves to plate
being absent, and he being the sole ob-  whenever they can get it from the private
ject of my call, you can not labor under  houses of the enemy."
the least apprehension, when I now in-    "Co)me, now, don't be slanderous,"
fornm you, that I have the honor of being  said Paul;'* these officers you speak of
an officer in the American navy, who,  are but one or two out of twenty, mere
having stoppe(l at this isle to secure the   burglars and light-fingered gentry, usperson of the Earl. of Selkirk as a hostage  ing the king's livery but as a disguise to
for the American cause, am, by your  their nefarious trade. The rest are men
assurances, turned away fiom that in-  of honor."
tent; pleased, even in disappointment,    "Captain Paul Jones," responded the
since that disappointment has served to  two, "we have not come on this expeprolong my interview with the noble  dition in much expectation of regular
lady before me, as well as to leave her  pay; but we did rely upon honorable
domestic tranquillity unimpaired."     plunder."
" Can you really speak true?" said the  " IIonorable plunder!  That's somelady in undismayed wonderment.         thing new."
"Madame, through your window you       But the officers were not to be turned
will catch a little peep of the American   aside. They were the most efficient in
colonial ship-of-war, Ranger, which I  the ship. Seeing them resolute, Paul, for
have the honor to command. With mly  fear of incensing  thelrr, was at last, as a
best respects to your lord, and sincere   matter of policy, obliged to comply.
regrets at not finding him at home, per-  For himself, however, he resolved to
_mit me to salute your ladyship's hand   have nothing to do with the affair.
and withdraw."                          Charging the officers not to allow the men
But feigning not to notice this Parisian  to enter the house on any pretence, and
proposition, and artfully entrenching her  that no search must be made, and nothing
hand, without seeming to do so, the   must be taken away, except what the
lady, in a conciliatory tone, begged her  lady should offer them  upon making
visitor to partake of some refreshment  known their demand, he beckoned to
ere he departed, at the same time thank-  Israel and retired indignantly towards
ing him for his great civility. But de-  the beach. Upon second thoughts, he
dining these hospitalities, Paul bowed   dispatched  Israel back, to enter the
thrice, and quitted the room.           house with the officers, as joint receiver
In the hall he encountered Israel,  of the plate, he being, of course, the
standing all agape before a Highland   most reliable of the seamen.
target of steel, with a claymore and foil    The lady was not a little disconcerted
crossed on top.                         on receiving the officers. With cool de"'Looks like a pewter platter and knife  termuination  they made known their
and fork, Captain Paul."                purpose.  There was no escape.  The
"So they do, my lion; but comle,  lady retired. The butler came; and soon,
curse it, the old cock has flown; fine  several silver salvers, and other articles
hen, though, left in the nest; no use; we   of value, were silently deposited in the
must away empty-handed."                parlor in the presence of the officers and
"Why, ain't Mr. Selkirk in?" demanded  Israel.
Israel in roguish concern.               "' Mister Butler," said Israel, " let me
"Mr. Selkirk?  Alexander Selkirk,  go into the dairy and help to carry the
you mean.  No, lad, he's not on the  mnilk-pans."
Isle of St. Mary's; he's away off, a her-    But, scowling upon this rusticity, or
mnit, on the Isle of Juan Fernandes-the   roguishness-he knew not which-the
more's the pity; come."                butler, in high dudgeon at Israel's reIn the porch they encountered the two   publican familiarity, as well as black as
officers. Paul briefly informed them of   a thunder-cloud with the general insult
the circumstances; saying, nothing re-  offered to an illustrious household by a
mained but to depart forthwith.        party of armed thieves, as he viewed'
"With nothing at all for our pains?"'  them, declined any assistance.  In a
murmured the two officers.              quarter of an hour the officers left the' What, pray, would you have?"       house, carrying their booty.
"Some pillage, to be sure-plate."      At the porch they were met by a red



594              Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.            [Dec.
cheeked, spiteful-looking lass, who, with  the Countes of SelkirK offers up a chariher brave lady's compliments, added two   table prayer for, my dear lady countess,
child's rattles of silver and coral to their  one, who coining to take a captive, himload.                                 self has been captivated.
Now, one of the officers was a French-     "Your ladyship's adoring enemy,
man, the other a Spaniard.                           "JOHN PAUL JONES."
The Spaniard dashed his rattle indignantly to the ground.  The Frenchman    How the lady received this super-artook his very pleasantly, and kissed it,  dent note, history does not relate. But
saying to the girl that he would long pre-  history has not omitted to record, that
serve the coral, as a memento of her  after the return of the Ranger to France,
rosy cheeks.                          through the assiduous efforts of Paul in
When the party arrived on the beach,  buying up the booty, piece by piece,
they found Captain Paul writing with  from the clutches of those among whom
pencil on paper held up against the  it had been divided, and not without a
smooth tableted side of the cliff. Next  pecuniary private loss to himself, equal
moment he seemed to be making his sig-  to the total value of the plunder, the
nature. With a reproachful glance to-  plate was punctually restored, even to
wards the two officers, he handed the  the silver heads of two pepper-boxes;
slip to Israel, bidding him hasten imme-  and, not only this, but the earl, hearing
diately with it to the house and place it  all the particulars, magnanimously wrote
in Lady Selkirk's own hands.          Paul a letter, expressing thanks for his
The note was as follows:            politeness. In the opinion of the noble
earl, Paul was a man of honor. It were
" MADAME,-                          rash to differ in opinion with such high"After so courteous a reception, I aln  born authority.
disturbed to make you no better return  Upon returning to the ship, she was
than you have just experienced from   instantly pointed over towards the Irish
the actions of certain persons under my   coast. Next morning Carrickfergus was
command.  Actions, lady, which my   in sight. Paul would have gone straight
profession of arms obliges me not only  in; but Israel, reconnoitering with his
to brook, but, in a measure, to counte-  glass, informed him that a large ship,
nance.  From the bottom of nmy heart,  probably the Drake, was just coming out.
my dear lady, I deplore this most melan-    "What think you, Israel, do they
choly necessity of my delicate position.  know who we are? Let me have the
However unhandsome the desire of these  glass."
men, some complaisance seemed due' They are dropping a boat now sir,"
them from me, for their general good  replied Israel, removing the glass from
conduct and bravery on former occasions.  his eye, and handing it to Paul.
I had but an instant to consider. I trust,   "'So they are-so they are.  They
that in unavoidably gratifying them, I  don't know us.  I'll decoy that boat
have inflicted less injury on your lady-  alongside. Quick-they are coming for
ship's property than I have on my own   us-take the helm  now yourself, my
bleeding sensibilities. But ny heart will  lion, and keep the ship's stern steadily prenot allow me to say more. Permit me  sented  towards the  advancing boat.
to assure you, dear lady, that when the  Don't let them  have the least peep at
plate is sold, I shall, at all hazards, be-  our broadside."
come the purchaser, and will be proud   The boat came on; an officer in its
to restore it to you, by such conveyance  bow  all the time eyeing the Ranger
as you may hereafter see fit to appoint.  through a glass. Presently the boat was
" From hence I go, Madame, to engage,  within hail.
to-morrow morning, his majesty's ship    "Ship ahoy! Who are you?"
Drake, of twenty guns, now lying at    "Oh, come alongside," answered Paul
Carrickfergus. I should meet the enemy   through his trumpet, in a rapid off-hand
with more than wonted resolution, could  tone, as though he were a gruff sort of
I flatter myself that, through this un-  friend, impatient at being suspected for
handsome conduct on the part of my  a foe.
officers, I lie not under the disesteem of    In a few moments the officer of the
the sweet lady of the Isle of St. Mary's.  boat stepped into the Ranger's gangway.
But unconquerable as Mars should I be,  Cocking his bonnet gallantly, Paul adcould I but dare to dream, that in some  vanced towards him, making a very pogreen retreat of her charming domain,  lite bow, saying: "Good morning, sir,




1854.]           Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Ecile.                595
good morning; delighted to see you.  door by the dilatoriness of his antagonist
That's a pretty sword you have; pray,  shrinking at the idea of getting up to be
let me look at it.'                     cut to pieces in the cold,-the Ranger,
"I see," said the officer, glancing at  with a better breeze, impatiently tacked
the ship's armament, and turning pale.  to and fro in the channel. At last, when
"I am your prisoner."                  the English vessel had fairly weathered
"No-my  guest," responded  Paul,  the point, Paul, ranging ahead, courtewinningly.  " Pray, let me relieve you   ously led her forth, as a beau might a
of your-your-cane."                    belle ill a ball-roonm-to mid-channel,
Thus humorously he received the offi-  and then suffered her to come within
cer's delivered sword.                  hail.
"Now tell me, sir, if you please," he  "She is hoisting her colors now, sir,"
continued; " what brings out his majes-  said Israel.
ty's ship Drake, this fine morning?  Go-    " Give her the stars and stripes, then,
ing a little airing?"                  my lad."
"She comes out in search of you; but    Joyfully running to the locker, Israel
when I left her side half an hour since,  attached the flag to the halyards. The
she did not know that the ship off the   wind freshened.  He stood elevated.
harbor was the one she sought."         The bright flag blew around him, a glo" You had news from Whitehaven, I  rifled shroud, enveloping him  in its red
suppose, last night, eh?"             ribbons and spangles, like upspringing
"Aye: express; saying that certain  tongues, and sparkles of flame.
incendiaries had landed there early that    As the colors rose to their final perch,
morning."                               and streamed in the air, Pa-l eyed them
" What? —what sort of men were they,  exultingly.
did you say?" said Paul, shaking his     " I first hoisted that flag on an Amerbonnet fiercely to one side of his head,  ican ship, and was the first among men
and coming close to the officer. "Par-  to get it saluted. If I perish this night,
don me," he added derisively, "I had  the name of Paul Jones shall live. Hark!
forgot; you are my guest. Israel, see  they hail us."
the unfortunate gentleman below, and      " What ship are you?"
his men forward."                         " Your enemy. Come on!  What
The Drake was now seen slowly comn-  wants the fellow of more prefaces and
ing out under a light air, attended by  introductions?"
five  small pleasure-vessels, decorated   The sun was now calmly setting over
with flags and streamers, and full of  the green land of Ireland. The sky was
gaily-dressed people, whom motives simi-  serene; the sea smooth; the wind just
lar to those which draw visitors to the   sufficient to waft the two vessels steadily
circus, had induced to embark on their  and gently. After the first firing, and a
adventurous  trip.  But  they  little  little manceuvering, the two ships glided
dreamed how nigh the desperate enemy   on fieely, side by side; in that mild air
was.                                    exchanging their deadly broadsides, like
"Drop the captured boat astern," said  two friendly horsemen walking their
Paul; " see what effect that will have on   steeds along a plain, chatting as they go.
those merry voyagers."                 After an hour of this running fight, the
No sooner was the empty boat descried   conversation ended. The Drake struck.
by the pleasure-vessels, than forthwith   How changed from the big craft of sixty
surmising the truth, they with all dili-  short minutes before!  She seemed now,
gence turned about and re-entered the   above deck, like a piece of wild western
harbor.  Shortly  after, alarm-smokes   woodland into which choppers had been.
were seen extending along both sides of   Her masts and yards prostrate, and
the channel.                           hanging in jack-straws; several of her
"They  smoke us at last, Captain  sails ballooning out, as they dragged in
Paul," said Israel.                    the sea, like great lopped tops of foliage.'" There will be more smoke yet before   The black hull andc shattered stumps of
the day is done," replied Paul gravely.    masts, galled and riddled, looked as if
The wind was right under the land;  gigantic woodpeckers had been tapping
the tide unfavorable. The Drake worked  them.
out very slowly.                          The Drake was the larger ship; more
Meantime, like some fiery-heated du-  cannon; more men. Her loss in killed
ellist calling on urgent business at frosty  and wounded was far the greater. Her
daybreak!, and long kept waiting at the   brave captain and lieutenant were mor



596               Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                [Dec.
tally wounded. The former died as the   smooth water; which never was, and
prize was boarded; the latter, two days   never will be; but with what straggling
after.                                   method he can, dash with all his deIt was twilight; the weather still se-  rangements at his object, leaving the rest
vere. No cannonade, nought that mad  to Fortune.
man can do, molests the stoical imper-     Though nominally commander of the
turbability  of nature,  when  nature   squadron, Paul was not so in effect.
chooses to be still. This weather, hold-   Most of his captains conceitedly claimed
ing on all through the following day,  independent commands. One of them in
greatly facilitated the refitting of the   the end proved a traitor outright; few
ships. That done, the two vessels, sail-  of the rest were reliable.
ing round the north of Ireland, steered    As for the ships, that commanded by
towards Brest. They were repeatedly   Paul in person will be a good example
chased by English cruisers; but safely   of the fleet. She was an old Indiaman,
reached their anhcorage in the French   clumsy and crank, smelling strongly of
waters.                                 the savor of tea, cloves, and arrack, the
"A  pretty fair four weeks' yachting,   cargoes of former voyages. Even at that
gentlemen," said Paul Jones, as the   day, she was, from  her venerable groRanger swung to her cable, while some   tesqueness, what a cocked hat is, at the
French officers boarded her.  "I bring   present age, among  ordinary beavers.
two travellers with me, gentlemen," he   Her elephantine bulk was houdahed with
continued.  " Allow me to introduce you   a castellated poop like the leaning tower
to my particular friend, Israel Potter,  of Pisa. Poor Israel, standing on the
late of North America; and also to his  top of this poop, spy-glass at his eye,
Britannic Majesty's ship, Drake, late of  looked more an astronomer than a mariCarrickfergus, Ireland."                 ner; having to do, not with the mounThis cruise made loud fame for Paul,  tains of the billows, but the mountains
especially at the court of France, whose  in the moon.  Galileo on Fiesole. She
king sent Paul a sword and a medal.  was originally a single-decked ship; that
But poor Israel, who also had conquered  is, carried her armament on one guna craft, and all unaided too-what had   deck. But cutting ports below, in her
he?                                      after part, Paul rammed out there six
old eighteen pounders, whose rusty muzzles peered just above the water-line, like
CHAPTER XVIII.               a parcel of dirty mulattoes from a cellarTHE EXPEDITION THAT SAILED FROMI GROIX.  way.  Her name was the Duras; but,
ere sailing, it was changed to that other
TaHREE months after anchoring  at  appellation, whereby this sad old hulk
Brest, through Dr. Franklin's negotia-   became afterwards immortal.  Though
tions with the French king, backed by   it is not unknown, that a compliment to
the bestirring ardor of Paul, a squadron   Doctor Franklin was involved in this
of nine vessels of various force were   change of titles, yet the secret history
ready in the road of Groix for another   of the affair will now for the first time
descent on the British coasts.  These   be disclosed.
craft were miscellaneously picked up;      It was evening in the road of Groix.
their crews a mongrel pack; the officers   After a fagging day's work, trying to
mostly French, unacquainted with each   conciliate the hostile jealousy of his
other, and secretly jealous of Paul. The   officers, and provide, in the face of endexpedition was full of the elements of  less obstacles (for he had to dance attendinsubordination and failure. Much bit-  ance on scores of intriguing factors
terness and agony resulted to a spirit  and brokers ashore) the requisite stores
like Paul's. But he bore up; and though   for the fleet, Paul sat in his cabin in a
in many particulars the sequel more than   half despondent reverie; while Israel,
warranted his misgivings, his soul still  cross-legged at his commander's feet, was
refused to surrender.                    patching up some old signals.
The career of this stubborn adventurer   "Captain Paul, I don't like our ship's
signally illustrates the idea, that since   name.-Duras? What's that mean? —
all human affairs are subject to organic   Duras?  Being cribbed up in a ship
disorder; since they are created in, and   named Duras! a sort of makes one feel
sustained by, a sort of half-disciplined   as if he were in durance vile."
chaos; hence, he who in great things       " Gad, I never thought of that before,
seeks success, must never wait for   my lion. Duras-Durance vile. I sup



1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.               597
pose it's superstition, but I'll change it.  addressing their cupidity, achieved that
Come, Yellow-mane, what shall we call  which all appeals to their gallantry could
her?"                                 not accomplish.  He proclaimed the
"Well, Captain Paul, don't you like  grand prize of the Leith lottery at no
Doctor Franklin?  Hasn't he been the  less a figure than ~200,000; that being
prine man to get this fleet together?  named as the ransom.  Enough: the
Let's call her the Doctor Franklin.    three ships entered the Firth, boldly and
" Oh no, that will too publicly declare  freely, as if carrying Quakers to a Peacehim just at present; and Poor Richard   Congress.
wants to be a little shady in this busi-    Along both startled shores the panic
ness."                                 of their approach spread like the cholera.
"Poor Richard!-call her Poor Rich-  The three suspicious crafts had so long
ald, then," cried Israel, suddenly struck  lain off and on, that none doubted they
by the idea.                           were led by the audacious viking, Paul
" Gad, you have it," answered Paul,  Jones. At five o'clock, on the following
springing to his feet, as all trace of his  morning, they were distinctly seen from
former despondency left him;-" Poor  the capital of Scotland, quietly sailing
Richard shall be the name, in honor to  up the bay.  Batteries were hastily
the saying, that'God helps them that  thrown up at Leith, arms were obtained
help themselves,' as Poor Richard says."  from  the  castle at Edinburgh, alarm
"' Now this was the way the craft came  fires were kindled in all directions. Yet
to be called the Bon Homme Richard;   with such tranquillity of effrontery did
for it being deemed advisable to have a  Paul conduct his ships, concealing as
French rendering of the new title, it as-  much as possible their warlike character,
sulned the above form.                 that more than once his vessels were
A few days after, the force sailed.  mistaken for merchantmen, and hailed
Ere long, they captured several vessels;  by passing ships as such.
but the captains of the squadron proving  In the afternoon, Israel, at his station
refractory, events took so deplorable a   on the tower of Pisa, reported a boat with
turn, that Paul, for the present, was  five men coming off to the Richard from
obliged to return to Groix.  Luckily  the coast of Fife.
however, at this junction a cartel arrived  "They have hot oat-cakes for us,"
fiom England with upwards of a hun-  said Paul, "let'em come. To encourage
dred exchanged American seamen, who  them, show them  the English ensign,
almost to a man enlisted under the flag  Israel, mny lad."
of Paul.                                 Soon the boat was alongside.
Upon the resailing of the force, the old  "Well, my good fellows, what can I
troubles broke out afresh. Most of her  do for you this afternoon2" said Paul,
consorts insubordinately separated from   leaning over the side with a patronizing
the Bon Homme Richard.  At length  air.
Paul found himself in violent storms     " Why, captain, we come from  the
beating off the rugged  southeastern   Laird of Crokarky, who wants some
coast of Scotland,with only two accom-  powder and ball for his money."
panying ships. But neither the mutiny    " What would you with powder and
of his fleet, nor the chaos of the elements,  ball, pray?"
made him falter in his purpose. Nay,      "Oh! haven't you heard that that
at this crisis, he projected the most dar-  bloody pirate, Paul Jones, is somewhere
ing of all his descents.               hanging round the coasts?"
The Cheviot Hills were insight. Sundry  " Aye, indeed, but he won't hurt you.
vessels had been described bound in for  He's only going round among the nations,
the Firth of Forth, on whose south shore,  with his old hat, taking up contributions.
well up the Firth, stands Leith, the port  So, away with ye; ye don't want any
of Edinburgh, distant but a mile or two   powder and ball to give him. He wants
from that capital. He resolved to dash   contributions of silver, not lead. Preat Leith, and lay it under contribution   pare yourselves with silver, I say."
or in ashes. He called the captains of   "Nay, captain, the Laird ordered us
his two remaining consorts on board his  not to return without powder and ball.
own ship to arrange details.   Those   See, here is the price. It may be the
worthies had much of fastidious remark  taking of the bloody pirate, if you let
to make against the plan.  After losing   us have what we want."
much time in trying to bring to a con-    " Well, pass'em over a keg," said Paul
elusion their sage deliberations, Paul by  laughing, but modifying his order by a




598               Israel Potter; or, Fifty  Years of Exile.              [Dec.
sly whisper to Israel; " Oh, put up your   gangway, a sudden squall struck all three
price, it's a gift to ye."               ships, dashing the boats against them,
"But ball, captain, what's the use of  and  creating  indiscribable  confusion.
powder without ball?" roared one of the   The squall ended in a violent gale. Getfellows from the boat's bow, as the keg  ting his Ien on board with all dispatch,
was lowered in. "We want ball."          Paul essayed his best to withstand the
"Bless my soul, you bawl loud enough   fury of the wind; but it blew adversely,
as it is. Away with ye, with what you   and with redoubled power. A  ship at
h}ave. Look to your keg, and hark ye,  a distance wvent down beneath it. The
it' ye catch that villain, Paul Jones, give   disappointed invader was obliged to turn
himt no quarter."                        before the gale, and renounce his project.
"But, captain, here," shouted one of     To this hour, on the shores of the
the boatmen, "There's a mistake. This   Firth of Forth, it is the popular persuais a keg of pickles, not powder. Look,"  sion, that the Rev. Mr. Shirrer's, of
anid poking  into  the bung-hole, he   Kirkaldy, powerful intercession, was the
dragrged out a green cucumber dripping   direct cause of the elemental repulse
with brine.  "Take this back, and give   experienced off the endangered harbor of
us the powder."                          Leith.
"Pooh," said Paul, " the powder is at    Through the ill qualities of Paul's assothe bottom, pickled powder, best way   ciate captains: their timidity, incapable of
to keep it. Away with ye, now, and   keeping pace with his daring; their jeaafter that bloody embezzler, Paul Jones."  lousy, blind to his superiority to rivalship
This was Sunday. The ships held on.  -together with the general reduction of
During the afternoon, a long tack of the   his force, now reduced, by desertion, from
Richard brought her close towards the   nine to three ships; and last of all, the
shores of Fife, near the thriving little  enmity of seas and winds, the invader,
port of Kirkaldy.                        driven, not by a fleet, but a gale, out of
"There's a great crowd on the beach,  the Scottish waters, had the mortification
captain Paul," said Islrael, looking through   in prospect of terminating a cruise, so
his glass.  "There seems to be an old  formlidable in appearance at the onset,
woman standing on a fish-barrel there,  without one added deed to sustain the
a sort of selling things at auction, to the   reputation gained by former exploits.
people, but I can't be certain yet."     Nevertheless, lie was not disheartened.'i Let me see," said Paul, taking the   lie souglht to conciliate fortune, not by
glass as they came nigher. "Sure enough,  despondency, but by resolution.  And,
it's an old lady-an old quack-doctress,  as if won by his confident bearing, that
seems to me, in a black gown, too. I   fickle power suddenly went over to him
must hail her."                         from the ranks of the enemy, suddenly
Ordering the ship to be kept on to-  as plumed Marsllhal Ney to the stupborn
wards the port, he shortened sail within  standard of Napoleon from Elba, Imarcheasy distance, so as to glide slowly by,  ing regenerated on Paris. In a word,
and seizing the trumpet, thus spoke: —    luck-that's the word-shortly threw in
" Old lady, ahoy! What are you talk-   Paul's way the great action of his life:
ing about? What's your text?"          the most extraordinary of all naval en"The righteous shall rejoice when lie  gagemnents; the unparalleled death-lock
seeth the vengeance. IHe shall wash his   with the Serapis.
feet in the blood of the wicked."
"'Ah, what a lack of charity. Now
hear mine;- God helpeth them that
help themselves, as Poor Riclhard says."              CHAPTER XIX.
"Reprobate pirate, a gale shall yet             THEY FIGHT THE SERAPIS.
come, to drive thee in wrecks from. our
waters."                                   THE battle between the Bon Homme
" The strong wind of your hate fills   Richard and the Serapis stands in hismy sails well. Adieu," waving his bon-  tory as the first signal collision on the
net-" tell us the rest at Leith."       sea between the Englishman and the
Next morning the ships were almost  American.   For  obstinacy,  mutual
within cannon-shot of the town. The   hatred, and courage, it is without preTen to be landed were in the boats.  cedent or subsequent in the story of
Israel had the tiller of the foremost one,  ocean.  The strife long hung undeterwaiting for his commander to  enter,  mined, but the English flag struck in the
when just as Paul's foot was on the   end.




1844.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                 599
There would seem  to be something   miles of coast between  Flarmborough
singularly indicatory in this engagement.  Head and the Spurln.
It may involve at once a type, a parallel,  Weathering out the gale which had
and a prophecy.   Sharing  the  same   driven them tfrom Leith, Paul's ships, for
blood with England, and yet her proved   a few days, were employed in giving
foe in two wars; not wholly inclined at  chase to various merchantmen and colbottom  to forget an old grudge: intre-  liers; capturing some, sinking others,
pid, unprincipled, reckless, predatory,  and putting the rest to flight. Off the
with  boundless ambition, civilized in   mouth of the Ilumber they ineffectually
externals but a savage at heart, America   manceuvered with a view of drawing out
is, or may yet be, the Paul Jones of   a king's fiigate, reported to be lying at
nations.                                 anchor within. At another time a large
Regarded in this indicatory light, the   fleet was encountered, under convoy of
battle between the Bon Homme Richard   some shins of force. But their panic
and the Serapis-in itself so curious —   caused the fleet to  hug the edge of
may well enlist our interest.            perilous  shoals very  nigh  the land,
Never was there a fight so snarled.  where, by reason of his having no comThe intricacy of those incidents which   petent pilot, Paul durst not approach to
defy the narrator's extrication, is not  molest them. The same night he saw
illy figured in that bewildering inter-  two strangers further out at sea, and
tanglement of all the yards and anchors   chased them until three in the morning;
of the two ships, which  confounded   when, getting pretty nigh, he surmised
them for the time in one chaos of devas-  that they must needs be vessels of his own
tation.                                  squadron, which, previous to his enterElsewhere than here the reader must  ing the Firth of Forth, had separated
go who seeks an elaborate version of the   fromn his command.  Daylight proved
fight, or, indeed, much of any regular  this supposition correct. Five vessels of
account of it whatever.  The writer is  the original squadron were now  once
but brought to  mention  the battle,  more in company. About noon, a fleet
because he must needs follow, in all  of forty imerchantmen appeared coming
events, the fortunes of the humble ad-  round Flamborough Head, protected by
venturer whose life he records.  Yet  two English men-of-war, the  Serapis
this necessarily involves some general  and Countess of Scarborough. Descryview  of each conspicuous incident in  ing the five cruisers sailing down, the
which he shares.                         forty sail, like forty chickens, fluttered
Several circumstances of the place and   in a panic under the wing of the shore.
time served to invest the fight with a   Their armed protectors bravely steered
certain  scenic  atmosphere, casting  a   from the land, making the disposition for
light almost poetic over the wild gloom    battle.  Promptly accepting the chalof its tragic results. The battle was  leiige, Paul, giving the signal to his confouglht between the hours of seven and   sorts, earnestly pressed forward.  But,
ten at night; the height of it was under   earnest as he was, it was seven in the
a full harvest moon, in view  of thou-   evening ere the encounter began. Meansands of distant spectators crowning the   time his comrades, heedless of his signals,
high cliffs of Yorkshire.                sailed independently along. Dismissing
From the Tees to the HIumber, the   them  from  present consideration, we
eastern coast of Britain, for the most  confine ourselves, for a while to the
part, wears a savage, melancholy, and   Richard  and  the Serapis, the grand
Calabrian aspect. It is in course of in-   duellists of the fight.
cessant decay. Every year the isle which   The Richard carried a motley crew, to
repulses nearly all other foes, succumbs   keep whom in order one hundred and
to the Attila assaults of the deep. Here   thirty-five soldiers-themselves a hybrid
and there the base of the cliffs is strewn   band —had been  put on board, conmwith masses of rock, undermined by the   manded by French officers of inferior
waves, and tumbled headlong below;   rank.   Her armament was similarly
where, sometimes, the water completely   heterogeneous; guns of all sorts and
surrounds them, showing in shattered   calibres; but about equal on the whole
confusion detached rocks, pyramids, and   to those of a thirty-two gun frigate. The
obelisks, rising half-revealed from  the   spirit of baneful intermixture pervaded
surf,-the Tadmores of the  wasteful  this craft throughout.
desert of the sea. Nowhere is this deso-   The Serapis was a frigate of fifty
lation more marked than for those fifty   guns, more than half of which indivi



600              Israel Potter; or, Fifty Iqears of Exile.              [Dec.
dually exceeded in calibre any one gun   not tell. Eager to befriend the Serapis,
of the Richard. She had a crew of some   she durst not fire a gun, lest she might
three hundred and tweny trained man-of-  unwittingly act the part of a foe. As
war's men.                              when a hawk and a crow are clawing
There is something in a naval engage-  and beaking high in the air, a second
ment which radically  distinguishes it  crow flying near, will seek to join the
from one on the land. The ocean, at  battle, but finding no fair chance to entimes, has what is called its sea and its  gage, at last flies away to the woods;
trough of the sea; but it has neither  just so did the Scarborough now. Prurivers, woods, banks, towns, nor moun-  dence dictated the step. Because several
tains. In mild weather, it is one ham-  chance shot-from  which of the commered plain. Stratagems,-like those of   batants could not be known-had aldisciplined  armies,  ambuscades-like  ready struck the Scarborough. So, unthose of Indians, are impossible. All is  willing uselessly to expose herself, off
clear, open, fluent. The very element  went for the present this baffled and
which sustains the combatants, yields at  ineffectual friend.
the stroke of a feather. One wind and     Not long after, an invisible hand came
one tide at one time operate upon all  and set down a great yellow lamp in the
who here engage. This simplicity ren-  east. The hand reached up unseen from
ders a battle between two men-of-war,  below  the horizon, and set the lamp
with their huge white wings, more akin  down right on the rim of the horizon, as
to the Miltonic contests of archangels  on a threshold; as much as to say,
than to the comparatively squalid tussels   Gentlemen warriors, permit me a little
of earth.                               to light up this rather gloomy looking
As the ships neared, a hazy darkness  subject. The lamp was the round haroverspread the water. The moon was   vest moon; the one solitary foot-light of
not yet risen. Objects were perceived  the scene. But scarcely did the rays
with difficulty. Borne by a soft moist  fiom the lamp pierce that languid haze.
breeze over gentle waves, they came   Objects before perceived with difficulty,
within pistol-shot. Owing to the ob-  now glimmered ambiguously.  Bedded
scurity, and the known neighborhood of  in strange vapors, the great foot-light
other vessels, the Serapis was uncertain  cast a dubious half demoniac glare across
who the Richard was.  Through the  the waters, like the phantasmagoric
dim mist each ship loomed forth to the   stream sent athwart a London flagging
other vast, but indistinct, as the ghost of  in a night-rain from an apothecary's blue
Morven.  Sounds of the trampling of  and green window. Through this sarresolute men echoed from  either hull,  donical mist, the face of the Man-in-thewhose tight decks dully resounded like   Moon-looking right towards the comdrum-heads in a funeral march.          batants, as if he were standing in a trapThe Serapis hailed. She was answered   door of the sea, leaning forward leisurely
by a broadside. For half an hour the com-  with his arms complacently folded over
batants deliberately manceuvered, con-  upon the edge of the horizon,-this queer
tinually changing their position, but al-  face wore a serious, apishly self-satisfied
ways within shot fire. The Serapis-   leer, as if the Man-in-the-Moon had somethe better sailer of the two-kept criti-  how secretly put up the ships to their
cally circling the Richard, making loung-  contest, and in the depths of his maliging advances now and then, and as sud-  nant old soul was not unpleased to see
denly steering off; hate causing her to   how well his charms worked.  There
act not unlike a wheeling cock about a   stood the grinning Man-in-the-Moon, his
len, when stirred by the contrary pas-  head just dodging into view over the rim
sion. Meantime, though with easy speak-  of the sea:-AMephistopheles prompter
ing distance, no further syllable was ex-  of the stage.
changed; but an incessant cannonade       Aided now a little by the planet, one
was kept up.                           of the consorts of the Richard, the PalAt this point, a third party, the Scar-  las, hovering far outside the fight, dimly
borough, drew near, seemingly desirous  discerned.the suspicious form of a lonely
of giving assistance to her consort. But  vessel unknown to her. She resolved to
thick smoke was now  added to the   engage it, if it proved a foe. But ere
night's natural obscurity.  The Scar-  they joined, the unknown ship —which
borough imperfectly discerned two ships,  proved to be the Scarborough-received
and plainly saw the common fire they   a broadside at long gun's distance fron
made; but which was which, she could  another consort of the Richard, the Al



1854.]            Israel Potter; or, Fifty Years of Exile.                 601
liance.  The shot whizzed across the  ing in that cloud, it will be necessary to
broad interval like shuttlecocks across  enter it; to go and possess it, as a ghost
a great hall. Presently the battledores   may rush into a body, or the devils into
of both batteries were at work, and   the swine, which running down  the
rapid compliments of shuttlecocks were  steep place perished in the sea; just as
very promptly exchanged. The adverse  the Richard is yet to do.
consorts of the two main belligerents      Thus far the Serapis and the Richard
fought with all the rage of those fiery   had been manceuvering and chasseing to
seconds who in some desperate duels,  each other like partners in a cotillon,
make their principal's quarrel their own.  all the time indulging in rapid repartee.
Diverted from the Richard and the Sera-    But finding at last that the superior
pis by this little by-play, the Man-in-the-  managableness of the enemy's ship enMoon, all eager to see what it was, some-  abled hlim to get the better of the clumsy
what raised himself from his trap-door   old Indiaman, the Richard, in taking
with an added grin on his face. By this  position; Paul, with  his wonted retime, off sneaked the Alliance, and down   solution, at once sought to neutralize
swept the Pallas, at close quarters en-  this, by hugging hin close.  But the
gaging the Scarborough; an encounter  attempt to lay the Richard right across
destined in less than an hour to end in  the head of the Serapis ended  quite
the latter ship's striking her flag.     otherwise, in sending the enemy's jibCompared to the Serapis and the   boom just over the Richard's great tower
Richard, the Pallas and the Scarborough   of Pisa, where Israel was stationed;
were as two pages to two knights. In   who catching it eagerly, stood for an
their immature way they showed the   instant holding to the slack of the sail,
same traits as their fully developed su-  like one grasping a horse by the mane
periors.                                 prior to vaulting into the saddle.
The Man-in-the-Moon now raised him-      "Aye, hold  hard, lad," cried Paul,
self still higher to obtain a better view   springing to his side with a coil of
of affairs.                             rigging.  With a few  rapid turns he
But the Man-in-the-Moon was not the   kni'ted himself to his foe. The wind
only spectator. Fromn the high cliffs of  now acting on the sails of the Serapis
the shore, and especially from the great  forced her, heel and point, her entire
promontory of Flamborougll Head, the   length, cheek by jowl, alongside the
scene was witnessed by crowds of the   Richard. The projecting cannon scraped;
islanders.  Any rustic might be par-  the yards interlocked; but the hulls did
doned his curiosity in view of the spec-   not touch. A long lane of darkling watacle presented. Far in the indistinct  ter lay wedged between, like that narrow
distance fleets of frightened merchant-  canal in Venice which dozes between
men filled the lower air with their sails,  two shadowy piles, and high in air is
as flakes of snow in a snow-storm  by   secretly crossed by the Bridge of Sighs.
night. Hovering undeterminedly, in an-  But where the six yard-arms reciprocally
other direction, were several of the scat-  arched overhead, three bridges of sighs
tered consorts of Paul, taking no part in   were both seen and heard, as the moon
the fray. Nearer, was an isolated mist,  and wind kept rising.
investing the Pallas and Scarborough-a     Into that Lethean canal,-pond-like in
mist slowly adrift on the sea, like a float-  its smoothess as compared with the sea
ing isle, and at intervals irradiated with   without —fell many a poor soul that
sparkles of fire and resonant with the   night;-fell, for ever forgotten.
boom of cannon. Further away, in the       As somne heaving rent coinciding with
deeper water, was a lurid cloud, inces-   a disputed frontier on a volcanic plain,
santly torn in shreds of lightning, then   that boundary abyss was the jaws of
fusing together again, once more to be   death to both sides. So contracted was
rent. As yet this lurid cloud was neither  it, that in many cases the gun-rammers
stationary nor slowly adrift, like the first  had to be thrust into the opposite ports,
mentioned one; but, instinct with chao-  in order to enter to muzzles of their own
tic vitality, shifted hither and thither,  cannon.  It seemed more an intestine
foaming with fire, like a valiant water-  feud, than a fight between strangers.
spout careering off the coast of Mala-   Or, rather, it was as if the Siamnese
bar.                                    Twins, oblivious of their fraternal bond,
To get some idea of the events enact-  should rage in unnatural fight.
(To be continued.)
VOL. IV. 39




602                                                                    [Dec.
RAMBLES OVER THE REALMS OF VERBS AND SUBSTANTIVES.
RAMBLE SECOND.
SIDNEY  SMITH —that "wittiest of   natural; language is symbolical of ideas.
divines and divinest of wits& —has   To us the phenomenal must ever be our
somewhere an amusing passage on the   basis-the metaphysical can have naught
radical sensualism that underlies all, even   but a relative existence. And hence it
supersensual, terms. He alludes to our  is that men are-we do not say de napurely easthetic application of such ex-  tura, but de facto-so intensely matepressions as " tact" (tango, tactum, to  rial. Metaphysics are, and ever have
touch), "taste" &c., and observes that  been, as prodigiously "'below par," as
we will doubtless soon come to speak of   stocks in the " South Sea Island scheme,"
a man with a fine "nose" for this or that  or investments in Dutch tulips would
province of physics or philosophy. And,  now be; and men as regularly lay aside
to follow this out a little further, we   all acknowledgment or belief in everyhave the same idea developing itself in  thing that is absolute and eternal-(exthat sublimation of everything that is  cepting, of course, in all cases, the eterhighest in modes or morals —the bon   nal dollar)-as they do their Sunday
golut of our Parisian friends. But this  vest or Sunday visage.   For why?is not much to be wondered at, since they   Because, forsooth, every one of our
are constitutionally rather Epicurean in   miserable "interests" is interwoven in
their philosophy; and it is so natural for  an inextricable reticulation with the senone, with the smack of Clos-Vougeot or  suous and the grossly material. Hence,
Chateau-Laffitte on the lips, to transfer  too, the inveterate antagonism between
the figure, not without gusto, to his ad-  the man theoretical and the man practimiration of the colors of a Correggio, or  cal,-between the man of principle and
his rapture over the divine poems of  the man of action. This, too, it is that
Mons. Mirabilis Parnasse.  However,  makes materialism (or, according to the
sic sit! —since " de gustibus non est dis-  modern  phraseology-Scnsationalism)
yputandum."                             precisely no philosophy at all. We are
Now, besides all this, we are acquainted   ourselves indifferently fond of a pure
with at least one northern European  transcendental Idealism; but of sympanation (not to mention the Chinese),  thizers we expect, and find, but few.
who hold that the soul lies in the abdo-    Language, then, being the offspring of
men, and in whose language those two   the entire united consciousness, will nadistinctly  divergent facts-soul and  turally take its coloring from the field
stomach-find expression in one and the   wherein that consciousness acts.  It is
same term.  Moreover, the Greek for  on this fact that is founded the inherent
mind-opmv, ~pe've —is (rather remark-  veracity of words. This it is that gives
ably for so intellective and introspective  to them  their authority as profound
a people) that which also expresses mid-  moral teachers, and embalms within them,
rif or diaphragm!                      amber-like, great and noble poetries,
All this we mention as initiatory to  histories, and philosophies.
the enunciation of our very simple pro-  We have before stated that we will
position, viz.: that in the formation of   eschew controversy on the subject of
words, the real always lies beneath the  the "origin of language," as scrupulously
metaphorical, and the physical is ever the  as we would on the " origin of evil;"basis of the metaphysical.             a remark, however, we would offer on
The rationale of this is, we conceive,  the genesis of language as a thoughtsimple enough: —For, the sphere in  product. In a previous paper on novels,
which we live and move-the objective-   we attempted a development of the idea
is a physical one; we have our being   of every form of literature's being rewithin the phantasmagorical fetters of a   sponsive to an inly want of the soul; and
sense-world. Now, the microcosm with-  that the progression of literature in its
in being, as is said, none other than a   various phases is not accidental; but, acreflex of the megacosm  without; and   cording to rigid mathematical principles,
language being, moreover, a veritable  based on absolute psychological facts.
thought-product-every word must be,  Now, nearly everything that can be said
as it were, the symbol of a symbol.  on the philosophy of literature, may also
Ideas are symbolical of the outer-the   be applied to the philosophy of language,




1854.]      Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.             603
as an integral part thereof, on which   atives. "Spirit" is only a breathingsubject take a deeply suggestive obser-  spiro-(of the Almighty?); "Soul," is
vation by Frederick Schlegel:            the  same word, but with a German
"In language, all the four principal  origin (seele, through the Saxon sawl);
powers have a nearly equal part and   the  Latin "animus," and  "anima,"
share. The grammatical structure, the   both of them find their origin in a Greek
rules for the changes and declensions of   verb, to blow; while the Greek "psyche"
words, and their syntax, are furnished  (Gvx — OXox, to breathe or blow) has a
by the reason. From  the fancy, on the   derivation  identically analogous.  So,
other hand, is derived whatever is figu-  with " understanding"-the verstand of
rative; and how very far does not this  the Germans-could anything be more
reach, extending  as it does into the   sensuous? And its analogue, "intellect"
primary  and natural signification  of   -inter and lego, to choose from  among
words, which often no longer exists, or  -hence finely descriptive of this, the
at least is rarely traceable? Lastly, the   discriminating  faculty. By  the way,
clear and distinct arrangement of the   this is one of the cases (of which we
parts, the nicely finished and beautiful  will meet with thousands) where the
shape of the whole of any composition,  simple etymology throws more light on
whether poetical or rhetorical, civil or  the subject than any amount of volumes
scientific, are the contributions of the   that could be written.  "Genius' has
understanding.                           nothing more of genius in it than what
"And so also that deep spiritual signifi-  is inborn (gigno) or begotten along with
cance, that characteristic meaning, which   the tissue and frame-work of one's being.
in the original stem-syllable and radical  " Talent" is just rci2avrov-a sum  of
words of some rich old language, inva-  money weighed out, and used by our
riably is regarded as a beauty, must be   Saviour as expressive of the quota of
ascribed to the understanding, which so  intellectual and psychal endowments
profoundly seizes and precisely designates   possessed by each individual. "kMiud"
whatever is peculiar, unless perhaps it is  is from the same root as mens-y-,vorpreferred to assign to it an immediate  force, strength.  "Wit" and'"wisdom"
feeling, which wonderfully harmonizes  (a fact which it might not be amiss to
with, or responds to it," etc.          remember) are from one root (Saxon
But, to return to our subject: Lan-  woitan: German weissen-to know)-and
guage we assume to be the spontaneous   that a sufficiently material one.  The
development of the entire consciousness,   "wits" were formerly used in the acand the physical ever lies behind the   ceptation of the "senses," a meaning
metaphysical.                            which we can appreciate from  the use
It may not, perhaps, be uninteresting   of the phrase " to be out of one's wits,"
to illustrate this by an investigation of   or, " to be out of one's senses."  As ilsome of our most purely metaphorical  lustrative of this, take the following,
and transcendental terms.  "Metaphys-  fiomr the "Tale of Melebeus:" " Thou
ics" themselves are only the science   hast don sinne again oure Lord Crist,
which has relation to what is beyond   for certes the three enemies of mankind,
physical nature (vial;),  manifesting an  that is to sayn, the flesh, the fend, and
inability to rise above matter except by   the world, thou hast suffred hem entre
compounding with it.  Nor has the   into thin herte wilfully by the windowes
idealism of a Kant, a Fichte, or a Schell-  of thy body, and hast not defended thying, been able to give birth to anything   self suffisantly agein hir assautes and
purer than "transcendentalism"-that  hir temptations, so  that they  have
which transcends-trans and scando-    wounded thy soule in five places; this
climbs above-with a subauditur of em-  is to sayn, the dedly sinnes that ben
piricism, or some such. "Idealism,"  entred into thy thyn herte by thy five
too, is from idea, which we know to be   wittes," etc.  "HIumor" in its double
Platonic Greek (1hda —derv, to see)-with  temperamental meaning, and also in its
the signification of nothing more ideal-  acceptation as one of the highest eneristic than a form or species-something   gizings of the mind, springs from humor,
that is seen. That was a splendid con-  moisture  (humeo, to  be moist).  Its
ception of Plato, however, to make the   primary application, took its rise in a
16[at not mere forms, but perfect arche-  now abandoned pathological theory, actypes, or patterns, existing in the Divine   cording  to  which, the "temper" or
mind-and of which all created exist-   "distemper" of the mind was supposed
ences are but the antitypes or represent-  to depend on the fluids of the body, a




604          Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.                  [Dee.
certain  proportion  and  combination   tory propensities of mankind. We might
thereof  giving  the "good," and the   amplify our examples under that head.
contrary the " bad "humor.  The trans-   Thus, we express one of our very strongition from the " good humor " to the hu-   est mental repugnances by "disgust," i. e.
morous productions of the mind, was   "distaste;" while  everything  that is
easy enough.                                 unsystematized and chaotic in intellect,
Almost sufficient has been written on   finds expression in "' crudity " (crudus),
the subject of wit and humor to render   which is nothing more crude than the
darkness visible.  This, by Swift, is trite   state of being uncooked.  " Palate," also,
enough:                                      we employ in the same sense as taste:
thus, "men of nice palates could not
"For sure by wit is chiefly meant         relish Aistotl, as dressed up by the
WApplying well what we invent:            schoolmaster."  How  utterly sensuous!
What humor is not, all the tribe
Of logic mongers can describe:            Shakespeare, however, also says:
Here nature only acts her part,
Unhelp'd by practice, books, or art."        "Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
I have no relish of them."
Talking of bad humor puts us in mind
of " spleen," and that, of course, is sug-     Now, of the force of " relish," we all
gestive of nothing but "melancholy."    have a keen enough appreciation; but
The former, that very peculiar people    our unexpressed, passive understanding
called tihe "Ancients," supposed  to be   of it is brought out in alto relievo by
the  seat of the latter.  As for t"melan-   Minshew's etymology thereof, viz.: from
choly," it is, according to its composition   relecher-that which is so pleasing to the
(Pst#ai, xoi/), naught other than  bl~ack   palate as to tempt one to lick his lips!
Oie, and  precisely equivalent to  our          "Savory" and "' insipid' are both from
atrabiliary,  which, however, we receive
atraliiliary, which, however, we receive   one root (sapio, to taste), the one signithrough the Latin.  And though, perad-   fying " tasty," and the other "tasteless;"
venture, founded on false theories, they   while  the highest intellectual endoware yet all of them sufficiently indicative   ments can make nothing mnore  exalted
of that which Milton apostrophizes as   than a man of  sapience,"  which is a
"moon-struck madness, moping melan-   man of taste.  What a lesson do these
ciholy!"  And in her softened and more   words read us of the gastronomic proplaintive phase, by Collins, thus;           clivities of our race.   Should  we not
join in with the pious ejaculation of
"With eyes upraised, as one inspired,        Dan Chaucer?
Pale Melancholy sat retired;
And from her wild sequester'd seat,            "Adam, our father, and his wif also,
In notes, by distance made more sweet,         Fro Paradis to labour and to wo,
Pour'd through the mellow horn her pensive soul:  Were driven for that vice, it is no drede;
And, dashigg soft from rocks around,           For while that Adam fasted, as I rede,
Bubbling runnels join'd the sound;             He was in Paradis, and whan that he
Through glades and glooms the mingled measure   Ete of the fruit defended on a tree.
stole,                                Anon, he was outcast to wo and pain,
Or o'er some haunted stream, with fond delay,  0 glotonie! on th/ee wel oufght us plainse!".ound an holy calm diffusing,                                TIhe Pardoneres Tale, 11.
Love of peace and lonely musing,
In hollow murmurs died away."                  To resume-" perception " (per capio),
is a taking upi wholly, an entire appreBut passions!-" Thought" is the ab-   hension of the subject we may be enstracted past participle of the verb "to    gaged upon.  "Reflecting" (re  flecto),
think" (Saxon, thencan, p.p. thoht*);  is a bending back of the thoughts on
and if we accept Horne Tooke's deriva-   themselves, the arrest of the conscioustion of it from  thing-I am  thing-ed. an   ness in its outward flow, and the turning
analogue to the Latin reor from  res-    of it inward to itself; just as " introspecan etymology which he evolves with his  tion" (intro specio), means a  looking
usual sagacity, and which he places in a   within.  So "intuition" (in tueor) irnverv receivable light-our point will be   plies tlhe inward flash of conviction that
still further illustrated.  We spoke in the   results from a mere mental glance at all
beginning of the metaphorical expres-   object.
sions that owe their origin to the gusta-      Both "conscience" and "conscious* Compare with this the Ger. Denken; Moeso-Gothic Thagkyan; Dan. Taenke; Swed. Tinka; Icel.
Thenkia; Franc. Thenken.




1854.]      Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.             605
ness" are one word (con and scio)-ex-   era —honest to the very profundity of
pressive of the calm recognizing gaze of  thy great heart, yet thereby forced somethe inner ego on itself.  Some of the   times to appear dishonest-the wisest,
ethical dicta that are twisted out of this  and yet willing to be to many a stumnbpoor word, conscience, would be ludi-  ling-block and the foolishest-the most
crous enough were they not noxious and   religious, and yet compelled to seem the
error-involving.   The force that Mr.  most sacrilegious! with what a terrible
Trench, in his little book on " the Study   Titanic force dost thou wield thy "wingof Words," tortures out of the " con " is  ed words," —that in thy hands split off
sheerly and palpably absurd. The slight-   with  bursting,  burning  meaning;est attention to the effect of preposi-  bringing them  up in  their primitive
tional composition on the classic tongues,  truth-loving and truth-telling simpliwould be sufficient to convince any one   city, and setting them, not without a
of this.                                 certain grave sarcastic smile, over against
If any words could be supersensuous,  their abuses, and their corruptions, and
one would surely suppose them to be   their twistings to gild a falsehood, or to
such as "morals," "ethics," "right,"  consecrate a lie-there to speak pregnant
"wrong,"  "sense"  and "aesthetics."  stories of hypocrisies and shams!-Well,
But let us apply our etymologic wand   well! who would  have  ever thought
and see what sllapes they will assume.  that dry, old, rhizophagous Fitz Philolo"Moral" is the Latin adjective mnoralis,  gos would have been betrayed  into
and that fiomn mos, moris-a custom or  rhapsody?
manner, with  a primary  acceptation       En avant!
lying back of that and importing self-     "Ethics" is precisely the same word
will, caprice.  " Caprice" gives rise to   as "' morality," only with a Greek origin
"custom," and  custom  gives us-but  — 0tlK6c, 0og —a custom or usage.
let our master expound for us. Open        Let our friend Horne Tooke* interpret
we  our-Johnson,  Junius,  Webster,  "right" and "wrong" for us: "Right is
Tooke, Grimm?  No! mine friend, but  no other than rect-um  (regitum), the
our third volume of" The History of the   past participle of the Latin verb regert,
French Revolution," at p. 65,-where  to govern, to order. Whence in Italian
we find  thus written:- " Instead  of  you have ritto; and firom  dirigere,
shrieking more, it were perhaps edifying   diritto, dritto; whence the French have
to remark, on the other side, what a sin-  their ancient droict, and their modern
gular thing customs (in Latin mores)   droit.   The Italian  dritto  and  the
are; and how fitly the virtue, manhood,  French droit being no other than the
or worth, that is in a man, is called his  past participle direct-um."  And further
morality, or customariness. Fell slaugh-   on he says that:
ter, one of the most authentic products    "A  right conduct is, that which is
of the pit, you would say, once give it  ordered.
customs, becomes war, with laws of         " A right reckoning is, that which is
war, and is customary and moral enough;   ordered.
and red individuals carry the tools of it  "A  right line is, that which is or'girt round their haunches not without  dered or directed-(not a random extenan air of pride, —widch do thou nowise  sion, but) the shortest between  two
blame. While, see! so long as it is but  points.
dressed in hodden or russet; and revo-     "The right road is that ordered or
lution, less frequent than war, has not  directed to be pursued (for the object
yet got its laws of revolution, but the   you have in view).
hodden or russet individuals are uncus-    "To do right is to do that which is
tomaly —Oh, shrieking, beloved brother  ordered to be done.
blocklhetads of mankind, let us close those  " To be in thie right is, to be in such
wide mouths of ours; let us cease shriek-   situation or circumstances as are ordered.
ing, arld begin considering!"             "A right and just (jubeo, jussum, to
Tliou great, good, glorious  Thomas   command ) action is such a one as is
Carlyle! forced thyself, by thy  very   ordered or commanded.
honesty and stern good nature, to set      "And when a man demands his rights,
thyself in hostile and defiant opposition   he asks only that which it is ordered he
to very many of tle " custorns" and not  shall have."
a few of the "moralities " of thlis our    On the other hand: "Wrong-is the
* Diversions of Purley, p. 804.




606         Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.              [Dec.
past participle or the verb to wring,   "Hei mihi, qualis erat! quantum  mutawringan, torquere. The word answering   tus ab illo zsthetico!"
to it in Italian is torto, the past participle  A man of "sense," then, is a man of
of the  verb  torquere;  whence  the   feeling-and only men of feeling are men
French also have tort.  It means merely   of sense?......It may be too  sweeping;
wrung or wrested from  the right or   but, certes, between the man of noble
ordered line of conduct."*                heart and he of great good sense, there is
So  did Tooke handle what, with a   a close enough connection; and perhaps
quaint force, lie calls " the abject instru-   there is a profounder veracity than we
ments of his civil extinction!"          might be apt to suppose in the  old
Compare with i"right" and "wrong,"   maxim: Quantum  sum.us scimus.  At
-" upright,"  "regular,"  "rectitude;"  least it might do us no harm  to have a
"error,"   "transgression,"  "'tortous."  little mere faith in heart-tellings and a
"Upright" is palpable enough; "regu-  little less in the mere dictates of morlar" is according to rule, and therefore  tality.
according to the ordered.  "Rectitude,"
is just the straight line —the ordered or   "We live in deeds, not years; in thoughts, not
directed  one  (rego).  " Error "  is an       breaths;
erring — (erro)- wandering  from  this  In feelings, not in figures on a dial,
straight line of " rectitude." "Transgres-   We should count time by heart-throbs."
sion " is a transgressing (trans gradior),a going beyond this ordered line.  "Tor-    So saith  Festus.  And  so  did we,
tous" from "tort," has also relation to  through childhood's "long, various, agowhat is " injurious," (which is in jus,   nizing" years, in our child home, away
jubeo; that is, contrary to the commanded,  far up in the "green, airy Pentlands,"
too,) or wrong.                           -lulled by the mellow  music of thy
From all of which words the wise will  dashing waters, thou loveliest waterfa'
derive a lecture on a  "higher law,"   of Habbies How.  Then we measured
(with a vengeance!); and the unwise   time, not by the rigid exactitude of days
find only subject matter for their own   and weeks, and months and years; but
condemnation.                             years by the springing of the prinmroses
"Sense" and  " aesthetics," have  an   on the sun-kissed braes; and months and
analogous origin,  esthetic  being  the   weeks, and days, by the exuberance of
Greek alaOn7rt6tK  from alacdvoyat, to feel,  our emotions,-and that was boundless.
or perceive, and sense being from sentio,    Again, what an eminently unreasonthe corresponding  Latin  verb.  Their  able word is that "reason,"-especially
employment, one should say, was frie-  if we take it from the Latin ratio, through
quent enough to render them  familiar.  the French raison; for ratio we know
By the way, our poor friend "'asthe-  to be from  reor; and rear is either a
tic" is worthy of commiseration.  Born   verbification (excuse the word; it is,
but a quarter of a century ago, he has   however, suitable enough, since verbiffallen in the full blush of his glory; and   catio is classical), from res-thus accordhe who assisted at his cradling, haslived   ing, in its elements, with " thought " as
to see his disgrace and death.  Read the   we saw  before; —or it is frotl  piofollowing note to an article by Carlyle,  which is none other than a fluxus verboon Jean Paul Richter, and inserted in the   rum.  So, it would seem that our friends
Edinburgh Review, of 1827:-" IEsthe-   of the olden times imagined that he who
tics-from  ailaOvo/yat, to feel. A word   talked the most glibly, had the most of
invented by Baumgarten (some eighty   "reason;" —avait plus que personne la
years ago), to express generally, the   raison, que tout le monde avait,-and
Science of the Fine Arts, and now  in   was, par consequence, the most reasonuniversal use among the Germans. Per-   able man.
haps we, also, might as well adopt it, at   We are all familiar with the Wordsleast if any such science should ever arise   worthean and Coleridgean distinction beamongst us."                              tween "imagination," and "fancy;" we
As for whether the " science " has ever   will not repeat it, but merely mention
arisen among us, we shall not pretend to  that the root of imagination is imago,
decide; but compare the Then, with the   an image;-it is therefore the imageNow-wlen our flunkeys and our mil-  making fiaculty.  "Fancy" (phantasy is
liners talk nothing short of Esthetically.   nearer the original) is from 4avraTia* Diversions of Purley, p. 866.




1854.]     Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.              607
i. e., the power which produces the   Is it altogether honorable to human
Iav-raya —the phantasms. Thus we see   nature that this beautifully ingenious
that the distinction lies more in the appli-  word should be abused as it is, and form
cation-perhaps more in "imagination"   the root of that other word, expressive
-than  in  the  words  themselves.  of everything that is weak in intellect,
"Fancy," "phantasy," "fantastical,"*   "simpleton?"  A man of "duplicity,"
"phantom," "' phantasm," "phase," and   on the contrary, is a man of a double
"phenomena," are all of them froim the   fold in his character-a man of double
same root-Facivo, and their significations   dealing.  A   " subtle," or " subtile"
are apparent enough. "Heart,"  too,  person is one whose motives of action
what a word that is! And how  little  are " fine spun "-subtilis, i. e., subteahave all the thousand complex relations   tilis. So, too, an "acute" person is none
in which we employ it, to do with that  other than a " sharp " person. And it
poor, palpitating mass of blood and fibre,   will doubtless be readily conceded that
to which the name properly belongs?   we all have our " mission," and are
And then the long train of relations,  all "apostles" of something or other —
poor and rich, that attach themselves to   when the latter only asserts that we are
it.  "Hearty," "Cordial," (cor, cordis),  sent, and the former but declares the
which  is  also   hearty; " courage,"  object of this envoy.
(through the French, and from  caur),.Once mo:.e, a rational "skepticism,"
"encourage," "concord," "discord."-   is not a bad, but, on the other hand
s. r. A.                                rather a desirable thing. It is, in fact,
What a fearfully physical origin is that  the great conservative principle in huof  "remorse:" remordeo-depicting,  man belief: aKirroouaL —I consider, I dewith an appalling vividness, the gnaw-   liberate, I try conclusions with you.
ings or bitings that go on within the   Besides, its analogue "doubt," gives us a
soul after the commission of any unman-   glimpse into a pretty profound veracity:
liness or ungodliness.  So "scruple,"   dubitus, dubius, duo-I look at the (duo)
which is just scrupulus, the little bit of   two, the double phases of things; and,
gravel which was wont so often to get  keeping them both in sight, I suspend
into the very open shoes of the Romans,  my conclusion.  Arid the province of
and  produce trouble  and  hesitancy.  the trlue, the honest skeptic (much though
There is a scruple for you! "Theory"t  the debasing tendencies of mankind have
and "speculation,": both of them imply   placed  these  words,  "honest"  and
a mere seeing or contemplating, abstract-  "skeptic" at variance with each other)
edly, and  without reference to  the  is to say-" Why stick to your one side
" practical "- (rrpaKr6kg - the  acting,  when there are two to be taken into
the executive, the business-like faculty).  consideration, and a thousand things in
"Vision" and "visionary" (video, to   heaven and earth that are not dreamed
see) have also a generic alliance with the   of in your philosophy?"  For there are
preceding; so, too, has "contemplation,"  two sides to everything, however tenubut only a secondary one.  " Contem-   ous it may be; there are the phenomenal
plation," Webster tells us, " is the act of   and the real; there are the relative and
the mind in considering with attention."  the absolute; and every teaching of
This signification, of course, it receives  life  or morals points hitherward  and
from  the verb to contemplate.  The   thitherward, too. And we may venture
origin of the word is dubious. Crabb, in  to say that there is not a dogma which
his wretched book on  "Synonyms,"  can possibly be brought up but what any
says that it comes from  "' contemplor,  of us may, to a partial extent, floor.
and that from templum, a temple-that  Will you try philosophy?  " Cogito ergo
being theplace most fittedfor contempla-  sum."  But, as the pupil in Schiller's
tion!"  Leverett, however, in his Latin   "Philosophers " says:
lexicon, makes it from con and templum,
i. e., a place from which there is a free   "As I think I exist.'Tis good! But who always
prospect on all sides.                     is thinking?
A " simple" man is just a homo simplex   Oft I've existed e'en when I have been thinking of
— sine plica-without doubling, without      naught."
fold in his character; the honesty of
whose disposition is perfectly luminous.  And so we all have our ready-reckoners
* Why should not uniformity be preserved all through these words?
t OeujpimO, to view, to look at.  $ Specula, a beacon, a watch-tower, from specio, to see.




608         Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.               [Dec.
full of "buts" and "provisos;" and we       "Profound,"  is just "deep " —profind ourselves sticking on the horns of   fundus; penetrating down to the "bota dilemllna with, or withlout, a moment's  tom" of things.  By the way, intellect
wanrning.  Materialism is true, to a cer-  seems to possess all the dimensions of
tain extent; and so is idealism, and mrys-   extension.  Thus, we speak of X's great
ticisln, and skepticism, and heathenism,   "breadth of thought; of the "lofty"
and bibleism-but we cannot say that   genius of Y; or of thefar-seeing intelliany onte or all of them  is truth; that   gence of Z.
exists only in the proftundities of the      "Recondite," again, is what is recondivitne heart.  And so it is with things   ditum —hidden from  the superficial, ununiversally; we see and have to do with   believing gaze.  What a story does this
things relatively; the absolute, to us,  tell us of the great " Open Secrlet " of the
exists only in the desire.                 universe, as Fichte  so  appreciatingly
And this, then, is the true ground for   terms it; a secret, and yet not a secretthe  skeptic; not of unbelieving  and   " esoteric," (e65repoa-interior) and yet
proud universal denying; not the shal-   "exoteric" e' efJrpov-exterior') —hidden
low  levity of intellect; tkr less a vain   from the wise and prudent (in their own
Tom  Paineism  and mocking of every-   imaginings), and yet "revealed "-revelo
thing that is good and venerable; but a   -unveiled to those exercising the faith
generous credulity in the boundlessness   and the humility of babes.  Nor does
of truth, whether found in infinitesi-  there exist the problem  for which bemalest of gold-grains sown  universe-   nign nature will not give the response,
wide-or in solid ingots, hid in the the-   will we but wisely and trustingly intersaurus of a faith or a system.             rogate her.  For we know that she
And in this sense is it that skepticism
is the great conservative or preservative,, Never did betray
principle  in  human belief.  And this            The heart that loved her."
species of skepticism is it that must be
induced into outl age, before we can hope   "The answer lies around, written  in
to arrive at the day-star of truth. It is  all colors and  motions, uttered in all
the ltlck of our era.  For people must be   tones of jubilee and wail, in thousandbrought to doubt that they are in the   figured, thousand-voiced, harmonious nabest possible condition. before we can   tulre; but where is the cunning eye to
hope to remedy them.  Thley must come   whom  that God-written apocalypse will
into violent contact with  some hard   yield articulate meaning?  We sit as in
rocks of truth, whose existence they did   a boundless phantasmagoria and dreamnot dream  of, before they can be made   grotto; boundless, for the faintest star,
to apI)reciate that they arle not altogether   the  rexmotest century, lies not even
in the right, and that other people are   nearer the verge thereof; sounds and
not altogether in the wrong.  They must   varied-colored visions flit around  our
be made suspicious of themselves-ren-   sense;  but  Him, the  unslumbering,
dered....  KetrrrtK6t-thlinkersl  -        whose work both dream  and dreamer
But this is getting mortally wearisome   are, we see not-except in rare, half(this is supposed to be spoken "aside"   waking moments, suspect not."*
you know); so, revenons d nos moutons        There, now!  Is not that glorious?
-which, in this instance, means, back   Go, then, and venerate the seer.
to  our "roots."  Let us have some           "Time," we get through the Saxon
words.                                     tima-analogous  in  all the  Teutonic
"Profo)und,"  "Recondite,"  "Time,"   dialects,t and allied to the Latin tem"Past," " Future," "Present," "Skill,"   pus  which  we  know   to  be  from
"Probity,"  "'Providence,"  "Sincere,"   rev-iv-and implying, consequently, the
"SeriOis,"  "Frugal," " Exist,"  "Reli-  cutting  off, or separating of day and
gion," " Intrinsic," "Interest," Instinct,"   night by the sun.  See how  a purely
"Enthusiasm,"  "Essence,"  " Quintes-   metaphysical relation will take its appelsence."                                    lation from an intensely plhysical radix.
There is a score.  But only a score,   "Past," too, if connected, at its base,
out of the thousand and one (literally)   with the Latin paseo and the Greek
that we have amassed as illustrative of   irartIw,  and  the  Sanscrit pad, to go,
this same portion of our theme.            denotes but the stepped over, the " by* Sartor Resartus.
t Dan. Time; Swed. Timma; Icel. Time; Gael. or Erse. Tim or Tym. Compare also with the French Temps;
It. and Port. Tempo; Sp. Tiempo.




1854.]      Rambles over the Realms of Verbs and Substantives.                   609
gone;" as, referring to the same figure,   quality.  To "exist"' is exsisto-to stand
we say, " Future," again, is the about to   forth, to appear, to become manifest;
be.  Now, this  seems  metaphysical   and one's "existence" is his manifestaenough, but let us analyze a little, and   tion, his showing forth.  "Religion" is
see  what resolution  it will give us.  the binding over again, the new bond.
"Future," we know to be but the fu-   "Intrinsic" is inly,-having relation not
ture  participle-futurus-.-of the verb   to the deceptive outside, but to that
esse, to  be,-evidently, however, it is   which is within.  "Interest" is literally
from a different i. e. the secondary root.  inter esse-to be among; and hence
But this secondary root is, undoubtedly,   that which concerns, &c.   Instinct" is
to be found in the obsolete fuo; which   an incitement, an impulse, an instigawith  06e are probably twin  offshoots  tion.   "Enthusiasm"' is EveovaLay6Sffrom  the Sanscrit bhdi. Now, Osw carries   &vOeco -possessed by a God —or one who
the idea of growing, arising, coming into   imagines that he is.  Spinoza, then, to
being; but there is a primary significa-   whom  Novalis, on account of his fertion lying back of this, namely, that of   vency in asserting the existence of a dibeing  brought forth,  begotten;  the   vinity in -ro rav-gave the appellation of
"future," therefore, is that whichllis con-   the  "God-intoxicated  man,"  perhaps
tinually being brought forth from  the   presents us with the most striking radiwomb of time.  The "present" is the   cal representative of this faculty.
praesens (praees i. e. prT'  and ens)-the     "Essence" is the being-the ensbeing, the  lyving  before  us.   Anent   that which there is of ultimate and spiwhich, and to wash down all this ety-   ritual in anything. "Quintessence" is a
mologic jargon, take the ttllowing from    compound of the preceding; and is, as
the Romaunt of the Rose:                    it illplies, the fifth essence, that is, ac"The time that passith night and dale,  cording to the alchemical notion, the
And restilesse travailith aie,       last and highest essence of power in a
And stelith from us privily,         natural body.   Perhaps, however, it
That to us semith sikirly            may have reference to the Pythagorean
That it in one poinct dwellith ever,  t
And certes it ne restith never,
But goeth as fast and passeth aie    know a little; and from whicl, could we
That ther n'is man that thinkin maie  but get into the centre thereof, we might
What time that now present is,       derive somne deep enough lessons.  That
Askith at these grete clerkis this;  there be "intrinsic life-numbers in things
For men thinken redily               and their manifold relations" seems to
Thre timis hen ypassed by            the reflective mind a matter not diffiThe time that male not sojourn,
But goth and maie never returne,     cult of credence.  And perchance in the
As watir that doune runnith ale,     great onward rhythm  of existence there
But never droppe returne maie."      iS more of mathematics than we mnight
"Skill" (Scylan) is the distinguishing,   be apt to suppose.  On the summit of
dividing, separating faculty. "Probity"   intellectual grandeur, says Madame do
is no other than what is probus-ap-   Stael, the genius of Homer and of Newproved of, found good, comne iil faut!   ton join hand in hand, and so in life.' rovidence" is preciselyforesight-and   High over us sound the eternal sphereapplied to the deity it is indicative of
him  whose luminous glance penetrates             "The cadence of the whirling world
into the obscurest abysses of tile coming         Which dances round the sun."
time; and the uniform and unitbld
rhythm  of whose existence constitutes   And all around us trembles " the seolian
at once, past, present, and future. "Sin-   harp  of the universe," resonant with
cere" (if Webster's derivation of it be   jubilee and wail, beating time to  the
worth anything) is sine cera —without   march of intellect, —onward, onward, ever
wax i. e. pure lhoney, —how expressive!   onward towards the goal of perfection.
"Serious" is the beirng unable to " raise"
a single laugh (serius i. e. sine risus).           "The future hides in it
"Frugal" is strictly fruit bearing (fru-              Gladness and sorrow;
gallis, friiges), yielding  profit;  so  it           We press still thorow,
Naught that abides in it
would appear that frugality is not merely             Daunting us,-onward It
a negative, but a  decidedly positive                                   Goethe.
* It is believed that the reference Pythagoras had in his "sphere-music" was to the harmonical arrange
ment of the spheres, realizing the relations of numbers.




610                                                                   [Dec.
IN THE LANE.
THE roses lingering in the west,
Soft lustre swooning through the sky,
The meadow blossoms kissed to rest,
A dying bird song floating by.
Old dusky woodlands soothed with balm
On mountains hushed in twilight trance,
The glossy eve's delicious calm,
Drowned by the stream's voluptuous dance.
The soft dew silvering hawthorn bloom,
Faint crimson buds along the ledge,Two faces in the tender gloom
Between the lindens and the hedge;
Two beamy faces young and sweet,
Cheek meeting cheek in tenderest trust,
White garlands strewn by waiting feet,
And fire-flies showering golden dust.
They made in this familiar place
The sweet completion Nature sought,
And all the scene's divinest grace
Perfection from their beauty caught.
There were no vows nor splendid speech
To break love's tranced and golden dream;
Heart flowed as truly each to each
As in one channel stream with stream.
There in the May's embalmed repose,
Fair as if always nursed with May,
Their red lips flashing in one rose,
Whose sweetness in each bosom lay.
They seemed the perfect dream, that steals,
At times, adown life's morning sky,
And for one blessed hour, reveals
The joy that haunts us till we die.
Like silvered raven-down, the dark
Kept floating through the hawthorn lane,
And still the fire-fly's lustrous spark
Fell on the dusk like amber rain.
A tremor through the daisied grass,
A murmur like a happy bird,
A low bough bent for one to pass,
And all as if no leaf had ctirred.
The silvery dusk along the lane,
Kept stealing by the creamy hedge,
And felt for those warm lips in vain,
Clear to the runlet's lilied edge.
Gone through the shadows-nevermore
With cheek to cheek they hither camei
The great world crushes on, and o'er
Its sweetest blossoms leaves no name.




1854.]                                                                        611
AMERICAN WINES.
(Concluded from page 511.)
TN the last num'ber, by the help of the-  tends from the 35th to the 50th degrees
oretical sails and statistical rudder,   of north latitude; and it is between these
we coasted pleasantly along the margin   points that the most celebrated vineyards,
of this great subject; here and there   and the countries richest in wine, are
mapping down the prominent land-marks,   placed," so says Henderson. It is singular
not indeed with the hope of making a   that these are almost precisely the geograreliable chart, but for the purpose of   phical limits of the United States, north
calling attention to it that others may   and south; and as we have already said,
so do. In fact, it is not the labor of one,  there is not one native grape in Europe,
but the united labors of many that can   so we may also say, that there is not a
accomplish this object; the experience   State in the Union without many-from
of the vine dresser of the South is dis-   Canada to the Rio Grande, from the Attinctly different from that of his brother  lantic to the Pacific. Not inaptly then
of the North; the same grapes do not  was the new world called "'Vine Land"
flourish in different latitudes, nor are the   by its discoverers the Danes.  There
modes of culture at all similar. In tak-   was always something appropriate and
ing, then, a general view, we must neces-  significant in  that strong  old Norse
sarily be imperfect in particulars; not  tongue.
from want of material, but, on the con-      Although the accounts from California
trary, from  the abundance of it.  Our   and Texas are very far from complete in
tables, two in number, are laden with   regard to grape culture, yet all statebooks, pamphlets, papers, reviews, sta-   ments, all travellers, agree as to the
tistics, letters —on grape  culture; on   wonderful profusion of vines in both
wines, native and foreign; on diseases of   countries, and their great productivethe vine; on insects that prey upon it;   ness.  Wine is now made on the Pacific,
on diseases of the human family cured by   not in abundance, but still with results
it (" The Grape Cure"); on temperance   so satisfactory, that it will be but few
and intemperance; on the evils of rum    years before it is an established source
and ranting; on raisins and reasons; and   of revenue to the State.  We hear of
on a host of analogous subjects; never-   one farmer there raising 90,000 pounds
theless, with such appliances and means   of grapes annually; of premiums given
as we have we shall proceed, and, as St.  for the best wines; of bunches weighing
Paul did, when he saw the three taverns,  from one to eleven pounds each.t  Their
"thank God and take courage."             grapes also are represented to be larger
How many kinds of grapes are native   than ours, "large as plums," and supeto the United States it is impossible to  rior in color and flavor.  The berries
say; Dr. Rafinesque catalogues forty spe-  too are very tender and the skins thin.
cies and one hundred varieties in a little   The vines are pruned down to two, or
hand-book of vines, published in 1830,  two and a half feet from the ground, and
which he offers "as the result of his ob-  the large, indolent masses of fruit rest
servations during many years, and many   upon the lap of the common mother.
thousand miles of travels."*  Since this   Above the surface grapes, and below it,
was published, so much new territory   gold. We might almost quote the words
has been added to our great Republic,   of Lear, and say to our youngest daughthat we are scarce able to enumerate the   ter, California:
States themselves, much less the vines                       -. Now our joy,
they produce.  The vast countries of   Although our last and least; to whose young love
Texas and California, profuse in native   The vines of France and milk of Burgundy,
vines of extraordinary productiveness,   Strive to be interess'd; what can you say, to draw
would even  employ the  naturalist in   A third more opulent than your sisters? Speak."
this pursuit for many years, perhaps
for a lifetimne.                             And California says "nothing;" but
In the old world, "the climate most   her soil blushes with the blood of kings,
congenial to the culture of the vine ex-   or of the mnaterials that make them.
* American Manual of Grape Vines and the Method of making Wine, &c., &c., by C. S. Rafinesque, A. M.
Ph. D. Pr'ofessor of Natural History, &c., &c., Phila. 1830.
t Trans. American Institute, 1852. We have been told that bunches weighing twenty pounds each, are
not infrequent in California.




612                               American  Wines.                               [Dec.
The grapes of California are called    by falling heir to an estate. It is useless
"Catawba," by  some "Sweetwater."   to reply to arguments based upon such
The berries are oblong, egg-shaped, of a    trivial testimony in regard to the Eurolight reddish-brown color; in flavor,   pean extraction of our favorite grapes.
delicious; they are destitute of pulp,   There is one expression suitable and serand so tender as to be difficult to handle.   viceable to dispose of this, and kindred
Like all the rest of our native grapes of    matters.  It is a word derived from the
any value, they are claimed to be "of    Sanscrit, we believe. It has four letters.
foreign origin."  History is thus falsi-    With a proper emphasis, it may be unfled, and  our vines  robbed of their    derstood by any person, even with  a
birthright.   Major Adlum  discovers a    very limited knowledge of English. The
fine grape in the gardens of Mr. John-    first letter is' B," the second " 0," the
son,  near  Frederictown,   Md., and    the third  "S," and the fourth "H!"
another in the gardens of Mrs. Scholl, of    Every vine dresser of any experience
Clarksburgh.   He  says, "A  German    knows that it is useless to attempt the
priest, who saw Mrs. Scholl's vine in full   cultivation of any foreign grapes in this
bearing, and when ripe, pronounced it   country.  They have been tried again
the true Tokay, and says he saw  the    and again.  The late lamented Downing
same kind growing in Tokay, in Hun-    says-" Mr. Tognot is sanguine as to the
gary!"   The Schuykill Muscadell was    introduction of the foreign grape in this
christened  "The Cape grape," as Mr.   country for open vineyard culture.  The
Longworth says, " to give it reputation,"   thing is impossible.  Thousands of indiand to this day, many believe it to be a    viduals have tried it on a small scale in
native  of Africa, although  its  wild    various parts of the Union; and several
brethren are found in plenty all over   persons-as, for example, Mr. Loubat,
Pennsylvania.   The Isabella, formerly    Mr. Longworth, &c., of great experience
called the Laspeyre grape, was lost to us    abroad or knowledge at home, joined to
in this wise. A stage-coach broke down    abundant capital, have tried it on a large
in the neighborhood of Mr. Laspeyre's   scale. The result, in every case, has been
farm, near  Fayetteville, N.C., and a    the same; a season or two of promise,
Spanish gentleman, who was a passen-   then utter failure, and, finally, coimplete
ger, happening to ask if there were no    abandonment of the theory.  The only
grapes cultivated in the neighborhood,   vineyards ever successful in America
was told of Mr. L.'s vineyard, close by.   are those of American  grapes."I  We
Upon  entering  the inclosure,' his first   might add here that one foreign grape
exclamation  was, "Ha! you have got   has been successfully acclimated  here,
my  countryman  here.   I know  him    and only one.  The "'Traminer," from
well, and it is one of the finest grapes in   the Rheingan, a small berrlied vine, has
Spain!"*   "The Herbemont," also, is   been persuaded to bear with us, by Mr.
said to be an alien, although Mr. Long-   Longworth. But this, which, on account
worth states it is a common wild vine    of its saccharine qualities, is cultivated
of the west and south: and the" Scup-   at home to  mix  with  the hard, dry
pernong" derives its parentage "from         wines of the Rhtine, is of little value in
cuttings washed ashore from a stranded    America, except as a table grape; the
ship on the stormy coast of North Ca-   wine it produces does not amount to
rolina!"   Thus our American  grapes    much.  If we take into consideration,
are at once "recognized," so  soon as    also, that our Isabellas, Catawbas, &c.,
they emerge from  their native forests   still retain the musky taste peculiar to, all
and swamps, just as some obscure person    our wild grapes; that they hlave not yet
becomes known in fashionable society    been cultivated long enough to lose that
* Spooner on Grape-vines, &c. Brooklyn, 1846.
t Joseph Tog.no, Esq., vine dresser, "Model School," Wilmington, N.C., a writer on grape culture, contributes to the Charleston papers and the Patent Office Reports.
$ Of the various experiments made with regard to cultivating foreign grapes here, we will mention a few.
Mr. Parmentier, of Long Island, established a vineyard of foreign grapes here, and was finally compelled to
abandon it. Mr. Loubat planted forty acres at New Utrecht, L. I., with one hundred and fifty thousand
imported vines, and they throve not, neither did they bear.  Mr. N. Longworth, of Cincinnati, also tried a
variety of grapes from Bordeaux, and the vicinity of Paris. These he obtained from Mi. Loubat's vineyard.
They did not succeed. From Madeira he imported six thousand vines of their best wine grapes; these were
rooted up, after trial, as worthless. Lastly, he procured seven thousand vines from the Jura, and, after
a trial of five years, these also were throwl away. The vine-dresser of Vevay, Ia., attempted the culture of
vines from Switzerland with no better success. The imported vines planted in the early vineyards of Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Kentucky all died after a few years. And yet there is not a grape of any repetation to be found in the United Stales (with the exception of the Catawba) that is not reputed to be of foreign
origin. Bosh!




1854.]                         American  Wines.                            613
toughness of skin and solidity of pulp,   of the'Plaza Publica,' or public square,
also peculiar to the savage state, and   and afford sufficient water power for
that they have not been attacked by the   grist and saw mills enough to supply
oldium which, so far, has affected all  the entire settlement with  flour and
fureign grapes, it must be patent that  lumber. The most important production
these are truly the indigenous grapes of   of the valley is grapes, from which are
America, the children of the soil, that   annually manufactured not less than two
ran about and climbed the trees in its  hundred thousand gallons of, perhaps, the
forests, and hung their purple clusters  richest and best wine in the world.  This
over its streams, before man, either   wine is worth two dollars per gallon,
white or red, knew there was another   and constitutes the principal revenue of
hemisphere.  To return to the grapes of   the city. The El Paso wines are supeCalifornia.  There are no vineyards in  rior in richness and flavor and pleasantthe immediate vicinity of San Francisco,  ness of taste to anything of the kind I
but vines are cultivated in the valleys,  ever met with in the United States; and
especially to the southward of the State,  I doubt not that they are far superior
and a strong red wine, resembling claret,  to the best wines ever produced in the
is drunk by tile country people from   valley of the Rhine, or on the sunny
their own grapes. At Los Angelos they   hills of France.  Also, great quantities
make a very excellent white wine, some-   of the grapes of this valley are dried
thing like the Catawba in flavor. An   in clusters, and preserved for use during
additional impetus has been given to this  the winter. In this state I regard them
branch of agriculture by recent ship-   far superior to the best raisins that are
merits to San Francisco of Ohio wines,  imported into the United States."
which meet with quick and profitable       The Great Mustang grape, of Texas,
sales. A short time since, a barrel of   is also said to be a wine grape of supewine was sent fiom  Los Angelos to the   rior quality. It grows in the greatest
President, at Washington.  The wine,  profusion, as Dr. Stewart says, in a letter
the staves, hoops, and heads, all Califor-  to the Patent Office, at Washington,
nian.  As yet, we have had no report   "without cultivation, and in great perin regard to it officially; but it has  fection in  every  part of Texas and
leaked out from  the cabinet that they   upon  every variety  of soil, growing
had to tilt that barrel at the last presi-  equally well upon the high open prairie,
dential (linner.                         or in the densely wooded river bottom
The "Mustang," and the "El Paso,"  lands, seeking alike the loftiest trees,
are the peculiar grapes of Texas. The   and the lowliest prairie shrub, and freformer, whlliclch is scarcely accredited as   quently so completely covering the tree
a wine grape, is known only at present  or shrub upon which it rests, that an
as a wild vine, inldigenous to the soil  entire surface of the vine leaf is presented
which produces it. But the " El Paso,"  to the eve."  Further on he writes:
has been successfully cultivated, and   "This fall, a French wine maker arind
theretore, it is, of course, "of European   vineyardist came from Kentucky, where
extraction."   The following fiom "De   he had been long living, to cultivate the
Bow's Industrial Resources of the South   grape if he thought well of the country,
and West," gives us some account of  &c.  He is highly pleased, and miade
the happy valley, which is said to pro-   several barrels of wine for Judge Scott,
duce " the best wine in the world(."     Fanthorp; Dr. Patrick, at or in Fan"The settlement of El Paso extends from   thorp  neighborhood.  He pronounces
the Falls of the Rio Grande on the north,  the Mustang to be the port wine grape,
to the Presidio on the south-a distance   of superior quality and yield. Very inof twenty-two miles-and is one con-  telligent, and practical in his views, and
tinuous orchard and vineyard, enbracing   of good experience, he took the Mustang
in its ample area an industrious and   clusters, native, from the trees; there
peaceable population of at least eight  was, as usual, an abundant crop of them
thousand.  This spacious valley is about  this year. The wine from this grape,
midway  between Santa Fe and Chi-  he said'was genuine port wine.'  He
hua;llua, and is isolated from  all other   knew it fiom his experience, but could
Mexican settlements by the mountains   not demonstrate it to be so, until after
that rise on the east and west, and close  fermentation and deposit of the tartrate
into the river on the north and south. The   of potass held in solution in tile secret
breadth of the valley is about ten miles.  juices. I wait with anxiety for the reThe falls of the river are two miles north  sult. What resources our country pos



614                            American  Wines.                             [Dec.
sesses in this respect, if this be the   under the name of "Bland's Madeira,"
fact, for the Mustang grows everywhere   and doubtless there are many species
in our fair land! " *                    which, by the skill of the vine-dresser,
Not alone in California and Texas, but   may be  made to yield  an agreeable
throughout the entire South, do native   variety of wines; in fact, our chief degrapes flourish in wonderful luxuriance.   pendence must be upon our indigenous
The sea islands that fringe the coasts   grapes, that are already acclimated by
from  Norfolk to the Florida reefs, are   nature's unerring training.  It is well to
embroidered with wild vines, laden with   observe that a grape may produce a suclusters, as well as the margins of rivers   perior wine in one district, and yet be
that intersect the  mainland. Florida,   of little value in another; so that, alas we have seen, abounds in this deli-  though one species may disappoint the
cious fruit; in Alabama, grape culture   cultivator in Arkansas, that is no reason
is already exciting much attention, and   why it should be rejected by his brother
the native grapes produce not only wines  in Tennessee or Louisiana, or vice versd.
of most excellent quality, but also a very  In Georgia, the luscious muscadines
great variety of wines. Their culti-  gathered in the wild state, produce a
vation is very easy, and the vines are   wine of considerable merit; as yet, no
abundant bearers. A gentleman, in a   attempt has been made to give them a
letter to the "Alabama Planter," says,  formal training, except here and there,
" A vineyard at maturity, say the fourth   upon a small scale.:  This is also the
year, would be good for from 500 to 750   case in South Carolina.  But here we are
gallons-the seventh, for 1,000 gallons-    in a sister State, a land of promise, of
the Scuppernong much  more to  the   vines, and pines, and mines; of tar and
acre. Among other properties possessed   turpentine; the natal soil of the Isabella,
by our native grape, the quantity of   the Catawba, the Herbemont, and the
vinous matter they possess, is most re-   sonorous Scuppernong —North Carolina!
markable.  A  bushel of bunches, as         We shall have occasion to speak of the
pulled from the vine, will give three gal-   Catawba, the Isabella and the Herbelons of wine, and, after undergoing a se-   mont, hereafter; the two first, unquescond operation, about one gallon more  tionably  owe their reputation  to  the
of a lighter, but most agreeable wine.   skill of the cultivators of Ohio and New
It would take a third pressure to produce   York, and have only a limited growth in
the meagre drink with which, in part,  their native State; but Scuppernong
they feed the peasantry in France, who   vineyards are found from Currituck, on
tend the vintage.  I anticipate the most  the  extreme  north, to  the  southern
agreeable results from the cultivation of   counties on the Cape Fear River, and exour native fruits, based on the trials I   tend inland, almost to the foot of the
have already made."                       Blue Ridge Mountains; while so various
The woods of Louisiana, Mississippit   are the qualities of wine produced, that
and Arkansas, abound in varieties of   some kinds command three or four dolwild vines that yield masses of fruitage,  lars per gallon, and some kinds can be
renowned as raccoon, bear, bull, chicken   purchased for five or six dollars a barand fox grapes. As yet, we have had   rel!  There  are two  species of this
no specimens of wines of these celebrated   grape, the best having a white, silvery
brands, but hope to see the day when an   skin, with a rich, metallic lustre, while
allusion to "old'coon," will awaken   the inferior kind bears a small, black
images more agreeable than  the hard   berry.  Mr. Longworth says, " the black
cider campaigns of Tippecanoe and Tyler.   Scuppernong bears from one to four berThe bull and bear vintages of Mississippi  ries on a bunch, and would, in times of
may strive for supremacy in more ami-   war, if lead be scarce, be as valuable,
cable contests than those which now dis-   even when fully ripe, as the Fox grape,
grace the names of those animals in Wall  for bullets.  The white Scuppernong, alstreet; and the fox and chicken will lie  so, has a very small bunch, and is a
down in the same cellar in peaceful prox-   better grape than the black.  But the
imity.  One of these wild vines  has   skin is thick, and the pulp hard; it will
been  successfully  cultivated  already,   never be valuable as a wine grape, unless
* Patent Office Reports, 1847.
t The Herbemont grape is cultivated in Mississippi, and wine is made there.
$ Dr. Cammack, of Athens, Georgia, has quite a large vineyard, and raises quantities of grapes annually.
Whether he makes wines, we do not know. There is much wine made for family use in various parts of G.,
from the wild grapes.




1854.]                        American  Wines.                             q15
to give to other must aroma and fla-   grapes. To the taste, the latter is by far
vor.                                     the  sweetest fruit; nevertheless, in
If for no other purpose than this,  making a sparkling wine, the Isabella
namely, to mix with the must of less  needs a liberal allowance of sugar, while
flavorous grapes, to give character to the   the Catawba wine requires little or none.
wine when made, this Scuppernong will  McCulloch, in  his treatise  on wineprove to be most valuable to this coun-   making, makes a very accurate distinctry. The " Traminer" of the Rheingan,  tion between the " sweet principle," and
a small-berried grape, abounding in sac-  that which constitutes the " sugar," in
charum, and full of aroma and strength,  fruit. The latter, the saccharine princiis so used to mix with the " Riesling,"  ple, is the element which, by the process
the favorite grape of the Rhine, in the   of fermentation, is transmuted into alcoproduction  of the first-class German   hol, or spirit of wine, a certain per centwines. And that the generality of Eu-  age of which is necessary in all vinous
ropean wines owe their excellence to the  fluids. This spirit of the wine is derived
judicious mixture of various growths   directly from  the sugar of the grape.
and vintages, is so well known as scarce-   Now, the difference between the sweet
ly to need repeating here. In particular,  element, and the saccharine element, is
Madeiras, Sherries,  and  Champagne   very clearly shown by McCulloch, who
wines are so composed; the capitaz, or  illustrates the subject by comparing mohead butler of the Spanish bodega, or  lasses with refined sugar-the first being
wine-cellar, being a most important per-  much the sweetest of the two to the
sonage, to whom is confided the exqui-  taste, and yet not comparable to the latsite task of balancing flavor against body,  ter in its proportion of pure saccharum.
and lusciousness, which  might cloy,  And, if we may venture upon a theory.
against acerbity, which might repel, un-  we should say, "that the reason why
til the whole perfected vinous mass be-  sweet grapes make a wine less sweet
comes the golden potable which even  than those not so dulcet to the taste, lies
gods might envy. Sohighly are the ser-  in this: —that in the sweet grape the
vices of this great functionary prized,  whole quantity of saccharum is absorbed
that the capitaz of a large proprietor  in the production of alcohol, while in
seldom fails to amass considerable wealth,  those more abounding in sugar, a portion
as an instance of which, Juan Sanchez,  only is transmuted into alcohol; the suthe capitaz of the late Pedro Domrnez,  perflux of sugar remaining  in undisdied recently, worth ~300,000.           turbed solution, and  sweetening  the
But the value of the Scuppernong as a   wine, less or more, as may be."
wine-grape, has not yet become fairly      Now, the Scuppernong grape produces
tried; at least not in North Carolina.  a wine naturally hard and dry, with little
Of all the samples we have tasted, not  to recommend it but its peculiar aroma
one was the pure and original fermented   and flavor; and, in consequence, the
juice of the grape, but, in every case,  must is artificially sweetened to make it
more or less sophisticated with sugar or  a marketable, or a salable commodity.
honey, and not unfrequently with whis-  So long as this method of treatment is
key or brandy. It is usual to add three   practised, neither it, nor any  other
pounds of sugar to one gallon of the   American wine so used, can rank with
must, and then a little distilled spirits of   any wines of Europe, except with the
some kind is poured into every barrel of   spurious productions of Cette, Lisbon,
wine, "to make it keep."  Subjected to   and Marseilles.  The difficulty lies in
this treatment the fluid degenerates into  this,-our vine growers are afraid of a
a sort of vinous grog, and its peculiar  hard, dry wine,-because popular taste
character as a wine is almost entirely  so far (especially in the rural districts)
lost. Still, in spite of this, it has an   has been corrupted by the sweetened,
aroma which is somewhat grateful. This  sophisticated, poorest class of imported
mistake must be rectified, as a larger ex-  wines, the sweet malagas, and pure juice
perience obtains among our vine-dressers  ports, that are current in every country
of the South; let us look into the mat-  town.  Pure, wholesome wines never
ter a little closer.                     are, and never should be, sweet; a glass
That species of the muscadine, called   of syrup is no refreshment for a laborer,
the Scuppernong, is a very sweet grape,  it is a miserable solace for the student.
but sweet grapes are often wanting in   and as a daily beverage for anybody, aosaccharine matter.  For a familiar in-  tually repulsive; and as we are looking
stance, take the Catawba and Isabella  forward to the period when our wine




616                              American Wines.                                [Dec.
shall be used, not only at weddings,   grape culture in this State would present
merry-makings, balls, and dinners, but   an imposing array of figures.
as the common drink for all classes of         We have already seen specimens of
people, we should define now  and here,   native vines of Virginia, of excellent
that by " WINES," we mean the pure, fer-   quality.  The Catawba there is an abunmented juice of the grape, without the   dant bearer, and the wine made from it
admixture of anything else whatsoever.*   essentially different from  that of Ohio.
That the Scuppernong is a hard, dry   The climate of this State would seemn to
wine, when made without sugar, is doubt-   be peculiarly adapted for the purpose,
less true; but the question is, " what cha-   and the wild and waste land might be
racter will this very wine assume when   turned to profitable account in the promellowed by age?"'  The Sercial, the   duction of vines. To Virginia we are inking of Madeiras, is as harsh, austere,   debted for many species already popular,
and repulsive, for the first few years, as   among which, we may instance "Nora blue-nosed presbyterian elder, fresh   ton's Seedling," the " Woodson," and
from the synod, nor is it drinkable until   " Cunningham."  Here, too, the Bland
age has corrected  the acerbity of its   grape grows abundantly, under the name
temper-but what then?   Then it be-   of the Virginia Muscadel.  In Maryland
comes one of the most exquisite fluids   and Delaware, also, a variety of native
in the world, and commands a price   grapes are cultivated, some of extrasuperior, in  some  instances, to  any   ordinary,; aductiveness. One vine raised
known wine, with the exception of Im-   by Mr. Willis (near Baltimore), in 1832,
perial Tokay.  The real merits of thle   yielded tw enty five thousand bunches;
native wine of North  Carolina, then,   and in the following year, Messrs. C. M.
still need development; age and proper   Bromwell and R. Monkland certify, " that
treatment must, in time, produce some-   they cournted upon it, fifty-four thousand
thing; for the Scuppernong is not desti-  four hundred and ninety bunches, omittute of delicate aroma, an  important   ting smnall and young ones, which would
quality, indeed.  The mode of culture   have added, at least, three thousand
is peculiar-the vines (layers, not cut-   more." t   Why Messrs. Bromwell and
tings), are planted one  hundred  feet   Monkland could not wait till the young
apart, the main branch-es have space to   ones grew  up, is a question.  To leave
run fifty feet each way, at right angles   three thousand bunches out of the tally,
from the centre, before Ineeting.  Each   because they were small and green, is
vine may be represented thus + the la-   an insult to Young America.
terals interlacing over head and forming       That part of the United States bea canopy.  The  branchles  are  never   tween the thirty-eighth and forty-fourth
pruned, as it is said, "the vine would   parallels of latitude, so far, is entitled
bleed to death."  Like the vines in Loin-   to the supremacy in grape culture.  Albardy, these are high trained (haut tige),  ready the wines of Ohio and Missouri
the  lowest branches being eight feet   begin to supplant the imported lRhine
above, and parallel with  the ground.   and  Champagne wines here, even  at
The yield is lnost abundant; a single  the samne prices.  Terraces rise above
vine often bearing tllousands of bunches;  terraces on the  hillsides of the Olhio
the berries small, and but few  to the   river, and the red bluffs begin to disapbunch.  Instances have been cited of   pear beneath masses of vine foliage and
single ones yielding enough grapes to   purple clusters of fruit. In Pennsylvania,
make several barrels of wine, and cover-   at the end of the last century, an assoing two  and a half acres of ground.   ciation was formed for the purpose of
We have no data to estimate the yearly   cultivating the  grape, for wine, and
produce of these vines, neither thle quan-   vineyards  were established at S)rlilng
tity  nor value; but we are well con-   Mill, under the superintendence of Mr.
vinced that even now  the statistics of   Peter Legoux.   This was  a  failure:
* "Be assured," says President Jefferson, in a letter to Major Adlum, April 20, 1810, " that there is never
one atom of anything whatever, put into any of the good wines of France. I name that country, because
I can vouch the fact from the assurance to myself, of the vignerons of all the best wine cantons of that
country, which I visited myself."
t At Mr. Weller's vineyard, about eighteen miles from Wilmington, N. C., two gentlemen (Mr. J. R. Reston
and another), made an estimate of the produce of two vines. They laid out a square by measure, and
picked the grapes within it, and by taking the number of square yards of the entire space occupied by the
vines, they were able to tell from the quantity gathered in the square, that the two vines would yield one
hundred and fifty barrels of grapes. Taking the weight of a barrel at 200 lbs. this would amount to 15,000
pounds each vine, or seame and a half tons I




1854.]                       American Wines.                             617
foreign wines were tried and abandoned,  Isabella and Catawba, still and sparkand finally the wild grape called the  ling.  The last grape is the favorite
Schuylkill Muscadel met with temporary  there, as it is also in Kentucky and Tensuccess. It was only pro tempore, how-  nessee. In St. Louis, the native wines
ever, and the failure of that vineyard  are rapidly supplanting the foreign, esthrew  a broad-brimmed shadow  over  pecially the sparkling kinds: at the
similar enterprises thenceforward.  But  hotels there the majority of wines on
the vine begins to flourish again in the  the tables are of home production.
land of drab, and we presume by and       Now, good friend, if you are tired
by Pennsylvania will not be behind the   with our long itinerary, take this cool,
rest of the middle States.              green glass, and reach yonder long-necked
In our own State there is already   amber-colored, Rhenish-looking flask, if
much  wine made from  the Isabella  you be a hock drinker; or, if not, let us
grape,-in Orange county; in Columbia  cut the cords around this other cork, for
county, among the shakers; and on the  the luscious fluid confined within the
banks of the Hudson, in the neighbor-  fair, round bottle, hath that propulsive
hood of the city. We have tried many   spirit it must needs be imprisoned, and
of these wines, and although want of  held with ligatures of flax and wire.
experience, and improper treatment is  You will try the first?  Aha! you like
manifest, yet there is sufficient merit in  it, do you?   Compare it with this
them, to insure us in the prJdiction   Rudesheimer, the "Berg" of 1846. Is
" that the grape culture will soon prove  not the aroma of the last the most agreeto be one of the most valuableJib74ds for  able?  You think not?  That smack of
enterprise ever presented to the people of  the lips speaks loudly in favor of the
the State of 1New York."  Here is the   other; and what think you of its faresoil, here the climate for the Isabella; as  well taste-the arrietre golt?  " Fine,"
Ohio is to the Catawba, so will this  you say, " and delicate, and leaves the
State be to this grape.  Here, too, is  mouth sweet and cool."  "Which do
the market, so that the cost of transport-  you prefer?"  "The first," you say?
ation will be trifling, and the day may   Bravo for Catawba!   Good  friend
not be far off when ships shall lay beside   surprised holds forth his empty glass,
the rich  vineyards on the Hudson's  and says, "You don't say so?"  We fill
banks, to receive the golden fraughtage   it, and repeat that it is true.  Good
for distant Europe.                    friend, much animated, " Why, when I
In New Jersey the vine has been cul-  was in Cologne I paid twenty florins for
tivated for many years, especially in the   a bottle of Metternich Schloss Johannesneighborhood of Burlington. The soil  berger, and  although it was an old
of some parts of this State is peculiarly   wine, and had the arms of the prince on
adapted for this purpose, and we may  the seal, yet, to my taste, this wine aphope hereafter for better wines than   pears even better than that."  (We set
those she now furnishes under a variety  forth fair champagne glasses, and cut the
of foreign brands. Still further west we  strings of a bottle of different shape.)
find that Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan   "Try this" (good friend tastes).  " By
are improving the hint given by Ohio;  the moist, purple globules of Bacchus's
in fact, Indiana must be recognized as  great plant, this is delicious! (he drinks).
one of the pioneers; for, in the begin-  What is it?"  We answer, "Isabella."
ning of this century, the most consider-  (Good friend, watching the sparkles
able quantity of native wine made in the   with the glass up to his eve)-" Not our
United States was from  the Cape or  Isabella?"  We reply in the affirmative.
Schuylkill grape, of Vevay, Switzerland   " And where in the name of roses and
county, Indiana.                       raspberries was it vintaged?"   We
Missouri already ventures to contest  answer, "Cincinnati."   "Not in the
the palm with Ohio. In 1852, the vine-  city?"   We respond, "The wine is
yards at Hermann embraced some forty   made and the grapes grown within the
or fifty acres only, and this year, we are  corporate limits of that celebrated westinformed that no less than five hundred   ern town."  (Good friend, anxiously)are under cultivation there, besides many   "Proceed with the itinerary."
other vineyards in the interior of this    To Ohio the praise belongs of first prothriving State. At the Crystal Palace   ducing a pure native wine, of great merit.
exhibition, in New York, six prizes were   Patient, careful cultivation of the fruit,
awarded to vine growers of Missouri for   with judicious management of the fersamples of superior native wines, both   mented  juice  afterwards, is always
vOL. Iv.-40




618                            American tWines.                           [Dec.
necessary in the production of a fine   so convinced of its value as a wine
wine; and this union of scientific cul-  grape, that he sent some of the slips to
tnre with scientific treatment had never   Mr. Longworth, with a letter, saying,
been brought to perfection until the   " I have done my country a greater servine-dressers of Ohio set the example.  vice by introducing this grape to public
And  first and foremost among these   notice than I would have done if I had
stands Nicholas Longworth, as he is  paid the national debt."  Adlum  paid
familiarly termed there, " The father of   the debt of nature soon after, but the
grape culture in the West." It is not  slips fell into good hands.  For nearly
alone by years of patient investigation;   thirty years, with patient perseverance
it is not alone by the success which has  these grapes were nurtured by Mr. Longfollowed those efforts; it is not by the   worth, until the hour has arrived when
vast variety of experiments he has tried,  the prophecy of Major Adlum seems cer7,
and by the untiring energy which, in  tain  of fulfillnent.   Thirty years of
spite of numberless disappointments,  patient labor; thirty years of unfaltering
still survived and triumphed over every  faith; thirty years of man's life; what
defeat, that he has won this title from    a span it is! stretching from  hopeful
his fellow-citizens.  But it was because   youth to hoary age; a long while, my
every effort and every experiment was   good friiend, to look forward to, a long
for the benefit of all; because, with   way to look back. In the thirty years
him, the success of grape culture in this  to come we may have occasion to thank
country was paramount to personal con-  these  pioneers-we  may see greater
siderations; because, by every means,  results than either of them  dreamed
he spread as widely as possible the re-  of.
sults of his investigations and labors, so  The Isabella grape was first introduced
that the young vine planter of to-day  to notice by Mr. George Gibbs, of Brookmight stand upon even ground with  lyn, L.I. The slips were brought from
himself, the veteran of nearly half a cen-  North Carolina by Mrs. Gibbs, his wife,
tury's experience. Adlum and Dufour   and the vine, in compliment to her, was
predicted the success of grape culture   named the "Isabella."   Originally it
in the United States, but Longworth,  was called the "'Laspeyre grape," Mr.
their contemporary, lived to see the pre-   Bernard  Laspeyre, who resided near
diction verified, and mainly by his per-   Wilmington, N.C., having the parent
sonal exertions. Would that all patriots  vine from  whence these slips were dewere so rewarded.                       rived. By him it was supposed to be a
The two principal wine grapes of Ohio  foreign grape, but all scientific writers
are the Catawba and the Isabella; the   on vines in this country assert that the
first, however, in the proportion of   species, in a wild state, is quite common,
twenty to one.  Both are natives of   and  is unquestionably an indigenous
North Carolina.  The first was found   production of the United States.  Of
and noticed merely as a wild grape, in  these two grapes the best wines are
the year 1802, by Colonel Murray and   made in Ohio. We may also mention
others, in Buncombe  county, North  that the " Herbemont," another variety
Carolina.*   There it reposed for up-   of "the natives," produces an extraordiwards of twenty years without attract-  nary fine wine, the flavor being like the
ing attention, and so would have re-  purest Amontillado, and essentially difmained probably until now, had not its  ferent from the other two.  Heretofore
merits been discovered by Major John   the demand for home consumption has
Adlum, of Georgetown, N.C., in  or  prevented the shipment of these wines
about the year 1826. Major Adlum, an   east of the mountains; but, by the inofficer of the Revolution, formerly sur-  crease of vineyards in Ohio and elseveyor-general of Pennsylvania, was a   where, a limited quantity is now being
great cultivator of the grape, and de-  sent to this city and to Philadelphia.t
voted the last years of his life to that   An estimate of the entire wine crop of
purpose. In the course of his experi-   Ohio has not yet been made. Within a
ments with native vines, lie found this  circle of twenty miles around Cincinnati
one in  the garden of a German at  there were raised in
Georgetown, and, after a fair trial, was
* Buchanan.
t The Isabella and Catawba wines of N. Longworth were first introduced in New York in May, 1852, by
MIr. F. S. Cozzens.




1854.]                      Living in the Country.                            619
1848,.....    S4,000 gallons.    Thus, it will be seen, that the most
1849, (the worst year for rot ever.
known there),          36..,000  expensive wine in Europe, the "Tokay,"
1852,...           125,000        is also the lowest in alcoholic per cent1853...    40,000  "     age. But, we find, by the analysis of
This year, on account of the severe   our good friend Dr. Chilton, that " Still
cold weather in the  spring, and  tile   Catawba," shows a per centage of 9.50
hleavy, long, continuous rains, the crop   only, being, in fact, the lowest per centwill be a short one; but new  vineyards   age of spirit to be found in any wine in
are multiplying, and, if this year does  the world.
not promise so well as the last, yet, from  One more fact in passing.  By the
the increased number of cultivators, there   Patent Office Report for the year 1853,
must be a continually increasing yield of   it is stated that the value of American
iwine, as there certainly is a constantly   wines exceeds that of the Tobacco crop.
increasing demand for it.
n  comparing tese wines with those   Value of wines grown in the United States $2,000,000
In comparing these wines with those       Cc Tobacco....              1,990,000
of Europe, we must bear in mind that
they are distinct in flavor from  any or    This is surprising, indeed.  But staall of them.  Sparkling Catawba is not  tistics are always surprising.
Champagne, nor can Isabella be com-         We could pursue this subject for a
pared with any other wine known in the   page or two more, but the wine tide is
world.  It is a peculiarity of these wines,  at ebb in the bottle.  We did intend to
that no spurious compound can be made   speak of the late Col. Alden Spooner,
to imitate them, and in purity and deli-  formerly editor, in fact first editor, of
cacy, there is no no known wine to equal  the Long Island Star; a man of many
them.  From  the experiments made by   virtues, and one who was zealous in ineminent chemists, we find the per cent-  troducing the grape in the Empire State.
age of alcohol ranks thus, according to   We did intend to speak of a gentleman
Brande, and others:                       of Ohio, Mr. Robert Buchanan, to whom
we are indebted for much information
Madeiras.                    22.27
Ports,...    22.96      on this subject.  We did intend to speak
Sherries,...         19.1      of other eminent vine-growers, including
clarets,...   7.11
Sauternes,                   14.22     our own Dr. R. T. Underhill, of Croton
Burgundies,...-.       14.57     Point, but there is a time to squeeze
Hock and Rhine wines,        12.08     grapes, and a time to squeeze hands, and
Champagne...12.01
Tokay.                        9.85     SO, reader,-vale 
LIVING IN THE COUNTRY.
MRS. SPARROWGRASS and I have   From nature's old cathedral sweetly ring
M     concluded to try it once more: we   The wild bird choirs-burst of the woodland band,
are going to give the country another                   -who mid the blossoms sing;
chfance. After all, birds in the spring   Their leafy temple, gloomy, tall, and grand,
chance.IAfter all, birdsinthePillared with oaks and roofed with heaven's own
are lovely. First, come little snow-birds,       hand."
avant-courriers of the feathered army;
then, blue-birds, in  national uniforms,   There, there, that is Mario.  Hear that
just graduated, perhaps, from the orni-   magnificent chest note from the chesnuts!
thological corps of cadets, with high   then a crescendo, falling in silencehonors in the topographical class; then   d-2plomb!
follows a detachment of flying artillery     Hush! he begins again with a low,
-swallows; sand-martens, sappers and   liquid, monotone, mounting by degrees
miners, begin their mines and counter-   and swelling into an infinitude of melody
mines under the sandy parapets; then   -the whole grove dilating, as it were,
cedar birds, in trim jackets faced with   with the exquisite epitllalamium.
yellow,-aha, dragoons!  And then the         Silence nowy,-and how still!
gr'eat rank and file of infantry, robins,   Hush! the musical monologue begins
wrens, sparrows, chipping birds; and   anew; up, up, into the tree-tops it mounts,
lastly-the band!                          fairly lifting the leaves with its passion



620                       Lieing in, the Country.                    [Dec.
ate effluence, it thrills through the upper  creature came back in less than an
branches,-and then, dripping through   honr, —that dog's smell was remarkthe listening foliage, in a cadenza of  able indeed.
matchless beauty, subsides into silence  I have bought me a fyke! A fyke is
again.                                 a good thing to have in the country. A
"That's a he cat-bird," says my car-  fyke is a fish-net with long wings on
penter.                                each side; in shape like a night-cap with
A cat-bird? Then Shakespeare and   ear-lappets; in mechanism  like a ratShelly have wasted powder upon the  trap. You put a stake at the tip end of
sky-lark; for never such " profuse strains  the night-cap, a stake at each of the outof unpremeditated art" issued from living  spread lappets; there are large hoops to
bird before.  Sky-lark! pooh!  who  keep the night-cap distended, sinkers to
would rise at dawn to hear the sky-lark,  keep the lower sides of the lappets under
if a cat-bird were about, after break-  water, and floats, as large as muskfast?                                  melons, to keep the upper sides above
I have bought a boat. A boat is a  water.  The stupid fish come down
good thing to have in the country, espe-  stream, and rubbing their noses against
cially if there be any water near. There  the wings, follow the curve towards the
is a fine beach in front of my house.  fyke, and swim into the trap. When
When visitors come, I usually propose to  they get in they cannot get out. That
give them a row. I go down-and find  is the philosophy of a fyke. I bought
the boat full of water; then I send to the  one of Conroy. " Now," said I to Mrs.
house for a dipper; and prepare to bail;  Sparrowgrass, "we shall have fresh fish,
and, what with bailing and swabbing her  to-morrow, for breakfast;" and went
with a mop, and plugging up the cracks  out to set it. I drove the stakes in
in her sides, and struggling to get the  the mud, spread the fyke in the boat,
rudder in its place, and unlocking the  tied the end of one wing, and cast
rusty padlock, my strength is so much  the whole into the water.  The tide
exhausted, that it is impossible for me to  carried it out in a straight line. I got
handle the oars. Meanwhile, the poor  the loose end fastened to the boat and
guests sit on stones around the beach,  found it impossible to row back against
with woe-begone faces.  "My dear,"  the tide with the fyke. I then untied it,
says Mrs. Sparrowgrass, "why don't you   and it went down stream, stake and all.
e;ll that boat?"                     I got it into the boat, rowed up, and set
"Sell it? ha! ha!"                  the stake again. Then I tied one end,
One day, a Quaker lady from Philadel-  and got out of the boat myself, in shoal
phia, paid us a visit. She was uncom-  water. Then the boat got away in deep
monly dignified, and walked down to the   water; then I had to swim for the boat.
water in the most stately manner, as is  Then I rowed back and untied the fyke.
customary with the Friends. It was just  Then the fyke got away. Then I jumped
twilight, deepening into darkness, when   out of the boat to save the fyke, and the
I set about preparing the boat.  Mean-  boat got away. Then I had to swim
while our friend seated herself upon   again after the boat, and row after the
something on the beach. While I was  fyke, and finally was glad to get my net
engaged in bailing, the wind shifted, and   on dry land, where I left it for a week in
I was sensible of an unpleasant odor;  the sun. Then I hired a man to set it,
afraid that our Friend would perceive it  and he did; but lie said it was " rotted."
too, I whispered Mrs. Sparrowgrss to   Nevertheless, in it I caught two small
coax her off, and get her further up the  flounders and an eel. At last, a brace of
beach.                                Irishmen came down to my beach for a
I' Thank thee, no, Susan, I feel a smell  swim at high tide. One of them, a stout
hlereabout, and I am better where  I  athletic fellow, after performing sundry
amI."                                 aquatic gymnastics, dived under and disMars. S. came back and whispered   appeared for a fearful length of time.
mys teriously, that our friend was sitting   The truth is, he had dived into my net.
(,l a dead dog, at which I redoubled the  After much turmoil in the water, he
baliling and got her out in deep water as  rose to the surface with the filaments
soon as possible.                     hanging over his head, and cried out, as
Do)gs have a remarkable scent.  A   if he had found a bird's nest. —"I say,
dzad setter one morning found his way  Jimmy! be gorra here's a foike!" That
to; ctar beach, and I towed him out in the  unfeeling exclamation to Jimmy, who
middle of the river; but the faithful  was not the owner of the net, made me




1854.]                    Living in the Country.                        621
alniost wish  that it had not been   For my part, I'd rather have my young
"rotted."                              trees chawed than not. I think it makes
We are worried about our cucumbers.'em grow a leetle better. I can't do it
Mrs. S. is fond of cucumbers, so I planted   with mine, but you can, because you
enough for ten families. The more they   can wait to have good trees, and the
are picked the faster they grow; and if  only way to have good trees is to have
you do not pick them they turn yellow,'em chawed."
and  look ugly.   Our neighbor has    I think Mrs. Sparrowgrass is much imnplenty, too. He sent us some one morn-  proved by living in the country. The
ing, by way of a present. What to do  air has done her good. The roses again
with them we did not know, with so  bloom in her cheeks, as well as freckles,
many of our own. To give them away   big as butter cups. When I come home
was not polite, to throw them away was  in the evening from town, and see her
sinful, to eat them was impossible. Mrs.  with a dress of white dimity, set off
S. said, " save them for seed." So we did.  by a dark silk apron, with tasfeful pockNext day our neighbor sent us a dozen   ets, and a little fly-away cap on the back
more. We thanked the messenger grim-  of her head, she does look bewitching.
ly, and took themn in.  Next morning,  " My dear," said Mrs. Sparrowgrass, one
anothor dozen came. It was getting to  evening at tea, "what am I?"
be a serious matter; so I rose betimes    The question tcok me at an unguarded
the next morning, and when my neigh-  mnoment, and I almost answered, "A
bor's cucumbers came, I filled his man's  beauty;" but we had company, so I said,
basket with some of my own by way of  with a blush, "a female, I believe."
exchange. This bit of pleasantry was     "Nonsense," she replied, with a toss
resented by my neighbor, who told his  of the "know-nothing" cap; "nonsense;
man to throw them to the hogs. this  I mean this;-when I was in Philadelman told our girl, and our girl told Mrs.  phia I was a Philadelphian; when in
S., and in consequence, all intimacy   New York, a New Yorker; now we live
between the two families has ceased;  in Yonkers, and what am I "
the ladies do not speak even at church.  "That," said I, "is a question more
We have another neighbor whose  easily  asked than answered.   Now,
name is Bates; he keeps cows. This' Yonker,' in its primary significance,
year our gate has been fixed; but my   means the eldest son, the heir of the
young peach trees, near the fences, are  estate, and'Yonker's' is used in the posaccessible from the road; and Bates's  sessive sense, meaning ithe Yonker's,' or
cows walk along that road morning and  the heir's estate. If, for instance, you
evening. The sound of a cow bell is  were the owner of the town, you might
pleasant in the twilight.  Sometimes,  with propriety be called the Yonkeress."
after dark, we hear the mysterious cur-    Mrs. Sparrowgrass said she would as
few tolling along the road, and then,  soon be called a tigress!
with a louder peal, it stops before the  "Take," said I, "the names of the
fence, and again tolls itself off in the  places on the Hudson, and your sex
distance. The result is, my peach trees  makes no difference in regard to the
are as bare as bean-poles. One day, I  designation you would derive from a
saw  Mr. Bates walking along, and I  locality. If, for instance, you lived at
hailed him: ":Bates, those are your cows  Spuyten Devil, you would be called a
there, I believe."  "Yes, sir,-nice ones  Spuyten Deviller!"
ain't they?"  "Yes," I replied, "they    Mrs. Sparrowgrass said nothing would
are nice ones. Do you see that tree  tempt her to live at Spuyten Devil.
there?" and I pointed to a thrifty peach,    " Then," I continued, " there is Tulliwith about as many leaves as an explo-  tudlem-you'd be a Tillietudlemer."
ded sky-rocket.  "Yes, sir."'VWell,    Mrs. Sparrowgrass said, that in her
Bates, that red-and-white cow of yours,  present frame of mind she didn't think
yonder, eat the top off that tree; I saw   she would submit to it.
her do it."  Then I thought I had made   "At Sing Sing, you would be a Sing
Bates ashamed  of himself, and  had   Singer; at Sleepy Hollow, a Sleepy
wounded his feelings, perhaps too much.  Hollower." —
I was afraid he would offer me money     Mrs. Sparrowgrass said this was worse
for the tree, which I made up my mind   than any of the others.
to decline at once.  "Sparrowgrass,"     "At Nyack, a Nyackian; at Dobb's
said he, "It don't hurt a tree a single  Ferry, a Dobb's Ferryer." —
mossel to chaw it, ef it's a young tree.    Mrs. Sparrowgrass said that any per



622                  Forty Days in a Wfrestern Hotel.                 [Dec.
son who would call her a " Dobb's Fer-   " A what?"
ryer," was destitute of a proper sense of  "A Ford-hammer."
respect.                                 Mrs. Sparrowgrass said she thought
"t You might be a Weehawkite, a Car-  at first I was getting profane. " But,"
mansvillan, a Tubby Hooker."-          she added, "you do not answer my quesMrs. Sparrowgrass, quite warm and  tion. I live at Yonkers, and what am
indignant, denied it.                  I "
" A Tarrytownian-a Riverdalean."       "That," said I, " Mrs. Sparrowgrass is
Mrs. Sparrowgrass said she thought a   a question I cannot answer, but I will
village on the tip-top of a hill could not  make it a public matter through the
be called River-dale with any show of   pages of Putnam."
reason.                                  " What is the proper local or geogra" A  Simpson's  Pointer-a  Ford-  phical appellation by which an inhabithanmmner."                             ant of Yonkers should be known?"
FORTY DAYS IN A WESTERN HOTEL.
Y OU have walked backwards and for-  been smitten by the rod of an angel from
wards in Broadway, said I to myself,  heaven.  The very first full-blown orone fine May day, until your head is full  chard brought the whole troup of my
of bricks, and your heart no better than   youthful feelings rushing back. As the
one of its paving stones. Away! You   butterfly feels, when the bands of the
have in your pocket a complimentary  chrysalis are broken, and its bespangled
ticket, which will mnake every railway   wings are, for the first time. spread to
conductor between New York and the  the sun, so did I seem to rise into a
Mississippi take off his hat to you; and   higher life as the flying train left the
firom Rock Island you shall be steamed  city and its cares behind, and conveyed
up the graceful windings of the upper  me into the heart of the country and of
Mississippi to the Falls of St. Anthony,  nature.
scot free, and found in claret. There    It is an exhilarating sensation when
you shall stand exulting by the side of  the burden of accustomed cares is unthe Laughing, Waters, and look out upon  loosed from the back, and one sets out,
that sea of prairies, which rolls its waves  at least one friend in company, on a
even to the foot of the Rocky Mountains.  journey to places far off, and never beThis homily produced its desired ef-  fore visited. The commencement of the
feet. The very next morning I took   voyage to sea, is no doubt the most stirmy seat in the train for Dunkirk, con-  ring. The weighing of the anchor, the
soling myself, at leaving the dear city,  spreading of canvas, the graceful dropwith a large supply of the morning   ping down the tide, the standing out to
papers. But at the sight of the very  sea, until native land is lost to the
first green field, I opened the window   sight. Who can ever forget his first
and threw  out my newspapers. How   launch  upon  this illimitable ocean?
could he have had the the heart to say   The start by stage-coach, too, in the
it?-" All green fields are alike, sir; let  days of those social vehicles, was an
us take a walk down Fleet street."  It  event which sent a pleasing thrill to the
was because he was a great writer of  heart. The sounding call of the coachprose, and no poet, the London-loving   man's horn, as he approached your dwelDr. Samuel Johnson. But let lexico-  ling, followed by the rattling of the
graphers and cockneys go melancholy  coming wheels, the salutations of fellow
at the sight of green fields —not I. The  travellers as you took your seat, the
ploughshare in  the greensward, the   smart dashing down the court yard,
hand of the sower scattering seed, the   with cracking whip and leaders pranspringing corn, the budding clover, the   cing, while you waved farewells out of
promises of the spring ready on every  the window, to the little group left
hand to burst into the flowers of sum-  behind-these are among the poetical
mrer-these rural sights broke up the  recollections of the past. Then, there
fountains of my heart, as if its rock had   was the go-off in the old family coach,




1854.1                Forty Days in a Western Hotel.                       623
its pockets well stuffed with the little   graces the banks of the Hudson, will
necessaries and comforts of travel, its  also soon enliven and beautify those of
seats delighltfully piled up with coats  the scarcely less picturesque Delaware
and shawls, and books and presents for   and Susquehanna. For myself, I have
your cousins, and the iron-bound ances-  already a chateau in that Spain.
tral trunk, well fastened on behind; the   On arriving at Hornellsville, I obpride of Cuffy as he took in hand the   served that Apollo was just in the act
ribbons; the pleased curiosity of do-   of pulling up his studs on the horizon;
mestics gathered around to witness the   and I resolved, imitating his example,
departure; the last words with friends,  to let my own axles cool until morning.
repeated o'er and o'er again-this was   I had done about as good a day's work
one of the gently heart-touching occa-  as the god himself, having placed some
sions of the olden time. But the new   three or four hundred miles between
fashioned way of setting off by rail-    me and the smell of salt water. Pleased
is there no poetry in that?  Yes. The   at so great a result, at the cost of so
thought that in a few brief hours, you,  little personal exertion, I good-naturedly
who are leaving the ocean side, will  allowed myself to be carried off by a
stand on the shores of our great inland   big Sambo, with the name of some now
seas, and will look out upon the level  forgotten hotel on his hat band, and
horizon of the prairies, and will drink   who was the  only representative  at
the waters of the Mississippi-this, too,  Hornellsville of that interesting class of
has in it the element of sentiment. The   fellow-citizens, who usually stand at the
feeling of mastering the powers of na-  railway stations to welcome the traveller
ture, and yoking them  to your chariot  to the hospitalities of their respective
wheels, of annihilating  distance  and   lodging-houses.  Sambo was a good-nafilling a very brief span of time with  tured fellow  himself, and a fat one;
the sight of scenes and prospects innume-   but he promised more than he could
rable, gives a sense of wings to the mind,  perform.  His beds were clean, and his
and realizes the old fable of the flying   supper hot —-as he asseverated.  But
feet of the messenger of the gods.       when  promise  came to  performance.,
How pleasantly did I feel this, as the   there was a sad falling off. It took as
train swept through  the picturesque   much financiering on my part, to exvalleys of the Delaware and the Sus-  tract a pair of clean sheets from Sambo'squellhanna! My eyes, which had become   mistress, as would have sufficed to "lift
dulled by the city, brick, and brown   a fancy " in Wall street. As the traveller
stone, were enamored of the landscape.  leaves the seaboard, his bed-linen beThe winding rivers and sloping hills, the   comes more and more suspicious, until
cultivated  vales and  the far-reaching   in tile very far West it is found in such a
forests were beautiful as enchantment.  condition, that any allusion to it is taken
Half a century hence, there will be no   by the host as a personal insult.  " Capsweeter spots in the Tyrol, than in these  tain, can't you give me a clean towel?"
mnountains.  When the fields, now rough   inquired a passenger recently on board
with the remains of the original forests,  a Mississippi steamer.  "Go to h-,
shall be smoothed to lawns; when the   stranger. Fifty people have used that
woods shpll only tuft here and there the   towl, and you are the first man I have
hill-tops, or be confined in parks, or left  heard complain of it."  So any faultto stretch in vistas to the distant horizon;  finding with respect to sheets, would be
when vine-draped villas shall overlook   followed instantly by the request for
the river reaches, and farm  cottages   you to seek lodgings elsewhere. Howshall nestle in every nook of these low   ever, this happens on the other side of
mountain  ranges, the landscapes will  the Mississippi, not at Hornellsville. As
vie in beauty with those most praised   for supper, at this place, happy is the
by the lyres of Wordsworth or of Scott.  traveller who  can  make a meal on
Wise is that young pater-famnilias and   roasted potatoes.  They are good at
founder of a long line of posterity, who   Hornellsville, as both my morning and
betimes, selects the site for his villa in one   evening experience enables me to testify.
of these vales. It is but a few hours fiom    They'Ire so good that I would advise
New York; and before the end of the   the traveller to eat nothing else there.
day and generation that now  is, the   And surely a large mealy potato should
lovers of rural beauty will be attracted   suffice to stop the mouth of complaint
to these graceful slopes and commanding   anywhere.  It has kept many a poor
hill-tops.  The social life which now   Pat from  starvation, and may do the




624                   Forty Days in a Western Hiotel.                     [Dec.
wayfarer at IIornellsville the same sub-  fashion, but dresses himself in the linseystantial service.                        woolseys of the slop-shops.  No buff
At Cleveland, my hotel was better;  flaunts from  his vest; no gilt shines
and having, unfortunately, been con-   on his buttons; his hat is worn as square
filed to hotels nearly all the time I spent  on his head as a Quaker's.  Instead of
at the West, it is proper that my re-  naturally falling lips, he wears his mouth
marks should not go far beyond them.  pursed up. His foot loses something of
But I must confess that my mind was  its spread, and the principal protubeless impressed by the guests of the house  rance of his person is less amply rounded
than by its waiterdom. For while the   out.  The change is lamentable, and
true western man scarcely begins to ap-  shows the effect of freedom on the Afripear so far east as Cleveland, the west-  can to be just about the same as civilizaern negro is here seen in his perfection.  tion and whisky on the Indian.  The
He is sui generis; and a very different  picturesqueness of his character gone,
fellow fiom his type in th e Old Dominion.  and his spirit sunk within him, his skin
The Virginia "boy" belongs to a master,  might just as well be white; and were
whom it is his pride to resemble as far  the mulatto tint entirely exhausted, the
as a black man can a white one.  He   face of society would lose a variety of
affects the samne air and carriage.  He   aspect scarcely worth preserving.
has the same hitch in his gait, and the    Still, at the table, la grande manie're
same twist in his neck. His hat has the  is so natural to the negro waiter, that
same cock to it. To make the resem-  even in the West he cannot divest himblance stillmore perfect, he sports himself  self of all his good-natured pomposity.
in his master's cast-off clothes.  On oc-  The honor of serving a gentleman from
casions, he even contrives to put on his   "York city" carries him  back for the
master's very best coat, and goes to   moment to Old Virginny, and distends
meeting or a breakdown in it. His cra-  his breast with a degree of that hauteur
vat may have been dyed redder.  His  he felt when a member of one of its
shirt collar may cut a trifle sharper   "first families."  He puts on his lost
under the ears, and his kerchief hang a   graces. His lips swell with smiles. He
little lower out of his coat pocket. To   protrudes his posterior.  With  head
wear his master's gloves, too, would be  thrown back, chest forward, and feet
to split them; nor would there be heel-  turned out as square as he can get them,
room enough in his pumps to make them    he does the honors of the table with
of any service. But take him all in all,  characteristic grace and bombast.
he is massa done in charcoal, and not a    " Have a French roll, sir?"
bad likeness.                              "A what-did you say?"
But the Cleveland darkey, poor fel-      "Very nice French roll, sir!"
low, has no master to copy from.  Hie      The words made on my mind an imlacks a beau-ideal. In himself merely   pression similar to that produced by a
he takes no pride; sees nothing to ex-  sudden rumbling in the ears.  On recocite his admiration.  He is a free nig-  vering my slightly disturbed equilibrium,
ger, and that's all. The western man,  I asked myself, " Am  I not then in
having none of the air of a grand seignior  Cleveland? and is not this Ohio-baked
in Virginia about him, furnishes little  bread, with treacle in it?"
that suits the negro's taste to imitate.   Oh, that black barbarian!  couldst
T'he result is a general letting down of  thou not have spared me that recollechis aspirations and manners. The black   tion of the Palais Royal?  Thou woollyman one meets in the streets of Cleve-  head, thou'rt no garpon chez Very. Won
land is as humdrum as the white one.  dieu! no! The roll of the banjo is the
He has no style. He has not the haut  only roll you have any true knowledge
ton of a negro belonging to a gentleman.  of. Where is thy clean apron? Where is
The fine dash of Virginia upper Cuffy-  thy napkin? Where are thy ready wits
dom, it is gone, gone for ever. Sambo   and foresight, anticipating the wants of
has settled down into a simple bourgeois,  the diner from  the very shape of his
and doffecl the colonel. His nose may   mouth and the pucker. of his lips? Thou
be coal black still, but with less of the   hast a greasy jacket; thy cravat is a
natural scent about it. The blaze of his  faded blaze; thy lips have no wit in
cravat has nearly gone out. If still a   them; and thy rolls are not French.
red or yellow,'tis dull and ineffectual.    It is bad enough to be obliged to diHe does not any longer wear cast-off   gest such bread, without being told that
broadcloth, originally cut by a tailor of  it is French. The cook has put treacle




1854.]               Forty Days ina  iW estcrn ]Hotel.                   625
into it to coax it down your throat by   Indians, knapsacks and camp blankets
this sweet persuasive.   And, indeed,  which had served to transport goldthis gilding of the pill succeeds in most  dust, pork and molasses, relieve the mocases well enough.  The biscuits are  notony of gents and ladies, all in the last
tossed off so rapidly by the guests, that  New York fashions. But when it comes
the cook, in his hurry to supply the de-  to  the tobacco  spitting, the  apple
mand, does not take more than half the  parings, the feet over the sofa-backs,
needful time to  bake them.  Slack-  then I beg for an European coup6, and
baked, but sweet, and all the doctors  all the American fair, 1 am sure, will be
say, God speed them!                  of my opinion.
But to go on to Chicago-our large      A change of " cars " brought me to
railway "cars," in which fifty or sixty   Chicago. But I could not leave them
persons sit together, are constructed on   without making another reflection of
the democratic principle, and are there-  an aspect somewhat unpatriotic.  My
fore  not be spoken  against.  Still,  excuse is, that it was forced  upon
if it could be done without causing the   my mind  by the  circumstances in
immaculateness of my republicanism to   which I happened to be placed.  Bebe called in question, I would say, that  fore me sat a French family, appafor myself I prefer the smaller carriages  rently going to seek a new  home in
of the European aristocrats.  On their  the West; and nearly opposite an Ameroads a party of four may be accommo-  rican one, having the same destination.
dated with a coupe to themselves; a   The French consisted of a grandmother,
party of six or eight may take a private  her married daughter, son-in-law, with
berline; and there are larger carriages  two small children, and a female servant.
for those who prefer to sit in a crowd.  They were as full of chat as jackdaws.
Ever since I got into the train at Hornells-  Their conversation ran a steady stream,
ville to continue my journey westward, I  sparkling with pleasantries, with trivialhlave ventured to claim the right of mo-  ities concerning only themselves, or with
destly expressing this preference.  On   observations upon whatever passed betaking my place, I found myself sur-  fore their eyes.  They were under no
rounded by a very worthy set of fellow-  particular excitement; but their concitizens, but whose notions of the decen-  versation seemed the natural flow of
cies  of travel rendered them  very   minds alert and happy.  Whenever the
undesirable fellow-passengers.  A nma-  baby threatened to cry, it was laughed
jority of thenl were returned Califor-  into good humor. The servant was ur
Ilians, just from  slip, and bound for  bonne fille, good-natured, ready, and as
their homes in the West. Not that that  one of the family. Whenever the helpwas anything to their discredit. On the  ing hand of the father was needed for
contrary, I liked to have a talk with  any purpose, it was forthcoming with
them respecting their El Dorado.  But  alacrity, and a jest or a smile accom-'tis scarcely too much to say, that I had   panied the action. It was easy to see
to walk to my seat through lakes of  that this family had a fund of resources
tobacco juice.  A  few  squirts more  in their good nature and their vivacious
would have floated the benches. There   minds,which was making not only their
were strips of orange-peel lying about  journey to their new home, but that
sufficient to have paved the floor; and  through life, also, a pleasant one. Let
it lacked but little that they went sailing  them, then, live where they may, I am
round like chips on a mill-pond. Here and   sure they will still keep on chatting,
there, in this odoriferous sea, were small  jesting, playing with the children, and
islands of pea-nut shells; while the scat-  taking the little incidents of every passtered  newspapers, quack  medicine,  ing hour gracefully and gaily. There
hotel, steamboat, and railway advertise-   was nothing very peculiar or extraordiments were not unlike field-ice floating   nary in their appearance; but they
on the ocean. Now, that this class of   were a fair specimen of French nature
fellow-cits should travel through the   of the class bourgeois.
country in the same costume in which     My New Eugland cousins, who sat opthey swing the pick at the " diggings"  posite, were a young couple, with a child
is to be expected.  It makes the aspect  some two years old. They, too, were
of our life more picturesque.  Skull-  visiting the Western country for the first
caps of nor'west coast seal-skin, boots  time, and were going to found a home
blacked with the mud of the Sacramento  on the prairies.  But, during half a
river, clubs captured from  California  dozen hours, scarcely so many words,




626                  Forty Days in a Jrestern Hotel.                   [Dec.
so far as I observed, passed between   accomodate one of my own fair countrythem. The father was kind and atten-   women, and got no thanks for it.
tive to his child, bringing it water, and  It was late, on a rainy evening, that I
giving it milk to drink, from  a bottle.  arrived at Chicago. On entering the hoThe mother held it with affection. They  tel which had been recommended to me,
evidently were happily matched; and   I found the hall filled like a merchant's
were hoeing the row of life bravely to-  exchange, and made my way to the ofgether. But they  were sober-faced;  fice not without some difficulty. The
they had no words; they scarcely looked   clerks were all too busy to notice my
out of the window. There was no flitting   arrival. I was not asked to register my
of smiles from time to time across their  name on the hotel-book, but did it withfaces; nor any chance fancies laughing   out invitation. After waiting some little
out of their eyes. They were "going a-  time, I succeeded in catching the eye of
head " steadily and earnestly; but with   a clerk, when we held the following consomething of the dulness of machines,  versation together:
as well as their certainty. Their joys    "Have you a room for me?"
appeared to be all hopes. With eyes       "Not a room in the house, sir."
looking forward into the future, they     "Well, give me a cot, then?"
heeded not the present. They did not' Not a cot in the house, sir."
seem to be unhappy; nor do I presume      "But I am  ill, and can go no furthey ever will be. But they were mak-  ther.  You may give me a sofa, —anying life a drudgery; and, at the end of  thing."
it, the sum total of their enjoyments must'" Not a sofa in the house, sir; nothing
be scarcely worth the reckoning up. To   in the house, sir."
prove to themselves that they have lived,    And the clerk passed on, to say the
they will have for evidence only their  same thing to another applicant for hostoils, their deeds done; for on their fore-  pitality,-and to another,-until he was
heads the curse, so nearly illegible on   so tired of refusing that he did it withthose of their French fellow-passengers,  out pity, or even politeness. I turned
is'plain enough for him that runs to read   on my heel; and, at the same instant,
it, In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou   turned on his heel towards me one of
eat bread all the days of thy life. To   the bystanders. It was a small proviwhat purpose have they ever been edu-  dence, for he was a good Samaritan from
cated? In reading, writing, and keeping   New York, who picked me up in my
accounts they  may have been  well  hour of need, and gave me a cot in his
drilled, but they have never learned,  empty parlor.
either from nature or the schools, the    I then learned that I had arrived at
first elements of the scavoir zivre. Wor-  the wrong hour in the day. In the Chithy, useful, reliable persons they are;   cago hotels, the tide of travel ebbs and
but thoroughly humdrum. Surely, there  flows twice in the twenty-four hours, as
is but one thing a Yankee cannot learn  regularly as the ocean follows the moon.
how to do-and that is, how  to be   After nine o'clock in the morning, rooms
happy.                                 are as easy to be had as any drug in the
Let not the reader think that I shall  market; after nine in the evening they
be forty days, also, in getting to mly  can rarely be obtained for money, and
western hotel. One more observation,  never for love. The hospitality of the
and I shall be there. It relates to my   house ceases at 9 o'clock, P. M. The ciFrench fellow-passengers, and so well il-  vility of the clerks is completely exhaustlustrates their national politeness, as to  ed by that time.  Travellers arriving
warrant a passing mention. The grand-  later than that, are a nuisance to all the
mamina, happening to adjust her dress,  officials, from landlord to chambermaid.
so as to protect her shoulders against one   The cold, inhospitable looks the belated
of those small drafts of air which the   comer gets all round, seem to say to him,
French take such pains to avoid, a gentle-  Why did you not arrive earlier in the
man sitting by the side of the window   day?  If it would do any good, you
whence proceeded the annoyance, shut  might easily account for the lateness of
it. Thereupon, the good lady, turning   your getting to town, and show that the
completely around, said to him, with a  blame rested on other shoulders than
smile, "I thank you, sir."  This trifling   your own; but it will be of no avail.
piece of good manners pleased me the   You can have as many apartments as you
more, inasmuch as, a few minutes before,  please to-morrow morning, but to-night
I had surrendered a very good seat to  you must get your sleep on three chairs,




1854.]                Forty Days in a Western Hotel.                       627
or walking the hall, if you happen to be   pose of at the plice of peanuts; and his
a somnambulist.                          State bonds he will give away to any
So it is, year in and year out. A por-  one who will pay his champagne bill
ter, gifted with a strong pair of lungs, is  and the piper generally.
kept pretty constantly perambulating the   I was not so ill as to prevent my gethalls of the house, and bawling out, loud   ting down to the table at meal-time. This
enough to waken every sleeper, and stun   was the chief amusement of my day, beevery waker, "All aboard! all aboard!   ing as good a high-low comedy as may
Omnibus ready for the Michigan South-   be seen on any stage, at least west of the
ern cars. Omnibus ready for the Michi-   Alleghanies.  The table groans withl
gan Central cars!" or whatever road it  good things. Here are the veritable
may be. A  person accustomed to the   solids, and none of what the Frenchman
quiet of his own mansion, may be an-   calls les choses maigares. The waiters
noyed by this; but, before he has lived   drop fatness, literally. Your plate is
forty days in the hotel, he pays no more   brought to you heaped up with roast
attention to it than to the hand organ   beef. Every third man has his pudding.
which nightly grinds its grist of melo-   The waiters hand about the iced cream
dies under his windows. Not less em-   in slices, which suggest the resemblance
barrassing are the piles of luggage heaped   of small prairies. And, finally, the dinner
up in the halls and passage ways, against  goes off, like the finale of a display of
which one is constantly liable to run his  fireworks, with  "Jenny  Lind cake,"
nose, or bark his shins. And when the   "vanities," "cookeys," "lady-fingers,"
trunks are loaded on the backs of hurry-   "jelly snips," and "pecans."
ing porters, the risk of a collision is still  The only difficulty is in getting little
greater, for poor Paddy, with half a ton   enough, of anything you may call for.
of trunks to his back, is blind as a bat,  Just a bit of a thing, un morceau, is an
and sees nothing but the main chance of   impossibility. A thin cut can't be had.
the open doorway. The traveller is   A man, therefore, with a delicate'stomore in danger of being run down in his   mach is entirely out of place here,
hotel, than on the river or the rail. Por-   where the arrangements are all designed
ters, waiters, guests, all are in quick   for persons who are ready to " go the
motion; and one or the other is pretty   whole animal."  When I came down in
sure to knock you over. Indeed, the   the evening, to get a cup of tea and a
society of a Chicago hotel is in a constant  bite at a biscuit, I never could escape the
flux. The universe, in  the Hegelian   everlasting "Have a beefsteak, sir?" of
philosophy, is not more fluid. Every   the waiters.'Tis a great country out
man is either just in from Cincinnati, St.  west, and the men who live in it are
Louis, Milwaukie, Detroit or Cleveland,  feeders to correspond. They want their
or he is just starting for one of these   meat three times a day, as regularly as
places. Unless he makes his hundred   poor Pat does when he leaves his potato
miles between breakfast and dinner, he   island, and arrives in this land of beeves
counts himself an idler, and talks of   and buffaloes. Even their horses have
growing rusty. A  great deal of his  freer access to the corn crib than negroes
business he transacts "aboard the cars,"   do in Virginia. The western man exor the steamboats; some of it at the ho-   pects to see plenty around him. Notels; and all of it on his feet, and ready   thing is too good for him. He never
to "bolt."  The dinner table, too, is an   stops to count the cost. Corn and wine
exchange for him. Business before soup   are his; honey, and the honey-comb.
-it is the first course of the dinner, and   The cattle on a thousand acres are his
the last. Between fish and pudding, he   also. The prairies are white with his
will sell a prairie. With every mouthful  flocks; the eye follows the waving grain
of bread, he will engage to deliver ten   to the horizon; the buffalo yields him its
thousand bushels of wheat. The " upset  tongue, the bear its haunches, and the
price" is knocked hard down on the   buck  his saddle; the wild turkey  is
table with the end of his knife-handle;   brought in from the forests, the canvasand the bdrgain is clinched by help of   back  duck  from  the bays, and the
the nut cracker or the sugar-tongs. If  ruffed  grouse from  the prairies; the
he sees his next neighbor prefer mutton,  salmon trout is caught at Mackinaw, the
he at once offers to sell him sheep by the   white fish fill the lakes, and oysters,
thousand; if he dines on pork, he will  "'hermetically sealed," arrive by express,
invite him  to go into a speculation in  from  the seaboard, every day in their
hogs. His railroad shares he will dis-  season.




628                  Forty Days in a Western Hotel.                    [Dec.
There is plenty and to spare of all    But the best part of the dinner rethings, save of art. The kitchen is in-  mains to be discussed —'tis the waiters.
deed no cuisine.   The cook is not  I took more pleasure in these than in
"abroad" in these parts. He is coming,  anything  they brought me.  Of all
doubtless, in " the good time," but has  places in this country, I had always supnot yet arrived. Still there is, here and   posed that New York was the one for
there, a pioneer from Paris, come out to  seeing Paddy in his truest and most
try his'prlentice hand, and "rough it."  emerald colors. But'tis a mistake. He
Thiere was one such in my hotel; but  is imported in still more native purity
both his dishes and his French were  into Chicago. It is said that the hotelexecrable.  He daily served up such   keepers here send out a practised hunter
figures of speech as "Calf's head a la  from the plains, who catches Patrick in
Financire," " Lamb chop santees," " Ila-  his wildest state by means of the lasso,
ricot of Mutton,"  " Fillets of beef,"  and forwards him " express," by way of
"Veal tenderloin, a la Macedonia," and   the St. Lawrence and the Lakes, so that
"Macaroni, i la Italienare." These mis-  lie is landed at Chicago without change
takes one might be disposed to attribute   of cloth or color. Then he is put into
to the printer, a "devil" on whom  is  cast-off clothes-not a particularly good
heaped a multitude of sins not his own;  fit —is instructed to subdue his rebellious
but the dishes themselves forbade it.  locks with poinatum, and is set to serve
Evidently these and their printed names  tables. He pretty soon learns what a
were by the same master, and were  beefsteak is, for he eats three a day himworthy each of the other.  However,  self.  At the same time lie learns, ex-'twas all Greek to the majority of the   perimentally, the difference  between
" customers."  The gods on Olympus  wheat rolls and potatoes. In the course
did not know French, and the western   of a week or two he gets pretty familiar
traveller finds ambrosia in every platter,  with the necessaries of life; and then
spite of the misspelling.  He goes for  begins to beat his brains to learn the
the pates-finds them good, and doesn't  names of the luxuries of the table. He
trouble his head about the patois.   makes some progress until he gets to the
Still there are those-Connecticut men,  French dishes.  These confound him.
no doubt, by origin-who will not eat  He don't know French at all, at all. If
of any dish that has not a plain Old Tes-  at this stage of his novitiate you call
tament name to it. They admit of but  upon him for a "fricassee," he brings
one exception. " I'll trouble you," said  you the "fricandeau;" if you demand
such a one, at my side, "to pass me that  a "vol-au-vent," he runs the whole
platter of shoat and beans."  He felt  length of the table for the pigeon pie; if
his native partialities melting in his  you wish for a  meringue glacee, he
mouth, and could neither wait his turn  thinks'tis a plate of ice; and if you
nor be withstood. " I'll just thank you,  you order cremefouettee," he asks if you
stranger, for that platter," he repeated,  will have it boiled. When you decide
in a beseeching tone of voice, which   upon roast beef, his question is, " Done,
quickly moved my pity, at the samne   sir, or not done?" Should you tell him,
time pointing and beckoning with both  in selecting turkey, to bring the drumhis hands.  After he had "gone the   stick, he would inquire if you meant the
whole hog," he asked the waiter if he   stick he beats the gong with. His ideas
had any doughnuts.  " Doo-noots," re-  are all as wild as praiqie colts.
plied Pat, completely at his wit's end,    Still this is Patrick's palmy condition
" I'm  a thinkin' them noots don't grow   and best estate as a waiter. For by the
in this counthry, sir."  Upon my word,  time he has served out his apprenticeit was the only thing I ever heard asked  ship he is ruined for his trade. It takes
for at that table which was not to be   a certain number of months for him
had.  To console my neighbor, I told  to get it well into his head that he is in
him  that doughnuts were plentiful in   a free country; and this idea, once fully
Dunkirk, for I had seen them, a few   comprehended, is enough tQ spoil the
days before, piled up there in tall pyra-  best waiter that ever came from Ireland.
mids, or after the fashion of children's  Having got a few shillings a rattling in
cob-houses.  Whereupon he informed   his pocket, he realizes the fact that he
me that he was going to Buffalo that  is his own man. Then he begins to put
evening, and would stop a day at Dun-  on airs not in keeping with table-waitkirk on his return. I advised him  by  ing and bottle-washing. While serving
all means to do so.                    at meals he hangs carelessly by your




1854.]               Forty Days in a Western Hotel.                      629:hair-backl, with greasy fingers, so that  and get gain —this is the spirit that perevery day, after dinner, you have to   vades this house and the country. The
send your coat to the cleaner's, to get  chances of making fortunes in business
the marks of the beast rubbed out of it.  or speculation are so great, that everylie now knows fat fiom lean, tough from   body throws the dice. Five years hence,
tender, and where the meat is sweetest;  every man expects to be a nabob. I
but unless you fee him every second or  saw in  the West, no  signs of quiet
third morning, you will be none the   enjoyment of life as it passes, but only
better for his increase of knowledge.  of a haste to get rich. Here, are no
lie is disposed to be short and crisp, as  idlers. The poor, if any such there be,
if belonging himself to the upper crust  and the wealthy ale all equally hard at
of society. He laughs behind your back,  work.  Beyond the Alleghanies, the
with Jimmy, at every small practical  day has no siesta in it. Life is a race,
joke that may be enacted at the tables.  with no chance of repose except beyond
If a farmer asks for a bowl of bread and  the  goal.  The higher  arts which
milk for his supper, and then peppers  adorn human existence-elegant letters,
it, first black, then red, he laughs at  divine philosophy-these have not yet
that. Or if a gentleman, not being  reached the Mississippi. They are far
able to swallow water without brandy   off. There are neither gods nor graces
to it, puts a glass of it into his soup, he   on the prairies yet. One sees only the
laughs at that. Every leisure moment  sower sowing his seed. No poets inhabit
he gathers Jimmy and Dick together  the savannas of Iowa, or the banks of
to chatter with them. Then, if you  the Yellow Stone. These are the emicall him, he is suddenly deaf as an   grants' homes. Life in the valley of the
adder.  He can neither hear nor see.  Mississippi is, in fact, but pioneering,
And when the guests gradually leave   and has a heavy pack to its back. At
the table, and work slackens, I have   present, the  inhabitants are hewing
seen him  lounge out on to the bal-  wood and drawing water-laying the
ooly, settle himself in an arm-chair,  foundations of a civilization which is
cock his feet up over the railing, and   yet to be, and such as never hath been
quietly smoke his cigar.  Patrick is  before. This, they are doing with an
now  ready for a strike for higher  energy  superior to that which built
wages.  At the first word of repri-  Carthage or Ilium. Though men do not
mand he will throw up his place. He   write books there, or paint pictures,
is too independent to be drilled into  there is no lack, in our western world,
line, and always takes the covers off   of mind. The genius of this new country
out of time.  Look out for him when  is necessarily mechanical. Our greatest
he comes in with his platters, his very  thinkers are not in the library, nor the
importance will run you down. He is  capitol, but in the machine shop. The
still ignorant, still awkward; but with   American people is intent on studying
ten dollars in his pocket, he is abash-  not the beautiful records of a past civiled by nothing in heaven, earth, or  ization, not the hieroglyphic  monuChicago; and unless he can have four  ments of ancient genius, but how best
beefsteaks a day, he threatens to go  to subdue and till the soil of its boundback to Ireland.  The truth is, that  less territories; how to build roads and
the sense of freedom is so strong at  ships; how  to apply the powers of
the West, it spoils all men for service.  nature to the work of manufacturing
Our naturalization laws are annually  its rich materials into forms of utility
the ruin of a great many excellent  and enjoyment.  The youth  of this
scullions  and  shoe-blacks.   Nature  country are learning the sciences, not as
struggles hard on their side, but our  theories, but with reference to their aprepublican institutions prevail.       plications to the arts. Our education
The society one meets in a Chicago  is no genial culture of letters, but simhotel consists principally of the gentle-  ply learning the use of tools.  Even
mem of the road. I mean the railroad-   literature is cultivated for its jobs; and
men, so called-road-builders and road  the fine arts are followed as a trade.
owners. There are also the men of real  The prayer of this young country is,
estate, who deal in prairie and river  Give us this day, our daily bread; and
bottoms. There are grain and lumber  for the other petitions of the  Pater
merchants.  There are speculators of  Noster it has no time. So must it be
every kind.  But all have only one  for the present. We must be content
thought in their minds. To buy, sell,  with little literature, less art, and only




630                   Fortjy Dclys inr a Western HIotel.                 [Dec.
Nature in perfection.  We are to be   cabin; but he cannot dispense his hosbusy, not happy.  For we live for  pitality in black coat and white cravat.
futurity, and are doing the work of two   His work is too serious to be done in
generations yet unborn.                 patent leathers. He is in outward apEverything is beautiful in its season.  pearance, as gnarled as his oaks, but
What is now wanted in this country is,  brave, strong, humane, with the oak's
that all learned  blacksmiths stick to   great heart and pith. The prairie man
their anvils.  No fields of usefulness  is a six-foot animal, broad shouldered,
can be cultivated by them  to so great  and broad foreheaded, better suited to
ldvantage  as the floor of their own   cutting up corn than cutting a figure in
smithy.  In  good time, the western   a dance, to throwing the bowie-knife
bottom lands will spontaneously grow   than to thrumming the guitar. In Eupoets.  The American  mind will be  rope a man always betrays a consciousbrought to maturity along the chain of the   ness of the quality of the person in
grieat lakes, the banks of the Mississippi,  whose presence he is standing. If he
the Missouri, and their tributaries in  face a lord, it is with submission; if a
the far northwest.  There, on the rolling   tradesman, with haughtiness; if a serplains, will be formed  a republic of  vant, with authority; if a beggar, with
lettes which, not governed like that on  indifference. At Chicago, two persons
our seaboard, by  the  great literary   meeting, stand over against each other
powers of Europe, shall be free, indeed.  like two  door-posts.   Neither gives
Fori there character is growing up with  signs of superiority or inferiority.  They
a breadth equal to the sweep of the   have no intention of either flattering or
great valleys; dwarfed by no factitious  imposing upon each other. Words are
ceremonies or usages, no precedents or  not wasted. So is the cut of each other's
written statutes, no old superstition or  coat a matter of perfect indifference.
tyranny. The winds sweep unhindered,   Probably the man who is " up for Confrom  the Lakes to the Gulf, from  the   gress" wears the shabbier one of the
Alleghanies to the Rocky Mountains:  two. If disposed to make a show at all,
and so do the thoughts of the lord of  the Western gent is more apt to be
the prairies. He is beholden to no man,  proud of his horses than his broadcloth.
being bound neither head nor foot. He   His tread may occasionally have someis an independent world himself, and   thing in it indicative of the lord of the
speaks his own mind.  Some day lie  prairie;  but he has little or no small
will make his own books as well as his  nonsense about him. The only exception
own laws. He will not send to Europe   is, perhaps, a rather large-sized diamondfor either pictures or opinions.  He will  pin in his shirt bosom.
remain on his prairie, and all the arts of    The Chicago cockney differs considerthe world will come and make obeisance   ably from him of New York.  iHe has
to him like the sheaves in his fields. He   more of the' ready-made clothing"
will be the American man, and beside   appearance about him, and wears his
him there will be none else.             hat drawn closer down over his left
Of course, one does not go to the   eye.  Sometimes his cigar is in his butWest to  study  fashions or manners.  ton-hole, and sometimes in his cheek.
The guests of a Western hotel would   He chews tobacco. He vibrates between
not bear being transported to Alinack's  sherry-coblers and  mint juleps.   His
without  some  previous  instruction   stick is no slight ratan, but a thick
in bowing and scraping, or some irn-  hickory or buckeye, and has a handle
portant changes of apparel.  Foreign   large enough to allow of its being carcritics travelling in pursuit of the comni-  ried suspended from his shoulder. His
cal, do miot fail of finding it here in   watch-chain is very heavy-lead inside
dress, in conversation, in conduct. For   and gold out. He is learned in politics;
men here show all their idiosyncracies.  and boasts that. a United States senator
There are no disguises. Speech is plump,  from his State, once put his arma around
hearty, aimed at the bull's eye; and   his neck, and slapped him  familiarly
without elegant phrase or compliment.  between the shoulders.  When he was
On the road one may meet the good  in Washington, he  messed with  the
Samaritan, but not Beau Brummell.  Illinois members of the House; and, as
Anything a Western man can do for  Botts  did with  President Tyler, lihe
you, he will do with all his heart; only  slept with them. He knows, pe:sonally,
he cannot flatter you with unmeaning   all the Western judges and generals in
promises.  You shall be welcome at his  in Congress; bets at all the elections;




1854.]                Forty Days in a Western -t otel.                   631
and  makes money out of them, let  a sight simple, still. It is the passing by
whichever party conquer.  He also goes  of the emigranct, bound for the prairies.
in the steamboats whenever there is to   A family of Germans going by the hotel
be a race; plays "poker" on board; and   one morning, as I sat by the window,
lives on the profits. Hie has a small  struck menc as the most remarkable show
capital in wild lands, likewise; and   I had seen in the West. It was, indeed,
owns a few corner lots in Cairo, and   nothing new or uncommon; it was no
other cities laid down in his maps.  pageant. No trumpets were blown to
These he will sell cheap for cash. He   announce the coming of this small deaffects the man of business, and ignores  tachment of the army general. Probably
ladies' society.  His evenings are spent  not a soul in the city noticed the pasat a club house, having the name of  sage of this poor family, save myself.
"Young America " blazoned on its front  Yet in it was wrapped up the great
in large gilt letters. He dines at the   American fact of the present day-the
crack hotel of the town; and, having   coming in of European immigrants to
free passes over all railroads, he keeps  take possession of our western plains.
up his importance in the world, by   If these States did not have lands for
going to and fro, and putting on the   sale at low prices to attract the desires
airs of a man owning half the Western   of the poor and the oppressed in all the
country.                               earth, they would be of little importance
As to the ladies-God bless them all  among the nations. For centuries, the
tile world over-I did not see them at  Swiss have had liberty, but no land;
the West, and have not a word to say   and have been a nullity. But we hold
respecting the beauty of their persons   a homestead for every  poor man in
or the tenderness of their hearts. The   Europe; and, therefore gathering his
only remark which could be hazarded,  pennies together, he is setting out for
touching the few who passed under my   America as the world's land of promise,
observation would be, that they were  and the only Eden now extant.
either fat or lean. I did not have the    The father strode down the middle of
opportunity of noting any other differ-  the street. Unaccustomedto the conveence. A flounce or two more; a deeper  nience of sidewalks in his own counshade of red or yellow  in  the silk;  try, he shared the way with the beasts
longer ringlets; short-sleeve dresses, cut  of burden, no less heavily laden than
higher in the neck; a little fresher look  they. His back bent beneath its pack.
of the country and the band-box; an  In it was, probably, the better part of his
air more independent and self-relying,  goods and chattels, at least the materials
or more awkward and abashed at the   for a night bivouac by the road-side.
sight of men-these minor differences   By one hand he held his pack, and in the
might be detected, but the only distinct  other he carried a large tea-kettle. His
impression remaining on my mind is,  gude-wife followed in his tracks, at
that the few ladies whom I chanced to  barely speaking distance behind. A babe
see, were either fat or lean. I will not  at the breast was her only burden. Both
venture any remark beyond that.        looked straight forward, intent only upBut the most interesting sight I saw   on putting one foot before the other. In
in my hotel, was from  its windows.  a direct line, but still further behind,
Even  had I "gone West"-for the  trudged on, with unequal footsteps, and
question was frequently asked me at  eyes staring on either side, their firstChicago, "Going West, sir?" I could  born son, or one who seemed such.
have seen nothing more striking and   There were well towards a dozen sumsignificant.  Niagara, the Mississippi,  mers glowing in his face. A big tin pail,
the Lakes, are not after all the great  containing, probably, the day's  prospectacle to be witnessed in this country.  visions, and slung to his young shoulders,
Nor is the sight the most character-  did not seem to weigh too heavily upon
istic and American, that of the Yankee   his spirit. He travelled on bravely, and
whittling on a rail, or the Virginian   was evidently trained to bear his load. A
talking politics over his saddle-bags;   younger brother brought up, at a few
not the Arkansas citizen playing at  paces distance, the rear, carrying, astride
bowie-knives, or the Kentuckian offer-  his neck, one more of the parental hopes.
ing to bet upon his rifle; not the New   It was the most precious pack in the
Yorker living in carved brown stone in  party, and, judging from the size of the
the Fifth Avenue, or the negro swiltering   little one's legs, not so very much the
in the rice-fields of South Carolina. It is  lightest. It was a sister, I fancy, that




632                               To My Herbarium.                                  [Dec.
the little fellow  w as bearing off so gal-  the hard necessity of toiling in the fields,
lantly; and very comfortably did she ap-   will gradually grow  up in the delicacy
pear to be making the journey.                 of native American  beauty, retaining
I watched this single file of marchers   only the blue eyes and  golden hair of
westward, until they disappeared at the   their German nativity.  In the evening
end of the avenue.  They would not stop    of their days, the brave grandparents will
or turn aside, save for needful food and   sit in the shadow of vines, sprung from
shelter, until they crossed the Mississip-   the seeds piously brought by them from
pi.  On the rolling prairies beyond, the   the Neckar or the Rhine; and their sons,
fbot-worn travellers would reach their   and their son's sons, in the enjoyment
journey's end, and, throwing their weary    of plenty, happiness, and human rights,
limbs upon  the  flowery  grass, would   will remember, with blessings, the orirest in  their  new  home, roofed  by   ginal immigrants, and founders of their
the sky of Iowa.  Before the frosts of   name.
autumn should set in, the log-hut would          "All aboard! All aboard!  Omnibus
be reared, and their small household gods   ready for the Michigan Central cars."  I
set up in it.  In due season the sod will   crawled out of the hotel, and took my
be turned, the seed cast in, and later, the   seat in the carriage, resolved not to stop
harvest would  make glad  all hearts.   until I had regained New  York.  I felt
Years rolling by, the boys will grow up   almost as well acquainted with the counfreemen, and will make the surrounding   try, as if I had spent my forty days in
acres tributary in wheat and corn as far   going to and fro in it.  The men of the
as the eye can reach.  Forgetting their   West had come to me in my hotel, though
uncouth patois, the children will learn    I had not gone out to them.  In  one
the softer Anglo-Saxon accents of liberty,   prairie I had seen all.  "All Western
and take their place among their equal   men and prairies are alike," said I to
fellows, in a society where  none are   myself, in stepping into the train; "how
bondsma.  The daughters, relieved of   I wish I were walking down Broadway."
TO MY HERBARIUM.
YE dry and dead remains!                         Turned to the God of day,
Poor, wrinkled remnants of a beauteous prime I   Your little lips come, prayerfully, apart.
Why, from your final doom, should I take pains   With the soft breeze your leaves, reviving, play
To stay the hand of time?                        Sweet music to my heart.
The world would pass you by:                     The friend who in those years
For beauty, grace and fragrance all are gone.    Shared warmly in my rambles far and wide,
Your age is homeliness to every eye,             Back, with the same old fondness re-appears,
And prized by me alone.                          And trudges at my side.
Not beautiful, but dear,                         These are your charms to me!
Your wrecks recall to me the happy past.         While such dear recollections ye awake,
Wandlike, your stems can summon to appear        Your ruins, blackened, crumbling though they be,
The days that could not last.                    I treasure for their sake.
I breathe the summer air!                       May I, like you, dry flowers,
I wander in the woodland paths once more!       When in young life I can no more engage,
A-tain the copse, the dell, the meadow, wear     A dear memento be of happy hours
The loveliness of yore,                          To those who tend my age.




1854.]                                                                     633
"OUR PARTIES AND POLITICS.'"
"Audi alteram partem."
A SOUTHERNER'S VIEW OF THE SUBJECT.
THE present aspect of American poli-  organization, we are satisfied, will bo
tics invites reflection and calm dis-   ephemeral in existence, and abortive in
cussion. The issues which have formerly  result. We readily admit the excessive
divided our people into two great parties   provocation which animates their efforts.
have passed, or are rapidly passing away.  The indecent and habitual intrusion of
Upon no single question of present prac-  popery, as a political element, into all our
tical moment can either the whig party   elections of late years, naturally suggests
or the democratic party be rallied in  the proscription of its adherents and
unbroken phalanx.  The life of their  sympathizers; and the disgusting truckorganizations is gone. The age presents  ling of our political aspirants to the prenew issues, in comparison with which  judices of our alien population, indicates
the old shibboleths fade into  insig-  the propriety of a counterpoise element
nificance; and, under new banners, with   at the polls. The Know-Nothings have
new devices, the yeomanry of the coun-  already exercised a salutary influence,
try are rallying. We have arrived at a   to some extent, in developing the genustand-point in history when it behooves  ine American sentiment of our people
every patriot man to pause and reflect.  -a sentiment which both parties, from
The living present imposes the weightiest  prudential considerations, have concurresponsibilities; the past is teeming with  red in suppressing. Were they content to
instruction; and the future is radiant  maintain a secondary position, this influwith hope. Three-quarters of a century   ence might be extended and perpetuated;
bound the horizon of the former, but  but, inspiring to the control of the State
the piercing eye of faith seeks, in vain, a   and Federal Governments, they seal their
limit in the long vista of the latter. Yet,  early ruin. We do not make issue with
to the more despondent, there are shades  them  upon the propriety of their proand  shadows ahead.  Meridian light  posed change in the naturalization laws.
does not illumine every footprint of  But that will not suffice to accomplish
the future. America, however, expects  the end they have in view. Many of
every man to do his duty; and if we are  the States confer the elective franchise
but true to the sacred trust He has   upon resident aliens prior to their natudevolved upon us, our confidence is  ralization. That may or may not be a
strong that in His own good time the   violation of the Constitution, but it clearl y
Spirit of our fathers' God will move  indicates that the concurrence of all the
above the troubled waters with creative   State Governments in the legislation sugpower, evolving light from darkness.     gested, is essential to its success. We
The old political parties of our country   presume, the most sanguine Knoware just now thoroughly disorganized.  Nothings dare not hope fir contempoThe necessity for new issues, and a re-  raneous success in each of the thirty-on(e
arrangement of the elements of warfare,   States of the Confederacy. Their actual
is manifest to the most casual observer.  strength is already, we believe, vastly
Hence, the rapid progress of a secret  over-estimated, and will dimlinish, we
society which has recently made its  are satisfied, as rapidly as it has arisen.
appearance among us, and for which its   The spell of mystery with which their
more sanguine friends anticipate, at no   proceedings are invested is potent for
distant day, a controlling influence in  temporary effect. Curiosity will introthe counsels of the Confederacy. So far   duce among them  many whose reason
as we can gather its objects, the organiza-  they might in vain address. So soon,
tion rests upon a single idea of federal   however, as the charm of novelty is dispolicy. The amendment of the natu-  sipated, there will be numerous desetralization laws, so as to require a longer  tions fromn their ranks; and. so their
residence in the applicant for the rights  should be, as long as their secresy isx
of American citizenship, seems to be  mnaintained.  The obvious impropriety
their only distinctive political suggestion.  of secret political societies is a burden
They may accomplish this, though we   under which  no principle of public
doubt it. Whether they do or not, the   policy, however wise, can stagger into
VrL. IV.-41




'684                    "Our Parties and Politics."                     [Dec.
success.  The  disorganization  of the   bad faith somewhere. But of this more
party may be anticipated at no very dis-  anon. There it is: to that extent the
tant day, and with the disorganization   aggression is complete.
will come a recoil disastrous to its up-    Early in their colonial history, slavery
holders now. Popery will gloat over  was introduced into the colonies. The
the abortion  as her triumph.  The   mother country-that same  England
foreign vote will be ten times as exact-  which so recently received the authoress
ing as it has ever been; and Know-  of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" with open arms
Nothingism will see the evils she pro-  -encouraged the importation of slaves
fesses it her mission to remedy, enhanced  from Africa, and in spite of the protests
and perpetuated by herself.            and remonstrances of the colonies fastenThe present aspect of the slavery agi-  ed the system upon them. In Virginia,
tation seems to present a much more  and perhaps in other colonies, the legis-.
probable basis for permanent party strife.  laturles essayed to prohibit the traffic; but
The elements of anti-slavery appear in-  in every instance the negative of the
dined to harmonize their differences,  Royal Governor interposed to protect
and concentrate their strength for one  it. The preamble to the first Constitugrand and persevering assault upon the  tion of Virginia enumerates this among
vested rights of the South. With the   other prominent causes of complaint
instinct of self-preservation, her sons are  against the King of England-provoking
preparing to ignore past differences, and   her repudiation of his rule. When the
unite for the conflict. With a fiont un-  independence of the colonies was estabbroken, save here and there by a single  lished, the prohibition of the African
traitor, they await the shock. Come  slave trade was still with her a favorite
when it may, or how it may, the South   measure of policy,-and, in the formais practically a unit at last.         tion of the Federal Constitution, she deThe institution of African slavery ex-  sired to empower and require the new
isted in nearly all of the States at the   government to place the traffic under
time of the adoption of the Federal Con-  the ban of law. But to this Massachustitution. It was even then so thoroughly  setts and New York demurred. With
interwoven with their domestic polity,  the exclusion of European competition
that the entire and absolute control over  they reckoned upon a monopoly of the
the subject was reserved to themselves.  profits of the trade, and earnestly opposWe need tot say that all the powers of   ed its suppression. With the aid (of South
the Federal Government are derived by   Carolina and Georgia, they extorted a
grant from the States, and that tile en-  respite for twenty years. The predomitire grant is contained in the provisions  nant sentiment of the Slave States called
of the Federal Constitution. In that in-  for the immediate abolition of the trafstrument we look in vain for any grant  fic, and that sentiment ought to have
or any covenant divesting the individual  been respected. Even then, however,
States of their inherent rights to regu-  the South'was not permitted to regulate
late the whole subject as in their wis-  her domestic institutions for herself. For
dom  may seem  most expedient.  But  nearly one quarter of a century she was
three clauses refer to the subject. One  forced to receive into her bosom a popuwas a compromise in the apportionment  lation she then believed an enemy to her
of representation between the Slave   peace, and an imnpcdimrnent to her proStates and the Free States; another con-  sperity. New England avarice fastened
tains the explicit and solemn covenant  upon her that institution, for the existfor the return of fugitive slaves; and the   ence of which New England fanaticism
third empowers the Federal Government,  now makes war against ther. Abolition
after 1808, to prohibit the African slave   never grew upon New England soil till
trade. Contemporary history, in confir-  the year that doomed her favorite traffic
mation of the pregnant negative of the   had passed: but, in a few fleeting years
grant, informs us that more extensive  thereafter, it was a tree of sturdy growth.
powers were carefully and cautiously   The slave trade was suppressed in 1808.
avoided.                               In 1814, the Hartford Convention deThe inquiry may well suggest itself  nounced the slave power of the South,
here-how, under these circumnstances,  and suggested a crusade against the comthe question ever intruded into the   promises of the Constitution.
arena of federal politics? Certainly the  We readily admit that the general
South never brought it there; and no   sentiment of the colonies, during the
less certainly its introduction indicates  revolutionary era, was adverse to sla



1854.]              A  Southerner's View of the Subject.                 635
very; and nowhere did that sentiment  of its failure. The printing-press. with
prevail more extensively than in the   which Voltaire designed to overthrow
South. With that devotion to abstract  the Bible, is now publishing its words of
principle which has ever characterized  life and truth to a world of sin and death.
her, Virginia, in donating an empire to   Man may not with impunity thrust himthe Confederacy, exacted a covenant for  self against the bosses of Jehovah's
the perpetual exclusion of her own insti-  buckler. Anti-slavery directly impugns
tutions. An impression almost univer-  either the wisdom or benevolence of our
sally existed that slavery was to be but  Saviour, for its interpolations into the
temporary in its duration. The slave  inspired code of morals presume the
States cheerfully assented to the anti-  inefficiency of his morality to accomplish
slavery provisions of the ordinance of  the end for which it was designed.
1787. Their policy was the immediate   Abolition preachers of our day profess
prohibition of the foreign trade, and the  to believe themselves recreant to duty, if
number of slaves among them was not  they fail to denounce slavery at a dismore than sufficient to supply their own   tance. The Son of God lived and moved
pressing  demands.  Had  importation   in a slaveholding country and a slavefrom abroad then ceased, abolition might  holding age, and from  his sacred lips
have been practicable and easy. But  slavery never received a single rebuke.
that twenty years of respite did its work  If they be right, could he have been the
effectually. Day by day and hour by   God-man?  Some short time since, a
hour the anti-slavery statesmen of tile  fiiend was discussing the Maine liquor
South saw their hopes decay. The des-  law with an ultra temperance man, and
tiny of the South was fixed against her  in the course of conversation he adverted
will. Sister States, who had repudiated  to the miracle at the marriage in Cana
slavery as an incubus upon them, and   of Galilee. The prompt reply was, "I
professed to regard slave-holding as a  have always regarded that the greatest
violation of the "perennial principles of  indiscretion Jesus ever committed." The
right," ignored their professions, and for  shocking blasphemy of the expression is
filthy lucre's sake, imposed slavery upon   a key to the radical principle of more
her, perpetuating among her people the  than one ism of the day. It is the vain
" sin" of the slaveholder and the " mis-  effort of human pride to amend the work
fortune " of the slave.                 of divine wisdom.  The spectacle of
Abolitionism claims to be the party of  foolish man thus passing judgment upon
progress. So did Jacobinism, and with  hlis God, and pronouncing him incolnequal propriety. The one as little as  petent for the accomplishment of his
the other conceals the features of the   holy purposes, and assuming them  for:ass under the skin of the lion. Robes-  himself, will, when properly considered,
pierre and Saint Just were as loud in  yet awaken in all sections of our country
their protestations of loyalty to the prin-   a public sentiment that will sweep the
ciples of'76 as Garrison and Sumner;  God-defying empiricism  fiom among us
and, if not as honest, were quite as  with the besom of destruction. We do
rational. The American Jacobins are   not pretend to impute infidelity to all
not unlike their  French prototypes.  abolitionists. Many of the best of our
Blood and carnage, fraternal discord, and   northern brethren, we know, have been
civil war are as rashly courted now as  misled into their ranks by names and
in 1793. They differ in this respect,  abstractions. Slavery, as it exists in the
however: the madmen of France evok-  South, is not known to a fraction of the
ed a storm to spend its fury in their  people of the North.   Misrepresented
own midst. The fanatics of America   and distorted as it has been, we have,
sow the seed of strife abroad, and gloat  perhaps, reason for congratulation. in
in coward malignity over the anticipated   the existence of any class among them
triumph of a servile insurrection, from   willing to do us justice. We speak now
tihe hazards of which distance protects  of the creed, and not of its professors.
them. The one no less than the other  It is a legitimate offshoot from  that
ridicules the teachings of experience and   school of sentimental piety that assumes
revelation. The God of the Bible is not  to try the mysteries of the Godhead by
the God of equality, and Abolitionism   the standard of human comprehension,
rejects him  as disdainfully, if not as  consistently denying the divinity of the
openly, as Jacobinisin. The infidel spirit  Saviour and the inspiration of the Bible.
of this anti-slavery crusade is at once its  In the pulpits of that faith it finds an
damning crime and the unerring index   appropriate place. The herosiarchs of




636                    " Our Parties and Politics."                     [Dec.
Socinianism do their master's work as  hence the Federal policy of arousing a
effectually, if not as openly, in preaching   sectional feeling-a policy which first
abolitionism, as they do in preaching   found open expression in the treasonable
Unitarianism.  But its intrusion into  resolves of the Hartford Convention.
the Christian pulpit is a very different  The suggestion there was to amend the
affair. Abolition has nothing in con-  Federal Constitution, so as to deprive the
sonance -with its high and holy mission.  South of the representation of threeThe unwary watcher on the walls of  fifths of her slaves. But the managers
Zion who tampers with the monster is  of the Hartford  cabal mistook their
recreant to his trust, and false to his  strength and over-shot the mark. The
Master.  If, as a Christian, his heart  stench of treason attached itself to their
recoil not from the serpent; if, as a   deliberations, and sank every participant
citizen, the possible calamities of dis-  in them  to "a political damnation so
union and civil war have no terrors for  deep that the hand of resurrection never
him, let himn, in his individual capacity,  did reach them."  Their suggestion was
speed on the hellish work; but, in the   obviously impracticable, inasmuch as it
name of a common Christianity and a   could only be accomplished by the aid
common manhood, we have a right to  of several of the slave States.  It was
demand that he profane not the Chris-  enough, however, to indicate the gathertian pulpit.  In the uncompromising  ing of the storm, which in a few years
consecration of the sacred desk to its  burst with all its fury upon a peaceful
heaven-ordained work is the hope of a  and happy people. Missouri was about
lost and ruined world. When the pas-  completing her territorial pupilage, and
sions of earth intrude there, society trem-  asked permission to form a State conbles to its centre, and devils revel at the   stitution preparatory to her admission
prospect.  Hell will hold a carnival  into the Union.  As a component part
when the genius of abolition furls her  of the territory of Louisiana, it was
wings in triumph over the " broken and   slave territory when we acquired it,
dissevered fragments of a once glorious  and so it had continued. Her applicaUnion;" but if, amid her dark abodes,  tion was objected to, unless she would
some messenger from this world could  assent to repudiate her Southern instituproclaim  the universal prostitution of  tions and abolish slavery, as a prelimithe pulpit, the walls of Tophet would  nary to her admission.  The passions
ring with even a wilder joy.            and prejudices of the people of the
Had the States never formed a Con-  North were roused by the most inflamfederacy, this abolition war could never  matory and insidious appeals, until the
have assumed a threatening aspect. The   whole body of the Northern representNorth would not have ventured to en-  ation in Congress ranged themselves in
courage an agitation, the inevitable effect  solid phalanx.  The principle asserted
of wvhich would have been continual war  was nmost odious to the South, and at
with her neighbors. But protected, as she   war with the whole spirit of the Conhas been, by the existence of a bond of   stitution.  In vain did she demand the
apparently permanent union, a fanatical  warrant for prescribing terms to the incrusade against us has been in open and   cipient State, and especially for stigmashameless contempt of the covenant fos-  tizing her and hers by exacting as the
tered and encouraged. It originated in  condition of admission the repudiation
no morbid affection for the slave. In its  of an institution interwoven into her
beginning, as it is now in its meridian, it  social polity. The Federal Government
was purely and exclusively a question of  is the creature of the States. All her
politicalpower. The war of 1812 had been   powers are derived by express grant,
initiated under the auspices of a Southern   and are limited in their character. The
President, and with the cordial co-ope-  Constitution confers upon Congress the
ration of the Southern members of Con-  right to admit new States; but, when
grass.  New England bitterly opposed   admitted, they stand upon a footing of
the war; and upon that question the   perfect equality with the original thirleaders of the old Federal party, then in  teen. Theoretically, Ohio and Kentucky,
a state of decadence, hoped to rally once   California and Florida are as much the
more a successful party.  Many of the   creators of the General Government as
then prominent expectants of the Presi-  Virginia or New York.  The essential
dency were Southern men. The Demo-  principle of the Constitution is, entire
cratic party were in power, and its policy   and  absolute equality among all the
and affiliations were mainly Southern;  States.  If Congress can impose termns,




1854.]              A  Southerner's View of the Subject.                 637
then every new State may come in upon   proposition to the other, the Southern
a different footing. From one she may ex-   men, generally, sustained the compromise
act an obligation to admit negro suffrage   proposed by Mr. Thomas, and  with the
-another she may require solemnly to re-   aid of a few conservative men from the
pudiate this or that construction of con-   north, passed it through both Houses of
troverted clauses of the Constitution.   Congress. There has latterly been conTo-day she may impose slavery upon one,  siderable discussion as to the paternity
and to-morrow she may demand its aboli-  of this measure, and the responsibility
tion in another. There is no limit outside   of its adoption has been variously irmof the express provisions of the Constitu-   puted to the North or the South, as best
tion to the discretion of Congress. The   suited the temporary purposes of the
Constitution does not profess to define   writer or speaker.  It is not, }however,
the powers of the State; in express   we think, a subject for difference.  The
terms it provides that, " the powers not   North  certainly  imposed  upon, the
delegated to the United States by itself,  South the alternative, and the South as
nor prohibited by it to the States, are   certainly accepted the compromise in
reserved to the States, respectively, or to   preference to the prohibition. We do
the people."  The anti-Missouri heresy,   not consider this, however, a matter of
however, proceeds upon the principle   vital moment at this date. It is, in our
that all powers and rights not expressly   judgment, a plain and palpable usurpagranted or reserved to the State —such   tion of power, and we regret that the
as the equality of representation in the   South ever did accede to it. Then. was
Senate-may be prohibited by Congress  the appropriate time to meet the aggresto the new State.  The United States   sion, if not successfully elsewhere, at the
are required to guarantee to every State   point of the bayonet and the muzzle of
a republican form of government, but   the cannon. Resolute and unyielding
it is a form only, when its institutions   resistance then would have strangled
and laws are modelled to accommodate  the monster in its cradle. In pursuance
the will of others than the governed.   of the act of Congress, the people inet,
Where is the grant of power necessary   adopted a Constitution, and organized a
to enforce the observance of the terms?   State government. When Congress reSuppose a State admitted this year upon   assembled, the Senate promptly passed a
the condition of abolishing slavery con-  resolution declaring Missouri a member
venes a new convention next year and   of the Confederacy.  In the House,
re-establishes it. What then? Can Con-   however, it encountered most vehement
gress resolve her out of the Union? Can   opposition. The compromise made the
the General Government abolish slavery   year previous was openly repudiated,
in her limits? If not, of what avail was   and Missouri refused the admission to
the original restriction. Surely, if that   which the public faith was plighted.
was constitutional, the framers of that   Exception was taken to a clause in
instrument would have provided some   her Constitution, empowering the legismeans to enforce the observance of her  lature to prohibit the emigration of free
faith by the covenant-breaking State.   negroes; and upon this pretext her enA bill was originated in the House of   trance into the Union was resisted. A
Representatives, authorizing the people  similar provision existed then in iMasof Missouri to form a constitution and   sachusetts, and at this day in Indiana
State government, and after the inser-   and Illinois.  The true objection was
tion of a provision abolishing slavery,   elicited upon a proposition of Mr. Malpassed by the House against the unani-  lory, of Vermont, to amend the resolumous vote of the Southern representa-  tion, by inserting, as a preliminary to
tives. In the Senate, upon motion of   her admission, a requisition upon MisMr. Thomas, of Illinois, the prohibition   souri to alter her Constitution and abolish
clause was stricken out, and in lieu of it  slavery. Upon the call of the ayes and
was inserted the so-called Missouri Com-   noes, 61 representatives from the North
promise, which was nothing more, nor   voted aye, and but 33 no. The former
less, than a prohibition of slavery for all  compromise was repudiated  by  the
future time in the territory outside of   House, and new concessions were dethe limits of Missouri and north of her   manded. Upon motion of Mr. Clay, a
southern boundary, accompanied with a   joint committee of 23 on the part of the
provision for her admission on an equal  House, and 7 on the part of the Senate,
footing with the original States in all  was appointed to consider the subject.
respects whatsoever. As an alternative   They reported a resolution providing for




638                    "Our Parties and Politics."                     [Dec.
the admission of Missouri upon a funda-  fanatics of the North not interposed,
mental condition, viz.: that the clause   success might have crowned their efforts
in hler Constitution relative to free col-  in a few years. Negrophilism abroad,
ored emigration into the State should  then protected Virginia from the overnever be construed to authorize the   throw  of her established institutions.
passage of an act by which any citizen   Soon after this, began abolition organof either of the United States should be   izations and anti-slavery conventions in
excluded from the enjoyment of the pri-  the northern  cities.  The press was
vileges to which he was entitled under   forced into service to misrepresent and
the Federal Constitution. To this fun-   distort our institutions and our people.
damental condition Missouri was re-   The mails were loaded with incendiary
quired to declare her assent by an act,   documents. The most fiendish appeals
in'the nature of a solemn compact with   to the passions of the slave were sought
the United States, and upon the receipt   to be distributed among us by inclosing
of an authenticated copy of such act, the   them to free negroes and hired elnissaPresident was authorized to issue a pro-   ries in our midst. Under cover of the
clamation declaring her a State. The   sanctity of private correspondence, diaproposition of the joint committee passed   bolical suggestions for a repetition of
both houses, and Missouri, having com-   the Southampton outrage were secretly
plied with the requisition, Mr. Monroe   pressed upon the contented slaves of
issued his proclamation  August 10,  the South. The facilities of communi1821.  Thus Missouri was really ad-   cation afforded by a common governmitted upon the compromise proposed   ment, established "to insure domestic
by the committee. It is true that the   tranquillity; to provide for the common
new requisition amounted to no more   defence, and promote the general welthan a declaration of fidelity to the Con-   fare," were abused to assail the South in
stitution.  But that matters not.  It   her Achilles' heel.  Abolition Munwas imposed upon her as a condition of   clausens devoted their imaginations and
her admission into the Union, and was  their energies to the concoction and
in flagrantt violation of the pledge of the   extensive circulation in the North of
previous session to admit her upon an   the grossest misrepresentations of the
equal footing in all respects whatsoever   Southern people.  A  friend  has frewith the original States. This was the   quently related to us a conversation he
first violation of the 360 30' compromise,   held, about this time, with a very inteland especially heinous, as withholding   ligent and  well-informed gentleman,
the consideration of the contract.     then, or very recently, the editor of a
This exciting question being thus dis-   political press at the seat of government.
posed of at length, the public mind   The present state of Northern feeling
settled down into quiet acquiescence.   upon the slavery question was predicted
Abolition sank into obscurity-we had   at that day with almost historic accnnearly said contempt; but it was only  racy. Our friend then entertained the
slumbering. An unfortunate discussion   prevalent impression of his Southern
of the subject in the Virginia legislature   brethren that the agitation was confined
in the winter of 1831-2, consequent upon   to a small and contemptible faction, and
an insurrection of slaves in the county   combated the despondency of the exof Southampton, in the progress of   editor. But his faith was not a little
which, 55 whites, of all ages, sexes, and   shaken when presented with a specimen
conditions, were brutally massacred, in-   of the literature with which the agitafused new life into the abolitionists, and   tors were then busily flooding the counrenewed the agitation. It may be well  try. One of the tracts professed, in its outimagined that the Southampton affair  set, to discard all the exaggerated stories
awakened the  most intense  feeling   which were related of Southern cruelty,
throughout the limits of Virginia; and in   and indulged in expressions of virtuous
the legislative session of the ensuing win-  indignation against the abolitionists for
ter many of the calmest and ablest of her  the infliction of such outrage upon their
citizens were open and avowed advo-   brethren at the South. The author procates of prospective emancipation. Pro-   fessed as his design, the recital of simple
positions to that effect were discussed   and unvarnished facts, not of rare occurwith warmth and ability. Appearances   rence, but so frequent and common that
indicated the existence of a large and   no fair-minded Southern man would for
influential, if not controlling  party   a moment call in question their truth.
favorable to abolition: and had the   And after these hypocritical professions




1854.]             A  Southerner's View of the Subject.                  639
he proceeded to relate the most shock-  gretted the policy of the South. There
ing cruelties and the most infamous out-  was no wrong done to the abolitionist
rages upon the unhappy slave, as the  in refusing to receive his petition; but
necessary and unvarying incidents of  the adoption of a standing rule of the
Southern life. The truthful narratives  House of Representatives to that effect,
were embellished with engravings to elicit  afforded his sympathisers in Congress
the attention and arouse the passions.  the opportunity for continual agitation,
Upon one page was a large plate of a   and gave to him somewhat of the odor
hunting scene in the South; in the fore-  of martyrdom. The 21st rule we always
ground an umbrageous oak; beneath it  considered a blunder; but it is mere nona prostrate human body, surrounded by   sense to assail the South for it. Admit
a pack of hungry and wolfish dogs,  all that may be urged against it, and was
while at a distance appeared the hunter  it more than a Roland for an Oliver? If
riding off with his gun carelessly thrown   it did abridge constitutional rights, it
over his shoulder. The accompanying   abridged those of none besides a faction
narrative was to the effect that a gentle-  who were trampling upon hers. We
man in the South, having lost a slave,  have neither time nor inclination to
contented himself with  informing a  dwell here.   The South  has more
neighbor, who had a fancy for negro  grievous causes of complaint than the
hunting, and placing him at liberty to  reception of abolition petitions.  The
enjoy whatever sport the chase of the   continual agitation of the 21st rule in
fugitive might afford. Accordingly he  the House of Representatives was pracassembled his hounds and sallied forth.  tically more efficient of mischief against
After some time he discovered the   her than all the petitions ever drafted.
fugitive in the branches of an oak, when   So it was considered, and so it was dehe deliberately levelled his gun and   signed. The agitators but needed a prefired. The shot took effect, and as the   text to assail the South.  There were
poor negro fell, the blood-hounds rushed   political reminiscences ever present with
upon him to complete the work of death  some to point, with the bitterness of
and destruction.  The slave-hunter's  disappointed hopes, the shafts of hato
sympathies for suffering humanity did  and malice, and these who treasured
not allow him to witness the mutilation,  them might forsake a friend, but never
and he leisurely rode away. In another  forgot a foe.
place, under the head of anecdotes, the  The annexation of Texas in 18:5, is
author says that a friend of his, recently  the starting-point of another epoch in
returned from a jaunt to the South, in-  the history of Abolition. The territory
formed him that while visiting a friend,  of Texas was originally included in the
a young lady of the family fell down   Louisiana purchase, but surrendered to
and knocked out all her teeth. A very   Spain by the provisions of the Florida
handsome mulatto slave, blest with fine  treaty.  Mr. Benton —high  authority
teeth, who was employed about the   with the Free Soilers, though, we confess
house, was called in, and a sufficient  it, not very conclusive upon us-says in
number of hers extracted to supply the   his recent ponderous tome, that it was
place of those lost by her young mis-  unnecessarily sacrificed by the Southern
tress. With such stories as these the   advisers of Mr. Monroe, to conciliate the
pamphlet was filled; and this, our friend   Free Soil sentiment of that day.  Of
was informed, was but a sample- of the   course its re-acquisition met with violent
publications then in process of dissemi-  hostility from  the same quarter. But
nation among the children and less en-  the sovereign will of the people comlightened classes of Northern society.  manded it, and the deed was done beThe seed was sowing, and we reap the   yond recall. It is needless now to exharvest.                               amine the propriety or expediency of the
Another phasis of the abolition agita-  act. Texas is in the Union, and if we
tion was presented incessantly upon the   would, we cannot displace her. She is
floor of Congress. Not a session elapsed  in too, under the provisions of a solemn
witlhout the presentation of innume-  covenant for her subdivision into five
rable petitions from men, women, and   States, whenever in her judgment her
children in the North, praying Congress,  population may be large enough to renin its wisdom, to restrain our cruelty,  der division expedient-such of the new
and overthrow  our institutions.  In   States as lay south of 360 30', with or
reference to these petitions, we are   without slavery as their people may de —
frank  to confess that we always re-  sire, and those to the north of that line,




;640                    "Our Parties and Politics."                     [Dec.
aceording to the provisions of the Mis-  by the Senate. By that treaty, in addisouri restriction, non-slaveholding. The  tion to the territory in dispute between
South promptly acceded to the insertion   Texas and Mexico, we acquired Califorof the Missouri Compromise, if she did  nia, a portion of New Mexico, and Utah.
not suggest it, though she was to be the   Prostrate as poor Mexico was, we could
necessary loser.  Her faith, however,  have wrested from her such terms as we
was pledged, and the faithlessness of her  might have chosen to dictate. But, as
enemies was not then so palpably evinced   compared with the precedents of our
as to release her from the obligations of   voracious mother beyond the sea, we
the bond. The Mexican war soon suc-  were moderate in our exactions.
ceeded the annexation of Texas.  We       After the ratification of the treaty,
always considered the war a consequence  immediate efforts were made to provide
of the blundering of Mr. Polk's admi-  governments for our newly acquired ternistration. A wise and cautious Execu-  ritory, but the slavery question aborted
tive might not have been able to avoid  every effort. Upon this rock the two
it; but a wise and cautious Executive   Houses of Congress continually split.
would never have ordered the advance   The House of Representatives repeatedly
of Gen. Taylor at the time, and under  passed the Wilmot Proviso; but, as in
the circumstances, that the unfortunate  days gone by, we looked to the Senate
order was given. So thought the great  and looked not in vain.  Firm  in thQ
statesman of South Carolina, whom the   maintenance of the rights of the mifanatics of the North choose to regard   nority section, that glorious body refused
as the embodiment of the pro-slavery  to accede to the demands of Abolition.
sentiment of the South. During the   The South presented an undivided front.
progress of the war, it became manifest  All parties and classes of her people unitthat the principle upon which the war  ed in resisting the threatened aggression,
party proceeded-that of demanding in-  and her representatives gave honest exdemnity for the past and security for the   pression to her deliberate and well-confuture-necessarily involved ti e necessity  sidered sentiment. She had contributed
of acquiring new territory. For this the   with her blood and her treasure to acSouth was not responsible. Her people  quire the soil from which it was proposwere divided upon the propriety of the   ed for ever to exclude her institutions and
war, though to her credit be it said,  her property. She asked no favors-she
never upon the propriety of maintaining   demanded nothing but her right.  A
the honor of the American flag, or the   small but gallant band of constitutional
safety of the American soldier. The   allies from the North, stood with her in
Democratic party was the war party;  the breach.  Breasting the tide of
and as it had been before, so was it still  fanaticism which swept over their own
the predominant party in the South. In  section, they rang continually in the ears
the North as in the South, it was corn-  of their own people the magnanimous
mitted to the acquisition of territory.  counsel of Aristides to the Athenians:
The friends of the President suggested   "You have the numerical power, but it
that Congress should place under his con-  is unjust to exercise it."  For awhile,
trol two or three millions of dollars to  our Northern brethren seemed " deaf to
facilitate the negotiation of a treaty of  the voice of justice and consanguinity."
peace. Then sprang forth the world-  From Legislature after Legislature they
renowned Wilrnot Proviso. Mr. David  sent up their God-speed to the agitators
Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, who had cast  at the Capitol, until finally young Iowa
his maiden vote in Congress for the 21st  stood alone among the non-slaveholding
rule-and alone of the Pennsylvania de-  States, without the taint of abolition
legation voted f(or the repeal of the tariff  upon her skirts. Upon the other hand,
of 1842-moved the adoption of a pro-  the slave States were cementing their
vise to the effect, that, in the event of   bonds of union among themselves, and
the acquisition of territory, slavery should  upon the altar had sworn the one to the
be for ever prohibited therein. The pro-  other, that " at all hazards, and to the
viso was adopted, and the resolution in  last extremity," they would resist the
this form more than once passed the  threatened aggression. Upon the floor
House of Representatives; but the pro-  of Congress, they over and over again
vise effectually defeated the passage of  tendered the olive branch, and it was
the bill. A treaty of peace was finally  uniformly spurned. Asking only for her
negotiated without the aid of the two or  rights, she proposed to submit the whole
three millions, and subsequently ratified   matter at issue to the arbitrament of the




1854.]             A  Southerner's View of the Szuljece.                 641
Supreme Court, but that was refused.  most censurable. It was a serious misShe proposed to extend the Missouri Com-  take.  The North had repudiated the
promise line to the Pacific-though that  covenant, and it was no less than silly to
excluded her from a large proportion of   concede to her advantages to which she
the territory, and left her interests in the   was entitled under it, in the face of her
remainder subject to tile hazards of ad-  own emphatic and deliberate warning,
verse judicial decisions. The terms of the  that she meant not to discharge any obMissouri act were confined to the territo-  ligations imposed upon her thlereby.
ry acquired from France; but their scope  Congress adjourned on  the 3d of
and design was to draw a dividing line   March, 1849, having failed to provide
between the slave and the free States,  for the government of the new territory.
and good faith required the extension of  The discovery of the immense mineral
the line through the Mexican acquisi-  wealth of California had already atsitions. The South denies, it is true, the  tracted thither an unexampled influx of
authority of Congress to exclude her  population; and the military government
from any portion of the public domain;   which, exnecessitate rei, survived the war,
but for the sake of peace and harmony   was altogether insufficient for the effecshe was willing to concede the power,  tual protection of life and property.
or, in other words, to exclude herself   Under these circumstances her people
from a portion, if by such concession she   assumed the responsibility of organizing
could purchase exemption from assault.  a State Government.  A convention of
But even this offer was spurned, not  delegates regularly elected by her people
once or twice, but oftener still. While  assembled in San Francisco, and agreed
the Mexican acquisitions were still under  upon a Constitution, which was promptly
consideration, Oregon came forward to  ratified and accepted by their constituapply for a territorial government. As  ency. The South had always contended
a portion of the Louisiana purchase,  for the right of the territories in adoptlying altogether North of 360 30', the  ing State  governments, to select for
compromise of 1820 provided for the  themselves such institutions as they
prohibition of slavery, and the South   might prefer, and it was supposed that
did not object to the insertion of the   her repugnance to the Wilmot Proviso
prohibition in the bill establishing a ter-  would impose no obstacle on her part to
ritorial government. Mr. Burt, of South  the admission of California with a free
Carolina, however, to test the feelings  Constitution.  Her enemies, therefore,
of the North in reference to the Missou-  brought their batteries to bear upon the
ri Compromise, proposed to add to the   people of the territory, and by signifiprohibition the words, "inasmuch as the   cant threats  indirectly  accomplished
whole of the said territory lies north of  their purpose. The peculiar situation
the line of 36~ 30', north latitude," or  of the territory rendered the early estabsomething to the same effect. His tno-  lishmnent of a permanent government a
tion was rejected by the almost unani-  matter of unusual moment; and, to avert
mous negative vote of the Northern  the delay which attended the application
members.  The Missouri Compromise   of Missouri for admission into the Unwas thus deliberately repudiated by the  ion, the Southern emigrants acquiesced
North, and the prohibition of slavery in   without a struggle in the exclusion of
Oregon, by virtue thereof, relinquished to  their own people. The paper boundaaccomnplish the same end by the equally  ries assumed for the new State embraced
effectual and more satisfactory dictum of  an area ample enough to form  two or
a despotic majority. In this form the bill  three more; and the Convention was
passed the House against the unanimous   urged to make them coterminous with
negative vote of the Southern members,  the grant of the Mexican treaty. Thus,
and in the Senate would have failed, but  under abolition influence, the denizens
for the desertion of Mr. Benton, of Mis-  of a small section of the new territory
sooli, and Mr. Houston, of Texas. Pre-   established the status as to slavery of an
sident Polk sanctioned the bill, accom-  immense area as yet uninhabited. To
panying it with an explanatory message,  this the South objected, and no fairthat his approval was designed only to in-   minded man can assail her for incondicate his adherence to the Missouri line,  sistency.  She was always ready to
and intimating his intention to veto any   authorize the formation of a State govbill imposing the Wilmnot Proviso upon   ernment in the settled territory, and to
territories south of 360 30'. Of all the   accompany that authority with a pledge
acts of his administration, this we consider  for the admission of the new State, with




642                     "Our Parties and Politics."                    [Dec.
or without slaves, at her own option.  with Texas. Fourth, The act to provide
From  the deliberate and unbiased ver-  more effectually for the return of fugidict of her people-the South never  tive slaves. And Fifth, The act suppresasked-never desired an appeal.         sing the slave trade in the District of
When Congress re-assembled in De-  Columbia.   The Northern  vote was
cember, the Senators and Representa-   unanimously in favor of the first and
tives fiom  California presented them-  the last —so was the Southern vote with
selves with the Constitution of their  reference to the fourth. The second and
State, asking her admission into  the  third were sustained and passed by a
Union, and their own recognition as  combination from both sections, against
her constitutional representatives, in the   an active and energetic opposition fiom
councils of the Confederacy. The whole  the ultra-Northern and ultra-Southern
country was lashed into a state of in-  members, combined. The objections to
tense excitement. The representatives  the admission of California have been
of the South came commissioned by their  set forth already. Good faith required
constituents to resist the Wilmot Proviso  the establishment of a territorial goeven to the disruption of the Union.'vernment, with authority to the peoFor more than one month the House  ple to firame a Constitution unembarof Representatives was entirely disor-  rassed by extraneous influence, and a
ganized.  A  portion of the Southern   guarantee that their own wishes in rewing of the dominant party refused to  gard to slavery, be they what they
acquiesce in the election to the Speaker-  might, should be respected. Practically,
ship of the candidate of their own   this would perhaps have availed the
party, because they distrusted him upon   South little. It would, however, have
this question-and the result vindicated   been no more than a proper concession
the wisdom of their course. The diffi-  to her constitutional rights, as well as an
culty was only obviated, at length, by   appropriate recognition of the principle
an alteration of the rules requiring a   of Federal non-intervention.  Had the
majority vote to elect.  The resolute  South been allowed fair play, in the first
attitude of the South began to be known   instance, we think it more than probable
and appreciated. The Northern masses  that California would now be a slave
were awakened to a true sense of the   State. Nor do we consider it altogether
condition of the country. Under Aboli-  certain that she may not be so yet. Abotion auspices they had been led blind-  lition, in its mad haste, has overreached
fold to the brink of the precipice, until  itself, for in investing the State with the
now, from  the deep abyss below, the   attributes of sovereignty, she has effectrattling of the crumbling earth beneath   ually released her frorm its own grasp.
them  broke on their unwilling  ears.  The act organizing the territory of Utah
Affrighted  and horror-struck at the  is renmarkable in but one respect. It conblackness of the darkness before them,  tains no Wilmot Proviso; but in express
they shrunk back. Disunion and frater-  words embodies the great principle of
nal war were but a step in advance, and   non-intervention in its fullest and broadthat step was half taken when the true   est terins. It had been a favorite posimen of the North rallied in their might  tion with the anti-slavery men, that the
to the rescue.  Fanaticism  raved and  laws of Mexico which recognized  no
ranted, but Northern patriotism trampled   property in slaves were still in force,
the monster,                           and that without positive legislation the
The Wilinot Proviso was consigned, by   new acquisitions were entirely free soil.
the overwhelming voice of the people,  Upon the other hand, the South conto the tomb of the Capulets; and, by the  tended that the United States held the
same high authority, a final and perma-  territory under the Constitution for the
nent adjustment of the Slavery question,  joint and equal benefit of all the States;
in all its Federal aspects was commanded.  and was bound to recognize and proWhat are familiarly known as the corn-  tect therein, the property of all —and
promise  measures of 1850 were  the  inasmuch as our slave laws were inconresult.  They were five in number, viz.:  sistent with the Mexican law, that the
First, the act to admit the State of Cali-  latter was necessarily repealed or superfornia  into the  Union.  Second, the   seded. The South had previously maniact organizing the territory of Utah.  fested her confidence in the strength of
Third, the act organizing the territory  this position by an almnst unanimous supof New Mexico, and providing for the   port of the Clayton compromise, which
adjustment of the disputed boundary   proposed to submit the matter as a propo



1854.]             A  Southerner's View of the Subject.                  643
sition of law, to the arbitrament of the   Thus, in the most solemn manner, was
Supreme Court of tile United States.  the faith of the United States pledged,
Nevertheless the idea had been exten-  by its various departments of governsively diffused that the Mexican law   ment, to recognize and defend the terriwas still in force —and slaveholders,  torial clairns of Texas.  To vindicate
thereby warned that, in venturing with  them  against the encroachments of
their property upon the public domain,  Mexico was the ostensible cause of the
they hazarded its loss. To remedy this   war she waged against a weak and
disadvantage the South asked the amend-  almost defenceless neighbor.  Yet, no
ment of the bill by a disclaimer of the   sooner is that neighbor prostrated, and
validity of the Mexican law, and in con-   compelled to relinquish her claims, than,
sequence of the rejection of the proposed   under Northern influence, the United
amendment, many of the Southern repre-  States is mnade to assume the disgraceful
sentatives voted against it. The repeal  position of denying the validity of the
of the Mexican law, however, seems  title for which she fought. In recurring
virtually admitted by the bill-for juris-  to this phasis of the struggl, of 1850,
diction is vested in the courts, to deter-  who, that feels within his bosom  the
mine suits involving title to slaves, and   beating of an American heart, can supthe territory is guaranteed admission   press the instinctive blush of shame?
into the Union, with or without slavery,  The object for which the public faith
as her Constitution may prescribe.      was thus set at naught, was kindred in
In the organization of a territorial go-  baseness to the act itself. Texas was a
vernment for New Mexico, peculiar dif-  slaveholding State, and to her soil the
ficulties presented  themselves.   The   citizen of the South arid the North was
preposterous idea of admitting her as a   alike a welcome visitant. If, however,
State with the anti-slavery restriction,  she could be despoiled of her territory,
possessed the imaginations of but few.  the power of the Federal Government
The administration had acted upon the   might be invoked to exclude her, and
presumption that, by inciting her people  her sister States of the south, therefrom.
to imitate the example of California, the   Texas prepared to maintain her rights
admission of both as free States could be   by force. She felt that she had to cope
accomplished; and, under executive in-  with a more formidable foe than Mexico
fluence, the farce of adopting a Constitu-  — but, strong in the consciousness of a
tion, and electing senators and represen-  righteous cause, she was advancing to
tatives, was enacted by the handful of  the contest.  The sympathies of the
men who inhabited Santa Fe and its  whole South were with her,-and, had
neighborhood. That, however, was of   a blow  been struck, their sons would
little moment. But there was a question   have rallied around her. Virginia and
involved in the organization of a territo-  the Carolinas,-Georgia and Tennesseerial government which, at one time,  aye, every slave State in the Union
threatened instant civil war.  When   would have made her quarrel theirs;Texas was annexed to the United States  and no human ken could have foreseen
she claimed that her boundary extended  the result.  Happily the danger was
to the Rio Grande, while Mexico as-  averted,-not, however, as it should
serted for her then province of New   have been, by a magnanimous secession
Mexico, a claim as far east as the Nueces.  of the Federal Government. Texas was
Every one, at all familiar with the his-  bribed into peace. With the sword in
tory of our country, is well aware that  one hand and the purse in the other, the
the cause of our war with Mexico was  United States extorted  an unwilling
the armed occupation, by the United   cession of her soil. The common treaStates, of this disputed territory. Acting   sury of the Union, to which we of the
upon the claim of Texas, Mr. Polk gave   South, unquestionably, contribute our
the order for General Taylor's advance  full quota, was robbed of ten millions of
from Corpus Christi, and then followed   dollars to dismember a slave State, and
the collisions at Palo Alto and Resaca de..  put at hazard our rights in millions of
la Palma. The Congress of the United   acres. Is it wonderful that, against such
States endorsed the act of its executive,  an outrage, the true men of the South
and resolving that " whereas war existed   did noble battle? United, however,
by act of Mexico" in invading the State   with the bill establishing a territorial
of Texas, and shedding American blood   government for New Mexico, repudiatupon American soil, provided;'or its  ing the Wilmot Proviso, and guaranteeeffectual prosecution  upon our part.  ing her admission into the Union as a




644                     "Our Parties and Politics."                       [Dec.
slave State, if she so willed, the Texas   omi-lou.z of future evil. This subject,
bribe became tile law of the land.       how ver, is now rarely noticed. The law
Of the remaining two measures, the  is L2icn the statute-book,-openly, and
one was designed as a concession to the   we believe rigidly, enforced. But its
fanaticism of one section-the other was  fellow-statute is less fortunate. From
a tardy recognition of the rights of the   the hour of the passage of the Fugitive
other. The abolition of the slave trade   Slave Law down to the present time,
in the District of Columbia, is practically  scarcely a week has elapsed that its nulof little consequence to the South. With  lification has not been urged as a Chrisus, the buying and selling of slaves for  tian duty.. In scarcely one single ingain is no more reputable an employment  stance 1 s the law been executed quietly,
than it is considered in the North; and   and w,out resistance. The blood of
if it could be, it would long since have   more t  n one victim  of an infuriated
been  suppressed.  It is, however, a   mob c'.: — ors still from  the ground for
necessary incident to  the institution.  venge,. As far as nine out of ten of
There is much of evil associated with the   our st:.. slaves are concerned, the law
best condition  upon earth. In every  is prac,ce,ly a dead letter.  In spite of
community and in every society there is  its provi.ions they cower securely under
much that is necessary to be done which   the shel —r of abolition saints, whose
the benevolent heart would rather not   decalogue is abridged i,;o the single combe forced to  witness. Crimes occur   mand, "Thou shalt steal thy neighbor's
everywhere; but no human laws have   slave, ano defame  - eighbor's name."
yet devised penalties which, in punishing   Yet their turrendc'nominated in the
the  criminal, never bear with  them   bond."  Men of          orth! the Constihleavier burdens to the innocent. If the   tution, which secur. you all that you
slave is sold to-day at the caprice of a   and yours hold dear,  poses upon you
heartless master, so, iN another circle of   this duty. It may be en unpleasant one
society, the heartless master finds his   -it need not be so..'he great apostle
counterpart in the brutal husband or   of the Gentiles obvio'-:y thought he did
father, and the unhappy slave his fellow-  his Master service when restoring the fusufferer in the heart-broken wife, or the   gitive Onesimus to ~'nilemon.  Yours
unfriended child. If, in the South, the   must bea tender conscjence that revolts
bankruptcy of the master compels the   from acts that Paul esteemed duties. "It
reluctant sale to the slave dealer, and the  is nominated in the bond."  Remember
forced severance of the negro's ties,-in  that.  Contemporary history assures us,
the North a like misfortune to the father   and your own jurists tell us, that without
tears friom the fireside of home the un-  it that bond would never have been signhappy boy, and flings him rudderless on   ed, sealed, and delivered. You have the
the ocean of life. The feeling heart  consideration, therefore. In the peace
need but look around within the narrow   and security of your fireside, in the excircle of its own immediate observation,   emption from the heavy and oppressive
tofind enough of human woe and suffering   burdens that grind the poor of other
to awake its liveliest sympathies.  The   lands into dust, in your growing and
people of the South are not callous to  flourishing towns, in all the elements of
human misfortune.  If they be not all  material prosperity and comfort that surlike the good Samaritan of our Saviour's  round you, in the dividends with which
parable, and we assert not for them such   your cotton mills fill your pockets, in
excellence, we believe we hazard nothing   your unrestricted intercourse with the
in challenging, throughout the world,  South, pouring, as it does annually,
comparison with them  in all works of   into your lap millions of dollars, in the
genuine charity. The negro's sorrows   pride with which you boast your Ameare not unheeded by his Southern brc-  rican citizenship, in all that is near and
ther of a fairer hue. With less of osten-   dear to your heart, s men and as Ametation, but with more of deep and heart-  cans, you have your price. We give it
felt interest, he ministers to his necessi-  you,-we will defend it for you in times
ties. Southern philanthropy does not  to come, as we have done in days gone
vent itself towards the negro in words,  by. But give us ours.  Be honest.
and words only. However, we digress.  Honesty is the best policy; but he did
We have no regrets that the slave sham-  not err much who quaintly said, the
bles have been excluded fiom. the Dis-   man who is honest because it is the best
trict, but the exercise of the power to   polic, is half-way to a knave. Be honest,
suppress the traffic, is, to us, fearfully  therefore, because it is right, because it




1854.]              A  Southerner7  View of the Subject.                 645
is just. Your faith isplighted. It.issibt   meditated by one in a thousand of our
to the features of the law that yourerly   Northern brethren who pander to the
object. You say the trial by jury',.ia   fanaticism of abolition; and if considerbeas corpus, &c., are denied the fugitive,  ations like these were more frequently
and hence the law is unconstitutional.  pressed  home upon them  the effect
So say no lawyers, no judges, except  would be a happy one.  We state
the oracles of a faction, and the Mans-  nothing but fact when we affirm  the
fields of Wisconsin. No question was   obligation to return the fugitive slave.
ever broached upon which the bench has  He that runs may read it. Not an offiso often spoken, and with such little va-  cer of any State in this Union can enter
riance. The constitutional questit'" does   upon the discharge of his duties before
not relieve you. The bill is c(: titu-  solemnly swearing to comply with the
tional. The trial by jury is a' text,  contract. We cannot swear allegiance
and so you know it is. Need you   told  to the Constitution by piecemeal. As a
for the hundreth time that ther  not  whole, with  all its provisions, its
a slave State in the Union that o. not  burdens, and benefits together, we have
offer the fugitive, if he will hb!v~*it, a   to take it. The trappings of office in
jury trial to test his identity or'3s free-  this land sit uneasily on the shoulders
dom, and the sympqthies of our jr ries are  of an honest abolitionist. Bitter it may
always with the n   8do? You only wish   be, but upon the Evangely of Christ
the jury trial, to ipnrease the ch nce of   must he swear to return the fugitive to
escape to the slaInL. You kncw  that  his owner.  To the Searcher of all
ninety-nine out o' ievery hundred of   hearts and the God of all truth must he
those claimed, art undoubtedly slaves,  appeal to witness the sincerity with
and, consequently, ~ou do not really so   which lie pledges his immortal soul
much apprehend ti.' take.'Tis to de-  for the fulfilment of the obligation.
fraud the owner. H.e frank with your-  It is no light matter to appeal soselves, if no others' You complain that  lemnly to heaven, and human depravity
the States, and not" i'e General Govern-  wears no blacker aspect than when
ment, are bound by the constitutional  premeditated  falsehood   accompanies
provision. Be it s-. Will you assist in  such an appeal. Ye abolition officeenacting a State 1- v, honestly designed   bearers, your  quarrel is not  now
to satisfy the requiirments of the Consti-  with us. It is with Him  whose ventution?  No;-you do not wish to de-  geance you have voluntarily invoked,
liver up the slave. But reflect upon   for refusing to return the fugitive slave.
your obligations. Is it right for you to   Your covenant obligations may hang
share the benefits, and pay not the price?   heavy upon your souls; but you have
Do you reflect that every slave you re-  assumed them for yourselves, and apfuse to return is stolen from your South-   pealed to heaven as the witness. You
ern brother? It is so,-and stolen, too,  may not release yourselves from them.
under the aggravation of violated confi-  Repeal the law you cannot; but, if you
dence. On the faith of your promise to  could, it would not avail.'Tis written
return  them, the opportunity to steal  in the bond of Union, and the South will
them was afforded. An Englishman can   not release you. From that obligation
not, with impunity, despoil us of our pro-  ye may not escape, save by a complete
perty; but you can. Our unsuspecting   disruption of the Confederacy. But one
confidence in your covenant-faith invest-  straight path of duty is mlarked out for
ed you with the peculiar opportunities   him  whose conscience revolts at the
you abuse. Think of these things seri-  work. It is in resolute, unvarying and
ously and calmly. If you cannot corn-  uncompromising war against the Union.
ply with the requirements of the Consti-  His convictions necessarily make him a
tution, then strike for disunion in an  traitor to the Confederacy. He who
open, a manly, and an honest way. If  loves the Union must hate abolition.
you do not this, but still retain the slave,  Away, then, with the hypocritical cant
you are false to the most sacred obli-  of making thle free North a huntinggations.                               ground for slaves, and reducing NorthWe do not design to deal in denunci-  ern freemen to a level with bloodation, for we are well aware of the im-  hounds, &c., &c. A truce to this clamor
mense influence of prejudice upon the  about the nnconstitutionality of the law.
formation of individual opinion respect-    The repudiation of the Wilmot proing matters of most palpable character.  viso in the territorial bills was simply a
We do not believe that broken faith is  triumph of principle. Very little idea




646                      "Our Parties and Politics."                     [Dee.
was then, or is now, entertained of the   recognizing the binding character of any
establishment of slavery in Utah, or  pledges made by their predecessors, and
New  Mexico; but no congressional in-  disdainfully rejected  the mention of
terdict excludes the South. The great  360 30', because "some historical recolprinciple of State rights, for which we   lections" made those figures bear with
have always contended, is recognized in  them  "an  implication," were, a few
its full extent by the guarantee to the   moons since, clamoring upon the floor of
incipient state of full and unrestricted   Congress for this same line of 36~ 30',
liberty to choose her own institutions   as the consecrated boundary of free soil.
for herself. In this particular, and in   This silly cry of broken faith is simply
this particular only, did the South really   absurd. We have shown, in the previous
gain in the adjustment of 1850. The   brief r'sume of legislation  upon this
Fugitive Slave Bill was but an amend-   subject, that the South endeavored, but
l1ment,t' an existing law, designed to carry   endeavored ineffectually, to perpletuate
into effect a plain and uncontroverted   the Missouri line. She contended that
provision of the Constitution. It is emi-  good faith required its extension so the
nently  useful in many respects; but,  Pacific; but, not only did the North
like its constitutional basis, depends for  refuse to extend, but solemnly repudiated
its efficacy upon principles of good faith  it as binding on the original territory
and good neighlbolrhood, which legisla-  of Louisiana, and excluded the South
lation cannot create.  But in the tri-  fiomn Oregon  by numerical strength.
umph of State sovereignty, not territo-,  Against the earnest remonstrances and
rial sovereignty (for the power to exclude   protest of the South, that line was pracus is only vested in the people when  tically  abrogated —when her enemies
organizing as a State), a controverted   vainly imagined themselves full strong
question was settled, and it was settled   enough to exclude her entirely.  They
for all coming time upon the principles  forced upon her the hazards of another
of the Constitution and of equal right.  settlement-and to the principles of that.
The era of federal interdicts was closed   settlement, every consideration of justwhen a despotic majority repudiated the  ice and fair dealing requires them  to
Missouri Compromise, even in its appli-  submit, without a murmur. This we
cation to the Louisiana purchase, by   did not expect; but, from tle candid and
rejecting the proposed amendment of   fair-mninded men of the North, we do
Mr. B3urt, of South Carolina, to the Ore-  look for early and entire acquiescence.
gon bill, in 1848. The passage of that bill  We know there are many who esteem
marks the turning point in our history.  the Nebraska bill equitable and just, and
The South tendered the olive-branch more  the discomfiture of Abolition an approthan once again; but her spirits were   priate recompense for its faithlessness in
broken and her hopes were crushed.  the past, who nevertheless deprecated its
This, however, washer ultimatum. The  introduction, aid indulge in jererniades
Missouri restriction, or none, was the   over its passage. They are of that class
alternative she proposed, and we have   of timid conservatives who tremble at the
no regrets attendant upon the accept-  slightest ruffle upon the surface of the
ance of the latter.                     waters. Theirs is an amiable weaknessThe recent act of Congress, organizing   comparatively harmless in private life —
the territories of Nebraska and Kansas,  but in public affairs the source of
was the equitable consequence of the leg-  uncounted ills. John Hampden, at the
islation of 1850.  Thle distinguishing   exchequer bar, resisting the arbitrary
feature of this act was the clause de-  exactions of a would-be despot, found
claring the Missouri restriction origin-  as little sympathy from their anti-types'ally unconstitutional and superseded as  as did Stephen A. Douglas frolm them
a principle of compromise by the adjust-   when, in the Senate chamber of the
ment of 1850. It must have been not a   Union, he married his name to, and
little amusing to those who have watched   staked his fortune upon, the gtreat conthe progress of political events in this  stitutional principle of Federal non-incountry, for the past five years, to ob-  tervention. The last, as the first, may
serve the apparent earnestness and sin-  leave his fame to posterity. They will
cerity with which this bill was assailed,  do him ample justice. But we are satas a breach of plighted faith.  Men  isfied he need not wait so long.  The
and parties who, in 1850, had not a word   present storm is but temporary in durlaof respect to utter for any compromises  tion. There is more of thunder than
— who studiously repelled the idea of   of lightning in its clouds. Peculiar cir



1854.]              A  Southerner's View of the Subject.                 647
cumstances have contributed  to the   herself the elements of a commercial inapparent success of the agitators: and   dependence  and material prosperity,
none more so than the present disor-  which a kind Providence has vouchganization of political parties.  The de-  safed to none other upon earth.  With
feat of General Scott by so overwhelm-  the command of the mouth of the
ing a majority, established the necessity   Mississippi, and the monopoly of the
of a re-organization of the political ele-  cotton trade of the world, she may
ments-and the blundering policy of the   laugh the puny efforts of her enemies to
administration, in its efforts to amalga-  scorn. We know that there are men at
mate the opposing factions of the ma-  the North who believe that this Union
jority, had already, in a great measure,  is indissoluble, and contemptuously ridiobliterated old party lines. The intro-  cule the idea of Southern secession.
duction of a new subject of engrossing   They profess to believe, and perhaps do
interest, involving  necessarily intense   believe, that the veneration  for the
sectional feeling, afforded under these   Union lies too deep seated in the hearts
circumstances too good an opportunity   of our people to be eradicated by any
to be lost by the discontented spirits  legislation. It is a fatal error, kindred
who hung upon the out-skirts of the old  in its origin, it may be in its results, to
parties. Hence, as a very natural con-  that which despoiled the British corosequence, the fusion now in progress,  net of its brightest jewels. That man
striking terror by the apparent strength   has studied American  character and
of abolition  into  the hearts of the   American history to little purpose, who
despondent. We confess that the suc-  vainly imagines that with our people,
cess of the agitators has surpassed our  the halo of past glories can obscure the
expectations-but we do not despond.  sense of present wrong. Had we been
Our confidence is strong in the capacity  easily defrauded of our rights by pleas
of the Union to withstand the assaults  of such nature, these States had been
of its internal, as well as external foes.  still appendages to the ocean-girt isle.
We cannot but believe that a higher   With her we had in common, "the
destiny than we have ever yet approxi-  language of Shakespeare, the code of
mated, is reserved in the counsels of   Blackstone, and the creed of Christ,"
Olnnipotence for our Republic. Our  and the blood-stains of common battle
trust is reposed undoubtingly on Him   fields had scarce dried upon the vestwhose mighty arm, in days gone by, hath   ments. The assumptions of the British
gotten us the victory.                 parliament were practically far less obIt is fashionable just now to declaim   noxious to the Southern colonies, than
against the aggressions of pro-slavery,  are now  the  dogmas of Abolition.
and to speculate upon the ulterior de-  Their mother was kinder then than their
signs of the South.  A  recent able  sisters now. But Old England bent the
writer, in reviewing the parties and   bow too far, and New England "may
politics of our country, very adroitly   profit by her example."  The same spirit
puts forward the pro-slavery party, as  that in'76 made the cause of Boston
the successful party of our history, and  the cause of all, still exists among us.
ttributes to the South ulterior designs,  Rouse not the lion from  his lair. We
well calculated as represented to awaken   would live in peace  and harmony.
antagonism in the North. It is the old   Wronged though we hlave been, we are
fable of the fox and the lamb in another  content that by-gones be by-gones.
form.  The aggressions of pro-slavery    But there can be no peace until the
have this extent, and no more, that  North agrees to let the slavery question
within the limits of her constitutional  alone. If slavery be the sin and evil
lights, she has resisted with more suc-  they conceive it, it is all ours; to borcess of late than formerly. the advance  row the words of a fanatical preacher in
of her assailants. The ulterior design   the West-" ours by solemn compact;
of the South is embodied in few words.  our small-pox, our cholera, our plague,
She Ineans to content herself with no-  our leprosy."  The writer to whom we
thing less than equality in the Union, or  have previously referred, admits that
independence out of it. Unwelcome as  some years since "' every intelligent and
to her is the thought of separation   judicious Northener was glad to concede
from her Northern sisters, Abolition has  that slavery was a system  exclusively
forc2d her to count the cost; and if   within the control of the States."  We
aggres.ion is not to be stayed, she is  beg to know what new light has dawned
prepared for the worst. She has withi n   upon them, to modify their construction




648                     "Our Parties and Politics."                    [Dec.
of constitutional right. If no assault  room for concealment or disguise. In
upon slavery in the States be designed,  no spirit of idle gasconade —in no ebulliwhy this warfare against the entrance  tion of temporary passion-but in the
of the South into the territories? Has  sullen sternness of deliberate and calcuthere been any other single question   lated purpose, the South protests her
presented to our people, upon which   high resolve. No apparent excitement
sectional lines have been drawn? Com-  pervades the masses of her people.
binations of men from  the North and   Upon the Nebraska question she mainthe South have sustained, and similar  tained, throughout, an unusual silence.
combinations have opposed, the establish-   Not loud in its expression, but deep and
ment of national banks, and protective   strong is the feeling that animates her
tariffs, and every contested measure of   masses. With the intensestinterest they
federal policy. Upon this single question   gaze from a distance on your fields of
is the South a unit. The worm, when   political strife, and await the result in
trodden under foot, will turn upon the   anxious suspense.  The issue is now
oppressor, and the unanimity  of the   fairly joined, and fidelity to the Republic
South here is explicable upon the in-  admits of no neutrality. Abolition hangs
stincts of self-defence. The interdiction   boldly out her banner, inscribed with
of slavery in the territories is avowedly  these treasonable devices:-THE REPEAL
designed as an indirect blow at the same   OF THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW —THE REinstitution in the States, from direct at-  STORATION OF THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE
tacks upon which, all, save the most  -No MORE SLAVE STATES-NO  MORE
radical fanatics, admit that the Consti-  SLAVE TERRITORIES. Under its folds are
tution protects us. The policy of Abo-  rallying an imposing array.'Tis idle to
lition is to encircle us with a cordon of   close the eye to the peril of the day.
free States, and thus to confine us in the   Sectionalism is arming for a struggle of
limits of the present slave territory,  life or death. No sane man imagines
until the increase of that class of our  that success, in any of her designs, is conpopulation shall coerce emancipation, if  sistent with the stability of the Union.
not amalgamation. We do not desire to   When the North shall repudiate her
dwell upon the dark future which the   constitutional obligations, by repealing an
success of such a policy foreshadows.  act to carry into effect one of the fundaBy Southampton and Hayti the South is   mental provisions of the Constitutionforewarned, and forewarned, she is fore-  when the defunct restrictive policy of
armed.                                  excluding us and ours from the common
We had designed to notice the impu-  territory of the Union shall be revived
dent claim which is asserted for "the   -when the covenant with Texas shall
outcast republicans of Europe," to ex-  be ignored —and the hand of fellowship
elude us from the enjoyment of our, own   be refused to an incipient State, unless
property, because "our form of society  she rejects our social polity-when thus
can never advance bevond a semi-bar-  a circle of fire is forming around us, and
barism."  We envy not the heart that  the preponderance of the hireling States
could conceive, or the tongue that could  to an extent sufficient to amend the
utter such a sentiment, libelling as it  Constitution, and invest the Federal
does, without discrimination, the whole   Government with control over our inbody of a Christian community. How-  stitutions-ensured at no distant dayever, the statement of the proposition   when all, or either of these events shall
carries with it to every fair-minded man   occur, the time for separation will have
its own reply, and time and space ad-  more than arrived. If upon them  or
monish us to hurry to a close.         either of them  our Northern brethren
We have endeavored to discuss this  are madly bent, we had better part, while
question calmly and philosophically; and   we may part in peace. " Let there be
to the sober reason of our readers-to   no strife between our people and your
the calm thinkers of the North-we ap-   people, for we be brethren. Is not the
peal. What good has been accomplished,   whole land before us?  Separate yourand what good may be accomplished by   selves froln us. Go you to the North,
this war against us? As for the evil it  and we will go to the South."
may yet evoke, no man can anticipate its  But we are not despondent. Our conextent. It should be enough for every  fidence in the ultimate decision of the
patriot and every Christian to know that  Northern  masses  is  still unshaken.
in this matter is involved the perpetuity   There is too much of sound and practiof the American Union. There is no   cal sense in this Union to permit a senti



1854.]                      Titbottom's Spectacles.                        649
mental abstraction to shiver it into frag-   certain triumph, they press boldly onments. In the sober second thought of   ward, bearing in the advance the timethe yeomanry of the land, is its.hope,   honored banner of the Republic, radiant
and will be its salvation. The Old   with the gathered glories of the past,
Guard is up and doing. Strong in the   and suggestive of still more unfading
inherent justice of their cause, they   glory in tile future, emblazoned with
gather themselves once more to throttle  the simple, but august device —TE  Cowthe demon of discord.  With unwaver-   STITUTION AND THE UNION I
ing step, in the confident expectation of
TITBOTTOM'S SPECTACLES.
" In my mind's eye, Horatio."
pRUE and I do not entertain much;   without thanking God for the vision,our means forbid it. In truth, other  if I thought that this was all, and that
people entertain  for us.   We enjoy   underneath her lace flounces and diamond
that hospitality of which no account  bracelets, Aurelia was a sullen, selfish
is made. We see the show, and hear   woman, then I should turn sadly homethe music, and  smell the flowers of  wards, for I should see that her jewels
great festivities, tasting as it were the   were flashing scorn upon the object they
drippings from rich dishes.  Our own   adorned, and that her laces were of a more
dinner  service  is remarkably  plain,  exquisite  loveliness than  the woman
our dinners, even on state occasions,   whom they merely touched with a superare strictly  in  keeping, and  almost  ficial grace. It would be like a gaily
our only guest is Titbottom.  I buy   decorated mausoleum,-bright to see, but
a handful of roses as I come up from    silent and dark within.
the office, perhaps, and Prue arranges     "Great excellences, my dear Prue,"
them  so prettily in a glass dish for the   I sometimes allow myself to say, "lie
centre of the table, that even when I   concealed in the depths of character,
have hurried out to see Aurelia step into  like pearls at the bottom  of the sea.
her carriage to go out to dine, I have   Under the laughing, glancing surface, how
thought that the bouquet she carried   little they are suspected!  Perhaps love
was not more beautiful because it was  is nothing else than the sight of them
more costly. I grant that it was more   by one person.  Hence every man's
harmonious with  her superb  beauty  nmistress is apt to be an enigma to everyand her rich attire.  And I have no   body else. I have no doubt that when
doubt that if Aurelia knew the old man,  Aurelia is engaged, people will say that
whom she must have seen so often watch-   she is a most admirable gir-l, certainly;
ing her, and his wife, who ornaments   but they cannot understand why any
her sex with as much sweetness, although   man should be in love with her. As if
with less splendor, than Aurelia herself,  it were at all necessary that they should!
she would also acknowledge that the   And her ]over, like a boy who finds a
nosegay of roses was as fine and fit upon   pearl in the public street, and wonders
their table, as her own sumptuous bou-   as much that others did not see it as that
quet is for herself. I have that faith in   he did, will tremble until he knows his
the perception of that lovely lady. It is  passion is returned; feeling, of course,
at least my habit, —I hope I may say, my   that the whole world must be in love
nature, to believe the best of people,   with this paragon who cannot possibly
rather than the worst.  If I thought   smile upon anything so unworthy as he.
that all this sparkling setting of beauty,  "I hope, therefore, my dear AMrs.
-this fine fashion,-these blazing jewels   Prue," I continue to say to my wife,
and  lustrous silks and  airy gauzes,  who looks up from her work regarding
embellished  with  gold-threaded  em-  mne with pleased pride, as if I were such
broidery and wrought in a thousand   an  irresistible  humorist,  " you  will
exquisite elaborations, so that I cannot  allow me to believe that the depth may
see one of those lovely girls pass me by,  be calm althiough the surface is dancing.
VOL. IV.-42




650                         Titbottom's Spectacles.                       [Dec
If you tell me that Aurelia is but a giddy  It grew dark as we stood in the office
girl, I shall believe that you think so.  talking, and taking our hats we went out
But I shall know, all the while, what  together.  The narrow street of business
profound dignity, and sweetness, and   was deserted.  The heavy iron shutters
peace, lie at the foundation  of her   were gloomily closed over the windows.
character."                              From one or two offices struggled the
I say such things to Titbottom during   dim gleam of an early candle, by whose
the dull season at the office. And I have  light some perplexed accountant sat beknown him  sometimes to reply with a   lated, and  hunting for his error. A
kind of dry, sad humor, not as if he en-  careless clerk passed, whistling.  But the
ioyed the joke, but as if the joke must  great tide of life had ebbed. We heard
be made, that he saw no reason why I  its roar far away, and the sound stole
should be dull because the season was so.  into that silent street like the murmur
"' And what do I know of Aurelia or  of the ocean into an inland dell.
any other girl?" he says to me, with that  " You will come and dine with us, Titabstracted  air;  "I, whose Aurelias   bottom?"
were of another century and another        He assented by continuing to walk
zone."                                   with me, and I think we were both glad
Then he falls into a silence which it  when we reached the house, and Prue
seems quite profane to interrupt. But  came to meet us, saying:
as we sit upon our high stools at the      "Do you know  I hoped you would
desk opposite each other, I leaning upon   bring Mr. Titbottom to dine?"
my elbows and looking at him; he, with     Titbottom  smiled  gently, and  ansidelng face, glancing out of the winldow,  swered:
as if it commanded a boundless land-       "He might have brought his spectascape, instead of a dim, dingy office court,  cles with him, and I have been a happier
I cannot refrain from saying:            man for it."
" Well!"                                Prue looked a little puzzled.
He turns slowly, and I go chatting on,'" My dear," I said, " you must know
-a little too loquacious, perhaps, about  that our friend, Mr. Titbottom, is the
those young girls.  But I know  that  happy possessor of a pair of wonderful
Titbottom  regards such an excess as  spectacles. I have never seen them, invenial, for his sadness is so sweet that  deed; and, from what he says, I should
you could believe it the reflection of a   be rather afrtaid of being seen by them.
smile from long, long years ago.         Most short-sighted persons are very glad
One day, after I had been talking for  to have the help of glasses; but Mr.
a long time, and we had put up our  Titbottom seems to find very little pleasbooks, and were preparing to leave, lie  ure in his."
stood for some time by the window,         "It is because they make him too fargazing with a drooping intentness, as if  sighted, perhaps," interrupted Piue quihe really saw something more than the   etly, as she took the silver soup-ladle
dark court, and said slowly:             from the sideboard.
"Perhaps you would have different    We sipped our wine after dinner, and
impressions of things, if you saw them   Prue took her work. Can a man be too
through my spectacles."                 far-sighted? I did not ask the question
There was no change in his expres-  aloud. The very tone in which Prue
sion. He still looked fromr the window,  had spoken, convinced me that he might.
and I said:'" At least," I said, " Mr. Titbottom'' Titbottom, I did not know that you   will not refuse to tell us the history of
used glasses.  I have never seen you   his mysterious spectacles. I ]lave known
wearing spectacles."                     plenty of magic in eyes (and I glanced
L No, I don't often wear them. I am   at the tender blue eyes of Prue), but I
not very fond of looking through them.  have not heard of any enchanted glassBut sometimes an irresistible necessity   es."
compels me to put them  on, and I can-     " Yet you must have seen the glass in
not help seeing."                        which your wife looks every morning,
Titbottom sighed.                    and I take it, that glass must be daily
"' Is it so grievous a fate, to see?" in-  enchanted," said Titbottom, with a bow
quired I.                                of quaint respect to my wife.
" Yes; through my spectacles," he        I do not think I have seen such a blush
sai(l, turning slowly and looking at me   upon Prue's cheek since-well, since a
with wan solemnity.                      great many years ago.




1854.]                     Titbottom's Spectacles.                       651
"I will gladly tell you the history of  "Society, of course, he saw  little.
my spectacles," began Titbottorn.  "It  There was some slight apprehension that
is very simple; and I am not at all sure  if he were bidden to social entertainthat a great many other people have not  ments, he might forget his coat, or arrive
a pair of the same kind. I have never,  without some other essential part of his
indeed, heard of them by the gross, like   dress; and there is a sly tradition in the
those of our young friend, Moses, the son   Titbottom family, that, having been inof the Vicar of Wakefield. In fact, I think   vited to a ball in honor of the new gova gross would be quite enough to supply  ernor of the island, my grandfather Titthe world. It is a kind of article for  bottom  sauntered into the hall towards
which the demand does not increase with   midnight, wrapped in  the  gorgeous
use. If we should all wear spectacles  flowers of his dressing-gown, and with
like mine, we should never smile any   his hands buried in the pockets, as usual.
more. Or-I am  not quite sure-we   There was great excitement, and imshould all be very happy."              mense deprecation of gubernatorial ire.
"A  very important difference," said   But it happened that the governor and
Prue, counting her stitches.            my grandfather were old friends, and
"You know my grandfather Titbot-  there was no offence. But as they were
tom was a West Indian. A large pro-  conversing together, one of the distressed
prietor, and an easy man, he basked in   managers cast indignant glances at the
the tropical sun, leading his quiet, luxu-  brilliant costume oi my grandfather, who
rious life.  He lived much alone, and   summoned him, and asked courteously:
was what people call eccentric, by which  "'Did you invite me or my coat?'
I understand that he was very much        "' You, in a proper coat,' replied the
himself, and, refusing the influence of   manager.
other people, they had their little reven-  "The governor smiled approvingly,
ges, and called him names. It is a habit  and looked at my grandfather.
not exclusively tropical. I think I have  "' My friend,' said he to the manager,
seen the same thing even in this city.'I beg your pardon, I forgot.'
But he was greatly beloved-my bland       "Tie next day, my grandfather was
and bountiful grandfather. He was so  seen promenading in full ball dress along
large-hearted, and open-handed.  He   the streets of the little town.
was so friendly, and thoughtful, and ge-  "' They ought to know,' said he,'that
nial, that even his jokes had the air of   I have a proper coat, and that not congraceful benedictions. He did not seem   tempt nor poverty, but forgetfulness,
to grow old, and he was one of those  sent me to a ball in my dressillg7gown.'
who never appear to have been very        "IIe did not much  frequett social
young. He flourished in a perennial ma-  festivals after this failure, but he always
turity, an immortal middle-age.        told the story with satisfaction and a
"My grandfather lived upon one of   quiet smile.
the small islands, St. Kit's, perhaps, and  " To a stranger, life upon those little
his domain extended to the sea. His  islands is uniform  even to weariness.
house, a rambling West Indian mansion,  But the old native dons like my grandwas surrounded  with deep, spacious  father, ripen in the prolonged sunshine,
piazzas, covered with luxurious lounges,  like the turtle upon the Bahama banks,
among which one capacious chair was  nor know of existence more desirable.
his peculiar seat. They tell me he used   Life in the tropics, I take to be a placid
sometimes to sit there for the whole day,  torpidity. During the long, warm mornhis great, soft, brown eyes fastened upon  ings of nearly half a century, my grandthe sea, watching the specks of sails that  father Titbottom had sat in his dressingflashed upon the horizon, while the   gown, and gazed at the sea. But one
evanescent expressions chased each other  calm Jufie day, as he slowly paced the
over his placid face, as if it reflected the   piazza after breakfast, his dreamy glance
calm and changing sea before him. His   was arrested by a little vessel, evidently
morning costume was an ample dressing-  nearing the shore.  He called for his
gown of gorgeously flowered silk, and   spyglass, and surveying the craft, saw
his morning was very apt to last all day.  that she came from  the neighboring
He rarely read, but he would pace the  island.  She glided smoothly, slowly,
great piazza for hours, with his hands  over the summner sea. The warm mornsunken in the pockets of his dressing-  ing air was sweet with perfumes, and
gown, and an air of sweet ireverie, which  silent with heat.  The sea sparkled
any author might be very happy to pro-  languidly, and the brilliant blue hung
duce.                                  cloudlessly over. Scores of little island




662                        Titbottom's rSpectacles.                     [Dec.
vessels had my grandfather seen come  father did not go to one of them. in his
over the horizon, and cast anchor in the   dressing-gown.   The gentle sweetness
port.  Hundreds of summer mornings  of his wife melted every heart into love
had the white sails flashed and faded,  and sympathy.  He was much older
like  vague  faces  through  forgotten  than she, without doubt. But age, as
dreams.  But this time he laid down   he used to say with a smile of immortal
the  spyglass, and  leaned against a   youth, is a matter of feeling, not of
column of the piazza, and watched the   years. And if, sometimes, as she sat by
vessel with an intentness that he could  his side upon the piazza, her fancy
not explain.  She came nearer and  looked through her eyes upon that sulllnearer, a graceful spectre in the dazzling   mer sea and saw a younger lover, permorning.                                haps some one of those graceful and
"' Decidedly I must step down and see  glowing heroes who occupy the foreabout that vessel,' said my grandfather  ground of all young maidens' visions by
Titbottom.                              the sea, yet she could not find one more
"He gathered his ample dressing-gown   generous and gracious, nor fancy one
about him, and stepped from the piazza   more worthy and loving than my grandwith no other protection from the sun   father Titbottom. And if in the moonthan the little smoking cap upon his  lit midnight, while he lay callnly sleephead.  His face wore a calm  beaming  ing, she leaned out of the window and
smile, as if he approved of all the world.  sank into vague reveries of sweet posHe was not an old man, but there was  sibility, and watched the gleaming path
almost a patriarchal pathos in his ex-  of the moonlight upon the water, until
pression as he sauntered along in the  the dawn glided over it-it was only
sunshine towards the shore. A group of  that mood of nameless regret and longidle gazers was collected to watch the  ing, which underlies all human haparrival.  The little vessel furled her  piness,-or it was the vision of that
sails and drifted slowly landward, and as  life of society, which she had never seen,
she was of very light draft, she came   but of which she had often read, and
close to the shelving shore.  A  long   which  looked very fair and alluring
plank was put out from her side, and   across the sea to a girlish imagination
the debarkation commenced. My grand-  which lknew that it should never know
father Titbottom  stood looking on to  that reality.
seg the passengers descend. There were    "These West Indian years were the
but a few of them, and mostly traders  great days of the family," said Titbotfrom the neighboring island. But sud-  tom, with an air of majestic and regal
denly the face of a young girl appeared  regret, pausing and musing in our little
over the side of the vessel, and she  parlor, like a late Stuart in exile, rememstepped upon  the plank  to  descend.  bering England. Prue raised her eyes
My grandfather Titbottom instantly ad-  friom her work, and looked at him with
vanced, and moving briskly reached the   a subdued admiration; for I have observtop of the plank at the same moment,  ed that, like the rest of her sex, she has
anrd with the old tassel of his cap flash-  a singular sympathy with the representing in the sun, and one hand in the  ative of a reduced family.  Perhaps it
pocket of his dressing gown, with the  is their finer perception which  leads
other he handed the young lady care-  these tender-hearted women to recognize
fully down the plank. That young lady  the divine right of social superiority so
was afterwards my grandmn.other Tit-   much more readily than we; and yet,
bottom.                                 much as Titbottomn was enhanced in my'And so, over the gleaming sea which   wife's admiration by the discovery that
he had watched so long, and which   his dusky sadness of nature and expresseemed thus to reward his patient gaze,  sion was, as it were, the expiring gleam
cam e his bride that sunny morning.     and late twilight of ancestral splendors,
"'Of course we are happy,' he used   I doubt if MIr. Bourne would have preto say:'For you are the gift of the  ferred him  for bookkeeper a moment
sun I have loved so long and so well.'  sooner upon that account.  In truth, I
And my grandfather Titbottom  would   have observed, down town, that the fact
lay his hand so tenderly upon the golden   of your ancestors doing nothing is nlot
hair of lis young bride, that you could  considered good proof that you can do
fancy him  a devout Parsee caressing   anything. But Prue and her sex regard
3unbeams.                               sentiment more than action, and I undcr"There were endless festivities upon   stand easily enough why she is nevre'
ocoasion of the marriage; and my grand-  tired of hearing me read of Irince




1854.]                     Titbottom's Spectacles.                      653
Charlie. If Titbottom had been only a   the spreading palm  as from  a founlittle younger, a little handsomer, a little  tain.
more gallantly dressed —in fact, a little  "I do not know how long I looked,
more of the Prince Charlie, I am sure  but I had, apparently, no power, as I
her eyes would not have fallen again  had no will, to remove the spectacles.
upon her work so tranquilly, as he re-  What a wonderful island must Nevis be,
sumed his story.                       thought I, if people carry such pictures
" I can remember my grandfather Tit-  in their pockets, only by buying a pair
bottom, although I was a very young   of spectacles!  What wonder that mnv
child, and he was a very old man. My   dear grandmother Titbottom has lived
young mother and my young grand-  such a placid life, and has blessed us all
mother are very distinct figures in my   with her sunny temper, when she has
Inemory, ministering to the old gentle-  lived surrounded by such images of
man, wrapped in his dressing-gown, and   peace.
seated upon the piazza. I remember his    "My grandfather died. But still, in
white hair and his calm smile, and how,  the warm morning sunshine upon the
not long before he died, he called me to  piazza, I felt his placid presence, and
him, and laying his hand upon my head,  as I crawled into his great chair, and
said to me:                            drifted on in reverie through the still
"I'My child, the world is not this  tropical day, it was as if his soft
great sunny piazza, nor life the fairy   dreamy eye had passed into my soul.
stories which the women tell you here   My grandmother cherished his memory
as you sit in their laps. I shall soon be  with tender regret. A violent passion
gone, but I want to leave with you some  of grief for his loss was no more posmemento of my love for you, and I  sible than for the pensive decay of the
know nothing more valuable than these  year.  We have no portrait of him,
spectacles, which  your grandmother  but I see always, when I remember
brought from her native island, when she  him, that peaceful and luxuriant palm.
arrived here one fine summer morning,  And I think that to have known one
long ago. I cannot quite tell whether,  good old man-one man who, through
when you grow older, you will regard it  the chances and rubs of a long life,
as a gift of the greatest value or as some-  has carried his heart in his hand, like
thing that you had been happier never  a palm branch, waving all discords into
to have possessed.'                    peace, helps our faith in God, in our"'But grandpapa, I am  not short-  selves, and in each other, more than
sighted.'                              many sermons. I hardly know whether
"' My son, are you not human?P said  to be grateful to my grandfather for the
the old gentleman; and how shall I ever  spectacles; and yet when I remember
forget the thoughtful sadness with which,  that it is to them I owe the pleasant
at the same time he handed me the  image of hinm which I cherish, I seem to
spectacles.                            myself sadly ungrateful.
"Instinctively I put them  on, and    "Madam," said Titbottorn to Prue,
looked at my grandfather.  But I saw   solemnly, " my memory is a long and
no grandfather, no piazza, no flowered   gloomy gallery, and only remotely, at
dressing-gown; I saw only a luxuriant  its further end, do I see the glimmer
palm-tree, waving broadly over a tran-  of soft sunshine, and only there are
quil landscape.  Pleasant homes clus-  the pleasant pictures hung. They seem
tered around it. Gardens teeming with  to me very happy along whose gallery
fruit and flowers; flocks quietly feeding;  the sunlight streams to their very feet,
birds wheeling and chirping.  I heard  striking all the pictured walls into unchildren's voices, and the low lullaby of  fading splendor."
happy mothers. The sound of cheerful    Prue had laid her work in her lap, and
singing came wafted from  distant fields  as Titbottom  paused a moment, and I
upon the light breeze. Golden harvests  turned towards her, I found her mild
glistened out of sight, and I caught their  eyes fastened upon my face, and glistenrustling whisper of prosperity. A warm,  ing with happy tears.
imellow atmosphere bathed the whole.    "Mlisfortunes of many kinds came
I have seen copies of the landscapes of   heavily upon the family after the head
the Italian painter Claude which seemed   was gone. The great house was relinto me faint reminiscences of that calm   quished. My parents were both dead,
and happy vision.  But all this peace   and my grandmother had entire charge
and  prosperity seemed to flow  from   of me. But from the moment that I re



654                        Titbottom's Spectacles.                     [Dec
celved the gift of the spectacles, I could   I stood at the window looking in. O
not resist their fascination, and I with-  motley meal! fantastic vision!   The
drew into myself, and became a solitary  good mother saw her lord sitting opboy. There were not many companions  posite, a grave respectable being, eating
for me of my own age, arid they gradually   muffins. But I saw  only a bank-bill,
left me, or, at least, had not a hearty   more or less crumpled  and tattered,
sympathy with me; for if they teased me   marked with a larger or lesser figure.
I pulled out my spectacles and surveyed   If a sharp wind blew suddenly, I saw it
them  so seriously that they acquired a   tremble and flutter; it was thin, flat,
kind of awe of me, and evidently regarded  impalpable. I removed my glasses, and
my grandfather's gift as a concealed ma-  looked with my eyes at the wife. I could
gical weapon which might be danger-  have smiled to see the humid tenderness
ously drawn upon them at any moment.  with which she regarded her strange
Whenever, in our games, there were  vis-d-vis. Is life only a game of blindquarrels and high words, and I began to   man's-buff? of droll cross-purposes?
feel about my dress and to wear a grave   " Or I put them on again, and looked
look, they all took the alarm, and shouted,  at the wife. How  many stout trees I'Look out for Titbottom's spectacles,'  saw,-how many tender flowers,-how
and scattered like a flock of scared   many placid pools; yes, and how many
sheep.               I                  little streams winding  out of sight,
"Nor could I wonder at it. For, at  shrinking before the large, hard, round
first, before they took the alarm, I saw   eyes opposite, and slipping off into solistrange sights when I looked at them   tude and shade, with a low, inner song
through the glasses. If two were quar-  for their own solace. And in many houses
relling about a marble or a ball, I had   I thought to see angels, nymphs, or at
only to go behind a tree where I was  least, women, and could only find broomconcealed and look at them  leisure-  sticks, mops, or kettles, hurrying about,
ly.  Then the scene changed, and no   rattling, tinkling, in a state of shrill aclonger a green meadow with boys play-  tivity. I made calls upon elegant ladies,
ing, but a spot which I did not recog-  and after I had enjoyed the gloss of silk
nize, and forms that made me shud-  and the delicacy of lace, and the lash of
der or smile. It was not a big boy  jewels, I slipped on my spectacles, and
bullying a little one, but a young wolf  saw a peacock's feather, flounced and
with glistening teeth and a lamb cower-  furbelowed and fluttering; or an iron
ing before him; or, it was a dog faithful  rod, thin, sharp, and hard; nor could I
and famishing-or a star going slowly  possibly mistake the movement of the
into eclipse-or a rainbow fading-or a   drapery for any flexibility of the thing
flower blooming-or a sun rising-or a   draped, —or, mysteriously chilled, I saw
waning moon. The revelations of the   a statue of perfect form, or flowing
spectacles determined my feeling for the   movement, it might be alabaster, or
boys, and for all whom I saw through   bronze, or marble, —but sadly often it
them. No shyness, nor awkwardness,  was ice; and I knew that after it had
nor silence, could separate me from those  shone a little, and frozen a few eyes with
who looked lovely as lilies to my illu-  its despairing perfection, it could not
minated eyes. But the vision made me   be put away in the niches of palaces for
afraid. If I felt myself warmly drawn   ornament and proud family tradition,
to any one I struggled with the fierce  like the alabaster, or bronze, or marble
desire of seeing him through the spec-  statues, but would melt, and shrink,
tacles. I longed to enjoy the luxury of   and fall coldly away in colorless and
ignorant feeling, to love without know-  useless water, be absorbed in the earth
ing, to float like a leaf upon the eddies   and utterly forgotten.
of life, drifted now to a sunny point,    "' But the true sadness was rather in
now  to  a solemn shade —now  over  seeing those who, not having the specglittering ripples, now  over gleaming   tacles, thought that the iron rod was
calms,-and not to determined ports, a   flexible, and the ice statue warm. I saw
trim vessel with an inexorable rudder.    many a gallant heart, which seemed to
"But, sometimes, mastered after long   me brave and loyal as the crusaders sent'struggles, I seized my spectacles and   by genuine and noble faith to Syria and
sauntered into the little town. Putting   the sepulchre, pursuing, through days
them  to my eyes I peered into  the   and nights, and a long life of devotion,
houses and at the people who passed  the hope of lighting at least a smile in
me. Here sat a family at breakfast, and  the cold eyes, if not a fire in the icy




1854.]                     Titbottom's Spectacles.                       655
heart. I watched the earnest, enthusi-  as that perfect flower, which women
astic sacrifice. I saw the pure resolve,  envy, and for whose least and withered
the generous faith, the fine scorn of   petal men sigh; yet, in the tropical solidoubt, the impatience of suspicion. I  tudes of Brazil, how many a camelia bud
watched the grace, the ardor, the glory   drops from a bush that no eye has ever
of devotion.  Through  those strange   seen, which, had it flowered and been
spectacles how often I saw the noblest  noticed, would have gilded all hearts
heart renouncing all other hope, all  with its memory.
other ambition, all other life, than the'" When I stole these furtive glances
possible love of some one of those sta-  at my grandmother, half fearing that
tues. Ah! me, it was terrible, but they  they were wrong, I saw only a calm lake,
had not the love to give.  The parian   whose shores were low, and over which
face was so polished and smooth, because  the sky hung unbroken, so that the least
there was no sorrow upon the heart,-  star was clearly reflected. It had an atand, drearily often, no heart to be   mosphere of solemn twilight tranquillity,
touched. I could not wonder that the   and so completely did its unruffled surnoble heart of devotion was broken, for  face blend with the cloudless star-studded
it had dashed itself against a stone. I  sky, that, when I looked through my
wept, until my spectacles were dimmed  spectacles at my grandmother, the vision
for that hopeless sorrow; but there was  seemed to me all heaven and stars. Yet,
a pang beyond tears for those icy sta-  as I gazed and gazed, I felt what stately
tues.                                   cities might well have been built upon
"Still a boy, I was thus too much a  those shores, and have flashed prosperity
man in knowledge,-I did not compre-  over the calm, like coruscations of pearls.
hend the sights I was compelled to see.  I dreamed of gorgeous fleets, silken sailed
I used to tear my glasses away from my   and blown by perfumed winds, drifting
eyes, and, frightened at myself, run to  over those depthless waters and through
escape my own consciousness.  Reach-  those spacious skies. I gazed upon the
ing the small house where we then lived,  twilight, the inscrutable silence, like a
I plunged into my grandmother's room   God-fearing discoverer upon a new, and
and, throwing myself upon the floor,  vast, and dim  sea, bursting upon hinm
buried my face in her lap; and sobbed  through forest glooms, and in the fervor
myself to sleep with premature grief.  of whose impassioned gaze, a millennial
But when I awakened, and felt her cool  and poetic world arises, and man need
hand upon my hot forehead, and heard   no longer die to be happy.
the low sweet song, or the gentle story,    " My companions naturally deserted
or the tenderly told parable from  the   me, for I had grown wearily grave and
Bible, with which she tried to soothe   abstracted: and, unable to resist the alme, I could not resist the mystic fascina-  lurement of my spectacles, I was contion that lured me, as I lay in her lap,  stantly lost in a world, of which those
to steal a glance at her through the spec-  companions were part, yet of which they
tacles.                                 knew nothing. I grew cold and hard,
"Pictures of the Madonna have not her  almost morose; people seemed to me
rare and pensive beauty.   Upon the   blind and unreasonable.  They did the
tranquil little islands her life had been   wrong thing. They called green, yellow;
eventless, and all the fine possibilities of  and black, white. Young men said of a
her nature were like flowers that never  girl,' What a lovely, simple creature!' I
bloomed. Placid were all her years; yet  looked, and there was only a glistening
I have read of no heroine, of no woman   wisp of straw, dry and hollow. Or they
great in sudden crises, that it did not  said,'What a cold, proud beauty!' I
seem to me she might have been. The  looked, and lo! a Madonna, whose heart
wife and widow of a man who loved his  held the world. Or they said,' What a
own home better than the homes of   wild, giddy girl!' and I saw a glancing,
others, I have yet heard of no queen, no   dancing mountain stream, pure as the
belle, no imperial beauty, whom in grace,  virgin snows whence it flowed, singing
and brilliancy, and persuasive courtesy,  through sun and shade, over pearls and
she might not have surpassed.           gold dust, slipping along unstained by
"Madam," said Titbottom to my wife,  weed, or rain, or heavy foot of cattle,
whose heart hung upon his story; " your  touching the flowers with a dewy kiss,
husband's young friend, Aurelia, wears  -a beamn of grace, a happy song, a line
sometimes a camelia in her hair, and no   of light, in the dim and troubled landdiamond in the ball-room seems so costly  scape.




656                         Titbottom's Spectacles.                    [Dec,
"My grandmother sent me to school,  and apparently  prouder of his great
but I looked at the master, and saw that  stomach than of his large fortune,' I am
he was a smooth round ferule,-or an   not of that kind. I am not easily frightimproper noun-or a vulgar firaction,   ened. You may spare yourself the pain
and refused to obey him. Or he was a   of trying to impose upon me. People
piece of string, a rag, a willow-wand, and   who propose to come to time before I
I had a contemptuous pity. But one was  arrive, are accustomed to arise very early
a well of cool, deep water, and looking   in the morning,' said he, thrusting his
suddenly in, one day, I saw the stars.  thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat,
He gave me all my schooling. With  and spreading the fingers, like two fans,
him I used to walk by the sea, and, as  upon his bosom.' I think I have heard
we strolled and the waves plunged in  something of your.secret. You have a
long legions before us, I looked at him   pair of spectacles, I believe, that you
through the spectacles, and as his eye   value very much, because your granddilated with the boundless view, and his  mother brought them as a marriage porchest heaved with an impossible desire,  tion to your grandfather. Now, if you
I saw Xerxes and his army tossing and   think fit to sell me those spectacles, I
glittering, rank upon rank, multitude   will pay you the largest market price for
upon multitude, out of sight, but ever  glasses. What do you say?'
regularly advancing and with the con-     " I told him that I had not the slightfused roar of ceaseless music, prostrating   est idea of selling my spectacles.
themselves in abject homage.   Or,        "' tMy young fiiend means to eat them,
as with arms outstretched  and hair  I suppose,' said he with a contemptuous
streaming on the wind, he chanted full  smile.
lines of the resounding Iliad, I saw Ho-  "I made no reply, but was turning to
mer pacing the Egean sands in the Greek  leave the office, when the merchant
sunsets of forgotten times.             called after me" My grandmother died, and I was        "'My young  friend, poor people
thrown into the world without resources,  should never suffer themselves to get
and with no capital but my spectacles.  into pets. Anger is an expensive luxuI tried to find employment, but men  ry, in which only men of a certain inwere shy of me. There was a vague   come can indulge. A pair of spectacles
suspicion that I was either a little crazed,  and a hot temper are not. the most proor a good deal in league with the prince   mising capital for success in life, Master
of darkness. My companions who would   Titbottom.'
persist in calling a piece of painted mus-  "I said nothing, but put my hand
lin, a fair and fragrant flower, had no   upon the door to go out, when the merdifficulty; success waited for them around   chant said more respectfully,every corner, and arrived in every ship.  "'Well, you foolish boy, if you will
I tried to teach, for I loved children.  not sell your spectacles, perhaps you will
But if anything excited my suspicion,  agree to sell the use of them  to me.
and, putting on my spectacles, I saw that  That is, you shall only put them on when
I was fondling a snake, or smelling at a   I direct you, and for my purposes.
bud with a worm in it, I sprang up in   Hallo! you little fool!' cried he impahorror and ran away; or, if it seemed  tiently, as he saw that I intended to
to  me through the  glasses, that a   make no reply.
cherub smiled  upon me, or a  rose        "But I had pulled out my spectacles,
was blooming in my button-hole, then I  and put them on for my own purposes,
felt myself imperfect and impure, not fit  and against his direction and desire. I
to be leading and training what was so  looked at him, and saw a huge, baldessentially superior in quality to myself,  headed wild boar, with gross chaps and a
and I kissed the children and left them   leering eye-only the more ridiculous for
weeping and wondering.                  the high-arched, gold-bowed spectacles,
" In despair Iwent to a great merchant  that straddled his nose. One of his fore
on the island, and asked him to employ   hoofs was thrust into the safe, where his
ne.                                   bills payable were hived, and the other'My  young  friend,' said he,'I  into his pocket, among the loose change
understand that you have some singular  and bills there. His ears were pricked
secret, some charm, or spell, or gift, or  forward with a brisk, sensitive smartsomething, I don't know what, of which   ness. In a world where prize pork was
people are afraid. Now, you know, my   the best excellence, he would have cardear,' said the merchant, swelling up,  ried off all the premiums.




1854.]                     Titbottom's Spectacles.                       657
"I stepped into the next office in the   glad I am that I can now look at her
street, and a mild-faced, genial man, also  through my spectacles."
a large and opulent merchant, asked me    "I feared lest some instinct should
my business in such a tone, that I in-  warn me to beware.  I escaped from
stantly looked through my spectacles,  her arms, and ran home and seized the
and saw a land flowing with milk and   glasses and bounded back again to Prehoney. There I pitched my tent, and   ciosa. As I entered the rooin I was
staid till the good man died, and his  heated, my head was swimming with
business was discontinued.              confused apprehension, my eyes must' But while there," said Titbottom,  have glared. Preciosa was frightened,
and his voice trembled away into a sigh,  and rising from her seat, stood with an
" I first saw Preciosa. Spite of the spec-  inquiring glance of surprise in her eyes.
tacles, I saw Preciosa. For days, for  But I was bent with frenzy upon my
weeks, for months, I did not take my   purpose. I was merely aware that she
spectacles with me. I ran away from   was in the room. I saw nothing else. I
them, I threw them up on high shelves,  heard'nothing. I cared for nothing, but
I tried to make up my mind to throw   to see her through that magic glass, and
them  into the sea, or down the well.  feel at once, all the fulness of blissful
I could not, I would not, I dared not  perfection which  that would  reveal.
look at Preciosa through the spectacles.  Preciosa stood before the mirror, but
It was not possible for me deliberately  alarmed at my wild and eager moveto destroy them; but I awoke in the   ments, unable to distinguish what I had
night, and could alnlost have cursed my   in my hands, and seeing me raise them
dear old grandfather for his gift. I  suddenly to my face, she shrieked with
escaped from the office, and sat for whole  terror, and fell fainting upon the floor,
days with Preciosa. I told her the   at the very moment that I placed the
strange things I had seen with my mys-  glasses before my eyes, and beheldtic glasses. The hours were not enough   myself, reflected in the mirror, before
for the wild romances which I raved in   which she had been standing.
her ear. She listened, astonished and'Dear madam," cried Titbottom, to
appalled.  Her blue eyes turned upon   my wife, springing up and falling back
me with sweet deprecation. She clung   again in his chair, pale and trembling,
to me, and then withdrew, and fled fear-  while Prue ran to him  and took his
fully from the room. But she could not  hand, and I poured out a glass of water,stay away. She could not resist my   "I saw myself."
voice, in whose tones burned all the love  There was silence for many minutes.
that filled my heart and brain. The   Prue laid her hand gently upon the
very effort to resist the desire of seeing   head of our guest, whose eyes were
her as I saw everybody else, gave a fren-  closed, and who breathed softly, like an
zy and an unnatural tension to my feel-  infant in sleeping. Perhaps, in all the
ing and my manner. I sat by her side,  long years of anguish since that hour,
looking into her eyes, smoothing her  no tender hand had touched his brow,
hair, folding her to my heart, which was   nor wiped away the damps of a bitter
sunken deep and deep-why not forever?  sorrow. Perhaps the tender, maternal
-in that dream  of peace. I ran from   fingers of my wife soothed his weary
her presence, and shouted, and leaped   head with the conviction that he felt
with joy, and sat the whole night  the hand of his mother playing with
through, thrilled into happiness by the  the long hair of her boy in the soft West
thought of her love and loveliness, like  Indian morning.  Perhaps it was only
a wind-harp, tightly strung, and answer-  the natural relief of expressing a penting the airiest sigh of the breeze with   up sorrow. When he spoke again, it
music.  Then came calmer days-the   was with the old subdued tone, and the
conviction of deep love settled upon our  air of quaint solemnity.
lives-as after the hurrying, heaving      " These things were matters of long,
days of spring, comes the bland and be-  long ago, and I came to this country
nignant summlner.                       soon after. I brought with mne, prema"'It is no dream, then, after all, and   ture age, a past of melancholy melnowe are hlapp)y,' I said to her, one day;  ries, and the magic spectacles. I had
and there calne no answer, for happiness  become their slave. I had nothing more
is speechless.                         to fear.  Having seen myself, I was'We are happy then," I said to my-  compelled to see others, properly to unself, "there is no excitement now. How   derstand my relations to them.  The




658                        Titbottom'S Spectacles.                     [Dec.
lights that cheer the future of other  energies, and a tenacity arising from
men had gone out for me. My eyes   devotion to a noble dream, which was
were those of an exile turned backwards   not apparent in the youths who pitied
upon the receding shore, and not for-  him in the aimless effeminacy of clubs,
wards with hope upon the ocean. I   nor in the clever gentlemen who cracked
mingled with men, but with little plea-  their thin jokes upon him over a gossipsure. There are but many varieties of  ing dinner.
a few types. I did not find those I      "And there was your neighbor over
came to clearer sighted than those I  the way, who passes for a woman who has
had left behind. I heard men called  failed in her career, because she is an old
shrewd and wise, and report said they   maid. People wag solemn heads of pity,
were highly intelligent and successful.  and say that she made so great a mistake
But when I looked at them through my   in not marrying the brilliant and famous
glasses, I found no halo of real manliness.  man  who  was for long  years her
My finest sense detected no aroma of  suitor.  It is clear that no  orange
purity and principle; but I saw only a   flower will ever bloom for her.  The
fungus that had fattened and spread   young people make tender romances
in a night. They all went to the theatre  about her as they watch her, and think
to see actors upon the stage. I went  of her solitary hours of bitter regret,
to see actors in the boxes, so consumn-  and wasting longing, never to be satismately cunning, that the others did not  fled.  When I first came to town I
know they were acting, and they did  shared this sympathy, and pleased my
not suspect it themselves.             imagination  with  fancying her hard
"Perhaps you wonder it did not make  struggle with the conviction that she
me misanthropical.  My dear friends,  had lost all that made life beautiful. I
do not forget that I had seen myself.  supposed that if I looked at her through
It made me compassionate, not cynical.  my spectacles, I should see that it was
Of course I could not value highly, the   only her radiant temper which so illuordinary standards of success and ex-  minated her dress, that we did not see
cellence. When I went to church and  it to be heavy sables. But when, one
saw a thin, blue, artificial flower, or a   day, I did raise my glasses and glanced
great sleepy cushion expounding the   at her, I did not see the old maid whom
beauty of holiness to pews full of eagles,  we all pitied for a secret sorrow, but a
half-eagles, and threepences, however  woman whose nature was a tropic, in
adroitly concealed  in broadcloth and   which the sun shone, and birds sang,
boots: or saw an onion in an Easter bon-  and flowers bloomed for ever.  There
net weeping over the sins of Magdalen, I  were no regrets, no doubts and half
did not feel as they felt who saw in all  wishes, but a calm sweetness, a transthis, not only propriety, but piety. Or  parent peace. I saw  her blush when
when at public meetings an eel stood  that old lover passed by, or paused to
up on end, and wriggled and squirmed  speak to her, but it was only the sign
lithely in every direction, and declared   of delicate feminine consciousness. She
that, for his part, he went in for rain-  knew his love, and honored it, although
bows and hot water-how could I help  she could not understand it nor return
seeing that he was still black and loved  it. I looked closely at her, and I saw
a slimy pool?                          that although all the world had exclaim"I could not grow  misanthropical  ed at her indifference to such homage,
when I saw in the eyes of so many who   and had declared it was astonishing she
were called old, the gushing fountains  should lose so fine a match, she would
of eternal youth, and the light of an im-  only say simply and quietlymortal dawn, or when I saw those who     "'If Shakespeare loved me and I
were esteemed unsuccessful and aimless,  did not love him, how could I marry
ruling a fair realm of peace and plenty,  him?'
either in themselves, or more perfectly  "Could I be misanthropical when I
in another-a realm and princely pos-  saw such fidelity, and dignity, and simsession  for which they had well re-  plicity?
nounced a hopeless search and a belated  " You may believe that I was especially
triumph.  I knew one man who had   curious to look at that old lover of hers,
been for years a by-word for having  through my glasses.  He was no longer
sought the philosopher's stone. But I  young, you know, when I came, and his
looked at him  through the spectacles  fame and fortune were secure. Certainly
and saw a satisfaction in concentrated   I have heard of few men more beloved, and




1854.]                    Titbottom's Spectacles.                       659
of none more worthy to beloved. He had  interested, I am compelled to take ther 
the easy manner of a man of the world,  out and see what it is that I admire.
the sensitive grace of ax poet, and the  "And yet-and yet," said Titbottom,
charitable judgment of a wide-traveller.  after a pause, "I am  not sure that I
He was accounted the most successful and  thank my grandfather."
most unspoiled of men.  Handsome,    Prue had long since laid away her
brilliant, wise, tender, graceful, accom-  work, and had heard every word of the
plished, rich, and famous, I looked at  story. I saw that the dear woman had
him, without the spectacles, in surprise,  yet one question to ask, and had been
and admiration, and wondered how your  earnestly hoping to hear something that
neighbor over the way had been so en-  would spare her the necessity of asking.
tirely untouched by his homage.  I  But Titbottom  had resumed his usual
watched their intercourse in society, I  tone, after the momentary excitement,
saw her gay smile, her cordial greet-  and made no further allusion to himself.
ing; I marked his frank address, his   We all sat silently; Titbottorn's eyes
lofty courtesy. Their manner told no  fastened  musingly upon the  carpet:
tales. The eager world was baulked, and   Prue looking wistfully at him, and I
I pulled out my spectacles.            regarding both.
"I had seen her, already, and now I    It was past midnight, and our guest
saw him.  He lived only in memory,  arose to go. He shook hands quietly,
and his memory was a spacious and   made his grave Spanish bow to Prue,
stately palace. But he did not oftenest  and taking his hat, went towards the
frequent the banqueting hall, where were  front door. Prue and I accompanied
endless hospitality and feasting,-nor  him. I saw in her eyes that she would
did he loiter -much in reception rooms,  ask her question.  And as Titbottom
where a throng of new visitors was for  opened the door, I heard the low words:
ever swarming,-nor did he feed his       "And Preciosa? "
vanity by haunting the apartment in      Titbottom  paused.   He had  just
which were stored the trophies of his  opened the door and the moonlight
varied triumphs,-nor dream much in  streamed over him as he stood, turning
the great gallery hung with pictures of his  back to us.
travels. But from all these lofty halls  " I have seen her but once since. It
of memory he constantly escaped to a   was in church, and she was kneeling
remote and solitary chamber, into which   with her eyes closed, so that she did not
no one had ever penetrated. But my   see me. But I rubbed the glasses well,
fatal eyes, behind the glasses, followed   and looked at her, and saw a white lily,
and entered with him, and saw that the   whose stem was broken, but which was
chamber was a chapel. It was dim, and  fresh; and luminous, and fragrant, still."
silent, and sweet with perpetual incense  " That was a miracle," interrupted
that burned upon an altar before a pic-  Prue.
ture for ever veiled. There, whenever I  "Madam, it was a miracle," rechanced to look, I saw him kneel and   plied Titbottom, "and for that one sight
pray; and there, by day and by night, a  I am devoutly grateful for my grandfuneral hymn was chanted.              father's gift.  I saw, that although a
"I do not believe you will be sur-  flower may have lost its hold  upon
prised that I have been content to re-  earthly moisture, it may still bloom as
main deputy book-keeper. My spectacles  sweetly, fed by the dews of heaven."
regulated my ambition, and I early       The door closed, and he was gone.
learned that there were better gods  But as Prue put her arm in mine and
than Plutus. The glasses have lost much   we went up stairs together, she whisof their fascination now, and I do not  pered in my ear:
often use them. Sometimes the desire     "How  glad I am  that you don't
is irresistible. Whenever I am greatly   wear spectacles."




660                                                                    17)ec.
MRS. MACSIMUM'S BILL.
TRYING IT ON.                "s I'm never deceived Mrs. Macsimum;
PSHBAW! this will never do, Madame   we, pool milliners, have to be very
Larami!"                         cautious."
"But Inadam!"-                        " I've no doubt —I've no doubt, Lara"' You will have to alter it altogether.  mi," said Mrs. Macsimumn impatiently.
It's wretchedly made."                    " There was Mrs. Crissalis, the other
"I'm  sorry" —  began madame in a   day, ma'am — I was very near losing
soft silky voice, which seemed to have   a thousand dollars by her, when Mr.
taken its texture from the glossy fabrics   Crissalis failed. But I was cautious, Mrs.
she dealt in, while a black shadow, al-  Macsimum, and I have my little ways of
most a fiown, flitted across her sallow   knowing, so I sent in my little account
features, unseen by Mrs. Macsimum, and   a few dlays before the gentleman went,
contradicted her tone of gentle sorrow. mna'am.a'
"Oh! bother! " continued Mrs. Mac-     "Very prudent of you, Laramni," said
simium, giving her shoulders that wriggle   Mrs. Macsimum, with a sickly attempt at
peculiar to ladies who are in the act of  a smile. "A shocking thing, that failure
trying on a new dress; " did any one ever  of Mr. Crissalis. I pity his wife greatly,
see such a body? why the thing is com-  poor woman.  By the way, have you
pletely spoiled -'tis really too bad;"  brought that Indian scarf with you?"
and she gave the apricot silk an ihnpa-   "Yes, ma'am," said the dress-maker,
tient tug just where it very imperfectly   unfolding one of those wondrous combipretended to conceal her bust.          nations of fine texture and brilliancy of
" I am very sorry indeed, Mrs. Mac-  color which the East alone is able to prosimum, that the dress doesn't please   duce.
you," said Madame Larami, the black    "'It is a lovely scarf, certainly," exshadow on her face glowing more and   claimed the lady, flinging it over her
more like a cloud, "but I can assure you   shoulders-" and goes admirably with
we took particular pains with that dress,  this dress. I shall take it, madame."
and if I may be allowed an opinion, I    Madame Larami bowed.
think, ma'am, that you are mistaken. "Now madame," went on Mrs. Macabout it's not fitting you."           simumn, "remember you must be punc"The body isn't half low enough,"  tual with this dress.  The alterations
answered  Mrs. Macsimum  pIettishly;  Lmust be done and the dress here by
"don't you see that? I'm  not going to  eight o'clock."
cover myself up like an old maid, Madame  "It shall be here, ma'am, to the moLarami!"                               ment."
"We can have that remedied in an       "You see I shall have to be dressed
hour if you wish it," said madame, with  early, in order that I may see to the flowher face shot with black like a half  ers, and give a few directions about the
mourning silk; " but look at that skirt  supper-table-That's the worst of being
ma'am.  I'm sure nothing could hang   obliged to go to one's own balls."
better."                                  Madame Larami endeavored to appear
"Oh! the skirt is well enough, La-  penetrated with sympathy.
rami," said the lady, endeavoring to get  "Now, Larami, you can take these
a back view of the dress in a Psyche  things off, for I expect Cremolino here
glass, by twisting her head over her  every moment to dress my hair."
shoulder, "and those black lace floun-    Madame Larami, obedient to the hint,
ces look very well-but, Larami, are  immediately proceeded to divest Mrs.
they real Valenciennes?"              Macsimum of the elegant but expensive
" I have charged them as such in the   dress about which she was so fastidious,
bill, madam, and I never commit frauds   and in a few moments that lady was
on my customers."                      once more reclining in a vast easy-chair,
"Oh! I didn't mean that Larami,"   with her fine though somewhat large
answered Mrs. IMacsimum  rather hur-  figure dimly outlined through the soft
riedlvy, for Madame Larami's offended  folds of her peignoir.
dignity at this instant was appalling-   The apartmnent in which she sat was
"but you know that everything is mock  the type of modern luxury, subdued by
now-a-days. and you might be deceived   a certain refinement of taste, which Mrs.
as well as another."                   Macsimum had caught up in spite of her



1854.]                    Mrs. Macsimum's Bill.                          661
self during a long residence in Paris. It  dian scarf, which she was idly flinging
was a boudoir, to which a coved ceiling   in different folds over the back of a
gave an air of loftiness almost dispropor-  French chair near her, when Madame
tioned to its area.  The walls were   Larami, having disposed her black silk
painted with warm but subdued coloring.,isite coquettishly across her shoulders,
A faint pink staining in the glass of the   stopped just before Mrs. Macsimum, and
windows filled the room with a rosy   drew a letter from her pocket. At this
light, so much so that middle-aged ladies  hour of the day, that lady always poswho visited Mrs. Miacsimum, and young   sessed the ability to blush. The steadfast
ones who had left their complexions at  color which glowed on her cheeks of
the last ball, loved that little boudoir  evenings was not yet applied, and on
and its becoming tints.                this occasion, the blood rushed to her
Mrs. Macsimum's toilette-tables-for  pale face in a torrent, as the milliner
she had more than one-revealed a sys-  drew forth the note.
toem  of personal culture of the most    "Your bill, I suppose, Larami," said
elaborate nature. The secrets of arti-  she with a faint smile, holding out her
ficial beauty of every nation under the   hand for it.  "Mr. Macsimum  is not
sun seemed to have found their way to  going to fail, I hope?"
Mrs. Macsimum. Turkish cosmetics for      "O! ma'am, I couldn't think of such
darkening the eyes, and reddening the   a thing," replied Larami, with a dark
finger-tips. French mysteries, by which  smile. "It's not my bill, ma'am, but a
the palest cheeks and bluest lips could be  note that a-a gentleman asked me to
made to bloom once more with the rich   give to you."
tints of health. Wonderful yellow pa-     "A note for me, from a gentleman!
per books with what seemed to be green  let me see;" and as she took it, an exleaves thrust between the pages, which   pression of wonderful relief spread itself
green leaves, when rubbed on the cheek,  over her countenance.
by some chemical magic, would be found    "Yes, ma'am-Mr.  Sillery  Payne
to leave a pink trace. Boxes of subtle  begged of me to deliver it to you when
powders, sovereign for giving the skin  you were alone."
what the French call a veloztet appear-   " Mr. Sillery Payne!" cried Mrs. Macance. Bandolines, on the production of   simum, opening the note with rather an
which the greatest chemists of the age   agitated hand, while at the same time a
had lavished years of labor. Pieces of   smile of gratified, something or otherpumice stone, set in mother-of-pearl  perhaps vanity —dawned in her large
handles, and useful for reducing a rough-  blue eyes.  "How  imprudent!" she
ened hand to a satin smoothness; all  murmured to herself, as she read the
these things flanked, and surrounded,  contents of the scented paper. "How
and mixed up with a gleaming and va-  impertinent!" she exclaimed aloud, for
riegated array of Bohemian glass flJ-  the benefit of Madame Larami. "' You
Eons, vincaigrettes, bouquet-holders, ivory  carl tell Mr. Payne that you have delivbrushes, gold and silver dressing appara-  ered his note, Larami," she continued,
tus, crystal and agate cups, filled with  tossing it carelessly into an Indian basket
fanciful trinkets, over all of which a   half full of notes of invitation, bills, and
thousand delicious odors floated in a   little gilt dancing lists, "'and mention
mingling vapor, as if the rosy flasks and  to him, that when I see him this evenveined vases were really perfumed like  ing, I will give him  the information he
the flowers whose hues they copied-all  desires."
this, I say, formed a coup-d'ceil, the first    "I shall do so, madam," said Larami,
impression of which would be, that the   drawing another elegant looking inclomajestic-looking woman who reclined so  sure from  her abundant pocket. "I
lazily in the crimson fauteuil, was indeed   hope, Mrs. Macsirnum," she continued,
a modern Namouna, surrounded bv the   always smiling that sallow smile of hers,
spells with which she conquered time   "I hope that you will not think me inand age.                               trusive if I submit this little account to
The apricot dress was once more care-  your inspection," and so saying, she
fully folded and laid in a basket, deli-  gently insinuated the note towards her
cately covered with oiled silk, which a   customer.
negro boy bore behind the fashionable     Mrs. Macsimum lost in an instant that
milliner, when she walked abroad on   delicate smile of triumph which the pebusiness. Mrs. Macsimum had resigned   rusal of Mr. Sillery Payne's communicaherself to the contemplation of the In-  tion had awakened. She cast a rapid




662                        Mrs. Macsimum's Bill.                          [Dec.
and suspicious glance at madame, and   tilla another twist before the glass, and
jerked the refined looking bill from her  making a profound courtesy  to Mrs.
hand.                                    Macsimum ere she left the room, said in
"Do you want any money immedi-  her low silky voiceately, Laraini e' she asked in a would-be  "I will call with the dress this evencareless tope, but in which a certain  ing, myself, Mrs. Macsimum, and get the
half-coucealed eagerness could be easily   money."
detected.                                  "Madame Larami!"-    cried  Mirs.
"Well, ma'amn, to tell you the truth I  Macsimum, with an indignant flush at the
am  very much pressed just now. My   cool, determined tone of the milliner,
rent falls due to-morrow, and I have to   but ere she could utter her displeasure,
ineet a note of mine, which Mr. Lus-  a gentleman pushed madame aside, closed
trillg, the silk mnercer holds, at twelve  the door in her face, and flung himself
o'clock on the samine dayv. Not to incon-  into the fauteuil that Mrs. Macsimum
venience youl however, ma'am, I will  had just quitted.
manage Fwith half the account now."        " Well, Mrs. Macsimum," cried this
"Let us see," said Mrs. Macsimum,  last visitor, passing his hands briskly
extracting froim its envelope the sheet  through his short stubby hair, "well,
of satin Ipaner, in whlich all her elegant  it's all up with us, we shall be protested
follies were trutlhfully chronicled. " Good  to-morrow."
heavens! Laramni!" she exclaimed, start-    "' Mr. Macsimum! what under heaven
ing and turning still more pale. "How   do you mean?" cried his wife, growing,
on earth do vou make it out so much?   if possible, paler than ever. "You sureThree tlloulsand, five hundred and twenty  ly don't meant to say that"-.
five dollars!"                            "Precisely.  The firm  of Macsimum
"I think you'll find it quite correct,  and Bulllush will smash to-morrow."
madam.  The fancy dress for Mrs. Hor-      "Good God!" exclaimed the  lady,
net's ball was very expensive, and that  sinking into a chair, "what intelligence
green Persian scarf, cost eight hundred   this is to bring to me I And how coolly
dollars  in  the country.   I shall be   you seem to take it, as if you alone were
quite willing to have you examine all  to suffer!  Are you not ashamed of
the  items, Mrs. Macsimum.  I don't  yourself, Mr. Macsimnum, to go and fail
think you'll find any over-charges.'!   in this way? What am I to do, I should
" Oh! I suppose not-I suppose not,  like to know?"
Larami.  But still it's a very  large      " The best you can, my dear," anamount."                                 swered Mr. Macsimum, calmly.  "My
"Its  been  running  a long  time,  character, thank God, will remain unmadamn."                                 stained. I have surrendered everything."
" But I paid you considerable sums at    "You have, have you?" almost shriekvarious times."                          ed the lady.  "You're an idiot, AMr.
"I have given you credit for all pay-  Macsilnumn!  What was your character
ments, ma'am."                          to me, I should like to know, that you
"I'm  afraid, Larami," and Mrs. Mac-  leave me to starve in order that you
simum assumed a charming smile which   might preserve it?  Your character isn't
seemed to convey, that it would  be   good to eat or to wear; your character
cruelty to press so enchanting a woman   won't pay house rent, or buy a box at
for a l)altry suml of money.  ~' I am very  the opera. I am sure, Mr. Macsimuml, if
much afraid that my bank account will  I haid known that such treatment was
not admit of my letting you have what  in store for rme, it would have been long
you want, and I can't ask Mr. Macsi-  before I would have become your wife."
num, you know."                            " Too late to regret that, now, my dear."
"' Very sorry, indeed, Ina'am, to press  " It's all your own fault, sir, your recka lady, but I cannot possibly do without  lessness and  extravagance  knew  no
the money."                              bounds."
"Oh, nonsense, Larami," said Mrs.  "I think, Mrs. Macsimum," answered
Macsimum, with a reckless air, "you   the gentleman, looking round the room
must try. In the course of a week or   with a sarcastic twinkle in his clear
so, I may be able, but just at the present  grey eye, "if I have been extravagant,
I really cannot."                        you have kept me in countenance."
Madarne Larami summoned her negro,       "1Oh! yes. Say it's me!  Tihat's the
and deposited the precious basket in his  usual answer.  I  spend everything!
sooty hands; gave her black silk man-   The smallest necessary of life that I




1854.].rs. Macsimum's Bill.                                    663
purchase, is immediately magr:ified by  fastened as it were to her lips, and the
you  into a useless luxury.  Perhaps  unreal bloom  of rouge reddening her
you'd like me to go without shoes, Mr.  cheeks.
Macsimum.?  I might save you a little     "I got your message.  Thanks!"
money in that way."                    whispered Mr. Sillery Payne, sandwich"Chut! chut! Mrs. Macsimum, let us  ing the sentence between a couple of
have no quarrelling.  This misfortune   audible compliments. " How charmingly
cannot be helped.  It is one of the  your rooms look to-night, Mrs. Macchances of trade, and we must bear it.  simumI"
To-morrow, at  twelve  o'clock, our    " The flowers are pretty I think," repaper will be protested, and all the  plied the lady, assuming a pretty air of
street will know it. Until then, let us  total unconsciousness of the whisper.
put the best face ontl matters; and at this  "They would be if their queen were
ball to night, be careful not to betray   not present," said Mr. Sillery Payne,
yourself. For there is always a chance of   with so dezoue an air that the stupid
retrieving as long as the affair is secret."  commonplace was immediately elevated
"I could cry if it were not for this  into a compliment.
ball," said Mrs. Macsimum, with an in-    "Mr. Payne, I forbid compliments for
tonation and compression of the lips that  this evening, and shall banish all who
would seem rather to indicate that she  transgress the edict," and a juvenile
could scratch. But a servant announc-  threatening with her fan accompaned
ing the arrival of Cremollino the hair-  Mrs. Macsimum's prohibition.
dresser, she controlled her feelings. Her  "The sun might as well compel the
husband was excluded, and in a few   flower to remain closed in daytime.
moments a pair of fat Italian hands  Compliments are the incense which the
were twisting and crisping her hair into  divinity of beauty forces from us."
the intricate labyrinths prescribed by    "You have disobeyed my edict. You
fashion.                               know the punishment. Gol"
"Larami must have had some intelli-    "Well, as I see a whole tribe of ingence of this," murmured Mrs. Mac-  vited ones flocking in to pay their comsimum; "' or she would never have been   pliments to you, I will accept mny exile
so insolent."                          with a good grace. For I would rather
be away from you altogether, than be in
your presence and not be able to talk to
you without restraint."
"Flatterer, get thee behind me!"
THE earliest guest that was whistled   "Meet me in an hour in the winter
in, that evening, through Mrs. Mac-  garden;" and without waiting for an ansimumn's magnificent portals in Fifth  swer, Mr. Sillery Payne with a careless
Avenue, was Mr. Sillery Payne.         bow turned upon his heel and sauntered
"Be civil to him, my dear," whisper-  off to quiz the ugly Miss Rhinebeck who
ed Mr. Macsilnum  to his wife, as he  was occupying a huge sofa in profound
heard the name announced, " he is one of  solitude.
our chief creditors."                    " By the way," said Mr. Sillery Payne,
Mr. Sillery Payne was a New York  as, an'hour afterwards, he and Mrs. Maccelebrity.  Rich, travelled, sufficiently  simuml were slowly walking arm in arm
handsome, with a low, sweet voice, and a  in the huge winter garden that opened
hand and foot of marvellous smallness.  into the ball-room. " By the way, I see
He had gone through all the phases  my friend Madame Larami sitting in the
of an American who had been born   hall. What part is she to play in the
wealthy.  Had gambled, gone abroad,  night's entertainments?"
fought a duel in Paris, got imprisoned   Mrs. Macsimum bit her lips. This had
in Austria, " presented" in London, and   been what she dreaded all the evening.
finally returned with an accomplished   Lararni had vowed not to quit the house
Italian valet, and an astounding reputa-  until Mrs. Macsimum had given her the
tion for bonnesfortunes.               sum she required, and was sitting paIn a few moinents after his arrival, he  tiently in the hall waiting until somne one
was seen gliding up the spacious draw-  interrogated her, when it was as likely
ing room to the small boudoir in which   as not that she would burst out. with an
Mrs. Macsimrnum received, and where she  expose of tile entire business. Mrs. Macsat in all thie glory of the apricot silk  simnurn, however, summoned up courage,
and Indian scarf, with an uneasy smile  and replied in an off-hand manner.




664                         Mrs. Macsimum's Bill.                           [Dec.
"Oh! I suppose the good creature is  according to his own account, he would
studying her profession.  I believe she   sacrifice so much.  She tol(l him  how
asked leave to sit in the hall and watch   this bill of Larami's swas hanging like tilhe
the ladies' dresses."                     sword of Damocles over her r ead. IIow
"Hem!  Mrs. Macsimum, there isn't  that pertinacious  milliner was detera word of truth in that, and you know   mined to have the money or expose her:
it."                                      and how she dared not ask her husband
"Mr. Payne, you are too insolent, sir.  for so large an amount, because-because
Let us return."                           (here she stammered a little) he had been
" Now, lmy dear,Mrs. Macsimum, do   so very liberal to her lately.
not too readily take offence at my blunt-   "Now, my dear Aurelia," said Mr.
ness. I wish sincerely to be your friend.  Sillery Payne, taking her hand at the
I would make any sacrifice, no matter   same moment that he assumed the prl:
what, if it was to obtain your happiness.  rogative of calling her by her first name,
Why not, then, confide in mne?  I know    "my dear Aurelia, there is one little fact
that you need a friend into whose ear   connected with this business which you
you can pour all your troubles and your   have omitted to mention.  I do not,
joys. Let me be that friend."             however, need any information on the
"Really, Mr. Payne, 1 don't know   subject. I am in full possession of all
what to think; this offer is so strange-   the particulars.  Mr. M;acsimunm's paper
yet if it were sincere, I think " —       will be protested to-morrow.  I see you' It is, it is, sincere! You know not,  know it already-well, you now see how
you can never know, how I have yearned   impossible it is for him to assist you."
for this hour.  With what crazed long-       "It is! it is!" cried 3Mrs. Macsimum,
ings I have waited for the chance that  utterly humiliated, and trying hard to
was to enable me to assume the hal-  prevent her tears from  streaking her
lowed position of your friend. It may   cheeks, "I see it all, and am a miserable
seem cruel, but I cannot help feeling re-   woman!"
joiced at this little annoyance of yours,   "As to this little affair of Larami's,
since it gives me the opportunity of   dear Aurelia-Eh! what's that?" and he
hastening to your assistance.  It is the   started, as something rustled through an
selfishness of love!"                    alley of huge kalmita s.
" Mr. Payne, I must not listen to this.'' Oh! it's the pet Lory, I suppose; he
M} husband "                              sleeps here every night."
"Your husband!  Excuse me, dear           "Ah, indeed!" ejaculated NMr. Payne,
Mrs. Macsimullln; but do you think that   much relieved, " about this affair of Layour husband is capable of understand-   rami's,i he  continued,  "nothing  is
ing you?  Can he conmprelhend that sub-   simpler.  I will just go into that small
lime, yet tender nature, in which a   room there, and write a cheque, which I
living well of affection is inclosed, and   will hand her in your presence.  As for
which requires only the touch of the in-   your husband's failure, I, being chief
spired hand to flow out in a glorious   creditor, can lessen the weight of the
stream l    Oh! no, cdear friend.  His  blow considerably; nay, I can save him,
nature is one tl:hat can never match with   and I will, Aurelia, if you will only conyours'1!                                 sent to call me friend.  Now, try once."
This bombast, uttered, as it was, in the  " My friiend," murmured Mrs. Macmost melodious of voices, and accompa-  simum,  leaning  upon  his  shoulder.
nied by pressures of the hand and tender   "Thanks, dear Aurelia! Now  let me:and eloquent glances, seemed to Mrs.  go and appease this infuriated milliner."
Alacsimnum, —whlose judgment in such        As they stepped froml the dusky conmatters was regulated by Indiana and   servatory into the small study which
the Myster;ies of Paris-the very acmne of   opened off one end, a gen'eman, seated
impassioned pleading.  In spite of the   at a table writing,  Iet their view. He
old theory of boardling-sclhool misses,  turned, on lhearing their footsteps, and
women of thirty are far more apt to be   they recognized iMr. MIacsimum.
carried away by a bit of romance than       "Ah! is that you, Payne?"l he cried,
the bread-and-butterest of Syoung girls.  smiling pleasantly, " you catch me doing
It is their last chance, and they make   a little business on the sly.  Well, well,
the most of it. Mrs. 3,facimum, there-   I'll have done with it for to-night, for I
fore, could not long resist such flattering   can see you want a tdtc-d-tete with my
eloquence, and soon bestowed on Mr.   wif'e."  So saying, he gathered up a
Sillcery Payne that confidence for which,  couple of slips of paper on which he had




1854.]                    Mrs. Macsimum's Bill.                         666
been writing, and with a sort of quizzi-  " When I drew that check, Mr. Payne,
cal adieu, left the room.              to pay for my wife's follies, it was the
"Happy  mortal!"  sighed  Sillery  last money that I had in the bank. I
Payne, as he wrote a cheque for the   gave it willingly, sir, because I preferred
amount of Larami's bill; " he is not  being a pauper myself, to my wife being
suspicious."                           a beggar. As I went to the door, sir, a
"He has never had cause," said Mrs.  telegraphic dispatch from Boston met
Macsimum, indignantly-then, recollect-  me, which alters the face of my affairs
ing herself, she colored violently, and   considerably; and if Mr. Sillery Payne
cracked one of the delicate vanes of her  will present those claims on the firm of
fan.                                   Macsimum & Bullrush, which he holds,
Sillery smiled.                      to-morrow  at twelve o'clock, he will
"Now, Aurelia," said he, "let us go  find little traces of insolvency in their
and see Larami."                       bank account."
"Pardon me, Mr. Sillery Payne," said   At this juncture, Mrs. Macsimum
Mr. Macsimum, presenting himself smil-  seemed to be restored suddenly to aniingly at the door, just as that gentleman   mation. She forsook her elegant attiwas about to emerge with the enchant-  tude, and came over timidly, but with
ing Aurelia on his arm. " Pardon me,  an air of penitence, whether honest or
Mr. Sillery Payne, you may spare your-  not I dare not speculate, to where her
self the trouble. I have just had an in-  husband stood.
terview with that amiable modiste."      " George," she said, in a low voice,
Mrs. Macsimum shrieked, and gliding   " you have read me a lesson. Will you comto the nearest sofa, disposed herself in  plete your nobleness by forgiving me?"
the most approved comatose attitude.    "My dear," answered her husband,
Mr. Sillery Payne fiddled with his bre-  "I have too much to blame myself for,
loques, while an air of unpleasant silli-  not to be lenient to others. You may
ness, commencing at his boots, began to  learn one thing, however, Aurelia, that
spread itself gradually over his entire   Madame Laramni is a dangerous worlan
figure.                                to hold any power over you. She has
"I am immensely indebted to you,  been known," and he fixed his eyes upon
Mr. Paynie, for the interest that you   Mr. Sillery Payne, "' to be in the pay of
take in my wife's affairs, and would be   certain fashionable gentlemen for the
only too happy that she should avail her-  worst purposes."
self of your liberal offers, if there was  "I see-I see it all now," murmured
any longer a necessity for it. Thanks to   Mrs. Macsimum, hiding her burning
some conversation which I happened to  cheek upon her husband's shoulder.
overhear in the conservatory" -          "Hush! think no more of it. There I
A renewed shriek from Mrs. Macsi-  are you not engaged to Mr. Payne for
mum on the sofa, and sudden assumption  this dance? Mr. Payne! my wife clai..is
of a more striking pose.               your hand, and may I pray that this
"' Which I happened to overhear," con-  conjugal exhibition may be no bar to
tinued Mr. Macsimum, entirely oblivious  that friendship which you so feelingly
of his spouse's efforts to obtain sympa-  solicited."
thy- "and was consequently enabled       Mr. Sillery Payne bit his lip and
to be beforehand. Madame Larami, Mr.  bowed. With an inward curse, he took
Sillery Payne, I have the honor to inform   Mrs. Macsimum's hand, and was soon
you, has just been paid in full."      whirling her off in a waltz; but it was
" I am happy to hear, Mr. Macsimum,"  observed by the guests that they did not
answered Mr. Payne, with sarcastic em-  dance together again that evening.
phasis, " that your affairs are in so flour-    By a singular coincidence, the same
ishing a condition. I trust that they   moment saved Mr. Macsimum's credit
will remain so until after to-morrow."    and his wife's reputation.
VOL. Iv.-43




666                                                                   [Dec.
POWERS' GREEK SLAVE.
A FLASH of sabres, and of scimitars,Shouts, groans, then silence.-and the Crescent waves
Victorious o'er the field, where, in their graves,
The vanquished dead will moulder. But such wars
Have woes that stab the Grecian mother's heart
Deeper than death: —in far Byzantium's mart
She sees her captive child-naked, forlorn,
Gazed at by pitiless eyes-a thing of scorn!
A common story, which the artist here
Hath writ in marble, to rebuke the strong
Who trample on the weak; —and ne'er had Wrong
Opposing witness with a brow more clear.
With face averted and with shackled hands,
Clothed only with her chastity, she stands.
Her heart is full of tears, as any rose
Bending beneath a shower; but pride and scorn
And that fine feeling, of endurance born,
Have strung the delicate fibres of her frame
Till not a tear can fall!-Methinks such woes
As thine, pale sufferer, might rend in twain
A heart of sterner stuff-and yet, the flame
Of thy pure spirit, like the sacred light
On Hestia's hearth, burns steadily and bright,
Unswayed by sorrow's gusts, unquenched by sorrow's rain.
Thou canst confront, dumb marble as thou art,
And silence those whose lying lips declare
That virtue springs from circumstance, not God;
The snow that falls where never foot hath trod,
On bleakest mountain-heights, is not more pure
Than thy white soul, though thou stand'st naked there,
Gazed at by those whose lustful passions start
With every heart-throb! Long may'st thou endure,
To vanquish with thy calm, immaculate brow,
Th' unholy thoughts of men, as Lhou dost now i
SEA.
ElBB and flow I Ebb and flow!
By basalt crags, through caverns low,
Through rifted rocks, o'er pebbly strand,
On windy beaches of naked sand!
To and fro! To and fro!
Chanting ever, and chanting slow,
Thy harp is swept with liquid hands,
And thy music is breathing of distant lands!
Sweet and low! Sweet and low!
Those golden echoes, I surely know.
Thy lips are rich with the lazy south,
And the tuneful icebergs have touched thy mouth I
Come and go! Come and go I
The sun may shine, the winds may blow,
But thou wilt ever sing, O Sea!
And I never, ah! never will sing like thee I




1854.]                                                                     667'
EDITORIAL  NOTES.
LITERATURE.                  these get into the mind than George
the Third was as to how the apples got
AMiERICAN. —I the taste for metaphy-  into the dumplings. Some suppose space
sical studies on the  increase in the   and time, for instance, to be mere conUnited States, or is it simply accidental,  ditions of the sensibility, mere forms
that three new  works on Intellectual  which are necessary to render the perPhilosophy make their appearance on   ception of the external world possible;
nearly the same day? President MAHAN,  others regard them as laws of the underof Cleveland College. President WAY-  standing, or, in other words, as necessary
LAND, of Brown University, and Dr.  categories of the notion-forming power;
HIcKoaK, of Union College, have all  while others, again, speak of them  as
favored  us with  their views of the   conceptions of the reason.  Dr. Way"Science of the Mind," within a few   land adopts a new name entirely for the
weeks.  Mahan's book is the most  faculty in which they originate, calling
thorough of the three, treating of the   it "original suggestion," which is a good
entire phenomena  of mind, empirical  name for his thought, if not for the
and rational; while Dr. Hickock's is con-  assumed faculty. The idea of time and
fined to the empirical branch, and Dr.  space is thus put through a series of
Wayland's gives only elementary views.  transformations from  nothing at all up
The latter makes the least pretension to  to an absolute, eternal, and necessary
originality and  depth, and the former   existence; and a skilful analyser may
the most; but Dr. Hickock is superior   prove one view of it just as well as
to either in real elevation and consist-  another.  In fact, this is true of nearly
ency of thought.   President Wayland   all the controversies of the metaphysiadopts, for the most part, the peculiar   cians, that you can successfully demontenets of the Scottish school of meta-  strate and refute all sides alike, while it
physicians; Dr. Hickock, those mainly   makes very little difference to any pracof the Kantians; and Mahan combines the   tical interest, whether the one or the
two into a kind conscinian eclecticism.  other is held.  They resemble the disIt is thus curious to see three of the   putes of the schoolmen as to what nummost distinguished teachers, in three of   ber of angels could dance upon the point
our leading seminaries, coming to quite   of a needle, and, whether determined
different conclusions in respect to the   upon this side or that, are equally inteprinciples of what they still call "a   resting and important.  It may be an
science."                                object of consequence  to  determine
President Mahan divides the intellect-   whether a ghost sees out of his eves or
ual faculties into primary and second-  without eyes, but the great majority of
ary-the primary being sense, conscious-   men do not care the snap of a finger
ness, and reason, whose functions are   whether it does or not.
intuitional;  and the secondary  being     The truth is, that the greater part of
the  understanding, judgment, associ-  these  metaphysical  speculations  are
ation, memory, imagination, &c. Pre-   utterly empty and worthless abstractions,
sident  Wayland  divides  them  into   and have no other effect than to waste
the perceptive faculties, consciousness,  the interest of those who are engaged in
original suggestion, abstraction, memory,  them, and delay the advent of true
reasoning, imagination, and taste.  Dr.  science.  They are an attempt on the
Hickock has still another arrangement,  part of men to breathe in vacuo-to
which is that of sense, understanding,   subsist and move about in a space where
and reason.  There is here a consider-  there is nothing to subsist uponI-and
able difference of classification, but it is  the sooner, then, they are drummed out
increased when they come to speak of   of the domain of study, the better for
the functions assigned to these supposed   the world. As it is impossible for man
faculties.                               to conceive of any object, except as
The great stumbling-blocks of all the   subsisting in someform, the sooner these
metaphysicians are those  conceptions   schemes of pure thought, and these rewhich are sometimes called necessary  searches into' things in themselves are
ideas, such as the  thought of space,  banished, the sooner we shall get retime, cause, substance, infinity, &c., &c.  lieved of the chimeras and gorgons of
They are greatly more puzzled as to how   the void inane.




~lg8               ~Editorial Notes —Americanr Literature.                  [Dec.
We have no time now  to show the   dramatists against morality and sound
groundless nature of metaphysics, as it is  taste, we are glad to see their robust
commonly presented; but at our leisure,  English and vigorous conceptions reprowe hope to demonstrate in the pages of  duced in these days.
the Monthly, what we have here asserted     -Among the ripest fruits of BAYxA:D
ex cathedra.                              TAYLOR'S travels in the East, is a new
-Mr. Spooner's book  on  Organic   volume of poems, which henames, Poems
Christianity, is scarcely  well named,  of the Orient, and which are full of the
for it does not proceed upon the idea of  warm, ruddy, imaginative life of the
an organized Christianity, as upon that   climes of the sun.  In a graceful and
of a democratic, or congregational Chris-   generous dedicatory epistle from  Mount
tianity. Now, democracy in the Church,   Tmolus, addressed to his brother-poet,
like democracy in the State, is rather   Stoddard, he explains that his object is
the absence of organization  than  its   not to breathe the air of lost Elysiumpresence.  We do not say that it is not        " Pluck the snowy bells,
better than any organization which has           Of lotus and Olympian asphodels,"yet been devised, but only that it is not a   but to find a late content, in nature and
constructive  or unifying  principle in   her myriad showsitself, whatever other advantages it may, Better contented with one living rose,
possess.  A truly organic Christianity   Than all the gods' ambrosia; sternly bent
would be one in which the Christian   On wresting from her hand the cup, whence flows
The flavors of her ruddiest life-the change
idea should be thoroughly embodied in   Of climes and races-the unshackled range
all the relations of society-and will,  Of all experience-that my song may show,
doubtless, in the course of time be kt-  The warm red blood that beats in hearts of men,
doubtless,  ithcoreotieea-              And those who read them in the festering den
tained- but a provisional arrangement   Of cities may behold the open sky,
as to the separate power and functions   And hear the rhythm of the winds that blow
Instinct with freedom. Blame me not that I.of the laity and the priesthood, or as to   Find in the forms of earth a deeper joy
the terms on which independent mem-   Than in the dreams which lured me as a boy."
bers of a church come together for pur-     We find accordingly in the Nile, the
poses of prayer or propagandisln, can   Jerusalemn, the Tyre, &c., &c., fine innot be called an organic relation.  It is  spirations drawn from those old eternal
a convenient temporary form, but not   objects, but mingled with them also, the
a deep coherent unity, proceeding from    wild dreams of the desert, and Arabian
an indwelling formative law, as we see   sentiment and tradition. The poet transin all real organizations.  The Apostle   ports us on the wings of his imagination
speaks of the church as "a body," but  to the morning-lands, and we revel with
we look in vain over the face of the   him in the delicious intoxication of its
earth for any example  of this type   odors and gleams. We are free to say
in the assemblages of Christians.  They   that these poems are the best things that
are only aggregations such as take place   he has done, and will greatly add to his
in organic nature, or else they are con-   reputation as apoet.  As several of them
glomerations  held together partly by   have already appeared in the pages of
inward cohesion, but mainly by external  the Monthly, we forbear to extract any,
pressure-the despotism of the State or   as we have been strongly tempted to do.
the hierarchy.                              — The Appletons have performed an
But, though misleading in its name,   acceptable service to the admirers of MR.
Mr. Spooner's -book is not without in-   BRYANT'S poetry, by presenting it in two,terest as a history of ecclesiastical es-  small neat volumes, handsomely printed
tablishments.  We have noted a few    and bound.  The previous editions have,minor errors in his statements of facts,   been for the mnost part unattractive and
but on the whole, it displays compre-   cumbersome, and, in some instances, behensive and accurate inforlnation.        yond the reach of many readers on ac-Phillips, Sampson & Co., of Boston,   count of their price. But in this pleahave recently issued a beautiful edition,   sant edition we have all that the poet
in two volumes, of the dramatic works   has written up to the present time, includ-.of BEAUMONT and FLETCHER. It is taken   ing the beautiful lyric, the "Conquefrom  the English edition of Alexandsr  ror's Grave," which appeared in Putnam's
Dyce, which is the best, we believe, ex-   Monthly,-a short time since.  The exiant, and besides the lives of the authors,   quisite finish, grace, and sweetness of
with a criticism  of their writings, con-   Bryant's poems make them  perennials,
tains ample illustrative notes. In spite   and everybody will be glad to possess
of the occasional offences of these old  them in a suitable vase or casket. It is




1854.]            Editorial Notes-American Literature.                661
said in the preface to this edition, that  deavors to draw from the simple stories
the poems appear with "some faults of  of the Testament, the deep spiritual wisdiction and versification corrected," —  dom which they contain, and to apply it
which implies, what we had supposed  to the conduct of life. He writes in an
impossible.  They had always seemed   earnest religious spirit, more intent upon
to us so perfect, both in language and   enforcing obvious truth, than upon the
structure, that the idea of improving   display of his learning or eloquence. The
them  in any way never entered our  book is beautifully produced by the
heads.  We have consequently looked   publishers, E. H. Butler & Co., of Philathrough several with some care to see  delphia.
in what respect they had been altered,    -The Elements of Character, is the
but we confess that we have not been  name of a small essay by Masy G.
able to discover. Indeed we should have   CHANDLER, in which the importance of
been sorry to find anywhere the change  a high character, and the value of Chrisof a single line or phrase. They are im-  tian manner and conversation are unpressed  upon  our imaginations and  folded. The thoughts are always good,
hearts, as they were first printed, and   and sometimes profound, and the sentithe change of a word, even for the better,  ments elevated and liberal. It is chiefly
as the author himself might deem it,  addressed to women, but may be read
would be as repugnant as a "new read-  with profit by men as well.
ing" of Shakespeare is to the genuine   -Mr. Calvin Blanchard, of this city,
admirers of the immortal master. The  has reprinted Miss MARTINEAU'S version
newest poem in these volumes is called   of Comte's Philosophy, which we have althe " Voice of Autumn,"-one of those  ready referred to in these pages, as one
tender, sweet, and subtly imaginative   of the most remarkable works of the day.
studies of nature, which have placed the  In the sphere of science there is no
author of the "Waterfowl," and the  thinker whose generalizations are more
"Death of the Flowers," among the first  beautiful and consistent than those of
of his class.                         Comte, though his scheme, as a whole,
-The  memoirs  of xNapoleon, his  can hardly be called aphilosophy. It is
Court and Family, by the DucHEssE   preparatory to a philsophy, but any sysD'ABRANTrE,-among the best of the nu-  tem which omits the idea of the Infimerous accounts which have been given,  nite and the unconditioned, must be an
on the favorable side of the great cap-  empirical science, and not a rational phitain-has been issued in two large hand-  losophy. At the same time, we recogsome volumes by the Appletons.  As  nize in Comte certain views, that are in
Madame Junot was for many years, on  the highest degree important, and which,
account of the official position of her  consistently carried out, might lead to a
husband, almost a member of the impe-  nobler conception of the destiny of man,
rial household, and had the best of op-  than most of the current theories as to
portunities for -studying the character of  human life. His incidental remarks, on
Bonaparte, —her book is both authentic  the relations and bearings of the separate
and full of interest. She has a quick  sciences, have often a marvellous sagadiscernment of character, fondness for  city and depth in them; and, indeed, all
gossip, and a lively style, so that her  his speculations are extremely valuable
reminiscences combine the vivacity of  to those who are sufficiently accustomed
story-telling with the genuineness of his-  to such studies to detect their very sigtory.  She is doubtless too much dis-  nal errors. Weak heads, however, are
posed to magnify the good qualities of  liable to be led by him into the Serboher hero, but she does not deify him, as  niam bogs. Mr. Blanchard has printed
Mr. Abbott is doing, and lets us in to  the volume in the finest style of typosome parts of his conduct which are any-  graphy.
thing but godlike. These volumes con-    -m-;ss CooPER, whose "Rural Hours"
tain portraits of the leading members of   was one of the most thoughtful and
the Napoleon Family.                  agreeable books ever written about the
-The Parables of the New Testament,  country, worthy of a place by the side
by the Rev. WM. BACON STEVENS, is a  of White's "Natural:History of Selhandsome gift volume, containing en-  borne," has laid us under further obligagraved representations of the incidents of  tions by a new work called The Rhyme
the Parables, with a letter-press com-  and Reason of Country Life. It is not,
mentary, written in a plain and practi-  like the previous book, a work of orical, but winning style. The author en-  ginal observation and inference,; but is,




670                Editorial Notes-American Literature.                [Dec.
rather, a work of selections, connected   engraved expressly for it; it will be a
together by a mere thread of remark.  splendid collection of the heads of our
After a most ably written introduction   best authors, painted and engraved by
on the general subject of the influence of  our best artists; and, as the profits of
a love for the beauties of nature and  the volume are to be invested in a homerural life, a series of the objects aud   stead for the benefit of one of the oldest
pastimes most common to the country   and most popular of our magazine editare described in the words of the great  ors, it would be a gratuitous affront to
writers and poets-woven together, if  the patriotism  and intelligence of our
we may so express it, into a chaplet of  country to doubt that it will have a very
pearls and roses. The large reading and   extensive sale. What American, with a
fine taste of Miss Cooper are admirably   heart in his bosom, and a glimmer of
displayed in her choice as well as ar-  love for his country, but will desire to
rangement of the flowers which go to  be the -possessor of such a volume?  The
make up her several bouquets. From   publisher of the Knickerbocker Gallery,
Hesiod and Homer, to Longfellow and  is Mr. Samuel Hueston.
Lowell, she appears to have left no rare    — Gems by the Way-Side is the title
and precious description of her topics  of a volume of very well-intentioned
unnoticed. It is evident, however, that  "religious and domestic" poetry, by
in her view the "Rhyme" of country   LYDIA BAXTER, just published by Shellife predominates over the "Reason,"  don, Lamport & Blakenman.-What can
or, at any rate, that the poets have done   be said of such publications, but that all
an ampler and nicer justice to its varied   poems are, or should be, religious, and
aspects than the prosers. For one ex-  that no poetry can be called domestic,
tract fiom the latter she presents us a   until it has been domesticated, as most
dozen fiom the former,-which is no   poetry is sure to be. Mrs. Baxter dedimore than just. Miss Cooper's book is  cates her volume, with great propriety,
precisely such a book as cultivated per-  to her husband.
sons like to snatch up, for a spare hour,    -Lily  Gordon, the Young Houseduring the long evenings of winter, in  keeper, by COUSIN KATE, is a republicathe country, or to carry out with them,  tion by A. D. F. Randolph, of New York.
in the summer time, to the shade of   The story is Scotch, and, in spite of the
some favorite arbor or tree.  It is  admixture of religion  and household
prettily illustrated, too, fromin original de-  affairs, it is very pleasant reading.
signs by Do6pler, and in its typographical    -The Lost Heiress is the title of Mrs.
execution does honor to the publisher.    SOUTHWORTH'S last novel, published by
- The Knickerbocker Gallery. One   Peterson, of Philadelphia; it is longer
of the most graceful testimonials ever  than some of her previous productions,
paid to a literary laborer is the compli-  but not less entertaining, or natural in
mentary volume which has been made  the development of the author's design.
up by the various gentlemen who have   Mrs. Southworth is a very rapid and
been contributors to the Knickerbocker  fluent writer, but she possesses the pecuMagazine, as a token of kindly appreci-  liarly feminine art of arresting the attenation of the editor of that patriarch of  tion and keeping her reader to her pages,
the American monthlies, LEWIs GAY-  until she dismisses him at the end. Her
LORD CLARK. There are some fifty con-  scenes are eminently local, and all her
tributors to this unique volume, and   scenery home-like and familiar; she cosamong them  are some of the highest  tumes her figures admirably, and if she
names in American literature. Wash-  would try to be a little less Inelo-dramaington Irving heads the list, and a poeti-  tic, although the immediate sale of her
cal address from Fitz Green Halleck  romances might be diminished, her percloses the volume. Clustering around   manent popularity would be increased.
these patriachs of the literary family of  -The Westminster Review's notice of
the New World, are many of the younger  Mrs. Stowe's Sunny Memories, concludes
brood of our authors, who have already   with the following little bit of superfludistinguished themselves by their brilli-  ous pathos: "We cannot think, withant productions, as well as most of those   out a touch of sadness, that the lily, the
whose writings are ranked among the  ivy, the daisy, the blue-bell, the primclassics. The volume is one of the most  rose, those concrete poems of our childsumptuous and elegant that has been   hood-poems that can be seen, and felts
published here, and its enrichments are  and handled, and understood before a
some forty portraits, which have been   word can be spelt —are mere sounds




1854.]             Editorial Notes-English Literature.                  671
without meaning to our kinsfolk across  while the lower sort often put themthe great ocean; and yet the names  selves out of the way to oblige their
must be familiar to these from earliest  captured  enemies.  Of his interview
infancy."                              witht the very highest persons in the
We shall next see a lament in some of  empire, Lieutenant Roger gives this dethe London papers, over our ignorance  scription: first of the Grand Dutchess
of the practical pleasures of breakfast  and Grand Duke Constantine.
parties, which Mrs. Stowe gives the      "I was standing, leaning over a chair
world to understand are unknown on   and looking out of a window, with my
this side of the Atlantic. Nothing could  back at the door, when I heard these
be more natural than for the English   words, in a pleasing tone and in good
readers of Mrs. Stowe's Sunny Memories  English, with a slight foreign accent,
to imagine that America was a flower-' You are waiting for the Grand Duke, I
less land, where lilies, daisies, ivy leaves  suppose?' I turned round, and, a little
and holly are unknown, except by name.  to my confusion, saw three ladies standIt will, also, be inferred by the foreign  ing close by me. I bowed respectfully
readers of Mrs. Stowe's book, that we  to the lady in advance, ard replied that
are as destitute of pictures and other ob-  I had been directed to meet his Ilnperial
jects of art, as we are of lilies and dai-  Highness at eight o'clock. The Grand
sies. We beg to assure the Westminster  Duchess, for it was no other who now
Review, that its "' touch of sadness" is  honored me with her conversation, was
wholly unnecessary: we have lilies and   accolnpanied by two of her ladies-inivy in abundance, and plenty of " Con-  waiting.  Her Imperial Highness said
crete Poems" by the margins of all our  she had heard of my having been unponds and rivulets.                    well, and expressed a hope that I was
-Lyteria is the title of a dramatic  better. I replied that I had only risen
poem, published by Ticknor & Fields  from my bed in obedience to the comof Boston, which we are compelled to   mands of the Grand Duke. Her Impeomit a more extended notice of this  rial Highness then informed me that it
month. Lyteria is in the manner of Tal-  was uncertain when the Grand Duke
fourd's Ion, and will hardly be ranked   would return; and added, in the most
below that severely classical production.  naif manner, that I might know who was
We dare not hope soon to read a tra-  addressing mne,'Even I do not know,
gedy from an English or an American   and I am his wife!' I again bowed;
pen, thatwill possess the elemental life   when she said that she should certainly
of the Greek or Elizabethan  drama;  hear if he was detained, and would let
but we shall regard with satisfaction   me know: she recommended me, in
every new attempt that is made in dra-  tile meanwhile, to wait, saying that she
-natic composition, though we have yet  would send me some tea, and the last
seen no indications of the genius of our  English newspaper, which had just come
country being favorable to that form of  to hand.  She then retired, with her
development. We understand that Mr.  attendants, by the door at which she
JOSIAH P. QUINCOY of Boston, is the au-  had entered.    *    *    *    *
thor of Lyteria.                         "Presently a servant entered with the
usual tea apparatus,-one tea-pot over
ENGLISH.-The British Journals, now   another, as already described. I quite
that England is at war with Russia, can   enjoyed this refreshing drink, in the
find nothing good or gentle in Russian  thirst which I suffered from the fever;
civilization; but Lieutenant ROGER, who   and it was very d propos, as I had to
was taken prisoner in the Tiger, near  wait till ten o'clock. At this hour I
Odessa, and carried to St. Petersburgh,  heard a stir among the servants in the
in his "English Prisoner in Russia,"  ante-room, and concluded that his Imgives the most favorable account of   perial Highness had just arrived.  I
Russian kindness and clemency.  Not  looked out of the window, and saw a
only among the officials, who may be   gentleman  in  uniform, with  a  lady
supposed to have had a part to play,  coming through the garden, followed
but on the road, everywhere, among the   at some distance by an officer in an aidecommonest people, these prisoners were  de-calnp's uniform  with another lady
treated with the utmost consideration   on his arm. Presently the Grand Duke
%and good feeling. The manners of the   entered  alone with his aide-de-camp,
highest classes they found frank, kind,  and, coining up to me, held out his hand
and fiee, without being condescending;  to shake hands: he addressed me in




672                Editorial Notes-English Literature.                [Dec.
English, hoped I was better, and re-  during the Civil War-Mr. llowitt's
gretted my having had to wait so long.  Note Book of a Young Adventurer in the
He then motioned me to enter another   Wilds of  Australia, and, Traditions
apartment, the door of which had just  and Superstitions of the New Zealanders,
been opened by one of the servants.  by Mr. E. Shortland.
Here we were left alone, and I was put    -William Jay, of Bath, has been so
quite at my ease by his Imperial High-  long known to the extensive class of reness's affability; he requested me to  ligious readers that his.Autobiography,
sit down, and ordered tea and wine,  edited by DR. REDFORD, will be a popuwhich were brought and set on two   lar work. For the long period of sixty
separate tables placed by us: he took   years he was Pastor of an Independent
some wine, and asked me to help my-  Church at Bath, and, during that time, he
self, while  he smoked the  amber-  was one of the most conspicuous preachmouthed pipe presented to him by the  ers and writers of his age. Among his
attendant."                            constant listeners were many of the most
-The English publishing trade has   distinguished statesmen and literary men
been remarkably inactive for the past  of Great Britain, who were also nummonth, but promises to resume its activ-  bered among his private friends. " He
ity during  the winter. Among the  was no ordinary man," says a critic, " who
books announced, and some of which   could attract to his ministry learning
will have been issued before this notice  and genius, rank and wealth, as well as
reaches the reader, are, the long-expected   worth and piety."  John Foster said of
continuation of his History of England,  him, that he was " the prince of preachby Mr. Macaulay, and the final volume  ers."  Wilberforce delighted in his soof Grotes' Greece, a capital work in  ciety, and affectionately spoke of him as
every  respect.  The lists also speak   " dear Jay."  Even those who made no
of the third volume of the Memorials  profession of deep religious feeling were
and  Correspondence of Charles James  constrained to do homage to the earnestFox, edited by Lord John Russell-   ness and devotedness of the minister of
of Mr. Kay's  Governors- General of  Argyll Chapel. Beckford, the author of
India —of a new work, Romany Rye,  " Vathek," said he was "one of the finest
by Mr. George Borrow-of a work on   preachers he had ever heard," and comPolynesian Mythology, by Sir George  pared his mind to a "clear transparent
Grey, of which we hear curious accounts  spring, flowing so freely as to impress
-of Mr. Leslie's Handbook for Young  the idea of its being inexhaustible." Yet
Painters-of a large edition of the works  there was nothing brilliant in his rhetoof Arago, and the concluding volume of  ric, or striking in his oratory.  The
Col. Sabine's translation of Humboldt's  charm and power of his preaching lay in
Cosmos —of Mrs. Jameson's Common-  the plain, sensible, and earnest statement
place Book-Thirty Years of Foreign   and enforcement of sacred truths, which
Policy, by the author of B. Disraeli: a   the speaker deeply felt and strove to imBiography, and Lord Carlisle's Diary in  press on his hearers.  In his pulpit miTurkish and  Greek Waters-of new   nistrations, as in his published works, an
poems by the Earl of Ellesmere, Sydney  easy naturalness was the chief characterYendys, and Mr. Alexander Smith —of  istic of his style. And great was the
two volumes of translations by Mr.  divine blessing which accompanied his
George Borrow, Songs of Europe, being   abundant and single-hearted labors. Mulmetrical translations from all the Euro-  titudes have ascribed to his instrumentpean languages, and Kampe Viser: Songs  ality the origin of their religious imabout Giants and Heroes, from the Danish  pressions, and their growth in piety and
-of new tales by' Mr. Charles Lever,  virtue.  It was well that the work of
Miss G. E. Jewsbury, Mrs. Marsh-of   such a man should not pass away unrenew biographies by Mr. Bayle St. John,  corded, and that a memoir should appear
Mr John Forster-with a life of the poet  for the purpose of perpetuating the meMontgomery, from the pen of Messrs.  mory of so much excellence, usefulness,
Holland and Everett-and, among more  and wisdom. In the course of his remimiscellaneous works, of Dr. Doran's  niscences, Mr. Jay makes many interestHabits and Men-Mr. J. A. St. John's  ing allusions to the eminent men with
Philosophy at the Froot of the Cross-   whom he came in contact, especially to
Mr. Bell's Town Life of the Restoration  John Wesley, Robert Hall, and William
-Mr. Hepworth Dixon's Domestie Life  Wilberforce.