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diff --git a/23240-h/23240-h.htm b/23240-h/23240-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d86771d --- /dev/null +++ b/23240-h/23240-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,17724 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXVI., by Various. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + a {text-decoration: none;} + + em {font-style: italic;} + + ins.greek {text-decoration: none; border-bottom: thin dotted red;} + /* replace default underline with delicate red line */ + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 2%; + font-style: normal; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: left; + } /* page numbers */ + + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .lowercase {text-transform: lowercase;} + + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: .2em; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i6 {display: block; margin-left: 6em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i7 {display: block; margin-left: 7em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + + .address {text-align: right; margin-right: 8em;} /* address of letter aligned right */ + .sig {margin-left: 35%; text-indent: -4em;} /* author signature at end of letter, move 2nd line right */ + + .spacer {padding-left: 2em; padding-right: 2em;} + + ul.toc {position: relative; padding-right: 5em; width: 40%} + li {list-style-type: none;} + span.ralign {position: absolute; right: 0; top: auto;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. +CCCXXXVI. October, 1843. Vol. LIV., by Various + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXVI. October, 1843. Vol. LIV. + +Author: Various + +Release Date: October 29, 2007 [EBook #23240] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACKWOOD'S EDINBURGH *** + + + + +Produced by Brendan O'Connor, Jonathan Ingram, Sam W. and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images +generously made available by The Internet Library of Early +Journals.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + + +<h1>BLACKWOOD'S<br /> +EDINBURGH MAGAZINE.</h1> + + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<h2>No. CCCXXXVI.<span class="spacer"> </span>OCTOBER, 1843.<span class="spacer"> </span><span class="smcap">Vol.</span> LIV.</h2> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + + + +<h2>CONTENTS.</h2> + +<ul class="toc"> + <li><a href="#MILLS_LOGIC">MILL'S LOGIC.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_415">415</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#MY_COUNTRY_NEIGHBOURS">MY COUNTRY NEIGHBOURS.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_431">431</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#TRAVELS_OF_KERIM_KHAN">TRAVELS OF KERIM KHAN.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_453">453</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#THE_THIRTEENTH">THE THIRTEENTH; A TALE OF DOOM.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_465">465</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#REMINISCENCES_OF_SYRIA">REMINISCENCES OF SYRIA.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_476">476</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#THE_FATE_OF_POLYCRATES">THE FATE OF POLYCRATES.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_483">483</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#MODERN_PAINTERS">MODERN PAINTERS.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_485">485</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#A_ROYAL_SALUTE">A ROYAL SALUTE.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_504">504</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#PHYSICAL_SCIENCE_IN_ENGLAND">PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN ENGLAND.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_514">514</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#CHRONICLES_OF_PARIS">CHRONICLES OF PARIS. THE RUE ST DENIS.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_525">525</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#THE_LAST_SESSION_OF_PARLIAMENT">THE LAST SESSION OF PARLIAMENT.</a> + <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_538">538</a></span></li> + <li><a href="#FOOTNOTES">[FOOTNOTES]</a></li> +</ul> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[Pg 415]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="MILLS_LOGIC" id="MILLS_LOGIC"></a>MILL'S LOGIC.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></h2> + + +<p>These are <em>not</em> degenerate days. +We have still strong thinkers amongst +us; men of untiring perseverance, who +flinch before no difficulties, who never +hide the knot which their readers are +only too willing that they should let +alone; men who dare write what the +ninety-nine out of every hundred will +pronounce a <em>dry</em> book; who pledge +themselves, not to the public, but to +their subject, and will not desert it +till their task is completed. One of +this order is Mr John Stuart Mill. +The work he has now presented to +the public, we deem to be, after its +kind, of the very highest character, +every where displaying powers of +clear, patient, indefatigable thinking. +Abstract enough it must be allowed +to be, calling for an unremitted attention, +and yielding but little, even +in the shape of illustration, of lighter +and more amusing matter; he has +taken no pains to bestow upon it any +other interest than what searching +thought and lucid views, aptly expressed, +ought of themselves to create. +His subject, indeed—the laws by +which human belief and the inquisition +of truth are to be governed and +directed—is both of that extensive +and fundamental character, that it +would be treated with success only +by one who knew how to resist the +temptations to digress, as well as how +to apply himself with vigour to the +solution of the various questions that +must rise before him.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"This book," the author says in his +preface, "makes no pretence of giving +to the world a new theory of our intellectual +operations. Its claim to attention, +if it possess any, is grounded on +the fact, that it is an attempt not to supersede, +but to embody and systematize, +the best ideas which have been either +promulgated on its subject by speculative +writers, or conformed to by accurate +thinkers in their scientific enquiries.</p> + +<p>"To cement together the detached +fragments of a subject, never yet treated +as a whole; to harmonize the true +portions of discordant theories, by supplying +the links of thought necessary to +connect them, and by disentangling +them from the errors with which they +are always more or less interwoven—must +necessarily require a considerable +amount of original speculation. To +other originality than this, the present +work lays no claim. In the existing +state of the cultivation of the sciences, +there would be a very strong presumption +against any one who should imagine +that he had effected a revolution in the +theory of the investigation of truth, or +added any fundamentally new process to +the practice of it. The improvement +which remains to be effected in the methods +of philosophizing, [and the author +believes that they have much need of +improvement,] can only consist in performing, +more systematically and accurately, +operations with which, at least +in their elementary form, the human intellect, +in some one or other of its employments, +is already familiar."</p></div> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[Pg 416]</a></span> +Such is the manly and modest estimate +which the author makes of his +own labours, and the work fully bears +out the character here given of it. +No one capable of receiving pleasure +from the disentanglement of intricacies, +or the clear exposition of an abstruse +subject; no one seeking assistance +in the acquisition of distinct and +accurate views on the various and +difficult topics which these volumes +embrace—can fail to read them with +satisfaction and with benefit.</p> + +<p>To give a full account—to give any +account—of a work which traverses so +wide a field of subject, would be here +a futile attempt; we should, after all +our efforts, merely produce a laboured +and imperfect synopsis, which would +in vain solicit the perusal of our readers. +What we purpose doing, is to +take up, in the order in which they +occur, some of the topics on which +Mr Mill has thrown a new light, or +which he has at least invested with a +novel interest by the view he has given +of them. And as, in this selection of +topics, we are not bound to choose +those which are most austere and +repulsive, we hope that such of our +readers as are not deterred by the +very name of logic, will follow us with +some interest through the several +points of view, and the various extracts +we shall present to them.</p> + +<p><i>The Syllogism.</i>—The logic of <em>Induction</em>, +as that to which attention +has been least devoted, which has +been least reduced to systematic form, +and which lies at the basis of all other +modes of reasoning, constitutes the +prominent subject of these volumes. +Nevertheless, the old topic of logic +proper, or deductive reasoning, is not +omitted, and the first passage to which +we feel bound, on many accounts, to +give our attention, is the disquisition +on the syllogism.</p> + +<p>Fortunately for us it is not necessary, +in order to convey the point of +our author's observations upon this +head, to afflict our readers with any +dissertation upon <em>mode</em> or <em>figure</em>, or +other logical technicalities. The first +form or <em>figure</em> of the syllogism (to +which those who have not utterly +forgotten their scholastic discipline will +remember that all others may be reduced) +is familiar to every one, and to this +alone we shall have occasion to refer.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"All men are mortal.<br /> +A king is a man;<br /> +Therefore a king is mortal."<br /></p> +</div> + +<p>Who has not met—what young lady +even, though but in her teens, has not +encountered some such charming triplet +as this, which looks so like verse +at a distance, but, like some other +compositions, approximates nothing +the more on this account to poetry? +Who has not learnt from such examples +what is a <em>major</em>, what a <em>middle +term</em>, and what the <em>minor</em> or conclusion?</p> + +<p>As no one, in the present day, advises +the adoption, in our controversies, +of the syllogistic forms of reasoning, +it is evident that the value of the +syllogism must consist, not in its +practical use, but in the accurate type +which it affords of the process of reasoning, +and in the analysis of that process +which a full understanding of it +renders necessary. Such an analysis +supplies, it is said, an excellent discipline +to the mind, whilst an occasional +reference to the form of the syllogism, +as a type or model of reasoning, +insures a steadiness and pertinency of +argument. But is the syllogism, it +has been asked, this veritable type of +our reasoning? Has the analysis which +would explain it to be such, been accurately +conducted?</p> + +<p>Several of our northern metaphysicians, +it is well known—as, for example, +Dr Campbell and Dugald Stewart—have +laid rude hands upon the +syllogism. They have pronounced it +to be a vain invention. They have +argued that no addition of knowledge, +no advancement in the acquisition of +truth, no new conviction, can possibly +be obtained through its means, inasmuch +as no syllogism can contain any +thing in the conclusion which was not +admitted, at the outset, in the first or +major proposition. The syllogism +always, say they, involves a <i>petitio +principii</i>. Admit the major, and the +business is palpably at an end; the rest +is a mere circle, in which one cannot +advance, but may get giddy by the +revolution. According to the exposition +of logicians themselves, we simply +obtain by our syllogism, the privilege +of saying that, in the <em>minor</em>, of +some individual of a class, which we +had said, in the <em>major</em>, already of the +whole class.</p> + +<p>Archbishop Whately, our most distinguished +expositor and defender of +the Aristotelian logic, meets these antagonists +with the resolute assertion, +that their objection to the syllogism is +equally valid against <em>all reasoning +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[Pg 417]</a></span> +whatever</em>. He does not deny, but, on +the contrary, in common with every +logician, distinctly states, that whatever +is concluded in the minor, must +have been previously admitted in the +major, for in this lies the very force +and compulsion of the argument; but +he maintains that the syllogism is the +true type of all our reasoning, and +that therefore to all our reasoning, +the very same vice, the very same +<i>petitio principii</i>, may be imputed. The +syllogism, he contends, (and apparently +with complete success,) is but a statement +in full of what takes place mentally +even in the most rapid acts of +reasoning. We often suppress the +major for the sake of brevity, but it +is understood though not expressed; +just as in the same manner as we +sometimes content ourselves with +merely implying the conclusion itself, +because it is sufficiently evident without +further words. If any one should +so far depart from common sense as to +question the mortality of some great +king, we should think it sufficient to +say for all argument—the king is a +man!—virtually implying the whole +triplet above mentioned:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"All men are mortal.<br /> +The king is a man;<br /> +Therefore the king is mortal."<br /></p> +</div> + +<p>"In pursuing the supposed investigation, +(into the operation of reasoning,)" +says Archbishop Whately, +"it will be found that every conclusion +is deduced, in reality, from two +other propositions, (thence called +<em>Premisses</em>;) for though one of these +may be and commonly is suppressed, +it must nevertheless be understood as +admitted, as may easily be made evident +by supposing the <em>denial</em> of the +suppressed premiss, which will at +once invalidate the argument; <i>e.g.</i> +if any one, from perceiving that 'the +world exhibits marks of design,' infers +that 'it must have had an intelligent +author,' though he may not be +aware in his own mind of the existence +of any other premiss, he will +readily understand, if it be <em>denied</em> that +'whatever exhibits marks of design +must have had an intelligent author,' +that the affirmative of that proposition +is necessary to the solidity of the argument. +An argument thus stated +regularly and at full length, is called +a syllogism; which, therefore, is evidently +not a peculiar <em>kind of argument</em>, +but only a peculiar <em>form</em> of expression, +in which every argument may be +stated."—<i>Whately's Logic</i>, p. 27.</p> + +<p>"It will be found," he continues, +"that all valid arguments whatever +may be easily reduced to such a form +as that of the foregoing syllogisms; +and that consequently the principle on +which they are constructed is the +<span class="smcap">Universal Principle</span> of reasoning. +So elliptical, indeed, is the ordinary +mode of expression, even of those who +are considered as prolix writers,—<i>i.e.</i> +so much is implied and left to be understood +in the course of argument, +in comparison of what is actually stated, +(most men being impatient, even to +excess, of any appearance of unnecessary +and tedious formality of statement,) +that a single sentence will often +be found, though perhaps considered +as a single argument, to contain, compressed +into a short compass, a chain +of several distinct arguments. But if +each of these be fully developed, and +the whole of what the author intended +to imply be stated expressly, it will +be found that all the steps, even of the +longest and most complex train of +reasoning, may be reduced into the +above form."—P. 32.</p> + +<p>That it is not the office of the syllogism +to discover <em>new</em> truths, our logician +fully admits, and takes some pains +to establish. This is the office of +"other operations of mind," not unaccompanied, +however, with acts of +reasoning. Reasoning, argument, inference, +(words which he uses as synonymous,) +have not for their object +our advancement in knowledge, or the +acquisition of new truths.</p> + +<p>"Much has been said," says Archbishop +Whately, in another portion +of his work, "by some writers, of the +superiority of the inductive to the syllogistic +methods of seeking truth, as +if the two stood opposed to each other; +and of the advantage of substituting +the <i>Organon</i> of Bacon for that of Aristotle, +&c. &c., which indicates a total +misconception of the nature of both. +There is, however, the more excuse +for the confusion of thought which +prevails on this subject, because eminent +logical writers have treated, or +at least have appeared to treat, of induction +as a kind of argument distinct +from the syllogism; which, if it were, +it certainly might be contrasted with +the syllogism: or rather the whole +syllogistic theory would fall to the +ground, since one of the very first +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[Pg 418]</a></span> +principles it establishes, is that <em>all</em> +reasoning, on whatever subject, is one +and the same process, which may be +clearly exhibited in the form of syllogisms.</p> + +<p>"This inaccuracy seems chiefly to +have arisen from a vagueness in the +use of the word induction; which is +sometimes employed to designate the +process of <em>investigation</em> and of collecting +facts, sometimes the deducing an +inference <em>from</em> those facts. The former +of these processes (<i>viz.</i> that of +observation and experiment) is undoubtedly +<em>distinct</em> from that which +takes place in the syllogism; but then +it is not a process of <em>argumentation</em>: +the latter again <em>is</em> an argumentative +process; but then it is, like all other +arguments, capable of being syllogistically +expressed."—P. 263.</p> + +<p>"To prove, then, this point demonstratively, +(namely, that it is not by a +process of reasoning that new truths +are brought to light,) becomes on these +data perfectly easy; for since all reasoning +(in the sense above defined) may +be resolved into syllogisms; and since +even the objectors to logic make it a +subject of complaint, that in a syllogism +the premises do virtually assert +the conclusion, it follows at once that +no new truth (as above defined) can +be elicited by any process of reasoning.</p> + +<p>"It is on this ground, indeed, that +the justly celebrated author of the +<i>Philosophy of Rhetoric</i> objects to the +syllogism altogether, as necessarily involving +a <i>petitio principii</i>; an objection +which, of course, he would not +have been disposed to bring forward, +had he perceived that, whether well or +ill founded, <em>it lies against all arguments +whatever</em>. Had he been aware that +the syllogism is no distinct kind of +argument otherwise than in form, but +is, in fact, <em>any</em> argument whatever +stated regularly and at full length, he +would have obtained a more correct +view of the object of all reasoning; +<em>which is merely to expand and unfold the +assertions wrapt up, as it were, and implied +in those with which we set out</em>, and +to bring a person to perceive and acknowledge +the full force of that which +he has admitted; to contemplate it +in various points of view; <em>to admit in +one shape what he has already admitted +in another</em>, and to give up and disallow +whatever is inconsistent with it."—P. +273.</p> + +<p>Now, what the Archbishop here advances +appears convincing; his position +looks impregnable. The syllogism +is not a peculiar mode of reasoning, +(how could it be?)—if any thing +at all, it must be a general formula +for expressing the ordinary act of +reasoning—and he shows that the objections +made by those who would +impugn it, may be levelled with equal +justice against all ratiocination whatever. +But then this method of defending +the syllogism, (to those of us +who have stood beside, in the character +of modest enquirers, watching the +encounter of keen wits,) does but aggravate +the difficulty. Is it true, then, +that in every act of reasoning, we do +but conclude in one form, what, the +moment before, we had stated in another? +Are we to understand that such +is the final result of the debate? If so, +this act of reasoning appears very little +deserving of that estimation in +which it has been generally held. The +great prerogative of intelligent beings +(as it has been deemed,) grants them +this only—to "admit in one shape +what they had already admitted in +another."</p> + +<p>From the dilemma in which we are +here placed, the Archbishop by no +means releases, or attempts to release +us: he seems (something too much +after the manner and disposition generally +attributed to masters in logic-fence,) +to have rested satisfied with +foiling his opponents in their attack +upon the exact position he had bound +himself to defend. He saves the syllogism; +what becomes, in the controversy, +of poor human reason itself, is +not his especial concern—it is as much +their business as his. You do not, +more than I, he virtually says to his +opponents, intend to resign all reasoning +whatever as a mere inanity; I +prove, for my part, that all reasoning +is capable of being put into a syllogistic +form, and that your objection, if +valid against the syllogism, is equally +valid against all ratiocination. You +must therefore either withdraw your +objection altogether, or advance it at +your peril; the difficulty is of your +making, you must solve it as you can. +Gentlemen, you must muzzle your +own dog.</p> + +<p>In this posture of affairs the author +of the present work comes to the rescue. +He shall speak in his own words. +But we must premise, that although +we do not intend to stint him in our +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[Pg 419]</a></span> +quotation—though we wish to give +him all the sea-room possible; yet, for +a <em>full</em> development of his views, we +must refer the reader to his volumes +themselves. There are some disquisitions +which precede the part we are +about to quote from, which, in order to +do complete justice to the subject, ought +to find a place here, as well as in the +author's work—but it is impossible.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It is universally allowed, that a +syllogism is vicious, if there be any thing +more in the conclusion than was assumed +in the premisses. But this is, in fact, +to say, that nothing ever was, or can be, +proved by syllogism, which was not +known, or assumed to be known, before. +Is ratiocination, then, not a process of inference? +And is the syllogism, to which +the word reasoning has so often been +represented to be exclusively appropriate, +not really entitled to be called +reasoning at all? This seems an inevitable +consequence of the doctrine, admitted +by all writers on the subject, +that a syllogism can prove no more than +is involved in the premisses. Yet the +acknowledgment so explicitly made, has +not prevented one set of writers from +continuing to represent the syllogism +as the correct analysis of what the mind +actually performs in discovering and +proving the larger half of the truths, +whether of science or of daily life, which +we believe; while those who have avoided +this inconsistency, and followed out +the general theorem respecting the logical +value of the syllogism to its legitimate +corollary, have been led to impute +uselessness and frivolity to the +syllogistic theory itself, on the ground +of the <i>petitio principii</i> which they allege +to be inherent in every syllogism. As +I believe both these opinions to be fundamentally +erroneous, I must request the +attention of the reader to certain considerations, +without which any just +appreciation of the true character of the +syllogism, and the functions it performs +in philosophy, appears to me impossible; +but which seem to me to have been +overlooked or insufficiently adverted to, +both by the defenders of the syllogistic +theory, and by its assailants.</p> + +<p>"It must be granted, that in every +syllogism, considered as an argument to +prove the conclusion, there is a <i>petitio +principii</i>. When we say—</p> + +<p class="center">'All men are mortal.<br /> +Socrates is a man;<br /> +<span class="smcap lowercase">THEREFORE</span><br /> +Socrates is mortal'—<br /></p> + +<p>it is unanswerably urged by the adversaries +of the syllogistic theory, that the +proposition, Socrates is mortal, is presupposed +in the more general assumption, +All men are mortal; that we cannot +be assured of the mortality of all +men, unless we were previously certain +of the mortality of every individual +man; that if it be still doubtful whether +Socrates, or any other individual you +choose to name, be mortal or not, the +same degree of uncertainty must hang +over the assertion, All men are mortal; +that the general principle, instead of +being given as evidence of the particular +case, cannot itself be taken for true +without exception, until every shadow +of doubt which could affect any case +comprised with it, is dispelled by evidence +<i>aliundè</i>, and then what remains +for the syllogism to prove? that, in +short, no reasoning from generals to +particulars can, as such, prove any +thing; since from a general principle +you cannot infer any particulars, but +those which the principle itself assumes +as foreknown.</p> + +<p>"This doctrine is irrefragable; and +if logicians, though unable to dispute it, +have usually exhibited a strong disposition +to explain it away, this was not +because they could discover any flaw in +the argument itself, but because the +contrary opinion seemed to rest upon +arguments equally indisputable. In the +syllogism last referred to, for example, +or in any of those which we previously +constructed, is it not evident that the +conclusion may, to the person to whom +the syllogism is presented, be actually +and <i>bona fide</i> a new truth? Is it not +matter of daily experience that truth +previously undreamt of, facts which +have not been, and cannot be, directly +observed, are arrived at by way of general +reasoning? We believe that the +Duke of Wellington is mortal. We do +not know this by direct observation, +since he is not yet dead. If we were +asked how, this being the case, we know +the Duke to be mortal, we should probably +answer, because all men are so. +Here, therefore, we arrive at the knowledge +of a truth not (as yet) susceptible +of observation, by a reasoning which admits +of being exhibited in the following +syllogism—</p> + +<p class="center">'All men are mortal.<br /> +The Duke of Wellington is a man;<br /> +<span class="smcap lowercase">THEREFORE</span><br /> +The Duke of Wellington is mortal.'<br /></p> + +<p>"And since a large portion of our +knowledge is thus acquired, logicians +have persisted in representing the syllogism +as a process of inference or +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[Pg 420]</a></span> +proof; although none of them has cleared +up the difficulty which arises from the +inconsistency between that assertion and +the principle, that if there be any thing +in the conclusion which was not already +asserted in the premisses, the argument +is vicious. For it is impossible to attach +any serious scientific value to such a +mere salvo, as the distinction drawn between +being involved <em>by implication</em> in +the premisses, and being directly asserted +in them. When Archbishop Whately, +for example, says that the object of reasoning +is 'merely to expand and unfold +the assertions wrapt up, as it were, and +implied in those with which we set out, +and to bring a person to perceive and +acknowledge the full force of that which +he has admitted,' he does not, I think, +meet the real difficulty requiring to be +explained; namely, how it happens that +a science like geometry <em>can</em> be all +'wrapt up' in a few definitions and +axioms. Nor does this defence of the +syllogism differ much from what its +assailants urge against it as an accusation, +when they charge it with being of +no use except to those who seek to press +the consequence of an admission into +which a man has been entrapped, without +having considered and understood its +full force. When you admitted the +major premiss, you asserted the conclusion, +'but,' says Archbishop Whately, +'you asserted it by implication merely; +this, however, can here only mean that +you asserted it unconsciously—that you +did not know you were asserting it; but +if so, the difficulty revives in this shape. +Ought you not to have known? Were +you warranted in asserting the general +proposition without having satisfied yourself +of the truth of every thing which it +fairly includes? And if not, what, then, +is the syllogistic art but a contrivance +for catching you in a trap, and holding +you fast in it?'</p> + +<p>"From this difficulty there appears to +be but one issue. The proposition, that +the Duke of Wellington is mortal, is +evidently an inference, it is got at as a +conclusion from something else; but do +we, in reality, conclude it from the proposition—All +men are mortal? I answer, +No.</p> + +<p>"The error committed is, I conceive, +that of overlooking the distinction between +the two parts of the process of +philosophizing—the inferring part and +the registering part; and ascribing to +the latter the functions of the former. +The mistake is that of referring a man +to his own notes for the <em>origin</em> of his +knowledge. If a man is asked a question, +and is at the moment unable to +answer it, he may refresh his memory +by turning to a memorandum which he +carries about with him. But if he were +asked how the fact came to his knowledge, +he would scarcely answer, because +it was set down in his note-book.</p> + +<p>"Assuming that the proposition, The +Duke of Wellington is mortal, is immediately +an inference from the proposition, +All men are mortal, whence do we +derive our knowledge of that general +truth? No supernatural aid being supposed, +the answer must be, from observation. +Now, all which men can +observe are individual cases. From +these all general truths must be drawn, +and into these they may be again resolved; +for a general truth is but an +aggregate of particular truths—a comprehensive +expression, by which an indefinite +number of individual facts are +affirmed or denied at once. But a general +proposition is not merely a compendious +form for recording and preserving +in the memory a number of +particular facts, all of which have been +observed. Generalization is not a process +of mere naming, it is also a process +of inference. From instances which we +have observed, we feel warranted in +concluding, that what we found true in +those instances holds in all similar ones—past, +present, and future, however +numerous they may be. We, then, by +that valuable contrivance of language, +which enables us to speak of many as if +they were one, record all that we have +observed, together with all that we infer +from our observations, in one concise +expression; and have thus only one +proposition, instead of an endless number, +to remember or to communicate. +The results of many observations and +inferences, and instructions for making +innumerable inferences in unforeseen +cases, are compressed into one short +sentence.</p> + +<p>"When, therefore, we conclude, from +the death of John and Thomas, and +every other person we ever heard of in +whose case the experiment had been +fairly tried, that the Duke of Wellington +is mortal like the rest, we may, +indeed, pass through the generalization, +All men are mortal, as an intermediate +stage; but it is not in the latter half of +the process—the descent from all men +to the Duke of Wellington—that the +<em>inference</em> resides. The inference is +finished when we have asserted that all +men are mortal. What remains to be +performed afterwards is merely deciphering +our own notes.</p> + +<p>"Archbishop Whately has contended, +that syllogizing, or reasoning from +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[Pg 421]</a></span> +generals to particulars, is not, agreeably +to the vulgar idea, a peculiar mode of +reasoning, but the philosophical analysis +of the mode in which all men reason, +and must do so if they reason at +all. With the deference due to so high +an authority, I cannot help thinking +that the vulgar notion is, in this case, +the more correct. If, from our experience +of John, Thomas, &c. who once +were living, but are now dead, we are +entitled to conclude that all human +beings are mortal, we might surely, +without any logical inconsequence, +have concluded at once, from those +instances, that the Duke Wellington is +mortal. The mortality of John, Thomas, +and Company, is, after all, the whole +evidence we have for the mortality of +the Duke of Wellington. Not one +iota is added to the proof by interpolating +a general proposition. Since the +individual cases are all the evidence we +can possess; evidence which no logical +form into which we choose to throw +it can make greater than it is; and +since that evidence is either sufficient in +itself, or, if insufficient for one purpose, +cannot be sufficient for the other; I am +unable to see why we should be forbidden +to take the shortest cut from these +sufficient premisses to the conclusion, and +constrained to travel the 'high <i>priori</i> +road' by the arbitrary fiat of logicians. +I cannot perceive why it should be impossible +to journey from one place to +another, unless 'we march up a hill and +then march down again.' It may be +the safest road, and there may be a resting-place +at the top of the hill, affording +a commanding view of the surrounding +country; but for the mere purpose +of arriving at our journey's end, our +taking that road is perfectly optional: +it is a question of time, trouble, and +danger.</p> + +<p>"Not only <em>may</em> we reason from particulars +to particulars, without passing +through generals, but we perpetually do +so reason. All our earliest inferences +are of this nature. From the first dawn +of intelligence we draw inferences; but +years elapse before we learn the use of +general language. The child who, having +burnt his fingers, avoids to thrust +them again into the fire, has reasoned +or inferred, though he has never thought +of the general maxim—fire burns. He +knows from memory that he has been +burnt, and on this evidence believes, +when he sees a candle, that if he puts +his finger into the flame of it, he will be +burnt again. He believes this in every +case which happens to arise; but without +looking, in each instance, beyond +the present case. He is not generalizing; +he is inferring a particular from +particulars.—Vol. I. p. 244.</p> + +<p>"From the considerations now adduced, +the following conclusions seem +to be established:—All inference is from +particulars to particulars: General propositions +are merely registers of such +inferences already made, and short formulæ +for making more: The major +premiss of a syllogism, consequently, is +a formula of this description; and the +conclusion is not an inference drawn +<em>from</em> the formula, but an inference +drawn <em>according to</em> the formula: the +real logical antecedent, or premisses +being <em>the particular facts from which +the general proposition was collected by +induction</em>. * * *</p> + +<p>"In the above observations, it has, I +think, been clearly shown, that although +there is always a process of reasoning +or inference where a syllogism is used, +the syllogism is not a correct analysis of +that process of reasoning or inference; +which is, on the contrary, (when not a +mere inference from testimony,) an inference +from particulars to particulars; +authorized by a previous inference from +particulars to generals, and substantially +the same with it: of the nature, therefore, +of Induction. But while these +conclusions appear to me undeniable, I +must yet enter a protest, as strong as +that of Archbishop Whately himself, +against the doctrine that the syllogistic +art is useless for the purposes +of reasoning. The reasoning lies in the +act of generalisation, not in interpreting +the record of that act; but the +syllogistic form is all indispensable collateral +security for the correctness of the +generalisation itself."—P. 259.</p></div> + +<p>By this explanation we are released +from the dilemma into which the syllogistic +and non-syllogistic party had +together thrown us. We can acknowledge +that the process of reason can +be always exhibited in the form of a +syllogism, and yet not be driven to +the strange and perplexing conclusion +that our reasoning can never conduct +us to a new truth, never lead us further +than to admit in one shape what +we had already admitted in another. +We have, or may have, it is true, a +<em>major</em> in all our ratiocination, implied, +if not expressed, and are so far syllogistic; +but then the real premiss from +which we reason is the amount of experience +on which that major was +founded, to which amount of experience +we, in fact, made an addition +in our <em>minor</em>, or conclusion.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[Pg 422]</a></span> +But while we accept this explanation, +and are grateful for the deliverance +it works for us, we must also +admit, (and we are not aware that Mr +Mill would controvert this admission,) +that there is a large class of cases in +which our reasoning betrays no reference +to this anterior experience, and +where the usual explanation given by +teachers of logic is perfectly applicable; +cases where our object is, not +the discovery of truth for ourselves, +but to convince another of his error, +by showing him that the proposition, +which in his blindness or prejudice he +has chosen to contradict, is part and +parcel of some other proposition to +which he has given, and is at all times +ready to give, his acquiescence. In +such cases, we frequently content ourselves +with throwing before him this +alternative—refuse your <em>major</em>, to +which you have again and again assented, +or accept, as involved in it, +our <em>minor</em> proposition, which you have +persisted in controverting.</p> + +<p>It will have been gathered from the +foregoing train of observation, that, +in direct contradistinction to Archbishop +Whately, who had represented +induction (so far as it consisted of an +act of ratiocination) as resolvable into +deductive and syllogistic reasoning, our +author has resolved the syllogism, and +indeed all deductive reasoning whatever, +ultimately into examples of induction. +In doing this, he is encountered +by a metaphysical notion very +prevalent in the present day, which +lies across his path, and which he has +to remove. We allude to the distinction +between contingent and necessary +truths; it being held by many philosophical +writers that all necessary and +universal truths owe their origin, not +to experience (except as <em>occasion</em> of +their development,) and not, consequently, +to the ordinary process of induction, +but flow from higher sources—flow +immediately from some supreme +faculty to which the name of reason +has by some been exclusively appropriated, +in order to distinguish it from +the understanding, the faculty judging +according to sense. We will pause a +while upon this topic.</p> + + +<p style="padding-top: 2em;"><i>Contingent and Necessary Truths.</i>—Those +who have read Mr Whewell's +treatise on the <i>Philosophy of the Inductive +Sciences</i>, will remember that there +is no topic which that author labours +more sedulously to inculcate than this +same distinction between contingent +and necessary truths; and it is against +his statement of the doctrine in question, +that Mr Mill directs his observations. +Perhaps the controverted tenets would +have sustained a more equal combat +under the auspices of a more practised +and more complete metaphysician +than Mr Whewell; but a difficulty +was probably experienced in finding +a statement in any other well-known +English author full and explicit. Referring +ourselves to Mr Whewell's +volumes for an extract, in order to +give the distinction here contended +against the advantage of an exposition +in the words of one who upholds it, +we are embarrassed by the number +which offer themselves. From many +we select the following statement:—</p> + +<p>"Experience," says Mr Whewell, +"must always consist of a limited +number of observations. And, however +numerous these may be, they +can show nothing with regard to the +infinite number of cases in which the +experiment has not been made. Experience, +being thus unable to prove +a fact to be universal, is, as will readily +be seen, still more incapable of +proving a fact to be necessary. Experience +cannot, indeed, offer the +smallest ground for the necessity of +a proposition. She can observe and +record what has happened; but she +cannot find, in any case, or in any +accumulation of cases, any reason for +what <em>must</em> happen. She may see objects +side by side, but she cannot see +a reason why they must be ever side +by side. She finds certain events to +occur in succession; but the succession +supplies, in its occurrence, no +reason for its recurrence. She contemplates +external objects; but she +cannot detect any internal bond which +indissolubly connects the future with +the past, the possible with the real. +To learn a proposition by experience, +and to see it to be necessarily true, +are two altogether different processes +of thought.</p> + +<p>"But it may be said, that we do +learn, by means of observation and +experience, many universal truths; +indeed, all the general truths of which +science consists. Is not the doctrine +of universal gravitation learned by +experience? Are not the laws of +motion, the properties of light, the +general properties of chemistry, so +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[Pg 423]</a></span> +learned? How, with these examples +before us, can we say that experience +teaches no universal truths?</p> + +<p>"To this we reply, that these truths +can only be known to be <em>general</em>, not +universal, if they depend upon experience +alone. Experience cannot bestow +that universality which she herself +cannot have, and that necessity +of which she has no comprehension. +If these doctrines are universally true, +this universality flows from the <em>ideas</em> +which we apply to our experience, +and which are, as we have seen, the +real sources of necessary truth. How +far these ideas can communicate their +universality and necessity to the results +of experience, it will hereafter +be our business to consider. It will +then appear, that when the mind +collects from observation truths of a +wide and comprehensive kind, which +approach to the simplicity and universality +of the truths of pure science; +she gives them this character by +throwing upon them the light of her +own fundamental ideas."—<i>Whewell</i>, +Vol. I. p. 60.</p> + +<p>Accordingly, Mr Whewell no sooner +arrives at any truth which admits of +an unconditional positive statement—a +statement defying all rational contradiction—than +he abstracts it from +amongst the acquisitions of experience, +and throwing over it, we suppose, +the light of these fundamental +ideas, pronounces it enrolled in the +higher class of universal and necessary +truths. The first laws of motion, +though established through great difficulties +against the most obstinate +preconceptions, and by the aid of repeated +experiments, are, when surveyed +in their present perfect form, +proclaimed to be, not acquisitions of +experience, but truths emanating from +a higher and more mysterious origin.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p> + +<p>This distinction, which assigns a +different mental origin to truths, +simply because (from the nature of +the subject-matter, as it seems to us) +there is a difference with regard to the +sort of certainty we feel of them, has +always appeared to us most unphilosophical. +It is admitted that we arrive +at a general proposition through +experience; there is no room, therefore, +for quibbling as to the meaning +of the term experience—it is understood +that when we speak of a truth +being derived from experience, we +imply the usual exercise of our mental +faculties; it is the step from a +general to a universal proposition +which alone occasions this perplexing +distinction. The dogma is this—that +experience can only teach us by a +limited number of examples, and therefore +can never establish a universal +proposition. But if <em>all</em> experience is +in favour of a proposition—if no experience +has occurred even to enable the +imagination to conceive its opposite, +what more can be required to convert +the general into a universal proposition?</p> + +<p>Strange to say, the attribution of +these characteristics of universality +and necessity, becomes, amongst those +who loudly insist upon the palpable +nature of the distinction we are now +examining, a matter of controversy; +and there are a class of scientific +truths, of which it is debated whether +they are contingent or necessary. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[Pg 424]</a></span> +The only test that they belong to the +latter order is, the impossibility of +conceiving their opposites to be the +truth; and it seems that men find a +great difference in their powers of +conception, and that what is impossible +with one is possible with another. +But (wisely, too) passing this over, and +admitting that there is a distinction +(though a very ill-defined one) between +the several truths we entertain +of this nature; namely, that some we +find it impossible, even in imagination, +to contradict, whilst of others we can +suppose it possible that they should +cease to be truths—does it follow +that different faculties of the mind are +engaged in the acquisition of them? +Does nothing depend on the nature of +the subject itself? "That two sides +of a triangle," says Mr Whewell, +"are greater than the third, is a universal +and necessary geometrical +truth; it is true of all triangles; it is +true in such a way that the contrary +cannot be conceived. <em>Experience +could not prove such a proposition.</em>" +Experience is allowed to prove it of +this or that triangle, but not as an inseparable +property of a triangle. We +are at a loss to perceive why the same +faculties of the mind that can judge, +say of the properties of animal life, of +organized beings, cannot judge of the +properties of a figure—properties +which must immediately be conceived +to exist the moment the figure is presented +to the imagination. We say, +for instance, of any animal, not because +it is this or that animal, a sheep +or an ox, but simply <em>as</em> animal, that +it must sustain itself by food, by the +process of assimilation. This, however, +is merely a contingent truth, +because it is in our power to conceive +of organized beings whose substance +shall not wear away, and consequently +shall not need perpetual restoration. +But what faculty of the mind is unemployed +here that is engaged in +perceiving the property of a triangle, +that <em>as</em> triangle, it must have two sides +greater than the third? The truths +elicited in the two cases have a difference, +inasmuch as a triangle differs +from an animal in this, that it is impossible +to conceive other triangles +than those to which your truth is +applicable, and therefore the proposition +relating to the triangle is called a +necessary truth. But surely this +difference lies in the subject-matter, +not in the nature of our mental faculties.</p> + +<p>But we had not intended to interpose +our own lucubrations in the +place of those of Mr Mill.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Although Mr Whewell," says our +author, "has naturally and properly +employed a variety of phrases to bring +his meaning more forcibly home, he +will, I presume, allow that they are all +equivalent; and that what he means by +a necessary truth, would be sufficiently +defined, a proposition the negation of +which is not only false, but inconceivable. +I am unable to find in any of Mr +Whewell's expressions, turn them what +way you will, a meaning beyond this, +and I do not believe he would contend +that they mean any thing more.</p> + +<p>"This, therefore, is the principle asserted: +that propositions, the negation +of which is inconceivable, or in other +words, which we cannot figure to ourselves +as being false, must rest upon +evidence of higher and more cogent +description than any which experience +can afford. And we have next to consider +whether there is any ground for +this assertion.</p> + +<p>"Now, I cannot but wonder that so +much stress should be laid upon the circumstance +of inconceivableness, when +there is such ample experience to show +that our capacity or incapacity for conceiving +a thing has very little to do with +the possibility of the thing in itself; but is +in truth very much an affair of accident, +and depends upon the past habits and +history of our own minds. There is no +more generally acknowledged fact in +human nature, than the extreme difficulty +at first felt in conceiving any +thing as possible, which is in contradiction +to long-established and familiar +experience, or even to old and familiar +habits of thought. And this difficulty +is a necessary result of the fundamental +laws of the human mind. When we +have often seen and thought of two +things together, and have never, in any +one instance, either seen or thought of +them separately, there is by the primary +law of association an increasing +difficulty, which in the end becomes +insuperable, of conceiving the two things +apart. This is most of all conspicuous +in uneducated persons, who are, in general, +utterly unable to separate any +two ideas which have once become firmly +associated in their minds, and, if persons +of cultivated intellect have any +advantage on the point, it is only because, +having seen and heard and read +more, and being more accustomed to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[Pg 425]</a></span> +exercise their imagination, they have experienced +their sensations and thoughts +in more varied combinations, and have +been prevented from forming many of +these inseparable associations. But this +advantage has necessarily its limits. +The man of the most practised intellect +is not exempt from the universal laws of +our conceptive faculty. If daily habit +presents to him for a long period two +facts in combination, and if he is not led, +during that period, either by accident +or intention, to think of them apart, he +will in time become incapable of doing +so, even by the strongest effort; and +the supposition, that the two facts can +be separated in nature, will at last present +itself to his mind with all the characters +of an inconceivable phenomenon. +There are remarkable instances of this +in the history of science; instances in +which the wisest men rejected as impossible, +because inconceivable, things +which their posterity, by earlier practice, +and longer perseverance in the +attempt, found it quite easy to conceive, +and which every body now knows to be +true. There was a time when men of +the most cultivated intellects, and the +most emancipated from the dominion of +early prejudice, could not credit the +existence of antipodes; were unable to +conceive, in opposition to old association, +the force of gravity acting upwards +instead of downwards. The +Cartesians long rejected the Newtonian +doctrine of the gravitation of all bodies +towards one another, on the faith of a +general proposition, the reverse of +which seemed to them to be inconceivable—the +proposition, that a body cannot +act where it is not. All the cumbrous +machinery of imaginary vortices, +assumed without the smallest particle of +evidence, appeared to these philosophers +a more rational mode of explaining the +heavenly motions, than one which involved +what appeared to them so great +an absurdity. And they, no doubt, +found it as impossible to conceive that a +body should act upon the earth at the +distance of the sun or moon, as we find +it to conceive an end to space or time, +or two straight lines inclosing a space. +Newton himself had not been able to +realize the conception, or we should not +have had his hypothesis of a subtle +ether, the occult cause of gravitation; +and his writings prove, that although +he deemed the particular nature of the +intermediate agency a matter of conjecture, +the necessity of <em>some</em> such +agency appeared to him indubitable. +It would seem that, even now, the majority +of scientific men have not completely +got over this very difficulty; for +though they have at last learned to conceive +the sun <em>attracting</em> the earth without +any intervening fluid, they cannot yet +conceive the sun <em>illuminating</em> the earth +without some such medium.</p> + +<p>"If, then, it be so natural to the human +mind, even in its highest state of +culture, to be incapable of conceiving, +and on that ground to believe impossible, +what is afterwards not only found +to be conceivable, but proved to be +true; what wonder if, in cases where +the association is still older, more confirmed, +and more familiar, and in which +nothing even occurs to shake our conviction, +or even to suggest to us any +conception at variance with the association, +the acquired incapacity should continue, +and be mistaken for a natural incapacity? +It is true our experience of +the varieties in nature enables us, within +certain limits, to conceive other varieties +analogous to them. We can conceive +the sun or moon falling, for although +we never saw them fall, nor ever perhaps +imagined them falling, we have +seen so many other things fall, that we +have innumerable familiar analogies to +assist the conception; which, after all, +we should probably have some difficulty +in framing, were we not well accustomed +to see the sun and moon move, (or +appear to move,) so that we are only +called upon to conceive a slight change +in the direction of motion, a circumstance +familiar to our experience. But +when experience affords no model on +which to shape the new conception, how +is it possible for us to form it? How, +for example, can we imagine an end to +space and time? We never saw any +object without something beyond it, +nor experienced any feeling without +something following it. When, therefore, +we attempt to conceive the last +point of space, we have the idea irresistibly +raised of other points beyond +it. When we try to imagine the last +instant of time, we cannot help conceiving +another instant after it. Nor +is there any necessity to assume, as is +done by the school to which Mr Whewell +belongs, a peculiar fundamental law +of the mind to account for the feeling +of infinity inherent in our conception +of space and time; that apparent infinity +is sufficiently accounted for by +simple and universally acknowledged +laws."—Vol. I. p. 313.</p></div> + +<p>Mr Mill does not deny that there +exists a distinction, as regards ourselves, +between certain truths (namely, +that of some, we cannot conceive +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[Pg 426]</a></span> +them to be other than truths,) but he +sets no value on this distinction, inasmuch +as there is no proof that it has +its counterpart in things themselves; +the impossibility of a thing being by +no means measured by our inability +to conceive it. And we may observe, +that Mr Whewell, in consistency +with the metaphysical doctrine +upon space and time which he has +borrowed from Kant, ought, under +another shape, to entertain a similar +doubt as to whether this distinction +represent any real distinction in the +nature of things. He considers, with +Kant, that space is only that <em>form</em> +with which the human mind invests +things—that it has no other than this +merely mental existence—is purely +subjective. Presuming, therefore, +that the mind is, from its constitution, +utterly and for ever unable to conceive +the opposite of certain truths, (those, +for instance, of geometry;) yet as the +existence of space itself is but a subjective +truth, it must follow that all +other truths relating to it are subjective +also. The mind is not conversant +with things in themselves, in the +truths even of geometry; nor is there +any positive objective truth in one +department of science more than +another. Mr Whewell, therefore, +though he advocates this distinction +between necessary and contingent +truth with a zeal which would seem +to imply that something momentous, +or of peculiar interest, was connected +with it, can advocate it only as a +matter of abstract metaphysical +science. He cannot participate in +that feeling of exaltation and mystery +which has led many to expatiate upon +a necessary and absolute truth which +the Divine Power itself cannot alter, +which is equally irresistible, equally +binding and compulsory, with God as +with man. Of this spirit of philosophical +enthusiasm Mr Whewell cannot +partake. Space and Time, with +all their properties and phenomena, +are but recognized as the modes of +thought of a human intelligence.</p> + +<p>We have marked a number of passages +for annotation and extract—a +far greater number than we can possibly +find place for alluding to. One +subject, however, which lies at the +very basis of all our science, and +which has received a proportionate +attention from Mr Mill, must not be +amongst those which are passed over. +We mean the law of <em>Causation</em>. What +should be described as the complete +and adequate notion of a cause, we +need not say is one of the moot points +of philosophy. According to one +school of metaphysicians, there is in +our notion of cause an element not +derived from experience, which, it is +confessed on all hands, can teach us +only the <em>succession</em> of events. Cause, +with them, is that invisible power, +that mysterious bond, which this succession +does but signify: with other +philosophers this succession constitutes +the whole of any intelligible notion +we have of cause. The latter opinion +is that of Mr Mill; at the same time +the question is one which lies beyond +or beside the scope of his volumes. +He is concerned only with phenomena, +not with the knowledge (if +such there be) of "things in themselves;" +that part, therefore, of our +idea of cause which, according to all +systems of philosophy, is won from +experience, and concerns phenomena +alone, is sufficient for his purpose. +That every event has a cause, that is, +a previous and uniformly previous +event, and that whatever has happened +will, in the like circumstances, +happen again—these are the assumptions +necessary to science, and these +no one will dispute.</p> + +<p>Mr Mill has made a happy addition +to the usual definition of cause given +by that class of metaphysicians to +which he himself belongs, and which +obviates a plausible objection urged +against it by Dr Reid and others. +These have argued, that if cause be +nothing more than invariable antecedence, +then night may be said to be +the cause of day, for the one invariably +precedes the other. Day does succeed +to night, but only on certain conditions—namely, +that the sun rise. +"The succession," observes Mr Mill, +"which is equivalent and synonymous +to cause, must be not only invariable +but unconditional. We may define, +therefore," says our author, "the cause +of a phenomenon to be the antecedent, +or the concurrence of antecedents, +upon which it is invariably and +<em>unconditionally</em> consequent."—Vol. I. +p. 411.</p> + +<p>A dilemma may be raised of this +kind. The universality of the law of +causation—in other words, the uniform +course of nature—is the fundamental +principle on which all induction +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[Pg 427]</a></span> +proceeds, the great premise on which all +our science is founded. But if this +law itself be the result only of experience, +itself only a great instance of +induction, so long as nature presents +cases requiring investigation, where +the causes are unknown to us, so long +the law itself is imperfectly established. +How, then, can this law be a guide and +a premiss in the investigations of science, +when those investigations are +necessary to complete the proof of the +law itself? How can this principle +accompany and authorise every step +we take in science, which itself needs +confirmation so long as a process of +induction remains to be performed? +Or how can this law be established by +a series of inductions, in making which +it has been taken for granted?</p> + +<p>Objections which wear the air of a +quibble have often this advantage—they +put our knowledge to the test. +The obligation to find a complete answer +clears up our own conceptions. +The observations which Mr Mill +makes on this point, we shall quote at +length. They are taken from his +chapter on the <i>Evidence of the Law of +Universal Causation</i>; the views in +which are as much distinguished for +boldness as for precision.</p> + +<p>After having said, that in all the +several methods of induction the universality +of the law of causation is +assumed, he continues:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"But is this assumption warranted? +Doubtless (it may be said) <em>most</em> phenomena +are connected as effects with some +antecedent or cause—that is, are never +produced unless some assignable fact has +preceded them; but the very circumstance, +that complicated processes of +induction are sometimes necessary, shows +that cases exist in which this regular +order of succession is not apparent to +our first and simplest apprehension. If, +then, the processes which bring these +cases within the same category with the +rest, require that we should assume the +universality of the very law which they +do not at first sight appear to exemplify, +is not this a real <i>petitio principii</i>? Can +we prove a proposition by an argument +which takes it for granted? And, if not +so proved, on what evidence does it +rest?</p> + +<p>"For this difficulty, which I have purposely +stated in the strongest terms it +would admit of, the school of metaphysicians, +who have long predominated in +this country, find a ready salvo. They +affirm that the universality of causation +is a truth which we cannot help believing; +that the belief in it is an instinct, +one of the laws of our believing faculty. +As the proof of this they say, and they +have nothing else to say, that every body +<em>does</em> believe it; and they number it +among the propositions, rather numerous +in their catalogue, which may be +logically argued against, and perhaps +cannot be logically proved, but which +are of higher authority than logic, and +which even he who denies in speculation, +shows by his habitual practice that his +arguments make no impression on himself.</p> + +<p>"I have no intention of entering into +the merits of this question, as a problem +of transcendental metaphysics. But I +must renew my protest against adducing, +as evidence of the truth of a fact in external +nature, any necessity which the +human mind may be conceived to be +under of believing it. It is the business +of human intellect to adapt itself to the +realities of things, and not to measure +those realities by its own capacities of +comprehension. The same quality which +fits mankind for the offices and purposes +of their own little life, the tendency of +their belief to follow their experience, +incapacitates them for judging of what +lies beyond. Not only what man can +know, but what he can conceive, depends +upon what he has experienced. Whatever +forms a part of all his experience, +forms a part also of all his conceptions, +and appears to him universal and necessary, +though really, for aught he knows, +having no existence beyond certain narrow +limits. The habit, however, of +philosophical analysis, of which it is the +surest effect to enable the mind to command, +instead of being commanded by, +the laws of the merely passive part of +its own nature, and which, by showing to +us that things are not necessarily connected +in fact because their ideas are +connected in our minds, is able to loosen +innumerable associations which reign +despotically over the undisciplined mind; +this habit is not without power even over +those associations which the philosophical +school, of which I have been speaking, +regard as connate and instinctive. +I am convinced that any one accustomed +to abstraction and analysis, who will +fairly exert his faculties for the purpose, +will, when his imagination has once +learned to entertain the notion, find no +difficulty in conceiving that in some one, +for instance, of the many firmaments +into which sidereal astronomy now divides +the universe, events may succeed +one another at random, without any +fixed law; nor can any thing in our +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[Pg 428]</a></span> +experience, or in our mental nature, constitute +a sufficient, or indeed any, reason +for believing that this is nowhere the +case. The grounds, therefore, which +warrant us in rejecting such a supposition +with respect to any of the phenomena +of which we have experience, must +be sought elsewhere than in any supposed +necessity of our intellectual faculties.</p> + +<p>"As was observed in a former place, +the belief we entertain in the universality, +throughout nature, of the law of +cause and effect, is itself an instance of +induction; and by no means one of the +earliest which any of us, or which mankind +in general, can have made. We +arrive at this universal law by generalisation +from many laws of inferior generality. +The generalising propensity +which, instinctive or not, is one of the +most powerful principles of our nature, +does not indeed wait for the period +when such a generalisation becomes +strictly legitimate. The mere unreasoning +propensity to expect what has +been often experienced, doubtless led +men to believe that every thing had a +cause, before they could have conclusive +evidence of that truth. But even this +cannot be supposed to have happened +until many cases of causation, or, in +other words, many partial uniformities +of sequence, had become familiar. The +more obvious of the particular uniformities +suggest and prove the general +uniformity; and that general uniformity, +once established, enables us to prove +the remainder of the particular uniformities +of which it is made up. * * *</p> + +<p>"With respect to the general law of +causation, it does appear that there must +have been a time when the universal +prevalence of that law throughout nature +could not have been affirmed in the +same confident and unqualified manner +as at present. There was a time when +many of the phenomena of nature must +have appeared altogether capricious and +irregular, not governed by any laws, +nor steadily consequent upon any causes. +Such phenomena, indeed, were commonly, +in that early stage of human +knowledge, ascribed to the direct intervention +of the will of some supernatural +being, and therefore still to a cause. +This shows the strong tendency of the +human mind to ascribe every phenomenon +to some cause or other; but it +shows also that experience had not, at +that time, pointed out any regular order +in the occurrence of those particular +phenomena, nor proved them to be, as +we now know that they are, dependent +upon prior phenomena as their proximate +causes. There have been sects of +philosophers who have admitted what +they termed Chance as one of the agents +in the order of nature by which certain +classes of events were entirely regulated; +which could only mean that those +events did not occur in any fixed order, +or depend upon uniform laws of causation. * * *</p> + +<p>"The progress of experience, therefore, +has dissipated the doubt which +must have rested upon the universality +of the law of causation, while there were +phenomena which seemed to be <i>sui generis</i>; +not subject to the same laws with +any other class of phenomena, and not +as yet ascertained to have peculiar laws +of their own. This great generalisation, +however, might reasonably have been, +as it in fact was by all great thinkers, +acted upon as a probability of the highest +order, before there were sufficient +grounds for receiving it as a certainty. +For, whatever has been found true in +innumerable instances, and never found +to be false after due examination in any, +we are safe in acting upon as universal +provisionally, until an undoubted exception +appears; provided the nature +of the case be such that a real exception +could scarcely have escaped our notice. +When every phenomenon that we ever +knew sufficiently well to be able to answer +the question, had a cause on which +it was invariably consequent, it was +more rational to suppose that our inability +to assign the causes of other phenomena +arose from our ignorance, than +that there were phenomena which were +uncaused, and which happened accidentally +to be exactly those which we had +hitherto had no sufficient opportunity +of studying."—Vol. II. p. 108.</p></div> + + +<p style="padding-top: 2em;"><i>Hypotheses.</i>—Mr Mill's observations +on the use of hypotheses in scientific +investigation, except that they +are characterized by his peculiar distinctness +and accuracy of thought, do +not differ from the views generally entertained +by writers on the subject. +We are induced to refer to the topic, +to point out what seems to us a harsh +measure dealt out to the undulatory +theory of light—harsh when compared +with the reception given to a theory +of Laplace, having for its object to +account for the origin of the planetary +system.</p> + +<p>We had occasion to quote a passage +from Mr Mill, in which he remarks +that the majority of scientific men +seem not yet to have completely got +over the difficulty of conceiving matter +to act (contrary to the old maxim) +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[Pg 429]</a></span> +where it is not; "for though," he +says, "they have at last learned to +conceive the sun <em>attracting</em> the earth +without any intervening fluid, they +cannot yet conceive the sun <em>illuminating</em> +the earth without some such medium." +But it is not only this difficulty +(which doubtless, however, is +felt) of conceiving the sun illuminating +the earth without any medium by +which to communicate its influence, +which leads to the construction of the +hypothesis, either of an undulating +ether, or of emitted particles. The +analogy of the other senses conducts +us almost irresistibly to the imagination +of some such medium. The +nerves of sense are, apparently, in all +cases that we can satisfactorily investigate, +affected by contact, by impulse. +The nerve of sight itself, we know, +when touched or pressed upon, gives +out the sensation of light. These +reasons, in the first place, conduct us +to the supposition of some medium, +having immediate communication with +the eye; which medium, though we +are far from saying that its existence +is established, is rendered probable by +the explanation it affords of optical +phenomena. At the same time it is +evident that the hypothesis of an +undulating ether, assumes a fluid or +some medium, the existence of which +cannot be directly ascertained. Thus +stands the hypothesis of a luminiferous +ether—in what must be allowed +to be a very unsatisfactory condition. +But a condition, we think, very superior +to the astronomical speculation of +Laplace, which Mr Mill, after scrutinizing +the preceding hypothesis with +the utmost strictness, is disposed to +treat with singular indulgence.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"The speculation is," we may as well +quote throughout Mr Mill's words, +"that the atmosphere of the sun originally +extended to the present limits of +the solar system: from which, by the +process of cooling, it has contracted to +its present dimensions; and since, by +the general principles of mechanics, the +rotation of the sun and its accompanying +atmosphere must increase as rapidly +as its volume diminishes, the increased +centrifugal force generated by the more +rapid rotation, overbalancing the action +of gravitation, would cause the sun to +abandon successive rings of vaporous +matter, which are supposed to have condensed +by cooling, and to have become +our planets.</p> + +<p>"There is in this theory," Mr Mill +proceeds, "no unknown substance introduced +upon supposition, nor any unknown +property or law ascribed to a +known substance. The known laws of +matter authorize us to suppose, that a +body which is constantly giving out so +large an amount of heat as the sun is, +must be progressively cooling, and that +by the process of cooling it must contract; +if, therefore, we endeavour, from +the present state of that luminary, to +infer its state in a time long past, we +must necessarily suppose that its atmosphere +extended much further than at +present, and we are entitled to suppose +that it extended as far as we can trace +those effects which it would naturally +leave behind it on retiring; and such +the planets are. These suppositions +being made, it follows from known laws +that successive zones of the solar atmosphere +would be abandoned; that +these would continue to revolve round +the sun with the same velocity as when +they formed part of his substance, and +that they would cool down, long before +the sun himself, to any given temperature, +and consequently to that at which +the greater part of the vaporous matter +of which they consisted would become +liquid or solid. The known law of gravitation +would then cause them to agglomerate +in masses, which would assume +the shape our planets actually +exhibit; would acquire, each round its +own axis, a rotatory movement; and +would in that state revolve, as the +planets actually do, about the sun, in +the same direction with the sun's rotation, +but with less velocity, and each of +them in the same periodic time which +the sun's rotation occupied when his +atmosphere extended to that point; and +this also M. Comte has, by the necessary +calculations, ascertained to be true, +within certain small limits of error. +There is thus in Laplace's theory nothing +hypothetical; it is an example of +legitimate reasoning from a present +effect to its past cause, according to the +known laws of that case; it assumes +nothing more than that objects which +really exist, obey the laws which are +known to be obeyed by all terrestrial +objects resembling them."—Vol. II. p. +27.</p></div> + +<p>Now, it seems to us that there is +quite as much of hypothesis in this +speculation of Laplace as in the undulatory +theory of light. This atmosphere +of the sun extending to the utmost +limits of our planetary system! +What proof have we that it ever existed? +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[Pg 430]</a></span> +what possible grounds have we for +believing, what motive even for imagining +such a thing, but the very same +description of proof given and rejected +for the existence of a luminiferous +ether—namely, that it enables us to +explain certain events supposed to result +from it? Nor is the thing here +imagined any the less a novelty, because +it bears the old name of an atmosphere. +An atmosphere containing +in itself all the various materials +which compose our earth, and whatever +else may enter into the composition +of the other planets, is as violent +a supposition as an ether, not perceptible +to the senses except by its influence +on the nerves of sight. And +this cooling down of the sun! What +fact in our experience enables us to +advance such a supposition? We +might as well say that the sun was +getting hotter every year, or harder or +softer, or larger or smaller. Surely +Mr Mill could not have been serious +when he says, that "the known laws +of matter authorize us to suppose, that +a body which is constantly <em>giving out +so large an amount of heat</em> as the sun +is, must be progressively cooling"—knowing, +as we do, as little how the +sun occasions heat as how it produces +light. Neither can it be contended +that because no absolutely new substance, +or new property of matter, is +introduced, but a fantastic conception +is framed out of known substances and +known properties, that therefore there +is less of rash conjecture in the supposition. +In fine, it must be felt by +every one who reads the account of +this speculation of Laplace, that the +only evidence which produces the +least effect upon his mind, is the corroboration +which it receives from the +calculations of the mathematician—a +species of proof which Mr Mill himself +would not estimate very highly.</p> + +<p>Many are the topics which are +made to reflect a new light as Mr Mill +passes along his lengthened course; +we might quote as instances, his chapters +on <i>Analogy</i> and the <i>Calculation of +Chances</i>: and many are the grave and +severe discussions that would await +us were we to proceed to the close of +his volumes, especially to that portion +of his work where he applies the +canons of science to investigations +which relate to human nature and the +characters of men. But enough for +the present. We repeat, in concluding, +the same sentiment that we expressed +at the commencement, that +such a work as this goes far to redeem +the literature of our age from +the charge of frivolity and superficiality. +Those who have been trained in +a different school of thinking, those +who have adopted the metaphysics of +the transcendental philosophy, will +find much in these volumes to dissent +from; but no man, be his pretensions +or his tenets what they may, who has +been accustomed to the study of philosophy, +can fail to recognize and admire +in this author that acute, patient, +enlarged, and persevering thought, +which gives to him who possesses it +the claim and right to the title of +philosopher. There are few men who—applying +it to his own species of +excellence—might more safely repeat +the <i>Io sono anche!</i> of the celebrated +Florentine.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[Pg 431]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="MY_COUNTRY_NEIGHBOURS" id="MY_COUNTRY_NEIGHBOURS"></a>MY COUNTRY NEIGHBOURS.</h2> + + +<p>People are fond of talking of the +hereditary feuds of Italy—the factions +of the Capulets and Montagues, the +Orsini and Colonne—and, more especially, +of the memorable <i>Vendette</i> of +Corsica—as if hatred and revenge +were solely endemic in the regions of</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The Pyrenean and the river Po!"<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Mere prejudice! There is as good +hating going on in England as elsewhere. +Independent of the personal +antipathies generated by politics, the +envy, hatred, and malice arising out +of every election contest, not a country +neighbourhood but has its raging +factions; and Browns and Smiths +often cherish and maintain an antagonism +every whit as bitter as that of +the sanguinary progenitors of Romeo +and Juliet.</p> + +<p>I, for instance, who am but a country +gentleman in a small way—an +obscure bachelor, abiding from year's +end to year's end on my insignificant +farm—have witnessed things in my +time, which, had they been said and +done nearer the tropics, would have +been cited far and near in evidence of +the turbulence of human passions, +and that "the heart is deceitful above +all things, and desperately wicked." +Seeing that they chanced in a homely +parish in Cheshire, no one has been at +the trouble to note their strangeness; +though, to own the truth, none but +the actors in the drama (besides myself, +a solitary spectator) are cognizant +of its incidents and catastrophe. +I might boast, indeed, that I alone +am thoroughly in the secret; for it is +the spectator only who competently +judges the effects of a scene; and +merely changing the names, for reasons +easily conceivable, I ask leave to +relate in the simplest manner a few +facts in evidence of my assertion, that +England has its Capuletti e Montecchi +as well as Verona.</p> + +<p>In the first place, let me premise +that I am neither of a condition of +life, nor condition of mind, to mingle +as a friend with those of whose affairs +I am about to treat so familiarly, being +far too crotchety a fellow not to +prefer a saunter with my fishing-tackle +on my back, or an evening +tête-à-tête with my library of quaint +old books, to all the good men's feasts +ever eaten at the cost of a formal +country visit. Nevertheless, I am +not so cold of heart as to be utterly +devoid of interest in the destinies of +those whose turrets I see peering over +the woods that encircle my corn-fields; +and as the good old housekeeper, who +for these thirty years past has presided +over my household, happens to +have grandchildren high in service in +what are called the two great families +in the neighbourhood, scarcely an +event or incident passes within their +walls that does not find an echo in +mine. So much in attestation of my +authority. But for such an introduction +behind the scenes, much of the +stage business of this curious drama +would have escaped my notice, or +remained incomprehensible.</p> + +<p>I am wrong to say the two great +"families;" I should have said the +two great "houses." At the close +of the last century, indeed, our parish +of Lexley contained but one; one +which had stood there since the days +of the first James, nay, even earlier—a +fine old manorial hall of grand dimensions +and stately architecture, of +the species of mixed Gothic so false +in taste, but so ornamental in effect, +which is considered as betraying the +first symptoms of Italian innovation.</p> + +<p>The gardens extending in the rear +of the house were still more decidedly +in the Italian taste, having clipped +evergreens and avenues of pyramidal +yews, which, combined with the intervening +statues, imparted to them +something of the air of a cemetery. +There were fountains, too, which, in +the memory of man, had been never +known to play, the marble basins +being, if possible, still greener than +the grim visages of the fauns and dryads +standing forlorn on their dilapidated +pedestals amid the neglected +alleys.</p> + +<p>The first thing I can remember of +Lexley Hall, was peeping as a child +through the stately iron gratings of +the garden, that skirted a by-road +leading from my grandfather's farm. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[Pg 432]</a></span> +The desolateness of the place overawed +my young heart. In summer +time the parterres were overgrown +into a wilderness. The plants threw +up their straggling arms so high, that +the sunshine could hardly find its way +to the quaint old dial that stood there +telling its tale of time, though no man +regarded; and the cordial fragrance +of the strawberry-beds, mingling with +entangled masses of honeysuckle in +their exuberance of midsummer blossom, +seemed to mock me, as I loitered +in the dusk near the old gateway, +with the tantalizing illusions of a +fairy-tale—the Barmecide's feast, or +Prince Desire surveying his princess +through the impermeable walls of her +crystal palace.</p> + +<p>But if the enjoyment of the melancholy +old gardens of Lexley Hall +were withheld from <em>me</em>, no one else +seemed to find pleasure or profit therein. +Sir Laurence Altham, the lord +of the manor and manor-house, was +seldom resident in the country. +Though a man of mature years, (I +speak of the close of the last century,) +he was still a man of pleasure—the +ruined hulk of the gallant vessel +which, early in the reign of George +III., had launched itself with unequalled +brilliancy on the sparkling +current of London life.</p> + +<p>At that time, I have heard my +grandfather say there was not a mortgage +on the Lexley estate! The timber +was notoriously the finest in the +county. A whole navy was comprised +in one of its coppices; and the +arching avenues were imposing as the +aisles of our Gothic minsters. Alas! +it needed the lapse of only half a +dozen years to lay bare to the eye of +every casual traveller the ancient +mansion, so long</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Bosom'd high in tufted trees,"<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>and only guessed at till you approached +the confines of the court-yard.</p> + +<p>It was hazard that effected this. +The dice-box swept those noble avenues +from the face of the estate. Soon +after Sir Laurence's coming of age, +almost before the church-bells had +ceased to announce the joyous event +of the attainment of his majority, he +was off to the Continent—Paris—Italy—I +know not where, and was +thenceforward only occasionally heard +of in Cheshire as the ornament of the +Sardinian or Austrian courts. But these +tidings were usually accompanied by a +shaking of the head from the old +family steward. The timber was to +be thinned anew—the tenants to be +again amerced. Sir Laurence evidently +looked upon the Lexley property +as a mere hotbed for his vices. +At last the old steward turned surly +to our enquiries, and would answer +no further questions concerning his +master. My grandfather's small farm +was the only plot of ground in the +parish that did not belong to the +estate; and from him the faithful old +servant was as careful to conceal the +family disgraces, as to maintain the +honour of Sir Laurence's name in +the ears of his grumbling tenants.</p> + +<p>The truth, however, could not long +be withheld. Chaisefuls of suspicious-looking +men in black arrived at +the hall; loungers, surveyors, auctioneers—I +know not what. There +was talk in the parish about foreclosing +a mortgage, no one exactly understood +why, or by whom. But it +was soon clear that Wightman, the +old steward, was no longer the great +man at Lexley. These strangers bade +him come here and go there exactly +as they chose, and, unhappily, they +saw fit to make his comings and goings +so frequent and so humiliating, that +before the close of the summer the +old servitor betook himself to his rest +in a spot where all men cease from +troubling. The leaves that dreary +autumn fell upon his grave.</p> + +<p>According to my grandfather's account, +however, few even of his village +contemporaries grieved for old +Wightman. They felt that Providence +knew best; that the old man +was happily spared the mortification +of all that was likely to ensue. For +before another year was out the ring +fence, which had hitherto encircled the +Lexley property, was divided within +itself; a paltry distribution of about +a hundred acres alone remaining attached +to the old hall. The rest was +gone! The rest was the property of +the foreclosee of that hateful mortgage.</p> + +<p>Within view of the battlements of +the old manor-house, nearly a hundred +workmen were soon employed in digging +the foundations of a modern +mansion of the noblest proportions. +The new owner of the estate, though +only a manufacturer from Congleton, +chose to dwell in a palace; and by +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[Pg 433]</a></span> +the time his splendid Doric temple +was complete, under the name of Lexley +Park, the vain-glorious proprietor, +Mr Sparks, had taken his seat in Parliament +for a neighbouring borough.</p> + +<p>Little was known of him in the +neighbourhood beyond his name and +calling; yet already his new tenants +were prepared to oppose and dislike +him. Though they knew quite as +little personally of the young baronet +by whom they had been sold into +bondage to the unpopular clothier—him, +with the caprice of ignorance, +they chose to prefer. They were +proud of the old family—proud of the +hereditary lords of the soil—proud of +a name connecting itself with the +glories of the reign of Elizabeth, and +the loyalty shining, like a sepulchral +lamp, through the gloomy records of +the House of Stuart. The banners +and escutcheons of the Althams were +appended in their parish church. The +family vault sounded hollow under +their head whenever they approached +its altar. Where was the burial-place +of the manufacturer? In what obscure +churchyard existed the mouldering +heap that covered the remains of the +sires of Mr Jonas Sparks? Certainly +not at Lexley! Lexley knew not, and +cared not to know, either him or his. +It was no fault of the parish that its +young baronet had proved a spendthrift +and alienated the inheritance of +his fathers; and, but that he had preserved +the manor-house from desecration, +they would perhaps have ostracized +him altogether, as having lent +his aid to disgrace their manor with +so noble a structure as the porticoed +façade of Lexley Park!</p> + +<p>Meanwhile the shrewd Jonas was +fully aware of his unpopularity and +its origin; and, during a period of +three years, he allowed his ill-advised +subjects to chew, unmolested, the cud +of their discontent. Having a comfortable +residence at the further extremity +of the county, he visited +Lexley only to overlook the works, +or notice the placing of the costly new +furniture; and the grumblers began +to fancy they were to profit as little +by their new masters as by their old. +The steward who replaced the trusty +Wightman, and had been instructed +to legislate among the cottages with +a lighter hand, and distribute Christmas +benefaction in a double proportion, +was careful to circulate in the +parish an impression that Mr Sparks +and his family did not care to inhabit +the new house till the gardens were +in perfect order, the succession houses +in full bearing, and the mansion thoroughly +seasoned. But the Lexleyans +guessed the truth, that he had no +mind to confront the first outbreak of +their ill-will.</p> + +<p>Nearly four years elapsed before +he took possession of the place; four +years, during which Sir Laurence +Altham had never set foot in the hall, +and was heard of only through his +follies and excesses; and when Mr +Sparks at length made his appearance, +with his handsome train of equipages, +and surrounded by his still +handsomer family, so far from meeting +him with sullen silence, the tenantry +began to regret that they had +not erected a triumphal arch of evergreens +for his entrance into the park, +as had been proposed by the less eager +of the Althamites.</p> + +<p>After all, their former prejudice in favour +of the young baronet was based on +very shallow foundations. What had +he ever done for them except raise +their rents, and prosecute their trespasses? +It was nothing that his forefathers +had endowed almshouses for +their support, or served up banquets +for their delectation—Sir Laurence +was an absentee—Sir Laurence was +as the son of the stranger. The fine +old kennel stood cold and empty, reminding +them that to preserve their +foxes was no longer an article of Lexley +religion; and if any of the old +October, brewed at the birth of the +present baronet, still filled the oaken +hogsheads in the cellars of the hall, +what mattered it to them? No chance +of their being broached, unless to +grace the funeral feast of the lord of +the manor.</p> + +<p>To Jonas Sparks, Esq. M.P., accordingly, +they dedicated their allegiance. +A few additional chaldrons +of coals and pairs of blankets, the first +frosty winter, bound them his slaves +for ever. Food, physic, and wine, +were liberally distributed to the sick +and aged whenever they repaired for +relief to the Doric portico; and, with +the usual convenient memory of the +vulgar, the Lexleyans soon began to +remember of the Altham family only +their recent backslidings and ancient +feudal oppressions: while of the +Sparkses they chose to know only +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[Pg 434]</a></span> +what was evident to all eyes—viz., +that their hands were open and faces +comely.</p> + +<p>Into their hearts—more especially +into that of Jonas, the head of the +house—they examined not at all; and +were ill-qualified to surmise the intensity +of bitterness with which, while +contemplating the beauty and richness +of his new domain, he beheld the +turrets of the old hall rising like a +statue of scorn above the intervening +woods. There stood the everlasting +monument of the ancient family—there +the emblem of their pride, +throwing its shadow, as it were, over +his dawning prosperity! But for that +force of contrast thus afforded, he +would scarcely have perceived the +newness of all the objects around him—the +glare of the fresh freestone—the +nakedness of the whited walls. A +few stately old oaks and elms, apparently +coeval with the ancient structure, +which a sort of religious feeling +had preserved from the axe, that they +might afford congenial shade to the +successor of its founder, seemed to +impart meanness and vulgarity to the +tapering verdure of <em>his</em> plantations, +his modern trees—his pert poplars and +mean larches—his sycamores and +planes. Even the incongruity between +his solid new paling and the decayed +and sun-bleached wood of the +venerable fence to which it adjoined, +with its hoary beard of silvery lichen, +was an eyesore to him. Every passer-by +might note the limit and circumscription +dividing the new place from +the ancient seat of the lords of the +manor.</p> + +<p>Yet was the landscape of Lexley +Park one of almost unequalled beauty. +The Dee formed noble ornament +to its sweeping valleys; while +the noble acclivities were clothed with +promising woods, opening by rich +vistas to a wide extent of champaign +country. A fine bridge of granite, +erected by the late Sir Windsor Altham, +formed a noble object from the +windows of the new mansion; and +but for the evidence of the venerable +pile, that stood like an abdicated +monarch surveying its lost dominions, +there existed no external demonstration +that Lexley Park had not from the +beginning of time formed the estated +seat of the Sparkses.</p> + +<p>The neighbouring families, if +"neighbouring" could be called certain +of the nobility and gentry who +resided at ten miles' distance, were +courteously careful to inspire the new +settler with a belief that they at least +had forgotten any antecedent state of +things at Lexley; for they had even +reason to congratulate themselves on +the change. Jonas had long been +strenuously active in the House of +Commons in promoting county improvements. +Jonas was useful as a +magistrate, and invaluable as a liberal +contributor to the local charities. +During the first five years of his occupancy, +he did more for Lexley and its +inhabitants than the half-dozen previous +baronets of the House of Altham.</p> + +<p>Of the man he had superseded, +meanwhile, it was observed that Mr +Sparks was judiciously careful to +forbear all mention. It might have +been supposed that he had purchased +the estate of the Crown or the Court +of Chancery, so utterly ignorant did +he appear of the age, habits, and +whereabout of his predecessor; and +when informed by Sir John Wargrane, +one of his wealthy neighbours, +that young Altham was disgracing +himself again—that at the public gaming-tables +at Toplitz he had been a +loser of thirty thousand pounds—the +cunning <i>parvenu</i> listened with an air +of as vague indifference as if he were +not waiting with breathless anxiety +the gradual dissipation of the funds, +secured to the young spendthrift by +the transfer of his estate, to grasp at +the small remaining portion of his +property. Unconsciously, when the +tale of Sir Laurence's profligacy met +his ear, he clenched his griping hand, +as though it already recognized its +hold upon the destined spoil, but not +a word did he utter.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the family of the new +squire of Lexley were winning golden +opinions on all sides. "The boys +were brave—the girls were fair," the +mother virtuous, pious, and unpretending. +It would have been scandalous, +indeed, to sneer to shame the +modest cheerfulness of such people, +because their ancestors had not fought +at the Crusades. By degrees, they +assumed an honourable and even eminent +position in the county; and the +first time Sir Laurence Altham condescended +to visit the county-palatine, +he heard nothing but commendations +and admiration of the charming +family at Lexley Park.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[Pg 435]</a></span> +"Charming family!—a Jonas +Sparks, and charming!" was his supercilious +reply. "I rejoice to find +that the <i>fumier</i> I have been forced +to fling on my worn-out ancestral estate +is fertilizing its barrenness. The +village is probably the better for the +change. But, as regards the society, +I must be permitted to mistrust the +attractions of the brood of a Congleton +manufacturer."</p> + +<p>The young baronet, who now, +though still entitled to be called young, +was disfigured by the premature defeatures +of a vicious life, mistrusted it +all the more, when, on visiting the old +hall, he was forced to recognize the +improvements effected in the neighbouring +property (that he should be +forced to call it "<em>neighbouring</em>!") by +the judicious administration of the +new owner. It was impossible to +deny that Mr Sparks had doubled its +value, while enhancing its beauties. +The low grounds were drained, the +high lands planted, the river widened, +the forestry systematically organized. +The estate appeared to have attained +new strength and vigour when dissevered +from the old manor-house; +whose shadow might be supposed to +have exercised a baleful influence on +the lands wherever it presided.</p> + +<p>But it was not his recognition of +this that was likely to animate the +esteem of Sir Laurence Altham for +Mr Jonas Sparks. On the contrary, +he felt every accession of value to the +Lexley property as so much subtracted +from his belongings; and his detestation +of the upstarts, whose fine mansion +was perceptible from his lordly +towers—like a blot upon the fairness +of the landscape—increased with the +increase of their prosperity.</p> + +<p>Without having expected to take +delight in a sojourn at Lexley Hall—a +spot where he had only resided for +a few weeks now and then, from the +period of his early boyhood—he was +not prepared for the excess of irritation +that arose in his heart on witnessing +the total estrangement of the retainers +of his family. For the mortification +of seeing a fine new house, +with gorgeous furniture, and a pompous +establishment, he came armed to +the teeth. But no presentiments had +forewarned him, that at Lexley the +living Althams were already as much +forgotten as those who were sleeping +in the family vault. The sudden glow +that pervaded his whole frame when +he chanced to encounter on the highroad +the rich equipage of the Sparkses; +or the imprecation that burst from his +lips, when, on going to the window of a +morning to examine the state of the +weather for the day, the first objects +that struck him was the fair mansion +in the plain below, laughing as it were +in the sunshine, the deer grouped +under its fine old trees, and the river +rippling past its lawns as if delighting +in their verdure——Yes! there was +decided animosity betwixt the hill and +the valley.</p> + +<p>Every successive season served to +quicken the pulses of this growing +hatred. Whether on the spot or at a +distance, a thousand aggravations +sprang up betwixt the parties: disputes +between gamekeepers, quarrels +between labourers, encroachments by +tenants. Every thing and nothing +was made the groundwork of ill-will. +To Sir Laurence Altham's embittered +feelings, the very rooks of Lexley +Park seemed evermore to infringe +upon the privileges of the rookery at +Lexley Hall; and when, in the parish +church, the new squire (or rather his +workmen, for he was absent at the +time attending his duties in Parliament) +inadvertently broke off the foot +of a marble cherub, weeping its alabaster +tears, at the angle of a monument +to the memory of a certain Sir +Wilfred Altham, of the time of James +II., in raising the woodwork of a pew +occupied by Mr Sparks's family, the +rage of Sir Laurence was so excessive +as to be almost deserving of a strait-waistcoat.</p> + +<p>The enmity of the baronet was all +the more painful to himself that he +felt it to be harmless against its object. +In every way, Lexley Park had +the best of it. Jonas Sparks was not +only rich in a noble income, but in a +charming wife and promising family. +Every thing prospered with him; and, +as to mere inferiority of precedence, +it was well known that he had refused +a baronetcy; and many people even +surmised that, so soon as he was able +to purchase another borough, and give +a seat in Parliament to his second son, +as well as resign his own to the eldest, +he would be promoted to the Upper +House.</p> + +<p>The only means of vengeance, +therefore, possessed by the vindictive +man whose follies and vices had been +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[Pg 436]</a></span> +the means of creating this perpetual +scourge to his pride, was withholding +from him the purchase of the remaining +lands indispensable to the completion +of his estate, more especially +as regarded the water-courses, which, +at Lexley Park, were commanded by +the sluices of the higher grounds of +the Hall; and mighty was the oath +sworn by Sir Laurence, that come +what might, however great his exigencies +or threatening his poverty, +nothing should induce him to dispose +of another acre to Jonas Sparks. He +was even at the trouble of executing +a will, in order to introduce a clause +imposing the same reservation upon +the man to whom he devised his small +remaining property—the heir-at-law, +to whom, had he died intestate, it +would have descended without conditions.</p> + +<p>"The Congleton shopkeepers," +muttered he, (whenever, in his solitary +evening rides, he caught sight of +the rich plate-glass windows of the +new mansion, burnished by the setting +sun,) "shall never, never lord it +under the roof of my forefathers! +Wherever else he may set his plebeian +foot, Lexley Hall shall be sacred. +Rather see the old place burned +to the ground—rather set fire to it +with my own hands—than conceive +that, when I am in my grave, it could +possibly be subjected to the rule of +such a barbarian!"</p> + +<p>For it had reached the ears of Sir +Laurence—of course, with all the +exaggeration derived from passing +through the medium of village gossip—that +a thousand local legends +concerning the venerable mansion, +sanctified by their antiquity in the +ears of the family, afforded a fertile +source of jesting to Jonas Sparks. +The Hall abounded in concealed staircases +and iron hiding-places, connected +with a variety of marvellous traditions +of the civil wars; besides a +walled-up suite of chambers, haunted, +as becomes a walled-up suite of chambers; +and justice-rooms and tapestried-rooms, +to which the long abandonment +of the house, and the heated +imaginations of the few menials left +in charge of its desolate vastness, attributed +romances likely enough to +have provoked the laughter of a matter-of-fact +man like the owner of Lexley +Park. But neither Sir Laurence +nor his old servants were likely to +forgive this insult offered to the family +legends of a house which had little +else left to boast of. Even the neighbouring +families were displeased to +hear them derided; and my grandfather +never liked to hear a joke on +the subject of the coach-and-four +which was said to have driven into +the court-yard of the Hall on the eve +of the execution of the rebel lords in +1745, having four headless inmates, +who were duly welcomed as guests +by old Sir Robert Altham. Nay, as +a child, I had so often thrilled on my +nurse's knees during the relation of +this spectral visitation, that I own I +felt indignant if any one presumed to +laugh at a tale which had made me +quake for fear.</p> + +<p>Among those who were known to +resent the familiar tone in which Mr +Sparks had been heard to criticise +the pomps and vanities exhibited at +Lexley Hall by the Althams of the +olden time, was a certain General +Stanley, who, inhabiting a fine seat +of his own at about ten miles' distance, +was fond of bringing over his +visitors to visit the old Hall, as an interesting +specimen of county antiquity. +<em>He</em> knew the peculiarities of +the place, and could repeat the traditions +connected with the hiding-places +better than the housekeeper herself; +and I have heard her say it was a +pleasure to hear him relating these +historical anecdotes with all the fire +of an old soldier, and see his venerable +grey hair blown about as he +stood with his party on the battlements, +pointing out to the ladies the +fine range of territory formerly belonging +to the Althams. The old +lady protested that the general was +nearly as much grieved as herself to +behold the old mansion so shorn of its +beams; and certain it is, that once +when, on visiting the hall after Sir +Laurence had been some years an absentee, +he found the grass growing +among the disjointed stones of the +cloisters and justice-hall, he made a +handsome present to one of the housekeeper's +nephews, on condition of his +keeping the purlieus of the venerable +mansion free from such disgraceful +evidences of neglect.</p> + +<p>All this eventually reached the ears +of the baronet; but instead of making +him angry, as might have been expected, +from one so tetchy and susceptible, +he never encountered General +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[Pg 437]</a></span> +Stanley, either in town or country, +without demonstrations of respect. +Though too reserved and morose for +conversation, Sir Laurence was observed +to take off his hat to him with +a respect he was never seen to show +towards the king or queen.</p> + +<p>About this time I began to take +personal interest in the affairs of the +neighbourhood, though my own were +now of a nature to engross my attention. +By my grandfather's death, I +had recently come into the enjoyment +of the small inheritance which has +sufficed to the happiness of my life; +and, renouncing the profession for +which I was educated, settled myself +permanently at Lexley.</p> + +<p>Well do I remember the melancholy +face with which the good old +rector, the very first evening we spent +together, related to me in confidence +that he had three years' dues in arrear +to him from Lexley Hall; but that so +wretched was said to be the state of Sir +Laurence's embarrassments, that, for +more than a year, his dread of arrest +had kept him a close prisoner in his +house in London.</p> + +<p>"We have not seen him here these +six years!" observed Dr Whittingham; +"and I doubt whether he will ever +again set foot in the county. Since +an execution was put into the Hall, he +has never crossed the threshold, and +I suspect never will. Far better were +he to dispose of the property at once! +Dismembered as it is, what pleasure can +it afford him? And, since he is unlikely +to marry and have heirs, there is less +call upon him to retain this remaining +relic of family pride; yet I am assured—nay, +have good reason to +know, that he has refused a very liberal +offer on the part of Mr Sparks. +Malicious people do say, by the way, +that it was by the advice of Sparks's +favourite attorneys the execution was +enforced, and that no means have been +left unattempted to disgust him with +the place. Yet he is firm, you see, +and persists in disappointing his creditors, +and depriving himself of the comforts +of life, merely in order that he +may die, as his fathers did before him—the +lord of Lexley Hall!"</p> + +<p>"I don't wonder!" said I, with the +dawning sentiments of a landed proprietor—"'Tis +a splendid old house, +even in its present state of degradation; +and, by Jove! I honour his pertinacity."</p> + +<p>Thus put upon the scent, I sometimes +fancied I could detect wistful +looks on the part of my prosperous +neighbour of the Park, when, in the +course of Dr Whittingham's somewhat +lengthy sermons, he directed his +eyes towards the carved old Gothic +tribune, containing the family-pew of +the Althams, in the parish church; +and, whenever I happened to encounter +him in the neighbourhood of the +Hall, his face was so pointedly averted +from the house, as if the mere object +were an offence. I could not but +wonder at his vexation; being satisfied +in my own mind, that sooner or +later the remaining heritage of the +spendthrift must fall to his share.</p> + +<p>Judge, therefore, of my surprise, +when one fine morning, as I sauntered +into the village, I found the whole +population gathered in groups on the +little market-place, and discovered +from the incoherent exclamations of +the crowd, that "the new proprietor +of the Hall had just driven through in +a chaise-and-four!"</p> + +<p>Yes—"the new proprietor!" The +place was sold! The good doctor's +prediction was verified. Sir Laurence +was never more to return to +Lexley Hall!</p> + +<p>The satisfaction of the villagers almost +equalled their surprise on finding +that General Stanley was their new +landlord. It suited them much better +that there should be two families settled +on the property than one; and +as it was pretty generally reported, +that, in the event of Sparks becoming +the purchaser, he intended to demolish +the old house, and reconsolidate the +estate around his own more commodious +mansion, they were right glad +to find it rescued from such a sentence—General +Stanley, who was the father +of a family, would probably settle +the hall on one of his daughters, +after placing it in the state of repair +so much needed.</p> + +<p>When the chaise-and-four returned, +therefore, a few hours afterwards, +through the village, the General was +loudly cheered by his subjects. His +partiality for the place was so well +known at Lexley, that already these +people seemed to behold in him the +guardian of a monument so long the +object of their pride.</p> + +<p>For my own part, nothing surprised +me so much in the business as that +Sparks should have allowed the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[Pg 438]</a></span> +purchase to slip through his fingers. It +was worth thrice as much to <em>him</em> as +to any body else. It was the keystone +of his property. It was the one thing +needful to render Lexley Park the +most perfect seat in the county. But +I was not slow in learning (for every +thing transpires in a small country +neighbourhood) that whatever <em>my</em> +surprise on finding that the old Hall +had changed its master, that of Sparks +was far more overwhelming; that he +was literally frantic on finding himself +frustrated in expectations which formed +the leading interest of his declining +years. For the progress of time +which had made <em>me</em> a man and a landed +proprietor, had converted the stout +active squire into an infirm old man; +and it was his absorbing wish to die +sole owner of the whole property to +which the baronets of the Altham +family were born.</p> + +<p>He even indulged in expressions of +irritation, which nearly proved the +means of commencing this new neighbourship +by a duel; accusing General +Stanley of having possessed himself +by unfair means of Sir Laurence's +confidence, and employed agents, +underhand, to effect the purchase. In +consequence of these groundless representations, +it transpired in the +country that the decayed baronet had +actually volunteered the offer of the +estate to the veteran proprietor of +Stanley Manor; that he had <em>solicited</em> +him to become the proprietor, and +even accommodated him with peculiar +facilities of payment, on condition of +his inserting in the title-deeds an express +undertaking, never to dispose of +the old Hall, or any portion of the property, +to Jonas Sparks of Lexley +Park, or his heirs for ever. The solicitor +by whom, under Sir Laurence's +direction, the deeds had been prepared, +saw fit to divulge this singular +specification, rather than that a hostile +encounter should run the risk of embruing +in blood the hands of two +grey haired men.</p> + +<p>Excepting as regarded the disappointment +of our wealthy neighbour, +all was now established on the happiest +footing at Lexley. The reparation +instantly commenced by the General, +gave employment throughout +the winter to our workmen; and the +evils arising from an absentee landlord +began gradually to disappear. +It was a great joy to me to perceive +that the new proprietor of the Hall +had the good taste to preserve the +antique character of the place in the +minutest portion of his alterations; +and though the old gardens were no +longer a wilderness, not a shrub was +displaced—not a mutilated statue removed. +The furniture had been sold +off at the time of the execution; and +that which came down in cart-loads from +town to replace it, was rigidly in accordance +with the semi-Gothic architecture +of the lofty chambers. Poor +Sparks must have been doubly mortified; +for not only did he find his old +eyesore converted into an irremediable +evil by the restoration of the Hall, +but the supremacy hitherto maintained +in the neighbourhood by the modern +elegance of his house and establishment, +was thrown into the shade +by the rich and tasteful arrangements +of the Hall.</p> + +<p>From the contracted look of his +forehead, and sudden alteration of his +appearance, I have reason to think he +was beginning to undergo all the +moral martyrdom sustained for thirty +years past by the unfortunate Sir +Laurence Altham; and were I not by +nature the most contented of men, it +would have sufficiently reconciled me +to the mediocrity of my fortunes, to +see that these two great people of my +neighbourhood—the nobly-descended +baronet and rich <i>parvenu</i>—were miserable +men; that, so long as I could +remember, one or other of them had +been given over to surliness and discontent.</p> + +<p>Before the close of the year the +grand old Hall had become one of the +noblest seats in the county. There was +talk about it in all the country round, +and even the newspapers took notice +of its renovation, and of General Stanley's +removal thither from Stanley +Manor. Many people, of the species +who love to detect spots in the sun, +were careful to point out the insufficiency +of the estate, as at present constituted, +to maintain so fine a house. +But, after all, what mattered this to +General Stanley, who had a fine rent-roll +elsewhere?</p> + +<p>The first thing he did, on taking +possession, was to give a grand ball to +the neighbourhood; nor was it till +the whole house was lighted up for +this festive occasion, that people were +fully aware of the grandeur of its proportions. +He was good enough to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[Pg 439]</a></span> +send me an invitation on so especial +an occasion. But already I had imbibed +the distaste which has pursued +me through life for what is called +society; and I accordingly contented +myself with surveying from a distance +the fine effect produced by the light +streaming from the multitude of windows, +and exhibiting to the whole +country round the gorgeous nature of +the decorations within. To own the +truth, I could scarcely forbear regretting, +as I surveyed them, the gloomy +dilapidation of the venerable mansion. +This modernized antiquity was a very +different thing from the massy grandeur +of its neglected years; and I am +afraid I loved the old house better +with the weeds springing from its +crevices, than with all this carving +and gilding, this ebony, and iron, and +light.</p> + +<p>The people of Lexley imagined that +nothing would induce the Sparks's family +to be seen under General Stanley's +roof. But we were mistaken. +So much the contrary, that the squire +of Lexley Park made a particular +point of being the first and latest of +the guests—not only because his reconciliation +with his new neighbour +was so recent, but from not choosing +to authenticate, by his absence, the +rumours of his grievous disappointment.</p> + +<p>For all the good he was likely to +derive from his visit, the poor man +had better have stayed away; for that +unlucky night laid foundations of evil +for him and his, far greater than any +he had incurred from the animosity of +Sir Laurence. Nay, when in the +sequel these results became matter of +public commentation, superstitious +people were not wanting to hint that +the evil spirit, traditionally said to +haunt one of the wings of the old +manor, and to have manifested itself +on more than one occasion to members +of the Altham family, (and more +especially to the late worthless proprietor +of the Hall,) had acquired a +fatal power over the two supplanters +of the ruined family the moment they +crossed the threshold.</p> + +<p>General Stanley, after marrying +late in life, had been some years a +widower—a widower with two daughters, +his co-heiresses. The elder of +these young ladies was a hopeless invalid, +slightly deformed, and so little +attractive in person, or desirous to +attract, that there was every prospect +of the noble fortunes of the General +centring in her sister. Yet this sister, +this girl, had little need of such an +accession to her charms; for she was +one of those fortunate beings endowed +not only with beauty and excellence, +but with a power of pleasing not +always united with even a combination +of merit and loveliness.</p> + +<p>Every body agreed that Mary Stanley +was charming. Old and young, +rich and poor, all loved her, all delighted +in her. It is true, the good +rector's maiden sisters privately hinted +to me their horror of the recklessness +with which—sometimes with her sister, +oftener without, but wholly unattended—she +drove her little pony-chaise +through the village, laughing like a +madcap at pranks of a huge Newfoundland +dog named Sergeant, the +favourite of General Stanley, which, +while escorting the young ladies, used +to gambol into the cottages, overset +furniture and children, and scamper +out again amid a general uproar. For +though Miss Mary was but sixteen, +the starched spinsters decided that +she was much too old for such folly; +and that, if the General intended to +present her at court, it was high time +for her to lay aside the hoyden manners +of childhood.</p> + +<p>But, as every one argued against +them, why should this joyous, bright, +and beautiful creature lay aside what +became her so strangely? Mary +Stanley was not made for the formalities +of what is called high-breeding. +Her light, easy, sinuous figure, did not +lend itself to the rigid deportment +of a prude; and her gay laughing +eyes, and dimpled mouth, were ill calculated +to grace a dignified position. +The long ringlets of her profuse auburn +hair were always out of order—either +streaming in the wind, or straying +over her white shoulders—her +long lashes and beautifully defined eyebrows +of the same rich tint, alone preserving +any thing like uniformity—a +uniformity which, combined with her +almost Grecian regularity of features, +gave her, on the rare occasions when +her countenance and figure were at +rest, the air of some nymph or dryad +of ancient sculpture. But to compare +Mary Stanley to any thing of marble +is strangely out of place; for her real +beauty consisted in the ever-varying +play of her features, and a certain +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[Pg 440]</a></span> +impetuosity of movement, that would +have been a little characteristic of the +romp, but that it was restrained by +the spell of feminine sensibility. Heart +was evidently the impulse of every +look and every gesture.</p> + +<p>For a man of my years, methinks I +am writing like a lover. And so I +was! From the first moment I saw +that girl, at an humble and unaspiring +distance, I could dream of nothing +else. Every thing and every body +seemed fascinated by Mary Stanley. +When she walked out into the fields +with the General, her two hands clasping, +like those of a child, her father's +arm, his favourite colts used to come +neighing playfully towards them; and +not the fiercest dog of his extensive +kennel but, even when unmanageable +by the keeper, would creep fawning to +her feet.</p> + +<p>It was strange enough, but still +more fortunate, that all the adoration +lavished upon this lovely creature by +gentle and simple, Christian and +brute, provoked no apparent jealousy +on the part of her elder sister. Selina +Stanley was afflicted with a cold, +reserved, unhappy countenance, only +too completely in unison with her disastrous +position. But her heart was +perhaps as genuine as her face was +forbidding; for she loved the merry, +laughing, handsome Mary, more as a +mother her child, than as a sister +nearly of her own years—that is, exultingly, +but anxiously. Every one +else foresaw nothing but prosperity, +and joy, and love, in store for Mary. +Selina prayed that it might prove +so;—but she prayed with tears in +her eyes, and trembling in her soul! +For where are the destinies of persons +thus exquisitely organized—thus +full of love and loveliness—thus readily +swayed to joy or sorrow, by the +trivial incidents of life—characterised +by what the world calls happiness—such +happiness, I mean, as is enjoyed +by the serene and the prudent, the +unexcitable, the unaspiring! Miss +Stanley foresaw only too truly, that +the best days likely to be enjoyed by +her sister, were those she was spending +under her father's roof—a general +idol—an object of deference and delight +to all around.</p> + +<p>At the General's housewarming, +though not previously introduced into +society, Mary was the queen of the +ball; and all present agreed, that one +of the most pleasing circumstances of +the evening was to watch the animated +cordiality with which she flew +from one to the other of those old +neighbours of Stanley Manor, (whom +she alone had managed to persuade +that a dozen miles was no distance to +prevent their accepting her father's +invitation;) and not the most brilliant +of her young friends received a more +eager welcome, or more sustained attention +throughout the evening, than +the few homely elderly people, (such +as my friends the Whittinghams,) who +happened to share the hospitality of +General Stanley. I daresay that even +<em>I</em>, had I found courage to accept his +invitation, should have received from +the young beauty some gentle word, +in addition to the kindly smiles with +which she was sure to return my respectful +obeisance whenever we met +accidentally in the village.</p> + +<p>Mary was dressed in white, with a +few natural flowers in her hair, which, +owing to the impetuosity of her movements, +soon fell out, leaving only a +stray leaf or two, that would have +looked ridiculous any where but +among her rich, but dishevelled +locks; and the pleasant anxieties of +the evening imparted such a glow to +her usually somewhat pale complexion, +that her beauty is said to +have been, that night, almost supernatural. +She was more like the creature +of a dream than one of those +wooden puppets, who move mechanically +through the world under the +name of well brought-up young ladies.</p> + +<p>It will easily be conceived how +much this ball, so rare an event in our +quiet neighbourhood, was discussed, +not only the following day, but for +days and weeks to come. Even at +the rectory I heard of nothing else; +while by my good old housekeeper, +who had a son in service at General +Stanley's, and a daughter waiting-maid +to Miss Sparks, I was let in to +secrets concerning it of which even +the rectory knew nothing.</p> + +<p>In the first place, though Mr Sparks +had peremptorily signified from the +first to his family, his desire that all +should accompany him to Lexley Hall +on this trying occasion, (and it was +only natural he should wish to solace +his wounded pride, by appearing before +his noble neighbour surrounded +by his handsome progeny,) two of his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[Pg 441]</a></span> +children had risen up in rebellion +against the decree—and for the first +time—for Sparks was happy in a dutiful +and well-ordered family. But the +youngest daughter, Kezia, a girl of +high spirits and intelligence, who fancied +she had been pointedly slighted +by the Misses Stanley, when, in one of +Mary's harum-scarum expeditions on +her Shetland pony, she had passed +without recognition the better-mounted +young lady of Lexley Park; and +the eldest son, who so positively refused +to accompany his father to the +house of a man by whom Mr Sparks +had inconsiderately represented himself +as aggrieved, that, for once, the +kind parent was forced to play the +tyrant, and insist on his obedience.</p> + +<p>It was, accordingly, with a very ill +grace that these two, the prettiest of +the daughters, and by far the handsomest +of his three handsome sons, +made their appearance at the <i>fête</i>. +But no sooner were they welcomed +by General Stanley and his daughters, +than the brother and sister, who +had mutually encouraged each other's +disputes, hastened to recant their +opinions.</p> + +<p>"How could you, dearest father, +describe this courteous, high-bred +old gentleman, as insolent and overbearing?"—whispered +Kezia.</p> + +<p>"How could you possibly suppose +that yonder lovely, gracious creature, +intended to treat you with impertinence?"—was +the rejoinder of her +brother; and already the Stanleys +had two enemies the less among their +neighbours at Lexley Park.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, the General had +been forced to have recourse to severe +schooling to bring his daughters to a +sense of what was due to <em>his guests</em>, +as regarded the family of a man who +was known to have spoken disparagingly +of them all. Moreover, if the +truth must be owned, Mary was not +altogether free from the prejudices of +her caste; and, proud of her father's +noble extraction, was apt to pout her +pretty lip on mention of "the people +at Lexley Park;" for the General, who +had no secrets from his girls, had +foolishly permitted them to see certain +letters addressed to him by the eccentric +Sir Laurence Altham, justifying +himself concerning the peculiar clause +introduced into his deeds of conveyance +of his Hall estate, on the grounds +of the degraded origin of "the upstart" +he was so malignantly intent +on discomposing.</p> + +<p>"They will spoil our ball, dear +papa—I <em>know</em> these vulgar people will +completely spoil our ball!" said she. +"I think I hear them announced:—'Mr +Jonas Sparks, Miss Basiliza +and Miss Kezia Sparks!'—What +names?"</p> + +<p>"The parents of Mr Sparks were +dissenters," observed the General, +trying to look severe. "Dissenters +are apt to hold to scriptural names. +But <em>name</em> is not <em>nature</em>, Mary; and, +to judge by appearances, this man's—this +gentleman's—this Mr Sparks's +daughters, have every qualification to +be an ornament to society."</p> + +<p>"With all my heart, papa, but I +wish it were not ours!" cried the +wayward girl. "On the present occasion, +especially, I could spare such +an accession to our circle; for I know +that Mr Sparks has presumed to speak +of——"</p> + +<p>She was interrupted by a sterner +reproof on the part of the General +than he had ever before administered +to his favourite daughter; and the +consequence of this unusual severity +was the distinguished reception bestowed, +both by Selina and her sister, +on the family from Lexley Park.</p> + +<p>Next day, however, General Stanley +found a totally different cause for +rebuke in the conduct of his dear +Mary.</p> + +<p>"You talked to nobody last night, +but those Sparks's!" said he. "Lord +Dudley informed me he had asked +you to dance three times in vain; and +Lord Robert Stanley assured me <em>he</em> +could scarcely get a civil answer from +you!—Yet you found time, Mary, to +dance twice in the course of the evening +with that son of Sparks's!"</p> + +<p>"That son of Sparks's, as you so +despisingly call him, dearest papa, is +a most charming partner; while Lord +Dudley, and my cousin Robert, are +little better than boors. Everard +Sparks can talk and dance, as well as +they ride across a country. Not but +what he, too, passes for a tolerable +sportsman; and do you know, papa, +Mr Sparks is thinking seriously of +setting up a pack of harriers at Lexley?"</p> + +<p>"At Lexley Park!" insisted her +father, who chose to enforce the distinction +instituted by Sir Laurence +Altham. "I fancy he will have to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[Pg 442]</a></span> +ask my permission first. My land +lies somewhat inconveniently, in case +I choose to oppose his intentions."</p> + +<p>"But you won't oppose them!—No, +no, dear papa, you sha'n't oppose +them!"—cried Mary Stanley, throwing +her arms coaxingly round her father's +neck, and imprinting a kiss on his +venerable forehead. "<em>Why</em> should +we go on opposing and opposing, +when it would be so much happier for +all of us to live together as friends +and neighbours?"</p> + +<p>The General surveyed her in silence +for some moments as she looked up +lovingly into his face; then gravely, +and in silence, unclasped her arms +from his neck. For the first time, +he had gazed upon his favourite child +without discerning beauty in her countenance, +or finding favour for her supplications.</p> + +<p>"<em>My</em> opinion of Mr Sparks and his +family is not altered since yesterday," +said he coldly, perceiving that she +was about to renew her overtures for +a pacification. "Your father's prejudices, +Mary, are seldom so slightly +grounded, that the adulation of a few +gross compliments, such as were paid +you last night by Mr Everard Sparks, +may suffice for their obliteration. +For the future, remember the less I +hear of Lexley Park the better. In +a few weeks we shall be in London, +where our sphere is sufficiently removed, +I am happy to say, from that of +Mr Jonas Sparks, to secure me against +the annoyance of familiarity with him +or his."</p> + +<p>The partiality of his darling Mary +for the handsomest and most agreeable +young man who had ever sought +to make himself agreeable to her, had +sufficed to turn the arguments of General +Stanley as decidedly <em>against</em> +his <i>parvenu</i> neighbours, as, two days +before, his eloquence had been exercised +in their defence.</p> + +<p>And now commenced between the +young people and their parents, one +of those covert warfares certain to +arise from similar interdictions. Mr +Sparks—satisfied that he should have +further insults to endure on the part +of General Stanley, in the event of +his son pretending to the hand of the +proud old man's daughter—sought a +serious explanation with Everard, on +finding that he neglected no opportunity +of meeting Mary Stanley in her +drives, and walks, and errands of village +benevolence; and by the remonstrances +of one father, and peremptoriness +of the other, the young couple +were soon tempted to seek comforts in +mutual confidences. Residing almost +within view of each other, there was +no great difficulty in finding occasion +for an interview. They met, moreover, +naturally, and without effort, in +all the country houses in the neighbourhood; +and so frequently, that I +often wondered they should consider +it worth while to hazard the General's +displeasure by partaking a few moments' +conversation, every now and +then, among the old thorns by the +water-side, just where the bend of +the river secured them from observation; +or in the green lane leading +from Lexley Park to my farm, +while Miss Stanley took charge of the +pony-chaise during the hasty explanations +of the imprudent couple. Having +little to occupy my leisure during +the intervals of my agricultural pursuits, +I was constantly running against +them, with my gun on my shoulder +or my fishing-rod in my hand. I +almost feared young Sparks might +imagine that I was employed by the +General as a spy upon their movements, +so fierce a glance did he direct +towards me one day when I was unlucky +enough to vault over a hedge +within a few yards of the spot where +they were standing together—Miss +Mary sobbing like a child. But, God +knows! he was mistaken if he thought +I was taking unfair heed of their proceedings, +or likely to gossip indiscreetly +concerning what fell accidentally +under my notice.</p> + +<p>Not that a single soul in the neighbourhood +approved General Stanley's +opposition to the attachment. On the +contrary, from the moment of the +liking between the young people becoming +apparent, the whole country +decided that there could not be a +more propitious mode of reuniting +the dismembered Lexley estates; for +though the General was expressly debarred +from selling Lexley Hall to +Sparks or his heirs, he could not be +prevented bequeathing it to his daughters—the +heirs of Jonas Sparks being +the children of her body. And thus all +objections would have been remedied.</p> + +<p>But such was not the proud old +man's view of the case. He had set +his heart on perpetuating his own +name in his family. He had set his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">[Pg 443]</a></span> +heart on the union of his dear Mary +with her cousin Lord Robert Stanley; +and Everard Sparks might have +been twice the handsome, manly +young fellow he was—twice the gentleman, +and twice the scholar—it +would have pleaded little in his favour +against the predetermined projects of +the positive General. There was certainly +some excuse for his ambition +on Miss Mary's account. Beauty, +merit, fortune, connexion, every advantage +was hers calculated to do honour +to a noble alliance; and as her +father often exclaimed, with a bitter +sneer, in answer to the mild pleadings +of Selina—"Such a girl as that—a +girl born to be a duchess—to sacrifice +herself to the son of a Congleton manufacturer!"</p> + +<p>Two years did the struggle continue—during +the greater part of +which I was a constant eyewitness +of the sorrows which so sobered the +impetuous deportment of the light-hearted +Mary Stanley. Her father +took her to London, with the project +of separation he had haughtily announced; +but only to find, to his +amazement, that Eton and Oxford +had placed the son of Mr Sparks of +Lexley Park, a member of Parliament, +on as good a footing as himself +in nearly all the circles he frequented. +Even when, in the desperation of his +fears, he removed his family to the +Continent, the young lover (as became +the lover of so endearing and +attractive a creature) followed her, at +a distance, from place to place. At +length, one angry day, the General +provoked him to a duel. But Everard +would not lift his hand against +the father of his beloved Mary. An +insult from General Stanley was not +as an offence from any other man. +The only revenge taken by the high-spirited +young man, was to urge the +ungenerous conduct of the father as +an argument with the daughter to +put an end, by an elopement, to a +state of things too painful to be borne. +After much hesitation, it seems, she +most unhappily complied. They were +married—at Naples I think, or Turin, +or some other city of Italy, where we +have a diplomatic resident; and after +their marriage—poor, foolish young +people!—they went touring it about +gaily in the Archipelago and Levant, +waiting a favourable moment to propose +a reconciliation with their respective +fathers—as if the wrath and +malediction of parents was so mere a +trifle to deal with.</p> + +<p>The first step taken by General +Stanley, on learning the ungrateful +rebellion of his favourite child, was to +return to England. He seemed to +want to be at home again, the better +to enjoy and cultivate his abhorrence +of every thing bearing the despised +name of Sparks; for now began the +genuine hatred between the families. +Nothing would satisfy the obstinate +old soldier, but that the elder Sparks +had, from the first, secretly encouraged +the views of his son upon the +heiress of Lexley Hall; while Mr +Sparks naturally resented with enraged +spirit the overbearing tone assumed +by his aristocratic neighbour towards +those so nearly his equals. +Every day produced some new grounds +for offence; and never had Sir Laurence +Altham, in the extremity of his +poverty, regarded the thriving mansion +in the valley with half the loathing +which the view of Lexley Park +produced in the mind of General Stanley. +He was even at the trouble of +trenching a plantation on the brow of +the hill, with the intention of shutting +out the detested object. But trees +do not grow so hastily as antipathies; +and the General had to endure the +certainty, that, for the remainder of +<em>his</em> life at least, that beautiful domain +must be unrolled, map-like, at his feet. +Nor is it to be supposed that the battlements +of the old hall found greater +favour in the sight of the <i>parvenu</i> +squire, than when in Sir Laurence's +time the very sight of them was +wormwood to his soul.</p> + +<p>Unhappily, while the Congleton +manufacturer contented himself with +angry words, the gentleman of thirty +descents betook himself to action. +General Stanley swore to be mightily +revenged—and he was so.</p> + +<p>On the very day following his return +to England, before he even +visited his desolate country-house, he +sent for Lord Robert Stanley, and +made him the confidant of his indignation—avowed +his former good intentions +in his favour—betrayed all +Mary's—all <em>Mr Everard Sparks's</em> disparaging +opposition; and ended by +enquiring whether, since whichever of +his daughters became Lady Robert +Stanley would become sole heiress to +his property, his lordship could make +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">[Pg 444]</a></span> +up his mind to accept Selina as a wife? +Proud as he was, the General almost +condescended to plead the cause of his +deformed daughter: enlarging upon her +excellences of character, and, still more, +upon her aversion to society, which +would secure the self-love of her husband +against any public remarks on +her want of personal attractions.</p> + +<p>Alas! all these arguments were +thoroughly thrown away. Lord Robert +was, as his cousin Mary had +truly described him, little better than +a boor. But he was also a spendthrift +and a libertine; and had Miss Stanley +been as deformed in mind as she +was in person, he would have joyfully +taken to wife the heiress of ten thousand +a-year, and two of the finest +seats in the county of Chester.</p> + +<p>To herself, meanwhile, no hint of +these family negotiations was vouchsafed; +and Selina Stanley had every +reason to suppose—when her cousin +became on a sudden an assiduous visitor +at the house, and very shortly a +declared lover—that their intimacy +from childhood had accustomed his +eye to her want of personal charms—she +had become endeared to him by +her mild and submissive temper. So +little was she aware of her father's +testamentary dispositions in her favour, +that the interested nature of +Lord Robert's views did not occur to +her mind; and, little accustomed to +protestations of attachment, Selina's +heart was not <em>very</em> difficult to soften +towards the only man who had ever +pretended to love her, and whose apparent +attachment promised some +consolation for the loss of her sister's +society, as well as the chance of reunion +with one whom her father had +sworn should never, under any possible +circumstances, again cross his +threshold.</p> + +<p>Six months after General Stanley's +pride had been wounded to the +quick by the newspaper account of a +marriage between his favourite child +and "a man of the name of Sparks," +balm was poured into the wound by +another and more pompous paragraph, +announcing the union, by special license, +of the Right Hon. Lord Robert +Stanley and the eldest daughter and +heiress of Lieut.-Gen. Stanley, of +Stanley Manor, only son of the late +Lord Henry Stanley, followed by +the usual list of noble relatives gracing +the ceremony with their presence, +and a flourishing account of the departure +of the happy couple, in a travelling +carriage and four, for their +seat in Cheshire.</p> + +<p>This announcement, by the way, +probably served to convey the intelligence +to Mr and Mrs Everard +Sparks; for the General having carefully +intercepted every letter addressed +by Mary to her sister, Lady Robert +had not the slightest idea in what direction +to communicate with one who +possessed an undiminished share in +her affections.</p> + +<p>On General Stanley's arrival in Cheshire, +at the close of the honeymoon, +the most casual observer might have +noticed the alteration which had taken +place in his appearance. Instead of +the sadness I had expected to find in +his countenance after so severe a +stroke as the disobedience of his darling +girl, I never saw him so exulting. +Yet his smiles were not smiles of good-humour. +There was bitterness at +the bottom of every word he uttered; +and a terrible sound of menace rung +in his unnatural laughter. Consciousness +never seemed a moment absent +from his mind, that he had defeated +the calculations of the designing family; +that he had distanced them; +that he was triumphing over them. +Alas! none at present entertained the +smallest suspicion to what extent!</p> + +<p>Preparatory to the settlements made +by the General on Lord and Lady +Robert Stanley, it had been found necessary +to place in the hands of his +lordship's solicitors the deeds of the +Lexley Hall estate; when, lo! to the +consternation of all parties, it appeared +that the General's title was an unsound +one; that by the general terms +of this ancient property, rights of +heirship could only be evaded by the +payment of a certain fine, after intimation +of sale in a certain form to +the nearest-of-kin of the heir in possession, +which form had been overlooked +or wantonly neglected by Sir +Laurence Altham!</p> + +<p>The discovery was indeed embarrassing. +Fortunately, however, the +sum of ten thousand pounds only had +been paid by the General to satisfy the +immediate funds of the unthrifty +baronet; the remainder of the purchase-money +having been left in the +form of mortgage on the property. +There was consequently the less difficulty, +though considerable expense, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">[Pg 445]</a></span> +in cancelling the existing deeds, going +through the necessary forms, and, +after paying the forfeiture to the heir, +(to whom the very existence of his +claims was unknown,) renewing the +contract with Sir Laurence; to whom, +so considerable a sum being still owing, +it was as essential as to General +Stanley that the covenant should be +completed without delay. But all +this occurred at so critical a moment, +that the General had ample cause to +be thankful for the promptitude with +which he decided Selina's marriage; +for only four days after the signature +of the new deeds, Sir Laurence concluded +his ill-spent life—his death +being, it was thought, accelerated by +the excitement consequent on this +strange discovery, and the investigations +on the part of the heir to which +it was giving rise.</p> + +<p>For the clause in the original grant +of the Lexley estate (which dated +from the Reformation) affected the +property purchased by Jonas Sparks +as fully as that which had been assigned +to the General; and the baronet +being now deceased, there was no +possibility of co-operation in rectifying +the fatal error. It was more than +probable, therefore, that Lexley Park, +with all its improvements, was now +the property of John Julius Altham, +Esq.!—the only dilemma still to be +decided by the law, being the extent +to which, his kinsman having died +insolvent and intestate, he was liable +to the suit of Jonas Sparks for the +return of the purchase money, amounting +to L.145,000.</p> + +<p>Already the fatal intelligence had +been communicated by the attorneys +of John Julius Altham to those of +the astonished man, who, though still +convinced of the goodness of his cause, +(which, on the strength of certain +various statutes affecting such a case, +he was advised to contest to the utmost,) +foresaw a long, vexatious, and +expensive lawsuit, that would certainly +last his life, and prevent the possibility +of one moment's enjoyment of +the estate, from which he had received +the usual notice of ejection. Fortunately +for him, the present Mr Altham +was not only a gentleman, and +disposed to exercise his rights in the +most decorous manner; but, of course, +unbiassed by the personal prejudices +so strongly felt by Sir Laurence, and +so unfairly communicated by him to +the General. Still, the question was +proceeding at the snail's pace rate of +Chancery suits at the commencement +of the present century, and the unfortunate +Congleton manufacturer had +every reason to curse the day when +he had become enamoured of the +grassy glades and rich woodlands of +Lexley; seeing that, at the close of +an honourable and well-spent life, he +was uncertain whether the sons and +daughters to whom he had laboured +to bequeath a handsome independence, +might not be reduced to utter destitution.</p> + +<p>Such was the intelligence that saluted +the ill-starred Mary and her +husband on their return to England! +Instead of the brilliant prospects in +which she had been nurtured—disinheritance +met her on the one side, and +ruin on the other!</p> + +<p>Her vindictive father had even made +it a condition of his bounties to Lord +and Lady Robert, that all intercourse +should cease between them and their +sister; a condition which the former, +in revenge for the early slights of his +fairer cousin, took care should be +punctually obeyed by his wife.</p> + +<p>Till the event of the trial, Mr +Sparks retained, of course, possession +of the Park; but so bitter was the +mortification of the family, on discovering +in the village precisely the same +ungrateful feeling which had so embittered +the soul of Sir Laurence, that +they preferred remaining in London—where +no one has leisure to dwell +upon the mischances of his neighbours, +and where sympathy is as little expected +as conceded. But when Mary +arrived—<em>poor</em> Mary! who had now +the prospect of becoming a mother—and +who, though affectionately beloved +by her husband's family, saw +they regarded her as the innocent +origin of their present reverses—she +soon persuaded her husband to accompany +her to her old haunts.</p> + +<p>"Do not imagine, dearest," said she, +"that I have any project of debasing +you and myself, by intruding into my +father's presence. Had we been still +prosperous, Everard, I would have +gone to him—knelt to him—prayed +to him—wept to him—<em>so</em> earnestly, +that his forgiveness could not have +been long withheld from the child he +loved so dearly. I would have described +to him all you are to me—all +your indulgences—all your devotion—and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">[Pg 446]</a></span> +<em>you</em>, too, my own husband, +would have been forgiven. But as it +is, believe me, I have too proud a +sense of what is due to ourselves, +to combat the unnatural hostility in +which my sister and her husband appear +to take their share. O Everard! +to think of Selina becoming the wife +of that coarse and heartless man, of +whom, in former times, she thought +even more contemptuously than I; +and who, with his dissolute habits, +can only have made my poor afflicted +sister his wife from the most mercenary +motives! I dread to think of +what may be her fate hereafter, when, +having obtained at my father's death +all the advantages to which he looks +forward, he will show himself in his +true colours."</p> + +<p>Thus, even with such terrible prospects +awaiting herself, the good, generous +Mary trembled only to contemplate +those of her regardless sister; +and it was chiefly for the delight +of revisiting the spots where they had +played together in childhood—the +fondly-remembered environs of Stanley +Manor—that she persuaded her husband +to take up his abode in the deserted +mansion at the Park, where, +from prudential motives, Mr Sparks +had broken up his establishment, and +sold off his horses.</p> + +<p>Attended by a single servant, in +addition to the old porter and his wife +who were in charge of the house, +Mary trusted that their arrival at +Lexley would be unnoticed in the +neighbourhood. Confining herself +strictly within the boundaries of the +Park, which neither her father nor +the bride and bridegroom were likely +to enter, she conceived that she might +enjoy, on her husband's arm, those +solitary rambles of which every day +circumscribed the extent; without +affording reason to the General to suppose, +when, discerning every morning +from his lofty terraces the mansion +of his falling enemy, that, in place of +the man he loathed, it contained his +discarded child.</p> + +<p>The dispirited young woman, on +the other hand, delighted in contemplating +from the windows of her dressing-room +the towers beneath, whose +shelter she had abided in such perfect +happiness with her doating father and +apparently attached sister. They +loved her no longer, it is true. Perhaps +it was her fault—(she would not +allow herself to conceive it could be a +fault of <em>theirs</em>)—but at all events she +loved <em>them</em> dearly as ever; and it was +comforting to her poor heart to catch +a glimpse of their habitation, and know +herself within reach, should sickness +or evil betide.</p> + +<p>"If I should not survive my approaching +time," thought Mary, often +surveying for hours, through her tears, +the heights of Lexley Hall, and fancying +she could discern human figures +moving from window to window, or +from terrace to terrace; "if I should +be fated never to behold this child, +already loved—this child which is to +be so dear a blessing to us both—in +my last hours my father would not +surely refuse to give me his blessing; +nor would Selina persist in her present +cruel alienation. It is, indeed, a +comfort to be here."</p> + +<p>Her husband thought otherwise. +To him nothing was more trying than +this compulsory sojourn at Lexley; +not that he required other society than +that of his engaging and attached +wife. At any other moment it would +have been delightful to him to enjoy +the country pleasures around them, +with no officious intrusive world to +interpose between their affection. But +in his present uncertainty as to his +future prospects, to be mocked by this +empty show of proprietorship, and +have constantly before his eyes the +residence of the man who had heaped +such contumely on his head, and inflicted +such pain on the gentlest and +sweetest of human hearts, was a state +of moral torment.</p> + +<p>In the course of my fishing excursions—(for, +thanks to Mr Sparks's +neighbourly liberality, I had a card of +general access to his parks)—I frequently +met the young couple; and +having no clue to their secret sentiments, +noticed, with deep regret, the +sadness of Mary's countenance and +sinister looks of her husband. I feared—I +greatly feared—that they were +not happy together. The General's +daughter repined, perhaps, after her +former fortunes. The young husband +sighed, doubtless, over the liberty he +had renounced.</p> + +<p>It was spring time, and Lord Robert +having satisfied his cravings after the +pleasures of London, by occasional +bachelor visits on pretence of business, +the family were to remain at the Hall +till after the Easter holidays, so that +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">[Pg 447]</a></span> +Mary had every expectation of the +accomplishment of her hopes previous +to their departure. Perhaps, in the +bottom of her heart, she flattered herself +that, on hearing of her safety, her +obdurate relations might be moved, by +a sudden burst of pity and kindliness, +to make overtures of reconciliation—at +all events to dispatch words of courteous +enquiry; for she was ever dwelling +on her good fortune that her +father should, on this particular year, +have so retarded the usual period of +his departure. Yet when the report +of these exulting exclamations on her +part reached my ear, I was ungenerous +enough to attribute them to a +very different origin, fancying that the +poor submissive creature was thankful +for being within reach of protection +from conjugal misusage.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, she was so far justified +in one portion of her premises, that no +tidings of her residence at Lexley +Park had as yet reached the ear of her +father. The fact was, that not a soul +had courage to do so much as mention, +in his presence, the name of his once +idolized child; and Lord Robert, having +been apprized of the circumstance, +instantly exacted a promise from his +wife, that nothing should induce her +to hazard her father's displeasure by +communication with her sister, or by +acquainting the General of the arrival +of the offending pair. The consequence +was, that in the dread of +encountering her sister, (whom she +felt ashamed to meet as the wife of the +man they had so often decried together,) +Lady Robert rarely quitted the +house; and these two sisters, so long +the affectionate inmates of the same +chamber—the sisters who had wept +together over their mother's deathbed—abided +within sight of each other's +windows, yet estranged as with the +estrangement of strangers.</p> + +<p>And then, we pretend to talk with +horror of the family feuds of southern +nations; and, priding ourselves on our +calm and passionless nature, feel convinced +that all the domestic virtues +extant on earth, have taken refuge in +the British empire!</p> + +<p>Every day, meanwhile, I noticed +that the handsome countenance of +Everard Sparks grew gloomier and +gloomier; and how was I to know +that every day he received letters from +his father, announcing the unfavourable +aspect of their suit; and that +(owing, as was supposed, to the suggestions +of General Stanley's solicitors) +even the conduct of the adverse +party was becoming offensive. The +elder Sparks wrote like a man overwhelmed +with mortification, and stung +by a sense of undeserved injury; and +his appeals to the sympathy and support +of his son, were such as to place +the spirited young man in a most painful +predicament as regarded the family +of his wife.</p> + +<p>Unwilling to utter in her presence +an injurious word concerning those +who, persecute her as they might, +were still her nearest and dearest by +the indissoluble ties of nature, all he +could do, in relief to his overcharged +feelings, was to rush forth into the +Park, and curse the day that he was +born to behold all he loved in the +world overwhelmed in one common +ruin.</p> + +<p>On such occasions, while pretending +to fix my attention on my float +upon the river, I often watched him +from afar, till I was terrified by the +frantic vehemence of his gestures. +There was almost reason to fancy that +the evil influences of the old Hall were +extending their power over the valley; +and that this distracted young man +was falling into the eccentricities of +Sir Laurence Altham.</p> + +<p>After viewing with anxiety the wild +deportment of poor Mary's husband, I +happened one day to pass along the +lane I have described as skirting the +garden of the manor-house, on my +way homewards to my farm; and on +plunging my eyes, as usual, into the +verdant depths of the clipped yew-walks, +visible through the iron-palisades, +was struck by the contrast +afforded to the scene I had just witnessed, +not only by its aristocratic +tranquillity, but by the grave and subdued +deportment of Lady Robert +Stanley, who was sauntering in one +of the alleys, accompanied by a favourite +dog I had often seen following her +sister in former days, and looking the +very picture of contented egotism.</p> + +<p>I almost longed to call aloud to her, +and confide all I knew and all that I +supposed. But what right had I to +create alarms in her sister's behalf? +What right had I to incite her to disobedience +against the father on whom +she and her husband were dependent? +Better leave things as they were—the +common philosophy of selfish, timid +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">[Pg 448]</a></span> +people, afraid of exposing their own +heads to a portion of the storm their +interference may chance to bring +down, while assisting the cause of the +weak against the strong.</p> + +<p>I used often to go home and think +of poor Mary till my heart ached. +That young and beautiful creature—that +creature till lately so beloved—to +be thus cruelly abandoned, thus +helpless, thus unhappy! Perhaps not +a soul sympathizing with her but myself—an +obscure, low-born, uninfluential +man, of no more value as a protector +than a willow-wand shivered +from the Lexley plantations! Not so +much as the merest trifle in which I +could demonstrate my good-will. I +thought and thought it over, and +there was nothing I could do—nothing +I could offer. When I <em>did</em> hit upon +some pretext of kindness, I only did +amiss. The fruit season was not begun—nay, +the orchards were only in +blossom—and times were over for +forcing-houses at Lexley Park! +Thinking, therefore, that the invalid +might be pleased with a basket of +Jersey pears, of which a very fine +kind grew in my orchard, I ventured +to send some to her address. But the +very next time I encountered Everard +in the village, he cast a look at +me as if he would have killed me for +my officiousness, or, perhaps, for taking +the liberty to suppose that Lexley +Park was less luxuriously provisioned +than in former years. Nor was it till +long afterwards I discovered that my +old housekeeper (who had taken upon +herself to carry my humble offering +to the park) had not only seen the +poor young lady, but been foolish +enough to talk of Lady Robert in a +tone which appears to have exercised +a cruel influence over her gentle +heart; so that, when her husband returned +home from rabbit-shooting, an +hour afterwards, he found her recovering +from a fainting fit, he visited +upon <em>me</em> the folly of my servant; and +such was the cause of his angry looks.</p> + +<p>A few days afterwards, however, +he had far more to reproach his conscience +withal than poor Barbara. +Having no concealments from his +wife, to whom he was in the habit of +avowing every emotion of his heart, he +was rash enough to mention of having +met the travelling carriage of Lord +and Lady Robert on the London +road. They had quitted the Hall ten +days previous to the epoch originally +fixed for their departure.</p> + +<p>"Gone—exactly gone!—already at +two hundred miles' distance from me!" +cried poor Mary, nothing doubting +that her father had, as usual, accompanied +them, and feeling herself now, +for the first time, alone in the dreary +seclusion to which she had condemned +herself, only that she might breathe +the same atmosphere with those she +loved. "Yet they had certainly decided +to remain at the Hall till after +Easter! Perhaps they discovered my +being here, and the discovery hastened +their journey. Unhappy creature +that I am, to have become thus hateful +to those in whose veins my blood +is flowing! Everard, Everard! O, +what have I done that God should +thus abandon me?"</p> + +<p>The soothing and affectionate remonstrances +now addressed to her by +her husband, had so far a good effect, +that they softened her despair to +tears. Long and unrestrainedly did +she weep upon his shoulder; tried to +comfort him by the assurance that +<em>she</em> was comforted, or at least that +she would endeavour to <em>seek</em> comfort +from the protection and goodness +whence it had been so often derived.</p> + +<p>A few minutes afterwards, having +been persuaded by Everard to rest +herself on the sofa, to recover the effects +of the agitation his indiscreet +communication had excited, she suddenly +complained of cold, and begged +him to close the windows. It was a +balmy April day, with a genial sun +shining fresh into the room. The air +was as the air of midsummer—one of +those days on which you almost see +the small green leaves of spring bursting +from their shelly covering, and +the resinous buds of the chestnut-trees +expanding into maturity. Poor Everard +saw at once that the chilliness of +which his wife complained must be +the effect of illness. More cautious, +however, on this occasion than before, +he enquired, as her shivering increased, +what preparations she had made +for the events which still left her some +weeks for execution. "None. His +sisters had kindly undertaken to supply +her with all she might require; +and the services of the nurse accustomed +to attend his married sister, +were engaged on her behalf. At the +end of the month this woman was to +arrive at Lexley, bringing with her +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">[Pg 449]</a></span> +the wardrobe of the little treasure +who was to accord renewed peace and +happiness to its mother."</p> + +<p>Though careful to conceal his anxiety +from his wife, Everard Sparks, +disappointed and distressed, quitted +the room in haste to send for the medical +man who had long been the attendant +of his family. But before he +arrived, the shivering fit of the poor +sufferer had increased to an alarming +degree. A calming potion was administered, +and orders issued that she +was to be kept quiet; but in the consternation +created in the little household +by the communication Dr R. +thought it necessary to make of the +possibility of a premature confinement, +poor Mrs Sparks's maid, a young inexperienced +woman, dispatched a +messenger to my house for her old +kinswoman, and it was through Barbara +I became acquainted with the +melancholy incidents I am about to +relate.</p> + +<p>The sedatives administered failed +in their effect. A fatal shock had +been already given; and while struggling +through that direful night with +the increasing pangs that verified the +doctor's prognostications, the sympathizing +women around the sufferer +could scarcely restrain their tears at +the courage with which she supported +her anguish, rejoicing in it, as it were, +in the prospect of embracing her +child—when all present were aware +that the compensation was about to +be denied her, that the child was already +dead. Just as the day dawned, +her anxious husband was congratulated +on her safety, and then the truth +could no longer be concealed from +Mary. She asked to see her babe. +Her husband was employed to persuade +her to defer seeing it for an +hour or two, "till it was dressed—till +she was more composed." But +the truth rushed into her mind, and +she uttered not another word, in the +apprehension of increasing his disappointment +and mortification.</p> + +<p>So long did her silence continue, +that, trusting she had fallen asleep, +old Barbara's granddaughter entreated +poor Everard to withdraw and +leave her to her rest. But the moment +he quitted the room, she spoke, spoke +resolutely, and in a firmer voice than +her previous sufferings had given them +reason to suppose possible.</p> + +<p>"Now, then, let me see my boy," +said she. "I know that he is dead. +But do not be afraid of shocking or +distressing me. I have courage to +look upon the poor little creature for +whom I have suffered so much, and +who, I trusted, would reward me for +all."</p> + +<p>The women remonstrated, as it was +their duty to remonstrate. But when +they saw that opposition on this point +only excited her, dreading an accession +of fever, they brought the poor +babe and laid it on the pillow beside +its mother. That first embrace, to +which she had looked forward with +such intensity of delight, folded to +her burning bosom only a clay-cold +child!</p> + +<p>Even thus it was fair to look on—every +promise in its little form, that +its beauty would have equalled that +of its handsome parents; and Mary, +as she pressed her lips to its icy forehead, +fancied she could trace on those +tiny features a resemblance to its +father. Old Barbara, perceiving how +bitterly the tears of the sufferer were +falling on the cheeks of her lost treasure, +now interfered. But the mother +had still a last request to make. A +few downy curls were perceptible on +the temples—in colour and fineness +resembling her own. She wished to +rescue from the grave this slight +remembrance of her poor nameless +offspring; and her wish having been +complied with, she suffered the babe +to be taken from her relaxed and +moveless grasp.</p> + +<p>"Leave me the hair," said she, in +a faint voice. "Thanks—thanks! +I am happy now—I will try to sleep—I +am happy—happy now!"</p> + +<p>She slept—and never woke again. +At the close of an hour or two, her +anxious husband, finding she had not +stirred, gently and silently approached +the bedside, and took into his own +the fair hand lying on the coverlid, +to ascertain whether fever had ensued. +<em>Fever?</em> It was already cold +with the damps of death!</p> + +<p>Imagine, if you can, the agony and +self-reproach of that bereaved man! +Again and again did he revile himself +as her murderer; accusing <em>himself</em>—her +father—her <em>sister</em>—the whole world. +At one moment, he fancied that her +condition had not been properly +treated by her attendants; at another, +that the medical man ought not to +have left the house. Nay, hours and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">[Pg 450]</a></span> +hours after she was gone for ever—after +the undertakers had commenced +their hideous preparations—even while +she lay stretched before him, white +and cold as marble, he persisted that +life might be still recalled; and, but +for the better discrimination of those +around him, would have insisted on +attempts at resuscitation, calculated +only to disturb, almost sacrilegiously, +the sound peace of the dead!</p> + +<p>I was one of the first to learn the +heart-rending news of this beloved being's +untimely end; for my old woman +having asked permission to +remain with her through the night, +(explaining the exigency of the case,) +I could not forbear hurrying to the +house as soon as it was day, in the +hope of hearing she was a happy mother. +Somehow or other, I had never +contemplated an unfavourable result. +The idea of death never presented +itself to me in common with any thing +so young and fair; and as I walked +through the park, and crossed the +bridge, with the white cheerful mansion +before me, and the morning sun +shining full upon its windows, I +thought how gladsome it looked, but +could not forbear feeling that, even +with the prospect of losing it—even +with the certainty of beggary, Everard, +as a husband and father, was +the fellow most to be envied upon +earth!</p> + +<p>I reached the house, and the old +man who answered my ring at the +office entrance, was speechless from +tears. Though usually hard as iron, +he sobbed as if his heart would break. +I asked to speak with Barbara—with +my housekeeper. He told me I could +not—that she was "busy laying out +the body." I was answered. That +dreadful word told me all—I had no +more questions to ask. I cared not +<em>who</em> survived, or what became of the +survivors. And as I turned sickening +away, to bend my steps homewards, +I remember wondering how that fair +spring morning could shine so bright +and auspiciously, when <em>she</em> was gone +from us. It seemed to triumph in +our loss! Alas! it shone to welcome +a new angel to the kingdom of our +Father who is in heaven!</p> + +<p>Suddenly it struck me, that I, too, +had a duty to perform. In that scanty +household there was no one to take +thought of the common forms of life; +so I hastened to the rectory, to suggest +to our good pastor a visit of consolation +to the house of mourning, and +acquaint his sisters with its forlorn +condition. Like myself, they began +exclaiming, "Alas! alas! It was but +the other day that"——reverting to +all the acts of charity and girlish +graces of that dear departed Mary +Stanley, who had been among us as +the shadow of a dream.</p> + +<p>Before I left the rectory, Dr Whittingham +had issued his orders; and +lo! as I proceeded homewards, with +a heavy step and a heavier heart, the +sound of the passing bell from Lexley +church pursued me with its measured +toll, till I could scarcely refrain from +sitting me down by the wayside, and +weeping my very soul away.</p> + +<p>On reaching the lane I have so +often described as skirting the gardens +of the old Hall, I noticed, through the +palisades, a person, probably one of +the gardeners, sauntering along Lady +Robert's favourite yew-walk. No! +on a nearer approach, I saw, and almost +shuddered to see, that it was +General Stanley himself (who, I fancied, +had accompanied his son-in-law +to town) taking an early walk, to +enjoy the sweetness of that delicious +morning.</p> + +<p>As I drew nearer, I averted my +head. At that moment I had not +courage to look him in the face. I +could scarcely suppose him ignorant +of what had occurred; and, if aware +of the sad event, his obduracy was +unmanly to a degree that filled me +with disgust. But just as I came opposite +the iron gates, he hailed me by +name—more familiarly and courteously +than he was wont—to ask whether +I came from the village, and for +<em>whose</em> death they were tolling?</p> + +<p>If worlds had depended on my answer, +I could not have uttered a word! +But I conclude that, catching sight of +my troubled face and swollen eyelids, +the General supposed I had lost some +near and dear friend; for, instead of +renewing his question, he merely +touched his hat, and passed on, leaving +me to proceed in my turn. But the +spectacle of my profound affliction +probably excited his curiosity; for I +found afterwards, that, instead of pursuing +his walk, he returned straight to +the house, and addressed the enquiry +which had so distressed <em>me</em>, to others +having more courage to reveal the +fatal truth. I believe it was the old +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">[Pg 451]</a></span> +family butler, who abruptly answered—"For +my poor young lady, General—for +the sweetest angel that ever +trod the earth!"</p> + +<p>For my part, I wonder the announcement +did not strike him to +the earth! But he heard it without +apparent emotion; like a man who, +having already sustained the worst +affliction this world can afford, has no +sensibility for further trials. Still the +intelligence was not ineffective. Without +pausing an instant for reflection, +or the indulgence of his feelings, he +set forth on foot to Lexley Park. +With his hat pulled over his eyes, +and a determined air, rather as if +about to execute an act of vengeance +than offer a tardy tribute of tenderness +to his victim, he hurried to the +house—commanded the startled old +servant to show him the way to <em>her</em> +room—entered it—and knelt down +beside the bed on which she lay, with +her dead infant on her arm, asking +her forgiveness, and the forgiveness +of God, as humbly as though he were +not the General Stanley proverbial +for implacability and pride.</p> + +<p>Old Barbara, who had not quitted +the room, assured me it was a heart-breaking +sight to behold that white +head bowed down in agony upon the +cold feet of his child. For he felt +himself unworthy to press her helpless +hand to his lips, or remove the cambric +from her face, but called, in broken +accents, upon the name of Mary! +his child! his darling! addressing her +rather with the fondling terms bestowed +upon girlhood than as a woman—a +wife—a mother!</p> + +<p>"But a more affecting story still," +said the old woman, "was to see that +Mr Everard took no more heed of the +General's sudden entrance than though +it were a thing to be looked for. He +seemed neither to hear his exclamations +nor perceive his distress." Poor +gentleman! His haggard eyes were +fixed, his mind bewildered, his hopes +blasted for ever, his life a blank. He +neither answered when spoken to, nor +even spoke, when the good rector, according +to his promise, came to announce +that he had dispatched the +fatal intelligence by express to his +family, beseeching his instructions +concerning the steps to be taken for +the burial of the dead.</p> + +<p>But why afflict you and myself by +recurring to these melancholy details! +Suffice it, that this dreadful blow effected +what nothing else on earth +could have effected in the mind of +General Stanley. Humbled to the +dust, even the arrival of the once +despised owner of Lexley Park did +not drive him from the house. He +asked his pity—he asked his pardon. +Beside the coffin of his daughter he +expressed all the compunction a generous-hearted +and broken-hearted +man could express; and all he asked +in return, was leave to lay her poor +head in the grave of her ancestors.</p> + +<p>No one opposed his desire. The +young widower had not as much consciousness +left as would have enabled +him to utter the negative General +Stanley seemed prepared to expect; +and as to his father, about to abandon +Lexley for ever, to what purpose erect +a family vault in a church which +neither he nor his were ever likely to +see again?</p> + +<p>To the chapel at Stanley Manor, +accordingly, were the mother and +child removed. The General wrote +expressly to forbid his son-in-law and +Selina returning to the Hall, on pretence +of sustaining him in his affliction. +He <em>chose</em> to give way to it; he +<em>chose</em> to be alone with his despair.</p> + +<p>Never shall I forget the day that +mournful funeral procession passed +through the village! Young and old +came forth weeping to their doors to +bid her a last farewell; even as they +used to come and exchange smiles +with her, in those happy days when +life lay before her, bright—hopeful—without +a care—without a responsibility. +I had intended to pay him the +same respect. I meant, indeed, to +have followed the hearse, at an humble +distance, to its final destination. +But when I rose that morning a sudden +weakness came upon me, and I +was unable to quit my room. I, so +strong, so hardy, who have passed +through life without sickness or doctor, +was as powerless that day as an +infant.</p> + +<p>It was from the good rector, therefore, +I heard how the General (on +whom, in consequence of the precarious +condition of the afflicted husband, +devolved the task of chief mourner) sustained +his carriage to perform with dignity +and propriety his duty to the dead. +As he followed the coffin through the +churchyard, crowded by his old pensioners—many +of them praying on +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">[Pg 452]</a></span> +their knees as it passed—his step was +as firm and his brow as erect as +though at the head of his regiment. +It was not till all was over—the +mournful ceremony done, the crowd +dispersed, the funeral array departed—that +having descended into the +vault, ere the stone was rolled to the +door of the sepulchre, in order to point +out the exact spot where he wished +her remains to be deposited, so that +hereafter his own might rest by her +side, he renounced all self-restraint, +and throwing himself upon the ground, +gave himself up to his anguish, and +refused to be comforted!</p> + +<p>That summer was as dreary a season +at Lexley as the dreariest winter! +Both the Park and the Hall were shut +up; nor did General Stanley ever +again resume his tenancy of the old +manor. When the result of the Chancery +suit left Mr Altham in possession +of the former estate, the General literally +preferred forfeiting the moiety of +the purchase-money he had paid, and +giving up the place to be re-united +with the property, which the rigour +of the law thus singularly restored to +the last heirs of the Althams; and +such was the cause of my neighbour, +the present Sir Julius Altham, regaining +possession of the Hall.</p> + +<p>It was not for many years, however, +that the cause was ultimately decided. +There was an appeal against the +Chancellor's decree; and even after the +decree was confirmed, came an endless +number of legal forms, which so procrastinated +the settlement, that not +only the original unfortunate purchaser, +but poor Everard himself, was +in his grave when the mansion, in +which they had so prided themselves, +was pulled down, and all trace of their +occupancy effaced.</p> + +<p>I sometimes ask myself, indeed, +whether the whole of this "strange +eventful history," with which the +earliest feelings of my heart were +painfully interwoven, really occurred? +whether the manor ever passed for a +time out of the possession of the +ancient house of Altham? whether +the domain, now one and indivisible, +were literally partitioned off—a park +paling interposing only between the +patrician and plebeian. Often, after +spending hour after hour by the river +side, when the fly is on the water and +the old thorns in bloom, I recur to +the first day I came back into Lexley +Park after the funeral had passed +through, and recollect the soreness of +heart with which I lifted my eyes towards +the house, of which every trace +has since disappeared. At that moment +there seemed to rise before me, +sporting among the gnarled branches +of the old thorn-trees, the graceful +form of Mary Stanley, followed by +old Sergeant, bounding and barking +through the fern; and the General +looking on from a distance, pretending +to be angry, and desiring her to come +out of the covert and not disturb the +game. Exactly thus, and there, I +beheld them for the first time. What +would I not give to realize once more, +if only for a day, that happy, happy +vision!</p> + +<p>Stanley Manor is let to strangers +during the minority of Lord Robert's +sickly son; the father being an absentee, +the mother in an early grave. +She lived long enough, however, to +be a repining wife; and my neighbour, +Sir Julius Altham, has more +than once hinted to me, that, of the +whole family, the portion of Selina +most deserved compassion.</p> + +<p>To me, however, her callous conduct +towards that gentle sister, always +rendered her the least interesting of +my <span class="smcap">Country Neighbours</span>.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">[Pg 453]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="TRAVELS_OF_KERIM_KHAN" id="TRAVELS_OF_KERIM_KHAN"></a>TRAVELS OF KERIM KHAN.<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></h2> + + +<p>Among the various signs of the +times which mark the changes of +manners in these latter days of the +world, not the least remarkable is the +increasing frequency of the visits paid +by the natives of the East to the regions +of Europe. Time was, within +the memory of most of the present +generation, when the sight of a genuine +Oriental in a London drawing-room, +except in the angel visits, "few +and far between," of a Persian or +Moorish ambassador, was a rarity beyond +the reach of even the most determined +lion-hunters; and if by any +fortunate chance a stray Persian khan, +or a "very magnificent three-tailed +bashaw," was brought within the +circle of the quidnuncs of the day, +the sayings and doings of the illustrious +stranger were chronicled with +as much minuteness as if he had been +the denizen of another planet. Every +hair of his beard, every jewel in the +hilt of his khanjar, was enumerated +and criticised; while all oriental etiquette +was violated by the constant +enquiries addressed to him relative to +the number of his wives, and the economy +of his domestic arrangements. +"<i>Mais à present on a changé tout +cela.</i>" The reforms of Sultan Mahmood, +the invention of steam, and +the re-opening of the overland route +to India, have combined to effect a +mighty revolution in all these points. +Osmanlis, with shaven chins and tight +trousers,<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> have long been as plenty +as blackberries in the saloons of the +West, eating the flesh of the unclean +beast, quaffing champagne, and even +(if we have been rightly informed) +figuring in quadrilles with the moon-faced +daughters of the Franks; and +though the natives of the more distant +regions of the East have not yet appeared +among us in such number, +yet the lamb-skin cap of the Persian, +the <i>pugree</i>, or small Indian turban, and +even the queer head-dress of the Parsee, +is far from being a stranger in +our assemblies. We doubt whether +the name of Akhbar Khan himself, +proclaimed at the foot of a staircase, +would excite the same <em>sensation</em> in the +present day, as the announcement of +the most undistinguished wearer of +the turban some ten or twenty years +ago; but of the "Tours" and "Narratives" +which are usually the inevitable +result of such an influx of pilgrims, +our Oriental visitors have as +yet produced hardly their due proportion. +For many years, the travels of +Mirza Abu-Talib Khan, a Hindustani<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> +Moslem of rank and education, +who visited Europe in the concluding +years of the last century, stood alone +as an example of the effect produced +on an Asiatic by his observation of +the manners and customs of the West; +and even of late our stock has not +been much increased. The journal +of the Persian princes (a translation +of which, by their Syrian mehmandar, +Assaad Yakoob Khayat, has been +printed in England for private circulation) +is curious, as giving a picture +of European ways and manners when +viewed through a purely Asiatic medium; +while the remarkably sensible +and well-written narrative of the two +Parsees who lately visited this country +for the purpose of instruction in +naval architecture,<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> differs little from +the description of the same objects +which would be given by an intelligent +and well-educated European, if +they could be presented to him in the +aspect of utter novelty. The latest +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">[Pg 454]</a></span> +of these Oriental wanderers in the ungenial +climes of Franguestan, is the +one whose name appears at the head +of this article, and who, with a rare +and commendable modesty, has preferred +introducing himself to the public +under the protecting guidance of +Maga, to venturing, alone and without +a pilot, among the perilous rocks +and shoals of the critics of <em>the Row</em>; +him therefore we shall now introduce, +without further comment, to the favourable +notice of our readers.</p> + +<p>Of Kerim Khan himself, the writer +of his narrative, and of his motives +for daring the perils of the <i>kala-pani</i>, +(or black water, the Hindi name for +the ocean,) on a visit to Franguestan, +we have little information beyond +what can be gathered from the MS. +itself. There can be no doubt, however, +that he was a Mussulman gentleman +of rank and consideration, and +of information far superior to that of +his countrymen in general; nor does +it appear that he was driven, like +Mirza Abu-Talib, by political misfortune, +to seek in strange climes the +security which his native land denied +him. His narrative commences abruptly:—"On +the 21st of Ramazan, in +the year of the Hejra 1255," (Dec. 1, +A.D. 1839,) "between four and five +in the afternoon, I took leave of the +imperial city of Delhi, and proceeded +to our boat, which was at anchor near +the Derya Ganj." The voyage down +the Jumna, to its junction with the +Ganges at Allahabad, a distance of +not more than 550 miles by land, but +which the endless windings of the +stream increase to 2010 by water, +presents few incidents worthy of notice: +but our traveller observes <i>par +parenthèse</i>, that "though it is said that +the sources of this river have not been +discovered, I have heard from those +who have crossed the Himalaya from +China, that it rises in that country on +the other side of the mountains, and, +forcing its way through them, arrives +at Bighamber. They say that gold is +found there in large quantities, and +the reason they assign is this—the +philosopher's stone is found in that +country, and whatever touches it becomes +gold, but the stone itself can +never be found!" Near Muttra he +encountered the splendid cortège of +Lord Auckland, then returning to Calcutta +after his famous interview with +Runjeet Singh at Lahore, with such +a <i>suwarree</i> as must have recalled the +pomp and <i>sultanut</i> for which the memory +of Warren Hastings is even yet +celebrated among the natives of India: +"his staff and escort, with the civil +and military officers of government in +attendance on him, amounted to about +4000 persons, besides 300 elephants +and 800 camels." The noble buildings +of Akbarabad or Agra, the capital +and residence of Akbar and +Shalijehan, the mightiest and most +magnificent of the Mogul emperors, +detained the traveller for a day; and +he notices with deserved eulogium the +splendid mausoleum of Shalijehan and +his queen, known as the Taj-Mahal. +There is nothing that can be compared +with it, and those who have visited the +farthest parts of the globe, have seen +nothing like it.<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> At Allahabad he +launched on the broad stream of the +Ganges; and after passing through +part of the territory of <i>Awadh</i> or +Oude, the insecurity of life and property +in which is strongly contrasted +with the rigid police in the Company's +dominions, arrived in due time at the +holy city of Benares, the centre of +Hindoo and Brahminical sanctity.</p> + +<p>The shrines of Benares, with their +swarms of sacred monkeys and Brahminy +bulls, were objects of little interest +to our Moslem wayfarer, who +on the contrary recounts with visible +satisfaction the destruction of several +of these <i>But Khanas</i>, or idol-temples, by +the intolerable bigotry of Aurungzib, +and the erection of mosques on their +sites. Among the objects of attraction +in the environs of the city, he +particularly notices a famous footprint<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> +upon stone, called the <i>Kadmsherif</i>, +or holy mark, deposited in a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">[Pg 455]</a></span> +mosque near the serai of Aurungabad, +and said to have been brought from +Mekka by Sheik Mohammed Ali +Hazin, whom the translator of his +interesting autobiography (published +in 1830 by the Oriental Society) has +made known to the British public, up +to the period when the tyranny of +Nadir Shah drove him from Persia. +"Here, during his lifetime, he used +to go sometimes on a Thursday, and +give alms to the poor in the name of +God. He was a very learned and +accomplished man; and his writings, +both in prose and verse, were equal +to those of Zahiri and Naziri. When +he first came to India, he resided for +some years at Delhi; but having had +some dispute with the poet-laureate of +the Emperor Mohammed Shah, he +found himself under the necessity of +retiring to Benares, where he lived +in great privacy. As he was a stranger +in the country, was engaged in no +calling or profession, and received no +allowance from the Emperor, it was +never known whence, or how, he was +supplied with the means of keeping +up the establishment he did, which +consisted of some hundred servants, +palanquins, horses, &c. It is said that +when the Nawab Shujah-ed-dowlah +projected his attack on the English in +Bengal, he consulted the Sheik on the +subject, who strongly dissuaded him +from the undertaking. He died +shortly after the battle of Buxar in +1180," (A.D. 1766.) The battle of +Buxar was fought Oct. 23, 1764; but +that Sheik Ali Hazin died somewhere +about this time, seems more probable +than that his life was extended (as +stated by Sir Gore Ouseley) till +1779; since he describes himself at +the conclusion of his memoirs in 1742, +when only in his 53d year, as "leading +the dullest course of existence in +the dullest of all dull countries, and +disabled by his increasing infirmities +from any active exertion of either body +or mind"—a state of things scarcely +promising a prolongation of life to +the age of ninety.</p> + +<p>Resuming his voyage from Benares, +the Khan notices with wonder the +apparition of the steamers plying between +Calcutta and Allahabad, several +of which he met on his course, and +regarded with the astonishment natural +in one who had never before +seen a ship impelled, apparently by +smoke, against wind and tide:—"I +need hardly say how intensely I +watched every movement of this extraordinary, +and to me incomprehensible +machine, which in its passage +created such a vast commotion in the +waters, that my poor little <i>budjrow</i> +(pinnace) felt its effects for the space +of full two <i>hos</i>," (nearly four miles.) +The picturesque situation of the city +of Azimabad or Patna,<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a> extending for +several miles along the right bank of +the Ganges, with the villas and beautiful +gardens of the resident English +interspersed among the houses, is described +in terms of high admiration; +and the mosques, some of which were +as old as the time of the Patan emperors, +are not forgotten by our Moslem traveller +in his enumeration of the marvels +of the city. A few days' more boating +brought him to Rajmahal; "on one +side of which," says he, "the country +is called Bengal, and on the other +<i>Poorb</i>, or the East"—a name from which +the independent dynasty of Moslem +kings, who once ruled in Bengal, assumed +the appellation of <i>Poorby-Shaby</i>. +He was now among the rice-fields, the +extent and luxuriance of which surprised +him: "There are a great variety +of sorts, and if a man were to +take a grain of each sort he might +soon fill a <i>lota</i> (water-pot) with them—so +innumerable are the different +kinds. The cultivators who have +measured the largest species, have declared +them to exceed the length of +fifty cubits; but I have never seen +any of this length, though others may +have." He now entered the Bhagirutti, +or branch of the Ganges leading +to Calcutta, and which bears in the +lower part of its course the better +known name of the Hoogly—while +the main stream to the left is again +subdivided into innumerable ramifications, +the greater part of which lose +themselves among the vast marshes +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">[Pg 456]</a></span> +of the Sunderbunds; but he complains, +that "though by this branch large +vessels and steamers pass up and +down to and from the Presidency, the +route is very bad, from the extensive +jungles on both banks, which are +haunted by Thugs and <i>Decoits</i>, (river +pirates:)—indeed I have heard and +read, that the shores of the Ganges +have been infested by freebooters, +pirates, and thieves of all sorts, from +time immemorial." He escaped unharmed, +however, through these manifold +perils; and passing Murshidabad, +the ancient capital of Bengal, and +other places of less note, his remarks +upon which we shall not stay to quote, +reached the ghauts of Calcutta in +safety.</p> + +<p>A place so often described as the +"City of Palaces," presents little that +is novel in the narrative of the khan; +but he does full justice to the splendour +of the architecture, which he says +"exceeds that of <em>China or Ispahan</em>—a +superiority which arises from the immense +sums which every governor-general +has laid out upon public +works, and in improving and adorning +the city: the Marquis Wellesley, +in particular, expended lakhs of rupees +in this way." The account which +he gives, however, from a Mahommedan +writer, of the disputes with the +Mogul government which led to the +transference of the British factory and +commerce from its original seat at +Hoogly to <i>Kali-kata</i>,<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> or Calcutta, +differs considerably from that given +by the British historians, if we are to +suppose the events here alluded to +(the date of which the khan does not +mention) to be those which occurred +in 1686 and 1687, when Charnock +defended the factory at Hoogly against +the Imperial deputy, Shaista Khan. +Our traveller's version of these occurrences +is, that the factories of the +English, which were then established +on the Ghol Ghaut at Hoogly, having +been overthrown by an earthquake, +"Mr Charnock, the head officer of the +factory, purchasing a garden called +Banarasi, had the trees cut down, and +commenced a new building. But +while it was in progress, the principal +Mogul merchants and inhabitants laid +a complaint before Meer Nasir, the +<i>foujdar</i>, (chief of police,) that their +houses and harems would be overlooked, +and great scandal occasioned, +if the strangers should be allowed to +erect such lofty buildings in the midst +of the city.<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> The complaint was referred +by the foujdar to the nawab, +who forthwith issued orders for the +discontinuance of the works, which +were accordingly abandoned. The +Company's agent, though highly offended +at this arbitrary proceeding, +was unable to resist it, having only +one ship and a few sepoys; and, in +spite of the efforts of the foujdar to +dissuade him, he embarked with all +his goods, and set sail for the peninsula," +(qu. Indjeli?) "having first +set fire to such houses as were near +the river. At this time, however, the +Emperor Aurungzib was in the Carnatic, +beleaguered by the Mahrattas, +who had cut off all supplies from his +camp; and the Company's agent in +that country, hearing of this, sent a +large quantity of grain, which had +been recently imported for their own +use, for the relief of the army. Having +thus gained the favour and protection +of the Asylum of the World, +the English were not only permitted +to build factories in various parts of +the country, but were exempted from +the duties formerly laid on their +goods. Charnock returned to Bengal +with the emperor's firman; and the +nawab, seeing how matters stood, +withdrew his opposition to the erection +of the factory at Hoogly. The +English, however, preferred another +situation, and chose Calcutta, where +a building was soon erected, the same +which is now called the old fort." +This account, which is in fact more +favourable to the English than that +given by their own writers, is the only +notice of these transactions we have +ever found from a Mahommedan author; +for so small was the importance +attached by the Moguls to these +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">[Pg 457]</a></span> +obscure squabbles with a few Frank +merchants, that even the historian +Khafi-Khan, who acted as the emperor's +representative for settling the +differences which broke out about the +same time in Bombay, makes no allusion +to the simultaneous rupture in +Bengal.</p> + +<p>Our author, like Bishop Heber,<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> +and other travellers on the same route, +is struck by the contrast between the +robust and well-fed peasantry of Hindustan +Proper, and the puny rice-eaters +of Bengal; "who eat fish, +boiled rice, bitter oil; and an infinite +variety of vegetables; but of wheaten +or barley bread, and of pulse, they +know not the taste, nor of mutton, +fowl, or <i>ghee</i>, (clarified butter.) The +author of the <i>Riaz-es-Selatin</i>, is indeed +of opinion that such food does +not suit their constitutions, and would +make them ill if they were to eat it"—an +invaluable doctrine to establish +in dieting a pauper population! "As +to their dress, they have barely enough +to cover them—only a piece of cloth, +called a <i>dhoti</i>, wrapped round their +loins, while their head-dress consists +of a dirty rag rolled two or three +times round the temples, and leaving +the crown bare. But the natives of +Hindustan, and even their descendants +to the second and third generation, +always wear the <i>jamah</i>, or long +muslin robe, out of doors, though in +the house they adopt the Bengali custom. +The author of the <i>Kholasat-al +Towārikh</i>, (an historical work,) says +that both men and women formerly +went naked; and no doubt he is right, +for they can hardly be said to do +otherwise now." Such are the peasants +of Bengal—a race differing from +the natives of Hindustan in language, +manners, food, dress, and personal +appearance; but who, from their vicinity +to the seat of the English Supreme +Government, have served as +models for the descriptions given by +many superficial travellers, as applying +to all the natives of British India, +without distinction! The horrible +Hindu custom of immersing the sick, +when considered past recovery, in the +Ganges, and holding their lower limbs +under water till they expire,<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> excites, +as may be expected, the disgust of the +khan; but the reason which he assigns +for it, "the belief of these people, +that if a man die in his own +house, he would cause the death of +every member of the family by assuming +the form of a <i>bhut</i> or evil spirit," +is new to us, and appears to be analogous +to the superstitious dread entertained +by the Greeks and Sclavonians, +of a corpse reanimated into a <i>Vroucolochas</i>, +or vampire. "But if a man +escapes from their hands, and recovers +after this treatment, he is shunned by +every one; and there are many villages +in Bengal, called <em>villages of the +dead</em>, inhabited by men who have thus +escaped death; they are considered +dead to society, and no other persons +will dwell in the same villages."</p> + +<p>The stay of the khan in Calcutta +was prolonged for more than a month, +during which time he rented a house +from a native proprietor in the quarter +of Kolitolla. While removing his +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">[Pg 458]</a></span> +effects from his boat to this residence, +he became involved in a dispute with +the police, in consequence of the violation +by his servants, through ignorance, +of the regulation which forbids +persons from the Upper Provinces to +enter the city armed; but this unintentional +infringement of orders was +easily explained and arranged by the +intervention of an European friend, +and the arms, of which the police +had taken possession, were restored. +While engaged in preparing for his +voyage, the khan made the best use +of his time in visiting the public buildings, +and other objects of interest, +among which he particularly notices +the <i>minar</i> or column erected in the +<i>maidan</i>, (square,) near the viceregal +palace of the Nawab Governor-General +Bahadur, by a subscription +among the officers of the army, native +as well as English, to the memory +of the late Sir David Ochterlony; but +rates it, with truth, as greatly inferior, +both in dimensions and beauty, to the +famous pillar of the Kootb-Minar near +Delhi. The colossal fortifications of +Fort-William are also duly commemorated; +"they resemble an embankment +externally, but when viewed +from within are exceedingly high—no +foe could penetrate within them, much +less reach the treasures and magazines +in the interior." Our traveller also +visited the English courts of justice, +in the proceedings of which he seems +to have taken great interest, and was +apparently treated with much hospitality +by many of the European +functionaries and other residents, by +whom he was furnished with numerous +letters of introduction, as well as +receiving much information respecting +the manners and customs of <i>Ingilistan</i>, +or England. The choice of a +ship, and the selection of sea-stock, +were of course matters of grave consideration, +and the more so from the +peculiar unfitness of the habits and +religious scruples of an Indian Moslem +for the privations unavoidable at +sea; but a passage was at last taken +for the khan and his two servants on +board the Edinburgh of 1400 tons, +and it being agreed that he should +find his own provisions, to obviate all +mistakes on the score of forbidden +food, and the captain promising moreover +that his comforts should be carefully +attended to, this weighty negotiation +was at length concluded. It is +due to the khan to say, that whether +from being better equipped, or from +being endued with more philosophy +and forbearance than his compatriot, +Mirza Abu-Talib Khan, (to whom we +have above referred,) he seems to have +reconciled himself to the hardships of +the <i>kala-pani</i>, or ocean, with an exceedingly +good grace; and we find +none of the complaints which fill the +pages of the Mirza against the impurity +of his food, the impossibility of +performing his ablutions in appointed +time and manner, and sundry other +abominations by which he was so grievously +afflicted, that at a time of danger +to the vessel, "though many of +the passengers were much alarmed, I, +for my own part, was so weary of life +that I was perfectly indifferent to my +fate." Abu-Talib, however, sailed in +an ill-regulated Danish ship; and in +summing up the horrors of the sea, he +strongly recommends his countrymen, +if compelled to brave its miseries, to +embark in none but an English vessel.</p> + +<p>During the last days of the khan's +sojourn in Calcutta, he witnessed the +splendid celebration of the rites of the +Mohurrum, when the slaughter of the +brother Imams, Hassan and Hussein, +the martyred grandsons of the Prophet, +is lamented by all sects of the +faithful, but more especially by the +<i>Rafedhis</i> or Sheahs, the followers of +Ali, "of whom there are many in +Calcutta, though they are less numerous +than the orthodox sect or Sunnis, +from whom they are distinguished, +at this season, by wearing black as +mourning. At the <i>Baitak-Khana</i> (a +quarter of Calcutta) we witnessed the +splendid procession of the <i>Tazîya</i>,<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> +with the banners and flags flying, and +the wailers beating their breasts."... +"It is the custom here, at this season, +for all the natch-girls (dancers) to sit in +the streets of the Chandnibazar, under +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">[Pg 459]</a></span> +canopies decorated with wreaths and +flowers in the most fantastic manner, +and sell sweetmeats, cardamums, betelnuts, +&c., upon stalls, displaying their +charms to the passers-by. I took +a turn here one evening with five +others, and found crowds of people +collected, both strangers and residents: +nor do they ordinarily disperse +till long after midnight." On the second +day after his visit to this scene +of gaiety, he received notice that the +ship was ready for sea; and on the +8th of Mohurrum 1256, (March 13, +1840,) he accordingly embarked with +his baggage and servants on board the +Edinburgh, which was towed in seven +days, by a steamer, down the river to +Saugor; and the pilot quitting her +the next day at the floating light. "I +now found myself," (says the khan,) +"for the first time in my life, in the +great ocean, where nothing was to be +seen around but sky and water."</p> + +<p>The account of a voyage at sea, as +given by an Oriental, is usually the +most deplorable of narratives—filled +with exaggerated fears, the horrors of +sea-sickness, and endless lamentations +of the evil fate of the writer, in being +exposed to such a complication of miseries. +Of the wailing of Mirza +Abu-Talib we have already given a +specimen: and the Persian princes, +even in the luxurious comfort of an +English Mediterranean steamer, seem +to have fared but little better, in their +own estimation at least, than the Mirza +in his dirty and disorderly Danish +merchantman. "Our bones cried, +'Alas! for this evil there is no remedy.' +We were vomiting all the time, and +thus afflicted with incurable evils, in +the midst of a sea which appears +without end, the state of my health +bad, the sufferings of my brothers +very great, and no hope of being +saved, we became most miserable." +Such is the naïve exposition of his +woes, by H. R. H. Najaf Kooli Mirza; +but Kerim Khan appears, both +physically and morally, to have been +made of different metal. Ere he had +been two days on board we find him +remarking—"I had by this time made +some acquaintance among the passengers, +and began to find my situation +less irksome and lonely;" shortly afterwards +adding—"The annoyances +inseparable from this situation were +relieved, in some measure, by the music +and dancing going on every day except +Sundays, owing to the numerous party +of passengers, both gentlemen and +ladies, whom we had on board—seeing +which, a man forgets his griefs and +troubles in the general mirth around +him." So popular, indeed, does the +khan appear already to have become, +that the captain, finding that he had +hitherto abstained from the use of his +pipe, that great ingredient in Oriental +comfort, from an idea that smoking +was prohibited on board, "instantly +sent for my hookah, had it properly +prepared for me, and insisted on my +not relinquishing this luxury, the privation +of which he knew would occasion +me considerable inconvenience." +In other respects, also, he seems to +have been not less happily constituted; +for though he says that "the rolling +and rocking of the ship, when it entered +the <em>dark waters</em> or open sea, +completely upset my two companions, +who became extremely sick"—his +remarks on the incidents of the voyage, +and the novel phenomena which +presented themselves to his view, are +never interrupted by any of those pathetic +lamentations on the instability +of the human stomach, which form so +important and doleful an episode in +the relations of most landsmen, of +whatever creed or nation.</p> + +<p>The commencement of the voyage +was prosperous; and the ship ran to +the south before a fair wind, interrupted +only by a few days of partial +calm, till it reached the latitude of +Ceylon, where the appearance of the +flying fish excited the special wonder +of the khan, who was by this time +beginning, under the tuition of his +fellow passengers, to make some progress +in the English language, and had +even attempted to fathom some of the +mysteries of the science of navigation; +"but though I took the sextant which +the captain handed me, and held it precisely +as he had done, I could make +nothing of it." The regular performance +of the Church service on Sundays, +and the cessation on that day +from the ordinary amusements, is specially +noticed on several occasions, +and probably made a deeper impression +on the mind of our Moslem +friend, from the popular belief current +in India that the <i>Feringhis</i> are men <em>of +no caste</em>, without religious faith or ceremonies—a +belief which the conduct +and demeanour of the Anglo-Indians +in past times tended, in too many +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">[Pg 460]</a></span> +instances, to confirm. Off the southern +extremity of Ceylon, the ship was +again becalmed for several days; but +the tedium of this interval was relieved, +not only by the ordinary sea +incidents of the capture of a shark and +the appearance of a whale, (the zoological +distinctions between which and +the true fishes are stated by the khan +with great correctness,) but by the +occurrence of a mutiny on board an +English vessel in company, which was +fortunately quelled by the exertions +of the captain of the Edinburgh.</p> + +<p>"The spicy gales of Ceylon," +blowing off the coast to the distance, +as stated, of fifty miles, (an extremely +moderate range when compared with +the accounts of some other travellers,) +at last brought on their wings the +grateful announcement of the termination +of the calm; but before quitting +the vicinity of this famous island, +(more celebrated in eastern story under +the name of Serendib,) the khan +gives some notices of the legends connected +with its history, which show a +more extended acquaintance with Hindu +literature than the Moslems in +India in general take the trouble of +acquiring. Among the rest he alludes +to the epic of the Ramayuna, and the +bridge built by Rama (or as he calls +him, Rajah Ram Chunder) for the +passage of the monkey army and their +redoubled general, Huniman, from the +Indian continent into the island, in +order to deliver from captivity Seeta, +the wife of the hero. The wind still +continuing favourable, the ship quickly +passed the equator, and the pole-star +was no longer visible—"a proof +of the earth's sphericity which I was +glad to have had an opportunity of +seeing;" and they left, at a short distance +to the right, the islands of Mauritius +and Bourbon, "which are not +far from the great island of Madagascar, +where the faithful turn their faces +to the north when they pray, as they +turn them to the west in India," the +<i>kiblah</i>, or point of direction, being in +both cases the kaaba, or temple of +Mekka. They were now approaching +the latitude of the Cape; and our +voyager was astonished by the countless +multitudes of sea-birds which surrounded +the ship, and particularly by +the giant bulk of the albatrosses, +"which I was told remained day and +night on the ocean, repairing to the +coast of Africa only at the period of +incubation." The Cape of Storms, +however, as it was originally named by +Vasco de Gama, did not fail on this +occasion to keep up its established +character for bad weather. A severe +gale set in from the east, which +speedily increased to a storm. A +sailor fell from "the third stage of the +mainmast," (the main topgallant yard,) +and was killed on the deck; and as +the inhospitable shores of Africa were +close under their lee, the ship appears +for some time to have been in considerable +danger. But in this (to him) +novel scene of peril, the khan manifests +a degree of self-possession, +strongly contrasting with the timidity +of the royal grandsons of Futteh Ali +Shah, the expression of whose fears +during a gale is absolutely ludicrous. +"We were so miserable that we gave +up all hope; we gave up our souls, +and began to beseech God for forgiveness; +while the wind continued increasing, +and all the waves of the +western sea rose up in mountains, with +never-ceasing noise, till they reached +the planets." Even after the violence +of the hurricane had in some measure +abated, the sea continued to run so +high that the ports were kept closed +for several days. "At last, however, +they were opened for the purpose of +ventilating the interior; and the band, +which had been silent for some days, +began to play again." The appearance +of a water-spout on the same afternoon +is thus described:—"An object +became visible in the distance, in +the form of a minaret, and every one +on board crowded on deck to look at +it. On asking what it was, I was told +that what appeared to be a minaret +was only water, which was drawn +up towards the heavens by the force +of the wind, and when this ceased +would fall again into the sea, and was +what we should call a whirlwind. This +is sometimes extremely dangerous to +vessels, since, if it reaches them, it is +so powerful as to draw them out of +the sea in the same manner as it draws +up the water; in consequence of +which many ships have been lost when +they have been overtaken by this wonderful +phenomenon."</p> + +<p>The storm was succeeded by a calm, +which detained the ship for two days +within sight of the lofty mountains +near the Cape. "It was bitterly +cold, for the seasons are here reversed, +and instead of summer, as we should +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">[Pg 461]</a></span> +have expected, it was now the depth +of winter. At length, however, (on +the 69th day after our leaving Calcutta,) +a strong breeze sprung up, +which enabled us to set all sail, and +carried us away from this table-land." +The run from the Cape to St Helena +seems to have been barren of incident, +except an accidental encounter with a +vessel in distress, which proved to be +a slaver which had been captured by +an English cruiser, and had sustained +serious damage in the late storm while +proceeding to the Cape with a prize +crew. On approaching St Helena, +the captain "gave orders for the ship +to be painted, both inside and out, that +the people of the island might not say +we came in a dirty ship; and as we +neared the land, a white flag was +hoisted to apprise those on shore that +there was no one ill on board. In +cases of sickness a yellow flag is displayed, +and then no one is permitted +to land from the ship for fear of contagion. +The island is about twenty-six +miles in circuit, and is constantly +enveloped in fog and mist. It is +said to have been formerly a volcano, +but has now ceased to smoke. The +vegetation is luxuriant, but few of the +flowers are fragrant. I recognised +some, however, both flowers and fruits, +which seemed similar to those of India. +I took the opportunity of landing +with the captain to see the town, +which is small, but extremely well +fortified, the cannon being so numerous +that one might suppose the whole +island one immense iron-foundery. It +is populous, the inhabitants being +chiefly Jews and English; but as it +was Sunday, and all the shops were +shut, it had a dull appearance. After +surveying the town, I ascended a hill +in the country, leading to the tomb of +Napoleon Bonaparte, which is on an +elevated spot, four miles from the +town.</p> + +<p>"This celebrated personage was a +native of Corsica; and enjoying a fortunate +horoscope, he entered the +French army, and speedily rose to the +rank of general; and afterwards, with +the consent of the people and the soldiery, +made himself emperor. After +this he conquered several kingdoms, +and the fame of his prowess and his +victories filled all the European world. +When he invaded Russia, he defeated +the Muscovites in several great battles, +and took their capital; but, in +consequence of the intensity of the +cold, several thousands of his army +both men and horses, perished miserably. +This catastrophe obliged him +to return to France, where he undertook +the conquest of another country. +At this time George III. reigned in +England; and having collected all +the disposable forces of his kingdom, +appointed Lord Wellington (the same +general who was employed in the +war against Tippoo Sultan in Mysore) +to command them, and sent +him to combat the French Emperor. +He entered Spain, and forced +the Emperor's brother, Yusuf, (Joseph,) +who was king of that country, +to fly—till after a variety of battles +and incidents, too numerous to +particularize, the two hostile armies +met at a place called by the English +Waterloo, where a bloody battle was +fought, as famous as that of Pāshān, +between Sohrab and the hero Rustan: +and Napoleon was overthrown and +made prisoner. He was then sent, +though in a manner suitable to his +rank, to this island of St Helena, +where, after a few years, he finished +his earthly career. His tomb is much +visited by all who touch at the island, +and has become a <i>durgah</i> (shrine) for +innumerable visitors from Europe. +There are persons appointed to take +care of it, who give to strangers, in +consideration of a small present, the +leaves and flowers of the trees which +grow round the tomb. No other +Emperor of the Europeans was ever +so honoured as to have had his tomb +made a shrine and place of pilgrimage: +nor was ever one so great a +conqueror, or so renowned for his +valour and victories."</p> + +<p>The remainder of the voyage from +St Helena to England was apparently +marked by no incident worthy of +mention, as the khan notices only the +reappearance of the pole-star on their +crossing the line, and re-entering the +northern hemisphere, and their reaching +once more the latitude of Delhi, +"which we now passed many thousand +miles to our right; after which +nothing of importance occurred till +we reached the British Channel, when +we saw the Scilly Isles in the distance, +and about noon caught a +glimpse of the Lizard Point, and the +south coast of England, together with +the lighthouse: the country of the +French lay on our right at the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">[Pg 462]</a></span> +distance of about eighty miles. I was +given to understand that the whole +distance from St Helena to London, +by the ship's reckoning, was 6328 +miles, and 16,528 from Calcutta." +In the Downs the pilot came on board, +from whom they received the news +of the attempt recently made by Oxford +on the life of the Queen; and +here the captain, anxious to lose no +time in reaching London, quitted the +vessel as it entered the Thames, "the +sources of which famous river, I was +informed, were near a place called +Cirencester, eighty-eight miles from +London, in the <i>zillah</i> (county) of +Gloucester." The ship was now +taken in tow by a couple of steam-tugs, +and passing Woolwich, "where +are the war-ships and <i>top-khana</i> (arsenal) +of the English Padishah, at +length reached Blackwall, where we +anchored."</p> + +<p>"I now (continues the khan) returned +thanks to God for having +brought me safe through the wide +ocean to this extraordinary country—bethinking +myself of the answer once +made by a man who had undertaken +a voyage, on being asked by his +friends what he had seen most wonderful—'The +greatest wonder I have +seen is seeing myself alive on land!'" +The troubles of the khan, however, +were far from being ended by his arrival +on <i>terra firma</i>: for apparently +from some mistake or inadvertence, +(the cause of which does not very +clearly appear,) on the part of the +friends whom he had expected to meet +him, he found himself, on landing at +Blackwall and proceeding by the +railway to London, left alone by the +person who had thus far been his +guide, in apartments near Cornhill, +almost wholly unacquainted with the +English language, separated from his +baggage and servants, who were still +on board the Edinburgh, and with no +one in his company but another Hindustani, +as little versed as himself in +the ways and speech of Franguestan. +In this "considerable unhandsome +fix," as it would be called on the other +side of the Atlantic, the perplexities +of the khan are related with such inimitable +naïveté and good-humour, +that we cannot do better than give +the account of them in his own words. +"As I could neither ask for any +thing, nor answer any question put to +me, I passed the whole night without +a morsel of food or a drop of water: +till in the morning, feeling hungry, I +requested my companion to go to some +bazar and buy some fruit. He replied +that it would be impossible for +him either to find his way to a bazar +through the crowds of people, or to +find his way back again—as all the +houses were so much alike. I then +told him to go straight on in the +street we were in, turning neither to +the right nor the left till he met with +some shop where we might get what +we wanted: and, in order to direct +him to the place on his return, I +agreed to lean half out of the window, +so that he could not fail to see me. +No sooner, however, did he sally +forth, than the people, men, women, +and children, began to stare at him +on all sides, as if he had dropped from +the moon; some stopped and gazed, +and numbers followed him as if he +had been a criminal about being led +to execution. Nor was I in a more +enviable position: the people soon +caught sight of me with my head and +shoulders out of the window; and in +a few minutes a mob had collected +opposite the door. What was I to +do? If I withdrew myself, my friend +on returning would have no mark to +find the house, while, if I remained +where I was, the curiosity of the +crowd would certainly increase. I kept +my post, however, while every one that +passed stopped and gazed like the rest, +till there was actually no room for +vehicles to pass; and in this unpleasant +situation I remained fully an hour, +when seeing my friend returning, I +went down and opened the door for +him. He told me he had gone straight +on, till he came to a fruit-shop, at the +corner of another street, when he +went in, and laying two shillings on +the counter, said in Oordu, (the polished +dialect of Hindustani,) 'Give +me some fruit.' The shopman, not +understanding him, spoke to him in +English; to which he replied again +in Oordu, 'I want some fruit!' +pointing at the same time to the +money, to signify that he wanted two +shillings' worth of fruit. The man, +however, continued confounded; and +my friend at last, not knowing of +what sort the fruits were, whether +sour or sweet, bitter or otherwise, +ventured, after much hesitation and +fruitless attempts to communicate +with the shopman by signs and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">[Pg 463]</a></span> +gestures, to take up four apples, and then +made his retreat in the best manner +he could, followed, as here, by the +rabble. I at last caught a glimpse of +him, as I have mentioned, and let him +in; and we sat down together, and +breakfasted on these four apples, my +friend taking two of them, and I the +others."</p> + +<p>It must be admitted that our khan's +first meal in England, and the concomitant +circumstances, were not calculated +to impress him with a very +high idea, either of the comforts of +the country or the politeness of the +inhabitants; but the unruffled philosophy +with which he submitted to +these untoward privations was, ere-long, +rewarded by the arrival of the +East India agent to whose care he had +been recommended, and who, after +putting him in the way of getting his +servants and luggage on shore from +the vessel, took him out in a carriage +to show him the metropolis. "It was, +indeed, wonderful in every point of +view, whether I regarded the immense +population, the dresses and +faces of the men and women, the multitudes +of houses, churches, &c., and +the innumerable carriages running in +streets paved with stone and wood, +(the width and openness of which +seem to expand the heart,) and confining +themselves to the middle of the +road, without overturning any of the +foot-passengers." The cathedral of +St Paul's is described with great minuteness +of detail, and the expense of +its erection stated at seventy-three +lakhs of rupees, (about L.750,000;) +"but I have heard that if a similar +edifice were erected in the present +day, it would cost four times as much, +as the cost of every thing has increased +in at least that proportion."</p> + +<p>The difficulties of the khan, from +his ignorance of the language, and +Moslem scruples at partaking of food +not dressed by his own people, were +not yet, however, at an end. For +though, on returning to his lodging +in the evening, he found that his +friend had succeeded in procuring +from the ship a dish of <i>kichiri</i>, (an +Indian mess, composed of rice and +<i>ghee</i>, or clarified butter,) his inability +to communicate with his landlady still +occasioned him considerable perplexity. +"Having ventured to take some +pickles, which I saw on the sideboard, +and finding them palatable, I sent for +the landlady, and tried to explain to +her by signs, pointing to the bottles, +that I wanted something like what +they contained. Alas, for my ignorance! +She thought I wished them +taken out of the room, and so walked +off with them, leaving me in the utmost +astonishment. How was I to +get it back again? it was the only +thing I had to relish my <i>kichiri</i>. I +had, therefore, recourse to this expedient—I +got an apple and pared it, +putting the parings in a bottle with +water; and showing this to the landlady, +intimated, by signs, that I wanted +something like it to eat with my +rice. She asked many questions in +English, and talked a great deal, from +which I inferred that she had at last +discovered my meaning, but five minutes +had hardly elapsed when she +re-appeared, bearing in her hand a +bottle of water, filled with apple-parings +cut in the nicest manner imaginable! +This she placed on the +table in the most respectful manner, +and then retired!"</p> + +<p>The good lady, however, conceiving +that her guest was in danger of +perishing with hunger, was benevolently +importunate with him to partake +of some nourishment, or at least +of some tea and toast, "since it is the +custom in this country for every one to +eat five times a-day, and some among +the wealthy are not satisfied even with +this!" The arrival of an English acquaintance, +who explained to the landlady +the religious prejudices of her +lodger, in some measure relieved him +from his embarrassment; but he was +again totally disconcerted, by finding +it impossible, after a long search, to +procure any <i>ghee</i>—an ingredient indispensable +in the composition of every +national dish of India, whether Moslem +or Hindu. "How shall I express +my astonishment at this extraordinary +ignorance? What! do they +not know what <i>ghee</i> is? Wonderful! +This was a piece of news I never expected—that +what abounds in every +little wretched village in India, could +not be purchased in this great city!" +How this unforeseen deficiency was +supplied does not appear; but probably +the khan's never-failing philosophy +enabled him to bear even +this unparalleled privation with equanimity, +as we hear no further complaints +on the subject. He did not +remain, however, many days in those +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">[Pg 464]</a></span> +quarters, finding that the incessant +noise of the vehicles passing day and +night deprived him of sleep; and, by +the advice of his friends, he took a +small house in St John's Wood, where +he was at once at a distance from the +intolerable clamour of the streets, and +at liberty to live after the fashion of +his own country.</p> + +<p>The first place of public resort to +which he directed his steps, appears +to have been the Pantheon bazar in +Oxford Street, whither the familiar +name perhaps attracted him—"for +the term <i>bazar</i> is in use also among +the people of this country;" but he +does not appear to have been particularly +struck by any thing he saw there, +except the richness and variety of the +wares. On the contrary, he complains +of the want of fragrance in the flowers +in the conservatory, particularly the +roses, as compared with those of his +native land—"there was <em>one</em> plantain-tree +which seemed to be regarded as +a sort of wonder, though thousands +grow in our gardens without any sort +of culture." The presence of the +female attendants at the stalls, a sight +completely at variance with Asiatic +ideas, is also noticed with marked +disapprobation—"Most of them were +young and handsome, and seemed perfect +adepts in the art of selling their +various wares; but I could not help +reflecting, on seeing so many fine +young women engaged in this degrading +occupation, on the ease and comfort +enjoyed by our females, compared +to the drudgery and servile employment +to which the sex are subjected +in this country. Notwithstanding all +the English say of the superior condition +of their women, it is quite evident, +from all I have seen since my +arrival, that their social state is far +below that of our females." This +sentiment is often repeated in the +course of the narrative, and any one +who has read, in the curious work of +Mrs Meer Hassan Ali, quoted above, +an account of the strict domestic seclusion +in which Moslem females +having any pretensions to rank, or +even respectability, are constantly retained +in India, will not be surprised +at the frequent expression of repugnance, +whenever the writer sees women +engaged in any public or out-of-doors +occupation—a custom so abhorrent +to Oriental, and, above all, to Indian +ideas.</p> + +<p>We next find the khan in the Zoological +Gardens, his matter-of-fact +description of which affords an amusing +contrast with that of those veracious +scions of Persian royalty, who +luxuriate in "elephant birds just like +an elephant, but without the proboscis, +and with wings fifteen yards long"—"an +elephant twenty-four feet high, +with a trunk forty feet long;" and +who assure us that "the monkeys act +like human beings, and play at chess +with those who visit the gardens. On +this day a Jew happened to be at this +place, and went to play a game with +the monkey. The monkey beat, and +began to laugh loudly, all the people +standing round him; and the Jew, +exceedingly abashed, was obliged to +leave the place." The khan, in common +with ourselves, and the generality +of visitors to the Regent's Park, was +not fortunate enough to witness any +of the wondrous feats which gladdened +the royal eyes of the Shahzadehs—though +he saw some of the apes, +meaning the orang-outan, "drink tea +and coffee, sit on chairs, and eat their +food like human beings." * * *</p> + +<p>"There is no island or kingdom," (he +continues,) "which has not contributed +its specimens of the animal kingdom +to these gardens: from the elephant +and rhinoceros, to the fly and the +mosquito, all are to be seen here"—but +not even the giraffes, strange as +their appearance must have been to +him, attract any particular notice; +though the sight of the exotics in the +garden draws from him a repetition +of his old complaint, relative to the +want of fragrance in the flowers as +compared with those produced under +the genial sun of India. The ceremony +of the prorogation of Parliament +by the Queen in person was now at +hand, and the khan determined to be +present at this imposing scene. But as +he takes this opportunity to introduce +his observations and opinions on the +laws and customs of this country, we +shall postpone to our next Number the +discussion of these weighty subjects.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">[Pg 465]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_THIRTEENTH" id="THE_THIRTEENTH"></a>THE THIRTEENTH.</h2> + +<h3><span class="smcap">A Tale of Doom.</span></h3> + + +<p>It was on a sultry July evening that +a joyous party of young men were +assembled in the principal room of a +wine house, outside the Potsdam gate +of Berlin. One of their number, a +Saxon painter, by name Carl Solling, +was about to take his departure for +Italy. His place was taken in the +Halle mail, his luggage sent to the +office, and the coach was to call for +him at midnight at the tavern, whither +a number of his most intimate friends +had accompanied him, to drink a +parting glass of Rhenish wine to his +prosperous journey.</p> + +<p>Supper was over, and some magnificent +melons, and peaches, and plates of +caviare, and other incentives to drinking, +placed upon the table; a row of +empty bottles already graced the sideboard, +while full ones of that venerable +cobweb-mantle appearance, so +dear to the toper, were forthcoming +as rapidly as the thirstiest throats +could desire. The conviviality was +at its height, and numerous toasts had +been given, among which the health +of the traveller, the prosperity of the +art which he cultivated, and of the +land of poetry and song to which he +was proceeding, had not been forgotten. +Indeed, it was becoming difficult +to find any thing to toast, but the +thirst of the party was still unquenched, +and apparently unquenchable.</p> + +<p>Suddenly a young man started up, +in dress and appearance the very model +of a German student—in short +frock coat and loose sacklike trousers, +long curling hair hanging over his +shoulders, pointed beard and mustache, +and the scars of one or two sabre +cuts on his handsome animated countenance.</p> + +<p>"You want a toast, my friends!" +cried he. "An excuse to drink, as +though drinking needed an excuse +when the wine is good. I will give +you one, and a right worthy one too. +Our noble selves here assembled; all, +so many as we are!" And he glanced +round the table, counting the number +of the guests. "One, two, three, +four—thirteen. We are Thirteen. <em>Es +lebe die Dreizehn!</em>"</p> + +<p>He raised his glass, in which the +golden liquor flashed and sparkled, +and set it down, drained to the last +drop.</p> + +<p>"<em>Thirteen!</em>" exclaimed a pale-faced, +dark-eyed youth named Raphael, +starting from his seat, and in +his turn counting the company. "'Tis +true. My friends, ill luck will attend +us. We are Thirteen, seated at a +round table."</p> + +<p>There was evidently an unpleasant +impression made upon the guests by +this announcement. The toast-giver +threw a scornful glance around him—</p> + +<p>"What!" cried he, "are we believers +in such nursery tales and old +wives' superstitions? Pshaw! The +charm shall soon be broken. Halls! +Franz! Winebutt! Thieving innkeeper! +Rascally corkdrawer! where +are you hidden? Come forth! Appear!"</p> + +<p>Thus invoked, there toddled into +the room the master of the tavern—a +round-bellied, short-legged individual, +whose rosy gills and Bacchus-like appearance +proved his devotion to the +jolly god whose high-priest he was.</p> + +<p>"Sit down here!" cried the mad +student, forcing him into a chair; +"and now, Raphael and gentlemen +all, be pleased to shorten your faces +again, and drink your wine as if one +with a three after it were an unknown +combination of numerals."</p> + +<p>The conversation now took a direction +naturally given to it by what +had just occurred, and the origin and +causes of the popular prejudice against +the number Thirteen were discussed.</p> + +<p>"It cannot be denied that there is +something mysterious in the connection +and combination of numbers," +observed a student in philosophy; +"and Pythagoras was right enough +when he sought the foundation of all +human knowledge in the even and +uneven. All over the world the idea +of something complete and perfect is +associated with even numbers, and of +something imperfect and defective +with uneven ones. The ancients, too, +considered even numbers of good omen, +and uneven ones as unpropitious."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">[Pg 466]</a></span> +"It is really a pity," cried the mad +student, "that you philosophers should +not be allowed to invert and re-arrange +history in the manner you deem +fitting. You would soon torture the +crooked stream of time into a straight +line. I should like to know from what +authors you derive your very original +ideas in favour of even numbers. As +far as my reading goes, I find that +number three was considered a sacred +and a fortunate number by nearly all +the sects of antiquity, not excepting +the Pythagoreans. And the early +Romans had such a respect for the +uneven numbers, that they never allowed +a flock of sheep to be of any +number divisible by two."</p> + +<p>The philosopher did not seem immediately +prepared with a reply to +this attack.</p> + +<p>"You are all of you looking too far +back for the origin of the curse that +attends the number Thirteen," interposed +Raphael. "Think only of the +Lord's Supper, which is rather nearer +to our time than Pythagoras and the +Roman shepherds. It is since then +that Thirteen has been a stigmatized +and fatal number. Judas Iscariot was +the Thirteenth at that sacred table and +believe me it is no childish superstition +that makes men shun so unblest a +number."</p> + +<p>"Here is Solling, who has not given +his opinion yet," cried another of the +party, "and yet I am sure he has +something to say on the subject. How +now, Carl, what ails thee, man? Why +so sad and silent?"</p> + +<p>The painter who, at the commencement +of the evening, had entered +frankly and willingly into the joyous +humour of his friends, had become +totally changed since the commencement +of this discussion on the number +<em>Thirteen</em>. He sat silent and thoughtful +in his chair, and left his glass +untasted before him, while his thoughts +were evidently occupied by some unpleasant +subject. His companions +pressed him for the cause of this +change, and after for some time evading +their questions, he at last confessed +that the turn the conversation had +taken had brought painful recollections +to his mind.</p> + +<p>"It is a matter I love not to speak +about," said he; "but it is no secret, +and least of all could I have any wish +to conceal it from you, my good and +kind friends. We have yet an hour +before the arrival of the mail, and if +you are disposed to listen, I will relate +to you the strange incidents, the recollection +of which has saddened me."</p> + +<p>The painter's offer was eagerly accepted; +the young men drew their +chairs round the table, and Solling +commenced as follows:—</p> + +<p>"I am a native of the small town of +Geyer, in Saxony, of the tin mines of +which place my father was inspector. +I was the twelfth child of my parents +and half an hour after I saw the light +my mother give birth to a Thirteenth, +also a boy. Death, however, was +busy in this numerous family. Several +had died while yet infants, and +there now survive only three besides +myself, and perhaps my twin brother.</p> + +<p>"The latter, who was christened Bernard, +gave indications at a very early +age of an eccentric and violent disposition. +Precocious in growth and +strength, wild as a young foal, headstrong +and passionate, full of spiteful +tricks and breakneck pranks, he was +the terror of the family and the neighbours. +In spite of his unamiable qualities, +he was the pet of his father, who +pardoned or laughed at all his mischief, +and the consequence was, that +he became an object of fear and hatred +to his brothers and sisters. Our hatred, +however, was unjust; for Bernard's +heart was good, and he would have +gone through fire and water for any +of us. But he was rough and violent +in whatever he did, and we dreaded +the fits of affection he sometimes took +for us, almost as much as his less +amiable humours.</p> + +<p>"As far back as I can remember, +Bernard received not only from his +brothers, but also from all our playfellows, +the nickname of the Thirteenth, +in allusion, of course, to his +being my mother's thirteenth child. +At first this offended him grievously, +and many were the sound thrashings +he inflicted in his endeavours to get +rid of the obnoxious title. Finally he +succeeded, but scarcely had he done +so when, from some strange perversity +of character, he adopted as an honourable +distinction the very name he had +taken such pains to suppress.</p> + +<p>"We were playing one Sunday afternoon +in the large court of our house; +several of the neighbours' children +were there, and it chanced that we +were exactly twelve in number. We +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">[Pg 467]</a></span> +had wooden swords, and were having +a sort of tournament, from which, +however, we had managed to exclude +Bernard, who, in such games, was +accustomed to hit rather too hard. +Suddenly he bounded over a wall, and +fell amongst us like a thunderbolt. +He had painted his face in red and +black stripes, and made himself a pair +of wings out of an old leathern apron; +and thus equipped and armed with the +largest broomstick he had been able +to find, he showered his blows around +him, driving us right and left, and +shouting out, 'Room, room for the +mad Thirteenth!'</p> + +<p>"Soon after this incident my father +died. Bernard, who had been his +favourite, was as violent in his grief +as he had already shown himself to be +in every thing else. He wept and +screamed like a mad creature, tore his +hair, bit his hands till they bled, and +struck his head against the wall; raved +and flew at every body who came near +him, and was obliged to be shut up +when his father's coffin was carried out +of the house, or he would inevitably +have done himself or somebody else a +mischief.</p> + +<p>"My mother had an unmarried brother +in the town of Marienberg, a +wealthy man, and who was Bernard's +godfather. On learning my father's +death he came to Geyer, and invited +his sister and her children to go and +take up their abode with him. But +the worthy man little knew the plague +he was receiving into his house in the +person of his godson. Himself of a +mild, quiet disposition, he was greatly +scandalized by the wild pranks of his +nephew, and made vain attempts to +restrain him within some bounds; but +by so doing he became the aversion +of my brother, who showed his dislike +in every possible way. He gave him +nicknames, broke his china cups and +saucers, by which the old gentleman +set great store, splashed his white silk +stockings with mud as he went to +church, put the house clock an hour +forward or back, and tormented his +kind godfather in every way he could +devise.</p> + +<p>"Bernard had not forgotten his title +of the Thirteenth; but it was probable +he would soon have got tired of it, +for it was not his custom to adhere +long to any thing, had not my uncle, +who was a little superstitious, strictly +forbidden him to adopt it. This opposition +was all that was wanting to +make my brother bring forward the +unlucky number upon every possible +occasion. When any body mentioned +the number twelve before him, or +called any thing the twelfth, Bernard +would immediately cry out, 'And +I am the Thirteenth!'</p> + +<p>"No matter when it was, or before +whom; time, place, and persons were +to him alike indifferent. For instance, +one Sunday in church, when the +clergyman in the course of the service +said, 'Let us sing a portion of +such a psalm, beginning at the twelfth +verse,' Bernard immediately screamed +out, 'And I am the Thirteenth!'</p> + +<p>"This was a grievous scandal to my +uncle, and Bernard was called that +evening before a tribunal, composed +of his godfather, my mother, and the +old clergyman whom he had so gracelessly +interrupted, and who was also +teacher of Latin and theology at the +school to which Bernard and I went. +But all their reproaches and remonstrances +were lost upon my brother, +who had evidently much difficulty to +keep himself from laughing in their +faces. My mother wept, my uncle +paced the room in great perplexity, +and the worthy old dominie clasped +his hands together, and exclaimed, +'My child! I fear me, God's chastisement +will be needed to amend +you.' The event proved that he was +right.</p> + +<p>"It was on the Friday before Christmas-day, +and we were assembled in +school. The near approach of the holidays +had made the boys somewhat +turbulent, and the poor old dominie +had had much to suffer during the whole +day from their tricks and unruliness. +My brother, of course, had contributed +largely to the disorder, much +to the delight of his bosom friend +and companion, the only son of the +master. This boy, whose name was +Albert, was a blue-eyed, fair haired +lad, gentle as a girl. Bernard had +conceived a violent friendship for him, +and had taken him under his protection. +Albert's father, as may be supposed, +was little pleased at this intimacy, +but yet, out of consideration +for my uncle, he did not entirely forbid +it; and the more so as he perceived +that his son in no respect imitated his +wild playmate, but contented himself +with admiring him beyond all created +beings, and repaying with the warmest +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">[Pg 468]</a></span> +affection Bernard's watchful and jealous +guardianship.</p> + +<p>"On the afternoon in question, my +brother surpassed himself in wayward +conceits and mischievous tricks, to the +infinite delight of Albert, who rocked +with laughter at each new prank. +The good dominie, who was indulgence +itself, was instructing us in +Bible history, and had to interrupt +himself every moment to repress the +unruliness of his pupils, and especially +of Bernard.</p> + +<p>"It seemed pre-ordained that the lesson +should be an unlucky one. Every +thing concurred to make it so. Our +instructor had occasion to speak of +the twelve tribes of Israel, of the +twelve patriarchs, of the twelve gates +of the holy city. Each of these served +as a cue to my brother, who immediately +shouted out, 'And I am the +Thirteenth!' and each time Albert +threw himself back shrieking with +laughter, thus encouraging Bernard +to give full scope to his mad humour. +The poor dominie remonstrated, menaced, +supplicated, but all in vain. I +saw the blood rising into his pale face, +and at last his bald head, in spite of +the powder which sprinkled it, became +red all over. He contained himself, +however, and proceeded to the account +of the Lord's Supper. He began, +'And when the hour was come, he +sat down, and the twelve apostles with +him.'</p> + +<p>"'And I am the Thirteenth!' yelled +Bernard.</p> + +<p>"Scarcely were the words uttered, +when a Bible flew across the school, +the noise of a blow, and a cry of anguish +followed, and the old man fell +senseless to the ground. The heavy +Bible, the corners of which were +bound with silver, and that he had +hurled in a moment of uncontrollable +passion at my brother, had missed its +mark, and struck his own son on the +head. Albert lay bleeding on the +floor, while Bernard hung over him +like one beside himself, weeping, and +kissing his wounds.</p> + +<p>"The boys ran, one and all, out of +the school-room, shrieking for assistance. +Our cries soon brought the +servants to the spot, who, on learning +what had happened, hastened with us +back to the school, and lifted up the +old master, who was still lying on the +ground near his desk. He had been +struck with apoplexy, and survived +but a few hours. Albert was wounded +in two places, one of the sharp corners +of the Bible having cut open his forehead, +while another had injured his +left eye. After much suffering he +recovered, but the sight of the eye +was gone.</p> + +<p>"Bernard, however, had disappeared. +When we re-entered the school-room, +a window which looked into the playground +was open, and there were marks +of footsteps on the snow without. A +short distance further were traces of +blood, where the fugitive had apparently +washed his face and hands in +the snow. We have never seen him +since that day."</p> + +<p>The painter paused, and his friends +remained some moments silent, musing +on the tragical history they had +heard.</p> + +<p>"And do you know nothing whatever +of your brother's fate?" enquired +Raphael at last.</p> + +<p>"Next to nothing. My uncle +caused enquiries to be made in every +direction, but without success. Once +only a neighbour at Marienberg, who +had been travelling on the Bohemian +frontier, told us that he had met at a +village inn a wandering clarinet-player, +who bore so strong a resemblance +to my brother that he accosted him +by his name. The musician seemed +confused, and muttering some unintelligible +reply, left the house in haste. +What renders it probable that this +was Bernard is, that he had a great +natural talent for music, and at the +time he left home, had already attained +considerable proficiency on the +clarinet."</p> + +<p>"How old was your brother when +he so strangely disappeared?" asked +one of the party.</p> + +<p>"Fifteen, but he looked at least +two years older, for he was stout and +manly in person beyond his age."</p> + +<p>At this moment the rattling of +wheels, and sound of a postilion's +horn, was heard. The Halle mail +drove up to the door, the guard bawling +out for his passenger. The +young painter took a hasty leave of +his friends, and sprang into the vehicle, +which the next instant disappeared +in the darkness.</p> + +<p>There was an overplus of travellers +by the mail that night, and the carriage +in which Solling had got, was +not the mail itself, but a calèche, holding +four persons, which was used as a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_469" id="Page_469">[Pg 469]</a></span> +sort of supplement, and followed close +to the other carriage. Two of the +places were occupied by a Jew horse-dealer +and a sergeant of hussars, who +were engaged in an animated, and to +them most interesting conversation, +on the subject of horse-flesh, to which +the painter paid little attention; but +leaning back in his corner, remained +absorbed in the painful reflections +which the incidents he had been narrating +had called up in his mind. In +spite of his brother's eccentricities, he +was truly attached to him; and although +eight years had elapsed since +his disappearance, he had not yet +given up hopes of finding him, if still +alive. The enquiries that he and his +uncle had unceasingly made after their +lost relative, had put them, about three +years previous to this time, upon the +trace of a clarinet-player who had +been seen at Venice and Trieste, and +went by the name of Voltojo. This +might have been a name adopted by +Bernard, as being nearly the Italian +equivalent of Geyer, or hawk, the +name of his native town; and Solling +was not without a faint hope, that in +the course of his journey to Rome he +might obtain some tidings of his +brother.</p> + +<p>He was roused from his reverie by +the postilion shouting out to the guard +of the mail, which was just before +them on the road, to know when they +were to take up the passenger who +was to occupy the remaining seat in +the calèche.</p> + +<p>"Where will the Thirteenth meet +us?" asked the man.</p> + +<p>"At the inn at Schoneber," replied +the guard.</p> + +<p><em>The Thirteenth!</em> The word made +the painter's blood run cold. The +horse-dealer and the sergeant, who +had begun to doze in their respective +corners, were also disturbed by the +ill-omened sound.</p> + +<p>"The Thirteenth! The Thirteenth!" +muttered the Jew in his beard, still +half asleep. "God forbid! Let's have +no thirteenth!"</p> + +<p>A company of travelling comedians, +who occupied the mail, took up the +word. "The Thirteenth is coming," +said one.</p> + +<p>"Somebody will die," cried another.</p> + +<p>"Or we shall be upset and break +our necks," exclaimed a third.</p> + +<p>"No Thirteenth!" cried they all in +chorus. "Drive on! drive on! he +sha'n't get in!"</p> + +<p>This was addressed to the postilion, +who just then pulled up at the door of +a village inn, and giving a blast with +his horn, shouted loudly for his remaining +passenger to appear.</p> + +<p>The door of the public-house opened, +and a tall figure, with a small knap-sack +on his shoulder and a knotty +stick in his hand, stepped out and approached +the mail. But when he +heard the cries of the comedians, who +were still protesting against the admission +of a Thirteenth traveller, he +started suddenly back, swinging his +cudgel in the air.</p> + +<p>"To the devil with you all, vagabonds +that ye are!" vociferated he. +"Drive on, postilion, with your cage +of monkeys. I shall walk."</p> + +<p>At the sound of the stranger's +voice, Solling sprang up in the carriage +and seized the handle of the +door. But as he did so, a strong arm +grasped him by the collar, and pulled +him back into his seat. At the same +moment the carriage drove on.</p> + +<p>"The man is drunk," said the sergeant, +who had misinterpreted his fellow-passenger's +intentions. "It is +not worth while dirtying your hands, +and perhaps getting an ugly blow, in +a scuffle with such a fellow."</p> + +<p>"Stop, postilion, stop!" shouted +Solling. But the postilion either did +not or would not hear, and some time +elapsed before the painter could persuade +his well-meaning companion of +his peaceable intentions. At length +he did so, and the carriage, which had +meanwhile been going at full speed, +was stopped.</p> + +<p>"You will leave my luggage at the +first post-house," said Solling, jumping +out and beginning to retrace his +steps to the village, which they had +now left some distance behind them.</p> + +<p>The night was pitch-dark, so dark +that the painter was compelled to feel +his way, and guide himself by the line +of trees that bordered the road. He +reached the village without meeting a +living creature, and strode down the +narrow street amid the baying of the +dogs, disturbed by his footfall at that +silent hour of the night. The inn +door was shut, but there was a light +glimmering in one of the casements. +He knocked several times without any +body answering. At length a woman's +head was put out of an upper window.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_470" id="Page_470">[Pg 470]</a></span> +"Go your ways," cried a shrill +voice, "and don't come disturbing honest +folk at this time o' night. Do +you think we have nought to do but +to open the door for such raff as you? +Be off with you, you vagabond, and +blow your clarinet elsewhere."</p> + +<p>"You are mistaken, madam," said +Solling; "I am no vagabond, but a +passenger by the Halle mail, and"—</p> + +<p>"What brings you here, then?" +interrupted the virago; "the Halle +mail is far enough off by this."</p> + +<p>"My good madam," replied the +painter in his softest tone, "for God's +sake tell me who and where is the +person who was waiting for the mail +at your hotel."</p> + +<p>"Ha! ha!" laughed the hostess, +considerably mollified by the <em>madam</em> +and the <em>hotel</em>. "The mad Italian +musician, the clarinet fellow? Why, I +took you for him at first, and wondered +what brought him back, for he +started as soon as the mail left the +door. He'd have done better to have +got into it, with a dark night and a +long road before him. Ha! ha! He's +mad, to be sure."</p> + +<p>"His name! His name!" cried +Solling, impatiently.</p> + +<p>"His name? How can I recollect +his outlandish name? Fol—Vol——"</p> + +<p>"Voltojo!" cried the painter.</p> + +<p>"Voltojo! yes, that's it. Ha! ha! +What a name!"</p> + +<p>"It is he!" cried Solling, and without +another word dashed off full speed +along the road he had just come. He +kept in the middle of the causeway, +straining his eyes to see into the darkness +on either side of him, and wondering +how it was he had not met +the object of his search as he came to +the village. He ran on, occasionally +taking trees and fingerposts for men, +and cursing his ill luck when he saw +his mistake. The sweat poured down +his face in streams, and his knees began +to knock together with fatigue. +Suddenly he struck his foot against a +stone lying in the road, and fell, cutting +his forehead severely upon some pebbles. +The sharp pain drew a cry +from him, and a man who had been +lying on the grass at the roadside, +sprang up and hastened to +his assistance. At that moment a +flash of summer lightning lit up the +road.</p> + +<p>"Bernard! Bernard!" cried the +painter, throwing his arms round +the stranger's neck. It was his +brother.</p> + +<p>Bernard started back with a cry of +horror.</p> + +<p>"Albert!" he exclaimed in a hollow +voice, "Cannot your spirit rest? +Do you rise from the grave to persecute +me?"</p> + +<p>"In God's name, my dear brother, +what mean you? I am Carl—Carl, +your twin brother."</p> + +<p>"Carl? No! Albert! I see that horrid +wound on your brow. It still bleeds!"</p> + +<p>The painter grasped his brother's +hand.</p> + +<p>"I am flesh and blood," said he, +"and no spirit. Albert still lives."</p> + +<p>"He lives!" exclaimed Bernard, +and clasped his brother in his arms.</p> + +<p>Explanations followed, and the +brothers took the road to Berlin. +When the painter had replied to Bernard's +questions concerning their family, +he in his turn begged his brother +to relate his adventures since +they parted, and above all to give his +reasons for remaining so long severed +from his friends and home.</p> + +<p>"Although I fully believed Albert +killed by the blow he received," replied +Bernard, "it was no fear of +punishment for my indirect share in +his death, that induced me to fly. +But when I saw the father senseless +on the ground, and the son expiring +before my eyes, I felt as if I was accursed, +as if the brand of Cain were +on my brow, and that it was my fate +to roam through the world an isolated +and wretched being. When you all +ran out of the school to fetch assistance, +it seemed to me as though each +chair and bench and table in the room +received the power of speech, and +yelled and bellowed in my ears the +fatal number which has been the +cause of all my misfortunes—'Thirteen! +Thirteen! Thou art the Thirteenth, +the Accursed One!'</p> + +<p>"I fled, and since that day no rest +or peace has been mine. Like my +shadow has this unholy number +clung to me. Wherever I went, in +all the many lands I have wandered +through, I carried with me the +curse of my birth. At every turn it +met me, aggravating my numerous +hardships, embittering my rare moments +of joy. If I entered a room +where a cheerful party was assembled, +all rose and shrunk from me as from +one plague-tainted. They were twelve—I +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_471" id="Page_471">[Pg 471]</a></span> +was the Thirteenth. If I sat down +at a dinner-table, my neighbour left +his chair, and the others would say, +'He fears to sit by you. You are +the Thirteenth.' If I slept at an inn—there +were sure to be twelve persons +sleeping there; my bed was the +Thirteenth, or my room would be number +Thirteen, and I was told that the +former landlord had shot or hung +himself in it.</p> + +<p>"At length I left Germany, in the +vain hope that the spell would not +extend beyond the land of my birth. +I took ship at Trieste for Venice. +Scarcely were we out of port when a +violent storm arose, and we were +driven rapidly towards a rocky and +dangerous coast. The steersman +counted the seamen and passengers, and +crossed himself. We were <em>thirteen</em>.</p> + +<p>"Lots were drawn who should be +sacrificed for the salvation of the +others. I drew number thirteen, and +they put me ashore on a barren rock, +where I passed a day and night half +dead with cold and drenched with sea +water. At length an Illyrian fisherman +espied me, and took me off in his boat.</p> + +<p>"It is unnecessary to relate to you in +detail my wanderings during the last +eight years, or if I do, it shall be at +some future time. My clarinet enables +me to live in the humble manner +I have always done. You remember, +probably, that I had some +skill in it, which I have since much +improved. When travelling, my +music was generally taken as payment +for my bed and supper at the +petty hostelries at which I put up; +and when I came to a large town, I +remained a few days, and usually +gained more than my expenses.</p> + +<p>"About a year since, I made some +stay at Copenhagen, and at last, getting +wearied of that city, I put myself +on board a ship, without enquiring +whither it was bound. It took me to +Stralsund.</p> + +<p>"The day of my arrival, there was a +shooting-match in the suburb beyond +the Knieper, and I hastened thither +with my clarinet. It was a sort of +fair, and I wandered from one booth +to the other, playing the joyous mountain +melodies which I had not once +played since my departure from Marienberg. +God knows what brought +them into my head again; but it did +my heart good to play them, and a +feeling came over me, that I should +like once more to have a home, and +to leave the weary rambling life I had +so long led.</p> + +<p>"I had great success that day, and +the people thronged to hear the wandering +Italian musician. Many were +the jugs of beer and glasses of wine +offered to me, and my plate was soon +full of shillings. As I left off playing, +an old greyheaded man pressed +through the crowd, and gazed earnestly +at me. His eyes filled with +tears, and he was evidently much +moved.</p> + +<p>"'What a likeness!' he exclaimed. +'He is the very picture of my Amadeus. +I could fancy he had risen out +of the sea. The same features, the +sane voice and manner.'</p> + +<p>"He came up to me and took my +hand. 'If you do not fear a high +staircase,' said he with a kindly smile, +'come and visit me. I live on the +tower of St Nicholas's Church. Your +clarinet will sound well in the free +fresh air, and you will find those there +who will gladly listen.' So saying, +he left me.</p> + +<p>"The old man's name was Elias +Kranhelm, better known in Stralsund +as the old Swede; he was the town +musician, and had the care of the +bells of St Nicholas. The next day +was Sunday, and I hastened to visit +him. His kind manner had touched +me, unaccustomed as I was to kindness +or sympathy from the strangers +amongst whom I always lived. When +I was halfway up the stairs leading +to the tower, the organ began to play +below me, and I recognised a psalm +tune which we used often to sing for +our old schoolmaster at Marienberg. +I stopped a moment to listen, and +thoughts of rest and home again came +over me.</p> + +<p>"I was met at the tower door by +old Kranhelm, in his Sunday suit +of black; large silver buckles at his +knees and shoes, and a round black +velvet cap over his long white hair. +His clear grey eyes smiled so kindly +upon me, his voice was so mild, and +his greeting so cordial, that I thought +I had never seen a more pleasing +old man. He welcomed me as though +I had been an old friend, and without +further preface, asked me if I +should like to become his substitute, +and perform the duties for which +his great age had begun to unfit him. +His only son, on whom he had reckoned +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_472" id="Page_472">[Pg 472]</a></span> +to take his place, had left him +some time previously, to become a +sailor on board a Norwegian ship, +and had been drowned in his very +first voyage. It was my extraordinary +likeness to this son that had made +him notice me; and the good, simple-hearted +old man seemed to think that +resemblance a sufficient guarantee +against any risk in admitting a perfect +stranger into his house and intimacy.</p> + +<p>"'My post is a profitable one,' said +he; 'and, in consideration of my long +services, the worshipful burgomaster +has given me leave to seek an assistant, +now that I am getting too old for +my office. Consider then, my son, +if the offer suits you. You please me, +and I mean you well. But here comes +my Elizabeth, who will soon learn to +like you if you are a good lad.'</p> + +<p>"As he spoke, a young girl entered +the room, with a psalm-book in her +hand, and attired in an old-fashioned +dress, which was not able, however, +to conceal the elegance of her figure, +and the charms of her blooming countenance.</p> + +<p>"'How think you, Elizabeth?' said +her father. 'Is he not as like our +poor Amadeus as one egg is to another?'</p> + +<p>"'I do not see the likeness, my dear +father,' replied Elizabeth, looking +timidly at me, and then casting down +her eyes, and blushing.</p> + +<p>"I accepted the old man's offer with +joy, and took up my dwelling in the +other turret of the church tower. My +occupation was to keep the clock +wound up, to play the evening hymn +on the balcony of the tower, and to +strike the hours upon the great bell +with a heavy hammer.</p> + +<p>"I soon felt the good effect of repose, +and of the happy, tranquil life I now +led; my spirits improved, and I began +to forget the curse which hung +over me—to forget, in short, that I +was the unlucky Thirteenth. Old +Kranhelm's liking for me increased +rapidly, and, in less than three months, +I was Elizabeth's accepted lover. +Time flew on; the wedding-day was +fixed, and the bridal-chamber prepared.</p> + +<p>"It was on Friday evening, exactly +eight days ago, that I went out with +Elizabeth, and walked down to the +port to look at a large Swedish ship +that had just arrived. The passengers +were landing, and one amongst +them immediately attracted our attention.</p> + +<p>"This was a tall, lean, raw-boned +woman, apparently about forty years +of age, who held in her hand a long, +smooth staff, which she waved about +her, nodding her head, and muttering, +as she went, in some strange, unintelligible +dialect. Her dress consisted +of a huge black fur cloak, and a cape +of the same colour fringed with red. +Her whole manner and appearance +were so strange, that a crowd assembled +round her as soon as she set foot +on shore.</p> + +<p>"'Hallo! comrade,' cried one of +the sailors of the vessel that had +brought her, to a boatman who was +passing. 'Hallo! comrade, do you +want a job? Here's a witch to take +to Hiddensee.'</p> + +<p>"We asked the sailor what he meant; +and he told us that this strange woman +was a Lapland witch, who every +year, in the dog-days, made a journey +to the island of Hiddensee, to gather +an herb which only grew there, and +was essential in her incantations.</p> + +<p>"Meantime, the witch was calling +for a boat, but no one understood her +language, or else they did not choose +to come. My unfortunate propensity +to all that is supernatural or fantastic +impelled me, with irresistible force, towards +her. In vain Elizabeth held +me back. I pushed my way through +the crowd, until we found ourselves +close to the Lapland woman, who +measured us from head to foot with +her bright and glittering eyes. Slipping +a florin into her hand, I gave her +to understand, as well as I could, that +we wished to have our fortunes told. +She took my hand, and, after examining +it, made a sign that she either +could or would tell me nothing. She +then took the hand of Elizabeth, who +hung upon my arm, trembling like an +aspen leaf, and gazing intently upon +it, muttered a few words in broken +Swedish. I did not understand them, +but Elizabeth did, and, starting back, +drew me hastily out of the crowd.</p> + +<p>"'What did she say?' enquired I, +as soon as we were clear of the +throng.</p> + +<p>"Elizabeth seemed much agitated, +and had evidently to make a strong +effort before she could reply.</p> + +<p>"'Nothing,' answered she, at last; +'nothing, at least, worth repeating. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_473" id="Page_473">[Pg 473]</a></span> +And yet 'tis strange; it tallies exactly +with a prediction made to my mother +when I was an infant, that I should +one day be in peril from the number +Thirteen. This strange woman cautioned +me against the same number, +and bade me beware of you, for that +you were the Thirteenth!'</p> + +<p>"Had the earth opened under my feet, +or the lightning from heaven fallen on +my head, I could not have felt a greater +shock than was communicated to +me by these words. I know not what +I said in reply, or how I got home. +Elizabeth, doubtless, observed my +agitation, but she made no remark +on it. I felt her arm tremble upon +mine as we walked along, and by a +furtive glance at her face saw that she +was pale as death. Not a word passed +between us during our walk back to +the tower, on reaching which she +shut herself up in her room. I pleaded +a severe headach and wish to lie +down; and, begging the old man to +strike the hours for me, retired to my +chamber.</p> + +<p>"It would be impossible to give an +idea of the agony of mind I suffered +during that evening. I thought at +times I was going mad, and there were +moments when I felt disposed to put +an end to my existence by a leap from +the tower window. Again, then, this +curse that hung over me was in full +force. Again had that fatal number +raised itself before me like an iron +wall, interposed between me and all +earthly happiness. Wearied out at +length by the storm within me, I fell +asleep.</p> + +<p>"As may be supposed, I was followed +in my troubled slumbers by the recollection +of my misery. Each hour +that struck awoke me out of the most +hideous dreams to a scarce less hideous +reality. When midnight came, +and the hammer clanged upon the +great bell, a strange fancy took possession +of my mind that it would this +night strike Thirteen, and that at the +thirteenth stroke the clock, the tower, +the city, and the whole world, would +crumble into atoms. Again I fell +asleep and dreamt. I thought that +my head was changed into a mighty +bronze bell, and that I hung in the +tower and heard the clock beside me +strike Thirteen. Then came the old +schoolmaster, who yet, at the same +time, had the features of Elizabeth's +father; and, as he drew near me, I +saw that the hammer he held in his +hand was no hammer, but a large silver-bound +Bible. In my despair I +made frightful efforts to cry out and +to tell him that I was no bell, but a +man, and that he should not strike me; +but my voice refused its service and +my tongue clove to my palate. The +greyhaired old man came up to me, +and struck thirteen times on my forehead, +till my brains gushed out at my +eyes.</p> + +<p>"By daybreak the next morning I +was two leagues from Stralsund, having +left a few hurried ill-written lines +in my room, pleading I know not what +urgent family affairs, and a dislike to +leave-taking, as excuses for my sudden +departure. Over field and meadow, +through rivers and forests, on I went, +as though hell were at my heels, flying +from my destiny. But the further +I got from Stralsund the more +did I regret all I left there—my beautiful +and affectionate mistress, her +kind-hearted father, the peaceful happy +life I led on the top of the old +tower. The vow I had made to fly +from the haunts of men, and seek in +some desert the repose which my evil +fate denied me among my fellows, that +vow became daily more difficult to +keep. And yet I went on, dreading +to depart from my determination, lest +I should encounter some of those bitter +deceptions and cruel disappointments +that had hitherto been my lot +in life. Shame, too, at the manner in +which I had left the tower, withheld +me, or else I think I should already be +on my road back to Stralsund. But +now I have met you, brother, and that +my mind is relieved by the knowledge +that I have not, even indirectly, Albert's +death to reproach myself with, +I must hasten to my Elizabeth to relieve +her anxiety, and dry the tears +which I am well assured each moment +of my absence causes her to shed. Come +with me, dearest Carl, and you shall +see her, my beautiful Elizabeth, and +her good old father, and the tower +and the bell. Ho! the bell, the jolly +old bell!"</p> + +<p>The painter looked kindly but +anxiously in his brother's face. There +was a mildness in his manner that +startled him, accustomed as he had +been to his eccentricities when a boy.</p> + +<p>"You are tired, brother," said he. +"You need repose after the emotions +and fatigues of the last week. I, too, +shall not be sorry to sleep. Let us to +bed for a few hours, and then we will +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_474" id="Page_474">[Pg 474]</a></span> +have post-horses and be off to Stralsund."</p> + +<p>"I have no need of rest," replied +Bernard, "and each moment seems +to me an eternity till I can again +clasp my Elizabeth to my heart. +Let us delay, then, as little as may +be."</p> + +<p>As he spoke they entered the gates +of Berlin. The sun was risen, and +the hotels and taverns were beginning +to open their doors. Seeing Bernard's +anxiety to depart, the painter +abandoned his intention of taking +some repose, and after hasty breakfast, +a post-chaise was brought to the +door, and the brothers stepping in, +were whirled off on their road northwards.</p> + +<p>The sun was about to set when +the travellers came in sight of the +spires of Stralsund, among which the +church of St Nicholas reared its +double-headed tower. Bernard had +enlivened the journey by his wild sallies, +and merry but extravagant humour. +Now, however, that the goal +was almost reached, he became silent +and anxious. The hours appeared to +go too slowly for him, and his restlessness +was extreme.</p> + +<p>"Faster! postilion," cried Carl, +observing his brother's impatience. +"Faster! You shall be paid double."</p> + +<p>The man flogged his horses till +they flew rather than galloped over +the broad level road. Suddenly, +however, a strap broke, and the postilion +got off his seat to tie it up. +Through the stillness of the evening, +no longer broken by the rattle of the +wheels and clatter of the horses' feet, +a clock was heard striking the hour. +Another repeated it, and a third, of +deeper tone than the two preceding +ones, took up the chime. Bernard +started to his feet, and leaned so far +out of the carriage that his brother +seized hold of him, expecting him to +lose his balance and fall out.</p> + +<p>"It is she!" exclaimed Bernard. +"'Tis the bell of St Nicholas. Listen, +Carl—my Elizabeth calls me. +She strikes the bell. I come, dearest, +I come!"</p> + +<p>And with these words he sprang +out of the carriage, and set off at full +speed towards the town, leaving his +brother thunderstruck at his mad impatience +and vehemence.</p> + +<p>Running at the top of his speed, +Bernard soon reached the city gate, +and proceeded rapidly through the +streets in the direction of St Nicholas's +church. It seemed to him as though +he had been absent for years instead +of a few days, and he felt quite surprised +at finding no change in the city +since his departure. All was as he +had left it; all conspired to lull him +into security. An old fruitwoman, of +whom he had bought cherries the +very day of his last walk with Elizabeth, +was in her usual place, and, as +he passed, extolled the beauty of her +fruit, and asked him to buy. A large +rose-tree, at the door of a silversmith's +shop, which Elizabeth had often admired, +was still in full bloom; through +the window of a house in the market-place, +he saw a young girl, Elizabeth's +dearest friend, dressing her hair at a +looking-glass, and as he passed the +churchyard, the old dumb sexton, who +appeared to be hunting about for a +place for a grave, nodded his head in +mute recognition.</p> + +<p>Bernard opened the tower door, and +darted up the staircase. He was not +far from the top when he heard the +voices of two men above him. They +were resting on one of the landing-places +of the ladderlike stairs.</p> + +<p>"It is a singular case, doctor," said +one; "a strange and incomprehensible +case. It is evidently a disease +more of the mind than the body."</p> + +<p>"Yes," replied the other, by his +voice apparently an old man. "If +we could only get a clue to the cause, +any thing to go upon, something might +be done, but at present it is a perfect +riddle."</p> + +<p>Bernard heard no more, for the men +continued their ascent.</p> + +<p>"The old father must be ill," said +he to himself; but as he said it a feeling +of dread and anxiety, a presentiment +of evil, came over him, and he +stood for a few moments unable to +proceed. The door at the top of +the stairs was now opened, and shut +with evident care to avoid noise. +"The old man must be very ill," +said Bernard, as if trying to persuade +himself of it. He reached the door, +and his hand shook as he laid it upon +the latch. At length he lifted it, and +entered the room. It was empty; +but, just then, the door of Elizabeth's +chamber opened, and old Kranhelm +stepped out. On beholding Bernard, +he started back as though he had seen +a ghost. He said a word or two in a +low voice to somebody in the inner +room, and then shutting the door, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_475" id="Page_475">[Pg 475]</a></span> +bolted it, and placed his back against +it, as if to prevent Bernard from going +in.</p> + +<p>"Begone!" cried he in a tremulous +voice; "in the name of God, +begone! thou evil spirit of my house;" +and he stretched out his arms towards +Bernard as though to prohibit his approach. +No longer master of himself, +the young man sprang towards him, +and, grasping his arm, thundered in +his ear the question—</p> + +<p>"Where is my Elizabeth?"</p> + +<p>The words rang through the old +tower, and the confused murmuring +of voices in the inner room was heard. +Bernard listened, and thought he distinguished +the voice of Elizabeth repeating, +in tones of agony, the fatal +number.</p> + +<p>One of the physicians knocked, and +begged to be let out. The old tower-keeper +opened the door cautiously, +and, when the doctor had passed +through, carefully shut and barred it. +But during the moment that it had +remained open, Bernard heard too +plainly what his ears had at first been +unwilling to believe.</p> + +<p>"Is that the man?" demanded the +physician hastily. "In God's name, +be silent. You will kill the patient. +She recognized your voice, and fell +immediately into the most fearful +paroxysm. She has got back again +to the infernal number with which her +delirium began, and she shrieks it out +perpetually. It is a frightful relapse. +Begone! young man; yet stay—I +will go with you. You can, doubtless, +give us a key to this mystery."</p> + +<p>The old physician took Bernard's +arm to lead him away; but at that +very moment there was a shrill scream +from the next room, and Elizabeth's +voice was heard calling upon Bernard +by name. The unfortunate young man +could not restrain himself. Shaking +off the grasp of the physician, he +pushed old Kranhelm aside, tore back +the bolts, and flung open the door. +There lay Elizabeth on her deathbed, +her arms stretched out towards him, +her mild countenance ashy pale and +frightfully distorted, her soft blue eyes +straining from their orbits. She made +a violent effort to speak, but death +was too near at hand; the sound died +away upon her lips, and her uplifted +arms dropped powerless upon the bed; +her head fell back—a convulsive shudder +came over her: she was dead. +Her unhappy lover fell senseless to +the ground.</p> + +<p>When Bernard awoke out of a long +and deathlike swoon, it was night, and +all around him was still and dark. He +was lying on the stone floor outside +Kranhelm's dwelling. The physicians +had removed him thither; and, being +occupied with the old tower-keeper +and his daughter, they had thought no +more about him. On first recovering +sensation, he had but an indistinct +idea of where he was, or what had +happened. By degrees his senses returned +to a certain extent—he knew +that something horrible had occurred, +but without remembering exactly what +it was.</p> + +<p>He felt about him, and touched a +railing. It was the balustrade round +the open turret where hung the great +bell. He was lying under the bell +itself, and, as he gazed up into its brazen +throat, the recollection of the +frightful dream which had persecuted +him the night before his flight from +Stralsund came vividly to his mind; +he appeared to himself to be still dreaming, +and yet his visions were mixed +up with the realities of his everyday +occupations.</p> + +<p>He had just stepped out, he thought, +to strike the hour on the bell, and +rising with some difficulty from the +hard couch which had stiffened his +limbs, he sought about for the hammer. +He made no effort to shake off the sort +of dreaming semi-consciousness which +seemed to prevent him from feeling +the horror and anguish of reality.</p> + +<p>"Thirteen strokes," thought he; +"thirteen strokes, and at the Thirteenth +the tower will fall, the city crumble +to dust, the world be at an end." +Such had been his dream, and the +moment of its accomplishment was +come.</p> + +<p>He found the hammer, and struck +with all his force upon the bell. He +repeated the blow; twelve times he +struck, and each stroke rang with +deafening violence through his brain; +but at the Thirteenth, as he raised his +arms high above his head, and leaning +back against the railing, threw his +whole strength and energy into the +blow, the frail balustrade gave way +under his weight, and he fell headlong +from the tower. The last stroke tolled +out, sad and hollow as a funereal +knell, and the sound mingled with the +death-cry of the luckless Thirteenth!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_476" id="Page_476">[Pg 476]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="REMINISCENCES_OF_SYRIA" id="REMINISCENCES_OF_SYRIA"></a>REMINISCENCES OF SYRIA.<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a></h2> + + +<p>Galloping, gossiping, flirting and +fighting, feasting and starving, but +always in high spirits and the best +possible humour, Colonel Napier +might answer an advertisement for +"A Pleasant Companion in a Post-chaise," +without the slightest chance +of rejection. But it is difficult to +imagine so dashing a traveller, boxed +up in a civilized conveyance, rolling +quietly along a macadamized road, +with a diversity of milestones and an +occasional turnpike gate, the only incidents +by the way—no wild Maronite +glimpsing at him over the hedge; no +black-eyed houri peeping over the balustrades +of the caravanserai, (called +by vulgar men the Bricklayers' Arms)—no +Saïces to help John Hostler to +change horses; but dulness, uniformity, +and most tiresome and unromantic +safety. England, we are sorry to +confess it, is not the land of stirring +adventures or hair-breadth 'scapes—a +railway coach occasionally blows up; +a blind leader occasionally bolts into a +ditch; a wheel comes occasionally into +dangerous collision with one of +Pickford's vans; but these are the utmost +that can be hoped for in the way +of peril, and other excitement there is +positively none. We have treated +life as the mathematician did Paradise +Lost—we have struck out all its +similes—obliterated its flights—expunged +its glorious visions—we have +made it prose. But fortunately for +us—for Colonel Napier—for the reading +public—there is a land where mathematicians +are unknown, and where +poetry continues to flourish in the full +vigour of cimeters and turbans—the +region of the sun—</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The first of Eastern lands he shines upon."<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>It was in this very beautiful, but +rather overdone portion of earth's surface, +that the adventures occurred of +which we are now to give some account; +and as probably most of our +readers have heard the name of Syria +pretty often of late, we need not display +much geographical erudition in +pointing out where it lies. It would +be pleasant to us if we could atone for +brevity in this respect, by illuminating +the reader on the causes that have +brought Syria so prominently forward; +but on this point we confess, with +shame and confusion of face, that we +know no more than Lord Ponsonby +or M. Thiers. The truth seems to be, +that some time, about two or three +years ago, five or six people in influential +stations went mad, and our Secretary +for Foreign Affairs took the +infection. He showed his teeth and +raised his "birse," and barked in a +most audacious manner, till the French +kennel answered the challenge; an +old dog in Egypt cocked his tail at +the same time, and the world began to +be afraid that hydrophobia would be +universal. All parties were delighted +to let the rival yelpers fight it out on +so distant a field as Syria; and in that +country of heat and dryness, of poverty, +anarchy, cruelty, and superstition, +there was a skrimmage that kept +all Christendom on the tenter-hooks +for half-a-year; and this we believe +to be the policy of the Syrian campaign. +Better for all parties concerned, +that a few thousand turbaned +and malignant Turks or Egyptians +should bite the dust, than that there +should be another Austerlitz or Waterloo. +So the signal was accordingly +given, and the work began.</p> + +<p>Wherever there is any fighting it is +not to be doubted that the English +hurra will be heard—and an apparition +had been seen in the smoke of +battle, which had sorely puzzled the +wisest of the soothsayers of Egypt to +explain. It was of a being apparently +human, but dressed as if to represent +Mars and Neptune at the same time, +charging along the tops of houses, +with the jolly cocked-hat of a captain +of a British man-of-war on the point +of his sword, and a variety of exclamations +in his mouth, more complimentary +to the enemy's speed than his +courage. The muftis, we have said, +were sorely puzzled, and at last set it +down as an infallible truth that he +must be none other than Old Harry, +whereas there was not a sailor in the +fleet that did not know that it was +none other than Old Charley. And +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_477" id="Page_477">[Pg 477]</a></span> +this identical Old Charley, in a style +of communication almost as rapid as +his military evolutions, had indited the +following epistle to the author of the +volumes before us:—</p> + +<p class="address"> +"Headquarters of the Army of Lebanon.—Djouni, +Sept. 1840.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My dear Edward—I have hoisted my +broad pendant on Mount Lebanon, and +mean to advance against the Egyptians with +a considerable force under my command; +you may be of use here; therefore go to +Sir John M'Donald, and ask him to get +leave for you to join me without delay.</p></div> + +<p class="sig"> +"Your affectionate father,<br /> +<span class="smcap">Charles Napier</span>."<br /></p> + +<p>And the dutiful son, who seems to +have no inconsiderable portion of the +paternal penchant for broken heads +and other similar divertisements, in +three weeks from the receipt of the +letter found himself on board the Hydra, +and rapidly approaching the classic +shores of Sidon, Tyre, Ptolemais; +the scenes of scriptural records and +deeds of chivalry—Palestine—the Holy +Land. But the broad pendant in +the mean time had been pulled down +on Mount Lebanon, and once more +fluttered to the sea breezes on board +the Powerful. Sir Charles Smith had +assumed the command of the land +forces, and whether from ill-humour +at finding half the work done during +his absence by the amphibious commodore, +or from some other cause, +his reception of the author was, at +first, far from cordial. Instead of +being useful, as he had hoped, he +found the sturdy old general blind to +the value of his accession; and when +the Powerful sailed he found himself +without quarters appointed him, or +even an invitation to join the officers' +mess. But with the usual good-luck +of people who bear disappointments +well, all turned out for the best, as +will be seen by the following extract:</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"I had, on board the Powerful, a few +days before, formed the acquaintance of a +young Syrian of the name of Assaade el +Khyat, who, brought up at one of our universities, +was at heart a true Englishman, +spoke fluently our own and several other +European and Eastern languages, and +whom I found, on the whole, a sensible, +well-informed young man, and a most +agreeable companion. As I was sitting +alone, after a solitary dinner, (in the miserable +hotel at Beyrout,) musing in a +brown study over a bottle of red Cyprus +wine, my new acquaintance was ushered +into the apartment; I made no secret to +him of my extremely uncomfortable position, +when he, with great kindness and +liberality, overcoming the usual prejudices +of his country, offered me an asylum in his +own family, which offer I most gladly accepted, +and was accordingly the next +morning comfortably installed in my new +quarters, whereof I will endeavour to give +the reader a slight description.</p> + +<p>"The house of which I had just so +unexpectedly become an inmate, was situated +in one of the most retired and out +of the way parts of the town, (and it was +not before considerable time had elapsed, +and then with difficulty, that I became +acquainted with the labyrinth of narrow +lanes, alleys, and dark passages which it +was requisite to thread in order to arrive +at this desired haven,) the property of a +young man of the name of Giorgio Habbit +Jummal—brother-in-law of my friend +Assaade, to whom one of his sisters was +married, and whom, as he spoke Italian +with fluency and ease, I at once engaged +as my dragoman or interpreter.</p> + +<p>"By a strange coincidence, I, under the +roof of Giorgio, for the first time became +acquainted with Mr Hunter, the author +of the <i>Expedition to Syria</i>, who, placed +in similar circumstances with myself, was +likewise an inmate of the same house, +and of whom, as we were subsequently +much known together during our residence +in this country, I shall after have +occasion to mention: at present I will +take the liberty of borrowing from his +amusing narrative the following account +of the inmates of our new domicile. +'We lived in the house of a respectable +Syrian family, that of Habbit Jummal, +or interpreted, the esteemed camel-driver. +Our landlord, Giorgius, the head +of this family, was a young man hardly +out of his teens; and having some competency, +and being moreover <i>un beau +garçon</i>, did not follow either his ancestral, +or any other avocation. The harem, or +woman's portion of the house, was composed +of his mother, a fair widow of +forty, and her two daughters, both Eastern +beauties of their kind, Sarah and Nasarah +(meaning Victory or Victoria;) the first, +a laughing black eyed houri, with mischief +in every dimple in her pretty face; +the other, a more portly damsel, of a +melancholy but not less pleasing expression. +There were besides these, three +younger children with equally poetic +names, (Nassif, Iskunder, and Furkha,) +and included in the <i>coterie</i> was a good-humoured +negress, the general handmaid, +whose original cognomen of Saade, was +lost in the apposite soubriquet of Snowball.'—Although +the greater part of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_478" id="Page_478">[Pg 478]</a></span> +inhabitants of Beyrout are Christians, generally +speaking, of the Greek Church, to +which persuasion likewise belonged the +family of our host Giorgio; still in this +land of bigotry and oppression—to such +an extent is carried suspicion and jealousy, +and so far have Mahommedan prejudices +in this respect been adopted, that all the +women (those of the peasantry alone excepted) +lead nearly as secluded a life as +the Osmanli ladies of Constantinople or +Smyrna. On venturing abroad, which +they seldom do, unless when the knessi +or humaum (church or bath) are the +limits of their excursions, they are so +closely shrouded in the izar, or long white +garment, which, coming over the head and +hiding the face, falls in numerous folds +to the ground, as to be scarcely recognizable +by their nearest friends or relations. +To allow, therefore, two unknown and +friendless strangers to become familiar inmates +of an Eastern family, exposing +wives, daughters, and sisters, to their unhallowed +gaze, was a favour and mark of +confidence on the part of Assaade which +we duly appreciated, nor ever abused; it +was, however, a privilege to which no +other stranger in the place was admitted, +and affording, as it did, such opportunities +of acquiring the Arabic language, I +eagerly embraced it without any feeling of +regret at the inhospitality to which I was +originally indebted for my admission behind +the scenes of Oriental life.</p> + +<p>"The bare, gloomy, and massive stone +walls of the exterior of our habitation +had not prepared us for the comforts we +found inside; and as for the first time we +followed Giorgio and his brother-in-law +up the rude and narrow stone staircase, +which appeared to be scarped out of the +very thickness of the wall—an open sesame +from the former causing a strong +iron studded door to fly back on its hinges, +disclosed a handsome patis or court paved +with black and white marble, along the +sides of which were luxuriantly growing, +and imparting a cooling freshness to the +scene, the perfumed orange-tree, bearing +at the same time both fruit and blossoms, +and flanked by green myrtles and flowering +geraniums; whilst an apartment opening +on this garden terrace, and which +appeared from the carpets and cushions +scattered around the still smoking narghilis, +(or water-pipe, in which is smoked +the tumbic or Persian tobacco,) and other +sundry traces of female industry, to be appropriated +as the common sitting-room of +the family, was on our entrance precipitately +deserted by all its occupants, save +one fine-looking matronly lady, whom +Giorgio introduced as his mother; and +while she was welcoming us with many +'Fāddālls,' and politely repeating, <i>Anna +mugsond shoufuk</i>, (be seated, I am delighted +to see you,) with innumerable other euphonious +phrases, as we afterwards found +high-flown Eastern compliments, but which +at the time were sadly wasted on our +Frankish ignorance, he, following the fair +fugitives, soon brought back in each hand +the blushing deserters, who have already +been introduced to the reader as Mesdemoiselles +Sarah and Nasarah. Pipes, +narghilis, sherbet, and coffee followed in +quick succession; the young negress, +Saade, acting as Hebe on the occasion; +and the ladies, at first timid as gazelles of +the desert, soon, like those pretty creatures +when reclaimed from the wilderness, +became quite domesticated, acquired confidence, +and freely joined in the conversation, +which was with volubility carried +on through the medium of Giorgio and +Assaade; and ere an hour had elapsed, +we were all on the friendly and easy footing +of old acquaintances; when, taking +leave for the time, we hastened to make +the necessary arrangements for the conveyance +of our goods and chattels to the +capital billets we had had the good fortune +to stumble on."</p></div> + +<p>The colonel made good use of his +opportunity, and, by a diligent perusal +of Miss Sarah's eyes, and an attentive +study of Miss Nasarah's dimple, +managed to acquire a smattering of +Arabic in a far shorter time than +would have been required in the most +assiduous turning over of dictionaries +and grammars. But our school-boy +days can't last for ever—and, ere a +fortnight elapsed, an order arrived +from England for the hopeful scholar +to be placed on the returns of the +Syrian army, and to draw his field +allowance, rations, and forage, as assistant +adjutant-general of the British +force. Dictionaries and eyes, grammars +and dimples, were now exchanged +for less pleasing pursuits. Fifteen +thousand troops were by this +time assembled at Beyrout, and rumour +kept perpetually blowing the +charge against Ibrahim Pasha, who +was still encamped at Zachli, with an +army much superior to that of the +allies. Booted and spurred—with a +long sword, saddle, bridle, and all the +other paraphernalia so captivating to +an ancient fair, as recorded in one of +the lays of Old England by some forgotten +Macaulay of former times—the +colonel is intent on some doughty +deed, and already in imagination sees +captive Egyptians following his triumphal +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_479" id="Page_479">[Pg 479]</a></span> +car. When all of a sudden, the +sad news gets spread abroad that the +old commodore has concluded a convention +with Mehemet Ali, and that +all the pomp and circumstance of glorious +war is at an end. One only +chance remained, and that was, that +as all the big-wigs protested with all +their might against the convention; +and the fleet, in the midst of protestation +and repudiations of all sorts and +kinds, was forced by a severe gale to +up anchor and run for Marmorice +Bay, Ibrahim Pasha might perhaps +be tempted to protest also in a still +more unpleasant manner, and pay a +visit to Beyrout in the absence of the +navy. The very thoughts of it, however +the English auxiliaries may have +felt on the subject, gave an attack +of fever to the unfortunate inhabitants, +who devoutly prayed for a +speedy fall of <i>tubbish</i>, (or snow,) by +which his dreaded approach might be +impeded. "Had such a movement +on his part taken place at this critical +moment, it is not improbable that it +might have proved successful; as amid +the variety of religious and conflicting +interests, by which the people of +Beyrout were influenced, Ibrahim had +no doubt many friends in the town; +and it is certain that he was moreover +regularly made acquainted with every +occurrence which took place, through +the medium, as was supposed, of +French agency and espionage."</p> + +<p>Ibrahim, however, had had enough +of red coats and blue jackets, and left +the people of Beyrout to themselves—an +example which was followed by the +author, who, being foiled in his expectations +of riding down the Egyptians on +the noble Arab left to him by the commodore, +determined to put that fiery animal +(the Arab) to its paces in scouring +the country in all directions. It +is not often that an assistant adjutant-general +sets out on a tour in search of +the picturesque; but in this instance +the search was completely successful. +Rock, ravine, precipice, and dell—running +waters and waving woods, +come as naturally to his pen as returns +of effective force and other professional +details; and, whatever the writing +of them may be, we are prepared to +contend that the reading of them is +infinitely pleasanter. But as travellers +and poets have of late left few +mountains or molehills unsung in Palestine, +we prefer extracting a picturesque +account of a venerable abbess, +who threw the light of Christian goodness +over that benighted land about a +century ago, and must have impressed +the heathens in the neighbourhood +with an exalted notion of the virtues +of a nunnery:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"Héndia was a Maronite girl, possessing +extraordinary personal charms, who, +in 1755, first brought herself into notice +by her pretended piety and attention to +her religious duties, till at last she was by +this simple and credulous people considered +almost in the light of a saint or +prophetess. When she had thus established +a reputation for sanctity, she next +thought of becoming the head and chief +of an extensive establishment of monks +and nuns, to receive whom, with the aid +of large contributions raised among her +credulous admirers and followers, she +erected two spacious stone buildings, which +soon became filled with proselytes of both +sexes. The patriarch of Lebanon was +named the director of this establishment, +and for twenty years Héndia reigned with unbounded +sway over the little community—performing +miracles, uttering prophecies, +and giving other tokens of being in the +performance of a divine mission; and +though it was remarked that many deaths +yearly occurred among the nuns, the circumstance +was generally attributed to +disease incident to the insalubrity of the +situation. At last, chance brought to +light the cause of this very great mortality, +and disclosed all the secret horrors which +had so long remained covered by the veil +of mystery in this abode of monastic abominations. +A traveller, on his way from +Damascus to the coast, happened to arrive +one fine summer night at a late hour before +the convent gates, which he found +closed, and not wishing to disturb its +inmates, who had apparently retired to +rest, he spread his travelling rug under +some neighbouring trees, and laid himself +down to sleep. His slumbers +were, however, shortly disturbed by a +number of persons, who, issuing from +the convent, appeared to be clandestinely +bearing away what seemed to be a heavy +bundle. Prompted by curiosity, he cautiously +followed the party, who, after +going a short distance, deposited their burden, +and commenced digging a deep hole, +into which having placed and covered +with earth what was evidently a dead +body, they immediately took their departure. +Astonished, and rather dismayed, at +an occurrence of so mysterious a nature, +the traveller lost no time in mounting his +mule, and on arriving at Beyrout made +known the extraordinary occurrence to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_480" id="Page_480">[Pg 480]</a></span> +which he had been witness the night before. +This account reached the ears of +a merchant who happened to have two +daughters undergoing their noviciate at +El Kourket, and reports had lately reached +him of the illness of one of his children; +this, together with the numerous +deaths which had lately taken place at +the convent, coupled with the traveller's +narrative, excited in his mind the most +serious apprehensions. He gave information +on the subject, and laid a complaint +before the Grand Prince at Dahr-el-Kamar, +and, accompanied by his informant +and a troop of horsemen furnished by the +Emir, hastened to the spot of the alleged +mysterious burial, when to his horror, on +opening the newly made grave, he discovered +it to contain the corpse of his youngest +daughter! Frantic at this sight, he desired +instant admission, in order to ascertain the +safety of her sister. On this being refused, +the gates were forced open, and the unfortunate +girl was found closely confined in +a dungeon, on the point of death, but retaining +still strength enough to disclose +horrors which led to an investigation, +implicating the patriarch, the abbess, and +several priests. This transaction, which +happened in 1776, was submitted for the +decision of the Papal See; when it appeared +that the pretended prophetess had, +by means of many ingenious mechanical +devices, thus long imposed on public credulity, +whilst in the retirement of the +cloister the most licentious and profligate +occurrences nightly took place; and that +when any unfortunate nun gave offence, +either by refusing to be sacrificed at the +shrine of infamy, or that it became desirable +to get rid of her, in order to appropriate +for the convent the amount of her +property, she was immured in a dungeon, +left to perish by a lingering and +miserable death, and then privately buried +in the night. In consequence of these +shocking discoveries, the patriarch was +deposed—the priests, his accomplices, were +severely punished, and the high priestess +of this temple of cruelty and debauchery +was immured in confinement, and survived +for many years to repent of all the atrocities +she had previously committed."</p></div> + +<p>We should like to know the colonel's +authority for this circumstantial +account. It bears at present a +startling resemblance to the confession +of Maria Monk, and the villanies +recorded of the nunnery at Montreal; +and we will hope in the mean time, +that the devil, even in the shape of a +lady abbess, is not quite so black as +he is painted. The present abbess of +El Kourket is already as black as +need be, for we are told she is an +Ethiopian negress.</p> + +<p>The war carried on in Syria after +the decisive battle of Boharsef, seems +to have been on the model of those +recorded by Major Sturgeon, and to +have consisted of marching and counter-marching, +without any definite +object, except, perhaps, the somewhat +Universal-Peace-Society one of getting +out of the enemy's way. General +Jochmus, we guess from his name, +was a Scotch schoolmaster, with a +Latin termination—there being no +mistaking the Jock—and in his religious +tenets we feel sure he was a +Quaker. The English officers attached +to the staff had immense difficulty +in bringing the troops (if they deserve +to be called so) to the scratch; and +we trust that, in all future commentaries +on the Art of War, the method +adopted by Commodore Napier, of +throwing stones at his gallant army +to force them forward, will not be +forgotten. The author before us had +no sinecure, and after the news of +Ibrahim's retreat, galloped hither and +thither, like the wild huntsman of a +German story, to discover by what +route the vanquished lion was growling +his way to his den. With a hundred +irregular horse, furnished him by +Osman Aga, he set out on a foray +beyond Jordan; and we do not wonder +his two friends, Captain Lane, a Prussian +edition of Don Quixote, and Mr +Hunter, who has written an excellent +account of his expedition to +Syria, besides his old Beyrout friend +Giorgio, volunteered to accompany +him.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My motley troop, apparently composed +of every tribe from the Caspian to the +Red Sea, displayed no less variety in arms +and accoutrements than in their personal +appearance, varying from the sturdy-looking +Kourd, mounted on his strong powerful +steed, to the swarthy, spare, and sinewy +Arab, with his long reed-like spear, his +head encircled with the Kéfiah, or thick +rope of twisted camels' hair; whilst the +flowing 'abbage' waved gracefully down +the shining flanks of the high-mettled steed +of the desert. In short, such an assemblage +of cut-throat looking ruffians was +probably never before seen; and whilst +the Prussian military eye of old Lane +glanced down our wide-spread and irregular +line, I could see a curl of contempt +on his grey mustaches, though his weather-beaten +countenance maintained all the +gravity of Frederick the Great. The troop +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_481" id="Page_481">[Pg 481]</a></span> +appeared to be divided into two distinct +parties—one Arab, the other Turkish; +and, on directing the two chiefs to call the +'roll' of their respective forces, I found +that many were absent without leave, and +the party which should have amounted to +a hundred cavaliers only mustered between +seventy and eighty. However, on the +assurance that the rest would speedily +follow—as there was no time to spare, +after making them a short harangue, in +which I promised abundance of <i>nehub</i> +(plunder) whenever we came across the +enemy, to which they responded by a wild +yell of approbation—I gave the signal to +move off, which was instantly obeyed, amidst +joyous shouts, the brandishing of spears, +and promiscuous discharge of fire-arms. +Having thus got them under weigh, the +next difficulty I experienced was to keep +them together. I tried to form a rearguard +to bring up the stragglers, but the +guard would not remain behind, nor the +stragglers keep up with the main body; +and I soon, finding that something more +persuasive than mere words was requisite +to maintain them in order, took the first +opportunity of getting a stout cudgel, with +which I soundly belaboured all those whom +I found guilty of thus disobeying my commands. +The Eastern does not understand +the <i>suaviter in modo</i>;—behave to him like +a human being, he fancies you fear him, +and he sets you at defiance—kick him +and cuff him, treat him like a dog, and he +crouches at your feet, the humble slave of +your slightest wishes."</p></div> + +<p>Discipline of so perfect a nature +must have inspired the gallant colonel +with the strongest hopes of success in +case of an onslaught on the forces of +Ibrahim Pasha, and in all probability +his efforts, with those of Captain +Lane, Hunter, and Giorgio, might +have produced something like a skrimmage +when they came near the tents +of the Egyptians; but it would seem +that the cudgels wielded by the Musree +commanders were either not so +strong or not so well applied, for on +the first appearance of the hostile +squadron, the heroes of Nezib evaporated +as if by magic, but not before +a similar feat of legerdemain had been +performed by the rabble rout of Turks +and Arabs; and on looking round, to +inspire his followers with a speech +after the manner of Thucydides, the +colonel discovered the last of his escort +disappearing at full speed on the other +side of the plain, and the Europeans +were left alone in their glory. As +they had nobody to attack, (the enemy +continuing still in a state of evaporation,) +every thing ended well; and, if +the trumpeter had not been among +the fugitives, there might have been +a triumphal blow performed although +no blow had been struck. We do not +believe in the courage of the Arabs. +No amount of kicking and cuffing +could cow a nation's spirit that had +once been brave; and we therefore +consider it the greatest marvel in history +how the Arabians managed at +one time to conquer half the world. +They must have been very different +fellows from the chicken-hearted children +of the desert recorded in these +volumes. One thing only is certain, +that they have left their anti-fighting +propensities to their mongrel descendants +in Spain; for a series of <em>actions</em>—that +is, jinking and skulking, and +running up and down, hiding themselves +as if they were the personages +of a writ—more distinctly Arabian +than the late campaign which ended +in the overthrow of Espartero, could +not have been performed under the +shadows of Mount Ebal. All the +nobility that we are so fond of picturing +to ourselves in the deeds and +thoughts of Saladin, has gone over to +the horse. The wild steed retains its +fire, though the miserable horseman +would do for a Madrileno <i>aide-de-camp</i>. +And yet this is the way they +are treated:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"It was a matter of surprise to us, how +our horses stood without injury all the +exposure, severe work, and often short +commons, to which they were constantly +subjected. When we came to a place where +barley was to be procured, the grooms carried +away as much as they could; when +none was to be had, we gave our nags +peas and <i>tibbin</i>, (chopped straw, the only +forage used in the East,) or any thing we +could lay hands on; they had little or no +grooming, and frequently the saddles were +not even removed from their backs. But +I believe that nothing save the high mettle +of the desert blood would carry an animal +through all this toil and privation; and as +to the much-extolled kindness of the Arab +towards his horse, although it may be the +case in the far deserts of the Hedged and +Hedjar, I can avow that I never saw these +noble animals treated with more inhuman +neglect than I witnessed in the whole of +my wanderings through Syria."</p></div> + +<p>The dreariness of a ride through +the desolate plains and rugged rocks +of Palestine, was diversified with startling +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_482" id="Page_482">[Pg 482]</a></span> +adventures; and the fact of several +of the powers of Europe and many of +the tribes of Asia having chosen that +sterile region for their battle-place, +gave rise to some very odd coincidences. +People from all the ends of +the earth, who were lounging away +their existence some three or four +months before, without any anticipation +of treading in the footsteps of the +crusaders—some smoking strong tobacco +in the coffeehouses of Berlin, +or leaning gracefully (like the Chinese +Admiral Kwang) against the +pillars of the Junior United Service +Club in London—or driving a heavy +curricle in the Prado at Vienna—or +reading powerfully for honours at the +Great Go at Oxford—or climbing +Albanian hills—or reclining in the +silken recesses of a harem at Constantinople—all +were thrown together in +such unexpected groups, and found +themselves so curiously banded together, +that the tame realities of an +ordinary campaign were thrown completely +into the shade. The following +introduces us to another member +of the foray, whose character seems +to have been such a combination of +the gallant soldier and light-hearted +troubadour, that we read of his after +fate, in dying of the plague at Damascus, +with great regret:—</p> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>"My troop had not yet cleared a difficult +pass close to the khan, running between +an abrupt face of the hill and the +river, when the advanced guard came back +at full speed with the announcement that +a body of the enemy's infantry was near at +hand. Closely jammed in a narrow defile, +between inaccessible cliffs and the precipitous +banks of the Jordan, with nothing but +cavalry at my disposal, I was placed in +rather a disagreeable position. There +remained, however, no alternative but to +put spurs to our horses, push forward +through the pass, deploy on the level +ground beyond it, and then trust to the +chances of war. Having explained these +intentions to the Sheikh and Aga, we lost +no time in carrying them into effect; and +on taking extended order after clearing +the pass, saw immediately in front of us +what we took to be an advanced guard of +the enemy, consisting of some twenty or +thirty soldiers, whom their white foustanellis" +(the foustanellis is that part of the +Albanian costume corresponding with the +highland kilt) "and tall active forms +immediately marked as Arnouts, or Albanians. +Seeing, probably, that we had now +the advantage of the ground, they hastily +retired, recrossing a ravine which intersected +the path, and extending in capital +light infantry style, were soon sheltered +behind the stones and rocks on the opposite +bank, over the brow of which nought was +to be seen but the protruding muzzles and +long shining barrels of their firelocks. All +this was the work of a few seconds, and +passed in a much briefer space of time +than it has taken to relate. I had now the +greatest difficulty in keeping Mahommed +Aga and his men from charging up to +enemies who, from their present position, +could have picked them easily off with +perfect safety to themselves; and riding +rapidly forward with Captain Lane, to see +if we could by some means turn their +flank, a few horsemen at this moment +suddenly appeared over the swell on the +opposite side of the ravine, the foremost +of whom, whilst making many friendly +signals, galloped across the intervening +space, hailing us a friend, and at the same +time waving his hand, to prevent his own +people from opening their fire. Lane and +myself were not backward in returning this +greeting; and on approaching we beheld a +handsome young man, dressed in the showy +Austrian uniform, with a black Tartar +sheepskin cap on his head, who, coming +up, accosted us in French, and with all the +frankness of a soldier, introduced himself +as Count Szechinge, a captain of Austrian +dragoons, then on his way from Tiberias +with a party composed of one or two +Turkish lancers, about twenty-five Albanian +deserters, his German servant, dragoman, +and suite, to raise troops in the +Adjelloun hills—a mission very similar to +the one I was myself employed on at Naplouse."</p></div> + +<p>An acquaintance begun under such +circumstances grows into friendship +with amazing rapidity; and many are +the joyous hours the foragers spend +together, in spite of intolerable weather +and storms of sleet and snow, +which bear a far greater resemblance +to the climate of Lochaber than to that +of Syria, "land of roses." Reinforced +with the count and his companions, +Colonel Napier pushes on—gets into +the vicinity of Ibrahim—his rabble +rout turn tail, in case of being swallowed +alive by the ferocious pasha, +whose reputation for cruelty and all +manner of iniquities seems well deserved, +and having ascertained the +movements of that formidable ruffian, +he returned to Naplouse to take the +command of 1500 half-tamed, undisciplined +savages, with whom to oppose +his retreat. Luckily, the ratification +of the convention come in the nick +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_483" id="Page_483">[Pg 483]</a></span> +of time; for it is very evident that the +best cudgels that were ever cut in +"the classic woods of Hawthornden," +could not have awakened a spark of +military ardour in the wretched riff-raff +assemblage appointed for this service—and +of all the abortive efforts at +generalship we have ever read of, the +attempt of the Turkish commanders +was infinitely the worse—no foresight +in providing for difficulties—no +valour in fighting their way out of +them; but, to compensate for these +trifling deficiencies, a plentiful supply +of pride and cruelty, with a due admixture +of dishonesty. We heartily join, +with Colonel Napier, in wondering +where the deuce the "integrity of the +Ottoman empire" is to be found, as, +beyond all doubt, not a particle of it +exists in any of its subjects. The +pashas of Egypt, bad as they undoubtedly +are, have redeeming points about +them, which the Hassans, and Izzets, +and Reschids of the Turks have no +conception of; and, lively and sparkling +as the gallant colonel's narrative +is, we confess it leaves a sadder impression +on our minds of the hopelessness +and the degeneracy of the Moslems, +than any book we have met with. +Turk and Egyptian should equally be +whipped back into the desert, and the +fairest portions of the world be won +over to civilization, wealth, and happiness. +The present volumes close +at the end of January 1841, and perhaps +they are among the best results +of the campaign. We shall be glad +to see the proceedings at Alexandria +sketched off in the same pleasant style.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="THE_FATE_OF_POLYCRATES" id="THE_FATE_OF_POLYCRATES"></a>THE FATE OF POLYCRATES.—<i>Herod.</i> iii. 124-126.</h2> + + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Oh! go not forth, my father dear—oh! I go not forth to-day,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And trust not thou that Satrap dark, for he fawns but to betray;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">His courteous smiles are treacherous wiles, his foul designs to hide;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then go not forth, my father dear—in thy own fair towers abide."<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Now, say not so, dear daughter mine—I pray thee, say not so!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Where glory calls, a monarch's feet should never fear to go;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And safe to-day will be my way through proud Magnesia's halls,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">As if I stood 'mid my bowmen good beneath my Samian walls.<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The Satrap is my friend, sweet child—my trusty friend is he—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The ruddy gold his coffers hold he shares it all with me;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">No more amid these clustering isles alone shall be my sway,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But Hellas wide, from side to side, thy empire shall obey!<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"And of all the maids of Hellas, though they be rich and fair,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">With the daughter of Polycrates, oh! who shall then compare?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Then dry thy tears—no idle fears should damp our joy to-day—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And let me see thee smile once more before I haste away!"<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Oh! false would be the smile, my sire, that I should wear this morn,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">For of all my country's daughters I shall soon be most forlorn;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">I know, I know,—ah, thought of woe!—I ne'er shall see again<br /></span> +<span class="i0">My father's ship come sailing home across the Icarian main.<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Each gifted seer, with words of fear, forbids thee to depart,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And their warning strains an echo find in every faithful heart;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A maiden weak, e'en I must speak—ye gods, assist me now!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The characters of doom and death are graven on thy brow!<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Last night, my sire, a vision dire thy daughter's eyes did see,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Suspended in mid air there hung a form resembling thee;<br /></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_484" id="Page_484">[Pg 484]</a></span> +<span class="i0">Nay, frown not thus, my father dear; my tale will soon be done—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Methought that form was bathed by Jove, and anointed by the sun!"<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"My child, my child, thy fancies wild I may not stay to hear.<br /></span> +<span class="i0">A friend goes forth to meet a friend—then wherefore should'st thou fear?<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Though moonstruck seers with idle fears beguile a maiden weak,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">They cannot stay thy father's hand, or blanch thy father's cheek.<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Let cowards keep within their holds, and on peril fear to run!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Such shame," quoth he, "is not for me, fair Fortune's favourite son!"<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Yet still the maiden did repeat her melancholy strain—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"I ne'er shall see my father's fleet come sailing home again!"<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">The monarch call'd his seamen good, they muster'd on the shore,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Waved in the gale the snow-white sail, and dash'd the sparkling oar;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But by the flood that maiden stood—loud rose her piteous cry—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Oh! go not forth, my dear, dear sire—oh, go not forth to die!"<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">A frown was on that monarch's brow, and he said as he turn'd away,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Full soon shall Samos' lord return to Samos' lovely bay;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But thou shalt aye a maiden lone within my courts abide—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">No chief of fame shall ever claim my daughter for his bride!<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"A long, long maidenhood to thee thy prophet tongue hath given—"<br /></span> +<span class="i0">"Oh would, my sire," that maid replied, "such were the will of Heaven!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Though I a loveless maiden lone must evermore remain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Still let me hear that voice so dear in my native isle again!"<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">'Twas all in vain that warning strain—the king has crost the tide—<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But never more off Samos shore his bark was seen to ride!<br /></span> +<span class="i0">The Satrap false his life has ta'en, that monarch bold and free,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And his limbs are black'ning in the blast, nail'd to the gallows-tree!<br /></span> +</div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">That night the rain came down apace, and wash'd each gory stain,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">But the sun's bright ray, the next noonday, glared fiercely on the slain;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And the oozing gore began once more from his wounded sides to run;<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Good-sooth, that form was bathed by Jove, and anointed by the Sun!<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_485" id="Page_485">[Pg 485]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="MODERN_PAINTERS" id="MODERN_PAINTERS"></a>MODERN PAINTERS.<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a></h2> + + +<p>We read this title with some pain, +not doubting but that our modern landscape +painters were severely handled +in an ironical satire; and we determined +to defend them. "Their superiority +to <em>all</em> the ancient masters"—that +was too hard a hit to come +from any but an enemy! We must +measure our man—a graduate of Oxford! +The "scholar armed," without +doubt. He comes, too, vauntingly +up to us, with his contempt for +us and all critics that ever were, or +will be; we are all little Davids in +the eye of this Goliath. Nevertheless, +we will put a pebble in our sling. +We saw this contempt of us, in dipping +at hap-hazard into the volume. +But what was our astonishment to +find, upon looking further, that we +had altogether mistaken the intent of +the author, and that we should probably +have not one Goliath, but many, +to encounter; while our own particular +friends, to whom we might look +for help, were, alas! all dead men. +We found that there were not +"giants" in those days, but in these +days—that the author, in his most +superlative praise, is not ironical at +all, but a most serious panegyrist, +who never laughs, but does sometimes +make his readers laugh, when +they see his very unbecoming, mocking +grimaces against the "old masters"—not +that it can be fairly asserted +that it is a laughable book. It +has much conceit, and but little merriment; +there is nothing really funny +after you have got over, (vide page 6,) +that he "looks with contempt on +Claude, Salvator, and Gaspar Poussin." +This contempt, however, being +too limited for the "graduate of Oxford," +in the next page he enlarges +the scope of his enmity; "speaking +generally of the old masters, I refer +only to Claude, Gaspar Poussin, Salvator +Rosa, Cuyp, Berghem, Both, +Ruysdael, Hobbima, Teniers (in his +landscapes,) P. Potter, Canaletti, and +the various Van Somethings and +Back Somethings, more especially and +malignantly those who have libelled +the sea." Self-convicted of malice, +he has not the slightest suspicion of +his ignorance; whereas he <em>knows</em> nothing +of these masters whom he maligns. +Still is he ready to be their +general accuser—has not the slightest +respect for the accumulated opinions +of the best judges for these two or +three hundred years—he puts them +by with the wave of his hand, very +like the unfortunate gentleman in an +establishment of "unsound opinions," +who gravely said—"The world and +I differed in opinion—I was right, +the world wrong; but they were too +many for me, and put me here." We +daresay that, in such establishments +may be found many similar opinions +to those our author promulgates, +though, as yet, none of our respectable +publishers have been convicted +of a congenial folly. We said, that +he suspects not his ignorance of +the masters he maligns. Let it +not hence be inferred that it is the +work of an ignorant man. He is only +ignorant with a prejudice. We will +not say that it is not the work of a +man who thinks, who has been habituated +to a sort of scholastic reasoning, +which he brings to bear, with no +little parade and display, upon technicalities +and distinctions. He can +tutor <i>secundum artem</i>, lacking only, +in the first point, that he has not tutored +himself. With all his arrangements +and distinctions laid down, as +the very grammar of art, he confuses +himself with his "truths," forgetting +that, in matters of art, truths of +fact must be referable to truths of +mind. It is not what things in all +respects really are, but what they appear, +and how they are convertible +by the mind into what they are not in +many ways, respects, and degrees, +that we have to consider, before we +can venture to draw rules from any +truths whatever. For art is something +besides nature; and taste and +feeling are first—precede practical +art; and though greatly enhanced by +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_486" id="Page_486">[Pg 486]</a></span> +that practical cultivation, might exist +without it—nay, often do; and true +taste always walks a step in advance +of what has been done, and ever desires +to do, and from itself, more +than it sees. We discover, therefore, +a fallacy in the very proposal of his +undertaking, when he says that he is +prepared "to advance nothing which +does not, at least in his own conviction, +<em>rest on surer ground than mere feeling +or taste</em>." Notwithstanding, however, +that our graduate of Oxford puts +his "demonstrations" upon an equality +with "the demonstrations of Euclid," +and "thinks it proper for the +public to know, that the writer is no +mere theorist, but has been devoted +from his youth to the laborious study +of practical art," and that he is "a +graduate of Oxford;" we do not look +upon him as a bit the better judge for +all that, seeing that many have practised +it too fondly and too ignorantly +all their lives, and that Claude, and +Salvator, and Gaspar Poussin must, +according to him, have been in this +predicament, and more especially do +we decline from bowing down at his +dictation, when we find him advocating +<em>any</em> "<em>surer ground than feeling +or taste</em>." Now, considering that +thus, <i>in initio</i>, he sets aside feeling +and taste, the reader will not be astonished +to find a very substantial +reason given for his contempt of the +afore-mentioned old masters; it is, he +says, "because I look with the most +devoted veneration upon Michael Angelo, +Raffaelle, and Da Vinci, that I +do not distrust the principles which +induce me to look with contempt," +&c. We do not exactly see how +these great men, who were not landscape +painters, can very well be compared +with those who were, but from +some general principles of art, in +which the world have not as yet found +any very extraordinary difference. +But we do humbly suggest, that Michael +Angelo, Raffaelle, and Da Vinci, +are in their practice, and principles, +if you please, quite as unlike Messrs +David Cox, Copley Fielding, J. D. +Harding, Clarkson Stanfield, and +Turner—the very men whom our author +brings forward as the excellent +of the earth, in opposition <em>to all</em> old +masters whatever, excepting only Michael +Angelo, Raffaelle, and Da Vinci, +to whom nevertheless, by a perverse +pertinacity of their respective geniuses, +they bear no resemblance whatever—as +they are to Claude, Salvator, and +Gaspar Poussin. We do not by any +means intend to speak disrespectfully +of these our English artists, but we +must either mistrust those principles +which cause them to stand in opposition +to the great Italians, or to conceive +that our author has really discovered +no such differing principles, +and which possibly may not exist at +all. Nor will we think so meanly of +the taste, the good feeling, and the +good sense of these men, as to believe +that they think themselves at all flattered +by any admiration founded on +such an irrational contempt. They +well know that Michael Angelo, Raffaelle, +and Da Vinci, have been admired, +together with Claude, Salvator, +and Gaspar Poussin, and they do not +themselves desire to be put upon a +separate list. The author concludes +his introduction with a very bad reason +for his partiality to modern masters, +and it is put in most ambitious +language, very readily learned in the +"Fudge School,"—a style of language +with which our author is very apt to +indulge himself; but the argument it +so ostentatiously clothes, and which +we hesitate not to call a bad one, is +nothing more than this, (if we understand +it,)—that the dead are dead, and +cannot hear our praise; that the living +are living, and therefore our love is +not lost; in short, as a <i>non-sequitur</i>, +"that if honour be for the dead, gratitude +can only be for the living." +This might have been simply said; +but we are taken to the grave—with +"He who has once stood beside the +grave," &c. &c.; we have "wild +love—keen sorrow—pleasure to pulseless +hearts—debt to the heart—to be +discharged to the dust—the garland—the +tombstone—the crowned brow—the +ashes and the spirit—heaven-toned +voices and heaven-lighted lamps—the +learning—sweetness by silence—and +light by decay;" all which, +we conceive, might have been very +excusable in a young curate's sermon +during his first year of probation, and +might have won for him more nosegays +and favours than golden opinions, +but which we here feel inclined to +put our pen across, as so we remember +many similarly ambitious passages +to have been served, before we were +graduate of Oxford, with the insignificant +signification from the pen of our +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_487" id="Page_487">[Pg 487]</a></span> +informator of <i>nihil ad rem</i>. As the +author threatens the public with another, +or more volumes, we venture +to throw out a recommendation, that at +least one volume may serve the purpose +and do the real work of two, if he will +check this propensity to unnecessary +redundancy. His numerous passages +of this kind are for the most part extremely +unintelligible; and when we +have unraveled the several coatings, +we too often find the ribs of the +mummy are not human. We think +it right to object, in this place, to an +affectation in phraseology offensive to +those who think seriously of breaking +the third commandment—he scarcely +speaks of mountains without taking +the sacred name in vain; there is likewise +a constant repetition of expressions +of very doubtful meaning in the +first use, for the most part quite devoid +of meaning in their application. One +of these is "palpitating." Light is +"palpitating," darkness is "palpitating"—every +conceivable thing is +"palpitating." We must, however, in +justice say, that by far the best part +of the book, the laying down rules and +the elucidating principles, is clearly +and expressively written. In this part +of the work there is greater expansion +than the student will generally find in +books on art. Not that we are aware +of the advancement of any thing new; +but the admitted maxims of art are, as +it were, grammatically analysed, and +in a manner to assist the beginner in +thinking upon art. To those who +have already <em>thought</em>, this very studied +analysis and arrangement will be tedious +enough.</p> + +<p>In the "Definition of Greatness +in Art," we find—"If I say that the +greatest picture is that which conveys +to the mind of the spectator the greatest +number of the greatest ideas, I +have a definition which will include +as subjects of comparison every pleasure +which art is capable of conveying." +Now, there are great ideas +which are so conflicting as to annul +the force of each other. This is not +enough; there must be a congruity of +great ideas—nay, in some instances, +we can conceive one idea to be so +great, as in a work of art not to admit +of the juxtaposition of others. This +is the principle upon which the sonnet +is built, and the sonnet illustrates the +picture not unaptly. "Ideas of +Power" are great ideas—not always +are ideas of beauty great; yet is there +a tempering the one with the other, +which it is the special province of art +to attain, and that for its highest and +most moral purposes. In his "Ideas +of Power," he distinguishes the term +"excellent" from the terms "beautiful," +"useful," "good," &c.; thus—"And +we shall always, in future, use +the word excellent, as signifying that +the thing to which it is applied required +a great power for its production." +Is not this doubtful? Does it +not limit the perception of excellence +to artists who can alone from their +practice, and, as it were, measurement +of powers with their difficulties, learn +and feel its existence in the sense to +which it is limited. The inference +would be, that none but artists can be +critics, as none but artists can perceive +excellence, and we think in more than +one place some such assertion is made. +This is startling—"Power is never +wasted; whatever power has been +employed, produces excellence in proportion +to its own dignity and exertion; +and the faculty of perceiving +this exertion, and approaching this +dignity, is the faculty of perceiving +excellence." "It is this faculty in +which men, even of the most cultivated +taste, must always be wanting, +unless they have added practice to +reflection; because none can estimate +the power manifested in victory, unless +they have personally measured the +strength to be overcome." For the +word strength use difficulty, and we +should say that, to the unpractised, +the difficulties must always appear +greatest. He gives, as illustration, +"Titian's flesh tint;" it may be possible +that, by some felicitous invention, +some new technicality of his art, +Titian might have produced this excellence, +and to him there would have +been no such great measurement of +the difficulty or strength to be overcome; +while the admirer of the work, +ignorant of the happy means, fancies +the exertion of powers which were not +exerted. In his chapter on "Ideas +of Imitation," he imagines that Fuseli +and Coleridge falsely apply the term +imitation, making "a distinction between +imitation and copying, representing +the first as the legitimate function +of art—the latter as its corruption." +Yet we think he comes pretty +much to the same conclusion. In like +manner, he seems to disagree with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_488" id="Page_488">[Pg 488]</a></span> +Burke in a passage which he quotes, +but in reality he agrees with him; for +surely the "power of the imitation" +is but a power of the "jugglery," to +be sensible of which, if we understand +him, is necessary to our sense of imitation. +"When the object," says +Burke, "represented in poetry or +painting is such as we could have no +desire of seeing in the reality, then we +may be sure that its power in poetry +or painting is owing to the power of +<em>imitation</em>." "We may," says our +author, "be sure of the contrary; for +if the object be undesirable in itself, +the closer the imitation the less will +be the pleasure." Certainly not; for +Burke of course implied, and included +in his sense of imitation, that it should +be consistent with a knowledge in the +spectator, that a certain trick of art +was put upon him. And our author +says the same—"Whenever the work +is seen to resemble something which we +know it is not, we receive what I call +an idea of imitation." Again—"Now, +two things are requisite to our complete +and most pleasurable perception +of this: first, that the resemblance be +so perfect as to amount to deception; +secondly, that there be some +means of proving at the same moment +that it <em>is</em> a deception." He +justly considers "the pleasures resulting +from imitation the most contemptible +that can be received from +art." He thus happily illustrates his +meaning—"We may consider tears +as a result of agony or of art, whichever +we please, but not of both at the +same moment. If we are surprised +by them as an attainment of the one, +it is impossible we can be moved by +them as a sign of the other." This +will explain why we are pleased with +the exact imitation of the dewdrop +on the peach, and why we are disgusted +with the Magdalen's tears by +Vanderwerf; and we further draw +this inevitable conclusion, of very important +consequence to artists, who +have very erroneous notions upon the +subject, that this sort of imitation, +which, by the deception of its name, +should be most like, is actually less +like nature, because it takes from nature +its impression by substituting a +sense of the jugglery. This chapter on +ideas of imitation is good and useful. +We think, in the after part of his work, +wherein is much criticism on pictures +by the old masters and by moderns, +our author must have lost the remembrance +of what he has so well said on +his ideas of imitation; and in the following +chapter on "Ideas of Truth." +"The word truth, as applied to art, +signifies the faithful statement, either +to the mind or senses, of any fact of +nature." The reader will readily see +how "ideas of truth" differ from +"ideas of imitation." The latter relating +only to material objects, the former +taking in the conceptions of the +mind—may be conveyed by signs or +symbols, "themselves no image nor +likeness of any thing." "An idea of +truth exists in the statement of <em>one</em> +attribute of any thing; but an idea of +imitation only in the resemblance of +as many attributes as we are usually +cognizant of in its real presence." +Hence it follows that ideas of truth +are inconsistent with ideas of imitation; +for, as we before said, ideas of +imitation remove the impression by +an ever-present sense of the deception +or falsehood. This is put very +conclusively—"so that the moment +ideas of truth are grouped together, so +as to give rise to an idea of imitation, +they change their very nature—lose +their essence as ideas of truth—and are +corrupted and degraded, so as to share +in the treachery of what they have +produced. Hence, finally, ideas of +truth are the foundation, and ideas +of imitation the distinction, of all +art. We shall be better able to +appreciate their relative dignity after +the investigation which we propose of +functions of the former; but we +may as well now express the conclusion +to which we shall then be led—that +no picture can be good which +deceives by its imitation; for the very +reason that nothing can be beautiful +which is not true." This is perhaps +rather too indiscriminate. It has been +shown that ideas of imitation do give +pleasure; by them, too, objects of +beauty may be represented. We +should not say that a picture by Gerard +Dow or Van Eyck; even with the +down on the peach and the dew on +the leaf, were not good pictures. +They are good if they please. It is +true, they ought to do more, and even +that in a higher degree; they cannot +be works of greatness—and greatness +was probably meant in the word good. +In his chapter on "Ideas of Beauty," +he considers that we derive, naturally +and instinctively, pleasure from the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_489" id="Page_489">[Pg 489]</a></span> +contemplation of certain material objects; +for which no other reason can +be given than that it is our instinct—the +will of our Maker—we enjoy them +"instinctively and necessarily, as we +derive sensual pleasure from the scent +of a rose." But we have instinctively +aversion as well as desire; though he +admits this, he seems to lose sight of +it in the following—"And it would +appear that we are intended by the +Deity to be constantly under their +influence, (ideas of beauty;) because +there is not one single object in nature +which is not capable of conveying +them," &c. We are not satisfied; if +the instinctive desire be the index to +what is beautiful, so must the instinctive +aversion be the index to its opposite. +We have an instinctive dislike +to many reptiles, to many beasts—as +apes. These <em>may</em> have in them some +beauty; we only object to the author's +want of clearness. If there be no +ugliness there is no beauty, for every +thing has its opposite; so that we +think he has not yet discovered and +clearly put before us what beauty +consists in. He shows how it happens +that we do admire it instinctively; +but that does not tell us what it is, +and possibly, after all that has been +said about it, it yet remains to be told. +Nor are we satisfied with his definition +of taste—"Perfect taste is the +faculty of receiving the greatest possible +pleasure from those material +sources which are attractive to our +moral nature in its purity and perfection." +This will not do; for +taste will take material sources, unattractive +in themselves, and by combination, +or for their contrast, receive +pleasure from them. All literature +and all art show this. That +taste, like life itself, is instinctive +in its origin and first motion, we doubt +not; but what it is by and in its cultivation, +and in its application to art, +is a thing not to be altogether so cursorily +discussed and dismissed. The +distinction is laid down between taste +and judgment—judgment being the +action of the intellect; taste "the instinctive +and instant preferring of one +material object to another without any +obvious reason," except that it is proper +to human nature in its perfection +so to do. But leaving this discussion +of this original taste, taste in art is +surely, as it is a thing cultivated, that +for which a reason can be given, and +in some measure, therefore, the result +of judgment. For by the cultivation +of taste we are actually led to love, +admire, and desire many things of +which we have no instinctive love at +all; so that the taste for them arises +from the intellect and the moral sense—our +judgment. He proceeds to +"Ideas of Relation," by which he +means "to express all those sources +of pleasure, which involve and require +at the instant of their perception, active +exertion of the intellectual powers." +As this is to be more easily +comprehended by an illustration, we +have one in an incident of one of +Turner's pictures, and, considering +the object, it is surprising the author +did not find one more important; but +he herein shows that, in his eyes, +every stroke of the brush by Mr +Turner is important—indeed, is a +considerable addition to our national +wealth. In the picture of the "Building +of Carthage," the foreground is +occupied by a group of children sailing +toy-boats, which he thinks to be +an "exquisite choice of incident expressive +of the ruling passion." He, +with a whimsical extravagance in +praise of Turner, which, commencing +here, runs throughout all the rest of +the volume, says—"Such a thought +as this is something far above all art; +it is epic poetry of the highest order." +Epic poetry of the highest order! +Ungrateful will be our future epic +poets if they do not learn from this—if +such is done by boys sailing toy-boats, +surely boys flying a kite will +illustrate far better the great astronomical +knowledge of our days. +But he is rather unfortunate in this +bit of criticism; for he compares this +incident with one of Claude's, which +we, however, think a far better and +more poetical incident. "Claude, in +subjects of <em>the same kind</em>," (not, by +the by, a very fair statement,) +"commonly introduces people carrying +red trunks with iron locks about, +and dwells, with infantine delight, on +the lustre of the leather and the ornaments +of the iron. The intellect can +have no occupation here, we must +look to the imitation or to nothing." +As to the "<em>infantine delight</em>," we +presume it is rather with the boys +and their toy-boats; but let us look a +little into these trunks—no, we may +not—there is something more in them +than our graduate imagines—the very +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_490" id="Page_490">[Pg 490]</a></span> +iron locks and precious leather mean +to tell you there is something still +more precious within, worth all the +cost of freightage; and you see, a little +off, the great argosie that has +brought the riches; and we humbly +think that the ruling passion of a +people whose "princes were merchants, +and whose merchants princes," +as happily expressed by the said "red +trunks" as the rise of Carthage by +the boys and boats; and in the fervour +of this bit of "exquisite" epic +choice, probably Claude did look with +delight on the locks and the leather; +and, whenever we look upon that picture +again, we shall be ready to join +in the delight, and say, in spite of our +graduate's "contempt," there is nothing +like leather. If the boys and +boats express the beginning, the red +trunks express the thing done—merchandise +"brought home to every +man's door;" so that the one serves +for an "idea of relation," quite as well +as the other. And here ends section +the first.</p> + +<p>The study of ideas of imitation are +thrown out of the consideration of +ideas of power, as unworthy the pursuit +of an artist, whose purpose is not +to deceive, and because they are only +the result of a particular association +of ideas of truth. "There are two +modes in which we receive the conception +of power; one, the most just, +when by a perfect knowledge of the +difficulty to be overcome, and the +means employed, we form a right estimate +of the faculties exerted; the other, +when without possessing such intimate +and accurate knowledge, we are impressed +by a sensation of power in +visible action. If these two modes of +receiving the impression agree in the +result, and if the sensation be equal +to the estimate, we receive the utmost +possible idea of power. But this is +the case perhaps with the works of +only one man out of the whole circle +of the fathers of art, of him to whom +we have just referred—Michael Angelo. +In others the estimate and the +sensation are constantly unequal, and +often contradictory." There is a distinction +between the sensation of +power and the intellectual perception +of it. A slight sketch will give the +sensation; the greater power is in the +completion, not so manifest, but of +which there is a more intellectual +cognizance. He instances the drawings +of Frederick Tayler for sensations +of power, considering the apparent +means; and those of John Lewis +for more complete ideas of power, in +reference to the greater difficulties +overcome, and the more complicated +means employed. We think him unfortunate +in his selection, as the subjects +of these artists are not such as, +of themselves, justly to receive ideas +of power, therefore not the best to +illustrate them. He proceeds to +"ideas of power, as they are dependent +on execution." There are six +legitimate sources of pleasure in execution—truth, +simplicity, mystery, +inadequacy, decision, velocity. "Decision" +we should think involved in +"truth;" as so involved, not necessarily +different from velocity. Mystery +and inadequacy require explanation. +"Nature is always mysterious +and secret in her use of means; and +art is always likest her when it is +most inexplicable." Execution, therefore, +should be "incomprehensible." +"Inadequacy" can hardly, we think, +be said to be a quality of execution, +as it has only reference to means employed. +Insufficient means, according +to him, give ideas of power. We +otherwise conclude—namely, that if +the inadequacy of the means is shown, +we receive ideas of weakness. "Ars +est celare artem"—so is it to conceal +the means. Strangeness in execution, +not a legitimate source of pleasure, is +illustrated by the execution of a bull's +head by Rubens, and of the same by +Berghem. Of the six qualities of +execution, the three first are the greatest, +the three last the most attractive. +He considers Berghem and Salvator +to have carried their fondness for +these lowest qualities to a vice. We +can scarcely agree with him, as their +execution seems most appropriate to +the character of their subjects—to +arise, in fact, out of their "ideas of +truth." There is appended a good +note on the execution of the "drawing-master," +that, under the title of +boldness, will admit of no touch less +than the tenth of an inch broad, and +on the tricks of engravers' handling.</p> + +<p>Our graduate dismisses the "sublime" +in about two pages; in fact, +he considers sublimity not to be a +specific term, nor "descriptive of the +effect of a particular class of ideas;" +but as he immediately asserts that it +is "greatness of any kind," and "the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_491" id="Page_491">[Pg 491]</a></span> +effect of greatness upon the feelings," +we should have expected to have +heard a little more about what constitutes +this "greatness," this "sublime," +which "elevates the mind," +something more than that "Burke's +theory of the nature of the sublime is +incorrect." The sublime not being +"distinct from what is beautiful," he +confines his subject to "ideas of truth, +beauty, and relation," and by these +he proposes to test all artists. Truth +of facts and truth of thoughts are +here considered; the first necessary, +but the latter the highest: we should say +that it is the latter which alone constitutes +art, and that here art begins +where nature ends. Facts are the +foundation necessary to the superstructure; +the foundation of which +must be there, though unseen, unnoticed +in contemplation of the noble +edifice. Very great stress is laid upon +"the exceeding importance of truth;" +which none will question, reminding +us of the commencement of Bacon's +essay, "What is truth? said laughing +Pilate, and would not wait for an answer." +"Nothing," says our author, +"can atone for the want of truth, not +the most brilliant imagination, the +most playful fancy, the most pure +feeling (supposing that feeling <em>could</em> +be pure and false at the same time,) +not the most exalted conception, nor +the most comprehensive grasp of intellect, +can make amends for the want +of truth." Now, there is much parade +in all this, surely truth, as such in +reference to art, is <em>in</em> the brilliancy of +imagination, <em>in</em> the playfulness, without +which is no fancy, <em>in</em> the feeling, +and <em>in</em> the very exaltation of a conception; +and intellect has no <em>grasp</em> that +does not grasp a truth. When he +speaks of nature as "immeasurably +superior to all that the human mind +can conceive," and professes to "pay +no regard whatsoever to what may be +thought beautiful, or sublime, or imaginative," +and to "look only for +truth, bare, clear downright statement +of facts," he seems to forget what nature +is, as adopted by, as taken into +art; it is not only external nature, +but external nature in conjunction +with the human mind. Nor does he, +in fact, adhere in the subsequent part +of his work to this his declaration; for +he loses it in his "fervour of imagination," +when he actually examines the +works of "the great living painter, +who is, I believe, imagined by the +majority of the public to paint more +falsehood and less fact than any other +known master." Here our author +jumps at once into his monomania—his +adoration of the works of Turner, +which he examines largely and microscopically, +as it suits his whim, and +imagines all the while he is describing +and examining nature; and not unfrequently +he tells you, that nature and +Turner are the same, and that he +"invites the same ceaseless study as +the works of nature herself." This is +"coming it pretty strong." We confess +we are with the majority—not +that we wish to depreciate Turner. +He is, or has been, unquestionably, a +man of genius, and that is a great +admission. He has, perhaps, done in +art what never has been done before. +He has illuminated "Views," if not +with local, with a splendid truth. His +views of towns are the finest; he led +the way to this walk of art, and is +far superior to all in it. We speak +of his works collectively. Some of +his earlier, more imaginative, were +unquestionably poetical, though not, +perhaps, of a very high character. We +believe he has been better acquainted +with many of the truths of nature, +particularly those which came within +the compass of his line of views, than +any other artist, ancient or modern; +but we believe he has neglected others, +and some important ones too, and to +which the old masters paid the greatest +attention, and devoted the utmost +study. We have spoken frequently, +unhesitatingly, of the late extraordinary +productions of his pencil, as altogether +unworthy his real genius; it +is in these we see, with the majority +of the public, "more falsehood and +less fact" than in any other known +master—a defiance of the "known +truths" in drawing, colour, and composition, +for which we can only account +upon the supposition, that his +eye misrepresents to him the work of +his hands. We see, in the almost +adoration of his few admirers, that if +it be difficult, and not always dependent, +on merit to attain to eminence +in the world's estimation, it is nearly +as difficult altogether to fall from it; +and that nothing the artist can do, +though they be the veriest "ægri +somnia," will separate from him habitual +followers, who, with a zeal in +proportion to the extravagances he +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_492" id="Page_492">[Pg 492]</a></span> +may perpetrate, will lose their relish +for, and depreciate the great masters, +whose very principles he seems capriciously +in his age to set aside, and +they will from followers become his +worshippers, and in pertinacity exact +entire compliance, and assent to every, +the silliest, dictation of their monomania. +We subjoin a specimen of +this kind of worship, which will be +found fully to justify our observations, +and which, considering it speaks of +mortal man, is somewhat blaspheming +Divine attributes; we know not really +whether we should pity the condition +of the author, or reprehend the passage. +After speaking of other modern +painters, who are so superior to the +old, he says: "and Turner—glorious +in conception—unfathomable in knowledge—solitary +in power—with the +elements waiting upon his will, and +the night and the morning obedient +to his call, sent as a prophet of God +to reveal to men the mysteries of his +universe, standing, like the great angel +of the Apocalypse, clothed with a +cloud, and with a rainbow upon his +head, and with the sun and stars +given into his hand." Little as we +are disposed to laugh at any such +aberrations, we must, to remove from +our minds the greater, the more serious +offence, indulge in a small degree +of justifiable ridicule; and ask +what will sculptor or painter make of +this description, should the reluctant +public be convinced by the "graduate," +and in their penitential reverence +order statue or painting of Mr +Turner for the Temple of Fame, +which it is presumed Parliament, in +their artistic zeal, mean to erect? +How will they venture to represent +Mr Turner looking like an angel—in +that dress which would make any +man look like a fool—his cloud nightcap +tied with rainbow riband round +his head, calling to night and morning, +and little caring which comes, +making "ducks and drakes" of the +sun and the stars, put into his hand +for that purpose? We will only suggest +one addition, as it completes the +grand idea, and is in some degree +characteristic of Mr Turner's peculiar +execution, that, with the sun and +stars, there should be delivered into +his hand a comet, whose tail should +serve him for a brush, and supply itself +with colour. We do not see, +however, why the moon should have +been omitted; sun, moon, and stars, +generally go together. Is the author +as jealous as the "majority of the +public" may be suspicious of her influence? +And let not the reader believe +that Mr Turner is thus called a +prophet in mere joke, or a fashion of +words—his prophetic power is advanced +in another passage, wherein it is +asserted that Mr Turner not only tells +us in his works what nature has done +in hers, but what she will do. "In fact," +says our author, "the great quality +about Mr Turner's drawings, which +more especially proves their transcendant +truth, is the capability they +afford us of reasoning on past and +future phenomena." The book teems +with extravagant bombastic praise +like this. Mr Turner is more than +the Magnus Apollo. Yet other English +artists are brought forward, immediately +preceding the above panegyric; +we know not if we do them justice, +by noticing what is said of them. +There is a curious description of David +Cos lying on the ground "to possess +his spirit in humility and peace," +of Copley Fielding, as an aeronaut, +"casting his whole soul into space." +We really cannot follow him, "exulting +like the wild deer in the motion of +the swift mists," and "flying with the +wild wind and sifted spray along the +white driving desolate sea, with the +passion for nature's freedom burning +in his heart;" for such a chase and +such a heart-burn must have a frightful +termination, unless it be mere +nightmare. We see "J. D. Harding, +brilliant and vigorous," &c., "following +with his quick, keen dash the +sunlight into the crannies of the +rocks, and the wind into the tangling +of the grass, and the bright colour into +the fall of the sea-foam—various, +universal in his aim;" after which very +fatiguing pursuit, we are happy to +find him "under the shade of some +spreading elm;" yet his heart is oak—and +he is "English, all English at +his heart." But Mr Clarkson Stanfield +is a man of men—"firm, and +fearless, and unerring in his knowledge—stern +and decisive in his truth—perfect +and certain in composition—shunning +nothing, concealing nothing, +and falsifying nothing—never +affected, never morbid, never failing—conscious +of his strength, but never +ostentatious of it—acquainted with +every line and hue of the deep +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_493" id="Page_493">[Pg 493]</a></span> +sea—chiseling his waves with unhesitating +knowledge of every curve of their +anatomy, and every moment of their +motion—building his mountains rock +by rock, with wind in every fissure, +and weight in every stone—and modeling +the masses of his sky with the +strength of tempest in their every +fold." It is curious—yet a searcher +after nature's truths ought to know, +as he is here told, that waves may be +anatomized, and must be <em>chiseled</em>, +and that mountains are and ought to +be <em>built</em> up rock by rock, as a wall +brick by brick; no easy task considering +that there is a disagreeable +"wind in every fissure, and weight in +every stone"—and that the aerial sky, +incapable to touch, must be "modeled +in masses." All this is given after an +equally extravagant abuse of Claude, +of Salvator Rosa, and Poussin. He +finds fault with Claude, because his +sea does not "upset the flower-pots +on the wall," forgetting that they are +put there because the sea could not—with +Salvator, for his "contemptible +fragment of splintery crag, which an +Alpine snow-wreath" (which would +have no business there) "would smother +in its first swell, with a stunted +bush or two growing out of it, and a +Dudley or Halifax-like volume of +smoke for a sky"—with Poussin, for +that he treats foliage (whereof "every +bough is a revelation!") as "a black +round mass of impenetrable paint, diverging +into feathers instead of leaves, +and supported on a stick instead of a +trunk." A page or two from this, our +author sadly abuses poor Canaletti, +as far as we can see, for not painting +a tumbled-down wall, which perhaps, +in his day, was not in a ruinous state +at all; it is a curious passage—and +shows how much may be made out +of a wall. Pyramus's chink was nothing +to this—behold a specimen of +"fine writing!" "Well: take the next +house. We remember that too; it +was mouldering inch by inch into the +canal, and the bricks had fallen away +from its shattered marble shafts, and +left them white and skeleton-like, yet +with their fretwork of cold flowers +wreathed about them still, untouched +by time; and through the rents of +the wall behind them there used to +come long sunbeams gleamed by the +weeds through which they pierced, +which flitted, and fell one by one +round those grey and quiet shafts, +catching here a leaf and there a leaf, +and gliding over the illumined edges +and delicate fissures until they sank +into the deep dark hollow between +the marble blocks of the sunk foundation, +lighting every other moment one +isolated emerald lamp on the crest of +the intermittent waves, when the wild +sea-weeds and crimson lichens drifted +and crawled with their thousand colours +and fine branches over its decay, +and the black, clogging, accumulated +limpets hung in ropy clusters +from the dripping and tinkling +stone. What has Canaletti given us +for this?" Alas, neither a <em>crawling</em> +lichen, nor <em>clogging</em> limpets, nor a +<em>tinkling</em> stone, but "one square, red +mass, composed of—let me count—five-and-fifty—no, +six-and-fifty—no, I +was right at first, five-and-fifty bricks," +&c. The picture, if it be painted by +the graduate, must be a curiosity—we +can make neither head nor tail of +his words. But let us find another +strange specimen—where he compares +his own observations of nature with +Poussin and Turner. Every one +must remember a very pretty little +picture of no great consequence by +Gaspar Poussin—a view of some buildings +of a town said to be Aricia, the +modern La Riccia—just take it for what +it is intended to be, a quiet, modest, +agreeable scene—very true and sweetly +painted. How unfit to be compared +with an ambitious description of a +combination of views from Rome to +the Alban Mount, for that is the +range of the description, though, perhaps, +the description is taken from a +poetical view of one of Turner's incomprehensibles, +which may account +for the conclusion, "Tell me who is +likest this, Poussin or Turner?" Now, +though Poussin never intended to be +like this, let us see the graduate's +description of it. We know the +little town; it received us as well +as our author, having left Rome to +visit it.</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Egressum magnâ me accepit Aricia Roma."<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>Our author, however, doubts if it +be the place, though he unhesitatingly +abuses Poussin, as if he had fully intended +to have painted nothing else +than what was seen by the travelling +graduate. "At any rate, it is a town +on a hill, wooded with two-and-thirty +bushes, of very uniform size, and +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_494" id="Page_494">[Pg 494]</a></span> +possessing about the same number of +leaves each. These bushes are all +painted in with one dull opaque brown, +becoming very slightly greenish towards +the lights, and discover in one +place a bit of rock, which of course +would in nature have been cool and +grey beside the lustrous hues of +foliage, and which, therefore, being +moreover completely in shade, is +consistently and scientifically painted +of a very clear, pretty, and positive +brick red, the only thing like colour +in the picture. The foreground is a +piece of road, which, in order to make +allowance for its greater nearness, for +its being completely in light, and, it +may be presumed, for the quantity of +vegetation usually present on carriage +roads, is given in a very cool green-grey, +and the truthful colouring of the +picture is completed by a number of +dots in the sky on the right, with a +stalk to them, of a sober and similar +brown." We need not say how unlike +is this description of the picture. +We pass on to—"Not long ago, I was +slowly <em>descending</em> this very bit of carriage +road, the first turn after you +leave Albano;—it had been wild +weather when I left Rome, and all +across the Campagna the clouds were +sweeping in sulphurous blue, with a +clap of thunder or two, and breaking +gleams of sun along the Claudian +aqueduct, lighting up the infinity of +its arches like the bridge of Chaos. +But as I <em>climbed</em> the long slope of the +Alban mount, the storm swept finally +to the north, and the noble outline of +the domes of Albano, and graceful +darkness of its ilex grove rose against +pure streaks of alternate blue and +amber, the upper sky gradually flushing +through the last fragments of +rain-cloud in deep, palpitating azure, +half æther half dew. The noonday +sun came slanting down the rocky +slopes of La Riccia, and its masses +of entangled and tall foliage, whose +autumnal tints were mixed with the +wet verdure of a thousand evergreens, +were penetrated with it as with rain. +I cannot call it colour, it was conflagration. +Purple, and crimson, and +scarlet, like the curtains of God's tabernacle, +the rejoicing trees sank into +the valley in showers of light, every +separate leaf quivering with buoyant +and burning life; each, as it turned +to reflect or to transmit the sunbeam, +first a torch and then an emerald. Far +up into the recesses of the valley, the +green vistas arched like the hollows +of mighty waves of some crystalline +sea, with the arbutus flowers dashed +along their flanks for foam, and <em>silver</em> +flakes of <em>orange</em> spray tossed into the +air around them, breaking over the +grey walls of rock into a thousand +separate stars, fading and kindling +alternately as the weak wind lifted +and let them fall. Every glade of +grass burned like the golden floor of +heaven, opening in sudden gleams as +the foliage broke and closed above it, +as sheet lightning opens in a cloud at +sunset; the motionless masses of dark +rock—dark though flushed with scarlet +lichen—casting their quiet shadows +across its restless radiance, the fountain +underneath them filling its marble +hollow with blue mist and fitful +sound, and over all—the multitudinous +bars of amber and rose, the <em>sacred</em> +clouds that have no <em>darkness</em>, and only +exist to illumine, were seen in fathomless +intervals between the solemn and +<em>orbed</em> repose of the stone pines, passing +to lose themselves in the last, white, +blinding lustre of the measureless +line where the Campagna melted into +the blaze of the sea." In verity, this +is no "Campana Supellex." It is a +riddle! Is he going up or down hill—or +both at once? No human being +can tell. He did not like the "sulphur +and treacle" of "our Scotch connoisseurs;" +but what colours has he +not added here to his sulphur—colours, +too, that we fear for the "idea of +truth" cannot coexist! And how, in +the name of optics, could it be possible +for any painter to take in all this, +with the "<em>fathomless intervals</em>," into +an angle of vision of forty-five degrees? +It is quite superfluous to ask +"who is likest this, Turner or Poussin?" +There immediately follows a +remark upon another picture in the +National Gallery, the "Mercury and +Woodman," by Salvator Rosa, than +which nothing can be more untrue to +the original. He asserts that Salvator +painted the distant mountains, +"throughout, without one instant of +variation. But what is its colour? +<em>Pure</em> sky-blue, without one grain of +grey, or any modifying hue whatsoever;—the +same brush which had just +given the bluest parts of the sky, has +been more loaded at the same part of +the pallette, and the whole mountain +throw in with unmitigated ultramarine." +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_495" id="Page_495">[Pg 495]</a></span> +Now the fact is, that the picture +has, in this part, been so injured, +that it is hard to say what colour is +under the dirty brown-asphaltum hue +and texture that covers it. It is certainly +not blue now, not "pure blue"—unless +pictures change like the cameleon. +We know the picture well, and +have seen another of the same subject, +where the mountains have variety, and +yet are blue. We believe a great sum +was given for this picture—far more +than its condition justifies. We must +return—we left the graduate discussing +ideas of truth. There is a chapter +to show that the truth of nature is +not to be discerned by the uneducated +senses. As we do not perceive all +sounds that enter the ear, so do we +not perceive all that is cognizable by +the eye—we have, that is, a power of +nullifying an impression; that this +habit is so common, that from the abstraction +of their minds to other subjects, +there are probably persons who +never saw any thing beautiful. Sensibility +to the power of beauty is required—and +to see rightly, there should +be a perfect state of moral feeling. +Even when we think we see with our +eyes, our perception is often the result +of memory, of previous knowledge; +and it is in this way he accounts for +the mistake painters and others make +with respect to Italian skies. What +will Mr Uwin and his followers in +blue say to this, alas—Italian skies are +not blue? "How many people are +misled by what has been said and +sung of the serenity of Italian skies, +to suppose they must be more blue than +the skies of the north, and think that +they see them so; whereas the sky of +Italy is far more dull and grey in colour +than the skies of the north, and +is distinguished only by its intense repose +of light." Benevenuto Cellini +speaks of the mist of Italy. "Repose +of light" is rather a novelty—he is fond +of it. But then Turner paints with +pure white—for ourselves we are with +the generality of mankind who prefer +the "repose" of shade. "Ask a connoisseur, +who has scampered over all +Europe, the shape of the leaf of an elm, +and the chances are ninety to one that +he cannot tell you; and yet he will +be voluble of criticism on every painted +landscape from Dresden to Madrid"—and +why not? The chances are +ninety to one that the merits of not a +single picture shall depend upon this +knowledge, and yet the pictures shall +be good and the connoisseur right. +One man sees what another does +not see in portraits. Undoubtedly; +but how any one is to find in a portrait +the following, we are at a loss to +conceive. "The third has caught the +trace of all that was most hidden and +most mighty, when all hypocrisy and +all habit, and all petty and passing +emotion—the <em>ice, and the bank, and +the foam of the immortal river—were +shivered and broken, and swallowed up +in the awakening of its inward strength</em>," +<em>&c.</em> How can a man with a pen in +his hand let such stuff as this drop +from his fingers' ends?</p> + +<p>In the chapter "on the relative importance +of truths," there is a little +needless display of logic—needless, for +we find, after all, he does not dispute +"the kind of truths proper to be represented +by the painter or sculptor," +though he combats the maxim that +general truths are preferable to particular. +His examples are quite out of art, +whether one be spoken of as a man or +as Sir Isaac Newton. Even logically +speaking, Sir Isaac Newton may be +the <em>whole</em> of the subject, and as such +a whole might require a generality. +There may be many particulars +that are best sunk. So, in a picture +made up of many parts, it should +have a generality totally independent +of the particularities of the parts, +which must be so represented as not +to interfere with that general idea, +and which may be altogether in the +mind of the artist. This little discussion +seems to arise from a sort of +quibble on the word important. Sir +Joshua and others, who abet the +generality maxim, mean no more than +that it is of importance to a picture +that it contain, fully expressed, one +general idea, with which no parts are +to interfere, but that the parts will +interfere if each part be represented +with its most particular truth—and +that, therefore, drapery should be drapery +merely, not silk or satin, where +high truths of the subject are to be +impressed.</p> + +<p>"Colour is a secondary truth, therefore +less important than form." "He, +therefore, who has neglected a truth +of form for a truth of colour, has neglected +a greater truth for a less one." +It is true with regard to any individual +object—but we doubt if it be +always so in picture. The character +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_496" id="Page_496">[Pg 496]</a></span> +of the picture may not at all depend +upon form—nay, it is possible that the +painter may wish to draw away the +mind altogether from the beauty, and +even correctness of form, his subject +being effect and colour, that shall be +predominant, and to which form shall +be quite subservient, and little more +of it than such as chiaro-scuro shall +give; and in such a case colour is the +more important truth, because in it +lies the sentiment of the picture. The +mystery of Rembrandt would vanish +were beauty of form introduced in +many of his pictures. We remember +a picture, the most impressive picture +perhaps ever painted, and that by a +modern too, Danby's "Opening of +the Sixth Seal." Now, though there +are fine parts in this picture, the real +power of the picture is in its colour—it +is awful. We are no enemy to +modern painters; we think this a work +of the highest genius—and as such, +should be most proud to see it deposited +in our National Gallery. We +further say, that in some respects it +carries the art beyond the old practice. +But, then, we may say it is a +new subject. "It is not certain whether +any two people see the same colours +in things." Though that does +not affect the question of the importance +of colour, for it must imply a defect +in the individuals, for undoubtedly +there is such a thing as nature's +harmony of colour; yet it may be +admitted, that things are not always +known by their colour; nay, that the +actual local colour of objects is mainly +altered by effects of light, and we +are accustomed to see the same things, +<i>quoad</i> colour, variously presented to +us—and the inference that we think +artists may draw from this fact is, +that there will be allowed them a great +licence in all cases of colour, and that +naturalness may be preserved without +exactness—and here will lie the value +of a true theory of the harmony of colours, +and the application of colouring +to pictures, most suitable to the intended +impression, not the most appropriate +to the objects. We have often +laid some stress upon this in the pages +of <i>Maga</i>—and we think it has been too +much omitted in the consideration of +artists. Every one knows what is +called a Claude glass. We see nature +through a coloured medium—yet +we do not doubt that we are looking +at nature—at trees, at water, at skies—nay, +we admire the colour—see its +harmony and many beauties—yet we +know them to be, if we may use the +term, misrepresented. While speaking +of the Claude glass, it will not be +amiss to notice a peculiarity. It +shows a picture—when the unaided +eye will not; it heightens illumination—brings +out the most delicate lights, +scarcely perceptible to the naked eye, +and gives greater power to the shades, +yet preserves their delicacy. It seems +to annihilate all those rays of light, +which, as it were, intercept the picture—that +come between the eye and +the object. But to return to colour—we +say that it must, in the midst of +its license, preserve its naturalness—which +it will do if it have a meaning +in itself. But when we are called +upon to question what is the meaning +of this or that colour, how does its +effect agree with the subject? why is +it outrageously yellow or white, or +blue or red, or a jumble of all these?—which +are questions, we confess, that +we and the public have often asked, +with regard to Turner's late pictures—we +do not acknowledge a naturalness—the +license has been abused—not +"sumpta pudenter." It is not +because the vividness of "a blade of +grass or a scarlet flower" shall be beyond +the power of pigment, that a +general glare and obtrusion of such +colours throughout a picture can be +justified. We are astonished that any +man with eyes should see the unnaturalness +in colour of Salvator and Titian, +and not see it in Turner's recent +pictures, where it is offensive because +more glaring. Those masters sacrificed, +if it be a sacrifice, something to +repose—repose is <em>the</em> thing to be sacrificed +according to the notions of too +many of our modern schools. It is +likewise singular, after all the falsehoods +which he asserts the old masters +to have painted, that he should speak +of "imitation"—as their whole aim, +their sole intention to deceive; and yet +he describes their pictures as unlike +nature in the detail and in the general +as can be, strangely missing their object—deception. +We fear the truths, +particulars of which occupy the remainder +of the volume—of earth, water, +skies, &c.—are very minute truths, +which, whether true or false, are of +very little importance to art, unless it +be to those branches of art which may +treat the whole of each particular +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_497" id="Page_497">[Pg 497]</a></span> +truth as the whole of a subject, a line +of art that may produce a multitude +of works, like certain scenes of dramatic +effect, surprising to see once, but +are soon powerless—can we hope to +say of such, "decies repetita placebunt?" +They will be the fascinations +of the view schools, nay, may even delight +the geologist and the herbalist, +but utterly disgust the imaginative. +This kind of "knowledge" is not +"power" in art. We want not to see +water anatomized; the Alps may be +tomahawked and scalped by geologists, +yet may they be sorry painters. And +we can point to the general admiration +of the world, learned and unlearned, +that a "contemptible fragment +of a splintery crag" has been +found to answer all the purposes of an +impression of the greatness of nature, +her free, great, and awful forms, and +that depth, shades, power of chiaro-scuro, +are found in nature to be strongest +in objects of no very great magnitude; +for our vision requires nearness, +and we want not the knowledge +that a mountain is 20,000 feet high, to +be convinced that it is quite large +enough to crush man and all his works; +and that they, who, in their terror of +a greater pressure, would call upon +the mountains to cover them, and the +holes of rocks to hide them, would +think very little of the measurement +of the mountains, or how the caverns +of the earth are made. Greatness and +sublimity are quite other things.</p> + +<p>We shall not very systematically +carry our views, therefore, into the +detail of these truths, but shall just +pick here and there a passage or so, +that may strike us either for its utility +or its absurdity.</p> + +<p>With regard to truth of tone, he +observes—that "the finely-toned pictures +of the old masters are some of +the notes of nature played two or +three octaves below her key, the dark +objects in the middle distance having +precisely the same relation to the light +of the sky which they have in nature, +but the light being necessarily infinitely +lowered, and the mass of the shadow +deepened in the same degree. I +have often been struck, when looking +at a camera-obscura on a dark day, +with the exact resemblance the image +bore to one of the finest pictures of +the old masters." We only ask if, +when looking at the picture in the +camera, he did not still recognize nature—and +then, if it was beautiful, +we might ask him if it was not <em>true</em>; +and then when he asserts our highest +light being white paper, and that not +white enough for the light of nature—we +would ask if, in the camera, he +did not see the picture on white paper—and +if the whiteness of paper be not +the exact whiteness of nature, or white +as ordinary nature? But there is a +quality in the light of nature that +mere whiteness will not give, and +which, in fact, is scarcely ever seen in +nature merely in what is quite white; +we mean brilliancy—that glaze, as it +were, between the object and the eye +which makes it not so much light as +bright. Now this quality of light was +thought by the old masters to be the +most important one of light, extending +to the half tones and even in the +shadows, where there is still light; +and this by art and lowering the tone +they were able to give, so that we see +not the value of the praise when he +says—</p> + +<p>"Turner starts from the beginning +with a totally different principle. He +boldly takes pure white—and justly, +for it is the sign of the most intense +sunbeams—for his highest light, and +lamp-black for his deepest shade," &c. +Now, if white be the sign of the most +intense sunbeams, it is as we never +wish to see them; what under a tropical +sun may be white is not quite +white with us; and we always find it +disagreeable in proportion as it approaches +to pure white. We never +saw yet in nature a sky or a cloud +pure white; so that here certainly is +one of the "fallacies," we will not +call them falsehoods. But as far as +we can judge of nature's ideas of light +and colour, it is her object to tone +them down, and to give us very little, +if any, of this raw white, and we would +not say that the old masters did not +follow her method of doing it. But +we will say, that the object of art, at +any rate, is to make all things look +agreeable; and that human eyes cannot +bear without pain those raw whites +and too searching lights; and that +nature has given to them an ever present +power of glazing down and reducing +them, when she added to the eye +the sieve, our eyelashes, through which +we look, which we employ for this +purpose, and desire not to be dragged +at any time—"Sub curru nimium +propinqui solis."</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_498" id="Page_498">[Pg 498]</a></span> +After this praise of white, one does +not expect—"I think nature mixes +yellow with almost every one of her +hues;" but this is said merely in +aversion to purple. "I think the first +approach to viciousness of colour in +any master, is commonly indicated +chiefly by a prevalence of purple and +an absence of yellow." "I am equally +certain that Turner is distinguished +from all the vicious colourists of the +present day, by the foundation of all +his tones being black, yellow, and intermediate +greys, while the tendency +of our common glare-seekers is invariably +to pure, cold, impossible purples."</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"Silent nymph, with curious eye,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Who the <em>purple</em> evening lie,"<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>saith Dyer, in his landscape of "Grongar +Hill." The "glare-seekers" is +curious enough, when we remember +the graduate's description of landscapes, +(of course Turner's,) and his +excursions; but we think we have +seen many purples in Turner, and +that opposed to his flaming red in +sunsets. He prefers warmth where +most people feel cold—this is not surprising; +but as to picture "is it true?" +"My own feelings would guide me +rather to the warm greys of such pictures +as the 'Snow-Storm,' or the +glowing scarlet and gold of the 'Napoleon' +and the 'Slave Ship.'" The +two latter must be well remembered +by all Exhibition visitors; they were +the strangest things imaginable in +colour as in every particle that should +be art or nature. There is a whimsical +quotation from Wordsworth, the +"keenest-eyed," page 145. His object +is to show the strength of shadow—how +"the shadows on the trunk of +the tree become darker and more conspicuous +than any part of the boughs +or limbs;" so, for this strength and +blackness, we have—</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i6">"At the root<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Of that tall pine, the shadow of whose bare<br /></span> +<span class="i0">And slender stem, while here I sit at eve,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Oft stretches tow'rds me, like a long straight path,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Traced <em>faintly</em> in the greensward."<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>"Of the truth of space," he says +that "in a real landscape, we can see +the whole of what would be called the +middle distance and distance together, +with facility and clearness; but while +we do so, we can see nothing in the +foreground beyond a vague and indistinct +arrangement of lines and colours; +and that if, on the contrary, we look at +any foreground object, so as to receive +a distinct impression of it, the distance +and middle distance become all disorder +and mystery. And therefore, if +in a painting our foreground is any +thing, our distance must be nothing, +and <i>vice versa</i>." "Now, to this fact +and principle, no landscape painter of +the old school, as far as I remember, +ever paid the slightest attention. Finishing +their foregrounds clearly and +sharply, and with vigorous impression +on the eye, giving even the leaves +of their bushes and grass with perfect +edge and shape, they proceeded into the +distance with equal attention to what +they could see of its details," &c. But +he had blamed Claude for not having +given the exactness and distinct shape +and colour of leaves in foreground. +The fact is, the picture should be as a +piece of nature framed in. Within that +frame, we should not see distinctly the +foreground and distance at the same +instant: but, as we have stated, the +eye and mind are rapid, the one to see, +the other to combine; and as a horse let +loose into a field, runs to the extremity +of it and around it, the first thing +he does—so do we range over every +part of the picture, but with wondrous +rapidity, before our impression of the +whole is perfect. We must not, therefore, +slur over any thing; the difficulty +in art is to give the necessary, +and so made necessary, detail of foreground +unostentatiously—to paint nothing, +that which is to tell as nothing, +but so as it shall satisfy upon examination; +and we think so the old masters +did paint the foregrounds, particularly +Gaspar Poussin—so Titian, so +Domenichino, and all of any merit. +But this is merely an introduction, not +to a palliation of, but the approbation +and praise of a glaring defect in Turner. +"Turner introduced a new era +in landscape art, by showing that the +foreground might be sunk for the distance, +and that it was possible to express +immediate proximity to the spectator, +without giving any thing like +completeness to the forms of the near +objects." We are now, therefore, prepared +for an absurd "justification of +the want of drawing in Turner's +figures," thus contemptuously, with regard +to all but himself, accounted for. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_499" id="Page_499">[Pg 499]</a></span> +"And now we see the reason for the +singular, and, to the ignorant in art, +the offensive execution of Turner's +figures. I do not mean to assert that +there is any reason whatsoever for <em>bad</em> +drawing, (though in landscape it matters +exceedingly little;) but there is +both reason and necessity for that want +of drawing which gives even the nearest +figures round balls with four pink +spots in them instead of faces, and four +dashes of the brush instead of hands +and feet; for it is totally impossible +that if the eye be adapted to receive +the rays proceeding from the utmost +distance, and some partial impression +from all the distances, it should be capable +of perceiving more of the forms +and features of near figures than Turner +gives." Yet what wonderful detail +has he required from Canaletti +and others?—But is there any reason +why we should have "<em>pink</em> spots?"—is +there any reason why Turner's foreground +figures should resemble penny +German dolls?—and for the reason we +have above given, there ought to be +reason why the figures should be +made out, at least as they are in a +camera-obscura. We here speak of +nature, of "truth," and with him ask, +it may be all very well—but "is it +true?" But we have another fault to +find with Turner's figures; they are +often bad in intention. What can be +more absurd and incongruous, for instance, +than in a picture of "elemental +war"—a sea-coast—than to put a +child and its nurse in foreground, +the child crying because it has lost +its hoop, or some such thing? It is according +to his truth of space, that +distances should have every "hair's-breadth" +filled up, all its "infinity," +with infinities of objects, but that +whatever is near, if figures, may be +"pink spots," and "four dashes of the +brush." While with Poussin—"masses +which result from the eclipse of details +are contemptible and painful;" +and he thinks Poussin has but "meaningless +tricks of clever execution"—forgetting +that all art is but a trick—yet +one of those tricks worth knowing, +and yet which how few have +acquired! Surely our author is not +well acquainted with Hobbima's works; +that painter had not a niggling execution. +"A single dusty roll of Turner's +brush is more truly expressive of +the infinity of foliage, than the niggling +of Hobbima could have rendered +his canvass, if he had worked on it +till doomsday." Our author seems to +have studied skies, such as they are +in Turner or in nature. He talks of +them with no inconsiderable swagger +of observation, while the old masters +had no observation at all;—"their +blunt and feelingless eyes never perceived +it in nature; and their untaught +imaginations were not likely to +originate it in study." What is the +<em>it</em>, will be asked—we believe it to be +a "cirrus," and that a cirrus is the +subject of a chapter to itself. This +beard of the sky, however, instead of +growing below, is quite above, "never +formed below an elevation of at least +15,000 feet, are motionless, multitudinous +lines of delicate vapour, with +which the blue of the open sky is +commonly streaked or speckled after +several days of fine weather. They +are more commonly known as 'mare's +tails.'" Having found this "mare's +nest," he delights in it. It is the +glory of modern masters. He becomes +inflated, and lifts himself +15,000 feet above the level of the understanding +of all old masters, and, as +we think, of most modern readers, as +thus:—"One alone has taken notice +of the neglected upper sky; it is his +peculiar and favourite field; he has +watched its every modification, and +given its every phase and feature; at +all hours, in all seasons, he has followed +its passions and its changes, +and has brought down and laid open +to the world another apocalypse of +heaven." Very well, considering that +the cirrus never touches even the +highest mountains of Europe, to follow +its phase (query faces) and feature +15,000 feet high, and given pink +dots, four pink dots for the faces and +features of human beings within fifteen +feet of his brush. We will not +say whether the old masters painted +this cirrus or not. We believe they +painted what they and we see, at least +so much as suited their pictures—but +as they were not, generally speaking, +exclusively sky-painters, but painters +of subjects to which the skies were +subordinate, they may be fairly held +excused for this their lack of ballooning +after the "cirrus;" and we thank +them that they were not "glare-seekers," +"threading" their way, with +it before them, "among the then +transparent clouds, while all around +the sun is unshadowed fire." We lose +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_500" id="Page_500">[Pg 500]</a></span> +him altogether in the "central cloud +region," where he helps nature pretty +considerably as she "melts even the +unoccupied azure into palpitating +shades," and hopelessly turns the +corner of common observation, and +escapes among the "fifty aisles penetrating +through angelic chapels to the +shechinah of the blue." We must +expect him to descend a little vain of +his exploit, and so he does—and wonders +not that the form and colour of +Turner should be misunderstood, for +"they require for the full perception +of their meaning and truth, such +knowledge and such time as not one +in a thousand possesses, or can bestow." +The inference is, that the +graduate has graduated a successful +phæton, driving Mr Turner's chariot +through all the signs of the zodiac. +So he sends all artists, ancient +and modern, to Mr Turner's country, +as "a magnificent statement, all +truth"—that is, "impetuous clouds, +twisted rain, flickering sunshine, fleeting +shadow, gushing water, and oppressed +cattle"—yes, more, it wants +repose, and there it is—"High and +far above the dark volumes of the +swift rain-cloud, are seen on the left, +through their opening, the quiet, horizontal, +silent flakes of the highest cirrus, +resting in the repose of the deep +sky;" and there they are, "delicate, +soft, passing vapours," and there is +"the exquisite depth and <em>palpitating</em> +tenderness of the blue with which they +are islanded." Thus <em>islanded in tenderness</em>, +what wonder is it if Ixion embraced +a cloud? Let not the modern lover +of nature entertain such a thought; +"Bright Phœbus" is no minor canon +to smile complacently on the matter; +he has a jealousy in him, and won't let +any be in a melting mood with the +clouds but himself; he tears aside your +curtains, and steam-like rags of capricious +vapour—"the mouldering +sun, seeming not far away, but burning +like a red-hot ball beside you, and +as if you could reach it, plunges +through the rushing wind and rolling +cloud with headlong fall, as if it meant +to rise no more, dyeing all the air about +it with blood." This is no fanciful +description, but among the comparative +views of nature's and of Turner's +skies, as seen, and verified upon his +affidavit, by a graduate of Oxford; +who may have an indisposition to +boast of his exclusive privilege.</p> + +<div class="blockquot"> +<p>"<ins class="greek" title="Aerobatô kai periphronô ton helion">Ἀεροβατῶ και +περιφρονῶ τὸν +ἥλιον.</ins>"</p> +</div> + +<p>Accordingly, in "the effects of +light rendered by modern art," our +author is very particular indeed. His +extraordinary knowledge of the sun's +position, to a hair's-breadth in Mr +Turner's pictures, and minute of the +day, is quite surprising. He gives a +table of two pages and a-half, of position +and moment, "morning, noon, +and afternoon," "evening and night." +In more than one instance, he is so +close, as "five minutes before sunset."</p> + +<p>Having settled the matter of the +sky, our author takes the earth in +hand, and tosses it about like a Titan. +"The spirit of the hills is action, +that of the lowlands, repose; and between +these there is to be found every +variety of motion and of rest, from +the inactive plain, sleeping like the +firmament, with cities for stars, to the +fiery peaks which, with heaving bosoms +and exulting limbs, with clouds drifting +like hair from their bright foreheads, +lift up their Titan hands to heaven +saying, 'I live for ever.'" We learn, +too, a wonderful power in the excited +earth, far beyond that which other +"naturalists" describe of the lobster, +who only, <i>ad libitum</i>, casts off a claw +or so. "But there is this difference +between the action of the earth and +that of a living creature, that while +the exerted limb marks its bones and +tendons through the flesh, the excited +earth casts off the flesh altogether, +and its bones come out from beneath. +Mountains are the bones of the earth, +their highest peaks are invariably +those parts of its anatomy, which in +the plains lie buried under five-and-twenty +thousand feet of solid thickness +of superincumbent soil, and which +spring up in the mountain ranges in +vast pyramids or wedges, flinging their +garment of earth away from them on +each side." If the gentle sketcher +should happily escape a cuff from these +cast-off clothes flung by excited earth +from her extremities, he may be satisfied +with repose in the lap of mother +earth, who must be considerably fat +and cushioned, though some may entertain +a fear of being overlaid. What +is the artist to do with an earth like +this, body and bones? When he sits +down to sketch some placid landscape, +is he to think of poor nature with her +bones sticking out from twenty-five +thousand feet of her solid flesh! +Mother of Gargantia—thou wert but +a dwarf! Salvator Rosa could not +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_501" id="Page_501">[Pg 501]</a></span> +paint rock; Gaspar Poussin could not +paint rock. A rock, in short, is such +a thing as nobody ought to paint, or +can paint but Turner; and all that, +after his description of rock, we believe; +but were not prepared to learn +that "the foreground of the 'Napoleon' +in last year's Academy," is "one +of the most exquisite pieces of rock +truth ever put on canvass." In fact, +we really, in ignorance to be ashamed +of, did not know there was any rock +there at all. We only remember +Napoleon and his cocked-hat—now, +this is extraordinary; for as <em>we</em> only +or chiefly remember the cocked-hat, +so he sees the said cocked-hat in +Salvator's rocks, where we never saw +such a thing, though "he has succeeded +in covering his foregrounds +with forms which approximate to those +of drapery, of ribands, of <em>crushed +cocked-hats</em>, of locks of hair, of waves, +of leaves, or any thing, in short, flexible +or tough, but which, of course, +are not only unlike, but directly contrary +to the forms which nature has +impressed on rocks." And the nature +of rocks he must know, having the +"Napoleon" before him. "In the +'Napoleon' I can illustrate by no better +example, for I can reason as well +from this as I could with my foot on +the native rock." What rocks of Salvator's, +besides the No. 220 of the +Dulwich gallery, he has seen, we +cannot pretend to say; we have, +within these few days, seen one, and +could not discover the "commas," +the "Chinese for rocks," nor Sanscrit +for rocks, but did read the language +of nature, without the necessity of any +writing under—"This is a rock." +Poor Claude, he knew nothing of perspective, +and his efforts "invariably +ended in reducing his pond to the form +of a round O, and making it look +perpendicular;" but in one instance +Claude luckily hits upon "a little bit +of accidental truth;" he is circumstantial +in its locality—"the little +piece of ground above the cattle, between +the head of the brown cow and +the tail of the white one, is well articulated, +just where it turns into +shade."</p> + +<p>After the entire failure of all artists +that ever lived before Turner in land +and skies, we are prepared to find +that they had not the least idea of +water. When they thought they +painted water, in fact, they were like +"those happier children, sliding on +dry ground," and had not the chance +of wetting a foot. Water, too, is a +thing to be anatomized, a sort of rib-fluidity. +The moving, transparent +water, in shallow and in depth, of +Vandervelde and Backhuysen, is not +the least like water; they are men +who "libelled the sea." Many of +our moderns—Stanfield in particular—seem +naturally web-footed; but the +real Triton of the sea, as he was Titan +of the earth, is Turner. To our +own eyes, in this respect, he stands +indebted to the engraver; for we do +not remember a single sea-piece by +Turner, in water-colour or oil, in +which the water is <em>liquid</em>. What it +is like, in the picture of the Slave-ship, +which is considered one of his +very finest productions, we defy any +one to tell. We are led to guess it is +meant for water, by the strange fish +that take their pastime. A year or +two ago were exhibited two sea-pieces, +of nearly equal size, at the +British Institution, by Vandervelde +and Turner. It was certainly one of +Turner's best; but how inferior was +the water and the sky to the water +and sky in Vandervelde! In Turner +they were both rocky. We say not +this to the disparagement of Turner's +genius. He had not studied these +elements as did Vandervelde. The +two painters ought not to be compared +together; and we humbly think that +any man who should pronounce of +Vandervelde and Backhuysen, that +they "libelled the sea," convicts himself +of a wondrous lack of taste and +feeling. Of their works he thus speaks—"As +it is, I believe there is scarcely +such another instance to be found in the +history of man, of the epidemic aberration +of mind into which multitudes +fall by infection, as is furnished by +the value set upon the works of these +men." Of water, he says—"Nothing +can hinder water from being a reflecting +medium but dry dust or filth of +some kind on its surface. Dirty water, +if the foul matter be dissolved or +suspended in the liquid, reflects just +as clearly and sharply as pure water, +only the image is coloured by the hue +of the mixed matter, and becomes +comparatively brown or dark." We +entirely deny this, from constant observation. +Within this week we have +been studying a stream, which has +alternated in its clearness and muddiness. +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_502" id="Page_502">[Pg 502]</a></span> +We found the reflection not +only less clear in the latter case, but +instead of brown and dark, to have +lost its brownness, and to have become +lighter. To understand the "curves" +of water being beyond the reach of +most who are not graduates of Oxford; +and painters and admirers of +old masters being people without +sense, at least in comparison with the +graduate, he thus disposes of his +learned difficulty:—"This is a point, +however, on which it is impossible to +argue without going into high mathematics, +and even then the nature of +particular curves, as given by the +brush, would be scarcely demonstrable; +and I am the less disposed to +take much trouble about it, because I +think that the persons who are really +fond of these works are almost beyond +the reach of argument." The celebrated +Mrs Partington once endeavoured, +at Sidmouth, to dispose of +these "curves," and failed; and we +suspect a stronger reason than the +incapacity of his readers for our author's +thus disposing of the subject. +We believe the world would not give +a pin's head for all the seas that ever +might be painted upon these mathematical +curves; and that, in painting, +even a graduate's "high mathematics" +are but a very low affair. But let us +enliven the reader with something +really high—and here is, in very high-flown +prose, part of a description of a +waterfall; and it will tell him a secret, +that in the midst of these fine falls, +nature keeps a furnace and steam-engine +continually at work, and having +the fire at hand, sends up rockets—if +you doubt—read:—"And how all +the hollows of that foam burn with +green fire, like so much <em>shattering +chrysoprase</em>; and how, ever and anon, +startling you with its white flash, a +jet of spray leaps hissing out of the +fall, like a rocket, bursting in the +wind, and driven away in dust, filling +the air with light; and how, through +the curdling wreaths of the restless, +crashing abyss below, the blue of the +water, paled by the foam in its body, +shows purer than the sky through +white rain-cloud, while the shuddering +iris stoops in tremulous stillness +over all, fading and flashing alternately +through the choking spray and +shattered sunshine, hiding itself at last +among the thick golden leaves, which +toss to and fro in sympathy with the +wild water, their dripping masses +lifted at intervals, like sheaves of loaded +corn, by some stronger gush from +the cataract, and bowed again upon +the mossy rocks as its roar dies away." +"Satque superque satis"—we cannot +go on. There is nothing like calling +things by their contraries—it is truly +startling. Whenever you speak of +water, treat it as fire—of fire, <i>vice versa</i>, +as water; and be sure to send them all +shattering out of reach and discrimination +of all sense; and look into a +dictionary for some such word as +"chrysoprase," which we find to +come from <ins class="greek" title="chrysos">χρυσος</ins> gold, and <ins class="greek" title="prason">πρασον</ins> a +leek, and means a precious stone; it +is capable of being shattered, together +with "sunshine"—the reader will +think the whole passage a "flash" of +moonshine. But there is a discovery—"I +believe, when you have stood by +this for half an hour, you will have +discovered that there is something +more in nature than has been given +by Ruysdaël." You will indeed—if +this be nature! But, alas, what have +we not to undergo—to discover what +water is, and to become capable of +judging of Turner! It is a comfort, +however, that he is likely to have but +few judges. Graduate has courage to +undergo any thing. Ariel was nothing +in his ubiquity to him, though he put +a span about the world in forty minutes; +"but there was some apology +for the public's not understanding +this, for few people have had the opportunity +of seeing the sea at such a +time, and when they have, cannot +face it. To hold by a mast or rock, +and watch it, is a prolonged endurance +of drowning, which few people +have courage to go through. To +those who have, it is one of the noblest +lessons in nature." Very few +people, indeed, and those few "involuntary +experimentalists."</p> + +<p>We are glad to get on dry land again, +"brown furze or any thing"—and here +we must question one of his truths of +vegetation: he asserts, that the stems +of all trees, the "ordinary trees of +Europe, do not taper, but grow up or +out, in undiminished thickness, till +they throw out branch and bud, and +then go off again to the next of equal +thickness." We have carefully examined +many trees this last week, and +find it is not the case; in almost all, the +bulging at the bottom, nearest the +root, is manifest. There is an early +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_503" id="Page_503">[Pg 503]</a></span> +association in our minds, that the +birch for instance is remarkably tapering +in its twigs. We would rather +refer our "sworn measurer" to the +factor than the painter, and we very +much question whether his "top and +top" will meet the market. We are +satisfied the fact is not as he states it, +and surely nature works not by such +measure rule. We suspect, for nature +we should here read Turner, for +his trees, certainly, are strange things; +it is true, he generally shirks them. +We do not remember one picture that +has a good, true, <i>bona fide</i>, conspicuous +tree in it. The reader will not be +surprised to learn that the worst +painter of trees was Gaspar Poussin! +and that the perfection of trees is to +be found in Turner's "Marley," +where most people will think the trees +look more like brooms than trees. +The chapter on "the Truth of Turner" +concludes with a quotation—we +presume the extract from a letter +from Mr Turner to the author. If +so, Mr Turner has somewhat caught +the author's style, and tells very simple +truths in a very fine manner, thus:—"I +cannot gather the sunbeams out +of the east, or I would make <em>them</em> tell +you what I have seen; but read this, +and interpret this, and let us remember +together. I cannot gather the +gloom out of the night-sky, or I +would make that teach you what I +have seen; but read this, and interpret +this, and let us feel together." +We must pause. Really we do not +see the slightest necessity of an interpretation +here. It is a simple +fact. He cannot extract "sunbeams" +from cucumbers—from the +east, we should say. The only riddle +seems to be, that they should, in one +instance, remember together, and in +the other, feel together; only we +guess that, being night-gloom, people +naturally feel about them in the dark. +But he proceeds—"And if you have +not that within you which I can summon +to my aid, if you have not the +sun in your spirit, and the passion in +your heart, which my words may +awaken, though they be indistinct +and swift, leave me." We must +pause again; here <em>is</em> a riddle: what +can be the meaning of having the sun +in one's spirit?—is it any thing like +having the moon in one's head? We +give it up. The passion in the heart +we suppose to be dead asleep, and the +words and voice harsh and grating, +and so it is awakened. But what that +if, or if not, has to do with "leave +me," we cannot conjecture; but this +we do venture to conjecture, that to +expect our graduate ever to <em>leave</em> Mr +Turner is one of the most hopeless of +all Mr Turner's "Fallacies of Hope." +But the writer proceeds with a <em>for</em>—that +appears, nevertheless, a pretty +considerable <i>non-sequitur</i>. "For I +will give you no patient mockery, no +laborious insult of that glorious nature, +whose I am and whom I serve." Here +the graduate is treated as a servant, +and the writer of the letter assumes +the Pythian, the truly oracular vein. +"Let other servants imitate the voice +and the gesture of their master while +they forget his message. Hear that message +from me, but remember that the +teaching of Divine Truth must still +be a mystery." "Like master like +man." Both are in the "Cambyses' +vein."</p> + +<p>We do not think that landscape +painters will either gain or lose much +by the publication of this volume, unless +it be some mortification to be so +sillily lauded as some of our very respectable +painters are. We do not +think that the pictorial world, either +in taste or practice, will be Turnerized +by this palpably fulsome, nonsensical +praise. In this our graduate +is <i>semper idem</i>, and to keep up his +idolatry to the sticking-point, terminates +the volume with a prayer, and +begs all the people of England to join +in it—a prayer to Mr Turner!</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_504" id="Page_504">[Pg 504]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="A_ROYAL_SALUTE" id="A_ROYAL_SALUTE"></a>A ROYAL SALUTE.</h2> + + +<p>"Should you like to be a queen, +Christina?"</p> + +<p>This question was addressed by an +old man, whose head was bent carefully +over a chess-board, to a young +lady who was apparently rather tired +of the lesson she had taken in that interesting +game.</p> + +<p>"Queen of hearts, do you mean?" +answered the girl, patting with the +greatest appearance of fondness a +dreadfully ugly little dog that lay in +her lap.</p> + +<p>"Queen of hearts," replied the minister, +with a smile; "you are that +already, my dear. But have you no +other ambition?" he added, tapping +sagaciously the lid of a magnificently +ornamented snuff-box, on which was +depicted one of the ugliest monarchs +that ever puzzled a court-painter to +make him human.</p> + +<p>"Why should my ambition go further?" +said Christina. "I have more +subjects already than I know how to +govern."</p> + +<p>"No doubt—no doubt—I knew +very well that you could not avoid +having subjects; but I hope and trust +you have had too much sense to receive +their allegiance."</p> + +<p>The old man was proud of carrying +on the metaphor so well, and of +asking the question so delicately. It +was quite evident he had been in the +diplomatic line.</p> + +<p>"How can I help it?" enquired the +young beauty, passing her hand over +the back of the disgusting little pet, +which showed its teeth in a very uncouth +fashion whenever the paternal +voice was raised a little too high. +"But, I assure you, I pay no attention +to allegiance, which I consider my +right. There is but one person's homage +I care for"——</p> + +<p>The brow of the Prime Minister of +Sweden grew very black, and his face +had something of the benign expression +of the growling pug on his +daughter's knee.</p> + +<p>"Who is that person, Christina?"</p> + +<p>But Christina looked at her father +with an alarmed glance, which she +shortly after converted into a smile, +and went on in her pleasing occupation +of smoothing the raven down of +her favourite, but did not say a word.</p> + +<p>The father, who seemed to be no +great judge of pantomime, repeated +his question.</p> + +<p>"Who is that person, Christina?"</p> + +<p>Christina disdained hypocrisy, and, +moreover, was immensely spoiled.</p> + +<p>"Who <em>should</em> it be, but your gallant +nephew, Adolphus Hesse, dear +father?"</p> + +<p>"You haven't had the impudence, +I hope, to engage yourself to that +boy?"</p> + +<p>"Boy—why he is twenty-one! He +is my oldest friend—we learned all +our lessons together. I can't recollect +the time we were not engaged, +it is so long since we loved each +other!"</p> + +<p>"Nonsense! You were brought +up together by his mother; it is nothing +but sisterly affection."</p> + +<p>"Not at all—not at all!" cried +Christina; "it would make me quite +miserable if Adolphus were my brother."</p> + +<p>"It is all you must think him, +nevertheless. He has no fortune; he +has nothing but his commission; and +my generosity is"——</p> + +<p>"Immense, my dear father; inexhaustible! +And then Adolphus is so +brave—so magnanimous; and, upon +my word, when I saw how much he +liked me, and heard him speak so +much more delightfully than any body +else, I never thought of asking if he +was rich; and you know you love him +yourself, dear father."</p> + +<p>Christina neglected the pug in her +lap for a moment, and laid her hand +coaxingly on the old man's shoulder.</p> + +<p>"But not enough to make him my +heir," said the Count, gruffly. Christina +renewed her attentions to the +dog.</p> + +<p>"He would be your heir notwithstanding," +she said, "if I were to +die."</p> + +<p>There was something in the tone of +her voice, or the idea suggested of +her death, that softened the old man. +He looked for a long time at the +young and beautiful face of his child; +and the shade of uneasiness her words +had raised, disappeared from his +brow.</p> + +<p>"There is nothing but life there," +he said, gently tapping her on the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_505" id="Page_505">[Pg 505]</a></span> +forehead; "and therefore I must +marry you, my girl!"</p> + +<p>"And you will make us the happiest +couple in the world. Adolphus +will be so grateful," said Christina, +her bright eyes sparkling through tears.</p> + +<p>"Who the devil said a word about +Adolphus?" said the father, looking +angrily at Christina; but he added +immediately in a softer tone, when he +saw the real emotion of his daughter—"Poor +girl, you have been sadly +spoiled! You have had too much of +your own way, and now you ask me +to do what is impossible. Be a reasonable +girl, there's a darling! and +your aunt will present you at court. +You will see such grand things—you +will know our gallant young King—only +be reasonable!"</p> + +<p>"The rude monster!" cried Christina, +starting up as if tired of the +conversation. "I have no wish to +know him. They say he hates women."</p> + +<p>"A calumny, my dear girl; he is +very fond of <em>one</em> at all events."</p> + +<p>"Is she pretty?"</p> + +<p>"And mischievous as yourself."</p> + +<p>"As I?" enquired Christina, and +fell into a long reverie, while the +Count smiled as if he had made an +excellent hit.</p> + +<p>"But I have never seen him, papa," +she said, awakening all of a sudden.</p> + +<p>"He may have seen you though; +and he says"——</p> + +<p>"Oh, what does he say? Do tell +me what the King says?"</p> + +<p>"Poh! What do you want to know +about what a rude monster says—that +hates women?" answered the father +with another smile of satisfaction.</p> + +<p>"But he is a king, papa! What +does he say? I am quite anxious to +know."</p> + +<p>But the minister of state had +gained his object; he had excited +curiosity, and determined not to gratify +it. At last he said, as he rose to +quit the apartment—"Let us turn +the conversation, Christina; we have +nothing to do with kings, and must +content ourselves with humbler subjects. +An officer will sup with us to-night, +whom I wish you very much to +please. He has influence with the +King; and if you have any regard for +my interest you will receive him well. +I intend him for your husband."</p> + +<p>"I won't have him!" cried Christina, +running after her father as he left +the room. "I won't have him! If I +don't marry Adolphus, I won't marry +at all!"</p> + +<p>"Heaven grant it, sweet cousin!" +said Adolphus Hesse in <i>propria persona</i>, +emerging from behind the window-curtains, +where, by some miraculous +concatenation of events, he had +found himself ensconced for the last +hour. "'Tis delightful to act the spy, +and hear an advocate so persuasive as +you have been, Christina—but the +cause is desperate."</p> + +<p>"Who told you, sir, the cause was +desperate?" said Christina, pretending +to look offended. "The battle is +half gained—my father's anger disappears +in a moment. Now, dear +Adolphus, don't sigh—don't cross +your arms—don't look up to the sky +with that heroic frown—I can't bear +to groan and be dismal—I want to +be gay—to have a ball—to——We +shall have <em>such</em> a ball the day of our +wedding, Adolphus!"</p> + +<p>"Your hopes deceive you, dearest +Christina. I know your father better +than you do. Ah!" he added, gazing +sadly on the beautiful features of the +young girl who looked on him so +brightly, "you will never be able to +resist the brilliant offer that will be +made you in exchange for one faithful, +loving heart."</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" replied Christina, feeling +her eyes filling with tears, but endeavouring +at the same time to conceal +her emotion under an affectation +of anger, "your opinion of me is not +very flattering; and it is not in very +good taste, methinks, to play the despairing +lover, especially after the conversation +you so honourably overheard."</p> + +<p>"Dry that tear, dear girl!" said +Adolphus, "I will believe any thing +you like."</p> + +<p>"Why do you make me cry then? +Is it only to have the pleasure of telling +me to dry my tears? Or did you +think you had some rival; some splendid +cavalier that it was impossible to +resist—Count Ericson, for instance?"</p> + +<p>"Oh! as to Ericson I am not at +all uneasy. I know you hate him; +and besides he is not much richer than +myself; but, dear Christina"——</p> + +<p>"Well—go on," said the girl, mocking +the lugubrious tone of her cousin—"what +are you sighing again for?"</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_506" id="Page_506">[Pg 506]</a></span> +"Your father is going to bring you +a new lover this evening, and poor +Adolphus will be forgotten."</p> + +<p>"You deserve it for all your ridiculous +suspicions: but you are my +cousin, and I forgive you this once." +She looked at him with so sunny a +smile, and so clear and open-hearted a +countenance, that it was impossible to +entertain a doubt.</p> + +<p>"You love me really, then?" he +said—"truly—faithfully?"</p> + +<p>"I have told you so a hundred +times," replied his cousin. "I am +astonished you are not tired of hearing +the same thing over and over again."</p> + +<p>"'Tis so sweet, so new a thing for +me," said Adolphus, "and I could +listen to it for ever."</p> + +<p>"Well, then, we love each other—that's +very clear," said Christina, with +the solemnity of the foreman of a jury +delivering a verdict on the clearest +evidence; "but since my father won't +let us marry, we must wait—that is +almost as clear as the other."</p> + +<p>"And if he never consents?" enquired +Adolphus.</p> + +<p>"Never!" exclaimed Christina, to +whom such an idea seemed never to +have occurred, "can it be possible he +will <em>never</em> consent?"</p> + +<p>"I fear it is too possible," replied +Adolphus, and the shadow fell on his +face again.</p> + +<p>"Well," said Christina, after a +minute's pause, as if she had come to +a resolution, "we must always stay as +we are. Happiness is never increased +by an act of disobedience."</p> + +<p>"I think as you do," said the young +soldier, admiring her all the more for +the death-blow to his hopes; "and are +you happy, quite happy, Christina?"</p> + +<p>"What a question! Don't I see +you every day? Isn't every body +kind to me? Is there any thing I +want?"</p> + +<p>A different answer would have +pleased the lover more. He looked at +her for some time in silence—at last, +in an altered tone, he said—</p> + +<p>"I congratulate you on your prudence, +Christina."</p> + +<p>"I cannot break my father's heart."</p> + +<p>"No, but mine, Christina!"</p> + +<p>"Adolphus," said the young beauty +solemnly, "if I cannot be your wife +with the consent of my father, I never +will marry another. This is all you +can ask; all I can promise."</p> + +<p>Filial affection was not quite so +strong in Adolphus as in his cousin, +and his face was by no means brightened +on hearing this declaration. It +was so uncommonly proper that it +seemed nearly bordering on the cold +and heartless. He tried to hate her; +he walked up and down the room at +a tremendous pace, stopping every +now and then to take another glance +at the tyrant who had pronounced his +doom, and looked as beautiful as ever. +He found it impossible to hate <em>her</em>, +though we shall not enquire what +were his sentiments towards her worthy +progenitor, Count Ericson, the +unknown lover, and even the young +heroic King; for the sagacious reader +must now be informed that this wonderful +lovers' quarrel took place in +the reign of Charles XII. Our fear +is that he disliked all four. Christina +found it very difficult to preserve +the gravity essential to a heroine's +appearance when she saw the long +strides and bent brows of her lover. +A smile was ready, on the slightest +provocation, to make a dimple in her +beautiful cheek, and all the biting she +bestowed on her lips only made them +redder and rosier. Adolphus had no +inclination to smile, and could not +believe that any body could see the +least temptation to indulge in such +a ridiculous occupation on such a momentous +occasion. He was a regular +lover, as Mr Weller would say, and +no mistake. He saw in his fair cousin +only a treasure of inestimable price, +guarded by two monsters that made +his approaches hopeless—avarice and +ambition. How differently those two +young people viewed the same event! +Christina, knowing her power over +her father, and unluckily not knowing +that fathers (even though they are +prime ministers, and are as courtier-like +as Polonius) have flinty hearts +when their interests are concerned, +saw nothing in the present state of +affairs to despair about; and in fact, +as we have said already, was nearly +committing the unpardonable crime +of laughing at the grimaces of her +cousin. He, poor fellow, knew the +world a little better, and perceived +in a moment that the new lover +whom the ambitious father was going +to present to his daughter, was some +favourite of the king; and he was +well aware, that any one backed by +that impetuous monarch, was in a fair +way to success. The king had seen +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_507" id="Page_507">[Pg 507]</a></span> +Christina too—and though despising +love himself, was in the habit of rewarding +his favourite officers with the +hand of the beauties or heiresses of +his court; and when, as in this instance, +the lady chosen was both—how +could he doubt that the king had +already resolved that she should be +the bride of some lucky rival, against +whose claims it would be impossible +to contend? And Christina standing +all the while before him, scarcely able +to restrain a laugh! He was only +twenty-one—and not half so steady as +his grandfather would probably have +shown himself in the same circumstances, +and being unable to vent his +rage on any body else, he poured it +all forth upon himself.</p> + +<p>"What a fool I have been!—an +ass—a dolt—to have been so blinded! +But I see now—I deserve all I have +got! To have been so deceived by an +absurd fit of love—that has lasted all +my life, too! But no!—I shall not repay +my uncle's kindness to me by +robbing him of his only child. I shall +go at once to my regiment—I may be +lucky enough to get into the way of +a cannon—you will think kindly of +me when I am gone, though you are +so unk"——</p> + +<p>The word died away upon his lips. +Large tears filled Christina's eyes, +and all her inclination to smile had +disappeared. There was something +either in his looks or the tone of his +voice, or the thought of his being killed, +that banished all her gaiety; and +in a few minutes the quarrel was made +up—the tears dried in the usual manner—vows +made—hands joined—and +resolutions passed and carried with +the utmost unanimity, that no power +on earth should keep them from being +married. And a very good resolution +it was. The only pity was, that +it was not very likely to be carried +into effect. A father, an unknown +lover, and a king, all joined against a +poor boy and girl. The odds are +very much against Adolphus and +Christina.</p> + +<p>Now let us examine the real state +of affairs as dispassionately as we can. +The Count Gyllenborg was ambitious, +as became a courtier with an only +daughter who was acknowledged on +all sides to be the most beautiful girl +in Sweden; and as he was aware of +the full value of red lips and sparkling +eyes in the commerce of life, he +was determined to make the most of +these perishable commodities while +they were at their best, and the particular +make and colour of them were +in fashion. The Count was rich—and +with amply sufficient brains, according +to the dictum of one of his +predecessors, to govern a kingdom; +but he was not warlike; and Charles, +who had lately taken the power into +his own hands, knew nothing of mankind +further than that they were made +to be drawn up in opposite lines, and +make holes in each other as scientifically +as they could. Count Gyllenborg +had a decided objection to being +made a receptacle for lead bullets or +steel swords; and was by no means +anxious to murder a single Russian or +German, for the sake of the honour +of the thing, or for the good of his +country. His power resting only on +his adroitness in civil affairs, was +therefore not on the surest foundation; +and a prop to it was accordingly +wanted. Such a prop had never +been seen before, with such sunny +looks, and such a happy musical +laugh. The looks and the laugh between +them, converted the atmosphere +of Stockholm into the climate of +Italy; and the politician, almost without +knowing it, began to be thawed +into a father. But the fear of a rival +in the King's favour—some gallant +soldier—and dozens of them were +reported every week—made him resolve +once more to bring his daughter's +beauties into play. The king +had seen her, and, in his boorish way, +had expressed his admiration; and +Gyllenborg felt assured, that if he +should marry his daughter according +to the King's wishes, his influence +would be greater than ever; and, in +fact, that the premiership would be +his for life.</p> + +<p>Great preparations accordingly +were made for the reception of the +powerful stranger, the announcement +of whose appearance at supper had +spread such dismay in the hearts of +the two lovers. Christina knew almost +instinctively her father's plan, +and determined to counteract it. She +felt sure that the officer for whom she +was destined, and whom she had been +ordered to receive so particularly, was +one of the new favourites of the warlike +king; some leader of a forlorn-hope, +created colonel on the field of +battle; some young general fresh +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_508" id="Page_508">[Pg 508]</a></span> +from some heroic achievement, that +had endeared him to his chief; but +whoever it was, she was resolved to +show him that the crown of Sweden +was a very limited monarchy in regard +to its female subjects, and that +she would have nobody for her husband—neither +count, nor colonel, nor +general—but only her cousin Adolphus, +lieutenant in the Dalecarlian +hussars. Notwithstanding this resolution, +it is astonishing what a time +she stayed before the glass—how often +she tried different coloured roses in +her hair—how carefully she fitted on +her new Parisian robes, and, in short, +did every thing in her power to look +her very best. What did all this arise +from? She wished to show this young +favourite, whoever he might be, that +she was really as beautiful as people +had told him; she wished to convince +him that her smile was as sweet, her +teeth as white, her eyes as captivating, +her figure as superb, as he had +heard them described—and then she +wished to show him that all +these—smiles—eyes—teeth—figure, were +given, along with the heart that made +them truly valuable, to another! and +that other no favourite of a king—nor +even of a minister, but only of a young +girl of eighteen.</p> + +<p>Radiant with beauty, and conscious +of the sensation she was certain to +create, she entered the magnificent +apartment where supper was prepared—a +supper splendid and costly enough +to have satisfied a whole army of epicures, +though only intended for her +father, the stranger, and herself; and +if you, oh reader! had been there, +you would have thought Christina +lovely enough to have excited the +admiration of a whole court instead +of an old man—and that, too, her +father—and a young one, and that +none other, to Christina's infinite disgust, +than the very Count Ericson +whose acquaintance she had already +made, and whom she infinitely and +unappeasably disliked. He was the +most awkward, stupid-looking young +man she ever saw, and had furnished +her with a butt for her malicious pleasantries +ever since she had known +him. He rose to lead her to her seat. +"How different from Adolphus! If +he is no better performer in the battle-field +than at the supper-table, the King +must be very ill off for soldiers. What +can papa mean by asking such a horrid +being to his house? I am certain +I shall laugh outright if I look again +at his silly grey eyes and long yellow +hair, as ragged as a pony's mane."</p> + +<p>Such were Christina's thoughts, +while she bit her lips to hide if possible +her inclination to be angry, and +to laugh at the same time. And in +truth her dislike of the Count did not +exaggerate the ridiculousness of the +appearance of the tall ungainly figure—large-boned +and stiff-backed—that +now stood before her—with a nose so +absurdly aquiline that it would have +done for a caricature—coarse-skinned +cheeks, and a stare of military impudence +that shocked and nearly frightened +the high-bred, elegant-looking +beauty on whom it was fixed. And +yet this individual, such as we have +described, had been fixed on by the +higher powers for her husband—was +this night to be treated as her accepted +lover, and, in short, had been closeted +for hours every day with her father—settling +all the preliminaries of course—for +the last six weeks. Christina looked +once more at the insolent stare of the +triumphant soldier, and made a vow to +die rather than speak to him—that is, +in the affirmative.</p> + +<p>But thoughts of affirmatives and +negatives did not seem to enter Count +Ericson's head—his grammatical education +having probably been neglected. +He stood gaping at his prey as a tiger +may be supposed to cast insinuating +looks upon a lamb, and made every +now and then an attempt to conceal +either his awkwardness, or satisfaction, +or both, in immense fits of +laughter, which formed the accompaniment +of all the remarks—and they +were nearly as heavy as himself—with +which he favoured the company. +Christina, on her part, if she had given +way to the dictates of her indignation, +would have also favoured the company +with a few remarks, that in all probability +would have put a stop to the +laughter of the lover, and choked her +old father by making a fish-bone stick +in his throat. She was angry for +twenty reasons, one of them was having +wasted a moment over her toilette +to receive such a visitor as Count +Ericson; another was her father having +dared to offer her hand to such an +uncouth wooer and intolerable bore; +and the principal one of all, was his +having rejected his own nephew—undoubtedly +the handsomest of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_509" id="Page_509">[Pg 509]</a></span> +Dalecarlian hussars—in favour of such a +vulgar, ugly individual. The subject +of these flattering considerations seemed +to feel at last that he ought to say +something to the young beauty, on +whose pouting lip had gathered something +which was very different indeed +from a smile, and yet nearly as captivating. +He accordingly turned his +large light eyes from his plate for a +moment, and with a mouth still filled +with a leg and wing of a capercailzie, +enquired—</p> + +<p>"What do you think of Alexander +the Great, madam?"</p> + +<p>This was too much. Even her rage +disappeared, and she burst into a loud +laugh at the serious face of the querist.</p> + +<p>"I never think of Alexander the +Great at all," she said. "I only recollect, +that when I was reading his +history, I could hardly make out whether +he was most of a fool or a madman."</p> + +<p>Ericson swallowed the leg and the +wing of the capercailzie without any +further mastication, and launched out +in a torrent of admiration of the most +prodigious courage the world had ever +seen.</p> + +<p>"If he had been as prodigiously +wise," replied Christina, "as he was +prodigiously courageous, he would +have learned to govern himself before +he attempted to govern the world."</p> + +<p>Ericson blushed from chin to forehead +with vexation, and answered in +an offended tone—</p> + +<p>"How can a woman enter into the +fever of noble thoughts that impels a +brave man to rush into the midst of +dangers, and leads him to despise life +and all its petty enjoyments to gain +undying fame?"</p> + +<p>"No, indeed," she replied, "I have +no fever, and have no sympathy with +destroyers. Oh, if I wished for fame, +I should try to gain it by gathering +round me the blessings of all who saw +me! Yes, father," she went on, paying +no regard to the signs and winks +of the agonized Count Gyllenborg, +"I would rather that countless thousands +should live to bless me, than +that they should die in heaping curses +on my name! Men-killers—though +you dignify them with the name of +heroes—are atrocious. Let us speak +of them, my lord, no more, unless to +pray heaven to rid the earth of such +monsters."</p> + +<p>A feather of the smallest of birds +would have knocked down the Prime +Minister of Sweden; and Count Ericson +appeared, from his stupefied look, +to have gone through the process already—the +difficulty was to lift him +up again.</p> + +<p>"Come, Count," cried the Minister, +filling up Ericson's glass with +champagne, "to Alexander's glory!"</p> + +<p>"With all my heart," cried Ericson, +moistening his rage with the delicious +sparkler. "Come, fair savage," +he added, addressing Christina, and +touching her glass with such force +that it fell in a thousand pieces on the +table—"to Alexander's glory!"</p> + +<p>"I have no wish to drink to such +a toast," replied Christina, more offended +than ever; "I can't endure +those scourges of human kind who +hide the skin of the tiger beneath the +royal robe."</p> + +<p>"The girl is mad!" exclaimed the +astonished father, who seemed to begin +to be slightly alarmed at the +flashes of indignation that burst from +Count Ericson's wild-looking eyes. +"Don't mind what such a silly thing +says; she does it only to show her +cleverness. What does she know of +war or warriors? She cares for nothing +yet but her puppy-dog. She +pats it all day, and lets it bite her +pretty little hand. Such a hand it is +to refuse a pledge to Alexander!"</p> + +<p>The politician was on the right +track; for such a pretty hand was not +in Sweden—nor probably in Denmark +either—and the cunning old minister +took it between his finger and thumb, +and placed it almost on the lip of the +irate young worshipper of glory; if +it did not actually touch the lip it +went very near it, and distinctly +moved one or two of the most prominent +tufts of the stout yellow mustache. +"The little goose," pursued +the respectable sire, "to pretend to +have an opinion on any subject except +the colour of a riband. Upon +my honour, I believe she presumes to +be a critic of warriors, because she +plays a good game of chess. It is +one of her accomplishments, Count; +and if you will take a little of the +conceit out of her, you will confer an +infinite obligation on both of us."</p> + +<p>Saying this, he lifted with his own +ministerial fingers a small table from +a corner of the room, and placed it in +front of the youthful couple, with the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_510" id="Page_510">[Pg 510]</a></span> +men all ready laid out. Ericson's +eyes sparkled at the sight of his favourite +game; and he determined to +display his utmost skill, and teach his +antagonist a few secrets of the art of +(mimic) war. But determinations, as +has been remarked by several sages, +past and present, are sometimes vain. +Nothing, one would think, could be +so likely to restore a man's self-possession +as a quiet game of chess—an +occupation as efficacious in soothing +the savage breast as music itself. +But Ericson seemed still agitated +from the contradictions he had encountered +from the free-spoken Christina, +and threw a little more politeness +into his manner than he had +hitherto vouchsafed to show, when he +invited her to be his adversary in a +game.</p> + +<p>"But, if I beat you?" she said ominously, +holding up one of the fair +fingers to which his attention had +been so particularly called, and implying +by the question, if you get +angry when I only refuse your toast, +won't you eat me if I am the winner +at chess? "But, if I beat you?" she +said.</p> + +<p>"That will not be the only occasion +on which you will have triumphed +over me, you—you"——He +seemed greatly at a loss for a word, +and concluded his speech with—"beauty!" +This expression, which +was, no doubt, intended for the most +complimentary he could find, was accompanied +with a look of admiration +so long, so broad, and so impudent, +that she blushed, and a squeeze of her +hand so hard, so rough, and so continued, +that she screamed. She threw +a glance of inexpressible disdain on +the insolent wooer, and looked for +protection to her father; but that venerable +individual was at that moment +so sound asleep on one of the +sofas at the other end of the room, +that no noise whatever could have +awakened him. Ericson seemed totally +unmoved by all the contempt +she could express in her looks, and +probably thought he was in a thriving +condition, from the fact (somewhat +unusual) of his being looked at at all. +She lost her temper altogether. She +covered her cheek, which was flushed +with anger, with the little hand that +was reddened with pain, and resolved +to play her worst to spite her ill-mannered +antagonist. But all her +attempts at bad play were useless. +The board shook beneath the immense +hands of Ericson, who was in +a tremendous state of agitation, and +hardly knew the pieces. He pushed +then hither and thither—made his +knights slide along with the episcopal +propriety of bishops, and made his bishops +caracole across the squares with +the unseemly elasticity of knights. +His game got into such confusion, +that Christina could not avoid winning, +and at last—enjoying the victory +she had determined not to win—she +cried out, with a voice of triumph, +"Check to the king by the queen."</p> + +<p>"Cruel girl!" exclaimed the +Count, dashing his hand among the +pieces with an energy that scattered +them all upon the floor. "Haven't +you been anxious to make the king +your prisoner?"</p> + +<p>"But there is nothing to hinder +him from saving himself," answered +Christina, looking round once more +to her father, who, however, pursued +his slumber with the utmost assiduity +and had apparently a very agreeable +dream, for a smile was evident at the +corners of his mouth. "It is impossible +to place the board as it was," +she continued, trying to gather up the +pieces, and place castles, knights, and +pawns in their proper position again.</p> + +<p>"Don't try it—don't try it," cried +Ericson, losing all command of himself, +and pushing the board away +from him, till it spun over with all its +men on the carpet. "The game is +over—you have given me check, and +mated me!" And in a moment, as +if ashamed of the influence exercised +over him by so very unwarlike an individual +as a little girl of eighteen, he +hurried from the room, stumbling +over his enormous sword, which got, +somehow or other, between his legs, +and cursing his awkwardness and the +absurd excess of admiration which +caused it.</p> + +<p>"That man will surely never come +here again," said Christina to her +father, as he entered the room an hour +after the incidents of the chess-board; +for the obsequious minister had followed +Ericson in his rapid retreat, +and now returned radiant with joy, as +if his guest had been the most fascinating +of men.</p> + +<p>"Not come here again!" chuckled +the father. "That's all you know +about it. He is dying with +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_511" id="Page_511">[Pg 511]</a></span> +impatience to return, and is angry with +himself for having wasted the two +precious hours of your society in the +way he did. He never had two such +happy hours in his life."</p> + +<p>"Happy! is that what he calls +happiness?" answered Christina, opening +her eyes in amazement. "I don't +know what his notions may be—but +mine——oh, father!" she cried, emboldened +by the smile she saw on the +old man's countenance, "you are only +trying me; say you are only proving +my constancy, by persuading me that +such a being as that has any wish to +please me. He is more in love with +Alexander the Great than with me; +and he is quite right, for he has a far +better chance of a return."</p> + +<p>"An enthusiasm excusable, my +dear, in a young warrior of twenty +years of age, whose savage ambition +it will be your delightful task to tame. +He is in a terrible state of agitation—a +most flattering thing, let me tell +you, to a young gipsy like you—and +you must humour him a little, and +not break out quite so fiercely, you +minx; and yet you managed very +well, too. A fine fellow, Ericson, +though a little wild; rich, powerful, +nobly born—what can you wish for +better?"</p> + +<p>"My cousin," answered Christina, +with a bluntness that astonished the +advocate of Ericson's claims; "my +cousin Adolphus, and no other. He +is braver than this savage; and as to +nobility, he is as nobly born as my +own right honourable papa, and that +is high enough for me."</p> + +<p>"Go, go," said the courtier, a little +puzzled by the openness of his daughter's +confession, and kissing her forehead +at the same time; "go to bed, +my girl, and pray for your father's +advancement."</p> + +<p>Christina, like a dutiful child, prayed +as she was told for her father's +success and happiness, and then added +a petition of her own, shorter, perhaps, +but quite as sincere, for her +cousin Adolphus. If she added one +for herself, it was a work of supererogation, +for she felt that in praying +for the happiness of her lover, she +was not unmindful of her own.</p> + +<p>For some days after the supper recorded +above, she was too happy tormenting +the very object of all these +aspirations, to trouble her head about +the awkward and ill-mannered protégé +of her father, whom she hated with +as much cordiality as the most jealous +of rivals could desire. But of +course she was extremely careful to +let no glimpse of this unchristian +feeling towards Count Ericson be +perceptible to the person who would +have rejoiced in it so much. In fact, +she carried her philanthropy to such +a pitch, that she never mentioned any +of the bad qualities of her new admirer, +and Adolphus very naturally +concluded that she felt as she spoke +on the interesting subject. So, all of +a sudden, Adolphus, who was prouder +than Christina, perhaps because he +was poorer, would not condescend to +be made a fool of, as he magnanimously +thought it, any longer. He +had the immense satisfaction of staying +away from the house for nearly +half a week, and then, when he did +pay a visit, he was almost as cold as +the formal piece of diplomacy in the +bag-wig and ruffles whom he called +his uncle; and a great deal stiffer than +the beautiful piece of pique, in silk gown +and white satin corset, whom he called +his cousin. Christina was dismayed +at the sudden change—Adolphus +never spoke to her, seldom looked at +her, and evidently left the coast clear—so +she thought—for the rich and +powerful rival her father had so +strongly supported. After much +thinking, some sulkiness, and a good +many fits of crying, Christina resolved, +as the best way of recovering her +own peace of mind, and the love of +her cousin Adolphus, to put an end in +a very decided manner to the pretensions +of the Count. One day, accordingly, +she watched her opportunity, and +followed with anxious eyes her father's +retreat from the room, under pretence +of some important despatches to be +sent off. She found herself alone with +the object of her dislike—and only +waited for a beginning to the conversation, +that she might astonish his +weak mind with the severity of her +invectives. In fact, she had determined, +according to the vulgar phrase, +to tell him a bit of her mind—and a +very small bit of it, she was well +aware, would be sufficient to satisfy +Count Ericson of the condition of all +the rest. But the lover was in a +contemplative mood, and stood as silent +as a milestone, and looking +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_512" id="Page_512">[Pg 512]</a></span> +almost as animated and profound. She +sighed, she coughed, she drops her +handkerchief. All wouldn't do—the +milestone took no notice—Christina +at last grew angry, and could contain +herself no longer.</p> + +<p>"I dreamt of you last night," she +said by way of a beginning. "I hope +in future you will leave my sleep undisturbed +by your presumptuous presence. +It is bad enough to be forced +to see you when one is awake."</p> + +<p>"And I, also, had a dream," replied +Ericson, starting from his reverie, +confused and only having heard the +first part of the somewhat fierce attack. +"I dreamt that you looked at +me with a smile, a long, long look, so +sweet, so winning. It was a happy +dream!"</p> + +<p>"It was a false one," she said, with +tremendous bitterness. "I know +better where to direct my smiles, whether +I am awake or asleep."</p> + +<p>"And how did I appear to you?" +asked the Count, presenting a splendid +specimen in his astonished look of +the state of mind called "the dumfoundered" +by some learned philosophers, +and by others "the flabbergasted."</p> + +<p>"You appeared to me like the nightmare! +frightful and unsupportable as +you do to me now," was the answer, +accompanied with the look and manner +that showed she was a judge of +nightmares, and thought him a very +unfavourable specimen of the animal.</p> + +<p>"Ill-natured little tyrant!" cried +Ericson, rushing to her, "teach me +how you would have me love you, and +I will do everything you ask!" In a +moment he had seized her in his arms, +and imprinted a kiss of prodigious +violence on her cheek, which was redder +than fire with rage and surprise!</p> + +<p>But the assault did not go unpunished. +The might of Samson woke +in that insulted bosom, and lent such +incredible weight to the blow that fell +on the aggressor's ear, that it took +him a long time to believe that the +thump proceeded from the beautiful +little hand he had so often admired; +or, in short, from any thing but a +twenty-four pounder. He rubbed +the wounded organ with astonishing +assiduity for some time. At last he +said, in a very calm and measured +voice,</p> + +<p>"Your father has deceived me, +young lady. He led me to believe +you did not receive my visits with indifference."</p> + +<p>"My father knows nothing about +things of that kind," replied Christina, +still flaming with indignation, "or +he never would have let such an ill-mannered +monster into his house. +But he was right in saying I did not +receive your visits with indifference; +your visits, Count Ericson, can never +be indifferent to me, and"——</p> + +<p>What more she would have said, it +is impossible to discover, for she was +interrupted by the sudden entrance of +her cousin, who only heard her last +words, and started back at what he +considered so open a declaration of +her attachment.</p> + +<p>"Who are you, sir?" asked Ericson +in an angry tone, and with such an +assumption of superiority, that Christina's +hand tingled to give him a mark +of regard on his other ear.</p> + +<p>"A soldier," answered Adolphus, +drawing his sword from its sheath +and instead of directing it against his +rival, laying it haughtily on the table. +"A soldier who has bled for his +country, and would be happy," he +added, "to die for it."</p> + +<p>"Say you so?" said Ericson, "then +we are friends." He held out his hand.</p> + +<p>"We are rivals," replied Adolphus, +drawing back.</p> + +<p>"Christina loves you, then?" enquired +the Count.</p> + +<p>"She has told me so; and I was +foolish enough to believe her. It is +now your turn to trust to the truth +of a heartless woman.—She has told +you you are not an object of indifference +to her, and I resign my pretensions +in your favour."</p> + +<p>"In whose favour?" cried Christina, +trembling; while tears sprang to her +eyes.</p> + +<p>"The King's!" replied Adolphus, +retiring sorrowfully.</p> + +<p>Christina sank on a seat, and covered +her face with her hands.</p> + +<p>"Stay," cried Charles the Twelfth +in a voice of thunder; "stay, I command +you."</p> + +<p>The young man obeyed; biting his +lip to conceal his emotion, till the +blood came.</p> + +<p>"I have seen you," said the King, +"but not in this house."</p> + +<p>"It was shut against me by my +uncle when you were expected," said +Adolphus.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_513" id="Page_513">[Pg 513]</a></span> +"And yet I have seen you somewhere. +What is your name?"</p> + +<p>"Adolphus Hesse; the son of a +brave officer who died fighting for +you, and leaving me his misfortunes +and the tears of his widow."</p> + +<p>"Who told you I was not Count +Ericson?"</p> + +<p>"My eyes. I know you well."</p> + +<p>"And I recollect you also," said +Charles, advancing to the young man +with a manner very different from that +which characterized him in his intercourse +with the softer sex. "Where +did you get that scar on the left +temple?"</p> + +<p>"At Nerva, sire, where we tamed +the pride of the Russians."</p> + +<p>"True, true!" cried Charles, his +nostrils dilated as if he snuffed up +the carnage of the battle. "You +need but this as your passport," he +continued, placing his finger on the +wound, "to ask me any favour, ay, +even to measure swords with you, as +I daresay you would be delighted to +do in so noble a quarrel as the present; +for on the day of that glorious fight, +I learned, like you, the duty of a soldier, +and the true dignity of a brave +man. By the balls that rattled about +our heads so playfully, give me your +hand, brother, for we were baptized +together in fire!"</p> + +<p>Charles appeared to Christina, at +this time, quite a different man addressing +his fellow soldier, from what +he had done upsetting the chess-board. +Curiosity had dried her eyes, and she +lost not a word of the conversation. +The King turned to her with a smile.</p> + +<p>"By my sword, Christina! I am +but a poor wooer; one movement of +your hand," and he touched his ear +playfully as he spoke, "has banished +all the silly thoughts that in a most +traitorous manner had taken my heart +prisoner. Speak, then, as forcibly as +you act. Do you love this brave +soldier?"</p> + +<p>"Yes, sire."</p> + +<p>"Who hinders the marriage?"</p> + +<p>"The courtship of Count Ericson, +with which my father perpetually +threatens me."</p> + +<p>"O ho!" thought Charles, "I see +how it is. The King must console +himself with the kiss, and pass the +blow on the ear to the minister. +Christina," he added aloud, "your +father refuses to give you to the man +you love; but he'll do it now, for <em>it is +my will</em>. You'll confess, I am sure +that if I was your nightmare as a +lover, I am not your enemy as king."</p> + +<p>"I confess it on my knees;" replied +the humble beauty, taking her +place beside her cousin, who knelt to +his sovereign. While Charles joined +the hands of the youthful pair, he +imprinted a kiss on the fair brow of +Christina; the last he ever bestowed +on woman.</p> + +<p>"Your Majesty pardons me then?" +enquired the trembling girl. "If I +had known it was the King, I would +not have hit so hard."</p> + +<p>That same evening Count Gyllenborg +signed a contract of marriage, to +which the name of Count Ericson was +not appended, though it was witnessed +by Charles the Twelfth; and in a few +days afterwards, the old politician presided +at the wedding dinner, and, by +royal command, did the honours so +nobly, and appeared so well pleased +on the occasion, that nobody suspected +that he had ever had higher dreams +of ambition than to see his daughter +happy; and if such had been his object, +all Sweden knew that in bestowing +her on her cousin he was eminently +successful.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_514" id="Page_514">[Pg 514]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="PHYSICAL_SCIENCE_IN_ENGLAND" id="PHYSICAL_SCIENCE_IN_ENGLAND"></a>PHYSICAL SCIENCE IN ENGLAND.</h2> + + +<p>If Alexander and Archimedes, +evoked from their long sleep, were to +contemplate, with minds calmed by +removal from contemporaneous interests, +the state of mankind in the +present year, with what different +feelings would they regard the influence +of their respective lives upon +the existing human world of 1843! +The Macedonian would find the empire +which it was the labour of his +life to aggrandize, frittered into parcels, +modeled, remodeled, subjected +to various dynasties; Turks, Greeks, +Russians, still contending for portions +of the territory which he had +conjoined only to be dismembered; he +would find in these little or no trace +of his ever having existed; he would +find that the unity of his vast political +power had been severed before his +body was yet entombed, and his prediction, +that his funeral obsequies +would be performed with bloody +hands, verily fulfilled. In parts of +the world which his living grasp had +not seized, he would also see little to +remind him of his past existence. +Would not mortification darken the +brow of the resuscitated conqueror on +discovering, that when his name was +mentioned in historic annals, it was +less as a polar star to guide, than as +a beacon to be avoided?</p> + +<p>What would the Syracusan see in +this present epoch to remind him of +himself? Would he see the man of +212 <span class="smcap lowercase">B.C.</span>, at all connected with the men +of 1843 <span class="smcap lowercase">A.D.</span>? Yes. In Prussia, +Austria, France, England, America, +in every city of every civilized nation, +he would find the lever, the pulley, +the mirror, the specific gravimeter, +the geometric demonstration; he +would trace the influence of his mind +in the power-loom, the steam-engine, +in the building of the Royal Exchange, +in the Great Britain steam-ship; he +would find an application of his well-known +invention, the subject of a patent, +an important auxiliary to navigation. +Alexander <em>was</em> a hero; +Archimedes <em>is</em> one.</p> + +<p>Are we guilty of exaggeration in +this contrast of the hero of War with +him of Science? We think not. It +may undoubtedly be argued that +Alexander's life was productive of ultimate +good, that he did much to open +Asia to European civilization; but +would that consideration serve to +soothe the gloomy Shade? To what +does it amount but to the assertion that +out of evil cometh good? It was +through no aim of his mind that this +resulted, nor are mankind indebted to +him personally for a collateral effect +of his existence.</p> + +<p>As an instance of men of a more +modern era, let us take Napoleon +Buonaparte, Emperor of France, and +James Watt of Greenock, civil engineer.</p> + +<p>The former applied the energies of +a sagacious and comprehensive intellect +to his own political aggrandizement; +the latter devoted his more +modest talents to the improvement of +a mechanical engine. The former +was and is, <i>par excellence</i>, a hero of +history—we should scarcely find in the +works of the most voluminous annalists +the name of the latter. What +has Napoleon done to entitle his name +to occupy so prominent a position? +He has been the cause, mediate or +immediate, of sacrificing the lives of +two millions of men.<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a></p> + +<p>Has the obscure Watt done nothing +to merit a page in the records of mankind? +Walk ten miles in any manufacturing +district, enter any coal-mine, +examine the bank of England, travel +by the Great Western railway, or +navigate the Danube, the Mediterranean, +the Indian or the Atlantic +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_515" id="Page_515">[Pg 515]</a></span> +Ocean—in each and all of these, that +giant slave, the steam-engine, will be +seen, an ever-living testimony to the +services rendered to mankind by its +subjugator.</p> + +<p>Attachment to a favourite pursuit +is undoubtedly calculated to bias the +judgment; but, however liable may +be the obscure votary of science to +override his hobby, Francis Bacon, +Lord High Chancellor of England, in +ascribing to scientific discoverers a +higher merit than to legislators, emperors, +or patriots, cannot be open +to the charge of egoistic partiality. +What, then, says this illustrious witness?—"The +introduction of noble +inventions seems to hold by far the +most excellent place among all human +actions. And this was the judgment +of antiquity, which attributed +divine honours to inventors, but conferred +only heroical honours upon +those who deserve well in civil affairs, +such as the founders of empires, legislators, +and deliverers of their country. +And whoever rightly considers it, +will find this a judicious custom in +former ages, since the benefits of inventors +may extend to all mankind, +but civil benefits only to particular +countries or seats of men; and these +civil benefits seldom descend to more +than a few ages, whereas inventions +are perpetuated through the course of +time. Besides, a state is seldom +amended in its civil affairs without +force and perturbation; whilst inventions +spread their advantage without +doing injury or causing disturbance."<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a></p> + +<p>The opinion of a man who had +reached the highest point to which a +civilian could aspire, cannot, when he +estimates the honours of the Chancellor +as inferior to those of the natural +philosopher, be ascribed to misjudging +enthusiasm or personal disappointment. +Without, however, seeking, +for the sake of antithetic contrast, to +underrate the importance of political +services, civil or military, or to exaggerate +those of the man of science, +few, we think, will be disposed to +deny that, although the one may be +temporarily more urgent and necessary +to the well-being of an existing +race, yet that the benefits of the other +are more lasting and universal. If, +then, the influence on mankind of the +secluded inventor be more extensive +and durable than that of the active +politician—if there be any truth in +the opinion of Bacon, that the greatest +political changes are wrought by +the peaceful under-current of science; +why is it that those who occupy the +highest place as permanent benefactors +of mankind, are, during their lifetime, +neglected and comparatively unknown;—that +they obtain neither the +tangible advantages of pecuniary +emolument, nor the more suitable, but +less lucrative, honours of grateful +homage? It is the common cry to +exclaim against the neglect of science +in the present day. Alas! history +does not show us that our predecessors +were more just to their scientific +contemporaries. The evil is to a great +extent remediless, the complaint to +some extent irrational, and unworthy +the dignity of the cause. The labourer +in the field of science works not for +the present, but for succeeding generations; +he plants oaks for posterity, +and must not look for the gratitude of +contemporaries. Men will remunerate +less, and be less grateful for, prospective +than for present good—for +benefits secured to their posterity than +to themselves; the realization of the +advantages is so distant, that the +amount of discount is coextensive with +the debt: it is only as the applications +of science become more immediate, +that the cultivators of science can reasonably +expect an adequate reward or +appreciation.</p> + +<p>Even when practically applied, we +too frequently see that the original discoveries +of the physical philosopher are +but little valued by those who make a +daily, a most extensive, and a most +lucrative use of their results. Men +<em>talk</em> of "a million;" how few have +ever <em>counted</em> one! Men walk along +the Strand, Fleet Street, Ludgate +Hill; how few think of the multiplied +passions and powers which flit by +them on their way—of the separate +world which surrounds each passer-by—of +the separate history, external +and internal, of each—each possessing +feelings, motives of action, characters, +differing from the others, as the stamp +of nature on his brow differs from his +fellows! Thus, also, men's ears ring +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_516" id="Page_516">[Pg 516]</a></span> +with the advancement of science, +men's beards wag with repetition of +the novel powers which have been +educed from material nature; and if, +in our daily traffic, we traverse without +attention countless sands of +thought, how much more, in our hackneyed +talk of science, do we neglect +the debt we owe to thought—thought, +not the mere normal impulse of humanity, +but the carefully elaborated +lucubration of minds, of which the +term <em>thinking</em> is emphatically predicable! +Names which are met with but +once in the annals of science, and +there, dimly seen as a star of the least +magnitude, have perhaps earned that +remote and obscure corner by painful +self-denial, by unwearied toil! And +yet not only these, but others who +have added to diligence high mental +acumen or profundity, whose wells of +thought are, compared with those of the +general mass, unfathomable, earn but a +careless, occasional notice—are known +but to few of those who daily reap the +harvest which they have sown, and +who even boast of seeing further than +they did, as the dwarf on the shoulders +of a giant can see further than +the giant. The first step of the unthinking +is to deny the possibility of a +given discovery, the next is to assert +that any one could have foreseen such +discovery.</p> + +<p>There are, however, points of higher +import than gain or glory to which +the philosopher must ever look, and +the absence of which must be a source +of bitter disappointment and ground +of just complaint. The most important +of these is, that, by national neglect, +the <em>cause</em> of science is injured, +her progress retarded. Not only is +she not honoured, she is dishonoured; +and in no civilized nation is this contempt +of physical science carried to a +greater extent than in England, the +country of commerce and of manufactures.</p> + +<p>In this country, should a father observe +in his gifted son a tendency to +physical philosophy, he anxiously endeavours +to dissuade him from this +career, knowing that not only will it +tend to no worldly aggrandizement, +but that it will have the inevitable +effect of lowering his position in what +is called, and justly called, good society—the +society of the most highly +educated classes. At one of our universities, +physical science is utterly +neglected; at the other, only certain +branches of it are cultivated. There +are, it is true, university professors of +each branch of physics, some of whom +are able to collect a moderate number +of pupils; others are obliged to carry +with them an assistant, to whom alone +they lecture, as Dean Swift preached +to his clerk. But what part of the +regular academic education does the +study of Natural Philosophy occupy? +It forms no necessary part of the examinations +for degrees; no credit is +attached to those who excel in its +pursuit; no prizes, no fellowships, no +university distinction, conferred upon +its most successful votaries. On the +contrary, physical, or at all events +experimental, science is tabooed; it is +written down "snobbish," and its +being so considered has much influence +in making it so: the necessity +of manipulation is a sad drawback to +the gentlemanliness of a pursuit. Bacon +rebuked this fastidiousness, but in +vain. "We will, moreover, show +those who, in love with contemplation, +regard our frequent mention of +experiments as something harsh, unworthy, +and mechanical, how they +oppose the attainment of their own +wishes, since abstract contemplation, +and the construction and invention of +experiments, rest upon the same principles, +and are brought to perfection +in a similar manner."<a name="FNanchor_19_19" id="FNanchor_19_19"></a><a href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a></p> + +<p>Unfortunately, the fact of experimental +science being rejected by the +educated classes and thrown in a +great measure upon the artizans of a +country, has conducted, among other +evils, to one of a most detrimental +character; viz. the want of accuracy +in scientific language, and consequently +the want of accuracy in ideas. Perfection +in language, as in every thing +else, is not to be attained, and doubtless +there are few of the most highly +educated who would not, in many +cases, assign different meanings to +the same word; but if some confusion +on this subject is unavoidable, how +much is that confusion increased, as +regards scientific subjects, by the mass +of memoirs written by parties, who, +however acute their mental perceptions +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_517" id="Page_517">[Pg 517]</a></span> +may be, yet, from want of early +education, do not assign to words that +accuracy of signification, and do not +possess that perspicuity of style, which +is absolutely necessary for the communication +of ideas! Those, therefore, +who, with different notions of +language, read the writings of such +as we are alluding to, either fail to +attach to them any definite meaning, +or attach one different from that which +the authors intended to convey; whence +arises a want of reciprocal intelligence, +a want of unity of thought and +purpose. Another defect arising from +the circumstance that persons of a +high order of education have not been +generally the cultivators of experimental +science in this country, is, that +the path is thereby rendered more +accessible to empiricism. Science, +beautiful in herself, has thence a class +of deformed disciples, who succeed in +entangling their false pretensions with +the claims of true merit. So much +dust is puffed into the eyes of the +public, that it can hardly distinguish +between works of durable importance +and the ephemeral productions of +empirics; and those who would otherwise +disdain the notoriety acquired +by advertisement, end in adopting +the system as the only means to avoid +the mortification of seeing their own +ideas appropriated and uttered in another +form and in another's name.<a name="FNanchor_20_20" id="FNanchor_20_20"></a><a href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a></p> + +<p>While the evils to which science is +exposed by the necessarily unfashionable +character of experimental manipulation +are neither few nor trivial, +there are still evils which arise from +the directly opposite cause—from excess +of intellectual cultivation; as is +shown in the exclusive love of mathematics +by a great number of philosophers. +Minds which, left to themselves, +might have eliminated the +most valuable results, have, dazzled +by the lustre cast by fashion upon +abstract mathematical speculations, +lost themselves in a mazy labyrinth +of transcendentals. The fashion of +mathematics has ruined many who +might be most useful experimentalists; +but who, wishing to take a higher flight, +seek to attain distinction in mathematical +analysis, and having acquired +a certain celebrity for experimental +research, dissipate, in simple equations, +the fame they had acquired in +a field equally productive, but not so +select. Like Claude, who in his later +years said, "Buy my figures, and +I will give you my landscapes for +nothing;" they fall in love with their +own weakness, and estimate their +merit by the labour they have undergone, +not by the results they have +deduced. M. Comte expresses himself +well on this subject. "Mathematicians, +too frequently taking the +means for the end, have embarrassed +Natural Philosophy with a crowd of +analytical labours, founded upon hypotheses +extremely hazardous, or even +upon conceptions purely visionary; +and consequently sober-minded people +can see in them really nothing more +than simple mathematical exercises, +of which the abstract value is sometimes +very striking, without their influence, +in the slightest degree, accelerating +the natural progress of Physics."<a name="FNanchor_21_21" id="FNanchor_21_21"></a><a href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a></p> + +<p>The cultivators of science, despite +the want of encouragement, have, like +every other branch of the population, +increased rapidly in number, and, being +thrown upon their own resources, have +organized <span class="smcap">Societies</span>, the number of +which is daily increasing, which do +much good, which do much harm. +They do good, in so far as they carry +out their professed objects of facilitating +intercourse between votaries of +similar branches of study—they do +good by the more attainable communication +of the researches of those who +cannot afford, or will not dare, the +ordinary channels of publication; but +who, sanctioned by the judgment of a +select tribunal, are glad to work and +to impart to the public the fruits of +their labour—they give an <i>esprit de +corps</i>, which forms a bond of union to +each section, and induces a moral discipline +in its ranks. The investment of +their funds in the collection of libraries +or of apparatus, the use of which +becomes thus accessible to individuals, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_518" id="Page_518">[Pg 518]</a></span> +to whom otherwise such acquisitions +would have been hopeless, is another +meritorious object of their institution; +an object in many cases successfully +carried out. On the other hand, they +do harm, by becoming the channels +of selfish speculation, their honorary +offices being used as stepping-stones +to lucrative ones, thereby causing +their influential members to please +the givers of "situations," and to publish +the trash of the impertinently +ambitious, the <em>Titmice of the Credulous +Societies</em>! The ultra-ridiculous parade +with which they have decked fair science, +giving her a vest of unmeaning +hieroglyphics, and thereby exposing +her to the finger of scorn, is another +prominent and unsightly feature of +such societies; they do harm by the +cliquerie which they generate, collecting +little knots of little men, no individual +of whom can stand his own +ground, but a group of whom, by +leaning hard together, can, and do, +exercise a most pernicious influence; +seeking petty gain and class celebrity, +they exert their joint-stock brains to +convert science into pounds, shillings, +and pence; and, when they have managed +to poke one foot upon the ladder +of notoriety, use the other to kick +furiously at the poor aspirants who +attempt to follow them.</p> + +<p>It has been frequently and strenuously +urged, that these societies, or +some of them, should be supported by +government, and not dependent upon +the subscriptions of their members. +The arguments in favour of such a measure +are, that by thus being accessible +only to merit, and not depending upon +money, their position would be more +honourable and advantageous to the +progress of science. With regard to +such societies generally, this proposition +is incapable of realization; every +year sees a new society of this description; +to annex many of these to +government, would involve difficulties +which, in the present state of politics, +would be insurmountable. Who, for +instance, would pay taxes for them? +Another, and more reasonable, proposition +is, that the government should +establish and support one academy as +a head and front of the others, accessible +only to men of high distinction, +who would be thus constituted the +oligarchs of science. Of the advantage +of this we have some doubts. +Politics are already too much mixed +up with all government appointments +in England: their influence is at present +scarcely felt in science, and we +would not willingly risk an introduction +so fraught with danger. The want of +such an academy certainly lessens the +English in the eyes of the continental +<i>savans</i>; but could not such a one be +organized, and perhaps endowed, by +government, without any permanent +connexion with it?</p> + +<p>If we compare the proceedings, undoubtedly +dignified and decorous, of +our Royal Society with those of the +French Academy, we fear the balance +will be found to be in favour of the +latter. At Somerset House, after the +list of donations and abstract of former +proceedings, a paper, or a portion of +a paper, is read upon some abstruse +scientific subject, and the meeting is +adjourned in solemn silence, no observation +can be made upon it, no +question asked, or explanation given. +The public is excluded,<a name="FNanchor_22_22" id="FNanchor_22_22"></a><a href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a> and the +greater part of the members generally +exclude themselves, very few having +resolution enough to leave a comfortable +dinner-table to bear the solemn +formalities of such an evening. The +paper is next committed, it is not known +to whom, reported on in private, and +either published, or deposited in the +<em>archives of the Society</em>, according to +the judgment of the unknown irresponsible +parties to whom it is committed. +Let us now look at the +proceedings of the French Academy; +it is open to the public, and the public +take so great an interest in it, that +to secure a seat an early attendance is +always requisite. Every scientific +point of daily and passing interest is +brought before it—comments, such as +occur at the time, are made upon +various points by the secretary, or +any other member who likes to make +an observation—the more elaborate +memoirs are read by the authors themselves, +and if any <i>quære</i> or suggestion +occurs to a member present, he has +an opportunity of being answered. +The memoir is then committed to parties +whose names are publicly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_519" id="Page_519">[Pg 519]</a></span> +mentioned, who bring out their report in +public, which report is read in public, +and may be answered by the author +if he object to it. Lastly, the whole +proceedings are printed and published +verbatim, and circulated at the next +weekly meeting, while, in the mean +time, the public press notices them +freely. That, with all these advantages, +the French Academy is not +free from faults, we are far from asserting; +that there is as much unseen +manœuvring and petty tyranny in this +as in most other institutions, is far +from improbable;<a name="FNanchor_23_23" id="FNanchor_23_23"></a><a href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> but the effect upon +the public, and the zest and vitality +which its proceedings give to science, +are undeniable, and it is also undeniable +that we have no scientific institution +approaching to it in interest or +value.</p> + +<p>The present perpetual secretary of +the Academy, Arago, with much of +prejudice, much of egotism, has talents +most plastic, an energy of character, +an indomitable will, a force and perspicuity +of expression, which alone +give to the sittings of the French Academy +a peculiar and surpassing interest, +but which, in the English Society, +would be entirely lost.</p> + +<p>In quitting, for the present, the +subject of scientific societies, we must +advert to a consequence of the increased +number of candidates for scientific +distinction of late years; of which increase +the number of these societies +may be regarded as an exponent. +This increase, although on the whole +both a cause and a consequence of the +advancement of science, yet has in +some respects lowered the high character +of her cultivators by the competition +it has necessarily engendered. +Books tell us that the cultivation of +science must elevate and expand the +mind, by keeping it apart from the +jangling of worldly interests. This +dogma has its false as well as its true +side, more especially when in this, as +in every other field of human activity, +the number of competitors is rapidly +increasing; great watchfulness is requisite +to resist temptations which +beset the aspirant to success on this +arena, more perhaps than in any other. +The difficulty which the most honest +find to avoid treading in the footsteps +of others—the different aspect in which +the same phenomena present themselves +to different minds—the unwillingness +which the mind experiences +in renouncing published but erroneous +opinions—are points of human weakness +which, not to mislead, must be +watched with assiduous care. Again, +the ease with which plagiarism is +committed from the number of roads +by which the same point may be +reached, is a great temptation to the +waverer, and a great trial of temper +to the victim. The disputants on the +arenæ of law, politics, or other pursuits, +the ostensible aim of which is +worldly aggrandizement, however animated +in debate, unsparing in satire, +reckless in their invective and recrimination, +seldom fail in their private intercourse +to throw off the armour of +professional antagonism, and to extend +to each other the ungloved hand +of social cordiality. On the other +hand, it is too frequent a spectacle in +scientific circles to behold a careful +wording of public controversy, a gentle, +apologetic phraseology, a correspondence +never going beyond the "retort +courteous," or "quip modest," while +there exists an under-current of the +bitterest personal jealousy, the outward +philosopher being strangely at +variance with the inward man.</p> + +<p>Among the various circumstances +which influence the progress of physical +science in this country, one of +the most prominent is the <em>Patent</em> law—a +law in its intention beneficent; +but whether the practical working of +it be useful, either to science or its +cultivators, is a matter of grave doubt. +Of the greater number of patents enrolled +in that depot of practical +science, Chancery Lane, by far the +majority are beneficial only to the revenue; +and on the question of public +economy, whether or not the price +paid by miscalculating ingenuity is a +fair and politic source of revenue, we +shall not enter; but on the reasons +which lead so many to be dupes of +their own self-esteem, a few words +may not be misspent. The chief reason +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_520" id="Page_520">[Pg 520]</a></span> +why a vast number of patents are +unsuccessful, is, that it takes a long +time (longer generally than fourteen +years, the statutable limit of patent +grants) to make the workmen of a +country familiar with a new manufacture. +A party, therefore, who +proposes patenting an invention, and +who sits down and calculates the value +of the material, the time necessary +for its manufacture, and other essential +data; comparing these with the +price at which it can be sold to obtain +a remunerative profit, seldom +takes into consideration the time necessary, +first, to accustom the journeymen +workers to its construction, +and secondly, to make known to the +public its real value. In the present +universal competition, puffing is carried +on to such an extent, that, to +give a fair chance of success, not only +must the first expense of a patent be incurred—no +inconsiderable one either, +even supposing the patentee fortunate +enough to escape litigation—but a +large sum of money must be invested +in advertisements, with little immediate +return; hence it is that the most +valuable patents, viewed in relation +to their scientific importance, their +ultimate public benefit, and the merits +of their inventors, are seldom the +most lucrative, while a patent inkstand, +a boot-heel, a shaving case, or +a button, become rapidly a source of +no inconsiderable profit. Is this beneficial +to inventors? Is it an encouragement +of science, or a proper object +of legislative provision, that the +improver of the most trivial mechanical +application should be carefully +protected, while those who open the +hidden sources of myriads of patents, +are unrewarded, and incapable of remunerating +themselves? We seriously +incline to think that, as the matter at +present stands, an entire erasure from +the statute-books of patent provision +would be of service to science, and +perhaps to the community; each +tradesman would depend for success +upon his own activity, and the perfection +he could give his manufacture, +and the scientific searcher after experimental +truths would not find his path +barred by prohibitions from speculative +empirics.</p> + +<p>According to the present patent +laws, it is more than questionable +whether the discoverer of a great scientific +principle could pursue his own +discovery, or whether he would not be +arrested on the threshold by a subsequent +patentee; if Jacobi lived in constitutional +England instead of despotic +Russia, it is doubtful if he could work +out his discovery of the electrotype—we +say <em>doubtful</em>; for, as far as we can +learn, it seems hitherto judicially undecided +whether the mere use of a +patent, not for sale or a lucrative object, +is such a use within the statute +of James as would be an infringement +of a patentee's rights. It appears +to be settled, that a previous experimental +and unpublished use by one +party, does not prevent another subsequent +inventor of the same process +from patenting it; and, by parity of +reasoning, we should say, that if a +party have the advantage of patenting +an invention which can be found to +have been previously used, but not for +sale, he should not have the additional +privilege of prohibiting the same +party, or others, from proceeding +with their experiments. There are, +however, not wanting arguments for +the other view. The practice of a patented +invention, for one's own benefit +or pleasure, deprives the patentee +of a possible source of profit; for it +cannot be said that the party experimenting, +if prohibited, might not apply +for a license to the patentee. +Take, for instance, the notorious and +justly censured patent of Daguerre. +Supposing, for argument's sake, this +patent to be valid, can a private +individual, under the existing patent laws, +take photographic views or portraits +for his own amusement, or in pursuance +of scientific investigations? If +he cannot, then is an exquisitely beautiful +path of physics to be shut up for +fourteen years; or if he can, then is +the licensee, a purchaser for value, to +be excluded from very many sources +of pecuniary emolument? To us, the +injury to the public, in this and similar +cases, appears of incomparably +greater consequence than that to the +individual; but what the authorities +at Westminster Hall may say is another +question. Even could the patent +laws be so modified, that the +benefits derived from them could fall +upon those scientific discoverers most +justly entitled, we are still doubtful +as to their utility, or whether they +would contribute to the advancement +of science, which is the point of view in +which we here principally regard +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_521" id="Page_521">[Pg 521]</a></span> +them. It would scarcely add to the +dignity of philosophy, or to the reverence +due to its votaries, to see them +running with their various inventions +to the patent office, and afterwards +spending their time in the courts of +law, defending their several claims. +They would thus entirely lose the respect +due to them from their contemporaries +and posterity, and waste, in +pecuniary speculation, time which +might be more advantageously, and +without doubt more agreeably, employed. +If parties look to money as +their reward, they have no right to +look for fame; to those who sell the +produce of their brains, the public +owes no debt.</p> + +<p>We have observed recently a strong +tendency in men of no mean scientific +pretensions to patent the results of +their labours. We blame them not: +it is a matter of free election on their +part, but we cannot praise them. +A writer in a recent number of the +<i>Edinburgh Review</i>, has the following +remarks on the subject of Mr Talbot's +patented invention of the Calotype. +"Nor does the fate of the Calotype +redeem the treatment of her sister art, +(the Daguerreotype.) The Royal Society, +the philosophical organ of the +nation, has refused to publish its processes +in her transactions. * * * No +representatives of the people unanimously +recommended a national reward. +* * * It gives us great pleasure +to learn, that though none of his (Mr +Talbot's) photographical discoveries +adorn the transactions of the Royal +Society, yet the president and the +council have adjudged him the Rumford +medals for the last biennial +period."<a name="FNanchor_24_24" id="FNanchor_24_24"></a><a href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a></p> + +<p>The notion of a "national reward" +for the Calotype scarcely requires a remark. +If, after a discovery is once made +and published, every subsequent new +process in the same art is to be nationally +rewarded, the income-tax +must be at least quadrupled. The +complaint, however, against the Royal +Society, is not altogether groundless. +True it is that the first paper of Mr +Talbot did not contain an account +of the processes employed by him, +and therefore should not have been +even read to the Society; but the paper +on the Calotype did contain such description, +and we see no reason why +a society for the advancement of +knowledge should not give publicity +to a valuable process, though made +the subject of a patent—but it certainly +should not bestow an honorary +reward upon an inventor who has +withheld from the Royal Society and +the public the practice of the invention +whose processes he communicates. +Mr Talbot had a perfect right to +patent his invention, but has on that +account no claim in respect of the +same invention to an honorary reward. +The Royal Society did not +publish his paper, but awarded him a +medal. In our opinion, they should +have published his paper and not +awarded him a medal.</p> + +<p>Regarded as to her national encouragement +of science, there are some +features in which England differs not +from other countries; there are others +in which she may be strikingly contrasted +with them; and, with all our +love for her, we fear she will suffer +by the contrast. A learned writer +of the present day, has the following +passage in reference to the state of +science in England as contrasted +with other countries:—"When the +proud science of England pines in +obscurity, blighted by the absence of +the royal favour and the nation's +sympathy; when her chivalry fall unwept +and unhonoured, how can it +sustain the conflict against the honoured +and marshalled genius of foreign +lands?"<a name="FNanchor_25_25" id="FNanchor_25_25"></a><a href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a></p> + +<p>This, to be sure, is somewhat "<em>tumultuous</em>." +We do not, however, cite +it as a specimen of composition, but +as an expression of a very prevalent +feeling; the opinion involved in the +concluding <i>quære</i> is open to doubt—England +does sustain the conflict, if +any conflict there be to sustain; but +we are bound to admit, that in no +country are the soldiers of <em>science +militant</em> less honoured or rewarded. +It is no uncommon remark, that despotic +governments are the most favourable +to the cultivation of the arts +and sciences. There is, perhaps, a +general truth in this, and the causes +are not difficult of recognition. In a +republican or constitutional government, +politics are the all-engrossing +topics of a people's thought, the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_522" id="Page_522">[Pg 522]</a></span> +never-ending theme of conversation;—in +purely despotic states, such discussions +are prohibited, and the contemplation +of such subjects confined to a +few restless or patriotic spirits. It +must also be ever the policy of absolute +monarchs to open channels for +the public mind, which may divert it +from political considerations. Take +America and Austria as existing instances +of this contrast: in the former, +the universality of political conversation +is an object of remark to all travellers; +in the latter, even books which +touch at all on political matters are +rigidly excluded. These are among +the causes which strike us as most +prominent, but whose effects obtain +only when despotism is not so gross +as to be an incubus upon the whole +moral and intellectual energies of a +people.</p> + +<p>We should lose sight of the objects +proposed in these pages, and also +transgress our assigned limits, were +we to enter into detail upon the present +state of science in Europe, or +trace the causes which have influenced +her progress in each state. This would +form a sufficient thesis for a separate +essay; but we will not pass over this +branch of our subject, without venturing +to express an opinion on the +delicate and embarrassing question as +to what rank each nation holds as a +promoter of physical science.</p> + +<p>In experimental and theoretical +Physics, we should be inclined to +place the German nations in the first +rank; in pure and applied mathematics, +France. The former nations +far excel all others in the independence +and impartiality with which they +view scientific results; researches of +any value, from whatever part of the +world they emanate, instantly find a +place in their periodicals; and they generally +estimate more justly the relative +value of different discoveries than any +other European nation; the æsthetical +power which enables them to seize +and appreciate what is beautiful in art, +gives them perception and discrimination +in science; but they are not great +as originators. The French, notwithstanding +the high pitch at which they +have undoubtedly arrived in mathematical +investigation, not withstanding +the general accuracy of their experimental +researches, have more of the +pedantry of science; their papers are +too professional—too much <i>selon les +règles</i>; there are too many minutiæ; +the reader is tempted to exclaim with +Jacques—"I think of as many matters +as he; but I give Heaven thanks, and +make no boast of them." Their accuracy +frequently degenerates into affectation +and parade. We have now +before us a paper in the <i>Annales de +Chimie</i>, containing some chemical researches, +in which, though the difference +of each experiment in a small +number, put together for average, +amounts to several units, the weights +are given to the fifth place of decimals. +England, which we should +place next, is by no means exempt +from these trappings of science. Many +English scientific papers seem written +as if with the resolute purpose of filling +a certain number of pages, and +many of their writers seem to think a +<em>paper per annum</em>, good or bad, necessary +to indicate their philosophical +existence. They write, not because +they have made a discovery, but because +their period of hybernation has +expired. Still, in England, there is a +strong vein of original thought. Competition, +if it lead to puffing and +quackery, yet stimulates the perceptions; +and, in England, competition +has done its worst and its best; in +original chemical discovery, England +has latterly been unrivalled.</p> + +<p>Next to England we should place +Sweden and Denmark—for their population +they have done much, and +done it well; then Italy—in Italy +science is well organized, and the +rulers of her petty states seem to feel +a proper emulation in promoting scientific +merit—in which laudable rivalry +the Archduke of Tuscany deserves +honourable mention; America and +Russia come next—the former state is +zealous, ready at practical application, +and promises much for the future, +but as yet has not done enough in +original research to entitle her to be +placed in the van. Russia at present +possesses few, if any, native philosophers—her +discoverers and discoveries +are all imported; but the emperor's +zeal and <em>patronage</em> (a word which we +scarcely like to apply to science) is +doing much to organize her forces, and +the mercenary troops may impart vigour, +and induce discipline into the +national body. In this short enumeration, +we have considered each country, +not according to the number of +its very eminent men; for though far +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_523" id="Page_523">[Pg 523]</a></span> +from denying the right which each +undoubtedly possesses to shine by the +reflected lustre of her stars, yet in +looking, as it were, from an external +point, it is more just to regard the +general character of each people than +to classify them according as they +may happen to be the birthplace of +those</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"To whom all scenes of Europe homage owe."<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>A misunderstanding of the proper +use of theory is among the prevalent +scientific errors of the present day. +Among one set of men of considerable +intelligence, but who are not habitually +conversant with physical science, +there is a general tendency to despise +theory. This contempt appears +to rest on somewhat plausible grounds; +as an instance of it, we may take the +following passage from the fitful writings +of Mr Carlyle:—"Hardened +round us, encasing wholly every notion +we form, is a wrappage of traditions, +hearsays, mere words: we call that +fire of the black thunder-cloud electricity, +and lecture learnedly about it, +and grind the like of it out of glass +and silk, but what is it? Whence +comes it? Where goes it?"<a name="FNanchor_26_26" id="FNanchor_26_26"></a><a href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a></p> + +<p>However the experienced philosopher +may be convinced that <em>in themselves</em> +theories are nothing—that they +are but collations of phenomena under +a generic formula, which is useful only +inasmuch as it groups these phenomena; +yet it is difficult to see how, +without these imperfect generalizations, +any mind can retain the endless +variety of facts and relations which +every branch of science presents; +still less, how these can be taught, +learned, reasoned upon, or used. How +could the facts of geology be recollected, +or how, indeed, could they constitute +a science without reference to +some real or supposed bond of union, +some aqueous or igneous theory? +How could two chemists converse on +chemistry without the use of the term +affinity, and the theoretical conception +it involves? How could a name be +applied, or a nomenclature adopted, +without that imperfect, or more or +less perfect grouping of facts, which +involves theory? As far as we can +recollect, all the alterations of nomenclature +which have been introduced, +or attempted, proceed upon some alteration +of theory.</p> + +<p>If not theory but hypothesis be objected +to—not the imperfect generalization +of phenomena, but a gratuitous +assumption for the sake of collating +them, this, although ground which +should be trodden more cautiously, +appears in certain cases unavoidable; +in fact, is scarcely separable from +theory. Had men not "lectured learnedly" +about the two <em>fluids</em> of electricity, +we should not now possess many +of the discoveries with which this +science is enriched, although we do +not, and probably never shall, know +what electricity is.</p> + +<p>On the other hand, among professed +physical philosophers, the great +abuse of theories and hypotheses is, +that their promulgators soon regard +them, not as aids to science, to be +changed if occasion should require, +but as absolute natural truths; they +look to that as an end, which is in +fact but a means; their theories become +part of their mental constitution, idiosyncrasies; +and they themselves become +partizans of a faction, and cease +to be inductive philosophers.</p> + +<p>Another injury to science, in a great +measure peculiar to the present day, +arises from the number of speculations +which are ushered into the world to +account for the same phenomena; +every one, like Sir Andrew Aguecheek, +when he wished to cudgel a +Puritan, has for his opinion "no exquisite +reasons, but reasons good enough." +In the periods of science immediately +subsequent to the time of Bacon, men +commenced their career by successful +experiment; and having convinced the +world of their aptitude for perceiving +the relations of natural phenomena, +enounced theories which they believed +the most efficient to give a comprehensive +generality to the whole. Men +now, however, commence with theories, +though, alas! the converse does +not hold good—they do not always +end with experiment.</p> + +<p>As, in the promulgation of theories, +every aspirant is anxious to propound +different news, so, in nomenclature, +there is a strong tendency to promiscuous +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_524" id="Page_524">[Pg 524]</a></span> +coining. The great commentator +on the laws of England, Sir +William Blackstone, observes, "As +to the impression, the stamping of +coin is the unquestionable prerogative +of the crown, * * * the king may +also, by his proclamation, legitimate +foreign coin, and make it current +here."<a name="FNanchor_27_27" id="FNanchor_27_27"></a><a href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a></p> + +<p>As coinage of money is the undoubted +prerogative of the crown; so generally +coinage of words has been the +undoubted prerogative of the kings of +science—those to whom mankind have +bent as to unquestionable authority. +But even these royal dignitaries have +generally been sparing in the exercise +of this prerogative, and used it only +on rare occasions and when absolutely +necessary, either from the discovery +of new things requiring new names, or +upon entire revolutions of theory.</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i7">"Si forte necesse est<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Indiciis monstrare recentibus abdita rerum,<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Fingere cinctutis non exaudita cethegis<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Continget, labiturque licentia sumpta pudenter."<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>But now there is no "pudor" in the +matter. Every man has his own +mint; and although their several coins +do not pass current very generally, +yet they are taken here and there by +a few disciples, and throw some standard +money out of the market. The +want of consideration evinced in these +novel vocabularies is remarkable. +Whewell, whose scientific position +and dialectic turn of mind may fairly +qualify him to be a word-maker, seems +peculiarly deficient in ear. Take, as +an instance, "<em>idiopts</em>," an uncomfortable +word, barely necessary, as +the persons to whom it applies are +comparatively rare, and will scarcely +thank the Master of Trinity College +for approximating them in name to a +more numerous and more unfortunate +class—the word <em>physicists</em>, where four +sibilant consonants fizz like a squib. +In these, and we might add many +from other sources, euphony is wantonly +disregarded; by other authors of +smaller calibre, classical associations +are curiously violated. We may take, +as an instance, <em>platinode</em>, Spanish-American +joined to ancient Greek. +In chemistry there is a profusion of +new coin. Sulphate of ammonia—oxi-sulphion +of ammonium—sulphat-oxide +of ammonium—three names for +one substance. This mania is by no +means common to England. In Liebig's +Chemistry, Vol. ii. p. 313, we +have the following passage:—"It +should be remarked that some chemists +designate artificial camphor by +the name of hydrochlorate of camphor. +Deville calls it bihydrochlorate +of térèbène, and Souberaine and +Capelaine call it hydrochlorate of +pencylène."</p> + +<p>So generally does this prevail, that +in chemical treatises the names of substances +are frequently given with a +tail of synonymes. Numerous words +might be cited which are names for non-existences—mere +hypothetic groupings; +and yet so rapidly are these increasing, +that it seems not impossible, +in process of time, there will be more +names for things that are not than for +things that are. If this work go on, +the scientific public must elect a censor +whose fiat shall be final; otherwise, +as every small philosopher is encouraged +or tolerated in framing <i>ad +libitum</i> a nomenclature of his own, the +inevitable effect will be, that no man +will be able to understand his brother, +and a confusion of tongues will ensue, +to be likened only to that which occasioned +the memorable dispersion at +Babel.</p> + +<p>Many of the defects to which we +have alluded in the course of this paper, +time alone can remedy. In spite +of all drawbacks, the progress of science +has been vast and rapidly increasing; +the very rapidity of its progress +brings with it difficulties. So +many points, once considered impossible, +have been proved possible, that +to some minds the suggestion of impossibility +seems an argument in favour +of possibility. Because steam-travelling +was once laughed at as +visionary, aerial navigation is to be +regarded as practicable—perhaps, indeed, +it <em>will</em> be so, give but the time +<em>proportionably</em> requisite to master its +difficulties, as there was given to steam. +What proportion this should be we +will not venture to predict. There can +be little doubt that the most effectual +way to induce a more accurate public +discrimination of scientific efforts is to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_525" id="Page_525">[Pg 525]</a></span> +turn somewhat more in that direction +the current of national education. +Prizes at the universities for efficiency +in the physics of light, heat, electricity, +magnetism, or chemistry, could, +we conceive, do no harm. Why +should not similar honours be conferred +on those students who advance +the progress of an infant science, as +on those who work out with facility +the formulæ of an exact one; and +why should not acquirements in either, +rank equally high with the critical +knowledge of the <i>digamma</i> or the <i>à +priori</i> philosophy of Aristotle? Is not +Bacon's Novum Organon as much +entitled to be made a standard book +for the schools as Aldrich's logic? +Venerating English universities, we +approve not the inconsiderate outcries +against systematic and time-honoured +educational discipline; but it would +increase our love for these seminaries +of sound learning, could we more frequently +see such men as Davy emanate +from Oxford, instead of from the +pneumatic institution of Bristol.</p> + +<p>Provided science be kept separate +from political excitement, we should +like to see an English Academy, constituted +of men having fair claims to +scientific distinction, and not "deserving +of that honour because they are +attached to science."</p> + +<p>It is unnecessary here to touch upon +the details of such an Academy. The +proposition is by no means new. On +the contrary, we believe a wish for +some such change pretty generally +exists. Iteration is sometimes more +useful than originality. The more +frequently the point is brought before +the public, the more probable is it that +steps will be taken by those who are +qualified to move in such a matter. +The more the present defective state +of our scientific organization is commented +on, the more likely is it to be +remedied; for the patency of error is +ever a sure prelude to its extirpation.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h2><a name="CHRONICLES_OF_PARIS" id="CHRONICLES_OF_PARIS"></a>CHRONICLES OF PARIS.</h2> + +<h3>THE RUE ST DENIS.</h3> + + +<p>One of the longest, the narrowest, +the highest, the darkest, and the +dirtiest streets of Paris, was, and is, +and probably will long be, the Rue +St Denis. Beginning at the bank of +the Seine, and running due north, it +spins out its length like a tape-worm, +with every now and then a gentle +wriggle, right across the capital, till +it reaches the furthest barrier, and +thence has a kind of suburban tail +prolonged into the wide, straight road, +a league in length, that stretches to +the town of Sainct-Denys-en-France. +This was, from time immemorial, the +state-road for the monarchs of France +to make their formal entries into, and +exits from, their capital—whether +they came from their coronation at +Rheims, or went to their last resting-place +beneath the tall spire of St +Denis. This has always been the +line by which travellers from the +northern provinces have entered the +good city of Paris; and for many a +long year its echoes have never had +rest from the cracking of the postilion's +whip, the roll of the heavy diligence, +and the perpetual jumbling of carts +and waggons. It is, as it has ever +been, one of the main arteries of the +capital; and nowhere does the restless +tide of Parisian life run more +rapidly or more constantly than over +its well-worn stones. In the pages +of the venerable historians of the +French capital, and in ancient maps, +it is always called "<i>La Grande Rue +de Sainct Denys</i>," being, no doubt, +at one time the <i>ne plus ultra</i> of all +that was considered wide and commodious. +Now its appellation is curtailed +into the <i>Rue St D'nis</i>, and it +is avoided by the polite inhabitants +of Paris as containing nothing but +the <i>bourgeoisie</i> and the <i>canaille</i>. Once +it was the Regent Street of Paris—a +sort of Rue de la Paix—lounged along +by the gallants of the days of Henri +IV., and not unvisited by the red-heeled +marquises of the Regent +d'Orleans's time; now it sees nothing +more <i>recherché</i> than the cap of the +grisette or the poissarde, as the case +may be, nor any thing more august +than the casquette of the <i>commis-voyageur</i>, +or the indescribable shako +and equipments of the National +Guard. As its frequenters have been +changed in character, so have its +houses and public buildings; they +have lost much of the picturesque +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_526" id="Page_526">[Pg 526]</a></span> +appearance they possessed a hundred +years ago—they are forced every +year more and more into line, like a +regiment of stone and mortar. Instead +of showing their projecting, +high-peaked gables to the street, they +have now turned their fronts, as more +polite; the roofs are accommodated +with the luxury of pipes, and the +midnight sound of "<i>Gare l'eau!</i>" +which used to make the late-returning +passenger start with all agility +from beneath the opened window to +avoid the odoriferous shower, is now +but seldom heard. A Liliputian +footway, some two feet wide, is laid +down in flags at either side; the +oscillating lamp, that used to hang on +a rotten cord thrown across the roadway +from house to house, and made +darkness visible, has given place to +the genius of gas—<i>enfin, la Révolution +a passé par là</i>; and the Rue de +St Denis is now a ghost only of what +it was. Still it retains sufficient peculiarities +of dimensions and outline +to show that it is a child of the middle +ages; and, like so many other children +of the same kind, it contributes +to make its mother Paris, as compared +with the modern-built capitals of +Europe, a town of former days. Long +may it retain these oddities of appearance—long +may it remain narrow, +dark, and dirty; we rejoice that +such streets still exist—they do one's +eye good, if not one's nose. There +is more of colour, of light and shade, +of picturesque, fantastic outline, in a +hundred yards of the Rue St Denis, +than in all the line from Piccadilly +to Whitechapel; a painter can +pick up more food for his easel in +this queer, old street—an antiquarian +can find there more tales and crusts +for his noddle, than in all Regent +Street and Portland Place. We love +a ramshackle place like this; it does +one good to get out of the associations +of the present century, and to +retrograde a bit; it is pleasant to see +how people used to pig together in +ancient days, without any of the mathematical +formalities of the present +day; it keeps one's eye in tone to +look back at works of the middle +ages; and we may learn the more +justly to criticize what we see arising +about us, by refreshing our recollections +of the mouldering past. Paris is +a glorious place for things of this kind. +Thank the stars, it never got burned +out of its old clothes, as London +did. Newfangled streets and quarters +of every age have been added to +it, but there still remains a mediæval +nucleus—there is still an "old Paris"—a +gloomy, filthy, old town, irregular +and inconvenient as any town +ever was yet; and a walk of twenty +minutes will take you from the elegant +uniformity of the Rue de Rivoli +into the original chaos of buildings—into +the Quartier des Halles and into +the Rue St Denis. How often have +we hurried down them on a cold winter's +day—say the 31st of December—to +buy bons-bons in the Rue des +Lombards, once the abode of bankers, +now the paradise of <i>confiseurs</i>, against +the coming morrow—the grand day +of visits and cadeaux—braving the +snow some three feet deep in the +midst of the street—or, if there happened +to be no snow, the mud a foot +and a half, splashing through it with +our last new pair of boots from Legrand's, +and the last <i>pantalon</i> from +Blondel's—for cabriolet or omnibus, +none might pass that way; and there, +amid onion-smelling crowds, in a long, +low shop, with lamps lighted at two +o'clock, have consummated our purchase, +and floundered back triumphant! +Away, ye gay, seducing vanities +of the Palais Royal or the Boulevards; +your light is too garish for +our sober eyes—the sugar of your +comfitures is too chalky for our discriminating +tooth! Our appropriate +latitude is that of the Quartier St +Denis! One thing, however, we +must confess, we never did in the +Rue St Denis—we never dined there! +<i>Oh non! il ne faut pas faire ça!</i> 'Tis +the headquarters of all the sausage-dealers, +the <i>charcutiers</i>, and the <i>rotisseurs</i> +of Paris. Genuine meat and +drink there is none; cats hold the +murderous neighbourhood in traditional +abhorrence, and the ruddiest +wine of Burgundy would turn pale +were the aqueous reputation of the +street whispered near its cellar-door. +Thank Heaven, we have a gastronomic +instinct that saved us from acts +of suicidal rashness! When in Paris, +gentle reader, we always dine at the +Trois Frères Provençaux; the little +room in blue, remember—time, six +<span class="smcap lowercase">P.M.</span>; potage à la Julienne—bifteck +au vin de Champagne—poulet à la +Marengo—Chambertin, and St Péray +rosé. The next time you visit the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_527" id="Page_527">[Pg 527]</a></span> +Palais-Royal, turn in there, and dine +with us—we shall be delighted to see +you!</p> + +<p>There are few gaping Englishmen +who have been on the other side of +the Channel but have found their +way along the Boulevards to the +Porte St Denis, and have stared first +of all at that dingy monument of Ludovican +pride, and then have stared +down the Rue St Denis, and then +have stared up the Rue du Faubourg +St Denis; but very few are ever +tempted to turn either to the right +hand or to the left, and so they generally +poke on to the Porte St Martin, +or stroll back to the Madeleine, and +rarely make acquaintance with the +Dionysian mysteries of Paris. For +the benefit, therefore, of such travellers +as go to the French capital with +their eyes in their pockets, and of +such as stay at home and travel by +their fireside, but still can relish the +recollections and associations of olden +times, we are going to rake together +some of the many odd notes that pertain +to the history of this street and +its immediate vicinity.</p> + +<p>The readiest way into the Rue St +Denis from the Isle de la Cité, the +centre of Paris, has always been over +the Pont-au-Change. This bridge, +now the widest over the Seine, was +once a narrow, ill-contrived structure +of wood, covered with a row of houses +on either side, that formed a dark and +dirty street, so that you might pass +through it a hundred times without +once suspecting that you were crossing +a river. These houses, built of +stone and wood, overhung the edges +of the bridge, and afforded their inhabitants +an unsafe abode between the +sky and the water. At times the +river would rise in one of its periodical +furies, and sweep away a pier or +two with the superincumbent houses; +at others the wooden supporters of the +structure would catch fire by some +untoward event, and the inhabitants +had the choice of being fried or +drowned, along with their penates and +their supellectile property. Such a +catastrophe happened in the reign of +Louis XIII., when this and another +wooden bridge, situated, oddly enough, +close by its side, were set on fire by a +squib, which some <i>gamins de Paris</i> +were letting off on his Majesty's highway; +and in less than three hours 140 +houses had disappeared. It was Louis +VII., in the twelfth century, who gave +it the name it has since borne; for he +ordered all the money-changers of +Paris to come and live on this bridge—no +very secure place for keeping the +precious metals; and about two hundred +years ago the money-changers, +fifty-four in number, occupied the +houses on one side, while fifty goldsmiths +lived in those on the other. In +the open roadway between, was held a +kind of market or fair for bird-sellers, +who were allowed to keep their standings +on the curious tenure of letting +off two hundred dozens of small birds +whenever a new king should pass over +this bridge, on his solemn entry into +the capital. The birds fluttered and +whistled on these occasions, the <i>gamins</i> +clapped their hands and shouted, the +good citizens cried "Noel!" and +"Vive le Roy!" and the courtiers +were delighted at the joyous spectacle. +Whether the birds flew away ready +roasted to the royal table, history is +silent; but it would have been a sensible +improvement of this part of the +triumphal ceremony, and we recommend +it to the serious notice of all +occupiers of the French throne.</p> + +<p>On arriving at the northern end of +the bridge, the passenger had on his +right a covered gallery of shops, +stretching up the river side to the Pont +Notre Dame, and called the Quai de +Gesvres; here was a fashionable promenade +for the beaux of Paris, for it +was filled with the stalls of pretty milliners, +like one of our bazars, and +boasted of an occasional bookseller's +shop or two, where the tender ballads +of Ronsard, or the broad jokes of Rabelais, +might be purchased and read +for a few livres. To the left was a +narrow street, known by the curious +appellation of <i>Trop-va-qui-dure</i>, the +etymology of which has puzzled the +brains of all Parisian antiquaries; +while just beyond it, and still by the +river side, was the <i>Vieille Vallée de +Misère</i>—words indicative of the opinion +entertained of so <em>ineligible</em> a residence. +In front frowned, in all the +grim stiffness of a feudal fortress, the +<i>Grand Chastelet</i>, once the northern +defence of Paris against the Normans +and the English, but at last changed +into the headquarters of the police—the +Bow Street of the French capital. +Two large towers, with conical tops +over a portcullised gateway, admitted +the prisoners into a small square court, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_528" id="Page_528">[Pg 528]</a></span> +round which were ranged the offices of +the lieutenant of police, and the chambers +of the law-officers of the crown. +Part of the building served as a prison +for the vulgar crew of offenders—a +kind of Newgate, or Tolbooth; another +was used as, and was called, the +Morgue, where the dead bodies found +in the Seine were often carried; there +was a room in it called Cæsar's chamber, +where the good citizens of Paris +firmly believed that the great Julius +once sat as provost of Paris, in a red +robe and flowing wig; and there was +many an out-of-the-way nook and corner +full of dust and parchments, and +rats and spiders. The lawyers of the +Chastelet thought no small beer of +themselves, it seems; for they claimed +the right of walking in processions +before the members of the Parliament, +and immediately after the corporation +of the capital. The unlucky wight +who might chance to be put in durance +vile within these walls, was commonly +well trounced and fined ere he +was allowed to depart; and next to +the dreaded Bastile, the Grand Chastelet +used to be looked on with peculiar +horror. At the Revolution it was +one of the first feudal buildings demolished—not +a stone of the old pile +remains; the Pont-au-Change had +long before had its wooden piers +changed for noble stone ones, and on +the site where this fortress stood is +now the Place de Chatelet, with a +Napoleonic monument in the midst—a +column inscribed with names of +bloody battle-fields, on its summit a +golden wing-expanding Victory, and +at its base four little impudent dolphins, +snorting out water into the +buckets of the Porteurs d'Eau.</p> + +<p>Behind the Chastelet stood the +<i>Grande Boucherie</i>—the Leadenhall +market of Paris an hundred years ago; +and near it, up a dirty street or two, +was one of the finest churches of the +capital, dedicated to St Jacques. The +lofty tower of this latter edifice (its +body perished when the Boucherie and +the Chastelet disappeared) still rises +in gloomy majesty above all the surrounding +buildings. It is as high as +those of Notre Dame; and from its +upper corners, enormous <i>gargouilles</i>—those +fantastic water-spouts of the +middle ages—gape with wide-stretched +jaws, but no longer send down the +washings of the roof on the innocent +passengers. Hereabouts lived Nicholas +Flamel, the old usurer, who made +money so fast that it was said he used +to sup nightly with his Satanic majesty, +and who thereupon built part of the +church to save his bacon. He was of +opinion that it was well to have the +"<i>mens sana in corpore sano</i>"—that it +was no joke to be burnt; and so he stuck +close to the church, taking care that +himself and his wife, Pernelle, should +have a comfortable resting-place for +their bones within the walls of St +Jacques. When this was a fashionable +quarter of Paris, the court doctor +and accoucheur did not disdain to reside +in it; for Jean Fernel, the medical +attendant of Catharine de Medicis, lived +and died within the shade of this old +tower. He was a fortunate fellow, a +sort of Astley Cooper or Clarke in his +way, and Catharine used to give him +10,000 crowns, or something like +L.6000, every time she favoured +France with an addition to the royal +family. He and numerous other worthies +mouldered into dust within the +precincts of St Jacques; but their +remains have long since been scattered +to the winds; and where the church +once stood is now an ignoble market +for old clothes; the abode of Jews and +thieves.</p> + +<p>After passing round the Grand +Chastelet, and crossing the market-place, +you might enter the Rue St +Denis, the great street of Paris in the +time of the good King Henry, and you +might walk along under shelter of its +houses, projecting story above story, +till they nearly met at top, for more +than a mile. Before it was paved, the +roadway was an intolerable quagmire, +winter and summer; and, after stones +had been put down, there murmured +along the middle a black gurgling +stream, charged with all the outpourings +and filth of unnumbered houses. +Over, or through this, according as +the fluid was low or high, you had to +make your way, if you wanted to cross +the street and greet a friend; if you +lived in the street and wished to converse +with your opposite neighbour, +you had only to mount to the garret +story, open the lattice window, and +literally shake hands with him, so near +did the gables approach. The fronts +of the houses were ornamented with +every device which the skilful carpenters +of former times could invent: the +beam-ends were sculptured into queer +little crouching figures of monkeys or +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_529" id="Page_529">[Pg 529]</a></span> +angels, and all sorts of <i>diableries</i> decorated +the cornices that ran beneath +the windows; there were no panes of +glass, such as we boast of in these degenerate +times, but narrow latticed +lights to let in the day, and the wind, +and the cold; while the roofs were +covered commonly with shingles, or, +in the houses of the wealthy, with +sheets of lead. Between each gable +came forth a long water-spout, and +poured down a deluge into the gutter +beneath; each gable-top was +peaked into a fantastic spiry point or +flower, and the chimneys congregated +into goodly companies amidst the +roofs, removed from the vulgar gaze +or fastidious jests of the people below. +So large were the fireplaces in those +rooms that could own them, and so +ample were the chimney flues, that +smoky houses were unheard of: the +staircases, it is true, enjoyed only a +dubious ray, that served to prevent +you from breaking your neck in a +rapid descent; but the apartments +were generally of commodious dimensions, +and the tenements possessed +many substantial comforts.</p> + +<p>Once out of doors, you might proceed +in all weather fearless of rain; +the projecting upper stories sheltered +completely the sides of the street, +and a stout cloth cloak was all that +was needed to save either sex from +the inclemency of the seasons. At +frequent intervals there opened into +the main street, side streets, and <i>ruelles</i> +or alleys, which showed in comparison +like Gulliver in Brobdignag: +up some of these ways a single horseman +might be able to go; but along +others—and some of them remain to +the present day—two stout citizens +could never have walked arm-in-arm. +They looked like enormous cracks +between a couple of buildings, rather +than as ways made for the convenience +of locomotion: they were pervious, +perhaps, to donkeys, but not to +the loaded packhorse—the great street +was intended for that animal—coaches +did not exist, and the long narrow +carts of the French peasantry, whenever +they came into the city, did not +occupy much more space than the +bags or packs of the universal carrier. +To many of these streets the most +eccentric appellations were given; +there was the <i>Rue des Mauvaises Paroles</i>—people +of ears polite had no +business to go near it; the <i>Rue Tire +Chappe</i>—a spot where those who objected +to be plucked by the vests, or +to have their clothes pulled off their +backs by importunate accosters, need +not present themselves; another in +this quarter was called the <i>Rue Tire-boudin</i>. +Marie Stuart, when Queen +of France, was riding, it is said, +through it one day, and struck, perhaps, +by the looks of its inhabitants, +asked what the street was called. +The original appellation was so indecent +that an officer of her guards, +with courtly presence of mind, veiled +it under its present title. One was +known as the <i>Rue Brise-miche</i>, and +the cleanliness of its inhabitants might +instantly be judged of: a fifth was the +<i>Rue Trousse-vache</i>, and one of the +shops in it was adorned with an enormous +sign of a red cow, with her tail +sticking up in the air and her head +reared in rampant sauciness. A notorious +gambler, Thibault-au-dé, well +known for his skill in loading dice, +gave his name to one of these narrow +veins of the town: Aubry, a wealthy +butcher, is still immortalized in +another: and the <i>Rue du Petit Hurleur</i> +probably commemorated some +wicked youngster, whose shouts were +a greater nuisance to the neighbours +than those of any of his companions.</p> + +<p>A wider kind of street was the <i>Rue +de la Ferronerie</i>, opening into the Rue +St Denis, below the Church of the +Innocents: it was the abode of all the +tinkers and smiths of Paris, and had +not Henri IV. been in a particular +hurry that day, when he was posting +off to old Sully in the Rue St Antoine, +he had never gone this way, and Ravaillac, +probably, had never been able +to lean into the carriage and stab the +king. Just over the spot where the +murder was committed, the placid +bust of the king still gazes on the busy +scene beneath. The <i>Rue de la Grande +Truanderie</i>, which was above the Innocents, +must have been the rendez-vous +of all the thieves and beggars of +Paris, if there be any thing in a name: +the old chronicles of the city relate, +indeed, that it took a long time to +respectabilize its neighbourhood; and +they add that the herds of rogues and +impostors who once lived in it took +refuge, after their ejection, in the famous +<i>Cour des Miracles</i>, a little +higher up the Rue St Denis. We +must not venture into this, the choicest +preserve of Victor Hugo, whose +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_530" id="Page_530">[Pg 530]</a></span> +graphic description of its wonders in his +<i>Notre Dame</i> needs hardly to be alluded +to; but we may add, that there +were several abodes of the same kind, +all communicating with the Rue St +Denis, and all equally infamous in +their day, though now tenanted only +by quiet button-makers and furniture-dealers. +The real <i>Puits d'Amour</i> stood +at the corner of the Rue de la Grande +Truanderie, and took its name in sad +truth from a crossing of true love. In +the days of Philip Augustus, more +than six hundred years ago, a beautiful +young lady of the court, Agnes +Hellebik, whose father held an important +post under the king, was inveigled +into the toils of love. The +object of her affections, whether of +noble birth or not, made her but a +sorry return for her confidence: he +loved her a while, and her dreams of +happiness were realized; but by degrees +his passion cooled, and at length +he abandoned her. Stung with indignation, +and broken-hearted at this +thwarting of her soul's desire, the +unfortunate young creature fled from +her father's house, and betaking herself +on a dark and stormy night to the +brink of the well, commended her +spirit to her Maker, and ended her +troubles beneath its waters. The name +of the <i>Puits d'Amour</i> was then given +to the well; and no young maiden ever +dared to draw water from it after sunset, +for fear of the spirit that dwelt +unquietly within. The tradition was +always current in people's mouths; +and three centuries after, a young man +of the neighbourhood, who had been +jilted and mocked by an inconstant +mistress, determined to bear his ills +no longer, so he rushed to the <i>Puits</i>, +and took the fatal leap. The result +was not what he anticipated: he did +not, it is true, jump into a courtly assembly +of knights and gallants, but +he could not find water enough in it +to drown him; while his mistress, on +hearing of the mishap, hastened to the +well with a cord, and promising to +compensate him for his former woes, +drew him with her fair hands safely +into the upper regions. An inscription, +in Gothic letters, was then placed +over the well:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"L'amour m'a refaict<br /></span> +<span class="i0">En 1525 tout-à-faict."<br /></span> +</div> +</div> + +<p>The fate of Agnes Hellebik was far +preferable to that of another young +girl who lived in this quarter, indeed +in the Rue Thibault-au-dé. Agnes +du Rochier was the only daughter of +one of the wealthiest merchants of +Paris, and was admired by all the +neighbourhood for her beauty and virtue. +In 1403 her father died, leaving +her the sole possessor of his wealth, +and rumour immediately disposed of +her hand to all the young gallants of +the quarter; but whether it was that +grief for the loss of her parent had +turned her head, or that the gloomy +fanaticism of that time had worked +with too fatal effect on her pure and inexperienced +imagination, she took not +only marriage and the male sex into utter +abomination, but resolved to quit +the world for ever, and to make herself a +perpetual prisoner for religion's sake. +She determined, in short, to become +what was then called a recluse, and as +such to pass the remainder of her days +in a narrow cell built within the wall of +a church. On the 5th of October, accordingly, +when the cell, only a few feet +square, was finished in the wall of the +church of St Opportune, Agnes entered +her final abode, and the ceremony +of her reclusion began. The walls and +pillars of the sacred edifice had been +hung with tapestry and costly cloths, +tapers burned on every altar, the clergy +of the capital and the several religious +communities thronged the church. +The Bishop of Paris, attended by his +chaplains and the canons of Notre +Dame, entered the choir, and celebrated +a pontifical mass: he then approached +the opening of the cell, +sprinkled it with holy water, and after +the poor young thing had bidden adieu +to her friends and relations, ordered +the masons to fill up the aperture. +This was done as strongly as stone +and mortar could make it; nor was +any opening left, save only a small +loophole through which Agnes might +hear the offices of the church, and receive +the aliments given her by the charitable. +She was eighteen years old +when she entered this living tomb, and +she continued within it <em>eighty</em> years, till +death terminated her sufferings! Alas, +for mistaken piety! Her wealth, which +she gave to the church, and her own +personal exertions during so long a +life, might have made her a blessing +to all that quarter of the city, instead +of remaining an useless object of compassion +to the few, and of idle wonder +to the many.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_531" id="Page_531">[Pg 531]</a></span> +Another entombment, almost as bad, +occurred in the Rue St Denis, only +five or six years ago. The cess-pools +of modern Parisian houses are generally +deep chambers, and sometimes +wells, cut in the limestone rock on which +the city stands: and in the absence of +a good method of drainage, are cleaned +out only once in every two or three +years, according to their size. Meanwhile, +they continue to receive all the +filth of the building. One night, a +large cess-pool had been emptied, and +the aperture, which was in the common +passage of the house on the +ground floor, had been left open till +the inspector appointed by the police +should come round and see that the +work had been properly executed. +He came early in the morning, enquired +carelessly of the porter if all +was right, and ordered the stone covering +to be fastened down. This +was done amid the usual noise and +talking of the workmen; and they +went their way. That same afternoon, +one of the lodgers in the house, a +young man, was missed: days after +days elapsed, and nothing was heard +of him: his friends conjectured that +he had drowned himself, but the +tables of the Morgue never bore +his body: and their despair was only +equalled by their astonishment at the +absence of every clue to his fate. On +a particular evening, however, about +three weeks after his disappearance, +the porter was sitting at the door of +his lodge, and the house as well as the +street was unusually quiet, when he +heard a faint groan somewhere beneath +his feet. After a short interval +he heard another; and being superstitious, +got up, put his chair within +the lodge, shut the door, and set about +his work. At night he mentioned +the circumstance to his wife, and going +out with her into the passage, they +had not stood there long before again +a groan was heard. The good woman +crossed herself and fell on her knees; +but her husband, suspecting now that +all was not right, and thinking that an +attempt at infanticide had been made, +by throwing a child's body down one +of the passages leading to the cess-pool, +(no uncommon occurrence in +Paris,) resolved to call in the police. +He did so without loss of time, the +heavy stone covering was removed, +and one of the attendants stooping +down and lowering a lantern, as long +as the stench would permit him, saw +at the bottom, and at a considerable +depth, something like a human form +leaning against the side of the receptacle. +Ropes and ladders were now +immediately procured; two men went +down, and in a few minutes brought +up a body—it was that of the unfortunate +young man who had been so +long missing! Life was not quite extinct, +for some motion of the limbs +was perceptible, there was even one +last low groan, but then all animation +ceased for ever. The appearance of +the body was most dreadful; the face +was a livid green colour, the trunk +looked like that of a man drowned, +and kept long beneath the water, all +brown and green—one of the feet had +completely disappeared—the other was +nearly half decomposed and gone; +the hands were dreadfully lacerated, +and told of a desperate struggle to escape: +worms were crawling about; +all was putrid and loathsome. How +did this unfortunate young man come +into so dreadful a position? was the +question that immediately occurred; +and the only answer that could be +given was, that on the night of the +cess-pool being emptied, the porter +remembered this young man coming +home very late, or rather early in the +morning. He himself had forgotten +to warn him of the aperture being uncovered, +indeed he supposed that it +would have been sufficiently seen by +the lights left burning at its edge;—these +had probably been blown out by +the wind, and the young man had thus +fallen in. That life should have been +supported so long under such circumstances, +seems almost incredible: but +it is no less curious than true; for the +porter was tried before the Correctional +Tribunal for inadvertent homicide, +the facts were adduced in evidence, +and carelessness having been +proved, he was sentenced to imprisonment +for several weeks, and to a heavy +fine.</p> + +<p>Of churches and religious establishments, +there were plenty in and +about the Rue St Denis. Besides the +great church of St Jacques, mentioned +before, there were in the street itself +the churches of the Holy Sepulchre, +of St Leu, and St Gilles; of the Innocents; +of the Saviour; and of St +Jacques de l'Hôpital: while of conventual +institutions, there were the +Hospitals of St Catharine; of the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_532" id="Page_532">[Pg 532]</a></span> +Holy Trinity; of the Filles de St +Magloire; of the Filles Dieu; of the +Community of St Chaumont; of the +Sœurs de Charité; and of the great +monastery of St Lazare. The fronts, +or other considerable portions of those +buildings, were all visible in the street, +and added greatly to its antiquated +appearance. The long irregular lines +of gable roofs on either side, converging +from points high above the spectator's +head, until they met or crossed +in a dim perspective, near the horizon, +were broken here and there by the +pointed front, or the tapering spire of +a church or convent. A solemn gateway +protruded itself at intervals into +the street, and, with its flanking turrets +and buttresses, gave broad masses +of shade in perpendicular lines, strongly +contrasted with the horizontal or +diagonal patches of dark colour caused +by the houses. At early morn and +eve, a shrill tinkling of bells warned +the neighbours of the sacred duties of +many a secluded penitent, or admonished +them that it was time to send up +their own orisons to God. Before +mid-day had arrived, and soon after +it had passed, the deeper tones of a +<i>bourdon</i>, from some of the parochial +churches, invited the citizens to the +sacrifice of the mass or the canticles +of vespers. Not seldom the throngs +of busy wordlings were forced to separate +and give room to some holy +procession, which, with glittering cross +at the head, with often tossed and +sweetly smelling censers at the side, +with white-robed chanting acolyths, +and reverend priests, in long line behind, +came forth to take its way to +some holy edifice. The zealous citizens +would suspend their avocations +for a while, would repeat a reverential +prayer as the holy men went by, and +then return to the absorbing calls of +business, not unbenefited by the recollections +just awakened in their minds. +On the eves and on the mornings of +holy festivals, business was totally suspended; +the bells, great and small, +rang forth their silvery sounds; the +churches were crowded, the chapels +glittered with blazing lights; the +prayers of the priests and people rose +with the incense before the high altar; +the solemn organ swelled its full +tones responsive to the loud-voiced +choir; the curates thundered from the +pulpits, to the edification of charitable +congregations; and after all had been +prostrated in solemn adoration of the +Divine presence, the citizens would +pour out into the street, and repair, +some to their homes, some to the Palace +of the Tournelles, with its towers +and gardens guarded by the Bastille; +others to the Louvre or to the Pré-aux-clercs, +and the fields by the river +side; others would stroll up the hill +of Montmartre; and some in boats +would brave the dangers of the Seine! +On other and sadder occasions, the inhabitants +of the Rue St Denis would +quit their houses in earnestly talking +groups, and would adjourn to the open +space in front of the Halles. Here, +on the top of an octagonal tower, some +twenty feet high, and covered with a +conical spire, between the openings +of pointed arches, might be seen criminals +with their heads and hands +protruding through the wooden collar +of the pillory. The guard of the +provost, or the lieutenant of police, +would keep off the noisy throng +below, and the goodwives would +discuss among themselves the enormities +of the coin-clipper, the cut-purse, +the incendiary, or the unjust +dealer, who were exposed on those +occasions for their delinquencies; +while the offenders themselves, would—a +few of them—hang down their +heads, and close their eyes in the unsufferable +agony of shame; but by +far the greater number would shout +forth words of bold defiance or indecent +ribaldry, would protrude the +mocking tongue, or spit forth curses +with dire volubility. Then would +rise the shouts of <i>gamins</i>, then would +come the thick volley of eggs, fish-heads, +butcher's-offal, and all the garbage +of the market, aimed unerringly +by many a strenuous arm at the heads +of the culprits; and then the soldiers +with their pertuisanes would make +quick work among the legs of the +retreating crowd, and the jailers +would apply the ready lash to the +backs of the hardened criminals aloft; +and thus, the hour's exhibition ended, +and the "king's justice" satisfied, away +would the criminals be led, some on a +hurdle to Montfauçon, and there hung +on its ample gibbet, amid the rattling +bones of other wretches; some would +be hurried back to the Chastelet, or +other prisons; and others would be +sent off to work, chained to the oars +of the royal galleys.</p> + +<p>This was a common amusement of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_533" id="Page_533">[Pg 533]</a></span> +the idlers of this quarter: but the +passions of the mob, if they needed +stronger excitement, had to find a +scene of horrid gratification on the +Place de Grève, opposite the Hotel +de Ville, where at rare intervals a +heretic would be burnt, a murderer +hung, or a traitor quartered; but this +spot of bloody memory lies far from +the Rue St Denis, and we are not +now called upon to reveal its terrible +recollections: let us turn back to our +good old street.</p> + +<p>One of the most curious objects in +it was the Church of the Innocents, +with its adjoining cemetery, once the +main place of interment for all the +capital. The church lay at the north-eastern +end of what is now the Marché +des Innocents, and against it was +erected the fountain which now +adorns the middle of the market, and +which was the work of the celebrated +sculptor, Jean Goujon, and his colleague, +the architect, Pierre Lescot. +The former is said to have been seated +at it, giving some last touches to +one of the tall and graceful nymphs +that adorn its high arched sides, on +the day of the Massacre of St Bartholomew, +when he was killed by a +random shot from a Catholic zealot. +The simple inscription which it still +bears, <span class="smcap">Fontium Nymphis</span>, is in better +taste than that of any other among +the numerous fountains of the French +capital. The church itself (of which +not the slightest vestige now remains) +was not a good specimen of mediæval +architecture, although it was large +and richly endowed. It was founded +by Philip Augustus, when he ordered +the Jews to be expelled from his dominions, +and seized on their estates—one +of the most nefarious actions committed +by a monarch of France. The +absurd accusation, that the Jews used +periodically to crucify and torture +Christian children, was one of the +most plausible pretexts employed by +the rapacious king on this occasion; +and, as a kind of testimonial that such +had been his excuse, he founded this +church; dedicated it to the Holy Innocents; +and transferred hither the remains +of a boy, named Richard, said +to have been sacrificed at Pontoise by +some unfortunate Jews, who expiated +the pretended crime by the most horrible +torments. St Richard's remains, +(for he was canonized,) worked numerous +miracles in the Church of the Innocents, +or rather in the churchyard, +where a tomb was erected over them; +and so great was their reputation, that +tradition says, the English, on evacuating +Paris in the 15th century, carried +off with them all but the little saint's +head. Certain it is, that nothing but +the head remained amongst the relics +of this parish; and equally certain is +it, that no Christian innocents have +been sacrificed by those "circumcised +dogs" either before or since, whether +in France or England, or any other +part of the world. It remained for +the dishonest credulity of the present +century, to witness the disgraceful +spectacle of a French consul at Damascus, +assisting at the torturing of +some Jewish merchants under a similar +accusation, and assuring his government +of his belief in the confessions +extorted by these inhuman means; +and of many a party journal in Paris +accrediting and re-echoing the tale. +Had not British humanity intervened +in aid of British policy, France had +made this visionary accusation the +ground of an armed intervention in +Syria. The false accusers of the Jews +of Damascus have indeed been punished; +but the French consul, the Count +de Ratti-Menton, has since been rewarded +by his government with a +high promotion in the diplomatic department!</p> + +<p>Once more, "a truce to digression," +let us see what the ancient cemetery +of the Innocents was like. Round +an irregular four-sided space, about +five hundred feet by two, ran a low +cloister-like building, called Les Charniers, +or the Charnel Houses. It had +originally been a cloister surrounding +the churchyard; but, so convenient +had this place of sepulture been +found, from its situation in the heart +of Paris, that the remains of mortality +increased in most rapid proportion +within its precincts, and it was continually +found necessary to transfer the +bones of long-interred, and long-forgotten +bodies, to the shelter of the +cloisters. Here, then, they were piled +up in close order—the bones below +and the skulls above; they reached +in later times to the very rafters of +these spacious cloisters all round, and +heaps of skulls and bones lay in unseemly +groups on the grass in the +midst of the graveyard. At one corner +of the church was a small grated +window, where a recluse, like her of +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_534" id="Page_534">[Pg 534]</a></span> +St Opportune, had worn away forty-six +years of her life, after one year's +confinement as a preparatory experiment; +and within the church was a +splendid brass tomb, commemorating +this refinement of the monastic virtues. +At various spots about the cemetery, +were erected obelisks and crosses of +different dates, while against the walls +of the church and cloister were affixed, +in motley and untidy confusion, unnumbered +tablets and other memorials +of the dead. The suppression of this +cemetery, just at the commencement +of the Revolution, was a real benefit +to the capital; and when the contents +of the yard and its charnel-houses +were removed to the catacombs south +of the city, it was calculated that the +remains of two millions of human +beings rattled down the deep shafts +of the stone pits to their second interment. +In place of the cemetery, +we now find the wooden stalls of the +Covent Garden of Paris; low, dirty, +unpainted, ill-built, badly-drained, +stinking, and noisy; and their tenants +are not better than themselves. Like +their neighbours, the famous Poissardes, +the Dames de la Halle as they +are styled, are the quintessence of all +that is disgusting in Paris. Covent +Garden is worth a thousand of such +markets, and Père la Chaise is an admirable +substitute for the Cemetery +of the Innocents.</p> + +<p>High up in the Rue de Faubourg +St Denis, which is only a continuation +of the main street, just as Knightsbridge +is of Piccadilly, stand the remains +of the great convent and <i>maladrerie</i> +of St Lazarus. In this religious +house, all persons attacked with leprosy +were received in former days, +and either kept for life, if incurable, +or else maintained until they were +freed from that loathsome disease. +From what cause we know not, +(except that the House of St Lazarus +was the nearest of any religious establishment +to the walls of the capital,) +the kings of France always made a +stay of three days within its walls on +their solemn inauguratory entrance +into Paris, and their bodies always +lay in state here before they were +conveyed to the Abbey Church of St +Denis. There was no lack of stiff +ceremonial on these occasions; and, +doubtless, the good fathers of the +convent did not receive all the court +within their walls without rubbing a +little gold off the rich habits of the +nobles. The king, on arriving at the +Convent of St Lazare, proceeded to +a part of the house allotted for this +purpose, and called <i>Le Logis du Roy</i>, +where, in a chamber of state, he took +his seat beneath a canopy, surrounded +by the princes of the blood-royal. +The chancellor of France stood behind +his majesty, to furnish him with +replies to the different deputations +that used to come with congratulatory +addresses, and the receptions then +commenced. They used to last from +seven in the morning, without intermission, +till four or five in the afternoon; +there were the lawyers of the +Chastelet, the Court of Aids, the +Court of Accounts, and the Parliament, +to say nothing of the city authorities +and other constituted bodies. +The addresses were no short unmeaning +things, like those uttered in our +poor cold times, but good long-winded +harangues, some in French, some +in Latin, and they went on, one after +the other, for three days consecutively. +On the third day, when the royal +patience must have been wellnigh +exhausted, and the chancellor's talents +at reply worn tolerably threadbare, +the king would rise, and mounting on +horseback, would proceed to the cathedral +church of Notre Dame, down +the Rue St Denis. One of the best +recorded of these royal entries is that +of Louis XI. On this occasion, the +king, setting out from a suburban residence +in the Faubourg St Honoré, +got along the northern side of Paris +to the Convent of St Lazare; and +thence, after the delay and the harangues +of the three days—the real +original glorious three days of the +French monarchy—proceeded to the +Porte St Denis. Here a herald met +the monarch, and after the keys of +the city had been presented by the +provost, with long speeches and replies, +the former officer introduced to +his majesty five young ladies, all richly +clad, and mounted on horses richly +caparisoned, their housings bearing +the arms of the city of Paris. Each +young damsel represented an allegorical +personage, and the initials of the +names of their characters made up the +word <em>Paris</em>. They each harangued +the king, and their speeches, says an +old chronicle, seemed "very agreeable" +to the royal ears. Around the +king, as he rode through the gateway, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_535" id="Page_535">[Pg 535]</a></span> +were the princes and highest +nobles of the land—the Dukes of +Orleans, Burgundy, Bourbon, and +Cleves: the Count of Charolois, eldest +son of the Duke of Burgundy; +the Counts of Angoulesme, St Paul, +Dunois, and others; with, as a chronicle +of the time relates, "autres +comtes, barons, chevaliers, capitaines, +et force noblesse, en très bel ordre et +posture." All of these were mounted +on horses of price, richly caparisoned, +and covered with the finest housings; +some were of cloth of gold furred +with sable, others were of velvet or +damask furred with ermine; all were +enriched with precious stones, and to +many were attached bells of silver +gilt, with other "enjolivements." +Over the gateway was a large ship, +the armorial bearing of the city, and +within it were a number of allegorical +personages, with one who represented +Louis XI. himself; in the street immediately +within the gate was a party +of savages and satyrs, who executed +a mock-fight in honour of the approach +of royalty. A little lower down came +forth a troop of young women representing +syrens; an old chronicle calls +them, "Plusieurs belles filles accoustrées +en syrenes, nues, lesquelles, en +faisant voir leur beau sein, chantoient +de petits motets de bergères fort doux +et charmans." Near where these +damsels stood was a fountain which +had pipes running with milk, wine, +and hypocras; at the side of the +Church of the Holy Trinity was a +<i>tableau-vivant</i> of the Passion of our +Saviour, including a crucified Christ +and two thieves, represented, as the +chronicle states, "par personnages +sans parler." A little further on was +a hunting party, with dogs and a +hind, making a tremendous noise with +hautboys and <i>cors-de-chasse</i>. The +butchers on the open place near the +Chastelet, had raised some lofty scaffolds, +and on them had erected a representation +of the Bastille or Chateau +of Dieppe. Just as the king +passed by, a desperate combat was +going on between the French besieging +this chateau and the English +holding garrison within; "the latter," +adds the chronicle, "having been +taken prisoners, had all their throats +cut." Before the gate of the Chastelet, +there were the personifications +of several illustrious heroes; and on +the Pont-au-Change, which was carpeted +below, hung with arms at the +sides, and canopied above for the occasion, +stood the fowlers with their +two hundred dozens of birds, ready to +fly them as soon as the royal charger +should stamp on the first stone. Such +was a royal entry in those days of iron +rule.</p> + +<p>Before Louis XI.'s father, Charles +VII., had any reasonable prospect of +reigning in Paris as king, the English +troops had to be driven out of the capital; +and when the French forces +had scaled the walls, and entered the +city, <span class="smcap lowercase">A.D.</span> 1436, the 1500 Englishmen +who defended the place, had but +little mercy shown them. Seeing that +the game was lost, Sir H. Willoughby, +captain of Paris, shut himself up +with a part of the troops in the Bastille, +accompanied by the Bishop of +Therouenne, and Morhier, the provost +of the city. The people rose to +the cry of "Sainct Denys, Vive le +noble Roy de France!" The constable +of France, the Duke de Richemont, +and the Bastard of Orleans, led them +on; those troops that had been shut +out of the Bastille, tried to make their +way up the Rue St Denis, to the +northern gateway, and so to escape +on the road to Beauvais and England +but the inhabitants stretched chains +across the street, and men, women, +and children, showered down upon +them from the windows, chairs, tables, +logs of wood, stones, and even boiling +water; while others rushed in from +behind and from the side streets, with +arms in their hands, and the massacre +of all the English fugitives ensued. +A short time after, Sir H. Willoughby, +and the garrison of the Bastille, +not receiving succours from the commanders +of the English forces, surrendered +the fortress, and were allowed +to retire to Rouen. As they +marched out of Paris, the Bishop of +Therouenne accompanied them, and +the populace followed the troops, +shouting out at the Bishop—"The +fox! the fox!"—and at the English, +"The tail! the tail!"</p> + +<p>Another departure of a foreign garrison +from Paris, took place in 1594, +and this time in peaceable array, by +the Rue St Denis. When Henry +IV. had obtained possession of his capital, +there remained in it a considerable +body of Spanish troops, who had +been sent into France to aid the chiefs +of the League, and they were under +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_536" id="Page_536">[Pg 536]</a></span> +the command of the Duke de Feria. +The reaction in the minds of the Parisians, +after the misery of their siege, +had been too sudden and too complete, +to give the Spaniards any hope of +holding out against the king; a capitulation +was therefore agreed upon, +the foreign forces were allowed to +march out with the honours of war, +and they were escorted with their +baggage as far as the frontier. The +king and his principal officers took +post within the rooms over the Porte +St Denis—then a square turreted +building, with a pointed and portcullised +gate and drawbridge beneath—to +see the troops march out, and he stationed +himself at the window looking +down the street. First came some +companies of Neapolitan infantry, +with drums beating, standards flying, +arms on their shoulders, but without +having their matches lighted. Then +came the Spanish Guards, in the midst +of whom were the Duke de Feria, +Don Diego d'Ibara, and Don Juan +Baptista Taxis, all mounted on spirited +Spanish chargers; while behind +them marched the battalions of the +Lansquenets, and the Walloons. As +each company came up to the gateway, +the soldiers, marching by fours, +raised their eyes to the king, took off +their headpieces, and bowed; the +officers did the same, and Henry returned +the salutation with the greatest +courtesy. He was particular in showing +this politeness, in the most marked +manner, to the Duke de Feria and his +noble companions, and when they +were within hearing, cried out aloud, +"Recommend me to your master, +but never show your faces here +again!" Some of the more obnoxious +members of the League were allowed +to retire with the Spaniards; +and in the evening, bonfires were lighted +in all the streets, and the <i>Te Deum</i> +was sung on all the public places. +The mediæval glory of the Porte St +Denis vanished in the time of Louis +XIV., where he unfortified the city, +which one of his successors has taken +such pains again to imprison within +stone walls, and the present triumphal +arch was erected upon its site. This +modern edifice, it is well known, served +for the entrance of Charles X. +from Rheims, and, shortly after, for a +post whence the trumpery patriots of +1830 contrived to annoy some of the +cavalry who were fighting in the +cause of the legitimacy and the true +liberties of France. Many a barricade +and many a skirmish has the Rue +St Denis since witnessed!</p> + +<p>All the churches have disappeared +from the Rue St Denis except that of +St Leu and St Gilles, a small building +of the thirteenth and fourteenth +centuries: all the convents have been +rased to the ground except that of +St Lazare. To this a far different +destination has been given from what +it formerly enjoyed: it is now the +great female prison of the capital; and +within its walls all the bread required +for the prisons of Paris is baked, all +the linen is made and mended. The +prison consists of three distinct +portions: one allotted for carrying on +the bread and linen departments: a +second for the detention of female +criminals before conviction, or for +short terms of imprisonment; and in +this various light manufactures, such +as the making of baskets, straw-plait, +and the red phosphorus-match boxes, +are carried on: the third is an hospital +and house of detention for the prostitutes +of the capital. We were once +taken all through this immense establishment +by the governor, who had +the kindness to accompany us, and to +explain every thing in person—a favour +not often granted to foreigners—and +a strong impression did the scenes +we then saw leave. In the first two +departments every thing was gloomy, +orderly, and quiet: the prisoners were +much fewer than we had expected—not +above two hundred—many of them, +however, were mere children; but the +matrons were good kind of women +and the work of reformation was going +on rapidly to counteract the effects of +early crime. In the third, though +equal strictness of conduct on the part +of the superiors prevailed, the behaviour +of the inmates subjected to control +was far different. The great +majority had been confined there as +hospital patients, not as offenders +against the law, and they were divided +into wards, according to their sanatory +condition. Here they were very numerous; +and a melancholy thing it was +to see hundreds of wretched creatures +wandering about their spacious rooms, +or sitting up in their beds, with haggard +looks, dishevelled hair, hardly +any clothing, and a sort of reckless +gaiety in their manner that spoke volumes +as to their real condition. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_537" id="Page_537">[Pg 537]</a></span> +<i>régime</i> of this prison-hospital is found, +however, to be on the whole most salutary: +the seeds of good are sown +with a few; the public health, as well +as the public morals, has been notably +improved; and from the time when a +young painter employed in the prison +was decoyed into this portion of it and +killed within a few hours, the occurrence +of deeds of violence within its +walls has been very rare.</p> + +<p>From the top of the Faubourg St +Denis, all through the suburb of La +Chapelle, the long line of modern habitations +extends, without offering +any points of historical interest. It +is, indeed, a very commonplace, everyday +kind of road, which hardly any +Englishman that has jumbled along +in the Messageries Royales can fail +of recollecting. Nothing poetical, +nothing romantic, was ever known to +take place between the Barrière de +St Denis and the town where the +abbey stands. We know, however, of +an odd occurrence upon this ground, +towards the end of the thirteenth +century, (we were not alive then, +gentle reader,) strikingly illustrative +of the superstition of the times. In +1274, the church of St Gervais, in +Paris, was broken into one night by +some sacrilegious dog, who ran off +with the golden pix, containing the +consecrated wafer or host. Not +thinking himself safe within the city, +away he went for St Denis—got +without the city walls in safety, and +made off as fast as he could for the +abbatial town. Before arriving there, +he thought he would have a look at +the contents of the precious vessel, +when, on his opening the lid, out +jumped the holy wafer, up it flew +into the air over his head, and there +it kept dodging about, and bobbing up +and down, behind the affrightened thief, +and following him wherever he went. +He rushed into the town of St Denis, +but there was the wafer coming after +him, and just above his head; whichever +way he turned, there was the +flying wafer. It was now broad daylight, +and some of the inhabitants +perceived the miracle. This was immediately +reported by them to the +abbot of the monastery. The holy +father and his monks sallied forth; +all saw the wafer as plain as they saw +each others' shaven crowns. The man +was immediately arrested; the pix +was found on him, and the abbot, as +a feudal seigneur, having the right of +life and death within his own fief, had +him hung up to the nearest tree within +five minutes. The abbot then sent +word to the Bishop of Paris of what +had occurred; and the prelate, attended +by the curates and clergy of the +capital, went to St Denis to witness +the miracle. But wonders were not +to cease; there they found the abbot +and monks looking up into the air; +there was the wafer sticking up somewhere +under the sun, and none of +them could devise how they were to +get it down again. The monks began +singing canticles and litanies; the +Parisian clergy did the same; still +the wafer would not move a hair's +breadth. At last they resolved to adjourn +to the Abbey Church; and so +they formed themselves into procession, +and stepped forwards. The +monks had reached the abbey door, +the bishop and his clergy were following +behind, and the clergy of St +Gervais were just under the spot where +the wafer was suspended, when, <em>presto</em>, +down it popped into the hands of the +little red-nosed curate. "Its mine!" +cried the curate: "I'll have it!" +shouted the bishop: "I wish you +may get it," roared the abbot—and a +regular scramble took place. But the +little curate held his prize fast; his +vicars stuck to him like good men and +true; and they carried off their prize +triumphant. The bishop and the +abbot drew up a solemn memorial and +covenant on the spot, whereby the +wafer was legally consigned to its +original consecrator and owner, the +curate of St Gervais; and it was agreed +that every 1st of September, the day +of the miracle, a solemn office and procession +of the Holy Sacrament should +be celebrated within his church. The +reverend father Du Breul, the grave +historian of Paris, adds: "L'histoire +du dit miracle est naifvement depeinte +en une vitre de la chapelle Sainct +Pierre d'icelle église, où sont aussi +quelques vers François, contenans partie +d'icelle histoire."</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_538" id="Page_538">[Pg 538]</a></span></p> +<h2><a name="THE_LAST_SESSION_OF_PARLIAMENT" id="THE_LAST_SESSION_OF_PARLIAMENT"></a>THE LAST SESSION OF PARLIAMENT.</h2> + + +<p>In days of old it was the remark of +more than one philosopher, that, if it +were possible to exhibit virtue in a +personal form, and clothed with attributes +of sense, all men would unite in +homage to her supremacy. The same +thing is true of other abstractions, +and especially of the powers which +work by social change. Could these +powers be revealed to us in any symbolic +incarnation—were it possible +that, but for one hour, the steadfast +march of their tendencies, their promises, +and their shadowy menaces, +could be made apprehensible to the +bodily eye—we should be startled, +and oftentimes appalled, at the grandeur +of the apparition. In particular, +we may say that the advance of civilization, +as it is carried forward for +ever on the movement continually +accelerated of England and France, +were it less stealthy and inaudible +than it is, would fix, in every stage, +the attention of the inattentive and +the anxieties of the careless. Like +the fabulous music of the spheres, +once allowed to break sonorously upon +the human ear, it would render us +deaf to all other sounds. Heard or +not heard, however, marked or not +marked, the rate of our advance is +more and more portentous. Old +things are passing away. Every year +carries us round some obstructing +angle, laying open suddenly before +us vast reaches of fresh prospect, and +bringing within our horizon new +agencies by which civilization is +henceforth to work, and new difficulties +against which it is to work; other +forces for co-operation, other resistances +for trial. Meantime the velocity +of these silent changes is incredibly +aided by the revolutions, both +moral and scientific, in the machinery +of nations; revolutions by which +knowledge is interchanged, power +propagated, and the methods of communication +multiplied. And the vast +aerial arches by which these revolutions +mount continually to the common +zenith of Christendom, so as to +force themselves equally upon the +greatest of nations and the humblest, +express the aspiring destiny by which, +already and irresistibly, they are coming +round upon all other tribes and +families of men, however distant in +position, or alien by system and organization. +The nations of the planet, +like ships of war manœuvring prelusively +to some great engagement, are +silently taking up their positions, as +it were, for future action and reaction, +reciprocally for doing and suffering. +And, in this ceaseless work +of preparation or of noiseless combination, +France and England are seen +for ever in the van. Whether for +evil or for good, they <em>must</em> be in advance. +And if it were possible to see +the relative positions of all Christendom, +its several divisions, expressed +as if on the monuments of Persepolis +by endless evolutions of cities in procession +or of armies advancing, we +should be awakened to the full solemnity +of our duties by seeing two symbols +flying aloft for ever in the head +of nations—two recognizances for +hope or for fear—the roses of England +and the lilies of France.</p> + +<p>Reflections such as these furnish +matter for triumphal gratulation, but +also for great depression: and in the +enormity of our joint responsibilities, +we French and English have reason +to forget the grandeur of our separate +stations. It is fit that we should keep +alive these feelings, and continually +refresh them, by watching the everlasting +motions of society, by sweeping +the moral heavens for ever with +our glasses in vigilant detection of new +phenomena, and by calling to a solemn +audit, from time to time, the +national acts which are undertaken, or +the counsels which in high places are +avowed.</p> + +<p>Amongst these acts and these counsels +none justify a more anxious attention +than such as come forward in +the senate. It is true that great revolutions +may brood over us for a long +period without awakening any murmur +or echo in Parliament; of which we +have an instance in Puseyism, which +is a power of more ominous capacities +than the gentleness of its motions +would lead men to suspect, and is +well fitted (as hereafter we may show) +to effect a volcanic explosion—such as +may rend the Church of England by +schisms more extensive and shattering +than those which have recently +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_539" id="Page_539">[Pg 539]</a></span> +afflicted the Church of Scotland. Generally, +however, Parliament becomes, +sooner or later, a mirror to the leading +phenomena of the times. These phenomena, +to be valued thoroughly, must +be viewed, indeed, from different stations +and angles. But one of these +aspects is that which they assume +under the legislative revision of the +people. It is more than ever requisite +that each session of Parliament should +be searched and reviewed in the capital +features of its legislation. Hereafter +we may attempt this duty more +elaborately. For the present we shall +confine ourselves to a hasty survey of +some few principal measures in the +late session which seem important to +our social progress.</p> + +<p>We shall commence our review by +the fewest possible words on the paramount +nuisance of the day—viz. the +corn-law agitation. This is that +question which all men have ceased +to think sufferable. This is that "mammoth" +nuisance of our times by which +"the gaiety of nations is eclipsed." +We are thankful that its "damnable +iterations" have now placed it beyond +the limits of public toleration. No +man hearkens to such debates any +longer—no man reads the reports of +such debates: it is become criminal to +quote them; and recent examples of +torpor beyond all torpor, on occasion +of Cobden meetings amongst the inflammable +sections of our population, +have shown—that not the poorest of +the poor are any longer to be duped, +or to be roused out of apathy, by this +intolerable fraud. Full of "gifts and +lies" is the false fleeting Association +of these Lancashire Cottoneers. But +its gifts are too windy, and its lies are +too ponderous. To the Association is +"given a mouth speaking great things +and blasphemies;" and out of this +mouth issues "fire," it is true, against +all that is excellent in the land, but +also "smoke"—as the consummation +of its overtures. During many reigns +of the Cæsars, a race of swindlers infested +the Roman court, technically +known as "sellers of smoke," and +often punished under that name. They +sold, for weighty considerations of +gold, castles in the air, imaginary benefices, +ideal reversions; and, in short, +contracted wholesale or retail for the +punctual delivery of unadulterated +moonshine. Such a dealer, such a +contractor, is the Anti-Corn-Law Association; +and for such it has always +been known amongst intelligent men. +But its character has now diffused itself +among the illiterate: and we believe +it to be the simple truth at this +moment, that every working man, whose +attention has at any time been drawn to +the question, is now ready to take his +stand upon the following answer:—"We, +that is our order, Mr Cobden, +are not very strong in faith. Our +faith in the Association is limited. So +much, however, by all that reaches +us, we are disposed to believe—viz. +that ultimately you might succeed in +reducing the price of a loaf, by three +parts in forty-eight, which is one sixteenth; +with what loss to our own +landed order, and with what risk to +the national security in times of war +or famine, is no separate concern of +ours. On the other hand, Mr Cobden, +in <em>your</em> order there are said to +be knaves in ambush; and we take it, +that the upshot of the change will be +this: We shall save three farthings in +a shilling's worth of flour; and the +<em>honest</em> men of your order—whom candour +forbid that we should reckon at +only twenty-five per cent on the whole—will +diminish our wages simply by +that same three farthings in a shilling; +but the knaves (we are given to +understand) will take an excuse out +of that trivial change to deduct four, +five, or six farthings; they will improve +the occasion in evangelical proportions—some +sixty-fold, some seventy, +and some a hundred."</p> + +<p>This is the settled <em>practical</em> faith of +those hard-working men, who care not +to waste their little leisure upon the +theory of the corn-laws. It is this +practical result only which concerns +<em>us</em>; for as to the speculative logic of +the case, as a question for economists, +we, who have so often discussed it in +this journal, (which journal, we take it +upon us to say, has, from time to time, +put forward or reviewed every conceivable +argument on the corn question,) +must really decline to re-enter +the arena, and <i>actum agere</i>, upon any +occasion ministered by Mr Cobden. +Very frankly, we disdain to do so; +and now, upon quitting the subject, we +will briefly state why.</p> + +<p>Mr Cobden, as we hear and believe, +is a decent man—that is to say, upon +any ground not connected with politics; +equal to six out of any ten manufacturers +you will meet in the +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_540" id="Page_540">[Pg 540]</a></span> +Queen's high road—whilst of the other +four not more than three will be found +conspicuously his superiors. He is +certainly, in the senate, not what Lancashire +rustics mean by a <i>hammil +sconce</i>;<a name="FNanchor_28_28" id="FNanchor_28_28"></a><a href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a> or, according to a saying +often in the mouth of our French emigrant +friends in former times, he +"could not have invented the gun-powder, +though perhaps he might +have invented the hair-powder." Still, +upon the whole, we repeat, that Mr +Cobden is a decent man, wherever he +is not very indecent. Is he therefore +a decent man on this question of the +corn-laws? So far from it, that we +now challenge attention to one remarkable +fact. All the world knows +how much he has talked upon this +particular topic; how he has itinerated +on its behalf; how he has perspired +under its business. Is there a fortunate +county in England which has +yet escaped his harangues? Does that +happy province exist which has not +reverberated his yells? Doubtless, +not—and yet mark this: Not yet, not +up to the present hour, (September +20, 1843,) has Mr Cobden delivered +one argument properly and specially +applicable to the corn question. He +has uttered many things offensively +upon the aristocracy; he has libelled +the lawgivers; he has insulted the +farmers; he has exhausted the artillery +of <em>political</em> abuse: but where is the +<em>economic</em> artillery which he promised +us, and which, (strange to say!) from +the very dulness of his theme making +it a natural impossibility to read him, +most people are willing to suppose +that he has, after one fashion or other, +actually discharged. The Corn-League +benefits by its own stupidity. +Not being read, every leaguer has +credit for having uttered the objections +which, as yet, he never did utter. +Hence comes the popular impression, +that from Mr Cobden have +emanated arguments, of some quality +or other, against the existing system. +True, there are arguments in plenty +on the other side, and pretty notorious +arguments; but, <i>pendente lite</i>, +and until these opposite pleas are +brought forward, it is supposed that +the Cobden pleas have a brief provisional +existence—they are good for +the moment. Not at all. We repeat +that, as to economic pleas, none +of any kind, good or bad, have been +placed on the record by any orator of +that faction; whilst all other pleas, +keen and personal as they may appear, +are wholly irrelevant to any +real point at issue. In illustration of +what we say, one (and very much +the most searching) of Mr Cobden's +questions to the farmers, was this—"Was +not the object," he demanded, +"was not the very purpose of all corn-laws +alike—simply to keep up the +price of grain? Well; had the English +corn-laws accomplished that object? +Had they succeeded in that +purpose? Notoriously they had not; +confessedly they had failed; and every +farmer in the corn districts would +avouch that often he had been brought +to the brink of ruin by prices ruinously +low." Now, we pause not to +ask, why, if the law already makes +the prices of corn ruinously low, any +association can be needed to make it +lower? What we wish to fix attention +upon, is this assumption of Mr +Cobden's, many times repeated, that +the known object and office of our +corn-law, under all its modifications, +has been to elevate the price of our +corn; to sustain it at a price to which +naturally it could not have ascended. +Many sound speculators on this question +we know to have been seriously +perplexed by this assertion of Mr +Cobden's; and others, we have heard, +not generally disposed to view that +gentleman's doctrines with favour, +who insist upon it, that, in mere candour, +we must grant this particular +postulate. "Really," say they, "<em>that</em> +cannot be refused him; the law <em>was</em> +for the purpose he assigns; its final +cause <em>was</em>, as he tells us, to keep up +artificially the price of our domestic +corn-markets. So far he is right. +But his error commences in treating +this design as an unfair one, and, +secondly, in denying that it has been +successful. It <em>has</em> succeeded; and it +ought to have succeeded. The protection +sought for our agriculture was +no more than it merited; and that +protection has been faithfully realized."</p> + +<p>We, however, vehemently deny +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_541" id="Page_541">[Pg 541]</a></span> +Mr Cobden's postulate <i>in toto</i>. He +is wrong, not merely as others are +wrong in the principle of refusing +this protection, not merely on the +question of fact as to the reality of +this protection, (to enter upon which +points would be to adopt that hateful +discussion which we have abjured;) +but, above all, he is wrong in assigning +to corn-laws, as their end and purpose, +an absolute design of sustaining prices. +To raise prices is an occasional means +of the corn-laws, and no end at all. +In one word, what <em>is</em> the end of the +corn-laws? It is, and ever has been, +to equalize the prospects of the farmer +from year to year, with the view, and +generally with the effect, of drawing +into the agricultural service of the +nation, as nearly as possible, the same +amount of land at one time as at another. +This is the end; and this end +is paramount. But the means to that +end must lie, according to the accidents +of the case, alternately through +moderate increase of price, or moderate +diminution of price. The besetting +oversight, in this instance, is +the neglect of the one great peculiarity +affecting the manufacture of corn—viz. +its inevitable oscillation as to +quantity, consequently as to price, +under the variations of the seasons. +People talk, and encourage mobs to +think, that Parliaments cause, and that +Parliaments could heal if they pleased, +the evil of fluctuation in grain. Alas! +the evil is as ancient as the weather, +and, like the disease of poverty, will +cleave to society for ever. And the +way in which a corn-law—that is, a +restraint upon the free importation of +corn—affects the case, is this:—Relieving +the domestic farmer from that +part of his anxiety which points to the +competition of foreigners, it confines +it to the one natural and indefeasible +uncertainty lying in the contingencies +of the weather. Releasing him from +all jealousy of man, it throws him, in +singleness of purpose, upon an effort +which cannot be disappointed, except +by a power to which, habitually, he +bows and resigns himself. Secure, +therefore, from all superfluous anxieties, +the farmer enjoys, from year to +year, a pretty equal encouragement +in distributing the employments of his +land. If, through the dispensations +of Providence, the quantity of his +return falls short, he knows that some +rude indemnification will arise in the +higher price. If, in the opposite +direction, he fears a low price, it comforts +him to know that this cannot +arise for any length of time but through +some commensurate excess in quantity. +This, like other severities of a +natural or general system, will not, +and cannot, go beyond a bearable +limit. The high price compensates +grossly the defect of quantity; the +overflowing quantity in turn compensates +grossly the low price. And thus +it happens that, upon any cycle of ten +years, taken when you will, the manufacture +of grain will turn out to have +been moderately profitable. Now, on +the other hand, under a system of free +importation, whenever a redundant +crop in England coincides (as often it +does) with a similar redundancy in +Poland, the discouragement cannot +but become immoderate. An excess +of one-seventh will cause a fall of +price by three-sevenths. But the simultaneous +excess on the Continent +may raise the one-seventh to two-sevenths, +and in a much greater proportion +will these depress the price. +The evil will then be enormous; the +discouragement will be ruinous; much +capital, much land, will be withdrawn +from the culture of grain; and, supposing +a two years' succession of such +excessive crops, (which effect is more +common than a single year's excess,) +the result, for the third year, will be +seen in a preternatural deficiency; for, +by the supposition, the number of acres +applied to corn is now very much less +than usual, under the unusual discouragement; +and according to the common +oscillations of the season according +to those irregularities that, in +effect, are often found to be regular—this +third year succeeding to redundant +years may be expected to turn out a +year of scarcity. Here, then, in the +absence of a corn-law, comes a double +deficiency—a deficiency of acres applied, +from jealousy of foreign competition, +and upon each separate acre a +deficiency of crop, from the nature of +the weather. What will be the consequence? +A price ruinously high; +higher beyond comparison than could +ever have arisen under a temperate +restriction of competition; that is, in +other words, under a British corn-law.</p> + +<p>Many other cases might be presented +to the reader, and especially +under the action of a doctrine repeatedly +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_542" id="Page_542">[Pg 542]</a></span> +pressed in this journal, but steadily +neglected elsewhere—viz. the +"<em>devolution</em>" of foreign agriculture +upon lower qualities of land, (and +consequently its <em>permanent</em> exaltation +in price,) in case of any certain demand +on account of England. But +this one illustration is sufficient. Here +we see that, under a free trade in corn, +and <em>in consequence</em> of a free trade, +ruinous enhancements of price would +arise—such in magnitude as never +could have arisen under a wise limitation +of foreign competition. And +further, we see that under our present +system no enhancement is, or could +be, <em>absolutely</em> injurious; it might be +so <em>relatively</em>—it might be so in relation +to the poor consumer; but in the mean +time, that guinea which might be lost +to the consumer would be gained to +the farmer. Now, in the case supposed, +under a free corn trade the rise +is commensurate to the previous injury +sustained by the farmer; and +much of the extra bonus reaped goes +to a foreign interest. What we insist +upon, however, is this one fact, that +alternately the British corn-laws +have raised the price of grain and have +sunk it; they have raised the price in +the case where else there would have +been a ruinous depreciation—ruinous +to the prospects of succeeding years; +they have sunk it under the natural +and usual oscillations of weather to be +looked for in these succeeding years. +And each way their action has been +most moderate. For let not the reader +forget, that on the system of a sliding-scale, +this action cannot be otherwise +than moderate. Does the price rise? +Does it threaten to rise higher? Instantly +the very evil redresses itself. +As the evil, <i>i.e.</i> the price, increases, +in that exact proportion does it open +the gate to relief; for exactly so does +the duty fall. Does the price fall +ruinously?—(in which case it is true +that the <em>instant</em> sufferer is the farmer; +but through him, as all but the short-sighted +must see, the consumer will +become the reversionary sufferer)—immediately +the duty rises, and forbids +an accessary evil from abroad to +aggravate the evil at home. So gentle +and so equable is the play of those +weights which regulate our whole machinery, +whilst the late correction +applied even here by Sir Robert Peel, +has made this gentle action still gentler; +so that neither of the two parties—consumers +who to live must buy, growers +who to live must sell—can, by possibility, +feel an incipient pressure before +it is already tending to relieve itself. +It is the very perfection of art to make +a malady produce its own medicine—an +evil its own relief. But that +which here we insist on, is, that it +never <em>was</em> the object of our own corn-laws +to increase the price of corn; +secondly, that the real object was +a condition of equipoise which abstractedly +is quite unconnected with +either rise of price or fall of price; +and thirdly, that, as a matter of fact, +our corn-laws have as often reacted +to lower the price, as directly they +have operated to raise it; whilst +eventually, and traced through succeeding +years, equally the raising +and the lowering have co-operated to +that steady temperature (or nearest +approximation to it allowed by nature) +which is best suited to a <em>comprehensive</em> +system of interests. Accursed +is that man who, in speaking +upon so great a question, will seek, +or will consent, to detach the economic +considerations of that question +from the higher political considerations +at issue. Accursed is that man +who will forget the noble yeomanry +we have formed through an agriculture +chiefly domestic, were it even +true that so mighty a benefit had +been purchased by some pecuniary +loss. But this it is which we are now +denying. We affirm peremptorily, +and as a fact kept out of sight only +by the neglect of pursuing the case +through a succession of years under +the <em>natural</em> fluctuation of seasons, +that, upon the series of the last seventy +years, viewed as a whole, we have +paid less for our corn by means of +the corn-laws, than we should have +done in the absence of such laws. +It was, says Mr Cobden, the purpose +of such laws to make corn +dear; it is, says he, the effect, to make +it cheap. Yes, in the last clause +his very malice drove him into the +truth. Speaking to farmers, he +found it requisite to assert that they +had been injured; and as he knew of +no injury to them other than a low +price, <em>that</em> he postulated at the cost +of his own logic, and quite forgetting +that if the farmer had lost, the consumer +must have gained in that very +ratio. Rather than not assert a failure +<i>quoad</i> the intention of the corn-laws, +he actually asserts a national +benefit <i>quoad</i> the result. And, in a +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_543" id="Page_543">[Pg 543]</a></span> +rapture of malice to the lawgivers, he +throws away for ever, at one victorious +sling, the total principles of an +opposition to the law.<a name="FNanchor_29_29" id="FNanchor_29_29"></a><a href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a></p> + +<p>But enough, and more than enough, +of <span class="smcap lowercase">THE</span> nuisance. It will be expected, +however, that we should notice two +collateral points, both wearing an air +of the marvellous, which have grown +out of the nuisance during the recent +session. One is the relaxation of our +laws with respect to Canadian corn; +a matter of no great importance in +itself, but furnishing some reasons for +astonishment in regard to the disproportioned +opposition which it has excited. +Undoubtedly the astonishment +is well justified, if we view the measure +for what it was really designed by +the minister—viz. as a momentary measure, +suited merely to the <em>current</em> circumstances +of our relation to Canada. +Long before any evil can arise from it, +through changes in these circumstances, +the law will have been modified. +Else, and having, regard to the remote +contingencies of the case (possible +or probable) rather than to its +instant certainties, we are disposed to +think, that the irritation which this +little anomalous law has roused +amongst some of the landholders, is +not quite so unaccountable, or so disproportionate, +as the public have been +taught to imagine. True it is, that +for the present, <i>lis est de paupere regno</i>. +Any surplus of grain which, at this +moment, Canada could furnish, must +be quite as powerless upon our home +markets, as the cattle, living or salted +which have been imported under the +tariff in 1842 and 1843. But the fears +of Canada potentially, were not therefore +unreasonable, because the actual +Canada is not in a condition for instantly +using her new privileges. +Corn, that hitherto had not been +grown, both may be grown, and certainly +will be grown, as soon as the +new motive for growing it, the new +encouragement, becomes operatively +known. Corn, again, that from local +difficulties did not find its way to +eastern markets, will do so by continual +accessions, swelling gradually +into a powerful stream, as the many +improvements of the land and water +communication, now contemplated, or +already undertaken, come into play. +Another fear connects itself with possible +evasions of the law by the United +States. Cross an imaginary frontier +line, and <em>that</em> will become Canadian +which was not Canadian by its origin. +We are told, indeed, that merely by +its bulk, grain will always present an +obstacle to any extensive system of +smuggling. But obstacles are not +impossibilities. And these obstacles, +it must be remembered, are not +founded in the vigilance of revenue +officers, but simply in the cost; an +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_544" id="Page_544">[Pg 544]</a></span> +element of difficulty which is continually +liable to change. So that upon +the whole, and as applying to the reversions +of the case, rather than to +its present phenomena, undoubtedly +there <em>are</em> dangers a-head to our own +landed interest from that quarter of +the horizon. For the present, it should +be enough to say, that these dangers +are yet remote. And perhaps it <em>would</em> +have been enough under other circumstances. +But it is the tendency of +the bill which suggests alarm. All +changes in our day tend to the consummation +of free trade: and this +measure, travelling in that direction, +reasonably becomes suspicious by its +principle, though innocent enough by +its immediate operation.</p> + +<p>The other point connected with the +corn question is personal. Among +the many motions and notices growing +out of the dispute, which we hold +it a matter of duty to neglect, was +one brought forward by Lord John +Russell. Upon what principle, or +with what object? Strange to say, he +refused to explain. That it must be +some modification applied to a fixed +duty, every body knew; but of what +nature Lord John declined to tell us, +until he should reach a committee +which he had no chance of obtaining. +This affair, which surprised every +body, is of little importance as regards +the particular subject of the motion. +But in a more general relation, it is +worthy of attention. No man interested +in the character and efficiency +of Parliament, can fail to wish that +there may always exist a strong opposition, +vigilant, bold, unflinching, full +of partizanship, if you will, but uniformly +suspending the partizanship at +the summons of paramount national +interests, and acting harmoniously +upon some systematic plan. How +little the present unorganized opposition +answers to this description, it is +unnecessary to say. The nation is +ashamed of a body so determinately +below its functions. But Lord John +Russell is individually superior to his +party. He is a man of sense, of information, +and of known official experience. +Now, if he, so notoriously +the wise man of "her Majesty's Opposition," +is capable of descending to +harlequin caprices of this extreme order, +the nation sees with pain, that a +constitutional function of control is +extinct in our present senate, and that +her Majesty's Ministers must now be +looked to as their own controllers. +With the levity of a child, Lord John +makes a motion, which, if adopted, +would have landed him in defeat; +but through utter want of judgment +and concert with his party, he does +not get far enough to be defeated: he +does not succeed in obtaining the prostration +for which he manœuvres; but +is saved from a final exposure of his +little statesmanship by universal mockery +of his miserable partizanship. +Alas for the times in which Burke +and Fox wielded the forces of Parliamentary +opposition, and redoubled the +energies of Government by the energies +of their enlightened resistance!</p> + +<p>In quitting the subject of the corn +agitation, (obstinately pursued through +the session,) we may remark—and we +do so with pain—that all laws whatsoever, +strong or lax, upon this question +are to be regarded as provisional. +The temper of society being what it +is, some small gang of cotton-dealers, +moved by the rankest self-interest, +finding themselves suffered to agitate +almost without opposition, and the ancient +landed interest of the country, +if not silenced, being silent, it is felt +by all parties that no law, in whatever +direction, upon this great problem, +can have a chance of permanence. +The natural revenge which we may +promise ourselves is—that the lunacies +of the free-trader, when acted +upon, as too surely they will be, may +prove equally fugitive. Meantime, it +is not by provisional acts, or acts of +sudden emergency, that we estimate +the service of a senate. It is the solemn +and deliberate laws, those which +are calculated for the wear and tear +of centuries, which hold up a mirror +to the legislative spirit of the times.</p> + +<p>Of laws bearing this character, if +we except the inaugural essays at +improving the law of libel, and at +founding a system of national education, +of which the latter has failed +for the present in a way fitted to cause +some despondency, the last session +offers us no conspicuous example, beyond +the one act of Lord Aberdeen +for healing and tranquillizing the +wounds of the Scottish church. Self-inflicted +these wounds undeniably +were; but they were not the less +severe on that account, nor was the +contagion of spontaneous martyrdom +on that account the less likely to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_545" id="Page_545">[Pg 545]</a></span> +spread. In reality, the late astonishing +schism in the Scottish church +(astonishing because abrupt) is, in one +respect, without precedent. Every +body has heard of persecutions that +were courted; but in such a case, at +least, the spirit of persecution must +have had a local existence, and to some +extent must have uttered menaces—or +how should those menaces have been +defied? Now, the "persecutions," before +which a large section of the Scottish +church has fallen by an act of spontaneous +martyrdom, were not merely needlessly +defied, but were originally self-created; +they were evoked, like phantoms +and shadows, by the martyrs +themselves, out of blank negations. +Without provocation <i>ab extra</i>, without +warning on their own part, suddenly +they place themselves in an attitude of +desperate defiance to the known law of +the land. The law firmly and tranquilly +vindicates itself; the whole series of +appeals is threaded; the original judgment, +as a matter of course, is finally +re-affirmed—and this is the persecution +insinuated; whilst the necessity +of complying with that decision, which +does not express any novelty even to +the extent of a new law, but simply +the ordinary enforcement of an old +one, is the kind of martyrdom resulting. +The least evil of this fantastic +martyrdom, is the exit from the pastoral +office of so many persons trained, +by education and habit, to the effectual +performance of the pastoral duties. +That loss—though not without +signal difficulty, from the abruptness +of the summons—will be supplied. +But there is a greater evil which cannot +be healed—the breach of unity in +the church. The scandal, the offence, +the occasion of unhappy constructions +upon the doctrinal soundness of the +church, which have been thus ministered +to the fickle amongst her own +children—to the malicious amongst her +enemies, are such as centuries do not +easily furnish, and centuries do not +remove. In all Christian churches +alike, the conscientiousness which is +the earliest product of heartfelt religion, +has suggested this principle, +that schism, for any cause, is a perilous +approach to sin; and that, unless +in behalf of the weightiest interests or +of capital truths, it is inevitably criminal. +And in connexion with this consideration, +there arise two scruples to +all intelligent men upon this crisis in +the Scottish church, and they are scruples +which at this moment, we are +satisfied, must harass the minds of the +best men amongst the seceders—viz. +First, whether the new points contended +for, waiving all controversy +upon their abstract doctrinal truth, +are really such, in <em>practical</em> virtue, +that it could be worth purchasing them +at the cost of schism? Secondly, supposing +a good man to have decided +this question in the affirmative for a +young society of Christians, for a +church in its infancy, which, as yet, +might not have much to lose in credit +or authentic influence—whether the +same free license of rupture and final +secession <em>could</em> belong to an ancient +church, which had received eminent +proofs of Divine favour through a long +course of spiritual prosperity almost +unexampled? Indeed, this last question +might suggest another paramount +to the other two—viz. not whether +the points at issue were weighty +enough to justify schism and hostile +separation, but whether those points +could even be safe as mere speculative +<i>credenda</i>, which, through so long a +period of trial, and by so memorable +a harvest of national services, had +been shown to be unnecessary?</p> + +<p>Very sure we are, that no eminent +servant of the Scottish church could +abandon, without anguish of mind, +the multitude of means and channels, +that great machinery for dispensing +living truths, which the power and +piety of the Scottish nation have matured +through three centuries of pure +Christianity militant. Solemn must +have been the appeal, and searching, +which would force its way to the conscience +on occasion of taking the last +step in so sad an <em>exodus</em> from the Jerusalem +of his fathers. Anger and +irritation can do much to harden the +obduracy of any party conviction, especially +whilst in the centre of fiery +partisans. But sorrow, in such a case, +is a sentiment of deeper vitality than +anger; and this sorrow for the result +will co-operate with the original +scruples on the casuistry of the questions, +to reproduce the demur and the +struggle many times over, in consciences +of tender sensibility.</p> + +<p>Exactly for men in this state of +painful collision with their own higher +nature, is Lord Aberdeen's bill likely +to furnish the bias which can give rest +to their agitations, and firmness to +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_546" id="Page_546">[Pg 546]</a></span> +their resolutions. The bill, according +to some, is too early, and, according +to others, too late. Why too early? Because, +say they, it makes concessions to +the church, which as yet are not proved +to be called for. These concessions +travel on the very line pursued by the +seceders, and must give encouragement +to that spirit of religious movement +which it has been found absolutely +requisite to rebuke by acts of +the legislature. Why, on the other +hand, is Lord Aberdeen's bill too +late? Because, three years ago, it +would, or it might, have prevented +the secession. But is this true? Could +this bill have prevented the secession? +We believe not. Lord Aberdeen, undoubtedly, +himself supposes that it +might. But, granting that this were +true, whose fault is it that a three +years' delay has intercepted so happy +a result? Lord Aberdeen assures us +that the earlier success of the bill was +defeated entirely by the resistance of +the Government at that period, and +chiefly by the personal resistance of +Lord Melbourne. Let that minister +be held responsible, if any ground has +been lost that could have been peacefully +pre-occupied against the schism. +This, however, seems to us a chimera. +For what is it that the bill concedes? +Undoubtedly it restrains and modifies +the right of patronage. It grants a +larger discretion to the ecclesiastical +courts than had formerly been exercised +by the usage. Some contend, +that in doing so the bill absolutely alters +the law as it stood heretofore, and +ought, therefore, to be viewed as +enactory; whilst others maintain that +is simply a declaratory bill, not altering +the law at all, but merely expressing, +in fuller or in clearer terms, +what had always been law, though silently +departed from by the usage, +which, from the time of Queen Anne, +had allowed a determinate preponderance +to the rights of property in the +person of the patron. Those, indeed, +who take the former view, contending +that it enacts a new principle of law, +very much circumscribing the old +right of patronage, insist upon it that +the bill virtually revokes the decision +of the Lords in the Auchterarder case. +Technically and formally speaking, +this is not true; for the presbytery, or +other church court, is now tied up to +a course of proceeding which at Auchterarder +was violently evaded. The +court cannot now peremptorily challenge +the nominee in the arbitrary +mode adopted in that instance. An +examination must be instituted within +certain prescribed limits. But undoubtedly +the contingent power of the +church court, in the case of the nominee +not meeting the examination satisfactorily, +is much larger now, under +the new bill, than it was under the old +practice; so that either this practice +must formerly have swerved from the +letter of the law, or else the new law, +differing from the old, is really more +than declaratory. Yet, however this +may be, it is clear that the jurisdiction +of the church in the matter of patronage, +however ample it may seem as +finally ascertained or created by the +new bill, falls far within the extravagant +outline marked out by the seceders. +We argue, therefore, that it +could not have prevented their secession +even as regards that part of their +pretensions; whilst, as regards the +monstrous claim to decide in the last +resort what shall be civil and what spiritual—that +is, in a question of clashing +jurisdiction, to settle on their own +behalf where shall fall the boundary +line—it may be supposed that Lord +Aberdeen would no more countenance +their claim in any point of practice, +than all rational legislators would +countenance it as a theory. How, +therefore, could this bill have prevented +the rent in the church, so +far as it has yet extended? On +the other hand, though apparently +powerless for that effect, it is well calculated +to prevent a second secession. +Those who are at all disposed to follow +the first seceders, stand in this +situation. By the very act of adhering +to the Establishment when the +<i>ultra</i> party went out, they made it +abundantly manifest that they do not +go to the same extreme in their requisitions. +But, upon any principle +which falls short of that extreme being +at all applicable to this church +question, it is certain that Lord Aberdeen's +measure will be found to satisfy +their wishes; for that measure, if it +errs at all, errs by conceding too much +rather than too little. It sustains all +objections to a candidate on their own +merit, without reference to the quarter +from which they arise, so long as they +are relevant to the proper qualifications +of a parish clergyman. It gives +effect to every argument that can +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_547" id="Page_547">[Pg 547]</a></span> +reasonably be urged against a nominee—either +generally, on the ground of his +moral conduct, his orthodoxy, and his +intellectual attainments; or specially, +in relation to his fitness for any local +varieties of the situation. A Presbyterian +church has always been regarded +as, in some degree, leaning to a +republican character, but a republic +may be either aristocratic or democratic: +now, Lord Aberdeen has favoured +the democratic tendency of the +age by making the probationary examination +of the candidate as much +of a popular examination, and as open +to the impression of objections arising +with the body of the people, as could +be done with any decent regard either +to the rights yet recognised in the +patron, or, still more, to the professional +dignity of the clerical order.</p> + +<p>Upon the whole, therefore, we +look upon Lord Aberdeen as a national +benefactor, who has not only +turned aside a current running headlong +into a revolution, but in doing +this exemplary service, has contrived +to adjust the temperament very equitably +between, 1st, the individual +nominee, having often his livelihood +at stake; 2dly, the patron, exercising +a right of property interwoven with +our social system, and not liable to +any usurpation which would not +speedily extend itself to other modes +of property; 3dly, the church, considered +as the trustee or responsible +guardian of orthodoxy and sound learning; +4thly, the same church considered +as a professional body, and, therefore, +as interested in upholding the +dignity of each individual clergyman, +and his immunity from frivolous cavils, +however much against him they +are interested in detecting his insufficiency; +and, 5thly, the body of the +congregation, as undoubtedly entitled +to have the qualifications of their future +pastor rigorously investigated. +All these separate claims, embodied +in five distinct parties, Lord Aberdeen +has delicately balanced and fixed in a +temperate equipoise by the machinery +of his bill. Whilst, if we enquire for +the probable effects of this bill upon +the interests of pure and spiritual religion, +the promise seems every way +satisfactory. The Jacobinical and +precipitous assaults of the Non-intrusionists +upon the rights of property +are summarily put down. A great +danger is surmounted. For if the +rights of patrons were to be arbitrarily +trampled under foot on a pretence +of consulting for the service of religion; +on the next day, with the same +unprincipled levity, another party +might have trampled on the patrimonial +rights of hereditary descent, on +primogeniture, or any institution +whatever, opposed to the democratic +fanaticism of our age. No patron +can now thrust an incompetent or +a vicious person upon the religious +ministrations of the land. It must be +through their own defect of energy, +if any parish is henceforth burdened +with an incumbent reasonably obnoxious. +It must be the fault of the +presbytery or other church court, if +the orthodox standards of the church +are not maintained in their purity. +It must be through his own fault, or +his own grievous defects, if any qualified +candidate for the church ministry +is henceforth vexatiously rejected. +It must be through some scandalous +oversight in the selection of presentees, +if any patron is defeated of his +right to present.</p> + +<p>Contrast with these great services +the menaces and the tendencies of the +Non-Intrusionists, on the assumption +that they had kept their footing in +the church. It may be that, during +this generation, from the soundness +of the individual partisans, the orthodox +standards of the church would +have been maintained as to doctrine. +But all the other parties interested in +the church, except the church herself, +as a depositary of truth, would +have been crushed at one blow. This +is apparent, except only with regard +to the congregation of each parish. +That body, it may be thought, could +not but have benefited by the change; +for the very motive and the pretence +of the movement arose on their behalf. +But mark how names disguise +facts, and to what extent a virtual +hostility may lurk under an apparent +protection. Lord Aberdeen, because +he limits the right of the congregation, +is supposed to destroy it; but in the +mean time he secures to every parish +in Scotland a true and effectual influence, +so far as that body ought to +have it, (that is, <em>negatively</em>,) upon the +choice of its pastor. On the other +hand, the whole storm of the Non-intrusionists +was pointed at those who +refused to make the choice of a pastor +altogether popular. It was the people, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_548" id="Page_548">[Pg 548]</a></span> +considered as a congregation, who +ought to appoint the teacher by whom +they were to be edified. So far, the +party of seceders come forward as +martyrs to their democratic principles. +And they drew a colourable sanction +to their democracy from the great +names of Calvin, Zuinglius, and John +Knox. Unhappily for them, Sir William +Hamilton has shown, by quotations +the most express and absolute +from these great authorities, that no +such democratic appeal as the Non-intrusionists +have presumed, was ever +contemplated for an instant by any +one amongst the founders of the Reformed +churches. That Calvin, whose +jealousy was so inexorable towards +princes and the sons of princes—that +John Knox, who never "feared the +face of man that was born of woman"—were +these great Christian champions +likely to have flinched from installing +a popular tribunal, had they believed +it eligible for modern times, or warranted +by ancient times? In the learning +of the question, therefore, Non-intrusionists +showed themselves grossly +wrong. Meantime it is fancied that +at least they were generously democratic, +and that they manifested their +disinterested love of justice by creating +a popular control that must have +operated chiefly against their own +clerical order. What! is that indeed +so? Now, finally, take another instance +how names belie facts. The +people <em>were</em> to choose their ministers; +the council for election of the pastor +<em>was</em> to be a popular council abstracted +from the congregation: but how? but +under what conditions? but by whom +abstracted? Behold the subtle design:—This +pretended congregation +was a small faction; this counterfeit +"people" was the petty gathering of +<span class="smcap lowercase">COMMUNICANTS</span>; and the communicants +were in effect within the appointment +of the clergyman. They +formed indirectly a secret committee +of the clergy. So that briefly, Lord +Aberdeen, whilst restraining the popular +courts, gives to them a true popular +authority; and the Non-intrusionists, +whilst seeming to set up a +democratic idol, do in fact, by dexterous +ventriloquism, throw their own +all-potential voice into its passive +organs.</p> + +<p>We may seem to owe some apology +to our readers for the space which we +have allowed to this great moral +<i>émeute</i> in Scotland. But we hardly +think so ourselves. For in our own +island, and in our own times, nothing +has been witnessed so nearly bordering +on a revolution. Indeed, it is +painful to hear Dr Chalmers, since +the secession, speaking of the Scottish +aristocracy in a tone of scornful +hatred, not surpassed by the most +Jacobinical language of the French +Revolution in the year 1792. And, +if this movement had not been checked +by Parliament, and subsequently +by the executive Government, in its +comprehensive provision for the future, +by the measure we have been +reviewing, we cannot doubt that the +contagion of the shock would have +spread immediately to England, which +part of the island has been long prepared +and manured, as we might say, +for corresponding struggles, by the +continued conspiracy against church-rates. +In both cases, an attack on +church property, once allowed to +prosper or to gain any stationary footing, +would have led to a final breach +in the life and serviceable integrity of +the church.</p> + +<p>Of the Factory bill, we are sorry +that we are hardly entitled to speak. +In the loss of the educational clauses, +that bill lost all which could entitle it +to a separate notice; and, where the +Government itself desponds as to any +future hope of succeeding, private +parties may have leave to despair. +One gleam of comfort, however, has +shone out since the adjournment of +Parliament. The only party to the +bitter resistance under which this +measure failed, whom we can sincerely +compliment with full honesty of +purpose—viz. the Wesleyan Methodists—have +since expressed (about the +middle of September) sentiments very +like compunction and deep sorrow +for the course they felt it right to pursue. +They are fully aware of the +malignity towards the Church of England, +which governed all other parties +to the opposition excepting themselves; +and in the sorrowful result of +that opposition, which has terminated +in denying all extension of education +to the labouring youth of the nation, +they have learned (like the conscientious +men that they are) to suspect +the wisdom and the ultimate principle +of the opposition itself. Fortunately, +they are a most powerful body; to +express regret for what they have done, +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_549" id="Page_549">[Pg 549]</a></span> +and hesitation at the casuistry of those +motives which reconciled them to their +act at the moment is possibly but the +next step to some change in their counsels; +in which case this single body, +in alliance with the Church of England, +would be able to carry the great +measure which has been crushed for +the present by so unexampled a resistance. +Much remains to be said, both +upon the introductory statements of +Lord Ashley, with which (in spite of +our respect for that nobleman) we do +not coincide, and still more upon the +extensive changes, and the <em>principles</em> +of change, which must be brought to +bear upon a national system of education, +before it can operate with that +large effect of benefit which so many +anticipate from its adoption. But this +is ample matter for a separate discussion.</p> + +<p>Lastly, let us notice the Irish Arms' +bill; which, amongst the measures +framed to meet the momentary exigence +of the times, stands foremost in +importance. This is one of those fugitive +and casual precautions, which, by +intense seasonableness, takes its rank +amongst the permanent means of pacification. +Bridling the instant spirit +of uproar, carrying the Irish nation +over that transitional state of temptation, +which, being once gone by, cannot, +we believe, be renewed for generations, +this, with other acts in the same +temper, will face whatever peril still +lingers in the sullen rear of Mr +O'Connell's dying efforts. For that +gentleman, personally, we believe +him to be nearly extinct. Two months +ago we expressed our conviction, so +much the stronger in itself for having +been adopted after some hesitation, +that Sir Robert Peel had taken the +true course for eventually and finally +disarming him. We are thankful that +we have now nothing to recant. Progress +has been made in that interval +towards that consummation, quite equal +to any thing we could have expected +in so short a lapse of weeks. Mr +O'Connell is now showing the strongest +symptoms of distress, and of conscious +approach to the condition of +"check to the king." Of these symptoms +we will indicate one or two. In +January 1843, he declared solemnly +that an Irish Parliament should instal +itself at Dublin before the year closed. +Early in May, he promised that on the +anniversary of that day the great +change should be solemnized. On a +later day in May, he proclaimed that +the event would come off (according +to a known nautical mode of advertising +the time of sailing) not upon a +settled day of that month but "in all +May" of 1844. Here the matter +rested until August 12, when again he +shifted his day to the corresponding +day of 1844. But September arrived, +and then "before those shoes were +old" in which he had made his +promise, he declares by letter, to some +correspondent, that he must have <em>forty-three +months</em> for working out his plan. +Anther symptom, yet more significant, +is this: and strange to say it has +been overlooked by the daily press. +Originally he had advertised some +pretended Parliament of 300 Irishmen, +to which admission was to be +had for each member by a fee of +L.100. And several journals are +now telling him that, under the Convention +Act, he and his Parliament +will be arrested on the day of assembling. +Not at all. They do not attend +to his harlequin motions. Already +he has declared that this assembly, +which was to have been a Parliament, +is only to be a conciliatory committee, +an old association under some +new name, for deliberating on means +<em>tending to</em> a Parliament in some future +year, as yet not even suggested.</p> + +<p>May we not say, after such facts, +that the game is up? The agitation +may continue, and it may propagate +itself. But for any interest of Mr +O'Connell's, it is now passing out of +his hands.</p> + +<p>In the joy with which we survey +that winding up of the affair, we can +afford to forget the infamous display +of faction during the discussion of the +Arms' bill. Any thing like it, in pettiness +of malignity, has not been witnessed +during this century: any thing +like it, in impotence of effect, probably +will not be witnessed again during our +times. Thirteen divisions in one +night—all without hope, and without +even a verbal gain! This conduct +the nation will not forget at the next +election. But in the mean time the +peaceful friends of this yet peaceful +empire rejoice to know, that without +war, without rigour, without an effort +that could disturb or agitate—by mere +silent precautions, and the sublime +magnanimity of simply fixing upon the +guilty conspirator one steadfast eye +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_550" id="Page_550">[Pg 550]</a></span> +of vigilant preparation, the conspiracy +itself is melting into air, and the relics +of it which remain will soon +become fearful only to him who has +evoked it.</p> + +<p>The game, therefore, is up, if we +speak of the purposes originally contemplated. +This appears equally from +the circumstances of the case without +needing the commentary of Mr O'Connell, +and from the acts no less than +the words of that conspirator. True +it is—and this is the one thing to be +feared—that the agitation, though extinct +for the ends of its author, may +propagate itself through the maddening +passions of the people, now perhaps +uncontrollably excited. Tumults +may arise, at the moment when further +excitement is impossible, simply +through that which is already in operation. +But that stage of rebellion is +open at every turn to the coercion of +the law: and it is not such a phasis +of conspiracy that Mr O'Connell +wishes to face, or <em>can</em> face. Speaking, +therefore, of the <em>real</em> objects pursued +in this memorable agitation, we cannot +but think that as the roll of possible +meetings is drawing nearer to +exhaustion, as all other arts fail, and +mere <em>written</em> addresses are renewed, +(wanting the inflammatory contagion +of personal meetings, and not accessible +to a scattered peasantry;) but above +all, as the day of instant action is once +again adjourned to a period both remote +and indefinite, the agitation must +be drooping, and virtually we may +repeat that the game is up. But +the last moves have been unusually +interesting. Not unlike the fascination +exercised over birds by the eye of +the rattlesnake, has been the impression +upon Mr O'Connell from the +fixed attention turned upon him by +Government. What they <em>did</em> was silent +and unostentatious; more, however, +than perhaps the public is aware +of in the way of preparation for an +outbreak. But the capital resource +of their policy was, to make Mr O'Connell +deeply sensible that they were +watching him. The eye that watched +over Waterloo was upon him: for +six months that eagle glance has +searched him and nailed him: and the +result, as it is now revealing itself, +may at length be expressed in the two +lines of Wordsworth otherwise applied—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<span class="i0">"The vacillating bondsman of the Pope<br /></span> +<span class="i0">Shrinks from the verdict of that steadfast eye."<br /></span> +</div></div> + +<hr style="width: 15%;" /> + + +<p class="center" style="padding-bottom: 3em;"><i>Edinburgh: Printed by Ballantyne and Hughes, Paul's Work.</i></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + +<h3><a name="FOOTNOTES" id="FOOTNOTES"></a>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> A System of Logic, Ratiocinative and Inductive; being a connected view of the +Principles of Evidence, and the Methods of Scientific Investigation. By John +Stuart Mill. In two volumes. London: Parker.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Necessary truths multiply on us very fast. "We maintain," says Mr Whewell, +"that this equality of <em>mechanical action and reaction</em> is one of the principles +which do not flow from, but regulate, our experience. A mechanical pressure, +not accompanied by an equal and opposite pressure, can no more be given by experience +than two unequal right angles. With the supposition of such inequalities, +space ceases to be space, form ceases to be form, matter ceases to be matter." +And again he says, "<em>That the parallelogram of forces is a necessary truth</em>;" a law +of motion of which we surely can <em>conceive</em> its opposite to be true. In some of +these instances Mr Whewell appears, by a confusion of thought, to have given to +the <em>physical fact</em> the character of necessity which resides in the mathematical formula +employed for its expression. Whether a moving body would communicate +motion to another body—whether it would lose its own motion by so doing—or +what would be the result if a body were struck by two other bodies moving in +different directions—are questions which, if they could be asked us prior to experience, +we could give no answer whatever to—which we can easily conceive +to admit of a quite different answer to that which experience has taught us +to give.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Travels of Kerim Khan; being a narrative of his Journey from Delhi to Calcutta, +and thence by Sea to England: containing his remarks upon the manners, customs, +laws, constitutions, literature, arts, manufactures, &c., of the people of the British +Isles. Translated from the original Oordu—(MS.)</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> <i>Shalwarlek</i>—"tight trousers"—was a phrase used, under the old Turkish régime, +as equivalent to a blackguard.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> The Moslems, and other natives of India descended from foreign races, are properly +called <em>Hindustanis</em>, while the aborigines are the <em>Hindus</em>—a distinction not well +understood in Europe. The former take their name from the country, as <em>natives of +Hindustan</em>, which has derived its own name from the latter, as being the <em>country of +the Hindus</em>.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> Journal of a Residence of Two Years and a Half in Great Britain, by Jehangeer +Nowrojee and Hirjeebhoy Merwanjee of Bombay, Naval Architects. London: 1841.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Many of our readers must have seen the beautiful ivory model of this far-famed +edifice, lately exhibited in Regent Street, and now, we believe, in the Cambridge University +museum. It is fortunate that so faithful a miniature transcript of the beauties +of the Taj is in existence, since the original is doomed, as we are informed, to +inevitable ruin at no distant period, from the ravages of the white ants on the woodwork.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> These sacred footmarks are more numerous among the Buddhists than the Moslems—the +most celebrated is that on the summit of Adam's Peak, in Ceylon.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> Most of the principal cities of India, in addition to the ancient name by which +they are popularly known, have another imposed by the Moslems:—thus Agra is +Akbarabad, <em>the residence of Akbar</em>—Delhi, Shahjehanabad; and Patna, Azimabad. +In some instances, as Dowlutabad in the Dekkan, the Hindu name of which is +Deogiri, the Mohammedan appellation has superseded the ancient name; but, generally +speaking, the latter is that in common use.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> "So called from <em>Kali</em>, the Hindu goddess, and <em>kata</em>, laughter; because human +victims were formerly here sacrificed to her."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> From the sanctity attached by Oriental ideas to the privacy of the harem, it is a +high crime and misdemeanour, punishable by law in all Moslem countries, to erect +buildings overlooking the residence of a neighbour. At Constantinople, there is an +officer called the Minar Aga, or superintendent of edifices, whose especial duty it is to +prevent this.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> "Almost immediately on leaving Allahabad," (on his way from Calcutta to the +Upper Provinces,) "I was struck with the appearance of the men, as tall and muscular +as the largest stature of Europeans; and with the fields of <em>wheat</em>, almost the only +cultivation."—Heber's Journal, vol. iii. "Some of our boatmen passing through a +field of Indian corn, plucked two or three ears, certainly not enough to constitute a +theft, or even a trespass. Two of the men, however, who were watching, ran after +them, not as the Bengalis would have done, to complain with joined hands, but with +stout bamboos, prepared to do themselves justice <i>par voye de faict</i>. The men saved +themselves by swimming off to the boat; but my servants called out to them—'Ah! +dandee folk, beware, you are now in Hindustan; the people here know well how to +fight, and are not afraid.'"</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> "I told his (Pertab Chund's) father, that it was wrong to keep him where he +then was, and he told me to take him down to the river. He was lifted up on his bedding; +his speech was not very distinct at that time, but sufficiently so to call on the +name of his T'hakoor, (spiritual guide,) which he did as desired; he then began to +shiver, and complained of being very cold. I was one of those who went with the +rajah to the river side. Jago Mohun Dobee pressed his legs under the water, and +kept them so; and about 10 p.m. his soul quitted the body. When he died, his +knees were under water, but the rest of his body above." Evidence of Radha Sircar +and Sham Chum Baboo, before the Mofussil Court of Hoogly, September 1838, in the +enquiry on the impostor Kistololl, who personated the deceased Pertab.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> <em>Tazîya</em>, literally <em>grief</em>, is an ornamental shrine erected in Moslem houses during +the Mohurrum, and intended to represent the mausoleum of Hassan and Hussein, at +Kerbelah in Persia. On the 10th and last day of the mourning, the tazîyas are carried +in procession to the outside of the city, and finally deposited with funeral rites in the +burying-grounds.—See <i>Mrs Meer Hassan Ali's</i> Observations on the Mussulmans of +India. Letter I.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> Reminiscences of Syria. By Colonel E. Napier.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> Modern Painters—their Superiority in the Art of Landscape Painting to all the +Ancient Masters, &c. &c. By a Graduate of Oxford.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> From a rough calculation taken from the returns of those left dead on the fields +of battle in which Napoleon commanded, from Montenotte to Waterloo, we make +the amount 1,811,500; and if we add those who died subsequently of their wounds in +the petty skirmishes, the losses in which are not reported, and in the naval fights, of +which, though Napoleon was not present, he was the cause, the number given in the +text will be far under the mark. A picture of the fathers, mothers, wives, children, +and relatives of these victims, receiving the news of their death, would give a lively +idea of the benefits conferred upon the world by Napoleon.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> Nov. Org. Aph. 29.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_19_19" id="Footnote_19_19"></a><a href="#FNanchor_19_19"><span class="label">[19]</span></a> Impetus Philosophici, p. 681.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_20_20" id="Footnote_20_20"></a><a href="#FNanchor_20_20"><span class="label">[20]</span></a> In any thing we have above said, we trust it is unnecessary to disclaim the +slightest intention of discouraging those whose want of conventional advantages only +renders their merit more conspicuous; we find fault not with the uneducated for cultivating +science, but with the educated for neglecting it.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_21_21" id="Footnote_21_21"></a><a href="#FNanchor_21_21"><span class="label">[21]</span></a> Cours de Philosophie Positive, vol. ii. p. 409.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_22_22" id="Footnote_22_22"></a><a href="#FNanchor_22_22"><span class="label">[22]</span></a> Each Fellow can, indeed, by express permission of the Society, take with him two +friends.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_23_23" id="Footnote_23_23"></a><a href="#FNanchor_23_23"><span class="label">[23]</span></a> An anonymous author, who has attracted some attention in France, in commenting +on the rejection of Victor Hugo, and the election of a physician, says—that nothing +could be more natural or proper, as the senility and feebleness of the Académie made +it more in want of a physician than a poet.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_24_24" id="Footnote_24_24"></a><a href="#FNanchor_24_24"><span class="label">[24]</span></a> <i>Edin. Rev.</i> No. 159.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_25_25" id="Footnote_25_25"></a><a href="#FNanchor_25_25"><span class="label">[25]</span></a> Brewster's Life of Newton, p. 35.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_26_26" id="Footnote_26_26"></a><a href="#FNanchor_26_26"><span class="label">[26]</span></a> Carlyle on Hero Worship.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_27_27" id="Footnote_27_27"></a><a href="#FNanchor_27_27"><span class="label">[27]</span></a> Commentaries, vol. i. p. 277.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_28_28" id="Footnote_28_28"></a><a href="#FNanchor_28_28"><span class="label">[28]</span></a> A <em>hammil sconce</em>, or light of the hamlet, is the picturesque expression in secluded +parts of Lancashire for the local wise man, or village counsellor.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_29_29" id="Footnote_29_29"></a><a href="#FNanchor_29_29"><span class="label">[29]</span></a> Those who fancy a possible evasion of the case supposed above, by saying, that if +a failure, extensive as to England, should coincide with a failure extensive as to Poland, +remedies might be found in importing from many other countries combined, forget +one objection, which is decisive—these supplementary countries must be many, +and they must be distant. For no country could singly supply a defect of great extent, +unless it were a defect annually and regularly anticipated. A surplus never designed +as a fixed surplus for England, but called for only now and then, could never be more +than small. Therefore the surplus, which could not be yielded by one country, must +be yielded by many. In that proportion increase the probabilities that a number will +have no surplus. And, secondly, from the widening distances, in that proportion +increases the extent of shipping required. But now, even from Mr Porter, a most prejudiced +writer on this question, and not capable of impartiality in speaking upon any +measure which he supposes hostile to the principle of free trade, the reader may learn +how certainly any great <em>hiatus</em> in our domestic growth of corn is placed beyond all +hope of relief. For how is this grain, this relief, to be brought? In ships, you reply. +Ay, but in what ships? Do you imagine that an extra navy can lie rotting in docks, +and an extra fifty thousand of sailors can be held in reserve, and borne upon the books +of some colossal establishment, waiting for the casual seventh, ninth, or twelfth year +in which they may be wanted—kept and paid against an "<em>in case</em>," like the extra +supper, so called by Louis XIV., which waited all night on the chance that it might +be wanted? <em>That</em>, you say, is impossible. It is so; and yet without such a reserve, +all the navies of Europe would not suffice to make up such a failure of our home crops +as is likely enough to follow redundant years under the system of unlimited competition.—See +<span class="smcap">Porter</span>.</p></div> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> + + + +<p style="padding-top: 3em;"><b>Transcriber's Note</b></p> + +<p style="padding-bottom: 5em;">Minor typographic errors have been corrected. Please note there is +some archaic spelling, which has been retained as printed. There are a +few snippets of Greek, a few instances of the letter a with macron +(straight line) over it, and some oe ligatures; you may need to adjust +your settings for these to display correctly.</p> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. +CCCXXXVI. October, 1843. 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