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we could give a variety of good reasons for so doing yet it would be an ill natured act to deprive the public of such an admirable opportunity to indulge in their favourite amusement of besides we have ever considered aa and opinions h a beneath persons of onr dignity to for oar or en we are not like the unhappy rulers of land to the mob oar actions or dependent on their smiles support l this much however we it is not for want of subjects that we s our career we are not in the poor alexander the great who wept as indeed he might because there were no m worlds to conquer for to do justice to queer odd city and this country there is matter enough in them keep our muscles and our pens go until most people in taking a may perhaps be for ever are anxious to j on good terms and it is usual on such n occasions for even enemies to hands forget their previous quarrels and h all former in parting regrets m because most people do this i am to act in quite a different way for as i hi lived so should i wish to die in my own w without any person whatever n of esq o he his rank talents ot reputation besides it i know our we have no to no to bury and as to all we ba e long since at moment is not an individual in tbe world not even tbe pope to whom we any personal but if shutting their eyes to the many striking of good displayed through the whole course of this work there should be any persons so sin ridiculous as to take offence at our we heartily forgive their stupidity earnestly them to from all of ill humour test they should be under some one of the of we have it duty to hold up to ridicule even at moment we feel a glow of parting upon us a sentiment of cordial good will towards tbe numerous host of readers that on at our heels the last year and in justice to ourselves seriously that if at any time we have treated them a little it was in that of with o whim and opinions which a unlucky or a humane his animal at the very moment when his heart is of loving kindness if this be not considered an ample justification so much the worse for in that case i fear we shall remain for ever a most desperate extremity and worthy of every man s one circumstance in particular has i us as we along and that is the astonishing secrecy with which we been able to carry on our fully aware of the profound sagacity of the public of and their wonderful faculty of a writer by his style it is with great self we find that has never pointed to us as the authors of our gray beard speculations have been most attributed o sundry smart young gentlemen who for aught we know have no at all and we often been highly amused when they were charged with the sin of writing what their harmless minds never conceived to see them affect all the blushing modesty and beautiful op lot esq embarrassment of detected virgin authors the profound and penetrating public having so long been led away from truth and nature by a constant perusal of those histories and from beyond seas in which human nature is for the most part and have never once imagined this work was a genuine and most history that the were a real family dwelling in the city paying and lot entitled to the right of and holding several respectable offices in the as little do they suspect that there is a knot of merry old seated in the old fashioned parlour of an dutch house with a on the top that came from holland who amuse themselves of an evening by laughing at their neighbours in an honest way and who manage to on through the streets of our ancient and venerable city without or being by a living soul when we first adopted the idea of this work we determined in order to give the critics a fair opportunity for i o and opinions to declare ourselves one and all absolutely for it is one of the rare and invaluable privileges of a writer that by an act of innocent suicide he may himself to the grave and cheat the world of renown but we abandoned this scheme for many substantial reasons in the first place we care but little for the opinion of critics who we consider a kind of in the republic of letters who like deer and divers other animals gain by upon the and leave of the young shrubs of the forest thereby them of their and their progress to maturity it also occurred to us that though an author might in all countries kill himself outright yet this privilege does not extend to the raising himself from the dead should he be ever so anxious and all that is left him in such a case is to take the benefit of the act and revive under a new name and form far be it therefore from us to condemn ourselves to useless should we ever be disposed to resume the guardian op la esq ship of this learned city of and finish this invaluable work which is yet but half completed we openly and seriously declare that we are not dead but intend if it please providence to live for many years to come to enjoy life with the genuine relish of honest souls careless of riches honours and every thing but a good name among good fellows and with the full expectation of shuffling off the remnant of existence after the excellent fashion | 48 |
even from the admiration of the world these observations bring to mind a little in one of the of the sage which being in some measure ap to the subject of this essay we for the benefit of our fair readers among the numerous race of the who people the vast tracts of is a small tribe remarkable for their habits of solitude and love of independence they are of a disposition from waste vol ii i s i whim and opinions to waste their thirst at scanty pools as are found in those cheerless plains and in the liberty they enjoy a youthful of this tribe a simple son of nature at length growing weary of his precarious and unsettled mode of life determined to set out in search of a more permanent abode i will seek said he some happy region some generous where the of en i will find out some stream and the life of my forefathers will settle on its borders dispose my mind to gentle pleasures and tranquil and never wander more enchanted with this picture of pastoral felicity he departed from the tents of his companions and having during five days on the sixth as the sun was just rising in all the of the east he lifted up his eyes and beheld extended before him in smiling the fertile regions of the happy gently swelling hills with blooming groves swept down into luxuriant with flowers of esq l of never withering beauty the sun no longer darting his rays with beamed with a genial warmth that and enriched the landscape a pure and temperate serenity an air of repose a smile of contented abundance pervaded the face of nature and every breathed a thousand delicious the soul of the youthful wanderer expanded with delight he raised his eyes to heaven and almost mingled with his tribute of gratitude a sigh of regret that he had lingered so long amid the of the desert with fond impatience he hastened to make choice of a stream where he might fix his habitation and taste the promised sweets of this land of delight but here commenced an perplexity for though he beheld innumerable streams on every side yet not one could he find which completely answered his high raised expectations one with wild and picturesque beauty but it was capricious and unsteady in its course sometimes dashing its angry against the rocks and often raging and over whim and opinions flowing its banks another flowed smoothly along without even a ripple or a but its current was dull and a third was pure and transparent but its waters were of a coldness and it had rocks and in its bosom a fourth was in its and graceful in its but it had a sweetness that upon the taste while a fifth possessed a sparkling vivacity and a of that the wanderer from repeating his draught the youthful began to w with fruitless trials and repeated disappointments when his attention was suddenly attracted by a lively brook whose dancing waves glittered in the and whose current communicated an air of gaiety to the surrounding landscape the heart of the way worn traveller beat with expectation but on regarding it attentively in its course he found that it constantly avoided the ing shade with equal fondness whether gliding through the rich valley or over the barren sand tiiat the fragrant flower of esq l the fruitful and worthless were alike by its and that its current was often interrupted by weeds with idle ambition it at length expanded itself beyond its proper bounds and spread into a shallow waste of water destitute of beauty or utility and along with uninteresting vivacity and the son of the desert turned away with a sigh of regret and pitied a stream which if content within its natural might have been the pride of the valley and the object of all his wishes pensive musing and disappointed be slowly pursued his now almost hopeless pilgrimage and had for some time along the margin of a gentle before be became sensible of its beauties it was a simple pastoral stream which glare pursued its course through retired and tranquil now among banks and now winding among groves whose foliage fondly bent down to meet the wave sometimes but not often it would venture from its covert to stray whim and opinions through a meadow hut quickly as if fearful of being seen stole back again into its more congenial shade and there with sweet delay wherever it bent its course the face of nature brightened into smiles and a spring reigned upon its borders the of the delighted to quit their recesses and among its while the dove the timid the gaze and all the rural who joy in the haunts of nature resorted to its vicinity its pure transparent waters rolled over snow white sands and heaven itself was reflected in its tranquil bosom the simple threw himself upon its margin he tasted the silver tide and it was like to his lips he bounded with transport for he had found the object of his here cried he will i pitch my tent here will i pass my days for pure o fair stream is thy gentle current are thy borders and the grove must be a paradise that is refreshed by thy of esq opera the work s all link t how hard it is the divine better known among the by the name of for a man to bite off his own nose at this moment i william esq feel the full force of this remark and cannot but give vent to my at being obliged through the whim of friend to stop short in my literary career when at the very point of astonishing my | 48 |
country and the brightest of literature we daily hear of of failures and they are trifling which from their excite but little astonishment or sympathy but it is not often that we hear of a man s letting immortality slip through his fingers and when he does meet with such a misfortune who would deny him the comfort of his calamity next to the laid upon our commerce the greatest public annoyance is the laid upon our work in consequence whim and opinions of which the produce of my wits like that of my country must remain at home and m y ideas hke so many in port or in the away in the mud of my own brain i know of few things in this world more than co be interrupted in the middle of a favourite story at the most interesting part where one expects to shine or to have a conversation broken off just when you are about coming out with a score of jokes not one of which but was good enough to make every figure in literally split her sides with laughter in some such am i placed at present and i do protest to you my good looking and well beloved readers by the chop sticks of the immortal i was on the very brink of treating you with a full of the most ingenious and instructive essays that your precious were ever with in the first place i had with infinite labour and pains and by consulting the divine sir john and others fully of esq all those wild theories respecting the first settlement of our country and proved beyond contradiction that america so far from being as the writers of europe it the new world is at least as old as any in existence not excepting egypt china or even the land of the which according to the traditions of that ancient people has already assisted at the of thirteen and four hundred and seventy thousand i had likewise written a long on certain discovered on those fragments of the moon which have lately fallen with singular propriety in a neighbouring state and have thrown considerable light on the state of literature and the arts in that planet showing that the universal language which there is high dutch thereby proving it to be the most ancient and original tongue and the opinion of a celebrated poet that it is the language in which the serpent tempted our grandmother eve to support the department i had several very ready written whim and opinions wherein no quarter was shown either to authors or actors and i was only waiting to determine at what plays or performances they should be as to the grand spectacle of which is to be represented this season i had given it a most showing that it was neither tragedy comedy nor farce that the incidents were highly improbable that the prince played hke a perfect that the white were merely powdered for the occasion and that the new moon had a most outrageous copper nose but my most profound and essay in is an review of these which i had written partly in revenge for the many jokes played off against me by my and partly for the purpose of saving much invaluable labour to the and of the age by and exposing all the etc etc which occur in this work i hold it downright for any of esq author to write or even to think in the same manner with any other writer that either did doth or may exist it is a sage of law and the same has been extended to literature so that if an author shall publish an idea that has been ever hinted by another it shall be no for him to plead ignorance of the feet all therefore that i had to do was to take a good pair of spectacles or a glass and with in hand and a table full of books before me to mouse over them alternately in a comer of library carefully comparing and all odd ends and fragments of sentences little did honest suspect when he sat lounging and in his elbow chair with no other to draw upon than his own brain and no other authority to consult than the sage little did he think that his careless would receive such scrupulous investigation by laborious and patiently words where sentences and ideas did not correspond i have detected sundry sly whim opinions and of which tu be bound himself is ignorant thus for instance the little man in black is t no less a personage than old or something from the spectator who her from s wrinkled with age grown my friend has taken the honest old woman dressed her up in the cast off suit worn by in and endeavoured to palm the upon the enlightened inhabitants of proof of the fact need be given than that was taken for a witch and the man in black for a and that they both in villages the inhabitants of which were distinguished by a most respectful of and to be sure the astonishing ends here but surely that is enough to prove that the man in black is no other than in the disguise of a white witch thus also the sage in a for a of studying may pretend to originality of idea op esq and to a familiar acquaintance with the of the east but this trick will not pass here i refer those who wish to detect his to one of those or of science which like a tailor s or a pie are for scientific fragments of all sorts and sizes the reader learned in dictionary studies will at once perceive i mean an there under the title of cards or i | 48 |
s there a more lucky idea it at once gave me occupation and amusement the writing of a book was considered tin to the r in old times as an enterprise of toil and difficulty that the most trifling was a work and the world talked with awe and reverence of the labours of the learned these matters are better understood nowadays thanks to the improvements in all kind of the art of book making has been made familiar to the meanest capacity every body is an author the of a is the mere of the idle the young gentleman throws off his brace of in the intervals of the sporting season and the young lady produces her set of volumes with the same facility that her great grandmother worked a set of chair to the r x the idea having the therefore to write a book the reader will easily perceive that the execution of it was no difficult matter i my port and cast about in my recollect tion for those floating materials which a man naturally in travelling and here i have arranged them in this little work as i know this to be a and a story reading age and that the world is fond of being taught by i have the instruction i would convey into a number of tales they may not possess the power of amusement which the tales told by many of my possess but then x to the reader i value myself on the sound moral which each of them contains this may not be apparent at first but the reader will be sure to find it out in the end i am for the world by gentle not by violent indeed the patient should never be conscious that he is taking a dose i have learnt this much from my experience under the hands of the worthy of am not therefore for those tales which carry their moral on the surface staring one in the face they are enough to the reader on the contrary have often hid my moral from sight and disguised it to the reader xi as much as possible by sweets and so that while the simple reader is listening with open mouth to a ghost or a love story he may have a of sound morality down his throat and be never the wiser for the fraud as the public is apt to be curious about the sources from an author draws his stories doubtless that it may know how far to put faith in them i would observe that the adventure of the german student or rather the latter part of it is founded on an anecdote related to me as existing somewhere in french and indeed i have been told since writing it that an ingenious tale has been founded on it by an english to the reader but i have met with either the former or the latter in print some of the circumstances in the adventure of the mysterious picture and in the story of the young italian are vague recollections of anecdotes related to me some years since but from what source derived i do not know the adventure of the young painter among the is taken almost entirely from an narrative in manuscript as to the other tales contained in this work and indeed to my tales generally i can make but one observation i an old traveller i have read heard and seen more and more than all my brain is to the filled therefore with all kinds of odds and ends in travelling these matters have become shaken up in my mind as the articles are apt to be in an ill packed so that when i attempt to draw forth a fact i cannot determine whether i have read heard or it and i am always at a loss to know how much to believe of my own stories these matters being fall to worthy reader with good appetite and above all with good humour to what is here set before thee if the tales i have furnished should prove to be bad they will at least be found short so that no one will be wearied long on the same xiv to the reader theme variety is charming as some poet there is a certain relief in change even though it be from bad to worse as have found in travelling in a stage coach that it is often a comfort to shift one s position and be bruised in a new place ever thine dated from the hotel de ci hotel de paris otherwise contents op vol i part i strange stories by a nervous gentleman page the great unknown the hunting dinner the adventure op my uncle the adventure of my aunt the bold or the adventure of my grandfather the adventure of the german student the adventure of the mysterious picture the adventure of the mysterious stranger the story of the young italian part ii and his friends literary life a literary dinner xvi contents page the club of queer fellows the poor devil author a practical philosopher q or the young man of great expectations part i strange stories by a nervous gentleman i tell you more there was a fish taken a monstrous fish with a sword by s side a long sword a in s neck and a gun in s nose a huge gun and letters of in s mouth from the duke of this is a monstrous lie i do confess it do you think i d tell you truths s wipe a month vol b the great unknown the following adventures were related to me by the same nervous gentleman who told me the romantic tale of the stout published in hall it is very singular that although i expressly stated that story to have been told to | 48 |
me and described the very person who told it still it has been received as an adventure that happened to myself now i protest i never met with any adventure of the kind i should not have grieved at this had it not been intimated by the author of in an introduction to his novel of of the peak that he v was himself the stout gentleman alluded to i have ever since been by questions and letters from gentlemen and particularly from ladies without number touching what i had seen of the great unknown b the great unknown now all this is extremely it is like being congratulated on the high prize when one has drawn a blank for i have just as great a desire as any one of the public to penetrate the mystery of that very singular personage whose voice fills every comer of the world without any one being able to tell from whence it comes my friend the nervous gentleman also who is a man of very shy retired habits that he has been excessively annoyed in consequence of its getting about in his neighbourhood that he is the fortunate personage that he has become a character of considerable in two or three country towns and has been repeatedly to exhibit himself at blue parties for no other reason than that of being the gentleman who has had a glimpse of the author of indeed the poor man has grown ten times as nervous as ever since he has discovered on such good authority who the stout gentleman was and will never forgive himself for not the great unknown having made a more resolute effort to get a full sight of him he has anxiously endeavoured to call up a recollection of what he saw of that personage and has ever since kept a curious eye on all gentlemen of more than ordinary dimensions whom he has seen getting into stage all in vain the features he had caught a glimpse of seem common to the whole race of stout gentlemen and the great unknown remains as great an as ever having these circumstances i will now let the nervous gentleman proceed with his stories the hunting dinner i was once at a hunting dinner given by a worthy fox hunting old who kept bachelor s hall in jovial style in an ancient family mansion in one of the middle he had been a devoted admirer of the fair sex in his young days but having travelled much studied the sex in various countries with distinguished success and returned home profoundly instructed as he supposed in the ways of woman and a perfect master of the art of pleasing he had the mortification of being by a little boarding school girl who was scarcely in the of love the was completely overcome by such an incredible defeat retired from the world in disgust put himself imder the government of his housekeeper and took to fox hunting the hunting er r t like a perfect whatever poets may say to the contrary a man will grow out of love as he grows old and a pack of fox hounds may chase out of his heart even the memory of a goddess the was when i saw him as merry and mellow an old bachelor as ever followed a hound and the love he had once felt for one woman had spread itself over the whole sex so that there was not a pretty face in the whole country round but came in for a share the dinner was prolonged till a late hour for our host having no ladies in his household to summon us to the drawing room the bottle maintained its true bachelor sway by its potent enemy the tea kettle the old hall in which we dined echoed to bursts of fox hunting merriment that made the ancient shake on the walls by degrees however the wine and the of mine host began to operate upon bodies already a little by the chase the choice spirits which flashed up at the beginning of the dinner sparkled for a time then gradually went out the hunting one after another or only now and then a faint gleam from the some of the who had given tongue so bravely at the first burst fell fast asleep and none kept on their way but certain of those long who like short legged hounds worry on unnoticed at the bottom of but are sure to be in at the death even these at length subsided into silence and scarcely any thing was heard but the of two or three who having been silent while awake were the company in their sleep at length the announcement of tea and coffee in the parlour roused all hands from this temporary every one awoke and while the refreshing out of the s old fashioned hereditary china began to think of departing for their several homes but here a sudden difficulty arose while we had been our a heavy winter storm had set in with snow rain and driven by bitter the hunting dinner of wind that they threatened to penetrate to the very bone it s all in vain said our hospitable host to think of putting one s head out of doors in such weather so gentlemen i hold you my guests for this night at least and will have your quarters prepared accordingly the weather which became more and more rendered the hospitable suggestion the only question was whether such an unexpected accession of company to an already crowded house would not put the housekeeper to her to accommodate them cried mine host did you ever know of a bachelor s hall that was not elastic and able to accommodate twice as many as it could hold so out of a good humoured the housekeeper was summoned to a consultation before us all | 48 |
the old lady appeared in her suit of faded which with and agitation for in spite of our host s she the hunting dinner was a little perplexed but in a bachelor s house and with bachelor guests these matters are readily managed there is no lady of the house to stand upon points about lodging gentlemen in odd holes and comers and exposing the shabby parts of the establishment a bachelor s housekeeper is used to and so after much worrying to and fro and divers about the red room and the blue room and the room and the room and the little room with the bow window the matter was finally arranged when all this was done we were once more summoned to the standing rural amusement of eating the time that had been consumed in after dinner and in the refreshment and consultation of the parlour was sufficient in the opinion of the rosy faced butler to a reasonable appetite for supper a slight had therefore been up from the of dinner consisting of a cold of beef a leg of the hunting dinner a turkey or so and a few other of those light articles taken by country gentlemen to sound sleep and heavy the nap after dinner had brightened up every s wit and a great deal of excellent humour was expended upon the of mine and his housekeeper by certain married gentlemen of the company who considered themselves privileged in joking with a bachelor s establishment from this the turned as to what quarters each would find on being thus suddenly in so a mansion by my soul said an irish captain of one of the most merry and boisterous of the party by my soul but i should not be surprised if some of those good looking that hang along the walls should walk about the rooms of this stormy night or if i should find the ghost of one of those long ladies turning into my bed in mistake for her grave in the churchyard do you believe in ghosts then said a thin the hunting dinner faced gentleman projecting eyes like a i had remarked this last personage during dinner time for one of those incessant who have a craving appetite in conversation he never seemed satisfied with the whole of a story never laughed when others laughed but always put the joke to the question he never could enjoy the of the nut but himself to get more out of the shell do you believe in ghosts then said the inquisitive gentleman faith but i do replied the jovial i was brought up in the fear and belief of them we had a in our own family honey a and what s that cried the why an old lady ghost that upon your real families and waits at their window to let them know when some of them are to die the hunting dinner a mighty pleasant piece of cried an elderly gentleman with a knowing look and with a nose to which he could give a twist when he wished to be by my soul but i d have you to know it s a piece of distinction to be waited on by a it s a proof that one has pure blood in one s veins but i faith now we are talking of ghosts there never was a house or a night better fitted than the present for a ghost adventure pray sir john haven t you such a thing as a haunted chamber to put a guest in perhaps said the smiling i ft might accommodate you even on that point oh i should like it of all things my jewel some dark room with ugly wo portraits that stare at one and about which the housekeeper has a power of delightful stories of love and murder and then a dim lamp a table with a rusty sword across it and a all in white to draw aside one s curtains at midnight the hunting dinner in truth said an old gentleman at one id of the table you put me in mind of an anecdote oh a ghost story a ghost story was round the board every one his chair a little nearer the attention of the whole company was now turned upon the speaker he was an old gen one side of whose face was no match for the other the drooped and hung down like an window indeed the whole side of his head was and seemed like the wing of a house shut up and haunted i warrant that side was well stuffed with ghost stories there was an universal demand for the tale nay said the old gentleman it s a mere anecdote and a very commonplace one but such as it is you shall have it it is a story that i once heard my uncle tell as having happened to himself he was a man very apt to meet with strange adventures i have heard him tell of others much more singular the hunting dinner what kind of a man was your uncle said the questioning gentleman why he was rather a dry shrewd kind of body a great traveller and fond of telling his adventures pray how old might he have been when that happened when what happened cried the gentleman with the nose impatiently you have not given any thing a chance to happen come never mind our uncle s age let us have his adventures the inquisitive gentleman being for the moment silenced the old gentleman with the haunted head proceeded the adventure of my uncle many years since some time before the french revolution my uncle had passed several months at paris the english and french were on better terms in those days than at present and mingled cordially together in society the went abroad to spend money | 48 |
whole of but was pinned to the wall like a butterfly by the of a and his heroic soul was borne up to heaven on his de pigeon but all this has nothing to do with my story to the point then when the hour arrived for for the night my uncle was shown to his room in a venerable old tower it was the oldest part of the and had in ancient times been the or strong hold of course the chamber was none of the best the had put him there however because he knew him to be a traveller of taste and fond of and also because the better apart the of my uncle ments were already occupied indeed he per reconciled my uncle to his quarters by mentioning the great personages who had once inhabited them all of whom were in some way or other connected with the family if you would take his word for it john or as he called him de had died of in this very chamber on hearing of the success of his rival robert the at the battle of and when he added that the duke de guise had slept in it my was fain to himself on being honoured with such distinguished quarters the night was shrewd and windy and the chamber none of the warmest an old long servant in quaint livery who attended upon my uncle threw down an arm full of wood beside the fire place gave a queer look about the room and then wished him bon with a and a shrug that would have been suspicious from any other than an old french servant the adventure of my uncle the chamber had indeed a wild crazy look enough to strike any one who had read with apprehension and the windows were high and narrow and had once been holes but had been rudely enlarged as well as the extreme thickness of the walls would permit and the ill fitted rattled to every breeze you would have thought on a windy night some of the old were and about the apartment in their huge boots and rattling spurs a door which stood and like a true french door would stand in spite of every reason and effort to the contrary opened upon a long dark corridor that led the lord knows whither and seemed just made for ghosts to air themselves in when they turned out of their graves at midnight the wind would spring up into a hoarse murmur through this passage and the door to and fro as if some ghost were in its mind whether to come in or not in a word it was precisely the kind of the adventure of my uncle apartment that a ghost if ghost there were in the would single out for its favourite my uncle however though a man accustomed to meet with strange adventures apprehended none at the time he made several attempts to shut the door but in vain not that he apprehended any thing for he was too old a traveller to be by a wild looking apartment but the night as i have said was cold and and the wind howled about the old pretty much as it does this old mansion at this moment and the breeze from the long dark corridor came in as damp and as if from a my uncle therefore since he could not close the door threw a quantity of wood on the fire which soon sent up a flame in the great wide mouthed that the whole chamber and made the shadow of the on the opposite wall look like a long legged giant my uncle now on the top of the half score of which form a french bed and which stood in a deep recess then the of my uncle himself in and burying himself up to the chin in the bed clothes he lay looking at the fire and listening to the wind and thinking how he had come over his friend the for a night s lodging and so he fell asleep he had not taken above half of his first nap when he was awakened by the clock of the in the over his chamber which struck midnight it was just such an old clock ghosts are fond of it had a deep dismal tone and struck so slowly and that my thought it would never have done he counted and counted till he was confident he counted thirteen and then it stopped the fire had burnt low and the blaze of the last was almost burning in small blue flames which now and then lengthened up into little white my uncle lay with his eyes half closed and his night cap drawn almost down to his nose his fancy was already wandering and began to mingle up the present scene with the of the french the adventure of my uncle opera the at rome s in london and all the of noted places with which the brain of a traveller is crammed in a word he was just falling asleep suddenly he was aroused by the sound of footsteps that appeared to be slowly pacing along the corridor my as i have often heard him say himself was a man not easily frightened so h lay quiet supposing that this might be some other guest or some servant on his way to bed the footsteps however approached the door the door gently opened whether of its own accord or whether pushed open my uncle could not distinguish a figure all in white glided in it was a female tall and stately in person and of a most commanding air her dress was of an ancient fashion ample in volume and sweeping the floor she walked up to the fire place without regarding my uncle who raised his night cap with one hand and stared | 48 |
earnestly at her she remained for some time standing by the fire which flashing up at intervals cast blue and white of light the adventure of my uncle that enabled my uncle to remark her appearance her face was ghastly pale and perhaps rendered still more so by the light of the fire it possessed beauty but its beauty was by care and anxiety there was the look of one accustomed to trouble but of one whom trouble could not cast down or subdue fear there was still the air of proud resolution such at least was the opinion formed by my uncle and he considered himself a great the figure remained as i said for some time by the fire putting out first one hand then the other then each foot alternately as if warming itself for your ghosts if ghost it really was are apt to be cold my uncle remarked that it wore high shoes after an ancient fashion with or diamond that sparkled as though they were alive at length the figure turned gently round casting a look about the apartment which as it passed over my uncle made his blood run cold and the adventure of my uncle chilled the very in his bones it then stretched its arms towards heaven clasped its hands and wringing them in a manner glided slowly out of the room my lay for some time meditating on this for as he remarked when he told me the story though a man of firmness he was also a man of reflection and did not reject a thing because it was out of the regular course of events however being as i have before said a great traveller and accustomed to strange adventures he drew his night cap resolutely over his eyes turned his back to the door hoisted the bed clothes high over his shoulders and gradually fell asleep how long he slept he could not say when he was awakened by the voice of some one at his bed side he turned round and beheld the old french servant with his ear locks in tight on each side of a long lantern face on which habit had deeply wrinkled an everlasting smile he made a thousand and asked a thousand for disturbing so the adventure of my uncle but the was considerably advanced while my uncle was dressing he called vaguely to mind the visitor of the preceding night he asked the ancient domestic what lady was in the habit of rambling about this part of the at night the old shrugged his shoulders as high as his head laid one hand on his bosom threw open the other with every finger extended made a most which he meant to be complimentary it was not for him to know any thing of les tunes of my uncle saw there was nothing satisfactory to be learnt in this quarter after breakfast he was walking with the through the modem apartments of the sliding over the well floors of silken amidst furniture rich in and until they came to a long picture gallery containing many some in oil and some in here was an ample field for the eloquence of his host who had all the pride of a nobleman of the there was not a grand adventure of my uncle name in and hardly one in france which not in some way or other connected with his house my uncle stood listening with inward impatience resting sometimes on one leg sometimes on the other as the little with his usual fire and vivacity on the achievements of his ancestors whose portraits hung along the wall from the martial deeds of the stem warriors in steel to the and of the blue eyed gentlemen with fair smiling faces powdered ear locks and pink and blue silk coats and breeches not forgetting the of the lovely with and no thicker than an hour glass who appeared ruling over their sheep and their with dainty decorated with fluttering in the midst of his friend s discourse my was on beholding a full length portrait which seemed to him the very of his visitor of the preceding night said he pointing to it i have seen the original of this portrait the adventure of my uncle replied the politely that can hardly be as the lady has been dead more than a hundred years that was the beautiful de who figured during the of louis the and was there any thing remarkable in her history never was question more unlucky the little immediately threw himself into the attitude of a man about to tell a long story in fact my uncle had pulled upon himself the whole history of the civil war of the in which the beautiful had played so distinguished a part were called up from their graves to grace his nor were the affairs of the nor the chivalry of the port forgotten my uncle began to wish himself a thousand off from the and his merciless memory when suddenly the little man s recollections took a more interesting turn he was relating the imprisonment of the duke de with the princes and in the adventure of my uncle ss the of and the ineffectual efforts of the to rouse the sturdy to their rescue he had come to that part where she was invested by the royal forces in the castle of the spirit of the proceeded the rose with her trials it was astonishing to see so delicate and beautiful a being so resolutely with hardships she determined on a desperate means of escape you may have seen the in which she was up an old ragged of an edifice standing on the of a hill just above the rusty little town of one dark night she issued secretly out of a small gate of the castle which the enemy had neglected to guard the | 48 |
gate is there to this very day opening upon a narrow bridge over a deep between the castle an the brow of the hill she was followed by her female attendants a few and some gallant who still remained faithful to her fortunes her object was to gain a small i d the adventure of my uncle port about two distant where she had privately provided a vessel for her escape in case of emergency the little band of were obliged to perform the distance on foot when they arrived at the port the wind was high and stormy the tide contrary the vessel far off in the road and no means of getting on board but by a fishing that lay tossing like a on the edge of the surf the determined to risk the attempt the endeavoured to her but the of her danger on shore and the of her spirit urged her on she had to be borne to the in the arms of a such was the violence of the winds and waves that he faltered lost his foot hold and let his precious fall into the sea the was nearly drowned but partly through her own struggles partly by the exertions of the she got to land as soon as she had a little recovered strength she insisted on the attempt the storm the adventure of my uncle however had by this time become so violent as to set all efforts at defiance to delay was to be discovered and taken prisoner as the only resource left she procured horses mounted with her female attendants en behind the gallant gentlemen who accompanied her and the country to seek some temporary asylum while the continued the laying his forefinger on my s breast to arouse his attention while the poor lady was wandering amid the tempest in this manner she arrived at this her approach caused some uneasiness for the of a troop of horse at dead of night up the avenue of a lonely in those unsettled times and in a troubled part of the country was enough to occasion alarm a tall broad shouldered armed to the teeth galloped a head and announced tile name of the visitor all uneasiness as d the adventure of my uncle the household turned out with to receive her and never did gleam on a more weather beaten travel stained band than came into the court such pale faces such dresses as the poor and her females presented each seated behind her while the half half drowsy pages and attendants seemed ready to fall from their horses with sleep and fatigue the was received with a hearty welcome by my she was ushered into the hall of the and the fires soon and blazed to cheer herself and her train and every spit and was put in to prepare ample refreshment for the she had a right to our continued the drawing himself up with a slight degree of for she was related to our family i ll tell you how it was her father henry de prince of but did the pass the night in the the adventure of my uncle said my uncle rather abruptly terrified at the idea of getting involved in one of the s oh as to the she was put into the very apartment you occupied last night which at that time was a kind of state apartment her followers were in the chambers opening upon the neighbouring corridor and her favourite page slept in an adjoining closet up and down the corridor walked the great who had announced her arrival and who acted as a kind of or guard he was a dark stern powerful looking fellow and as the light of a lamp in the corridor fell upon his deeply marked face and form he seemed capable of defending the castle with his single arm it was a rough rude night about this time of the year now i think of it last night was the of her visit i may well remember the precise date for it was a night not to be forgotten by our house there is a singular tradition concerning it in our fa the adventure of my uncle here the hesitated and a cloud seemed to gather about his eyebrows there is a tradition that a strange occurrence took place that night a strange mysterious inexplicable occurrence here he checked himself and paused did it relate to that lady inquired my uncle eagerly it was past the hour of midnight resumed the when the whole here he paused again my made a movement of anxious curiosity excuse me said the a slight blush his sallow there are some connected with our family history which i do not like to relate that was a rude period a time of great crimes among great men for you know high blood when it runs wrong will not run like blood of the poor lady but i have a little family pride that excuse me we will change the subject if you please my uncle s curiosity was the pomp the adventure of my uncle ous and magnificent introduction had led him to expect something wonderful in the story to which it served as a kind of avenue he had no idea of being cheated out of it by a sudden fit of unreasonable besides being a traveller in quest of information he considered it his duty to inquire into every thing the however every question well said my a little whatever you may think of it i saw that lady last night the stepped back and gazed at him with surprise she paid me a visit in my the pulled out his box with a shrug and a smile taking this no doubt for an awkward piece of english which politeness required him to be charmed | 48 |
with my went on gravely however and related the whole circumstance the heard him through with profound attention the adventure of my uncle holding his snuff box in his hand when the story was finished he tapped on the lid of his box deliberately took a long pinch of snuff said the and walked towards the other end of the gallery here the paused the company waited for some time for him to his but he continued silent well said the inquisitive gentleman and what did your uncle say then nothing replied the other and what did the say further nothing and is that all that is all said the filling a glass of wine i said the shrewd old gentleman with the nose i the ghost must have been the old housekeeper walking her rounds to see that all was right the adventure of my uncle said the my uncle was too much accustomed to strange sights not to know a ghost from a housekeeper there was a murmur round the table half of merriment half of disappointment i was inclined to think the old gentleman had really an of his story in reserve but he his wine and said nothing more and there was an odd expression about his that left me in doubt whether he were in or earnest said the knowing gentleman with the nose this story of your uncle puts me in mind of one that used to be told of an aunt of mine by the mother s side though i don t know that it will bear a comparison as the good lady was not so prone to meet with strange adventures but at any rate you shall have it the adventure of my aunt my aunt was a lady of large frame strong mind and great resolution she was what might be termed a very manly woman my was a thin little man very meek and and no match for my aunt it was observed that he and gradually away from the day of his marriage his wife s powerful mind was too much for him it wore him out my aunt however took all possible care of him had half the doctors in town to for him made him take all their and him with enough to cure a whole hospital all was in vain my uncle grew worse and worse the more and nursing he until in the end the of my aunt he added another to the long list of matrimonial victims who have been killed with kindness ft and was it his ghost that appeared to her asked the inquisitive gentleman who had questioned the former story you shall hear replied the my aunt took on for the death of her poor dear husband perhaps she felt some at having given him so much and nursed him into his grave at any rate she did all that a widow could do to honour his memory she spared no expense in either the quantity or quality of her mourning weeds she wore a miniature of him about her neck as large as a little and she had a full length portrait of him always hanging in her bed ber all the world her conduct to the skies and it was determined that a woman who behaved so well to the memory of one husband deserved soon to get another it was not long after this that she went to take up her residence in an old country seat in which had long been in the care of the adventure of my aunt merely a steward and housekeeper she took most of her servants with her intending to make it her principal abode the house stood in a lonely wild part of the country among the gray hills with a murderer hanging in chains on a bleak height in full view the servants from town were half frightened out of their wits at the idea of living in such a dismal pagan looking place especially when they got together in the servants hall in the evening and compared notes on all the stories they had picked up in the course of the day they were afraid to venture alone about the gloomy black looking chambers my lady s maid who was troubled with nerves declared she could never sleep alone in such a old building and the footman who was a kind hearted young fellow did all in his power to cheer her up my aunt herself seemed to be struck with the lonely appearance of the house before she went to bed therefore she examined well the of the doors and windows locked the adventure of my aunt up the plate with her own hands and carried the keys together with a little box of money and jewels to her own room for she was a notable woman and always saw to all things herself having put the keys under her pillow and dismissed her maid she sat by her toilet arranging her hair for being in spite of her grief for my rather a widow she was somewhat particular about her person she sat for a little while looking at her face in the glass first on one side then on the other as ladies are apt to do when they would ascertain whether they have been in good looks for a squire of the neighbourhood with whom she had when a girl had called that day to welcome her to the country all of a sudden she thought she heard something move behind her she looked hastily round but there was nothing to be seen nothing but the grimly painted portrait of her poor dear man which had been hung against the wall she gave a heavy sigh to his memory as she the adventure of my aunt was accustomed to do whenever she spoke of him in company and then went on ai | 48 |
her night dress and thinking of the squire her sigh was re echoed or answered by a long drawn breath she looked round but no one was to be seen she ascribed these sounds to the wind through the rat holes of the old mansion and proceeded leisurely to put her hair in papers when all at once she thought she perceived one of the eyes of the portrait move the back of her head being toward it said the story with the ruined h ad good yes sir replied the her back being toward the portrait but her eyes fixed on its reflection in the glass well as i was saying she perceived one of the eyes of the portrait move so strange a circumstance as you may well suppose gave her a sudden shock to assure herself of the fact she put one hand to her forehead as if rubbing it peeped through her fingers and moved the candle with the other hand the light of the gleamed on the the adventure of my aunt eye and was reflected from it she was sure it moved nay more it seemed to give her a wink as she had sometimes known her to do when living it struck a momentary chill to her heart for she was a lone woman and felt herself fearfully situated the chill was but transient my aunt who was almost as resolute a personage as your uncle sir turning to the old story became instantly calm and collected she went on her dress she even an air and did not make a single false note she casually a dressing box took a candle and picked up the articles one by one from the floor pursued a rolling that was making the best of its way under the bed then opened the door looked for an t into the corridor as if in doubt whether to go and then walked quietly out she hastened down stairs ordered the servants to arm themselves with the weapons that first came to hand placed herself at their head and returned almost immediately the adventure of my aunt her hastily army presented a formidable force the steward had a rusty the coachman a loaded whip the footman a pair of horse pistols the cook a huge knife and the butler a bottle in each hand my aunt led the van with a red hot and in my opinion she was the most formidable of the p the waiting maid who dreaded to stay alone in the servants hall brought up the rear smelling to a broken bottle of and expressing her terror of the ghosts said my aunt resolutely i their whiskers for them they entered the chamber all was still and undisturbed as when she had left it they approached the portrait of my uncle pull me down that picture cried my aunt a heavy groan and a like the chattering of teeth issued from the portrait the servants shrunk back the maid uttered a faint shriek and clung to the footman for support instantly added my aunt with a stamp of the foot the adventure of my aunt the picture was pulled down and from a recess behind it in which had formerly stood a clock they hauled forth a round shouldered black bearded with a knife as long as my arm but trembling all over like an well and who was he no ghost i suppose said the inquisitive gentleman a knight of the post replied the who had been smitten with the of the wealthy widow or rather a who had stolen into her chamber to her purse and rifle her strong box when all the house should be asleep in plain terms continued he the vagabond was a loose idle fellow of the neighbourhood who had once been a servant in the house and had been employed to assist in arranging it for the reception of its mistress he confessed that he had contrived this hiding place for his purposes and had borrowed an eye from the portrait by way of a hole vol i e the adventure of my aunt and what did they do with him did they hang him resumed the hang him how could they exclaimed a with a hawk s nose the offence was not capital no robbery no assault had been committed no forcible entry or breaking into the premises my said the was a woman of spirit and apt to take the law in her own hands she had her own notions of also she ordered the fellow to be drawn through the to away all and then to be well rubbed down with an and what became of him afterwards said the inquisitive gentleman i do not exactly know i believe he was sent on a voyage of improvement to bay and your aunt said the inquisitive gentleman i warrant she took care to make her maid sleep in the room with her after that no sir she did better she gave her hand the adventure of my aunt shortly after to the squire for she used to observe that it was a dismal thing for a woman to sleep alone in the country she was right observed the inquisitive gentleman nodding but i am sorry they did not hang that fellow it was agreed on all hands that the last had brought his tale to the most satisfactory conclusion though a clergyman present regretted that the uncle and aunt who figured in the different stories had not been married together they certainly would have been well matched but i don t see after all said the inquisitive gentleman that there was any ghost in this last story oh if it s ghosts you want honey cried the irish captain of if it s ghosts you want you shall have a whole regiment of them and since these gentlemen have given | 48 |
the adventures of their and faith and i even give you a chapter out of my own family history e the bold or the adventure of my grandfather my grandfather was a bold for its a profession d ye see that has run in the family all my forefathers have been and died on the field of honour except myself and i hope my posterity may be able to say the same however i don t mean to be well my grandfather as i said was a bold and had served in the low countries in fact he was one of that very army which according to my uncle swore so terribly in he could swear a good stick himself and moreover was the very man that introduced the doctrine trim of radical heat and radical moisture or in other words the mode of keeping out the the d of ditch water by burnt brandy be that as it may it s nothing to the purport of my story i only tell it to show you that my grandfather was a man not easily to be he had seen service or according to his own phrase he had seen the devil and that s saying every thing well gentlemen my grandfather was on his way to england for which he intended to from bad luck to the place for one where i was kept by storms and head winds for three long days and the devil of a jolly companion or pretty face to comfort me well as i was saying my grandfather was on his way to england or rather to no matter which it s all the same so one evening towards nightfall he rode into very like you all know gentlemen a queer old fashioned town once they say a great place for trade and money making in old times when the were in their glory but almost as lai e and as empty as an s pocket at the present day well gentlemen it was at the the bold time of the annual fair all was crowded and the with dutch boats and the streets with dutch merchants and there was hardly any getting along for goods wares and and in big breeches and women in half a score of my grandfather rode along in his easy way for he was a sun shiny fellow staring about him at the crowd and the old houses with ends to the street and nests on the chimneys at the who showed their faces at the windows and joking the women right and left in the street all of whom laughed and took it in amazing good part for though he did not know a word o the language yet he had always a of making himself understood among the women well gentlemen it being the time of the annual fair all the town was crowded every inn and tavern full and my grandfather applied in the bold vain from one to the other for at length he rode up to an old inn that looked ready to fall to pieces and which all the rats would have run away from if they could have found room in any other house to put their heads it was just such a queer building as you see in dutch pictures with a tall roof that reached up into the clouds and as many one over the other as the seven heavens of nothing had saved it from tumbling down but a s nest on the chimney which always brings good luck to a house in the low countries and at the very time of my grandfather s arrival there were two of these birds of grace standing like ghosts on the chimney top faith but they ve kept the house on its legs to this very day for you may see it any time you pass through as it stands there yet only it is turned into a of strong beer at least it was so when i came that way after the battle of my grandfather eyed the house curiously as he the bold approached it might not have altogether struck his fancy had he not seen in large letters over the door h r man drank my grandfather had learnt enough of the language to know that the sign promised good liquor this is the house for me said he stopping short before the door the sudden appearance of a dashing was an event in an old inn frequented only by the peaceful sons of traffic a rich of a stately ample man in a broad hat and who was the great man and great patron of the establishment sat smoking a clean long pipe on one side of the door a fat little of from sat smoking on the other and the bottle host stood in the door and the comely hostess in cap beside him and the hostess s daughter a plump with long gold in her ears was at a side window the bold said the rich of with a sulky glance at the stranger der said the fat little of the landlord saw with the quick glance of a that the new guest was not at all at all to the taste of the old ones and to tell the truth he did not himself like my grandfather s eye he shook his head not a garret in the house but was full not a garret echoed the landlady not a garret echoed the daughter the of and the little of continued to smoke their pipes sullenly the enemy from under their broad hats but said nothing my grandfather was not a man to be he threw the reins on his horse s neck cocked his head on one side stuck one arm faith and said he but i sleep in this house this | 48 |
very night as he said this he gave a slap on his by way of emphasis the slap went to the landlady s heart the bold he followed up the vow by jumping off his horse and making his way past the staring into the public room may be you ve been in the bar room of an old inn faith but a handsome chamber it was as you d wish to see with a brick floor and a great fire place with the whole bible history in glazed and then the mantel piece itself head foremost out of the wall with a whole regiment of cracked and on it not to mention half a dozen great hung about the room by way of pictures and the little bar in one comer and the inside of it with a red cap and yellow ear drops my grandfather snapped his fingers over his head as he cast an eye round the room faith this is the very house i ve been looking after said he there was some further show of resistance on the part of the garrison but my grandfather was an old soldier and an to boot and not easily especially after he had got into the bold the fortress so he the landlord kissed the landlord s wife the landlord s daughter the bar maid under the chin and it was agreed on all hands that it would be a thousand and a burning shame into the bargain to turn such a bold into the streets so they laid their heads together that is to say my grandfather and the landlady and at length agreed to accommodate him with an old chamber that had been for some time shut up some say it s haunted whispered the landlord s daughter but you are a bold and i dare say don t fear ghosts the a bit said my grandfather her plump cheek but if i should be troubled by ghosts i ve been to the red sea in my time and have a pleasant way of laying them my darling and then he whispered something to the girl which made her laugh and give him a box on the ear in short there was nobody knew better how to make his way among the than my grandfather the bold in a little while as was his usual way he took complete possession of the house all over it into the stable to look after his horse into the kitchen to look after his supper he had something to say or do with every one smoked with the drank with the the landlord on the shoulder with his daughter and the bar maid never since the days of alley had such a rattling blade been seen the landlord stared at him with the landlord s daughter hung her head and whenever he came near and as he along the corridor with his sword trailing by his side the maids looked after him and whispered to one another what a proper man at supper my grandfather took command of the table d as though he had been at home helped every body not forgetting himself talked with every one whether he understood their language or not and made way into the intimacy of the rich of who had never been known to be with any the bold one during his life in fact he the whole establishment and gave it such a rouse that the very house with it he every one at table excepting the little fat of who sat a long time before he broke forth but when he did he was a very devil he took a violent affection for my grandfather so they sat drinking and smoking and telling stories and singing dutch and irish songs without understanding a word each other said until the little was fairly with his own gin and water and carried off to bed and and the of a low dutch love song well gentlemen my grandfather was shown to his quarters up a large staircase composed of loads of timber and through long passages hung with blackened paintings of fish and fruit and game and country and huge and such as you see about old fashioned till at length he arrived at his room the bold an om times chamber it was sure enough and crowded with all kinds of it looked like an for decayed and furniture where every thing or was sent to nurse or to be forgotten or rather it might be taken for a general of old legitimate where every kind and had a representative no two chairs were alike such high backs and low backs and leather and and straw and no and cracked marble tables with curiously carved legs holding balls in their claws as though they were going to play at nine pins my grandfather made a bow to the assemblage as he entered and having himself placed his light in the fire place asking pardon of the which seemed to be making love to the in the chimney comer and whispering soft nonsense in its ear the rest of the guests were by this time sound asleep for your are huge the house maids one by one crept up the bold s ing to their and not a female head in the inn was laid on a pillow that night without dreaming of the bold my grandfather for his part got into bed and drew over him one of those great bags of down under which they a man in the low countries and there he lay melting between two feather beds like an between two of toast and butter he was a warm man and this played the very deuce with him so sure enough in a little time it seemed as if a of were at him and all the blood in his veins | 48 |
was in a fever heat he lay still however until all the house was quiet excepting the of the from the different chambers who answered one another in all kinds of tones and like so many in a swamp the the house became the more became my grandfather he warmer and warmer until at length the bed became too hot to hold him the bold may be the maid had warmed it too much said the curious gentleman i rather think the contrary replied the but be that as it may it grew too hot for my grandfather faith there s no standing this any longer says he so he jumped out of bed and went strolling about the house what for said the inquisitive gentleman why to cool himself to be sure or perhaps to find a more comfortable bed or perhaps but no matter what he went for he never mentioned and there s no use in taking up our time in well my grandfather had been for some time absent from his room and was returning perfectly cool when just as he reached the door he heard a strange noise within he paused and listened it seemed as if some one were trying to hum a tune in defiance of the he recollected the report of the room being haunted but he was no in ghosts so he pushed the door gently open and peeped in the bold gentlemen there was a carrying on within enough to have astonished st by the light of the fire he saw a pale faced fellow in a long flannel gown and a tall white night cap with a to it who sat by the fire with a under his arm by way of from which he forced the music that had my grandfather as he played too he kept about with a thousand queer nodding his head and about hi night cap my grandfather thought this very odd and mighty and was to demand what business he had to play his wind ment in another gentleman s quarters when a new cause of astonishment met his eye from the opposite side of the room a long backed legged chair covered with leather and studded all over in a fashion with little brass nails got suddenly into motion thrust out first a foot then a crooked arm and at length making a leg gracefully up to an easy chair of with a hole in vol i f the bold its bottom and led it gallantly out in a ghostly about the floor the now played and and his head and his night cap about like mad by degrees the dancing to seize upon all the other pieces of furniture the antique long chairs ofi in couples and led down a country dance a stool danced a though horribly puzzled by its leg while the seized the round the waist and whirled it about the room in a german in short all the got in motion hands across right and left like so many devils all except a great which kept and in a comer like a in exquisite time to the music being rather too to dance or perhaps at a loss for a partner my grandfather concluded the latter to be the reason so being like a true devoted to the sex and at all times ready for a he into the room called to the the bold to strike up o up to the clothes press and seized upon two handles to lead her out when the whole was at an end the chairs tables and in an instant as quietly into their places as if nothing had happened and the vanished up the chimney leaving the behind him in his hurry my grand father found himself seated in the middle of the floor with the clothes press before him and the two handles jerked off and in his hands then after all this was a mere dream t said the inquisitive gentleman the a bit of a dream replied tie there never was a truer fact in this world faith i should have liked to see any man tell my grandfather it was a dream well gentlemen as the clothes press was a mighty heavy body and my grandfather likewise particularly in rear you may easily suppose that two such heavy bodies coming to the ground would make a bit of a noise faith the f the bold old mansion shook as though it had mistaken it for an earthquake the whole garrison was alarmed the landlord who slept below hurried up with a candle to inquire the cause but with all his haste his daughter had hurried to the scene of uproar before him the landlord was followed by the landlady who was followed by the bar maid who was followed by the all holding together as well as they could such garments a they had first lain hands on but all in a terrible hurry to see what the deuce was to pay in the chamber of the bold my grandfather related the marvellous scene he had witnessed and the broken handles of the clothes press bore testimony to the fact there was no such evidence particularly with a lad of my grandfather s complexion who seemed able to make good every word either with or so the landlord scratched his head and looked silly as he was apt to do when puzzled the landlady scratched no she did not scratch her head the bold but she knit her brow and did seem half pleased with the explanation the landlady s daughter it by that the last person who had dwelt in that chamber was a famous who had died of st s dance and had no doubt all the furniture this set all things to rights particularly when the declared that they had all witnessed strange on | 48 |
in that room and as they declared this upon their honours there could not remain a doubt upon the subject and did your grandfather go to bed again in that room said the inquisitive gentleman that s more than i can tell where he passed the rest of the night was a secret he never disclosed in fact though he had seen much service he was but indifferently acquainted with geography and apt to make in his travels about at night which it would have puzzled him sadly to account for in the morning was he ever apt to walk in his sleep said the knowing old g never that i heard of the bold there was a little pause after this irish romance when the old gentleman in the haunted head observed that the stories hitherto related had rather a tendency i recollect an adventure however added he which i heard of during a residence at paris for the truth of which i can undertake to and which is of a very grave and singular nature the adventure of the man student on a stormy night in the times of the french revolution a young was returning to his lodgings at a late hour across the old part of paris the lightning gleamed and the loud of thunder rattled through the lofty narrow streets but i should first tell you something about this young german was a yoimg man of good family he had studied for some time at but being of a visionary and enthusiastic character he had wandered into those wild and doctrines which have so often bewildered german students his secluded life his intense application and the singular nature the adventure of of his studies had an effect on both mind and body his health was his imagination he had been indulging in fanciful speculations on spiritual until like he had an ideal world of his own around him he took up a notion i do not know from what cause that there was an evil influence hanging over him an evil genius or spirit seeking to him and his such an idea working on his melancholy temperament produced the most gloomy effects he became haggard and his friends discovered the mental malady that was upon him and determined that the best cure was a change of scene he was sent therefore to finish his studies amidst the i and of paris arrived at paris at the breaking out of the revolution the popular delirium at first caught his mind and he was by the political and philosophical theories of the day but the scenes of blood which followed shocked his sensitive nature the german student disgusted him with society and the world and made him more than ever a he himself up in a solitary apartment in the pays the quarter of students there in a gloomy street not far from the walls of the he pursued his favourite speculations sometimes he spent hours together in the great of paris those of departed authors among their of dusty and works in quest of food for his appetite he was in a manner a literary feeding in the house of decayed literature though solitary and was of an ardent temperament but for a time it merely upon his imagination he was too shy and ignorant of the world to make any advances to the fair but he was a passionate ad of female beauty and in his lonely chamber would often lose himself on forms and which he had seen and his fancy would deck out images of loveliness far surpassing th reality the adventure of while his mind was in this excited and state he had a dream which produced an extraordinary effect upon him it was of a female face of beauty so strong was the impression it made that he of it again and again it haunted his thoughts by day his by night in fine he became passionately of this shadow of a dream this lasted so long that it became one of those fixed ideas which the minds of melancholy men and are at times mistaken for madness such was and such his situation at the time i mentioned he was returning home late one stormy night through some of the old and gloomy streets of the the ancient part of paris the loud of rattled among the high houses of the narrow streets he came to the place de ve the square where public are performed the lightning quivered about the of the ancient h de and shed flickering over the open space in the german student as was crossing the square he shrunk back with horror at finding himself close by the it was the height of the reign of terror when this dreadful instrument of death stood ever ready and its was continually running with the blood of the virtuous and the brave it had that very day been employed in the work of and there it stood in grim array amidst a silent and sleeping city waiting for fresh victims s heart within him and he was turning shuddering from the horrible engine when he beheld a shadowy form as it were at the foot of the steps which led up to the a succession of vivid flashes of lightning revealed it more distinctly it was a female figure dressed in black she was seated on one of the lower steps of the leaning forward her face hid in her lap and her long hanging to the streaming with the rain which fell in torrents paused there was something in this solitary monument of the adventure of wo the female had the appearance of being above the common order he knew the times to be full of and that many a fair head which had once been on down now wandered perhaps this was some poor whom the dreadful axe had rendered desolate and who | 48 |
sat here on the strand of existence from which all that was dear to her had been launched into eternity he approached and addressed her in the accents of sympathy she raised her head and gazed wildly at him what was his astonishment at beholding by the bright glare of the lightning the very face which had him in his dreams it was pale and but beautiful trembling with violent and conflicting emotions again her he spoke something of her being exposed at such an hour of the night and to the fury of such a storm and offered to conduct her to her friends she pointed to the with a gesture of dreadful the german student i have no friend on earth said she but you have a home said in the grave the heart of the student melted at the words if a stranger dare make an offer said he without danger of being i would offer my humble dwelling as a shelter myself as a devoted friend i am myself in paris and a stranger in the land but if my life could be of service it is at your disposal and should be sacrificed before harm or should come to you there was an honest earnestness in the young man s manner that had its effect his foreign accent too was in his favour it showed him not to be a of paris indeed there is an eloquence in true enthusiasm that is not to be doubted the stranger confided herself to the protection of the student he supported her faltering steps across the and by the place where the statue of henry the fourth had been by the op the the storm had and the thunder at a distance all paris was quiet that great of human passion for a while to gather fresh strength for the next day s the student conducted his charge through the ancient streets of the latin and by the dusky walls of the to the great dingy hotel whidi he inhabited the old who admitted them stared with surprise at the unusual sight of the melancholy with a female companion on entering his apartment the student for the first time blushed at the and indifference of his dwelling he had but one chamber an old fashioned heavily carved and furnished with the remains of former magnificence for it was one of those hotels in the quarter of the palace which had once belonged to nobility it was with books and papers and all the usual apparatus of a student and his bed stood in a recess at one end when were brought and the german student had a better opportunity of contemplating the stranger he was more than ever by her beauty her face was pale but of a dazzling set off by a profusion of hair that hung about it her eyes were large and brilliant with a singular expression that approached almost to as far as her black dress permitted her shape to be seen it was of perfect her whole appearance was highly striking though she was dressed in the simplest style the only thing approaching to an ornament which she wore black band her neck clasped by diamonds the perplexity now commenced with the student how to dispose of the helpless being thus thrown upon his protection he thought of his chamber to her and seeking shelter for himself elsewhere still he was so fascinated by her charms there seemed to be such a spell upon his thoughts and senses that he could not tear himself from her presence her manner too was singular and the adventure of able she spoke no more of the her grief had the attentions of the student had first won her confidence and then apparently her heart she was evidently an like himself and soon understand each other in the of the moment his passion for her he told her the story of his mysterious dream and how she had possessed his heart before he had even seen her she was strangely affected by his recital and acknowledged to have felt an impulse toward him equally it was the time for wild theory and wild actions old prejudices and were done away every thing was under the sway of the goddess of reason among other rubbish of the old times the forms and ceremonies of marriage began to be considered superfluous bonds for honourable minds social were the was too much of a not to be by the liberal doctrines of the day the german student why should we separate said he our hearts are united in the eye of reason and honour we are as one what need is there of sordid forms to bind high souls together the stranger listened with emotion she had evidently received illumination at the same school you have no home nor family continued he let me be every thing to you or rather let us be every thing to one another if form is necessary form shall be observed there is my hand i pledge myself to you for ever for ever said the stranger solemnly for ever repeated the stranger clasped the hand extended to her then i am yours murmured she and sunk upon his bosom the next morning the student left his l ride sleeping and forth at an early hour to seek more spacious apartments suitable to the change in his situation when he returned he found the stranger lying with her head hanging over the bed and one arm thrown over it he vol i g the adventure of spoke to her but received no reply he advanced to awaken her from her uneasy posture on taking her hand it was cold there was no her face was pallid and ghastly in a word she was a corpse and frantic he alarmed the house a scene of confusion ensued the | 48 |
police was summoned as the officer of police entered the room he started back on beholding the corpse great heaven cried he how did this woman come here do you know any thing about her said eagerly do i exclaimed the police officer she was yesterday he stepped forward the black collar round the neck of the corpse and the head rolled on the floor the student burst into a frenzy the the has gained possession of me shrieked he i am lost for ever they tried to soothe him but in vain he was possessed with the frightful belief that an evil the german student spirit had the dead body to him he went distracted and died in a here the old gentleman with the haunted head finished his narrative and is this really a fact said the inquisitive gentleman a fact not to be doubted replied the other i had it from the best authority the student told it me himself i saw him in a at paris the latter part of the above story is founded on an anecdote related to me and said to exist in print in french i have not met with it in print g the of the picture as one story of the kind produces another and as all the company seemed fully engrossed by the subject and disposed to bring their relatives and ancestors upon the scene there is no knowing how many more strange adventures we might have heard had not a old who had slept through the whole now suddenly awakened with a loud and long drawn the broke the charm the ghosts took to flight as though it had been cock and there was an move for bed and now for the haunted chamber said the irish captain taking his candle ay who s to be the hero of the night said the gentleman with the ruined head that we shall see in the morning said the the mysterious picture old gentleman with the nose whoever looks pale and will have seen the ghost well gentlemen said the there s many a true thing said in jest in fact one of you will sleep in the room to night what a haunted room a haunted room i claim the adventure and i and i and i said a dozen guests talking and laughing at the time no no said mine host there is a secret about one of my rooms on which i feel disposed to try an experiment so gentlemen none of you shall know who has the haunted chamber until circumstances reveal it i will not even know it myself but will leave it to chance and the of the housekeeper at the same time if it will be any satisfaction to you i will observe for the honour of my paternal mansion that there s scarcely a chamber in it but is well worthy of being haunted we now separated for the night and each went to his allotted room mine was in one wing of the building and i could not but smile the adventure of at the resemblance in style to those apartments described in the tales of the supper table it was spacious and gloomy decorated with lamp black portraits a bed of ancient with a sufficiently lofty to grace a couch of state and a number of massive pieces of old fashioned furniture i drew a great arm chair before the wide fire place stirred up the fire sat looking into it and musing upon the odd i had heard until partly overcome by the fatigue of the day s hunting and partly by the wine and of mine host i fell asleep in my chair the of my position made my slumber troubled and laid me at the mercy of all kinds of wild and fearful dreams now it was that my dinner and supper rose in rebellion against my peace i was ridden by a fat saddle of mutton a weighed like lead upon my conscience the merry thought of a filled me with horrible suggestions and a leg of a turkey stalked in all kinds of shapes through my the mysterious picture tion in short i had a violent fit of the nightmare some strange indefinite evil seemed hanging over me that i could not something terrible and oppressed me that i could not shake off i was conscious of being asleep and strove to rouse myself but every effort the evil gasping struggling almost i suddenly sprang bolt upright in my chair and awoke the light on the mantel piece had burnt low and the was divided there was a great winding sheet made by the dripping wax on the side towards me the disordered a broad flame and threw a strong light on a painting over the fire place which i had not hitherto observed it consisted merely of a head or rather a face that appeared to be staring full upon me and with an expression that was startling it was without a frame and at the first glance i could hardly persuade myself that it was not a real face thrusting itself out of the dark i sat in my chair gazing at it and the more i gazed the more it dis the adventure of me i had never before been affected in the same way by any painting the emotions it caused were strange and indefinite they were something like what i have heard ascribed to the eyes of the or like that mysterious influence in termed fascination i passed my hand over my eyes several times as if seeking instinctively to brush away the illusion in vain they instantly to the picture and its creeping influence over my flesh and blood was i looked round the room on other pictures either to divert my attention or to see whether the same would | 48 |
all this was half muttered to myself as i hastily slipped on my clothes which having done i my way out of the room and down stairs to the drawing room here after tumbling over two or three pieces of furniture i made out to reach a sofa and stretching myself the adventure of upon it determined to there for the night the moment i found myself out of the neighbourhood of that strange picture it seemed as if the charm were broken all its influence was at an end i felt assured that it was confined to its own dreary chamber for i had with a sort of instinctive caution turned the key when i closed the door i soon down therefore into a state of tranquillity from that into a and finally into a deep sleep out of which i did not awake until the with her and her song came to put the room in order she stared at finding me stretched upon the sofa but i presume circumstances of the kind were not uncommon after hunting dinners in her master s bachelor for she went on with her song and her work and took no further heed of me i had an to return to my chamber so i found my way to the butler s quarters made my toilet in the best way circumstances would permit and was among the mysterious picture the first to appear at the breakfast table our breakfast was a substantial fox and the company generally assembled at it when ample justice had been done to the tea coffee cold and humming ale for all th se were furnished in abundance according to the tastes of the different guests the conversation began to break out with all the and freshness of morning mirth but who is the hero of the haunted chamber who has seen the ghost last night aid the inquisitive gentleman rolling h s eyes about the table the question set every tongue in motion a vast deal of of countenances of mutual accusation and retort took place some had drunk deep and some were so that there were suspicious faces enough in the assembly i alone could not enter with ease and vivacity into the joke i felt tongue tied embarrassed a ci what i had seen and felt the preceding night still haunted my mind it seemed as if the the adventure of mysterious picture still held a upon me i thought also that our host s eye was turned on me with an air of curiosity in short i was conscious that i was the hero of the night and felt as if every one might read it in my looks the joke passed over and no suspicion seemed to attach to me i was just myself on my escape when a servant came in saying that the gentleman who had slept on the sofa in the drawing room had left his watch under me of the pillows my was in his hand what said the inquisitive gentleman did any gentleman sleep on the sofa a a hare cried the old gentleman with the nose i could not avoid acknowledging the watch and was rising in great confusion when a boisterous old squire who sat beside me exclaimed me on the shoulder lad thou rt the man as has seen the ghost the attention of the company was immediately turned to me if my face had been pale the mysterious picture the moment before it now glowed almost to burning i tried to laugh but could only make a and found the muscles of my face at and and totally out of all control it takes but little to raise a laugh among a set of fox hunters there was a world of merriment and joking on the subject and as i never a joke when it was at my own expense i began to feel a little i tried to look cool and calm and to restrain my but the coolness and calmness of a man in a passion are confounded treacherous gentlemen said i with a slight of the chin and a bad attempt at a smile this is all very pleasant ha ha very pleasant but i d have you know i am as little superstitious as any of you ha ha and as to any thing like timidity you may smile gentlemen but i trust there s no one here means to that as to a room s being haunted i repeat gentlemen growing a little warm at seeing a cursed grin breaking out round me as to a room s vol i h the adventure of being haunted i have as little faith in such silly stories as any one but since you put the matter home to me i will say that i have met with something in my room strange and inexplicable to me a shout of laughter gentlemen i am serious i know well what i am saying i am calm gentlemen striking my fist upon the table by heaven i am calm i am neither trifling nor do i wish to be with the laughter of the company suppressed and with ludicrous attempts at gravity there is a picture in the room in which i was put last night that has had an effect upon me the most singular and incomprehensible a picture said the old gentleman with the head a picture cried the with the nose a picture a picture echoed several voices here there was an peal of laughter i could not contain myself i started up from ray seat looked round on the company with fiery indignation thrust both my hands into my pockets and strode up to one of the windows as though i the mysterious picture would have walked through it i stopped short looked out upon the landscape without | 48 |
and he appeared hardly to have recovered from one shock before i saw him slowly preparing to another after sitting some time in the the party paid for the refreshment they had taken and departed the young man was the last to leave the saloon and i remarked him glancing behind him in the same way just as he passed out of the door i could not resist the impulse the adventure of to rise and follow him for i was at an age when a romantic feeling of curiosity is easily awakened the party walked slowly down the talking said laughing as they went they crossed the but paused in the middle of it to enjoy the scene it was one of those moonlight nights so brilliant and clear in the pure atmosphere of italy the moon beams streamed on the tall tower of st mark and lighted up the magnificent front and swelling of the cathedral the party expressed their in animated terms i kept my eye upon the young man he alone seemed abstracted and self occupied i noticed the same singular and as it were glance over the shoulder which had attracted my attention in the the party moved on and i followed they passed along the walk called the turned the corner of the palace and getting into a glided swiftly away the countenance and conduct of this young dwelt upon my mind there was something in his appearance that interested me ex the mysterious stranger i met him a day or two after in a gallery of paintings he was evidently a for he always out the most productions and the few remarks drawn from him by his companions showed an intimate acquaintance with the art his own taste however ran on singular extremes on in his most savage and solitary scenes on and in their of female beauty on these he would occasionally gaze with transient enthusiasm but this seemed only a momentary forgetfulness still would that cautious glance behind and always quickly withdrawn as though something terrible had met his view i him frequently afterwards at the theatre at balls at at the in the gardens of san at the grotesque in the square of st mark among the throng of merchants on the exchange by the he seemed in fact to seek crowds to hunt after bustle and amusement yet never to take any interest in either the the adventure of business or gaiety of the scene ever an air of painful thought of wretched abstraction and ever that strange and movement of glancing fearfully over the shoulder i did not know at first but this might be caused by apprehension of arrest or perhaps from dread of but if so why should he go thus continually abroad why expose himself at all times and in all places i became anxious to know this stranger i was drawn to him by that romantic sympathy which sometimes draws young men towards each other his melancholy threw a charm about him in my eyes which was no doubt heightened by the touching expression of his countenance and the manly graces of his person for manly beauty has its effect even upon men i had an englishman s habitual and awkwardness of address to contend with but i subdued it and from frequently meeting him in the gradually edged myself into his acquaintance i had no reserve on his part to contend with he seemed on the contrary to the stranger court society and in fact to seek any thing rather than be alone when he found that i really took an interest in him he threw himself entirely on my friendship he clung to me like a drowning man he would walk with me for hours up and down the place of st mark or he would sit until night was far advanced in my apartments he took rooms under the same roof with me and his constant request was that i would permit mm when it did not me to sit by me in my saloon it was not that he seemed to take a particular delight in my conversation but rather that he the vicinity of a human being and above all of a being that with him i have often heard said he of the sincerity of englishmen thank god i have one at length for a friend yet he never seemed disposed to avail himself of my sympathy other than by mere companionship he never sought to himself to me there appeared to be a settled the adventure of anguish in his bosom that neither could be soothed by silence nor by speaking a devouring melancholy upon his heart and seemed to be drying up the very blood in his veins it was not a soft melancholy the disease of the affections but a withering agony i could see at times that his mouth was dry and feverish he panted rather than breathed his eyes were his cheeks pale and livid with now and then faint streaks of red them of the fire that was his heart as my arm was within his i felt him press it at times with a motion to his side his hands would themselves and a kind of shudder would run through his frame i reasoned with him about his melancholy and sought to draw from him the cause he shrunk from all confiding do not seek to know it said he you could not relieve it if you knew jt you would not even seek to relieve it on the contrary i should lose your the mysterious stranger ill and that said he pressing my hand that i feel has become too dear to me to risk i endeavoured to awaken hope within him he was young life had a thousand pleasures in store for him there is a healthy reaction in the youthful heart it all its own wounds | 48 |
come come said i there is no grief so great that youth cannot it no no said he his teeth and striking repeatedly with the energy of despair on his it is here here deep rooted my heart s blood it grows and grows while my heart and i have a dreadful that gives me no repose that follows me step by and will follow me step by step until it me into my grave as he said this he involuntarily gave one of those fearful glances over his shoulder and shrunk back with more than usual horror i could not resist the temptation to allude to this movement which i supposed to be some mere malady of the nerves the moment i men the adventure of it his face became and he grasped me by both hands for god s sake exclaimed he with a piercing voice never allude to that again let us avoid this subject my friend you cannot relieve me indeed you cannot relieve me but you may add to the i suffer at some future day you shall know all i never the subject for however much my curiosity might be roused i felt too true a compassion for his sufferings to increase them by my intrusion i sought various ways to divert his mind and to arouse him from the constant meditations in which he was plunged he saw my efforts and them as far as in his power for there was nothing moody nor in his nature on the contrary there was something frank generous in his whole all the sentiments that he uttered were noble and lofty he claimed no indulgence he asked no he seemed content to carry his load of misery in silence and only sought to carry it by my side there the mysterious stranger was a mute manner about him as if he companionship as a charitable boon and a in his looks as if he felt grateful to me for not him i felt this melancholy to be it stole over my spirits interfered with all my gay pursuits and gradually my life yet i could not prevail upon myself to shake off a being who seemed to hang upon me for support in truth the generous traits of character that beamed through all this gloom had penetrated to my heart his was lavish and his charity melting and spontaneous not confined to mere which as much as they relieve the tone of his voice the beam of his eye every gift and surprised the poor with that and sweetest of the charity not merely of the hand but of the heart indeed his liberality seemed to have something in it of self and he in a manner himself before the what vol i i the adventure of right have i to ease and would he murmur to when in misery and rags the time arrived i hoped that the gay scenes which then presented themselves might have some cheering effect i mingled with him in the throng that crowded the place of st mark we frequented balls l in vain the evil kept growing on him he became more and more haggard and agitated often after we have re turned from one these scenes of i have entered his room and found him lying on his face on the sofa his hands clenched in his fine hair and his whole countenance bearing traces of the of his mind the passed away the time of lent succeeded passion week arrived we attended one evening a solemn service in one of the churches in the course of which a grand piece of and music was performed relating to the death of our the mysterious stranger i had remarked that he was always powerfully affected by on this occasion he was so in an extraordinary degree as the notes swelled through the lofty he seemed to with his eyes rolled upwards until nothing but the were visible his hands were clasped together until the fingers were deeply in the flesh when the music expressed the dying agony his face sunk upon his knees and at the touching words through the church sobs burst from him i had never seen him weep before his had always been agony rather than sorrow i well the circumstance and let him weep on when the service was ended we left the church he hung on my as we walked with something of a softer and more subdued manner instead of t nervous agitation i had been accustomed to witness he alluded to the service we had heard music said he is indeed the voice of heaven never before have i felt more impressed by i the adventure of the story of the of our yes my friend said he clasping his hands with a kind of transport i know that my we parted for the night his room was not far from mine and i heard him for some time busied in it i fell asleep but was awakened before daylight the young man stood by my bedside dressed for travelling he held a sealed packet and a large parcel in his hand which he laid on the table farewell my friend said he i am about to set forth on a long journey but before go i leave with you these in this packet you will find the particulars of my story when you read them i shall be far away do not remember me with aversion you have been indeed a friend to me you have poured oil into a broken heart but you could not heal it farewell let me kiss your hand i am unworthy to embrace you he sunk on his knees seized my hand in despite of my efforts to the contrary and covered it with kisses i was so the mysterious | 48 |
stranger surprised by all the scene that i had not been able to say a word but we shall meet again said i hastily as i saw him hurrying towards the door never never in this world said he solemnly he sprang once more to my bedside seized my hand pressed it to his heart and to his lips and rushed out of the room here the paused he seemed lost in thought and sat looking upon the floor and with his fingers on the arm of his chair and did this mysterious personage return said the inquisitive gentleman never replied the with a pensive shake of the head i never saw him again and pray what has all this to do with the picture inquired the old gentleman with the nose true said the is it the portrait of that crack italian no said the not half liking the given to his hero but this picture was enclosed in the parcel he left with me the sealed packet contained its the adventure of c tion there was a request on the n that i would not open it until six months had elapsed i kept my promise in spite of my curiosity i have a translation of it by me and had meant to read it by way of for the mystery of the chamber but i fear i have already detained the company too long here there was a general wish expressed to have the manuscript read particularly on the part of the inquisitive gentleman so the worthy drew out a fairly written manuscript and wiping his spectacles read aloud the following story the story of the young italian i was bom at my parents though of noble rank were limited in fortune or rather my father was beyond his means and expended so much on his palace his and his that he was continually in his pecuniary circumstances i was a younger son and looked upon with indifference by my father who from a principle of family pride wished to leave all his property to my elder brother i showed when quite a child an extreme sensibility every thing affected me violently while yet an infant in my mother s arms and before i had learnt to talk i could be wrought upon to a wonderful degree of anguish or delight by the power of music as i grew older my feelings remained equally acute and i the story of was easily transported into of pleasure or rage it was the amusement of my relations and of the to play upon this irritable temperament i was moved to tears to laughter provoked to fury for the entertainment of company who were amused by such a tempest of mighty passion in a frame they little thought or perhaps little the dangerous they were i thus became a little creature of passion before reason was developed in a short time i grew too old to be a and then i became a torment the tricks and passions i had been into became irksome and i was disliked by my teachers for the very lessons they had taught me my mother died and my power as a spoiled child was at an end there was no longer any necessity to humour or me for there was nothing to be gained by it as i was no favourite of my father i therefore experienced the fate of a spoiled child in such i and was neglected or noticed only to be crossed and contradicted such was the early the young italian treatment of a heart which if i can judge of it at all was naturally disposed to the extremes of tenderness and affection my father as i have already said never liked me in fact he never understood me he looked upon me as wilful and as deficient in natural affection it was the of his own manner the and grandeur of his own look that had me from his arms i always pictured him to myself as i had seen him clad in his robes with pomp and pride the magnificence of his person had my young imagination i could never approach him with the confiding affection of a child my father s feelings were wrapped up in my elder brother he was to be the of the family title and the family dignity and every thing was sacrificed to him i as well as every thing else it was determined to devote me to the church that so my and myself might be removed out of the way either of my father s time and trouble or inter the story of the interests of my brother at an early age therefore before my mind had dawned upon the world and its delights or known any thing of it beyond the of my father s palace i was sent to a the superior of which was my uncle and was confided entirely to his care my uncle was a man totally from the world he had never for he had never tasted its pleasures and he considered rigid self al as the great basis of christian virtue he considered every one s temperament like his own cm at least he made them to it his character and habits had an influence over the of which he was a more gloomy set of beings were never assembled together the too was calculated to awaken sad and solitary thoughts it was situated in a gloomy of those mountains away south of all distant views were shut out by heights a mountain stream beneath its walls and screamed about its the young italian i had been sent to this place at so tender an age as soon to lose all distinct recollection of the scenes i had left behind as my mind expanded therefore it formed its idea of the world | 48 |
from the and its vicinity and a dreary world it appeared to me an early tinge of melancholy was thus into my character and the dismal stories of the about devils and evil spirits with which they my young imagination gave me a tendency to which i could never effectually shake off they took the same delight to work my ardent that had been so executed by my father s household i can recollect the horrors with which they fed my heated fancy during an of we were distant from that with mountains between us but its shook the solid foundations of nature threatened to down our towers a lurid light hung in the heavens at night and showers of ashes borne by the wind fell in our narrow valley the talked of the story of the earth being honey beneath us of streams of raging through its veins of of flames roaring in the centre the of and the damned of fiery ready to beneath our feet all these tales were told to the accompaniment of the mountain s whose low made the walls of our one of the had been a painter but had retired from the world and embraced this dismal life in of some crime he was a melancholy man who pursued his art in the solitude of cell but made it a source of penance to him his employment was to either on canvas or in models the human face and human form in the agonies of death and in all the stages of dissolution and decay the fearful mysteries of the house were unfolded in his labours the banquet of the and the worm i turn with shuddering even from the recollection of his works yet at the time my strong but imagination seized with upon the young italian his instructions in his art any was a variety from the dry studies and monotonous duties of the in a little while i became expert with my pencil and my gloomy productions were thought worthy of some of the of the chapel in this dismal way was a creature of feeling and fancy brought up every thing genial and amiable in my nature was repressed and nothing brought out but what was and i was ardent in my temperament quick impetuous formed to be a creature all love and adoration but a leaden hand was laid on all my finer qualities i was taught nothing but fear and hatred i hated my uncle i hated the i hated the in which i was i hated the world and i almost hated myself for being as i supposed so and an animal when i had nearly attained the age of sixteen i was suffered on one occasion to accompany one of the brethren on a mission to a distant part of the country we soon left the story of behind us the gloomy valley in which i had been pent up for so many years and after a short journey among the mountains emerged upon the landscape that itself about the bay of heavens how was i when i stretched my gaze over vast reach of delicious sunny country gay with groves aad with its summit to my right the blue to my left with its coast with shining towns and and my native gleaming far ar in the distance good god was this the lovely world from which i had been excluded i had reached that age when the are in all bloom and freshness mine had been checked and they now burst forth with the of a spring my heart hitherto shrunk up expanded into a riot of but delicious the beauty oi mature bewildered me the ef the cheerful looks their the young italian happy the picturesque gaiety of their dresses their rustic music their all broke upon me like my soul responded to the music my heart danced in my all the men appeared amiable all the lovely i to the that is to say my body returned but my heart and soul never en there again i could not forget this glimpse of a beautiful and a happy world a world suited to my natural character i had felt so happy while in it so different a being from what i felt myself when in the thai of the living i contrasted the of the beings i had seen full of fire and freshness and with the pallid leaden lack lustre of the the music of the dance the chant of the i had before found the exercises of the wearisome they now became intolerable the dull round of duties wore away my spirit my nerves became irritated by the of the the story of the mountain echoes me from my repose at night my pencil by day to attend to some tedious and mechanical ceremony of devotion i was not of a nature to long without putting my thoughts into action my i had been suddenly aroused and was now all awake within me i watched an opportunity fled from the and made my way on foot to as i entered its gay and crowded streets and beheld the variety and stir of life me the luxury of palaces the splendour of and the animation of the i seemed as if awakened to a world of enchantment and vowed that nothing should force me back to the of the i had to inquire my way to my father s pa lace for i had been so young on leaving it that i knew its situation i found some difficulty in getting admitted to my father s presence the scarcely knew that there was such a being as myself in existence and my the young italian dress did not operate in my favour even my father entertained no recollection of my person i told him my name threw at his feet implored his forgiveness and entreated | 48 |
that i might not be sent back to the he received me with the condescension of a patron rather than the fondness of a parent listened patiently but coldly to my tale of and and promised to think what else could be done for me this coldness and drove back all the frank of my nature that was ready to spring forth at the least warmth of parental kindness all my early feelings towards my father revived i again looked up to him as the stately magnificent being my childish imagination and felt as if i had no pretensions to his sympathies my brother engrossed all his care and love he inherited his nature and carried himself towards me with a protecting rather than a air it wounded my pride which was great i could brook condescension from my father for i looked up to him with awe as a vol i k the story of superior being but i could not brook patronage from a brother who i felt was my inferior the servants perceived that i was an unwelcome intruder in the paternal mansion and like they treated me with neglect thus baffled at every point my affections outraged wherever they would attach themselves i became sullen silent and my feelings driven back upon myself entered and upon my own heart i remained for some days an unwelcome guest rather than a restored son in my father s house i was doomed never to be properly known there i was made by wrong treatment strange even to myself and they judged of me from my strangeness i was startled one day at the sight of one of the of my gliding out of my father s room he saw me but pretended not to notice me and this very made me suspect something i had become sore and susceptible in my feelings every thing inflicted a wound on them in this state of mind i was treated with marked by a the young italian the favourite servant of my father all the pride and passion of my nature rose in an instant and i struck him to the earth my father was passing by he stopped not to inquire the reason nor indeed could he read the long course of mental sufferings which were the real cause he me with anger and scorn he summoned all the of his nature and grandeur of his look to give weight to the with which he treated me i felt i had not deserved it i felt that i was not appreciated i felt that i had that within me which better treatment my heart swelled against a father s injustice i broke through my habitual awe of him i replied to him with impatience my hot spirit flushed in my cheek and kindled in my eye but my sensitive heart swelled as quickly and before i had half my passion i felt it and in my tears my father was astonished and at this turning of the worm and ordered me to my chamber i retired in silence choking with emotions k the story of i had not been long there when i overheard voices in an adjoining apartment it was a consultation between my father and the about the means of getting me back quietly to the my resolution was taken i had na longer a home nor a father that very night i left the paternal roof i got on board a vessel about making sail from the harbour and abandoned myself to the wide world no matter to what port she any part of so beautiful a world was better than my no matter where i was cast by fortune any place would be more a home to me than the home i had left behind the vessel was bound to we arrived there after a voyage of a few days as i entered the harbour between the which embrace it and beheld the of palaces and churches and splendid gardens rising one above another i felt at once its title to the of the superb i landed on the an utter stranger without knowing what to do or whither to direct steps no matter i was released from the the young italian s of the and the of home when i traversed the and the those streets of palaces and gazed at the wonders of architecture around me when i wandered at close of day a gay throng of the brilliant and the beautiful through the green of the or among the and of the magnificent gardens i thought it impossible to be ever otherwise than happy in a few days to show me my mistake my scanty purse was exhausted and for the first time in my life i experienced the sordid of i had never known the want of money and had never to the of such an evil i was ignorant of the world and all its ways and when first the idea of came over my mind its effect was withering i was wandering through the streets which no longer delighted my eyes when chance led my steps into the magnificent church of the the story of a celebrated painter of the day was at that moment the placing of one of his pictures over an altar the which i had acquired in his art during my residence in the had made me an enthusiastic amateur i was struck at the first glance with the painting it was the face of a so innocent so lovely such a divine expression of maternal tenderness i lost for the moment all recollection of myself in the enthusiasm of my art i clasped my hands together and uttered an of delight the painter perceived my emotion he was flattered and gratified by it my air and manner pleased him and he me i felt too much the want of friendship to the advances | 48 |
of a stranger and there was something in this one so benevolent and winning that in a moment he gained my confidence i told him my story and my situation concealing only my name and rank he appeared strongly interested by my recital invited me to the young italian his house and from that time i became his favourite pupil he thought he perceived in me extraordinary talents for the art and his awakened all my what a period of my existence was it that i passed beneath his roof another being seemed created within me or rather all that was amiable and excellent was drawn out i was as as ever i had been at the but how different was my seclusion my time was spent in my mind with lofty and poetical ideas in meditating on all that was striking and noble in history and fiction in studying and tracing all that was sublime and beautiful in nature i was always a visionary imaginative being but now my and all elevated me to rapture i looked up to my master as to a benevolent genius that had opened to me a region of enchantment he was not a native of but had been drawn thither by the of several of the nobility and had resided there but a few years for the completion of certain works he had undertaken his health was the story of delicate and he had to confide much of the filling up of his designs to the of his scholars he considered me as particularly happy in the human countenance in seizing upon characteristic though fleeting expressions and fixing them powerfully upon my canvas i was employed continually therefore in faces and often when some particular grace or beauty of expression was wanted in a countenance it was to my pencil my benefactor was fond of bringing me forward and partly perhaps through my actual skill and partly through his partial praises i began to be noted for the expressions of my countenances among the various works which he had undertaken was an historical piece for one of the palaces of in which were to be introduced the of several of the family among these was one to my pencil it was that of a young girl who as yet was in a for her education she came out for the purpose of sitting for the picture i first saw her in an apartment of one of the the young italian palaces of she stood before a that looked out upon the bay a stream of sunshine fell upon her and shed a kind of glory round her as it lit up the rich crimson chamber she was but sixteen years of age and oh how lovely the scene broke upon me like a mere vision of spring and youth and beauty i could have fallen down and worshipped her she was like one of those of poets and painters when they would express the beau ideal that haunts their minds with shapes of indescribable perfection i was permitted to sketch her countenance in various positions and i fondly protracted the study that was me the more i gazed on her the more i became there was something almost painful in my intense admiration i was but nineteen years of age shy and inexperienced i was treated with attention by her mother for my youth and my enthusiasm in my art had won favour for me and i am inclined to think that there was something the of in my air and manner that inspired interest and respect still the kindness with which i was treated could not the embarrassment into which my own imagination threw me when in presence of this lovely being it elevated her into something almost more than mortal she seemed too exquisite for earthly use too delicate and exalted for human as i sat tracing her charms on my canvas with my eyes occasionally on her features i drank in delicious poison that made me giddy my heart alternately with tenderness and ached with despair now i became more than ever sensible of the violent fires that had lain at the bottom of my soul you are bom in a more temperate climate and under a cooler sky have little idea of the violence of passion in our southern a few days finished my task returned to her but her image remained impressed upon my heart it dwelt in my imagination it became my the young italian idea of beauty it had an effect even upon my pencil i became noted for my felicity in female loveliness it was but because i multiplied the image of i soothed and yet fed my fancy by introducing her in all the productions of my master i have stood with delight in one of the of the and heard the crowd the beauty of a saint which i had painted i have seen them bow down in adoration before the painting they were bowing before the loveliness of i existed in this kind of dream i might almost say delirium for upwards of a year such is the of my imagination that the image which was formed in it continued in all its power and freshness indeed i was a solitary meditative being much given to reverie and apt to foster ideas which had once taken strong possession of me i was roused from this fond melancholy delicious dream by the death of my worthy benefactor i cannot describe the pangs his death occasioned me it left me alone the of and almost broken hearted he to me his little property which from the liberality of his disposition and his expensive style of living was indeed but small and he most par recommended me in dying to the protection of a nobleman who had been his patron the latter was a man who passed for he was a | 48 |
lover and an of the arts and evidently wished to be thought so he fancied he saw in me indications of future excellence my pencil had already attracted attention he took me at once under his protection seeing that i was overwhelmed with grief and incapable of myself in the mansion of my late benefactor he invited me to for a time at a villa which he possessed on the border of the sea in the picturesque neighbourhood of de i found at the villa the count s only son he was nearly of my age in his appearance and fascinating in his man he attached himself to me and seemed to the young italian court my good opinion i thought there was something of profession in his kindness and of caprice in his disposition but i had nothing else near me to attach myself to and my heart felt the need of something to repose upon his education had been neglected he looked upon me as his superior in mental powers and and acknowledged my superiority i felt that i was his equal in birth and that gave independence to my manners which had its effect the caprice and tyranny i saw some times exercised on others over whom he had power were never manifested towards me we became intimate and frequent companions still i loved to be alone and to indulge in the of my own imagination among the scenery by which i was surrounded the villa commanded a wide view of the and of the picturesque coast it stood alone in the midst of ornamented grounds finely decorated with statues and fountains and laid out into groves and and shady every thing was assembled here the story of that could gratify the taste or agreeably occupy the soothed by the tranquillity of this elegant retreat the of my feelings gradually subsided and with the romantic spell which still reigned over my imagination produced a soft melancholy i had not been long under the roof of the count when our solitude was by another it was the daughter of a relative of the count who had lately died in reduced circumstances this only child to his protection i had heard much of her beauty from but my fancy had become so engrossed by one idea of beauty as not to admit of any other we were in the central saloon of the villa when she arrived she was still in mourning and approached leaning on the count s arm as they ascended the marble i was struck by the elegance of her figure and movement by the grace with which the the veil of was folded about her slender form they entered the young italian heavens what was my surprise when i beheld before me it was herself pale with grief but still more in loveliness than when i had last beheld her the time that had elapsed had developed the graces of her person and the sorrow she had undergone had diffused over her countenance an irresistible tenderness she blushed and trembled at seeing me and tears rushed into her eyes for she remembered in whose company she had been accustomed ta behold me for my part i cannot express what were my emotions by degrees i overcame the extreme shyness that had formerly me in her presence we were drawn together by sympathy of situation we had each lost our best friend in the world we were each in some measure thrown upon the kindness of others when i came to know her all my ideal of her were confirmed her to the world her delightful to every thing beautiful and agreeable in nature reminded me of my own emotions when first i escaped from the her the story of of thinking delighted my judgment the sweetness of her nature wrapped itself round my heart and then her young and tender and loveliness sent a delicious madness to my brain i gazed upon her with a kind of as something more than mortal and i felt at the idea of my comparative yet she was mortal and one of s most susceptible and loving for she loved me how first i discovered the truth i cannot recollect i believe it stole upon me m by degrees as a wonder past hope or belief we were both at such a tender and loving age in constant intercourse with each other mingling in the same elegant pursuits for music poetry and painting were our mutual delights and we were almost separated from society among lovely and romantic scenery is it strange that two young hearts thus brought together should readily round each other o gods what a dream a transient dream the young italian of delight then passed over my soul then it was that the world around me was indeed a paradise for i had woman lovely delicious woman to share it with me how often have i along the picturesque shores of or climbed its wild mountains with the coast with and the blue sea far below me and the slender of on its romantic in the distance and as i sustained the faltering steps of have thought there could no enter into so a world how often have we listened together to the as it poured forth its rich notes among the moonlight of the garden and have wondered that poets could ever have fancied any thing melancholy in its song why oh why is this season of life and tenderness so transient why i this rosy cloud of love that sheds such a glow over the morning of our days so prone to up into the and the storm i was the first to awaken from this delirium of the affections i had gained s vol i l the story of heart what was to do with it i had no wealth nor prospect to me to her hand was i | 48 |
to take advantage of her ignorance of the world of her confiding affection and draw her down to my own poverty was this the hospitality of the count was this the love of now first i began to feel that even successful love may have its bitterness a care gathered about my heart i moved about the palace like a guilty being i felt as if i had abused its hospitality as if i were a thief within its walls i could no longer look with mien in the countenance of the count i accused myself of to him and i thought he read it in my looks and began to distrust and despise me his manner had always been is and it now appeared cold and haughty too became reserved and distant or at least i suspected him to be so heavens was this mere of my brain was i to become suspicious of all the world a poor wretch watch the young italian ing looks and gestures and myself with or if true was i to remain beneath a roof where i was merely and linger there on this is not to be endured exclaimed i i will tear myself from this state of self i will break through this fascination and fly fly whither from the world for where is the world when i leave behind me my spirit was naturally proud and swelled within me at the idea of being looked upon with many times i was on the point of declaring my family and rank and asserting my in the presence of when i thought her relations assumed an air of superiority but the feeling was transient i considered myself discarded and by my family and had solemnly vowed never to own relationship to them they themselves should claim it the of my mind upon my happiness and my health it seemed as if the uncertainty of being loved would be less the story of than thus to be assured of it and yet not dare to enjoy the conviction i was no longer the admirer of i no longer hung in ecstasy on the tones of her voice nor drank in with gaze the beauty of her countenance her very smiles ceased to delight me for i felt in having won them she could not but be sensible of the change in me and inquired the cause with her usual frank ness and simplicity i could not the inquiry for my heart was full to aching i told her all the conflict of my soul my devouring passion my bitter self yes said i i am unworthy of you i am an from my family a wanderer a nameless wan with nothing but poverty for my portion and yet i have dared to love you have dared to to your love my agitation moved her to tears but she saw nothing in my situation so hopeless as i had depicted it brought up in a she knew nothing of the world its wants its cares and indeed what woman is a worldly in the young italian matters of the heart nay more she kindled into a sweet enthusiasm when she spoke of my fortunes and myself we had dwelt together on the works of the famous masters i had related to her their histories the high reputation the influence the magnificence to which they had attained the companions of princes the of kings the pride and boast of nations all this she applied to me her love saw nothing in all their great productions that i was not able to achieve and when i beheld the lovely creature glow with and her whole countenance radiant with visions of my glory i was snatched up for the moment into the heaven of her own imagination i am dwelling too long upon this part of my story yet i cannot help lingering over a period of my life on which with all its cares and i look back with fondness for as yet my soul was by a crime i do not know what might have been the result of this struggle between pride delicacy and passion had i not the story of read in a an account of the sudden death of my brother it was accompanied by an earnest inquiry for intelligence me and a prayer should this meet eye that i would hasten to to comfort an and afflicted father i was naturally of an affectionate but my brother had never been as a brother to me i had long considered myself as from im and his death caused me but little emotion the thoughts of my father and suffering touched me however to the quick and when i thought of him that lofty magnificent being now bowed down and desolate and to me for comfort all my resentment for past neglect was subdued and a glow of filial affection was awakened within me the feeling however that overpowered all others was transport at the sudden change in my whole fortunes a home a name rank wealth awaited me and love painted a still more prospect in the distance i hastened to and threw myself at her the young italian oh exclaimed i at length i pan claim you for my own i am no longer a nameless adventurer a neglected rejected outcast look read behold the tidings that restore me to my name and to myself i will not dwell on the scene that ensued rejoiced in the reverse of my situation because she saw it lightened my heart of a load of care for her own part she had loved ine for myself and had never doubted that my own merits would command both fame and fortune i now felt all my native pride within me i no longer walked with my eyes bent to the dust hope | 48 |
the i suffered at our being thus separated for to the youthful lover every day of absence is an age of love lost i enclosed the letter in one to who was the channel of our correspondence i received a reply from him full of friendship and sympathy from full of assurances of affection and constancy week after week month after month elapsed without making any change in my circumstances the vital flame which had seemed extinct when first i met my father kept fluttering on without any apparent i watched him constantly faithfully i had almost said patiently i knew that his death alone would set me free yet i never at any moment wished it i felt too glad to be able to make any for past and denied as i had been all of relationship in my early days ray heart towards a father who in his age and helplessness had thrown himself entirely on me for comfort the story of my passion for gained daily more force from absence by constant meditation it wore itself a deeper and deeper channel i made no new friends nor acquaintances sought none of the pleasures of which my rank and threw open to me mine was a heart that confined itself to few objects but dwelt upon them with the passion to sit by my father administer to his wants and to on in the silence of his chamber was my constant habit sometimes i amused myself with my pencil in the image that was ever present to my imagination i transferred to canvas every look and smile of hers that dwelt in my heart i showed them to my father in hopes of awakening an interest in his bosom for the mere shadow of my love but he was too far sunk in intellect to take any more than a like notice of them when i received a letter from it was a new source of solitary luxury her letters it is true were less and less frequent but they were always the young italian full of assurances of affection they breathed not the frank and innocent warmth with which she expressed herself in conversation but i accounted for it from the embarrassment which inexperienced minds have often to express themselves upon paper assured me of her constancy they both lamented in the strongest terms our continued separation though they did justice to the filial piety that kept me by my father s side nearly two years elapsed in this protracted exile to me they were so many ages ardent and impetuous by nature i scarcely know how i should have supported so long an absence had i not felt assured that the faith of was equal to my own at length my father died life went from him almost i hung over him in mute affliction and the of nature his last faltering accents whispered repeatedly a blessing on me alas how has it been fulfilled when i had paid due honours to his remains and laid them in the tomb of our ancestors i the story of arranged briefly my affairs put them in a posture to be easily at my command from a distance and embarked once more with a bounding heart for our voyage was and oh what was my rapture when first in the dawn of morning i saw the shadowy of the rising like clouds above the horizon the sweet breath of just moved us over the long wavering that were rolling us on towards by degrees the coast of rose like a creation of enchantment from the silver bosom of the deep i beheld the line i villages and palaces its borders my eye to a well known point and at length from the confusion of distant objects it out the villa which contained it was a mere speck in the landscape but glimmering from afar the star of my heart again i gazed at it for a s day but oh how different the emotions between departure and return it now kept growing and growing instead of and i the young italian l l on my sight my heart seemed to with it i looked at it through a i gradually defined one feature after another the of the central saloon where first i met beneath its roof the terrace where we so often had passed the delightful summer evenings the that shaded her chamber window i almost fancied i saw her form beneath it could she but know her lover was in the bark whose white sail now gleamed on the sunny bosom of the sea my fond impatience increased as we the coast the ship seemed to lazily over the i could almost have sprang into the sea and swam to the desired shore the shadows of evening gradually the scene but the moon arose in all her fulness and beauty and shed the tender light so dear to lovers over the romantic coast of my soul was bathed in unutterable tenderness i anticipated the heavenly evenings i should pass in once more wandering with by the light of that blessed moon it was late at night before we entered the vol l m the story of harbour as early next as i could get released from the of landing i threw myself on horseback and hastened to the villa as i galloped round the rocky on which stands the and saw the coast of opening upon me a thousand anxieties and doubts suddenly sprang up in my bosom there is something fearful m returning to those we love while yet uncertain what ills or changes absence may have effected the of my agitation shook my very frame i my horse to speed he was covered with foam when we both arrived panting at the that opened to the grounds around the villa i left my horse at a cottage and walked through the grounds | 48 |
that i might regain tranquillity for the approaching interview i myself for having suffered mere doubts and thus suddenly to overcome me but i was always prone to be carried away by of the feelings on entering the garden every thing bore the same look as when i had left it and this un the young italian l changed aspect of things reassured me there were the in which i had so often walked with as we listened to the song of the the same shades under which we had so often sat during the heat there were the same flowers of which she was fond and which appeared still to be under the of her hand every thing looked and breathed of hope and joy flushed in my bosom at every step i passed a little in which we had often sat and read together a book and a glove lay on the it was s glove it was a volume of the i had given her the glove lay in my favourite passage i clasped them to my heart with rapture all is safe exclaimed i she loves me she is still my own i bounded lightly along the avenue down i had faltered so slowly at my departure i beheld her favourite which had witnessed our parting scene the window was open with the same vine about it precisely as when she waved and wept me an m the story of adieu o how was the contrast in my situation as i passed near the i heard the tones of a female voice r they thrilled through me with an appeal to my heart not to be mistaken before i could think i they were s for an instant i paused overpowered with agitation i feared to break so suddenly upon her i softly ascended the steps of the the door was open i saw seated at a table her back was towards me she was a soft melancholy air and was occupied in drawing a glance to show me that she was one of my own paintings i gazed on her for a moment in a delicious of emotions she paused in her singing a heavy sigh almost a sob followed i could no longer contain myself exclaimed i in a half smothered voice she started at the sound brushed back the that hung about her face darted a glance at me uttered a piercing shriek and would have fallen to the earth had i not caught her in my arms the young italian my own exclaimed i folding her to my bosom my voice stifled in sobs of joy she lay in my arms without sense or motion alarmed at the effects of my i scarce knew what to do i tried by a thousand words to call her back to consciousness she slowly recovered and half opening her eyes where am i murmured she faintly here exclaimed i pressing her to my bosom close to the heart that you in the arms of your faithful oh no no no shrieked she starting into sudden life and terror away away leave me leave me she tore herself from my arms rushed to a corner of the saloon and covered her face with her hands as if the very sight of me were i was i could not believe my senses i followed her trembling confounded i endeavoured to take her hand but she shrunk from my very touch with horror good heavens exclaimed i what is the meaning of this is this my reception the story of after so long an absence is this the love you professed for me at the mention of love a shuddering ran through her she turned to me a face wild with anguish no more of that no more of that gasped she talk not to me of love i i am married i as if i had received a mortal blow a sickness struck to my very heart i caught at a window frame for support for a moment or two every thing was chaos around me when i recovered i beheld lying on a sofa her face buried in the pillow and sobbing indignation for her for a moment overpowered every other feeling cried i across the room but another glance at that beautiful being in distress checked all my wrath anger could not dwell together with her idea in my soul oh exclaimed x in anguish could i have of this could x have suspected you would have been false to me the young italian she raised her face all streaming with tears all disordered with emotion and gave me one appealing look false to you they told me you were dead what said i spite of our constant correspondence she gazed wildly at me correspondence what correspondence have you not repeatedly received and replied to my letters she clasped her hands with solemnity and as i hope for mercy never a horrible shot through my brain who told you i was dead it was reported that the ship in which you embarked for perished at sea but who told you the report she paused for an instant and trembled may the god of heaven curse him cried i extending my clenched fists aloft o do not curse him do not curse him exclaimed she f he is he is my husband the story of this was all that was wanting to the that had been practised upon me my blood boiled like liquid fire in my veins i gasped with rage too great for utterance i re for a time bewildered by the whirl of horrible thoughts that rushed through my mind the poor victim of deception before me thought it was with her i was she faintly murmured forth her i will not dwell upon it i saw | 48 |
in it more than she meant to reveal i saw with a glance how both of us had been betrayed tis well muttered i to myself in smothered accents of concentrated fury he shall render an of all this overheard me new terror flashed in her countenance for mercy s sake do not meet him say nothing of what has passed for my sake say nothing to him i only shall be the sufferer a new suspicion darted across my mind what exclaimed i do you then fear him is he unkind to you tell me i the young italian her hand and looking her eagerly in the face tell me dares he to use you harshly no no no cried she faltering and embarrassed but the glance at her face had told me volumes i saw in her pallid and wasted features in the prompt terror and subdued agony of her eye a whole history of a mind broken down by tyranny great god and was this flower snatched from me be thus trampled upon the idea roused me to madness i clenched my teeth and my hands i at the mouth every passion seemed to have resolved itself into the fury that like a boiled within my heart from me in speechless as i strode by the window my eye darted down the alley fatal moment i beheld at a distance my brain was in delirium i sprang from the and was before him with the quickness rf lightning he saw me as i came rushing upon him he turned pale looked wildly to the story of right and left as if he would have fled and trembling drew his sword wretch cried i well may you draw your weapon i not another word i snatched forth a put by the sword which trembled in his hand and buried my in his bosom he fell with the blow but my rage was i sprung upon him with the blood thirsty feeling of a tiger my blows him in my frenzy grasped him by the throat until with wounds and he expired in my grasp i remained glaring on the countenance horrible in death that seemed to stare back with its eyes upon me piercing shrieks roused me from my delirium i looked round and beheld flying towards us my brain whirled i waited not to meet her bi t fled from the scene of horror i fled forth from the garden like another a hell within my bosom and a curse upon my head i fled the young italian without knowing whither without knowing why my only idea was to get farther and farther from the horrors i had left behind as if i could throw space between myself and my conscience i fled to the and wandered for days and days among their savage heights how i existed i cannot tell what rocks and i and how i them i know not i kept on and on trying to out travel the curse that clung to me alas the shrieks of rung for ever in my ears the horrible countenance of my victim was for ever before my eyes the blood of cried to me from the ground rocks trees and torrents all with my crime then it was i felt how much more is the anguish of remorse than every other mental pang oh could i but have cast off this crime that in my heart could x but have regained the innocence th t reigned in my breast as i entered the garden at could i but have restored my victim to life i felt as if the story of i could look on with transport even though were in his arms by degrees this fever of remorse settled into a permanent malady of the mind into one of the most horrible that ever poor wretch was cursed with wherever i went the countenance of him i had slain appeared to follow me whenever i turned my head i beheld it behind me hideous with the of the dying moment i have tried in every way to escape from this horrible phantom but in vain i know not whether it be an illusion to the mind the consequence of my dismal education at the or whether a phantom really sent by heaven to punish me but there it ever at all r in all places nor has time nor habit had any effect in me with its terrors i have travelled from place to place plunged into amusements tried and distraction of every all in vain i once had recourse to my pencil as a desperate experiment i painted an exact resemblance of the young italian this phantom face i placed it before me in hopes that by constantly contemplating the copy i might the effect of the original but i only doubled instead of the misery such is the curse that has clung to my footsteps that has made my life a but the thought of death terrible god knows what i have suffered what days and days and nights and nights of sleepless torment what a never dying worm has upon my heart what an fire has burned within my brain he knows the wrongs that wrought upon my poor weak nature that converted the tenderest of affections into the of fury he knows best whether a frail creature has by long enduring torture and remorse the crime of a moment of madness often often have i myself in the dust and implored that he would give me a sign of his forgiveness and let me die thus far had i written some time since i the story of had meant to leave this record of misery and crime with you to be read when i should be no more my prayer | 48 |
was at old s school in thb club of r fellows tie same said the her coolly why then we are old though it s no you don t recollect me i wm your junior by several years don t you recollect little jack me e ensued a scene of school end a world of talk about m school times and school mr ended by observing with a heavy sigh that times were sadly changed since those days mr said i you seem a different man here from what you at dinner i had no idea that you had so stuff in you there you were all silence but here you absolutely keep the table in a roar ah my dear sir replied he with a shake of the head and a shrug of the i m a j never shine by daylight besides jet s a thing for a poor devil of an author to shine at the table of a rich do think would any thing i could when i had some of the of the day about me but here tho a poor o the club of queer fellows devil i am among still poorer devils than myself men who look up to me as a man of letters and a and all my jokes pass as sterling gold from the you surely do yourself injustice sir said i i have certainly heard more good things from you this evening than from any of those by whom you appear to have been so ah sir but they have luck on they are in the fashion there s nothing like being in fashion a man that has once got his character up for a wit is always sure of a laugh say what he may he may utter as much nonsense as he pleases and all will pass current no one stops to question the coin of a man but a poor devil cannot pass off either a joke or a guinea without its being examined on both sides wit and coin are always doubted with a thread bare coat for my part continued he giving his hat a a little more on one side for my part i hate your fine dinners there s nothing sir the club of queer fellows like the of a chop house i d rather any time have my and among my own set than drink and eat th your cursed civil elegant company who never laugh at a good joke from a poor devil for fear of its being vulgar a good joke grows in a wet soil it in low places but cm your d d high dry grounds i once kept high company sir until i nearly ruined myself l grew so dull and and genteel nothing saved me but being arrested by my landlady and thrown into prison where a course of catch eight penny ale and poor devil company my mind and brought it back to itself again as it was now growing late we parted for the ev though i felt anxious to know more of this practical philosopher i was glad there fore when proposed to have another meeting to talk over old school tim es and inquired his s address the latter seemed at first a little shy of his lodgings but suddenly assuming an air of the club of queer fellows hood court m he number m the place ground it there his of i always like to in haunts i was amused this apology for shabby quarters on our way buck assured me that this i had the prime wit and great wag of the school in their boyish days and one of those unlucky bright as he perceived me curious respecting his old he promised to take me with him in his proposed to a few mornings afterwards he called me and we set forth on our n he led me through a variety of singular aad and blind passages for he to be perfectly in all the intricate geography of the metropolis at length we came out upon fleet market and it turned up narrow street to the bottom of a long steep flight of the club of fellows steps called break neck stairs these he told led up to green court and down them poor might a time have risked his neck when we entered die court i could not but smile to think in what out of the way c genius produces her and the those capricious who so often refuse to visit palaces and deny a single smile to in q studies and gilded drawing rooms what holes and will they frequent to lavish their on some ragged this green court i found to be a small square of tall and miserable houses the very of which seemed turned inside out to judge from the old garments and ery that fluttered from every window it appeared to be a region of and lines were stretched about the little square on h clothes were dangling to dry just as we entered the square a look between two about a disputed right th of queer fellows to a and immediately the whole com was in a heads in mob out of every window and a of tongues ensued that i was fain to stop my ears every took part with one or other of the and her arms dripping with soap and fired away from her window as from the of a fortress while the of children and in every chamber of this hive waking with the noise set up their shrill pipes to swell the general concert poor what a time must he have had of it with his quiet disposition and habits up in this den of noise and how strange that while every sight and sound was sufficient to the heart fill it with | 48 |
his pen should be dropping the honey of yet it is more than probable that he drew many of his of low life from the scenes which surrounded him in this abode the the club of queer fellows of mrs being to wash her husband s two shirts in a neighbour s house who ic to lend her may have been no rt of fancy but a fact passing under his eye his landlady may hate sat th picture and beau scanty wardrobe have been aj c of his own it was with some difficulty that we found our way to s lodgings they were up two pair of stairs in a room that looked upon the court and when we entered he was seated on the edge of his bed writing at a broken table he received us however with a free open air that was irresistible it is true he did at first appear slightly confused up his waistcoat a little higher and tucked in a stray of linen but he recollected himself in an instant gave a half as he stepped forth to receive us drew a l d stool for mr pointed me to a old chair that looked like a monarch in exile and bade us welcome to his garret the club f queer we soon got engaged in and he had to say about early bee es and as o mb a g heart recollections of the kind we soon from him a outline his the poor devil i began life by being the wag and bright fellow at school and i had the further misfortune of becoming the great genius of my native my father was a country attorney and intended that i should succeed him in business but i had too much genius to study and he was too fond of my genius to force it into the traces so i fell into bad company and took to bad habits do not mistake me i mean that i fell into the company of village and village and took to writing village poetry it was quite the fashion in the village to be literary there was a little knot of choice spirits us who assembled frequently together formed a literary and society and fancied ourselves the most learned in existence every one had a the poor devil author great character assigned him suggested by some casual habit or affectation one heavy fellow drank an enormous quantity of tea rolled in his arm chair talked pronounced and was considered a second dr johnson another who happened to be a uttered coarse jokes wrote and was the swift of our association thus we had also our and and and a blue lady whose drawing room we frequented who about nothing with all the world and wrote letters with the and formality of a printed book was cried up as another mrs i was by common consent the the poetical youth the great genius the pride and hope of the village through whom it was to become one day as celebrated as on my father died and left me his blessing and his his blessing brought no money into my pocket and as to his business it soon de me for i was busy writing poetry the poor devil author s and could not attend to law and my though they had great respect for my talents had no in a poetical attorney i lost my business therefore spent my money and my poem it was the pleasures of melancholy and was cried up to the skies by the whole circle the pleasures of imagination the pleasures of hope and the pleasures of memory though each had placed its author in the first rank of poets were blank prose in com our mrs would cry over it from beginning to end it was pronounced by all the members of the literary scientific and l society the greatest poem of the age and au anticipated the noise it would make in the great world there was not a doubt but the london would be mad after it and the only fear of my friends was that i would make a sacrifice by selling it too cheap every time they talked the matter over they increased the price they reckoned up the great sums given for the poems of certain popular writers and determined that mine was worth more than a the poor devil all put together and ought to be paid for ic for my party i was in my expectations and determined that i would be satisfied with a thousand guineas so i put my poem in my pocket and set off for london my journey was joyous my heart was light as my purse and my head full of of fame and fortune with what swelling pride did i cast my eyes upon old london from the heights of i was like a general ing down upon place he expects to conquer the great metropolis lay before me buried under a home made cloud of smoke that wrapped it from the brightness of a sunny da r and formed for it a kind of artificial bad weather at the outskirts of the city away to the west th smoke gradually all was clear and sunny and the view stretched to the blue line of the my eye turned fondly to where the of st paul swelled dimly this misty and i pictured to die the poor devil author realm of that lies about its base how soon should the pleasures of throw this world of and into a bustle of business and delight how soon should i my name repeated by throughout q ter and angel c and ave maria lane until amen comer should echo back the sound arrived in town i repaired at once the fashionable every new th r him of course in fact it had determined in the village circle | 48 |
that he should be the fortunate man j cannot tell you how vain i walked the streets my ha d was in the clouds i felt the airs of about it and fancied it a of as i by h of j would be among tl h sa d of the day and my on or cut on wa m f with time of and and fi the poor devil author when i applied at the s house there was something in the of my air and the of my dress that struck the clerks with reverence they doubtless me for some person of consequence probably a of greek roots or a of a proud man in a dirty shirt is always an imposing character in the world of letters one must feel secure before he can venture to dress none mi a great genius or a great scholar dares to be dirty so i was ushered at once to the of this high priest of the of books is a very different affair nowadays from what it was in the time of i found the a dressed man in an el ant furnished with and portraits of celebrated authors and cases of splendidly bound books he was writing letters at an elegant table this was business in sl le the place suited to the f that issued from it i rejoiced at the the poor choice i had made of a for i always liked to encourage men of taste and spirit i stepped up to the table with the lofty poetical port that i had been accustomed to maintain in our village circle though i threw in it something of a air such as one feels when about to make a man s fortune the paused with his pen in his hand and seemed waiting in mute suspense to know what was to be announced by so singular n apparition i put him at his ease in a moment for i felt that i had but to come see and conquer i made known my name and the name of my poem produced my precious roll of blotted manuscript laid it on the table with an emphasis and told him at once to save time and come directly to the point the price was one thousand guineas i had given him no time to speak nor did he seem so inclined he continued looking at me for a moment with an air of perplexity me from head to foot looked i p the poor devil author down at the manuscript then up again at me then pointed to a chair and whistling softly to himself went on writing his letter i sat for some time waiting his reply supposing he was making up his mind but he only paused occasionally to take a fresh dip of ink to stroke his chin or the tip of his nose and then resumed his writing it was evident his mind was intently occupied upon some other subject but i had no idea that any other subject should be attended to and my poem lie unnoticed on the table i had supposed that every thing would make way for the pleasures of melancholy my at length rose within me i took up my manuscript thrust it into my pocket and walked out of the room making some noise as i went out to let my departure be heard the however was much buried in minor concerns to notice it i was suffered to walk down stairs without being called back i forth into the street but no clerk was after me nor did the call after the poor devil author me from the drawing room window i have been told since that he considered me either a madman or a fool i leave you to judge how much he was in the wrong in his opinion when i turned the comer my crest fell i cooled down in my pride and my expectations and reduced my terms with the next to whom i applied i had no better success with a third nor with a fourth i then desired the to make an offer themselves but the deuce an offer would they make they told me poetry was a mere every body wrote poetry the market was with it and then they said the title of my poem was not taking that pleasures of all kinds were w nothing but horrors did nowadays and even those were almost worn out tales of robbers and bloody might answer tolerably well but then they must come from some established well known name or the public would not look at them at last i offered to leave my poem with a to read it and judge for himself p the poor devil author why really my dear mr a a i forget your name said he casting an eye at my rusty coat and shabby really sir we are so pressed with business just now and have so many on hand to read that we have not time to look at any new productions but if you can call again in a week or two or say the middle of next month we may be able to look over your writings and give you an answer don t forget the month after next good morning sir happy to see you any time you are passing this way so saying he bowed me out in the way imaginable in short sir instead of an eager competition to secure my poem i could not even get it read in the mean time i was harassed by letters from my friends wanting to know when the work was to appear who was to be my but above b things warning me not to let it go too cheap there was but one alternative left i determined to the poem myself and to have my triumph over | 48 |
i was quite the poor devil author taken with the man for you must know i am a httle of a i set him down at once for either a poet or a philosopher as i like to make new acquaintances considering every man a of human nature i soon fell into conversation with the stranger who i was pleased to find was by no means difficult of access after i had dined i joined him at the window and we became so that i proposed a bottle of wine together to which he most cheerfully assented i was too full of my poem to keep long quiet on the subject and began to talk about the origin of the tavern and the history of jack straw i found my new acquaintance to be perfectly at home on the topic and to jump exactly with my humour in every respect i became elevated by the wine and the conversation in the fulness of an author s feelings i told him of my projected poem and repeated some passages and he was in he was evidently of a strong poetical turn sir said he filling my glass at the same the poor devil author time our poets di t look at home i don t see why we need go out of old england for robbers and to write about i like your jack straw sir he s a home made hero i like him sir i like him exceedingly he s english to the give me honest old england after all them s my sentiments sir i honour your sentiment cried i it is exactly my own an english is as good a for poetry as any in italy or germany or the but it is hard to make our poets think so more shame for them replied the man in green what a plague would they have what have we to do with their of italy and germany haven t we and and on our little island ay and stout fellows to the over them too stick to home i say them s my sentiments come sir my service to you i agree with you perfectly poets in old times had right notions on tliis vol i q the poor devil author subject continued i witness the fine old about robin hood a and other blades of right sir right interrupted he robin hood he was the lad to cry stand to a man and never to ah sir said i they had famous bands of robbers in the good old times those were glorious poetical days the merry crew of forest who led such a picturesque life under the tree i have often wished to visit their haunts and tread the scenes of the exploits of and of the and sir william of nay sir said the gentleman in green we have had several very pretty since their day those gallant dogs that kept about the great in the neighbourhood of m about and and for instance come sir my service to you you don t drink i suppose said i my glass i suppose you have heard of the famous the poor devil author who was bom in this very village of and who used to with his gang in forest about a hundred years since have i cried he to be sure i have a hearty old blade that sound as pitch old as we used to call him a famous fine fellow sir well sir continued i i have visited abbey and church merely from the stories i heard when a boy of his exploits there and i have searched forest for the where he used to conceal himself you must know added i that i am a sort of amateur of they were dashing daring the best apologies that we had for the knight of ah sir the has been sinking gradually into and common place we are losing the old sh spirit the bold knights of the post have all down into lurking and there s no such thing as a dashing gentleman like robbery committed nowadays on the king s highway a man may q the author roll from one end of england to the other in a drowsy coach or without any other adventure than that of being occasionally sleeping in damp sheets or having an ill cooked dinner we hear no more of public being stopped and robbed by a gang of resolute fellows with pistols in their hands and over their faces what a pretty poetical incident was it for example in domestic life for a family carriage on its way to a country seat to be attacked about dark the old gentleman of his purse watch the ladies of their and by a politely spoken on a blood mare who afterwards leaped the hedge and galloped across the country to the tion of miss the daughter who would write a long and romantic account of the adventure to her friend miss in town ah sir we meet with nothing of such incidents nowadays r that sir said my companion taking advantage of a pause when i stopped to recover the poor devil author breath and to take a glass of wine which he had just poured out that sir craving your pardon is not owing to any want of old english pluck it is the effect of this cursed system of people do not travel with bags of gold as they did formerly they have post notes and on to rob a coach is like catching a crow where you have nothing but flesh and feathers for your pains but a coach in old times sir was as rich as a spanish it turned out the boys bravely and a private carriage was a cool hundred or two at least i cannot express how much i was delighted with | 48 |
there were little knots of authors who lived with and for and by one another they considered themselves the salt of the earth they and kept up a conventional vein of thinking and talking and joking on au subjects and they cried each other up to the skies each had its particular and set up certain authors as and fell down and worshipped them and con every one who did not worship them or who worshipped any other as a and an in quoting the writers of the day i generally found them names of which i had scarcely heard and talking of others who were the of the public if i mentioned any recent work from the pen of a first rate author they had not read it they had not time to read all that was from the press he wrote too much to write well the poor devil then they would break out into about some mr or or whose works were n at the present day but who was to be the wonder and delight of posterity alas what heavy debts is this world daily on the shoulders of poor posterity but above all it was to hear with what contempt they would talk of the great ye gods how the great are despised by the small of literature it is true an exception was now and then made of some nobleman with whom perhaps they had casually shaken hands at an election or or at a public dinner and who was pronounced a devilish good fellow and no f but in general it was enough for a man to have a title to be the object of their sovereign disdain you have no idea how and they would talk of nobility for my part this affected me but little for though i had no bitterness against the great and did not think the worse of a man for the poor devil author having innocently been bom to a title yet i did not feel myself at present called upon to resent the poured upon them by the little but the hostility to the great writers of the day went sorely against the grain with me i could enter into such nor in such i had not become author sufficiently to hate other authors i could still find pleasure in the of the press and could find it in my heart to praise a even though he were successful indeed i was miscellaneous in my taste and could not confine it to any age or growth of writers i could turn with delight from the glowing pages of to the cool and polished of pope and after wandering among the sacred groves of paradise lost i could give myself up to in the enchanted of i would have my authors said i as various as my and in the strong and the would never the sparkling and port and are excellent the poor devil stand by s and so is but and may be drank now and then without to one s and champagne is a by no means to be despised such was the i uttered one day when a little flushed with ale at a literary club i uttered it too with something of a flourish for i thought my a clever one my were men who drank beer and hated pope so my figure about went for nothing and my critical was looked upon as downright in a word i soon became like a in religion an from every and fair game for all such are the melancholy consequences of not in i see you are growing weary so i will be brief with the of my literary career i will not detain you with a detail of my various attempts to get of of the poems i have written which were never printed the plays i have presented which were never performed and the tracts i have published the poor devil author s which were never purchased it seemed as if and the very public had entered into a conspiracy to starve me still i could not prevail upon myself to give up the trial nor abandon those dreams of renown in which i had indulged how should i be able to look the literary circle of my native village in the face if i were so completely to their for some time longer there fore i continued to write for fame and was of course the most miserable dog in existence besides being in continual risk of starvation i accumulated loads of literary treasure on my shelves loads which were to be treasures to posterity but alas they put not a penny into my purse what was all this wealth to my present necessities i could not patch my elbows with an nor satisfy my hunger with blank verse shall a man fill his belly with the east wind says the proverb he may as well do so as with poetry i have many a time strolled sorrowfully along the poor devil author with a sad heart and an empty stomach about five o clock and looked wistfully down the in the west end of the town and seen through the kitchen windows the fires gleaming and the joints of meat turning on the and dripping with and the cook maids beating up or and felt for the moment that if i could but have the run of one of those and the might have the hungry heights of for me oh sir talk of meditations among the they are nothing so melancholy as the meditations of a poor devil without penny in along a line of kitchen windows towards at length when almost reduced to famine and despair the idea all at once entered my head that perhaps i was not so clever a fellow as the village and myself had supposed it was the | 48 |
not a more complete game at cross purposes than the intercourse of the literary and the great the fine gentleman is always anxious to be thought a wit and the wit a fine gentleman i have noticed a lord endeavouring to look wise and to talk with a man of letters who was at a fashionable air and the tone of a man who had lived about town the peer quoted a score or two of learned authors with whom he would fain be thought intimate while the author talked of sir john this and sir harry that and the he had drank at lord such a one s each seemed to forget that he could only be interesting to the other in his proper character had the peer been merely a man of the author would never have listened to his and had the author known all the nobility in the court it would have given him no interest in the eyes of the peer in the same way i have seen a fine lady for beauty weary a philosopher with while the philosopher put an awkward air of gallantry played with her and about the opera i have heard a sentimental poet talk very with a about the national debt and on ing a knot of scientific old gentlemen in a comer expecting to hear the discussion of some valuable discovery i found they were only amusing themselves with a fat story a practical philosopher the anecdotes i had heard of s early together with a variety of peculiarities which i had remarked in himself gave me a strong curiosity to know something of his own history i am a traveller of the good old school and am fond of the custom laid down in books according to which whenever travellers met they sat down forthwith and gave a history of themselves and their adventures this too was a man much to my taste he had seen the world and mingled with society yet retained the strong of a man who had lived much alone there was a careless dash of good humour about him which pleased me exceedingly nd at times an a practical philosopher odd tinge of melancholy mingled with his humour and gave it an additional zest he was apt to run into long speculations upon society and manners and to indulge in views of human nature yet there was nothing iu tempered in his satire it ran more upon the follies than the vices of mankind and even the follies of his fellow man were treated with the of one who felt himself to be but frail he had evidently been a little chilled and by fortune without being thereby at some fruits become and more in from having been bruised and i have always had a great relish for the conversation of practical philosophers of this stamp who have by the sweet uses of without its bitterness who have learnt to estimate the world rightly yet good and who while ihey perceive the truth of the saying that all is vanity are yet able to do so without vexation of spirit such a man was in general a a practical philosopher lai philosopher and if at any time a of sadness stole across his brow it was but transient like a summer cloud which soon goes by and and the fields over which it passes i was walking with him one day in for he was a knowing in all the cheap pleasures and rural haunts within reach of the metropolis it was a delightful warm morning in spring and he was in the happy mood of a pastoral citizen when just turned loose into grass and sunshine he had been a lark which rising from a bed of and yellow cups had sung his way up to a bright cloud floating in the deep blue sky of au birds said he i should like to be a lark he in the brightest time of the day in the happiest season of the year among fresh meadows and opening flowers and when he has himself with the sweetness of earth he wings his flight up to heaven as if he would drink in the melody of the morning stars hark a practical philosopher to that note how it comes down upon the ear what a stream of music note falling over note in delicious who would trouble his head about and con when he could walk in the fields and hear such music for nothing these are the which set riches at scorn and make even a poor man independent i care not fortune what you do deny you cannot rob me of free nature s grace you cannot shut the windows of the sky through which shows her bright face you cannot bar my constant feet to trace the woods and by living streams at eve sir there are in nature s works worth all the wisdom of the schools if we could but read them rightly and one of the lessons i ever received in a time of trouble was from hearing the notes of a lark i by this vein to intimate to a wish to know something of the events of his life which i fancied must have been an one a philosopher he smiled when i expressed my desire i have no great story said he to relate a mere of errors and follies but such as it is you shall have one epoch of it by which you may judge of the rest and so without any further he gave me the following anecdotes of his early adventures on the young man of great expectations i was bom to very little property but to great expectations which is perhaps one of the most unlucky fortunes that a man can be bom to my father was a gentleman the last of a | 48 |
very ancient and honourable but decayed family and resided in an old in he was a keen man and lived to the extent of his income so that i had little to expect from that quarter but then i had a rich uncle by the s side a who it was confidently expected would make me his heir because he was an old ba because i was named after him and because he hated all the world except myself he was in fact an a even in and up a grudge as he did a guinea thus though my mother was an only sister he had never forgiven her marriage with my father against whom he had a cold still which had lain at the bottom of his heart like a stone in a well ever since they had been school boys together my mother however considered me as the being that was to bring every thing again into harmony for she looked upon me as a god bless her my heart whenever i recall her tenderness she was the most excellent the most indulgent of mothers i was her only child it was a pity she had no more for she had fondness of heart enough to have spoiled a dozen i was sent at an early age to a public school sorely against my mothers wishes but my ther insisted that it was the only way to boys hardy the school was kept by a conscientious of the ancient system who did his duty by the boys to his care that is to say we were soundly when we did not get our lessons we were put into classes and thus on in along the of knowledge in much the same manner as cattle are driven to market where those that are heavy in gait or short in have to for the superior or longer limbs of their companions for my part i confess it with shame i was an i have always had the poetical feeling that is to say i have always been an idle fellow and prone to play the vagabond i used to get away from my books and school whenever i could and about the fields i was surrounded by for such a temperament the school house was an mansion of wood and plaster on the skirts of a beautiful village close by it was the venerable with a tall spire before it spread a lovely green valley with a little stream glistening along willow groves while a line of blue hills that bounded the landscape gave rise to many a summer day dream as to the fairy land that lay beyond in spite of all the i suffered at that school to make me love my book i cannot but look back upon the place with fondness indeed i considered this frequent as the common lot of humanity p nd the regular mode in which scholars were made my kind mother used to lament over my details of the sore trials i in the cause of learning but my father turned a deaf ear to her he had been through school himself and swore there was no other way of making a man of parts though let me i it with all due reverence my father was but an indifferent illustration of his theory for he was considered a grievous my poetical temperament evinced itself at a very early period the village church was at vol i s tended every sunday by a neighbouring squire the lord of the whose park stretched quite to the village and whose spacious country seat seemed to take the church imder its protection indeed you would have thought the church had been consecrated to him instead of to the deity the parish clerk bowed low before him and the themselves the dust his presence he always entered a little late and with some stir striking his cane emphatically on the swaying his hat in his hand and looking to the right and left as he walked slowly up the aisle and the parson who always ate his dinner with him never commenced service he appeared he sat with his family in a large lined himself devoutly on velvet cushions and reading lessons of and of spirit out of splendid gold and mo prayer books whenever the parson spoke of the of a rich man s entering the kingdom of heaven the eyes of the congregation would turn towards the grand and i thought the squire seemed pleased with the application the pomp of this and the air of the family struck my imagination and i fell desperately in love with a little daughter of the squire s about twelve years of age this of fancy made me more from my studies than ever i used to stroll about the squire s park and would near the house to catch glimpses of this little at the windows or playing about the lawn or walking out with her i had not enterprise nor impudence enough to venture from my concealment indeed i felt like an until i read one or two of s when i pictured myself as some deity and she a wood of whom i was in pursuit there is something extremely delicious in these early of the tender passion i can feel even at this moment the of my boyish bosom whenever by chance i caught a glimpse of her white frock fluttering among the i carried s about in my bosom a volume of which i had from my mother s library and i applied to my little fair one all the compliments upon at length i danced with her at a school ball i was so awkward a that i dared scarcely speak to her i was filled with awe and embarrassment in her presence but i was so inspired that my poetical temperament for the first time broke out in verse | 48 |
and i some glowing lines in which i the little lady under the favourite name of i slipped the verses trembling and blushing into her hand the next sunday as she came out of church the little handed them to her mamma the handed them to the squire the squire who had no soul for poetry sent them in to the and the with a worthy of the dark ages gave me a and peculiarly humiliating for thus upon this was a sad outset for a of the muse it ought to have cured me of my passion for poetry but it only confirmed it for i felt the spirit of a martyr rising within me what was as well perhaps it cured me of my passion for the young lady for i felt so indignant at the i had incurred in her charms that i could not hold up my head in church fortunately for my wounded sensibility the holidays came on and i returned home my mother as usual inquired into all my school concerns my little pleasures and cares and sorrows for boyhood has its share of the one as well as of the others i told her all and she was indignant at the had experienced she fired up at the of the squire and the of the daughter and as to the she wondered where was the use of having and why boys could not remain at home and be educated by under the eye of their mothers she asked to see the verses i had written and she was delighted them for to confess the truth she had a pretty taste in poetry she even showed them to the parson s wife who protested they were charming and the parson s three daughters insisted on each having a copy of them all this was exceedingly and i was still more consoled and encouraged when the young ladies who were the blue stockings of the neighbourhood and had read dr johnson s lives quite through assured my mother that great never studied but were always idle upon which i began to that i was myself something out of the common run my father however was of a very different opinion for when my mother in the pride of her heart showed him my copy of verses he threw them out of the window asking her if she meant to make a ballad of the boy but he was a careless common man and i cannot say that i ever loved him much my mother absorbed all my filial affection i used occasionally during holidays to be sent on short visits to the who was to make me his heir they thought it would keep me in his mind and render him fond of me he was a withered anxious looking old fellow and lived in a desolate old country seat which he suffered to go to ruin from absolute he kept but one man servant who had lived or rather starved with him for years no woman was allowed to sleep in the house a daughter of the old servant lived by the gate in what had been a porter s lodge and was permitted to come into the house about an hour each day to make the beds and cook a morsel of provisions the park that surrounded the house was all run wild the trees grown out of shape the fish the and statues fallen from their and buried among the rank grass the and were so little except by that they bred in great abundance and about the rough and avenues to guard the premises and frighten off robbers of which he was somewhat apprehensive and visitors whom he had in almost equal awe my kept two or three blood hounds who were always round s the house and were the dread of the neighbouring they were gaunt and half starved seemed ready to one from mere hunger and were an effectual check on any stranger s approach to this castle such was my uncle s house which i used to visit now and then during the holidays i was as i before said the old man s favourite that is to say he did not hate me so much as he did the rest of the world i had been of his and to cultivate his good will but i was too young and careless to be a and indeed have never been sufficiently of my interests to let them govern my feelings however we on very well together and as my visits cost him almost nothing they did not seem to be very unwelcome i brought with me my fishing rod and half supplied the table from the fish our meals were solitary and my uncle rarely spoke he pointed for whatever he panted and the servant perfectly understood him indeed his man john or iron john as he was called in the neighbourhood was a of his master he was a tall bony old fellow with a dry wig that seemed made of cow s tail and a face as tough as though it had been made of cow s hide he was generally clad in a long patched livery coat taken out of the wardrobe of the house and which loosely about him having evidently belonged to some in the more days of the mansion from long habits of the hinges of his jaws seemed to have grown absolutely rusty and it cost him as much effort to set them and to let out a tolerable sentence as it would have done to set open the iron gates of the park and let out the old family carriage that was dropping to pieces in the coach house i cannot say however but that i was for some time amused with my uncle s peculiarities even the very of the establishment had something in it that hit my fancy | 48 |
when the weather was fine i used to amuse myself in a solitary way by rambling about the park and like a across its the and seemed to stare with surprise to see a human being walking these forbidden grounds by daylight sometimes i amused myself by stones or shooting at birds with a bow and arrows for to have used a gun would have been treason now and then my path was crossed by a little red headed ragged the son of the woman at the lodge who ran wild about the premises i tried to draw him into familiarity and to make a companion of him but he seemed to have the strange character of every tl ng around him and always kept aloof so i considered him as another and amused myself with shooting at him with my bow and arrows and he would hold up his breeches with one hand and away like a deer there was something in all this loneliness and strangely pleasing to me the great stables empty and weather broken with the names of favourite horses over the vacant the windows and up the broken roofs by and jack all had a singularly forlorn appearance one would have concluded the house to be totally were it not for a little thread of blue smoke which now and then curled up like a from the centre of one of the wide chimneys where my uncle s meal was cooking my uncle s room was in a remote comer of the building strongly secured and generally locked i was never admitted into this strong hold where the old man would remain for the greater part of the time drawn up like a in the of his web the rest of the mansion however was open to me and i wandered about it the damp and rain which beat in through the broken windows the paper from the walls the pictures and gradually destroyed the furniture i loved to about the wide waste chambers in bad weather and listen to the ing of the wind and the about of the doors and window shutters i pleased myself with the idea how completely when i came to the estate i would all things and make the old building ring with merriment till it was astonished at its own the chamber which i occupied on these visits was the same that had been my mother s when a girl there was still the toilet table of her own the of her own drawing she had never seen it since her marriage but would often ask me if every thing was still the same all was just the same for i loved that chamber on her account and had taken pains to put every thing in order and to mend all the in the windows with my own hands i anticipated the time when i should once more welcome her to the house of her fathers and restore her to this little place of her childhood at length my evil or what perhaps is the same thing the muse inspired me with the notion of again my uncle who never went to church used on sundays to read chapters out of the bible and iron john the woman from the lodge and myself were his congregation it seemed to be all one to him what he read so long as it was something from the bible sometimes therefore it would be the song of solomon and this withered would read about being stayed with and comforted with apples for he was sick of love sometimes he would with spectacles on nose through whole chapters of hard hebrew names in at which the poor woman would sigh and groan as if moved his favourite book however was the pilgrim s progress and when he came to that part which treats of doubting castle and giant despair i thought invariably of him and his desolate old country seat so much did the idea amuse me that i took to about it under the trees in the park and in a few days had made some progress in a poem in which i had given a description of the place under the name of doubting castle and my uncle as giant despair i lost my poem somewhere about the house and i soon suspected that my uncle had found it as he harshly intimated to me that i could return home and that i need not come and see him again till he should send for me just about this time my mother died i cannot dwell upon the circumstance my heart careless and as it is with the recollection her death was an event that perhaps gave a turn to all my after fortunes with her died all that made home attractive i had no longer any body whom i was ambitious to please or fearful to offend my father was a good kind of man in his way but he had bad in education and we differed on material points it makes a vast difference in opinion about the utility of the rod which end happens to fall to one s share i never could be brought into my father s way of thinking on the subject i now therefore began to grow very impatient of remaining at school to be for things that i did not like i longed for variety now that i had not my uncle s to resort to by way of the of school with the of his country seat i was now almost seventeen tall for my age and full of idle fancies i had a desire to see different kinds of life and different orders of society and this humour had been in me by tom the prime wag and great genius of the school who had all the rambling of a poet i used to sit at my desk in | 48 |
the school on a fine summer s day and instead of studying the book which lay open before me my eye was gazing through the window on the green fields and blue hills how i envied the groups seated on the tops of stage and joking and laughing as they were whirled by ihe school house on their way to the metropolis even the along beside their ponderous and the kingdom from one end to the other were objects of envy to me i fancied to myself what adventures they must experience and what odd scenes of life they must witness all this was doubtless the poetical temperament working within me and tempting me forth into a world of its own creation which i for the world of real life while my mother lived this strong to was by the stronger attractions of home and by the powerful ties of affection which drew me to her side but now that she was gone the attractions had ceased the ties were severed i had no longer an ground for my heart but was at the mercy of every impulse nothing but the narrow allowance on which my father kept me and the consequent of my purse prevented me from mounting the top of a and myself adrift on the great ocean of life just about this time the village was agitated for a day or two by the passing through of several containing wild beasts and other spectacles for a great fair held at a neighbouring town i had never seen a fair of any consequence and my curiosity was powerfully awakened by this bustle of preparation i gazed with respect a nd wonder at the personages who accompanied these i about the village inn listening with curiosity and delight to the talk and cant jokes of the and their followers and i felt an eager desire to witness this fair which my fancy out as something fine a holiday afternoon presented when i could be absent from noon until evening a was going from the village to the fair i could not resist the temptation nor the eloquence of tom who was a to the very heart s core we hired seats and set off full of boyish expectation i promised myself that i would but take a peep at the land of promise and hasten back again before my absence should be noticed heavens how happy i was arriving at the fair how i was enchanted with the world of and around me the vol i t of punch the of the the tricks of the but what principally caught ray attention was an theatre where a tragedy and farce were all acted in the course of half an hour and more of the persons murdered than at either lane or in the course of a whole evening i have since seen many a play performed by the best actors in the w ld but never have i derived half the delight from any that i did from this first representation there was a ferocious tyrant in a skull cap like an and a dress of red embroidered with gilt leather with his face so and his eye brows so knit and expanded with burnt cork that he made my heart within me as he stamped about the little stage i was too with the surpassing beauty of a distressed in faded pink silk and dirty white muslin whom he held in cruel by way of gaining her affections and who and wrung her hands and flourished a ragged white handkerchief from the top of an tower of the size of a even after i had come out from the play i could not tear myself from the vicinity of the theatre but lingered gazing and wondering and laughing at the as they performed their or danced upon a stage in front of the to a new set of spectators i was so bewildered by the scene and so lost iq the crowd of that kept upon me that i was like one i lost my companion tom in a tumult and that took place near one of the shows but i was too much occupied in mind to think long about him i strolled about until dark when the fair was lighted up and a new scene of magic opened upon me the illumination of the tents and the brilliant effect of the stages decorated with lamps with dramatic groups about them in gaudy dresses contrasted splendidly with the surrounding dark ness while the uproar of drums trumpets t and mingled with the of the the of punch and the shouts and laughter of the crowd all united to complete my giddy distraction time flew without my perceiving it when i came to myself and thought of the school i hastened to return i inquired for the in which i had come it had been gone for hours i asked the time it was midnight a sudden seized me how was i to get back to school i was too weary to make the journey on foot and i knew not where to apply for a conveyance even if i should find one could i venture to disturb the school house long after midnight to arouse that sleeping lion the in the very midst of his night s rest the idea was too dreadful for a school boy all the horrors of return rushed upon me my ce long before this have been remarked and absent for a whole night a deed of darkness not easily to be the rod of the forth into terrors before my fancy i pictured to myself and humiliation in every variety of form and my heart at the picture alas how often are the petty ills of boyhood as painful to our tender natures as are the evils of manhood to our minds i wandered about among | 48 |
the and i might have derived a lesson from my actual feelings how much the charms of this world depend upon ourselves for i no longer saw any thing gay or delightful in the around me at length i lay down wearied and perplexed behind one of the large tents and covering myself with the margin of the tent cloth to keep off the night chill i soon fell asleep i had not slept long when i was awakened by the noise of merriment within it was the theatre rudely constructed of boards and canvas i peeped through an and saw the whole tragedy comedy and all refreshing themselves after the final dismissal of their they were merry and game some and made the theatre ring with their laughter i was astonished to see the tragedy tyrant in red and fierce whiskers who had made my heart as he about the boards now transformed into a fat good humoured fellow the beaming laid aside from his brow and his jolly face washed from all the terrors of burnt cork i was delighted too to see the distressed in faded silk and dirty muslin who had trembled under his tyranny and afflicted me so much by her sorrows now seated familiarly on his knee and from the same lay asleep on one of the benches and and were together laughing at a broad story told by an unhappy count who had been murdered in the tragedy this was indeed novelty to me it was a peep into another planet i gazed and listened with intense curiosity and enjoyment they had a thousand odd stories and jokes about the events of the day and descriptions and of the who had been them their conversation was full of allusions to their adventures at different places where they had exhibited the characters they had met with in different es and the iti difficulties in which they had occasionally been involved all past cares and troubles were now turned by these thoughtless beings into matter of merriment and made to contribute to the gaiety of the moment they had been moving from fair to fair about the kingdom and were the next morning to set out on their way to london my resolution was taken i stole from my nest and crept through a hedge into a neighbouring field where i went to work to make a of myself i tore my clothes soiled them with dirt my and hands and crawling near one of the an old hat and left my new one in its place it was an honest and i hope may not hereafter rise ui n judgment against me ow ventured to the scene of merry making and presenting myself before the dramatic corps offered myself as a i felt terribly agitated and abashed for never before had i stood in such presence i had addressed myself to the manager of the company he was a fat man dressed in dirty white with a red fringed with round his body his face was with paint and a majestic from an old black bonnet he was the of this and was surrounded by the inferior gods and of his court he sat on the end of a bench by a table with one arm and the other extended to the handle of a which he had slowly set down from his as he surveyed me from head to foot it was a moment of awful scrutiny and i fancied the groups around all watching as in silent suspense and waiting for the imperial nod he questioned me as to who i what were my and what terms i expected i passed myself off for a discharged servant from a gentleman s family and as hap one does not require a special recommendation to get admitted into bad company the questions on that head were easily satisfied as to my accomplishments i could a little poetry and knew several scenes of plays which i had learnt at school i could dance that was enough no further questions were asked me as to accomplishments it was the thing they wanted and as asked no wages but merely meat and drink and safe conduct about the world a bargain was struck in a moment behold me therefore transformed on a sudden from a gentleman student to a dancing for such in fact was the character in which i made my i was one of those who formed the groups in the and was principally employed on the stage in front of the to attract company i was equipped as a in a dress of that fitted to my shape with a great laughing mask ornamented with huge ears and short horns i was pleased with the disguise because it kept me from the danger of being discovered whilst we were in that part of the country and as i had merely to dance and make the character was favourable to a being almost on a par with snug s part of the lion required nothing but roaring i cannot tell you how happy i was at this sudden change in my situation i felt no degradation for i had seen too society to be thoughtful about the difference of rank and a boy of sixteen is seldom i had given up no friend for there seemed to be no one in the world that cared for me now my poor mother was dead i had given up no pleasure for my pleasure was to about and indulge the flow of a poetical imagination and i now enjoyed it in perfection there is no life so truly poetical as that of a dancing it may be said that all this argued inclinations i do not think so not that i mean to myself in any great degree i know too well what a compound i am but in this instance i was by no i | 48 |
love of low company nor disposition to indulge in low vices i have always despised the vulgar and i have always had a disgust at vice whether in high or low life i was governed merely by a sudden and thoughtless impulse i had no idea of to this profession as a mode of life or of myself to these people as my future class of society i thought merely of a temporary gratification to my curiosity and an indulgence of my i had already a strong relish for the peculiarities of character and the varieties of situation and i have always been fond of the comedy of life and desirous of seeing it through all its shifting scenes in mingling therefore among and i was protected by the very vivacity of imagination which had led me among them i moved about enveloped as it in a protecting delusion which my fancy spread around me i to these people only as they struck me their ways and a certain in their mode of life entertained me but i was neither amused nor by their vices in le i among them as prince did among his associates merely to gratify my humour i did not investigate my motives in this manner at the time for i was careless and thoughtless to reason about the matter but i do so now when i look back with trembling to think of the ordeal to which i exposed myself md the manner in which i passed through it nothing i am convinced but the poetical temperament that hurried me into the scrape brought me out of it without my becoming an vagabond full of the enjoyment of the moment giddy with the of animal spirits so in a boy i i danced i played a thousand fantastic tricks about the stage in the villages in which we exhibited and i was universally pronounced the most agreeable that had ever been seen in those parts my disappearance from school had awakened my father s anxiety for i one day heard a tion of myself cried before the very in which i was exhibiting with the offer of a reward for any intelligence of me i had no great scruple about letting my father suffer a little uneasiness on my account it would punish him for past indifference and would make him value me the more when he found me again i wondered that some of my comrades did not recognise me in the stray sheep that was cried but they were all no doubt occupied by their own concerns they were all seriously in their for folly was a mere trade with most of them and they often grinned and with heavy hearts with me on the contrary it was all real i acted con and rattled and laughed from the irrepressible gaiety of my spirits it is true that now and then i started and looked grave on receiving a sudden from the wooden sword of in the course of my as it brought to mind the of my but i soon got accustomed to it and bore all the and kicking and about which form the practical wit of your with a good humour that made me a prodigious favourite the country campaign of the troop was soon at an end and we set off for the metropolis to perform at the which are held in its vicinity the greater part of our theatrical property was sent on direct to be in a state of preparation for the opening of the while a of the company travelled slowly on among the villages i was amused with the kind of life we led here to day and gone to morrow sometimes in ale houses sometimes under hedges in the green fields when were crowded and business profitable we well and when otherwise we consoled ourselves and made up with of the next day s success at length the increasing of hurrying past us covered with passengers the increasing number of carriages carts of cattle and flocks of sheep all the road the snug country boxes with trim flower gardens twelve feet square and their trees twelve feet high all powdered with dust and the innumerable for young ladies and gentlemen situated along the road for the benefit of country air and rural retirement all these announced that the mighty london was at hand the and the crowd and the bustle and the noise and the dust increased as we proceeded until i saw the great cloud of smoke hanging in the air like a of state over this queen of cities in this way then did i enter the metropolis a strolling vagabond on the top of a with a crew of about me but i was as happy as a prince for like prince i felt myself superior to my situation and knew that i could at any time cast it off and into my proper sphere how my eyes sparkled as we passed park comer and i saw splendid roll ing by with powdered behind in with fine and gold headed and with lovely women within so dressed and so fair i was always extremely sensible to female beauty and here i saw it in all its power of fascination for whatever may be said of beauty there is something almost in female love out in state the neck encircled with diamonds the locks clustered with pearls j the on the snowy bosom are objects which i could never contemplate without emotion and a dazzling white arm clasped with and transparent fingers laden with sparkling rings are to me irresistible my very eyes ached as i gazed at the high and beauty that passed before me it surpassed all that my imagination had conceived of the sex i for a moment into shame at the company in which i was placed and at the vast distance that seemed to between me and | 48 |
these magnificent beings i forbear to give a detail of the happy life i led about the skirts of the metropolis playing at the various held there during the latter part of spring and the beginning of summer this continued change from place to place and scene to fed my imagination with and kept my spirits in a perpetual state of excitement as i was tall of my age i at one time to play heroes in tragedy but after two or three trials i was pronounced by e manager totally unfit for the line and our first tragic who was a large woman and held a small hero in confirmed his de the fact is i had attempted to give point to language which had no point and nature to scenes which had no nature they said i did not fill out my characters and they were right the characters had all been prepared for a different sort of man our tragedy hero was a round fellow with an amazing voice vol i u v who stamped and his breast until his wig shook again and who roared and out his until every phrase swelled upon the ear like the sound of a kettle drum i might as well have attempted to fill out his clothes as his characters when we had a dialogue together i was nothing before him with my slender voice and manner i might as well have attempted to a with a small sword if he found me in any way gaining ground upon him he would take refuge in mighty voice and throw his tones like of thunder at me until they were drowned in the still louder of applause from the audience to tell the truth i suspect that i was not shown fair play and that there was management at the bottom for without vanity i think i was a better actor than he as i had not embarked in the vagabond line through ambition i did not at lack of but i was grieved to find that a life was not without its cares and anxieties and that and mad ambition were to be found even indeed as i became more familiar with my situation and the of fancy gradually faded away i b an to find that my associates were not the happy careless creatures i had at first imagined them they were jealous of each other s talents they quarrelled about parts the same as the actors on the grand theatres they quarrelled about dresses and there was one robe of yellow silk trimmed with red and a of three feathers which were continually setting the ladies of the company by the ears even those who had attained the highest honours were not more happy than the rest for mr himself our first and apparently a jovial good humoured fellow confessed to me one day in the fulness of his heart that he was a miserable man he had a brother in law a relative by marriage though not by blood who was manager of a theatre in a small country town and this same brother a little more than kin but less u than kind looked down upon him and treated him with because he was but a i tried to console him with the thoughts of the vast applause he daily received but it was all in vain he declared that it gave him no delight and that he should never be a happy man until the name of the name of how little do those before the scenes know of what passes behind how little can they judge firom the countenances of actors of what is passing in their hearts i have known two lovers quarrel like cats behind the scenes who were the moment after to fly into each other s embraces and i have dreaded when our was to take her of her lest she should bite a piece out of his cheek our was a rough oflf the stage our prime the most mortal living the latter used to go about snapping and with a broad laugh painted on his countenance and i can assure you that whatever may be said of the gravity of a monkey or the melancholy of a cat there is no more melancholy creature in existence than a off duty the only thing in which all parties agreed was to the manager and against his this however i have since discovered to be a common trait of human and to take place in all it would seem to be the main business of man to at government in all of life into which i have looked i have found mankind divided into two grand parties those who ride and those who are ridden the great struggle of life seems to be which shall keep in the saddle this it appears to me is the principle of politics whether in great or little life however i do not mean to but one cannot always sink the philosopher well then to return to myself it was determined as i said that i was not fit for tragedy and as my study was bad having a very poor memory i was pronounced unfit for comedy also besides the line of young gentle men was already engrossed by an actor with whom i could not pretend to enter into competition he filled it for almost half a century i came down again therefore to in consequence however of the offices of the manager s lady who had taken a liking to me i was promoted from th part of the to that of the lover and with my face patched and painted a huge of paper a crowned hat and dangling long skirted sky blue coat was into the lover of my part did not call for mu of the tender and sentimental i had merely to pursue the | 48 |
fugitive fair one to have a door now and then in my face to run head occasionally against a post to tumble and roll about with and the and to endure the hearty of s wooden sword as ill luck would have it my poetical began to within me and to work out new troubles the air of a great metropolis added to the rural scenes in which the were held such as park forest and the lovely valley of west end had a powerful effect upon me while in park i was witness to the old holiday games of running down hill and kissing in the ring and then the of blooming faces and blue eyes would be turned towards me as i was playing on the stage all these set my young blood and my poetical vein in flow in short i played the character to the life and became desperately of she was a trim well made tempting girl with a face and fine chestnut hair all about it the moment i got fairly smitten there was an end to all playing i was such a creature of fancy and feeling that i could not put on a pretended when i was powerfully affected by a real emotion i could not sport with a fiction that came so near to the fact i became too natural in my acting to succeed and then what a situation for a lover i was a mere and she played with my passion for girls soon grow more in these matters than your awkward what agonies had i to suffer every time that she danced in front of the and made such liberal of her charms i was in to complete my misery i had a real rival in an active vigorous knowing of six and twenty what had a raw inexperienced like me to hope from such a competition i had still however some advantages in my favour in spite of my change of life i retained that indescribable something which always the gentleman that something which dwells in a man s air and and not in his clothes and which it is as a gentleman to put off as for a vulgar fellow to put on the company generally felt it and used to call me little jack the girl felt it too and in spite of her for my powerful rival she liked to with me this only my troubles by increasing my passion and awakening the jealousy of her party lover alas think what i suffered at being obliged to keep up an ineffectual chase after my through whole to see her carried off in the vigorous arms of the happy and to be obliged instead of snatch ing her from him to tumble with and the and bear the infernal and degrading of my rival s weapon of which may heaven confound him excuse my passion the villain laid on with a malicious good will nay i could absolutely hear him chuckle and laugh beneath his accursed mask i beg pardon for growing a little warm in my i wish to be cool but these recollections will sometimes me i have heard and read of many desperate and deplorable situations of lovers but none i think in which true love was ever exposed to so severe and peculiar a trial this could not last long flesh and blood at least and blood as mine could not bear it i had repeated heart and quarrels with my rival in which he treated me with the forbearance of a man towards a child had he quarrelled outright with me i could have it at least i should have known what part to take but to be humoured and treated as a child in the presence of my mistress when i felt all the spirit of a little man swelling within me gods it was at length we were exhibiting one day at west end fair which was at that time a very fashionable resort and often with gay from town among the spectators that filled the front row of our little canvas theatre one afternoon when i had to figure in a were a number of yoimg ladies from a boarding school with their guess my confusion when in the midst of my i beheld the number my flame her whom i had at school her for whose charms i had so severely the l what was worse i fancied i he me and was repeating the story of my humiliating for i saw her whispering to her companions and her i lost all consciousness of the part i was acting and of the place where i was i felt shrunk to nothing and could have crept into a rat none was open to receive me before i could recover from my confusion i was tumbled over by and the and i felt the sword of making vigorous in a manner most degrading to my dignity heaven and earth was i again to in this manner in the knowledge and even before the very eyes of this most beautiful but most of fair ones all my long smothered wrath broke out at once the feelings of the gentleman arose within me stung to the quick by intolerable mortification i sprang on my feet in an instant leaped up m like a young tiger tore off his mask him in the face and soon shed more blood on the stage than had been upon it during a whole tragic campaign of battles and as soon as recovered from his surprise he returned my assault with interest i was nothing in his hands i was game to be sure for i was a gentleman but he had the advantage of bone and muscle i felt as if i could have fought even unto the death and i was likely to do so for he was according | 48 |
to the phrase putting my head into when the gentle flew to my assistance god bless the women they are always on the side of the weak and the oppressed the battle now became general the ranged on either side the manager interposed in vain in vain were his black bonnet and towering white feathers seen about and nodding and in the of the fight warriors ladies priests kings queens gods and all joined in the never since the conflict under the walls of had there been such a chance warfare of human and divine the audience applauded the ladies shrieked and fled from the theatre and a scene of discord ensued that all description nothing but the interference of the peace officers restored some degree of order the however that had been made among dresses and put an end to all further acting for that day the battle over the next thing was to inquire why it was begun a common question among after a bloody and war and one not always easy to be answered it was soon traced to me and my transport of passion which they could only attribute to my having run a the manager was judge and jury into the bargain and in such cases justice is always speedily administered he came out of the fight as sublime a wreck as the his gallant which once aloft were drooping about his ears his robe of state hung in from his bade and but ill concealed the he had suffered in the rear he had received and from all sides during the tumult for every one took the opportunity of gratifying some lurking grudge on his fat he was a discreet man and did not choose to declare war with all his company so he swore all those and had been given by me and i let him enjoy the opinion some wounds he bore however which were the traces of a woman s warfare his sleek rosy cheek was by which w e ascribed to the nails of my and devoted the ire of the monarch was not to be appeased he had suffered in his person and he had suffered in his purse his dignity too had been insulted and that went for something for dignity is always more the more petty the he his wrath upon the of the and and myself were discharged at once om the company figure me then to a of little more than i a gentleman by birth a vagabond by trade turned adrift upon the world making the best of my way through the crowd of west end fair my dress fluttering in rags about me the weeping hanging upon my arm in splendid but tattered finery the tears one by one down her face carrying off the red paint in torrents and literally upon her cheek the crowd made way for us as we passed and in our rear i felt the ridicule of my situation but had too much gallantry to desert this fair one who had sacrificed every thing for me having wandered through the fair we i emerged like another adam and eve into unknown regions and had the world before us where to choose never was a more pair seen in the soft valley of west end the cast back many a lingering look at the fair which seemed to put on a more than usual splendour its tents and and party coloured groups all brightening in the and gleaming the tr es and its gay flags and fluttering in the light summer airs with a heavy sigh she would lean on my arm and proceed i had no hope nor consolation to give her but she had linked herself to my fortunes and she was too much of a woman to desert me pensive and silent then we traversed the beautiful fields which lie behind and wandered on the fiddle and the and the shout and the laugh were swallowed up in the deep sound of the big bass drum and even that died away into a distant we passed along the pleasant walk of lane for a pair of lovers what scene could be more but such pair of lovers not a sang to soothe us the very who were during the fair made no offer to tell the fortunes of such an ill couple whose fortunes i suppose they thought too written to need an and the children crawled into their and peeped out fearfully at us as we went by for a moment i paused and was almost tempted to turn but tke poetical feeling for the present was fully satisfied and i passed on thus we travelled and travelled like a prince and princess in nursery tale until we had traversed a part of heath and arrived in the vicinity of jack straw s castle here wearied and we seated ourselves on the margin of the hill hard by the very mile stone where of heard the bow bells ring out the of his future greatness alas no bell rung an invitation to us as we looked upon the distant city old seemed to wrap itself in its t mantle of brown smoke and to offer no ent to such a couple of for once at least the usual course of the pan was reversed was and the lover had carried off in good earnest but what was i to her i could not take her in my hand return to my father throw myself on my knees and his forgiveness and his blessing according to vol i x dramatic usage the very would have chased such a beauty from the grounds in the midst of my some one tapped me on my shoulder and looking up i saw a couple of rough sturdy fellows standing behind me not knowing what to expect i jumped on my legs and was preparing again to make | 48 |
i believe he thought of my poor mother at the time and his heart towards her child his eye when he received me at the door and he took me into his arms as the adopted child of his affections never had i been so fortunately placed he was one of those excellent members of our church who help out their narrow by a few gentlemen s sons i am convinced those little are among the best of talent and virtue in the land both heart and mind are cultivated and improved the pre is the companion and the friend of his pupils his sacred character gives him dignity in their eyes and his solemn functions produce that elevation of mind and of conduct necessary to those who are to youth to and act i from my own random observation and experience but i think i speak correctly at any rat i can trace much of what is good in my own compound to the short time i was under the instruction of that good man he the cares and occupations and amusements of his pupils and won his way into ice and studied our hearts and minds more intently than we did our books he soon the of my character i had become as i have already hinted a little liberal m my notions and i to on both politics and having seen of men and things and learnt from my the to despise all vulgar prejudices he did not attempt to cast down my vain glory nor to question my right view of things he merely into my mind a little information on these topics though in a quiet way that never ruffled a feather of my self conceit i was astonished to find what a change a little knowledge makes in one s mode of matters and how very different a subject is when one thinks or when one only talks about it i conceived a vast deference for my teacher and was ambitious of his good opinion in my zeal to make a favourable impression i presented him with a whole of my poetry he read it attentively smiled and pressed my hand when he returned it to me but said nothing the next day be set me at somehow or o er the process of teaching seemed robbed by him of all its i was not conscious that he an inclination or opposed a wish but i felt that for the time my inclinations were entirely changed i became fond of study and zealous to improve myself i made tolerable advances in studies which i had before considered as and i wondered at my own i thought too i astonished my for i often caught his eyes fixed upon me with a peculiar expression i suspect since that he was tracing in my countenance the early of my mother education was not by him into tasks and as a labour to be abandoned with joy the moment the hour of study was expired we had it is true our allotted hours of occupation to give us habits of method and of the distribution of time but they were made pleasant to us and our feelings were in the cause when they were over education still went on it pervaded all our nd amusements there was a steady march of improvement much of his instruction was given during pleasant or when seated on the mai n of the and information received in that way often makes a deeper impression than when acquired by over books i have many of the pure and eloquent which flowed from his lips associated in my mind with lovely scenes in nature which make the recollection of them delightful i do not pretend to say that any miracle was effected with me after all said and done i was but a weak my poetical temperament still wrought within me and hard with wisdom and i fear maintained the mastery i found an intolerable task in fine weather i would be prone to forget my problems to watch the birds about the windows or the bees humming about the and whenever i could steal away i would wander about the grassy borders of the and excuse this to myself with the idea that i was treading classic ground over which had wandered what luxurious idleness have i indulged as i lay under the trees and watched the silver waves vol i y b rippling through the arches of the broken bridge and the rocky of old castle and how often have i thought of sweet and in my boyish enthusiasm have kissed the waves which had washed his native village my good would often accompany me in these he sought to get hold of this mood of mind and turn it to some account he endeavoured to teach me to mingle thought with mere sensation to on the scenes around and to make the beauties of nature administer to the understanding and the heart he endeavoured to direct my imagination to high and noble objects and to fill it with lofty images in a word he did all he could to make the best of a poetical temperament and to the mischief which had been done to me by my great expectations had i been earlier put under the care of the good or remained with him a longer time i really believe he would have made some thing of me he had brought a great deal of what had been into me into tolerable order and had out much of the wisdom which had sprung up in my i already b an to find that with all my genius a little study would be no disadvantage to me and in spite of my i began to doubt my being a see md just as i was making these precious discoveries the good parson died it was a melancholy day throughout the | 48 |
neighbourhood he had his little flock of scholars his children as he used to call gathered round him in his moments and he gave us the parting advice of a father now that he had to leave us and we were to be separated from each other and scattered about in the world he took me by the hand and talked with me earnestly and affectionately and called to mind my mother and used her name to enforce his dying for i rather think he considered me the most and heedless of his flocks he held my y hand in his long after he had done and kept his eyes fixed on me tenderly and almost his lips moved as if he were silently praying for me and he died away still holding me by the hand there was not a dry eye in the church when the funeral service was read from the pulpit from which he had so often preached when the body was committed to the earth our little band gathered round it and watched the as it was lowered into the grave t ie looked at us with sympathy for we were riot merely in dress but in heart we lingered about the grave and clung to one another for a time weeping and speechless and then parted like a band of brothers parting from the paternal hearth never to there again how had the gentle spirit of that good man our natures and linked our young hearts together by the kindest ties i have had a throb of pleasure at meeting with an old school mate even though one of my associates but whenever in the course of my life i have encountered one of that little flock with which i was folded on the banks of the it has been with a of affection and a glow of virtue that for the moment have made me a better man i was now sent to oxford and was wonderfully impressed on first entering it as a student learning here puts on all its majesty it is lodged in palaces it is by the sacred ceremonies of religion it has a pomp and circumstance which powerfully affect the imagination such at least it had in my eyes thoughtless as i was my previous studies with the worthy had prepared me to regard it with deference and awe he had been educated here and always spoke of the university with filial fondness and classic veneration when i beheld the and of this most august of cities rising from the plain i hailed them in my enthusiasm as the points of a which the nation had placed upon the brows of science for a time old oxford was full of enjoyment for me there was a charm about its buildings its great its solemn halls and shadowy i delighted in the evenings to get in places surrounded by the where all modem buildings were from the sight and to see the professors and students sweeping along in the dusk in their caps and gowns i seemed for a time to be transported among the people and of the old times i was a frequent attendant also of the evening service in the new college hall to hear the fine organ and the choir swelling an in that solemn building where painting music and architecture are in such admirable a favourite haunt too was the beautiful walk bordered by lofty elms along the river behind the gray walls of college which goes by the name of s walk from being his favourite resort when an oxford student i became also a in the library and a great into books though i cannot say that i studied them in fact being no longer under direction nor control i was gradually into mere indulgence of the fancy still this would have been pleasant and harmless enough and i might have awakened from mere literary dreaming to something better the chances were in my favour for the times of the university w re past the days of hard drinking were at an end the old of town and gown like the civil wars of the white and red rose had died away and student and citizen slept in peace and whole without risk of being summoned in the night to bloody it had become the fashion to study at the university and the odds were always in favour of my following the fashion however i fell in company with a special knot of young fellows of lively parts and ready wit who had lived occasionally upon town and into the fancy they study to be the toil of dull minds by which they slowly crept up the hill while genius arrived at it at a bound i felt ashamed to play the owl among such gay birds so i threw by my books and became a man of spirit as my father made me a tolerable allowance notwithstanding the of his income having an eye always to my great expectations i was enabled to appear to advantage among my companions i cultivated all kinds of sports and exercises i was one of the most expert that rowed on the i shot and hunted and my in college were always decorated with of all kinds spurs pieces fishing rods and gloves a pair of leather breeches would seem to be throwing one leg out of the half open drawers and empty bottles the bottom of every closet my father came to see me at college when i was in the height of my career he asked me how i came on with my studies and what kind of hunting there was in the neighbourhood he examined my various sporting apparatus with a curious eye wanted to know if any of the professors were fox hunters and whether they were generally good shots for he suspected their so much must be to the sight | 48 |
we had a day s shooting together i delighted him with my skill and astonished him by my learned on horse flesh and on s guns so upon the whole he departed highly satisfied with my improvement at college i do not know how it is but i cannot be idle long without getting in love i had not been a very long time a man of spirit therefore before i became deeply of a s daughter in the high street who in fact was the admiration of many of the students i wrote several in praise of her and spent half of my pocket money at the shop in buying articles which i did not want that i might have an opportunity of speaking to her her father a severe looking old gentleman with bright silver and a crisp curled wig kept a strict guard on her as the fathers generally do upon their daughters in oxford and well they may i tried to get into his good graces and to be with him but all in vain i said several good things in his shop but he never laughed he had no relish wit and humour he was one of those dry old gentlemen who keep at bay he had already brought up two or three daughters and was experienced in the ways of students he was as knowing and wary as a gray old that has often been to see him on so stiff and in his so precise in his dress with his daughter under his arm to all from approaching i managed however in spite of his vigilance to have several conversations with the daughter as i articles in the shop i made terrible long and examined the articles over and over before i purchased in the mean time i would convey a or an under cover of a piece of or slipped into a pair of stockings i would whisper soft nonsense into her ear as i about the price and would squeeze her hand tenderly as p i received my of change in a bit of brown paper let this serve as a hint to all who have pretty daughters for shop girls and young students for customers i do not know whether my words and looks were very eloquent but my poetry was irresistible for to tell the truth the girl had some literary taste and was seldom without a book from the library by the divine power of poetry therefore which is so potent with the lovely sex did i subdue the heart of this fair little we carried on a sentimental correspondence for a time across the counter and i supplied her with rhyme by the full at length prevailed on her to grant an but how was this to be effected her father kept her always under his eye she never walked out alone and the house was locked up the moment that the shop was shut all these difficulties served but to give zest to the adventure i proposed that the should be in her own chamber into which i would climb at night the plan was irresistible a cruel father a secret lover and a meeting all the little girl s studies from the library seemed about to be but what had i in view in making this indeed i know not i had no evil intentions nor can i say that i had any good ones i liked the girl and wanted to have an opportunity of seeing more of her and the was made as i have done many things else and without i asked myself a few questions of the kind after all my arrangements were made but the answers were very unsatisfactory am i to ruin this poor thoughtless girl said i to myself no was the prompt and indignant answer am i to run away with her whither and to what purpose well then am i to marry her a man of my expectations marry a s daughter what then am i to do with her hum why let me get into the chamber first and then consider and so the self examination ended well sir come what come might i stole under cover of the darkness to the dwelling of my all was quiet at the signal her window was gently opened it was just above the projecting bow window of her father s shop which assisted me in mounting the house was low and i was enabled to scale the fortress with tolerable ease i with a beating heart i reached the i hoisted my body half into the chamber and was welcomed not by the embraces of my expecting fair one but by the grasp of the old father in the crisp curled wig i myself from his and endeavoured to make my retreat but i was confounded by his cries of thieves and robbers i too by his sunday cane which was busy about my he as i descended and against which my hat was but a poor protection never before had i an idea of the activity of an old man s arm and the hardness of the of an ivory headed cane in my hurry and confusion i missed my footing and s fell on the pavement i was immediately by who i doubt not were on the watch for me indeed i was in no situation to escape for i had my ankle in the fall and could not stand i was seized as a and to myself of a greater crime i had to accuse myself oe a less i made known who i was and why i came there alas the knew it already and were only amusing at my expense my muse had been playing me one of her slippery tricks the old of a father had found my and hid away in holes | 48 |
man i tried to whistle off the recollection of her for there was always something of self reproach with it i drove gaily along the road enjoying the stare of and stable boys as i managed my horses down the steep street of when just at the skirts of the village one of the traces of my leader came loose i pulled up and as the animal was and my servant a i called for assistance to the master of a snug who stood at his door with a in his hand he came readily to assist me followed by his wife with her bosom half open a child in her arms and two more at her heels i stared for a moment as if doubting my eyes i could not be mistaken in the fat beer blown landlord of the ale house i recognised my old rival and in his the once trim and the change of my looks from youth to manhood and the change of my circumstances prevented them from me they could not suspect in the dashing young buck dressed and driving his own the painted beau with old hat and long sky blue coat my heart with kindness towards and i was glad to see her establishment a one as soon as the harness was adjusted i tossed a small purse of gold into her ample bosom and then pretending to give my horses a hearty cut of the whip i made the lash curl with a whistling about the sleek sides of ancient the horses dashed off like lightning and i was whirled out of sight before either of the parties could get over their surprise at my liberal i have always considered this as one of the greatest proofs of my poetical genius it was poetical justice in perfection i now entered london en y and became a blood upon town i took fashionable lodgings in the west end employed the first tailor frequented the regular a little lost my money good and gained a number of fashionable good for nothing acquaintances i gained some reputation also fox a man of science having become an expert in the course of my studies at oxford i was distinguished therefore among the gentlemen of the fancy became hand and glove with certain and was the admiration of the court a gentleman s science however is apt to get him into sad he is too prone to play the knight and to pick up quarrels which less scientific gentlemen would quietly avoid i undertook one day to the insolence of a porter he was a of a fellow but then i was so secure in my science i gained the victory of course the porter his humiliation bound up his broken head and went about his business as as though nothing had happened while i went to bed with my victory and did not dare to show my battered face for a fort night by which i discovered that a gentleman may have the worst of the battle even when victorious i am naturally a philosopher and no one can better after a misfortune has place so i lay on my bed and on this sorry ambition which the gentleman with the i know it is the opinion of many who have thought deeply on these matters that the noble science of keeps up the bull dog courage of the and far be it from me to the advantage of becoming a nation of bull dogs but i now saw clearly that it was calculated to keep up the breed of english ff what is the court said i to myself as i turned in bed but a college of where every in the land may gain a fellowship what is the language of the fancy but a by which fools and and each other and enjoy a kind of superiority over the what is a but an where the noble and the are into familiarity with the infamous and the vulgar what in fact is the fancy itself but a chain of easy communication extending from the peer down to the through the medium of which a man of rank may find he has shaken hands at three with the murderer on the enough ejaculated i thoroughly through the force of my philosophy and pain of my i have nothing more to do with the fancy so when i had recovered from my victory i turned my attention to softer and became a devoted admirer of the ladies had i had more industry and tion in my nature i might have worked my way to the very height of fashion as i saw many laborious gentlemen doing around me but it is a an anxious and ah unhappy life there are few beings so sleepless and miserable as your of fashionable smiles i was quite content with that kind of society which forms the of fashion and may be taken possession of i found it a light easy productive soil i had but to go about and sow visiting cards and i a whole harvest of invitations indeed my figure and address were by no means against me it was whispered too among the young ladies that i was clever and wrote poetry and the old ladies had ascertained that i was a young gentleman of good family handsome fortune and great expectations i now was carried away by the hurry of gay life so to a young man and which a man of poetical temperament so highly on his first of it that rapid variety of sensations that whirl of brilliant objects that succession of pleasures i had no time for thought i only felt i never attempted to write poetry my poetry seemed all to go off by i lived poetry it was all a poetical dream to me a mere knows nothing of the delights of a splendid metropolis | 48 |
he lives in a round of animal and heartless habits but to a young man of poetical feelings it is an ideal world a scene of ment and delusion his imagination is in perpetual excitement and gives a spiritual zest to every pleasure a season of town life however somewhat me of my or rather i was rendered more serious by one of my old complaints i fell in love it was with a very pretty though a very haughty fair one who had come to london under the care of an old maiden aunt to enjoy the pleasures of a winter in town and to get married there was not a doubt of her commanding a choice of lovers for she had long been the of a little cathedral city and one of the poets of the place had absolutely celebrated her beauty in a copy of latin verses the most extravagant were formed by her friends of the she would produce it was feared by some that she might be in her choice and take up with some inferior title the aunt was determined nothing should gain her under a lord alas with all her charms the yoimg lady lacked the one thing needful she had no money so she waited in vain for duke or earl to throw himself at her feet as the season so did the lady s expectations when just towards the close i made my advances i was most received by both the young lady and her aunt it is true i had no title but then such great expectations a marked preference was shown me over two rivals the son of a and a captain of on half pay i did not absolutely take the field in form for i was determined not to be but i drove my frequently through the street in which she lived and was always sure to see her at the window generally with a book in her hand i resumed my at and sent her a long copy of verses to be sure but she knew my handwriting both aunt and niece however displayed the most delightful ignorance on the subject the young lady showed them to me wondered w io they could be written by and declared there was nothing in this world she loved so much as poetry while the maiden aunt would put her spectacles on her nose and read them with in sense and sound that were to an author s ears protesting there was nothing equal to them in the whole elegant the fashionable season closed without my to make a declaration though i certainly had encouragement i was not perfectly sure that i had effected a in the young lady s heart and to tell the truth the aunt her part and was a little too extravagant in her liking of me i knew that maiden were not apt to be by the mere personal merits of their admirers and i wanted to ascertain how much of all this favour i owed to driving an and having great expectations i had received many hints how charming their native place was during the summer months what pleasant society they had and what beautiful drives about the neighbourhood they had not returned home long before i made my appearance in dashing style driving down the principal street the very next morning i was seen at prayers seated in the same with the questions were whispered about the after service who is he and what is he and the replies were as usual a young gentleman of good family and fortune and great expectations i was much struck with the peculiarities of this reverend little place a cathedral with its and presents a picture of other times and of a different order of things it is a rich of a more poetical age there still linger about it the silence and solemnity of the in the present instance especially where the cathedral was large and the town was small its influence was the more apparent the solemn pomp of the service performed twice a day with the grand of the organ and the voices of the choir swelling through the magnificent pile diffused as it were a perpetual sabbath over the place this routine of solemn ceremony continually going on independent as it were of the world this daily offering of melody and praise ascending like incense from the altar had a powerful effect upon my imagination the introduced me to her formed of families connected with the cathedral and others of moderate fortune but high respectability who had themselves under the wings of the cathedral to enjoy good society at moderate expense it was a highly little circle scrupulous in its intercourse with others and cautious about admitting any thing common or it seemed as if the of the old school had taken refuge here there were continual of and of small presents of fruits and and of complimentary crow for in a quiet well bred community like this living entirely at ease little duties and little amusements and little fill up the day i have seen in the midst of a warm day a powdered footman issuing from the iron of a stately mansion and the little place with an air of mighty import bearing a small on a large silver their evening amusements were sober and primitive they assembled at a moderate hour the young ladies played music and the old ladies and at an early hour they dispersed there was no parade on these social occasions two or three old chairs were in constant activity though the greater part made their exit in and with a footman or waiting maid carrying a lantern in advance and before midnight the of and gleam of about the quiet little place told that the evening party had dissolved still i did not feel myself altogether so much at my ease | 48 |
as i had anticipated considering the of the place i found it very from other country places and that it was not so easy to make a dash there sinner that i was the very dignity and decorum of the little community was to me i feared my past idleness and folly would rise in judgment against me i stood in awe of the of the cathedral whom i saw mingling familiarly in society i became nervous on this point the of a s shoes sounding from one end of a quiet street to the other was appalling to me and the sight of a hat was sufficient at any time to check me in the midst of my poetical and then the good aunt could not be quiet but would cry me up for a genius and my poetry to every one so long as she confined this to the ladies it did well enough because they were able to feel and appreciate poetry of the new romantic school nothing would content the good lady however but she must read my verses to a who had long been the critic of the place he was a thin delicate old gentleman of mild polished manners to the lips in classic lore and not easily put in a heat by any hot blooded poetry of the day he listened to my most thoughts and words without a glow shook his head with a smile and condemned them as not being according to as not being legitimate poetry several old ladies who had heretofore been my admirers shook their heads at hearing this they could not think of any poetry that was not according to and as to any thing it was not to be in good society thanks to my stars however i had youth and novelty on my side so the young ladies persisted in admiring my poetry in despite of and i consoled myself with the good opinion of the young ladies whom i had always found to be the best judges of poetry as to these old scholars said i they are apt to be chilled by being in the cold fountains of the still i felt that i was losing ground and that it was necessary to bring matters to a point just at this time there was a public ball attended by the best society of the place and by the gentry of the neighbourhood i took great pains with vol i a a my toilet on the occasion and i had never looked better i had determined that night to make my grand assault on the heart of the young lady to battle it with all my forces and the next morning to demand a surrender in due form i entered the ball room amidst a and flutter which generally took place among the young ladies on my appearance i was in fine spirits for to tell the truth i had myself by a cheerful glass of wine on the occasion i talked and rattled and said a thousand silly things slap dash with all the confidence of a man sure of his and every thing had its effect in the midst of my triumph i observed a little knot gathering together in the upper part of the room by degrees it increased a broke out there and glances were cast round at me and then there would be fresh some of the young ladies would away to distant parts of the room and whisper to their friends wherever they it there was still this and glancing at me i did not know what to make of all this i looked at myself from head to foot and peeped at my back in a glass to see if any thing was odd about my person any awkward exposure any hanging out no every thing was i was a perfect picture i determined that it must be some choice saying of mine that was about in this knot of merry beauties and i determined to enjoy one of my good things in the i stepped gently therefore up the room smiling at every one as i passed who i must say all smiled and in return i approached the group and my chin like a man who is full of pleasant feeling and sure of being well received the cluster of little opened as i advanced heavens and earth whom should i perceive in the midst of them but my early and flame the everlasting she was grown it is true into the full beauty of womanhood but showed by the provoking merriment of her that she perfectly recollected me and the ridiculous of which she had twice been the cause i saw at once the cloud of ridicule that was bursting over me my crest fell the flame of love went suddenly out in bosom or was extinguished by overwhelming shame how i got down the room i know not i fancied every one at me just i reached the door i caught a glance of my mistress and her aunt listening to the whispers of the old lady raising her hands and eyes and the face of the yoimg one lighted up as i imagined with scorn i paused to see no more but made two steps from the top of the stairs to the bottom the next morning before sunrise i beat a retreat and did not feel the cool from my cheeks until i had lost sight of the old towers of the cathedral i now returned to town thoughtful and my money was nearly spent for i had lived freely and without calculation the dream of love was over and the reign of pleasure at an end i determined to while i had yet a trifle left so selling my and horses for half their value i quietly put the money in my pocket and turned i had | 48 |
not a doubt that with my great expectations i could at any time raise funds either on or by but i was against both one and the other and resolved by strict economy to make my slender purse hold out until my uncle should give up the ghost or rather the estate i staid at home therefore and read and would have written but i had already suffered too much from my poetical productions which had generally involved me in some ridiculous scrape i gradually acquired a rusty look and had a money air upon which the world began to shy me i have never felt disposed to quarrel with the world for its conduct it has always used me well when i have been flush and gay and disposed for society it has me and when i have been pinched and reduced and wished to alone why it has left me alone and what more could a man desire take my word for it this world is a more obliging world than people ge represent it well sir in the midst of my my retirement and my i received news that my uncle was ill i hastened on the wings of an heir s to receive his dying breath and his last testament i found him attended by his faithful old iron john by the woman who occasionally worked about the house and by the headed boy young whom i had occasionally hunted about the park iron john gasped a kind of salutation as i entered the room and received me with something almost like a smile of welcome the woman sat at the foot of the bed and the headed who had now grown up to be a stood gazing in stupid at a distance my uncle lay stretched upon his back the chamber was without fire or any of the comforts of a sick room the from the ceiling the was covered with dust and the curtains were tattered from underneath the bed peeped out one end of his strong box against the were suspended rusty horse pistols and a cut and thrust sword with which he had fortified his room to defend his life and treasure he had employed no physician during his illness and from the scanty relics lying on the table seemed almost to have denied to himself the assistance of a cook when i entered the room he was lying motionless his eyes fixed and his mouth open at the first look i thought him a corpse the noise of my entrance made him turn his head at the sight of me a ghastly smile came over his face and his eye gleamed with satisfaction it was the only smile he had ever given me and it went to my heart poor old man thought i why would you force me to leave you thus desolate when i see that my presence has the power to cheer you nephew said he after several and in a low gasping voice i am glad you are i shall now die with satisfaction look said he raising his withered hand and pointing look in that box on the table you will find that i have not forgotten you i pressed his hand to my heart and the tears stood in my eyes i sat down by his bed side and watched him but he never spoke again my presence however gave him evident satisfaction for every now and then as he looked at me a vague smile would come over his and he would feebly point to the sealed box on the table as the day wore away his life appeared to wear away with it towards sunset his hand sunk on the bed and lay motionless his eyes grew glazed his mouth remained open and thus he gradually died i could not but feel shocked at this absolute of my kindred i dropped a tear of real sorrow over this strange old man who had thus reserved his smile of kindness to his like an evening sun after a gloomy day just shining out to set in darkness leaving the corpse in charge of the i retired for the night it was a rough night the winds seemed as if singing my uncle s about the mansion and the blood hounds howled without as if they knew of the death of their old master iron john almost me the candle to bum in my apartment and light up its so accustomed had he been to economy i could not sleep the recollection of my uncle s dying scene and the dreary sounds about the house affected my mind these however were succeeded by plans for the future and i lay awake the greater part of the night indulging the poetical anticipation how soon i should make these old walls ring with cheerful life and restore the hospitality of my mother s ancestors my uncle s funeral was decent but private i knew there was nobody that respected his and i was determined that none should vol i b b s be summoned to sneer over his funeral and make merry at his grave he was buried in the church of the neighbouring village though it was not the burying place of his race but he had expressly that he should not be buried with his family he had quarrelled of them when living and he carried his even into the grave i the expenses of his funeral out of my own purse that i might have done with the at once and clear the ill birds from the premises i invited the parson of the parish and the lawyer from the village to attend at the house the next morning and hear the reading of the will i treated them to an excellent breakfast a profusion that had not seen at the house for many a year as soon as the breakfast | 48 |
ent of the animals a great victory and a of ancient in which is set the true art of a bargain together with tbe miraculous escape of a great metropolis in a fog and the biography of certain of how tbe heroes of to how they there v how the heroes of returned wiser than they went and the sage ome dreamed a dream and the dream that he mt m m mm mm m o vi attempt at and of of the great of new how of new vii page book third which is recorded the golden reign of van ip i of the renowned van his as likewise his unutterable wisdom i the law case of nd and the great of le public ip ii containing some account of the grand of new as also divers ood philosophical reasons why an ould e fat with other particulars touching the state of le province s if in how the town of new arose ut of mud and came to be polished nd polite together with a picture of our great ip iv containing further particulars of the age and what constituted a fine lady and in the days of walter the ip v in which the reader is into a walk which ends very from it commenced ap vi faithfully describing the ingenious people f and showing moreover he true meaning of liberty of conscience and a device among these sturdy to up a harmony of intercourse and promote population ap vii how these simple turned out o be notorious how they built air and attempted to the ji h v tiu page chap viii how the fort was how the renowned to fell in a profound doubt and bow he finally book fourth containing the of the of william the chap i showing the nature of history in general containing the universal of william the and how a man may learn so much as to render himself good for nothing chap in which are recorded the sage projects of a ruler of genius the art of fighting by and how that the van came to be at fort chap hi containing the wrath of william the and the great of the new because of the affair of fort and moreover how william the did strongly the city together with the of chap iv philosophical on the folly of being happy in times of prosperity sundry troubles on the southern how william the had well nigh ruined the province through a word as also the secret expedition of and his astonishing reward s chap v how william the enriched tiie by a multitude of laws and came to be the patron of lawyers and and how the people became exceedingly enlightened and his instructions chap vi of the great p pe plot and of the into which william the was throws by reason of his having the v m m m m w t i l m a g ix page vii divers fearful of tier wars and the of the of and the of the t council of the east and the of william the book fifth the first part of the reign of peter aod troubles with the council lap i in which the death of a great man is shown to be no very matter of sorrow and how peter st acquired a gi eat name from the uncommon strength of his head ii showing bow peter the himself among the rats and on entering into office and the perilous mistake he of in bis dealings with the chap iii containing speculations on war and that a treaty of pence is a great national evil chap iv how peter was greatly by his tlie moss and his conduct thereupon chap v how the new became great and of the catastrophe of a mighty army together with peter measures to the city and how he was the or founder of the battery chap vi how the people of the east country were suddenly afflicted with a evil and their judicious measures for the thereof chap vii which records the rise and renown of a showing that a like a may be puffed up to greatness and importance by mere wind page book sixth the second part of the n of peter the and his gallant achievements on the chap i in which is exhibited a portrait of the great and how general von h himself at fort chap showing how secrets arc often to light with the proceedings of peter the when he heard of the misfortunes of general von m chap iii containing s voyage up the and the wonders of that renowned river m l chap iv describing the that at the city of new together with the interview between peter the and general von and peter s sentiments touching great men chap v in which the author very of himself after which is to be found much interesting history about peter the and his followers v chap vi showing the great advantage that the author has over his reader in time of battle together with divers which that b about to happen chap vii containing the most horrible battle ever recorded in poetry or prose with the admirable exploits of peter the i chap viii in whidi the author and the w after the battle fall into a very grave discourse which ii recorded the of peter after his victory w book sixth containing the third part of the reign of peter the hit troubles with the british nation and the decline and fall of the l chap i how peter relieved the sovereign people from the burden of care of the nation sundry p of | 48 |
his conduct hi time of peace chap ii how peter was much by the moss of the east and the giants of and how a dark and horrid conspiracy was carried on in the british cabinet against the prosperity of the chap iii of peter expedition into the east country showing that though an old bird he did not understand trap i chap iv how the people of new were thrown into a great panic by the news of a threatened invasion and the manner in which they fortified themselves s v showing how the grand council of the new came to be gifted with long tongues together with a great triumph of economy chap vi in which the troubles of new appear to showing the bravery in time of peril of a people who defend themselves by u page chap vii a disaster of the and how peter like a second suddenly dissolved a p chap vii i how peter defended the city of new fur several days by dint of the strength of his head chap ix the dignified retirement and mortal surrender of peter the chap x the author s reflections upon what has been said v tf i for velvet r x n piece j ch he ri i p i a very e v the l at fi w xiv account of a pleasant view of the new grounds o collect together with the rear of the poor and the full front of the hospital the the room in the whole house during the wh e time that be staid with us we him a very worthy good sort of an old gentleman t a little queer in his ways he would keep in bis days together and if any of the children cried or a noise about bis door be would out in a passion with his hands full of papers and say about his ideas f which made my wife that he was not there was more than one reason to make her think his room was always covered with scraps of paper a books lying about at and never would let any body touch for he said he ha them all away in their proper places so that be know to find them though for that was half his time worrying about tlie house in some book or writing which he had carefully put out way i shall never forget what a he once because my wife cleaned out his room when his ba and put ev thing to rights for be never be able to get his papers in order upon this my wife to as what he did with so many books and papers and i her that he was seeking for immortality which her think more than ever that the poor old head was a cracked he was a very inquisitive body aad when not fo m was about town hearing t author aod into eveiy that f ing oa was the case about election time he did but bustle about from to all ward and committee rooms j though never find that he took part with either side of the on the contrary he would come home and rail at both parties with great wrath and plainly proved one day ta the of my wife and three old ladies who were drinking tea with her that the two parties were like two each at a t of the nation and that in the end they would tear the very coat off its back and expose its indeed he was an among the who would collect around him to hear him talk of an afternoon as he smoked his pipe on the bench before the door and i really believe he would brought over the whole neighbourhood to his own side of the question if they could ever have found out what it he was very much given to or as ha called it about the most matter aod to do him justice never knew any body that was a match for him except it was a grave looking gentleman who called now aod then to see him and often posed him in an argument but this is nothing as i have out this stranger is the city and of course most be a man learning and i have my doubts if he had not some in the following history as our had been a long time with us and we had never received any pay my wife began to be somewhat and curious to find out who and what he was she made bold to put the question to his friend or m who replied io bis dry way that he r of the which she supposed to mean some new in politics i scorn to push a for his pay so jet day day pass on without the old gentle a r but my who always m herself and is as i said a shrewd of a at last got out of and hinted that she it some people should have a sight of some people s money to which the old gentleman in a mighty r that she need not make herself uneasy that he had a treasure there to hit worth her whole put this was the only answer we could ever get from him and as my wife by some of those odd ways in which women find out every learnt that he was of cry great being related to the of and german to the of that name she did not like to treat him what is she even way of making easy to let him | 48 |
live fi ee if he would teach tbe their letters and to try her best and get the to send their children also but the old gentleman took it in such and seemed so at i w fa s g taken a that she never dared speak o tbe s l again two months ago he out of a morning with a bundle in his and has never been heard of since ah kinds of inquiries were made after him but in vain i wrote to his relations at but tbey sent that he had not been there since the year before when be had a dispute with the and tlie place in a aad they had beard nor seen any of him from that time to i must i felt much worried about the poor old gentleman for i ht something bad have to him that he should be missing so long aod return to pay his bill i therefore him in the newspapers and though my melancholy advertisement was published by several humane yet i have been able to learn any thing satisfactory about him my wife now said it was high time to take care of ourselves and see if he bad left any thing behind in his room that would pay us for his board and lodging we found nothing however but some old books and writings and bis pair of saddle bags j which being opened in presence of the contained only a few ai of clothes and a large of blotted paper on looking over this the told us he had no doubt it was treasure which the old gentleman had spoke about j as it proved to be a most excellent and y of new york which he advised us by all means to publish assuring us that it would be so eagerly bought up by a public that he had no doubt it would be enough to pay our ten times over upon this we got a very learned who our children to prepare it for the press which he accordingly has done and has moreover added to it a of notes of his own and an of the city as it was at the time mr writes about this therefore is a true statement of my reasons for this work printed without waiting for the consent account of of the author and here declare that if he ever though i much fear some unhappy accident has him i stand ready to account with him like a true honest man which is all at present from the public s humble servant hotel new york the foregoing account of the author was the first edition of this work shortly after its tion a letter was received from him by mr dated at a small dutch village on the banks of the hue whither he had travelled for the purpose of certain ancient records as this was one of those few happy villages into which newspapers never find i way it is not a matter of surprise that mr should never have seen the numerous that were made concerning him and that he learn of the publication of his history by mere he expressed much concern at its premature as thereby he was prevented from making i and alterations as well as f by many curious hints which he had during bis travels along the shores of the sea his at and finding that e was no longer any immediate ne for his return to york he extended his the author up to the residence of his relations at on way thither be stopped for some days at for which city be is known to have entertained a great partiality he found it however considerably altered and was much concerned at the and improvements which the were making and the consequent decline of the good old dutch manners indeed he was informed that these were making sad in all parts of the state where they had given great trouble and vexation to the regular dutch by the introduction of g tes and country school houses it is said also that mr shook his bead sorrowfully at the gradual decay of the great palace but was highly indignant at finding that the dutch church which stood in the middle of the street had been pulled down since his last visit the fame of mr s history having reached even to he received much flattering attention from its worthy some of whom however pointed out two or three very great errors he had fallen into particularly that of a lump of sugar over the tea tables which they assured him had been for some years past several families moreover were somewhat that their ancestors had not been mentioned in his work and showed great jealousy of their neighbours who had thus been distinguished while the latter it must be confessed themselves vastly thereupon considering these in the light of letters patent of nobility establishing their to in this republican country is a matter of little solicitude and vain glory account i f m also said that he enjoyed high favour and from the governor who once asked him to dinner and was seen two or three times to shake hands with him when they met in the street which certainly was going great considering that they in politics indeed certain of the nor s friends to whom he venture to speak bis mind freely on such matters have assured us that he privately entertained a considerable good will for out author day he even once went so far aa to and that openly too and at his own table just after tliat was a ver well meaning of an old gentleman and no fool from all many have been led to suppose that had our author been of different politics and written for the instead of wasting his talents on histories | 48 |
he might have risen to some post of honour and profit to be a public or even a justice in the tea pound court besides the honours and already mentioned he was much by the of mr john cook who entertained him y at bis library and reading room where they used to drink water and talk about the he found mr cook a man his own hearts of great literary and ft curious of books at parting the latter in testimony of friendship made a pi sent of the two oldest works of his collection which were the earliest edition of the and s account of tbe a xxi t by the last of mr greatly in this his second edition passed some time very at our pr to where it is but to say he was received with open arms and treated with wonderful loving kindness he was much looked up to by the family being the first historian of the name and was considered almost as great a man as his cousin the with whom by the by he became perfectly reconciled and contracted a strong friendship in spite however of the of his relations and their great attention to his comforts the old gentleman soon became restless and discontented his history being he had no longer any business to occupy his thoughts or any scheme to excite bis hopes or this to a busy like bis was a truly deplorable situation and had he not been a man of morals and regular habits there would have been great danger of his taking to politics or both which vices we daily see men to by mere and it is true he sometimes employed himself in preparing a second of bis history wherein he endeavoured to correct and improve many passages with which be was dissatisfied and to some mistakes that had crept into it fi r he was particularly anxious that his work should be noted for its which indeed is the very life and soul of history but the glow of composition bad he had to leave many places untouched which he would fain have altered and even where he did of he m doubt th were fur the better or the worse after a residence of some time at be began iq feel a desire to return to new york which he regarded with the warmest affection not merely because it was his native city but because really it the very best city in the whole world on his he entered into the full of the f a literary reputation he was continually to write hand and of import and although be never with the public papers yet had he the credit of writing essays and smart things that appeared on all and all sides of the question in all which he was clearly detected by bis style he contracted moreover a considerable debt at the in consequence of the numerous letters be from authors and his ab he was applied to by every charitable society for yearly which he gave very cheerfully considering these as so many compliments he once invited to a great dinner and waa ven twice summoned to attend as a at the court of quarter indeed so renowned did he that he could no longer about as formerly in all and comers of the city according to the bent unnoticed and but when he been the streets on hb usual of equipped with hb cane aad cocked bat the little boys at play bare been known to cry at the not a pleased looking upon these in the light of of posterity in a word if we take into consideration all these and together an passed on in the port with which l e are told the old gentleman was so much overpowered that he was sick for two or three days it n be confessed that few authors have ever lived to receive rewards or have so completely enjoyed in advance their own immortality after his return from mr took up hu residence at a little rural retreat which the had granted him on the family hi gratitude for their honourable mention of their it was pleasantly situated on the borders of one of the salt beyond hook subject indeed to he occasionally and much in the summer time with but otherwise very agreeable abundant crops of salt grass and here we are sorry to say the good old gentleman fell ill of a fever occasioned by the neighbouring when he found his end approaching he of his worldly affairs leaving the bulk of his fortune to the new york historical society his and s work to the city library and his saddle bags to mr he forgave all his enemies j that is to say all that bore any enmity towards him for as to himself he declared he died in good will to all the world and after several kind messages to his relations at as well as to certain of our most xxiv account of dutch citizens he expired in the aims of his friend the his remains were according o his own request in st mark s churchyard close by the bones of his favourite hero peter and it is that the historical society have it in mind to erect a wooden to his memory in the green to the public to from the memory of former and to render a tribute of renown to the many great and transactions of onr dutch of the city of new york produces this essay like the great father of history whose words i have just quoted i treat of long past which the twilight of uncertainty had already thrown its shadows and the night of was about to descend for ever with great solicitude did i long behold the early of this and ancient city gradually | 48 |
slipping from our grasp ob the of narrative old age and day by day drop into the tomb in a little while thought t and those dutch who serve as the tottering monuments of good old times will be gathered to their their children engrossed by the empty pleasures or insignificant transactions of tha t neglect to treasure up the recollections of the past and posterity shall search in vain for of the days of the the origin of onr city wiu be in eternal oblivion and even the names and of william and peter be enveloped in doubt and fiction like those of and of king and of determined therefore to if possible this threatened misfortune i set myself to work to gather b xxvi preface together all the fragments of history still existed and like my ed where no written records could be found have endeavoured to the of history by well la this which has been the sole of a long and life it is the of learned authors have and all to t little purpose strange as it may seem though of excellent works have been written about this there are none which give any and u account of the early history of new york or f its three first dutch i have gained valuable and curious matter from an elaborate written in pure and classic low ei a few errors in which was in the of the many and other documents have i likewise in my among the and lumber of our respectable dutch and i have a host of well from divers old ladies of my who that their might not be mentioned nor i neglect to acknowledge how greatly have by thai admirable ihe society to which i here sincere in the conduct of this work i have adopted in but on the contrary have simply myself with and the of the most approved like i the sod e to ot f hive it the manner of with f ancient drawn at full length and i hare it with like it with the f sentiment like l and into he whole tim ty the and magnificence of i ha aware that i shall the of i t for indulging in manner of my and to be i have it always to resist the of those c banks and beset the load of die and bim to and himself his but trust it will he that i hare always my staff and addressed myself to my weary journey with as that both my readers and myself have been by the indeed though it hen been my constant wish and uniform endeavour to rival himself in observing the unity of history yet the loose and in which many of the recorded have rendered such an attempt extremely this was likewise increased by one of the grand contemplated in my work which was to the rise customs and institutions in this best of cities ind to compare them when in the ef with they are in the present old age of knowledge and the that in were into tbe of if i not draped out a it were by very u the i were and collected aod arranged them and tm got t got and ig this work a ai a oa which may a in of time until t ma r be equally u v and mn and and me for a i while lay dow pen to at at of two a head and casting a bird s over the waste of years that is to roll ml little at this the of all ai the of this host of with my hook n and new york ou my back are the vain that will now am i the of the author i m light his hb n f him to fa j j and have given to i p hare not i al j ran m spirit of h l t tliat may for once have an a bow while be is a kind of ind to be the story of new york book king lie ths c of thb world as with the history of new chap i of ihe to the the world in which is a reflecting many i m the of infinite it of an being at opposite parts of two try poles which are to penetrate and t the centre thus forming an ask on the with a regular of light and darkness whence day night are produced by this the different f the earth to the the latter is to the best to the latest or fiery body o a prodigious magnitude this world is driven by a or and to it is by a or ire otherwise called the attraction of the or rather the of i history of these two a circular aad annual revolution result the different of the year spring autumn and winter tliis i believe to be the most approved modem on the though there he many who have entertained very different opinions too of them entitled to much deference from their great and illustrious characters thus it was advanced by some of the ancient that the earth was an extended supported by vast pillars and by others that it rested the head of a snake or the back of a huge as they did not provide a resting place for either the or the the whole theory fell to the ground for want of proper foundation th assert that the heavens rest upon uie earth and the sun and moon swim therein like fishes ia the water moving from east to west by day and along the edge of the horizon to their original during the night while according to the india it is a vast plain encircled by seven of milk and other delicious | 48 |
that it is with seven mountains and ornamented in the centre b a rock of gold and that a occasionally up the moon which for the phenomena of besides these and many other equally sage opinions hare the profound conjectures of son of al son of son of so son of i who is called and but takes the humble title of which n the companion of the of god he has n a universal history entitled d or the golden m and the mines of pr stones in this valuable work he has of the world from the creation down to the i td writing which was under the o in the l of tl year of the or i of the he us that the is a and y b t sir w lad new to k tlie bold and india the the land of the left wing aiid africa the tail he ni that an earth has existed before the present which be as a mere chicken of years it divers and that to the of some well informed of his it will be every seventy of years these are a few of the many opinions of concerning the and we find that tiie learned have had equal perplexity as to the nature of the son some of the ancient philosophers have affirmed that it is a vast wheel of brilliant fire others that it is sphere of transparent crystal jf and a third at the head of whom stands maintained that it was but a huge mass of iron or stone he declared the heavens to be merely a of stone and that the stars were stones whirled upwards the earth and set on fire by the city of its but i give little attention to the doctrines of this philosopher the people of having fully by him firom their a mode of answering unwelcome doctrines much resorted to in days another of philosophers do declare that constantly from the earth in a single point in the by day t the sun but being scattered and rambling about in the dark at night collect in various points and form stars these are regularly burnt out and extinguished not unlike to the lamps in our streets and require a supply of for the next occasion it is even recorded that at certain remote and obscure periods in consequence of a great of fuel the san has been completely burnt out and sometimes not for a month at a time a most am at a the very idea of which gave vast concern to da ii chap f chap a p t iii p p de x in l ii sec t i p de iv p i ii c sec i i p t i p ice b that f weeping of jn lo p it waa i o that the no ii the light il m or in e mt m oc it of th will wc n mm m of the of the globe but omit ith iu i will proceed to by the of motion therein lo rat von for bead u tl name be rendered into f of gravity t al going lo io aud to relief of m worked their with great and little in tbe of one tbe learned i a water it bead at arm ike ii witb be threw the from bim being he of arm ai power and the the a h bead and of von which formed no bad of the t of were duly to bim he ann tbat the principle of which the water in tbe ocean from earth in iu rapid he then that tbe of tbe earth i it would fall into he au the force of a to planet and one which would o it probably would nut ii i li p n p an unlucky one of those who seem sent into the world merely to worthy of the order desirous of the of the experiment suddenly rested arm of the professor just at the moment that e was in its immediately descended astonishing precision on the philosophic head of the of youth a hollow sound and a red hot the contact but theory was in the inner illustrated for the unfortunate bucket perished in e conflict but the blazing countenance of m emerged from amidst the waters than with unutterable indignation the students were nd departed wiser than before it is a circumstance which g any a pains taking philosopher that often refuses second his most profound and elaborate efforts j so that hen alter one of the most ingenious and theories imaginable she will have the act directly in the teeth of his system and his most positions this is a grievance since it throws the censure of le vulgar and entirely upon the philosopher the fruit is not to be ascribed to his theory which i unquestionably correct but to the of dame who with the of her sex is indulging in and and seems bi f pleasure in all philosophic rules ad the most learned and of bar thus it happened with respect to the foregoing fi ic t explanation of the motion of our planet it tut the force has long since ceased to while its remains in the world therefore to the theory as it stood ought in strict propriety to tumble into the were convinced that it would do lad awaited in anxious impatience the fulfilment of their but the planet her course notwithstanding that she had reason and a whole university of learned professors opposed to her conduct the philosophers took this in cry ih part and it is thought they would never have of the slight which they co a c pat them by the world | 48 |
had a good at a the aad a reconciliation the world not to the he wisely to the to the world be therefore informed brother that the motion of the was no sooner en gen d by the above described than it became a of the which gave it origin his readily joined in the opinion being heartily f any that would decently and ever since that memorable the world has been left to take her own course and to the son in such as she thinks proper chap if i or of ike m a the of a it d s no difficult at folk would thus briefly introduced ray reader to the him some idea of its form and be curious to know from whence it a and the clearing f th is absolutely to my a bad not formed it is than i situated the would have had an existence course of my therefore requires h to notice the or this our globe and give my readers warning that about to for a chapter or two as l ji as ever historian was perplexed withal i advise them to take hold of my skirts an at ray venturing neither to the right ha iq tbe ji left y t in a of to k or h te o t by of greek names whidi will be f in all but any of be too or to accompany me io im bad better take a cut and wait far me at the of of the creation of the world we have a and though a very one ii by divine yet every in honour bound to us with a as an consider it my duty to notice their theories by which mankind bare been to ly and instructed it was the of certain ancient that the earth and the whole system of the universe was the himself a doctrine most maintained by and the whole tribe of as also by and the of philosophers likewise the famous system of the and and by means of his sacred the formation of the world the or nature and the principles both of and i other to the of squares and the the and the sphere the the the and the while others the great theory which the four globe and all that it contains to the of four elements air earth ire and water with the of a fifth an and nor must omit to mention the great system by old before the siege of revived by of laughing memory improved by that of good fellows and by the but inquiring whether the of which the earth is said to be composed are or whether they are or m i cap i c iii c men fir h p i e oi i p t iii p history op k whether to the opinion of they an or as the were by a supreme intelligence whether ui feet the earth be au or whether it be by a soul f which opinion was maintained by a bust of philosophers at the head of whom stands the great that temperate sage who threw the cow water of philosophy on the form and the doctrine of love an intercourse but much better adapted to ideal inhabitants of his imaginary island of than to sturdy race composed of rebellious flesh and blood which the little matter of feet island we these systems wc have moreover the poetical of old who the whole universe in the regular mode of and the me opinion of others that the earth was from the great e f of ni ht which floated in chaos and was cracked t y the horns of the celestial bull to illustrate this last doctrine in his theory of the has us with an accurate drawing and description both of the form and texture of this egg which is found to bear a near resemblance to that of a goose such of my readers as take a proper interest in tl origin of this oar planet will be pleased to learn that the most profound of antiquity among the and have alternately at the of this strange bird and that their have been caught and continued in different tones and from philosopher to philosopher unto the present day bat while briefly noticing long systems of ancient let me not pass over with neglect those of other which though less universal than le have equal claims to attention and equal for it is recorded by the in tiie pages of their inspired that the angel himself into a plunged into i ii cap i cap de i cap ad p is i cap tim de ap iii de l in t p if t a t l new h j and up tlie earth on his ned from him a mighty and a mighty nd placed the snake the back and he the earth upon tha of of affirm that the e by the bands of excepting their which the being be and he took great h the inhabitants and made them and and when he had finished the first man he was ed with him and smoothed him over the e his nose and tiie nose of all his descendants tell ns that a tt down from heaven and that a took her back because every place was covered with and tliat the woman sitting upon the with her hands in the water and np the it finally happened that the earth became an the water f to a number more of these ancient philosophers whose deplorable e of all their compelled them to write which but few of my readers can understand ui proceed briefly to notice a few more theories of their modem i shall mention the great who this globe was originally | 48 |
until they had time to make better one thing however appears firom the authority of the before quoted philosophers sup by the evidence of our own senses which apt to deceive us may be cautiously admitted as testimony it appears say and make the as deliberately without fear of contradiction that thia york ia was and that it w of it further appears that it is curiously out and islands which declare the renowned island or new tore found by any one who seeks for it in proper chap ui if a how he committed an ut over i not four with the great and the america i who is the first man we read ham and it is true who affirm that the bad a makes him gigantic gives him a son called ib or who was the first of others have mentioned a soil named descended the or or in the dutch nation ly that the nature of my plan will not me to gratify the curiosity of my readers the history of the great such an undertaking would be attended with more than many people would imagine for the good seems to have been a great traveller in his to have passed under a different name in every f that be visited tbe for give story merely his name into il alteration which to an historian skilled in will appear wholly unimportant it appears e that be had exchanged his and the tor the gorgeous of and appears as a monarch in t ir the him under the name of the s as the greek and r man writers with c and the with c of and but the who the most extensive and much as they have known the world much any one else declare that was no other and what this assertion some air of h that it is a fact admitted by the most enlightened that travelled into china at the time of the of the tower of probably to improve in the study of languages and the learned dr us the additional information that the ark rested mountain on the of china from this mass of rational conjectures and sage many satisfactory might be drawn bat shall content myself with the simple stated in ae bible that three sons ham and it is astonishing on what remote and the great affairs of this depend and how events the most distant and to the common are inevitably consequent the one to the other it remains to the philosopher to discover these mysterious and is the triumph of us to detect and drag forth some latent chain of i tion which at sight appears a to the inexperienced observer thus many of my readers will wonder what connection the family of can possibly have with this and many will stare that the whole history of this quarter of the has taken its character and course from the simple circumstance of the s having but three but to explain we are told by sundry very becoming sole heir and proprietor of the in fee simple after the like a good out his estate among his children to he gave asia to ham africa and to europe now it h a thousand times to be lamented that he had but sons for had there been a fourth he would inherited america j whidi of course would have forth from its obscurity on the occasion thus many a hard working historian and philosopher have been spared a prodigious mass of weary respecting the first discovery and population of this however having provided for his three sons new york ft in probability upon oar country wild ki land and said nothing about it and to of tbe may we the aim that america did not come into the world at i the other quarters of tlie globe writers have him from this towards posterity and asserted that he really america thus it was the of mark a french writer s s e d of that and of reflection so peculiar to ion that tbe immediate descendants of quarter of the globe and that the old i who still retained a passion for the tended the the and a french remarkable for to the marvellous common to all great of the same opinion nay lie goes still y and npon the manner in which the effected which was by sea and under the direction of the great have already ad the good father in a tone of becoming that it is an arbitrary supposition that the of were not able to penetrate into the or that they never thought of it in effect i e no reason that can justify such a notion who believe that and his immediate de knew less than we do and that the and r die greatest ship that ever was a ship which was to an unbounded ocean and had so many and to guard against should be or should not have communicated to his art of sailing on the ocean therefore they did the ocean they sailed to america re america was discovered by thi exquisite chain of reasoning which is so l of the good father being addressed rather than to the understanding is d by de who declares it a real and most ous to suppose that ever entertained of discovering america and as is a writer am inclined to believe he must have been acquainted with the thy crew of the ark is and of course possessed of more c ir of chap iv showing the great difficulty have tn america and how the came te he accident to the great the author the next inquiry at which we arrive in the re course of our history is to ascertain if possible how thk country was originally peopled a point of incredible for unless we prove thai the did absolutely | 48 |
come from re it will be immediately asserted in this age of that did not come at all and if they did not come at all was this never a conclusion tl l agreeable to the rules logic but wholly to every feeling of humanity inasmuch as it m ist prove fatal to the innumerable of thb region to so dire a and to rescue n so many millions of fellow creatures bow many have been what of ink have been drained and how heads of learned have been a and for ever pause with aw when i contemplate the in different languages with which they have endeavoured to solve question to important to the happiness of society bat po involved in clouds of impenetrable obscurity after has engaged in the endless circle of argument and after leading us a weary through and hm let us out at the of his work just as wise as we were at the it was doubtless some philosophical wild goose f the kind that made the old poet rail in passion at curiosity which he most heartily as an irksome care a superstitious about things an humour to see is not to he seen and to be doing what when it is done but to proceed of the claims of the children of to the population of this country i shall say nothing as they new york upon in ray last chapter nest in are the of called when e the ld mines of with a that would have to a that he had found the from whence solomon procured the fur the temple at nay t t be the remains of of veritable employed in the precious ore q golden a with such was too tempting not to be immediately at by the of learning ami accordingly here were writers r to swear to its aad to in their usual load of authorities lid wise to it up d declared nothing could be more without the hesitation tbat was the true and the jews the of the country j while and other sagacious writers in a of the book of which being inserted la t e mighty like the key stone of an arch it in their opinion perpetual scarce however have they completed their than in a of opposite with de the great at th ir y at one blow the fabric ab in ct outright all the claims to the first of this country all those symptoms and traces of and which have been said to be in divers provinces of the new ld to the always affected to the worship of the a remark says the knowing old made by all good authors have spoken die of newly discovered and founded od authority of of ike some writers again among whom it i with great regret in compelled to mention de and je that the being driven he land of promise by the jews were seized such a t ik f without looking them until or to take breath they found safe io america as they brought their manners nor features with them it is they left them behind in the hurry of flight i cannot give my to this opinion i pass over the supposition of the learned who being both an and a to is entitled to great respect that north america was peopled by a strolling company of and that was founded by a colony from or the first being himself a chinese nor shall i more than barely mention that father the settlement of america to the to the to the to a party from to the tlie to the to the to the martin d to the together with the sage of de that england ireland and the may contend for that honour nor will i bestow any more attention or credit to the idea that america is the fairy region of described by that dreaming traveller the or that it the visionary island of described by neither will i stop to investigate the assertion of that each of the globe was originally with an adam and eve or the more flattering opinion of dr supported by many nameless authorities that adam was of the indian race or the startling conjecture of and so highly honourable to that the whole human is accidentally descended a remarkable family of the this last conjecture i must own came upon me very suddenly and very i have often beheld the in a while gazing in stupid wonder si the extravagant of a all at once by a sudden stroke of the wooden sword across shoulders little did i think at such times that it would ever fall to my lot io be treated with equal and that while i was quietly beholding these grave philosophers the eccentric of the hero of they would on a sudden turn npon me york ad ny and with one us into i fi um that t to bum my with more of their ut with the different by they the descendants of these ancient id to thb great field of thb was done either by by land or by water thus f joseph d three passages by first by the north of secondly by the north of asia and by southward of the straits of the learned his by a pleasant route and arms of the sea through and and various writers whom are e and anxious fer the accommodation of these travellers have fastened the together bv a strong chain of by which means they pass over but even this fail that industrious old who books and has constructed a natural bridge of ice from to continent at the distance of four or five miles from s for which he is entitled to the thanks of all the wandering who ever aid or ever will pass over it it is an evil much | 48 |
to be lamented that none of the writers above quoted could ever his without immediately declaring against writer who had treated of the same subject in this authors be compared to a certain sagacious i which in building its nest is sure to pull to pieces the of all the birds in its this unhappy to the progress of sound knowledge theories are at best but productions and when once committed to the stream they should take care that like its notable pots which were fellow they do not crack each other for my part when i beheld the have quoted gravely for unaccountable things and thus wisely about matters for ever from their eyes like a man describing the glories of light and or and of i fell b a at the amazing extent of human cried tu myself these learned men can out of what would be their were they furnished with substantial materials f f argue and thus about subjects r knowledge what would be the did they but know what they were about should old when he oc decide upon their conduct while on earth have tl idea of the of their labours be will undo them with those notorious wise men of a bull twisted a rope of sand and a purse from a sow s ear my chief surprise is that among the many wi have noticed no one has to prove tl country was peopled from the or that tl inhabitants floated hither on islands of ice as whit about the northern or that the conveyed hither by as modem from to or by as posted among the or after the manner renowned who like the new i on full blooded made most journeys on the back of a golden arrow given him but there is still one mode left by which this could have been peopled which i have reserved last because i consider it worth all the rest it accident f speaking of the islands of solomon guinea and new holland the profound father in fine all these countries are peopled if some have been so by could have happened in that manner why might have been at the and by the tame the other parts of tlie globe this ingenious m certain conclusions from possible premises improvement in skill and proves the father superior even to for he can ti world without any thing to rest his upon it surpassed by the dexterity with which the in another place cuts the history of s iv more easy the of both ci certainly the of the father m of mankind received an express order m to people the world and u m peopled to bring this about it was necessary to all in the way and have m overcome pious how does he put all herd of laborious to the blush by explaining fire words what it has cost them to prove they they hare long been picking at the lock and the but uie honest at once the door f bursting it open and when he has it once a jar he is at ill liberty to pour in as many nations as he pleases proves to a demonstration that a little piety is better ba a cart load of philosophy and is a practical of that by faith ye shall move all the authorities here quoted and a variety of which i have consulted out which are omitted fear of the reader i can draw the following conclusions which luckily how are sufficient for my first that tliis part if the has actually been peopled q d to we have living proofs in the numerous of indians that it secondly that it has mai peopled in five hundred different ways as proved by i oi who from the of their seem to have been eye witnesses to the fact i that the people of this country had a of i rs which as it may not be thought much to their by the common run of readers the less we say a the subject the better the question therefore trust chap v a to the f ae of ike man in tke not of people from great this book writer of a history may in some respects be an adventurous knight who having undertaken a or perilous enterprise by way of establishing fame in and chivalry to turn back fur no nor hardship and never to shrink or be may encounter under this i resolutely draw my pen and fall to with might and main at those questions and subtle like fiery and bloody beset the entrance li my history and would fain me firom the and at this moment a gigantic hat started up which i must needs take by the beard sad utterly subdue before i can advance another step m my historic but i trust this will be the adversary i shall have to contend with and that in bo shall be enabled to conduct my readers ii triumph into the body of my work the question which has thus suddenly arisen is whit right had the first of america to land take possession of a country without first gaining the of its inhabitants or yielding them an i tion for their territory a question which many fierce and has given distress of to multitudes of kind hearted folks and it be totally and put to rest the people of america can by no means the soil with clear right and title and quiet the first source of right by which property ui in a country is for as all mankind h re m equal right to any thing which has never before appropriated so any nation that an country and takes possession thereof is considered full property and absolute therein this proposition being admitted it follows clearly the who sl visited america were | 48 |
the of the same nothing being necessary to establishment of this but simply to prove that it wm totally by man this would at appear ll be a point of some difficulty for it is well known that quarter of the world with certain animals m walked erect oo two feet had something of the b v c b i c uttered certain i ib e very like in short had a marvel to human bein but the and ned who accompanied the for of the kingdom of heaven by t and on earth soon up this point greatly to the of his the pope and of all christian and plainly proved and ai there were no indian on the other side the was considered as and that the two legged race of i mentioned were mere detestable ra and many of them giants which last description have since the times of and i been considered as received no in either history chivalry or song indeed even bacon declared the americans to be people bed by the laws of nature inasmuch as they had a hm custom of sacrificing men and feeding upon are these all the proofs of their utter many other writers of tells us is so visible that one can hardly form an f from what one has of the brutes g the tranquillity of their souls equally ae to and to though half tbey are as contented as a monarch in his most d array fear makes no impression on them and as little all is by the ty of m it is not easy says be the degree of their indifference for wealth i its advantages one does not well know s to propose to them when one would persuade any service it is vain to offer money they that they are not hungry and assuring us ambition tbey have none re more desirous of being thought strong than the objects of ambition with us honour fame don riches posts and distinctions are unknown so that this spring of action the so much good and evil in the world power over them in a word these t of may be ed to of n p ii ml now all h iu thi of greece they would have entitled i to immortal as reduced to and tbe mere which acquired old the and yet were they clearly to a moat nature totally tbe human who had savages into dumb l ad still or a and among tbe rest lu go and have no nothing of the the mask and even that mask was al them hat little for it was soon tliat hideous copper and being of it wm all toe as if they are black and black said the devoutly is tbe therefore so from being able to own bad no right even to personal freedom radiant a deity to such gloomy which plainly convinced followers of and hat these no title to tbe toil that they th dumb t beast of tbe forests and like them or from tbe therefore equally which i i was clearly evident that this fair when visited by was a how inhabited by nothing but beasts acquired an therein of right being we nt next which is tbe right acquired by cultivation of tbe soil we are told ii by nature on mankind tbe i b of its new mid be incapable of doing it was it every it then obliged by the law of nature to cultivate le that has fallen to its share those people like e ancient and modem s who having countries disdain to cultivate the earth and choose by wanting to themselves and a savage and now it is notorious that tbe savages knew nothing of when first discovered by the but red a moat life from place to place upon a spontaneous luxuries of nature without her to yield them any thing more whereas it has ma moat shown that heaven intended b earth be and sown and and m oat into towns and farms and t and pleasure grounds and public gardens all which is knew nothing about therefore they did not the had bestowed on they were careless therefore they had right to the therefore they deserved to be it ia the savages might plead that they drew all le benefits the land which their simple wants required they found plenty of game to hunt which together the roots and fruits of the a sufficient variety for their j id that as heaven merely designed the earth to form the and satisfy the wants of man so long as those were answered the will of heaven was but only proves how they were the around them they were so much the more for not having more wants for knowledge is in degree an increase of desires and it is this superiority ith in the number and magnitude of his desires that the man from the beast therefore the in not having more wants were very and it was but just that they should make way for le who had a thousand wants to their one and fo ie turn the earth to more account and by it more truly fulfil the will of heaven and and and and b i c ts d m of many wise men beside who have considered the matter ly have determined that the property of a country cannot be acquired by hunting wood or water in it nothing but precise of limit and the intention of cultivation can establish the possession now as the savages probably firom never read the authors above quoted had never complied with any of these necessary forms it plainly followed that had no right to the soil bat that it was completely nt the disposal of | 48 |
the first comers who had more wants and more elegant that is to say desires than themselves in entering upon a newly discovered therefore the new comers were but taking of what according to the doctrine was their own property therefore in opposing them the savages were their just rights the of nature and the will of they were guilty of and on the case therefore they were hardened af god and they ought to be but a more in right than either that f ham mentioned and the one which will be the most admitted by my reader provided be be blessed with of charity and is the right acquired bj civilization all the world knows the lamentable state i which these poor savages were found not only in the comforts of life but what is still and unfortunately blind to the miseries of situation but no sooner did the benevolent of europe behold their sad condition than they went to work to and improve it introduced among them rum gin brandy and the comforts of life and it is astonishing to read how sow the poor savages learnt to estimate these blessings they likewise made known to them a thousand which the most diseases are tm healed and that they might comprehend the benefits and enjoy the comforts of these they among them the diseases which they i to care by these and a variety of methods was the condition of these poor savages wonder new fully they acquired a wants of which tbey had before been ignorant and as he has most of happiness who has most wants to be gratified were rendered a much happier race of but the most important branch of civilization and has most been by the zealous lad pious of the is the of the christian it was truly a that might inspire horror to behold these savages stumbling the dark mountains of and guilty of the horrible ignorance of religion it is true they stole nor they were sober and to their word but though they acted habitually it was all in rain unless they acted so torn the new comers therefore used every to induce them to embrace and practise the true except indeed that of setting them the example but notwithstanding all these complicated labours for heir good such was the obstinacy of these wretches that they refused t the strangers as their and in he doctrines they endeavoured to most from their conduct be of christianity did not seem to believe in it was not this too much for human patience not one suppose that the from provoked at their incredulity and discouraged by stiff obstinacy would for ever have their shores and consigned them to their original ignorance and misery but no so zealous were they to effect the comfort and eternal salvation of these p n that they even proceeded from the means of persuasion to the more painful and troublesome of persecution let loose among them whole troops of and furious them by fire and sword by stake and in consequence of which le measures the cause of christian love and charity was so rapidly advanced that in a very few not one fifth of the number of existed m south america that were found there at the time of its discovery what stronger right need the european ov to the have whole of been made acquainted with a imperious and indispensable of whidi were before wholly ignorant hare they not been literally hunted and smoked out of the and lurking places of ignorance and and absolutely into the right path hare not the the rain and filthy of this world which were too apt to engage their and selfish thoughts been taken from them and hare they not instead been taught to set their affections on things and finally to use the words of a spanish in a letter to his superior in spain can any one hare the presumption to say that these hare yielded any thing more an to their in to them a little pitiful tract of this dirty planet in exchange a glorious inheritance in the kingdom of here then are three complete and sources of right established any one of which was more than ample to a property in the newly regions of america now so it has happened in certain parts of this delightful quarter of the globe that the of has been so asserted tiie of so extended and the progress i aiid civilization so that what with their attendant wars diseases and other partial that often bang on the skirts of great benefits the hare how or another been utterly and this all s once brings to a fourth right which is worth all tb others put together for the original to the so being all dead aud buried and no other remaining to or dispute the soil the ds as the next occupants entered upon the possession as clearly as t hai man to the of a as they have and all the learned of the law on their side they may set all actions of ment at defiance and this last right may be entitled mt or in words by c ba b ii c t lest of remain ob and to settle tbe of right for pope alexander vi a built j k be the newly discovered quarter e globe to the and who thai ig and gospel on their side and being great showed the pagan savages ir nor bat tbe work of discovery civilization and with ten than ever ml were the who first discovered clearly entitled to the soil and not only entitled e hat likewise to the eternal thanks of these a lor having come so endured so many by and land and taken such pains other purpose but to improve forlorn | 48 |
condition for having made them with the comforts of life lor having introduced g them the light of religion and finally for having them the world to enjoy its reward t aa is never so well understood by ns i mortals as when it comes home to ourselves and as particularly anxious that this question should be put t lor ever i will suppose a case by way of the candid attention of my readers ns then that tbe inhabitants of the g advancement in science and by a profound it into philosophy the mere i oc have of late years dazzled the feeble i tim shallow brains of the good people of our us suppose i say that the inhabitants of the by means had arrived at such a command of i such an state of as the element and ate the let us suppose a crew of these in the course of an voyage of the stars should chance to alight upon this dish planet i here i beg my readers will not haye the no to smile as is too frequently tbe of rs when the speculations of p am in ng in any ft nt nor is the p i have q o wild as many may deem it it has been a veiy and anxious question with me and many a time and oft in the course of cares and es for the welfare am protection of this my native planet have i lain awake whole nights in my mind whether it were most probable we should first dis cover and the moon or the moon discover and our j neither would the y of r in the air and the stars be a whit ni astonishing and incomprehensible to ns than was the european mystery of floating castles through the world of waters to the simple savages we have already discovered the art of along the shores of our planet by means of as the savage had of venturing along their sea in and the between the former and the of the philosophers from the moon might not be greater between the bark of the savages and the mighty ships of their i might here pursue aa endless chain of similar speculations but as they be unimportant to my subject i abandon them to ray reader particularly if he be a philosopher as matters well worthy his attentive consideration to return then to my supposition let us suppose that the i have mentioned possessed of vastly superior ki to ourselves that is to say possessed of superior knowledge in the art of riding on defended with impenetrable with concentrated sun beams and provided with engines to enormous moon stones in short let them if our vanity will permit the as superior to us in knowledge and consequently in power as the ns were to the indians they first dis covered them au this is very possible it is only our self that makes us think otherwise and i warrant the poor savages before they had any knowledge of the white men armed in all the terrors of glittering steel and were as perfectly that they themselves were the wisest the most virtuous and perfect of created beings as are at this moment th inhabitants of old the of or even the u this most republic york im that the this planet to be but a by u poor and wild ti shall take of it in the name of bis most gracious i the man in the moon find that their are to hold a complete on account of the of its inhabitants they shall take our worthy the king of the of the ty and the great king of and to their native planet shall carry them to court the indian led about as spectacles ia the of europe making such a the etiquette of the it requires they shall address the man in the on ib as near as i can conjecture the following terms moat serene and mighty whose end as as eye can reach who on the great the sun as a looking glass and control over tides and sea thy subjects have just returned from a voyage discovery in the course of which we have landed and ed possession of that obscure little dirty planet which ni rolling at a distance the five which we have brought into this august were once very important chiefs among their who are a race of beings totally destitute of the attributes of humanity and in every ng from the inhabitants of the moon as they ty their heads upon their shoulders instead of under ir arms have two eyes instead of one are utterly of and of a variety of of a horrible whiteness instead of green we moreover found these miserable savages ok into a state of the utmost ignorance and ery man living with his own wife and rear bis own children instead of indulging in that of wives by the law of e as the philosophers of the moon in a word they have a i of true philosophy among them but are fact utter and taking therefore on the conditions of these we have while we history or on their planet to introduce among them the light of reason and the of the moon we ha ve treated them to of and draughts of which they swallowed with incredible city particularly the females y and we have likewise to into them the of philosophy we have insisted upon their the contemptible of religion and common sense and the and all perfect energy and the immovable perfection bat such was the obstinacy of these wretched that they persisted in to their wives and to religion and absolutely set at the doctrines of the moon nay among other abominable they even | 48 |
went so far as to declare that this planet made of nothing more less green cheese v at these words the great man in the moon a very philosopher shall fall into a terrible passion and possessing equal authority over things that do not belong to him as did his the pope shall forthwith issue a formidable bull that whereas a certain crew of have lately and taken possession of a newly discovered planet called the earth and that whereas it is inhabited by none a race of two animals that carry their heads on their shoulders instead of under their arms cannot talk die lunatic language have two eyes instead of are destitute of tails and of a whiteness of therefore and for a variety of other excellent n they are considered incapable of any property in the planet they and the right and title to it are to its original and the who are now about to rt to the planet are and commanded to every to convert these savages from the darkness of christianity and make them thorough and absolute in consequence of this benevolent bull our philosophic go to work with hearty zeal they seize upon our fertile us fi om our relieve us from our wives and when we enough to complain they will turn ua new york ft miserable ungrateful wretches s e we not come thousands of miles to improve planet have we not fed you with ave we not you with does oar moon give you light every night and have you to murmur when we claim a pitiful all these benefits but finding that we not only absolute contempt of reasoning and philosophy but even go so far as to sod oar property their patience shall be and shall resort to their superior powers of it os with us with concentrated oar cities with moon stones ing by main force us to the true they graciously permit us to exist in the deserts of or the frozen regions of there to of civilization and the of in much the same manner as the and savages of this country are kindly suffered to the forests of the north or the of south america i hope i have clearly proved and strikingly the right of the early to the po o s c a i of this country and thus is this gigantic question so having obstacles and subdued all opposition what remains that i should forthwith conduct my readers into the f which we have been so long in a manner t hold before i proceed step i must pause to e breath and recover from the excessive fatigue i have in preparing to begin this most accurate of and in this i do bat imitate the example of a dutch of who took a start for the purpose of jumping over a hill but ring run out of breath by the time he reached mt sat himself quietly for a few moments w and then walked over it at his leisure of book history op book second of the settlement of the province op chap i in which are contained divert a man write in a also hie of a country a id how he of rewarded l the of their mt by tke i side van when to the large at which stands about three to left after you turn off from the and which is so constructed that all the christians of prefer through a sermon there to any other church in the city iy great i say when employed to that did in the first place send to a long pipes then having purchased a new and weight of the best virginia he sat and did nothing for the space of three months but most laboriously then did he spend full more od on foot and in the from j to o to to li to the knocking his head and pipe against every church in his road be gradually nearer and nearer to in full sight of the identical spot the church was to be built then did be months longer in walking round it and round it j co it from one point of view and then another now would he be by it on the would he peep at it through a from the other side of the and now would he take a at it from the top of one of those gigantic b which protect the of the city the good the place were on the of and ce notwithstanding all the of my great not a symptom of the church was yet to be iy even began to fear it would never be brought but that its great would lie down in labour of the mighty plan he had occupied twelve good in and talking and having holland and even taken a peep into france and smoked five hundred and ninety nd three hundred weight of the best virginia my great grandfather gathered together all that and industrious class of citizens who pi r to any body s business sooner than their ng pulled off bis coat and five pair of up and laid the corner stone of the in the presence of the whole just at of the month manner and with the example of my worthy full before my eyes have i proceeded in writing t history the honest thought my great was doing nothing the purpose while be was making such a world of bustle about the build of his church and the ingenious inhabitants of this fair city wilt suppose that all the preliminary discovery population and final settlement of were totally and superfluous and main business the history of new york is not re advanced than if i never taken up my pen ere wise people more mistaken in n consequence | 48 |
of going to work slowly and church came out of my s hands te most goodly glorious own excepting that like our magnificent t washington it was begun on so grand a scale good folks could not afford to more than of it so i trust if ever am enabled to h work on the plan have commenced of i truth sometimes have my doubts it will be i have pursued the latest rules of my art as ed in the writings of all the great v md wrought a very large out of a t op which a k one of the of historic to proceed then with the of my ib the ever of oar lord o tbe five aad twentieth day of march old did worthy aad aa he been matter act mil firom holland in a called employed by the dutch india y to a to china henry or as the call him was a man of renown who to tobacco r walter and ii mu to introduce it into holland gained him in that and to find great in the of the lords general and also of the india company he was a short m ou old gentleman with a a aw a broad copper nose which was supposed in days to have acquired its fiery hue firom the tobacco pipe he wore a true tucked in a belt and a s cocked hat on one side of head he was remarkable for always up breeches when he gave out his orders and his voice not unlike the of a tin trumpet owing to as number tf hard north which he had ii the of his such was of whom we ao much and know little and i have been that in bis description the benefit of modem and that they may represent him aa he was and according to common custom with heroes make him look like caesar or or the of as chief mate and favourite companion the chose master robert of in by some his name has been and to the circumstance of his having been the first man over tobacco but this i believe to be a am more especially aa certain of hb mi at this day who write their names ha wm an and tha great new york f lie had often played and sailed ia a neighbouring when they were little whence it is said tlie first derived m wards a life certain it is that the old declared to he an prone to mischief tliat would one day or to the gallows grew up as of that kind often grow up a ng tossed in all quarters of the meeting with more perils and wonders did i tlie without growing a whit more wise ity or hi natured misfortune he with a of tobacco and the truly that it will he all the same thing a he was skilled in the art or and true knots on the bulk heads and r and was a great wit on board n consequence of his ring on body i and and then a face at old id when his back was turned universal genius are we indebted many concerning this voyage of which he wrote a f at the request of the who had an to writing firom having ed fo many about it when at to f the of master journal is k with true log book have availed myself en traditions handed down my great who accompanied the expedition in the ny of cabin boy m all that i can lean few worthy of k in the and it me that i have to admit so noted an expedition ly work without making any more of it that the advantages of that most writer of who in his account of the famous expedition has the whole at his al and and his into although all the world knows them to a mere gang of sheep on a or that i had the privileges of dan to my narrative with giants and j to entertain our honest w th l of concert of and and now and then with the of honest old and fleet of but alas the good bare gone by when would upon this globe in their own proper persons play their upon its wondering inhabitants it then to say the voyage was prosperous and the crew being a patient people much given to and but little troubled with the disease of i malady of the mind which is the am of discontent had laid in abundance of gin and sour and every man was allowed to sleep quietly at his post unless the wind blew true it is alight was shown on two or three at certain unreasonable conduct of thus for instance he to sail when tha wind was light and the weather serene which was considered among the most dutch as certain or that the weather would change for the worse he acted in direct contradiction to that ancient and sage rule of who always took in sail at night put the and turned in by which precaution they had a good night s rest were sure of knowing where were the next morning and stood but little of running down a continent in the dark he likewise the from wearing more than live and six pair of breeches under pretence of rendering more alert and no man was permitted to go aloft and hand in sails with a pipe in his mouth as is uie custom at the present day all these though they might for a moment the tranquillity of the honest dutch made but impressions they eat drank and slept and being under the especial guidance el t the ship was safely conducted to the coast of america where after sundry aa off and on she at length on the | 48 |
fourth day of september entered that majestic bay which at this day its ample bosom before the city of new i nd which had before been visited by any i it i am not ignorant or the fact that in a i book of by one is to bs s written lo francis on q or mm to k t in our that when the f was tint with a view of mm he was for the and life to exhibit strong symptoms of nd he is to have turned to and these words while he towards this paradise of the new see and thereupon as was hi y when he pleased he did out such of smoke that in one minute the vessel waa of land and master was fain to wait until b dispersed thb impenetrable fog i indeed as my great great grand ther used to in truth i never um for he died as e expected before was bom it was indeed ml the eye might have for in w and never ending beauties the island of spread wide before them like some sweet r or some creation of industrious magic of smiling green swelled gently one above another with trees of luxuriant growth j some their foliage towards the which transparent and loaded with a burden of vines bowing their on whidi mine are inclined to a belief that bay bad been visited nearly a to r the now this it met of certain very judicious and learned i and that for various good and first because on strict it will be found that given by applies about as well to ths york as it does to my night am secondly because for whom i already begin to a is a native of and every body knows ths a of these by which away ths om the brows of the called and bestowed on their and i no doubt they are equally ready to rob ms of uie credit of discovering this island y the city of york and placing it beside their of america and my decision in lor i would set at as mj if three reasons be not to every f this ancient city all i can say is they are s from their dutch ancestors and the trouble of thus the mud oa to bis i folly t ov to the earth thai was covered with on the gentle the were scattered in gay profusion the wood the and the wild whose and white blossoms glowed among the deep green of the surrounding foliage j and and there a curling column of smoke from the little that opened along the e to promise the weary a welcome at the bands of their fellow as they stood gazing with attention on the scene before than a red man crowned with issued from one of these and after contemplating in silent wonder the gallant ship as she sat like a stately wan swimming on a silver lake sounded the war and bounded into the woods like a wild deer to the utter astonishment of the who had beard such a noise or witnessed such a in their whole lives of the transactions of our with the and how the latter smoked copper pipes and ate how they brought great store of tobacco and they shot one of the s crew and w he was buried i shall say nothing being that i them unimportant to my history after a days in the bay in order to refresh themselves after their our weighed anchor to explore i mighty liver which emptied into the bay this river it is said was known among the savages by the name of the k though we are assured in an excellent little history published in by john it was called the f and master richard who wrote some time afterwards the same that i very much incline in favour of the opinion of two honest gentlemen be this as it may up this river did the adventurous proceed little but it would turn out to be the much looked for the journal goes on to make mention of divers between the crew and the natives in the voyage ae river but as they would be impertinent to my hi i shall pass over them in silence except the following dry joke played off by the old and his robert which such vast credit to their this river is likewise laid down s map as m l m u va c that i cannot our and his mate to try men of tlie whether they had any e in them so they them the id save them ao much wine and that b all and one of them and hia wife with so as any of onr do in a place in the end one of i which had been aboard our all the we had been there and that waa to them could not tell bow to take it if satisfied himself by this experiment were an honest social race of jolly no object on to a drinking and were very their cups the old chuckled if and thrusting a double of tobacco in his master to have it carefully recorded of all the natural philosophers of the y of which done he proceeded on his with great self complacency after s above a hundred miles up the he found ery world around him began to grow more and confined the current more rapid and phenomena not uncommon in the ascent of ut which puzzled the honest a consultation was therefore called and having led full six hours they were brought to a by the s running whereupon concluded that there was but little chance ng to china in that direction a boat however patched to explore higher up the river | 48 |
which on n confirmed the opinion upon this the ship was off and put about with great difficulty being like her sex exceeding hard to govern and according to the account of my great returned down the river with a in his ear satisfied that there was little of getting unless like the blind man he returned be set out and took a start he forthwith id the sea to holland where he was received with by the honourable east india company re very much rejoiced to see him come back safe s i t or ship and mt a and respectable of tlie and bu of it wai that as a for the eminent be had and the important be had made the great river be called after his and it continues to ba called unto this very day chap ii an of a ark wider the m of si to island the ike om a great victory ike accounts given by the j and master of the country they had not a talk and speculation among the good people of holland letters patent were by n ment to association of merchants called the india for the exclusive trade on on which they erected a trading house called fort or orange from whence did spring the city of but i forbear to dwell on the various commercial and which took place among which was that of block who and gave a name to block island since for its and shall barely confine m f to that which gave birth to this renowned city it was some three or four years after the return of the immortal that a crew of honest low set sail from the city of for the shores of america it is an loss to history and a great proof of the darkness of the age and the lamentable neglect of the noble art of book making since so cultivated by knowing sea captains and learned that an so and important in its results should be passed over in silence to my great great am i again indebted for the few facts i am enabled to g e concerning it he having once embarked for this country with a u l at b a d ii to k of a race of that should rise to be men in the land die ship in which tbe e set sail wn called the or good woman in compliment to the wife of the president of the west c who was allowed by every body except bar husband to be a sweet tempered lady when not in liquor it was in truth a most vessel of the most approved dutch construction and made by the ship of who it is well known always model their ships after the fair forms of their it had one hundred feet in the one feet in the and one hundred feet from the bottom of the stem post to the like the model who was declared to be the greatest iii it was full in the bows with a pair of cat heads a copper bottom and withal a most who was somewhat of a religious man from the ship with pagan such as or which have no doubt occasion the misfortunes and of many a noble vessel i say on the contrary lid erect for a bead a goodly image f st equipped with a low broad hat a rage pair of trunk and a pipe that reached the end of the thus gallantly furnished the ship floated sideways like a majestic goose out f the harbour of the great city of and all he that were not otherwise engaged rung a triple ob major on the joyful occasion great great grandfather remarks that the voyage prosperous for being under the en ia i are of the ever st the to be endowed with qualities unknown to common vessels thus she made as much lee way as could get along very nearly as fast with the wind as when it was a and was particularly great in a calm j in of which singular advantages ihe made out to accomplish her voyage in a very few and came to anchor at the mouth of the i little to east of island called one joseph a t lu la d the d may history or hare p their eyes tliey beheld on what is at present c led the shore s small e pleasantly in a prove of spreading elms and the all collected on the beach in stupid admiration at the a was immediately despatched to enter into a treaty with them and approaching the shore them through a trumpet la the terms but so horribly confounded these poor at the tremendous and uncouth sound of the low language that they one and all took to their heels the nor did they until they bid buried head and la the on the other where they all miserably to a man and their bones collected decently hj the of that day that mound called rises out of the centre of the salt a little to the cast oi the by thb for victory our heroes sprang ashore in triumph took possession of the soil as in the names of high the lords states f and marching forward carried the of c o m m w storm that it was defended by some half a score m ou and on looking them they were so transported with the of the that they had yery little bt the blessed st had guided them thither as the very spot whereon to settle their colony the softness of the soil wonderfully adapted to the driving of piles the and around them afforded ample for the of and the of the shore was peculiarly to the building of n a this spot with all tiie for | 48 |
the foundation of a great dutch city oa ns ng a faithful report therefore to the crew of the they one all determined that this was the destined end of their voyage accordingly they descended from the men women sad children in goodly groups as did the of from the ark and formed themselves into a settlement which they called by the indian name com as all the world m i with it may somewhat to present work j but my reader will tv it is my chief to af e yet write likewise for the understanding and of of yet to come by which rf it not for this invaluable the like and cities might be perfectly extinct and n its own mud its inhabitants turned into and even its situation a fertile id and hard headed e let me then from b of a place which was the egg e was the mighty city of new york is at present but a small village plea among rural scenery on that e was known in ancient the name of f and commands a grand r the superb bay of new york it is within sail of the latter place provided you have i and may be distinctly seen from the city i well known which i can testify from my that on a clear still summer evening you rom the battery of new york the e broad laughter of the dutch who like other es are powers this is peculiarly the case on when it is remarked by an ingenious int who has made great discoveries of city that always laugh be attributes to the circumstance of th r holiday clothes on in ct like tbe in the dark ages the knowledge of the and being infinitely and more knowing than their masters the foreign trade making frequent voyages to loaded with and cab y are great the different tbe weather almost as accurate as an j exquisite on the y into in the is given to a to or in almost the lar of his for not a horse or an ox in the place when at the or before the on will bud a foot until he the known his black driver and companion nd from their skill in casting op accounts upon their th art regarded with as much as were tbe of of when the sacred of numbers as to the honest of like men and sound philosophers they never look beyond pipes nor their heads about any of their neighbourhood so that they live in and ignorance of all the troubles anxieties of this distracted planet i am even told that many among them do verily believe that holland of which they have heard so much from tradition is where on long island that and are the two ends of the that the country ii still under the dominion of their high and that the city of new york still goes by the name they meet every saturday at the only tavern in the place which as a sign a likeness of the prince of orange where smoke a silent pipe by way of social and invariably drink a of to the of admiral von who they imagine is still ing the british channel with a at his head in short is one of the villages in the vicinity of this most of which are so many strong holds and whither the primitive manners of our dutch have retreated and where they are cherished with devout and the dress of the original b down from to the identical bat broad skirted coat and broad breeches continue generation to ni several gigantic knee of silver are m wear made such gallant display in the days of tht of tbe language ess by barbarous and m correct is the village in his c l his reading of a low dutch has much the effect the nerves a fi v fa sl chap is mi forth the true art of a bargain with the miraculous escape of a great im a fog the of certain heroes of in the trifling which concluded the ml chapter the filial duty which the city of york owed to as being the mother and a picture of it as it mi i return with a sentiment of df to dwell upon its early history the or the being soon by fresh firom the settlement went on in magnitude and prosperity the neighbour in a short time became accustomed to the of the dutch language and an intercourse look place between them and the new comers were much to long talks and the dutch in this therefore they ted other completely the chiefs would make a ca about the b bull the and the great to which the others would listen very pipes and her the y ag e a were delighted they instructed the new in the best art of and smoking while the latter in return made them drunk with h o da a nd then learned them the art of making a trade for was soon opened the dutch re honest in their dealings and by establishing it as an invariable table if that the hand of a weighed and his foot two pounds it is true the simple were often puzzled by the great and we for let place a bundle of mr ge in one scale and a put his hand in other the bundle was sure to kick the beam i t a of known to weigh more than cf of i w ii a bi t i hare it direct from w t of great great grandfather who had risen to importance in the colony being promoted to the master on account of the of fain foot the dutch in part of the globe | 48 |
b dow to assume a very appearance aiid under the general title of on account as the sage of ask sat to the dutch was truly excepting that the were and and the latter about this time the tranquillity of the was doomed to suffer a temporary in captain sir samuel under a mission from governor of virginia tke on on river and demanded their to the english crown and vi this demand as they were in no ti resist it they submitted for the time like mi reasonable men it does not appear that the as settlement of on the contrary x am tou that when his vessel first in sight the worthy were seized with such a panic that they to their pipes with astonishing vehemence they quickly raised a which witb surrounding woods and completely and concealed their beloved village and tht fair regions of so that the terrible passed on totally that a dutch settlement lay in the cover of all this in af thb fortunate escape the worthy have to smoke almost without unto day which is said to be the cause of the ag that often hangs over of a dear upon the departure of the enemy our ancestors took six months to recover having been exceedingly by the and hurry of they then called a council of to smoke over the state of the province after more of mature deliberation during im words were spoken and almost as smoked aa w certain a whole s of hard to fit out ao of and on a voyage of to march if hire and position might not y where the be lot to il oi was to the van van and ten j neat men bat of i hare i can team i previous to their nor need for like make great noise abroad have seldom much in own countries but this is tf and off of a country are f composed of the richest parts of the soil and remarking how convenient it would be of our great men and great of doubtful mid they have the ge of the heroes of en c v ct their origin was involved in obscurity descendants a god never visited a country hut what they cock and bull stories about their being at home this on the has occasionally been played off by some and other foreigners in our natured has been completely dis deed in this f age aud whether any tender virgin who was enriched with a re her character at parlour fire and evening by the phenomenon to a swan a r gold or a river god denied the of and have been completely at a as to the of my heroes had not a gleam of l ht wn upon origin from their names us simple means have i been enabled to gather concerning the in question fur instance was one of those who tax for a and like enjoy a free and estate i a r it ov shine he was usually in b his being and k hand of time and was with an a hat had acquired the shape of a sugar so far did be carry his contempt for the of dress that it is said the remnant i which his back and like a out of a in his was by the showers of heaven in was he usually to be seen himself at with a herd of philosophers of the same on of the great canal of like your i europe be took his name of m or x from his landed estate which lay of the next of our might i have benefit of assistance the want ol have just lament i have made h mention as equally hero of antiquity his name was va which being freely translated from meaning beyond a doubt that like the and the be sprang from dam the earth this supposition is strongly it is well that all the earth were of a gigantic stature and van told was a tall raw man above six feet h an hard nor is this illustrious van a whit more improbable or to belief than what is related and universally a d certain of our or rather richest men told with the utmost gravity did originally of the third hero but a faint description i this time which that he was a sturdy man and from being with an pair of was bi or tough ten completed this of a singular but ludicrous fact which were i not s in the whole truth i should almost b to pass over iu silence as with tl and dignity of history that this worthy e been from the most a us dress in the small clothes seem to bare important garment in the eyes of onr ton owing in all probability to its really being t of them the name of or is indifferently translated into b r and tin the high dutch to the former opinion and it to first who into the settlement the of wearing ten pair of br he elegant and ingenious writers on the subject t in of tin or rather breeches from ie tliat he was a poor but merry i were none of the and who he identical author of that truly philosophical him why w quarrel for riches or such glittering toys t a light and of win go the my boys h was gallant chosen to conduct this into and the whole was put ending care and direction of van who was md in great reverence among the of fat the variety and darkness of his know as i before passed a great part i life in open air among tlie he had become well with the aspect of the heavens and could as determine when a storm was or a y ns a husband | 48 |
can foresee from the brow of when a tempest is gathering about his ears m moreover a of ghosts and and in but what especially recommended confidence was hb marvellous talent at ing for there never was any thing d consequence at but what be declared he had it one of those a thing it has come to pass is gift was as highly valued tiie of as it was among the enlightened antiquity wise was more indebted b than foe a l m mr and ny j be said of tbe tim ld w the to repair to their take a food b ail and make their will b oa thb and thb last waa a always by in tbey nut and vo to or r or other that lay the great waters of the chap it f am to how there and dow the rosy of an to ia the east aad soon the from purple clouds shed his rays on th tin of it wan that of the year when breaking from the of old like a from tl tyranny of a sordid old threw ten into the arms of every and blooming grove a the notes of love the very insects as t tlie dew that the of the joined in the joyous the virgin put forth its the voice of the beard in the land aad the heart of man dissolved tenderness oh sweet had thine reed wherewith thou did charm the gay st or oh gentle thy pastoral pipe tlie happy of the isle so much then might i attempt to sing in soft or the rural beauties of the scene but i nothing save this goose wherewith to w bi most u u poetic of hm ii m e my in prose the that it nay ao the of my reader yet it may with to his better in the and garb of did the rays of dart windows of than the little settle all in motion forth issued from his castle the i and seizing a shell blew a ng blast that summoned all did they resolutely down to the by a multitude of relatives and friends vent down as the common phrase it hem off and this shows the antiquity of those often seen in our city composed es sizes and sexes laden with bundles and band some of country cousins about to om home in a market boat ood bestowed his forces in a of and hoisted his flag on board a little round shaped not unlike a tub which had formerly jolly boat of the and now ail they bid to the throng beach who continued them it of hearing wishing a happy them to take good care of themselves not to get with an other of those sage and in generally given by to such as to the in ships aud adventure upon tlie deep in the mean while the cheerily urged the crystal bosom of the bay and soon id them the green of ancient they touched at two small islands which lie and which are said to light into existence about the time of the great of the when it broke through the made its way to the ocean for in this latter by tain of our philosophers ay been often advanced and contradicted it to be nigh equal to a settled fact that the a lake up by of the w very and or of the water we are told its of rock and land were rest tke by this river for or where of ran oa the aad formed the ia while oat to ma aod were a proof of the k that th rack which the bam of n to that of the one of oar who has the of mu m that was nor a a oa s these little they next s island since terrible for its fi ow g and they by no however land upon island might be the abode of and which la days did t aad at this a of jolly came ad by turning ap their in the and np the in did the mark thia than he m this he if i mist not the is a well a among his looks plenty and l greatly admire this and not bat is i a happy omen of the ol oar so be directed his ti steer la the tract of these fishes therefore directly to the left they af the strait called the east river ami rapid tide this strait on hi which van embarked it forward with a h sad ttie party and back by of old it and after a its to have to is very remote probably that bid lost the aft of op the ia a h which i do not pretend to be that it my belief f in l i t a an york li by that th who had all hia life long been the drowsy of was more than that tb were in the bands of some power and that the jolly were to some haven that was to fulfil all their and expectations i borne away by the they doubled point of land since called s hook to the right the winding core ot the where our infant is now a put out to they drifted into a magnificent expanse of water by pleasant shores whose was refreshing to the eye while the were r them on what they conceived to be a serene lake they beheld at a distance a crew of savages busily employed in fishing who seemed ike the of this romantic region their slender lightly balanced like a feather on the of tbe bay i of these tbe hearts of tbe | 48 |
heroes of not a little troubled but as good fortune would at the bow of tbe s boat was stationed man named which being means a name given him in of no sooner did he behold these is he trembled with excessive and a good half mile distance he seized a f at hand and turning away head fired it most in tbe face of the blessed sun the and gave the an bat laid him prostrate with uplifted heels in the of the boat but such was the of this fire that the wild men of the woods struck hastily upon their and way into one of the deep of tbe long signal victory gave new spirits to the hardy of the achievement they the name to the surrounding bay and it has led to be called s bay from time to the properly i e a of land b t or the heart of the ml van no land of hu own was a great admirer of e b expanded at the prospect country around and falling into a reverie he straightway began to riot in the meadows of salt marsh and interminable pat from this vision he was all i by the sudden turning of the tide whidi have hurried him from this land of promise h the discreet given signal to steer for where they landed hard by the rocky i of that happy retreat where our jolly eat for the good of the city and the t sacrificed on here seated on the green by the side of t stream that ran sparkling among the grass they re themselves after the toils of the seas by the ample stores which they had provided for f voyage thus having well fortified their powers they fell into an earnest consultation wh to be done this was the first council eaten and h tradition relates did the gi cat t between the and the afterwards had a influence on the building city sturdy whose eyes u delighted with the salt that their along the coast at the s bay by au means to return found the intended city was the and many ai passed between them the particulars of this not reached us which m ever to be much b certain that the sage put an end dispute by to explore still further in which the had so clearly the sturdy tough breeches abandon expedition took possession of a bill s fit of great wrath peopled all that tract of country has continued to be inhabited by the this very day by this time the jolly like some wanton sporting on the side of a green hill began to roll of the j and now the tide once in their the again to discretion and along were borne towards the of a island here the capricious wanderings of the not a little and perplexity to these mm now would they be caught by the and sweeping round a deep into some romantic little that d fur island of now they were i by the of impending d with the and with that threw a broad shade on the wares beneath oa tbey were borne away into the mid and along with a rapidity that much e yon as he saw the land swiftly oo either began exceedingly to that was giving them the slip the turned their eyes a new creation i to bloom around no signs of human d to check the delicious of nature who in all her luxuriant variety those hills now like the with rows of po of wealth and adorned with the vigorous natives of the soil idly oak the generous the and there the tree reared his head of the forest where now are seen the gay half buried in twilight whence oft breathes the of some city the fish built his s nest on some ee that overlooked his watery domain the d undisturbed along those shores now by s walk and printed by the slender i beauty a savage solitude extended over happy regions where now are reared the stately i of the the and the is gliding in silent wonder through these new and wn scenes the gallant of swept foot of a that forth boldly into and seemed to frown upon them as they history of this is the bluff well known to modem by the name of gi s point from tbe which like an elephant it carries its and here broke upon their a wild and varied land and water were ap they bad combined to and set off each other s charms to their right lay the point island di in the fresh of green it stretched the pleasant coast of and the small harbour well known by the name of a place infamous in latter days by reason of its the haunt of who these seas and water patches and insulting gentlemen when in their pleasure boats to ths left lay a deep bay or rather creek between shores fringed with forests and forming a of vista through which were beheld the silver of and east here the with delight on a richly wooded country by shadowy intervals and waving of swelling above each other while over the tbe purple mists of spring diffused a hue of soft just before them the grand course of the stream a sudden bend wound among and shores of that seemed to melt into the wave a character of gentleness and mild prevailed around the sun had just descended and thin haze of twilight like a transparent veil drawn over the bosom of virgin beauty heightened the charms which it half concealed ah scenes of foul delusion ah gazing with simple wonder on these shores such alas are they poor easy souls who listen to the of a wicked are its smiles fatal its caresses he who to its upon | 48 |
a tide and his feeble among the of a and thus it with the of who little the scene before them drifted quietly on they were aroused by an uncommon tossing and of their vessels for now the late current to around them and tbe waves to boil and foam new york awakened ai if from a dream the e aloud to put about but his words were lost amid the if of the waters and now ensued a scene of consternation at one time they were borne dreadful among tumultuous at another hurried down boisterous now they were upon the hen and chickens infamous rocks more than and her and anon they sinking into that threatened to them beneath tlie waves all the elements combined to produce a hideous confusion the waters the winds and as they were hurried along of the beheld the rocks and trees of the shores driving through the air i at length the mighty tub of van was drawn into the of that tremendous the where it was whirled about in giddy tbe of the good commander and his crew were by the of the scene and the of the revolution how the of was snatched from the jaws of this modern has never been made known for so many survived to tell the tale ud what ia still more wonderful told it in so many different that there has ever prevailed a great variety of oo the am to the and fits crew when they came to found themselves on the island shore the worthy indeed used to many and wonderful of his adventures in this time of peril which by his account did far exceed those of tbe sage in the straits of for be saw flying in the air and heard the yelling of and put his hand into the pot when they ere whirled around and found the water hot nd several uncouth looking beings seated on rocks nd it with huge but particularly he declared with great exultation that he saw the whidi betrayed them into this peril some on the and others hissing in the an however were considered by many as mere of the s imagination while he lay ia a trance especially as he was known to ve o s or and the of bee it ii certain that to the i of aod hb may he traced the handed of this strait the devil hat been there sitting of and playing on the e h ow he f before a storm and many other stories in be of putting too much faith in cow of all these terrific circumstances the ve this the name of oe been interpreted which it at the present day chap v bom cf and how ike a d m a nd ike dream he the darkness of night had closed upon this d day and night was it to the whose cars were incessantly assailed raging of the and the howling of the ho tint this strait bat when ti ing dawned the horrors of the preceding away aiid appeared the stream again ran smooth and d and changed its tide rolled gently the quarter where lay their much regretted home the woe heroes of eyed ei this is a in th at the of above new york it ia to unless of by or rocks these have received such s very violent and turbulent certain wise mm who instruct these modem softened the above characteristic name into gate nothing i leave them to give their own th given by our author is supported by the map in in by s history of america u by a still written ia the th century and t in s state paper and an old ms written ii speaking of various in names this city vl s d safer ont gate d j m had been totally md by the late disaster some were cast the a where headed by one they of all the lying about the tone which b held the at thia were driven by of weather to a having with them a of genuine da were enabled to the np a kind of tavern from whence it b did the town of in which their ever continued to be the they were thrown upon tiie and may he found in but oat luck attended the great overboard waa from r by the of hia up he floated on the like a until led on a rock where be waa found the next g hia many breeches in the to treat long consultation of our im w they determined that it would not do to found in neighbourhood and bow at length and trembling ventured once more upon ij and their course back for it in to that after back through the of their a voyage length opened the point of a view of their beloved here they were opposed by an that i all the efforts of the exhausted weary they no long make head of the tide or rather aa will have it of who anxious to guide them to a spot n be founded his strong bold in this half a score of potent that rolled the van and dry on the f m ng in a manner been guided by to this island their first care waa tu are at the foot of a large tree that stood upon the at present the battery then gathering r great store of which ou a or ad the of their they ad a the wo was to be to the for the can expedition especially to his care be i on him to eat for the in proportion as he himself to the very dainty him did the heart of this seem to rise up towards his throat until fa and almost choked with good eating i nature and at | 48 |
such times it is a man s h bis that be may more truly be said to and bis speeches abound with kindness and thus the worthy having last possible morsel and washed it down with felt hb heart yearning and his whole fr with unbounded benevolence thing around him seemed excellent and delight laying bis hands on each side of his p and rolling bis half closed eyes around on the land and water before him he a half smothered voice what a the words died away in his throat he i on the scene for a moment is i closed over their his head drooped upon his he slowly sunk upon the green and a gradually upon him and the sage dreamed a ni good st came riding over the tops of m that se f same wherein he brings his y to children he came and descended where the heroes of had made i and the shrewd van knew h broad bat his long pipe and the resemblance bore to the figure on the bow of the he lit his pipe by the fire and he sat himself c smoked and as be smoked the smoke from ascended into the air and spread like a cloud and the sage him and he climbed up to the top of one of the trees that the smoke f over a great extent of and as he it more attentively he great of assumed a variety oi york where iu dim he out palaces and lofty all which but a and then faded away until the whole rolled and but the woods were left and c had his pipe he twisted it hi his hat and laying his finger beside his nose gave the a look fail he returned the tree and and van awoke from his sleep greatly and be aroused his companions and related to than his dream and interpreted i that it was the will of that they should settle down and build the city here and that the smoke of the pipe was a type how vast be the extent of the city inasmuch as the of its smoke should spread over a vast extent of and the all with one assented to this who the meaning to b that it should be a city wherein i little should occasion a great smoke or in other a little both which ly come to pass the mat of their perilous expedition s happily accomplished the returned to where were received with r and here calling a general meeting of all the wise men and the of related the whole history of voyage and of the dream if van and the people lifted up their and the good st and from that time the sa was in more honour r lor his great at dreaming and was a most useful citizen and a right good he was m of chap vi an attempt f of name of the island tlie was thus is a mail of some dispute and has already undergone a melancholy proof of the of all sa things and the of all our hopes of for who can expect his name will live to when the names of mi islands are thus soon k in contradiction and the name most current at present day and is likewise by the great historian is which is said to have in a custom among the in the early settlement wearing men s hats as is still done among many tribe hence as we are told by an old w somewhat of a wag and a century and had paid a visit to the wits of philadelphia hem arose the of man hat on first to tl indians and afterwards to the island a stupid join but well enough for a governor among the more venerable sources of fi this subject is that valuable history of the american po written by master richard wherein it is called and m must i forget the excellent little book full of matter of that historian john jo who expressly calls it another still more ancient and by the countenance of our ever to be lamented ancestors is that found in certain letters still which passed between the early and their powers wherein it is called and which are evident unimportant variations of the same name for this history ii to be found in the of the new york hit society f t s col p p new york set little store by those either in or which form the sole study and of many learned men and women of this age this last name is said to be derived from the indian spirit who was supposed to make lis island bis abode on account of its for the indian traditions affirm that the bay as once a lake filled with silver and golden sh ia the midst of which lay this beautiful island covered ith every variety of fruits and flowers but that the of the waste these and his flight beyond the great of these however legends to which very must be j although i am to admit the last of the name as try suitable for prose yet is another one founded still ancient and authority which i delight in seeing that it is at once poetical and significant and thb is recorded in the voyage of the great written by who clearly and correctly calls it that is to say the island of or in other a land flowing with milk and honey it been solemnly resolved that the seat of ould be transferred the green shores of to is island a vast multitude embarked and across the mouth of the under the of the h ho was appointed pro tor or patron to the new settlement and bare let me bear testimony to the honesty d of | 48 |
our worthy who purchased of the native indians before a single roof singular and almost incredible in the annals discovery and the first settlement was made on the south west point the island on the very spot the good si i appeared in the dream here they built a mighty d fort and trading house called fort which stood on that eminence at present by the custom house with the open space now led the green in front around thb potent fortress was soon seen a history op of little dutch with roofs all to like i of half sheltered under the wings mother ben the whole was by an em of strong to guard against any sudden in of the savages who wandered in about the s and that extended over those tracts of con meat called wall street william street no sooner was tiie colony once planted than root and for it would seem tl thrice island is like a every weed finds kindly nourishment an shoots up and to greatness and now the infant settlement having advanced mad stature it was high time it should christian and it was accordingly it is true were some original indian name and many of the best did long continue to call it by the title o but this was by the as being and besides considered an excellent and it after a mat city of the old world as it was induced to the greatness of its in the manner that little are called after great saints ai and renowned of upon which i copy and come to i mighty men in their day and generation the state of the settlement and the increase of houses gradually awakened the good from a deep into which he had alien al or the he now began to think it w plan should be devised on which the town should be built therefore hi and together th took pipe in ad sunk into a very sound at the very outset of the business an of opinion arose and i mention it with mv as bring the first on record of new it was a i new york be grudge and that had existed between two eminent and ever since unhappy on be of the great had very wealthy and powerful from his embraced the whole chain of mountains hat stretch along the of s bay and from part if which his descendants in latter ages ly the powerful of the and the an ingenious plan for the city was offered by who proposed that it should be cut up and by after the manner of the most cities in holland to this fit opposed suggesting in place ha tbey run out and by means of pie the bottom of the on which the own be built by these means said he shall we a considerable space of mm these immense and build a city that hall or any city b to this proposition or ten replied with a look of as much scorn as he mid he cast the utmost ae plan of his as being preposterous d the order of things as he would leave to very true for what said he is a town it is like a body without veins and and must perish for want of a free circulation of be vital tough breeches on the contrary retorted a upon his who was somewhat of m arid dry habit j he remarked that as to the of the blood being necessary to existence ten breeches was a living contradiction to his own for every body knew there had not a drop of his wind for good en years and yet there was not a greater in the colony have seldom much effect in in argument nor have i ever seen a man of error by being convicted of at was not the case at present ten breeches very in reply and tough breeches who was a sturdy little man and never gave up the hat w of with ten of bat tough had that coat of mail io argument call breeches had the most vm h breeches the b thai made a about hb and him with hard ai j yet tough breeches hung on most r ta the last tliey as is where both parties are in the to any conclusion but tl ey hated each of lor after and a similar i between the of and d between the of and would not my readers with these of c but that my duty as a historian be particular and in truth aa of the critical period when our city like r i v ed the and turns that hi to it the present picturesque far whidi it is celebrated i cannot be too n their first causes the unhappy i bare just men do not find that any thing further was said on th worthy of the council and oldest heads in the community met i a week to on this momentous either were by the war of words witnessed or they were naturally averse to the a the tongue and the consequent exercise of the certain it is the most profound silence was mail the question as usual lay on the the smoked their pipes making but few laws ever any aiid in the mean time the settlement went s it pleased god as most of the council were but little my s of pot hooks and tl most not to puzzle either then posterity with records the secrets kept the minutes of the council with sion in a large fastened with mai the journal of each meeting consisted bi stating in that the council sat tl d on tlie of tbe t that tke did the b mt this very aa as a pipe in tbe month | 48 |
neighbours was liable to and i have my was a very wise old woman and well in ihe of these parts tell a long story of a a battle between the new ma at which was known by the of and took place near a which for a long while went by the the of thb war was long the old wives ai other ancient tor ft but time and have t the and the scene of battle for what wai the blood stained is now in the centre of this his city and known by the name of and hi d p af awakened the of the mother country finding it a and colony and that it promised to yield profit and no trouble all at once became about its safety and began to load it with i in the same manner that your knowing f to ov rich with md f protection by mother colonies were forthwith manifested the always being to rulers to the to squeeze as much it an yield in the year of our lord br waa appointed go of tiie of under he and control of their high the general of the the west india renowned old gentleman at new b the merry month of the sweetest month in e year when seems to i life the aiid other wanton e the woods to nd with and the the of the meadows happy persuaded the old of hb we skilled in the of that this was to be a happy and t as il would be to the consequence of dutch of the province of t he thus introduced at the end chapter i wilt pot an end to this second book of my y tint i may him in with more dignity in the ing oi my next end of book h or book third iv ib recorded the tar chap i f ike van w bim m c u k er ike of the and very much to be is the i of the who writes the history of land if it fall to his lot to be the sad calamity or crime the page is watered tears can he the most prosperous and bill era without a melancholy sigh at the reflection that it passed away ever i not whether it be o to an love for the simplicity of former th or to certain tenderness of heart incident to all sc but i candidly confess that i look back on the of our city which i i describe without a of the spirits hand do i withdraw the curtain of oblivion i the modest merits of our venerable ancestors am their rise to my mental vision humble my before the such are my feelings when i the family of the and spend a lonely hour in chamber where hang the portraits of my in dust like the forms they represent v pious reverence do i gaze on the countenances of tl renowned who have preceded me in the march of existence whose sober and temperate hi now through my veins flowing slower slower in its feeble until its current shall s be for ever say to myself are but of mighty men who flourished iu the days of the but alas have since in that towards which my steps are and as pace the darkened chamber and lose myself in melancholy the shadowy images me almost to st l oa e into existence their to assume i of their to pursue me in every movement carried away by the i t imagine myself rounded by the shades of the de and holding sweet converse with the of antiquity ah bom in a age abandoned to the of a and a weary pilgrim land blessed with no ing wife nor r helpless children but to wander neglected those crowded streets and by foreign those fair al where once thine ancestors empire let me not however lose the historian in the nor tbe of age to overcome mc dwelling with fond on the virtuous of the on those sweet days of simplicity and more will dawn on the lovely island of im tlie renowned or walter van was d es c e from a line of who had away their lives and grown the of in and who themselves with such singular wisdom and propriety that they were never either or o which next to applauded should be the of ambition to all sage and rulers his of is mid to be a corruption of the original which in english means d a sm e descriptive of his habits for he was a man shut up within himself like an and of such a turn that he ji j ever spoke except in yet did he np his mind on any doubtful point this was by who that he every subject on so comprehensive t scale tiiat lie had not i in his head to turn it nd both tides of u j so that he always or in doubt ma in consequence of the of his ideas there are two opposite ways by which some men get into one by talking a vast deal and thinking a little and the other by holding their tongues and nut thinking at all by the first many a superficial the reputation of a man of quick parts by the other many a vacant like the the of birds comes to be by a world with all the attributes of wisdom by the way is a mere remark which i would not the universe have it thought i apply to governor on the contrary he was a very wise he never said a foolish thing and of such invincible gravity that he was never known to laugh or even t smile through the se of a long and prosperous certain | 48 |
however it is there never was a matter proposed however simple and on which your common mortals would determine at the glance but what the renowned put on a mighty vacant kind of look shook his head ma having smoked for five minutes with earnestness observed that he had his doubts the matter which in process of time the character of a man slow of belief and not easily tn posed on the person of this illustrious old gentleman was a regularly formed and nobly as though it bed by the hands of some cunning as a model of majesty and grandeur he was exactly five feet six inches iu height and six five inches in his head was a perfect j in that of the great who j was thence called or head indeed dimensions was it dame nature herself with all her sex ingenuity w have been puzzled to a neck capable of it wherefore she wisely declined the attempt ma settled it firmly on the top of back bone just the shoulders where it remained as is a ship of war iu tlie mud of the his body was of an form particularly at was wisely d by pi seeing that he was a man of habits and very averse to the idle of walking his legs though were sturdy in to the weight they bad to sustain so that when erect he had not a little the appearance of a beer barrel standing on his lace that io index of the mind presented a vast expanse perfectly or by any of those lines sad angles which tlie human countenance with is termed expression two small grey eyes feebly in the midst like two stars of lesser magnitude in a and his fed cheeks which seemed to hare taken toll of every thing that went his month were curiously and with dusky red like a apple his habits were as regular as his person he daily took his stated meals exactly an hour to each he smoked and doubted eight hours and he slept the remaining twelve of the and twenty such was the renowned van a ti ue philosopher for bis mind was either elevated above or below the cares and of this world he had lived in it for years without feeling the least curiosity to know whether the sun round it or it round the sun and he had even watched for at least half a century the smoke curling from his pipe to the ceiling without once troubling his head with any of those numerous theories by which a philosopher would have perplexed his brain in for its rising above the atmosphere in his council he presided with great state and solemnity he sat in a huge chair of solid oak in the celebrated forest of the by an of and curiously carved the arms and feet into exact of gigantic claws instead of a he swayed a pipe wrought with and which had ben presented to a of holland at the of a treaty with one of the petty powers la this stately chair would be sit and this magnificent pipe would he smoke shaking his right knee with a motion and fixing his eyes for hours together upon a little print of which hung ia a black or the op wall of the it has said tliat when any of extraordinary length and was the the renowned his fail two at a time that he might not be disturbed by external and at times the internal of his mind was evinced by certain regular sounds which his admirers declared were the noise of conflict made by his doubts opinions it is with infinite difficulty i have been enabled to collect these anecdotes of the great man under respecting him were so scattered and vague and divers of them so questionable in point of that i have had to give up the search after many and decline the admission of still more which would have tended to the colouring of his portrait i have been the more anxious to the person and habits of the renowned van from the consideration that he was not only the first but also the best governor that ever presided over thb ancient and respectable province and so tranquil and benevolent wa his reign that i do not find throughout the whole of it a single instance of an being brought to a most sign of a merciful governor and a case excepting in the reign of the king from whom it is hinted the renowned van was a the very outset of the career of this excellent magistrate like that of solomon or to speak more like that of the illustrious governor of wan distinguished by an example of le gave flattering of a wise and tion the very after he had been solemnly if in office and at the moment that he was his from a prodigious dish filled milk and indian he was suddenly i the appearance of one a very i old of new who bitterly of one inasmuch as be refused to come to a settlement of accounts sec that there was a heavy balance in favour of the governor van as have already york of few words he was likewise a mortal to or being disturbed at his ist having listened attentively to the statement idle giving an occasional aa veiled a mighty of indian into either as a sign that he the dish or i be story he called unto him hu pulling out of his breeches pocket a huge it after the as a by his tobacco box as a warrant summary process was as effect in those b was the seal ring of the great the true the two parties being him each produced a book of accounts in a language and character that would have any a high dutch or a learned of | 48 |
egyptian to understand the r took them one after another and having poised in his hands and attentively counted over the r of leaves fell straightway into a very great doubt for half an hour without saying a word at laying bis finger beside his nose and shutting hb a moment with the air of a man who has just a subtle idea by the tail lie slowly took his pipe from puffed a column of tobacco smoke and gravity and solemnity that carefully counted over the leaves and weighed the it was found that one was just as thick and as the therefore it was the final opinion of that the accounts m ei e equally there should give a receipt and give a and the should s costs decision being ti made known diffused joy throughout new for the people perceived that they had a very wise and lie magistrate to rule over them but its not another took place throughout of his administration and the office of into such decay that there was not one of those known in the province for many years am particular in dwelling on this not i deem it one of the most sage and history of ou on record and well the attention of but because it was a miraculous event in the history of the renowned the only time he was ever known to come to a in the whole course of his life chap ii some of us also divers good reasons an be touching the state cf ike in treating of the early govern n of the i must caution my readers against them in point of dignity and power with those who are g in hi set of unhappy victims of popularity who are m fact the most dependent ken in the doomed to bear the secret and come tions of their own party and the aiid ef the whole world ne t up like at holidays to be and shot at by every ami ig vagabond in the land on the contrary the dutch enjoyed that authority ia i of distant colonies or they were i in a manner absolute in their little j ing ity if so disposed over both law and to none but the mother country it ii ig well known is deaf to all its provided they discharge the j their station out a good will be of importance to prevent my readers seized with doubt and incredulity whenever in of this history they encounter the of a governor acting with in opposition to the opinions of the i to assist the doubtful in the of a d of was appointed immediately over the police this potent b ty consisted of a or with powers between of the present mayor and ave york s were to and five h ho as sub or bottle to the in the same manner as do assistant to their at the present day it being their duty to fill the pipes of the hunt the for for dinners and to e such other little offices of kindness as were required it was moreover understood not that they should consider as for the blunt wits of the ind most heartily at all their jokes this was a duty as rarely called in action in those days as it is at present and was shortly in of death of a little who actually tied of in an unsuccessful effort to force a laugh at one of van s best jokes in for these humble services they were permitted lo b y if and no at the council board and to have that privilege the run of the public kitchen being permitted to eat and drink and smoke at all and public for which the were equally famous with their more modem the post of therefore that of assistant was eagerly by all your b g s of a certain d who have a huge relish te good feeding and an humble ambition to be in a small way who thirst after a little brief that shall render them the terror of the and tiie that shall enable them to lord it over i ous vice outcast and driven that shall place in their hand the but of the law and give to their a hound like pack of and bum greater than the they hunt down my readers will this warmth which i is of a grave historian but i have a mortal to bum and little great the of this city with of the present time no less in form magnitude and han in and privilege the like our were generally chosen by and not only the weight of the body but ke the of the bend it is a history ol iu honest thinking cities that an man should be and the wisdom of this can be proved to a certainty that the body is iu some an image of the mind or rather that the mind is to the body like melted lead to the clay in which it is cast has been insisted on by many men of science who have made human nature their peculiar study for as a gentleman of our own city there is a constant relation between the moral character of all creatures and their physical constitution between their habits and the structure of their bodies thus we see that a lean spare body is generally accompanied by a restless mind either the mind wears down the body by its continual motion or the body not the mind sufficient house room keeps it continually iu a state of tossing and worrying about from the uneasiness of its situation your round sleek fat b attended by a mind like itself tranquil and at ease j and we may always observe that your well fed hers are | 48 |
in general very of their ease and comfort being great enemies to noise discord and disturbance and surely none are more likely to study the public tranquillity than those who are so of their own who ever of fat men heading a riot or hiding together in turbulent it is your lean hungry men who are continually worrying society setting the whole community by the ears the divine whose doctrines are not attended to by philosophers of the present allows to every man three souls one immortal and rational in the brain that it may overlook and the second consisting of the surly and which like powers lie tbe heart a mortal and destitute of gross and brutal in its and in the j belly that it may not disturb the divine soul by its ous now according to this excellent what can more clear than that your fat most likely to have the most regular and well mind his head is like a huge chamber ft a prodigious mass of soft brains whereon rational soul softly and as on a new york d the eyes which are the windows of the v are usually half closed that its may by external objects a mind thus and protected from disturbance is t likely to perform its functions with regularity by dint of good feeding moreover the soul which is confined in the belly and y its raging and roaring puts the irritable soul in of the heart in an intolerable passion s renders men and when is completely silenced and put to rest a host of honest good fellow qualities and which had lain peep f the of the heart finding this o pluck up their spirits turn out one and all in their and up and down the g their professors to laughter good humour and md friendly offices towards his fellow mortals of formed on this model think little they are the less likely to differ and opinions and as they generally upon a hearty dinner they are naturally disposed and indulgent in the administration of their was conscious of this and therefore il measure for which i can never forgive him in his that no judge should hold a f justice except in the morning on an empty a rule which i warrant bore hard upon all the in his kingdom the more and generation of the present day have taken an course and have so that the best fed men in the community fat things of the land and so heartily ind tiu that in process of time they acquire the of the one and the form the and the it of the other the consequence is as i have j these luxurious do produce such a and repose of the soul rational and d that their transactions are for and the profound laws which they moments amid the labours of suffered to remain as dead letters and never i when awake in a word your fair round history or lied like a full fed quietly it the house door always at home and always at hand to watch over its safety but as to a lean candidate to the office as has now and then been done i would as a to watch the house or a race horse to drag an ox the then as have already were wisely chosen by weight and tl e r e appointed to attend then and ae to eat but the latter in the of when they had been fed and i to sufficient bulk body and of brain very the chair eaten into office as a mouse eats his way into a in a goodly blue cheese nothing could equal the profound took between the renowned and these k worthy unless it be the sage of i our modem they would sit for and over public affairs without speaking a interrupt that perfect stillness so necessary to deep tion the sober sway of van wa these his worthy the infant settlement vigorous gradually emerging from the di forests and exhibiting that mingled appearance or va country customary in new cities and whidi at day may be witnessed in the city of tm immense metropolis which makes so glorious an on paper it was a pleasing sight in those times to honest like a of seated on ike bench at the door of his houses the shade of some gigantic or here would he sm ke his pipe of a enjoying the soft southern breeze and with silent to the of his the ling of his and the of his swine that combination of yard melody i be said to have a silver sound inasmuch as it a assurance of profitable the modem spectator who through the of this can scarcely an idea of the i new to k iu primitive days of j the bum of multitudes tlie shout of the of fashion the rattling of carts aud all the spirit sounds of were unknown in the settlement of new the grass mm quietly in the ht sheep and about ridge where now the take stroll the cunning or wolf la woods where now are to be seen the if and his righteous of money of about the now the great and the patriotic wm of echo with the of the mob in good times did a true and of talk mad property prevail equally removed from the mt and the and of p poverty and what in my mind is still more id tranquillity and harmony among a happy of intellect was likewise to be seen the minds f the good of new seemed all to been cast in one mould and to be those honest blunt sort of minds which like certain are made h the and considered as exceedingly good for it happens that your true dull minds arc generally p d | 48 |
public employ and especially promoted to your keen like being con too sharp for service know that it is to rail at the unequal distribution of riches as the l cot of and heart wh ere n a for ay part verily believe it is the sad of intellect that prevail that more any thing else i have remarked that your knowing people who are so much wiser than any body are keeping society in a mr new of the kind was known within the very words of learning education and talents were unheard a bright genius was an animal unknown a lady would have been regarded with as much wonder as a or a fiery mo man in seemed lo know more than his neighbour nor any to know much more than an honest man i y op ought to know who has nobody s to but own the parson and the clerk were the only that could read in the community and the sage van always signed his name with a c om thrice happy and ever to be envied little in all the security of harmless and by the world without ambition out vain glory without riches without learning and si their train of cares and as of in better d of man the were wont to visit him on earth ax his rural so we are told in the days of new the good st often make his in his beloved city of a day afternoon riding among the tree tops or the of the houses now and then drawing forth ui cent presents from his breeches pockets a d them down the chimneys of his whereas in these days of iron and brass he never us the light of his countenance nor ever visits one night in the year when he down the of the descendants of the hb merely to the children in token of the of parents such are the comforts and effects of a ht government the province of the new of wealth possessed a sweet tranquillity that could never purchase it seemed indeed as if old had again commenced his reign and renewed the days f simplicity for the golden age says totally destitute of gold and for that very reason was the golden age is the happy and fortunate because the evils produced by the precious such ai and the whole catalogue of crimes and were then unknown in age there was abundance of gold on that very account it was called the iron age b use of the hardships the labours the and the wars occasioned tlie thirst of gold the genial days of van therefore truly be termed the golden age of our city there were neither public nor private neither parties nor nor neither nor nor or every to what little be was lucky to or it if he pleased without the of hit in those days nobody with his nor fail into po o nor neglected to correct c ft re his own character in his o l to the characters of others but a every eat when he was not he was not thirsty and went to b the sun set and the fowls went to w re sleepy or not all which tended so to th population of the settlement that i am told every wife throughout new made a of always l r husband with at least one a and very often a brace this of good clearly the true luxury of life to the dutch that more than a feast every thing therefore went on aa it do and in the usual words by to the welfare of a country the l r po e reigned through ut the chap iii bom of me ia b and r n great great the taste and dispositions ti the turn over th pages of history some there he hearts re in tbe y east of courage and and and a barrel of new or a band captain the of his this class of readers can be satisfied with r and they be cities up id be charging and in aad or who are of a less martial but equally ardent imagination and who withal are a little given to the marvellous will dwell with on descriptions of unheard of events hair breadth escapes hardy and all those astonishing that just along the boundary line of a third class who not to speak slightly of them are of a lighter turn and over the records of past times as they do over the pages of a novel merely for and innocent amusement do singularly delight in and all other catalogue of hideous crimes that like m do give a and to the dull detail of history while a fourth class of more philosophic habits do diligently the of time to investigate the operations of the human mind and watch the gradual changes in men and manners by the progress of knowledge the of events or the influence of situation if the three first classes find but little to solace in the tranquil reign of van i entreat them to exert their patience for awhile and bear with the tedious picture of happiness prosperity and peace which my duty as a faithful historian me to draw and i them that as soon as can possibly light upon any thing horrible uncommon or it shall go bard but i will make it afford them entertainment this being i turn with great complacency to the fourth class of my readers who are men or if possible women after my own heart grave philosophical and fond of of taking a start from first causes and so hunting a nation down through all the of and improvement such will naturally be anxious to witness the first of the newly colony and the primitive manners and customs among its inhabitants during the i of van or the | 48 |
i will not grieve their patience however by the increase and improvement of new their own will doubtless present to the good like so many pains and yo r slowly and surely their labours j will behold the prosperous from the rude log hut to the stately dutch mansion with brick front windows and roof from the tangled thicket to the luxuriant garden and from the indian to the ponderous in a word they will picture to themselves the steady silent and march to prosperity incident to a city of pride or ambition cherished by a fat government and whose citizens do nothing in a hurry the s ge council as has been mentioned in a preceding chapter not being able to determine upon any plan the building of their city the cows in a fit of patriotism took it their particular charge and as they went to and from pasture established paths the bushes on each side of which the good folks built their houses which is one cause of the rambling and picturesque turns and which distinguish streets of new york at this very day it must be noted who were of ten breeches or ten vexed that his plan of digging was not adopted made a compromise with their inclinations by establishing themselves on the of those and which through various parts of the ground laid out to these may be particularly ascribed the first settlement of broad street which originally was along a creek that ran up to what at present is called wall street the lower part soon became very busy and and a house was in process of time established at the head of it being at that day called tlie head of inland the of tough breeches on the other hand no less and more industrious than their rivals stationed themselves along the sh re of the river and with perseverance in making little and from which originated that of mud traps with which this fringed to these would the old repair just at those hours when the tide had left the this several times at it a brick no broad street with the to the with an iron on which until three or four years a little iron boat ai e ui or that they snuff up the fr of mud and mire which they had a wholesome smell and reminded them of the of holland to the and praise worthy example of this latter class of are we for the acres of artificial ground at which several of oar streets in the vicinity of the are and which if we may credit tbe of learned of this city have been very in producing the yellow fever the houses of the higher class were generally of wood excepting the end was of small black and yellow bricks and always faced ob be street as our ancestors like were very much given to outward show and were noted for putting b t leg foremost the waa always with abundance of large doors and small windows on every floor the date of its was by iron figures on the oo the top of the roof was perched a fierce little to let the into the im way the wind blew these like the on the tops el our pointed so many ways that every man have a wind to his mind and you would old had s all his bags of wind to this windy metropolis the most and loyal citizens however always went to the on the top of the which was certainly the most as be had a servant every morning to up and point it whichever way the wind blew in those good days of and passion for was leading principle in domestic and the universal test of an able a character which formed the utmost ambition of oar u the was never opened on marriages w year i day the of st or such u waa with a gorgeous ht sometimes into the of a and of a lion s head and was daily with such fl that it was oft the very taken its the was new the discipline of aud and and the good of those days were a of animal exceedingly to be in water that an historian of the day gi that many of his grew to have fingers like unto a duck and some of them he had little doubt could the matter be into would be found to have the tails of but this i look upon to be a mere sport of fancy or what is worse a wilful tlie parlour was the where the passion for cleaning was indulged without control in this sacred apartment no one was admitted to enter excepting the mistress her confidential maid who visited it once a week for the purpose of giving it a cleaning and putting things to rights always taking the precaution of leaving their shoes at the door and entering devoutly ou their feet after the floor it with fine white sand which was curiously into angles and curves and with a after washing tlie windows and the furniture and putting a oi in the fire place the window shutters were again closed to keep out the flies aud the room carefully locked up until the revolution of time brought round the cleaning day as to the family they always entered in at the gate and most generally lived in the kitchen to have seen a household assembled around ths fire one would have imagined that he was transported back to those happy days of simplicity which float before onr like golden visions the were of a truly magnitude where the whole family old and young master and servant black and white nay even the very cat and dog enjoyed a community of privilege and had each a right to a comer here the old would sit in silence puffing | 48 |
liis pipe looking in the fire with half shut eyes and thinking of nothing for hours together j the on the opposite side would employ herself in her or knitting stockings the young folks would crowd around the hearth listening with breathless attention to some old of a st who was the trade of the family and who i of a in a comer of the chimney would a long winter afternoon a string of incredible new l ghosts horses with and breadth escapes and bloody the indians in those happy days a family a with the dawn dined at eleven and went to t down dinner was invariably a private meal f old showed symptoms and uneasiness at being neighbour on such occasions but ti worthy ancestors were thus singularly averse dinners yet they kept up the social bands of ii occasional called tea parties am this is the first introduction of those which have since become so city i am conscious my fair readers will be v to receive information on the subject sorry there will be but little in my description excite their admiration can neither delight of crowds nor rooms nor towering feathers nor sparkling trains i can detail no choice ai scandal for in those primitive times the either too stupid or too good to pull e characters to pieces nor can i furnish any anecdotes of how one lady cheated c into a passion for as yet there was n old who met to win each and lose their own at a card table parties were generally co the higher or is to sa own cows and drove their own wan company commonly at three o clock about six unless it was in winter time hours were a earlier that the la get home before dark i do not find that treated their company to y or than with n or sour as is often done in the of refinement our ancestors were fond of m substantial fore the tea table was crowned w dish weu with of fat p brown cut up into a vol new york being seated around the genial board and each with a fork evinced their dexterity in at the pieces in this mighty dish in tl same manner as sailors at sea or our indians spear salmon in the lakes sometimes the table was i with immense apple or full and but it was always to an enormous dish of balls of in s fat and called nuts or a delicious kind of cake at present scarce known in this city excepting in genuine dutch families the was served out of a majestic tea pot ornamented with paintings of fat little and tending with boats sailing in the mr and houses built in the clouds and sundry other dutch the distinguished by their in this pot from a copper tea kettle which would have made the of these days sweat merely to look at it to the a lump of sugar was laid beside each and the company alternately and with great decorum an improvement was introduced by a shrewd and old lady which was to a large lump directly over the tea a string from the ceiling so that it be from mouth to an ingenious expedient which is still kept up by some families in but which without exception in bush and all our dutch villages at these tea parties the utmost propriety and dignity of prevailed no nor hm gambling of old ladies nor chattering and of young no self satisfied of wealthy gentlemen with their brains in their pockets and monkey of young gentlemen with no brains at all on the contrary the young ladies seated themselves in their and knit their own nor ever opened their lips excepting to say m k te ff or yoa to any question that was asked in all things like decent as to the gentlemen each of f smoked his pipe and seemed lost in of the blue and white with which places were decorated j wherein sundry passages ture were and his to great advantage swung and appeared most of the like through a barrel of f the parties broke up without noise and with they were carried home by their own c that is to say by the nature had excepting such of the wealthy as could afford t the gentlemen gallantly attended their to their respective and took leave of hearty at the door which as it was an es piece of etiquette done in simplicity of heart occasioned no scandal at that time nor at the if our great approve custom it would argue a great want of reverend descendants to say a word against it chap iv further particulars of the golden what a fine lady and gentleman in of walter the ti this period of my history when the b island of presented a scene the v of those glowing pictures drawn of reign of there was as i have before ob happy ignorance an honest simplicity its inhabitants which were i even able to be but little understood by the age i am doomed to write even the female sex tl upon the tranquillity the honesty t beard customs of society seemed for awhile t themselves with incredible and indeed behaved almost as if they had not been the world to bother mankind confound the universe their by the of j york back their with a candle and covered with a little cap of which fitted exactly to their heads their of were striped with a variety of the many coloured robes of most confess these j ment were rather short scarce reaching the knee but then they made up in the number which generally equalled that of the s small clothes and what is more they were all of their own of which circumstance as may well be supposed they were not a | 48 |
little vain these were the honest days in which every woman staid at home read the bible and wore ay and that too of a goodly size fashioned with into many devices and worn on the outside these in tact were convenient where all good carefully stored away such as they wished to have at hand by which means they often came to be and i remember there was a story current when i was a boy that the lady of van once had occasion to empty her right pocket in search of a wooden and the was discovered among some in one comer but we must not give too much faith to all these stories the anecdotes of these remote periods being very subject to besides these notable they likewise wore and suspended from their by red or among the more and classes by brass and even silver tokens of and industrious i cannot say in of the of the it doubtless was introduced for the purpose of giving a chance to be seen which were generally of with magnificent red or perhaps to di a well and a neat though serviceable foot set off by a high shoe with a hu e lad splendid silver thus we find that the gentle ol in all ages have shown the same disposition to t little upon the laws of decorum in order to betray a beauty or gratify an innocent love of finery from here given it will be seen that our good differed considerably in their of k mt history op fig ire from their dressed present day a fine lady in those times more even oo a fair summer s day have clad the whole of a modern ball i were they the less admired by the gentlemen in c thereof on the contrary the greatness oi seemed to increase iu proportion to the of its md a an dozen of was declared by a low of the province to be radiant as a sun j as a certain it those days the heart of a lover could not co one lady at a time whereas the heart o gallant has often room enough to the reason of which i conclude to be the hearts of the gentlemen have grown lar persons of the ladies smaller this however is for to determine bat there was a secret charm in these no entered into the consideration of ti the wardrobe of a lady was in tho only i and she who had a good stock o and was as absolutely an as with a store of bear skins or with a plenty of the ladies to display these powerful at the greatest and the rooms oi instead of adorned with of de in water colours and were always with abundance of garments the n and the property of the a piece that still among the villages were the bi ancient of new ii of the renowned and by ui who tells us that i n linen and the her own fe n m en in who figured in the ci gay world in ancient with the ambitious to d e s er ye true it is their m but a very impression w of a modem tbey neither drove their nor their for as yet those gaudy were not even dreamed of neither did they by their brilliancy at the table and with for onr were of too a to need those of the di every throughout the town being in before nine o dock neither did they their bs to at the expense of their for as yet those the pockets of society and the of all young gentlemen were in new every good made the of her and and even the of van himself thought it no to out ber husband s not but there were some two or three who manifested the first of what is called and spirit who held all labour in contempt about and market places in the sunshine what little money tbey could procure at aad swore fought and their neighbours es i n short who promised to be the the talk and of the town bad not their career been unfortunately cut short by an of honour with a post other however was the truly fashionable gentleman of day bis dress which served for both morning aad street and drawing was a perhaps by the hands of the mistress c and gallantly with abundance of half a score of breeches heightened the s of his his shoes were decorated by copper a low crowned hu his and his hair back in a prodigious of skin equipped be would sally forth with pipe k to some fair heart lot a pipe good reader as that which did tune in praise of his but one of the true drift and furnished with a charge of tobacco with this would he resolutely set down before the fortress and rarely failed in the process of time to smoke the enemy into a upon terms k history of such was the happy reign of van in many a long forgotten song as the real golden age the rest being nothing but count copper washed coin in that delightful period a sweet and holy calm reigned over the whole province the smoked his pipe in the substantial solace of his domestic after her daily toils were done sat at the door with her arms crossed over her apron of snowy white without being insulted by street or vagabond boys those unlucky who do so our streets displaying under the roses of youth the and of then it was that the lover ten breeches and the with of half a score indulged in all the innocent of love without fear and without reproach for what had that virtue to fear which was defended by a shield of good equal at least | 48 |
of heaven cloud rolling ud like successive the of the vast expanse and bearing thunder and tempest in its bosom the earth ms agitated of the the late y of into that roll broken oi in to the the that in the placid of island now hurry to the the late dignified and before the merciless descending torrents of rain and hail tim battery walk the gates are thronged hy servant maids and little with pocket handkerchiefs oyer their hats si from the the late prospect one scene of and wild uproar as though old chaos had resumed bis reign and was back into one vast turmoil the conflicting elements of nature fancy to yourself oh reader i the awful combat old of and the to the long re of heaven streaming at te of the gigantic sons of earth in short fancy to all that has ever said or sung of tempest and and you will save me the trouble of whether i fled from the fury of the storm or remained at my post as our gallant train band captain who march their soldiers through the rain without are points which i leave to the conjecture of the reader it is possible he may be a little perplexed also to know the reason why i introduced this most tremendous and tempest to disturb the serenity of my work on this latter point i will instruct bis ignorance view of the battery was given merely to gratify the reader with a description of that place and the parts ai secondly the storm was played off partly to give a little bustle and life to this tranquil part of my work and to keep my drowsy readers from falling asleep j and partly to serve as preparation or rather an to the times that are about to the pacific of and that the administration of the renowned van it ii thus the experienced play puts all the the french horns tl e kettle rum and of his in n to in one of those and called and it ii thus be his his id york preparatory to the of a g host or the of a hero we will now with may be advanced by to the am of opinion that as to nations the old that honesty is the best policy is a sheer and it might have answer well in honest times when it was made but in these d if a nation to rely merely upon the ice of its dealings it will fare something like an honest i among thieves who unless he have something more i his honesty to depend upon stands but a poor chance by us such at feast was the case i the government of the new like a worthy old her quietly led itself down into the city of new as i a snug chair and fell into a comfortable nap le in tl meantime its cunning neighbours stepped in picked its pockets thus may we the of all the woes of this great province and its metropolis to the tranquil security or to ik more accurately to the unfortunate honesty of its but as i dislike to begin an important part ny history towards the end of a chapter and as my like myself must doubtless be fatigued li the long walk we have taken and the tempest we e sustained i hold it meet we shut up the book smoke and having thus refreshed our spirits take a fair t in the next chapter chap vi tj describing the ingenious people of showing moreover the true meaning of conscience and a curious among these to keep up a harmony of intercourse and promote population b at my readers may the e fully comprehend the ent of the calamity at this very moment impending r honest province of and its governor it is n x y or f ve some of a of strange the frontier now it bo came to pass that many years pre the time of which we are treating the sage ca had adopted a certain national creed a public walk of or rather a which loyal subject was directed to travel ti to p y the by the way a certain shrewd race of men l en to indulge their own opinions on all a exceedingly to of europe did most to think in matters of a what they considered a natural and tlie liberty of conscience as however they possessed tint mind which always thinks aloud j which in a rides cock a on the tongue and is for g into other s ears it naturally followed tl of conscience likewise implied whidi freely indulged soon put the cow and aroused the pious indignation of the the church the usual methods were adopted to thi hi those days were considered so in back stray sheep to the fold j that is to say tl they were they were were l line upon line upon upon lash here a little and there a great de exhausted without mercy and without success th the worthy of the church their were driven in tl of their tender mercy to adopt the scripture t heaped live embers on their heads nothing however could subdue that invincible has ever distinguished this race of people so that rather than submit to tyranny they one and all embarked for the wi or america where they might luxury of no sooner did thej this soil than as if they had caught thi from the climate they all lifted up their voices and for the space of keep york that wc ai c told they frightened every i beast out of the neighbourhood and so founded certain fish which abound on their they have been called dumb ever since this simple fa it em did that e ly boasted of | 48 |
this which is in newspapers pot and tions which the right of witb and without of of public of and destroying little ones in that of our country the of of the land for a while strange folk in utter astonishment j but that they harmless though noisy and were a lively ingenious good humoured men they became very friendly and and em the name of which in the or language es men since into the r which they retain unto the present day it is and my fidelity an a historian will not allow it over in silence that the zeal of these ood maintain ci ts and while betray them into errors which it is to ban defend having served a regular school of it to show ey had become in the art employed their in or hai divers for daring to abuse the if ce which they now clearly proved to imply more than that man think as hit in matters of j be t or otherwise it would be giving a latitude to ie now as they the nm were f ed that thought it fi that whoever thought and whoever u and persisted in not being aad a w of the history or of and a corrupt and r the body and to be o f into the fire now ril warrant there are hosts of my reader to lift up their hands and eyes with tha with which we always contemplate and errors of oar and to exclaim well bat mistaken people for the they had suffered themselves for the idea of the the body and establishing the d charity and forbearance by in what are we doing at this in this very enlightened but acting same principle in oar political not within bat few years released ourselves of a government which cruelly privilege of governing ourselves and using ia ft that member the tongue and are this moment striving our best to opinions tie ap the tongues or ruin the another what are oar political political our pot house little of our mere posts and where the u are with rotten eggs and o of appointment but a grand where c sacrificed for their political where then is the difference in principle b and those you are so ready to the people i am treating there is none the is merely thus we we instead of we i instead of hanging and where in we either tar f er mm in this political some how ur other the grand of on and an proof that this is a bat notwithstanding the fervent zeal with holy war was against the i we do not find that the population was in any ways thereby on tl ihey multiplied to a degree which would be in new york with tlie mai ol country is amazing increase may indeed be partly ascribed to custom among them and which was borrowed from the ancient republic of we are told the young ladies either from being and or else like many modem very fond of with matters that did not tain to their sex used frequently to engage with the in and other of the custom to which i allude was b by the name of a superstitious red by the young people of both sexes with which terminated their and which was up with religious by the more part of the community this ceremony was in those primitive times considered as an me preliminary to matrimony j their where ours usually finish by which means acquired that intimate acquaintance with each s good qualities before marriage which has been by philosophers the sure basis of a happy u thus early did this cunning and ingenious le display a at making a bargain which since distinguished them and a strict e good old about buying a pig in a this sagacious custom therefore do i chiefly the increase of the or yankee y for it is a certain fact well by court and parish that wherever the practice of prevailed there was an amazing number of ly born unto the state without the se the law or the benefit of clergy and it is f that the learned in his has entirely overlooked this singular fact did the of their birth operate in the to on the contrary they grew t long sided raw hardy race of and and fed who by their unite efforts ed towards those notable s of country called x t of chap vii how turned out to be they air and io the in the mystery of in the chapter i have a faithful ui account of the origin of that the country eastward of the ic but i have yet to certain habits which rendered them exceedingly to ever honoured dutch ancestors the most prominent of these was a certain with which like the sons of to have been gifted by heaven and which on to shift their residence from place to p io that a yankee farmer is in a constant state of mi here and there clearing land other people to enjoy building houses for others to int and in a manner may be considered the wandering an first thought un coming to the years of is to himself in the which means more nor less than to begin his to he unto himself fur a wife some dashing that is to say a rosy w passing rich in red glass beads and mock with a white gown and shoe and deeply skilled in the mystery of making i long and pie having thus provided himself like a true a wherewith to his the journey of life he literally sets oat a j his whole family household and farming are hoisted into a covered cart own and his wife s wardrobe packed up in a i | 48 |
done ht shoulders his axe takes his staff in i yankee and off to the wc as of the protection of providence and at cheerfully upon his own resources as did en or when he into a of o having buried himself in new to m m he a but dean com providence upon bis is soon surrounded by a snug and half r who by their seem all at once out of the earth like a crop of is not the nature of this most of re to rest contented with any state of it is bis darling passion and having his his next care is to provide a worthy the residence of a a huge f pine boards immediately springs up in the the wilderness large enough for a parish church with windows of all dimensions but so nd withal that every blast gives it a t of s time the outside of this mighty air is id either the funds or the zeal of our adventurer so that he barely to b l finish one thin where the whole family together e rest of the is devoted to the caring of or of and potatoes and is i with fanciful of and dried outside remaining grows time j the family wardrobe is laid und for old hats and breeches to stuff windows while the four winds of a whistling and howling about this palace as many as they did of in of t ld hut which this ig family within its narrow but comfortable by in contrast w or and the whole scene reminds of a fable which i am surprised has never of an who his humble n which he witli great to the empty of a where he would t have resided with great style and splendour the d of all the pains taking of liis bad he not perished with cold in of his mansion thus completely settled to use bi l lit history of words to rights one would that he would begin to enjoy the comforts of his situation to read news papers talk politics neglect his own business and attend to the of the nation like a useful and patriotic but now it is that this disposition begins again tu operate he soon grows tired of a spot where there is any room for improvement his windows and all his cart his axe puts himself at the head of his away in search of new lands again to fell again to clear com fields again to build a and to sell off and wander such were the people of who bordered upon the eastern frontier of and my may easily imagine what this light hearted but restless tribe must have been to our tranquil if they cannot would ask them if they e ever known one of our regular well dutch families whom it hath heaven to with the neighbourhood of a french boarding house the honest old cannot take his s pipe on the bench before hu door but he b persecuted with the of the chattering of women and the of children he cannot sleep at night for the horrible of some amateur who chooses to the moon and display his is by playing in on the the or some other soft toned nor can he leave the street door open but his is by the visits of a troop of who even sometimes carry their into the parlour if my readers have ever witnessed the sufferings id such a family so situated they may form some idea our worthy ancestors were distressed by their neighbours of of these we are told penetrated the new and threw whole into consternation by their md their intolerable two evil habits unknown in those parts or only known to be for our ancestors were noted as being men of and who neither knew nor cared about any body i v x t york im c l on the where hi i s brought to a and with and which as much vexation and heart as do the right of od the high great jealousy did tbey likewise stir up by their and success among the divine sex for being a race of brisk lively pleasant they soon the affections of the simple fi om their ponderous dutch among other hideous they attempted to introduce among that of which the of the with that eager novelty and foreign fashions to their sex seemed very well inclined to follow but that mothers being more experienced in the world and better acquainted with men and things all such but what chiefly to our ancestors with t c folk was an liberty which hey occasionally took of entering in into the of the new and settling themselves down without leave or license to improve the land in the manner have before this mode of taking possession of new land was termed and hence is derived the of a name odious in the ears of all great and which u given to those who upon land first and take their chance to make good their title to it afterwards all these and many others which were constantly tended to form that dark and cloud which as i observed in a chapter was slowly over the ti province of new tlie c cabinet of van however as will be in the m re them all a that to their immortal by endurance to this of j like the sa e old woman of us who by dint of carrying about a from the time jt bom continued to it without when it had to be an ox of chap how the was ike renowned fell into a and how he by this time my must what an task i have undertaken collecting and with painful the of past times whose events almost defy the powers of a little | 48 |
kind of of history which had laid nearly for ages buried under the rubbish of years and almost totally forgotten up the limbs and fragments of facts and endeavouring to put together so as to restore them to their original form and now the character of an almost forgotten hero like a statue now a half m and now lighting upon a manuscript which after study scarce the ti of perusal in such case how much has the reader to depend upon the honour and of his author lest like a lie either impose upon him lion of his own for a precious from antiquity or else dress up the fragment with such lie that it is scarcely possible to distinguish truth from the fiction with which it is enveloped is a grievance which i have more than once had to in the course of my wearisome among ike works of my fellow who have strangely and distorted the facts respecting this country and particularly respecting the great province of new as will be perceived by any who will trouble to compare their romantic oat ii the of fable with this i have had more of the kind to encounter those parts of my history which treat of the n the eastern border than in any other in consequence of the troops of who have those and have shown the honest people of no mercy in their works among the rest mr declares that the dutch were always mere now to this i shall make no other reply than to proceed in the steady of my history which will contain not only proofs tliat the dutch bad clear title and possession in the fair valleys of the and that they were thereof but likewise that they have been since by the of the of new england and in i shall he guided by a of truth and and a regard to immortal fame for i would not my work by a single falsehood or prejudice it should gain our forefathers the whole country of new england it was at an early period of the province and previous to the arrival of the renowned that the cabinet of purchased the lands about the con and established for their and protection a fortified post on the banks of the river which was called fort and was situated hard by the present city of the command of this important post together with the rank title and or were given in charge to the gallant van or as some will it a most soldier of that of which we have such numbers on parade days l who are famous for eating all they kill he was of a very appearance and would have been an exceeding tall man had his been in proportion to his body bat the latter being long and the former t it gave him the uncouth appearance of a tall body upon a little man s legs he made up this construction of body by throwing his legs to an extent when he marched that you would have be h on the identical seven league boots of the v the giant and so high did be tread on any great military occasion that his were o times alarmed lest he should foot bat the of this fort and the of this ugly man of war as a commander those daring have hinted at in my last chapter and taking advantage of the character which the cabinet of y q c il r soon acquired for l lid the of tt and themselves down t very of fort on beholding this outrage the proceeded as became a prompt and h protested against these ei in low dutch by way of ma and forthwith despatched a copy of protest i the governor at new with a an bitter account of the of the enemy he ordered bis men and all to be of oc cheer shut the gate of the fort smoked thi ee to bed and awaited tlie result with a resolute and tranquillity that greatly animated his and i d bt struck sore dismay aud into the hearts the enemy now it came to pa that about this time the van full of years and ai council had reached that period of life and which to the gi eat a man i admission into the ancient order of fl employed his time in smoking bis pipe a df enlightened aid venerable as himself who for their silence tne gravity then wisdom and their cautious t to any conclusion in business are only to b equalled by certain profound which i known in my time upon reading the protest of th van therefore his straightway into one of the deepest doubts that ever wa known to encounter his head gradually on his chest he closed his eyes inclined bis ti one side as if listening with great attention to the was going ou in his belly which all him declared to be the huge court house or bis thoughts forming to his head house of representatives do to the an l sound much resembling a occasionally escaped him but the nature of this internal was new perplexed t affairs of d u at d et t j in york known be never c d his lips on the subject to man woman or child in the meantime the protest of van laid quietly the table where it served to li t the pipes of the venerable assembled in council and in the great smoke which they raised the gallant his protest and his mighty fort were soon as completely and forgotten as is a question of emergency swallowed up in the speeches and of a of there are certain when your profound and sage are in the way of | 48 |
a nation and when an of hair decision is worth a pound of sage doubts and cautious such at least was tl case at present for while the renowned van was daily with his doubts and his growing weaker and weaker in the contest the enemy pushed further and farther into his and assumed a most formidable appearance in the neighbourhood of the fort they founded the mighty town of or as it has since been called a place which if we may credit the of that worthy historian john hath been by reason of the therein and so daring did these men of become that they extended those of for which their town is illustrious under the very noses of the garrison of fort that the honest could not look toward that quarter without tears in their eyes this crying injustice was regarded with proper indignation by the gallant van he absolutely with the amazing violence of his and the of j which seemed to be the more in their workings from the length of the body in whidi they were agitated he forthwith proceeded to his his breast works his and his position with a double row of after which precautions he with despatched a fresh with accounts of his perilous situation never did the modem hero who himself at the war show greater in the art of letter lit f or himself more the van tlie to bear these vas a fat little as being least liable to bi at or to lose leather on the journey and to speed be was mounted on the remarkable for his of and hardness of and so tt messenger was i red to climb on bis back by m bis f au and such extraordinary speed make that be at fort in lit than a though the distance was full two h pipes or about miles the extraordinary appearance of this would have tbe whole town of a he good people troubled any more th n domestic an appearance of and business and si a travelling pipe be proceeded on long muddy of the metropolis whole of dirt tbe little c were making in the road and w which of the children of this ever been arriving at tbe s be d dow bis in greet roused the gray door keeper o d j who like bis representative tbe of our was nodding at bis rattled at tbe door of the chamber and startled the members as they were over a a public market at tbat moment a gentle or rather drawn was beard from tbe ir of tbe f of smoke was at the same instant escape his lips and a light cloud to ascend fi of bis pipe the council of course in deep sleep for the g ood of the according to custom in all such cases established man silence in order to maintain u when f a sudden the door open and tb into the apartment to tbe in a pair of boots which he bad got into of expedition in his band be held ominous and with his left grasped firmly the of his which bad unfortunately i way in the exertion of descending from bis horse he resolutely up to the governor and with more hurry delivered his message but fortunately his came too late to the tranquillity of this most tranquil of rulers his venerable had just breathed and smoked his last bis lungs and his pipe having been exhausted together and his peaceful soul escaped in the last that curled from his tobacco pipe in a word the renowned walter the t who had so often with his slept with his s and k ta his stead nd of book history op book fourth containing the of the reign of william the chap showing the nature of in the universal of the f and how a man may ham so much as to render himself good for nothing when the lofty is about to enter on hb description of the plague that one of his modern the reader that his history is now going to be exceeding solemn and pathetic and hints with that air of with which a good dame draws forth a choice morsel from a cupboard to a that this plague will give his history a most agreeable variety in like manner did my heart leap within me when i came to the of fort good hope whidi i at once perceived to be the of a series of great events and entertaining such are the true subjects for the historic pen for what is history ia fact but a kind of a register of the crimes and miseries that man has inflicted on his it is a huge on human nature to which we add page after page volume after volume as if we were building up a monument to the rather than the of our species if we turn over the pages of these that man has written of himself what are the characters dignified by the tion of great and held up to the admiration of posterity robbers renowned only for b magnitude of their and the wrongs and miseries they have inflicted on who have hired themselves to the trade of blood not sm vol i motives of patriotism or to protect the injured and but merely gain the glory of being and successful in their beings what are the great events that constitute a glorious era the fall of the desolation of happy countries splendid cities smoking in their the works of art in the dust the shrieks and groans of whole nations ascending unto heaven it is thus the may be said to on the miseries of they ai e like the birds of that oyer the field of battle to on the mighty it observed by a | 48 |
all the and in such case made and provided this he assured them would at once the enemy from the face of the country and he pledged his as a governor that within two months after it was published not one stone should remain ou another in any of the towns which they had the council remained for some time silent after he had finished whether struck dumb with admiration at the brilliancy of his project or put to sleep by the length of his the history of the times doth not mention suffice to say they at length gave a general of acquiescence the was immediately despatched with due ceremony having the g seal of the province which was about the size of a attached to it by a broad red governor having thus his indignation felt greatly relieved the council cue put on his cocked hat and small clothes and mounting a tall raw trotted out to his country seat which was situated in a sweet swamp now called dutch street but more commonly known by the name of dog s misery here like the good he from the of taking lessons m government not the but from the honoured wife of his bosom who was one of that peculiar kind of females sent earth a little before the flood as a punishment for the of mankind and commonly known by the of knowing women in fact my duty as an historian me to make known a circumstance which was a i secret at t e tune was not a of t scandal at more than half ihe tea tables of new dam but like many other great secrets has out in the of years and this was that the eat the though one of the most potent little men that ever breathed yet submitted at to a species of neither laid down iu nor in it partook of the nature of a pure tyranny and is familiarly mad an absolute sway which though exceedingly common in these modem days was very rare among the if we may judge from the made about the domestic economy of honest which is the only ancient case on record the threat however off all the and of his particular friends who are ever ready to joke with a man on sore of the kind by that it was a government of bis own election to which he submitted through choice adding at the same time a which he had found in an ancient author that he who would to govern should first learn too chap ii ft are recorded the sage of a ruler of the art of fighting by how that the van came to he at fort was a more comprehensive a more or what is still better a more economical measure devised this of the by an likewise so humane so gentle and pacific there were ten to one in favour of its succeeding hat there was one chance to ten that it would not as the ill natured would have it that single carried the day the was perfect in all its parts well constructed well written well sealed and well all that was wanting to its effect was that the should stand in awe of it bet provoking to relate they treated it m v ft it to n and u be tint ob jf j it to rack it the bad of these tint of all both m and at le the that and that he had waited m a state of the direct of wishes his in die man and more in their aad the colony of dose i the skirts of fort they the fair of the red within the of their high the patches of were a continual eye to the garrison of van upon beholding the of his measure the like many a worthy of laid the blame not to the d i c in e but the quantity ia i ed j aad resolved to double the the year less that the fc year of his reign he against of heavier metal than the former j ii thundering long sentences not one word ii ma under five this in was a kind of bill forbidding and all commerce between any and every of tiie and the said fortified post of fort and ordering and all i loyal and well beloved to furnish them with w supplies of gin or sour j to b m of pacing horses pork apple br apple or oo but to starve aud face of if york another pause of a ensued during which the last received the same attention and the same fate as the first at the end of which term the gallant van despatched his annual messenger with his customary of complaints and entreaties whether the regular interval of a year intervening between the arrival of van was occasioned by the regularity of his movements or by the immense distance at which he was from the seat of government is a matter of uncertainty some have ascribed it to the of his who as i have before noticed were chosen the shortest and of his garrison as least likely to be worn out on the road j and who being y little men generally travelled fifteen miles a day and then laid by a whole week to rest all however are matters of conjecture and rather think it ay be ascribed to the of this worthy and which has ever influenced all its public not to do things in a hurry the gallant van iu his represented that several years had now elapsed since first application to his late the renowned w van during which interval his garrison had been reduced nearly one eighth by the death of two of his most and soldiers who had over eaten themselves on some fat salmon caught m the | 48 |
river he further stated that the enemy persisted in their taking no notice of the fort or its inhabitants but themselves down and all around it so that in a little while he should find himself enclosed and by the enemy and totally at their mercy but among the most of his grievance find the still on record which may serve to show the moody of these savage in the mean time they of have not and taken in the lands of although and against the of nations but have our nation in purchased broken up lands but have also them with come in the night which the s lied up and intended to and have beaten the servants of the high and mighty or the honored which were upon lands from lands with and in hostile manner and t the rest struck ever a hole in liis head with a stick that the blood ran very strongly upon his body but what is still more those of sold a that belonged to the honored under pretence that it had eaten of grass when they had foot of inheritance they proffered the for b if the would have given for damage which ae denied because s as men use to say can upon his f the receipt of this melancholy intelligence whole there was something in it that f to the dull and the even of the vulgar who ally re jl kick in the rear to awaken their dignity i have known my profound fellow citizens bear murmur a thousand essential of their rights merely because they were not to senses but the moment the unlucky waa upon our the whole body was in a so the enlightened though they had the of their eastern neighbours witb bat little regard and left their governor to the whole of the war with his single yet every individual felt his head broken in the broken of i and the unhappy fate of their fellow the being impressed carried and sold into awakened a of sympathy from every the governor and council by the of the multitude now sat themselves earnestly to upon what was to be done had at fallen into temporary some were or the a tribute as we make peace to tht petty or as the indians to the this damp i no doubt mis in old dutch mm f time we tlie of i tlie hero above to t col pass new york were for buying them out but this was as it would be their title to the had seized a of measures were as cases proposed discussed and abandoned council had at last to adopt the means which most common and obvious bad been ly id for your amazing acute ai e for ing through which only them ch objects as far off and but them to sec such things as are in their d obvious to all simple folks who are content to the naked eyes heaven h is given them tlie as i have said in their pursuit after accidentally stumbled on the very in need of which was to raise a e of nd them to the i and this measure was carried into such operation that in less than twelve months the consisting of a and twelve b ready to march and was for that in the public square now known by the name green just at this juncture the whole ty was thrown into consternation by the sudden f the gallant van who came r into town at the head of his crew of bringing the melancholy tidings of his own id the capture of the p of fort p by the ferocious ite of this important fortress is an impressive to y it was neither y storm nor mine no practicable breach was cannon or mines no magazines were blown shot nor were the destroyed by the of shells he place was taken by a no less and one that can never foil of success an opportunity occurs of patting it in practice n i to add for the credit of our illustrious it was a which though it yet left the bravery of the van d his perfectly free from reproach i that the heard of u habits of the garrison watched a favourable or opportunity aud silently the fort about the middle of a day when its having themselves with a hearty dinner and smoked out their pipes were one and all most at their posts little dreaming of so disastrous an occurrence the enemy most seized van and sturdy by the of the neck them to the gate of the fort and them with a kick on the as charles the twelfth dismissed the heavy after the battle of care to give two to van as a signal mark of distinction a strong garrison was immediately established in the forty consisting of twenty long sided hard with stuck in their hats by way of and feathers long rusty pieces for hasty dumb fish pork for stores and a huge was hoisted oo the end of a pole as a standard ty caps not having as yet come into fashion chap iii containing the fearful wrath of william the y and the great of the new of the affairs of fort and moreover the did strongly the city with the exploits language cannot express the prodigious fury into which the was thrown by this intelligence for three good hours the rage of ihe man was too great for words or rather the words were too g for him aud he was nearly choked by bom hu mis nine dutch oaths crowded all at once into his having off the first he kept up a constant firing for three whole the man woman and child body and soul for a set of z and a thousand other names of unfortunately for posterity history not | 48 |
make particular mention finally he swore that he would hare nothing more to do with such a building questioning eating mo watering notion crew that they might stay at fort and rot before he would dirty his hands by attempting to drive them away in proof of he the new raised troops to be marched forthwith into winter quarters although it was not as yet quite governor faithfully kept his word and his as faithfully kept their post and thus the glorious river and all the gay valleys through which it rolls together with the salmon and other fish within its waters fell into the of the victorious by whom they are held at this very day despondency seized upon the city of new in consequence of these melancholy events the name of yankee became as terrible among our good ancestors as was that of among the ancient and all the sage old women of the province used it as a wherewith to frighten their children into the eyes of all the province were now turned upon their governor to know what he would do for the t the common in these days of darkness and peril great apprehensions prevailed among the part of the community especially the old women that terrible warriors of not content with the conquest of fort would on to new and take it by and as old ladies through means of the governor s who as has been already hinted was the better had obtained considerable influence in public keeping the province under a kind of it was determined that measures be taken for effective of the city now it happened that at this time there in new one van a david de in bis bet year of one a ii ir im of patch ol a pleasant l ui c famous foi bit look wind his hu ami who us r th r so h upon his as to produce an effect upon all hearing as tea were must i him did the illustrious pick out as the man of all the and most fitted to be the champion of new and to garrison its fort making hut that his instrument would be as and in war as was that of the or the more classic horn of it would have done one s heart d to hare seen the governor snapping his and with delight while his sturdy up and down the his trumpet in the face of the whole world like a editor insulting all the and powers on the other side of the atlantic nor was he content with thus strongly the forty but he likewise added exceedingly to its strength by furnishing it with a formidable battery of a flag staff in the centre which the whole ind er by building a on one of the last to be sore was somewhat of a novelty in the art of tion but as i have already observed william was for and experiments and he was much given to ma patent smoke art that went the and erected for he had acquired a singular in hit native town of au these scientific of the little governor were up with by his aa proof a of hit universal genius but there were not wanting who at him as mind is and that to and which should been occupied in the fort gave to s hook and w doubtless this same champion described by mr editor ue men that this stood on tion and it is likewise to he seen to with the is i u i view of w am to hi i york ft important i of the province navy tbey even went ah to hint i or twice hid bead was by his experiments au l that he really to manage his j us lie did his by mere wind such is the and to which enlightened rulers arc ever subject notwithstanding a l the measures therefore of william the to place the city in a posture of defence the inhabitants continued in great alarm and despondency but fortune who seems always careful in the very nick of time to throw a bone for hope to feed upon that the may be kept alive did about this time crown the of the province with success in another quarter and thus cheered the drooping hearts of the forlorn otherwise there is no knowing to what they might have gone in the excess of their for grief says the profound historian of the seven of is companion with despair and despair a of infamous death among the numerous of the moss of which for some time past had occasioned such great i should particularly have a settlement made on the eastern part of long island at a place which from the peculiar excellence of its shell fish was called bay this was attacking the province in the most sensible part and occasioned great agitation at new it if an fact well known to that the high road to the is tbe throat and this may be accounted for on tke same principles which i have quoted in my cm nor is the fact unknown to the work at lai ge j and hence do we observe that the way to gain the hearts of the million is to feed them well and a is never so disposed to flatter to please and serve another as when he is feeding at his which is one reason why your rich men who give frequent dinners have such abundance of sincere and faithful friends it is on this principle that our knowing leaders of parties secure the affections of their by them with and fishes and i at rap the of the greasy mob by treating them bull and i have i a n t or a in this city acquire considerable importance in society and a | 48 |
large share of the ood wi l of bis fellow citizens when the only thing that could be said in his was that he gave a good dinner and kept excellent wine since then the heart and the stomach are so nearly allied it follows that what affects the one must affect the other now it is an equally fact that of all to the stomach is none more grateful than the marine animal known commonly by the vulgar name of and in such gi eat reverence has it ever been held by my fellow citizens that temples have been to it time out of mind in every street and alley throughout this well fed city it is not to be expected therefore that the seizing of bay a place witli their favourite delicacy would be by the inhabitants of new an attack upon their honour they might have even the of a few citizens might have been passed over in silence j but an outrage that affected the of the gi eat city of new and threatened the stomach of its was too serious to the whole council was unanimous i opinion that the should be immediately drive by force of arms from bay and its vicinity and was accordingly despatched for the under command of one or brink e the head so called he was a man of mighty deeds famous throughout whole extent of l for his skill at q and for size he would have been a match for brand the champion slain by of was a man of few words but pi one of your straight going officers who directly forward and do their orders without parade about it he used no extraordinary speed movements but steadily on through nine and and the of and various other renowned cities of by some unaccountable of the been strangely to long island until i in the of bay e he by a host of headed by and and return and and and determined cock at the sound of whose names the courageous verily be tbat the whole parliament of praise god had been let loose to him finding that this body was composed merely of the men of the settlement armed with no other weapon bat their tongues and that they had issued forth with no other intent to meet him on the field of e in putting them to route with little difficulty and completely broke up their settlement out waiting to write an account of his victory on the spot and thus letting the enemy slip through his fingers while he was securing his own as a more experienced would have done the brave thought of nothing but his enterprise and utterly driving the from the island this hardy enterprise he performed in much the same manner as he had been to drive his oxen for as the fled before him he op his breeches and steadily after them and would have driven them into the sea had they not ed for quarter aud agreed to pay tribute the news of this achievement was a to the spirits of the citizens of new to gratify them still more the governor resolved to astonish v one of those gorgeous spectacles in the days of classic antiquity a full account of which had been into his memory when a at the a grand triumph therefore was to who made his triumphant ance into town on a five like roman had served the enemy for standards were carried before fifty cart loads of five hun of a hundred of two of and various other treasures were exhibited as the spoils and tribute of the while three notorious of notes were led to grace the heroes triumph i this is of those and then occur the course of otherwise ho w com a history of tbe procession was by music from tke trumpet of van the accompanied by a select band of boys and performing on the national instrument of rattle bones aud shells the citizens devoured tbe spoils in sh er gladness of heart man did honour to the conqueror by getting devoutly drunk on new rum j and the learned calling to mind iu a momentary fit of enthusiasm and generosity that it was customary among the to honour their victorious general with public statues passed a gracious decree by which every was to paint the head of tbe on his sign chap vi reflections on tke folly of being in times of prosperity sundry on the southern how william the had well nigh ruined the province through a word as also the secret expedition of and his astonishing reward if we could but get a peep at the of dame where like a notable landlady she regularly up the and accounts of mankind we find that upon the whole good and evil are pretty nearly balanced in this world and though we may for a long while in the very lap of tbe time will at length come when we must pay off the reckon ing fortune in fact is a and withal a most inexorable for though she may indulge bar in long and with yet sooner or later she brings up ber with the of an experienced and oat her scores with their tears since says good old in his consolation of philosophy since no man can retain her at his pleasure and since her flight is su notes be when as yet banks were in country and our had not even of mines of paper t new deeply lamented are her but sure of approaching trouble and calamity there is nothing more moves my contempt at the stupidity and want of reflection of my fellow men than to behold them rejoicing and indulging in security aad self on in times of prosperity to a wise man who is blessed with the light of reason | 48 |
those are the very moments of anxiety and apprehension well knowing that according to the system of things happiness is at best but transient and that the higher be is elevated by the of the lower must be his depression whereas he who is overwhelmed by calamity has the less chance of fresh as a man at the bottom of a ladder runs very little risk of breaking his neck by tumbling to the top thb is the very essence of true wisdom which consists in knowing when we ought to be miserable and was discovered much about the same time with that invaluable secret that every thing is vanity and vexation of spirit ill consequence of which your wise men have ever been the of the human race j it as aa mark of genius to be distressed without reason since any man may be miserable in time of misfortune but it is the philosopher alone who can discover cause for grief in the very hour of prosperity according to the principle i have just advanced we find that the colony of new which under the reign of the renowned van flourished in such and fatal serenity is now paying for its former welfare and the enormous debt of comfort which it contracted foes it from different the city of new while yet in its infancy b kept in constant alarm and its william the the vulgar but expressive idea of a man in a of troubles while busily engaged his bitter enemies the on one s e we find him suddenly in another quarter and by other a of under the conduct of peter and to that queen of had settled themselves and erected a on south or river within the claimed by the of the new or tory k mute as lo the of first landing and their real pretensions to the soil and this is the more to be lamented as this same colony of will h s be most materially to affect not only the of the bnt of the world at large in whatever manner therefore this of first took possession of the it is certain that in they established a and according to the off hand of his declared himself governor of all the adjacent cow rt the name of the province of did this reach the cars of die than like a spirited he immediately broke into a violent rage and calling together his the most in the longest speech that had ever been beard in the colony since the memorable dispute of ten breeches and breeches having thus vent to the first of his indignation he had resort to his favourite measure of and despatched one hot in the first year of his peter that the whole territory on th south river had time out of mind been in possession of the dutch having been beset with and sealed with their blood the latter sentence would convey an idea of war and were we not relieved by the that it merely related to a in half a dozen bad been killed by the it their benevolent attempts to establish a colony and by this it will be seen that a very small man in big and was much given to a figure in cultivated by your little great men called a figure which had been of infinite among many of his class and which has helped to the grandeur of many a mighty self bat windy i te nor can i resist in this how much my beloved country is indebted it same figure of for supporting certain df her greatest who by dint of big words periods and windy doctrines are kept afloat on the of as ignorant w m up by blown new york the against concluded by the self nor and his gang of immediately to leave the country under penalty of the high displeasure and inevitable vengeance of the government of the this strong measure however does not seem to have had a whit more effect than its which had been thundered against the the resolutely held on to the territory they had taken possession of whereupon matters for the present remained tn that should put up with this insolent obstinacy in the would appear with bis temperament but we find that about this time the little man had his hands full and with one annoyance and another was kept continually on the is a certain description of active who by shrewd management contrive always to have a hundred irons on the every one of which must be attended to who consequently are ever full of temporary and up the public welfare and the national affairs so as to make nine where they mend one stopping and with comes first to hand like the i have mentioned old clothes in broken windows of this class of was william the and had he only been blessed with powers equal to his zeal or bis zeal been by a little discretion there is very little doubt but he would have made the greatest governor of his size on record the renowned governor of the island of alone the great defect of s policy was that no man could be more ready to stand forth in an of emergency he was so intent upon guarding the national pocket that he suffered the enemy to break its bead in other words whatever precaution for public safety he adopted he was so intent upon rendering it cheap that he invariably rendered it ineffectual all this was a remote consequence of his profound tion at the where having acquired a of knowledge he was ever after a great of continually dipping into books without ever studying to the bottom of any subject so that he had the of all kinds of authors in his in some of of these title k c he stumbled over a grand political which | 48 |
with his customary facility hi immediately into his great scheme of government to the injury and of the honest province of and the eternal of all rulers in vain have i over the of the the of the jews the of the the magic of the the of the english the of the or of the indians to discover where the little man laid his eyes on this terrible word neither that famous volume ascribed to tlie nor the pages of the containing the mysteries of the recorded by the learned yield any light to my inquiries nor am in the least by my painful in the of the wandering jew it enabled elm to make a ten days journey m twenty four hours neither can the slightest in the or sacred name of four letters the word or the ca a mystery sublime and and the letters of which he he having stolen by the constituted their great name f jove in short in all my and from the of to the i works of ar i have not discovered the least an origin of this word nor have i discovered any word sufficient to it not to keep my readers in any the word bad so wonderfully the attention of william and which in german characters had a part black and ominous aspect on being fairly into the english is no other than f term which by constant use and frequent has ceased to be formidable in our eyes but which li terrible as any in the of when pronounced in a national assembly it has effect in closing the hearts the di the purse strings the br h of a i o o nor arc its new s oil the eyes less ui it produces a of au obscurity of the a of the and au of the an of the and a of the that the oi n of vision loses its strength and y and the unfortunate patient or in plain english perceiving only the amount of immediate expense being able to look further and regard it in connection with the mate object to be effected so that to quote the words of ihe a at his nose is of greater than an oak at five hundred yards distance are its operations and the results arc still more astonishing by its magic influence shrink into into and into gun boats as the ships of at the command of the protecting changed into and protected themselves by so the y navy of america by the word of into small and itself in a mill pond this all potent word which served as his in at once explains the whole system of empty threats and paper war carried on by the and wc may trace its in which he fitted out in in a moment of great wrath consisting of two and thirty men under the command of as al of the fleet and commander in chief of the forces this formidable expedition which can only be by some of the daring of our infant navy about the bay and up the sound was intended to drive the from the of whidi they had recently taken possession and which was as part of the province of for it appears that at this time our infant colony was in that state so by ambitious nations that is to say the government had a vast extent of territory part of which it enjoyed and the greater part of which it bad continually to el about admiral was a man of and and no way dismayed at the of the enemy who were a a gigantic gun t of race of who lived on cakes and bacon drank and apple and were expert at biting tar and and a variety of other accomplishments which they had borrowed from their cousins german and the u whom they have borne considerable all these alarming representations admiral entered the most with his fleet and arrived without disaster or at the place of destination here he attacked the enemy in a vigorous in low dutch which the wary had previously put in his pocket wherein he courteously commenced by calling them a pack of lazy drinking cock fighting horse racing slave driving tavern haunting breeding and concluded by ordering them to the country immediately to which they most replied in plain english see him d d first now this was a reply for which neither nor had made any calculation and finding himself totally unprepared to answer so terrible a with suitable hostility he concluded that his wisest course was to return home and report progress he accordingly sailed back to new he was received with great honours and considered as a pattern for all having achieved a enterprise at a trifling of treasure and without a single man to e state he was called the of his country an liberally bestowed on all great men his two having done their duty were laid up or di in a now called the basin where they quietly in the mud and to his name they erected by a magnificent on the top of hill which lasted three whole when it fell to pieces and was burned for a of s or hill ao called one who li ed upon that hill in the days of the new york chap v how william the the province by a multitude of laws and came to be the patron of lawyers and bum and how the people became exceedingly enlightened and unhappy under his instructions among the and fragments of exalted wisdom which have floated down the stream of time from venerable antiquity and have been car picked up by those but industrious who along the shores of literature we find the following sage of the anxious to preserve the ancient laws of the state from the additions and improvements of profound country members | 48 |
or for popularity he ordained that whoever proposed a new law should do it with a about his neck so that in case his proposition was rejected they just hang him up and there the matter ended this institution had such an effect that for than two hundred years there was only one trifling alteration in the code and the whole race of starved to death for want of employment the consequence of this was that the being by an overwhelming load of excellent laws and by a standing army of and officers lived very lovingly together and were such a happy people that they scarce make any figure hi the whole history for it is well known that none bat unlucky nations make any noise in the world well would it have t en for william the had he in the course of his universal stumbled upon this precaution of the good on the contrary he conceived that the true policy of a was to laws and thus secure the property the persons and the morals of the people by surrounding than in a manner with traps and spring guns and even the sweet walks of private life with so that a man could scarcely urn without the risk of of those thus was he c u o petty laws for every petty offence that la time they became tou numerous to he remembered and like those of certain mere letters revived occasionally for the purpose f oppression or to ap ignorant petty courts consequently began to appear where the law was administered with nearly as much wisdom and as in those august the s and courts of the present day the was as a and to the shop of the were winked at lor ear of the of their friends but it could never be laid to the charge of the that they vice to under the disgraceful rags of poverty this time may we date the first of capital a goodly gallows being erected on the about where stairs are at present a little to the east of the battery hard by waa erected another of a very strange uncouth and description on which the ingenious william himself not a little being a punishment entirely r his own invention it was for of not a whit inferior to of so renowned in bible history bnt the of the contrivance was that the instead of her by the neck according to venerable custom hoisted by the and was kept lor an b together dangling and between heaven to be infinite and doubtless g of the of respectable citizens usually attend upon of the kind it is incredible how the little governor chuckle beholding and sturdy beggars thus by the and cutting in the air thousand and ti upon these occasions he called them his his wild fowl bis high bis spread his and finally his though originally who had taken the air in tliis strange mar both va be in the sketch of tha york p own to be a cant name given to all for al elevation this if we may credit the of certain grave gave tlie first hint for a of or hy our up their ei has of years been revived and continues to be worn at the day were the admirable improvements of william in criminal law nor was bis civil code less a matter q and much does it grieve me that the limits of my work will not me to bu both with the they deserve let it suffice then to say that in a little while the blessings of laws became apparent it wa found necessary to have a certain of men to and them divers accordingly made under whose protecting care the community was soon set together the ears would not here be thought to any thing to the profession the law or to its dignified members well am i aware that we have in this ancient city thy gentlemen who have embraced that order not for the sordid love of filthy nor the selfish of renown but through no other motives than a fervent zeal for the correct administration of justice and a generous and disinterested devotion to the interests of their fellow citizens sooner would throw this p d into the flames and cork up my ink bottle for ever than even r a the dignity of this truly benevolent class of ob the contrary i allude solely to that of who in these latter days of evil have become so who the skirts of the profession as did the the honourable order of who under its commit their cm who by and and like swarm most where re is most corruption nothing so soon the passions as the facility of gratification the courts of law would ne er be so constantly crowded with petty and disgraceful suits were it not for the herds of lawyers them these with the passions o history of of the lower and more ignorant classes as if poverty were not a sufficient in itself ai e always ready to it by the bitterness of tbey are in law what are in exciting the malady for the purpose of by the cure and the cure for the purpose of the where one the constitution the other the purse and it may likewise be that a patient who has once been under the hands of a is ever after in and himself with and an ignorant man who has once with the law under the b of one of these is for ever after himself with his neighbours and himself with successful law suits my readers will excuse this into which i have been betrayed but i could not avoid giving a cool account of an too in this excellent city and with the effects of which i am acquainted to my cost having | 48 |
been nearly ruined by a which was decide against me and my ruin having completed by another which was decided in my it has been remarked by the observant writer of the manuscript that under the of the disposition of the inhabitants of new experienced an essential change so that they became very and the constant of temper into which the little was thrown by the on his and unfortunate to experiment and m wm to keep his council in a continual and the council being to the people at large what or is to a they threw the whole community into a and the people at large being to the city what the mind is to the body the unhappy they most upon new that in certain of their of consternation and perplexity they several of the most crooked and abominable streets lanes and with which this metropolis is but the worst of the matter was that just about this time the mob since called the people like s ass be au to grow more enlightened its new york and a strange of itself this of the of william the in some of his the rubbish of antiquity he was struck with at tlie institution of public tables the where they discussed topics of a general and interesting nature at the schools of the philosophers where engaged iu profound upon and grey b were taught the of wisdom and youths learned to become little men before were boys there is nothing said the shutting up the book there is nothing more to the of a country among the people the basis of a good govern be laid in the public mind now this was true enough but it was ever the fate of william the that when be thought right he was sure to go to wrong in the present instance he could scarcely eat or sleep until he had set on foot societies the simple citizens of new was the thing wanting to complete his confusion the though in truth but little given to argument or yet by dint of often together with strong drink their brains with tobacco smoke and listening to the c some a dozen soon became wise ami as is always the case the mob is l exceedingly they found out with wonderful quickness of the fearful error in which they iu in themselves the happiest people io creation and were fortunately convinced that all to ike contrary they were a ery and consequently ruined people la a short time the of new themselves into sage of political daily met to groan over political affairs and make themselves miserable to these unhappy with tlie same eagerness that have in all ages abandoned the and more peaceful paths of religion to crowd to the howling we naturally prone to discontent and after imaginary causes of like truth of these o of e ev ve of o o v the v the wretched thou a to t t s be h j though the top of oo of those o thence es h l the f f u at i reader v ed p v e s and j j and r o rf j a their o z left is it ii s tf the j own v l h f en t w sl ev ts new york chap vi of the great pipe plot and of the into which william the wa hy reason of his having enlightened the multitude as has already been made manifest was a great upon a small scale he was of an active or leather a busy mind that is to say his was one of those small but brisk minds that make up by bustle and constant motion for the want of great scope and power he had when quite a been impressed with the advice of solomon go to the ant thou consider her ways and be wise in to which he had ever been of a restless ant like turn won hither and thither himself about little matters with an air of great importance and anxiety laying up wisdom by the morsel and often toiling and puffing at a grain of seed under the full that he was moving a mountain thus we are told that once upon a time in one of his fits of mental bustle which he termed deliberation he fi an unlucky law to the universal practice of smoking this he proved by demonstration to be not merely a heavy tax on the pocket but an incredible of time a hideous of idleness and of course a deadly to the prosperity and of the people ill fated had lived in this enlightened and loving age and attempted to the liberty of the press he could not have struck more closely on the of the million the were in as violent a tumult as the gravity of their would permit a mob of us citizens had even the to before the governor s house where setting themselves resolutely down like a army before a ess they one and all fell to smoking with a determined perseverance that seemed as though it were their intention to smoke him into terms the william issued out of his mansion like unto a and demand ic ov the cause of this e this lawless to which these sturdy hotel s made other reply than to back in their seats and puff away with fury whereby they raised such a cloud that the governor was fain to take refuge in the interior of his castle the governor immediately perceived the object of this unusual tumult and that it would he impossible to a which by long indulgence had become | 48 |
for it i have known two or three of these tales of terror to be bought up by government for the sovereign people to amuse themselves withal which goes further to prove what i have before asserted that your enlightened people love to be miserable far be it from me to however that our worthy ancestors indulged in j on the contrary they were daily suffering a repetition of cruel wrongs not one of which but was a sufficient reason according to the of national and honour for throwing the whole universe into hostility and confusion ob ye powers into what indignation every one of these throw the philosophic william letter after protest after protest after pro bad worse english and hideous low dutch were exhausted in vain upon the able and the four and twenty of the which excepting his companion the sturdy van composed the only standing army he had at his from a multitude of bitter still on record i elect a few of toe most and leave my readers to judge if ur were not in getting into a very violent on on ttie occasion jane some of have taken a out of the or common and shut it up out of mere hate or other u it to starve for er in the july the did drive the s ont of the into ly with reproaches blows beating the people with all disgrace i could lay the english of have violently cut loose r e of the honoured s that stood upon the ay the s horses upon the ground were driven away by them of and the beaten with aud sticks again they sold a young to the i pigs on the s land co u ft v u or were off boat the of nor did the a the in his fiery seal bat like a and of tbe on the of every fresh article of be was sore to bis the with most notes tbe people aad their rest at and which caused bim to be in very f regain tbe public and him as we do for reasons that just been mentioned j am well aware of the perils that me in this part of my while with bands but pious among tbe remains of former days anxious to draw tbe honey of i may fare somewhat like that worthy who iu with the of a dead lion drew a swarm of bees about bis ears thus while the many of tbe or yankee tribe it is ten chances to one but i offend the id of of descendants who may fly out and raise a about this unlucky bead of that i shall need tbe tough bide of an or an to protect me from their should such be tbe case should deeply and lament not ray misfortune in giving bat the wrong headed of an ill natured generation in taking offence at any thing i say thai their ancestors did use my ancestors ill it is true and i am very lor h would with all my heart the feet were but as i am the sacred events of history im not cue nail s breadth of the honest i were sure the whole edition of my work should be up and burned by tbe common of and in now that these gentlemen dr wo me out i will make bold to go and observe t this is one of the grand purposes for which we l are sent into the world to justice on the bead of the so that a powerful nation may wrong its neighbours with yet sooner or later an historian springs up who ample on it in return thus these moss t ic east little to k l il it were the of and driving its unhappy governor to his wits end that an historian them their own with since then i my duty as an historian in ing the our ancestors shall make no farther apology and indeed when it is considered that i have au these ancient borders of the east in my power and at the mercy of my pen i trust hat it be i myself with great humanity and moderation to then the course of ray history to the eastward began now to assume a more formidable aspect than ever for i would have you note that the province had been chiefly by its neighbours the people of of which if we may judge from ancient was the strong hold of these sturdy from whence they forth on their daring carrying terror and into the the and of our ancestors the year the people of the east the colonies of new and new haven gathered together a and after and for many days like a political hive of bees in time at length settled themselves into a formidable e r the of the united colonies of new by this union they pledged themselves to stand by one in all perils and and to co operate in offensive and against the among which were included our honoured ancestors of the and to give more and system to this a general assembly or grand council was to be held composed of representatives from each of the m on accounts of this combination the ery was struck with vast consternation and for the first time in his whole life forgot to at hearing an unwelcome piece of intelligence which a historian of the times was especially noticed among the sage of new the truth was on turning over in his all that he had read at the about and b o i va p of that this was an exact imitation of the famous council by which the states of were enabled to attain such power and and the very idea made his heart to for the safety of his empire at the he insisted that | 48 |
not whether that be y or is d c new the most probable account and lo which i am inclined to give my faith is contained in a very obscure tradition which declares that what with the constant troubled on his the incessant and projects going on in his own the and sage pieces of advice from divers respectable meetings of the sovereign people together with the disposition of his council who were sure to differ from him on every point and uniformly to be in the wrong all these i say did operate to keep his mind in a kind of furnace heat until he at length became as completely burnt out as a dutch family pipe which has passed through three generations of hard in this manner did the but william the undergo a kind of animal away like a rush light so that when grim death finally him out there was scarce left enough of him to bury end of book fourth ar book fifth the fir t part of thb m with the a council chap n hi i t of a man is io h m s w and how peter t acquired a great name from the ti hie to a profound philosopher like myself who mi see clear through a subject where the people extends but half way there is no f simple and manifest than that the death of a g is a matter of very little importance much as think of ourselves and much as we may excite t of the million it is certain that the us do actually fill but an exceeding small world and it is equally certain that even that is quickly supplied when we leave it vacant consequence is it said the elegant tin appear or make their exit the world is whose scenes are d never did philosopher speak more correctly ai wonder that so wise a remark could have existed ages mankind not have laid it more to follows on in the footsteps of sage one hero just of his car to make way for the hero w after him and of the monarch it is me he slept with his fathers and his in his stead the world to tell the private truth cares but their loss and if to itself would soon forget t and though a nation has often been in tears on the death of a great man it is to one if an va shed on the excepting from the forlorn pen of some hungry author it is the historian the and the poet who have the whole of grief to sustain who kind souls like in england act the part of chief who a nation with is it never heaved and it with tears it never di of shedding thus while the patriotic author is weeping and howling in prose in blank verse and in rhyme and collecting the drops of public sorrow into his volume as into a vas it is more than probable his fellow citizens are eating and drinking and dancing as utterly ignorant of the bitter made in their name as are those men of straw john and richard of the for whom they are generously pleased on divers occasions to become the most glorious and praise worthy hero that ever nations might have into oblivion among the of his own monument did not some historian take him into favour and his name to posterity and much as the william worried and and while be had the of a whole colony in his hand i question seriously whether he will not be obliged to this history for all his future his exit occasioned no in the city of new or its vicinity the earth trembled not neither did any stars shoot their the heavens were not in as poets would fain persuade us they have been on the unfortunate death of a the rocks hearted melted not into tears nor did the trees hang their heads in silent sorrow and as to the sun he laid the next night just as long and showed as jolly a face when he arose as he ever did on the same day of the mouth in any year either or since the good people of new one and all declared that he had been a very busy active bustling little that he was the of his country that he was the noblest work of god that he was a man take him for all in all they never should look upon his like again together with sundry other civil and affectionate speeches that arc regularly on the death of all great men after which they smoked their pipes thought hi t of no more about him and peter succeeded to station peter was tbe last and like the renowned van t he was the best of ancient dutch s surpassed all who preceded him and or as h was called by tbe old dutch who were ever prone to names having never been equalled by any successor he was in the very man by nature to tbe desperate fortunes of her beloved province had not tbe those most potent and of all ancient and immortal them to confusion to say merely that he was a hero would be him great injustice be was in truth a combination of heroes he was of a raw like mon so famous for his in the little with a pair of round shoulders that would have given his hide for meaning his s hide y when be undertook to ease old of his load he was moreover as describes net only terrible for the force of his arm but likewise of his which sounded as though it came out of a and like tbe self same he possessed a sovereign contempt for the sovereign people and an iron aspect which was | 48 |
enough of itself to make the very of bis with terror and dismay au this martial of appearance was by an accidental advantage with which am surprised that neither nor have any of their heroes it is worth all tbe and wounds in the and or s into the bargain this was nothing less than a wooden leg which waa the only be had gained in bravely fighting the battles o his country but of which he was so proud that he was heard to declare he valued it more all his other limbs put together indeed so highly did he esteem il that he had it gallantly and relieved with devices which caused it to be related in divers histories and legends that he wore a silver leg s e tbe histories of masters mid like that warrior he vas subject to of which were rather unpleasant to his and attendants whose he was apt to after the manner of bis peter the great by with his walking staff i bat the resemblance for which i most value him was that wliich he bore ia many particulars to the renowned though i cannot find that he had read or or or bacon or or tom yet did he sometimes md sagacity in his es that one would hardly from a man who did not know greek and had never studied the true it is and i confess it sorrow that he bad an unreasonable aversion to and was fond of governing his province after the simplest manner but then be contrived to keep it in better order than did the though he had all the ancient and modern to assist and him i must likewise own that he made but very few laws but then again he took care that those few were rigidly and enforced and i do not know but justice on the whole was as well ed as if there had been volumes of sage acts and yearly made and neglected and forgotten he was in fact the very se of his g neither and like walter the nor restless and william the but a man or rather a nor of such uncommon activity and decision of mind that he never sought or accepted the advice of depending confidently upon his single head as did the heroes of upon their single arms to his way through ail difficulties and dangers to the simple he wanted no other requisite for a perfect than to think always ri for no one can deny that be always acted as he thought and if he wanted in he made for it ia an quality since it is more dignified for a ruler to be and consistent in error than and in endeavouring to do what is right much is certain and it is a worthy the attention of all leg both great and small who stand in the wind without knowing vi w op to steer a who acts according to his own is sure of pleasing himself while he who seeks to satisfy the wishes and of others runs a great risk of pleasing nobody the clock that stands still and points in one direction is certain being right twice in the four and twenty hours while others may keep going continually and continually be g ing wrong nor did this virtue escape the of the good people of on the contrary so high an opinion had tbey of the independent mind and vigorous of their new governor that they universally called him hard hop g piety or peter thb a great compliment to his understanding if from all that i have said thou dost not gather worthy reader that peter was a tough sturdy weather beaten obstinate sided lion hearted generous spirited old governor either i have written to but very little purpose or thou art very dull at drawing conclusions this most excellent governor whose character i have thus attempted feebly to commenced his administration on the ih of may a remarkable day distinguished in all the of the time which have come down to us by the name of windy friday as he was very jealous of his personal and official dignity he was into office with great ceremony the goodly chair of the renowned van being carefully preserved for such occasions in like manner as the chair and stone were preserved at in scotland for the of the i must not omit to mention that the state of the elements together with its being that unlucky day of the week termed hanging day did not fail to excite much grave speculation and divers very reasonable apprehensions among the more ancient and enlightened and several of the sex who were to be not a little skilled in the mysteries of and fortune telling did declare outright that they were of a disastrous administration an event that came to be and which proves beyond the wisdom of v o york bed by dreams and visions the flying of birds and on which the of ancient times placed such reliance or to of stars of the moon of and of candles carefully noted and inter by the of our day who in my le opinion are the legitimate and pre of the ancient science of this much is that succeeded to the chair of at a turbulent period when foes and from without when and stiff reigned within when the authority of high the lords states general though id on the broad dutch bottom of though supported by economy and defended by les yet to its very and when the great city of new though d by flag and fair lady of easy virtue to lay open to attack to yield to the first chap ii ng how peter the the and on entering into office the perilous mistake he w u guilty of in his dealings with the b very first movements o | 48 |
the great peter on taking ins of government displayed the of his though they occasioned not a little and among the people of the finding if constantly interrupted by the opposition and ed by the sage advice of his council the which had acquired the unreasonable habit of ng and speaking for themselves during the preceding he determined at once to put a stop to such therefore had he entered his authority than he turned out of office all spirits that composed the cabinet of the in place of whom he chose unto history ow from those fat families that had and an reign of walter the all these he c with abundance of fair long pipe with frequent dinners f than to smoke and eat and sleep for the while he took all the burden of own an arrangement to which tl hearty n did he stop here but made a hideous the and of his learned pi his flag and mighty g ia ts the of new to the whole of c up his patent gallows where were suspended by the and in a wc the whole philosophic system of the sage of honest folk of new dow for the of their champion i who had ed prodigious of the women by means of his whiskers and him did peter the cause to be b his presence and him for a moment fi foot with a countenance that would have a thing else than a of brass art thou said he t no wise for my name it is aj for i am the af n for my profession i am champion and great city of new i doubt said peter that thou art some sow how thou acquire this honour and dignity marry sir like many a great man before me simply b my ay is it so v th why then let us have a relish of thy art put his instrument to his lips and with such a tremendous outset such a and such a triumphant that it was your heart leap out of your mouth only a mile of it like as a wai worn wh in peaceful chance he hear the till up his ears and and and at the noise so did the heroic soul of the mighty peter joy to hear the of the trumpet for of him might truly be said what was recorded of the renowned st e of england there was nothing in all the world tint more rejoiced his heart than to hear the pleasant sound of war and see the soldiers forth their weapons his eyes more kindly therefore upon the sturdy van and finding him to he a jolly fat man shrewd in his discourse yet of great discretion and wind he conceived a vast kindness for him and him from the troublesome duty of and defending and alarming the city after retaining him about hu person as his chief confidential and squire instead of disturbing the city with disastrous notes he was instructed to play so as to delight die governor while at his as did the of in the days of glorious chivalry and on all public to rejoice the ears of the people with warlike melody j thereby keeping alive a noble and martial spirit many other alterations and both for the better and for the worse did the governor make of which my time will not serve me to record the particulars suffice it to say be soon contrived to make the province that he was its master and treated the sovereign people with that they were all fain to bold their tongues stay at home and attend to their business that party and distinctions were almost and many of and were utterly ruined for want of business indeed the critical state of public s at this time the utmost vigilance and the formidable council of the which had caused so much to the unfortunate still continued its forces and threatened to link within its all the mighty and powers of the east in the very year following the of governor a grand departed from the city of famous for its dusty streets and women in behalf of the plantation of island praying to be admitted into the league i m of tbe following mention is made of this in certain records of that assemblage of which are still mr will and captain of hand presented this request to the s io oar request and motion is in of hand that the of hand may be into combination with all the united of new ci nd in a and ae of friendship and of and defence advice and upon all just occasions for our safety and c will there b certainly something in the very of thb document that might well inspire apprehension the name of alexander however mis has been war like in every age and though its is in measure softened by being coupled with the gentle of still like the colour of scarlet it b an exceeding great resemblance to tbe sound of a trumpet from the style of the letter and the like ignorance of displayed by tbe noble captain in his own name we may picture to ourselves this mighty man of like a second strong in arms potent in the and as great a as though be had been educated among that people of who ds could not count beyond the number four but whatever be the threatening aspect of this peter was not a man to be kept in a state of and vague apprehension he liked nothing so much as to meet danger face to face and take it by the beard determined therefore to put an to all these petty on the borders be wrote two or three letters to the grand council which though neither iu bad latin nor yet | 48 |
Subsets and Splits