Читать книгу: «The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 14, No. 385, August 15, 1829», страница 7

Various

Шрифт:

When Sir Walter had examined every point of defence and attack we adjourned to the "Original Duke of Wellington," at Waterloo, to dinner, after the fatigues of the ride. Here he had a crowded levée of peasants, and collected a great many trophies, from cuirasses down to buttons and bullets. He picked up himself many little relics, and was fortunate in purchasing a grand cross of the legion of honour. But the most precious relic was presented to him by my wife—a French soldier's book, well stained with blood, and containing some poetical effusions, called "Troubadours," which he found so interesting that he translated them into English, and they were introduced into his "Paul's Letters;" on the publication of which he did her the honour of sending her a copy, with a most flattering letter, to say, "that he considered her gift as the most valuable of all his Waterloo relics."

On our return from the field, he kindly passed the evening with us, and a few friends whom we invited to meet him. He charmed us with his delightful conversation, and was in great spirits from the agreeable day he had passed; and with great good humour promised to write a stanza in the lady's Album. The following morning he called to achieve this; and I put him into my little library, the door of which I locked to prevent interruption, as a great many of my friends had paraded in the Parc opposite my window to get a peep of the celebrated man, many having dogged him from his hotel.

Brussels affords but little worthy of the notice of such a traveller as the author of "Waverley;" but he greatly admired the splendid tower of the Maison de Ville, and the ancient sculpture and style of architecture of the buildings which surround the Grand Place.

He told us, with great humour, a laughable incident which had occurred to him at Antwerp. The morning after his arrival at that city from Holland, he started at an early hour to visit the tomb of Rubens in the Church of St. Jacques, before his party were up. Having provided himself with a map of the city, he had no other guide; but after wandering about for an hour, without finding the object he had in view, he determined to make inquiry, and observing a person stalking about like himself, he addressed him, in his best French; but the stranger pulling off his hat, very respectfully replied, in the pure Highland accent, "I'm vary sorry, Sir, but I canna speak ony thing besides English."—"This is very unlucky indeed, Donald," said Mr. Scott, "but we must help one another; for, to tell you the truth, I'm not good at any other tongue but the English, or rather, the Scotch."—"Oh, Sir, maybe," replied the Highlander, "you are a countryman, and ken my maister, Captain Cameron, of the 79th, and could tell me where he lodges. I'm just cum in, Sir, frae a place they ca' Machlin, and ha forgotten the name of the captain's quarters; it was something like the Laaborer."—"I can, I think, help you with this, my friend," rejoined Mr. Scott. "There is an inn just opposite to you, (pointing to the Hotel de Grand Laboreur,) I dare say that will be the captain's quarters;" and so it was. I cannot do justice to the humour in which Mr. Scott recounted this dialogue.

New Monthly Magazine.

The Gatherer

A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.

SHAKSPEARE.

SUPERSTITION

Catherine de Medicis, in order to be assured of the assistance of heaven in a certain project, vowed to send a pilgrim to Jerusalem, who should walk three feet forwards and one backwards all the way. A countryman of Picardy undertook the fulfilment of this vow, and having employed a whole year in the task, was rewarded with a title and a large sum of money.

The Romans deposed their Dictator, Minutius, and the general of their cavalry, Caius Flaminius, on the same day they had been elected, because one of the citizens of Rome had heard a mouse squeak.

A.V.M.

NAPKINS

When Diego de Torres, the Spanish ambassador, in 1547, first dined with the Emperor of Morocco at his court, he was amused by the customs of the table; neither knives, forks, nor spoons, were provided; but each person helped himself with his fingers, and cleaned his hands with his tongue, excepting the emperor, who wiped the hand he took his meat up with on the head of a black boy, ten years old, who stood by his side. The ambassador smiled, and the emperor observing it, asked what Christian kings wiped their hands with at meals, and what such things were worth? "Fine napkins," replied the ambassador, "a clean one at every meal, worth a crown a piece or more." "Don't you think this napkin much better," said the emperor, wiping his hand again on the black boy's head, "which is worth seventy or eighty crowns."

JUSTICE

"What is your fare, coachee," said a stout gentleman alighting from a hackney-coach.

Coachee.—"One shilling, sir."

Gent.—"One shilling! What an imposition for such a short distance."

Coachee.—"I'll take my oath that is my fare."

Gent.—"Will you? very well, I am a magistrate, proceed—(Coachee is sworn)—That will do, the shilling I shall keep for the affidavit."

Philip III. King of Spain, wept at an Auto da Fé, because he saw so many fellow creatures inhumanly tormented. This was thought by the Grand Inquisitor to be a great sin, and he terrified the king so much with his remonstrances, that Philip suffered himself to be bled, and the blood to be given to the common executioner, to be burnt at the next Auto da Fé, by way of penance.

Cobweb comes from the Dutch word Kopwebbe; and Kop in that language signifies a spider.

(S.I.B.'s interesting paper on the Birth of Edward VI. and Death of Queen Jane Seymour, did not reach us till our description of Hampton Court was ready for press: our Correspondent's contribution shall appear next week.)