Читать книгу: «The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 19, No. 529, January 14, 1832», страница 7
THE GATHERER
A clergyman preaching in the neighbourhood of Wapping, observing that most part of his audience were in the seafaring way, very naturally embellished his discourse with several nautical tropes and figures. Amongst other things, he advised them "to be ever on the watch, so that on whatsoever tack the evil one should bear down on them, he might be crippled in action." "Ay, master," said a son of Neptune, "but let me tell you, that will depend upon your having the weather gage of him."
A poacher escaping one morn with his pillage,
Unexpectedly met with the lord of the village;
Who seeing a hare o'er his shoulder was thrown,
Hail'd him quickly, "You fellow is that hare your own."
"My own!" he replied, "you inquisitive prig,
Gad's curse, pompous sir, do you think I've a wig?"
ORIGIN OF THE PHRASE "TO BOOT."
Bote or Bota, in our old law books, signifies recompense, repentance, or fine paid by way of expiation, and is derived from the Saxon. Hence our common phrase "to boot," speaking of something given by way of compensation.
P.T.W.
OLD SONG
"Syr Tankarde he is as bold a wight
As ever Old England bred;
His armoure it is of the silver bright,
And his coloure is ruby red;
And whene'er on the bully ye calle,
He is readye to give ye a falle;
But if long in the battle with him ye be,
Ye weaker are ye, and the stronger is he,
For Syr Tankarde is victor of alle."
"A barley-corn he mounts for a speare,
His helmet with hops is hung,
He lightes the eye with a laughing leere,
With a carolle he tipps the tongue—
And he marshals a valyant hoste
Of spices and crabbes and toaste;
And the stoutest of yeomen they well can o'erthrow,
When he leads them in beakers and jugs to the foe,—
And Syr Tankarde his prowess may boaste."
FRENCH—ENGLISH LOVE
The following is a copy of a letter addressed some years ago to a lady of fortune at Portsmouth, upwards of four score years of age, by a French prisoner of war at Porchester Castle:—
"Porchester.—Madam—Me rite de English very leet, and me very fears you no saave vat me speak; but me be told dat you vant one very fine man for your hosband; upon my soul me love you very well; and thou you be very old woman, and very cross, and ugly, and all de devil, and the English no like you, upon my soul we have one great passion for you, and me like you very well for all dat; and me told dat de man for you must be one very clen man, and no love de drink. Me be all dat: indeed me be one very grand man in France—upon my soul me be one count, me have one grand equipage in France, and me be very good for de esprit: indeed me be one grand beau-a-la-mode—one officier in de regiment: me be very good for de Engleterres. Indeed you be one very good old woman upon my soul; and if you have one inclination for one man, me be dat gentleman for you—one grand man for you. Me will be your hosband, and take de care for yourself, for de house, for de gardin, for de Schoff, for de drink, and for de little childs dat shall come. Upon my soul me kill myself very soon, if you no love me for this grand amour. Me be, madam, your great slave, votre tres humble serviteur, PRES A. BOIRE."
W.G.C.
OLD LONDON BRIDGE
It is well known that Peter of Colechurch, the founder of Old London Bridge, did not live to witness the completion of the structure, but died in 1205, and was buried in a crypt within the centre pier of the bridge, over which a chapel was erected, dedicated to St. Thomas-à-Becket. Mr. Brayley, in his Londiniana, wrote about five years since that "if due care be taken when the old bridge is pulled down, the bones and ashes of its venerable architect may still be found;"—and, true enough, the bones of old Peter were found on removing the pier about a fortnight since.
TAME LIONS
Hanno, a Carthaginian, was the first who tamed a lion. He was condemned to death, for what his fellow-citizens considered so great a crime. They asserted that the republic had to fear the worst consequences from a man who had been able to subdue so much ferocity. A little more experience, however, convinced them of the fallacy of that ridiculous judgment. The triumvir Antony, accompanied by an actress, was publicly drawn by lions in a chariot.
SAD-USING.
CITY OF LYONS
Lyons is situated on a sort of peninsula, formed by the confluence of two great rivers—the Rhone and the Laone. All the bridges, with the exception of one of stone, are of wood; and although in general more useful than ornamental, they are justly admired for the boldness of their construction. They form numerous and convenient communications between the city and the faubourgs.
Lyons is walled round, and strongly fortified. In 1791 it contained 121,000 inhabitants; but, in consequence of the siege of 1793, and the cruelties practised at that memorable period of French history, the numbers were reduced to less than 80,000. In 1802, the numbers were 88,662; and in 1827, the fixed population had increased to 97,439;—but there was a floating population, estimated at 43,684, which, with the inmates of the barracks and hospitals, stated at 8,600, made the total population at that period 149,723; and by adding the population of the suburbs, reckoned at 36,000, the whole amount of the inhabitants at the period of the census, in 1827, was 185,723; at the present time it is said to be, in round numbers, 200,000.
In 1828, the number of workshops in all branches of the silk trade within the walls, amounted to 7,140; that of the silk frames or looms to 18,829; and from 10,000 to 12,000 in the communes.
W.G.C.
The ditty sung by the first grave-digger in Hamlet, beginning—
"In youth, when I did love, did love"—
was written by Lord Vaux, an ancestor of Lord Brougham. It will be found entire in Percy's Reliques.
Number 527, price Twopence,
A SUPPLEMENT,
With a STEEL-PLATE PORTRAIT of His Present
Majesty, WILLIAM IV.
AT FOURTEEN YEARS OF AGE.
From a Picture by B. West, P.R.A.
Anecdotic Memoir; and Title-Page, Preface,
and Index; completing VOL. XVIII.
