Читать книгу: «The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 13, No. 362, March 21, 1829», страница 6
After having listened to this melancholy narrative, Henri, when he had regained sufficient composure, entrusted Isabelle with his vindication, for Louise's parents and his own, and expired without a groan the next day. The same moon which had illuminated his betrothed's funeral shone upon his, and they repose beside each other in the picturesque burial-ground of Nuneville, not quite forgotten or unlamented by its inhabitants.—Abridged from a collection of interesting Tales and Sketches, entitled "A Cantab's Leisure."
THE ANECDOTE GALLERY
BEARS ON THE ICE
From the Tales of a Voyager
With two boats, we assailed six of these animals, who had collected round the "crang," or carcass of a whale. After lying at the bottom of the sea for some time, the body of the whale rises to the surface, probably buoyed up by gas generated by putrefaction in its entrails. This circumstance is by no means uncommon, especially late in the summer, when time has been allowed for fermentation; but it seems to point out that the depths of the Arctic Ocean contain few or no animals to prey upon the numerous carcasses which are let sink after flinching, since, otherwise, the mass would become pierced and unable to float, if not wholly devoured. We slew five of the six bears, and brought a half-grown cub on board alive. This poor harmless beast was wounded in two or three places superficially with a boat hook, but its disposition seemed scarcely to have warranted these trifling blows. I was moved to compassion as it sat upon the jaw-bone of a whale, which projected beneath the tafrail, at one moment devouring pieces of its mother and sister with avidity, and at the next stretching its throat and blaring out mournfully, when a fragment of ice met its view, passing astern as we sailed on our course. It was about the size of a sheep, and after their tea the sailors got it down below, and turned it loose betwixt decks, from whence it sent up all hands with precipitation, some of them quitting their berths half-naked, as if a fall had been called. After a sufficient allowance of frolic had gratified the crew, a daring Shetlander collared the bear as if it had been a dog, and fastened a fresh rope round its neck, and having forced it to leap overboard, the rope's end was thrown to the boat's crew of a visiter, at that moment about to leave us, and it was towed or rather led away. The following day I saw its skin stretched on the shrouds of the vessel, to whose captain it had been presented. The other bear chace was after a monstrous male, who resolutely faced us, and would have boarded our boat had it not shot past him. He was flanked by the ship, which had run down upon him as he lay exactly in her course, and by the boat, which had got between him and the ice, and seeing no other resource, he turned upon the boat. When discovered, he was so near the floe that, wishing to intercept him, we leaped into the boat, and lowered away without waiting for a gun; we were, therefore, obliged to meet him at close quarters. But while we stood prepared, Shipley with a lance, and myself with the boat's hatchet, to receive his onset, the skiff was allowed to keep on her headway, and we passed beyond our foe, who took advantage of the error, and dashed forward to the ice, which he gained just as our boat in pursuit of him ran her nose up against the floe, and almost tripped his heels.
It was said by the harpooner, who first caught sight of this bear, that he was floating on his back in the water; and Greenlanders maintain, how truly or wrongly I know not, that bears sometimes throw themselves into this position to avoid being seen. Another reason for this attitude they affirm to be, a power possessed by bears of flinging themselves suddenly forward, by a violent jerk, whilst extended on their backs, so as to bring themselves at once into a boat; but this is a feat of which I do not believe them capable. Whilst speaking of bears, I may mention here, that the mate of the Dundee nearly lost his life this summer, from the fury of a she brownie, who attacked him on the ice. After killing her cub, he had fired at her, and struck her on the jaw, which remained gasping, as if dislocated, and believing her hors de combat, he got upon the floe, to take possession of her slain offspring. The she bear, however, though she had fled, now returned, and rushing towards her enemy, threw him down, but was unable to mangle him; for though her mouth was wide open, she had lost the ability to close it. Nevertheless, she mounted upon his prostrate body, and trampled it severely, before the crew of his boat could come to his rescue. When they did arrive, a sailor who brought the gun lost his presence of mind at the sight before him, and stood staring at the scene inactive; others, more bold, thrust the bear aside with lances; and the mate being freed from its weight, arose, took the gun from its bearer, and shot away the unlucky lower jaw of the beast completely. She then fell a victim to the weapons of his men. When I received this account from him, he was nearly recovered from the violence he had suffered from the enraged brute, but not till after having been for some time confined to his hammock.
THE GATHERER
A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.
SHAKSPEARE.
ANCIENT AND MODERN THEATRES
It appears, that our ancient theatres were little better than barns, while those of the present day may vie with palaces in extent, splendour, and decoration; and nothing can more strongly exhibit the contrast between the present age and that of Queen Elizabeth, than the difference in the expense of a London theatre. The Rose playhouse, which was erected about the year 1592, cost only 103l. 2s. 7d.,—a sum which would scarcely pay half the expenses of a modern patent theatre for a single night. Only let the reader think of the rush roof of the Globe, and the gilt-work ceilings of our present theatres; the open area,—and the cloth-covered seats of the pit; and the magnificence of our saloons, halls, staircases, and corridors,—all in the noblest style of architectural decoration—Companion to the Theatres.
Covent Garden was once the emporium of the arts and sciences, and the residence of the chief nobility of the kingdom. Barton Booth lived at No. 4, Charles-street; Colley Cibber lived at No. 3; and Easty's Hotel, Southampton-street, was Mr. Garrick's; Mrs. Oldfield lived in the same street; Wilkes built the house in Bow-street, next door but one to the theatre—Garrick and Macklin lodged in it.—Ibid.
At Kirlees, Yorkshire, about three miles from Hutherfield, is, or was lately, a funeral monument of the famous outlaw, Robin Hood, with the following inscription:—
Here, undernead dis laid stean,
Lais Robert, Earl of Huntingtun;
Nea arter az hie sa geud,
Ah pipl kauld him Robin Heud.
Sick outlawz hi an iz men
Vil England niven si agen.
Obiit 24 kal Decembrio, 1247.
HALBERT H
REGENT-STREET
The expenditure of the Commissioners of Woods and Forests in forming this splendid street, is stated to have been 1,533,582l. 16s. 10d.; and the probable revenue is 36,330l.
STEALING PICTURES
The celebrated Raphael of the Louvre—Christ and his Disciples—is said to have been, at some unknown time, abstracted from its frame, and a modern copy substituted. The picture has been valued at £20,000. and it is surmised that it has found a hiding-place in England. Harlowe's Kemble Family is also missing at the present moment.
Literary Gazette
RAMSAY'S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF, IN A POEM ADDRESSED TO MR. JAMES ARBUCKLE
Imprimis, then, for tallness, I
Am five feet four inches high;
A black-a-vic'd, snod, dapper fallow,
Nor lean, nor overlaid wi' tallow;
Wi' phiz of a Morocco cut,
Resembling a late man of wit,
Auld gabbet Spec, wha was sae cunning,
To be a dummie ten years running.
Then for the fabric of my mind,
'Tis mair to mirth than grief inclin'd:
I rather choose to laugh at folly,
Than shew dislike by melancholy;
Weel judging a sour heavy face
Is not the truest mark of grace.
I hate a drunkard or a glutton,
Yet I'm nae fae to wine and mutton:
Great tables ne'er engaged my wishes
When crowded with o'er mony dishes;
A healthfu' stomach sharply set
Prefers a back-sey pipin het.
I never could imagine 't vicious
Of a fair fame to be ambitious:
Proud to be thought a comic poet, }
And let a judge of numbers know it, }
I court occasion thus to show it. }
Second of thirdly—Pray take heed,
Ye's get a short swatch of my creed.
To follow method negatively,
Ye ken takes place of positively:
Weel then, I'm neither Whig nor Tory,
Nor credit give to purgatory.
Frae twenty-four to five-and-forty,
My muse was neither sweer nor dorty,
My Pegasus would break his tether,
E'en at the shagging of a feather,
And through ideas scour like drift,
Streaking his wings up to the lift;
Then, then my soul was in a low,
That gart my members safely row;
But eild and judgment 'gin to say,
Let be your sangs, and learn to pray.
