Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

sweeping measures against enemies opening new connections out of their pale, but in their grade, for the making, like other great folks, appointments suitably adapted to the talents of their aspirants, worthy of advancement during the legislation of the brumal campaign in the line of causeways, mudbaths, and snowdrop channels. I know not if persons are regularly tutored as histrionic candidates are, for their better earlier, and first appearances, when so much precosity is required; but it has not escaped my notice that new patches are placed on eyes and new perforations placed on arms and legs; above all, a new visit of lumbago, or a new limp, with a besom is indispensable; for this besoin of destruction shows the centinel to be at his post, and proves him to be a disciple of M'Adam's granite race

obeisant clip of the double purposed hat, are evidences of generous estimation. To a purseless person, genteely dressed, that passes the swept ground daily, the operator, once scanning his character, neither smiles nor moves. He is looked upon as selfish, or a proscriptive member of an anti-liberal society, and is treated with the sweeper's contumation. Kindly intentioned, single and married ladies, of a certain age, are great encouragers of upright ways and nice crossings. Franklin recommends tradesmen, particularly, to this object; and shopkeepers, of the best school, adopt the recommendation. I intended giving a schedule of some of the most celebrated sweepers, since the demise of that civil wight, that kept his coast so clear at the Bridge street end of Fleet Market. But I find the 'space required would be considerable. These ciphers in the great account, are not monopolists in the necessities of life, like the wealthy; nor menders of the ways of our moralities, or mysteries, but wayfaring mortals. A black of the first order holds his levee near the Asylum. I never saw the art better displayed. He looks, he acts, the character admir

But as manners are the means of distinguishing each elevation in society, so the mendicants of the sweeping genera are known by their operative qualities. In these, proh, pudor! the Blacks far excel the Whites: their curly hair, good-natured looks, with apparent sheen or chubby faces, lit up by the contrast of their eyes; their humble attitude, want of clothing.ably. "Pray sir! do sir!" has been without blankets, a hot climate, a workhouse, or a friend, are strong arguments in their behalf. In spite of avarice, these negroes excite commiseration, and are in the ascendant, in all the best West-end soliciting quarters. Their civility, above all, is worthy of notice, for they bow equally for the mite as for nothing. The dingy white, irascible, creatures in complexion are far otherwise. How often the muttering anathema is wafted to the ear, after passing a crossway at which the sturdy appellant stands, if the imploration is not generously rewarded. Where Hope, Faith, and Charity, are sickly shivering near a bleak current and on a damp ground-whose heart is stout enough to resistor who would not assist in the general benevolence of the day's passengers? Many impostors are placed in eligible situations for alms-deeds; but it is better to err by relieving such, than to withdraw the eleemosinary hand from one real sufferer that may be mistaken in the application. Not a few of the street mendicants, however, have dependencies on regular customers. A known giver, when passing, ordinarily, will always command the spinal curve, in defiance of real or affected rheum. The courtesy dip, the facile effort of making the road agreeable, and the

a celebrated actress in her day, in the purlieus of Sadler's Wells. Children? she must have called a hundred to her bosoin, and hushed their pretty tongues to sleep in her arms; whether she continues to keep catarrhs in her eyes for a blind, or not, I cannot say, but she has been a successful special pleader in the class. The man with the wooden legs at the Angel. The negroes in Cranbourne Alley and Piccadilly. The aged sweeper in crutches, in Aldgate. The dwarfish palaverer at the Obelisk. The Old Soldier at Knightsbridge. The sailor with one arm, one eye, one leg, and one yarn, at Pimlico. The little short old man, with an odd walk, an odd look, an odd address, and an odd squint, in the Camden Town range. The running and beseeching boys and girls at King'scross. The pious man that holds his hand and shields his eyes at Barnsbury; and many others, gone and going, will ere long, be swept in the mass; and the rising generations will know them not, unless they bear record in the archives of the " OLIO."

AN AUTHOR. (For the Olio.)
His body is a lamp-Genins the oil

Which feeds the readers with a mental light,
His judgment trims it, that it may not soil:
And life preserves it steadily and bright.

J.R.P.

AN ODD ODE. BY A SILLY CIT. For the Olio.

How do I love thee, country breezes!-
As wife does love the spouse she teazes;
As he loves her, too-when she pleases;
As sportsman loves the game he seizes;
As lawyer loves to call all fees, his;
Miser to call all cash he sees, his;
As doctor loves to cure diseases!
As patient loves the dram that eases ;
As bishop's love for bended knees is;
As beadles love to keep the peace is;
As gard'ner's love for shrubs and trees is;
As sailor's love for ships and seas is;
As soldier loves war-when it ceases;
As cooky loves the joint she greases;
As skater loves the lake that freezes;
Conveyancer his bond and leases;
Tobacconist a man who sneezes;
As Flora loves ber Strephon's squeezes :-
Strong as the love of each of these is,
My love for thee, O country breezes!

A. M. P.

ESCAPE FROM A SHIP ON FIRE.

MANY of the party, having retired to their hainmocks soon after the commencement of the storm, were only partially clothed, when they made their escape; but the seamen on the watch, in consequence of the heavy rain, having cased themselves in double or treble dresses, supplied their supernumerary articles of clothing to those who had

none.

We happily succeeded in bringing away two compasses from the binnacle, and a few candles from the cuddy table, one of them lighted; one bottle of wine, and another of porter, were handed to us, with the table-cloth and a knife, which proved very useful; but the fire raged so fiercely in the body of the vessel, that neither bread nor water could be obtained. The rain still poured in torrents; the lightning, followed by loud bursting of thunder, continued to stream from one side of the heavens to the other, one moment dazzling us by its glare, and the next moment leaving us in darkness, relieved only by the red flames of the conflagration from which we were endeavouring to escape. Our first object was to proceed to a distance from the vessel, lest she should explode and overwhelm us; but, to our inexpressible distress, we discovered that the yawl had no rudder, and that for the two boats we had only three oars. All exertions to obtain more from the ship proved unsuccessful. The gig had a rudder; from this they threw out a rope to take us in tow; and by means of a few paddles, made by tearing up the lining of the boat, we assisted in moving ourselves slowly through the water. Pro

videntially, the sea was comparatively smooth, or our overloaded boats would have swamped, and we should only have escaped the flames to perish in the deep. The wind was light, but variable, and acting on the sails, which, being drenched with the rain, did not soon take fire, drove the burning mass, in terrific grandeur, over the surface of the ocean, the darkness of which was only illuminated by the quick glancing of the lightning on the glare of the conflagration. Our situation was for some time exceedingly perilous. The vessel neared us more than once, and apparently threatened to involve us in one common destruction. The cargo, consisting of dry provisions, spirits, cotton goods, and other articles equally combustible, burned with great violence, while the fury of the destroying element, the amazing height of the flames, the continued storm, amidst the thick darkness of the night, rendered the scene appalling and terrible. About ten o'clock, the masts, after swaying from side to side, fell with a dreadful crash into the sea, and the hull of the vessel continued to burn amidst the shattered fragments of the wreck, till the sides were consumed to the water's edge. The spectacle was truly magnificent, could it even have been contemplated by us without a recollection of our own circumstances. The torments endured by the dogs, sheep, and other animals on board, at any other time would have excited our deepest commiseration; but at present, the object before us, our stately ship, that had for the last four months been our social home, the scene of our enjoyments, our labours, and our rest, now a prey to the destroying element; the suddenness with which we had been hurried from circumstances of comfort and compara. tive security, to those of destitution and peril, and with which the most exhilarating hopes had been exchanged for disappointment as unexpected as it was afflictive; the sudden death of the two seamen, our own narrow escape, and lonely situation on the face of the deep, and the great probability even yet, although we had succeeded in removing to a greater distance from the vessel, that we ourselves should never again see the light of day, or set foot on solid ground, absorbed every feeling. For some time the silence was scarcely broken, and the thoughts of many, I doubt not, were engaged on subjects most suitable to immortal beings on the brink of eternity. The number of persons in

our

on our account should be amply re-
paid.
Missionary Annual.

THE BROTHERS.

For the Olio.

It pillow'd to repose;

The same fond bosom nourish'd,

Like two fair flowers they flourish'd,
Ere wintry tempest blows.

The same their sports of infant years;
And if at times some pearly tears,
Like morning's dew drops shone,
Short was the bright intruder's stay,
By cherub lips soon kiss'd away.

Each loved and lovely one
Seem'd bound in tenderness for ever-
Oh! who could dream such hearts could sever.

The elder o'er the younger threw,
The younger like the ivy grew,
As years stole on, his shelt'ring care;
Twined round the young elm's branches fair :
The summer sun-the wint'ry wind-
Pass'd o'er their yearly years-but never
That tender union could unbiud,
Or bid the elm and ivy sever.

Alas! that time, with changeful wing,

Should chase such blissful scenes away!
Stern winter nip the buds of spring,"
And clouds o'ershade morn's golden ray!
That future hours, with other ties,
Should chill such hearts, and rend for ever

Those sweet, those sacred sympathies,

Which Nature form'd-no more to sever!
MRS. KENTISH

the two boats was forty-eight; and all, with the exception of the two ladies, who bore this severe visitation with uncommon fortitude, worked by turns at the oars and paddles. After some time, to our great relief, the rain ceased; the labour of baling water from the boats was then considerably diminished. We were frequently hailed during the night by our companions in the small boat, and returned the call, while the brave and generous-hearted seamen occasionally enlivened the solitude of the deep by a simultaneous Hurra!' to cheer each other's labours, and to animate their spirits. The Tanjore rose in the water as its contents were gradually consumed. We saw it burning the whole night, and at day-break could distinguish a column of smoke, which, however, soon ceased, and every sign of our favourite vessel disappeared. When the sun rose, anxiety and uncertainty as to our situation were greatly relieved by discovering land a-head; the sight of it filled us with grateful joy, and nerved ns with fresh vigour for the exertion required in managing the boats. With the advance of the day we discerned more clearly the nature of the country. It was wild and covered with jungle, HENRY OF NEMOURS; OR THE without any appearance of population: could we have got ashore, therefore, many of us might have perished before assistance could have been procured; but the breakers, dashing upon the rocks, convinced us that landing was impracticable. In the course of the morning we discovered a native vessel, or dhoney, lying at anchor, at some distance; the wind at that time beginning to favour us, every means was devised to render it available. In the yawl we extended the table-cloth as a sail, and in the other boat a blanket served the same purpose. This additional help was the more seasonable as the rays of the sun had become almost intolerable to our partially covered bodies. Some of the seamen attempted to quench their thirst by salt water; but the passengers encouraged each other to abstain. About noon we reached the dhoney. The natives on board were astonished and alarmed at our appearance, and expressed some unwillingness to receive us; but our circumstances would admit of no denial; and we scarcely waited till our Singalese fellow-passenger could interpret to them our situation and our wants, before we ascended the sides of their vessel, assuring them that every expense and loss sustained

IRON CAGE.

1

ABOUT the year 1480, their reigned in France a king called Louis the Xlth, who was greatly disliked by his subjects on account of the cruelty of his disposition, so much so, in fact, that his own brother, the Duke of Guyenne, entered into a conspiracy, along with certain other persons, to deprive him of the crown one of the principal assistants of the duke in this unnatural undertaking was James of Armagnac, a nobleman of Languedoc, and constable of the kingdom of France. Before, however, their designs could be carried into effect, the Duke of Guyenne was poisoned in consequence of eating of some fish, which were presented to him by his confessor; and the lord of Armagnac, attaching himself anew to the party of the Dukes of Britany and Burgundy, they called to their assistance the arms of the English, who had been all along the hereditary enemies of the French. Their designs were on the very point of being carried into execution, when Louis was privately informed of their intentions, and James of Armagnac, having been taken into custody at a moment when he least expected it, was beheaded by order of the government.

This vigorous measure was no doubt dictated by prudence and good policy; but the enormities with which it was accompanied and the cruelties inflicted on the unoffending offspring of the constable after his decease, have served to brand the name of Louis the Xlth with well merited infamy. The unfortunate nobleman 1 ft behind him two children; the eldest, Henry, being about eight years of age, and his brother Francis scarcely seven, at the period of their father's death. During the time of his execution they were, by order of Louis, both clothed in white robes, and led beneath the scaffold on which their parent was to suffer, in order that his blood might flow upon their innocent heads; and when all was over, they were conducted by the guards of the king to the Bastile (the common prison of Paris) and there strictly confined, by the instructions of the barbarous momarch.

During their residence in this miserable abode, it is scarcely possible to conceive sufferings more exquisite than those which were inflicted on these helpless children. Indeed, were the facts not well attested by history, it would be difficult to credit the accounts which have reached us of their inhuman treat

ment.

By the directions of the king, two iron cages were suspended from the roof of their apartment; they were low, and of a conical shape, something like a tunnel, and so constructed that the little prisoners could neither lie down, stand upright, nor sit within them. In these they were accordingly enclosed, and, as may be conceived, from morning till night their pain was most acute; they could not possibly remain long in one position; and when they changed it for another, that became in a few minutes equally painful: by day they had no relief, and by night neither rest nor sleep aud their time was almost all spent in weeping for their father, and bewailing the sorrows of their afflicted mother, from whom they feared they were now separated for ever. Their only solace arose from being confined in the same room, and their cages being hung so closely together that they could converse with and even touch each other. Henry, the eldest, was a fine manly little fellow, and all his efforts were directed to console his poor little brother, who was much weaker and more delicate than himself.

Their only source of amusement, if, in such a situation, any thing could be

called amusement, was the gambols of a little mouse, who used to descend from the ceiling into the cages, and eat the crumbs which were left from their scanty repasts. He came, day after day, till he at last grew so familiar as to become quite a companion, and play for hours with the poor little boys without being in the least afraid of them. As evening came on, it used to end its welcome visit, and retire to its nest in the ceiling.

In this manner the two brothers spent some months, without however being permitted to see or even hear from their mamma, and scarcely knowing whether she were still living. And at length, such is the force of custom, they were beginning to grow inured to their lot, and to suffer less pain from their confinement, when the cruel king, understanding such to be the fact, gave orders that a tooth should be drawn from each of the unfortunate children every eighth day.

No sooner was the command issued, than the surgeon of the prison arrived, to put into execution this new barbarity; and having stated his orders, he was about to commence with Francis, when Henry, regardless of his own sufferings, threw himself upon his knees, and with tears implored him not to add to their distress by fulfilling this cruel mandate.

66

My mamma," said he," will die with sorrow, should she know that you have inflicted any injury on my poor little brother."

The person appointed to perform the barbarous office, represented to the affectionate child, "that in complying with his entreaties he should run the risk of losing his own life;" and beside," said he, "I am so narrowly watched, that I must of necessity pro duce the two teeth to the king." then," replied Henry, “let me implore you to take them both from me, and to spare those of my brother; for I am very strong, and can endure the pain, but poor Frank is so weak and so young, that I know it will kill him."

"Oh!

Struck with such a display of brotherly affection, the surgeon, who was not in reality a cruel man, could not refrain from tears. His first idea was to renounce altogether a commission so revolting to his feelings; but this notion he quickly abandoned, on considering that a successor would be found who might not be induced to spare the younger child, who was in reality too delicate and weak to undergo the operation. He therefore acceded to the

wishes of Henry; and arming himself with courage, absolutely extracted the two teeth, and bore them to the king. Henry uttered a faint scream when the teeth were about to be extracted, but in a moment after, he declared that he was content to suffer for his brother; whilst the poor little Francis, on his part, could only weep, and lament the agony which the affectionate boy was undergoing for his sake. For many weeks the torture was repeated at stated periods, and the young Duke of Nemours (for that was the title to which Henry was the heir) absolutely paid to his last tooth, the penalty demanded of him and his innocent companion.

In the mean time, this excellent and courageous child could not long resist the evils which were pressing upon him. The want of air, of exercise, and those attentions requisite at so tender an age the heart rending recollections of the fate of his father-his sorrowful separation from his mother, and the continual pain which he endured; all conspired to produce decline; a slow fever ensued; it gained upon, and consumed him by degrees; and the innocent victim of so much barbarity descended in a few months to the grave.

On the evening of the last day he lived, he said to his brother, "My dear, dear Frank, I am about to leave you for ever. Oh, that I could but see my dear mamma before I die; but, alas! I shall never behold her again. But my heart tells me that you will, ere long, be restored to her; and oh! when you do see her, tell her, that when dying, I loved her far more dearly than when we were all so happy together." A sudden spasm seized him, from which he only sufficiently recovered to utter these words: "Give me your hand, my dear Frank, and let me feel mine clasped once more in yours."These were the last words of this model of fraternal affection, and in a few minutes more he closed his eyes for ever. The presentiment which he had formed, and to which he gave utterance in his last moments, proved correct. Little Francis survived under all the agonies of his situation; and Louis XIth having died sometime afterwards, this last scion of the Dukes of Nemours was set at liberty by Charles VIIIth, his successor. During the remainder of his life, however, he continued bent and deformed, in conseqnence of his privations and sufferings in the Iron Cage.

At the period of the revolution in Frence, in 1789, when the populace of

[blocks in formation]

"Tribute to whom tribute-custom to whom custom."

MODERN publicans pay taxes, not collect them, otherwise than as duties inflicted on the public by the commodities they sell. Modern publicans are jolly, social and charitable; men that mix in society, and are held in generally good estimation; men that contribute largely to the revenue; and men that look well after their families and those in their callings of the unfortunate -the aged and the orphan, the widow and the oppressed. But the publicans of old were a very different class of men. Josephus, no ignoramus in tracing character, says: - After the Jews became tributary to Rome, effected by Pompey, sixty years before our Saviour, officers were appointed by the Roman Senate, to whom it belonged, as well among the Jews as in other provinces, to collect and gather up such custom money, or tribute, as was exacted by the Senate. Those that gathered up these public payments, says Cicero, were termed publicans; and, by reason of their covetous exactions, they were hated by the people. Each province had a society; each society a distinct governor. In respect to this, Zacheus is called princeps publicanorum -the chief receiver of the tribute, or chief publican. All the provincial governors in these several societies had one chief master, residing at Rome, to whom the other subordinate governors submitted their accounts. These publicans were hated in all the provinces, because of their exactions, but chiefly in the commonwealth of the Jews; because, though it were chiefly maintained by the Galileans, yet it was generally admitted by the Jews, that tribute ought not to be paid by them. This is confirmed by the rabbinical proverb,"Take not a wife out of that family wherein there is a publican, for such are all publicans." Indeed, a faithful

« AnteriorContinua »