,,issue #b1 ,,december1 #aheg999999     
,,the ,,atlantic ,,monthly4  ,a         
,,magazine ,,of ,,literature1 ,,art1    
,,and ,,politics4  ,,vol4               
,i4--,,december1 #aheg4--,,no4 ,,ii4    
,,florentine ,,mosaics4  ,concluded4    
,,vi4  ,,the ,,carmine4  ,the only part 
of this ancient church which escaped    
destruction by fire in #agga was1 most  
fortunately1 the famous ,brancacci      
chapel4 ,here are the frescos by        
,masolino da ,panicale1 who died in the 
early part of the fifteenth             
century1--the ,preaching of ,saint      
,peter1 and the ,healing of the ,sick4  
,his scholar1 ,masaccio1 7#adjb-addc17  
continued the series1 the completion of 
which was entrusted to ,filippino       
,lippi1 son of ,fra ,filippo4  ,no one  
can doubt that the hearty determination 
evinced by ,masolino and ,masaccio to   
deal with actual life1 to grapple to    
their souls the visible forms of        
humanity1 and to reproduce the types    
afterwards in new1 vivid1 breathing     

combinations of dignity and intelligent 
action1 must have had an immense effect 
upon the course of ,art4 ,to judge by   
the few and somewhat injured specimens  
of these masters which are accessible1  
it is obvious that they had much more to
 do in forming the great schools of the 
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries1 than 
a painter of such delicate1 but limited 
genius as that of ,fra ,angelico could  
possibly have4 ,certainly1 the courage  
and accuracy exhibited in the nude forms
 of ,adam and ,eve expelled from        
paradise1 and the expressive grace in   
the group of ,saint ,paul conversing    
with ,saint ,peter in prison1 where so  
much knowledge and power of action are  
combined with so much beauty1 all show  
an immense advance over the best works  
of the preceding three quarters of a    
century4  ,besides the great intrinsic  
merits of these paintings1 the          
,brancacci chapel is especially         
interesting from the direct and         
unquestionable effect which it is known 

to have had upon younger painters4 ,here
 ,raphael and ,michel ,angelo1 in their 
youth1 and ,benvenuto ,cellini passed   
many hours1 copying and recopying what  
were then the first masterpieces of     
painting1 the traces of which study are 
distinctly visible in their later       
productions2 and here1 too1 according to
 ,cellini1 the famous punch in the nose 
befell ,buonarotti1 by which his        
well-known physiognomy acquired its     
marked peculiarity4 ,torregiani1 painter
 and sculptor of secondary importance1  
but a bully of the first class1--a man  
who was in the habit of knocking about  
the artists whom he could not equal1 and
 of breaking both their models and their
 heads1--had been accustomed to copy in 
the ,brancacci chapel1 among the rest4  
,he had been much annoyed1 according to 
his own account1 by ,michel ,angelo's   
habit of laughing at the efforts of     
artists inferior in skill to himself1   
and had determined to punish him4 ,one  
day1 ,buonarotti came into the chapel as

 usual1 and whistled and sneered at a   
copy which ,torregiani was making4 ,the 
aggrieved artist1 a man of large        
proportions1 very truculent of aspect1  
with a loud voice and a savage frown1   
sprang upon his critic1 and dealt him   
such a blow upon the nose1 that the bone
 and cartilage yielded under his hand1  
according to his own account1 as if they
 had been made of dough1--come se fosse 
stato un cialdone4 ,this was when both  
were very young men2 but ,torregiani1   
when relating the story many years      
afterwards1 always congratulated himself
 that ,buonarotti would bear the mark of
 the blow all his life4 ,it may be      
added1 that the bully met a hard fate   
afterwards4 ,having executed a statue in
 ,spain for a grandee1 he was very much 
outraged by receiving only thirty scudi 
as his reward1 and accordingly smashed  
the statue to pieces with a             
sledge-hammer4 ,in revenge1 the         
,spaniard accused him of heresy1 so that
 the unlucky artist was condemned to the

 flames by the ,inquisition1 and only   
escaped that horrible death by starving 
himself in prison before the execution4 
,,vii4  ,,santa ,,trinita4  ,in the     
chapel of the ,sassetti1 in this church1
 is a good set of frescos by ,dominic   
,ghirlandaio1 representing passages from
 the life of ,saint ,francis4 ,they are 
not so masterly as his compositions in  
the ,santa ,maria ,novella4 ,moreover1  
they are badly placed1 badly lighted1   
and badly injured4 ,they are in a       
northwestern corner1 where light never  
comes that comes to all4 ,the dramatic  
power and ,flemish skill in portraiture 
of the man are1 however1 very visible1  
even in the darkness4 ,no painter of his
 century approached him in animated     
grouping and powerful physiognomizing4  
,dignified1 noble1 powerful1 and        
natural1 he is the exact counterpart of 
,fra ,angelico1 among the               
,quattrocentisti4 ,two great1 distinct  
systems1--the shallow1 shrinking1 timid1
 but rapturously devotional1 piously    

sentimental school1 of which ,beato     
,angelico was facile princeps1 painfully
 adventuring out of the close atmosphere
 of the miniatori into the broader light
 and more gairish colors of the actual1 
and falling back1 hesitating and        
distrustful2 and the hardy1 healthy1    
audacious naturalists1 wreaking strong  
and warm human emotions upon vigorous   
expression and confident                
attitude2--these two widely separated   
streams of ,art1 remote from each other 
in origin1 and fed by various rills1 in 
their course through the century1 were  
to meet in one ocean at its close4 ,this
 was then the fulness of perfection1 the
 age of ,angelo and ,raphael1 ,leonardo 
and ,correggio4   ,,viii4  ,,san        
,,marco4  ,fra ,beato ,angelico1 who was
 a brother of this ,dominican house1 has
 filled nearly the whole monastery with 
the works of his hand4 ,considering the 
date of his birth1 #achg1 and his       
conventual life1 he was hardly less     
wonderful than his wonderful epoch4     

,here is the same convent1 the same     
city2 while instead merely of the works 
of ,cimabue1 ,giotto1 and ,orgagna1     
there are masterpieces by all the       
painters who ever lived to study2--yet  
imagine the snuffy old monk who will    
show you about the edifice1 or any of   
his brethren1 coming out with a series  
of masterpieces6 ,one might as well     
expect a new ,savonarola1 who was       
likewise a friar in this establishment1 
to preach against ,pio ,nono1 and to get
 himself burned in the ,piazza for his  
pains4  ,in the old chapter-house is a  
very large1 and for the angelic ,frater 
a very hazardous performance1--a        
,crucifixion4 ,the heads here are full  
of feeling and feebleness1 except those 
of ,mary ,mother and ,mary ,magdalen1   
which are both very touching and tender4
 ,there is1 however1 an absolute        
impotence to reproduce the actual1 to   
deal with groups of humanity upon a     
liberal scale4 ,there is his usual want 
of discrimination1 too1 in physiognomy2 

for if the seraphic and intellectual    
head of the penitent thief were         
transferred to the shoulders of the     
,saviour in exchange for his own1 no one
 could dispute that it would be an      
improvement4  ,up stairs is a very sweet
 ,annunciation4 ,the subdued1 demure1   
somewhat astonished joy of the ,virgin  
is poetically rendered1 both in face and
 attitude1 and the figure of the angel  
has much grace4 ,a small1 but beautiful 
composition1 the ,coronation of the     
,virgin1 is perhaps the most impressive 
of the whole series4  ,below is a series
 of frescos by a very second-rate       
artist1 ,poccetti4 ,among them is a     
portrait of ,savonarola2 but as the     
reformer was burned half a century      
before ,poccetti was born1 it has not   
even the merit of authenticity4 ,it was 
from this house that ,savonarola was    
taken to be imprisoned and executed in  
#adih4 ,there seems something           
unsatisfactory about ,savonarola4 ,one  
naturally sympathizes with the bold     

denouncer of ,alexander ,,vi42 but there
 was a lack of benevolence in his head  
and his heart4 ,without that anterior   
depression of the sinciput1 he could    
hardly have permitted two friends to    
walk into the fire in his stead1 as they
 were about to do in the stupendous and 
horrible farce enacted in the ,piazza   
,gran ,duca4 ,there was no lack of      
self-esteem either in the man or his    
head4 ,without it1 he would scarcely    
have thought so highly of his rather    
washy scheme for reorganizing the       
democratic government1 and so very      
humbly of the genius of ,dante1         
,petrarch1 and others1 whose works he   
condemned to the flames4 ,a fraternal   
regard1 too1 for such great artists as  
,fra ,angelico and ,fra                 
,bartolommeo1--both members of his own  
convent1 and the latter a personal      
friend1--might have prevented his       
organizing that famous holocaust of     
paintings1 that wretched iconoclasm1 by 
which he signalized his brief period of 

popularity and power4 ,in weighing1     
gauging1 and measuring such a man1 one  
ought to remember1 that if he could have
 had his way and carried out all his    
schemes1 he would have abolished        
,borgianism certainly1 and perhaps the  
papacy1 but that he would have          
substituted the rhapsodical reign of a  
single demagogue1 perpetually seeing    
visions and dreaming dreams for the     
direction of his fellow-citizens1 who   
were all to be governed by the          
hallucinations of this puritan ,mahomet4
   ,,ix4  ,,the ,,medici ,,chapel4  ,the
 famous cemetery of the ,medici1 the    
,sagrestia ,nuova1 is a ponderous and   
dismal toy4 ,it is a huge mass of       
expensive1 solemn1 and insipid          
magnificence1 erected over the carcasses
 of as contemptible a family as ever    
rioted above the earth1 or rotted under 
it4 ,the only man of the race1 ,cosmo il
 ,vecchio1 who deserves any healthy     
admiration1 although he was the real    
assassin of ,florentine and ,italian    

freedom1 and has thus earned the        
nickname of ,pater ,patriae1 is not     
buried here4 ,the series of mighty dead 
begins with the infamous ,cosmo1 first  
grand duke1 the contemporary of ,philip 
,,ii4 of ,spain1 and his counterpart in 
character and crime4 ,then there is     
,ferdinando ,i41 whose most signal      
achievement was not eating the poisoned 
pie prepared by the fair hands of       
,bianca ,capello4 ,there are other      
,ferdinandos1 and other ,cosmos1--all   
grand-ducal and pater-patrial1 as       
,medici should be4  ,the chapel is a    
vast lump of ,florentine mosaic1        
octagonal1 a hundred feet or so in      
diameter1 and about twice as high4 ,the 
cupola has some brand-new frescos1 by   
,benvenuto4 ,anthropophagi1 whose heads 
do grow beneath their shoulders1 may    
enjoy these pictures upon domes4 ,for   
common mortals it is not agreeable to   
remain very long upside down1 even to   
contemplate masterpieces1 which these   
certainly are not4  ,the walls of the   

chapel are all incrusted with gorgeous  
marbles and precious stones1 from       
malachite1 porphyry1 lapis-lazuli1      
chalcedony1 agate1 to all the finer and 
more expensive gems which shone in      
,aaron's ephod4 ,when one considers that
 an ear-ring or a brooch1 half an inch  
long1 of ,florentine mosaic work1 costs 
five or six dollars1 and that here is a 
great church of the same material and   
workmanship as a breastpin1 one may     
imagine it to have been somewhat        
expensive4  ,the ,sagrestia ,nuova was  
built by ,michel ,angelo1 to hold his   
monuments to ,lorenzo de' ,medici1 duke 
of ,urbino1 and grandson of ,lorenzo the
 ,magnificent1 and to ,julian de'       
,medici1 son of ,lorenzo ,magnifico4    
,it is not edifying to think of the     
creative soul and plastic hands of      
,buonarotti employed in rendering       
worship to such creatures4 ,this        
,lorenzo is chiefly known as having     
married ,madeleine de ,boulogne1 and as 
having died1 as well as his wife1 of a  

nameless disorder1 immediately after    
they had engendered the renowned        
,catharine de' ,medici1 whose hideous   
life was worthy of its corrupt and      
poisoned source4  ,did ,michel ,angelo  
look upon his subject as a purely       
imaginary one8 ,surely he must have had 
some definite form before his mental    
vision2 for although sculpture cannot1  
like painting1 tell an elaborate story1 
still each figure must have a moral and 
a meaning1 must show cause for its      
existence1 and indicate a possible      
function1 or the mind of the spectator  
is left empty and craving4  ,here1 at   
the tomb of ,lorenzo1 are three masterly
 figures4 ,an heroic1 martial1 deeply   
contemplative figure sits in grand      
repose4 ,a statesman1 a sage1 a patriot1
 a warrior1 with countenance immersed in
 solemn thought1 and head supported and 
partly hidden by his hand1 is brooding  
over great recollections and mighty     
deeds4 ,was this ,lorenzo1 the husband  
of ,madeleine1 the father of ,catharine8

 ,certainly the mind at once dethrones  
him from his supremacy upon his own     
tomb1 and substitutes an ,epaminondas1 a
 ,cromwell1 a ,washington1--what it     
wills4 ',tis a godlike apparition1 and  
need be called by no mortal name4 ,we   
feel unwilling to invade the repose of  
that majestic reverie by vulgar         
invocation4 ,the hero1 nameless as he   
must ever remain1 sits there in no      
questionable shape1 nor can we penetrate
 the sanctuary of that marble soul4     
,till we can summon ,michel1 with his   
chisel1 to add the finishing strokes to 
the grave1 silent face of the naked     
figure reclining below the tomb1 or to  
supply the lacking left hand to the     
colossal form of female beauty sitting  
upon the opposite sepulchre1 we must    
continue to burst in ignorance4 ,sooner 
shall the ponderous marble jaws of the  
tomb open1 that ,lorenzo may come forth 
to claim his right to the trophy1 than  
any admirer of human genius will doubt  
that the shade of some real hero was    

present to the mind's eye of the        
sculptor1 when he tore these stately    
forms out of the enclosing rock4  ,a    
colossal hero sits1 serene and solemn1  
upon a sepulchre4 ,beneath him recline  
two vast mourning figures1 one of each  
sex4 ,one longs to challenge converse   
with the male figure1 with the          
unfinished ,sphinx-like face1 who is    
stretched there at his harmonious       
length1 like an ancient river-god       
without his urn4 ,there is nothing      
appalling or chilling in his expression1
 nor does he seem to mourn without hope4
 ',tis a stately recumbent figure1 of   
wonderful anatomy1 without any          
exaggeration of muscle1 and1            
accordingly1 his name is----,twilight6  
,why ,twilight should grieve at the tomb
 of ,lorenzo1 grandson of ,lorenzo      
,magnifico1 any more than the           
grandfather would have done1 does not   
seem very clear1 even to ,twilight      
himself1 who seems1 after all1 in a very
 crepuscular state upon the subject4    

,the mistiness is much aided by the     
glimmering expression of his            
half-finished features4  ,but if        
,twilight should be pensive at the      
demise of ,lorenzo1 is there any reason 
why ,aurora should weep outright upon   
the same occasion8 ,this ,aurora1       
however1 weeping and stately1 all       
nobleness and all tears1 is a           
magnificent creation1 fashioned with the
 audacious accuracy which has been      
granted to few modern sculptors4 ,the   
figure and face are most beautiful1 and 
rise above all puny criticism2 and as   
one looks upon that sublime and wailing 
form1 that noble and nameless child of a
 divine genius1 the flippant question   
dies on the lip1 and we seek not to     
disturb that passionate and beautiful   
image of woman's grief by idle curiosity
 or useless speculation4  ,the monument1
 upon the opposite side1 to ,julian1    
third son of ,lorenzo ,magnifico1 is of 
very much the same character4 ,here are 
also two mourning figures4 ,one is a    

sleeping and wonderfully beautiful      
female shape1 colossal1 in a position   
less adapted to repose than to the      
display of the sculptor's power and her 
own perfections4 ,this is ,night4 ,a    
stupendously sculptured male figure1 in 
a reclining attitude1 and exhibiting1 ,i
 suppose1 as much learning in his torso 
as does the famous figure in the ,elgin 
marbles1 strikes one as the most        
triumphant statue of modern times4  ,the
 figure of ,julian is not agreeable4    
,the neck1 long and twisted1 suggests an
 heroic ostrich in a ,roman breastplate4
 ,the attitude1 too1 is ungraceful4 ,the
 hero sits with his knees projecting    
beyond the perpendicular1 so that his   
legs seem to be doubling under him1 a   
position deficient in grace and dignity4
  ,it is superfluous to say that the    
spectator must invent for himself the   
allegory which he may choose to see     
embodied in this stony trio4 ,it is not 
enough to be told the words of the      
charade1--,julian1 ,night1 ,morning4    

,one can never spell out the meaning by 
putting together the group with the aid 
of such a key4 ,night is ,night1        
obviously1 because she is asleep4 ,for  
an equally profound reason1 ,day is     
,day1 because he is not asleep2 and     
both1 looked at in this vulgar light1   
are creations as imaginative as ,simon  
,snug1 with his lantern1 representing   
moonshine4 ,if the figures should arise 
and walk across the chapel1 changing    
places with the couple opposite them1 as
 if in a sepulchral quadrille1 would the
 allegory become more intelligible8     
,could not ,day or ,night move from     
,julian's monument1 and take up the same
 position at ,lorenzo's tomb1 or        
,ninny's tomb1 or any other tomb8 ,was  
,lorenzo any more to ,aurora than       
,julian1 that she should weep for him   
only8  ,therefore one must invent for   
one's self the fable of those immortal  
groups4 ,each spectator must pluck out1 
unaided1 the heart of their mystery4    
,those matchless colossal forms1 which  

the foolish chroniclers of the time have
 baptized ,night and ,morning1 speak an 
unknown language to the crowd4 ,they are
 mute as ,sphinx to souls which cannot  
supply the music and the poetry which   
fell from their marble lips upon the ear
 of him who created them4   ,x4         
,,palazzo ,,riccardi4  ,the ancient     
residence of ,cosmo ,vecchio and his    
successors is a magnificent example of  
that vast and terrible architecture     
peculiar to ,florence4 ,this has always 
been a city1 not of streets1 but of     
fortresses4 ,each block is one house1   
but a house of the size of a citadel2   
while the corridors and apartments are  
like casemates and bastions1 so gloomy  
and savage is their expression4 ,ancient
 ,florence1 the city of the twelfth and 
beginning of the thirteenth centuries1  
the ,florence of the nobles1 the        
,florence of the ,ghibellines1 the      
,florence in which nearly every house   
was a castle1 with frowning towers      
hundreds of feet high1 machicolated     

battlements1 donjon keeps1 oubliettes1  
and all other appurtenances of a feudal 
stronghold1 exists no longer4 ,with the 
expulsion of the imperial faction1 and  
the advent of the municipal             
,guelphs1--that proudest1 boldest1 most 
successful1 and most unreasonable       
bourgeoisie which ever assumed organized
 life1--the nobles were curtailed of all
 their privileges4 ,their city castles1 
too1 were shorn of their towers1 which  
were limited to just so many ells1 cloth
 measure1 by the haughty shopkeepers who
 had displaced the grandees4 ,the first 
third of the thirteenth century--the    
epoch of the memorable ,buondelmonti    
street fight which lasted thirty        
years--was the period in which this     
dreadful architecture was fixed upon    
,florence4 ,then was the time in which  
the chains1 fastened in those huge rings
 which still dangle from the grim       
house-fronts1 were stretched across the 
street2 thus enclosing and fettering a  
compact mass of combatants in an iron   

embrace1 while from the rare and narrow 
murder-windows in the walls1 and from   
the beetling roofs1 descended the hail  
of iron and stone and scalding pitch and
 red-hot coals to refresh the struggling
 throng below4  ,after this epoch1 and  
with the expiration of the imperial     
house of the ,hohenstaufen1 the nobles  
here1 as in ,switzerland1 sought to     
popularize themselves1 to become        
municipal4     ,der ,adel steigt von    
seinen alten ,burgen1   ,und schwoert   
den ,staedten seinen ,buerger-,eid1     
said the prophetic old ,attinghausen1 in
 his dying moments4 ,the change was even
 more extraordinary in ,florence4 ,the  
expulsion of some of the patrician      
families was absolute4 ,others were     
allowed to participate with the         
plebeians in the struggle for civic     
honors1 and for the wealth earned in    
commerce1 manufactures1 and handicraft4 
,it became a severe and not uncommon    
punishment to degrade offending         
individuals or families into the ranks  

of nobility1 and thus deprive them of   
their civil rights4 ,hundreds of        
low-born persons have1 in a single day1 
been declared noble1 and thus           
disfranchised4 ,and the example of      
,florence was often followed by other   
cities4  ,the result was twofold upon   
the aristocracy4 ,those who             
municipalized themselves became more    
enlightened1 more lettered1 more        
refined1 and1 at the same time1 less    
chivalrous and less martial than their  
ancestors4 ,the characters of buccaneer1
 land-pirate1 knight-errant could not be
 conveniently united with those of      
banker1 exchange broker1 dealer in dry  
goods1 and general commission agents4   
,the consequence was that the fighting  
business became a specialty1 and fell   
into the hands of private companies4    
,florence1 like ,venice1 and other      
,italian republics1 jobbed her wars4    
,the work was done by the ,hawkwoods1   
the ,sforzas1 the ,bracciones1 and other
 chiefs of the celebrated free          

companies1 black bands1 lance societies1
 who understood no other profession1 but
 who were as accomplished in the arts of
 their own guild as were any of the five
 major and seven minor crafts into which
 the ,florentine burgesses were divided4
  ,this proved a bad thing for the      
liberties of ,florence in the end4 ,the 
chieftains of these military clubs1     
usually from the lowest ranks1 with no  
capacity but for bloodshed1 and no      
revenue but rapine1 often ended their   
career by obtaining the seigniory of    
some petty republic1 a small town1 or a 
handful of hamlets1 whose liberty they  
crushed with their own iron1 and with   
the gold obtained1 in exchange for their
 blood1 from the city bankers4 ,in the  
course of time such seigniories often   
rolled together1 and assumed a menacing 
shape to all who valued municipal       
liberty4 ,sforza--whose peasant father  
threw his axe into a tree1 resolving1 if
 it fell1 to join1 as a common soldier1 
the roving band which had just invited  

him2 if it adhered to the wood1 to      
remain at home a laboring hind--becomes 
,duke of ,milan1 and is encouraged in   
his usurpation by ,cosmo ,vecchio1 who  
still gives himself the airs of         
first-citizen of ,florence4  ,the       
serpent1 the well-known cognizance of   
the ,visconti1 had already coiled itself
 around all those fair and clustering   
cities which were once the ,lombard     
republics1 and had poisoned their       
vigorous life4 ,the ,ezzelinos1         
,carraras1 ,gonzagas1 ,scalas1 had      
crushed the spirit of liberty in the    
neighborhood of ,venice4 ,all this had  
been accomplished by means of mercenary 
adventurers1 guided only by the love of 
plunder2 while those two luxurious and  
stately republics--the one an oligarchy1
 the other a democracy--looked on from  
their marble palaces1 enjoying the      
refreshing bloodshowers in which their  
own golden harvests were so rapidly     
ripening4  ,meanwhile a gigantic        
despotism was maturing1 which was       

eventually to crush the power1 glory1   
wealth1 and freedom of ,italy4  ,this   
palazzo of ,cosmo the ,elder is a good  
type of ,florentine architecture at its 
ultimate epoch1 just as ,cosmo himself  
was the largest expression of the       
,florentine citizen in the last and     
over-ripe stage4  ,the ,medici family1  
unheard of in the thirteenth century1   
obscure and plebeian in the middle of   
the fourteenth1 and wealthy bankers and 
leaders of the democratic party at its  
close1 culminated in the early part of  
the fifteenth in the person of ,cosmo4  
,the ,pater ,patriae1--so called1       
because1 having at last absorbed all the
 authority1 he could afford to affect   
some of the benignity of a parent1 and  
to treat his fellow-citizens1 not as    
men1 but as little children1--the       
,father of his ,country had acquired1 by
 means of his great fortune and large   
financial connections1 an immense       
control over the destinies of ,florence 
and ,italy4 ,but he was still a private 

citizen in externals4 ,there was1 at    
least1 elevation of taste1 refinement of
 sentiment in ,cosmo's conception of a  
great citizen4 ,his habits of life were 
elegant1 but frugal4 ,he built churches1
 palaces1 villas4 ,he employed all the  
great architects of the age4 ,he adorned
 these edifices with masterpieces from  
the pencils and chisels of the wonderful
 ,quattrocentisti1 whose productions    
alone would have given ,florence an     
immortal name in ,art history4 ,yet he  
preserved a perfect simplicity of       
equipage and apparel4 ,in this regard1  
faithful to the traditions of the       
republic1 which his family had really   
changed from a democracy to a           
ploutarchy1 he had the good taste to    
scorn the vulgar pomp of kings1--the    
horses led1 and grooms besmeared with   
gold1--all the theatrical paraphernalia 
and plebeian tinsel which dazzle the    
crowd and set them all agape2 but his   
expenditures were those of an           
intellectual and accomplished oligarch4 

,he was worthy1 in many respects1 to be 
the chief of those haughty merchants and
 manufacturers1 who wielded more power1 
through the length of their purses and  
the cultivation of their brains1 than   
did all the contemporaneous and         
illiterate barons of the rest of        
,christendom1 by dint of castle-storming
 and cattle-stealing4  ,in an age when  
other nobles were proud of being unable 
to write their own names1 or to read    
them when others wrote them1 the great  
princes and citizens of ,florence       
protected and cultivated art1 science1  
and letters4 ,every citizen received a  
liberal education4 ,poets and           
philosophers sat in the councils of the 
republic4 ,philosophy1 metaphysics1 and 
the restoration of ancient learning     
occupied the minds and diminished the   
revenues of its greater and inferior    
burghers4 ,in this respect1 the ,medici1
 and their abetters of the fifteenth    
century1 discharged a portion of the    
debt which they had incurred to         

humanity4 ,they robbed ,italy of her    
freedom1 but they gave her back the     
philosophy of ,plato4 ,they reduced the 
generality of ,florentine citizens1 who 
were once omnipotent1 to a nullity2 but 
they had at least1 the sense to cherish 
,donatello and ,ghiberti1 ,brunelleschi 
and ,gozzoli1 ,ficino and ,politian4    
,it is singular1 too1 with what         
comparatively small means the ,medici   
were enabled to do such great things4   
,cosmo1 unquestionably the greatest and 
most successful citizen that ever       
lived1--for he almost rivalled ,pericles
 in position1 if not in talent1 while he
 surpassed him in good fortune1--was1   
during his lifetime1 the virtual        
sovereign of the most enlightened and   
wealthy and powerful republic that had  
existed in modern times4 ,he built the  
church of ,san ,marco1 the church of    
,san ,lorenzo1 the cloister of ,san     
,verdiano4 ,on the hill of ,fiesole he  
erected a church and a convent4 ,at     
,jerusalem he built a church and a      

hospital for pilgrims4 ,all this was for
 religion1 the republic1 and the world4 
,for himself he constructed four        
splendid villas1 at ,careggi1 ,fiesole1 
,caffaggiolo1 and ,trebbio1 and in the  
city the magnificent palace in the ,via 
,larga1 now called the ,riccardi4  ,in  
thirty-seven years1 from #adcd to #adga1
 he and his successors expended eight   
millions of francs 7#ffc1gee gold       
florins7 in buildings and charities1--a 
sum which may be represented by as many1
 or1 as some would reckon1 twice as     
many1 dollars at the present day4       
,nevertheless1 the income of ,cosmo was 
never more than #fjj1jjj francs1        
7#ej1jjj gold florins17 while his       
fortune was never thought to exceed     
three millions of francs1 or six hundred
 thousand dollars4 ,being invested in   
commerce1 his property yielded1 and     
ought to have yielded1 an income of     
twenty per cent4 ,nevertheless1 an      
inventory made in #adfi showed1 that1   
after twenty-nine years1 he left to his 

son ,pietro a fortune but just about    
equal in amount to that which he had    
himself received from his father4  ,with
 six hundred thousand dollars for his   
whole capital1 then1 ,cosmo was able to 
play his magnificent part in the world's
 history2 while the ,duke of ,milan1 son
 of the peasant ,sforza1 sometimes      
expended more than that sum in a single 
year4 ,so much difference was there     
between the position and requirements of
 an educated and opulent first-citizen1 
and a low-born military parvenu1 whom1  
however1 ,cosmo was most earnest to     
encourage and to strengthen in his      
designs against the liberties of        
,lombardy4  ,this ,riccardi palace1 as  
,cosmo observed after his poor son      
,peter had become bed-ridden with the   
gout1 was a marvellously large mansion  
for so small a family as one old man and
 one cripple4 ,it is chiefly            
interesting1 now1 for the frescos with  
which ,benozzo ,gozzoli has adorned the 
chapel4 ,the same cause which has       

preserved these beautiful paintings so  
fresh1 four centuries long1 has         
unfortunately always prevented their    
being seen to any advantage4 ,the       
absence of light1 which has kept the    
colors from fading1 is most provoking1  
when one wishes to admire the works of a
 great master1 whose productions are so 
rare4  ,gozzoli1 who lived and worked   
through the middle of the fifteenth     
century1 is chiefly known by his large  
and graceful compositions in the ,pisan 
,campo ,santo4 ,these masterpieces are  
fast crumbling into mildewed rubbish4   
,he had as much vigor and audacity as   
,ghirlandaio1 with more grace and       
freshness of invention4 ,he has1        
however1 nothing of his dramatic power4 
,his genius is rather idyllic and       
romantic4 ,although some of the figures 
in these ,medici palace frescos are     
thought to be family portraits1 still   
they hardly seem very lifelike4 ,the    
subjects selected are a ,nativity1 and  
an ,adoration of the ,magi4 ,in the     

neighborhood of the window is a choir of
 angels singing ,hosanna1 full of       
freshness and vernal grace4 ,the long   
procession of kings riding to pay their 
homage1 with tedious pomp and rich      
retinue long1 has given the artist an   
opportunity of exhibiting more power in 
perspective and fore-shortening than one
 could expect at that epoch4 ,there are 
mules and horses1 caparisoned and       
bedizened2 some led by grinning         
blackamoors1 others ridden by showy     
kings1 effulgent in brocade1 glittering 
spurs1 and gleaming cuirasses4 ,here are
 horsemen travelling straight towards   
the spectator1--there1 a group1 in an   
exactly opposite direction1 is forcing  
its way into the picture1--while hunters
 with hound and horn are pursuing the   
stag on the neighboring hills1 and idle 
spectators stand around1 gaping and     
dazzled2 all drawn with a free and      
accurate pencil1 and colored with much  
brilliancy2--a triumphant and masterly  
composition1 hidden in a dark corner of 

what has now become a great dusty       
building1 filled with public offices4   
,,xi4  ,,fiesole4  ,here sits on her    
hill the weird old ,etrurian nurse of   
,florence1 withered1 superannuated1     
feeble1 warming her palsied limbs in the
 sun1 and looking vacantly down upon the
 beautiful child whose cradle she       
rocked4 ,fiesole is perhaps the oldest  
,italian city4 ,the inhabitants of      
middle and lower ,italy were ,pelasgians
 by origin1 like the earlier races of   
,greece4 ,the ,etrurians were an        
aboriginal stock1--that is to say1 as   
far as anything can be definitely stated
 regarding their original establishment 
in the peninsula2 for they1 too1        
doubtless came1 at some remote epoch1   
from beyond the ,altai mountains4  ,in  
their arts they seem to have been       
original1--at least1 until at a later   
period they began to imitate the culture
 of ,greece4 ,they were the only ancient
 ,italian people who had the            
art-capacity2 and they supplied the     

wants of royal ,rome1 just as ,greece   
afterwards supplied the republic and the
 empire with the far more elevated      
creations of her plastic genius4  ,the  
great works undertaken by the ,tarquins1
 if there ever were ,tarquins1 were in  
the hands of ,etrurian architects and   
sculptors4 ,the admirable system of     
subterranean drainage in ,rome1 by which
 the swampy hollows among the seven     
hills were converted into stately       
streets1 and the stupendous cloaca      
maxima1 the buried arches of which have 
sustained for more than two thousand    
years1 without flinching1 the weight of 
superincumbent ,rome1 were ,etrurian    
performances1 commenced six centuries   
before ,christ4  ,it would appear that  
this people had rather a tendency to the
 useful1 than to the beautiful4 ,unable 
to assimilate the elements of beauty and
 grace furnished by more genial races1  
this mystic and vanished nation was     
rather prone to the stupendously and    
minutely practical1 than devoted to the 

beautiful for its own sake4  ,at        
,fiesole1 the vast ,cyclopean walls1    
still fixed and firm as the everlasting 
hills1 in their parallelopipedal layers1
 attest the grandeur of the ancient     
city4 ,here are walls built1 probably1  
before the foundation of ,rome1 and yet 
steadfast as the ,apennines4 ,there are 
also a broken ring or two of an         
amphitheatre2 for the ,etrurians        
preceded and instructed the ,romans in  
gladiatorial shows4 ,it is suggestive to
 seat one's self upon these solid       
granite seats1 where twenty-five hundred
 years ago some grave ,etrurian citizen1
 wrapped in his mantle of ,tyrrhenian   
purple1 his straight-nosed wife at his  
side1 with serpent bracelet and         
enamelled brooch1 and a hopeful family  
clustering playfully at their knees1    
looked placidly on1 while slaves were   
baiting and butchering each other in the
 arena below4  ,the ,duomo is an edifice
 of the ,romanesque period1 and contains
 some masterpieces by ,mino da ,fiesole4

 ,on a fine day1 however1 the church is 
too dismal1 and the scene outside too   
glowing and golden1 to permit any       
compromise between nature and ,mino4    
,the view from the ,franciscan convent  
upon the brow of the hill1 site of the  
ancient acropolis1 is on the whole the  
very best which can be obtained of      
,florence and the ,val d' ,arno4 ,all   
the verdurous1 gently rolling hills     
which are heaped about ,firenze la bella
 are visible at once4 ,there1 stretched 
languidly upon those piles of velvet    
cushions1 reposes the luxurious1        
jewelled1 tiara-crowned city1 like      
,cleopatra on her couch4 ,nothing1 save 
an ,oriental or ,italian city on the    
sea-coast1 can present a more beautiful 
picture4 ,the hills are tossed about so 
softly1 the sunshine comes down in its  
golden shower so voluptuously1 the      
yellow ,arno moves along its channel so 
noiselessly1 the chains of villages1    
villas1 convents1 and palaces are strung
 together with such a profuse and       

careless grace1 wreathing themselves    
from hill to hill1 and around every     
coigne of vantage1 the forests of olive 
and the festoons of vine are so poetical
 and suggestive1 that we wonder not that
 civilized man has found this an        
attractive abode for twenty-five        
centuries4  ,florence is stone dead4    
',tis but a polished tortoise-shell1 of 
which the living inhabitant has long    
since crumbled to dust2 but it still    
gleams in the sun with wondrous         
radiance4  ,just at your feet1 as you   
stand on the convent terrace1 is the    
,villa ,mozzi1 where1 not long ago1 were
 found buried jars of ,roman coins of   
the republican era1 hidden there by     
,catiline1 at the epoch of his memorable
 conspiracy4 ,upon the same spot was the
 favorite residence of ,lorenzo         
,magnifico2 concerning whose probable   
ponderings1 as he sat upon his terrace1 
with his legs dangling over ,florence1  
much may be learned from the guide-book 
of the immortal ,murray1 so that he who 

runs may read and philosophize4         
,looking at ,florence from the hill-top1
 one is more impressed than ever with   
the appropriateness of its name4 ,the   
,city of ,flowers is itself a flower1   
and1 as you gaze upon it from a height1 
you see how it opens from its calyx4    
,the many bright villages1 gay gardens1 
palaces1 and convents which encircle the
 city1 are not to be regarded           
separately1 but as one whole4 ,the germ 
and heart of ,florence1 the compressed  
and half hidden ,piazza1 with its dome1 
campanile1 and long1 slender towers1    
shooting forth like the stamens and     
pistils1 is closely folded and sombre1  
while the vast and beautiful corolla    
spreads its brilliant and fragrant      
circumference1 petal upon petal1 for    
miles and miles around4      ,,the      
,,battle ,,of ,,lepanto4   ,it was two  
hours before dawn on ,sunday1 the       
memorable seventh of ,october1 #aega1   
when the fleet weighed anchor4 ,the wind
 had become lighter1 but it was still   

contrary1 and the galleys were indebted 
for their progress much more to their   
oars than to their sails4 ,by sunrise   
they were abreast of the ,curzolares1 a 
cluster of huge rocks1 or rocky islets1 
which1 on the north1 defends the        
entrance of the ,gulf of ,lepanto4 ,the 
fleet moved laboriously along1 while    
every eye was strained to catch the     
first glimpse of the hostile navy4 ,at  
length the watch from the foretop of the
 ,real called out1 ,a sail6 and soon    
after announced that the whole ,ottoman 
fleet was in sight4 ,several others1    
climbing up the rigging1 confirmed his  
report2 and in a few moments more word  
was sent to the same effect by ,andrew  
,doria1 who commanded on the right4     
,there was no longer any doubt2 and ,don
 ,john1 ordering his pendant to be      
displayed at the mizzen-peak1 unfurled  
the great standard of the ,league1 given
 by the pope1 and directed a gun to be  
fired1 the signal for battle4 ,the      
report1 as it ran along the rocky       

shores1 fell cheerily on the ears of the
 confederates1 who1 raising their eyes  
towards the consecrated banner1 filled  
the air with their shouts4  ,the        
principal captains now came on board the
 ,real to receive the last orders of the
 commander-in-chief4 ,even at this late 
hour there were some who ventured to    
intimate their doubts of the expediency 
of engaging the enemy in a position     
where he had a decided advantage4 ,but  
,don ,john cut short the discussion4    
,gentlemen1 he said1 this is the time   
for combat1 not for counsel4 ,he then   
continued the dispositions he was making
 for the assault4  ,he had already given
 to each commander of a galley written  
instructions as to the manner in which  
the line of battle was to be formed1 in 
case of meeting the enemy4 ,the armada  
was now formed in that order4 ,it       
extended on a front of three miles4 ,far
 on the right a squadron of sixty-four  
galleys was commanded by the ,genoese1  
,andrew ,doria1 a name of terror to the 

,moslems4 ,the centre1 or battle1 as it 
was called1 consisting of sixty-three   
galleys1 was led by ,john of ,austria1  
who was supported on the one side by    
,colonna1 the captain-general of the    
pope1 and on the other by the ,venetian 
captain-general1 ,veniero4 ,immediately 
in the rear was the galley of the       
,comendador ,requesens1 who still       
remained near the person of his former  
pupil2 though a difference which arose  
between them on the voyage1 fortunately 
now healed1 showed that the young       
commander-in-chief was wholly           
independent of his teacher in the art of
 war4 ,the left wing was commanded by   
the noble ,venetian1 ,barberigo1 whose  
vessels stretched along the ,aetolian   
shore1 which1 to prevent his being      
turned by the enemy1 he approached as   
near as1 in his ignorance of the coast1 
he dared to venture4 ,finally1 the      
reserve1 consisting of thirty-five      
galleys1 was given to the brave ,marquis
 of ,santa ,cruz1 with directions to act

 on any part where he thought his       
presence most needed4 ,the smaller      
craft1 some of which had now arrived1   
seem to have taken little part in the   
action1 which was thus left to the      
galleys4  ,each commander was to occupy 
so much space with his galley as to     
allow room for manoeuvring it to        
advantage1 and yet not enough to enable 
the enemy to break the line4 ,he was    
directed to single out his adversary1 to
 close at once with him1 and board as   
soon as possible4 ,the beaks of the     
galleys were pronounced to be a         
hindrance rather than a help in action4 
,they were rarely strong enough to      
resist a shock from the enemy2 and they 
much interfered with the working and    
firing of the guns4 ,don ,john had the  
beak of his vessel cut away2 and the    
example was speedily followed throughout
 the fleet1 and1 as it is said1 with    
eminently good effect4 ,it may seem     
strange that this discovery should have 
been reserved for the crisis of a       

battle4  ,when the officers had received
 their last instructions1 they returned 
to their respective vessels2 and ,don   
,john1 going on board of a light        
frigate1 passed rapidly through that    
part of the armada lying on his right1  
while he commanded ,requesens to do the 
same with the vessels on his left4 ,his 
object was to feel the temper of his    
men1 and rouse their mettle by a few    
words of encouragement4 ,the ,venetians 
he reminded of their recent injuries4   
,the hour for vengeance1 he told them1  
had arrived4 ,to the ,spaniards1 and    
other confederates1 he said1 ,you have  
come to fight the battle of the         
,cross1--to conquer or die4 ,but whether
 you die or conquer1 do your duty this  
day1 and you will secure a glorious     
immortality4 ,his words were received   
with a burst of enthusiasm which went to
 the heart of the commander1 and assured
 him that he could rely on his men in   
the hour of trial4 ,on his return to his
 vessel1 he saw ,veniero on his         

quarter-deck1 and they exchanged        
salutations in as friendly a manner as  
if no difference had existed between    
them4 ,at a time like this1 both these  
brave men were willing to forget all    
personal animosity1 in a common feeling 
of devotion to the great cause in which 
they were engaged4  ,the ,ottoman fleet 
came on slowly and with difficulty4     
,for1 strange to say1 the wind1 which   
had hitherto been adverse to the        
,christians1 after lulling for a time1  
suddenly shifted to the opposite        
quarter1 and blew in the face of the    
enemy4 ,as the day advanced1 moreover1  
the sun1 which had shone in the eyes of 
the confederates1 gradually shot its    
rays into those of the ,moslems4 ,both  
circumstances were of good omen to the  
,christians1 and the first was regarded 
as nothing short of a direct            
interposition of ,heaven4 ,thus         
ploughing its way along1 the ,turkish   
armament1 as it came nearer into view1  
showed itself in greater strength than  

had been anticipated by the allies4 ,it 
consisted of nearly two hundred and     
fifty royal galleys1 most of them of the
 largest class1 besides a number of     
smaller vessels in the rear1 which1 like
 those of the allies1 appear scarcely to
 have come into action4 ,the men on     
board1 including those of every         
description1 were computed at not less  
than a hundred and twenty thousand4 ,the
 galleys spread out1 as usual with the  
,turks1 in the form of a regular        
half-moon1 covering a wider extent of   
surface than the combined fleets1 which 
they somewhat exceeded in numbers4 ,they
 presented1 indeed1 as they drew nearer1
 a magnificent array1 with their gilded 
and gaudily painted prows1 and their    
myriads of pennons and streamers        
fluttering gayly in the breeze1 while   
the rays of the morning sun glanced on  
the polished scymitars of ,damascus1 and
 on the superb aigrettes of jewels which
 sparkled in the turbans of the ,ottoman
 chiefs4  ,in the centre of the extended

 line1 and directly opposite to the     
station occupied by the captain-general 
of the ,league1 was the huge galley of  
,ali ,pasha4 ,the right of the armada   
was commanded by ,mehemet ,siroco1      
viceroy of ,egypt1 a circumspect as well
 as courageous leader2 the left by      
,uluch ,ali1 dey of ,algiers1 the       
redoubtable corsair of the              
,mediterranean4 ,ali ,pasha had         
experienced a similar difficulty with   
,don ,john1 as several of his officers  
had strongly urged the inexpediency of  
engaging so formidable an armament as   
that of the allies4 ,but ,ali1 like his 
rival1 was young and ambitious4 ,he had 
been sent by his master to fight the    
enemy2 and no remonstrances1 not even   
those of ,mehemet ,siroco1 for whom he  
had great respect1 could turn him from  
his purpose4  ,he had1 moreover1        
received intelligence that the allied   
fleet was much inferior in strength to  
what it proved4 ,in this error he was   
fortified by the first appearance of the

 ,christians2 for the extremity of their
 left wing1 commanded by ,barberigo1    
stretching behind the ,aetolian shore1  
was hidden from his view4 ,as he drew   
nearer1 and saw the whole extent of the 
,christian lines1 it is said his        
countenance fell4 ,if so1 he still did  
not abate one jot of his resolution4 ,he
 spoke to those around him with the same
 confidence as before of the result of  
the battle4 ,he urged his rowers to     
strain every effort4 ,ali was a man of  
more humanity than often belonged to his
 nation4 ,his galley-slaves were all1 or
 nearly all1 ,christian captives2 and he
 addressed them in this neat and pithy  
manner3 ,if your countrymen win this    
day1 ,allah give you the benefit of it6 
,yet if ,i win it1 you shall have your  
freedom4 ,if you feel that ,i do well by
 you1 do then the like by me4  ,as the  
,turkish admiral drew nearer1 he made a 
change in his order of battle by        
separating his wings farther from his   
centre1 thus conforming to the          

dispositions of the allies4 ,before he  
had come within cannon-shot1 he fired a 
gun by way of challenge to his enemy4   
,it was answered by another from the    
galley of ,john of ,austria4 ,a second  
gun discharged by ,ali was as promptly  
replied to by the ,christian commander4 
,the distance between the two fleets was
 now rapidly diminishing4 ,at this      
solemn hour a death-like silence reigned
 throughout the armament of the         
confederates4 ,men seemed to hold their 
breath1 as if absorbed in the           
expectation of some great catastrophe4  
,the day was magnificent4 ,a light      
breeze1 still adverse to the ,turks1    
played on the waters1 somewhat fretted  
by contrary winds4 ,it was nearly noon2 
and as the sun1 mounting through a      
cloudless sky1 rose to the zenith1 he   
seemed to pause1 as if to look down on  
the beautiful scene1 where the multitude
 of galleys1 moving over the water1     
showed like a holiday spectacle rather  
than a preparation for mortal combat4   

,the illusion was soon dispelled by the 
fierce yells which rose on the air from 
the ,turkish armada4 ,it was the        
customary war-cry with which the        
,moslems entered into battle4 ,very     
different was the scene on board of the 
,christian galleys4 ,don ,john might be 
there seen1 armed cap-a-pie1 standing on
 the prow of the ,real1 anxiously       
awaiting the coming conflict4 ,in this  
conspicuous position1 kneeling down1 he 
raised his eyes to heaven1 and humbly   
prayed that the ,almighty would be with 
his people on that day4 ,his example was
 speedily followed by the whole fleet4  
,officers and men1 all falling on their 
knees1 and turning their eyes to the    
consecrated banner which floated from   
the ,real1 put up a petition like that  
of their commander4 ,they then received 
absolution from the priests1 of whom    
there were some in each vessel2 and each
 man1 as he rose to his feet1 gathered  
new strength from the assurance that the
 ,lord of ,hosts would fight on his     

side4  ,when the foremost vessels of the
 ,turks had come within cannon-shot1    
they opened a fire on the ,christians4  
,the firing soon ran along the whole of 
the ,turkish line1 and was kept up      
without interruption as it advanced4    
,don ,john gave orders for trumpet and  
atabal to sound the signal for action2  
and a simultaneous discharge followed   
from such of the guns in the combined   
fleet as could bear on the enemy4 ,don  
,john had caused the galeazzas to be    
towed some half a mile ahead of the     
fleet1 where they might intercept the   
advance of the ,turks4 ,as the latter   
came abreast of them1 the huge galleys  
delivered their broadsides right and    
left1 and their heavy ordnance produced 
a startling effect4 ,ali ,pasha gave    
orders for his galleys to open on either
 side1 and pass without engaging these  
monsters of the deep1 of which he had   
had no experience4 ,even so their heavy 
guns did considerable damage to the     
nearest vessels1 and created some       

confusion in the pasha's line of battle4
 ,they were1 however1 but unwieldy      
craft1 and1 having accomplished their   
object1 seem to have taken no further   
part in the combat4 ,the action began on
 the left wing of the allies1 which     
,mehemet ,siroco was desirous of        
turning4 ,this had been anticipated by  
,barberigo1 the ,venetian admiral1 who  
commanded in that quarter4 ,to prevent  
it1 as we have seen1 he lay with his    
vessels as near the coast as he dared4  
,siroco1 better acquainted with the     
soundings1 saw there was space enough   
for him to pass1 and darting by with all
 the speed that oars and wind could give
 him1 he succeeded in doubling on his   
enemy4 ,thus placed between two fires1  
the extreme of the ,christian left      
fought at terrible disadvantage4 ,no    
less than eight galleys went to the     
bottom4 ,several more were captured4    
,the brave ,barberigo1 throwing himself 
into the heat of the fight1 without     
availing himself of his defensive armor1

 was pierced in the eye by an arrow1 and
 though reluctant to leave the glory of 
the field to another1 was borne to his  
cabin4 ,the combat still continued with 
unabated fury on the part of the        
,venetians4 ,they fought like men who   
felt that the war was theirs1 and who   
were animated not only by the thirst for
 glory1 but for revenge4  ,far on the   
,christian right1 a manoeuvre similar to
 that so successfully executed by       
,siroco was attempted by ,uluch ,ali1   
the viceroy of ,algiers4 ,profiting by  
his superiority of numbers1 he          
endeavored to turn the right wing of the
 confederates4 ,it was in this quarter  
that ,andrew ,doria commanded4 ,he also 
had foreseen this movement of his enemy1
 and he succeeded in foiling it4 ,it was
 a trial of skill between the two most  
accomplished seamen in the              
,mediterranean4 ,doria extended his line
 so far to the right1 indeed1 to prevent
 being surrounded1 that ,don ,john was  
obliged to remind him that he left the  

centre much too exposed4 ,his           
dispositions were so far unfortunate for
 himself that his own line was thus     
weakened and afforded some vulnerable   
points to his assailant4 ,these were    
soon detected by the eagle eye of ,uluch
 ,ali2 and like the king of birds       
swooping on his prey1 he fell on some   
galleys separated by a considerable     
interval from their companions1 and1    
sinking more than one1 carried off the  
great ,capitana of ,malta in triumph as 
his prize4  ,while the combat thus      
opened disastrously to the allies both  
on the right and on the left1 in the    
centre they may be said to have fought  
with doubtful fortune4 ,don ,john had   
led his division gallantly forward4 ,but
 the object on which he was intent was  
an encounter with ,ali ,pasha1 the foe  
most worthy of his sword4 ,the ,turkish 
commander had the same combat no less at
 heart4 ,the galleys of both were easily
 recognized1 not only from their        
position1 but from their superior size  

and richer decoration4 ,the one1        
moreover1 displayed the holy banner of  
the ,league2 the other1 the great       
,ottoman standard4 ,this1 like the      
ancient standard of the caliphs1 was    
held sacred in its character4 ,it was   
covered with texts from the ,koran1     
emblazoned in letters of gold1 with the 
name of ,allah inscribed upon it no less
 than twenty-eight thousand nine hundred
 times4 ,it was the banner of the       
,sultan1 having passed from father to   
son since the foundation of the imperial
 dynasty1 and was never seen in the     
field unless the ,grand-,seignior or his
 lieutenant was there in person4  ,both 
the ,christian and the ,moslem chief    
urged on their rowers to the top of     
their speed4 ,their galleys soon shot   
ahead of the rest of the line1 driven   
through the boiling surges as by the    
force of a tornado1 and closing with a  
shock that made every timber crack1 and 
the two vessels quiver to their very    
keels4 ,so powerful1 indeed1 was the    

impetus they received1 that the pasha's 
galley1 which was considerably the      
larger and loftier of the two1 was      
thrown so far upon its opponent that the
 prow reached the fourth bench of       
rowers4 ,as soon as the vessels were    
disengaged from each other1 and those on
 board had recovered from the shock1 the
 work of death began4 ,don ,john's chief
 strength consisted in some three       
hundred ,spanish arquebusiers1 culled   
from the flower of his infantry4 ,ali1  
on the other hand1 was provided with the
 like number of janissaries4 ,he was    
also followed by a smaller vessel1 in   
which two hundred more were stationed as
 a corps de reserve4 ,he had1 moreover1 
a hundred archers on board4 ,the bow was
 still much in use with the ,turks1 as  
with the other ,moslems4  ,the pasha    
opened at once on his enemy a terrible  
fire of cannon and musketry4 ,it was    
returned with equal spirit1 and much    
more effect2 for the ,turkish marksmen  
were observed to shoot over the heads of

 their adversaries4 ,their galley was   
unprovided with the defences which      
protected the sides of the ,spanish     
vessels2 and the troops1 huddled        
together on their lofty prow1 presented 
an easy mark to their enemies' balls4   
,but though numbers of them fell at     
every discharge1 their places were soon 
supplied by those in reserve4 ,their    
incessant fire1 moreover1 wasted the    
strength of the ,spaniards2 and as both 
,christian and ,mussulman fought with   
indomitable spirit1 it seemed doubtful  
to which side the victory would incline4
  ,the affair was made more complicated 
by the entrance of other parties into   
the conflict4 ,both ,ali and ,don ,john 
were supported by some of the most      
valiant captains in their fleets4 ,next 
to the ,spanish commander1 as we have   
seen1 were ,colonna and the veteran     
,veniero1 who1 at the age of            
seventy-six1 performed feats of arms    
worthy of a paladin of romance4 ,thus a 
little squadron of combatants gathered  

around the principal leaders1 who       
sometimes found themselves assailed by  
several enemies at the same time4 ,still
 the chiefs did not lose sight of one   
another1 but beating off their inferior 
foes as well as they could1 each        
refusing to loosen his hold1 clung with 
mortal grasp to his antagonist4  ,thus  
the fight raged along the whole extent  
of the entrance of the ,gulf of         
,lepanto4 ,if the eye of the spectator  
could have penetrated the cloud of smoke
 that enveloped the combatants1 and have
 embraced the whole scene at a glance1  
he would have beheld them broken up into
 small detachments1 engaged in conflict 
with one another1 wholly independently  
of the rest1 and indeed ignorant of all 
that was doing in other quarters4 ,the  
volumes of vapor1 rolling heavily over  
the waters1 effectually shut out from   
sight whatever was passing at any       
considerable distance1 unless when a    
fresher breeze dispelled the smoke for a
 moment1 or the flashes of the heavy    

guns threw a transient gleam over the   
dark canopy of battle4 ,the contest     
exhibited few of those enlarged         
combinations and skilful manoeuvres to  
be expected in a great naval encounter4 
,it was rather an assemblage of petty   
actions1 resembling those on land4 ,the 
galleys1 grappling together1 presented a
 level arena1 on which soldier and      
galley-slave fought hand to hand1 and   
the fate of the engagement was generally
 decided by boarding4 ,as in most       
hand-to-hand contests1 there was an     
enormous waste of life4 ,the decks were 
loaded with corpses1 ,christian and     
,moslem lying promiscuously together in 
the embrace of death4 ,instances are    
given where every man on board was slain
 or wounded4 ,it was a ghastly          
spectacle1 where blood flowed in        
rivulets down the sides of the vessels1 
staining the waters of the ,gulf for    
miles around4  ,it seemed as if some    
hurricane had swept over the sea1 and   
covered it with the wreck of the noble  

armaments which a moment before were so 
proudly riding on its bosom4 ,little had
 they now to remind one of their late   
magnificent array1 with their hulls     
battered and defaced1 their masts and   
spars gone or fearfully splintered by   
the shot1 their canvas cut into shreds  
and floating wildly on the breeze1 while
 thousands of wounded and drowning men  
were clinging to the floating fragments1
 and calling piteously for help4 ,such  
was the wild uproar which had succeeded 
to the ,sabbath-like stillness that two 
hours before had reigned over these     
beautiful solitudes6  ,the left wing of 
the confederates1 commanded by          
,barberigo1 had been sorely pressed by  
the ,turks1 as we have seen1 at the     
beginning of the fight4 ,barberigo      
himself had been mortally wounded4 ,his 
line had been turned4 ,several of his   
galleys had been sunk4 ,but the         
,venetians gathered courage from        
despair4 ,by incredible efforts they    
succeeded in beating off their enemies4 

,they became the assailants in their    
turn4 ,sword in hand1 they carried one  
vessel after another4 ,the ,capuchin1   
with uplifted crucifix1 was seen to head
 the attack1 and to lead the boarders to
 the assault4 ,the ,christian           
galley-slaves1 in some instances1 broke 
their fetters and joined their          
countrymen against their masters4       
,fortunately1 the vessel of ,mehemet    
,siroco1 the ,moslem admiral1 was sunk2 
and though extricated from the water    
himself1 it was only to perish by the   
sword of his conqueror1 ,juan           
,contarini4 ,the ,venetian could find no
 mercy for the ,turk4  ,the fall of     
their commander gave the final blow to  
his followers4 ,without further attempt 
to prolong the fight1 they fled before  
the avenging swords of the ,venetians4  
,those nearest the land endeavored to   
escape by running their vessels ashore1 
where they abandoned them as prizes to  
the ,christians4 ,yet many of the       
fugitives1 before gaining the shore1    

perished miserably in the waves4        
,barberigo1 the ,venetian admiral1 who  
was still lingering in agony1 heard the 
tidings of the enemy's defeat1 and      
exclaiming1 ,i die contented1 he        
breathed his last4  ,meanwhile the      
combat had been going forward in the    
centre between the two                  
commanders-in-chief1 ,don ,john and ,ali
 ,pasha1 whose galleys blazed with an   
incessant fire of artillery and musketry
 that enveloped them like a martyr's    
robe of flames4 ,both parties fought    
with equal spirit1 though not with equal
 fortune4 ,twice the ,spaniards had     
boarded their enemy1 and both times they
 had been repulsed with loss4 ,still    
their superiority in the use of their   
fire-arms would have given them a       
decided advantage over their opponents1 
if the loss thus inflicted had not been 
speedily repaired by fresh              
reinforcements4 ,more than once the     
contest between the two chieftains was  
interrupted by the arrival of others to 

take part in the fray4 ,they soon1      
however1 returned to one another1 as if 
unwilling to waste their strength on a  
meaner enemy4 ,through the whole        
engagement both commanders exposed      
themselves to danger as freely as any   
common soldier4 ,even ,philip must have 
admitted that in such a contest it would
 have been difficult for his brother to 
find with honor a place of safety4 ,don 
,john received a wound in the foot4 ,it 
was a slight one1 however1 and he would 
not allow it to be attended to till the 
action was over4  ,at length the men    
were mustered1 and a third time the     
trumpets sounded to the assault4 ,it was
 more successful than those preceding4  
,the ,spaniards threw themselves boldly 
into the ,turkish galley4 ,they were met
 by the janissaries with the same spirit
 as before4 ,ali ,pasha led them on4    
,unfortunately1 at this moment he was   
struck by a musket-ball in the head1 and
 stretched senseless on the gangway4    
,his men fought worthily of their       

ancient renown4 ,but they missed the    
accustomed voice of their commander4    
,after a short1 but ineffectual struggle
 against the fiery impetuosity of the   
,spaniards1 they were overpowered and   
threw down their arms4 ,the decks were  
loaded with the bodies of the dead and  
the dying4 ,beneath these was discovered
 the ,turkish commander-in-chief1 sorely
 wounded1 but perhaps not mortally4 ,he 
was drawn forth by some ,castilian      
soldiers1 who1 recognizing his person1  
would at once have despatched him4 ,but 
the wounded chief1 having rallied from  
the first effects of his blow1 had      
presence of mind enough to divert them  
from their purpose by pointing out the  
place below where he had deposited his  
money and jewels1 and they hastened to  
profit by the disclosure before the     
treasure should fall into the hands of  
their comrades4  ,ali was not so        
successful with another soldier1 who    
came up soon after1 brandishing his     
sword1 and preparing to plunge it into  

the body of the prostrate commander4 ,it
 was in vain that the latter endeavored 
to turn the ruffian from his purpose4   
,he was a convict1--one of those        
galley-slaves whom ,don ,john had caused
 to be unchained from the oar1 and      
furnished with arms4 ,he could not      
believe that any treasure would be worth
 so much to him as the head of the      
pasha4 ,without further hesitation he   
dealt him a blow which severed it from  
his shoulders4 ,then returning to his   
galley1 he laid the bloody trophy before
 ,don ,john4 ,but he had miscalculated  
on his recompense4 ,his commander gazed 
on it with a look of pity mingled with  
horror4 ,he may have thought of the     
generous conduct of ,ali to his         
,christian captives1 and have felt that 
he deserved a better fate4 ,he coldly   
inquired of what use such a present     
could be to him1 and then ordered it to 
be thrown into the sea4 ,far from being 
obeyed1 it is said the head was stuck on
 a pike and raised aloft on board the   

captive galley4 ,at the same time the   
banner of the ,crescent was pulled down1
 while that of the ,cross run up in its 
place proclaimed the downfall of the    
pasha4  ,the sight of the sacred ensign 
was welcomed by the ,christians with a  
shout of ,victory6 which rose high above
 the din of battle4 ,the tidings of the 
death of ,ali soon passed from mouth to 
mouth1 giving fresh heart to the        
confederates1 but falling like a knell  
on the ears of the ,moslems4 ,their     
confidence was gone4 ,their fire        
slackened4 ,their efforts grew weaker   
and weaker4 ,they were too far from     
shore to seek an asylum there1 like     
their comrades on the right4 ,they had  
no resource but to prolong the combat or
 to surrender4 ,most preferred the      
latter4 ,many vessels were carried by   
boarding1 others sunk by the victorious 
,christians4 ,before four hours had     
elapsed1 the centre1 like the right wing
 of the ,moslems1 might be said to be   
annihilated4  ,still the fight was      

lingering on the right of the           
confederates1 where1 it will be         
remembered1 ,uluch ,ali1 the ,algerine  
chief1 had profited by ,doria's error in
 extending his line so far as greatly to
 weaken it4 ,his adversary1 attacking it
 on its most vulnerable quarter1 had    
succeeded1 as we have seen1 in capturing
 and destroying several vessels1 and    
would have inflicted still heavier      
losses on his enemy1 had it not been for
 the seasonable succor received from the
 ,marquis of ,santa ,cruz4 ,this brave  
officer1 who commanded the reserve1 had 
already been of much service to ,don    
,john1 when the ,real was assailed by   
several ,turkish galleys at once1 during
 his combat with ,ali ,pasha2 the       
,marquis having arrived at this         
juncture1 and beating off the           
assailants1 one of whom he afterwards   
captured1 the commander-in-chief was    
enabled to resume his engagement with   
the pasha4  ,no sooner did ,santa ,cruz 
learn the critical situation of ,doria1 

than1 supported by ,cardona1 general of 
the ,sicilian squadron1 he pushed       
forward to his relief4 ,dashing into the
 midst of the melee1 they fell like a   
thunderbolt on the ,algerine galleys4   
,few attempted to withstand the shock4  
,but in their haste to avoid it1 they   
were encountered by ,doria and his      
,genoese4 ,thus beset on all sides1     
,uluch ,ali was compelled to abandon his
 prizes and provide for his own safety  
by flight4 ,he cut adrift the ,maltese  
,capitana1 which he had lashed to his   
stern1 and on which three hundred       
corpses attested the desperate character
 of her defence4 ,as tidings reached him
 of the discomfiture of the centre and  
the death of his commander1 he felt that
 nothing remained but to make the best  
of his way from the fatal scene of      
action1 and save as many of his own     
ships as he could4 ,and there were no   
ships in the ,turkish fleet superior to 
his1 or manned by men under more perfect
 discipline2 for they were the famous   

corsairs of the ,mediterranean1 who had 
been rocked from infancy on its waters4 
,throwing out his signals for retreat1  
the ,algerine was soon to be seen1 at   
the head of his squadron1 standing      
towards the north1 under as much canvas 
as remained to him after the battle1 and
 urged forward through the deep by the  
whole strength of his oarsmen4 ,doria   
and ,santa ,cruz followed quickly in his
 wake4 ,but he was borne on the wings of
 the wind1 and soon distanced his       
pursuers4 ,don ,john1 having disposed of
 his own assailants1 was coming to the  
support of ,doria1 and now joined in the
 pursuit of the viceroy4 ,a rocky       
headland1 stretching far into the sea1  
lay in the path of the fugitive1 and his
 enemies hoped to intercept him there4  
,some few of his vessels stranded on the
 rocks4 ,but the rest1 near forty in    
number1 standing more boldly out to sea1
 safely doubled the promontory4 ,then   
quickening their flight1 they gradually 
faded from the horizon1 their white     

sails1 the last thing visible1 showing  
in the distance like a flock of ,arctic 
sea-fowl on their way to their native   
homes4 ,the confederates explained the  
inferior sailing of their own galleys by
 the circumstance of their rowers1 who  
had been allowed to bear arms in the    
fight1 being crippled by their wounds4  
,the battle had lasted more than four   
hours4 ,the sky1 which had been almost  
without a cloud through the day1 began  
now to be overcast1 and showed signs of 
a coming storm4 ,before seeking a place 
of shelter for himself and his prizes1  
,don ,john reconnoitred the scene of    
action4 ,he met with several vessels in 
too damaged a state for further service4
 ,these mostly belonging to the enemy1  
after saving what was of any value on   
board1 he ordered to be burnt4 ,he      
selected the neighboring port of        
,petala1 as affording the most secure   
and accessible harbor for the night4    
,before he had arrived there1 the       
tempest began to mutter and darkness was

 on the water4 ,yet the darkness        
rendered the more visible the blazing   
wrecks1 which1 sending up streams of    
fire mingled with showers of sparks1    
looked like volcanoes on the deep4      
,long and loud were the congratulations 
now paid to the young commander-in-chief
 by his brave companions in arms1 on the
 success of the day4 ,the hours passed  
blithely with officers and men1 while   
they recounted one to another their     
manifold achievements4 ,but feelings of 
gloom mingled with their gayety1 as they
 gathered tidings of the loss of friends
 who had bought this victory with their 
blood4  ,it was1 indeed1 a sanguinary   
battle1 surpassing in this particular   
any sea-fight of modern times4 ,the loss
 fell much the most heavily on the      
enemy4 ,there is the usual discrepancy  
about numbers2 but it may be safe to    
estimate the ,turkish loss at about     
twenty-four thousand slain1 and five    
thousand prisoners4 ,but what gave most 
joy to the hearts of the conquerors was 

the liberation of twelve thousand       
,christian captives1 who had been       
chained to the oar on board the ,moslem 
galleys1 and who now came forth with    
tears streaming down their haggard      
cheeks1 to bless their deliverers4  ,the
 loss of the allies was comparatively   
small1--less than eight thousand4 ,that 
it was so much less than that of their  
enemies may be referred in part to their
 superiority in the use of firearms2 in 
part1 also1 to their exclusive use of   
these1 instead of employing bows and    
arrows1 weapons much less effective1 but
 on which the ,turks1 like the other    
,moslem nations1 seem to have greatly   
relied4 ,lastly1 the ,turks were the    
vanquished party1 and in their heavier  
loss suffered the almost invariable lot 
of the vanquished4  ,as to their armada1
 it may almost be said to have been     
annihilated4 ,not more than forty       
galleys escaped1 out of near two hundred
 and fifty which had entered into the   
action4 ,one hundred and thirty were    

taken and divided among the conquerors4 
,the remainder1 sunk or burned1 were    
swallowed up by the waves4 ,to          
counterbalance all this1 the            
confederates are said to have lost not  
more than fifteen galleys1 though a much
 larger number doubtless were rendered  
unfit for service4 ,this disparity      
affords good evidence of the inferiority
 of the ,turks in the construction of   
their vessels1 as well as in the        
nautical skill required to manage them4 
,a large amount of booty1 in the form of
 gold1 jewels1 and brocade1 was found on
 board several of the prizes4 ,the      
galley of the commander-in-chief alone  
is stated to have contained one hundred 
and seventy thousand gold sequins1--a   
large sum1 but not large enough1 it     
seems1 to buy off his life4  ,the losses
 of the combatants cannot be fairly     
presented without taking into the       
account the quality as well as the      
number of the slain4 ,the number of     
persons of consideration1 both          

,christians and ,moslems1 who embarked  
in the expedition1 was very great4 ,the 
roll of slaughter showed that in the    
race of glory they gave little heed to  
their personal safety4 ,the officer     
second in command among the ,venetians1 
the commander-in-chief of the ,turkish  
armament1 and the commander of its right
 wing1 all fell in the battle4 ,many a  
high-born cavalier closed at ,lepanto a 
long career of honorable service4 ,more 
than one1 on the other hand1 dated the  
commencement of their career from this  
day4 ,such was the case with ,alexander 
,farnese1 the young prince of ,parma4   
,though somewhat older than his uncle1  
,john of ,austria1 difference of birth  
had placed a wide distance in their     
conditions2 the one filling the post of 
commander-in-chief1 the other only that 
of a private adventurer4 ,yet even so he
 succeeded in winning great renown by   
his achievements4 ,the galley in which  
he sailed was lying1 yard-arm to        
yard-arm1 alongside of a ,turkish       

galley1 with which it was hotly engaged4
 ,in the midst of the action1 the young 
,farnese sprang on board of the enemy1  
and with his stout broadsword hewed down
 all who opposed him1 opening a path    
into which his comrades poured one after
 another2 and after a short1 but        
murderous contest1 he succeeded in      
carrying the vessel4 ,as ,farnese's     
galley lay just astern of ,don ,john's1 
the latter could witness the achievement
 of his nephew1 which filled him with an
 admiration he did not affect to        
conceal4 ,the intrepidity he displayed  
on this occasion gave augury of his     
character in later life1 when he        
succeeded his uncle in command1 and     
surpassed him in military renown4       
,another youth was in that sea-fight1   
who1 then humble and unknown1 was       
destined one day to win laurels of a    
purer and more enviable kind than those 
which grow on the battle-field4 ,this   
was ,cervantes1 who1 at the age of      
twenty-four1 was serving on board the   

fleet as a common soldier4 ,he was      
confined to his bed by a fever2 but1    
notwithstanding the remonstrances of his
 captain1 insisted1 on the morning of   
the action1 not only on bearing arms1   
but on being stationed at the post of   
danger4 ,and well did he perform his    
duty there1 as was shown by two wounds  
on the breast1 and another in the hand1 
by which he lost the use of it4         
,fortunately1 it was the left hand4 ,the
 right yet remained1 to record those    
immortal productions which were to be   
familiar as household words1 not only in
 his own land1 but in every quarter of  
the civilized world4  ,a fierce storm of
 thunder and lightning raged for        
four-and-twenty hours after the battle1 
during which the fleet rode safely at   
anchor in the harbor of ,petala4 ,it    
remained there three days longer4 ,don  
,john profited by the time to visit the 
different galleys and ascertain their   
condition4 ,he informed himself of the  
conduct of the troops1 and was liberal  

of his praises to those who deserved    
them4 ,with the sick and the wounded he 
showed the greatest sympathy1           
endeavoring to alleviate their          
sufferings1 and furnishing them with    
whatever his galley contained that could
 minister to their comfort4 ,with so    
generous and sympathetic a nature1 it is
 not wonderful that he should have      
established himself in the hearts of his
 soldiers4  ,but the proofs of this     
kindly temper were not confined to his  
own followers4 ,among the prisoners were
 two sons of ,ali1 the ,turkish         
commander-in-chief4 ,one was seventeen1 
the other only thirteen years of age4   
,thus early had their father desired to 
initiate them in a profession which1    
beyond all others1 opened the way to    
eminence in ,turkey4 ,they were not on  
board of his galley1 and when they were 
informed of his death1 they were        
inconsolable4 ,to this sorrow was now to
 be added the doom of slavery4  ,as they
 were led into the presence of ,don     

,john1 the youths prostrated themselves 
on the deck of his vessel4 ,but raising 
them up1 he affectionately embraced     
them4 ,he said all he could to console  
them under their troubles4 ,he caused   
them to be treated with the             
consideration due to their rank4 ,his   
secretary1 ,juan de ,soto1 surrendered  
his quarters to them4 ,they were        
provided with the richest apparel that  
could be found among the spoil4 ,their  
table was served with the same          
delicacies as that of the               
commander-in-chief2 and his gentlemen of
 the chamber showed the same deference  
to them as to himself4 ,his kindness did
 not stop with these acts of chivalrous 
courtesy4 ,he received a letter from    
their sister ,fatima1 containing a      
touching appeal to ,don ,john's         
humanity1 and soliciting the release of 
her orphan brothers4 ,he had sent a     
courier to give their friends in        
,constantinople the assurance of their  
personal safety2 which1 adds the lady1  

is held by all this court as an act of  
great courtesy1--gran gentilezza2 and   
there is no one here who does not admire
 the goodness and magnanimity of your   
,highness4  ,she enforced her petition  
with a rich present1 for which she      
gracefully apologized1 as intended to   
express her own feelings1 though far    
below his deserts4  ,the young princes1 
in the division of the spoil1 were      
assigned to the pope4 ,but ,don ,john   
succeeded in obtaining their liberation4
 ,unfortunately1 the elder died--of a   
broken heart1 it is said--at ,naples4   
,the younger was sent home1 with three  
of his attendants1 for whom he had an   
especial regard4 ,don ,john declined the
 present1 which he gave to ,fatima's    
brother4 ,in a letter to the ,turkish   
princess1 he remarked1 that he had done 
this1 not because he undervalued her    
beautiful gift1 but because it had ever 
been the habit of his royal ancestors   
freely to grant favors to those who     
stood in need of their protection1 but  

not to receive aught by way of          
recompense4     ,,the ,,wind ,,and      
,,stream4       ,a brook came stealing  
from the ground2       ,you scarcely saw
 its silvery gleam     ,among the herbs 
that hung around       ,the borders of  
that winding stream1--       ,a pretty  
stream1 a placid stream1       ,a softly
 gliding1 bashful stream4      ,a breeze
 came wandering from the sky1           
,light as the whispers of a dream2      
,he put the o'erhanging grasses by1     
,and gayly stooped to kiss the stream1--
       ,the pretty stream1 the flattered
 stream1       ,the shy1 yet unreluctant
 stream4      ,the water1 as the wind   
passed o'er1       ,shot upward many a  
glancing beam1     ,dimpled and quivered
 more and more1       ,and tripped along
 a livelier stream1--       ,the        
flattered stream1 the simpering stream1 
,the fond1 delighted1 silly stream4     
,away the airy wanderer flew       ,to  
where the fields with blossoms teem1    
,to sparkling springs and rivers blue1  

,and left alone that little stream1--   
,the flattered stream1 the cheated      
stream1       ,the sad1 forsaken1 lonely
 stream4      ,that careless wind no    
more came back2       ,he wanders yet   
the fields1 ,i deem2     ,but on its    
melancholy track       ,complaining went
 that little stream1--       ,the       
cheated stream1 the hopeless stream1    
,the ever murmuring1 moaning stream4    
,,turkey ,,tracks4   ,don't open your   
eyes1 ,polder6 ,you think ,i am going to
 tell you about some of my ,minnesota   
experiences2 how ,i used to scamper over
 the prairies on my ,indian pony1 and   
lie in wait for wild turkeys on the edge
 of an oak opening4 ,that is pretty     
sport1 too1 to creep under an oak with  
low-hanging boughs1 and in the silence  
of a glowing autumn-day linger by the   
hour together in a trance of warm       
stillness1 watching the light tracery of
 shadow and sun on that smooth sward1   
only now and then roused by the fleet   
rush of a deer through the wood1 or the 

brisk chatter of a plume-tailed         
squirrel1 till one hears a distant1     
sharp1 clucking chuckle1 and in an      
instant more pulls the trigger1 and     
upsets a grand old cock1 every bronzed  
feather glittering in the sunshine1 and 
now splashed with scarlet blood1 the    
delicate underwing ground into down as  
he rolls and flutters2 for the first    
shot rarely kills at once with an       
amateur2 there's too much excitement4   
,splendid sport1 that6 but ,i'm not     
going into it second-hand4 ,i promised  
to tell you a story1 now the skipper's  
fast1 and the night is too warm to think
 of sleep down in that wretched         
bunk2--what another torture ,dante might
 have lavished on his ,inferno1 if he'd 
ever slept in a fishing-smack6 ,no4 ,the
 moonlight makes me sentimental6 ,did ,i
 ever tell you about a month ,i spent up
 in ,centreville1 the year ,i came home 
from ,germany8 ,that was turkey-hunting 
with a vengeance6  ,you see1 my pretty  
cousin ,peggy married ,peter ,smith1 who

 owns paper-mills in ,centreville1 and  
has exiled herself into deep country for
 life2 a circumstance ,i disapprove1    
because ,i like ,peggy1 and             
manufacturers always bore me1 though    
,peter is a clever fellow enough2 but   
madam was an old flame of mine1 and ,i  
have a lingering tenderness for her yet4
 ,i wish she was nearer town4 ,just that
 year ,peggy had been very ill indeed1  
and ,kate1 her sister1 had gone up to   
nurse her4 ,when ,i came home ,peggy was
 getting better1 and sent for me to come
 up and make a visitation there in      
,june4 ,i hadn't seen ,kate for seven   
years1--not since she was thirteen2 our 
education intervened4 ,she had gone     
through that grading process and come   
out4 ,by ,jupiter6 when she met me at   
the door of ,smith's pretty1            
,english-looking cottage1 ,i took my hat
 off1 she was so like that little       
,brazilian princess we used to see in   
the cortege of the court at ,paris4     
,what was her name8 ,never mind that6   

,kate had just such large1 expressive   
eyes1 just such masses of shiny black   
hair1 just such a little nose1--turned  
up undeniably1 but all the more piquant4
 ,and her teeth6 good gracious6 she     
smiled like a flash of lightning1--dark 
and sallow as she was4 ,but she was     
cross1 or stiff1 or something1 to me for
 a long time4 ,peggy only appeared after
 dinner1 looking pale and lovely enough 
in her loose wrapper to make ,peter act 
excessively like----a young married man1
 and to make me wish myself at an       
invisible distance1 doing something     
beside picking up ,kate's things1 that  
she always dropped on the floor whenever
 she sewed4 ,peggy saw ,i was bored1 so 
she requested me one day to walk down to
 the poultry-yard and ask about her     
chickens2 she pretended a great deal of 
anxiety1 and ,peter had sprained his    
ankle4  ,kate will go with you1 said    
she4  ,no1 she won't6 ejaculated that   
young woman4  ,thank you1 said ,i1      
making a minuet bow1 and off ,i went to 

the farm-house4 ,such a pretty walk it  
was1 too6 through a thicket of birches1 
down a little hill-side into a hollow   
full of hoary chestnut-trees1 across a  
bubbling1 dancing brook1 and you came   
out upon the tiniest orchard in the     
world1 a one-storied house with a red   
porch1 and a great sweet-brier bush     
thereby2 while up the hill-side behind  
stretched a high picket fence1 enclosing
 huge trees1 part of the same brook ,i  
had crossed here dammed into a pond1 and
 a chicken-house of pretentious height  
and aspect1--one of those model         
institutions that are the ruin of       
gentlemen-farmers and the delight of    
women4 ,i had to go into the            
farm-kitchen for the poultry-yard key4  
,the door stood open1 and ,i stepped in 
cautiously1 lest ,i should come unaware 
upon some domestic scene not intended to
 be visible to the naked eye4 ,and a    
scene ,i did come upon1 fit for ,retzsch
 to outline2--the cleanest kitchen1 a   
dresser of white wood under one window1 

and the farmer's daughter1 ,melinda     
,tucker1 moulding bread thereat in a    
ponderous tray2 her deep red hair1--yes1
 it was red and comely6 of the deepest  
bay1 full of gilded reflections1 and    
accompanied by the fair1 rose-flushed   
skin1 blue eyes1 and scarlet lips that  
belong to such hair1--which1 as ,i began
 to say1 was puckered into a thousand   
curves trying to curl1 and knotted      
strictly against a pretty head1 while   
her calico frock-sleeves were           
pinned-back to the shoulders1 baring    
such a dimpled pair of arms1--how they  
did fly up and down in the tray6 ,i     
stood still contemplating the picture1  
and presently seeing her begin to strip 
the dough from her pink fingers and     
mould it into a mass1 ,i ventured to    
knock4 ,if you had seen her start and   
blush1 ,polder6 ,but when she saw me1   
she grew as cool as you please1 and     
called her mother4 ,down came ,mrs4     
,tucker1 a talking ,yankee4 ,you don't  
know what that is4 ,listen1 then4       

,well1 good day1 sir6 ,i'xpect it's     
,mister ,greene1 ,miss ,smith's cousin4 
,well1 you be6 ,don't favor her much    
though2 she's kinder dark complected4   
,she ha'n't got round yet1 hes she8 ,dew
 tell6 ,she's dre'ful delicate4 ,i      
do'no' as ever ,i see a woman so        
sickly's she looks ter be sence that    
'ere fever4 ,she's real spry when she's 
so's to be crawlin'1--,i'xpect too spry 
to be 'hulsome4 ,well1 he tells me      
you've ben 'crost the water4 ',ta'n't   
jest like this over there1 ,i guess4    
,pretty sightly places they be though1  
a'n't they8 ,i've seen picturs in       
,melindy's jography1 looks as ef        
'twa'n't so woodsy over there as 'tis in
 these parts1 'specially out ,west4     
,he's got folks out to ,indianny1 an' we
 sot out fur to go a-cousinin'1 five    
year back1 an' we got out there inter   
the dre'fullest woodsy region ever ye   
see1 where 'twa'n't trees1 it was       
'sketers2 husband he couldn't see none  
out of his eyes for a hull day1 and ,i  

thought ,i should caterpillar every time
 ,i heerd one of 'em toot2 they         
sartainly was the beater-ee6  ,the key1 
if you please6 ,i meekly interposed4    
,mrs4 ,tucker was fast stunning me6     
,law yis6 ,melindy1 you go git that 'ere
 key2 it's a-hangin' up'side o' the     
lookin'glass in the back shed1 under    
that bunch o' onions father strung up   
yisterday4 ,got the bread sot to rise1  
hev ye8 well1 git yer bunnet an' go out 
to the coop with ,mr4 ,greene1 'n' show 
him the turkeys an' the chickens1 'n'   
tell what dre'ful luck we hev hed4 ,i   
never did see sech luck6 the crows they 
keep a-comin' an' snippin' up the little
 creturs jest as soon's they're hatched2
 an' the old turkey hen't sot under the 
grapevine she got two hen's eggs under  
her1 'n' they come out fust1 so she     
quit--  ,here ,i bolted out of the door1
 7a storm at sea did not deafen one like
 that67 ,melindy following1 in silence  
such as our blessed ,new ,england poet  
has immortalized1--silence that         

--,like a poultice comes1      ,to heal 
the blows of sound4   ,indeed1 ,i did   
not discover that ,melindy could talk   
that day2 she was very silent1 very     
incommunicative4 ,i inspected the fowls1
 and tried to look wise1 but ,i         
perceived a strangled laugh twisting    
,melindy's face when ,i innocently      
inquired if she found catnip of much    
benefit to the little chickens2 a       
natural question enough1 for the yard   
was full of it1 and ,i had seen ,hannah 
give it to the baby4 7,hannah is my     
sister47 ,i could only see two little   
turkeys1--both on the floor of the      
second-story parlor in the              
chicken-house1 both flat on their backs 
and gasping4 ,melindy did not know what 
ailed them2 so ,i picked them up1 slung 
them in my pocket-handkerchief1 and took
 them home for ,peggy to manipulate4 ,i 
heard ,melindy chuckle as ,i walked off1
 swinging them2 and to be sure1 when ,i 
brought the creatures in to ,peggy1 one 
of them kicked and lay still1 and the   

other gasped worse than ever4  ,what can
 we do8 asked ,peggy1 in the most       
plaintive voice1 as the feeble week6    
week6 of the little turkey was gasped   
out1 more feebly every time4  ,give it  
some whiskey-punch6 growled ,peter1     
whose strict temperance principles were 
shocked by the remedies prescribed for  
,peggy's ague4  ,so ,i would1 said      
,kate1 demurely4  ,now if ,peggy had one
 trait more striking than another1 it   
was her perfect1 simple faith in what   
people said2 irony was a mystery to her2
 lying1 a myth1--something on a par with
 murder4 ,she thought ,kate meant so2   
and reaching out for the pretty         
wicker-flask that contained her daily   
ration of old ,scotch whiskey1 she      
dropped a little drop into a spoon1     
diluted it with water1 and was going to 
give it to the turkey in all            
seriousness1 when ,kate exclaimed1--    
,peggy6 when will you learn common      
sense8 ,who ever heard of giving whiskey
 to a turkey8  ,why1 you told me to1    

,kate6  ,oh1 give it to the thing6      
growled ,peter2 it will die1 of course4 
,i shall give it6 said ,peggy1          
resolutely2 it does me good1 and ,i will
 try4  ,so ,i held the little creature  
up1 while ,peggy carefully tipped the   
dose down its throat4 ,how it choked1   
kicked1 and began again with week6 week6
 when it meant strong6 but it revived4  
,peggy held it in the sun till it grew  
warm1 gave it a drop more1 fed it with  
bread-crumbs from her own plate1 and    
laid it on the south window-sill4 ,there
 it lay when we went to tea2 when we    
came back1 it lay on the floor1 dead2   
either it was tipsy1 or it had tried its
 new strength too soon1 and1 rolling    
off1 had broken its neck6 ,poor ,peggy6 
,there were six more hatched the next   
day1 though1 and ,i held many           
consultations with ,melindy about their 
welfare4 ,truth to tell1 ,kate continued
 so cool to me1 ,peter's sprained ankle 
lasted so long1 and ,peggy could so well
 spare me from the little matrimonial   

tete-a-tetes that ,i interrupted1 7,i   
believe they didn't mind ,kate67 that ,i
 took wonderfully to the chickens4 ,mrs4
 ,tucker gave me rye-bread and milk of  
the best2 father instructed me in the   
mysteries of cattle-driving2 and        
,melindy1 and ,joe1 and ,i1 used to go  
strawberrying1 or after posies1 almost  
every day4 ,melindy was a very pretty   
girl1 and it was very good fun to see   
her blue eyes open and her red lips     
laugh over my ,european experiences4    
,really1 ,i began to be of some         
importance at the farm-house1 and to    
take airs upon myself1 ,i suppose2 but  
,i was not conscious of the fact at the 
time4  ,after a week or two1 ,melindy   
and ,i began to have bad luck with the  
turkeys4 ,i found two drenched and      
shivering1 after a hail-and-thunder     
storm1 and setting them in a basket on  
the cooking-stove hearth1 went to help  
,melindy dress her bow-pot1 as she      
called arranging a vase of flowers1 and 
when ,i came back the little turkeys    

were singed2 they died a few hours      
after4 ,two more were trodden on by a   
great ,shanghai rooster1 who was so tall
 he could not see where he set his feet 
down2 and of the remaining pair1 one    
disappeared mysteriously1--supposed to  
be rats2 and one falling into the       
duck-pond1 ,melindy began to dry it in  
her apron1 and ,i went to help her2 ,i  
thought1 as ,i was rubbing the thing    
down with the apron1 while she held it1 
that ,i had found one of her soft       
dimpled hands1 and ,i gave the luckless 
turkey such a tender pressure that it   
uttered a miserable squeak and departed 
this life4 ,melindy all but cried4 ,i   
laughed irresistibly4 ,so there were no 
more turkeys4 ,peggy began to wonder    
what they should do for the proper      
,thanksgiving dinner1 and ,peter turned 
restlessly on his sofa1 quite convinced 
that everything was going to rack and   
ruin because he had a sprained ankle4   
,can't we buy some young turkeys8       
timidly suggested ,peggy4  ,of course1  

if one knew who had them to sell1       
retorted ,peter4  ,i know1 said ,i2     
,mrs4 ,amzi ,peters1 up on the hill over
 ,taunton1 has got some4  ,who told you 
about ,mrs4 ,peters's turkeys1 ,cousin  
,sam8 said ,peggy1 wondering4  ,melindy1
 said ,i1 quite innocently4  ,peter     
whistled1 ,peggy laughed1 ,kate darted a
 keen glance at me under her long       
lashes4  ,i know the way there1 said    
mademoiselle1 in a suspiciously bland   
tone4 ,can't you drive there with me1   
,cousin ,sam1 and get some more8  ,i    
shall be charmed1 said ,i4  ,peter rang 
the bell and ordered the horse to be    
ready in the single-seated wagon1 after 
dinner4 ,i was going right down to the  
farm-house to console ,melindy1 and take
 her a book she wanted to read1 for no  
fine lady of all my ,new ,york          
acquaintance enjoyed a good book more   
than she did2 but ,cousin ,kate asked me
 to wind some yarn for her1 and was so  
brilliant1 so amiable1 so altogether    
charming1 ,i quite forgot ,melindy till 

dinner-time1 and then1 when that was    
over1 there was a basket to be found1   
and we were off1--turkey-hunting6 ,down 
hill-sides overhung with tasselled      
chestnut-boughs2 through pine-woods     
where neither horse nor wagon intruded  
any noise of hoof or wheel upon the     
odorous silence1 as we rolled over the  
sand1 past green meadows1 and sloping   
orchards2 over little bright brooks that
 chattered musically to the bobolinks on
 the fence-posts1 and were echoed by    
those sacerdotal gentlemen in such      
liquid1 bubbling1 rollicking1 uproarious
 bursts of singing as made one think of 
,anacreon's grasshopper       ,drunk    
with morning's dewy wine4   ,all these  
we passed1 and at length drew up before 
,mrs4 ,peters's house4 ,i had been here 
before1 on a strawberrying stroll with  
,melindy1--7across lots it was not      
far17--and having been asked in then1   
and entertained the lady with a recital 
of some foreign exploit1 garnished for  
the occasion1 of course she recognized  

me with clamorous hospitality4  ,why how
 do yew do1 ,mister ,greene8 ,i declare 
,i ha'n't done a-thinkin' of that 'ere  
story you told us the day you was here1 
'long o' ,melindy4 7,kate gave an       
ominous little cough47 ,i was a-tellin' 
husband yesterday 't ,i never see sech a
 master hand for stories as you be4     
,well1 yis1 we hev got turkeys1 young   
'uns2 but my stars6 ,i don't know no    
more where they be than nothin'2 they've
 strayed away into the woods1 ,i guess1 
and ,i do'no' as the boys can skeer 'em 
up2 besides1 the boys is to school2     
h'm--yis6 ,where did you and ,melindy go
 that day arter berries8  ,up in the    
pine-lot1 ma'am4 ,you think you can't   
let us have the turkeys8  ,dew tell ef  
you went up there6 ,it's near about the 
sightliest place ,i ever see4 ,well1    
no1--,i don't see how's to ketch them   
turkeys4 ,miss ,bemont1 she't lives over
 on ,woodchuck ,hill1 she's got a lot o'
 little turkeys in a coop2 ,i guess     
you'd better go 'long over there1 an' ef

 you can't get none o' her'n1 by that   
time our boys'll be to hum1 an' ,i'll   
set 'em arter our'n2 they'll buckle     
right to2 it's good sport huntin' little
 turkeys2 an' ,i guess you'll hev to    
stop1 comin' home1 so's to let me know  
ef you'll hev 'em4  ,off we drove4 ,i   
stood in mortal fear of ,mrs4 ,peters's 
tongue1--and ,kate's comments2 but she  
did not make any2 she was even more     
charming than before4 ,presently we came
 to the pine-lot1 where ,melindy and ,i 
had been1 and ,i drew the reins4 ,i     
wanted to see ,kate's enjoyment of a    
scene that ,kensett or ,church should   
have made immortal long ago3--a wide    
stretch of hill and valley1 quivering   
with cornfields1 rolled away in pasture 
lands1 thick with sturdy woods1 or      
dotted over with old apple-trees1 whose 
dense leaves caught the slant sunshine1 
glowing on their tops1 and deepening to 
a dark1 velvety green below1 and far1   
far away1 on the broad blue sky1 the    
lurid splendors of a thunder-cloud1     

capped with pearly summits1 tower upon  
tower1 sharply defined against the pure 
ether1 while in its purple base forked  
lightnings sped to and fro1 and revealed
 depths of waiting tempest that could   
not yet descend4 ,kate looked on1 and   
over the superb picture4  ,how          
magnificent6 was all she said1 in a     
deep1 low tone1 her dark cheek flushing 
with the words4 ,melindy and ,i had     
looked off there together4 ,it's real   
good land to farm1 had been the sweet   
little rustic's comment4 ,how charming  
are nature and simplicity6  ,presently  
we came to ,mrs4 ,bemont's1 a brown     
house in a cluster of maples2 the       
door-yard full of chickens1 turkeys1    
ducks1 and geese4 ,kate took the reins1 
and ,i knocked4 ,mrs4 ,bemont herself   
appeared1 wiping her red1 puckered hands
 on a long brown towel4  ,can you let me
 have some of your young turkeys1 ma'am8
 said ,i1 insinuatingly4  ,well1 ,i     
do'no'2--want to eat 'em or raise 'em8  
,both1 ,i believe1 was my meek answer4  

,i do'no' 'bout lettin' on 'em go2      
'ta'n't no gret good to sell 'em after  
all the risks is over2 they git their   
own livin' pretty much now1 an' they'll 
be wuth twice as much by'm'by4  ,i      
suppose so2 but ,mrs4 ,smith's turkeys  
have all died1 and she likes to raise   
them4  ,dew tell1 ef you han't come from
 ,miss ,peter ,smith's6 ,well1 she'd    
oughter do gret things with that 'ere   
meetin'-'us o' her'n for the chickens2  
it's kinder genteel-lookin'1 and ,i     
spose they've got means2 they've got    
ability4 ,gentility without ability ,i  
do despise2 but where 't'a'n't so1      
't'a'n't no matter2 but ,i'xpect it     
don't ensure the faowls none1 doos it8  
,i rather think not1 said ,i1 laughing2 
that is the reason we want some of      
yours4  ,well1 ,i should think you could
 hev some on 'em4 ,what be you          
calc'latin' to give8  ,whatever you say4
 ,i do not know at all the market price4
  ,good land6 't'a'n't never no use to  
try to dicker with city folks2 they     

a'n't use to't4 ,i'xpect you can hev 'em
 for two ,york shillin' apiece4  ,but   
how will you catch them8  ,oh1 ,i'll    
ketch 'em1 easy6  ,she went into the    
house and reappeared presently with a   
pan of ,indian meal and water1 called   
the chickens1 and in a moment they were 
all crowding in and over the unexpected 
supper4  ,now you jes' take a bit o'    
string an' tie that 'ere turkey's legs  
together2 'twon't stir1 ,i'll ensure it6
  ,strange to say1 the innocent creature
 stood still and eat1 while ,i tied it  
up2 all unconscious till it tumbled neck
 and heels into the pan1 producing a    
start and scatter of brief duration4    
,kate had left the wagon1 and was       
shaking with laughter over this         
extraordinary goodness on the turkeys'  
part1 and before long our basket was    
full of struggling1 kicking1 squeaking  
things1 werry promiscuous1 in ,mr4      
,weller's phrase4 ,mrs4 ,bemont was     
paid1 and while she was giving me the   
change1--  ,oh6 said she1 you're goin'  

right to ,miss ,tucker's1 a'n't ye8--got
 to drop the turkeys2--won't you tell   
,miss ,tucker 't ,george is comin' home 
tomorrer1 an' he's ben to ,californy4   
,she know'd us allers1 and ,melindy 'n' 
,george used ter be dre'ful thick 'fore 
he went off1 a good spell back1 when    
they was nigh about childern2 so ,i     
guess you'd better tell 'em4  ,confound 
these turkeys6 muttered ,i1 as ,i jumped
 over the basket4  ,why8 said ,kate1 ,i 
suspect they are confounded enough      
already6  ,they make such a noise1      
,kate6  ,so they did2 week6 week6 week6 
all the way1 like a colony from some    
spring-waked pool4       ,their song    
might be compared     ,to the croaking  
of frogs in a pond6   ,the drive was    
lovelier than before4 ,the road crept   
and curled down the hill1 now covered   
from side to side with the interlacing  
boughs of grand old chestnuts2 now      
barriered on the edge of a ravine with  
broken fragments and boulders of        
granite1 garlanded by heavy vines2 now  

skirting orchards full of promise2 and  
all the way companied by a tiny brook1  
veiled deeply in alder and hazel        
thickets1 and making in its shadowy     
channel perpetual muffled music1 like a 
child singing in the twilight to        
reassure its half-fearful heart4 ,kate's
 face was softened and full of rich     
expression2 her pink ribbons threw a    
delicate tinge of bloom upon the rounded
 cheek and pensive eyelid2 the air was  
pure balm1 and a cool breath from the   
receding showers of the distant         
thunderstorm just freshened the odors of
 wood and field4 ,i began to feel       
suspiciously that sentimental1 but      
through it all came persevering week6   
week6 week6 from the basket at my feet4 
,did ,i make a fine remark on the       
beauties of nature1 ,week6 echoed the   
turkeys4 ,did ,kate praise some tint or 
shape by the way1 ,week6 week6 was the  
feeble response4 ,did we get deep in    
poetry1 romance1 or metaphysics1 through
 the most brilliant quotation1 the      

sublimest climax1 the most acute        
distinction1 came in ,week6 week6 week6 
,i began to feel as if the old story of 
transmigration were true1 and the souls 
of half a dozen quaint and ancient      
satirists had got into the turkeys4 ,i  
could not endure it6 ,was ,i to be      
squeaked out of all my wisdom1 and      
knowledge1 and device1 after this       
fashion8 ,never6 ,i began1 too1 to      
discover a dawning smile upon ,kate's   
face2 she turned her head away1 and ,i  
placed the turkey-basket on my knees1   
hoping a change of position might quiet 
its contents4 ,never was man more at    
fault6 they were no way stilled by my   
magnetism2 on the contrary1 they threw  
their sarcastic utterances into my      
teeth1 as it were1 and shamed me to my  
very face4 ,i forgot entirely to go     
round by ,mrs4 ,peters's4 ,i took a     
cross-road directly homeward2 a pause--a
 lull--took place among the turkeys4    
,how sweet and mystical this hour is6   
said ,i to ,kate1 in a high-flown       

manner2 it is indeed      ',an hour when
 lips delay to speak1     ,oppressed    
with silence deep and pure2     ,when   
passion pauses--'   ,week6 week6 week6  
chimed in those confounded turkeys4     
,kate burst into a helpless fit of      
laughter4 ,what could ,i do8 ,i had to  
laugh myself1 since ,i must not choke   
the turkeys4  ,excuse me1 ,cousin ,sam1 
said ,kate1 in a laughter-wearied tone1 
,i could not help it2 turkeys and       
sentimentality do not agree--always6    
adding the last word maliciously1 as ,i 
sprang out to open the farm-house gate1 
and disclosed ,melindy1 framed in the   
buttery window1 skimming milk2 a picture
 worthy of ,wilkie4 ,i delivered over my
 captives to ,joe1 and stalked into the 
kitchen to give ,mrs4 ,bemont's message4
 ,melindy came out2 but as soon as ,i   
began to tell her mother where ,i got   
that message1 ,miss ,melindy1 with the  
sang froid of a duchess1 turned back to 
her skimming1--or appeared to4 ,i gained
 nothing by that move4  ,peggy and      

,peter received us benignly2 so         
universal a solvent is success1 even in 
turkey-hunting6 ,i meant to have gone   
down to the farm-house after tea1 and   
inquired about the safety of my prizes1 
but ,kate wanted to play chess4 ,peter  
couldn't1 and ,peggy wouldn't2 ,i had   
to1 of course1 and we played late4 ,kate
 had such pretty hands2 long taper      
fingers1 rounded to the tiniest rosy    
points2 no dimples1 but full muscles1   
firm and exquisitely moulded2 and the   
dainty way in which she handled her men 
was half the game to me2--,i lost it2 ,i
 played wretchedly4 ,the next day ,kate 
went with me to see the turkeys2 so she 
did the day after4 ,we were forgetting  
,melindy1 ,i am afraid1 for it was a    
week before ,i remembered ,i had        
promised her a new magazine4 ,i         
recollected myself2 then1 with a sort of
 shame1 rolled up the number1 and went  
off to the farm-house4 ,it seems ,kate  
was there1 busy in the garret1 unpacking
 a bureau that had been stored there1   

with some of ,peggy's foreign purchases1
 for summer wear1 in the drawers4 ,i did
 not know that4 ,i found ,melindy       
spreading yeast-cakes to dry on a table1
 just by the north end of the house2 a  
hop-vine in full blossom made a sort of 
porch-roof over the window by which she 
stood4  ,i've brought your book1        
,melindy1 said ,i4  ,thank you1 sir1    
returned she1 crisply4  ,how pretty you 
look to-day4 condescendingly remarked   
,i4  ,i don't thank you for that1 sir2--
       ',praise to the face       ,is   
open disgrace6'   was all the response4 
,why1 ,melindy6 what makes you so cross8
 inquired ,i1 in a tone meant to be     
tenderly reproachful1--in the mean time 
attempting to possess myself of her     
hand2 for1 to be honest1 ,polder1 ,i had
 been a little sweet to the girl before 
,kate drove her out of my head4 ,the    
hand was snatched away4 ,i tried        
indifference4  ,how are the turkeys     
to-day4 ,melindy8  ,here ,joe1 an enfant
 terrible1 came upon the scene suddenly4

  ,them turkeys eats a lot1 ,mister     
,greene4 ,melindy says there's one on   
'em struts jes' like you1 'n' makes as  
much gabble4  ,gobble6 gobble6 gobble6  
echoed an old turkey from somewhere2 ,i 
thought it was overhead1 but ,i saw     
nothing4 ,melindy threw her apron over  
her face and laughed till her arms grew 
red4 ,i picked up my hat and walked off4
 ,for three days ,i kept out of that    
part of the ,smith demesne1 ,i assure   
you6 ,kate began to grow mocking and    
derisive2 she teased me from morning    
till night1 and the more she teased me1 
the more ,i adored her4 ,i was getting  
desperate1 when one ,sunday night ,kate 
asked me to walk down to the farm-house 
with her after tea1 as ,mrs4 ,tucker was
 sick1 and she had something to take to 
her4 ,we found the old woman sitting up 
in the kitchen1 and as full of talk as  
ever1 though an unlucky rheumatism kept 
her otherwise quiet4  ,how do the       
turkeys come on1 ,mrs4 ,tucker8 said ,i1
 by way of conversation4  ,well1 ,i     

declare1 you han't heerd about them     
turkeys1 hev ye8 ,you see they was doin'
 fine1 and father he went off to salt   
for a spell1 so's to see'f 'twouldn't   
stop a complaint he's got1--,i do'no'   
but it's a spine in the back1--makes him
 kinder' faint by spells1 so's he loses 
his conscientiousness all to once2 so he
 left the chickens 'n' things for       
,melindy to boss1 'n' she got somethin' 
else into her head1 'n' she left the    
door open one night1 and them ten       
turkeys they up and run away1 ,i'xpect  
they took to the woods1 'fore ,melindy  
brought to mind how't she hadn't shut   
the door4 ,she's set out fur to hunt    
'em4 ,i shouldn't wonder'f she was out  
now1 seein' it's arter sundown4  ,she   
a'n't nuther6 roared the terrible ,joe1 
from behind the door1 where he had      
retreated at my coming4 ,she's settin'  
on a flour-barrel down by the well1 an' 
,george ,bemont's a-huggin' on her      
,good gracious6 what a slap ,mrs4       
,tucker fetched that unlucky child1 with

 a long brown towel that hung at hand6  
and how he howled6 while ,kate exploded 
with laughter1 in spite of her struggles
 to keep quiet4  ,he is the dre'fullest 
boy6 whined ,mrs4 ,tucker4 ,melindy     
tells how he sassed you 'tother day1    
,mr4 ,greene4 ,i shall hev to tewtor    
that boy2 he's got to hev the rod1 ,i   
guess6  ,i bade ,mrs4 ,tucker good      
night1 for ,kate was already out of the 
door1 and1 before ,i knew what she was  
about1 had taken a by-path in sight of  
the well2 and there1 to be sure1 sat    
,melindy1 on a prostrate flour-barrel   
that was rolled to the foot of the big  
apple-tree1 twirling her fingers in     
pretty embarrassment1 and held on her   
insecure perch by the stout arm of      
,george ,bemont1 a handsome brown       
fellow1 evidently very well content just
 now4  ,pretty1--isn't it8 said ,kate4  
,very1--quite pastoral1 sniffed ,i4  ,we
 were sitting round the open door an    
hour after1 listening to a whippoorwill1
 and watching the slow moon rise over a 

hilly range just east of ,centreville1  
when that elvish little week6 week6     
piped out of the wood that lay behind   
the house4  ,that is hopeful1 said      
,kate2 ,i think ,melindy and ,george    
must have tracked the turkeys to their  
haunt1 and scared them homeward4        
,george--who8 said ,peggy4  ,george     
,bemont2 it seems he is--what is your   
,connecticut phrase8--sparkin' ,melindy4
  ,i'm very glad2 he is a clever fellow1
 said ,peter4  ,and she is such a very  
pretty girl1 continued ,peggy1--so      
intelligent and graceful2 don't you     
think so1 ,sam8  ,aw1 yes1 well enough  
for a rustic1 said ,i1 languidly4 ,i    
never could endure red hair1 though6    
,kate stopped on the door-sill2 she had 
risen to go up stairs4  ,gobble6 gobble6
 gobble6 mocked she4 ,i had heard that  
once before6 ,peter and ,peggy          
roared2--they knew it all2--,i was sold6
  ,cure me of ,kate ,stevens8 ,of course
 it did4 ,i never saw her again without 
wanting to fight shy1 ,i was so sure of 

an allusion to turkeys4 ,no1 ,i took the
 first down train4 ,there are more      
pretty girls in ,new ,york1 twice over1 
than there are in ,centreville1 ,i      
console myself2 but1 by ,george6        
,polder1 ,kate ,stevens was             
charming6--,look out there6 don't meddle
 with the skipper's coils of rope6 can't
 you sleep on deck without a pillow8    
,,robin ,,hood4   ,there is no one of   
the royal heroes of ,england that enjoys
 a more enviable reputation than the    
bold outlaw of ,barnsdale and ,sherwood4
 ,his chance for a substantial          
immortality is at least as good as that 
of stout ,lion-,heart1 wild ,prince     
,hal1 or merry ,charles4 ,his fame began
 with the yeomanry full five hundred    
years ago1 was constantly increasing for
 two or three centuries1 has extended to
 all classes of society1 and1 with some 
changes of aspect1 is as great as ever4 
,bishops1 sheriffs1 and game-keepers1   
the only enemies he ever had1 have      
relinquished their ancient grudges1 and 

,englishmen would be almost as loath to 
surrender his exploits as any part of   
the national glory4 ,his free life in   
the woods1 his unerring eye and strong  
arm1 his open hand and love of fair     
play1 his never forgotten courtesy1 his 
respect for women and devotion to ,mary1
 form a picture eminently healthful and 
agreeable to the imagination1 and       
commend him to the hearty favor of all  
genial minds4  ,but securely established
 as ,robin ,hood is in popular esteem1  
his historical position is by no means  
well ascertained1 and his actual        
existence has been a subject of shrewd  
doubt and discussion4 ,a tale of ,robin 
,hood is an old proverb for the idlest  
of stories2 yet all the materials at our
 command for making up an opinion on    
these questions are precisely of this   
description4 ,they consist1 that is to  
say1 of a few ballads of unknown        
antiquity4 ,these ballads1 or others    
like them1 are clearly the authority    
upon which the statements of the earlier

 chroniclers who take notice of ,robin  
,hood are founded4 ,they are also1 to   
all appearance1 the original source of  
the numerous and wide-spread traditions 
concerning him2 which1 unless the       
contrary can be shown1 must be regarded1
 according to the almost universal rule 
in such cases1 as having been suggested 
by the very legends to which1 in the    
vulgar belief1 they afford an           
irresistible confirmation4  ,various    
periods1 ranging from the time of       
,richard the ,first to near the end of  
the reign of ,edward the ,second1 have  
been selected by different writers as   
the age of ,robin ,hood2 but 7excepting 
always the most ancient ballads1 which  
may possibly be placed within these     
limits7 no mention whatever is made of  
him in literature before the latter half
 of the reign of ,edward the ,third4    
,rhymes of ,robin ,hood are then spoken 
of by the author of ,piers ,ploughman   
7assigned to about #acfb7 as better     
known to idle fellows than pious songs1 

and from the manner of the allusion it  
is a just inference that such rhymes    
were at that time no novelties4 ,the    
next notice is in ,wyntown's ,scottish  
,chronicle1 written about #adbj1 where  
the following lines occur--without any  
connection1 and in the form of an       
entry--under the year #abhc3--          
,lytil ,jhon and ,robyne ,hude          
,wayth-men ware commendyd gude3     ,in 
,yngil-wode and ,barnysdale     ,thai   
oysyd all this tyme thare trawale4#a    
,at last we encounter ,robin ,hood in   
what may be called history2 first of all
 in a passage of the ,scotichronicon1   
often quoted1 and highly curious as     
containing the earliest theory upon this
 subject4 ,the ,scotichronicon was      
written partly by ,fordun1 canon of     
,aberdeen1 between #acgg and #achd1 and 
partly by his pupil ,bower1 abbot of    
,st4 ,columba1 about #adej4 ,fordun has 
the character of a man of judgment and  
research1 and any statement or opinion  
delivered by him would be entitled to   

respect4 ,of ,bower not so much can be  
said4 ,he largely interpolated the work 
of his master1 and sometimes with the   
absurdest fictions4#b ,among his        
interpolations1 and forming1 it is      
important to observe1 no part of the    
original text1 is a passage translated  
as follows4 ,it is inserted immediately 
after ,fordun's account of the defeat of
 ,simon de ,montfort1 and the           
punishments inflicted on his adherents4 
,at this time1 sc4 #abff1 from the      
number of those who had been deprived of
 their estates arose the celebrated     
bandit ,robert ,hood1 7with ,little     
,john and their accomplices17 whose     
achievements the foolish vulgar delight 
to celebrate in comedies and tragedies1 
while the ballads upon his adventures   
sung by the jesters and minstrels are   
preferred to all others4  ,some things  
to his honor are also related1 as       
appears from this4 ,once on a time1     
when1 having incurred the anger of the  
king and the prince1 he could hear mass 

nowhere but in ,barnsdale1 while he was 
devoutly occupied with the service1 7for
 this was his wont1 nor would he ever   
suffer it to be interrupted for the most
 pressing occasion17 he was surprised by
 a certain sheriff and officers of the  
king1 who had often troubled him before1
 in the secret place in the woods where 
he was engaged in worship as aforesaid4 
,some of his men1 who had taken the     
alarm1 came to him and begged him to fly
 with all speed4 ,this1 out of reverence
 for the host1 which he was then most   
devoutly adoring1 he positively refused 
to do4 ,but while the rest of his       
followers were trembling for their      
lives1 ,robert1 confiding in ,him whom  
he worshipped1 fell on his enemies with 
a few who chanced to be with him1 and   
easily got the better of them2 and      
having enriched himself with their      
plunder and ransom1 he was led from that
 time forth to hold ministers of the    
church and masses in greater veneration 
than ever1 mindful of the common saying1

 that       ',god hears the man who     
often hears the mass4'   ,in another    
place ,bower writes to the same effect3 
,in this year #abff the dispossessed    
barons of ,england and the royalists    
were engaged in fierce hostilities4     
,among the former1 ,roger ,mortimer     
occupied the ,welsh marches1 and ,john  
,daynil the ,isle of ,ely4 ,robert ,hood
 was now living in outlawry among the   
woodland copses and thickets4  ,mair1 a 
,scottish writer of the first quarter of
 the sixteenth century1 the next        
historian who takes cognizance of our   
hero1 and the only other that requires  
any attention1 has a passage which may  
be considered in connection with the    
foregoing4 ,in his ,historia ,majoris   
,britanniae he remarks1 under the reign 
of ,richard the ,first3 ,about this time
 #aahi-ii1 as ,i conjecture1 the        
notorious robbers1 ,robert ,hood of     
,england and ,little ,john1 lurked in   
the woods1 spoiling the goods only of   
rich men4 ,they slew nobody but those   

who attacked them1 or offered resistance
 in defence of their property4 ,robert  
maintained by his plunder a hundred     
archers1 so skilful in fight that four  
hundred brave men feared to attack them4
 ,he suffered no woman to be maltreated1
 and never robbed the poor1 but assisted
 them abundantly with the wealth which  
he took from abbots4  ,it appears1 then1
 that contemporaneous history is        
absolutely silent concerning ,robin     
,hood2 that1 excepting the casual       
allusion in ,piers ,ploughman1 he is    
first mentioned by a rhyming chronicler 
who wrote one hundred years after the   
latest date at which he can possibly be 
supposed to have lived1 and then by two 
prose chroniclers who wrote about one   
hundred and twenty-five years and two   
hundred years respectively after that   
date2 and it is further manifest that   
all three of these chroniclers had no   
other authority for their statements    
than traditional tales similar to those 
which have come down to our day4 ,when1 

therefore1 ,thierry1 relying upon these 
chronicles and kindred popular legends1 
unhesitatingly adopts the conjecture of 
,mair1 and describes ,robin ,hood as the
 hero of the ,saxon serfs1 the chief of 
a troop of ,saxon banditti1 that        
continued1 even to the reign of ,coeur  
de ,lion1 a determined resistance       
against the ,norman invaders1#c--;and   
when another able and plausible writer  
accepts and maintains1 with equal       
confidence1 the hypothesis of ,bower1   
and exhibits the renowned outlaw as an  
adherent of ,simon de ,montfort1 who1   
after the fatal battle of ,evesham1 kept
 up a vigorous guerilla warfare against 
the officers of the tyrant ,henry the   
,third1 and of his successor1#d we must 
regard these representations1 which were
 conjectural three or four centuries    
ago1 as conjectures still1 and even as  
arbitrary conjectures1 unless one or the
 other can be proved from the only      
authorities we have1 the ballads1 to    
have a peculiar intrinsic probability4  

,that neither of them possesses this    
intrinsic probability may easily be     
shown2 but first it will be advisable to
 notice another theory1 which is more   
plausibly founded on internal evidence1 
and claims to be confirmed by documents 
of unimpeachable validity4  ,this theory
 has been propounded by the ,rev4 ,john 
,hunter1 in one of his ,critical and    
,historical ,tracts4#e ,mr4 ,hunter     
admits that ,robin ,hood lives only as a
 hero of song2 that he is not found in  
authentic contemporary chronicles2 and  
that1 when we find him mentioned in     
history1 the information was derived    
from the ballads1 and is not independent
 of them or correlative with them4      
,while making these admissions1 he      
accords a considerable degree of        
credibility to the ballads1 and         
particularly to the ,lytell ,geste1 the 
last two fits of which he regards as    
giving a tolerably accurate account of  
real occurrences4  ,in this part of the 
story ,king ,edward is represented as   

coming to ,nottingham to take ,robin    
,hood4 ,he traverses ,lancashire and a  
part of ,yorkshire1 and finds his       
forests nearly stripped of their deer1  
but can get no trace of the author of   
these extensive depredations4 ,at last1 
by the advice of one of his foresters1  
assuming with several of his knights the
 dress of a monk1 he proceeds from      
,nottingham to ,sherwood1 and there soon
 encounters the object of his search4   
,he submits to plunder as a matter of   
course1 and then announces himself as a 
messenger sent to invite ,robin ,hood to
 the royal presence4 ,the outlaw        
receives this message with great        
respect4 ,there is no man in the world1 
he says1 whom he loves so much as his   
king4 ,the monk is invited to remain and
 dine2 and after the repast an          
exhibition of archery is ordered1 in    
which a bad shot is to be punished by a 
buffet from the hand of the chieftain4  
,robin1 having himself once failed of   
the mark1 requests the monk to          

administer the penalty4 ,he receives a  
staggering blow1 which rouses his       
suspicions1 recognizes the king on an   
attentive consideration of his          
countenance1 entreats grace for himself 
and his followers1 and is freely        
pardoned on condition that he and they  
shall enter into the king's service4 ,to
 this he agrees1 and for fifteen months 
resides at court4 ,at the end of this   
time he has lost all his followers but  
two1 and spent all his money1 and feels 
that he shall pine to death with sorrow 
in such a life4 ,he returns accordingly 
to the greenwood1 collects his old      
followers around him1 and for twenty-two
 years maintains his independence in    
defiance of the power of ,edward4       
,without asserting the literal verity of
 all the particulars of this narrative1 
,mr4 ,hunter attempts to show that it   
contains a substratum of fact4 ,edward  
the ,first1 he informs us1 was never in 
,lancashire after he became king2 and if
 ,edward the ,third was ever there at   

all1 it was not in the early years of   
his reign4 ,but ,edward the ,second did 
make one single progress in ,lancashire1
 and this in the year #acbc4 ,during    
this progress the king spent some time  
at ,nottingham1 and took particular note
 of the condition of his forests1 and   
among these of the forest of ,sherwood4 
,supposing now that the incidents       
detailed in the ,lytell ,geste really   
took place at this time1 ,robin ,hood   
must have entered into the royal service
 before the end of the year #acec4 ,it  
is a singular1 and in the opinion of    
,mr4 ,hunter a very pregnant            
coincidence1 that in certain ,exchequer 
documents1 containing accounts of       
expenses in the king's household1 the   
name of ,robyn ,hode 7or ,robert ,hood7 
is found several times1 beginning with  
the #bdth of ,march1 #acbd1 among the   
porters of the chamber of the king4 ,he 
received1 with ,simon ,hood and others1 
the wages of three pence a day4 ,in     
,august of the following year ,robin    

,hood suffers deduction from his pay for
 non-attendance1 his absences grow      
frequent1 and on the #bb;d of ,november 
he is discharged with a present of five 
shillings1 poar cas qil ne poait pluis  
travailler4#f  ,it remains still for    
,mr4 ,hunter to account for the         
existence of a band of seven score of   
outlaws in the reign of ,edward the     
,second1 in or about ,yorkshire4 ,the   
stormy and troublous reigns of the      
,plantagenets make this a matter of no  
difficulty4 ,running his finger down the
 long list of rebellions and commotions1
 he finds that early in #acbb ,england  
was convulsed by the insurrection of    
,thomas1 ,earl of ,lancaster1 the king's
 near relation1 supported by many       
powerful noblemen4 ,the ,earl's chief   
seat was the castle of ,pontefract1 in  
the ,west ,riding of ,yorkshire4 ,he is 
said to have been popular1 and it would 
be a fair inference that many of his    
troops were raised in this part of      
,england4 ,king ,edward easily got the  

better of the rebels1 and took exemplary
 vengeance upon them4 ,many of the      
leaders were at once put to death1 and  
the lives of all their partisans were in
 danger4 ,is it impossible1 then1 asks  
,mr4 ,hunter1 that some who had been in 
the army of the ,earl secreted          
themselves in the woods1 and turned     
their skill in archery against the      
king's subjects or the king's deer8 that
 these were the men who for so long a   
time haunted ,barnsdale and ,sherwood1  
and that ,robin ,hood was one of them1 a
 chief amongst them1 being really of a  
rank originally somewhat superior to the
 rest8  ,we have1 then1 three different 
hypotheses concerning ,robin ,hood3 one 
placing him in the reign of ,richard the
 ,first1 another in that of ,henry the  
,third1 and the last under ,edward the  
,second1 and all describing him as a    
political foe to the established        
government4 ,to all of these hypotheses 
there are two very obvious and decisive 
objections4 ,the first is1 that ,robin  

,hood1 as already remarked1 is not so   
much as named in contemporary history4  
,whether as the unsubdued leader of the 
,saxon peasantry1 or insurgent against  
the tyranny of ,henry or ,edward1 it is 
inconceivable that we should not hear   
something of him from the chroniclers4  
,if1 as ,thierry says1 he had chosen    
,hereward for his model1 it is          
unexplained and inexplicable why his    
historical fate has been so different   
from that of ,hereward4 ,the hero of the
 ,camp of ,refuge fills an ample place  
in the annals of his day2 his           
achievements are also handed down in a  
prose romance1 which presents many      
points of resemblance to the ballads of 
,robin ,hood4 ,it would have been no    
wonder1 if the vulgar legends about     
,hereward had utterly perished2 but it  
is altogether anomalous that a popular  
champion#g who attained so extraordinary
 a notoriety in song1 a man living from 
one hundred to two hundred and fifty    
years later than ,hereward1 should be   

passed over without one word of notice  
from any authoritative historian4#h     
,that this would not be so we are most  
fortunately able to demonstrate by      
reference to a real case which furnishes
 a singularly exact parallel to the     
present1--that of the famous outlaw1    
,adam ,gordon4 ,in the year #abfg1 says 
the continuator of ,matthew ,paris1 a   
soldier by the name of ,adam ,gordon1   
who had lost his estates with other     
adherents of ,simon de ,montfort1 and   
refused to seek the mercy of the king1  
established himself with others in like 
circumstances near a woody and tortuous 
road between the village of ,wilton and 
the castle of ,farnham1 from which      
position he made forays into the country
 round about1 directing his attacks     
especially against those who were of the
 king's party4 ,prince ,edward had heard
 much of the prowess and honorable      
character of this man1 and desired to   
have some personal knowledge of him4 ,he
 succeeded in surprising ,gordon with a 

superior force1 and engaged him in      
single combat1 forbidding any of his own
 followers to interfere4 ,they fought a 
long time1 and the prince was so filled 
with admiration of the courage and      
spirit of his antagonist1 that he       
promised him life and fortune on        
condition of his surrendering4 ,to these
 terms ,gordon acceded1 his estates were
 restored1 and ,edward found him ever   
after an attached and faithful          
servant4#i ,the story is romantic1 and  
yet ,adam ,gordon was not made the      
subject of ballads4 ,caruit vate sacro4 
,the contemporary historians1 however1  
all have a paragraph for him4 ,he is    
celebrated by ,wikes1 the ,chronicle of 
,dunstaple1 the ,waverley ,annals1 and  
we know not where else besides4  ,but   
these theories are open to an objection 
stronger even than the silence of       
history4 ,they are contradicted by the  
spirit of the ballads4 ,no line of these
 songs breathes political animosity4    
,there is no suggestion or reminiscence 

of wrong1 from invading ,norman1 or from
 the established sovereign4 ,on the     
contrary1 ,robin loved no man in the    
world so well as his king4 ,what the    
tone of these ballads would have been1  
had ,robin ,hood been any sort of       
partisan1 we may judge from the mournful
 and indignant strains which were poured
 out on the fall of ,de ,montfort4 ,we  
should have heard of the fatal field of 
,hastings1 of the perfidy of ,henry1 of 
the sanguinary revenge of ,edward1--and 
not of matches at archery and encounters
 at quarter-staff1 the plundering of    
rich abbots and squabbles with the      
sheriff4 ,the ,robin ,hood of our       
ballads is neither patriot under ban1   
nor proscribed rebel4 ,an outlaw indeed 
he is1 but an outlaw for venyson1 like  
,adam ,bell1 and one who superadds to   
deer-stealing the irregularity of a     
genteel highway-robbery4  ,thus much of 
these conjectures in general4 ,to recur 
to the particular evidence by which ,mr4
 ,hunter's theory is supported1 this    

consists principally in the name of     
,robin ,hood being found among the      
king's servants shortly after ,edward   
the ,second returned from his visit to  
the north of his dominions4 ,but the    
value of this coincidence depends       
entirely upon the rarity of the name4#aj
 ,now ,hood1 as ,mr4 ,hunter himself    
remarks1 is a well-established          
hereditary name in the reigns of the    
,edwards4 ,we find it very frequently in
 the indexes to the ,record             
,publications1 and this although it does
 not belong to the higher class of      
people4 ,that ,robert was an ordinary   
,christian name requires no proof2 and  
if it was1 the combination of ,robert   
,hood must have been frequent also4 ,we 
have taken no extraordinary pains to    
hunt up this combination1 for really the
 matter is altogether too trivial to    
justify the expense of time2 but since  
to some minds much may depend on the    
coincidence in question1 we will cite   
several ,robin ,hoods in the reigns of  

the ,edwards4  #bhth ,ed4 ,i4 ,robert   
,hood1 a citizen of ,london1 says ,mr4  
,hunter1 supplied the king's household  
with beer4  #cjth ,ed4 ,i4 ,robert ,hood
 is sued for three acres of pasture land
 in ,throckley1 ,northumberland4 7,rot4 
,orig4 ,abbrev47  #gth ,ed4 ,,ii4       
,robert ,hood is surety for a burgess   
returned for ,lostwithiel1 ,cornwall4   
7,parliamentary ,writs47  #ith ,ed4     
,,ii4 ,robert ,hood is a citizen of     
,wakefield1 ,yorkshire1 whom ,mr4       
,hunter 7p4 #dg7 may be justly charged  
with carrying supposition too far in    
striving to identify with ,robin the    
porter4  #ajth ,ed4 ,,iii4 ,a ,robert   
,hood1 of ,howden1 ,york1 is mentioned  
in the ,calendarium ,rot4 ,patent4      
,adding the ,robin ,hood of the #agth   
,ed4 ,,ii4 we have six persons of that  
name mentioned within a period of less  
than forty years1 and this circumstance 
does not dispose us to receive with     
great favor any argument that may be    
founded upon one individual case of its 

occurrence4 ,but there is no end to the 
absurdities which flow from this        
supposition4 ,we are to believe that the
 weak and timid prince1 that had        
severely punished his kinsman and his   
nobles1 freely pardoned a yeoman1 who1  
after serving with the rebels1 had for  
twenty months made free with the king's 
deer and robbed on the highway1--and not
 only pardoned him1 but received him    
into service near his person4 ,we are   
further to believe that the man who had 
led so daring and jovial a life1 and had
 so generously dispensed the pillage of 
opulent monks1 willingly entered into   
this service1 doffed his ,lincoln green 
for the ,plantagenet plush1 and         
consented to be enrolled among royal    
flunkies for three pence a day4 ,and    
again1 admitting all this1 we are       
finally obliged by ,mr4 ,hunter's       
document to concede that the stalworth  
archer 7who1 according to the ballad1   
maintained himself two-and-twenty years 
in the wood7 was worn out by his duties 

as proud porter in less than two years1 
and was discharged a superannuated      
lackey1 with five shillings in his      
pocket1 poar cas qil ne poait pluis     
travailler6  ,to those who are well     
acquainted with ancient popular poetry  
the adventure of ,king ,edward and      
,robin ,hood will seem the least        
eligible portion of this circle of story
 for the foundation of an historical    
theory4 ,the ballad of ,king ,edward and
 ,robin ,hood is but one version of an  
extremely multiform legend1 of which the
 tales of ,king ,edward and the         
,shepherd and ,king ,edward and the     
,hermit are other specimens2 and any one
 who will take the trouble to examine   
will be convinced that all these stories
 are one and the same thing1 the        
personages being varied for the sake of 
novelty1 and the name of a recent or of 
the reigning monarch substituted in     
successive ages for that of a           
predecessor4  ,rejecting1 then1 as      
nugatory1 every attempt to assign ,robin

 ,hood a definite position in history1  
what view shall we adopt8 ,are all these
 traditions absolute fictions1 and is he
 himself a pure creation of the         
imagination8 ,might not the ballads     
under consideration have a basis in the 
exploits of a real person1 living in the
 forests1 somewhere and at some time8   
,or1 denying individual existence to    
,robin ,hood1 and particular truth to   
the adventures ascribed to him1 may we  
not regard him as the ideal of the      
outlaw class1 a class so numerous in all
 the countries of ,europe in the ,middle
 ,ages8 ,we are perfectly contented to  
form no opinion upon the subject2 but if
 compelled to express one1 we should say
 that this last supposition 7which is no
 novelty7 possessed decidedly more      
likelihood than any other4 ,its         
plausibility will be confirmed by       
attending to the apparent signification 
of the name ,robin ,hood4 ,the natural  
refuge and stronghold of the outlaw was 
the woods4 ,hence he is termed by ,latin

 writers silvatious1 by the ,normans    
forestier4 ,the ,anglo-,saxon robber or 
highwayman is called a woodrover        
wealdgenga1 and the ,norse word for     
outlaw is exactly equivalent4#aa ,it has
 often been suggested that ,robin ,hood 
is a corruption1 or dialectic form1 of  
,robin of the ,wood2 and when we        
remember that wood is pronounced hood in
 some parts of ,england1#ab 7as whoop is
 pronounced hoop everywhere17 and that  
the outlaw bears in so many languages a 
name descriptive of his habitation1 this
 notion will not seem an idle fancy4    
,various circumstances1 however1 have   
disposed writers of learning to look    
farther for a solution of the question  
before us4 ,mr4 ,wright propounds an    
hypothesis that ,robin ,hood one among  
the personages of the early mythology of
 the ,teutonic peoples2 and a ,german   
scholar1#ac in an exceedingly           
interesting article which throws much   
light on the history of ,english sports1
 has endeavored to show specifically    

that he is in name and substance one    
with the god ,woden4 ,the arguments by  
which these views are supported1 though 
in their present shape very far from    
convincing1 are entitled to a respectful
 consideration4  ,the most important of 
these arguments are those which are     
based on the peculiar connection between
 ,robin ,hood and the month of ,may4    
,mr4 ,wright has justly remarked1 that  
either an express mention of this month1
 or a vivid description of the season1  
in the older ballads1 shows that the    
feats of the hero were generally        
performed during this part of the year4 
,thus1 the adventure of ,robin ,hood and
 the ,monk befell on a morning of ,may4 
,robin ,hood and the ,potter and ,robin 
,hood and ,guy of ,gisborne begin1 like 
,robin ,hood and the ,monk1 with a      
description of the season when leaves   
are long1 blossoms are shooting1 and the
 small birds are singing2 and this      
season1 though called summer1 is at the 
same time spoken of as ,may in ,robin   

,hood and the ,monk1 which1 from the    
description there given1 it needs must  
be4 ,the liberation of ,cloudesly by    
,adam ,bel and ,clym of the ,clough is  
also achieved on a merry morning of     
,may4  ,robin ,hood is1 moreover1       
intimately associated with the month of 
,may through the games which were       
celebrated at that time of the year4    
,the history of these games is          
unfortunately very defective1 and hardly
 extends farther back than the beginning
 of the sixteenth century4 ,by that time
 their primitive character seems to have
 been corrupted1 or at least their      
significance was so far forgotten1 that 
distinct pastimes and ceremonials were  
capriciously intermixed4 ,at the        
beginning of the sixteenth century the  
,may sports in vogue were1 besides a    
contest of archery1 four pageants1--the 
,kingham1 or election of a ,lord and    
,lady of the ,may1 otherwise called     
,summer ,king and ,queen1 the           
,morris-,dance1 the ,hobby-,horse1 and  

the ,robin ,hood4 ,though these pageants
 were diverse in their origin1 they had1
 at the epoch of which we write1 begun  
to be confounded2 and the ,morris       
exhibited a tendency to absorb and blend
 them all1 as1 from its character1 being
 a procession interspersed with dancing1
 it easily might do4 ,we shall hardly   
find the ,morris pure and simple in the 
,english ,may-game2 but from a          
comparison of the two earliest          
representations which we have of this   
sport1 the ,flemish print given by      
,douce in his ,illustrations of         
,shakspeare1 and ,tollett's celebrated  
painted window1 7described in ,johnson  
and ,steevens's ,shakspeare17 we may    
form an idea of what was essential and  
what adventitious in the ,english       
spectacle4 ,the ,lady is evidently the  
central personage in both4 ,she is1 we  
presume1 the same as the ,queen of ,may1
 who is the oldest of all the characters
 in the ,may games1 and the apparent    
successor to the ,goddess of ,spring in 

the ,roman ,floralia4 ,in the ,english  
,morris she is called simply ,the ,lady1
 or more frequently ,maid ,marian1 a    
name which1 to our apprehension1 means  
,lady of the ,may1 and nothing more4#ad 
,a fool and a taborer seem also to have 
been indispensable2 but the other       
dancers had neither names nor peculiar  
offices1 and were unlimited in number4  
,the ,morris1 then1 though it lost in   
allegorical significance1 would gain    
considerably in spirit and variety by   
combining with the other shows4 ,was it 
not natural1 therefore1 and in fact     
inevitable1 that the old favorites of   
the populace1 ,robin ,hood1 ,friar      
,tuck1 and ,little ,john1 should in the 
course of time displace three of the    
anonymous performers in the show8 ,this 
they had pretty effectually done at the 
beginning of the sixteenth century2 and 
the ,lady1 who had accepted the more    
precise designation of ,maid ,marian1   
was after that generally regarded as the
 consort of ,robin ,hood1 though she    

sometimes appeared in the ,morris       
without him4 ,in like manner1 the       
,hobby-,horse was quite early adopted   
into the ,morris1 of which it formed no 
original part1 and at last even a       
,dragon was annexed to the company4     
,under these circumstances we cannot be 
surprised to find the principal         
performers in the ,may pageants passing 
the one into the other1--to find the    
,may ,king1 whose occupation was gone   
when the gallant outlaw had supplanted  
him in the favor of the ,lady1 assuming 
the part of the ,hobby-,horse1#ae ,robin
 ,hood usurping the title of ,king of   
the ,may1#af and the ,hobby-,horse      
entering into a contest with the        
,dragon1 as ,st4 ,george4  ,we feel     
obliged to regard this interchange of   
functions among the characters in the   
,english ,may-pageants as fortuitous1   
notwithstanding the coincidence of the  
,may ,king sometimes appearing on       
horseback in ,germany1 and              
notwithstanding our conviction that     

,kuhn is right in maintaining that the  
,may ,king1 the ,hobby-,horse1 and the  
,dragon-,slayer are symbols of one      
mythical idea4 ,this idea we are        
compelled by want of space barely to    
state1 with the certainty of doing      
injustice to the learning and ingenuity 
with which the author has supported his 
views4 ,kuhn has shown it to be         
extremely probable1 first1 that the     
,christmas games1 which both in ,germany
 and ,england have a close resemblance  
to those of ,spring1 are to be          
considered as a prelude to the ,may     
sports1 and that they both originally   
symbolized the victory of ,summer over  
,winter1#ag which1 beginning at the     
winter solstice1 is completed in the    
second month of spring2 secondly1 that  
the conquering ,summer is represented by
 the ,may ,king1 or by the ,hobby-,horse
 7as also by the ,dragon-,slayer1       
whether ,st4 ,george1 ,siegfried1       
,apollo1 or the ,sanskrit ,indras72 and 
thirdly1 that the ,hobby-,horse in      

particular represents the god ,woden1   
who1 as well as ,mars #ah among the     
,romans1 is the god at once of ,spring  
and of ,victory4  ,the essential point1 
all this being admitted1 is now to      
establish the identity of ,robin ,hood  
and the ,hobby-,horse4 ,this we think we
 have shown cannot be done by reasoning 
founded on the early history of the     
games under consideration4 ,kuhn relies 
principally upon two modern accounts of 
,christmas pageants4 ,in one of these   
pageants there is introduced a man on   
horseback1 who carries in his hands a   
bow and arrows4 ,the other furnishes    
nothing peculiar except a name3 the     
ceremony is called a hoodening1 and the 
hobby-horse a hooden4 ,in the rider with
 bow and arrows ,kuhn sees ,robin ,hood 
and the ,hobby-,horse1 and in the name  
hooden 7which is explained by the       
authority he quotes to mean wooden7 he  
discovers a provincial form of wooden1  
which connects the outlaw and the       
divinity4#ai ,it will be generally      

agreed that these slender premises are  
totally inadequate to support the       
weighty conclusion that is rested upon  
them4  ,why the adventures of ,robin    
,hood should be specially assigned1 as  
they are in the old ballads1 to the     
month of ,may1 remains unexplained4 ,we 
have no exquisite reason to offer1 but  
we may perhaps find reason good enough  
in the delicious stanzas with which some
 of these ballads begin4       ,in      
summer when the shawes be sheen1        
,and leaves be large and long1      ,it 
is full merry in fair forest        ,to 
hear the fowles song2      ,to see the  
deer draw to the dale1        ,and leave
 the hilles hee1      ,and shadow them  
in the leaves green        ,under the   
green-wood tree4   ,the poetical        
character of the season affords all the 
explanation that is required4  ,nor need
 the occurrence of exhibitions of       
archery and of the ,robin ,hood plays   
and pageants1 at this time of the year1 
occasion any difficulty4 ,repeated      

statutes1 from the thirteenth to the    
sixteenth century1 enjoined practice    
with the bow1 and ordered that the      
leisure time of holidays should be      
employed for this purpose4 ,under ,henry
 the ,eighth the custom was still kept  
up1 and those who partook in this       
exercise often gave it a spirit by      
assuming the style and character of     
,robin ,hood and his associates4 ,in    
like manner the society of archers in   
,elizabeth's time took the name of      
,arthur and his ,knights2 all which was 
very natural then1 and would be now4    
,none of all the merrymakings in merry  
,england surpassed the ,may festival4   
,the return of the sun stimulated the   
populace to the accumulation of all     
sorts of amusements4 ,in addition to the
 traditional and appropriate sports of  
the season1 there were1 as ,stowe tells 
us1 divers warlike shows1 with good     
archers1 morris-dancers1 and other      
devices for pastime all day long1 and   
towards evening stage-plays and bonfires

 in the streets4 ,a ,play of ,robin     
,hood was considered very proper for a  
,may-game2 but if ,robin ,hood was      
peculiarly prominent in these           
entertainments1 the obvious reason would
 appear to be that he was the hero of   
that loved green-wood to which all the  
world resorted1 when the cold           
obstruction of winter was broken up1 to 
do observance for a morn of ,may4  ,we  
do not1 therefore1 attribute much value 
to the theory of ,mr4 ,wright1 that the 
,may festival was1 in its earliest form1
 a religious celebration1 though1 like  
such festivals in general1 it possessed 
a double character1 that of a religious 
ceremony1 and of an opportunity for the 
performance of warlike games2 that1 at  
such festivals1 the songs would take the
 character of the amusements on the     
occasion1 and would most likely         
celebrate warlike deeds1--perhaps the   
myths of the patron whom superstition   
supposed to preside over them2 that1 as 
the character of the exercises changed1 

the attributes of the patron would      
change also1 and he who was once        
celebrated as working wonders with his  
good axe or his elf-made sword might    
afterwards assume the character of a    
skilful bowman2 that the scene of his   
actions would likewise change1 and the  
person whose weapons were the bane of   
dragons and giants1 who sought them in  
the wildernesses they infested1 might   
become the enemy only of the sheriff and
 his officers1 under the 'grene-wode    
lefe4'  ,it is unnecessary to point out 
that the language we have quoted        
contains1 beyond the statement that     
warlike exercises were anciently        
combined with religious rites1 a very   
slightly founded surmise1 and nothing   
more4  ,another circumstance1 which     
weighs much with ,mr4 ,wright1 goes but 
a very little way with us in            
demonstrating the mythological character
 of ,robin ,hood4 ,this is the frequency
 with which his name is attached to     
mounds1 wells1 and stones1 such as in   

the popular creed are connected with    
fairies1 dwarfs1 or giants4 ,there is   
scarcely a county in ,england which does
 not possess some monument of this      
description4 ,cairns on ,blackdown in   
,somersetshire1 and barrows near to     
,whitby in ,yorkshire and ,ludlow in    
,shropshire1 are termed ,robin ,hood's  
pricks or butts2 lofty natural eminences
 in ,gloucestershire and ,derbyshire are
 ,robin ,hood's hills2 a huge rock near 
,matlock is ,robin ,hood's ,tor2 ancient
 boundary-stones1 as in ,lincolnshire1  
are ,robin ,hood's crosses2 a presumed  
loggan1 or rocking-stone1 in ,yorkshire1
 is ,robin ,hood's penny-stone2 a       
fountain near ,nottingham1 another      
between ,doncaster and ,wakefield1 and  
one in ,lancashire1 are ,robin ,hood's  
wells2 a cave in ,nottinghamshire is his
 stable2 a rude natural rock in ,hope   
,dale is his chair2 a chasm at          
,chatsworth is his leap2 ,blackstone    
,edge1 in ,lancashire1 is his bed4#bj   
,in fact1 his name bids fair to overrun 

every remarkable object of the sort     
which has not been already appropriated 
to ,king ,arthur or the ,devil2 with the
 latter of whom1 at least1 it is        
presumed1 that1 however ancient1 he will
 not dispute precedence4  ,the legends  
of the peasantry1 quoth ,mr4 ,wright1   
are the shadows of a very remote        
antiquity4 ,this proposition1 thus      
broadly stated1 we deny4 ,nothing is    
more deceptive than popular legends2 and
 the legends we speak of1 if they are to
 bear that name1 have no claim to       
antiquity at all4 ,they do not go beyond
 the ballads4 ,they are palpably of     
subsequent and comparatively recent     
origin4 ,it was absolutely impossible   
that they should arise while ,robin     
,hood was a living reality to the       
people4 ,the archer of ,sherwood who    
could barely stand ,king ,edward's      
buffet1 and was felled by the ,potter1  
was no man to be playing with           
rocking-stones4 ,this trick of naming   
must have begun in the decline of his   

fame2 for there was a time when his     
popularity drooped1 and his existence   
was just not doubted1--not elaborately  
maintained by learned historians1 and   
antiquarians deeply read in the ,public 
,records4 ,and what do these names      
prove8 ,the vulgar passion for bestowing
 them is notorious and universal4 ,we   
,americans are too young to be well     
provided with heroes that might serve   
this purpose4 ,we have no imaginative   
peasantry to invent legends1 no ignorant
 peasantry to believe them4 ,but we have
 the good fortune to possess the ,devil 
in common with the rest of the world2   
and we take it upon us to say1 that     
there is not a mountain district in the 
land1 which has been opened to summer   
travellers1 where a ,devil's ,bridge1 a 
,devil's ,punch-bowl1 or some object    
with the like designation1 will not be  
pointed out4#ba  ,we have taken no      
notice of the later fortunes of ,robin  
,hood in his true and original character
 of a hero of romance4 ,towards the end 

of the sixteenth century ,anthony       
,munday attempted to revive the decaying
 popularity of this king of good        
fellows1 who had won all his honors as a
 simple yeoman1 by representing him in  
the play of ,the ,downfall of ,robert1  
,earl of ,huntington as a nobleman in   
disguise1 outlawed by the machinations  
of his steward4 ,this pleasing and      
successful drama is ,robin's sole patent
 to that title of ,earl of ,huntington1 
in confirmation of which ,dr4 ,stukeley 
fabricated a pedigree that transcends   
even the absurdities of heraldry1 and   
some unknown forger an epitaph beneath  
the skill of a ,chatterton4 ,those who  
desire a full acquaintance with the     
fabulous history of ,robin ,hood will   
seek it in the well-known volumes of    
,ritson1 or in those of his recent      
editor1 ,gutch1 who does not make up by 
superior discrimination for his         
inferiority in other respects to that   
industrious antiquary4   ,footnote #a3  
,a writer in the ,edinburgh ,review     

7,july1 #ahdg1 p4 #acd7 has cited an    
allusion to ,robin ,hood1 of a date     
intermediate between the passages from  
,wyntown and the one about to be cited  
from ,bower4 ,in the year #adci1 a      
petition was presented to ,parliament   
against one ,piers ,venables of ,aston1 
in ,derbyshire1 who having no liflode1  
ne sufficeante of goodes1 gadered and   
assembled unto him many misdoers1 beynge
 of his clothynge1 and1 in manere of    
insurrection1 wente into the wodes in   
that countrie1 like as it hadde be      
,robyn ,hude and his meyne4--,rot4      
,parl4 v4 #af4  ,footnote #b3 ,legendis 
non raro incredilibibus aliisque        
plusquam anilibus neniis4--,hearne1     
,scotichronicon1 p4 xxix4  ,footnote #c3
 ,in his ,histoire de la ,conquete de   
l',angleterre par les ,normands1 livr4  
xi4 ,thierry was anticipated in his     
theory by ,barry1 in a dissertation     
cited by ,mr4 ,wright in his ,essays3   
,these de ,litterature sur les          
,vicissitudes et les ,transformations du

 ,cycle populaire de ,robin ,hood4      
,paris1 #ahcb4  ,footnote #d3 ,london1  
and ,westminster ,review1 vol4 xxxiii4  
p4 #dbd4  ,footnote #e3 ,no #d4 ,the    
,ballad ,hero1 ,robin ,hood4 ,june1     
#aheb4  ,footnote #f3 ,hunter1 pp4 #bh1 
#ce-ch  ,footnote #g3 ,mr4 ,hunter      
thinks it necessary to prove that it was
 formerly a usage in ,england to        
celebrate real events in popular song4  
,we submit that it has been still more  
customary to celebrate them in history1 
when they were of public importance4    
,the case of private and domestic       
stories is different4  ,footnote #h3    
,most remarkable of all would this be1  
should we adopt the views of ,mr4       
,hunter1 because we know1 from the      
incidental testimony of ,piers          
,ploughman1 that only forty years after 
the date fixed upon for the outlaw's    
submission rhymes of ,robin ,hood were  
in the mouth of every tavern lounger2   
and yet no chronicler can spare him a   
word4  ,footnote #i3 ,matthew ,paris1   

,london1 #afdj1 p4 #ajjb  ,footnote #aj3
 ,mr4 ,hunter had previously instituted 
a similar argument in the case of ,adam 
,bell1 and doubtless the reasoning might
 be extended to ,will ,scathlock and    
,little ,john4 ,with a little more      
rummaging of old account-books we shall 
be enabled to comprehend all vagrom men4
 ,it is a pity that the ,sheriff of     
,nottingham could not have availed      
himself of the services of our          
detective4  ,footnote #aa3 ,see         
,wright's ,essays1 ii4 #bjg4 ,the name  
of ,witikind1 the famous opponent of    
,charlemagne1 who always fled before his
 sight1 concealed himself in the        
forests1 and returned again in his      
absence1 is no more than uitu chint1 in 
,old ,high ,dutch1 and signifies the son
 of the wood1 an appellation which he   
could never have received at his birth1 
since it denotes an exile or outlaw4    
,indeed1 the name ,witikind1 though such
 a person seems to have existed1 appears
 to be the representative of all the    

defenders of his country against the    
invaders4  ,footnote #ab3 ,thus1 in     
,kent1 the ,hobby-,horse is called      
hooden1 i4e4 wooden4 ,it is curious that
 ,orlando1 in ,as ,you ,like ,it1 7who  
represents the outlaw ,gamelyn in the   
,tale of ,gamelyn1 a tale which clearly 
belongs to the cycle of ,robin ,hood17  
should be the son of ,sir ,rowland de   
,bois4 ,robin de ,bois 7says a writer in
 ,notes and ,queries1 vi4 #eig7 occurs  
in one of ,sue's novels as a well-known 
mythical character1 whose name is       
employed by ,french mothers to frighten 
their children4  ,footnote #ac3 ,kuhn1  
in ,haupt's ,zeitschrift fuer deutsches 
,alterthum1 v4 #dgb4 ,the idea of a     
northern myth will of course excite the 
alarm of all sensible1 patriotic        
,englishmen1 7e4g4 ,mr4 ,hunter1 at page
 #c of his tract17 and the bare         
suggestion of ,woden will be received1  
in the same quarters1 with an explosion 
of scorn4 ,and yet we find the famous   
shot of ,elgill1 one of the mythical    

personages of the ,scandinavians1 7and  
perhaps to be regarded as one of the    
forms of ,woden17 attributed in the     
ballad of ,adam ,bel to ,william of     
,cloudesly1 who may be considered as    
,robin ,hood under another name4        
,footnote3 #ad4 ,unless importance is to
 be attached to the consideration that  
,may is the ,virgin's month4  ,footnote 
#ae3 ,as in ,tollett's window4          
,footnote #af3 ,in ,lord ,hailes's      
,extracts from the ,book of the         
,universal ,kirk4  ,footnote #ag3 ,more 
openly exhibited in the mock battle     
between ,summer and ,winter celebrated  
by the ,scandinavians in honor of ,may1 
a custom still retained in the ,isle of 
,man1 where the month is every year     
ushered in with a contest between the   
,queen of ,summer and the ,queen of     
,winter4 7,brand's ,antiquities1 by     
,ellis1 i4 #bbb1 #beg47 ,a similar      
ceremony in ,germany1 occurring at      
,christmas1 is noticed by ,kuhn1 p4     
#dgh4  ,footnote #ah3 ,hence the spring 

begins with ,march4 ,the connection with
 ,mars suggests a possible etymology for
 the ,morris1--which is usually         
explained1 for want of something better1
 as a ,morisco or ,moorish dance4 ,there
 is some resemblance between the ,morris
 and the ,salic dance4 ,the ,salic games
 are said to have been instituted by the
 ,veian king ,morrius1 a name pointing  
to ,mars1 the divinity of the           
,salli4--,kuhn1 #dhh-dic4  ,footnote    
#ai3 ,the name ,robin also appears to   
,kuhn worthy of notice1 since the       
horseman in the ,may pageant is in some 
parts of ,germany called ,ruprecht      
7,rupert1 ,robert74  ,footnote #bj3     
,edinburgh ,review1 vol4 #hf1 p4 #abc4  
,footnote #ba3 ,see some sensible       
remarks in the ,gentleman's ,magazine   
for ,march1 #agic1 by ,d4 ,h41 that is1 
says the courteous ,ritson1 by ,gough1  
the scurrilous and malignant editor of  
that degraded publication4     ,,the    
,,ghost ,,redivivus4   ,one of those    
violent1 though shortlived storms1 which

 occasionally rage in southern climates1
 had blown all night in the neighborhood
 of the little town of ,san ,cipriano1  
situated in a wild valley of the        
,apennines opening towards the sea4     
,under the olive-woods that cover those 
steep hills lay the olive-berries       
strewed thick and wide2 here and there a
 branch heavy-laden with half-ripe      
fruit1 torn by the blast from its parent
 tree1 stretched its prostrate length   
upon the ground4 ,an abundant premature 
harvest had fallen1 but at present there
 were no means of collecting it2 for the
 deluging rains of the night had soaked 
the ground1 the grass1 the dead leaves1 
the fruit itself1 and the rain was still
 falling heavily4 ,if gathered in that  
state1 the olives are sure to rot4      
,pazienza6 in such disasters exclaim the
 inhabitants of the ,riviera1 with a    
melancholy shrug of the shoulders4 ,and 
they needs must have patience until the 
weather clears and the ground dries1    
before they can secure such of the      

olives as may happily be uninjured4  ,on
 the day we speak of1 the #bast of      
,december1 #aheb1 the proprietors of    
olive-grounds in ,san ,cipriano wore    
very blank faces2 they talked sadly of  
the falling prices of the fruit and oil1
 and the olive-pickers crossed their    
hands and looked vacantly at the gray   
sky4  ,in the spacious kitchen of       
,doctor ,morani were assembled a body of
 young rosy lasses in laced bodices1 and
 short1 bright-colored petticoats1 come 
down from the neighboring mountains for 
the olive-gathering1 much as ,irish     
laborers cross over to ,england for the 
hay-making season4 ,these girls arrive  
in troops from their native villages    
among the hills1 carrying on their heads
 a sackful of the flour of dried beans  
and a lesser quantity of dried          
chestnuts4 ,they offer their services to
 the inhabitants of the valley at the   
rate of four pence ,english a day2 about
 three pence less than the sum demanded 
by the women of the place4 ,but the     

pretty mountaineers ask1 in addition to 
their modest wages1 a shelter for the   
night1 a little straw or hay for their  
beds1 and a small daily portion of oil  
and salt to season the bean-flour and   
chestnuts1 which constitute their sole  
food4 ,they are then perfectly          
contented4  ,the old ,doctor had hired  
several of these damsels to assist in   
getting in his olive crop1 with the     
customary additional compact to spin    
some of the unwrought flax of the       
household when bad weather prevented    
their out-of-door work1 as well as      
regularly in the evening between early  
dusk and bed-time4 ,happy those to whose
 lot it fell to be employed by ,dr4     
,morani6 ,besides not beating down their
 wages to the utmost1 it was the        
,doctor's wont1 out of the exuberance of
 a warm-hearted1 joyous nature1         
unchilled even by his sixty winters1 to 
give to his serving men and maidens not 
only kind words and encouraging looks1  
but also what made him perhaps still    

more popular1 humorous jokes and droll  
stories4  ,the ,doctor1 indeed1         
concealed something of the philosopher  
under the garb of a wag4 ,his quaint    
sayings and doings were frequently      
quoted with great relish among this     
rural population4 ,he had a way of his  
own of shooting facts and truths into   
the uncultivated understandings of these
 laborers1--facts and truths that never 
otherwise could have penetrated so far2 
he feathered his philosophical or moral 
arrows with a jest1 and they stuck fast4
  ,signora ,martina1 his wife1 was a    
good soul1 and1 though a strict         
housewife1 was yet not so thrifty but   
that she could allow a little of her    
abundance to overflow on those in her   
service2 and these crumbs from her table
 added many delicious bits to the       
bean-flour repasts4 ,so1 as we have     
said1 happy the mountain girls taken    
into ,dr4 ,morani's service6 ,but       
specially blest among the blest this    
year were two sisters1 to whom was      

allotted a bed1 a real bed1 to sleep    
upon6 ,how came they to be furnished    
with such a luxury8 ,why1 this season   
the ,doctor had hired more than the     
usual number of pickers4 ,the           
outbuilding given them to sleep in was  
thus too small to accommodate all1 so   
two were taken into the house1 and a    
diminutive closet1 generally used by the
 family as a bath-room1 was turned into 
a bed-room for the lucky couple4 ,now   
for a description of the bed4 ,over the 
bath was placed an ironing-board1 and   
upon this a mattress quite as narrow1   
almost as hard1 and far less smooth than
 the narrow plank on which it lay4 ,the 
width of the bed was just sufficient to 
admit the two sisters1 packed close1    
each lying on her side4 ,as to turning1 
that was simply out of the question2 but
 poor labor in sweet slumber lock'd lay 
from night till morning without once    
dreaming of change of position4         
,signora ,martina1 the first day or two1
 expressed some fear lest they might not

 rest well2 but both girls averred they 
never in their lives had known so       
luxurious a bed1--and never should      
again1 unless their good fortune brought
 them back another year to enjoy this   
sybarite couch at ,dr4 ,morani's4       
,though irrelevant to our story1 this   
short digression may serve to illustrate
 the ,arcadian simplicity of habits     
prevailing in these mountainous         
districts1 and affords one more         
illustration of the axiom1 not more     
trite than true1 that human enjoyment   
and luxury are all comparative4  ,well6 
the wet afternoon was wearing on1       
beguiled by the young girls as best it  
might be1 with the spindle and distaff1 
and incessant chatter and laugh1 save   
when they joined their voices in some   
popular chant4 ,signora ,martina was    
delivering fresh flax to the spinners2  
,marietta1 the maid1 was busy about the 
fire1 in provident forethought for      
supper2 and ,beppo1 a barefooted1       
weather-beaten individual1 was bringing 

in the wood he had been sawing this     
rainy day1 which interfered with his    
more usual business at that season4 ,for
 ,beppo was one of the men whose task it
 was to climb the olive-trees and shake 
down the olives for the women gathering 
below4 ,he was distinguished among many 
as a skilful and valiant climber2 nor   
had his laurels been earned without     
perils and wounds4 ,occasionally he     
fell1 and occasionally broke a bone or  
two1--episodes that had their           
compensation4 ,beppo1 then1 on this     
particular rainy afternoon1 came in with
 a flat basket full of newly cut wood on
 his head1 respectfully saluted the     
,padrona1 and1 after throwing down his  
load in a corner of the kitchen1        
leisurely turned his basket topsy-turvy1
 seated himself upon it1 and prepared to
 take his part in the general           
conversation4  ,at this moment the      
,doctor himself entered1 his cloak and  
hat dripping4  ,heugh6 heugh6 he        
exclaimed1 in a voice of disgust1 as his

 wife helped him out of his covering2   
what weather6  ,he went towards the     
fire1 and spread out his hands to catch 
the heat of the glowing embers1 on which
 sat a saucepan4 ,horrid weather6 ,the  
wind played the very mischief with us   
last night6  ,many branches broken1     
,padrone8  asked ,beppo1 eagerly4       
,branches1 eh8 ,aye1 aye2 saw away2 burn
 away2 don't be afraid of a supply      
failing1 said the ,doctor1 dryly4  ,oh1 
,santa ,maria6 sighed ,signora ,martina1
 in sad presentiment4  ,plenty of       
firewood1 my dear soul1 for two years1  
went on the ,doctor4 ,the big tree near 
the pigeon-house is head down1 root up1 
torn1 smashed1 prostrate1 while         
good-for-nothing saplings are standing4 
,oh ,lord6 such a tree6 that never      
failed1 bad year or good year1 to give  
us a sack of olives1 and often more6    
cried ,signora ,martina1 piteously4     
,more than three generations old it was6
 ,and she began actually to weep4 ,oil  
selling for nothing1 and the tree1 the  

best of trees1 to be blown down6  ,take 
care1 said the ,doctor1 take care of    
repining6 ,little misfortunes are like a
 rash1 which carries off bad humors from
 a too robust body4 ,suppose the storm  
had laid my head low1 and turned up my  
toes2 what then1 eh1 little girls8      
turning to the group of young creatures 
standing with their eyes very wide open 
at the recital of the misdeeds of the   
turbulent wind1 and now as suddenly off 
into a laugh at the image of the        
,doctor's decease so represented4 ,ah6  
you giggling set6 ,happy you that have  
no branches to be broken1 and no        
olive-pickers to pay6 ,per ,bacco6 you  
are well off1 if you only knew it6  ,he 
walked over to where his weeping wife   
sat1 laid his hand on her head1 and     
stooping1 kissed her brow4 ,the girls   
laughed again4  ,be quiet1 all of you6  
,do you think that only smooth brows and
 bright cheeks ought to be kissed8 ,be  
good loving wives1 and ,i promise you   
your husbands will be blind to your     

wrinkles4 ,i could not be happy without 
the sight of this well-known face2 it is
 the record of happiness for me4 ,i wish
 you all our luck1 my dears6  ,all      
simpered or laughed1 and ,martina's brow
 smoothed4  ,now ,i see that ,i can     
still make you smile at misfortune1     
continued the ,doctor1 ,i will tell you 
something comforting4 ,as ,i came along1
 ,i met ,paolo1 the olive-merchant1 who 
offered me a franc more a sack than he  
did to any one else1 because he knows   
our olives are of a superior quality4   
,signora ,martina smiled rather a grim  
smile at this compliment to her olives4 
,but ,i told him1 went on ,doctor       
,morani1 with a certain look of pride1  
that we were not going to sell2 we      
intended to make oil for ourselves4 ,and
 so we will1 ,martina1 with the olives  
that have been blown down1 hoping the   
best for those still on the trees4 ,now 
let us talk of something more pleasant4 
,pasqualina1 suppose you tell us a      
story2 you are our best hand1 ,i        

believe4  ,i am sure1 ,signor ,dottore1 
,i have nothing worth your listening to1
 answered ,pasqualina1 blushing4  ,tell 
us about the ghost your uncle saw1      
suggested another of the girls4  ,a     
ghost6 cried the ,doctor4 ,any one here 
seen a ghost8 ,i wish ,i could have such
 a chance6 ,what was it like8  ,i did   
not see it myself2 ,i do but believe    
what my uncle told me1 said ,pasqualina1
 with a gravity that had a shade of     
resentment4  ,if one is only to speak of
 what one has seen1 urged the prompter  
of the uncle's ghost-story1 tell the    
,padrone of the witch that bewitched    
your sister4  ,ah6 and so we have       
witches too8  groaned the ,doctor4  ,as 
to that1 resumed ,pasqualina1 with a    
dignified look1 ,i can't help believing 
my own eyes1 and those of all the people
 of our village4  ,well1 exclaimed      
,doctor ,morani1 let us hear all about  
the witch4  ,you know1 all of you1 said 
,pasqualina1 what bad fits my sister    
had1 and how she was cured by the       

miraculous ,madonna del ,laghetto4 ,so  
my sister had no more fits1 till        
,madalena1 a spiteful old woman1 and    
whom everybody in the village knows to  
be a witch1 mumbled some of her spells  
and----  ,hallo6 cried the ,doctor1 do  
you mean that witches have more power   
than the ,madonna8  ,oh6 ,signor        
,dottore1 you put things so strangely6  
just listen to the truth4 ,so this old  
woman came and mumbled some of her      
spells1 and then my poor sister fell    
down again1 and has since had fits as   
bad as ever4 ,but my father and brother 
were not going to take it so easily1 and
 they beat the bad old witch till she   
couldn't move1 and had to be carried to 
the hospital4 ,i hope she may die1 with 
all my heart ,i do6  ,you had better    
hope she will get well1 observed the    
,doctor1 coolly2 for if she should      
happen to die1 my good ,pasqualina1 it  
would be very possible that your father 
and brother might be sent to the        
galleys4  ,here ,pasqualina set up a    

howl4  ,do not afflict yourself just    
now1 resumed ,doctor ,morani2 for1 with 
all their good-will1 they have not quite
 killed the woman4 ,i saw her myself at 
the hospital2 she is getting better1 and
 when cured1 ,i shall take care that she
 does not return among such a set of    
savages as flourish in your village1    
,signorina ,pasqualina4 ,excuse my      
boldness1--and the ,doctor took off his 
skull-cap1 in playful obeisance to the  
young girl1--only advise your family    
another time to be less ready with their
 hands and their belief in every species
 of absurdity4 ,did not ,father ,tommaso
 tell you but yesterday1 that it was not
 right to believe in ghosts or witches1 
save and except the peculiar one or two 
it is his business to know about1 and   
who lived some thousand years ago8      
,there have been none since1 believe me4
  ,strange things do happen1 however1   
observed ,signora ,martina1             
thoughtfully1--things that neither      
priest nor lawyer can explain4 ,what was

 that thing which appeared1 twenty years
 ago1 on the tower of ,san ,ciprano8    
,the ,signora's voice sent a shudder    
through all the women present4  ,a      
trick1 and a stupid trick1 persisted her
 husband4  ,not at all a trick1 ,doctor1
 said ,martina1 shaking her head4  ,did 
you see it yourself1 ,martina8  ,no2 but
 ,i saw those who did with their own two
 blessed eyes4  ,the ,padrona is quite  
right1 said ,beppo1 without leaving his 
basket4 ,i1 for one1 saw it4  ,this     
assertion produced such a hubbub as sent
 the ,doctor growling from the room1 and
 left ,signora ,martina at liberty to   
comply with the general petition for the
 story4  ,it was twenty-five years last 
,easter since ,hans ,reuter came to ,san
 ,cipriano with ,carlo ,boschi1 the son 
of old ,pietro1 of our town4 ,carlo had 
gone away three years before to seek his
 fortune4 ,he went to ,switzerland1 it  
seems1 a distant country beyond the     
mountains1 where the language is        
different from ours1 and where it is    

said--7here ,martina lowered her        
voice7--the people do not follow our    
holy religion1 and are called1          
therefore1 ,protestants and heretics4   
,they are industrious1 notwithstanding1 
and clever in certain arts and          
manufactures1 and it was from some of   
them that ,carlo learned the watchmaking
 trade4 ,after staying away three years1
 one fine day he came back1 bringing    
with him one of these ,swiss1 ,hans     
,reuter2 and the two1 being great       
friends1 set up a shop together1 where  
they made and sold watches and jewelry4 
,there was not business enough in ,san  
,cipriano to maintain them1 but they    
made it out by selling at wholesale in  
the neighboring towns4  ,for years all  
went smoothly with the partners1 and    
their good luck began to be wondered at1
 when one morning their shop was not    
open at the usual hour4 ,what was the   
matter8 what had happened8 there was    
,carlo ,boschi knocking and shouting to 
,hans1 and all in vain4 ,i must tell you

 that ,carlo lived elsewhere1 and ,hans 
had the care of the premises at night1  
sleeping in a little room at the back of
 the shop4 ,the neighbors went out and  
advised ,carlo to force the door4 ,very 
well4 ,when they got in1 they found     
,hans bound hand and foot1 and so       
closely gagged that he was almost       
stifled4 ,as soon as he could speak1 he 
said that just after he had shut up the 
previous evening1 there was a knock at  
the door4 ,he had scarcely opened it1   
when he was seized by two ruffians with 
blackened faces1 who threw him down1    
gagged and tied him1 and then coolly    
proceeded to ransack every place1 packed
 up every bit of jewelry1 every watch1  
and every piece of money1 and then      
decamped with their booty1 locking the  
door on the outside4 ,the robbery took  
place on the third and last day of the  
,easter ,fair1 exactly when there was   
the greatest noise and bustle from the  
breaking up of booths1 such an uproar of
 singing1 brawling1 and rolling of      

carts1 and such a stream of people going
 in every direction1 as made it easy for
 the thieves to escape detection4 ,the  
police took a great many depositions1   
and made a great fuss2 but there the    
matter ended4  ,to say the truth1 it was
 like looking for a bird in a forest1   
considering the number of strangers who 
had attended the fair2 besides1 the     
police1 you know1 at that time1 were too
 busy dogging and hunting down ,liberals
 to care for tracking only thieves4     
,that1 however1 is no business of mine  
or yours2 and perhaps it would have done
 no good to poor ,hans1 even if the     
criminals had been discovered4 ,he had  
got a great shock2 he could not recover 
his spirits4 ,every one felt for him1   
because he was a kind1 sociable man1 as 
well as industrious2 the only fault he  
had was being a ,protestant4 ,what that 
was no one exactly knew2 but it was a   
great sin and a great pity1 it seems4   
,sure it is that ,hans never went to    
confession1 or to the communion4        

,however1 as time passed and brought no 
tidings of the robbers1 the poor man    
grew more thin and careworn every day4  
,he would talk for hours about          
,switzerland1 about his own village1 his
 father's house1 his parents and        
relations4 ,he had left them so         
thoughtlessly1 he said1 he had scarcely 
felt a regret2 yet now a yearning grew  
within him to look once more upon those 
dear faces1 and the verdant mountains of
 his country1--upon its cool1 rushing   
streams1 wide1 green pastures1 and the  
cows that grazed on them4 ,he used to   
tell us1 that1 when he was alone1 he    
heard their bells in the distance1 and  
they seemed to call him home4 ,my       
husband did not like all this1 and said 
,hans ought to go at once1 or it would  
be too late4 ,but ,hans delayed and     
delayed1 in the hope of recovering some 
of his stolen property1 till one day he 
was taken very ill and had to be carried
 to the hospital4 ,the ,doctor attended 
him two or three times every day1 and on

 the third was summoned in a great      
hurry4 ,morani went and had a long      
conversation with the poor dying fellow1
 and then ,padre ,michele of the        
,capuchin ,convent was sent for4 ,it was
 some time before the good monk could be
 found1 and then it took still longer1  
he being old and very infirm1 before he 
could get to the hospital4 ,when he did1
 it was too late2 poor ,hans was dead4  
,this was a sad business2 for1 if the   
,padre had come in time1 at all events  
,hans's soul would have been safe1 and  
his body buried in consecrated ground4  
,my husband went to the ,rector and told
 his ,reverence that ,hans had renounced
 his errors1 and had made a full        
profession of the ,catholic faith to    
him2 but his ,reverence shook his head1 
and said that was not the same thing as 
if ,padre ,michele had received ,hans   
into the true fold4 ,then my husband    
said it was a pity ,hans should suffer  
because the ,padre had been out of the  
way2 but his ,reverence always answered1

 ',no1' and so ',no' it was4 ,the clergy
 were not to attend1 and the body was to
 be put into the ground just as you     
might bury a dog4 ,what could my husband
 do more8 ,so he went his way to his    
patients4 ,it happened that he had to   
see several1 far in the country1 and so 
did not come home till late at night4   
,you all know the tower which stands    
upon the green knoll high above the     
town4 ,it is a relic of very old times1 
when ,san ,cipriano had fortifications4 
,it has been a ruin for more than a     
century1--a mere shell1 open to the sky1
 encircling a wide space of ground4 ,a  
few days before ,hans's death1 the      
,doctor had taken it into his head he   
would like to hire this tower of the    
municipality1 to which it belongs1 to   
make a garden within its walls4 ,he had 
been to examine the place a week        
previous1 and had brought home the key  
of the gate1 being determined to take   
it4 ,now this very day after ,hans died1
 and while my husband was away on his   

round of country visits1 the ,syndic    
sent to ask for the key1 and ,i1        
thinking no harm1 gave it4 ,and now what
 do you think the ,syndic wanted the key
 for8 ,just to dig a hole for poor      
,hans4 ,yes1 the body was carried up    
there1 and buried out of sight as       
quickly as possible4  ,when the ,doctor 
came home he was in a mighty passion    
with everybody2--with the ,rector1 for  
refusing ,hans a place in the           
burial-ground2 with the ,syndic1 for    
allowing the tower to be used for such a
 purpose2 and most of all with me1 for  
giving the key without asking why or    
wherefore4  ,however1 what was done     
could not be undone1 and so no more was 
said about the matter4 ,it might have   
been a week after1 when some girls who  
had set out before daylight to go to the
 wood for leaves1 came back much        
terrified1 declaring they had seen an   
apparition on the tower wall4 ,not one  
had dared to go on to the wood1 but all 
ran back to the town and spread the     

alarm4 ,a dozen persons1 at least1 came 
to our house to tell us about it1 and ,i
 promise you my husband did not call it 
a stupid trick1 as he did today4 ,he    
looked very grave1 and exclaimed1 ',i   
don't wonder at it4 ,no doubt it is poor
 ,hans1 who does not like to lie in     
unconsecrated ground4 ,don't come to    
me1--it's none of my business1--,i have 
only to do with the living1--the dead   
belong to the clergy1--this is the      
,rector's affair4 ,if ever a ghost had a
 right to walk1 it is in such a case as 
this1 when a poor1 honest fellow is     
denied ,christian burial because an old 
monk's legs refuse to carry him fast    
enough4 ,had ,padre ,michele been a     
younger man1 all would have been right4'
  ,there was quite a general commotion  
in the town1 and at last1 after a day or
 two1 some of the young men determined  
they would go and watch the next night1 
to see if the thing appeared1 or if it  
was mere women's nonsense1 and they went
 accordingly4  ,i was one of the party1 

interrupted ,beppo1 taking the narrative
 out of his ,padrona's mouth1 stirred by
 the high-wrought excitement of his     
recollections4 ,i went with ten others1 
and ,i had a good loaded gun with me4   
,we hid ourselves behind some bushes1   
and watched and watched4 ,nothing       
appeared1 until the girls1 who had      
agreed to come at their usual hour for  
going to the wood1 passed by2 then1 just
 at that moment1 ,i swear ,i saw it4 ,i 
felt all1--,i can't tell how1--a sort of
 hot cold1 and as if my legs were water4
 ,i don't know how ,i managed to raise  
my gun1--,i did it quite dreaming like2 
it went off with the biggest noise ever 
a gun made1 and the bullet must have    
gone through the very head of the ghost1
 for it waved its thin arms fearfully4  
,all the rest ran away1 but ,i could not
 move a peg4 ,then a terrible voice     
roared out1 ',i shall not forget thee1  
my friend6 ,i will visit thee again     
before thy last hour6 ,now begone6'     
,beppo ceased speaking1 and a shuddering

 silence fell on the listeners4 ,martina
 alone ventured on the awe-struck       
whisper of ,what was it like1 ,beppo8   
,a tall1 white figure2 its arms spread  
out like a cross1--so1 replied ,beppo1  
rising from his basket1 the better to   
personate the ghost4 ,jesu ,maria6 he   
shrieked1 there it is6 ,o ,lord1 have   
mercy on us6  ,and sure enough1 standing
 against the door was a tall1 white     
figure1 its arms spread out like the    
limbs of a cross4 ,screams1 both shrill 
and discordant1 filled the              
room1--,martini1 ,beppo1 ,marietta1 and 
the girls tumbling and rushing about    
distraught with terror4 ,such a mad-like
 scene6 ,there was a trembling and a    
shaking of the white figure for a       
moment1 then down it went in a heap to  
the floor1 and out came the substantial 
proportions of ,doctor ,morani1 looming 
formidable in the dusky light of the    
expiring embers4 ,the sound of his      
well-known vigorous laugh resounded     
through the kitchen1 as he flung a bunch

 of pine branches on the fire4 ,the next
 moment a bright flame shot up1 and the 
light as by magic brought the scared    
group to their senses4 ,each looked into
 the faces of the others with an        
expression of rising merriment          
struggling with ghastly fear1 and first 
a long-drawn breath of relief1 and then 
a burst of laughter broke from all4     
,what a fright you have given us1       
,padrone6 ,beppo was the first to say4  
,i hope so1 replied the ,doctor1--it has
 only paid you off for the one you gave 
me twenty years ago4  ,i6--you6--but    
how1 caro ,padrone8  ,ah6 you haven't   
yet1 ,i assure you1 recognized your old 
acquaintance1 the identical ghost which 
you favored with a bullet4 ,would you   
like to see it once more8  ,pazienza6   
exclaimed ,beppo1 for once1--twice2--but
 three times1--no1 that is more than    
enough4 ,i am satisfied with what ,i    
have seen4  ,do you know what you have  
seen8  resumed the ,doctor4 ,very well1 
listen to me4 ,when the ,rector refused 

to let poor ,hans lie in the same ground
 with many of our townspeople who 7,god 
rest their souls67 had lived scarcely so
 honest a life as he had done1 ,i was   
far from imagining that he was to be    
thrust into the tower1 of all places in 
the world1 and just when it was well    
known ,i had bargained for it4 ',that's 
the way ,i am to be used1 is it8'       
thought ,i4 ,i'll play you a trick1 my  
friends1 worth two of yours1--one that  
will make you glad to give honest ,hans 
hospitality in your churchyard4'  ,i    
waited a few days1 till the moon should 
rise late1 so as to be shining about one
 or two in the morning1 the time when   
the girls set off for the woods4 ,i     
provided myself with a sheet1 and took  
care to be in the tower before midnight4
 ,i tied two long sticks together in the
 shape of a cross1 stuck my hat on the  
top1 and threw the linen over the whole2
 and a capital ghost it was4 ,then ,i   
got under the drapery1 pushing up the   
stick1 so as to give the idea of a      

gigantic human figure with extended     
arms4 ,i had no fear of being           
discovered1 for the ,syndic had the key 
still in his possession1 and ,i had made
 good my entrance through a gap in the  
wall sufficiently well concealed by     
brambles4 ,i suppose ,i need not tell   
you1 young women1 how brave your mothers
 were4 ,my ghostship heard of the young 
men's project1 and encouraged them1     
never thinking there was one among them 
so stupid as to carry a gun to fight a  
ghost with2 for how can you shoot a     
ghost1 when it has neither flesh nor    
blood8 ,it was impossible to suspect any
 one of being such a monstrous          
blockhead2 so ,i was rather disagreeably
 startled at hearing the crack of a gun1
 and feeling the tingling of a bullet   
whizzing past my ear4 ,you nearly made  
me into a real ghost1 friend ,beppo2 for
 ,i assure you1 you are a capital shot4 
,ever since that memorable aim1 ,i have 
entertained the deepest respect for you 
as a marksman2 it was not your fault    

that ,i am here now to make this        
confession4 ,i ducked my head below the 
wall in case a volley was to follow the 
signal gun4 ,when ,i peeped again1 there
 remained one solitary figure before the
 tower1 immovable as a stone pillar4 ,o 
noble ,beppo1 it was thou6  ',i must get
 rid of this fellow one way or other1'  
thought ,i1 'but not by shaking my      
stick-covered sheet1 or ,i shall have   
another bullet4' ,so ,i raised myself   
breasthigh above the wall1 made a       
trumpet of my hands1 and roared out the 
fearful promise ,i have kept this       
evening4 ,as soon as ,i saw my enemy's  
back1 ,i left my station1 and never     
played the ghost again4  ,a pretty folly
 for a man of forty6  cried ,signora    
,martina1 still smarting under her late 
fright4 ,why1 a boy would be well       
whipped for such a trick4 ,there's no   
knowing what to believe in a man like   
you1 no saying when you are in earnest  
or in fun4  ,after a moment's silence1  
the lady asked in a softer tone1 ,now do

 tell me1 ,morani1 is it true that poor 
,hans recanted before he died8  ,my     
dear1 if ,padre ,michele had been in    
time1 we should have been sure of the   
fact4 ,you see the ,rector did not think
 ,i knew enough of theology to decide4  
,i am a submissive child of the ,church1
 replied the husband4 ,as for the ghost1
 ,i took care to provide against        
forgetting my folly4 ,on the top shelf  
of the laboratory ,i hung up the        
bullet-pierced hat2 and the bullet      
itself ,i ticketed with the date and    
kept in my desk4 ,who wants to see the  
ghost's hat8--and the ,doctor drew a hat
 from under the sheet still lying on the
 floor1 and exhibited it to the curious 
eyes of all present1 making them admire 
the neat hole in it4 ,the bullet itself 
he took out of his waistcoat pocket1 and
 holding it towards ,beppo1 asked1      
,hadn't it a mark8  ,yes1 sir1 ,i cut a 
cross on it1 replied the abashed climber
 of olive-trees2 and by all the ,saints1
 there it is still6 ,pasqualina1 my     

girl1 turning to her1 your uncle's ghost
 will turn out to be somebody4  ,bravo6 
,beppo1 cried the ,doctor4  ,knowing    
what you know by experience1 suppose you
 hint to any one inclined to            
spectre-shooting1 that he runs the risk 
of killing a live man1 and having two   
ghosts on his hands1--the ghost of the  
poor devil shot1 and one of himself     
hanged for murder4 ,as for you1 young   
girls1 remember that when you go forth  
to meet the perils of dark mornings1 you
 are more likely to encounter dangers   
from flesh and blood than from spirits4 
,,the ,,golden ,,mile-,,stone4   ,the   
,milliorium ,aureum1 or ,golden         
,mile-,stone1 was a gilt marble pillar  
in the ,forum at ,rome1 from which1 as a
 central point1 the great roads of the  
empire diverged through the several     
gates of the city1 and the distances    
were measured4       ,leafless are the  
trees2 their purple branches     ,spread
 themselves abroad1 like reefs of coral 
,rising silent     ,in the ,red ,sea of 

the winter sunset4      ,from the       
hundred chimneys of the village1        
,like the ,afreet in the ,arabian story1
              ,smoky columns     ,tower 
aloft into the air of amber4      ,at   
the window winks the flickering         
fire-light2     ,here and there the     
lamps of evening glimmer1               
,social watch-fires1     ,answering one 
another through the darkness4      ,on  
the hearth the lighted logs are glowing1
     ,and1 like ,ariel in the cloven    
pine-tree1              ,for its freedom
     ,groans and sighs the air          
imprisoned in them4      ,by the        
fireside there are old men seated1      
,seeing ruined cities in the ashes1     
,asking sadly     ,of the ,past what it 
can ne'er restore them4      ,by the    
fireside there are youthful dreamers1   
,building castles fair with stately     
stairways1              ,asking blindly 
,of the ,future what it cannot give     
them4      ,by the fireside tragedies   
are acted     ,in whose scenes appear   

two actors only1              ,wife and 
husband1     ,and above them ,god1 the  
sole spectator4      ,by the fireside   
there are peace and comfort1     ,wives 
and children1 with fair1 thoughtful     
faces1              ,waiting1 watching  
,for a well-known footstep in the       
passage4      ,each man's chimney is his
 ,golden ,mile-,stone1--     ,is the    
central point from which he measures    
,every distance     ,through the        
gateways of the world around him4       
,in his farthest wanderings still he    
sees it2     ,hears the talking flame1  
the answering night-wind1               
,as he heard them     ,when he sat with 
those who were1 but are not4      ,happy
 he whom neither wealth nor fashion1    
,nor the march of the encroaching city1 
,drives an exile     ,from the hearth of
 his ancestral homestead6      ,we may  
build more splendid habitations1        
,fill our rooms with paintings and with 
sculptures1              ,but we cannot 
,buy with gold the old associations4    

,,the ,,autocrat ,,of ,,the             
,,breakfast-,,table4   ,,every ,,man    
,,his ,,own ,,boswell4  ,i really       
believe some people save their bright   
thoughts1 as being too precious for     
conversation4 ,what do you think an     
admiring friend said the other day to   
one that was talking good things1--good 
enough to print8 ,why1 said he1 you are 
wasting merchantable literature1 a cash 
article1 at the rate1 as nearly as ,i   
can tell1 of fifty dollars an hour4     
,the talker took him to the window and  
asked him to look out and tell what he  
saw4  ,nothing but a very dusty street1 
he said1 and a man driving a            
sprinkling-machine through it4  ,why    
don't you tell the man he is wasting    
that water8 ,what would be the state of 
the highways of life1 if we did not     
drive our thought-sprinklers through    
them with the valves open1 sometimes8   
,besides1 there is another thing about  
this talking1 which you forget4 ,it     
shapes our thoughts for us2--the waves  

of conversation roll them as the surf   
rolls the pebbles on the shore4 ,let me 
modify the image a little4 ,i rough out 
my thoughts in talk as an artist models 
in clay4 ,spoken language is so         
plastic1--you can pat and coax1 and     
spread and shave1 and rub out1 and fill 
up1 and stick on so easily1 when you    
work that soft material1 that there is  
nothing like it for modelling4 ,out of  
it come the shapes which you turn into  
marble or bronze in your immortal books1
 if you happen to write such4 ,or1 to   
use another illustration1 writing or    
printing is like shooting with a rifle2 
you may hit your reader's mind1 or miss 
it2--but talking is like playing at a   
mark with the pipe of an engine2 if it  
is within reach1 and you have time      
enough1 you can't help hitting it4  ,the
 company agreed that this last          
illustration was of superior excellence1
 or1 in the phrase used by them1        
,fust-rate4  ,i acknowledged the        
compliment1 but gently rebuked the      

expression4 ,fust-rate1 prime1 a prime  
article1 a superior piece of goods1 a   
handsome garment1 a gent in a flowered  
vest1--all such expressions are final4  
,they blast the lineage of him or her   
who utters them1 for generations up and 
down4 ,there is one other phrase which  
will soon come to be decisive of a man's
 social status1 if it is not already3   
,that tells the whole story4 ,it is an  
expression which vulgar and conceited   
people particularly affect1 and which   
well-meaning ones1 who know better1     
catch from them4 ,it is intended to stop
 all debate1 like the previous question 
in the ,general ,court4 ,only it don't2 
simply because that does not usually    
tell the whole1 nor one half of the     
whole story4  ----,it is an odd idea1   
that almost all our people have had a   
professional education4 ,to become a    
doctor a man must study some three years
 and hear a thousand lectures1 more or  
less4 ,just how much study it takes to  
make a lawyer ,i cannot say1 but        

probably not more than this4 ,now most  
decent people hear one hundred lectures 
or sermons 7discourses7 on theology     
every year1--and this1 twenty1 thirty1  
fifty years together4 ,they read a great
 many religious books besides4 ,the     
clergy1 however1 rarely hear any sermons
 except what they preach themselves4 ,a 
dull preacher might be conceived1       
therefore1 to lapse into a state of     
quasi heathenism1 simply for want of    
religious instruction4 ,and on the other
 hand1 an attentive and intelligent     
hearer1 listening to a succession of    
wise teachers1 might become actually    
better educated in theology than any one
 of them4 ,we are all theological       
students1 and more of us qualified as   
doctors of divinity than have received  
degrees at any of the universities4  ,it
 is not strange1 therefore1 that very   
good people should often find it        
difficult1 if not impossible1 to keep   
their attention fixed upon a sermon     
treating feebly a subject which they    

have thought vigorously about for years1
 and heard able men discuss scores of   
times4 ,i have often noticed1 however1  
that a hopelessly dull discourse acts   
inductively1 as electricians would say1 
in developing strong mental currents4 ,i
 am ashamed to think with what          
accompaniments and variations and       
fioriture ,i have sometimes followed the
 droning of a heavy speaker1--not       
willingly1--for my habit is             
reverential1--but as a necessary result 
of a slight continuous impression on the
 senses and the mind1 which kept both in
 action without furnishing the food they
 required to work upon4 ,if you ever saw
 a crow with a king-bird after him1 you 
will get an image of a dull speaker and 
a lively listener4 ,the bird in sable   
plumage flaps heavily along his         
straight-forward course1 while the other
 sails round him1 over him1 under him1  
leaves him1 comes back again1 tweaks out
 a black feather1 shoots away once more1
 never losing sight of him1 and finally 

reaches the crow's perch at the same    
time the crow does1 having cut a perfect
 labyrinth of loops and knots and       
spirals while the slow fowl was         
painfully working from one end of his   
straight line to the other4  ,i think   
these remarks were received rather      
coolly4 ,a temporary boarder from the   
country1 consisting of a somewhat more  
than middle-aged female1 with a         
parchment forehead and a dry little     
frisette shingling it1 a sallow neck    
with a necklace of gold beads1 a black  
dress too rusty for recent grief1 and   
contours in basso-rilievo1 left the     
table prematurely1 and was reported to  
have been very virulent about what ,i   
said4 ,so ,i went to my good old        
minister1 and repeated the remarks1 as  
nearly as ,i could remember them1 to    
him4 ,he laughed good-naturedly1 and    
said there was considerable truth in    
them4 ,he thought he could tell when    
people's minds were wandering1 by their 
looks4 ,in the earlier years of his     

ministry he had sometimes noticed this1 
when he was preaching2--very little of  
late years4 ,sometimes1 when his        
colleague was preaching1 he observed    
this kind of inattention2 but after all1
 it was not so very unnatural4 ,i will  
say1 by the way1 that it is a rule ,i   
have long followed1 to tell my worst    
thoughts to my minister1 and my best    
thoughts to the young people ,i talk    
with4  ----,i want to make a literary   
confession now1 which ,i believe nobody 
has made before me4 ,you know very well 
that ,i write verses sometimes1 because 
,i have read some of them at this table4
 7,the company assented1--two or three  
of them in a resigned sort of way1 as ,i
 thought1 as if they supposed ,i had an 
epic in my pocket1 and was going to read
 half a dozen books or so for their     
benefit47--,i continued4 ,of course ,i  
write some lines or passages which are  
better than others2 some which1 compared
 with the others1 might be called       
relatively excellent4 ,it is in the     

nature of things that ,i should consider
 these relatively excellent lines or    
passages as absolutely good4 ,so much   
must be pardoned to humanity4 ,now ,i   
never wrote a good line in my life1 but 
the moment after it was written it      
seemed a hundred years old4 ,very       
commonly ,i had a sudden conviction that
 ,i had seen it somewhere4 ,possibly ,i 
may have sometimes unconsciously stolen 
it1 but ,i do not remember that ,i ever 
once detected any historical truth in   
these sudden convictions of the         
antiquity of my new thought or phrase4  
,i have learned utterly to distrust     
them1 and never allow them to bully me  
out of a thought or line4  ,this is the 
philosophy of it4 7,here the number of  
the company was diminished by a small   
secession47 ,any new formula which      
suddenly emerges in our consciousness   
has its roots in long trains of thought2
 it is virtually old when it first makes
 its appearance among the recognized    
growths of our intellect4 ,any          

crystalline group of musical words has  
had a long and still period to form in4 
,here is one theory4  ,but there is a   
larger law which perhaps comprehends    
these facts4 ,it is this4 ,the rapidity 
with which ideas grow old in our        
memories is in a direct ratio to the    
squares of their importance4 ,their     
apparent age runs up miraculously1 like 
the value of diamonds1 as they increase 
in magnitude4 ,a great calamity1 for    
instance1 is as old as the trilobites an
 hour after it has happened4 ,it stains 
backward through all the leaves we have 
turned over in the book of life1 before 
its blot of tears or of blood is dry on 
the page we are turning4 ,for this we   
seem to have lived2 it was foreshadowed 
in dreams that we leaped out of in the  
cold sweat of terror2 in the dissolving 
views of dark day-visions2 all omens    
pointed to it2 all paths led to it4     
,after the tossing half-forgetfulness of
 the first sleep that follows such an   
event1 it comes upon us afresh1 as a    

surprise1 at waking2 in a few moments it
 is old again1--old as eternity4  ,i    
wish ,i had not said all this then and  
there4 ,i might have known better4 ,the 
pale schoolmistress1 in her mourning    
dress1 was looking at me1 as ,i noticed1
 with a wild sort of expression4 ,all at
 once the blood dropped out of her      
cheeks as the mercury drops from a      
broken barometer-tube1 and she melted   
away from her seat like an image of     
snow2 a slung-shot could not have       
brought her down better4 ,god forgive   
me6  ,after this little episode1 ,i     
continued1 to some few that remained    
balancing teaspoons on the edges of     
cups1 twirling knives1 or tilting upon  
the hind legs of their chairs until     
their heads reached the wall1 where they
 left gratuitous advertisements of      
various popular cosmetics4  ,when a     
person is suddenly thrust into any      
strange1 new position of trial1 he finds
 the place fits him as if he had been   
measured for it4 ,he has committed a    

great crime1 for instance1 and is sent  
to the ,state ,prison4 ,the traditions1 
prescriptions1 limitations1 privileges1 
all the sharp conditions of his new     
life1 stamp themselves upon his         
consciousness as the signet on soft     
wax2--a single pressure is enough4 ,let 
me strengthen the image a little4 ,did  
you ever happen to see that most        
soft-spoken and velvet-handed           
steam-engine at the ,mint8 ,the smooth  
piston slides backward and forward as a 
lady might slip her delicate finger in  
and out of a ring4 ,the engine lays one 
of its fingers calmly1 but firmly1 upon 
a bit of metal2 it is a coin now1 and   
will remember that touch1 and tell a new
 race about it1 when the date upon it is
 crusted over with twenty centuries4 ,so
 it is that a great silent-moving misery
 puts a new stamp on us in an hour or a 
moment1--as sharp an impression as if it
 had taken half a lifetime to engrave   
it4  ,it is awful to be in the hands of 
the wholesale professional dealers in   

misfortune2 undertakers and jailers     
magnetize you in a moment1 and you pass 
out of the individual life you were     
living into the rhythmical movements of 
their horrible machinery4 ,do the worst 
thing you can1 or suffer the worst that 
can be thought of1 you find yourself in 
a category of humanity that stretches   
back as far as ,cain1 and with an expert
 at your elbow that has studied your    
case all out beforehand1 and is waiting 
for you with his implements of hemp or  
mahogany4 ,i believe1 if a man were to  
be burned in any of our cities to-morrow
 for heresy1 there would be found a     
master of ceremonies that knew just how 
many fagots were necessary1 and the best
 way of arranging the whole matter4     
----,so we have not won the ,good-wood  
cup2 au contraire1 we were a bad fifth1 
if not worse than that2 and trying it   
again1 and the third time1 has not yet  
bettered the matter4 ,now ,i am as      
patriotic as any of my                  
fellow-citizens1--too patriotic in fact1

 for ,i have got into hot water by      
loving too much of my country2 in short1
 if any man1 whose fighting weight is   
not more than eight stone four pounds1  
disputes it1 ,i am ready to discuss the 
point with him4 ,i should have gloried  
to see the stars and stripes in front at
 the finish4 ,i love my country1 and ,i 
love horses4 ,stubbs's old mezzotint of 
,eclipse hangs over my desk1 and        
,herring's portrait of                  
,plenipotentiary1--whom ,i saw run at   
,epsom1--over my fireplace4 ,did ,i not 
elope from school to see ,revenge1 and  
,prospect1 and ,little ,john1 and       
,peacemaker run over the race-course    
where now yon suburban village          
flourishes1 in the year eighteen hundred
 and ever-so-few8 ,though ,i never owned
 a horse1 have ,i not been the          
proprietor of six equine females1 of    
which one was the prettiest little      
,morgin that ever stepped8 ,listen1     
then1 to an opinion ,i have often       
expressed long before this venture of   

ours in ,england4 ,horse-racing is not a
 republican institution2 horse-trotting 
is4 ,only very rich persons can keep    
race-horses1 and everybody knows they   
are kept mainly as gambling implements4 
,all that matter about blood and speed  
we won't discuss2 we understand all     
that2 useful1 very1--of course1--great  
obligations to the ,godolphin ,arabian1 
and the rest4 ,i say racing horses are  
essentially gambling implements1 as much
 as roulette tables4 ,now ,i am not     
preaching at this moment2 ,i may read   
you one of my sermons some other        
morning2 but ,i maintain that gambling1 
on the great scale1 is not republican4  
,it belongs to two phases of society1--a
 cankered over-civilization1 such as    
exists in rich aristocracies1 and the   
reckless life of borderers and          
adventurers1 or the semi-barbarism of a 
civilization resolved into its primitive
 elements4 ,real republicanism is stern 
and severe2 its essence is not in forms 
of government1 but in the omnipotence of

 public opinion which grows out of it4  
,this public opinion cannot prevent     
gambling with dice or stocks1 but it can
 and does compel it to keep             
comparatively quiet4 ,but horse-racing  
is the most public way of gambling2 and 
with all its immense attractions to the 
sense and the feelings1--to which ,i    
plead very susceptible1--the disguise is
 too thin that covers it1 and everybody 
knows what it means4 ,its supporters are
 the ,southern gentry1--fine fellows1 no
 doubt1 but not republicans exactly1 as 
we understand the term1--a few ,northern
 millionnaires more or less thoroughly  
millioned1 who do not represent the real
 people1 and the mob of sporting men1   
the best of whom are commonly idlers1   
and the worst very bad neighbors to have
 near one in a crowd1 or to meet in a   
dark alley4 ,in ,england1 on the other  
hand1 with its aristocratic             
institutions1 racing is a natural growth
 enough2 the passion for it spreads     
downwards through all classes1 from the 

,queen to the costermonger4 ,london is  
like a shelled corn-cob on the ,derby   
day1 and there is not a clerk who could 
raise the money to hire a saddle with an
 old hack under it that can sit down on 
his office-stool the next day without   
wincing4  ,now just compare the racer   
with the trotter for a moment4 ,the     
racer is incidentally useful1 but       
essentially something to bet upon1 as   
much as the thimble-rigger's little     
joker4 ,the trotter is essentially and  
daily useful1 and only incidentally a   
tool for sporting men4  ,what better    
reason do you want for the fact that the
 racer is most cultivated and reaches   
his greatest perfection in ,england1 and
 that the trotting horses of ,america   
beat the world8 ,and why should we have 
expected that the pick--if it was the   
pick--of our few and far-between racing 
stables should beat the pick of ,england
 and ,france8 ,throw over the fallacious
 time-test1 and there was nothing to    
show for it but a natural kind of       

patriotic feeling1 which we all have1   
with a thoroughly provincial conceit1   
which some of us must plead guilty to4  
,we may beat yet4 ,as an ,american1 ,i  
hope we shall4 ,as a moralist and       
occasional sermonizer1 ,i am not so     
anxious about it4 ,wherever the trotting
 horse goes1 he carries in his train    
brisk omnibuses1 lively bakers' carts1  
and therefore hot rolls1 the jolly      
butcher's wagon1 the cheerful gig1 the  
wholesome afternoon drive with wife and 
child1--all the forms of moral          
excellence1 except truth1 which does not
 agree with any kind of horse-flesh4    
,the racer brings with him gambling1    
cursing1 swearing1 drinking1 the eating 
of oysters1 and a distaste for mob-caps 
and the middle-aged virtues4  ,and by   
the way1 let me beg you not to call a   
trotting match a race1 and not to speak 
of a thorough-bred as a blooded horse1  
unless he has been recently             
phlebotomized4 ,i consent to your saying
 blood horse1 if you like4 ,also1 if1   

next year1 we send out ,posterior and   
,posterioress1 the winners of the great 
national four-mile race in #g #ah-a_/b1 
and they happen to get beaten1 pay your 
bets1 and behave like men and gentlemen 
about it1 if you know how4  ,i felt a   
great deal better after blowing off the 
ill-temper condensed in the above       
paragraph4 ,to brag little1--to         
show--well1--to crow gently1 if in      
luck1--to pay up1 to own up1 and to shut
 up1 if beaten1 are the virtues of a    
sporting man1 and ,i can't say that ,i  
think we have shown them in any great   
perfection of late4  ----,apropos of    
horses4 ,do you know how important good 
jockeying is to authors8 ,judicious     
management2 letting the public see your 
animal just enough1 and not too much2   
holding him up hard when the market is  
too full of him2 letting him out at just
 the right buying intervals2 always     
gently feeling his mouth2 never slacking
 and never jerking the rein2--this is   
what ,i mean by jockeying4  ----,when an

 author has a number of books out1 a    
cunning hand will keep them all         
spinning1 as ,signor ,blitz does his    
dinner-plates2 fetching each one up1 as 
it begins to wabble1 by an              
advertisement1 a puff1 or a quotation4  
----,whenever the extracts from a living
 writer begin to multiply fast in the   
papers1 without obvious reason1 there is
 a new book or a new edition coming4    
,the extracts are ground-bait4          
----,literary life is full of curious   
phenomena4 ,i don't know that there is  
anything more noticeable than what we   
may call conventional reputations4      
,there is a tacit understanding in every
 community of men of letters that they  
will not disturb the popular fallacy    
respecting this or that electro-gilded  
celebrity4 ,there are various reasons   
for this forbearance3 one is old2 one is
 rich2 one is good-natured2 one is such 
a favorite with the pit that it would   
not be safe to hiss him from the        
manager's box4 ,the venerable augurs of 

the literary or scientific temple may   
smile faintly when one of the tribe is  
mentioned2 but the farce is in general  
kept up as well as the ,chinese comic   
scene of entreating and imploring a man 
to stay with you1 with the implied      
compact between you that he shall by no 
means think of doing it4 ,a poor wretch 
he must be who would wantonly sit down  
on one of these bandbox reputations4 ,a 
,prince-,rupert's-drop1 which is a tear 
of unannealed glass1 lasts indefinitely1
 if you keep it from meddling hands2 but
 break its tail off1 and it explodes and
 resolves itself into powder4 ,these    
celebrities ,i speak of are the         
,prince-,rupert's-drops of the learned  
and polite world4 ,see how the papers   
treat them6 ,what an array of pleasant  
kaleidoscopic phrases1 that can be      
arranged in ever so many charming       
patterns1 is at their service6 ,how kind
 the ,critical ,notices--where small    
authorship comes to pick up chips of    
praise1 fragrant1 sugary1 and           

sappy--always are to them6 ,well1 life  
would be nothing without paper-credit   
and other fictions2 so let them pass    
current4 ,don't steal their chips2 don't
 puncture their swimming-bladders2 don't
 come down on their pasteboard boxes2   
don't break the ends of their brittle   
and unstable reputations1 you fellows   
who all feel sure that your names will  
be household words a thousand years from
 now4  ,a thousand years is a good      
while1 said the old gentleman who sits  
opposite1 thoughtfully4  ----,where have
 ,i been for the last three or four     
days8 ,down at the ,island1             
deer-shooting4--,how many did ,i bag8 ,i
 brought home one buck shot4--,the      
,island is where8 ,no matter4 ,it is the
 most splendid domain that any man looks
 upon in these latitudes4 ,blue sea     
around it1 and running up into its      
heart1 so that the little boat slumbers 
like a baby in lap1 while the tall ships
 are stripping naked to fight the       
hurricane outside1 and storm-stay-sails 

banging and flying in ribbons4 ,trees1  
in stretches of miles2 beeches1 oaks1   
most numerous2--many of them hung with  
moss1 looking like bearded ,druids2 some
 coiled in the clasp of huge1           
dark-stemmed grape-vines4 ,open patches 
where the sun gets in and goes to sleep1
 and the winds come so finely sifted    
that they are as soft as swan's down4   
,rocks scattered                        
about1--,stonehenge-like monoliths4     
,fresh-water lakes2 one of them1 ,mary's
 lake1 crystal-clear1 full of flashing  
pickerel lying under the lily-pads like 
tigers in the jungle4 ,six pounds of    
ditto one morning for breakfast4 ,,ego  
fecit4  ,the divinity-student looked as 
if he would like to question my ,latin4 
,no1 sir1 ,i said1--you need not trouble
 yourself4 ,there is a higher law in    
grammar1 not to be put down by ,andrews 
and ,stoddard4 ,then ,i went on4  ,such 
hospitality as that island has seen     
there has not been the like of in these 
our ,new ,england sovereignties4 ,there 

is nothing in the shape of kindness and 
courtesy that can make life beautiful1  
which has not found its home in that    
ocean-principality4 ,it has welcomed all
 who were worthy of welcome1 from the   
pale clergyman who came to breathe the  
sea-air with its medicinal salt and     
iodine1 to the great statesman who      
turned his back on the affairs of       
empire1 and smoothed his ,olympian      
forehead1 and flashed his white teeth in
 merriment over the long table1 where   
his wit was the keenest and his story   
the best4  ,i don't believe any man ever
 talked like that in this world4 ,i     
don't believe ,i talked just so2 but the
 fact is1 in reporting one's            
conversation1 one cannot help ,blair-ing
 it up more or less1 ironing out        
crumpled paragraphs1 starching limp     
ones1 and crimping and plaiting a little
 sometimes2 it is as natural as prinking
 at the looking-glass4  ----,how can a  
man help writing poetry in such a place8
 ,everybody does write poetry that goes 

there4 ,in the state archives1 kept in  
the library of the ,lord of the ,isle1  
are whole volumes of unpublished        
verse1--some by well-known hands1 and   
others1 quite as good1 by the last      
people you would think of as            
versifiers1--men who could pension off  
all the genuine poets in the country1   
and buy ten acres of ,boston common1 if 
it was for sale1 with what they had     
left4 ,of course ,i had to write my     
little copy of verses with the rest2    
here it is1 if you will hear me read it4
 ,when the sun is in the west1 vessels  
sailing in an easterly direction look   
bright or dark to one who observes them 
from the north or south1 according to   
the tack they are sailing upon4         
,watching them from one of the windows  
of the great mansion1 ,i saw these      
perpetual changes1 and moralized thus3--
     ,as ,i look from the isle1 o'er its
 billows of green     ,to the billows of
 foam-crested blue1   ,yon bark1 that   
afar in the distance is seen1     ,half 

dreaming1 my eyes will pursue3   ,now   
dark in the shadow1 she scatters the    
spray     ,as the chaff in the stroke of
 the flail2   ,now white as the         
sea-gull1 she flies on her way1     ,the
 sun gleaming bright on her sail4       
,yet her pilot is thinking of dangers to
 shun1--     ,of breakers that whiten   
and roar2   ,how little he cares1 if in 
shadow or sun     ,they see him that    
gaze from the shore6   ,he looks to the 
beacon that looms from the reef1     ,to
 the rock that is under his lee1   ,as  
he drifts on the blast1 like a          
wind-wafted leaf1     ,o'er the gulfs of
 the desolate sea4    ,thus drifting    
afar to the dim-vaulted caves     ,where
 life and its ventures are laid1   ,the 
dreamers who gaze while we battle the   
waves     ,may see us in sunshine or    
shade2   ,yet true to our course1 though
 our shadow grow dark1     ,we'll trim  
our broad sail as before1   ,and stand  
by the rudder that governs the bark1    
,nor ask how we look from the shore6    

----,insanity is often the logic of an  
accurate mind overtasked4 ,good mental  
machinery ought to break its own wheels 
and levers1 if anything is thrust among 
them suddenly which tends to stop them  
or reverse their motion4 ,a weak mind   
does not accumulate force enough to hurt
 itself2 stupidity often saves a man    
from going mad4 ,we frequently see      
persons in insane hospitals1 sent there 
in consequence of what are called       
religious mental disturbances4 ,i       
confess that ,i think better of them    
than of many who hold the same notions1 
and keep their wits and appear to enjoy 
life very well1 outside of the asylums4 
,any decent person ought to go mad1 if  
he really holds such or such opinions4  
,it is very much to his discredit in    
every point of view1 if he does not4    
,what is the use of my saying what some 
of these opinions are8 ,perhaps more    
than one of you hold such as ,i should  
think ought to send you straight over to
 ,somerville1 if you have any logic in  

your heads or any human feeling in your 
hearts4 ,anything that is brutal1 cruel1
 heathenish1 that makes life hopeless   
for the most of mankind and perhaps for 
entire races1--anything that assumes the
 necessity of the extermination of      
instincts which were given to be        
regulated1--no matter by what name you  
call it1--no matter whether a fakir1 or 
a monk1 or a deacon believes it1--if    
received1 ought to produce insanity in  
every well-regulated mind4 ,that        
condition becomes a normal one1 under   
the circumstances4 ,i am very much      
ashamed of some people for retaining    
their reason1 when they know perfectly  
well that if they were not the most     
stupid or the most selfish of human     
beings1 they would become non-compotes  
at once4  ,nobody understood this but   
the theological student and the         
schoolmistress4 ,they looked            
intelligently at each other2 but whether
 they were thinking about my paradox or 
not1 ,i am not clear4--,it would be     

natural enough4 ,stranger things have   
happened4 ,love and ,death enter        
boarding-houses without asking the price
 of board1 or whether there is room for 
them4 ,alas1 these young people are poor
 and pallid6 ,love should be both rich  
and rosy1 but must be either rich or    
rosy4 ,talk about military duty6 ,what  
is that to the warfare of a married     
maid-of-all-work1 with the title of     
mistress1 and an ,american female       
constitution1 which collapses just in   
the middle third of life1 and comes out 
vulcanised ,india-rubber1 if it happen  
to live through the period when health  
and strength are most wanted8  ----,have
 ,i ever acted in private theatricals8  
,often4 ,i have played the part of the  
,poor ,gentleman1 before a great many   
audiences1--more1 ,i trust1 than ,i     
shall ever face again4 ,i did not wear a
 stage-costume1 nor a wig1 nor          
moustaches of burnt cork2 but ,i was    
placarded and announced as a public     
performer1 and at the proper hour ,i    

came forward with the ballet-dancer's   
smile upon my countenance1 and made my  
bow and acted my part4 ,i have seen my  
name stuck up in letters so big that ,i 
was ashamed to show myself in the place 
by daylight4 ,i have gone to a town with
 a sober literary essay in my pocket1   
and seen myself everywhere announced as 
the most desperate of buffos1--one who  
was obliged to restrain himself in the  
full exercise of his powers1 from       
prudential considerations4 ,i have been 
through as many hardships as ,ulysses1  
in the pursuit of my histrionic         
vocation4 ,i have travelled in cars     
until the conductors all knew me like a 
brother4 ,i have run off the rails1 and 
stuck all night in snowdrifts1 and sat  
behind females that would have the      
window open when one could not wink     
without his eyelids freezing together4  
,perhaps ,i shall give you some of my   
experiences one of these days2--,i will 
not now1 for ,i have something else for 
you4  ,private theatricals1 as ,i have  

figured in them in country lyceum-halls1
 are one thing1--and private            
theatricals1 as they may be seen in     
certain gilded and frescoed saloons of  
our metropolis1 are another4 ,yes1 it is
 pleasant to see real gentlemen and     
ladies1 who do not think it necessary to
 mouth1 and rant1 and stride1 like most 
of our stage heroes and heroines1 in the
 characters which show off their graces 
and talents2 most of all to see a fresh1
 unrouged1 unspoiled1 highbred young    
maiden1 with a lithe figure1 and a      
pleasant voice1 acting in those         
love-dramas that make us young again to 
look upon1 when real youth and beauty   
will play them for us4  ----,of course  
,i wrote the prologue ,i was asked to   
write4 ,i did not see the play1 though4 
,i knew there was a young lady in it1   
and that somebody was in love with her1 
and she was in love with him1 and       
somebody 7an old tutor1 ,i believe7     
wanted to interfere1 and1 very          
naturally1 the young lady was too sharp 

for him4 ,the play of course ends       
charmingly2 there is a general          
reconciliation1 and all concerned form a
 line and take each others' hands1 as   
people always do after they have made up
 their quarrels1--and then the curtain  
falls1--if it does not stick1 as it     
commonly does at private theatrical     
exhibitions1 in which case a boy is     
detailed to pull it down1 which he does1
 blushing violently4  ,now1 then1 for my
 prologue4 ,i am not going to change my 
caesuras and cadences for anybody2 so if
 you do not like the heroic1 or iambic  
trimeter brachycatalectic1 you had      
better not wait to hear it4   ,,this    
,,is ,,it4  ,a ,prologue8 ,well1 of     
course the ladies know2--  ,i have my   
doubts4 ,no matter1--here we go6        
,what is a ,prologue8 ,let our ,tutor   
teach3     ,pro means beforehand2 logos 
stands for speech4     ',tis like the   
harper's prelude on the strings1        
,the prima donna's courtesy ere she     
sings2--     ,prologues in metre are to 

other pros     ,as worsted stockings are
 to engine-hose4      ,the world's a    
stage1--as ,shakspeare said1 one day2   
,the stage a world--was what he meant to
 say4     ,the outside world's a        
blunder1 that is clear2     ,the real   
world that ,nature meant is here4       
,here every foundling finds its lost    
mamma2     ,each rogue1 repentant1 melts
 his stern papa2     ,misers relent1 the
 spendthrift's debts are paid1     ,the 
cheats are taken in the traps they laid2
     ,one after one the troubles all are
 past     ,till the fifth act comes     
right side up at last1     ,when the    
young couple1 old folks1 rogues1 and    
all1     ,join hands1 so happy at the   
curtain's fall4     --,here suffering   
virtue ever finds relief1     ,and      
black-browed ruffians always come to    
grief4     --,when the lorn damsel1 with
 a frantic screech1     ,and cheeks as  
hueless as a brandy-peach1     ,cries1  
,help1 kyind ,heaven6 and drops upon her
 knees     ,on the                      

green--baize1--beneath the 7canvas7     
trees1--     ,see to her side avenging  
,valor fly3--     ,ha6 ,villain6 ,draw6 
,now1 ,terraitorr1 yield or die6        
--,when the poor hero flounders in      
despair1     ,some dear lost uncle turns
 up millionnaire1--     ,clasps the     
young scapegrace with paternal joy1     
,sobs on his neck1 ,my boy6 ,my ,boy66  
,,my ,,boy666      ,ours1 then1 sweet   
friends1 the real world to-night     ,of
 love that conquers in disaster's spite4
     ,ladies1 attend6 ,while woful cares
 and doubt     ,wrong the soft passion  
in the world without1     ,though       
fortune scowl1 though prudence          
interfere1     ,one thing is certain3   
,love will triumph here6      ,lords of 
creation1 whom your ladies rule1--      
,the world's great masters1 when you're 
out of school1--     ,learn the brief   
moral of our evening's play3     ,man   
has his will1--but woman has her way6   
,while man's dull spirit toils in smoke 
and fire1     ,woman's swift instinct   

threads the electric wire1--     ,the   
magic bracelet stretched beneath the    
waves     ,beats the black giant with   
his score of slaves4     ,all earthly   
powers confess your sovereign art       
,but that one rebel1--woman's wilful    
heart4     ,all foes you master2 but a  
woman's wit     ,lets daylight through  
you ere you know you're hit4     ,so1   
just to picture what her art can do1    
,hear an old story made as good as new4 
,rudolph1 professor of the headsman's   
trade1     ,alike was famous for his arm
 and blade4     ,one day a prisoner     
,justice had to kill     ,knelt at the  
block to test the artist's skill4       
,bare-armed1 swart-visaged1 gaunt1 and  
shaggy-browed1     ,rudolph the headsman
 rose above the crowd4     ,his falchion
 lightened with a sudden gleam1     ,as 
the pike's armor flashes in the stream4 
,he sheathed his blade2 he turned as if 
to go2     ,the victim knelt1 still     
waiting for the blow4     ,why strikest 
not8 ,perform thy murderous act1        

,the prisoner said4 7,his voice was     
slightly cracked47     ,friend1 ,i have 
struck1 the artist straight replied2    
,wait but one moment1 and yourself      
decide4     ,he held his                
snuff-box1--,now then1 if you please6   
,the prisoner sniffed1 and1 with a      
crashing sneeze1     ,off his head      
tumbled1--bowled along the floor1--     
,bounced down the steps2--the prisoner  
said no more6      ,woman6 thy falchion 
is a glittering eye2     ,if death lurks
 in it1 oh1 how sweet to die6     ,thou 
takest hearts as ,rudolph took the head2
     ,we die with love1 and never dream 
we're dead6   ,the prologue went off    
very well1 as ,i hear4 ,no alterations  
were suggested by the lady to whom it   
was sent1 for as far as ,i know4        
,sometimes people criticize the poems   
one sends them1 and suggest all sorts of
 improvements4 ,who was that silly body 
that wanted ,burns to alter ,scots wha  
hae1 so as to lengthen the last line1   
thus8--       ,edward64 ,chains and     

slavery6   ,here is a little poem ,i    
sent a short time since to a committee  
for a certain celebration4 ,i understood
 that it was to be a festive and        
convivial occasion1 and ordered myself  
accordingly4 ,it seems the president of 
the day was what is called a            
teetotaller4 ,i received a note from him
 in the following words1 containing the 
copy subjoined1 with the emendations    
annexed to it3   ,dear ,sir1--,your poem
 gives good satisfaction to the         
committee4 ,the sentiments expressed    
with reference to liquor are not1       
however1 those generally entertained by 
this community4 ,i have therefore       
consulted the clergyman of this place1  
who has made some slight changes1 which 
he thinks will remove all objections1   
and keep the valuable portions of the   
poem4 ,please to inform me of your      
charge for said poem4 ,our means are    
limited1 etc41 etc41 etc4  ,yours with  
respect4   ,,here ,,it ,,is1--,,with    
,,the ,,slight ,,alterations6     ,come6

 fill a fresh bumper1--for why should we
 go              logwood   ,while the   
nectar still reddens our cups as they   
flow8                   decoction       
,pour out the rich juices still bright  
with the sun1                           
dye-stuff   ,till o'er the brimmed      
crystal the rubies shall run4           
half-ripened apples   ,the              
purple-globed-clusters their life-dews  
have bled2                      taste   
sugar of lead   ,how sweet is the breath
 of the fragrance they shed6            
rank poisons               wines666     
,for summer's last roses lie hid in the 
wines                                   
stable-boys smoking long-nines4   ,that 
were garnered by maidens who laughed    
through the vines4            scowl     
howl           scoff          sneer     
,then a smile1 and a glass1 and a toast1
 and a cheer1        strychnine and     
whiskey1 and ratsbane and beer6   ,for  
all the good-wine1 and we've some of it 
here    ,in cellar1 in pantry1 in attic1

 in hall1      ,down1 down1 with the    
tyrant that masters us all6   ,long live
 the gay servant that laughs for us all6
   ,the company said ,i had been        
shabbily treated1 and advised me to     
charge the committee double1--which ,i  
did4 ,but as ,i never got my pay1 ,i    
don't know that it made much difference4
 ,i am a very particular person about   
having all ,i write printed as ,i write 
it1 ,i require to see a proof1 a revise1
 a re-revise1 and a double re-revise1 or
 fourth-proof rectified impression of   
all my productions1 especially verse4   
,manuscripts are such puzzles6 ,why1 ,i 
was reading some lines near the end of  
the last number of this journal1 when ,i
 came across one beginning     ,the     
stream flashes by1--   ,now as no stream
 had been mentioned1 ,i was perplexed to
 know what it meant4 ,it proved1 on     
inquiry1 to be only a misprint for      
dream4 ,think of it6 ,no wonder so many 
poets die young4  ,i have nothing more  
to report at this time1 except two      

pieces of advice ,i gave to the young   
women at table4 ,one relates to a       
vulgarism of language1 which ,i grieve  
to say is sometimes heard even from     
female lips4 ,the other is of more      
serious purport1 and applies to such as 
contemplate a change of                 
condition1--matrimony1 in fact4  --,the 
woman who calc'lates is lost4  --,put   
not your trust in money1 but put your   
money in trust4      ,,thomas ,,carlyle4
   ,,thomas ,,carlyle is a name which no
 man of this generation should pronounce
 without respect2 for it belongs to one 
of the high-priests of modern           
literature1 to whom all contemporary    
minds are indebted1 and by whose        
intellect and influence a new spiritual 
cultus has been established in the realm
 of letters4 ,it is yet impossible to   
estimate either the present value or the
 remote issues of the work which he has 
accomplished4 ,we see that a revolution 
in all the departments of thought1      
feeling1 and literary enterprise has    

been silently achieved amongst us1 but  
we are yet ignorant of its full bearing1
 and of the final goal to which it is   
hurrying us4 ,one thing1 however1 is    
clear respecting it3 that it was not    
forced in the hot-bed of any possible   
fanaticism1 but that it grew fairly out 
of the soil1 a genuine product of the   
time and its circumstances4 ,it was1    
indeed1 a new manifestation of the      
hidden forces and vitalities of what we 
call ,protestantism1--an assertion by   
the living soul of its right to be heard
 once more in a world which seemed to   
ignore its existence1 and had set up a  
ghastly skeleton of dry bones for its   
oracle and ,god4 ,it was that necessary 
return to health1 earnestness1 and      
virtuous endeavor which ,kreeshna speaks
 of in the ,hindoo ,geeta3 ,whenever    
vice and corruption have sapped the     
foundations of the world1 and men have  
lost their sense of good and evil1 ,i1  
,kreeshna1 make myself manifest for the 
restoration of order1 and the           

establishment of justice1 virtue1 and   
piety4 ,and so this literary revolution1
 of which we are speaking1 brought us   
from frivolity to earnestness1 from     
unbelief and all the dire negations     
which it engenders1 to a sublime faith  
in human duty and the providence of     
,god4  ,we have no room here to trace   
either the foreign or the native        
influences which1 operating as          
antagonism or as inspiration upon the   
minds of ,coleridge1 ,carlyle1 and      
others1 produced finally these great and
 memorable results4 ,it is but justice1 
however1 to recognize ,coleridge as the 
pioneer of the new era4 ,his fine       
metaphysical intellect and grand        
imagination1 nurtured and matured in the
 ,german schools of philosophy and      
theology1 reproduced the speculations of
 their great thinkers in a form and     
coloring which could not fail to be     
attractive to all seeking and sincere   
minds in ,england4 ,the ,french         
,revolution and the ,encyclopedists had 

already prepared the ground for the     
reception of new thought and revelation4
 ,hence ,coleridge1 as writer and       
speaker1 drew towards his centre all the
 young and ardent men of his time1--and 
among others1 the subject of the present
 article4 ,carlyle1 however1 does not   
seem to have profited much by the spoken
 discourses of the master2 and in his   
,life of ,sterling he gives an          
exceedingly graphic1 cynical1 and       
amusing account of the oracular meetings
 at ,highgate1 where the philosopher sat
 in his great easy-chair1 surrounded by 
his disciples and devotees1 uttering1   
amid floods of unintelligible1 mystic   
eloquence1 those radiant thoughts and   
startling truths which warrant his claim
 to genius1 if not to greatness4 ,it is 
curious to observe how at this early    
period of ,carlyle's life1 when all the 
talent and learning of ,england bowed at
 these levees before the gigantic       
speculator and dreamer1 he1 perhaps     
alone1 stood aloof from the motley      

throng of worshippers1--with them1 but  
not of them1--coolly analyzing every    
sentence delivered by the oracle1 and   
sufficiently learned in the divine lore 
to separate the gold from the dross4    
,what was good and productive he was    
ready to recognize and assimilate2      
leaving the opium pomps and splendors of
 the discourse1 and all the ,oriental   
imagery with which the speaker decorated
 his bathos1 to those who could find    
profit therein4 ,it is still more       
curious and sorrowful to see this great 
,coleridge1 endowed with such high      
gifts1 of so various learning1 and      
possessing so marvellous and plastic a  
power over all the forms of language1   
forsaking the true for the false        
inspiration1 and relying upon a vile    
drug to stimulate his large and lazy    
intellect into action4 ,carlyle seems to
 have regarded him at this period as a  
sort of fallen demigod2 and although he 
sneers1 with an almost ,mephistophelean 
distortion of visage1 at the            

philosopher's half inarticulate drawling
 of speech1 at his snuffy1 nasal        
utterance of the ever-recurring omnject 
and sumnject yet gleams of sympathy and 
affection1 not unmixed with sorrow1     
appear here and there in what he says   
concerning him4 ,and indeed1 although   
the immense fame of ,coleridge is       
scarcely warranted by his printed       
performances1 he was1 nevertheless1     
worthy both of affection and homage4    
,for whilst we pity the weakness and    
disease of his moral nature1 under the  
influence of that dark and terribly     
enchanting weed1 we cannot forget either
 his personal amiabilities or the great 
service which he rendered to letters and
 to society4 ,carlyle himself would be  
the last man to deny this laurel to the 
brows of the poet1 the philosopher1 and 
the divine1 as ,charles ,lamb calls him2
 and it is certain that the thinking of 
,coleridge helped to fashion ,carlyle's 
mind1 and not unlikely that it directed 
him to a profounder study of ,german    

writers than he had hitherto given to   
them4  ,coleridge had already formed a  
school both of divinity and philosophy4 
,he had his disciples1 as well as those 
far-off gazers who looked upon him with 
amazement and trembling1 not knowing    
what to make of the phenomenon1 or      
whether to regard him as friend or foe  
to the old dispensation and the         
established order of things4 ,he had    
written books and poems1 preached       
,unitarian sermons1 recanted1 and       
preached philosophy and                 
,church-of-,englandism4 ,to the dazzled 
eyes of all ordinary mortals1 content to
 chew the cud of parish sermons1 and    
swallow1 ,sunday after ,sunday1 the     
articles of common belief1 he seemed an 
eccentric comet4 ,but a better astronomy
 recognized him as a fixed star1 for he 
was unmistakable by that fitting ,few   
whose verdict is both history and       
immortality4  ,but a greater than       
,coleridge1 destined to assume a more   
commanding position1 and exercise a     

still wider power over the minds of his 
age1 arose in ,thomas ,carlyle4 ,the son
 of a ,scotch farmer1 he had in his     
youth a hard student's life of it1 and  
many severe struggles to win the        
education which is the groundwork of his
 greatness4 ,his father was a man of    
keen penetration1 who saw into the heart
 of things1 and possessed such strong   
intellect and sterling common sense that
 the country people said he always hit  
the nail on the head and clinched it4   
,his mother was a good1 pious woman1 who
 loved the ,bible1 and ,luther's ,table 
,talk1 and ,luther1--walking humbly and 
sincerely before ,god1 her ,heavenly    
,father4 ,carlyle was brought up in the 
religion of his fathers and his country2
 and it is easy to see in his writings  
how deep a root this solemn and earnest 
belief had struck down into his mind and
 character4 ,he readily confesses how   
much he owes to his mother's early      
teaching1 to her beautiful and          
beneficent example of goodness and      

holiness2 and he ever speaks of her with
 affection and reverence4 ,we once saw  
him at a friend's house take up a folio 
edition of the ,table ,talk alluded to1 
and turn over the pages with a gentle   
and loving hand1 reading here and there 
his mother's favorite passages1--now    
speaking of the great historic value of 
the book1 and again of its more private 
value1 as his mother's constant         
companion and solace4 ,it was touching  
to see this pitiless intellect1 which   
had bruised and broken the idols of so  
many faiths1 to which ,luther himself   
was recommended only by his bravery and 
self-reliance and the grandeur of his   
aims1--it was touching1 we say1 and     
suggestive also of many things1 to      
behold the strong1 stern man paying     
homage to language whose spirit was dead
 to him1 out of pure love for his dear  
mother1 and veneration also for the     
great heart in which that spirit was    
once alive that fought so grand and     
terrible a battle4 ,carlyle likes to    

talk of ,luther1 and1 as his            
,hero-,worship shows1 loves his         
character4 ,a great1 fiery1 angry       
gladiator1 with something of the bully  
in him1--as what controversialist has   
not1 from ,luther to ,erasmus1 to       
,milton1 to ,carlyle himself8--a dread  
image-breaker1 implacable as ,cromwell1 
but higher and nobler than he1 with the 
tenderness of a woman in his inmost     
heart1 full of music1 and glory1 and    
spirituality1 and power2 his speech     
genuine and idiomatic1 not battles only1
 but conquests2 and all his highest1    
best1 and gentlest thoughts robed in the
 divine garments of religion and        
poetry2--such was ,luther1 and as such  
,carlyle delights to behold him4 ,are   
they not akin8 ,we assuredly think so4  
,for the blood of this aristocracy      
refuses to mix with that of churls and  
bastards1 and flows pure and            
uncontaminated from century to century1 
descending in all its richness and vigor
 from ,piromis to ,piromis4 ,the ancient

 philosopher knew this secret well      
enough when he said a ,parthian and a   
,libyan might be related1 although they 
had no common parental blood2 and that a
 man is not necessarily my brother      
because he is born of the same womb4    
,we find that ,carlyle in his           
student-life manifested many of those   
strong moral characteristics which are  
the attributes of all his heroes4 ,an   
indomitable courage and persistency meet
 us everywhere in his                   
pages1--persistency1 and also careful   
painstaking1 and patience in sifting    
facts and gathering results4 ,he        
disciplined himself to this end in early
 youth1 and never allowed any study or  
work to conquer him4 ,speaking to us    
once in private upon the necessity of   
persevering effort in order to any kind 
of success in life1 he said1 ,when ,i   
was a student1 ,i resolved to make      
myself master of ,newton's ',principia1'
 and although ,i had not at that time   
knowledge enough of mathematics to make 

the task other than a ,hercules-labor to
 me1 yet ,i read and wrought            
unceasingly1 through all obstructions   
and difficulties1 until ,i had          
accomplished it2 and no ,tamerlane      
conqueror ever felt half so happy as ,i 
did when the terrible book lay subdued  
and vanquished before me4 ,this trifling
 anecdote is a key to ,carlyle's        
character4 ,to achieve his object1 he   
exhausts all the means within his       
command2 never shuffles through his     
work1 but does it faithfully and        
sincerely1 with a man's heart and hand4 
,this outward sincerity in the conduct  
of his executive faculty has its        
counterpart in the inmost recesses of   
his nature4 ,we feel that this man and  
falsehood are impossible companions1 and
 our faith in his integrity is perfect  
and absolute4 ,herein lies his power2   
and here also lies the power of all men 
who have ever moved the world4 ,for it  
is in the nature of truth to conserve   
itself1 whilst falsehood is centrifugal1

 and flies off into inanity and         
nothingness4 ,it is by the cardinal     
virtue of sincerity alone--the          
truthfulness of deed to thought1 of     
effect to cause--that man and nature are
 sustained4 ,god is truth2 and he who is
 most faithful to truth is not only     
likest to ,god1 but is made a           
participator in the divine nature4 ,for 
without truth there is neither power1   
vitality1 nor permanence4  ,carlyle was 
fortunate that he was comparatively     
poor1 and never tempted1 therefore1 as a
 student1 to dissipate his fine talents 
in the gay pursuits of university life4 
,not that there would have been any     
likelihood of his running into the      
excesses of ordinary students1 but we   
are pleased and thankful to reflect that
 he suffered no kind of loss or harm in 
those days of his novitiate4 ,it is one 
of the many consolations of poverty that
 it protects young men from snares and  
vices to which the rich are exposed2 and
 our poor student in his garret was     

preserved faithful to his vocation1 and 
laid up day by day those stores of      
knowledge1 experience1 and heavenly     
wisdom which he has since turned to so  
good account4 ,it would be deeply       
interesting1 if we could learn the exact
 position of ,carlyle's mind at this    
time1 with respect to those profound    
problems of human nature and destiny    
which have occupied the greatest men in 
all ages1 ceaselessly and pertinaciously
 urging their dark and solemn questions1
 and refusing to depart until their     
riddles were in some sort solved4 ,that 
,carlyle was haunted by these questions1
 and by the pitiless ,sphinx herself who
 guards the portals of life and         
death1--that he had to meet her face to 
face1 staring at him with her stony1    
passionless eyes1--that he had to       
grapple and struggle with her for       
victory1--there are proofs abundant in  
his writings4 ,the details of the       
struggle1 however1 are not given us2 it 
is the result only that we know4 ,but it

 is evident that the progress of his    
mind from the bog-region of orthodoxy to
 the high realms of thought and faith   
was a slow proceeding1--not rolled      
onward as with the chariot-wheels of a  
fierce and sudden revolution1 but       
gradually developed in a long series of 
births1 growths1 and deaths4 ,the       
theological phraseology sticks to him1  
indeed1 even to the present time1       
although he puts it to new uses2 and it 
acquires in his hands a power and       
significance which it possessed only    
when1 of old1 it was representative of  
the divine4  ,carlyle was matured in    
solitude4 ,emerson found him1 in the    
year #ahcc1 on the occasion of his first
 visit to ,england1 living at           
,craigenputtock1 a farm in ,nithsdale1  
far away from all civilization1 and no  
one to talk to but the minister of the  
parish4 ,he1 good man1 could make but   
little of his solitary friend1 and must 
many a time have been startled out of   
his canonicals by the strange1 alien    

speeches which he heard4 ,it is a pity  
that this minister had not had some of  
the ,boswell faculty in him1 that he    
might have reported what we should all  
be so glad to hear4 ,over that period of
 his life1 however1 the curtain falls at
 present1 to be lifted only1 if ever1 by
 ,carlyle himself4 ,through the want of 
companionship1 he fell back naturally   
upon books and his own thoughts4 ,here  
he wrote some of his finest critical    
essays for the reviews1 and that rag of 
a book1 as he calls it1 the ,life of    
,schiller4 ,the essays show a catholic1 
but conservative spirit1 and are full of
 deep thought4 ,they exhibit also a     
profoundly philosophical mind1 and a    
power of analysis which is almost unique
 in letters4 ,they are pervaded likewise
 by an earnestness and solemnity which  
are perfectly ,hebraic2 and each        
performance is presented in a style     
decorated with all the costly jewels of 
imagination and fancy1--a style of far  
purer and more genuine ,english than any

 of his subsequent writings1 which are  
often marred1 indeed1 by gross          
exaggerations1 and still grosser        
violations of good taste and the        
chastities of language4 ,what made these
 writings1 however1 so notable at the   
time1 and so memorable since1 was that  
sincerity and deep religious feeling of 
the writer which we have already alluded
 to4 ,here were new elements introduced 
into the current literature1 destined to
 revivify it1 and to propagate          
themselves1 as by seminal vitality1 in  
myriad minds and forms4 ,these          
utterances were both prophetic and      
creative1 and took all sincere minds    
captive4 ,dry and arid in comparison as 
,egyptian deserts1 lay all around him   
the writings of his contemporaries4 ,no 
living waters flowed through them2 all  
was sand1 and parch1 and darkness4 ,the 
contrast was immense3 a living soul and 
a dead corpse6 ,since the era of the    
,commonwealth1--the holy1 learned1      
intellectual1 and earnest age of        

,taylor1 ,barrow1 ,milton1 ,fuller1--no 
such pen of fire had wrought its        
miracles amongst us4 ,writers spoke from
 the intellect1 believed in the         
intellect1 and divorced it from the soul
 and the moral nature4 ,science1        
history1 ethics1 religion1 whenever     
treated of in literary form1 were       
mechanized1 and shone not with any      
spiritual illumination4 ,there was      
abundance of lawyer-like ability1--but  
of genius1 and its accompanying divine  
afflatus1 little4 ,carlyle is full of   
genius2 and this is evidenced not only  
by the fine aroma of his language1 but  
by the depths of his insight1 his       
wondrous historical pictures1--living   
cartoons of persons1 events1 and epochs1
 which he paints often in single        
sentences1--and the rich mosaic of      
truths with which every page of his     
writings is inlaid4  ,that ,german      
literature1 with which at this time     
,carlyle had been more or less          
acquainted for ten years1 had done much 

to foster and develop his genius there  
can be no doubt2 although the book which
 first created a storm in his mind1 and 
awoke him to the consciousness of his   
own abundant faculty1 was the           
,confessions of ,rousseau1--a fact which
 is well worthy of record and           
remembrance4 ,he speaks subsequently of 
poor ,jean ,jacques with much sympathy  
and sorrow2 not as the greatest man of  
his time and country1 but as the        
sincerest1--a smitten1 struggling       
spirit1--     ,an infant crying in the  
night1   ,an infant crying for the      
light1   ,and with no language but a    
cry4   ,from ,rousseau1 and his strange 
thoughts1 and wild1 ardent eloquence1   
the transition to ,german literature was
 easy4 ,some one had told ,carlyle that 
he would find in this literature what he
 had so long sought after1--truth and   
rest1--and he gladly learned the        
language1 and addressed himself to the  
study of its masters2 with what success 
all the world knows1 for he has grafted 

their thoughts upon his own1 and whoever
 now speaks is more or less consciously 
impregnated by his influence4 ,who the  
man was that sent ,carlyle to them does 
not appear1 and so far as he is         
concerned it is of little moment to     
inquire2 but the fact constitutes the   
grand epoch in ,carlyle's life1 and his 
true history dates from that period4    
,it was natural that he should be deeply
 moved on his introduction to ,german   
literature4 ,he went to it with an open 
and receptive nature1 and with an       
earnestness of purpose which could not  
fail to be productive4 ,jean ,paul1 the 
beautiful6--the good man1 and the wise  
teacher1 with poetic stuff in him       
sufficient to have floated an argosy of 
modern writers1--this great1 imaginative
 ,jean ,paul was for a long time        
,carlyle's idol1 whom he reverently and 
affectionately studied4 ,he has written 
a fine paper about him in his           
,miscellanies1 and we trace his         
influence not only in ,carlyle's thought

 and sentiment1 but in the very form of 
their utterance4 ,he was1 indeed1 warped
 by him1 at one period1 clear out of his
 orbit1 and wrote as he inspired4 ,the  
dazzling sunbursts of ,richter's        
imagination1 however1--its gigantic     
procession of imagery1 moving along in  
sublime and magnificent marches from    
earth to heaven1 from heaven to         
earth1--the array1 symbolism1 and       
embodiment of his manifold ideas1 ceased
 in the end to enslave1 though they     
still captivated ,carlyle's mind2 and he
 turns from him to the thinkers who deal
 with ,god's geometry1 and penetrate    
into the abysses of being1--to          
primordial ,kant1 and his behemoth      
brother1 ,fichte4 ,nor does ,hegel1 or  
,schelling1 or ,schlegel1 or ,novalis   
escape his pursuit1 but he hunts them   
all down1 and takes what is needful to  
him1 out of them1 as his trophy4        
,schiller is his king of singers1       
although he does not much admire his    
,philosophical ,letters1 or his         

,aesthetic ,letters4 ,but his grandest  
modern man is the calm and plastic      
,goethe1 and the homage he renders him  
is worthy of a better and a holier idol4
 ,goethe's ,autobiography1 in so far as 
it relates to his early days1 is a bad  
book2 and ,wordsworth might well say of 
the ,wilhelm ,meister1 that it was full 
of all manner of fornication1 like the  
crossing of flies in the air4 ,goethe1  
however1 is not to be judged by any     
fragmentary estimate of him1 but as an  
intellectual whole2 for he represented  
the intellect1 and grasped with his     
selfish and cosmical mind all the       
provinces of thought1 learning1 art1    
science1 and government1 for purely     
intellectual purposes4 ,this entrance   
into1 and breaking up of1 the minds of  
these distinguished persons was1        
however1 a fine discipline for ,carlyle1
 who is fully aware of its value2 and   
whilst holding communion with these     
great men1 who by their genius and      
insight seemed to apprehend the         

essential truth of things at a glance1  
it is not wonderful that he should have 
been so merciless in his denunciations  
of the mere logic-ability of ,english   
writers1 as he shows himself in the     
essays of that period4 ,logic1 useful as
 it is1 as a help to reasoning1 is but  
the dead body of thought1 as ,novalis   
designates it1 and has no place in the  
inspired regions where the prophets and 
the bards reside4  ,carlyle's fame1     
however1 had not reached its culminating
 point when ,emerson visited him4 ,the  
,english are a slow1 unimpressionable   
people1 not given to hasty judgments1   
nor too much nor too sudden praise2     
requiring first to take the true        
altitude of a man1 to measure him by    
severe tests2 often grudging him his    
proper and natural advantages and       
talents1 buffeting and abusing him in a 
merciless and sometimes an unreasoning  
and unreasonable manner1 allowing him   
now and then1 however1 a sunbeam for his
 consolation1 until at last they come to

 a settled understanding of him1 and he 
is generously praised and abused into   
the sanctuary of their worthies4 ,this  
was not the case1 however1 at present1  
with ,carlyle2 for although he had the  
highest recognitions from some of those 
who constitute the flower and chivalry  
of ,england1 he was far better known and
 more widely read in ,america than in   
his own country4 ,emerson1 then a young 
man1 with a great destiny before him1   
was attracted by his writings1 and      
carried a letter of introduction to him 
at ,craigenputtock4 ,he was tall and    
gaunt1 with a cliff-like brow2          
self-possessed1 and holding his         
extraordinary powers of conversation in 
easy command2 clinging to his northern  
accent with evident relish2 full of     
lively anecdote1 and with a streaming   
humor which floated everything he looked
 upon4 ,he is the same man1 in his best 
moods1 in the year #aheg1 as he was in  
#ahcc4 ,his person1 except that he      
stoops slightly1 is tall1 and very      

little changed4 ,he is thinner1 and the 
once ruddy hues of his cheek are dying  
away like faint streaks of light in the 
twilight sky of a summer evening4 ,but  
he is strong and hearty on the whole2   
although the excitement of continuous   
writing keeps him in a perpetual fever1 
deranges his liver1 and makes him at    
times acrid and savage as a sick giant4 
,hence his increased pugnacity of       
late1--his fierceness1 and angry        
hammering of all things sacred and      
profane4 ,it is but physical and        
temporary1 however1 all this1 and does  
not affect his healthy and serene       
moments4 ,for no man lives who possesses
 greater kindness and affection1 or more
 good1 noble1 and humane qualities4 ,all
 who know him love him1 although they   
may have much to pardon in him2 not in a
 social or moral sense1 however1 but in 
an intellectual one4 ,his talk is as    
rich as ever1--perhaps richer2 for his  
mind has increased its stores1 and the  
old fire of geniality still burns in his

 great and loving heart4 ,perhaps his   
conversation is better than his printed 
discourse4 ,we have never heard anything
 like it4 ,it is all alive1 as if each  
word had a soul in it4  ,how            
characteristic is all that ,emerson     
tells us of him in his ,english         
,traits6--a book1 by the way1 concerning
 which no adequate word has yet been    
spoken2 the best book ever written upon 
,england1 and which no brave young      
,englishman can read1 and ever after    
commit either a mean or a bad action4   
,we are therefore doubly thankful to    
,emerson1 both for what he says of      
,england1 and for what he relates of    
,carlyle1 whose independent speech upon 
all subjects is one of his chief charms4
 ,he reads ,blackwood1 for example1 and 
has enjoyed many a racy1 vigorous       
article in its pages2 but it does not   
satisfy him1 and he calls it ,sand      
,magazine4 ,fraser's is a little better1
 but not good enough to be worthy of a  
higher nomenclature than ,mud ,magazine4

 ,excessive praise of any one's talents 
drives him into admiration of the parts 
of his own learned pig1 now wallowing in
 the stye4 ,the best thing he knew about
 ,america was that there a man could    
have meat for his labor4 ,he did not    
read ,plato1 and he disparaged          
,socrates4 ,mirabeau was a hero2 ,gibbon
 the splendid bridge from the old world 
to the new4 ,it is interesting also to  
hear that ,tristram ,shandy was one of  
the first books he read after ,robinson 
,crusoe1 and that ,robertson's ,america 
was an early favorite4 ,rousseau's      
,confessions had discovered to him that 
he was not a dunce4 ,speaking of        
,english pauperism1 he said that        
government should direct poor men what  
to do4 ,poor ,irish folks come wandering
 over these moors4 ,my dame makes it a  
rule to give to every son of ,adam bread
 to eat1 and supplies his wants to the  
next house4 ,but here are thousands of  
acres which might give them all meat1   
and nobody to bid those poor ,irish go  

to the moor and till it4 ,they burned   
the stacks1 and so found a way to force 
the rich people to attend to them4 ,here
 is the germ of his book on ,chartism4  
,emerson and he talk of the immortality 
of the soul1 seated on the hill-tops    
near ,old ,criffel1 and looking down    
into ,wordsworth's country4 ,carlyle had
 the natural disinclination of every    
nimble spirit to bruise itself against  
walls1 and did not like to place himself
 where no step can be taken2 but he was 
honest and true1 and cognizant of the   
subtile links that bind ages together1  
and saw how every event affects all the 
future4 ,christ died on the tree2 that  
built ,dunscore ,kirk yonder2 that      
brought you and me together4 ,time has  
only a relative existence4  ,such is    
,emerson's account of his first visit to
 our author1 whose eyes were already    
turned towards ,london as the heart of  
the world1 whither he subsequently went1
 and where he now abides4  ,from        
,craigenputtock1 with its savage rocks  

and moorlands1 its sheepwalk solitudes1 
its isolation and distance from all the 
advantages of civil and intellectual    
life1 to ,london and the living solitude
 of its unnumberable inhabitants1 its   
activities1 polity1 and world-wide      
ramifications of commerce1 learning1    
science1 literature1 and art1 was a     
change of great magnitude1 whose true   
proportions it took time to estimate4   
,carlyle1 however1 was not afraid of the
 huge mechanism of ,london life1 but    
took to it bravely and kindly1 and was  
soon at home amidst the everlasting     
whirl and clamor1 the roar and thunder  
of its revolutions4 ,for although a     
scholar1 and bred in seclusion1 he was  
also a genuine man of the world1 and    
well acquainted with its rough ways and 
,plutonic wisdom4 ,this knowledge1      
combined with his strong common         
sense1--as poor ,dr4 ,beattie calls it1 
fighting for its supremacy with canine  
ferocity1--gave ,carlyle high           
vantage-ground in his writings4 ,he     

could meet the world with its own       
weapons1 and was cunning enough at that 
fence1 as the world was very shortly    
sensible4 ,he was saved1 therefore1 from
 the contumely which vulgar minds are   
always ready to bestow upon saints and  
mystics who sit aloof from them1 high   
enthroned amidst the truths and         
solemnities of ,god4 ,the secluded and  
ascetic life of most scholars1 highly   
favorable as it undoubtedly is to       
contemplation and internal development1 
has likewise its disadvantages1 and puts
 them1 as being undisciplined in the    
ways of life1 at great odds1 when they  
come to the actual and practical battle4
 ,a man should be armed at all points1  
and not subject himself1 like good      
,george ,fox1 ,jacob ,behmen1 and other 
holy men1 to the taunts of the mob1 on  
account of any awkward gait1 mannerism1 
or ignorance of men and affairs4 ,paul  
had none of these absurdities about him2
 but was an accomplished person1 as well
 as a divine speaker4 ,his doctrine of  

being all things to all men1 that he    
might win souls to ,christ1 is1 like    
good manners and politeness1 a part of  
that mundane philosophy which obtains in
 every society1 both as theory and      
performance2 not1 however1 in its       
literal meaning1 which would involve all
 sorts of hypocrisy and lies as its     
accessories1 but in the sense of ability
 to meet all kinds of men on their own  
grounds and with their own enginery of  
warfare4  ,strength1 whether of mind or 
body1 is sure to command respect1 even  
though it be used against ourselves2 for
 we ,anglo-,saxons are all pugilists4 ,a
 man1 therefore1 who accredits his metal
 by the work he accomplishes1 will be   
readily enough heard when he comes to   
speak and labor upon higher platforms4  
,this was the case with ,carlyle2 and   
when he published that new ,book of     
,job1 that weird and marvellous         
,pilgrim's ,progress of a modern        
cultivated soul1 the ,sartor ,resartus1 
in ,fraser's ,magazine1 strange1 wild1  

and incomprehensible as it was to most  
men1 they did not put it contemptuously 
aside1 but pondered it1 laughed at it1  
trembled over it and its dread          
apocalyptical visions and revelations1  
respecting its earnestness and          
eloquence1 although not comprehending   
what manner of writing it essentially   
was4 ,carlyle enjoyed the perplexity of 
his readers and reviewers1 neither of   
whom1 with the exception of men like    
,sterling1 and a writer in one of the   
,quarterlies1 seemed to know what they  
were talking about when they spoke of   
it4 ,the criticisms upon it were        
exceedingly comical in many instances1  
and the author put the most notable of  
these together1 and always alluded to   
them with roars of laughter4 ,the book  
has never yet received justice at the   
hands of any literary tribunal4 ,it     
requires1 indeed1 a large amount of     
culture to appreciate it1 either as a   
work of art1 or as a living             
flame-painting of spiritual struggle and

 revelation4 ,in his previous writings  
he had insisted upon the sacredness and 
infinite value of the human soul1--upon 
the wonder and mystery of life1 and its 
dread surroundings1--upon the divine    
significance of the universe1 with its  
star pomp1 and overhanging              
immensities1--and upon the primal       
necessity for each man to stand with awe
 and reverence in this august and solemn
 presence1 if he would hope to receive  
any glimpses of its meaning1 or live a  
true and divine life in the world2 and  
in the ,sartor he has embodied and      
illustrated this in the person and      
actions of his hero4 ,he saw that       
religion had become secular2 that it was
 reduced to a mere ,sunday holiday and  
,vanity ,fair1 taking no vital hold of  
the lives of men1 and radiating1        
therefore1 none of its blessed and      
beautiful influences about their feet   
and ways2 that human life itself1 with  
all its adornments of beauty and poetry1
 was in danger of paralysis and death2  

that love and faith1 truth1 duty1 and   
holiness1 were fast losing their divine 
attributes in the common estimation1 and
 were hurrying downwards with tears and 
a sad threnody into gloom and darkness4 
,carlyle saw all this1 and knew that it 
was the reaction of that intellectual   
idolatry which brought the eighteenth   
century to a close2 knew also that there
 was only one remedy which could restore
 men to life and health1--namely1 the   
quickening once again of their spiritual
 nature4 ,he felt1 also1 that it was his
 mission to attempt this miracle2 and   
hence the prophetic fire and vehemence  
of his words4 ,no man1 and especially no
 earnest man1 can read him without      
feeling himself arrested as by the grip 
of a giant1--without trembling before   
his stern questions1 inculcations1 and  
admonitions4 ,there is a ,god1 ,o ,man6 
and not a blind chance1 as governor of  
this world4 ,thy soul has infinite      
relations with this ,god1 which thou    
canst never realize in thy being1 or    

manifest in thy practical life1 save by 
a devout reverence for him1 and his     
miraculous1 awful universe4 ,this       
reverence1 this deep1 abiding religious 
feeling1 is the only link which binds us
 to the ,infinite4 ,that severed1       
broken1 or destroyed1 and man is an     
alien and an orphan2 lost to him forever
 is the key to all spiritual mystery1 to
 the hieroglyph of the soul1 to the     
symbolism of nature1 of time1 and of    
eternity4 ,such1 as we understand it1 is
 ,carlyle's teaching4 ,but this is not  
all4 ,man is to be man in that high     
sense we have spoken his robes of       
immortality around him1 as if ,god had  
done with him for all practical         
purposes1 and he with ,god1--but for    
action1--action in a world which is to  
prove his power1 his beneficence1 his   
usefulness4 ,that spiritual fashioning  
by the ,great ,fashioner of all things  
is so ordained that we ourselves may    
become fashioners1 workers1 makers4 ,for
 it is given to no man to be an idle    

cumberer of the ground1 but to dig1 and 
sow1 and plant1 and reap the fruits of  
his labor for the garner4 ,this is man's
 first duty1 and the diviner he is the  
more divinely will he execute it4  ,that
 such a gospel as this could find       
utterance in the pages of the ,edinburgh
 ,review is curious enough2 and it is   
scarcely less surprising that the       
,sartor ,resartus should make its first 
appearance in the somewhat narrow and   
conservative pages of ,fraser4 ,carlyle 
has clearly written his own struggles in
 this book1--his struggles and his      
conquests4 ,from the ,everlasting       
,no1--that dreadful realm of            
enchantment1 where all the forms of     
nature are frozen forever in dumb       
imprisonment and despair1--the great    
vaulted firmament no longer serene and  
holy and loving as ,god's curtain for   
his children's slumbers1 but flaming in 
starry portents1 and dropping down over 
the earth like a funeral pall2 through  
this region of life-semblance and       

death-reality the lonely and aching     
pilgrim wanders1--questioning without   
reply1--wailing1 broken1                
self-consuming1--looking with eager eyes
 for the waters of immortality1 and     
finding nothing but pools of salt and   
,marahs of bitterness4 ,herein is no    
,calvary1 no ,cross-symbolism1 by whose 
miraculous power he is relieved of his  
infinite burden of sorrow1 starting     
onward with hope and joy in his heart2  
nor does he ever find his ,calvary until
 the deeps of his spiritual nature are  
broken up and flooded with celestial    
light1 as he knocks reverently at the   
portals of heaven for communion with his
 ,father who is in heaven4 ,then bursts 
upon him a new significance from all    
things2 he sees that the great world is 
but a fable of divine truth1 hiding its 
secrets from all but the initiated and  
the worthy1 and that faith1 and trust1  
and worship are the cipher1 which       
unlocks them all4 ,he thus arrives at   
the plains of heaven in the region of   

the ,everlasting ,yes4 ,his own soul    
lies naked and resolved before him1--its
 unspeakable greatness1 its meaning1    
faculty1 and destiny4 ,work1 and dutiful
 obedience to the laws of work1 are the 
outlets of his power2 and herein he     
finds peace and rest to his soul4  ,that
 ,carlyle is not only an earnest1 but a 
profoundly religious man1 these         
attempted elucidations of his teachings 
will abundantly show4 ,his religion1    
however1 is very far remote from what is
 called religion in this day4 ,he has no
 patience with second-hand              
beliefs1--with articles of faith        
ready-made for the having4 ,whatsoever  
is accepted by men because it is the    
tradition of their fathers1 and not a   
deep conviction arrived at by legitimate
 search1 is to him of no avail2 and all 
merely historical and intellectual      
faith1 standing outside the man1 and not
 absorbed in the life as a vital1       
moving1 and spiritual power1 he places  
also amongst the chaff for burning4     

,this world is a serious world1 and     
human life and business are also serious
 matters1--not to be trifled with1 nor  
cheated by shams and hypocrisies1 but to
 be dealt with in all truth1 soberness1 
and sincerity4 ,no one can thus deal    
with it who is not himself possessed of 
these qualities1 and the result of a    
life is the test of what virtue there is
 in it4 ,false men leave no mark4 ,it is
 truth alone which does the masonry of  
the world1--which founds empires1 and   
builds cities1 and establishes laws1    
commerce1 and civilization4 ,and in     
private life the same law abides1       
indestructible as ,god4 ,carlyle's      
teaching tends altogether in this       
direction2 and whilst he belongs to no  
church and no creed1 he is tolerant of  
all1 and of everything that is heartily 
and unfeignedly believed in by his      
fellows4 ,he is no ,catholic2 and yet   
for years he read little else than the  
forty volumes of the ,acta ,sanctorum1  
and found1 he says1 all ,christian      

history there1 and much of profane      
history4 ,neither is he a ,mahometan2   
but he nevertheless makes a hero of     
,mahomet1 whom he loves for his         
,ishmaelite fierceness1 bravery1 and    
religious sincerity1--and because he    
taught deism1 or the belief in one ,god1
 instead of the old polytheism1 or the  
belief in many gods1--and gave half the 
,east his very good book1 called the    
,koran1 for his followers to live and   
die by4  ,whether this large            
catholicism1 this worship of heroes1 is 
the best of what now remains of religion
 on earth is certainly questionable     
enough2 and if we regard it in no other 
light than merely as an idolatry of     
persons1 there is an easy answer ready  
for it4 ,but considering that religion  
is now so far dead that it consists in  
little else than formalities1 and that  
its divine truth is no longer such to   
half the great world1 which lies1       
indeed1 in dire atrophy and             
wickedness1--and if we further consider 

and agree that the awakened human soul  
is the divinest thing on earth1 and     
partakes of the divine nature itself1   
and that its manifestations are also    
divine in whomsoever it is embodied1 we 
can see some apology for its adoption2  
inasmuch as it is the divine likeness to
 which reverence and homage are         
rendered1 and not the person merely1 but
 only so far as he is the medium of its 
showing4 ,christianity1 however1 will   
assuredly survive1 although doubtless in
 a new form1 preserving all the         
integrity of its message1--and be once  
more faith and life to men1 when the    
present old1 established1 decaying      
cultus shall be venerated only as       
history4  ,carlyle clings to the        
,christian formulary and the old        
,christian life in spite of himself4 ,he
 is almost fanatical in his attachment  
to the mediaeval times1--to the ancient 
worship1 its ceremonial1 music1 and     
architecture1 its monastic government1  
its saints and martyrs4 ,and the reason1

 as he shows in the ,past and ,present1 
is1 that all this array of devotion1    
this pomp and ceremony1 this music and  
painting1 this gorgeous and sublime     
architecture1 this fasting and praying1 
were real1--faithful manifestations of a
 religion which to that people was truly
 genuine and holy4 ,they who built the  
cathedrals of ,europe1 adorned them with
 carvings1 pictures1 and those stately  
windows with their storied illuminations
 which at this day are often miracles of
 beauty and of art1 were not frivolous  
modern conventicle-builders1 but poets  
as grand as ,milton1 and sculptors whose
 genius might front that of ,michel     
,angelo4 ,it was no dead belief in a    
dead religion which designed and        
executed these matchless temples4 ,man  
and ,religion were both alive in those  
days2 and the worship of ,god was so    
profound a prostration of the inmost    
spirit before his majesty and glory1    
that the souls of the artists seem to   
have been inspired1 and to have received

 their archetypes in heavenly visions4  
,such temples it is neither in the      
devotion nor the faculty of the modern  
,western world to conceive or construct4
 ,carlyle knows all this1 and he falls  
back in loving admiration upon those old
 times and their worthies1 despising the
 filigree materials of which the men of 
to-day are for the most part composed4  
,he revels in that picture of monastic  
life1 also1 which is preserved in the   
record of ,jocelyn de ,brakelonde4 ,he  
sees all men at work there1 each at his 
proper vocation2--and he praises them1  
because they fear ,god and do their     
duty4 ,he finds them the same men1      
although with better and devouter       
hearts1 as we are at this day4 ,time    
makes no difference in this verdant     
human nature1 which shows ever the same 
in ,catholic monasteries as in ,puritan 
meeting-houses4 ,we have a wise         
preachment1 however1 from that ,past1 to
 the ,present1 in ,carlyle's book1 which
 is one of his best efforts1 and        

contains isolated passages which for    
wisdom and beauty1 and chastity of      
utterance1 he has never exceeded4  ,we  
have no space to speak here of all his  
books with anything like critical       
integrity4 ,the greatest amongst them1  
however1 is1 perhaps1 his ,french       
,revolution1 a ,history1--which is no   
history1 but a vivid painting of        
characters and events as they moved     
along in tumultuous procession4 ,no one 
can appreciate this book who is not     
acquainted with the history in its      
details beforehand4 ,emerson once       
related to us a striking anecdote       
connected with this work1 which gives us
 another glimpse of ,carlyle's          
character4 ,he had just completed1 after
 infinite labor1 one of the three       
volumes of his ,history1 which he left  
exposed on his study table when he went 
to bed4 ,next morning he sought in vain 
for the manuscript1 and had wellnigh    
concluded with ,robert ,hall1 who was   
once in a similar dilemma1 that the     

,devil had run away with it1 when the   
servant-girl1 on being questioned1      
confessed that she had burnt it to      
kindle the fire4 ,carlyle neither       
stamped nor raved1 but sat down without 
a word and rewrote it4  ,in summing up  
the present results of ,carlyle's labor1
 foolish men of the world and small     
critics have not failed to ask what it  
all amounts to1--what the great         
,demiurgus is aiming at in his weary    
battle of life2 and the question is     
significant enough1--one more proof of  
that ,egyptian darkness of vision which 
he is here to dispel4 ,he pulls down the
 old1 say they2 but what does he give us
 in place of it8 ,why does he not strike
 out a system of his own8 ,and after    
all1 there is nothing new in him4 ,such 
is the idle talk of the day1 and such   
are the men who either guide the people1
 or seek to guide them4 ,poor ignorant  
souls6 who do not know the beginning of 
the knowledge which ,carlyle teaches1   
nor its infinite importance to life and 

all its concerns3--this1 namely1 as we  
have said before1 that the soul should  
first of all be wakened to the          
consciousness of its own miraculous     
being1 that it may be penetrated by the 
miracles of the universe1 and rise by   
aspiration and faith to the knowledge   
and worship of ,god1 in whom are all    
things2 that this attitude of the soul1 
and its accompanying wisdom1 will beget 
the strength1 purity1 virtue1 and truth 
which can alone restore order and beauty
 upon the earth2 that all systems1 and  
mechanical1 outward means and appliances
 to the end1 will but increase the      
,babel of confusion1 as things unfitted 
to it1 and altogether extraneous and    
hopeless4 ,systems6 ,it is living1      
truthful men we want2 these will make   
their own systems2 and let those who    
doubt the truth humbly watch and wait   
until it is manifest to them1 or go on  
their own arid and sorrowful ways in    
what peace they can find there4  ,the   
catholic spirit of ,carlyle's works     

cannot be better illustrated than by the
 fact that he has received letters from 
all sorts and conditions of men1        
,methodists and ,shakers1 ,churchmen and
 ,romanists1 ,deists and ,infidels1 all 
claiming his fellowship1 and thinking   
they find their peculiarities of thought
 in him4 ,this is owing partly1 perhaps1
 to the fact that in his earlier        
writings he masked his sentiments both  
in ,hebraic and ,christian phraseology2 
and partly to the lack of vision in his 
admirers1 who could not distinguish a   
new thought in an old garment4 ,his     
,cromwell deceived not a few in this    
respect2 and we were once asked in      
earnest1 by a man who should have been  
better informed1 if ,carlyle was a      
,puritan4 ,whatever he may be called1 or
 believed to be1 one thing is certain   
concerning him3 that he is a true and   
valiant man1--all out a man6--and that  
literature and the world are deeply     
indebted to him4 ,his mission1 like that
 of ,jeremy ,collier in a still baser   

age1 was to purge our literature of its 
falsehood1 to recreate it1 and to make  
men once more believe in the divine1 and
 live in it4 ,so earnest a man has not  
appeared since the days of ,luther1 nor 
any one whose thoughts are so           
suggestive1 germinal1 and propagative4  
,all our later writers are tinged with  
his thought1 and he has to answer for   
such men as ,kingsley1 ,newman1 ,froude1
 and others who will not answer for him1
 nor acknowledge him4  ,in private life 
,carlyle is amiable1 and often high and 
beautiful in his demeanor4 ,he talks    
much1 and1 as we have said1 well2       
impatient1 at times1 of interruption1   
and at other times readily listening to 
those who have anything to say4 ,but he 
hates babblers1 and cant1 and sham1 and 
has no mercy for them1 but sweeps them  
away in the whirlwind and terror of his 
wrath4 ,he receives distinguished men1  
in the evening1 at his house in         
,chelsea2 but he rarely visits4 ,he used
 occasionally to grace the saloons of   

,lady ,blessington1 in the palmy days of
 her life1 when she attracted around her
 all noble and beautiful persons1 who   
were distinguished by their attainments 
in literature1 science1 or art2 but he  
rarely leaves his home now for such a   
purpose4 ,he is at present engaged in   
his ,life of ,frederick the ,great1 whom
 he will hardly make a hero of1 and with
 whom1 we learn1 he is already very     
heartily disgusted4 ,the first volume   
will shortly appear4  ,and now we must  
close this imperfect paper1--reserving  
for a future occasion some personal     
reminiscences of him1 which may prove   
both interesting and illustrative4      
,,the ,,button-,,rose4   ,,chapter ,i4  
,i fear ,i have not what is called a    
taste for flowers4 ,to be sure1 my      
cottage home is half buried in tall     
shrubs1 some of which are flowering1 and
 some are not4 ,a giant woodbine has    
wrapped the whole front in its rich     
green mantle2 and the porch is roofed   
and the windows curtained with luxuriant

 honeysuckles and climbing wild-roses4  
,but1 though ,i have tried for it many  
times1 ,i never yet had a successful bed
 of flowers4 ,my next neighbor1 ,mrs4   
,smith1 is a lady of great taste2 and   
when she leads me proudly through her   
trim alleys edged with box1 and displays
 her hyacinths and tulips1 her          
heliotropes1 cactuses1 and gladioluses1 
her choice roses1 so extremely double1  
and all the rare plants which adorn her 
parterre1 ,i conclude it must be that ,i
 have no taste at all4 ,i beg her to    
save me seeds and bulbs1 get fresh      
directions for laying down1 and         
inoculating1 grafting1 and potting1 and 
go home with my head full of            
improvements4 ,but the next summer comes
 round with no change1 except that the  
old denizens of the soil 7like my maids 
and my children7 have grown more wild   
and audacious than ever1 and ,i find no 
place for beds of flowers4 ,i must e'en 
give it up2 ,i have no taste for        
flowers1 in the common sense of the     

words4 ,in fact1 they awaken in me no   
sentiment1 no associations1 as they     
stand1 marshalled for show1 in beds and 
curious knots2 and ,i do not like the   
care of them4  ,yet let me find these   
daughters of the early year in their    
native haunts1 scattered about on       
hillside and in woody dingle1 half      
hidden by green leaves1 starting up like
 fairies in secluded nooks1 nestling at 
the root of some old tree1 or leaning   
over to peep into some glassy bit of    
water1 and no heart thrills quicker than
 mine at the sight4 ,there they seem to 
me to enjoy a sweet wild life of their  
own2 nodding and smiling in the sunshine
 or verdant gloom1 caring not to see or 
to be seen4 ,some of the loveliest of my
 early recollections are of rambles     
after flowers4 ,there was a certain     
little pink and yellow flower 7so       
described to me by one of my young      
cousins7 after which ,i searched a whole
 summer with unabated eagerness4 ,i was 
fairly haunted by its ideal image4      

,henry von ,ofterdingen never sought    
with intenser desire for his wondrous   
blue flower1 nor more vainly2 for ,i    
never found it4 ,one day1 this same     
cousin and myself1 while wandering in   
the woods1 found ourselves on the summit
 of a little rocky precipice1 and at its
 foot1 lo6 in full bloom1 a splendid    
variety of the orchis1 7a flower ,i had 
never seen before17 looking to my       
astonished eyes like an enchanted       
princess in a fairy tale4 ,with a scream
 of joy we both sprang for the prize4   
,harriet seized it first1 but after     
gazing at it a moment with a quiet      
smile1 presented it to me4 ,kings may be
 blest1 but ,i was glorious6 ,i never   
felt so rich before or since4  ,but     
there was one flower1--and ,i must      
confess that ,i made acquaintance with  
it in a garden1 but at an age when ,i   
thought all things grew out of the      
blessed earth of their own sweet        
will1--which1 as it is the first ,i     
remember to have loved1 has maintained  

the right of priority in my affections  
to this day4 ,nay1 many an object of    
deep1 absorbing interest1 more than one 
glowing friendship1 has meantime passed 
away1 leaving no memorial but sad and   
bitter thoughts2 while this wee flower  
still lives and makes glad a little     
green nook in my heart4 ,it was a       
,button-,rose of the smallest species1  
the outspread blossom scarce exceeding  
in size a shilling-piece4 ,it stood in  
my grandfather's garden1--that garden   
which1 at my first sight of it1 7,i was 
then about five years old17 seemed to me
 boundless in extent1 and beautiful     
beyond aught that ,i had seen or thought
 before4 ,it was a large1 old-fashioned 
kitchen-garden1 adorned and enriched1   
however1 as then the custom was1 with   
flowers and fruit-trees4 ,several fine  
old pear-trees and a few of the choicest
 varieties of plum and cherry were      
scattered over it2 currants and         
gooseberries lined the fences2 the main 
alley1 running through its whole extent1

 was thickly bordered by lilacs1        
syringas1 and roses1 with many showy    
flowers intermixed1 and terminated in a 
very pleasant grape-arbor4 ,behind this 
rose a steep green hill covered with an 
apple-orchard1 through which a little   
thread of a footpath wound up to another
 arbor which stood on the summit        
relieved against the sky4 ,it was but   
little after sunrise1 the first morning 
of my visit1 when ,i timidly opened the 
garden gate and stood in full view of   
these glories4 ,all was dewy1           
glittering1 fragrant1 musical as a morn 
in ,eden4 ,for a while ,i stood still1  
in a kind of enchantment4 ,venturing1 at
 length1 a few steps forward1 gazing    
eagerly from side to side1 ,i was       
suddenly arrested by the most           
marvellously beautiful object my eyes   
had ever seen1--no other than the little
 ,button-,rose of our story6 ,so small1 
so perfect6 ,it filled my infant sense  
with its loveliness4 ,it grew in a very 
pretty china vase1 as if more precious  

than the other flowers4 ,several        
blossoms were fully expanded1 and many  
tiny buds were showing their crimson    
tips4 ,as ,i stood lost in rapture over 
this little miracle of beauty1 a        
humming-bird1 the smallest of its fairy 
tribe1 darted into sight1 and hung for  
an instant1 its ruby crest and green and
 golden plumage flashing in the sun1    
over my new-found treasure4 ,were it not
 that the emotions of a few such moments
 are stamped indelibly on the memory1 we
 should have no conception in maturer   
life of the intenseness of childish     
enjoyment4 ,oh for one drop of that     
fresh morning dew1 that pure nectar of  
life1 in which ,i then bathed with an   
unconscious bliss6 ,methinks ,i would   
give many days of sober1 thoughtful1    
rational enjoyment for one hour of the  
eager rapture which thrilled my being as
 ,i stood in that enchanted garden1     
gazing upon my little rose1 and that gay
 creature of the elements1 that winged  
blossom1 that living fragment of a      

rainbow1 that glanced and quivered and  
murmured over it4  ,but1 dear as the    
,button-,rose is to my memory1 ,i should
 hardly think of obtruding it on the    
notice of others1 were it not for a     
little tale of human interest connected 
with it4 ,while ,i yet stood motionless 
in the ecstasy of my first wonder1 a    
young man and woman entered the garden1 
chatting and laughing in a very lively  
manner4 ,the lady was my ,aunt          
,caroline1 then in the fresh bloom of   
seventeen2 the young man ,i had never   
seen before4 ,seeing me standing alone  
in the walk1 my aunt called me2 but as  
,i shrunk away shy and blushing at sight
 of the stranger1 she came forward and  
took hold of my hand4  ,this is our     
little ,katy1 ,cousin ,harry1 said she1 
leading me towards him4  ,our little    
,katy's most obedient6  replied he1     
taking off his broad-brimmed straw hat1 
and making a flourishing bow nearly to  
the ground4  ,don't be afraid of him1   
,katy dear2 he's nobody1 said my aunt1  

laughing4  ,at these encouraging words  
,i glanced up at the merry pair1 and    
thought them almost as pretty as the    
rose and hummingbird4 ,my ,aunt         
,caroline's beauty was of a somewhat    
peculiar character1--if beauty that can 
be called which was rather spirit1      
brilliancy1 geniality of expression1    
than symmetrical mould of features4 ,the
 large1 full eye was of the deepest     
violet hue2 the finely arched forehead1 
a little too boldly cast for feminine   
beauty1 was shaded by masses of rich    
chestnut hair2 the mouth1--but who could
 describe that mouth8 ,even in repose1  
some arch thought seemed ever at play   
among its changeful curves2 and when she
 spoke or laughed1 its wonderful        
mobility and sweetness of expression    
threw a perfect witchery over her face4 
,she was quite short1 and1 if the truth 
must be told1 a little too stout in     
figure2 but this was in a great measure 
redeemed by a beautifully moulded neck1 
on which her head turned with the       

quickness and grace of a wild pigeon4   
,every motion was rapid and decided1 and
 her whole aspect beamed with genius1   
gayety1 and a cordial friendliness1     
which took the heart at first sight4    
,and then1 her voice1 her laugh6--not so
 low as ,shakspeare commends in woman1  
but clear1 musical1 true-hearted1 making
 one glad like the song of the lark at  
sunrise4  ,cousin ,harry was a very     
tall1 very pale1 very black-haired and  
black-eyed young gentleman1 with a high1
 open brow1 and a very fascinating      
smile4  ,the remainder of the garden    
scene was to me but little more than    
dumb show4 ,perhaps it was more vividly 
remembered for that very reason4 ,i     
recollect being busy filling a little   
basket with strawberries1 while ,i      
watched with a pleased1 childish        
curiosity the two young people1 as they 
passed many times up and down the       
gravelled walk between the rows of      
flowers4 ,i was not far from the        
,button-,rose1 and ,i had nearly filled 

my basket1 when my aunt came to the spot
 and stooped over the little plant4 ,her
 face was towards me1 and ,i saw several
 large tears fall from her eyes upon the
 leaves4 ,she broke off the most        
beautiful blossom1 and tying it up with 
some sprigs of mignonette1 presented it 
to ,cousin ,harry4 ,they then left the  
garden4  ,the next day ,i heard it said 
that ,cousin ,harry was gone away4 ,the 
little rose was brought into the house  
and installed in the bow-window of my   
aunt's room1 where it was watched and   
tended by us both with the greatest     
care4  ,some time after this1 the news  
came that ,cousin ,harry was married4   
,the next morning ,i missed my little   
favorite from the window4 ,my aunt was  
reading when ,i waked4  ,oh1 ,aunty6 ,i 
cried1 where is our little rose8  ,it   
was too much trouble1 ,katy1 said she1  
quietly2 ,i have put it into the garden4
  ,but isn't it going to stand in our   
window any more8  ,no1 dear1 ,i am tired
 of it4  ,oh1 do bring it back6 ,i will 

take the whole care of it1 said ,i1     
beginning to cry4  ,katy1 said my aunt1 
taking me into her lap1 and looking     
steadily1 but kindly1 into my face1     
listen to me4 ,i do not wish to have    
that rose in my room any more2 and if   
you love me1 you will never mention it  
again4  ,something in her manner        
prevented my uttering a word more in    
behalf of the poor little exile4 ,as    
soon as ,i was dressed1 ,i ran down into
 the garden to visit it4 ,it looked very
 lonely1 ,i thought2 ,i could hardly    
bear to leave it4 ,the day following1 it
 disappeared from the garden1 and old   
,nanny1 the housemaid1 told me that my  
aunt had given it away4 ,i never saw it 
again4  ,thus ended my personal         
acquaintance with the little            
,button-,rose4 ,but that first strong   
impression on my fancy was indelible4   
,the flower still lived in my memory1   
surrounded by associations which gave it
 a mystic charm4 ,by degrees ,i ceased  
to miss it from the window2 but that    

strange garden scene grew more and more 
vivid1 and became a cabinet picture in  
one of the little inner chambers of     
memory1 where ,i often pondered it with 
a delicious sense of mystery4 ,the rose 
and humming-bird seemed to me the chief 
actors in the magic pantomime1 and they 
were some way connected with my dear    
,aunt ,linny and the black-eyed young   
man2 but what it all meant was the great
 puzzle of my busy little brain4 ,it has
 sometimes been a matter of curious     
speculation to me1 what share that      
diminutive flower had in the development
 of my mind and character4 ,with it1 so 
it seems to me1 began the first dawn of 
a conscious inner life4 ,i can still    
recollect with wonderful distinctness   
what ,i have thought and felt since that
 date1 while all the preceding years are
 vague and shadowy as an ill-remembered 
dream4 ,from them ,i can only conjure   
up1 as it were1 my outward form1--a     
happy animal existence1 with which      
scarce a feeling of self is connected2  

but from the time when ,i bore a part in
 this little fragment of a romance the  
current of identity flows on unbroken4  
,from that light waking touch1          
perchance1 the whole subsequent         
development took form and tone4--,but1  
gentle reader1 your pardon6 ,this is    
nothing to my story4   ,,chapter ,,ii4  
,ten years had slipped away1 and ,i was 
now in my sixteenth year4 ,of course1 my
 little cabinet picture had been joined 
by many others4 ,it was now but one in  
an extensive gallery2 and the modest    
little gem1 dimmed with dust1 and hidden
 by larger pieces1 had not been thought 
of for many a day4  ,external           
circumstances had remained much the same
 with us2 only one great change1 the    
death of my dear grandmother1 having    
occurred in the family4 ,my aunt        
presided over her father's household1   
and the admirable order and good taste  
which pervaded every department bore    
witness how well she understood         
combining the elements of a home4  ,aunt

 ,linny1 now twenty-seven years of age1 
had lost nothing of her former          
attractiveness4 ,the brilliant1         
impulsive girl had but ripened into the 
still more lovely woman4 ,her cheek was 
not faded nor her eye dimmed4 ,there was
 the same frankness1 the same heart in  
her glance1 her smile1 the warm pressure
 of her hand1 but tempered by           
experience1 reflection1 and             
self-control4 ,one felt that she could  
be loved and trusted with the whole     
heart and judgment4 ,her personal       
attractions1 and yet more the charm of  
her sensible1 genial1 and racy          
conversation1 brought to our house many 
pleasant visitors1 and made her the     
sparkling centre of every circle into   
which she could be drawn4 ,but it was   
rarely that she could be beguiled from  
home2 for1 since her mother's death1 she
 had devoted herself heart and soul to  
her widowed father4  ,the relation      
between myself and my aunt was somewhat 
peculiar4 ,neither of us having         

associates of our own age in the family1
 ,i had become her companion1 and even  
friend1 to a degree which would have    
been impossible in other circumstances4 
,she had scarcely outgrown the freshness
 and simplicity of childhood when ,i    
first came to live with her1 and my mind
 and feelings had expanded rapidly under
 the constant stimulus of a nature so   
full of rich life2 so that at the date  
,i now speak of1 we lived together more 
as sisters than as aunt and niece4 ,an  
inexpressible charm rests on those days1
 when we read1 wrote1 rambled together1 
shared the same room1 and had every     
pleasure1 every trouble in common4 ,all 
show of authority over me had gradually 
melted away2 but her influence with me  
was still unbounded1 for ,i loved her   
with the passionate earnestness of a    
first1 full-hearted friendship4--,but to
 proceed with my story4  ,one sweet     
afternoon in early summer1 we two were  
sitting alone4 ,the windows towards the 
garden were open1 and the breath of     

lilacs and roses stole in4 ,i had been  
reading to her some verses of my own1   
celebrating the praise of first love as 
an imperishable sentiment4 ,my fancy had
 just been crazed with the poetry of    
,l4,e4,l41 who was then shining as the  
bright particular star in the literary  
heavens4  ,the lines are very pretty1   
said my aunt1 but ,i trust it's only    
poetizing1 ,kate2 ,i should be sorry    
indeed to have you join the school of   
romantic misses who think first love    
such a killing matter4  ,but1 ,aunty1 ,i
 cried1 what a horribly prosy1          
matter-of-fact affair life would be in  
any other view6 ,i believe poetry itself
 would become extinct4  ,so1 then1 if a 
woman is disappointed in first love1 she
 is bound to die for the benefit of     
poetry6  ,but just think1 ,aunt         
,linny--if ,ophelia1 instead of going   
mad so prettily1 and dying in a way to  
break everybody's heart1 had soberly set
 herself to consider that there were as 
fine fish yet in the sea as ever were   

caught1 and that it was best1 therefore1
 to cheer up and wait for better times6 
,frightful6  ,never trouble your little 
head1 ,kate1 with fear that there will  
not be ,ophelias enough1 as long as the 
world stands4 ,but ,i wouldn't be one1  
if ,i were you1 unless ,i could bespeak 
a ,shakspeare to do me into poetry4     
,that would be an inducement1 ,i allow4 
,how would you fancy being a ,sukey     
,fay1 ,kate8  ,oh1 the poor old wretch1 
with her rags and dirt and gin-bottle6  
,has she a story8  ,just as romantic a  
one as ,ophelia1 only she lacks a poet4 
,but1 in sober truth1 ,katy1 why is     
there not as true poetry in battling    
with feeling as in yielding to it8 ,to  
me there seems something far more lofty 
and beautiful in bearing to live1 under 
certain circumstances1 than in daring to
 die4  ,if you only spoke               
experimentally1 dear ,aunty6 ,oh that   
,plato1 or ,john ,milton1 or ,sir       
,philip ,sydney would reappear1 and lay 
all his genius and glory at your feet6  

,i wonder if you'd be of the same mind  
then6  ,and then1 of course1 this       
sublime suitor must die1 or desert me1  
to show how ,i would behave under the   
trial4--,katy1 continued my aunt1 after 
a little pause1 with a smile and slight 
blush1 ,i have half a mind to tell you a
 little romance of my early days1 when  
,i was just your age4 ,it may be useful 
to you at this point of your life4  ,is 
it possible8 cried ,i1--a romance of    
your early days6 ,quick1 let me hear6   
,i shouldn't have called it a romance1  
,katy2 for as a story1 it is just       
nothing4 ,it has no interest except as  
marking the beginning of my             
education1--the education1 ,i mean1 of  
real life4  ,but let me hear2 there's   
some spice of poetry in it1 ,i know4    
,well1 then1 it's like many another     
story of early fancy4 ,in my childhood  
,i had a playmate4 ,our fathers' houses 
stood but a few rods apart1 and the     
families lived in habits of the closest 
intimacy4 ,from my earliest remembrance1

 the brave little boy1 four years older 
than ,i1 was my sworn friend and        
protector2 and as we increased in years1
 an affection warm and frank as that of 
brother and sister grew up between us4  
,a love of nature and of poetry1 and a  
certain earnestness and enthusiasm of   
character1 which separated us both from 
other children1 drew us closely         
together4 ,at fifteen he left us to fit 
for college at a distant school1 and    
thenceforward he was at home only for   
brief visits1 till he was graduated with
 distinguished honor at the age of      
twenty-one4 ,during those six years of  
separation our relation to each other   
had suffered no change4 ,we had         
corresponded with tolerable regularity1 
and ,i had felt a sister's pride in his 
talents and literary honors4 ,when1     
therefore1 he returned home to recruit  
his health1 which had been seriously    
impaired by study and confinement1 ,i   
welcomed him with great joy1 and with   
all the frankness of former times4      

,again we read1 chatted1 and rambled    
together4 ,i found him unchanged in     
character1 but improved1 cultivated1 to 
a degree which delighted1 almost awed   
me4 ,when he read our favorite authors  
with his rich1 musical voice1 and       
descanted on their beauties with        
discriminating taste and fervent poetic 
feeling1 a new light fell on the page4  
,through his eyes ,i learned to behold  
in nature a richness1 a grace1 a        
harmony1 a meaning1 only vaguely felt   
before4 ,it was as if ,i had just       
received the key to a mysterious cipher1
 unlocking deep and beautiful truths in 
earth and sea and sky1 by which they    
were invested with a life and splendor  
till now unseen4 ,but it was his noble  
sentiments1 his generous human          
sympathies1 his ardent aspirations after
 honorable distinction to be won by toil
 and self-denial1 which woke my heart as
 by an electric touch4 ,my own unshaped1
 half-conscious aims and aspirations1   
stirred with life1 took wing and soared 

with his into the pure upper air4 ,ah6  
it was a bright1 beautiful dream1 ,kate1
 the life of those few months4 ,i never 
once thought of love1 nor of the        
possibility of separation4 ,all flowed  
so naturally from our life-long         
intimacy1 that ,i had not the slightest 
suspicion of the change which had come  
over me4 ,but the hour of waking was at 
hand4 ,we had looked forward to the     
settled summer weather for a marked     
improvement in his health4 ,but ,june   
had come and he still seemed very       
delicate4 ,his physician prescribed     
travelling and change of climate2 and   
though his high spirits had deceived me 
as to his real danger1 ,i urged him to  
go4 ,he left us to visit an elder       
brother residing in one of the ,middle  
,states4 ,ten years this very month6    
added ,aunt ,linny1 with an absent air4 
,ten years ago this very month1 ,i      
exclaimed1 did my distinguished self    
arrive at this venerable mansion4 ,what 
a singular conjunction of events6 ,no   

doubt our horoscopes would reveal some  
strange entanglement of destinies at    
this point4 ,perchance ,i1 even ,i1 was 
'the star malign' whose rising disturbed
 the harmonious movement of the spheres6
  ,no doubt of it2 the birth of a mouse 
once caused an earthquake1 you know4    
,but could ,i have seen him8 ,did ,i    
arrive before he had left8  ,oh1 yes1   
very likely2 but of course you can have 
no recollection of him1 such a chit as  
you were then4  ,what was his name8 ,i  
cried1 eagerly4 ,a long-silent chord of 
memory began to give forth a vague1     
uncertain murmur4  ,oh1 no matter1      
,kate4 ,i would a little rather you     
shouldn't know4 ,it doesn't affect the  
moral of the story1 which was all ,i had
 in view in relating it4  ,a plague take
 the moral1 ,aunty6 ,the romance is what
 ,i want2 and what's that without 'the  
magic of a name'8  ,excuse me4  ,tell me
 his ,christian name1 then1--just for a 
peg to hang my ideas on2 that is1 if    
it's meat for romance4 ,if it is ,isaac 

or ,jonathan1 you needn't mention it4   
,well1 then1 you tease1--,i called him  
,cousin ,harry4  ,cousin ,harry6 ,i     
screamed1 starting forward1 and staring 
at her with eyes wide open4  ,yes2 but  
what ails you1 child8 ,you glare upon me
 like a maniac4  ,hush6 hush6 don't     
speak6 said ,i4  ,as ,i sunk back1 in a 
sort of dream1 into the rocking-chair in
 which ,i had been idling1 the garden   
caught my eye through the open window4  
,the gate overarched with honeysuckle1  
the long alley with its fragrant        
flowering border1 the grape arbor1 the  
steep green hill behind1 lay before me  
in the still1 rich beauty of ,june4 ,in 
a twinkling1 memory had swept the dust  
from my little cabinet picture1 and let 
in upon it a sudden light4 ,the ten     
intervening years vanished like a dream1
 and that long-forgotten garden scene   
started up1 vivid as in the hour when it
 actually passed before my eyes4 ,the   
clue to that mystery which had so       
spellbound my childish fancy was at     

length found4 ,i sat for a time in      
silence1 lost in a delicious1 confused  
reverie4  ,the ,button-,rose was a gift 
from him1 then8 were my first words4    
,what1 ,kate8 said ,aunt ,linny1 now    
opening her large blue eyes with a      
strange look4  ,did you give away the   
flower-pot too8 ,that was so pretty6    
,whom did you give it to8  ,incredible6 
she exclaimed1 coloring1 and with the   
strongest expression of surprise4       
,truly1 little pitchers have not been   
slandered6  ,but the wonderful          
humming-bird1 ,aunty6 ,what had that to 
do with it8  ,kate1 said my aunt1 you   
talk like one in sleep4 ,wake up1 and   
let me know what all this means4  ,i see
 it all now6 ,i rattled on1 more to     
myself than her4 ,first young           
love1--parting gift1--,cousin ,harry    
proves fickle1--,aunt ,linny banishes   
the ,button-,rose from her              
window1--takes to books1 and educating  
naughty nieces1 and doing good to       
everybody1--'bearing to live1' as more  

heroic than 'daring to die1'--in ten    
years gets so that she can speak of it  
with composure1 as a lesson to romantic 
girls4 ,so8  ,even so1 ,katy6 she       
replied1 quietly2 and to that early     
disappointment ,i owe more than to      
anything that ever befell me4  ,she said
 this with a smile2 but her voice       
trembled a little1 and ,i perceived that
 a soft dew had gathered over her eyes4 
,by an irresistible impulse ,i rose1 and
 stealing softly behind her1 clasped my 
arms round her neck1 and kissing her    
forehead whispered1 ,forgive me1 sweet  
,aunty6  ,not a bit of harm1 ,katy1 she 
replied1 drawing me down for a warm     
kiss4 ,but what a gypsy you must be1 she
 added1 in her usually lively tone1 to  
have trudged along so many years with   
this precious little bundle1 and said   
never a word to anybody6  ,i've not     
thought of it myself1 these ever so many
 years1 said ,i1 and it seems like      
witchwork that it should all have come  
to me at this moment4  ,i then related  

to her my childish reminiscences and    
speculations1 which amused her not a    
little4 ,her hearty1 mirthful zest      
showed that the theme was not a         
disquieting one4 ,i now begged her to   
proceed with her story4  ,but stay a    
moment1 said ,i2 let me fetch our garden
 bonnets1 that we may enjoy it in the   
very scene of the romance4  ,ah1 ,kate1 
you are bent on making a heroine of me6 
was the reply1 as she took her seat in  
the grape arbor2 but there are really no
 materials4 ,i shall finish in fifteen  
minutes by my watch1 and you'll drop me 
as an ,ophelia1 ,i venture to say4      
,cousin ,harry had left us1 as ,i told  
you1 to visit his brother4 ,for some    
months his letters were very frequent1  
and as the time approached for his      
return they grew increasingly cheerful1 
and--,katy1 ,i cannot but excuse myself 
in part1 when ,i recall the magic charm 
of those letters4 ,but no matter2 all of
 a sudden they ceased1 and for several  
weeks not a word was heard from him by  

his own family4 ,at length1 when my     
anxiety had become wellnigh intolerable1
 there came a brief letter to his       
father1 announcing his marriage with the
 sister of his brother's wife1 and his  
decision to enter into business with his
 brother4  ,did you know anything of the
 young lady8  ,he had once or twice     
mentioned her in his letters as a       
beautiful1 amiable creature1 whose      
education had been shamefully neglected4
 ,her kindness to him in his illness and
 loneliness1 added to her natural       
charms1 won his heart1 no doubt many a  
wise man has been caught in that snare4 
,but what base conduct towards you6     
,not at all1 my dear6 ,my dream had     
suffused his words with its own         
coloring1--that was all4 ,as soon as    
reason could make her voice heard1 ,i   
acquitted him of all blame4 ,his        
feelings towards me had been those of a 
brother1--no more4  ,but why1 then1 did 
he cease to write8 why not share his new
 happiness with so dear a friend8  ,that

 was not unnatural1 after what he had   
said of the young lady's deficiencies4  
,probably the awkwardness of the thing  
led him to defer writing from time to   
time1 till he had become so absorbed in 
his domestic relations and his business1
 that he had ceased to think of it4     
,life's early dewdrops often exhale in  
that way1 ,kate6  ,then life is a       
hateful stupidity6  ,yes2 if it could be
 morning all day1 and childhood could   
outlast our whole lives1 it would be    
very charming4 ,but life has jewels that
 don't exhale1 ,kate1 but sparkle       
brightest in the hottest sun4 ,these lie
 deep in the earth1 and to dig them out 
requires more than a child's strength of
 heart and arm4 ,one must be well inured
 to toil and weather before he can win  
these treasures2 but when once he wears 
these in his bosom he doesn't sigh for  
dewdrops4  ,well1 let me hear how you   
were inured4  ,the news of this marriage
 revealed to me1 as by a flash of       
lightning1 my whole inner world of      

feeling4 ,when ,i knew that he was      
forever lost1 ,i first knew what he had 
become to me4 ,the pangs of             
disappointment1 of self-humiliation1--,i
 hardly know which were the             
stronger1--were like poisoned arrows in 
my heart4 ,it was my first trouble1 and 
,i had to bear it in silence and alone4 
,not for worlds would ,i have had it    
guessed that ,i had cherished an        
unreturned affection1 and it would have 
killed me to hear him blamed4 ,towards  
him ,i had1 in my most secret heart1 no 
emotion of resentment or reproach4 ,a   
feeling of dreary loss1 of a long1 weary
 life from which all the flowers had    
vanished1 a sort of tender self-pity1   
filled my heart4 ,it is not worth while 
to detail the whole process by which ,i 
gradually forced myself out of this     
miserable state4 ,one thing helped me   
much4 ,as soon as the first bitterness  
of my heart was passed1 ,i saw clearly  
that the indulgence of such a sentiment 
towards one who was now the husband of  

another could not be innocent4 ,it must 
not be merely concealed2 it must be torn
 up1 root and branch4 ,with this        
steadily before my mind as the central  
point of my efforts1 ,i worked my way   
step by step4 ,first came the removal of
 the numerous little mementos of those  
happy days in dreamland1 the sight of   
which softened my heart into weakness   
and vain regret4 ,next ,i threw aside my
 favorite works of imagination and      
feeling1 and for two years read scarcely
 a book which did not severely task my  
mind4 ,i devoted myself more to my      
mother1 and interested myself in the    
poor and sick4 ,last1 not least1 ,i     
resolved on taking the whole charge of  
your education1 ,katy2 and of my various
 specifics1 ,i think ,i would recommend 
the training of such an elf as the      
'sovereignest remedy' for first love4   
,the luxuriant growth of your character 
interested1 stimulated1 kept me         
perpetually on the alert4 ,i soon began 
to work con amore at this task2 my      

spirits caught at times the contagious  
gayety of yours2 my poor heart was      
refreshed by your warm childish love4   
,in short1 ,i began to live again4 ,but1
 ah6 dear ,kate1 it was a long1 stern   
conflict4 ,many1 many months1 yes1      
years1 passed by1 ere those troubled    
waters became clear and still4 ,but ,i  
held firmly on my way1 and the full     
reward came at last4 ,by degrees ,i had 
created within and around me a new world
 of interest and activity1 in which this
 little whirlpool of morbid feeling     
became an insignificant point4 ,i was   
conscious of the birth of new energies1 
of a bolder and steadier sweep of       
thought1 of fuller sympathies1 of that  
settled quiet and harmony of soul which 
are to be gained only in the school of  
self-discipline4 ,that dream of my youth
 now lies like a soft cloud far off in  
the horizon1 beautiful with the morning 
tints of memory1 but casting no shadow4 
,she paused2 then added1 in a lively    
tone3 ,well1 ,kate1 the fifteen minutes 

are not out1 and yet my story is done4  
,think you now it would really have been
 better to go a-swinging on a           
willow-tree over a pond1 and so have    
made a good poetical end8  ,oh1 ,i am so
 glad you were not such a goose as to   
make a swan of yourself1 like poor      
,ophelia6 said ,i1 throwing my arms     
around her1 and giving her half a dozen 
kisses4 ,but tell me truly1 was ,i      
indeed such a blessing to you1 'the very
 cherubim that did preserve thee'8 ,to  
think of the repentance ,i have wasted  
over my childish naughtiness1 when it   
was all inspired by your good angel6 ,i 
shall take heed to this hint4  ,do so1  
,kate1 and your good angel will         
doubtless inspire in me a suitable      
response4  ,but tell me now1 ,aunt      
,linny1 who the living man was4 ,was he 
a real cousin8  ,i may as well tell you1
 ,kate1 or you will get it from your    
'familiar4' ,you have heard of our rich 
cousin in ,cuba1 ,henry ,morrison8  ,oh1
 yes2 ,i have heard grandfather speak of

 him4 ,so1 then1 he was ,cousin ,harry6 
,i should like one chance at his hair1  
for all his goodness4 ,did you ever meet
 again8  ,never4 ,his father's family   
soon removed to a distant place1 so that
 there was no necessity for visiting the
 old home4 ,but ,i have always heard him
 spoken of as an upright merchant and a 
cultivated and generous man4 ,he has    
resided several years in ,cuba4 ,a year 
or two since1 he went to ,europe for his
 wife's health1 and there she died4     
,rumor now reports him as about to      
become the husband of an ,englishwoman  
of high connections4 ,i should be very  
glad to see him once more4--,but come   
now1 ,kate1 let's have a decennial      
celebration of our two anniversaries4   
,lay the tea-table in the grape arbor1  
and then invite grandpapa to a feast of 
strawberries and cream4  ,i hastily     
ornamented our rural banquet-hall with  
long branches of roses and honeysuckles 
in full bloom1 stuck into the leafy     
roof4 ,as we sat chatting and laughing  

over our simple treat1 a humming-bird   
darted several times in and out4 ,a     
messenger6 whispered ,i to ,aunt ,linny4
 ,depend upon it1 ,cousin ,harry didn't 
marry the ,english lady4   ,,chapter    
,,iii4  ,the next morning ,i slept late4
 ,fancy had all night been busy1        
combining her old and new materials into
 many a wild shape4 ,after my aunt had  
risen at her usual early hour1 ,i fell  
into one of those balmy morning-naps    
which make up for a whole night's       
unrest4 ,i dreamed still1 but the       
visions floated by with that sweet      
changeful play which soothes rather than
 fatigues the brain4 ,the principal     
objects were always the same2 but the   
combination shifted every instant1 as by
 the turn of a kaleidoscope4 ,at length 
they arranged themselves in a lovely    
miniature scene in a convex mirror4     
,there bloomed the little ,button-,rose 
in the centre1 and above it the         
humming-bird glanced and murmured1 and  
now and then darted his slender bill    

deep into the bosom of the flowers4     
,with hands clasped above this central  
object1 as if exchanging vows upon an   
altar1 stood the young human pair4 ,of a
 sudden1 old ,cornelius ,agrippa was in 
the room1 robed in a black              
scholar's-gown1 over which his snowy    
beard descended nearly to his knees4    
,stretching forth a long white wand1 he 
touched the picture1 and immediately a  
wedding procession began to move out of 
the magic crystal1 the figures1 as they 
emerged1 assuming the size of life4     
,first tripped a numerous train of      
white-robed little maidens1 scattering  
flowers2 then came a priest in surplice 
and bands1 holding before him a great   
open service-book2 after him1 the bridal
 pair1 attended by their friends4 ,but  
by an odd trick of fancy1 the           
bridegroom1 who looked very stately and 
happy1 appeared with the china          
flower-pot containing the ,button-,rose 
balanced on the end of his nose6 ,awaked
 by my own laughter at this comical     

sight1 ,i opened my eyes and found ,aunt
 ,linny sitting on the bedside and      
laughing with me4  ,i should have waked 
you before1 ,katy1 said she1 if you had 
not seemed to be enjoying yourself so   
much4 ,come1 unfold your dream4 ,i      
presume it will save me the trouble of  
telling you the contents of this        
wonderful epistle which ,i hold in my   
hand4  ,it's from ,cousin ,harry6       
,huzza6  cried ,i1 springing up to      
snatch it4  ,but she held it out of my  
reach4 ,softly6 good ,mistress          
,fortuneteller1 said she4 ,read me the  
letter without seeing it1 and then ,i   
shall know that you can tell the        
interpretation thereof4  ,of course it's
 from ,cousin ,harry4 ,that's what the  
humming-bird came to say last night4 ,as
 for the contents1--he's not            
married1--his heart turns to the        
sister-friend of his youth1--he yearns  
to look into her lustrous orbs once     
more1--she alone1 he finds1 is the      
completion of his ',ich'4 ,he hastens   

across the dark blue sea2 soon will she 
behold him at her feet4  ,alas1 poor    
gypsy1 thou hast lost thy silver penny  
this time4 ,the letter is indeed from   
,cousin ,harry1 and that of itself is   
one of life's wonders4 ,but it is       
addressed with all propriety to his     
'venerable uncle4' ,he arrived from     
,europe a month since1 and being now on 
a tour for health and pleasure1 proposes
 to make a hasty call on his relatives  
and visit the old homestead4 ,he brings 
his bride with him4 ,now1 ,kate1 be     
stirring2 they will be here to-night1   
and we must look our prettiest4  ,the   
hateful1 prosy man6 ,i'll not do        
anything to make his visit agreeable1   
said ,i1 pettishly4  ,why1 ,kate1 what  
are you conjuring up in your foolish    
little noddle8  ,oh1 ,i supposed an     
eclaircissement would come round        
somehow1 and we should finish the       
romance in style4  ,why1 ,kate1 do you  
really wish to get rid of me8  ,no1     
indeed6 ,i wouldn't have you accept his 

old withered heart for the world4 ,but  
,i wanted you to have the triumph of    
rejecting it4 ',indeed1 my dear         
cousin1'--thus you should have          
said1--',i shall always be interested in
 you as a kinsman1 but ,i can never love
 you4'  ,kate is crazed6 she exclaimed1 
in a voice of despair4 ,why1 dear child1
 there is not a shadow of foundation for
 this nonsense4 ,i am heartily glad at  
the thought of seeing my cousin once    
more1 and all the gladder that he brings
 a wife with him4 ,will you read the    
letter8  ,i read it twice1 and then     
asked1--,where does he mention his wife8
  ,why1 there1--don't you see8 ',i shall
 bring with me a young lady1 whom1      
though a stranger and a foreigner1 ,i   
trust you will be pleased to welcome4'  
,isn't that plain8  ,the inference      
seemed sufficiently natural2 but the    
slight uncertainty was the basis of many
 entertaining dreams through the day4 ,i
 resolved to hold fast my faith in      
romance till the last moment4 ,towards  

evening1 when the parlors and           
guest-chambers had received the last    
touches1 when the silver had been       
polished1 the sponge-cake and tarts     
baked1 and our own toilette made1--when1
 in short1 nothing remained to be done1 
my excitement and impatience rose to the
 highest pitch4 ,i ran repeatedly down  
the avenue1 and finally mounted with a  
pocket-telescope to the top of the house
 for a more extensive survey4  ,see you 
aught1 ,sister ,annie8  called my aunt  
from below4  ,nothing yet1 good         
,fatima6--spin out thy prayers a little 
longer4 ,stay6 a cloud of dust1 a       
horseman6--no doubt an outrider         
hastening on to announce his approach4  
,ah6 he passes1 the stupid clown6       
,another6 ,nay1 that was only a ,derby  
wagon2 the stars forbid that our        
deliverer should come in a ,derby6 ,but 
now1 hush6 there's a bona fide barouche1
 two black horses1 black driver and all4
 ,almost at the turn6 ,o gentle         
,ethiopian1 tarry6 this is the castle6  

,go1 then1 false man6 ,fatima1 thy last 
hope is past6 ,no1 they stop6 the       
gentleman looks out6 he waves his hand  
this way6 ,aunt ,linny1 'tis he6 the    
carriage is coming up the avenue6 ,so   
saying1 ,i threw down the telescope and 
flew to her room4  ,you are right1      
,kate1 it must be he1 said she1 glancing
 through the window1 and then following 
me quietly down stairs4  ,the carriage  
stopped1 and we all went down the steps 
to receive our long absent relative4 ,a 
tall1 pale gentleman in black sprang out
 and came hurriedly towards us4 ,he     
looked much older than ,i had expected2 
but the next instant the flash of his   
black eye1 and the eloquent smile which 
lighted up his pensive countenance as   
with a sunbeam1 brought back the ,cousin
 ,harry of ten years ago4 ,he returned  
my grandfather's truly paternal greeting
 with the most affectionate cordiality2 
but with scarce a reply to my aunt's    
frank welcome1 gave her his arm1 and    
made a movement towards the house4      

,but1 cousin1 said she1 smiling1 what   
gem have you there1 hidden in the       
carriage1 too precious to be seen8 ,we  
have a place in our hearts for the fair 
stranger1 ,i assure you4  ,ah1 poor     
thing6 ,i had quite forgotten her1 said 
he1 coloring and laughing1 as he turned 
towards the carriage4  ,aunt ,linny and 
,i exchanged mirthful glances at this   
treatment of a bride2 but the next      
instant he had lifted out and led       
towards us a small female personage1    
who1 when her green veil was thrown     
aside1 proved to be a lovely girl of    
some seven or eight years4  ,permit me1 
said he1 smiling1 to present ,miss      
,caroline ,morrison1 'sole daughter of  
my house and heart4'  ,but the stranger1
 the foreign lady8  inquired ,aunt      
,linny1 as she kissed and welcomed the  
child4  ,why1 this is she1--this young  
,cuban6 ,whom else did you look for8 was
 the reply1 in a tone of surprise1 and1 
as it seemed to me1 of slight vexation4 
,we expected a lady with a few more     

years on her head1 interposed grandpapa2
 but the little pet is just as welcome4 
,there1 ,katy1 this curly-pate will     
answer as well as a wax doll for you4   
,the dear old gentleman could never     
realize that ,i was grown up to be a    
woman4 ,of course1 ,i was now introduced
 in due form1 and we went together up   
the steps4  ,how pleasant1 how familiar 
all things look6 said our visitor1      
pausing and gazing round him4 ,why1     
uncle1 you must have had your house1 and
 yourself1 and everything about you     
insured against old age4 ,nothing has   
changed except to improve4 ,i see the   
very picture ,i carried with me ten     
years ago4  ,the tears stood in my      
grandfather's eyes4 ,you have forgotten 
one great change1 dear nephew1 said he2 
against that we could find no insurance4
  ,how could ,i forget8 was the answer1 
in a low tone1 full of feeling1 his own 
eyes filling with moisture4 ,my dear    
aunt6 ,i shed many tears with and for   
you1 when ,i heard of her death4 ,he    

looked extremely amiable at this moment2
 ,i knew that ,i should love him4  ,my  
aunt smiled through her tears1 and said1
 very sweetly1 ,the thought of her      
should cheer1 and not cloud our meeting4
 ,her presence never brought me sorrow1 
nor does her remembrance4 ,come1 dear1  
she added1 cheerfully1 taking the       
child's hand1 come in and rest your poor
 little tired self4 ,kate1 find the     
white kitten for her4 ,a prettier one   
you never saw in ,france or ,cuba1 ,miss
 ,carrie1--that's what papa calls you1  
,i suppose8  ,it used to be my name1    
said the little smiler2 but papa always 
calls me ,linny now1 because he thinks  
it sweeter4         99       99       99
       99       99  ,what say you to the
 humming-bird now8 ,i whispered to my   
aunt1 as we were a moment alone in the  
tea-room4  ,kate1 ,i wish you were fifty
 miles off at this moment6 ,it was no   
good angel that deluded me into telling 
you that foolish tale last evening4     
,indeed1 ,kate1 added she1 earnestly1   

you will seriously compromise me1 if you
 are not more careful4 ,promise me that 
you will not make one more allusion of  
this kind1 even to me1 while they       
remain6  ,but ,i may give you just a    
look1 now and then8  ,do you wish me to 
repent having trusted you1 ,kate8  ,i   
promise1 aunty1--by my faith in first   
love6  ,nonsense6 ,go1 call them to tea4
   ,,chapter ,,iv4  ,our kinsman had    
been easily persuaded to remain with us 
a week1 and a charming week it had been 
to all of us4 ,he had visited all the   
,west ,india ,islands1 and the most     
interesting portions of ,england and the
 ,continent4 ,my grandfather1 who1 as   
the commander of his own merchant-ship1 
had formerly visited many foreign       
countries1 was delighted to refresh his 
recollections of distant scenes1 and to 
live over again his adventures by sea   
and land4 ,the conversation of our guest
 with his uncle was richly instructive  
and entertaining2 for he had a lively   
appreciation of national and individual 

character1 and could illustrate them by 
a world of amusing anecdote4 ,the old   
veteran's early fondness for his nephew 
revived in full force1 and his enjoyment
 was alloyed only by the dread of a new 
separation4 ,what shall ,i do when you  
are gone1 ,harry6 was his frequent      
exclamation2 and then he would sigh and 
shake his head1 and wish he had one son 
left4  ,but the richest treat for my    
aunt and me was reserved till the late  
evening1 when the dear patriarch had    
retired to rest4 ,those warm1 balmy     
nights on the piazza1 with the moonlight
 quivering through the vines1 and       
turning the terraced lawn with fantastic
 mixture of light and shadow into a     
fairy scene1 while the cultivated       
traveller discoursed of all things      
beautiful in nature and art1 were full  
of witchery4 ,mont ,blanc at sunrise1   
the wild scenery of the ,simplon1 the   
exhumed streets of ,pompeii1 the        
,colosseum by moonlight1 those wondrous 
galleries of painting and sculpture of  

which ,i had read as ,i had read of the 
palace of ,aladdin and the gardens of   
the genii1--the living man before me had
 seen all these6 ,i looked upon him as  
an ambassador from the world of poetry4 
,but even this interested me less than  
the tone of high and manly sentiment by 
which his conversation was pervaded1 the
 feeling reminiscences of endeared      
friendships formed in those far-off     
lands1 the brief glimpses of deep       
sorrows bravely borne2 and ,i watched   
with a sweet1 sly pleasure my aunt's    
quiet surrender to the old spell4  ,it  
makes me very happy1 ,kate1 said she one
 day1 to have found my cousin and friend
 again4 ,i am glad to feel that         
friendships springing from the pure and 
good feelings of the heart are not so   
transient as ,i have sometimes been     
tempted to think them4 ,they may be     
buried for years under a drift of new   
interests2 but give them air1 and they  
will live again4  ,what is that remark  
of ,byron about young ladies'           

friendship8 ,take care1 take care6 said 
,i1 shaking my head1 gravely2 receive   
the warning of a calm observer6  ,oh1   
no1 ,kate6 this visit is but a little   
green oasis in the desert4 ,in a day or 
two we shall separate1 probably forever2
 but both1 ,i doubt not1 will be happier
 through life for this brief reunion4   
,his plan is to make his future         
residence in ,france4  ,at the end of   
the week our kinsman left us for a      
fortnight's visit to the metropolis4    
,intending to give us a call on his     
return south1 he willingly complied with
 our desire to leave his little girl    
with us4 ,as we were sitting together in
 my aunt's room after his departure1 the
 child brought her a small packet which 
her father had intrusted to her4 ,i     
believe1 said the little smiler1 he said
 it was a story for you to read4 ,won't 
you please to read it to me8 ,she took  
it with a look of surprise and          
curiosity1 and immediately opened it and
 began to read4 ,but her color soon     

began to vary1 her hand trembled1 and   
presently laying down the sheets in her 
lap1 she sat lost in thought4  ,it seems
 a moving story6 ,i remarked1 dryly4    
,kate1 this is the strangest            
affair6--,but ,i can't tell you now2 ,i 
must read it first alone4  ,she left the
 room1 and ,i heard the key turn in the 
lock as she entered another chamber4 ,in
 about an hour she came out very        
composedly1 and said nothing more on the
 subject4  ,after our little guest was  
asleep at night1 ,i could restrain      
myself no longer4 ,you are treating me  
shabbily1 aunty1 said ,i4 ,see if ,i am 
ever a good girl again to please you6   
,you shall know it all1 ,katy2 ,i only  
wished to think it over first by myself4
 ,there1 take the letter2 but make no   
note or comment till ,i mention it      
again4         99       99       99     
99       99  ,the letter of ,cousin     
,harry seemed to me rather              
matter-of-fact1 ,i must confess1 till   
near the end1 where he spoke of a little

 nosegay which he enclosed1 and which   
would speak to her of dear old times4   
,but where is the nosegay1 aunty8  ,with
 a beautiful flush1 as if the sunset of 
that vanished day were reddening the sky
 of memory1 she drew a small packet from
 her bosom1 and in it ,i found a        
withered rose-bud tied up with a        
shrivelled sprig of mignonette4  ,i am  
afraid that my ,aunt ,linny's answer was
 a great deal more proper than ,i should
 have wished2 and yet1 with all its     
emphatic expressions of duty towards her
 father and the impossibility of leaving
 him1 there must have been something    
between the lines which ,i could not    
read4 ,i have since discovered that all 
such epistles have their real meaning   
concealed in some kind of more rarefied 
sympathetic ink1 which betrays itself   
only under the burning hands of a lover4
  ,so1 then1 said ,aunt ,linny1 as she  
was sealing this letter1 you see1 ,katy1
 that your romance has come to an       
untimely end4  ,i turned round her      

averted face with both my hands1 and    
looked in her eyes till she blushed and 
laughed in spite of herself4  ,my       
knowledge of symptoms is not large1 said
 ,i1 but ,i have a conviction that his  
health will now endure a northern       
climate4  ,let's talk no more of this6  
said she1 putting me aside with a gentle
 gravity1 which checked my nonsense4    
,but as ,i was unable to detect in her1 
on this or the following day1 the       
slightest depression of spirits1 ,i     
shrewdly guessed that our anticipations 
of the result were not very dissimilar4 
,the next return post brought1 not the  
expected letter1 but our hero himself4  
,i was really amazed at the change in   
his appearance4 ,erect1 elastic1 his    
face radiant with expression1 he looked 
years younger than at his first arrival4
 ,i caught ,aunt ,linny's eloquent      
glance of surprise and pleasure as they 
met4 ,for a moment the bridal pair of my
 dream stood living before me2 then     
vanished even more suddenly than that   

fancy show of the old magician4 ,when we
 again met1 two or three hours after1 my
 aunt's serene smile and dewy eyes told 
me that all was right4         99       
99       99       99       99  ,in a    
month the wedding took place1 and the   
happy pair started off on a few weeks'  
excursion4 ,as ,i was helping my aunt   
exchange her bridal for her travelling  
attire1 ,i whispered1 ,what say you to  
my doctrine of first love1 aunty8  ,that
 it finds its best refutation in my     
experience4 ,no1 believe me1 dearest    
,katy1 the true jewel of life is a      
spirit that can rule itself1 that can   
subject even the strongest1 dearest     
impulses to reason and duty4 ,without   
it1 indeed1 she added1 with a soft      
earnestness1 affection towards the      
worthiest object becomes an unworthy    
sentiment--,and besides1 ,kate1--here   
her eye gleamed with girlish mirth--you 
see1 if ,i had made love my all1 ,i     
should have missed it all4 ,not even    
,cousin ,harry's constancy would have   

been proof against a withered1 whining1 
sentimental old maid4  ,well1 you will  
allow that it's a great paradox1 aunty6 
,if you believe in my doctrine1 it turns
 out a mere delusion2 if you don't      
believe in it1 'tis sure to come true4  
,take care1 then1 and disbelieve in it  
with all your might6 said she1 laughing1
 and kissing me1 as we left her         
room1--my room alone henceforth4 ,a     
shadow seemed to fill it1 as she passed 
the threshold4     ,,our ,,birds1 ,,and 
,,their ,,ways4   ,among our summer     
birds1 the vast majority are but        
transient visitors1 born and bred far to
 the northward1 and returning thither   
every year4 ,the ,north1 then1 is their 
proper domicile1 their legal place of   
residence1 which they have never        
renounced1 but only temporarily desert1 
for special reasons4 ,their sojourn with
 us1 or farther south1 is merely an     
exile by stress of climate1 like the    
flitting of the ,southern planters from 
the rice-fields to the mountains in     

summer1 or the pleasure tour or         
watering-place visit customary with the 
citizens of ,boston and ,new ,york4     
,the lower orders1 such as the          
humming-bird with his insect-like       
stomach and sucking-tube1 and so on up  
through the warblers and flycatchers1   
more strictly bound by the necessities  
of their life1 closely follow the       
sun1--while the upper-ten-thousand1 the 
robins1 cedar-birds1 sparrows1 etc41    
like man1 omnivorous in their diet and  
their attendant chevaliers d'industrie1 
the rapacious birds1 allow themselves   
greater latitude1 and go and come       
occasionally at all seasons1 though in  
general tending to the south in winter  
and north in summer4 ,but precedence    
before all is due to permanent          
residents1 with whom our intercourse is 
not of this transitory and fair-weather 
sort4 ,such are the crow1 the blue jay1 
the chickadee1 the partridge1 and the   
quail1 who may be called regular        
inhabitants1 though perhaps all of them 

wander occasionally from one district to
 another4 ,besides these1 perhaps some  
of the hawks and owls remain here       
throughout the year4 ,but the species ,i
 have named are the only ones that occur
 to me as equally numerous at all       
seasons in the immediate vicinity of    
,boston1 and never out of town1 whether 
you take the census in ,may or in       
,january4  ,in spite of our             
uninterrupted acquaintance with them1   
however1 there are still many of the    
nearest questions concerning these birds
 for which ,i find no sufficient        
answers4 ,even to the first             
question--,how do they get their        
living8--there are only vague replies in
 the books4  ,there is the crow1 for    
example4 ,i have seen crows in the      
neighborhood of ,boston every week of   
the year1 and in not very different     
numbers4 ,my friend the ornithologist   
said to me last winter1 ,you will see   
that they will be off as soon as the    
ground is well covered with snow4 ,but  

on the contrary1 when the snow came1 and
 after it had lain deep on the fields   
for many days1 ,i saw more than         
before1--probably because they found it 
easier to get food in the neighborhood  
of the houses and cultivated grounds4   
,a crow must require certainly half a   
pound of animal food1 or its equivalent1
 daily1 in order to keep from starving4 
,yet they not only do not starve that ,i
 hear of1 but seem to keep in as good   
case in winter as in summer1 though what
 they find to eat is not immediately    
apparent4 ,the vague traditional        
suggestion of carrion1 as of dead horses
 and the like1 does not help us much4   
,some scraps doubtless may be left lying
 about1 but any reliable stores of this 
kind are hardly to be looked for in this
 neighborhood4 ,a few scattered kernels 
of corn1 perhaps on a pinch a few       
berries1 he may pick up2 though ,i      
suspect the crow is somewhat human in   
his tastes1 and1 besides animal food1   
affects only the cereals4 ,the frogs are

 deep in the mud4 ,now and then a       
squirrel or a mouse may be had2 but they
 are mostly dozing in their holes4 ,as  
for larger game1 rabbits and the like1  
the crow is hardly nimble enough for    
them1 nor are his claws well adapted for
 seizing2 anything of this kind he will 
scarcely get1 except as the leavings of 
the weasel or skunk4 ,these he will not 
refuse2 for though he is of a different 
species from the carrion crow of        
,europe1 with whom he was formerly      
confounded1 yet he is of similar1 though
 perhaps less extreme1 tastes as to his 
food4 ,but when the ground is freshly   
covered with snow1 all supplies of this 
sort would seem to be cut off1 for the  
time at least4 ,yet who ever found a    
starved crow1 or even saw one driven by 
hunger from any of his accustomed       
caution8 ,he is ever the same alert1    
vivacious1 harsh-tongued wanderer over  
the white fields as over the summer     
meadows4  ,a partial solution of the    
mystery is to be found in the habit     

which the bird has in common with most  
of the crow kind1 of depositing any     
surplus food in a place of safety for   
future use4 ,a tame crow that ,i saw    
last year was constantly employed in    
this way4 ,as soon as his hunger was    
satisfied1 if a piece of meat was given 
to him1 he flew off to some remote spot1
 and there covered it up with twigs and 
leaves4 ,i was told that the woods were 
full of these caches of his4 ,bits of   
bread and the like he was too well-fed  
to care much about1 but he would        
generally go through the form of        
covering them1 at your very feet1 with a
 little rubbish1 not taking the trouble 
to hide them4 ,meanwhile his hunting    
went on as if he still had his living to
 get1 and he would watch for field-mice1
 or come flying in from the woods with a
 squirrel swinging from his claws1      
either for variety's sake1 or because he
 had really forgotten the stores he had 
laid up4 ,scattered magazines of this   
kind1 established in times of accidental

 plenty1 may render life during our     
winters possible to the crow4  ,but why 
should he give himself so much trouble  
to subsist here1 when a few hours' work 
with those broad wings would bear him to
 a land of tropical abundance8 ,the     
crow1 it seems1 is not a mere eating and
 drinking machine1 drawn hither and     
thither by the balance of supply and    
demand1 but has his motives of another  
sort4 ,is it1 perhaps1 some local       
attachment1 so that a crow hatched in   
,brookline1 for example1 would be more  
loath than another to quit that         
neighborhood1--a sort of crow           
patriotism1 akin to that which keeps the
 ,greenlanders slowly starving of cold  
and hunger on that awful coast of       
theirs4  ,it is not probable1 however1  
that the crow allows himself to suffer  
much from these causes2 he is far too   
knowing for that1 and shows his position
 at the head of the bird kind by an     
almost total emancipation from scruples 
and prejudices1 and by the facility with

 which he adapts himself to special     
cases4 ,instinct works by formulas1     
which1 as it were1 make up the animal1  
so that the ant and the bee are atoms of
 incarnate constructiveness and         
acquisitiveness1 and nothing else4 ,and 
as intelligence1 when its action is too 
narrowly concentrated1 whether upon     
pin-making or money-making1 tends to    
degenerate into mere instinct1--so      
instinct1 when it begins to compare1 and
 to except1 and to vary its action      
according to circumstances1 shows itself
 in the act of passing into             
intelligence4 ,this marks the           
superiority of the crow over birds it   
often resembles in its actions4 ,most   
birds are wary4 ,the crow is wary1 and  
something more4 ,other shy birds1 for   
instance ducks1 avoid every strange     
object4 ,the crow considers whether     
there be anything dangerous in the      
strangeness4 ,an ordinary scarecrow will
 not keep our crow from anything worth a
 little risk4 ,he fathoms the scarecrow1

 compares its behavior1 under various   
circumstances1 with that of the usual   
wearer of its garments1 and decides to  
take the risk4 ,to protect his corn1 the
 farmer takes advantage of this very    
discursiveness1 and stretches round the 
field a simple line1 nothing in itself1 
but hinting at some undeveloped mischief
 which the bird cannot penetrate4       
,again1 the crow is sometimes looked    
upon as a mere marauder2 but this       
description also is much too narrow for 
him4 ,he is anxious only for his dinner1
 and swallows seed-corn and noxious     
grubs with perfect impartiality4 ,he is 
not a mere pirate1 living by plunder    
alone1 but rather like the old          
,phoenician sea-farer1 indifferently    
honest or robber as occasion            
serves1--and robber not from fierceness 
of disposition1 but merely from utter   
unscrupulousness as to means4  ,this is 
shown in his docility4 ,a hawk or an    
eagle is never tamed1 but a crow is more
 easily and completely tamable than the 

gentlest singing-bird4 ,the one ,i have 
just spoken of1 though hardly six months
 from the nest1 would allow himself to  
be handled by his owner1 and would      
suffer even a stranger to touch him4    
,when ,i first came near the house1 he  
greeted me with a suppressed caw1 and   
flew along some hundred yards just over 
my head1 looking down1 first with one   
eye and then with the other1 to get a   
complete view of the stranger4 ,next    
morning ,i became aware1 when but half  
awake1 of a sort of mewing sound in the 
neighborhood1 and at last looking       
around1 ,i saw through the window1 which
 opened to the floor1 my new            
acquaintance perched on the porch roof1 
which was at the same level1 turning his
 head from side to side1 and eyeing me  
through the glass with divers queer     
contortions and gesticulations1         
reminding me of some odd1 old1 dried-up 
,french dancing-master1 and with a      
varied succession of croakings1 now     
high1 now low1 evidently bent upon      

attracting my attention4 ,when he had   
succeeded1 he flew off with loud1 joyous
 caws to the top of the house1 where ,i 
heard him rolling nuts or acorns from   
the ridge1 and flying to catch them     
before they fell off4  ,their           
independence of seasons is shown also in
 their habit of associating in about    
equal numbers throughout the year4 ,in  
the spring the flocks are more          
noticeable1 hovering about some grove of
 pines1 flying straight up in the air   
and swooping down again with an         
uninterrupted cawing1--seemingly a sort 
of crow ball1 with a view to            
match-making4 ,afterwards they become   
more silent1 and apparently more        
solitary1 but still fly out to their    
feeding-grounds morning and evening2 and
 if you sit down in the woods near one  
of their nests1 the uneasy choking      
chuckle1 ending at last in the outright 
cawing of the disturbed owner1 will     
generally be answered from every point1 
and crow after crow come edging up from 

tree to tree to see what is the matter4 
,though all of the crow tribe are       
notorious for their harsh voices1 yet if
 the power of mimicry be considered as a
 mark of superiority1 the crow has      
claims to high rank in this department  
also4 ,the closest imitators of the     
human voice are birds of this family3   
for instance1 the ,mino bird4 ,our crow 
also is a vocal mimic1 and that not in  
the matter-of-course way of the         
mocking-bird1 but1 as it were1 more     
individual and spontaneous4 ,he is not  
merely an imitator of the human voice1  
like the parrots1 7and a better one as  
regards tone17 nor of other birds1 like 
the thrushes1 but combines both4 ,the   
tame crow already mentioned very readily
 undertook extempore imitations of      
words1 and with considerable success4 ,i
 once heard a crow imitate the warbling 
of a small bird1 in a tone so entirely  
at variance with his ordinary voice1    
that1 though assured by one who had     
heard him before1 that it was a crow and

 nothing else1 it was only on the       
clearest proof that ,i could satisfy    
myself of the fact4 ,it seemed to be    
quite an original and individual        
performance4  ,the blue jay is a near   
relative of the crow1 and1 like him1    
omnivorous1 harsh-voiced1 predaceous1 a 
robber of birds' nests2 so that if you  
hear the robins during their            
nesting-time making an unusual clamor   
about the house1 the chances are you    
will get a glimpse of this brilliant    
marauder1 sneaking away with a troop of 
them in pursuit4 ,his usual voice is a  
harsh scream1 but he has some low       
flute-like notes not without melody4    
,the presence of a hawk1 or more        
particularly an owl in the woods1 is    
often made known by the screaming of the
 jays1 who flock together about him with
 ever-increasing noise1 like a troop of 
jackals about a lion1 pressing in upon  
him closer and closer in a paroxysm of  
excitement1 while the owl1 thus taken at
 disadvantage1 sidles along his bough   

seeking concealment1 and at length      
softly flaps off to some more           
undisturbed retreat4  ,the blue jay is a
 shy bird1 but he is enough of a crow to
 take a risk where anything is to be had
 for it1 and in winter will come close  
to the house for food4 ,in his choice of
 a nesting-place he seems at first sight
 to show less than his usual caution2   
for1 though the nest is a very          
conspicuous one1 it is generally made in
 a pine sapling not far from the ground1
 and often on a path or other opening in
 the woods4 ,but perhaps1 in the        
somewhat remote situations where he     
builds1 the danger is less from below   
than from birds of prey sailing         
overhead4 ,i once found a blue jay's    
nest on a path in the woods somewhat    
frequented by me1 but not often trodden 
by any one else1 and passed it twice on 
different days1 and saw the bird        
sitting1 but took some pains not to     
alarm her4 ,the next time1 and the next1
 she was not there2 and on examination  

,i found the nest empty1 though with no 
marks of having been robbed4 ,there was 
not time for the eggs to have hatched1  
and it was plain1 that1 finding herself 
observed1 she had carried them off4  ,as
 a general thing1 the severity of our   
winters does not seem much to affect the
 birds that stay with us4 ,i have found 
chickadees and some of the smaller      
sparrows apparently frozen to death1 but
 the extravasation of blood usual in    
such cases leaves us in doubt whether   
some accident may not have first        
disabled the bird2 and if dead birds are
 more often found in winter than in     
summer1 it may be only that the body    
keeps longer1 and1 from the absence of  
grass and leaves1 and the white covering
 of the ground1 is more readily seen4   
,at all events1 such specimens are not  
usually emaciated1 and sometimes they   
are in remarkably good case1 which1     
considering the rapid circulation and   
the corresponding waste of the body1    
shows that the cold had not affected    

their activity and their power of       
obtaining food4  ,the truth is1 that    
birds are remarkably well guarded       
against cold by their quick circulation1
 their dense covering of down and       
feathers1 and the ease with which they  
can protect their extremities4 ,the     
chickadee is never so lively as in      
clear1 cold weather2--not that he is    
absolutely insensible to cold2 for on   
those days1 rare in this neighborhood1  
when the mercury falls to fifteen       
degrees or more below zero1 the         
chickadee shows by his behavior that he1
 too1 feels it to be an exceptional     
state of things4 ,of such a morning ,i  
have seen a small flock of them         
collected on the sunny side of a thick  
hemlock1 rather silent and quiet1 with  
ruffled plumage1 like balls of gray fur1
 waiting1 with an occasional chirp1 for 
the sun's rays to begin to warm them up1
 and meanwhile not depressed1 but only a
 little sobered in their deportment1 and
 ready1 if the cold continued1 to get   

used to that too4  ,the matter of       
food-supply during the winter for the   
smaller birds is more easily understood 
than in the case of the crow4 ,the seeds
 of grasses and the taller summer       
flowers1 and of the birches1 alders1 and
 maples1 furnish supplies that are not  
interfered with by cold or snow2 also   
the buds of various trees and           
shrubs1--for the buds do not first come 
into existence in the spring1 as our    
city friends suppose1 but are to be     
found all winter4 ,nor is insect-life   
suspended at this season to the extent  
that a careless observer might suppose4 
,a sunny1 sheltered nook1 at any time   
during the winter1 will show you a      
variety of two-winged flies1 and several
 species of spiders1 often in           
considerable abundance1 and as brisk as 
ever4 ,and the numbers of eggs1 and     
larvae1 and of the lurking tenants of   
crevices in tree-bark and dead wood1 may
 be guessed by the incessant and        
assuredly not aimless activity of the   

chickadees and gold-crests and their    
associates4  ,this winter activity of   
the birds ought to be taken into account
 by those who accuse them of            
mischief-doing in summer4 ,in winter1 at
 least1 no mischief can be done2 there  
is no fruit to steal2 and even          
sap-sucking1 if such a practice at any  
time be not altogether fabulous1        
certainly cannot be carried on now4     
,nothing can be destroyed now except the
 farmer's enemies1 or at best neutrals4 
,yet the birds keep at work all the     
time4  ,the only bird that occurs to me 
as a proved sufferer from famine in the 
winter is the quail4 ,this is the most  
limited in its range of all our birds4  
,not only does it not migrate1 7or only 
exceptionally17 but it does not even    
wander much1--the same covey keeping all
 the year1 and even year after year1 to 
the same feeding-ground4 ,nor does it   
ever seek its food upon trees1 like the 
partridge1 but solely upon the ground4  
,the quail is our nearest representative

 of the common barn-yard fowl4 ,this it 
resembles in many respects1 and among   
others1 in its habit of going a-foot1   
except when the covey crosses from one  
feeding or roosting ground to another1  
or when the cock-bird mounts upon a     
rail-fence or stone-wall to sound his   
call in the spring4 ,this persistence   
exposes the quail to hardship when the  
ground is covered with snow1 and the    
fruit of the skunk-cabbage and all the  
berries and grain are inaccessible4 ,he 
takes refuge at such times in the       
smilax-thickets1 whose dense1 matted    
covering leaves an open feeding-ground  
below4 ,but a snowy winter always tells 
upon their numbers in any neighborhood4 
,whole coveys are said to have been     
found dead1 frozen stiff1 under the bush
 where they had huddled together for    
warmth2 and even before this extremity1 
their hardships lay them open to their  
enemies1 and the fox and the weasel1 and
 the farmer's boy with his box-trap1    
destroy them by wholesale4 ,the deep    

snows of #ahef and #aheg have nearly    
exterminated them hereabouts2 and ,i was
 told at ,vergennes1 in ,vermont1 that  
there were quails there many years ago1 
but that they had now entirely          
disappeared4  ,the appearance and       
disappearance of species within our     
experience teach us that ,nature's lists
 are not filled once for all1 but that  
the changes which geology shows in past 
ages continue into the present4         
,sometimes we can trace the immediate   
cause1 or rather occasion1 as in the    
case of the quail's congeners1 the      
pinnated grouse1 and the wild turkey1   
both of them inhabitants of all parts of
 the ,state in the early times4 ,the    
pinnated grouse has been seen near      
,boston within the present century1 but 
is now exterminated1 ,i believe1 except 
in ,martha's ,vineyard4 ,the wild turkey
 was to be found not long since in      
,berkshire1 but probably it has become  
extinct there too4 ,sometimes1 for no   
reason that we can see1 certain species 

forsake their old abodes1 as the purple 
martin1 which within the last           
quarter-century has receded some twenty 
miles from the seaboard1--or appear     
where they were before unknown1 as the  
cliff swallow1 which was first seen in  
the neighborhood of the ,rocky          
,mountains1 but within about the same   
space of time has become as common      
hereabouts as any of the genus4 ,in     
examples so conspicuous the movement is 
obvious enough2 but in the case of rarer
 species1 for instance1 the olive-sided 
flycatcher1 who can tell whether1 when  
first observed1 it was new to           
naturalists merely1 or to this part of  
the country1 or to the earth generally8 
,the distinction sometimes made in such 
cases between accidental influences and 
the regular course of nature is a       
superficial one4 ,the regular course of 
nature is in itself a series of         
accidental influences2 that is1 the     
particular occasion is subservient to a 
general law with which it does not seem 

at first sight to have any connection4  
,a severe winter may be sufficient to   
kill the quails1 just as the ancient    
morass was sufficient to drown the      
mastodon4 ,but the question is1 why     
these causes began to operate just at   
these times4 ,we may as well stop with  
the evident fact1 that the unresting    
circulation is forever going on in the  
universe4  ,but if the quail1 who is    
here very near his northern limits1 has 
a hard time of it in the winter1 and is 
threatened with such removal as we treat
 the ,indians to1 his relative1 the     
partridge1 our other gallinaceous or    
hen-like bird1 is of a tougher fibre1 as
 you see when you come upon his         
star-like tracks across the path1 eight 
or nine inches apart1 and struck sharp  
and deep in the snow1 or closer together
 among the bushes1 where he stretched up
 for barberries or buds1 and ending on  
either side with a series of fine       
parallel cuts1 where the sharp-pointed  
quills struck the snow as he rose1--a   

picture of vigor and success4 ,he knows 
how to take care of himself1 and to find
 both food and shelter in the           
evergreens1 when the snow lies fresh    
upon the ground4 ,there1 in some sunny  
glade among the pines1 he will ensconce 
himself in the thickest branches1 and   
whir off as you come near1 sailing down 
the opening with his body balancing from
 side to side4  ,the partridge is       
altogether a wilder and more solitary   
bird than the quail1 and does not       
frequent cultivated fields1 nor make his
 nest in the orchard1 as the quail does1
 but prefers the shelf of some rocky    
ledge under the shadow of the pines in  
remote woods4 ,he is one of the few     
birds found in the forest2 for it is a  
mistake to suppose that birds abound in 
the forest1 or avoid the neighborhood of
 man4 ,on the contrary1 you may pass    
days and weeks in our northern woods    
without seeing more than half a dozen   
species1 of which the partridge is      
pretty sure to be one4 ,all birds       

increase in numbers about               
settlements1--even the crow1 though he  
is a forest bird too4 ,hence1 no doubt1 
has arisen the notion that the crow     
7supposed to be of the same species with
 the ,european7 made his appearance in  
this country first on the ,atlantic     
coast1 and gradually spread westward1   
passing through the ,state of ,new ,york
 about the time of the ,revolution4 ,i  
was told some years since by a resident 
of ,chicago1 that the quails had        
increased eight-fold in that vicinity   
since he came there4 ,the fact is1 that 
the bird population1 like the human1 in 
the absence of counteracting causes1    
will continue to expand in precise ratio
 to the supply of food4 ,the partridge  
goes farther north than the quail1 and  
is found throughout the ,united ,states4
 ,with us he affects high and rocky     
ground1 but northward he keeps at a     
lower level4 ,at the ,white ,mountains1 
the regions of this species and of the  
,canada grouse or spruce partridge are  

as well defined in height as those of   
the maples and the black growth4 ,still 
farther north ,i have observed that our 
partridge frequents the lowest marshy   
ground1 thus equalizing his climate in  
every latitude4  ,there are few of our  
land-birds that flock together in       
summer1 and few that are solitary in    
winter1--none that ,i recollect1 except 
birds of prey4 ,and not only do birds of
 the same kind associate1 but certain   
species are almost always found         
together4 ,thus1 the chickadee1 the     
golden-crested wren1 the white-breasted 
nuthatch1 and1 less constantly1 the     
brown creeper and the downy woodpecker1 
form a little winter clique1 of which   
you do not often see one of the members 
without one or more of the others4 ,no  
sound in nature more cheery and         
refreshing than the alternating calls of
 a little troop of this kind echoing    
through the glades of the woods on a    
still1 sunny day in winter3 the         
vivacious chatter of the chickadee1 the 

slender1 contented pipe of the          
gold-crest1 and the emphatic1           
business-like hank of the nuthatch1 as  
they drift leisurely along from tree to 
tree4 ,the winter seems to be the season
 of holiday enjoyment to the chickadee1 
and he is never so evidently and        
conspicuously contented as in very cold 
weather4 ,in summer he withdraws to the 
thickets1 and becomes less noisy and    
active4 ,his plumage becomes dull1 and  
his brisk note changes to a fine1       
delicate pee-peh-wy1 or oftenest a mere 
whisper4 ,they are so much less         
noticeable at this season that one might
 suppose they had followed their        
gold-crest companions to the ,north1 as 
some of them doubtless do1 but their    
nests are not uncommon with us4         
,fearless as the chickadee is in        
winter1--so fearless1 that1 if you stand
 still1 he will alight upon your head or
 shoulder1--in summer he becomes        
cautious about his nest1 and will desert
 it1 if much watched4 ,they build here1 

generally1 in a partly decayed          
white-birch or apple-tree1 excavating a 
hole eighteen inches or two feet        
deep1--the chips being carefully carried
 off a short distance1 so as not to     
betray the workman1--and lining the     
bottom of it with a felting of soft     
materials1 generally rabbits' fur1 of   
which ,i have taken from one hole as    
much as could be conveniently grasped   
with the hand4  ,besides the species    
that we regularly count upon in winter1 
there are more or less irregular        
visitors at this season1 some of them   
summer birds also1--as the purple finch1
 cedar-bird1 gold-finch1 robin1 the     
flicker1 or pigeon woodpecker1 and the  
yellow-bellied and hairy woodpeckers4   
,others1 again1 linger on from the      
autumn1 and sometimes through the       
winter1--as the snow-bird1 song-sparrow1
 tree-sparrow4 ,still others are seen   
only in winter1--as the brown and shore 
larks1 the crossbills1 redpolls1        
snow-buntings1 pine grosbeak1 and some  

of the hawks and owls2 and of these some
 are merely accidental1--as the pine    
grosbeak1 which in #ahcf appeared here  
in great numbers in ,october1 and       
remained until ,may4 ,this beautiful and
 gentle bird 7a sweet songster too7 is  
doubtless a permanent resident within   
the ,united ,states1 for ,i have seen   
them at the ,white ,mountains in        
,august4 ,what impels them to these     
occasional wanderings it is difficult to
 guess2 it is obviously not mere stress 
of weather2 for in #ahcf1 as ,i have    
remarked1 they came early in autumn and 
continued resident until late in the    
spring2 and their food1 being mainly the
 buds of resinous trees1 must have been 
as easy to get elsewhere as here4 ,their
 coming1 like the crow's staying1 is a  
mystery to us4  ,i have spoken only of  
the land-birds2 but the position of our 
city1 so embraced by the sea1 affords   
unusual opportunities for observing the 
sea-birds also4 ,all winter long1 from  
the most crowded thoroughfares of the   

city1 any one1 who has leisure enough to
 raise his eyes over the level of the   
roofs to the tranquil air above1 may see
 the gulls passing to and fro between   
the harbor and the flats at the mouth of
 ,charles ,river4 ,the gulls1 and       
particularly that cosmopolite1 the      
herring gull1 are met with in this      
neighborhood throughout the year1 though
 in summer most of them go farther north
 to breed4 ,on a still1 sunny day in    
winter1 you may see them high in the air
 over the river1 calmly soaring in wide 
circles1 a hundred perhaps at a time1 or
 pluming themselves leisurely on the    
edge of a hole in the ice4 ,when the    
wind is violent from the west1 they come
 in over the city from the bay outside1 
strong-winged and undaunted1 breasting  
the gale1 now high1 now low1 but always 
working to windward1 until they reach   
the shelter of the inland waters4  ,in  
the spring they come in greater numbers1
 and other species arrive3 the great    
saddle-back1 from the similarity of     

coloring almost to be mistaken for the  
white-headed eagle1 as he sits among the
 broken ice at the edge of the channel2 
and the beautiful little ,bonaparte's   
gull4  ,the ducks1 too1 still resort to 
our rivermouth1 in spite of the         
railroads and the tall chimneys by which
 their old feeding-grounds are          
surrounded4 ,as long as the channel is  
open1 you may see the golden-eyes1 or   
whistlers1 in extended lines1 visible   
only as a row of bright specks1 as their
 white breasts rise and fall on the     
waves2 and farther than you can see     
them1 you may hear the whistle of their 
wings as they rise4 ,spring and fall the
 black ducks still come to find the     
brackish waters which they like1 and to 
fill their crops with the seeds of the  
eel-grass and the mixed food of the     
flats4 ,in the late twilight you may    
sometimes catch sight of a flock        
speeding in1 silent and swift1 over the 
,mill-dam1 or hear their sonorous       
quacking from their feeding-ground4  ,at

 least1 these things were1--and not long
 since1--though ,i cannot answer for a  
year or two back4 ,the birds long retain
 the tradition of the old places1 and   
strive to keep their hold upon them2 but
 we are building them out year by year4 
,the memory is still fresh of flocks of 
teal by the ,green ,stores on the ,neck2
 but the teal and the ,stores are gone1 
and perhaps the last black duck has     
quacked on the river1 and the last      
whistler taken his final flight4 ,some  
of us1 who are not yet old men1 have    
killed brown-backs and yellow-legs on   
the marshes that lie along to the west  
and south of the city1 now cut up by the
 railroads2 and you may yet see from the
 cars an occasional long-booted         
individual1 whose hopes still live on   
the tales of the past1 stalking through 
the sedge with superfluous gun1 or      
patiently watching his troop of         
one-legged wooden decoys4  ,the sea     
keeps its own climate1 and keeps its    
highways open1 after all on the land is 

shut up by frost4 ,the sea-birds1       
accordingly1 seem to lead an existence  
more independent of latitude and of     
seasons4 ,in midwinter1 when the        
seashore watering-places are forsaken by
 men1 you may find ,nahant or ,nantasket
 ,beach more thronged with bipeds of    
this sort than by the featherless kind  
in summer4 ,the ,long ,beach of ,nahant 
at that season is lined sometimes by an 
almost continuous flock of sea-ducks1   
and a constant passing and repassing are
 kept up between ,lynn ,bay and the surf
 outside4  ,early of a winter's morning 
at ,nantasket ,i once saw a flock of    
geese1 many hundreds in number1 coming  
in from the ,bay to cross the land in   
their line of migration4 ,they advanced 
with a vast1 irregular front extending  
far along the horizon1 their            
multitudinous honking softened into     
music by the distance4 ,as they neared  
the beach the clamor increased and the  
line broke up in apparent confusion1    
circling round and round for some       

minutes in what seemed aimless          
uncertainty4 ,gradually the cloud of    
birds resolved itself into a number of  
open triangles1 each of which with its  
deeper-voiced leader took its way       
inland2 as if they trusted to their     
general sense of direction while flying 
over the water1 but on coming to        
encounter the dangers of the land1      
preferred to delegate the               
responsibility4 ,this done1 all is left 
to the leader2 if he is shot1 it is said
 the whole flock seem bewildered1 and   
often alight without regard to place or 
to their safety4 ,the selection of the  
leader must therefore be a matter of    
deliberation with them2 and this1 no    
doubt1 was going on in the flock ,i saw 
at ,nantasket during their pause at the 
edge of the beach4 ,the leader is       
probably always an old bird4 ,i have    
noticed sometimes that his honking is   
more steady and in a deeper tone1 and   
that it is answered in a higher key     
along the line4    ,,the ,,indian       

,,revolt4   ,for the first time in the  
history of the ,english dominion in     
,india1 its power has been shaken from  
within its own possessions1 and by its  
own subjects4 ,whatever attacks have    
been made upon it heretofore have been  
from without1 and its career of conquest
 has been the result to which they have 
led4 ,but now no external enemy         
threatens it1 and the ,english in ,india
 have found themselves suddenly and     
unexpectedly engaged in a hand-to-hand  
struggle with a portion of their        
subjects1 not so much for dominion as   
for life4 ,there had been signs and     
warnings1 indeed1 of the coming storm2  
but the feeling of security in          
possession and the confidence of moral  
strength were so strong1 that the signs 
had been neglected and the warnings     
disregarded4  ,no one in our time has   
played the part of ,cassandra with more 
foresight and vehemence than the late   
,sir ,charles ,napier4 ,he saw the      
quarter in which the storm was          

gathering1 and he affirmed that it was  
at hand4 ,in #ahej1 after a short period
 of service as commander-in-chief of the
 forces in ,india1 he resigned his      
place1 owing to a difference between    
himself and the government1 and         
immediately afterwards prepared a memoir
 in justification of his course1        
accompanied with remarks upon the       
general administration of affairs in    
that country4 ,it was written with all  
his accustomed clearness of mind1 vigor 
of expression1 and intensity of personal
 feeling1--but it was not published     
until after his death1 which took place 
in #ahec1 when it appeared under the    
editorship of his brother1              
,lieutenant-,general ,sir ,w4,f4,p4     
,napier1 with the title of ,defects1    
,civil and ,military1 of the ,indian    
,government4  ,its interest is greatly  
enhanced when read by the light of      
recent events4 ,it is in great part     
occupied with a narrative of the        
exhibition of a mutinous spirit which   

appeared in #ahdi in some thirty ,sepoy 
battalions1 in regard to a reduction of 
their pay1 and of the means taken to    
check and subdue it4 ,on the third page 
is a sentence which read now is of      
terrible import3 ,mutiny with among8    
the ,sepoys is the most formidable      
danger menacing our ,indian empire4 ,and
 a few pages farther on occurs the      
following striking passage3 ,the ablest 
and most experienced civil and military 
servants of the ,east ,india ,company   
consider mutiny as one of the greatest1 
if not the greatest danger threatening  
,india1--a danger also that may come    
unexpectedly1 and1 if the first symptoms
 be not carefully treated1 with a power 
to shake ,leadenhall4  ,the anticipated 
mutiny has now come1 its first symptoms 
were treated with utter want of         
judgment1 and its power is shaking the  
whole fabric of the ,english rule in    
,india4  ,one day toward the end of     
,january last1 a workman employed in the
 magazine at ,barrackpore1 an important 

station about seventeen miles from      
,calcutta1 stopped to ask a ,sepoy for  
some water from his drinking-vessel4    
,being refused1 because he was of low   
caste1 and his touch would defile the   
vessel1 he said1 with a sneer1 ,what    
caste are you of1 who bite pig's grease 
and cow's fat on your cartridges8       
,practice with the new ,enfield rifle   
had just been introduced1 and the       
cartridges were greased for use in order
 not to foul the gun4 ,the rumor spread 
among the ,sepoys that there was a trick
 played upon them1--that this was but a 
device to pollute them and destroy their
 caste1 and the first step toward a     
general and forcible conversion of the  
soldiers to ,christianity4 ,the         
groundlessness of the idea upon which   
this alarm was founded afforded no      
hindrance to its ready reception1 nor   
was the absurdity of the design         
attributed to the ruling powers apparent
 to the obscured and timid intellect of 
the ,sepoys4 ,the consequences of loss  

of caste are so feared1--and are in     
reality of so trying a nature1--that    
upon this point the sensitiveness of the
 ,sepoy is always extreme1 and his      
suspicions are easily aroused4 ,their   
superstitions and religious customs     
interfere in many strange ways with     
their military duties4 ,the brave men of
 the #ceth ,native ,infantry1 says ,sir 
,charles ,napier1 lost caste because    
they did their duty at ,jelalabad2 that 
is1 they fought like soldiers1 and ate  
what could be had to sustain their      
strength for battle4 ,but they are under
 a double rule1 of religious and of     
military discipline1--and if the two    
come into conflict1 the latter is likely
 to give way4  ,the discontent at       
,barrackpore soon manifested itself in  
ways not to be mistaken4 ,there were    
incendiary fires within the lines4 ,it  
was discovered that messengers had been 
sent to regiments at other stations1    
with incitements to insubordination4    
,the officer in command at ,barrackpore1

 ,general ,hearsay1 addressed the troops
 on parade1 explained to them that the  
cartridges were not prepared with the   
obnoxious materials supposed1 and set   
forth the groundlessness of their       
suspicions4 ,the address was well       
received at first1 but had no permanent 
effect4 ,the ill-feeling spread to other
 troops and other stations4 ,the        
government seems to have taken no       
measure of precaution in view of the    
impending trouble1 and contented itself 
with despatching telegraphic messages to
 the more distant stations1 where the   
new rifle-practice was being introduced1
 ordering that the native troops were to
 have no practice ammunition served out 
to them1 but only to watch the firing of
 the ,europeans4 ,on the #bfth of       
,february1 the #aith regiment1 then     
stationed at ,berhampore1 refused to    
receive the cartridges that were served 
out1 and were prevented from open       
violence only by the presence of a      
superior ,english force4 ,after great   

delay1 it was determined that this      
regiment should be disbanded4 ,the      
authorities were not even yet alarmed2  
they were uneasy1 but even their        
uneasiness does not seem to have been   
shared by the majority of the ,english  
residents in ,india4 ,it was not until  
the #c;d of ,april that the sentence    
passed upon the #aith regiment was      
executed4 ,the affair was dallied with1 
and inefficiency and dilatoriness       
prevailed everywhere4  ,but meanwhile   
the disaffection was spreading4 ,the    
order for confining the use of the new  
cartridges to the ,europeans seems to   
have been looked upon by the native     
regiments as a confirmation of their    
suspicions with regard to them4 ,the    
more daring and evil-disposed of the    
soldiers stimulated the alarm1 and      
roused the prejudices of their more     
timid and unreasoning companions4 ,no   
general plan of revolt seems to have    
been formed1 but the materials of       
discontent were gradually being         

concentrated2 the inflammable spirits of
 the ,sepoys were ready to burst into a 
blaze4 ,strong and judicious measures1  
promptly put into action1 might even now
 have allayed the excitement and        
dissipated the danger4 ,but the imbecile
 commander-in-chief was enjoying himself
 and shirking care in the mountains2 and
 ,lord ,canning and his advisers at     
,calcutta seem to have preferred to     
allow to take the initiative in their   
own way4 ,generally throughout ,northern
 ,india the common routine of affairs   
went on at the different stations1 and  
the ill-feeling and insubordination     
among the ,sepoys scarcely disturbed the
 established quiet and monotony of      
,anglo-,indian life4 ,but the storm was 
rising1--and the following extracts from
 a letter1 hitherto unpublished1 written
 on the #cjth of ,may1 by an officer of 
great distinction1 and now in high      
command before ,delhi1 will show the    
manner of its breaking4  ,a fortnight   
ago no community in the world could have

 been living in greater security of life
 and property than ours4 ,clouds there  
were that indicated to thoughtful minds 
a coming storm1 and in the most         
dangerous quarter2 but the actual       
outbreak was a matter of an hour1 and   
has fallen on us like a judgment from   
,heaven1--sudden1 irresistible as yet1  
terrible in its effects1 and still      
spreading from place to place4 ,i dare  
say you may have observed among the     
,indian news of late months1 that here  
and there throughout the country        
mutinies of native regiments had been   
taking place4 ,they had1 however1 been  
isolated cases1 and the government      
thought it did enough to check the      
spirit of disaffection by disbanding the
 corps involved4 ,the failure of the    
remedy was1 however1 complete1 and1     
instead of having to deal now with      
mutinies of separate regiments1 we stand
 face to face with a general mutiny of  
the ,sepoy army of ,bengal4 ,to those   
who have thought most deeply of the     

perils of the ,english empire in ,india 
this has always seemed the monster one4 
,it was thought to have been guarded    
against by the strong ties of mercenary 
interest that bound the army to the     
state1 and there was1 probably1 but one 
class of feelings that would have been  
strong enough to have broken these      
ties1--those1 namely1 of religious      
sympathy or prejudice4 ,the overt ground
 of the general mutiny was offence to   
caste feelings1 given by the            
introduction into the army of certain   
cartridges said to have been prepared   
with hog's lard and cow's fat4 ,the men 
must bite off the ends of these         
cartridges2 so the ,mahometans are      
defiled by the unclean animal1 and the  
,hindoos by the contact of the dead cow4
 ,of course the cartridges are not      
prepared as stated1 and they form the   
mere handle for designing men to work   
with4 ,they are1 ,i believe1 equally    
innocent of lard and fat2 but that a    
general dread of being ,christianized   

has by some means or other been created 
is without doubt1 though there is still 
much that is mysterious in the process  
by which it has been instilled into the 
,sepoy mind1 and ,i question if the     
government itself has any accurate      
information on the subject4  ,it was on 
the #ajth of the present month ,may that
 the outburst of the mutinous spirit    
took place in our own neighborhood1--at 
,meerut4 ,the immediate cause was the   
punishment of eighty-five troopers of   
the #c;d ,light ,cavalry1 who had       
refused to use the obnoxious cartridges1
 and had been sentenced by a native     
court-martial to ten years'             
imprisonment4 ,on ,saturday1 the #ith1  
the men were put in irons1 in presence  
of their comrades1 and marched off to   
jail4 ,on ,sunday1 the #ajth1 just at   
the time of evening service1 the mutiny 
broke out4 ,three regiments left their  
lines1 fell upon every ,european1 man1  
woman1 or child1 they met or could find1
 murdered them all1 burnt half the      

houses in the station1 and1 after       
working such a night of mischief and    
horror as devils might have delighted   
in1 marched off to ,delhi en masse1     
where three other regiments ripe for    
mutiny were stationed4 ,on the junction 
of the two brigades1 the horrors of     
,meerut were repeated in the imperial   
city1 and every ,european who could be  
found was massacred with revolting      
barbarity4 ,in fact1 the spirit was that
 of a servile war4 ,annihilation of the 
ruling race was felt to be the only     
chance of safety or impunity2 so no one 
of the ruling race was spared4 ,many1   
however1 effected their escape1 and1    
after all sorts of perils and           
sufferings1 succeeded in reaching       
military stations containing ,european  
troops4 99 99 99  ,from the crisis of   
the mutiny our local anxieties have     
lessened4 ,the country round is in utter
 confusion4 ,bands of robbers are       
murdering and plundering defenceless    
people4 ,civil government has           

practically ceased from the land4 ,the  
most loathsome irresolution and         
incapacity have been exhibited in some  
of the highest quarters4 ,a full month  
will elapse before the mutineers are    
checked by any organized resistance4 ,a 
force is1 or is supposed to be1 marching
 on ,delhi2 but the outbreak occurred on
 the #ajth of ,may1 and this day is the 
first of ,june1 and ,delhi has seen no  
,british colors and heard no ,british   
guns as yet4 99 99 99  ,as to the       
empire1 it will be all the stronger     
after this storm4 ,it is not five or six
 thousand mutinous mercenaries1 or ten  
times the number1 that will change the  
destiny of ,england in ,india4 ,though  
we small fragments of the great machine 
may fall at our posts1 there is that    
vitality in the ,english people that    
will bound stronger against misfortunes1
 and build up the damaged fabric anew4  
,so far the letter from which we have   
quoted4--,it was not until the #hth of  
,june that an ,english force appeared   

before the walls of ,delhi4 ,for four   
weeks the mutineers had been left in    
undisturbed possession of the city1 a   
possession which was of incalculable    
advantage to them by adding to their    
moral strength the prestige of a name   
which has always been associated with   
the sceptre of ,indian empire4 ,the     
masters of ,delhi are the masters not   
only of a city1 but of a deeply rooted  
tradition of supremacy4 ,the delay had  
told4 ,almost every day in the latter   
half of ,may was marked by a new mutiny 
in different military stations1 widely  
separated from each other1 throughout   
the ,north-,western ,provinces and      
,bengal4 ,the tidings of the possession 
of ,delhi by the mutineers stimulated   
the daring madness of regiments that had
 been touched by disaffection4 ,some    
mutinied from mere panic1 some from     
bitterness of hate4 ,some fled away     
quietly with their arms1 to join the    
force that had now swelled to an army in
 the city of the ,great ,moghul2 some   

repeated the atrocities of ,meerut1 and 
set up a separate standard of revolt1 to
 which all the disaffected and all the  
worst characters of the district        
flocked1 to gratify their lust for      
revenge of real or fancied wrongs1 or   
their baser passions for plunder and    
unmeaning cruelty4 ,the malignity of a  
subtle1 acute1 semi-civilized race1     
unrestrained by law or by moral feeling1
 broke out in its most frightful forms4 
,cowardice possessed of strength never  
wreaked more horrible sufferings upon   
its victims1 and the bloody and         
barbarous annals of ,indian history show
 no more bloody and barbarous page4     
,the course of ,english life in those   
stations where the worst cruelties and  
the bitterest sufferings have been      
inflicted on the unhappy ,europeans has 
been for a long time so peaceful and    
undisturbed1 it has gone on for the most
 part in such pleasant and easy quiet   
and with such absolute security1 that   
the agony of sudden alarm and unwarned  

violence has added its bitterness to the
 overwhelming horror4 ,it is not as in  
border settlements1 where the           
inhabitants choose their lot knowing    
that they are exposed to the incursions 
of savage enemies1--but it is as if on a
 night in one of the most peaceful of   
long-settled towns1 troops of men1 with 
a sort of civilization that renders     
their attack worse than that of savages1
 should be let loose to work their worst
 will of lust and cruelty4 ,the details 
are too recent1 too horrible1 and as yet
 too broken and irregular1 to be        
recounted here4  ,although1 at the first
 sally of the mutineers from ,delhi     
against the force that had at length    
arrived1 a considerable advantage was   
gained by the ,europeans1 this advantage
 was followed up by no decisive blow4   
,the number of troops was too small to  
attempt an assault against an army of   
thirty thousand men1 each man of whom   
was a trained soldier4 ,the ,english    
force was unprovided with any sufficient

 siege battery4 ,it could do little more
 than encamp1 throw up intrenchments for
 its own defence1 and wait for attacks  
to be made upon it1--attacks which it   
usually repulsed with great loss to the 
attackers4 ,the month of ,june is the   
hottest month of the year at ,delhi2 the
 average height of the thermometer being
 #ib deg44 ,there1 in such weather1 the 
force must sit still1 watch the pouring 
in of reinforcements and supplies to the
 city which it was too small to invest1 
and hear from day to day fresh tidings  
of disaster and revolt on every         
hand1--tidings of evil which there could
 scarcely be any hope of checking1 until
 this central point of the mutiny had   
fallen before the ,british arms4 ,a     
position more dispiriting can scarcely  
be imagined2 and to all these causes for
 despondency were added the incompetency
 and fatuity of the ,indian government1 
and the procrastination of the home     
government in the forwarding of the     
necessary reinforcements4  ,delhi has   

been often besieged1 but seldom has a   
siege been laid to it that at first     
sight would have appeared more desperate
 than this4 ,the city is strong in its  
artificial defences1 and ,nature lends  
her force to the native troops within   
the walls4 ,if they could hold out      
through the summer1 ,september was      
likely to be as great a general for them
 as the famous two upon whom the ,czar  
relied in the ,crimea4 ,a wall of gray  
stone1 strengthened by the modern       
science of ,english engineers1 and      
nearly seven miles in circumference1    
surrounds the city upon three sides1    
while the fourth is defended by a wide  
offset of the ,jumna1 and by a portion  
of the high1 embattled1 red stone wall  
of the palace1 which almost equals the  
city wall in strength1 and is itself    
more than a mile in length4 ,few cities 
in the ,east present a more striking    
aspect from without4 ,over the          
battlements of the walls rise the       
slender minarets and shining domes of   

the mosques1 the pavilions and the      
towers of the gates1 the balustraded    
roofs of the higher and finer houses1   
the light foliage of acacias1 and the   
dark crests of tall date-palms4 ,it is a
 new city1 only two hundred and         
twenty-six years old4 ,shah ,jehan1 its 
founder1 was fond of splendor in        
building1 was lavish of expense1 and was
 eager to make his city imperial in     
appearance as in name4 ,the great mosque
 that he built here is the noblest and  
most beautiful in all ,india4 ,his      
palace might be set in comparison with  
that of ,aladdin2 it was the fulfilment 
of an ,oriental voluptuary's dream4 ,all
 that ,eastern taste could devise of    
beauty1 that ,eastern lavishness could  
fancy of adornment1 or voluptuousness   
demand of luxury1 was brought together  
and displayed here4 ,but its day of     
splendor was not long2 and now1 instead 
of furnishing a home to a court1 which1 
if wicked1 was at least magnificent1 it 
is the abode of demoralized pensioners1 

who1 having lost the reality1 retain the
 pride and the vices of power4 ,for     
years it has been utterly given over to 
dirt and to decay4 ,its beautiful halls 
and chambers1 rich with marbles and     
mosaics1 its ,pearl musjid1 its         
delicious gardens1 its shady            
summer-houses1 its fountains1 and all   
its walks and pleasure-grounds1 are     
neglected1 abused1 and occupied by the  
filthy retainers of an effete court4    
,the city stands partly on the sandy    
border of the river1 partly on a low    
range of rocks4 ,with its suburbs it may
 contain about one hundred and sixty    
thousand inhabitants1 a little more than
 half of whom are ,hindoos1 and the     
remainder nominally ,mahometans1 in     
creed4 ,around the wall stretches a     
wide1 barren1 irregular plain1 covered1 
mile after mile1 with the ruins of      
earlier ,delhis1 and the tombs of the   
great or the rich men of the ,mahometan 
dynasty4 ,there is no other such        
monumental plain as this in the world4  

,it is as full of traditions and        
historic memories as of ruins2 and in   
this respect1 as in many others1 ,delhi 
bears a striking resemblance to         
,rome1--for the ,roman ,campagna is the 
only field which in its crowd of        
memories may be compared with it1 and   
the imperial city of ,india holds in the
 ,mahometan mind much the same place    
that ,rome occupies in that of the      
,christian4  ,before these pages are    
printed it is not unlikely that the news
 of the fall of ,delhi will have reached
 us4 ,the troops of the besiegers       
amounted in the middle of ,august to    
about five thousand five hundred men4   
,other troops near them1 and            
reinforcements on the way1 may by the   
end of the month have increased their   
force to ten thousand4 ,at the last     
accounts a siege train was expected to  
arrive on the #c;d of ,september1 and an
 assault might be made very shortly     
afterwards4 ,but ,september is an       
unhealthy month1 and there may be       

delays4 ,dehli door ust1--,delhi is far 
off1--is a favorite ,indian proverb4    
,but the chances are in favor of its    
being now in ,british hands4#a ,with its
 fall the war will be virtually         
ended1--for the reconquest of the       
disturbed territories will be a matter  
of little difficulty1 when undertaken   
with the aid of the twenty thousand     
,english troops who will arrive in      
,india before the end of the year4  ,the
 settlement of the country1 after these 
long disturbances1 cannot be expected to
 take place at once2 civil government   
has been too much interrupted to resume 
immediately its ordinary operation4 ,but
 as this great revolt has had in very   
small degree the character of a popular 
rising1 and as the vast mass of natives 
are in general not discontented with the
 ,english rule1 order will be           
reestablished with comparative rapidity1
 and the course of life will before many
 months resume much of its accustomed   
aspect4  ,the struggle of the trained   

and ambitious classes against the       
,english power will but have served to  
confirm it4 ,the revolt overcome1 the   
last great danger menacing ,english     
security in ,india will have            
disappeared4 ,england will have learnt  
much from the trials she has had to pass
 through1 and that essential changes    
will take place within a few years in   
the constitution of the ,indian         
government there can be no doubt4 ,but  
it is to be remembered that for the past
 thirty years1 ,english rule in ,india  
has been1 with all its defects1 an      
enlightened and beneficent rule4 ,the   
crimes with which it has been charged1  
the crimes of which it has been guilty1 
are small in amount1 compared with the  
good it has effected4 ,moreover1 they   
are not the result of inherent vices in 
the system of government1 so much as of 
the character of exceptional individuals
 employed to carry out that system1 and 
of the native character itself4--,but on
 these points we do not propose now to  

enter4  ,if the close of this revolt be 
not stained with retaliating cruelties1 
if ,english soldiers remember mercy1    
then the whole history of this time will
 be a proud addition to the annals of   
,england4 ,for though it will display   
the incompetency and the folly of her   
governments1 it will show how these were
 remedied by the energy and spirit of   
individuals2 it will tell of the daring 
and gallantry of her men1 of their      
patient endurance1 of their undaunted   
courage1 and it will tell1 too1 with a  
voice full of tears1 of the sorrows1 and
 of the brave and tender hearts1 and of 
the unshaken religious faith supporting 
them to the end1 of the women who died  
in the hands of their enemies4 ,the     
names of ,havelock and ,lawrence will be
 reckoned in the list of ,england's     
worthies1 and the story of the garrison 
of ,cawnpore will be treasured up       
forever among ,england's saddest and    
most touching memories4   ,footnote #a3 
,it is earnestly to be hoped that the   

officers in command of the ,british     
force will not yield to the savage      
suggestions and incitements of the      
,english press1 with regard to the fate 
of ,delhi4 ,the tone of feeling which   
has been shown in many quarters in      
,england has been utterly disgraceful4  
,indiscriminate cruelty and brutality   
are no fitting vengeance for the ,hindoo
 and ,mussulman barbarities4 ,the sack  
of ,delhi and the massacre of its people
 would bring the ,english conquerors    
down to the level of the conquered4     
,great sins cry out for great           
punishments1--but let the punishment    
fall on the guilty1 and not involve the 
innocent4 ,the strength of ,english rule
 in ,india must be in her justice1 in   
her severity1--but not in the force and 
irresistible violence of her passions4  
,to destroy the city would be to destroy
 one of the great ornaments of her      
empire1--to murder the people would be  
to commence the new period of her rule  
with a revolting crime4  ,for five days1

 says the historian1 ,tamerlane remained
 a tranquil spectator of the sack and   
conflagration of ,delhi and the massacre
 of its inhabitants1 while he was       
celebrating a feast in honor of his     
victory4 ,when the troops were wearied  
with slaughter1 and nothing was left to 
plunder1 he gave orders for the         
prosecution of his march1 and on the day
 of his departure he offered up to the  
,divine ,majesty the sincere and humble 
tribute of grateful praise4  ,it is said
 that ,nadir ,shah1 during the massacre 
that he had commanded1 sat in gloomy    
silence in the little mosque of         
,rokn-u-doulah1 which stands at the     
present day in the ,great ,bazaar4 ,here
 the ,emperor and his nobles at length  
took courage to present themselves4     
,they stood before him with downcast    
eyes1 until ,nadir commanded them to    
speak1 when the ,emperor burst into     
tears and entreated ,nadir to spare his 
subjects4     ,,skipper ,,ireson',s     
,,ride4       ,of all the rides since   

the birth of time1     ,told in story or
 sung in rhyme1--     ,on ,apuleius's   
,golden ,ass1     ,or one-eyed          
,calendar's horse of brass1     ,witch  
astride of a human hack1     ,islam's   
prophet on ,al-,borak1--     ,the       
strangest ride that ever was sped       
,was ,ireson's out from ,marblehead6    
,old ,floyd ,ireson1 for his hard heart1
           ,tarred and feathered and    
carried in a cart             ,by the   
women of ,marblehead6      ,body of     
turkey1 head of owl1     ,wings a-droop 
like a rained-on fowl1     ,feathered   
and ruffled in every part1     ,captain 
,ireson stood in the cart4     ,scores  
of women1 old and young1     ,strong of 
muscle1 and glib of tongue1     ,pushed 
and pulled up the rocky lane1           
,shouting and singing the shrill        
refrain3           ,here's ,flud        
,oirson1 fur his horrd horrt1           
,torr'd an' futherr'd an' corr'd in a   
corrt             ,by the women o'      
,morble'ead6      ,girls in bloom of    

cheek and lips1     ,wrinkled scolds    
with hands on hips1     ,wild-eyed1     
free-limbed1 such as chase     ,bacchus 
round some antique vase1     ,brief of  
skirt1 with ankles bare1     ,loose of  
kerchief and loose of hair1     ,with   
conch-shells blowing and fish-horns'    
twang1     ,over and over the ,maenads  
sang3           ,here's ,flud ,oirson1  
fur his horrd horrt1           ,torr'd  
an' futherr'd an' corr'd in a corrt     
,by the women o' ,morble'ead6           
,small pity for him6--,he sailed away   
,from a leaking ship in ,chaleur ,bay1--
     ,sailed away from a sinking wreck1 
,with his own town's-people on her deck6
     ,lay by6 lay by6 they called to    
him4     ,back he answered1 ,sink or    
swim6     ,brag of your catch of fish   
again6     ,and off he sailed through   
the fog and rain6           ,old ,floyd 
,ireson1 for his hard heart1            
,tarred and feathered and carried in a  
cart             ,by the women of       
,marblehead6      ,fathoms deep in dark 

,chaleur     ,that wreck shall lie      
forevermore4     ,mother and sister1    
wife and maid1     ,looked from the     
rocks of ,marblehead     ,over the      
moaning and rainy sea1     ,looked for  
the coming that might not be6     ,what 
did the winds and the sea-birds say     
,of the cruel captain who sailed away8--
           ,old ,floyd ,ireson1 for his 
hard heart1           ,tarred and       
feathered and carried in a cart         
,by the women of ,marblehead6           
,through the street1 on either side1    
,up flew windows1 doors swung wide2     
,sharp-tongued spinsters1 old wives     
gray1     ,treble lent the fish-horn's  
bray4     ,sea-worn grandsires1         
cripple-bound1     ,hulks of old sailors
 run aground1     ,shook head1 and fist1
 and hat1 and cane1     ,and cracked    
with curses the hoarse refrain3         
,here's ,flud ,oirson1 fur his horrd    
horrt1           ,torr'd an' futherr'd  
an' corr'd in a corrt             ,by   
the women o' ,morble'ead6      ,sweetly 

along the ,salem road     ,bloom of     
orchard and lilac showed4     ,little   
the wicked skipper knew     ,of the     
fields so green and the sky so blue4    
,riding there in his sorry trim1        
,like an ,indian idol glum and grim1    
,scarcely he seemed the sound to hear   
,of voices shouting far and near3       
,here's ,flud ,oirson1 fur his horrd    
horrt1           ,torr'd an' futherr'd  
an' corr'd in a corrt             ,by   
the women o' ,morble'ead6      ,hear me1
 neighbors6 at last he cried1--         
,what to me is this noisy ride8         
,what is the shame that clothes the     
skin1     ,to the nameless horror that  
lives within8     ,waking or sleeping1  
,i see a wreck     ,and hear a cry from 
a reeling deck6     ,hate me and curse  
me1--,i only dread     ,the hand of ,god
 and the face of the dead6              
,said old ,floyd ,ireson1 for his hard  
heart1           ,tarred and feathered  
and carried in a cart             ,by   
the women of ,marblehead6      ,then the

 wife of the skipper lost at sea        
,said1 ,god has touched him6--why should
 we8     ,said an old wife mourning her 
only son1     ,cut the rogue's tether   
and let him run6     ,so with soft      
relentings and rude excuse1     ,half   
scorn1 half pity1 they cut him loose1   
,and gave him cloak to hide him in1     
,and left him alone with his shame and  
sin4           ,poor ,floyd ,ireson1 for
 his hard heart1           ,tarred and  
feathered and carried in a cart         
,by the women of ,marblehead6           
,,solitude ,,and ,,society4   ,i fell in
 with a humorist1 on my travels1 who had
 in his chamber a cast of the ,rondanini
 ,medusa1 and who assured me that the   
name which that fine work of art bore in
 the catalogues was a misnomer1 as he   
was convinced that the sculptor who     
carved it intended it for ,memory1 the  
mother of the ,muses4 ,in the           
conversation that followed1 my new      
friend made some extraordinary          
confessions4 ,do you not see1 he said1  

the penalty of learning1 and that each  
of these scholars whom you have met at  
,s41 though he were to be the last man1 
would1 like the executioner in ,hood's  
poem1 guillotine the last but one8 ,he  
added many lively remarks1 but his      
evident earnestness engaged my          
attention1 and1 in the weeks that       
followed1 we became better acquainted4  
,he had great abilities1 a genial       
temper1 and no vices2 but he had one    
defect1--he could not speak in the tone 
of the people4 ,there was some paralysis
 on his will1 that1 when he met men on  
common terms1 he spoke weakly1 and from 
the point1 like a flighty girl4 ,his    
consciousness of the fault made it      
worse4 ,he envied every daysman and     
drover in the tavern their manly speech4
 ,he coveted ,mirabeau's don terrible de
 la familiarite1 believing that he whose
 sympathy goes lowest is the man from   
whom kings have the most to fear4 ,for  
himself1 he declared that he could not  
get enough alone to write a letter to a 

friend4 ,he left the city2 he hid       
himself in pastures4 ,the solitary river
 was not solitary enough2 the sun and   
moon put him out4 ,when he bought a     
house1 the first thing he did was to    
plant trees4 ,he could not enough       
conceal himself4 ,set a hedge here2 set 
oaks there1--trees behind trees2 above  
all1 set evergreens1 for they will keep 
a secret all the year round4 ,the most  
agreeable compliment you could pay him  
was1 to say that you had not observed   
him in a house or a street where you had
 met him4 ,whilst he suffered at being  
seen where he was1 he consoled himself  
with the delicious thought of the       
inconceivable number of places where he 
was not4 ,all he wished of his tailor   
was1 to provide that sober mean of color
 and cut which would never detain the   
eye for a moment4 ,he went to ,vienna1  
to ,smyrna1 to ,london4 ,in all the     
variety of costumes1 a carnival1 a      
kaleidoscope of clothes1 to his horror  
he could never discover a man in the    

street who wore anything like his own   
dress4 ,he would have given his soul for
 the ring of ,gyges4 ,his dismay at his 
visibility had blunted the fears of     
mortality4 ,do you think1 he said1 ,i am
 in such great terror of being          
shot1--,i1 who am only waiting to       
shuffle off my corporeal jacket1 to slip
 away into the back stars1 and put      
diameters of the solar system and       
sidereal orbits between me and all      
souls1--there to wear out ages in       
solitude1 and forget memory itself1 if  
it be possible8 ,he had a remorse       
running to despair of his social        
gaucheries1 and walked miles and miles  
to get the twitchings out of his face1  
the starts and shrugs out of his arms   
and shoulders4 ,god may forgive sins1 he
 said1 but awkwardness has no           
forgiveness in heaven or earth4 ,he     
admired in ,newton1 not so much his     
theory of the moon1 as his letter to    
,collins1 in which he forbade him to    
insert his name with the solution of the

 problem in the ,philosophical          
,transactions3 ,it would perhaps        
increase my acquaintance1 the thing     
which ,i chiefly study to decline4      
,these conversations led me somewhat    
later to the knowledge of similar cases1
 existing elsewhere1 and to the         
discovery that they are not of very     
infrequent occurrence4 ,few substances  
are found pure in nature4 ,those        
constitutions which can bear in open day
 the rough dealing of the world must be 
of that mean and average                
structure1--such as iron and salt1      
atmospheric air1 and water4 ,but there  
are metals1 like potassium and sodium1  
which1 to be kept pure1 must be kept    
under naphtha4 ,such are the talents    
determined on some specialty1 which a   
culminating civilization fosters in the 
heart of great cities and in royal      
chambers4 ,nature protects her own work4
 ,to the culture of the world1 an       
,archimedes1 a ,newton is indispensable2
 so she guards them by a certain        

aridity4 ,if these had been good        
fellows1 fond of dancing1 ,port1 and    
clubs1 we should have had no ,theory of 
the ,sphere1 and no ,principia4 ,they   
had that necessity of isolation which   
genius feels4 ,each must stand on his   
glass tripod1 if he would keep his      
electricity4 ,even ,swedenborg1 whose   
theory of the universe is based on      
affection1 and who reprobates to        
weariness the danger and vice of pure   
intellect1 is constrained to make an    
extraordinary exception3 ,there are also
 angels who do not live consociated1 but
 separate1 house and house2 these dwell 
in the midst of heaven1 because they are
 the best of angels4  ,we have known    
many fine geniuses have that            
imperfection that they cannot do        
anything useful1 not so much as write   
one clean sentence4 ',tis worse1 and    
tragic1 that no man is fit for society  
who has fine traits4 ,at a distance1 he 
is admired2 but bring him hand to hand1 
he is a cripple4 ,one protects himself  

by solitude1 and one by courtesy1 and   
one by an acid1 worldly manner1--each   
concealing how he can the thinness of   
his skin and his incapacity for strict  
association4 ,but there is no remedy    
that can reach the heart of the disease1
 but either habits of self-reliance that
 should go in practice to making the man
 independent of the human race1 or else 
a religion of love4 ,now he hardly seems
 entitled to marry2 for how can he      
protect a woman1 who cannot protect     
himself8  ,we pray to be conventional4  
,but the wary ,heaven takes care you    
shall not be1 if there is anything good 
in you4 ,dante was very bad company1 and
 was never invited to dinner4 ,michel   
,angelo had a sad1 sour time of it4 ,the
 ministers of beauty are rarely         
beautiful in coaches and saloons4       
,columbus discovered no isle or key so  
lonely as himself4 ,yet each of these   
potentates saw well the reason of his   
exclusion4 ,solitary was he8 ,why1 yes2 
but his society was limited only by the 

amount of brain ,nature appropriated in 
that age to carry on the government of  
the world4 ,if ,i stay1 said ,dante1    
when there was question of going to     
,rome1 who will go8 and if ,i go1 who   
will stay8  ,but the necessity of       
solitude is deeper than we have said1   
and is organic4 ,i have seen many a     
philosopher whose world is large enough 
for only one person4 ,he affects to be a
 good companion2 but we are still       
surprising his secret1 that he means and
 needs to impose his system on all the  
rest4 ,the determination of each is from
 all the others1 like that of each tree 
up into free space4 ',tis no wonder1    
when each has his whole head1 our       
societies should be so small4 ,like     
,president ,tyler1 our party falls from 
us every day1 and we must ride in a     
sulky at last4 ,dear heart6 take it     
sadly home to thee1 there is no         
cooeperation4 ,we begin with            
friendships1 and all our youth is a     
reconnoitring and recruiting of the holy

 fraternity that shall combine for the  
salvation of men4 ,but so the remoter   
stars seem a nebula of united light1 yet
 there is no group which a telescope    
will not resolve1 and the dearest       
friends are separated by impassable     
gulfs4 ,the cooeperation is involuntary1
 and is put upon us by the ,genius of   
,life1 who reserves this as a part of   
his prerogative4 ',tis fine for us to   
talk3 we sit and muse1 and are serene1  
and complete2 but the moment we meet    
with anybody1 each becomes a fraction4  
,though the stuff of tragedy and of     
romances is in a moral union of two     
superior persons1 whose confidence in   
each other for long years1 out of sight1
 and in sight1 and against all          
appearances1 is at last justified by    
victorious proof of probity to gods and 
men1 causing joyful emotions1 tears1 and
 glory1--though there be for heroes this
 moral union1 yet they1 too1 are as far 
off as ever from an intellectual union1 
and the moral union is for comparatively

 low and external purposes1 like the    
cooeperation of a ship's company1 or of 
a fire-club4 ,but how insular and       
pathetically solitary are all the people
 we know6 ,nor dare they tell what they 
think of each other1 when they meet in  
the street4 ,we have a fine right1 to be
 sure1 to taunt men of the world with   
superficial and treacherous courtesies6 
,such is the tragic necessity which     
strict science finds underneath our     
domestic and neighborly life1           
irresistibly driving each adult soul as 
with whips into the desert1 and making  
our warm covenants sentimental and      
momentary4 ,we must infer that the ends 
of thought were peremptory1 if they were
 to be secured at such ruinous cost4    
,they are deeper than can be told1 and  
belong to the immensities and           
eternities4 ,they reach down to that    
depth where society itself originates   
and disappears1--where the question is1 
,which is first1 man or men8--where the 
individual is lost in his source4  ,but 

this banishment to the rocks and echoes 
no metaphysics can make right or        
tolerable4 ,this result is so against   
nature1 such a half-view1 that it must  
be corrected by a common sense and      
experience4 ,a man is born by the side  
of his father1 and there he remains4  ,a
 man must be clothed with society1 or we
 shall feel a certain bareness and      
poverty1 as of a displaced and          
unfurnished member4 ,he is to be dressed
 in arts and institutions1 as well as   
body-garments4 ,now and then a man      
exquisitely made can live alone1 and    
must but coop up most men1 and you undo 
them4 ,the king lived and ate in his    
hall with men1 and understood men1 said 
,selden4 ,when a young barrister said to
 the late ,mr4 ,mason1 ,i keep my       
chamber to read law4 ,read law6 replied 
the veteran1 'tis in the courtroom you  
must read law4 ,nor is the rule         
otherwise for literature4 ,if you would 
learn to write1 'tis in the street you  
must learn it4 ,both for the vehicle and

 for the aims of fine arts1 you must    
frequent the public square4 ,the people1
 and not the college1 is the writer's   
home4 ,a scholar is a candle1 which the 
love and desire of all men will light4  
,never his lands or his rents1 but the  
power to charm the disguised soul that  
sits veiled under this bearded and that 
rosy visage is his rent and ration4 ,his
 products are as needful as those of the
 baker or the weaver4 ,society cannot do
 without cultivated men4 ,as soon as the
 first wants are satisfied1 the higher  
wants become imperative4  ',tis hard to 
mesmerize ourselves1 to whip our own    
top2 but through sympathy we are capable
 of energy and endurance4 ,concert      
exasperates people to a certain fury of 
performance they can rarely reach alone4
 ,here is the use of society3 it is so  
easy with the great to be great6 so easy
 to come up to an existing standard6--as
 easy as it is to the lover to swim to  
his maiden1 through waves so grim       
before4 ,the benefits of affection are  

immense2 and the one event which never  
loses its romance is the alighting of   
superior persons at our gate4  ,it by no
 means follows that we are not fit for  
society1 because soirees are tedious1   
and because the soiree finds us tedious4
 ,a backwoodsman1 who had been sent to  
the university1 told me1 that when he   
heard the best-bred young men at the    
law-school talk together1 he reckoned   
himself a boor2 but whenever he caught  
them apart1 and had one to himself      
alone1 then they were the boors1 and he 
the better man4 ,and if we recall the   
rare hours when we encountered the best 
persons1 we then found ourselves1 and   
then first society seemed to exist4     
,that was society1 though in the transom
 of a brig1 or on the ,florida ,keys4   
,a cold1 sluggish blood thinks it has   
not facts enough to the purpose1 and    
must decline its turn in the            
conversation4 ,but they who speak have  
no more1--have less4 ',tis not new facts
 that avail1 but the heat to dissolve   

everybody's facts4 ,heat puts you in    
right relation with magazines of facts4 
,the capital defect of cold1 arid       
natures is the want of animal spirits4  
,they seem a power incredible1 as if    
,god should raise the dead4 ,the recluse
 witnesses what others perform by their 
aid with a kind of fear4 ,it is as much 
out of his possibility1 as the prowess  
of ,coeur-de-,lion1 or an ,irishman's   
day's work on the railroad4 ',tis said1 
the present and the future are always   
rivals4 ,animal spirits constitute the  
power of the present1 and their feats   
are like the structure of a pyramid4    
,their result is a lord1 a general1 or a
 boon-companion4 ,before these1 what a  
base mendicant is ,memory with his      
leathern badge6 ,but this genial heat is
 latent in all constitutions1 and is    
disengaged only by the friction of      
society4 ,as ,bacon said of manners1 ,to
 obtain them1 it only needs not to      
despise them1 so we say of animal       
spirits1 that they are the spontaneous  

product of health and of a social habit4
 ,for behavior1 men learn it1 as they   
take diseases1 one of another4  ,but the
 people are to be taken in very small   
doses4 ,if solitude is proud1 so is     
society vulgar4 ,in society1 high       
advantages are set down to the          
individual as disadvantages4 ,we sink as
 easily as we rise1 through sympathy4   
,so many men whom ,i know are degraded  
by their sympathies1 their native aims  
being high enough1 but their relation   
all too tender to the gross people about
 them4 ,men cannot afford to live       
together on their merits1 and they      
adjust themselves by their demerits1--by
 their love of gossip1 or sheer         
tolerance and animal good-nature4 ,they 
untune and dissipate the brave aspirant4
  ,the remedy is1 to reinforce each of  
these moods from the other4             
,conversation will not corrupt us1 if we
 come to the assembly in our own garb   
and speech1 and with the energy of      
health to select what is ours and reject

 what is not4 ,society we must have2 but
 let it be society1 and not exchanging  
news1 or eating from the same dish4 ,is 
it society to sit in one of your chairs8
 ,i cannot go to the houses of my       
nearest relatives1 because ,i do not    
wish to be alone4 ,society exists by    
chemical affinity1 and not otherwise4   
,put any company of people together with
 freedom for conversation1 and a rapid  
self-distribution takes place into sets 
and pairs4 ,the best are accused of     
exclusiveness4 ,it would be more true to
 say1 they separate as oil from water1  
as children from old people1 without    
love or hatred in the matter1 each      
seeking his like2 and any interference  
with the affinities would produce       
constraint and suffocation4 ,all        
conversation is a magnetic experiment4  
,i know that my friend can talk         
eloquently2 you know that he cannot     
articulate a sentence3 we have seen him 
in different company4 ,assort your      
party1 or invite none4 ,put ,stubbs and 

,byron1 ,quintilian and ,aunt ,miriam1  
into pairs1 and you make them all       
wretched4 ',tis an extempore ,sing-,sing
 built in a parlor4 ,leave them to seek 
their own mates1 and they will be as    
merry as sparrows4  ,a higher civility  
will reestablish in our customs a       
certain reverence which we have lost4   
,what to do with these brisk young men  
who break through all fences1 and make  
themselves at home in every house8 ,i   
find out in an instant if my companion  
does not want me1 and ropes cannot hold 
me when my welcome is gone4 ,one would  
think that the affinities would         
pronounce themselves with a surer       
reciprocity4  ,here again1 as so often1 
,nature delights to put us between      
extreme antagonisms1 and our safety is  
in the skill with which we keep the     
diagonal line4 ,solitude is             
impracticable1 and society fatal4 ,we   
must keep our head in the one1 and our  
hands in the other4 ,the conditions are 
met1 if we keep our independence1 yet do

 not lose our sympathy4 ,these wonderful
 horses need to be driven by fine hands4
 ,we require such a solitude as shall   
hold us to its revelations when we are  
in the street and in palaces2 for most  
men are cowed in society1 and say good  
things to you in private1 but will not  
stand to them in public4 ,but let us not
 be the victims of words4 ,society and  
solitude are deceptive names4 ,it is not
 the circumstance of seeing more or     
fewer people1 but the readiness of      
sympathy1 that imports2 and a sound mind
 will derive its principles from        
insight1 with ever a purer ascent to the
 sufficient and absolute right1 and will
 accept society as the natural element  
in which they are to be applied4        
,,akin ,,by ,,marriage4  ,continued4    
,,chapter ,,iii  ,when little ,helen was
 not far from nine years old1 her       
mother1 7as she had learned to call     
,mrs4 ,bugbee17 whose health for a long 
time had been failing1 fell sick and    
took to her bed4 ,sometimes1 for a brief

 space1 she would seem to mend a little2
 and a council of doctors1 convened to  
consider her case1--though each member  
differed from all the others touching   
the nature of her malady1--unanimously  
declared she would ultimately recover4  
,but her disease1 whatever it was1      
proved to be her mortal illness2 for the
 very next night she came suddenly to   
her end4 ,her loss was a heavy one1     
especially to her own household4 ,she   
had always been a quiet person1 of      
rather pensive humor1 whose native      
diffidence caused her to shrink from    
observation2 and after ,amelia's death  
she was rarely seen abroad1 except at   
meeting1 on ,sundays1 or when she went  
to visit the poor1 the sick1 or the     
grief-stricken4 ,it was at home that her
 worth was most apparent2 for plain     
domestic virtues1 such as hers1 seldom  
gain wide distinction4 ,her children's  
sorrow was deep and lasting1 and the    
badge of mourning which her husband wore
 for many months after her death was a  

truthful symbol of unaffected grief4    
,from the beginning1 he was warmly      
attached to his wife1 whose affection   
for him was very great indeed4 ,it would
 have been strange if he had been       
unhappy1 when she1 who made his tastes  
her study1 also made it the business of 
her life to please him4 ,besides1 his   
cheerful temper enabled him to make     
light of more grievous misfortunes than 
the getting of a loving wife and thrifty
 helpmeet ten years older than himself4 
,when a widower1 like the ,doctor1 is   
but fifty1 with the look of a much      
younger man1 people are apt to talk     
about the chances of his marrying again4
 ,before ,mrs4 ,bugbee had been dead a  
twelve-month1 rumors were as plenty as  
blackberries that the ,doctor had been  
seen1 late on ,sunday evenings1 leaving 
this house1 or that house1 the          
dwelling-place of some marriageable     
lady2 and if he had finally espoused all
 whom the gossips reported he was going 
to marry1 he would have had as many     

wives as any ,turkish pasha or ,mormon  
elder4 ,it was doubtless true that he   
called at certain places more frequently
 than had been his custom in ,mrs4      
,bugbee's lifetime4 ,this1 he assured   
,cornelia1 to whom the reports ,i have  
mentioned occasioned some uneasiness1   
was because he was more often summoned  
to attend1 in a professional way1 at    
those places1 than he had ever been of  
old2 which was true enough1 ,i dare say1
 for more spinsters and widows were     
taken ailing about this time than had   
ever been ill at once before4 ,be that  
as it may1 certain arrangements which   
the ,doctor presently made in his       
domestic affairs did not seem to        
foretoken an immediate change of        
condition4  ,miss ,statira ,blake1 whom 
the ,doctor engaged as housekeeper1 was 
the youngest daughter of an honest      
shoemaker1 who formerly flourished at   
,belfield ,green1 where he was noted for
 industry1 a fondness for reading1 a    
tenacious memory1 a ready wit1 and a    

fluent tongue4 ,in politics he was a    
radical1 and in religion a schismatic4  
,the little knot of ,presbyterian       
,federalist magnates1 who used to       
assemble at the tavern to discuss       
affairs of church and state over mugs of
 flip and tumblers of sling1 regarded   
him with feelings of terror and         
aversion4 ,the doughty little cobbler   
made nothing of attacking them          
single-handed1 and putting them utterly 
to rout2 for he was a dabster at debate1
 and entertained as strong a liking for 
polemics as for books4 ,nay1 he was a   
thorn in the side of the parson himself1
 for whom he used to lie in wait with   
knotty questions1--snares set to entrap 
the worthy divine1 in the hope of       
beguiling him into a controversy        
respecting some abstruse point of       
doctrine1 in which the cobbler1 who had 
every verse of the ,bible at his        
tongue's end1 was not apt to come off   
second best4  ,but one day1 ,tommy      
,blake1 being at a raising where plenty 

of liquor was furnished1 7as the fashion
 used to be17 slipped and fell from a   
high beam1 and was carried home groaning
 with a skinful of broken bones4 ,he    
died the next day1 poor man1 and his    
bedridden widow survived the shock of   
witnessing his dreadful agonies and     
death but a very little while4 ,her     
daughters1 two young girls1 were left   
destitute and friendless4 ,but ,major   
,bugbee1 to whom the cobbler's wife had 
been remotely akin1 and who was at that 
time first selectman of the town1 took  
the orphans with him to his house1 where
 they tarried till he found good places 
for them4 ,roxana1 the elder girl1 went 
to live with a reputable farmer's wife1 
whose only son she afterwards married4  
,statira remained under the shelter of  
the good ,major's hospitable roof much  
longer than her sister did1 and would   
have been welcome to stay1 but she was  
not one of those who like to eat the    
bread of dependence4 ,with the approval 
of the selectmen1 she bound herself an  

indentured apprentice to ,billy         
,tuthill1 the little lame tailor1 for   
whom she worked faithfully four years1  
until she had served out her time and   
was mistress of her trade1 even to the  
recondite mystery of cutting a          
double-breasted swallow-tail coat by    
rule and measure4 ,then1 at eighteen1   
she set up business for herself1 going  
from house to house as her customers    
required1 working by the day4 ,her      
services were speedily in great demand1 
and she was never out of employment4    
,many a worthy citizen of ,belfield well
 remembers his first                    
jacket-and-trowsers1 the handiwork of   
,tira ,blake4 ,the ,sunday breeches of  
half the farmers who came to meeting    
used to be the product of her skilful   
labor4 ,thus for many years 7refusing   
meanwhile several good offers of        
marriage7 she continued to ply her      
needle and shears1 working steadily and 
cheerfully in her vocation1 earning good
 wages and spending but little1 until   

the thrifty sempstress was counted well 
to do1 and held in esteem according4    
,sometimes1 when she got weary1 and     
thought a change of labor would do her  
good1 she would engage with some lucky  
dame to help do housework for a month or
 two4 ,she was a famous hand at         
pickling1 preserving1 and making all    
manner of toothsome knick-knacks and    
dainties4 ,nor was she deficient in the 
pleasure walks of the culinary art4     
,betsey ,pratt1 the tavernkeeper's wife1
 a special crony of ,statira's1 used    
always to send for her whenever she was 
in straits1 or when1 on some grand      
occasion1 a dinner or supper was to be  
prepared and served up in more than     
ordinary style4 ,so learned was she in  
all the devices of the pantry and       
kitchen1 that many a young woman in the 
parish would have given half her        
setting-out1 and her whole store of     
printed cookery-books1 to know by heart 
,tira ,blake's unwritten lore of rules  
and recipes4 ,so1 wherever she went1 she

 was welcome1 albeit not a few stood in 
fear of her2 for though1 when well      
treated1 she was as good-humored as a   
kitten1 when provoked1 especially by a  
slight or affront1 her wrath was        
dangerous4 ,her tongue was sharper than 
her needle1 and her pickles were not    
more piquant than her sarcastic wit4    
,tira1 the older people used to remark1 
was ,tommy ,blake's own daughter2 and   
truly1 she did inherit many of her      
father's qualities1 both good and bad1  
and not a few of his crotchets and      
opinions4 ,in fine1 she was a shrewd1   
sensible1 ,yankee old maid1 who1 as she 
herself was wont to say1 was as well    
able to take care of 'number one' as    
e'er a man in town4  ,statira never     
forgot ,major ,bugbee's kindness to her 
in her lonely orphanhood4 ,she preserved
 for him and for every member of his    
family a grateful affection2 but her    
special favorite was ,james1 the        
,doctor's brother1 who was a little     
younger than she1 and who repaid this   

partiality with hearty good-will and    
esteem4 ,when he grew up and married1   
his house became one of ,statira's      
homes2 the other being at her sister's  
house1 which was too remote from        
,belfield ,green to be at all times     
convenient4 ,so she had rooms1 which she
 called alike her own1 at both these    
places1 in each of which she kept a part
 of her wardrobe and a portion of her   
other goods and chattels4 ,the children 
of both families called her ,aunt       
,statira1 but1 if the truth were known1 
she loved little ,frank ,bugbee1        
,james's only son1 better than she did  
the whole brood of her sister ,roxy's   
flaxen-pated offspring4 ,nay1 she loved 
him better than all the world besides4  
,statira used to call ,james her        
right-hand man1 asking for his advice in
 every matter of importance1 and usually
 acting in accordance with it4 ,so1 when
 ,doctor ,bugbee invited her to take    
charge of his household affairs1        
,cornelia joining in the request with   

earnest importunity1 she did not at once
 return a favorable reply1 though       
strongly inclined thereto1 but waited   
until she had consulted ,james and his  
wife1 who advised her to accept the     
proffered trust1 giving many sound and  
excellent reasons why she ought to do   
so4  ,accordingly1 a few months after   
,mrs4 ,bugbee's death1 ,statira began to
 sway the sceptre where she had once    
found refuge from the poor-house2 for   
though ,cornelia remained the titular   
mistress of the mansion1 ,statira was   
the actual ruler1 invested with all the 
real power4 ,cornelia gladly resigned   
into her more experienced hands the     
reins of government1 and betook herself 
to occupations more congenial to her    
tastes than housekeeping4 ,whenever1    
afterwards1 she made a languid offer to 
perform some light domestic duty1       
,statira was accustomed to reply in such
 wise that the most perfect concord was 
maintained between them4 ,no1 my dear1  
the latter would say1 do you just leave 

these things to me4 ,if there a'n't help
 enough in the house to do the work1    
your pa'll get 'em2 and as for          
overseein'1 one's better than two4 ,but 
sometimes1 when little ,helen proffered 
her assistance1 ,tira let the child try 
her hand1 taking great pains to instruct
 her in housewifery1 warmly praising her
 successful essays1 and finding excuses 
for every failure4 ,it was not long     
before a cordial friendship subsisted   
between the teacher and her pupil4  ,the
 ,doctor1 of course1 experienced great  
contentment at beholding his children   
made happy1 his house well kept and     
ordered1 his table spread with plentiful
 supplies of savory victuals1 and all   
his domestic concerns managed with      
sagacity and prudence1 by one upon whose
 goodwill and ability to promote his    
welfare he could rely with implicit     
confidence4 ,even the servants shared in
 the general satisfaction2 for though1  
under ,tira's vigorous rule1 no task or 
duty could be safely shunned or         

slighted1 she proved a kind and even an 
indulgent mistress to those who showed  
themselves worthy of her favor4 ,old    
,violet1 the mother of ,dinah1 the      
little black girl elsewhere mentioned1  
yielded at once to ,tira ,blake the same
 respectful obedience that she and her  
ancestors1 for more than a century in   
due succession1 had been wont to render 
only to dames of the ancient ,bugbee    
line4 ,dinah herself1 now a well-grown  
damsel1 black1 but comely1 who1 during  
,cornelia's maladministration1 had been 
suffered to follow too much the devices 
and desires of her own heart1 setting at
 naught alike the entreaties and        
reproofs of her mistress and her        
mother's angry scoldings1--even ,dinah  
submitted without a murmur to ,tira's   
wholesome authority1 and abandoned all  
her evil courses4 ,bildad ,royce1 a     
crotchety hired-man1 whom the ,doctor   
kept to do the chores and till the      
garden1 albeit at first inclined to be  
captious1 accorded to the new           

housekeeper the meed of his approbation4
  ,i like her well enough to hope she'll
 stay1 mum1 quoth he1 in reply to an    
inquisitive neighbor4 ,and for my part1 
,miss ,prouty1 he added1 nodding and    
winking at his questioner1 ,i'd like to 
see it fixed so she'd alwus stay2 and if
 the ,doctor doos think he can't do no  
better'n to have her bimeby1 when the   
time comes1 who's a right to say a word 
agin it8  ,goodness me6 exclaimed the   
unwary ,mrs4 ,prouty1--do you mean to   
say you think he's got any idea of such 
a thing1 ,bildad8  ,yes1 ,i don't mean  
to say ,i think he's got any idee of    
sich a thing1 ,bildad1 replied ,bildad  
himself1 who took great delight in      
mystifying people1 and who sometimes1 in
 order to express the most unqualified  
negation1 was accustomed to employ this 
apparently ambiguous form of speech4 ,i 
said for my part1 ,miss ,prouty1--for my
 part4 ,as for the ,doctor1 he'll       
prob'bly have his own notions1 and      
foller 'em4  ,besides these already     

mentioned1 there was another person1 who
 sat so often at the ,doctor's board and
 spent so many hours beneath his roof1  
that1 for the nonce1 ,i shall reckon her
 among his family4 ,indeed1 ,laura      
,stebbins was almost as much at home in 
the ,bugbee mansion as at the parsonage1
 and she used to regard the ,doctor and 
his wife with an affection quite filial 
in kind and very ardent in degree4 ,for 
this she had abundant reason1 the good  
couple always treating her with the     
utmost kindness1 frequently making her  
presents of clothes and things which she
 needed1 besides gifts of less use and  
value4 ,these tokens of her friends'    
good-will she used to receive with many 
sprightly demonstrations of             
thankfulness2 sometimes1 in her         
transports of gratitude1 distributing   
between the ,doctor and his wife a      
number of delicious kisses1 and telling 
the latter that her husband was the best
 and most generous of men4 ,after ,mrs4 
,bugbee's death1 the ,doctor's manner1  

as was to be expected1 became more grave
 and sober1 and he very wisely thought  
proper to treat ,laura with a kindness  
less familiar than before1 which        
perceiving with the quickness of her    
sex1 she also practised a like reserve4 
,but notwithstanding this prudent change
 in his demeanor1 his good-will for     
,laura was in no wise abated4 ,at all   
events1 the friendship between ,cornelia
 and ,laura suffered no decay or        
diminution4 ,indeed1 it increased in    
fervency and strength4 ,for ,laura1     
having finished her course of study at  
the ,belfield ,academy1 had now more    
time to devote to ,cornelia than when   
she had had lessons to get and          
recitations to attend4 ,the parsonage   
stood next to the ,bugbee mansion1 and  
in the paling between the two gardens   
there was a wicket1 through which       
,cornelia1 ,laura1 and ,helen used to   
run to and fro a dozen times a day4 ,the
 females of the ,doctor's family made   
nothing of scudding1 bareheaded1 across 

to the parsonage by this convenient     
back-way1 and bolting into the kitchen  
without so much as knocking at the door2
 and ,laura's habits at the ,bugbee     
mansion were still more familiar4 ,mrs4 
,jaynes1 though not the most affable of 
womankind1 gave this close intimacy much
 favor and encouragement2 for she bore  
in mind that ,cornelia's father was the 
richest and most influential member of  
her husband's church and parish4  ,at   
first1 ,laura was a little shy of the   
plain-spoken old maid1 for whose person1
 manners1 and opinions she had often    
heard ,mrs4 ,jaynes express1 in private1
 a most bitter dislike4 ,but ,statira   
had been regnant in the ,bugbee mansion 
less than a week1 when ,laura began to  
make timid advances towards a mutual    
good understanding1 of which for a while
 ,statira affected to take no heed2 for 
having formed a resolution to maintain a
 strict reserve towards every inmate of 
the parsonage1 she was not disposed to  
break it so soon1 even in favor of      

,laura1 whose winsome overtures she     
found it difficult to resist4  ,if it   
wa'n't for her bein' ,miss ,jaynes's    
sister1 said she1 one day1 to ,cornelia1
 who had been praising her friend1--if  
it wa'n't for that one thing1 ,i should 
like her remarkable well1--a good deal  
more'n common4  ,pray1 what have you got
 such a spite against the ,jayneses for8
 asked ,cornelia4  ,what do you mean by 
askin' such a question as that1         
,cornele8 said ,tira1 in a tone of stern
 reproof4 ,who's got a spite against    
'em8 ,not ,i1 by a good deal6 ,as for   
the parson himself1 he's a well-meanin' 
man1 and does as near right as he knows 
how4 ,if you could say as much as that  
for everybody1 there wouldn't be any    
need of parsons any more4  ,but you     
don't like ,mrs4 ,jaynes1 persisted     
,cornelia4  ,i ha'n't got a spite       
against her1 ,cornele1--though1 ,i      
confess1 ,i don't love the woman1       
replied ,statira4 ,but ,i always treat  
her well2 though1 to be sure1 ,i don't  

curchy so low and keep smilin' so much  
as most folks do1 when they meet a      
minister's wife and have talk with her4 
,even when she comes here a-borrowin'   
things she knows will be giv' to her    
when she asks for 'em1 which makes it so
 near to beggin' that she ought to be   
ashamed on't1 which ,i only give to her 
because it's your father's wish for me  
to do so1 and the things are his'n2 but 
,i always treat her well1 ,cornele4     
,but why don't you like her1 ,tira8     
asked ,helen4  ,my dear1 ,i'll tell you1
 said ,statira2 for ,i don't want you to
 think ,i'm set against any person      
unreasonable and without cause4 ,you see
 ,miss ,jaynes is a nateral-born beggar4
 ,i don't say it with any ill-will1 but 
it's a fact4 ,she takes to beggin' as   
naterally as a goslin' takes to a       
puddle2 and when she first come to town 
she commenced a-beggin'1 and has kep' it
 up ever since4 ,she used to tackle me  
the same as she does everybody else1    
askin' me to give somethin' to this1 and

 to that1 and to t'other pet humbug of  
her'n1 but ,i never would do it2 and    
when she found she could'nt worry me    
into it1 like the rest of 'em1 it set   
her very bitter against me2 and ,i heard
 of her tellin' ,i'd treated her with   
rudeness1 which ,i'd always treated her 
civilly1 only when ,i said ',no1' she   
found coaxin' and palaverin' wouldn't   
stir me4 ,so it went on for a year or   
two1 till1 one fall1 ,i was stayin' here
 to your ma's1--,cornele1 ,i guess you  
remember the time1--helpin' of her make 
up her quinces and apples4 ,we was jest 
in the midst of bilin' cider1 with one  
biler on the stove and the biggest brass
 kittle full in the fireplace1 when in  
comes boltin' ,miss ,jaynes1 dressed up 
as fine as a fiddle4 ,she set right down
 in the kitchen1 and your ma rolled her 
sleeves down and took off her apurn1    
lookin' kind o' het and worried4 ,after 
a few words1 ,miss ,jaynes took a paper 
out of her pocket1 and says she to your 
ma1 ',miss ,bugbee1' says she1 ',i'm a  

just startin' forth on the ,lord's      
business1 and ,i come to you as the     
helpmate and pardner of one of his      
richest stewards in this                
vineyard4'--',what is it now8' says your
 ma1 lookin' out of one eye at the brass
 kittle1 and speakin' more impatient    
than ,i ever heard her speak to a       
minister's wife before4 ,well1 ,i can't 
spend time to tell all that ,miss       
,jaynes said in answer1 but it seemed   
some of the big folks in ,new ,york had 
started a new society1 and its object   
was to provide1 as near as ever ,i could
 find out1 such kind of necessary       
notions for indigent young men studyin' 
to be ministers as they couldn't well   
afford to buy for themselves1--such as  
steel-bowed specs for the near-sighted  
ones1 and white cravats1 black silk     
gloves1 and linen-cambric handkerchiefs 
for 'em all1--in order1 as ,miss ,jaynes
 said1 these young fellers might keep up
 a respectable appearance1 and not give 
a chance for the world's people to get a

 contemptible idee of the ministry1 on  
account of the shabby looks of the young
 men that had laid out to foller that   
holy callin'4 ,she said it was a cause  
that ought to lay near the heart of     
every evangelical ,christian man1 and   
especially the women4 ',we mothers in   
,israel1' says ,miss ,jaynes1 'ought to 
feel for these young ,davids that have  
gone forth to give battle to the        
,goliaths of sin that are a-stalkin' and
 struttin' round all over the land4'    
,she said the society was goin' to be a 
great institution1 with an office to    
,new ,york1 with an executive committee 
and three secretaries in attendance     
there1 and was a-goin' to employ a great
 number of clergymen1 out of a parish1  
to travel as agents collecting funds2   
'but1' says she1 ',i've a better tack   
for collectin' than most people1 and    
,i've concluded to canvass this town    
myself for donations to this noble and  
worthy cause2 and ,i've come to you1    
,miss ,bugbee1' says she1 'to lead off  

with your accustomed                    
liberality4'--,well1 what does your ma  
do1 but go into her room1 to her draw1  
,i suppose1 and fetch out a five-dollar 
bill1 and give it to ,miss ,jaynes1     
which ,i'd 'a' had to work a week1      
stitchin' from mornin' to night1 to have
 earnt that five-dollar bill2 though1 of
 course1 your ma had a right to burn it 
up1 if she'd 'a' been a mind to2 only it
 made me ache to see it go so1 when     
there was thousands of poor starvin'    
ragged orphans needin' it so bad4 ,all  
to once ,miss ,jaynes wheeled and spoke 
to me3 ',well1 ,miss ,tira1' says she1  
'can ,i have a dollar from you8'--',no1 
ma'am1' says ,i4--',i supposed not1'    
says she2 which would have been sassy in
 anybody but the parson's wife4 ,but ,i 
held my tongue1 and out she went1 takin'
 no more notice of me than she did of   
,vi'let1 nor half so much1--for ,i see  
her kind o' look towards the old woman1 
as if she was half a mind to ask her for
 a fourpence-ha'penny4 ,well1 that was  

the last on't for a spell1 until after  
,new ,year's4 ,i was stayin' then at    
your ,uncle ,james's1 and one afternoon 
your ma sent for your ,aunt ,eunice and 
me to come over and take tea4 ,so we    
went over1 and there was several of the 
neighbors invited in1--,squire          
,bramhall's wife1 and them your ma used 
to go with most1 and amongst the rest1  
of course1 ,miss ,jaynes4 ,there had    
just before that been a donation party1 
,new ,year's night1 to the parson's1 and
 the ,dorcas ,society had bought ,miss  
,jaynes a nice new ,brussels carpet for 
her parlor1 all cut and fitted and made 
up4 ,in the course of the afternoon     
,miss ,bramhall spoke and asked if the  
new carpet was put down1 and if it      
fitted well4 ',oh1 beautiful6' says she1
 'it fits the room like a glove2        
somebody must have had pretty good eyes 
to took the measure so correct1 and ,i  
not know anything what was a-comin'2 and
 ,i hope1' says she1 'ladies1 you'll    
take an early opportunity to drop in and

 see it2 for there a'n't one of you but 
what ,i'm under obligation to for this  
touchin' token of your love1' 7that's   
what she called it17--'except1' says    
she1 of a sudden1 'except ,miss ,blake1 
whom1 really1 ,i hadn't noticed         
before6'--,i tell ye1 ,cornele1 my      
ebenezer was up at this2 for you can't  
tell how mean and spiteful she spoke and
 looked1 pretendin' as if ,i was so     
insignificant a critter she hadn't taken
 notice of my bein' there before1 which1
 to be sure1 she hadn't even bid me good
 afternoon2 and for my part1 ,i hadn't  
put myself forward among such women as  
was there1 though ,i didn't feel beneath
 'em1 nor they didn't think so1 except  
,miss ,jaynes4--,then she went on4      
',miss ,blake1' says she1 ',i believe   
didn't mean no slight for not helpin'   
towards the carpet2 for she never gives 
to anything1 as ,i know of1' says she4  
',i've often asked her for various      
objects1 and have been as often refused4
 ,the last time1' says she1 ',i did     

expect to get somethin'2 for ,i asked   
only for a dollar to that noble society 
for providin' young men1 a-strugglin' to
 prepare themselves for usefulness in   
the ministry1 with some of the common   
necessaries of life1 but she refused me4
 ,i expect1' says she1 a-sneerin' in    
such a way that ,i couldn't stand it any
 longer1 ',i expect ,miss ,blake is     
a-savin' all her money to buy her       
settin'-out and furniture with2 for ,i  
suppose1' says she1 lookin' more        
spiteful than ever1 ',i suppose ,miss   
,blake thinks that as long as there's   
life there's hope for a husband4'--,i   
happen to know what all the ladies      
thought of this speech1 for every one of
 'em afterwards told me2 but1 if you'll 
believe me1 one or two of the youngest  
of 'em kind of pretended to smile at the
 joke on't1 when ,miss ,jaynes looked   
round as if she expected 'em to laugh2  
for she thought1 ,i suppose1 ,i was     
really and truly no account1 bein' a    
cobbler's daughter and a tailoress1--and

 that when the minister's wife insulted 
me1 ,i dars'n't reply1 and all hands    
would stand by and applaud4 ,but she    
found out her mistake1 and she begun to 
think so1 when she see how grave your ma
 and all the rest of the older ladies   
looked1 for they knew what was comin'4  
,i'd bit my lips up till now1 and held  
in out of respect to the place and the  
company1 but ,i thought it was due to   
myself to speak at last4 ,says ,i1      
',miss ,jaynes1 ,i've always treated you
 with civility and the respect due to   
your place2 though ,i own ,i ha'n't felt
 free to give my hard-earned wages away 
to objects ,i didn't know much about1   
when1 with my limited means1 ,i could   
find places to bestow what little ,i    
could spare without huntin' 'em up4 ,i  
don't mean to boast1' says ,i1 'of my   
benevolence1 and ,i don't have          
gilt-framed diplomas hung up in my room 
to certify to it1 to be seen and read of
 all men1 as the manner of some         
is1--but1' says ,i1 ',i will say that   

,i've given this year twenty-five       
dollars to the ,orphan ,asylum1 to      
,hartford1 and ,i've a five-dollar      
gold-piece in my puss1' says ,i1 'that  
,i can spare1 and will give that more to
 the same charity1 for the privilege of 
tellin' before these ladies1 that heard 
me accused of being stingy1 why ,i don't
 give to you when you ask me to1 and    
especially why ,i didn't give the last  
time you asked me4 ,i would like to tell
 why ,i didn't help sew in the ,dorcas  
,society1 to buy the new carpet1' says  
,i1 'but ,i don't want to hurt anybody's
 feelin's that ha'n't hurt mine1 and    
,i'll forbear4'--,by this time ,miss    
,jaynes was pale as a sheet4 ',i'm      
sure1' says she1 ',i don't care why you 
don't choose to give1 and ,i don't      
suppose any one else does4 ,it's your   
own affair1' says she1 'and you a'n't   
compelled to give unless you're a mind  
to4'--',you should have thought of that 
before you twitted me1' says ,i1 'before
 all this company4'--',oh1 ,tira1 never 

mind1' says ,miss ,bramhall1 'let it all
 go6' ,but up spoke your ,aunt ,eunice1 
and says she1 ',it's no more than fair  
to hear ,tira's reasons1 after what's   
been said4'  ,good6 said little ,helen2 
hurrah for ,aunt ,eunice6  ,and your ma1
 resumed ,statira1 ,i knew by her looks 
she was on my side1 though1 it bein' her
 own house1 she felt less free to say as
 much as your ,aunt ,eunice did4--',in  
the first place1' says ,i1 'if ,i did   
want to keep my money to buy furniture  
with1 in case ,i should get a husband1  
,i expect ,i've a right to1 for 'ta'n't 
likely1' says ,i1 ',i shall be lucky    
enough to have my carpets giv' to me4   
,but that wa'n't the reason ,i didn't   
put my name down for a dollar on that   
subscription4 ,one reason was1 ,i knew  
the upshot on't would be that somebody  
would be put up to suggestin' that the  
money should go for a life-membership in
 the society for ,miss ,jaynes1' says   
,i2 'and ,i don't like to encourage     
anybody in goin' round beggin' for money

 to buy her own promotion to a high seat
 in the synagogue4'--,you ought to seen 
,miss ,jaynes's face then6 ,it was      
redder'n any beet1 for ,i'd hit the nail
 square on the head1 as it happened1 and
 the ladies could scurcely keep from    
smilin'4--',then1' says ,i1 ',i         
shouldn't be my father's daughter1 if   
,i'd give a cent for a preacher that    
isn't smart enough to get his own livin'
 and pay for his own clothes and        
eddication4 ,to ask poor women to pay   
for an able-bodied man's expenses1' says
 ,i1 'seems to me like turnin' the thing
 wrong end foremost4 ,a young feller    
that a'n't smart enough to find himself 
in victuals and clothes won't be of much
 help in the ,lord's vineyard1' says ,i4
  ,and what did ,mrs4 ,jaynes say8 asked
 little ,helen1 when ,tira finally came 
to a pause4  ,well1 really1 my dear1    
replied ,miss ,blake1 the woman had     
nothin' to say1 and so she said it4     
,when ,i got through my speech ,i handed
 the five-dollar gold-piece to your     

,aunt ,eunice1 to send to the ,asylum1  
and that ended it2 for just then ,dinah 
come in and said tea was ready1 and we  
all went out4 ,it was rather stiff for a
 while1 and after tea we all went home2 
and for three long years ,miss ,jaynes  
never opened her face to me1 until ,i   
came here to live1 this time4 ,now she  
finds it's for her interest to make up1 
and so she tries to be as good as pie4  
,but though ,i mean to be civil1 ,i'm no
 hypocrite1 and ,i can't be all honey   
and cream to them ,i don't like2 and    
besides1 it a'n't right to be4  ,but you
 ought not to blame ,laura because her  
sister affronted you1 said ,helen4  ,i  
know that1 my dear1 replied ,miss       
,blake2 and if ,i've hurt the girl's    
feelin's1 ,i'm sorry for't4 ,she's tried
 hard to be friends with me1 but ,i've  
pushed her off2 for1 not bein' much     
acquainted1 ,i was jealous1 at first1   
that ,miss ,jaynes had put her up to it1
 to try to get round me in some way4    
,never6 cried ,cornelia1--my ,laura is  

incapable of such baseness6  ,well1 said
 ,statira1 smiling1 come to know her1 ,i
 guess you can't find much guile in her1
 that's a fact4 ,if ,i did her wrong by 
mistrustin' her without cause1 ,i'll try
 to make amends4 ,it a'n't in me to     
speak ha'sh even to a dog1 if the       
critter looks up into my face and wags  
his tail in honest good-nater4 ,and     
,i'll say this for ,laura ,stebbins1    
anyhow1 if she is ,miss ,jaynes's       
sister1--she's got the most takin' ways 
of 'most any grown-up person ,i ever    
see4  ,the reflection is painful to a   
generous mind1 that1 by harboring unjust
 suspicions of another1 one has been led
 to repel friendly advances with        
indifference or disdain4 ,in order to   
assuage some remorseful pangs1 ,miss    
,blake began from this time to treat    
,laura with distinguished favor4 ,on the
 other hand1 ,laura1 delighted at this  
pleasant change in ,miss ,blake's       
demeanor1 sought frequent opportunities 
of testifying her joy and gratitude4 ,in

 this manner an intimacy began1 which   
ripened at length into a firm and       
enduring friendship4 ,laura soon        
commenced the practice of applying to   
her more experienced friend for advice  
and direction in almost every matter1   
great or small1 and of confiding to her 
trust divers secrets and confessions    
which she would never have ventured to  
repose even in ,cornelia's faithful     
bosom4 ,this prudent habit ,tira        
encouraged4  ,i know1 my dear1 said she1
 one day1 ,i know what it is to be      
almost alone in the world1 and what a   
comfort it is to have somebody you can  
rely on to tell your griefs and troubles
 to1 and1 as it were1 get 'em to help   
you bear 'em4 ,so1 my dear child1       
whenever you want to get my notions on  
any point1 just come right straight to  
me1 if you feel like it4 ,i may not be  
able to give you the best advice1 for ,i
 a'n't so wise as you seem to think ,i  
be2 however1 ,i ha'n't lived nigh fifty 
years in the world for naught1 ,i trust1

 and without havin' learnt some things  
worth knowin'2 and though my counsel    
mayn't be worth much1 still you shall   
have the best ,i can give4  ,oh1 thank  
you1 thank you6 cried ,laura1 with such 
a burst of passionate emotion that ,miss
 ,blake's eyes watered at the sight of  
it4 ,my dear1 dear1 dear good friend6   
you don't know how glad ,i shall be1 if 
you will let me do as you say1 and tell 
me what to do1 and scold me1 and        
admonish and warn me6 ,oh1 it will be   
such happiness to have somebody to tell 
all my real secrets and troubles to6 ,i 
do so need such a friend sometimes6     
,don't ,i know it1 you poor dear8 said  
,miss ,blake1 wiping her eyes4 ,ha'n't  
,i been through the same straits myself8
 ,none but them that's been a young gal 
themselves1 an orphan without a mother  
to confide in and to warn and guide 'em1
 knows what it is4 ,but ,i do1 my dear2 
and though ,i shall be a pretty poor    
substitute for an own mother1 ,i'll do  
the best ,i can4  ,tira1 said ,laura1   

with a tearful and blushing cheek held  
up to the good spinster's1 kiss me1     
won't you8--you never have4  ,my dear1  
said ,miss ,blake1 preparing to comply  
with this request by wiping her lips    
with her apron1 you see ,i a'n't one of 
the kissin' sort1 and ,i scurcely ever  
kiss a grown-up person2 but here's my   
hand1 and here's a kiss1--with an       
old-fashioned smack that might have been
 heard in the next room1--for a token   
that you may always come to me as freely
 as if ,i was your mother1 relyin' upon 
my givin' you my honest advice and      
opinion concernin' any affair that you  
may ask for counsel upon4 ,and          
furthermore1 as girls naterally have a  
wish that the very things they need some
 one to direct 'em the most in sha'n't  
be known except by them they tell the   
secret to1 ,i promise you1 my dear1 that
 ,i'll be as close as a freemason       
concernin' any privacy that you may     
trust me with1 about any offer or       
courtin' matter of any kind4  ,oh1 ,i   

shall never have any such secrets1 said 
,laura1 blushing2 my sister never lets  
the beaux come to see me1 you know4 ,i'm
 going to be an old maid4  ,well1       
perhaps you will be1 said ,miss ,blake2 
only they gen'ally don't make old maids 
of such lookin' girls as you be4  ,but  
though ,miss ,blake took ,laura into    
favor1 she was by no means inclined to  
do the same by ,mrs4 ,jaynes1 who1      
having found to her cost that the       
ill-will of the humble sempstress was   
not to be lightly contemned1 was now    
plainly anxious to conciliate her4 ,but 
,statira was proof against all the      
wheedling and flattery of the parson's  
wife1 behaving towards her always with  
the same cool civility1 and with great  
self-control1--using none of the        
frequent opportunities afforded her to  
make some taunt1 or fling1 or           
reproachful allusion to ,mrs4 ,jaynes's 
former conduct4 ,once1 to be sure1 when 
urged by the parson's wife and a        
committee of the ,dorcas ,society to    

invite that respectable body to convene 
at the ,bugbee mansion for labor and    
refreshment1 ,statira returned a reply  
so plainly spoken that it was deemed    
rude and ungracious4  ,cornelia is      
mistress of this house1 ,miss ,jaynes1  
said she1 and if she belonged to your   
society1 and wanted to have its weekly  
meetin's here in turn1 ,i'd do my best  
to give 'em somethin' good to eat and   
drink4 ,but as she has left the matter  
to me1 ,i say ',no1' without any        
misgivin' or doubt2 and for fear ,i may 
be called stingy or unsociable1 ,i'll   
tell the reason why ,i say so1--and     
besides1 it's due to you to tell it4    
,there's poor women1 even in this town1 
put to it to get employment by which    
they can earn bread for themselves and  
their children4 ,they can't go out to do
 housework1 for they've got young ones  
too little to carry with 'em1 and maybe 
a whole family of 'em4 ,takin' in sewin'
 is their only resource4 ,well1 ma'am1  
for ladies1 well-to-do and rich1 to get 

together1 under pretence of good works  
and charity1 and take away work from    
these poor women1 by offerin' to do it  
cheaper1 underbiddin' of 'em for jobs1  
which ,i've known the thing to be done1 
and then settin' over their ill-gotten  
tasks1 sewin'1 and gabblin' slander all 
the afternoon1 to get money to buy      
velvet pulpit-cushions or gilt          
chandeliers with1 or to help pay some   
missionary's passage to the ,tongoo     
,islands1 is1 in my opinion1 a humbug1  
and1 what's worse1 a downright breach of
 the ,golden ,rule4 ,at any rate1 with  
my notions1 it would be hypocrisy in me 
to join in1 and that's why ,i don't     
invite the society here4 ,i don't know  
but ,i have spoke too strong2 if so1    
,i'm sorry2 but ,i've had to earn my own
 livin'1 ever since ,i was a girl1 with 
my needle1 and ,i know how hard the lot 
of them is that have to do so too4      
,besides1 ,i can't help thinkin'1 what1 
perhaps1 you never thought of1          
yourselves1 ladies1 that every person1  

who1 while they can just as well turn   
their hands to other business1 yet1 for 
their own whim1 or pleasure1 or         
convenience1 or profit1 chooses to do   
work1 of which there a'n't enough now in
 the world to keep in employment them   
that must get such work to do1 or else  
beg1 or sin1 or starve1--when ,i think1 
,i say1 that every such person helps    
some poor cretur into the grave1 or the 
jail1 or a place worse than both1 ,i    
feel that strong talk isn't out of      
place2 and ,i've known this very ,dorcas
 ,society to send to ,hartford and get  
shirts to make1 under price1 and spend  
their blood-money afterwards to buy a   
new carpet for the minister's parlor4   
,that was a fact1 ,miss ,jaynes1 though 
perhaps it wa'n't polite in me to speak 
on't2 and so for fear of worse1 ,i'll   
say no more4  ,when this speech of his  
housekeeper came to the ,doctor's ears1 
he expressed so warm an approval of its 
sentiments1 that several who heard him  
began to be confirmed in suspicions they

 had previously entertained1 the nature 
of which may be inferred from a remark  
which ,mrs4 ,prouty confided to the ear 
of a trusty friend and crony4 ,now do   
you mind what ,i say1 ,miss ,baker1 said
 she1 shaking her snuffy forefinger in  
,mrs4 ,baker's face2 ,doctor ,bugbee'll 
marry ,tira ,blake yet4 ,now do you just
 stick a pin there4  ,but the revolving 
seasons twice went their annual round1  
the great weeping-willow-tree in the    
burying-ground twice put forth its      
tender foliage in the early spring1 and 
twice in autumn strewed with yellow     
leaves the mound of ,mrs4 ,bugbee's     
grave1 while the predictions of many1   
who1 like ,mrs4 ,prouty1 had foretold   
the ,doctor's second wedding1 still     
remained without fulfilment4 ,nay1 at   
the end of two years after his wife's   
death1 ,doctor ,bugbee seemed to be no  
more disposed to matrimony than in the  
first days of his bereavement4 ,there   
were1 to be sure1 floating on the       
current of village gossip1 certain      

rumors that he was soon to take a second
 wife2 but as none of these reports     
agreed touching the name of the lady1   
each contradicted all the others1 and so
 none were of much account4 ,besides1   
there was nothing in the ,doctor's      
appearance or behavior that seemed to   
warrant any of these idle stories4 ,it  
is the way with many hopeful widowers   
7as everybody knows7 to become1 after an
 interval of decorous sadness1 more     
brisk and gay than even in their        
youthful days2 bestowing unusual care   
upon their attire and the adornment of  
their persons1 and endeavoring1 by a    
courteous and gallant demeanor towards  
every unmarried lady1 to signify the    
great esteem in which they hold the     
female sex4 ,but these signs1 and all   
others which betoken an ardent desire to
 win the favor of the fair1 were wanting
 in the ,doctor's aspect and deportment4
 ,though1 as my reader knows1 he was by 
nature a man of lively temper1 he was   
now grown more sedate than he had ever  

been before2 and instead of attiring    
himself more sprucely than of old1 he   
neglected his apparel to such a degree1 
that1 although few would have noticed   
the untidy change1 ,statira was filled  
with continual alarms1 lest some        
invidious housewife should perceive it1 
and lay the blame at her door4 ,except  
when called abroad to perform some      
professional duty1 he spent his time at 
home1 although his family observed that 
he secluded himself in his office1 among
 his books and gallipots1 more than had 
been his wont1 and that he sometimes    
indulged in moods of silent abstraction1
 which had never been noticed in his    
manner until of late4 ,but these changes
 of demeanor seemed to betoken an       
enduring sorrow for the loss of his     
wife1 rather than to indicate a desire  
or an intention to choose a successor to
 her4 ,my readers1 therefore1 will not  
be surprised to learn1 by a plain       
averment of the simple truth1 that not  
one of all the score of ladies1 whose   

names had been coupled with his own1    
would ,doctor ,bugbee have married1 if  
he could1 and that to none of them had  
he ever given any good reason for       
believing that she stood especially high
 in his esteem4                ,to be   
continued in the next ,number4          
,,where ,,will ,,it ,,end8   ,wise men  
of every name and nation1 whether poets1
 philosophers1 statesmen1 or divines1   
have been trying to explain the puzzles 
of human condition1 since the world     
began4 ,for three thousand years1 at    
least1 they have been at this problem1  
and it is far enough from being solved  
yet4 ,its anomalies seem to have been   
expressly contrived by ,nature to elude 
our curiosity and defy our cunning4 ,and
 no part of it has she arranged so      
craftily as that web of institutions1   
habits1 manners1 and customs1 in which  
we find ourselves enmeshed as soon as we
 begin to have any perception at all1   
and which1 slight and almost invisible  
as it may seem1 it is so hard to        

struggle with and so impossible to break
 through4 ,it may be true1 according to 
the poetical ,platonism of ,wordsworth1 
that heaven lies about us in our        
infancy2 but we very soon leave it far  
behind us1 and1 as we approach manhood1 
sadly discover that we have grown up    
into a jurisdiction of a very different 
kind4  ,in almost every region of the   
earth1 indeed1 it is literally true that
 shades of the prison-house begin to    
close upon the growing boy4 ,as his     
faculties develope1 he becomes more and 
more conscious of the deepening shadows1
 as well as of the grim walls that cast 
them on his soul1 and his opening       
intelligence is earliest exercised in   
divining who built them first1 and why  
they exist at all4 ,the infant ,chinese1
 the baby ,calmuck1 the suckling        
,hottentot1 we must suppose1 rest       
unconsciously in the calm of the heaven 
from which they1 too1 have emigrated1 as
 well as the sturdy new-born ,briton1 or
 the freest and most independent little 

,yankee that is native and to the manner
 born of this great country of our own4 
,but all alike grow gradually into a    
consciousness of walls1 which1 though   
invisible1 are none the less impassable1
 and of chains1 though light as air1 yet
 stronger than brass or iron4 ,and      
everywhere is the machinery ready1      
though different in its frame and       
operation in different torture-chambers1
 to crush out the budding skepticism1   
and to mould the mind into the          
monotonous decency of general           
conformity4 ,foe or ,fetish1 ,king or   
,kaiser1 ,deity itself or the           
vicegerents it has appointed in its     
stead1 are answerable for it all4 ,god  
himself has looked upon it1 and it is   
very good1 and there is no appeal from  
that approval of the ,heavenly vision4  
,in almost every country in the world   
this deification of institutions has    
been promoted by their antiquity4 ,as   
nobody can remember when they were not1 
and as no authentic records exist of    

their first establishment1 their        
genealogy can be traced direct to       
,heaven without danger of positive      
disproof4 ,thus royal races and         
hereditary aristocracies and privileged 
priesthoods established themselves so   
firmly in the opinion of ,europe1 as    
well as of ,asia1 and still retain so   
much of their prestige there1           
notwithstanding the turnings and        
overturnings of the last two centuries4 
,this northern half of the great        
,american continent1 however1 seems to  
have been kept back by ,nature as a     
tabula rasa1 a clean blackboard1 on     
which the great problem of civil        
government might be worked out1 without 
any of the incongruous drawbacks which  
have cast perplexity and despair upon   
those who have undertaken its solution  
in the elder world4 ,all the elements of
 the demonstration were of the most     
favorable nature4 ,settled by races who 
had inherited or achieved whatever of   
constitutional liberty existed in the   

world1 with no hereditary monarch1 or   
governing oligarchy1 or established     
religion on the soil1 with every        
opportunity to avoid all the vices and  
to better all the virtues of the old    
polities1 the era before which all      
history had been appointed to prepare   
the way seemed to have arrived1 when the
 just relations of personal liberty and 
civil government were to be established 
forever4  ,and how magnificent the field
 on which the trophy of this final      
victory of a true civilization was to be
 erected6 ,no empire or kingdom1 at     
least since imperial ,rome perished from
 the earth1 ever unrolled a surface so  
vast and so variegated1 so manifold in  
its fertilities and so various in its   
aspects of beauty and sublimity4 ,from  
the ,northern wastes1 where the hunter  
and the trapper pursue by force or guile
 the fur-bearing animals1 to the        
ever-perfumed latitudes of the lemon and
 the myrtle1--from the stormy ,atlantic1
 where the skiff of the fisherman rocks 

fearlessly under the menace of beetling 
crags amid the foam of angry breakers1  
to where the solemn surge of the        
,pacific pours itself around our        
,western continent1 boon ,nature has    
spread out fields which ask only the    
magic touch of ,labor to wave with every
 harvest and blush with every fruitage4 
,majestic forests crown the hills1      
asking to be transformed into homes for 
man on the solid earth1 or into the     
moving miracles in which he flies on    
wings of wind or flame over the ocean to
 the ends of the earth4 ,exhaustless    
mineral treasures offer themselves to   
his hand1 scarce hidden beneath the     
soil1 or lying carelessly upon the      
surface1--coal1 and lead1 and copper1   
and the all-worshipped ore of gold      
itself2 while quarries1 reaching to the 
centre1 from many a rugged hill-top1    
barren of all beside1 court the         
architect and the sculptor1 ready to    
give shape to their dreams of beauty in 
the palace or in the statue4  ,the soil1

 too1 is fitted by the influences of    
every sky for the production of every   
harvest that can bring food1 comfort1   
wealth1 and luxury to man4 ,every family
 of the grasses1 every cereal that can  
strengthen the heart1 every fruit that  
can delight the taste1 every fibre that 
can be woven into raiment or persuaded  
into the thousand shapes of human       
necessity1 asks but a gentle            
solicitation to pour its abundance      
bounteously into the bosom of the       
husbandman4 ,and men have multiplied    
under conditions thus auspicious to     
life1 until they swarm on the ,atlantic 
slope1 are fast filling up the great    
valley of the ,mississippi1 and         
gradually flow over upon the descent    
towards the ,pacific4 ,the three        
millions1 who formed the population of  
the ,thirteen ,states that set the      
,british empire at defiance1 have grown 
up into a nation of nearly1 if not      
quite1 ten times that strength1 within  
the duration of active lives not yet    

finished4 ,and in freedom from          
unmanageable debt1 in abundance and     
certainty of revenue1 in the materials  
for naval armaments1 in the elements of 
which armies are made up1 in everything 
that goes to form national wealth1      
power1 and strength1 the ,united        
,states1 it would seem1 even as they are
 now1 might stand against the world in  
arms1 or in the arts of peace4 ,are not 
these results proofs irrefragable of the
 wisdom of the government under which   
they have come to pass8  ,when the eyes 
of the thoughtful inquirer turn from the
 general prospect of the national       
greatness and strength1 to the          
geographical divisions of the country1  
to examine the relative proportions of  
these gifts contributed by each1 he     
begins to be aware that there are       
anomalies in the moral and political    
condition even of this youngest of      
nations1 not unlike what have perplexed 
him in his observation of her elder     
sisters4 ,he beholds the ,southern      

region1 embracing within its circuit    
three hundred thousand more square miles
 than the domain of the ,north1 dowered 
with a soil incomparably more fertile1  
watered by mighty rivers fit to float   
the argosies of the world1 placed nearer
 the sun and canopied by more propitious
 skies1 with every element of prosperity
 and wealth showered upon it with       
,nature's fullest and most unwithdrawing
 hand1 and sees1 that1 notwithstanding  
all this1 the share of public wealth and
 strength drawn thence is almost        
inappreciable by the side of what is    
poured into the common stock by the     
strenuous sterility of the ,north4 ,with
 every opportunity and means that       
,nature can supply for commerce1 with   
navigable rivers searching its remotest 
corners1 with admirable harbors in which
 the navies of the world might ride1    
with the chief articles of export for   
its staple productions1 it still depends
 upon its ,northern partner to fetch and
 carry all that it produces1 and the    

little that it consumes4 ,possessed of  
all the raw materials of manufactures   
and the arts1 its inhabitants look to   
the ,north for everything they need from
 the cradle to the coffin4 ,essentially 
agricultural in its constitution1 with  
every blessing ,nature can bestow upon  
it1 the gross value of all its          
productions is less by millions than    
that of the simple grass of the field   
gathered into ,northern barns4 ,with all
 the means and materials of wealth1 the 
,south is poor4 ,with every advantage   
for gathering strength and              
self-reliance1 it is weak and           
dependent4--,why this difference between
 the two8  ,the why is not far to seek4 
,it is to be found in the reward which  
,labor bestows on those that pay it due 
reverence in the one case1 and the      
punishment it inflicts on those offering
 it outrage and insult in the other4    
,all wealth proceeding forth from       
,labor1 the land where it is honored and
 its ministers respected and rewarded   

must needs rejoice in the greatest      
abundance of its gifts4 ,where1 on the  
contrary1 its exercise is regarded as   
the badge of dishonor and the vile      
office of the refuse and offscouring of 
the race1 its largess must be           
proportionably meagre and scanty4 ,the  
key of the enigma is to be found in the 
constitution of human nature4 ,a man in 
fetters cannot do the task-work that one
 whose limbs are unshackled looks upon  
as a pastime4 ,a man urged by the       
prospect of winning an improved         
condition for himself and his children  
by the skill of his brain and the       
industry of his hand must needs achieve 
results such as no fear of torture can  
extort from one denied the holy stimulus
 of hope4 ,hence the difference so often
 noticed between tracts lying side by   
side1 separated only by a river or an   
imaginary line2 on one side of which1   
thrift and comfort and gathering wealth1
 growing villages1 smiling farms1       
convenient habitations1 school-houses1  

and churches make the landscape         
beautiful2 while on the other1 slovenly 
husbandry1 dilapidated mansions1 sordid 
huts1 perilous wastes1 horrible roads1  
the rare spire1 and rarer village school
 betray all the nakedness of the land4  
,it is the magic of motive that calls   
forth all this wealth and beauty to     
bless the most sterile soil stirred by  
willing and intelligent labor2 while the
 reversing of that spell scatters       
squalor and poverty and misery over     
lands endowed by ,nature with the       
highest fertility1 spreading their      
leprous infection from the laborer to   
his lord4 ,all this is in strict        
accordance with the laws of ,god1 as    
expounded by man in his books on        
political economy4  ,not so1 however1   
with the stranger phenomenon to be      
discerned inextricably connected with   
this anomaly1 but not1 apparently1      
naturally and inevitably flowing from   
it4 ,that the denial of his natural and 
civil rights to the laborer who sows and

 reaps the harvests of the ,southern    
country should be avenged upon his      
enslaver in the scanty yielding of the  
earth1 and in the unthrift1 the vices1  
and the wretchedness which are the only 
crops that spring spontaneously from    
soil blasted by slavery1 is nothing     
strange4 ,it is only the statement of   
the truism in moral and in political    
economy1 that true prosperity can never 
grow up from wrong and wickedness4 ,that
 pauperism1 and ignorance1 and vice1    
that reckless habits1 and debasing      
customs1 and barbarous manners should   
come of an organized degradation of     
labor1 and of cruelty and injustice     
crystallized into an institution1 is an 
inevitable necessity1 and strictly      
according to the nature of things4 ,but 
that the stronger half of the nation    
should suffer the weaker to rule over it
 in virtue of its weakness1 that the    
richer region should submit to the      
political tyranny of its impoverished   
moiety because of that very poverty1 is 

indeed a marvel and a mystery4 ,that the
 intelligent1 educated1 and civilized   
portion of a race should consent to the 
sway of their ignorant1 illiterate1 and 
barbarian companions in the             
commonwealth1 and this by reason of that
 uncouth barbarism1 is an astonishment1 
and should be a hissing to all beholders
 everywhere4 ,it would be so to         
ourselves1 were we not so used to the   
fact1 had it not so grown into our      
essence and ingrained itself with our   
nature as to seem a vital organism of   
our being4 ,of all the anomalies in     
morals and in politics which the history
 of civilized man affords1 this is      
surely the most abnormous and the most  
unreasonable4  ,the entire history of   
the ,united ,states is but the record of
 the evidence of this fact4 ,what event 
in our annals is there that ,slavery has
 not set her brand upon it to mark it as
 her own8 ,in the very moment of the    
nation's birth1 like the evil fairy of  
the nursery tale1 she was present to    

curse it with her fatal words4 ,the     
spell then wound up has gone on         
increasing in power1 until the scanty   
formulas which seemed in those days of  
infancy as if they would fade out of the
 parchment into which they had been     
foisted1 and leave no trace that they   
ever were1 have blotted out all beside1 
and statesmen and judges read nothing   
there but the awful and all-pervading   
name of ,slavery4 ,once intrenched among
 the institutions of the country1 this  
baleful power has advanced from one     
position to another1 never losing       
ground1 but establishing itself at each 
successive point more impregnably than  
before1 until it has us at an advantage 
that encourages it to demand the        
surrender of our rights1 our            
self-respect1 and our honor4 ,what was  
once whispered in the secret chamber of 
council is now proclaimed upon the      
housetops2 what was once done by        
indirection and guile is now carried    
with the high hand1 in the face of day1 

at the mouth of the cannon and by the   
edge of the sabre of the nation4        
,doctrines and designs which a few years
 since could find no mouthpiece out of a
 bar-room1 or the piratical den of a    
filibuster1 are now clothed with power  
by the authentic response of the bench  
of our highest judicatory1 and          
obsequiously iterated from the oracular 
recesses of the ,national ,palace4  ,and
 the events which now fill the scene are
 but due successors in the train that   
has swept over the stage ever since the 
nineteenth century opened the procession
 with the purchase of ,louisiana4 ,the  
acquisition of that vast territory1     
important as it was in a national point 
of view1--but coveted by the ,south     
mainly as the fruitful mother of        
slave-holding ,states1 and for the      
precedent it established1 that the      
,constitution was a barrier only to what
 should impede1 never to what might     
promote1 the interests of ,slavery1--was
 the first great stride she made as she 

stalked to her design4 ,the admission of
 ,missouri as a slaveholding ,state1    
granted after a struggle that shook     
,american society to the centre1 and    
then only on the memorable promises now 
broken to the ear as well as to the     
hope1 was the next vantage-ground seized
 and maintained4 ,the nearly            
contemporary purchase of ,florida1      
though in design and in effect as       
revolutionary an action as that of      
,louisiana1 excited comparatively little
 opposition4 ,it was but the following  
up of an acknowledged victory by the    
,slave ,power4 ,the long and bloody wars
 in her miserable swamps1 waged against 
the humanity of savages that gave       
shelter to the fugitives from her       
tyranny1--slave-hunts1 merely1 on a     
national scale and at the common        
expense1--followed next in the march of 
events4 ,then ,texas loomed in the      
distance1 and1 after years of gradual   
approach and covert advances1 was first 
wrested from ,mexico4 ,slavery next     

indissolubly chained to her1 and then1  
by a coup d'etat of astonishing         
impudence1 was added1 by a flourish of  
,john ,tyler's pen1 in the very article 
of his political dissolution1 to the    
,area of ,freedom6 ,next came the war   
with ,mexico1 lying in its pretences1   
bloody in its conduct1 triumphant in its
 results1 for it won vast regions       
suitable for ,slavery now1 and taught   
the way to win larger conquests when her
 ever-hungry maw should crave them4     
,what need to recount the               
,fugitive-,slave ,bill1 and the other   
,compromises of #ahej8 or to recite the 
base repeal of the ,missouri            
,compromise1 showing the slaveholder's  
regard for promises to be as sacred as  
that of a pettifogger for justice or of 
a dicer for an oath8 or to point to the 
plains of ,kansas1 red with the blood of
 her sons and blackened with the cinders
 of her towns1 while the ,president of  
the ,united ,states held the sword of   
the nation at her throat to compel her  

to submission8  ,success1 perpetual and 
transcendent1 such as has always waited 
on ,slavery in all her attempts to mould
 the history of the country and to      
compel the course of its events to do   
her bidding1 naturally excites a measure
 of curiosity if not of admiration1 in  
the mind of every observer4 ,have the   
slave-owners thus gone on from victory  
to victory and from strength to strength
 by reason of their multitude1 of their 
wealth1 of their public services1 of    
their intelligence1 of their wisdom1 of 
their genius1 or of their virtue8       
,success in gigantic crime sometimes    
implies a strength and energy which     
compel a kind of respect even from those
 that hate it most4 ,the right supremacy
 of the power that thus sways our       
destiny clearly does not reside in the  
overwhelming numbers of those that bear 
rule4 ,the entire sum of all who have   
any direct connection with ,slavery1 as 
owners or hirers1 is less than ,,three  
,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,thousand1--not

 half as many as the inhabitants of the 
single city of ,new ,york6 ,and yet even
 this number exaggerates the numerical  
force of the dominant element in our    
affairs4 ,to approximate to the true    
result1 it would be fair to strike from 
the gross sum those owning or employing 
less than ten slaves1 in order to arrive
 at the number of slave-owners who      
really compose the ruling influence of  
the nation4 ,this would leave but a     
small fraction over ,,ninety ,,thousand1
 men1 women1 and children1 owning slaves
 enough to unite them in a common       
interest4 ,and from this should be      
deducted the women and minors1 actually 
owning slaves in their own right1 but   
who have no voice in public affairs4    
,these taken away1 and the absentees    
flying to ,europe or the ,north from the
 moral contaminations and material      
discomforts inseparable from ,slavery1  
and not much more than ,,fifty          
,,thousand voting men will remain to    
represent this mighty and               

all-controlling power6--a fact as       
astounding as it is incontrovertible4   
,oligarchies are nothing new in the     
history of the world4 ,the government of
 the many by the few is the rule1 and   
not the exception1 in the politics of   
the times that have been and of those   
that now are4 ,but the concentration of 
the power that determines the policy1   
makes the laws1 and appoints the        
ministers of a mighty nation1 in the    
hands of less than the five-hundredth   
part of its members1 is an improvement  
on the essence of the elder             
aristocracies2 while the usurpation of  
the title of the ,model ,republic and of
 the ,pattern ,democracy1 under which we
 offer ourselves to the admiration and  
imitation of less happy nations1 is     
certainly a refinement on their         
nomenclature4  ,this prerogative of     
power1 too1 is elsewhere conceded by the
 multitude to their rulers generally for
 some especial fitness1 real or         
imaginary1 for the office they have     

assumed4 ,some services of their own or 
of their ancestors to the state1 some   
superiority1 natural or acquired1 of    
parts or skill1 at least some specialty 
of high culture and elegant breeding1 a 
quick sense of honor1 a jealousy of     
insult to the public1 an impatience of  
personal stain1--some or all of these   
qualities1 appealing to the gratitude or
 to the imagination of the masses1 have 
usually been supposed to inhere in the  
class they permit to rule over them4 ,by
 virtue of some or all of these things1 
its members have had allowed to them    
their privileges and their precedency1  
their rights of exemption and of        
preeminence1 their voice potential in   
the councils of the state1 and their    
claim to be foremost in its defence in  
the hour of its danger4 ,some ray of    
imagination there is1 which1 falling on 
the knightly shields and heraldic       
devices that symbolize their conceded   
superiority1 at least dazzles the eyes  
and delights the fancy of the crowd1 so 

as to blind them to the inhering vices  
and essential fallacies of the ,order to
 whose will they bow4  ,but no such     
consolations of delusion remain to us1  
as we stand face to face with the ,power
 which holds our destinies in its hand4 
,none of these blear illusions can cheat
 our eyes with any such false           
presentments4 ,no antiquity hallows1 no 
public services consecrate1 no gifts of 
lofty culture adorn1 no graces of noble 
breeding embellish the coarse and sordid
 oligarchy that gives law to us4 ,and in
 the blighting shadow of ,slavery       
letters die and art cannot live4 ,what  
book has the ,south ever given to the   
libraries of the world8 ,what work of   
art has she ever added to its galleries8
 ,what artist has she produced that did 
not instinctively fly1 like ,allston1 to
 regions in which genius could breathe  
and art was possible8 ,what statesman   
has she reared1 since ,jefferson died   
and ,madison ceased to write1 save those
 intrepid discoverers who have taught   

that ,slavery is the corner-stone of    
republican institutions1 and the vital  
element of ,freedom herself8 ,what      
divine1 excepting the godly men whose   
theologic skill has attained to the     
doctrine that ,slavery is of the essence
 of the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ8 ,what
 moralist1 besides those ethic doctors  
who teach that it is according to the   
,divine ,justice that the stronger race 
should strip the weaker of every civil1 
social1 and moral right8 ,the           
unrighteous partiality1 extorted by the 
threats of ,carolina and ,georgia in    
#aghh1 which gives them a               
disproportionate representation because 
of their property in men1 and the unity 
of interest which makes them always act 
in behalf of ,slavery as one man1 have  
made them thus omnipotent4 ,the ,north1 
distracted by a thousand interests1 has 
always been at the mercy of whatever    
barbarian chief in the capital could    
throw his slave whip into the trembling 
scale of party4 ,the government having  

been always1 since this century began1  
at least1 the creature and the tool of  
the slaveholders1 the whole patronage of
 the nation1 and the treasury filled    
chiefly by ,northern commerce1 have been
 at their command to help manipulate and
 mould plastic ,northern consciences    
into practicable shapes4 ,when the slave
 interest1 consisting1 at its own       
largest account of itself1 of less than 
,,three ,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty         
,,thousand souls1 has thirty members of 
the ,senate1 while the free-labor       
interest1 consisting of at least        
,,twenty-,,four ,,millions1 ,,six       
,,hundred ,,and ,,fifty ,,thousand      
souls1 has but thirty-two1 and when the 
former has a delegation of some score of
 members to represent its slaves in the 
,house1 besides its own fair proportion1
 can we marvel that it has achieved the 
mastery over us1 which is written in    
black and bloody characters on so many  
pages of our history8  ,such having been
 the absolute sway ,slavery has         

exercised over the facts of our history1
 what has been its influence upon the   
characters of the men with whom it has  
had to do8 ,of all the productions of a 
nation1 its men are what prove its      
quality the most surely4 ,how have the  
men of ,america stood this test8 ,have  
those in the high places1 they who have 
been called to wait at the altar before 
all the people1 maintained the dignity  
of character and secured the general    
reverence which marked and waited upon  
their predecessors in the days of our   
small things8 ,the population of the    
,united ,states has multiplied itself   
nearly tenfold1 while its wealth has    
increased in a still greater proportion1
 since the peace of ',eighty-,three4    
,have the ,representative ,men of the   
nation been made or maintained great and
 magnanimous1 too8 ,or is that other    
anomaly1 which has so perplexed the     
curious foreigner1 an admitted fact1    
that in proportion as the country has   
waxed great and powerful1 its public men

 have dwindled from giants in the last  
century to dwarfs in this8 ,alas1 to ask
 the question is to answer it4 ,compare 
,franklin1 and ,adams1 and ,jay1 met at 
,paris to negotiate the treaty of peace 
which was to seal the recognition of    
their country as an equal sister in the 
family of nations1 with ,buchanan1 and  
,soule1 and ,mason1 convened at ,ostend 
to plot the larceny of ,cuba6 ,sages and
 lawgivers1 consulting for the welfare  
of a world and a race1 on the one hand1 
and buccaneers conspiring for the       
pillage of a sugar-island on the other6 
,what men1 too1 did not ,washington and 
,adams call around them in the          
,cabinet6--how representative of great  
ideas6 how historical6 how immortal6    
,how many of our readers can name the   
names of their successors of the present
 day8 ,inflated obscurities1 bloated    
insignificances1 who knows or cares     
whence they came or what they are8 ,we  
know whose bidding they were appointed  
to obey1 and what manner of work they   

are ready to perform4 ,and shall we dare
 extend our profane comparisons even    
higher than the ,cabinet8 ,shall we     
bring the shadowy majesty of            
,washington's august idea alongside the 
microscopic realities of to-day8 ,let us
 be more merciful1 and take our         
departure from the middle term between  
the ,old and the ,new1 occupied by      
,andrew ,jackson1 whose iron will and   
doggedness of purpose give definite     
character1 if not awful dignity1 to his 
image4 ,in his time1 the ,slave ,power1 
though always the secret spring which   
set events in motion1 began to let its  
workings be seen more openly than ever  
before4 ,and from his time forward1 what
 a graduated line of still diminishing  
shadows have glided successively through
 the portals of the ,white ,house6 ,from
 ,van ,buren to ,tyler1 from ,tyler to  
,polk1 from ,polk to ,fillmore1 from    
,fillmore to ,pierce6 ,fine by degrees  
and beautifully less1 until it at last  
reached the vanishing point6  ,the      

baleful influence thus ever shed by     
,slavery on our national history and our
 public men has not yet spent its       
malignant forces4 ,it has1 indeed1      
reached a height which a few years ago  
it was thought the wildest fanaticism to
 predict2 but its fatal power will not  
be stayed in the mid-sweep of its       
career4 ,the ,ordinance of #aghg torn to
 shreds and scattered to the winds1--the
 line drawn in #ahbj1 which the         
slaveholders plighted their faith       
,slavery should never overstep1         
insolently as well as infamously        
obliterated1--,slavery presiding in the 
,cabinet1 seated on the ,supreme ,bench1
 absolute in the halls of ,congress1--no
 man can say what shape its next        
aggression may not take to itself4 ,a   
direct attack on the freedom of the     
press and the liberty of speech at the  
,north1 where alone either exists1 were 
no more incredible than the later       
insolences of its tyranny4 ,the battle  
not yet over in ,kansas1 for the        

compulsory establishment of ,slavery    
there by the interposition of the       
,federal arm1 will be renewed in every  
,territory as it is ripening into a     
,state4 ,already warning voices are     
heard in the air1 presaging such a      
conflict in ,oregon4 ,parasites         
everywhere instinctively feel that a    
zeal for the establishment of ,slavery  
where it has been abolished1 or its     
introduction where it had been          
prohibited1 is the highest              
recommendation to the ,executive favor4 
,the rehabilitation of the ,african     
slave-trade is seriously proposed and   
will be furiously urged1 and nothing can
 hinder its accomplishment but its      
interference with the domestic          
manufactures of the breeding ,slave     
,states4 ,the pirate ,walker is already 
mustering his forces for another        
incursion into ,nicaragua1 and rumors   
are rife that ,general ,houston designs 
wresting yet another ,texas from        
,mexico4 ,mighty events are at hand1    

even at the door2 and the mission of    
them all will be to fix ,slavery firmly 
and forever on the throne of this       
nation4  ,is the success of this        
conspiracy to be final and eternal8 ,are
 the ,states which name themselves1 in  
simplicity or in irony1 the ,free       
,states1 to be always the satrapies of a
 central power like this8 ,are we       
forever to submit to be cheated out of  
our national rights by an oligarchy as  
despicable as it is detestable1 because 
it clothes itself in the forms of       
democracy1 and allows us the ceremonies 
of choice1 the name of power1 and the   
permission to register the edicts of the
 sovereign8 ,we1 who broke the sceptre  
of ,king ,george1 and set our feet on   
the supremacy of the ,british           
,parliament1 surrender ourselves1 bound 
hand and foot in bonds of our own       
weaving1 into the hands of the          
slaveholding ,philistines6 ,we1 who     
scorned the rule of the aristocracy of  
,english acres1 submit without a murmur1

 or with an ineffectual resistance1 to  
the aristocracy of ,american flesh and  
blood6 ,is our spirit effectually       
broken8 is the brand of meanness and    
compromise burnt in uneffaceably upon   
our souls8 and are we never to be       
roused1 by any indignities1 to fervent  
resentment and effectual resistance8    
,the answer to these grave questions    
lies with ourselves alone4 ,one hundred 
thousand1 or three hundred thousand men1
 however crafty and unscrupulous1 cannot
 forever keep under their rule more than
 twenty millions1 as much their         
superiors in wealth and intelligence as 
in numbers1 except by their own consent4
 ,if the growing millions are to be     
driven with cartwhips along the pathway 
of their history by the dwindling       
thousands1 they have none to blame for  
it but themselves4 ,if they like to have
 their laws framed and expounded1 their 
presidents appointed1 their foreign     
policy dictated1 their domestic         
interests tampered with1 their war and  

peace made for them1 their national fame
 and personal honor tarnished1 and the  
lie given to all their boastings before 
the old despotisms1 by this             
insignificant fraction of their         
number1--scarcely visible to the naked  
eye in the assembly of the whole        
people1--none can gainsay or resist     
their pleasure4  ,but will the many     
always thus submit themselves to the    
domination of the few8 ,we believe that 
the days of this ignominious subjection 
are already numbered4 ,signs in heaven  
and on earth tell us that one of those  
movements has begun to be felt in the   
,northern mind1 which perplex tyrannies 
everywhere with the fear of change4 ,the
 insults and wrongs so long heaped upon 
the ,north by the ,south begin to be    
felt4 ,the torpid giant moves uneasily  
beneath his mountain-load of            
indignities4 ,the people of the ,north  
begin to feel that they support a       
government for the benefit of their     
natural enemies2 for1 of all            

antipathies1 that of slave labor to free
 is the most deadly and irreconcilable4 
,there never was a time when the        
relations of the ,north and the ,south1 
as complicated by ,slavery1 were so well
 understood and so deeply resented as   
now4 ,in fields1 in farmhouses1 and in  
workshops1 there is a spirit aroused    
which can never be laid or exorcised    
till it has done its task4 ,we see its  
work in the great uprising of the ,free 
,states against the ,slave ,states in   
the late national election4 ,though     
trickery and corruption cheated it of   
its end1 the thunder of its protest     
struck terror into the hearts of the    
tyrants4 ,we hear its echo1 as it comes 
back from the ,slave ,states themselves1
 in the exceeding bitter cry of the     
whites for deliverance from the bondage 
which the slavery of the blacks has     
brought upon them also4 ,we discern the 
confession of its might in the very     
extravagances and violences of the      
,slave ,power4 ,it is its conscious and 

admitted weakness that has made ,texas  
and ,mexico and ,cuba1 and our own      
,northwestern territory1 necessary to be
 devoured4 ,it is desperation1 and not  
strength1 that has made the bludgeon and
 the bowie-knife integral parts of the  
national legislation4 ,it has the       
,american ,government1 the ,american    
,press1 and the ,american ,church1 in   
its national organizations1 on its side2
 but the ,humanity and the ,christianity
 of the ,nation and the ,world abhor and
 execrate it4 ,they that be against it  
are more than they that be for it4  ,it 
rages1 for its time is short4 ,and its  
rage is the fiercer because of the      
symptoms of rebellion against its       
despotism which it discerns among the   
white men of the ,south1 who from       
poverty or from principle have no share 
in its sway4 ,when we speak of the      
,south as distinguished from the ,north 
by elements of inherent hostility1 we   
speak only of the governing faction1 and
 not of the millions of nominally free  

men who are scarcely less its thralls   
than the black slaves themselves4 ,this 
unhappy class of our countrymen are the 
first to feel the blight which ,slavery 
spreads around it1 because they are the 
nearest to its noxious power4 ,the      
subjects of no ,european despotism are  
under a closer espionage1 or a more     
organized system of terrorism1 than are 
they4 ,the slaveholders1 having the     
wealth1 and nearly all the education    
that the ,south can boast of1 employ    
these mighty instruments of power to    
create the public sentiment and to      
control the public affairs of their     
region1 so as best to secure their own  
supremacy4 ,no word of dissent to the   
institutions under which they live1 no  
syllable of dissatisfaction1 even1 with 
any of the excesses they stimulate1 can 
be breathed in safety4 ,a ,christian    
minister in ,tennessee relates an act of
 fiendish cruelty inflicted upon a slave
 by one of the members of his church1   
and he is forced to leave his charge1 if

 not to fly the country4 ,another in    
,south ,carolina presumes to express in 
conversation his disapprobation of the  
murderous assault of ,brooks on ,senator
 ,sumner1 and his pastoral relations are
 broken up on the instant1 as if he had 
been guilty of gross crime or flagrant  
heresy4 ,professor ,hedrick1 in ,north  
,carolina1 ventures to utter a          
preference for the ,northern candidate  
in the last presidential campaign1 and  
he is summarily ejected from his chair1 
and virtually banished from his native  
,state4 ,mr4 ,underwood1 of ,virginia1  
dares to attend the convention of the   
party he preferred1 and he is forbidden 
to return to his home on pain of death4 
,the blackness of darkness and the      
stillness of death are thus forced to   
brood over that land which ,god formed  
so fair1 and made to be so happy4  ,that
 such a tyranny should excite an        
antagonistic spirit of resistance is    
inevitable from the constitution of man 
and the character of ,god4 ,the sporadic

 cases of protest and of resistance to  
the slaveholding aristocracy1 which lift
 themselves occasionally above the dead 
level of the surrounding despotism1 are 
representative cases4 ,they stand for   
much more than their single selves4     
,they prove that there is a wide-spread 
spirit of discontent1 informing great   
regions of the slave-land1 which must   
one day find or force an opportunity of 
making itself heard and felt4 ,this we  
have just seen in the great movement in 
,missouri1 the very nursing-mother of   
,border-,ruffianism itself1 which       
narrowly missed making ,emancipation the
 policy of the majority of the voters   
there4 ,such a result is the product of 
no sudden culture4 ,it must have been   
long and slowly growing up4 ,and how    
could it be otherwise8 ,there must be   
intelligence enough among the           
non-slaveholding whites to see the      
difference there is between themselves  
and persons of the same condition in the
 ,free ,states4 ,why can they have no   

free schools8 ,why is it necessary that 
a missionary society be formed at the   
,north to furnish them with such        
ministers as the slave-master can       
approve8 ,why can they not support their
 own ministers1 and have a ,gospel of   
,free ,labor preached to them1 if they  
choose8 ,why are they hindered from     
taking such newspapers as they please8  
,why are they subjected to a censorship 
of the press1 which dictates to them    
what they may or may not read1 and which
 punishes booksellers with exile and    
ruin for keeping for sale what they want
 to buy8 ,why must ,northern publishers 
expurgate and emasculate the literature 
of the world before it is permitted to  
reach them8 ,why is it that the value of
 acres increases in a geometrical ratio1
 as they stretch away towards the ,north
 ,star from the frontier of ,slavery8   
,these questions must suggest their     
sufficient answer to thousands of       
hearts1 and be preparing the way for the
 insurrection of which the slaveholders 

stand in the deadliest fear1--that of   
the whites at their gates1 who can do   
with them and their institutions what   
seems to them good1 when once they know 
their power1 and choose to put it forth4
 ,the unity of interest of the          
non-slaveholders of the ,south with the 
people of the ,free ,states is perfect1 
and it must one day combine them in a   
unity of action4  ,the exact time when  
the millions of the ,north and of the   
,south shall rise upon this puny        
mastership1 and snatch from its hands   
the control of their own affairs1 we    
cannot tell1--nor yet the authentic     
shape which that righteous insurrection 
will take unto itself4 ,but we know that
 when the great body of any nation is   
thoroughly aroused1 and fully in earnest
 to abate a mischief or to right a      
wrong1 nothing can resist its energy or 
defeat its purpose4 ,it will provide the
 way1 when its will is once thoroughly  
excited4 ,men look out upon the world   
they live in1 and it seems as if a      

change for the better were hopeless and 
impossible4 ,the great statesmen1 the   
eminent divines1 the reverend judges1   
the learned lawyers1 the wealthy        
landholders and merchants are all       
leagued together to repel innovation4   
,but the earth still moves in its orbit 
around the sun2 decay and change and    
death pursue their inevitable course2   
the child is born and grows up2 the     
strong man grows old and dies2 the law  
of flux and efflux never ceases1 and lo6
 ere men are aware of it1 all things    
have become new4 ,fresh eyes look upon  
the world1 and it is changed4 ,where are
 now ,calhoun1 and ,clay1 and ,webster8 
,where will shortly be ,cass1 and       
,buchanan1 and ,benton1 and their like8 
,vanished from the stage of affairs1 if 
not from the face of ,nature4 ,who are  
to take their places8 ,god knows4 ,but  
we know that the school in which men are
 now in training for the arena is very  
different from the one which formed the 
past and passing generations of         

politicians4 ,great ideas are abroad1   
challenging the encounter of youth4     
,angels wrestle with the men of this    
generation1 as with the ,patriarch of   
old1 and it is our own fault if a       
blessing be not extorted ere they take  
their flight4 ,principles1 like those   
which in the earlier days of the        
republic elevated men into statesmen1   
are now again in the field1 chasing the 
policies which have dwarfed their sons  
into politicians4 ,these things are     
portentous of change1--perhaps sudden1  
but1 however delayed1 inevitable4  ,and 
this change1 whatever the outward shape 
in which it may incarnate itself1 in the
 fulness of time1 will come of changed  
ideas1 opinions1 and feelings in the    
general mind and heart4 ,all            
institutions1 even those of the oldest  
of despotisms1 exist by the permission  
and consent of those who live under     
them4 ,change the ideas of the thronging
 multitudes by the banks of the ,neva1  
or on the shores of the ,bosphorus1 and 

they will be changed into ,republicans  
and ,christians in the twinkling of an  
eye4 ,not merely the ,kingdom of        
,heaven1 but the kingdoms of this world1
 are within us4 ,ideas are their        
substance2 institutions and customs but 
the shadows they cast into the visible  
sphere4 ,mould the substance anew1 and  
the projected shadow must represent the 
altered shape within4 ,hence the dread  
despots feel1 and none more than the    
petty despots of the plantation1 of     
whatever may throw the light of         
intelligence across the mental sight of 
their slaves4 ,men endure the ills they 
have1 either because they think them    
blessings1 or because they fear lest1   
should they seek to fly them1 it might  
be to others that they know not of4 ,the
 present ,bonaparte holds ,france in a  
chain because she is willing that he    
should4 ,let her but breathe upon the   
padlock1 and1 like that in the fable1 it
 will fade into air1 and he and his     
dynasty will vanish with it4 ,so the    

people of the ,north submit to the      
domination of the ,south because they   
are used to it1 and are doubtful as to  
what may replace it4 ,whenever the      
millions1 ,north and ,south1 whom       
,slavery grinds under her heel1 shall be
 resolutely minded that her usurpation  
shall cease1 it will disappear1 and     
forever4 ,as soon as the stone is thrown
 the giant will die1 and men will marvel
 that they endured him so long4 ,but    
this can only come to pass by virtue of 
a change yet to be wrought in the hearts
 and minds of men4 ,ideas everywhere are
 royal2--here they are imperial4 ,it is 
the great office of genius1 and         
eloquence1 and sacred function1 and     
conspicuous station1 and personal       
influence to herald their approach and  
to prepare the way before them1 that    
they may assert their state and give    
holy laws to the listening nation4 ,thus
 a glorious form and pressure may be    
given to the coming age4 ,thus the ideal
 of a true republic1 of a government of 

laws made and executed by the people1 of
 which bards have sung and prophets     
dreamed1 and for which martyrs have     
suffered and heroes died1 may yet be    
possible to us1 and the great experiment
 of this ,western ,world be indeed a    
,model1 instead of a ,warning to the    
nations4     ,,my ,,portrait ,,gallery4 
,oft round my hall of portraiture ,i    
gaze1     ,by ,memory reared1 the artist
 wise and holy1     ,from stainless     
quarries of deep-buried days4           
,there1 as ,i muse in soothing          
melancholy1     ,your faces glow in more
 than mortal youth1     ,companions of  
my prime1 now vanished wholly1--        
,the loud1 impetuous boy1 the low-voiced
 maiden4     ,ah1 never master that drew
 mortal breath     ,can match thy       
portraits1 just and generous ,death1    
,whose brush with sweet regretful tints 
is laden6     ,thou paintest that which 
struggled here below     ,half          
understood1 or understood for woe1      
,and1 with a sweet forewarning1         

,mak'st round the sacred front an       
aureole glow     ,woven of that light   
that rose on ,easter morning4           
,,literary ,,notices4   ,homoeopathic   
,domestic ,physician1 etc41 etc4 ,by ,j4
 ,h4 ,,pulte1 ,m4,d41 ,author of        
,woman's ,medical ,guide1 etc4          
,twenty-fourth thousand4 ,cincinnati3   
,moore1 ,wilstach1 ,keys1  ,co4 ,london3
 ,james ,epps1 #agj1 ,piccadilly1 #aheg4
  ,of course the reader understands the 
following notice to be written by a     
venerable practitioner1 who carries a   
gold-headed cane1 and does not believe  
in any medical authority later than     
,sydenham4 ,listen to him1 then1 and    
remember that if anything in the way of 
answer1 or remonstrance1 or             
controversial advertisement is sent to  
the head-quarters of this periodical1 it
 will go directly into the basket1      
which1 entering1 a manuscript leaves all
 hope behind4 ,the old salts of the     
,atlantic do not go for non-committal   
and neutrality1 or any of that kind of  

nonsense4 ,our oracle with the gold     
stick must have the ground to himself1  
or keep his wisdom for another set of   
readers4 ,a quarrel between ,senex and  
,fairplay would be amusing1 but         
expensive4 ,we have no space for it2 and
 the old gentleman1 though he can use   
his cane smartly for one of his age1    
positively declines the game of         
single-stick4 ,hear him4  --,the book   
mentioned above lies before us with its 
valves open1 helpless as an oyster on   
its shell1 inviting the critical        
pungent1 the professional acid1 and the 
judicial impaling trident4 ,we will be  
merciful4 ,this fat little literary     
mollusk is well-conditioned1 of fair    
aspect1 and seemingly good of its kind4 
,twenty-four thousand individuals1--we  
have its title-page as authority1--more 
or less lineal descendants of ,solomon1 
have become the fortunate possessors of 
this plethoric guide to earthly         
immortality4 ,they might have done      
worse2 for the work is well printed1    

well arranged1 and typographically      
creditable to the great publishing-house
 which honors ,cincinnati by its        
intelligent enterprise4 ,the purchasers 
have done very wisely in buying a book  
which will not hurt their eyes4 ,mr4    
,otis ,clapp1 bibliopolist1 has the     
work1 and will be pleased to supply it  
to an indefinite number of the family   
above referred to4  --,men live in the  
immediate neighborhood of a great       
menagerie1 the doors of which are always
 open4 ,the beasts of prey that come out
 are called diseases4 ,they feed upon   
us1 and between their teeth we must all 
pass sooner or later1--all but a few1   
who are otherwise taken care of4 ,when  
these animals attack a man1 most of them
 give him a scratch or a bite1 and let  
him go4 ,some hold on a little while2   
some are carried about for weeks or     
months1 until the carrier drops down1 or
 they drop off4 ,by and by one is sure  
to come along that drags down the       
strongest1 and makes an end of him4     

,most people know little or nothing of  
these beasts1 until all at once they    
find themselves attacked by one of them4
 ,they are therefore liable to be       
frightened by those that are not        
dangerous1 and careless with those that 
are destructive4 ,they do not know what 
will soothe1 and what will exasperate   
them4 ,they do not even know the dens of
 many of them1 though they are close to 
their own dwellings4  ,a physician is   
one that has lived among these beasts1  
and studied their aspects and habits4   
,he knows them all well1 and looks them 
in the face1 and lays his hand on their 
backs daily4 ,they seem1 as it were1 to 
know him1 and to greet him with such    
risus sardonicus as they can muster4 ,he
 knows that his friends and himself have
 all got to be eaten up at last by them1
 and his friends have the same belief4  
,yet they want him near them at all     
times1 and with them when they are set  
upon by any of these their natural      
enemies4 ,he goes1 knowing pretty well  

what he can do and what he cannot4  ,he 
can talk to them in a quiet and sensible
 way about these terrible beings1       
concerning which they are so ignorant1  
and liable to harbor such foolish       
fancies4 ,he can frighten away some of  
the lesser kind of animals with certain 
ill-smelling preparations he carries    
about him4 ,once in a while he can draw 
the teeth of some of the biggest1 or    
throttle them4 ,he can point out their  
dens1 and so keep many from falling into
 their jaws4  ,this is a great deal to  
promise or perform1 but it is not all   
that is expected of him4 ,sick people   
are very apt to be both fools and       
cowards4 ,many of them confess the fact 
in the frankest possible way4 ,if you   
doubt it1 ask the next dentist about the
 wisdom and courage of average manhood  
under the dispensation of a bad tooth4  
,as a tooth is to a liver1 so are the   
dentists' patients to the doctors'1 in  
the want of the two excellences above   
mentioned4  ,those not over-wise human  

beings called patients are frequently a 
little unreasonable4 ,they come with a  
small scratch1 which ,nature will heal  
very nicely in a few days1 and insist on
 its being closed at once with some kind
 of joiner's glue4 ,they want their     
little coughs cured1 so that they may   
breathe at their ease1 when they have no
 lungs left that are worth mentioning4  
,they would have called in ,luke the    
physician to ,john the ,baptist1 when   
his head was in the charger1 and asked  
for a balsam that would cure cuts4 ,this
 kind of thing cannot be done4 ,but it  
is very profitable to lie about it1 and 
say that it can be done4 ,the people who
 make a business of this lying1 and     
profiting by it1 are called quacks4     
--,but as patients wish to believe in   
all manner of cures1 and as all doctors 
love to believe in the power of their   
remedies and as nothing is more open to 
self-deception than medical experience1 
the whole matter of therapeutics has    
always been made a great deal more of   

than the case would justify4 ,it has    
been an inflated currency1--fifty       
pretences on paper1 to one fact of true1
 ringing metal4  ,many of the older     
books are full of absurd nostrums4 ,a   
century ago1 ,huxham gave messes to his 
patients containing more than four      
hundred ingredients4 ,remedies were     
ordered that must have been suggested by
 the imagination2 things odious1        
abominable1 unmentionable2 flesh of     
vipers1 powder of dead men's bones1 and 
other horrors1 best mused in expressive 
silence4 ,go to the little book of      
,robert ,boyle1--wise man1 philosopher1 
revered of cures for the most formidable
 diseases1 many of them of this         
fantastic character1 that disease should
 seem to have been a thing that one     
could turn off at will1 like gas or     
water in our houses4 ,only there were   
rather too many specifics in those days4
 ,for if one has an excellent approved  
remedy that never fails1 it seems       
unnecessary to print a list of twenty   

others for the same purpose4 ,this is   
wanton excess2 it is gilding the golden 
pill1 and throwing fresh perfume on the 
,mistura ,assafoetidae4  ,as the        
observation of nature has extended1 and 
as mankind have approached the state of 
only semi-barbarism in which they now   
exist1 there has been an improvement4   
,the materia medica has been weeded2    
much that was worthless and revolting   
has been thrown overboard2 simplicity   
has been introduced into prescriptions2 
and the whole business of drugging the  
sick has undergone a most salutary      
reform4 ,the great fact has been        
practically recognized1 that the        
movements of life in disease obey laws  
which1 under the circumstances1 are on  
the whole salutary1 and only require a  
limited and occasional interference by  
any special disturbing agents4 ,the list
 of specifics has been reduced to a very
 brief catalogue1 and the delusion which
 had exaggerated the power of drugging  
for so many generations has been        

tempered down by sound and systematic   
observation4  ,homoeopathy came1 and    
with one harlequin bound leaped out of  
its century backwards into the region of
 quagmires and fogs and mirages1 from   
which true medical science was painfully
 emerging4 ,all the trumpery of exploded
 pharmacopoeias was revived under new   
names4 ,even the domain of the loathsome
 has been recently invaded1 and         
simpletons are told in the book before  
us to swallow serpents' poison2 nay1 it 
is said that the pediculis capitis is   
actually prescribed in infusion1--hunted
 down in his capillary forest1 and      
transferred to the digestive organs of  
those he once fed upon4  ,it falsely    
alleged one axiom as the basis of       
existing medical practice1 namely1      
,contraria contrarues                   
curantur1--,contraries are cured by     
contraries4 ,no such principle was ever 
acted upon1 exclusively1 as the basis of
 medical practice4 ,the man who does not
 admit it as one of the principles of   

practice would1 on medical principles1  
refuse a drop of cold water to cool the 
tongue of ,dives in fiery torments4 ,the
 only unconditional principle ever      
recognized by medical science has been1 
that diseases are to be treated by the  
remedies that experience shows to be    
useful4 ,the universal use of both cold 
and hot external and internal remedies  
in various inflammatory states puts the 
garrote at once on the babbling throat  
of the senseless assertion of the       
homaeopathists1 and stultifies for all  
time the nickname allopathy4  ,it       
falsely alleged a second axiom1 ,similia
 similibus curantur1--,like is cured by 
like1--as the basis of its own practice2
 for it does not keep to any such rule1 
as every page of the book before us     
abundantly shows4  ,it subjected        
credulous mankind to the last of        
indignities1 in forcing it to listen to 
that doctrine of infinitesimals and     
potencies which is at once the most     
epigrammatic of paradoxes1 and the      

crowning exploit of pseudo-scientific   
audacity4  ,it proceeded to prove itself
 true by juggling statistics2 some of   
the most famous of which1 we may remark1
 are very well shown up by ,professor   
,worthington ,hooker1 in a recent essay4
 ,and having done all these things1 it  
sat down in the shadow of a brazen bust 
of its founder1 and invited mankind to  
join in the ,barmecide feast it had     
spread on the coffin of ,science2 who1  
however1 proved not to have been buried 
in it1--indeed1 not to have been buried 
at all4  ,of course1 it had1 and has1 a 
certain success4 ,its infinitesimal     
treatment being a nullity1 patients are 
never hurt by drugs1 when it is adhered 
to4 ,it pleases the imagination4 ,it is 
image-worship1 relic-wearing1           
holy-water-sprinkling1 transferred from 
the spiritual world to that of the body4
 ,poets accept it2 sensitive and        
spiritual women become sisters of       
charity in its service4 ,it does not    
offend the palate1 and so spares the    

nursery those scenes of single combat in
 which infants were wont to yield at    
length to the pressure of the spoon and 
the imminence of asphyxia4 ,it gives the
 ignorant1 who have such an inveterate  
itch for dabbling in physic1 a book and 
a doll's medicine-chest1 and lets them  
play doctors and doctresses without fear
 of having to call in the coroner4 ,and 
just so long as unskilful and untaught  
people cannot tell coincidences from    
cause and effect in medical             
practice1--which to do1 the wise and    
experienced know how difficult6--so long
 it will have plenty of facts to fall   
back upon4 ,who can blame a man for     
being satisfied with the argument1 ,i   
was ill1 and am well1--great is         
,hahnemann68 ,only this argument serves 
all impostors and impositions4 ,it is   
not of much value1 but it is            
irresistible1 and therefore quackery is 
immortal4  ,homaeopathy is one of its   
many phases2 the most imaginative1 the  
most elegant1 and1 it is fair to say1   

the least noxious in its direct         
agencies4 ,it is melancholy1--we use the
 recent words of the world-honored      
physician of the ,queen's household1    
,sir ,john ,forbes1--to be forced to    
make admissions in favor of a system so 
utterly false and despicable as         
,homaeopathy4 ,yet we must own that it  
may have been indirectly useful1 as the 
older farce of the weapon ointment      
certainly was1 in teaching medical      
practitioners to place more reliance    
upon nature4 ,most scientific men see   
through its deceptions at a glance4 ,it 
may be practised by shrewd men and by   
honest ones2 rarely1 it must be feared1 
by those who are both shrewd and honest4
 ,as a psychological experiment on the  
weakness of cultivated minds1 it is the 
best trick of the century4  --,here the 
old gentleman took his cane and walked  
out to cool himself4    ,,foreign4  ,it 
is an old remark of ,lessing1 often     
repeated1 but nevertheless true1 that   
,frenchmen1 as a general rule1 are sadly

 deficient in the mental powers suited  
to objective observation1 and therefore 
eminently disqualified for reliable     
reports of travels4 ,among the host of  
,french writing travellers or travelling
 writers1 on whatever foreign countries1
 there have always been very few who    
looked at foreign countries1 nations1   
institutions1 and achievements1 with    
anything like fairness of judgment and  
capacity of understanding4 ,for an      
average ,frenchman1 ,moliere's renowned 
juxtaposition of      ,paris1 la cour1  
le monde1 l'univers1  is a gospel down  
to this day2 and no country can so      
justly complain of being constantly     
misunderstood and misrepresented by     
,french tourists as ours4 ,the more     
difficult it is for a ,frenchman not to 
glance through colored spectacles from  
the ,palais ,royal at whatever does not 
belong to the ,great ,nation1 the more  
praise those few of them deserve who    
give to the world correct and impartial 
impressions of travel and reliable      

ethnological works4  ,such is the case  
with two works which we are glad to     
recommend to our readers4 ,the first is 
,la ,norwege1 par ,,louis ,,enault4     
,paris3 ,hachette4 #aheg4  ,norway1     
though a member of the ,european family1
 with a population once so influential  
in the world's history1 is comparatively
 the least known of all civilized       
countries to the world at large1 and    
what little we know of it is of a very  
recent date1--,stephens's and ,leopold  
von ,buch's works being not much more   
than a quarter of a century old1 while  
,bayard ,taylor's lively sketches in the
 ,new ,york ,tribune are almost wet     
still1 and not yet complete4 ,the latter
 and ,m4 ,enault's book1 when compared  
with each other1 leave not the slightest
 doubt that each observes carefully and 
conscientiously in his own way1 that    
both possess peculiar gifts for studying
 and describing correctly what there is 
worth studying and describing in this   
terra incognita1 and that we can rely on

 both4 ,mr4 ,taylor is more picturesque1
 lively1 fascinating1 and drastic2 ,m4  
,enault more thorough1 quiet1 and       
reserved in the expression of his       
opinions4 ,the parts seem to be         
interchanged1--the ,frenchman exhibiting
 more of the ,anglo-,saxon1 the         
,american more of the ,french genius2   
but both confirm each other's statements
 admirably1 and should be read side by  
side4 ,if our readers wish to make      
themselves thoroughly acquainted with   
the workings of the laws and            
institutions1 with the statistical1     
economical1 and geographical facts1 the 
society and manners1 the later history  
and future prospects of ,norway1 they   
will find here a work trustworthy in    
every respect4   ,les ,anglais et       
l',inde1 avec ,notes1 ,pieces           
justificatives et ,tableaux             
statistiques1 par ,e4 ,,de ,,valbezen4  
,paris4 #aheg4  ,this is no narrative of
 travel1 though evidently written by one
 who has been for a considerable time an

 eyewitness of ,indian affairs1 and by a
 man of acute mind and quick and        
comprehensive perception1 thoroughly    
versed in the history and condition of  
,india4 ,it is a treatise on all those  
topics bearing upon the present         
political1 social1 and commercial state 
of things there1 beginning with the     
exposition of the ,english governmental 
institutions there existing1 describing 
the country1 its productions and        
resources1 its various populations1 its 
social relations1 its agriculture1      
commerce1 and wealth1 and concluding    
with statistical and other documents in 
support of the author's statements4 ,it 
gives a nearly systematical and complete
 picture of ,indian affairs1 enabling   
the reader to understand the present    
situation of the country and its foreign
 rulers1 and to form a judgment on all  
corresponding topics4 ,the style is     
classical1 though somewhat concise and  
epigrammatic1 giving proof everywhere of
 a mind that forms its own conclusions  

and takes independent1 statesmanlike    
views4 ,the author refrains from        
obtruding his own opinions on the       
reader1 leaving things to speak for     
themselves4 ,he is not ostensibly       
antagonistic to the ,english1 as we     
should expect from a true               
,frenchman1--is no cordial hater of     
perfide ,albion4 ,you cannot1 from his  
book1 with any show of reason1 infer    
that he is a ,jesuit1 a ,french         
missionary1 a merchant1 a governmental  
employe1 or a simple traveller2 but you 
feel instinctively that he is           
wide-awake1 shrewd1 and reserved1 and   
that you may trust his reports in the   
main4 ,he refers1 for proof of his      
statements1 mostly to ,english          
documents1 and does not try to preoccupy
 your mind4 ,particularly noteworthy is 
what he says of the political economy of
 ,india2 he controverts effectively the 
prevailing opinion that it is the       
richest country in the world1--showing  
its real poverty1 in spite of its great 

natural resources1 and the almost       
hopeless task of improving these        
resources4 ,for the ,american merchant  
this is a very readable book1 warning   
him to refrain from too hastily         
investing his capital and enterprise in 
,indian commerce1--,india being the most
 insecure of all countries for foreign  
commercial undertakings2 and in general1
 there are so many entirely new and     
startling revelations in it1 that1 to   
any one interested in ,indian matters1  
it well repays reading4   ,histoire de  
la ,revolution ,francaise1 7#aghi-agii17
 ,par ,,theod4 ,h4 ,,barrau4 ,paris3    
,hachette4 #aheg4  ,we cannot vouch that
 we have here a new1 original history of
 this important epoch1 based on an      
independent study of historical sources2
 but it is the very first history of the
 ,french ,revolution we have known1 not 
written in a partisan spirit1 and bent  
on falsifying the facts in order to make
 political capital or to flatter        
national prejudices4 ,it bears no       

evidence of any tendency                
whatever1--perhaps only because1 with   
its more than five hundred pages1 it is 
too short for that4   ,histoire de      
,france au ,,xvi4 ,siecle1 par          
,,michelet4 ,tom4 #aj4 ,henri ,,iv4 et  
,richelieu4  ,michelet is too well known
 as a truly ,republican historiographer 
and truly humane and noble writer1 and  
the former volumes of this history have 
been too long before the public1 to     
require for this volume a particular    
recommendation4 ,it begins with the last
 decade of the sixteenth century1 and   
concludes with the year #afbf4 ,we are  
no particular admirers of ,michelet's   
historical style and method of          
delineation1 but we acknowledge his     
sense of historical justice1 his        
unprejudiced mind1 and his              
,republicanism1 even when treating a    
subject so delicate1 and so dear to     
,frenchmen1 as ,henry ,,iv4 ,doing      
justice to whatever was really admirable
 in the character of this much beloved  

king1 he overthrows a good many         
superstitious ideas current concerning  
him even down to our days4 ,he shows    
that the ,utopian1 though benevolent    
project1 ascribed to ,henry1 of         
establishing an everlasting peace by    
revising the map of ,europe and         
constituting a political equilibrium    
between the several ,european powers1   
never in fact existed in the king's     
mind1 nor even in ,sully's1 whom he     
equally divests of much unfounded glory 
and fictitious greatness4 ,no doubt1 but
 for his fickleness and inconsistency1  
,henry could have done a good deal      
toward realizing such ideas and         
reforming ,european politics2 but it is 
saying too much for ,henry's influence  
on the popular opinions of ,europe1 to  
affirm1 what ,michelet gives us to      
understand1 that he could have combined 
the nations of ,europe against all their
 depraved rulers together4   ,la        
,liberte1 par ,,emile ,,de ,,girardin4  
,paris4 #aheg4  ,this book contains a   

discussion between the author and ,m4 de
 ,lourdoueix1 ex-editor of the ,gazette 
de ,france1 written in the form of      
letters1 on the various topics connected
 with the notion of ,liberty4 ,girardin 
is1 no doubt1 the most genial of all    
living ,french writers on ,socialism and
 ,politics4 ,he belongs neither to the  
fanatical school of ,communists and     
,social ,equalizers by force and par    
ordre da ,mufti1 nor to the class of    
pliable tools of ,imperial or ,royal    
,autocracy4 ,he is the only writer who1 
in the face of the prevailing           
restrictions upon the press in ,france1 
dares to speak out his whole mind1 and  
to preach the ,age of ,reason in        
,politics and in the ,social ,system4   
,he is full of new ideas1 which should1 
we think1 be very attractive to         
,american readers2 and it is1 indeed1   
strange that his writings are so little 
read and reviewed on this side of the   
ocean4 ,his ideas on general education1 
on the total extinction of authority or 

government1 on the abolition of public  
punishments of every kind1 on the doing 
away with standing armies1 war1 and     
tyranny1 and on making the ,state a     
great ,assurance ,company against all   
imaginable misfortunes and their        
consequences1 are a fair index of the   
best philosophemes of the ,european mind
 since the last ,revolution4 ,we do not 
say that we approve every one of his    
issues and conclusions1 but we insist   
most earnestly1 that this book and      
similar ones1 bearing testimony to what 
the political and social thinkers of the
 day in ,europe are revolving in their  
minds1 should be read and reviewed under
 the light of ,american institutions and
 ideas4 ,the reader enjoys in the       
present book the great advantage of     
seeing the ideas of the ,social         
,reformers discussed pro and            
contra1--,m4 ,lourdoueix being their    
obstinate adversary4   ,memoires de ,m4 
,joseph ,prudhomme1 par ,,henri         
,,monnier4 #b vols4 ,paris4 #aheg4      

,this is not what is commonly called    
memoires1--to wit1 historical           
recollections modified by the subjective
 impressions of eyewitnesses to the     
past2 it is rather a novel or romance in
 the form of memoires1 ridiculing the   
predominant bourgeoisie of the ,old     
,world1 and sketching the whole life of 
a bourgeois1 from infancy to green old  
age4 ,for readers1 who1 through travel  
in ,europe and acquaintance with ,french
 literature and tastes1 are enabled to  
understand the many nice allusions      
contained in this novel1 it is a very   
entertaining book4   #a4 ,kraft und     
,stoff4 ,by ,g4 ,b,ue,c,h,n,e,r4 ,fourth
 edition4 #aheg4  #b4 ,materie und      
,geist4 ,by the same4 #aheg4  ,it is    
certainly a remarkable sign of the      
times1 that a book treating of purely   
scientific matters1--physiological facts
 and ideas1--like the first of these1 of
 which the second is the complement1    
should in a very few years have attained
 to its fourth edition in ,germany4 ,all

 those works on ,natural ,science1 by   
,alexander von ,humboldt1 ,oersted1 ,du 
,bois-,raymond1 ,cotta1 ,vogt1          
,moleschott1 ,buechner1 ,rossmaessler1  
,ule1 ,mueller1 and others1 which have  
appeared since the ,revolution of #ahdh1
 uniting a more popular and intelligible
 style with a purely scientific         
treatment of the matter-of-fact1        
irrespective of the religious and       
political dogmas that conflict with the 
results of natural science1 have met    
with decided success in ,germany and    
,france4 ,they are extensively read and 
appreciated1 even by the less educated  
and learned classes4 ,among these works1
 that of ,buechner ranks high1 and it is
 therefore strange that we have seen it 
hitherto reviewed in no ,american       
journal4 ,this may serve us as an excuse
 for noticing this fourth edition1      
though it is little improved over the   
former ones4 ,it exhibits the last      
results of the science of physiology1 in
 a scientific1 but rather popular method

 of exposition4 ,there is quite a hive  
of new ideas and intuitions contained in
 it1--ideas conflicting1 it is true1    
with many received dogmas1 and          
irreconcilable with orthodoxy2 but it is
 of no use to shut our eyes to these    
ideas1 as though the danger threatening 
from this side could be averted by      
imitating the policy of the ostrich4    
,they should be faced and examined2 the 
danger is far greater from ignoring     
them4 ,it is impossible that ideas1     
largely entertained and cultivated by a 
nation so expert in thinking1 so versed 
in science and literature as the        
,germans1 should have no interest for   
the great1 intelligent ,american public4
 ,natural ,science may be said to form1 
at present1 an integral portion of the  
religion of the ,germans4 ,it is1 at    
least1 a matter of ethnological and     
historical interest to learn in what    
regions of thought and speculation our  
,german contemporaries are at home1 and 
wherein they find their mental happiness

 and delight4   ,die deutsche komische  
und humoristische ,dichtung seit ,beginn
 des #af4 ,jahrhunderts bis auf unsere  
,zeit4 ,von ,,ignaz ,,hub4 ,nuernberg3  
,ebner4 #aheg4  ,two volumes of this    
interesting work are coming out at the  
same time1--one containing the second of
 the five parts into which the prose    
anthology is divided1 with comical and  
humorous pieces from the sixteenth      
century1 7for instance1 extracts from   
,fortunatus1 the ,historia of ,dr4 ,j4  
,faust1 ,die ,schildbuerger1 ,desid1    
,erasmus's ,gespraeche1 etc417--the     
other containing a collection of poetry 
of the same kind1 belonging to the      
present century1 and forming part of the
 third volume1 with pieces by ,uhland1  
,eichendorff1 ,rueckert1 ,sapphir1 ,wm4 
,mueller1 ,immermann1 ,palten1          
,hoffmann1 ,kopisch1 ,heine1 ,lenau1    
,moericke1 ,gruen1 ,wackernagel1 and    
many others4 ,the anthology is          
accompanied with biographical and       
historical notes1 and explanations of   

provincialisms and such words as to the 
,american reader of ,german would be    
likely to be otherwise unintelligible2  
so that he may thus1 without too much   
trouble1 satisfactorily enjoy this      
treasury of entertainment4 ,the ,germans
 may well be proud of such literary     
riches1 in which ,england alone         
surpasses them4   ,thueringer ,naturen1 
,charakter-und ,sittenbilder in         
,erzaehlungen4 ,von ,,otto ,,ludwig4    
,erster ,band4 ,die ,heiterethei und ihr
 ,widerspiel4 ,frankfurt4 #aheg4  ,this 
is one of the numerous imitations of the
 celebrated ,dorfgeschichten1 by        
,berthold ,auerbach4 ,the latter        
introduced1 in a time of literary       
poverty1 a wide range of new subjects   
for epical treatment1--the life of      
,german peasants1 with their simple1    
healthy1 vigorous natures undepraved by 
a spurious civilization4 ,in painting   
these sinewy figures1 full of a         
character of their own1 he was very     
felicitous1 had an enormous success1 and

 drew a host of less gifted followers   
after him4 ,herr ,ludwig is one of      
these4 ,we shall not despair of his     
becoming1 at some future time1 a second 
,auerbach2 but he is not one yet4 ,there
 is1 in this work1 too much spreading   
out and extenuation of a material which1
 in itself not very rich and varied1    
requires great skill to mould into an   
epic form4 ,but the author has a        
remarkable power of drawing true1       
lifelike characters1 and developing them
 psychologically4 ,it is refreshing to  
see that the ,german literary taste is  
becoming gradually more realistic1 pure1
 and natural1 turning its back on the   
romantic school of the ,french4   ,may  
,carols4 ,by ,,aubrey ,,de ,,vere4      
,london4 #aheg4  ,the name of ,aubrey de
 ,vere has for some years past been     
familiar to the lovers of poetry1 as    
that of a scholarly and genial poet4    
,his successive volumes have shown a    
steady growth in poetic power and       
elevation of spirit4 ,while gaining a   

firmer mastery over the instruments of  
poetry he has struck from them a deeper1
 fuller1 and more significant tone4 ,in 
this his last volume1 which has lately  
appeared1 his verse is brought          
completely into the service of the      
,church4 ,the ,may ,carols are poems    
celebrating the ,virgin ,mary in her    
month of ,may4 ,for that month1 and for 
the ,roman church1 ,mr4 ,de ,vere has   
done in this volume what ,keble did for 
the festivals of the year1 and the      
,english church1 in his ,christian      
,year4 ,catholicism in ,england has     
produced no poet since the days of      
,crashaw so sincere in his piety1 so    
sweet in his melody1 so pure in spirit  
as ,de ,vere4 ,and the volume is not for
 ,roman ,catholic readers alone4 ,others
 may be touched by its religious fervor1
 and charmed with its beauties of       
description or of feeling4 ,it is full  
and redolent of spring4 ,the sweetness  
of the ,may air flows through many of   
its verses1--of that season when        

,trees1 that from winter's gray eclipse 
,of late but pushed their topmost plume1
     ,or felt with green-touched        
finger-tips       ,for spring1 their    
perfect robes assume4      ,while1 vague
 no more1 the mountains stand           
,with quivering line or hazy hue2       
,but drawn with finer1 firmer1 hand1    
,and settling into deeper blue4   ,mr4  
,de ,vere is an exquisite student of    
nature1 with fine perceptions that have 
been finely cultivated4 ,take this      
picture of the lark3--       ,from his  
cold nest the skylark springs2          
,sings1 pauses1 sings2 shoots up anew2  
,attains his topmost height1 and sings  
,quiescent in his vault of blue4   ,and 
here is a description of the later      
spring3--       ,brow-bound with myrtle 
and with gold1       ,spring1 sacred now
 from blasts and blights1     ,lifts in 
a firm1 untrembling hold       ,her     
chalice of fulfilled delights4          
,confirmed around her queenly lip       
,the smile late wavering1 on she moves2 

,and seems through deepening tides to   
step       ,of steadier joys and larger 
loves4   ,the little volume contains    
many passages such as these4 ,we have   
space to quote but one of the poems     
complete1 to show the manner in which   
,mr4 ,de ,vere unites the real1 the     
symbolic1 and the external1 with the    
spiritual4 ,like most of his poems1 it  
is marked by artistic finish and grace1 
and many of the lines have a natural    
beauty of unsought alliteration and     
assonance4       ,when all the          
breathless woods aloof       ,lie hushed
 in noontide's deep repose     ,the     
dove1 sun-warmed on yonder roof1        
,with what a grave content she coos6    
,one note for her6 ,deep streams run    
smooth3       ,the ecstatic song of     
transience tells4     ,o1 what a depth  
of loving truth       ,in thy divine    
contentment dwells6      ,all day with  
down-dropt lids ,i sat       ,in trance2
 the present scene foregone4     ,when  
,hesper rose1 on ,ararat1               

,methought1 not ,english hills1 he      
shone4      ,back to the ,ark1 the      
waters o'er1       ,the primal dove     
pursued her flight3     ,a branch of    
that blest tree she bore       ,which   
feeds the ,church with holy light4      
,i heard her rustling through the air   
,with sliding plume1--no sound beside1  
,save the sea-sobbings everywhere1      
,and sighs of the subsiding tide4