Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

long groaned under the dominion of their own chancellors. The slowness of their proceedings had mouldered insensibly away, in the pleadings of two centuries, some of the fairest fortunes in the kingdom; and the subtilties of the civil law had involved, in the voluminous mazes of the Chancery bill, rights and claims, which the municipal courts would have immediately recognized. (To be continued.)

For the Emerald,

"LE JOURNAL DE GOURMANDS"-THE

GLUTTONS' JOURNAL.

table. Can any thing be more ten-
der than a toper? more liberal than
a joyous guest? "Distrust sober
people," says J. J. Rousseau. Hen-
ry IV. wished that all his subjects
might be enabled to put a fowl into
the hot; and do not the grand
epochs of our religion also recal the
The cir-
pleasures of feasting?
cumcision is consecrated to bonbons
and sweetmeats, the Epiphany to
cakes, Easter to lambs, and St. Mar-
tin to fat geese.

then, is not merely a command, but a law of nature; for there can be no virtues contrary to the laws and the necessities of nature. Quod erat probandum."

"When it was said Increase and multiply,' this clearly meant, A periodical work with this sin-Eat and drink.' To eat and drink, gular title has lately appeared at Paris, and is said to have become popular. The French are fond of epicurism and would favour whatever has connexion with the culinary art. It details some curious There is certainly more gaiety particulars of voracity and great eat- than reason in this method of susing. One number contains a dis-taining a paradox; but we ought to sertation on the question "Is it a recollect (says the Monthly Mag.) virtue to be sober." The author, that it is a gourmand who combats who subscribes himself Gasterman, pro aris & focis. and who (says the Monthly Magazine) neither falsifies either. his name or his employment; sustains the negative, and observes, "that in all probability, the apostles of sobriety are only such men as possess no appetite for drinking."

"We ought however," adds he, "to distrust their declamations : for an empty stomach produces an empty brain; and it might be said of it with more reason than La Rochefoucault says of the heart: Les bonnes pensees viennent de l'estomac.'

"I maintain, moreover, that those only possess good qualities, who digest well, and easily. Bon convive, bon compagnon a table, et homme aimable," are perhaps the only synonimes in the French language. The table is a place for love and unison; one never talks well about business except it be at

For the Emerald..

DESULTORY SELECTIONS,

AND ORIGINAL REMARKS.

[ocr errors]

THE VILLAGE OF BORT.

Marmontel describes the situation of

his native town in the following beautiful and picturesque manner.

"Bort, seated on the Dordogne, between Auvergne and Limosin, presents a fearful picture to the first view of the traveller. It is seated at the bottom of a mountain which, at a distance, appears to hang over it, and threaten it with impending annihilation.

A chain of craggy rocks, like so many watch towers, command the town. But upon the. entrance into the valley the aspect of Bort is gay and cheering. This

green and woody island lies in the midst of the river a little beyond the town. It is filled with birds, and further animated by the unceasing motion and noise of a mill. On the banks of the river orchards, meadows, and corn-fields, cultivated by a labouring peasantry, form the most picturesque landscapes. In

ered this circumstance as burthensome to the tenor of narration: nor were they more industrious and exact in quoting the authors on whom they rested their authorities, but seemed desirous that posterity should give implicit confidence to their own.

STRING.

Perhaps the following lines by Armstrong, never so well applied, to an American spring, as to the present. Be this as it may, our readers will now fully enter into the spirit of the extract.

Scarce in a showerless day the heavens indulge

Our melting clime; except the baleful

east

the recess of the mountains is situated the little farm of St. Thomas, the lands of my father, where I used to read Virgil under the shade of the trees which surrounded our beehives. On the other side of the town, beyond the mill, and on the slope of the mountain, was a garden, where, on welcome holidays, my father used to lead me to gather grapes from the vines he had planted, or apples, plumbs, and cherries, from the trees he had grafted. The charm of my native village is, indeed, involved with the impression never to be erased from my mind of the inexpressible tenderness of my parents. If I have any kind- Good heaven! for what unexpiated ness in character, I am persuaded I owe it to these gentle emotions,-This dismal change! The brooding eleto the habitual happiness of loving Do they, your powerful ministers of and being beloved. What a gift do we receive from Heaven in kind and affectionate parents.

[blocks in formation]

checks

Withers the tender spring, and sourly
The fancy of the year. Our fathers

talk

Of summers, balmy airs and skies

serene.

crimes

ments

wrath,
Prepare some fierce exterminating
plague ?

Or is it fix'd in the decrees above
That lofty Albion melt into the main ?
Indulgent nature! O disolve this gloom!
Bind in eternal adamant the winds
That drown or wither: Give the ge-

nial West

[blocks in formation]

THE DYING CHILD.

:

THE taper was just glimmering in the socket, as the weary and sorrowful mother awaked from a momentary slumber, to renew her anguish she turned her eyes on her expiring infant, whose dim orbs were slowly moving in their hollow abodes. It was midnight, and nothing was heard but the strokes of the clock pendulum, and the heavy sighs of a disconsolate father, which mingled with the short, deep breath of his suffering darling.

land, must expect to have the genius of a Dutchman for his pains.

UNANIMITY.

The smallest creatures acting in The concert have great power. African ants sometimes set forward in such multitudes, that the whole earth seems to be in motion. A corps of them attacked and covered an elephant quietly feeding in a pasture. In eight hours, nothing was to be seen on the spot but the skeleton of that enormous animal, neat

Half raised, and leaning on his pillow, he had been watching the dread moment when a sigh or a struggle should announce, that hope and life had to-ly and completely picked. The bu gether taken their everlasting flight. A sudden flutter drew the attention of the

siness was done, and the enemy marched on after fresh prey.

wretched parents from the melancholy object of their meditation: it was the expiring innocent's favourite bird, whose THERE is something extremely food had been neglected ever since the flattering to a generous mind, in the danger of its little admirer had absorb-idea of administering relief to aned all other care, and, as the sad pre-other's pains, to "explain the sage of his fate, it now expired! The parents looked alternately on each other, and on the bird, but at this instant, to add to their distresses, the candle ceased to burn,-the father seized his infant's hand,-the mother felt for its forehead, but the pulse was still, and

all was cold.

WIT.

thought; explore the asking eye." What a delightful employment ! and, when crowned with success, by a recovery of our patient, we are conscious of an exultation of mind, which can only arise from the certainty of having done what nature claims, charity enjoins, and heaven. approves.

gown to be dyed, the dyer very politely A lady having sent a very costly silk carried it home himself, that he might be certain of its being conveyed with care. It so happened the lady's hus.... band opened the door to him, and being descended to open the door to a low a very proud man, vexed at having con

He who sacrifices religion to wit, like the people mentioned by Elian, worships a fly, and offers up an ox to it. Wit, like salt should excite an appetite, not provoke disgust; cleanse wounds, or create them: it is to be used to recommend and serve that which is sound, not to be thrown away upon that which is al-tradesman, asked very angrily what he ready rotten.

WISDOM.

pre

had in his hand, and whom it was for? 66 Sir," replied the man, "it is a parcel for the lady of the house." "What for THE residence of wisdom is said my wife !" answered the gentleman, by one of the ancients to be in dry « Sir," rejoined the man, trembling, "what can you have for my wife ?" regions, not in bogs and fens. If "I dye for your wife." "My wife!" the temperature of climate and soil "Yes, Sir, I dye for your wife and her have a great effect upon the mind, two sisters, "You impudent dog," that of the body must needs have a exclaimed the gentleman, in a violent far greater; and he who, by drench- passion, "do dare to tell me so to my face. Come, some of you, (calling to ing himself continually with liquor, his servants) and kick this presumptuputs his body into the state of Hol-tous and ignorant blockhead out of the

A Frenchman, being in company at a tea-drinking party, did not observe that it was customary to put the spoon into the tea-cup when any body had drank enough; and the mistress of the house imagined he was fond of tea, by the omission, sent him cup after cup, till he had drank above a dozen dishes of tea, which he, with the politeness so peculiar to his countrymen, could not refuse. At length, however, seeing the servant approach with more, he rose, and exclaimed, 'Helas! Madame, j'ai bu quatorze, et je n'en puis pius.'

2. What is that which, when brought to table, is always cut, but never eaten? 4. A pack of cards.

Her

house." They were proceeding to put | nocence; her ears were only ac his commands in execution, when the customed to the soft voice of affec lady luckily came down stairs, (hearing a noise) and not only rescued her tion, and her mind, like the violets gown from the damage it might have of her native valley, had expanded sustained in the scuffle, but also the in the shade. She was candid, for poor man, who for many years had ac- she was a stranger to the passions tually dyed for her whole family. that give birth to concealment— simple in her taste, for she had never seen any thing more splendid than a bandeau of wild flowers. The smile of ingeniousness played on her face, yet, she was not beautiful, her charms were those of simplicity, and her graces those of youth. The only sorrow that had assailed her bosom was when the closing year had caused her favourite plants to droop; but it was quickly moved by the happy facility with which youthful minds efface all impres sions but those of joy.-At the return of spring she shed the sweetest tears of gratitude and pleasure because nature was revived. religion was that of the heart, but it was pure; and her offerings to the throne of mercy were the hymn of thankfulness, and the gay song of content. She knew not the artifcial manners that are taught by the world; her politeness was that of sensibility, which made her recoil at giving pain; her companions were the villagers, whom she attracted round her by the charms of kindness; when she danced it was with the light step of a fairy, yet she knew no rule but the instinctive one of natural grace. Her partner was a young exile (who had been I THINK the world very beautiful, driven by misfortune with his famisaid the youthful Amaryllis to a re- ly to the remote village in which she flexion of her mother's that was resided ;) and their hearts prompt produced by experience and sor- as their feet, bounded with innocence row-but Amaryllis was young, and and gaiety;-her manners with him her world did not extend beyond had no tincture of reserve, for her the village in which she was born; breast contained not a thought that she was in the vernal season of life, she would have blushed to reveal; when happiness wreathes its sim--between the dances she told him plest flowers round the brows of in- all the occurrences of the day; for

[ocr errors]

The first step is the only difficulty,' is an old proverb. It was oddly applied by a lady. Hearing a canon in company declare, That Saint Pat, after his head was cut off, walked two entire leagues with it in his hand;' and adding, with emphasis, Yes, two entire leagues." "I do not doubt it," she replied: "On such occasions, the rst step is the only difficulty."

Selected for the Emeraldi

AMARYLLIS.

his parents, cruel as the chill blast that nips the tender buds of spring, had forced him from her without one adieu !-without uttering to her one word of comfort.-Ah! who can paint her agony; she lives, and her companions weep over her, for they imagine her insane; they have not yet learnt to know that it is possible to feel strongly and yet be rational;-a hundred times a day she utters his name a hundred times she fancied he would return, and hope, in pity to her distress, throws her enchanting veil over the sad realities that oppress her. Now she reposes on the strength of his affection, as on her guardian angel, then the certainty that he is absent rushes on her mind with all its force, and leaves her a prey to regret, to misery and all its sad train of attendants.

the flower of love was implanted in fate was on the point of giving to her bosom, and with enchanting his destiny, and sketched with the simplicity she bestowed on him its warm colouring of youth the perfirst bud. In their walks they sport- spective of futurity;-for to part ed innocently along, gilding to-mor- from her had never occurred to him, row, with tints more beautiful than he had no idea his parents would to-day-every desire was fulfilled separate those whom affection had by hope, and the perspective of fu- so firmly united;-she wept, but turity presented to them an endless they were tears of joy at the brilliant train of innocent pleasures which prospect that was opening to her they enjoyed by anticipation. Hap- view. Alas! they were succeeded py facility of enjoyment! Pleasures by those of sorrow, of anguish, when drawn by the fancy are seldom re- she discovered that her lover had alized, but fate allows us to be cheat-been constrained to leave her, that ed by the delusions they promise, whilst they fly from our embraces, -Thus passed the morning of life with these children of nature; they nourished simplicity, ignorant of the sorrows it prepares for its victims. The parents of the young emigrant were noble; misfortune had persecuted, but could not triumph over them; they cherished în adversity the animating idea that they should once more revisit their native country, again be surrounded by the splendor that so much adorn the exteriors of life. Their son was now eighteen, and had passed many years in retirement; he listened with raptures to the recital of the former greatness of his family; but the idea of Amaryllis was always mingled with it; he forgot her plebian birth, and his own fallen state when he met her; and if he impart- Children of sensibility, to you I ed to her his griefs, she participated address her tale, to you I appeal; with him so truly, that she received condemn not feelings for which she them into her bosom and deprived is accountable even to herself. That him of their sting.-Amiable sen- Being who gave a deeper tint to the sibility of unsophisticated hearts! rose than the lily protects them Why are you doomed to wither in alike from the chill blast; he does the cold region of disappointment. not reproach the drooping flower, if The first real sorrow that ever visit- oppressed by dew, it refuses to be ed the peace of Amaryllis was now revived by the fervor of the noon approaching-The exile was recal-day sun-then how much more will led to his country. Agitated by con- he cherish the human heart more tending emotions he ran to Amaryl- sensitive than the plant that recoils lis to inform her of the new turn at the slightest touch.

« AnteriorContinuar »