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waving its arms, and slowly turning
its eyeless countenance upon the
wretches as they crept successively
out of the door, bounded with the
rapidity of lightning after the terri-
fied wretch. But swift as the flights
of spirits are, in this case that of the
mortal was swifter; the fellow gave
a thrilling scream, made a convulsive
spring, his heels struck violently
against the lintel of the door in his
course, and he vanished from my
sight, and the spectre after him.
"Gude defend us!" said Peggy.

mentary jar.-I trembled with awe; I felt every hair of my head bristling upwards; my knees smote against each other; a deadly paleness sat upon every countenance, and all eyes were fixed in an intense gaze on the door, at the upper part of the kitchen, which lead to the staircase, buttery, and parlour; when, to complete the horror of the scene, the door burst wide open, dashed against the wall, and in-gliding, at slow pace, came a dreadful apparition. Its countenance was that of death: it seemed to have been long the inhabitant of For my part, much as I was that dark and narrow house,-the frightened, I could scarcely forbear grave; the worms had revelled upon laughing outright at the last inciits eyes, and left nothing but the dent, so comic and farcical. orbless sockets.-The rest of the skeleton was enveloped in a long and white sheet.

This horrid spectre advanced into the middle of the room.-I involuntarily shrunk back-the heavy weapon dropped from my hand, and rang loudly upon the stone floor; and, overcome with terror, I sunk into a chair. A cold sweat burst from my forehead, and I had well nigh fainted; on its first appearance, the others had tumbled one over the other in the greatest horror and confusion, and now lay as if dead, in all directions.

The spectre gazed wildly around for a moment, at the clock, at the fire, and then turned its eyeless sockets upon each individual, motioning, at the same time, with its long arm, and pointing to the outer door, seemingly directing to an outlet for escape, and wishing for their exit. They were not long in obeying this intimation, but severally crawled away upon their hands and knees with all the speed they could possibly make, none of them daring to stand upright. The spectre all the while was standing in the middle of the floor, eyeing, or rather appearing to eye them, through the void sockets where eyes had once glistened, as they retreated, one by one, in the greatest fear and trepidation. When Peggy and I offered to decamp along with the rest, the spectre motioned us to remain where we were, and we durst not, for our lives, disobey. When the last of the crew was making his exit, and had crawled nearly to the door, the spectre, who had hitherto stood motionless, except

--

Half a minute had not elapsed when I heard a step, and, in another instant (I still kept my eyes upon the door) in came the very form of my uncle, muttering,-" Villains! Rascals! Hypocrites!"

He fastened the door after him, and shut out his nephews, and the spectre then came towards the fire; at this, I was more amazed than ever. He, however, gave me to understand, that he was alive, and well; and that all I had seen transacted in the afternoon and evening was nothing, but a stratagem he had made use of to try the sincerity of his relations; and if he found them, as he conjectured, false in their professions, to get rid of them.-The scheme answered nobly, and, it must be confessed, the stratagem was well planned, and exceedingly well executed.

I could not, at first, believe what I saw, nor conceive but that all was the illusion of a dream. In a little time, however, I recovered my recollection; and, on a further developement of the plot, I could enter into all its parts, and reconcile almost every thing to my entire satisfaction.

My uncle concluded his relation with assuring me, that, excepting a good legacy for his faithful servant, Peggy, I should inherit all that he possessed, as some little acknowledgement for the fright he had caused me; and, as for the wretches he had expelled from his house in so singular a manner, they should never more cross the threshold of his door. We all three now sat down to a little supper, of which my uncle

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stood in great need, and after taking a cheerful glass, retired to bed,

Notwithstanding the fatigue of my journey and sitting up so late, my sleep was far from being sound and refreshing: I was disturbed with fearful dreams the whole night. Sometimes I was among groups of ruffians, fighting and mangling each other. L then I was haunted with horrid spectres (such as I had seen the night before), which grasped at me, and I but just escaped their clutches. Headless men and monsters of various horrid forms flitted in endless variety before my fancy; and I frequently started awake in dreadful agonies.

At length the cocks began to crow, the clouds of the eastern sky to break asunder, and the morning to dawn:- when it was tolerably light I started up, resolved upon a stroll over the meadows. Before going, I, however, went into the parlour, where I found every thing in the utmost confusion; chairs, tables, walking-sticks, and logs of wood lay all over the floor, and every thing upset, or in a wrong position. I then proceeded to the outer door, which I opened, but started back in horror, on perceiving a human skull lying on a sheet at my right hand, just outside the door.

Recovering from my fright, I went and gathered it up.-I could not restrain my laughter, when I discovered it to be nothing more than a mask, representing a death's head. It seems, while we were all wrang ling, the night before, my uncle had stepped out of bed, dressed himself, piled all the furniture logs of wood and timber he could, in the apartment in a heap, crowning the pyramid with a dozen or more walkingsticks, which had lain time out of mind on the top of an old cupboard. Then he had gone up stairs, and put on the horrid mask, brought down a pistol, and enveloped himself, from his feet to his chin, in a clean white sheet. After alarming us just as the clock struck the awful hour of twelve, by striking three heavy blows against the wall with a huge lod of wood, he contrived to tumble down the whole mass of furniture at once, fired his pistol at the

Eur. Mag. Vol. 82.

same moment, and then burst in upon us in the manner before described; and I really think, that had old Nick himself been there, he would have yelled with dismay. I attributed the flapping of the doors up stairs, and the jarring of those below, to nothing but a boisterous gust of wind, that happened to blow just at the critical moment; and in the repercussion of the air, when the pistol was fired, I accounted for the shaking of the windows.-The whim sical orders and requests of my uncle were absolutely necessary to the design. By having his will read in the room where he was, he heard our undisguised sentiments; and his next request saved him from the alternative of either being laid with a slight covering, near to some chilling window, or of developing the plot before a proper time. The other requests were, I suppose, made for the sake of consistency, and to make it impossible that we could suspect any thing. I now went out.

As I was crossing the yard, I discovered several drops of blood upon a stone, which I could no way account for, but by supposing some of my good cousins had received, in their hasty retreat, a severe fall; and, a little further, I discovered a pair of shoes. -A receptacle for the filth of the byre, in another part of the yard, bore evident marks of some one having had therein a severe struggle.

Indeed, the adventures of the flying heroes had been various and woeful; one of them, he at whom the spectre made such a sudden bound, as I afterwards ascertained, actually ran seven miles without stopping; and, with his shrieks, supposing the grim monster close at his heels, almost raised the whole country. I now proceeded onwards, over the fields, listening to the warbling lark, "springing blythely up to greet the purpling east." The air was fresh and pure, and, in the beauties of nature, I awhile forgot the events of the preceding evening. With hasty steps I roved over the faintly-recol lected scenes, where I had, in childhood, spent some of my happiest hours, until, weary with my ramble, I returned to breakfast.

CINNA. 2 C

SKETCHES OF SOCIETY AND MANNERS IN LONDON

AND PARIS.

LETTER III.

Sir Charles Darnly, to the Marquis de Vermont.

My dear de Vermont,

Paris.

Having now completed my first quinzième Angloise à Paris, I proceed to give you an account of what I have seen and heard, with all the deliberate wisdom of an experienced traveller. I really have been whirled about with such rapidity from one kind of amusement to another, and have been offered pleasure in such a diversity of forms, that I feel quite bewildered, and know not how to arrange my thoughts, and still less how to communicate them.

I have, of course, visited the galleries of the Louvre-been presented to your good king-dined with our ambassador-lounged in the gar dens of the Thuilleries-eaten ice at the coffee-house on the Boulevardhad my pocket picked in the Palais Royal-admired Mademoiselle Mars at the Theatre François-seen the grand ballet at the Opera Housedrank punch at the Caffè des mille Colonnes, and ogled the pretty and bedizened bar-maid-sported my cabriolet in the Bois de Boulognedined at Roberts'-attended the sittings of the Corps Legislatif, and the gambling table of the too celebrated Salon; and, after losing some hundred pounds at the latter, have been consoled with an invitation to dine with M. Le Marquis de L-, on Thursday next, who does the honors of a weekly banquet, the expenses of which are paid by your virtuous government, in order to support an establishment so calculated to improve the morals of the people. All these scenes are so well known to our countrymen, that were I writing even to an Englishman, I should think it superfluous to describe them: it would be ridiculous to make the attempt in addressing

myself to a native, who has so long been the arbiter elegantiarum of the French capital; I shall content my. self, therefore, with one remark,— that wherever I go, I am astonished at the prevalence of gravity and silence, where I expected nothing but gaiety and noise. In viewing the remaining treasures of the town, I meet crowds of Parisian amateurs, contemplating these master-pieces of art with all the solemnity of professional critics; and without giving vent, by a single expression, to the admiration which these objects necessarily excite.. At your theatrical performances of all sorts, no matter what the exhibition may be, whether it consist of the deepest tragedy or the liveliest comedy, or farce, pantomine or sentimental drama, not a word escapes the lips of the giddiest or most ignorant of the audience; and every body seems to listen with equal attention to the declamation of Talma, the nonsense of Punch, or the wit of Moliere. At your public libraries and subscription reading rooms, the same decorum is observed; and no person's studies are disturbed by the harangues of chattering politicians, such as you will find in every similar establishment of the English metropolis: and though, to be sure, there is no lack of conversation among your pedestrians in the gardens of the Palais Royal, and the Thuilleries, silence again prevails at your gaming tables; where, when the most excruciating feelings are depictured in the countenance of an unsuccessful speculator, if a bête, or a diable is sometimes heard in a low whisper, it is soon checked; and the lips of the ill-fated loser, however convulsed with agony, are not allowed to express the sentiments by which they are tortured.

Even at your balls the performers

Alluding to a novel so called; in which the follies of an Englishman, committed during a fortnight's stay at Paris, are ridiculed.

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are too much occupied in recollecting the figures of the dance, and the company in examining their steps, to admit of much communication. It is difficult for the enamoured cavalier to find an opportunity of conveying a few words of admiration to his lovely partner, and scarcely a sound is heard in the festive hall, save and except the notes of the music, and the eternally repeated mandates of the ballet-master, while he vociferates," Chassez à la droite, chassez à la gauche. La chaine Angloise," &c. &c. At your restaurateurs also I remark, to use the expression of one of your writers,

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que c'est une affaire bien sériuse que le diner," and I daily see twenty or thirty persons deeply occupied in the discharge of this important duty, scattered about at detached tables, and swallowing their meat in impenetrable silence. On these occasions too, I observe, that though the voracious appetite of John Bull is the favourite theme of your satirists, and affords the subject of many a caricature now exhibited at his expense in your print-shops, I begin to suspect, from the examples constantly presented to my notice, that my friend John is by no means a greater feeder than his criticizing neighbour.

When I have no engagement, I usually dine at Beauvillier's, in the Rue de Richelieu, and while I take my solitary repast, I derive no little amusement in observing those who are seated near me. Among these I have frequently remarked a gentleman whom, from his black cravat, large whiskers, and enormous cocked hat, I take for an officer, and from the ribband which he wears, for one of distinction. The individual in question usually takes his station at a table adjoining mine, so that I am necessarily the witness of all his proceedings. After carefully fixing his napkin in the button-hole of his coat, he commences the labours of the day, by swallowing an ample supply of raw oysters, (the eating of which is, I find, considered here as great provocative of appetite.) With his oysters he consumes at least a pound of bread, and washes down the whole with a glass of Dantzic brandy. He then calls for "La Carte," and, after having exa

mined its long contents with due deliberation, he gives his written orders on a slip of paper to the waiter to prevent the possibility of a mistake. While these orders are executing he seems to experience no trifling degree of impatience, at least I conclude so, from the eager look with which his eyes are directed almost every minute to the elegant clock on the chimney-piece, besides several similar appeals to his watch. At length a basin of rich soup is placed before him, and by its side a bottle of champaigne de la premiere qualité, in a silver ice-pail. Having first taken his soup, and then three or four glasses of his favourite beverage, he commands the attendance of the garçon, who soon appears with the first entrée. The following dishes then succeed each other in proper order: a large slice of Bouilli à la sauce piquante-two cotelettes à la minute un fricandeau de veau aux épinards—a roasted fowl, stuffed with truffles-various vegetables of different hues and kinds-a vol-auvent—an omelette-an apricot tart, a souflé, and a plate of pine-apple jelly. This abstemious dinner is followed by a dessert of equal moderation, consisting of fromage de gruyère, grapes, pears, apples, comfits, chesnuts, dried cherries, brioches, cakes, and preserves. Nor are these various articles brought forward only to be tasted. My gallant neighbour is careful not to lose any part of the good things set before him. After eating the principal contents of each dish, he secures the remainder, by dipping a piece of bread in the sauce or juice, which bread, when properly saturated, is swallowed in its turn. The intervals, which occur between the appearance of the different entrées, are filled up with copious draughts of the sparkling champaigne, and when all the eatables are at last consumed, and the bottle exhausted to the last drop, he asks for a caffé, or coffee, which is sweetened by at least six lumps of refined sugar, and followed by a glass of the richest liqueur. He then demands la carte payante,-settles his account, gives a few sous to le garçon, detaches his napkin, resumes his fierce cocked hat, bows en passant. with becoming gallantry to the pretty bar-maid, and marches out of the

room, apparently well satisfied with the manner in which he has thus discharged one of the most agreea ble parts of his daily avocations.

This is a simple and unexaggerated account, not only of the mode in which this person usually dines, but of the luxury and indulgence with which I constantly see several others of your countrymen take a similar meal.

Now, without pretending to deny

I

and enlivened by the company of some brother bon vivant.

Go into our most fashionable coffee houses, and you will see that our young men of rank and fashion, when they dine alone, are not only satisfied with much simpler fare than that which your Parisians of a corresponding class require, but also that the quantity of food commonly consumed by the former is infinitely less.

that we have many persons in Lon- As I have yet seen but little of don equally fond of good eating, private society, I shall reserve my must take the liberty of saying, that observations on that head till I have you will find it difficult to meet with had better opportunities of examinan example of similar selfish gratifi- ing your manners. In the mean cation-something of sociability en time I hope often to hear from you, ters into the calculations of our most and depend on your imitating my decided Epicureans-and I should example, in speaking freely of all suspect that even a certain alderman which draws your attention. (whose jollity is proverbial) would Adieu, and be assured not relish his tureen of turtle, or his Of my constant regard, haunch of venison, if not shared C. DARNLEY.

LETTER IV.

The Marquis de Vermont, to Sir Charles Darnley.
London.

MY DEAR DARNLEY,

Before my arrival in this land of freedom, I imagined that here at least, in private as well as in public life, every man would be at liberty to follow his own inclinations as long as he infringed on no positive law. It never occurred to me, there fore, that on such unimportant topics as dress and the division of time, a stranger would be called upon to alter any of his usual habits.

I have, however, already discover ed, that while John Bull claims the privilege of making himself ridicu, lous in his own way abroad, he allows no similar indulgence to the foreigner in England.

At Paris we are so accustomed to the whims and eccentricities of your countrymen, that a member of the four-in-hand club drives his team (as he pleases to call his mail coach and fiery greys) along the Boulevard, or the Plaine St. Honore, without exciting any more attention than such an equipage would draw in Bondstreet or Hyde-park-and one of your exquisites, or modern petits maitres, accoutred in all the effeminate ab surdities of the prevailing fashion, is not more stared at in the Theatre Feydeau than he would be at Covent Garden or Drury Lane play-houses.

I find there is no reciprocity on these subjects, on which, on the contrary, the most tyrannical uniformity is exacted in London.

While paying a visit half an hour earlier than that, which almighty ton has marked as appropriate to such duties, is a crime seldom pardonedwearing a hat an inch too wide in the brim-a waistcoat too short, or a coat too long, subjects the unfortunate and unconscious foreigner to a suspicion of vulgarity quite sufficient to banish him from the most elegant circles of this gay metropolis.

I have therefore begun my career by completely new modelling my costume, and for that purpose have put myself in the hands of the most celebrated professors. My hair has been cut by Blake, and my coat by Allen, my waistcoat and pantaloons come from the hands of other artists of equal celebrity, each devoted to the peculiar line of his profession.—— Lock is my hatter, and Hoby my shoe-maker, and as I am assured (to adopt the words of an elegant modern satirist) that

«All is unprofitable, flat,

And stale, without a smart cravat, Muslined enough to hold its starch, The last key-stone of fashion's arch."

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