M. Pourquoi, je vous prie? M. Monsieur me dis, Si vous étes able. E. Stay, let see, What's on the table. M. Ah! tres-bien !—apportez plus— Monsieur Druse, je bois á vous. Here I was unluckily obliged to leave my colloquists, but I could not think this brief notice would be uninteresting to posterity. RANDOLPH. I have in this manuscript altered the spelling of Randolph, but the dialogue is as I found it; from which it may be inferred, that the ancients were not so barbarous in their language and orthography, as we are given to suppose: probably, at and since the discovery of printing, men seduced by a wretched desire of superiority, wished their ancestors not to appear wiser than themselves, and therefore thought best to disfigure them in the miserable garb_of_“ malorthography." This remark applies principally to the language of the Briton : with regard to the Roman, we may see from the rhymes the correct pronunciation of the Latin language; true, he seems to have committed himself in the first line; but is it not probable that, as the expression quid valet? would be in very common use, the pronunciation of it here is a vulgarism, in the same way as we often hear father and other words in our own language corrupted. My imperfect knowledge of the French tongue compels me to confess, that I am unable to make any comment upon the diction of the Gaul. We see, too, in this manuscript the character of the three nations: The Roman has, it is true, something noble in his character, but he is continually sententious and pedantic. The Gaul is very polite, but yet he displays no great extent of mind; ever "pleased with a feather, tickled with a straw :" the Briton, on the other hand, is patient of fatigue, spite of the blazing sun he wishes to continue his journey, and, when at the table, no false delicacy prompts him to conceal his inclinations, or suppress his opinions; he is neither pompous as the Roman, nor trifling as the Gaul. MEM. The manuscript of davraσiaσtikos in our next. SEPTEMBER 20.-Half a cwt. of prose-treble the quantity of poetry." Virtue" is such a trite subject, that we could not admit it, unless very extraordinary.-J. C. S. P. L. can write, but has chosen a common-place subject.-T. is mistaken, in thinking we have not seen him in print.-C. we wish to see.We perfectly agree with "a friend to the undertaking," and hope to be better acquainted with him.-T. L. is simple, and shall appear in our next; he is evidently a young writer, and capable of improvement." Farewell," no point. SEPTEMBER 30.-Went to bed about ten. Dreamed that Blackwood had spoken in high terms of praise of the Leodiensian, and that I received a letter from the Society of Artsvery curious, I thought. MEM. Could not sleep after four o'clock. PETER PINCH. PSEUDO-SUBLIMITY. EXHIBITED IN A SERIES OF ODES BY TOM MEGGOTT. No. 1.-TO STEAM. In childhood's happy hour, And magic properties, O steam; I held my luckless hand, And saw no blaze yet felt it passing hot. O potent vapour! I do not mean poetic-upon paper-, And seemest only smoke when there, Yet hast a mightier power Than what we read in fabled lay Of giant chief or dwarfish fay, Who rul❜d the midnight hour What is that magic spell? That impulse which we must obey, Which hurries us away,. Drives us from shore to shore-but how, we cannot tell? Unlike that wand'ring light, Thou has hast no glaring lure; Thou beatest Jack O'Lanthorn hollow. With what a rage! When left neglected there, Thou burstest forth from iron cage, Scattering thy fragments through the desert air: Earth's pond'rous columns shake, And beasts and men In neighbouring house or neighbouring den, And (P profanity!) Begin to question thy humanity. I'm lost in doubt, Nor can philosophy relieve me, J. M. LEEDS: PRINTED BY ROBINSON AND HERNAMAN. |