The strange misfortune, oh! what words can tell?

Tell ye neglected sylphs! who lap-dogs. guard,

Why snatch'd ye not away your precious ward?

Why suffer'd ye the lover's weight to fall On the ill-fated neck of much-loved Ball? The favorite on his mistress casts his eyes, Gives a melancholy howl, and-dies!

Sacred his ashes lie, and long his rest! Anger and grief divide poor Julia's breast. Her eyes she fix'd on guilty Florio first, On him the storm of angry grief must burst. That storm he fled :-he woos a kinder fair, Whose fond affections no dear puppies share. 'Twere vain to tell how Julia pined away :Unhappy fair, that in one luckless day (From future almanacks the day be cross'd!) At once her lover and her lap-dog lost!

SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE, 1772-1843.

CURIOUS MARRIAGE CEREMONY.

SOON after the close of the war, Captain X. was appointed a Justice of the Peace in a country place, not far from Raleigh, North Carolina. Beyond the management of real estate, drawing up deeds, etc., he had no legal knowledge, indeed, his entire stock of "book-learning" was small and poorly selected, but any lack in general information was fully made up, for his uses, by self-assertion. Late one afternoon, while riding home, he met a young woman and two men. The young woman and one of the men wished to be married at once. They procured the necessary license, but an irate father was on their path, and vowed that they should never be married. Now, the captain had never witnessed a marriage. He remembered having seen a book about the house years before with a form for marriage in it; but where it was he could not remember. "Why," said he, when he told the story afterward, "I knew the 'Postles' Creed and Commandments, and at first I thought I'd use 'em to begin on, but then I reckoned, on the whole, they was too solemn."

A less assured man would have been sorely perplexed, but not he. He lost no time in removing his hat, and remarked, "Hats off in the presence of the court."

All being uncovered, he said, "I'll swear you in fust. Hold up yer right hands." "Me too?" asked the friend of the groom.

"

'Of course," said the captain, "all witnesses must be sworn. You and each of you solemnly swear that the evidence you shall give in this case shall be the truth, th' 'ole truth, an' nothin' but the truth, s'elp you God. You, John Marvin, do solemnly swear that to the best of your knowledge an' belief you take this yer woman ter have an' ter hold for yerself, yer heirs, exekyerters, administrators, and assigns, for your an' their use an' behoof forever?"

"I do," answered the groom.

"You, Alice Ewer, take this yer man for yer husband, ter hev an' ter hold forever; and you do further swear that you are lawfully seized in fee-simple, are free from all incumbrance, and hev good right to sell, bargain and convey to the said grantee yerself, yer heirs, administrators, and assigns?"

"I do," said the bride, rather doubtfully.

"Well, John," said the captain, "that'll be about a dollar 'n' fifty cents."

"Are we married?" asked the other.

"Not yet, ye ain't," quoth the captain, with emphasis; but the fee comes in here.' After some fumbling it was produced and handed over to the "Court," who examined it to make sure that it was all right, and then pocketed it, and continued:

"Know all men by these presents, that I, Captain X., of Raleigh, North Carolina, being in good health and of sound and disposin' mind, in consideration of a dollar 'n' fifty cents to me in hand paid, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, do and by these presents have declared you man and wife during good behavior, and till otherwise ordered by the court."

The men put on their hats again, the young couple, after shaking their benefactor's hand, went on to meet their destiny and the irate father, while the captain rode home richer in experience.-Harper's Magazine.

CARPETS are bought by the yard and worn by the foot.

BOBBY'S TROUSERS.

A HIGHLAND family of some dignity, but not much means, was to receive a visit from some English relations for the first time. Great was the anxiety and great the efforts to make things wear a respectable appearance before these assumedly-fastidious strangers. The lady had contrived to get up a pretty good dinner; but, either from an indulgent disposition, or from some defect in her set of servants, she allowed her son Bobby, a little boy, to be present, instead of remanding him to the nursery. But little was she aware of Bobby's power of tor

ture.

Bobby, who was dressed in a new jacket and a pair of buff-colored trousers, had previously received strict injunctions to sit at table quietly, and on no account to join in conversation. For a little while he carried out these instructions by sitting perfectly quiet till the last guest had been helped to soup, whereupon, during a slight lull in the general conversation, Bobby quietly said:

"I want some soup, mamma."

"You can't be allowed to have any soup, Bobby. You must not be always asking for things."

"If you don't give me some soup immediately, I'll tell yon!”

The lady seemed a little troubled, and, instead of sending Bobby out of the room, quietly yielded to his demand. Soup being removed and fish introduced, there was a fresh demand.

"Mamma, I want some sea-fish" (a rarity in the Highlands).

Bobby," said the mother, "you are very forward. You can't get any fish. You must sit quietly, and not trouble us

30 much."

"Well, mamma, if I don't get some fish, mind I'll tell yon!"

"Oh, Bobby, you're a plague!" and then she gave him the fish.

A little further on in the dinner, Bobby, observing his papa and the guests taking wine, was pleased to break in once

more:

"Papa, I would like a glass of wine!" By this time, as might well be supposed, the attention of the company had been pretty fully drawn to Bobby, about

whom, in all probability, there prevailed but one opinion. The father was irritated at the incident.

'Bobby, you must be quiet; you can have no wine."

'Well, papa, if I don't get some wine, mind I'll tell yon!"

"You rascal, you shall have no wine!" "You had better do it," answered Bobby, firmly. "Once, twice-will you give me the wine? Come, now, mind I'll tell yon! Once, twice-"

The father looked canes and lashes at his progeny. Bobby, however, was not to be daunted.

"Here goes now! Once, twice-will you do it? Once, twice, thrice! My trousers were made out of mother's old window-curtains !”

Stiff English party dissolves in unconstrainable merriment.-Dr. Robert Charsbers's "Scrap-Book."

FLUSTERED.

A TALL, green-looking youth stepped into a village grocery where they keep something to drink as well as to eat, and after peering about a little spied some ginger cakes. Said he to the grocer:

Them's mighty fine cakes. What's the least you'll take for one of 'em?"

"Ten cents," replied the grocer. "Well, I believe I'll take one, if you'll wrap it up right good."

The grocer wrapped up the cake and handed it to him. He looked thoughtfully at it awhile and said:

"I don't believe I want this cake, after all. Won't you swap me a drink for it? "Yes," said the grocer, as he took back the cake and handed him a glass of something.

The young man swallowed the liquor and started off.

"Hold on!" cried the grocer, "you haven't paid me for my drink."

"I swapped you the cake for the drink."

"But you haven't paid me for the cake." "You've got your cake."

This last retort so nonplussed the grocer that he stood and scratched his puzzled head, while the young man made good his retreat.

THE TRAVELS AND SURPRISING ADVENTURES OF BARON

MUNCHAUSEN.

INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.

So many different opinions have obtained respecting the authorship of "The Travels of Baron Munchausen," and the motives for writing that work, that it seems desirable to furnish some explanation on both these points.

The general opinion appears to be that expressed by a writer in Notes and Queries (No. 68, 1851): "The Travels of Baron Munchausen were written to ridicule Bruce, the Abyssinian traveler, whose adventures were at that time deemed fictitious." But the writer of the above article offers the best evidence for correcting this opinion; for he goes on to say, that he had for years sought a copy of the work, and had at last been successful, and describes it as "the second edition, considerably enlarged, and ornamented with twenty explanatory engravings from original designs," and as being entitled "Gulliver Revived, or the Vice of Lying properly exposed, printed for the Kearsleys, at London, 1793.'" He also describes a second volume, "A Sequel to the Adventures of Baron Munchausen, a new edition, with twenty capital copperplates, including the Baron's portrait, humbly dedicated to Mr. Bruce, the Abyssinian traveler," published by Symonds, Paternoster Row, 1796.

Copies of both of these volumes are in the British Museum, and completely clear up the question. "Gulliver Revived" is identical in every respect with the above described, except that it is called the seventh edition instead of the second. The fall title runs:

"The Seventh Edition, considerably enlarged, and ornamented with twenty explanatory engravings from original designs: GULLIVER REVIVED; or, the Vice of Lying properly exposed: containing Singular Travels, Campaigns, Voyages and Adventures in Russia, the Caspian Sea, Iceland, Turkey, Egypt, Gibraltar, up the Mediterrarrean, on the Atlantic Ocean, and through the centre of Mount Etna, into the South Sea.

"Also an account of a Voyage into the Moon and Dog-star, with many extraor

VOL. II.-W. H.

dinary particulars relating to the cooking animals in those planets, which are there called the Human Species. By BARON MUNCHAUSEN. London: Printed for C. & G. Kearsley, Fleet Street, 1793."

The preface to this seventh edition says: "The first edition was comparatively slow in sale, but the whole of the subsequent impressions were purchased within a short time after they were printed. This seventh edition contains such considerable additions that it may be fairly considered as a new work."

We thus see that the six editions (the second to the seventh), were issued in 1793, but as the plates to the seventh edition (and doubtless to the second and other editions) bear the imprint, "Published as the Act directs, for G. Kearsley, at 46, in Fleet Street, London, 1786," it becomes evident. that the first edition was issued in that year; and that being four years before the publi cation of" Bruce's Travels," which appeared in 1790, the work could not have been written to ridicule them. In fact, recent investigation has rendered it almost a certainty that the original author of "Munchausen's Travels" was a learned but unprincipled scholar, of the name of R. E. Raspe, who had taken refuge in England from the pursuit of justice (vide Gentleman's Magazine, January, 1857), and that many of his stories are of ancient date, and current in various countries. Many are to be found under the title of "Mendacia Ridicula,” in vol. iii. of Delicia Academicæ," Heilbron, 1665; that of "sound being frozen in a post-horn ” is from Rabelais, appears to have been known also in Spain and Italy, and is said by a writer in Notes and Queries (No. 61, 1850) to be traceable to one of the later Greek writers, from whom Jeremy Taylor, in one of his sermons, borrows it as an illustration; while the story of "the horse cut in two by the portcullis " is translated by Lady C. Guest, in "The Mabinogion," from an ancient Welsh manuscript.

This being the case, it may reasonably be asked how the very general opinion could have originated-an opinion entertained by Bruce himself that Munchausen was written to ridicule his travels? And this question appears to derive its conclusive reply from the "Sequel" above alluded to, of which the first edition is in the British Museum, and whose title runs thus:

"(With 20 capital Copper-plates, includ

13

ing the Baron's Portrait.) A SEQUEL TO THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, Humbly dedicated to Mr. Bruce, the Abys sinian Traveler, as the Baron conceives that it may be of some service to him, previous to his making another expedition into Abyssinia. But if this advice does not delight Mr. Bruce, the Baron is willing to fight him on any terms he pleases. London: Printed for H. D. Symonds, Paternoster Row, 1792."

a

It thus appears that, though the original work was comparatively slow in sale," new impetus was given to it by the issue of this "Sequel" shortly after the publication of "Bruce's Travels," and by the direct attack its title-page and general contentsone of the plates being "an African feast upon live bulls and kava"-made on that work; that consequently in the following year, 1793, six editions were required, though the editor makes no scruple of saying that only a small part, viz., chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, were by the "Baron," and the rest "the production of another pen, written in the Baron's manner." It being the fashion of the day to decry and caricature Bruce (though subsequent inquiries have shown he was a very truthful man), his revilers compiled "The Sequel to Munchausen " for this purpose, and made use of this almost forgotten "Gulliver Revived," as one of their weapons of attack.

1 The Abyssinian custom of feeding upon live flesh seems to have provoked a chorus of incredulity from all quarters. Among others, Peter Pindar makes it the subject of one of his satirical flings:

"Nor have I been where men (what loss, alas)" Kill half a cow, then send the rest to grass."

Bruce was also ridiculed in an after-piece acted in the Haymarket, in which Bannister performed the part of Macfable, a Scotch travelling impostor, and the hits against his travels could not be mistaken.

In Sir F. Head's "Life of Bruce" (page 476) there is the following anecdote : "One day, while he was at the house of a relation, in East Lothian, a gentleman present bluntly observed that it was not possible that the

natives of Abyssinia could eat raw meat! Bruce said not

a word: but, leaving the room, shortly returned from the kitchen with a piece of raw beef-steak, peppered and salted in the Abyssinian fashion.

'You will eat that, sir, or fight me !' he said. When

the gentleman had eaten up the raw flesh (most willingly would he have eaten his words instead), Bruce calmly observed. Now, sir, you will never again say it is impossible.'"

TO THE PUBLIC.

Having heard, for the first time, that my adventures have been doubted, and looked upon as jokes, I feel bound to come forward and vindicate my character for veracity, by paying three shillings at the Mansion House of this great city for the affida vits hereto appended.

This I have been forced into in regard of my own honor, although I have retired for many years from public and private life; and I hope that this, my last edition, will place me in a proper light with my readers.

AT THE CITY OF LONDON, ENGLAND. We, the undersigned, as true believers in the profit, do most solemnly affirm, that all the adventures of our friend, Baron Munchausen, in whatever country they may lie, are positive and simple facts. And, as we have been believed, whose adventures are tenfold more wonderful, so do we hope all true believers will give him their full faith and credence.

GULLIVER. X

SINBAD. X ALADDIN. X

Sworn at the Mansion House

9th Nov. last, in the absence
of the Lord Mayor.

JOHN (the Porter).

PREFACE.

BARON MUNCHAUSEN has certainly been productive of much benefit to the literary world; the numbers of egregious travellers have been such, that they demand a very Gulliver to surpass them. If Baron de Tott dauntlessly discharged an enormous piece of artillery, the Baron Munchausen has done more; he has taken it and swam with it across the sea. When travellers are solicitous to be the heroes of their own story, surely they must admit to superiority and blush at seeing themselves outdone by the renowned Munchausen: I doubt whether any one hitherto, Pantagruel, Gargantua, Captain Lemuel, or De Tott, has been able to outdo our Baron in this species of excellence and as at present our curiosity seems much directed to the interior of Africa, it must be edifying to have the real relation of Munchausen's adventures there before any further intelligence arrives; for he seems to adapt himself and his exploits to

I do not say that the Baron in the following stories, means a satire on any political matters whatever. No; but if the reader understands them so, I cannot help it.

If the Baron meets with a parcel of negro ships carrying whites into slavery to work upon their plantations in a cold climate, should we therefore imagine that he intends a reflection on the present traffic in human flesh? And that, if the negro should do so, it would be simple justice, as retaliation is the law of God! If we were to think this a reflection on any present commercial or political matter, we should be tempted to imagine, perhaps, some political ideas conveyed in every page, in every sentence of the whole. Whether such things are or are not the intentions of the Baron the reader must judge.

We have had not only wonderful travellers in this vile world, but splenetic travellers, and of these not a few, and also conspicuous enough. It is a pity, therefore, that the Baron has not endeavored to surpass them also in this species of story-telling. Who is it can read the travels of Smellfungus, as Sterne calls him, without admiration? To think that a person from the North of Scotland should travel through some of the finest countries in Europe, and find fault with everything he meets-nothing to please him! And therefore, methinks, the Tour of the Hebrides" is more excusable, and also perhaps Mr. Twiss's "Tour in Ireland." Dr. Johnson, bred in the luxuriance of London, with more reason should become cross and splenetic in the bleak and dreary region of the Hebrides.

The Baron, in the following work, seems to be sometimes philosophical; his account of the language of the interior of Africa, and its analogy with that of the inhabitants of the Moon, show him to be profoundly versed in the etymological antiquities of nations, and throw new light upon the abstruse history of the ancient Scythians, and the Collectanea.

His endeavor to abolish the custom of eating live flesh in the interior of Africa, as described in "Bruce's Travels," is truly humane. But far be it from me to suppose, that by Gog and Magog and the Lord Mayor's show he means a satire upon any person or body of persons whatever: or by a tedious litigated trial of blind judges and

Nevertheless, I must allow that it was extremely presumptuous in Munchausen to tell half the sovereigns of the world that they were wrong, and advise them what they ought to do; and that instead of ordering millions of their subjects to massacre one another, it would be more to their interest to employ their forces in concert for the general good; as if he knew better than the Empress of Russia, the Grand Vizier, Prince Potemkin, or any other butcher in the world. But that he should be a royal Aristocrat, and take the part of the injured Queen of France in the present political drama, I am not at all surprised; But I suppose his mind was fired by reading the pamphlet written by Mr. Burke.

CHAPTER I.

[The Baron is supposed to relate these adventures to his friends over a bottle.]

THE BARON RELATES AN ACCOUNT OF HIS FIRST TRAVELS-THE ASTONISHING EFFECTS OF A STORM-ARRIVES AT CEYLON; COMBATS AND CONQUERS TWO EXTRAORDINARY OPPONENTS RETURNS TO HOLLAND.

SOME time before my beard announced approaching manhood, or, in other words, when I was neither man nor boy, but be tween both, I expressed in repeated conversations a strong desire of seeing the world, from which I was discouraged by my parents, though my father had been no inconsiderable traveller himself, as will appear before I have reached the end of my singular, and, I may add, interesting adventures. A cousin, by my mother's side, took a liking to me, often said I was a fine forward youth, and was much inclined to gratify my curiosity. His eloquence had more effect than mine, for my father consented to my accompanying him in a voyage to the island of Ceylon, where his uncle had resided as governor many years.

We sailed from Amsterdam with dispatches from their High Mightinesses the States of Holland. The only circumstance which happened on our voyage worth relating was the wonderful effects of a storm, which had torn up by the roots a great number of trees of enormous