ENGLISH SAPPHICS, BY CAPTAIN MORRIS. EASE is the prayer of him, who in a whale-boat* Ease is the prayer too of the sly Canadian. Near to receive him. Ease, Richard, ease not to be bought with wampum, Or paper money. Not Colonel's pay, nor yet a dapper serjeant, Laced regimentals. That Sub lives best who, with a sash in tatters, Snores in a Bear's skin. Why like fine fellows are we ever scheming? Warm'd by new suns? Oh! who that runs from home can Run from himself too? Care climbs Radeau‡ with four-and-twenty pounders, Rolling the storms on. He, whose good humour can enjoy the present, None can inherit. Death instantaneous took away Achilles; Dicky or Tommy ? Thee a hundred messmates full of noise and laughter Me to fort Henrick midst a savage nation, Sash, boots, and gorget. Dabbling in Sapphic. The American lake boats are so named.-The Indians use a blanket for a sail. The ship in which Morris sailed. IF remarks on new publications, that contribute to amusement, are not out of the pale of the plan of your Magazine, you will allow me to state that among the few that I have the good fortune to meet with that please me, I have not found one of late better calculated, if began when the teathings are removed, to keep a sober family up till past midnight to finish it, than an octavo just arrived from Longman's, entitled "Sketches of India, written by an Officer, for fire-side Travellers at home." Although he gives us no name, it is easy to see that he is a gentleman, a man of taste, a good soldier, and a good christian. But what I most admire is, that he writes without affectation of superior knowledge on any subject, yet evidently thinks justly on most; and that when we have done with his narrative, we wish for the honour of his acquaintance. He is one of the very few travellers, that take one along with him wherever he goes, and paints, what he sees, with such truth and nature, that Bird or Rippingale never pencilled better their home scenes in society. It appears that he is still in India, in the Company's service, and dates from Fort St. George, Oct. 1820; and he describes Madrass, Calcutta, and the voyage up the Hoogley, having crossed the peninsula to join his regiment; in which, he discriminates the difference of character between the Mahomedans and Hindoos better I think than all our voluminous writers of thick quartos. In short, he gives us what they almost all fail in, the manner of living in India of all clasclasses, Native and European; and while he upholds the character of the English nation, is not afraid to speak openly of our faults in government in some particulars. Take for instance, at page 219, speaking of Allahabad and its fort on the tongue of land at the confluence of the Ganges and the Jumna, a short interesting passage. "On the small point of land at which the rivers join their waters, sit numbers of Bramins known by their distinguishing flags, who receive the sums each pilgrim must pay for performing his ablutions, seal them, sell amulets, certificates, and Ganges water to be conveyed many hundred miles distant by the purchasers." Does this picture rouse your indignation, reader? Learn then, that one half of the receipts arising from the dues paid at this, and all other places of superstitious resort throughout India, enters the coffers of the Honourable Company. "A Seapoy centinel near the spot boasted of the privilege he enjoyed, as being in our service, he was exempted from the usual fine; paying a smaller sum for permission to dip his body in the sanctifying stream at this blessed place. "To prop superstition, and countenance fraud, is surely a policy at once timid and impious; to benefit by the credulity of the poor plundered idolator, is a financial arrangement very little to our honour, and perhaps as little to our real interest." This account, that of Jaggernaut, and the conduct of General Brownrigg, when Budhu was re-established at Ceylon, are parallel cases that call for enquiry at the India House, and we may be pretty sure they will redress such anomalies when they have time to investigate them. His account of Abdool Messea, a Mahometan schoolmaster at Agra, who has embraced the Christian faith, is interesting; and at page 221, we have a passage that may well surprise English readers. Incredible as it may sound, reader, there is at this moment a British General in the Company's service, who observes all the customs of the Hindoos, makes offerings at their temples, carries about their idols with him, and is accompanied by Fakirs who dress his food." I shall close my extracts with a picture that rivals Waverly. "In the evening I walked out and climbed a lofty rock about a mile to the eastward of Bhilsah, on which is also a Durgah to the memory of a Mahomedan saint. There are steps cut in the rock, and here and there gateways and small walls; on the top all is bare and naked, but would make, and has evidently been used as a point of defence. The deserted huts of a large irregular bivouac still lie between its shelter and that of the town. As I stood gazing round me, now looking out on the noble and extensive scene below, now examining the Durgah, there burst on me a figure which quite startled me; from the cottage I had remarked there came forth an old woman, in form and features horrible, and with angry wild gestures in a hoarse voice, bade me begone. Her lean shrivelled arms, bare breasts, haggard features, and grey dishevelled hair gave her an appearance abso-, lutely horrible. I affected first to disregard and then soften her; neither would do; she seemed half frantic, and said many things in a loud hurried unintelligible tone of voice. I left the spot quite with a sinking of the heart. Her age, her sex forbade me to use violence of any sort which might defend me, and mad she seemed with hate; the offspring of supersti- INSCRIPTION FOR THE WATERLOO COLUMN. SOLDIER! whose eyes this trophied stone survey, -Thus ENGLAND, thus, shall those who died for thee, F. H. TOM THUMB THE GREAT.-PART II. A TRAGI-COMEDY. MR. EDITOR, I was yesterday looking over the papers of a deceased friend, who left me his Executor, and amongst them I found the remains of a Play entitled "The Second Part of Tom Thumb the Great, a Tragi-Comedy." I have every reason to believe that my friend had finished this attempt at dramatic composition; but unfortunately the drawer, in which it was deposited, happened to be subject to the inroads of " mice and rats and such small deer," who have eaten up the greater part of the manuscript. I have, however, selected and sent you a fragment of it, which you may publish, if you think it worthy to appear in your Magazine. Your's, &c. SCENE I. The Front of the Mansion House, London. Enter DOODLE, and NOODLE following him. NOODLE.....Doodle, sweet Doodle, whither bendest thou DOODLE (turning round and seeing Noodle.) Ha! Is it thou my friend ?—my precious Noodle ! Troubles of my soul. Thou knowest Noodle, Did follow to the Merchant Tailors' Hall, The Chancellor of England, Sidmouth's Lord, And to be incorporate with the sons Of thread and thimble. I well remember, As thou must Noodle,-how on that occasion Y y NOODLE. And did You put that wish in practice? DOODLE. Yes, I did. I did good Noodle. Fool that I was, I did. I left a snug, warm bed betimes, and that NOODLE.....Well, but how sped ye at the Council Common? NOODLE.....What! speak'st thou thus of such a grave assembly, DOODLE.....Pooh! Thou talk'st man of what thou knowest not. Low-liv'd, upstart apes, who chatter and perform NOODLE..... But gentle Doodle, once more let me ask, DOODLE... .Need I tell thee more! 66 And make the air unwholesome" with their breath! He sought the censure of the Council 'gainst NOODLE..... A vote of censure 'Gainst the House of Commons! Wherefore I pray? DOODLE..... Indeed I know not. In disgust I left The Council, just as it prepared to sit. But if thy curiosity be rais'd, And thou dost wish to witness the debate, [Going.] |