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Pietro of Abano (Browning)

Petrus Aponensis—there was a magician! When that strange adventure happened, which I mean to tell my hearers, Nearly had he tried all trades—beside physician, Architect, astronomer, astrologer,—or worse: How else, as the old books warrant, was he able, All at once, through all the world, to prove the promptest of appearers Where was prince to cure, tower to build as high as Babel, Star to name or sky-sign read,—yet pouch, for pains, a curse?

—Curse: for when a vagrant, foot-sore, travel-tattered, Now a young man, now an old man, Turk or Arab, Jew or Gipsy,— Proffered folk in passing—O for pay, what mattered?— "I'll be doctor, I'll play builder, star I'll name—sign read!" Soon as prince was cured, tower built, and fate predicted, "Who may you be?" came the question; when he answered, "Petrus ipse," "Just as we divined!" cried folk—"A wretch convicted Long ago of dealing with the devil—you indeed!"

So, they cursed him roundly, all his labour's payment, Motioned him—the convalescent prince would—to vacate the presence: Babylonians plucked his beard and tore his raiment, Drove him from that tower he built: while, had he peered at stars, Town howled "Stone the quack who styles our Dog-star—Sirius!" Country yelled "Aroint the churl who prophesies we take no pleasance Under vine and fig-tree, since the year's delirious, Bears no crop of any kind,—all through the planet Mars!"

Straightway would the whilom youngster grow a grisard, Or, as case might hap, the hoary eld drop off and show a stripling. Town and country groaned—indebted to a wizard! "Curse—nay, kick and cuff him—fit requital of his pains! Gratitude in word or deed were wasted truly! Rather make the Church amends by crying out on, cramping, crippling One who, on pretence of serving man, serves duly Man's arch foe: not ours, be sure, but Satan's—his the gains!"

Peter grinned and bore it, such disgraceful usage: Somehow, cuffs and kicks and curses seem ordained his like to suffer: Prophet's pay with Christians, now as in the Jew's age, Still is—stoning: so, he meekly took his wage and went, —Safe again was found ensconced in those old quarters, Padua's blackest blindest by-street,—none the worse, nay, somewhat tougher: "Calculating," quoth he, "soon I join the martyrs, Since, who magnify my lore on burning me are bent."

Therefore, on a certain evening, to his alley Peter slunk, all bruised and broken, sore in body, sick in spirit, Just escaped from Cairo where he launched a galley Needing neither sails nor oars nor help of wind or tide, —Needing but the fume of fire to set a-flying Wheels like mad which whirled you quick—North, South, where'er you pleased require it,— That is—would have done so had not priests come prying, Broke his engine up and bastinadoed him beside.

As he reached his lodging, stopped there unmolested, (Neighbours feared him, urchins fled him, few were bold enough to follow) While his fumbling fingers tried the lock and tested Once again the queer key's virtue, oped the sullen door,— Someone plucked his sleeve, cried, "Master, pray your pardon! Grant a word to me who patient wait you in your archway's hollow! Hard on you men's hearts are: be not your heart hard on Me who kiss your garment's hem, O Lord of magic lore!

"Mage—say I, who no less, scorning tittle-tattle, To the vulgar give no credence when they prate of Peter's magic, Deem his art brews tempest, hurts the crops and cattle, Hinders fowls from laying eggs and worms from spinning silk, Rides upon a he-goat, mounts at need a broomstick: While the price he pays for this (so turns to comic what was tragic) Is—he may not drink—dreads like the Day of Doom's tick— One poor drop of sustenance ordained mere men—that's milk!

"Tell such tales to Padua! Think me no such dullard! Not from these benighted parts did I derive my breath and being! I am from a land whose cloudless skies are coloured Livelier, suns orb largelier, airs seem incense,—while, on earth— What, instead of grass, our fingers and our thumbs cull, Proves true moly! sounds and sights there help the body's hearing, seeing, Till the soul grows godlike: brief,—you front no numbscull Shaming by ineptitude the Greece that gave him birth!

"Mark within my eye its iris mystic-lettered— That's my name! and note my ear—its swan-shaped cavity, my emblem! Mine's the swan-like nature born to fly unfettered Over land and sea in search of knowledge—food for song. Art denied the vulgar! Geese grow fat on barley, Swans require ethereal provend, undesirous to resemble 'em— Soar to seek Apollo,—favoured with a parley Such as, Master, you grant me—who will not hold you long.

"Leave to learn to sing—for that your swan petitions: Master, who possess the secret, say not nay to such a suitor! All I ask is—bless mine, purest of ambitions! Grant me leave to make my kind wise, free, and happy! How? Just by making me—as you are mine—their model! Geese have goose-thoughts: make a swan their teacher first, then coadjutor,— Let him introduce swan-notions to each noddle,— Geese will soon grow swans, and men become what I am now!

"That's the only magic—had but fools discernment, Could they probe and pass into the solid through the soft and seeming! Teach me such true magic—now, and no adjournment! Teach your art of making fools subserve the man of mind! Magic is the power we men of mind should practise, Draw fools to become our drudges, docile henceforth, never dreaming— While they do our hests for fancied gain—the fact is What they toil and moil to get proves falsehood: truth's behind!

"See now! you conceive some fabric—say, a mansion Meet for monarch's pride and pleasure: this is truth—a thought has fired you, Made you fain to give some cramped concept expansion, Put your faculty to proof, fulfil your nature's task. First you fascinate the monarch's self: he fancies He it was devised the scheme you execute as he inspired you: He in turn sets slaving insignificances Toiling, moiling till your structure stands there—all you ask!

"Soon the monarch's known for what he was—a ninny: Soon the rabble-rout leave labour, take their work-day wage and vanish: Soon the late puffed bladder, pricked, shows lank and skinny— 'Who was its inflator?' ask we, 'whose the giant lungs?' Petri en pulmones! What though men prove ingrates? Let them so they stop at crucifixion—buffet, ban and banish! Peter's power's apparent: human praise—its din grates Harsh as blame on ear unused to aught save angels' tongues.

"Ay, there have been always, since our world existed, Mages who possessed the secret—needed but to stand still, fix eye On the foolish mortal: straight was he enlisted Soldier, scholar, servant, slave—no matter for the style! Only through illusion; ever what seemed profit— Love or lucre—justified obedience to the Ipse dixi: Work done—palace reared from pavement up to soffit— Was it strange if builders smelt out cheating all the while?

"Let them pelt and pound, bruise, bray you in a mortar! What's the odds to you who seek reward of quite another nature? You've enrolled your name where sages of your sort are, —Michael of Constantinople, Hans of Halberstadt! Nay and were you nameless, still you've your conviction You it was and only you—what signifies the nomenclature?— Ruled the world in fact, though how you ruled be fiction Fit for fools: true wisdom's magic you—if e'er man—had 't!

"But perhaps you ask me, 'Since each ignoramus While he profits by such magic persecutes the benefactor, What should I expect but—once I render famous You as Michael, Hans, and Peter—just one ingrate more? If the vulgar prove thus, whatsoe'er the pelf be, Pouched through my beneficence—and doom me dungeoned, chained, or racked, or Fairly burned outright—how grateful will yourself be When, his secret gained, you match your—master just before?'

"That's where I await you! Please, revert a little! What do folks report about you if not this—which, though chimeric, Still, as figurative, suits you to a tittle— That,—although the elements obey your nod and wink, Fades or flowers the herb you chance to smile or sigh at, While your frown bids earth quake palled by obscuration atmospheric,— Brief, although through nature naught resists your fiat, There's yet one poor substance mocks you—milk you may not drink!

"Figurative language! Take my explanation! Fame with fear, and hate with homage, these your art procures in plenty. All's but daily dry bread: what makes moist the ration? Love, the milk that sweetens man his meal—alas, you lack: I am he who, since he fears you not, can love you. Love is born of heart not mind, de corde natus haud de mente; Touch my heart and love's yours, sure as shines above you Sun by day and star by night though earth should go to wrack!

"Stage by stage you lift me—kiss by kiss I hallow Whose but your dear hand my helper, punctual as at each new impulse I approach my aim? Shell chipped, the eaglet callow Needs a parent's pinion-push to quit the eyrie's edge: But once fairly launched forth, denizen of aether, While each effort sunward bids the blood more freely through each limb pulse, Sure the parent feels, as gay they soar together, Fully are all pains repaid when love redeems its pledge!"

Then did Peter's tristful visage lighten somewhat, Vent a watery smile as though inveterate mistrust were thawing. "Well, who knows?" he slow broke silence. "Mortals—come what Come there may—are still the dupes of hope there's luck in store. Many scholars seek me, promise mounts and marvels: Here stand I to witness how they step 'twixt me and clapperclawing! Dry bread,—that I've gained me: truly I should starve else: But of milk, no drop was mine! Well, shuffle cards once more!"

At the word of promise thus implied, our stranger— What can he but cast his arms, in rapture of embrace, round Peter? "Hold! I choke!" the mage grunts. "Shall I in the manger Any longer play the dog? Approach, my calf, and feed! Bene . . . won't you wait for grace?" But sudden incense Wool-white, serpent-solid, curled up—perfume growing sweet and sweeter Till it reached the young man's nose and seemed to win sense Soul and all from out his brain through nostril: yes, indeed!

Presently the young man rubbed his eyes. "Where am I? Too much bother over books! Some reverie has proved amusing. What did Peter prate of? 'Faith, my brow is clammy! How my head throbs, how my heart thumps! Can it be I swooned? Oh, I spoke my speech out—cribbed from Plato's tractate, Dosed him with 'the Fair and Good,' swore—Dog of Egypt—I was choosing Plato's way to serve men! What's the hour? Exact eight! Home now, and to-morrow never mind how Plato mooned!

"Peter has the secret! Fair and Good are products (So he said) of Foul and Evil: one must bring to pass the other. Just as poisons grow drugs, steal through sundry odd ducts Doctors name, and ultimately issue safe and changed. You'd abolish poisons, treat disease with dainties Such as suit the sound and sane? With all such kickshaws vain you pother! Arsenic's the stuff puts force into the faint eyes, Opium sets the brain to rights—by cark and care deranged.

"What, he's safe within door?—would escape—no question— Thanks, since thanks and more I owe, and mean to pay in time befitting. What most presses now is—after night's digestion, Peter, of thy precepts!—promptest practice of the same. Let me see! The wise man, first of all, scorns riches: But to scorn them must obtain them: none believes in his permitting Gold to lie ungathered: who picks up, then pitches Gold away—philosophizes: none disputes his claim.

"So with worldly honours: 'tis by abdicating, Incontestably he proves he could have kept the crown discarded. Sylla cuts a figure, leaving off dictating: Simpletons laud private life? 'The grapes are sour,' laugh we. So, again—but why continue? All's tumultuous Here: my head 's a-whirl with knowledge. Speedily shall be rewarded He who taught me! Greeks prove ingrates? So insult you us? When your teaching bears its first-fruits, Peter—wait and see!"

As the word, the deed proved; ere a brief year's passage, Fop—that fool he made the jokes on—now he made the jokes for, gratis: Hunks—that hoarder, long left lonely in his crass age— Found now one appreciative deferential friend: Powder-paint-and-patch, Hag Jezebel—recovered, Strange to say, the power to please, got courtship till she cried Jam satis! Fop be-flattered, Hunks be-friended, Hag be-lovered— Nobody overlooked, save God—he soon attained his end.

As he lounged at ease one morning in his villa, (Hag's the dowry) estimated (Hunks' bequest) his coin in coffer, Mused on how a fool's good word (Fop's word) could fill a Social circle with his praise, promote him man of mark,— All at once—"An old friend fain would see your Highness!" There stood Peter, skeleton and scarecrow, plain writ Phi-lo-so-pher In the woe-worn face—for yellowness and dryness, Parchment—with a pair of eyes—one hope their feeble spark.

"Did I counsel rightly? Have you, in accordance, Prospered greatly, dear my pupil? Sure, at just the stage I find you When your hand may draw me forth from the mad war-dance Savages are leading round your master—down, not dead. Padua wants to burn me: baulk them, let me linger Life out—rueful though its remnant—hid in some safe hole behind you! Prostrate here I lie: quick, help with but a finger Lest I house in safety's self—a tombstone o'er my head!

"Lodging, bite and sup, with—now and then—a copper —Alms for any poorer still, if such there be,—is all my asking. Take me for your bedesman,—nay, if you think proper, Menial merely,—such my perfect passion for repose! Yes, from out your plenty Peter craves a pittance —Leave to thaw his frozen hands before the fire whereat you're basking! Double though your debt were, grant this boon—remittance He proclaims of obligation: 'tis himself that owes!"

"Venerated Master—can it be, such treatment Learning meets with, magic fails to guard you from, by all appearance? Strange! for, as you entered,—what the famous feat meant, I was full of,—why you reared that fabric, Padua's boast. Nowise for man's pride, man's pleasure, did you slyly Raise it, but man's seat of rule whereby the world should soon have clearance (Happy world) from such a rout as now so vilely Handles you—and hampers me, for which I grieve the most.

"Since if it got wind you now were my familiar, How could I protect you—nay, defend myself against the rabble? Wait until the mob, now masters, willy-nilly are Servants as they should be: then has gratitude full play! Surely this experience shows how unbefitting 'Tis that minds like mine should rot in ease and plenty. Geese may gabble, Gorge, and keep the ground: but swans are soon for quitting Earthly fare—as fain would I, your swan, if taught the way.

"Teach me, then, to rule men, have them at my pleasure! Solely for their good, of course,—impart a secret worth rewarding, Since the proper life's-prize! Tantalus's treasure Aught beside proves, vanishes, and leaves no trace at all. Wait awhile, nor press for payment prematurely! Over-haste defrauds you. Thanks! since,—even while I speak,—discarding Sloth and vain delights, I learn how—swiftly, surely,— Magic sways the sceptre, wears the crown and wields the ball!

"Gone again—what, is he? 'Faith, he's soon disposed of! Peter's precepts work already, put within my lump their leaven! Ay, we needs must don glove would we pluck the rose—doff Silken garment would we climb the tree and take its fruit. Why sharp thorn, rough rind? To keep unviolated Either prize! We garland us, we mount from earth to feast in heaven, Just because exist what once we estimated Hindrances which, better taught, as helps we now compute.

"Foolishly I turned disgusted from my fellows! Pits of ignorance—to fill, and heaps of prejudice—to level— Multitudes in motley, whites and blacks and yellows— What a hopeless task it seemed to discipline the host! Now I see my error. Vices act like virtues —Not alone because they guard—sharp thorns—the rose we first dishevel, Not because they scrape, scratch—rough rind—through the dirt-shoes Bare feet cling to bole with, while the half-mooned boot we boast.

"No, my aim is nobler, more disinterested! Man shall keep what seemed to thwart him, since it proves his true assistance, Leads to ascertaining which head is the best head, Would he crown his body, rule its members—lawless else. Ignorant the horse stares, by deficient vision Takes a man to be a monster, lets him mount, then, twice the distance Horse could trot unridden, gallops—dream Elysian!— Dreaming that his dwarfish guide's a giant,—jockeys tell's."

Brief, so worked the spell, he promptly had a riddance: Heart and brain no longer felt the pricks which passed for conscience-scruples: Free henceforth his feet,—Per Bacco, how they did dance Merrily through lets and checks that stopped the way before! Politics the prize now,—such adroit adviser, Opportune suggester, with the tact that triples and quadruples Merit in each measure,—never did the Kaiser Boast as subject such a statesman, friend, and something more!

As he, up and down, one noonday, paced his closet —Council o'er, each spark (his hint) blown flame, by colleagues' breath applauded, Strokes of statecraft hailed with "Salomo si nôsset!" (His the nostrum)—every throw for luck come double-six,— As he, pacing, hugged himself in satisfaction, Thump—the door went. "What, the Kaiser? By none else were I defrauded Thus of well-earned solace. Since 'tis fate's exaction,— Enter, Liege my Lord! Ha, Peter, you here? Teneor vix!"

"Ah, Sir, none the less, contain you, nor wax irate! You so lofty, I so lowly, vast—the space which yawns between us! Still, methinks, you—more than ever—at a high rate Needs must prize poor Peter's secret since it lifts you thus. Grant me now the boon whereat before you boggled! Ten long years your march has moved—one triumph—(though e's short)—hactēnus, While I down and down disastrously have joggled Till I pitch against Death's door, the true Nec Ultra Plus.

"Years ago—some ten 'tis—since I sought for shelter, Craved in your whale house a closet, out of all your means a comfort. Now you soar above these: as is gold to spelter So is power—you urged with reason—paramount to wealth. Power you boast in plenty: let it grant me refuge! House-room now is out of question: find for me some stronghold—some fort— Privacy wherein, immured, shall this blind deaf huge Monster of a mob let stay the soul I'd save by stealth!

"Ay, for all too much with magic have I tampered! —Lost the world, and gained, I fear, a certain place I'm to describe loth! Still, if prayer and fasting tame the pride long pampered, Mercy may be mine: amendment never comes too late. How can I amend beset by cursers, kickers? Pluck this brand from out the burning! Once away, I take my Bible-oath, Never more—so long as life's weak lamp-flame flickers— No, not once I'll tease you, but in silence bear my fate!"

"Gently, good my Genius, Oracle unerring! Strange now! can you guess on what—as in you peeped—it was I pondered? You and I are both of one mind in preferring Power to wealth, but—here's the point—what sort of power, I ask? Ruling men is vulgar, easy, and ignoble: Rid yourself of conscience, quick you have at beck and call the fond herd. But who wields the crozier, down may fling the crow-bill: That's the power I covet now; soul's sway o'er souls—my task!

" 'Well but,' you object, 'you have it, who by glamour Dress up lies to look like truths, mask folly in the garb of reason: Your soul acts on theirs, sure, when the people clamour, Hold their peace, now fight now fondle,—earwigged through the brains.' Possibly! but still the operation's mundane, Grosser than a taste demands which—craving manna—kecks at peason— Power o'er men by wants material: why should one deign Rule by sordid hopes and fears—a grunt for all one's pains?

"No, if men must praise me, let them praise to purpose! Would we move the world, not earth but heaven must be our fulcrum—pou sto! Thus I seek to move it: Master, why intérpose— Baulk my climbing close on what's the ladder's topmost round? Statecraft 'tis I step from: when by priestcraft hoisted Up to where my foot may touch the highest rung which fate allows toe, Then indeed ask favour! On you shall be foisted No excuse: I'll pay my debt, each penny of the pound!

"Ho, my knaves without there! Lead this worthy downstairs! No farewell, good Paul—nay, Peter—what's your name remembered rightly? Come, he's humble: out another would have flounced—airs Suitors often give themselves when our sort bow them forth. Did I touch his rags? He surely kept his distance: Yet, there somehow passed to me from him—where'er the virtue might lie— Something that inspires my soul—Oh, by assistance Doubtlessly of Peter!—still, he's worth just what he's worth!

"'Tis my own soul soars now: soaring—how? By crawling! I'll to Rome, before Rome's feet the temporal-supreme lay prostrate! 'Hands' (I'll say) 'proficient once in pulling, hauling This and that way men as I was minded—feet now clasp!' Ay, the Kaiser's self has wrung them in his fervour! Now—they only sue to slave for Rome, nor at one doit the cost rate. Rome's adopted child—no bone, no muscle, nerve or Sinew of me but I'll strain, though out my life I gasp!"

As he stood one evening proudly—(he had traversed Rome on horseback—peerless pageant!—claimed the Lateran as new Pope)— Thinking "All's attained now! Pontiff! Who could have erst Dreamed of my advance so far when, some ten years ago, I embraced devotion, grew from priest to bishop, Gained the Purple, bribed the Conclave, got the Two-thirds, saw my coop ope, Came out—what Rome hails me! O were there a wish-shop, Not one wish more would I purchase—lord of all below!

"Ha!—who dares intrude now—puts aside the arras? What, old Peter, here again, at such a time, in such a presence? Satan sends this plague back merely to embarrass Me who enter on my office—little needing you! 'Faith, I'm touched myself by age, but you look Tithon! Were it vain to seek of you the sole prize left—rejuvenescence? Well, since flesh is grass which Time must lay his scythe on, Say your say and so depart and make no more ado!"

Peter faltered—coughing first by way of prologue— "Holiness, your help comes late: a death at ninety little matters. Padua, build poor Peter's pyre now, on log roll log, Burn away—I've lived my day! Yet here's the sting in death— I've an author's pride: I want my Book's survival: See, I've hid it in my breast to warm me 'mid the rags and tatters! Save it—tell next age your Master had no rival! Scholar's debt discharged in full, be 'Thanks' my latest breath!"

"Faugh, the frowsy bundle—scribblings harum-scarum Scattered o'er a dozen sheepskins! What's the name of this farrago? Ha—Conciliator Differentiarum— Man and book may burn together, cause the world no loss! Stop—what else? A tractate—eh, 'De Speciebus Ceremonialis Ma-gi-æ?' I dream sure! Hence, away, go, Wizard,—quick avoid me! Vain you clasp my knee, buss Hand that bears the Fisher's ring or foot that boasts the Cross!

"Help! The old magician clings like an octopus! Ah, you rise now—fuming, fretting, frowning, if I read your features! Frown, who cares? We're Pope—once Pope, you can't unpope us! Good—you muster up a smile: that's better! Still so brisk? All at once grown youthful? But the case is plain! Ass— Here I dally with the fiend, yet know the Word—compels all creatures Earthly, heavenly, hellish. Apage, Sathanas! Dicam verbum Salomonis—' '—dicite!' When—whisk!—

What was changed? The stranger gave his eyes a rubbing: There smiled Peter's face turned back a moment at him o'er the shoulder, As the black door shut, bang! "So he 'scapes a drubbing!" (Quoth a boy who, unespied, had stopped to hear the talk.) "That's the way to thank these wizards when they bid men Benedicite! What ails you? You, a man, and yet no bolder? Foreign Sir, you look but foolish!" "Idmen, idmen!" Groaned the Greek. "O Peter, cheese at last I know from chalk!"

Peter lived his life out, menaced yet no martyr, Knew himself the mighty man he was—such knowledge all his guerdon, Left the world a big book—people but in part err When they style a true Scientiæ Com-pen-di-um: "Admirationem incutit" they sourly Smile, as fast they shut the folio which myself was somehow spurred on Once to ope: but love—life's milk which daily, hourly, Blockheads lap—O Peter, still thy taste of love's to come!

Greek, was your ambition likewise doomed to failure? True, I find no record you wore purple, walked with axe and fasces, Played some antipope's part: still, friend, don't turn tail, you're Certain, with but these two gifts, to gain earth's prize in time! Cleverness uncurbed by conscience—if you ransacked Peter's book you'd find no potent spell like these to rule the masses; Nor should want example, had I not to transact Other business. Go your ways, you'll thrive! So ends my rhyme.

————

When these parts Tiberius,—not yet Cæsar,—travelled, Passing Padua, he consulted Padua's Oracle of Geryon (God three-headed, thrice wise) just to get unravelled Certain tangles of his future. "Fling at Abano Golden dice," it answered: "dropt within the fount there, Note what sum the pips present!" And still we see each die, the very one, Turn up, through the crystal,—read the whole account there Where 'tis told by Suetonius,—each its highest throw.

Scarce the sportive fancy-dice I fling show "Venus:" Still—for love of that dear land which I so oft in dreams revisit— I have—oh, not sung! but lilted (as—between us— Grows my lazy custom) this its legend. What the lilt?

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Rh to befriend rising talent, and helped to bring forward Wang An-shih, Su Shih, Su Ch'ê, and other men of mark. Loving the ancients and true learning, he used his influence as Examiner in 1057 to check the growing craze for eccentric writing and reasoning. Besides the history mentioned above, he was author of the 集古錄, the earliest work on ancient inscriptions; of the 洛陽牡丹記, an elaborate treatise on the peony; of the ^ QQ ^t a small collection of anecdotes of the men of his time; of an exposition of the Book of Odes, etc. etc. Su Shih says of him that in the discussion of great principles he resembled Han Yü, in the treatment of public questions he resembled Lu Chih, in recording eyents he resembled Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien, and in the composition of poetry he resembled Li Po. Fond of wine and company, he spoke of himself in one of his most famous essays as "the drunken Governor, an old man with white hair, bald at the top of his head." He was canonised as 文忠, and in 1530 he was finally admitted into the Confucian Temple.   Ou-yang Hsüan 歐陽玄 (T. 原功). A.D. 1273-1357. A distinguished scholar and official of the Yüan dynasty, who served in the Han-lin College and was specially engaged in the preparation of State papers. His writings were collected under the title of 圭齋集. Posthumously ennobled as Duke, and canonised as 文.   Ou-yang Hsün 歐陽询 (T. 信本). A.D. 557-645. A native of 臨湘 Lin-hsiang in Hunan, whose father was put to death for rebellion and who was brought up during his early youth in concealment. He was exceedingly clever, and possessed the useful faculty of being able to read several columns of a book at a glance. He entered the service of the Sui dynasty; and when the first Emperor of the T'ang dynasty, who had previously been a friend of his, came to the throne, he was at once promoted to be a Supervising Censor. Famous as a calligraphist, he began by imitating

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 NOTE TO THE FIRST EDITION.

the papers printed in this volume none is now presented to the public for the first time. The essay on "Protection to Young Industries as Applied in the United States" was first published in Cambridge in 1882, and was republished in a revised edition in New York in 1883. The paper on "The Tariff of 1828" appeared in the Political Science Quarterly for March, 1888. That on "The History of the Tariff between 1830 and 1860" was printed in the Quarterly Journal of Economics for April, 1888. "The History of the Present Tariff" was published in New York in 1885. All, however, have been revised for the present volume, and considerable additions have been made. I have avoided repetitions, so far as this was possible, and have attempted to connect the narrative of the separate parts. Although not originally written with the design of presenting a complete history of our tariff legislation, these papers cover in some sort the entire period from 1789 to 1887.

F. W. T.

, July, 1888.


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the present edition, the narrative, which in the previous editions had been brought to, date for the successive tariff acts, is again brought to date by adding a chapter on the tariff of 1913. The text of the earlier chapters, particularly that on the tariff of 1909, has also been revised.

The act of 1913 makes the greatest change in our tariff system since the civil war. It reduces very considerably the duties on almost all manufactures; it admits wool and sugar free of duty; on many articles it substitutes moderate ad valorem for high specific duties. It does not mean free trade; but it does mean a great lowering of protection. Whether it will be left to work out its effects without early amendment remains to be seen; still more, whether its effects will be considerable, and whether they will be for the country's good. As I have stated more than once in these pages, the industrial consequences of protective duties are commonly exaggerated in popular discussion. The new tariff will cause no disaster, and it will work no wonders; but we may hope that in the long run it will brace and strengthen the country's industries, and make it easier to frame future duties without logrolling or manipulation.

F. W. T.

, December 10, 1913.


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608 Wang Hsi-chih; but he soon formed a school of his own, and gained such reputation that envoys were sent from Korea to obtain specimens of his style. See Ou-yang T'ung.   Ou-yang T'ung 歐陽通. 7th cent. A.D. Son of Ou-yang Hsün, and like his father a great calligraphist, the two being spoken of as the Elder and Younger Ou-yang. In 677 he was a Court official, when the death of his mother caused his retirement. Summoned to return before the mourning period had expired, he appeared barefoot, refused to speak except on public business, and went back at night to sleep on a clod by his mother's coffin. He kept this up for four years, never once changing his clothes. He subsequently became implicated in the plot to make Wu Ch'êng-ssŭ Heir Apparent, and was put to death. Latterly he had grown very particular about his writing materials, and would use only brushes of wild cat's or hare's hair, mounted in holders of ivory or rhinoceros' horn.  P.

 Pa-ssŭ-pa 巴思巴. Died A.D. 1279. Bashpa, a Tibetan priest, who became the confidential adviser of Kublai Khan during his career of conquest in China. In A.D. 1260 he was appointed State Preceptor and the recognised head of the Buddhist Church. He constructed an alphabet for the Mongol language, and was rewarded for his services with the title of 大寶法王Great Prince of the Holy Law of Buddha.   Pan Chao 班昭 (T. 惠姬). 1st cent. A.D. Sister to Pan Ku. She married an official named 曹壽 Ts'ao Shou (T. 世叔) but was left a widow in early life, and henceforth devoted her energies to literature and to the education of her son. A deep student of history, upon her brother's death she was found competent to continue and complete the great historical work in which she


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 CHAPTER II.

THE EARLY PROTECTIVE MOVEMENT AND THE TARIFF OF 1828.

the present essay we shall consider, not so much the economic effect of the tariff, as the character of the early protective movement and its effect on political events and on legislation.

The protective movement in this country has been said to date from the year 1789, even from before 1789; and more frequently it has been said to begin with the tariff act of 1816. But whatever may have been, in earlier years, the utterances of individual public men, or the occasional drift of an uncertain public opinion, no strong popular movement for protection can be traced before the crisis of 1818–19. The act of 1816, which is generally said to mark the beginning of a distinctly protective policy in this country, belongs rather to the earlier series of acts, beginning with that of 1789, than to the group of acts of 1824, 1828, and 1832. Its highest permanent rate of duty was twenty per cent., an increase over the previous rates which is chiefly accounted for by the heavy interest charge on the debt incurred during the war. But after the crash of 1819, a movement in favor of protection set in, which


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Rh had aided him during his life. She was also the author of the 女誡, a volume of moral advice to young women, and of many poems, essays, etc. She was admitted to be a lady-in-waiting to the Empress, under the title of 曹大家 (Ku) the Lady Ts'ao.   Pan Ch'ao 班超 (T. 仲升). A.D. 31-101. Younger brother of Pan Ku, the historian. As a youth he was very ambitious and neglectful of small ceremonies, albeit filial and respectful to his parents. The family was poor; yet in spite of having to earn his living by daily labour, he managed to give himself a good education. At length, in 62, he obtained a small government post, and removed with his mother to the capital. There he was unable to keep a servant, and was forced to earn money as a copyist. One day, tired out, he flung down his pen and exclaimed, "A hero should have other aims than these. Like Fu Chieh-tzŭ and Chang Ch'ien he should win renown in foreign lands, and earn for himself the honour of an earldom. He should not waste his days over pen and ink." He then consulted a physiognomist, who told him that he had a swallow's beak and a tiger's neck; that he would fly and also eat meat, and be the Marquis of a myriad miles away. His brother Pan Ku managed to get him a better post, and later on he was attached to the expedition of Tou Ku against the Hsiung-nu. He so distinguished himself that in 73 he was dispatched by Tou Ku on a mission to the kingdom of 鄯善 Shan-shan in Turkestan. The Hsiung-nu sent an envoy at the same time; whereupon Pan Ch'ao and a number of his adherents set upon the Hsiung-nu envoy, and cutting off his head showed it to the king of Shan-shan. This so impressed the king that hostages were given, and Pan Ch'ao returned in triumph to Tou Ku. He was then sent at the suggestion of the Emperor to the kingdom of Khoten, whither he proceeded with a force of only some thirty armed men. But his previous exploit had so terrorised the various petty States of


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610 Turkestan, that he had no difficulty in persuading the king of Khoten to own allegiance to China and provide him with money and troops. He advanced to Kashgar and Bactria and on through a large area of Central Asia, cutting off the heads of recalcitrant rulers and accepting the voluntary submission of others, until more than fifty of these kingdoms had submitted to the Chinese yoke. For these services he was ennobled as Marquis, thns fulfilling the words of the physiognomist. In A.D. 100 he petitioned to be allowed to retire, and his request was backed by the entreaties of his famous sister Pan Chao. After 31 years spent in Central Asia, he returned to China, where he died during the autumn, the Emperor sending his own private physician to attend him. See Kan Ying.   Pan Chieh-yü 班婕妤. 1st cent. B.C. A lady of ihe seraglio, who was for a long time chief favourite of the Emperor Ch'êng Ti of the Han dynasty, "Chieh-yü" being a title conferred upon the Imperial concubine most distinguished for literary abilities. On one occasion the Emperor wished her to drive with him in his chariot. Upon which she said, "Your handmaid has heard that the wise rulers of the Three Dynasties of old were always accompanied by virtuous Ministers, but never that they drove out with women by their side." She was ultimately supplanted in the affections of the Emperor by the more famous Chao Fei-yen. She thereupon forwarded to the Emperor a fan, inscribed with some lines complaining bitterly that she herself had been treated like a fan in antumn, ........laid, neglected, on the shelf, All thought of bygone days, like them, bygone. She then retired to a separate palace, in attendance upon the Empress Dowager to whom she had always been closely attached. The phrase "autumn fan" has passed into the language, and is figuratively used of a deserted wife.   Pan Ku 班固 (T. 孟堅). Died A.D. 92. Son of Pan Piao.


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Rh At nine yean of age he was already good at composition, and as he grew up his learning became very extensive and profound. After the death of his father he devoted himself to the great historical work, the foundations of which had been to some extent laid by the latter, especially clearing up points which had previously been doubtful. For this he was impeached, on the ground that he was altering the national history at his own discretion, and was arrested and thrown into prison. His brother Pan Ch'ao, however, was able to satisfy the Emperor as to the real character of his efforts, and he was at once released and entrusted with the biography of the first Emperor of the Eastern Han dynasty. Before his own work was brought to completion, he became involved with the party of Tou Hsien whom he had accompanied upon his campaign into Mongolia, and being cast into prison died there. The Emperor handed over the unfinished history to Pan Chao, his gifted sister, by whom it was finally completed. Also author of the 白虎通.   Pan Piao 班彪 (T. 叔皮). A.D. 3-54. A native of An-ling in Shensi, and father of the historian Pan Ku. Fond of antiquity and grave of demeanour, he retired into seclusion in Kansuh, taking refuge with Wei Hsiao from the troublous times which ushered in the Eastern Han dynasty. He subsequentiy passed into Ho-hsi, where he became confidential secretary and adviser to the Commander-in-chief. The memorials of the latter attracting the Emperor's attention by their vigour and pointedness, his Majesty enquired as to what assistance he had in their preparation, and was informed that Pan Piao was the writer. He was summoned to Court and received a post; but retired on the plea of ill-health and devoted himself entirely to the study of history, preparing to continue Ssŭ-ma Ch'ien's work from the year B.C. 104, at which it had stopped.   Pan-ti 班第. Died A.D. 1755. A Mongol, who after a distinguished career in Peking and the provinces, was entrusted in 1754 with


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1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Rupprecht

RUPPRECHT, Crown Prince of Bavaria (1860-), eldest son of King Louis III., was born May 18 1869 at Munich. In 1899 he visited India and in 1902-3 undertook a journey round the world, of which he gave some account in his Reiseerinnerungen aus Ostasien (1905). In 1906 he was appointed to the command of the I. Bavarian Army Corps. At the outbreak of the World War he was commander of the Bavarian troops (the VI. German Army) and led them to victory in the great battles fought in Lorraine (Aug. 20-22 1914). In the following Oct. he was placed in command on the German front in Artois and southern Flanders, and, after having been advanced to the rank of field-marshal, was entrusted in the spring of 1917 with the chief command of the Northern Group of Armies on the

western front. Prince Rupprecht's first wife, a daughter of Duke Karl Theodor of Bavaria and sister of the Queen of the Belgians, died in 1912. In 1918 he was betrothed to Princess Charlotte, afterwards Grand Duchess of Luxemburg, but at the end of the war the betrothal was annulled. Prince Rupprecht renounced his claims to the Bavarian throne at the time of his father's abdication (Nov. 1918), and in 1919 he offered to stand his trial before a Court of Justice for State Affairs, if such a court, as had been contemplated, were instituted. In a letter written in 1917, but published only in 1921 in the press, Prince Rupprecht declared his disapproval of the foreign and military policy of Germany during the World War, and expressed the well-founded opinion that it was doubtful whether the Hohenzollern dynasty would survive the war.

It may be noted that through his mother, the Archduchess Maria-Therese of Austria-Este, Prince Rupprecht is the descendant of the Stuarts and might, therefore, pose as the “legitimist” claimant of the British Throne.

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1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Russell, Bertrand Arthur William

RUSSELL, BERTRAND ARTHUR WILLIAM (1872-), English mathematician and philosopher, second son of Viscount Amberley and grandson of the 1st Earl Russell, was born at Chepstow May 18 1872. Educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he took a first-class both in the mathematical tripos and in the 2nd part of the moral sciences tripos, he remained at Cambridge as a lecturer, and became well known as a student of mathematical philosophy and a leading exponent of the views of the newer school of Realists. In June 1916, Mr. Russell, who had taken a strong line against the Government, and was a “conscientious objector,” throughout the World War, was fined £100 and £10 costs for making statements calculated to prejudice recruiting, and, in consequence, Trinity College, Cambridge, deprived him of his lectureship. His chief published works, on which his philosophical reputation was based up to the outbreak of the World War, were German Social Democracy (1896); Essay on the Foundations of Geometry (1897); Principles of Mathematics (1903); Principia Mathematica (with A. N. Whitehead, 1910) and Our Knowledge of the External World (1914). Later he published Principles of Social Reconstruction (1917); Mysticism and Logic (1918); The Analysis of Mind (1920) and (after a visit to Russia) The Theory and Practice of Bolshevism (1920).


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1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Russell, George William

RUSSELL, GEORGE WILLIAM (1867–), Irish writer and painter (best known under his sobriquet of “Æ”), was born in Lurgan, co. Armagh, Ireland, April 10 1867, the second son of Thomas Elias Russell. He went to Dublin with his parents in 1874, and was educated at Rathmines school. After some years spent in an accountant's office in Dublin he joined the Irish Agricultural Organization Society in 1897 and became an organizer of agricultural societies. In 1904 he became editor of the Irish Homestead, the organ of the agricultural coöperative movement in Ireland, a position he still held in 1921. He published his first book of verse, Homeward: Songs by the Way, in 1894. His second, The Earth Breath, was published in 1897. Literary Ideals in Ireland, some essays in collaboration with W. B. Yeats, W. Larminie and John Eglinton, appeared in 1899; and Ideals in Ireland, essays in collaboration with W. B. Yeats, Douglas Hyde, Standish O'Grady, D. P. Moran and Lady Gregory, appeared in 1901. The Nuts of Knowledge, a book of selections of his lyrics, was hand-printed in 1903. The Divine Vision, his third book of verse, appeared in 1904; The Mask of Apollo, a book of mystical tales, appeared in the same year; New Poems (edited, 1904); a hand-printed selection of his verse By Still Waters (1906); some Irish Essays (1906). Deirdre, a play in three acts, was published in 1907. The Hero in Man, an imaginative musing on the character of the soul, appeared in 1909; The Renewal of Youth, a similar meditation, in 1911. Coöperation and Nationality and The Rural Community, two pamphlets embodying coöperative ideals, were published respectively in 1912 and 1913. Collected Poems appeared in 1913, and Gods of War and other poems, privately printed, in 1915. Imaginations and Reveries, a book of prose essays, was published in 1915; The National Being: Some Thoughts on an Irish Polity

in 1917; The Candle of Vision, prose, in 1919. He was a member of the Irish Convention called in 1917, and his Thoughts for a Convention, now embodied in the 1921 edition of Imaginations and Reveries, appeared that year. As well as those mentioned, he published from time to time pamphlets on various social and political subjects.

As a poet he ranks among the mystics, in the sense that his verse is dominated by a spiritual conception of the universe. Of the two great poets brought to light by the Irish literary revival, W. B. Yeats and “Æ,” it might be said of Yeats that he coined for the world the treasure recovered by the renewed access to Gaelic sources into what was virtually a new language in poetry, and of “Æ” that he brought into Irish literature the ancient spiritual thought of the world. His gifts as a poet are reinforced by the vision of an artist, and though in verse he attained his highest expression, his paintings convey a vision of nature as intimate and delicate as in his verse.

He embodied his ideals for the coöperative movement and his thoughts for an Irish polity in The National Being. In this book coöperative ideals are used, in a fashion entirely novel, for the creation of a society which would be easily malleable to human impulse and yet stable. The foundations of his state do not begin in a legislature but in the parishes of the country, the social order taking precedence of the political order. He exhibits a general dread of the highly organized state, a dread which may be to some extent an Irish characteristic, and would make the pillars of his nation innumerable coöperative societies, each with the largest freedom for economic and social development, but federated together for enterprises which are too extensive for operation by a small community alone. He would like these communities to do many things which in other countries State departments are asked by socialists to undertake. His ideas on these matters had considerable effect upon the younger generation of Irishmen as well as upon the coöperative agricultural movement in Ireland, founded by Sir Horace Plunkett, and in which “Æ” had worked so many years. His Candle of Vision is a record of a personal psychological experience expressed in a luminous and distinguished prose. His economic writings in The Irish Homestead and elsewhere, his imaginative prose writings, his verse and his painting, exhibit a unity and harmony rare in one whose modes of expression are so diverse. This probably arises because all are inspired by a conception of God and man and Nature as one single yet multitudinous being, and out of this philosophical root comes the harmony of character maintained throughout in work in such varied spheres as painting, poetry, psychology, economics and politics.


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612 the war against the Sungars. As Pacificator of the North he led the northern division of 25,000 men and 70,000 horses from Barkul to the Borotala river where he met the western division, and in 1755 the combined forces conquered Ili with little or no fighting. For his services he was ennobled as Duke; but he was soon after cut off by Amursana, chief of the Khoits, who had vainly aspired to be Head of the Sungars under China, and he committed suicide. Canonised as 義烈, and included in the Temple of Worthies.   P'an Chi-hsün 潘季訓 (T. 時良). A.D. 1519-1594. A native of 烏程 Wu-ch'êng in Chehkiang, who graduated as chin shih in 1550 and became Director General of the Yellow River in 1565. He lost office owing to a breach at 丕 P'ei-chou in 1571. In 1576 he was Governor of Kiangsi, and two years later was again placed in charge of the Yellow River, which had diverged northwards into its present course. By 1579 he had dyked the new river, and saved Huai-nan from inundation. In 1583 his defence of his patron Chang Chü-chêng caused him to be cashiered; but in 1588 he was once more at his old post. His labours affected his health, and in 1592 he took advantage of a dispute as to the method of dealing with a breach at 泗 Ssŭ-chou in Anhui, which imperilled the Imperial Mausolea, to retire from public life.   P'an En 潘恩 (T. 子仁). A.D. 1494-1580. A native of Shanghai, who at six years of age could distinguish accurately the four tones. Graduating as chin shih in 1523, he entered upon a public career. After a rapid rise, he was imprisoned and degraded for some error in connection with the provincial examination-list in Shantung. Employed later on in Chehkiang, he gained considerable renown by his spirited resistance to the Japanese and finally rose to be President of the Board of War. Author of the 詩韻輯略, a work on the rhymes in the Book of Odes. Canonised as 恭定.   P'an Fei 潘妃. The favourite concubine of Hsiao Pao-chüan,


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Author:Susan Langstaff Mitchell

Works

 * Aids to the Immortality of Certain Persons in Ireland; Charitably Administered by Susan L. Mitchell (1913)
 * The Living Chalice, and Other Poems (1913)
 * George Moore (1916)
 * Secret Springs of Dublin Song (1918)

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Despatches from the Belgian diplomatists in Paris, London and Berlin are divided into Parts—each Partcovering a specific year, or years. Each Part is preceded by a summary of the principal matters dealt with in the Despatches. This is followed by a Chronology of the chief events of the year, or years, treated in the Part. The object of the Chronology is to provide a kind of textbook to the Despatches, and to assist in a more comprehensive survey of international events than is possible from a perusal of the Despatches themselves. It will be observed that the Chronology often records events of which the writers of the Despatches were necessarily ignorant.

The Despatches are copiously annotated by explanatory Notes, in order to facilitate an intelligent perusal of the Despatches in the light of precedent, contemporary and subsequent events. To avoid giving the reader unnecessary trouble, the Notes are published together at the end of each Part; and there are cross-references when the same subject crops, up again, as is frequently the case in the Despatches.

As here presented, the Despatches, the Chronologies and the Explanatory Foot-Notes form a fairly complete chapter of the most important events and tendencies in the diplomatic history of Europe from 1905 until the outbreak of war.

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Articles of Association of the Missouri Fur Company

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT, ST. LOUIS MISSOURI FUR COMPANY

Articles of Association and Copartnership made and entered into by and between Benjamin Wilkinson, Pierre Chouteau, senior, Manuel Lisa, Augustin Chouteau, junior, Reuben Lewis, William Clark and Sylvestre Labbadie all of the town of St. Louis and Territory of Louisiana, and Pierre Menard and William Morrison of the town of Kaskaskia in the Territory of Indiana, and also Andrew Henry of Louisiana, for the purposes of trading and hunting up the river Missouri and to the head waters thereof or at such other place or places as a majority of the subscribing co-partners may elect, viz:

Article 1st. This association shall be called and known by the style Sc firm of the St. Louis Missouri fur Company; each member of which shall sign and subscribe these articles of association, and shall be bound to furnish for the joint benefit of the company to compose the outfits requisite for such expedition, and generally to pay equal proportions of all and every expenses whatsoever, which may be deemed expedient by the aforesaid majority of the company in order to carry on the above mentioned objects of trading and hunting.

Article 2nd. Each member of the association shall be obliged to accompany the expedition in person or to send some person or persons, to be approved of by a majority of the company; and each member of the company failing to do so, shall pay the sum of five hundred dollars per annum for the benefit of and to be divided amongst such of the co-partners as may accompany the expedition.

Article 3d. Each partner binds and obliges himself to do every thing which may be in his power for the joint benefit of the company during the period of time fixed upon for the existence of these articles of association; to refrain from trading directly or indirectly with all and every party or nations of Indians or the men employed by the company contrary to the true spirit and meaning of these articles of co-partnership or contrary to the joint interest and benefit of the company. And it is expressly agreed and understood that if any member of the company shall during the existence of these articles, be discovered or known to traffic or trade for his own separate or individual interest or contrary to the true spirit and meaning of these articles of association he shall not only forfeit & pay for the joint benefit of the Company all his portion of the stock and profits but also to be forever thereafter excluded from the Company. Provided however that a majority of all the members agree to such forfeiture and expulsion.

Article 4th. No member of this Company shall during the existence of these articles be permitted to traffic or trade with any party or nation of Indians, nor with any other nation or description of men whatsoever at or above the Mandane nation of Indians or their towns, villages or usual places of residence for his or their separate and individual profit, nor contrary to the true intent and meaning of these articles, and that a breach of this article shall subject the party offending to the same penalties for the same uses, and also to expulsion as specified in the last preceding article.

Article 5th. And whereas the above named Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard and William Morrison were lately associated in a trading expedition up the said River Missouri and have now a fort established on the waters of the Yellow Stone river, a branch of the Missoury, at which said fort they have as is alleged by them a quantity of Merchandise and also a number of horses. Now therefore it is agreed that this Company is to accept from them the said Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard & William Morrison all the merchandise they may have on hand at the time the first expedition to be sent up by this Company shall arrive at said fort. Provided however that the same is not then damaged, and if the same or any part thereof should be dammaged then the company shall only be bound to receive such parts and parcels thereof as may be fit for trading or such parts as may not be damaged, and for the whole or such parts thereof as may be received by a majority of the other members of this company then present this company is to allow and pay them the said Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard & William Morrison one hundred per centum of the first cost.

Article 6th. The present company is also bound to receive from said Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard & William Morrison the number of thirty eight horses which it is alleged had been left by them at said fort when Manuel Lisa took his departure from there or so many of said Horses as a majority of the other members of this Company then present may approve of, and to allow and pay them the sum of thirty dollars for each Horse so approved of and accepted. This Company is also bound to receive from them the said Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard Ic William Morrison such other Horses the number and quality of which to be approved of in like manner as may have been purchased by their agent for them at said fort, at the time the aforesaid expedition shall arrive there and which may then be delivered for which this Company is to allow any pay them the first cost of the merchandise paid for said Horses and also one hundred per centum on the first cost thereof.

Article 7th. All the Horses purchased by the agent of said Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard & William Morrison since the departure of Manuel Lisa from said fort, for money or Peltry, and which shall be accepted and approved of as aforesaid are to be received by this Company at first cost to be paid said Manuel Lisa, Pierre Menard & William Morrison.

Article 8. Every person approved of & accepted as above mentioned to act as the agents of any absent member of this Company shall always be subject to the orders of a majority of the Company then present, and on refusal so to do shall thereupon be discharged and the Partner for whom he acted, shall be bound to pay the same sum of money annually as those who neither attend the expedition in person nor furnish an agent, the time to be computed from the time such agent shall be discharged. Which said annual sum shall also be for the exclusive benefit of such members of the Company as may be with the expedition.

Article 9th. When the aforesaid expedition shall arrive at or above the Mandan nation of Indians, each partner accompanying the expedition shall be bound to proceed to & reside at such post or places as may be designated for him by a majority of the Company then present and also when there to do and perform as far as may be possible all those duties required of him by such majority of the Company. Each member failing to comply with this article shall be bound to forfeit and pay to the Company one thousand Dollars per annum to be computed from the time of the first breach of this article in each year untill he shall comply with the aforesaid duties required of him by such majority.

Article 10th. The members of this association having contracted with his Excellency governor Lewis to convey the chief of the Mandan Indians now at St. Louis to his nation: It is hereby agreed that Pierre Chouteau senior shall have the command and complete control of this present expedition: to have the full direction of the march; to have the command of such officers as may be appointed under him; to point out their duties and give each officer his command agreeably to rank—so far as the company is bound by the aforesaid contract with the Executive to observe Military Discipline.

Article 11th. Manuel Lisa and Benjamin Wilkinson are hereby appointed factors to trade with the Indians or men employed by the Company, they shall keep just and fair accounts of all their Company transactions subject to the inspection of the Company or any member of the Company at all times, to use their utmost industry, skill and knowledge for the benefit of the company, to make purchases of peltry and merchandise, to engage men and draw bills of exchange on the agent of the Company hereinafter mentioned residing at St. Louis for such purchases & engagements to the full amount of the funds which such agent may have in his hands belonging to the Company and at that time unappropriated by the Company.

Article 12th. No purchases of Merchandise are to be made without the consent and approbation of a majority of the Company.

Article 13th. The above mentioned factors are to continue as such during their pleasure or that of a Majority of the company and to be subject to no responsability except for personal neglect or willful waste of the goods or property they may have in charge or possession.

Article 14th. William Clark is hereby appointed agent of this company to reside at the Town of Saint Louis. He is to receive all Peltries, furs, monies or other property sent or delivered to him by the Company or any member thereof; and the same to keep & preserve in the best manner he can for the interest of the company, untill the same shall be divided, and for the preservation and keeping of said Peltries, furs or other property of the company the said agent shall be paid and allowed all necessary expenditures made by him.

Article 15th. Whenever any Peltries, furs or other property belonging to the company shall be sent down and delivered to said agent, the same shall be (as speedily thereafter as may be) divided equally between all the partners, and their respective proportions paid to them or their agents on demand.

Article 16th. Should the company or a Majority thereof deem it expedient to purchase a greater quantity of Merchandize, or engage a greater number of men than may at any time be had on hand or engaged, the aforesaid agent is to purchase the said Merchandize and engage the men on the best possible terms, for the interest of the Company, always having regard to the Inventories of such articles as may from time to time be forwarded to him by the aforesaid factors, for all of which said purchases of merchandize or engagement of men each member of the Company shall be bound to pay an equal part of the expense.

Article 17th. It is agreed that Pierre Chouteau senior, Manuel Lisa and Pierre Menard are to be the first of the co-partners accompanying the expedition who will be permitted to return to St. Louis. They will however each be bound under the penalty mentioned in the Second article either personally to return to their respective posts or join the expedition up the river during the Spring succeeding their arrival at Saint Louis; or to send an Agent as is also provided in the Second article; to act in their place— and in ascertaining the amount of forfeitures for a breach of this article the time shall be computed from the arrival of the party- at the Town of St. Louis; which said forfeitures shall also be applied & appropriated as is provided in the aforesaid Second article.

Article 18th. Benjamin Wilkinson & Augustus Chouteau Junior are to be the next members of this Company accompanying the expedition who will be permitted to return to Saint Louis subject to the same provisions as are Contained in the preceding article and those of Article Second.

Article 19. No person shall hereafter be admitted to become a member of this company unless by the unanimous consent of every partner.

Article 20th. The foregoing articles of association and Co partnership are to have effect and continue in force for and to the full end and expiration of the term of three years from and after the date hereof, subject to such alterations as a majority of the Company may deem necessary.

In testimony of which we & each of us have hereunto subscribed our names at the Town of St. Louis this seventh day of March eighteen hundred & nine—interlined in tenth line from beginning before signed, and also Dennis fitzhugh of Louisville Kentucky.

Signed in presence of Pre Chouteau Meriwether Lewis Manuel Lisa Ben Wilkinson Stre Labbadie A.P. Chouteau Ben Wilkinson for Reuben Lewis Wm Clark Manuel Lisa for Pierre Menard Manuel Lisa for William Morrison Andrew Henry

Article 21. Previous to the division of the Peltry fur and other property mentioned in article 15 all expenditure of whatever nature incurred by the Company previous to said Division shall first be deducted from the gross amount of Property to be divided as specified in said article.

Article 22. William Clark & Pierre Chouteau or either of them in the absence of the others are hereby appointed and fully authorized by the Company to sign and execute all notes, bills, obligations, receipts discharges & acquittances for and in behalf of the Company.

Meriwether Lewis Requier

Pre Chouteau Manuel Lisa Ben Wilkinson A.P. Chouteau Manuel Lisa for Pre Menard Manuel Lisa for William Morrison Ben Wilkinson for Reuben Lewis Stre Labbadie Andrew Henry


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I more than ever persuaded that the most vital interest of the British people is the destruction of the autocracy of the Executive over the nation's policy.

Foreign policy holds the keys of war and peace: of life and death for the nation and for the individuals composing it. While the country lives in the shadow of potential war, of preparation for war and expenditure on such preparation, no permanent improvement in the social condition of the people is possible: no better social order can be evolved. While the country is in the position of being unable to control its foreign policy, the destinies of the people are at the mercy of the Cabinet and of individual Ministers in the Cabinet. Foreign policy is formed without any regard to the wishes of the people. The people are simply not taken into account. They have to abide by decisions with the framing of which they have had absolutely nothing to do. In the most important branch of its executive functions—the control and direction of foreign policy—the Government of this country is no more democratic than was the Government of the Tsar or the Government of Germany under the old regime.

This is literally true.

It is mysterious that a self-respecting people should tolerate such a condition of affairs. The only conceivable explanation is that they have not yet fully grasped the facts.

I remain unrepentant in my belief that in studying the secret history of the ten years which preceded the "First World War," as Colonel Repington calls the catastrophe

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 x. of 1914, the British people are studying not the past but the future of their country. I remain unshaken in my conviction that if they do not familiarise themselves with that history, and come to certain decisions in consequence, we shall experience a Second World War within the lifetime of this generation.

The working agreement between the two chief political parties to co-operate in retaining executive autocracy over foreign policy has been the most fatal event in our contemporary history. On the pretext of withdrawing foreign policy from party politics, foreign affairs have been withdrawn almost entirely from the arena of public debates. An intelligent and informed Opposition on foreign policy has totally disappeared, both in Parliament and Press. This is a national calamity.

It has been aggravated by the circumstances determining the long course of secret policy which eventually brought Britain into the war, and which contributed to the war itself. These were of such a character as to destroy effective opposition, or even constructive criticism upon the political aims of the war, from any quarter at any period of the war's duration. In this respect the nation has been the victim of those very party politics whose elimination from foreign policy is reputed a national safeguard. For effective criticism was not to be anticipated from Unionist quarters. It could only have emanated from the Liberal side, and Liberal politicians and publicists could only have expressed it at the expense of party loyalty.

Up to the very last few hours preceding Britain's entry into the war, Liberal newspapers representing the Left Wing of the party—the Wing which won the elections of 1905, but which threw away its victory when it allowed the most important departments of Government to be handed over to the Liberal imperialists—and eminent, personalities in the Liberal world, were vehemently denying that their party chiefs had committed acts which they described as "treason to the people": only to find themselves confounded in the end by those chiefs' avowals.

The issue then became one of principles earnestly and vociferously upheld for years, or loyalty to party chiefs—i.e., to party. It was decided in favour of party. The condition of the Liberal Party to-day is the direct and inevitable result of the choice. That condition is set down

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 Rh to every reason but the true one—abandonment of principle.

But that is a small matter, nationally speaking. The really serious upshot of the decision which was then taken and adhered to is that the country has been prevented from appreciating the frightful dangers which threaten it from the autocracy of the Government in foreign policy. For the overwhelming military success of the war on the one hand, and the split between the Liberal Party chiefs on the other, have combined to stabilise the conditions under which our foreign policy was conducted from 1905 to 1914. There has resulted a conspiracy of circumstance to withhold the truth from the people in regard to the diplomacy of the pre-war period. Why trouble? Has not the war been won? "Victory" is a great whitewash.

The hope lies with the new forces which are advancing to the conquest of political power from below.

My object in translating and annotating these pre-war Belgian diplomatic despatches has been that the leaders of Labour, but, above all, the young men in the Labour and Socialist movement who are acting as intellectual torch-bearers to their fellow-workers, may be helped by their perusal to realise the kind of system which, so long as it prevails, will block Labour's advance.

The same influences which were at work in our country in the ten years preceding the First World War are at work to-day preparing for the next one. Their power is undiminished. Their capacity for mischief is, if possible, greater. The people are as helpless to-day in their grip as they were before the war.

From that grip the people can only free themselves if they fully understand its nature.

Such books as Lord Fisher's "Memories," Colonel Repington's "The First World-War," Mr. Wilfred Scawen Blunt's "Diaries" are invaluable—but expensive.

In this volume, at a moderate price, the reader will be able to follow, step by step, the unfolding of the plots and counter-plots which finally culminated in the tragedy of August, 1914.

The writers of these despatches were the diplomatic representatives of a small Power. It was ostensibly to save the independence of that same small Power that we went to war. I know of no diplomatic documents on the

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 xii. secret diplomatic history of the pre-war years which reveal with such blinding light how remote were the ostensible causes of the war from the real causes; or which show so clearly that Belgium was a mere pawn in a great game—of importance only because, as Lord Loreburn puts it, she was the strategic "corridor" into France.

It was a fine and chivalrous impulse which caused very many of our young men to join up in the opening weeks of the war: to fling themselves into the "great adventure" on behalf of a weak nation trampled underfoot. Could the latent forces from which that impulse sprung be enlisted in a sustained moral and intellectual assault upon Secret Diplomacy, that deadly enemy of all peoples, great and small, humanity would be permanently benefited.

I desire to place on record my warm thanks to Mrs. Bowen-Wedgwood for the invaluable assistance she has given me in the compilation of this volume.

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R.Cooper sculpt.

TYCHO BRAHE

From a scarce Print


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 severe studys; yet he had great strength of nature, & a good constitution. tho' not tall in stature, yet strong, sinewy, & well made. thro' this, and his temperance, & mild disposition, he lived to a great age. the last time I was with him, he told me, his breakfast was commonly an infusion of orange peel in boiling water, as thea, sweetned a little; with bread & butter. he drank then more water, than formerly, vizt. morning, & night. wine he uses only, & but little, at dinner.

My great friend Thomas Earl of pembroke, & he were well acquainted: from whom I have heard, that Sir Isaac always cured a cold, by lying in bed for 2 or 3 days, which carry'd it off, by perspiration.

on the other hand, in discourse on lord pembrokes busts, statues &c. Sir Isaac would pleasantly call them, my Lords old fashion'd babys.

Sir Isaac's eyes were very full, & protuberant, which renderd him near sighted, in youth, & manhood. & was the reason of his seeing so well in age; the eye being betterd, by growing somewhat flatter: whereby the visual rays unite at a convenient distance, neither too near, nor too far off the eyes. in the year 1725 I saw him cast up Mr. Treasurer Pitfields accounts of the Royal Society; being a whole sheet of paper; without pen & ink, without spectacles: an indication


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 of the strength of his memory, as well as eyesight. but I have heard very extraordinary things of the strength of his memory, in arithmetical operations, & calculations by numbers, & letters, which he has done, when in bed, by night.

Dr. Harwood of the Commons told me, he was present once at the Royal Society, when a learned foreigner was admitted; who made (as customarily abroad) a studyed harangue in latin, to thank the Society for that honor. Sr. Isaac answer'd it readily in the same language, with a good grace, & fluency.

when Dr. Woodward quarreld with Sr. Hans Sloan, at a Council of the Royal Society; & was so troublesom that they were oblig'd to expell him, Sr. Isaac told the Dr. "we allow you to have natural philosophy, but turn you out for want of moral".

& this will naturally bring us to say somewhat of Sr. Isaac's moral character; which was eminently good, & never impeachd in any one instance. somewhat of it depends on the good state of the body & repose of the mind, & a government over passions. Sr. Isaac by his great prudence, & naturally a good constitution, had preserv'd his health to old age, far beyond what one could have expected in one so intirely for the better part of his life, immersd in solitude, inactivity, meditation & study: in an


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User talk:Dopechoke

Dope-Choke Ent. is a newly developed recored label under the co-owners Patrick Higgins and Sara Fiorentino. They are both equal shear-holders in the label. Sara Fiorentino goes by, "Snow", and Patrick Higgins goes by "Patman". They have, one signed artist beside themselves, Irvin Moralles, he goes by "Papo" The label is looking for new up and coming artists in the Florida area. The co-owners live in the brandon-tampa area of Hillsborough county. The label is based out of Brandon, mostly. The label is mostly looking for upcoming Rap artists. If you wish to contact the label holders: The Manager: Sara Fiorentino's email zombieflux@yahoo.com. The other co-owner, the HR: Patrick Higgins's email patrick.higgins70@yahoo.com

title: User talk:Dopechoke


text: Index:Dictionary of National Biography. Sup. Vol I (1901).djvu


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Page:Dictionary of National Biography. Sup. Vol I (1901).djvu/7

 DICTIONARY

OF

SUPPLEMENT

VOL. I.


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 The sweetest of the Gospel songs, To all the Saints so dear, To every eventide belongs Throughout the changeful year.

It sanctifies the vesper hour When summer smiles serene; It is a joy-constraining power When winter blasts are keen.

'My soul doth magnify the Lord’— Ecstatic is the voice That sings of Paradise restored— 'My spirit doth rejoice!’


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To cradle Mary’s Child his heart An old man opens wide: Behold him in God’s peace depart, And in God’s peace abide.

He sings the very Song of Peace, Responsive to the Word; His lullaby shall never cease To make its music heard


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From the picture painted by G. F. Watts R. A. in 1876

London. Published by Smith, Elder & Co. 15 Waterloo Place


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 DICTIONARY

NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY

SUPPLEMENT

LONDON SMITH, ELDER, & CO., 15 WATERLOO PLACE 1901

[All rights reserved]


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 the centre of their garden was a Sunflower, and on it were two or three blossoms, one of which was so lovely that every one who saw it could not help stopping in admiration.

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Translation:The Screaming

After the Italian. Recently, I sneaked after my girl,

and without hinderance

I took her in the Grove; she said:

Lay me, I'll certainly scream!

Then I defiantly threatened: Ha! I intend

to kill whoever disturbs us.

Quiet, she beckoned lispingly, Quiet, Dearest,

So no one hears you.

Das Schreyen

title: Translation:The Screaming


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User talk:99.126.100.28

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to Wikisource! Thank you for your contributions. I hope you like the place and decide to stay. Here are a few good links for newcomers:

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title: User talk:99.126.100.28


text:
User talk:Robertcostic

— billinghurst  sDrewth  03:48, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

WikiProject Translation
You may be interested in a newly-formed WikiProject: WikiProject Translation. The goal is inter-wiki collaboration with the aim of making source texts available in multiple languages. Please feel free to express any ideas, concerns, or questions at the project talk page. Best, --Eliyak T · C 08:46, 10 January 2011 (UTC)

title: User talk:Robertcostic


text:
User talk:67.86.232.190

Welcome

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title: User talk:67.86.232.190


text:
User talk:196.34.16.68

Welcome

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title: User talk:196.34.16.68


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 was very proud of the plant, and every spare moment she used to stand before it and tell it all her troubles. On this occasion she was in one of her worst moods, and as usual left her brother to play by himself and went up to the Sunflower to grumble. talked away for a few minutes and then looked up at it as if she expected it to nod its head and quite agree with her, when to her surprise she heard it say in a quiet sweet voice—

"Gertie, dear, would you like me to tell you a story about myself."

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 that I should!" replied Gertie, as she wiped the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, and seated herself in the summer-house close by. I was quite a tiny green bud I was a very discontented little thing like you until one day as your Mamma came past me a small violet dropped from her dress, and, when it heard me complaining, said 'Why are you not pleased to grow here in this nice little

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Page:The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851.djvu/94

Rh said Ernest, "to commemorate those you shed on the occasion."

"My advice," said my Wife, "is, that in gratitude to God we should name it Safety Bay."

We were all pleased with this name, and proceeded to give the name of Tent House to our first abode; Shark Island, to the little island in the bay, where we had found that animal; and, at Jack’s desire, the marshy spot where we had cut our arrows was named Flamingo Marsh. There the height from which we had vainly sought traces of our shipmates, received the name of Cape Disappointment. The river was to be Jackal River, and the bridge, Family Bridge. The most difficult point was, to name our present abode. At last we agreed on the name of Falcon’s Nest (in German Falken-hoist). This was received with acclamations, and I poured out for my young nestlings each a glass of sweet wine, to drink Prosperity to Falcon’s Nest. We thus laid the foundation of the geography of our new country, promising to forward it to Europe by the first post.

After dinner, my sons returned to their occupation as tanners, Fritz to complete his belt, and Jack to make a sort of cuirass, of the formidable skin of the porcupine, to protect the dogs. He finished by making a sort of helmet from the head of the animal, as strange as the cuirasses.

The heat of the day being over, we prepared to set out to walk to Tent House, to renew our stock of provisions, and endeavour to bring the geese and ducks to our new residence; but, instead of going by the coast, we proposed to go up the river till we reached the chain of rocks, and continue under


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82 their shade till we got to the cascade, where we could cross, and return by Family Bridge.

This was approved, and we set out. Fritz, decorated with his beautiful belt of skin, Jack in his porcupine helmet. Each had a gun and game-bag; except Francis, who, with his pretty fair face, his golden hair, and his bow and quiver, was a perfect Cupid. My wife was loaded with a large butter-pot for a fresh supply. Turk walked before us with his coat of mail, and Flora followed, keeping at a respectful distance from him, for fear of the darts. Knips, as my boys called the monkey, finding this new saddle very inconvenient, jumped off, with many contortions, but soon fixed on Flora, who, not being able to shake him off, was compelled to become his palfrey.

The road by the river was smooth and pleasant. When we reached the end of the wood, the country seemed more open; and now the boys, who had been rambling about, came running up, out of breath; Ernest was holding a plant with leaves and flowers, and green apples hanging on it.

"Potatoes!" said he; "I am certain they are potatoes!"

"God be praised," said I; "this precious plant will secure provision for our colony."

"Well," said Jack, "if his superior knowledge discovered them, I will be the first to dig them up;" and he set to work so ardently, that we had soon a bag of fine ripe potatoes, which we carried on to Tent House.


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Rh

had been much delighted with the new and lovely scenery of our road: the prickly cactus, and aloe, with its white flowers; the Indian fig; the white and yellow jasmine; the fragrant vanilla, throwing round its graceful festoons. Above all, the regal pine-apple grew in profusion, and we feasted on it, for the first time, with avidity.

Among the prickly stalks of the cactus and aloes, I perceived a plant with large pointed leaves, which I knew to be the karata. I pointed out to the boys its beautiful red flowers; the leaves are an excellent application to wounds, and thread is made from the filaments, and the pith of the stem is used by the savage tribes for tinder.

When I showed the boys, by experiment, the use of the pith, they thought the tinder-tree would be almost as useful as the potatoes.

"At all events," I said, "it will be more useful than the pine-apples; your mother will be thankful for thread, when her enchanted bag is exhausted."

"How happy it is for us," said she, "that you have devoted yourself to reading and study. In our ignorance we might have passed this treasure, without suspecting its value."

Fritz inquired of what use in the world all the rest of these prickly plants could be, which wounded every one that came near.

"All these have their use, Fritz," said I; "some contain juices and gums, which are daily made


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84 use of in medicine; others are useful in the arts, or in manufactures. The Indian fig, for instance, is a most interesting tree. It grows in the most arid soil. The fruit is said to be sweet and wholesome."

In a moment, my little active Jack was climbing the rocks to gather some of these figs; but he had not remarked that they were covered with thousands of slender thorns, finer than the finest needles, which terribly wounded his fingers. He returned, weeping bitterly and dancing with pain. Having rallied him a little for his greediness, I extracted the thorns, and then showed him how to open the fruit, by first cutting off the pointed end, as it lay on the ground; into this I fixed a piece of stick, and then pared it with my knife. The novelty of the expedient recommended it, and they were soon all engaged eating the fruit, which they declared was very good.

In the mean time, I saw Ernest examining one of the figs very attentively. "Oh! papa!" said he, "what a singular sight; the fig is covered with a smell red insect. I cannot shake them off. Can they be the Cochineal?" I recognized at once the precious insect, of which I explained to my sons the nature and use. "It is with this insect," said I, "that the beautiful and rich scarlet dye is made. It is found in America, and the Europeans give its weight in gold for it."

Thus discoursing on the wonders of nature, and the necessity of increasing our knowledge by observation and study, we arrived at Tent House, and found it in the same state as we left it.

We all began to collect necessaries. Fritz loaded himself with powder and shot, I opened the butter-cask, and my wife and little Francis


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Rh filled the pot. Ernest and Jack went to try and secure the geese and ducks; but they had become so wild that it would have been impossible, if Ernest had not thought of an expedient. He tied pieces of cheese, for bait, to threads, which he floated on the water. The voracious creatures immediately swallowed the cheese and were drawn out by the thread. They were then securely tied, and fastened to the game-bags, to be carried home on our backs. As the bait could not be recovered, the boys contented themselves with cutting off the string close to the beak, leaving them to digest the rest.

Our bags were already loaded with potatoes, but we filled up the spaces between them with salt; and, having relieved Turk of his armour, we placed the heaviest on his back. I took the butter pot; and, after replacing everything, and closing our tent, we resumed our march, with our ludicrous incumbrances. The geese and ducks were very noisy in their adieu to their old marsh; the dogs barked; and we all laughed so excessively, that we forgot our burdens till we sat down again under our tree. My wife soon had her pot of potatoes on the fire. She then milked the cow and goat, while I set the fowls at liberty on the banks of the river. We then sat down to a smoking dish of potatoes, a jug of milk, and butter and cheese. After supper we had prayers, thanking God especially for his new benefits; and we then sought our repose among the leaves.


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Rh “Oh, no; there are persons in the first circle who are not half so rich as many in the second, or even in the third, or fourth.”

“Then, if society is not distinguished for pre-eminence in talent or wealth, the distinction must depend upon the transcendent goodness, and perfect respectability of those that belong to it.”

“Why, not exactly. I confess that some of the persons in society have done very bad things; which after the first few days it is best to hush up, for the honour of our class. But then in certain respects society is most exemplary. We always subscribe to public charities. Charity is very fashionable, and so is church.”

“And now,” continued Sophia, “to return to the lady who gave the party last night. Is not she a good and respectable woman?”

“I never heard anything against her goodness, or her respect ability.”

“She must surely be a woman of education.”

“Oh, yes; I went to school with her myself. But at all schools there is somewhat of a mixture. To give you Mrs. Cotterell’s history—her father kept a large store in Broadway, and afterwards he got into the wholesale line, and went into Pearl street. Now, my father was a shipping merchant, and owned vessels, and my dear late husband was his junior partner. Mr. Cotterell made his money in some sort of manufacturing business, across the river. He died two years ago, and is said to have left his family very rich. Her daughter being now grown, Mrs. Cotterell has bought a house up here, in the best part of the town, and has come out quite in style, and been tolerably called on. Some went to see her out of curiosity; and some because they have an insatiable desire for enlarging their circle; some because they have a passion for new people; and some because they like to go to houses where everything is profuse and costly, as is generally the case with parvenus.”

“And some, I hope,” said Sophia, “because they really like Mrs. Cotterell for herself.”

“She certainly is visited by a few very genteel people,” continued Mrs. Derrington, “and that has encouraged her to attempt a party last night. But the Goldsworths, the Highburys, the Featherstones, and myself, are waiting to hear if she is well taken


text: The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851/Chapter XIV


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User:Sbharris

Yo. I'm user:sbharris over on WP.

I am neither sock nor foul nor good read meat. If I'm giving you an opinion, you can be sure I came upon it all by myself, after a lot of independent thought.

title: User:Sbharris


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86

observed on the shore, the preceding day, a quantity of wood, which I thought would suit to make a sledge, to convey our casks and heavy stores from Tent House to Falcon’s Nest. At dawn of day I woke Ernest, whose inclination to indolence I wished to overcome, and leaving the rest asleep, we descended, and harnessing the ass to a strong branch of a tree that was lying near, we proceeded to the shore. I had no difficulty in selecting proper pieces of wood; we sawed them the right length, tied them together, and laid them across the bough, which the patient animal drew very contentedly. We added to the load a small chest we discovered half buried in the sand, and we returned homewards, Ernest leading the ass, and I assisted by raising the load with a lever when we met with any obstruction. My wife had been rather alarmed; but seeing the result of our expedition, and hearing of the prospect of a sledge, she was satisfied. I opened the chest, which contained only some sailors’ dresses and some linen, both wetted with sea-water; but likely to be very useful as our own clothes decayed. I found Fritz and Jack had been shooting ortolans; they had killed about fifty, but had consumed so much powder and shot, that I checked a prodigality so imprudent in our situation. I taught them to make snares for the birds of the threads we drew from the karata leaves we had brought home. My wife and her


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Rh two younger sons busied themselves with these, while I, with my two elder boys, began to construct the sledge. As we were working, we heard a great noise among the fowls, and Ernest, looking about, discovered the monkey seizing and hiding the eggs from the nests; he had collected a good store in a hole among the roots, which Ernest carried to his mother; and Knips was punished by being tied up, every morning, till the eggs were collected.

Our work was interrupted by dinner, composed of ortolans, milk, and cheese. After dinner, Jack had climbed to the higher branches of the trees to place his snares, and found the pigeons were making nests. I then told him to look often to the snares, for fear our own poor birds should be taken; and, above all, never in future to fire into the tree.

"Papa," said little Francis, "can we not sow some gunpowder, and then we shall have plenty?" This proposal was received with shouts of laughter, which greatly discomposed the little innocent fellow. Professor Ernest immediately seized the opportunity to give a lecture on the composition of gunpowder.

At the end of the day my sledge was finished. Two long curved planks of wood, crossed by three pieces, at a distance from each other, formed the simple conveyance. The fore and hind parts were in the form of horns, to keep the load from falling off. Two ropes were fastened to the front, and my sledge was complete. My wife was delighted with it, and hoped I would now set out immediately to Tent House for the butter-cask.


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36 up; and, above all, if the Pelham Prideauxs have called on her. And besides, it may be well for us not to begin till she has gradually gotten rid of the people with whom she associated in her husband’s time.”

“Surely,” said Sophia, “she cannot be expected to throw off her old friends?”

“Then she need not expect to gain new ones up here. We can not mix with people from the unfashionable districts. Mrs. Cotterell may do as she pleases—but she must be select in her circle, if she wants the countenance of the Pelham Prideauxs.”

“And who, dear aunt, are the Pelham Prideauxs?” inquired Sophia.

“Is it possible you never heard of them?” ejaculated Mrs. Derrington. “To know Mrs. Pelham Prideaux, to be seen at her house, or to have her seen at yours, is sufficient. It gives the stamp of high fashion at once.”

“And for what reason?” persisted Sophia.

“Because she is Mrs. Pelham Prideaux,” was the reply.

“What is her husband?” said Sophia.

“He is a gentleman who has always lived upon the fortune left him by his father, who inherited property from his father, and he from his. None of the Prideauxs have done anything for a hundred years. The great-grandfather was from England, and came over a gentleman.”

“Surprising!” said Sophia, mischievously. “And whom have they to inherit all this glory?”

“An only daughter,” replied Mrs. Derrington, “Maria Matilda Pelham Prideaux.”

At this moment a carriage stopped at the door, and presently Mrs. Middleby was announced; and immediately after, two young ladies came in who were presented to Sophia as Miss Telford and Miss Ellen Telford. The conversation soon turned on Mrs. Cotterell s party. Mrs. Middleby had been there—the Miss Telfords had not, and were therefore anxious to “hear all about it.”

“Really,” said Mrs. Middleby, “it was just like all other parties; and like all others, it went off tolerably well. The company