AND

Phi Beta Kappa Repository.

FIDE AC FIDUCIA.

No. 11.

NEW-YORK, NOVEMBER 18, 1825.

LITERARY.

JOHN BULL.

VOL. I.

mediately set down by a Frenchman for John Bull; for instance, if a man with a rubicund complexion, purple nose, protuberant paunch, filmy eye, and exotic appearance, UNTRAVELLED John Bull is certainly a with long skirts to his coat, loose roomy gairough homespun article; his prejudices are many, and his pride, which consists not in ters, and his hat stuck on the back of his head, waddles up la rue de la Paix, it must induconceit, affectation, fine clothes, or arrogance, is excessive; yet this vice borders bitably be John Bull; if a thin carcass, with on a virtue, for his nationality is closely his clothes hung on him as if on a peg, with an umbrella under his arm, and a greyhound interwoven with patriotism: he scorns to at his heels, saunters, whistling through the be an imitator, he is independent, and glo- Palais-Royal, it can be no other than John ries in his freedom, little seeking to please, and unsuccessful if he attempts the minor Bull; if a fellow with a hunting frock, brown yet fascinating arts of amiability; distant top'd-boots, mail coach style, and an appearance of easy circumstances, stares in the and almost repulsive, silent, circumspect face of a fair one, or gapes in at a jeweller's and considering, seemingly cold (for he is

not so in reality), and calculating, it is not window, with his bull-dog or faithful terrier easy to get acquainted with him, much less by his side, this must be Milord John Bull, to win his regard: but once obtained, it is or my Lord Gueule, or at all events, Milord a rock to which the possessor may cling, in Anglais (how unlike!); finally, if an idle all storms and changes, in all circumstan- graceless fellow yawns at a play, he must be ces and times. With such a character, and English; and when ill-dressed women, and a novice abroad, poor John cuts a sorry vulgar men make their appearance on the figure amidst foreign levities, and contrast- Boulevards, at the theatres, at the restaued by the light and easy manner of the rans, public places, or public walks, the cry French. The travelled Englishman is quite is, "here are the English!" Now, the question is first are they really another being: the polish of the diamond is always the same, whether it be given at the English? and the next, what English are court of the Tuilleries, or at that of Carlton they? of what cast, class, and description? Palace: but I shall stick to honest, rugged Are they the noblemen of the British court? John Bull. Hard as it is to form an opi- certainly not; are they the patriots and nion of him at first sight, dry and shy as his orators of the senate? no; the naval heroes manner is, yet how very seldom is the true, who embellish the pages of their national unsophisticated, pure and genuine charac- history, or rival the military brave? no; ter of this same honest John, met with in the closeted author and moralist? no; the the streets of Paris, Brussels, or elsewhere! merchant, whose ample coffers contribute This being, so much laughed at by the un-in time of war to subsidise half Europe, and discriminating and unthinking, this object in that of peace, to aid extensively all befor scenic misrepresentation, for calumny nevolent institutions, to build up a future and caricature, is still a rare animal, a title and a name, to bear a huge proportion "rara avis in terris," and whilst various of the public burdens, and whose "white strange bipeds and nondescripts overrun sails" glide over the seas in all directions, the continent, the real Jack Roast-Beef (as and, finally, whose name and credit stand he is contemptuously termed) is not every high in every quarter of the globe? not where to be found; the reason is, that so often, or long, is he found from home; but many play the character merely, and so the idler, the rake, the ruined man and few foreigners give themselves either the gamester, the splendid pauper, or needy time or the trouble to examine, or to ana- speculator, the adventurer and bankrupt, lyze the object which they cut up inconside- are every where to be met with abroad; rately. Every thing that appears grotesque, and the proportion of nobility and gentry antigallican, awkward, fat and heavy, is im- travelling on the continent, is not more than

as one in twenty, so that the odds are nine- a hundred miles from St. James's-street: teen to one as to who the John Bull is, who he had come over to look after his bad disfigures his appearance by some bad style debts, and to add pleasure to profit; the of dress, misrepresents the national character by his extravagances, awkwardness, and vulgarities, or dishonours his country by his errors and misconduct.

former, I believe he purchased pretty dearly, but in the latter he informed me, he was out in his reckoning; but he observed, many of his quality customers had treated But in order to prove this statement him very kindly, and had asked him to dinmore clearly and satisfactorily, I shall give ner and "the like of that:" though his a few examples of the travelling and migra- books remained in statu quo; this was but ting English to be met with in Paris, and I just, as my Lord Hazard observed, since he hope that the hint will be useful to both stood in his shoes (his lordship is himself one nations; to that from which they are the of the legs); however, he (the shoemaker) useless, or obnoxious exports, and to that to was quite proud of his trip to Paris. Forewhich their importation can neither be most of the gay throng in the Bois de Bouagreeable or advantageous, save only as far logne, rode George Gamble, mounted on a as the drawing of their purse strings, which blood mare, and having assumed the style sometimes fail. Let me see, one pinch of of a gay young colonel of lancers in plain snuff, and then,-it is more than some of clothes; the soi-disant captain is the son of them are worth. I remarked one day a a retail tradesman who became a bankrupt very fat man and his wife, issuing from many years ago; he (George) run away Beauvillier's; a job carriage stood at the from an attorney's office, and forfeited his door, and a French servant hired by the fee of indenture; he was fit for nothing, but day; the man was dressed for dinner, and the honourable Mortimer Mandeville got had a massy ring on every finger, a heavy him a half-pay ensigncy, at the close of the gold chain round his neck, a dozen valuable war, for services renderca by his papa, seals dangling to his watch pocket; his wife namely, the bailing him whenever he was in was overdressed in the extreme, but all a a scrape. The gay ensign's bloodless sabre la mode de Paris; he had just paid a bill, adorns his costly lodgings in Paris, and Mr. and was a going to the hopera; his glittering Drake has promoted him to a cavalry offipurse shone with double Napoleons, but cer, by letting out his steed to him; his he was vulgar in the superlative degree, whiskers have been purchased at a hair whilst madam was comparatively better bred, dresser's and perfumer's shop, and his conbut positively of under breeding and of the sequence is borrowed from a half imitation plebeian class. Waiters, servants, &c. flat- of French military men. tered and extolled them, the man was Milord I could give a thousand examples of this Anglais, and the woman was Milady pour kind; these few, however, I should suppose rire. I inquired his name, and upon referring to my directory, I found that he was will suffice. It is the mistaken character a tallow-chandler by trade; his travels had of the English, grossly confused in persons hitherto been confined to grease (not to and in ranks, and mixed up by the hand of Greece); but he was now come to see ignorance or malevolence, into one and the France, or rather a small part of it, and same John Bull, which has degraded him counted on his superiority over his neigh

bours on his return.

abroad; but foreigners would gain by a thorough intimacy with the more respectable part of the British nation, and the preLounging along the Champs-Elysées, a man-porpoise met my eye, dressed like a judiced English would improve by studying rich country squire, with an affectation of the real French character in its purity and the negligent, and a sort of hunting style its higher classes. The integrity of honest about him; the disguise of spectacles set in Bull is not unworthy the imitation of the gold finished his costume, and he murdered world at large, whilst the gracefulness of a French air as he went along, hitting care-social qualities, the polish of the courtly class lessly his jockey boots, to which the spur of of the French, the easy manners of the trathe occasion was added. I examined him velled gentleman, and the experience of the minutely, and recognised a London bailiff, man of the world, would form a rich acquihaving signed a bail-bond formerly in his sition for our proud islanders (ces fiers Inpresence, in order to save my spend-thrift sulaires). To see this blending and intercousin General Valmont from durance vile change of good qualities, this alliance of At the door of the Café-Francaise, on peace and friendship, this combining of the another occasion, stood a simpering good-lily and the laurel, with the rose and the looking fellow, seemingly in high feather | monarch oak, would present to the rest of and spirits, and disregarding a week's trip the world an irresistible force, "like the to Paris. He looked a little confused at bundle of sticks in the fable:" it would also first; but, at length addressed me; this was produce a graceful assemblage in these Mr. Morocco, a boot and shoe maker, not tranquil evil times.

ON SHOOTING WITH A LONG BOW.

Oh! wad some power the giftie gie us,
To see oursels as others see us,

It wad frae monie a blunder free us,
And foolish notion -BURNS.

what is really his due; but here again he
labours under a great disadvantage, for
"even if he speak the truth," his statements
are received with hesitation and distrust,
and he feels, to his cost, the bitter truth
contained in the words of the ancient fabu-
list :-

Quicunque turpi fraude semel innotuit,
Etiamsi vera dicit, amittit fidem.

It is probable enough, that associates, tired
of him at last, and disgusted at his narra-
tions, either become shy of his company, or
shun him altogether, as they would shun the
society of one addicted to habitual intoxica-
tion. In the one case, as in the other, Ma-
jor Longbow has only the alternative of for-
ming a new, but an inferior set of acquaint-

"SHOOTING with a long bow" is a figura tive expression for a very prevalent, but contemptible practice, which I should find it difficult to define in terms more significant or concise than those I have just used. Allow me, however, without a figure, and in plain parlance, to state more at length what is included in the phrase, "Shooting with a long bow." The simple meaning, then, is nothing more or less than telling what is not true, and, in consequence, the narrator is a Liar! Truth is the mark at which he should aim; but the farther he shoots be-ance. Here, however, old habits return yond it, or the wider the aim he takes, the with all the virulence of a relapse in a physilonger is the bow which he draws. In the cal disease. The pampered palate still reapplication of this phrase there is, however, curs to the same overseasoned dainties, for one, and only one peculiarity, which, in some the support of its vanity, as a return to the degree, may claim the privilege of a saving stimulating liquor affords a temporary freshpoint, and which it is but fair to mention.-ness and vigour to the parched veins and The man to whom so odious a description is shattered nerves of the drunkard. usually applied, is not a deliberate liar. He One great misfortune under which the would scorn to frame, utter, and circulate a drawer of a long-bow always labours, is, falsehood which would either directly or in- that amongst all his acquaintances, who are directly injure the life, the property, or the of course well aware of his foible, there is good name of any individual. It is quite in general not one faithful friend to bring probable that the shooter with the long bow the system of self-delusion to an end, by an may be free of all malice, or any tincture of honest and candid exposure of the folly of envy, or the spirit of detraction. The sin feeding his vanity at the expense of sacrifiwhich so easily besets him is not that of a cing his character for truth. In such a wicked tongue, seeking to injure and de- case, advice would often, perhaps, be well grade the character and talents of another received, if it were faithfully and kindly adperson, but that of a vain tongue, seeking to ministered; but it is seldom offered at all, exalt himself in his own, and in the opinion partly through fear of offending, and partly of others. At one time, he adds to the truth, from the pleasure acquaintances feel in enat another, he takes from it; now, his state-joying the joke which such a despicable foiment is founded on fact-now, it is all fic- ble affords them. Acquaintances look on, tion; but he is at all times, and upon all and relish it as a kind of amusement, just as such occasions, simply burning incense at the Philistines made sport of Sampson, or as the shrine of his own vanity, and just mix-little urchins amuse themselves with the ing truth with falsehood, and facts with fancy, in such proportions as he thinks will best serve to make his acquaintances stare with admiration and astonishment, and think more highly of him than sober truth would warrant. But a question naturally suggests The test of ridicule I have known applied itself here does he succeed in this? He with effect to stop, at least for the time bedoes not-and let him mark the conse-ing, the long-bow-exercise of its pitiable quence. After deceiving himself for a long hero, and compel him to shrink within himtime (his friends being undeceived in a very self, in all the bitter consciousness of detectshort time) he finds, to his mortification, ed falsehood; but the ministration of this that he has deceived nobody but himself, test requires a degree of readiness, confiand that the higher he has endeavoured to dence, and power of imagination, possessed exalt his character and talents above their by few, and cannot, therefore, be recomtrue standard, the lower he has sunk them mended as a general remedy for this mental, in the estimation of those who have disco- or rather moral disease. The plan is, to vered at once his want of modesty and ve- give the bow a still stronger pull, or, in racity. Making this unpleasant discovery, plain terms, to narrate a tale in the same he begins, when perhaps it is too late, to strain, but abundantly more extravagant endeavour to establish his character upon a and ridiculous, which is perfectly equivabetter foundation, and to assert his right to lent to, although it saves one the pain of

tipsy citizen, who imagines that he is walking steadily, and straight forward to his home, when, in fact, he is mistaking the breadth of the street for the length of it, and reeling and swaggering at every step.

telling Major Longbow to his face, that he The subsequent letters of the Emperor is a fabricator and a liar, and that others, Joseph II., in answer to requests preferred were they so inclined, could fight him with his own weapons, and perhaps surpass him by two ladies in behalf of their sons, are in this dishonourable warfare. highly characteristic of that upright and Such a deplorable instance of self-infatu-honourable prince. The present Emperor ation as that of the long-bow, demands our cannot write sensible letters, it is true, but sympathy, and calls for remonstrance. The he is an adept at making sealing-wax! fabricator of a story whose origin is no"Madam, where to be found except in his own imagination, becoming much in love with the ingenious fabrication, by some unaccountable process of mental infatuation, actually believes it true, and hence the most unwarrantable prepossessions or prejudices are founded and acted upon, by the victim of this disease, as if they were lightened up into actual existence by the sun-beams of truth.

Another unfortunate case in which the long-bow hero often betrays himself, is a want of consistency and keeping in many of his fabrications, too precious in his sight to be withheld from his apparently gratified hearers; but it is frequently discovered that memory, not keeping pace with imagination, plays him now and then a slippery trick, and leads him, on one occasion, to relate what happened over three bottles of and which, at another time, was over five bottles of Claret ; and what is equally proba

Madeira with

with

"I do not think that it is amongst the duties of a monarch to grant places to one of his subjects, merely because he is a gentleman. That, however, is the inference from the rehusband was, you say, a distinguished GeYour late quest you have made to me. thence you conclude, that my kindness to neral, a gentleman of good family; and your family can do no less than give a company of foot to your second son, lately re

turned from his travels.

66

neral, and yet have no talent for command. Madam, a man may be the son of a GeA man may be of a good family, and yet possess no other merit than that which he owes to chance, the name of a gentleman. makes the soldier; and this two-fold know"I know your son, and I know what ledge convinces me that your son has not the disposition of a warrior, and that he is too full of his birth to leave the country a hope of his ever rendering it any important

service.

"What you are to be pitied for, Madam, is, that your son is not fit either for an offithat he is nothing more than a gentleman, cer, a statesman, or a priest; in a word,

ble, since the former narration, his fertile powers have either supplied a preface, or subjoined an addendum, in which former editions were deficient; all giving ample proof of the force of Tillotson's remark, that "a liar has need of a good memory." Shak-in the most extended acceptation of the speare has given a felicitous illustration of the case, in Falstaff's "men in buckram."

When a man has thus no friends to inform him of his failings, and is on the brink of ruin, from not knowing their effects on his character and condition, the public is in some measure bound to find friends for him, and to provide for the blindness of his vanity, just as the parish to which he belongs is in duty bound to provide for him in the case of his becoming a pauper, and being deprived of the means of taking care of, or providing for himself. Who knows what poor infatuated self-approving wight may cast his eyes upon this, and save himself, in future, the degrading appellation of "shooting with a long bow;" amusing some, pitied and despised by others, and degrading himself in the opinion of all,

"To make himself in well-bred tongue prevail, And little I the hero of each tale!"

Socrates, in the Phedon, says, that a person who behaves well from a moral principle, shall be entitled to an infinitely higher reward, than one who fills up the same measure of duty, merely from use or exercise.

word.

"You may be thankful to that destiny, which, in refusing talents to your son, has taken care to put him in possession of great wealth, which will sufficiently compensate him for other deficiencies, and enable him, at the same time, to dispense with any fa

vour from me.