VOL. 4.] Modern Relics-Law-England in the 17th Century. 231 From the New Monthly Magazine, Sept. 1818. Count Oxenstiern, who had been three times ambassador from the court of Sweden to that of England in the former part of the seventeenth century. drew the following sketch of this country, which some may think not very far from the truth at the present period. the finest water; as, for example, nine of the skulls of the 11,000 virgins, a piece of a gown of the Virgin Mary, the tuning-hammer belonging to David's harp, and many other similar treasures; in comparison with which the French contributions are as nothing." FRENCH IDEAS OF ENGLISH COOKERY. In La Cuisiniere Burgeoise edition of 1816, we find two dishes denomina"England, without dispute, is the ted English, and undoubtedly calculated queen of isles, the empire and arsenal to gratify our countrymen, who trans- of Neptune. She is at the same time port an English appetite to the banks of the Peru of Europe, the kingdom of the Seine: these are,-Rosbif de mou- Bacchus, the school of Epicurus, the ton à l'Anglaise, and rosbif d'agneau academy of Venus, the country of Mars, à l'Anglaise; that is to say, roast beef the abode of Minerva, the support of of mutton, and roast beef of lamb, in the Holland, the scourge of France, the English manner. We do not feel it purgatory of partisans of opposition, necessary to add the recipes, assured that no English cook would follow them, nor English gourmand discover what was served up to him. LAW. To him that goes to law nine things are requisite: In the first place a good deal of money. 6thly. Good evidence. 7thly. A good jury. TEMPORA MUTANTUR. and the paradise of those of liberty. The women are handsome, but their beauty is attended with something very insipid. Bravery there, is, as it were, natural to the men, but carried to an excess that approaches to savageness. Wit and judgment reign there, and perhaps more than in any other country whatever; but they produce a certain air of pride which considerably diminishes their merit. "Tis there, one may say, that fortune distributes her favours abundantly; but these islanders are ignorant of the use they ought to make of them to strangers, as the courtiers and their taste are the only objects of their liberality. Their language is an In the seventh century, Theodore, odd mixture of almost all the tongues Archbishop of Canterbury, was cele- of Europe: but with this advantage, brated, through all the western church, that it expresses itself the best of all of for writing a penitential, or treatise to them in short, 'tis a nation where nodirect what penance should be enjoined thing is wanting to its happiness but to Her natural for certain crimes. Among other mat- know how to enjoy it. ters, persons newly married were com- restlessness and extreme jealousy for manded to abstain from entering a liberty and property have often plunged church for thirty days, and to repent her into civil wars, which have laid her for fifteen-History of Dissenters, by within six inches of her destruction. Bogue and Bennet; vol. 1. p. 15. The three journies I made there having In the rubric of the Church of Eng- let me into their manners, I venture to land, at the end of the "Form of So- assert that it is the most delightful counlemnization of Matrimony," as it stands try in the world for young gentlemen to in the Prayer Books of the nineteenth be amused in, provided they are mas century, is the following directions:ters of the language, and able to sup"It is convenient that the new-married port the expence ; and if the high road persons should receive the Holy Com- to hell be sown with delights and pleamunion at the time of their marriage, sure, you must necessarily pass through or at the first opportunity after their England to go to it." marriage." 232 STRATAGEMS. Stratagems--Smollett's Tomb. [VOL. 4 cion, both which are the errors of little In the reign of James the second, cunning, commended the zeal of the Robert Ferguson, a Presbyterian min- magistrate with that discreet coolness ister, who had plotted against the gov- which generally accompanies moderaernment, fled from justice to the city of tion and honesty, and then deviated Edinburgh, when perceiving that he imperceptibly to topics best calculated was closely pursued, and that the gates for his own security. The evening were shut to prevent his escape, he had passed away pleasantly, and Ferguson recourse to a device which men of less lay till pretty late in the morning, when cunning would have considered as the he arose confident enough of his being certain means of destruction. Instead safe while in that house, but not so sure of secreting himself in a cellar or garret, of getting out of the town to the sea and putting confidence in strangers, he side. In order to obviate this difficulty, went to the town prison, where he knew he called for breakfast, and again dean old acquaintance was confined, and sired the company of his worship, with there he remained concealed till the whose conversation he affected to be so search being over and curiosity at an much pleased, that he promised if the end, he was enabled to go quietly about Mayor would ride to the next town, his business. The same man, after the and spend the evening with him, he unfortunate affair in which the Duke of would stop and take dinner. This flatMonmouth perished, with whom he tery won the affection of the host, who acted as secretary, had a still more nar- very readily complied, and thus Fergnrow escape. Ferguson knew that a son in the company of the magistrate, proclamation was issusd out against passed safely through that town and the him, and his person was so very re- neighbourhood without being at all susmarkable, that he could hardly entertain pected. He then got a passage to Holthe least hopes of eluding pursuit. Be- land, and returned from thence with the ing, however, a man of great presence Prince of Orange. of mind, he made the best of his way for the coast; but instead of passing SMOLLETT'S TOMB.--Situated on the along bye-roads, or through little vil- banks of the Arno, between Leghorn lages, he entered the largest towns, and and Pisa, in the most romantic spot that fearlessly put up at the best inns. At even the vivid imagination of an Italian one place in Dorsetshire, where his could select, rises the tomb of our coundanger was the greatest, he found that tryman Smollett, the author of Roderick the principal inn was kept by the mayor, Random, &c. It is of a plain octagowhich circumstance made him choose nal form, about thirty feet in height, and that very house for his quarters. Here six feet in diameter at the base, which he came towards evening, ordered a forms an apartment, to which there are handsome supper, to which he invited three doors. The English who visit it the company of the landlord and his from the port of Leghorn, have erected wife. In the middle of the repast the a plain marble table, surrounded by mayor received a message desiring him stone seats within; and scarce a vessel to grant a search warrant for the appre- arrives, but the officers and crews pay a hension of one Ferguson. The magis- visit to Smollett's tomb, and do homage trate in consequence being obliged to to his memory in sacrifices of the most retire for the discharge of his official generous" lachrymæ christi" wine. duty, made an apology to his guest, It is worthy of remark, that the tomb and at the same time acquainted him is covered with laurel, so that scarce a with the reason of his absence. On his stone can be seen, and it is even bound return the conversation fell upon the up to to clear the entrance at the doors. subject of the fugitive and the offences The laurel grows wild in all parts of with which he stood charged. Fergu- Tuscany, and the homage of friends son, who knew that too much ardour has planted many a slip on the tomb of in condemning frequently betrays con- departed genius. Four marble slabs are sciousness of guilt, and that an attempt placed inside, with suitable inscriptions to palliate crime is apt to create suspi- in the Italian, Latin, Greek, and En VOL. 4.] Smollett-Anecdotes-Zoology of the Equinoctial Cow-tree. glish languages. The Italian runs thus: Stranger! respect the name of TOBIAS SMOLLETT A man of letters and playful genius; He died Contented in Tuscany. His soul Requires your prayers. LATIN. 233 A certain Pope being informed that some Jews were desirous of an audience, said" Jews! No, how can they expect to be admitted who were the murderers of our dear Saviour!" But hearing afterwards they were much afflicted at his refusal, having brought a J. B. very valuable present for his Holiness as a mark of their respect, he cried with a seemingly careless air, "Well, well, admit them; poor uninformed, ignorant wretches, they knew not what they were doing." He knew every thing-he loved every one. and Present ages, His works merit a place by the side of Boccaccio. Pray for his soul. S. The Greek inscription has been thus translated; I am not competent to say but a better may be given :- Here Smollett rests, A Citizen of the world, A Xenophon and an Hippocrates, A native country, it was this; He chose to die: I was his friend J. PALLIONETTA. THE ENGLISH INSCRIPTION. "Patria cara carier liberta." Enshrines in death the man of worth. → Vernet and Voltaire. - When Vernet, the celebrated painter, visited Voltaire for the first time, the author thus addressed him: "Welcome, M. Vernet! you are rising to immortality, for never were colours more brilliant or more durable than yours!" The Painter replied, My colours can never vie with your ink!' and caught the hand of Voltaire, which he was going to kiss with reverential awe, but the Poet snatched it away, modestly saying," What are you going to do? Surely if you kiss my hand, I must kiss your feet." COW TREE. Mr. Humboldt and his companions, in the course of their travels, heard an account of a tree which grows in the valleys of Aragua, the juice of which is a nourishing milk, and which, from that circumstance, has received the name of the cow tree. The tree is its general aspect resembles the chrysophyllum cainito its leaves are oblong, pointed, leathery, and alternate, marked with lateral veins, projecting downwards, they are parallel, and are ten inches J. H. B. long. When incisions are made into There is much merit in the latter com- the trunk, it discharges abundantly a position: it has evidently been written glutinous milk, moderately thick, withby a Scotchman. The Factory at Leg- out any acridness, and exhaling an horn know not who placed the slab, agreeable balsamic odour. The travelexcept that it was some person who lers drank considerable quantities of it brought it from Florence; the initials without experiencing any injurious J. H. B. I have heard interpreted James effects; its viscidity only rendering it Hay Beattie. I believe the Doctor rather unpleasant. The superintendent never was in Italy; whether he ever of the plantation assured them that the wrote such an inscription, I cannot pre- negroes acquired flesh during the season tend to say. This little account may in which the cow-ee yields the greatnot be uninteresting to your readers. est quantity of milk. When this fluid J. M. is exposed to the air, perhaps, in consequence of the absorption of the oxygen 2F Literary Gazette, Sept. 1818. ATHENEUM. Vol. 4. 234 Felix Alvarez. [VOL. 4 of the atmosphere, its surface becomes with cold water, the coagulum is formed covered with membranes of a substance in small quantity only; but the separathat appears to be of a decided animal tion of the viscid membranes occurs nature, yellowish, thready, and of a when it is placed in contact with nitric cheesy consistence. These membranes, acid. This remarkable tree seems to be when separated from the more aqueous peculiar to the Cordilliere du Littoral, part of the fluid, are almost as elastic as especially from Barbula to the lake of caoutchouc; but at the same time they Maracaybo. There are likewise some are as much disposed to become putrid traces of it near the village of San Mateo; as gelatine. The natives give the name and according to the account of M. of cheese to the coagulum, which is Bredmeyer, in the valley of Caucagua, separated by the contact of the air; in three days' journey to the east of the the course of five or six days it becomes Caraccas. This naturalist has likewise sour. The milk, kept for some time in described the vegetable milk of the cowa corked phial, had deposited a little tree as possessing an agreeable flavour coagulum, and still exhaled its balsamic and an aromatic odour: the natives of odour. If the recent juice be mixed Caucagua call it the milk-tree. From the European Magazine. FELIX ALVAREZ; OR, MANNERS IN SPAIN: CONTAINING DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNTS OF SOME OF THE PROMINENT EVENTS OF THE LATE PENINSULAR WAR; AND AUTHENTIC ANECDOTES, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE SPANISH CHARACTER ; INTERSPERSED WITH PIECES OF POETRY, ORIGINAL AND FROM THE SPANISH. BY ALEXANDER R. C. DALLAS, ESQ. MA ed, and in which he had participated for several years. The fable of the tale is briefly as follows: ADAME DE STAEL, we believe, was the first writer who employed fiction as a medium of pourtraying modern national characters: and though Mr. Dallas's Alvarez can Felix Alvarez, the son of a Spanish by no means be placed on a par with noble, learned, accomplished, and posher admired novel of Corinne ou sessing a susceptible heart, repairs to 'Italie, yet he has produced a work Madrid at the time Napoleon Buonahighly respectable in its execution, and parte had intruded his brother Joseph interesting in its incidents; which are into the Spanish throne. Here he ensustained to the last, and afford a more ters into all the dissipations of the meclose and interesting view of the Span- tropolis, from which he is aroused by ish character than is to be found in the celebrated insurrection of the 2d of many bulky tomes of voyages and May, 1808. Animated by the patriotic spirit which influenced so large a travels. Mr. Dallas enjoyed peculiar advan- portion of his countrymen on that day, tages for observing the manners and he was actively engaged in the attack characters of the Spaniards. Having on the French, and was dangerously been attached to the British army un- wounded. On his recovery, being inder General Graham (now Lord Lyne- vited by his friend Mosquera, (a secret doch, to whom this work is inscribed spy of the French) to join the patriotic in a manly dedication), Mr. D. Informs army, he repairs to Cadiz. Here he us, that after the raising of the siege of becomes enamoured of Ismena, a fair Cadiz, he accompanied the forces Andalusian, who returns his affection; through the whole of Spain; and that and, arousing him from the vortex of on the return of peace, he availed him- dissipation, in which she saw him in self of a season of leisure to comply danger of being absorbed, she procures with the request of his family, and him to be attached to the staff of a retrace on paper, for their amusement, British general officer. Thus introthe very active scenes he had witness- duced into the army, Alvarez was VOL. 4.] Felix Alvarez. 235 present at the fording of the Lake of la probability of a vigorous resistance from Jarda, and the memorable battle of them, he went himself with Julian to Barrosa, where General Graham so the town of Marta, and procured a eminently distinguished himself. Of quantity of tobacco, under the pretence these two achievements we have some of selling which, he intended to intro interesting particulars, which we do duce himself into the venta, to be able not remember to have seen in print. to seize the favourable opportunity of Subsequently betrayed to the French attack. To this end the guerillas by the perfidious Mosquera, Alvarez crossed the Rio Magasca at different is conducted to the head-quarters of times, and concealed themselves in the the general at San Lucar, but effects wood with which the venta is surroundhis escape in disguise. After travers- ed, all however sufficiently near to it to ing the country, he arrives at his pater- be able to hear any signal that might nal mansion in the village of Las be given from it. Alvarez and SanCasas del Puerto; he finds it plun- chez, with their tobacco, crossed the dered, and beholds the corpse of his river higher up, and got upon the road father suspended from a beam. A to Cacere which led them to the venta. long and severe illness, accompanied "As they approached it, they disby derangement, ensued for many covered several soldiers sitting before months. On the return of reason and the door smoking, whilst others were of health, Alvarez formed a band of employed in cleaning their accoutreguerillas from among the surviving ments in a shed which adjoined the peasants, his neighbours, and began house, and where there were ten horsthe ccessful career of vengeance, es ready saddled and prepared for serwhich soon procured for him the appel- vice, with the sabres of their riders lation of El Vengador, or the Aven- hanging at the pummels. Alvarez ger. One of his first exploits was to judged from this that half the detachsurprise a French post of communica- ment were kept on duty at one time. tions; and as the narrative of this undertaking will give our readers a good idea of the nature of the guerilla warfare, we extract the following particulars. "The soldiers accosted them : 666 any? 466 Let's see it.' "Alvarez produced his packet of tobacco, which one of the soldiers took from him; and calling to some of his companions, they began without ceremony to share its contents. 666 "If you take it all,' said Felix, you must pay me four dollars for it.' Quatro diablos,' cried a soldier, 'Be off at a trot, and thank your stars we don't take your horse from you.' "The Rio Magasca rolls its shallow and interrupted course round the base of a high bill, which intervenes between its stream and the large village of Marta. "It was on the side of this hill, as it shelved down to the river, that Alvarez first collected together his little troop, and here it was that they swore to prosecute an interminable war upon the ravagers of their country, and never to spare the life of a Frenchman whom "Alvarez acted his part by grumit was in their power to destroy: here bling, and pursuing his road, but he too they acknowledged Alvarez as had seen enough to know in what state their chief, and promised an entire he might expect to find the dragoons. obedience to his commands. Thus As soon therefore as he had got out of was formed their bond of union, and sight of the venta, he struck off amongst they prepared to place the seal upon it by the trees that bordered the road on dipping their swords in the blood of either side, and, retracing his steps, was their enemies. not long in rejoining his companions, "Alvarez determined not to give the who were in ambush in the rear of it. detachment any time for preparation, "It had been a fine day, but the but to fall upon them, if possible, en- evening sky had gradually becon.e tirely by surprise. To ascertain the overcast, and the gathering clouds, by |