416 Account of Dr. Johnson's Visit to Cambridge. it affords a strong confirmation of that poetical adage, generally,though falsely, attributed to Pope, while it belongs to Lord Roscommon, viz. :— That want of decency is want of sense. In the height of our convivial hilarity, our great man exclaimed "Come, now, I'll give you a test: now I'll try who is a true antiquary amongst you. Has any one of this company ever met with the History of Glorianus and Gloriana?" Farmer, drawing the pipe out of his mouth, followed by a cloud of smoke, instantly said- I've got the book."—" Gi' me your hand, gi' me your hand," said Johnson; "you are the man after my own heart." And the shaking of two such hands, with two such happy faces attached to them, could hardly, I think, be matched in the whole annals of literature! 66 Our philosopher's exhibition of Mrs. Macaulay's political principles and conduct was a rich classical treat, of which I much regret that I can present to my readers nothing more than the concluding circumstance, with which it now appears to be high time that this narrative also should be brought to a conclusion. After much of the Doctor's sportiveness and play of wit, at the lady's expense, Beauclerk called out-"Come, come, Doctor, take care what you say, and don't be too saucy about Mrs. Macaulay; for if you do, I shall find means of setting her upon you as soon as we return, and she will comb your wig for you pretty handsomely." Johnson..." Well, sir, and pray by what means do you propose to achieve this notable exploit of yours, Mr. Beauclerk?" Beauclerk..." Oh! I'll soon tell you that, Doctor. You can't deny that it's now a full fortnight since Mrs. M. made you a present of her history; and to my certain knowledge it still remains in your study without one of the leaves being cut open; which is such a contempt of the lady's genius and abil ities, that, should I acquaint her with it, as perhaps I shall, I wouldn't be in your place, Doctor, for a good deal, I [VOL. 4 assure you." Johnson, sub-laughing all the while at this threat..." Why, in the first place, sir, I am so far from denying your allegations, that I freely confess, before this company, that they are perfectly true and correct. The work of Mrs. Macaulay is indeed in the situation that you have described. But in the second place, sir, I may safely, I believe, dely all your oratorical powers so far to work upon that lady's vanity as to induce her to believe it possible, that I could have suffered ber writings to lie by me so long, without once gratifying myself by a perusal of them. However, pray try, Mr. Beauclerk: I beg you will try, sir, as soon as you think proper; and then we shall see whether you will soonest bring the lady about my ears, or about your own, sir." Such was the rapid appearance and disappearance, the very transient visit of this great man, to an University supereminently famous in itself for the production of great men. It was a visit, however, of which he spoke afterwards in town, to the writer of this account, with very pleasing recollections.— Though he must have been well known to many of the heads and doctors at this seat of learning, yet he seemed studious to preserve a strict incognito; his only aim being an introduction to his favourite scholar-his brother patriot, and antiquary, who was then Mr. but afterwards Dr. Farmer, and master of his college, and who finally declined episcopacy. Merit like Johnson's Denton, Lincolnshire, I for this vagabond family? Sir WHEN happiness has not been Amurat, may Mahommed protect you, preceded by pain it is the less agreeable, for the value of all things is doubled by contrast. A rich man who has never been poor, knows not the worth of money; and successful love, that has not met with difficulties, does not afford supreme felicity. O handsome Amurat, what tears and sighs has the sentiment that occupies your soul caused you! You are not yet, however, at the end of your career; and are gallopping over hill and dale with the squire Sabaoth, as was former ly done by the knight of La Mancha with the faithful Sancho. Sabaoth, dressed up in the long doc toral gown, intended for the father of Ernestine, at that time a physician, was taken for a magician all along the roads; children, at his sight, hid themselves on the breasts of their nurses, young girls ran away, old people cross ed themselves, while the younger ones laughed enough to split their sides. The handsome Amurat, dressed in a gown of sky-blue, inspired other sentiments. He was thought to be a damsel of high rank if not a princess, so brilliant were his charms, his manners so in teresting. The villagers shouted out as they passed, "begone, hasten from hence, thou ill-looking spectre, thou wicked monster, whom that beautiful lady has chosen for her companion, to increase the brightness of her charms by the contrast of thy ugliness!" While they addressed Amurat, "Return, return, fair fugitive, and do not deprive our country of so much beauty." The two Moors, thus disguised, arrived at Madrid, and thence advanced into Arragon, where they gained some intimation of a wandering family having passed through those parts." It must be them," said Amurat; "let us spur on, friend Sabaoth, we shall surely overtake them." "I am in no such hurry as you are," replied Sabaoth," what care 3 E ATHENEUM, VOL. 4. 66 but for my part, I shall return to Grenada." That you can no longer do," answered Amurat; "have you forgot ten, that should the Castillians lay hold of you, you are of the set they burn on a slow fire? Come with me inte France, there is no Inquisition in that country. We shall recover my Ernestine, and you will find means to live there, as well as any where else. Your profession is not so exalted, but that you may gain by it as much in France as you did in Grenada; besides, that place must assuredly be in the hands of the Spaniards, and what could you now do there? Come with me, I say, my Ernestine is a Frenchwoman, and we shall surely find her. You are old, I am young, and I will work for Ernestine and for you; our Andalusian mares will carry us over the world; come along." Sabaoth complied, and was not the first instance of wisdom being led by folly. Folly! is there any folly that deserves so much indulgence as that of love? it excites energy in the coldest hearts, and attacks the most indifferent. The sighs of Sabaoth were almost in unison with those of Amurat, and on seeing the gambols of the shepherdesses in the plains, his heart revived, and he regretted that the time of his youth had been so much employed in stables. But let us notstop our two fugitives; they arrived at Pampeluna, following the road the Minstrel had taken; but there happened so strange an adventure to Amurat at Pampeluna, we cannot pass it over. A youth of Navarre, struck with the beauty, and deceived by the dress of Amurat, took it into his head to make love to him while he was alone in the room, and Sabaoth occupied with the care of his horses. The discourteous knight fastened the door, and was about to attempt violence on him the brave Moor smiled at first at his mistake, and without deceiving the Navarrois, began to defend himself; but the other, firmly persuaded that it was a woman, flattered himself with an easy conquest. The blows, however, which he received from Amurat, made him comprehend that it would not be so easy as he had imagined He had not thought that a woman could have had so much courage and strength. He was knocked down repeatedly, and Amurat was kicking bim out of the room when Sabaoth en tered in amazement. Our two adventurers arrived in France, questioning all travellers, and passing through various provinces. They had lost the thread of their inquiries, and were in despair. From Pampeluna to Vaucelles is a long way; how to succeed in so difficult an undertaking! Sabaoth wept in the most touching and most laughable manner. The two poor Andalusian mares were knocked up-our Pilgrims, however, kept moving; not that they had any longer a hope of success, but they were less tired when travelling than when quiet. They had gained the banks of the Loire; but neither at Angers, Tours, or at Orleans, could they learn any intelligence of the Piper or of his charming daughter. At Paris they were still more unlucky, for they might have found here a thousand Arabians for one player on the pipes. There were numberless girls, but no Ernestine. God of Love, what a difference between them !! Our Pilgrims left Paris, and took the road to Flanders. Oh Flanders! we must now return to the sorrowing Ernestine. The poor girl deserved pity --she had no longer those tints of roses and lilies, whose brilliancy could not formerly have been seen with impunity, and she was become so thin and pale, that Amurat, the enamoured Amurat himself, would hardly have known her. Unfortunate Amurat! as he travelled, his embarrassments increased for, in dependent of the pains of love, which he equally suffered with Ernestine, his purse, and that of Sabaoth, were exhausted. They were forced, Mahom [VOL. 4 The medans as they were, to go from convent to convent begging hospitality. One evening they knocked at the gate of the monastery of Vaucelles. Minstrel was at that moment relating some of his minor adventures, which be had omitted in the history of his life, and they were all sitting round the fire. The wind whistled so loud, some said they heard mournful cries, which probably were nothing but the breeze; but the Minstrel swore that it was an apparition; he was perfectly convinced there were such, for he had seen one at Toledo with his tavo eyes. "One night,” said he, "soon after I had come to Toledo, as I was sleeping in my bed beside my chaste companion, I heard my water-pot tumble down, which made me start up in my sleep, and, by the glimmering light of my small lamp, I noticed a man in his shirt descend from my window. He seemed to resemble a good deal the officer of the holy brotherhood; but it certainly was an optical illusion which deceived my sight, and made me mistake a living for a dead man. I jumped out of my bed, and ran into the kitchen, where I passed the remainder of the night in the utmost fear, and without closing an eye." He was at this part of the story, when they heard a loud knocking at the gate. The Minstrel trembled more than when in his bed he saw the apparition; but they laughed at his alarm, and made him go and see who was at the gate. "Who is there?"" Open to two poor travellers." The gate is opened, and the first person who presented himself to his view was Sabaoth. He thought he was the Devil, and trembled more in all his limbs than formerly in the stable at Grenada, when this flower of grooms laid the thong on his innocent shoulders. Sabaoth also knew again him whom he had taught to physic horses, and who had doctored Zegris, but did not feel much satisfaction at it, for he was afraid that now, as the Minstrel was on his own dunghill, he might feel himself inclined to repay him all the kindness he had received at Grenada. The Minstrel did not recollect Ama. VOL. 4.] The Minstrel of Bruges. rat, so much had his dress disguised him. He conducted him to the ladies' apartment, where Ernestine came to receive him, and having placed the pretended damsel in proper hands, he returned to the hall of the strangers, where he was accustomed to do the honours of the monastery to visitors in the absence of the steward. "Sir Sabaoth, by what adventure are you reduced to ask hospitality in a Christian monastery,you who laid down the laws and gave such rude blows in those superb stables of Grenada?" "Alas,” replied Sabaoth," I may also ask you by what chain of events a Minstrel turned stable-boy, and afterwards Esculapius in the kingdom of Murcia, can have fallen from such high state, as to be reduced in the Low Countries to act the part of porter to a set of Monks? But I see now my own fate, that the powerful Master of our destinies, after having scattered us over this lower earth, amuses himself sometimes in making us from millers turn Bishops: It has happened to the gallant Zegris, formerly our common master. This great man, appointed General of Grenada, was conquered, Sir Minstrel, by the too fortunate Castillians, and his army completely defeated. I was holding in readiness, behind the baggage, these same Andalusian mares whom I have seen you curricomb and purge with so much intelligence. Vain precaution!-the conqueror advanced, dispersed us, and cut off all passage to Grenada. Finding it impossible to return thither, and fearing the holy office, should I be taken by the Spaniards, I disguised myself, and wrapping myself up in this robe, which was then handsome, I traversed Spain, and arrived in France. But,, in the mean time, before I relate to you all my disasters, could you not order me a little something to eat." The Minstrel, who had no more gall than a dove, forgetting all that he had formerly suffered from the redoubtable Sabaoth, flew to the kitchen, and brings him the remains of an old pastry, and a flagon of champaign wine, which the faithless Mussulman finds a thousand 419 times better than all the sour sherbet of Grenada. Love, thou cruel and delightful god, thou recallest me to thee, and to quit the hall of the strangers to attend to what is passing in the ladies' apartment. Precisely at the moment the Minstrel presented the handsome Amurat to Ernestine, this poor unfortunate was weeping over his fate, which was her usual occupation when alone-in company she contented herself with thinking of him and sighing. Alas," said she," he is now without doubt no longer among the living the holy office never quits its prey. He is dead-the beloved of my heart, my eternal torment, and yet my delight." As she was thus talking to herself, a young lady, dirtily dressed; entered the apart ment; she wore a veil that covered her face, and a gown that no one would ever have guessed to have been skyblue, or a robe in which love would ever have dressed out an admirer. This awkward lady advanced, with an embarrassed and melancholy air, and with trembling steps, but without taking her eyes off the ground, towards Ernestine, who conducted her to the chamber she was to sleep in, also without looking at ber. Ye blind admirers of a blind god,— neither of you know the other. Ernestine sighs—this sigh is mechanically repeated by Amurat-he seats himself thanks her, with uplifted hands, without looking at her-Ernestine says, "Madam, can I be of any service to you? Would you wish for any supper?" At the sound of this voice, which vibrated at the bottom of his heart, Amurat cries out, “ Ernestine, Ernestine! it must be thee whom I have heard, and whom I have now found again." He throws himself at her feet, while she casts herself into his arms. The Minstrel's wife, now become cook to the visitors, on coming to receive orders from the strange lady, surprises her daughter in the midst of these inexpressible embraces." Mother!" exclaims Ernestine," it is the faithful Amurat, who has been seeking me all 420 The Minstrel of Bruges. the world over." The reader may remember that this dame had favoured their loves with all her power, and to accomplish their marriage had not scrupled to rob her husband. She had been in despair of Amurat's life, from the moment she saw him carried off by her ancient lover, the officer of the holy inquisition-She had witnessed the dechining health of her daughter-it may be guessed, therefore, how happy the sight of the handsome Moor made her. But how could they make the Minstrel hear reason? he was generally one of the best natured men in the world, but the most intractable in matters of religion. His wife thought of a method that would ensure success: it was to gain over the Lord Abbot, who certainly ought to know better than any bagpiper, whether a Christian could conscntiously espouse a sectary of Mahommed. The Lord Abbot was not only free from bigotry, but very well informed. He quoted numberless examples of such marriages legally contracted, from the times of Mahommed to the present moment. He named several kings of Portugal and Spain, who had married the daughters of Moorish princes, and even emperors of Constantinople, who had formed similar connexions, without the Patriarchs having had any thing to say against them. After such authorities, nothing remained but to tell the Minstrel what was passing; but this good Minstrel was at the moment in an excess of rage, and had almost throttled poor Sabaoth, who, while they were drinking together, had told him that the pretended girl who had accompanied him to the mopastery, was a boy, and neither more nor less than Amurat. At the name of Amurat, the Minstrel bristled up like a game-cock, flung Sabaoth's turban into the fire, and was tearing away his gray beard by handfuls; "Race detested, of Cain or of Beelzebub," baw ed out the Minstrel ; " was it for such circumcised dogs to pretend to marry my daughter?" They had the utmost difficulty to disengage the unfortunate Sabaoth from the hands of this mad [voL. 4 man; but no sooner did the Lord Abbot appear, than the sight of his pectoral cross calmed the rage of the respectful serpent. The Abbot told him he was a fool." Most reverend father," replied the Minstrel," my wife has told me so these many years." "Your wife is in the right," answered the bead of the monastery; she is desirous to conclude a marriage which you ought to have had done in Murcia, and had you then consented, you would have spared yourself a great deal of trouble. Unnatural father! would you see your daughter peri before your eyes?! come forward Ernestine, it is I that will perform this marriage; give me your hand, my pretty, and let this faithful Moor receive it; I will that he remain in the convent until my nephew sets out for Frizeland, whither he shall accompany him. He has travelled over many parts of the world, and has been unfortunate, two sufficient qualifications to guide the youth of my nephew; he shall be his esquire, and I will take charge of his fortune. I shall instruct him in the principles of our holy religion, and if he embraces it, I pretend that it shall be by persuasion alone, and of his own free will." 66 The Cambresian was enchanted with the idea of his uncle; he embraced Amurat, who cast himself at the Abbot's feet, and said, " Reverend father, I will follow no other religion but yours and Ernestine's-I was the most wretched of mankind-you have made me the most happy"-on his respectfully approaching the Minstrel, he exclaimed," Ah! with all my heart, now thou art a Christian, and my Lord Abbot will have it so." He then kissed the hands of his mother-in-law, but the presence of the Abbot could not prevent him from throwing himself with transport into the arms of Ernestine. All present were much affected, when Sabaoth, of whom no one had thought in these arrangements, said sorrowfully, "And what is to become of me then?" On turning their eyes on him, the sight of his bald head, his beard, that had been so inhumanly torn by the terrible Minstrel, and his dress all in tatters, to |