izing to a servant in the knowledge that | the amount. Most married ladies of any
he is six feet high. He cannot help being experience must be able to recall any-
aware that under such circumstances his thing but pleasant memories of the grim
morals are of little importance. We have females that have offered their services as
heard the theory advanced that no one cooks, of ponderous women with many
should think of asking the character of a ribbons and large brooches who have de-
footman who is more than six feet high. sired to become their "cook-housekeep-
We are inclined to believe that unaspir-ers," and of scullery drabs who called
ing people would be wise in avoiding tall themselves good plain cooks. From red-
footmen altogether. Short men are quite faced widows redolent of crape to hard-
as often good servants. as tall ones; they featured, print-dressed she-dragons that
give themselves fewer airs, and they do look like female warders, the ordinary run
not constantly live in hopes of "bettering of women that apply for cooks' situations
themselves." Indeed they are usually are by no means attractive. Nor do we
anxious to remain in their situations; for think that many mistresses would be able
they know very well that they would find to say that lady's - maid-hunting was a
it exceedingly difficult to get a fresh one. much pleasanter occupation than cook-
Even more troublesome to find than good hunting. Until they are thirty lady's-
footmen are good coachmen and grooms. maids are apt to be too much engrossed
Very rich men who keep both stud grooms with their own love affairs to attend to
and head coachmen may get what they the wants of their mistresses; and after
want with a moderate amount of diffi- they are thirty they too often spend their
culty; but those who require good coach-time in quarrelling with and making mis-
men who shall also take charge of their chief among their fellow-servants.
stables can rarely find exactly what they But, after all, servant-hunting, like other
want. Coachmen may roughly be divided sports, has its pleasures. Far from all
into three classes those who are bad servants being bad, there are many who
all round; those who are good London do so much to make us comfortable that
coachmen, but know little about the man- the wages we give them seem nothing
agement of horses; and those who under- like a fair repayment for the trouble they
stand the management of horses, but are take for us. All day long, and often much
inefficient London coachmen. It is next of the night, they are at our beck and
to impossible to find out much about call; they bear patiently the brunt of our
coachmen until one has tried them both testiness and ill-temper, and do every-
in London and in the country. They all thing in their power to humor our fads
thoroughly recommend themselves, and and fancies. They are far more refined
confidently assert their knowledge of than some of the guests we are obliged to
horses, horsemanship, and the art of driv- entertain; they resist the temptations to
ing; but very little can be known of their rob us which our carelessness often offers
skill until they have been tried with an to them; they bear good-humoredly the
awkward pair of horses in a Bond Street toils which our dissipations entail upon
crowd, in a morning's shopping north of them, and they endure with resignation
Oxford Street, in a round of afternoon the bad language or the lengthy devotions
calls in South Kensington, and in a win- which we, according to our various dis-
ter in the country with horses suffering positions, may choose to inflict upon them.
from lameness and influenza. So many When we have got servants of such a
qualities are necessary in a good coach- stamp as this - and they are not very
man that written characters from former rare exceptions - we look back with sat-
masters convey but little information, and isfaction to the day on which, with per-
many a first-rate second coachman makes haps considerable hesitation and not a
a very indifferent head man. A thor few misgivings, we decided upon engag-
oughly efficient head coachman is gen-ing them. It does not do to be too fussy
erally an unbearable tyrant, and yet a man
who has only been an under coachman
will have to gain his experience entirely
at your cost and inconvenience.

If good male domestics are hard to find, what shall be said of women-servants? In most households there are about three women to every man servant; so, if masters have some little servant-hunting to occupy their time, mistresses have treble

when searching for servants, nor is it well to pester either applicants or their former employers with too many questions; it is undesirable to press for letters from their clergymen, to ask them whether they are engaged to be married, or to inquire whether they have had measles and whooping-cough; but, for all that, we are satisfied that there would be far fewer complaints about servants if people would

only be more careful before engaging a Solemn Jubilee at Westminster abbey them. In short, those who wish to have in honor of Handel, whom We adopted, bright faces about them, popular houses, & who is revered as the Patriarch of our contented guests, and few troubles, would Music. Indeed our Taste is a little devido well to learn early in life all the prin- ated to the branch of Dancing, which we ciples, the mysteries, and the subtleties possess in a perfection that rivals Paris. of the important science of servant-hunt-It is very seldom that I go to the Theatre ing.

every part of Italy where I coud to recover Grecian Works.

endeavour now to acquit myself, it will be ing Poetry accompanied Sound, the fascivery imperfectly, & with difficulty, as I nation was increased. In Short, Sr, were have but one hand yet free. I was con- I King of Naples, I should be inclined to fined 14 weeks; then went out for a fort- turn up every acre round my Capital, night, & have now another relapse in all where I coud suppose any of the destroyed my right arm; less owing even to my Cities had stood, lest new Earthquakes Disorder & my age, then to the uncom- shoud destroy what still exists undermonly severe continuation of bad Weath-ground, · so I shoud at Rome, & in er. It snowed fast for four hours two days ago, & is still a hard frost. There have been tho' rarely, as cold winters in England, but nobody has heard of one of so long duration. Lord & Lady Mount Edgecumbe have been extremely kind to me & visited me often in my confinement. I am very glad they will so soon have the satisfaction of seeing Mr Edgecumbe. I was glad too to find Mr Morrice's Death was a fable. He will not, I hope, stay at Naples for health, if Vesuvius threatens an Eruption. One should dread even to be Spectator of such calamities, nor do I know so strong a proof of the force of Habitude, as They are who continue to live on a crust of Fire! I am constantly anxious about my good Friend Sr Horace Mann, his nephew set out again a fortnight ago in haste, on receiving a letter written by his Uncle's Servant, which mentioned a return of his Disorder. I much fear the consequence.

We are not visited by Earthquakes now, yet last night the Arts received a wound; Lord Spencer's House was burnt to the ground, & with other good pictures & valuable goods, besides the loss of the Mansion itself, I fear the very fine picture of Andrea Sacchi was consumed. I do not yet know the circumstances. hand is tired, & you will excuse my taking leave; but I shall be very glad to renew our acquaintance at yr return, as I am with great regard

Sr yr obedient

My

humble Sert HOR WALPole.

66

From The Nineteenth Century. ENGLISH PLAYERS IN GERMANY, 1600. ENTERING the Athenæum one afterI am glad you was pleased with Pæs- noon in the spring of 1840 I found my tum, Sr; but shoud be more inclined to old friends Mr. Amyot, the treasurer, and envy you the sight of Pompeii; as I had Sir Henry Ellis, the secretary of the Sorather view Remains of places where the ciety of Antiquaries, in quiet confab beArts had been brought to perfection, than fore the hall fire. On seeing me Mr. to see the rudiments. Whatever Nations Amyot said: Oh, here is Thoms, perbegan, the Greeks were in my eyes the haps he can give us a hint or suggest only People who discovered the Standard something," and I was immediately inof Taste in whatever they undertook. In formed of the subject they were consid how few Centuries did they give the true ering. Sir Henry had received notice & last touches to Eloquence, to many that the prince consort had notified his kinds of Poetry, to Architecture, to Sculp-intention of attending a meeting of the ture, from Colossal to the most diminu-society for the purpose of being admitted tive, & I believe to Painting, for as their a fellow, and although Sir Henry had Authors & Roman Authors speak in equal some very curious antiquities to exhibit, terms of both their Statues & Pictures; he had not a paper of sufficient interest & as we know & see that they did not to read before his Royal Highness. Could exaggerate in their Encomiums on the I suggest a fitting subject for such a paformer, is it credible that they coud be- per? No, my antiquarian knowledge was stow equal praises on the Apollo & Venus below par, and I had no suggestion to &c and on vile daubings? Shoud I be offer. But in the course of conversation told that those Authors are still more stress was laid upon the desirability of profuse of Eulogiums on their Music, finding a literary or historical topic which which we have no reason to believe was should have both a German and English very extraordinary; I not only should re- interest in it. Upon this hint I spake; ply that the Comparison between Statues and knowing that both my learned friends & pictures can be more justly made, but were great Shakespearian scholars, I that Music must have greater effect on asked whether they did not think that the the passions of persons unaccustomed to visit of an English company of players to it than on generations habituated to its Germany about the year 1600 might furimprovements; & as we know that charm-nish materials for such a paper as they

wanted. To my great surprise neither of | ing over my notes I found in them what I them knew anything about this. Neither, believed to be materials for a paper which perhaps, should I have done so, but from I believed would do me no discredit. So I the fact that at about the time of Miss set to and worked them up in the form of Ellen Tree's professional visit to Ger- a letter to our excellent treasurer, who, as many I had found some allusions to the well as Sir Henry, was pleased with it. performances of a company of English On the appointed evening (May 21, 1840) actors in that country in Horn's "Poesie I went to Somerset House, anxious to und Beredsamkeit der Deutschen," and witness how Sir Henry would serve up had, anticipating Captain Cuttle's sensible the dainty dish which had been prepared advice," made a note of it." To my great to set before the prince. But I was surprise, neither Amyot nor Sir Henry doomed to disappointment. Prince Alknew anything about this matter; but bert, one of whose characteristics was after questioning as to what I recollected punctuality, had been accidentally deabout it, they would not let me go till they tained at Buckingham Palace, and instead had extorted from me a promise that I of arriving at the Society of Antiquaries would look over my notes, and if I found at 8 o'clock, as had been arranged, did in them materials for a short paper that I not enter the meeting until 8.30, at which would write one, and put Sir Henry out time it had been arranged he should proof his difficulty. Those who knew the ceed to the Royal Society to pass through worthy head of the British Museum, and the same ceremony of being admitted a that his business habits were as great as fellow. The consequence was, that after the variety and extent of his general his formal admission as a fellow by Lord knowledge, will recognize him in two very Aberdeen, and making a rapid inspection characteristic remarks which this conver- of the antiquities prepared for exhibition, sation called forth. In the course of it I and having had presented to him the offihad mentioned the play of "Titus Andron- cers, council, and some few of the more icus." "Bother that," he said, "how am eminent fellows, his Royal Highness proI to pronounce it, Andronicus or Andron- ceeded up-stairs to the Royal Society, and icus?" and as I was leaving he enjoined my poor paper, which had caused so much me, "Keep your paper very short, not to anxiety to the authorities and to myself, take more than seven minutes in the was left unread. reading." On my return home and look

W. J. THOMS.

a

Peo

TRAVELLING MOSS. Our readers have | leaving furniture and cattle behind themprobably never read or heard of the "trav- prey to the black and nauseous stream. elling moss." It was one of the most curious ple flocked from all parts of the country to things that ever occurred in the Border coun- gaze on the mysterious phenomenon and the try. It happened in the November of 1771, ruin it had produced. The rental of the region just one hundred and ten years ago, between was estimated to have exceeded £400 a year, the rivers Sark and Esk, in the parish of Kirk- and the area it covered was about five hundred andrews, some four miles from Longtown, on acres, and in some places the stagnant lake was the estate of Sir James Graham, of Netherby. thirty feet in depth. About twenty-eight famDuring a dark and tempestuous night, without ilies and many little farms were greatly injured giving any warning, there was a sudden and by the pitchy pool vomited up, as it were, from overwhelming eruption of the Solway Moss, the bowels of the earth. The distress would the crash of which descending from a higher have been much greater but for the humane to a lower level, greatly alarmed the fears, and and generous laird, who contributed to the made the very bones of the inhabitants to support of the people involved, and replaced tremble. Why it should have been so fast as far as possible their various losses. By moored, age after age, and now have moved means of long channels in various directions, away from its native place like a floating island, under the skilful management of a Yorkshirenobody could tell, and, indeed, they had not man of the name of Wilson, the water was let time to cogitate that question. Those who off, and the earthy matter was at length carted resided where the vast mass of eruptive mat- away. Many years elapsed before the traces ter broke forth, filled with consternation and of this singular calamity disappeared, and it is dread, had to flee almost naked from their matter for thankfulness that there has never houses to find shelter and safety on higher since been a recurrence of it. ground from the desolating, foul, muddy flood, I

1

Fraser's Magazine,

VI. THE POETRY OF Dante GABRIEL ROSSETTI, Fraser's Magazine,
VII. MARCH IN THE COUNTRY,

Saturday Review,

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