A PLEA FOR THE RESERVED. "Mis avisas te previenen Que poco en fiarte aciertas La palabra, que á formar Fueres, corrigela atento; Que no has de hallar instrumento, ANTONIO DE SOLIS. WE are still in the habit of digging up venerable specimens of antediluvian wonders, and gazing at them, in our museums, with no small astonishment, and a considerable degree of thankfulness that such prodigies no longer exist in the present day. Perhaps the future generation may view with equal amazement the fossil or other "remains" of a few monsters of our own time, who, we would fain hope, are fast passing away, and their peculiar species becoming altogether extinct. If we wish to bring forward an example of only one out of the number, there is little doubt but that the selfish and opinionated man has a prescriptive right to stand first; loud and overbearing in speech, redolent of sneer and self-sufficiency in the lines of his visage, and in every action; eager to take advantage even of those he calls his friends, and thoroughly indifferent as to the means used for such purposes; profoundly insensible to the fact that his inferiors in estate can reasonably claim to have feelings, or in fact souls at all,—and filled with agressive and undisguised contempt for those whose diverse education or experience has led them to commit the crime of differing from his sovereign opinion, by look, word, or deed; with all these sublime characteristics, how shall we blame those of different temperament and disposition, who journeying in the same track of existence, yet draw over their heads the veil of reserve, that they may baffle the gaze of such a basilisk. This may be a sufficient allusion to the monster tribe; but even when we reach more hopeful phases of human nature, we believe it will be found that reserve rather springs from the want of congenial qualities in those around him, than from faults in the reserved man himself. What a necessary and serviceable buckler to protect him from unwarrantable interference and curiosity, nay, sometimes to preserve that invaluable treasure, the liberty, not to act entirely as one pleases, and as circumstances may invite, but to do in the direct way, and without hindrance and restraint, what one regards as right, just, and proper. To a self reliant and comprehensive mind, the eternal petty gossip over the trivialities of life, the elaboration of ways and means for puerile and useless objects, the contending and opposite advice of well-meaning or perhaps ignorant friends, all these connot but be distressing and prejudicial, and a moderate reserve is like oil cast upon the waters, smoothing the waves of discord upon the life voyage. It has been remarked, that nature performs some of her greatest operations the most quietly. In perfect silence the thousand stars of night look down from their immeasurable altitude, and the moon ascends to sit enthroned amidst them. In silence the grey morning dawns, and the sun comes forth in all his brilliancy. What prepares itself in greater stillness than the reawaking of nature, and what is more glorious than the Spring! Is it not so, too, with our own works? Do not the deepest and most powerful souls adjust everything in silence, and make but little noise with their doings and with themselves? Indeed, we may ask how it could be otherwise. How should great and wise thoughts arise, unfold, and be perfected and turned to usefulness; how should noble projects be planned and developed amidst the din of the worldly and indifferent, the wonder of the unthinking and unknowing, the foolish questioning of the incredulous, and vexatious opposition of the many, wise in their own conceit, who will only accept Truth in her most ancient and accustomed garb, though it be worn to tatters, and ever shut their eyes to the streaming light of the Present time through their dogged conservatism of the Past! Is not the depth of feeling in a man to be doubted, when he has no recesses in his soul into which none may enter? If a friend, is he not the more so because a stranger still in a thousand particulars, that he may come near in the holiest ground, or because fresh and more pleasing discoveries have daily to be made, new depths sounded, further treasures opened, that lay all unknown before? Where would be the sweet "uses of adversity," the golden residuum left by the waves of affliction, the strong teachings of sorrow, but for that shielding reserve which shuts out the influences that would nullify their effects; well is it that the heart knoweth its own bitterness, and a stranger intermeddleth not with its joy! Stigmatised, as they often are, with coldness of disposition, and want of kindness, the reserved are yet the most frequently consulted by those of opposite natures, in their griefs or emergencies, as if it were seen that confidences might be more safely given to those who were not always in the habit of proclaiming their own misfortunes, and that sympathy and disinterested advice would be more readily and gracefully afforded, where individual troubles had not the power to fill and engross the mind. In concluding. these few sentences, it is necessary to allow that reserve, like all other things may be carried too far, even to the chilling and congealing of the heart, like the keen north wind, the light of Heaven, changing it into a sharp pointed crystal of ice. With such an embittered drop in human form, we meet sometimes, shake our heads over it, and pass by, or cast a scornful smile, or a keen word over it, salt upon the frost! Shame on us that it should be so; it were better that "we paused," in the words of a northern writer,* "to think that this embittered drop is a petrified tear, the child of bitter sorrow, and disdained not for a moment to take upon ourselves the part of the sun, and shine upon the petrified drop to warm it. Perhaps it might be released thereby from its enchantment, perhaps it might again become that which it was in its childhood, a beautiful eye smiling towards heaven." Acting thus, gentle reader, perhaps it might thank thee by its beauty, and then, and in any case, blessed be thou! *F. Bremer. IOTA. MY MOTHER EARTH. O TAKE me to thy bosom earth, I hear in every sound thy voice; O let me gaze upon thy face, My mother dear, so wondrous fair, Of bard inspired may e'er declare. Sure thou must know the speechless love, I press thee gently, mother earth; I feel thy deep pulsations move. WHIBBLETON WIDGET OUT FOR A HOLIDAY, WITH HIS CHARMING ROSA, CHAPTER V. "Farewell thou sea! before me gleaming To the still woods, and silent caves, Thy rocks, thy cliffs, thy lights, thy shadows, Ar breakfast the meal was enlivened by the addition of Miss Cordelia Smythe, a young lady from Shropshire, who was staying at the Eastbourne Hotel with her father, and who made herself very agreeable, appearing much impressed with the erudition of Buggins, and the unexceptionable manner in which our hero was "got up," viz., with an extensive cerulean tie, in the place of the ever-to-be-regretted green one, and other articles of apparel which we fear to describe, lest their gorgeousness should overcome the minds of some of our readers and cause such a misfortune as a run upon the nearest tailors. Whatever effect the sunshine above, or the wild waves below might have had upon our party, it was certainly not one to cause any want of enjoyment of the cold beef, ham, or eggs, and fragrant coffee-such a greeting in the early morning is not to be despised by the voyager, and when the presiding queen at the coffee board is a "" charming Rosa," surely no more need be said. The waiter had left the room, Buggins was at the sideboard busy upon a cold chicken, carving a wing for Miss Cordelia with inimitable caution and ignorance of anatomy, when a frightful commotion took place at the breakfast table. It seems that Whibby, when he beheld the little white hand peeping forth from its lace sleeve, bracelets et id genus omni, to lift the coffee-pot, became possessed with the highly improper notion that it was incumbent upon him to treat it as if it had been the hand of a much higher and more august lady, that of our honoured Queen Victoria, and he acted in much the same way as if he had been presented at Court. The hand being hastily drawn back, and a scream proceeding from the amazed Miss Cordelia, who was the scandalized spectatress of the outrage, it may be well imagined that a violent jerk was given to the coffee-pot, some drops of the hot liquid were thrown over Widget's face, and alas! forgetting all the endurance that chivalry and heroism rendered necessary at such a juncture, he bounced up as if he had been shot, and completely overturned the small table, sending the eggs flying in the direction of poor Buggins, and the cups and saucers, milk jug and sugar, all in ruin and rack, upon the unfortunate ladies Cordelia and Rosa! Buggins rushed forward. For a moment, shall we confess it, poor Rosa was herself at fault from the suddenness of the accident; taken by surprise, she let the coffee-pot fall, and of course, to complete the misfortune, right upon the crouching form of her brother, who was endeavouring to save some plates that were rolling along in right good fellowship. As the stream came like a scalding douche upon him, Robert uttered a roar like that of an hyæna at bay, Widget set up a shout likewise, that was heard an incredible distance off by the fishermen in their boats, and neither Rosa or Cordelia could refrain from a series of feminine ejaculations, which made up a quartette of such a powerful nature, that it speedily brought all the people in the house to the rescue, fat landlord, waiter, chambermaid, Mr. Smythe, half shaved and wild with terror, all came like a torrent. It is of no use trying to do justice to the scene-we must just shift it and make room for another. As a means of tranquillizing the nerves of the ladies, it was proposed that they should take advantage of the calm, quiet sea to venture out for a row or a sail. Robert Buggins escorted Miss Cordelia, and Widget, of course, gallantly convoyed his charming Rosa. As for Mr. Smythe, he had cut himself frightfully in the tremulous shaving which ensued after his picturesque entry into the melée at breakfast, and he preferred remaining within, to drown his sorrows literally "in the bowl," for the enormous coffee cups might well bear that designation, and to allay his excitement by the perusal of the last alarming accounts in the morning newspapers of Louis Napoleon's dire designs and threatened invasion of "perfide Albion !" On arrival at the beach there was at first some embarrasment as to the choice of a boat, amongst the number that were waiting, with flags flying and mariners offering their services at every turn. The general predilection of our party, however, was to the largest and heaviest boat to be had for the money; Whibby enthusiastically pointed out one which certainly bore no possible resemblance to a clipper, but in lieu of such comparatively useless advantage, was painted a bright green, his favourite colour, with a narrow strip of red, making, as our friend declared, a very loud appearance alone by itself—what it would be with the addition of himself for captain, Buggins for mate, and the most precious freight of the two ladies, it was beyond imagination to conceive. |