1836.

Autobiographical Sketches connected with Laycock Abbey.

13

clue to the time of its publication. However, the name and address of the solicitor were still left; and though not very sanguine as to the result, I sate down, and despatched a few lines of inquiry. The third day's post brought me an answer. It was from the solicitor himself, and confirmed the good tidings of my threadpaper. In this way was I put in possession of the little property which, with the blessing of God, I now enjoy."

perused, and made a great impression upon | seat, where I used mostly to station myself, me at the time, for I had then to learn of what and from whence my eye could range over stuff this world was made. her little garden, filled most luxuriantly with In looking back to our native place, after all sorts of flowers, from the simple daisy, to an absence of some twenty years, what chan- the dainty lily of the valley, and muskey carges do we not discover! How many whom nation; while round the lattice hung, wildly we left in the warm bloom of life are now ten- beautiful, the flexile jasmine, with its sweet ants of the cold grave; while others who and star-like flowers. I remember her once were but in the dawning spring of young ex- telling me, as she unfolded a thread-paper, istence, launching their fairy vessels on the that to such a simple source she was indebted sunny tide of hope, have since suffered ship- for the small income that rendered her old wreck on the wild ocean of passion, or gone age independent. "I was one day," said she, down into the deep waters of adversity, with- "idly looking over an old thread case, like out bringing up that "pearl of the soul," this, made out of a newspaper, and which had which affliction was intended to bring to light. been lying for years at the bottom of a box, To return to my early haunts. There is when my own name caught my eye, and nano place, though mentioned last, that stands turally enough rivetted my attention to a pafirst in my regard like Notton House, the man-ragraph, intended indeed for myself, and dision of the late Colonel Andry, midway be- recting me to apply to a solicitor in London, tween Lackham and Laycock Abbey. It has where, in the usual phraseology, I should a double claim upon my rememberance. As hear of something to my advantage. But the scripture, our best guide, says, "thine own then arose the question, when was this parafriend and thy father's friend forsake not." graph inserted? The torn paper contained no Colonel Andry had been the unchanging friend of my family for three generations; and like the hardy evergreen, his heart, in the winter of life, showed all the freshness of spring to the grandchildren of him, who had shared in all his boyish sports, and enjoyed his affection in ripened manhood. To Notton House, therefore, I was always permitted to go, when too young, according to etiquette, to be introduced into company. The good old colonel especially loved to make his house a scene of Colonel Andry had been thrice married, enjoyment to young folks. He was a genu- and Mrs. Pasmore had been the friend of all ine country gentleman of the old school; his three wives: and it is somewhat singular, courteous to strangers, a dear lover of hospi- that when his first wife, who was in a contality, and never so much delighted, as when sumption, was taking leave of her friends, he saw happy human faces gathered round before her departure for Madeira, his two suchis social board. His mansion, though not so ceeding wives came to bid her farewell-the large as those of some of the neighboring gen- the second wife, then a girl, and the third try, could always furnish beds for friends and with her first husband, to whom she was just casual visitors, in the hunting and shooting married. "Had any one," said the colonel, season: for the colonel, though at the age of "then told me that I should be the husband seventy, was still passionately fond of field of all three, assembled at that time in my sports. I have never witnessed more genuine drawing-room, I should have treated the idea comfort and hilarity, than at his fire-side. as the most improbable of all improbabilities; Go when you would, you were always sure for I doated on my first wife, and had scarceto meet a cordial greeting, and a room full of ly even noticed the others." How interesting, company, and the gay old man the youngest yet startling, it would be to us all, if we could of the party. He had, besides his amiable lift the veil of futurity! But this is indeed wife, an able coadjutor in his endeavors to wisely denied. A knowledge of the distant spread sunshine round the domestic hearth. would only unfit our minds for the present, Mrs. Pasmore was a widow lady, in her eigh- and so rob us both of our resignation to, and ty-second year; but as buoyant in spirit as our trust in, the great and benignant Archihimself. She was an exceedingly droll and tect of our fate. Amongst the almost daily witty woman, with a fine even temper, that visitors at Notton House, was Miss Kitty showed itself in her smooth unwrinkled brow, B, an ancient lady, whom in those my which was never decorated with those artifi- juvenile days, I really dreaded to meet: for cial ringlets, now so indispensable at the toil- she made such (beyond all measure) terrible ette of age. She did not live at Notton faces, that it was a heavy tax upon good manHouse, but in a pretty cottage, which the co- ners, to look at her without laughing. Miss lonel had built for her in his own grounds. Wright, the niece of Lord Chedworth, told me There I often visited her, and passed many an an amusing circumstance respecting Miss hour in listening to anecdotes of her youthful B- which occurred when they were days; and for many old legends, and scraps school-girls together. Happening to be placof poetry, with which my memory is stored, ed one Sunday in a pew close to the pulpit, am I indebted to that early friend. I often Miss B, who was sitting directly opposite look back to the little snug parlor, with its to the clerk, made, as was her wont, such old fashioned adornments, and low window-wry faces, that the worthy giver out of

"Sweet bard, from whose fertility of thought, And noble daring, kindred souls have sought, And found their way to fame,

psalms, (who was a comely looking person- possess the sacred gift of beautifying creation, age in his way, though somewhat in the wane by shedding over it the charm of melancholy. of life,) not being aware of her infirmity, mis- Pleasant but mournful to the soul is the took them for so many signals intended for memory of joys that are past,' is the text we himself. Feeling, however, the impropriety should choose, were we about to preach on of her attacks upon his heart at such a time his genius. No vain repinings, no idle reand place, he said at last, loud enough to be grets does his spirit breathe over the still reoverheard by the other girls, "Don't'e miss, ceding past. But time-sanctified are all the don't'e; this bean't a proper place. By-and- scenes that arise before his pensive imaginaby, miss!" After the service was over, as the tion, and the common light of day once young ladies were leaving the church-yard, a gone, in his poetry seems to shine, as if it had hand gently pulled the sleeve of Miss all been dying sunset, or moonlight, or the B- -'s gown she turned, and beheld the new-born dawn. His human sensibilities are rosy-cheeked clerk. "Now, miss, do tell I so fine, as to be in themselves poetical, and what you did mean by all them there noddies his poetical aspirations so delicate, as to be and winkies at I?" The young lady looked felt always human. Hence his sonnets have all astonishment: and the celebrated Mrs. been dear to poets,-having in them more Radcliffe, who was then at the same school, than meets the ear;' spiritual breathings that informed the disappointed swain that Miss hang around the words, like light around fair B had an unfortunate habit of making flowers; and hence, too, have they been befaces. Apropos of Mrs. Radcliffe ! Miss loved by all natural hearts, who having not Wright mentioned, that so far from any early the faculty divine,' have yet the vision,' drwning of that superior intellect, which af- that is, the power of seeing and of hearing terwards delighted the world, she was, when the sights and the sounds which genius alone at school, considered to be more than ordi- can awaken, bringing them from afar, out of narily dull. So much so indeed, that girls the dust and dimness of evanishment." many years her junior, had very greatly the It was with real pleasure that I lately saw, advantage of her in learning. But I have in the "Metropolitan," the announcement of observed, that precocity of mind has rarely a new work by Bowles; for I begun to join distinguished those, who, in after life, became in the lament of his friend, the Rector of Winremarkable for talents of the highest grade. terbourneIt was at Notton House I was introduced to the poet Bowles; yet, though so many years have since rolled silently away, I still retain a most vivid recollection of his mild and pleasing physiognomy. Young even as I was, he was in my eyes an object of great interest. A poet then to me was a sort of rara avis, so much above other men, that even the Alas! of all that I once met at Notton common attentions he rendered to me at the House I can now number but few beside dinner-table, (where I happened to be placed Bowles that have not been long since called next to him,) had, in my estimation, a distinct away from the things of earth and time. and peculiar value of their own. The excel- Poor Matilda Methuen! I can picture her to lence of his heart, and the trials of affliction my mind's eye as plainly as if I had seen her which had overshadowed his early life, no but yesterday. She was one of the loveliest doubt produced that blandness of manner, girls I ever beheld. With a sweet, dark, and that engaging gentleness in discourse, long-cut eye, like the stag's, the most delicatenot always the attendants upon genius. He ly moulded features, and a skin whose pure had been engaged to a lovely young creature, alabaster was enlivened with the richest tint the sister of Mr. Beckford, of Fonthill. In of the rose; her modest and unaffected deone of his most touching sonnets he com- portment and sweet temper added not a little memorates her death, and beautifully paints to the witchery of her personal graces. She the enduringness of his regret for the object was married when very young, to Captain de of his early devotion. He afterwards married Grey.* her sister, a lady more remarkable for her Within a few miles of Notton was Pestimable qualities than for her personal at- House, the seat of Mr. C, between whɔm tractions; but she appeared to be devotedly and my family there once subsisted a conattached to him, and solicitous about the mi- siderable degree of intimacy. He was a man nutest point that regarded him. I remember of amiable temper and most liberal disposithat Bowles and my brother had a long dis- tion, and with more good sense than usually cussion at the tea-table about the reviewers, falls to the possession of a large estate. But the latter warmly contending that they could one false step in the outset of life led to years be bribed, and the former as strongly, but of domestic trouble, and ultimately to the more philosophically, maintaining the con- ruin of his fine property. He was but just trary opinion. Professor Wilson, in his of age when he became enamored of a young "Hour's Talk about Poetry," is most happy girl in humble life, and whom (like Thomin his portraiture of this amiable poet. "Breathes not the man with a more poetical temperament than Bowles. No wonder that his eyes 'love all they look upon;' for they

I hear no modulations from thy lyre,
As I approach thy dwelling, and admire

The spot, made sacred by thy name."

* Afterwards Lord Walsingham. Her melancholy fate, and that of her husband, will be still fresh in the recollection of the reader.

amuse the reader. Mr. Turner, being over- SNARLEYYOW; OR, THE DOG FIEND.

one tint arising from the present cold, and most ill-conditioned curs which had ever been the other from the preventive checks which produced from promiscuous intercoursehe had been so long accustomed to take to ugly in color, for he was of a dirty yellow, drive out such an unpleasant intruder. His like the paint served out to decorate our mengrizzled hair waved its locks gently to the of-war by his Majesty's dock-yards. Ugly wind, and his face was distorted with an im- in face, for he had one wall eye, and was so moderate quid of tobacco which protruded far underjawed as to prove that a bull-dog his right cheek. This personage was second had had something to do with his creationofficer and steersman on board the vessel, ugly in shape; for although larger than a and his name was Obadiah Coble. He had pointer, and strongly built, he was coarse and been baptized Obadiah about sixty years be- shambling in his make, with his forelegs fore, that is to say, if he had been baptized bowed out. His ears and tail had never at all. He stood so motionless at the helm, been docked, which was a pity, as the more that you might have imagined him to have you curtailed his proportions, the better lookbeen frozen there as he stood, were it not that ing the cur would have been. But his ears, his eyes occasionally wandered from the although not cut, were torn to ribands by the compass on the binnacle to the bows of the vessel, and that the breath from his mouth, when it was thrown out into the clear frosty air, formed a smoke like to that from the spout of a half-boiling tea-kettle.

appeared to be not a little nipped with the cold, and, as well as he, in a state of profound meditation. The name of this uncouth animal was very appropriate to his appearance, and to his temper. It was Snarleyyow.

various encounters with dogs on shore, arising from the acidity of his temper. His tail had lost its hair from an inveterate mange, and reminded you of the same appendage in a rat. Many parts of his body were bared The crew belonged to the cutter, for she from the same disease. He carried his head was a vessel in the service of his Majesty, and tail low, and had a villanous sour look. King William the Third, at this time employ- To the eye of the casual observer, there was ed in protecting his Majesty's revenue against not one redeeming quality that would war the importation of alamodes and lutestrings, rant his keep; to those who knew him well, were all down below at their breakfasts, with there were a thousand reasons why he should the exception of the steersman and lieuten-be hanged. He followed his master with the ant-commandant, who now walked the quar- greatest precision and exactitude, walking ter-deck, if so small an extent of plank could aft as he walked aft, and walking forward be dignified with such a name. He was a with the same regular motion, turning when Mr. Cornelius Vanslyperken, a tall, meagre- his master turned, and moreover, turning in looking personage, with very narrow should- the same direction; and, like his master, he ers and very small head-perfectly straight up and down, protruding in no part, he reminded you of some tall parish pump, with a great knob at its top. His face was gaunt, cheeks hollow, nose and chin showing an affection for each other, and evidently lamenting the gulf between them which prevented their meeting, both appeared to have fretted themselves to the utmost degree of tenuity from disappointment in love as for the nose, it had a pearly round tear hanging at its tip, as if it wept. The dress of Mr. Vanslyperken was hidden in a great coat, which was very long, and buttoned straight down. This great coat had two pockets on each side, into which its owner's hands were deeply inserted, and so close did his arms They turned, and Mr. Vanslyperken pauslay to his sides, that they appeared nothing ed a moment or two, and compressed his thin more than as would battens nailed to a top-lips-the dog did the same. "I will have an sail yard. The only deviation from the per- answer, by all that's blue!" was the ejacupendicular was from the insertion of a speak-lation of the next six strides. The lieutening trumpet under his left arm at right an-ant stopped again, and the dog looked up in gles with his body. It had evidently seen his master's face; but it appeared as if the much service, was battered, and the black current of his master's thoughts was changed, Japan worn off in most parts of it. As we for the current of keen air reminded Mr. said before, Mr. Vanslyperken walked his Vanslyperken that he had not yet had his quarter-deck. He was in brown study, yet breakfast. looked blue. Six strides brought him to the taffrail of the vessel, six more to the bows, such was the length of his tether-and he turned, and turned again.

At last, Mr. Vanslyperken gave vent to his pent-up feelings. I can't I won't stand this any longer," muttered the lieutenant, as he took his six strides forward. At this first sound of his master's voice the dog pricked up the remnant of his ears, and they both turned aft. "She has been now fooling me for six years ;" and as he concluded this sentence, Mr. Vanslyperken and Snarleyyow had reached the taffrail, and the dog raised his tail to the half cock.

The lieutenant leant over the hatchway, took his battered speaking trumpet from under his arm, and putting it to his mouth, the deck reverberated with, "Pass the word But there was another personage on the for Smallbones forward." The dog put himdeck, a personage of no small importance, as self in a baying attitude, with his forefeet on he was all in all to Mr. Vanslyperken, and the combings of the hatchway, and enforced Mr. Vanslyperken was all in all to him: his master's orders with a deeptoned and moreover, we may say, that he is the hero of measured bow, wow, wow.

the TAIL. This was one of the ugliest and Smallbones soon made his appearance,

"Be quick!"-commenced the lieutenant; but here his attention was directed to the red herring by Snarleyyow, who raised his head and snuffed at its fumes. Among other disqualifications of the animal, be it observed, "Snarleyyow," said his master, looking at that he had no nose except for a red herring, the dog, who remained on the other side of or a post by the way side. Mr. Vanslyper- the forecastle. "O Snarleyyow, for shame. ken discontinued his orders, took his hands Come here, sir. Come here, sir, directly.” out of his great coat pocket, wiped the drop from off his nose and then roared out, "How dare you appear on the quarter-deck of a king's ship, sir, with a red herring in your