صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[ocr errors]

eternity. It overpowered me, and I I had removed her, the hopel ftood for fome time mute, like a fta- fhould difcharge her debts. I bad raya tue, till I was at length roufed by her heart to afk her any queftion,-in dreadful fhrieks. She immediately re- but paid her demands, and went ou collected me, and the thoughts of for. On arriving at my lodgings, I found th mer vifits were too much for her tender my fifter was retired to reft: howe feelings; the fell into violent convul- ver, I went up to her chamber-door, g fions, and her landlady went out for and begged the would come down kit affiftance in the mean time I went with all diligence. She did; and red up to her, and endeavoured to footh having made a fire in my bed-room, her fpirits; but every time the open- and rendered it in every refpect comir je ed her eyes fhe went off again. fortable, my charge was conveyed to co Prefently my conductor returned with bed: then giving my fifter ftrict are another female, who had got a little ders to mind her; and prepare fome ide drop of gin in a tea-cup; this they nourishment, I took the coach and le perfuaded her to take, but he was went for medical affiftance. Te utterly unable. Your readers may gentleman was fo good as to go with guefs my emotions at this time: Iran me; and having fhown him the apart round the room like a madman, and ment, I went down ftairs: my fitter, e committed a thoufand frantic extra- mean while, finding out her old friend, vagances, infomuch that the others and confidant, fell into hysterics began to think I really was mad, and having recovered a little, fhe n confulted how to fecure me. Juft at the bed-fide, and difcovered herself to this inftant the watchman, alarmed Nancy. Here their mutual affections at the unusual noife, came into the became fo violent, that the furgeon room, the fight of him immediately was obliged to call up the mistress of compofed me and I now thought the houfe; who, though in years of doing fomething for her relief. and very infirm, nevertheless put There were no rooms in the neigh- herself about in the most cheerful and bourhood fit to receive fuch an extre- ready manner. Order, however, mity of woe; I therefore determined was foon reftored; and I had the to take her to my own lodgings, and pleasure of learning, that her cafe, accordingly dispatched the watchman although defparate, was not hopelets ; for a coach: it came; and we were as, if they could get her to take fome just going to remove her, when I nourishment, the want of which found, to my bitter mortification, feemed to be the principle caufe of her that there were neither blankets nor danger, he did not doubt but in a few fheets, but only the facking of an old days the would begin to mend. He bed, one half of which the lay upon, begged, in the mean time, that we the other ferving as a cover. The would fpeak to her as little as poffible, old woman reluctantly went in fearch as a return of the convulfions would of clothing; and at laft returned with render her recovery extremely doubta tattered, filthy blanket, which was ful. I had now leisure to reflect on all the could procure: in this we wrapped my poor dear Nancy; and, taking her up among us, contrived to convey her into the coach. I then rewarded the watchman and the two women for their trouble, and was going away; when the one who had conducted me faid, the girl owed her five fillings for lodging; and as

thefe ftrange events; and when I confidered that this accomplished and amiable girl-the delight of all that knew her, the companion of my own fifter-nay, the very perfon to whom I had paid my addreffes-whom I had in a manner adored-born to wealth and honour-was now the fad outcaft of fociety-the victim of a

villain

[ocr errors]

an-was languishing under penu- a fervent kifs, took a piftol from his and disease-perifhing of hunger pocked, and very deliberately fhot n all probability, had I not provi- himself through the head. Being ter atially come when I did, muft ere ribly alarmed, the fcreamed for help, have been a corpfe-was alive but in vain; nobody heard; and afmy bounty-and in a fair way of ter growing a little compofed, the ng again the comfort of her difcon- thought it would be beft to leave the ate relations-I fay, when I confi- houfe, and accordingly taking all the ed these things, I could not reftrain money and trinkets the could find, feelings of my heart, and wept the made her efcape, and took a room joy. In a week, the was fo far in an obfcure part of the town.-Here overed that I ventured to afk the fhe applied to various places for emafes which had reduced her to fo ployment, but could get none; and refsful a fituation. This, as your after fpending all her money, and ders, mr. Editor, may fup. pawning almoft all her clothes, in e, with the recollection of my order to avoid as long as poffible the dness, produced tears; but at dreadful recourfe of going upon the gth the briefly faid, that, the town, the hired the room in which 【 cer (as the fuppofed him to be) found her, for which the paid her ,, one evening previous to her last two fhillings. Here her diforder ping, found means to feduce her, prevented her from going out. For giving her fome ftupifying liquor, about a week the barely fubfifted upher brother's abfence: fhe was fo on what her landlady and two other ch agitated by grief and remorfe, deftitute girls gave her; but this failthe injuftice the had done me ing, he had been three days without re the paufed-a tear fell, which food or drink, faye about a tea-fpoon. turned), that she had not courage ful of gin, when I came and refcued ifclofe it to any perfon whatever: her from death,' Here the was unathoughts of the infamy which the ble to go on, and wept bitterly; my brought upon her family, and fifter followed her example, and I reproaches the fhould meet with, could not help hedding tears myfelf, were ever difcovered, urged her In a few weeks fhe was quite recoield to his folicitations of elope- vered, and I propofed acquainting her it; accordingly the contrived to parents. She most ardently wished ead her brother one night, and to fee them, and her dear brother, ped with the monfter to his lodg- but the idea of beholding them in her in the fkirts of the town: here plight, was horrible indeed. I had ave himself up to drinking, and hitherto kept every circumstance ref in his beastly state bate her most pecting her a profound fecret, and manly. In a fhort time, fre dif- thought it would be beft to discover red that he was a pimp in the her by degrees; therefore, the next ife of an officer, and was expect time her brother called upon me, I every minute to be feized for for- told him I heard fome news of his He moved his lodgings in the poor fifter; the tears inftantly started, of the night: but his confcience and he asked me if I had fren her: I bling him, and drink failing to could not poffibly deny I had; and him the accoftomed relief, about fo begging him to ftay a few minutes, months ago, after he had I went out and told my fifter; the fed her, and loft every farthing prepared poor Nancy for the intercard-table, he came home about view, as well as time would allow, o'clock one morning, and after and in a few minutes I returned with ng all his papers, and giving her her brother. They felt more then I

can

A Prdeftrian Tour through France, Germany, Holland Switzerland and Denmark. Written during the Year 1805, 6, and 7.

can defcribe, and poor Nancy fainted. When the tranfports of joy were a little calth, I afked her brother to go with me, and acquaint his parents that we had received fome intelligence I WILL trouble you with ano refpecting her. We set out together; ther letter, dearest A-, on that part but having occation to turn back, of Denmark which I have feen.

he never waited for me, but ran

home with the utmoft fpeed, and be- My excurfion was too limited, in fore I could poffibly arrive he had dif- fpace and time, to admit of any other bat fuperficial obfervations. clofed all at one. This was like a ftroke of lightning. On my admit- The arrangements I made before my tance, I found the houfe in indefcrib- departure from Kiel allowed me to devote no more than ten days to this able tumult; the fervants running about in all directions, and the old project, which were employed in a people in a ftate very little different trip to Schlefwick, Flensburg, and into a very finall part of Jutland, ani from actual infanity. I attempted to compofe them, but I might as well (on my way back) to Hufum, Fre derickstadt and Rendfburg, where I have endeavoured to hold the winds: embarked, returning, by the Hol I was almost pulled to pieces by them: ftein canal, to Keel. This canal they prayed, befought, nay, even infifted that I fhould immediaiely take fall into the German ocean; and the joins, by means of the Eyder, which them to their dear weet child. At latter with the Baltic. The utility of length, unable to refift the preffing ap this canal is particularly felt at pre plications of father, mother, and fent, when the Elbe is blockaded, brother, I begged permiffion to go Tonningen, which, before the oc first, and prepare the way. This they pofitively refufed, as it was an cupation of Hanover by the French was a miserable dirty town, contain of delay they could not endure. Accordingly went in a body, and ng about eighteen hundred inhabi having got to my lodgings, I contriv- tants, farmers and graziers for the most part, is now become the mo ed to get in firit, and running up commercial fea-port from the Tagu tairs, told my fifter and the fair penito Droutheim, in Norway. The rent who were coming. I had fcarce revolution which this unexpecte time to deliver my errand, when in event has effected, in the manners they came, au, oh! the refult no and habits of the inhabitants, language can fet forth. It will be

age

fufficient to say that there were no reflections, nor reproaches whatever; far, far from it: all was fulness of love and compaffion; they vied with each other to convince the dear girl of their vaft joy, and forgivenefs.1, in my turn, was loaded with bleifings and congratulations. At laft, they took their beloved daughter home; and now, after a long and mournful feparation, the is once more restored to her friends, and every thing the holds dear; and promifes to add increafed ornament and luftre to foeiety. BENEVOLENS.

perhaps, the most rapid and extra ordinary ever witneffed in any place or country. When the blockade began (which has lafted no more tha two years) there was not a vefei greatter importance than a fithi mack, in the habit of frequenti Tonningen, except when forced mack, in the habit of frequent frels of weather; and the inh

tants were too, addicted to floth, turn the small advantages, which la within their reach, to any profitab account. There was no trade, manufacturers, and no communica tion with the neighbouring tow

exce

except during the time of their an, nual fairs, which were chiefly frequented by the Hamburg and Lubeck butchers, as between there and Frederickstadt lies the marfh land, which fupplies the markets of thofe two cities with their fine beef and butter, and, perhaps, fuperior to any on the continent. The largest houfes rented no higher than from eighty to a hundred dollars yearly: and their public amufenients confifted in a ball or two yearly, at Chriftmas and at Fafter; or in a vifit of a month or fix weeks, once in the course of five years, from a troop of ftrolling actors, who never come, except in cafe of want of encouragement elsewhere, and are fure of quitting them with emptire pockets than they arrived. They were, alfo, the most miferable and abandoned fons of Thefpis, without exception, which ever fretted and firutted in any barn on the Continent.

Now remark the change dearest A. More than five hunbred large thips lie continually in Tonningen, laden with the produce of our colonies, and the induftry of our workthop. A degree of buftle and bufinefs is alfo vifible, equal to that in the most frequented streets of London. Almost every houfe is converted into a warehoufe or counting--houfe belonging to Hamburh, English, and even Dutch merchants, houses, fcarcely to be got for any mony, let for the enormous rent of eighteen hundred and two thousand dollars yearly. A fingel room, ill furnished, in a kind of hovel, is paid for at the rate of eight and ten dollars per week; and every other accommodation is proportionably dear. Unfortunately, the domeftic virtues, as may be expected, have fallen in a greater proportion than their means of fubfiftence have increafed. Inttead of their dancing parties, on fome great feftival, they have now their daily balls, literally fpeaking, daily ones, and in different

parts of the town. They are, befides, bleffed with the pleasure of a permanent theatre, which supports comfortably a troop of more than thirty actors and actreffes, with their families: they act on every evening, and the houfe is generally crowded. Though the town does not contain, even at this moment, three, thousand inhabitants, there are (I have heard the circumftance afferted by many) more than five hundred proftitutes there and in the environs -There is not a houfe that fells brandy and beer along the feveral roads, four or five miles diftance, and almoft every houfe carries on that trade, which does not contain two three and fometimes more, of thefe unfortunate women. They ftream hither in caravans from Berlín, Hamburgh, &c. and celebrate their orgies, with a degree of publicity and indecency difgraceful to the police, and to the government, which tolerates fo deftructive an abuse.

The people of this country speak very refpectfully of their crown prince and of his chief minister and advifer. Count Bernstorff, fon of the departed ftatefiman I mentioned in my laft. But how the former, or his ministry, can anfwer for their toleration of an abufe which has already vitiated, irremediably and fundamentally, the manners, not only of the Tonningers, but of every town and village leading from it, I find it rather difficult to fay, unless they confider the very precarious and temporaty advantages refulting from the prefent ftate of things, as a compenfation for the lofs of innocence and fimplicity.

There is in the Danish adminiftration, whatever the natives themselves, or foreign panegyrifts fay, a want of fixed and enlightened principle; otherwife their goverment would have

N

T

F.

[blocks in formation]

The Hiland fpencer is formed of dou-
ble twill farfnet, lined throughout
with bright amber; the colour Spa-
nifh fly. It is cut low round the
throat, and finished with a full irre-
gular frill, or collar. The waist of
the fpencer is plain in the front, and
rather extreme in length. The scarf
is gathered into a filver dath on one
fhoulder, flowing partially over the
back, and one end croffing the figure
in front. The whole is trimmed
with fpotted ermine, or a rich filk
trimming of Chinese flofs. The tra-
veller's cap, formed of the fame ma-
terial as the fpencer, turned up with
fpotted ermine, or full puckered farf
net the fame as the lining of the scarf.

adopted efficacious measures to refift
a depravation, which all the riches of
the Indies, and the exclufive commerce
of the two hemifpheres, would not
compenfate for. Not one in Europe has
the means more at its command, and
none does lefs to stem the alarming
increase of moral corruption. What
renders this indifference the more
unaccountable is the private life which
the crown prince himfelf leads. He
is a very tender father, and a faithful
and indulgent bufband; his infenfi-
bility to increafing evil does not pro-
ceed, therefore, our licentioufnefs
or levity of moral feeling, but
folely from miftaken notions of tole-
ration and government. I thought
I difcovered the fame erroneous ten-Gloves of York tan, and shoes of
dency in feveral other circumftances. dark green velvet with amber colour-
The great principle of the Danish ed bows,
ftate policy feems to be, to permit
every thing, not in direct collifion,
with the immediate interefts of the
monarch, provided it ferves to make
the revenue more productive. Those
who are judicions enough to difcover
this principle are rather aftonished at
the number of police edict and regu-
lations which are weekly iffued in
Denmark, and which embrance al-
most every object of fociety. This
anxious interference affords the moft
glaring contraft with the unprinsipled
indifferent on objects of the first mag-
nitude; and the obferver is at a lofs
to form a judgment.

London Fashions.

AN antique frock, formed of white or coloured crape mulin; embroidered (for full drefs) round the bottom, bofom, and fleeves, in a border of filver ivy leaf and berry; and worn over a white fatin flip.For lefs fplendid occafions it is ornamented with lace, let in at its several

terminations. It is made high in the neck for the laft-mentioned ftyle, with a full rucket collar; but in the former is fo conftructed as partially to difplay the back and fhoulders.

Petticoats with long trains of white, or coloured crape, net, or leno, worn over white fatin, bordered at the feet in a raised filver vandyde. Andalusian veft, or bodice of white, or coloured velvet, or of filver tiffue.The bofom and fleeve ornamented in oblique ftripes of filver, and finithed with a correfpondent binding.Head-drefs of the first figure-The hair in light folds on the forehead, and waved over the crown. Necklace, two rows of Chinefe pearl, earrings and bracelets to correfpond. Gloves, white kid, above the elbow; and fhoes of white or crimson fatin, embroidered in a filver lily at the

toes.

The fecond figure reprefents the
back of the fame coftume, but the
head-drefs is here formed of a small
hood of filver net, which enclosing
the hair behind, talls over the ears.
In front is a full tiara of curld feathers
frosted with filver. A filver diadein,
or full bunch of winter flowers.

General Obfervations on the Fashions
for the Scafon.

THE empire of fashion being now
established,

[ocr errors]
« السابقةمتابعة »