2. From my infancy, I have been led to consider my sister as a being of a more elevated rank. I was suffered to grow up without the least instruction, while nothing was spared in her education. She had masters to teach her writing, drawing, music, and other accomplishments; but if I, by chance, touched a pencil, a pen, or a needle, I was bitterly rebuked; and more than once I have been beaten for being awkward, and wanting a graceful manner. It is true, my sister associated me with her, upon some occasions; but she always made a point of taking the lead, calling upon me only from necessity, or to figure by her side. 3. But conceive not, sirs, that my complaints are instigated merely by vanity. No; my uneasiness is occasioned by an object much more serious. It is the practice in our family, that the whole business of providing for its subsistence falls upon my sister and myself. If any indisposition should attack my sister, (and I mention it in confidence upon this occasion, that she is subject to the gout, the rheumatism, and cramp, without making mention of other accidents), what would be the fate of our poor family! Must not the regret of our parents be excessive, at having placed so great a difference between sisters who are perfectly equal? Alas! we must perish from distress; for it would not be in my power even to scrawl a suppliant petition, having been obliged to employ the hand of another in transcribing the request which I have now the honor to prefer you. 4. Condescend, sirs, to make my parents sensible of the injustice of an exclusive tenderness, and of the necessity of distributing their care and affection among all their children, equally. I am, with profound respect, Sirs, your obedient servant, THE LEFT HAND. FRANKLIN. LESSON CIV.04 ADDRESS TO A MUMMY. Ir was the custom of the ancient Egyptians to embalm their dead, and to preserve the form and perfect appearance of each limb, even to the fingers and toes, by winding around them narrow strips of linen, prepared in a manner which is not now known. Bodies have been preserved in this manner for a period of more than two thousand years, and are, to this day, found in great numbers in ancient sepulchers. Some of these have been brought to England, and other parts of Europe, and to America. Bodies thus preserved are called Mummies, and it was one of these, brought by the celebrated traveler Belzoni, and placed in a museum at London, which gave rise to this poem. 1. AND thou hast walked about, (how strange a story!) When the Memnonium was in all its glory, 2. Speak! for thou long enough hast acted +Dummy, Not like thin ghosts or disembodied creatures, But with thy bones, and flesh, and limbs, and features. 3. Tell us, for doubtless thou canst recollect, To whom should we assign the sphynx's fame? Of either pyramid that bears his name? 4. Perhaps thou wert a Mason, and forbidden By oath to tell the mysteries of thy trade, Then say, what secret melody was hidden In Memnon's statue that at sunrise played? Perhaps thou wert a priest; if so, my struggles Are vain; Egyptian priests ne'er owned their *juggles. 5. Perchance that very hand, now pinioned flat, Has hob-or-nobb'd with Pharaoh, glass to glass; Or dropped a halfpenny in Homer's hat, Ordoffed thine own, to let Queen Dido pass, Or held, by Solomon's own invitation, A torch at the great Temple's dedication. 6. I need not ask thee if that hand, when armed, Has any Roman soldier +mauled and knuckled; For thou wert dead, and buried, and Ere Romulus and Remus had been suckled: Antiquity appears to have begun, Long after thy +primeval race was run. 7. Since first thy form was in this box extended, We have, above ground, seen some strange mutations; The Roman empire has begun and ended; New worlds have risen; we have lost old nations; 8. Didst thou not hear the *pother o'er thy head, These were Egyptian deities. 9. If the tomb's secrets may not be confessed, A heart has throbb'd beneath that leathern breast, 10. Statue of flesh! immortal of the dead! Imperishable type of tevanescence! And standest undecayed within our presence! In living virtue; that, when both must sever, ANONYMOUS. LESSON CV./s PAPER; A CONVERSATIONAL PLEASANTRY. The thought was happy, pertinent, and true; 2. I, (can you pardon my presumption?) I, Less prized, more useful, for your desk decreed; 5. The wretch whom avarice bids to pinch and spare, Is coarse brown paper, such as peddlers choose 7. The retail politician's anxious thought Deems this side always right, and that, stark naught; He'll want no type, his weakness to proclaim, 8. The hasty gentleman, whose blood runs high, + Who can't a jest, a hint, or look endure; 10. Observe the maiden! innocently sweet; maxims are his own, FRANKLIN. LESSON CVI.106 ANECDOTE OF THE DUKE OF NEWCASTLE. A raughable story was circulated during the administration of the old Duke of Newcastle, and retailed to the public in various forms. This nobleman, with many good points, was remarkable for being profuse of his promises on all occasions, and valued himself particularly, on being able to anticipate the words, or the wants of the various persons who attended his levees, before they uttered a word. This sometimes led him into ridiculous embarrassments; and it was this proneness to lavish promises, which gave occasion for the anecdote I am going to relate. + 1. Ar the election of a certain borough in Cornwall, where the opposite interests were almost equally poised, a single vote was of the highest importance. This object, the Duke by well applied argument and personal application, at length attained; and the gentleman he recommended, gained the election. In the warmth of gratitude, his grace poured forth acknowledgments and promises without ceasing, on the fortunate possessor of the casting vote; called him his best and dearest friend; protested, that he should consider himself as forever indebted to him; that he would serve him by night or by day. + 2. The Cornish voter, who was an honest fellow, and would not have thought himself entitled to any reward, but for such a torrent of acknowledgments, thanked the Duke for his kindness, and told him, "The supervisor of excise was old and infirm, and if he would have the goodness to recommend his son-in-law to the commissioners, in case of the old man's death, he should think himself and his family bound to render his grace every assistance in his power, on any future occasion." "My dear friend, why do you ask for such a trifling employment?" exclaimed his grace, your relative shall have it, the moment the place is vacant, if you will but call my attention to it." "But how shall I get admitted to you, my lord? for in London, I understand, it is a very difficult. business to get a sight of you great folks, though you are so kind and complaisant to us, in the country." "The instant 66 the man dies," replied the Duke, "set out, post-haste, for London; drive directly to my house, and be it by night or by day, thunder at the door; I will leave word with my porter, to show you up stairs directly; and the employment shall be disposed of according to your wishes." 3. The parties separated; the Duke drove to a friend's house in the neighborhood, without a wish or desire to see his new acquaintance till that day seven years; but the memory of a Cornish elector, not being burdened with such a variety of objects, was more retentive. The supervisor died a few months after, and the Duke's humble friend, relying on the word of a peer, was conveyed to London post-haste, and ascended with alacrity the steps of that nobleman's palace. + + 4. The reader should be informed, that just at this time, no less a person than the King of Spain was expected hourly to depart; an event in which the minister of Great Britain was particularly concerned; and the Duke of Newcastle, on the very night that the proprietor of the decisive vote arrived at his door, had sat up anxiously expecting dispatches from Madrid. Wearied by official business and agitated spirits, he retired to rest, having previously given particular instructions to his porter not to go to bed, as he expected, every minute, a messenger with advices of the greatest importance, and desired he might be shown up stairs, the moment of his arrival. |