plainly indicative of the captivity of the ten tribes by the Assyrians,
and of the two remaining tribes of Judah and Benjamin, by the
Babylonians. In examining the books of Kings and Chronicles, we find
that most part of those predicted judgments were fulfilled in the order
he foretold; as in the dearths that took place, the plagues that carried
off numbers of the people, and the repeated invasions of the country by
the Moabites and Philistines, and afterwards by the Ammonites, Chaldees,
and Syrians. The captivity of Jehoiachin by the Babylonians was a
striking accomplishment of the prophetic threat in the 36th verse. “The
Lord shall bring thee and thy king which thou shalt set over thee, unto
a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known:” for it was
delivered long anterior to the establishment of any king. The
conclusion of that verse, “and there thou shalt serve other gods, wood
and stone,” was also precisely fulfilled, as the people were compelled
by their cruel conqueror to worship his idols.
The circumstantial prophecy contained in the last twenty verses of that
chapter, was fulfilled most literally by the invasion of the Romans, the
destruction of Jerusalem, and the complete dispersion of the Jews. The
Romans were described in it with characteristic precision eight hundred
years before they existed as a nation. It is said that they were to come
“from far, from the end of the earth:” now the western parts of Europe
were at that time the limits of the known world; and it is remarkable
that the armies of Titus and Adrian were principally composed of Gauls
and Spaniards. The rapidity of the Roman marches is compared by the
prophet to the flight of the “eagle,” and it is not too much to suppose,
that in that expression he alludes also to the eagles which were the
Roman ensigns. Their language was not to be understood by the Jews; and
the “fierce countenance,” for which the Romans were distinguished from
the earliest periods of the republic, is noticed, as well as the
merciless ferocity of their conduct.
The horrors of the siege of Jerusalem are next foretold with dreadful
exactness; as well as the miseries the people were to endure in their
subsequent dispersion. “The Lord shall scatter thee among all people,
from the one end of the earth even unto the other; ... and among these
nations thou shalt find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have
rest.” “Observe now,” said my uncle, “the fulfilment of that prophecy.
Since their calamitous expulsion, the Jews have wandered over the face
of the globe for one thousand seven hundred years, without national
possessions, government, or laws. Their riches have exposed them to
plunder, and their poverty to contempt. Driven from place to place, they
have been persecuted even in Christian countries with unrelenting
cruelty; they seem to have lost their rank in the creation, and have
been made to feel the ‘trembling heart,’ ‘the sorrow of mind,’ and the
uncertainty of their lives, of which their great prophet so emphatically
warned them.
“Yet, notwithstanding their sufferings, they have been preserved a
distinct people through all the changes of nations; for the same prophet
said, they should ‘only be oppressed and crushed;’ not exterminated and
rooted out like the Canaanites. They have adhered to their religion and
retained the sacred language of the Scriptures; they appear to have been
preserved for ‘a sign,’ and for ‘a wonder;’ and they may be said to be
the depositaries of the prophecies, the continued accomplishment of
which is really a standing miracle of the most extraordinary and
convincing nature.”
I am ashamed, dear mamma, of the slight sketch I have given of what my
uncle said at great length in answer to Wentworth; but, though I have
done him very little justice, it has all made a deep impression on my
mind, and I am going to read a book he has lent me on the comparison of
the prophecies with profane history.
_8th._--At last I have escaped from confinement, and am enjoying the
delight of fresh air. Everything looks gay; the sweet flowers, the
bright green shrubs, the butterflies flitting about in the sun-beams,
and, above all, the unceasing singing of the birds. Oh, mamma, how can
you bear to live where you hear so few warbling birds?
The change that one short week has produced in my garden is quite
magical; it is really a sheet of flowers; and I found there a new proof
of the goodnature of my cousins, for they had pulled up every weed that
disfigured it while I was confined to the house.
In my aunt’s garden there is a tree of the Yulan Magnolia just opening
its large tulip-shaped blossoms, which are so fragrant, and of so pure a
white. It is nearly twenty feet high, and it is so hardy, that she
wonders this beautiful shrub is not more common in all gardens.
What a peculiar character the hawthorn gives the hedges in this country!
It is called _May_, and indeed it is so pretty, that I think it deserves
that honour.
“For thee, sweet month, the groves green liveries wear,
If not the first, the fairest of the year.
For thee the Graces lead the dancing Hours,
And Nature’s ready pencil paints the flowers.”
I have been examining with my aunt the tendrils of the sweet pea; they
are so generally found just in the right places for attaching themselves
to some convenient support, that one would almost imagine they knew
exactly where to put out; but she pointed out some that were idle and
useless. She then shewed me the beautiful arrangement of nature by which
the honeysuckle supports itself: when a straight shoot becomes long and
weak, it curls into a spiral figure which gives it great additional
strength, even if alone, and enables it to take a firm grasp of any twig
that it meets. But if two or more shoots should touch, they immediately
twine or screw themselves round each other, like the strands of a rope,
for mutual support.
Another fact my aunt told me on this subject is, that the claspers of
briony always shoot forward in a spiral, in search of support; but if
they meet with nothing, after completing a spiral of about three turns,
they alter their course, and proceed in some other direction.
_9th._--Caroline and I had a nice walk this morning with my uncle, and I
hasten to write down the additional facts that we learned from him on
the subject of fossil remains.
Shells, he told us, are generally found entire, and the skeletons of
fishes are frequently discovered in such a perfect state, that both
their families and species can be easily ascertained. But the fossil
remains of quadrupeds are very rarely complete; some of the parts are
wanting; the bones are either scattered at a distance from each other,
or else lying confused together, and generally broken. Yet these
misplaced fragments are the only means left for naturalists to determine
the species of the animal to which they had belonged; and in frequent
cases a single bone has been sufficient for that purpose. This is
effected by the science of _Comparative Anatomy_, or, in other words, a
comparison of the construction and the functions of the corresponding
parts of the inferior animals, with those which belong to the human
body; and perhaps no science furnishes more instances of ingenious
observation and beautiful reasoning.
Every organized being forms an entire system of its own; all its parts
have a mutual relation to each other; and each of them, taken
separately, will, therefore, clearly point out the other parts to which
it must have belonged. Suppose a ploughman turns up in a field a few
bones, the only conclusion he can draw is, that some unknown animal had
died near that spot; but the comparative anatomist can tell the size of
the whole animal, its general form, the structure of its jaws and teeth,
and, consequently, whether it belonged to the herbivorous or carnivorous
tribes. None of these separate parts can vary their forms without a
corresponding variation in the other parts of the animal; and,
consequently, each of those parts, taken separately, indicates all the
others to which it had belonged.
If the stomach of an animal is organized so as to digest only flesh,
then the jaws and the incisive teeth must be constructed for devouring
flesh; the claws for seizing the prey; and the entire system of the
limbs for pursuing and catching it. Every one of those organs is
indispensable in the structure of carnivorous animals; so that by the
bones of the paw, or the arm, or the shoulder-blade, or the leg, the
construction and disposition of all the rest may be determined; and,
consequently, the whole form, species, genus, and class of animal must
necessarily be discovered by the examination of a single bone.
The hoofed animals, it is plain, must be herbivorous, because they are
possessed of no means of seizing their prey; it is also evident that
their fore-legs, being only necessary to support their bodies and to
assist their progressive movement, they have no occasion for any rotary
motion in that joint that corresponds to the human wrist; and their food
being herbaceous, their teeth must have flat surfaces; but at the same
time, in order to bruise seeds and tough plants, the teeth are composed
of alternate layers of hard enamel and soft bone; and a horizontal or
grinding motion is given to the lower jaw, which for that purpose has a
peculiar conformation of its joint. Again, we know that ruminating
animals alone are provided with cloven hoofs, so that, from a simple
foot-mark we can be perfectly certain that the animal possessed such and
such teeth, jaws, legs, shoulders and horns; and that it fed on herbage.
The same laws and the same modes of reasoning, of course, equally apply
to petrified bones; and in this manner seventy-eight different fossil
quadrupeds have been ascertained and classed, of which forty-nine are of
extinct species. It is remarkable, that oviparous quadrupeds are
generally found in more ancient strata than the viviparous tribes. A few
bones of marine animals, such as seals, are found in the shell
limestone which immediately covers the chalk strata, but no bones of
land quadrupeds have been discovered in that formation; they generally
occupy the ancient alluvial beds composed of sand and pebbles which lie
over the limestone.
Some species, which though now extinct, belonged to families that still
exist, have been found among the remains of the more ancient and unknown
genera; but none of the animals which at present inhabit the earth are
ever found, except on the sides of rivers, or at the bottom of marshes,
or in the superficial formations; and though their deposition has been
comparatively recent, their remains are always the worst preserved.
_10th._--The plants which I placed in baskets in the pond have
flourished so greatly, that I want to try the same plan with other
plants of the same nature: my uncle laughs at me, and says I would put
the whole contents of the conservatory into my pond; but indeed I only
want to try a crinum, a pancratium, and one or two others. However, I
shall confine my wishes now to an agapanthus, or African lily, because
my aunt thinks that we shall be in Ireland at the flowering time of the
others, and that I should not witness the success of my experiment. I
have re-potted the agapanthus in a rich sandy compost, but I have only
put the fibrous part into the earth: the whole of the tuber remains
above ground. This is to be plunged to the rim in the pond, and the
gardener has directions to watch its progress, if I should not be here.
Mary has had some plants of the lobelia fulgens in the conservatory for
some time; they were planted in good strong loam, and the pots stand in
saucers continually supplied with water; they have already grown
amazingly, and will, I am sure, be five feet high before the flowers are
out. But alas! we shall be away from this dear place when they blossom.
_11th._--I had some confused idea that the great fossil animal, which is
called the mastodon, was the same as the mammoth; but my uncle told me
to-day, that though the remains of the mastodon have some general
resemblance to the elephant, yet there is no doubt that they were quite
distinct animals. The bones of the mastodon have been found in great
numbers both in North and South America, but no complete skeletons have
yet been put together. A small species of this animal has been
discovered in Saxony, as well as in some other parts of Europe; and
naturalists now divide the whole family into five species. The principal
points of difference are not only the disposition and shape of the
grinding-teeth, but the bulk of the animal; for the great mastodons that
have been found on the banks of the Ohio must have stood twelve feet
high.
My uncle had before told me that the term mammoth came from Russia; it
is said to be of Tartar origin, derived from _mama_, which signifies the
earth; for the Siberians believe that elephants of that description
still live under ground. He says that their tusks are found in such
abundance in Eastern Siberia and in the Arctic marshes, that almost the
whole of the ivory-turner’s work in Russia is made from Siberian fossil
ivory, and that it is not at all inferior in quality to the living ivory
of Africa and Asia. Although for a long series of years thousands have
been annually procured from the banks of the rivers and from the shores
of the Frozen Sea, yet they are still collected in abundance. The best
fossil ivory is found in the countries within the arctic circle, where
the ground is thawed at the surface only during their very short summer.
The remains of two other huge animals have also been discovered in
America, the megatherium, about the size of the rhinoceros; and the
megalonix, which was something smaller. From the construction of their
teeth they were both herbivorous, and M. Cuvier supposes their
prodigious claws to have been employed in digging up roots. They appear
to be different species of the same family; and, though related to the
sloth genus, they are, like the mammoth and mastodon, entirely extinct.
I asked him how he knew that they were extinct, and he told me it was
quite impossible that they could still inhabit the interior of America
without its being known to the European settlers on the sea coasts; some
of them, in the course of time, must have strayed out of the forests,
and have been observed by travellers; or, in our constant intercourse
with the natives, who have traversed the country in all directions, some
accounts of such large animals must have reached us. In South America
the Indians point out these large fossil bones as the remains of
gigantic monsters, which would have destroyed the whole human race if
they had not been themselves destroyed by the interference of the Great
Spirit. Nor is it likely, continued my uncle, that any of the other
animals, which we know to be extinct now, should have existed since the
deluge: no great catastrophe since that time has happened, which could
have been equal to the sweeping away of a whole species; and almost all
those that at present inhabit the three continents of the old world are
mentioned in the writings of Aristotle, or of other ancient authors. The
Romans had such a passion for collecting wild beasts, that in the time
of Commodus twenty lions, twenty African hyenas, and ten tygers, were
killed in one day’s sport at Rome; and thirty-two elephants, a
hippopotamus, and ten camelopards were exhibited there at the same
time. To such industrious hunters and showmen there could have been few
species unknown.
My uncle mentioned a curious circumstance, which, he says, has not been
much noticed: that none of the extraordinary animals which inhabit “New
Holland’s continental isle” have ever been found among the fossil
remains in any other part of the globe; and of the fossil strata there,
very little is yet known.
I asked him if there was any foundation for the chimæra, and the other
imaginary monsters of the ancients. “Those ideal creatures,” he replied,
“may be partly referred to the marvellous traditions that accompany the
early records of all nations; and partly to the habit, which was so
prevalent in those times, of describing real objects as well as passions
and events by means of metaphor and allegory. It would be childish to
expect that we should now find in any part of the globe remains of such
animals as the flying pegasus, or as the sphynx of Thebes; but we must
not reject as altogether fabulous those which appear in the
hieroglyphics of Egypt and Persepolis. The rude sculpture of those ages
has perhaps been the common source of many mistakes; for the most simple
and natural method of drawing any animal is by its profile; and in this
way, the oryx and the unicorn may appear to have had but a single
horn--although the bas relief or outline might have been intended to
represent the antelope or some other creature with two horns.”
_12th._--There were so many changes from brightness to cloudiness this
morning, that as my uncle rose from the breakfast-table, he repeated
these lines so descriptive of those rapid alternations.
“With every shifting gleam of morning light
The colours shifted of her rainbow vest.”
I asked him where those lines were to be found.
“Is it possible,” said he, “that you have never read the ‘Tears of old
May-day!’ Well then, Caroline will, I am sure, be so kind as to shew it
to you; and I think you had better celebrate this famous day, by writing
an explanation of this beautiful poem, now so little read.
“You may explain it if you can, in the style of ‘Readings on Poetry;’ a
very favourite book, you know, in this house. If any of the mythological
allusions are not quite obvious, I will endeavour to explain them; and I
will now only premise that the poem proceeds on the Eastern idea, that
the year begins in May:
‘For ever then I led the constant year’
is therefore quite in character for
‘The flow’ry May, who from her green lap throws
The yellow cowslip, and the pale primrose.’”
This was a terrific task, and occupied me great part of the morning. At
last, when it was finished, I came to the hall to refresh myself with my
cousins at a new play, called _La Grace_, or the _Flying Circle_, which
we have lately imported, and the description of which will probably
divert Marianne more than any learned dissertation of mine on the “Tears
of old May-day.”
Two people stand at opposite ends of the room, as in playing
shuttlecock; each hold two nicely turned sticks, one end of which is
pointed; and by a dextrous movement of these pointers, a light, elastic
hoop, about eight inches diameter, is sent flying forward towards the
person opposite, who catches it on her pointers, and immediately lets it
fly back again. When played with two hoops it is still prettier, and
requires much more expertness than shuttlecock.
Mary and I had played at it successfully for some time, when we were
interrupted by poor little Grace, who, looking very sad, ran into the
hall, put her pencil-case into Mary’s hand and vanished, brushing away a
large tear from her cheek.
Mary followed her, and afterwards told me that she had given Grace a
silver pencil-case some months since, on condition that she never would
again scribble in books; a habit which she had unaccountably acquired.
Grace delighted to have her long-wished for pencil-case, agreed to the
compact, and punctually kept it till this unfortunate day. The moment
that she recollected herself, she came to return the pencil to Mary,
with true honesty indeed, for she had only scribbled in one of her own
little books, which might never have been observed. Though sorry that
she should thoughtlessly have broken her engagement, yet all were
pleased at finding that she had that fine principle of honour which
disdains deceit. My aunt has certainly contrived to fix steady good
principles in the hearts of my cousins, which really influence their
conduct. Instead of having to watch them, she places the most perfect
reliance on their integrity; and most justly, for I, who see them at all
times, know that they have not mere show-sentiments or show-manners; but
that they are just the same when not observed by their mother as when in
her presence.
_13th._--I believe I noted in my journal that I had been practising the
art of _budding_. As soon as I had acquired a little expertness, I tried
my hand on various roses just as the leaf-buds began to swell, having
seen, in the “Transactions of the Horticultural Society,” that period
recommended as the best for roses. The April showers were of great use,
and most of my buds have now become nice flourishing shoots. Yellow
roses are said to thrive particularly well when budded on the China
rose, and I hope mine may not be attacked by those troublesome little
green caterpillars that ate away the heart of the buds on Mary’s yellow
rose last year. She kept one of them, which changed into a small brown
chrysalis, and this morning it has become a very pretty buff moth,
marked all over in brown patten work: it is small, but the antennæ are
as long as the whole moth, circular, and bowed towards its nose like
cow’s horns.
I have also several young rose _grafts_ of different species growing on
the wild rose--
“Of simpler bloom, but kindred race,
The pensive Eglantine----.”
Mr. Biggs asserted that this process would improve their colours. I
thought it rather extraordinary that the “simpler bloom” of the wild
rose should have that effect; but my uncle said, “Try the experiment
first, and reason about it afterwards.”
When I showed these budded roses to Miss Perceval, I expressed my
surprise that amongst the numerous South American plants which have been
collected in this country, I had not heard of any new species of rose.
“Are there any native roses in South America?” she asked.
“Oh! of course,” said I, “in such a flowery country. You know there is
an island in the Rio de la Plata called the Isle of Flores, which I
suppose is covered with flowers.”
“Can you describe any of your indigenous Brazilian roses?” said she,
laughing.
After considering some time I was obliged to acknowledge that I could
not recollect any one that I knew to be a native of Brazil.
“This is one of the numerous instances of _taking for granted_ which we
meet every day,” said she. “You imagined that the rose must be wild in
all parts of the world because it is everywhere cultivated:--you will
therefore learn with surprise, that it is generally believed that all
the roses yet known have been found between the 19th and 70th degrees of
North latitude; none, therefore, belong to South America, though the
profusion of China roses, cultivated in Brazil, might very naturally
have given you the idea of their being natives. It is possible, however,
that hereafter new species may be discovered south of the line, which
will come under the head Rosaceæ, for the industry of botanists has
wonderfully increased this family in a few years. In Wildenow’s book,
published in 1800, he enumerates only thirty-nine species, yet there are
upwards of one hundred now known and cultivated in this country; and a
foreign professor has given a list of even two hundred and forty
species. He proposes to divide them into twenty-four series, each of
which is to bear the name of some botanist who has distinguished himself
by a knowledge of that beautiful genus. For instance, Rosa
Candolliana,--Wildenowiana,--Pallasiana, and so on.”
She told me also that all the apple and pear tribes are placed in the
natural order of Rosaceæ; in the rose, the calyx, which is
pitcher-shaped, encloses the germ; and in the former the germ is beneath
the calyx. She mentioned, too, as a curious circumstance of the dog-rose
or eglantine, that the farther North it is found, the more woolly are
the styles, while to the Southward, as in Madeira, they have no hairs
whatever.
The rose seems to be prized particularly in Persia, where it is the
chief ornament of the garden. In that very entertaining book “Sketches
of Persia,” the author mentions a breakfast which was given to him at a
beautiful spot in the vicinity of Shiraz:--
“We were surprised and delighted to find that we were to enjoy this meal
on a stack of roses! On this a carpet was laid, and we sat cross-legged
like the natives. The stack, which was as large as a common one of hay
in England, had been formed without much trouble, from the heaps or
cocks of rose leaves, collected before they were sent into the city to
be distilled.”