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THE VICTIM OF MAGICAL DELUSION;
_OR, INTERESTING MEMOIRS OF MIGUEL, DUKE DE CA*I*A._
Unfolding Many Curious Unknown Historical Facts.
_Translated from the German of Tschink._
(Continued from page 187.)
It is almost incredible, with how much appearance of truth and
cordiality he manifested his grief at the hapless fate of the Duke. He
affected such a tender fellow-feeling, and so much friendship for
Miguel, that the latter was charmed with him, and fancied the favourable
opinion he had conceived of Alumbrado to be fully justified. The
hypocrite not only pitied him, but at the same time, endeavoured to
afford him comfort. Mentioning, however, among other arguments, how
wonderful the ways of Providence are, and how God promoted our
happiness, even through the evils of this world; the Duke shook his
head. Alumbrado was surprised at it, and enquired what objection he had
against that doctrine? The Duke, who thought him deserving of his
confidence, was so imprudent as to unfold to him his new creed; nay, he
carried his inconsideration so far as to read to him part of his tract
which he had wrote on that subject. Although I was very much terrified
at it, yet I was impatient to know Alumbrado’s opinion and behaviour on
this occasion. My astonishment rose to the highest degree, when he
refuted the arguments of the Duke with a frankness which generally is
supposed to arise only from love of truth, and defended the goodness and
providence of God, with an evidence and warmth which can originate only
from the light of religion. The dignity and energy with which he spoke
had an irresistable effect on the Duke; he cast his eyes upon the ground
in dumb amazement, and appeared to be confounded and ashamed.
I cannot but confess that I myself began to believe I had been
egregiously mistaken in my opinion of Alumbrado’s character. I begged
his pardon in my heart, and though I could not love him, yet I thought
it my duty not to refuse him my regard any longer.
However, soon after two accidents happened which gave me reason to
apprehend that I had changed my opinion too prematurely. I got
intelligence that Alumbrado visited the house of a man whose character
was very much suspected. Baeza was his name. The important office which
he kept at the custom-house, and the extensive trade he carried on all
over Europe, had rendered his house respected, wealthy, powerful, and
honoured. He was a Jew by birth, but changed his religion from political
motives. His conduct, at least, did not refute the opinion that he
confessed only with his lips the Roman Catholic religion, and it had
given rise to much scandal when Oliva*ez conferred on him the order of
Christ. The connection between him and this minister was very intimate
and not at all shaken by the revolution; but continued, only with more
assiduity and circumspection, which was no difficult task to a
consummate hypocrite like Baeza. It will be obvious that Alumbrado’s
connection with this man displeased me for more than one reason. Another
circumstance contributed to strengthen my suspicion of Alumbrado’s
honesty. The Duke missed a sheet of his tract on the system of the
_Manichees_. Alumbrado had visited him frequently, had been alone in his
study many a time where the manuscript was lying on the writing desk.
The Duke, far from suspecting him, fancied he had mislaid the paper, and
having renounced that system on Alumbrado’s persuasion, did not care
much for that tract.
Although my repeated exhortations and my avowed antipathy had not been
able to prevail on my friend to drop all connections with that dangerous
man, yet they had retained him from being too intimate with him;
however, since he knew that I had conceived a more favourable opinion of
Alumbrado, he attached himself more closely to him. The old Marquis
observed this change with great satisfaction, but, at the same time, saw
with greater grief the recovery of his son’s health make but very slow
progress. The cause of it was a secret, but rooted melancholy, into
which the overflowing exasperation of his heart and furious agony of
mind had changed ever since he had adopted the principles of the
Manichean system. This melancholy corroded his vitals like the slow
poison of a cancer, and stopped not only the circulation of the vital
powers, but also the energy of the soul of my unhappy friend in its
wonted activity. The situation of his mind was therefore merely passive,
which rendered him the more susceptible for those external impressions
which fitted the situation of his mind, the less power of resistance and
self-activity he possessed. Thus he was an instrument which Alumbrado
could play on at pleasure. The latter seemed, however, not yet
determined what measures he should take for attaining his aim; but,
unfortunately, the Duke himself put him afterwards on the right track.
He found particular pleasure in conversing with his new confidant on the
happiness which loving souls would derive from their reunion in a better
world, and he neglected me now for no other reason but because I could
say but very little on that subject, while Alumbrado’s imagination and
eloquence were inexhaustible. I had no hope of giving the mind of the
Duke a different turn; his natural vivacity, which formerly so
frequently avocated his attention from one object, and oftentimes
directed it irresistably to another of a nature entirely opposite, this
vivacity was entirely extinguished; a gloomy sameness, which was
immoveably fixed to the object which once had attracted his attention,
having stept in its place. Every terrestrial joy had fled with Amelia,
Lady Delier and Antonio; the source from which he at present derived his
pleasure, originated beyond the grave. How joyfully would he have
overleaped the cleft which separated him from the darlings of his heart,
if he had not been kept back by mine and Alumbrado’s persuasions. This
state of mind encreased his anxious desire of discovering an artificial
bridge of communication with the kingdom of spirits. In short, all the
ideas he had imbibed in the school of the Irishman awoke in his mind
with redoubled force. What at first had been to him a mere object of
knowledge, became now the most important concern of his heart. One time
he surprised Alumbrado with the question whether he thought it possible
to converse with spirits before our death? However the artful man
extricated his neck with great dexterity from the sling, replying, that
such a question could not be answered in general, nor with a few words.
I perceived that Alumbrado viewed the Duke attentively and began to
muse, although he had cut off abruptly the thread of the conversation.
No one can conceive how ardently the Duke longed for the arrival of the
Irishman, of whom he expected to receive the final solution of that
problem. One rather should think that the Irishman ought to have lost
all credit with him, on account of his treacherous behaviour; for not
only his first promise to put the Duke in possession of Amelia by means
of his supernatural power; but also the second, that he would initiate
him in the practical mysteries of his supernatural wisdom, as soon as
the revolution should have been accomplished, was still incompleted.
However, the Duke excused him, instead of suspecting his having deceived
him. “Hiermanfor,” he said, “is not all powerful; how could he
therefore, avert that fatal blow from Amelia’s head? Hiermanfor has not
fixed the day of his return; perhaps he has been detained by business of
the greatest consequence, or means to try the measure of my confidence
in him; but whatever may be the reason of his non-arrival, he certainly
will not omit to make good his word.” Alumbrado asked him who that
Hiermanfor was? and the Duke related to him at large his adventures with
that man, without betraying the share he had had in the revolution.
I expected that Alumbrado, who at once was made acquainted with so
dangerous a rival, would do his utmost to ruin his credit; but I was
mistaken; all that he ventured to say, was, indeed, very much against
him; but he added, that one ought not to judge prematurely on so great
and deep a character.
This lenient judgment was not sufficient to cure the Duke of his
delusion; although his confidence in the Irishman was very strong, yet
his patience was very weak, and my reasoning against Hiermanfor began to
make him uneasy. Several times was he going to make public inquiries
after him, but the apprehension of offending him without being able to
find him out always prevented him from doing it. At last, when the
Irishman did not appear after a long and fruitless expectation, my
friend took it in his head to inquire after the Count de Clairval and in
case he should discover him, to seize him either by force or art,
because he expected to receive from him some information of Hiermanfor.
Alumbrado desired the Duke to give him a description of the Count. “He
is almost of my size,” my friend replied, “but fair, of an interesting
countenance, and a tranquil, gentle seriousness, generally characterizes
his mien, which however, frequently bespeaks the most jovial humour; his
nose is rather of the aquiline kind, his mouth almost woman like
handsome, and his chin falls a little back, yet without disfiguring
him.” “If you wish to get him in your power,” Alumbrado replied, “I will
endeavour to _spell-bind him_; but then I shall want his picture; could
you delineate it on a piece of paper?” The Duke, who as little as myself
knew what to think of this offer, looked alternately at me and at
Alumbrado. “Indeed,” the latter continued, “I wish to possess the
picture of the Count; leave the consequence to me.”
“If you really wish to possess it,” my friend replied. “you shall
have it.”
Possessing a great skill in drawing striking likenesses, he finished the
portrait the day following, assisted by his imagination, and gave it to
Alumbrado. We were impatient to learn what he was going to do with it;
however, he visited the Duke four days without mentioning the picture;
but on the fifth day informed him in what hotel he would find the Count.
We were looking at him in dumb astonishment, when he added, “Make haste,
now you can surprise him and if he should refuse to follow you, you only
need to tell him that the guard is waiting for your order to seize him.”
(_To be continued._)
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_Anecdote of an Earl of Portland, Lord Treasurer.
From a Manuscript in the British Museum._
When the Earl of Portland was Lord Treasurer of England (1634) he had,
like other great statesmen, a crowd of suitors; among others was Mr.
Cæsar, Master of the Rolls, who had been soliciting the place of one of
the six clerks in Chancery for his son, Mr. Robt. Cæsar, in the room of
Mr. D’Ewes, but was disappointed in his expectations; the Lord
Treasurer, although he had promised it to Mr. Cæsar, having given it to
Mr. Keene; but promised to urge his Majesty in favour of Mr. Cæsar the
next vacancy. That happened---the Treasurer was as negligent as
formerly; when Ld. Tillibarne eagerly solicited for Mr. Cæsar, and was
promised. Tired with useless application, he desired the Treasurer to
declare his intentions;---he answered his intentions were for Mr. Cæsar
but that he might not forget in future, he desired a token of
remembrance; which the other readily complied with, and wrote on a paper
“Remember Cæsar!”---In the hurry of the Earl’s business, even this was
forgot. Some time after, while he was looking over some loose papers, he
observed one, having written on it “Remember Cæsar!” The former
circumstances had escaped his recollection; therefore, alarmed, he
summoned his friends, to have their opinion upon it; who all agreed, an
attempt on his life was in agitation, and desired him to use every
precaution---In consequence of this, his house was barricadoed, guards
were placed around, and all had the appearance of danger and
apprehension, when Ld. Tillibarne waited upon him again, but could not
gain admittance, till he informed one of the Treasurer’s friends of the
circumstances of the note, which brought the whole to the Earl’s
recollection, and he complied with Lord Tillibarne’s request; Mr. Cæsar
being appointed one of the Six Clerks.
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_ABSTRACT of the ABBE BERTHOLON’s PAPER on FIRES,
and the MEANS of extinguishing them._
Published in the Lausanne Memoirs.
This subject is important and interesting, although the Abbé has rather
collected the observations and experiments made by others, than conveyed
any new and original information. He ascribes the inflammability of
bodies to the inflammable gas which they contain, and which, on their
decomposition by heat, is let loose, and coming into contact with the
atmosphere is ignited, and bursts out into flame. The principal part of
the memoir is devoted to a detail of the means of preventing and
extinguishing fires; and here the author’s chief advice, which is “in
the construction of buildings, to employ as little as possible of those
materials which yield inflammable air on their decomposition,” will be
allowed to be perfectly just in theory, but will probably be little
followed in practice: nor is the security resulting from brick floors
likely to compensate, in this age of affected elegance, for their
appearance. He informs us, however, that M. Ango, an architect of Paris,
has contrived a method of constructing a floor with iron bars, instead
of timber joists, which is even less expensive than the common mode. The
wood used in buildings may be rendered uninflammable, by being steeped
in a saline solution, and by being prepared with allum, even canvass and
paper hangings may be made to burn without flame.
Many other precautions are mentioned by the Abbé, which we shall not
detail, as they are universally known, and we believe pretty generally
adopted. After describing the inventions of Mr. Hartly and Lord Mahon,
together with a preparation similar to that of Lord Mahon’s recommended
by M. Frederic, of Vienna, the Abbé gives an account of a substance,
which he calls paper stone, invented by Dr. Faye, physician to the
Swedish admiralty: its composition is not known, but from a chemical
analysis it appears to consist of two parts of an earthly basis, and one
of animal oil, mixed up with two parts of some vegetable substance. At
Carlscrone a hut was built of dry wood, covered with this paper, which
is not more than two lines in thickness, it was then filled with
combustibles, which were set on fire and consumed without burning the
building: the paper, which had been pasted on boards, was reduced to a
cinder, and formed a kind of incrustation, which preserved them from the
effects of the flame. As this paper readily takes any colour, it may be
rendered ornamental as well as useful.
In his directions for extinguishing fires, the Abbé observes, that
water, in which a small quantity of potash has been dissolved, is more
efficacious than any other; he also recommends an engine called an
hydraulic ventilator, invented by M. Castelli, which is worked by vanes
instead of pistions, and may be managed by one person. The advantages
ascribed by our author to this machine are very considerable, but we
cannot suppress our astonishment on being told, that with a cylinder of
only three inches in diameter, it will throw up more water than the
largest fire engine; however, it certainly appears to be less expensive
and more portable than the common forcing pumps, and may be of use in
extinguishing a fire, before it has made any great progress. The utility
of garden mould with wet sand in this respect, is well known, but it can
seldom be applied, and we doubt the efficacy of the kind of catapult
which the author recommends, for throwing it so any distance.
The remainder of the memoir contains some very just and obvious remarks
on the necessity of a regular discipline among firemen, and it concludes
with a description of the engines, cisterns and pipes at the opera house
in Paris, the construction and arrangement of which the Abbé recommends
to be adopted in every public theatre.
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SPECIMENS OF SPEECH OR SPEAKINGS.
_Imprimis. Oratio Floridensis._