Lumleys. I shall be very sorry to lose them, for I have liked them
better every day. The second has the sweetest voice that can be, and
joined in some of our glees, which she easily learned. Once or twice
they sang all together for us, in the way they do at home; and, among
other things, a beautiful little hymn, which we discovered was written
by Mrs. L. If I can, I will send it to you and Marianne; and, perhaps,
some time or other, we three may also sing it together. Oh! when will
that time come?
Even now that I know their history, it is difficult to perceive in their
appearance and manners that they have lived in such complete retirement,
for they always express themselves in good language; and, though timid,
they are not in the least awkward. Whatever they do, they do well. They
are excellent arithmeticians, and answered some puzzling questions of my
uncle’s with a facility that surprised him. The power of calculating in
the head he thinks highly useful; and, on this occasion, he encouraged
me to try with the rest, by shewing me how to seize upon the leading
points of a question. At first I made no attempt, but spent the time,
that others were at work, in thinking that I had no chance of success.
Having at last, however, recovered from this silly fit, I exerted
myself, and actually gave the first answers to the three following
questions: though I will not say that some of the party did not
good-naturedly wait a little for me. I send them to Marianne, though I
know they will appear trifling to her, for she was always quicker at
arithmetic than I was; but tell her the great thing is, to do them in
her head.
How much time, in the course of thirty years, does a person gain, who
rises at six o’clock in the morning, over another who sleeps till nine;
supposing that the former goes to bed at eleven, and the latter at
midnight?
There is a cistern in this house, which contains 180 gallons of water:
it is supplied by a feeding pipe, which admits 15 gallons in ten
minutes; and the tap, or discharging pipe, lets off 12 gallons in six
minutes. Now suppose, when the cistern was exactly half full, that both
cocks were opened, and that, at the end of an hour afterwards, the
tap-cock was shut: in what time will the cistern be filled?
Herodotus mentions a brass vessel, that was shown in Scythia in his
time, which was six digits in thickness, and contained 600 _amphoræ_, or
about 4300 gallons. It had been made of arrow points, collected by the
king from his subjects, in order to ascertain their number--each
individual being obliged to bring one. Such a vessel would be 11 or 12
feet in diameter; and, from the thickness of the metal, must have
weighed about 71,000 pounds troy. Now, if each arrow point was half an
ounce, the question is--Of how many fighting men could the Scythian
monarch boast? for it is not probable that the women and children were
included in that kind of warlike census.
My uncle was pleased at the efforts I made, even when I failed, because
it shewed that I had conquered my old enemy--indolence.
I wrote down these questions while they were fresh in my mind; and then
we all went to take our last walk together to Franklin’s farm. We found
him and his active wife fixing on the situation of the house and garden,
and orchard.
They have chosen a place where there is a pretty slope in the ground, so
that the drains will have a good fall from the house. The garden is to
be in front, and the orchard at one side. They are going to
double-trench the ground, by digging it to twice the depth of the spade.
It is to be left in that state during the winter; and the soil, being
thus exposed to the action of air and frost, will be improved. In the
course of the winter they will plant a young hedge round the garden.
This day was one of those lovely, mild, sunny days in October, of which
I have often heard you speak.
When Autumn scatters his departing gleams.
We staid out till sunset, enjoying the balmy air and amusing ourselves
capping verses. This we are all very fond of, and all strove hard for
victory; but I must confess that Mary was most frequently the conqueror.
_14th._--It has surprised every body how much knowledge these Miss
Lumleys have acquired; and yesterday, when we were out walking, my aunt
expressed this surprise to Mrs. Lumley.
“Next to the great principles of religion and morality,” she replied,
“we endeavoured from their infancy to give them habits of _exactness_,
which we have always found lead not only to regularity and economy of
time, but become great preservatives of truth. On such a foundation it
was not difficult to engraft the love of knowledge; and literature was
always made an indulgence, not a task. After affectionately helping me
in our many coarse and laborious works, they first sympathised in the
pleasure they perceived I felt, when I had time to read a few pages of
some interesting history or poem; and, from sympathy, they soon began to
taste the pleasure themselves.”
They continued the conversation till dinnertime, and both seemed equally
pleased at finding how exactly they agreed in their sentiments on
education. In the evening, after some music, my aunt, who had been
particularly gratified with the piety that appeared in every thing that
had dropped from Mrs. Lumley, but who knew that very good people
sometimes differed in opinion on trifling matters, said to her, “I
should be inclined to play some lively tunes, and set our young people
to dance; but I am not sure whether you approve of dancing, and in such
a slight thing I would not offend opinions that I am sure deserve
respect.”
“Indeed,” she replied, “I feel, just as you do, great pleasure in seeing
young people cheerful, and enjoying amusements suited to their age; nor
can I find in any part of that Book which should be our guide, one word
to indicate the impropriety of social amusement--if moderately indulged
in, and not made the business of life. Moderation, in all things, I do
indeed enjoin. My daughters, I fear, can ill take a part in a dance with
yours--but I shall be delighted to see my good, homely girls amused. I
must add,” continued she, “that I should be sorry you mistook my
opinions; misfortune has made me think seriously, but not harshly. It
has given me deeper views of religion than I had in the careless hours
of prosperity, but at the same time it has convinced me how much more
there is of affected singularity than of real religion, in prohibiting a
moderate degree of amusement. It is very probable that I might have
become enthusiastic or melancholy, had it not been for the friendship of
Mr. Benson, that good clergyman who lives near us. It is not too much to
say, that in his conduct, as well as in his sentiments, he shews the
happiest union of Christian piety with all the social virtues; and that
his profound learning on the most important of all subjects, is
embellished by the graces and knowledge of this world.”
My aunt then sat down to the piano-forte, and summoned us all to dance.
Mr. L. and my uncle were so good as to join our party, and we danced
very merrily for about an hour; and so ends our last night with these
very engaging Lumleys.
MRS. LUMLEY’S HYMN.
Teach me, O God! to Thee my voice to raise
In meek submission, and in humble praise;
In all events, thy gracious will to see,
In all misfortunes, to behold but Thee.
To feel, in want and anguish, all thy love,
The tender father’s discipline to own;
To know that sorrow comes, my heart to prove,
To feel the warning of thy awful frown.
O! make me grateful, that I’m timely tried,
And forced from earthly cares to love Thee, Lord!
That, by thy chastisement, thus purified,
I live in Thee, and in Thy holy word.
As lightning clears the sky, by clouds o’ercast,
So shall adversity my heart revive;
When worldly joy is gone, and sorrow past,
My humbled heart in faith and hope shall live.
The sun behind our western hills declines,
But gilds the evening clouds with golden ray:
Thus when the morn of life no longer shines,
Still Christian hope illumes our fading day.
And as the rising sun dispels the night,
So shall we wake with joy in Gospel light.
_15th._--Mr. Lumley said the other day, that the inhabitants of the
Apennines were like the people of Auvergne in their manners; so I took
an opportunity this morning of asking my aunt some questions about them.
She told me, that Auvergne has been very little known till lately; even
the remarkable fact, that the whole district is a collection of extinct
volcanoes, has not been very long discovered. It has been visited by few
travellers, and the people seem to have had but little intercourse with
their neighbours. Bakewell’s Travels were in the room, and she gave me
the following passages to read.
“It was market day, and we met a long train of carts with wood, each
drawn by four oxen, coming to Clermont. The dress and appearance of the
mountaineers who were conducting the carts, were very striking; with
immense broad-brimmed hats, long, lank hair, gaunt features, and striped
cloth cloaks, that reached nearly to their feet, they bore no
resemblance to Frenchmen, and they spoke a different language. I believe
they are the descendants from the same race who resisted Cæsar, for
whatever changes may have taken place in other parts of France, none of
the warlike hordes who ravaged the more fertile parts of the country in
succeeding ages, would have wished to take possession of the sterile
mountains of Auvergne, or to undertake the task of driving out the
original inhabitants. I was much surprised, on entering some of the
houses, to observe that the lamps, waterpots, and other earthenware
vessels, were of the same form as the Etruscan vessels from
Herculaneum; they are doubtless made after models transmitted from very
remote antiquity, as vessels of these forms are not found in any other
parts of France that I have visited. The music of the Auvergnats is the
bagpipe.
“Many of the families in the lower or middle rank of life, have small
vineyards, and make wine for their own use. A freehold vineyard, which
costs two hundred francs, or about eight pounds sterling, produced wine,
more than sufficient for a family of five persons, as we were informed
by one of these little proprietors. They cultivate the vineyards
themselves; and seem to live in contented and obscure independence,
relying on their own industry for every thing, and preserving the
customs of their remote ancestors.”
_16th._ _Sunday._--The history of our first parents, and the nature of
their transgression, was the subject of our conversation this morning.
Towards the end of it, my uncle said, “It is a strange error, though
some sensible people seem to have fallen into it, to doubt the truth of
this early part of sacred history, because the eating of a certain fruit
was apparently too trifling to be considered a trial of obedience. But
there is one circumstance which they do not seem to have sufficiently
considered; that, if it was necessary to lay Adam under some small
restraint, to remind him, that notwithstanding his dominion over all
things, he was still the servant of the Most High; a trial of his
obedience to any _moral_ precepts could scarcely have been made, for
there was no opportunity at that time of violating them. For instance,
there was nothing to tempt him to idolatry, when every recent
circumstance must have carried with it a conviction of the single power
of the Almighty; and when the impression of the Creator’s beneficent
agency was kept alive by the frequent visits of his glorious presence.
Highly favoured creatures, the voice of their God was a sound familiar
to their ears!
“As there were no other inhabitants in the world, it was impossible to
steal, murder, covet, or commit any crime against society. It had been,
therefore, vain indeed, to forbid that which could not be done. There
could be no virtue in abstaining from crimes to which there was no
temptation. But there would have been virtue in submitting to the
commands of God, who required only this simple abstinence, in token of
their subjection; and no matter how small the trial, it was their part
to have obeyed. It pleases God to try our virtue sometimes with very
small temptations, and the weakness with which we transgress in the
least things, may convince us that we are not very capable of resisting
great temptations.
“Insignificant creatures that we are, with narrow views and limited
perceptions; we are always ready to arraign the decrees of the Supreme
Disposer of all, and to wonder why things are not otherwise. I have read
a good remark, made by Philo a learned Jew, which may apply to this
presumptuous disposition of mankind. In treating of the plagues of
Egypt, he says, ‘Some inquire why God punished the country by such
minute and contemptible animals, as flies and frogs, rather than by
lions, leopards, or other savage beasts that prey on man. But let them
reflect, that God chose rather to correct, than to destroy the
inhabitants--if he had desired to annihilate them utterly, he had no
need to have made use of any auxiliaries. Let them remember, also, that
when God--the source of all power--who stands in need of no assistance,
chooses to employ instruments, as it were, to inflict chastisement;
instead of the strongest, he selects the mean and the despicable--but
which, in his service, are endowed with irresistible force.’”
_17th._--As my uncle saw how much I was interested about the Laplanders,
and their reindeer, he was so good as to read to us, last night, an
account of them, from De Capell Brooke’s travels, a very entertaining
book, which has been lately published. I will transcribe a little of it
here, as I know Marianne will like to see it.
“My landlord having received intelligence that the Laplanders, with
their reindeer, were within a mile of Fugleness, I was anxious to avail
myself of the opportunity of seeing them. After an hour’s walk, we found
the tent and its owner, Per Mathison; and inside the tent, into which we
crept, Marit, his wife, was busy preparing the utensils for milking the
deer, and making the cheese. She was not more than four feet nine inches
high, and of a brown complexion, which seemed more the result of
habitual dirt, and of living constantly in smoke, than of nature. She
had on her summer dress of dirty white cloth, girt round by a belt, to
which was suspended a small knife; and her _komagers_, or shoes, were of
strong leather, forming a peak at the toes. On her head she wore a high
cap, made partly of cloth, and partly of bits of coloured calico. This
cap is peculiar to the Norwegian Lapland, and is rather elegant in its
shape. Though wild and uncouth, her manners did not betray the surliness
so conspicuous in her husband. The latter was dressed in reindeer fawn
skins, which, being thin and pliable, were not likely to be too warm.
“Another Laplander and his wife lived in the same tent. This man seemed
to be a partner of Per Mathison; their deer were mixed together, but the
superior number belonged to the latter, and he was evidently head of the
family, which was easily perceived, from his idleness and inactivity,
mixed with a kind of gruff independence, that bespoke a laird of the
mountains. He had, for the last two summers, brought his herd of deer to
the mountains of Whale Island, from the interior of Norwegian Lapland--a
distance of more than two hundred miles. Here he remained between two
and three months; and, before the approach of winter, again returned to
his native forests.
“In about two hours, the distant barking of the dogs indicated the
coming of the deer, which we at last discerned winding slowly along the
mountains, at the distance of near a mile, appearing like a black moving
mass. They now approached the fold, which was a large space that had
been cleared of the brushwood, and inclosed by branches of dwarf birch
and aspen, stuck around to prevent the deer from straying. As the herd
came up to it, the deer made frequent snortings; and a loud crackling
was heard, produced by their divided hoofs striking against each other.
These animals, being endued with an exquisite sense of smelling, soon
perceived there were strangers near; and our appearance, so different
from the dress of the Laplanders to which they had been accustomed,
alarmed them to such a degree, that it was necessary for us to retire
till they had entered the fold. After some difficulty, the whole herd
were at length collected within the circle; and the women, bringing
their bowls from the tent, began the operation of milking, which, as
some hundreds of deer were assembled, was likely to take up a
considerable time. In this both the men and women were busily employed.
Before each deer was milked, a cord with a noose was thrown round the
horns, by which it was secured and kept steady. The Laplanders are
extremely expert at this; and it was surprising to see the exactness
with which the noose was thrown from a distance; hardly ever failing to
light upon the horns of the deer for which it was intended, though in
the thickest of the herd. The cord for this purpose was made of the
fibres of the birch, very neatly plaited together, and exceedingly
strong. During the short time the animal was milking, this cord was
either held by one of the women, or made fast to a birch shrub; some of
the thickest having been stripped of their leaves, and left standing for
this purpose. Many of the deer, instead of being tractable, as I had
imagined, were very refractory, frequently even throwing the women down,
and hurting them with their horns. They seemed very little to mind this;
but, strong as the Laplanders are, they appeared to have little power
over these animals, for when one had the cord round its horns, and
refused to be milked, it dragged the holder with ease round the fold.
The quantity of milk that each deer gave scarcely exceeded a tea-cup
full; but it was extremely luscious, of a fine aromatic flavour, and
richer than cream. Of this we eagerly partook, after we had permission;
which, however, Per Mathison did not at first seem willing to grant, but
his sullen nature was soon softened by brandy.
“In the middle of the herd of deer, suspended to the branches of a low
birch, was a child about a year old, enclosed in a kind of cradle, or
case covered with leather. The Laplanders, when obliged to go any
distance from their tents, frequently leave their children thus
suspended on a tree, by which they are secured from the attack of any
ravenous animal.
“It was past midnight before the whole of the herd was milked. The sun
had left the heavens about an hour, but a deep orange tint, on the verge
of the horizon, shewed that it was not far below it. The deer were at
length turned out from the fold; and, spreading themselves along the
sides of the mountains, were quickly lost to our view. The Laplanders
now collecting the milk, which amounted to a considerable quantity,
proceeded with it to the tent, inviting us to supper. We crept in, and
seated ourselves on reindeer skins, which were strewed on the ground.
The business of making cheese now commenced: and Marit, emptying the
milk from the bowls into a large iron pot, placed it over a fire, in the
centre of the tent, the smoke of which annoyed us much. In a short
time, the milk assumed the appearance of curd; and, being taken off, was
placed in small moulds, made of beech wood, and pressed together. The
number of cheeses thus made amounted to about eight, of the size of a
common plate, and barely an inch in thickness. The whey and curds that
remained were for our supper, though the dirty habits of the people much
diminished my appetite.
“After supper was finished, and the bowls and other utensils removed to
a corner of the tent, fresh wood was placed on the fire, which again
enveloped us in smoke. On its burning up, the flames reached the
cheeses, which had been placed on a board directly over the fire, that
the smoke might harden them. Their richness and the heat caused large
drops of oil to trickle from them, which the men licked up with evident
relish.
“The whole group was a curious one. Opposite to us, around the fire,
were the uncouth figures of the Laplanders, squatting on their haunches.
In one corner were two children asleep in deer-skins; and more than
twenty small dogs were also reposing about us. It was soon time for the
men to commence their nightly employment of watching the deer, and
accordingly one of them left the tent. On making a signal, about half
the dogs, whose turn it was to commence the watch, started suddenly up,
and followed their master to the mountains. I was greatly surprised to
find the rest take no notice of the summons, and remain quietly
stretched on their deer-skins, well aware, singular as it may seem, that
it was not their turn.”
_18th._--Mary is reading Waddington’s Visit to Ethiopia and Dongola, and
she shewed me an account in it of the _mirage_, that most curious
deception of the sight.
In crossing the immense sandy plain near Askán, in Dongola, Mr. W. says
they had a good view of the mirage. It assumed at first the appearance
of a broad winding stream, which he mistook for the Nile. It then
changed rather suddenly from a river to a sea, covering the whole of the
horizon in front of the party; while castles, trees, and rocks seemed to
stand in the middle of the water, in which those objects were most
distinctly reflected. The apparent distance of the nearest part was
continually changing from one quarter to three quarters of a mile.
At Bakkil Mr. W. saw another beautiful mirage; and he remarks that the
two or three places where he had seen this phenomenon in the greatest
perfection, were peculiarly frequented by the antelope, as if she loved
the banks of that fairy sea, and delighted to gaze upon its fugitive
waters. It is a singular coincidence with this observation, that the
mirage is called by the Arabs of the Desert,--the lake of the gazelles.
I was anxious to learn something further on this curious subject, and
not knowing what books to consult, I applied to my uncle. He tells me
that a species of mirage is very common at sea; distant ships seem
grotesquely caricatured by it either in length or in height; and
sometimes, over the real vessel, an inverted picture of it appears
suspended in the sky, with the masts of each prolonged, so as to unite.
A similar effect was observed in the desert by the French, in their
Egyptian expedition; the villages appearing distorted, or raised above
their natural level, or as if built on an island in the middle of a
lake. As they approached, the apparent surface of the water became
narrower and narrower, till it disappeared; and the same deceptive
appearance began again at the next village. But all travellers through
sandy plains, in hot climates, mention this kind of optical deception,
and particularly that of its having the appearance of water. Some of
them, after having travelled for hours in a burning desert, faint and
exhausted, have had their spirits revived by the sight of water, and
have eagerly pushed on to refresh themselves and their poor camels; you
may judge of their disappointment when they perceived that it was all
illusion.
Another very remarkable instance of mirage, my uncle says, has been more
than once seen at Reggio, in the straits of Messina, where it is called
the Fata Morgana. When the rays of the sun form an angle of about 45°
with the sea, and that the bright surface of the water in the bay is not
disturbed by wind or current, if the spectator be placed with his back
to the sun, there suddenly appears on the water the most
incomprehensible variety of objects--pilasters, arches, and castles,
lofty towers and extensive palaces, with all their balconies and
windows--or perhaps trees, vallies, and plains, with their herds and
flocks--armies of men, on foot and on horseback, and many other strange
objects; all in their natural colours, and all in action, passing
rapidly in succession along the surface of the sea. But if, besides the
circumstances before described, the atmosphere happens to be loaded with
a dense vapour, which the sun had not previously dispersed, the observer
will behold a representation of the same objects in the air, as if
traced there on a curtain; though not so distinct or well defined as
those on the sea. These curious appearances were fancifully called by
the Italians, the castles of the Fairy Morgana.