(_To the Editor._)
In looking over the last volume (16) of your interesting miscellany,
I was much amused with a humorous legend at page 108, called the Rat's
Tower, and according to your reference, having turned to page 68, of
vol. xii. was equally entertained with the same laughable and well told
story versified. This humorous production is extracted from a work
entitled, if I mistake not, "The Rhinish Keepsake," containing many
of the most wonderful and spirit-stirring legends connected with old
chateaux, &c. on the banks of that majestic river, the Rhine. Amongst
other pretty and choice _morceaux_, is a poem under the name of
"_L'Envoy_," which may probably interest yourself and the readers
of the _Mirror_. In perusing the enclosed, you will observe the
infancy, manhood, and old age of "Father Rhine," as he is called, are
all brought in succession before our eyes, which happy and ingenious
idea is taken from a highly descriptive French publication, and perhaps
having named the work, you will pardon my having extracted that portion
which refers more particularly to the subject before us. The author
says, "Dans son enfance le Rhin joue entre les fleurs des Alpes de
la Suisse, il se berce dans le lac de Constance, il en sort avec des
forces nouvelles, il devient un adolescent bouillant, fait une chute
a Schaffhouse, s'avance vers l'age mur, se plait a remplir sa coupe
de vin, court chercher les dangers et les affronte contre les écueils
et les rochers: puis parvenu a un age plus avancée il abandonne les
illusions, les sites romanesques, et cherche l'útile. Dans sa caducité
il desserit et disparait enfin on ne sait trop comment!"