(_For the Mirror._)
A Mr. L------, a respectable straw-hat manufacturer, from the vicinity
of Bond-street, who had dabbled considerably in the fine arts, in the
way of sketches and outlines, taken at the different watering-places
which he visited, determined on making a tour to the Lakes, "in search
of the picturesque." Desirous of rendering his journey poetically
interesting, he solicited from a friend of his in town, who was
acquainted with Dr. Southey, a letter of introduction to the Laureate,
which was accorded. But the epistle, instead of describing Mr. L------
as an artist, merely designated him "an honest bonnet-maker," who had a
_penchant_ for lionizing, and who desired to be introduced to Dr.
Southey in "the way of business." With this vexatiously facetious and
laconic scrawl, poor Mr. L. made his way to the Lakes, and in due time
was ushered into the Parnassian presence of the author of "Thalaba." The
address of one of Southey's celebrity might well perplex a "man of
straw;" and it had somewhat of this effect on our tradesman-artist; who,
however, according to his own account of the affair, bustled through
pretty tolerably; adopting the _nonchalance_ of Geoffrey Crayon's uncle
on entering a superb drawing-room--looking around him with an air of
indifference, which seemed to say, "he had seen _finer things_ in his
time." After some desultory conversation, regarding the heights of
hills, the breadths of lakes, and the curative influence of the
sentimental region on the smoke-dried citizens, mixed with some
elaborate eulogies on the "_Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of
Society_," the "last new work" of the Doctor's, he began to evince a
little uneasiness at so much ceremony with a mere tradesman; which was
more than was called for towards even the modest and retiring "bard of
Sheffield," on Mr. Southey's difficultly-acquired interview with the
latter. Mr. L., however, before parting, thought it due to the poet, as
a mark of an artist's respect for the "classic nine," to present him
with a few sketches of the scenery, which he had already taken.
Unrolling a bundle of drawing paper, Southey, who thought he had been
talking to a bonnet-maker, come to solicit orders, remarked, "Your
latest _spring patterns_, I suppose?" "Sir!" faintly articulated the
now-enlightened Mr. L., "I merely beg leave to present you--" "Really,
Sir," said the impatient poet, "I thank you sincerely; but I have no
taste in selecting bonnets; had the ladies--" a sentence which was
interrupted by the abashed and confounded bonnet-maker grasping his hat
and drawings, and hastily wishing the Laureate a good morning.
* * H.
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