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    1050 THE LEADER. [SA^tTKODAY,

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    LETTEES OF Til JO POET GKAY. The Corresp...

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    Wo nhonld do cur ut.moot to orioo\,u-a^o...

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    Vjilpordufca, Juno 27, W»- £ST$BSY DEAR....

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  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

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    Our, Dusky Brethren. The Ethnographical ...

    usually all paid at once , but by instalments during several years . A father , who has many daughters , becomes a rich man by the presents which he receives oil their marriage . If a young man wishes to many , and is possessed of nothing , it often occurs that he makes a voyage of a year ' s duration among the other islands ; and making known his purpose , demands contributions from those he visits , to enable him to make up the instalment of goods which it is necessary to place in the hands of the parents .. The ceremony of betrothing- is celebrated by a feast , at which arrack forms a very necessary adjunct . ,. " 'It is not lawful for a man to enter the house of a neighbour during his

    absence , and if any one offends in this particular , he is obliged to pay a piece of cloth , or some other goods , to the owner of the house . The sentence is passed by the elders , who openly call upon the offender to pay the fine , which makes him so ashamed , that he either does so , or immediately leaves the village . This fine is called ' pakul dende' by the natives . Should any one even touch the wife of another , he must make a large atonement for the offence . The Macassar traders informed me that they were always obliged to watch their people narrowly , to keep them from approaching too near the married women , as the least touch would render them liable | to a fine ; and unless this was paid , the Alfoers would not be satisfied . .

    " 'Among the Alfoers , the treatment of their dead betrays , in the greatest degree , their uncivilized condition , and the uncertainty which exists among them as to their future state . When a man dies , his relations assemble , and destroy all the goods he may have collected during his life ; even the gongs are broken to pieces , and thrown away . In their villages I met with several heaps of porcelain plates and basins , the property of deceased individuals , the survivors entertaining an idea that they have no right to make use of them . After death , the body is laid out on a small mat , and supported against a ladder uniil the relatives of the deceased assemble , which seldom takes place until four days have elapsed ; and as decomposition will have commenced before this , the parts where moisture has appeared are covered with lime . Fruitless endeavours to stop the progress of decay ! In the meantime , damar or resin is continually burnt in the house , while

    the guests who have already assembled regale themselves with quantities of arrack , and of a spirit they themselves prepare from the juice of a fruit , amid violent raving , the discord being increased by the beating of gongs , and the howling and lamentation of the women . Food is offered to the deceased , and when they find he does not partake of it , the mouth is filled with eatables—siri and arrack—until it runs down the body and spreads over the floor . When the friends and relatives are all collected , the body is placed upon a bier , on which numerous pieces of cloth have been laid , the quantity being according- to the ability of the deceased ; and under the bier are placed large dishes of China porcelain , to catch any moisture that may fall from the body . The dishes which have been put to this purpose are afterwards much prized by the Alfoers . The body is then brought out before the house , and supported against a post , when attempts are made to

    induce it to eat . Lighted cigars , arrack , r ice , fruit , & c , are again stuffed into its mouth , and the bystanders , striking up a song , demand whether the sight of all his friends and fellow-villagers will not induce the deceased to awaken ? At length , when they find all these endeavours to be fruitless , ' they place the body on a bier , adorned with flags , and carry it out into the forest , where it is fixed upon the top of four posts . A tree—usually the Pavetta Indica—is then planted near it ; and it is remarkable that at this last ceremony none but women , entirely naked , are present . This is called by the Alfoers ' sud ; ih buang , ' by which they mean that the body is now cast away , and can listen to them no longer . The entire ceremony proves that the Alfoers are deprived of that consolation afforded by our religion , and that they only give expression to the grief they naturally feel at parting with one to whom they have been attached . ' "

    The foregoing extracts suffice to indicate tho attractions of this . volume , and to pique the reader ' s curiosity ; he will not read it without being assailed by crowding thoughts on man , man ' s destiny , and the enormous progress which these living indices of his infancy so vividly throw into relief .

    1050 The Leader. [Sa^Ttkoday,

    1050 THE LEADER . [ SA ^ tTKODAY ,

    Lettees Of Til Jo Poet Gkay. The Corresp...

    LETTEES OF Til JO POET GKAY . The Correspondence of Thomas Gray and William Mason : to which arc added some Tetters addressed by Gray to the Ren . James Jlrown , D . D . With Notes and Illustrations , by the licv . John Mitford . Price los . Uentloy . Titeke is a form of literature imposingly frivolous and pedantically trifling much cultivated by a certain bookish class , and holding something of the position towards literature in general that morning calls do to the serious purposes of life . Wo will not say thai ; in idle moments or in languid moods the works referred to have not been very acceptable ; just as the statesman and philosopher have found relaxation in the flitting gossip of a morning call . But we cannot help calling attention to the frivolity and worthlessness concealed beneath the bigwig erudition , and

    ostentatious research winch characterize the works we speak of . Some hookworm undertakes to " edit" a poet or tho poet ' s letters ; whether tho poet be a classic or an illustrious obscure , the editor ' s zeal is displayed in bringing from far and wide , out of" forgotten refuse heaps and the mere gutters of literary history , anything in any way relating to persons or subjects mentioned in the text . . Head the notes to almost any classic and pause awhile over their pitiable stupidity and irrelevancy " ! Bead the notes to any . 1 English classic and marvel at tho gravity with which the editor repeats a platitude ( Vonl Warburton or tux observation from llurd ! It is dillicult to estimate the extent of this literary sewage , gravely mistaken for manure ; but every reader will recall examples of what wo all tide to : and here before ) us lies a ehoieo specimen .

    Tho Kov . . John Mitford is what is called " iiinim thoroughly well read in our literature . " Ho lias the Monthly Review by heart , ' lie know s the ehronique , scandale . it se , of ( Iriib-street . He knows all that ; lOngliishnien with unalterable unanimity have declared they will forget . I To is nu expert editor of his clasH ; zealous , painstaking , accurate , and immensely tedious .. His- notes are " replete with information" of the kind you " desire not to know . The gravity with which he ( juotes , and the painstaking zeal with which ho gleans the veriest stubble , are only ma-paused by the like follies in " classical" editors . We will pick tolerably at random . In tho preface ho nays of Gray , —" A complete- decay of the powers of nature , long threatening and steadily advancing , procudod bin death . " On this passage we have this note :

    " Tho Rev . Mr . Oaroy , through whom tho groat Florentine Pool , ban become our own , Ikih mentioned Ihh convolving with tho colle ^ o servant who holpod | , romovc ( Jray from tho dinner table in tho hall , when suddenly attacked by Inn last fatal illnoHH . "

    Mr . Cary ( spelt Carey by Mr . Mitford—what will Mr . Peter Cunning , ham or Mr . Halliwell say to such a mistake !) did actually converse witk the college servant ^ and that fact is deemed worthy of rescue from oblivion . jBut what did the servant say ? On that point , complete silence Here is another gem : "The inscription which Gray wrote on his mother's tomb may be seen in his Life and Works , vol . i . p . xxxi . Sir James Mackintosh used to speak with high praise of the expression in it , 'the careful , tender mother of many children . ' It occurs , however , in an older writer , ' These were tender nurses , careful mothers . * See Braithwaite's English Gentlewoman , 4 to , p . 109 . 1633 . " One more and we desist . Gray mentions in passing a poem called Avon ; from a note by Mr . Mitford , we extract this concluding sentence :

    " The Rev . John Cowper , Fellow of Corp . Chr . Cambridge ( brother of the poet ) , says in a letter , Jan . 1786 , to Mr . Grough , 'A little poem called Avon has its merit . ' " See Nichols's Literary Anecdotes , viii . p . 662 . " It is amusing to picture to oneself the condition of mind which , can . render these " researches" the occupation of a life , and which , can imagine the wants of the public to be in any way furthered by them ! We have taken Mr . Mitford as a specimen of his class , but have no wish to speak in ridicule of him more than of his brethren . He has done his work so as to earn the applause of his brethren , and will be supremely indifferent to our ingratitude . Grateful we cannot feel . The letters between Gray and Mason are indeed , thanks to him , now published with something more of completeness ; but we do not think the world is much enriched thereby .

    " The Correspondence between Gray and Mason , which is now published in its entire form , was carefully preserved and arranged hy the latter , from which he made a partial selection in his Memoirs of Gray . This volume at his death was bequeathed to his friend Mr . Stonhewer , and from him it passed into the hands of his relative , Mr . Bright , of Skeffington Hau , Leicestershire . When , in the year 1845 , the library of Gray was sold hy the sons of that gentleman , then deceased , this volume of Correspondence was purchased by Mr . Penn , of Stoke Park , and by him was kindly placed in my hands for publication . " To those readers fond of small literary gossip , and especially those unacquainted with the previously published Letters of Gray , we can promise an agreeable volume to lounge over . Many of Gray ' s letters are altogether charming , and some of his critical remarks will be relished by poetry readers and writers , although Gray does avow that lie thinks " evena bad verse as good a thing or better than the best observation that was ever made on it . "

    The letters have many sly humorous touches , such as "I cannot now enter into the particulars of my travels , because I have not yet gathered up my quotations from the Classics to intersperse , like Mr . Addison , " or this on LAUKEATES : " Though I very well know the bland emollient saponaceous qualities both of sack and silver , yet if any great man would say to me , ' I make you Rat-catcher to his Majesty , with a salary of 300 J . a-year and two butts of the best Malaga ; and though it has been usual to catch a mouae or two for form ' s sake , in public once a-year , yet to you , sir , we shall not stand upon these things , ' I cannot say I should jump at it ; nay , if they would drop the veiy name of the office , and call me Sinecure to the King ' s Majesty , I should still feel a little awkward , and think every body I saw smelt a rat about me ; but I do not pretend to blame any one else that has not the same sensations ; for my part I would rather bo serjeant trumpeter or pinmakor to the palace . Nevertheless , I interest myself a little in . the history of it , and rather wish somebody may accept it that will retrieve the credit of the thing , if it be retrievable , or ever had any credit . Rowe was , I think , the last man of character that had it . As to Settle , whom you mention , he belonged to my lord mayor , not to the king . Eusden was a person of great hopes in his youth , though at last he turned out a drunken parson . Dryden was as disgraceful to the of lice , from his character , as the poorest scribbler could have been from his verses . The office itself lias always humbled the professor hitherto ( even in an age when kings were somebody ) , if he were a poor writer by making him more conspicuous , and if ho were a good one by setting him at war with the little fry of his own profession , for there are poets little enough to envy even a poet laureat . " Or tin ' s : " I fool a contrition for my long silence , and yet perhaps it is tho last thing you trouble your head about ; nevertheless , I will be as sorry jih if you took it ill . I am sorry too to sou you ho punctilious as to stand upon answers , and never to come near me till I have regularly left my name at your door , like a mercer ' s wife that imitates people who go a visiting . I would forgive you this , if you could possibly suspect I were doing any thing that I liked better , for then y our formality might look like being piqued at my negligence , which has aomowhat in it like kindness ; but you know I am at Stoko , hearing , seeing , doing , absolutely nothing , not such a nothing as you do at Tunbridge , chequered and diversified with a succession of fleeting colours , but heavy , lifeless , without form and void ; sometimes almost as black as the moral of Voltaire ' s Lisbon , which angora you so . " For a wind up we will quote one passage which has not unfrequen tly been quoted before , but xn repcatable for its truly literary view : "If tho sentiment » nunt fitand , twirl it a little into an apop hthegm , stick » flower in it , gild it with a costly expression ; lot it strike tho fancy , tho ear , t ho heart , and I . am satisfied . "

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    Wo Nhonld Do Cur Ut.Moot To Orioo\,U-A^O...

    Wo nhonld do cur ut . moot to orioo \ , u-a ^ o tho Hoau tiful , for- tho Usoful oncourrrft iUuvlf . —( Joirruit .

    Vjilpordufca, Juno 27, W»- £St$Bsy Dear....

    Vjilpordufca , Juno 27 , W » - £ ST $ BSY DEAR . MABK . —r write on the calculation that this letter wiU ® mBm > '] l you . i " " ' yon return ; for I do not suppoBO thai ev < < vl tWwi ' llllio cmi lfoo l y ° lonjror from businesH ; or that you wo SSifll lo » K ° ( ni ' ' won Margnrot ' o father . It must bo con fessed "" j <¦ ci - ; c .. M .. v ) be has not Mm-gnrot ' s genius , or yours . . Julio must have roC 01 J tho letter which Ysoult addi-oBsod to lior at Jirussols ; for I uuppoBO yo

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 29, 1853, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_29101853/page/18/