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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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28 th . My mistress can move about the room now , but she looks verypoorly , and is in very low spirits . She opened the pianoforte and played a sonata , but she does not rattle over the keys as she used to do ; her hand seems heavy and languid ; but I fancy she is not very fond of music , which is to be regretted , as it would serve to amuse her if she were . In the evening Mr . Leslie came ; he said he thought Joddrell might have arrived , perhaps , and he came to hear the news from Margate . Seeing the pianoforte open , he requested my mistress to play to him , which she did , whilst he stood beside her and turned over the leaves . Then she discovered he could sing , a
thing she was not aware of before ; and he sang " Fly from the world , oh , Bessy , to me ! " and several other pretty songs by the same author , from memory , accompanying himself . My mistress expressed much surprise at this accomplishment having remained so long concealed . She sat beside him listening with great delight , and looking more happy and animated than I have seen her do for a long time . After he was gone , she sat down with her feet on the fender—for the evening being chilly she had a fire—and fell into a reverie . When Ann came to assist her up stairs , she told her that she might go to bed , and that she could manage for herself to-night ; and she sat there till it was near two o ' clock and the fire was quite out .
29 th . A letter from my master to say he will be home to-morrow . My mistress sent out to buy the songs that Mr . Leslie sang last night , and amused herself with them all the morning . After dinner Mr . Leslie came , bringing some music with him , and they had another delightful evening . As my mistress seems so fond of singing , I can't help wishing my master could sing as well as Mr . Leslie does . When he went away she bade him be sure to come the next evening to see Henry , and hear all about Margate , which he promised to do .
30 th . My mistress more animated to-day than I have usually seen her of late—giving orders to the servants , and preparing for Mr . Joddrell ' s arrival . However he did not come to dinner , as she expected ; and when Mr . Leslie came at eight o ' clock , thinking to find him here , he was disappointed , and doubtful whether to come in or not ; but Mrs . Joddrell hearing him at the door , she called over the stairs to beg he would walk up , which he did , and they sat chatting and listening for the coach till ten o ' clock , and then they
gave up all hopes of Mr . Joddrell ' s arrival for that night , knowing that the stage he was to come by reached the Elephant and Castle exactly at half-past eight . Mr . Leslie said he believed it was time to say " Good evening ; " but my mistress begged him once more to sing ff Remember the days ; " so he sat down to the pianoforte , and , when there , they turned over leaf after leaf till it was past twelve , and Mr . Leslie was just thinking of going , when there came a knock at the door .
Gracious ! can that be Joddrell ? " said my mistress . Mr . Leslie started , and did not make any answer ; but the colour came into his face , from surprise , I suppose ; whilst my mistress opened the drawing-room door to listen . " It is , " said she , " I declare ! I hear them letting down the steps of the coach ; " and down she ran to meet her husband . Mr . Leslie looked as if he did not know whether to follow her or stay where he was ; and remained at
the top of the stairs with an air of irresolution , whilst the coachman was paid and the luggage deposited in the hall . Just at this crisis arrived Mr . Page . He had seen the coach stop as he was passing the door , and stept in to welcome my master home . " How late you are , Henry , " said Mrs . Joddrell . "At ten o ' clock I gave you up , for I thought that you wrote that the coach came in at eight o ' clock . "
" So it does , " replied Mr . J . ; but I came by sea , and the packet did not get in till eleven . " " Well , good night ! " said Page ; " I am glad to see you back . " " Oh , come up stairs a minute , do , " said my master . " It's too late , " answered Page . " It ' s past twelve . " * Never mind ! I ' m going to have a bit of supper . Come up and take a glass of something . " So Mr . Page acceded , and they ascended together . " Hallo ! " cried Page , seeing Mr . Leslie at the top of the stairs , " who's this ?"
" How do you do ? " said Mr . Leslie to my master . " What has made you so late ? " " He came by sea , " replied my mistress , whilst Mr . Leslie and Mr . Joddrell shook hands . I could not help thinking there was a want of cordiality about Mr . Leslie's manner—perhaps it arose from embarrassment , for he certainly did look embarrassed ; though I can ' t think why . " I looked in , " said he , " expecting to find you here . " * ' And , as he did not come , you staid to comfort his wife , I suppose ?" observed Mr . Page . " I'll tell you what , Joddrell , I'd have you look sharp after that young chap . Mind , Leslie , when I go out of town Mrs . Page is not at home ; so you need not trouble yourself to call . "
Mr . Leslie laughed at this ; but I don ' t think he liked it , for he grew very red again ; and my mistress looked really an ^ ry with Mr . Page for his impertinence . However , Mr . Joddrell desired his wife to order some supper , and bade both the gentlemen stay and take a glass of brandy and water with him , which tliey did , and had a deal of chat about Margate and its gaieties . The air certainly seems to have agreed with master , for he is grown very fat ; I am doubtful , however , whether he is improved by it ; I think it makes him look heavier .
On the following day Mr . Joddrell returned to his office , things resumed their previous train ; only Mr . Leslie did not call as often as he used before my master went to Margate . Indeed , he allowed three weeks to elapse without a visit ; and then Mr . Joddrell , wondering what had become of him , sent to beg he would come to dinner ; after which he dropt in as formerly . About this time , I observed my mistress began to be poorly and lose her appetite , and I was really getting uneasy about her , till I saw her very busyabout certain little articles that awakened my suspicions ; and a conversation I overheard between her and my master also threw a light on the subject . Although she looked ill , her spirits greatly improved ; indeed , she was as happy and merry again as ever ; and then there was such a hemming of cambric and herring-boning of flannels ; such cutting and contriving and trimming of little caps and shirts , that it was a benediction to see it . Master seemed pleased , too , in his quiet way ; but he was never either as glad or as sorry as she was about any thing . At length , one day , I observed that my mistress did not jise at her usual time ; presently the doctor was sent for ; and , about three o ' clock in the afternoon , I heard a tiny voice protesting , with all the energy its owner could command , against the sudden summons to appear in court . After undergoing certain preliminary operations , the new comer was laid beside its mother in the bed , and Mr . Joddrell was called up to see it . " Isn ' t it pretty , Henry ? " said the wife . " It ' s very red , " said Mr . Joddrell . " All babies are red , Sir , " replied the nurse . " What lovely blue eyes she has ! hasn't she , Henry ? " exclaimed Mrs . J . " I ' m sure she'll be pretty . " " It ' s impossible to say , " replied Mr . Joddrell . " There ' s no telling what such a thing as that will be ; but how do you feel , Lizzy ?" " I feel very well , " answered my mistress ; " but I am so disappointed you don ' t admire the baby . I think she is so pretty . " " I dare say it ' s like all other babies , " answered Mr . Joddrell . " Yes , Sir , they be all much alike , " said the nurse . Mrs . Joddrell was of a very different opinion ; but , perceiving it was useless to argue the case , she dropt the subject , contenting herself with feasting her eyes on her baby ' s face , and wondering at . other people ' s blindness .
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SOLITUDE . { From the German o / Lenau . ) I . Say , O my Reader ! hast thou found thee ever , Loveless , without thy God , on desert heath , — Thy wounds fast bleeding , worn thy soul to death , Though pride to lull thy pain would aye endeavour ? Hast thou been forced from Love , from Hope to sever ? Had every zephyr fled Care ' s tempest- breath ? Was heav ' n as dark as earth was drear beneath ? Was gloom around thee , cross'd by sunbeam never ? If thus thou Solitude hast known indeed , Thou know ' st , too , with what wild despairing craving That wanderer grasps some round rock on his way : He lies , his arms outstretched , and takes small heed Of rains ; then starts , and upward springs he , raving , And stretches forth his arms , the winds to stay ! II . The wind is strange , thou never canst embrace it ; The rock is dead , and vainly wouldst thou win Response , where living sense is none within ; The rose is deaf ! all vainly wouldst thou grace it With , myriad lays : —then , bear thy fate , and face it ! This is a world of selfishness and sin ; Amidst its faint decay , yet ceaseless din , None heed thee . Each man builds his own *? Hicjacet . " From their huts' casements , here and there , cold mortals Gaze forth upon thee . Soon the shutters close ; For woes like thine make others shun " the dreary . " Loveless , without thy God ! barr'd all men ' s portals ; The winter breezes swell , yet what repose ? Eternity ' s before , —and thou art weary J
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IS LOVE BLIND ? Tiitfrt e is nothing so clearsighted . It exalts our natures to their highest capabl lity , enabling us to decipher truths which are illegible to the normal sense . It has given moments of subtle wisdom to the dullest $ moments of impassi oned eloquence to the coldest . We are strongest when we love , because I * ove is not only the most energetic but the most elevating of passions . We see most clearly then , because our perceptions are all intensified by the intensity of the feeling . We are affected as in mesmerism , and Love is the clairvoyn ; nee of the heart . But tin 3 re is always a meaning in old adages , and in that of " Love is blind" th ere is a truth . The blindness spoken of is blindness to all consequence , disregard of all collaterals , reckless oblivion or contempt of whatever is for eign to it . The intensity of the shadow is proportioned to the intensity of -the light . Everything which comes within the rays of Love is wondrously vivid ; the rest is darkness . Love sees all it cares to sec . It is not blind ; but it will only look straightforward . A horse is not blind when blinkers are put on to prevent his seeing whatever gocjs on at his side AH energetic paft isions act as blinkers .
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C and Jutv 27 , 1850 . ] $ * tUairnv 429 .
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), July 27, 1850, page 429, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1848/page/21/
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