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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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Untitled Article
them a car formed of a single nutshell , ornamented with precious stones , and drawn by two dolphins . Twelve charming little negresses , in bonnets and frocks of dove feathers , jumped upon the land , and bore Mary and Nutcracker through the waves into the car . What a charming
voyage had Mary , borne on her shell of mother-of-pearl , upon the rosecoloured waters . The two dolphins , scaled with gold , threw into the air streams of crystal , which fell again , forming rainbows ; and little silver voices sang , * Who swims , who swims , on the Sea of Roses ? The fairy , the little fairy ! swim , swim , little fishes ! fly , fly , little golden birds ! roll , roll , silver waves ! for here is your queen 1 ' But the twelve little negresses did not seem to admire this music , for they whirled their parasols so much about that the date leaves of which they were formed flew away ; they also made a great noise and kicking behind the car . ' The negresses do not like travelling by sea , ' said Nutcracker . Certainly , strange voices were heard in the air and in the waters , but Mary paid no attention to them ; for she was observing , in the rose-coloured waves , the pretty smiling face of a young girl .
* Do look , my dear Mr . Pivot / said Mary ; ' I think I see the princess Pearloprice smiling very graciously on me !' Nutcracker sighed dolorously , and said , Dear Miss Smallhorse , it is not the princess you see ; it is your own face which smiles so sweetly in the waves . *
Mary raised her head quickly and shut her eyes , she was so ashamed . At that instant , which covered her confusion , the twelve negresses carried her again to land , and she found Herself in a little wood , which , if possible , was prettier than Christmas Wood . ' We are now in Comfit Wood / said Nutcracker ; * beyond it is the capital . ' Mary looked forward , and wonderful was the sight she saw . Not
only did the walls and towers shine in the most magnificent colours , but the forms of the edifices were without parallel on earth , for the houses had fine crownB at the top . When they passed through the gate , built of barley-sugar , silver soldiers presented arms , and a little man , in a brocaded robe , threw himself on Nutcracker ' s neck , exclaiming , 'Oh , my prince , welcome , a thousand times welcome , to Comfit Town !' Mary was astonished to find that she had a prince for her guide .
Soon they heard a very great noise , laughter , and shouting ; and Mary asked Nutcracker the meaning of the tumult . * My dear young lady / replied Nutcracker , ' it is all as usual . Comfit Town is a very lively and populbus place . Come with me , and we shall see more . ' A little further on they arrived at the market-place , and a very fine sight presented itself to them . All the houses were formed of iced sugar , raised gallery upon gallery . In the midst of the market-place
was a large cake , in the form of an obelisk , flanked by four fountains , from which poured out lemonade and other delicious liquors ; the froth formed in the basins was so thick that it might be cut with a spoon . But the finest sight of all was the little people , who crowded about in thousands , nodding to each other , pushing-, laughing , singing , in short making the great noise which Mar y had heard at a distance . In this crowd were seen people of all nations ; Armenians , Greeks , Jews , Spaniards , Tyrolians , officers , soldiers , priests , shepherds , —in a word , all
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26 The Nvtcracker .
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Jan. 2, 1835, page 26, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2641/page/26/
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