Bracebridge Hall, or The HumoristsIrving, Washington
General
Bracebridge Hall, or The Humorists
Irving, Washington
England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; National characteristics, English -- Fiction
found them, but tinting them up with its own magical hues, until every
green hill and fountain-head, every fresh meadow, nay, every humble
flower, is full of song and story.
I am dwelling too long, perhaps, upon a threadbare subject; yet it
brings up with it a thousand delicious recollections of those happy
days of childhood, when the imperfect knowledge I have since obtained
had not yet dawned upon my mind, and when a fairy tale was true
history to me. I have often been so transported by the pleasure of
these recollections, as almost to wish that I had been born in the
days when the fictions of poetry were believed. Even now I cannot look
upon those fanciful creations of ignorance and credulity, without a
lurking regret that they have all passed away. The experience of my
early days tells me, that they were sources of exquisite delight; and
I sometimes question whether the naturalist who can dissect the
flowers of the field, receives half the pleasure from contemplating
them, that he did who considered them the abode of elves and fairies.
I feel convinced that the true interests and solid happiness of man
are promoted by the advancement of truth; yet I cannot but mourn over
the pleasant errors which it has trampled down in its progress. The
fauns and sylphs, the household sprite, the moonlight revel, Oberon,
Queen Mab, and the delicious realms of fairy-land, all vanish before
the light of true philosophy; but who does not sometimes turn with
distaste from the cold realities of morning, and seek to recall the
sweet visions of the night?
THE CULPRIT.
From fire, from water, and all things amies,
Deliver the house of an honest justice.
--_The Widow_.
The serenity of the Hall has been suddenly interrupted by a very
important occurrence. In the course of this morning a posse of
villagers was seen trooping up the avenue, with boys shouting in
advance. As it drew near, we perceived Ready-Money Jack Tibbets
striding along, wielding his cudgel in one hand, and with the other
grasping the collar of a tall fellow, whom, on still nearer approach,
we recognized for the redoubtable gipsy hero, Starlight Tom. He was
now, however, completely cowed and crestfallen, and his courage seemed
to have quailed in the iron gripe of the lion-hearted Jack.
The whole gang of gipsy women and children came dragging in the rear;
some in tears, others making a violent clamour about the ears of old
Ready-Money, who, however, trudged on in silence with his prey,
heeding their abuse as little as a hawk that has pounced upon a
barn-door hero regards the outcries and cacklings of his whole
feathered seraglio.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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