Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXIV, No. 5, May 1849Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXXIV, No. 5, May 1849
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Will nobody republish “A Tour in Search of the Picturesque?” Will nobody
print it and give us the original pictures, colored engravings of the
richest sort—none of your meager outlines—your skeletons of
sketches—but the rotund figures in full of the veritable hero of that
glorious poem, and all the scenes and adventures through which he
passed?
Darling old Dr. Syntax! How many a sad, long year has droned away since
I, a merry boy, used to read thy most fascinating of Tours! Nothing ever
so captivated my young imagination as thy solitary rambles on thy
faithful steed through town and hamlet—now taking up thy abode with
some lordly proprietor, and now sleeping contentedly beneath the roof of
some sturdy yeoman—now kissing the squire’s wife and sister, and now
giving sympathizing advice to the dairy-maid, who was, like poor
Ophelia, disappointed in love. Oh, Doctor! thou wast never above
humanity. Though never frail thyself, yet wast thou no inexorable judge
over the frailties of others.
I long, most patient and peculiar of travelers, I long sincerely to
accompany thee once more in thy rambles. Most charitable of divines,
most lenient of pedagogues, “take thee for all in all, I shall not look
upon thy like again!” _Interestingest_ of all authors, I would enter
into thy feelings once more. I would feel the joy thou feltest in
quitting thy spouse (no _dulcis uxor_) and mounting thy famous mare,
Grizzle, and setting forth on thy most speculative and picturesque
expedition. You were a creature of the brain, Doctor, I suppose—but to
me you are a reality. I remember you perfectly. I loved you when a boy
at school with all my heart. Orthography, Etymology and Prosody I
hated—but I loved Syntax.
Which of you generous and gentlemenly booksellers will immediately send
me a copy (bound or unbound, but it must have the pictures,) of Dr.
Syntax’s Tour in Search of the Picturesque? Speak not all at once! I
will promise you “a first-rate notice in the Boston Post.” It would
afford me “a wonderful sight” of fun, as they say in Androscoggin, to
read that book. I should be _rejuvenesced_. Kind Mr. Hart, be so
obliging as to ransack your shelves and transmit an old English copy,
directed TO THE RECLUSE, _aux soins du redacteur en chef de_
GRAHAM’S MAGAZINE.
VIII.—A CHARACTER.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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