The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 13, No. 358, February 28, 1829Various
History
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction. Volume 13, No. 358, February 28, 1829
Various
Popular literature -- Great Britain -- Periodicals
"From hence I made a trip to Crocky's Island, situated on the opposite
side of the Strait. On landing at Hellgate, within Fools' Inlet my
surprise was much excited by the prodigious flocks of gulls, pigeons, and
geese, which were directing their flight towards the Great Fish Lake,
whither I, too, was making my way. I concluded their object was to
procure food, of which a profusion was here spread before them,
consisting of every thing which such birds most delight to peck at; but
no sooner had they settled near the bank, than they were seized upon by a
Fisherman, (who was lying in wait for them,) and completely plucked of
their feathers, an operation to which they very quietly submitted, and
were then suffered to depart. Upon inquiring his motive for what appeared
to me a wanton act of cruelty, he told me his intention was to stuff his
bed with the feathers; 'or,' added he, 'if you _vill_, to feather my
nest.' Being myself an admirer of a soft bed, I saw no reason why I
should not employ myself in the same way; but owing, perhaps, to my being
a novice in the art, and not knowing how to manage the birds properly,
they were but little disposed to submit themselves to my hands; and, in
the attempt, I found myself so completely covered with feathers, that
which of the three descriptions of birds aforesaid I most resembled, it
would have been difficult to determine. The fisherman, seeing my
situation, was proceeding to add to the stock of feathers which he had
collected in a great bag, by plucking those from my person, when, wishing
to save him any further trouble, I hurried back to Hellgate."
We cannot accompany Sir Heedless any further; but must conclude with a
few piquancies from the _Vocabulary of the Language of the Great World_,
which is as necessary to the enjoyment of fashionable life, as is a
glossary to an elementary scientific treatise:--
_At Home._--Making your house as unlike home as possible, by turning
every thing topsy-turvy, removing your furniture, and squeezing as many
people into your rooms as can be compressed together.
_Not at Home._--Sitting in your own room, engaged in reading a new novel,
writing notes, or other important business.
_Affection._--A painful sensation, such as gout, rheumatism, cramp,
head-ache, &c.
_Mourning._--An outward covering of black, put on by the relatives of any
deceased person of consequence, or by persons succeeding to a large
fortune, as an emblem of their grief upon so melancholy an event.
_Morning._--The time corresponding to that between our noon and sun-set.
_Evening._--The time between our sun-set and sun-rise.
_Night._---The time between our sun-rise and noon.
_Domestic._--An epithet applied to cats, dogs, and other tame animals,
keeping at home.
_Reflection._--The person viewed in a looking-glass.
_Tenderness._--A property belonging to meat long kept.
_An Undress._--A thick covering of garments.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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