Mr. who spoke English remarkably well, strangely remarked to : "What a curious-sounding language the Irish is ! Some words sound something like the Italian!" I turned red, and then pale, and then wiped the perspiration from off my forehead and face, and spoke volumes, in looks, at Madame Chapelier. Messrs. would play and sing no more that evening, and ever since took a dislike to "the stupid, thick-headed Italian woman." But the provoking Madame Chapelier having a great taste for learning languages, thought she could learn the Irish language, since there were some words in it something similar in sound to the Italian, and importuned me to induce Mr. to give her a few lessons in his native tongue; but she at last desisted, when I told her that I had a particular reason for declining to do so. The brothers, to the credit of their patriotism be it recorded, quitted this regency with the thrilling words upon their lips, " Erin go Bragh!" A stout, jolly English master of a merchant-vessel was confined to this place for a few weeks, waiting for a settlement with a very unsettled employer. We saw a great deal of him; he was a John Bull " to the back-bone," as the vulgar expression runs, and many a tedious hour did he beguile for us with his guileless simplicity. He entertained us with the process of examination "which a certain Society in London have maliciously invented against mariners." With a charming simplicity, he frankly told us that he would by no means submit to it: "For," said he, "besides paying your money, they give you a quire of paper, and a bundle of quills, and an ink-stand full of ink; and then this is not all, they ask you questions, and make use of such outlandish words, and if you make a mistake in answering, it all tends to go against you." VOL. I. EE With a truly English heart, he disliked "foreigners." Many a time did he come in to us complaining against the poor natives, who had no English tongues in their heads, saying: "I don't like them foreigners; they do not understand a word you say, and the louder you speak to them, the more astonished they seem. I never liked foreigners, and never shall like them. A child in England understands you quicker than all them foreigners put together.' But we liked him; he was truly unaffected. What really and truly annoyed us was the inconsistent conduct of English visitors, who gloried that they were born Christians, and not Mohammedans. The way they spend their Sundays is of a most disgraceful nature; generally boarhunting, or some sport of the kind. The Mussulman knows full well that the first day of the week is the Christian Sabbath; and the conclusion the unsophisticated Mohammedan arrives at, on seeing a party of Englishmen leave, equipped for a boar-hunt, or return with their gain, on the Sunday, is, that "The English are dogs, infidels, they have no religion." Such things ought not to be. Both Mr. D. and myself were often most sincerely pained by such facts. What is more grievous, is the circumstance, that he who represents the English nation and government should sanction and countenance such Sabbath desecrations, by allowing his sons to command such expeditions. I am afraid I have extended this my epistle to a greater length than your Ladyship was disposed to read of my pen's production, but as it is probably the last letter that I shall indite for Glasnevin House from this regency, trust you will excuse its elongation. I am, my dear Lady Mary, LETTER XXXIII. TO THE RT. REV. THE LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH. My dear Lord, Tunis, January 1848. Before I quit this part of the world, I must fulfil my engagement to your Lordship, and hence this epistle. I think the best theme I can fix upon as a fit subject for a letter to your Lordship, is the one which is still fresh in my memory, namely, a description of an important ceremony I have this day witnessed in the Hara, or Jewish quarter. Early this morning, about five o'clock, a Hebrew friend called upon me to accompany him to a circumcision feast at the house of a relation of his. I gladly accepted the invitation, as I thought it might tend to give an additional insight into the internal state of the house of Israel in this city. After walking for upwards of half an hour through narrow and dirty lanes, we arrived at last at a small door; my guide knocked at the same, and a voice from within inquired, "Eshcoon?" (who is there?)-for now and then, one of the ruffian soldiers invades a house and commits depredations, amongst the unprotected Israelites, to his heart's content. My friend replied; his voice was recognised, and the little door opened; we made our way through a narrow passage, and found ourselves in a nice clean and neat little square yard, looking most comfortable. Travellers generally, who get no access to the internal habitations of the Israelites in this regency, imagine, from the external condition of the streets in that quarter, that the interior must needs correspond to the outside. It is a mistake. Such an external appearance is expedient to elude the rapacity of their spoilers. The square was almost full of visitors, and the house in which the ceremony was to take place was crowded to excess. My companion endeavoured to make way by pushing to his right and left, in order to form a convenient avenue for me to pass through. Whilst he was engaged in cutting a passage, I was employed in reading a placard, which I found posted on the doorpost of the house. I think the contents of the extraordinary production may interest your Lordship. I send you a veritable copy of the same, * and shall take the liberty of explaining it to your Lordship line by line. In order to make the purport clearer, I shall, in addition, copy it here, on a miniature scale. אדם אברהם יצחק יהי רצון מלפניה או בכי בל עע בענש וחוה שת שמור את לאשר זאת ושרה חיי לילה מעין הרע ומשיר אחמל ולכה באב ובאל ורבקה ולאה רוחין ולילין אסן כן יהי רצון: עלב רשב. הצדיק מנסכוי סמנלך זכור לטיב Now let me first tell your Lordship, which you no doubt anticipate, that this elaborate document is nothing more nor less than an amulet, or charm, which is supposed * See Appendix. by the Jews to possess the virtue of keeping away the devil's wife from mother and infant during the first eight days of confinement; during which time, Lilith-that is the name of the dreaded individual-is hovering over that house for an opportunity of running off with poor baby. The reason for Mrs. D's fancy is the following: "When Adam and Eve were thrown out of Eden, the former was cast on the Island of Ceylon, and the latter on Mount Arafa, near Mecca; one hundred and seventy-five years' journey from each other. Poor Adam felt the separation very much, for he was a sociable character after all, he pined therefore on account of his solitude. Lilith knew this, so, with her lord's consent, she offered the bewitched widower her companionship, which he, bewitched as he was, gladly accepted. So Adam and Lilith lived and loved together, through many a changing scene.' However, at last Adam met with Eve, the rays of their first love illuminated their eyes to such an extent, that the scales from Adam's eyes fell off, and he beheld Eve once more in all the attractive loveliness, with which he looked upon her, when she was longer asleep than he liked, and therefore again exclaimed: 'My fairest, my espoused, my latest found, Heaven's last, best gift, my ever new delight.' 'Sole Eve, associate sole, to me beyond Compare, above all living creatures dear.' "Lilith could not brook this insult, especially when Adam informed her that she might now seek another companion, for he would have no time to pay any attention to her. In frenzied rage she flew, and swore by heaven and earth * Milton's "Paradise Lost," Book iv. I deem these lines as the best translation of my informant's original, which was in Hebrew, and which the narrator spoke with peculiar taste and elegance. |