THE LOST NESTLINGS 233 minute. The power of a man may be assumed equal to that 8 of raising 60 cubic feet (which weighs 3,750 lbs. avoir.) through the space or height of one foot in a minute; or a proportionate weight to any other height; so that the height multiplied by the weight may give the product 3,750 lbs. A 4 stout laborer will continue to work at this rate during eight hours per day. A day's labor of a man, working thus con5 tinuously, may therefore be reckoned at 28,800 cubic feet of water raised one foot high; and in this proportion a onehundred-and-fourteen-horse power is equal to the power of about one thousand men. The horse-power of the steam6 engine thus assumed, is beyond the usual power of an ordinary horse: a two-horse power being equal in reality to that of three horses. For instance, the power of a ten-horse 7 steam-engine is equal to the force exerted by fifteen horses acting together; and if the engine work night and day, while each horse can only work during eight hours out of the twenty-four, it will really perform the work of forty-five horses. DEFINITIONS, &c.—Engineers-here men who understand the powers and perhaps superintend the manufacture of steam-engines. Cubic foot— a solid square foot: foot is derived from the actual use of the human foot formerly as a measure of about the same length. 1 2 3 4 5 SECT. CCLIV.-THE LOST NESTLINGS. "HAVE you seen my darling nestlings?" A mother robin cried. "I cannot, cannot find them, Though I've sought them far and wide. "I left them well this morning, When I went to seek their food'; But I found, upon returning, I'd a nest without a brood. "O, have you naught to tell me, About my tender offspring That I left within the nest ? "I have called them in the bushes, And the rolling stream beside, 234 6 8 9 BASSANIO AND SHYLOCK. "I can tell you all about them,” "For 'twas I that had the pleasure "But I did not think their mother Or even come to hail me With a wailing sound, like this". And to mourn your murdered children. "I'm sorry that I've taken The lives I can't restore"; And this regret shall teach me 10 "I ever shall remember The plaintive sounds I've heard ; To pain a mother bird." DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define darling, (this word was formerly written dearling,) nestlings, far and wide, (sometimes far and near, i. e. everywhere,) brood, aching, offspring, bushes, bidding, wanton, miss, wailing, woe, murdered, grieved, regret, plaintive. SECT. CCLV.-BASSANIO AND SHYLOCK, THE JEW. 4 Bass. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. 5 Shy. Antonio shall become bound :-well'. 6 7 8 Bass. May you stead me? will you pleasure me? shall I know your answer? Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months, and Antonio bound. Bass. Your answer to that. 9 Shy. Antonio is a good man'. 10 Bass. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? ADAM AND ORLANDO. 235 11 Shy. Ho, no, no, no, no: my meaning, in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me that he is sufficient. 12 Yet his means are in supposition'; he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies: I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico; a fourth for England; and other ventures he hath, squandered abroad. 13 But ships are but boards'; sailors but men: there be landrats, and water-rats'; water-thieves, and land-thieves: I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, 14 and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient :-three thousand ducats:—I think I may take his bond'. 15 Bass. Be assured, you may. 16 Shy. I will be assured I may; and that I may be assured, 17 I will bethink me. May I speak with Antonio? 18 19 Bass. If it please you to dine with us'. Shy. Yes, to smell pork: to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into. I will 20 buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with 21 you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto? DEFINITIONS, &c.-What is a ducat? month? be bound for? stead? pleasure? answer? imputation? contrary? His means are in supposition-his property can only be supposed to be so and so, for the reason which follows. Argosy—a merchantman, i. e. a ship laden with merchandise. Where is Tripolis, India, Mexico, England? The Rialto was the Exchange or place of meeting for merchants at Venice. Where is Venice? Define ventures, squandered, (this word usually means to waste: is that its meaning here? or simply, scattered, dispersed ?) but, pirates, peril, notwithstanding, bond, bethink, dine, pork, news. In Sent. 14th, understand security after sufficient. Define prophet, Nazarite, conjured, devil. 1 SECT. CCLVI.-ADAM AND ORLANDO. Adam. Dear master, I can go no farther. 2 O, I die for 3 food! Here lie I down, and measure out my grave. 4 Farewell, kind master. 5 Orl. Why, how now, Adam! 6 No greater heart in thee? 7 Live a little comfort a little cheer thyself a little if this uncouth forest yield any thing savage, I will either be food 8 for it, or bring it for food to thee. Thy conceit is nearer 9 death, than thy powers. For my sake, be comfortable: hold death awhile at the arm's end. I will be here with 10 thee presently; and if I bring thee not something to eat, I will give thee leave to die; but if thou diest before I come, 11 thou art a mocker of my labor. Well said! 12 Thou look13 est cheerily, and I will be with thee quickly.-Yet thou liest 14 in the bleak air. Come: I will bear thee to some shelter; and thou shalt not die for lack of a dinner, if there live any 15 thing in this desert. Cheerily, good Adam! DEFINITIONS, &c.-Measure out-mark out. Farewell-good-by, i. e. good be with you; or perhaps, God bide with you. Uncouth-usually means awkward; but here strange, unknown. Savage-i. e. wild beast. Conceit-supposition, notion. Powers-i. e. of body: the body itself. Define awhile, give leave, (permit?) mocker, well said, (that's well!) cheerily, quickly, bleak, shelter, lack, desert. SECT. CCLVII.-WAR. 1 I AVOW it. On every side of me I see causes at work, 2 which go to spread a most delusive coloring over war: to remove its shocking barbarities to the background of our contemplations altogether. I see it in the history which 3 tells me of the superb appearance of the troops, and the brilliancy of their successive charges: I see it in the poetry which lends the magic of its numbers to the narrative of blood, and transports its many admirers, as, by its images, and its figures, and its nodding plumes of chivalry, it throws its treacherous embellishments over a scene of legalized slaughter: I see it in the music which represents the progress of the battle; and where, after being inspired by the trumpet-notes of preparation, the whole beauty and tenderness of a drawing-room, are seen to bend over the sentimental entertainment; nor do I hear the utterance of a single sigh to interrupt the death-tones of the thickening contest, and the moans of the wounded men as they fade away upon the ear, and sink into lifeless silence. DEFINITIONS, &c.-Define avow, every side, (all round?) causes, delusive coloring, shocking, barbarities, background, contemplation, superb, troops, brilliancy, successive, charges, (the rush of cavalry on the ranks of the enemy,) magic, numbers, (measure and rhyme,) narrative of blood, (narrative of bloody events,) images and figures, (metaphors, comparisons, &c. What are these?) nodding, plumes, chivalry, treacherous, (deceptive ?) embellishments, legalized, slaughter, music, (pieces of music such as are played on the organ or piano,) drawing-room, (the room in which company as semble,) sentimental, entertainment, thickening contest, (increasing in fierceness and extent,) death-tones, (dying groans,) lifeless silence, (i. e. the silence of death.) SECT. CCLVIII.-A BRAVE BOY. THE flames spread rapidly: they had nearly consumed the 1 dwelling, from which farmer Ashford had, however, removed every article of consequence. Fortunately no lives were lost; and I was conversing with this good man, and listening to 2 his grateful ejaculations on seeing his family safe, when the shouts of the surrounding laborers informed us, that a little cottage, near by, had taken fire. 3 I ran towards the spot.-4 I saw the flames bursting from the casements.-Poor Randal, who inhabited it, rushed forward: he had borne his wife and his boys through the . 5 flames, when a rafter having fallen upon his arm, disabled him his wife, the image of despair, clasped her children to her bosom. Her husband watched the progress of the 6 flames in stupid horror: then suddenly he started and exclaimed, "My mother!"-" My grandmother!" cried his 7 son, a boy of about twelve, and dashed amidst the spreading flames and falling rafters. 8 'My boy! my boy!" cried the father: the mother sank fainting to the ground. 9 But that Being who animated this pure and generous little fellow, protected him. Edward appeared: his aged grandmother, supported on 10 his arm, to which the occasion had given supernatural strength. 11 He cheered her: he sought to give her courage, unmindful of every thing but the sacred charge he was preserving. Every tongue was silent the surrounding multitude 12 scarcely dared to breathe: such were their agitation and 13 awe. They reached the door; they crossed the threshold; and at that very moment the whole house fell. 14 A murmur of applause, a shout of joy, followed. Edward 15 was praised and blessed as a little hero; while with a countenance illumined with happiness, he only exclaimed, "She is safe! dear father: my beloved grandmother is safe!" |