Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

concise a manner as poffible, the island of Senegal, and the country adjacent, as likewise the rains, the overflowing of the river, and the winds; and come now to remark those seasons of the year, when the different disorders happen.

In the months of Auguft, September, October, and part of November, the bilious and putrid fever always rage, the former of which would admit of bleeding in the beginning, by means of which, together with other evacuations, and the neutral falts, the diforder generally intermitted, and the bark recovered the patient.

But in the putrid fever, the lancet fhould be entirely laid afide; for not withstanding some of the fymptoms might indicate bleeding to those who are not acquainted with the diseases in that part of the world, I would by no means recommend it, for I have often feen it productive of the worst confequence; but if the pain in any vital part should seem to indicate an evacuation to be necessary, I would judge dry cupping most proper (I mean in violent pains in the head, &c.) As for the general treatment of thefe diforders, they have been fo judiciously laid down by eminent physicians, that I fhall fay nothing farther of it.

The use of the bark in the above diforders, and in many others, obliges me to return you my most fincere thanks, for that inestimable medicine; for in thefe deplorable diseases, nothing gave us hopes of our patient but that; indeed, its value was so well known to the officers, that they fcrupled even to go their command up the river, without a large quantity of it, together with all other forts of medicine, fo that the governor has fent to Goree for it, before the party could proceed on their command.

It is very true, you fupplied us with fuch immenfe quantities of it, as is almost incredible; but notwithstanding this, neceffity has obliged me to offer mafters of fhips three guineas per pound

for any quantity they could part with for immediate ufe; and, indeed, you will not wonder at this, when you are informed, that in the months of December, January, February, and March, I have had four hundred patients prodigiously ill of tertian fevers, which have been so very obstinate, that I have beeti obliged to order bark to be taken almost as common food; and, indeed, had it not been for this medicine, we might not have had five men living on the ifland.

From March to Auguft, we have few or no diforders, except the fcurvy and dyfentery, which I take to be chiefly owing to the purity of air during this time, occafioned by the wind continually blowing from the fea; the scurvỳ and flux probably proceed from the badnefs of the water, falt provifions, and the want of vegetables; even here the bark was of infinite service, in removing the complaint of the former; as for the latter, it required no particular treatment, but what has been already laid down, except adminiftring opiates more frequently than in Europe. From this account, you will not, Sir, be furprized, that the total lofs of British fubjects in this island only, amounted to above two thousand five hundred, in the space of three years that I was there, in fuch a putrid moist air as I have described.

Thus, Sir, I have given you an at. count of those difeafes, which fell under my infpection while at Senegal; and though I cannot be fo particular and explicit in fo fhort a letter as this, as I otherwife might be, yet if an enlargement upon this fubject might be thought by you to be by any means ferviceable to any who might visit these parts, nothing would be a greater plea sure than an employment of this fort, to your most obedient, and most humble fervant,

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

as authentic.

When the gentlemen met on the wednesday, in Hyde-park, they walked together for a little while to avoid fome company, which feemed coming up to them. They brought each a pair of piftols. When they were alone, the first fire was from Mr. M's piftol. Mr. M's piftol miffed Mr. W. and the piftol in Mr. W's hand flashed in the pan. The gentlemen then each took one of Mr. W's pair of pistols: Mr. W. miss'd, and the ball of Mr. M's piftol lodged in Mr. W's belly. Mr. W. bled immediately very much. Mr. M. then came up, and defired to give him all the affistance in his power. Mr. W. replied, that Mr. M. had behaved like a man of honour, that he was killed, and infifted on Mr. M's making his immediate escape, and no creature should know from Mr. W. how the affair hap pened. Upon this they parted, but Mr. M. came up again in two or three minutes to Mr. W. offering him a fecond time his afliftance, But Mr. W. again infifted on his going off. Mr. M. expressed his concern for Mr. W. faid the thing was too well known by feveral people, who came up almost directly, and then went away. Mr. W. was carried home, but would not tell any circumstances of the cafe, till he found it so much known. He only faid to the furgeon, &c. that it was an affair of ho

nour.

On thursday Mr. W. imagining himfelf in the greatest danger, returned Mr. M. his letter, that no evidence might appear against him; and infifted upon it with his relations, that in cafe of his death no trouble should be given Mr. M. for he had behaved like a man of hoVOL. III.

nour.

I am sorry to tell you, that it is faid Mr. M. has not yet returned Mr. W. letter, and that it is to be made use of as a proof of his being concerned in the North Briton *.

behaviour of Mr. M. no more than I I own, that I cannot account for this can for his tamely bearing above eight months the abufe upon him. Has he been all this time (fundays not excepted) practising at a target? that report is confirmed by all his neighbours in the country. Yet after all, he did not venture to fend to Mr. W. but before five hundred gentlemen, ready to interpofe, feemed to intend to begin a quarrel, I fuppofe that it might end there. Mr. W. chofe cooly to take it up the next morning, by a private letter to Mr. M. who infifted on piftols, without naming the fword, though the choice of weapons was by the laws of honour in Mr. W.

I write this, in hopes that fome of Mr. M's friends will clear up these difficulties in his conduct, and I really with it, because in the field he behaved as he ought.

[ocr errors][merged small]

I

F it be dangerous to tell every thing

to children, it is more dangerous ftill to leave them in ignorance of every thing. There are grievous crimes according to the laws, which are not fo ja the eyes of nature; and we are now going to fee into what an abyss the latter leads innocence, when the has a fillet over her eyes.

Annete and Lubin were the children of two fifters. Thefe ftrict ties of blood ought to be incompatible with thofe of marriage. But Annete and Lubin had no fufpicion that there were in the world other laws than the fimple laws of nature. From the age of eight years they kept sheep together on the fmiling banks of the Seine. They

E

*Mr, M, it is faid, has Ance returned the letter.

touched

touched now on their fixteenth; but their youth differed not from infancy, but by a warmer sentiment of their mutual friendship.

Annete, beneath a plain country coif, bound back negligently her ebon hair. Two large blue eyes fparkled beneath her long eye-lashes, and expreffed most innocently every thing which the dull eyes of our cold coquettes endeavour to exprefs. Her rofy lips invited to be kiffed. Her complexion, tanned by the fun, was enlivened by that light fhade of purple which colours the down of the peach. Every part of her, which the veils of modesty concealed from the rays of noon, effaced the whiteness of the lily: We thought we faw the head of a lively Brunette on the fhoulders of a beautiful Blonde.

Lubin had that decifive, open, and joy. ous air, which proclaims a free and contented mind. His look was that of defire, his laugh the laugh of joy. When he burst out, he displayed teeth whiter than ivory. The freshness of his round cheeks invited the hand to pat them. Add to all this a nofe in the air, a dimple in the chin, white filver locks, curled by the hand of Nature; a genteel make, a deliberate pace, the frankness of the golden age, which suspects and blushes at nothing. This was the portrait of Annete's coufin.

Philofophy brings man back nearer to nature, and it is for this reason that in ftinct fometimes refembles it. I should not be furprifed then, if my fhepherds fhould be imagined to be fomewhat philofophical; but I forewarn my readers that it is without their knowing it.

As they both went frequently to fell fruits and milk in the city, and, as people were glad to see them, they had an, opportunity of obferving what paffed in the world,and giving an account to each other of their little reflections. They compared their lot to that of the most opulent citizens, and found themfelves happier and wifer. " The fenfelefs crea tures!" faid Lubin. "During the finest part of the year, they fhut themfelves up in quarries! Is it not true, Aunete?

that our hut is preferable to those magnificent prifons which they call palaces. When the thatch that covers us is burnt up by the fun, I go to the neighbouring foreft, and in lefs than an hour make you a new house more chearful than the former. The air and the light are ours. A branch less gives us the freshness of the east or the north; a branch more defends us from the heats of the fouth and the rains of the weft: That is not very dear, Annete ?"

"No truly," said fhe: " and I cannot think why, in the fine weather, they do not come all, two and two, to live in a pretty hut. Have you feen, Lubin, thofe tapestries of which they are fo vain? What comparison between them and our beds of verdure? How we fleep on them! How we awake!"-" And you, Annete, have you remarked what trouble they take to give a rural air to the walls which fhut them up? Thofe landfcapes, which they endeavour to imitate, Nature has made for us; it is for us that the fun fhines; it is for us that the feafons delight to vary themfelves." “Right,” said Annete, “ I carried the other day fome strawberries to a lady of quality; they were entertaining her with mufic. Ah, Lubin, what a terrible noife! I faid in myself: Why does the not come fome morning and hear our nightingales? The unhappy woman was laid down upon cushions; the yawned in fuch a manner as to move pity. I asked what ailed her ladyfhip; they told me that the had the vapours. Do you know, Lubin, what the vapours are ?"—" Alas, no; but I am afraid they are one of thofe diftempers which one gets in the city, and which take away from perfons of qua lity the ufe of their legs. That is very fad, is it not, Annete? And, if they were to hinder you from running upon the grafs, you would be very forry, I believe !"—"O, very forry, for I love to run, especially, Lubin, when I run after you."

Such was, pretty nearly, the philofophy of Lubin and Annete. Free from envy and ambition, their flate had no

thing humiliating to them, nothing painful. They paffed the fine weather in that green hut, the mafter-piece of Lubin's art. In the evening they were obliged to lead back their flocks to the village; but the fatigue and pleasures of the day prepared them a tranquil repofe. The morning recalled them to the fields, more earnest to fee each other again. Sleep effaced in their lives nothing but the moments of abfence: It preserved them from dulnefs. Neverthelefs, a happiness fo pure, was not unalterable. The flender waist of Annete became infenfibly rounder. She knew not the cause of it; Lubin himself did not fufpect it.

The Bailiff of the village was the first who perceived it. "God defend you, Annete," faid he to her one day; "You feem to me very round!" "True!" faid the, dropping a curtley." But, Annete, what has happened to this handsome shape? Have you had any love affair ?"—" Any love affair! Not that I know.”—"Ah! child! nothing is more certain; you have liftened to

fome of our young fellows." "Yes,

truly, I do listen to them: Does that fpoil the fhape?"—"No, not that ; but fome of them have a kindness for you."

"Kindness for me? Ay, Lubin and I are kind to each other all the day long."- "And you have granted him every thing, is it not fo?"— “Oh, Lord, yes; Lubin and I have nothing to refufe one another!”"How! nothing to refufe one another!" -“Oh, nothing at all; I fhould be very forry if he kept any thing to himfelf, and more forry till to have him believe, that I have any thing which is not his. Are not we coufins? "Coufins ?" Coufins german, I tell you." "O Heaven!" cried the Bailiff,

[ocr errors]

here is an adventure!" Ay, or elfe do you think that we should have been every day together, that we should have had but one and the fame hut? I have heard it faid indeed, that the thepherd's are to be dreaded; but a coun is net dangerous." The judge con

tinued to interrogate. Annete continued to reply, infomuch that it was clearer than the day that the would fhortly be a mother. Become a mother before marriage! that was a riddle to The Bailiff explained it to Annete. her. "What!" said he to her," the first time that this misfortune happened did not the fun hide himfelf? Did not the heavens thunder upon you?" “No,”. replied Annete, " I remember it was the fin ft weather in the world."—" Did not the earth shake! Did it not open itfelf!"-"Alas, no," faid Annete again, I faw it covered with flowers.". "And do you know what a crime you have committed ?"-" 1 know not what a crime is; but all that we have done, I swear to you, was in good friendship, and without any ill defign: You think that I am big with child; I should never have thought it; but, if it be so, I am very glad of it; I shall have a little Lubin, perhaps." "No," replied the man of law, “ will bring into the world a child, which will own neither its father nor mother, which will be ashamed of its birth, and will reproach you for it. What have you done, unhappy girl, what have you done! How I pity you! and how I pity that innocent!" These laft words made Annete grow pale and tremble.

you

1

Lubin found her all in tears. "Hear," faid fhe to him with terror, "Do you know what has happened? I am big with child." "Big, and by whom "" By you.". "You joke. And how has that happened ?"-"The Bailiff has just explained it to me.""Well?"-" Well, when we thought we were only fhewing kindness to each other, we were making love." "That is droll!" faid Lubin : " Only fee how we come into the world. But you are in tears, my dear Annete! Is it this that makes you uneafy ?"—"Yes, the Bailiff has made me tremble: My child, he faid, will own neither own its father nor mother; he will reproach us with his birth."-" Why ?"" Because we are coufins, and have committed a great crime. Do you know, Lubin, what a

E 2

crime

crime is ""Yes, it is a wicked thing. For example, it is a crime to take away life from any one; but it is not to give it. The Bailiff does not know what he fays."-"Ah, my dear Lubin! go and find him out, I beseech thee: I am all of a tremble, He has put I know not what into my foul, which imbitters all the pleasure I had in loving thee."

Lubin ran to the Bailiff." A word, if you pleafe, Mr. Judge," faid he, accofting him: "You will have it that I am not to be the father of my own child, and that Annete is not to be its mother ?" "6 Ah, wretch! dare you fhew yourself," said the Bailiff, "after ruining this young innocent?" "You are a wretch yourself," replied Lubin; "I have not ruined Annete; the waits me now in our hut. But it is you, wicked man, that (the fays) have put I know not what into her foul, that grieves her; and it is very ill done to afflict Annete?" "You young villian, it is you that have ftolen from her her chief good in the world."-" And what is that?'

-

"Innocence and honour."—"I love her more than my life," faid the thepherd; and, if I have done her any injury, I am here to repair it. Marry us; who hinders you? We afk no better."-"That is impoffible." "Impoffible and why? The most difficult part, in my opinion, is over, feeing we are now father and mother." "And there is the crime," cried the Judge; "You must separate, you must fly each other.""Fly each other! and have you the heart to propose it to me, Mr. Bailiff? And who is to take care of Annete and my child? Quit them! I would fooner die." "The law obliges thee to it," faid the Bailiff. "There is no law that holds good there," replied Lubin, clapping on his hat. "We have a child without you, and, if it pleafe Heaven, we will have more, and we will love for ever." "Ah the audacious young knave, what rebel against the law!"-"Ah, the wicked man, the bad heart, that wants me to abandon Annete let me go and find out our

parfon," faid he to himself: "He is a good man, and will have pity on us." The prieft was feverer than the Judge, and Lubin retired confounded at having offended Heaven without knowing it. "For, after all, faid he ftill, we have done no-body any harm.”

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

"My dear Annete," cried Lubin on feeing her again, every body condemns us; but no matter: I will never leave you." "I am big with child," faid Annete, reclining her face on her two hands, which the bathed with tears," and I cannot be your wife! leave me, I am diftreffed; I have no longer any pleasure in feeing you. Alas, I am afhamed of myself, and I reproach myfelf for all the moments that I have paffed with you." "Ah, the curfed Bailiff," said Lubin, "but for him we were fo happy!"

[ocr errors]

66

From that moment, Annete, a prey to her grief, could not endure the light. If Lubin wanted to conføle her, he faw her tears stream afresh: She replied to his careffes only by pushing him off with horror. "What! my dear Annete,” faid he to her, "Am I no longer the Lubin you loved fo much ?", Alas, no; you are no longer the fame. I tremble the moment you come near me ; my child, who moves in my womb, and whom I fhould have had fo much joy in feeling, feems already to complain that I have given him my own coufin for a father." "You will hate my child, then?" said Lubin to her fobbing. "Oh no, no, I fhall love it with all my foul," faid fhe. "At least they will not forbid me to love my child, to give him my milk and my life. But that child will hate its mother: The Judge has foretold it to me." "Do not mention that old devil," faid Lubin, clafping her in his arms, and bathing her with tears; your child thall love you, my dear Annete, he will love you, for I am his father."

Lubin in defpair employed all the eloquence of nature and love to diffipate Annete's fear and grief. "Let us fee," "What have we done to anger Heaven?

faid he,

« AnteriorContinuar »