FLOWERS OF COMPOSITION.
THE flowers of composition flourish only in the country prints. If we would see how a shipwreck; a dreadful accident, or a storm can be described, we should turn to the provincial papers for examples of the grand manner. The following is a fair specimen. "It scarcely requires another instance to prove the danger of trusting 'to the most reasonable circumstantial evidence in avoiding the danger of accident from tire-arms. A few days since, a farmer. vf Lincolnshire re-. ceived a remarkable proof of the dangerous situation , in which even the most careful person may be placed. Having observed that' the rooks were billing and pulling up the young sprouts, he directed his man to take the fowling- piece, and clean it, saying, that in the morning he would squib off a little powder at the feathered tribe. The man took the piece, and .after regulating it, returned it to the gun-rack in the kitchen. The next morning the farmer took the gun, and in order to try whether the per- cussion-hole was clear, took off the barrel, set one end to the bar of the kitchen fire -grate, and began to blow at the other end, in order to see if there was a free passage, the light powdery ashes of the pit coal being the guide by which he was to judge. Scarcely had he commenced, when ob- serving some grains of powder to ignite, the instantaneous idea of the gun being loaded caused him to dash it from his mouth, and, to his asto- nishment, the deadly tube proved to be loaded with powder and shot, and he escaped miraculously the fate of being- accounted a suicide; for had he received the explosion, no other conclusion could have been drawn from such an event. A lad, early in the morning, had loaded the gun to have a clandestine shot at some pigeons, and thus had exposed his master to the imminent danger here described."—Boston Gazette. The farmer would not condescend to speak of birds ; no phrase less fine than feathered tribe would suit his agrest tongue. Then the powder ignites, and the deadly tube explodes ; for an elegant writer would never mention gun. And observe, that the refine- ment of the farmer's mind is equal to the nicety of his lan- guage, for the escape on which he congratulates himself is not the escape from death, which is a vulgar apprehension, but from "the fitte of being accounted a suicide." Lastly, the explanation of the intended clandestine shot at some pigeons, gives the finish to the composition. It might be useful to draw up a list of the becoming phrases for the avoidance of vulgar little words,—as thus: Lightning . . Electric fluid. Fire . . Devouring element.
• • {Briny deep, treacherous element, or liquid main. River . . Crystal stream. Fish . . Finny tribe.
Birds • . Feathered tribe.
Dams . . Sagacious quadrupeds. 1407-ses • . Fiery steeds.
Thieres . . Equitable adjusters. Dancing Tripping it on the light fantastic toe.
Sun . . . Orb of day.
Moon . . Queen of night. Singers . . Fascinating syrens. Rakes . .
• Votaries of fashion,
Libertines . Gallant gay Lotharios. Advocates . . Gentlemen of the long robe.
Incontinence . - . Elegant irregularity. Drunk . . . Flushed with the Tuscan grape. And for the rest, see newspapers, especially penny-a-line de- partment, passim.
Sea .
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