eltattiugs.
LEIGH HunT—A REmoNsTRANez.—Four or five years ago, the writer of these lines was much pained by accidentally encountering a printed state- ment, "that Mr. Leigh Hunt was the original of Harold Skimpole in Bleak House." The writer of these lines, is the author of that book. The state- ment came from America. It is no disrespect to that country, in which the writer has, perhaps, as many Mends and as true an interest as any man that lives, good humouredly to state the fact, that he has, now and then been the subject of paragraphs in Transatlantic newspapers, more aur- prisingly destitute of all foundation in truth than the wildest delusions of the wildest lunatics. For reasons born of this experience, he let the thing go by. But, since Mr. Leigh Hunt's death, the statement has been revived in England. The delicacy and genorosity evinced in its revival, are for the rather late consideration of its revivers. The fact is this : Exactly those graces and charms of manner which are remembered in the words we have quoted, were remembered by the author of the work in fiction in question, when he drew the character in question. Above all other things, that "sort of gay arid ostentatious wilfulness" in the humouring of a subject, which had many a time delighted him, and impressed him as being un- speakably. whimsical and attractive was the airy quality he wanted for the man he invented. Partly for OA; reason, and partly (he has since often grieved to think) for the pleasure it afforded him to find that delightful manner reproducing itself under his hand, he yielded to the temptation of too often making the character speak like his old Mend. He no more thought, God forgive him ! that the admired original would ever be charged with the imaginary vices of the fictitious creature, than he has him- self ever thought of charging the blood of Desdemona and Othello on the innocent Academy model who sat for Iago's leg in the picture. Even as to the mere occasional manner, he meant to be so cautious and con- scientious that he privately referred the proof sheets of the first number of that book to two intimate literary friends of Leigh Hunt (both still living), and altered the whole of that part of the text on their discovering too strong a resemblance to his "way."—Charles Dickens in All the Year Bound.
WASHINGTON IRVING A1VD WASHINGTON.—But Mr. Irving had himself seen General Washington. He said there was some celebration going on in New York, and the General was there to participate in the ceremony. "My nurse," continued Mr. Irving, "a good old Scotchwoman, was very anxious for me to see himt and held me up in her arms as he rode past. This, however, did not satisfy her. So the next day, when walking with me in Broadway, she espied him in a shop ; she seized my hand, and darting in, exclaimed, in her bland Scotch, Please your Excellency, here's a bairn that a called after ye ! ' General Washington then turned his benevolent face full upon me, smiled, laid his hand upon my head, and gave me his blessing, which," added Mr. Irving, earnestly, "I have reason to believe has attended me through life. I was but five years old, yet I can feel that hand even now ! "—Once a Week.
AR= PALATES.—Bills of fare vary much, even in Greenland. I have inquired of Petersen, and he tells me that the Greenland Esquimaux (there are many Greenlanders of Danish origin) are not agreed as to which of their animals afford the most delicious food ; some of them prefer reindeer veni- son others think more favourably of young dog, the flesh of which, he as- seas, is "just like the beef of sheep." He says a Danish Captain, who had acquired the taste, provided some for his guests, and they praised his mutton ! after dinner he sent for the skin of the animal, which was no other than a large red dog ! This occurred in Greenland, where his Danish guests had resided for many years, far removed from European mutton. Baked puppy is a real delicacy all over Polynesia : at the Sandwich Islands I was once invited to a feast, and had to feign slisappointment as well as I could when told that puppy was so extremely scarce it could not be pro- cured in tune, and therefore sucking-pig was substituted !--21E'Clintock's Voyage of the lox.
PRISONER'S ARRAIGNMENT: HOLDING UP THE HAND.—The practice of a prisoner on arraignment holding up his right hand arose thus : a prisoner found guilty of a felony, on pleading his clergy, was branded on the brawn of the right thumb, and discharged. Benefit of clergy could not be claimed
more than once • a prisoner, therefore, on arraignment, was made to hold up his right hand, that the court might judge whether he had been branded previously.—Notes and Queries.
MICHAELMAS GOOSE.—During the last Month I have been amusing my- self in transcribing some scores of grants from lords of manors to their free tenants in the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. In the series which I have had before me, the lord almost uniformly cove- nants, among other reserved rents and services, for a goose at Michaelmas. To this manorial custom, therefore, we must look for the origin of the "Michaelmas Goose," rather than to nursery tales about Queen Bess, who, like the parish clerk (godfather to all who have no other), has had to stand sponsor for all the mythical stories and facethe to which no parentage can be assigned. A stubble goose is in prime order at Michaelmas, as the ma- norial lords, jolly fellows in their day, well knew ; so they kept their table well supplied at that season, by reserving one from each of their tenants.— Aides and Queries.
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