A Hundred Years Ago
THE " SPECTATOR," NOVEMBER 21ST, 1829.
HALF-DsoNit.
Four young men, surgeons, were held to bail at the Mansionhouse on Monday, for a riot which they had created at the Mitre Tavern, Fish Street Hill, on the night before. They were described by a witness as half-drunk,—that is " in a frolicsome, dancing, sing-mg, condition." Whole drunk, was by the same authority described as the condition in which men can " neither dance nor sing, nor do any thing but fall upon their noses."
NEWSPAPER SQUABBLES.
Two Edinburgh papers, the Scotsman and the Caledonian Mercury, have, for months past, edified their readers by mutual attack and recrimination, truces, and renewals of warfare. At last, by way of commentary on the " ingenues didicisse " of Horace, they agreed, a few days ago, to fight about the fine arts. Statuary was the subject—the question was the admiration of naked figures, which the editor of one of these journals had expressed. The chivalry of the Scotsman was first in arms. It rejoices in two conductors ; and that good courage might not be lost, a double duel was resolved on. The Mercury boasts of but one editor ; but there was the proprietor in the background, and to his manhood the first appeal was made. He, however, declined the honours of precedence, and -got posted for his moderation. His editor -was then summoned to the field of glory, and some little difficulty about seconds happily removed. On the part of the Mercury, was found a friend unconnected with the dispute on the part of the Scotsman,'-the co-editor, who had been baulked of his laurels by the pacific temper of the antagonist assigned him, proposed in the first instance to attend his coadjutor, but in the end, gave place to the artist, whose conceptions had furnished the proximate cause of warfare. After a formidable council of war, at which the whole effective force of the friends on one side assisted, a meeting was accomplished ; and by the narratives of the seconds, the array for battle must have been imposing. The principals the seconds, and two surgeons, took the field ; and the intended second of the Scotsman (himself the original challenger of the proprietor of the Mercury) made demonstrations in the distance—with the design, probably, in the event of a general engagement, of equalizing some apprehended disparity between his party and the enemy. The principals fired once without effect, and the seconds prevented the farther waste of powder. The seconds complimented the principals and each other ; but the principals themselves were marched offthe field without reconciliation or concessions on either side..
THE MARCH OF REFINEMENT.
We observe that Mr. Hodgson, the hotel-keeper at St.- Leonards, Hastings, is styled " the accomplished," the last epithet applied by elegance to an innkeeper. Spirited, the favourite newspaper word, would have smacked too much of the bar. Managers are " spirited and liberal " ;" innkeepers " accomplished."
FRANCE DEFIED.
It is pleasant to observe how the favourite tastes of men limit their views. A noble lord, the author of Musical Reminiscences, looked upon the world as a vast opera-stage, and estimated the actors by their vocal or instrumental skill. Napoleons, Byrons, and Scotts, seem beings utterly unworthy of his thoughts, which were full of trombones, double basses, tenors, and sopranos. Speaking of a violon-cello-player, he says, he was a man of a- good bow, but a bad heart ; thus setting off the qualities of music against morals. Another person sees in the world one huge kitchen —it is all stoves and charcoal, stewing and parboiling. .The geniuses of the age are the geniuses of the grate. A third perceives only painters ; a fourth cancels the human race except as jockeys, and looks at the globe as a stud, of which countries are merely the stalls, and England the loose box. These are all hacknied instances of the single and exclusive direction of interest ; but a late diplomatist has, added a new and exquisite eltarriple. The opportunities of his mission to France have been turned to the excellent account 'of comparing the French with the English manner Of whist-playing: instead of the intrigues of statesmen, he-has occupied-himself watching-the finesses. of; cards; and the hands of France have concerned him more than her arms.
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