ls affords but little worthy of the notice of such a traveller
as the author of "Waverley;" but he greatly admired the splendid
tower of the Maison de Ville, and the ancient sculpture and style of
architecture of the buildings which surround the Grand Place.
He told us, with great humour, a laughable incident which had occurred
to him at Antwerp. The morning after his arrival at that city from
Holland, he started at an early hour to visit the tomb of Rubens in
the Church of St. Jacques, before his party were up. Having provided
himself with a map of the city, he had no other guide; but after
wandering about for an hour, without finding the object he had in
view, he determined to make inquiry, and observing a person stalking
about like himself, he addressed him, in his best French; but the
stranger pulling off his hat, very respectfully replied, in the pure
Highland accent, "I'm vary sorry, Sir, but I canna speak ony thing
besides English."--"This is very unlucky indeed, Donald," said Mr.
Scott, "but we must help one another; for, to tell you the truth,
I'm not good at any other tongue but the English, or rather, the
Scotch."--"Oh, Sir, maybe," replied the Highlander, "you are a
countryman, and ken my maister, Captain Cameron, of the 79th, and
could tell me where he lodges. I'm just cum in, Sir, frae a place they
ca' _Machlin_, and ha forgotten the name of the captain's quarters; it
was something like the _Laaborer_."--"I can, I think, help you with
this, my friend," rejoined Mr. Scott. "There is an inn just opposite
to you, (pointing to the _Hotel de Grand Laboreur_,) I dare say that
will be the captain's quarters;" and so it was. I cannot do justice to
the humour in which Mr. Scott recounted this dialogue.
_New Monthly Magazine_.
* * * * *
THE GATHERER.
A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.
SHAKSPEARE.
* * * * *
SUPERSTITION.
Catherine de Medicis, in order to be assured of the assistance of
heaven in a certain project, vowed to send a pilgrim to Jerusalem,
who should walk three feet forwards and one backwards all the way. A
countryman of Picardy undertook the fulfilment of this vow, and having
employed a whole year in the task, was rewarded with a title and a
large sum of money.
* * * * *
The Romans deposed their Dictator, Minutius, and the general of their
cavalry, Caius Flaminius, on th
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