The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1862-09-02 00:00:00

M. BLONDIN, THE HERO OF NIAGARA.

INSTANCIDI OF TrIIPERANCL It IS related Of
Garrick, that when acting he need to drink nothing but
water-grueL His Romeo averaged four points; but for
the curse in Xing Lear, he has been known to take as
much as three quarts in one evening. When he per-
formed the "walking gentleman," however, he per-
ferred a glees of ginger-beer, with the white of an egg
in it. The rule of Garrick's life in this respect, no
doubt, largely contributed to his enviable position on
the British boards ; and the same remark will
apply with equal trnthfulness and force to M.
Blondin. When engaged in his profession, chocolate is
the only beverage which he consumes, and even of tbis
he partakes very sparingly. No matter the arduous
nature of the task required of him, a cup of chocolate is
his only stimulant; so that he is in his way as useful
and effective an expounder of the great temperance
principle as the American orator, Gough; the modern
Hogarth, George Cruikshank, "or any other man."
EXTRAORDINARY FLAT. —One day at Niblo's
celebrated Garden in New York, where the
Ravel Family and Blondin were enfaged in fut.
filling • successful engagement, the ordinary morning
rehearsal was agreeable enlivened by • novel incident:
—A performance illustrative of some of the Bedouin
Arabs was being gone through, ready for that evening's
programme, and at a particular stage of the business one
person represented • prisoner surrounded by &crowd of
soldiers armed with muskets and fixed bayonets, from
the midst of which he had to clear himself by • vigorous
leap. Antoine Ravel, who was to make the jump, was
busy re-arranging the group of the soldiery, it not being
exactly to his mind, and Monsieur Blondin, attired in
ordinary citizen's costume, stood close by, watching
with a curious eye the slow progress of affairs.
Suddenly, by one of those erratic impulses which at
times some over him and impel him to attempt the most
hazardous enterprises, and without the slightest intima-
tion of his intention, he took three or four hurried
steps, and then which a tremendous bound threw a
double somersault over the entire group—Antoine,
soldiers, muskets, and all—and instantly subsided into
his former attitude of repose, as though he had done
nothing at all out of the way and the moving mass of
bayonets were only so many bulrushes.
BLONDIN'S ARRIVAL Ti -ENGLAND.—Eyery part of
the United Kingdom seemed to catch the popular infec-
tion, and was SA anxious to make the personal acquaint-
ance of Monsieur Blondin, as Monsieur Blondui was
to become acquainted with it It appeared to be thought
too, that as he managed to cross the Falls with perfect
security to himself, he might aL,o manage to cross any
other dangerous current—such as the Humber or the
Mersey, if not St. George's, or the Irish Channel, with
equal security—provided a rope sufficiently long could
be procured for the purpose—and thus add greatly to
his own reputation, and augment the banking amount
of some enterprising speculators. The most rash and
preposterous proposals reached him from Liverpool,
Hull, and other places, and although he was not pre-
pared to give them a minute's serious consideration,still,
as they were all so many indirect tributes to his courage
and his fame, lie did not withhold • suitable response
to the various writers. But it was a publican in South
Staffordshire, who eclipeed all the rest by the novelty
of his invention. He wanted Monsieur Blondin to walk
on an iron coil, at an altitude of fifty feet, over • suc-
cession of some thirty-five or forty blast furnaces, and
thus prove that he was as insensible to liarin by fire, as
he washy water—a perfect Salamander, in fact.
AN ENVIABLI ACROBAT. —As regards the large sums
of money which M. Blondin is making by his per-
formances, and which have been erroneously asserted
to exceed what was paid to the Swedish Nightingale
in the zenith of her fame; he is • sort of parallel to
the famous Maddox, who, eighty years ago, astonished
all the world by his wonderful power of balancing him-
self under extreme difficulties. Leigh Hunt, speaking of
him, sets down his interne at the rate of £ll,OOO for
a single season. being £2,1500 more than David Garrick
ever made in one season daring the most prosperous days
of the British drama. One of Maddox's great feats
was tossing a straw, and causing it to alight on any
part of his body he chose; and his biographer reports
that be did this at the rate of twenty guineas • time;
" Head of Fo !" exclaims Leigh Hunt: what would
Confucius have thought of it?" And pray what would
Confucius think of M. Blondin receiving from an
enterprising gentleman in London the stnn of Afteest
thousand guineas for two hundred performances on the
tight rope! It is nevertheless a fact ; and M. Blondin
drives his carriage and pair, and occupies a handsome
mansion at the West Encl.—lllustrated Life of Blondits,
y G. LINNSUS BANKS.