The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-01-01
THE COMMENTED MAN.
nY WASHINGTON IRVING.

In thc garden Of the 1huillerics there
IS a sunny corner under the wall of a ter
rice which fronts the south. Along the
wall Is a range OF benches commanding
IHyiew OF the walks and avenues of tho
garden. This Genial nook isa place of
great resort IN the latter part Of autumn,
aud IN fine DAYS III winter, rs il seems 10
retain the aavor Of departed summer.
Ona calm, BRIGHT morning II is quite n
live with nursery -maids and their play-
iul ltilc charges. llifhcr also rcsvtt0
number of ancient ladies and gentlemen,
who, with laudablo thriit in small plea
Sures and small expenses, for which tdc
trench are To he noted, come here 20
culoY sunshine and Save lircpood. Here
m1y often be seen some cavalier If lir
old school, when the sunbedmS have
warmed his blood into somcthne lie
lglow, ilutellng about like frost bitten
moth thdwod before the fire, putting fonh
"A feeble show of galanirv among the an
tlqaatcd DANES, aud now aud then oyo-
me The buXom nurscry-maids with what
might almost be mistaken for an ar of
I'herlinlsm. Among the habltual lrc-
queniers Of this place, had often fc-
marked IN old gentleman, whose dress
I was decidedly antl-fevoulional lie
Wore the thrco-corncred cooked hatof lhc
ancient regime his han was lrizzled o.
/ YER each ear INTO allies dc pigfon, style
{ strongly sWourinp Of Bourbonlsm; ana
q queue stuck ont behind, the loyalty of
. which was not 10 be disputed. HIS dress,
THOUGH ancient, had in air Of decnycd
> gentlity aud observed thai he took
his snuff on OF an elegant though old
: fashioned gold box. He appeared 10 be
q the most popular man on the walk. He
> had a compliment FOR every old lady, he
:. kissed every child, and ne paltcd every
+ little dog on the head for children aud
litle dogs are very important members
olsoclcty in France. | must observe,
however, thai he seldom kissed child,
= without, at the Sumo limc, pinchlnp the
i nursery maids check; d l'lenchman OF
j the old school never tolgcts ms deyoir.
= 10 the ,ex. had taken liking 70 this
old gentleman. There was an hablmal
expression of henovolcncc in ms face,
winch | have very Frequently remarked
IN those rehques Of the potter days OF
f. France. The constant interchange OF
, those thousand iiuIe comtcsics which
3. ImPerccPtibly sweclcn life, have ahappy
= elect upon the features, and spread a
d mellow evening charm over the wrinkle
i, oioId agc.-Nherc thcrc IS Il laYoutc
% pIcdnposnlon, ono soon forms kind Of
taclt intimacy by often meeting on the
Same walks. Once or twice | accom-
h mod.D'd BIN with bench, after which
!. We touched hats Oh passing each othe,
:, AT lturth We got 50 t. q, 10 take Il pinch
l. C.snulI together ON 81 his box, which l.
L equivalent TO e3tn sal together in the
+ Last; iiom thai tme our Acquaintance
Wa5 established. | now bocamc H# frc-
. qucnt companlon.in his mornno n mc-
, nddcs and dcrlvei much amusemrnt from
b bis good hlnnoafed remarks on men aud
manners. One morning, rs we were
e snolllug through an llley Of he I huillo-
! lries, w''h Tho aulnnnal hrce2e whining
the yellow loayos about our path, my
companion fell intoa peculiarly commu-
+, lmcltlve ven, snd rave me several pali-
culars OF his history. He had once bccn
wealthy, and possessed of "a fine estate in
, the country, IA noble hotel III Paris; but
the Revolution, which effected so many
: disastrous changes, stripped him Of e.
very ding. lie was secretly dcnouuc-
ed by his own stewart, during a sanguin-
-
airy period of the Revolution, and anum-
Der Of the blooihounds Of the Convent
7 on were sent 10 drrCsthim. lie received
> private intelligence Of their approach in
: time TO effect hi escape. He landed in
, England without money or friends, buj
considered himself singulaIy fortunate in
: having ms hcadupon his shoulders Sc
yeraI Of his neighbors having been gull
/ lolinod as a punishment for being fich.
+ When he reached London he mad but n
LOUIS in hls pocket, and 10 prospect Of
getting another. He ate SOLITARY. din
ner on hecistake, and was almost poison
cd by port wine, which from It's color he
bad mistaken for clarct.
The dinay look oftho chop-house, & of
the little mahogany-colored box in which
= he ate his dinner, contrasted sadly with
the gay saloons Of Paris. Every thing
looked gloomy and disbcartoning. Po-
verify stared him in the face he turned
= over the few shIllings he had of change;
did not know what vas to become of
him ; and--went to the theatre lie
took hsseatinthc pit, listened attentycly
toa tragedyofwhich he did moi understand
a word, and which seemed made up Of
fighting, and stabbng, and scene shifting;
: and began 10 feel his spirit sinking with
in him, when, casting his eyes into the
orchestra, what was his surppze to recog-
nize an old friend and neighbour in the
very act Of cxtortng music from huge
LNinlnncrlln.H A. soon ~ The evnninn's