The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-12-21

/ VANITY REBUKED. The French have =
| pleasant anecdote of poet suddenly awsk-.
ened from his dream Of popularity. The
bard had published some verses on the Ut
terry, which had fallen lifeless. After run
ming about Paris for week 10 gather bis
laurels, and finding that the crop bad entire
ly failed, he let the city of the MUSES. and
Graces with solemn protest against ever
believing that a Partisan knew good verses
from bad. Within league or two Of the
city he sat down TO rest himself, and soon
perceived that he was the object of marked
attention to all passers by. Some took off
theirhats-some pressed their HANDS 10 their
bosoms-some looked ~ to heaven as if
thanking it for having sent so distinguished
a genins upon earth. The bard was sur
prsed- delighted -overwhslned with graf
itude. He rose. and continued gratefully
taking off his hat 10 every grous who pass
ed. Al length one nan threw himself from
his horse, knet down, Il d approached him
on his knees. The hard was in rapfnfes!
"No no, my good friend p he exclaimed,
"you must not offer this homage 10 me. l
acknowledge your taste. Yet remember
that, although am the 1tiior of the six
teen sonnets,' am still but man." The
worshipper looked astonished, but proceed
ca TIth iSis homage. The bard could no
longer resist-this delightful disohedence
mastered him. He rushed forward and flung
himself IN tears OIL the worshipper's neck.
The man started up, and they both rolled
on the ground together, when the bard hap
penlng to cast his eyes upward, beheld on
the bank behind him an hinge Of the Vjr-
gin! The secret of the bowling and uncap.
ping was revealed to him. He Tose-brush-
ed the dust from his culottes, shook the dust
off his feet against the good city of Paris,
went his way, and wrote verses no more.
Monthly Magazine,
JoHSssSiAgA. A learned gentleman wish
ing TO inform The company of this si,nple lacf
,hat the Council upon the Circuit at Shrews.
bury were much bitten BY heas, took, suppose,
seven or eight minutes in relating it circumstan-
TALLY, he in plenitude of phrase told us that
large bales of woollen cloth were lodged in the
Town Hall of Shrewsbury that by reaeon vr
TINS, heas nestled there in prodigious numbers
that the lodgings of the Council were near the
Town Hall, and those little animals moved
from place to place with considerable apiIiiy.
Johnson sat IN great impatience till the gentle
man mad finished his tedious narrative, and then
onrst out (playiuily however) II is a pity Sir,
that You have not seen lion for a flea has
taken you such time, that a lion must have
served You twelve month";
party, among whom were Arthur Murphy
and some o! fhe :. wits shout town :" were din
ing at a tavern in Flee.strre, when Two If
mem oddly began To quarrel about two pocus
winch they we're on the po,nl al Publishing To
aPpease the controversy. Murphy recommends
a dePntatinn Ia johnson. 10 decide het as To
which was the superior work The depu,aton
waited on lhe doctor who. though SUI priSed at
dinner, wss Induced 10 listen to the statement
OF the affair. Nv hat depends on ny deci-
sion : SAID he. g Five guIneas,' was the an.
swer. IS Give ne :he poems said, Johnson.
lie ran ms eye down them. and reckoning the
lines, made his award. e Gentlemen. said he,
soemhly, poetry does not always differ from
real life. 1t is right principle, Of Two evils to
choose the lesser Both poems are as bad as
poems can he !; therefore the shorter has won
the wager "-Lond0n paper,
The late Phillip Thicknesse, who travel.
led through Portugal and Spain in a one
horse char, with monkey for his postil-
lion, used to remark that these nations. as
well as France, and indeed every other.
had their peculiar absurdities.--" The
Spaniards keep the keys of MANY of their
city gates in lodge on the outside of their
walls. Their eggs are brought to market
in sacks, and their walnuts in baskets, A
Frenchman, when he travels in warm
post-chaise, has a white laced beaver can
which covers his ears, and buttons under
the chin but when he walks the streets.
though the weather is ever SO cold or what.
ever he his age, he wears his hat under his
arm"
TaRAsHrSG IN SPAIN. Their mode of
thrashing is perfectly primitive. Several
pieces OF ground in the neighborhood of the
town, are allotted for this purpose, 10 which
all the produce of the adjacent country is
brought. A thick board six feet in length
ami four in width, is perforated with holes.
in which are placed large flint stones, pro-
jecting about half an inch. On the front of
this board man takes his place, on seat
provided for that purpose, and "a number of
oxen or mules are fastened to it with cords.
The grain in the straw is then strown on
the ground, in circle formed with stones,
and this extraordinary implement of hus-
bandry is then dragged over it, a man
standing in the centre of the circle assisting
the driver to fog the beasts to their utmost
speed. A drove of loose cattle are also
driven over it, so that the sharp flint and
the hoofs of the mules and oxen do the
work Of threshing very completely. The
StraW Is, Oy lHeSe means, torn INTO small
particles, which is packed in nets and sent
to Madrid as provender for horses and
mules. Their method of wlnnowing IS by
throwing the undressed grain against the
wind, whrb separates 1t from the chaff.
was told Of an American, who taking com.
passion on the unenlIghtened natives. ana
seeing the prospect of good profit, miro.
duced one of our thrashing maan;nes. and
undertook to thrash the fathers corn ut :
trlfllng expense per bushel.
On the next day he succeeded admirably
but on the next, when III Spectator wea
to resume his labors, to his utter cons,ernn
ton, he found the engine which was 4
work him wealth, broken into atoms. an,
dispersed into every possible direction. o.
inquiry, he found the country people ha,
consulted on its efficiency, and came to
resolution, in which they were assisted b.
the parish priest, that the devil was rnsid
the engine, and they were determined, a
good Christians, to have no hing 10 do wit
hum, but in the fair way of trade
I'm .Amerisan's Travels in Spain.
BEEF STEAKS are said to have been in
vented hy Lucius Paucus, a noble Roarar
condemned by 'rrajan, for some offence, L
act as one of the menial sarri;cers to Jupl