New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-12-05


sympathes because pretension Is net made
since according to Latin poetry and English
dogg9ei,
Poverty does nothing worse
Than 10 make man ridiculous.
In this instance the halfness Les in the preten-
sion of the parties to some consideration on &C.
count of their condition. If the man is not
ashamed of his poverty, there is no joke The
poorest man, who stands on his manhood, de-
stroys the Jest. The poverty Of the saint, Of the
rapt philosopher, Of the naked Indian is not
comic. The lie is in the surrender of the man
to his appearance; as il man should neglect
himself and treat his shadow on the wall with
marks of infinite respect. 1t affects us oddly as
TO see things turned upside down, or to see a man
in high wind run after his hat, which is always
droll. The relation of the parties Is lnverlcd,-
hat being for the moment master. ihe maltlpH-
cation oil artificial wants and expenses IN civilized
life, and the exaggeration OF all trifimg forms,
present innumerabc occasions for this dlScrc-
pancy TO expose itself. Such is the story told OF
the painter, Ashley, who going out of Rome oneday
with party for ramble III the Campagna, and
the weather proving hot, refused to take OF his
coat when his companions threw OFT theirs, but
swetered on; which, exciting remark, his COM
rades playfuy forced Off his coat, and behold on
the back Of his vest gay cascade was thunder
ing down the rocks with foam and rainbow, very
refreshing in so sutry day;-a picture of his
own, with which the poor painter had been fam
to repair the shortcomings OF his wardrobe. The
same astonishmcnt of the intellect at the dlsap-
pearance of the man cut of nature, through some
superstition of his house or equipage, as if truth
and virtue should be bowed out of creation by the
clothes they wore, is the secret of all the fun that
circulates concerning eminent fops and fashion
lists, and in like manner of the gay Ramcau of
Diderot, who believes in nothing but hunger, and
that the single end of art virtue and poetry, IS to
put something for mastication between the up
Der and lower mandlbes
Alike in all these cases, and in the instance Of
cowardice or fear Of any sort, from the loss Of
life to the loss Of spoons, the majesty of man Is
violated. He, whom all things should serve
serves some one of his own tools. In fine pictures
the head sheds on the limbs the expression of the
face. In Raphaels Angel driving Hcllodorus
from the Temple, the crest OF the hcmlet is so
remarkable, that but for the extraordinary energy
OF the face, it would draw the eye too much
but the countenance of the celestial messenger
subordnates it, and we see it not. In poor pic
lures, the limbs and trunk degrade the face. Sc
one whose bonnet and dress are one thing,
and the lady herself quite another, wearing wltha
an expression OF meek submission to her bonnet
and dress and another whose dress obeys and
hightens the expression of her form.
More food for the comic is afforded whenever
the personal appearance, the face, form, and man
ners, are sub ects of thought with the man him.
self. No fashion is the best fashion for those
matters which will take care Of themselves This
is the butt of those Jokes OF the Paris drawing
rooms, which Napoleon reckoncd so formidable
and which are copiously recounted in the French
Memories. A lady of high rank, but of lean
figure, had given the Countess Duauloy the nick.
name of lie Grenadier tricoore," In allusion to
her tall figure, as well as TO her republican opn
ions; the countess retalated by calling Madame
1.-The Venus of the Pere la Chaiso,'' conpli.
ment to her skeleton which did not fail to circu
late. Lord c." SAID the Duchess of Gordon
sob, he is perfect comb, all teeth and back
The Persians have pleasant story OF Tamerlane
which relates to the same particulars. "Iimu,
was an ugly man; he had blind eye and a lame
foot. One day when Chodscha was with him
Timur scratched his head, since the hour OF the
barber was come, and commanded that the bar
Der should be called Whilst he was shaver, III,
barber gave him as usual loohing-saSs In hi;
h0QQ. iIulur saw NliHSSIl III VIC iil!tio! ant
found his face quite too ugly. Therefore he be
gan to weep; Chodscha also set himself to weep
and SO they wept for two hours. On this, some
courtiers began to comfort Timur, and entertained
hum with strange stories IN order TO make hin
forget all abou, it. 1inar ceased weeping, bu
Chodscha ceased not, but began now first TO weep
amain, and in good earnest. AT last, SAID limul
TO Chodscha, Hearken. | have looked II The
mirror, and seen myscliugly. Thcreat | greved
because although l am Cahph, and have also
much wealth, and many wives, yet still an Sc
ugly; therefore have weps. But thou, why
wecpest thou without ceasing2' Chodscha an
swered, If thou hast only seen thy face once,
and a, one seeing hast not been able to contain
myself, but hast wspt, what should we do we
who see thy face every day and night I? II we
weep not who should weep? Therefore have
wept.' Tuaur almost split has sides with laugh
ing"
Politics also furnishes the same mark for satire.
What is nobler than the expansive sentiment of
patriotism, which would fad brothers in whole
nation Blu, when this enthusiasm is perceived
TO end in the very ineligible niaxlms OF trade, SO
much for so much, the intellect feels again the
half man. Or what is filter than that we should