The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-08-07
Examiner CORRESPONDENTS.
the Editors of the Examiner.


you gave me the same injunction that Valentiu.
did to Proteus, or Proteus to Valentine--whicl
was it'-that if ] should find any rare note.
worthy object in my travel" should think o.
you. Our party has met with nothing to be
considered "note- worthy" and | write merely
to fulfill promise.
Our journey 10 this place, however destitute
of incident II may have been, was by no means
dry. We had rain every day. The cloud.
seemed to make regular business Of raining, a.
if determined by increased activity to make Up
for the time they had lost. Jupiter Pluvins
seemed unwilling TO bear a rival near the throne
But we had determined TO make ourselves CON-
Portable, and even the rain could not throw cold
water on our enjoyments. Shakespeare tells us
that ''traveleIs must be content" In this be
shows bis wisdom, and all who are wise will act
on this principle The second night after leay-
ing Louisville, we arrived at a late hour at a
house where they were not expecting SO large a
company. The people here seemed TO be very
fond of corn in liquid state, preferring the refined
spirit TO the gross materialism Of the solid form.
Here we met with one who professed 10 be the
! fltlier of twenty-five children. He seemed 10
have been conscious Of sinking under the weight
of his responsibilities, and had been elevating
himself for several days. To our unspiritua-
lied vision he appeared pretty high. Sometime
after our arrival the chickens heads flew off.
ratilins of plates, and the voice of the landlord
then announced 10 us that the culinary opera
tons were brought 10 a close, and the mastica-
tory were about 20 begin. Travelling is an rx-
ceeni whet- stone 10 the appetite. and ours had
had time TO become very sharp. From the sup
per table We went 10 bed 10 dream of ..Corrons,
hydras, and chimeras dire" The ghosts of
headless chickens had their revenge. The very
feathers in the beds seemed TO be all chicken
feathers animated with the to,ri spirit of revenge
on account Of the murder of their relations.
The next morning We fastened 10 leave our
inn. Soon the heavens were covered with
clouds. and the rain began TO pour down as if
this were its last opportunity. Our horses were
obliged 10 stand still, violently did the rain
dash itself upon them. | was reminded of some
of the doings Of kuheborn, the mischevous
Undine. Al length We reached Munfordsville
where we breakfisted About three miles from
this place We eft the turnpike, and travelled on
4 road which is probably not the worst in the
world. though its claims to this distinction are
of most respectable character At the dis
lance of a few miles from the turnpike we
came to II cave, which courageousy de-
termined TO explore. IL was not the mammoth
itself, but il seemed TO a very considerable
calf. Within q short distance from the entrance
we refreshed ourselves with some cool water
which invited us 10 partake Of il. We pene-
| trated considerable distance without lights,
when one of the ladies fell from rock: and bv
her screams manifested decided aversion To ia
kind of involuntary motion. She was not much
hurt, however, and after procuring lights. We
proceeded on our exploring tour. We had not
time 10 go very far, but we were very much in
teresteG. There are two very fine pillows in this
cave. one of which seems as if composed Of a
series or Corinthian capitals placed above
another. After we had emerged from the cave,
our minds became particularly brilliant and the
coruscations Of wit flashed upon US with daz-
zling rapidity; ! suppose We had gathered
head" Of brightness in the darkness of the cave.
Il know of other way Of accounting for
the continued blaze. have had some repu,a-
ton for pvRmoHsLip in my day. but | give up.
| The ladies seneed me. was no more than a
street lamp when it pses its Intellectual fires be-
fore the RAYS Of the sun. suffered an eclipse
Othello's occupations gone shall never have
the heart 10 make pun again. ] AIN no longer
| pun king-1 would soon think of calling
myself pumpkin. Severely have been pun
ished for any ambitious aspirations NAV have
had Ii ever another Pun-ic war arises, ] wish
To be considered neither Roman nor Carthage
nan; for ! rest on my oars and have cut Didos.
should like vprv much to enlighten YOU
with some of the rays of wit: but | have no
recollection of any thing but an incessan, blaze.
| would as soon undertake TO cut you Off slice
of lightning as TO separate any portion of our
blaze from the rest. | remember that after we
had began To burn dim, one of the ladies related
TO the rest of the conversation between
Jonah and the whale the first part of which YOU
heard before YOU "came away" The whole
conversation was as follows
WHALE. opening his mouth. Here is fine
opening for young man.
JONAH, (reYy much dorm in the mouth |
feel considerably sucked in.
WHALE, deeply moued) | believe | must
gioe you Up. swallow no more such Jokes.
JONAH, ton the sana, ei.h some dryness.)
You have eTprtssed a great deal Of uneasiness.
W,.LE, (sDiashing Jonah nth his tall A.
diea, IA dew
Since | have left off the practice, have a
mind To write defence Of this much reviled
species of wit. | have some thought of analyz-
| ing most of the standard hons mofs, &c, and
showing that those which have stood the test of
time are nearly ail plays upon words. Almost
ali men of deep feeling have been punsters.
! Look at Shakespeare; at the earnest divines Of
the olden time, from Master Hugh Latimer
down. Look at Hood. who al one time could
write the bridge of Sighs," and at another Ire
as great AS a pundit in punning; who, at one
time could be the deep murky cloud, and at an
other the playful Tightening that brightens its
edge. Look at the s.mple-hearte and affection
ate Charles Lamb, who often by pun makes N
rainbow from the tear it falls from your eve.
The practice Of punning is reviled by those only
| whose minds cannot admit two ideas at a time
But must postpone my disquisition on pun
| ming to another time. Permit me, however, e
! quote a few sentences from the great German
1 critic, Schlegei "'Those who cry out, says he
against the play upon words, as an unnatural
and affected invention, only betray tMc,r OWL
ignorance Of original nature. great fondne.,
for il is always evinced among children, as wei
as with nations Of simple manners, among whom
correct ideas of the derivation and affinity OF
words have not vet been developed, and do not
consequently, stand In the way of this caprice
In Homer find several examples of it the
Books Of Moses, the oldest written memorial o.
| the primitive world, are, as is wei, known, full O
| them. On the other hand, poets Of very cul
tiyatcd taste, like pstrarch, orators, like Cicero
have delighted in them. Whoever in the play o
Richard the Second, is Disguised with the affect
ing play of words Of the dying John of Gam
on his own name, should remember that thu
same thing occurs in the Ajar of Sophocles."
But | have written toe much, and have M
room TO tell you Of the delightful music which
we had from the ladies'. We were Hospitality
received by the gentlemanly landlord Of tn
'sCave Iiotel,'' Mr.. Mosher, who has made III
feel perfectly at home. | cannot say too mucl
in praise of this establishment. | have neve
been at any public place where ! have felt 81
comfortable. Here every one may say will
Jack falstaf. +" take mine ease in mine Inn.
Come to the Mammoth cave if you wish to keeI
T your brain from cseisT IN. Don't go to som
"Springs," and 90 to filling your veins with sui
phur and "villainous saltpetre" this hot weather
If you are already there and charged with an,
such things go of as quickly as possible.
Ours.
p. S. will send you something about The Car
. | for next week il YOU are not tired of this stuff