Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1858-12-17
An Interesting 5kettl).
A TALE OF OLD LONDON BRIDGE
j Il s $ ".

The Thames, three centuries ago, had
characteristics essentially different from
those that distinguish it in the present
day. Gone are the palaces and the gar
dens which, from Whitefriars to West
minister, adorned its banks the six -oared
canopied barge has given place to the
smoky steamboat; the waterman's occu-
patton, by the erection of so many bridges.
like Othello's, is ''gone;" the spirit of
romance has fairly vanished from the
now impure, gaseous and tortured
stream" in a word, everything has sue.
cumbed to the march Of triumphant
utility.
Things we're not always so. AS still,
on TIE waters that wash the marble pal
aces of sea-born Venice, music nightly
sounds, and love breathes his sigh, so,
in the good old times that shall never
come again, did the gallant, gliding over
the unpolluted stream, WOO his mistress.
Love designations were made there. The
high and the noble did not consider it
derogatory to their dignity to touch the
guitar; the woman's silver voice was
heard, making yet more smooth the I'M
vexed and transparent bosom of 'gentle
Father Thames"
The moon shed a gentle food of light
upon the single bridge, which, spanning
the noble river, bore on its granite shout
ders a hundred houses; long shadows
were cast eastward; the tide, rushing
through the arches, created a slumbe rous
sound; the Globe Theatre, on the bank
size, where Shakespeare personated his
own immortal creations, had closed its
doors, when an individual who had late
ly stood within the walls of that temple
of Thespis, proceeded to the nearest
stairs, and springing into its wherry,
rowed leisurely out into the stream.
The gallant whom we are about to de-
scribe, though on terms of familiar greet
ing with Essex, Raleigh, and the choice
wits of the day, did not belong to the
aristocratic class; yet Cd his person and
bearing, natures nobility was stamped.
That lofty forehead spake of intellectual
superiority; the eye, though subdued
and somewhat downcast, through the
minds abstraction, had that searching
glance which can read mems souls; the
brows were drawn from their natural
arch almost to straight lines, and gave
to his physiognomy an expression of
sternness, which however was redeemed
by the humor that lurked around the
thiu-lipped, handsome mouth; the jetty
beard was short and peaked; conical hat,
with single feather, adorned his head
his doublet was slashcd and Of the finest
broadcloth his ruffies were of rich Flan-
ders lace, and the hilt of his straight
sword-a present from the Queen-was
set with rubies And this was the deer
stalker of Stratford on Avon-this was
Shakespeare.
The great dramatist was now in the
summer of his days, and, if we may be
allowed the metaphor, the aloe of his
renown had begun to put forth its leaves,
the beauty and freshness Of which have
endured for three centuries. Genius, as
regards its alteration Of the sex, is some
times content to feed on dreams Of ideal
beauty. But at this period Of his life
the Bard Of Avon, it would seem, was
not satisfied with worshipping fantasy.
Petrarch and his platonics afforded no.
thing to suit his temperament, and he
yielded TO the passions that will enthrall
ordinary men. Love for an object,
warm, breathing. living, had kindled the
fire in his heart Gold seemed the features
of his plastic fancy to this lovely incarna-
ton of all his poetic dreamings--this
sweet, palpablc shrine Of the immortal
spirit; and to pour forth his love vows,
and to press the lily hand Of his sweet
Jessy, did Shakespeare on the night in