The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1859-01-21

a TALE OF OLD LoNDoN BRIDGE.

TALE OF OLD LONDON BRIDGE.
The Thames, three .centurie2 ago, had charac-
terstcs essentially different from those that dis
tinguish IT at the present day Gone are the
places and gardens which, from Wbitrfriars 10
Westminster, adorned its banks; The six-oared
canopied barge has given way TO the smoky
steamboat; the waterman's occupation, By the
erect3o Of many bridges. like Ottello's, sis
gone,' aud the spirit of romance has fairly van
shed il2m the now impure, gaseous and "tor-
tured stream" In word, everything has sue
cnnlbsd to the march Of triumphant utility.
| Things were not always 50. As still, on the
waters that wash the marble palaces ofsea-5orn
Venice, music nightly sounds, aud love brealhes
his Sigh, 50, n ihe good old times that shall
never come again, did the gallant, gliding over
| the unPolluted stream, WOO his mistress. Loves
assgnatons were made there. The high and
the noble did not consider ii dtrogaiory to their
dignity to touch the guitar; the woman's silver
voice was heard, making yet more smooth the
unvexed and transparent bosom 0! the "gentlr
Father Thames.''
The moon shed a food of light upon the SIN
gle bridge, which, spanning the noble river, bore
Oh its granite shoulders a hundred houses; long
shadows were cast eastward; the tide, rushing
through the arches, created slumberous sound;
the Globe Theatre, on the Bank-sids, where
Shakespeare Personaed his own immortal cTea-
tons, had closed IFS doors, when an Individual,
who bad lately eiood within the walls Of that.
sqirs, ssqiffrs,- Id Idf s. siPTlasti rnfs fsi rf'y,
leisu;ely out into the stream.
The gallant whom we are a5ou: 10 describe,
though on terms Of familiar greeting with Es-
sex, R4lrjgb, aud the choice wits OF the day,
did not belong to the arisiocra!;c class, yet, on
MS person and bcaung, natures nobility was
stamped: that lofty forehead spoke OF intelectu-
al superiority; the eye, though subdued, and
somewhat downcast, through the minds absirac-
tiol. 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 physognomy an expression Of siernness,
which, however, was redeemed by the hunoT
that lurbcd around the thin Tipped, handsome
mouth; The beard was short and peaked; conicai
hat, with single feather, adorned his head
his doubltt was sashed, and Of the !inest broad
0 cloth: hls ruilps were Of the rich Flanders lace
E and the h,t Of his straight swoyd--a present
: from the Queen-was set with rubies, An'
this was the deer-salker OF Stafford Oh Avon
e this was Shakespeare.
T The great dramatist was now in the summe
! of his days, and, if we may be allowed The meta
! pbor the aloe Of his renown had begun TO Pu
forth those leaves, the beauty and freshness O
v which have enduged for three centuries Ge
Mus. as regards its alteration Of the sex, is some
IS times content 10 feed on dreams Of ideal beauty
: But al this period OF his life, The Bard Of Avor
n il would seem. was not satisfied with worship
G. pion Dhaalasv. Petfarch and his platonics
oe 6rded nothing suited to his temperament, an
d. he welded 10 the passions that will enthral o.
:, dinary men. Love for an object, warm, brei
a thing, living, had kadlpd IFS fire in his hear
Cold seemed the creatures Of his plastic fame
ne 10 this lovely incarnation OF all his poet
!" dreamings-th this sweet palpable shrine OF II
lIltnOTldi Stlll IT. anu w IOu' iS'' AZ"
go and 10 press the lily hand of his own swe
Il Jessy, did Shakespeare, on the night in questio
on urge his wherry down the Thames.
Jessy was the daughter of the desPised pc
, l pie who regard Abraham as their great progeI
,ty tor. Her father was an usurer and jewell
m and hung out his sign on the Old London Bride
u" 1t was Just above the third arch from the Ct
-, side, ere the Dutchman Morris had erected
ow water works, that old Manasseh dwelt. The
] were but two things in the world dear ur
or him-his money and bis daughter. From
oi extreme lovelineSs, Jessy had obtained the SC
-, btiquet of the "Beauty of London Bridge"
ent Many of the illustrous of her tribe had sous
the her hand in marriage; but Jessy was deal
lFk, each overture. Several Christians, also, oil
anu az. ed to lay their titles aud riches at her feet;
,sn. here Manasseh angrily interposee, since, ir
principle, as we'll as inclination, ne bite