Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-11-28
THE EVENING FIREslDE.
A Passage from tbe Essays of Leigh Hunt.

A Passage from The Essays Of Leigh Hunt,
The essays of Leigh Hunt have an
aroma, a bouquet of their own, as pc
cuIiar as that of old wine Of rare vim
tage. AvOlumeOf his essays, hitherto
uncOlIected and unedited, is in the
press Of Roberts Brothers, of Boston,
from advance sheets of which we take
this hreside paper:
" Now stir the fire, and close the shutters fast,
Let fall the curtains, wheel the sofa round,
And, while the bubbling and lOud-hissing urn
up a steamy column, and the cups
cheer, but not inebriate, wait on each,
50 let US welcome peaceful evening in"
"Never was snug hour more feel
ingly commenced! Cowper was not a
great poet; his range was neither wide
nor lofty; but such as it was, he had
it completely to himself-he is the
poet of quiet life and familiar observa-
ton. The fire is now stirred, and puts
on its hveliest aspect in order to wei
come those TO whom the tea-table is a
point of meeting, and it is the bust
ness Of the hreslde to cherish this as
pect for the remaidner of the evening.
How light and easy the Goals look!
1AON 4hNAElll - NAAO lbBtAlAlEco NLAltlL
the bars! How airily do the volumes
of smoke curse each other up the
chimney, like 81 many fantastic and
indefinite spirits, while the eye in vain
endeavOrs TO accompany any n of
them! The flames are not so fierce
as in the morning, but still they are
active and powerful; and if they do
not roar up the chimney, they make
constant and playful noise that is
extremely to the purpose. Here they
come out at the top with a leafy tWirl;
there they dart up spirally and at
once; there they form a lambert as
sembIage that shifts about on its own
ground, and is continually losing and
regaining its vanishing members.
81 confess 1 take particular delight
in seeing a good blaze at top; and my
Impotence TO produce it viii some
times lead me into great rashnes5 in
the article of pOking; that is to say, /
use the poker at the top instead of the
middle of the fire, and go probing it
about in search of a flame. A lady of
my acquaintance-'near and dear as
they say in Parliament-will tell me
of this fault twenty times in a day,
and every time so gOOd-humOredly
that it is mersSwant of generosity in
me not to amend it; but somehow or
other l do not. The consequence is,
that after a mOmentary ebullitiOn of
blaze, (he fire becomes dark and
sleepy, and is in danger of going out.
1t is like a boy at school in the hands
of a bad master, who, thinking him
dull, and being impatient to render
him brilliant, beats him about the
head and ears till he produces the
very evil he would prevent. But, on
the present occasion, l forbear to use
the poker; there is no need of it;
everything is comfortable, everything
snug and sufficient.
"HOw equable is the warmth around
US! How cherishing this rug to ones
feetl How cOmplacent the cup at
ones lip! What a fine broad light is
diffused from the fire over the circle, |
on the urn and the polished
mahogany, bringing out the white
garments of the ladies and givinga
warmth to their face and hairi
1 need not mention all the good
that are said at tea-stilI less
the gallant. Good humOr never has
audience more disposed to think it
wit, nor gallantry an hour Of service
more blameless and elegant. Ever
since tea has been known its clear and
gentle powers of inspiration have
been acknowledged, from Waller pay
ing his court at the circle of Catha-
rine Of BraganZa to DR.. Johnson re-
ceiving homage at the parties Of Mrs.
Thrale. The former, in his lines, up
on haarTnn ~ aCnanrGnHa bx- har ]
Majesty, ranks it at one above myr-
tie and laurel, and her Majesty, of
course, agreed with him.
80 VEINS her myrtle, Phnbus has his bays;
Tea Both exeels, which she vouchsafes TO
praise.
To that bold nation, which the way did show
To the fair region where the sun does rise,
rich productions We so justly prize.
The muses. friend, tea, does our fancy aid,
Repress those papors winch the head invade,
and keeps that palace OF the soul serene,
on her birthday, to salute the queen
"The eulogies pronounced on his
avOrite beverage by DIR. Johnson are
too well known to be repeated here;
md the eommendatOry Inscription Of
The Emperor KEN Long, to a Euro
Dean taste at least, is somewhat too
tull, unless his Majesty's teapot has
been shemefElly translated. For my
Jwn part, though have the highest
respect for this genial drink, which is
to the cold, and cooling to the
warm, / confess, as Montague would
nave said, that l prefer coffee-par-
ieularly in my political capacity:
Cone, that makes the Politician wise,
70 see through ali things with his hafi-shut
eyes.
"There is something in it, 1 think,
more lively and at the same time more b.
ubstantial. Besides, never see it
,ut Il reminds me of the Turks and
heir Arabian tales-an association in
preferable to any Chinese .
IDEAS; and like the king who put his Z,
lead into the tub, r am transported
ntO distant lands the moment | dip
nto the coffee cup-at one minute
the valleys with Sinbad, at !
encOuntering the fairies on
he wing by moonlight; at a third !
Exploring the haunts eff tbs cursed /
1aggraby, or wrapt into the silence :
f that delicious solitude from which !
Prince Agib was carried by the fatal ,
Iorse. Then, if wish to pOeticise :
iponlt at home, there is Belinda, with !
Ier sylphs, drinking it in such a state !
5 nothing but poetry can supply: !
For 10, the board with cups and spoons is ]
The berries craekle. and the mill turns
oUnd. 8
On shining affairs Of Japan they raise :
The silver lamp; the hery spirits blaze;
From the silver spouts the grateful liquors I
glide,
And China's earth receives the smoking /,
tiieI 1
At once they crafty the scent and taste, G
And frequent cups prolong the rich Tepast. 7
Straight hover round n fair her airy band; =
Some, as she sipp'd, the tuning liquor !
fann'd; s
Some Ger her lap their careful plumes dis +
Trembling, and conscious Of the rich bro t
cade.' 3
sit must be acknowledged, how $
yer, that the general association of i
leas is at present in favor of tea, Y
hitch, on that account, has the adj Il
of suggesting no confinement v
} particular. ranks or modes of life.t
ct there be but a freside, and any,
Ody, of any denomination, may be n
.ncied enjoying the luxury Of a cup Il
I tea, from the duchess in the even A
~ drawing-room, who makes it the y
of displaying her white 10
and, to the Washervoman at her q