Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1877-03-07

been that has kept US, as we may say,
so firmly attached to the tottering, in
convenient monument, in spite of the
fact that each time we passed under one
of its arches we felt terrible misgiv-
ing lest the ealcined, age-worn stones
supporting it should tremble with long
suffered weakness, fall to the ground,
and bury US beneath the ruins: Who
else should il have been but Charles
Lamb ?-who but Charles Lamb, most
loving Of men, tenderest of poets, wit
test of writers, the most truly delight
full and charming of all English essay
lists, who almost worshiped the ground
which Temple Bar has so long blocked
with its presence, and adored it as if it
had been supporting the most magnifi-
cent and beautiful temple ever erected
by the genius of man?
Charles Lamb was born and passed
the first seven years of his life within a
stone's-throw of Temple Bar, a spot
which he has characterized as "the most
elegant in the metropolis; and the de-
lightful Essays of Ella" were penned
almost within view of its venerable
Venetian parlor. Daily he must have
trudged patiently with that dear sister
whom he tended and loved so well,
through the old gateway, bent on col
lecting the little store for the morrow's
meal, and expatiating by the way on
the glories OF London, q place which
was 10 be preferred, in his opinion, so
greatly did he love the town, to the
finest prospect of country ever planned
by the all-wise providence of the Creator
though here we think he was Joking.
Hear him, however, on the subject, in
one of his most rapturous moods: 81
am not" says he, ''romance-bit about
Nature. The earth and sea and sky
(when all is said) is but as house to
dwell in. If the inmates be courteous.
and good liquors flow like the conduits
at an old coronation, if they can talk
sensibly and feel properly, | have no
need to stand staring on the gilded look
ing-glass Chat strained my friends
purse-strings in the purchase), nor his
five-shilling print over the manteI- piece
of Old Nabbs, the carrier (Which only
betrays his false taste). just as impor-
tant TO me Qn a sense) is all the furni-
ture Of my wOrld-eye-pampering, but
satisfies no heart. Streets, streets,
streets, markets, theatres. churches,
Covent Gardens, shops sparkling with
pretty faces Of industrious milliners,
neat seamstresses, ladies cheapening,
gentlemen behind counters lying, au-
thors in the street with spectacles (you
may know them by their gait), lamps
lit at night, pastry-cook and silver-smith
shops, noise Of coaches, drowsy cry of
MECHANIC watchmen at night, with
bucks reeling home drunk; if you hap
pen TO wake at night, cries of fire and
stop thief; inns of court with their
learned air, and halls and butteries just
like Cambridge colleges; old book-stalls,
Jeremy Taylors,' 'Burtons on Melan-
choly,' and Religio Medieis,' on every
stall-these are the pleasures Of London
with the many sins; for these may Kis-
wick and her giant brood go hang
The gentle humorist loved the city,
and Temple Bar was the grand and !
honored gateway to it.
"What a transition for a country |
man." writes he, visiting London for |
.he first time-the passing from the |
Strand or Fleet Street by un-
expected avenues" to the Temple 1! I
W Whereupon heproceeds to write learned /
Y upon its many memories and classic
expressing the hope that the
7ounkers or after-generations may pace
Is stately terrace with the same super
,titiOus veEeration "with which the
,hild Ella gazed on the old worthless
hat sOlemnized the parade before ye"'
-APPleton's Journal.