The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-04
HOUSTON POST LETTER BOX.

Gratis department IS Intended 10 snswer
main object Is 70 supply out-of-the-way facts
ana curious information. Questions OF per-
scnei Interest only viii not be answered. No
rutircsf or r~tSonai addresses will he eivcn.
Al corresrondenec should he addressed 70 The
Letter RcS farc Houston Post owins TO tnc
'etge numhnr OF questions received answers
San not always be sivcn promrtiy)
Some weeks arc. IN response 10 an inquiry,
i, II was stared IN this column tina, tho popular
auotatlon from Ccnrrcvo's roein." The Mourn
ing Bride. which Is nearly always kivcn nov
1 80 Music hnth charms 10 scothe the savage
/ breast" should properly read "Music hath
I charms 10 soothc savage beast" This an.
swsr brought forth replies In which tho
\ writers stated that Leigh Hunts edition OF
coaEreyc's poems. az wcil az all the books
ot ropular quotations, gnve the word breast
I Instead OF beast" Despite this modern owl.
b tcsscc 10 the contrary, tho Letter box editor
1 sun claimed that his answer was ccrrSct
and asserted that an examination 81 the old
? editions OF tho foesn would prove this, cecn
y The context dla not chow that the word
should be "Scast" In connrma,lon Of this
the following has been received from tho ut
crary editor OF the ST. Louis ciobe. Democrat
rhsrH Is no doubt that congrcve wrotc
''btnSt," and II Is 30 printed IN the earliest
cditipas Of Tho Mourning Bride" publluhod
In issS. When and how the word became
"brenat" ls not deAni,riy known. but Il arst
( appcats thus In the I,onson editions OF Con.
ffoSo.s plays. puhliShcd IN i;sa 10 isaS
whethSr IL was an Intentional change or n
typogmphicai blundcr is not clear Tho cta-
ton occurs IN the first line OF the play. and
when complete Ia as follows:
! Music hath charms to sooth savage beast.
10 soften rocks. or bond q knntted oak
I've Rad that things inAnimStr have moved.
And na With iNiDk souls have boon Informed
ny inagto numbers aud persuasive sounds"
Here. you eco. by reading the context. tho
picture ia ono Of Mid nature and tho power
Of music over animate and inhn,matc things,
and also that the word "b.ast" Ia more IN
consonnncc with the thought than 'broast.''
Conserve died in iTso, 40 that the change was
made after his death, | do not know whcro
an edition Of tho drama prior to 1853 can be
obtained, Thcre arc several copies, however
In the british Museum. which have the read
Ink beast"
To decide waEcr. VIII you kindly inform
mo u any maritime cnEageuisnt has ever
states mSn-ofwsrs Il 70 ' sdna ra ut e,'en
Same was Intentional or accidental when ii
occurred; IN fect all particulars In eonnec-
uea Herewith NOT.
llcs;illties existed between THE country and
France during the administration Of John
Adams, and lastcd from iyaS 70 1894 During
this time thcro wore several encounters be-
tween American and French vessels. Before
hostllltce wore declared. tho Constellation
and tho Delaware seiEed the French prlvateer
croyablc and carried her into philadelphia.
She was reiltted and taScn into the navy as
the Rctnlixicn. Under the command OF
Lieutenant Bninbrideo, thu Retaliation Joined.
the Montezuma ard tho Norfolk. While cruis-
Ing on Guadalupe the American vessels en-
countorcd tho Franch frigatua LInsursente
and Volontairo The Retaliation was recap
tured, but the other vessels were not at
tackled, as Lieutenant Bainbrlisa who had
been taken 40 prisoner with the Retaliation
employed the atratagea. Ia answer to a auea.
ton, et oycsstating the strength OF the Amer
tenn e,sstls. February o. 1920, the constella-
ton captured the L'insurgsnte, which re-
fitted and taken into rcrvlcc. aud her feg |
IL now ID tho Naval Institute building nj
Annapolis, February n. 1900, the conatrlln. |
tion ohased the French frRate Vengeance; a !
number OF shots were exchanged with deadly |
effect. but the rrcnchman csoapti In the |
night, This came yen- the Boston captured |
Tho corvette berpoHu, aud her dag II also at |
pr.vatcers were captured eighty four armed |
Froneh ysssols in all being taken duriag tho
two years and half OF war No united |
statoa vessel WAS taken except tho Retalia-
ton
Please give mo Mother SYMPTOMS" prophsc,
aud tell me something about her. c.D.K.
Mother Shipton lived in England over 500
years ago and uttered number OF so-called
prophecies Tho following lines were FIRST
published IN 1855. before the discovery al
America and before any Of the discoveries and
Inventions mentioned thorcin. All the events
predicted have como to pass except that IN the
ast Two lines.
Carriages without horses shpll 40
And accidents MI the world with woe.
Around the world thoughts shall ny.
In the twinkiing OF AN eye
waters shall yet moro wonders DO.
Now strange. YET shall be True
Tho world upside down shall be.
And sold be found nj root Of tree.
Through hills man shalt ride
And no i.oiso nor ass be at his ide,
Inder water man ehall walk
shall ride. shall sleep, shail ak
IN the nIr men shall BIO seen.
In white. IN black. IN green. II
Iron In the water shall feat
AS easy a wooden boat
Gold shall be found mid stous.
In d land that's now unknown. IL
Fire and waior shall wonders do,
England shall at last admit Jow. |,
And thls world 10 an end shall como.