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having undertaken to write something on the battle; and he took the greater interest on this account in every thing that he saw. Besides, he had never seen a field of such a conflict; and never having been before on the Continent, it was all new to his comprehensive mind. The day was beautiful; and I had the precaution to send out a couple of saddle-horses, that he might not be fatigued in walking over the fields which had been recently ploughed up. The animal he rode was so quiet that he was much gratified, and had an opportunity of examining every spot of the positions of both armies; and seemed greatly delighted, especially with the Farm of Goumont, where he loitered a couple of hours. In our rounds we fell in with Monsieur Da Costar, with whom he got into conversation, though I had told him he was an impostor. But he had attracted so much notice by his pretended story of being about the person of Napoleon, that he was of too much importance to be passed by: I did not, indeed, know as much of this fellow's Charlatanism at that time as afterwards, when I saw him confronted with a blacksmith of La Belle Alliance, who had been his companion in a hiding-place, ten miles from the field, during the whole day; a fact which he could not deny. But he had got up a tale so plausible, and so profitable, that he could afford to bestow hush-money on the companion of his flight, so that the imposition was but little known, and strangers continued to be gulled. He had picked up a good deal of information about the positions and details of the battle, and being naturally a sagacious Wallon, and speaking French pretty fluently, he became the favourite cicerone, and every lie he told was taken for gospel. Year after year, until his death in 1824, he continued his popularity, and raised the price of his rounds from a couple of francs to five; besides as much for the hire of a horse, his own property; for he pretended that the fatigue of walking so many hours was beyond his powers. It has been said, that in this way he realised every summer a couple of hundred Napoleons. It is surprising how any one could believe the story he told; for supposing that he had been seized upon by Napoleon, what use could such a vagabond be as a guide? what was he to show? The British army was staring the Emperor in the face at a mile distant. This soi-disant hero could only be an incumbrance during the conflict, if his courage could have been screwed up to remain at Napoleon's side, as he pretended he had done, and that when he became panic-struck on the approach of the Prussians, he was rewarded for his services with a twenty-franc coin. He even pointed out the ac、 tual spot where he stood with the Emperor on the chaussée-heard him exclaim "Sauve qui peut!" and saw him mount his horse, and brush! -facts, which are become historical!

There was another peasant whom I discovered, an extremely intelligent little fellow, who had actually been forced into the service by a Prussian officer. He was found skulking in the forest, and put at the head of the column, to conduct it, by the best and shortest route, to the scene of action, which, from the noise of the cannon and platoons, could be at no great distance. The little pioneer did his duty; there was nothing improbable in his story; and when I made his acquaintance, I found him very acute, and gave him some further knowledge of the details than he already knew; dubbed him Blucher's A. D.C.; and set him up, to all strangers that fell in my way, in opposition to Da Costar.

He was content with a franc for a course, and soon became a popular character.

When Sir Walter had examined every point of defence and attack we adjourned to the "Original Duke of Wellington," at Waterloo, to dinner, after the fatigues of the ride. Here he had a crowded levée of peasants, and collected a great many trophies, from cuirasses down to buttons and bullets. He picked up himself many little relics, and was fortunate in purchasing a grand cross of the legion of honour. But the most precious relic was presented to him by my wife-a French soldier's book, well stained with blood, and containing some poetical effusions, called "Troubadours," which he found so interesting that he translated them into English, and they were introduced into his "Paul's Letters;" on the publication of which he did her the honour of sending her a copy, with a most flattering letter, to say, "that he considered her gift as the most valuable of all his Waterloo relics."

On our return from the field, he kindly passed the evening with us, and a few friends whom we invited to meet him. He charmed us with his delightful conversation, and was in great spirits from the agreeable day he had passed; and with great good humour promised to write a stanza in the lady's Album. The following morning he called to achieve this; and I put him into my little library, the door of which I locked to prevent interruption, as a great many of my friends had paraded in the Parc opposite my window to get a peep of the celebrated man, many having dogged him from his hotel. In spite of this precaution, however, and orders to my servant to deny every one, a huge fellow of twenty stone forced his way in, equipped in a horseman's drab coat, scarlet waistcoat, greasy buckskin nether-garments, met by Yorkshire-tan gaiters; his party-coloured grisly locks surmounted by a broad-brim, rusty castor; his bull neck enveloped in a Belcher, which had been once purple. This moving mass of bone and blubber had penetrated beyond a double door, which separated the vestibule from the staircase, and applied to the door of the apartment in which the poet was, and not gaining admittance, thundered at it with the butt-end of a large whip which he carried. I sallied out of the dining-room to inquire into the cause of this extraordinary noise, and great was my surprise on beholding the personage whom I have attempted to describe. He stared at me without uttering a word, when I said, "Pray, Sir, how come I to be honoured with your presence? (I could not doubt of his being a Bull from his figure and costume.) What the D-1 do you want here?" The gentleman, not in the least discomfited by this blunt address, threw back his head, and replied, in a broad Yorkshire accent, "I understand that the famous man Walter Scott is in your house, and I am desirous to see him; but I am in a great hurry, and my horses are at the door to take me to Waterloo, so I hope you will let me see the gentleman, and not keep me waiting. My name is (I did not distinctly hear it), a Yorkshire squire, of 3000l. a-year; I am on my travels, and am curious to see every thing. Now, as my daughters are always talking about this here Mr. Scott, and reading his books, I suppose he is worth seeing:-' a penny cat may look at a king-no offence, I hope, Sir."

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Squire," said I, "from the manner in which you have conducted yourself, by intruding into a gentleman's house, I must think you have

escaped from the York Lunatic Asylum, or from your keepers! I therefore recommend you to proceed to Waterloo; for though Mr. Scott is under my roof, you have not the least chance of seeing him in this house, but you may have your curiosity gratified by waiting in the street until he is inclined to go out, of which there is no probability for some hours. Had you shown a little more civility, I night have been disposed to treat you like a gentleman, though, from your manners, you do not appear to be deserving; as a countryman, however, I will bestow a little advice on you. Before you proceed farther on your travels, I recommend you to go home, and put yourself under the tuition of some one to teach you better manners.' So saying, I thrust the door in the Squire's face. My friends in the parlour had overheard the dialogue, and were bursting with laughter; fortunately the Poet was not disturbed, and when he had finished his labours, I told him my adventure, which amused him not a little. The Squire bundled himself into a shabby French chaise de poste, and drove off. No more was seen or heard of him, nor could I learn at the hotels any thing of the monster. I suspect he was an impostor, for the breed of such an English squire has been long extinct.

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Brussels affords but little worthy of the notice of such a traveller as the author of " Waverley;" but he greatly admired the splendid tower of the Maison de Ville, and the ancient sculpture and style of architecture of the buildings which surround the Grand Place.

He told us, with great humour, a laughable incident which had occurred to him at Antwerp. The morning after his arrival at that city from Holland, he started at an early hour to visit the tomb of Rubens in the Church of St. Jacques, before his party were up. Having provided himself with a map of the city, he had no other guide; but after wandering about for an hour, without finding the object he had in view, he determined to make inquiry, and observing a person stalking about like himself, he addressed him, in his best French; but the stranger, pulling off his hat, very respectfully replied, in the pure Highland accent," I'm vary sorry, Sir, but I canna speak ony thing besides English.""This is very unlucky indeed, Donald," said Mr. Scott, "but we must help one another; for, to tell you the truth, I'm not good at any other tongue but the English, or rather, the Scotch."— "Oh, Sir, maybe," replied the Highlander, "you are a countryman, and ken my maister, Captain Cameron, of the 79th, and could tell me whare he lodges. I'm just cum in, Sir, frae a place they ca' Machlin, and ha forgotten the name of the Captain's quarters; it was something like the Laaborer."-" I can, I think, help you with this, my friend," rejoined Mr. Scott. "There is an inn just opposite to you, (pointing to the Hotel de Grand Laboreur,) I dare say that will be the Captain's quarters;" and it was so. I cannot do justice to the humour in which Mr. Scott recounted this dialogue.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF JEHANGUIR.

THE Memoirs of the Emperor of Hindustan, Jehanguir, the son of the great Akber, although the narrative be not chequered by the wonderful vicissitudes of fortune, described with so much naïveté in the commentaries of his renowned ancestor Sultan Baber, still do not yield to them in curious and intense interest. They are written in the style of a journal, and although occasionally interspersed with long digressions, you may perceive in every line of the work the unsophisticated delineation of fresh impressions as they rise to his perception, which, with all its defects, we do think bears a more fascinating charm with it than the laboured result of the most perfect composition. In October 1605, he ascended" the throne of his wishes," in the city of Agrah, at the age of thirty-eight years, "under auspices the most felicitous," he says, "Let it not produce a smile that I should have set my heart on the delusions of this world. Am I greater than Solomon?" &c. He describes, with the minuteness of a jeweller, the almost incredible value of his throne and crown, and, like a younger person, dwells with delighted vanity on all the splendid accompaniments of royalty. He says, "For forty days and forty nights I caused the nuggaurah, or great imperial state drum, to strike up, without ceasing, the strains of joy and triumph; and for an extent of nearly fifty zereibs around my throne, the ground was spread by my directions with the most costly brocades and gold-embroidered carpets. Censers of gold and silver were disposed in different directions for the purpose of burning odoriferous drugs; and nearly three thousand camphorated wax-lights, three cubits in length, in branches of gold and silver, perfumed with ambergris, illuminated the scene from night till morning. Numbers of blooming youths, beautiful as young Joseph in the pavilions of Egypt, clad in dresses of the most costly materials, woven in silk and gold, with zones and amulets, sparkling with the lustre of the diamond, the emerald, the sapphire, and the ruby, awaited my commands, rank after rank, and in attitude most respectful. And finally, the Ameirs of the empire, from the captain of five hundred to the commander of five thousand horse, and to the number of nine individuals, covered from head to foot in gold and jewels, and shoulder to shoulder, stood round in brilliant array, also waiting for the commands of their sovereign. For forty days and forty nights did I keep open to the world these scenes of festivity and splendour, furnishing altogether an example of imperial magnificence seldom paralleled in this stage of earthly existence."

The royal author proceeds to give an account, which is not devoid of interest, of his father's anxiety to have a son and heir to his dominion, (as none had survived their births above one hour,) and of his vowing, and completing his vow, of walking on foot from Agrah to Ajmir (a distance of two hundred and eighty miles), that he might

offer up his prayers and thanksgivings for the birth of the author at

the shrine of Moinuddin Cheesti. The holy recluse who lived there, Sheikh Selim, blesses the royal bantling, and gives him his own name; and in fact, whilst heir apparent, he was known as Prince Selim, which, on his accession to sovereign power, he changed to that of Jehanguir, or Conqueror of the World; and here he shows a motive for this apSept. 1829.-VOL. XXVI. NO. CV.

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pellation, which will be considered as rather a curious anticipation. "And peradventure, I might have been contented to the last with the title of Sultan Selim; but to place myself on a par with the monarchs of the Turkish empire (Roum), and considering that universal conquest is the peculiar vocation of sovereign princes, I thought it incumbent on me to assume, at my accession, that of Jahanguir Padshah, as the title which best suited my character; and I trust, with the aid of a gracious providence, with length of life, and a favouring star, that I shall so acquit myself as to justify the appellation."

The author proceeds to detail the regulations he made for the better administration of justice, throughout his dominions, and the invention of an immense chain of gold, fastened at one end to the battlements of the royal tower of the castle at Agrah, and at the other to a stone pillar near the bed of the river Jumna. This chain of justice, as it was called, was about two hundred and sixty feet in length, and had eighty bells suspended from it, so that any one suffering from the maladministration of the laws, had only to touch this chain to obtain immediate redress.

Another of his regulations was against intoxication; and on this subject he is candid enough to acknowledge his own transgressions, and we feel certain that the quantity of wine his Majesty was in the habit of drinking daily would appear excessive, even in the opinion of our most jolly topers.

"No person was permitted either to make or sell either wine or any other kind of intoxicating liquor. I undertook to institute this regulation, although it is sufficiently notorious that I have myself the strongest inclination for wine, in which, from the age of sixteen, I have liberally indulged. And in very truth, encompassed as I was with youthful associates of congenial minds, breathing the air of a delicious climate, ranging through lofty and splendid saloons, every part of which decorated with all the graces of painting and sculpture, and the floors bespread with the richest carpets of silk and gold, would it not have been a species of folly to have rejected the aid of an exhilarating cordial?-and what cordial can surpass the juice of the grape? May it not happen that Theriauk, or opiates, or stimulants, have been rendered habitual to the constitution? and heaven forbid that this should deprive a man of the most generous feelings of his nature! With some acknowledged beneficial effects, it must be confessed, that these indulgences to excess must expose a man's infirmities, prostrate his constitutional vigour, and awaken false desires, such being the most injurious properties belonging to the list of stimulants. At the same time, we cannot but remember that Kelourica is brother's son to Theriauk.

"For myself, I cannot but acknowledge that such was the excess to which I had carried my indulgence, that my usual daily allowance extended to twenty, and sometimes to more than twenty cups, each cup containing half a seir (about six ounces,) and eight cups being equal to a maunn of Irâk. So far, indeed, was this baneful propensity carried, that if I were but an hour without my beverage, my hands began to shake, and I was unable to sit at rest. Convinced by these symptoms, that if the habit gained upon me in this proportion, my situation must soon become one of the utmost peril, I felt it full time to devise some expedient to abate the evil; and in six months I accordingly succeeded

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