THE SACRED WHITE ELEPHANT OF AVA. 75 "I waited a short time, when the curtain was drawn up (1) and discovered the august animal. He was not so large as I expected to find him; nor is he perfectly white being nearly the colour of a sheep. He was amusing himself with his trunk, perfectly unconscious of the glory by which he was surrounded and of the homage paid him. The Burmese bow their heads to the ground before the animal whose residence is fitted up (2) in a very superb manner. The walls are richly gilt and supported by sixty four pillars of which about the half are also gilt. "The fore-legs (5) of the elephant are fastened by massy silver chains to one of the pillars: his hindlegs (4) are attached by cords. "His bed consists of straw mattresses covered with very fine blue cloth and crimson silk. He has a regular household (3) of attendants, consisting of a minister of state, a secretary, couriers, etc. His trappings (6) are extremely magnificent, being all of gold cloth studded (7) with diamonds, sapphires, pearls and rubies; and all the vessels (8) out of which he eats (9) are of gold set with jewels. (1) Drawn up, levé. (2) Fitted up, garni, arrangé. (5) Household, ménage, établissement. (6) Trappings, housses. (7) Studded, parsemé, garni. (8) Vessels, vaisselle. (9) Out of which he eats, dans lesquels il mange. "These honours are paid to the white elephant because, according to the belief of the Burmese in the transmigration of souls (1), this is the last state of many millions through which the soul passes before it is sufficiently purified to enter Paradise, or to be absorbed in the divine essence. INVENTION, OR DISCOVERY OF GLASS. The date of this useful discovery is involved in great obscurity. Pliny tells us that the first vessels of glass were made in the city of Sidon; but Loysel (another ancient author) asserts that the glass-works of the Phonicians were in high renown more than three thousand years ago, and that Sidon and Tyre were their principal depots or markets for the sale of glass-ware (2). Pliny attributes the discovery of its composition entirely to chance; he says that some sailors were driven on shore by a tempest on the banks of the river Belus, and in order to (3) make fires they collected large quantities of the kali or sea-weed which abounds on that shore, and that the alkali of the plant uniting with the sand formed a hard transparent matter which very much excited their curiosity. They saved some pieces of it, and on their return to their own country showed it to some scientific men, (1) Transmigration of souls, métempsycose. (2) Ware, marchandise; glass-ware, marchandise en cristal. (5) In order to, pour, afin de... ACCIDENT AT PRINCE SCHWARTZENBERG'S. 77 telling them at the same time how it had been produced. Several experiments were made which led to further discovery, and by degrees (1) this useful and elegant article has been brought to the state of perfection in which we now see it; forming also a very important object in the commerce of most European nations. ACCIDENT AT PRINCE SCHWARTZENBERG'S HOTEL. On the marriage of Napoleon and Marie Louise, prince Schwartzenberg gave a splendid fète in honour of his master. For this purpose he caused (2) a sort of hall to be constructed in the garden of his hotel. In the midst of the festival the curtains took fire, and in a moment the whole room was in flames. Napoleon, taking his wife in his arms, retired with prince Schwartzenberg to a short distance, Marie Louise returned to St.-Cloud, and Napoleon remained in the garden until morning. The building was entirely consumed, and the princess Schwartzenberg, who had effected her escape from the hall, being uneasy about one of her children, had entered again, when, in endeavouring to return by a little door which led to (3) the interior of the hotel, she was suffocated, and nearly consumed by the flames. Great concern (4) and uneasiness was manifested during the (1) By degrees, peu à peu. (2) To cause, faire faire. (3) To lead to, conduire à, donner dans. (4) Concern, inquiétude. night, about her fate, when in the morning, her remains were discovered among the ruins. Prince Kourakin, the Russian ambassador, was also severely burnt, and about twenty ladies and gentlemen fell victims to this shocking accident. All those who in 1771 had witnessed the festivals (1) given on the occasion of the marriage between Louis XVI, and Marie Antoinette, were reminded of (2) the catastrophe which took place in the Champs-Elysées, where near two thousand persons perished; and drew a melancholy omen from the present occasion (3). Although Napoleon is said not to have been superstitious, he was affected by it; and long after, on the morning before the battle of Dresden, where he was informed prince Schwartzenberg had been killed, he said, "That was a brave man, but nevertheless there is something consoling in his death. It was against him then, that the fatal omen which occurred at his ball on the wedding day, was directed. We are clear of it (4). " Two hours afterwards however he was informed that Moreau, not Schwartzenberg, had been killed. ATHEISTS. Cicero hath observed that no kind of men are more (1) Festivals, fêtes. (2) To be reminded of, se rappeler. (3) Occasion, événement, affaire. (4) To be clear of, être exempt de, affranchi de... afraid of (1) God than such as pretend not to believe in his being. These are the men who above all others are most liable (2) to be affected with dread and trembling, more especially in the time of sickness, and the ap proaches of death. There is not a more ridiculous animal than an atheist in his retirement (3). (Spectator.) SILK-WORMS (4). Hoam-Ti, or Hoang-Ti, was desirous that his wife, the empress Silling-Chi, should contribute to the happiness of her people; and therefore ordered her to examine, and endeavour to make some use of the soft down (5) of which the silk-worms compose their cones (6). Silling-Chi accordingly (7) collected a number of these insects, which she reared (8) herself, and at length (9), after infinite care and pains, she not only found out (10) the proper method of feeding them, and winding (11) the silk, but also how to weave it; and the Chinese have (1) To be afraid of, craindre. (2) Liable, adj., sujet. (3) In his retirement, quand il est seul. (4) Silk-worms, vers à soie. (5) Down, duvet. (6) Cones, cones, cocons du ver à soie. (7) Accordingly, en conséquence. (8) To rear, élever, soigner. (9) At length, à la longue, enfin. (10) To find out, trouver, faire une découverte. (11) To wind, dévider. |