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THE TRUMPET-CALL (THEATRICAL) . As an ol...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Travels In European Turkey. Travels In E...
animals , and then send them to every market in Germany . Might not this prove an advantageous speculation for some of our own wealthy traders ? In the interior of the country they can be bought even at a lower rate ; at the same time , their flavour being similar to that of the wild boar » which theysotnewhat resemble m form , renders them the more acceptable to the epicure . Now , as the Danube is equally open to the commercial speculation of an Englishman as an Austrian , i trust that some of my friends will profit by the hint , and make their fortunes . . .
•• I feel assured that , if some of our enterprising countrymen , acquainted with commercial pursuits , were to visit these provinces of European Turkey , They would End a rich field , as yet unexplored : both here , as well as in Moldavia and Wallachia , I found a most anxious desire on the part of the inhabitants to establish a more intimate commercial connection with Great Britain . Prince Constantino Soutzo , of Moldavia , one of tbe most extensive landed proprietors of the province , frequently expressed tome his wishes to that effect , and begged me , on my return home , to open for him a negotiation with , some English merchant for the dieposal of his timber , corn , and cattle , which seemed to lie upon his hands without the possibility of a sale .
" As all commerce should be reciprocal , perhaps it may be expected that I should suggest what articles of our manufactures would be most likely to find a lucrative sale . Sheffield cutlery , which all admire and covet , together with Staffordshire wares , would be much prized . As to printed calicoes , the Austrians monopolize the maTket ; this is , how ever , not owing to their cheapness , nor the superiority of the fabric , but the manufacturer has had the wisdom to consult the taste of his buyers . The chief purpose for which they require calico is to make their long loose pelisse ; for these they use gaudy colours
with broad stripes ; it would , however , be advisable to send an agent to study the pattern , in order to secure with safety an extensive sale . In addition to these people , the Turks , particularly , have a decided predilection for everything that is English ; the Austrian and Swiss manufacturers , aware of this penchant , most adroitly fix to their spurious and flimsy goods the name of some well-known English manufacturer . Oiled paper being now superseded by glass for windows , occasions a large demand for the latter article-. Watches are coveted by all ranks , and are valued and admired in proportion to their size . "
Instead of following Mr . Spenoer through his var ied route , we will take random glimpses at the pictures he presents . Here is one of
A SEEVIAN TpWN . " During my rambies through the streets of Alexinitz , in which , like all the other towns of Servia , we are certain to find something new—some feature characteristic of this primitive people—I was struck with the novel manner in which the auctioneer exercises his vocation : when an article is offered for sale , whether a buffalo , a horse , or a lady ' s bracelet , a drummer is sent forth to perambulate the town , exhibit the article , and take the biddings . If he can write , he notes them down in his tablet ; if not , why a . notch in a piece of wood must serve the same purpose , and ,
¦ when he has completed his promenade , he returns to the auctioneer , who examines the different amount of the sums which have been offered , and , if approved of by his employer , a loud rat-a-tut announces that the highest bidder is the purchaser . Nor is this the only office the town drummer exercises ; he is , at the same time , the crier and the gazette ; he announces the promulgation of a new law by a rat-a-tat , and the most important news of the day ; and it is he who summons the inhabitants to arms , should the fierce Arnout , or the Bosnian , be making preparations to cross the frontier .
• ' The vocation of this important functionary does not end here . It is also hia office to announce , at nightfall , that the hour has arrived , after which it becomes a punishable offence to be found in the streets without a lighted lantern , lamps having not yet contributed their aid to the enlightenment of Turkey . These lanterns are made of transparent paper , "audily painted , and so folded as to be capable of being carried in the poeket . The effect of a number of these moving about in different directions , resembling bo many gigantic glow-worms , is exceedingly pretty . 14
1 lie quarantine establishment is of great extent , enclosed with strong parades , and guarded by a little army of pandours ; it contains Binds for merchandize , and stables , a huai , and a few hutafor tho accommodation of the traveller who may have tho ideniiH of paying for the luxury of a roof . But as the tourists in this country uauuliy consist of kirnidjis , swineherd * , and drover * of cattle , a class who prefer the night air to the expenses pi a htu » , thoy bivouac in a lurgo open space in the centre , arouud blazing fires .
• ' During the tira « I remained a detenu in the quarantine at AltuguaiU , I , counted from three to four hundred person * , as wild-looking and motloy an jyaamHWa aa it was aver my lot to be ( jVita / f ^ ff ^ BKS BlL , fetenniftgled with ( he rnyahs of BjmMflH 9 uw « i Hori ^ tfowiiwi , and Toheme-0 MJH | gt 9 K 388 B ^ KQHlft and Arnouts , Greeks and % r . ' * ir -: >
Zinzars , Jews , Armenians , and Gipsies , habited in the costume of their respective tribes and nationalities , and speaking as many languages as might have rivalled Babel -itself . Notwithstanding they drank gallon after gallon of wine and raki , they might be cited as patterns of good conduct and good humour to the inhabitants of the most civilized < sountry in Europe . Here was no quarrelling nor fighting , all seemed intent upon amusing themselves , by singing ,
smoking , daneing , and cooking . Then , to afford a still greater variety of pastime , there were performers on the bagpipe , the reed , and the gousla , together with bards and story-stellers , spouting forth in the expectation of w inning a few pari from the audience ; these , with , our four-footed companions , who , it appeared , were also doomed to quarantine , formed a most uproarious concert ; we had the gprunting of swine , the braying of donkeys , the neighing of horses , the lowing of cattle , and the barking of dogs , " Here is a POBTftAW OF A . RENEGADE . " It appeared , while a mere youth in 1830 , he had been compromised in some political movement that took place in Northern Germany , which obliged him to seek a iefuge in the Slavonian provinces of Hungary on the Lower Danube . Here he endured every privation , nearly starved , suspected , hunted from place to place by the espionnage of the police , his life forfeited should he be taken . Thus desperate and reckless of the future , he crossed the Danube into Turkey , became a Mussulman , and a soldier in the Turkish army * " He had , no doubt , displayed great bravery and considerable military talent , for he had been elevated to the rank of bimbashi . Having chosen his path in life , retreat was no longer in his power , yet he bitterly repented the step he had taken , which , had rendered existence a blank . He held no communication with his family , who he was determined should never know they had a renegade for a kinsman ; he had remained unmarried , for he would leave no inheritor of a name which he said always sounded in his ear as the knell of happiness ; he never attempted to amass wealth , but expended his ample revenue in acts of charity , and assisting any of his poor countrymen chance threw in his way , for his heart was still thoroughly German .
*• How deeply I commiserated the fate of this nobleminded German , whom neither rank , nor wealth , nor power , could reconcile to his position—obliged to conform to the tenets of a creed he despised , living among a people of whose intelligence he was centuries in advance , too frequently obliged to perform duties adverse to his feelings and opinions , fame , honour , distinction , all that can animate man , existed not for him ; with no beloved hand to smooth his pillow , no kindred eye to shed the tear of love over his bed of Bickness , he only looked forward to an honourable death , and to lie in the land of the stranger . "
An amusing story of Bulgarian justice is told by Mr . Spencer . He had engaged a Greek guide to take him to Adrianople , and agreed to pay him on arrival for the use of the horses and his services . On the way theguHe frequently demanded money on various pretexts . Before they had accomplished more than half the distance he had thus been paid nearly the whole amount , and refused to proceed , swearing he had never been paid a farthing . He not only swore this , but had the impudence to summon Mr . Spencer before the Kodji-bacha , or magistrate of the village : —
41 Our little cause was tried in the presence of the whole of the villagers , who , with their Kodji-bacha , were already predisposed against me , by the representations of the subtle Greek . With great volubility and earnestness of manner , the clover scamp descanted on the unjust manner in which I had behaved to him . Described mo as one of those horrid Frank *—a species of , living vampyre , mrho travelled through the country poisoning the inhabitants by
giving them pills ; aud , as a climax to all my misdoings , I was denounced as a Latin Heretic—a thousand times wore than a Mahometan , an infidel , who ate , drank , slept , passed over dangerous rivers and crumbling bridges , and even heard the awful thunder , without making the sign of the cross ! Tho women Bcrcnmed and crossed themselves ! tho men gnashed their teoth ! and the grave Kodji-bacha frowned most mcnaciously 1 "
Fortunately , however , Mr . Spencer had taken the precaution of making the guide affifc Iu 8 mark to the agreement before starting , and repeated it at every advance of inoney ; the murk was a cross . Against this plea , the guide declared that it was a fabrication—a mere trick to cheat him : — 44 We now waited the verdict of tho village Solomon , who . with true Oriental gruvity , pondered over the cane for some time in deep silence . At length , he requeated Demetrius and myself to tako pen , ink , and paper , and eaqh make a cross . Now , wo all Icftowliow long a time- U requires , and ' how many wearisome efforts , before the Bchool-boy can acquire
sufficient command of his hand to make * « w » " *" stroke . TheKodJi , whowwascholar !™ liJd ^ l ? ¥ proof to enablehim to discover which par £ J ~? spoken the truth . As may be presumed «» attempt made by the Greek , whether large or 8 m ! i 7 produced a cross , of crooked , jagged strokes , eSSi * similar to those in the pocket-book . This was i cisive ; and the sentence of the vulaae judtre « yTk the culprit sent to Dimotika , to receiveilX m from the governor , brought the pitiful wretch , to feet imploring for mercy , amidst the execrations * the peasants—an interesting manifestation of Vk moral feeling of the people . " M the
We must return , to these volumes for farther selections from their ample store .
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The Trumpet-Call (Theatrical) . As An Ol...
THE TRUMPET-CALL ( THEATRICAL ) . As an old war-horse browsing serenely in f ^ meadow lands , with no cares on his soul except the flies , which disregard his quiveringhide andwhiskinjr tail , suddenly starts into energetic life , throws his head high in the air , and feels the vigorous pulses of excitement throbbing through him at the old familiar sound , the clanging rhythm of the trumpet call—as he , a moment ago so peaceful , now feels
" His soul in arms and eager for the fray , " so do I start from among the ancient folios which for many weeks have been the pastnreland of my serene untroubled soul , and feel my dramatic pulses quiver at the old familiar sounds of " reopening . " A week ago I was calm , grave , a little pedantic perhaps ( as becomes a man who reads big books and Greek with the " contractions " ) , but wholly indifferent to the footlights ; and now— " Oh ! " Mr . Wordsworth
says—«« The difference to me ! " my calmness is gone , my blood is in a tumult , the Christian Fathers are put back on their shelves , my opera glass is taken out , the play bills arrest my eye , the theatres which looked so blank and mournful have a bustling joy in their aspect ; and I feel , as the politicians are fond of saying , that we are entering a new era ! The theatrical trumpet sounds ; and Vivian is at his post . "Reopening" ! What a beautiful word ! how full of hope and joyful promise , like
the sound of " Breaking up " in the days of Dr . Birch ! There is Mr . Webster already in the field . He reopened The Hat / market with Macfarren ' s opera of Charles the Second . A certain chill was given to my enthusiasm by observing that Mr . Harrison was again to be the distinguished tenor of that theatre , and I was not present at the reopening in consequence . Then why did Mrs . Sterling , who has joined the Haymarket company , select such a part " the Countess in the Ladies ' Battle for her deMt ? It is not in Countesses , it is not in elegant comedy that her forte lies , and
she hurts her reputation by attempting sum pares . Leigh Murray too should be warned against characters like Grignon . He is a charming actor , but comic he is not ; . and the vis comica is a gift , not an acquirement . The Princess ' s opens to-night . Bartley is to resume his performances , and the management has been wisely liberal in the purchase of new plays , i hear that Jerrold , Marston , Lovell , Slous , and Bourcicault , have all new plays accepted , that Uayic MJKMVAm . lylVvUttlV | * it * w \ j ***» . ******* M J ¦" I ' 1 a . 1 4-nd tlat
Bernard is to furnish more than one , a ' Serle ' s little comedy will be produced on Monday . Success to them all 1 r Buna is active in engagements for Drur V ^ ' Drama and Opera will alternate . I hear that MM Glyn is to make her appearance at this end oi um town , and that several " provincial celebrities are to support her ; ahe i « decidedly the host rag b actress after Helen Fauoit we now possess , and n fitting that theWcBt-Knd should have the opporturn y of seeing her . I have too often and too frank y told her of her faults , not to he allowed to say
much without suspicion . ,: m The Lyceum , it is said , will not ° V ?" Christmas . This will give ample time lor tnc paration of another King Charming . . So much for prospects . Meanwhile Juh « triumphant as over , and deserves . || IB JTt | on ; Botteiini keep * up the marvel at his exaout on , Alexandra B . llot , the clauuca l » an 18 ^ T * ,,, hft « added to the attractions ; and Mrs . Newton ^ replaced Miss Dolby . VI
" BELSIIAZZAlt" AT KXBTJStt-HA '' ' * ^ On Friday evening , the London Sacred I a" , Society commenced its Season of 18 . > w-
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Nov. 22, 1851, page 16, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_22111851/page/16/
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