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Article COLLECTANEA. Page 1 of 2 →
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Collectanea.
COLLECTANEA .
A LUCKY THOUGHT . — " During the early part of the French invasion of Algiers—occupation , we believe , is the milder di plomatic term—a small party of tbe French troops fell into an Arab ambuscade , and those who were not immediately slain or taken prisoners , were obliged to place more trust in their heels than in their muskets . It happened that the regimental band was with the party , and the musicians made a retreat with the rest in a prestissimo movement of the most rapid execution .
The ophicleid player was , however , embarrassed by his instrument , and he was hestitating about carrying it further , when , happening to cast a Parthian glance behind , to his consternation , he beheld an Arab horseman close on him . Further flight was useless ; there was nothing for it but to fight or to surrender . Years of desert slavery made a gloomy prospect ; and yet what could his side-sword avail against the spear of the pursuer ? Desperation is the parent of many a strange resource .
The lately-abused ophicleid was lifted to his shoulder , musket fashion , and the muzz / e brought to cover his foe . The Arab was struck with panic ; doubtless this was some new devilry of those accursed Giaourssome machine of death , with a mouth big enough to sweep half his tribe into eternity . Not a second did he hestitate , but wheeling round , he galloped off at a pace that soon took him out of what he conceived might be the range of this grandfather of all the muskets . Had Prospero
been there to have treated him to a blast , something between a volcano and a typhoon , that side of Mount Atlas would never have beheld him more . Our musician made his retreat good , with a higher opinion ofthe powers of his instrument than he ever before possessed ; and the story was the amusement of the French army for many a day afterwards . "
MILDNESS . — " Be always as mild as you can ; a spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrel of vinegar . If you must fall into any extreme , let it be on the side of gentleness . The human mind is so constructed , that it resists rigour , and yields to softness . A mild word quenches anger , as water quenches the rage of fire ; and by benignity any soil may be rendered fruitful . Truth , uttered with couitesy , is heaping coals of fire on the head ; or , rather , throwing roses in the face . How can we resist a foe whose weapons are pearls and diamonds !"
ETYMOLOGIES . —Ghost— the Anglo-Saxon word for wind or breath . Our word gust , as gust of wind , is the same word without the A . We also say , a "breath of wind . " What is a ghost , then ? Put your hand out of the window , and you will feel it , if tlie wind is blowing . To give iip the ghost is to give up the breath that is in one—that is , to cease to breathe . Psyche—the Greek word , whicli we translate by the Anglo-Saxon word sawl , now spelt soul , signifies wind or breath , from Paseho , to blow or breathe . And the Anglo Saxon sawl ( now soul ) signifies life . . The word animus , from the Greek anemos , also means wind or breath . Animals , therefore , are things which breathe . —Philosophic Nuts .
OLIVER CROMWELL . — " A French historian , who discriminated characters with great accuracy , gives the following character of Cromwell . He was good-natured and cruel , according as it suited his interests . He had not the least faith in religion , honour in his words , or fidelity in his
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Collectanea.
COLLECTANEA .
A LUCKY THOUGHT . — " During the early part of the French invasion of Algiers—occupation , we believe , is the milder di plomatic term—a small party of tbe French troops fell into an Arab ambuscade , and those who were not immediately slain or taken prisoners , were obliged to place more trust in their heels than in their muskets . It happened that the regimental band was with the party , and the musicians made a retreat with the rest in a prestissimo movement of the most rapid execution .
The ophicleid player was , however , embarrassed by his instrument , and he was hestitating about carrying it further , when , happening to cast a Parthian glance behind , to his consternation , he beheld an Arab horseman close on him . Further flight was useless ; there was nothing for it but to fight or to surrender . Years of desert slavery made a gloomy prospect ; and yet what could his side-sword avail against the spear of the pursuer ? Desperation is the parent of many a strange resource .
The lately-abused ophicleid was lifted to his shoulder , musket fashion , and the muzz / e brought to cover his foe . The Arab was struck with panic ; doubtless this was some new devilry of those accursed Giaourssome machine of death , with a mouth big enough to sweep half his tribe into eternity . Not a second did he hestitate , but wheeling round , he galloped off at a pace that soon took him out of what he conceived might be the range of this grandfather of all the muskets . Had Prospero
been there to have treated him to a blast , something between a volcano and a typhoon , that side of Mount Atlas would never have beheld him more . Our musician made his retreat good , with a higher opinion ofthe powers of his instrument than he ever before possessed ; and the story was the amusement of the French army for many a day afterwards . "
MILDNESS . — " Be always as mild as you can ; a spoonful of honey attracts more flies than a barrel of vinegar . If you must fall into any extreme , let it be on the side of gentleness . The human mind is so constructed , that it resists rigour , and yields to softness . A mild word quenches anger , as water quenches the rage of fire ; and by benignity any soil may be rendered fruitful . Truth , uttered with couitesy , is heaping coals of fire on the head ; or , rather , throwing roses in the face . How can we resist a foe whose weapons are pearls and diamonds !"
ETYMOLOGIES . —Ghost— the Anglo-Saxon word for wind or breath . Our word gust , as gust of wind , is the same word without the A . We also say , a "breath of wind . " What is a ghost , then ? Put your hand out of the window , and you will feel it , if tlie wind is blowing . To give iip the ghost is to give up the breath that is in one—that is , to cease to breathe . Psyche—the Greek word , whicli we translate by the Anglo-Saxon word sawl , now spelt soul , signifies wind or breath , from Paseho , to blow or breathe . And the Anglo Saxon sawl ( now soul ) signifies life . . The word animus , from the Greek anemos , also means wind or breath . Animals , therefore , are things which breathe . —Philosophic Nuts .
OLIVER CROMWELL . — " A French historian , who discriminated characters with great accuracy , gives the following character of Cromwell . He was good-natured and cruel , according as it suited his interests . He had not the least faith in religion , honour in his words , or fidelity in his