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Title: The Scribbler 1821-08-09 Volume 1, Issue 07
Date of first publication: 1821
Author: Samuel Hull Wilcocke (1766-1833) (Editor)
Date first posted: Apr. 22, 2015
Date last updated: Apr. 22, 2015
Faded Page eBook #20150443

This eBook was produced by: Marcia Brooks
& the online Distributed Proofreaders Canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net




THE SCRIBBLER.

MONTREAL.      THURSDAY, 9_th_ AUGUST, 1821.      No. VII.

    "To-day, all sweet, as gales from India's shore,
    To-morrow, _never saw your face before_."


    CANADIAN COURANT, _Feb._ 1819.

    _Dore diavolo avete pigliato tanta coglionerie._

    CARDL. D'ESTE.

    To the Devil with such mummery.


MR. MACCULLOH,

Being a conspicuous member of the company of Independent Loungers on the
Champ de Mars, a name we have given ourselves since the appearance of
your fourth number, I take upon myself to acquaint you with the original
causes to which may be ascribed the practice, which your notice at the
end of that number, is intended to stigmatize, being those which
occasioned the organization of the Loungers on the parade, and which in
fact personally led me to join the corps.

These causes are to be found in the parties and sets into which, I was
going to say the social, but I correct myself and say, the unsocial,
population of this town is divided, and the intricacy of which it is
very difficult to unravel. From various countries, professing different
religions, speaking distinct languages, and of mixed manners, it would
not be to be wondered at, that the Scotch, the English, the Irish, the
American, and the French population, should keep up in Society the
distinctions of their several countries; but those distinctions are not
the prominent ones. The two last denominations are social enough amongst
themselves, but the Scotch do not associate with the Scotch, nor the
English with the English, nor the Irish with the Irish, but there are
certain sets of people, who look upon the touch or conversation of all
who are not within their particular coterie, as contamination. It is not
family-connection, it is not party-spirit, it is not religious
conformity, that produce these coteries, nor have I been able as yet to
dive into what it is; but the fact is so, as I, and many other young
men, who are in the same predicament with myself, have experienced.
About three years ago I came out from home with numerous letters of
recommendation, some to the great people, or those who are called Dons,
others to respectable persons in the middle classes, and having besides
some acquaintance with the military gentlemen quartered in Canada, I
flattered myself I should not want opportunities for indulging in a
sociality of disposition for which I was always considered remarkable,
and for paying my devoirs to the fair sex. I verily believe that had I
come out with only one letter of introduction, I should have been better
off, and should have been admitted without difficulty into the select
parties of my patron, for you must be aware, Mr. Scribbler, that the
affectation of patronage is very fashionable in this little place; but
it was soon found I was willing to associate with all to whom I had been
introduced, and with more too; and, after a routine of set invitations
to dinner and a few more civilities of course, I was dropped on all
sides, otherwise than as a common acquaintance, to whom one nods in the
street; and it has only been amongst the married officers in garrison,
who, in Canada, as every where else, are true gentlemen, that I have
found any domestic circles open to my unpremeditated visits. Though I
have too much diffidence to intrude, I have too much "amour propre" to
believe myself excluded from any other cause than the above, the more as
I see so many who have equal or superior pretensions to myself, obliged
to enlist in our corps. The ladies, taking the tone, no doubt, from what
they see is agreeable to the male part of society here, are of course
still more strange and inaccessible to all but those who are of their
own particular privileged set. Those to whom I have in the outset been
introduced at dinner parties, &c. I soon found did not know me in the
streets, and to have offered an arm to a lady in public, or even begged
her to take the protection of my umbrella, when overtaken by a shower of
rain, has been looked upon as an offence against the starchness of
coterie-regulations. At assemblies, unless a partner offers that belongs
to the lodge, they are always previously engaged. At theatres, no parley
is admitted beyond the pale of their own party. In short, no bachelor
has a chance to render himself agreeable to the ladies, unless he
sacrifices all his other acquaintance at the shrine of the prejudices or
partiality of their male coterie leaders. Hence, Mr. Scribbler, as we
have no ladies to parade arm and arm with, we are obliged to do so by
ourselves; and we have the mortification to see, what, to tell you the
truth, I believe is also a great mortification to the dear girls
themselves, seven or eight ladies hanging together, with one beau,
always either an accepted lover or a brother of one of them, stuck in
the middle (like a pair of inexpressibles hanging to dry on a line
amidst the fluttering of white under-garments,) and performing their
marches and countermarches, upon the same field of exercise with,

Mr. Scribbler, Your's, &c.

JACK SAUNTER.
_Pivot-man to the first company_}
_of Independent Loungers_.      }


MR. SCRIBBLER,

On reading the introduction to your labours, I was led into a belief
that your attention would be much directed to the improvement and
refinement of our society, and as it is a subject which affords a good
scope for your animadversions, to neglect it will be one of complaint to
many of your subscribers. It belongs to your department occasionally to
lash (for tender means will not avail) the imperious and self
constituted demi-god, who, swelled with imaginary importance,
insultingly looks down upon that decent and respectable citizen, who
assumes nothing beyond his own sphere. Such a one is particularly
characterized by the use of _two faces_, when he puts on one, he will be
pleasant and familiar with you, whilst the other possesses, whenever it
is worn, such a stupefying quality, that he can not distinguish objects
of his own size. As this little town is infested with several of those
double faces, I hope, Mr. Scribbler, you will adopt some effectual
measure for their abolition, and be so charitable as to take under your
charge all who use them. Inform them that those blinded faces are only
calculated for ignorant coxcombs, and haughty pretenders; for little
would-be great men; teach them the character and manners of a gentleman,
and a citizen of the world; and tell them, that a true well bred man
wears the same face on all occasions. You may also let them know, that
the more a man knows, the less does he assume, and that they must
respect others to be respected themselves.

You must know too, Mr. Scribbler, that some of the ladies are provided
with similar faces, and as you appear to be a man of gallantry, and have
promised to reserve a corner for them, I beg of you to inform them that
such faces have never been fashionable in real good company, and that
all people of taste declare their natural or original faces to be far
more charming than those that are blinded and disfigured by a vacant
stare or a supercilious turn of the nose. I am informed by Tristram
Touchey, Esquire, a young beau, that the pretty little Miss Nutmeg
displayed one of those faces a few days ago, which made her appear so
shockingly plain, that he parted with her, determined never to visit her
again, until he finds that the ugly mask is destroyed. I am a young
bachelor myself, and have such an esteem for those dear creatures that
are capable of inspiring the softest, noblest and best of passions, that
I entreat the influence of your pen to bring about a reform amongst them
in this respect, and I hope you will advise them to be affable,
_uniform_, and agreeable in their manners, in order to avoid increasing
the number of those useless appendages of society, old maids.

Now, Mr. Scribbler, if you can scribble any of our citizens out of their
blind faces, or effect any other change that will promote the unity,
concord and sociability of the place, you may expect to have regular
reports of the same from,

Your constant reader,

TIMOTHY SINGLE.


A contributor from the shores of Lake Erie, for thus far even has the
renown of the Scribbler already extended, has transmitted the following:

    _Ode to the MOON._

    Thou, that hast the crescent bow,
        Beam of even,
    From the Ocean's breast so low,
    Rise, thy soft effulgence shew,
        Queen of Heaven!

    Sol has quenched his burning face
        In the sea;
    He has run his daily race,
    He resigns the starry space
        Unto thee.

    Cheering is thy ushering ray,
        Sweet, though pale:
    On the wave to see it play
    Would I until midnight stray
        Down the dale.

    Oh! thou dost illume the East,
        Pleasing sight!
    Silvering the Ocean's breast,
    While the slumbering billows rest
        Still as night.

    Clouds, like floating seas of snow,
        Westward lie,
    To the distant North they go,
    Rolling deep, majestic, slow,
        Through the sky.

    Blooming youths and maidens rove,
        By thy light,
    O'er the mead, and through the grove,
    Prattling, toying, looking love,
        Half the night.

    Nature, lull'd in slumbers deep,
        Silence wooes;
    Guardian spirits vigils keep,
    While the skies profusely weep
        Genial dews.

    Undisturb'd, thy peaceful reign,
        Calmly's borne,
    O'er the mountain, wood and plain,
    O'er the mirror-surfaced main,
        Till bright morn.

    May this bosom never be
        Pain'd, distrest;
    May it find, resembling thee,
    Happiness, tranquility,
        Peace and rest.

    ERIEUS.

    Port Talbot, U. C.

My readers will agree with me, that, for an uneducated muse, which
Erieus professes his to be, this effusion possesses considerable
poetical merit. Its simplicity and picturesque tranquility are
unaffected beauties. As Erieus courts criticism, I will say, I think the
measure too short, and, being much in the sing-song style of Ambrose
Phillips, not sedate enough for the subject. The "mirror surfaced main,"
is one of the happiest expressions of poetic genius. I shall be
gratified to hear from him again.

       *       *       *       *       *

I am sorry, in my quality of _Custos_ and _Censor_ of all literary
matters in this province, to have to notice, in terms of the most marked
reprobation, the _Catalogue of the books in the Montreal Library_, just
published and distributed. The removal and rearrangement of the library,
gave an opportunity of reclassing and properly registering that valuable
collection. The catalogue that is now printed, is replete with the
grossest errors, and reflects disgrace on all who have been concerned in
its preparation and publication. The classification of the books is
contemptibly and ludicrously defective. You find "Ancient Terracotta,"
and "Cook's Hogarth," under the head of "History;" "Cowper's Milton,"
amongst "Latin and Greek translations;" "Bacon's works," under "Law;"
"Cyrus' travels," amongst "Voyages and Travels;" "White's farriery"
under "Trade and Commerce;" _cum multis aliis_. Nothing but the most
imbecile ignorance could write, "Brades' Cleves," for "Brady's Clavis
Calendaria," or the most inexcusable carelessness print, "Valet du droit
naturel," for "Vattel, le droit naturel."--The catalogue can serve no
other purpose, but to mislead and confuse; an ignorant auctioneer's
'prentice would have made a far better sale catalogue. The directors
will not fulfill their duty to the public, nor to themselves, if they do
not call in and burn the whole impression, and cause a completely new
catalogue to be made out by a person who has some smattering of
literature, and can at all events copy correctly and spell a little.

L. L. M.

       *       *       *       *       *

WANTED IMMEDIATELY.--Five or six stout fellows to act as beadles, in a
country village, not twenty miles from the Lachine canal head quarters.
Their duty will be to parade on Sundays from ten o'clock, A.M. till
five, P.M. Each of them to be armed with a strong whip, for the purpose
of reducing to order such gentlemen shop-boys, and counting-house
bloods, as have heretofore been in the habit of riding over old women,
and backing their horses' posteriors into people's doors, for the
purpose of shewing their good breeding and horsemanship. Apply to

JEREMY TICKLER.

The remainder of Mr. Tickler's advertisement is suppressed, as referring
rather to the family of the _Nettles_.

       *       *       *       *       *

New Subscribers to the Scribbler are respectfully informed that the
early numbers being out of print, reprints are preparing, and all those
that are wanting will, it is hoped, be supplied and delivered along with
No. 8 next week.

       *       *       *       *       *

_To be disposed of, a few Manuscript Sermons, warranted originals, in a
convenient form for pulpit use. Apply by letter post-paid to X. Y. Z.
at_ Mr. Lane's, _St. Paul Street_.

N. B.--_Secrecy may be relied on._


Transcriber's Note: Obvious printer errors, including punctuation, have
been corrected. All other inconsistencies have been left as they were in
the original.


[The end of _The Scribbler 1821-08-09 Volume 1, Issue 07_ edited by Samuel Hull Wilcocke]