THE PHRENOLOGIST. 51 



It was of black velvet, ornamented with gold embroidery. The rest 

 of his habiliments were of leather, which had seen too many annual 

 revolutions of the sun to have retained their original appearance. 

 His shoes were full three inches wide at the toes, and fastened at the 

 instep, with enormous silver buckles. Now imagine this figure, 

 bearing on its head a clerical hat, a thick oaken cudgel in its hand, 

 and perched on the back of a lazarus-like horse, seventeen hands high, 

 and you have his complete picture as frequently seen riding down 

 the principal street of Ariesport. 



Our doctor was a native of that land of wild story Germany ; and 

 a cottage, about ten miles from Francfort, at the foot of the adjacent 

 lofty mountain, Der Alte-Konig, or, the old king, was the little man's 

 residence for the first fifteen years of his life. 



On the summit of Der Alte-Konig stand the ruins of an ancient 

 castle. To this point would the young Kopfstirn often climb his 

 laborious way for the solace of solitary contemplation. His constant 

 habit of frequenting the ruined old castle, in addition to his peculiar 

 conformation, acquired for him the appellation of Der Alte-Konig, 

 and The Dwarf of Der Alte-Konig was perpetually sounding in his 

 ears. 



Late in the evening of the first of May, 17 , the persecuted dwarf, 

 bitterly galled by the taunts and jeers he had that day endured, 

 bounded up the steep acclivity with the speed and agility of the 

 chamois. Arrived at his favourite haunt, amid the dilapidated towers 

 of former strength, he seated himself on a little knoll, close to the 

 ruined fortress, and was soon immersed in reflections which exalted 

 him far, very far above the dust and drudgery of this world. He 

 spurned the earth ; he spurned the sons of earth ; and, ascending on 

 the eagle wing of fancy, looked down with sovereign contempt on 

 many a little planet, as it lay stretched out beneath his feet, a mere 

 speck in boundless space. 



Gradually his mind reverted to himself and his fellow-men. He 

 cast his eyes on the ruins around, and thought on antiquarian fame. 

 He looked up to heaven, and the astronomers' celebrity rose before 

 him. He bent his gaze on the earth, and dwelt on t the labours of 

 the naturalist. But his mind was yet a mere collection of rude ma- 

 terials, unhewn, unpolished. Decision withheld her fiat. Visions of 

 grandeur floated before his imagination ; baseless fabrics, unsubstan- 

 tial and shadowy. He saw but was condemned to the fate of Tan- 

 talus. 



Plunged in these reveries now unnaturally exalted, and now as 

 unnaturally depressed, he noted not the lapse of time ; and night had 

 thrown her starry mantle over the world before he became conscious 

 of the transition. He then prepared to retrace his steps, exclaiming, 

 as he felt the keen pang of disappointment, 



" O that some power whether fiend, devil, or angel, I care not 

 would but point out the path to celebrity !" 



" Thy call is obeyed !" rang among the ruins in a voice of thunder. 



The stout heart of the youthful Kopfstirn, though beating quicker 

 than its wont, disdained to quail. Anticipated triumph flushed his 

 brow and nerved his courage, and he stood erect and firm. 



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