1827.] Etiquette. 135 



have overlooked or disregarded the fact in the erection of his own institu- 

 tions ! Ceremonial is a true paper currency, and passes only as far as it 

 will be taken. The representative of a thousand pounds, unbacked by 

 credit, is a worthless rag of paper, and the highest decoration which the 

 king can confer, if repudiated by opinion, is but a piece of blue ribband. 

 Here indeed the sublime touches the ridiculous, for who shall draw the 

 line of demarkation between ray Lord Grizzle and the gold stick ? be- 

 tween Mr. Dymock, in Westminster Hall, and his representative " on a 

 real horse " at Covent Garden ? Every day the intercourse of society is 

 becoming more and more easy, and a man of fashion is as little likely to 

 be ceremonious in trifles, as to appear in the costume of Sir Charles 

 Grandison, or to take up the quarrels of Lord Herbert of Cherbury, 

 While such is the state of society, the more formal etiquettes of church 

 and state policy can hardly thrive. True it is, that in falling, they will 

 only make room for others more congenial to the instruction of the age ; for 

 human passions being unchanged, they must continue to produce their usual 

 effects, and " a mesure que la philosophic fait des progres, la sottise 

 redouble ses efforts pour etablir r empire des prejuges." 1 Still, however, 

 it is something gained, when the prejudices of a nation, as well as its 

 institutes, attain to an harmony with its moral condition, its knowledge, 

 and its wants. Exemption from the infirmities of humanity is too much 

 to ask at the hands of philosophy ; all that can be expected from her is 

 some little consistency and skill in turning them " to commodity." But 

 if nothing else were to be gained by her lessons, " il est don d'incul- 

 quer ces choses pour corriger au moins qmlques coqs-d'wde qui pas sent 

 leur vie a fair e la roue."* 



T. 



EPITAPH ON RYENVETT, 

 AN UNPOPULAR DUTCH JUDGE AT THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. 



Here lies in death, who living always lied, 



A base amalgam of deceit and pride; 



A wily African of monstrous shape, 



The mighty Quinbus Flestrin of the Cape. 



Rogue paramount, ten thousand rogues among:, 



He rose and shone like phosphorus from dung ; 



The wolf and fox their attributes combined, 



To form the odious features of his mind : 



Where kennelled deep, by shame, by fear, unawed, 



Lurked rapine, villany, deceit, and fraud j 



Hypocrisy, servility, and lust, 



A petty tyrant, and a judge unjust. 



Partial and stern in every cause he tried, 



He judged like Pilate, and like Pilate died. 



Urged to despair, by crimes precluding hope, 



He chose a bullet, to avoid a rope. 



Consistent knave ! his, life in cheating past, 



He shot himself, to cheat the law at last. 



Acme' of crimes : self-murder crowded the whole, 



And gave to worms his corpse, to fiends his soul. 



Voltnire. 



