1823.] An frlshmans Nates on PariSf No. III. 



plify the aiitliorUy exercised by the lar detraction from his fame 



25 



lamas. M. Stallybrass, a missionary, 

 wishing to enter one of their little tem- 

 ples, found a lama at the door, who 

 lold him lie must iiot, iis the Grand 

 Lama was inside, chasing away an 

 evil spirit. In fact, he heard a tre- 

 mendous noise of drums, and other 

 sounding instruments, beating. By 

 pretending to possess power over 

 evil spirits, and by laying claim to a 

 knowledge of futurity, the Grand La- 

 mas have secured the respect and ad- 

 miration of the people. 



At the beginning of every year, tlie 

 lamas compose a sort of c;>lcndar, in 

 wiiich they note the days to be lucky 

 or unlucky throughout the year. This 

 is consulted by the people on occasion 

 of making a journey, conchiding a 

 bargain, or undertaking any thing of 

 consequence. 



In one place heaps of calves-bones 

 were shown to the missionaries; these 

 had been offered in sacrifice to tiie 

 gods, but then had prayers inscribed 

 on tiienj, in the Tiiibet and Mongol 

 languages. They form a sort of re- 

 <Iiiiem for the dead, and are commonly 

 jiurchased lor the funeral ceremonies, 

 at the interment of a Taschi, or olher 

 rich Buriat r the price is one-third of 

 the cattle that had been in possession 

 of the deceased. The interment of a 

 'i'aschi, that died some time ago, cost 

 about 200,000 roupies, or 10,000Z. 

 sterling, — a noble legacy for the 

 lamas ! 



Tiie riches of the Buriat Tartars 

 consist of flocks and herds, which 

 they are obliged to separate, for the 

 convenience of procuring pasture ; 

 rarely more than ten or twelve tents 

 are found together, and most common- 

 ly not nsore than three or four. The 

 Buriats lead a nomad life ; in respect 

 of character, they are tractable and 

 hospitable. 



For the Monthly Magazine. 



AN IRISHMAN'S NOTES IN PARIS. 



NO. Ill, 



TORTONI's, on the Boulevard 

 des Italiens, is the smallest re- 

 freshing house in Paris; neither is the 

 style in which the rooms are decorated 

 for public reception, so rich and showy 

 as many others ; and yet Tortoui's is 

 the vo;i,ue, — nay more, the only place 

 in which a person of fashion can drink 

 «<)(lVc, or take an ice, without particu- 

 .MoNnu.Y Mao. No. -MS. 



Thither, 

 from nine till noon, — to break their 

 fast with a fork, — throng in constant 

 succession all those public men, who, 

 without oecu|)ationin matters of slate, 

 pretend to tell their gallant friend on 

 the next chair more secrets than the 

 happy man in oflice knows: thither, 

 from eight till eleven at night, pour, 

 from chariot, coach, and cabriolet, all 

 those genial forms tliat, for beauty or 

 for wealth, possess distinction, or 

 fancy they enjoy it. Thither saunter 

 all the English in Paris, to make tho 

 French vainer than they are ; and thi- 

 ther, Mr. Editor, as one of the fools 

 that are led by tiie nose by their bet- 

 ters, went I. 



The lower rooms were crowded: not 

 a seat was to be had ; and I was about 

 to ascend to the others, when a voice 

 by my side exclaimed, " Voila Mon- 

 sieur Bifsteck et sa grands famille!" 

 and I turned to observe. There they 

 Mere contentedly. A round dozen 

 filling the largest table in the house : 

 the father, witli a plump face, savory 

 and sober as the steak he was named 

 after ; his wife, so fat and chuckling ; 

 six girls, with short waists, scimping 

 bonnets, and looks so ruddy and mo- 

 dest ; and four young men, most stu- 

 pid. " Oh, my good God ! I shall 

 sink imder the weight," cried the 

 waiter behind, as he advanced with a 

 large tray of ices, and such a pile of 

 crisped cakes. Could cakes create 

 the sense, we had all enjoyed a good 

 notion of sublimity. The glasses con- 

 tained every variety of colour and qua- 

 lity inscribed upon the bill. The mo- 

 ther took two,— a red and a white one; 

 three of the youths followed the hint ; 

 and it was worth payment to see the 

 shrew d face and tone with which the 

 waiter observed, as he set them be- 

 fore her, " Voila, viadame, votre blanc 

 et votre rouge." 



This was all very well, — in the ge- 

 nuine spirit of buUism and abundance : 

 the air of the party, and the smiles of 

 the company, proved the thing deci- 

 dedly. However, the load had scarce- 

 ly disappeared, — and no extraordinary 

 time was lost in the change, — whea 

 the good man, whom I set down as 

 the father of the family, muttered out, 

 'Twas very good, to be sure ; but he'd 

 like something after, to warm it. "Eh, 

 Betsy, my dear, (he says to the 

 youngest girl,) suppose we have 

 ijome colfcc, aaid some nice cakes?" 

 E Every 



