In the return he was
dead tired, and, like the Israelites, he murmured against his guide
for leading him into the wilderness. I was then as strong as a poney,
and took him on my back, dressed as he was in his shooting array of a
close sky-blue jacket, and the brightest 'red' pantaloons I ever saw
on a human breech. He also had a kind of feather in his cap. At last I
could not help laughing at the ridiculous figure we must both have
made, at which my rider waxed wroth. It was an ill-chosen hour and
place, for I could have served him as Wallace did Fawden--thrown him
down and twisted his head off. We returned to the cottage weary
wights, and it cost more than one glass of Noyau, which he liked in a
decent way, to get Mat's temper on its legs again."]
[Footnote 5: 'The Bride of Abydos' was originally called 'Zuleika'. ]
[Footnote 6: The petition, directed against Lord Redesdale's Insolvent
Debtors Act, was presented by Romilly in the House of Commons, November
11, 1813, and by Lord Holland in the House of Lords, November 15, 1813.]
[Footnote 7: Henry IV., Part I. act in. sc. 3.]
* * * * *
November 16.
Went last night with Lewis to see the first of 'Antony and Cleopatra'
[1]. It was admirably got up, and well acted--a salad of Shakspeare and
Dryden. Cleopatra strikes me as the epitome of her sex--fond, lively,
sad, tender, teasing, humble, haughty, beautiful, the devil!--coquettish
to the last, as well with the "asp" as with Antony.
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