a friendly tone" Conrad, you do great injustice not only to me, but to yourself. Answer me with truth and confidence. Perhaps I could point out a remedy for all your evils."-" Well, in God's name," said Conrad," if by your words you deceive me, the guilt is yours, and not mine!"-Then he began, without farther hesitation, to relate accurately and truly all that had befallen him since his possession of that field; nor did he in the least conceal his indignation at the Hobgoblin, who, by his perpetual interruptions, had rendered it so difficult for him, with the assistance of only a pick-axe and spade, to raise a sufficient harvest for the bare maintenance of himself and his family. The collier listened to him seriously and attentively; then, after some reflection, replied as follows: "I think, friend, that you already know very well who I am; and it argues no little courage on your part, not to have abated one jot of your honour as a soldier, but truly and openly to have expressed how much you are dissatisfied with me. To tell the truth, you have had reason enough to be angry; but as I have proved you to be a brave fellow, I shall now make a proposal which may do you no little service. Now listen: There are times when after I have, in wood, field, and mountain, played the fool, and terrified the people to my heart's content, there has risen within me a sincere and ardent desire of entering into the family of some honest householder, and living there regularly and peaceably for one half year. Now then, what if you should hire me for this half year as your servant?”—“ It is base and wicked in thee," said Conrad," thus to mock at an honest man, who has, at thine own request, given thee his confidence."-"Nay, nay," said the other, "there is no mockery-I am quite serious. You shall find an honest labourer in me; and so long as I remain in your service, not one phantom will appear on the FIELD OF TERROR, So that you may bring a whole herd of oxen thither without apprehension."-"That, indeed, would be something," said Conrad, meditating; "if I only knew that thou wouldst keep thy promise; and especially, whether I, as a Christian, may venture to deal with thee!"- As for the last point, you must judge for yourself," said the goblin; "but my promise I have never yet broken, and never shall, as long as the Giant Mountain stands; neither am I by nature very wicked-somewhat wild and sportive, it is true-but this is all."-" I believe indeed," said Conrad, "that thou art the well-known Rubezahl."-"Listen," said the stranger, somewhat angrily: "If you believe this, know also that the powerful genius of this land cannot endure to be called by that pitiful name, but chooses to be styled the Lord of the Mountain!" "He would prove a goodly menial, forsooth, whom I must learn to style the Lord of the Mountain !” said Conrad. "You may call me Waldmann, then," said the collier. Conrad looked stedfastly at him for some time, and at last answered"Good! It shall be so !-Methinks I shall do no wrong in accepting thine offer. I have often seen that people take dogs for turnspits, and use other irrational animals about a householdwhy not then a goblin?"-At this the collier laughed heartily, and said 讀 "Well! this is certainly the first time that such conditions were ever made with one of my rank; but even for this very reason, and for the sake of variety, I like it the better. So then, dear master, your hand on the bargain! Conrad, however, insisted on some special conditions; first, that his new servant should never make it known to Sabina, or the children, that he had any connection with the FIELD OF TERROR, and still less, that he had come from the hideous gloomy caverns of the Giant Mountain; secondly, that within the limits of his master's house and garden, no sort of diablerie should ever be exhibited; and as Waldmann very readily agreed to all this, the bargain was forthwith concluded, and they went home amicably together. Sabina was not a little surprised at this addition to her household, and entertained considerable feelings of terror at the gigantic swarthy figure of the new servant. The children also would not for some time venture out of doors, if he were at work in the garden or farm-yard. However, by his quiet, regular, and industrious conduct, Waldmann soon gained the good opinion of every one; or if at * In English, Woodman. any time, in a foolish fit of merriment, he began to hunt about with the dogs, or play tricks on the poultry, it was found to be more in jest than really mischievous. Even then, a single look from his master was sufficient to bring him again within his accustomed and prudential limits. Confiding in the promise of the mountain spirit, Conrad had again boldly ventured on the purchase of a yoke of oxen; and with his plough newly repaired, went once more merrily to the field. Sabina looked after him apprehensively, and yet more anxiously waited in the evening for his return, fearing that he would at last come home, not only with disappointed hopes, but more dangerously wounded than before. Singing, how ever, and driving his tractable fine oxen before him, Conrad marched (while the first evening bell was ringing) through the village. In high glee he kissed his wife and children, and even shook his black servant heartily by the hand. Many times also did Waldmann lead out and bring home the work oxen in this manner, while Conrad in his turn staid at home and laboured in the farm-yard or garden. A large portion of the FIELD OF TERROR was ere long ploughed up, and all went on prosperously, to the astonishment of the villagers, and envious displeasure of Sabina's avaricious cousins. Conrad, however, often thought to himself, "This is all but for a short time; and how the harvest is to be reaped and brought home Heaven knows! Long before that season Waldmann's servitude will be at an end, and the goblins on the FIELD OF TERROR may be more troublesome than ever. Yet a labour of this kind," added he, " will of itself strengthen both heart and hand, and perhaps Waldmann, as he has indeed frequently in his mirthful moments hinted, will, for the sake of old friendship, restrain himself till the field is cleared of this one harvest at least." The winter now had arrived; the labour on the field of terror was ended; and Conrad industriously plied with his oxen at the necessary task of bringing home wood for the stove and kitchen hearth. About this time, it happened one day that Sabina was called to a poor widow in the village who had fallen sick of a fever, and whom she was in the habit of assisting sedulously, in so far as her newly amended circumstances would allow. Only she was now puzzled, in her husband's absence, how to dispose of the children; Waldmann, however, entreated that she would give them in charge to him; and as the little ones were accustomed to his stories, and were willing to remain with him, Sabina at last agreed, and without farther hesitation, cheerfully went on her charitable errand. About an hour afterwards, Conrad returned from the forest. He drew the wood-cart into the shed, put his oxen into the stable, and then went merrily home, to warm his stiffened limbs at the comfortable kitchen-fire. Suddenly he heard the voices of his children painfully weeping-instantly he started up, burst open the door of the parlour, and found them crouching together, under the stove, screaming with terror, and Waldmann jumping meanwhile, making hideous grimaces, with a coronet of living fire on his dishevelled and staring hair. "What the devil is all this?" said Conrad in great indignation, when, in a moment, the portentous ornament on Waldmann's head was extinguished; he stood humbly and in silence, till at last he tried to excuse himself, by saying that he had only made game for the children. The little ones, however, came still crouching and complaining to their father, and told him how Waldmann had first terrified them with wild stories, and afterwards appeared to them wearing a sheep's head at one time, and a dog's head at another. "Enough-Enough!” interrupted Conrad," Get thee gone, fellow! We don't remain another hour under the same roof together!" With these words, he seized Waldmann, thrust him out of doors, even as far as the outer garden gate. Meanwhile he commanded the children to remain quiet in the parlour ;-their father was now returned, and they felt secure against every danger. The mysterious servant at first bore all this without a word; however, when he stood alone with Conrad, amid the wintry landscape, he said, laughing, "Listen, Master! methinks we must again be reconciled to one another; I have indeed played a foolish trick, but shall never be guilty in like manner again. It was only one offence you must overlook it." "Even in this very way," said Conrad, "the same humour might seize thee again, and thou wouldst easily terrify my children to madness. Our contract, therefore, is at an end." "My half-year is not at an end," said Waldmann, in defiance, "therefore I shall return into thy house," "Not a step, -not even to the threshold," said Conrad, "thou hast irrevocably broken our bargain by thy cursed hobgoblinry. All that I can do for thee is to pay thy full wages-There it is, and get thee gone." ." "Full wages!" said the spirit, laughing in scorn, "knowest thou not my inexhaustible treasures in the caverns of the mountain?" "It is not for thy sake, but for my own, that I pay thee, said Conrad; for I am resolved not to remain in debt neither to man nor devil." With these words, he thrust the money with violence into Waldmann's pocket. "What shall now become of the FIELD OF TERROR?" said the demon, half angrily. "Whatever God pleases!" said Conrad, "Six teen FIELDS OF TERROR were to me nothing when weighed against one hair on the head of either of my children. Therefore be gone, I say, unless you first wish to receive a hearty beating, that you will remember!" "Softly!" said the spirit, "When a being of my class assumes the form of a man, he never fails to choose a stout one. In the beating that you design for me, you might chance to meet with the worst, and then God be merciful to you!"-" That He has ever been," said Conrad," and his providence has endowed me with a stout frame also. To thy mountains, therefore, begone, thou hateful monster-I warn thee for the last time !" Then, Waldmann being at these last words violently provoked, fell upon Conrad, and a tough and obstinate battle raged between them. They struggled backwards and forwards, and twined their arms round each other, victory remaining for a long while uncertain, till at last Conrad, by a master-stroke in wrestling, brought his opponent to the ground, kneeled upon his breast, and, continuing to pommel him heartily as he lay, cried aloud: "Now shalt thou learn what it is to lift thine arm against thy liege master, thou treacherous fiend of the mountains!" The prostrate Waldmann, however, laughed so heartily at all this, that Conrad, believing that he made game of him, redoubled his blows with greater violence, till at last his victim called aloud, "Let alone! Let alone! 66 I do not laugh at thee, but at myself, and I now humbly beg pardon!" "That is another affair," said the generous Conrad, who now immediately rose up, and assisted his conquered adversary to get upon his legs. I have tried this way of life long enough, in all conscience," said Rubezahl, still laughing, "I dare swear it never happened to any one of my rank before to carry his education so far! But, listen, friend, you must at least confess that I have dealt honourably by you, for you well know that I could have, in one moment, brought a whole troop of mountain spirits to my assistance. However, to say the truth, I could not have called on them for laughing." Conrad looked thoughtfully at Rubezahl, who continued his mirth, and at last said, "I must acknowledge that thou hast reason now to bear me a grudge, and of this I shall probably feel the consequences, not only on the FIELD OF TERROR, but elsewhere. But, Sir, I cannot repent of what I have done. I used only the right of an honest householder, and all for the sake of my beloved children. Truly, if it were yet to do, I should act heartily in the very same manner." No, No!" said the laughing Rubezahl, "Give yourself no trouble. I have for one time had quite enough. But of this much, however, be as-sured-henceforward, from year to year, you may labour on the FIELD OF TERROR, and not one spectre, while the giant mountain stands, shall be visible there. Now, farewell, mine honourable yet severe master!" With these words, and with a familiar and confidential nod, he vanished, nor did Conrad ever behold him again. Rubezahl, however, failed not to remember his promise, which, indeed, was much more than fulfilled. An extraordinary blessing attended all the labours of Conrad, and he was in a short time the richest farmer in the village. When his children played upon the FIELD OF TERROR, which both they and Sabina now visited without apprehension, they told sometimes how the good Waldmann had come, and with what pretty stories he had entertained them. At such times, the little ones were agreeably surprised to find their pockets stored with sweetmeats or glittering toys, among which a valuable gold coin was frequently discovered. 138 On Critics and Criticism. ON CRITICS AND CRITICISM. "His courser scarce he had bestrid, THOUGH the principle of taste be like that of truth, firm and immutable, the semper eadem, governed by one body of laws only, it is really astonishing to see what different methods the members of the literary diet adopt and pursue for the purpose of extending their prospects, and rising to more eminent stations in the republic of letters. It is not to diversity of object that we allude; because, proficiency in each of the sciences has a characteristic species of fame peculiar to itself, and wholly distinct from every other; as, on a grafted trunk, we behold every branch bearing a different species of fruit. The astronomer envies and endeavours to emulate Newton; the metaphysician, Locke; the poet, Milton; and the painter, Reynolds. The love of fame is the universal passion, the stimulus, and exciting cause in each, and all of them; yet they proceed along, for ever near, but never touching, like the two straight lines in the twenty-seventh proposition of Euclid. This holds true, however, only as each art or science is considered by itself, separately, and apart from all others. But if we select any one of these paths to distinction for our narrower examination, and gaze stedfastly upon it, we shall immediately be aware, that though the candidates are all pushing forward along the same road, and every like a Mahometan pilgrim, with his face turned towards the same temple, some tardy and lame, others vigorous and agile; yet, they do not scruple, either to throw obstacles before others, or to tread upon the fallen, or to jostle those who are in their way. one, This last sentence happily suggests to us a method of delivering our sentiments on this subject more systematically, and we shall arrange our remarks under three heads: First, We shall point out the uncharitableness of throwing obstacles before others; Secondly, The pusillanimity evinced in treading upon the fallen; and thirdly, The impropriety and want of decorum in jostling one another. It is wonderful to observe with what a degree of regardlessness or apathy, authors of established reputation look on the efforts of those, who are devoting all their time and opportunities to the exertion of their talents; and struggling for reputation as much as a castaway sailor ever did to catch hold of a hen-coop. Too often is the period forgotten when they themselves were in the same predicament; and laboured with the same assiduity, and with the same uncertainty of success: -a success which has dazzled their eyes, and intoxicated their hearts, and which makes them look from their proud pre-eminence, with a dignified apathy, on those who are struggling among the difficult rocks below, or who are suspended between hope and fear, in as nice an equilibrium, yea, and in as precarious a situation, as the redoubted Bailie Nicol Jarvie was during the Highland skirmish. Theyhave themselves sate down in the temple of their ambition to cry bravo and drink Hippocrene; and they turn their backs on the ladder, "scorning the base degrees by which they did ascend." However, it is the faculty of genius to overcome all obstacles, and surmount every difficulty, and attain its end in spite of opposition. Like an air-bladder thrown into the water, it may be thrust down and trampled upon; but when the pressure is removed, it will reascend to the surface. Like the sun, it may be obscured, but the wind blows, and the clouds pass away, and it bursts forth in undiminished splendour. Withal, however, it may be likened to a hot-bed plant, susceptible of change, and suffering from every chilling and tempestuous gale; for ever exposing some tender part to injury; or, like the Persian lilac, putting forth its blossoms to the inclemency of the season, without affording leaves to shelter them from it. Those who are most guilty of treading on the fallen, and of throwing down their neighbours, either, like Irishmen, out of pure good nature, or 5 for the malicious purpose of laughing "A spiteful race, on mischief bent, VOL. VIII. na, from the associates of his overthrown dynasty. We come now to make a few observations on the impolicy of jostling each other. This is a species of impoliteness which was very much in vogue in Queen Anne's time, and almost universally practised by the wits of her age. When a new literary adventurer entered the field, it was esteemed little less than a challenge to the established authorities to adjudge him a trial by single combat, and one of their emissaries was forthwith despatched to make him taste of the vengeance he had provoked. If he was overthrown in the contest, he was trodden on, and hooted and laughed at; but if he chanced to overcome, he was thenceforth entitled to a seat, if not in the temple of fame, at least in Will's coffee-house, which was nearly equivalent for all useful purposes. Every one had his Bodach Glas, or attendant spirit, which haunted his steps wherever he went, and mimicked his voice whatever he said, and sate by him when in company, and laughed at him when alone; moreover, to establish and demonstrate the validity of what Mr Locke has thrown out concerning spirits, and that they can be seen in broad day light, a particular species of them did not hesitate to make their appearance at any time; it only required a few sheets to be sent to press, and the conjuration was effected. Others, however, found it less dangerous and more convenient never to pay their devoirs till after sunset, nor to approach the campus martius, and enter upon the combat, before having provided themselves with a cap, which, like that of the redoubted giant-killer, rendered them invisible. The names of Dryden's tormentors were Macflecknoe, and Blackmore, and Collier. Pope had a great many; but the Arimanes or master spirit among them was denominated Dennis, who, though petulant enough, did not scruple sometimes to give a judicious advice. In our times, these pernicious and disagreeable practices have been abolished; and have been reckoned unworthy of so refined and generous an age. The literary republic seldom, or perhaps never, enjoyed a period of such lengthened and profound tranquillity; or was bound together by a compact of amity and concord so firm. Between its members all is condescen❤ S |