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JUST PUBLISHED BY RUDOLPH GARRIGUE, FOREIGN BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER, NO. 2 BARCLAY STREET, NEW YORK, ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOPÆDIA OF SCIENCE, LITERATURE, AND ART; Systematically arranged by G. HECK, with 500 Steel Engravings, by the most distinguished TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY SPENCER F. BAIRD, A.M., M.D., Part I., containing Plates No. 1 to 20, and text pages 1 to 80, to be published in Twenty-Five monthly parts at One Dollar per part. Subscriptions for the whole work taken by all booksellers in the United States. RUDOLPH GARRIGUE, 2 Barclay Street, N. Y., Publisher. I have examined with pleasure the first number of Prof. Baird's translation of the text to the Iconographic Encyclopædia of Brockhaus, now publishing by R. Garrigue, of New York, and am happy to be able to bear testimony, both to the merits of the original, as a valuable and convenient book of reference, and to the fidelity of the translation. Few works comprise so great an amount of important information in so small a compass as the plates and text of the Iconographic Encyclopædia, and few persons are so competent as Prof. Baird to execute a task requiring so multifarious knowledge, as the translation of a work of this character. Every scholar will find the Icon. Encyclopædia a valuable addition to his library, and I have no doubt that the liberal enterprise of the German and American publishers in bringing out a work of so much beauty and utility at so moderate a price, will be rewarded by an extensive patronage. GEORGE P. MARSH. (Signed) New York, September 21, 1849. PUBLISHED MONTHLY AT FIVE DOLLARS PER ANNUM-JNO. R. THOMPSON, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. VOL. XV. RICHMOND, NOVEMBER, 1849. NO. 11. of which the Elector of Saxony had spoken in his account of the meeting at Altranstad. His head was thinly covered with sandy hair, which left the round and retreating forehead much exposed. His face was tufted with a straggling and starved beard, as dingy in its hue as the hair above. Of course there could be nothing very majestic in all this. But there was certainly in the countenance of the renowned monarch, much that proclaimed, or agreed with, his strong and unyielding character. His blue eyes were resolute and penetrating; his jaws were firmly set, and his nose, wide and free in its nostrils, curved into the Roman eagle-beak. Some hours after he had reached the Swedish camp, Merlin, escorted by Count Piper, the favorite and minister of Charles, and the head of As Merlin entered the tent, the young monthe Swedish house to which our friend Captain arch-he was now in his twenty-seventh year— Gustavus Piper belonged, approached the tent of stood leaning on the pummel of his sword, in a the king. Letters from the Senator Sture to listening attitude. Mazeppa, who stood before Count Piper, brought by the Norwegian, had him, had been speaking. The countenance of gained for him the immediate protection of this the white-bearded chief bore traces of sadness great mau about the person of the monarch. and embarrassment. Charles, who appeared The minister said, as he led the way to the pres ence of his master: "The king has been engaged with your travelling companion-who indeed is still with his majesty. Your arrival is connected with circumstances of disappointment and ill-omen." "How so, sir ?" Merlin asked. Count Piper, a dark-eyed and adroit looking civilian, lean, and slovenly in his apparel, answered with a show of surprise: "You appear not to know that you came with Mazeppa, the General of the Ukraine. We have expected his arrival with an army, but he comes like a fugitive, with a handful of Cossacks at his back." wholly undisturbed by the disasters which the Hetman had doubtless recounted, fixed a keen glance upon the gigantic figure of the Norwegian. "Who is this?" he said briefly, and without changing his position. Count Piper replied: "A Norwegian soldier, sire, who has travelled five hundred leagues to join us. He comes recommended to my favourable regard, and through me to your majesty's favour. The gentleman is named Merlin Brand." Charles then received the Norwegian graciously, but with few words. "You seem a capable soldier," he said, "and we will find you the opportunity of proving whether you are also a brave man." "I did not, indeed, know," Merlin replied, "that the chief was Mazeppa the Hetman. We met upon the plains, and joined company with "I am sure," said Mazeppa, advancing a step the confidence of men not fearing each other, and speaking with kindly dignity, “that my comand without an uncourteous indulgence of curi-rade will prove such. Men learn to know each osity." With this the speakers reached the royal tent, the outskirts of which were without guards, or attendants of any sort; and were presently met by a gentleman whom Merlin heard Count Piper address familiarly as Grothusen. In the next moment, the Norwegian stood for the first time in the presence of the King of Sweden. The appearance of Charles was not very imposing at the first view. His stature was moderate. He wore the coarse gray coat, the taffety band about his neck, and the rough jack boots, VOL. XV-81 other quickly when they hunger and thirst together in the desert." Merlin bowed his thanks to the Hetman; he presently gave to the King of Sweden the roll of the Countess of Konigsmark. Charles opened it; an inner roll distinct from the envelope remained in his hand, whilst he read from the envelope itself. "The Countess of Konigsmark," he at length said coldly, "informs me that you are a knight of the order of the White Eagle." 66 'Yes, sire," Merlin replied, "there was indeed a somewhat absurd imposition of such an hon- Sir Merlin Brand, it seems that we have been our upon me. But I have no wish to remem- mistaken, and that you are Hyperion." ber it whilst serving your majesty." Merlin, greatly annoyed and embarrassed, stood "You speak like a sensible man," said Charles. in the royal presence very much like a fool. The "But you are nevertheless a knight. Grothu- king condescended to smile. The girdle, instead sen, enrol Sir Merlin Brand as a member of the of going into the treasure-chest, was placed in household and provide for his accommodation." the hands of the true Hyperion, who said, as he “In what capacity, sire?" received it: "As the king's friend," said Charles, who then carelessly opened the inner roll from which the envelope had been removed. As this roll was opened, a girdle of beautiful workmanship glittering with jewels, some of them of noble size and all of rare lustre, appeared within it. A scroll attached to the girdle contained the words "The zone of Venus to Hyperion." "What is this?" said the king. Mazeppa stroked his beard and smiled. Grothusen and Count Piper drew nearer to examine the precious ornament. "It is a woman's belt, sire," said the latter. "Madame has sent her belt to your majesty, whom she chooses to style Hyperion." "I will retain this valuable toy, sire, until I find the means of restoring it to the Countess of Konigsmark." The king soon after dismissed his new recruit. Grothusen conducted him from the presence to a neighbouring tent. Merlin, reflecting upon his interview, found no great difference between Charles at Altranstad, as the Elector of Saxony had described him, and Charles as he had just seen him. In the one case a coat and a pair of boots had made the staple of his conversation, in the other a woman's girdle. How little of the martial hero, as brave, munificent, enterprising as Alexander his model, the hero who in his early youth had passed at a stride to a glorious "Who was Hyperion?" said Charles. manhood, and become in those years of man's Count Piper observed that his majesty's ser- life when pleasure generally holds him captive, vice had been for many years so exacting that the admiration and terror of the world-how he had quite lost the polite learning which at one little of such a hero appeared in the plain and time he possessed. Grothusen had not forgotten reserved young monarch! In the story of defeat for the reason that he had never known. Mazeppa, continuing to smoothe his long beard, looked on with a degree of simple curiosity not a little striking in one of so venerable an appear ance. which Mazeppa had come as a fugitive to tell, it might have been supposed that the baffled king would find a torch to ignite even his guarded nature into the fury of disappointment-into a majestic anger. Not a swolen vein, not a glance of Merlin possessed too much tact to enlighten the eye, had betrayed such excitement. But the king, and his high officers, by producing his Merlin read the King of Sweden aright, notwithlearning to contrast with their ignorance. He standing that he bore away in his mind an unhecontented himself with saying that if the Venus roic image of the hero. He saw in the sober of Konigsmark had found a resemblance be- and somewhat repelling demeanour of the contween his majesty and Hyperion, Hyperion must queror the reserve of a nature all sufficient to doubtless have been an illustrious and invincible itself-a nature that demands no communion or personage in ancient history or poetry. This counsel in its gravest measures-that underrates was received as a satisfactory explanation. the value of foreign aid, and consequently does "What are the stones worth?" said the King not view its loss as fatal, or even as greatly disof Sweden, passing the girdle to Count Piper. astrous. "It must be with a very different de"At least fifty thousand crowns," replied meanour," he meditated, "that the invincible King Count Piper, when he had examined the jewels. of Sweden dazzles the eyes of men, in moments "A sum to equip a battalion!" said Charles. of high action. He is something quite different "Put it into the treasure-chest, Grothusen." when, exalted by the music of battle, he rides like a cadet over broken battalions, wet with the blood of his enemies. And his address is doubtless more royal when he decrees the submission, and dictates the laws of nations." Grothusen picked from the ground, where it had fallen, the inner envelope which had been immediately about the girdle, and replaced the girdle in it. As he did so he saw an address upon it, which had been until then overlooked. He read aloud When, under the care of Grothusen, the quarters of the Norwegian had been selected, and he "Exclusively for the hands, and for the pri- had taken possession of them, he became aware vate eyes of Sir Merlin Brand." that the boy who had escaped from the Tartars, "That and who had ridden into the camp on the steed of the chief Osbeck, had determined to become "So"-said the King of Sweden. makes a difference." He read the address for himself, then added: his servant. This boy, without waiting to be bidden, went about the duties of a valet, inform- [than many. Take me into your service and I ing his new master that he had already discharg-will do every thing to please you; and indeed ed those of a groom. The lad was a slender, you will find me useful, and ready to do as much active, little fellow of fifteen, sharp and clever, for love, as the killing of my mother taught me with the bronze of Egypt in his face, and large, to do for hate." eager black eyes. Merlin interested by his conduct in the scene with the Tartars, and by his appearance, asked him many questions. The reader shall learn his brief story in the answers which he gave to these questions. "How did you come among the Swedes?" said Merlin. "After I had killed the men who whipped my mother to death, and burnt their town, I remained with our people for some time, and lived "Where I was born I do not know," said the such a free life as the whistling plover lives. But boy, in a clear but humble tone. "My mother I was getting old enough to think that there might was a Bohemian, and travelled with her people be some better life in spite of its liberty. One from country to country. When I had grown day I heard the guns thundering in one of the large enough to do a great deal of mischief I was battles, and went to a hill to see the famous sport. praised for doing it well. The Saxons gave The drums, and the trumpets, and the roar of me a name because I could imitate the neigh of the guus, and the rushing of the horses, made me a horse; they called me Weigen. Afterwards unable to remain on the hill. I gathered some the people of another village, in the neighbor-round stones, and fitted one to my sling; and then hood of which we lived for a year, called me I ran down, and began to fight as if I had as Caputsch, because my mother made me wear a good a reason for fighting as the rest-which cowl which she had in some way procured from a monk. That continues to be my name. I am your servant Caputsch, master." "Where is your Bohemian mother?" Merlin derstand at once that he was dead. When I asked. perhaps I had. I kept near the drummer of a regiment. At last he fell with his elbows on his drum, and nodded so naturally that I did not un saw that he was truly dead, I took the sticks "She is dead, sir. They whipped her to death from his hands, and emptied the head of the drum in Silesia." of me. of his blood that had filled it, and then I beat "Poor child!" said the Norwegian. away as fast and as loud as I could. So I beCaputsch, as if rebellious against the pity of came a drummer. At first the men made a pet his master, replied quickly : But when I was no longer new to them, "But, sir, if they whipped my mother to death they found that as I was not much higher than I was not too young to kill them for it. I brought my drum, and only reached to the elbow of onedown Groffer Hans, the burgomaster who order-eyed Gofried the fifer, I did not make a good ed her to be whipped, with a stone from a sling, figure as a drummer; and so they made a pot-boy which made him die. I shot the hangman from of me. That is the whole story, master." behind a hedge, and then I burnt their town. The fire was kindled as often as they put it out. On the seventh night there was a glorious wind, and the town burnt like a hell in the valley." "Caputsch," said Merlin, not very favourably impressed by the latter portion of the young firebrand's narrative, "I have no need for your services." The boy replied with a sudden change from the exalted tone, to which, in recounting his filial vengeance, he had risen: "How was it that you fell into the hands of the Tartars?" Merlin asked. "I went to find the horse of the Ritter Dombinski-the horse had gone away to the plains. Do you know the terrible Ritter? He threatened to put me on the coals, and boil his kettle with me, if I did not bring his beast back. The Tartars came around me. I dodged them for some time, but the ground was too open, and they rode me down. Then you saved me from them." "It was hardly so, Caputsch," said Merlin. He presently added: "I can be thankful for kindness, master. When" You owe your escape to your own courage, the Tartars would have returned and killed me, and presence of mind. We only prevented your you came up and saved me. And you spoke re-capture." kindly, and looked kindly, to me. Caputsch is not used to kindness. In the camp it is Ca"You took a wild and barbarous vengeance, putsch, you son of a monk, furbish my firelock' not natural to one of tender years, upon the 'Caputsch, you spawn of a gypsey, rub down murderers of your mother. But you were doubtmy horse' Caputsch, you imp of the devil, put less trained a young savage, with the good of wood to the fire, and grill the bones.' So it runs, your nature hidden under the shadow of its bad, master, when they are in an excellent humor- and the murder of a mother is such a provocathese brave Swedes. When they are angered tion, to the wildest vengeance, as none of us they beat me. It is better to serve one master might resist. I receive you into my service, |