The Argosy — page 317: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

296 Letters from Majorca. little vision of green, the sunshine, and the dancing shadows, are intensely refreshing. Of course it has a well: what court in Palma, however small, has not: and this well, reposing under the shadow of spreading branches, is as necessarily picturesque. We first came upon this garden yesterday, never before having ventured quite so far into the building. One is always haunted by a fear of intrusion, which, no doubt, diminishes one’s courage, and causes one to lose many an object of interest and beauty. We were at once struck with our discovery, and after revelling in it for five minutes, a bright idea struck us. We would here take each other’s photograph. With two such interesting objects in the fore- ground, the background would make a perfect picture. We might carry away with us a souvenir and reminiscence to look at in years to come, when we had grown old and grey headed. No sooner said than done. We went straight off to the hotel, took up our paraphernalia, and departed. Our division of labour is thus: H. C. carries the heavy leather box slung across his shoulders, by reason of his superior strength, whilst he condescendingly allows me to bear the tripod—a weight that would scarcely disturb a butterfly’s wing. This is as much as I can manage; and I have an idea that H. C. inwardly exults at his superiority over me in this respect ; does his best to suppress a feeling of contempt for my want of muscular power. It is, alas! too true that, if I carried a volume to the end of the street, my arm would ache for hours afterwards ; whilst to carry the leathern box as far as the Town Hall, would deprive me of three days’ growth. But Nature has her compensations, and, in strength of character and moral purpose, I am as superior to H. C. as the stars are above the earth. Itis true, you do not know him, and cannot realize this ; and should you ever chance to meet, I beseech you not to wound his feelings by such a revelation: for he has laid to his soul the flattering unction of superiority over me in every respect. ‘“Oh wad some power the giftie gie us, To see oursels’ as ithers see us.”’ But I don’t agree with Burns. The consequence of this would be that we should all go through the world dumb images of despair. Far better go on in our ‘‘ blunders and foolish notions ;” thinking well of ourselves if our consciences will allow it; thinking better of our neighbours, if their reputation permits us this charity. Well, we started with our usual division of labour, H. C. shoulder- ing the box with that amount of fervour and display, in themselves a sort of silent reproach ; and I meekly following with the tripod. Antonio in the next room was simultaneously raising a cloud of dust and his usual novel, wild, unearthly echoes, which might be distinctly heard not only in the remotest recesses of the opposite COMMICOOOKS. EO) m