en as
his most beloved friends, because they enlarged the happiness of his
wife; and, strange as it may appear, I believe that he had as little
cause to complain as Othello, and therefore never permitted his repose
to be disturbed by those suspicions which preyed upon the vitals of the
hapless moor. The french Benedict might truly exclaim,

"--------------------'Tis not to make me jealous,
To say my wife is fair, feeds well, loves company,
Is free of speech, sings, plays, and dances well;
Where virtue is, these are more virtuous;
Nor from my own weak merits will I draw
The smallest fear, or doubt of her revolt."

CHAPTER XXI.

_Picturesque and Mechanical Theatre.--Filtrating and purifying
Vases.--English Jacobins.--A Farewell.--Messagerie.--Mal
Maison.--Forest of Evreux.--Lower Normandy.--Caen.--Hon. T.
Erskine.--A Ball.--The Keeper of the Sachristy of Notre Dame.--The
two blind Beggars.--Ennui.--St. Lo.--Cherbourg.--England._

I visited, one evening, a very beautiful exhibition, which I think
worthy of being noticed; it was the picturesque and mechanical theatre.
The company present were select and genteel. The room and stage were
upon a small scale; the former was very elegantly fitted up. The
spectacle consisted of scenery and appropriate little moving figures.
The first scene was a view of a wood in early morning, every object
looked blue, fresh, and dewy. The gradations of light, until the
approach of meridian day, were admirably represented. Serpents were seen
crawling in the grass. A little sportsman entered with his
fowling-piece, and imitated all the movements natural to his pursuit; a
tiny wild duck rose from a lake, and flew before him. He pointed his
gun, changed his situation, pointed it again, and fired. The bird
dropped; he threw it over his shoulders, fastened to his gun, and
retired. Waggons, drawn by horses about four inches high, passed along;
groups of peasantry followed, exquisitely imitating all the indications
of life. Amongst several other scenes was a beautiful view of the bay of
Naples, and the great bridge; over which little horses, with their
riders, passed in the various paces of walking, trotting and galloping.
All the minutiae of nature were attended to. The ear was beguiled with
the patting of the horses' hoofs upon the pavement; and some of the
little animals reared, and ran before the others. There were also some
charming li