登陆注册
5188000000177

第177章

"January 25.- Safe at Venice.A place whose strange and passing beauty is well known to thee by report of our mariners.Dost mind too how Peter would oft fill our ears withal, we handed beneath the table, and he still discoursing of this sea-enthroned and peerless city, in shape a bow, and its great canal and palaces on piles, and its watery ways plied by scores of gilded boats; and that market-place of nations, orbis, non urbis, forum, St.Mark, his place? And his statue with the peerless jewels in his eyes, and the lion at his gate? But I, lying at my window in pain, may see none of these beauties as yet, but only a street, fairly paved, which is dull, and houses with oiled paper and linen, in lieu of glass, which is rude; and the passers-by, their habits and their, gestures, wherein they are superfluous.Therefore, not to miss my daily comfort of whispering to thee, I will e'en turn mine eyes inward, and bind my sheaves of wisdom reaped by travel.For Ilove thee so, that no treasure pleases me not shared with thee;and what treasure so good and enduring as knowledge? This then have I, Sir Footsore, learned, that each nation hath its proper wisdom, and its proper folly; and methinks, could a great king, or duke, tramp like me, and see with his own eyes, he might pick the flowers, and eschew the weeds of nations, and go home and set his own folk on Wisdom's hill.The Germans in the north were churlish, but frank and honest; in the south, kindly and honest too.Their general blot is drunkenness, the which they carry even to mislike and contempt of sober men.They say commonly, 'Kanstu niecht sauffen und fressen so kanstu kienem hern wol dienen.' In England, the vulgar sort drink as deep, but the worshipful hold excess in this a reproach, and drink a health or two for courtesy, not gluttony, and still sugar the wine.In their cups the Germans use little mirth or discourse, but ply the business sadly, crying 'Seyte frolich!' The best of their drunken sport is 'Kurlemurlehuff,' a way of drinking with touching deftly of the glass, the beard, the table, in due turn, intermixed with whistlings and snappings of the finger so curiously ordered as 'tis a labour of Hercules, but to the beholder right pleasant and mirthful.Their topers, by advice of German leeches, sleep with pebbles in their mouths.For, as of a boiling pot the lid must be set ajar, so with these fleshy wine-pots, to vent the heat of their inward parts: spite of which many die suddenly from drink;but 'tis a matter of religion to slur it, and gloze it, and charge some innocent disease therewith.Yet 'tis more a custom than very nature, for their women come among the tipplers, and do but stand a moment, and as it were, kiss the wine-cup; and are indeed most temperate in eating and drinking, and of all women, modest and virtuous, and true spouses and friends to their mates; far before our Holland lasses, that being maids, put the question to the men, and being wived, do lord it over them.Why, there is a wife in Tergou, not far from our door.One came to the house and sought her man.Says she, 'You'll not find him: he asked my leave to go abroad this afternoon, and I did give it him.'"Catherine."'Tis sooth! 'tis sooth! 'Twas Beck Hulse, Jonah's wife.This comes of a woman wedding a boy.""In the south where wine is, the gentry drink themselves bare; but not in the north: for with beer a noble shall sooner burst his body than melt his lands.They are quarrelsome, but 'tis the liquor, not the mind; for they are none revengeful.And when they have made a bad bargain drunk, they stand to it sober.They keep their windows bright; and judge a man by his clothes.Whatever fruit or grain or herb grows by the roadside, gather and eat.The owner seeing you shall say, 'Art welcome, honest man.' But an, ye pluck a wayside grape, your very life is in jeopardy.'Tis eating of that Heaven gave to be drunken.The French are much fairer spoken, and not nigh so true-hearted.Sweet words cost them nought.They call it payer en blanche."Denys."Les coquins! ha! ha!"

"Natheless, courtesy is in their hearts, ay, in their very blood.

They say commonly, 'Give yourself the trouble of sitting down.'

And such straws of speech show how blows the wind.Also at a public show, if you would leave your seat, yet not lose it, tie but your napkin round the bench, and no French man or woman will sit here; but rather keep the place for you."Catherine."Gramercy! that is manners.France for me!"Denys rose and placed his hand gracefully to his breastplate.

"Natheless, they say things in sport which are not courteous, but shocking.'Le diable t'emporte!' 'Allez au diable!' and so forth.

But I trow they mean not such dreadful wishes: custom belike.

Moderate in drinking, and mix water with their wine, and sing and dance over their cups, and are then enchanting company.They are curious not to drink in another man's cup.In war the English gain the better of them in the field; but the French are their masters in attack and defence of cities; witness Orleans, where they besieged their besiegers and hashed them sore with their double and treble culverines; and many other sieges in this our century.

More than all nations they flatter their women, and despise them.

同类推荐
  • 道德真经注

    道德真经注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 声调谱

    声调谱

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 遼陽聞見錄

    遼陽聞見錄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛开解梵志阿颰经

    佛开解梵志阿颰经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 颖江漫稿

    颖江漫稿

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 八荒御兽

    八荒御兽

    八荒之上,一注定庸碌一生的废材,因一本传奇武决获得重生,这本来自大能的炼体之术让他走上强者之路。强悍的肉体,万能的丹药,奇妙的精神,飘渺的剑术,好似无所不能的他,能不能真正放下心中的桎梏,达到真正的八荒称王。
  • 魔鬼考卷

    魔鬼考卷

    为了得到永生,男主高影和女主朱荪伶分别进入了2个不可思议的教室,并需要进行一次次的考试。但,这并非学校的普通笔试,他们被投放到一个个平行世界,将遇见无数的魔鬼,来解答考卷上一道道关于魔鬼现象的题目,当分数不足60,就会被淘汰!为了得到永生,他们将不断和魔鬼同行,直到他们二人宿命相遇的时刻来临……黑色火种最新原创副本无限流!
  • 因为我们的存在

    因为我们的存在

    想成为剑士的人,却成为了骑士的悲惨故事。
  • 青少年必知的100种生物知识

    青少年必知的100种生物知识

    生命是永恒的话题,从古至今,人们总是孜孜不倦地探索着生命的奥秘,本书所介绍的,正是世界上不分国家、不分肤色、不分男女老少的人们所共同关注的话题。本书不仅系统地介绍了生物知识,同时还讲述了有趣的生命现象,揭示了世界上未解的生物之谜,可谓知识性与趣味性并存。
  • 隐婚秘恋:陆少娇妻太嚣张

    隐婚秘恋:陆少娇妻太嚣张

    众所周知,陆彦廷是江城一众名媛心中的如意郎君,有钱有颜。为了嫁给陆彦廷,蓝溪无所不用其极——设计偶遇、给他当秘书,甚至不惜一切给自己下套。一夜后,他将她赌在酒店,咬牙:“就这么想做陆太太?”她妩媚地笑。陆彦廷娶了声名狼藉的蓝溪,一时间成了江城最大的新闻。婚后,他任由她利用自己的人脉资源夺回一切家产。人人都说,陆彦廷是被蓝溪下了蛊。成功夺回家产的那天,蓝溪看到他和前女友纠缠在雨中。她笑得体贴无比:“抱歉,陆太太的位置坐了这么久,是时候该还给顾小姐了,我们离婚吧。”“你想得美。”男人抓着她恶狠狠的开口。直到那一刻,蓝溪才发现,这个男人根本就--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 戴流苏耳环的少女

    戴流苏耳环的少女

    【同名电视剧安徽卫视热播中】上个世纪二三十年代,上海滩出现了无线电台,一时间,上海居民耳目一新,一些私人电台蜂拥而起,不仅播放文娱节目,还负责传递商业业务。阮清恬在学校里学过无线电知识,她因为帮助任浩铭建立电台,从而和任浩铭相识了。任浩铭由于一个误会,迁怒于阮清恬,他将阮清恬最重要的传家宝流苏耳环拿走了。阮清恬必须要拿回耳环……
  • 铃缘梦

    铃缘梦

    比鬼神更可怕的是人心。我们一直处在这个社会的邪恶面,看清人心,想要获得新生……
  • 染指天下:逆天三小姐

    染指天下:逆天三小姐

    她,相门三小姐,机敏、聪慧。却在遇到他之后被卷入一场又一场的阴谋,无法脱身。他说:你如果松开我的手,便可全身而退。夕阳之下,她露出甜美的微笑,却坚定的摇头。这次,可否换我牵你的手,一直跟我走。
  • 十洲记

    十洲记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 轩辕王姬

    轩辕王姬

    【本文1V1。女主聪颖坚韧,男主盖世风华。文风细腻,感情娓娓道来。不喜勿喷。】她前世平凡无奇,寒窗苦读十年,只愿平淡安定。一朝横祸因同名同姓被错杀,枉送了二十五岁的性命。没曾踏上奈何桥,望见彼岸花,饮下孟婆汤便携前世记忆再度降生。她今世是东麒左相嫡女玉胭儿,柔弱的外表柔弱的名姓柔弱的身躯,却容着一具坚韧不屈的灵魂。出生之时,胸口嵌有同心苣形灵物,一霎时满室霞光。如何?说她是神族所寻预言之女,身携轩辕王姬灵物降生,引各国争抢。她忍。韬光养晦十四载。上一世活的窝囊,这一世定要活的漂亮!师承百谷山医毒双绝,建商业帝国白玺山庄,筑紫云楼红颜阁掌管情报,养黑影门夺命杀手。还不足以与命运相抗?好,那若掌这一方天下,可有资格与你神族一较高下?【精彩小剧场----腹黑篇】夜黑风高,天朗气清。某男一身玄衣,凑到玉胭儿面前问道:“就这么放他走?你真信他的话?”玉胭儿挑了挑眉:“信任这东西就是一把双刃剑,给出去的时候就要做好两个准备,被捅,或者被珍惜。”某男点了点头又问:“我可是信你的,也需要做两个准备?”玉胭儿扬唇一笑,妖娆万分:“你嘛……”说罢抬手就是一刀,直插某男的腹部。“只需要做这一个准备就好。”“……女人,你狠。”【精彩小剧场----温情篇】一室静谧,某男望向帐中熟睡的女子,喃喃道:“我绸缪江山数十载,为家族荣耀再起兵戎,烽火刀戈,延续千年的恩仇却不忍将你掺与其中。你可知,倘若我不是我,又何苦机关算尽,将你拱手于人。只惟愿来世如花美眷,红袖添香,岁岁年年。”闪身出帐,熟睡女子的脸庞滑下一行清泪:“你又怎知我不愿与你共赴前路,你做你的旷世明主,我仍做你的绝代佳人。愿我如星君如月,夜夜流光相皎洁。”===========================喜欢本文的亲们收藏+留言,你们的支持是柒柒写文的最大动力。柒柒是心思细密的双鱼座,喜爱娓娓道来的感情故事,我相信只有经过一定时间和事情的洗礼,感情基础才更为牢靠。文文虽然有些许慢热,但也会在适当的时机爆发。倘若你入文,请静下心来,感受柒柒为你们打造的世界。此文绸缪已久,不必担心断更,放心大胆的入坑吧。群么。在此鸣谢乌鸦先生在写文之初给予的信心与鼓励,这对柒柒意义非凡。同时也虚心接受一切建议与意见。欢迎点评。