FAU 8.4, -..-.- ', ---_ N.. . ": ._- --- - : . . 2 .--I : -. .\- ~ ' " ,, \st HERE YOU HAVE YOUNG SWITCIIER, THE VOLUNTEER, WHO REALLY OUGHIT TO HAVE KNOWN BETTER THAN TO SIT -ON TLE EDGE OP' THE BIG DirU[. A WARM RECEPTION. Wei had always understood that the person of an Ambassador was sacred; that of a British Ambassador especially. We were, there- lore, ino a little startled at reading the other day an account of tihe reception of an embassy from the British Government to the Court of tile EMI'ra:BO. or Monocco. The object of the embassy was to endeavour to promote a settlement of dhe differences between the Spanislh overniout and the Moors, as to the payment of the dindnmity extorted by the former as a condition of peace. A friendly mission enough it scents to us ; and when we find that the persons composing the embassy were the British Minister at Morocco, his attache, two distinguished naval oilicers, and the aido-de-camp to the Governor of Malta, we should have thought the Moors would have been very glad to see them. Possibly indeed they were; but, - if so, they had certainly a curious way of showing it. iO reaching 2teknas, where the EM-l'Eao resides, we are told the distinguished visitors were met by "at least 20,000 troops, chiefly cavalry," who turned out to receive them. Of course, resistance to uch a force would be madness. So we read that- r compliair'e with etiqieltte, our distinguished travellers, upon their arrival at i~oknas, becant prisoner. of state. Four whole,days were they confined to the precincts of the houo.h ouwichad lbeen allotted to them ; tnor were they soet :it liberty until the ceremony of presentation to the Emperor had been com- 1leted." We have heard of many queer things being done "in compliance with etiquette," but certainly to tell our guests immediately on their arrival to "consider themselves taken into custody," seems a bit of et iquette that would be more honoured in the breach than the ob- servance. Nor was the imprisonment a mere matter of form : for it appears that they were absolutely and literally locked up. However, the day fixed for their interview with the EMPEROI arrived at last, and they were conducted fiom their prison by tle high officers of state towards the palace, being roused out of bed for the purpose at seven in the morning. (With us the worst of criminals are not led out till eight.) The whole distance, we are told, was lined with troops drawn up on each side-it is added "as a guard of honour;" but to our thinking it looks much more like a precaution - T. [NovEMBERl 16, 1861. against any attempt at escape. They reach the court-yard of the palace, where there are more soldiers. "HIere," we are informed, "standing in front of the chief officers of state, the Europeans took up their stations opposite the gateway through which the Sultan was to approach. Presently he arrived, preceded by some handsome led horses, and by about a dozen men walking two and two-oxc or anTH BEINeG Ar EXECUTIONEE WITH AN AXE !" The cunning Moors might well cut off all possible retreat by lining the whole road with soldiers. Had they not done so we feel certain -with all due belief in British courage-the embassy would most decidedly have "cut and run"-at any rate we should, had we been ten times an ambassador. An executioner with an axe! Of course the English Government would have avenged us afterwards, but that would have scarcely made it more agreeable at the time. The presence of this terrible functionary, like all that had gone before, was simply "in compliance with etiquette;" but after their experience of the reality of their imprisonment, for the same cause :,, dreadful doubt must have suggested itself as to how far Moorish etiquette required matters to proceed. They were reprieved, however, at the last moment; for we read that, complimentary speeches having been exchanged between the Ei\pr'ERo and the Europeans, the latter were free to return home. The advisers who surround the EMPERO-S seem to have strange notions of how to welcome their sovereign's visitors. Perhaps, however,.it is not to be wondered atwheou we learn the class of people by whom ihe Moorish Sultan really was surrounded at the time; We give tlhe definition of them as we find it in the report:- "A lar"e body of black mn nl-v-,I thoo-n niaints.r..: i ir, -L .''I crvicO of the Sultans of Morocco, of .. the .. men, now numbering many thousands, are entitled the 'Sultan's Black Guards " If it was to these "black guards" that the arrangements of tho reception were entrusted, we mast say that the proceeding was wor- thy of their name. A FABLE. Ax aged lion-so says MR. GAY- Within a cave remote, expiring lay, Bat soon the brutes on which he erst had preyed, Discovered where his dying limbs were laid; They crowded round him with indecent jeers, And stabbed his breaking heart with bitter sneers; Flouted his staring ribs and lantern jaws, His tremulous legs, weak neck, and palsied paws, And mocked his broken teeth and blunted claws. The noble bcast their jibes had nobly borne, And writhdd with death's sharp anguish-nob their scrt-.; When, lo! an ass approached his resting-place, And flung its awkward hoofs into his face. Slain-not by force of dolt-head donkey's lhels, But by the pangs that in this shame ho'feols, The lion-so by MR. GAY 'tis stated- Straightway expires-basoly ass-assinated. MORAL. All through the season the gorilla roams Mid gay saloons, in grand palatial homes; Crowds of admirers round him wondering throng', And fierce the w'arlfre learned men among. The season over, from bright fashion's quarter, Fashion's late favourite slinks across the water; GRAY's bugbear-Ows:x's pet-the child of MunRAtv, Leaves fair Belgravia for ignoble Surrey. Of reputation shorn, with honours bated, In a few months ho's super-annnated. What lower step the hapless ape awaits ? What deeper downfall have the ecuelates ? What sinful worldlings tire of, saints receive; The Tabernacle takes what Ball-rooms leave; And last, to brim the creature's bitter cup Of misery--lo! SPURGEON takes him up! The scared gorilla sees his coming end, And plaintive murmurs, Save me from my friend!" Rqjoice, ye men of sense! The monster's reign Is o'er! We ne'er shall hear of him again. Who rescues rubbish when 't has reached the gutter? So after Sp l RuON comes Oblivion Utter !