ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.
THE DUMB LOVER.—A TRUE STORY.
FROM THE FRENCH OF MADAME M.
In ancient times people would believe in sorcerers and ghosts; dreams even acted an eminent part in the drama of human life; and from the days of Joseph down to those of the hero whose history I am going to relate, many a dream has determined the fate of the dreamer. In proportion as the human mind became enlightened, the dreams and ghosts have become the topics of grand dames and nursery maids’ conversations; the former have ceased prophetizing future events, and are only considered as the effects of preceding sensations. Whether we are right or wrong, I will not pretend to determine; the very interesting discussion might carry me too far, I shall leave it to the sagacity, argumentation, and experience of my readers, and proceed to recount the history of a youth of former times, whose happiness was occasioned by a dream; wishing the same result may attend all who will be endowed with sufficient patience to read it. In case any one should question the truth of my narrative, let them go to Bremen, there every inhabitant will be found ready to tell the story over and over again, with all the faith and veneration that ancient traditions are entitled to.
In the city of Bremen lived an old merchant, sirnamed the rich Melchior; he had been so successful, and altogether so well conversant in commercial transactions, that he had amassed an immense fortune; which his only enjoyment consisted in increasing. However, this very avaricious man, who denied himself all manner of amusement, or of expence, indulged two very extraordinary whims of luxury, to the great surprize of every one. On the skirts of the city he had purchased a little garden, whither he sometimes resorted to refresh himself after his fatigues, and had ornamented it, at great cost, in the most fantastical manner, with a quantity of little silver gilt statues of monsters, which were encircled by a strong net-work of silver gilt likewise. His other whim he had gratified in his town residence, by having the floor of his dining-room all chequered with crown-pieces. His friends were amazed, at first, at seeing a man, who was so well acquainted with the value of money, and who knew how to turn it to advantage, thus trample under foot so considerable a sum that brought him no interest. But Melchior knew what he was about; that money, apparently dead, that floor which caught the eye of all who called upon him about business, gave such an opinion of his wealth, and was so conducive to augment his credit, that the capital which he had aid out was soon replaced with more than an hundred fold interest. Death alone could put an end to his lucrative speculations, and a stop to the millions of money that poured upon him from all sides. He died suddenly of an apoplectic fit, without being allowed time to converse about pecuniary concerns with his only beloved son. In the mean time he left him to inherit an immense unincumbered income, besides the monsters in the little garden, and the floor chequered with crown-pieces.
Frank Melchior was a very promising young man, and of a very recommending person; he had suffered too much from his father’s avarice not to hold that vice in abomination; and accordingly plunged so deep into the opposite excess, that within a few years time he saw the bottom of those coffers, so full of late, but out of which he had been daily fishing, without even replenishing; he then was forced to borrow, and the reputation of old Melchior, of his silver gilt monsters, and of his floor chequered with crown-pieces, was so well established, that the young man easily procured loans at very heavy interest. When the bills became due, the garden was stopped to honour the debt; the monsters all disappeared successively, and finally the garden itself. Frank, however, still kept up, till on a sudden it was rumoured that the crown-pieces of the floor had also disappeared, and were replaced by an elegant wooden inlay. The creditors instantly came forward to ascertain the fact; the
