Yet such a step, discountenanced by all the liberal
body of science, was forgiven by the philosophic and gentle Daubenton;
and Buffon made atonement for his aberration, by re-uniting himself to
the companion of his childhood, the participator in his studies, and the
preceptor of his genius.
H.
* * * * *
STORY ON A MARCH.
An officer in India, whose stock of table-linen had been completely
exhausted during the campaign,--either by wear or tear or accident,--had
a few friends to dine with him. The dinner being announced to the party,
seated in the _al fresco_ drawing-room of a camp, the table appeared
spread with eatables, but without the usual covering of a cloth. The
master, who, perhaps, gave himself but little trouble about these
matters, or who probably relied upon his servant's capacity in the art
of borrowing, or, at all events, on his ingenuity on framing an excuse,
inquired, with an angry voice, why there was no table-cloth. The answer
was, "Massa not got;" with which reply, after apologizing to his guests,
he was compelled, for the present, to put up. The next morning he called
his servant, and rated him soundly, and perhaps beat him, (for I lament
to say that this was too much the practice with European masters in
India,) for exposing his poverty to the company; desiring him, another
time, if similarly circumstanced, to say that all the table-cloths were
gone to the wash.
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