The History of Music procured Dr. Burney also the acquaintance of Bruce, the celebrated Abyssinian traveller, who had brought home with him a drawing, made on the spot, of the Theban harp, as beautiful in its execution as in its form, though copied from a model at least 3000 years old. This led to two or three interviews, first at the house of a musical friend, then at the Doctor’s own residence. These are described in letters from the authoress, then very young, to a Mr. Crisp, her father’s oldest friend. The letters do infinite credit to the young lady’s quick observation of manners, and her power of graphic and lively description, and prove her command of her pen. They are, however, too long for quotation; and the parts really relating to Mr. Bruce are so interspersed with the complete details of long tea-table and after-supper conversations, that it is no easy task to pick them out. The following description, however, of the great traveller’s personal appearance, will give our readers some idea of the powers of the writer:—
MEETING THE FIRST
took place at the tea-table, of Mrs. Strange, to which my mother, by appointment, had introduced her Lynn friends, Mr. and Mrs. Turner, who were extremely curious to see Mr. Bruce. My dear father was to have escorted us; but that provoking Marplot, commonly called Business, came, as usual, in the way, and he could only join us afterwards.
The Man-Mountain, and Mr. and Mrs. Turner, were already arrived; and no one else was invited, or, at least, permitted to enter.
Mr. Bruce, as we found, when he arose—which he was too stately to do at once—was placed on the largest easy chair; but which his vast person covered so completely, back and arms, as well as seat, that he seemed to have been merely placed on a stool; and one was tempted to wonder who had ventured to accommodate him so slightly. He is the tallest man you ever saw in your life—at least, gratis. However, he has a very good figure, and is rather handsome; so that there is nothing alarming, or uncomely, or I was going to say, ungenial—but I don’t think that is the word I mean—in his immense and authoritative form.
My mother was introduced to him, and placed by his side; but, having made her a cold though civilish bow, he took no further notice even of her being in the room. I, as usual, glided out of the way, and got next to Miss Strange, who is agreeable and sensible: and who, seeing me, I suppose, very curious upon the subject, gave me a good deal of information about Man-Mountain.
As he is warmly attached to Mrs. Strange and her family, he spends all his disengaged evenings at their house, where, when they are alone, he is not only chatty and easy, but full of comic and dry humour; though, if any company enters, he sternly, or gloutingly, Miss Strange says, shuts up his mouth, and utters not a word—except, perhaps, to her parrot, which, I believe, is a present from himself. Certainly, he does not appear more elevated above the common race in his size, than in his ideas of his own consequence. Indeed, I strongly surmise, that he is not always without some idea how easy it would be to him—and perhaps how pleasant—in case any one should dare to offend him, to toss a whole company of such pigmies as the rest of mankind must seem to him, pell-mell down stairs,—if not out of the window.
There is some excuse, nevertheless, for this proud shyness, because he is persuaded that nobody comes near him but either to stare at him as a curiosity, or to pick his brains for their own purposes: for, when he has deigned to behave to people as if he considered himself as their fellow-creature, every word that has been drawn from him has been printed in some newspaper or magazine, which, as he intends to publish his travels himself, is abominably provoking, and seems to have made him suspicious of some dark design, or some invidious trick, when anybody says to him “How do you do, Sir?” or “Pray, Sir, what’s o’clock?”
And, after all, if his nature in itself is as imperious as his person and air are domineering, it is hardly fair to expect that having lived so long among savages should have softened his manners.
There was, however, no conversation. Mr. Bruce’s grand air, gigantic height, and forbidding brow, awed everybody into silence except Mrs. Strange, who, with all her wit and powers, found it heavy work to talk without reply.