210

death's DOINGS.

has been genuine Rhenish ; and cruized up anddown a gulf of choice Malaga; visiting alter-nately Madeira and the Cape; now touching atthe Canaries and now at Oporto or Lisbon;—inshort, circumnavigating the whole globe, andstudying the geography of different regions, whiletheir bottles circulated round the polished ex-panse of the mahogany dining-table, that reflectedtheir sunny faces on its countenance. In winethey fancied they had discovered the nectar ofthe immortals—a Lethe for all the cares and anx-ieties of human existence. And most assuredlythe liquor with which they deluged themselveswas often not very dissimilar in its effect fromthat attributed to that fabled stream; for manyhave drank till they have forgotten their cre-ditors, their families, and even themselves. Itis not, therefore, surprising that they shouldnot have recollected, that, let them steer withwhat skill they might,—however they might befavoured with fair breezes and prosperous gales,and escape tempests, gales, and squalls, theymust finish their voyage in the Dead Sea.