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diff --git a/11567-h/11567-h.htm b/11567-h/11567-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..225c09d --- /dev/null +++ b/11567-h/11567-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2321 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> + + <title>The Mirror of Literature, Issue 543.</title> + + <style type="text/css"> + <!-- + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + p {text-align: justify;} + p.author {text-align: right;} + blockquote {text-align: justify;} + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 {text-align: center;} + pre {font-size: 0.7em;} + + hr {text-align: center; width: 50%;} + html>body hr {margin-right: 25%; margin-left: 25%; width: 50%;} + hr.full {width: 100%;} + html>body hr.full {margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 0%; width: 100%;} + hr.short {text-align: center; width: 20%;} + html>body hr.short {margin-right: 40%; margin-left: 40%; width: 20%;} + + .note, .footnote + {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + + span.pagenum + {position: absolute; left: 1%; right: 91%; font-size: 8pt;} + + .poem + {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: left;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i4 {margin-left: 2em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + .poem p.i8 {margin-left: 4em;} + .poem p.i10 {margin-left: 5em;} + + .figure + {padding: 1em; margin: 0; text-align: center; font-size: 0.8em; margin: auto;} + .figure img + {border: none;} + .figure p + + .side { float:right; + font-size: 75%; + width: 25%; + padding-left:10px; + border-left: dashed thin; + margin-left: 10px; + text-align: left; + text-indent: 0; + font-weight: bold; + font-style: italic;} + --> + </style> +</head> + +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11567 ***</div> + + <hr class="full" /> + <span class="pagenum"><a id="page241" name="page241"></a>[pg 241]</span> + + <h1>THE MIRROR<br /> + OF<br /> + LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.</h1> + <hr class="full" /> + + <table width="100%" summary="Volume, Number, and Date"> + <tr> + <td align="left"><b>VOL. XIX NO. 543.]</b></td> + <td align="center"><b>SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 1832.</b></td> + <td align="right"><b>[PRICE 2d.</b></td> + </tr> + </table> + <hr class="full" /> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:100%;"><a href="images/543-1.png"> +<img width="100%" src="images/543-1.png" alt="Melrose Abbey" /></a> +</div> +<h3>MELROSE ABBEY</h3> + +<hr /> + +<center>(<i>From a finished sketch, by a Correspondent.</i>)</center> + +<p>These venerable ruins stand upon the southern bank of the Tweed, in +Roxburghshire. The domestic buildings of the monastery are entirely +gone; but the remains of the church connected with, as seen in the above +Engraving, are described by Mr. Chambers<a id="footnotetag1" +name="footnotetag1"></a><a href="#footnote1"><sup>1</sup></a> as "the +finest specimen of Gothic architecture and Gothic sculpture of which +this country (Scotland) can boast. By singular good fortune, Melrose is +also one of the most entire, as it is the most beautiful, of all the +ecclesiastical ruins scattered throughout this reformed land. To say +that it is beautiful, is to say nothing. It is +exquisitely—splendidly lovely. It is an object of infinite grace +and immeasurable charm; it is fine in its general aspect and in its +minutest details; it is a study—a glory." We confess ourselves +delighted with Mr. Chambers's well-directed enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>A page of interesting facts towards +the history of the Abbey will be found +appended to the "Recollections" of a +recent visit by one of our esteemed Correspondents, +in <i>The Mirror</i>, vol. x., +p. 445. In the present view, the ornate +Gothic style of the building is seen to +advantage, but more especially the richness +of the windows, and the niches +above them: the latter, from drawings +made "early in the reign of King William," +were originally filled with statues; +and, connected with the destruction of +some of them, Mr. Chambers relates the +following anecdote "told by the person +who shows Melrose:"</p> + +<p>"On the eastern window of the +church, there were formerly thirteen +effigies, supposed to represent our Saviour +and his apostles. These, harmless +and beautiful as they were, happened to +provoke the wrath of a praying weaver +in Gattonside, who, in a moment of inspired +zeal, went up one night by means +of a ladder, and with a hammer and +chisel, knocked off the heads and limbs +of the figures. Next morning he made +no scruple to publish the transaction, +observing, with a great deal of exultation, +to every person whom he met, that he +had 'fairly stumpet thae vile paipist +dirt <i>nou!</i>' The people sometimes catch +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page242" id="page242"></a>[pg 242]</span> +up a remarkable word when uttered on +a remarkable occasion by one of their +number, and turn the utterer into ridicule, +by attaching it to him as a nickname; +and it is some consolation to +think that this monster was therefore +treated with the sobriquet of 'Stumpie,' +and of course carried it about with him +to his grave."</p> + +<p>The exquisite beauty and elaborate +ornament of Melrose can, according to +the entertaining work already quoted, +be told only in a volume of prose; but, +as compression is the spirit of true +poetry, we quote the following descriptive +lines:</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>If thou would'st view fair Melrose aright,</p> +<p>Go visit it by the pale moonlight;</p> +<p>For the gay beams of lightsome day</p> +<p>Gild but to flout the ruins gray.</p> +<p>When the broken arches are dark in night,</p> +<p>And each shafted oriel glimmers white;</p> +<p>When the cold light's uncertain shower</p> +<p>Streams on the ruin'd central tower;</p> +<p>When buttress and buttress, alternately,</p> +<p>Seem framed of ebon and ivory;</p> +<p>Wnen silver edges the imagery,</p> +<p>And the scrolls that teach thee to live and die;</p> +<p>When distant Tweed is heard to rave,</p> +<p>And the howlet to hoot o'er the dead man's grave,</p> +<p>Then go—but go alone the while—</p> +<p>Then view St. David's<a id="footnotetag2" name="footnotetag2"></a><a href="#footnote2"><sup>2</sup></a> ruined pile;</p> +<p>And, home returning, soothly swear,</p> +<p>Was never scene so sad and fair.</p> +<hr class="short" /> +<p>By a steel-clench'd postern door,</p> +<p class="i2">They enter'd now the chancel tall;</p> +<p>The darken'd roof rose high aloof</p> +<p class="i2">On pillars, lofty, light, and small;</p> +<p>The key-stone, that lock'd each ribbed aisle,</p> +<p>Was a fleur-de-lys or a quatre-feuille;</p> +<p>The corbells<a id="footnotetag3" name="footnotetag3"></a><a href="#footnote3"><sup>3</sup></a> were carved grotesque and grim;</p> +<p>And the pillars, with cluster'd shafts so trim,</p> +<p>With base and capital furnish'd around,</p> +<p>Seem'd bundles of lances which garlands had bound.</p> +<hr class="short" /> +<p>The moon on the east oriel shone,</p> +<p>Through slender shafts of shapely stone,</p> +<p class="i2">By foliated tracery combined;</p> +<p>Thou would'st have thought some fairy's hand</p> +<p>'Twixt poplars straight the osier wand</p> +<p class="i2">In many a freakish knot had twined;</p> +<p>Then framed a spell, when the work was done,</p> +<p>And changed the willow-wreaths to stone.<a id="footnotetag4" name="footnotetag4"></a><a href="#footnote4"><sup>4</sup></a></p> + </div> </div> + +<p>The monks of Melrose were caricatured +for their sensuality at the Reformation. +Their Abbey suffered in consequence; +for the condemnator, out of +the ruins, built himself a house, which +may still be seen near the church. "The +regality," says Mr. Chambers, "soon +after passed into the hands of Lord Binning, +an eminent lawyer, ancestor to the +Earl of Haddington; and about a century +ago, the whole became the property +of the Buccleuch family."</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>LACONICS.</h3> + +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror</i>.)</h4> + +<p>The most important advantages we +enjoy, and the greatest discoveries that +science can boast, have proceeded from +men who have either seen little of the +world, or have secluded themselves entirely +for the purposes of study. Not +only those arts which are exclusively the +result of calculation, such as navigation, +mechanism, and others, but even agriculture, +may be said to derive its improvement, +if not its origin, from the same +source.</p> + +<p>Where a cause is good, an appeal +should be directed to the heart rather +than the head: the application comes +more home, and reaches more forcibly, +where it is the most necessary—the natural +rather than the improved faculties +of the human understanding.</p> + +<p>Common sense is looked upon as a +vulgar quality, but nevertheless it is the +only talisman to conduct us prosperously +through the world. The man of refined +sense has been compared to one who +carries about with him nothing but gold, +when he may be every moment in want +of smaller change.</p> + +<p>The grand cause of failure in most +undertakings is the want of unanimity. +This, however, we find is not wanting +where actual danger, as well as possible +advantage may accrue to the parties concerned. +It is whimsical enough that +thieves and other ruffians, while they bid +open defiance to the laws, both of God +and man, pay implicit obedience to their +own.</p> + +<p>Aristotle laid it down as a maxim +"that all inquiry should begin with +doubt." Whenever, then, we meet with +mysteries beyond our feeble comprehension, +would it not be more rational to +doubt the very faculty we are employing—the +capacity of our reason itself.</p> + +<p>The most politic, because the most +effectual way of governing in a family, is +for the husband occasionally to lay aside +his supremacy; so in public, as well as +private life, that king will be most popular +who does not at all times exercise +his full prerogative.</p> + +<p>It would appear that there is a great +sympathy between the mind of man and +falsehood: when we have a truth to tell, +it takes better, if conveyed in a fable; +and the rage for novels shows, that we +may not only divert extremely without +a syllable of truth, but truth is even compelled +to borrow the habit of falsehood +to secure itself an agreeable reception.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page243" id="page243"></a>[pg 243]</span> + +<p>In our intercourse with others, we +should endeavour to turn the conversation +towards those subjects with which +our companions are professionally acquainted: +thus we shall agreeably please +as well as innocently flatter in affording +them the opportunity to shine; while +we should acquire that knowledge which +we could no where else obtain so well.</p> + +<p>What an extraordinary method of reducing +oneself to beggary is gambling! +The man who has but little money in +the world, and knows not how to procure +more without risking his life and +character, must needs put it in the power +of fortune to take away what he has. +Put the case in the opposite light, it is +just as absurd: the man who has money +to spare, must needs make the experiment +whether it may not become the +property of another.</p> + +<p>It is a mistake to suppose a great +mind inattentive to trifles: its capacity +and comprehension enable it to embrace +every thing.</p> + +<p>The failing of vanity extends throughout +all classes: the poor have but little +time to bestow on their persons, and yet +in the selection of their clothes we find +they prefer such as are of a flaring and +gaudy colour.</p> + +<p>Philosophy has not so much enabled +men to overcome their weaknesses, as it +has taught the art of concealing them +from the world.</p> + +<p>That a little learning is dangerous is +one of our surest maxims. If knowledge +does not produce the effect of ameliorating +our imperfect condition, it were, +without question, better let alone altogether; +it is not to be made merely an +appendix to the mind, but must be incorporated +and identified with it.</p> + +<p>They who have experienced sorrow +are the most capable of appreciating joy; +so, those only who have been sick, feel +the full value of health.</p> + +<p>By the expression "common people," +is meant the man of rank as well as the +more industrious peasant; for in our +estimate of men, the mind, and not the +eye, is the most proper judge.</p> + +<p>Some men are, of course, more original +thinkers than others, but all, without +exception, who hope to appear in print +with any effect, must first be readers +themselves. It was said by Dr. Johnson, +that more than half an author's time was +occupied in reading what others had +said concerning the subject he was himself +writing upon.</p> + +<p>Every man, in his more serious moments, +must confess that he has done +few things in the course of his life he +would not wish undone; and experience +must have shown him that the things he +most feared would have been better ihan +those he most prayed for.</p> + +<p>Vanity is our dearest weakness, in +more senses than one: a man will sacrifice +every thing, and starve out all his +other inclinations to keep alive that one.</p> + +<p>The man who trusts entirely to nature +when he is sick, runs a great risk; but +he who puts himself in the hands of a +physician runs a still greater: of the +two, nature would seem the better nurse, +for she will, at all events, act honestly, +and can have no possible interest in tampering +with disease.</p> + +<p>A great idea may be thus defined:—it +gives us the perception of many others, +and it discovers to us all at once what +we could only have arrived at by a course +of reading or inquiry.</p> + +<p>We are told to place no faith in appearances, +yet it will be found a wiser +course to judge from the human countenance +rather than the human voice: +most men place a guard over their words +and their actions, but very few can blind +the expression that is conveyed by the +features.</p> + +<p>To assist our fellow-creatures is the +noblest privilege of mortality: it is, in +some sort, forestalling the bounty of Providence.</p> + +<p>There is no doubt that memory, although +it may be cultivated, is originally +a gift of nature; so, also, application +must be regarded as a natural endowment; +for there are some men, however +well disposed, who can never bring themselves +to grapple closely with any thing.</p> + +<p>It has been suggested that man has +no real necessity for clothing. All other +creatures are furnished with every necessary +for their existence, and it is improbable +one nobler than them all should +be left in a defective condition: there +are some nations, in severer climates +than ours, who have no notion of clothing; +and, even in civilized life, the most +tender parts of the body are constantly +exposed, as the face, neck, &c.</p> + +<p>It is the temper of a blade that must +be the proof of a good sword, and not +the gilding of the hilt or the richness of +the scabbard; so it is not his grandeur +and possessions that make a man considerable, +but his intrinsic merit.</p> + +<p class="author">F.</p> + +<hr /> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page244" id="page244"></a>[pg 244]</span> + +<h3>THE KNIGHT'S RETURN.</h3> + +<center>FROM THE GERMAN.</center> + +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror</i>.)</h4> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>"Page, what sound mine ears is greeting,</p> +<p class="i2">Whence the lime-trees wave in pride?"</p> +<p>"'Tis, sir knight, the herds that bleating,</p> +<p class="i2">Wander o'er the mountain's side."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p>"Say, my page, what means this singing?</p> +<p class="i2">Notes so sad, some ill betide;"</p> +<p>"In the village, crowds are bringing</p> +<p class="i2">From the chapel, home a bride."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p>"Say then, why so slowly passes</p> +<p class="i2">Yon dark-rob'd and silent train?"</p> +<p>"From the saying bridal-masses,</p> +<p class="i2">Monks are coming o'er the plain."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p>"Speak then, why I now behold it;</p> +<p class="i2">Whence yon banner's milk-white hue?"</p> +<p>"Ask no further, they unfold it</p> +<p class="i2">To the bride an honour due."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p>"Say, my page, what means that writing</p> +<p class="i2">Graven on yon marble-stone?"</p> +<p>"'Tis the youth and maiden plighting</p> +<p class="i2">Love to one, and one alone."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p>"How, my page, that name the dearest?</p> +<p class="i2">See, and true its meaning tell."</p> +<p>"Know, and tremble as thou hearest,</p> +<p class="i2">"'Twas for secret love she fell."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p>"What! my page, if thus 'tis written,</p> +<p class="i2">If for love she dar'd to die,</p> +<p>Bertha dead! if thus 'tis written,</p> +<p class="i2">As she perish'd, so will <i>I</i>."</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="author">H.</p> + </div> </div> + +<hr /> + +<h3>SCOTCH ECONOMY.</h3> + +<h4>(<i>To the Editor.</i>)</h4> + +<p>The amusing letter of <i>S.S</i>. in No. +536, of <i>The Mirror</i>, has but so very recently +met my eyes, that I have been +obliged unavoidably to allow some weeks +to elapse ere I noticed it. Indeed, to +advert to it at all, I should not have +considered necessary, but that your +correspondent seems to imply a doubt +as to the accuracy of my assertion, in +the article "Shavings," (vide No. 533, +p. 83.) Permit me, for the satisfaction +of your readers to state, that I was no +"flying tourist," when the fact of a +very considerable waste of fuel in Edinburgh, +(fuel which would, I thought, +sell in England, if not wanted in Scotland,) +came repeatedly, I may say, almost +daily, under my own personal observation. +A residence of two years in +Edinburgh (yes, it certainly was "the +Scottish capital," for I had previously +resided during a longer period in the +Irish one,) enabled me to state what I +then beheld, with a scrutiny which certainly +would not have been warranted +by a mere casual visit of two days, two +weeks, or two months; that the circumstance +should have irritated <i>S.S</i>. I cannot +consider any fault of mine; my +statement was correct. The possibility +of Irish labourers being employed to +build in Scotland, as they are very generally +in England, does not seem to +have occurred to your correspondent; I +confess it did to me, but considered, to +mention it in my trifling "Domestic +Hint," quite unnecessary, since, had +their wastefulness been hitherto unknown +to their employers, it might +henceforth, if they pleased "to take a +hint," be by them materially checked. +In days when the complaint of poverty +is universal, when the working classes +find it difficult to carry on any employment +which shall bring them bread, and +when thousands wander over the united +kingdom with no apparent means of +subsistence, I did not imagine that a +"Hint," as to a possible source of emolument +(were it confined but to half a +dozen individuals) to the poor, would be +considered a meet subject for ridicule. +I said, or intended to say, if shavings +and loose chippings of wood are of little +value for fuel in Scotland, they are acceptable +in England; and why, if the +proprietors of new houses choose during +their erection, to save the fuel they +produce, and of which I repeat I have +seen vast quantities burnt, and bestow it +as a charity on such persons as might +think it worth acceptance for sale, +"over the Border;" why they should +not do so, I have yet to learn.<a id="footnotetag5" name="footnotetag5"></a><a href="#footnote5"><sup>5</sup></a> However, +waiving this scheme, which <i>S.S.</i> +may be inclined to think rather Utopian, +and conceding, that if Scotland needs +not for fuel, her refuse chips and shavings, +they would not answer in that +light as a marketable commodity in the +sister country, still wood and wood-ashes +have become of late years, agents +so valuable and important in chemistry, +and other sciences and arts, as to furnish +another, and all-sufficient reason +why no reckless destruction should be +allowed of an article, every species of +which may be rendered, under some +modification, of utility.</p> + +<p>Respecting the well preserved eggs of +Scotland; though <i>S.S.</i> is probably aware +of the circumstance, yet some of your +readers may not be, their sale in England +(and indeed I have understood +America) brings her in no inconsiderable +profit. In this country they arrive, +and I have my account from an eye-witness, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page245" id="page245"></a>[pg 245]</span> +in large deal boxes, most curiously +packed, relying solely on each +other for support; since, set up perpendicularly +on their ends, with no +straw, heather, saw-dust, or any other +material to fill the interstices between +them, the fate of every box of this fragile +ware depends, during its journey +and unlading, on the safety or fracture +of a single egg; but such is the nicety +and compactness of their packing, that +rarely, if ever, an accident occurs.</p> + +<p class="author">M.L.B.</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>PRICE OF TEA.</h3> + +<h4>(<i>To the Editor</i>.)</h4> + +<p>As I have been a subscriber to <i>The +Mirror</i> from its commencement, and +very frequently refer to its pages with +much pleasure and profit, I hope I may +be allowed to correct a statement made +in No. 541, p. 222, under the article +<i>Tea</i>. It is said that the profit of one +pound to sell at 7<i>s</i>. is 2<i>s</i>. 2<i>d</i>.</p> + +<pre> + s. d. + Thus, cost price 2 5 + Duty 2 5 + Profit 2 2 + ---- + 7 0 +</pre> + +<p>In all retail houses of any respectability +in the Tea trade, I am sure that +Tea costing 2<i>s</i>. 5<i>d</i>. at the sale is never +sold above 6<i>s</i>. per lb. and in five out of +six shops of the above description 5<i>s</i>. 4<i>d</i>. +and 5<i>s</i>. 6<i>d</i>. is the utmost price demanded +for such Tea. I and my family have +been in the trade, in one house, considerably +more than half a century, and I +can assure you, that from 6<i>d</i>. to 8<i>d</i>. +per lb. is the present retail profit +upon Tea sold at the East India Company's +sales, under 3<i>s</i>. per lb.</p> + +<p class="author">S.</p> + +<p>In reply to this note, the authenticity +of which we do not question, we +can only refer the writer to our distinct +quotation from "the evidence of Mr. +Mills, a Tea Broker, before the House +of Lords.' In our 15th volume, No. +414, p. 104, the proportion of profit is +differently stated from an article in the +<i>Quarterly Review</i>. A pound of 11<i>s</i>.</p> + +<p class="author">Hyson</p> + +<pre> + s. d. + Costs at the Company's Sale 4 4 + King's Duty 4 4 + ---- + 8 8 + Retailer's profit, brokerage, &c. 2 4 + ----- + 11 0 +</pre> + +<p>We have often received from one of +the most extensively dealing retail Tea-dealers +in the metropolis, an assurance, +similar to that of our correspondent, <i>S</i>. +so that we do not require the substantiation +he proffers.—<i>Ed. M</i>.</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2>The Naturalist.</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>GLEANINGS IN NATURAL HISTORY.</h3> + +<p>Observers of Nature seem to be just +now appreciating the observation of the +benevolent <i>Gilbert White</i>, of Selborne, +who lived and died in the last century: +"that if stationary men would pay some +attention to the districts on which they +reside, and would publish their thoughts +respecting the objects that surround +them, from such materials might be +drawn the most complete county histories." +Accordingly, a little system of +rural philosophy has been founded upon +the best of all bases, home-observation, +and such books as have resulted from +these labours, promise to make the +study of Nature more popular than will +all the Zoological, Botanical, and Geological +Societies of Europe. Among these +works we include the cheap reprint of +the <i>Natural History of Selborne</i>; Mr. +Rennie's delightful observations which +are scattered through the Zoological +volumes of the <i>Library of Entertaining +Knowledge</i>; but more especially the +<i>Journal of a Naturalist</i>, published by +Mr. Leonard Knapp, about three years +since, and stated by the author to have +originated in his admiration of Mr. +White's <i>Selborne</i>. The volume before +us is the result of a congenial feeling, +and is written by Edward Jesse, Esq., +deputy surveyor of his majesty's parks, +by means of which appointment he must +have possessed peculiar opportunities +and facilities of observation, as is evident +in the local recollections throughout +his volume. Thus, we find miscellaneous +particulars of the Royal Parks +and Forests, and from the writer's residence +on the bank of the Thames, (we +conclude, near Bushy Park,) a few +Maxims for an Angler. The whole is +a very charming <i>melange</i>, with a most +discursive arrangement, it is true, but +never falling into dulness, or tiring the +reader with too minute detail. We intend, +therefore, to range through the +volume, and gather a few of its most +interesting gleanings to our garner.</p> + +<p>Our author thinks he has discovered +the use for the remarkable and, indeed, +what appears disproportionate length, +of the</p> + +<h3>Claws of the Skylark.</h3> + +<p>"That they were not intended to enable +the bird to search the earth for +food, or to fix itself more securely on +the branches of trees, is evident, as +they neither scratch the ground nor +roost on trees. The lark makes its +nest generally in grass fields, where it +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page246" id="page246"></a>[pg 246]</span> +is liable to be injured either by cattle +grazing over it, or by the mower. In +case of alarm from either these or other +causes, the parent birds remove their +eggs, by means of their long claws, to +a place of greater security; and this +transportation I have observed to be effected +in a very short space of time. By +placing a lark's egg, which is rather +large in proportion to the size of the +bird, in the foot, and then drawing the +claws over it, you will perceive that +they are of sufficient length to secure +the egg firmly, and by this means the +bird is enabled to convey its eggs to +another place, where she can sit upon +and hatch them. When one of my +mowers first told me that he had observed +the fact, I was somewhat disinclined +to credit it; but I have since ascertained +it beyond a doubt, and now mention it +as another strong proof of that order +in the economy of Nature, by means of +which this affectionate bird is enabled +to secure its forthcoming offspring. I +call it affectionate, because few birds +show a stronger attachment to their +young."</p> + +<h3>Instinct allied to reason.</h3> + +<p>Several interesting anecdotes are quoted +to show that there is something more +than mere instinct, which influences the +conduct of some animals. Bees and +spiders afford many traits, but we quote +the elephant and parrot:</p> + +<p>"I was one day feeding the poor +elephant (who was so barbarously put +to death at Exeter 'Change) with potatoes, +which he took out of my hand. +One of them, a round one, fell on the +floor, just out of the reach of his proboscis. +He leaned against his wooden +bar, put out his trunk, and could just +touch the potato, but could not pick it +up. After several ineffectual efforts, he +at last <i>blew</i> the potato against the opposite +wall with sufficient force to make it +rebound, and he then, without difficulty, +secured it. Now it is quite clear, I +think, that instinct never taught the +elephant to procure his food in this manner; +and it must, therefore, have been +reason, or some intellectual faculty, +which enabled him to be so good a judge +of cause and effect. Indeed, the <i>reflecting</i> +power of some animals is quite +extraordinary. I had a dog who was +much attached to me, and who, in consequence +of his having been tied up on +a Sunday morning, to prevent his accompanying +me to church, would conceal +himself in good time on that day, +and I was sure to find him either at the +entrance of the church, or if he could +get in, under the place where I usually +sat.</p> + +<p>"I have been often much delighted +with watching the manner in which +some of the old bucks in Bushy Park +contrive to get the berries from the fine +thorn-trees there. They will raise +themselves on their hind legs, give a +spring, entangle their horns in the lower +branches of the tree, give them one or +two shakes, which make some of the +berries full, and they will then quietly +pick them up.</p> + +<p>"A strong proof of intellect was +given in the case of Colonel O'Kelly's +parrot. When the colonel and his parrot +were at Brighton, the bird was +asked to sing; he answered 'I can't,' +Another time he left off in the middle +of a tune, and said, 'I have forgot.' +Colonel O'Kelly continued the tune for +a few notes; the parrot took it up +where the Colonel had left off. The +parrot took up the bottom of a lady's +petticoat, and said 'What a pretty foot!' +The parrot seeing the family at breakfast +said, 'Won't you give some breakfast +to Poll?' The company teazed +and mopped him a good deal; he said +'I don't like it.'—(From a Memorandum +found amongst the late Earl of Guildford's +Papers.)"</p> + +<h3>Eels.</h3> + +<p>Several pages are devoted to the +economy of these curious creatures, and +as many points of their history are +warmly contested, Mr. Jesse's experience +is valuable.</p> + +<p>"That they do wander<a id="footnotetag6" name="footnotetag6"></a><a href="#footnote6"><sup>6</sup></a> from one +place to another is evident, as I am assured +that they have been found in ponds +in Richmond Park, which had been previously +cleaned out and mudded, and +into which no water could run except +from the springs which supplied it.<a id="footnotetag7" name="footnotetag7"></a><a href="#footnote7"><sup>7</sup></a> +An annual migration of young eels takes +place in the River Thames in the month +of May, and they have generally made +their appearance at Kingston, in their +way upwards, about the second week in +that month, and accident has so determined +it, that, for several years together +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page247" id="page247"></a>[pg 247]</span> +it was remarked that the 10th of May +was the day of what the fishermen call +eel-fair; but they have been more irregular +in their proceedings since the +interruption of the lock at Teddington. +These young eels are about two inches +in length, and they make their approach +in one regular and undeviating column +of about five inches in breadth, and as +thick together as it is possible for them +to be. As the procession generally +lasts two or three days, and as they appear +to move at the rate of nearly two +miles and a half an hour, some idea may +be formed of their enormous number.</p> + +<p>"Eels feed on almost all animal substances, +whether dead or living. It is +well known that they devour the young +of all water-fowl that are not too large +for them. Mr. Bingley states, that he +saw exposed for sale at Retford, in Nottinghamshire, +a quantity of eels that +would have filled a couple of wheelbarrows, +the whole of which had been +taken out of the body of a dead horse, +thrown into a ditch near one of the adjacent +villages; and a friend of mine +saw the body of a man taken out of the +Serpentine River in Hyde Park, where +it had been some time, and from which +a large eel crawled out. The winter +retreat of eels is very curious. They +not only get deep into the mud, but in +Bushy Park, where the mud in the ponds +is not very deep, and what there is, is of +a sandy nature, the eels make their way +under the banks of the ponds, and have +been found knotted together in a large +mass. Eels vary much in size in different +waters. The largest I ever caught +was in Richmond Park, and it weighed +five pounds, but some are stated to have +been caught in Ireland which weighed +from fifteen to twenty pounds. Seven +pounds is, I believe, no unusual size. +The large ones are extremely strong and +muscular. Fishing one day at Pain's +Hill, near Cobham, in Surrey, I hooked +an eel amongst some weeds, but before +I could land him, he had so twisted a new +strong double wire, to which the hook +was fixed, that he broke it and made his +escape."</p> + +<p>Sir Humphry Davy's opinions respecting +eels are quoted from his <i>Salmonia</i>:<a id="footnotetag8" name="footnotetag8"></a><a href="#footnote8"><sup>8</sup></a> +Mr. Jesse adds:</p> + +<p>"It is with considerable diffidence +that one would venture to differ in opinion +with Sir Humphry Davy, but I cannot +help remarking, that, as eels are +now known to migrate <i>from</i> fresh water, +as was shown in the case of the Richmond +Park ponds, this restless propensity +may arise from their impatience of +the greater degree of warmth in those +ponds in the month of May, and not +from their wish to get into water still +warmer, as suggested by Sir Humphry +Davy. Very large eels are certainly +found in rivers, the Thames and Mole +for instance, where I have seen them so +that they must either have remained in +them, or have returned from the sea, +which Sir H. Davy thinks they never +do, though I should add, that the circumstance +already related of so many +large eels being seen dead or dying +during a hot summer, near the Nore, +would appear to confirm his assertion. +If eels are oviparous, as Sir Humphry +Davy thinks they are, would not the +ova have been found, especially in the +conger,—many of which are taken and +brought to our markets, frequently of a +very large size? It does not appear, +however, that any of the fringes along +the air-bladder have ever arrived at such +a size and appearance as to have justified +any one in the supposition that they +were ovaria, though, as has been stated, +distinguished naturalists, from the time +of Aristotle to the present moment, have +been endeavouring to ascertain this fact. +Since the above was written, I have +been shown ova in the lamprey, and +what appeared to have been melt taken +from a conger eel, at a fishmonger's in +Bond-street. These specimens were +preserved by Mr. Yarrell, of Little +Ryder-street, St. James's, who had the +kindness to open two eels, sent to him +from Scotland, in my presence, and in +which the fringes were very perceptible, +though they were without any ova. +That ingenious and indefatigable naturalist +is, however, of opinion that eels +are oviparous, though he failed in producing +proof that the common eels were so.</p> + +<p>"In further proof, however, of eels +being viviparous, it may be added (if the +argument of analogy applies in this +case), that the animalculæ of paste eels +are decidedly viviparous. Mr. Bingley +also, in his animal biography, says that +eels are viviparous. Blumenbach says, +too, that 'according to the most correct +observations they are certainly viviparous.' +He adds also, that, the eel is +so tenacious of life, that its heart, when +removed from the body, retains its irritability +for forty hours afterwards."</p> + +<p>We are not inclined to attach very +considerable importance to Mr. Bingley's +experience, much as we admire his +entertaining <i>Animal Biography</i>: we +believe him to be classed among book-naturalists, +and he wrote this work many +years since.</p> + +<p>(<i>To be continued</i>.)</p> + +<hr /> + +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page248" id="page248"></a>[pg 248]</span> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width:100%;"><a href="images/543-2.png"><img width="100%" src="images/543-2.png" alt="Queen Anne's Spring, near Eton." /></a> +</div><h3>QUEEN ANNE'S SPRING, NEAR ETON.</h3> + +<center>(<i>From a Correspondent</i>.)</center> + +<p>The accompanying sketch represents a +sequestered spot of sylvan shade whence +rises a Spring which tradition designates +Queen Anne's. Here the limpid crystal +flows in gentle, yet ceaseless streams, +conveying "Health to the sick and +solace to the swain."</p> + +<p>It has some claims to antiquity; and +its merits have been appreciated by royalty. +Queen Anne was the first august +personage who had recourse to it; in +later times, Queen Charlotte for many +years had the pure element conveyed to +her royal abode at Windsor, and in +1785, a stone, with a cipher and date, +was placed there by her illustrious consort, +George III. This spring is situate +at Chalvey, (a village between Eton and +Salt Hill,) on the property of J. Mason, +Esq., Cippenham. It was the observation +of the esteemed and celebrated Dr. +Heberdeen, that it but required a physician +to write a treatise on the water, +to render it as efficacious as Malvern.</p> + +<p class="author">URANIA.</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2>Spirit Of The Public Journals.</h2> +<hr /> + +<h3>STATE OF MAGIC IN EGYPT, BY AN EYE-WITNESS.</h3> + +<p>At the Consul General's table, in Egypt, +in August, 1822, the conversation turned +on the belief in magic; and the Consul's +Italian Staff propounded the following +story, which seemed to have perfect +possession of their best belief. They +said that a magician of great name was +then in Cairo—I think a Mogrebine; +and that he had been sent for to the +Consul's house, and put to the following +proof:—A silver spoon had been lost, +and he was invited to point out the thief. +On arriving, he sent for an Arab boy at +hazard out of the street, and after various +ceremonies, poured ink into the boy's +hand, into which the boy was to look. +It was stated, that he asked the boy what +he saw, and the boy answered, "<i>I see a +little man</i>,"—Tell him to bring a flag,—"<i>Now +he has brought a flag</i>."—Tell +him to bring another.—"<i>Now he has +brought another</i>."—Tell him to bring a +third,—"<i>Now he has brought it</i>."—Tell +him to bring a fourth.—"<i>He has brought +it</i>."—Tell him to bring the captain of +them all.—"<i>I see a great Sheik on horseback</i>."—Tell +him to bring the man that +stole the spoon.—"<i>Now he has brought +him</i>."—What is he like?—"<i>He is a +Frangi, poor-looking and mesquin</i>." +After which followed other points of personal +description not remembered; but +which drew from the Staff the observation, +that a European of exactly those +qualities had been about the house. We +expressed our desire to be introduced to +the magician, and the Consul gravely +intimated it might hurt the prejudices +of his wife, as being a Catholic; to the +great mirth of the beautiful Consuless +when she was told of it, who, though a +Catholic and an Italian, declared she was +the only person in the family that set all +the magicians in Egypt at defiance.</p> + +<p>Having some time afterwards established +ourselves in a house of our own, +on the edge of the garden of the Austrian +Consulate (as I remember by the token +that a Turkish officer who had been +taking his evening walk of meditation, +very gravely opened the window from +the garden, put in first one leg of his +huge trousers and then the other, and +strode into the room followed by his +pipe-bearer, as being the shortest cut +into the street; though I must do him +the justice to say he laughed and was +very conversable, when I brought him +up with a salam and a cup of coffee, by +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page249" id="page249"></a>[pg 249]</span> +way of demonstrating there was somebody +in the house besides the Arab +owner), we sent for the magician. I remember +a well-dressed personable man, of +what, after the fashion of the nomenclature +in the Chamber of Deputies, might +be called the young middle-age. He +agreed to show us a specimen of his art, +though I do not recollect that the nature +of it was defined. He fixed upon our +little boy of seven years old to be his instrument; +and I remember he talked +some nonsense about requiring an innocent +agent, and how a woman might do +as well, if she could plead the innocent +presence of the unborn. He dispatched +a servant into the bazar, to procure +frankincense and other things which he +directed; and on their being produced +we all retired into a room, and closed +the doors and windows. An earthen +pot was placed in the middle of the floor, +containing fire, and the magician sat +down by it. He placed the little boy +before him, and poured ink into the hollow +of the boy's hand, and bid him look +into it steadily. I think the mother +rather quailed, at seeing her child in +such propinquity with "the Enemy;" +but recovered herself on being exhorted +to defy the devil and all his works. And +the thing was not entirely without danger +from another quarter; for it was +understood the Pasha had directed a +special edict against all dealing with +familiar spirits; and the Pasha's edicts +were not altogether to be trifled with, +as we knew from the mishap of a poor +Indian servant, who was caught in the +bazar in the fact of taking thirteen of +the Pasha's tin piasters in change for a +dollar, when the political economy of +Cairo had decreed that twelve were to +be equal in public estimation, and was +immediately incarcerated in the place of +skulls, or at least of heads, from which +it is supposed he would have come out +shorn of his beard and the chin it grew +from, if the Consular cocked hat and +Abyssinian charger had not proceeded +at a gallop to the Court at Shubra, to +claim him as a subject of the British +crown; and much did poor Baloo vow, +that no earthly temptation should take +him again to quit the gentle rule of the +old Lady in Leadenhall-street, who, +though she pinches a Peishwa and mercilessly +screws a renter when it suits +her, it must be allowed has a reverent +care for the heads of all her lieges, and +gives them a fair chance of going to their +graves with the members nature had +bestowed on them.</p> + +<p><i>Hisce positis</i>, as the logicians say, the +magician began his process. The boy +was innocent of fear; being in fact a +person rather perplexed and imperfect +in those parts of theology that should +have caused him to feel alarm. His +native nurse first taught him to kiss his +hand to the moon walking in brightness; +which, being especially reprobated in the +book of Job, we persuaded him to renounce. +We next found him making +salams as he passed the fat old gentleman +with an elephant's head, and other +foul idolatries bedaubed with rose-pink +and butter, that show themselves on +various milestone-like appurtenances to +an Indian road. After his visit to the +Persian Gulph he leaned more towards +monotheism; and I once found him +seated between two guns on the quarter-deck +of an Arab frigate, in the midst of +a fry of devotees of little more than his +own age, busily engaged in chanting +canticles in praise of Mohammed the +"amber-<i>ee</i>." His early leaning towards +the ugly gods of Hindoston, had made it +a delicate matter to introduce him to our +Evil Principle; and the fact was, that +when he afterwards saw the Freischutz +in England, we had no means of making +him comprehend the nature of the crimson +fiend, but by telling him he was a +relation of his old elephant-headed friend +Gunputty. On the whole I imagine +there never was a better subject to cope +with a sorcerer; and when he asked the +cause of the immediate preparations we +told him the man was going to show some +feats of legerdemain such as he used to +see in India. The magician began by +throwing grains of incense upon the fire, +bowing with a seesaw motion and repeating +"<i>Heyya hadji Capitân, Heyya +hadji Capitân;</i>" which being interpreted, +if it was intended to have any meaning, +would appear to imply "<i>Hurra, pilgrim +Captain!</i>" being, as I understood it at +the time, an invocation by his style and +title, of the spirit he wished to see. +When nothing came, he increased his +zeal after the manner of a priest of Baal, +and seemed determined that if the +"Captain" was sleeping or on a journey, +he should not be missed for want of calling. +One slight <i>variorum</i> reading I observed. +Instead of saying to the boy +"What do you see?" as had been reported—he +said "<i>Do you see a little +man?</i>" which, if he had been accessible +to fear or phantasy, was manifestly telling +him what he was to look for. The +boy, however, resolutely declared he saw +nothing; and the sorcerer continued his +calls upon his spirit. When in this +manner curiosity had been roused to +something like expectation, the boy suddenly +exclaimed, "I see something!"— +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page250" id="page250"></a>[pg 250]</span> +<i>Tremor occupat artis;</i>—when he quashed +it all by adding, "I see my nose." +By the dim light of the fire, he had succeeded +in getting a glimpse of his own +countenance reflected in the ink. The +magician doubled his exertions by way +of carrying the thing off; but there was +much less gravity in his audience afterwards; +and at last he was forced to declare +that the spirit would not come, and +the reason he believed was because we +were Christians. He said, however, if +an Arab boy was substituted the spirit +would come. A servant therefore was +sent out to bring a boy by the offer of a +piastre, and one was soon produced. +Whether there was any confederacy or +not, I had no precise means to ascertain; +but I was inclined to think not. The +Arab boy was trusted with the ink in +place of the European, and on the magician's +asking him the leading question +"Do you see a little man?" he took +but one look and answered "Yes." The +orders then followed "Tell him to bring +a flag." &c. to all of which, whether +operated on by some dread of refusing, +or by the natural inclination of one +rogue to help another, he duly answered +that the thing was done. I do not remember +any further <i>denoĂąment</i> that +there was; and so ended the magic of +the magician of Grand Cairo.</p> + +<p>Being disappointed in this experiment, +we began to seek for the opportunity +of making others, and offered a +reward for any person who would show +us a specimen of imp or spirit. One +man was produced, who was stated to +be of considerable fame. He said he +would show me a spirit; but I must go +out with him three nights running to a +cross road at midnight, and perform divers +ceremonies and lustrations which +he proceeded to describe. I believe he +he had got an inkling, that I intended to +leave Cairo the next day. I told him, +however, that I would cheerfully go +through any ceremonies he might propose. +He next said, it would be necessary +that I should repeat the name of +the spirit I called for, eleven thousand +times; and this I assured him I would +painfully perform. He then said, he +was afraid at my age the operation would +be dangerous. I wonder whether the +rogue meant that I was too young, or +too old, or too middle-aged; for I was +exactly thirty-eight. Seeing that I only +pressed him the more, he took his fee +and walked off, intimating that there +was no use in doing these things with +Frangis.</p> + +<p>I saw another instance in Cairo, of +the way in which a story accumulates +by telling, and the degree in which even +sensible Europeans by long residence +are induced to give into the beliefs they +find around them. The conversation +turned one day on the power of charming +serpents, supposed to be inherent in +certain descendants of the <i>Psylli</i>. One +of the Consular Staff immediately declared, +that a most remarkable instance +of the fact had happened in the Consul-General's +own courtyard the day before. +That one of those gifted men had come +into the yard, and declared he knew by +his art that there were serpents in the +stable; and that he had immediately +gone and summoned forth two snakes of +the most poisonous kind, which he seized +in his hands and brought, in the presence +of the relator, to the Consular threshold. +Now it happened to me to see the whole +of this scene. I was wandering about +the Consul's court, gazing at the curiosities +scattered around, enough to have +set up any European museum with an +Egyptian branch, and particularly, I +remember, at a lame mummy's crutch, +found with him in his coffin, on which +it is possible the original owner hopped +away from the plague of frogs. An old +rural Arab of respectable appearance +was standing at the Consul's door, holding +in his hand the crooked stick which +an Arab keeps to recover the halter of +his camel if he happens to lose it while +mounted, and presenting altogether a +parallel to a substantial yeoman with his +riding-whip, come to town to do a little +justice business with the Mayor. A +stable-keeper came and said, that two +snakes had made their appearance in the +stable; on which the Arab, being no +more in the habit of fearing such vermin +than a European farmer of fearing rats, +proceeded towards the stable, and I followed +him. Sure enough there were +two snakes in dalliance in the horse's +stall; and my construction was, that it +was the poor animals' St. Valentine. +The Arab, however, ruthlessly smote +them with his gib stick, in a way that +showed an exact comprehension of what +would settle a snake; and brought them +hanging by the tails and still writhing +with the remains of life, and laid them +at the threshold of the house. I looked +at the snakes, and felt a strong persuasion +that they were of a harmless kind; +but whether they were or not, was of +small moment as the Arab treated them.</p> + +<p>I remember in India once driving one +of the snake-jugglers to discovery. He +told the servants there were snakes in +the stable; and offered to produce one. +He accordingly went, with piping and +other ceremonies, and soon demonstrated +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page251" id="page251"></a>[pg 251]</span> +a goodly <i>cobra de capello</i> struggling by +the tail. He secured this in his repertory +of snakes, and said he thought there +was another; on which he went through +the same operations again. Though he +had been too quick for me on both occasions, +I offered him a rupee to produce +a third, which he agreed to; and this +time I saw the snake's head, struggling +rather oddly in his nether garments. He +ran into the horse's stall, rushed forward +with a shriek to distract attention, and +then I saw him jerk out a snake of some +four feet long, and drag it backwards by +the tip of the tail as if desperately afraid +of it. Knowing his snakes must be an +exhaustible quantity, I proffered a second +rupee for another, taking care to keep +between him and the snake-basket; +which he declined. But on turning round +and giving him a chance to communicate +with his receptacle, he quickly presented +himself with the assurance that now he +thought he knew where a serpent might be +lodged. The Indian servants all devoutly +believed in his skill; but it is impossible +not to be ashamed of Europeans, who +adorn their books with marks of similar +gullibility.—<i>Abridged from Tait's +Edinburgh Mag.</i></p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2>Notes of a Reader</h2> +<hr /> +<h3>RECREATIONS IN THE LAW.</h3> + +<p>Gentle reader, we are not about to direct +your notice to the Temple Gardens, +the olden feasts in our Law Halls—through +which men ate their way to +eminence—nor to prove that looking to a +Chancellorship is woolgathering—nor to +invite you to the shrubby groves of Lincoln's +Inn, or to promenade with the +spirit of BACON in Gray's Inn. All these +may be pleasurable occupations; but +there is mirth in store in the <i>study</i> of the +Law itself, which is not "dull and crabbed +as some fools (or knaves) suppose."</p> + +<p>In a recent <i>Mirror</i>, (No. 540) this +may have been made manifest to the +reader in the Legal Rhymes, quoted by +our correspondent, <i>W.A.R.;</i><a id="footnotetag9" name="footnotetag9"></a><a href="#footnote9"><sup>9</sup></a> but lo! +here is a volume of evidence in "<i>The +Cenveyancer's Guide;</i>" a Poem, by +John Crisp, Esq., of Furnival's Inn; +in which the art of Conveyancing is sung +in Hudibrastic verse, and said in notes +of pleasant prose. Happy are we to +see Mr. Crisp's volume in a third edition, +since we opine from this success +the bright moments of relief which his +Muse may have shed upon the <i>viginti +annorum lucubrutiones</i> of thousands of +students. We have not space for quotations +from the poem itself, in which +<i>Doe</i> and <i>Roe</i> figure as heroes, with their +occasional friend Thomas Stiles. We +can only say their movements are sung +with the terseness and point which we +so much admire in the great originals, +so as to make men acknowledge there +is good in every thing. Our extracts +are from the Introduction and Notes. +First is</p> + +<center>A LEGAL GLEE.</center> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>"A woman having a settlement,</p> +<p class="i2">Married a man with none,</p> +<p>The question was, he being dead,</p> +<p class="i2">If that she had was gone.</p> +<p>Quoth <i>Sir John Pratt</i>, her settlement</p> +<p class="i2">Suspended did remain,</p> +<p>Living the husband—but him dead,</p> +<p class="i2">It doth revive again.</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i10"> "CHORUS OF PUISNE JUDGES.</p> +<p class="i8"> "Living the husband—but him dead,</p> +<p class="i10"> It doth revive again."</p> + </div> </div> + + +<p>A print of Westminster Hall, by +Mosely, from a drawing made by Gravelot, +who died in 1773, bears the following +versified inscription:—</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>"When fools fall out, for ev'ry flaw,</p> +<p>They run horn mad to go to law,</p> +<p>A hedge awry, a wrong plac'd gate,</p> +<p>Will serve to spend a whole estate.</p> +<p>Your case the lawyer says is good,</p> +<p>And justice cannot he withstood;</p> +<p>By tedious process from above,</p> +<p>From office they to office move,</p> +<p>Thro' pleas, demurrers, the dev'l and all,</p> +<p>At length they bring it to the <i>Hall</i>;</p> +<p>The dreadful hall by Rufus rais'd,</p> +<p>For lofty Gothick arches prais'd.</p> + </div><div class="stanza"> +<p class="i2">"The <i>first of Term</i>, the fatal day,</p> +<p>Doth various images convey;</p> +<p>First, from the courts with clam'rous bawl,</p> +<p>The <i>criers</i> their <i>attornies</i> call;</p> +<p>One of the gown discreet and wise,</p> +<p>By <i>proper</i> means his witness tries;</p> +<p>From <i>Wreathock's</i> gang, not right or laws,</p> +<p>H' assures his trembling client's cause.</p> +<p><i>This</i> gnaws his haudkerchies, whilst <i>that</i></p> +<p>Gives the kind ogling nymph his hat;</p> +<p>Here one in love with choristers,</p> +<p>Minds singing more than law affairs.</p> +<p>A <i>Serjeant</i> limping on behind,</p> +<p>Shews justice lame as well as blind.</p> +<p>To gain new clients some dispute,</p> +<p>Others protract an ancient suit,</p> +<p>Jargon and noise alone prevail,</p> +<p>Whilst sense and reason's sure to fail:</p> +<p>At <i>Babel</i> thus <i>law terms</i> begun,</p> +<p>And now at West——er go on."</p> + </div> </div> + +<p>At page 24, of the Poem, there is a +happy allusion to the permanence or +lasting of a limitation:</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>"But if the limitation's made</p> +<p>So long as cheating's us'd in trade,</p> +<p>Or vice prevails: 'tis then a fee,</p> +<p>As good as ever need to be:</p> +<p>For tho' 'tis base instead of pure,</p> +<p>Alas it ever will endure."</p> + </div> </div> + +<p>Upon this passage is the following +confirmative note: +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page252" id="page252"></a>[pg 252]</span> +"Cheating will always prevail, in defiance +of all human laws, for it cannot +be avoided, but so long as contracts be +suffered, many offences shall follow +thereby."—(<i>Doctor and Student</i>, c. 3.) +In buying and selling, the law of nations +connives at some cunning and +overreaching in respect of the price. +By the civil law, a just price is said to +be that, whereby neither the buyer nor +seller is injured above one moiety of the +true and common value; and in this +case the person injured shall not be relieved +by rescinding the sale, for he must +impute it to his own imprudence and +indiscretion.</p> + +<p>The origin of <i>Fee-tail estates</i>:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"The expression, fee-tail, was borrowed +from the feudists, among whom +it signified any mutilated or truncated +inheritance from which the heirs general +were cut off, being derived from the +barbarous word <i>taliare</i> to cut.—(2 <i>Blac. +Comm</i>. 112.) +</p></blockquote> + +<p><i>Fines and Recoveries (as fund and +refund</i>,) are like the poles, arctic and +attractive. Of the latter is the following +<i>quid-pro-quo</i> anecdote:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"A physician of an acrimonious disposition, +and having a thorough hatred +of lawyers, was in company with a barrister, +and in the course of conversation, +reproached the profession of the +latter with the use of phrases utterly +unintelligible. 'For example,' said he, +'I never could understand what you +lawyers mean by docking an entail.' +'That is very likely,' answered the lawyer, +'but I will explain it to you; it is +doing what you doctors never consent +to—<i>suffering a recovery</i>.' +</p></blockquote> + +<p>Among the notes to <i>Rights and Titles</i> +is the following:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"Master <i>Mason</i>, of <i>Trinity College</i>, +sent his pupil to another of the fellows +to borrow a book of him, who told him, +'I am loth to lend books out of my +chamber, but if it please thy tutor to +come and read upon it in my chamber, +he shall as long as he will.' It was +winter, and some days after the same +fellow sent to Mr. <i>Mason</i> to borrow his +bellows, but Mr. <i>Mason</i> said to his +pupil, 'I am loth to lend my bellows out +of my chamber, but if thy tutor would +come and blow the fire in my chamber, +he shall as long as he will.' +</p></blockquote> + +<p>In the next page is a note on the <i>Nature +of Property</i>, in the perspicuous +style of a master-mind:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"There is nothing which so generally +strikes the imagination, and engages +the affections of mankind, as the right +of property; or that sole and despotic +dominion which one man claims and exercises +over the external things of the +world, in total exclusion of the right of +any other individual in the universe. +And yet there are very few that will +give themselves the trouble to consider +the original and foundation of this right. +Pleased as we are with the possession, +we seem afraid to look back to the +means by which it was acquired, as if +fearful of some defect in our title; or +at best we rest satisfied with the decision +of the laws in our favour, without +examining the reason and authority upon +which those laws have been built. We +think it enough that our title is derived +by the grant of the former proprietor, +by descent from our ancestors, or by the +last will and testament of the dying +owner; not caring to reflect that (accurately +and strictly speaking) there is no +foundation in nature, or in natural law, +why a set of words upon parchment +should convey the dominion of land; +why the son should have a right to exclude +his fellow creature from a determinate +spot of ground, because his father +had so done before him; or why +the occupier of a particular field, or of +a jewel, when lying on his death bed, +and no longer able to maintain possession, +should be entitled to tell the rest +of the world which of them should enjoy +it after him.—(2 <i>Blac. Comm.</i> 2)</p> + +<p>"The <i>two sheriff's of London</i> are the +<i>one sheriff of Middlesex</i>; thus constituting +in the latter case, what may be +denominated, in the words of <i>George +Colman the Younger</i>, (see his address +to the Reviewers, in his <i>vagaries</i>,) +'a plural unit.' Henry the First, in the +same charter by which he declared and +confirmed the privileges of the City of +<i>London</i>, (and among others, that of +choosing their own sheriffs,) conferred +on them, in consideration of an annual +rent of 300<i>l.</i>, to be paid to his majesty +and his successors for ever, the perpetual +sheriffalty of <i>Middlesex</i>. This was +an enormous price; 300<i>l.</i>. in those days +were equal to more than three times as +many thousands at the present time. +</p></blockquote> + +<p>Here is a lively commentary upon +the <i>Inclosure Acts</i>:</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"To a pamphlet which was published +some years ago, against the propriety +of enclosing <i>Waltham Forest</i>, +the following quaint motto was prefixed:</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>"The fault is great in man or woman, </p> +<p>Who steals a goose from off a common,</p> +<p>But who can plead that man's excuse, </p> +<p>Who steals the common from the goose?"</p> + </div> </div> +</blockquote> + +<h4>How to decide a Chancery Suit:</h4> + +<p>"The <i>Shellys</i> were a family of distinction +in <i>Sussex</i>. <i>Richard</i> and <i>Thomas +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page253" id="page253"></a>[pg 253]</span> +Shelly</i> were a long time engaged in +litigation; and Queen Elizabeth hearing +of it, ordered her Lord Chancellor to +summon the Judges to put an end to it, +to prevent the ruin of so ancient a family."—(<i>Engl. Baronets</i>, ed. 1737.)</p> + +<p>With these pleasantries we leave the +<i>Conveyancer's Guide</i>, hoping it may be +long ere the witty author sings his +"Farewell to his Muse."</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2>Manners & Customs of all Nations.</h2> +<hr /> + +<h3>THE CURFEW BELL.</h3> + +<h4>(<i>For the Mirror</i>.)</h4> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>Hark! the curfews solemn sound;</p> +<p>Silence, darkness, spreads around.</p> + </div> </div> + +<p>There are now but few places in which +this ancient custom—the memento of +the iron sway of William the Conqueror—is +retained.</p> + +<p>Its impression when I heard it for the +first time, will never be effaced from my +memory. Let not the reader suppose +that it was merely the <i>sound</i> of the bell +to which I allude; to use the language +of Thomas Moore, I may justly say, +"Oh! no, it was something more exquisite +still."</p> + +<p>It was during the autumn of last year, +that I had occasion to visit the eastern +coast of Kent. Accustomed to an inland +county, the prospect of wandering +by the sea shore, and inhaling the sea +breezes, afforded me no trifling degree +of pleasure. The most frequented road +to the sea, was through a succession of +meadows and pastures; the ground becoming +more irregular and broken as it +advanced, till at last it was little better +than an accumulation of sand-hills. +I have since been informed by a veteran +tar, that these sand-hills bear a striking +resemblance to those on that part of the +coast of Egypt, where the British +troops under the gallant Abercrombie +were landed.</p> + +<p>The evening was beautifully calm, +not a sound disturbed its tranquillity; +and the sun was just sinking to repose +in all his dying glory. At this part of +the coast, the sands are hard and firm to +walk upon; and on arriving at their +extremity, where the waves were gently +breaking at my feet, "forming sweet +music to the thoughtful ear," I looked +around, and gazed on the various objects +that presented themselves to my view, +with feelings of deep interest and pleasure. +The evening was too far advanced +to discern clearly the coast of France, +but its dim outline might just be traced, +bounding the view. Every now and +then a vessel might be seen making her +silent way round the foreland, her form +gradually lessening, till at last it was +entirely lost in the distance. As it grew +darker, the strong, red glare of the +light-house shedding its lurid gleams on +the waves, added a novel effect to the +scene.</p> + +<p>At the very moment I was turning +from the shore, to retrace my steps, the +deep tone of a distant bell fell on my +ear. It was the Curfew Bell—which +had been tolled regularly at eight +o'clock in the evening, since the days of +the despotic William.</p> + +<p>The vast changes that had taken place +in society, in fact, in every thing, since +the institution of this custom, occupied +my thoughts during my walk; and I +felt no little gratification in the assurance +that what was originally the edict of a +barbarous and despotic age, was now +merely retained as a relic of ancient +times.</p> + +<p>It may be thought romantic, but the +first hearing of the Curfew Bell often +occurs to my memory; and there are +times when I fancy myself walking on +that lone shore, and the objects that I +then thought so beautiful, are as distinctly +and vividly seen as if I were actually +there.</p> + +<p class="author">REGINALD.</p> + +<p>The only drawback from the interest +of this brief paper is that the +writer does not state the name of the +Village whence he heard the Curfew +Bell.</p> + +<hr /> + +<h3>BARBAROUS PUNISHMENTS.</h3> + +<p>It is almost inconceivable how long +Fnglishmen have retained their barbarous +practices. It is not more than a +century since a trial for witchcraft took +place in England, and hardly eighty since +one occurred in Scotland. The crime +of coining the King's money is still +treated as treason, and women, for the +commission of this crime as well as that +of murdering their husbands, were sentenced +to be strangled, and afterwards +publicly burned. In London this horrible +outrage upon civilized feelings was +perpetrated in Smithfield. One of these +melancholy exhibitions took place within +the memory of many persons. The criminal +was a fine young woman, and the +strangling had not been completed, for +when the flames reached her at the +stake, she uttered a shriek. This produced, +as it well might, a general horror, +and the practice was abandoned, though +the law was not abrogated. It was the +mild and enlightened Sir Samuel Romilly +who first brought in a bill to annul the +old acts which ordered the most revolting +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page254" id="page254"></a>[pg 254]</span> +mutilation of the corpses of traitors, +agreeable to a sentence expressed in the +most barbarous jargon. Mark, this was +only a few years since, I believe in 1811.</p> + +<p>What must have been the taste of our +forefathers, who suffered miscreants to +obtain their livelihood for the moment +by stationing themselves at Temple-bar, +after the rebellion in 1745, with magnifying-glasses, +that the spectators might +more nicely discriminate the features of +those unfortunate gentlemen whose +heads had been fixed over the gateway. +No London populace, however tumultuary, +would now for a moment tolerate +such an outrage upon all that is decent +and humane—(From a clever letter in +<i>the Times</i> of April 12, by Colonel Jones.)</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2>The Selector</h2> + +<h4>AND</h4> + +<h3>LITERARY NOTICES OF <i>NEW WORKS.</i></h3> +<hr /> +<h3>THE ALTRIVE TALES.</h3> + +<h4>By the Ettrick Shepherd.</h4> + +<p>Mr. Hogg proposes to collect and reprint +under the above title, the best of +the grave and gay tales with which he +has aided the Magazines and Annuals +during the last few years. The Series +will extend to fourteen volumes, the first +of which, now before us, preceded by +a poetical dedication and autobiographical +memoir. The poem is an exquisite +performance; but the biography, +with due allowance for the Shepherd's +claim, is a most objectionable preface. +It is so disfigured with self-conceit and +vituperative recollections of old grievances, +that we regret some kind friend +of the author did not suggest the omission +of these personalities. They will +be neither advantageous to the writer, +interesting to the public, nor propitiatory +for the work itself; since the world care +less about the squabbles of authors and +booksellers than even an "untoward +event" in Parliament; and if the writer +of every book were to detail his vexations +as a preface, the publication of a +long series of "Calamities" might be +commenced immediately.</p> + +<p>To our way of thinking, the pleasantest +part of the Shepherd's memoir is +his reminiscences of men of talent, with +whom his own abilities have brought +him in contact. Thus, of</p> + +<blockquote><p> +<i>Southey.</i> +</p></blockquote> + +<p>"My first interview with Mr. Southey +was at the Queen's Head inn, in Keswick, +where I had arrived, wearied, one +evening, on my way to Westmoreland; +and not liking to intrude on his family +circle that evening, I sent a note up to +Greta Hall, requesting him to come +down and see me, and drink one half +mutchkin along with me. He came on +the instant, and stayed with me about +an hour and a half. But I was a grieved +as well as an astonished man, when I +found that he refused all participation +in my beverage of rum punch. For a +poet to refuse his glass was to me a +phenomenon; and I confess I doubted +in my own mind, and doubt to this day, +if perfect sobriety and transcendent +poetical genius can exist together. In +Scotland I am sure they cannot. With +regard to the English, I shall leave +them to settle that among themselves, +as they have little that is worth drinking.</p> + +<p>"Before we had been ten minutes +together my heart was knit to Southey, +and every hour thereafter my esteem for +him increased. I breakfasted with him +next morning, and remained with him +all that day and the next; and the weather +being fine, we spent the time in +rambling on the hills and sailing on the +lake; and all the time he manifested a +delightful flow of spirits, as well as a +kind sincerity of manner, repeating convivial +poems and ballads, and always +between hands breaking jokes on his +nephew, young Coleridge, in whom he +seemed to take great delight. He gave +me, with the utmost readiness, a poem +and ballad of his own, for a work which +I then projected. I objected to his +going with Coleridge and me, for fear +of encroaching on his literary labours; +and, as I had previously resided a month +at Keswick, I knew every scene almost +in Cumberland; but he said he was an +early riser, and never suffered any task +to interfere with his social enjoyments +and recreations; and along with us he +went both days.</p> + +<p>"Southey certainly is as elegant a +writer as any in the kingdom. But +those who would love Southey as well +as admire him, must see him, as I did, +in the bosom, not only of one lovely +family, but of three, all attached to him +as a father, and all elegantly maintained +and educated, it is generally said, by his +indefatigable pen. The whole of Southey's +conversation and economy, both +at home and afield, left an impression of +veneration on my mind, which no future +contingency shall ever either extinguish +or injure. Both his figure and countenance +are imposing, and deep thought is +strongly marked in his dark eye; but +there is a defect in his eyelids, for these +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page255" id="page255"></a>[pg 255]</span> +he has no power of raising; so that, +when he looks up, he turns up his face, +being unable to raise his eyes; and +when he looks towards the top of one of +his romantic mountains, one would think +he was looking at the zenith. This +peculiarity is what will most strike +every stranger in the appearance of the +accomplished laureate. He does not at +all see well at a distance, which made +me several times disposed to get into a +passion with him, because he did not +admire the scenes which I was pointing +out. We have only exchanged a few +casual letters since that period, and I +have never seen this great and good man +again."</p> + +<p>In the Recollections of Wordsworth +we find related the affront which led to +Hogg's caricature of Wordsworth's style, +an offence which shut out the Shepherd +from the society of the amiable poet of +the Lakes.</p> + +<p>"This anecdote has been told and +told again, but never truly; and was +likewise brought forward in the 'Noctes +Ambrosianæ,' as a joke; but it was no +joke; and the plain, simple truth of the +matter was thus:—</p> + +<p>It chanced one night, when I was +there, that there was a resplendent arch +across the zenith from the one horizon +to the other, of something like the +aurora borealis, but much brighter. It +was a scene that is well remembered, +for it struck the country with admiration, +as such a phenomenon had never +before been witnessed in such perfection; +and, as far as I could learn, it had been +more brilliant over the mountains and +pure waters of Westmoreland than any +where else. Well, when word came +into the room of the splendid meteor, +we all went out to view it; and, on the +beautiful platform at Mount Ryedale +we were all walking, in twos and threes, +arm-in-arm, talking of the phenomenon, +and admiring it. Now, be it remembered, +that Wordsworth, Professor Wilson, +Lloyd, De Quincey, and myself, +were present, besides several other literary +gentlemen, whose names I am not +certain that I remember aright. Miss +Wordsworth's arm was in mine, and she +was expressing some fears that the +splendid stranger might prove ominous, +when I, by ill luck, blundered out the +following remark, thinking that I was +saying a good thing:—'Hout, me'em! +it is neither mair nor less than joost a +treeumphal airch, raised in honour of +the meeting of the poets.' 'That's not +amiss.—Eh? Eh?—that's very good,' +said the Professor, laughing. But +Wordsworth, who had De Quincey's +arm, gave a grunt, and turned on his +heel, and leading the little opium-chewer +aside, he addressed him in these disdainful +and venomous words:—'Poets? +Poets?—What does the fellow mean?—Where +are they?' Who could forgive +this? For my part, I never can, and +never will! I admire Wordsworth; as +who does not, whatever they may pretend? +but for that short sentence I have +a lingering ill-will at him which I cannot +get rid of. It is surely presumption in +any man to circumscribe all human excellence +within the narrow sphere of his +own capacity. The '<i>Where are they?</i>' +was too bad! I have always some hopes +that De Quincey was <i>leeing</i>, for I did +not myself hear Wordsworth utter the +words."</p> + +<p>Appended to this anecdote is a characteristic +observation on the poetry of +Wordsworth.</p> + +<p>"It relates to the richness of his +works for quotations. For these they +are a mine that is altogether inexhaustible. +There is nothing in nature that +you may not get a quotation out of +Wordsworth to suit, and a quotation too +that breathes the very soul of poetry. +There are only three books in the world +that are worth the opening in search of +mottos and quotations, and all of them +are alike rich. These are, the Old +Testament, Shakspeare, and the poetical +works of Wordsworth, and, strange to +say, the 'Excursion' abounds most in +them."</p> + +<p>We chanced to fall upon the Shepherd's +allusion to the liberties taken +with his name in <i>Blackwood's Magazine</i>, +which work owes its establishment +and much of its early success to Mr. +Hogg's co-operation. We believe it to +be pretty well known that the offensive +language attributed to the Shepherd in +the "Noctes" has no more to do with +Mr. Hogg than by attempting to imitate +his conversational style. This impropriety, +which is beyond a literary joke, +was reprobated some months since by +the <i>Quarterly Review</i>, but here the offending +parties are properly visited with +a burst of honest indignation which may +not pass unheeded. Mr. Hogg says</p> + +<blockquote><p> +"For my part, after twenty years of +feelings hardly suppressed, he has driven +me beyond the bounds of human patience. +That Magazine of his, which +owes its rise principally to myself, has +often put words and sentiments into my +mouth of which I have been greatly +ashamed, and which have given much +pain to my family and relations, and +many of those after a solemn written +promise that such freedoms should never +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page256" id="page256"></a>[pg 256]</span> +be repeated. I have been often urged +to restrain and humble him by legal +measures as an incorrigible offender +deserves. I know I have it in my power, +and if he dares me to the task, I want +but a hair to make a tether of." +</p></blockquote> + +<p>The Shepherd appears to have written +since 1813, fifteen volumes of poetry +and as many volumes of prose, besides +his contributions to periodical works; +and, what is not the less extraordinary +he was forty years of age before he +wrote his first poem.</p> + +<p>The Tales in the present volume are +the Adventures of Captain Lochy, the +Pongos, and Marion's Jock.</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<h2>The Gatherer.</h2> + +<p><i>Marriage Tree</i>.—A marriage tree, +generally of the pine kind, is planted in +the churchyard, by every new-married +couple, in the parish of Varallo Pombio, +in the Tyrol. A fine grove of pines, +the result of this custom, now shades +this churchyard.</p> +<p>W.G.C.</p> + +<p><i>Slippery Love</i>.—Thevenard was the +first singer of his time, at Paris, in the +operas of Lulli. He was more than +sixty years old when, seeing a beautiful +<i>female slipper</i> in a shoemaker's shop, +he fell violently in love, unsight, unseen, +with the person for whom it was made; +and having discovered the lady, married +her. He died at Paris in 1741, at the +age of 72.</p> +<p class="author">P.T.W.</p> + +<h3>Character of England</h3>. + +<p>Anglia, 1 Mons, 2 Pons, 3 Fons, 4 +Ecclesia, 5 Faemina, 6 Lana.</p> + +<p>(That is to say:)</p> + +<p>For 1, Mountains; 2, Bridges; 3, Rivers; +4, Churches faire; +5, Women; and 6, Wool, England is +past compare.</p> +<p class="author">G.K.</p> + +<p><i>On our Lady Church in Salisbury</i>.</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p>How many dayes in one whole year there be,</p> +<p>So many windows in one church we see,</p> +<p>So many marble pillars there appear,</p> +<p>As there are hours throughout the fleeting year.</p> +<p>So many gates, as moons one year do view,</p> +<p>Strange tale to tell, yet not so strange as true.</p> + </div> </div> + +<p class="author">G.K.</p> + +<p><i>Astronomical Toasts</i>.—Lord Chesterfield +dined one day with the French and +Spanish ambassadors. After dinner, +toasts were proposed. The Spanish +ambassador proposed the King of Spain +under the title of the Sun. The French +ambassador gave his king as the Moon. +Lord C. then arose, "Your excellencies," +said he, "have taken the two +greatest luminaries, and the Stars are +too small for a comparison with my +royal master. I therefore beg to give +your excellencies, Joshua."</p> + +<p><i>Talleyrand.</i>—(The following <i>bon mot</i> +is worthy of extract from the <i>Literary +Gazette</i>, and smacks of the raciest days +of the noble utterer.) M. Talleyrand +was enjoying his rubber, when the conversation +turned on the recent union of +an elderly lady of respectable rank. +"However could Madame de S——— +make such a match? a person of her +birth to marry a valet-de-chambre!" +"Ah," replied Talleyrand, "it was +late in the game; at nine we don't +reckon honours."</p> + +<p><i>Remarkable Circumstance.</i>—William +Coghan, who was at Oxford in the year +1575, when the sweating sickness raged +at that place, and who has given a brief +account of its ravages, says, "It began +on the sixth day of July, from which day +to the twelfth day of August next ensuing, +there died five hundred and ten +persons, all men and no women."</p> +<p class="author">P.T.W.</p> + +<p><i>A Loyalist.</i>—The Earl of St. Alban's +was, like many other staunch loyalists, +little remembered by Charles II. He +was, however, an attendant at court, +and one of his majesty's companions in +his gay hours. On one such occasion, +a stranger came with an importunate +suit, for an office of great value, just +vacant. The king, by way of joke, comsired +the earl to personate him, and demanded +the petitioner to be admitted. +The gentleman addressing himself to the +supposed monarch, enumerated his services +to the royal family, and hoped the +grant of the place would not be deemed +too great a reward. "By no means," +answered the earl, "and I am only +sorry that as soon as I heard of the vacancy, +I conferred it on my faithful +friend, the Earl of St. Alban's," pointing +to the king, "who constantly followed +the fortunes, both of my father +and myself, and has hitherto gone unrewarded." +Charles granted, for this +joke, what the utmost real services +looked for in vain. </p> + +<p class="author">T. GILL.</p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote1" +name="footnote1"></a><b>Footnote 1:</b><a +href="#footnotetag1">(return)</a><p>Picture of Scotland, vol. +i.</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote2" +name="footnote2"></a><b>Footnote 2:</b><a +href="#footnotetag2">(return)</a><p>Built by David I. in +1136.</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote3" +name="footnote3"></a><b>Footnote 3:</b><a +href="#footnotetag3">(return)</a><p>Corbells, the projections from which +the arches spring, usually cut in a fantastic face, or +mask.</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote4" +name="footnote4"></a><b>Footnote 4:</b><a +href="#footnotetag4">(return)</a><p>Sir Walter Scott's "Lay of the Last +Minstrel."</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote5" +name="footnote5"></a><b>Footnote 5:</b><a href="#footnotetag5"> (return) +</a><p>Has Scotland no paupers to whom the gift of wood fuel might prove +acceptable, in spite of peat? We have in England abundance of wood, yet +our own poor are distressed for it, glad to pick up sticks for firing, +and often steal it from fences, &c. in their necessity, and the gift +of wood is to them a charity, as well as that of coals. Why should aught +that could he made of use, be wantonly destroyed? It is contrary to +Scripture; it is in opposition to common sense.</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote6" +name="footnote6"></a><b>Footnote 6:</b><a href="#footnotetag6"> (return) +</a><p>From the following lines of Oppian, the rambling spirit of eels +seems to have been known to the ancients—</p> + +<div class="poem"> <div class="stanza"> +<p class="i10"> The wandering eel,</p> +<p>Oft to the neighbouring beach will silent steal"</p> +</div> +</div></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote7" +name="footnote7"></a><b>Footnote 7:</b><a href="#footnotetag7"> (return) +</a><p>I have been informed, upon the authority of a nobleman well known +for his attachment to field sports, that, if an eel is found on land, +its head is invariably turned towards the sea, for which it is always +observed to make in the most direct line possible. If this information +is correct (and there seems to be no reason to doubt it.) it shows that +the eel, like the swallow, is possessed of a strong migratory instinct. +May we not suppose that the swallow, like the eel, performs its +migrations in the same undeviating course?</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote8" +name="footnote8"></a><b>Footnote 8:</b><a href="#footnotetag8"> (return) +</a><p>See MIRROR, vol. xii. p. 253.</p></blockquote> + +<blockquote class="footnote"><a id="footnote9" +name="footnote9"></a><b>Footnote 9:</b><a href="#footnotetag9"> (return) +</a><p>ERRATA in one of our correspondent's "Legal Rhymes"—the +Grant of Edward the Confessor: </p> + +<p> for "six beaches," read "<i>six braches</i>."<br /> +for "book ycleped," read "<i>bock ylered</i>."<br /> +for "token" read "<i>teken</i>."<br /> +for "Hamelyn" read "<i>Howelin</i>."</p> + +<p>Corrected from Blount's <i>Tenures</i>, p. 665, ed. +1815.</p> + +</blockquote> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<p><i>Printed and published by J. LIMBIRD, 143, +Strand, (near Somerset House,) London; sold +by ERNEST FLEISCHER, 626, New Market, +Leipsic; G. G. BENNIS, 55. Run Neuve, St. +Augustin, Paris; and by all Newsmen and +Booksellers.</i></p> + +<hr class="full" /> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11567 ***</div> +</body> +</html> + |