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he did not like to mention the prevailing one. The PRINCE begged him do so, when SIR HENRY said θατ ἑ φανσιεδ ἷς πηνις α ραδδισ ανδ ωας αλωαυς σκραπινγ ιτ.

SCIPIO CLINT, the Sculptor, told to him that a gentleman dined with a medical man, not aware that the other gentlemen at the table were insane and under his management; the medical man observed one of then, who sat next to the stranger, conceal a knife under the table, and suspecting his intentions, immediately flung a mutton-chop into his face; the stranger did not comprehend the meaning of this movement, which his host afterwards explained to him; he told to him that they were insane patients of his,-that he had observed one of them secrete a knife, and suspecting that he meant mischief, flung the meat into his face to shew that he was observedthat he had asked the individual how he could think of meditating mischief against the stranger, when he said that he would stick a knife into every person, who came to table with so tight a belly.

CCLXX. Snow.

THE FLEET, Jan. 21, 1838. The ground is covered with frost and snow; yesterday was very fine; MAXON talking to GILES, said that it might be called a golden day,-nay, said GILES, you should say, silver,-nay then, replied Maxon, it must be silver-gilt.

CCLXXI. Ireland the leaper.

THE FLEET-PRISON, Jan. 28, 1838. MR CHAMBERS says that Ducrow was groom to Ireland the leaper. Among the earliest ex

hibitions of his art was this; he was something of a botanist, and used to get talking to the gardener at Castle-Howard; one day the gardener perceived the Earl of Carlisle approach who was very particular he gave a hint to Ireland, who determined to make short work of his retreat, and so jumped across the adjacent canal; his Lordship perceived the movement, was astonished at the jump, inquired who he was, requested him to jump back again, and put up a stone with an inscription to commemorate the fact. He was 8 months in the Fleet, and was at all manner of tricks, gave out once that he should make a very extraordinary exhibition, erected a tent for the purpose, collected numerous shilling subscriptions; at length every thing was arranged, and the wonder was developed, viz. two tailor's Bills with receipts annexed. Inexhaustible laughter ensued, — the shillings collected were dispersed on the poor side; at that time several persons were in the Fleet on account of tailor's Bills. On one occasion of leaping he broke two or three of his ribs, but shored them up on the spot, and continued leaping. The Duke of York was so astonished at his conduct, that he handed to him a £50 Note. He used to leap lengthways over a chaise or carriage: the General, who was inside on the fatal occasion, popped his head out of the carriage at the critical moment, which distracted Ireland's attention; he leaped on the spikes at the back, was three years in dying, is buried at Epping. His sister would take extraordinary leaps and jumps with weighty articles on her head. The son was also a great leaper.

CCLXXII. LETTER FROM THEODORE HOOK CONCERNING THE DEVIL'S WALK.

(Private) Sir

Athenæum, Saturday,
Feb. 3, 1838.

I am much obliged by your communication and much inte

rested in it. The facts are most extraordinary; for I myself, when a boy, copied the Walk from a MS. of Southey's, which he himself gave to the friend, who lent it to me. I will see the friend during the week, and then notice the article in the Monthly Magazine. I will, however, trouble you with a line previously, after I have communicated with the gentleman, who lent me the MS.

I remain Your Obedient Servant

G. W. M. REYNOLDS ESQ.

12 WARWICK SQUARE,

WARWICK LANE.

T. H[OOK].

CCLXXIII. Strenua Inertia translated.

THE FLEET-PRISON, Febr. 8, 1838. Translations by Barton's Father and Captain Medwin.

"An attempt to translate Mr Barker's Epigram, which I consider a most happy illustration of his subject."

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TRANSLATION.

Idly-busy squirrel, say,

Wherefore spend the livelong day
In hopeless, fruitless toil?

The cylinder, you roll in vain,
Obeys you, but revolves again,
And mocks in quick recoil.
You never can, and wherefore try
Your whirling prison thus to fly ?

Laborious indolence!

"Tis self you follow, self

you shun,
From rising to the setting sun,

Nought-doing! - great pretence!
Stranger to rest, yet idling thus!
Labours the shade of Sisyphus!

NOTES.

E. B. July, 1837.

I think our University might match this in one of our own contradictions. viz. Passive Resistance.

O'Connell might act the squirrel, but who could put him into the cage, or, if put in, might he not mar the epigram, by getting out?

This translation might have been more faithful, but I preferred to give as much force as I could to the character of the subject proposed for illustration.

He (Medwin) had no right to substitute Ixion for Sisyphus, as Ixion was tied to the wheel, and could not, except mechanically, exemplify the "Strenua Inertia" which Sisyphus could by descending the hill to resume his idle occupation. I can ee no likeness between these two noted characters, such as could apologize for making one the "locum tenens" of the other, inless we admit Ixion as one of "the body," among robbers, or having vainly attempted to commit a trespass upon Juno. Besides, it is a calumny upon Ixion that he did nothing. Did he not do great things in producing Centaurs out of such a shadowy substance as a cloud?

Brisk, nimble-footed squirrel, stay,
Strive as you will to get away,

That wiry house that wheels about,
Trust me will never let you out;
Toiling you fly yourself in vain,
And earn but labour for your gain;
You drag along a life of care,
Poor tread-mill captive! as you are
And blind as was Ixion, shew
Still doing, that you nothing do.

T. MEDWIN.

CCLXXIV. Starvation in the Fleet, &c.

THE FLEET-PRISON, Febr. 14, 1838. MR CHAMBERS mentioned to-night, that about 4 years ago a prisoner named Franks died, as he decidedly considers, of starvation. Mr Chambers did what he could to relieve his necessities; and as a proof of his honesty, when he had received a little money, he tendered part of it to MR CHAMBERS, which he declined receiving. His daughter, a strong-minded woman, slept in the same room with him; he was a prisoner for several years. At length his daughter, who earned a little money by doing fine needle-work, lost her intellects, and has never recovered them.

B..... says that A...... N...... was asked one day by E...... at K...'s C...... to explain a Note in his book, about verbs being used in the same sentence in an active and passive sense; S....... had written the whole book, and N......, not being master of the Note, was put to sad confusion by his inability to explain it. He gave a copy of the book to S....... and put in it, From the Author. When he was once in the HOUSE OF LORDS, he was recognised by two gentlemen, who expressed their astonishment at seeing him there, when he was known to have been concerned in some base gambling transactions.

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