Dear Sir,

III. Letter from Thomas Taylor.*

Manor Place, Walworth, Aug. 3d. 1814. Mr. Meredith desired me to request your acceptance of the accompanying copy of my translation of Aristotle's Metaphysics as a testimony of his esteem for your worthy manners and great erudition.

At your leisure do me the favour to inform me what you think of my Greek motto, as I shall rejoyce if it meets with your approbation.

Mr. Meredith hopes that the next time you are in town, he shall have the pleasure of your company to dine with him.

I remain, Dear Sir,

Your much obliged and obedient servant,

THOS. TAYLOR.

IV. NEWSPAPER-SCRAPS; PARR.

1. The Newspaper gossips state that the celebrated Dr Parr means shortly to take a wife. In that event the Par will take odds, and both become even.

2. That celebrated scholar, Dr Parr, will in a few days lead an accomplished lady to the hymeneal alrar. We have not heard if the lady is of literary celebrity, from whose fatal glance even Greek and folios could not shelter the learned Doctor. If she be such, let him beware, for

When Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war,
To females used to conquer, who is Par?

(Dec. 24, 1816.)

V. Anecdote of rooks.

"Amongst the deliramenta of the learned, which have amused mankind, the following instance merits a conspicuous rank; -Some years ago, there were several large elm-trees in the College-garden, behind the ecclesiastical Courts, Doctors' Conimons, in which a number of rooks had taken up their abode,

The translator of Plato, Aristotle, &c.

orming in appearance a sort of convocation of aerial ecclesiastics. A young gentleman who lodged in an attic, and was their close neighbour, frequently entertained himself with thinning this covey of black game by means of a cross-bow. On the opposite side lived a curious old civilian, who, observing from his study that the rooks often dropped senseless from their perch, no sign being made to his vision to account for the phenomenon, set his wits to work to consider the eause. It was probably during a profitless time of peace. The Doctor, having plenty of leisure, weighed the matter over and over, till he was at length fully satisfied that he had made a great ornithological discovery. He actually wrote a treatise, stating circumstantially what he himself had seen, and in conclusion giving it as the settled conviction of his mind, that rooks were subject to epilepsy! The CAMBRIDGE Chronicle and Journal, Sep. 11, 1818.

VI. Burns's widow.

A Snuffers' Tray, presented to the Widow of the Poet Burns, bears the following inscription written by James Montgomery, who is himself an Ayrshire-Poet :

"The Gift of a few Scots in Sheffield to the Widow of Burns:

He pass'd through life's tempestuous night,

A brilliant, trembling Northern Light;
Through years to come he shines from far,
A fix'd, unsetting Polar Star.

See the IRIS or the SHEFFIELD-ADVERTISER, Oct. 30, 1821.

A FARMER was complaining to a clergyman of his parish, of his poverty, and said that, when he took his produce to market, he could make nothing of it. The clergyman recommended him to go and explain the thing to his landlord; the Farmer said that he had been there, and he could make nothing of him!" THE MANCHESTER-GUARDIAN, Febr. 23, 1822.

VIII. General Mina.

1. GEN. MINA'S RECEPTION AT PLYMOUTH. Extract of a private letter, dated Plymouth, Nov. 30 :

"This day the patriotic General Mina, with several other Spanish officers, landed at this port from the French brig Cuirasier, which vessel arrived here yesterday week, from Barcelona, and has been lying under quarantine till this day. Public curiosity has been for these several days past greatly roused to witness this brave defender of his country, as it has been expected that the quarantine would have been removed before. This morning it was generally reported that the pratique had arrived, and on inquiry at the Custom House the report was authenticated. This soon spread, and before one o'clock, the hour at which it was stated that the General would land, the number of persons collected on the Pier and Barbican was immense. Shortly after one o'clock, the Busy, revenue cutter, which had been sent out in the sound for the purpose of removing the quarantine from the Cuirasier, hove in sight round the Victualling-office Point, and came to anchor. Immediately after, General Mina and several Officers were observed to get into the cutter's boat, and within a few minutes after the boat reached the landing-place at the pier; instantly as the General placed his foot on the shore, he was surrounded and raised on the shoulders of several men, and amidst the most enthusiastic cheering carried to the carriage which was in waiting for him. It is impossible to convey by words the reception he met with; so eager was every one to get near him, that the greatest difficulty prevailed to make a line to the carriage, the horses were taken out, and it was dragged by the populace, amidst huzzas and cries of "Mina for ever!" "Brave Mina," &c. through the town to the Royal Hotel. The gallant General looked well, and was bowing and extending his hands to those near him, who were wishing to shake hands with him. On his arrival at the Hotel, the number of persons collected

could not have been fewer than 8,000; and who, by cheering, &c. testified the high opinion they entertained of the General. From the carriage, which was obliged to be drawn up at some distance from the Hotel on account of the crowd, Mina was taken again on the shoulders of those near him, and carried into the hotel. Cries of "Window, window," were shouted out, and within a few minutes the gallant General (with several others) appeared at a window of the hotel, uncovered and bowing repeatedly; this was followed by a general burst of applause from the persons assembled, and which continued for some time; as soon as it had in some measure subsided, a Gentleman who was at the window said, that General Mina had desired him to say that this was the happiest moment of his life; that his feelings were entirely overpowered by the reception he had met with from the English people;—he had been fighting the battles of his country against its invaders he had before done this with Lord Wellington; and, if an occasion should again call him, he should be always ready. The General then bowed and retired. The bells were rung on the occasion, and the greatest possible unanimity prevailed amongst all classes, to welcome to the shores of this country so brave and worthy a Patriot." The Observer, Dec. 7, 1823.

"GENERAL MINA AT PLYMOUTH.

PLYMOUPH, DEC. 6. On Monday the General invited the officers of the French brig Cuirassier to dine with him at the Royal Hotel; the invitation was accepted, and the officers, on coming on shore, first waited on their Consul, J. Hawker, Esq. and then retired to the Hotel, where they dined with the General, and afterwards accompanied him to the play. The French officers speak in the highest terms of him, and the General has purchased several valuable presents which he intends giving to the officers of the Cuirassier, as a mark of his esteem, and in return for their kindness and attention to him during the voyage.

On Tuesday General Mina dined by invitation from Ge

neral Sir John Cameron, K.C.B., our commander-in-chief, at the Royal Hotel, where Sir John at present resides. The company present were, Sir John Cameron and his lady; General Mina and two of his suite; Colonel Cochrane, of the Royal Guards; Col. Lloyd, of the 61st: Col. Vinnicombe, of the Royal Marines; Colonels Morshead and Hawker, of the Royal Engineers; and Major Smith. The French Captain and officers of the Cuirassier were invited, but in consequence of the wind blowing so hard, the boat could not with safety leave the ship; they attempted to put off, but were at last obliged to relinquish it.

On Wednesday the General received invitation to dine on board his Majesty's ship Genoa, with Captain Sir Thomas Livingstone, Bart. but was obliged to decline it from the wound in his thigh, making it painful for him to go on shipboard; he dined on that day at Captain Hodges's, of the army, at his residence, in Stonehouse, with a select party of army and navy officers. The attention which Captain Hodges has paid the gallant General since his arrival here, deserves the highest praise; this gentleman had the honour of knowing him in Paris several years since. On Thursday he went on board the Admiral's ship the Britannia, the Admiral's barge having been sent for him.

This day he has an invitation from Captain Wise, R. N. to dine with a select party at his residence, Hoe-House; on Monday with T. Bewes, Esq. the High Sheriff of the county. The General has been visited since his arrival by a great number of the resident gentry of our town and neighbourhood; by many officers of the army and navy, amongst whom are Sir William Elford, Bart., Recorder of the Borough; J. Hawker, Esq., the French and Dutch Consul; an Alderman and a magistrate for the county, and his family; Thomas Bewes, Esq., the High Sheriff for the county; J. Were Clarke, Esq., a Magistrate and Banker; W. Tingcombe Esq., banker; C. Bird, Esq., Barrister; G. Bellamy, Esq., M.D., &c. On Wednesday last was the hero's birth-day; he is 40 years of age. J. Collier,