finding that he continued obstinate, she ordered him to leave her house, never to return, and sent Isalina home to her parents.

Turned adrift in the world, without money or resources of any kind, Boruwlaski was at first under no small embarrassment how to proceed. He soon conceived the idea of applying to the king's brother, Prince Casimir, who had always taken a particular interest in his affairs. The prince at once recommended him to the king, and his majesty promised to provide for him.

The little lover still continued his unremitting addresses to the object of his passion, who at length consented to make him happy; the king having first approved of the match, and settled an annuity of one hundred ducats on the happy Boruwlaski.

It was not long before he found that the royal favours would scarcely be sufficient for the support of himself and his wife, who, to the great astonishment of all, apprized him, within six weeks after their marriage, that he was destined to be a father. This intelligence only served to increase his anxiety relative to their future subsistence. It was absolutely necessary to take some step to improve his finances, and his patrons suggested that a second visit to the courts of Europe could not fail of answering the purpose, and procuring him the means of leading, on his return, a life of ease and tranquillity. Seduced by such a dazzling prospect, he immediately adopted the idea; the king supplied him with a convenient carriage, and being provided with letters of recommendation, he left Warsaw on the 21st of November, 1780.

At Cracow, his wife was taken ill. This circumstance obliged them to continue some time in that city, where, after a long indisposition, she was delivered of her first child, a girl. On her recovery, they set out for Vienna, where they arrived on the 11th of February, 1781. Unfortunately for Boruwlaski, death had just snatched away his illustrious patroness, Maria Theresa, and profound sorrow pervaded the whole city. He experienced, however, the same marks of benevolence from Prince Kaunitz, as on his former visit, and became acquainted with the British ambassador, Sir Robert Murray Keith, who was the principal cause of his subsequent voyage to England. After giving a concert, which was attended by almost all the nobility of Vienna, he left that metropolis, provided with letters of recommendation to many princes of Germany, at whose courts, in the course of a most interesting tour, he was received with distinguished applause.

He now resolved to visit England, and having embarked at Ostend, he arrived at Margate, after a tempestuous passage of four days, during which the vessel lost her masts and sails.

In London, his earliest patrons were the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. A short time after his arrival, a stupendous giant likewise visited

that metropolis. He was eight feet three or four inches high. Many persons being desirous of seeing them together, the Duke and Duchess, accompanied by Lady Spencer, one day took Boruwlaski with them to see the giant. Their surprise was equal; the giant remained some time in silence, viewing the dwarf with looks of astonishment, and then stooping very low to present him his hand, which would have contained a dozen of the little visitor's, he made him a very polite compliment. What a scene for a painter. Boruwlaski's head was nearly on a level with the giant's knee!

It was not long before Boruwlaski was introduced to most of the first characters in London, and among the rest, to the Prince of Wales, afterwards George IV., by whom he was treated with that affability by which his royal highness was so particularly distinguished. He had soon afterwards the honour of being introduced by the Countess of Egremont to the notice of their majesties, and all the junior branches of the royal family, on the 23d of May, 1782. All the favours of his patrons were not, however, adequate to the decent support of himself and his family, so that he was obliged to have recourse not only to the expedient of subscription concerts, but likewise to that of an exhibition, first at a guinea, then at five shillings, and afterwards at half a crown. In 1783, he visited the principal towns of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and was very successful. · In Ireland he was detained longer than he had intended by the illness of his wife, who was brought to bed in that country of her second child. At length, after an absence of three years, he returned to London in March, 1786. Here he resumed his former system of concerts and exhibitions, but neither could prevent his being involved in difficulties, from which he was generously relieved by his countrywoman, the Princess Lubomirska, who, hearing that he was exposed to the vexations of creditors, inquired the amount of his debts, and nobly discharged them. His mind being now relieved from anxiety, he began to write the history of his life, which undertaking was patronised by the Prince of Wales, and a long list of nobility. It forms an octavo volume, which was published in 1788.

An erroneous report having reached his native country, that he had laid out several thousand pounds in the funds, he was thought no longer to want the king's favours, and his annuity of one hundred ducats was cut off. This circumstance compelled him to revisit Poland in the year 1792, but he soon returned to England, where his exhibitions were so successful, that in a few years he retired to Durham, and spent the remainder of his life in ease and comfort. At his death he was verging on one hundred years.

The character of this celebrated little man has been drawn with nice discrimination by the Count de Tressan, who had many opportunities of comparing him with his rival Bébé, at Luneville. "The resemblance between

Bébé and Boruwlaski," says the Count, "consists only in their stature. The latter has been treated most favourably by nature. He enjoys good health, is clever and nimble. He can bear fatigue, and lift great weights, in proportion to his size. What distinguishes him still more from Bébé is, that he possesses great mental energy and accomplishments; that his memory is excellent and his judgment very sound. He understands arithmetic, reads and writes" nd speaks German and French with great fluency. He is ingenious very thing he undertakes, lively in his repartees, just in his reasonings. In a word, Boruwlaski may be considered as a complete, though very diminutive man, and Bébé as an imperfect one." In "Kay's Edinburgh Portraits," a work full of curious and amusing information, published by Mr. Paton, of that city, there is a portrait of Boruwlaski, taken from the life. For the sake of contrast, he is represented in company with Mr. Neil Ferguson, Advocate, then one of the tallest men in Edinburgh. Kay is, on that account, perhaps the only artist who has conveyed to the eye a just conception of the diminutive size of this remarkable dwarf.

BIG SAM.

AMUEL M'DONALD, better known in Scotland by the name of "Big Sam," from his immense bulk, was born in the parish of Lairg, Sutherlandshire, and during the latter part of the American war, was a private in the Sutherland Fencibles. He afterwards entered the Royals, in which regiment he became a fugleman. It was while in this

situation that he attracted the notice of the Prince of Wales, (afterwards George the Fourth,) who made him lodge porter at Carltonhouse. Having held this office about two years, he gave in his resignation, and again entered the Sutherland Fencibles, in which he was now appointed a sergeant.

Sam was six feet ten inches high, measured four feet round the chest, and was stout and muscular in proportion. He had also an exceedingly clear and sonorous voice. With these physical properties, he was bland in his manner and deportment, and extremely good-natured. As a drill

sergeant, therefore, he was unrivalled; and consequently was very often employed in that capacity. In this position, however, as well as several others of a military nature, he acquitted himself so as to obtain general esteem. In consequence of his great height, he always marched at the head of the regiment when in column, and on these occasions his appearance was rendered more striking by his being accompanied by a mountaindeer of a size corresponding nearly with his own.

When Sam was in London, he was advised to show himself for money, but he spurned the suggestion, as tending to degrade the Highland character. He so far acted upon it, however, as to dress in female attire, and advertise as "the remarkably tall woman." By this expedient, or rather this compromise between his honour and his desire of gain, he became so well furnished with cash, that his expenditure attracted the notice of his colonel, who was curious to ascertain from what source he obtained his supplies. Sam, on being interrogated, candidly acknowledged the fact at once, and thus the secret transpired.

While in the service of the Prince of Wales, he was once persuaded, at the request of his royal highness, to appear on the stage, in "Cymon and Iphigenia." The character represented by Sam was the appropriate one of Hercules. How he acquitted himself is not recorded, but we may presume that he came off with no very great eclat, as he never appeared again. It is probable that this, and also some other tasks of even a less agreeable description, induced him to leave his royal highness's service.

Sam was one day challenged by two soldiers of his own regiment, on the understanding that he was to fight them both at once. Sam reluctantly agreed, but said, as he had no quarrel with them, he should like to shake hands with them before they began. One of them instantly held out his hand, which Sam seized; but instead of giving it the friendly shake expected, he used it as a lever to raise its owner from the ground, when he swung him round as he would a cat by the tail, and threw him to a great distance. The other combatant, not admiring this preliminary process, immediately took to his heels. On another occasion, in the barrack room, one of the men requested him to hand down a loaf from a shelf which was beyond his own reach. Sam immediately caught the man by the neck, in jest, and holding him up at arm's length, said, "There, take it down yourself."

The Countess of Sutherland allowed Sam half-a-crown per day over and above his pay, judging, no doubt, as remarked by Colonel Stewart, of Garth, that so large a body required more sustenance than his military allowance could afford. He died, universally regretted, while with the regiment at Guernsey, in the year 1802.