INGENUITY IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FEET OF WATER-FOWL. The web-foot of a water-fowl is an inimitable paddle, and all the ingenuity of the present day exerted to improve our steam-boats makes nothing to approach it. The flexor tendon of the toes of the duck is so directed over the heads of the bones of the thigh and leg, that it is made tight when the creature bends its legs, and is relaxed when the leg is stretched out. When the bird draws its foot up, the toes are drawn together, in consequence of the bent position of the bones of the leg pressing on the tendon. When, on the contrary, it pushes the leg out straight, in making the stroke, the tendons are relieved from the pressure of the heel-bone, and the toes are permitted to be fully extended and at the same time expanded, so that the web between them meets the resistance of a large volume of water.-Lord Brougham. FIRST APPEARANCE AT COURT. Lennard Solikoffer, a Swiss nobleman, who, on the conclusion of the Swiss union, went to Paris as ambassador, had a large dog, which on his departure he ordered to be shut up for eight days. This was done; yet, at the end of that period, the dog traced his way to the French capital (400 miles), and on the day of audience, rushed in, all covered with mud, and leaped up mad for joy upon his master. In the family castle of Thuringia there is a painting of the story.-Anecdotes of Animals. THUNDER STORMS. To determine the distance of a thunder storm, it is only necessary to ascertain the number of seconds which intervene between the sight of the lightning and hearing the sound, and these multiplied by 1090, the number of feet that sound travels in a second, will give in feet an approximate estimate of the distance of the electrified cloud from the place of observation.The Earth, by W. M. Higgins. INSTINCTIVE DREAD OF HYDROPHOBIA. A man, who used to come every day to the celebrated Dr. James's house, was so beloved by three cocker spaniels which he kept, that they never failed to jump into his lap, and caress him the whole time he staid. It happened that this man was bitten by a mad dog, and the very first night he came under the influence of the distemper, they all ran away from him to the very top of the garret-stairs, barking and howling, and showing signs of distress and consternation. The man was cured, but the dogs were not reconciled to him for three years afterwards.-Browne's Anecdotes of Dogs. A JOKE, NO JOKE. I heard of one neer Oxford who borrowed 501. of his father-in-law, so itt was to be concluded when it was to be paid, and they being a little knavish concluded the 30th of next February; hee being an ignorant feilow, assented, the lawyer drew the writings accordingly, but the fellow cannot get his money to this day, hee lives at Marston, near Oxford.-Diary of the Rev. J. Ward. VISIONS OF ANGELS. Our modern young gentlemen are but ill plants, grow, like cucumbers more to belly than head, and have but little pips for hearts. It was quite different in my younger days. Who would believe it now? But we were certainly in some way gifted then. We saw angels-and now one scarcely even hears of them. It was an angel-seeing age; I have myself seen many. I first began to see them about seventeen years of age; and that was in the year-but no, there is no occasion to mention the year; the angels might not like again to visit me if I did, and I still live in hope. I cannot exactly say how many I saw before I was twenty; but they all struck me as having very beautiful hair; their eyes were heavenly: but, if the first sight was enchanting, the first touch of the little finger of one thrilled me all over, and then I knew and felt it was an angel.-Blackwood. THE MEMORY OF THE DEAD. It is an exquisite and beautiful thing in our nature, that when the heart is touched and softened by some tranquil happiness or affectionate feeling, the memory of the dead comes over it most powerfully and irresistibly. It would almost seem as though our better thoughts and sympathies were charms, in virtue of which the soul is enabled to hold some vague and mysterious intercourse with the spirits of those whom we dearly loved in life. Alas! how often and how long may those patient angels hover above us, watching for the spell which is so seldom uttered, and so soon forgotten!Dickens. EGOTISM. Contempt is egotism in ill-humour. Appetite without moral affection, social sympathy, and even without passion and imagination-in plain English, mere lust,-is the basest form of egotism, and being infra human, or below humanity, should be pronounced with the harsh breathing, as hegoal-ism.-Coleridge. TOLERATION. I should violate my own arm rather than a church, nor willingly deface the memory of saint or martyr. At the sight of a cross or crucifix I can dispense with my hat, but scarce with the thought or memory of my Saviour; I cannot laugh at but rather pity the fruitless journeys of pilgrims, or contemn the miserable condition of friars; for, though misplaced in circumstance, there is something in it of devotion. I could never hear the Ave Maria bell without an elevation, or think it a sufficient warrant because they erred in one circumstance, for me to err in all, that is, in silence and dumb contempt; whilst, therefore, they directed their devotions to her, I offered mine to God, and rectified the errors of their prayers by rightly ordering mine own.-Browne's Religio Medici. A CURE FOR EATING TOO MUCH. A certaine woman did eat much before her husband, and hee complained of her to her mother; shee told him itt was her fault, for shee advisd him to let her have her home to worme her; and she advisd her to eat little before her husband, but to pay itt in private: and so shee did, which very much pleased him, insomuch that hee forgave tenne pound of her portion which was left behind, for worming her.-Diary of the Rev. J. Ward. THE TROPHY OF VICTORY. The following instance of the fidelity and courage of a terrier occurred at Glasgow:--One evening, as a young gentleman of the name of Hardie was passing through St. Andrew's Square, on his way home to his father's house in Charlotte-street, he was stopped opposite the north-west corner of St. Andrew's church by a man armed with a large stick, who seized him by the breast, and striking him a violent blow on the head, desired him instantly to deliver his watch. As he was preparing to repeat the blow, a terrier belonging to Mr. Hardie sprang at the ruffian, and seized him by the throat, and his master at the same time giving him a violent push, he feil backwards and dropt his stick, which the other immediately seized and carried off. The terrier soon after followed him home, bearing in his teeth, as a trophy of his courage, nearly half the front of the man's waistcoat, in the lining of which half-a-guinea was found carefully sewed up. The waistcoat was of coarse woollen stuff, with a black stripe, much worn and tattered, and not at all corresponding with the elegance of the walking-stick, which had a gilt head, and contained a handsome small sword.-Anecdotes of Dogs. ADVANTAGE OF THE MODERNS. Though there were many giants of old in physics and philosophy, yet I say with Didacus Stella, "a dwarf standing on the shoulders of a giant, may see further than the giant himself."-Burton. BEGIN NOTHING OF WHICH THOU HAST NOT WELL A certain Cham of Tartary, travelling with his nobles, was met by a dervise, who cried with a loud voice, "Whoever will give me a hundred pieces of gold, I will give him a piece of advice." The Cham ordered him the sum, upon which the dervise said, "" Begin nothing of which thou hast not well considered the end." The courtiers hearing this plain sentence, smiled, and said with a sneer, "The dervise is well paid for his maxim." But the king was so well pleased with the answer, that he ordered it to be written in golden letters on several parts of his palace, and engraved on all his plate. Not long after, the Cham's surgeon was bribed to kill him with a poisoned lancet at the time he let him blood. One day, when the Cham's arm was bound, and the fatal lancet in the surgeon's hand, he read on the basin, "Begin nothing of which thou hast not well considered the end." He immediately started, and let the lancet fall out of his hand. The Cham observing his confusion, inquired the reason: the surgeon fell prostrate, confessed the whole affair, and was pardoned; but the conspirators were put to death. The Cham, turning to his courtiers, who had heard the advice with contempt, told them, that counsel could not be too highly valued which had saved a Cham's life.-Spectator. INTELLECTUAL MODESTY. We should never estimate the soundness of principles by our own ability to defend them; or consider an objection as unanswerable, to which we can find no reply. It is an absurd self-confidence, especially in a young person, to abandon his principles as soon as he may find himself worsted in argument. There is no defence against flippant sophistry so effectual as an intelligent modesty. Indeed, genuine firmness of mind consists greatly in an habitual recollection of our own moderate powers and acquirements.Taylor's Elements of Thought. HABIT. We are so wonderfully formed, that, while we are creatures vehemently desirous of novelty, we are as strongly attached to habit and custom. But it is the nature of things which hold us by custom, to affect us very little while we are in possession of them, but strongly when they are absent. I remember to have frequented a certain place every day for a long time toge ther and I may truly say, that so far from finding pleasure in it, I was affected with a sort of uneasiness and disgust: I came, I went, I returned without pleasure; yet if by any means I passed by the usual time of my going thither, I was remarkably uneasy, and was not quiet till I had got into my old track. They who use snuff, take it almost without being sensible that they take it, and the acute sense of smell is deadened, so as to feel hardly anything from so sharp a stimulus: yet deprive the snuff-taker of his box, and he is the most uneasy mortal in the world.—Burke. COST OF ADVERTISING QUACK MEDICINES IN THE The cost of advertising quack medicines in the twenty-four States, annually, is supposed to amount to two hundred thousand dollars. A peck of pills a day is considered necessary for Boston, and half a bushel for New York. On an average, only one in twenty-five who take them is actually sick; and the proportion of those who dispense with some necessary of life to purchase nostrums which do them a positive injury, is in the ratio of eighty-seven to every hundred throughout the country.-American Medical Journal. London: WILLIAM SMITH, 113, Fleet Street. Edinburgh: FRASER & Co. Dublin: CURRY & Co.-Printed by Bradbury & Evans, Whitefriars. THE No. XXI. PUBLISHED BY WILLIAM SMITH, 113, FLEET STREET. THE BRITISH NAVY. NO. VIII. PAY-DAY.-ROUTINE AT SEA. "Come all hands ahoy to the anchor, From friends and relations to go."-DIBDIN. always attending; the men are mustered in squads as their names stand on the books, and kept in readiness to be called forward singly to receive their quotas. As nothing is deducted from the two months' advance for slops, or other charges, the business proceeds rapidly, and in a ship of this class is finished in two or three hours. It is usual to keep open some of the petty officers' Our ship is now ready for sea, and the last thing to be per-rating until this day, in reserve for volunteers that may appear; formed, before proceeding on a cruise, is to pay the crew the customary advance of wages. It has always been the practice to delay this important event until the vessel is on the point of quitting the port; not only to prevent desertion, but owing to the difficulty of restraining seamen when they have money at command; and also because it is probable-nay certain-that many of them would dissipate every shilling, regardless of providing clothes, and the necessaries they require, during their contemplated absence from England. The payment of this small sum is, however, but an indifferent affair, compared to the scenes which our recollections associate with pay-days of former times, when seamen received the arrears of several years' wages in a lump, and lavished the whole in a few hours, after the usual manner of this prodigal and thoughtless class, who are truly said to "Earn their money at sea like horses, To squander it idly like asses on shore." Nevertheless, between two and three thousand pounds being circulated in the issue of two months' advance, the affair still merits the attention of the children of Israel, who, by long prescription, claim an exclusive right to the appropriation of seamen's earnings in London, as well as the outports, and maintain it so pertinaciously as to render the competition of other dealers hopeless. About ten o'clock in the forenoon, the superintendant of the dock-yard, attended by several pay-clerks from the Cheque Office, provided with the cash and duplicates of the ship's books, arrive on board; but long before they make their appearancegenerally from the first dawn of day-the ship is surrounded and beset with shore boats, the occupant of each being most indefatigable and incessant in his prayer to be admitted on board, assuring the officers he has the best and cheapest goods that can possibly be provided for the seaman's wants. It is remarkable that, by some mode of obtaining intelligence through their brethren in the metropolis, the Jews are always acquainted with the day appointed for making payments of wages, or prize money, to a ship of war, even before the post-admiral himself, much less the officers belonging to the vessel. The Jews succeed generally in obtaining admittance in the course of the day, in sufficient numbers to occupy, with their wares, the spaces between the guns on the main-deck, which now assumes the appearance of a fair, or bazaar, where all sorts of articles, such as wearing apparel, gown pieces for the ladies, watches, and trinkets that attract the seamen's attention, are ostentatiously exhibited. The payment of wages takes place in the fore-cabin, the captain VOL. I. but now every man's rating must be assigned him, as upon that depends the amount he receives. When the superintendant departs, and the day advances, the dealing, like Tam O'Shanter's mirth, grows "fast and furious; considerable relaxation of discipline is tolerated, for it is difficult to prevent the introduction of spirits upon such an occasion as this, when many strangers are admitted, and the "right of search," so rigorously maintained at other seasons, cannot be strictly exercised. Every man is expected to provide himself with the following articles of wearing apparel, and if he cannot afford to purchase all he wants to complete his "kit," as his wardrobe is called, out of the advance, the deficiency is made up of slops supplied by the purser, and charged against his accruing wages :—' -Two blue jackets, two blue trowsers, one waistcoat, four shirts, one pair of shoes, two hats, one scrubbing-brush. If the ship is ordered to a warm climate, four white duck frocks, instead of These articles are indispensable, shirts, and four ditto trousers. but most of the seamen have more, and nearly all have, in addition, pea-jackets. In the appropriation of purchases, the ladies of course assert their claim for a share, and the Jew dealers fail not to display such articles of female attire as women delight to adorn themselves withal. On occasions when large payments are made, these are to be had in every variety, and what with one outlay or another, poor Jack is generally minus of his receipts before sunset, when strangers are ordered to quit, and the first-lieutenant congratulates himself, not without reason, that the business of the day-a weary one to him—is over. "to go The seaman is your true philosopher-the morning finds him renovated by rest, minus his money to be sure, but little regretting the want of it, and resolved, in the words of the song, to sea for more." Preparations are now made for unmooring, and boats arrive to take the women on shore. We confess we have never happened to witness a realisation of the affecting “partings" described by the poet; on the contrary, this matter has always style of indifference. appeared to us accomplished somewhat in However that may be, a scene such as a poetical imagination might conceive seldom or never occurs—some waving of hands— very different from lily white-there is, "and there an end;"the work of the ship soon absorbs the seaman's attention. As the morning advances, Blue Peter is hoisted, the captain and all persons belonging to the vessel repair on board, the pilot shortly after appears, the sails are loosed and set, the ponderous anchor hove up (lifted) to the bows, and, wind and tide permitting, the ship proceeds to sea, Bradbury and Evans, Printers, Whitefriars, Until fairly clear of the port, the vessel is under the pilot's charge; when that is effected he takes his leave, receiving a certificate entitling him to his fee. A course for the destination is then shaped by the master, and the watch is set, or called, as it is styled. During the time the ship is in the neighbourhood of the land, and in soundings, it is usual to keep a leadsman heaving the lead, and ever and anon denoting the depth of water by a peculiar song, the correct performance of which is considered essential in an able seaman. It generally takes the whole of the first day at sea to stow away different articles, and get matters to rights; as soon as this is accomplished, on the morrow generally, things assume a certain routine. We shall describe the usual occurrences of one day, noting generally such variations as are made weekly, or monthly; prior to which it may be as well to specify briefly the duties of the different classes into which the ship's company is divided, reserving a more minute detail of the several duties of the officers for a future occasion. The crew are divided into starboard and larboard watch, and each watch has a certain proportion of men in the following classes --Gunner's crew, 9; carpenter's crew, 4; forecastle men, 22; fore-top men, 22; main-top men, 25; mizen-top men, 9; after-guard, 30; waisters, 58; marines, 50. The boatswain's mates and quarter-masters, being always kept on the alert, are generally placed in three watches, as well as the lieutenants, mates, and midshipmen. When it is necessary to obtain more strength during the watch, the idlers are called, a body of about 40 persons, composed of the mechanics, servants, &c., who are excused from keeping regular watch, but liable to all calls during the night. The denominations we have enumerated require men of various abilities to perform their duties properly. The quarter-master's and gunner's crew are composed of the best and oldest seamen, and these have no very active duties to perform, that require great physical exertion. The boatswain's mates are good seamen, selected for strength and activity, and it falls to their duty to wield the "cat" at punishment. The forecastle men are the most distinguished in the able seamen's ratings, and generally supply leadsmen, steersmen, &c.; they are heavier men than the fore and main-top men, also smart active sailors, though not necessarily thorough seamen, their principal duty being aloft about the sails and rigging. The mizen-top men are lads, or first-class boys, who emulate the fore-top men, and as they grow strong and perfect themselves they are advanced to that station, and obtain the rating of "ordinaries." The afterguard and waisters are half seamen, or landmen, more particularly the latter, upon whom, and the marines, the principal heavy work of pulling and hauling falls. The waisters perform all the dirty drudgery of the ship. Each of these classes has leaders, called captains and second captains, being good seamen, capable of directing the others how and where to apply their labour. The strongest portion of the second-class boys, not required for servants, are stationed in different parts of the watch, for the purpose of instruction, and as these are capable of becoming smart active men-of-war seamen, if properly attended to, it behoves the captain of every ship to insure that this shall be done. It would be entering more minutely than our design warrants to describe at length how the men are stationed, either at "all hands," "the watch," or "the watch and idlers," for different evolutions; suffice it to say, that, although no general arrangement is specified, this is accomplished in all ships much in the same manner, every precaution being taken that nothing shall be left undone that may insure speed, decision, and uniformity, in the various evolutions; for upon perfection in these matters the credit of a ship, as to discipline and consequent ability to perform any service of which a vessel is capable, depends. * are holy-stoned in addition to the broom-scrubbing, and under this treatment they very soon assume a beautiful whiteness, the grain of the wood relieved by the black streaks of pitch seams. As daylight begins to dawn, look-out men are ordered to the fore and main-top-gallant-masts' head, and those stationed around the gangways &c. withdrawn. In war time it is usual for an active mate or midshipman to go aloft and sweep the horizon with his telescope as the dawn breaks, for sometimes a fast-sailing vessel, which would escape in chase, is brought under the guns, and captured, before she becomes aware that an enemy is so near. For this reason a wary cruiser keeps everything prepared for making sail on the instant, and a couple of guns on each side always ready to be brought to bear on a vessel discovered under such circumstances. The first lieutenant and master generally appear on deck at daylight, and the former takes charge of the watch whilst the proper officer goes below to make his toilet. The boatswain and carpenter are also required to make a visit of scrutiny to each mast-head every morning, and to report any defect that they may discover in the spars, sails, or rigging, whilst the gunner goes round the decks to inspect the artillery. Meanwhile, the cooks are preparing breakfast, and at six the people below are aroused, and required to lash up their hammocks, which are brought up by notice of the boatswain's pipe at half-past six, or seven o'clock. The watch below is then set to clean the lower deck, and prepare the mess places for breakfast, whilst those on deck coil down the ropes, set the required quantity of sail neatly, and clean the smallarms, usually kept at hand ready for use, a measure of daily necessity to prevent their rusting in the saline atmosphere. The captain may, or may not, make his appearance thus early. His motions are entirely regulated by his will, for he is supreme on board. The officers, denominated idlers (the marine officers, surgeon, assistant-surgeon, chaplain, and purser, and naval instructor, as well as the young gentlemen volunteers too young to be stationed in watches), usually come on deck about an hour before breakfast, to inhale the fresh air. At half-past seven the cook appears with a sample of the morning's meal, which he tenders to the officer of the watch for his approval, and the men intended to relieve the sentinels, the wheel, and the look-outs, are ordered to get their meal. At eight o'clock precisely, if no special duty interferes to prevent it, the word is given to "pipe to breakfast," and the boatswain and his mates perform a flourish of whistling upon their silver calls, peculiar to the occasion, which though not particularly musical, is a very acceptable hearing to the men with appetites sharpened by the healthy breezes of the sea. Thus ends the morning watch, eight o'clock being the hour when all classes, officers and men, retire to breakfast, and at which, or at other meals, they are never disturbed, unless on special occasions, when it cannot be avoided. The first-lieutenant generally, and sometimes the officer and one of the midshipmen of the morning watch, breakfast with the captain, and it is usual for the mate or one of the midshipmen to be invited to breakfast in the ward-room. We should have stated, that the duty of heaving the log, and marking the ship's rate of progress on the log-board, devolves upon the mate of the watch; and this is afterwards copied into the logbook, by the second master, who hands it to every officer of a watch, in order that he may attach his initials to certify its correctness. The mate of the watch also calls the lieutenant who is to keep the next watch, whilst a quarter-master warns the midshipmen. At half-past eight the forenoon-watch is piped up, and the officers of the morning-watch relieved. Between this and noon is the busiest period of the day, for all the crew, above and below, are in full employment. A division is exercised at the guns, or at small-arms, the mechanics are engaged at their several crafts, the captain receives the reports of the surgeon and others, visits the sick-bay (hospital), and occasionally every part of the ship, whilst the people below are employed in cleaning the lower-deck, orlops, and store-rooms, and various minor affairs. In the course of the forenoon, the captain and ward-room stewards deliver the message of invitation to those selected to dine in the cabin and ward-room. Taking the routine for one day, and commencing with the morning watch, which relieves the middle watch at four o'clock; the watch is mustered by one of the midshipmen, each man passing before the lieutenant as he answers to his name, and the captains of different classes testifying for those placed on look-At half-past eleven, the officers and young gentlemen are summoned outs, in the sick list, or absent from any sufficient cause. The ropes are then coiled up, and preparations made for washing decks, an operation invariably performed every morning, when the weather permits, by scrubbing the quarter-deck, main-deck, poop, and forecastle, with sand and brooms, followed by plentiful ablutions of water, thrown about in all directions, so as thoroughly to cleanse away the dirt. Twice or three times a week the decks on deck with their sextants and quadrants, to take the altitude of the sun. The cook appears again on the quarter-deck with a using them the men go on their knees. • "Holy-stones" are square pieces of freestone, and so called because in "Hand-bibles" are billets of wood, about the size of bricks, and used to rub the sand on the deck in the same position. The seamen have assigned these names to the articles, which are known afloat by no other. sample of the soup prepared for dinner, and as noon approaches, all work is suspended, and the decks cleared up and swept. Reporting noon, is an amusing routine, and exemplifies the great authority of the captain, for he actually assumes the power which Joshua possessed of making time stand still. It is usual for the master, when he has ascertained that the sun's ascension is at its height, to salute the captain, or officer of the watch, informing him that it is "twelve o'clock." If all things are ready, he replies, "Make it so, and pipe to dinner;" but if anything remains to be done which requires a few minutes' labour, he hesitates not to suspend the event until such is accomplished; and when ready, and not before, he declares his pleasure, that it shall be noon. We have already detailed the ship's allowance; in serving it out, the utmost fairness and impartiality is observed. An indifferent person being selected, he takes in his hand the cook's fork, a large iron instrument called by the seamen "the tormentors," and as each mess is called, pricks for a piece of meat out of a tub, where it has been all thrown promiscuously together. Vegetables and puddings are boiled in nets, or bags, having attached to them a line with a copper label bearing a number, and the cook of each mess attends with his utensils to receive these and the allowance of meat, which are all appropriated and removed in a few minutes. Meanwhile, the important operation of mixing the grog is going forward, a master's mate superintending the whole; whilst a quarter-master, another petty officer, and a sergeant or corporal of marines, attend on behalf of the crew, and the purser's steward on the part of the purser, on this, and indeed every other occasion where provisions are served out, to see that justice is done to both parties. The mates and midshipmen invited to dine in the cabin and ward-room, relieve those who have the watch, in order that they may get their dinner. At one bell (half-past twelve), a boatswain's mate gives one chirp on his call, and sings out "grog ho." The summons is obeyed instanter, and the allowance delivered to the cook of each mess, who carries it below, and divides it amongst his messmates, using a measure somewhat smaller than that above, by which means due allowance is made for waste, and a portion of surplus, called for shortness "plus" is reserved as the perquisite of the cook, in consideration of his extra labour. As may be supposed, the office of cook is coveted, and appropriated in rotation, day after day. drunk, so long as he can stand upright, or walk a plank, which means keeping his feet within the lines made by the seams on each side of a plank in the deck. By the time all these matters are accomplished, in the first or second dog-watch, the period generally arrives for putting the ship under the sail intended to be carried during the night, and should time permit, or the work be lubberly performed, the men when aloft are exercised at reefing, until they effect what is desired, to the satisfaction of the captain. The hammocks are next piped down, and as it grows dark, look-out men are withdrawn from the mast-head, and others placed around the ship, who call out every half hour during the night from their stations as follows: Starboard-quarter, starboard-gangway, starboard-bow, larboard-bow, larboard-gangway, larboard-quarterlife-buoy. These look-out men are relieved every hour, and kept alert by constant visits from the midshipmen of the watch. The person stationed at the life-buoy has the charge of that instrument, which is suspended at the stern, and primed by a gunner's mate at quarters every night: it is capable of being instantly detached by pulling a trigger-line, that also fires off a lock igniting a blue light, which burns for a considerable time, directing the man in the water to a means of help, as well as the boats despatched from the ship, to what point to row to his assistance, and to pick up the life- buoy. The second dog-watch ends at eight o'clock, and at the beginning of the first watch the captain issues his written or verbal orders for the night, which the officer of every succeeding watch communicates to the one who relieves him. At midnight, the middle watch succeeds to the first, and at four o'clock we arrive at the point where we commenced our routine, namely, the morning watch. During the first and middle watch the decks below are visited every half-hour, and no work is done beyond pumping out the ship should it be required. Prior to the introduction of tanks, and force-pumps, which communicate with the coppers, it was usual to hoist up butts of water during the middle watch: at present the men are not disturbed with any work of this kind; but all those not on the look-outs, or in bad weather stationed in positions to reduce the sails suddenly, are permitted to lie down in their pea-jackets under cover from the weather. This is the daily routine, only varied by washing clothes on Mondays and Fridays; Divisions at which every man is expected to appear clean shaved and with a clean shirt, Thursdays and Sundays. Divine service on the latter day. Washing the lower deck on Saturdays, after which it is thoroughly ventilated and dried; also slinging clean hammocks, and airing bedding. A monthly muster of clothes and serving out of slops and tobacco. One evening in each week is allowed the crew to mend their clothes. All other matters which require a more minute detail will be described under the head of the Duty of each Officer belonging to the Ship. MORE'S UTOPIA. At one o'clock the afternoon-watch is called, and the business of exercising, &c. resumed. At two o'clock (usually the wardroom dinner hour), the officer of the forenoon-watch, who is invited to the captain's table, relieves the lieutenant in charge of the deck, who resumes his post at three, when the captain's dinner is announced. As the afternoon-watch approaches its termination of four o'clock, the decks are again cleared up and swept, and at four the boatswain's mate pipes to supper, when the men either receive tea ready prepared, or hot water from the cook, in proportion to the number in each mess. The next is the first dog-watch, during which the work to be performed depends upon the season of the THE " Utopia" is a philosophical romance, in which More, year. In some ships the men are allowed all the time after four after the manner of Plato, erects an imaginary republic, arranges o'clock for relaxation or pastime, until the drum beats to quarters, a society in a form entirely new, and endows it with institutions when every person flies to his station, and answers to his name, as more likely to secure its happiness than any which mankind have it is called over by one of the midshipmen attached to his divison. hitherto experienced. But, with all the model of Plato, the When an examination has taken place as to the condition of the republic of the Utopians assumes an actual existence: it is discoguns, and the stores ordered to be kept in readiness, and the lieu-vered by an adventurous navigator in a distant part of the new tenant of every division has made his report, the men are formed hemisphere, where it had for many ages continued to flourish; in a line, and the captain, or should he decline, the first-lieutenant, and More duly communicates to the world what he learned from usually accompanied by the surgeon, passes along in front of the the narrative of this intelligent eye-witness. The work is divided ranks, minutely scrutinising the features of every man in order to into two books, of which the first is occupied by a dialogue, conascertain his sobriety, for it is extremely dangerous to leave a taining a number of strictures on the most prominent defects in drunken man free from restraint on board a ship, not only on his the political institutions of the old world. The pleasing manner own account, but on account of the mischief he might do to others; in which this part of the work is written, the felicity of the style, indeed, the safety of the ship requires that every one in that conthe elegance of the satire, the acuteness of the remarks on men dition should be deprived of the power of doing injury. It is in- and manners, the freedom and manliness of the opinions, would credible in what a short space of time the officers are familiar not have raised it to distinction in any age; but in the rude and ignoonly with the features, but the voice of every man in the ship, and rant period when it appeared, they entitle it to high admiration. it is necessary that they should become so as early as possible in Similar praise is due to various passages in the second part, order to judge correctly, for a seaman will never admit that he is where the country, the manners, and the political institutions of the Utopians are described. Yet, while we allow much to the ingenuity, much to the judgment of the author, it must be acknowledged, that many of the laws and practices of this new republic are by no means improvements; that the author has been more successful in exposing defects than in providing remedies; and that his regulations are often fitted rather for beings of his own fancy, than for those with whom the Creator has peopled this world. John Macdiarmid. The casks of salt meal contain fifty-two pieces of pork, four pounds each, or thirty-eight pieces of beef, eight pounds each. In cutting up, these pieces are reduced to portions of three pounds, being the allowance for four men. The scraps are called "skewer pieces," and, being made into lots, are served to every mess in its turn. Of these the men make "seapies" and "lobscouse;" nautical dishes peculiar to themselves. In cutting up fresh beef, one pound extra in every seven (or five, according to the quality, is changed for prime pieces. HOURS WITH THE POETS.-KEATS' "ENDYMION.” Books are your true magicians: here are we now seated in a small room, scarcely eight feet square, yet large enough, by the assistance of these Magi, to contain all the greatest minds of the earth. Little is our wealth, but we have only to utter our "Open Sesame!"-the leaves fly asunder,-and what mines of Golconda are half so rich as the heaped-up store the poets have here spread before us? What monarchs can claim the possession of jewels so bright, rich, priceless, and enduring as their thoughts? A dazzling treasure! We possess ourselves of as much of it as we are able; we fill our hearts and souls with it, and, what is once thus possessed, no earthly power can lessen or deprive us of: yet all the while the glittering heap dwindles not; we invite others to share with us, and the wealth, instead of diminishing, growsay, visibly swells-as more and more is taken away! Blessed and beautiful ordination of God, that our truest perceptions should be those received in the light of a common sympathy; that our highest, purest, and fullest enjoyments should increase as they become more social! But are these dumb enchantments-books only "wealth" to us; are they not friends, to sorrow with us when we sorrow, to joy with us when we joy; are they not at all times sweet and elevating society? When worn out by the toils or anxieties of the day, never do they refuse to discourse us their most eloquent music. What a world of ennobling impulses there is contained in the thought that Shakspeare and Milton, Wordsworth, Shelley, and Scott, are content to dwell with the meanest of us! No roof can be too poor for them, no hearth too humble: we may have them telling, whenever we please, of the wonders of that nature it is their mission to expound. We select, on the present occasion, Keats' "Endymion," and have opened the leaves at its commencement. "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever!" is the poet's utterance as he bounds forth, expressing, in those few and simple, but exquisite words, the faith that has o'erinformed his own spirit, and now bids him go on his way rejoicing to teach it to others. "A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: Its loveliness increases; it will never A bower quiet for us, and a sleep Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing; A flowery band to bind us to the earth, These are beautiful lines,-"a joy," indeed, "for ever," to all who can receive them into their hearts with a cordial apprehension of their truth, of their surpassing loveliness and power. How deeply their author felt what he inculcated, his biography affectingly proves. Born in one of the humbler ranks of life, his genius burst the trammels of circumstance, and elevated him to a position in the loftiest department of literature;-he was emphatically acknowledged to be a poet! Unfortunately for him, during the period of the publication of his poems, party politics raged high,— his opinions were too ardent to be concealed, and, according to the infamous custom of the time, the poet was to be crushed for the politician. On the publication of "Endymion," from which poem all our quotations are taken, Keats was assailed by the then Quarterly Reviewer, and the morbidly-acute sensitiveness of his victim enhanced a thousandfold the effect of the attack. The poet's life, destined by disease to be short, was made shorter; the poiinhale, as he had wished, "the warm south :" he died at the early soned arrows struck deep into his heart; in vain he went abroad to age of twenty-four, though not without creating for the world, even in the short time allotted him, poems that it certainly will never 'willingly let die," and which, if equalled in one instance (Shelley's), have never been surpassed by any of our "young poets." Measuring what he had done only by the standard of perfection he had set up in his mind, he was unjust to himself, poet, in the bitterness of his heart, whilst lying on his death-bed, and his assailants had the gratification of fancying that the young had paid homage to their prowess, in desiring that his epitaph should be-" Here lies one whose name was writ in water!" And did not all this fling a "pall" over his spirit, which no "shape" could move away? Was the poet's faith still unchanged? Leigh Hunt has recorded that, "a little before he died, he said he felt the daisies growing over him!'"' The subject of the poem before us is one of the most beautiful youth enamoured of the Moon-and exquisitely has our author passages of the beautiful mythology of Greece-Endymion is the touched it! Here is part of an invocation to Pan. "O thou, whose mighty palace-roof doth hang From jagged trunks, and overshadoweth Eternal whispers, glooms, the birth, life, death of unseen flowers in heavy peacefulness; Who lovest to see the hamadryads dress Their ruffled locks where meeting hazels darken; And through whole solemn hours dost sit, and hearken The dreary melody of bedded reeds→ In desolated places; where dank moisture breeds Thou wast to lose fair Syrinx,-do thou now, By all the trembling mazes that she ran, Hamadryads are no more, fugitive maidens no longer escape by metamorphosis into trees or plants, Pan himself has not only lost his divinity, but his very existence is shrewdly questioned. But let us cry with our author, "O, sweet Fancy! let her loose!" She may still delight in these charming poetical fictions; still people the woods with ideal forms; still afford to us some spiritual In the glimpses, without which the world were indeed forlorn. following passage, Endymion describes to his sister the dream, or vision, in which the divine object of his adoration appeared to him in her earthly guise. "Methought I lay Watching the zenith, where the milky way Of heaven appear'd to open for my flight, I became loth and fearful to alight From such high soaring by a downward glance: So kept me stedfast in that airy trance, Again I looked,—and, O ye deities, |
