luable articles; old nails, scraps of tin or iron, pieces of broken glass, and sundry stray rags, occupy this select accommodation for the refuse of the streets. A miserably battered bonnet is fixed upon her head, in mockery, as it were, of the custom of protecting the brain box' by such defenders from the winds and rain; or in lieu of this, an old dirty handkerchief is tied round her deep furrowed visage, and gives to it the aspect of a skull from the church-yard, with a mouldy shroud wrapped round it in the place of hair. Thus equipped, with her offensive and defensive armour, she proceeds with menacing strides along the streets; not a gully hole, or water-course escapes her penetrating search, which is never wholly unavailing; for as she seeks for nothing but what others throw away, there is but little chance of others securing it before her, and competition is her only dread. Reader! didst thou ever see two of these 'bone pickers' meet at the same gutter? If not, there is some fun in store for thee. Each one looks at the other with envious dislike; each one puts forward her stick, as if she intended to dispute, by force of arms, her rival's title to the right of search.' But it was only that she might be first to turn out the precious contents, and if (as sometimes happens) a stray sixpence shows its silvery front, the two immediately, and with one consent, consider it as a God-send' to both, and retire to enjoy it, in the shape of a drop o' something, at the nearest gin shop they can find."

There was, until very lately, a bone picker' of the masculine gender, who used to perambulate the streets, and chaunt forth the few words we have quoted at the head of the article. He was generally considered as deficient in intellect, but he certainly never shewed any deficiency of talent in bone pick ing; many a time have we seen his wallet crammed to suffocation (if bones can be suffocated) with his numerous gleanings. He was particularly acute in discovering the objects of his search, where other bone pickers' would never have thought to seek. Then he was a favourite with several good house-wives, who used, upon his cry of poor Jack,' to shower down upon him the remains of the latest consumed joint. He was a noisy, dirty-looking fellow, and probably made no bones' of doing any thing by which he might gain,

Bone pickers' are themselve alone;' they are in their pursuits, their appearance, and their manners, distinct from the rest of' bustling souls;' give to any one of them' bones' which are the savings of a week, and you will probably receive no thanks; but the wide opening mouth will open, as the dirty bag is extended, while the eyes seem to be rolling in vacant observation. Probably the calculation of the money to be received on the next cwt. occupies the meditations of the bone picker." R. J

On Bathing.

No. 10.

VAPOUR BATH.

(Continued.)

Savary, in continuance observes, he masses, viz. delicately touches, and seems to knead the flesh, without making you feel the smallest pain. When this operation is finished, he puts on a glove, covered with a piece of coarse stuff, and rubs you for a long time; and during this operation, he detaches from the body, running with sweat, a scurf, or coat of small scales, and removes even the imperceptible filth that stops the pores. The skin becomes soft and smooth like satin. He then conducta you into a closet, pours a lather of perfumed soap upon your head, and then withdraws. The closet is furnished with a cistern and two cocks, one for cold, and the other for hot water. After having washed in this apartment, the servant brings a depilatory pomatum, composed of a mineral called vusma, which is of a deep brown, and which the Egyptians burn lightly, knead with water, and mix with half the quantity of slaked lime. This greyish paste, applied to the hair, makes it fall off in a little time; and it is generally used by both men and women in Egypt. After bcing well washed and purified, you are wrapped up in hot linen, and conducted through windings that lead to the outer apartment; and by this gradual transition from heat to cold, or by stopping for some time in the hall, next the stove, no inconvenience arises from the use of the bath. On arriving at the estrade, you find a bed prepared for you, and as soon as you are laid down, a child presses every part of the body

with its delicate fingers, in order to dry you thoroughly. Here you change linen a second time, and the child gently grates the callosity of your feet with pummice stone. He then brings you a pipe and Mocha coffee.

6

By these baths,' Savary observes, the use of which the ancients strongly recommend, and which are still the delight of the Egyptians, they prevent or dispel rheumatisms, catarrhs, and such cutaneous disorders as are produced by want of respiration. Thus the blood is made to circulate with freedom; the whole body acquires a suppleness and lightness, and the spirits gain a vivacity and flow which are not experienced in any equal degree by those who do not pay so much attention to external cleanliness. The women are particularly fond of these baths, and frequent them at least once a week. After undergoing the usual preparations, they wash their bodies, and more particularly their heads, with rose water. Here the female head-dressers form their long black hair into tresses, to which they apply costly essences, instead of powder and pomatum. Here they blacken the edges of their eyelids, and lengthen their eye-brows with cohel, or a preparation of tin burnt with henne, which gives them a golden colour. The linen and clothing which they use are passed through the sweet steam of the wood of aloes. The days appropriated to the use of the bath, are festivals for the Egyptian women; and on this occasion they pay great attention to the ornaments of their dress, as well as to the cleanliness of their persons. Baths, similar to the above described, though differing in size, are constructed in all the principal towns of Egypt.

(To be continued.)

Original Poetry.

LIFE'S DISAPPOINTMENTS.

Bliss, a native of the sky,
'Never wanders-,"

Where are ye flown, ye days of bliss
That once my fancy knew,
When, in the coming years, ye stood
To greet my raptured view?
Where are ye gone, expected joys,
With heaven-born splendour bright?
Alas! your day is gulph'd within
The gloom of sorrow's night.

Ah! once I thought, that all of woe,
That all of grief was nought,
But vapour, rising from the flame
Of discontented thought;
And heeded not the warning voice,
Which disappointment told
To all the fair flown hopes of youth,
In wild expectance bold.

Life seemed replete with ev'ry joy,
I marked each one my prey;
Nor gave a thought, on what might hap
To turn my grasp away;

I watch'd each coming year afar,

Each brought a radiant view; When reach'd, how many dark and dull! And bright; alas! how few!

The emanation seeems to burn,
With more than lustrous ray;
Welcome I greet the dear return,
Of the propitious ray.

To thee, dear Thomas, may it prove,
The harbinger of joy;
May conjugal and filial love,
Ne'er feel the least alloy.

Long may the partner of thy heart,
In tenderness increase;

And may the fair with which thou'rt blest

Contribute to thy peace.

May fortune with a lavish hand,
On thee her gifts bestow;

May friendship's amaranthine band,
Shield that lov'd breast from woe.

S. D.

MY HEART, POOR HEART, IS ALMOST

BROKE.

Nay, nay, my father, hear your child, Oh, spurn me not, my brain is wild!"

My heart, poor heart, is almost broke. Life's lamp but glimmers for a while; 'Tis unsupplied with nature's oil,

And death will end the bitter yoke; My heart, poor heart, is almost broke. My infant pleads; my mother's shade Is hov'ring round, my cause to aid ;My heart, poor heart, is almost broke. Thy blessing's all on earth I crave, And oh my babe, my darling, save

From want, I'll rend life's bitter yoke: My heart, poor heart, is almost broke. In pity, pity, grant me this, And let my soul depart in peace;

My heart, poor heart, is almost broke. Oh pity, love, beams in that eye,— Thanks, blessings, father, now I die

In peace, and rend the bitter yoke;
My heart, poor heart, is joy'd though
broke.
E. M.

turning from hunting. Her eyes were closed, and mouth open, and swarming with ants. Campagnon was touched with pity at the poor animal's suffering; and having washed her mouth well, he poured a small quantity of milk. This simple application produced a visible effect, and the lioness being carried back to the fort gradually recovered. The kindness of her benefactor occasioned such an attachment on the part of this grateful animal, that she would not take any thing but from his hand; and when perfectly cured, she frequently followed him about the island, with a cord about her neck like the most familiar dog.

EXECUTIONS IN ROME.

Until within the last fifty years the executions in Rome on condemned malefactors, were the most cruel and sanguinary possible to be conceived. The criminal was placed on a scaffold, and the executioner knocked him on the head with a large iron hammer, then cut his throat with a large knife, and lastly hewed him in pieces with an axe; and thus ended the poor wretch's life, being treated more like an ox at the slaughter than any thing else.

A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE YEARS 1727 AND 1827.

In the year 1725 hackney coaches were plain, awkward, common clumsy things, with no springs, and their number did not exceed five-and-thirty in the wole of London; at present they are tasty, and some of them exceed in beauty those belonging to people of fashion, and their number is increased to 1,200. At that time shopkeepers staid at home, serving in their shops, whereas now they spend nearly all their summer at Brighton or Margate, or some other watering-place,and regularly attend the races, and keep their hundred guinea hunters. Fashions at that period did not reach any place, fifty miles distant from London, until they were nearly out. Now they travel down in coaches, diligences, &c. in a few hours. Coaches were then two days and two nights going down to Dover, they now perform the same journey in nearly a quarter of the time. In the year 1727, farmer's daughters carried the butter and eggs to market in green Josephs

fastened round them, with a leathern girdle: but in 1827, how is the scene changed, carry eggs and butter to market indeed! no, they must wear ridinghabits, and plumes of feathers, learn dancing, singing, music, French, Spanish, and Italian, and a thousand other accomplishments to make themselves ladies! Formerly citizens wore roundwigs, worsted stockings, and corderoy breeches; now they must wear perukes, silk breeches, and stockings, and their apprentices and shopmen must follow their example. In 1727, meat was only 3d. per lb., now it is near 1s. Servants wages then varied from 21. to 41., 'now' from ten to thirty. The number of merchants was at that period very small, but now every clerk, &c. stiles himself one; these are the improvements of the last century, these are the differences and improvements between 1727 and 1827, but query, can they be called so? R. H. T.

DESTRUCTION OF THE SPANISH SHIP FLORIDA.

Every person, at all acquainted with the history of our country, is aware of the wonderful interposition of Providence in the destruction and shipwreck of the Spanish fleet, styled the Armada,' the formidable appearance of which terrified the English nation; but amidst the general devastation of the Spanish ships, the Florida was an exception, which vessel had the good, fortune to reach the Sound of Mull, in Scotland. Scotland being at that time a distinct and neutral country, the Florida had the means of refitting whilst she remained there. It is to be regretted in this instance, the law of nations was grossly violated, under the government of Queen Elizabeth. One Smollet, an ancestor of the famous historian and novel writer of that name, was the agent for putting into execution the plans of the English ambassador. This individual, understanding the Gaelic language, and assuming the garb, proceeded to put into effect his nefarious plans, by initiating himself into the company of the crew of the vesel, and facilitating the execution of the plot by making himself acquainted with the ship. A convenient opportunity presenting itself, he laid some combustible materials in a part of the ship where it was likely to take effect, and proceeded towards the boundaries with