Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

OR,

Literary and Scientific Mirror.

66 UTILE DULCI."

This familiar Miscellany, from which religious and political matters are excluded, contains a variety of original and selected Articles; comprehending Literature, Criticism, Men and Manners, Amusement, Elegant Extracts, Poetry, Anecdotes, Biography, Meteorology, the Drama, Arts and Sciences, Wit and Satire, Natural History, Monthly Diary, Fashions, &c. &c.; forming a handsome Annual Volume, with an Index and Title-page.-Regular supplies are forwarded to the following

[blocks in formation]

The Philanthropist.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENTS.

[blocks in formation]

SIR WILLIAM BLACKSTONE.-" Yet, though we may glory in the wisdom of the English Law, we shall find it more difficult to justify the frequency of capital punishment to be found therein: inflicted The revisal of our pemal code is likely to engage the (perhaps inattentively) by a multitude of successive sarly consideration of the legislature; and some consi-independent statutes, upon crimes very different in derable amelioration of its provisions will, in all proba- their natures. It is a melancholy truth, that among the bility, be introduced in to Parliament, with the concur- variety of actions which men are daily liable to comteace of the ministers. At such a crisis, it will not be mit, no less than an hundred and sixty have been incompatible with the nature of our work, to lay be- declared by Act of Parliament to be felouies without fort our readers the opinions of some of the wisest phi- benefit of clergy; or in other words, to be worthy lanthropists and legislators upon a subject of such intense of instant death. So dreadful a list, instead of Inter-Edits. Kal. diminishing, increases the number of offenders. The injured, through compassion, will often forbear to prosecute; juries, through compassion, will sometimes forget their oaths, and either acquit the guilty, or mitigate the nature of the offence; and the judges, through compassion, will respite one half of the convicts, and recommend them to t the Royal Mercy. Among so many chances of escaping, the needy and hardened offender overlooks the multitude that suffer; he boldly engages in some desperate attempt, to relieve his wants or supply his vices ; and, if unexpectedly the hand of justice overtake him, he deems himself peculiarly unfortunate in falling at last a sacrifice to those laws, which long im. punity has taught him to contemn.”

Sir Thomas More.—" I think putting thieves to death is not lawful; and it is plain and obvious Nat it is absurd, and of ill consequence to the commonwealth, that a thief and a murderer should be squally punished: for if a robber sees that his dan is the same if he is convicted of theft, as if he were guilty of murder, this will naturally incite him to kill the person whom otherwise he would only have robbed; since, if the punishment is the same, there is more security, and less danger of discovery, when he that can best make it is put out of the way; * that terrifying thieves too much provokes them so cruelty."

In support of the opinion of this great Lawyer, that an amendment of our penal code was necessary, Sir W. Blackstone shrewdly observes, « That had a committee been appointed but once in one hundred years, to revise the criminal law, it could not have continued to this hour, a felony without benefit of clergy, to be seen for one month in company with Gypsies!"

[blocks in formation]

DR. COLQUHOUN." In the present state of society it becomes indispensibly necessary, that of fences, which in their nature are highly iujurious to the public, and where no mode of prevention can be established, should be punished by the forfeiture of life; but these dreadful examples should be exhibited as seldom as possible; for while, on the one hand, such punishments often defeat the ends of justice, by their not being carried into execution; so on the other, by being often repeated, they lose their effect upon the minds of the people.”

SIR SAMUEL ROMILLY." In the Criminal Law

of this country, he had always considered it is a very and were appointed, he could not say inflicted, for great defect, that capital punishments were frequent than that it is the certainty much more than the so many crimes. No principle could be more clear severity of punishments which renders them effien

cious."

THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM PITT.——— Mr. Wilberforce says :—“ So deeply was Mr. Pitt

convinced of the improper severity of our laws, that, to my knowledge, that distinguished person had it in contemplation to submit the whole of our Penal Code to the revision of some able Lawyers, for the purpose of digesting a plan to diminish the sangusary nature of its punishments, so inconsistent with the justice of humanity for which this country is so peculiarly distinguished."

Biographical Notices.

BRIEF MEMOIR OF THE REV.
WILLIAM SHEPHERD.

DR. JOHNSON." Death is, as one of the ancients observes, of dreadful things the most dreadful; an evil, beyond which nothing can be threatened by blunary power, or feared from human enmity or Vengeance. This terror should, therefore, be reserved as the last resort of authority, as the strongest and most operative of prohibitory sanctions, and placed before the treasure of life, to guard from invasion what cannot be restored. To equal robbery with DR. FRANKLIN.-" Is there then no difference in murder, is to reduce murder to robbery; to cou-value between property and life? If I think it right found in common minds the gradations of iniquity, that the crime of murder be punished with death, and incite the commission of a greater crime, and not only as an equal punishment of the crime, but what might be termed a biographical outline of "LanWe have often had it in contemplation to attempt prevent the detection of a less. If only murder to prevent other murders, does it follow that I must cashire worthies;" amongst whom, of course, the subpuuished with death, few robbers would stain approve of inflicting the same punishment for a little ject of the present sketch would have been entitled to their hands in blood; but when, by the last act invasion of my property by theft? If I am not a conspicuous place. We are fully aware that the meof cruelty, no new danger is incurred, and greater myself so barbarous, and bloody-minded, and re-moirs of living characters have not often much claim to security may be obtained, upon what principle shall vengeful as to kill a fellow-creature for stealing from public confidence. On the one hand, the partiality of we bid them forbear? They who would rejoice me fourteen shillings and three-pence, how can I friendship, and on the other, the enmity of party preat the correction of a thief, are yet shocked at the approve of a law that does it? It is said, by those judice, where the individual has taken any conspicuous thought of destroying him. His crime shrinks to who knew Europe generally, thut there are more share in the politics of the day, render a faithful porauthing compared with his misery; and severity de- thefts committed and punished annually in England trait of his character a desideratum not very likely to be feats itself by exciting pity." than in all other nations put together !!"

were

attained. The estimable indiyidual who is the subje

[ocr errors]

being able to give any kind of outline of his history without deviating from our invariable rule, to avoid politics in every shape. An article in the last number of the Imperial Magazine, which we proceed to lay before our readers, has, however, obviated some of our difficulties, by treating the subject in a way perfectly compatible with our plan; and, although so limited a view does not possess the interest which would attach to a wider and more general range, we are of opinion, that the memoir, in its present form, will prove interesting to our readers, particularly in Liverpool and in Lancashire. Edit. Kal.

of the annexed brief sketch, has mixed so much with herd removed to the New College at Hack- tion "An seni sit uxor ducenda?" This the political world, that we should have despaired of ney, where he had the advantage of the curious composition never had been made instruction of those eminent and learned public till the year 1805, when a few comen Dr. Kippis and Dr. Rees, and also of pies were printed by Mr. Shepherd, for Mr. Belsham, who was appointed divinity distribution among his friends, from the tutor to the New College during Mr. Shep- MS. in the Royal Library at Paris. herd's residence there. In 1814, Mr Shepherd published the re On the completion of his studies, Mr.sult of two excursions to France, under the Shepherd left the college; and, no situa- title of " Paris, in 1802 and 1814." The tion immediately presenting itself, he ac- work, which is generally commended for its cepted an invitation from the Rev. John impartiality, has gone through three edi Yates, of Toxteth Park, near Liverpool, tions.

"Mr. Shepherd was born at Liverpool, November 11, 1768; his father was a respectable tradesman, whose talents and good conduct procured him an introduction to society above his own rank in life. His mother was a daughter of the Reverend Benjamin Mather, a dissenting minister at Over-Darwin, a popular preacher, and possessed of an independent fortune.

[ocr errors]

Besides the above works, Mr. Shepherd has been the author of several occasional

to undertake the office of private tutor to In 1815, Mr. Shepherd, conjointly with his children. During his residence in Mr. the Rev. Mr. Joyce, and the Rev. Dr. CarYates's family, Mr. Shepherd occasionally penter, published, in two octavo volumes, performed divine service at the Unitarian a general compendium of the various obchapel at Knowsley. His congregation was jects of liberal study, under the title of at first very small; but, during his ministry, Systematie Education; or, Elementary its numbers and respectability were very Instruction in the various departments of considerably increased. Mr. Shepherd had Literature and Science, with practical res resided in Mr. Yates's family about two for studying each branch of useful knowOn the death of his father, Mr. Shep-years, when he received a call to the pasto-ledge." The first edition of this work wa herd was received into the family of his ma- ral superintendence over the Unitarian con- very speedily disposed of; a second ha ternal uncle, the Reverend Tatlock Mather, gregation at Gateacre, where he then went since been printed; and, as the work ob pastor of a dissenting congregation at Rain-to reside, having entered into the matri-tains very general approbation, it will, in ford, near Prescot, who, being a bachelor, monial connection with Miss Nicholson, all probability, reach several more. adopted him as his son, and instructed him daughter of the late Mr. Robert Nicholson, in the elements of useful knowledge: he afterwards went as a day-scholar to Holden's academy, at Rainford, where he continued for upwards of six years, the principal part of which time he was under the tuition of the Reverend John Braithwaite. From Rainford, Mr. Shepherd was removed to Bolton, and placed under the tuition of the Reverend Philip Holland, who is still remembered as an excellent scholar, and a most accurate teacher; and of whom, Mr. Shepherd has been frequently heard to declare, with the most grateful emotions, that, to the admirable precepts of this skil-no accurate account had hitherto been given. ful instructor, he is indebted for the more efficient portion of his education.

merchant, of Liverpool. Soon after Mr.
Shepherd had established his residence at
Gateacre, he opened a seminary for the
classical education of young gentlemen,
which he still continues.

From his intimacy with our worthy towns-
man Mr. Roscoe; Mr. Shepherd imbibed a
partiality for Italian literature, and was in
duced, by a perusal of that gentleman's in-
teresting history of Lorenzo de Medici, to
undertake the publication of a life of Poggio
Bracciolini, a very celebrated Italian scho-
lar of the fifteenth century, and of whom

This work, which was published in 1802,
stands in high and deserved estimation with
the literary world; and it has been tran-
slated into the French, Italian, and Ger-
man languages. The style is manly, pure,
and elegant; the remarks on authors, evince
a sound discriminating judgment; and the
reflections on events, a discerning and cul-
tivated mind.

pamphlets, and a variety of fugitive pieces and poems, which have appeared in different periodical publications. Of these, al though some are on subjects of importance, we have no means of ascertaining either the extent or the merit, many of them haring been printed without any signature; few, if any, bearing the author's name.

The Gleaner.

“I am but a gatherer and disposer of other men's stuff."

THE TRAVELER.

WOTTON.

THE QUEEN'S RECEPTION AT TUNIS

The following account of her Majesty's reception at Tunis is taken from " The Journal of her Majesty the Queen, to Tunis, Greece, and Palestine, written by Louise Dumont: with other corresponding papers. collected in Switzerland, and translated by Euge

When Mr. Shepherd had attained his fifteenth year, his uncle died, bequeathing him to the care of his intimate friend, the Rev. Richard Godwin, minister of Gateacre chapel, who, on his determining to devote himself to the ministry, sent him to the dissenting academy at Daventry, in Northamptonshire, where he was admitted on the About the year 1435, Poggio, who was foundation. Here he continued three years, then fifty-five years old, and who had led a under the tuition of the Reverend Messrs. very dissipated life, married a lady "who “On the 12th, her Royal Highness Belsham, Broadbent, and Cogan, who were had not seen eighteen summers." In order to pay a visit to the Bey, at his country respectively divinity, mathematical, and clas-to justify his conduct for this extraordinary residence. All the Turkish Officers accoff sical tutors. From Daventry, Mr. Shep-step, he wrote a formal treatise on the ques-panied her, and on the road went through

Garston." She says,

wer

Un

Miscellanies.

CONTINENTAL FANCY BALL,
AT THE CASTLE ROYAL, BERLIN.

The following (being the published extract of a private letter recently received from the continent) may not be altogether uninteresting to our readers.

"On the 27th, we had here a most splendid Court festival. It took place in the state rooms of the

Castle Royal, where the (so called) white-hall and the adjoining apartments had been fitted up for it. The idea of this splendid exhibition of royal pomp was taken from Moore's beautiful poem, Lalla Rookh. It was supposed that the royal couple, Lalla Rookh and the Prince Abiris, along with Aurengzeb and Abdallah, attended by their Queen and the people forming their courts, were present at the representation of the principal episodes by tableaux vivans formed by the people, whose attitudes, remaining unchanged for a certain time, convey the idea of a living picture. For this purpose a theatre had been constructed in the hall, in which these pictures were exhibited. They consisted of scenes taken from the four poetical narratives interwoven in the poem, viz. that of the veiled Prophet of Khorassau, that of Peri and the Paradise, that of the Ghebers, and lastly, that of the Feast of Roses. Each of these dramatic performances (if you may call them so) was preluded by a song, containing a poetical narrative of the scenes which the spectators were to behold. These songs, from the pen of Dr. Spiker, the Royal Librarian, were admirably set to music by the Chevalier Spontini, the leader of the band royal, who had also composed the introductory march and the music for the ballet, with which the whole finished.

very pretty manoeuvre to entertain her. is now reigning) took her Royal HighThey galloped forward with their horses, ness by the hand, and conducted her into hich seemed rather to fly than to run; his own seraglio, whither also we followed hen advanced to some distance, they her. That of the son is more extensive wheeled round, and returned with the ve- than that of the father, and contains more ocity of lightning, discharging their mus- women; but they were not so richly dressed, ets, and exhibiting a sham fight together. with the exception of his wife, who was t is difficult to conceive how a man, mount- very beautiful, as was also that of the seed on a fiery horse, swift as the wind, can cond son. The ceremonies with which we load his piece and discharge it with so much were received in the first seraglio were refacility; but such is their manner of car-peated in this; the women crowded round rying on war. In other respects they are us, and appeared delighted to see us. very cowardly, and a Christian need not fortunate creatures! we were undoubtedly fear an encounter with thirty Turks. Their the first strangers whom they had seen uniform nearly made us expire with laugh- since they were first immured like encaged er; they looked like so many old women; birds in these cloisters. When once the some had white head dresses; (à papillons,) doors of the mansion are closed upon them others had grey handkerchiefs fastened on they come forth no more, and meet the he head, and cloaks, made like mantillas, eye of no one save the Princes, by whom on their shoulders, with large wooden boots they are treated like slaves. When the on their legs. During a journey of three Princes enter they all hasten to kiss their miles we were much diverted with this hands; it is the only favour enjoyed by masquerade. We then arrived at the Pa- them. They are enormously fat, and those lace of the Bey, who received her Royal who are most bulky are esteemed the most Highness. Her Royal Highness had the beautiful; those who are slender are lightly kindness to present us to him: after a short valued, and even scarcely looked at. They conversation (they conversed in Italian) are constantly guarded and watched by he took the Princess by the hand, and con- eunuchs; thus I look upon them as buried While this march was performing by the band ducted her into his seraglio. She com- alive. It is said that there are five hundred royal, the Courts of Aurengzeb and Abdallah, as well manded us to follow her; the gentlemen in the palace at Tunis. At Athens her as the Princess Lalla Rookh, and the Prince Abiris remained in the hall, it being forbidden for Royal Highness gave two balls to the Gre-entered, all of them in their Indian and Bucharian dresses. Lalla Rookh was represented by her Royal ally man to enter the seraglio under pain cian ladies. Their manner of dancing is Highness the Grand Duchess of Prussia, daughter of death. We were introduced into a mag-insipid to the last degree, (pour mourir d'en-of his Majesty, and the Prince Abiris, by his Royal nificent room : the women were dressed nui.) They are not permitted to dance Highness the Grand Duke Nicholas of Russia. with incredible splendour, being loaded with the gentlemen, but merely by them-jesty, and Abdallah his Royal Highness the Duke with gold, diamonds, and precious stones; selves; and the dance consists of nothing their legs were uncovered, and their ankles more than taking each other's hand and encircled with diamond chains; their fingers turning. The first, or the one who dances were covered with rich rings, and the tips best, holds a handkerchief in her hand, of them painted black. The Princess which she constantly waves; the accompaseated herself with the Bey and his first nying music is simply la, la, la, la, la, and wife upon rich cushions; five wives of the la, la, la, without variety. Added to this, rank of slaves, presented napkins wrought their want of grace makes one fancy them with gold; and afterwards the richest col- puppets moved by wires. The lower rank lation that can be pictured was served to of women wear a head-dress, composed of them; there were full two hundred different a silver coin, called barras, which is equidishes all served upon gold. After the valent to a raps of Switzerland; they have repast, the slaves brought their finest per- also necklaces of the same materials; the fumes, and sprinkled us from head to foot; coins are pierced in the centre, and placed our dresses have not even yet lost the on an iron wire. The women who are The Bey ordered music to be more wealthy, wear gold coin in the same brought. Six old women commenced play-style, and in great profusion. Both the ing a sort of charivari, which deafened our poor and the wealthy unstring them, when hearing, but it was most excellent melody of they have no other money, or in preference the Turkish court; and the old women were to borrowing, and distribute to the many the most perfect of its songstresses. After- poor who offer themselves every where, and wards, the eldest son of the Bey (he who invariably limit their petition to a barras."

scent.

Aurengzeb was Prince William, brother to his Ma

of Cumberland. The dresses of these illustrious persons were uncommonly magnificent, as was also that of her Royal Highness the Grand Duchess of Russia. The rest of the Royal Family appeared as Nobles of Aurengzeb and Abdallah, and in dresses of the people they were to represent. The last tableau, where the parts of Munmahal and Dishelianger were performed by Madame de Perponger, and his Royal Highness the Duke Charles of Meclenburgh was followed by a ballet executed by the ladies and gentlemen of the Court, as also in the national dresses, and wearing wreaths of roses. The entertaiument was most splendid, and the number of people present (part of whom, however, could but see the performance) is estimated to have amounted to upwards of 4000.

Indian or Bucharian Princes, sons, daughters, aud

Such are the vicissitudes of human life, that a person, and to a late Member for Wallingford, educated at Westminster School, of no common attainments, and in the opinion of the late Dr. Horsley, as well as Dr. VinUniversity of Oxford, and a Barrister at Law, is now a pauper upon the parish of Camberwell, and was lately begging his bread in Wales!-Morning paper.

we believe allied to a most opulent family in Berkshire,

cent, once of great public promise, a Member of the

Taste.-A bruiser, of Hibernian merit, having lately visited New York, in hopes of carrying on his profession, received so little encouragement, that he returned in disgust, declaring that the Yankees had no taste for the fine arts.

sink into obscurity and want, more dreadful because
he had tasted the sweets of plenty, we confess we
know not this, however, is too often the case, and
then the temporary kindness of a patron is far more
painful than total neglect. That man, and more
particularly that poet, must possess a noble mind,
who, having been flattered and caressed by the great,
can return to his native indigence with an uncorroded
mind: and it is well for a man of genius, when, it
can be said of him, with regard to their patronage,
That delight he never knew,
And therefore never miss'd.

[blocks in formation]

sade from without. Another cloud of Cossack con-
servators of the peace of Europe may again darken
over the vine-covered hills and gay valleys of
France.' Last scene of all, that ends this strange
eventful history;' another Blucher may supplicate
to be the privileged conflagrator of Paris, without
being frustrated by any benign imperial interposi-
tion, commanding him to sheathe the sabres, and
extinguish the torches of his military artificers of
bavock."

This, to be sure, was rather strong language to
use; but the French mode of taking it up, instead
of refuting it, would seem to show, that at least the
passage imputing folly had some foundation. For
the lecturer being called on for a supplementary
discourse, received on the evening preceding, the
following letter:—

"Some French officers have learned, with equal surprise and indignation, the manner of which you Vivienne.

was a frequent visitor, by refusing to eat any fruit bot Mango-steens, or to drink any wine but Champagne The only instance in which it was ever seen angry was commonly messed in peace with a dog, a cat, and a lory, when there was none of the latter at the dessert. It The dog was its favourite, and was suffered to worry and tease it without offence or resentment. The strength of the animal when full grown was, nevertheless, very great; and it could tear up by the roots from the ga den a plantain tree of such size as to be almost to large for its embrace.

ANIMAL SAGACITY.

The following instance of animal sagacity is from the same source:

In compliance with the request of a CONSTANT spoke of France, at your last sitting in the Rue show that the comparison is not unfounded. The

READER we subjoin an article on the subject of Mr. MULOCH'S public lectures, recently delivered in Paris, which our correspondent conceives will be well timed, as Mr. M. has it in contemplation to give a course of lectures in this town. Without stopping to examine the justice of those sweeping strictures upon the French nation, in which the lecturer has here indulged, we cannot but express an opinion, that there is more than an ordinary share of assurance, and lack of delicacy, in such an attempt to depreciate a whole people to their own faces; nor do we believe that so rude an experiment upon national feeling and amour propre, would be tolerated even in our own country.

"They do not here allude to your literary opinions
which can injure none but yourself, and which at
once prove your ignorance, your want of taste, and
your bad faith: the owl which cannot endure the
light of the sun, denies its splendour.

have set forth against France as a nation, in despite
"The matter in question is the opinion which you
of decorum, the rights of hospitality, and of all
that mankind hold sacred.

"You are, no doubt, fully aware of the infamy of
such conduct, which but for the contempt it inspires,
would most assuredly have been punished by those
who despise you more than the Cossacks and the
Bluchers. Frenchmen recognise enemies, but not
poltroons.

Moschus, (var.) called by the natives Kauchil. This little squirrel-like creature is so proverbially cunning, that a Malay, speaking of a clever rogue, says, "hen as sly as a kauchil." Examples are mentioned, which kauchil, when caught in a trap, pretends to be dead; but should the springe be incautiously loosened, he leaps up and bounds out of sight in avant. If hunted and sore pressed, he will jump into the branch of a tree, and hang by his teeth, which he thrusts into the wood, while his pursuers run beneath and lose the scent. This cheating character authorizes the proverb.

from coal.

OIL GAS.

At a meeting which recently took place Hull, to consider of the propriety of lighting the town with gas, considerable discussion occurred as to the comparative merits of gas from oil, and ga ter light than that from coal; that it required "smaller It was stated, that the oil gas threw a bet People are neither to be affronted, nor bullied out apparatus, that it was free from the offensive smell, s of their absurdities; and, if ever we should, in a foreign injurious to breath and destructive of comfort, be "Still, however, contempt, will not long stifle the which coal gas was accompanied; that it did not e country, venture upon such a course of lectures, we voice of injured honour; any new insult will cause rode the pipes, nor tarnish nor discolour polished me should make it a point to take the chair with our you to be visited by signal vengeance. This lan-tals, silks, &c. as coal gas did; and that it was used “noses ready_soaped," in anticipation of the conse-guage bears no equivocal meaning:-French officers in Covent-garden Theatre, in the Argyle Rooms, quences.-Edit. Kal. repel calumuy and insolence on the field of honour, Whitbread's brewery, and some other places." One and with the sword in hand. of the speakers alleged on the contrary, that he cured 417 gallons of gas from 11lbs," of coal, which and the tar worth a penny more; so that he had a precost a penny. The coke produced was worth a penny, fit of 200 per cent, and the gas for nothing! Besides his gas had produced no offensive smell, and be had not perceived that his pipes (which were of lead) Lad been corroded. A letter was read, which observed, that 1000 feet of oil gas would produce a light equal to 3333 feet of coal gas. It appears that the Emperor Ales ander is lighting up his palace at St. Petersburgh oil gas. The meeting unanimously agreed to retions in favour of gas from oil.

PUBLIC LECTURES IN PARIS. [From the Literary Gazette.]

"We therefore command you, in the name of France which you have largely attacked, in the name of truth which you have outraged, and of that religion which you have renounced by slandering your fellow-creatures, not to give on Saturday the lecture you have announced.

"We are, with the contempt you deserve,

66 MILLIN, BARBEROUX, ST. Didier,
"French officers.

"Puris, Jan. 26, 1821."

A characteristic story, as connected with public lectures in Paris, lately came under our cognizance. Mr. Mulock, the gentleman who is at present engaged in giving an interesting exposition of English literature, at the Argyle Rooms, (and whose lectures at Geneva we noticed some time ago,) delivered somewhat of a similar course in the capital of our the signatures are not those of unknown persons; We have only to add, by way of explanation, that neighbours. Upon one occasion, in January last, Barberoux is the son of the deputy; and St. Didier, in taking a view of the political state of Europe as connected with its literary improvement, he hap-nevertheless, pronounced his lecture, and treated the a colonel, of dueling notoriety. Our countryman, pened to speak nearly as follows of France:threat with ridicule, as one of assassination.

Scientific Records.

[Comprehending Notices of new Discoveries or Improve-
ments in Science or Art; including, occasionally,
singular Medical Cases; Astronomical, Mechanical,
Philosophical, Botanical, Meteorological, and Mine
ralogical Phenomena, or singular Facts in Natural
History, Vegetation, &c.; Antiquities, &c.; to be
continued in a Series through the Volume.]

"And first, with reference to the land in which I am a passing guest-a land which I must place, where she has placed herself by her follies and her crimes, least and lowest in the scale of Europeau natious. Whithersoever I turn my eyes in France, I behold degradation or destitution-a government without strength, struggling to sway an insurgent people, and by the worst means-false loyalty leaning on the broken crutch of false religion—an atheistic land scourged by squadrons of antichristian mfasionaries, whose carnal cry is, 'up with the cross, and down with the bible'-a paper constitution seized hold of by contending factions, to sanction the practical suspension of rights, or to prompt the popular denial of duties. Do you require a more minute inventory of a nation's nothings? Sir T. S. Raffles has sent a paper to the Linnæan SoFields without industry-cities without commerce ciety, describing the zoological collection made for the courts without justice-churches without piety East India Company. The following to his description -houses without homes-pamphleteering in lieu of of the Ursa Malayanus: literature, and sensuality substituted for the affec

TAME MALAYAN BEAR.

tions. Nor do I overstep the limits of prudent nursery among the children. It appears to be a variety This bear was caught young, and brought up in the political prediction, when I proclaim that this guilty of of India. It was perperversion of all good-this fond election of evil, of the common bear, and bear of dingly play. Sir will ere long be visited with penal vengeance. Fresh T. S. Raffles mentions, that it was also a brute of convulsions will call forth another conquering cru- taste, which it displayed at the dinner table, where it

Correspondence.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,-I am sorry the letter upon orthographical innovations should have been the cause of so much trouble to you, and that its purport bas been so misunderstood. I certainly had no inter tion by what I wrote, in any way, to protest against such innovations; I merely wished to lead you admit they were so, and to plead in justification them; which, in all future numbers, would bare removed any doubts, whether they were so intended or not; and I hoped further, precisely, as A. BC does, that it would lead to the more general adoption of them. I am totally at a loss to imagine wher A. B. C. found the "furor scribendi” ia the letter upon this subject, with which he seems so much dis pleased; and I am sorry he found the errors ceeding from my negligence, of which he could it The letter escaped my hands hastily, and could 1 trust, to furnish you with the promiseith pr have myself to correct them. A. B. C. will not have been returned to me, I hope I should have bees words where similar innovations may, it priety, be used. March 29, 1821. GEORGE MEANWELL

I remain yours, literally,

DOUBLE GAME OF CHESS.

TO THE EDITOR.

have preceded it, and still reluctant to part from the
mysterious delights of legendary horrors.

The value of this kind, or indeed of any kind of the
marvelous, as contrasted with moral tales, tales of
character, of humour, or any other description of tales,
it would be nugatory here to make any attempt to
ascertain: it is certain that it has at least as many
votaries, if not more than any other, by which the
lovers of light reading are captivated; and if you think

AN AUTHENTIC STORY,

319

merely venturing to break that silence by a whispered remark, and listening eagerly for a repetition of the mysterious sound; but we could hear nothing, save the dashing of the waves against the planks of the vessel, or now and then, as we passed an open port, a faint murmur borne from the distant shore over the waters, or the low humming of some man on watch in the tops."

Then my kinsman recounted and particularized, with professional accuracy, the various parts of the vessel he had searched; but I am not seaman enough to fol low him. At length he described himself as having reached one end of a species of gallery formed by some of the partitions in the lower part of the vessel, and proceeded as follows:-" We had scarcely reached the entrance of this gallery, when my companion asked if I did not see a light; I looked forward, and did clearly perceive one at the fore end of the gallery. We advanced slowly and cautiously towards it, but it appeared to recede as we advanced, and at length as we came close to the end of the passage, it sank gradually to the ground and then disappeared altogether.

In Mr. Christie's account of the Indian Game of Ben, a more close similitude will be traced beween cards and that game, than could have been ipposed on a transient glance at the subject. This ludian game, called Chaturanga, or Chess, of an analagous nature, might gratify your readers, they shall have one. I have a kinsman, who, to the Four Kings, represents four princes with every good quality of the heart, unites all that can aei☛ troops, forming two allied armies on each side." render him an agreeable companion. His conversation abounds with anecdote; and it is from his lips I ▲axă, in a note ou tiris passage, Mr. Christie says, have taken the following narrative. In the summer of * A game of considerable ingenuity, I am informed, 1818 (I was then residing in the country) he paid me a s practised in Germany, consisting of two chess-visit, for the first time since his childhood, and after the lapse of many years, the greater part of which he had =rds joined together laterally. It is played by served as a midshipman in the navy Towards the ✰ persons on each side, each of whom is concerned conclusion of one of the most agreeable evenings I had >ifend his own game, and, at the same time that ever spent, the conversation happened to turn on apparitions. co-operates with his ally, to distress, by every Winter evenings, I apprehend, have been always eams in his power, the two armies opposed to held the scene most proper for summoning up these awful guests; but if the crackling faggot within, and "—Inquiry into the ancient Greek Game, sup the howling tempest without, sweeping the groaning ned to have been invented by Palumedes, p. 74.-forest on the shore," seem to augment their effect, per-which showed her to have been of a respectable conbaps it is no less assisted by the dim twilight of the summer evening's apartment, and the soft and melancholy murmurs of the breeze, sighing in the foliage of the shrubs that mount the half-opened window, It was at such a time, and under such circumstances, that my cousin having announced that he had some strange and unaccountable circumstances to disclose which had happened to himself, my children drew a close circle around him, with murmurs of anxious ex-gated, when it appeared that the ur.fortunate woman was the mistress of the Danish First Lieutenant of the pectation; and he began as follows: ship; who, a little before its capture, had thrown himself overboard, after having, from what motive it did not appear, murdered her, and concealed the body where we found it."

This arrangement affords a most striking similarity the fourfold game which the Indian Chess appears > have been, and whose form so nearly resembles le game at cards, as readily to admit of the surmise, hat they are merely a variation of that game, and gok their rise from the same source.-Yours, &c. S.

GHOSTS AND APPARITIONS.

Several months since, we were favoured with the following communication, which has since that time remained in our portfolio, awaiting a proper pccasion for its introduction; when a question proposed for discussion at the Debating Society brought it to our recollection. Our readers are acquainted with ser opinion of ghosts and apparitions; a belief in which we regard as alike repugnant to reason, and deregatory from the dignity and consistency of the great Author of nature. Under such convictions we should have hesitated to give publicity to the following narra ive, had not the writer attempted, in the sequel, to account for the mystery upon natural principles. The story has likewise the merit of originality; and is related in much better language than that in which such tales are usually conveyed.-Edit. Kal.

TO THE EDITOR.

"I was out with the expedition which was sent to take the Danish fleet, in 180-; and when the ships were in our possession, I was placed, with some other persons, in one of the prizes, to navigate her to England. The first night we slept on board, several of the sailors heard strange noises in various parts of the vessel; these were repeated on the subsequent nights; and as no inquiry could fathom the cause of them, the men believed that Davy Jones had got among them in propria persona; and after a little time no soul would venture by himself after dark, if he could possibly avoid it, to any of those solitary and murky recesses which a large and thinly-manned ship of war con

tains.

"At the spot where it had thus vanished, there was a grated opening communicating with the water, and having raised this we descended, but I leave you to guess what were our sensations, when immediately beneath we observed the body of a woman in a state of putrefaction. She was dressed in white; had on a rich necklace, bracelets, and other costly ornaments,

dition in life.

"When we returned to the cabin where we slept, and related our adventure, one of the midshipmen stated that he had seen the figure of a woman distinctly cross the cabin at the time the light had appeared. "The next day the body was transmitted to the shore for interment, and the matter was duly investi

After the sensation, which such a tale as this was calculated to excite, was a little subsided, I ventured to surmise that the particulars which seemed supernatural in it, might be accounted for naturally; that the noises which alarmed the crew might have proceeded from the rats which often infest ships in great numbers; and the light in the cabin might have been that of a meteor, such as is not uncommon in our own climate, but is still more frequent in higher latitudes. The light which had appeared to sink through the grating over the body, I suggested might be occasioned by the sulphuratted gas, which is disengaged from bodies in a state of decay, and which most people must have observed evolved from fish approximating to a state of putrefaction: the weaker light of this tomb-fire would have yielded to the stronger one of the lanthorn as it advanced, and thus have seemed to vanish gradually, till wholly overcome by its immediate presence. The female form, seen by one individual, I thought might be attributed to fancy, particularly as it was seen by one only, and not mentioned till after the discovery of a female corpse.

My kinsman admitted the solution might be just, but with a shake of the head significant of the credulity of a believer, if I may be allowed the expression; and perceiving that he was a little of the kidney of the monarch adverted to by a French poet,

"You are, I dare say, sufficiently aware of the character of us tars, and know that we would rather cope with a thousand material, than one immaterial foeman. The alarm had continued now for some time, when one night, as we were turning in, one of the midshipmen suddenly cried, 'Do you bear that?' We all listened, and could plainly distinguish, amidst the hoarse murmurs of the Sound, which was dashing beneath the cabin windows, several noises which either had, or seemed to have, in them something of a peculiar and unearthly nature; these paused, and were repeated at intervals and in a period of intermission, during which we held our breath, and anxiously listened for their renewal, another midshipman suddenly cried, 'Do you see that?' Clear enough' was the gene SIR,—In a critique in a late number of the Kaleidos-ral answer; for the bulk-head formed by the projection of the rudder into the cabin, seemed all wrapped, "Charles le croyoit, car il aimait à le croire," epe, it is assumed that a taste for stories of a super- for the space of a few seconds, in blue flame. This is Datural turn has long been one of the signs of the I am, Sir, yours, &c. times; how long, the writer has omitted to say, but I passing strange,' cried one; Strange indeed,' echoed I forbore to press the point. apprehend it has never marked the taste of any parti- another; Most strange,' repeated the rest. cular time, but has been, at all times, naturally interwoven in the constitution of our nature. There is, indeed, a species of narrative, dealing in the sensations excited by ghost-expectant fancy, a love for which is peculiar to our own times, and which the magic pen of fiction has never been employed to gratify until our own days: I mean those tales which, after leading us through a variety of scenes, calculated to niake us feel our "hearts with grateful terror quelled" (to use the expressive phrase of the poet) at length, in order to effect a kind of compromise with the incredulus odi of our reason, conclude with solving, by natural means, all the phenomena which had at once appalled and enchanted our imagination through its preceding pages. This is, indeed, a species of gratification peculiar to the present sceptical and inquiring age, at once disdaining the easy faith of the rude times that

"There was one of my companions, named Hwith whom I was particularly intimate, and who was of rather an incredulous turn of mind. He had been all along particularly active in his endeavours to develope the cause of the noises; and he now, after musing for a little time, asked if any one would accompany him, and he would visit every part of the ship before he slept? I said, I would; though the words were scarcely out of my mouth before I half repented of my acquiescence; however, it was too late to retract, when my honour was, as it were, pledged.

"Every midshipman on board a man of war is provided with a lanthorn; and each of us having trimmed his respective light, we sallied forth on our adventurous quest, no third person being willing to bear us company.

"We traversed every part of the ship in silence,

THE YOUNG OBSERVER.

NO. I.

JULIUS.

"Quicquid agunt homines, votum, timor, ira, voluptas, Gaudia, discursas, nostri farrago libelli."-Juv.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR, Those who spend their lives in remarking the follies of others, do not often trouble the world with any of their own. Afraid, doubtless, of appearing

« AnteriorContinuar »