POLITE LITERATURE. The Wild Animals of Britain. Concluded from our last. THE SHARPER Is another animal, very plentiful in England, though not confined to it, most parts of the world having something of the kind. But the fact is, and it would be unworthy of the veracity of a naturalist, were I to conceal it, that there is something peculiar to this country which more successfully and directly invites this animal. Whether this be in the soil, climate, or diet, I shall not pretend to determine, but in whatever part of the world a sharper has got scent of an Englishman, it is rare that he leaves him, before he has devoured him, unless some persons acquainted with the nature of the animal, beats him off first, or confines him in a cage, so as to allow the prey time to escape. The animal resembles the human shape in some respects; but its teeth are long and sharp, and its claws highly dangerous. Like other animals of the ferocious kind, and which are at the same time of a cowardly disposition, their attack is slow, and apparently void of all art: they appear so gentle that it seems harmless to be familiar with them, and they never pounce upon their prey until they have made quite sure of it, so as that it cannot escape, when they devour it with the greatest cruelty, often pretending to let it go, and, when the poor thing thinks it has got off, seizing it again, and not parting with it until completely destroyed. The sharper is observed to possess that fascination which certain of the serpent tribe exert so successfully in drawing their prey to them, and in this respect at least, no animal comes nearer the serpent than that we are now describing. The common prey of the sharper are the dupe and the ninny, two harmless animals, which are so well known that I need not interrupt my narration with an account of them. There are few families without one of them, though I never could perceive of what advantage or amusement they could be to a rational creature. As soon as a sharper has fixed its claws on a dupe or a ninny, it is 'impossible to remove the creature from it without suffering very much: but so cunning are the sharpers, that they seldom attack their prey in public, but wait for an occasion when the dupe is without his leader, and then never fail to secure him. Although I have mentioned these two as the chief prey of the sharper, they are not the only objects of his attack. He often invades the societies of men, and some persons, who might have been thought wise enough to be on their guard, have been wounded severely by the sharper. But în order to explain this, it is necessary to say, that beside the advantages which the sharp- necessary. The male and female sharper differ from the order of nature with respect to other animals in outward appearance. It is well known to persons conversant with natural history, or who have paid occasional visits to his Majesty's menagerie in the tower, that the male of all animals is the handsomest, and the female the ugliest and least picturesque. The case is precisely the reverse with the animal we are speaking of. The male is always ugly, often to a degree of deformity, and there is something remarkably ferocious and forbidding in its looks, especially in those which have been fed upon the turf, a very common diet with them: whereas the female is generally uncommonly beautiful and fascinating, and thereby more dangerous even to persons of wisdom and caution, who are not in the habit of distinguishing animals from one another, unless by certain general and prominent features. As to taming the sharper, or making him domestic and harmless, it is impossible; so beyond all means hitherto tried, that a man would risk the imputation of extreme folly who would attempt it. The breed must be entirely extirpated, or there can be no safety for the public; but as there seems a reluctance in government to issue general orders on this subject, it may not be amiss, in the mean time, to offer a little cautionary advice, by which the attack of the animal may be warded off. Long experience and observation has convinced me that this animal, however wild and ferocious, however greedy of prey, will seldom return to a second attack, if the first has been repelled with firmness and spirit. In order to do this, the animal must be driven away, even with some cruelty, if In the winter, they burrow chiefly in large cities, where their safety arises either from their having a number of holes and corners, into which they creep unperceived, or from their associating together, so as to be formidable. In all places, the night is peculiarly favorable to them, and hence they are frequently heard to articulate the words glim and darkee, which in their language are supposed to mean night and darkness, or as some think, light and darkness. But their language is so strange a jargon, that very few but themselves understand it It resembles most the Yahoo language, so ably explained and illustrated by the dean of St. Patrick's. Very few of the sharpers are observed to die a natural death, a circumstance which likewise serves to distinguish them from other animals. But this is perhaps to be accounted for upon common principles. It must be observed, that the natural weapons of this animal, its fangs and talons, though originally projecting from the body, at length turns inward, and devour the creature itself, which people often express in a metaphorical way, by saying that it is caught in its own net. To catch it any other way is attended with some difficulty, and a considerable length of time. In the Such are the few particulars I have been able to collect, relative to the history of this animal. There may be other circumstances, which more attentive or more experienced observers, will, I hope, contribute. mean time, I flatter myself, that I have given the fullest account hitherto published, and more than enough, to contradict the unguarded assertion that there are no wild animals in this country." I have described but a few indeed, but it is my purpose to send you the history of more, as soon as I have collected materials worthy of the subject, and of your miscellany. Liverpool. 66 NATHAN NOTE'EM. | Remarks on 'The Mission of Moses.' TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERMES. SIR, Although the editor of a periodical publication cannot be answerable for the opinions of his correspondents, yet as the agent through whose hands their various communications must be given to the world, there is a sense in which he may be condemned on account of them; and when opinions diametrically opposed to Christianity are suffered to meet the public eye, without any attempt on his part to counteract their effects, he must by every impartial mind be considered in the light of an accessary. With the sincerest respect for your talents and similar to, and equally strong with, those which Your correspondent, in his notes, has been Peregrine tells us that fanatics are never at a loss to justify their intolerance with passages from the Old Testament." Grant it, and what then? If some misguided persons have thus used the Old Testament, must we therefore deny What would its truth, and reject its doctrines? 203 to back those formerly mentioned, the believers in Divine Revelation may triumphantly exclaim, "Be hold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish!" To our younger readers who may wish to have their minds fortified against the a-saults of infidelity and the subtleties of scepticism we recommend the perusal of Leslie's "Short and Easy Method with the Deists," and Roby's "Lectures on the Several Dispensations of Revealed Religion;" than which there are few works at once so concise and conclusive on the genuineness and authenticity of our received Scriptures.-HERMLS. NEW BOOKS. FROM THE LITERARY GAZETTE, RE- usefulness, pardon me, sir, if I am almost ready be the consequence should we deal thus with hu- The New Publications of the week are so numeros to pronounce you guilty when I peruse the remarks of your correspondent Peregrine; for I appeal to yourself whether the opinions to which he has assented, and which you have published, are not utterly destructive of the whole fabric of Christianity. man reason? The greatest blessings we enjoy This writer well knew that these doctrines are inculcated on every page of the Old Testament, and interesting, that we have made extraordinarily Ballantyne's Novelist's Library, Vol. V. to his contemporaries, more especially to such as needed his assistance, he had no small portion of the jealous and irritable spirit proper to the lite rary profession. He suffered a newspaper lampoon about this time to bring him into a foolish affray with Evans the editor, which did him but little credit. "In the meantime, a neglect of economy, occasional losses at play, and too great a dependance on his own versatility and readiness of talent, had considerably embarrassed his affairs." Sir W.Scott's peroration on the Vicar of Wakefield is interesting. He next adverts to the doctrine of a presiding I am, sir, one of those partial' Christians who Providence, which it seems these fanatics hold, believe in the Divine inspiration of Moses, and-" they make their interest the concern of hea who, while they admit that he performed asto- ven." And will he dare to assert that Heaven CHARACTER OF GOLDSMITH. nishing feats, do not hesitate to believe that in takes no concern in their interest? has God cast "It must be owned, that however kind, amithem the finger of God was eminently visible; off all affection for man, and does he now leaveable, and benevolent, Goldsmith showed himself and I should hesitate to expunge these principles them to their own reason? from my creed until I had stronger proof of their falsehood than is afforded by the writings of Schiller or the remarks of his translator. However, it seems there are persons in the world, calling themselves Christians, who nevertheless deny the very authority on which their system is founded, and who brand with the name of fanatics those who credit the writings from which Christianity draws one of the strongest weapons to support its truth. Unless your correspondent had declared it, I could scarcely have believed that there was a person in existence claiming the name of Christian, who would assent to the doctrines contained in his note. Is it possible, sir, that in the nineteenth century of the Christian era we are to be directed to the ceremonies of Isis as the foundation of our religion? and be taught to look for tenth, not where we expected to find it (in the Bible), but in the misterious rites of Egyptian theology? Is it possible that there are those who look upon the records of To avoid the charge of being accessary to the deMoses as containing the most open falsehoods, signs, of scepticism, and to contribute by every pos. and yet profess a religion founded upon those sible means to the defence of the gospel, we give a We are not very records? for you, sir, know, that to these place to the communication of URIEL. satisfied. however, that his animadversions are altowritings the great Author of our religion constantly referred, as proving his own authority.gether called for. The allusion of Peregrine to the If, therefore, the truth of these can be fairly blasphemous appropriation of Divine favor to the cause of "St. Lewis," appears to have proceeded questioned, then the authority which was built from an abhorrence of that national aggression now upon them falls with them to the ground, and disgracing the south of Europe, and on which every where then is the Christianity of such persons? Christian must exclaim, in the language of Holy It is somewhat strange, sir, that in the belief Scripture, "Scatter the nations that delight in war! On the translations from Schiller we would observe, I shall conclude by joining with Peregrine in I URIEL. "Whatever defects occur in the tenor of the story, the admirable ease and grace of the narrative, as well as the pleasing truth with which the principal characters are designed, make the Vicar of Wakefield one of the most delicious morsels of fictitious composition on which the human mind was ever employed. The principal character, that of the simple Pastor himself, with all the worth and excellency which ought to distinguish the ambassador of God to man, and yet with just so much of pedantry and of literary vanity as serves to show that he is made of mortal mould, and subject to human failings, is one of the best and most pleasing pictures ever designed. It is perhaps impossible to place frail dignity than the Vicar, in his character of pastor, humanity before us in an attitude of more simple of parent, and of husband. His excellent helpmate, with all her motherly cunning, and house of these Christians Moses was guilty of gross that the contributor, we doubt not, must have mis-wifely prudence, loving and respecting her hus falsehood and deception; a deception the more hateful as it was practised under the pretended sanction of Divine authority. Notwithstanding this, they scruple not to admit the truth of his historical narrative. This meddled not with their reason, guided by it alone they could clearly comprehend the history of the sufferings and deliverance of the Hebrews. Do they not know that if one part of the narrations be false, we have no proof whatever of the truth of the other? If the account of the apparition in the bush be a fable, then the rest of his account may be justly suspected; and amidst this confusion, this mixture of falsehood and truth, how shall we ascertain what is to be received and what is to be re jected, unless they who have led us unto this labyrinth will furnish us with a clue to guide us safely out of it. Let us but reject the divine agency in the case of Moses, and we may with equal propriety deny the divine mission of Christ; for the proofs which support the one are precisely taken the author's design, and we are eertainly cul- The divine authority of Moses is built on evidences too strong to be in danger of confutation from the band, but counterplotting his wisest schemes, at the dictates of maternal vanity, forms an excellent counterpart. Both, with their children around them, their quiet labor and domestic hapfect kind, as perhaps is no where else equalled. piness, compose a fireside picture of such a perIt is sketched indeed from common life, and is a strong contrast to the exaggerated and extraor resource of those authors who, like Bayes, make dinary characters and incidents which are the it their business to elevate and surprise; but the very simplicity of this charming book renders the pleasure it affords more permanent. We read the Vicar of Wakefield in youth and in age. we return to it again and again, and bless the memory of an author who contrives so well to reconcile us to human nature. Whether we chuse the pathetic and distressing incidents of the fire, and the scenes at the jail, or the lighter and humerous parts of the story, we find the best and truest sentiments enforced in the most beautiful language; and perhaps there are few characters of purer dignity have been described than that of the excellent pastor, rising above sorrow and oppression, and laboring for the conversion of those felons into whose company he had been thrust by his villainous creditor. In too many works of this class, the critics must apologise for or censure particular passages in the narrative, as unfit to be perused by youth and innocence. But the wreath of Goldsmith is unsullied; he wrote to exalt virtue and to expose vice; and he accomplished his task in a manner which raises him to the highest rank among British authors. We close his volume with a sigh that such an author should have written so little from the stores of his own genius, and that he should have been so prematurely removed from the sphere of literature, which he adorned." are concerned. DOCTOR JOHNSON. "All this, as the world well knows, arises from Johnson having found in James Boswell such a biographer as no man but himself ever had or ever deserved to have. The performance which chiefly resembles it in structure, is the life of the philosopher Demophon, in Lucian; but that slight sketch is far inferior in detail and in vivacity to Boswell's Life of Johnson. cannot help figuring him to ourselves as the be- ment creates the evil which it is intended to cure." "With respect to national prosperity taxes are neither an evil nor a good." "It is the supply which creates the demand, and not the demand which creates the supply."' "The first thing necessary to the annual production of any commodity is, that there should be an annual consumption and demand for it. Its production is, in fact. a proof of its consump tion. Without consumption no demand could exist, and no production would take place. Demand, on the other hand, proceeds from income." The Popular Superstitions and Festive Amusements of the Highlanders of Scotland. By W. Grant Stewart. 12mo. pp. 293. AN ODD STORY. "The cause of those deficiences in temper and manners was no ignorance of what was fit to be done in society, or how far each individual ought to suppress his own wishes in favor of those with whom he associates; for, theoretically, no man "Nearly three hundred years ago, there lived "Of all the men, distinguished in this or any than Dr. Johnson, or could act more exactly in their performances on the fiddle. It happened understood the rules of good breeding better in Strathspey two men, greatly celebrated for other age, Dr. Johnson has left upon posterity the strongest and most vivid impressions, so far conformity with them, when the high rank of upon a certain Christmas time, that they had as person, manners, disposition and conversation those with whom he was in company required he formed the resolution of going to Inverness, to We do but name him, or open should do so. But during the greater part of be employed in their musical capacities, during a book which he has written, and the sound and his life he had been in a great measure a stranger that festive season. Accordingly, having arrived action recal to the imagination at once, his form, to the higher society, in which such restraint be- in that great town, and secured lodgings, they his merits, his peculiarities, nay, the uncouthness came necessary; and it may be fairly presumed, sent round the newsman and his bell, to announce of his gestures, and the deep impressive tones of that the indulgence of a variety of little selfish to the inhabitants their arrival in town, and the his voice. We learn not only what he said, but peculiarities, which it is the object of good breed object of it, their great celebrity in their own how he said it; and have, at the same time, a ing to suppress, became thus familiar to him. country, the number of tunes they played, and shrewd guess of the secret motive why he did so, The consciousness of his own mental superiority their rate of charge per day, per night, or hour. and whether he spoke in sport or in anger, in in most companies which he frequented, contriVery soon after they were called upon by a vethe desire of conviction or for the love of debate,buted to his dogmatism; and when he had atnerable looking old man, grey haired and someIt was said of a noted wag, that his bon mots did tained his eminence as a dictator in literature, what wrinkled, of genteel deportment and libenot give full satisfaction when published, because like other potentates he was not averse to a dis-ral disposition; for, instead of grudging their he could not print his face. But with respect to play of his authority. It is not likely that any charges, as they expected, he only said he would Dr. Johnson this has been in some degree accomone will again enjoy, or have an opportunity of double the demand. They eheerfully agreed to plished; and although the greater part of the abusing, the singular degree of submission that accompany him, and soon they found themselves present generation never saw him, yet he is in was rendered to Johnson by all around him. at the door of a very curious dwelling, the apour mind's eye, a personification as lively as that The unreserved communications of friends, rapearance of which they did not at all relish. It of Siddons in Lady Macbeth, or Kemble in Car-ther than the spleen of enemies, have occasioned was night, but still they could easily distinguish dinal Wolsey. his character being exposed in all its shadows, the house to be neither like the great Castle as well as its lights. But those, when summed Grant, Castle Lethindry, Castle Roy, or Castle. and counted, amount only to a few narrow-mindna-muchkeruch at home, nor like any other ed prejudices concerning country and party, house they had seen on their travels. It resemfrom which few ardent tempers remain entirely bled a huge fairy Tomban,' such as are see in free, and some violences and solecisms in man. Glenmore. But the mild persuasive eloquence ners, which left his talents, morals, and benevo- of the guide, reinforced by the irresistible argulence alike unimpeachable." ments of a purse of gold, soon removed auy scruples they felt at the idea of entering so nosensations of fear were soon absorbed in those of vel a mansion. They entered the place, and all admiration of the august assembly which surrounded them; strings tuned to sweet harmony soon gave birth to glee in the dwelling. The floor bounded beneath the agile fantastic toe, and gaiety in its height pervaded every soul present. The night passed on harmoniously, while the diversity of the reels and the loveliness of the dancers presented to the fiddlers the most gratifying scene they ever witnessed; and in the morning, when the ball was terminated, they took their leave, sorry that the time of their engagement was so short, and highly gratified at the liberal treatment which they experienced. But what was their astonishment, on issuing from this strange dwelling, to behold the novel scene which surrounded them. Instead of coming out of a castle, they found they had come out of a little hill, they knew not what way, and on entering the town they found that those objects which yesterday shone in all the splendors of novelty, to-day exhibit only the ruins and ravages of time, while the strange innovations of dress and manners, displayed by their numerous spectators, filled them with wonder and consternation. At last a mutual understanding took place between themselves, and the crowd assembled Outlines of a System of Political Economy, adventures led the more sagacious part of the to look upon them, and a short account of their with an Essay on the Principles of Bank-spectators to suspect at once, that they had been ing. By T. Joplin. 8vo. paying a visit to the inhabitants of the Tom RAL — “The reduction of the expenditure of govern- Jurich, which not long ago was the grand rendez "Whatever might be Johnson's prejudices against Scotland, its natives must concede, that many of his remarks concerning the poverty and barrenness of the country, tended to produce those subsequent exertions which have done much to remedy the causes of reproach. The Scots were angry because Johnson was not enraptured with their scenery, which, from a defect of bodily organs, he could neither see nor appreciate; and they seem to have set rather too bigh a rate on the hospitality paid to a stranger, when they contended it should shut the mouth of a literary traveller upon all subjects but those of panegyric. Dr. Johnson took a better way of repaying the civilities he received, by exercising kindness and hospitality in London to all such friends as be had received attention from in Scotland." "Johnson's laborious and distinguished career terminated in 1783, when virtue was deprived of a steady supporter, society of a brilliant ornament, and literature of a successful cultivator. The latter part of his life was honored with general applause, for none was more fortunate in obtaining and preserving the friendship of the wise and the worthy. Thus loved and venerated, Johnson might have been pronounced happy, But Heaven, in whose eyes strength is weakness, permitted his faculties to be clouded occasionally with that morbid affection of the spirits which disgraced his talents by prejudices, and his manners by rudeness. "When we consider the rank which Dr. Johnnon held, not only in literature but in society, we Memoirs of a Captivity among the Indians IMPORTANT MORAL FACT. "It is a remarkable fact, that white people generally, when brought up among the Indians, become unalterably attached to their customs, and seldom afterwards abandon them. I have known two instances of white persons, who had arrived at mauhood, leaving their connections and civilized habits, for the purpose of assuming the Indian, and fulfilling all his duties. These, however, happened among the Cherokees. Thus far I am an exception, and it is highly probable I shall ever remain such; though I must confess the struggle in my bosom was for a considerable time doubtful, and even now my mind often reverts to the innocent scenes of my childhood, with a mixture of pleasurable and painful emotions that is altogether indescribable. But my intercourse with refined society, acquaintance with books, and a glimpse at the wonderful structure into which the mind is capable of being moulded, have, I am convinced, unalterably attached me to a social intercourse with civilized man, composed as he is of crudities and contradictions. vous of the fairy bands inhabiting the surrounding districts; and the arrival of a very old man on the spot set the matter fairly at rest. On being attracted by the crowd, he walked up to the two poor old oddities, who were the subject of amazement, and having learned their history, thus addressed them: "You are the two men my great-grandfather lodged, and who, it was supposed, were decoyed by Thomas Rymer to Tomnafurich. Sore did your friends lament your loss-but the lapse of a hundred years has now rendered your name extinct. "Finding every circumstance conspire to verify the old man's story, the poor fiddlers were naturally inspired with feelings of reverential awe at the secret wonders of the Deity-aud it being the Sabbath-day, they naturally wished to indulge those feelings in a place of worship. They accordingly proceeded to church, and took their places, to hear public worship, and sat for awhile listening to the pealing bells which, while they summoned the remainder of the congregation to church, summoned them to their long homes. When the ambassador of peace ascended the sa cred place, to announce to his flock the glad tidings of the gospel-strange to tell, that at the first word uttered by his lips, his ancient hearers, the poor deluded fiddlers, both crumbled into dust." Life of William Davison, Secretary of State, and Privy Counsellor to Queen Elizabeth. By Nicholas Harris Nicholas, Esq. of the Inner Temple. 8vo. pp. 355. ELIZABETH, AND THE QUEEN OF SCOTS. "As it has been observed. Elizabeth's dissimula tion always faiied her when she was petitioned in favor of the Queen of Sc ts, either by James or by foreign courts; she then seemed firmly resolved to execute the sentence against her; but when her ministers or parliament prayed her not to delay it. her affection of respect for the dignity, and of compassjon for the misfortunes of her prisoner, invariably returned. To James's ambassadors. she remarked. how sorry she was that no means could be found to save their king s mother, and secure her own life." "Elizabeth's true disposition was still more strongly evinced by her reply to the Master of Gray, who in a letter to James, dated 12 January, 1586 [1586-7] giving a relation of the particulars of his audience, says," and spake craving of her that her life may be spared fifteen days; she refused; Sir Robert > craved for only eight days; she said, "not an hour," and so geid away." Before her Majesty had resolved on allowing the Queen of Scots to fall by the axe of the executioner, it is almost certain that it was deliberated in her cabinet, whether i was not preferable shat she should not perish by the band of an assassin. Elizabeth's wishes were decided y for the latter course, because it would remove the odium of Mary's death from herself, and have enabled her to sacrifice those who employed him, as a confirmation of her total igno- SUNDAY EVENING. Who waked the morning's earliest beam, "In such an hour as this how sweet "Then turn my wandering thoughts within, A Collection of Poems, chiefly manuscript, and from Living Authors, edited for the benefit of a Friend, by Joanna Baillie. THE LOT OF THOUSANDS. 'Tis hard to smile when one could weep, Yet such the lot for thousands cast, FRAGMENT. "Tho' earth, a waste of waters seem, Make youth an old age seem; Spottiswood tells us a story, giving the cha racter of the Popish clergy in Scotland. It became a great dispute in the University of St. Andrew's, whether the Pater should be said to God or the saints! The triars, who knew, in general, that the reformers neglected the saints, were determined to maintain their honor with great obstinacy; but they knew not upon what topics to found their doctrine. Some held that the Pater was said to God formaliter, and to saints materialiter; others, to God principaliter, and to saints minus principaliter; others would have it ultimate and non ultimate: but the majority seemed to hold, that the Pater was said to God capiendo stricte, and to saints capiendo large. A simple fellow, who served the sub-prior, think. ing there was some great matter in hand, that I made the doctors hold so many conferences together, asked him, one day, What the matter was? The sub-prior answering, Tom, (that was the fellow's name,) we cannot agree to whom the Pater Noster should be said. He suddenly replied, To whom, sir, should it be said, but unto God? Then, said the sub-prior, What shall we do with the saints? He answered, Give them aves and creeds enow, in the devil's name, for that may suf fice them. The answer going abroad, many said, that he had given a wiser decision than all the doctors had done with all their distinctions. St. DUNSTAN, whose festival day May 19, was a person of great ingenuity as well as piety, and excelled in painting, engraving, and music. From the following lines, in a New View of Lon-don, v. 1, p. 213, it appears he was the inventor of the Eolian harp : St. Dunstan's harp, fast by the wall, The harp itself, with ly and all, For this he was reported to king Athelstan as a conjuror. He was an excellent workman in brass and iron. It was when thus employed at his forge, that he seized the devil by the nose with the red-hot tongs, till he roared again. The demon had imprudently visited him in à female form, and suffered severely for intruding on this woman hating saint. St. DOMINICK paid some visits to heaven. In one of these he saw vast numbers of the pious of all other orders but his own: no Dominicans were visible: his soul became afflicted; at length he asked the reason: Christ, then, laying his hand upon the Virgin Mary's shoulder, said, 'I have committed your order to my mother's care;' and she, lifting up her robe, discovered an in numerable multitude of Dominicans, friars and nuns, nestled under it! (Breviarum S. Ordinis Predicatorum, Paris, 1647, Officium S. Domini, p. 68.) Greenwich Hospital. And what became of the Officer?" The soft, the young, the gay, delightful morning, kissed the crimson off the rose, mixed it with her smiles, and laughed the season on us. Rise. my Evelina, soul that informs my heart; do thou smile too, more lovely than the morning in ber blushes, more modest than the rifled lily, when weepCasting in her dews. Why the Captain slued round to him, and- Absurd Edioms. » Up Such a fellow is impudent-" blow him up. ward before?'-' Because, Sir, I was in hopes you would have taken my messmate's word, for he never "I SAY he was a Tartar," said an old Pension- tells a lie. axing your pardon; but when I saw him -, I couldn't stand er, turning round the quadrangle of the building-likely 'o suffer for me, no, by— And did he know it was you ?'-- Yes, "I say he was a Tartar."-" Then you're mistaken, that' Harry; he was a lad who did his duty, and saw that your honor, he knew it well; I was alongside of every one did theirs."-" I allow that he was strict, him at the bar---but he scorn'd to flinch.'but always a sailor's friend," replied his companion. him off, and pipe down,' said the Captain. But Oh, Harry, if you had seen the two bare-backed dogs "Aye, aye, tarring a rope's-end, or rope's ending a tar, 'twas all the same to him; his cats were often stand and look at each other for more than a minute, fed, Tom."-" That's poor wit, Harry; I sailed without moving, and then walk off together-but I with him, Captain and Admiral, some years, and can't describe it, though I've got it all in my heart ought to know a little about him." Well, well, as strong now as I had then." messmate, let's hear ;- there's old James has just dowsed his coach whip (pendant,) and gone out of commission; and Keith has got a lift over the standing part of the fore-sheet. I've sailed with'em both, but I'll not say more till you've told me of Seymour."-" Why then, d'ye see, where could there be a stronger attachment shown to our officers than when we arrived at Spithead during the mutiny? Ah, Harry, you old cartridge! you was then in that rebel ship the Triumph-but howsomever I won't blow you up. You must know Lieuteuant Qwas commanding-officer when the delegates came • Well. my men,' says he, what do you on board. want here? We want to speak to the ship's company, Sir,' said the foremost. Oh certainly, certainly,' replied the Lieutenant. Here boatswain's mate, pass the word, and walk forward my men.' Well, Harry, you old rogue, didn't we muster on the forecastle, and listen to their lingo?-ay, that we did. And says our spokesman, says he, Mayhap, gemmen, you have had bad treatment, and are dissatisfied with your officers ?`-` Yes, yes,' said the leader, 'you're right.'— Then all we have to say is,' We like our said our spokesman, that we are not. ship. like our captain, like our officers, and like one · There was another-and so, gemmen, good day.' reasoning for you, you old swab. Ah, Harry, you ought to have been taken in tow for a Mutineer; and now I'm in the line, I'll tell you more. D'ye see. eve y order was exposed publicly for the ship's company to read, so that every man fore and aft knew what he had to do. This was his plan: Do your duty, and no one shall wrong you; neglect it. and I'll p nish. Among other orders, there was one, that no man should sing out, either in pulling a rope, or any other duty, but all were to be silent as death. One day we were mooring ship, when some one sung out, at the capstan, Hurrah, my boys! beave! The Captain heard it- Send that man on deck directly. The officer immediately pick a him out, and he was ordered aft under the centry's charge As soon as the ship was moored, the hands were turned up for punishment. Well, up we goes, and there stood the Captain with the Articles of War in his hand-by the bye I don't think he was a Lord then. Howsomever there he stood, and the Officers around him in their cocked hats and swords. gratings were lashed to the larboard gangway, the Quarter Masters ready with their foxes, and the The Boa swain's Mates with the cats. Come here, my man.' said the Captain. Was it not my orders that there should be silence fore and aft Yes, Sir. And why did you disobey:'-'It warn't me Sir; I never opened my lips, Are you sure thi was the man that sung out at the capstan?' said the Captain turning to the Officer. • Yes, Sir, confident; I removed him instantly from the bar.'Indeed, Sir, Mr- is mistaken-I never spoke.' Are you certain, Mr—Yes, Sir. quite certain. Strip, then.' It was complied with.The poor fellow was seized up-hats off-the articles for disobedience of orders read-and Boatswain's Mate, giv: him two dozen,' was heard. The tails of the cat were clear'd, the arm was lifted up, and the blow just falling, when a man rush'd from amongst us. caught the uplifted arm, and call d out, Avast! avast! d-me it was 1 that sung out at the cap tan and in an instant bis shirt was over his heat and his back bare. 'Stop,' said the Captain. ⚫ Come here, my lad. Why didn't you come for "Your house is on fire!" "I can't help it!" And "Take care!?where is it to be found? Take Pride of the western shore, the sky's blue face when cleared by dancing sun-beams, looks not sereThe richness of the wild ner than thy countenance. honey is on thy lip, and thy breath exhales sweets Evelina, and polished as the raven's smooth pinions ; like the apple blossoms. Back are thy locks, my the swan's silver plumage is not fairer than thy neck, and the witch of love heaves all her enchantments from thy bosom. Rise, my Evelina, the sprightly beam of the sun descends to kiss thee, and the heath reserves its bloom to greet thee with its odour. Thy lover will pick thee strawberries from the lofty crag, and rob the hazle of its yellow nuts. My berries shall be red as thy lips, and my nuts ripe and milky as the love-begotten fluid in the bridal bosom. Queen of the cheerful smile, shall I not meet thee in the moss grown cave, and press thy beauties in the wood of Miscother? How long wilt thou leave me, Evelina, mournful as the lone son of the rock, telling thy beauties to the passing gale, and pouring out my complaints to the grey stone in the valley? And didst thou hear my song, O virgin daughter of a meek eyed mother! Thou comest, Evelina, like summer to the children of frost, and welcome are thy steps to my view as the harbinger of sight to the eye of darkness! A Good Story. Translated from the French. The emperor of Persia being one day at a window in his palace which overlooked the city Bagdad, observed two of his subjects who begged alms. One of them exclaimed happy is he to whom God has been good;" at the same time, the other raising bis voice cried, "happy is he whom the Calif notices with pity." These remarks were made in the hearing of this great monarch, who immediately ordered that a loaf of white bread should be given to him who had invoked the Calif's pity, and a brown loaf to him who had put his confidence in God. The white loaf was very small and he to whom it was given could not see without envy, the brown loaf of his comrade, which was four times as large. He proposed an exchange and being mutually inclined to accommodate, they did so, and each returned to his own The possessor of the brown laughed within himself at the folly of the other, but what was the astonishment of the latter, on breaking his white loaf, which he had received merely to please bis companion, to find one hundred sequins of gold, which enabled him to continue in the love of God and retire from his miserable occupation. The next day, he who had received of the emperor the white loaf found himself under the same window, and not being willing again to receive so small a portion of bread, cried with all his force" happy is be to whom God has been good." The Calif, who was present, was very much surprised, and or dered him to be brought into his presence, and demanded of him the reason why he addressed himself this time to God in preference to him, as he had done the day before, and what he had done with his white My Lord," said the beggar," I have exloaf? changed with my companion, to whom God had I given more than myself." The Calif could not help raising his eyes to heaven,; and blessing Divine providence. "It is well, to gain the friendship of princes and men of rank, but he who has confidence in God alone, always makes the best choice." Then having given 100 sequins of gold to this poor man, he sent him home contented. |