Paragraphs. ORIGINAL ANECDOTES-LITERARY NEWS-REMARKABLE INCIDEnts, &c. AN occurrence has just taken place at Paris, which has sensibly affected the public mind here, and gives rise to reflections, with the expression of which we do not wish to trust ourselves. We allude to the conversion of the elder daughter of a Mr. Douglas Loveday, an English gentleman. This unfortunate man, smitten, it seems, with the too prevailing mania for a French education, was induced to place his two daughters and his niece at the boardingschool of a Madame Reboul, with an express stipulation that there should be no interference with their religious principles. At this school they continued for six years, and, at length, the father announced his intention of taking them back to England. What was his horror, however, on going to the school for the purpose, at finding that they had not only all been converted to Catholicism, but that the eldest had been juggled into a convent. It seems their understandings were darkened, and their terrors excited, by some fraudulent legend of a miraculous host tortured by a Jew in the year 1290, under the reign of Philip le Bel. Mr. Loveday presented a petition on the subject to the Chamber of Deputies, complaining of the fraud, and imploring the restitution of his child. This petition is to be the subject of a future discussion, and is said to have been drawn up by Dupin, the celebrated advocate. It embraces all the facts, and occupies much more space than we can spare. The father states, that having gone to the convent to demand his daughter, he was compelled, under four bayonets, to settle a pension for life on her to enable her to live there, while the infatuated victim, surrounded by monks and nuns, actually laughed at the agony of her own father. ing to the Indian, he accidentally let the point touch his chin, and a slight scratch was inflicted thereon. At the moment he paid no attention to the circumstance, but in a very short time the whole of his chin and the side of his face turned black, and was very much swollen. These symptoms began rather to alarm Mr. C. he sent for three medical gentlemen, who used their utmost skill to extract the poison, and render their pa tient service; but their efforts proved ineffectual. The Wild Indian stood by with the utmost sang froid, and wit nessed the medical applications; after which he coolly walked away, and produced some root used in his country to extract the poison from the wound, and applied some to his master's face. It rendered immediate relief, the swelling went down, and the discolouration decreased. Had not this remedy been applied, mortification would have probably ensued. Mr. C. is now doing very well, and since the accident has caused the points of the arrows to be divested of all the poison.-Gent.Ma. The conversion of the daughters of Mr. Loveday, in Paris, to the Catholic faith, whilst under tuition of a French governess, has made a considerable impression both here and abroad; not occasioned so much by the change of one religious belief for another, as by the unfair and treacherous means resorted to, and the difficulty thrown by the French authorities in the way of redress. One fiction made use of to influence the imaginations of the young devotees was, The Legend of the Miraculous Host, the force of which may now be generally appreciated, it having been translated into English, and published by Mr. Hone, with several marvellously expressive wood cuts from the hand of Mr. Cruickshank. It is a very reverend legend and speaks abundantly for itself. Within the walls of a convent, and covered with the dust of five hundred years, it no doubt produced great effects; but in its modern They told her how, upon St. Agnes' Eve, ized dress, we fear that a protestant na- pended to the principal subject is an POPULAR SUPERSTITION ON SAINT Saint Agnes has been always considered by the Catholics as a special patroness of purity, with the immaculate Mother of God and St. Thecla. Rome was the theatre of the triumph of St. Agnes; and Prudentius says, that her tomb was shown within sight of that city. She suffered not long after the beginning of the persecution of Dioclesian, whose bloody edicts appeared in March in the year of our Lord, 303. She was only 13 years of age at the time of her glorious death. On this day, some women still fast all day, and take care that they do not touch, or are touched by, a male, in order that they may dream of their lovers at night. Many other kinds of divination are practised by our rustic damsels, for the same purpose. On this innocent superstition the late Mr. KEATS has founded his beautiful poem of The Eve of St. Agnes.' Ab! bitter chill it was! The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold; And soft adorings from their loves receive Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require Madeline prepares to retire to rest, A casement high and triple-arched there was, As are the tiger-moth's deep-damasked wings; Fuil on this casement shone the wintry moon, Rose-bioom fell on her hands, together prest, And on her hair a glory, like a saint: She seemed a splendid angel, newly drest, Save wings, for heaven: soon, trembling in her soft and chilly nest, In sort of wakeful swoon, perplexed she lay, Blinded alike from sunshine and from rain, A singular discovery of hidden treasure was lately made at Eton. Mrs.Coker, who had for many years kept a grocer's The hare limped trembling through the frozen grass, shop in the College, lately died, leaving property to a considerable amount to her relations. The house in which she lived was, with two others, sold last Previously to the purchaser taking possession, one of the executors considered it his duty to look round the premises, to see that no article of personal property had been left behind In a dark corner under the counter he discovered a small box, of considerable weight, and well secured. He brought it to the light, and upon opening it found-not any of the commodities in which the good old lady dealt-but seven hundred guineas, and fourteen 50l. bank notes. Entelligence. The FORTUNES OF NIGEL, (that is the name of the next of the Waverley Novels,) will be out in a few months. The collisions of English and Scottish Characters, Manners, and Interests, during the queer days of the British Solomon, are to furnish, we hear it whispered, the Materials of this next tragi-comedy. It is currently reported in the Literary Circles, that Lord Byron has sent to the Hon. Douglas Kinnaird the MS. of a Parody on Mr. Southey's "Vision of Judgment;" which is, as might have been expected, unfit for publication. Leigh Hunt, and Bysche Shelley, are also understood to be his Lordship's colleagues at Pisa, where they are engaged in the production of some periodical work, for transmission to England, to console their absence. The Rev. E. Berens, author of Village Sermons, will shortly publish another Volume, containing Sixteen Village Sermons on certain parts of the Christian Character. Mr. Southey is preparing for publication a Third Volume of "The Remains of Henry Kirke White," which will appear in March. Mrs. Opie's new Tale of Madeline, and Miss A. M. Porter's new Romance of Roch Blanc, will be published next month. The Widow's Tale, and other Poems, by the Author of Ellen Fitzarthur, are to appear next week. Miss Lowry, daughter of the celebrated engraver of that name, has nearly ready for publication, "Conversations on Mineralogy," illustrated with numerous plates by her father. The author of the Panorama of Youth, has appeared again before the public with a work well adapted to the juvenile class of readers, under the title of The Life of a The Boy, in two thick volumes in octavo. incidents of the story are simple, but sufficiently varied to support the necessary degree of interest, and the instructive portion of the work, which is by no means the least, is so mixed up with the lighter part, as to give to the whole a pleasing and entertaining character. It is written in a clear and easy style; and we can safely recommend it as affording a very suitable and unexceptionable addition to the youthful library. Dr. Drake has in the press a new Work, entitled, "Evenings in Autumn." Constance, a Tale, by Isabel Hill. The authoress of this little volume has already made a favourable impression on the public by her Tragedy of " The Poet's Child." LOSS IN DELAYS. SHUN delays, they breed remorse, Fly their fault lest thou repent thee; Good is best when soonest wrought, Lingering labours come to nought. Hoist up sail while gale doth last, Tide and wind stay no man's pleasure: Seek not time when time is past, Sober speed is wisdom's leisure. After-wits are dearly bought; Let thy fore-wit guide thy thought. Time wears all his locks before, Take thou hold upon his forehead; When he flies he turns no more, And behind his scalp is naked. Works adjourned have many stays; Long demurs breed new delays. SPIRIT OF THE ENGLISH MAGAZINES. BOSTON, MAY 1, 1822. (London Time's Telescope for May 1822.) Is not this the merry month of May, May. Spenser. AL LL ranks, formerly, went out into the woods a maying early on the 1st of this month; returning laden with boughs and garlands, and spending the remainder of the day in dancing round a May-pole,* crowned with flowers. Of customs like these, yet in full vigour in the age of Elizabeth, Mr. Leslie's picture of May morning in the last exhibition (1821) at Somerset House, conveys a most excellent representation. The hobby-horse, the dragon, the Maypole, &c. as well as the dresses of a mixed company, are faithfully and ably depicted. This truly English picture is a work of novelty and merit, and we think that a well-executed engraving from it would be a profitable speculation to the very deserving artist. Other sports and pastimes besides those of maying, were celebrated by our ancestors on this day. The following curious record of these observances, in the time of Cromwell, we find in the Moderate Intelligencer, 26th April to 30th May, 1654 'Hyde Park, May 1. This day there was the hurling of a great ball, by fifty Cornish gentlemen on the one side, and fifty on the other: one party played in red-caps and the other in white. There was present his Highness the Lord Protector, many of his privy council, and divers eminent gentlemen, to whose view was presented great agility of body and most neat and exquisite wrestling at every meeting of one with the other, which was ordered with such dexterity, that it was to show more the strength, vigour, and nimbleness of their bodies, than to endanger their persons. The ball they played with was silver, and designed for the party that won the goal.' paper goes on to observe: This day was more observed by people's going a maying, than for divers years past, and indeed much sin committed by wicked meetings with fiddlers, drunkanness, ribaldry and the like; great resort came to Hyde Park, many hundreds of rich coaches, and gallants in rich attire, but most shameful powder The same One of these poles was standing in East-Smithfield, till about the year 1760: some are still to be seen in different parts of the country. That the good Queen Elizabeth actually went a maying, we have the authority of "The Progresses of this Queen' (vol. iv. part I.) where the fact is thus stated: May 8th, 1602. On May-day, the queen went a maying to Sir Rich. Buckley's, at Lewisham, some three or four miles off Greenwich. 12 ATHENEUM VOL. 11. ed-hair men, and painted and spotted women; some men played with a silver ball,and some took other recreation.' A peculiar rustic ceremony used annually to be observed at Horncastle, in Lincolnshtre, about forty years ago, which evidently derived its origin from the floral games of antiquity. On the morning of Mayday, when the young of the neighbourhood assembled to partake in the amusements which ushered in the festivals of the month of flowers, a train of youths collected themselves at a place to this day called the May-bank. From thence, with wands enwreathed with cowslips, they walked in procession to the May-pole, situated to the west end of the town, and adorned on that morning with every variety in the gifts of Flora. Here, uniting in the wild joy of young enthusiasm, they struck together their wands, and, scattering around the cowslips, testified their thankfulness for that bounty, which, widely diffusing its riches, enabled them to return home rejoicing at the promises of the opening year. (Weir's Sketches of Horncastle.) There is a singular species of festivity at Padstow in Cornwall, on the 1st of May. This is called the Hobby-Horse from canvass being extended with hoops, and painted to resemble a horse. Being carried through the street, men, women, and children, flock round it, when they proceed to a place called Traitor-pool, about a quarter of a mile distant, in which the hobby-horse is always supposed to drink; when the head being dipped into the water, is instantly taken up, and the mud and water are sprinkled on the spectators, to the no small diversion of all. On returning home, a particular song is sung, that is supposed to commemorate the event that gave the hobby-horse birth. According to tradition, the French on a former occasion effected a landing at a small cove in the vicinity; but seeing at a distance a number of women dressed in red cloaks, which they mistook for soldiers, they fled to their ships, and put to sea. The day generally ends in riot and dissipation. (Hutchins's History of Cornwall.) ΤΟ ΜΑΣ. Come, fairest nymph, resume thy reign! Rise from thy soft ambrosial bed; Recal the Zephyrs from the West: At mine, and Nature's call, arise! A plaint is heard from every tree; Peace, Pienty, Love, and Harmony; This invocation was written by Mr. West, the friend of Gray the poet, eighty years ago, and affords some proof that the fickleness of our climate is not so great a novelty as it is usually esteemed. Backward springs, wet summers, fine autumns, and mild winters, seem to have occurred at almost May is often very changeful, and cold stated periods within the last century. winds and a gloomy atmosphere but blue sky, and an enlivening sun. too often usurp the place of a clear The very seasons meet, flinging the buds of spring This month, in favourable seasons, is bright with sunshine, and fragrant with perfumes, covering the meadows with verdure and decking the gardens with all the mixtures of colorific radiance; a month from which the man of fancy draws new infusions of imagery, and the naturalist new scenes of observation. Now the flowers are appearing, In the blythe month of May, and the smooth-shaven elastic lawns are smothered with lilacs and laburnums; the bees hum about the clover and sweet peas, and the early birds shake away the moisture from the young twigs in a rosy shower. The recurrence of Spring brings with it recollections of past happiness, |