of eighteen or twenty miles in the course of the day; but when plains are to be crossed the case is otherwise; two leagues are thought sufficient, and beautiful it is to see the harmless creatures following their leader, and grazing tranquilly as they move along. Sheep are by no means stupid animals; their memories especially are well developed; if the head shepherd and his men were to leave a flock to their own guidance, you would see them quietly proceeding to the pastures which they occupied during the previous year. Thus, for example, flocks that are kept in pens during winter, on the plains of Estremadura, no sooner begin to feel the soft breezes and warm sun-gleams of April, than they become extremely restless, and their impatient bleatings are heard at a vast distance. Those who like to watch the movements of birds and animals, would look with equal astonishment and delight | on the animated scene which is presented when the shepherds begin to pull up the stakes, and loosen the strong ropes which heretofore prevented the escape of their fleecy charge. Dogs stand round with anxious looks and impatient movements, watching lest any of the vast multitude should attempt to break the bounds assigned them, while the men proceed in their work, without having their attention in the least distracted, well knowing that their four-footed colleagues are ever on the alert. At length the head shepherd mounts his horse, men and dogs fall into their respective places, and flocks of two or three thousand sheep cross the Tagus at Almazas, and proceed to Espinas, Alfaro, and Villa Costen, three shearing places of great extent and ancient renown. When the flocks are divested of their cumbrous vestments, the mayoral again takes the lead, and followed, or attended by their faithful guard of men and dogs, they retrace their steps towards the plains of Leon, and spread over the rich pastures of Cervera, near Aquilos del Campo. Sheep that are fed during winter in sheltered parts of Andalusia and Castile, cross the Tagus in spring, and then proceed to upland pastures, or pass over the clear and flowing Ebro, to range the grassy solitudes of the Pyrenees and of Navarre. Such is the outline of their annual movements; but a fact is connected with their natural history that may well detain us a few moments to relate. When allowed to pass quietly and to feed as best pleases them, sheep uniformly select the finest herbage, and rarely, if ever, crop a single flower; even the fragrant wild thyme is left untouched; nay, more, it is carefully separated when growing profusely among blades of grass, or else the sheep advances to another spot. Herein is a manifest demonstration of the goodness of the Creator. Spain is equally celebrated for the finest honey as for its wool, and beds of wild thyme form the pasturage of innumerable bees; if, therefore, sheep in grazing were to gather every plant indiscriminately, those industrious insects, which collect their honey harvests from among the flowers, must inevitably perish. The sister arts of dressing wool, of spinning and of weaving cloth, are derived by our remote ancestors, most probably, from Gaul. Some Belgic colonists are presumed to have brought them into Britain, about a century before the era of the Roman invasion, and certain it is, that an imperial manufactory of woollen cloth was established at Winchester, the ancient Venta Belgium. Flemish weavers accompanied the army of the Roman conqueror, and plied their useful craft with equal benefit to themselves and advantage to the country. Others succeeded them, and in the reigns of Henry I. and Stephen, flourishing manufactures were established in various parts of England; in Gloucester, Nottingham, and Norwich; Bedford and Worcester especially. And so famous were the Flemings for their skill, that the art of weaving was said to be a peculiar gift, bestowed on them by their Creator. But when civil wars desolated the country, men who wrought peacefully at home were constrained to take the sword, and during the disastrous reigns of John and Henry II., the manufacturing of woollen cloths was entirely laid aside. Edward III. sought to revive such a valuable branch of domestic commerce, and history relates, that a small flock of sheep was obtained from Spain by the queen, as a present to her royal husband. Fuller, with his usual quaintness, speaks of the revival of the woollen manufactory, under the auspices of an enlightened monarch. "Truly, that good king," said he, "resolved, if possible, to bring the trade to his own countrymen, who were yet ignorant of that art, knowing no more what to do with their wool than the sheep that wore it, as to any artificial or curious drapery; their best cloths being no better than friezes, such was their want of skill in their makings. But soon after followed a great alteration, and we shall enlarge ourselves on the manner thereof. 66 Unsuspecting emissaries were employed to go into the Netherlands, who wrought themselves into familiarity with such Dutchmen as were absolute masters of their trade, but not masters of themselves, being either journeymen or apprentices. These bemoaned the slavishness of those poor creatures, whom their masters used rather like heathens than Christians; yea, rather like horses than men, early up, and late in bed, and all day having hard work, and harder fare, a few herrings and mouldy cheese, and all to enrich the churls their masters, without any profit to themselves. But, oh! how happy would it be for them,' the emissaries said, if they could but come over into England, bring ing their mystery with them, which would provide their welcome in all places.' Being thus persuaded, many Dutchmen came over, one from one place, another from another; their coming away made no very great difference, but their meeting together amounted to a considerable ful the highest profit, and went on improving when the cruel Duke of Alva drove more Dutch into England."* Fulling mills were then set up, and that most valuable and curious shrub, the teasel, which hitherto had been collected from hedge banks, where in some parts of England it grows profusely, was carefully cultivated. These mills were intended to save the expense of fulling or cleansing the cloths from grease, by trampling on them with the feet in running water, as also more conveniently to subject them to the action of the teasel. Piers Ploughman, a writer of the olden times, contemporary with Edward III., whose "Visions," are well known to the lovers of ancient poetry, thus quaintly speaks concerning the process of making cloth: "Cloth that cometh from the weving is not comely to wear, Till it be full'd under foot, or in fulling stocks, Washen well with water, and with teasels scratched, Toaked and tented, and under taylour's hand." Such are a few of the most interesting associations that pertain to the family of nected with rural scenery; as bringing to Ovis. We could speak of them as conwhich the Shepherd King compares the mind that exquisite pastoral psalm, in tranquillity and security of the righteous to a flock of sheep besides a running stream; as recalling, also, the advice of the wise king, who charged his son, "to well to his herds." know the state of his flocks, and to look Hesiod, too, the Boeotian poet, who wrote on agriculture in years long past, and Virgil, prince of Latin poets, sung concerning the fleecy occupants of meadows and sheep walks. “Pre-eminent among the constellations, and on earth," was a motto chosen by a large wool dealer in Gloucestershire. always welcome when seen on the horizon, Truly it was most appropriate: Aries is herald of lengthening days and sunny gleams; and who can look without delight over the pastoral scenery of our native land "When meads are white with sheep, and lowing herds Range o'er the browzy heights of sunny hills?” *Fuller's "History of Britain." Prov. xxviii. 23-27. Psa. xxiii, 148 SACRED QUOTATIONS.-INTERESTING VARIETIES. LIFE is most enjoy'd INTERESTING VARIETIES. THE United States possess a hundred million acres of public land that the foot of the white man has never trod. IN 1828, the four-wheel carriages in Great Britain were about 28,500; the post-chaises 6.596; the stage-coaches 2,996; the gigs, &c., 48,800; and tax-carts 19,500. EULER determined the direct light of the Sun to be equal to 6,500 candles, a foot distant; that of the Moon, to 1 candle 7 feet, or 300,000 times less. That of Jupiter, 1 at 1,320 feet; and Venus, 1 at 421 feet. JEFFERY HUDSON, the dwarf, was but 18 inches till 30, and then he rose to 39 inches. Bebe, the Pole, was only 32 inches at his death, aged 23, and slender in faculties. Borulawski was only 28 inches at 22, yet a man of talents. FRAUNHOFER, in his optical experiments. made a machine in which he could draw 32,900 lines in an inch breadth. There are 7,700 veins in an inch of coloured mother-of-pearl. Iris ornaments, of ali colours, are now made by lines on steel, from 2,000 to the 10,000th part of an inch. FORESTS extend over a third of Germany, Sweden, Norway, Russia, and Bohemia. They are a fourth of Prussia and Austria. A fifth of Belgium, a sixth of Switzerland, an eighth of France, a ninth of Italy, a twelfth of Spain, and only a fortieth of Great Britain. A bushel of coals will convert into steam 14 cubic feet of water, occupying 1,330 times that space as steam, and lifting the atmosphere above the water 1,330 times its depth, or 39 millions of pounds one foot high, or with deductions 30 millions; susceptible of further increase by more fuel, carrying it above 212 degrees. VAUCAUSON made an artificial duck, which performed every function of a real one; even an imperfect digestion, eating, drinking, and When courted least; most worth when dis- quacking. A coach and two horses, with a esteem'd; OPENING the map of God's extensive plan, Thus laden, dream that they are rich and great, COWPER. coachman, footman, page, and a lady inside, were made by Camus, for Louis XIV., when a child. The horses and figures moved naturally, variously, and perfectly. LIONS, tigers, leopards, jaguars, and hyenas, (in confinement,) upon an average, live twentyfive years; the smaller cats, as the tiger-cat, lynx, ocelot, margay, and serval, sixteen to eighteen years; monkeys and baboons, sixteen to eighteen years; the coatimondi, racoon, beaver, and civet cats, twelve to fourteen years; the antelope, sixteen to eighteen. IN Schulze's experiments on human strength, he found that men of five feet, weighing 126 lbs. could lift vertically 156 lbs. 8 inches; 217 lbs. 1-2 inches. Others 61 feet weighing 183 lbs. ; 150 lbs. 13 inches, and 217 lbs. 6 inches. Others, 6 feet, 3 inches, weighing 158 lbs.; 156 lbs. 16 inches, and 217 lbs. 9 inches. By a great variety of other experiments, he determined the mean human strength at 30 lbs. with a velocity of 2.5 feet per second, or it is equal to the raising half a hogshead 10 feet in a minute. USEFUL RECEIPTS. To clean Wash-Leather Gloves.-First take out the grease-spots with magnesia, or cream of tartar. Then wash and squeeze them through a lather of white soap and lukewarm water; hot water will shrink them. Squeeze them through a second suds; rinse them first in lukewarm and then in cold water, and stretch them to dry before the fire or in the sun. Another way.Having removed the grease spots, take the gloves, one at a time, on your hands, and rub them with a clean sponge wet with lukewarm soapsuds. Wash off the suds with a sponge and clear water, and stretch the gloves to dry. When almost dry, put them on your hands until finished, which will prevent them from shrinking.-A "FRIEND." Method of Preventing Cold Feet at Bed-time-Draw off your stockings just before undressing, and rub your ankles and feet well with your hand, as hard as you can bear the pressure, for five or ten minutes, and you will never have to complain of cold feet in bed. It is hardly conceivable what a pleasurable glow this diffuses. Frequent washing of the feet, and rubbing them thoroughly dry with a linen cloth or flannel, is very useful.-J. R., Warwick. To Gather and Preserve Roots.-Roots should be gathered in spring, with but few exceptions, and are better for being fresh. Roots to be dried should be well washed and sliced, unless they are preserved for the sake of the bark, when they must be merely washed and dried. The process of drying may be simply performed by stringing the pieces together, or scattering them on paper trays, and exposing them for a sufficient time to a gentle heat, say from 90° to 130° Fahr.-J. R. To Polish Varnish. - Take two ounces of tripoli powdered, put it in an earthern pot, with water to cover it; then take a piece of white flannel, lay it over a piece of cork or rubber, and proceed to polish the varnish, always wetting it with the tripoli and water. It will be known when the process is finished by wiping a part of the work with a sponge, and observing whether there is a fair even gloss. When this is the case, take a bit of mutton suet and fine flour, and clean the work. -W. GIBSON. Hints to Housewives.-Table-cloths, napkins, &c., &c., should be examined before washing, and any thin places repaired; by which means holes may be avoided; according to the old adage, "a stitch in time saves nine." The strings of pillow-cases (if strings are used), should be hemmed at the ends. Silk stockings when washed, should, while wet, be drawn out, perfectly smooth, into a nice shape, and be rolled in a cloth to dry previous to mangling Potato water is a good thing for sponging the dirt out of silk; it may be procured by scraping potatoes into a due quantity of water, and straining it. -W. To prevent Horses being teased by Flies.-Take two or three small handfuls of walnut leaves, upon which pour two or three quarts of cold water; let it infuse one night, and pour the whole, next morning, into a kettle, and let it boil for a quarter of an hour; when cold, it will be fit for use. No more is required than to moisten a sponge, and before the horse goes out of the stable, let those parts which are most irritable be smeared over with the liquor, viz., between and upon the ears, the neck, the flank, &c. Not only the lady or gentleman who rides out for pleasure, will derive benefit from this preparation, but the coachman, the wagoner, and all others who use horses during the hot months.-R. W. CHARNOCK. Rosemary Pomatum.-Strip from the stems two large handfuls of recently gathered rosemary. Boil these in a well-tinned saucepan, with half a pound of hog's-lard, till reduced to four ounces. Strain it, and put it into a pomatum pot. Oils for the hair may be made by simply stirring any essential oils into oil of ben, oil of almonds, olive oil, or castor oil. The pink and red oils are coloured by being heated to the boiling point, and poured upon alkanet root. But such preparation is bad, because heating the oil to the point necessary to make it act upon the dye of the alkanet root, gives it a tendency to become rancid. Coloured oils should therefore be avoided, if it be for this reason only; but for ladies who wear caps, there is a stili stronger-coloured oils always stain these caps.-W. Welsn Flannels. All flarnels should be soaked before they are made up; first in cold, then in hot water, in order to shrink them. flannel is the softest, and should be preferred, if it be to be worn next the skin; but Lancashire flannel looks finer, lasts longer, and should, therefore, be selected when the above is Under flannel garments not its destination should be frequently changed, because they imbibe perspiration, which is liable to be absorbed again into the system, and this is injurious. All flannel vestments that are made full, should be gathered, not plaited; because, in the latter case, they become thick, and matted by washing; and in the event of their being turned from top to bottom in order to alter the wear, the part that had been plaited will be found to be so drawn and injured, that two or three inches of it must be cut off.-W. Set To wash White Silk Lace or Blonde.-Take a black bottle covered with clean linen or muslin, and wind the blonde round it, (securing the ends with a needle or thread,) not leaving the edge outward, but covering it as you proceed. the bottle upright in a strong cold lather of white soap and very clear soft water, and place it in the sun, having gently with your hand rubbed the suds up and down on the lace. Keep it in the sun every day for a week, changing the lather daily, and always rubbing it slightly when you renew the suds. At the end of the week, take the blonde off the bottle, and (without rinsing) pin it backward and forward on a large pillow covered with a clean tight case. Every scollop must have a separate pin; or more, if the scollops are not very small. The plain edge must be piùned down also, so as to make it straight and even. The pins should be of the smallest size. When quite dry, take it off, but do not starch, iron, or press it. Lay it in long loose folds, and put it away in a pasteboard box. Thread lace may be washed in the same manner.-A "FRIEND." PARLOUR AMUSEMENTS. To Cut and Tear in Pieces a Handkerchief, and to Render it Whole again.-Two persons of the company are desired to step forward; a handkerchief is given to hold, two corners each. Several other handkerchiefs are then procured from the company, and as they are received, they are put into the one that is held, in order to make them a bundle. When there are about a dozen of them heaped up together, the two persons who hold the bundle cause one of them to be drawn at random by a third spectator. The person who draws it is then desired to examine its mark and number, if any such there be, and to cut off one of the corners with a pair of scissors; any one may cut a piece also, after that the handkerchief is torn in pieces. The bits and scraps being gathered together, on which are poured certain pretended drugs or liquors, all are folded, and firmly bound with a ribbon, in order to reduce them to a small parcel. They are then put under a glass. A few minutes after, the parcel is unfolded, the handkerchief is whole; everybody acknowledges the mark, and the spectators are surprised to see it has not received the least damage in the operation. Explanation. This trick, strange as it appears, is very simple. The performer must have a confederate, who has two handkerchiefs of the same quality, and with the same mark, one of which he throws among the others to perform the trick with. The performer takes care to put this handkerchief uppermost in making the bundle though he affects to mix them together promiscuously. The person whom he desires to draw one of the handkerchiefs, naturally takes that which comes first to hand. He desires to shake them again in order to embellish the operation, but in so doing takes care to bring the right handkerchief uppermost, and carefully fixes upon some simpleton to draw; and if he finds that he is not likely to take the first that comes to hand, he prevents him from drawing by fixing upon another, under pretence of his having a more sagacious look. When the handkerchief is torn and carefully folded up, it is put under a glass, on a table placed near a partition, on that part of the table on which it is deposited is a little trap, which opens and lets it fall into a drawer. The confederate hid behind the curtain, passes his hand within the table, opens the trap, and substitutes the second handkerchief instead of the first; then shuts the trap, which fits so exactly the hole it closes, as to deceive the eyes of the most incredulous. If the performer is not possessed of such a table (which is absolutely necessary for other tricks as well as this), he must have the second handkerchief in his pocket, and by sleight of hand change it for the pieces, which must be instantly concealed, and have it tied up with the ribbon instead. J.C.R. 2. There was a King met a King What must I call him? 3. The cuckoo and the gowk, The laverock and the lark, The twire-snipe, the weather-bleak, How many birds is that? 4. The fiddler and his wife, The piper and his mother, Ate three half-cakes, three whole cakes, And three-quarters of another. How much did each get? 5. There was a little green-house, And in the little green-house There was a little brown-house, And in the little brown-house There was a little yellow-house, And in the little yellow-house There was a little white-house, And in the little white-house There was a little heart. 6. A flock of white sheep Here they go, there they go, ARITHMETICAL PROBLEM. Two different sums are to be divided, whose products are the same, although the divisor of one is 2,371, and the other 2,320; name each sum, and give the fractions of a penny in cents. ENIGMA. I am a jewel rich and rare, And oft employ'd to deck the fair. I grow a sweet and wholesome fruit. (ANSWERS TO FAMILY PASTIME. ENIGMAS.-1. Chronometer. 2. Bar. 3. Mint. RIDDLES.-1. Pit. 2. Leek, keel. 3. Tide. 4. Wick. 5. Dot-age. CHARADES.-1. Ear-wig. 2. A Second of time. 3. Just-ice. 4. Hack-ney. |