file which includes the original illustration4 ,see #ajgai-;h4htm or #ajgai-;h4zip3 7http3_/_/www4ibiblio4org_/gutenberg_/#a _/j_/g_/a_/ajgai_/ajgai-;h_/#ajgai-;h4ht m7 or 7http3_/_/www4ibiblio4org_/gutenberg_/#a _/j_/g_/a_/ajgai_/ajgai-;h4zip7 ,,the ,,mirror ,,of ,,literature1 ,,amusement1 ,,and ,,instruction4 ,,vol4 #ab1 ,no4 #cdi4 ,,saturday1 ,,december #f1 #ahbh4 ,,price #b;d4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,arch ,,of ,,constantine1 ,,at ,,rome4 ,illustration3 ,the ,arch of ,constantine1 at ,rome4 ,still harping on the ,fine ,arts--,architecture and ,painting4 ,of the former1 the above engraving is an illustration2 and of the latter1 our readers will find a beautiful subject 7from one of ,turner's pictures7 in a ,supplement published with the present ,number4#a #a ,the ,second of the ,spirit of the ,annuals1 containing a fine ,engraving1 after a celebrated picture by ,turner1 and a string of ,,poetical ,,gems from the ,anniversary1 ,keepsake1 and ,friendship's ,offering1 with unique extracts from such of the ,annuals as were not noticed in the previous ,supplement4 ,the ,arches of ,rome were splendid monuments of triumph1 erected in honour of her illustrious generals4 ,they were at first very simple1 being built of brick or hewn stone1 and of a semicircular figure2 but afterwards more magnificent1 built of the finest marble1 and of a square figure1 with a large1 arched gate in the middle1 and two small ones on each side1 adorned with columns and statues4 ,in the vault of the middle gate1 hung winged figures of victory1 bearing crowns in their hands1 which1 when let down1 they placed on the victor's head1 when he passed in triumph4 ,the ,arch of ,constantine1 the most noble of all of these structures1 subsists almost entire4 ,it was erected by the senate and ,roman people1 in honour of ,constantine1 after his victory over ,maxentius1 and crosses the ,appian ,way1 at the junction of the ,coelian and ,palatine ,hills4 ,here it stands as the last monument of ,roman triumph1 or like the ,december sun of the world's sole monument4 ,this building consists of three arches1 of which the centre is the largest2 and has two fronts1 each adorned with four columns of giallo antico marble1 of the ,corinthian order1 and fluted1 supporting a cornice1 on which stand eight ,dacian captives of ,pavonazzetta1 or violet-coloured marble4 ,the inscription on both sides of the architrave imports1 that it was dedicated to the ,emperor ,csar ,flavius ,constantine ,augustus1 the greatest1 pious1 and the happy2 because by a divine impulse1 the greatness of his courage1 and the aid of his army1 he avenged the republic by his just arms1 and1 at the same time1 rescued it from the tyrant and his whole faction4 ,on one side of the arch are the words1 ,liberatori urbis1 to the deliverer of the city2 and on the other1 ,fundatori quietis1 to the founder of public tranquillity4 ,although erected to the honour of ,constantine1 this arch commemorates the victories of ,trajan1 some of the basso-relievos1 c4 having been pilfered from one of the arches of ,trajan4 ,this accounts for the ,dacian captives1 whose heads ,lorenzo de ,medicis broke off and conveyed to ,florence1 but the theft might not have been so notorious to posterity1 had not the artists of ,constantine's time added some figures of inferior merit4 ,forsyth says1 ,constantine's reign was notorious for architectural robbery2 and the styles of the two emperors1 in the present arch1 mar the harmony by their unsightly contrasts4 ,although the decree for erecting this arch was1 without doubt1 passed immediately after the defeat of ,maxentius1 it appears from the monument itself1 that the building was not finished and dedicated till the tenth year of ,constantine's reign1 or the year of ,christ #cae or #caf4 ,the newly-erected arch opposite the entrance to ,hyde ,park is from the ,roman arch1 though1 we believe1 not from any particular model4 ,in the ,view of the ,new ,palace1 ,st4 ,james's ,park1 7in our ,no4 #bgh17 the arch1 to be called the ,waterloo ,monument1 and erected in the middle of the area of the palace1 will be nearly a copy of that of ,constantine at ,rome4 ,in the court-yard of the ,tuilleries at ,paris1 there is a similar arch1 copied from that of ,septimius ,severus4 ,this was formerly surmounted by the celebrated group of the horses of ,st4 ,mark1 pilfered from ,venice1 but restored at the peace of #ahae4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,beggar',s ,,daughter ,,of ,,bethnal ,,green4 7,for the ,mirror47 ,the popular ballad of ,the ,beggar's ,daughter of ,bednall-,greene was written in the reign of ,queen ,elizabeth4 ,it is founded1 though without the least appearance of truth1 or even probability1 on a legend of the time of ,henry ,,iii4 ,henry de ,montfort1 son of the ambitious ,earl of ,leicester1 who was slain with his father at the memorable battle of ,evesham1 is the hero of the tale4 ,he is supposed 7according to the legend7 to have been discovered among the bodies of the slain by a young lady1 in an almost lifeless state1 and deprived of sight by a wound1 which he had received during the engagement4 ,under the fostering hand of this faire damosel he soon recovered1 and afterwards marrying her1 she became the mother of the comelye and prettye ,bessee4 ,fearing lest his rank and person should be discovered by his enemies1 he disguised himself in the habit of a beggar1 and took up his abode at ,bethnal-,green4 ,the beauty of his daughter attracted many suitors1 and she was at length married to a noble knight1 who1 regardless of her supposed meanness and poverty1 had the courage to make her his wife1 her other lovers having deserted her on account of her low origin4 ,before entering1 however1 upon the ballad1 it may not1 perhaps1 be thought irrelevant to give a brief sketch of the family of the ,de ,montforts4 ,simon de ,montfort1 created ,earl of ,leicester by ,henry ,,iii41 was the younger son of ,simon de ,montfort1 the renowned but cruel commander of the croisade against the ,albigenses4 ,this nobleman was greatly honoured by ,henry ,,iii41 to whose sister1 the ,countess ,dowager of ,pembroke1 he paid his addresses1 and was married1 with the consent of her brother4 ,for the favour thus shown him by his sovereign1 he1 however1 proved ungrateful3 his inordinate ambition1 cloaked by a pretended zeal for reform1 was the cause of those rebellions which1 in the reign of ,henry ,,iii41 kept the kingdom in such a continued turmoil4 ,the different oppressions and successes of the confederate barons1 who at length got possession of the king's person1 and the civil wars which ensued1 are so well known as to render any remark on the subject superfluous2 suffice it to say1 that the disputes between the malcontents and the royal party were at length terminated by the battle of ,evesham1 which decided in favour of the latter4 ,in this field fell the ,earl of ,leicester and his eldest son1 ,henry de ,montfort4 ,his death was followed by the total ruin of his family2 his titles and estates were all confiscated2 the countess1 his wife1 who had been extremely active in her designs against the royalists1 was banished1 together with her sons1 ,simon and ,guy1 who afterwards assassinated their cousin1 ,henry d',allmane1 when he was endeavouring to effect a reconciliation between them and their uncle1 ,henry ,,iv4 ,the head of the earl was sent as a signal of the victory by ,roger de ,mortimer to the countess2 but his body1 together with that of his son ,henry1 was interred in the ,abbey of ,evesham2 thus leaving the improbability of the legend without a shadow of doubt4 ,as our limits will not allow us to quote the whole of the ballad1#a we must content ourselves with giving the song of the beggar1 which1 as well as being the most interesting1 contains the whole of the legend concerning de ,montfort3-- ,a poore beggar's daughter did dwell on a greene1 ,who for her fairnesse might well be a queene3 ,a blithe bonny lasse1 and a daintye was shee1 ,and many one called her pretty ,bessee4 ,her father hee had noe goods nor noe land1 ,but begg'd for a penny all day with his hand2 ,and yett to her marriage he gave thousands three1 ,and still he hath somewhat for pretty ,bessee4 ,and if any one here her birth doe disdaine1 ,her father is ready1 with might and with maine1 ,to prove shee is come of noble degree-- ,therefore1 ever flout att prettye ,bessee4 99 99 99 99 99 ,then give me leave1 nobles and gentles1 each one1 ,one song more to sing1 and then ,i have done2 ,and if that itt may not winn good report1 ,then doe not give me a ,,groat for my sport4 ,sir ,simon de ,montfort my subject shall bee4 ,once chiefe of all the great barons was hee-- ,yet fortune so cruelle this lorde did abase1 ,now loste and forgotten are hee and his race4 ,when the barons in armes did ,king ,henrye oppose1 ,sir ,simon de ,montfort their leader they chose-- ,a leader of courage undaunted was hee1 ,and oft-times he made their enemyes flee4 ,at length in the battle on ,eveshame plaine ,the barons were routed1 and ,montfort was slaine2 ,moste fatall that battel did prove unto thee1 ,thoughe thou wast not borne then1 my prettye ,bessee6 ,along with the nobles that fell at that tyde1 ,his eldest son ,henrye1 who fought by his side1 ,was fellde by a blowe he receiv'de in the fighte6 ,a blowe that depriv'de him for ever of sight4 ,among the dead bodyes all lifelesse he laye1 ,till evening drewe on of the following daye1 ,when by a yong ladye discover'd was hee-- ,and this was thy mother1 my prettye ,bessee6 ,a baron's faire daughter stept forth in the nighte1 ,to search for her father1 who fell in the fight1 ,and seeing yong ,montfort1 where gasping he laye1 ,was moved with pitye1 and broughte him awaye4 ,in secrette she nurst him1 and swaged his paine1 ,while he throughe the realme was beleev'd to be slaine3 ,at lengthe his faire bride she consented to bee1 ,and made him glad father of prettye ,bessee4 ,and nowe1 lest oure foes our lives sholde betraye ,we clothed ourselves in beggars' arraye2 ,her jewells shee solde1 and hither came wee-- ,all our comfort and care was our prettye ,bessee4 ,and here have wee lived in fortunes despite1 ,thoughe poore1 yet contented with humble delighte2 ,full forty winters thus have ,i beene ,a silly blind beggar of ,bednall-greene4 ,and here1 noble lordes1 is ended the song ,of one that once to your owne ranke did belong3 ,and thus have you learned a secrette from mee1 ,that ne'er had beene knowne but for prettye ,bessee4 #a ,vide ,percy's ,reliques1 vol4 ii4 p4 #agh4 ,at ,bethnal-,green is an old mansion1 which1 in the survey of #agjc1 was called ,bethnal-,green-,house1 and which the inhabitants1 with their usual love of traditionary lore1 assign as the ,palace of the ,blind ,beggar4 ,this house was erected in the reign of ,queen ,elizabeth1 by ,john ,kirby1 citizen of ,london1 and was1 says ,stow1#a lofty like a castle4 ,it was afterwards the residence of ,sir ,hugh ,platt1 ,knight1 the author of many ingenious works2 from him it came into the possession of ,sir ,william ,ryder1 ,knight1 who died there in #affi2 of late years it has been used as a private madhouse4 ,the tradition of the beggar is still preserved on the sign-posts of several of the public-houses in the neighbourhood4 #a ,strype's ,stowe1 vol4 ii4 p4 #dg1 edit4 #agee4 ,s4,i4,b4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,history ,,and ,,antiquity ,,of ,,wills4 7,for the ,mirror47 ,according to ,blackstone1 wills are of high antiquity4 ,we find them among the ancient ,hebrews2 not to mention what ,eusebius and others have related of ,noah's testament1 made in writing1 and witnessed under his seal1 by which he disposed of the whole world4 ,a more authentic instance of the early use of testaments occurs in the sacred writings1 7,genesis1 chap4 xlviii47 in which ,jacob bequeaths to his son ,joseph1 a portion of his inheritance1 double to that of his brethren4 ,the ,grecian practice concerning wills 7says ,potter7 was not the same in all places2 some states permitted men to dispose of their estates1 others wholly deprived them of that privilege4 ,we are told by ,plutarch1 that ,solon is much commended for his law concerning wills2 for before his time no man was allowed to make any1 but all the wealth of deceased persons belonged to their families2 but he permitted them to bestow it on whom they pleased1 esteeming friendship a stronger tie than kindred1 and affection than necessity1 and thus put every man's estate in the disposal of the possessor2 yet he allowed not all sorts of wills1 but required the following conditions in all persons that made them3-- #ast4 ,that they must be citizens of ,athens1 not slaves1 or foreigners1 for then their estates were confiscated for the public use4 #bnd4 ,that they must be men who have arrived to twenty years of age1 for women and men under that age were not permitted to dispose by will of more than one medimn of barley4 #crd4 ,that they must not be adopted2 for when adopted persons died without issue1 the estates they received by adoption returned to the relations of the men who adopted them4 #dth4 ,that they should have no male children of their own1 for then their estate belonged to these4 ,if they had only daughters1 the persons to whom the inheritance was bequeathed were obliged to marry them4 ,yet men were allowed to appoint heirs to succeed their children1 in case these happened to die under twenty years of age4 #eth4 ,that they should be in their right minds1 because testaments extorted through the phrenzy of a disease1 or dotage of old age1 were not in reality the wills of the persons that made them4 #fth4 ,that they should not be under imprisonment1 or other constraint1 their consent being then only forced1 nor in justice to be reputed voluntary4 #gth4 ,that they should not be induced to it by the charms and insinuations of a wife2 for 7says ,plutarch7 the wise lawgiver with good reason thought that no difference was to be put between deceit and necessity1 flattery and compulsion1 since both are equally powerful to persuade a man from reason4 ,wills were usually signed before several witnesses1 who put seals to them for confirmation1 then placed them in the hands of trustees1 who were obliged to see them performed4 ,at ,athens1 some of the magistrates were very often present at the making of wills4 ,sometimes the archons were also present4 ,sometimes the testator declared his will before sufficient witnesses1 without committing it to writing4 ,thus ,callias1 fearing to be cut off by a wicked conspiracy1 is said to have made an open declaration of his will before the popular assembly at ,athens4 ,there were several copies of wills in ,diogenes ,laertius1 as those of ,aristotle1 ,lycon1 and ,theophrastus2 whence it appears they had a common form1 beginning with a wish for life and health4 ,the most ancient testaments among the ,romans were made viv voce1 the testator declaring his will in the presence of seven witnesses2 these they called nuncupative testaments2 but the danger of trusting the will of the dead to the memory of the living soon abolished these2 and all testaments were ordered to be in writing4 ,the ,romans were wont to set aside testaments1 as being inofficiosa1 deficient in natural duty1 if they disinherited or totally passed by 7without assigning a true and sufficient reason7 any of the children of the testator4 ,but if the child had any legacy1 though ever so small1 it was a proof that the testator had not lost his memory nor his reason1 which otherwise the law presumed4 ,hence probably 7says ,blackstone7 has arisen that groundless1 vulgar error of the necessity of leaving the heir a shilling1 or some other express legacy1 in order to effectually disinherit him2 whereas the law of ,england1 though the heir1 or next of kin1 be totally omitted1 admits no querela inofficiosa1 to set aside such testament4 ,alfred the ,great made a will1 wherein he declared1 in express terms1 that it was just the ,english should be as free as their own thoughts4 ,p4,t4,w4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,cosmopolite4 ,,dancing4 7,for the ,mirror47 ,dancing is defined to be to move in measure2 to move with steps correspondent to the sound of instruments4 ,but there are other species of dancing--as -----------------for three long months ,to dance attendance for a word of audience3 and to dance with pain1 or when1 as ,lord ,bacon says1 in pestilences1 the malignity of the infecting vapour danceth the principal spirits4 ,the ,chorea ,s4 ,viti1 or ,st4 ,vitus's ,dance is another variation1 said to have once prevailed extensively1 and to have been cured by a prayer to this saint6 whose martyrdom is commemorated on ,june #ae4 ,it may not be generally known that a person afflicted with this species of dancing can run1 although he cannot walk or stand still4 ,another and a more agreeable species is to lead the dance1 an unjust usurpation which is practised in a thousand other places beside the ball-room4 ,according to the mythologists1 7authorities always quotable1 and nobody knows why17 the ,curetes or ,corybantes1 a people of ,crete1 who were produced from rain1 first invented the dance to amuse the infant ,jupiter--with what success he danced we know not1 for when a year old he waged war against the ,titans1 and then his dancing days must have terminated4 ,a history of dancing is1 however1 not to our purpose2 but a few of its eccentricities4 ,it occurs in the customs of all people1 either as a recreation or as a religious ceremony--held in contempt by some1 and in esteem by others4 ,david danced before the ark2 the daughters of ,shiloh danced in a solemn yearly festival2 and the ,israelites1 7good judges7 danced round the golden calf4 ,the ancients had a peculiar penchant for dancing1 whether in person or by animals2 and the feats of the latter distance all the wretched efforts of the bears1 dogs1 and horses of our days4 ,the attempts of ,galba to amuse the ,roman people throw into the shade all the peace-rejoicings and illuminations of ,st4 ,james's and the ,green ,parks4 ,suetonius1 ,seneca1 and ,pliny tell us of elephants in their time that were taught to walk the rope1 backwards and forwards1 up and down1 with the agility of an ,italian rope-dancer4 ,such was the confidence reposed in the docility and dexterity of the animal1 that a person sat upon an elephant's back1 while he walked across the theatre upon a rope1 extended from the one side to the other4 ,lipsius1 who has collected these testimonies1 thinks them too strong to be doubted--perhaps even stronger than the rope4 ,scaliger corroborates all of them2 ,busbequius saw an elephant dance a pas seul at ,constantinople2 and ,suetonius tells us of twelve elephants1 six male and six female1 who were clothed like men and women1 and performed a country dance1 in the reign of ,tiberius4 ,in later times1 horses have been taught to dance4 ,in the carousals of ,louis ,,xiii4 there were dances of horses2 and in the #acth century1 some rode a horse upon a rope4 ,all this eclipses the puny modern feats of ,astley and ,ducrow4#a #a ,miraculous dancing is not1 however1 confined to animals2 for ,william of ,malmesbury gravely relates an instance of #ae young women and #ah young men who 7by the anathema of a priest7 continued dancing a whole year1 and wore the earth so much1 that1 by degrees1 they sunk midway into the earth6 ,the ,greeks and ,romans were divided upon the propriety of dancing4 ,socrates who held death in contempt1 when a reverend old gentleman1 learned to dance of ,aspasia1 the beautiful nurse of ,grecian eloquence4 ,the ,romans forgot their loss of the republic and of liberty-- ------------------the air we breathe ,if we have it not we die4 in seeing ,pylades and ,bathyllus dance before them in their theatres--an indifference of which we were reminded on hearing that the ,parisians sat in the ,cafs on the ,boulevard du ,italiens--sipping coffee and sucking down ice1 during the capitulation of the city1 and while the ,french1 killed and wounded1 were conveyed along the road before them4 ,cato1 ,censorius1 danced at the age of fifty-six4 ,cicero1 however1 reproached a consul with having danced4 ,tiberius1 that monster of indulgences1 banished dancers from ,rome2 and ,domitian1 the illustrious fly-catcher1 expelled several of his members of parliament for having danced4 ,we are much more civilized1 for such an edict as that of ,domitian would clear our senate-houses as effectually as when ,cromwell turned out the ,long ,parliament4 ,among the ,italians and the ,french even there have been found enemies to dancing4 ,alfieri1 the poet1 had a great aversion to dancing2 and one ,daneau wrote a ,trait des ,danses1 in which he maintains that the devil never invented a more effectual way than dancing1 to fill the world with ----4 ,the bishop of ,noyon once presided at some deliberations respecting a minuet2 and in #aggj1 a reverend prelate presented a document on dancing to the king of ,france4 ,the ,quakers consider dancing below the dignity of the ,christian character2 and an enthusiast1 of another creed1 thinks all lovers of the stage belong to the schools of ,voltaire and ,hume1 and that dancing is a link in the chain of seduction4 ,stupid1 leaden-heeled people1 who constantly mope in melancholy1 and neither enjoy nor impart pleasure1 will naturally be enemies to dancing2 and such we are induced to think the majority of these opponents4 ,the ,french are inveterate dancers4 ,they have their bals pars and their salons de danse in every street2 and as long as the weather will permit1 they dance on platforms out of doors1 and a heavy shower of rain will scarcely cool their ardour in the recreation4 ,some of their stage figurantes resemble aerial beings rather than bone and blood1 for flesh may almost be left out of the composition4 ,but the ,italians are a nation of dancers as well as the children of song1 and they seem to have followed the noble example of old ,cato1 in this respect1 with better effect than they have studied his virtue4 ,we are also told upon good authority1 that the ,american dancers equal any of the ,european figurantes4 ,the ,english people have always been lovers of dancing2 and it forms an accompaniment of almost all their old sports and pastimes4 ,witness the maypoles1 wassails1 and wakes of rural life1 and the grotesque morris-dance1 originating in a kind of ,pyrrhic or military dance1 and described by ,sir ,william ,temple as composed of ten men1 who danced a maid marian and a tabor and pipe4 ,in the time of ,henry ,,vii4 dancers were remarkably well paid2 for in some of his accounts in the ,exchequer1 we find 4 s4 d4 ,paid to a spye1 in reward----------------- #b #j #j ,to ,pechie1 the fool1 in rewarde----------- #j #f #h ,to ,richard ,beden1 for writing of bokes---- #j #aj #j ,to the young dameysell that daunceth---- #cj #j #j ,in ,shakspeare's time1 to dance was an elegant accomplishment4 ,thus in the ,merry ,wives of ,windsor1 ,what say you to young ,mr4 ,fenton8 ,he capers1 he dances1 he has eyes of youth1 he writes verses4 ,locke thus alludes to the graceful motions which dancing lends to the human frame3 the legs of the dancing-master1 and the fingers of a musician1 fall1 as it were1 naturally1 without thought or pains1 into regular and admirable motions4 ,it must be somewhat surprising to those who over-rate the matter-of-fact character of the ,english people1 that so great a majority of them are attached to dancing4 ,among rank and wealth this amusement admits of a finer display of beauty and artificial decoration than almost any other recreation2 for nothing can be more splendid than a brilliantly illuminated and well-filled ball-room4 ,dancing among the middle classes of society is equally mirthful though not of so ostentatious a character1 and it is a question whether the latter1 being free from the alloy of fashionable follies1 are not more exhilarated by sweet sounds than their wealthy superiors4 ,but the mushroom aristocracy and pride of purse often operate as checks to the enjoyment of both these classes2 and splendid dancing accommodations sometimes put an end to the amusement4 ,at ,dorking1 in ,surrey1 attached to one of the inns is a ball-room1 which cost the builder #ab1jjj1 and here is one1 or at most three balls during the year1 while at scores of places within our recollection1 of less consequence1 there are monthly and even weekly balls2 and we are inclined to think these periodical recreations of great importance to the happiness of country towns4 ,but there is a species of intoxication sometimes arising from them--that of dancing all night1 to suffer from exhaustion and rheumatism on the following day--an evil easy of remedy1 by such amusements being more frequent and less protracted4 ,the influence on the character of the people would probably be that of rendering it more even1 from the admixture or reciprocation of pleasure and business being more proportional4 ,this plan would get rid of much of the ostentation and expense of a country ball1 and would ultimately prove the best antidote to the sins of scandal4 ,as we have spoken of public dancing in the time of ,henry ,,vii41 we will show that the enormous sums paid to artists have nourished their conceit to an alarming height4 ,pitrot1 the ,vestris of his day1 was a consummate specimen of this effrontery4 ,at ,vienna1 he chose to appear only in the last act of the ballet4 ,the emperor desired him to come forth at the end of the first2 ,pitrot refused2 the court left the opera1 and then ,pitrot told the dancers they would have a hop by themselves1 which they did4 ,however1 this was forgiven2 and1 at his departure1 he was presented with the emperor's picture1 set with brilliants4 ,pitrot received it with sang froid1 pressed his thumb upon the crystal1 crushed the picture to pieces1 adding1 ,thus ,i treat men not worthy of my friendship4 ,this fellow behaved equally ill in ,france1 ,prussia1 and ,russia2 but1 at length1 scouted by all his patrons1 and1 after giving his thousands to opera girls1 he wandered about ,calais in rags and poverty4 ,farinelli1 after accumulating a fortune in ,england1 built a superb mansion in ,italy1 which he called the ,english ,folly4#a #a ,here is a card extraordinary of one of our humble ,english dancing-masters3--,as ,dancing is the poetry of motion1 those who wish to sail through the mazes of harmony1 or to 'trip it on the light fantastic toe1' will find an able guide in ,john ,wilde1 who was formed by nature for a dancing-master4--,n4,b4 ,those who have been taught to dance with a couple of left legs1 had better apply in time1 as he effectually cures all bad habits of the kind4 ,the oddity of some ideas of dancing is really ludicrous4 ,the ,cambro-,britains1 in a very late period1 used to be played out of church by a fiddle1 and to form a dance in the church-yard at the end of the service4 ,but the ideas which the ,chinese have of dancing exceeds all others4 ,when ,commodore ,anson was at ,canton1 the officers of the ,centurion had a ball upon some court holiday3 while they were dancing1 a ,chinese1 who very quietly surveyed the operation1 said1 softly1 to one of the party1 ,why don't you let your servants do this for you8 99 99 99 99 99 ,,fine ,,arts4 ,,school ,,of ,,painting ,,at ,,the ,,british ,,institution4 7,to the ,editor of the ,mirror47 ,i beg to present you with a brief notice of the ,school of ,painting at the ,british ,institution1 ,pall ,mall2 you may rely upon its correctness1 as ,i have been extremely cautious in making my notes1 and in ascertaining every particular relative to the subject4 ,the students at this excellent institution have1 for several weeks1 been arduously engaged in copying the fine pictures which were entrusted to the directors by his majesty1 and the nobility1 for that purpose4 ,in general1 the students have been very successful1 and deserve much praise2 ,i must1 however1 in my prescribed limits1 only mention a few4 ,vandyke's ,duchess de ,st4 ,croix has been cleverly copied by ,mr4 ,boden and ,mr4 ,faulkner2 the latter gentleman has well imitated the color and the beautiful finish of the original4 ,messrs4 ,frisk1 ,child1 ,howell and ,m',call have likewise made clever copies of this chef d'oeuvre of art4 ,many bold efforts have been made to copy ,hobbima's large ,landscape2 ,mr4 ,laporte's is the most complete1 though not quite spirited enough in the handling4 ,the ,spanish ,gentleman1 by ,velasquez1 has engaged the pencils of numerous artists1 though they have not all been so successful as could have been wished2 ,messrs4 ,inskipp1 ,frisk1 ,morton and ,child have produced the best fac similes4 ,the ,lime ,kiln1 by the younger ,teniers1 has been carefully studied by ,mr4 ,gill1 c42 and ,messrs4 ,m',call and ,morton1 have executed the finest studies from ,innocent ,x41 by ,velasquez4 ,the ,embarkation1 by ,claude1 is extremely well imitated in ,mr4 ,cartwright's copy2 and the ,virgin and ,child1 which is one of ,julio ,romano's best works1 has met with due attention from ,mr4 ,farrier1 and others4 ,mr4 ,novice has executed the only copy from ,de,hooge's fine picture--,a ,dutch ,family preparing for a ,walk2 and ,messrs4 ,foster and ,earl display considerable talent in their copies from the ,landscape and ,cattle1 by ,cuyp4 ,other admirable works by ,guido1 ,rubens1 ,bassan1 ,ruysdael1 ,vanderneer1 and ,canaletta1 have met with a host of imitators1 from whose talents we may anticipate1 at no distant period1 pictorial excellency of the first order4 ,i should discover a want of gallantry1 and1 indeed1 be most unjust1 were ,i not to say that the ladies1 in nearly all their undertakings1 have exerted their utmost to excel2 those especially1 who have executed copies in water colours deserve the highest recommendation4 ,g4,w4,n4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,anecdote ,,gallery4 ,,thaxted ,,highwaymen4 7,for the ,mirror47 ,the following incident led to the breaking up and dispersion of a gang of desperate highwaymen1 denominated the ,thaxted gang1 who about sixty years ago used to infest the roads in the neighbourhood of ,dunmow1 ,thaxted1 and the adjacent towns and villages3-- ,an opulent farmer of ,thaxted1 being one day at ,dunmow market1 received a considerable sum of money1 the produce of grain and other marketable articles1 which he had that day disposed of2 and going to the inn where he had left his horse1 he ordered it to be saddled directly for the purpose of returning home4 ,in those times every tradesman1 salesman and a greater part of the publicans and innkeepers knew what money each other received on a market day4 ,the innkeeper at whose house the farmer was in the habit of putting up at1 said to him1 ,why you are not going home to-night1 are you1 with all that money about you8 ,you will stand a chance of getting a knock on the head4--,let them knock away1 answered the farmer4 ,i have never yet been robbed1 nor do ,i think it likely ,i shall be to-night2 so1 ,robert1 get my horse ready1 calling to the hostler4 ,well1 but have you any weapons of defence8 inquired the publican4--,no1 nor none ,i want1 responded the farmer4 ,the innkeeper pressed him to take a pair of holster pistols2 saying1 he might find them handy2 and after a great deal of persuasion1 he agreed to take one1 the publican first loading and charging it with ball4 ,the farmer put the pistol in his great coat pocket1 and was on the point of departure when he recollected that he had to get a pound of tea at a grocer's shop in the town1 a few doors from the inn4 ,he instantly ran to the shop for the tea1 and while the grocer was serving him he made the same remark as the innkeeper had done respecting his going home with so considerable a sum as he knew the farmer had about him4 ,the farmer made answer1 ,i am going home to-night1 but our friend the publican1 has lent me a pistol2 and if any one interrupts me1 ,i intend to blow his brains out4--,do you know1 said the grocer1 ,i do not like that fellow4 ,will you let me look at the pistol if you have it with you4--,o yes1 look at it if you like4 ,i never fired a pistol in my life2 however1 should ,i be stopped1 ,i think ,i could manage it4 ,the grocer took the pistol2 drew the charge2 and found1 to the great surprise of the farmer1 it was only loaded with horse-dung1 and a large bullet at the top4 ,i thought he was a rascal1 and this confirms it4 said the grocer4 ,here is evidently a plot2 now leave your money with me2 we will load this pistol properly1 and you can1 if you like1 proceed on your journey3 it may be the means of detecting some one4 ,the farmer left his money in the hands of the grocer2 went back to the inn2 mounted his horse1 and rode off on his journey4 ,about a mile from ,dunmow1 he was stopped by a fellow1 well mounted1 who instantly demanded his money4 ,i have not got any1 replied the farmer1 but ,i have a pistol1 with which1 if you do not instantly allow me to pass on my way home1 ,i will blow your brains out4 ,you have got money--and as to the pistol1 you may blow away--blow away1 my fine fellow1 said the chuckling highwayman4 ,the farmer instantly fired1 and his assailant fell off his horse to the ground with a groan4 ,the farmer galloped back to the inn1 and inquired of the hostler where his master was4 ,he has been gone out1 on horseback1 about a quarter of an hour1 the hostler replied4 ,well1 ,i will tell you what1 said the farmer1 you may find your master1 with his brains blown out1 in the road1 describing the place where he had had the encounter with the innkeeper4 ,from this time a number of persons resident in and about ,thaxted and ,dunmow1 left their places of abode1 which circumstance created some surprise among the remaining inhabitants2 but it was afterwards ascertained they formed the desperate gang that had so long and successfully robbed1 and sometimes murdered1 their unsuspecting neighbours and the different travellers who had occasion to pass the roads on which these marauders were stationed4 ,j4,w4,b4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,manners ,,customs ,,of ,,all ,,nations4 7,for the ,mirror47 ,,wise ,,men ,,of ,,gotham4 ,the village of ,gotham1 about seven miles from ,nottingham1 has been rendered noted by the common proverb of ,the ,wise ,men of ,gotham4 ,it is observable that a custom has prevailed among many nations of stigmatizing the inhabitants of some particular spot as remarkable for stupidity4 ,this opprobrious district among the ,asiatics was ,phrygia4 ,among the ,thracians1 ,abdera2 among the ,greeks1 ,boeotia2 in ,england it is ,gotham4 ,of the ,gothamites ironically called ,the ,wise ,men of ,gotham1 many ridiculous stories are traditionally told1 particularly1 that often having heard the cuckoo but never seen her1 they hedged in a bush from whence her note seemed to proceed1 so that being confined within so small a compass1 they might at length satisfy their curiosity2 and at a place called ,court ,hill1 in this parish1 is a bush called ,cuckoo ,bush4 ,,halbert ,h4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,mallard ,,night4 ,at ,all ,souls' ,college1 ,oxford1 the ,mallard ,night is celebrated annually on the #adth of ,january1 in remembrance of a very singular circumstance1 viz4 the discovery of a live and excessively large mallard1 or drake1 supposed to have long ranged in a drain or sewer of considerable depth4 ,the only probable conjecture respecting its extraordinary situation was1 that it had fallen when young through the bars or grating at the entrance of the drain1 7which was of sufficient width to receive it if very young17 but was found at a great distance from it1 on digging for the foundation of the college1 7,a4,d4 #adcg47 ,a very humorous account of this event was published some years ago by ,dr4 ,buckler1 subwarden1 from a manuscript of ,thomas ,walsingham1 the historian1 and monk of ,st4 ,alban's4 ,it is the cause of much mirth1 for on the day1 and in remembrance of the mallard1 many an old and merry song is sung4 ,e4,t4,s4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,welsh ,,marriages4 ,it appears to me a matter of no small surprise that so economical a people as the ,english should not have adopted such a plan as the following by the lower classes of the ,welsh4 ,when a young couple intend offering themselves at the ,temple of ,hymen1 if they are very poor1 they generally send a man1 called the bidder1 round to their acquaintance and friends1 who invites them1 sometimes in rhyme1 to the wedding2 but if they can afford it1 they issue circulars4 ,the following is a copy of one3-- ,june #bg1 #ahbg4 ,as we intend to enter the matrimonial state on ,thursday1 the #aith day of ,july next1 we are encouraged by our friends to make a bidding on the occasion1 the same day1 at the ,butchers' ,arms1 ,carmarthen1 when and where the favour of your good and agreeable company is humbly solicited2 and whatever donation you may be pleased to confer on us then1 will be thankfully received1 warmly acknowledged1 and cheerfully repaid whenever called for on a similar occasion4 ,by your most obedient servants1 ,,john ,,jones4 ,,mary ,,evans4 ,the persons so invited 7if they accept the invitation7 generally form part of the procession to church1 and are preceded by a harper or fiddler4 ,after the nuptial knot is tied1 they veer their course to the public-house mentioned in the bills1 where they partake1 not of a sumptuous banquet1 but of the simple1 though not the worst1 fare of bread and cheese and kisses1 at the expense of the new married folks4 ,after this1 a large plate is placed on the table in the room1 and they proceed to receive the money which each person may be disposed to give1 whilst one keeps account of the sum and names4 ,they frequently receive #ejl41 and sometimes1 though seldom1 #ajjl42 and they have the privilege 7by paying the duty7 of selling the ale to the persons assembled4 ,it is to be observed1 that the money so deposited cannot be reclaimed by the persons who gave it until a similar occasion presents itself in their family4 ,by this means the new married couple are enabled to procure furniture1 and other things requisite for them4 ,w4,h4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,curious ,,foundation4 ,at ,spinney1 in ,cambridgeshire1 was an abbey founded in the reign of ,henry ,,iii4 near which was a church1 built by ,lady ,mary ,bassingburne1 and given to the ,abbey of ,spinney1 on condition that the monks should support seven aged men with the following allowance1 viz4 one farthing loaf1 one herring1 and one pennyworth of ale per day1 and two hundred dry turves1 one pair of shoes1 one woollen garment1 and three ells of linen every year4 ,henry ,cromwell1 second son of ,oliver ,cromwell1 is buried here4 ,,halbert ,h4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,selector1 ,,and ,,literary ,,notices ,,of ,,new ,,works 99 99 99 99 99 ,,adventures ,,of ,,allan-,a-,,sop4 ,by ,sir ,walter ,scott1 ,bart4 ,the chief of the clan1 ,mac,lean of ,duart1 in the ,isle of ,mull1 had an intrigue with a beautiful young woman of his own clan1 who bore a son to him4 ,in consequence of the child's being1 by some accident1 born in a barn1 he received the name of ,allan-a-,sop1 or ,allan of the ,straw1 by which he was distinguished from others of his clan4 ,as his father and mother were not married1 ,allan was of course a bastard or natural son1 and had no inheritance to look for1 save that which he might win for himself4 ,but the beauty of the boy's mother having captivated a man of rank in the clan1 called ,mac,lean of ,torloisk1 he married her1 and took her to reside with him at his castle of ,torloisk1 situated on the shores of the ,sound1 or small strait of the sea1 which divides the smaller island of ,ulva from that of ,mull4 ,allan-a-,sop paid his mother frequent visits at her new residence1 and she was naturally glad to see the poor boy1 both from affection1 and on account of his personal strength and beauty1 which distinguished him above other youths of his age4 ,but she was obliged to confer marks of her attachment on him as privately as she could1 for ,allan's visits were by no means so acceptable to her husband as to herself4 ,indeed1 ,torloisk liked so little to see the lad1 that he determined to put some affront on him1 which should prevent his returning to the castle for some time4 ,an opportunity for executing his purpose soon occurred4 ,the lady one morning1 looking from the window1 saw her son coming wandering down the hill1 and hastened to put a girdle cake upon the fire1 that he might have hot bread to his breakfast4 ,something called her out of the apartment after making this preparation1 and her husband entering at the same time1 saw at once what she had been about1 and determined to give the boy such a reception as should disgust him for the future4 ,he snatched the cake from the girdle1 thrust it into his step-son's hands1 which he forcibly closed on the scalding bread1 saying1 ,here1 ,allan--here is a cake which your mother has got ready for your breakfast4 ,allan's hands were severely burnt2 and1 being a sharp-witted and proud boy1 he resented this mark of his step-father's ill-will1 and came not again to ,torloisk4 ,at this time the western seas were covered with the vessels of pirates1 who1 not unlike the sea-kings of ,denmark at an early period1 sometimes settled and made conquests on the islands4 ,allan-a-,sop was young1 strong1 and brave to desperation4 ,he entered as a mariner on board of one of these ships1 and in process of time obtained the command1 first of one galley1 then of a small flotilla1 with which he sailed round the seas and collected considerable plunder1 until his name became both feared and famous4 ,at length he proposed to himself to pay a visit to his mother1 whom he had not seen for many years2 and setting sail for this purpose1 he anchored one morning in the ,sound of ,ulva1 and in front of the house of ,torloisk4 ,his mother was dead1 but his stepfather1 to whom he was now an object of fear as he had been formerly of aversion1 hastened to the shore to receive his formidable son-in-law1 with great affectation of kindness and interest in his prosperity2 while ,allan-a-,sop1 who1 though very rough and hasty1 does not appear to have been sullen or vindictive1 seemed to take his kind reception in good part4 ,the crafty old man succeeded so well1 as he thought1 in securing ,allan's friendship1 and in obliterating all recollections of the former affront put on him1 that he began to think it possible to employ him in executing his private revenge upon ,mac,kinnon of ,ulva1 with whom1 as was usual between such neighbours1 he had some feud4 ,with this purpose1 he offered what he called the following good advice to his son-in-law3--,my dear ,allan1 you have now wandered over the seas long enough2 it is time you should have some footing upon land1 a castle to protect yourself in winter1 a village and cattle for your men1 and a harbour to lay up your galleys4 ,now1 here is the island of ,ulva1 near at hand1 which lies ready for your occupation1 and it will cost you no trouble1 save that of putting to death the present proprietor1 the ,laird of ,mac,kinnon1 a useless old carle1 who has cumbered the world long enough4 ,allan-a-,sop thanked his stepfather for so happy a suggestion1 which he declared he would put in execution forthwith4 ,accordingly1 setting sail the next morning1 he appeared before ,mac,kinnon's house an hour before noon4 ,the old chief of ,ulva was much alarmed at the menacing apparition of so many galleys1 and his anxiety was not lessened by the news1 that they were commanded by the redoubted ,allan-a-,sop4 ,having no effectual means of resistance1 ,mac,kinnon1 who was a man of shrewd sense1 saw no alternative save that of receiving the invaders1 whatever might be their purpose1 with all outward demonstrations of joy and satisfaction4 ,he caused immediate preparations to be made for a banquet as splendid as circumstances admitted1 hastened down to the shore to meet the rover1 and welcomed him to ,ulva with such an appearance of sincerity1 that the pirate found it impossible to pick any quarrel which might afford a pretence for executing the violent purpose which he had been led to meditate4 ,they feasted together the whole day2 and in the evening1 as ,allan-a-,sop was about to retire to his ships1 he thanked the ,laird of ,mac,kinnon for his entertainment1 but remarked1 with a sigh1 that it had cost him very dear4 ,how can that be said ,mac,kinnon1 when ,i bestowed this entertainment upon you in free good-will8--,it is true1 my friend1 replied the pirate1 but then it has quite disconcerted the purpose for which ,i came hither2 which was to put you to death1 my good friend1 and seize upon your house and island1 and so settle myself in the world4 ,it would have been very convenient1 this island1 but your friendly reception has rendered it impossible for me to execute my purpose2 so that ,i must be a wanderer on the seas for some time longer4 ,whatever ,mac,kinnon felt at hearing that he had been so near to destruction1 he took care to show no emotion save surprise1 and replied to his visiter1--,my dear ,allan1 who was it that put into your mind so unkind a purpose towards your old friend2 for ,i am sure it never arose from your own generous nature8 ,it must have been your father-in-law1 old ,torloisk1 who made such an indifferent husband to your mother1 and such an unfriendly stepfather to you when you were a helpless boy2 but now1 when he sees you a bold and powerful leader1 he desires to make a quarrel betwixt you and those who were the friends of your youth4 ,if you consider this matter rightly1 ,allan1 you will see that the estate and harbour of ,torloisk lie as conveniently for you as those of ,ulva1 and that1 if you are to make a settlement by force1 it is much better it should be at the expense of the old churl1 who never showed you kindness or countenance1 than at that of a friend like me1 who always loved and honoured you4 ,allan-a-,sop was struck with the justice of this reasoning2 and the old offence of his scalded fingers was suddenly recalled to his mind4 ,it is very true what you say1 ,mac,kinnon1 he replied1 and1 besides1 ,i have not forgotten what a hot breakfast my father-in-law treated me to one morning4 ,farewell for the present2 you shall soon hear news of me from the other side of the ,sound4 ,having said thus much1 the pirate got on board1 and commanding his men to unmoor the galleys1 sailed back to ,torloisk1 and prepared to land in arms4 ,his father-in-law hastened to meet him1 in expectation to hear of the death of his enemy1 ,mac,kinnon4 ,but ,allan greeted him in a very different manner from what he expected4 ,you hoary old traitor1 he said1 you instigated my simple good-nature to murder a better man than yourself4 ,but have you forgotten how you scorched my fingers twenty years ago1 with a burning cake8 ,the day is come that that breakfast must be paid for4 ,so saying1 he dashed out his father-in-law's brains with a battle-axe1 took possession of his castle and property1 and established there a distinguished branch of the clan of ,mac,lean4--,tales of a ,grandfather--,second ,series4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,advantages ,,of ,a ,,good ,,heart1 ,a ,fragment from the ,disowned1 by the author of ,pelham4 ,the next day1 ,sir ,christopher ,findlater called on ,clarence4 ',let us lounge into the park1' said he4 ',with pleasure1' replied ,clarence2 and into the park they lounged4 ,by the way they met a crowd1 who were hurrying a man to prison4 ,the good-hearted ,sir ,christopher stopped--',who is that poor fellow8' said he4 ',it is the celebrated'--7in ,england all criminals are celebrated4 ,thurtell was a hero1 ,thistlewood a patriot1 and ,fauntleroy was discovered to be exactly like ,bonaparte7--'it is the celebrated robber1 ,john ,jefferies1 who broke into ,mrs4 ,wilson's house1 and cut the throats of herself and her husband1 wounded the maid-servant1 and split the child's skull with the poker4' 99 99 99 ',john ,jefferies6' exclaimed the baronet1 'let us come away4' ',linden1' continued ,sir ,christopher1 'that fellow was my servant once4 ,he robbed me to some considerable extent4 ,i caught him4 ,he appealed to my heart1 and you know1 my dear fellow1 that was irresistible1 so ,i let him off4 ,who could have thought he would have turned out so8' ,and the baronet proceeded to eulogize his own good nature1 by which it is just necessary to remark1 that one miscreant had been saved for a few years from transportation in order to rob and murder ad libitum1 and having fulfilled the office of a common pest1 to suffer on the gallows at last4 ,what a fine thing it is to have a good heart6 ,both our gentlemen now sunk into a reverie1 from which they were awakened1 at the entrance of the park1 by a young man in rags1 who1 with a piteous tone1 supplicated charity4 ,clarence1 who to his honour be it spoken1 spent an allotted and considerable part of his income in judicious and laborious benevolence1 had read a little of political morals1 then beginning to be understood1 and walked on4 ,the good-hearted baronet put his hand in his pocket1 and gave the beggar half-a-guinea1 by which a young1 strong man1 who had only just commenced the trade1 was confirmed in his imposition for the rest of his life2 and instead of the useful support1 became the pernicious incumbrance of society4 ,sir ,christopher had now recovered his spirits4 ',what's like a good action8' said he to ,clarence1 with a swelling breast4 ,the park was crowded to excess2 our loungers were joined by ,lord ,st4 ,george4 ,his lordship was a staunch ,tory4 ,he could not endure ,wilkes1 liberty1 or general education4 ,he launched out against the enlightenment of domestics4 ',what has made you so bitter8' said ,sir ,christopher4 ',my valet6' cried ,lord ,st4 ,george2 'he has invented a new toasting-fork2 is going to take out a patent1 make his fortune1 and leave me2 that's what ,i call ingratitude1 ,sir ,christopher2 for ,i ordered his wages to be raised five pounds but last year4' ',it was very ungrateful1' said the ironical ,clarence4 ',very6' reiterated the good-hearted ,sir ,christopher4 ',you cannot recommend me a valet1 ,findlater1' renewed his lordship2 'a good1 honest1 sensible fellow1 who can neither read nor write8' ',n--o--o--that is to say1 yes6 ,i can2 my old servant1 ,collard1 is out of place1 and is as ignorant as--as--' ',i--or you are1' said ,lord ,st4 ,george1 with a laugh4 ',precisely1' replied the baronet4 ',well1 then1 ,i take your recommendation3 send him to me to-morrow at twelve4' ',i will1' said ,sir ,christopher4 ',my dear ,findlater1' cried ,clarence1 when ,lord ,st4 ,george was gone1 'did you not tell me some time ago1 that ,collard was a great rascal1 and closely lie with ,jefferies8 and now you recommend him to ,lord ,st4 ,george6' ',hush1 hush1 hush6' said the baronet2 'he was a great rogue1 to be sure2 but poor fellow1 he came to me yesterday with tears in his eyes1 and said he should starve if ,i would not give him a character2 so what could ,i do8' ',at least1 tell ,lord ,st4 ,george the truth1' observed ,clarence4 ',but then ,lord ,st4 ,george would not take him6' rejoined the good-hearted ,sir ,christopher1 with forcible naivet4 ',no1 no1 ,linden1 we must not be so hard-hearted2 we must forgive and forget2' and so saying1 the baronet threw out his chest1 with the conscious exultation of a man who has uttered a noble sentiment4 ,the moral of this little history is1 that ,lord ,st4 ,george1 having been pillaged 'through thick and thin1' as the proverb has it1 for two years1 at last missed a gold watch1 and ,monsieur ,collard finished his career1 as his exemplary tutor1 ,mr4 ,john ,jefferies1 had done before him4 ,ah6 what a fine thing it is to have a good heart4 ,but1 to return1 just as our wanderers had arrived at the further end of the park1 ,lady ,westborough and her daughter passed them4 ,clarence excusing himself to his friend1 hastened towards them1 and was soon occupied in saying the prettiest things in the world to the prettiest person1 at least in his eyes2 while ,sir ,christopher1 having done as much mischief as a good heart well can do in a walk of an hour1 returned home to write a long letter to his mother1 against 'learning and all such nonsense1 which only served to blunt the affections and harden the heart4' ',admirable young man6' cried the mother1 with tears in her eyes2 'a good heart is better than all the heads in the world4' ,amen6 99 99 99 99 99 ,,spirit ,,of ,,the ,,public ,,journals4 ,,quadrangle ,,of ,,king',s ,,college1 ,,cambridge4 ,in the last ,new ,monthly ,magazine is an excellent account of this splendid structure1 in ,a ,day at ,cambridge1--in which occurs the following exquisite little descriptive gem3-- ,with the exception of a gravel walk1 running near to the buildings on every side1 the whole ground-plot of this quadrangle is covered by an unbroken turf1 kept1 by means of constant and almost hourly attention1 in that exquisite order which is only to be observed in spots devoted to similar purposes1 here and at ,oxford4 ,the effect of an unbroken plot of turf of this kind and quality1 and in a situation like this1 is perfectly unique1 and perhaps indescribable4 ,it is supposed to be1 and in fact is1 for all purposes of preservation and beauty1 sacred from the foot of man or beast2 and the feeling arising from this circumstance1 added to the exquisite natural adaptation of the object itself to the purposes of rest and relief from the almost dazzling architectural splendour of the surrounding objects1 is such as cannot be communicated by any other means whatever1 and we might in vain attempt to describe4 ,it is of such a kind1 however1 that those who are capable of experiencing it1 would as soon think of treading upon the object that conveys it to them1 as those who honour ,nature would think of rooting up a nest of violets4 ,speaking for ourselves alone1 there is but one thing that can disturb and deteriorate the absolute tranquillity of mind1 and peace of heart1 which fall upon us1 like dew from heaven1 on entering a place like that we have attempted to describe above2 it is1 to see a capped and gowned ,fellow1 profaning with his footsteps the floor of that1 in some sort1 sacred temple1 merely because he can1 by so doing1 reach his habitation by a few footsteps less than if he kept to the path allotted for him4 ,we look upon the act as a species of impiety2 to say nothing of its proving1 to a demonstration1 that the person who commits it is either utterly insensible to the mysterious harmony that subsists between a certain class of natural objects and the heart of man2 or utterly disregards that harmony1 and sets it at naught4 ,he is1 in fact1 one of whom it may in one sense be said1 that ,he hath no music in his soul4 ,and we are almost tempted to complete the quotation1 by adding-- ,let no such man be trusted6 99 99 99 99 99 ,a ,,rustic ,,pair4 ,by ,miss ,mitford4 ,few damsels of twelve years old1 generally a very pretty age1 were less pretty that ,hannah ,bint4 ,short and stunted in her figure1 thin in face1 sharp in feature1 with a muddled complexion1 wild sun-burnt hair1 and eyes1 whose very brightness had in them something startling1 over-informed1 super-subtle1 too clever for her age4 ,at twelve years old she had quite the air of a little old fairy4 ,now1 at seventeen1 matters are mended4 ,her complexion has cleared2 her countenance1 her figure1 has shot up into height and brightness1 and a sort of rustic grace2 her bright1 acute eye is softened and sweetened by the womanly wish to please2 her hair is trimmed1 and curled1 and brushed with exquisite neatness2 and her whole dress arranged with that nice attention to the becoming1 the suitable both in form and texture1 which would be called the highest degree of coquetry1 if it did not deserve the better name of propriety4 ,never was such a transmogrification beheld4 ,the lass is really pretty1 and ,ned ,miles has discovered that she is so4 ,there he stands1 the rogue1 close at her aide1 7for he hath joined her whilst we have been telling her little story1 and the milking is over67--there he stands--holding her milk-pail in one hand1 and stroking ,watch with the other2 whilst she is returning the compliment1 by patting ,neptune's magnificent head4 ,there they stand1 as much like lovers as may be2 he smiling1 and she blushing--he never looking so handsome1 nor she so pretty1 in all their lives4 ,there they stand1 in blessed forgetfulness of all except each other--as happy a couple as ever trod the earth4 ,there they stand1 and one would not disturb them for all the milk and butter in ,christendom4 ,i should not wonder if they were fixing the wedding-day4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,recollections ,,of ,a ,r99,t4 7,concluded from page #cfe47 ,finding a detachment just setting out to join the ,grand ,allied ,army1 ,i thought1 as a true ,briton1 ,i could do no less than accompany it1 and prevailed upon all our party to do the same4 ,the detachment with which ,i marched1 consisted of #hj1jjj4 ,as we had little baggage1 having crossed the ,rhine1 we proceeded rapidly through a dull1 uninteresting country4 ,the town of ,coblentz is situated at the junction of the ,rhine and the ,moselle4 ,here the majestic ,rhine gently flows along in all its grandeur1 separating the town from the noble fortress of ,ehrenbreitstein4#a ,i crossed over the bridge of boats1 and made a most minute inspection of this very romantic castle1 which gave me great pleasure indeed4 ,in a few days ,i availed myself of a passage-boat which was going to ,mayence1 and was quite enraptured with the view on all sides4 ,rhenish wines1 and perhaps also the water1 ,i found did not well agree with my stomach2 and no inconsiderable annoyance1 ,i soon experienced4 ,they seemed1 however1 to have exactly the same effect upon every ,englishman ,i saw1 so ,i was not singular4 ,a little brandy soon1 however1 put me all to rights2 and by the time ,i reached ,strasbourg1 ,i was perfectly well again1 and able to do ample justice to her ,splendid ,pies6 ,i attended high mass in the great ,cathedral of ,strasbourg1 and was surprised and pleased at the sight of #aj1jjj soldiers1 in review order1 drawn up within its walls4 ,it was tiresome enough work mounting to the top of the spire1 7which ,i ascertained1 by the steps ,i took1 to be exactly #dij feet high1 ,strasbourg measure2 and this is exactly eight feet higher than ,st4 ,peter's at ,rome71 but ,i made it out1 notwithstanding the sulky looks of the jackanapes who lives at the top4 ,nothing can surpass the beauty of the view from this cathedral4 ,at your feet you have the ancient town1 with all its regular fortifications and outworks--the majestic ,rhine1 with its bridge of boats1 and ruined ,gothic bridge1 sublime in its decay--and as far as the eye can reach you have an exceedingly rich country1 everywhere speckled with towns1 and fertilized by luxuriant streams4 #a ,apropos--our ,supplement contains a fine ,engraving of this very spot4 ,i made a point of visiting my venerable friend1 the old ,comte de ,strasbourg1 who1 unchanged in the rolling on of centuries1 lies in his glass coffin1 to all appearance in the same freshness of health and vigour in which1 when myself a very young man1 ,i saw him many hundred years ago2#a his countess1 his son1 and his daughter1 keep him company1 each in their separate place of repose4 ,alas1 alas6 the sight made me weep4 #a ,the venerable count died about the year #aeai4 ,the glass coffins are still shown4 ,a few days afterwards1 ,i was rather unexpectedly stopped in my tour4 ,for a night ,i had taken up my residence in the carriage of a young ,englishman1 who that day arrived from ,rome1 the hostler having assured me that he would remain for some time4 ,i did so1 as ,i found it much quieter and cooler than the hotel ,la ville de ,lyon1 which was overcrowded4 ,in the morning1 ,i thought my friends were merely going a short drive1 so ,i kept my seat4 ,we1 however1 travelled on till night1 when ,i heard we were bound for ,london2 but as my companions were very agreeable1 ,i thought ,i might as well accompany them the whole way4 ,they seemed to be annoyed at every posthouse with their passports1 c42 ,i was never even asked about the matter4 ,the custom-house gentry1 in their searches1 to be sure1 occasionally gave me a little trouble1 but ,i was soon up to their tricks4 ,we had an avant-courier constantly galloping before us1 and we travelled with such expedition that we reached ,london in five days2 for my fellow-travellers were idle young men of fortune1 who are of course always in the greatest hurry for the end of a journey1 because they don't know what to make of themselves when it is over4 ,i had not then an opportunity of seeing ,paris1 as we only changed horses in it4 ,i have since1 however1 spent many months there1 and have always been very much pleased with every thing ,i saw1 particularly the ,catacombs1 which were my favourite lounge4 ,when last in ,paris1 ,i made a narrow escape with my life1 as ,i tumbled headlong into a cask of brandy4 ,i1 however1 managed to scramble out1 with the assistance of a bit of cord1 which happened to be hanging over its side1 and which my friend pushed in to me4 ,i was little the worse of my ducking2 for1 as soon as ,i got out1 ,i was set a-laughing by his telling me how to spell brandy1 in both ,french and ,english1 in three letters1 viz4 ,b4,r4 and ,y4 and ,o4,d4,v4 ,in ,london ,i made a point1 as a stranger1 of going everywhere1 and was certainly much delighted with every thing4 ,i must confess1 however1 that ,i thought all the acting at the ,opera and ,theatres1 and all the eloquence of the ,houses of ,parliament1 as nothing in comparison of what ,i saw and tasted at the ,east ,india and ,london ,docks4 ,when ,i was in the ,house of ,lords1 a companion whispered to me1 that he had heard an act read1 offering a reward of #aj1jjjl4 for a male tortoise-shell cat4 ,this ,i believe1 indeed1 is a very safe offer1 for such a thing was never heard of4 ,and it is certainly as much worth their while as making an act that ,i should never have more than six dishes of meat at my dinner1 or that ,i should not be buried in linen above twenty shillings ,scots value per ell1 although ,i wished it particularly1 and could well afford to pay for it4 ,there was1 however1 one restrictive act1 which had sense in it2 and the husbands of the present day would1 ,i dare say1 give their ears that it were still in force1 whatever the dressmakers might think of it4 ,but many of their acts of ,parliament are silly enough--as they must be2 for they don't like to be thought idle1 and imagine that it is necessary to be always enacting something4 ,it is curious1 indeed1 how fashion should be every thing in the great city4 ,a lady could not possibly venture to see her dearest friend on earth1 or even her own sister1 if she happened to live in rather an unfashionable part of the town4 ,by so doing1 she would expose herself to her own footmen1 who very properly would lose all respect for her1 and ,i suppose instantly leave her service1 as1 poor fellows1 they have a rank in life to keep up66 ,john ,bull certainly gives himself many airs1 to say the least of it4 ,after receiving the greatest kindness and hospitality from you in ,scotland1 and perhaps staying for months in your house1 he will cut you dead in ,london4 ,i remember once meeting with such a return1 but took it1 of course1 very coolly4 ,next day1 when ,i was arm in arm with ---- ----1 ,i happened again to meet my quondam friend1 who immediately rushed up to me--,i1 however1 turned on my tail1 and did not know him4--,fashion is an odd thing after all4 ,it is not rank which will do4 ,i have seen many a spendthrift young commoner cut his uncle the duke2 and being a duchess by no means will ensure admittance at ,almack's4--,i thank my stars1 ,i am not fashionable1 and am always happy to see my friends6 ,i was persuaded1 soon after reaching ,london1 to go down to ,essex for a few days1 to pay a visit to an old friend4 ,when ,i arrived at his house1 which ,i think they called ,waltham ,abbey1 ,i was sorry to receive the melancholy accounts that he had been devoured1 and that1 if ,i did not instantly take myself off1 ,i should be dealt with in the same manner4 ,the truth was1 that a famine had arisen2 and it is well known1 on those occasions1 as necessity has no law1 that the stronger kills the weaker4 ,day after day the combat is renewed1 till at last all except one are destroyed1 and he is then obliged to decamp1 or eat himself up1 as he likes best4 ,it is in this way that castles1 houses1 c4 which have been long infested by us1 are so suddenly entirely freed from our presence4 ,i amused myself in making an excursion to ,epping ,forest1 till ,i thought the civil war at my late friend's habitation might have proceeded far enough for my presence to be useful4 ,in the forest1 one day1 ,i had the luck to kill one of those troublesome reptiles--a ,tom ,cat4 ,i believe1 however1 it was a house one4 ,after a hard day's hunting his highness made too free at a ,valerian party4 ,i watched my opportunity1 and soon put an effectual end to his caterwauling4 ,when ,i returned to the abbey1 ,i found ,i was in the best possible time--the garrison being reduced to about a dozen1 and they so weakened and tired out with the constant worrying work they had had1 that ,i was myself a complete match for any two of them4 ,in a few days the number was only four1 and in other two days ,i was sole lord and master4 ,he then returns to town4 ,at a friend's house1 in ,berkeley ,square1 where ,i met a distinguished party1 a scene took place1 just such as ,pope describes-- ,our courtier walks from dish to dish2 ,tastes1 for his friend1 of fowl and fish3 ,that jelly's rich1 that malmsey's healing1 ,pray dip your whiskers and your tail in4 ,was ever such a happy swain8 ,he stuffs1 and swills1 and stuffs again4 ,i'm quite ashamed--',tis mighty rude ,to eat so much2 but all's so good6 ,i have a thousand thanks to give1 ,my lord alone knows how to live4-- ,no sooner said1 but from the hall ,rush chaplain1 butler1 dogs1 and all3 ,a r--t1 a r--t6 clap to the door6-- ,i1 however1 made good my exit1 and was nothing the worse of a practical warning to be more cautious in future4 ,it would be endless for me to describe all my after voyages and travels4 ,suffice it to say1 ,i have been both east and west1 north and south2 and there is scarcely a part of the habitable globe which ,i have not visited4 ,after all1 ,i have come to this conclusion1 that there is no country like ,britain4 ,oh6 how ,i could wish my human existence had been in such happy times and under such glorious sovereigns as a ,george the ,third1 and ,george the ,fourth666 ,for some years ,i have remained in this country1 enjoying 7like a patriarch of old7 a quiet1 regular life with my family1 which now amounts to above #b1jjj4 ,i1 however1 keep very much to my own room1 as ,i hate bustle1 and like to enjoy my own reflections4 ,the age to which our species can exist is not ascertained1 as never one of us was known to die in his bed1 at least a natural death4 ,a kind of instinct ,i have always had1 has as yet saved me from arsenic1 stewed corks1 traps1 stamps1 c42 and my great strength1 and a good deal of science1 which is of more consequence1 have1 as yet1 preserved me in many a deadly combat1 both with my own species1 and with the dog1 the ferret1 the weasel1 the hawk1 and that green-eyed monster--the cat4 ,but ,i am now getting somewhat stiffer1 and am not so sharp as ,i was4 ,i am not-- --qualis eram1 quum primam aciem ,prneste sub ipsa ,stravi1 scutorumque incendi victor acervos2 ,et regem hc ,herilum dextr sub ,tartara misi66 ,and in some evil hour my time must come4 --,i am well aware1 indeed1 of the fleeting existence even of this world itself1 for ,i studied astronomy with the celebrated ,m4 ,olbers of ,bremen1 and assisted him in making many useful observations and discoveries1 particularly regarding comets1 in the course of which we came to this melancholy conclusion1 that the comet which was afterwards visible in #aghf and #agie1 will1 in #hc1jjj years1 approach the earth as nearly as the moon2 and that in #d1jjj1jjj years it will come to within a distance of #g1gjj geographical miles2--the consequence of which will be 7if its attraction be equal to that of the earth7 the elevation of the waters of the ocean #ac1jjj feet2 that is to say1 above the tops of all the ,european mountains1 except ,mount ,blanc4 ,the inhabitants of the ,andes and of the ,himalaya mountains alone will escape this second deluge2 but they will not benefit by their good fortune more than #baf1jjj1jjj years1 for it is probable1 that at the expiration of that time1 our globe standing right in the way of the comet1 will receive a shock severe enough to ensure its utter destruction666 ,note4--,after reading over the above ,,ms41 ,i am inclined to come to this conclusion--that our historian1 while in a human form1 must have been a ,scottish nobleman--that he probably was born about the year #aeja--;and that he lived to about the age of #hi4--;,ed4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,fancy ,,ball4 ,a visor for a visor6 what care ,i ,what curious eye doth quote deformities6 ,,shakspeare4 ,you used to talk1 said ,miss ,mac ,call1 ,of flowers1 and flames1 and ,cupid2 ,but now you never talk at all4 ,you're getting vastly stupid4 ,you'd better burn your ,blackstone1 ,sir1 ,you never will get through it2 ,there's a ,fancy ,ball at ,winchester-- ,do let us take you to it4 ,i made that night a solemn vow1 ,to startle all beholders3 ,i wore white muslin on my brow1 ,green velvet on my shoulders-- ,my trousers were supremely wide1 ,i learn'd to swear by ,allah-- ,i stuck a poniard by my side1 ,and called myself ,abdallah4 ,oh6 a ,fancy ,ball's a strange affair1 ,made up of silks and leathers1 ,light heads1 light heels1 false hearts1 false hair1 ,pins1 paint1 and ostrich feathers3 ,the dullest ,duke in all the town1 ,to-night may shine a droll one-- ,and rakes1 who have not half-a-crown1 ,look royal with a whole one4 ,hail1 blest ,confusion6 here are met ,all tongues1 and times1 and faces1 ,the ,lancers flirt with ,juliet1 ,the ,bramin talks of races2 ,and where's your genius1 bright ,corinne8 ,and where your brogue1 ,sir ,lucius8 ,and ,chinca ,ti1 you have not seen ,one chapter of ,confucius4 ,lo6 dandies from ,kamschatka flirt ,with beauties from the ,wrekin-- ,and belles from ,berne look very pert ,on ,mandarins from ,pekin2 ,the ,cardinal is here from ,rome1 ,the ,commandant from ,seville-- ,and ,hamlet's father from the tomb1 ,and ,faustus from the ,devil4 ,what mean those laughing ,nuns1 ,i pray1 ,what mean they1 ,nun or ,fairy3 ,i guess they told no beads to-day1 ,and sang no ,ave ,mary4 ,from ,mass and ,matins1 ,priest and ,pix1 ,barred door1 and window grated1 ,i wish all pretty ,catholics ,were thus emancipated4 ,four ,seasons come to dance quadrilles1 ,with four well-seasoned sailors-- ,and ,raleigh talks of rail-road bills1 ,with ,timon1 prince of railers4 ,i find ,sir ,charles of ,aubyn ,park ,equipp'd for a walk to ,mecca-- ,and ,i run away from ,joan of ,arc1 ,to romp with sad ,rebecca4 ,fair ,cleopatra's very plain1 ,puck halts1 and ,ariel swaggers-- ,and ,csar's murder'd o'er again1 ,though not by ,roman daggers4 ,great ,charlemagne is four feet high-- ,sad ,stuff has ,bacon spoken-- ,queen ,mary's waist is all awry1 ,and ,psyche's nose is broken4 ,our happiest bride1 how very odd6 ,is the mourning ,isabella1 ,and the heaviest foot that ever trod ,is the foot of ,cinderella4 ,here sad ,calista laughs outright1 ,there ,yorick looks most grave1 ,sir1 ,and a ,templar waves the cross to-night1 ,who never cross'd the wave1 ,sir4 ,and what a ,babel is the talk6 ,the ,giraffe--plays the fiddle-- ,macadam's roads--,i hate this chalk-- ,sweet girl--a charming riddle-- ,i'm nearly drunk with--,epsom salts-- ,yes1 separate beds--such cronies6-- ,good heaven6 who taught that man to valtz8-- ,a pair of ,shetland ponies4 ,lord ,d---- an enchanting shape-- ,will move for--,maraschino ,pray1 ,julia1 how's your mother's ape8-- ,he died at ,navarino6 ,the gout1 by ,jove1 is--apple pie-- ,don ,miguel--,tom the tinker-- ,his ,lordship's pedigree's as high ,as ---- ,whipcord1 dam by ,clinker4 ,love's shafts are weak--my chestnut kicks-- ,heart broken2--broke the traces-- ,what say you now of politics8-- ,change sides and to your places-- ,a five-barred gate--a precious pearl ,grave things may all be punn'd on6-- ,the ,whigs1 thank ,god1 are--out of curl6-- ,her age is--four by ,london6 ,thus run the giddy hours away1 ,till morning's light is beaming1 ,and we must go to dream by day ,all we to-night are dreaming2 ,to smile and sigh1 to love and change-- ,oh6 in our heart's recesses1 ,we dress in fancies quite as strange ,as these our fancy-dresses4 ,new ,monthly ,magazine4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,the ,,gatherer4 ,a snapper up of unconsidered trifles ,,shakspeare4 ,tho' lang an lonely be the road ,between me an my dearie2 ,yet ,i the gate hae aften troad1 ,when ,i've been tired and wearie4 ,be't stormin rain1 hail1 win or snaw-- ,a lonely road and drearie-- ,there's nought wad e'er keep me awa ,frae gaun to see my dearie666 ,m4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,french ,,ball ,,conversation4 ,during the ,french revolution1 parties danced as gaily as ever2 the following is a ball conversation1 which took place in the month of ,frimare1 year #g43--,well1 the ,ottoman ,porte has declared war against us6 ,oh yes1 there is no doubt of it1 7,en avant deux7 ,it is an enemy the more--7chassez7 and the ,russian fleet they say has passed the ,dardanelles1 7en avant quatre7 yet the papers say that the emperor sincerely desires peace4--,yes1 but ,count ,metternich wishes for war1 7balancez7 so we have also a new coalition against us4 ,england1 ,portugal1 ,naples1 ,turkey1 the ,emperor1 ,russia1 perhaps the empire of ,prussia1 7,faites face et chassez tous les huit7--well we have bayonettes1 7la poussette7 besides it is not so far from ,dover to ,calais1 7traversez7--,do you belong to the conscription8--,yes1 and ,i too2 7pirouettez7 what makes me uneasy is to know what will become of our partners when we are gone3 7,la chaine des dames7--what will be left to amuse them 7,la queu du chat47 ,it was thus that days of terror were preceded by evenings of amusement and pleasure4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,intuitive ,,affection4 ,there are three things1 said a wit1 which ,i have always loved without ever understanding them1 painting1 music1 and woman4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,retort ,,uncourteous4 ,a lady1 well known in the fashionable vicinity of ,portland-place1 always accosts a stranger1 with ,i think ,i have seen you somewhere1 which often leads to a clue for her finding out the history of the party4 ,one evening she played off the same game on a gentleman1 who replied1 ,most likely1 madam1 for ,i sometimes go there4 99 99 99 99 99 ,with the present ,number is published the ,,second ,,supplement of the ,spirit of the ,annuals--containing ,poetry and ,prose by ,allan ,cunningham1 ,professor ,wilson1 the late ,p4,b4 ,shelley1 ,miss ,landon1 ,mrs4 ,hemans1 ,mr4 ,pringle1 ,theodore ,hook1 and other distinguished ,writers--with a beautiful ,engraving4 99 99 99 99 99 ,purchasers of the ,,mirror1 who may wish to complete their sets are informed1 that every volume is complete in itself1 and may be purchased separately4 ,the whole of the numbers are now in print1 and can be procured by giving an order to any ,bookseller or ,newsvender4 ,complete sets ,vol4 ,i4 to ,,xi4 in boards1 price #b4 #ais4 #f;d4 half bound1 #c4 #ags4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,limbird',s ,,editions4 ,,cheap and ,,popular ,,works published at the ,,mirror ,,office in the ,strand1 near ,somerset ,house4 ,the ,,arabian ,,nights' ,,entertainments1 ,embellished with nearly #aej ,engravings4 ,price #fs4 #f;d4 boards4 ,the ,,tales of the ,,genii4 ,price #bs4 ,the ,,microcosm4 ,by the ,right ,hon4 ,g4 ,,canning1 c4 ,price #bs4 ,,plutarch',s ,,lives1 with ,fifty ,portraits1 #b vols4 price #acs4 boards4 ,,cowper',s ,,poems1 with #ab ,engravings1 price #cs4 #f;d4 boards4 ,,cook',s ,,voyages1 #b vols4 price #hs4 boards4 ,the ,,cabinet of ,,curiosities3 or ,,wonders of the ,,world ,,displayed ,price #es4 boards4 ,,beauties of ,,scott4 #b vols4 price #gs4 boards4 ,the ,,arcana of ,,science for #ahbh4 ,price #ds4 #f;d4 999999 ,any of the above ,works can be purchased in ,parts4 ,,goldsmith',s ,,essays4 ,price #h;d4 ,,dr4 ,,franklin',s ,,essays4 ,price #as4 #b;d4 ,,bacon',s ,,essays4 ,price #h;d4 ,,salmagundi4 ,price #as4 #h;d4 99 99 99 99 99 ,printed and ,published by ,j4 ,,limbird #adc1 ,strand1 7near ,somerset ,house17 ,london2 sold by ,,ernest ,,fleischer1 #fbf1 ,new ,market1 ,leipsic2 and by all ,newsmen and ,booksellers4