is very skilful in pharmacy, and, in other respects, a very curious person. There are more than a hundred several drugs that enter this composition, which are all ranged in pyramids, on a long table. The Doctor hath many antiquities, and other rarities, among which he highly values a nephretie stone, which is as big as one's head, and cost him sixteen hundred crowns. There are in this place a great number of Jews, but they are as beggarly as those of Amsterdam are rich. They wear their beards picked, like Charles I., and have black cloaks with puffed ruffs. They go from tavern to tavern to sell things to strangers: but, being reputed thieves, one must take heed of them. They are obliged to run and fetch water, when any fire happens in the city. WORMS.-As we took coach at Francfort to proceed on our journey, we observed the coachman to put a little salt on each of his horses, with certain little ceremonies, which made part of the mystery. And this, as he told us, was to bring us good luck, and to preserve us from charms and witchcraft, during our voyage. I took notice of a picture upon the altar of one of the chapels of the church of St. Paul, in which the Virgin is represented, receiving Christ as he descends from the cross, while several angels carry the instruments of the crucifixion to heaven. But, either the painter was mistaken, or else the angels have since *brought back all these instruments that are now preserved as relics. There is another very curious picture at the entrance of the church of St. Martin, over a moveable altar. This picture is about five feet square. God the Father is at the top in one of the corners, whence he seems to speak to the Virgin Mary, who is on her knees in the middle. She holds the little infant Jesus, hanging by the feet, and puts his head into the hopper of a mill. The twelve apostles turn the mill with their hands, and they are assisted by the four beasts of Ezekiel, who work on the other side. Not far off, the Pope kneels to receive the hosts, which fall from the mill ready made into a cup of gold; he presents one to a Cardinal, the Cardinal gives it to a Bishop, the Bishop to a Priest, and the Priest to the people. There are in this city two houses that belong to the public; one of which is called the Burgar-house, in which the Senate assembles twice every week about affairs of State. The other is for the magistracy, and is the place where common causes are pleaded. It was in the first that Luther had the courage to appear on an occasion, which is known to all the world, in the year 1521. They tell us that this Doctor, having spoken with a great deal of vehemency, and being, besides, heated by the warmth of the stove which was before him, somebody brought him a glass of wine, which he received; but he was so intent upon his discourse, that he forgot to *The Romanists' churches, chapels, &c., are full of multiplied lances, nails, thorns of the crown, sponges, &c.-EDITOR. drink, and, without thinking of it, set the glass upon a bench which was by his side. Immediately after the glass broke of itself, and they are firmly persuaded that the wine was poisoned. I will not make any reflections upon this story, but I must not forget to tell you, that the bench on which he set the glass is at present full of holes that were made by cutting off little pieces, which some zealous Lutherans preserve in memory of their master. Luther speaks pretty large of what happened to him at Worms, in his “Colloquia Mensalia, chap. 1, 28, and 52. We went also to see another house, which they call the Mint; in which, among other things, I observed a *skin of parchment in a square frame, upon which there are twelve sorts of hands, written by one Thomas Schuveiker, who was born without arms, and performed this with his feet. They also shew another little round piece of vellum, about the bigness of a guinea, upon which the Lord's prayer is written, without abbreviations, but this is no extraordinary thing. I know a man who wrote the same prayer six times in as small a compass, more distinctly; and even, without the help of a magnifying glass. This house hath a long portico, between the arches of which hang great bones and horns. They say the former are the bones of giants,† and the latter the horns of the oxen, that drew stones with which the cathedral is built. And are not these very curious and venerable pieces? The outside of the house is full of several paintings, among which there are many figures of armed giants, which, in the inscription below, are called Vangiones.' It is well known that the people, who formerly inhabited this part of the Rhine, were called "Vangiones," as we find in Tacitus and others; but I cannot tell the reason why they would have these "Vangiones" to be giants. Nevertheless, these tall and big men make a great noise at Worms, where they tell many fine stories of them. I have a mind to add here, a singularity which I take from Monconys, and of which also I have some remembrance myself. "Over against the Bishop's house," says that traveller, "there is a little place, in which they pronounce sentence of death against criminals. And they shew, at about ten paces distance from the door of the said house, a short stone pillar set in the ground, like a boundary, round which they make the criminal take three turns; that if, during that time, he can touch this stone; or else, if a young woman can come at him, and kiss him three times, he be delivered; but there are appointed persons," says the author, "always ready to hinder both. Let every one judge as he pleases of the origin and use of this ridiculous and cruel custom." * These two verses are written on the top of the leaf: Mira fides, pedibus juvenis facit omniarecta; Camerarius writes, that in his time some of the bones of those giants were kept in the arsenal.-EDITOR. (To be continued.) Domestic Intelligence. The whole of our Domestic Intelligence is extracted from the Journals of the Island with trifling alterations. Most of our readers will recollect, that about eighteen months since, Captain Briscoe, of the brig Tula, brought his vessel to this port for repairs. It will also be fresh in the memory of many, that some of our public writers, pretended to doubt the authenticity of Captain Briscoe's statement, viz. that he was then on an exploring expedition, at the cost of a London mercantile house; in deed in the Tasmanian, the epithet piratical" was more than once repeated, when referring to the Tula and Lively. At the time Captain Briscoe was with us, it became pretty generally understood, that a discovery of land of some importance had been made, but as great pains was taken to keep the situa tion a secret, the various reports circulated, were of course only surmises of those, who only pretended to be more knowing than their neighbours. The following extract, however, will disclose the secret, which was so well kept by the enterprising crews of the two little vessels: "The discovery of land towards the South Pole, made by Captain Briscoe, in the brig Tula, accompanied by the cutter Lively, both vessels belonging to Messrs. Enderby, extensive owners of ships in the whale fishing, has been communicated to the Royal Geographical Society. "It is supposed that this land forms part of a vast continent, extending from about longitude 47 deg. 31 min. East to longitude 69 deg. 29 min. West, or from the longitude of Madagascar, round the whole of the Southern or South Pacific Ocean, as far as the longitude of Cape Horn. On the 28th Feb. 1831, Capt. Briscoe discovered land, and during the fol, lowing month in which he remained in the vicinity, he clearly discovered the black peaks of mountains above the snow, but he was from the state of the weather, and the ice, unable to approach nearer than about 30 miles. The Stormy Petrel was the only bird seen, and no fish. It has been named Enderby's Jand, longitude 47 deg. 31 min. East, Jatitude 66 deg. 30 min. South, an ex tent of about 300 miles was seen. The range of mountains, E.N.E. In consequence of the bad state of the health of the crew, Captain Briscoe was compelled to return into warmer latitudes. He wintered at Van Diemen's Land, and was re-joined by the cutter, from which he was separated during the stormy weather, in the high south latitudes. In October 1831, he proceeded to New Zealand. In the beginning of February 1832, he was in the immediate neighbourhood of an immense iceberg, when it fell to pieces, accompanied by a tremendous noise. On the 14th of the same month, land was seen to the S.E. longitude 69 deg. 29 min. latitude 67 deg. 15 min, it was found to be an island, near to the head land, of what may be hereafter called the Southern Continent. On the island about four miles from the shore, was a high peak, (and some smaller ones), about one third of its height was covered with a thin scattering of snow, and two thirds completely with snow and ice. The appearance of the peaks was peculiar, the shape was conical, but with a broad base. This island has been named Adelaide Island, in honor of her Majesty. Mountains were seen to the south at a great distance inland, supposed about 90 miles. On 21st February, 1832, Captain Briscoe landed in a spacious bay on the main land, and took possession, in the name of His Majesty William IV. The appearance was one of utter desolation, there being no vestige whatever of animal, or vegetable life. In future, this part of the continent, if such it prove, will be known as Graham's land." We regret extremely to state, that in consequence of repeated insults on the part of some silly and indiscreet young men, who have recently intruded themselves into Mr. Deane's "Soirées," these entertainments are for the present suspended. We are perfectly at a loss to conceive, why such a quiet and such an intellectual amusement, should be made the butt of irreverent ridicule; or |