Extravagant Delusions and Supernatural Influence; the Commercial Laws of Brazil; several useful works on Commerce and Navigation, particularly a Nautical Almanack, calculated for the meridian of Rio; a work badly executed but followed by Tables of the Sun's Declination, of Latitudes and Logarithims; one or two works on Geography; and a Treatise on the Diseases of Negroes.

about the farm, not even a slave, ever til the forked part was full of them; these goes the shortest distance on foot; and were stripped off, and the operation re that each manager will change his horse commenced; thus many hundreds were two or three times in a day. About a killed in a very short time. Ants, of sehundred cows are allowed for the supply veral species, are also a most serious pest. of milk, butter, cheese, and veal, to a farm Every house, and almost every yard of of the average size. Hogs are usually dry ground, is infested with them, and the found near the houses, but little care is wounds which they inflict are painful and taken of them; they wander about, root irritating, arising, I suspect, not from the up the earth, devour reptiles, and make mere bite, but from some venemous fluid a good part of their subsistence on the left by them beneath the skin. The waste parts of the cattle slaughtered. wandering Indians, who cannot escape There are few sheep, and they are re-them, cultivate in their warriors not only a contempt for such molestations, but a general spirit of stern endurance, by placing them in a nest of these insects. In this country these insects present no lesson of useful labour; they are restless and active, but, as it seems to me, to no purpose. I have observed them carrying a heap of sand through a hole in a wall, dropping it on the opposite side; and, when the whole is cleared away, carrying it back again with the same air of important occupation.'

A private printing press was esta blished at the close of 1816; philosophical lectures were read and attended; the cabinet which formerly belonged to the ce-markably light and ill made, with a short lebrated Werner was arranged and stu- ordinary wool, which, however, might died; mineral waters, found in Minas Ge- easily be improved. This wool is, at pre. raes and other places, had been analysed; sent, used partly unstripped from the and Brazilians boasted of a native disco- skins, as saddle covers and the like; very, in the composition of gunpowder, partly, for the stuffing of beds and matbut, I apprehend, without reason, for it tresses. The country is so thinly peoconsists simply in mixing a quantity of pled, its inhabitants have so little liking to fresh saw-dust with the grains; a patent mutton, and the wild dogs, and other had been granted for making bricks by beasts and birds of prey are so numerous, machinery, and another for the navigation that there can be little inducement to inof the bay by a steam boat; a company crease the flocks. had been formed even in Cuyaba, under

royal patronage, for improvements in the art of mining.

In 1818, at a sale of books, English

works went off well, as did some Latin ones: but few, I believe, fell into Brazilian hands; French books are in demand, but it was impossible, by any means, to sell the Glasgow edition of Homer's Iliad in Greek; the Septuagint and New Testament, in the same language; Hederic's, nor even Schrevelius's Lexicon, nor did a Hebrew Psalter with a Latin translation, find a customer.

'With the sciences, the arts both me

chanic and those which are commonly denominated fine ones, prospered in a high degree, and we had not only blacksmiths, carpenters, and bricklayers, but poets and painters in abundance.'

Having discussed the subject of literature, we now turn to that of agriculture, though this would have been a treasonable preference in the time of Jack Cade. The farms in the Brazils, as in all thinly populated countries,

square

'In every farm there is, at least, one

enclosed place, called rodeis, generally
on the highest spot; here the cattle are
occasionally collected, marked, and treated
as circumstances may require. So accus-
tomed are they, particularly the horses, to
this practice, that when the servants of the
farm ride along, swinging their lasos or
their hats, and loudly pronouncing the
word rodeis, they all walk slowly to the
spot. In a country so little enlivened by
variety, this assemblage forms one of its
most rural and pleasant scenes.'

As an instance of the extent to which
grazing is carried in Brazil, Mr. L.
states that in one year, an individual,
Jozé Antonio dos Anjos, slaughtered
fifty-four thousand head of cattle, and
charqued the flesh.' The name of
charqueados is derived from the
charqued beef which the district pre-
pares and exports. When the cattle
are killed and skinned, the flesh is
taken off from the sides in one broad
piece, something like a flitch of ba-
con; it is then slightly sprinkled with
salt and dried in the sun.

In that

wrong here, and that this employment We suspect Mr. Luccock is quite of the ants is to promote habits of industry. Lord Castlereagh, who recommended in the House of Commons that the labouring poor should be employed in digging holes in the ground and filling them up again, no doubt took the hint from the Brazilian-insects, although he claimed it as an original idea.

In a broad sandy plain, north of St. John, which is covered with coarse herbage, Mr. Luccock met with a Brazilian porcupine, which he attempted to drive before him. He says,―

The animal is naturally slow, and to urge it to greater speed and prevent its escape among the shrubs, I made use of my hat, a leghorn one, lined with leather at the back part of the brim. Being released from the office of driver by some boys, who willingly undertook it, and about to put on my hat, I was surprised to find several of the animal's quills sticking in it, which had penetrated the leather as well as the straw. This circumstance in

are of vast extent:'The smallest are stated at four leagues, o: more than twenty thousand state it is the common food of the pea-duced me to think that they are disacres; the largest are said to reach to a santry of Brazil; and, says our author, charged with considerable force; and hundred square leagues, or near six hun-is, in itself, by no means to be de- this opinion was confirmed by my hearing dred thousand acres. * To each three spised.' From the numerous notices one of the boys cry out that he was square leagues are allotted four or five of subjects on natural history, which wounded in the leg; a misfortune to thousand head of cattle, six men, and a this work contains, we select the follow-which his companions evidently thought hundred horses; though, according to circumstances, such as the distance from na-ing, hoping that Mr. L. did not par- themselves liable, and which rendered them cautious. It is probable that vigable waters or from church, there ticipate in the barbarous amusement must be a variety in the number of oxen with the frogs— the hat might be very near, if not actually kept for the business of a farm. The protouching the porcupine, when the quills struck the brim, and that at a greater distportion of horses will appear a very large ance they might have fallen to the ground. one; but, it is to be remembered, they Yet the wound which the boy received cost nothing in keeping, as they are showed that they could take effect at the turned out on the plains; that no one distance of several, if not of many inches Thus a single farm in Brazil nearly equals, The quills were nearly an inch long,had. in extent, the English counties of Chester, Hea hard, sharp, brown point; the other end reford, Northampton, or Warwick-Rev. hollow, of a pale straw, inclining to flesh

No stranger can possibly conceive the number of frogs found on the swampy grounds, nor the noise which they make. It was a common diversion when they issued from their Jurking places at night, to procure a forked stick, with sharp points, and to strike it on the ground, without any very particular selection of place, un

It was about eight feet long, and, from the dinginess of its blue and yellow skin, was, I suspect, old or diseased. The blow by which it was destroyed, had exposed the fangs of the lower jaw, in which state it was carelessly left; when a hen of the common domestic kind, with her chickens, approaching the spot, instantly gave the note of alarm, collected the terrified brood behind her, spread her wings, bristled her feathers, and seemed prepared either to fight or fly. Seeing the reptile motionless, she took courage, gradually drew nearer to it, at length made a hasty attack with her bill on the open jaw, and immediately retreated. She continued such attacks until she had taken something from each side of the jaw and swallowed it. She then appeared to think no farther precaution necessary, but led her chickens to feed close by the carcass. I had frequently observed domestic fowls devouring ants and scorpions, and had watched, with interest, their battles with centipedes; but never before saw one attack so large a reptile, or seek its food from such a creature. Little did I ima

gine that the vesicles of poison in the jaw of a snake could be delicious, or even wholesome food for any living thing.'

The

Poems. By Thomas Gent. 12mo.
pp. 155. London, 1820.
MR. GENT is one of the most pleasing,
as well as the most unassuming of the
minor poets of the day. We use the

himself from the brow and rolls speedily to although more bulky than was ne-
the bottom. From this circumstance, Icessary, contains much varied and va-
apprehend, the Indians take their modern luable information respecting a country
name of Booticudies or Butudies, a bar-which is growing in interest.
barous word, half Tupi, half Portugueze,
signifying fallers by the breech.
man who had been wounded was obliged
to come down to Rio for surgical assist-
ance. On his return, he was seriously
cautioned against exposing himself to si-
milar attacks. About fourteen days after,
as he was riding along the road, followed,
at some distance, by a slave, a shot fired
again by an invisible hand, threw him for-word minor, rather in reference to the
ward on the saddle, and a second brought extent than the merit of his produc-
him to the ground. Two Indians then tions, for this small volume affords
some specimens which might compare
came out of the wood, one of whom
with those of our most popular and
walked deliberately to the Negro, and or-
dered him to halt, while the other went most favourite authors.
In proof of
to their victim, broke his legs, and beat this assertion we need only quote the
out his brains. Afterwards they shot the
following:-
horse and decamped. Every search was
made for them, but these people are too
well acquainted with the forests to want
secure lurking places, and defy, if they
have any knowledge of, the arm of the
law.'

We are going to conclude with an
extract which more immediately con-
cerns our female readers, and yet, we
suspect, they ill scarcely thank us for
it, as most persons had rather suffer a
fraud unconsciously, than know they
have been imposed upon.
says,-

Mr. L.

'At Chapon, we visited the gold and topaz mines, the possessors of which are reported to be wealthy; but, if they are so, it is in the midst of such a want of comforts, as would make a Briton, not over delicate, completely miserable. They produced a large quantity of real topazes, and endeavoured to convince me that a cubical mass of yellow transparent We have hitherto quoted nothing spar, though differing so widely from the respecting the character of the Brazili- usual form, was a stone of that descripans, but, indeed, on that subject, we tion; when closely pressed, however, have inserted much in the two preced- they wished to insinuate that it was com ing volumes of the Literary Chronicle, posed of parts truly prismatic. We ought to distinguish between precious stones in our reviews of Southey's Brazil and and such spars as these, which abound in Prince Maximilian's Travels. We, how-the country, are of various colours, and ever, now add an anecdote of Indian though of almost as little value as pebrevenge, which occurred near Uvá :— bles, are made to imitate the topaz, the emerald, the amethyst, and even the dia'Two gentlemen having obtained a grant, sent a person, accustomed to the mond, and as such are frequently passed off to inexperienced purchasers. The country, to settle upon it. Probably, by some means, he offended the Indians re-appearance of the imitative topaz is often maining in the neighbouring woods; for more imposing than that of the real one of one day a shot fired at him, struck the latter in a perfect state, but almost invariSouth America, for I never yet saw the powder horn in his waistcoat pocket, and ably fractured at one end, frequently at wounded him in the wrist. Being on both. Of the stones sent to Europe unhorseback, he instantly pursued his assail der dazzling names, particularly as toants, and saw two Indians, who escaped agoa-marinao, and amethysts, from him in their usual mode. In such pazes, cases, the fugitive endeavours to reach the many are nothing more than pieces of brow of a hill little encumbered with spar, found in the beds of rivers and affected by the attrition of wood, where, dropping on his breech, he streams.' puts his head between his knees, and his arms round his ancles: in this state being nearly as round as a ball, he precipitates

common

With this extract we close our notice of Mr. Luccock's work; which,

TO MARY.

Oh! is there not in infant smiles

A witching power, a cheering ray,
A charm that every care beguiles,

And bids the weary soul be gay?
There surely is-for thou hast been

Child of my heart, my peaceful dove,
Gladd'ning life's sad and chequered scene,
An emblem of the peace above.
Now all is calm and dark and still,

And bright the beam the moonlight throws
On ocean wave, and gentle rill,

And on thy slumb'ring cheek of rose.
And may no care disturb that breast,

Nor sorrow dim that brow serene;
And may thy latest years be blest

As thy sweet infancy has been.'
Mr. Gent is as successful in face-
tiousness as he is in tenderness, and this
little volume abounds with instances of
both, in the most agreeable variety.
There is a good deal of satiric humour
in the following epigram:-

'I knew a being once, his peaked head

With a few lank and greasy hairs, was spread ;
His visage blue, in length was like your own

Seen in the convex of a table spoon.

His

mouth, or rather gash, athwart his face,

To stop at either ear had just the grace,
A hideous rift: his teeth were all canine;

And just like Death's (in Milton) was his grin.
One shilling and one fourteen peuny leg,
(This shorter was than that, and not so big),
He had; and they, when meeting at his knees,
An augle formed of ninety-eight degrees.
Nature in scheming how his back to vary,
A hint had taken from the dromedary;
His eyes an inward screwing vision threw,
The idiot Cymon's, ere he fell in love.
Striving each other thro' his nose to view;
His intellect was just one ray above
At school they Taraxippus called the wight;
The Misses, when they met him, shrieked with
fright;
But, spite of all that Nature had denied,
When sudden Fortune made the cub her pride,
And gave him twenty thousand pounds a-year,
Then from the pretty Misses you might hear,
"His face was not the finest; and, indeed,
He was a little, they must own, in-kneed ;
His shoulders, certainly, were rather high,
But then, he had a most expressive eye;

BOILED INFANT COTTON

SPINNERS!

I am myself so fond of dancing, that

Paul or the Evangelists ever mingled in a Jewish, Grecian, or Roman dance. It is much to be regretted that persons enter the sacred profession from other motives than that of serving the good living, through the interest of a cause of christianity and morality. A friend, is frequently a strong inducement to a parent to bring up his child to the church, who does no credit to it or himself, but might have proved at brave soldier, or a physician, or lawyer, &c. So long as this continues to be a motive with candidates for church preferment, so long shall we have clergymen hankering after worldly pleasures and amusements, forgetting that no man putting his hand to the plough and looking back, is fit for the king

Original Communications. I have frequently rode many miles to
a family dance, and returned, at this
season of the year, at midnight, through
frost and snow, when à bed could not
be spared; and the ladies also were
obliged to turn out when beds were
scarce. I leave it to Cantab to judge
if many coustitutions could sustain so
much with impunity. But this is not
so much to the point. I deny that
dancing in a crowded, heated, and cou-dom of heaven.'
sequently impure atmosphere, is pro-
ductive of any corporeal advantage;
half an hour's walk or a ride, in the
fresh air, will be of more benefit to a
person of studious habits, than four or
six hours' dancing in a close room.
So that dancing, so far as it concerns
health, can form no plea for the prac-
tice.

To the Editor of the Literary Chronicle.
SIR, It is fated that France and
England shall never be at peace, the
moment the sword is sheathed, the pen
is dipped in gall, and the French
writers make sad havock with us, our
manners, our books, and even our art
of cookery for the latter, look only
into the Cuisiniere Bourgeoise, and you
will learn not only the English way of
dressing roast beef of beef, but also
roast beef of mutton and lamb! The
last number of the Revue Encyclope-
dique, a monthly journal, accused the
Euglish of incredible barbarity' to the
young children employed in cotton. How ridiculous would Dr. Herschell
manufactories, keeping them from 13 make himself appear, even were he
to 16 hours a-day, in a place 25 degrees younger, or any other grave philoso-
above the boiling point. Now, as their pher, in a country-dance or waltz, for
own bouillie beef takes only seven hours no other reason than that it is deroga-
to boil, they must think English chil-tory to the character supposed essential
dren made of tough stuff not to be to profound philosophers, who spend
stewed to rags in that time; and lest much time in serious contemplation.
the author's veracity should be doubt-
ed, he quotes the English text, from
the Report of the House of Commons,
wherein it is stated, the children are
kept in a heat of 70 to 90 degrees; this,
the sapient Frenchman translates lite-
rally, forgetting, or perhaps not know-
ing, that we calculate by Fahrenheit,
ou which the boiling point is at 212°,
and they by Reaumur, in which it is at
80°!! We leave our learned brethren
of the Seine to explain this blunder in
their own way, but we would in future
recommend them to look before they
leap, and abstain from condemning till
they understand.
Z.

CLERICAL DANCING. To the Editor of the Literary Chronicle. SIR-As I expected, answers to and observations on the Clerical Dancer have speedily appeared; but I certainly expected something more substantial, pro and con. The two would-be ladies are far from treating the subject

For they appear to have more the style of

male than female writers.

We are pleased with toys when children, but as we grow older, and have our minds interested with nobler pursuits, we neglect our toys, which afforded us so much pleasure, as objects beneath our attention.

So methinks the clerical character, from frequent meditation and contemplation on the divine precepts and ordiuances of Almighty God, contained in the Holy Scriptures, would so far elevate his ideas and desires, as that all worldly desires and pleasures should appear mere trifles, not worth concern, and beneath his pursuit who has joys and rewards of Paradise in the society of blissful angels, in view, to recompense him for all deprivations, self-denials, and sufferings in this transitory world. I am far from considering dancing a sin; but, at the same time, I think it indecorous for clerical gentlemen to be seen hopping and frisking about in a dance. The preachers of the Gospel are the successors of the Apostles and Jesus Christ; and I think it is inconsistent to see a modern apostle dance, as it is improbable that St.

I beg, iu conclusion, to offer this consolation to Rev. P, of Essex, that, if he is a sound christian, a man of refined sentiments and education (which a clergyman ought to be), he will find it more to his comfort and interest to remain in a state of celibacy, than marry a lady who can perceive no other accomplishments in him, to induce her to prefer him for a husband, than a pretty dancer.

Your constant reader, EDWD. PRICE. Narberth, Jan. 1, 1821..

NEW YEAR'S DAY IN PARIS.

(FOR THE LITERARY CHRONICLE.) NEW Year's Day in Paris is the most remarkable in the whole year; it is the only day which resembles in its externals an English Sunday; for, though that day receives no respect in Paris, the opening of the new year displays all its characteristics,-all the shops are shut,

labour suspends his toil,-commerce reposes on ber oars,-and the philosopher suspends his studies; nature and nature's son enjoy an universal holiday.

For several weeks preceding New Year's Day, various classes of ingenious artists employ all their talent and skill, to shine with an uncommon lustre on the auspicious opening of the new year; these are the confectioners, the embossers of visiting cards, the jewellers, &c. and their shops on this day display a degree of taste and magnificence difficult to describe, and totally unknown in England. This is the day of universal greetings, of renewing acquaintance, of counting how many links bave been broken by time last year in the circles

of friendship, and what new ones have chief of his house. It was supposed
replaced them. All persons, whatever that both, on approaching the shore,
may be their rank, degree, or profession, would plunge into the waves, and that
form a list of the names of persons success would crown the efforts of the
whose friendship they wish to preserve best swimmer. Dougald meant to fol-
or cultivate; to each of these persons a low that course, but was prevented by
porter is sent, to deliver their card. Donald, who, on coming within a
Those more particularly connected with stone-cast of the beach, drew his sword,
them by blood or friendship, are visited cut off his left hand by the wrist, and
in person; and all who meet embrace threw it bleeding on land; at the same
on this happy day. Millions of cards time calling the King and his attend-
are distributed; and nothing is seen in ants to witness that his left hand, his
the streets but well dressed persons flesh, blood, and bone, had first touch-
going to visit their friends and rela-ed the Scottish earth. In commemor
tions, and renew in an affectionate man- ation of this extraordinary instance of
ner all the endearing charms of friend-presence of mind, the lords of the isles
ship. On this day, too, parents, wear a bloody hand in their coat of
friends, and lovers bestow their presents arms unto this day.'
on the various objects of their affection,
and pour so many draughts of the most
delightful balin that human nature can
partake of. We will not pretend to de-
pict these scenes of universal joy,
every sensible heart will feel, relish, and
enjoy them, and thereby anticipate all
that a rapturous poet could imagine on
so delightful a subject. Then,

"Let mirth abound; let social cheer
Invest the dawning o' the year;
Let blithesome innocence appear
To crown our joy,

Nor envy, with sarcastic sneer,
Our bliss destroy.'

ANECDOTES OF THE HIGHLANDERS.

[FOR THE LITERARY CHRONICLE]

The Highlanders are now, and ever have been, remarkable for their presence of mind and ready wit; to prove which, the following anedotes may

serve as a few instances.

The two powerful clans of M'Donald and M'Dougald are descended from two twin brothers, whose birth-right, from some neglect of the midwives, could not be decided. Their father, a

Begin then to chuse,
This night as ye use,

Who shall for the present delight here;
Be a King by the lot,
And who shall not

Be Twelfe-day Queene for the night here." HERRICK. THE rites of Twelfth Day, called also Greek word, signifying manifestation,') the Feast of the Epiphany, (from a though different in various countries, have the same common object, that of doing honour to the eastern inagi, to fested, and who, according to a tradiwhom Christ on this day was mani

After the defeat of the Highlanders at Culloden, John Roy Stewart was lurking in a hiding place, in Kincardine, Strathspey, his native place, and a party of soldiers stationed there, were in search of him. One day, they received private intelligence of his retreat, and the party, in a body, was marching thither to secure him, when his son, a boy about ten or twelve years of age, happened, luckily, to be going to his father with some provisions tied tion of the Romish church, were three in a handkerchief. in number, and of royal dignity. Of He could not be mistaken! the whole party, consisting the three kings of Colen,) the first, these magi, or sages, (vulgarly called of a serjeant and twelve, were making named Melchior, an aged man, with a directly towards his father's cave,something must instantly be done to long beard, offered gold; the second, give the alarm. There was a drummer Jasper, a beardless youth, offered frankincense; the third, Balthasar, also of the party, and with him young Stewart entered into conversation. He a black or Moor, with a large spreadsoon learnt that the greatest grievance ing beard, offered myrrh, according to the woeful effect which the keen High-Tres Reges Regi Regum tria dona ferebant ; little duck-leg had to complain of was land air had upon his stomach.

this distich:

Myrrham Homini, Uncto aurum, Thura dedere
Deo*.'

Nothing can be better,' argued the The custom of making the offerings sagacious mountaineer; he will soon forget the danger of his back for the was observed at court so late as the year gratification of his belly.' They lagged 1731, when, at the Chapel Royal of St. powerful Irish chieftain, died; and dis- behind; and Stewart affected great cu-James, on Twelfth Day, George II. putes ran high between the brothers riosity to know the use of the drum. and his son, the Prince of Wales, concerning primogeniture. This was I'll give you all the provisions I carry made the offerings at the altar, of gold, the state of affairs, when, being in the in this bundle,' said he to the drum- frankincense, and myrrh, according to train of Fergus I., on his voyage to mer, if you shew me the use of that custom.' The offerings are still conScotland, at the suggestion of that same thing.' The offer was too tempt- tinued, but they are now made by prince, it was mutually agreed, that ing, the drum was braced; and three proxy. he whose hand should first touch Scot-jolly ruffs put its possessor also in postish ground should be considered as session of a roasted fowl, a quantity of bread and cheese, and some whiskey; and warned the intrepid Roy Stewart to fly from his merciless pursuers.

* It is not a little singular that less is known in England, and even in Edinburgh, of the manners and domestic habits of the Highlanders than of those of the Hottentots. Their su

perstitions also, notwithstanding Mrs. Grant's work on that subject, are very imperfectly

Captain Lewis Grant meeting a Highland girl, who had just forded the Spey with a peck of meal under her arm, was minded to puzzle her, by asking the depth of the ford, the price norant of the language, have not the means of of the meal, and the hour of the day, all in a breath,

known. The reasons are, that Scotchmen are too vain to tell what would do no honor to their countrymen, and Englishmen, being ig

arriving at the truth..

made a law that the twelve days after Ever since the days of Alfred, who the nativity of our Saviour should be kept as festivals, Twelfth Day has been

remarkable for its festivities. Bourne

says, it is one of the greatest of the twelve, and of more jovial observation for the visiting of friends and Christinas gambols.

During the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. the celebration of Twelfth

* Festa Anglo-Romana, p. 7.

Day was, equally with Christmas Day, a festival throughout the land, and was observed with great ostentation and ceremony in both the universities, at court, at the Temple, and at Lincoln's and Gray's Inn. Many of the Masques of Ben Jonson were written for the amusement of the royal family on this night; and Dugdale, in his Origines Juridica les, has given us a long and particular account of the revelry at the Temple on each of the twelve days of Christmas, in the year 1562.

contemporary with Shakespeare, at the
head of this article; and in Ben Jon-
son's Masque of Christmas, the charac
ter of Babycake is attended by an
usher, bearing a great cake with a bean
and pease.' The chusing a person
King or Queen by a bean found in a
piece of a divided cake, was formerly
common Christmas gambol in both the
English universities; and the practice
of ballotting for them by written pa-
pers or characters is of modern date.

The practice of chusing King and
Queen on Twelfth Night, is said to
owe its origin to a custom among the
Romans, which they took from the
Grecians, of casting dice who should be
the Rex Convivii, or, as Horace calls
him, the Arbiter Bibendi. Whoever
threw the lucky cast, which they termed
Venus or Basilicus, gave laws for the
night. A similar custom was observed
at the festival called Saturnalia, among
the Romans and Grecians, when per-
sons of the same rauk drew lots for
kingdoms, and, like kings, exercised
their temporal authority.

1817, in which the subject is very hap
pily moralized :-

LES ROIS DE LA FEVE.
EN ce jour le sort m'est propice,
Et sur le trône il m'a porté;
Amis, que l'on se réjouisse,
Pour célébrer ma royauté.
Mon règne n'étant qu'un beau rêve,
Prolongez mon heureux sommeil;
Car vous me direz au réveil :
"Tu n'étais qu'un Roi de la fève,"
Nous voyons souvent sur la scène
César, Auguste, Agamemnon;
Mais les enfans de Melpomene
De ces grands Rois n'ont que le nom.
Alors que la pièce s'achève
Se dissipe l'illusion;
César, Auguste, Agamemnon,
Ne sont que des Rois de la fève.
Si le bonheur est sur le trône,
J'en jouirai quelques momens ;
Mais si la gloire l'environne,
Elle en cache aussi les tourmens.
Quand vers les cieux mon œil s'élève,
Je dis: "Ces Rois si grands, si fiers,
Devant le Roi de l'Univers,
Que sont-ils ? des Rois de la fève."
X.

Original Criticisms

ON

The Principal Performers of the Theatres
Royal Drury Lane & Covent Garden.

The breakfast on Twelfth Day was directed to be of brawn, mustard, and almsey; the dinner of two courses, to be served in the hall; and, after the first course, cometh in the master of the game, apparelled in green velvet; and the ranger of the forest also, in a green suit of satten, bearing in his hand a green bow, and divers arrows; with either of them a hunting horn about their necks, they pace round about the fire three times. Then the master of the game maketh three curtesies, kneels down, and petitions to be admitted into the service of the lord of the feast. In the ancient calendar of the RoThis ceremony performed, a hunts-mish church, there is an observation on nan cometh into the hall with a fox, the 5th day of January, the eve or vigil and a purse-net with a cat, both bound of the Epiphany: Kings created or at the end of a staff, and with them elected by beans.' The 6th is called nine or ten couple of hounds, with the The Festival of Kings,' with this ad- MESSRS. POPE, EGERTON, CONNOR, AND blowing of hunting horns. And the ditional remark, that the ceremony of fox and cat are by the hounds set upon electing kings was continued with feastand killed beneath the fire. This ing for many days.' In the cities and sport finished, the marshal (an officer academies of Germany, the students so called, who with many others, ander and citizens choose one of their own different appellations, were created for number for King, providing a most the purpose of conducting the revels,) magnificent banquet on the occasion. placeth them in their several appointed In France, during the ancien regime, places.' one of the courtiers was chosen King, and the nobles attended on this day at an entertainment; but, at the end of the year 1792, the council general of the commons at Paris, passed an arrêt, in consequence of which, La Fête des Rois,' (Twelfth Day,) was thenceforth to be called La Fête des Sansculottes.' It was called an anti-civic feast, which made every priest that kept it a royalist.

HOLLAND.

I'd rather hear a brazen can'stick turn'd, Or a dry wheel grate on an axletree.""

SHAKESPEARE.

Or these four worthies perhaps Mr. Pope stands rather the highest, though bad indeed is the best; we have heard that, fourteen or sixteen years ago, this gentleman was an extremely fine actor;

if so, he may now with great justice After the second course, the anand propriety exclaim with Wolsey,cientest of the masters of the revels Nay, then, farewell! I've touched the singeth a song, with the assistance of highest point of all my greatness, and others there present;' and after some from that full meridian of my glory, I repose and revels, supper, consisting of haste now to my setting.' Mr. Pope two courses, is then served in the hall, has undoubtedly fine lungs; he makes and being finished, the marshal prea great noise, has a great skill in clapsenteth himself with drums afore him, trapping, and is a tatterdemalion of mounted upon a scaffold, born by four passions. He has not one requisite for men; and goeth three times round an actor, excepting a good voice, and about the harthe, crying out aloud, With the French, Le Roi de la this he uses at all times, and on all oc"A lord, a lord," &c.; then he de- Fève' signifies a Twelfth Night King; casions, with such vehemence, that its scendeth and goeth to dance. This and they have a proverb, Il a trouvé value is entirely lost. He substitutes done, the lord of misrule addresseth la fève au gâteau,' signifying, he is rant for reason and raving for energy; himself to the banquet, which ended in luck,' &c. but, literally, he has in fine, he exactly answers Shakespeare's with some minstralsye, mirth, and found the bean in the cake." There is description of a 'robustious fellow, dancing, every man departeth to rest.' a very curious account in Le Roux who tears a passion to rags, to very tatSuch were the rural sports of our an- Dictionnaire Comique, of the French ters.' His face is as hard and unmeancestors on Twelfth Day, in the 16th ceremony of the Rois de la Fève,' ing as a piece of wainscot, his eyes are century; these, however, were not the which explains Jordan's fine picture of generally nearly closed, and his brow only amusements, as a King and Queen Le Roi boit;' but we prefer conclud-always pursed up and contracted with were chosen for the night, as appears bying this account of Twelfth Day with a an angry frown. We have been told the quotation from Herrick, who was song from the Anthologie Francaise, for that he formerly performed Othello