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Poetry.

[ORIGINAL.]

HORACE, BOOK IV. ODE 13.
"Audivére, Lyce, Di mea vota."
Lyce, the gods have heard my prayer
With favour; you begin to wear;

In short, you're growing old;
And yet you would be thought a belle;
But, at your age, it is not well

To laugh and look so bold.

In vain your faultering voice you raise,
And tardy cupid still delays;

Besides, to tell the truth,

No wonder that he does not haste,
For something fresh he has a taste,

And loves the cheek of youth.

On wither'd plants he turns his back,
And flies because your teeth areek,
And wrinkled is your face;
Your hair is absolutely white,
And that's no love-inspiring sight;
Some think it a disgrace.

In flower'd silks you shine no more,
The gems that once your forehead bore

Would mock your faded charms;
Ah! beauty, whither dost thou fly?
Complexion, too, is turning shy,

And grace no longer warms. What scanty remnant is there left Of her that once my heart bereft

And turned my foolish head?

Her face with pleasing arts was stored,
And next to Cinara's adored-

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And never did there meet my gladdened glance,
A wonder more awakening, than the sight
Of that cloud-mingling mountain, on which dance
The dying splendours of the sun-set light

That gilds the glowing west; the icy height
Seems crown'd with roses, momently they fade,
As deeper sinks the day-star, but his flight
Flings hues more tender still, than first arrayed
The ensky'd snows that here a heavenly hand hath laid.

And now those tints are vanished, with the rays
That gave them borrowed being, and now crowd
Before us the pale vapours: day decays
More palpably. A cold uncoloured cloud
Spreads sadly o'er the giant-crag a shroud
Dimensionless; the evening shadows fall

And find us still to contemplation vowed;
For death had darkened o'er us, and the pall
Of our own pensive thoughts at length envelops all!

Drama.

(Written for the Kaleidoscope.)

TO THE EDITOR.

"To write, or not to write; that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The stings and arrows of neglected lore,
Or take up" pen" against a horde of critics,
And by opposing, d--n them.

To write, to think: to think,-perchance to err.
Aye, there's the rub; for in this poring mood
What blunders may arise, when I've thrown off
My maiden diffidence !"

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"All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players."

Amongst the efforts of genius to delight and instruct mankind, by picturing the stormy billows or the rip pling waves that roll down the tide of life, snatching from the gulf of oblivion "the deeds of the days other years," or exhibiting the virtues and the vices of the existing generation, none seem so eminently calc lated to make a deep and lasting impression upon the mind as the well-executed Drama. The painter, with the pencil of taste, may portray the city, the palace, the cottage, and bid their various inhabitants start from his canvas in the fidelity of time, and place, and circumstance: but his powers are limited to inmen!• tary glance upon human action; imagination must end its influence to fill up the chasm that precedes and follows his exhibition: his objects (as if nature had made a pause to enable him to sketch them) prevent themselves in one immoveable position, and rather assist the mind to conceive, than impart to it the mated semblance of the active and living reality. Th historian may lead us among the illustrious who have long been gathered to their fathers, but he cannot de lineate his figures under the deep workings of passion together with the surrounding scenery, with that rapdity of expression, which can alone cause the complete picture to burst upon our view; there is still a hazy obscurity around it that perplexes the keen eye of coriosity. The poet who revels in the luxuriant gions of imagination we can accompany with lew difficulty; pursuing pleasure rather than stubborn truth, unbridled fancy completes and embellishes the view with him obscurity may lend a charm, for in the haze of twilight objects more pleasing than truth can at noon-day supply often burst upon the imaginatio But the dramatist unites the powers of the historial, the poet and the painter, with a peculiar faculty of

own.

Here we do not see the action painted, as is dumb show; nor do we hear it narrated as by an eye witness, or sung to the tune of the minstrel harp; but we see the living likenesses of the beings themselves, arrayed in all the pomp and circumstance of vared character. The curtain of time is drawn up, and the prince, the warrior, the lover, and the peasant pass be fore us in the attitudes, the converse, and the buste real existence. The moated castle with its turrets, Gothic hall, the gorgeous palace and the humb tage, the hill, the field, the grove, and the ocea view; and our ears are charmed by the tender actrita of the love-sick maid, or stunned by the bursting din of the infuriate combat. The charm is up: we t borne away to an imaginary world; we feel an ardent interest in its events, and in the fate of its inhabitan we are indignant with the oppressed; we exult with

"But who would bear the whips and scorns of the times, the triumphant; we are enthusiastic with the adve

The proud man's sneer, the dunce's contumely,
When he might bravely his renown achieve
With a grey goose quill."

turous; ard we sympathise with the distressed. Et hibitions which thus "hold the mirror up to nature, and "give the very age and feature of the time bet form and pressure," cannot fail to make a deep impre sion on a cultivated mind. It remains to be considend

SIR,-The above quotation will inform you that I whether this sumptuous banquet of intellect be demo am an essayist just out of the egg. I am an old bache-ralizing to those who partake of its "nectared swers lor, who have some time meditated trying the experi- It appears to me that the morality of the Drama b ment, whether a man of moderate knowledge of the generally kept pace with that of the age in which s world, a good deal of travel in early life, an ordinary of the existing Drama, I will not tire you with a ka was written. As my object is to establish the moral education, and little reading, could possibly enter the history of our earliest exhibitions. The applause coun Republic of Letters without being stung to death by ed by the ancients in the sixteenth century was that of critics, who, unable to write any thing original them-motly concourse, who, themselves unrefined, knew t selves, fatten, like drones, on the labours of the literary adventurer. Having heard of the decision against the Drama, at the Literary Society, last Tuesday, and being unable, from hereditary gout (which, together with a family bible, comprises the greater part of my father's legacy to me) to attend the debate in person, I tender

how to appreciate the display of deep and impassion thought conveyed in glowing language. A single par was frequently the mongrel bantling of two or m writers, who, spurning the tramels of arrangenten, gave it to the world with the rapidity and negligente of fluttering and unsettled genius. Under Steele and Addison the stage, in some degree, vindicated t from the charge of immorality. Gamer Gurton's No

These are a few of the evils attached to the Drama. I should do injustice to the cause I advocate were I to adduce more; seeing that my powers are unequal to do adequate justice to its sterling merits.

dle (1575) one of the first comedies extant, was soon full and strong, bearing along triumphantly its devoted to the bosoms and businesses of men," has injured the followed by those of Shakspeare, Johnson, Fletcher, victims, and whirling them amidst its storms; until cause of virtue by rewarding it oft-times with wealth and Massinger; and in the seventeenth century the the author in the plenitude of his charity is pleased to and honours, always with the sweets of approving tragic Drama, divested of the conceits, mysteries, and communicate a coup de grace, or suffer exhausted na- conscience; that he has encouraged vice by awarding stiffness of our ancestors assumed a character more re- ture to sink to rest beneath the boiling waves. Talk- its followers fearful dreams, and penalties, and horrors, fined. Lillo was the first who entered the walks of ing of villians, it appears to me that we are very partial and violent death. domestic life and pictured tragic scenes of human mi- in England, to the representatives of his satanic ma- That there are some dramatic writers who, like Otsery and human suffering. Cibber, in co nedy, lashed jesty on earth; and it is to be regretted, that it is pos-way, have never "moralised their song" cannot be the absurdities of high life, and satirised its affectations.sible, that in our admiration of a Kean or a M'Cready denied. But shall we fling away the nourishing wheat At length our national love of the surprising, and our in Richard, in Sir Giles, and in other demoniac parts, through indolence to separate the few tares that are demand for a more vehement exhibition of the passions, our admiration of the action may produce a momen- among it? The public have the power to curb the li called forth our present class of comedy, which de-tary palliation of the atrocities of the characters they centiousness of the stage, as well as of the press, by bghts in perplexing incidents, some occasional pathos, represent. withdrawing their patronage from its abuses. Where the unraveling of confusion, and hair breath 'scapes' there is no market for immorality it will never be from virgin misery, and doubt, and fear, to the sunreared. It is for the public to apply the pruning-knife mit of connubial bliss; and our tragedy, abounding where its operation may be wanting. It is for them with deep pathos, a generous lover and his weeping to establish the stage as a spotless ornament to our mistress, a villain who aims the assassin blow both at It appears to me that all our accepted plays are of a country-the school of national refinement-the cradle their loves and their lives, pitiable distress, bloodshed, moral tendency. Those of Shakspeare are not only of aspiring genius. It is for them to divest of its poimadness, and premature death. highly calculated, in their development of plot, "to sonous qualities the feast of reason spread before the fix the generous purpose in the glowing breast," but generous and the free, that they may banquet on the they abound throughout with virtuous and impres-invigorating and nectared sweets of poesy and intellisive truths. There is no situation in life which he has gence. not touched with the skill of a master, the feeling of a philanthropist. No man ever said so much, and that so much to the purpose. Equal praise is due to other masters of the Drama, whose productions have main. tained possession of the stage. Where have we finer or more affecting lessons than those conveyed in the Gamester," the "Fair Penitent," or in the homely but impressive play of "George Barnwell?"

It will no doubt be argued by some that the convening of a multitude of people to witness dramatic exhibitions tends to demoralise, by leading the young and Dowry to expenditure and evil communication. But, were there no places of public amusement, does it follow, that after the fatigues of the day, the cheerful youth will necessarily betake himself at such a period to solitary study and improvement? May he not, for his is the season of pleasure and carelessness) be allured to partake of the demoralising, and extravagant enjoyments of the tavern, or the still more dangerous vices of the brothel; where, with stronger in- No play can, I think, maintain possession of the lucements to delinquency, he has not, as in the theatre, stage, in an enlightened country, unless its avowed or he smallest chance of improving his native language, apparent object be to expose and punish vice, to exalt or his mind, by hearing the impassioned and glowing and reward virtue. For however prone to vice, howBalogue of beings under the influence of high mental ever callous through long atrocity, the verriest villain scitement? If theatrical representations are to be de- cannot gaze upon the sublime and beautiful picture of jounced, because the dissolute will be found to attend virtue without being struck with admiration and reshern, what shall we say of some of our places of wor-pect. He admires the ebulition of generous feeling, hip? what shall we say of St. Peter's Church, where, the overflowings of the noble heart, although his own Sundays, the appointments of the licentious are be a stranger to its finer sympathies; he bursts into inBansummated within the very portals: and over the dignation at perfidious cruelty in another, when repre graves of those whose remains surround the holy sented in its blackest colours, although he would not kanctuary! Shall we denounce the holy doctrines have scrupled to perpetrate it himself; he joins in aught within as the cause of this, and that religion the triumph of persecuted worth, although he himnast be flung aside because its mansion is profaned? self has been a persecutor: and thus the representation aredly not. Lamentable as is the fact, determined of characters, the murkine s of whose minds is unenice will, when driven from one spot, find another livened by one glimmering ray of virtue to relieve them thereon to nestle; and if we renounce a general good from utter detestation, is intolerable on the stage. Even ecause it may be converted into a partial evil, adieu Richard II. had the attribute of unshaken courage; pour constitution! adieu to our laws, for we will and Lady Macbeth, monster as she was, had yet ind the marauder at his unhallowed work even under some "compunctious visitings of nature:" when speak ing of her destined victim, the unconscious Duncan, dagger, she says, " Had he not resembled my father as near whose pillow she had just placed the murderous he slept, I had done it." Thus the worst characters represented on the stage have

be gibbet!

The question, therefore, is not the abuses that may be practised at any public assembly; but the moral Beet produced by theatrical representations upon an ttentive audience. That some of these are slightly emoralising, because they are childish and foolish, just be allowed. Of these the most apparent are the irlequin feats, the purpose of which seems to be, to fing human nature and human infirmity into conmpt and ridicule. Mr. Harlequin, with a wooden abre, skips about the stage like an overgrown baby scaped from nurse, aping the agility and attitudes of a per jumping jack. Pantaloon personifies old age, abecility, and dotage, and is disdained, cheated, and ughed at by all the world. Columbine is an impuent jade, who skips about after the said man of lath, order to show the beaux in the pit, that she has a ir of handsome legs, while the rest of the group

"Left a name to other times, Linked with one virtue and a thousand crimes."

Scientific Records.

Comprehending Notices of new Discoveries or Improve ments in Science or Art; including, occasionally, singular Medical Cases; Astronomical, Mechanical, Philosophical, Botanical, Meteorological, and Mineralogical Phenomena, or singular Facts in Natural History; Vegetation, &c.; Antiquities, &c.; to be continued in a Series through the Volume.]

IMPORTANT TO THE public.

ANTIDOTES; OR, REMEDIES for POISON.

The following important information is now circulating gratuitously, which seems to indicate that the advice is entitled to more than ordinary attention:

1

1. When the preparations of arsenic, mercury, antimony, copper, or of any metal, or when any known substance or matter has been swallowed, and there have speedily ensued heat of the mouth and throat, violent pain of the stomach, retching and vomiting, immediately dri plentifully of warm water, with common soap, or white of egg, or common sugar, mixed with, or dissolved in it. Two or three Quarts of warm water, a dozen eggs, or a pound of sugar, will not be too with from three or four ounces to half a pound of soap,

much.

tis, have been swallowed, or spilt upon the skin. imme8. When oil of vitriol, spirits of salt, or aquafordiately drink, or wash the part with, large quantities of water; and, as soon as they can be procured, add soup, or potash, or chalk, to the water.

2. When the preparations of opium, henbane, nightshade, hemlock, tobacco, foxglove, or stramonium, or Tragedy improves and strengthens the stronger affec- any poisonous fungus mistaken for mushrooms, or spitions, by calling them into exercise: and the punish- rituous liquors in excess, or any other unknown matments it generally distributes on the guilty, may, in all ters have been swallowed, exciting sickness without pain likelihood, more than once, have arrested the arm of of the stomach, or producing giddiness, drowsiness, the lawless oppressor, or even that of the meditated and sleep, give instantly one table spoonful of flour of murderer. Comedy interests our lighter passions, dis-mustard, in water, and repeat it in copious draughts of pelling the clouds of peevishness that so often eclipse warm water, constantly, until vomiting takes place. If the glow of domestic content; and we are both hap- the person become so insensible as not to be easily pier and better when we have resigned ourselves for a roused, give the mustard in vinegar, instead of water, time into the arms of the chaste, the laughter-loving and rub and shake the body actively and incessantly. muse. The Drama also exhibits to those whose means imp through a hole in the back scene, to show that if deny them the use of books, or the experience of travel, eir legs are not so taper as hers, they at least have the costumes, the morals, the habits, and the fate use of them Then we have sundry transformations of beings of other countries and other ages: and the d wonderful tricks (such as an old woman coming out description, conveyed in classical language, adds to that fa cabbage, &c. !) and lastly,-I know not what hap-general stock of literary lore which is the parent tas lastly, but this I know, a fool must have invented of national emulation. Before I am convinced, thereis species of amusement; they are fools who debase fore, that the Drama is demoralising, I must learn that emselves by performing it; and worse than tools are traveling, and the knowledge of men and manners it he deities of the shilling gallery, who for a penny imparts, are demoralising in their effects; that to light witness the more rational exploits of " Punch trace the windings of the human heart is injurious to nd his Wife." moral feeling. Knowledge is virtue; and in real life It may also be remarked, that some few of our the apparently discouraging fact presents itself, that days are calculated to draw down the boisterous cunning, perhdy, and tolly, without a spark of noble hunders of the multitude rather than the tempered sentiment, frequently obtain honors and distinctions, laudits of the refined. Our national high-seasoned and independency; while industrious merit and honest, reling, too, not contented with the ordinary slow-hut bashful, genius" drop into a grave unpitied and aced development of human action, hungers for unknown.' Such a consumation rarely presents itself he very extremes of rending passion. Nothing luke- in the Drama, and before I allow it to be injurious, arm; nothing moderate: our good characters must have to learn that Shakspeare, who moved a bright e angels; our bad, wretches of the deepest and constellation," and "drew after him the third part of fi Ost remorseless villainy. The tide of passion must be the heavens," "bringing the light of science home

I

RIPENING WALL-FRUIT.

"Mr. H. Davis, of Slough, has published the result of an experiment for facilitating the ripening of wallfruit, by covering the wall with black paint. The experiment was tried on a vine, and it is stated that the weight of fine grapes gathered from the blackened part of the wall was 20 lb. 10oz. while the plain part yielded only 7lb. 1 oz. being little more than one-third of the other. The fruit on the blackened part of the wall was much finer, the bunches were larger, and ripened better than the other half; the wood of the vine was likewise stronger, and more covered with leaves on the blackened part."Journal of Science and the Arts.

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REMARKS.-Character of the first week in this year, rather severe; of the rest of the month, unusually mild for the season, with little rain. The fall of rain, &c. at Crumpshall, for January, is 1.703 inches. Manchester, February 8, 1821.

NEW AMERICAN FRIGATE.

Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Baltimore, dated
Nov. 24, 1820.

the new frigate building at Boston, which I have lately
"In my last I promised to give you some account of

visited; I can now therefore describe, Sir, with the ac-
curacy of a personal inspector. There is nothing re-
markable in her size, excepting in the prodigious and
unwieldy strength of her sides and masts; and she ranks
among the first class of American frigates, which are
equal to British 64 gun ships. The main mast which is
strongly hooped and clasped with iron, is of remarkable
strength, and has attached to it the principle weight of
the defensive machinery which renders her so formidable.
She has three steam engines on board; two are employed
for propelling her in light winds and calms; and the
third, of 60 horse power, is exclusively used for wielding
the battering apparatus attached to the main-mast, &e.
This consists first of a series of large iron bars or clubs,
moveable perpendicularly on joints arranged about the
centre of the vessel, on each side of the mast; and when
in action they are raised alternately, and, like as many
gigantic flails, beat with tremendous and unceasing force
upon whatever object they are directed against. They
are intended for close quarters; and when they are made
to descend upon an enemy's vessel, they must beat to
pieces every thing they strike, men and rigging, and
even the decks of the enemy. By converting a perpen-
dicular into a horizontal motion, one of them attached

to the mizen-mast is made to play in that direction; and
as it is jointed and very long it must make dreadful
havoc among the men, being armed with lances and
jagged hooks, and every thing which can cut or tear.
In the event of its encountering a mast or standing
post, its joints yield and set it free. An engine some-
thing resembling the catapult of the ancients, is con-

structed on the starboard bow, of such amazing power that
it can throw large stones of 2 cwt. to the distance of 200
or 300 yards, when the whole force of the engine is
employed. It is also calculated for discharging hot water,

boiling pitch, and melted lead. An apparatus is con-
structed likewise for setting the pitch on fire, which is
discharged flaming on the enemy's vessel. The old prac-
tice of red-hot sand is likewise in preparation, and when

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"It is at length ascertained that this river empties itself into the Atlantic Ocean, a few degrees to the northward of the equator. This important fact is confirmed by the arrival of Mr. Dupuis from Africa This gentleman was appointed Consul for this country at Ashantee, where Mr. Bowdich resided for some time. ish languages, and got his intelligence by conversing He is acquainted with the Arabic and Moor with different traders with whom he fell in at Astan voyage home, to communicate to Government what he He thought it so important as to warrant bu had learnt. We say, that Mr. Dupuis has confirmed this fact; for so it happens, that he has been anticipated in the discovery by the general acumen of a gentleman of Glasgow, who arrived at the same conclusion by works of travelers and geographers, ancient and mo most persevering and diligent investigation of the dern, and examining African captives; and had tually constructed, and submitted to the inspection of Government two or three months ago, a map of Africa, into the Atlantic in about four degrees north latitude, in which he lays down the Niger as emptying itself after tracing out its intire course trom the interior."

ROSIN BUBBLES, A CURIOUS EXPERIMENT,

We can recommend to the attention of our reade the following simple and curious experiment: ve have not tried it ourselves, but have no doubt of its success. It is an extract of a letter from Mr. Morry, of Oxford, New Hampshire, to Dr. Silliman, the editor of the Americau Journal of Science and Arta. "If the end of a copper tube, or of a pipe stem" be scattered among the men must have powerful effect. dipped in melted rosin, at a temperature a little above that All this time it must be observed, there are not above of half a dozen of men on deck: two at the wheel are protected by a redoubt, two or three superintend the necessary movements of the catapult, and about three more at other parts of the vessel. The rest are working the great guns of the lower and middle deck, or attending the engines. The valuable parts are defended with double strength of timber, and in some places faced with steel. The decks are bomb-proof; and, in short, it is pretty well ascertained that with the help of her steamThe following extract, from the Journal of Science paddles she is impregnable, except by boarding. To deand the Arts, is curious aud well worthy of attention: fend against this, 100 crooked irons and the like number although we think the liability of the metal to crys-machinery, which would in two minutes annihilate the talization, its unequal thickness, and principally the softness of the alloy, present insuperable objections to its ever becoming of any practical utility.-Edt. Kal.

PRINTING FROM FUSIBLE METAL.

of spears at each side are in readiness to be worked by
crew of half a dozen large frigates, and besides this, as
shower down melted pitch and hot sand on the boarders,
our own men are not exposed on the decks, she can
and a moveable wheel, is propelled in any direction, armed
with knives and saws, which will tear in pieces any per-
son against whom it is moved.

I have not heard yet what is to be the name of this

infernal engine; but surely, if her name is to agree with
her description, she is worthy no other name than what I
could give her, viz. the "Devil."

LIVE BAT FOUND IN THE CENTRE OF A TREE.

boiling water, taken out and held nearly in a vertical position, and blown through, bubbles will be formed of all possible sizes, from that of a hen's egg down to 15 which can hardly be discerned by the naked eye; and from their silvery lustre, and reflection of the different rays of light, they have a pleasing appearance. Some, that have been formed these eight months, are as perfect as when first made. They generally assume the form of a string of beads, many of them perfectly regular, and connected by a very fine fibre; but the production never twice alike. If expended by hydrogen gas, they would probably occupy the upper port of the room. common cause, viz. the distention of a viscous fruit by "The formation of these bubbles is ascribed to the one that is aëri-form: and their permanency, to the sad by a thin film of solid matter, and preventing it den congelation of the rosin, thus imprisoning the cape."

The stem of a tobacco-pipe we presume to be here meant Edit. Phil. Mag.

Remarkable Stone.The Mnemosyne, a Finland of newspaper, mentions a stone in the northern part Finland, which serves the inhabitants instead of barometer. This stone, which they call Ilmakut, turns black or blackish grey when it is going to ra but on the approach of fine weather it is covered with white spots. Probably it is a fossil mixed with clar and consisting of rock-salt, ammoniac, or saltpetre, which according to the greater or less degree of damp

"This alloy is composed of eight parts of bismuth, five of lead, and three of tin, and its property of fusing at the boiling point of water is well known. M. Gassicourt has produced a metallographical use of it, founded upon the extreme accuracy with which it preserves the marks and traces on the mould. He illustrates his new appli cation of it in the following manner: Paste a piece of white paper at the bottom of a china saucer, and let it dry: then write on it with common writing-ink, and We have often heard of such cold-blooded animals sprinkle some finely-powdered gum-arabie over the as toads, &c. being confined in stones, trees, &c. writing, which will produce a slight relief. When well but the following is perhaps the only instance on dried, brush off the powder that does not adhere, and record of any animal of the bat species being foundness of the atmosphere, attracts or otherwise. Ins pour fusible metal into the saucer, taking care to cool it in such a situation. In fact, we do not give implilatter case the salt appears, which forms the white

rapidly that crystalization may not take place. In this

escaped.

having wetted the top of the wart, rub the lime only To cure warts, take a piece of unslacked lime; and, or three times a day, and it will be imperceptibly r moved in a short time, without scar, or inconvenience

way a counterpart of the writing will be obtained, im-cit credit to the story, particularly as the animal spots.
pressed on the metal. By immersing the cast in slightly-
warm water, any adhering gum may be removed, and
then, if examined by a glass, the writing may easily be
read, and seen to be perfect. Afterwards, by using
common printer's ink, impressions may be taken from
it, all of which will be true fac-similes of the first
writing.

The difficulties in this new application of the fusible alloy, are, to avoid unequal thickness in the plate of metal, which causes it to alter in form and break under pressure; and to prevent the surface from crystalizing, when the ink will adhere where it is not required."

"A woodman, engaged in splitting timber for railposts, in the woods close by the lake at Haining, a seat of Mr. Pringle's, in Selkirkshire, discovered in the centre of a large wild cherry-tree a living bat, of a bright scarlet colour, which he foolishly suffered to es. cape, from fear; being fully persuaded (with the charac- Dr. Petier, a German physician, states, that he ha teristic superstition of the inhabitants of that part of the found the spirit of hartshorn (in the dose of a small country) that it was a being not of this world. The spoonful in a glass of water) to counteract the in tree presents a small cavity in the centre, where the bat ating effects of strong fermented liquors and spirits, at was inclosed, but is perfectly sound and solid on each to recover a person from an apparently lifeless stat, side."-Caledonian Mercury, Nov. 11. from an excess of wine, in an hour or two.

Miscellanies.

Correspondence.

TO THE EDITOR.

271

THE LATE SHAUGHNASEY O'SHAUGH-
NASEY, ESQ. &c.
[See Note to Correspondent.]

TO THE EDITOR.

tells me I have fallen into an error of prosody, in repeating the passage I have just quoted from the Roman orator; a circumstance, however, which I do not now regret, since it affords me an opportunity of again callChatsworth.-The Duke of Devonshire has not kept ing the attention of the House to a maxim which I am up Old English Hospitality at his princely chateau this SIR,- trust you will adhere to the "Tros Ty. certain cannot be too often or too strongly impressed on D. G. season, in consequence of the vast alterations now going on therein. In fact, the whole house is coming down, riusre nullo discrimine agetur," and insert a few its memory." He then again repeated the words with except the state apartments. The whole of the exterior observations on some lines to Betsy,' which apgreat animation and emphasis. "When first" I read architecture is undergoing renovation, with all its co-peared in to-day's paper. Jossal pediments of stone. The house is to be built upon them over, "I thought, or rather I believed" that an enlarged scale. A museum, excelling in beauty of structure any edifice of modern date, will be erected, to they were a burlesque composition, in ridicule of contain the rarest works of ancient and modern times. sickly sentimentality. I was confirmed in this idea by All the inestimable statues, vases, busts, &c. which his the name which stands at their head. It is probably Grace collected on his travels, and are now scattered some imaginary chambermaid, thought 1. But on through different mansions, are to be placed therein. a closer inspection, I was grieved to perceive certain All the invaluable pictures the Duke bought in Paris indications of sober seriousness on the part of the In addition to the vast unlucky writer. For example: the beating of his and Italy will grace the walls. assemblage, we may enumerate the rare specimens of heart kept time with Betsy's dancing, which, going that branch of the arts, preserved by the first Countess on the assumption that she is a chambermaid, was of Shrewsbury. A magnificent entrance-hall is in contemplation. New lodges of stone; and all the out-probably a jig or a country dance. Hard work for the heart, thought I. Then he seems not to stick at offices are to be rebuilt. The staircase is to excel any thing yet seen, except the celebrated one at Chesterfield-trifles, for he says his soul "gasping, clasped the house. An estimate has lately been made of his Grace's whole,” i.e. the whole of Betsy; but you must allow noveable property, namely, furniture, books, plate, pic-him to be a most unconscionable fellow, for in the ures, jewels, and statuary. The estimated value is line before he tells us that the said capacious soul is twelve hundred thousand pounds! already "pregnant.” He mentions that he had some difficulty in removing his eyes from her. How there is a good deal of candour about him too, for he says,

REMARKABLY LARGE EEL.

A few days ago, an eel of the common species, but of xtraordinary dimensions, got entangled in the herring ruives on the Firth of Forth, near Higgins' Neuk. Ja being approached by the fishermen, it flapped its struck one of them, ail most violently; and, had here is no doubt he would have forfeited his life for his emerity. Aware of their danger, they cautiously aproached it; and, after many efforts, they succeeded in ixing it with a hook to which was attached a cord, and Iragged it on shore, where they triumphed over their When measured, it was found to be eighteen eet in length, and two feet in girth at the middle. The kin, which is stuffed, and which we understand is in the possession of Mr. Higgins, the proprietor of the cruives, must excite the attention of the naturalist. Part of the fish being dressed was found to be most delicate eating." -Stirling Journal.

victim.

A SEA-SERPENT AGAIN!

ever,

"Once, I must confess, they turned ;”
when she of the broom caught him looking sweetly

upon her.

After stating the impossibility of view.

ing her perfections unmoved, he offers her a little
advice, couched in straightforward terms:
"Betsy, cautious be."

Ballyblunder Custle, Co. Tipperary. MY DEAR EDITOR,-Here I am at last, in the very heart of the lovely land of potatoes, sitting in a tumbler of "Kanahan's best" before me, in case the best parlour of my late revered friend's domicile; of a stagnation of idea, and as handsome a kish of turf blazing up the chimney as ever was cut in the beautiful bog,* ready and willing to give you every account of myself since our last melancholy meeting in Liverpool.-Owing to sundry stoppages où the road, I arrived but last night, at the venerable seat of my friend's ancestors; and to you, Sir, who possess a heart tuned to pity, I need scarcely say what commotion and grief my coming occasioned. The old gentleman wrung bis hands, Lady O'Shaughnasey was quite inconsolable, Miss Murphina's bosom heaved the tender sigh, and Miss Deborah De

lany (the deceased's maiden aunt) was in strong bysterics the whole day, notwithstanding the fre quent application of the new nervous elixir, which, But, my good Bellamy, let me counsel you never to by the way, I have since discovered to be a capital offer advice to young ladies; depend upon it they adjunct in the fabrication of a jorum of punch. I will take pet, and hear their admonisher's "heart-am credibly informed, that the Banshee † has been On this sub-heard whining, most dolefully about the house, for some time past; and Father Murphy assures me, be strings break” “with wicked glce.” saw his ghost in the shape of a cider-cask, on going down after dinner to the cellar for the other gallon; this, however, highly probable as it may appear, might have proceeded from a nervous sensation, or a certain baziness in the reverend gentleman's opties, which is always accustomed to visit him upon the demise of his fifth tumbler.

ject,

"Bellamy, cautious be."

The poem goes on to say, that there is one (the
writer it may be presumed) who shares all the
care attendant on thy frame;" that is, helps her to
make the beds, &c.

“And will, shouldst thou be false as fair,
"While living, feel the same.

Arrived at Marblehead, the schooner Gen. Jackson, Thompson, from Grand Bank. Extract from the log. The three last words are an example of the true book:-Dec. 10, 1820, lat. 41. 30. long. 54. 30. saw the sublime, unintelligible bathos. Perhaps he means, sea serpent. About 11 P. M. it being calm, the watch that if Betsy is false, he will "feel" false too. Now, en deck saw something in the water, making for the dare say, her desertion might make him feel queer vessel, supposed to be porpoises; one of the people | But, in reference to the preceding lines, it may went on the bows with the harpoon to receive them. mean, that be will "feel the same" predilection for

I

As for the remainder of my deceased friend's "Heroic Poem," I fear the public have a worse chance than ever of seeing it, as it is actually gone out of my possession. Ou my arrival at Cashel, on my way here, I gave my luggage to a gosson (who was standing by the coach-door) to hold, aud, while

When within about 15 feet from the vessel, found it to bed-making, &c. in which case he may supply her I turned my back on him, to hand Miss Seraphina

be a snake, and immediately called the master up: by this time he had come so as to touch the vessel forward, and lay himse'f alongside, moving slowly, his head past the stern, and his tail under the bowsprit. Supposed him to be about twenty-feet longer than the vessel, which is 80 tons burthen. A light breeze coming up, left him astern; his head about three or four feet out of water. One of the people says, " he appeared as I have seen described in the papers."-American paper.

A great Natural Curiosity.—A Pig, of the Chinese breed, only ten months old, the property of Mr. P. Butt, of Cheltenham, bred by Mr. Herbert of Leckhampton, was slaughtered at the Fleece Inn, on the 14th instant, measuring, when living, only 20 inches in height, 23 inches across the shoulders, 46 inches in length, and 65 inches in girth; computed at 16 score of 14lb.

A correspondent, who has tried feeding his horses on whole and on bruised oats, states, that a hors-fed on bruised oats will look and work as well as one fed on double the same quantity of oats not bruised. This is an important consideration at all times; but particularly in the event of a considerable rise in the price of that grain.

An entire human skeleton, in the most perfect state of preservation, was lately found, about two feet below the surface of the earth, by some labourers employed in digging the foundation of a house, in Frankfort-street, Plymouth,

place. It is quite fair to suppose this future em-
ployment, for he bids the reader, in the last line,
"Anticipate the rest."

O'Fay, (my sixteenth cousin, and a prodigious fine woman, I assure you) out, the younker had made off with my baggage, and, by his activity, baffled the pursuit of half a dozen houest boys I had sent Now, my good fellow, Bellamy, in compliance in chase of him. By this untoward accident, I lost with your request, I "anticipate" that if you are an elegant new carpet-bag; my sole surviving pair a lad of mettle, you will turn the tables on me, by of regimental inexpressibles (an inexpressible loss, sending a letter to our mutual friend, the Editor of I assure you!) five penny worth of copper farthings; the Kaleidoscope, stating that the poem actually Longinus on the Sublime; an empty razor-case, was a burlesque; in which case my stupidity is ex-with a pair of spectacles in it; four brace of pistols; posed, and my few friendly hints go for nothing. POLONIUS POTTINGER.

13th February, 1821.

TO THE EDITOR.

SIR,-Although I cannot pretend to the honour of being a University Correspondent, yet I believe I can furnish your correspondent C. (in No. 32) with an anecdote analogous to the one mentioned by him

a pair of rusty silk stockings; a Bible, not much. the worse for wear, and the four last Cantos, in MS. of that most sublime of human productions “ Liverpool," to the eternal loss of literature, and regret of succeeding ages. Alas! to think that the production of the midnight oil and watchful lubrucationthe fruit of incessant toil and abstruse meditation, may now, haply, be employed in embracing the greasy circumference of a farthing candle, or decorating the inside of a trunk, among the uncongenial pages of a flawed lease, or an ephemeral novel. Really, the very idea has paralyzed my ideas, and cramped my fingers up to their very sockets; besides,

The celebrated Mr. Burke, in one of his speeches on economical reform, quoted the following expression from Cicero: Magnum vectigal est parsimonia," (in pardox: 6. 3.) but pronounced the word vectigal wrong (the penult. short) instead of vectigal. This instantly caught the nice classical car of Mr. Fox, who, in a whisper, informed him of his mistake. + A supernatural being, whose cries are considered immediately stopped, and addressed the chair in words to the following effect:-"My friend who sits near me precursors to death, or some great calamity.

We hypothesise that the Lieutenant means the Bog of Allen, which has always been distinguished by Mr. Burke this elegant epithet.-Note by a friend.

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P.S.-You must excuse ny penmanship; but, owing to the loss of my two fore-fingers, I am not quite so au fait at it as is usual: these useful appendages, were shot away by Saanders M'Gregor, Captain in the Royal Scots, with whom I had the pleasure of fighting a duel, during my sojournment in Dublin; and who, to do him justice, behaved very handsomely in the whole affair; so much so, indeed, as to make me regret the wound he had received in his side; which, however, Doctor Dislocate says, will only cause a little troublesome asthma, during the remainder of his life, and no way interfere with his other pleasures. But my honour was grossly affronted, at a public dinner, where the Captain, three times, vociferated from the top of the table,

Mr. Gooster, Mr. Gooster, Mr. Gooster! may 1 tak wine wi ye?" The assimilation of sound to a very respectable fowl of the webfooted genus I could have overlooked; but the omission of the soft prenominal O was too much, and is what many an O'Goster has fought and died for, during ten generations back.

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The Kaleidoscope.

In consequence of having reprinted some of the early Numbers, the proprietors have it now in their power to offer to the Public several Half-volumes of the New Series of the Kaleidoscope, from July to the end of the year, price Nine Shillings, in boards; the bulk of the half yearly volume (of 26 numbers,) will serve to shew that the annual volume will form a very handsome work.

The Public have been long apprised, that one week after the regular day of publication, each Number bears a premium, at the discretion of the proprietors, who have been obliged to resort to such a measure as a security against ultimate loss, in keeping a stock of back numbers, for the purpose of completing the sets of those purchasers, who may either have lost or omitted to call for their copies.

The reprinted Numbers are sold at Sixpence cach; but purchasers taking complete sets will be charged at

a lower rate.

A few sets of the old series of the Kaleidoscope complete, with the exception of two or three exhausted numbers, may be had at the office, neatly bound up in one volume, containing, together with a great variety of interesting subjects, the whole of the Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Esq. These volumes form as pleasing a miscellany as ever issued from the press; and have been found peculiarly acceptable abroad.

To Correspondents.

LITERARY PREMIA.

"To the Editor.-Allow me to ask whether you do not think it probable, that if you propose an edition of Lord Byron's Works, or some such prize, for any essay on a given subject, to be published in the Kaleidoscope; and defray the expense by charging an additional penny on the number that contains the article, it will call forth the talents of some of the junior literati, and help to refute the assertion, that Liverpool has a higher literary character than it merits. Perhaps you will consider this idea worthy your notice, and let your readers know the result. Yours, &c.

"VENONI AUBREY.

street, February 13, 1821." Independently of the expense which the proposal of VENONI AUBREY, if adopted, would entail upon us, and which our establishment will not afford, there are other objections of a more delicate nature,

which would induce us to pause before we ventured | upon a step, some of the unpleasant consequences of which we cannot fail to foresee. Of course, as editors, the critical office of deciding on the merits of the various compositions would devolve upon us; and, in our estimate of the rival claims, we see a long prospective train of heartburnings, "envy, hatred, and all uncharitableness." It is said, that "Hell has no fury like a woman scorn'd;" and perhaps it might as truly have been observed, that "Hell has no fury like an author scorn'd." Without compromising our own impartiality or judgment, it has always been our endeavour, as it is our manifest interest, to conciliate our literary friends, and to render any disappointment which may result from an occasional difference with then on matters of taste, as little unpalatable as possible. But we have frequently found such efforts fruitless; and in more than one instance have discovered individuals labouring to the prejudice of our journal, who were amongst our warmest friends, until we were so unlucky as to differ with them on the score of their original poetry, which is, perhaps, a more fruitful source of inconvenience to an editor than any other with which he has to contend. The letter of VENONI may, however, suggest some other unobjectionable mode of stimulating that literary ambition which is so honourable in itself, and so conducive to eminence in its possessor. As for the scheme of advancing the price of the numbers containing the prize composition, such a measure is entirely out of the question; as we mean rigidly to adhere through the first volume at least, to the price we ourselves proposed, and which is generally acknowledged to be extremely reasonable.

POLONIUS POTTINGER (a relative, probably, of the celebrated MATILDA POTTINGER) has been somewhat severe upon certain verses addressed, through the last Kaleidoscope, "To Betsey," by a swain, yclept Bellamy. In thus admitting the critiques of one correspondent upon the composition of another, we do not know but that we may be establishing a precedent which may ultimately inundate us with similar philippics, as it is so much easier to detect the faults of others, than to elicit beauties of our own; and as it ought only to be permitted to those "to censure freely who have written well" themselves; we think it would be but fair, that, when one correspondent thus attacks the poetry of another, he should accompany his critique with a poetical specimen of his own, in order to give the party attacked a fair chance of retaliation

E. F.'s lines to the Zephyr were prepared for the press, when we detected some inaccuracies which render them inadmissible, and at the same time lead us to suspect that they are not original, as we were given to understand. The fifth verse stands in our copy thus: And, sweet Zephyr, tell me why

Still thou heav'st that plaintive sigh?
Oh! would'st thou bear on wing of speed
Just such a note, where I would ask.

To adopt the words of the first line, we would say sweet Zephyr, tell me why" the measure observed in the preceding verses is here departed from, and how can "speed" and "ask" be made to jingle? If Zephyr cannot explain this, we trust E. F. can.

ST. WINIFRED.-We thank EGO for this interesting poem, which shall be attended to at our very first leisure. With reference to our correspondent's inquiry

after the

NOTES TO THE SIEGE OF LATHOM-HOUSE, promised some time since, it is only due to ourselves to state, that the delay in furnishing the notes to the narrative contained in the Kaleidoscope, pages 145, 146, 147, 153, 154, 155, 169, 170, and 171, has not

originated with us. They have been actually prepared in the type since the time when we concluded the his. tory of the siege, when the unknown friend, to whom we are indebted for the copy, requested that we would suspend them until we heard further from him; an injunction with which we felt it our duty to comply, although we could not divine the motive for the delay. Perhaps this paragraph may remind the party

of the circumstance, in which event we may hope soon to be favoured with his commands.

QUERY's note is more suitable for the Mercury than the Kaleidoscope; and shall be transferred to the former, if not objected to by the writer.

STRANGERS' FRIEND SOCIETY.-Our anxiety to se cure an early insertion of the Annual Report of this excellent institution, must plead for us with those correspondents whose communications have, in cossequence, suffered a temporary postponement. A pe rusal of the Report, which is not in the slightest degree too highly coloured, cannot fail to interest all those who approve of that department of the Kaleidoscope usually classed under the head Philanthropist.

Mr. SHAUGHNASEY's friend, DERMOT O'GOSTEL, will find his affecting epistle in a preceding column By way of postscript we take the opportunity of offer ing a couple of gallons of the best Potheen, for the recovery of the four missing cantos of the heroic po of Liverpool. If any vile Goth, into whose hands they may have fallen, should offer them for sale to some friendly cheese-monger, or considerate chandler, we hereby offer, as the means of rescuing them from the fate which might otherwise await them, to give to such cheese-monger or chandler, ten times the weight of the said Cantos, in other manuscript poetry, a sisting of Sonnets, Heroic Poems, and other equal interesting pieces, upon the merits of which we have had the misfortune to differ with the authors. LITERARY SCEPTICS.-An article which we need naw particularise, as we shall be sufficiently intelligible without such minuteness, is reluctantly declined; be cause it would necessarily lead to reply from those who do not rank certain individuals therein introdum, amongst the class of Atheists. Those dissentien from our correspondent's estimate of the charact alluded to, would require, in fairness, that we shoul not lose sight of that first editorial duty, "And alteram partem ;" and thus we should be drawn ints a discussion, foreign to the genius as well as to the pro fessed plan of the Kaleidoscope. We trust that tha explanation will satisfy our much-valued correspo dent, whose directions shall be implicitly attended t

MATERIALISM EXAMINED.-The third part of the able Review (the two former of which have already enriched our columns) has been postponed until next week, in order to secure the prompt insertion of the Essay on Dramatic Exhibitions, which it was desir able to bring forwards as early as possible after the decision recently pronounced at the Debating Society a decision as repugnant to our own convictions a those of our correspondent.

No. VI. of HORÆ ОTIOSÆ has also suffered a suspet sion of one week, from the same cause. We thank J. P. for the anecdote of Lord Byron, which we do not recollect to have seen before; and which we presume will be equally new to the generality of

our readers.

The lines of O. W. (or as we should call him PROTEUS) are reserved for our next. His friend O'GoSTEL had previously occupied the ground.

The article suggested from an Irish print by A Subscri ber from Dublin, shall not be overlooked. We must reserve until next week our notice of the lines

to Mrs. by T. H. our replies to corresponders having already exceeded the ordinary bounds The same reason prevents us addressing a few remarks LECTOR.

The letter of W. in our next.

Next week we shall attend to WESTMORE, and tak the opportunity of noticing the suggestion conveyed in the postscript.

H. ST. JOHN's Critique shall be given in our next; the same time, the writer will permit us to observe, that he is a bold man to venture upon a subject o which so many critics and satyrists, of no ordias eminence, have been beforehand with him.

The French critical query is not forgotten. The letter of our friend GEORGE MEANWELL aited at so late a period that we have not yet had leisure peruse it.

Printed, published, and sold by E. SMITH and Co. 54, Lord-street, Liverpool.

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