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 THE NEW 
 
 WONDERFUL AND ENTERTAINING 
 
 MAGAZINE: 
 
 OR, | 
 Curiosities of Pature and Art. 
 
 THE MURDEROUS BARBER § 
 Or, Terrific Story of the Rue dela Harpe at Paris. 
 
 In the Rue de la Harpe, which is a long dismal ancient 
 street in the fauxbourg of St. Marcell, is a space or gap in the 
 line of building, upon which formerly stood two dwelling- 
 houses, instead of which now stands a melancholy memorial, 
 signifying, that upon this spot o human habitation shall ever be 
 erected, no human being ever must reside! : 
 
 Curiosity will of course be greatly excited to ascertain what 
 
 it was that rendered this devoted spot so obnoxious to huma- 
 nity, and yet so interesting to history. 
 Two attached and opulent neighbours, residing in some 
 province, not very remote from the French capital, having oc- 
 casion to go to town on certain money transactions, agreed to 
 travel thence and to return together, which was to be done 
 with as much expedition as possible. They were, } believe, 
 on foot, a very common way even at present, for persons of 
 much respectability to travel in France, and were attended, 
 as most pedestrians are, by a faithful dog. 
 
 Upon their arrival at the Run pe va Harre, they stept into 
 the shop of a peruquier to be shaved, before they would pro- 
 ceed on’ their business, or enter into the more fashionable 
 wtreets. So limited was their time, and so peremptory was 
 their return, that the first man who was shaved, proposed to 
 his companion, that while he was undergoing the operation of 
 the razor, he who was already shorn would run to execute a 
 small commission in the neighbourhood, promising that he 
 would be back before the other was ready to move. For this 
 purpose |e left the shop of the barber. 
 
 On returning, to his great surprise and vexation, he was in- 
 
 “ab 
 
ps CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GREPN OL OP LDOO LLP POOL OCP OD LO LOD POLL LIL IIE DLO LD 
 Terrific Story of the Rue de la Harpe at Paris. 
 
 IP LLDLE LLLP LLCO LD LD ODO L OR 
 
 LILLIE LILO LOD LEO LED OLE DDE POL 
 
 ~ 
 
 PIL DRL LLD PLE OID 
 
 formed that his friend was gone, but as the dog, which was the 
 dog of the absentee, was sitting outside the door, the other 
 presumed he was only gone out for a moment, perhaps in pur- 
 suit of him; so, expecting him back every moment, he chatted 
 to the barber whilst he watched his return. 
 
 Such a considerable time elapsed, that the stranger now be- 
 came quite impatient; he went in and out, up and down the 
 street ; still the dog remained stationed at the door. “ Did 
 he leave no message?” ‘‘No;” all the barber knew was, 
 ne unt when he was shaved he went away.” “It was very 
 odd.” 
 
 ‘The dog remaining stationed at the door was to the traveller 
 conclusive evidence that his master was not far off; he went 
 in and out, and up and down the street again. Still no sign 
 of him whatever. 
 
 impatience now became alarm; alarm became sympathetic. 
 The poor animal exhibited marks of restlessness in yelps and 
 in howlings, which so affected the sensibility of the stranger, 
 that he threw out some insinuations not much to the credit of 
 ** Monsieur,” an altercation ensued, and the traveller was in- 
 dignantly ordered by the peruquier to quit his boutique. 
 
 Upon quitting the shop he found it impossible to remove 
 the dog from the door. No whistling, no calling, no patting 
 would do, stir he would not. p 
 
 In his agony, this afflicted man raised a crowd about the 
 door, to whom he told his lamentable story. The dog be- 
 came an object of universal interest, and of close attention. 
 He shivered and he howled, but no seduction, no caressing, 
 no experiment, could make him desert his post. 
 
 By some of the populace it was proposed to send for the 
 police, by others was proposed a remedy more summary, 
 namely, to force in and search the house, which was immedi- 
 ately done. ‘The crowd burst in, every apartment was 
 searched ; was searched invain. ‘There was no trace whatso- 
 ever of the countryman. ; 
 
 During this investigation, the dog still remained sentinel at 
 the shop door, which was bolted within to keep out the crowd, 
 which was immense outside. , 
 
 After fruitless search and much altercation, the barber who 
 had prevailed upon those who had forced in, fb quit his house, 
 came to the door, and was haranguing the populace, declaring 
 most solemnly his 1nnoceNncE, when the noc suddenly sprang 
 upon him, flew at his throat with such a terrific exasperation, 
 that his victim fainted, and was with the greatest difficulty 
 rescued from being torn to pieces. he dog seemed in a state 
 of intellectual agony and fury. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF walrune AND ART. 3 
 
 PROD PEDDLE PP IL LL LED DOI IO LL OOL OP LDL DD 
 
 PILPLLO LOL LDL DDL L OAL DD ODOOOHY 
 The Murderous Barber.—The Apparitions of Souter Fell. 
 
 LOIS LOL LLL DLL LOD LOG. 
 
 PPM LEP LE LD LOLDLOLRE OED 
 
 It was now proposed to give the animal his way, to see 
 what course fe would pursue. The moment he was let loose 
 he flew through the shop, darted down stairs into a dark cel- 
 lar, where he set up the most dismal lamentation. 
 
 Lights being procured, an aperture was discovered in the 
 wall communicating to the next house, which was immediately 
 surrounded, and in the cellar whereof was found the body of 
 the unfortunate man who had been missing. ‘The person who 
 kept this shop was a patissiere, or pastry-cook. 
 
 t is unnecessary to say those miscreants were brought to 
 trial and executed. The facts that appeared upon that trial, 
 and afterwards upon confession, were these :— | 
 
 Those incautious travellers, whilst in the shop of this fiend, 
 unhappily talked of the money they had about them, and the 
 wretch, who was a robber and a murderer by profession, as 
 soon as the one turned his back, drew his razor across the 
 throat of the other and plundered him. 
 
 The remainder of the story is almost too horrible for hu- 
 man ears, but is not upon that account the less credible. 
 
 The pastry-cook, whose shop was so remarkable for savory 
 patties that they were sent for to the “ Rue de la Harpe” from the 
 most distant parts of Paris, was the partner of this peruquier, 
 and those who were murdered by the razor of the one, were 
 concealed by the knife of the other, 77 those identical patties, 
 by which, independently of his partnership in those frequent 
 robberies, he had made a fortune. 
 
 This case was of so terrific a nature, it was made part of the 
 sentence of the law, that, besides the execution of those mon- 
 sters upon the rack, the houses in which they lived, in which 
 they perpetrated those infernal deeds, should be pulled down, 
 and that the spot on which they stood should be marked out to 
 posterity with horror and with execration. 
 
 —iia 
 THE APPARITIONS OF SOUTER FELL. 
 A Natural Phenomenon. 
 
 SouTerR FE. is a mountain about half a mile in height, in- 
 closed on the north and west sides by precipitous rocks, but 
 somewhat more open on the east, and easier of access. At 
 Wilton Hall, within half a mile of this mountain, on a sum- 
 mer’s evening, in the year 1743, a farmer and his servant, sit- 
 - ting at the door, saw the figure of a man with a dog, pursuing 
 some horses along Souter Fell Side, a place so steep that a 
 horse could scarcely travel on it. They appeared to run at 
 an amazing pace, till they got out of sight at the lower end of 
 the fell. On the following morning the farmer and his ser- 
 
& CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIPLIL PPLL LES LDEOP LOC L OC LOD LLL PP LLOL LOOLOL LOG SP OL EL LOL LIE OPE LILLIE LOE LEE ODO DOP DOLL IOLDOL 
 The Apparitions of Souter Fell 
 PPP LDP POL PE LIGL PGP POP LEIP POL OCLODP?LIO OP FG DIG PLS LID POG L. 
 
 PEI POL LLL LLL OPLOLD LOLDDDD PGP 
 
 vant ascended the steep side of the mountain, in full expecta- 
 tion that they should find the man lying dead, being per- 
 suaded that the swiftness with which he ran must have killed 
 him ; and imagined also that they should pick up some of the 
 shoes which they thought the horses must have lost, in gal- 
 loping at so furious arate. They were, however, disappointed. 
 as not the least vestage of either man or horses appeared, not 
 so much as the mark ofa horse’s hoof on the turf. 
 
 On the 23d of June of the following year, 1744, about half 
 past seven in the evening, the same servant, then residing in 
 Blakehills, at an equal distance from the mountain, being in 
 a field in front of the farm house, saw a troop of horsemen 
 riding on Souter Fell Side, in pretty close ranks, and at a 
 brisk pace. Having observed them for some time, he called 
 out his young master, who, before the spot was pointed out to 
 him, discovered the aerial troopers ; and this phenomenon was 
 shortly after witnessed by the whole of the family. ‘The vi- 
 sionary horsemen appeared to come from the lowest part of 
 Souter Hell, and were visible at a place called Knott: the 
 then moved in regular troops along the side of the Fell, tilb 
 they came opposite to Blakehills, when they went over the 
 mountain. ‘Uhey thus described a curvilinear path, and their 
 first, as well as their last appearance, was bounded by the foot 
 of the mountain. Their pace was that of a regular swift walk ; 
 and they were seen for upwards of two hours, when darkness 
 intervened. Several troops were seen in succession, and fre- 
 quently the last, or last but one in the troop, would quit his 
 position, gallop to the front, and then observe the same pace 
 with the others. ‘The same change was visible to all the spec- 
 tators, and the sight of the phenomenon was not confined to 
 Blakehills, but was witnessed by the mhabitants of the cot- 
 tages within a mile: it was attested before a magistrate by the 
 _ two above-cited individuals in the month of July, 1785. 
 ‘Twenty-six persons are said in the attestation to have wit- 
 nessed the march of these aerial travellers. 
 
 It should be remarked that these appearances were observed 
 on the eve of the rebellion, when troops of horsemen might 
 be privately exercising; and as the imitative powags of the 
 Spectre of the Broken Mountain demonstrate that the actions 
 of human beings are sometimes pictured in the clouds, it 
 seems highly probable, on a consideration of all the circum- 
 stances of this latter phenomenon on Souter Fell, that certain 
 thin vapours must have hovered round the summit of the 
 mountain when the appearances were observed. It is also 
 probable that these vapours may have been impressed with the 
 shadowy forms which seemed to “ imitate humanity,” by a ~ 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 5 
 
 BLILLP LID LPL LLL 2 OLD LLL POLLED LL DPILD PDD OLD LDPE LLL FOLD LDL LOD LE L LLL LDL LOL DPE POE LEDGE LPPDPOLDD 
 The Apparitions of Souter Fell.—Masked Executioner of Charles I. 
 
 PPP PPP PILL EP LPD IG DDD LOL PDD POD ODD LEP PDD PLL PBL IDL PDD LOPE LDP PDD PE LOLD DP BOD LD LO OLDE LOD LDP OLED E LP 
 
 particular operation of the sun’s rays, united with some sin- 
 gular, but unknown, refractive combinations, then taking 
 place in the atmosphere. 
 
 eee 
 
 THE MASKED EXECUTIONER OF CHARLES I. 
 
 Lorp S. was the-favourite of George II. and one of the 
 generals of the English army at the battle of Dettingen. The 
 dispositions of Marshal de Noalles were so judicious, that no- 
 thing but the impetuosity of a subordinate French officer saved 
 the allied army from destruction, and even gave them an un- 
 expected victory. ‘The consequence was, that Lord S., who 
 was the only person that seemed to be sensible of the unskil- 
 ful movements of the allies, but whose sentiments were disre- 
 garded, lost the favour of his sovereign, and retired from the 
 army in disgust. On his arrival in London, he proposed to 
 reside on his estate in Scotland; but some days before his in- 
 tended departure, he received a letter in a very extraordinary 
 stile, calculated at once to stimulate curiosity, in a mind not 
 easily daunted. It desired an interview at a particular time 
 and place, upon business of the utmost importance, and re- 
 quiring him to come unattended. His lordship, who did not 
 pay immediate attention to this letter, received a second, the 
 next day, in terms still more energetic. This second sum- 
 mons appeared too singular to be disregarded. Lord S. there- 
 fore, went to the place appointed, without any attendants, but 
 not unarmed; nor was he absolutely devoid of fear, when he 
 entered one of the bye-places, in the metropolis, that most 
 commonly indicate the residence of poverty and wretchedness. 
 He went up a dirty staircase into a garret, where, by the glim- 
 mering light, he perceived a man, stretched upon a bed, with 
 every appearance of extreme old age. ‘“ My lord,” said this 
 unexpected object, ‘ | was impatient to see you. I have heard 
 of your fame. Be seated; you have nothing to apprehend 
 from a man a hundred and twenty-five years old.” lLordS., 
 sat down, waiting with the utmost impatience for the unravel- 
 ling of this extraordinary adventure, while the centinary pro- 
 ceeded to inquire, whether his lordship had not occasion for 
 certain writings that related to his family and his fortune. 
 *“* Yes,” replied his lordship, with emotion, “ I want certain 
 papers, the loss of which has deprived me of a great part of my 
 inheritance.”—“ There,” returned the old man, giving him 
 the key of asmall casket, “ there are those writings deposited.” 
 —“ To whom,” said his lordship, the moment he discovered 
 the treasure, “ to whom am I indebted for this inestimable fa- 
 vour ?”—-** Oh, my son,” replied the old man, “ come, and eme- 
 
6 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POLL PILLS GPE LL OLDLLEL PD LOIP 
 
 LPP LOL LODRE LOL LDODLE DL ELD BLIP LLE LLL BLE LLP LOL OOP 
 The Masked Executioner of Charles I.—Extraordinary Adventure. 
 
 Or PLL LDLDILD IL LLL LO DEL IDL LE LEE GOL DIDL OL LOE LLL LOD DLE DOL OBO LOR ODL 
 
 LLE LDL DBOPDL 
 
 brace your great grandfather.”—“ My great grandfather !” 
 interrupted his lordship, with inexpressible astonishment. But 
 how much more was he astonished, when this ancestor in- 
 formed him that he was the masked executioner of King 
 Charles I. “ An insatiable thirst of vengeance,” continued 
 he, “impelled me to this abominable crime. I had been 
 treated, as I imagined, with the highest indignity by my sove- 
 reign. I suspected him of having seduced my daughter. I 
 sacrificed every sense of loyalty and virtue to revenge this ima- 
 ginary injury. J entered into all the designs of Cromwell and 
 his associates: I paved the way to his usurpation: I even re- 
 fined on vengeance: I solicited Cromwell to let me be the 
 executioner, to fill up the measure of my guilt: the unhappy 
 king knew, before the fatal blow, the man that was to inflict it. 
 From that day my soul has been a prey to distraction and re- 
 morse. 1 have been an exile, a voluntary outcast, in Europe 
 and Asia, near fourscore years. Heaven, as if to punish me 
 with severer rigour, has prolonged my existence beyond the 
 ordinary term of nature. ‘This casket is the only remains of 
 my fortune. Icame here to end my wretched days: I had 
 heard of your disgrace at court, so much the reverse of what 
 your virtues merited; and I was desirous, before I breathed 
 my last, to contribute thus to your welfare. AJl the return 1 
 ask is, that you leave me to my wretched fate, and shed a tear 
 to the memory of one, whose long, long repentance, I hope, 
 may at last expiate his crime.”—Lord S. earnestly pressed. his 
 hoary ancestor to retire with him to Scotland,.and there to 
 live, for the remainder of his days, under a feigned name. He 
 long withstood all these entreaties; but wearied out at length 
 by importunity, he consented, or rather seemed to consent. 
 The next day, however, when his lordship returned, he found 
 that his repentant great grandfather had quitted the spot ; and, 
 notwithstanding all the researches that were made, his fate 
 remains a mystery to this day. 
 
 ga 
 EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE. 
 
 Two Parisian merchants, strongly united in friendship, had 
 each one child of different sexes, who early contracted a 
 strong inclination for each other, which was cherished by the 
 parents, and they were flattered with the expectations of being 
 joined together for life. Unfortunately, at the time they 
 thought themselves on the point of completing this long- 
 wished-for union, a man, far advanced in years, and possessed 
 of an immense fortune, cast his eyes on the young lady, and 
 made honourable proposals ; her parents could not resist the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. i 
 
 DPE POP PIS DIF PEL LLP DLDE LOD LLL LOL LOD LDL LIED DDE BLD DR IDL OL ID LAF LIL LPL LID LIPO A 
 
 Extraordinary Adventure.— Whimsical Circumstance. 
 
 PIF 
 
 PLP LLODIP 
 
 PLILI PE LDEOLOD PLE LDL LE F 
 
 PRIPPI OLS FLIF 
 
 temptation of a son-in-law in such affluent circumstances, and 
 forced her to comply. As soon as the knot was tied, she 
 strictly enjoined her former lover never to see her, and pa- 
 tiently submitted to her fate; but the anxiety of her mind 
 preyed upon her body, which threw her into a lingering dis- 
 order, that apparently carried her off, and she was consigned 
 to her grave. As soon as this melancholy event reached the 
 lover, his affliction was doubled, being deprived of all hopes of 
 her widowhood; but, recollecting that in her youth she had 
 been for some time in a lethargy, his hopes revived, and hur- 
 ried him to the place of her burial, where a good bribe procured 
 the sexton’s permission to dig her up, which he performed, and 
 removed her to a place of safety, where, by proper methods, 
 he revived the almost extinguished spark of life. Great was 
 ler surprise at finding the state she had been in; and pro- 
 bably as great was her pleasure, at the means by which she 
 had been recalled from the grave. As soon as she was suffi- 
 ciently recovered, the lover laid his claim; and his reasons, 
 supported by a powerful inclination on her side, were too 
 strong for her to resist; but as France was no longer a 
 place of safety for them, they agreed to remove to England, 
 where they continued ten years; when a strong inclination 
 of revisiting their native country seized them, which they 
 thought they might safely gratify, and accordingly performed 
 their voyage. 
 
 The lady was so unfortunate as to be known by her old hus- 
 band, whom she met in a public walk, and all her endeavours 
 to disguise herself were ineffectual. He laid his claim to her 
 before a court of justice, and the lover defended his right, al- 
 leging, the husband, by burying her, had forfeited his title; 
 and that he had acquired a just one, by freeing her from the 
 grave, and delivering her from the jaws of death. These rea- 
 sons, whatever weight they might have in a court where love 
 presided, seemed to have little effect on the grave sages of the 
 law ; and the lady, with her lover, not thinking it safe te wait 
 the determination of the court, prudently retired out of the 
 kingdom. 
 
 =e 
 
 SINGULARLY WHIMSICAL CIRCUMSTANCE, 
 Well known to the Neighbourhood in which it took place. 
 
 In consequence of some alterations made in St. Giles’s 
 church-yard, several large flat tomb-stones became super- 
 fluous articles, since the persons over whom they had been 
 placed had sunk into the narrow house at so distant a period, 
 that no friend lived to insist on the dead retaining the little 
 
§ CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POLIP LLG 
 Singularly Whimsical Circumstance.—Musical Pigeon. 
 
 PPL LLLP LLL 
 
 PPO LIOLOLSL OD LOL 
 
 GPG LPP EDF PLP LP PL OP PDL POL PLL OOD 
 
 privilege of that sculptured hic jacet, which duty or affection 
 had constructed to their memory. It happened, that the 
 church-warden for the time being was a baker, and he looked 
 with a longing eye on these nice, flat, polished stones; for 
 his oven wanted fresh bottoming. Whether he went into 
 church or came out of church, he never passed the flat, po- 
 lished stones, but he thought of the bottom of hisoven. Ina 
 bold hour he winked at parochial duty, removed the tablets, 
 and gratified his heart by placing them m that fiery place 
 which he thought sacred from every eye except his own. 
 
 But the stones, though very nicely polished by the wear of 
 years, yet retained some marks of their former destination, 
 and these cherished traces they very naturally imparted to the 
 bottom crust of the baker’s bread. 
 
 The novel impress was first discovered by an elderly lady, 
 in the faintly-marked outlines of a death’s head and crossed 
 bones. Her terror at what she conceived so appalling an 
 omen may be readily imagined, but she was too much shocked 
 to communicate her portentous discovery. 
 
 A loaf of the same batch was calculated for more general 
 examination, for the word Resurgam stood imprinted on it, in 
 though large,not bold, letters : the amazed purchaser necessarily 
 forbore to touch a morsel of that bread which seemed to hint 
 at the possibility of its not sitting quietly on his stomach, and 
 shewea his purchase, with trepidation, to an Ingenious neigh- 
 bour ‘This intelligent person conceived it to be a piece of 
 waggery in the baker, who took that covert way of expressing 
 his wish, that the article in which he dealt might rise in price. 
 He mentioned it as such to all the parish, but the general en- 
 quiry that took place speedily led to a detection of the discre- 
 ditable fact. 
 
 DLS 
 
 Se 
 
 THE MUSICAL PIGEON, AS RELATED BY MRS. PIOZZI. 
 
 “Aw odd thing to which I was this morning witness, has 
 called my thoughts away to a curious train of reflections upon 
 the animal race; and how far they may be made companion- 
 able and intelligent. The famous Ferdinand Bertoni, so well 
 known in London by his long residence among us, and from 
 the undisputed merit of his compositions, now inhabits this his 
 native city,and being fond of dumb creatures, as we call them, 
 took to petting a pigeon, one of the few animals that can live 
 at Venice, where, as I observed, scarcely any quadrupeds can 
 be admitted, or would exist with any degree of comfort to 
 themselves. This creature has, however, by keeping his 
 master company, 1 trust, obtained so perfect an ear and taste 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 9 
 
 POOPED PP LOL OLD ODIFL LD LIE L ILO LLL DIL ILL DLL LIL PDE LIP LIDPLDL LPP PPLDIPPDIS ODPLLL DD DLEIOE DIDOD 
 The Musical Pigeon.—Terrible Sea-Monster. 
 
 POPLOP PLP DLO LOL LOD POL LLP DIO PLO LODL OL LOD LDE LOE LOL LOE PLE DID OLA 
 
 for music, that no one who sees his behaviour, can doubt for 
 a moment of the pleasure he takes in hearing Mr. Bertoni 
 play and sing; for as soon as he sits down to the instrument, 
 Columbo begins shaking his wings, perches on the piano-forte, 
 and expresses the most indubitable emotions of delight. If, 
 however, he or any one else strike a note false, or make any 
 discord upon the keys, the dove never fails to shew evident 
 tokens of anger and distress, and if teased too long, grows 
 quite enraged, pecking the offender’s legs and fingers in such 
 a manner, as to leave nothing less doubtful than the sincerity 
 ofhis resentment. Signora Cecilia Giuliani, a scholar of Ber- 
 toni’s, who has received some overtures from the London the- 
 atre lately, will, if she ever arrives there, bear testimony to 
 the truth of an assertion very difficult to believe, and to which 
 I should hardly myself give credit, were I not witness to it 
 every morning that I choose to call and confirm my own belief. 
 A friend present protested he should feel afraid to touch the 
 harpsichord before so nice a critic; and though we all laughed 
 at the assertion, Bertoni declared he never knew the bird’s 
 judgment fail; and that he often kept him out of the room, for 
 fear of his affronting or tormenting those who came to take mu- 
 sical instructions. With regard to other actions of life, I saw 
 nothing particularly in the pigeon, but his tameness, and strong 
 attachment to his master; for though never winged, and only 
 clipped a very little, he never seeks to range away from the 
 house, or quit his master’s service, any more than the dove of 
 Anacreon: 
 
 While his better lot bestows 
 Sweet repast and soft repose ; 
 And when feast and frolic tire, 
 Drops asleep upon his lyre.” 
 
 — 
 A TERRIBLE SEA-MONSTER. 
 
 A FisHErman being out in a little vessel near Trepani, un- 
 fortunately fell overboard, and was instantly snapped up by a 
 monster resembling a large sea-dog, in sight of several other 
 fishermen, who then made to shore with all speed, lest the 
 monster should take a fancy to make a dinner of them next ; 
 but as soon as they had recovered from this panic, they consi- 
 dered the damage the monster might do their fishery, and being 
 likewise desirous to revenge the death of their comrade, they 
 got divers iron instruments made, to which they fixed large 
 steel hooks, and then went out in their boats in quest of the 
 monster, which had appeared several times before near that 
 shore. Having found him on the 6th of November, they 
 baited their hooks with pieces of horse-flesh, but this device 
 
 Cc 
 
19 CURIOSITIZAS OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 Ne a PIP LOVPLIOGLEOD EOL LED LLL PEGLL OL LELDLLE LED PLOL OD LDEBOEL LOL LPO LOOCOD 
 
 PPPLOA 
 A Terrible Sea-Monster.—Horrible Circumstances of a late Shipwreck, 
 
 LIFE PPPLOL LIP LP ODI PL GLO DLIGDSIPPL LI LOR LOL LEP LOD LID 
 
 LOL LOL LID LED LOL PLE LOL LL ELE DODD GOD 
 
 did not succeed ; the monster kept aloof, as if he suspected 
 their design ; wherefore they threw out a noose with a bait 
 suspended in the middle of it, two or three men holding each 
 end of the cord. This stratagem succeeded; the monster 
 leaped at the bait so vigorously, that its whole head got 
 through the noose, and the fishermen instantly pulling the 
 rope, dragged it to shore. It was twenty palms in length, 
 and its mouth excessively jarge, with three rows of teeth in 
 the upper jaw; and the tail was six palms in length: the 
 belly was not prorortionate ‘to the rest of the body, being only 
 fourteen palms in circumference. It was a female, and 
 weighed upwards of 4000lb. The next day the fishermen cut 
 it up, and found in it a great quantity of fish, one half of a 
 man’s skull with the hair on, as also two legs, part of the 
 back bone, and the ribs, which they judged to be those of their 
 unfortunate comrade, that was devoured a few days before. 
 They afterwards burned this monster, lest it should infect the 
 air. 
 
 It appears from Pliny and other authors, that sea-monsters 
 of this kind were known to the ancients by the name of Canis 
 Carcharias. 
 
 a 
 
 HORRIBLE CIRCUMSTANCES OF A LATE SHIPWRECK. 
 
 Tue brig George, Capt. John M‘Alpin, sailed from Quebec 
 with a cargo of timber, for Greenock, on the 12th of Septem- 
 ber, 1822, with a crew consisting of nine persons, besides three 
 passengers. Early in the morning of the 6th of October she 
 was overtaken by a violent storm, which continued without 
 intermission during the day; towards sunset the gale in- 
 creased, and the vessel became quite unmanageable. At two 
 o'clock the following morning a tremendous sea broke over 
 her, and swept away three of her best hands, with the compa- 
 nion, binnacle, a cable, and boom, and greatly damaged the 
 hull: all hands were then called to the pump, but only three 
 were able to render any assistance. At six o’clock they found 
 the vessel to be water-logged ; nothing then remained but to 
 endeavour to gain the main-top, which with immense difficulty 
 they accomplished, carrying with them one bag of bread, about 
 eight pounds of cheese, two dozen of wine, with a small quan- 
 tity of brandy and rum. Before they had time to secure them- 
 selves in their perilous situation, the vessel fell on her beam- 
 ends; but within half an hour the hatches blew up, and she 
 again righted. Their scanty stores were now examined, when, 
 to their utter dismay, all had been washed away except the 
 bag of bread. At this period a distressing scene occurred in 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. il 
 
 PLPP DIFP PPI FPL IG LP DOL PLDI DE LIP LOL. 
 Horrible Circumstances of a late Shipwreck. 
 
 LLP LD DD OF 
 
 LPLOEL PLL PDO L ESP OP LOI POP 
 
 GOES. IF POL 
 
 the midst of their afflictions: one of the passengers had his 
 wife on board, and a child 15 months old, which he carried in 
 his arms; the infant, however, he was compelled to abandon 
 to the merciless waves, in the view of its distracted mother ! 
 The mainsail was now let down to screen them from the seve- 
 rity of the weather, which continued tempestuous until F'ri- 
 day the 11th, when they were able once more to go upon the 
 deck. Their thirst had now become excessive, and nothing but 
 salt water could be procured. Having found the carpenter’s 
 axe, they cut a hole in the deck, near to where a water-cask 
 had been stowed ; but, alas! the cask had been stove, and no- 
 thing was to be found either for support or convenience, but 
 an empty pump-can, which they carried with them to the main- 
 top. That night the female passenger became insensible, and 
 next day, Saturday, the 12th, she died. This poor woman, 
 whose name was Joice Rae, came with her husband from be- 
 tween Belfast and Larne, in Ireland. The unhappy survivors 
 were now reduced by raging thirst, to support nature by suck- 
 ing the blood of their deceased companion, and, shocking to 
 relate, the miserable husband was necessitated to partake of 
 the unnatural and horrid beverage. Their sufferings, how- 
 ever, met with little allay from this temporary but dreadful 
 relief; they were now assailed by the most acute and ungo- 
 vernable hunger, and, to preserve existence, were compelled 
 to distribute the flesh. of the deceased among the famishing 
 survivors! While in the very acmé of their sufferings, a ship 
 hove in view ; but this joyful sight was of short duration, for 
 it being nearly dark, they remained unperceived by the vessel, 
 which continued her own course, and was soon out of their 
 reach. ‘This fresh misfortune threw them into greater despair 
 than they had yet experienced. From this time to the 23d the 
 following died: John Lamont, a boy; John M‘Kay, carpen- 
 ter; George M‘Dowell, passenger; Collin M‘Kechnie, and 
 the steward, Gilbert M‘Gilvray.. Part of the flesh of these 
 wretched sufferers was also devoured like that of the woman, 
 ‘The whole number was now reduced to the captain and one 
 of the seamen, who, by the help of the main-sail and the can 
 already mentioned, contrived to supply themselves with water 
 till the 14th of November, (having been thirty-eight days on 
 the wreck,) when they were providentially discovered by Cap- 
 tain Hudson, of the Saltom, of Carlisle; but they were yet 
 fated to suffer another shipwreck, though of minor importance. 
 On Tuesday, the 19th, this vessel, whilst riding off Beckfoot, 
 on the Cumberland coast, it blowing a gale, broke her chain- 
 cable, when she drifted too near to Mayborough, and was con- 
 siderably damaged, but all hands were saved, including the 
 
 . 
 
12 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIPPLIPL PL LIL LPL LPP LDP LLL PIL LID LOL 
 
 PIPL PLL OOL LPP PL/IPPLPDLOD 
 Horrible Circumstances of a late Shipwreck.—Fisherman of Naples. 
 
 PPL LIED LID LID 
 
 LLLP L OL 
 
 PLL LL LPOL ELE LOL DEL LOD 
 
 POP 
 
 two unfortunate sufferers, who arrived at Annan on Wednes- 
 day evening following, and, what is very remarkable, appa- 
 rently in good health. 
 
 a 
 
 TOMASO ANELLO, ALIAS, MASANIELLO, 
 The Fisherman of Naples. 
 
 “ A low-born man, of parentage obscure.” 
 
 —_---——— ** ordained, 
 And stamp’d a hero, by the sov’reign hand of nature !” 
 DovuG as. 
 [See Frontispiece, Fig. 6.] 
 
 Or all the strange events and transactions that have hap- 
 pened in different ages of the world, there are none more ex- 
 traordinary and surprising than the rise and fall of Masaniello. 
 
 Philip IV. of Spain, sensible of the affection of the Neapo- 
 litans, resolved to present them with a new donation: but all 
 commodities being already taxed, it was difficult to raise the 
 money ; so that they were obliged to lay a gabel (or tax) upon 
 all sorts of fruits that were brought to market; whereby the 
 common sort of people were deprived of their usual nourish- 
 ment and support, and reduced to the lowest misery and dis- 
 tress. This gabel was collected for several months ; at last it 
 grew insupportable, so that many poor wretches, having sold 
 all their household stuff, were obliged to prostitute their 
 daughters to the ministers of the gabels, to gain a short res- 
 pite: it was to annihilate this dreadful tax, that Masaniello 
 started singly, against all the power and influence of Naples, 
 and gained his point, by restoring to the Neapolitans their an- 
 cient charter. 
 
 Mindon describes him in these words :—“ A young fellow, 
 about twenty-four years old, happened to live in a corner ofa 
 great market-place of Naples, of a sprightly active disposi- 
 tion, pleasant and humorous, of a confident, bold address, and 
 of a middle stature ; black-eyed, sharp and piercing, his body 
 rather lean than fat, with short cropped hair, and a mariner’s 
 cap on his head: he wore long linen slops or drawers, a blue 
 waistcoat, and went bare-foot ; but he had a daring enterpriz- 
 ing countenance, and a good share of stern resolution and 
 rough courage. He got his living by angling for small fish, 
 with a cane, hook and line, and sometimes he bought fish in 
 the market, and retailed them. His name was Tomaso Anello, 
 oe Amalphi, but vulgarly, and by contraction, called Masani- 
 ello. . 
 
 Masaniello’s wife was taken by the officers for selling fruit 
 in the streets, that had not paid the gabel, and he was obli- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 13 
 
 PPLPP LOL OP LLL LIP IPL DE PLOLO DOLL DLE DLL E LODDR 
 
 Oe TO ala a 
 Masaniello, the Fisherman of Naples. 
 
 CLOPLO LOD LOO LOD LDL DID LDL BLO LL OL DD LDL LDP LI DDL DD LDP LDP LE DLOO DID L DE LDL DD OPDDDDP DOD SOP LGD 
 
 gated to sell all his goods to pay the fine of one hundred du- 
 cats; this struck so deep to the heart of Masaniello, that he 
 determined to do away with so unjust a tax as the gabel; 
 whereupon, on coming home, he found a great number of boys 
 together ; he made a speech to them, in which he inveighed 
 bitterly against the cruelty of government, and soon made 
 them of his party. He taught them to go about exclaiming 
 against the injustice of their taxes, and in a few days he had 
 5,000 of them under his command, all sturdy lads, to whom he 
 gave lessons. On the next market-day they seized all the 
 fruit, and distributed it to the mob. This action alarmed the 
 whole city, and all things were in great confusion. 
 
 Masaniello was now made commander by the people; 
 whereupon he began to collect arms, and sent to a shopkeeper 
 for some gunpowder, and, on his refusal, ordered his house 
 to be burnt down, which was instantly done. 
 
 The vice-roy being now alarmed, sent a letter to Masani- 
 ello, which he answered, and enclosed his conditions of peace ; 
 and they not being complied with, he searched all the houses 
 for arms, and seized several guns out of a ship. 
 
 At length an interview took place between the vice-roy and 
 Masaniello, when it was agreed that the tax should be taken 
 off. At this meeting, Masaniello gave surprising proofs of the 
 obedience of the people to him :—Now,” said he to the vice- 
 roy, “see how my people obey me.” ‘The people had assem- 
 bled round the vice-roy’s house, all was tumuit and confusion, 
 Masaniello appeared at the balcony, and putting his finger to 
 his mouth, the people were all silent and attentive. He then 
 5 aie them to repair home, which they did in the greatest 
 order. 
 
 After this negociation, the people finding themselves with- 
 out a leader, called on Masaniello to be their conductor and 
 generalissimo, which he accepted. ‘They also appointed Ge- 
 noino, a priest, to attend his person, as counsellor; and they 
 added, as a companion, the celebrated Banditto Perrone. 
 Masaniello, by his behaviour, won the affections of all the 
 people. 
 
 Qn the Sunday following the capitulations were signed and 
 ratified in the cathedral church, and, on the next day, Masa- 
 niello issued a proclamation, stating the office of generalissimo, 
 which the people had conferred on him, had been confirmed 
 by the vice-roy. 
 
 It was on a stage in the market-place where Masaniello 
 gave public audiences, clothed in white, like a mariner: here 
 he received all petitions, and gave sentences, both civil and 
 criminal. A list of above sixty persons being presented, who 
 
14 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP LINGO SD £3 DPLLOO LLL LDL LLG LOD LICL OP LDL LED LOL LPL LID LOD L 
 
 Masaniello, the Fisherman of Naples. 
 
 PLO LOG PLL LPL PLDLOE LED LLP LOD LOL LOL POL LIE POE PIPL PELL LOR LOS 
 
 PLP LLL LOL LPL LD DOPOD 
 
 had farmed the taxes, and were reported to have enriched them- 
 selves with the blood of the people, and consequently deserv- 
 ing to be made examples of, an order was issued that their 
 houses and goods should be burnt, which was done accord- 
 ingly, and with so much precision, that no one was suffered to 
 carry away the smallest article. Many for stealing trifling ar- 
 ticles from the flames were hanged in the public market-place 
 by order of Masaniello. 
 
 He was so severe in his judgments, that he had a baker 
 burnt in his own oven, for selling bread lighter than the as- 
 size. All his orders were faithfully obeyed, and affixed to the 
 buildings, and subscribed, “* Tomaso Anello d’ Amalphi, Head 
 and Captain-general of the faithful people of Naples.” 
 
 But Masaniello, who had hitherto behaved with so much 
 wisdom and kingly authority, became, all on a sudden, deli- 
 rious, and it is generally supposed he had some intoxicating 
 draught given him. In one of his mad fits, he made two great 
 nobles kiss his feet in the market-place, for not getting out of 
 their carriage when he passed: at length he grew so violently 
 tyrannic, that the people petitioned the vice-roy to displace 
 him; but no person was to be found who could take away the 
 life of that man who was the sole cause of restoring their 
 liberties. 
 
 Being at Posillippo, he committed such extravagant things, 
 that the people were obliged to secure him, and took him to his 
 own house, where they confined him. From hence he made 
 his escape from his guards, and got safe into the church of our 
 Lady of Carmine, where he resigned himself up to the arch- 
 bishop, who was there singing mass, saying, that he knew the 
 people were tired of him, and that he was willing to die. Just 
 when the archbishop was going to the altar, Masaniello got up 
 into the pulpit, and, taking hold of a crucifix, implored the 
 people not to forsake him; and behaved in so inconsistent a 
 manner, that he was forced out of it. At this moment the men 
 who were appointed by the vice-roy to kill him, entered the 
 church; when Masaniello ran to them, saying, ‘Is it me you 
 want, my people? Behold, here | am!” when the contents of 
 four muskets were fired at him. He inst«it/y dropped down, 
 and had just time to say, “ Ah! ungrateiui traitors !”” and then 
 breathed his last. His head was cut off, placed on a pike, and 
 carried through the streets by the murderers, singing Masani- 
 ello is dead! ‘The people did not revenge this foul murder. 
 
 The love of a populace may be compared to a broken reed, 
 whoever leans on it is sure of falling. They who once adored 
 him, now saw him dragged through the kennels of the streets, 
 and, at last, thrown into a ditch! But, the next day, some 
 
CURIOSITIES Of NATURE AND ART. 15 
 
 POL LPP LOL LPL POL DLD PLL LPOLLOS 
 
 Masaniello, the Fisherman of Naples,—The Outrageous Turk. 
 
 LOD LIP L LIE DLE 
 
 LPL PLP LBD LLP LOL POE PLL ELDER LDL LL E BBL 
 
 PLOLLODA 
 
 , ae 
 
 PIL LD D LOD ELF LPILPLOL LLP L LOL OP DDD LLL DL DE ODL LOD LDL ODD LEP 
 
 people went and fetched his body, washed it, and carried it on - 
 a bier to the cathedral church of Carmine. At the same time, 
 a young man, called Donneruma, went with a company of men 
 armed, and looked for his head in the Corn Ditch, and having 
 found it, took it where his body was, in order to have them 
 joined together. This being done, a meeting of the people was 
 called, and it was resolved to bury Masaniello with great 
 style, which was accordingly done, in all the pomp of a great 
 military commander: an instance of popular inconsistency not 
 to be equalled. In three days Masaniello was obeyed like a 
 monarch, murdered like a villain, and revered like a saint ! 
 
 Thus rose and fell Masaniello of Amalphi! the dread of the 
 Spaniards, the avenger of public oppressions, and the saviour 
 of his desolate country. All antiquity cannot furnish us with 
 such another example as this; and posterity will hardly be- 
 lieve what height of power this ridiculous sovereign arrived 
 to, who, trampling barefoot on a throne, and wearing a mari- 
 ner’s cap instead of a diadem, in the space of four days raised 
 an army of 150,000 men, and made himself master of one of 
 the most populous cities in the world. His orders were with- 
 out reply; his decrees without appeal ; and the destiny of Na- 
 ples might be said to depend upon a single motion of his hand! 
 
 ft has been said that two capuchins foretold, when they saw 
 Masaniello in his cradle, that that child should one day come 
 to be the master of Naples, but that his government should be 
 but of a short duration. 
 
 Tene 
 A REMARKABLE ANECDOTE OF ALI MUSTAPHA, THE 
 OUTRAGEOUS TURK. 
 
 Ati Mustapua, who was born at Candie, in the year 1734, 
 was endued with a most violent and vindictive disposition. 
 ‘This ‘Turk was continually upon excursions, and as he pre- 
 ferred the most economical way, his travelling was always 
 humble. Having entered a barge on the Seine, with his inter- 
 preter, the day being exceedingly sultry, he fell fast asleep. 
 Three soldiers, who were likewise on board, anxious to have 
 some sport with the Turk, but totally unacquainted with his 
 disposition, took some strips of paper, which they lighted with 
 the candle, and burned his beard almost close to the skin. 'The 
 interpreter, apprehensive of some ill consequences, endea- 
 voured to dissuade them from their ill-timed mirth; he expa- 
 tiated much upon the warmth of his master’s temper, but no 
 remonstrance availed ; they were determined upon fun, and 
 dearly paid for it: the flame touching his chin, awoke the 
 Turk, who, upon discovering the joke, seized a hatchet that was 
 
16 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POL 
 
 PLIELLDP LE DIDODILA 
 
 The Outrageous Turk.—A Case of Domestic Calamity, 
 
 PLL LIL DLL PLDPPL OLDE PPL LL EF 
 
 PRPS IIIOS ey Sa 
 
 PRI LDS 
 
 POP 
 
 unfortunately lying in his way, and dealt such violent blows 
 promiscuously about, that the innocent as well as the offend- 
 ing, suffered. 
 
 His beard now burnt, what vengeance the Turk hurl’d 
 
 On all around. He would have killed the world ! 
 
 During this unequal conflict the people endeavoured to run 
 away, but the impetuous Mustapha followed. His interpreter, 
 for whom he often professed a regard, was first of all attacked, 
 being now esteemed the greatest offender for suffering so great 
 an injury to be offered him. A nurse and her infant were 
 murdered, likewise the three soldiers whose mirth had incurred 
 this most extraordinary disaster. Some few made their escape 
 by leaping out of the barge ; but the accident was so instan- 
 taneous, there was no time to think of escaping. One man, 
 who had a sword, endeavoured in vain to defend himself, but 
 it was impossible to parry off the strokes of so dangerous a 
 weapon, guided with such impetuosity. ‘There being now no 
 method to calm his ruffled temper, one of the persons who had 
 a pistol in his pocket, properly loaded, fired at him: the Turk 
 fell, and was secured. 
 
 Happy, indeed, there was a pistol near 
 To stop his wild, impetuous career. 
 
 He died three days after this at Sens, in consequence of the 
 
 wounds he received from the pistol, Sept. 6, 1787, aged 53. 
 
 — a 
 A CASE OF DOMESTIC CALAMITY. 
 
 WE have seldom had to record a case of more melancholy, 
 and indeed romantic domestic affliction, than one which has 
 lately occurred in the Isle of Man. A Miss Fell, a beautiful 
 young lady, resident on that island, walked out to amuse her- 
 self on the cliffs, near Douglas Head, from one of which she 
 fell, and was precipitated upon a shelving rock, at a consider- 
 able distance below. She was much bruised by the fall; the 
 sea almost surrounded her, and the part on which it was 
 bounded by the land was so precipitous, that escape was Im- 
 possible. Here she remained for thirteen days and nights, 
 unnoticed by the few boats which passed so far beneath her, 
 that she could not have appeared larger than a bird, and her 
 voice quite exhausted by her ees hi attempts to render her- 
 self audible. A small well of spring water, which she fortu- 
 nately found upon the cliff, afforded her only nourishment. 
 On the fourteenth day, however, the waving of her handker- 
 chief attracted the notice of a boatman, who rowed towards 
 her, and found her almost insensible, on her knees, her hands 
 clasped in the attitude of prayer, and her voice scarcely strong 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 17 
 
 DOP LORD O LDL PLOL OL DIG 
 
 Se 
 
 A Case of Domestic Calamity.—Battle of Waterloo. 
 
 , Ae 
 
 PP LLL LL DLS POLI DOP OPLPDOLLP 
 
 PLOLIOIIO IIS 
 
 PLL LIP LOO LOPLOLP ODI 
 
 enough to disclose her residence. She was carried home, 
 where she found her wretched mother worn out by ker bro- 
 ther’s illness, and her own absence, and was only just in time 
 to receive her dying breath. The wretched young lady, ago- 
 nized and exhausted, terminated her own existence in a fit of 
 insanity. 
 
 —— a 
 
 BONAPARTE’S GREAT WORK; 
 Or, History of his Own Times, written by himself: 
 
 “Tt is Napoleon himself who speaks.” 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 ‘“* DuRING the last seven years much has been written relative to Napoleon 
 Every one has thought proper to pass judgment on the prisoner of St. He- 
 lena; statesmen, soldiers, authors, of all nations, have seized the historic 
 pen; every body has spoken, except the man who has been the subject of 
 somuch discussion. At length he breaks silence—and in the most solemn 
 manner ;—from the tomb in which he lies, he appeals to the judgment of 
 posterity. When he signed his abdication at Fontainebleau, he said to the 
 remains of his veteran battalions, ‘I will record the deeds we have per- 
 formed together.’ But scarcely had he arrived at the Isle of Elba, when a 
 new project engrossed his.ardent mind; he began to meditate the 20th of 
 March! It was at St. Helena that he found means to fulfil his promise given 
 at Fontainebleau. Too active to delay for an instant the execution of a 
 project on which he had determined, he did not even wait until he arrived 
 at the rock of exile ; on board the vessel which carried him thither he com- 
 menced his memoirs, He made them his constant occupation, and to enu- 
 mcrate the labours he bestowed upon them, would be to write the history 
 of his life at St. Helena. He employed the six years of his captivity in re- 
 cording the events of the twenty years of his political life. Like Casar and 
 Frederic, he wished to leave behind bim.a monument which might endure 
 for ages. He seldom wrote with his own hand; he was impatient at the 
 tedious pen which refused to follow the rapidity of his thoughts. He dic- 
 tated to those who were about him, and they were obliged to accustom 
 themselves to write with the celerity of speech. They often found it diffi- 
 cult to transcribe during the night, what he had dictated to them in the 
 day. The copies thus made, Napoleon revised in his closet, correcting 
 them with his own hand. These manuscripts, entirely covered with his 
 writing, have been carefully preserved, because nothing which comes from 
 so celebrated a man wil! be indifferent in the eyes of posterity: and they 
 constitute such a proof of authenticity as cannot be ealled in question”.— 
 Without attending to the order of the original, our selection will com- 
 mence with such subjects as command the most prominent interest.—Ep. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO. 
 
 Dunrine the night, the emperor gave all the necessary or- 
 ders for the battle of next day, although every thing indicated 
 that it would not take place. During the four days that hos- 
 tilities had continued, he had, by the most skilful manceuvres, 
 surprised the enemy’s armies, gained a brilliant victory, and 
 separated the two armies. This was much for his glory, but 
 
 D 
 
18 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DIP IL OLLIE LI DLL ILD LLG LEG DOL LDL ODO LDL LL OL OD LOD LLL LIL ODD LL I ODL LDL DID LD LD OL DDL LED DOLE OP AND 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times.—The Battle of Waterloo. 
 
 BPPLOF. PRP LE LOL LL LLL OLD LOD LDL LOL DOP LLL ODO LE PL DID LL OL DP DIOL DELO DLO OLD L DDD LD DL ID ODS 
 
 not enough for the situation in which he was placed! The 
 three hours’ delay which the left had experienced in its move- 
 ments, prevented him from attacking, as he intended, the An- 
 glo-Belgian army, in the afternoon of the 17th, which would 
 have crowned his campaign! As things now were, it was pro- 
 babie that the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blucher 
 would profit by the night to cross the forest of Soignes, and 
 unite before Brussels; after this junction, which might be 
 effected before nine o’clock in the morning, the position of the 
 French army would become extremely critical. ‘The two ar- 
 mies would then be reinforced by all the forces left in their 
 rear: six thousand English were disembarked at Ostend 
 within a few days; these troops returned from America. The 
 French army could not hazard crossing the forest of Soignes, 
 to encounter more than double its force, already in position ; 
 nevertheless, the other armies, Russian, Austrian, Bavarian, 
 &c. were about to pass the Rhine, and march on the Marne ; 
 while the fifth corps, left for the defence of Alsace, was only 
 twenty thousand strong. . 
 
 Full of meditation on these important subjects, the emperor 
 went out on foot, at one o’clock in the morning, accompanied 
 by his grand marshal; his design was to follow the English 
 army in its retreat, and to endeavour to attack it, notwith- 
 standing the obscurity of the night, as soon as it should com- 
 mence its march. He visited the whole line of main guards. 
 The forest of Soignes appeared like one continued blaze; the 
 horizon between that forest, Braine-la-Leude, the farms of La 
 Belle Alliance and La Haye, were resplendent with the fires 
 of numerous bivouacs; the most profound silence reigned. 
 The Anglo-Belgian army was wrapt in sleep, owing to the fa- 
 tigues which it had undergone on the preceding days. Arrived 
 near the wood of Hougoumont, he heard the noise of a co- 
 lumn in march: it was then half past two o’clock ; so that the 
 rear-guard ought to quit its position, if the enemy was in re- 
 treat. Thisillusion was short; the noise ceased, and the rain 
 fell in torrents. Several officers, sent to reconnoitre, and 
 others who returned to head-quarters at half past three, con- 
 firmed the opinion, that the Anglo-Belgian army had made no 
 movement. At four o’clock, the scouts brought in a peasant, 
 who had served as a guide to a brigade of English cavalry, 
 which went to take position on the left, at the village of Ohain. 
 Two Belgian deserters, who had just quitted their.regiment, 
 reported that their army were preparing for battle, and that 
 no retrograde movement had taken place; that Belgium 
 prayed for the success of the emperor, while the Kaglish and 
 the Prussians were equally unpopular there. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 1S. 
 
 PEP LDL PLL PID LOL LIP LDL ODL LOD LLE LOD LDP. 
 
 PPP LIP LIP LOL LDL DDE POP LOPE OL PPP OD PPP LADD OPO 
 
 Bonaparte’s Great Work.—Elephant Destroyer.-—Singular Character. 
 
 PLO LID LI DID DLL ODL I 
 
 PPLEL IL LE LLE LDP LOI LOL LOL 
 
 LPP L ID LOL PDE LOL LOOP 
 
 The British general could have done nothing more con- 
 trary to the interests of his party and of his nation, or to the 
 general spirit of this campaign, and even to the most obvious 
 rules of war, than to remain in the position which he occupied. 
 He had in his rear the defiles of the forest of Soignes, so that, 
 if beaten, retreat was impossible. 
 
 The French troops bivouacked in the midst of a deep mud 
 and the officers thought it impossible to give battle on the fol 
 lowing day ; the grounds were so moistened that the artillery 
 and the cavalry could not possibly manceuvre in them, and it 
 would require twelve hours of fine weather to dry them. The 
 dawn having begun to appear, the emperor returned to his 
 head-quarters, full of satisfaction at the great fault committed 
 by the enemy’s general; though very apprehensive that the 
 bad weather would prevent him from profiting by it. Butthe 
 atmosphere became more clear, and at five o’clock he perceived 
 some feeble rays of that sun, which, before setting, was to wit- 
 ness the ruin of his opponents. ‘The British oligarchy would 
 be overthrown! France was about to rise again—more glo- 
 rious, powerful, and grand than ever ! 
 
 [ To be continued. | 
 
 eee 
 DESCRIPTION OF AN JNSECT WHICH DESTROYS THE ELEPHANT. 
 
 Tuese lords of the forest, though, from their size and 
 strength, formidable to all its other inhabitants, themselves 
 live in continual apprehension ofa small reptile, against which 
 neither their sagacity nor their prowess can at all defend them. 
 This diminutive creature gets into the trunk of the elephant, 
 and pursues its course till it finally fixes in his head, and, by 
 keeping him in continual agony, at length torments the stu- 
 pendous animal to death. So dreadfully afraid are the ele- 
 phants of this dangerous enemy, that they use a variety of . 
 precautions to prevent his attacks ; and never lay their trunks 
 to the-ground, except when to gather or separate their food. 
 
 ae 
 OLD BOOTS. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 25.] 
 
 TuHeE name of this singular character is not known. Among 
 the vast variety of human countenances, none perhaps ever 
 excited more public curiosity than that of Old Boots; he was 
 formed by nature, with a nose and chin, so tenderly endearing, 
 that they used to embrace each other; so much so, that he 
 could hold a piece of money between them. — 
 
 The appellation of Old Boots was given him on account of 
 his being employed at an inn at Rippon, to clean boots. He 
 
20) CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART 
 
 PLP PIPL IEG LOL PDE LOC L OLD LPOLIDO LOD LIG PIP PLL LOOP DOLL DD LDL L LOL DL LODL DL LLP LOO LOL DOL LODE OLODD 
 
 Singular Character.—Situation of Extreme Horror. 
 
 PPP LOD PPP LDP OED GOD OP ODD LED ODD LOD LE DG LOL LG DEOLGOE LOD LODE PLD LODILODL EOL GOEDEL DDL DAC POL LDL DLL ODE 
 
 always went into the rooms, with a boot-jack and a pair of 
 slippers. ‘The urbanity of his manners always pleased the com- 
 pany, who frequently gave him money, on condition that he 
 would hold it between his nose and chin, which request he al- 
 ways complied with, and bore off the treasure with great satis- 
 faction. He remained at the above inn till his death. 
 
 — 
 
 A SITUATION OF EXTREME HORROR. 
 
 ‘“T oncE” says a celebrated writer, “ read a most horrible 
 story of some French travellers, who attempted to explore 
 the vaulis of the Egyptian pyramids, which revives some 
 of those terrifying obstructions we sometimes meet with 
 in disturbed dreams. 'These persons had already traversed 
 an extensive labyrinth of chambers and passages; they 
 were on their return, and had arrived at the most difficult 
 part of it—a very long and winding passage, forming a 
 communication between two chambers; its opening narrow 
 and low. The ruggedness of the floor, sides, and roof, ren- 
 dered their progress slow and. laborious, and these difficul- 
 ties increased rapidly as they advanced. The torch with 
 which they had entered became useless, from the impossibi- 
 lity of holding it upright, as the passage diminished its height. 
 Both its height and width, at length, however, became so much 
 contracted, that the party was compelled to crawl on their 
 bellies. Their wanderings in these interminable passages (for 
 such, in their fatigue of body and mind they deemed them) 
 seemed to be endless. Their alarm was already great, and 
 their patience already exhausted, when the headmost of the 
 party cried out, that he could discern the light at the exit of 
 the passage, at a considerable distance a-head, but that he 
 could not advance any farther, and that in his efforts to press 
 on, in hopes to surmount the obstacle without complaining, 
 he had squeezed himself so far into the reduced opening, that 
 he had now no longer sufficient strength even to recede! The 
 situation of the whole party may be imagined: their terror 
 was beyond the power of direction or advice; while the 
 wretched leader, whether from terror, or the natural effect of 
 his situation, swelled so that, if it was before difficult, it was 
 now impossible for him to stir from the spot he thus miserably 
 occupied. One of the party at this dreadful and critical mo- 
 ment, proposed, in the intense selfishness to which the feeling 
 of vital danger reduces all, as the only means of escape from 
 this horrible confinement,—this living grave, to cut in pieces 
 the wretched being who formed the obstruction, and clear it by 
 dragging the dismembered carcase piece-meal past them! He 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 2) 
 
 LLP ODD DODD DP 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman. 
 heard this dreadful proposal, and, contracting himself with 
 agony at the idea of this death, was reduced by a strong mus- 
 cular spasm to his usual dimensions, and was dragged out, 
 affording room for the party to squeeze themselves past over 
 his prostrate body. The unhappy creature was suffocated in 
 the effort, and was left behind a corpse ! 
 
 ——_ 
 
 THE INTERESTING HISTORY OF 
 DON GUZMAN. 
 
 “Or what I am about to read to you,” said the stranger, 
 ‘“* | have witnessed part myself, and the remainder is esta- 
 blished on a basis as strong as human evidence can make 
 it. 
 
 “In the city of Seville, where I lived many years, I knew a 
 wealthy merchant, far advanced in years, who was known by 
 the name of Guzman the Rich. He was of obscure birth, and 
 those who honoured his wealth sufficiently to borrow from 
 him frequently, never honoured his name so far as to prefix 
 Don to it, or to add his surname, of which, indeed, most were 
 ignorant, and among the number, it is said, the wealthy mer- 
 chant himself. He was well respected, however; and when 
 Guzman was seen, as regularly as the bell tolled for vespers, 
 to issue from the narrow door of the house, lock it carefully, 
 view it twice or thrice with a wistful eye, then deposit the key 
 in his bosom, and move slowly to church, feeling for the key 
 in his vest the whole way, the proudest heads in Seville were 
 uncovered as he passed, and the children who were playing in 
 a streets, desisted from their sports till he had halted by 
 them. 
 
 “* Guzman had neither wife nor child, relative or friend. 
 An old female domestic constituted his whole household, and 
 his personal expenses were calculated on a scale of the most 
 pinching frugality ; it was therefore matter of anxious conjec- 
 ture to many, how his enormous wealth would be bestowed 
 after his death. This anxiety gave rise to enquiries about the 
 possibility of Guzman having relatives, though in remoteness 
 and obscurity ; and the diligence of enquiry, when stimulated 
 at once by avarive and curiosity, is indefatigable. ‘Thus it 
 was at length discovered that Guzman had formerly a sister, 
 many years younger than himself, who, at a very early age, 
 had married a German musician, a Protestant, and had shortly 
 after quitted Spain. It was remembered, or reported, that 
 she had made many efforts to soften the heart and open the 
 hand of her brother, who was even then very wealthy, to in- 
 
 b] 
 
22 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPOLLP PL OL DL DLL OLE DDL LL O LOLOL DO ODE DLO LDL POLL OL OLE CLO ODL ODD LOL LOD LOD DDE DGD OLE LID DOE PSE 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman.—The Cave of Death. 
 
 PPPPLDGL IDL PLL ELL OLD PPLE OOF F POO DDP LOS DOLLOP 
 
 PIL PLIES ELE ODI DD ED PLP ODE LDS. 
 
 duce him to be reconciled to their union, and to enable her 
 and her husband to remain in Spain. Guzman was inflexible. 
 Wealthy, and proud of his wealth as he was, he might have 
 digested the unpalatable morsel of her union with a poor man, 
 whom he could have made rich; but he could not even swal- 
 low the intelligence that she had married a Protestant. Ines, 
 for that was her name, and her husband, went to Germany, 
 partly in dependence on his musical talents, which were highly 
 appreciated in that country—partly in the vague hope of emi- 
 grants, that change of place will be attended with change of 
 circumstances—and partly, also, from the feeling, that misfor- 
 tune is better tolerated any where than in the presence of those 
 who inflict it. Such was the tale told by the old, who affected 
 to remember the facts—and believed by the young, whose ima- 
 gination supplied all the defects of memory, and pictured to 
 them an interesting beauty, with her children hanging about 
 her, embarking, with a heretic husband, for a distant country, 
 and sadly bidding farewell to the land and the religion of her 
 fathers. 
 
 ‘“‘ Now, while these things were talked of at Seville, Guz- 
 man fell sick, and was given over by the pliysicians, whom, 
 with considerable reluctance, he had suffered to be called 
 in. | 
 
 [Zo be continued. | 
 
 =e eE- 
 THE CAVE OF DEATH. 
 
 An authentic Narrative of most. surprising Escapes from 
 French Prison. 
 
 Dvrine the reign of terror in the early part of the Frenc] 
 Revolution, the prisons of Lyons were filled with thousands 
 of unhappy victims. On the 9th of December, seventy-two 
 prisoners were condemned, and thrown into a prison called 
 the Cave or Deatu, there to await the execution of their 
 sentence. ‘This could not be the next day, because it was the 
 decadi. One of the prisoners, by name Porral, only twenty- 
 two years of age, of a bold and ardent spirit, profited of this 
 interval to devise a plan of escape. His sisters having, by 
 means of a very large bribe, obtained access to this abode of 
 horrors, began to weep around him. “ It is not now a time 
 to weep,” said he, “ it is the moment to arm ourselves with 
 resolution and activity, and endeavour to find some way by 
 which we can elude our menaced fate. Bring me files, a chisel, 
 a turn-screw, and other instruments; bring wine in abun- 
 
4 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. _ 93 
 
 The Cave of Death, 
 
 LPLLE LOL LOL OP DLLOLDDL LLL DOLL LED DOL DL EPO PPS GOL OOP 
 
 PRP DIL LIFT OL LIL LL TE 
 
 PSF 
 
 dance ; bring poniards, that, if reduced to extremity, we may 
 not perish without the means of defence. By this grate which 
 looks into the Rue Lafond; you can give me these things, I will 
 be in waiting there the whole day to receive them.” 
 
 The sisters retired, and in the course of the day at different 
 visits, brought a variety of tools, twelve fowls, and about 
 sixteen bottles of wine. Porral communicated his project to 
 four others, bold and active like himself, and the whole busi- 
 ness was arranged. The evening arrived, a general supper . 
 was proposed, the last they should ever eat. The prisoners 
 supped well, exhorting each other to meet their fate the next 
 morning with heroism, to brave their tyrants with their last 
 breath. The wine was handed briskly about till the heads of 
 the company began to turn, and in the end, they were all laid 
 fast asleep. 
 
 At eleven o’clock the associates began their labours. One 
 of them was placed as a sentinel near the door of the cave, 
 armed with a poniard, ready to dispatch the turnkey, if, at his 
 visit at two o’clock in the morning, he should appear to sus- 
 pect any thing particular to be going forward; the others, 
 putting off their coats, began to make their researches. 
 
 At the extremity of the second cave they found a huge door, 
 and on this they began their overations. It was of oak, and 
 double barred; by degrees the hinges gave way to the file, and 
 the door was no longer held by them; still, however, they 
 could not force it open, it was retained by something on the © 
 other side. A hole was made in it with the chisel, and looking 
 through, they perceived that it was tied by a very strong rope 
 to a post at a little distance. This was a terrible moment! 
 They endeavoured in vain to cut the rope with the chisel or 
 the file, but they could not reach it. At length one of the 
 party hit upon an expedient: he returned to the cave, and 
 begged a piece of wax-candle of Fromental, a notary, in whose 
 possession he remembered to have seen sucha thing. Fro- 
 mental, halfasleep, gave it to him; it was lighted and tied to 
 the end of a stick, then thrust through the hole in the door till 
 it reached the cord, which in a short time it burnt asunder. 
 The door was then opened, and the adventurers proceeded 
 forward. | 
 
 They found themselves in another vault, in the midst of 
 which was a large slab ef stone, which seemed laid there for 
 some particular purpose. They struck upon it, when a hollow 
 noise came from within. This gave them hopes that it was 
 placed to cover the entrance of some subterraneous passage ; 
 perhaps it might be one that led to the Rhone. They immedi- 
 ately began to employ all their efforts to remove the stone, in 
 
SA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARTY: 
 
 DPIGPOD LOR 
 
 PPE LIE LLL LOD PP LPLLF PPG LLL LLOLLLO LLL 
 
 The Cave of Death. 
 
 PPL LID LL D LLP LE LOE LPP 
 
 PLELLLL LLL LLL LLLLLPPSPS 
 
 GIL LIL LLE LOE LED ODP POD 
 
 which they at length succeeded, and found, to their inexpres- 
 sible transport, that they were not deceived in their conjec- 
 tures; that it was indeed a subterraneous passage, and they 
 doubted not that here they should find an issue. ‘They then 
 tied their handkerchiefs together, and one of them, named La- 
 batre, taking hold of the end with one hand, and carrying a 
 light in the other, descended to explore the place. Alas! their 
 hopes were in a moment blasted; instead of finding any pas- 
 sage by which they could escape, he perceived that this was an 
 old well, dried up, and heaped with rubbish. Labatre re- 
 turned with a heavy heart: some other means must be sought. 
 
 A door at the extremity of the cave now appeared their only 
 resource, Qn this they set to work; but, after having forced 
 the lock and hinges, still the door resisted their efforts; they 
 could not get it open. They had again recourse to the chisel, 
 and having made a hole, they discovered that the obstacle now 
 was two pieces of stone laid against it. They pushed with all 
 their might, and at length dislodging one of the stones, it fell 
 down, and with it fell the door. 
 
 But this led only to another vault, which served as a depot 
 for confiscated effects and merchandize. Among other things 
 was a large trunk full of shirts. ‘They profited of this disco- 
 very, to make an exchange of linen; and instead of the clean 
 ones which they took, they left their own covered with filth 
 and vermin. 'T'wo doors besides that at which they had en- 
 tered, now offered themselves to their choice. They began to 
 attack one, but they had scarcely applied the file, when they 
 ‘were alarmed by the barking of a dog behind it. A general 
 consternation seized the party ; the work was stopped in an 
 instant: perhaps the door led into the apartments of the gaoler. 
 This idea recalled to their minds, that it was now near two 
 o’clock, the time of his visit. 
 
 One of the party returned towards the Cave of Death to see 
 whether all was safe; and it was agreed to suspend their la- 
 bours till his return. They had indeed need of some moments 
 of rest; they took advantage of them to fortify themselves for 
 the rest of their work, by taking some wine. “ 1 do not in ge- 
 neral like wine,” said one of the prisoners to me in relating 
 his story ; ‘ but never did I take any thing with greater plea- 
 sure than that which I drank in this gloomy cave. At every 
 drop I swallowed, my arm seemed strengthened, my courage 
 fortified ; wine did indeed, on this occasion, appear truly to 
 strengthen man’s heart.” 
 
 When he who had been sent as a scout returned, he said 
 that at his arrival in the Cave of Death, he had shuddered with 
 horror at finding the turnkey there already. He, however, 
 
: 
 * 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. gs 
 
 LPPLIP LIL POLL ODL IL PPL DID PLIL DE DPD ODL PDO G IPD ODL BOL PDO POD OLED PDL OLE ODE DPOL DOL DOL FOP OOLLOO 
 
 The Cave of Death. 
 
 who had been left as sentinel, had engaged him to drink with 
 him; and the scout joining the party, they plied him so well, 
 that he at last reeled off without much examining the cave, and 
 was in all probability laid fast asleep for the rest of the night. 
 This was very consoling news. Quitting then the door at which 
 they had heard the dog bark, they applied themselves to 
 the other. They found here folding doors, one of which was 
 held by a bar of iron; the bar was easily loosened, and the 
 door opened. But they were not yet at the end of their la- 
 bours; they only found themselves in a long dark passage. 
 At the end they perceived another door, but listening they 
 heard voices behind it. ‘They looked through a crack; the 
 glimmering remains of a fire showed them some men extended 
 on a heap of straw. Are these more prisoners? was the first | 
 idea that presented itself to their minds: if so, we must join 
 party with them, and escape together; but one of the men 
 raising himself up, they perceived that he was in the national 
 uniform, and found that the door led in fact to the guard- 
 house. ‘This was a terrible stroke; had they then got so far, 
 only to meet with a worse obstacle than any they had yet en- 
 countered ?—must all their labours prove then at length 
 fruitless ? | : 
 
 One only resource remained, and this was a door which they 
 had passed on the side of the passage, and which they had not 
 attempted because they conceived it must lead to the great 
 court of the Hotel de Ville, and they had rather have found 
 some other exit. In fact, having forced the door, it appeared 
 they were not mistaken, that they were at the bottom of a 
 stair-case which led into the court. 
 
 It was now half past four o’clock; the morning was dark 
 and cold, while rain and snow were falling in abundance. The 
 associates embraced each other with transport, and were pre- 
 paring to mount the stair-case, when Porral cried, “ What are 
 you about ?—if we attempt to go out at present, all is over 
 with us. The gate is now shut, and, if any one should be per- 
 ceived in the court, the alarm would instantly be given, and » 
 all would be discovered. After having had the courage to pe- 
 netrate thus far, let us have resolution still to wait awhile. 
 At eight o’clock the gate will be opened, and the passage 
 through the court free. We can then steal out by degrees, 
 and mingling with the numbers that are constantly passing and 
 repassing, we can get away without being perceived. It is 
 not till ten o’clock that the prisoners are summoned away to 
 execution; between eight and ten there will be time enough 
 for all of us to get away.. We will return to the cave, and 
 when the time of departure arrives, each of us five will adver- 
 
 iE 
 
2, CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PP PPLAL EDEL OL OLPLDF DOE LOO LOI DED ODO SL. 
 
 LOD LOL LD EL DL LPO PLD LD LODE PPD ODDPG PPI LE PIPE OLD 
 
 The Cave of Death. 
 
 PIPLIDPP GOP PDPLOLP PIED PPLPL PLP POL EP LLP DL DL PODLOP LOL 
 
 PP PLP OP LIL LPO LLL LD LPP LPP D IPD LIP 
 
 tise two others of the means of escape offered. We shall then 
 be fifteen, and going out three at a time, we shall pass unob- 
 served. Let the last three as they set out, advertise fifteen 
 others, and thus in succession we may all escape.” This plan 
 appeared judicious and safe: it was unanimously agreed to, 
 and the associates returning to the cave, made choice of those 
 who should first be informed of what they had done. 
 
 Montellier, a notary, was one to whom the means of escape 
 was offered. “I thank you,” said he to him who offered it, 
 “ but I will tell you as a secret, that | have been mistaken for 
 my brother, who has fled the country. Of this the judges have 
 been. informed; they are convinced of their mistake, and to- 
 morrow morning I shall be set at liberty. I would not, there- 
 fore, hazard the danger of being proscribed by an attempt to 
 escape.”’ Alas, how deceitful was the vision he had formed 
 to himself! At noon the next day Montellier was no more. 
 
 The ci-devant Baron de Chaffoy, a man still in the flower 
 of his age, was also instructed in the way of escape that was 
 opened. “ No,” he answered, “ life has nothing now to offer 
 which can make it worth my acceptance; all my ties in this 
 world are broken. I have felt the sentiments of affection as 
 strongly as any one—they never contributed to my happiness 
 —I had an annual income of thirty thousand livres. 1 have 
 Jost it all. My father has been guillotined; it was a fate he 
 little merited. I do not believe that I merit it myself, yet 1 
 shall submit to it.” . 
 
 The fate of the fifteen who fled was not entirely similar; 
 and the escape of the rest was prevented by the imprudence of 
 one of them. The last of the fifteen, who, at quitting the 
 cave, was, according to the plan arranged, privately to apprise 
 fifteen others; instead of doing so, he cried aloud, “ The pas- 
 sage is open: let him that can, escape.” This excited a great 
 movement among the prisoners. ‘They arose in an instant, 
 doubting whether what they heard could be true, or whe- | 
 ther he who had _ uttered these words was not mad. The 
 noise they made alarmed the sentinel without: he called to 
 the turnkeys; they hastened immediately to the cave, per- 
 ceived what had been done, and, closing up the door by which 
 the prisoners had escaped, placed a strong guard before it. 
 Nesple, who had excited this movement, was, with three 
 others, taken and executed. 
 
 Another of the fugitives took refuge in the house of a friend, 
 in an obscure street near the "Change, who consented to con- 
 ceal him. Almost at the instant of his entering, a party of 
 those who had been sent in pursuit of the prisoners, came 
 into the house to make a bart there. The fugitive, however, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 7 
 
 PRPLIP LOL PIL PELIL GD LOE DOP DEP ILI E LOL PLE LOD ELE LIDPOL DE PDL LEP LDP ODE ELLE PLL LDL ODL LPG EPO LPP POOO 
 
 The Cave of; Death. 
 
 PPP PIPL ODI POEL IL LD PE LOL LIED LL ELD ODPL LDL PLD LOD DL OPO FI 
 
 PLP PLE LOL OLED OLE PPO DP POP OE PDP LD oO 
 
 was so well concealed, that he was not discovered; but the 
 inquisitors, finding the picture of a priest in the house, were 
 angry, and ran their bayonets through it. The master of the 
 house remonstrated, saying, that the priest was his brother. 
 The soldiers, to punish him, carried him away with them, and 
 ordered the seals to be put upon the house. The fugitive, 
 left alone, came forth from his hiding place; and, frightened 
 lest he should perish for want of food, uttered many cries and 
 deep groans. An old woman, who lived at the next door, 
 heard them, and knowing that the house had been just shut up, 
 was alarmed in her turn, thinking that it was a spirit. She 
 ran in haste to the section, and assured them that she had 
 heard a spirit walking about the house, and turning every 
 thing topsy-turvy. . Guards were sent again to search; the 
 fugitive was found, brought back, and guillotined. 
 
 It was not thus with Porral, the original author of the plan. 
 He was the first that came forth from the cave. As he passed 
 the sentinel in the court, “ My good friend,” said he, “ it rains 
 and snows very hard; were I in your place I would not re- 
 main out of doors in such villanous weather, but would go to 
 the fire in the guard-room.” The sentinel thanked him, and 
 following his advice, the coast was left more clear for the pri- 
 soners. Porral took refuge in the house of one who was con- 
 sidered as a good patriot. A party of the commissaries entered, 
 and related the abominable escape of a number of the rascals 
 destined to be guillotined that morning. Porral put a good 
 face upon the matter, and swore at the rascals with them; not 
 forgetting to belabour also the gaolers, who did not look better 
 after their prey. ‘The commissaries after a while retired, and 
 Porral then began to think of making his way out of the city 
 as fast as possible. When he arrived at the Place Belle-cour, 
 he found parties of the gend’armerie dispersed every where. 
 Porral went into a house, and, making known who he was, 
 entreated an asylum. The inhabitants were women, timid to 
 excess; but the desire of saving an innocent person rendered 
 them courageous. They conducted him into a garret, and con- 
 cealed him behind some planks standing up in a corner. The 
 gens-d’armes arrived; they searched the house; they came 
 into the garret where Porral was concealed. Here they found 
 a large cask, the top of which was fastened down by a padlock. 
 They asked for the key; the women had not got it about them, 
 and went down stairs for it. While they were gone, one of 
 the gens-d’armes leaned against the planks, while a second 
 said, ‘“ ’Twould be droll enough if we were to find one of the 
 fugitives in this cask.”—** More likely plate or money,” says a 
 third, “ for it seems devilish heavy.’’ The key at length ar- 
 
28 _ +GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLRILGL LPI LE LPPLE LOE PLE LE DLLI PILI PLC ELLE PLE PLE DOL PLO LIEO PLE LPO DOL OPP DOE ODL ELL OLE LIE LOOP GOD 
 The Cave of Death.— Destructive Insects. 
 
 PLP LOPE LD LE LLP OGD ODPL EPO PPP PCO LOELDOE LDA LE DLE DE LED LDL DOL LE OLD DLE LLL ODO ODL ODS POL LOE OLD 
 
 rived; the cask was unlocked, and was found to be full of salt. - 
 The gens-d’armes swore at the disappointment, visited the 
 roof of the house, and retired. In the evening, Porral, dressed 
 in women’s clothes, with a basket on his head, and another on 
 his arm, passed the bridge of La Guillotiere, and quitted the 
 city. . 
 
 Gabriel, another of the fugitives, concealed himself among 
 some bushes in the marshes of the Travaux Perrache. The 
 snow fell; he was almost covered with it. In the evening, 
 when he would have quitted his inhospitable lodging, his feet 
 and hands were so benumbed that he could not use them: he 
 seemed to have escaped the guillotine but to be frozen to 
 death. By a great effort, however, he contrived to disengage 
 himself from the bushes ; and, rolling himself well in the snow, 
 he found warmth and life begin to return to his limbs ; at last 
 they so far recovered that he was able to walk, and got away 
 from the city into a place of safety. 
 
 The young Couchoux, who was one of the five that had 
 opened the way for escape, made choice of his father, near 
 eighty years old, as one of the fifteen; hut the poor old man’s 
 legs were swelled and full of ulcers. ‘ Fly, my son,” said he, 
 ‘if thou hast the opportunity ; fly, this instant—I command 
 it as an act of duty; but it is impossible that I should fly with 
 thee. Ihave lived long enough—my troubles will soon be 
 finished ; and death will be deprived of its sting, if I can know 
 that thou art in safety.”” His son assured him that he would 
 not quit the prison without him, and that his persisting in his 
 refusal would only end in the destruction of both. ‘The fa- 
 ther, overcome by his dutiful affection, yielded, and, supported 
 by his son, made his way to the bottom of the stair-case; but - 
 to ascend it was out of his power; he could just drag his legs 
 along the ground, but to lift them up was impossible. His 
 son, though low in stature, and not strong, took him up in his 
 arms: the desire of saving his father gave him strength, and 
 he carried him to the top of the stairs. His filial piety was 
 _ rewarded, and both escaped. 
 
 eee 
 
 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS, 
 
 TuHERE are four different species of the locust which are re- 
 markably destructive. Almost every year whole provinces, 
 the most fertile in Asia and Africa, are laid waste by their de- 
 predation. In Tunis and Algiers, swarms of the Gryllus Mi- 
 gratorius appear so numerous, that they darken the face of the 
 sky, like a threatening cloud. ‘These pernicious animals are 
 wafted there by the southerly winds in the month of April. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 29 
 
 POL PID POOL OL PIO LLL EDS LOD LDPE LD ELO PLO PL DON ODODE LE PLD CL DOM OO LDP LOD LOD ODE LID DL OD LO POOL OP 
 
 Destructive Insects.—The Devil-Sticker of South America. 
 
 PPPS LP IDL DOL OP PLE LDL OLED LOD DOO L OP DOP L OOD O#P 
 
 LOPE LP LIP LPP LOPLI DD LOOP DE POL DLE DP POLOL 
 
 In May they take their departure for the interior parts of the 
 country, to propagate their young; these make their appear- 
 ance in their larva or caterpillar state, during the month of 
 June, when they commit vast depredations. The first co- 
 lumns, which pervade the country like an army, destroy every 
 green shrub and pile of grass ; and their devastation has not 
 ceased, when they are succeeded by other swarms that press 
 npPa their rear, devouring the tender branches and stalks of 
 plants, which their forerunners had left. This dreadful visi- 
 tation, which the language of scripture has justly described as 
 a plague, does not terminate till the insects have passed into 
 their winged state, when they fly off, leaving the whole surface 
 of the earth naked and brown, as if scorched by fire. 
 
 Little inferior to the locust in its destructive powers, is the 
 Phalena graminis of Linnezus, which destroys the meadows 
 in Sweden. There the peasants are employed in cutting deep 
 ditches in the surface to stop the progress of the larve as they 
 pass along. Ifthe swarm be small, this device has the desired 
 effect; but the numbers of these animals are often so great, 
 that they fill up the trenches, and pass along over the dead bo- 
 dies that are buried in them. ‘The Formica Sacchilifera is a 
 native of the West Indies, where it pervades the plantations 
 of the sugar-cane, entering the plants, and destroying them 
 when they are tender: after long experience of its depreda- 
 tions, the inhabitants have never been able to invent a method 
 of destroying this pernicious animal. In our own country, 
 the turnip-fly, the butterfly, the chafer maggot, the corn in- 
 sect, thrips physapus, and the gooseberry-worm, have long 
 committed depredations in the fields and gardens, which no in- 
 vention has hitherto been able wholly to prevent. 
 
 What an uncomfortable life must the poor Laplander lead, 
 since, at certain seasons of the year, the number of insects is 
 so great, that a candle is no sooner lighted than the flame is 
 extinguished by the multitudes that flock to it; where, after 
 millions are destroyed, fa:znished millions succeed, and renew 
 the unceasing combat. Less injurious, though equally tor- 
 menting, are the musquetos which infest the warm climates of 
 Asia and South America. Even in Britain, which is happily 
 free from these unrelenting invaders, much inconvenience is 
 often felt from the sting of the hornet, the wasp, and the bee ; 
 and almost as bad from filthy vermin, especially the bug. 
 
 =e 
 
 THE DEVIL*°STICKER OF SOUTH AMERICA. 
 
 In many of the huts or habitations in the Indian villages 
 passing up the great rivers, is to be found the devil-sticker. 
 
ZO CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 Piyre MLL PRE APOE ORIOLE PIL DDL ODL EDL OLO OLDE LDL DOL DDL ODD LDR DDD LO SDF CLD DPD LD OLODLD OD DDD 
 
 The Devil-Sticker of South America.—Astonishing Escape from Massacre. 
 
 oe PO POP PPP POP POD LPO LOD DOO DIP LDL ODL ODD DOL LID PDP PDO PLL DOV PDD PDO LDP ODP OLD PLD PLD ODL ODO OOD 
 
 It is of a soft, spungy nature, and smooth skin, not unlike the 
 large slug of England. It is brought into the hut with the 
 pirnvod or it may creep in from the outside unperceived. 
 It, however, creeps up the side wall, and getting on the edge 
 of the rafters of the ceiling, to which it adheres, it looks like a 
 small ball, or, more properly, like the slug coiled up. It is 
 frequently known to drop from its hold without being mo- 
 lested, and wherever it falls it throws out from its body five 
 or six fangs, which are barbed like a fish-hook, and into what- 
 ever softer material than brick or stone it chances to fall, these 
 fangs enter; nor can it be removed unless by cutting the 
 animal off, and picking the prongs cut of the substance into 
 which they are so firmly fastened. When they fall on the per- 
 sons who bests to sit or stand underneath, the consequence 
 is dreadful. I saw one man, who an hour or two before had 
 one of these devils alight on his hand, and he was obliged to 
 have it cut off, and the claws and fangs removed by picking 
 them out with the point ofa large needle. His hand was im- 
 moderately swelled, and very painful; but an immersion in 
 warm oil or fat removed the pain, and restored the hand to its 
 usual appearance. 
 “ager 
 
 ASTONISHING ESCAPE FROM MASSACRE 
 BY THE PRESENCE OF MIND AND COOLNESS OF A LADY. 
 
 Tue tollowing narrative is too honourable to the female sex 
 to be passed over in a record of extraordinary facts, and adds 
 another to the thousand instances of female fortitude and affec- 
 tion which were displayed during the French revolution.— 
 An English traveller of celebrity had letters of introduction 
 to Monsieur O——; he was at his country house, about nine 
 miles from Paris, an invalid. Heavy losses, a painful sepa- 
 ration from his native country for the preservation of his own 
 life, and the lives of his family, had itdetinitied his health, and 
 made sad inroads in a delicate constitution. Monsieur O 
 entered into a very interesting account of his country, of the 
 revolution, and of his flight. He still spoke of his lady with 
 all the tender eulogium of a young lover, for their union pro- 
 ceeded entirely from attachment. He informed me, that in 
 the time of blood, as it was justly termed, this amiable woman, 
 who is remarkable for the delicacy of her mind, and for the 
 beauty and majesty of her person, displayed a coolness and 
 courage which, in the field of battle, would have covered the 
 hero with laurels. One evening, a short period before the fa- 
 mily left France, a party of those murderers, who were sent 
 for by Robespierre trom the frontiers which divide France 
 
CURIUSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. $1 
 
 PELL LE PLDI PLP EL OL I ILI DE? fT PL ILLI PIP LL E LOD DPA DLE DDO L EL ELLE DELL PLD DLE DIE DOL BDL DLL POLED DOL LPPDOOL 
 Astonishing Escape from Massacre.—Smoking Ladies. 
 
 PLOL LO DOP DIO LOL LOL LIL LIL ODL LOD LIL PIDPPELE LDL LOL DOE LOL DEE LODLOD ODIO LLL LICLGLL DD DPD LOD OCHA 
 
 from Italy, and who were employed by that archfiend in all 
 the butcheries and massacres of Paris, entered the peaceful 
 village of La Reine, in search of Monsieur O His lady 
 saw them advancing, and, anticipating their errand, had just 
 time to give her husband intelligence of their approach, who 
 left his chateau by a back door, and secreted himself in the 
 house of a neighbour. Madame O » with perfect compo- 
 sure, went out to meet them, and received them ina most gra- 
 cious manner. They sternly demanded Monsieur O——; she 
 informed them that he had left the country, and, after enga- 
 
 ing them in conversation, she conducted them into her draw- 
 ing-room, and regaled them with her best wines, and made her 
 servants attend upon them with unusual deference and cere- 
 mony. Their appearance was altogether horrible; they wore 
 leather aprons, which were sprinkled all over with blood; 
 they had large horse pistols in their belts, and a dirk and sabre 
 by their sides. Their looks were full of ferocity, and they 
 were a harsh dissonant patios language. Over their cups 
 they talked about the bloody business of that day’s occupa- 
 tion, in the course of which they drew their dirks, and wiped 
 from their handles, clots of blood and hair. Madame O 
 sat with them, undismayed by their frightful deportment. 
 After drinking several bottles of champaigne and burgandy, 
 these savages began to grow good-humoured, and seemed to 
 be completely fascinated by the amiable and unembarrassed, 
 and Roenitahie behaviour of their fair landlady. After carous- 
 ing till midnight, they pressed her to retire, observing that 
 they had been received so handsomely, that they were con- 
 vinced Monsieur O—— had been misrepresented, and was no 
 enemy to the good cause; they added that they found the 
 wines excellent, and, after drinking two or three bottles more, 
 they would leave the house, without causing her any reason 
 to regret their admission. Madame O——, with all the ap- 
 pearance of perfect tranquillity and confidence in their pro- 
 mises, wished her unwelcome visitors a good night, and, after 
 visiting her children in their rooms, she threw herself upen her 
 bed, with a loaded pistol in each hand, and. overwhelmed with 
 suppressed agony and agitation, she soundly slept till she was 
 called by her servants, two hours after these wretches had 
 . left the house. 
 
 en ee 
 
 SMOKING LADIES, 
 Tue ladies of Angustura are in general tolerably hand- 
 some; their figures airy, light, and rather elegant; their 
 dresses are rich, and they have abundance of fine lace, of 
 
8 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 OOP LL LLL LS DOLD PLLOLDP DOD LOD EDC ODD DDO PELL OL ODE POP OOP OEP ODE ODE LLOLE LOD PDL CDE DOL PLP ODO 
 Smoking Ladies.—Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 ng p y 
 
 DOP LILLOD LOD LPP LLP DDD DOC PDIL ILL DDE LOO OL OL OD DPD ODOPLP 
 
 which they wear a profusion. 'They are, with very few ex- 
 ceptions, prodigal of their affections, and so fond of smoking 
 segars, that the usual compliment of the morning, when they 
 are visited, is to hand one. If an additional compliment is in- 
 tended, the lady will light that which she means to offer, by 
 putting the end in her own mouth, and inflaming it from the 
 one she had herself been smoking. Another still more affec- 
 tionate mode presents itself; when the lady has given you a 
 segar, she places her own in her mouth, and, having by two or 
 three good whiffs thoroughly lighted her own, the gentleman 
 approaches, and placing the end of his segar on the blazing one 
 of her’s, they both whiff until each has a segar in full flame, 
 when the parties separate with a smile and a bow, or sit and 
 continue their chat. 
 ) wigge 2 
 
 BONAPARTE’S HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES. 
 [Continued from page 19.} 
 
 The Anglo-Belgian army was in order of battle, on the 
 causeway which leads from Charleroi to Brussels, in front of 
 the forest of Soignes, crowning a large flat. ‘The right, com- 
 posed of the first and second English divisions and the Bruns- 
 wick division, commanded by Generals Cook and Clinton, 
 was flanked by a ravine beyond the road of Nivelles; the 
 castle of Hougoumont, in its front, being corned by a de- 
 tachment. The centre, composed of the third English divi- 
 sion and of the first and second Belgian divisions, commanded 
 by Generals Alten, Collaert, and Chassé, was in front of 
 Mont St. Jean, its left on the road of Charleroi; one of its 
 brigades also occupied the farm of La Haye Sainte. The left, 
 composed of the fifth and sixth English divisions, and the third 
 Belgian division, commanded by Generals Picton, Lambert, 
 and Perchoncher, had its right towards the causeway of Char- 
 leroi, and its left behind the village of La Haye, which it oc- 
 cupied by a strong detachment. The reserve was at Mont 
 St. Jean, where the roads from Charleroi and Nivelles to 
 Brussels intersect each other. The cavalry, in three lines, 
 advanced to Mont St. Jean, guarded all the rear of the ene- 
 my’s line of battle, the extent of which was about two thou- 
 sand five hundred toises. His front was covered by a natural 
 obstacle. The flat was lightly concave at its centre, while the 
 ground descended gently to a ravine at its base ‘The fourth 
 English division, commanded by General Colville, occupied, as 
 flankers of the right, all the openings from Halle to Braine- 
 la~-Leude. <A brigade of English cavalry occupied, as flankers 
 on the left, all the openings as far as the village of Ohain 
 
CURIOSITIES CF NATURE AND ANT. 33 
 
 BP ROLL EP ELL LIL PDL OBL OPP LLL PDL EDI LLPE LOL EDEL ILE POD PDL EOL LIPL ODL ALD OOLDDL LE POL OES PDL LOBPBPDOP 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 POPLIP LIP LPP LIF PID GLE GLOL DOL DL LL ELL OP DOL DEO LE OLED DOD DDOL OP LL OL LE4LOEDLEOPLEO LGPL OPE GOD LOD 
 
 The forces shewn by the enemy were estimated differently ; 
 but the officers most accustomed to these calculations consi- 
 dered them, including ‘the corps of flankers, to amount to 
 ninety thousand men, which agreed with the general accounts 
 that were given. The French army was only sixty-nine thou- 
 sand strong, but, still, victory appeared to be certain. These 
 sixty-nine thousand.men were good troops; whereas, in the 
 enemy’s army, the English only, amounting to forty thousand 
 at most, could be reckoned as such. | 
 
 At eight o’clock the Emperor’s breakfast was served up; to 
 this many general officers sat down. “ The enemy’s army,”’ 
 said Napoleon, “is superior to our’s by nearly a fourth; 
 there are, notwithstanding, ninety chances in our favour to 
 ten against us.” “ Without doubt,” said Marshal Ney, who 
 had just entered, “if the Duke of Wellington were simple 
 enough to wait for your Majesty; but I come to announce 
 that his columns are already in full retreat, and are disappear- 
 ing in the forest of Soignes.” “ You have seen badly,” replied 
 the emperor; “it is too late, he would expose himself to cer- 
 tain ruin by such a'step; he has thrown the cice—they are 
 now for us!” At this moment, officers of artillery, who had 
 rode over the plain, stated that the artillery could maneuvre, 
 although with difficulty, which would be greatly diminished 
 in another hour. The Emperor mounted immediately, and 
 went to the skirmishes opposite La Haye Sainte, again recon- 
 noitred the enemy’s line, and directed the General of Engi- 
 neers, Hiaxo, a confidential officer, to approach it nearer, in 
 order to ascertain whether any redoubts were thrown up, or 
 entrenchments made; the General soon returned to report 
 that he had observed no trace of fortifications. After some 
 moments’ reflection, the Emperor dictated the order of battle, 
 which was taken down by two generals, seated on the ground. 
 The aide-de-camps took it to the different corps, alreclly under 
 arms, full of impatience, and of ardour. ‘The «cmy now 
 moved forward, marching in eleven columns. 
 
 These eleven columns were to be arranged as follows; viz. 
 —four to form the first line, four the second, and three the 
 third. ‘The four columns of the first line were, that of the 
 left, formed by the cavalry of the second corps; the second, 
 formed by three divisions of infantry of the second corps; the 
 third, by the four divisions of infantry of the first corps; the 
 fourth, by the light cavalry of the first corps. ‘he four co- 
 lumns of the second line were, first, that of the left, formed 
 by Kellerman’s corps of cuirassiers ; the second, by the two 
 divisions of infantry of the sixth corps; the third, by two di- 
 visions of light cavalry, the one, that of the sixth corps, com- 
 
 k 
 
34 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPL LIE LEE LLDPE OL OL LOL LDDLOL LOL DOL LALO L LL PLD LOL LIL EDD DLE DE ELLE DLE LEE LIE LILPPOCLOLIDOOLP 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 PLDI POL LIL IL IP ODI LOL OD PROD LOO LOE DL OOLOL ODO LDE DOOD DOLL OLD LOLOL OLD LOL DPD OLOODL OOO LLLO DE LOD LID 
 
 manded by the general of division Daumont; the other, detached 
 from Pajol’s corps, and commanded by the general of division 
 Subervie; the fourth, by the corps of cuirassiers of Milhaud. 
 The three columns of the third line were, that of the left, formed 
 by the division of horse-grenadiers, and ofdragoons of the guard, 
 commanded by General Guyot; the second, by the three di- 
 visions of the old, middle, and young guard, commanded by 
 Lieutenant-Generals. Friant, Morand, and Duhesme; the 
 third, by the mounted chasseurs and the lancers of the guard, 
 commanded by Lieutenant-General Lefebvre Desnouettes. 
 ‘The artillery marched on the flanks of the columns, while th 
 
 parks and travelling hospitals were kept in the rear. 
 
 At nine o’clock, the heads of the four columns forming the 
 first line arrived where they had to form: at the same time 
 were perceived, at unequal distances, the seven other columns, 
 which descended from the heights; they were in march; the 
 trumpets and drums sounded “to the field,” and the bands 
 struck up airs which recalled the memory of a hundred vic- 
 tories to the minds of the soldiery :—the earth seemed proud 
 of being trodden by such intrepid combatants ! ‘The spectacle 
 was really magnificent; and the enemy, so placed as to be 
 able to distinguish every individual, must have been also struck 
 with the sight :—the army would even have appeared double 
 its real number, viewed from Mont St. Jean. 
 
 The eleven columns formed with so much precision that no 
 ‘confusion whatever arose, each occupying the place designated 
 for it in the mind of the chief: never had such large masses 
 moved with so much facility. The light cavalry of the second 
 corps, which formed the first column of the left of the first 
 line, formed in three lines, across the causeway from Nivelles 
 to Brussels, nearly at the height of the first woods at Hou- 
 goumont, scouring all the plain by the Jeft, having main 
 guards near Braine-la-Leude, and its battery of light artillery 
 on the catiseway of Nivelles. The second corps, under the 
 orders of General Reille, occupied the space comprehended 
 between the causeway of Nivelles and that of Charleroi, em- 
 bracing an extent of from nine hundred to one thousand 
 toises; the division of Prince Jerome keeping the left, near 
 the causeway of Nivelles and the wood of Hougoumont; 
 General Foy the centre, and General Bachelu the right, 
 which extended to the causeway of Charleroi, near the farm 
 of La Belle Alliance. Each division of infantry was on two 
 lines; the second at thirty toises from the first, having its ar- 
 tillery in front, and its parks of artillery in the rear, near the 
 causeway of Nivelles. ‘The third column, formed by the first. 
 corps, and commanded by Lieutenant-General Count d’Erlon, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 35 
 
 DPOPPIOLIDIGLIDLIIGIEL EL BDL LILLLL LE ELIDLL ILDL DP LDDO DL DPD DEP ILO LL DLS 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own. Times. 
 
 POLL IF LL ES LOD LLL LLL LLLP LD OL OED LO LDD DOE LPO POD DOF. 
 
 LOL LIL IIE LOPLOPOLDODS 
 
 a 
 
 PIL LIRA 
 
 formed its left towards La Belle Alliance on the right of the 
 causeway leading to Charleroi, and its right opposite the farm 
 of ia Haye, where the enemy’s left was posted. Each divi- 
 sion of infantry formed two lines, the artillery filling up the 
 intervals of the brigades. The light cavalry which formed 
 the fourth column, spread to the right, observing La Haye 
 and Frichermont, and having small parties to watch the 
 enemy’s flankers ; the artillery was placed on its right. 
 
 The first line was scarcely formed, when the heads of the 
 four columns of the second line reached the point at which 
 they were to act. ‘The cuirassiers of Kellerman established 
 themselves on two lines, at the distance of thirty toises from 
 each other, having their left near the causeway of Nivelles, at 
 one hundred toises from the second line of the second corps, 
 and their right at the causeway of Charleroi... The space oc- 
 cupied by that part of the army was eleven hundred toises. 
 One of their batteries took position on the left near the cause- 
 way of Nivelles, the other on the right near that of Charleroi. 
 The second column, commanded by Lieutenant-General Count 
 Lobau, moved to fifty toises behind the second line of the se-_ 
 cond corps; it remained in close column of divisions, occu- 
 pying a hundred toises in depth, along and on the left of the 
 causeway of Charleroi, with a distance of ten toises between 
 the two columns of divisions; the artillery on its left flank. 
 The third column, that of the light cavalry, commanded by , 
 the general of division Daumont, followed by the cavalry of 
 General Subervie, placed itself in close column of squadrons, 
 the left towards the causeway of Charleroi, opposite its in- 
 fantry, from. which it was separated by that causeway only; 
 its light artillery was placed on the right flank. The fourth 
 column, the corps of cuirassiers of Milhaud, formed in two 
 lines, at an interval of thirty toises, and a hundred toises be- 
 hind the second line of the first corps ; its left near the cause- 
 way of Charleroi, its right in the direction of Frichermont; it 
 occupied an extent of about nine hundred toises ; its batteries 
 were on the left, near the causeway of Charleroi, and on its 
 centre. ; 
 
 Before this second line was formed, the heads of the three 
 columns of reserve arrived at their respective stations, The 
 heavy cavalry of the guard placed itself a hundred toises be- 
 hind General Kellerman’s corps in order of battle, on two 
 lines, at an interval of thirty toises from each other ; the left 
 towards the causeway of Nivelles, the right towards that of 
 Charleroi, and the artillery in the centre. The central co- 
 lumn, formed by the infantry of the guard, formed six lines of 
 four battalions each, at a distance of ten toises from each 
 
36 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 POE PLL LLL LLL PDL PLE LPL OLE EP PPL PLL LOL LDL PLIOLODLD ODE IP PDOCOFO 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times.—Most Extraordinary Incident. 
 
 CLOCDO LOL LD LOO LOO DIO DIOL OL IDL LDL EDEL ILS DEE LOL POL LOL LOD DODD DO DEO LDE DOL PDOPDE DDD DOL 
 
 other, across the route of Charleroi, and a little before the 
 farm of Rossome. The batteries of artillery, belonging to the 
 different regiments, placed themselves. on the left and right ; . 
 that of the reserve, horse and foot, behind the lines. The 
 third column, mounted chasseurs and lancers of the guard, 
 formed in two lines, at an interval of thirty toises; and one 
 hundred toises behind General Milhaud; the left on the 
 causeway of Charleroi, and the right towards Frichermont ; 
 its light artillery in the centre. At half past ten o’clock, in- 
 credible as it may appear, the whole movement was completed, 
 and all the troops at their positions. The most profound si- 
 lence also reigned on the field of battle. "The army was drawn 
 up in six lines, forming the figure of six double W’s; the two 
 first of infantry, having the light cavalry on the wings; the 
 third and fourth of cuirassiers ; the fifth and sixth of cavalry 
 of the guard, with six lines of infantry of the guard perpendi- 
 cularly placed at the summit of the six Wi'sis and the sixth 
 corps, in close column, perpendicular to the lines occupied by 
 the guards. The infantry on the left of the road, its cavalry 
 on theright. The causeways of Charleroi and Nivelles were 
 open, thus affording the means of communication, by which 
 the artillery of reserve might arrive with celerity on the differ- 
 ent points of the line. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 <a 
 
 MOST EXTRAORDINARY AND AFFECTING INCIDENT. 
 
 In one of the mining districts of Hungary there lately oc- 
 curred an incident, which, while it partakes largely of the 
 romantic, is of most affecting interest, and altogether of most 
 extraordinary and dramatic effect. 
 
 In opening a communication between two mines, the corpse 
 of a miner, apparently of about twenty years of age, was 
 found in a situation which indicated that he had perished by 
 an accidental falling in of the roof of the mine. The body 
 was in a state of softness and pliability, the features fresh and 
 undistorted, and the whole body completely preserved, as is 
 supposed, from the impregnation with the vitriolic water of 
 the mine. When exposed to the air, the body became stiff, 
 but the features and general air were not discomposed. ‘The 
 person of the deceased was not recognized by any one pre- 
 sent, but an indistinct recollection of the accident by which 
 the sufferer had been thus ingulphed in the bowels of the earth 
 more than half a century, was prolonged by tradition among 
 the miners and the country people. Further enquiry was here 
 dropped, and the necessary arrangements were made to inter 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 37 
 
 LLL LL AS 
 
 PLP A 
 
 LPPLLLL LLL PELE PLD OOF 
 
 ILPIE LLL OLDLAODD 
 
 Most Extraordinary Incident.—Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 PIGLPFL LIL PLE ELL LLEL ALE PLE PLL LLOLE LLL LL DP DDL DOD EDO OLE DEEP ODE DED PLD DLE LID PDE GLOD LOL ODL OC OHA 
 
 the body with the customary rites of burial. At this moment, 
 to the astonishment of all present, there suddenly appeared a 
 decrepid old woman of. the neighbouring village, who, sup- 
 ported by crutches, had left her bed-ridden couch, to which 
 infirmity had for some years confined her, and advanced to the 
 scene with the feelings of joy, of grief, and of anxiety, so in- 
 tensely painted on her aged face, as to give her the appear- 
 ance of an inspired person, and with an alacrity which seemed 
 truly miraculous. ‘The old woman gazed upon the corpse for 
 an instant, and sweeping the long hair from its forehead, in 
 order to obtain a more perfect view of its features, her counte- 
 nance became as it were supernaturally lighted up, and in the 
 midst of piercing hysteric cries and sobs, she declared the body 
 to be that of a young man to whom she had been engaged by 
 the ties of mutual affection, and the promise of marriage more 
 than sixty years before! In the intervals of gushing floods of 
 tears, and the fainting fits of her exhausted frame, she poured 
 out thanks to heaven that she had again beheld the object of 
 her earliest affections, and declared she could now descend to 
 the tomb content. The powers of life were now prostrated 
 by her agitated feelings and exertion, and she was borne 
 homewards by the villagers; but ere she proceeded far from 
 the object of her solicitude, she was in a state to join him. 
 Her spirit, as if satisfied, had fled, and the affectionate pair, 
 whom misfortune had rent asunder, were now hushed in one 
 grave. : 
 
 I 
 THE CURIOUS HISTORY OF THE MAN WITH THE IRON MASK, 
 
 Tue man with the iron mask, was a remarkable personage 
 so denominated, who existed as a state prisoner in France 
 during the latter part of the last century. As the circum- 
 stances of this person form an historical problem which has 
 occasioned much inquiry, and given rise to many conjectures, 
 as well as of late (in consequence of the destruction of the 
 Bastile) excited in a particular manner the curiosity of the 
 public, it shall be endeavoured to condense in this article the 
 substance of every thing material that has been published on 
 the subject. We shall first relate such particulars concerning 
 this extraordinary prisoner, as appear to be well authenti- 
 cated ; and shall afterwards mention the different opinions 
 and conjectures that have been entertained with regard to his 
 real quality, and the causes of his confinement. | 
 
 The authenticated particulars concerning the iron mask are 
 as follow :—A few months after the death of Cardinal Maza- 
 rine, there arrived at the isle of St. Marguerite, in the 
 
38  GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 } LIP 
 POP PLO POG LOL ELE POP LOL LEP LLEO LOG POP PIEPLOCLOP LOD POP OOOODP DDD DDD LOD DEE LDD PIL PLP LIL IOS 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 POLL PLD LDIF 
 PPP LIP LLG OL L OPO PLD LID DOS OOP LDL DLL DLDODOE LOLS POPOL LID ODD DOE DDE DOO LOO LOE ALE LAE a 
 
 see of Provence, a young prisoner, whose appearance was pe- 
 culiarly attracting: his person was above the middle size, and 
 elegantly formed; his mein and deportment were noble, and 
 his manners graceful ; and even the sound of his voice, it 1s 
 said, had in it something uncommonly interesting. On the 
 road he constantly wore a mask made with iron springs, to 
 enable him to eat without taking it off. It was at first be- 
 lieved that this mask was made entirely with iron; whence 
 he acquired the name of “the man with the iron mask.” His 
 attendants had received orders to dispatch him if he attempted 
 to take off his mask, or discover himself.—He had been first 
 confined at Pignerol, under the care of the governor M. de 
 St. Mars; and upon being sent from thence to Sainte Mar- 
 guerite, he was accompanied thither by the same person, 
 who continued to have the charge of him. He was always 
 treated with the most marked respect: he was served con- 
 stantly in plate; and the governor himself placed his dishes 
 on the table, retiring immediately after, and locking the door 
 behind him. He tu-to’yoit (thee’d and thou’d) the governor; 
 who, on the other hand, behaved to him in the most respect- 
 ful manner, and never wore his hat before him, nor sat down 
 in his presence unless he was desired. The Marquis de 
 Louvoisis, who went to see him at St. Marguerite, spoke to 
 him standing, and with that kind of attention which denotes 
 high respect. 
 
 During his residence here, he attempted twice, in an indi- 
 rect manner, to make himself known. One day he wrote 
 something with his knife on a plate, and threw it out of his 
 window towards a boat that was drawn on shore near the 
 foot of the tower. A fisherman picked it up and carried it 
 to the governor. M. de St. Mars was alarmed at the sight ; 
 and asked the man, with great anxiety, whether he could 
 read, and whether any one else had seen the plate? The 
 man answered, that he could not read, that he had but just 
 found the plate, and that no one else had seen it. He was, 
 however, confined till the governor was well assured of the 
 truth of his assertions.—Another attempt to discover himself 
 proved equally unsuccesstul. A young man, who lived in 
 the isle, one day perceived something floating under the pri- 
 soner’s window ; and, on picking it up, he discovered it to be 
 a very fine shirt, written all over. He carried it immediately 
 to the governor; who, having looked at some parts of the 
 writing, asked the lad, with some appearance of anxiety, if 
 he had not had the curiosity to read it. He protested re- 
 peatedly that he had not: but two days afterwards he was 
 found dead in his bed. : 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. SY 
 
 PIE PLL OOP 
 
 PSC FIL IIL OL LLP OLISD SE PLL LLAL DIOL L IDLE SL BOODLE OLE 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 The Masque de: Fer remained in this isle till the year 
 1698, when M. St. Mars, being promoted to the government 
 ofthe Bastile, conducted his prisoner to that fortress. In his 
 way thither, he stopped with him at his estate near Palteau. 
 The mask arrived there in a litter, surrounded by a numerous 
 guard on horseback. M. de St. Mars ate at the same table 
 with him all the time they resided at Palteau; but the latter 
 was always placed with his back towards the windows; and 
 the peasants, who came to pay their compliments to their 
 master, and whom curiosity kept constantly on the watch, 
 observed that M. de St. Mars always sat opposite to him with 
 two pistols by the side of his plate. ‘They were waited on 
 by one servant only, who brought in and carried out the 
 dishes, always carefully shutting the door both in going out 
 and in returning. The prisoner was always masked, even when 
 he passed through the court; but the people saw his teeth 
 and lips, and also observed that his hair was grey.—The 
 governor slept in the same room with him, in a second bed, 
 that was placed in it on that occasion. In the course of their 
 journey, the iron mask was, one day, heard to ask his keeper 
 whether the king had any design on his life. ‘ No, prince,” 
 he replied ; “ provided that you quietly allow yourself to be 
 conducted, your life-is perfectly secure.” 
 
 The stranger was accommodated as well as it was possible 
 to be in the Bastile. An apartment had been prepared for 
 him by order of the governor before his arrival, fitted up in 
 the most convenient: style; and every thing he expressed a 
 desire for was instantly procured him. His table was the 
 best that could be provided; and he was ordered to be sup- 
 plied with as rich clothes as he desired; but his.chief taste in 
 this last particular was for lace, and for linen remarkably fine. 
 It appears. that he was allowed the use of such books as he 
 desired, and that he spent much of his time in reading. He 
 also amused himself with playing upon the guitar. He had 
 the liberty of going to mass; but was then strictly forbid to 
 speak, or uncover his face: orders were even given to the 
 soldiers to fire upon him if he attempted either; and their 
 pieces were always pointed towards him as he passed through 
 the court. When he had occasion to see a surgeon or a 
 physician, he was obliged, under pain of death, constantly to 
 wear his mask. An old physician of the Bastile, who had 
 often attended him when he was indisposed, said that he never 
 saw his face, though he had frequently examined his tongue, 
 and different: parts of his body; that there was something 
 uncommonly interesting in the sound of his voice; and that 
 he never complained of his confinement, nor let fall from him 
 
AU CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POOPII LPL OLDE DOLD DL OP DDD ODD LOL DLLD DOD DOE DDO DEL DDO LID DD EL OD POD LDL LPL LDL BBE LIL BELLI LLID 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask, 
 
 LOPE LOO LIP. 
 POOL PLL LO PDO PLD L DD ODL PDP PLEO LDP POO LOL LPO DDO POOL DDL OO LDL PDO LDL DDE LEE LIE PAE Y eel 
 
 any hint by which it might be guessed who he was. It is 
 said, that he often passed the night in walking up and down 
 his room. 
 
 This unfortunate prince died on the 19th of November, 
 1703, after a short illness; and was interred next day in 
 the burying-place of the parish of St. Paul. The expence of 
 his funeral amounted only to forty livres. The name given 
 him was Marchiali: and even his age, as well as real name, 
 it seemed of importance to conceal; for in the register made 
 of his funeral, it was mentioned that he was about forty years 
 old; though he had told his apothecary, some time before his 
 death, that he thought he must be sixty.—It is a well-known 
 fact, that immediately after the prisoner’s death, his apparel, 
 linen, clothes, mattrasses, and, in short, every thing that had 
 been used by him, were burnt; that the walls of his room 
 were scraped, the floor taken up, evidently from the appre- 
 hension that he might have found means of writing any thing 
 that would have discovered who he was. Nay, such was the 
 fear of his having left a letter, or any mark which might lead 
 to a discovery, that his plate was melted down; the glass 
 was taken out of the window of his room, and pounded tc 
 dust; the window-frame and doors burnt ; and the ceiling of 
 the room, and the plaister of the inside of the chimney, taken 
 down. Several persons have affirmed, that the body was 
 buried without a head, and Monsieur de St. Foix informs us, 
 that “a gentleman, having bribed the sexton, had the bod 
 taken up in the night, and found a stone instead of the head.” 
 
 The result of these extraordinary accounts is, that the iron 
 mask was not only a person of high birth, but must have been 
 of great consequence; and that his being concealed was of 
 the utmost importance to the king and ministry. 
 
 Among the opinions and conjectures that have been formed 
 concerning the real name and condition of this remarkable 
 porsonages some have pretended that he was the Duke of 
 
 eaufort; others, that he was the Count de Vermandois, 
 natural son to Louis IV. by the Duchess de la Valliere. 
 Some maintain him to have been the Duke of Monmouth, 
 natural son of Charles Il. of England by Lucy Walters; 
 and others say, that he was Gerolami Magni, minister to the 
 Duke of Modena. 
 
 Besides these conjectures, none of which possess suffi- 
 cient probability to entitle them to consideration, a fifth has 
 been advanced; namely, That the iron mask was a son of 
 Anne of Austria, queen to Louis XIII. and consequently 
 that he was a brother of Louis XIV. but whether a bastard 
 brother, a brother-german, ora half-brother, is a question 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. Al 
 
 GOP SOP ILI LL LAI LID LOD PDA. 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 IP 
 
 PIPLPODIC—OR 
 
 LLLP LDF 
 
 PILI PPL OOL 
 
 that has given rise to three several opinions, which we shall 
 state in the order of time in which the respective transactions 
 to which they allude happened. 
 
 The first opinion is, that the queen proved with child at 
 a time when it was evident it could not have been by her 
 husband, who for some months before, had never been with 
 her in private. The supposed father of this child is said by 
 some to have been the Duke of Buckingham, who came to 
 France in May, 1625, to conduct the princess Henrietta, 
 wife of Charles I. to England. The private letters and me- 
 moirs of those times speak very suspiciously of the queen and 
 Buckingham: his behaviour at Amiens, whither the queen 
 and queen-mother accompanied the princess in. her way to 
 Bolougne, occasioned much whispering: notwithstanding the 
 pains that have been taken by La Porte in his memoirs to 
 excuse his mistress, it appears that the king, on this ecca- 
 sion, was extremely offended at her, and that it required all 
 the influence and address of the queen-mother to effect a re- 
 conciliation. It is said, that this child was privately brought 
 up in the country; that when Mazarine became a favourite, 
 he was entrusted with the care of him; and that Louis XIV. 
 haying discovered the secret on the death of the cardinal, 
 thought it necessary to confine him in the manner that has 
 been related. 
 
 But it may be observed that this secret could scarcely have 
 escaped the vigilance of the Cardinal de Richlieu ; and it is 
 not improbable, that a minister so little scrupulous, if inclined 
 to save the honour of a queen, would have removed a child, 
 who, if he lived, might have been made use of to disturb the 
 tranquillity of the kingdom. After this supposed birth, the 
 queen had frequent quarrels with the king, and what was 
 more dangerous, with the cardinal; who even used every 
 means in his power to enquire into her most private trans- 
 actions. Jt was on a memorable occasion of this kind, that 
 her servant La Porte was thrown into the Bastile ; and it can 
 scarcely be imagined she would have had the firmness she 
 then displayed, while conscious of so much guilt, and under 
 the risk of having it discovered. The prisoner with the mask 
 appears, by several accounts, to have been a youth of a kand 
 some figure in the year 1661; and in 1703, when he died, 
 to have been above sixty; but, had he been a son of Buck- 
 ingham, he would have been about thifty-six in 1661, when 
 he could not be said to have been a:youth; and, in Novem- 
 ber, 1703, above seventy-eight. > 
 
 The second opinion is, that he’ was the twin-brother of 
 Louis XIV. born some hours after him. his first appeared 
 
 | G 
 
49 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLLA: DL LIL DLL LL DL PLELPLE LLL DL LPL ED DLL DE LLL LOPLOD LOL LED ODL ELE OOLOCLL LDL DOL OOLGOILD pp 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 OL DIIGO LIE BLOOLILD ODT 
 
 PPL ADE LOD LIF PED LLG DLE LOLI ODL DDE LGD OLE LED DIE DOP LEE BODE LOE LDL OOP 
 
 in a short anonymous work, published without date, and_ 
 without the name of place or printer. It is therein said, 
 
 “ Louis XIV. was born at St. Germains en Laye, on the 
 
 5th of September, 1638, about noon; and the illustrious 
 
 prisoner, known by the appellation of the Iron Mask, was 
 
 born the same day, while Louis XIII. was at supper. The 
 
 king and the cardinal, fearing that the pretensions of a twin- 
 
 brother might one day be employed to renew those civil wars 
 
 with which France had been so often afflicted, cautiously con- 
 
 cealed his birth, and sent him away to be brought up pri- 
 
 vately. Having but an imperfect knowledge of the circum- 
 
 stances that followed, I shall say nothing more, for fear of 
 committing errors; but I firmly believe the fact I have men- 
 
 tioned ; and time will probably prove to my reader, that I 
 
 have ground for what | have advanced.” 
 
 This opinion has been more noticed since the publication 
 of a work called Memoires du Marechal Duc de Richlieu, 
 written by the Abbe Soulavie; concerning which it may be 
 proper to premise, that the present Duke of Richlieu, son of 
 the Marechal, disavows this work; while the Abbe Soulavie, 
 who had been employed by the Marechal, insists on the au- 
 thenticity of his papers. He informs us, that the Duke of 
 Richlieu was the lover of Mademoiselle de Valois, daughter 
 of the regent Duke of Orleans, and afterwards Duchess of 
 Modena, who in return was passionately fond of him; that 
 the regent had something more than a paternal affection for 
 his daughter ; and that, though she keld his sentiments in 
 abhorrence, the Duke of Richlieu made use of her influence 
 with her father to discover the secret of the prisoner with the 
 mask: that the regent, who had always observed the most 
 profound silence on this subject, was at last persuaded to en- 
 trust her with a manuscript, which she immediately sent to. 
 her lover, who took a copy of it. ‘This manuscript is sup- 
 posed to have been written by a gentleman on his death-bed, 
 who had been the governor of the prisoner. ‘The following is 
 an extract of it, from what the Abbe Solitaire has told us :— 
 
 ‘The birth of the prisoner happened in the evening of the 
 the 5th of September, 1638, in presence of the Chancellor, the 
 Bishop of Meaux, the author of the manuscript, a midwife 
 named Peronete, and a Sieur Honorat. ‘This circumstance 
 greatly disturbed the king’s mind; he observed, that the 
 Salique law had made no provision for such a case ; and, that 
 it was even the opinion of some, that the last born was the first 
 conceived, and therefore had a prior right to the other.—— 
 By the advice of Cardinal de Richlieu, it was therefore re- 
 solved to conceal his birth, but to preserve his life, in casey 
 
CURIOSITINS OF NATURE AND ART. AS 
 PLD LIL FILL IPLILELLL LIL ELL DEL ILILLD LLL ELLE DP LODEL OL OD OL OL ODO ODE neaadnmaadade 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Jron Mask. 
 
 PI IPL IF LOLI ILD LDL LDP EL PO LOL DD LOI DIL LIL LIE LOD LPD DELLE DDL LE DOL GOL GORDO PIL POD LIEOLIDP DIRE LOOPY 
 
 by the death of his brother, it should be necessary to avow 
 him. A declaration was drawn up, and signed and sworn to 
 by all present, in which every circumstance was mentioned, 
 and several marks on his body described. This document, 
 being sealed by the chancellor with the royal seal, was deli- 
 vered to the king; and all were commanded and took an 
 oath never to speak on the subject, not even in private and 
 among themselves. The child was delivered to the care of 
 Madame Peronete the midwife, to be under the direction of 
 the Cardinal de Richlieu, at whose death the charge devolved 
 to Cardinal de Mazarine.. Mazarine appointed the author of 
 the manuscript his governor, and entrusted to him the care of 
 his education. But as the prisoner was extremely attached 
 to Madame Peronete, and she equally so to him, she remained 
 with him till her death. His governor carried him to his 
 house in Burgundy, where he paid the greatest attention to 
 his education. As the prisoner grew up, he became impatient 
 to discover his birth, and often importuned his governor on 
 that subject. His curiosity had been roused, by observing 
 that messengers from the court frequently arrived at the house; 
 and a box, containing letters from the queen and the cardinal, 
 having one day been inadvertently left out, he opened it, and 
 saw enough to guess at the secret. From that time he be- 
 came thoughtful and melancholy, which, says the author, I 
 could not then account for. He shortly after asked me to get him 
 a portrait of the late and present king, but I put him off by 
 saying that I could not procure any that were good. He then 
 desired me to let him go to Dijon, which, I have known since, 
 was with an intention of seeing a portrait of the king there, 
 and of going secretly to St. John de Lus, where the court 
 then was on occasion of the marriage of the infanta. He was 
 beautiful ; and love helped him to accomplish his wishes. He 
 had captivated the affections ofa young housekeeper, who pro- 
 cured him a portrait of the king. It might have served for 
 either of the brothers ; and the discovery put him into so vio- 
 lent a passion, that he immediately came to me with the por- 
 trait in his hand, saying, Votla mon frere, et voila qui je suis! 
 showing me at the same time a letter of the cardinal de Maza- 
 rine that he had taken out of the box. Upon this discovery 
 his governor immediately sent an express to court, to commu- 
 nicate what had happened, and to desire new instructions ; the 
 consequence of which was, that the governor and the young 
 prince under his care were arrested and confined.” 
 
 This memoir, real or fictitious, concludes with saying 
 “ J have suffered with him in our common prison: I am now 
 summoned to appear before my Judge on high; and, for the 
 
44 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIGLPPLOLLOD POG BOLL LOGDD OLE BDDDLLL LLL LPDOL DL LIL LLDLDL LOLOL L PODRLOO LE POLLO LPLDOLL DLE ILD IID 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask, 
 
 PLPL OL GILL PLOLPOD LOL ODE L DOL DOP DOO LOD LOE LD OL LOL DDL OLD LL O LOD LL DE LOL DODO D DELLE DEOL PLODP LILLIE 
 
 peace of my soul, I cannot but make this declaration, which 
 _may point out to him the means of freeing himself from his 
 present ignominious situation, in case the king his brother 
 should die without children. Can an extorted oath compel 
 me to observe secrecy on a thing so incredible, but which 
 ought to be left on record to posterity ?”’ 
 
 The third opinion is, that he was a son of the queen by 
 the Cardinal de Mazarine, born about a year after the death 
 of her husband Louis XIII. that he was brought up secretly ; 
 and that soon after the death of the cardinal, which happened 
 on the 9th of March, 1661, he was sent to Pignerol. To 
 this account Father Griffet objects, “ that it was needless to 
 mask a face that was unknown; and therefore that this opi- 
 -nion does not merit discussion.”” But in answer it has been 
 observed, That the prisoner might strongly resemble Louis 
 XIV. which would be a sufficient reason to have him masked. 
 This opinion is supposed to have been that entertained by 
 Voltaire, who asserts his thorough knowledge of the secret, 
 though he declined being altogether explicit. The Abbe 
 Soulavie, author of the Memoirs of the Marechal de Richlieu, 
 speaking on this subject, says, ‘“ That he once observed 
 to the marechal, that he certainly had the means of being 
 informed who the prisoner was; that it even seemed that 
 he had told Voltaire, who durst not venture to publish the 
 secret; and that he at last asked him, whether he was not 
 the elder brother of Louis XIV. born without the knows 
 ledge of Louis XIII.? That the marechal seemed embar- 
 rassed, but afterwards said, that he was neither the bastard 
 brother of Louis XIV. nor the Duke of Monmouth, nor 
 the Count of Vermandois, nor the Duke of Beaufort, as dif- 
 ferent authors had advanced; that their conjectures were 
 nothing but reveries: but added, that they however had re- 
 lated many circumstances that were true; that in fact, the 
 order was given to put the prisoner to death if he discovered 
 himself; and that he finished the conversation by saying, “ All 
 I can tell you on the subject is, that the prisoner was not of 
 such consequence when he died, at the beginning of the pre- 
 sent century, as he had been at the beginning of the reign of 
 Louis XIV. and that he was shut up for important reasons 
 of state.”” ‘The Abbe Soulavie tells us, that he wrote down 
 what had been said, and gave it to the marechal to read, who 
 corrected some expressions. ‘lhe abbe having proposed 
 some further questions, he answered, “* Read what Voltaire 
 published last on the subject of the prisoner with the mask, 
 especially at the end, and reflect on it.”—The passage of 
 Voltaire alluded to is as-follows : 
 
 & 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A} 
 
 CRIP DIPLLOSLSY GIP LP IP LIED LIL ADE ILE LIE LL DELP IE LDEP LED LE PLDI ODE PEL LID OL OD LID LOE DOL OLOLDGODDLOOOS 
 
 Curnous History of the Man with the Iron Mask.—The late Lumley Kettlewell 
 
 GOO LDL PL OL ID 6 GL LOD POLE LL DS OBO DOP DOPE LODDOOF. 
 
 LDPE LDPLLDD LOL LL OL LLL OD DED DDE DDL ADE DLL OP 
 
 “The man with the mask (says he) is an enigma of which 
 every one would guess the meaning. Some have said that 
 it was the Duke of Beaufort; but the Duke of Beaufort 
 was killed by the Turks in the defence of Candy in 1669, 
 and the prisoner with the mask was at Pignerol in 1661.— 
 Besides, how could the Duke of Beaufort have been arrested 
 in the midst of his army, and brought to France, without 
 any one knowing it? and why confine him? and why that 
 mask ?—Others have dreamed that he was the Count de 
 Vermandois, natural son of Louis XIV. who died publicly, 
 with the army in 1683, of the small-pox, ard was buried at 
 the little town of Aire, and not Arras; m which Father 
 Griffet was mistaken, but in which, to be sure, there is no 
 great harm.—Others have imagined that it was the Duke of 
 Monmouth, who was beheaded publicly in London, in the 
 year 1685. But of this, he must have risen again from the 
 dead, and he must have changed the order of time, and placed 
 the year 1662, in the room of the year 1685. King James, 
 who never forgave any one, and who on that account de- 
 served all that happened to him, must have pardoned the Duke 
 of Monmouth, and got another to die in his stead, who per- 
 fectly resembled him. This Sosia must first have been found, 
 and then he must have had the goodness to let his head be cut 
 off in public, to save the Duke of Monmouth. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 EE oa 
 SINGULAR BIOGRAPHY.—THE LATE LUMLEY KETTLEWELL. 
 
 Tue close of 1819, closed the singular life of Lumley Ket- 
 tlewell, of Clementhorpe, near York, Esq. He died of 
 wretched, voluntary privation, poverty, cold, filth, and per- 
 sonal neglect, in obscure lodgings in the street called the pave- _ 
 ment, (whither he had removed from his own house a little 
 while before,) about seventy years of age. His fortune, 
 manners, and education, had made hima gentleman ; but from 
 some unaccountable bias in the middle of life, he renounced 
 the world, its comforts, pleasures, and honours, for the life of 
 a hermit. His person was delicate, rather below the middle 
 size, and capable of great exertion and activity. His counte- 
 nance, singularly refined and scientific, reminded you of a 
 French Alchymist of the middle ages. His dress was mean, 
 soualid, tattered, and composed of the most opposite and in- 
 congruous garments; sometimes a fur cap with a ball-room 
 coat, (bought at an old clothes’ shop) and hussar-boots ; at 
 another time a high-crowned London hat, with a coat or jacket 
 of oil-skin, finished off with the torn remains of black silk 
 
 = 
 
46 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLFLOPLGGLLEOLLOLIL ELL LE LDE LED DOLL LI ELD ELRELLEL ORE LOD GDL OOP LAE PELE LOO LOO LOO LID ODE LLL LIC DGS 
 
 Singular Biography.—The late Lumley Kettlewell. 
 
 GOLA LD LEE PEL LLP LD OL BEL LOE LIF LIF 
 
 LIE LIOLOL LEE LEE LOPLI? 
 
 stockings, and so forth. His manners were polished, soft and 
 gentlemanly, like those of Chesterfield, and the old court. 
 Karly in life he shone in the sports of the field; and he kept 
 blood horses and game dogs to the last; but the former he in- 
 variably starved to death, or put such rough, crude, and 
 strange provender before them, that they gradually declined 
 into so low a condition, that the ensuing winter never failed to 
 terminate their career, and their places were as regularly sup- 
 plied by a fresh stud. The dogs also were in such a plight 
 that they were scarcely able to go about in search of food in 
 the shambles or on the dung-hills. A fox was usually one of 
 his inmates, and he had Muscovy ducks, and a brown Maltese 
 ass, of an uncommon size, which shared the fate of his horses, 
 dying for want of proper food, and warmth. All these animals 
 inhabited the same house with himself, and they were his only 
 companions there; for no mortal, 7. e. no human being, was 
 allowed to enter that mysterious mansion. ‘The front door 
 was strongly barricadoed within, and he always entered by the 
 garden, which communicated with Clementhorpe Fields, and 
 thence climbed up by a ladder into a smali aperture that had 
 once been a window. He did notsleep in a bed, but in a pot- 
 ter’s crate filled with hay, into which he crept about 3 or 
 A o’clock in the morning, and came out again about noon the 
 following day. His money used to be laid about in his window 
 seats, and on his tables, and, from the grease it had contracted 
 by transient lodgment in his breeches pockets, the Bank notes 
 were once or twice devoured by rats. His own aliment was 
 most strange and uninviting; vinegar and water his beverage; 
 cocks’ heads with their wattles and combs, baked on a pud- 
 ding of bran and treacle, formed his most dainty dish, and oc- 
 casionally he treated himself with rabbit’s feet; he liked tea and 
 coffee, but these were indulgencies too great for every day. 
 He read and wrote at all hours not occupied with the care of 
 the aforesaid numerous domestic animals, and with what he 
 called the sports of the field. His integrity was spotless ; his 
 word at all times being equal to other men’s bonds. His re- 
 ligion was what is commonly understood by the “religion of 
 nature ;” he attended no place of worship; ner would he with- 
 out great effort and much reluctance, vote at the city and 
 county elections. But when he did, it was always in support 
 of the candidate most favourable to the cause and rights of 
 the ipgeRe. ‘“¢ Never vote for the ministerial members,” he 
 used to say, “the King and the great men will always take 
 care of themselves.” He used to carry about with him a large 
 sponge, and on long walks and rides he would now and then 
 stop, dip the sponge in water and soak the top of his head with 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. Po 
 
 PLIPLLLEYOLE PLOY IP IPD PIL LLL LIE LOL PLL LLL ELD LPOG LOL LPLI PLE LLDE OLE POLE GOOLE L LIL LIC LOL ODROOOLD OOO 
 
 The late Lumley Kettlewell.—Curious Invention for walking upon the Water. 
 
 PEP LID LIS LIP LEI DEL LIL GLE LDDDOLIDL DDD DEDLODL DOL DOL ODL O ODDO DDL DOO DOF LIL LEG LLL ELE OLD OOR ator 
 
 it, saying it refreshed him far more than food or wine. He 
 admitted no visitor whatever at his own house; but sometimes 
 went himself to see any person of whose genius or eccentricity 
 he kad conceived an interesting opinion; and-he liked on these 
 visits to be treated with a cup of tea or coffee, books, and a 
 pen and ink ; he then sat down close to the fire, rested his el- 
 bow on one knee, and, almost in a double posture, would read 
 till morning, or make extracts of passages peculiarly striking 
 to him. His favorite subjects were the pedigree of Blood- 
 horses, the writings of Free-thinkers, Chemistry, and Natural 
 History. ge 
 
 es 
 
 ~®Ws 
 
 A CURIOUS INVENTION FOR WALKING UPON THE WATER. 
 
 Mr. Kenr’s (of Glasgow) recent invention of a machine by 
 which he walks or moves along upon the water at the rate of 
 three miles per hour, has produced the announcement of an- 
 other novelty of the same description, but which seems more 
 extensively useful. he inventor terms it an Aquatic Sledge ; 
 -——it is thus described :— - 
 
 “Mr. Bader, councellor of mines at Munich, in Bavaria, 
 some years ago invented what he termed an aquatic sledge, 
 constructed on such a principle that it might be impelled and 
 guided on the water by the rider himself, without any other — 
 aid. ‘The first public experiment was made with this machine 
 on the 29th of August, 1810, before the royal family at Nym- 
 phenburg, with complete success. It is described as consist- 
 ing of two hollow canoes, or pontoons, eight feet long, made 
 of sheet copper, closed on all sides, joined to each other in 
 parallel direction, at the distance of six feet, by a light wooden 
 frame. ‘Thus joined, they support a seat resembling an arm- 
 chair, in which the rider is seated, and impels and steers the 
 sledge by treading two large pedals before him. Each of 
 these pedals-is connected with a paddle, fixed perpendicularly 
 in the interval between the two pontoons. In front of the 
 seat stands a small table, on which he may read, write, draw, 
 or eat and drink. . His hands being at perfect liberty, he may 
 even play an instrument, load and fire a gun, or do whatever 
 he pleases. Behind the seat is a leathern bag, to hold any 
 thing he may want in his excursion. It is evident that this 
 machine must be admirably calculated for taking sketches of 
 aquatic scenery, as also for the diversion of shooting water- 
 fowl, in which case the sportsman conceals himself behind a 
 slight screen of branches, or rushes, so as to approach the birds 
 unperceived, ‘This vehicle is far safer than a common boat, 
 the centre of gravity being constantly in the middle of a very 
 
48 CURIGSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 POPPE DPD LEE LOL OLE FOLDED LLL DDO LIL PLN EDD LBD LDL LPL ODD LDL PDO O DL LDL OILED IIL DILE LID DDD 
 
 Curious Invention for walking upon Water —iidnight Murder Prevented. 
 
 GPILPLP GL LOODLOOOLRILDES SLO LOL LIL LID PLD PDL DDL DDL DDL DDL LDL DOD DOL ODL OPE DEL LAD BALI IIE BI 
 
 broad base, a circumstance which renders upsetting, even in 
 
 the heaviest gale, absolutely impossible. It is moreover so 
 
 contrived, that it may be taken to pieces in a few minutes, 
 
 packed in a box, and put together in a very short time. 
 a ‘ 
 
 MIDNIGHT MURDER OF A WHOLE FAMILY, PREVENTED BY 
 THE WONDERFUL INTERPOSITION OF PROVIDENCE, 
 
 Tue following very interesting and extraordinary circum- 
 stance occurred at Dort in the year 1785, which is still the 
 frequent narrative of the young and old of that city, who re- 
 late it with mingled sensations of horror and delight, as an 
 interposition of Divine Providence in favor of a widow and 
 her family of this city. This woman, who was very industri- 
 ous, was left by her husband, an eminent carpenter, a comfort- 
 able house, with some land, and two boats for carrying mer- 
 chandize and passengers on the canals. She was also supposed 
 ~ to be worth about ten thousand guilders in ready money, 
 which she employed in a hempen and sail-cloth manufactory, 
 for the ae of increasing her fortune, and instructing her 
 children (a son and two daughters) in useful branches of 
 business. 
 
 “One night, about nine o’clock, when the workmen were 
 gone home, a person dressed in uniform, with a musquet and 
 broad-sword, came to her house, and requested a lodging: 
 ‘1 let no lodgings, friend,’ said the widow, ‘ and besides I have 
 no spare bed, unless you sleep with my son, which I think very 
 improper, on account of your being a perfect stranger to us 
 all.” The soldier then shewed a discharge from Deisbach’s 
 regiment, signed by the Major, who gave him an excellent 
 character, and a passport from Compte Maillebois, Governor 
 of Breda. . The widow, believing the stranger to be an honest 
 man, called her son, and asked him if he would accommodate 
 a veteran, who had served the republic thirty years with 
 reputation, with part of his bed. ‘The young man consented ; 
 the soldier was accordingly hospitably entertained ; and at a 
 seasonable hour withdrew to rest. 
 
 ‘“‘Some hours afterwards, a loud knocking was heard at the 
 street door, which roused the soldier, who moved softly down 
 stairs, and listened at the hall-door, when the blows were re- 
 peated, and the door almost broken through by a sledge, or 
 some heavy instrument. By this time the widow and her 
 daughters were much alarmed by this violent attack ; and ran 
 almost frantic through different parts of the house, exclaim- 
 ing, ‘murder! murder!’ The son having joined the soldier 
 with a case of loaded pistols, and the latter screwing on his 
 bayonet and fresh priming his piece, which was charged with 
 
a 
 
 nt 
 et C) ak — 
 
 t ¥ 
 7 My i, Pit , me vfs 
 
 ~ 
 
 Gi 7 ) 
 é Mellel , 
 
 C C) ~eN] q iby “o> 
 
 , 4 > es ; 
 F! 7 “ie /.# 
 ¢ pot t (tees Mophe ltl U, oe 
 
 ‘ i a 8 “a haas 
 oe ie ; , * A 
 
 2s 
 
 phety 
 
 Y ees 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AQ 
 
 SOLO LL DLE DOLD LE PLL DPD LOL PELL LDEOSL LE SDL LODPOLLPLEILLIL LD PPL ADI 
 
 GPLLPDLII LOGI LI LIGOR 
 Midnight Murder Prevented.—The Boa Constrictor. 
 
 POEL LDOD PID DIL DLO IIDL DIL IOL LOL ELD LOL LDL DOLL DEL BDL PDL DDL LLP LDL LLL LID PDD LL OL OL DDE ODE PPD LL 
 
 slugs, requested the women to keep themselves in a back room 
 out of the way of danger. Soon after the door was burst in, 
 two ruffians entered, and were instantly shot by the son, wha 
 discharged both his pistols at once. T'wo other associates of the, 
 dead men immediately returned the fire, but without effect, 
 when the intrepid and veteran stranger, taking immediate ad- 
 vantage of the discharge of their arms, rushed on them like 
 a lion, ran one through the body with his bayonet, and whilst 
 the other was running away, lodged the contents of his piece 
 between Lis shoulders, and he dropped dead onthe spot. The 
 son and the stranger then closed the door as well as they 
 could, reloaded their arms, made a good fire, and watched till 
 day-light, when the weavers and spinners of the manufactory 
 came to resume their employment, who were struck with horror 
 and surprise at seeing four dead men on the dung-hill adjoining 
 the house, where the soldier had dragged them before they 
 closed the door. 
 
 ‘The burgomaster and his syndic attended, and took the 
 depositions of the family relative to this affair, The bodies 
 were buried in a cross road, and a stone erected over the 
 grave, with this imiscription: ‘Here lie the remains of four 
 ‘unknown ruffians, who deservedly lost their lives, in an at- 
 ‘tempt to rob and murder a worthy woman and her family. 
 ‘A stranger who slept in the house, to which Divine Provi- 
 ‘dence undoubtedly directed him, was the principal instrument 
 ‘in preventing the perpetration of such horrid designs, which 
 ‘justly entitles him to a lasting memorial, and the thanks of 
 ‘the public. Jonn Adrian,de Gries, a discharged soldier 
 ‘from the regiment of Diesbach, a native of Middleburgh in 
 ‘Zealand, and upwards of seventy years old, was the David 
 ‘who slew two of these Goliaths, the rest being killed by the 
 ‘son of the family.’ | r 3k 
 
 ‘“‘'The widow presented the soldier with one hundred gui- 
 neas, and the city settled a handsome pension on him for the 
 rest of his life.” 
 
 % wa 
 ACCOUNT OF THE BOA CONSTRICTOR, 
 
 The iargest known Serpent of the habitable World, with Mr. 
 M‘Leod’s interesting Narrative and Description of one of 
 those Monsters, which was conveyed on board the Cesar. 
 
 _ Among serpents, the genus Boa is distinguished by its vast 
 
 and, indeed, almost unlimited size, as well as dy its prodigious 
 
 strength, which enables it to destroy cattle, deer, &c. by twist- 
 
 ing around them in such a manner, as to crush them to death 
 
 by continued pressure. It also claims a superiority over other 
 H | 
 
x CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GPF APL PI PLP OD LOL DIE LOL ODO LDE LOD DLE PL DOLLD IDLE LLOLDLELLDL DOL DOL DLE ROD LLE DOL LOL OLDE LOL PP 
 
 The Boa Constrictor, or Tremendous Serpent. 
 
 PPLE OD DEO LOR LLL PDE ILE LLL LDL LED L LPL LE DOL LIL LLL DOL LDR EDL LOG DOLD LOO OOF LDP LIF LEP LOE 
 
 serpents by the beauty of its colours, and the peculiar dispo- 
 sition of its variegations. The entire ground colour of this 
 animal, in the younger specimens, is a yellowish grey, and 
 sometimes a bright yellow, on which is disposed, along the 
 whole length of the back, a series of large, chain-like, reddish 
 brown, and sometimes perfectly red variegations, leaving large 
 open spaces of the ground colour at regular intervals. ‘The 
 largest or principal marks, composing the above chain-like 
 pattern, are of a squarish form, accompanied on their exterior 
 sides by large triangular spots, with their points directed down- 
 ward. Between these larger marks are disposed many smaller 
 ones, of uncertain forms, and more or less numerous in differ- 
 ent parts. The ground colour itself is also scattered over by 
 many small specks, of the same colour with the variegations. 
 The exterior edges of ail the larger spots and markings are 
 commonly blackish, or of a much deeper cast than the middle 
 part, and the ground colour immediately accompanying the 
 outward edges of the spots is, on the contrary, lighter than on 
 the other parts, or even whitish, thus constituting a general 
 richness of pattern, of which nothing but an actual view of a 
 highly-coloured specimen of the animal itselfcean convey a com- 
 plete idea. In larger specimens the yellow tinge is often lost in 
 an uniform grey cast, and the red tinge of the variegations sinks 
 into a deep chesnut : in some instances the general regularity 
 ofthe pattern, as above described, is disturbed by a kind of 
 confluent appearance. The head is invariably marked above 
 by a large longitudinal dark band, and by a narrower lateral 
 band passing across the eyes, towards the neck. 
 
 It was, in all probability, an enormous specimen of this very 
 serpent which once threw a whole Roman army into dismay. 
 The fact is recorded by Valerius Maximus, who quotes it from 
 one of the lost books of Livy, where it was detailed at a greater 
 length. He relates that, near the river Bagrada, in Africa, 
 a snake was seen of so enormous a magnitude, as to prevent 
 the army of Attilius Regulus from the use of the river; and 
 which, after having snatched up several soldiers with its enor- 
 mous mouth, and killed several others by striking and squeez- 
 ing them with the spires of its tail, was at length destroyed by 
 assailing it with all the force of military engines, and showers 
 of stones, after it had withstood the attack of their spears and 
 darts. It was regarded by the whole army as a more formi- 
 dable enemy than even Carthage itself. ‘The whole adjacent 
 region was tainted with the pestilential effluvia proceeding 
 from its remains, as were the waters with its blood, so as to 
 oblige the Roman army to shift its station. The skin of this 
 monster, measuring in length one hundred and twenty feet, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 5] 
 
 PLP LE PPLEDL OPPOSE DIL DOD DOL LLL LOD LLL POD BLO PLDI DILDO OLED COP OOD OLD ER EES Pee Te LDS BAM. 
 The Boa Constrictor, or tremendous Serpent. 
 
 PPP LOD LIP LIP LDF LD PDIE LOD LOD IDE LIP LEL PLD LL OLDE LOD LD OL DO LIL LOL LDPE LOL ELD LDOL LDL LLL ODE OPP 
 
 was sent to Rome as a trophy, and was there suspended ina 
 temple, where it remained till the time of the Numidian war. 
 
 In the narrative of Mr. M‘Leod, surgeon of the Alceste fri- 
 gate, which conveyed the late embassy to China, and was 
 wrecked in the straits of Gaspar, is an account of a Boa Con- 
 strictor having been embarked on board the Cesar, the vessel 
 which brought home the officers and crew of the shipwrecked 
 frigate. The details are of great interest ; but the mode in 
 which this prodigy of nature was, during the passage, supplied 
 with its food, causes humanity to shudder. 
 
 This Boa Constrictor was a native of Borneo, and had been 
 sent to Batavia, where he was embarked. “He was brought 
 on board, shut up in a wooden crib or cage, the bars of which 
 were sufficiently close to prevent his escape; and it had a 
 sliding door, for the purpose of admitting the articles on which 
 he was to subsist; the dimensions of the crib were about four 
 feet high, and about five feet square, a space sufficiently large 
 to allow him to coil himself round with ease. The live stock 
 for his use during the passage, consisting of six goats of the 
 ordinary size, were sent with him on board, five being consi- 
 dered as a fair allowance for as many months. At an early 
 period of the voyage we had an exhibition of his talent in the 
 way of eating, which was publicly performed on the quarter 
 deck, upon which he was brought. ‘The sliding door being 
 opened, one of the goats was thrust in, and the door of the 
 cage shut. The poor goat, as if instantly aware of all 
 the horrors of its perilous situation, immediately began to 
 utter the most piercing and distressing cries, butting instinc- 
 tively, at the same time, with its head towards the serpent, in 
 self-defence. 
 
 ‘The snake, which at first appeared scarcely to notice the 
 poor animal, soon began to stir a little, and, turning his head 
 in the direction of the goat, it at length fixed a deadly and ma- 
 lignant eye on the trembling victim, whose agony and terror 
 seemed to increase; for, previous to the snake’s seizing its 
 prey, it shook in every limb, but still continuing its unavailing 
 show of attack, by butting at the serpent, who now became 
 sufficiently animated to prepare for the banquet. The first 
 operation was that of darting out his forked tongue, and at 
 the same time rearing a little his head ; then suddenly seizing 
 the goat by the fore leg with his mouth, and throwing him 
 down, he was encircled in an instant in his horrid folds: so 
 quick, indeed, and so instantaneous was the act, that it was 
 impossible for the eye to follow the rapid convolution of his 
 elongated body. It was not a regular screw-like turn that 
 was formed, but resembling rather a knot, one part of the body 
 
52 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPL PR PPLE LID POL ODL LLL LOL LLP POLLED LDL PDE LOO DDL LOL LOL PDO S POPOE LOD PDO LID POOL DDIDLD IDOL EO 
 
 The Boa Constrictor, or Tremendous Serpent. 
 
 PLPL OL LOL LL D OLD LDL PIED LO LOD LLL ODL L OLD LD DLE ODD DDE ODO DLO LOO LDL DD ODDO DEOD DOE LIE LIE LILIA 
 
 overlaying the other, as if toadd weight to the muscular pres- 
 sure, the more effectually to crush his object. During this 
 time he continued to grasp with his mouth, though it ap- 
 peared an unnecessary precaution, that part of the animal 
 which he had first seized. The poor goat, in the mean time, 
 continued its feeble and half-stifled cries for some minutes, 
 but they soon became more and more faint, and at last it ex- 
 pired. ‘The snake, however, retained it fora considerable time 
 in its grasp, after it was apparently motionless. He then began 
 slowly and cautiously to unfold himself till the goat fell dead 
 from his monstrous embrace, when he began to prepare him- 
 self for the feast. Placing his mouth in front of the head of 
 the dead animal, he commenced by lubricating with his saliva 
 that part of the goat; and then taking its muzzle into his 
 mouth, which had, and indeed always has, the appearance of 
 a raw lacerated wound, he sucked it in, as far as the horns 
 would allow. These protuberances opposed some little diffi- 
 culty, not so much from their extent, as from their points ; 
 however, they also, ina very short time, disappeared, that is to 
 say, externally ; but their progress was still to be traced very 
 distinctly on the outside, threatening every moment to pro- 
 trude through the skin. The victim had now descended as far as 
 the shoulders ; and it was an astonishing sight to observe the 
 extraordinary action of the snake’s muscles when stretched to 
 such an unnatural extent ;—an extent which must have utterly 
 destroyed all muscular power in any animal that was not, like 
 itself, endowed with very peculiar faculties of expansion and 
 action at the same time. When his head and neck had no 
 other appearance than that of a serpent’s skin, stuffed almost 
 to bursting, still the workings of the muscles were evident, 
 and his power of suction, as it is erroneously called, una- 
 bated ; it was, in fact, the effect of a contractile muscular 
 power, assisted by two rows of strong hooked teeth. With 
 all this he must be so formed as to be able to suspend for a 
 time, his respivation, for it is impossible to conceive that the ~ 
 process of breathing could be carried on, while the mouth and 
 throat were so completely stuffed and expanded by the body 
 of the goat, and the lungs themselves (admitting the trachea 
 to be ever so hard) compressed, as they must have been, by its 
 passage downwards. 
 
 ‘“‘'The whole operation of completely gorging the geat oc- 
 cupied about two hours and twenty minutes, at the end of 
 which time the tumefaction was confined to the middle part of 
 the body, or stomach, the superior parts, which had been so 
 much distended, having resumed their natural dimensions. 
 He now coiled himself up again, and laid quietly in his usual 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 538 
 
 POLL LE PDL ALO L DOLL OE LIP 
 
 PDD LOL LOL PLSD LLP LLP LDL OOL LOI 
 
 The Boa Constrictor.—Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PPPLODLLLO LLL LEO LLD LDL LOE DOO LOD LDL OLDE DIL LOD L LOO DO LOLD LOL PIG ELE DDL DDE LOD ODE LLDE LED LPOG DOL 
 
 torpid state for about three weeks or a month, when, his last 
 meal appearing to be completely digested and dissolved, he 
 was presented with another goat, which he devoured with 
 equal facility. It would appear, that almost all he swallows 
 is converted into nutrition, for a small quantity of calcareous 
 matter (and that, perhaps, not a sixth part of the bones 
 of the animal) with occasionally some of the hairs, seemed to 
 compose his general feces; and this may account for these 
 animals being able to remain so long without a supply of food. 
 He had more difficulty in killing a fowl than a larger animal, 
 the former being too small for his grasp. 
 
 *¢ As we approached the Cape of Good Hope, this animal 
 began to droop, as was then supposed, from the increasing 
 coldness of the weather, (which may probably have had its in- 
 fluence) and he refused to kill some fowls which were offered 
 to him. Between the Cape and St. Helena he was found dead 
 in his cage; and, on dissection, the coats of his stomach were 
 discovered to be excoriated and perforated by worms. No- 
 thing remained of the goat, except one of the horns, every 
 other part being dissolved.”’ 
 
 ‘The manner in which these monsters are skinned by the na- 
 tives, is sufficiently illustrated by the annexed Engraving. 
 
 —— 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [Continued from Page 22.| 
 
 “In the progress of his illness, whether nature revisited a 
 heart she long appeared to have deserted—or whether he con- 
 ceived that the hand of a relative might be a more grateful 
 support to his dying head than that of a rapacious and merce- 
 nary menial—or whether his resentful feelings burnt faintly 
 at the expeeted approach of death, as artificial fires wax dim 
 at the appearance of morning ;—so it was, that Guzman in his 
 illness bethought himself of his sister and her family—sent off, 
 at a considerable expence, an express to that part of Ger- 
 many where she resided, to invite her to return and be recon- 
 ciled to him—and prayed devoutly that he might be permitted 
 _ to survive till he could breathe his last amid the arms of her 
 and her children. Moreover, there was a report at this time, 
 in which the hearers probably took more interest than in any 
 thing that related merely to the life or death of Guzman—and 
 this was, that he had rescinded his former will, and sent for a 
 notary, with whom, in spite of his apparent debility, he re- 
 mained locked up for some hours, dictating in a tone which, 
 however clear to the notary, did not leave one distinct impres- 
 sion of sound on the ears that were strained, even to an agony 
 of listening, at the double-locked door of his chamber. 
 
 “ All Guzman’s friends had endeavoured to dissuade him 
 
 aon 
 
5A CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 GIO LIL OIL LOL PLDI OLE LLL ODE LLEELLLLDL LE LL IL PLL LBL LL LOL LDL LOE LE DELO ELI L LL DL LOL LLL ELL LLL LD LLOO GOD 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 POE LPL OLE PLP LOL LLL LDL LPL OLPDPLPLD LOL BEL DLGDL OLDE PLL LLL LID LOL 
 
 PIPL POLO PLE LOD OL 
 
 LI 
 
 from making this exertion, which they assured him would only 
 hasten his dissolution.—But to their surprise, and doubtless 
 their delight, from the moment his will was made, Guzman’s 
 health began to amend; and in Jess than a week he began to 
 walk about his chamber, and calculate what time it might take 
 an express to reach Germany, and how soon he might expect 
 intelligence from his family. 
 
 ‘Some months had passed away, and the priests took ad- 
 vantage of the interval to get about Guzman. Sut after ex- 
 hausting every effort of ingenuity—after plying him power- 
 fully but unavailingly on the side of conscience, of duty, of 
 fear, and of religion—they began to understand their interest, 
 and change their battery. And finding that the settled pur- 
 pose of Guzman’s soul was not to be changed, and that he was 
 determined on recalling his sister and her family to Spain, they 
 contented themselves with requiring that he should have no 
 communication with the heretic family, except through them— 
 and never see his sister or her children, unless they were wit- 
 nesses to the interview. 
 
 This condition was easily complied with, for Guzman felt 
 no decided inclination for seeing his sister, whose presence 
 might have reminded him of feelings alienated, and duties for- 
 got. Besides, he was a man of fixed habits; and the presence 
 of the most interesting being on earth, that threatened the 
 slightest interruption or suspension of those habits, would 
 have been to him insupportable. 
 
 ‘Thus we are ail indurated by age and habit—and feel ul- 
 timately, that the dearest connections of nature or passion 
 may be sacrificed to those petty indulgences which the pre- 
 sence or the influence of a stranger may disturb. So Guzman 
 compromised between his conscience and his feelings, He de- 
 termined, in spite of all the priests in Seville, to invite his 
 sister and her family to Spain, and to leave the mass of his 
 immense fortune to them; (and to that effect he wrote, and 
 wrote repeatedly, and explicitly.) But, on the other hand, 
 he promised and swore to his spiritual counsellors, that he 
 never would see one individual of the family; and that, 
 though his sister might inherit his fortune, she never—never 
 should see his face. ‘The priests were satisfied, or appeared 
 to be so, with this declaration; and Guzman, having propi- 
 tiated them with ample offerings to the shrines of various 
 saints, to each of whom his recovery was exclusively attri- 
 buted, sat down to calculate the probable expense of his 
 sister’s return to Spain, and the necessity of providing for her 
 family, whom he had, as it were, rooted from their native bed; 
 and therefore felt bound, in all honesty, to make them flourish 
 in the soil into which he had transplanted them, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. Ad 
 
 SLO LPP PIL LID DIIP LPL IL PLE LPO LL LOL PLE OLE LOL PDE LDLE OP LED ODL LLP OL LIOL OLDE LOL ELLE LD DED LDOOLOOODD 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 POE LOD LEP LOPE LOLOL LEE LLLP LOL LOO GLE LIM 
 
 PROLPL LIP GDP PODOLIL OLDDP OLE LOG DLO DIOL DL ODODOF 
 
 “ Within the year, his sister, her husband, and four chil- 
 dren, returned to Spain. Her name was Ines, her husband’s 
 was Walberg. He was an industrious man, and an excellent 
 musician. His talents had obtained for him the place of 
 Maestro di Capella to the Duke of Saxony; and his children 
 were educated, according to his means, to supply his place 
 when vacated by death or accident, or to employ themselves 
 as musical teachers in the courts of German princes. He and 
 his wife had lived with the utmost frugality, and looked to their 
 children for the means of increasing, by the exercise of their 
 talents, that subsistence which it was their daily labour to 
 provide. . : 
 
 “The eldest son, who was called Everard, inherited his 
 father’s musical talents. The daughters, Julid and Ines, were 
 musical also, and very skilful in embroidery. The youngest 
 child, Maurice, was by turns the delight and the torment of 
 the family. 
 
 ‘‘' They had struggled on for many years in difficulties too 
 petty to be made the subject of detail, yet too severe not to be 
 painfully felt by those whose lot it is to encounter them every 
 day, and every hour of the day, when the sudden intelligence, 
 brought by an express from Spain, of their wealthy relative 
 Guzman inviting them to return thither, and proclaiming them 
 heirs to all his vast riches, burst on them like the first dawn 
 of his half-year’s summer on the crouching and squalid inmate 
 of a Lapland hut. Ali trouble was forgot,—all cares post- 
 poned,—their few debts paid off,—and their preparations made 
 for an instant departure to Spain. 
 
 “So to Spain they went, and journeyed on to the city of 
 Seville, where, on their arrival, they were waited on by a 
 grave ecclesiastic, who acquainted them with Guzman’s reso- 
 lution of never séeing his offending sister or her family, while 
 at the same time he assured them of his intention of support- 
 ing and supplying them with every comfort, till his decease 
 put them in possession of his wealth. The family were some- 
 what disturbed at this intelligence, and the mother wept at 
 being denied the sight of her brother, for whom she still che- 
 rished the affection of memory; while the priest, by way of 
 softening the discharge of his commission, dropt some words 
 of achange of their heretical opinions being most likely to 
 open a channel of communication between them and their re- 
 lative. The silence with which this hint was received, spoke 
 more than many words, and the priest departed. , 
 
 “This was the first cloud that had intercepted their view of 
 felicity since the express arrived in Germany, and they sat 
 gloomily enough under its shadow for the remainder of the 
 
56 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PDL LI PL EOLGOO LOE DED GLLOLE LDP LED LEE LD DLL DOL POLLO LE LE LOL LE DLE LOD LDL ODO LOD LOE LED PLL DELO LT 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 POVIRS LIL LPIL LDL OLD DDL PPL BPO LDL LOD PPL LOD DLL LOL LOLDLD LE POLLLOL LOL LPLDLOL PDO DOP 
 
 evening. Walberg, in the confidence of expected wealth, had 
 not only brought over his children to Spain, but had written 
 to his father and mother, who were very old, and wretchedly 
 poor, to join him in Seville; and by the sale of his house and 
 furniture, had been enabled to remit them money for the 
 heavy expences of so long a journey. ‘They were now hourly 
 expected, and the children, who had a faint but grateful recol- 
 lection of the blessing bestowed on their infant heads by qui- 
 vering lips and withered hands, looked out with joy for the 
 arrival of the ancient pair. Ines had often said to her hus- 
 band, ‘ Would it not be better to let your father and mother 
 remain in Germany, and remit them money for their support, 
 than put them to the fatigue of so long a journey at their far 
 advanced age ?’—And he always answered, ‘ Let them rather 
 die under my roof, than live under that of strangers.’ 
 
 “This night he perhaps began to feel the prudence of his 
 wife’s advice ; she saw it, and with cautious gentleness forbore, 
 for that very reason, to remind him of it. 
 
 “‘'The weather was gloomy and cold that evening—it was 
 unlike a night in Spain. Its chill appeared to extend to the 
 party. Ines sat and worked in silence—the children, collected 
 at the window, communicated in whispers their hopes and con- 
 jectures about the arrival of the aged travellers, and Walberg, 
 who was restlessly traversing the room, sometimes sighed as 
 he overheard them. 
 
 “he next day was sunny and cloudless. The priest again 
 called on them, and, after regretting that Guzman’s resolu- 
 tion was inflexible, informed them, that he was directed to pay 
 them an annual sum for their support, which he named, and 
 which appeared to them enormous; and to appropriate ano- 
 ther for the education of the children, which seemed to be 
 calculated ona scale of princely munificence. He put deeds, 
 properly drawn and attested for this purpose, into their hands, 
 and then withdrew, after repeating the assurance that they 
 would be the undoubted heirs of Guzman’s wealth at his de- 
 cease, and that, as the interval would be passed in affluence, 
 it might well be passed without repining. ‘The priest had 
 scarcely retired, when the aged parents of Walberg arrived, 
 feeble from joy and fatigue, but not exhausted, and the whole 
 family sat down to a meal that appeared to them luxurious, 
 in that placid contemplation of future felicity, which is often 
 more exquisite than its actual enjoyment. 
 
 “1 saw them,” said the stranger, interrupting himself—“ I 
 saw them on the evening of that day of union, and a painter, 
 who wished to embody the image of domestic felicity in a 
 group of living figures, need have gone no further than the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 57 
 
 ROGGE L IPD DOL LID DILDDLIG BIr 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 AOI LOP LDP LDL DLOLOL LLL DDE OP DGLLDG LDL DLL DDL IDOL LLL DLP LLDELED DOE LOD DDL LOL LDL ODD LED DOD GIG DOP 
 
 mansion of Walberg. Heand his wife were seated at the head 
 of the table, smiling on their children, and seeing them smile 
 in return, without the intervention of one anxious thought— 
 one present harassing of petty difficulty, or heavy presage of 
 future mischance—one fear of the morrow, or aching remem- 
 brance of the past. Their children formed indeed a groupe 
 on which the eye of painter or of parent, the gaze of taste or 
 of affection, might have hung with equal delight. Everhard, 
 their eldest son, now sixteen, possessed too much beauty for 
 his sex, and his delicate and brilliant complexion, his slender 
 and exquisitely moulded form, and the modulation of his tender 
 and tremulous voice, inspired that mingled interest, with which 
 we watch, in youth, over the strife of present debility with the 
 promise of future strength, and infused into his parents’ hearts 
 that fond anxiety with which we mark the progress of a mild 
 but cloudy morning in spring, rejoicing in the mild and balmy 
 glories of its dawn, but fearing lest clouds may overshade 
 them before noon. The daughters, Ines and Julia, had all the 
 loveliness of their colder climate—the luxuriant ringlets of 
 golden hair, the large bright biue eyes, the snow-like white- 
 ness of their bosoms, and slender arms, and the rose-!gaf tint 
 and peachiness of their delicate cheeks, made them, as they 
 attended their parents with graceful and fond officiousness, 
 resemble two young Hebes ministering cups, which their touch 
 alone was enough to turn into nectar. 
 
 “The spirits of these young persons had been early de- 
 pressed by the difficulties in which their parents had been in- 
 volved ; and even in childhood they had acquired the timid 
 tread, the whispered tone, the anxious and inquiring look, 
 that the constant sense of domestic distress painfully teaches 
 even to children, and which it is the most exquisite pain to a 
 parent to witness. But now there was nothing to restrain 
 their young hearts: that stranger, a smile, fled back, rejoicing 
 to the lovely home of their lips—and the timidity of their 
 former habits only lent a grateful shade to the brilliant exu- 
 berance of youthful happiness. Just opposite this picture, 
 whose hues were so bright, and whose shades were so tender, 
 were seated the figures of the aged grandfather and grandmo- 
 ther. ‘The contrast was very strong; there was no connect- 
 ing link, no graduated medium: you passed at once from the 
 first and fairest flowers of spring, to the whithered.and root- | 
 less barrenness of winter. 
 
 “These very aged persons, however, had something in their 
 looks to soothe the eye, and Teniers or Wouverman wonld 
 perhaps have valued their figures and costume far beyond 
 those of their young and lovely grand-children. They were 
 
 1 
 
 LPL LOD LOL 
 
 LILSPDILDEDDIODSOCOPIR 
 
58 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLP LID LOL PEG ODD LOL LED LOD LED EIDE LIL DODPDL LIDDELL LLL LOVED EO LOL OOL DID DLE BOLE LOL LOOP DILOLOGD: 
 
 Ynteresting History of Don Guzman’s Family.—Supernatural Appearances. 
 
 PEEL COL DLE LGPL ODL LOE BOLO LDLOL ID GLE LOCL DE LEE OLDE LOO LOD LEP 
 
 PEPLLL DOL DDD LEDLOD COR 
 
 stiffly and quaintly habited in their German garb—the old man 
 in his doublet and cap, and the old woman in her ruff, sto- 
 macher, and head-gear resembling a skull-cap, with long de- 
 pending pinners, through which a few white, but very long 
 
 airs, appeared on her wrinkled cheeks ; but on the counte- 
 nances of both there was a gleam of joy, like the cold smile of 
 a setting sun on a wintry landscape. ‘They did not distinctly 
 hear the kind importunities of their son and daughter, to 
 partake more amply of the most plentiful meal they had ever 
 witnessed in their frugal lives—but they bowed and smiled 
 with that thankfulness which is at once wounding and grateful 
 to the hearts of affectionate children. ‘They smiled also at 
 the beauty of Everhard and their elder grandchildren—at the 
 wild pranks of Maurice, who was as wild in the hour of trou- 
 ble as in the hour of prosperity—and finally, they smiled at 
 all that was said, though they did not hear half of it, and at all 
 they saw, though they could enjoy very little—and that smile 
 of age, that placid submission to the pleasures of the young, 
 mingled with undoubted anticipations of a more pure and 
 perfect felicity, gave an almost heavenly expression to features, 
 that would otherwise have borne only the withering look of 
 
 debility and decay. 
 
 [ Z'o be continued. | 
 
 —=t ite 
 SUPERNATURAL APPEARANCES. 
 
 Tue following relation is given in the foreign and some ot 
 our own journals, with strong marks of authenticity, and may 
 be considered, perhaps, the most extraordinary of its class | 
 any where to be found: 
 
 ** Professor K , of the University of Strasburgh, in 
 the former part of his life, resided at Frankfort on the Maine, 
 where he exercised the profession ofa physician. One day 
 being invited to dine with a party of gentlemen, after dinner, 
 as is the custom in Germany, coffee was brought in; an ani- 
 mated conversation commenced, various subjects were intro- 
 duced, and at length the discourse turned upon apparitions, 
 &e. — was amongst those who strenuously combatted 
 the idea of supernatural visitations, as preposterous and ab- 
 surd in the highest degree. A gentleman, who was a captain 
 in the army, with equal zeal supported the opposite side of the 
 question. 
 
 ‘“¢ The question was long and warmly contested, both being 
 men of superior talents, till in the end the attention of the 
 whole company was engrossed by the dispute. At length the 
 Captain proposed to K——-— to accompany him that evening 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 59 
 PREP PLAALII DIL ILL DO LDI DDL DIOP LOL PPL DLE LDL LPL OLE DDL ODI L IL ILD DOL DEL BIL DELILE ELL ALS BIA PLAIN ADS. 
 
 Supernatural Appearances. 
 
 PLP ILD DLS DED OLE POL ELDELL DDD LOLO ED LIE ELDOLEL BLOODED PDE POL 
 
 ra 
 
 LLL 
 
 to his country-house, where, if he did not convince him of the 
 reality of supernatural agency, he would then allow himself in 
 the estimation of the present company, to whom he appealed 
 as judges of the controversy, to be defeated. ‘The Professor, 
 with a laugh, instantly consented to the proposal, if the Cap- 
 tain, on his honour, would promise that no trick-should be 
 played off upon him: the Captain readily gave his word and 
 honour that no imposition or trick should be resorted to, and 
 here for the present the matter rested. Wine and tobacco 
 now circulated briskly, and the afternoon passed in the utmost 
 harmony and conviviality. ‘The Captain took his glass cheer- 
 fully, while K———— prudently reserved himself, to be com- 
 pletely on his guard against any manceuvre that might be 
 practised in order to deceive him, or, as he properly observed, 
 * to be in full and sober possession of his faculties, that what- 
 ever should be presented to his sight, might be examined 
 through the medium of his reason.’ The company broke up 
 at rather an early hour, and theCaptain and K——-— set out 
 together on their spiritual adventure. When they drew near 
 the Captain’s house, he suddenly stopped near the entrance 
 to a solemn grove of trees. ‘They descended from their ve- 
 hicle, and walked towards the grove. The Captain traced a 
 large circle on the ground, into which he requested K—-— 
 to enter. He then solemnly asked him if he possessed sufli- 
 cient resolution to remain there alone to complete the adven- 
 ture; to which K— replied in the affirmative. He added 
 further, ‘ whatever you may witness, stir not, 1 charge you, 
 from this spot, till you see me again; if you step beyond this 
 circle, it will be your immediate destruction.’ He then left 
 the Professor to his own meditations, who could not refrain 
 from smiling at what he thought the assumed solemnity of his 
 acquaintance, and the whimsical situation in which he was 
 ‘placed.. The night was clear and frosty, and the stars shone 
 -with a peculiar brilliancy: he looked around on all sides to 
 -observe from whence he might expect his ghostly visitant. 
 He directed his regards towards the grove of trees; he per- 
 ceived a small spark of fire at a considerable distance within 
 its gloomy shade. _It advanced nearer; he then concluded it 
 was a torch borne by some person who was in the Captain’s 
 secret, and who was to personate a ghost. It advanced nearer 
 and more near ; the light increased ; it approached the edge 
 of the circle wherein he was placed. ‘ It was then,’ to use 
 his own expressions, ‘ I seemed surrounded with a fiery at- 
 -mosphere: the heavens and every object before visible were 
 excluded from my sight.’ But now a figure of the most un- 
 definable description absorbed his whole attention ; his ima- 
 
GO CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GIL LOL LOL LOD YOO DLS LIP LIL LIPS OID 
 
 ee 
 
 LOLOL LDL LD EL EOL LEE DAP 
 
 Supernatural Appearances. 
 
 PLILLDE LOL LLL ILE PLD DIOLEL LOL EDL OLDE OLEOPL LLL DIEGO DEL COE LOL LOL DIE ODOR LO LCDLODDDLE LOD DOLE GOP 
 
 gination had never yet conceived any thing so truly fearful. 
 What appeared to him the more remarkable, was an awful 
 benignity pourtrayed in its countenance, and with which it 
 appeared to regard him. He contemplated for a while this 
 dreadful object, but at length fear began insensibly to arrest 
 his faculties. He sunk down on his knees to implore the pro- 
 tection of heaven ; he remarked, for his eyes were still riveted 
 on the mysterious appearance, which remained stationary, and 
 earnestly regarded him, that at every repetition of the name 
 of the Almighty, it assumed a more benignant expression of 
 countenance, whilst a terrific brilliancy gleamed from its eyes. 
 Fe fell prostrate on the ground, fervently imploring heaven 
 to remove from him the object of his terrors. After a while 
 he raised his head, and beheld the mysterious light fading by 
 degrees in the gloomy shades of the grove from which it issued. 
 It soon entirely disappeared, and the Captain joined him 
 almost at the same moment. During their walk to the Cap- 
 tain’s house, which was close at hand, the Captain asked his 
 companion, ‘ Are you convinced that what you have now wit- 
 nessed was supernatural?’ K replied, ‘ he could not 
 give a determinate answer to that question ; he could not on 
 natural principles account for what he had seen, it certainly 
 was not like any thing earthly, he therefore begged to be ex- 
 cused from saying any more on a subject which he could not 
 comprehend. ‘The Captain replied, ‘he was sorry he was not 
 convinced ;’ and added witha sigh, ‘ he wasstill more sorry that 
 he had ever attempted to convince him.’ ‘Thus far it may be 
 considered as no more than a common phantasmagorical trick, 
 played off on the credulity of the Professor, but in the end 
 the performer paid dearly for his exhibition; he had, like a 
 person ignorant of a complicated piece of machinery, given 
 impetus to a power which he has not the knowledge to con- 
 troul, and which in the end proves fatal to him who puts it in 
 motion. K— now assumed a gaiety which was very fo- 
 reign to his feelings; his thoughts, in spite of his endeavours, 
 were perpetually recurring to the events of the evening; but 
 in proportion as he forced conversation, the Captain evidently 
 declined it, becoming more and more thoughtful and ab- 
 stracted every moment. After supper K—--— challenged 
 his friend to take a glass of wine, hoping it would rouse him 
 from those reflections which seemed to press so heavy on his 
 mind. But the wine and the Professor’s discourse were alike 
 disregarded : nothing could dispel the settled melancholy 
 which seemed to deprive him of the power of ae I must 
 observe, that immediately after supper, the Captain had or- 
 ‘dered all his servants to bed. It drew towards midnight, and 
 
CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 61 
 
 POLL IL 
 
 PLILOL LPL IED IDIDODD GD 
 
 POPOL DOLE IG DISA DID DLS 
 Supernatural Appearances.—The Two Brothers. 
 
 PLE LOPLI IOO LODE BOP LDIE DGDLIDIL DL LLDE GLI AT 
 
 PLILF ILE LLP OPE LES EDGLOLLE PLL LL E OLDE OOP 
 
 he remained still absorbed in thought, but apparently not 
 wishing to retire to bed. K—-—— was silently smoking his 
 pipe, when, on a sudden, a heavy step is heard in the passage : 
 it approaches the room in which they are sitting—a knock is 
 heard: the Captain raises his head and looks mournfully at 
 K The knock is repeated—both are silent: a third 
 knock is heard, and K——-— breaks the silence by asking his 
 friend why he does not order the person in. Ere the Captain 
 could reply, the room door was flung wildly open, when be- 
 hold! the same dreadful appearance which K— had al- 
 ready witnessed stood in the door-way. Its awful benignity 
 of countenance was now changed into the most appalling and 
 terrific frown. A large dog which was in the room, crept 
 whining and trembling behind the Captain’s chair. Fora few 
 moments the figure remained stationary, and then motioned 
 the Captain to follow it: he rushed towards the door, the 
 figure receded before him, and K— , determined to ac- 
 company his friend, followed with the dog. They proceeded 
 unobstructed into the court-yard; the doors and gates seemed 
 to open spontaneously before them. From the court-yard 
 they passed into the open: fields ; K—-—-—- with the dog were 
 about 20 or 30 paces behind the Captain. At length they 
 reached the spot near to the entrance of the grove, where the 
 circle was traced; the figure stood still, when on a sudden a 
 bright column of flame shot up, a loud shriek was heard, a 
 heavy body seemed to fall from a considerable height, and, in 
 a moment after, all was silence and darkness. K— called 
 loudly on the Captain, but received no answer. Alarmed for 
 the safety of his friend, he fled back to the house, and quickly 
 assembled the family. They proceeded to the spot, and found 
 the apparently lifeless body of the Captain stretched on the 
 ground. ‘The Professor ascertained, on examination, that the 
 heart still beat faintly ; he was instantly conveyed home, and 
 all proper means were resorted to to restore animation; he 
 revived a little, and seemed sensible of their attentions, but 
 remained speechless till his death, which took place in three 
 days after. Down one side, from head to foot, the flesh was 
 livid and black, as if from a fall or severe bruise. The affair 
 was hushed up in the immediate neighbourhood, and his sud- 
 den death was attributed to apoplexy.” 
 
 ai 
 
 THE TWO BROTHERS. 
 
 Tue Count de Ligniville, and Count D’Autricourt, twins, 
 descended from an ancient family in Lorraine, resembled each 
 other so much, that when they put on the same kind of dress, 
 
 ae 
 
62 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIGA MALL LLOLD PODER EDL DIL PLL DDD LD PDL 
 
 PPL ELA OAS 
 
 LPL LLL PLE LELLLL LEE PLO LDILDODGOEL 
 The Two Brothers.—The Sagacity of Ants. 
 
 SLILPOP IGE LEPOGLP LEG BILD BOEOLODELELEC LOL LOG OEE POPLO PL SL OOO LLL DDE DLO IROL OO LIP LPS 
 
 which they did now and then for amusement, their servants 
 could not distinguish the one from the other. ‘Their voice, 
 gait, and deportment the same, and these marks of resem- 
 blance were so perfect, that they often threw their friends, and 
 even their wives, into the greatest embarrassment. Bein 
 both captains of light horse, the one would put himself at the 
 head of the other’s squadron, without the officers ever sus- 
 pecting the change. Count D’Autricourt having committed 
 some crime, the Count de Ligniville never suffered his brother 
 to go out without accompanying him, and the fear of seizing 
 the innocent instead of the guilty, rendered the orders to ar- 
 rest the former of no avail. One day Count de Ligniville 
 sent for a barber, and after having suffered him to shave one 
 half of his beard, he pretended to have occasion to go into 
 the next apartment, and put his night-gown upon his brother, 
 who was concealed there, and taking the cloth which he had 
 about his neck under his chin, made him sit down in the place 
 which he had just quitted.’ The barber immediately resumed 
 his operation, and was proceeding to finish what he had begun, 
 as he supposed, but to his great astonishment, he found, that 
 a new beard had sprung up. Not doubting that the person 
 under his hands was the devil, he roared out with terror, and 
 sunk down in a swoon on the floor. Whilst they were endea- 
 vouring to call him to life, Count D’Autricourt retired again 
 into the closet, and Count de Ligniville, who was half-shaved, 
 returned to his former place. ‘This was a new cause of sur- 
 prise to the poor barber, who now imagined that all he had 
 seen was a dream, and he could not be convinced of the truth 
 until he beheld the two brothers together. ‘The sympathy 
 that subsisted between the two brothers was no less singular 
 than their resemblance. If one fell sick, the other was indis- 
 posed also; if one received a wound, the other felt pain ; and 
 this was the case with every misfortune that befel them, so that 
 on that account, they watched over each other’s conduct with 
 the greatest care and attention. But what is still more asto- 
 nishing, they both had often the same dreams. The day that 
 Count D’Autricourt was attacked in France by the fever of 
 which he died, Count de Ligniville was attacked by the same 
 in Bavaria, and was near sinking under it. 
 dee 
 
 THE SAGACITY OF ANTS. 
 
 Having a mind to try the sagacity of those little animals, J 
 stopped the holes through which they went for their provisions 
 in a neighbouring granary, and thereby obliged them to lon 
 and tedious journies in order to supply their stores. At last, 
 1 spread several handsful of wheat in a room which joined 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 63 
 
 PEO GLE LED IDLY DO LOO LDL DIL LDL LIED II EL ILILDE LOL D OL LID IIE PLE LID IIA BIS BOL LOI PLL DLE LD LER OL ODD 
 
 The Sagacity of Ants.—Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 PPS POSE DODO O DOO LIF IAS LDP LIL LDL BDL DDL LDL DOE LIL ODD DED LIL EDL DELI DIL LLILLE LDL PLE DLA DOF 
 
 their abode; but I still found the Ants continued going over 
 several gardens and other large tracts of grounds to find out 
 provisions, and constantly brought them home to the same 
 place, which plainly shewed they had not yet discovered the 
 supply I had intended for them. At last, 1 caught one of the 
 Ants, and threw her on the wheat I had spread; the insect 
 having been frightened, and finding herself at liberty, ran 
 away without laying hold of that opportunity to enrich herself; 
 but, about three or four minutes afterwards, I was agreeably 
 surprised to see five or six hundred of those little animals 
 marching towards the heap of wheat, who all took their load- 
 ing, and then returned home, which evidently proves that the 
 first Ant had communicated her discovery to the others. . 
 
 —iie— 
 BONAPARTE’S HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES. 
 
 [Continued from Page 36.| 
 
 The emperor now went through the ranks ; it would be dif- 
 ficult to express the enthusiasm which animated all the soldiers ; 
 the infantry elevated their caps on their bayonets ; the cuiras- 
 siers, dragoons, and light cavalry, their helmets on their sabres. 
 Victory appeared certain; the old soldiers, who had been pre- 
 sent at so many engagements, admired this new order of battle ; 
 they endeavoured to penetrate the ulterior views of their ge- 
 neral, discussing the point and manner of the attack. Mean- 
 while, the Emperor gave his last orders, and proceeded at the 
 head of his guard, to the summit of the six W’s, on the 
 heights of Rossome, where he dismounted. From this spot, 
 he had a complete view of the two armies, as the prospect ex- 
 tended far to the right and left of the field of battle. 
 
 A battle is a dramatic action, which has.a commencement, 
 a middle, and an end. ‘The order of battle which the two 
 armies assume, the first movements which are made to engage, 
 may be called the opening scene; the counter movements, 
 made by the party attacked, form the under plot; this leads to 
 new incidents ! these bring on the crisis, from which proceeds 
 the catastrophe. As soon as the attack by the centre of the 
 French army was unmasked, the enemy’s general would ex- 
 ecute counter movements, either by his wings or behind his 
 line, to make a diversion, or hasten to the succour of the 
 point attacked. None of these movements could escape the 
 experienced eye of the French Monarch, from the central 
 position in which he placed himself; while he had all the re- 
 serve at hand, to send them where the urgency of the circum- 
 stances might happen to require their presence. 
 
 Ten divisions of artillery, among which were three divisions 
 of twelve pounders, assembled ; the left towards the cause 
 
64 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 way of Charleroi, on the hills beyond la Belle Alliance, and 
 in front of the left division of the first corps. 'They were 
 destined to support the attack of a Haye Sainte, which was 
 to be made by two divisions of the first corps, and the two 
 divisions of the sixth, whilst the two other divisions of the 
 first corps should march on La Haye. By these means, all 
 the left of the enemy would be turned. The division of light 
 cavalry of the sixth corps in close column, and that of the 
 first corps which was on its wings, would participate in this 
 attack, which would also be supported by the second and 
 third lines of cavalry, as all the foot and horse guards. The 
 Krench army, once in possession of La Haye and Mont 
 St. Jean, would cut off the causeway of Brussels, from all the 
 right of the English army, where its principal forces were. 
 '’he Emperor preferred turning the left of the army rather 
 than the right ; first, in order to cut it off from the Prussians 
 who were at Wavres, and oppose their junction if that was 
 in contemplation; and if it were not even meditated, and the 
 attack was made on the right, the English army repulsed would 
 have fallen back on the Prussians ; whereas, if made on the 
 left, it would be separated from them, and driven in the direc- 
 tion of the sea-coast ; secondly, because the left appeared to 
 be much more feeble; thirdly, because the Emperor was in 
 momentary expectation of being joined by a detachment from 
 Marshal Grouchy to strengthen his right; he did not there- 
 
 fore wish to run the risk of being separated from that body. 
 Whilst every thing was preparing for this decisive attack, 
 Prince Jerome’s division, on the left, commenced a fire of 
 musketry at the wood of Hougoumont. The action soon be- 
 came very warm, the enemy having unmasked nearly forty 
 pleces of artillery. General Reille advanced the battery of 
 artillery of his second division, and the Emperor sent an order 
 to General Kellerman, to advance his twelve pieces of light 
 artillery ; the cannonade was now extremely brisk. Prince 
 Jerome carried the wood of Hougoumont several times, and 
 was as often repulsed from it ; this spot was defended by the 
 division of the English guards, the best troops of the enemy. 
 it was gratifying to see them on the right, as it rendered the 
 ae attack on the left more easy. ‘The division of General 
 ‘oy, supported Jerome’s division, prodigies of valour were 
 performed on both sides; the English guards covered the 
 wood and the avenues of the castle with their dead, but not 
 without selling their blood dearly. After many vicissitudes, 
 which occupied a great part of the day, the whole of the wood 
 remained in the possession of the French; but the castle, in 
 whichsome hundreds of intrepid English troops defended them- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 65 
 
 QOD OIL GLO LL LD LLL IL LLL PPL PDIP IDL DLL GDI LDV PPL LD OL IDDDD PLL DID POPP ILO SD DROID 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 DROP LOLI LIS PDDLD OL IDLG POEL LOL DLL LIF ILE LDP DLS DOODOMD 
 
 selves, opposed an invincible resistance. ‘The Emperor or- 
 dered it to be attacked by a battery of eight howitzers, which 
 set fire to the barns and roofs; this soon rendered the French 
 masters of that position. 
 
 Marshal Ney obtained the honour of commanding the 
 grand attack of the centre; it could not be confided to a 
 braver man, or one more accustomed to this species of service. 
 He sent one of his aid-de-camps, to say that every thing was 
 ready, and that he only waited for the signal. Before giving 
 it, the Emperor wished to throw a last glance over the whole 
 field of battle, and perceived, in the direction of St. Lambert, 
 a dark mass, which appeared to him like troops. Upon this, 
 he asked the Adjutant General what he saw near St. Lam- 
 bert? “ I think, I see five or six thousand men,” replied the 
 General, “ it is probably a detachment from Grouchy.” All 
 the glasses of the staff were now fixed in that direction. The 
 weather was rather foggy. As it generally happens on such 
 occasions, some maintained, that there were no troops, but 
 merely trees which were perceived; while others said, co- 
 lumns were in position there; some, that they were treops in 
 march. In this state of uncertainty, and without further de- 
 liberation, he sent for Lieutenant General Daumont, and 
 ordered him to scour the right with his divisions of light ca- 
 valry, and that of General Subervie; also to communicate 
 promptly with the troops which were moving on St. Lambert, 
 to effect a junction if they belonged to Marshal Grouchy, and 
 keep them in check if they were enemies. ‘These three thou- 
 sand cavalry had only to make a wheel to the right by fours 
 to be out of the lines; they marched rapidly, and in the 
 greatest order, to a distance of three thousand toises, and 
 formed in line of battle on the right of the army. 
 
 A quarter, of an hour afterwards, an officer of chasseurs 
 brought in a Prussian black hussar, who had been just mad 
 prisener by the scouts of a flying column of three hundrea 
 chasseurs, which scoured the country between Wavres and 
 Planchenoit. This hussar was the bearer of a letter; he was 
 also very intelligent, and gave all the information that was 
 required. ‘The column perceived at St. Lambert, was the 
 advanced guard of the Prussian General, Bulow, who was 
 coming up with thirty thousand men; this was the fourth 
 Prussian corps-which had not been engaged at Ligny. The 
 letter was in fact the announcement of its arrival, and a re- 
 quest from Bulow to the Duke of Wellington for ulterior 
 orders. The hussar said, that he had been at Wavres in the 
 morning ; that the three other Prussian corps were encamped 
 there; that they had passed the night between the 17th and 
 
 K 
 
66 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 PPE LIL LS PL IPDILD BL IPD PILL LPL PDD OLE LILI LOS PDODLDE LLROE DLO PLE LOE DIL DEEL LED DI LED OLE LODE DOE CE LDL BD LL 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 PLOLDPLLOEDL DIL DOL ODODE 
 
 18th in that town; that there were no French troops before 
 them; that he supposed the French had marched on Planche- 
 noit ; that a patrole of his regiment had during the night ap- 
 aes within two leagues of Wavres, without meeting any 
 
 rench corps whatever. The Duke of Dalmatia immediately 
 dispatched the intercepted letter, and the report of the hussar 
 to Marshal Grouchy, to whom he reiterated the order to 
 march without a moment’s delay on St. Lambert, and to take 
 General Bulow’s corps in the rear. It was now eleven 
 o’clock, the officer had only to proceed four or five leagues to 
 reach Marshal Grouchy, and he promised to be with that offi- 
 cer in an hour. By the last communication received from the 
 Marshal, it was known that he meant to march on Wavres at 
 day-break ; but from Gembloux, where he was, to Wavres, 
 the distance is only three leagues. Whether he had received 
 the orders which had been dispatched to him in the night from 
 the imperial quarters or not, he should most certainly have 
 been engaged at this very time before Wavres. Those who 
 reconnoitred in that direction saw no troops; not a gun was 
 heard. A short time after, General Daumont sent to say, 
 that some well-mounted scouts that preceded him, had met 
 patroles of the enemy in the vicinity of St. Lambert; and 
 that there was no doubt of the troops which were seen there 
 being enemies; that he had sent chosen patroles in various 
 directions, to communicate with Marshal Grouchy, for the 
 purpose of conveying orders and reports. 
 
 The Emperor immediately caused an order to be given to 
 Count Lobau to cross the causeway of Charleroi, by a change 
 of direction to the right by divisions, and to support the light 
 cavalry towards St. Lambert; choosing a good intermediate 
 position, where he might with ten thousand men, check thirty 
 thousand if it became necessary; to attack the Prussians 
 briskly, as soon as he should hear the first cannon shots of 
 the troops, which Marshal Grouchy had detached in their 
 rear. These orders were instantly executed. It was of the 
 highest importance that the movement of Count de Lobau 
 should be made without delay. 
 
 Marshal Grouchy should have detached six or seven thou- 
 sand men from Wavres on St. Lambert, these would find them- 
 selves compromised, since Bulow’s corps was thirty thousand 
 strong just as the latter corps would have been compromised 
 and destroyed, if, at the moment of his being attacked in the rear 
 by seven thousand men, he was attacked in front by a man of 
 Count de Lobau’s character. Seventeen or eighteen thou- 
 sand French, thus disposed and commanded, were far superior 
 to thirty thousand Prussians; but these events caused’ some 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 67 
 
 PRL LLL OEP LRP POL LOR DLE BOE LOL OPI LE L LOL ODL BELLE DDE BLL ODL OL L LOL OLE DLL ODT LD- PRLOLDO OOS: 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times.—Dreadful Catastrophes among the Alps 
 
 PIL LLL LOL GLE ~%4, 
 
 PLS LDF IID PID PPL LOL LOL PELEOLILEOP PLE LLL LED LOE DLL EA LOR 
 
 change in the first plan of the Emperor; he found himself 
 enfeebled on the field of battle by ten thousand men, whom 
 he was obliged to send against General Bulow. He no longer 
 had more than fifty-nine thousand men against ninety thou- 
 sand ; while the enemy’s army against which he was engaged, 
 had just been augmented by thirty thousand men, already 
 ranged on the field of battle; thus placing one hundred and 
 twenty thousand men against sixty-nine thousand ; or two to 
 one. “ We had ninety chanecs for us this morning,” said he, 
 to the Duke of Dalmatia, “ the arrival of Bulow makes us lose 
 thirty ; but we have still sixty against forty : and if Grouchy 
 repairs the, horrible fault which he committed yesterday, by 
 amusing himself at Gembloux, and sends on his detachment with 
 rapidity, the victory will be thereby only the more decisive, for 
 the corps of Bulow must in that case be entirely lost.” 
 
 [Zo be continued. | 
 
 —— ae 
 DREADFUL CATASTROPHES AMONG THE ALPS. 
 BY MONSIEUR L. SIMOND. 
 
 Tus amusing traveller, who resided in England during the 
 years 1810 and J811, has published a Journal of a Tour and 
 Residence in Switzerland, in the years 1817, 1818, and 1819, 
 from which the followmg tragical pictures are taken. 
 
 About four years ago, by the temporary damming up of the 
 river Dranse, in one of those valleys which open upon that of 
 Bagne, the most dreadful effects were produced. ‘The scanti- 
 ness of the water that reached the inhabited parts, at the time 
 when the stream should have been fullest, gave rise to suspi- 
 cions; and, upon ascending to the desert part, a great lake 
 was found to have accumulated behind an immense barrier of 
 ice, brought down by the avalanches of the preceding winter, 
 and which threatened to deluge the whole country, as soon as 
 this perishable bulwark came to be melted away. Immediate 
 measures were taken to open a tunnel or gallery through the 
 ice, and so to drain the lake by degrees. But, though the 
 greatest skill and industry were employed, and a very great 
 part of the accumulated water actually discharged by this arti- 
 ficial opening, the whole dike at last gave way, on the 16th of 
 June, and a dreadful inundation ensued. The rapid increase 
 of the heat had loosened and disengaged several of the huge 
 masses of which the bulwark was composed, which, parting 
 from the rest with loud explosions, floated up to the surface, 
 and weakened and undermined its foundations. ‘The catas- 
 trophe was, in this way, in some measure foreseen and pro- 
 vided for; but, when it did come, it was still sufficiently terrible. 
 
68 CURIGS“ZTIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POL POEL LIL IL OL LED DOE LOL LED LO OL DOOD SL POCIRNO LOL LOL LOE DOC ELI OLE BOL LOOE LEE LDE PED OB*DL GE ODP LORS 
 
 Dreadful Catastrophes among the Alps. 
 
 ¢ PO PIL OOD LLL BPOILDDO LOL LIV OOLOLDE DOLLOP DOL DOEL LOL GD PLRILPL PEL OIL DDD LOCELDO LOE DIPOLE LOE LOD 
 
 At half past four in the evening, a terrible explosion an- 
 nounced the breaking up of the dike ; and the waters of thg 
 Jake rushing through, all at once formed a torrent one hundred 
 feet in depth, which traversed the first eighteen miles in the 
 space of forty minutes, carrying away one hundred and thirty 
 chalets, a whole forest, and an immense quantity of earth and 
 stone. When it reached Bagne, the ruins of all descriptions, 
 borne along with it, formed a moving mountain three hundred » 
 feet high, from which a column of thick vapor arose, like the 
 smoke of a great fire. An English traveller, accompanied by 
 a young artist, Mr. P. of Lausanne, and a guide, had been 
 visiting the works, and on his return was approaching Bagne, 
 when, turning round by chance, he saw the frightful object 
 just described coming down, the distant noise of which had 
 been lost in the nearer roar of the Dranse. He clapt spurs to 
 his horse to warn his companion, as well as three other tra- 
 vellers who had joined them. All dismounting, scrambled up 
 the mountain precipitately, and arrived in safety beyond the . 
 reach of the deluge, which, in an instant, filled the valley be- 
 neath. From Bagne the inundation reached Martigny, four 
 leagues, in fifty minutes, bearing away in that space thirty-five 
 houses, eight windmills, ninety-five barns, but only nine per- 
 sons, and very few cattle, most of the inhabitants having been 
 on their guard. The village of Beauvernier was saved by a 
 projecting rock, which diverted the torrent. It was seen 
 passing like an arrow by the side of the village, without 
 touching it, though much higher than the roofs of the houses. 
 The fragments of rocks and stones deposited before reaching 
 Martigny entirely covered a vast extent of meadows and 
 fields. Here it was divided; but eighty buildings of this town 
 were destroyed, and many were injured. ‘The streets were 
 filled with trees and rubbish; but only thirty-four persons ap- 
 
 ear to have lost their lives at Martigny, the inhabitants 
 la retired to the mountains. Below Martigny, the inun- 
 dation spreading wide, deposited a quantity of slime and mud, 
 so considerable as it is hoped will redeem an extensive swamp. 
 The Rhone received it hy degrees, and at different points, with- 
 out overflowing, till it reached the Lake of Geneva at eleven 
 o’clock at night, and was lost in its vast expanse, having gone 
 over eighteen Swiss leagues in six hours and a half, witha 
 gradually retarded movement. 
 
 Such are a part of the dangers of an Alpme residence, but 
 there are others still more frightful. The snow not only slides 
 from the mountains, but the mountains themselves slide down 
 upon the valleys. The most extensive catastrophe of this 
 kind, that has occurred of late years, took place in 1806, in the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 69 
 
 POL LLP LPL POL IID PLP LL I LE GLO DPOL ED LLL LLL GOLDS LOE LLC LPO LL E LOO LLL EOL ODL ODD LDS POOL DL PBL ALD BPS 
 _ Dreadful Catastrophes among the Alps. 
 
 PDIP POL ADL LDP APE LOL PELE OP LP DELP OLE L LOL LE PDO DOLE DDD PLO DLO DLL LPP LOLOL LLL LOG LLP LD OE LIP DSF 
 
 mountain of Rossberg, where a space twice as large as the city 
 of Paris slipped down at once into the Lake of Lowertz, and 
 occasioned the most dreadful devastation. M. Simond col- 
 lected the particulars from the narrative of Dr. Zay, of Arc, 
 who was an eye-witness to the terrible disaster. 
 
 The summer of 1806 had been very rainy, and on the Ist 
 and 2d of September it rained incessantly. New crevices 
 were observed in the flank of the mountain; a sort of crackling 
 noise was heard internally; stones started out of the ground ; 
 detached fragments of rocks rolled down the mountain. At 
 two o’clock in the afternoon, on the 2d of September, a large 
 rock became loose, and, in falling, raised a cloud of black dust. 
 Toward the lower part of the mountain the ground seemed 
 pressed down from above; and when a stick or a spade was 
 driven in it, moved of itself. A man, who had been digging in 
 his garden, ranaway from fright, at these extraordinary appear- 
 ances. Soon, a fissure larger than all the others was observed ; 
 insensibly it increased. Springs of water ceased all at once to 
 flow; the pine-trees of the forest absolutely reeled; birds flew 
 away screaming. A few minutes before five o’clock the symp- 
 toms of some mighty catastrophe became still stronger; the 
 whole surface of the mountain seemed to glide down, but so 
 slowly as to afford time to the inhabitants to go away. An 
 old man, who had often predicted some such disaster, was 
 quietly smoking his pipe, when told by a young man, running 
 by, that the mountain was in the act of falling. He rose and 
 looked out, but came in to his house again, saying he had time 
 to fill another pipe. The young man, continuing to fly, was 
 thrown down several times, and escaped with difficulty. Look- 
 ing back, he saw the house carried off all at once. 
 
 Another inhabitant, being alarmed, took two of his children 
 and ran away with them, calling to his wife to follow witha 
 third; but she went in for another, who still remained, (Ma- 
 rianne, aged five). Just then Francisca Ulrich, their ser- 
 vant, was crossing the room with this Marianne, whom she | 
 held by the hand, and saw her mistress. At that instant, as 
 Francisca afterwards said, ‘the house appeared to be torn 
 from its foundation (it was of wood), and spun round and 
 round like a tetotum. I was sometimes on my head, some- 
 times on my feet, in total darkness, and violently separated 
 from the child.””, When the motion stopped, she found herself 
 jammed in on all sides, with her head downwards much bruised, 
 and in extreme pain. She supposed she was buried alive at a 
 great depth. With much difficulty she disengaged her right 
 hand,and wiped the blood from her eyes. Presently she heard 
 the faint moans of Marianne, and called to her by her name. 
 
70 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GPF ILD LPL IL DL LIL PIPL LOD LD ELOO LOD OLD LED LOL LLL OBL EDO MOD OLDS DOD OL LE LE LEL LE LOD DEEL OP EPIL DDD OVP 
 Dreadful Catastrophes among the Alps 
 
 GLE LLL LLL LE LOD ODD ODDIE LOL LD LID LOL D CLE PELL EDD BOO LOD LOL DLODE LL EOL ELDO LOL LDS 
 
 The child answered that she was on her back, among stones 
 and bushes which held her fast, but that her hands were free, 
 and that she saw the light, and even something green. She 
 asked whether people would not soon come to take them out. 
 Francisca answered, that it was the day of judgment, and that 
 no one was left to help them, but that they would be released 
 by death, and be happy in heaven. They prayed together. 
 At last, Francisca’s ear was struck by the sound of a bell, 
 which she knew to be that of Stenenberg ; then seven o’clock 
 struck in another vllage, and she began to hope there were still 
 living beings, and endeavoured to comfort the child. The poor 
 little girl was at first clamorous for her supper ; but her cries 
 soon became fainter, and at last quite died away. Francisca, 
 still with her head downwards, and surrounded with damp 
 earth, experienced a sense of cold in her feet almost insup- 
 portable. After prodigious efforts, she succeeded in disen- 
 gaging her legs, and thinks this saved her life. Many hours 
 had passed in this situation, when she again heard the voice 
 of Marianne, who had been asleep, and now renewed her la- 
 mentations. In the mean time the unfortunate father, who 
 with much difficulty had saved himself and two children, wan- 
 dered about till daylight, when he came among the ruins to 
 Jook for the rest of his family. He soon discovered his wife, 
 by a foot which appeared above ground. She was dead, with 
 a child inherarms. His cries, and the noise he made in dig- 
 ging, were heard by Marianne, who called out. She was ex- 
 tricated with a broken thigh ; and, saying that Francisca was 
 not far off, a farther search led to her release also, but in such 
 a state that her life was despaired of. She was blind for some 
 days, and remained subject to convulsive fits of terror. It ap- 
 peared that the house, or themselves at least, had been car- 
 ried down about one thousand five hundred feet from where it 
 stood before. 
 
 In another place, a child two years old was found unhurt, 
 lying on its straw mattress upon the mud, without any vestige 
 of the house from which it had been separated. Such a 
 mass of earth and stones rushed at once into the lake of 
 Lowertz, although five miles distant, that one end of it was 
 filled up, and a prodigious wave passing completely over the 
 island of Schwanaw, seventy feet above the usual level of 
 the water, overwhelmed the opposite shore, and, as it re- 
 turned, swept away into the lake many houses, with thew in- 
 habitants. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 71 
 
 A Sea Dragon, Sea Devil, and other Monsters. 
 
 PLP PEP LOO LOL DDO LIP LDDDGL LL DLE LDL LLLP DDD LDL LPODLOLODOD PLO LDL LL DL DD DIO LL DDL ODE DLO DDE DIOIOG 
 
 POP LDIE LOG LOLILG 
 
 A SEA DRAGON, SEA DEVIL, AND OTHER MONSTERS. 
 To the Editor of the New Wonderful Magazine. 
 
 Sir,—The following well-authenticated accounts I send 
 you, as highly deserving a place in your very entertaining 
 and interesting work. . O. 
 
 In November 1749, was taken on the coast of Suffolk, be- 
 tween Orford and Southwould, a strange fish, or monster, 
 described by naturalists under the name of the sea dragon ; 
 its head and tail resembled that of an alligator, it had two 
 large fins which served it both to swim and fly, and though 
 they were so dry that they could not be extended (when they 
 were shown about the country,) yet they appeared by the folds 
 to be shaped like those which painters have given to dragons, 
 and other winged monsters, that serve as supporters to coats 
 of arms; its body was covered with impenetrable scales ; its 
 legs had two joints, and its feet were hoofed like those of 
 an ass. It had five rows of very white and sharp teeth in 
 each jaw, and was in length about four feet, though it was 
 longer when alive, having shrunk as it became dry. It was 
 caught in a net with mackrel, and being dragged on shore, was 
 knocked down with a stretcher, or boat hook. The net being 
 opened, it suddenly sprung up, and flew above 50 yards. The 
 man who first sized it had several of his fingers bitten off, and 
 the wound mortifying, he died. It afterwards fastened on the 
 man’s arm who shewed it, and lacerated it so much, that the 
 muscles were shrunk, and the hand and fingers distorted 
 Some thought it was a sea dragon, while others said it was a 
 monster. 
 
 The sea devil is so called from the ugliness of its form. 
 It is found in Upper Guinea ; it surpasses all other creatures 
 found in the seas. It has four eyes, and is about 25 feet in 
 length, and 18 in breadth; on each side of it is an angular 
 substance, as hard as horn, and very sharp. The tail it long 
 and taper, and terminates with a dangerous point. ‘The back 
 is covered with small lumps, about two inches high, and sharp 
 at the ends. ‘The head is large, but there is no appearance of 
 any neck, and the mouth is furnished with a great many sharp 
 pointed teeth; two of the eyes are near the throat, and are 
 round and large, but the other two, placed above them, are 
 much smaller; on each side of the throat are three horns of 
 an unequal length, the middlemost of which are three feet 
 long, and an inch and a half in diameter, but they are flexible, 
 and can therefore do but little harm. ‘The flesh of the crea- 
 ture is hard and ill-tasted ; but the negroes catch them for 
 ee aah of the liver, from which they extract great quantities 
 of oil. 
 
72 CURIOSITINS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GPP L POL PL LL PLO E POPOL 
 
 PLD LO LOD LOL LLL DOD LOD REE POOL IL LOP LOE LED LDOLDOLDIELELOOLIG LOE 
 
 A Sea Dragon, and other Monsters.—Horrible Narrative of a Person Buried Alive. 
 
 LOL PL IL OF POG LLDEP DO DLLE LOE LOS LOD DLO LDS 
 
 LOL LaF. 
 
 POL DLS POD LOSE. 
 
 andl 
 
 The climate, soil, and produce of Mountserrat, (one of the 
 West India Islands) are near the same as those of the other 
 English Caribbee Islands. The surrounding seas produce 
 some very hideous monsters, particularly the above two, which, 
 for their remarkable ugliness, as weli as the poisonous quality 
 of the flesh, are called Sea Devils. 
 
 Somewhat like the Mermaid. 
 
 Exeter, November, 1737.—Some fishermen near this city, 
 drawing their net ashore, a creature of human shape, having 
 two legs, leaped out, and ran away very swiftly. Not being 
 able to overtake it, they knocked it down by throwing sticks 
 after it. At their coming up to it, it was dying, and groaned 
 like a human creature. Its feet were webbed like a duck’s ; 
 it had eyes, nose, and mouth resembling those of man, only 
 the nose somewhat depressed, and the tail not unlike a sal- 
 mon’s, turning up towards the back, and was four feet high. 
 It was publicly shewn here. . 
 
 In October, 1736, at Powderham, in Devonshire, a toad fish 
 was thrown ashore ; it 1s four feet long, has a head like a toad, 
 two feet like a goose, and the mouth opens 12 inches wide. 
 One of this kind was dissected at the College of Physicians, 
 in the presence of King Charles II. 
 
 a 
 
 HORRIBLE NARRATIVE OF A PERSON WHO WAS BURIED 
 ALIVE. 
 
 “ Pernaps,” (says he) ‘ none of you have ever met with a 
 more extraordinary adventure than what I have now to relate. 
 It happened to myself—I do not therefore ask or expect you 
 to believe it, nor can the feelings with which I was affected 
 be imagined without experiencing the impression of the same 
 awful circumstances. 
 
 ‘¢ | had been for some time ill of a low and lingering fever. 
 My strength gradually wasted, but the sense of life seemed to 
 become more and more acute as my corporeal powers became 
 weaker. I could see by the looks of the doctor that he des- 
 paired of my recovery ; and the soft and whispering sorrow of 
 ny friends, taught me that I had nothing to hope. 
 
 ‘‘ One day, towards the evening, the crisis took place.—I 
 was seized with a strange and indescribable quivering,—a 
 rushing sound was in my ears,—I saw around my couch innu- 
 merable strange faces; they were bright and visionary, and 
 without bodies. There was light and solemnity, and I tried 
 to move, but could not.—For a short time a terrible confusion 
 overwhelmed me,—and when it passed off, all my recollec- 
 tion returned with the most perfect distinctness, but the power 
 
CURIOSITIZS CY NATURE AND ART. ; 73 
 
 oe 
 Horrible Narrative of a Person who was Buried Alive. 
 GOP QPP IDO POD IDEI LO ILEIIIII IIIS 
 
 PLEO LO? F 
 
 GPP LIS DOR 
 
 of motion had departed. I heard the sound of weeping at my 
 pillow—and the voice of the nurse say, ‘ He is dead” I can 
 not describe what I felt at these words. I exerted my utmost 
 powers of volition to stir myself, but I could not move even 
 an eyelid. After a short pause, my friend drew near; and, 
 sobbing and convulsed with grief, drew his hand over my face, 
 and. closed my eyes. ‘The world was then darkened, but 
 could still hear, and feel, and suffer. 
 
 “When my eyes were closed, I heard by my attendants 
 that my friend had left the room, and I soon after found the 
 undertakers were preparing to habit me in the garments of the 
 grave. ‘Their thoughtlessness was more awful than the grief 
 of my friends. ‘hey laughed at one another as they turned 
 me from side to side, and treated what they believed a corpse, 
 with the most appalling ribaldry. 
 
 «© When they had laid me out, these wretches retired, and 
 the degrading formality of affected mourning commenced. 
 For three days a number of friends called to see me.—I heard 
 them, in low accents, speak of what I was; and more than 
 one touched me with his finger. On the third day, some of 
 them talked of the smell of corruption in the room. 
 
 “The coffin was procured—I was lifted and Jaid in—my 
 friend placed my head on what was deemed its last pillow, 
 and I felt his tears drop-on my face. 
 
 “ When all who had any peculiar interest in me, had for a 
 short time looked at me in the coffin, I heard them retire; and 
 the undertaker’s men placed the lid on the coffin, and screwed 
 it down. ‘There were two of them present—one had occasion 
 to go away before the task was done. I heard the fellow who 
 was left begin to whistle as he turned the screw-nails; but he 
 checked himself, and completed the work in silence. 
 
 “¢ J was then left alone,—every one shunned the room.—l 
 knew, however, that I was not yet buried ; and though dark- 
 
 ened and motionless, I had still hope, but this was not per- 
 
 mitted long. ‘The day of interment arrived—lI felt the coffin 
 lifted and borne away—I heard and felt it placed in the 
 hearse.—There was a crowd of people around; some of them 
 spoke sorrowfully of me. ‘The hearse began to move—I 
 knew that it carried me to the grave. It halted, and the cof- 
 fin was taken out—I felt myself carried on the shoulders of 
 men, by the inequality of the motion—A pause ensued—I 
 heard the cords of the coffin moved—l felt it swing as depen- 
 dent by them—It was lowered and rested on the bottom of 
 the grave—The cords were dropped upon the lid—I heard 
 them fall—Dreadful was the effort 1 then made to exert the 
 power of action, but my whole frame was immoveable. 
 . 17) 
 
 « 
 
74h CURLOSITIES OF NATURE AND AAT. 
 
 PLP LLO DL 
 
 “) 
 POI P LDL LL DL OLD DOL OOP ODT ANAD LIELOL LPL LLPDLDDDD IMs, 5 
 
 Horrible Narrative of a Person who was Buried Alive. 
 
 LOPLI O PEL LDOLOOL LOOPY 2090, 
 
 PPELPPL ILD ELE LOL ODL GOL I LOPGGSLLE LOL ODE 
 
 “Soon after, a few handfuls of earth were thrown upon the 
 coffin—Then there was another pause—After which the shovel 
 was employed, and the sound of the rattling mould, as it co- 
 vered me, was far more tremendous than thunder. But I 
 could mage no effort. The sound gradually became less and 
 less, and ey a surging reverberation in the coffin, | knew that 
 the grave was filled up, and that the sexton was treading 
 in the earth, slapping the grave with the flat of his spade. 
 This too ceased, and then all was silent. 
 
 “| had no means of knowing the lapse of time; and the 
 silence continued. ‘This is death, thought I, and I am doomed 
 to remain in the earth till the resurrection. Presently the 
 body will fall into corruption, and the epicurean worm, that is 
 only satisfied with the flesh of man, will come to partake of 
 the banquet that has been prepared tor him with so much soli- 
 citude and care. In the contemplation of this hideous thought, 
 1 heard a low and undersound in the earth over me, and I 
 fancied that the worms and the reptiles of death were coming— 
 that the mole and the rat of the grave would soon be upon 
 me. ‘The sound continued to grow louder and nearer. Can 
 it be possible, I thought, that my friends suspect they have 
 buried me too soon? The hope was truly like light bursting 
 through the gloom of death. 
 
 ‘¢ The sound ceased, and presently I felt the hands of some 
 dreadful being working about my throat. ‘They dragged me 
 out of the coffin by the head. I felt again the living air, but 
 it was piercingly cold; and I was carried swiftly away—l 
 thought to judgment, perhaps perdition. 
 
 “‘ ‘When borne to some distance, I was then thrown down 
 like a clod—it was not upon the ground. A moment after, I 
 found myself on a carriage ; and, by the interchange of two or 
 three brief sentences, I discovered that I was in the hands of 
 two of those robbers who live by plundering the grave, and 
 selling the bodies of parents, and children, and friends. One 
 of the men sung scraps of bachanal and obscene songs, as the 
 cart rattled over the pavement of the streets. 
 
 *“ ‘When it halted 1 was lifted out, and I soon perceived, by 
 the closeness of the air, and the change of temperature, that I 
 was carried into a room, and, being rudely stripped of my 
 shroud, was placed naked on a table. By the conversation 
 of the two fellows with the servant who admitted them, I 
 learnt that 1 was that night to be dissected. 
 
 “¢ My eyes were still shut, I saw nothing; but in a short 
 time I heard, by the bustle in the room, that the students of 
 anatomy were assembling. Some of them came round the 
 table, and examined me minutely. They were pleased to find 
 
I~ 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. ¥ e;" 
 
 DPOPEPLL PP LIP ILELILD DLS PPO ODPL OG CPDOP DD ODOR GOO LDILE DR 
 Horrible Narrative of a Person Buried Alive-—Wonders of the Universe. 
 
 POOL DOE GDD LEOPOLDO LDG DIG LIS DS PLP OLL IIL PPD L EL GLE GDI LOD GLE LOD PEF LLD OL LODE ERLE OFF 
 
 PRI LIL 
 
 that so good a subject had been procured. ‘The demonstrator 
 himself at last came in. 
 
 *¢ Previous to beginning the dissection, he proposed to try 
 on me some galvanic experiment, and an apparatus was ar- 
 ranged for that service. The first shock vibrated through all 
 my nerves ; they rung and jangled like the strings of a harp. 
 The students expressed their admiration at the convulsive 
 effect. The second shock threw my eyes open, and the first 
 person I saw was the doctor who had mresided me. But still 
 i was as dead; I could, however, discover among the students 
 the faces of many with whom I was familiar; and when my 
 eyes were opened, I heard my name pronounced by several of 
 the students, with an accent of awe and compassion, and a wish 
 that it had been some other subject, 
 
 ‘¢ When they had satisfied themselves with the galvanic phe- 
 nomena, the demonstrator took the knife, and pierced me on 
 the bosom with the point. I felt a dreadful crackling, as it 
 were, throughout my whole frame; a convulsive shuddering 
 instantly followed, and a shriek of horror rose from all pre- 
 sent. ‘The ice of death was broke up—my trance was ended. 
 The utmost exertions were made to restore me, and in the 
 course of an hour I was in the full possession of all my fa- 
 culties.” 
 
 age 
 WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE, 
 
 THE circumference of this globe is computed to be 25,000 
 miles, and it revolves once on its axis in 24 hours ; conse- 
 quently any one spot is carried round 25,000 miles in that 
 space of time, which is upwards of 1040 miles in an hour, or 
 175 miles in one minute! Vast as this may seem, and in com- 
 parison of which the utmost degree of velocity which man has 
 been able to produce by the mest ingenious contrivances sinks 
 almost into nothing; yet whe1 put in competition with the 
 amazing velocity of the earth *a its orbit, this of its diurnal 
 Yevolution on its axis, (though indeed astonishingly great) is 
 comparatively trifling and insigi ificant. ! 
 
 The distance of the earth fror: the sun is 195,000,000 miles, 
 which being the radius of the e.rth’s orbit, we shall have its 
 diameter 390,000,000 miles, ard consequently the circum- 
 ference 1225,000,000. Nowas the earth revolves round the sun 
 once in 365 days, it would travel (dividing 1225,000,000 by 
 365) about 3,360,000 miles in one day, or 140,000 in an hour 
 By this calculation we shall find that the earth is whirled 
 through the immense regions of space, at the amazing, the in- 
 conceivable velocity of 2350 miles in a single minute of time! 
 
760 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GLP POL DBL BOE PLPPIPOCLDEILG PL DOD LODO CLIN I LILLIE IP GEO BIEL ES INE POPLIN COOLS 
 Wonders of the Universe.—Extraordinary Self-Crucifixion of Matthew Lovat. 
 
 PLP PLL DLI PPD BED ILID DLE LDEDLOLLOL ELLE DLE *PELOLELE BDELDELOELE LLL LLP DOE. ital 
 
 ya a 
 
 Astonishing as this fact is, yet when compared with those 
 things which have come more immediately under our observa- 
 tion, it is by no means irreconcilable. Those who know with 
 what great rapidity the blood is driven from the heart to the 
 extremities of the human system, and reflect that this rapidity 
 Is no greater than is actually necessary for the health and sup- 
 port of the body, may conceive with what velocity such vast 
 bodies as this and other surrounding worlds must be impelled 
 in their course, in order that they, as the several and various 
 members which constitute the great system of Nature, may be 
 kept in their respective spheres, in a state of health, regu- 
 ranty: and order: for as an ingenious poet expresses him- 
 self— 
 
 “ Constant rotation of th’ unwearied wheel, 
 
 That Nature rides upon, maintains her health, 
 Her beauty, her fertility.—She dreads 
 
 An instant’s pause, and lives but while she moves.” 
 
 ee Se 
 
 MOST EXTRAORDINARY SELF-CRUCIFIXION OF 
 MATTHEW LOVAT. 
 
 ‘THis circumstance is one of the most extraordinary and de- 
 
 plorable instances of self-delusion on record. Matthew Lovat 
 was born at Casale, a hamlet belonging to the parish of Soldo, 
 in the territory of Belluno, of poor parents, employed in the 
 coarsest and most laborious works of husbandry, and fixed to 
 a place almost remote from all society. His imagination was 
 so forcibly smitten with the view of the easy and comfortable 
 lives of the rector and his curate, who were the only persons 
 in the whole parish exempted from the labours of the field, and 
 engrossed all the power and consequence which the little world 
 wherein Matthew lived presented to his eyes, that he made an 
 effort to prepare himself for the priesthood, and placed him- 
 self under the tuition of the curate, who taught him to read 
 and to write a little. But the poverty of his family was an 
 effectual bar to his desire ; he was obliged to renounce study 
 for ever, and to betake himself to the trade of a shoemaker. 
 ’ Having become a shoemaker from necessity, he never suc- 
 ceeded either as a neat or expeditious workman. ‘The seden- 
 tary life, and the silence to which apprentices are condemned 
 in the shops of the masters abroad, formed in him the habit of 
 meditation, and rendered him gloomy and taciturn. As his 
 age increased, he became subject, in the spring, to giddiness 
 in his head, and irruptions of a leprous appearance showed 
 themselves on his face and hands. 
 
 Until the month of July, 1802, Matthew Lovat did nothing 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. Wa. 
 
 PRP SPP LOL LLL LDL DOL LDLOI LOL LO F 
 
 Most Extraordinary Self-Crucifixion of Matthew Lovat. 
 
 POLO OPLODAIL DIL PIE LOL PLL DLL GODO DEL OLE DOD POL LOL GOLD DIL ODD DDL LOD BIL OLE AIG IIE PIL IDG LDIOL OL? 
 
 PALL LL LLL LCLLELLL OLED OLY 
 
 extraordinary. His life was regular and uniform, his habits 
 were simple, and nothing distinguished him, but an extreme 
 degree of devotion. He spoke on no other subject than the 
 affairs of the church. | Its festivals and fasts, with sermons, 
 saints, &c. constituted the topics of his conversation. It was 
 at this date, that, in imitation of the early devotees, he deter- 
 mined to disarm the tempter, by mutilating himself. He 
 effected his purpose without having anticipated the species of 
 celebrity which the operation was to procure for him; and 
 which compelled the poor creature to keep himself shut up in 
 his house, from which he did not venture to stir for some time, 
 not even to go tomass. At length, on the 13th of November, 
 in the same year, he went to Venice, where a younger brother, 
 named Angelo, conducted Matthew to the house of a widow, 
 the relict of Andrew Osgualda, with whom he lodged, until 
 the 21st of September in the following year, working assidu- 
 ously at his trade, and without exhibiting any signs of madness. 
 But on the above-mentioned day, he made an attempt to cru- 
 cify himself, in the middle of the street called the Cross of 
 Biri, upon a frame which he had constructed of the timber of 
 his bed: he was prevented from accomplishing his purpose by 
 several people, who came upon him just as he was driving the 
 nail into his left foot. His landlady dismissed ‘him from her 
 house, lest he should perform a similar exploit there. Being 
 interrogated repeatedly as to the motive for his self-crucifixion, 
 he maintained an obstinate silence, except that he once said to 
 his brother, that that day was the festival of St. Matthew, and 
 that he could give no farther explanation. Some days after 
 this affair, he set out for his own country, where he remained a 
 certain time, but afterwards returned to Venice, and in July, 
 1805, lodged in a room in the third floor of a house, in the 
 street Delle Monache. 
 
 Here his old ideas of crucifixion laid hold of him again. He 
 wrought a little every day in forming the instrument of his 
 torture, and provided himself with the, necessary articles of 
 nails, ropes, bands, the crown of thorns, &c. As he foresaw 
 that it would be extremely difficult to fasten himself securely 
 upon the cross, he made a net of small cords capable of sup- 
 porting his weight, in case he should happen to disengage him- 
 self from it. This net he secured at the bottom, by fastening 
 it in a knot at the lower extremity of the perpendicular beam, 
 a little below the bracket designed to support his feet, and the 
 other end was stretched to the extremities of the transverse 
 spar, which formed the arms of the cross, so that it had the 
 appearance in front of a purse turned upside down. From the 
 muddle of the upper extremity of the net, thus placed, pro- 
 
78 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GLE ILE PDDIGO ED OPP LLL LOLDIL OD LDL DLO DOE POCLLGE BLL ELD IDE LOD LOI DOD OPEL OL OL LE LILO LOD POP LILIOO LOS 
 
 Most Extraordinary Self-Crucifixion of Matthew Lovat. 
 
 PAP LL OLL LG POD EPL LOG LOE PEL LODE DO LOP ODL OLE GLE DOD LLE LOD LED CLL DOLE DLLE LOD LOLE LOE LDC OPODGOD OOP 
 
 ceeded one rope; and from the point at which the two spars 
 forming the cross intersected each other, a second rope pro- 
 ceeded, both of which were firmly tied to a beam in the in- 
 side of the chamber, immediately above the window, of which 
 the parapet was very low; and the length of these ropes was 
 just sufficient to allow the cross to rest horizontally upon the 
 floor of the apartment. 
 
 These cruel preparations being ended, Matthew stripped 
 himself naked, and proceeded to crown himself with thorns ; 
 of which two or three pierced the skin which covers the fore- 
 head. He next bound a white handkerchief round his loins 
 and thighs, leaving the rest of his body bare; then, passing 
 his legs between the net and the cross, seating himself upon it, 
 he took one of the nails destined for his hands, of which the 
 point was smooth and sharp, and introducing it into the palm 
 of the left, he drove it, by striking its head on the floor, until 
 the half of it had appeared through the back of the hand. He 
 now adjusted his feet to the bracket which had been prepared 
 to receive them, the right over the left; and taking a nail five 
 French inches and a half long, of which the point was also po- 
 lished and sharp, and placing it on the upper foot with his left 
 hand, he drove it with a mallet which he held in his right, un- 
 til it not only penetrated both his feet, but entering the hole 
 prepared for it in the bracket, made its way so far through the 
 tree of the cross as to fasten the victim firmly to it. He 
 planted the third nail in his right hand as he had managed 
 with regard to the left, and having bound himself by the middle 
 to the perpendicular of the cross bya cord, which he had pre- 
 viously stretched under him, he set about inflicting the wound 
 in the side with a cobler’s knife, which he had placed by him 
 for this operation, and which he said represented the spear of 
 the passion. It did not occur to him, however, at the mo- 
 ment, that the wound ought to be in the right side, and not in 
 the left, and in the cavity of the breast, and not of the hypo- 
 condre, where he struck himself transversely two inches below 
 the left hypocondre, towards the internal angle of the abdo- 
 minal cavity, without however injuring the parts which this 
 cavity contains. Whether fear checked his hand, or whether 
 he intended to plunge the instrument to a great depth, by 
 avoiding the hard and resisting parts, it is not easy to deter- 
 mine; but there were observed near the wound several 
 scratches across his body, which scarcely divided the skin. 
 
 These extraordinary operations being concluded, it was now 
 necessary, in order to complete the execution of the whole 
 plan which he had conceived, that Matthew should exhibit 
 himself upon the cross to the eyes of the public; and he 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 79 
 
 PIPLPCPISOL IOS IO LD IOOI IOS 
 
 Most Extraordinary Self-Crucifixion of Matthew Lovat. 
 
 PEP LOP LOO LDOL DDD LOLIODIDI LO IIIS PLILLICLDDA 
 
 PLPPLEDIDPIS IIS a el 
 
 PLP LIF 
 
 realized this part of it in the following way :—The cross was 
 laid horizontally on the floor, its lower extremity resting upon 
 the parapet of the window, which was very low, then raising 
 himself up by pressing upon the points of his fingers (for the 
 nails did not allow him to use his whole hand either open or 
 closed) he made several springs forward, until the portion of 
 the cross which was protruded over the parapet, overbalancing 
 what was within the chamber, the whole frame, with Matthew 
 upon it, darted out at the window, and remained suspended 
 outside of the house by the ropes which were secured to the 
 beam in the inside. In this predicament, the poor fanatic 
 stretched his hands to the extremities of the transverse beam 
 which formed the arms of the cross, to insert the nails into the 
 holes which had been prepared for them; but whether it was 
 out of his power to fix both, or whether he was obliged to use 
 the right on some concluding operation, the fact is, that when 
 he was seen by the people who passed in the street, he was 
 suspended under the window, with only his left hand nailed to 
 the cross, while his right hung parallel to his body, on the out- 
 side of the net. It was then eight o’clock in the morning. As 
 soon as he was perceived, some humane people ran up stairs, 
 disengaged him from the cross, and put him to bed. A sur- 
 geon of the neighbourhood was called, who made them plunge 
 his feet into water, intreduced tow by way of caddis into the 
 wound of the hypocondre, which he assured them did not pene- 
 trate into the cavity, and after having prescribed some cordial, 
 instantly took his departure. 
 
 At this moment, Dr. Ruggieri, professor of clinical surgery, 
 hearing what had taken place, instantly repaired to the lodg- 
 ing of Lovat, to witness with his own eyes a fact which ap- 
 peared to exceed all belief. When he arrived there, accom- 
 panied by the surgeon Paganoni, Matthew’s feet, from which 
 there had issued but a small quantity of blood, were still in 
 the water—his eyes were shut—he made no reply to the ques- 
 tions which were addressed to him ; his pulse was convulsive, 
 and respiration had become difficult. With the permission of 
 the director of police, who had come to take cognizance of 
 what had happened, Dr. Ruggieri caused the patient to be 
 conveyed by water to the Imperial Clinical School, established 
 at the hospital of St. Luke and St. John. During the passage, 
 the only thing he said was to his brother Angelo, who accom- 
 panied him in the boat, and was lamenting his extravagance: 
 which was, “ Alas, | am very unfortunate !’”’ At the hospital, 
 an examination of his wounds took place; and it was ascer- 
 tained that the nails had entered by the palm of the hands, and 
 gone out at the back, making their way between the bones of 
 
80 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DDO L LE BPPO ED LDILD OLE LOG LE LO DDO DOD LOG PL LDLDOL LPL POL DDD LOL LOLI DOD ODL BOLL LL OE POD IDLE OLE LLL DOG IOLR 
 Most Extraordinary Self-Crucifixion of Matthew Lovat. 
 
 the metacarpus, without inflicting any injury upon them: that 
 the nail which wounded the feet had entered first the right 
 foot, between the second and third bones of the metatarsus 
 towards their posterior extremity ; and then the left, between 
 the first and second of the same bones, the latter of which it 
 had laid bare and grazed: and lastly, that the wound of the 
 hypocondre penetrated to the point of the cavity. The patient 
 was placed in an easy position. He was tranquil and docile: 
 the wounds in the extremities were treated with emollients and 
 sedatives. On the fifth day they suppurated, witha slight red- 
 ness in their circumference ; and on the eighth, that of the hy- 
 pocondre was perfectly healed. 
 
 The patient never spoke. Always sombre and shut up in 
 himself, his eyes were almost constantly closed. Interrogated 
 several times, relative to the motive which had induced him to 
 crucify himself, he always made this answer: “ ‘The pride of 
 man must be mortified, it must expire on the cross.” Dr. Rug- 
 gieri, thinking that he might be restrained by the presence of 
 his pupils, returned repeatedly to the subject when with him 
 alone, and he always answered him in the same terms. He 
 was, in fact, so deeply persuaded that the supreme will had 
 imposed upon him the obligation of dying upon the cross, that 
 he wished to inform the tribunal of justice of the destiny which 
 it behoved him to fulfil, with the view of preventing all suspi- 
 cion that his death might have been the work of any other 
 hand than his own. With this in prospect, and long before 
 his martyrdom, he committed his ideas to paper, in a style and 
 character such as would be expected from his education, and 
 the disorder of his mind. 
 
 Scarcely was he able to support in his hand the weight of a 
 book, when he took the prayer-book, and read it all day long. 
 
 On the first days of August all his wounds were completely 
 cured, and, as he felt no pain or difficulty in moving his hands 
 and feet, he expressed a wish to go out of the hospital, that he 
 might not, as he said, eat the bread of idleness. ‘This request 
 being denied to him, he passed a whole day without taking any 
 food ; and finding that his clothes were kept from him, he set 
 out one afternoon in his shirt, but was soon brought back by 
 the servants. The board of police gave orders that he should 
 be conveyed to the lunatic asylum, established at St. Servolo, 
 where he was placed on the 20th of August, 1805. After the 
 first eight days he began to be taciturn, and refused every spe- 
 cies of meat and drink. It was impossible to make him swal- 
 low even a drop of water during six successive days. ‘Towards 
 the morning cf the seventh day, being importuned by another 
 madman. he consented to take a little nourishment. He con- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. SI 
 PROPS PEPPLLPLIDODGOGS 
 Extraordinary Self-Crucifixion of M. Lovat.-—The Mendicant Robber of Orleans. 
 
 POLE LODPOD BLOOLDED LOD ODE OLED LEO LLL OOB COE GOPDCD 
 
 PLL LDL LDA LAT 
 
 PPPS II OPP IIL DIL IOS LIL ODD 
 
 tinued to eat about fifteen days, and then resumed his fast, 
 which he prolonged during eleven. 
 
 These fasts were repeated, and of longer or shorter dura- 
 tion; the most protracted, however, not exceeding twelve 
 days. 
 in January, 1806, there appeared in him some symptoms of 
 consumption; and he would remain immoveable, exposed to 
 the whole heat of the sun until the skin of his face began to 
 peel off, and it was necessary to employ force to drag him into 
 the shade. 
 
 In April, exhaustion proceeded rapidly, labouring in his 
 breast was observed, the pulse was very slow, and on the 
 morning of the eighth he expired, after a short struggle. 
 
 <r 
 THE MENDICANT ROBBER OF ORLEANS. 
 
 In 1747, a man was broke alive upon the wheel, at Orleans, 
 for a highway robbery, and not having friends to take care of 
 his body, when the executioner concluded he was dead, he 
 gave him to a surgeon, who had him carried to his anatomical 
 theatre, as a subject to lecture on. The thighs, legs, and arms 
 of this unhappy wretch, had been broken ; yet on the surgeon’s 
 coming to examine him, he found life reviving, and by the ap- 
 plication of proper cordials, he was soon brought to his 
 speech. | 
 
 The surgeon and his pupils, moved by the sufferings and 
 solicitation of the robber, determined on attempting his cure ; 
 but he was so mangled that his two thighs and one of his arms 
 were amputated. Notwithstanding this mutilation, and loss 
 of blood, he recovered, and in this situation the surgeon, by 
 his own desire, had .him conveyed in a cart fifty leagues from 
 Orleans, where, as he said, he intended to gain his livelihood 
 by begging. . 
 
 His situation was on the road side, close by a wood, and his 
 deplorable condition excited compassion from all who saw him; 
 in his youth he had served in the army, and he now passed 
 for a soldier, who had lost his limbs by a cannon shot. 
 
 A drover returning from market, where he had been selling 
 cattle, was solicited by the robber for charity, and being moved 
 by compassion, threw him a piece of silver. ‘ Alas,” said the 
 robber, “ I cannot reach it—you see I have neither arms nor 
 legs,” (for he had concealed his arm which had been preserved 
 behind his back) “so for the sake of heaven put your chari- 
 table donation into my pouch.” 
 
 The drover approached him, and as he stooped to reach up 
 the money, the sun being shining, he saw a shadow on the 
 
 ground which caused him to look up, when he perceived the 
 M 
 
&2 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GLI LIE LLLP LOL OP LDL LDP LPLLELLLOLGLRLDLL PLE PLE LDL LLL BLD LL OL OL DOE 
 
 LIL PLELILIOD LD 
 The Mendicant Robber of Orleans.—Singular Attachment of a Wolf. 
 
 PPI LOS. 
 
 PLL OLE OLOEIG LOO DIL GLE OLE LOE DDE LEE L LD LOD ELE LDL LDL LOD BPO OGLE OLE LDL LE GDF DOL 
 
 arm of the beggar elevated over his head, and his hand grasp- 
 ing a short iron bar. He arrested the blow in its descent, and 
 seizing the robber, carried him to his cart, into which having 
 thrown him, he drove off to the next town, which was very 
 near, and brought his prisoner before a magistrate. 
 
 On searching him, a whistle was found in his pocket, which 
 naturally induced a suspicion that he had accomplices in the 
 wood; the magistrate, therefore, instantly ordered a guard to 
 the place where the robber had been seized, and they arrived 
 there within half an hour after the murder of the drover had 
 been attempted. 
 
 The guard having concealed themselves behind different 
 trees, the whistle was blown, the sound of which was remark- 
 ably shrill and loud: and another whistle was heard from un- 
 der ground, three men at the same instant rising from the 
 midst of a bushy clump of brambles, and other dwarf shrubs. 
 The soldiers fired on them, and they fell. The bushes were 
 searched, and a descent discovered into a cave. Here were 
 found three young girls anda boy. ‘The girls were kept for 
 the offices of servants, and purposes of lust; the boy, scarce 
 twelve years of age, was son to one of the robbers. The girls 
 in giving evidence deposed, that they had lived nearly three 
 years in the cave, had been carried there by force, from the 
 ‘high road, having never seen day-light from the time of their 
 captivity; that dead bodies were frequently carried into the 
 cave, stripped and buried; and that the old soldier was car- 
 ried out every dry day, and sat by the road side for two or 
 three hours. 
 
 On this evidence the murdering mendicant was condemned 
 to suffer a second execution on the wheel. As but one arm 
 remained, it was to be broken by several strokes, in several 
 places, and the coup de grace being denied, he lived in torture 
 nearly five days. When dead, his body was burned to ashes, 
 and strewed before the winds of heaven. 
 
 ~~ 
 
 SINGULAR ATTACHMENT OF A WOLF. 
 
 The fate of lieutenant Salsford was distinguished by a sin- 
 gular circumstance :—A large tame wolf, caught at Aspro, 
 and brought up from acub by the ship’s company, and exceed- 
 ingly docile, continued to the last an object of general solici- 
 tude. Sensible of its danger, its howls were peculiarly dis- 
 tressing. He had always been a particular favorite of the 
 lieutenant, who was also greatly attached to the animal, and 
 through the whole of their sufferings he kept close to his 
 master. On the breaking up of the ship, both got upon the 
 mast. At times they were washed off, but by each other’s 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 83 
 
 DOF POL POL LLP ADL OLLI PDIP LL OL PE LPL PLE PED LOE LOS LPL LOL PLP LPL ODD LLL PLE PDL DOLL LPL L DELLE GDA 
 
 Attachment of a Wolf.—Wonderful Preservation of a Miver Buried Alive. 
 
 PPP LED ODDO PLP ELD PSP LPEOE GDP PLELD EL EO ODD LOL ODS LOO LDE LOD POO LOE DEL PDP LOLOL OE POOL DOLL OO LOD LIP 
 
 assistance regained it. The lieutenant at last became ex- 
 hausted by continual exertion, and benumbed with cold. 
 The wolf was equally fatigued, and both held occasionally by 
 the other to retain his situation. When within a short dis- 
 tance of the land, lieutenant Salsford, affected by the attach- 
 ment of the animal, and totally unable any longer to support 
 ~ himself, turned towards him from the mast; the beast clapped 
 his fore paws round his neck, while the lieutenant clasped 
 him in his arms, and they sunk together. 
 —< a 
 
 PROVIDENTIAL AND WONDERFUL PRESERVATION OF A 
 MINER BURIED ALIVE. 
 
 Two miners, named Job Boden and Anthony Pearson, 
 went into the mine on the morning of the 13th of January ; 
 and, while they were at work, Pearson at the depth of forty- 
 four yards, and Boden at the depth of sixty, the earth above 
 them, together with a quantity of water, suddenly rushed in 
 and filled the mine to the depth of about fifty-four yards. 
 The other miners began immediately to draw out the rubbish 
 in search of their lost companions ; and, on the third day after, 
 Pearson was discovered dead in an upright posture. The 
 miners would now have discontinued their exertions, as there 
 seemed little probability of their labours being of any avail ; 
 but being encouraged to proceed, (chiefly by the persuasion 
 of Charles Hunt, Esq. of Wirksworth,) they at length disco- 
 vered Boden, about three o’clock in the morning of the 20th ; 
 and, though he had not received any kind of nourishment during 
 the eight days of his confinement, he was still living, but greatly 
 emaciated. On being taken out and treated with proper care, 
 he so far recovered as to be able to return to his work in the 
 space of fourteen weeks, and is now alive and well, having 
 several children, one of whom was born within a twelvemonth 
 after the accident. 
 
 To render the particulars of this extraordinary escape more 
 intelligible, it should be observed that the entrance to the 
 mine is by a perpendicular shaft forty-four yards deep, from 
 the bottom of which extends a gait or drift, (a passage in an 
 horizontal direction) eight yards in length, at the end of which 
 descends a second shaft, (or as the miners term it a twin,) to 
 the depth of sixteen yards. At the bottom of this is another 
 gait about twelve yards in length, from the extremity of which 
 another shaft extends to the depth of nearly twenty-four 
 yards. At the top of every shaft, a windlass was placed for 
 the purpose of drawing up whatever might be extracted from 
 the mine; and Pearson’s employment was to draw up to the 
 
&4 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PP POL PLP LOD PIP LLL POLL OL LOOP DOLL PLIL LOL DDE LOL LDS LOO LE OLD LOL LE DLL LOO LL ELD LDL ELL LD OLD VDL QPS 
 Providential and Wonderful Preservation of a Miner Buried Alive. 
 
 DELP LOL LIL PPP OLLI O DL ODD DDL LID LLL LPDOE LDS DIG D OE LOL ILO LOL LE LEO LDOG EE PLOLOIOE LOG LOD ODE 
 
 top of the second shaft, the ore, &c. that was obtained by 
 Boden at the bottom. 
 
 At the distance of seventy yards from the entrance to the 
 mine was a pool of water, which, though generally containing 
 but a small quantity, had at the time of the accident been 
 much increased through wet weather. 'The ground between 
 the mine and the pool had been undermined in searching for 
 Jead ore, and it is supposed that the additional weight of 
 water over the security had forced down the earth, which filled 
 the mine to the depth of ten yards in the second shaft. As 
 the earth that rushed in descended below Pearson’s station at 
 the mouth of this shaft, he was consequently jammed in there, 
 and was discovered dead, as already mentioned. The re- 
 markable circumstance that the rubbish did not sink into the 
 mine so low as to reach Boden, but*stopped in its descent a 
 few yards above him, may in some measure be accounted for, 
 by observing that the part of the mine where its fall ended, 
 was somewhat straitened. by the projection of a large stone, 
 an obstacle which Boden had often ineffectually attempted ta 
 remove. 
 
 jt appears from a conversation lately held with the man thus 
 strangely preserved from death, that after contemplating his 
 horrid situation awhile, during the first hours of his imprison- 
 ment, he lay down and slept. On awakening, the idea of pe- 
 rishing for want of food rushed upon his mind, and he recol- 
 lected that he -had four pounds of candles with him in the 
 mine; with these, when pressed by hunger, he endeavoured 
 to appease his appetite, but, after two or three vain attempts 
 to swallow such loathsome food, he desisted, and the candles 
 were found after his release; his thirst, which he had no 
 means of alleviating, was excessive. Feeling extremely cold, 
 he tried to remove this inconvenience by exercising himself in 
 turning the windlass at the further end of the drift; but, 
 having the misfortune to let the handle fall into the shaft be- 
 low, he was deprived of this resource. 
 
 After the space of three or four days, as he imagines, being 
 almost in a state of distraction, he ascended by means of a 
 rope that hung down to that part of the mine where the rub- 
 bish had stopped in its descent, and, by labouring hard, caused 
 a large quantity of it to fall to the bottom of the shaft. He 
 was employed in this manner, when at length he heard the 
 miners at work above him, and, by the expedient of knocking 
 with a stone, contrived to apprise them that ne was still alive. 
 Though it is evident, from the circumstance, that he retained 
 his senses, he can hardly be persuaded that he was not de- 
 prived of them, and fancies that he was prompted to make the 
 
qQ paystran 
 ) 
 
 bij, Wh X74 
 
 Ve DDS. ff MlPD 
 
 eect 
 
 wi 
 
 ———— 
 
 Si) ba 
 ——SSSS—=—= 
 ——————SSSaqaSSE 
 
 SE 
 
 EI 
 
 a gee ae oe 
 LZ DE 
 
CURIOSITIES OF ‘NATURES AND ART. 8&3 
 
 PROP PD PLODLEL ALE LLL PLD PEE LEL ELE LDL LLE LLP LOG LOS LOL PEP ELE DOLL OL LID LPL LDL? OF 
 
 Wonderful Preservation of a Miner Buried Alive.—Account of the North Cape. 
 
 COP LOL ODL ILI ELE DEOL IOP IELLODE LOL PRO RLE DP LIOPEDE POEL LOOR EG OE POI RELAOE LEVIED DEEL DE DL LD LOL OTE LEE 
 
 signals by some friendly voice, receiving from it an assurance 
 that if he did so, he should be rescued from his dreadful 
 rison. 
 
 The signals which he made, were heard by the miners 
 about eight hours before they reached him; and he describes 
 himself as so much terrified by their noise, and by apprehen- 
 sions that persons were coming to murder him, that he should 
 certainly have destroyed himself, if he had not been closely 
 confined by the earth which he had drawn down, and which 
 so filled the lower part of the shaft that he was almost pre- 
 vented from moving. In the midst of the panic that agitated 
 him, he swallowed a considerable quantity of earth, which 
 was afterwards expelled by proper remedies. He complained 
 most, that his legs were benumbed and dead, but their natural 
 heat being restored by friction, no bad consequence ensued. 
 When the accident happened, he was forty-nine years of age, 
 and then weighed upwards of twelve stone, but imagines that 
 he was reduced to half the weight by his confinement in the 
 mine; yet, as he was not weighed, this cannot be affirmed 
 with certainty. . 
 
 The anniversary of his deliverance from his subterraneous 
 prison, he regards as a day of thankfulness and jubilee; and 
 surely, few individuals have ever had more reason than this 
 man to express their gratitude to a protecting providence. 
 
 — Sa 
 ACCOUNT OF THE NORTH CAPE, THE MOST NORTHERN LAND 
 IN EUROPE, WHERE THE SUN NEVER SETS. 
 
 Tue North Cape is an enormous rock, which projecting far 
 into the ocean, and, being exposed to ail the fury of the waves, 
 and the outrage of tempests, crumbles every year more and 
 more into ruins. [ere every thing is solitary, every thing is 
 steril, every thing sad and despondent. ‘The shadowy forest 
 no longer adorns the brow of the mountain; the singing of 
 the birds, which enliven even the woods of Lapland, is no 
 longer heard in this scene of desolation; the ruggedness of 
 the dark grey rock is not covered by a single shrub; the only 
 music is the hoarse murmuring of the waves, ever and anon 
 renewing their assaults on the huge masses that oppose them. 
 The northern sun, creeping at midnight at the distance of five 
 diameters along the horizon, and the immeasurable ocean in 
 apparent contact with the skies, form the grand outlines in the 
 sublime picture presented to the astonished spectator. The 
 incessant cares and pursuits of anxious mortals are recollected 
 as a dream; the various forms and energies of animated na- 
 ture are forgotten ; the earth is contemplated only in its ele- 
 ments, and as constituting a part of the solar system. 
 
86 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 SLL IL IPL I PLEAD LL APL ELD IDDL PLOLBEL PLIOLM ELL LIL LL LOL PLL LLL PELL LPL LOE PD LOLL ELL BDPLLD DODGED Ds, 
 
 Account of the North Cape.—A Watch found in a Shark. 
 
 PLI LOL LIL LLP BDL LOD LIL 
 
 LIOELDLO DBLP LDL LOE LIE LES BLE LEE LED ELE ED? OEL LO LEP OP. 
 
 Having made drawings of those rocks under various aspects, 
 we landed from our boat, and scrambled upon the top of 
 them. We there found some pieces of wood thrown up by 
 the sea, with which we kindled a fire in the face of the frozen 
 ocean, and began to prepare a repast. In looking about for 
 a place to. which we might retire with some comfort, we dis- 
 covered a grotto, formed by three rocks, whose smooth and 
 polished sides indicated that they had heretofore been washed 
 for many ages by the waves of the sea. In the midst of these 
 rocks was a large roundish stone, under which there ran a 
 small stream of water. As we were tracing the course of this 
 stream, which had its source in a neighbouring mountain, we 
 found on its margin some plants of Angelica. This we re- 
 garded as a great acquisition to our table, because we had 
 found it to be a very refreshing and salubrious vegetable. 
 The grotto was so convenient, that it had the appearance of 
 being the work of art. The stone in the centre served for a 
 table, around which we could place ourselves; and we had 
 only to stoop down to replenish our bowl with water perfectly 
 fresh and sweet, though we were within a few paces of the 
 salt sea. We regretted much that we had no iron implement 
 wherewith to engrave some motto, or at least our names, on 
 those rocks. | 
 
 —a— 
 
 A WATCH FOUND IN A SHARK, 
 
 Some fishermen fishing in the river Thames, near Poplar, 
 December Ist, 1787, with much difficulty drew into their boat 
 a shark, yet alive, but apparently very sickly ; it was taken 
 on shore, and being opened, in its belly were found a silver 
 watch, a metal chain, and a cornelian seal, together with se- 
 veral pieces of gold lace, supposed to have belonged to some 
 young gentleman, who was unfortunate enough to have fallen 
 overboard; that the body and other parts had either been 
 digested, or otherwise voided; but the watch and gold lace 
 not being able to pass through it, the fish had thereby become 
 sickly, and would in all probability very soon have died. The 
 watch had the name of “ Henry Watson, London, No. 1369,” . 
 and the works were very much impaired. On these circum- 
 stances being made public, Mr. Henry Watson, watchmaker, 
 in Shoreditch, recollected, that about two years ago, he sold 
 the watch to Mr. Ephraim ‘Thompson, of Whitechapel, as a 
 present to his son, on going out on his first voyage, on board 
 the ship Polly, Captain Vane, bound to Coast and Bay, about- 
 three leagues off Falmouth: by a sudden heel of the vessel, 
 during a squall, Master Thompson fell overboard, and was no 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. $7 
 
 A Watch found ina Shark.—Daniel Dancer, Esq. the Miser. 
 
 PIF 
 
 ert 
 
 PLL LLL LLL ODL 
 
 more seen. The news of his being drowned soon after came 
 to the knowledge of his friends, who little thought of hearing 
 any thing more concerning him. Mr. Thompson is said to 
 have purchased the shark, to preserve it as a memorial of so 
 singular an event. It is the largest ever remembered to have 
 been taken up in the Thames: being, from the tip of the snout 
 to the extremity of the tail, nine feet three inches; from the 
 shoulder to the extremity of the body, six feet one inch; 
 round the body, in the thickest part, six feet nine inches; the 
 width of the jaw, when extended, seventeen inches. It had 
 five rows of teeth, eonsequently was five years old, having an 
 additional row every year, till it arrives at full growth.—dAn- 
 
 nual Register. 
 = 
 
 DANIEL DANCER, ESQ. THE MISER,. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 26.] 
 
 h 
 
 Mr. Dancer was born in the year 1716, near Harrow-on- 
 the-hill, in the county of Middlesex, but was removed in his 
 infancy to Pinner, in the same county. A parsimonious and 
 miserly disposition were distinguishing traits in his character. 
 His father had three sons and one daughter, each of whom 
 was distinguished for certain peculiarities, either of mind or 
 body. <A penurious disposition, however, was the most pro- 
 minent; indeed, it seems to have been hereditary, for it ran 
 through the family. It is a circumstance worthy of notice, 
 that Mr. Dancer did not, in his early years, betray that exces- 
 sive love for money for which he became afterwards cele- 
 brated. ‘This disclosure of his soul was reserved for maturer 
 years. When his father died, he became independent, and 
 then he began to act the part of a miser. Such was the eccen- 
 tricity of his character, that though he scarcely allowed him- 
 self the common necessaries of life, he left property to the 
 amount of 3,000/. a year to Lady Tempest and Captain © 
 Holmes. So perfectly penurious was he in his disposition, | 
 that rather than expend a penny, he frequently had recourse 
 to the pot-liquor of Lady Tempest’s kitchen; of which he 
 would drink so enormously as to be obliged to roll himself on 
 the floor to sleep. He generally had his body girt by a hay- 
 band, to keep together his tattered garments ; and the stock- 
 ings he usually wore had been so frequently darned and 
 patched, that scarcely any of the original could be seen. In 
 cold and dirty weather they were thickly covered with ropes 
 of hay, which served as substitutes for boots. His whole 
 garb, indeed, resembled that of a miserable mendicant. He 
 had an old horse, but would only allow him shoes for his fore- 
 
88 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DIELS PIPL IO LILI LOL IID SIO L EL LOD IDOL POP LIP LIL LD” a gg SOLED LOE LDE LED L OE DLO DDD ODP DDE BOP OED 
 Daniel Dancer, Esq. the Miser. 
 
 LOD LD ODDO DDO DDO DDL LLG DODD DO DP O LOO LIE ODO L OL DOF LILLIE DID LID 
 
 PLOLLPG LOL LIF 
 
 feet, deeming those for the hind-feet as an unnecessary exe 
 pence. 
 
 Mr. Dancer would never take snuff, conceiving it to be ex- 
 travagant, though he always carried a snuff-box: this he ge- 
 ~ nerally filled in the course of a month, by pinches obtained 
 from others! when the box was full, he would barter the 
 contents for a farthing candle at a neighbouring chandler’s 
 shop; this candle served him till he had time to fill the box 
 again, as he never suffered any light in his house except while 
 he was going to bed! He seldom washed his face or hands; 
 but when the sun shone forth he would repair to a neighbour- 
 ing pool, and substitute sand for soap: when he had per- 
 formed the operation of washing, he would lie on his back 
 and dry himself with the solar beams; as he never used a 
 towel, because it would wear out, and, when dirty, the wash- 
 ing would be expensive. Having come to London one day, 
 for the purpose of investing 2,000/. in the funds, a gentleman 
 near the Royal Exchange observed him, and taking him for a 
 wretched beggar, humanely slipped a penny into his hand, 
 which the old man received with a degree of surprise; but, 
 instantly recollecting that “ every little helps,’ he pocketed 
 the affront and walked on. 
 
 This parsimonious man never had more than one shirt at a 
 time, which, being purchased at an old clothes-shop, seldom 
 _ exceeded half-a-crown in price ; nor did it ever, after falling 
 into his possession, undergo the operation of either washing 
 or mending, but was doomed to perpetual slavery, till it lite- 
 rally dropt in pieces from his back. Hence, it may naturally 
 be supposed, that, though Mr. Dancer seldom associated with 
 his neighbours, he was at all times attended by a very nume- 
 rous company, whose personal attachment rendered mankind 
 extremely cautious of approaching him. In the purchase of 
 an old shirt, he once supposed himself cheated by a woman of 
 the vast sum of three-pence ; in consequence of which he com- 
 menced a suit against her in the Court of Conscience; Mr. 
 Dancer was, however, nonsuited; and, besides the original 
 debt of three-pence, he incurred the expence of near five shil- 
 lings for costs. To add to his distress, he expended, on the 
 road from Pinner to London, and back again, three-half-pence 
 more. | 
 
 Lady Tempest was the only person who had the least in- 
 fluence on this wretched miser; and, though she knew that 
 she should share the bulk of his fortune with Captain Holmes, 
 she endeavoured to persuade him to enjoy the good things of 
 this life, but in vain. Once, indeed, she prevailed upon him 
 to purchase an old hat (having worn his own for three years) 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NAXTCUNE AND ART. 89 
 
 CPP LIL PIPL OOS FF a PLILD LOD LDL DOP LOE LED LLL OBO IDE LD E LODGES GE ODPOPGLOGA 
 Danie! Dancer, Esq. the Miser. 
 
 OOCLOP POP PDO PLO DD OLDS. PLE DLE L GEL LLL LE LE LEE LOEL LIL OEE LDIDELLADE LEE LDL LD! BDEOLDD OCPD LODO 
 
 from a Jew, for a shilling, but, to her great astonishment, 
 when she called the next day, she beheld the old chapeau on 
 his head. On inquiry, it appeared, that he had prevailed on 
 old Griffiths, his servant, to purchase the hat of him, at the 
 advanced price of eighteen-pence, and congratulated himself 
 on his dexterity in clearing sixpence by thetransaction. One 
 day, Lady Tempest sent him a present of trout, stewed in 
 claret, of which he was very fond ; it was frosty weather, and, 
 being kept all night, it was frozen almost into ice: being 
 much afflicted with the tooth-ache, he could not touch it, and 
 to light a fire he thought expensive; therefore, as he gene- 
 rally lay in bed to keep himself warm in cold weather, he 
 caused the fish and sauce to be put between two pewter plates, 
 on which he sat till the rich repast was tolerably warm. Of 
 lawyers and physicians he entertained a very unfavorable opi- 
 nion; and, to use his own expression, sooner than have any 
 connection with the former, he would rather deal with the 
 devil; and, as tothe latter, he maintained that all the gentle- 
 men of the faculty were medical tinkers, who, in endeavouring 
 to patch up one blemish in the human frame, never failed to 
 make ten. Such were Mr. Dancer’s ideas. He seemed to 
 have had something of the leaven of predestination in his com- 
 position, for, while his sister lay upon her death-bed, being 
 importuned to call in medical assistance, he sternly replied, 
 “¢ Why should I waste my money in wickedly endeavouring 
 to counteract the will of Providence.”’ Perhaps the dread of 
 expence operated more powerfully upon him than his religious 
 tenets. 
 
 During his last illness, Lady Tempest accidently called 
 upon him, and finding him lying without a shirt, in an old 
 sack, in which he was completely enveloped. remonstrated 
 against the impropriety of such a situation; when he replied, 
 that ‘ having come into the world without a shirt, he was de- 
 termined to go out of it in the same manner.” She then re- 
 quested him to have a pillow to raise his head, when he im- 
 mediately ordered his old servant Griffiths, to bring hima 
 truss of straw for that purpose. 
 
 Mr. Dancer’s house, which is now in the possession of Cap- 
 tain Holmes, is a most miserable building, and has not been 
 repaired for halfa century; though poor in external appear- 
 ance, it has, however, been recently discovered to be very rich 
 within ; Captain Holmes having, at different times, found 
 large bowls filled with guineas and half-guineas, and parcels 
 of bank-notes stuffed under covers of old chairs! He died 
 October, 1794. Since his death, large jugs of dollars and 
 shillings have been found in the stable. At the dead of night 
 
 N : 
 
90 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 —PLPLPLL LLL LL LDL DE ODL OLDEPLLE LDL LOLI LL OOD 
 
 Daniel Dancer, Esq. the Miser.—Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 he ie 
 
 he has been known to go to this place, but for what purpose, 
 even old Griffiths could not tell. It now appears, however, 
 that he used to rob one jug to add to the bowl, which was 
 found buried in the kitchen. 
 
 Mr, Dancer’s principal acquaintance, and the most conge- 
 nial to his soul, was the miserable Jemmy Taylor, of the 
 Borough. They became acquainted at the Stock Exchange, 
 where they chanced to meet; from this, their visits to each 
 other became frequent. Jemmy was quite as great a miser 
 as Dancer, but used not to go so shabbily dressed.—And here 
 
 we leave them, sad instances of the weakness and insignificance 
 of man ! 
 
 ee ie 
 BONAPARTE’S HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES. 
 [Continued from Page 67.| 
 
 No uneasiness was entertained for Marshal Grouchy. After 
 the detachment which he might have sent on towards St. Lam- 
 bert, there still remained from twenty-seven to twenty-eight 
 thousand men under his orders; but the three corps that Mar- 
 shal Blucher had at Wavres, and which were ninety thousand 
 before Ligny, were reduced to forty thousand, not only by 
 the loss of thirty thousand, which he had sustained in the 
 battle, but also by that of twenty thousand men, who dis- 
 banded themselves; and ravaged the borders of the Meuse ; 
 also by some detachments, which that Marshal had been 
 obliged to send to cover them, as well as his baggage, which 
 was then in the direction of Namur and of Liege ; but, forty 
 thousand or forty-five thousand Prussians beaten and discou- 
 raged, could not overawe twenty-eight thousand French, well 
 posted and victorious. 
 
 It was noon, the skirmishers were engaged on all the 
 
 line, but there was no real action, except on the left in the 
 wood, and at the castle of Hougoumont. The troops of Ge- 
 neral Bulow were still stationary beyond the extreme right ; 
 they appeared to form and wait till their artillery passed the de- 
 file. ‘The Emperor sent an order to Marshal Ney to commence 
 the fire of his batteries ; take possession of the farm of La Haye 
 Sainte, and to post a division of infantry there to occupy the vil- 
 lage; also to possess himself of La Haye, and to drive the enemy 
 from it, in order to intercept all communication between the 
 Anglo-Belgian army and Bulow’s corps. Highty guns soon 
 made an immense havoc over all the left of the English line, 
 one of its divisions being entirely destroyed by round and case 
 shot. While this attack was unmasked, the Kmperor atten- 
 tively observed the movements of the enemy’s general; he 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURS AND ART. 9] 
 
 PLL PDS PLPP LOL LOE PG DDD LP ODOOP OED PPI IOLP 
 
 POOPED POP PIPLILIDILIGIIG 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 PPLE PLP PLD PLE LOL POE LLL LLDE LOL LPL LDL OLDE LOD LDOE LED DPPE BOO LDI OLDS? 
 
 POLLO LIP PIS IIE 
 
 made none on his right ; but the Emperor perceived, that he 
 
 repared a grand charge of cavalry on the left, and he gal- 
 fined to the spot. The charge had taken place ; it had re- 
 pulsed a column of infantry which advanced on the low ground, 
 taken two eagles, and disorganised seven pieces of cannon: a 
 brigade of Milhaud’s cuirassiers from the second line were or- 
 dered to charge the enemy’s cavalry. It did so, with cries of 
 ** Long live the Emperor!” The English cavalry was broken, 
 and the greater part of it remained on the field; the guns 
 were also retaken, and the infantry protected. Many charges 
 of infantry and cavalry followed; the detail of them belongs 
 more to the history of each regiment, than to the general his- 
 tory of the battle, in which such recitals, if multiplied, would 
 create confusion ; it is enough to say, that after three hours 
 fighting, the farm of La Haye Sainte, in spite of the resistance 
 of the Scotch regiments, was occupied by the French infantry ; 
 while the end, which the French General had in view was ob- 
 tained. The sixth and fifth English divisions were destroyed, 
 General Picton remained dead on the field. 
 
 During this combat, the Emperor rode through the line of 
 infantry of the first corps, the line of cavalry of Milhaud’s 
 cuirassiers, and that of the guard ina third line ; in the middle 
 of the discharges of the enemy’s artillery and musketry, the 
 brave General Devaux, commanding the artillery of the guard, 
 was killed at his side by a cannon-shot, a most serious loss, 
 and above all at this moment, because he knew the positions 
 occupied by the reserves of the artillery of the guard, consist- 
 ing of ninety-six guns, better than any other officer in the 
 army. ‘The General of brigade Lallemand succeeded him, 
 and was also wounded shortly after. 
 
 Disorder had by this time prevailed in the English army ; 
 the baggage, waggon-train, aud wounded, seeing the French 
 approach the causeway of Brussels, and the principal opening 
 of the forest, hastened to effect their retreat in the greatest 
 confusion: all the English, Belgians, and Germans, who had 
 been sabred by the cavalry, precipitated themselves on Brus- 
 sels. it was now four o’clock. The victory would have 
 been then decided, had not General Bulow’s corps effected its 
 powerful diversion. At twoo’clock in the afternoon, General 
 Daumont had given notice, that Bulow formed in thzee co- 
 lumns; and that the French riflemen skirmished, retiring be- 
 fore the enemy, which appeared to him as being very nu- 
 merous; he estimated it to be more than forty thousand 
 strong; adding, moreover, that his best mounted scouts had 
 traversed several leagues in different directions, but had 
 brought no news of Marshal Grouchy; that his assistance 
 
92 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART 
 
 POD PLL LOL LOO LOS ODO DOL ODO DOD LD PLDC LOL LOL DLO LOD DDO DDODDD PDL OD PLD E LOL DLO DDI DIE LED DODGE 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times.—Curious Account of Water-spouts. 
 
 was, therefore, not to be depended on. About this time, the 
 Emperor received a most disagreeable piece of news from 
 Gembloux. Marshal Grouchy, instead of setting out from 
 that place at the first dawn of day, as he announced in his 
 dispatch of two o’clock in the morning, had not quitted his 
 camp there at ten o’clock. The officer attributed it to the 
 dreadful state of the weather—ridiculous motive! This inex- 
 cusable tardiness, under circumstances so critical, on the part 
 of such a zealous officer, could not be accounted for 
 [To be continued, | 
 
 eee 
 
 CURIOUS ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST APPEARANCE AND PRO- 
 GRESS OF WATER-SPOUTS. 
 
 “‘ While we were making remarks upon them, and compar- 
 ing their different appearances, our attention was suddenly 
 called by a loud hissing noise; and, turning about, we ob- 
 served the sea on our larboard bow in a strange commotion, 
 bubbling and rising up in hundreds of little sharp pyramidical 
 forms, to various heights, alternately falling and rising within 
 an apparent circle, whose diameter might be about sixty feet. 
 
 *¢ It was soon evident that another water-spout was begin- 
 ning to form in a critical situation for us, not being half the 
 ship’s length off. All was alarm and confusion: Captain 
 was soon upon deck, but neither he nor any other on 
 board knew from experience what was best to be done. It 
 was nearly impossible to withdraw the eye from this object: 
 the sea, within the circle of its influence, boiled up with in- 
 creasing rage and height, whirling round with great velocity 
 and an indescribable hissing kind of noise. At times, the 
 water was thus raised nearly as high as the fore-yard: then 
 sinking, as from some impediment or obstruction, and again 
 commencing as before. 
 
 ““ We had all heard of firing guns at water-spouts, and 
 directions were given accordingly; yet, though we had several 
 loaded, not one was found in condition, they only burned 
 priming. Orders were then given to load a fresh gun; but, 
 excepting the mate, it was difficult to get any one to move, so 
 rivetted and fixed with gaping astonishment were all the 
 lascars and people on board. While the mate was busy after 
 the carriage guns, Captain P and I concluded it would 
 be right to try the effect of making a slight concussion in the 
 air, by getting all the people to exert their lungs by loud 
 cheers. God only knows whether this did really produce any 
 good effect, but we fancied so. I had a lighted match in rea- 
 diness ; and, when the mate had loaded and primed the gun, 
 I fired it, and two or three salutes caused the whole to sube 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 93 
 
 BIG PLD OLD LIL PPO LIL IDL PLE DOD LDD DOP PLL CDE PIL PEDO CPL DDD DOL LLO DDE DDD DEDEDE LOD LOAD OIL LE LEDS 
 
 Curious Account of Water-spouts.—The Migration of Birds. 
 
 PLE PIL BELELPLIVLEDOD LOO LOG LOL GOD DOP LOOP LOR PLEGRDOLO LC DOE DLL DDDEOEL OD DIFILE LID LADD LOPLI 
 
 side. ‘The ship was not the least affected the whole time, ex- 
 cept by the undulating swell when the water fell down again; 
 yet, from tie whirlwind kind of hissing, we were in momen- 
 tery exp :ctation of seeing the yards and masts torn to atoms, 
 ana whirled into the air; and doubtful whether the whole of 
 the ship might not soon be engulphed in the vortex.” 
 == 
 THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS 
 
 Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the 
 turtle, and the crane, and the swallow, observe the time of their coming. 
 JEREMIAH. 
 
 Who bids the stork, Columbus-like, explore 
 Heavens not his own, and world’s unknown before 
 Who calls the council, states the certain day ? 
 
 Who forms the phalanx, and who points the way? Pope. 
 
 THE migration of birds, which is common to the quail, the 
 stork, the crane, the fieldfare, the woodcock, the cuckoo, the 
 martin, the swallow, and various others, is justly considered 
 as one of the most wonderful instincts of nature. Two cir- 
 cumstances, Dr. Derham observes, are remarkable in this mi- 
 gration: the first, that these uninstructed creatures should 
 know the proper times for their passage, when to come, and 
 when to go, some departing while others arrive; and, secondly, 
 that they should know which way to steer their course, and 
 whither to go. 3 
 
 Birds of passage are all peculiarly accommodated, by the 
 structure of their parts, for long flights; and it is remarked 
 that, in their migrations, they observe a wonderful order and 
 polity ; they fly in troops, and steer their course, without the 
 aid of a compass, to vast unknown regions. The flight of 
 wild geese, in a wedge-like figure, has often been observed ; 
 and it has been noticed that the three foremost, who are the 
 soonest tired, retreat behind, and are relieved by others, who 
 are again succeeded by the rest in order. At the approach of 
 winter, the wild ducks and cranes of the north fly in quest of 
 more favourable climates. They all assemble, at a certain 
 day, like swallows and quails, decamping at the same time. 
 Their flight is highly curious: they generally range them- 
 selves in a long column, like an I: or in two lines united ina 
 point, like a V reversed. It is observed by Shaw, in his tra- 
 vels, that storks, about a fortnight before they pass from one 
 country to another, constantly resort together from all the 
 circumjacent parts, to a certain plain, and there forming them- 
 selves daily into what, in the popular phrase, is called a dow 
 wanne, determine the exact time of their departure, and the 
 places of their future abode. 
 
O4 CURICSITIES OF WATURE AND ART, 
 
 SLOP LEO LO DIL DOP D LPO DODO DL OOD 
 
 PPPLPLOLDLOD OLDE LLIDLD PDL ODD LLL LLL PELL LE LILLE ELI PDL 
 
 The Migration of Birds.—The Yanar, or Perpetual Fire. 
 
 Tas 
 
 PLDI 
 
 PIF 
 
 aa 
 
 Swallows have often been observed, in innumerable flocks, 
 on churches, rocks, and trees, previously to their departure 
 from Great Britain; and their return, in apparently equal 
 numbers, has been witnessed in a variety of instances. In 
 Sweden, the starling, finding, after the middle of summer, that 
 worms are less plentiful, goes annually into Scania, Germany, 
 and Denmark. The female chaffinches, every winter, about 
 Michaelmas, go in flocks to Holland; but as the males stay 
 in Sweden, the females come, back in the spring, except such 
 as do not choose to breed any longer. In the same manner, 
 the female Carolina yellow-hammer, in the month of Septem- 
 ber, while the rice on which she feeds is laid up in the. gra- 
 naries, goes towards the south, and returns in the spring to 
 seek her mate. The aquatic birds of the north are forced by 
 necessity to fly toward the south every autumn before the 
 water is frozen. Thus the lakes of Poland and Lithuania 
 are filled with swans and geese in the autumnal season, 
 at which time they go in great flocks, along many rivers, 
 as far as the Euxine Sea. In the beginning of spring, 
 however, as soon as the heat of the sun molests them, they 
 return back, and again frequent the borders of the springs and 
 lakes, where the females deposit their eggs; for there, and 
 especially in Lapland, a vast abundance of gnats—insects 
 which live in the water before they get their wings—afford 
 them an excellent nourishment. By these migrations, birds 
 become useful to many countries, and are distributed over 
 almost every part of the globe. 
 
 ee 
 THE YANAR, OR PERPETUAL FIRE 
 
 Captain Beaurort, of the Royal Navy, F. R.S. among 
 the interesting details of his late survey of Karamania, or the 
 South coast of Asia Minor, describes this curious pheno- 
 menon; and from his account the following particulars are 
 extracted, prior to the ample details of volcanoes which will 
 appear during the progress of the work. 
 
 Having perceived, during the night, a small but steady light 
 among the hills, this was represented by the inhabitants as a 
 yanar, or volcanic light; and on the following morning, cu- 
 riosity led him to visit the spot. In the inner corner of a 
 ruined building he came to a wall, so undermined as to leave 
 an aperture of about three feet in diameter, and shaped like 
 the mouth of an oven. From this aperture the flame issued, 
 giving out an intense heat, but without producing any smoke 
 on the wall; and although several small lumps of caked soot 
 were detached from the neck of the opening, the walls were 
 
CURIOSIVIES OF NATURE AND ART. 95 
 
 DPOPLIP LIED LP DLO D PLE LL IL IL PID PLE LOL L LDL IL OLDE LLL LOL ODO LED OOO LDL L OE BPD LOL PLE DLO LED ALLL DL 
 The Yanar, or Perpetual Fire—Immense Mountain. 
 
 PLP LIL LDDE OPEL LE OLE LLP PDL LODO LDF POLL LE LLE LLL ELE LOG LIP 
 
 POPLOEPIIPLIAG 
 
 scarcely discoloured. ‘Trees, brushwood, and woods, grew 
 close around this little crater ; a small stream trickled down 
 the hill in its vicinity ; and the ground did not appear to feel 
 the effect of its heat at more than a few yards distance. Not 
 any volcanic productions were to be perceived near to it; but 
 at a short distance, lower down on the side of the hill, was 
 another hole or aperture, which had apparently been at some 
 remote period the vent of a similar flame. It was asserted, 
 however, by the guide, that, in the memory of the present 
 race of inhabitants, there had been but one such volcanic 
 opening, and that its size and appearance had been constantly 
 the same. He added, that it was never accompanied by 
 earthquakes or noises; and that it did not eject either stones, 
 smoke, or noxious vapours; but that its brilliant and perpe- 
 tual flame could not be quenched by any quantity of water. 
 At this flame, he observed, the shepherds were in the habit 
 of cooking their food. 
 
 This phenomenon appears to Captain Beaufort to have 
 existed for many ages, and he is persuaded that it is the spot 
 to which Pliny alludes’ in the following passage :—“ Mount 
 Chimera, near Phaselis, emits an unceasing flame, which 
 burns day and night.”? Within a short distance is the great 
 mountain of Takhtalu, the naked summit of which rises, in an 
 insulated peak, 7800 feet above the level of the sea. In the 
 month of August, a few streaks of snow were still discernible 
 on the peak ; but many of the distant mountains of the inte- 
 rior were completely white for nearly a fourth down their — 
 sides. It may hence be inferred, that the elevation of this 
 part of Mount Taurus is not less than 10,000 feet, which is 
 equal to that of Mount Etna. 
 
 Such a striking feature as this stupendous mountain, Ina 
 country inhabited by an illiterate and credulous people, can- 
 not fail to have been the subject of numerous tales and tradi- 
 tions. Accordingly, the Captain was informed by the pea- 
 sants, that there is a perpetual flow of the purest water from 
 the very apex ; and that, notwithstanding the snow, which 
 was still lingering in the chasms, roses blew there all the year 
 round. He was assured by the Agha of Deliktash that every 
 autumn a midnight groan is heard to issue from the summit of 
 the mountain, louder than the report of any cannon, but un- 
 accompanied by fire or smoke. He professed his ignorance 
 of the cause; but, on being pressed for his opinion, gravely 
 replied, that he believed it was an annual summons to the 
 elect, to make the best of their way to Paradise. However 
 amusing this theory may have been, it may possibly be true 
 that such explosions take place. ‘Che mountain artillery des 
 
06 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POPOL E POP LPIL PDF PLROPID LD ODDO LOD ODD BODP LO IDL LOD DIL DLL DLL DDD DDL LID DDO LIE ODL PPP PLE BOP LDIPR 
 
 The Hanging Tower of Pisa, in Tuscany.—Magnificent Chinese Tower at Nankin. 
 
 POPP IO LPP LEIP LOPLI 
 
 PII 
 
 PPP LOD LOE DOO L OL DEE BDLOELLPELOC LDL LOD LDL DEO LED DGGE DOD LLL 
 
 scribed by Captains Lewis and Clarke, in their travels in 
 North America, and similar phenomena which are said to 
 have occurred in South America, seem to Jend some probabi- 
 lity to the account. The natives have also a tradition, that, 
 when Moses fled from Egypt, he took up his abode near this 
 mountain, which was therefore named Moossa-Daghy, or the 
 mountain of Moses. Between this story and the Yanar, as it 
 has been described above, may there not have been some fan- 
 ciful connection? The site of this volcanic opening is at an 
 inconsiderable distance from the mountain; and the flame 
 issuing from the thicket which surrounds it, may have led to 
 some confused associations with the burning bush*of Mount 
 Horeb, recorded in Exodus. , 
 —=— 
 
 THE HANGING TOWER OF PISA, IN TUSCANY. 
 
 Tuts celebrated tower, likewise called CAMPANILE, on ac- 
 count of its having been erected for the purpose of containing 
 bells, stands in a ‘square, close to the cathedral of Pisa. It is 
 built entirely of white: marble, and is a beautiful cylinder of 
 eight stories, each adorned with a round of columns, rising 
 one above another. It inclines so far on one side from the 
 perpendicular, that in dropping a: plummet from the top, 
 which is 188 feet in height, it falls’ 16 feet from the base, 
 /Much pains have been taken by connoisseurs to prove that 
 this was done purposely by the architect; but it is evident 
 that the inclination has proceeded from another cause, namely, 
 an accidental subsidence of the foundation on that side. |The 
 pillars are there considerably sunk; but had the architect 
 meant to show how far he could with safety deviate from the 
 perpendicular, and thus display a novel specimen of his art, 
 he would have shortened the pilasters on that side, so as to 
 exhibit them entire, without the appearance of sinking. 
 
 ; se ' 
 THE MAGNIFICENT CHINESE PORCELAIN TOWER AT NANKIN, 
 
 _ Luts elegant and commodious building, a correct. idea:of 
 which will be formed from the Engraving, may be regarded 
 as a fine specimen of oriental pagodas. ‘The tower is about 
 two hundred feet in height, and derives its. name from -its 
 having a chain or porcelain coating. The Portuguese were 
 the first to bestow on these superb edifices the title of pa- 
 godas, and to attribute them to devotional purposes. There - 
 can be little doubt, however, that in many instances they have 
 been rather erected as public memorials or ornaments, like 
 the columns of the Greals and Romans. 
 
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 Ys Dl PICS — TOF: Le CS oe Na7/ Pat a ; TAs Kangtng Sowa of yr 2 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. a7 
 
 POL SLL LOLA PLL PDL DIOP LE 
 
 DPLPLL BOL GDL ODL DOL LIE DOD POOL DL GE OLDE L PL ODES ODA 
 
 Porcelain Tower at Nankin.—Account of the Actual Appearance of Spectres. 
 
 PLO D DLO ELLIO POLIO LIPO LD OL ID DDD PIE 
 
 PLL LOL LOLA 
 
 POLL DEL LOLOL LD LOLOL LE LIE PED IPO 
 
 Mr. Ellis, in his Journal of the late Embassy to China, re- 
 lates that, in the company of three gentlemen of the Embassy, 
 he succeeded in passing completely throwgh the uninhabited 
 part of the city of Nankin, and in reaching the gateway visi- 
 ble from the Lion Hill. The object of the party was to have 
 penetrated through the streets to the Porcelain ‘Tower, appa- 
 rently distant two miles. ‘To this, however, the soldiers whe 
 accompanied them, and who, from their willingness in allow- 
 ing them to proceed thus far, were entitled to consideration, 
 made so many objections, that they were forced to desist, and 
 to content themselves with proceeding to a temple on a neigh- 
 bouring hill, from which they had a very complete view of 
 the city. From this station the Porcelain Tower presented 
 itself as a most magnificent object. 
 
 ——megese 
 
 AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT CF THE ACTUAL APPEARANCE CP 
 SPECTRES. 
 
 Tue publication of this most extraordinary case is inserted 
 in the Journal of Practical Medicine, by Professor Hugeland, 
 of Jena. 
 
 ‘“¢ In the full use of my senses, and after I had got the better 
 of the fright which at first seized me, and the disagreeable 
 sensation which it caused, in the greatest composure of 
 mind, I saw for almost two months constantly, and involun- 
 tarily, a number cf human and other apparitions ; nay, | even 
 heard their voices: yet this was the consequence of nervous 
 debility, or irritation, or some unusual state of the animal 
 system. 
 
 *“‘ In such a case, it is evidently more necessary than in any 
 other, to observe every thing with accuracy, and to relate it 
 with fidelity and distinctness. I shall, therefore, pass over 
 nothing which I remember with any degree of certainty Se- 
 veral incidents connected with the apparitions seem to me of 
 great importance, though we might be apt to regard them mi a 
 secondary point of view; for we cannot determine of what 
 consequence even a circumstance of the mos. trivial nature 
 may be in a close enquiry into the nature of the origin of these 
 extraordinary circumstances, and an attempt to explain them 
 carefully. 
 
 ‘¢ In this instance, I was also, which is seldom the case, in a 
 situation to make observations on myself. I took down, 
 therefore, in a few words, what was most important, and re- 
 counted it immediately to several persons. My memory, 
 which is extremely retentive, has besides treasured up the 
 
 most minute circumstances; and that the more as this story 
 P fy, ‘ oO . 1s 
 
98 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPO DI IL + PIPED IDOL PIL DIS PID IDL PPP LOE LOE LOL LIL LL EL ED LDL DODDOGO LOL LOC LEP EL DLO L OL SOL POL OLE 
 Authentic Account of the Actual Appearance of Spectres. 
 
 has been a most serious subject of my consideration, not only 
 with regard to my own particular situation, but also in re- 
 spect to its many important consequences to society. The 
 strict fidelity of the account will require no further assurance 
 on my part, since a member of this academy (Mr. Selle) is an 
 unexceptionable witness of it, and who, as my physician, re- 
 ceived a daily account of all that happened to me. 
 
 ‘“‘ I must first, therefore, notice several particulars of my 
 situation previous to my seeing the phantoms, as those inci- 
 dents may have greatly affected the state of my body and mind 
 during that time. 
 
 ‘In the last ten months of the year 1790, 1 underwentseveral 
 severe trials, which greatly agitated me. From the month of 
 September in particular, repeated shocks of misfortune had 
 _ befallen me, which produced the deepest sorrow. It had been 
 usual for me to lose blood by venesection twice a year. ‘This 
 was done on the 9th of July, 1790, but towards the close of 
 the year it was omitted. In 1783, I had been suddenly seized 
 with a violent giddiness, which the physician imputed to an 
 obstruction in the small muscles of the abdomen, proceeding 
 from too intense an application to study, and my sedentary 
 manner of life for many years. ‘These complaints were re- 
 moved by a three years’ cure, and the rigid observance of a 
 strict diet during that time. In the first stage of the malady, 
 the application of leeches had been particularly effective, and 
 this remedy I had from that time regularly applied twice or 
 thrice a year, whenever I felt congestion in the head. During 
 the year 1790, however, this had been less frequently observed 
 than usual. A circumstance, too, that rendered my situation 
 more deplorable was, that from September I had been con- 
 tinually engaged in business which required the severest exer- 
 tion, and which, from frequent interruptions, was rendered 
 still more burthensome and distressing. 
 
 ‘¢ In the first two months of the year 1791, I was much af- 
 fected in my mind by several incidents of a very disagreeable 
 nature; and on the 24th of February, a circumstance oc- 
 curred which irritated me extremely. At ten o’clock in the 
 forenoon, my wife and another person came to console me; I 
 was in a violent perturbation of mind, owing to a series of in- 
 cidents which had altogether wounded my moral feelings, and 
 from which 1 saw no possibility of relief; when, suddenly I 
 observed, at the distance of ten paces from me, a figure—the 
 figure of a deceased person. I pointed at it, and asked my 
 wife whether she did not see it. She saw nothing, but bein 
 much alarmed, endeavoured to compose me, and sent for the 
 physician. The figure remained and regarded me witha mild 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND 4RT. 99 
 
 POOGOP POP ADL PIPL OL IG LS PLL LOL BOL PL LOD DOO LODE LODE PE DODADGDLOIO OLE L DIOGO EEL 
 
 Authentic Account of the Actual Appearance of Spectres. 
 
 PEO LLO POD LEB DLE LOL LLL PLL OED OLO LOD BLD LOL LOOP LOLOO LDA LEE LLOE LEE BEL EDO LEE DLL PEOPLE PLL La L 
 
 and fixed look, and I at length became a little more calm; 
 and, as I was extremely exhausted, I soon afterwards fell into 
 a troubled kind of slumber, which lasted for half an hour. 
 The yision was ascribed to the great agitation of mind in 
 which I had been, and it was supposed I should have nothing 
 more to apprehend from that cause ; but the violent affection 
 had put my nerves into some unnatural state, and from this 
 arose further consequences, which require a more detajled 
 description. | 
 
 ** In theafternoon of the same day, a little after four o’clock, the 
 same figure which I had seen in the morning again appeared. 
 I was alone when this happened—a circumstance which, as 
 may be easily conceived, could not be very agreeable. I went, 
 therefore, to the apartment of my wife, to whom I related it. 
 But thither also the figure pursued me. Sometimes it was 
 present, sometimes it vanished ; but it was always the same 
 standing figure, and always preserving the same mild and fixed 
 aspect. A little after six o’clock, several other stalking figures 
 also appeared ; but they seemed to have no connexion with 
 the standing G&gure. 1 can assign no other reason for this 
 apparition than that, though much more composed in my 
 mind, I had not been able entirely to forget the cause of my 
 deep and distressing vexation, and had reflected on the conse- 
 quand of it, in order, if possible, to avoid them; and that 
 this happened three hours after dinner, at the time when the 
 digestion just begins. 
 
 ** At length | became more composed with respect to the dis- 
 agreeable incident which had given rise to the first appari- 
 tion; but though I had used very excellent medicines, and 
 found myself in other respects perfectly well, yet the appari- 
 tions did not diminish, but on the contrary encreased in num- 
 ber, and were occasionally transformed in the most extraor- 
 dinary manner. | 
 
 “‘ After I had recovered from the first impression of terror, | 
 never felt myself particularly agitated by these apparitions, as 
 I considered them to be what they really were—ithe extraor- 
 dinary consequences of indisposition ; on the contrary, I en- 
 deavoured as much as possible to preserve my composure of 
 mind, that 1 might remain distinctly conscious of what passed 
 within me. 1 observed these phantoms with great accuracy, 
 and very often reflected on my previous thoughts, with a view 
 to discover some law in the association of ideas by which 
 exactly these or other figures might present themselves to the 
 imagination. Sometimes I thought I had made a discovery, 
 especially in the latter period of my visions; but on the 
 whole, } could trace no connexion which these figures had, 
 
100 CURIOSITIES O£ NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OPE PDL LDL POD OLD GOLD LOL ODD DOO LOO DID POE LOL OGD ODE LPL E PLL ODP DOF OLD ELE LOD LLO DOL OLE DPPE ODODE “OO 
 
 Account of the Actual Appearance of Spectres.—Excessive Wine Drinking. 
 
 PLE LDP ILL LIE ODE OLE LOD GLO LEG GLE GOO LED GEOL EOE PLD GLE LOE DLE EPL LEOL LL EL LD ODE LOE LPO LE DE BLO LOP 
 
 either with my state of mind, with my employment, or with 
 the other thoughts which engaged my attention. 
 
 “‘ The figure of the deceased person never appeared to me 
 after the first dreadful day ; but several other figures showed 
 themselves afterwards very distinctly ; sometimes such as I 
 knew, but mostly, however, of persons whom I did not know; 
 and amongst those known to me, were the semblances of both 
 living and deceased persons, but mostly the former: and I 
 particularly observed, that acquaintances with whom I daily 
 conversed, never appeared to me, as phantoms ; it was always 
 such as were at a distance. When these apparitions had con- 
 tinued some weeks, and I could regard them with some de- 
 gree of composure, .I endeavoured to call up phantoms of se- 
 veral acquaintances, whom I for that reason represented tc 
 my imagination in the most lively manner, but in vain.—For, 
 however accurately I pictured to my mind the figures of such 
 persons, I never once could succeed in my desire of seeing 
 them externally, though I had some short time before seen 
 them as phantoms, and they, perhaps, afterwards unexpectedly 
 presented themselves to mein the same manner. It is worthy 
 of remark, that I was always able to distinguish with the 
 greatest precision phantoms from real phenomena. I never 
 once erred in this, being in general perfectly calm and self- 
 collected on the occasion. I knew extremely weil, when it 
 appeared to me that the door was opened, and a phantom en- 
 tered, and when the door really was opened, and a real per- 
 sonage came in.” ; 
 
 [Zo be continued. | 
 —e 
 
 EXCESSIVE WINE DRINKING. 
 
 In the space of three-and-twenty years, it is computed that 
 a Mr. Vanhorn drank, in all, thirty-five thousand, six hun- 
 dred, and eighty-eight bottles, or fifty-nine pipes of red port. 
 It does not appear that Mr. V. found this regimen favourable 
 to longevity ; indeed it is more than probable that it cut him 
 off before he had lived halfa century. It is incredible what 
 pleasure any individual can feel from such abundant potations, 
 in the course of which he resembles more a cellar than a man; 
 for there are many cellars that never contained what this 
 man’s stomach must have done, namely, fifty-nine pipes of 
 port wine.— Sinclair’s Code of Health. 
 
 Dr. Willan makes a most terrific calculation. “On com- 
 paring my own observations with the bills of mortality, 1 am 
 eonvinced,”’ (says he) ‘‘ that considerably more than one-eighth 
 of all the deaths which take place im persons above twenty 
 years old, happen prematurely, through excess in drinking 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 101 
 
 DPRPLD DF PLE LID DDD ODD LOL DLE LDL LOL LD EL ID LDL LOD DDO LDPE OPO LPL L ADDL EL PDL LAE DDD DIS LEE OLLI POS Fr 
 
 The Talipot Leaf of the East.—History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 PIL PLL LDS ODL LDL LDL DDO DLL DED DOLD LOD LIF POPP II DDL ODD LOD DLO LIL, 
 
 PP LIES DIL LIIS IDLING 
 
 spirits.”— Willan on Diseases of London. And Mr.Colquhoun 
 has asserted that, in this metropolis, 3,500,000/. 1s every year 
 run through,in the shape of beer and spirits, out of five hun- 
 dred ale-houses only. 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE TALIPOT LEAF OF THE EAST. 
 
 Tue Talipot leaf is completely circular, terminating in the 
 most beautiful rays, it folds up into plaits like a fan, which in 
 figure it nearly resembles. In size and thickness it completely 
 surpasses almost all other leaves. The breadth of the diameter is 
 from three to four feet, and the length and thickness is in pro- 
 portion; it is large enough to cover ten men from the incle- 
 mency of the weather. It is made into umbrellas of all sizes, 
 and serves equally to protect the natives against the into- 
 lerable rays of the sun and the rains which at particular sea- 
 sons deluge their country. As it is of such an impenetrable 
 texture as to defy either the sun or the rain, it affords a shel- 
 ter even more secure than their huts. During the violent 
 rains, it is not unusual to see the natives prop up one end of 
 a Talipot Leaf with a stick two or three feet long, and then 
 creep under it for protection. 
 
 | ia . 
 
 CURIOUS HISTORY OF THE MAN WITH THE IRON MASK. 
 
 [Continued from Page 45.] 
 
 “¢ Tt was necessary that all england should be mistaken ; and 
 that King James should beg of Louis XIV. to be so obliging as 
 to be his gaoler; that Louis XIV. after having shewn this tri- 
 fling piece of civility to King James, should not have been want- 
 ing in the same attention to his friend King William, and to 
 Queen Anne, (with both of whom he was engaged in war,) 
 and, to please them, retained the dignity of gaoler, with 
 which King James had honoured him. All these illusions 
 being dissipated, it then remains to know who this prisoner 
 was, and at what age he died. It is clear, that if he was 
 not permitted to cross the court of the Bastile, or to speak to 
 his physician, except covered with a mask, it must have been 
 from an apprehension that his features and countenance miglit 
 have discovered some resemblance. He could shew his tongue, 
 but not his face. He said himself, to the apothecary of the 
 Bastile, a few days before his death, that he believed he was 
 about sixty. Mr. Marsoban, who was son-in-law to this 
 apothecary, and a surgeon to the Marechal de Richlieu, and 
 alterwards to the regent Duke of Orleans, told me this fre- 
 quently. Why give him an Italian name?—They always 
 called him Marchilai. He who writes this article perhaps 
 host more than Father Griffet, but he will say nothing 
 farther,” 
 
102 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 PPO PGP PLDI L DD LOO LDL POLL DOLD OL OD DOB BOD PDOL LD DB OP LDE ODO DEO DOP DPD WO GE LOD LP DD ODO PDE DPD IN ' 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 PLE PLD PLL LPP BOL LEE GOL BID DEE LOLOL LD OL OPLLOE PDP LOE ODL OL OE LPOE LOD DOD DODD POE DDE 
 
 This opinion has been lately resumed, illustrated, and en- 
 forced, by M. de Saint Mihiel, in a work entitled, “ Le Veri- 
 table Homme,” &c.—“ The real Man with the Iron Masque.” 
 The author, in support of his idea, attempts to prove that 
 Anne of Austria and the Cardinal Mazarine were married, 
 This, says he, the Duchess of Orleans assures us of in three of 
 her letters. In the first, dated Sept. 13, 1713, she expresses 
 herself as follows :— “ Old Beauvais, who was first lady of the 
 bed-chamber to the queen-dowager, was acquainted with the 
 secret of the ridiculous marriage; this rendered it necessary 
 for the queen to do every thing that her confidant wished ; and 
 this circumstance has given rise in this country to an extension 
 of the rights of first ladies of the bed-chamber.”’ In the second 
 of these letters, dated Nov. 2, 1717, she says, “ The queen- 
 mother, widow of Louis XIII. did worse than love Cardinal 
 Mazarine, she even married him, for he was not a priest: he 
 was not even in orders; and who could have hindered her ? 
 He was most horribly tired of the good queen-mother, and 
 lived on very bad terms with her, which is the reward that 
 
 eople deserve for entering into such marriages.” In her third 
 letter, dated July 2, 1719, speaking of the queen, the duchess 
 says, ‘* She was perfectly easy respecting Cardinal Mazarine ; 
 he was not a priest, and therefore nothing could prevent their 
 being married. ‘The secret passage through which the cardi- 
 nal went every evening to the queen’s apartment, is still to be 
 seen at the Palais-Royal.” Among other proofs besides the 
 above, which M. de St. Mihiel brings to substantiate this mar- 
 riage, he observes, that Mazarine held all councils of state in 
 his apartment, whilst he was shaving or dressing; that he 
 never permitted any person to sit down in his presence, not 
 even the chancellor, nor Marshal de Villeroi; and that while 
 they were deliberating with him on state affairs,he would be often 
 playing with his monkey or linnet. ‘“ What man (continues the 
 author) ‘would have subjected to such humiliations a chancel- 
 Jor, who holds the first office in the kingdom since that of con- 
 stable has been suppressed, and a marshal, who was governor 
 to the king, had he not been in reality a sovereign himself, in 
 virtue of his being husband to the queen-regent ?” He there- 
 fore concludes, that the man with the iron mask was son to 
 Anne of Austria and Cardinal Mazarine; and endeavours to 
 justify this assertion by a variety of conjectural proofs. Of 
 some of these we shall give a short sketch. 
 
 No prince, or person of any consideration, after the year 
 1644, at which time the man with the iron mask was born, un- 
 til the time when his existence was known, disappeared in 
 France. This personage, therefore, was not a prince, or great 
 lord of France known at that time. 
 
 fi 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 108 
 
 PRIDDIS OF PLP LL IP LDS LO LLL LIED LLE LDL DIOL DELLE LL ILL LE LI PL EOP IDOL GOP L DE LEDS LDPE LICL DOP PPDODP GDS 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 PDP LPO LIE ELE DLE LLL LOE LOO LE LPL ELL PE DOL DIOL OO OLDS PILL IP PLIL LPP LG EEO ODP LOS 
 
 The man with the iron mask was not a foreigner; for fo- 
 reigners, even of the highest distinction, did not at that period 
 study the French language in such a manner as to attain so 
 great perfection in it as to pass for Frenchmen. If this pri- 
 soner had spoken with the least foreign accent, the officers, 
 physicians, surgeons, apothecaries, confessors, and others em- 
 ployed in the prisons where he was, and especially the prison- 
 ers with whom he conversed at St. Margaret, would not have 
 failed to discover it. From all this M. de Mihiel infers that he 
 must have been a Frenchman. 
 
 The existence ofthe man with the iron mask has been known 
 for upwards of ninety years. Had any person of rank disap- 
 peared at an anterior period, his friends, relations, or acquaint- 
 ances, would not have failed to claim him, or at least to sup- 
 pose that he was the man concealed by this mask. But no 
 one disappeared, nor was any one claimed: the man with 
 the iron mask was therefore a person unknown. This 
 man was not torn away from society on account of any cri- 
 minal action; for, when he was arrested, it was foreseen that 
 he would cause much embarrassment, and cccasion great ex- 
 pences. He was therefore not a criminal, else means would 
 have heen pursued to get rid of him; and conser Wane all the 
 importance of his being concealed was attached solely to his 
 pees This stranger must have been a person of very high 
 
 irth ; for the governor of the prison St. Mars behaved always 
 to him with the greatest respect. Louis XIII. played on the 
 guittar; Louis XIV. did the same, in a very masterly man- 
 ner; and the man with the iron mask played also on that in- 
 strument ; which gives us reason to believe that his education 
 was directed by the same persons who had presided over that 
 of Louis X1V., and who appear to have been the particular 
 choice of Anne of Austria. _ 
 
 This stranger died on the 19th of November, 1703; and 
 a few days betore his death, he told the apothecary of the Bas- 
 tile, that he believed he was about sixty years of age, Sup- 
 posing that he was then fifty-nine and a half, he must have 
 
 een born towards the end of May, 1644; and, if he was 
 sixty wanting three months, he must have been born in the 
 end of August, or the beginning of September, of the same 
 year; a period when the royal authority was in the hands of 
 Anne of Austria, but in reality exercised more by Mazarine 
 than by her. ‘1 have already proved, (continues the au- 
 thor,) ** that, from the first day of the regency of Anne of 
 Austria, the greatest friendship, and even intimacy, subsisted 
 between this princess and the cardinal; that these sentiments 
 were Bivert into a mutual love; and that they were after- 
 
104 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 : 
 PIL LLL EPG LILOL LOLOL EDL DODD PL LOLL LLL LGD ILE OOD ODSD 
 
 S PPDLL LLP LAL ED LIBLDLL LL LL LEC LE LE F 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 OBP PDOLPIE LOD LELOLG LOE LLI GPP IOL PLOLDOP ODP POD OLE LOL ELD PLE LOL LDL LOO RDO DDE L OPP LL YALE RL LDL DDL OP 
 
 wards united by the bonds of marriage. ‘They might, there- 
 fore, well have a son about the month of September, 1644, 
 as Louis XIII. had been then dead more than fifteen months, 
 having died on the 15th of May, the year preceding. But 
 nothing of what I have related, or of what has been written, 
 and acknowledged as fact, respecting the man with the iron 
 mask, can be applied, except to a son of Mazarine and Anne 
 of Austria. The man with the iron mask was indebted, 
 therefore, for his existence to Cardinal Mazarine and the re- 
 gent widow cof Louis XIII.”—To account for the manner 
 in which the queen was able to conceal her pregnancy and 
 delivery, Madame de Moteville is quoted; who relates, un- 
 der the year 1644, that Anne of Austria quitted the Louvre, 
 because her apartments there displeased her; that she went 
 to reside at the Palais-Royal, which Richlieu, when he died, 
 bequeathed to the deceased king: that when she first occu- 
 pied this lodging, she was dreadfully afflicted with the jaun- 
 dice; that the physicians ascribed this disorder to her dejec- 
 tion and application to business, which gave her much 
 embarrassment: but that being cured of her melancholy, as 
 well as her malady, she resolved to think only of enjoying 
 tranquillity ; which she did, by communicating to her minis- 
 ter the burden of public affairs. On this quotation, M. de 
 St. Mihiel asks, ‘ i it not very singular, that the queen, 
 who, during the twenty-nine years of her former wedded 
 state, had always resided in the Louvre, especially trom 1626, 
 when Louis XIII. ceased to cohabit with her, until their re- 
 union, which took place in the beginning of December, 1637, 
 shouid have quitted it precisely in 1644, because she was dis- 
 pleased with her apartments? How happened it that her 
 apartments displeased her this year, and neither sooner er 
 later? She might undoubtedly have had any kind of furni- 
 ture there which she desired, and every alteration made ac- 
 cording to her wishes, as she was then absolute mistress: 
 but the cause of her determination is plain; the apartments 
 of the Palais-Royal, which front a garden, were much more 
 convenient for her to be delivered in secret.” | 
 As it is necessary that some name should be given to every 
 man, in order to distinguish him from another, that of Marchiali 
 was given to the man with the iron mask; a name, which evi- 
 dently shows that it had been invented by an Italian. Car- 
 dinal Mazarine was a native of Piscina, in the Abruzzo. 
 Anne of Austria was remarkably delicate respecting every 
 thing that touched her person. It was with great difficulty that 
 cambric could be found fine enough to make shifts and sheéts 
 for her. Cardinal Mazarine, once rallying her on this subject, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 105 
 
 ODPL OL PLL PIL PLP LPL LOL LOL PLL PLE PPO PEI LOVE OLE OLD OL POPPI LOL OLIPDLOIL LIL ODL LDS PIL ILE LOL DOS? 
 
 Curious History of the Man with the Iron Mask. 
 
 said, “ That if she should be damned, her punishment in hel! 
 would be to lie in holland sheets.” The predominant taste of 
 the man with the iron mask was to have lace and linen of the 
 most extraordinary fineness. ‘‘ Who (says the author) does 
 not perceive, in the similitude of tastes, the maternal tender- 
 ness of Anne of Austria, who would have thought her son a 
 great sufferer had he not been indulged with fine linen.” 
 
 “ Louis XIII. (continues M. de St. Mihiel) was a husband 
 of a gloomy disposition, and an enemy to pleasure: while the 
 queen, on the contrary, was fond of social life, and introduced 
 at the courtof France, especially after she became free, that 
 ease and politeness which distinguished it under Louis XIV. 
 from all the other courts of Europe. Louis XIII. had alsoa 
 disagreeable countenance, and a breath so offensive, that it 
 was a punishment for Richlieu to remain near him. It is 
 clear, therefore, that she could not be much pleased with such 
 a husband. When she became regent of the kingdom by the 
 king’s death, which happened on the 14th of May, 1643, as she 
 had not enjoyed that happiness which arises from a close union 
 of hearts, it will not appear extraordinary that she should in- 
 dulge the affection she entertained for the Cardinal Mazarine, 
 and that she should marry him. Every circumstance that could 
 tend to favour such a marriage, will be found united in her 
 situation. She was at a distance from her family, absolute 
 mistress of all her actions, and had, besides, a heart formed 
 for love. Mazarine, though a cardinal, had never entered 
 holy orders; he gave out that he was descended from a great 
 family ; he was handsome and well made; he was of a mild 
 insinuating disposition, and remarkably engaging in conver- 
 sation ; and his office of prime minister afforded him an op- 
 portunity of visiting and conversing with the queen whenever 
 he thought proper. Is it, therefore, so very astonishing, that, 
 with so many advantages, he was able to captivate the queen 
 so far as to induce her to marry him? Such a marriage was 
 not, indeed, according to the usual course of things. Yet it 
 was not without many precedents, particularly among sove- 
 reigns of the other sex, who had given their hands to persons 
 of inferior rank. Thus Christian 1V. of Denmark, espoused 
 Christina Monck; Frederick 1V. espoused Mademoiselle 
 Rewentlau ; James II. heir to the throne of England, mar- 
 ried the daughter of a councellor; Peter the Great raised to 
 the throne Catherine I., the daughter of a poor villager, yet 
 perhaps the most accomplished woman at that time between 
 the Vistula and the pole; and Louis XIV. espoused the wi- 
 dow of a poet, but a woman possessed of the most extraordi- 
 wary merit. As the women, however, are not forgiven so rea~. 
 
 | P 
 
109 CURIOSITIES CF NATURE AND ART. . 
 
 PODGLPE PO IPL ICI SPE L OLD LDA EDL PIL DEL ADIDEL AEA ELE DLL OOD ILS PREP IO DAL LIL ELA DDI DELI DIL OOD 
 
 History of the Man with the [ron Mask. —Deseription of the Nepenthes. 
 
 PB OP FPP PL PLS PLP PEDO LOD IL EPL OE PL IL ODPL PDL PLO LOD PDL PDL ELD D OL ODL DLO LAD SL ODPL EL ED POD LOO LOD PEL 
 
 dily as the men for entering into such marriages, Anne of 
 Austria kept hers a secret from this motive, and because she 
 would have been in danger of losing the regency of the king- 
 dom had it been. known.” 
 
 The reasoning of M. de St. Mihiel is both ingenious and 
 plausible; but the account immediately preceding, seems 
 now to be universally believed; and a late ingenious author 
 has attempted to shew, that the tragical end of Louis XVI. 
 and Maria Antoinette of Austria, is an awful verification of 
 the first commandment, “ I will visit the sins of the fathers 
 upon the children, even unto the third generation ;” suggest- 
 ing, that the vengeance of heaven alighted upon them in retri- 
 bution of the sufferings and premature death of the man with 
 the iron mask, who appears to have been the legal heir to the 
 crown of France. 
 
 aS 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE NEPENTHES, ‘A MOST EXTRAORDINARY 
 VEGETABLE PRODUCTION, 
 
 The Nepenthes may justly be classed amongst the most sin- 
 gular: productions of the vegetable world. ‘The plant has 
 always excited the admiration of those who have examined its 
 structure with a view to the contrivance which is so strikingly 
 exhibited in the formation of its leaves. ‘The Nepenthes is a 
 native of India; it is an herbaceous plant, with thick roots, 
 and a simple stem crowned with flowers disposed in bunches. 
 ‘The 1eaves are alternate, partly embracing the stem at their 
 base, and terminated by tendrils, each of which supports a 
 deep inembranous urn of an oblong shape, closed by a little 
 valve, like the lid of a box. ‘This appendage to the leaf ap- 
 pears to be as designed and studied a piece of mechanism as 
 any thing we can meet with in nature’s more complicated 
 productions. The leaf, as we have already said, is terminated 
 by a deep oblong urn, this in general is filled with a sweet 
 limpid water. In the morning the lid is closed, but it opens 
 during the heat of the day, and a portion of the water evapo- 
 rates; this is replenished in the night, and each morning the 
 vessel is full and the lid shut. ‘The plant grows in a climate 
 where the parched traveller is frequently in want of refresh- 
 ment, and gladly avails himself of the water which this vege- 
 table affords, each urn containing about the measure of halfa 
 wine glass. ‘The use of this plant is too evident to need any 
 comment. Itis one of the many instances in nature of the 
 bounty of Providence, who has filled the urns of the Nepen- 
 thes with a treasure of all others the most refreshing to the 
 inhabitants of hot climates. , 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 107 
 
 DP ROP LIL EL OP LIL OE LOL LEE LEE POEL LOL IE LEE LED ALE ILE LOG ORE LOE POE LEP OCL LICL LOADED LO LDL LOOP 
 
 An Atrocious and Shocking Murder by a French Clergyman. 
 
 PIPL I PDI L IL BPE PLE LLL LOL LIL LLDPE DL BLE LOL POOL LGD LOL ODE DLE LDL LE LE LDL ODD OEE ODE LOD LLDELIL DDI 
 
 Whatever is sufficiently singular to raise our admiration, 
 frequently becomes the object of superstition ; this is the case 
 with the Nepenthes among the inhabitants of Madagascar, 
 who believe that if they overturn one of these vessels of wa- 
 ter no rain will fall on that day. 
 
 eae 
 
 AN ATROCIOUS AND SHOCKING MURDER BY A FRENCH 
 CLERGYMAN. 
 
 An atrocious outrage has recently been perpetrated by a 
 clergyman, in France, who has fled to Savoy. It would be 
 unjust to notice a case of this kind, without observing at 
 the same time, that though licentiousness seems to have led 
 to the crime, the clergy of France, at the present day, what- 
 ever other faults they may have, are not generally considered 
 vicious in their morals. Before the revolution, the Bishops 
 of the Gallican church used to keep their opera girls and ac- 
 tresses, and the other clergy imitated their example as far as 
 they could. This sort of licentiousness is placed altogether 
 out of the reach of their successors, whose morals being ex- 
 posed to fewer temptations, are proportionably more correct. 
 
 The following are the circumstances :—The Constitutionnel 
 contains an account of a horrible murder (committed, as it is 
 supposed, by a priest) from the Mayor of the commune where 
 the crime took place. 3 
 
 * On Monday, May 8, 1822, in the afternoon, M. M***, 
 ecclesiastic, of the age of 28, Curé of Quentin-sur-Isére, went 
 to the house of a young woman, whose tragical end I an- 
 nounced in my notice of June 5, (Marie Gerin, whose married 
 name was Charnalet), and remained there about two hours. 
 ‘This woman, who was very pious, was to have gone the next 
 day to communicate at Veury, a neighbouring parish, where 
 the first communion of children was to take place, and it ap- 
 pears that the Curé appointed her an hour to hear her in 
 confession in the evening. She was seen entering the church 
 about six in the evening; she went in alone, and was not seen 
 . to come out. 
 
 ‘The husband of this unfortunate woman went at nine 
 o’clock, to seek her at the houses of several of her relations ; 
 he went with a female cousin of his wife to the parsonage 
 house, contiguous to the church. ‘The Curé, who made them 
 Wait a few instants, said, at first, he had not seen her—then, 
 recollecting himself, added, he had seen her devoutly praying, 
 but without speaking to her. | | 
 
 “While he spoke, the Curé walked out from the parsonage, 
 at if he feared they might come in, ‘The Curé afterwards held 
 
108 CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ee ee ae ee ee eee eee SPOS LLL LOL LLL LOL DDL PLDLOL LDL DOLL EDL DDL OLILLL EDD DID 
 
 An Atrocious and Shocking Murder by a French Clergyman, 
 
 PLL ILO LOE LLL LOL LDL LL E LOD LEE LOD PDI DDS. 
 
 PLIL PLP GEL DLE DOE LOL LOL LOD LDOCL ELL DO LOO 
 
 the same language to different persons ; to others he said, that 
 not having found this female in a decent dress enough, he had 
 declined hearing her confession. 'The Wednesday, it must be 
 remarked, was a working day. | 
 
 ‘¢ About half-past four o’clock in the morning, an inhabi- 
 tant of the town, descending towards the plain by a path, not 
 frequented at night, perceived, a little from it, and about two 
 hundred yards from the parsonage, blood in abundance, a 
 pen-knife stuck in the ground, and a string, about six metres 
 Jong, both bloody. In the same place were found rags of 
 flesh and some fragments of bone. ‘Traces of blood led other 
 persons to the bank of the Isére, where the neckhandkerchief 
 of the unhappy woman was recognized, without doubt placed 
 there to give rise to the idea that she had drowned herself. 
 The idea of assassination occurred to no one in a country 
 which, within the memory of man, had not been stained by 
 any crime. Suicide was thought of. It was imagined, con- 
 trary to all probability, that after having stabbed herself with 
 the knife (which was afterwards recognized as not belonging 
 to her), she had preserved strength to go and throw herself 
 into the Isére. It is 890 paces from the place where the knife 
 ‘was found to the bank of the Isére, where the handkerchief was. 
 
 ‘The despair of the woman was explained by the great 
 rigour of the Curé in confession; and it was imagined, that 
 having been refused absolution, she had destroyed herself, 
 Her death was said to be the work of the devil, and credulit 
 and superstition propagated the story. On the 16th of the 
 same month, however, the character of the terror that was 
 created was changed, when some shepherds discovered in a 
 creek of the Isére, two hundred paces from the place where 
 the handkerchief was found, the thigh and the left leg of the 
 victim. On the Thursday following, the day of the Ascen- 
 sion, the bust was found about six leagues below St. Quentin. 
 The identity was established. 
 
 ‘¢ It appears hence certain, that the body of the victim was 
 carried whole by the assassin to the place where the rope and 
 knife were found, and that he there dismembered the body. 
 
 “On Friday, May 17, about ten in the morning, the gen- 
 darmerie came to St. Quentin, and went to the parsonage to 
 make investigations. Almost immediately after the departure 
 of the gendarmes the Curé went off himself, and the same day 
 gained Les Echelles, a frontier of Savoy. He was arrested 
 a few days after, and conducted to the prison of Chambery, 
 where he remains detained. No other inhabitant of St. Quen- 
 tin has left it since May 8. I could enter into other details— 
 speak of groans heard the evening of the same day in the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 109 
 
 Se 
 
 POLL P OIL OOS 
 
 POPPED LP LLLIL OD EOL LOL T 
 
 Interesting Auecd tes of the Horse. 
 
 LOPLI DL LE LDOE LL ED LDF 
 
 LOLL IL PP PELOSDE | 
 
 PPPP II DAE 
 
 LLL LLL LOL LDL ELE DLE DE LD LOE LP ED OO LDL EL OD DGOLOE 
 
 neighbourhood of the church. But the procedure will un- 
 doubtedly dissipate the darkness in which crime would envelop 
 itself. (Signed) 
 
 “ Davin, Mayor.” 
 
 == 
 ANECDOTES OF THE HORSE, 
 
 Wiup horses are mentioned frequently by the ancients. 
 Herodotus notices wild horses of a white colour, which were 
 found on the banks of the Hypanis, in Scythia; and that in 
 the northern part of Thrace, beyond the Danube, there were 
 wild horses covered all over with hair five inches in length. 
 In America, wild horses are numerous. ‘The author of the 
 History of the Buccaneers says, that five hundred are fre- 
 quently met with in the island of St Domingo, and that when 
 they see a man they all stop, and one of their number ap-: 
 proaches to within a certain distance, blows through his 
 nostrils, takes flight, and is followed by the whole troop. 
 ‘The inhabitants, however, train them with ease, aad if any of 
 them afterwards regain their liberty, they never resume their 
 savage state, but permit their master to approach and retake 
 them. 
 
 In Arabia, horses are found in their highest perfection, as 
 little degenerated in their race and powers as the lion or tiger. 
 To the Arabs they are as dear as their own children; and the 
 constant intercourse, arising from living in the same tent with 
 their owner and his family, creates a familiarity that could 
 not otherwise be effected, and a tractability that arises only 
 from the kindest usage. ‘They are the fleetest animals of the 
 desert, and are so well trained as to stop in their most rapid 
 course, by the slightest check of the rider. Unaccustomed to 
 the spur, the least touch with the foot sets them again in mo- 
 tion, and so obedient are they to the rider’s will, as to be di- 
 rected in their course merely by the motion of the switch. In 
 the day time they are generally kept saddled at the door of 
 the tent, prepared for any excursion their master may take. 
 They never carry heavy burthens, nor are employed on long 
 journeys. Their constant food, except in spring, when they 
 get a little grass, is barley, which they are suffered to eat 
 only during the night. Whe Arab, his wife, and children, 
 always lie in the same apartment with the mare and foal, who, 
 instead of injuring, sutter the children to rest on their bodies 
 and necks without the least incommoding them; the gentle 
 animals even seem atraid to move lest they should hurt them. 
 The whole stock of a poor Arabian of the desert consisted of 
 a beautiful mare; this the French Consul at Said offered to 
 purchase, with an intention to send her to Louis the Four- 
 
110 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PO PLL SILL POD LE OL EL ODE LOO PEP SE SLED LLL PPLE DED FOE PILL ODO OP LO LODE LOLRE DODO L EDEL EL OOEC LOO! 
 
 Interesting Anecdotes of the Horse. 
 
 DOO LLILIF LOL LOL DOD ODO ODD DOD IDOE LOL ODO DLODDOLOOLLDO DDO DDO DDL ODO LOD PLP OGE DOLL LDL FEE BOO DOO 
 
 teenth. The Arab, pressed by want, hesitated for a long 
 time, but at length consented, on condition of receiving a very | 
 considerable sum of money, which he named. The Consul 
 wrote to France for permission to close the bargain, and, 
 having obtained it, sent immediately to the Arab the informa- 
 tion. ‘The man, so poor as to possess only a miserable rag, a 
 covering for his body, arrived with his magnificent courser. 
 He dismounted, and looking first at the gold, and then stead- 
 fastly at his mare, heaved a deep sigh :—** To whom is it,”’ he 
 exclaimed, ‘“ that I am going to yield thee up?—to Euro- 
 peans! who will tie thee close, who will beat thee, who will 
 render thee miserable! Return with me, my beauty, my 
 jewel! and rejoice the hearts of my children!’ As he pro- 
 nounced the last words, he sprang upon her back, and was 
 out of sight almost in an instant. 
 
 The dance of animals, which was not unknown to antiquity, 
 admitted in the corps de ballet, dogs, bears, apes, and elephants, 
 but horses exceeded all the rest in the gracefulness of their 
 steps. Pliny informs us, that the Sybarites were the first who 
 associated this tractable quadruped to their ball. The expe- 
 riment, however, proved fatal to them, for in a war with the 
 Crotoniate, the enemy having instructed their trumpeters to 
 sound the usual charge in a pitched battle, the horses of the 
 Sybarites fell to dancing, instead of advancing to the charge, 
 and were, with their riders, cut in pieces. 
 
 Ray informs us, that he had seen a horse which danced to 
 music, and, at the command of his master, would dissemble 
 death, lay motionless, with his limbs extended, and allow 
 himself to be dragged about till some words were uttered, on 
 which he instantly sprang on his feet. This fact will not be 
 doubted by those who have witnessed the admirable eques- 
 trian spectacle of the “ High-mettled Racer,’ at Astley’s, 
 where a horse performs feats still more extraordinary. Mr. 
 Astley once had in his possession a remarkably fine Barbary 
 horse, forty-three years old, presented to him by the late 
 Duke of Leeds. 'This celebrated animal, for a number of 
 years, officiated in the character of a waiter, in the course of 
 the performances at the Amphitheatre, and at various other 
 theatres in the united kingdom. At the request of his master, 
 he has been seen to bring into the riding-school a tea-table 
 and its appendages, which feat has-been followed up by fetch- 
 ing a chair or stool, or what else soever might be wanted. 
 His achievements generally terminated by taking a kettle of 
 boiling water from a considerable blaze of fire, to the wonder 
 and admiration of every beholder. 
 
 Some time ago, a favourite old hunter, belonging to Joseph 
 
CURIGSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 11i 
 
 Anecdotes of the Horse.—Mr. Farquhar and Fonthill Abbey. 
 
 Parley, Esq. of Taunton, being locked in a stable, on hearing 
 the noise of a French horn and the cry of the hounds, began 
 to be very restive; the ostler, going into the stable, judged 
 that the spirited animal wanted some sport: he instantly put 
 on his saddle, to which he affixed a large living monkey, and 
 turned the horse loose, who, following the sound, soon joined 
 .the pack, and was one of the first in at the death of poor 
 Reynard; but the amazement of the sporting gentlemen 
 was greatly heightened by observing the monkey holding the 
 reins with all the dexterity of a true sportsman. 
 
 Rees 
 MR. FARQUHAR AND FONTHILL ABBEY. 
 
 Tue tide of public curiosity which at one time flowed so 
 uninterruptedly to Wanstead House, to see the wealth which 
 a young libertine had once possessed and dissipated, had no 
 sooner run its course, than it found a new attraction—that of 
 Fonthill Abbey. This splendid mansion, of which we shall 
 speak more in detail in future, had long been celebrated 
 for its architectural magnificence, and for the splendid collec- 
 tion of works of art with which it is enriched. These of 
 themselves presented a sufficient source of attraction, but it 
 acquired a new zest from the circumstance, that ever since the 
 Abbey was built, its treasures have been kept sacred from all 
 ‘“ human ken,” save only the inmates: and it was quite as 
 difficult to gain admission to Fonthill Abbey, as to get access 
 to a Turkish Mozque or the harem of the Grand Sultan. 
 Hence no sooner was it announced that Fonthill Abbey was 
 for sale and on view, than people flocked from all parts of the 
 kingdom to see it, though then the admission could only be 
 purchased by giving a guinea for a catalogue. Such, how- 
 ever, was the avidity of the public, that 8,500 catalogues were 
 sold in this manner. 
 
 After Fonthill had been long on view, and the day of sale 
 often fixed and postponed, it was at length announced that it 
 was sold by private contract for 340,000/. to Mr. Farquhar, 
 It is of this gentleman that we at present intend more parti- 
 cularly to speak. 
 
 Mr. Farquhar is one of the many distinguished instances of 
 the advantages which Scotland enjoys from its admirable sys- 
 tem of education, which, from its cheapness, is accessible to 
 all. It has enabled him to advance himself in life, from a 
 humble rank, to his present consequence ; to fill with distine- 
 tion and with honour every situation in which fortune placed 
 him; to throw a lustre on the sphere in which he now moves, | 
 by literary and scientific attainments of the first order + and 
 
112 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 
 
 DOP LLL O SE PLOL LPL LOLS POL PDE LOL DLL DP LLL LLL DDIDDID GOI ELLE LIE LI LOL OLLI OOD PLO DLL EDL PIL OL I LOE OF 
 
 Mr, Farquhar and Fonthill Abbey. 
 
 GLP LIL PL AEP IPP LEF SLD SLOP L PL LOL PIS LOD PED IFIP ED LLL DLO ILE PAL LDL PDL ODO EIR LL O DOL PLD OLE LID LL SE 
 
 to add another to the many instances of the accumulation of 
 wealth from successful industry and attendant savings. Mr. 
 Farquhar is a native of Aberdeen, and went out early in life 
 to India as a Cadet on the Bombay establishment, where he 
 was a chum of the late General Kerr. While at Bombay, he 
 received a dangerous wound in the hip, which caused lame- 
 ness, and affected his health so much, that he was recommender 
 to remove to Bengal. Mr. Farquhar’s mind was ever occu 
 
 pied in study, and chemical research was his favourite pur 
 
 suit: from its practical application the foundation of his pre- 
 sent immense fortune was laid. . There was some defect in 
 the mode of manufacturing gunpowder in the interior, and 
 Mr. Farquhar was selected to give his assistance. By degrees 
 he got the management of the concern, and finally became the 
 sole contractor to the Government. In this way wealth and 
 distinction rapidly, poured in upon him, and he attained the 
 particular favour and confidence of the late Mr. Warren 
 Hastings. In Bengal, he was remarkable for the closeness of 
 his application, unabating perseverance, and extraordinary 
 mental vigour, and also for the same habits of penuriousness 
 which he still adheres to. After years of labour, he came 
 home from India, witha fortune estimated at half a million of 
 money, the principal part of which was invested, through Mr. 
 Hoare, in the funds, at the rate of 55/. for three per cent. 
 Consols. On landing at Gravesend, Mr. Farquhar got on 
 the outside of the coach to London, and his first visit very 
 naturally was to his banker. Full of dust and dirt, with 
 clothes not worth a guinea, he presented himself at the coun- 
 ter, and asked to see Mr. Hoare. Theclerks disregarded his 
 application, and he was suffered to wait in the cash-office as a 
 poor petitioner, until Mr. Hoare, passing through it, after 
 some explanation recognized his Indian customer—the man 
 whom he expected to see with anabob’s pomp. Mr. Farquhar 
 requested 25/. and took his leave. After leaving the bank- 
 ing-house, he went to a relation’s, a Baronet, with whom he 
 for some time resided. . About Christmas a grand rout was to 
 be given by the relation of Mr. Farquhar, in consequence of 
 his return. One evening, a week previous, Mr. Farquhar re- 
 ceived a hint from his relation that his clothes were not of the 
 newest fashion, and recommended a Bond-street tailor to him. 
 Mr. Farquhar asked him if that really was his opinion; the 
 answer was given in a way with which Mr. Farquhar did not 
 feel pleased ; he went. to his bed-room, packed up his trunk, 
 requested the servant to call a coach, into which he set out, 
 and has never associated with his titled relative since. He 
 then settled in Upper Baker-street, where his house was to 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 113 
 
 PID LIP PLL LILI ILS BLO LLP LOG LL EDEL LPL LL DD DLE LDL LOG LE DDOE PLOLGOC LOOP LDL LD LOL DIOL DOL DD LOD DIS 
 Mr. Farquhar and Fonthill Abbey.—The Great Kentueky Cavern. 
 
 POP PL PLL LD LIS LLPDP IIL GE PILED LDL DDD ODO LOO DOF DL ODOD POP MOLL ODL LOLOL DOE DDO DLO LDL LOOL ES 
 
 be distinguished by its dingy appearance, uncleaned windows, 
 and general neglect. An old woman was his sole attendant, 
 and his apartment, to which a brush or broom was never ap- 
 plied, was kept sacred from hercare. Books and papers were 
 .strewed on the floor; the spot where the book was concluded, 
 there it was thrown, and never removed. His neighbours 
 were not at all acquainted with his character; and there have 
 been instances of some of them offering him money as an ob- 
 ject of charity, or as a reduced gentleman. He became a 
 ale in the great agency house in the city, of Basset, 
 
 arquhar, and Co. and also purchased the late Mr. Whit- 
 bread’s share in the brewery. Part of his wealth was devoted 
 to the purchase of estates, but the great bulk was invested in 
 stock, and suffered to increase on the principle of compound 
 interest. Every half year he regularly draws his dividends, 
 his mercantile profits, and his rents, and purchases in the 
 funds. In this manner his wealth has accumulated. Mr. 
 eas ae is deeply read in ancient and modern literature: his 
 mind is one of extraordinary vigour and originality—his con- 
 versation of. a superior order, impressive and animated on 
 every subject. His sentiments are liberal, and strangely con- 
 trasted with his habits. His avarice may be considered as a 
 disease which he cannot control. His religious opinions are 
 peculiar, and seem to be influenced by an admiration of the 
 purity of the lives and moral principles of the Brahmins. It 
 is said that he offered to appropriate 100,000/. to found a 
 college in Aberdeen on the most enlarged plan of education, 
 with a reservation on points of religion; to which, however, 
 the sanction of the legislature could not be procured, and the 
 plan was dropped. Mr. Farquhar is still single, and is most 
 probably destined to spend the remainder of his life “ unbroken 
 in upon by tender caresses.” | 
 
 Ta PROEN 
 
 SUBTERRANEOUS WONDERS—THE GREAT KENTUCKY CAVERN. 
 
 “Give me, ye powers, the wondrous scenes to show, 
 Conceal’d in darkness, in the depths below.” 
 
 For the very interesting account of this stupendous cavern, 
 which is unparalleled in the history of subterraneous won- 
 ders, we are indebted to Dr. Nahum Ward. It is situated in 
 Warren County, and in a territory not mountainous, but 
 broken, differing in this respect from all the other caverns 
 hitherto known. ‘The Doctor, provided with guides, two 
 large lamps, a compass, and refreshments, descended a pit 
 forty feet in depth, and one hundred and twenty in circum- 
 ference, having a spring of fine water at the bottom, and con- 
 
 5. Q 
 
 , 
 
114 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 OPEL LEP ODL OP PDP LDL LOLOL GD LID LED LDL PLD DDG DLO LL DO LPLL LLG DLL DOD ODL LDL LE OCOLLED DDELIL DOO PIP 
 Subterraneous Wonders.—-The Great Keutucky Cavern. 
 
 PFI IFI PLE LLOP ED LED ELOO DE AODOLE DLE LOED LODGE LE PEEP EC LLE LEE OLOLET OLE PLO LOE LOE PDP OO 
 
 ducting to the entrance of the cavern. The opening, which 
 is to the north, is from forty to fifty feet high, and about thirty 
 in width. It narrows shortly after, but again expands toa 
 width of thirty or forty feet, and a height of twenty, conti- 
 nuing these dimensions for about a mile, to the first hoppers, 
 (an inverted cone, into which corn is put at a mill before it 
 runs between the stones,) where a manufactory of saltpetre 
 has recently been established. ‘Thence to the second of these 
 hoppers, two miles from the entrance, it is forty feet in width, 
 and sixty in height. ‘Throughout nearly the whole of this 
 distance, handsome walls have been made by the manufac- 
 turers, of the loose limestone. The road is hard, and as 
 smooth as a flag pavement. In every passage which the Doc- 
 tor traversed, the sides of the cavern were perpendicular, and 
 the arches, which have bid defiance, even to earthquakes, are 
 regular. In 1802, when the heavy shocks of earthquakes 
 came on which were so severely felt in this part of Kentucky, 
 the workmen stationed at the second hoppers, heard, about 
 five minutes before each shock, a heavy rumbling noise issue 
 from the cave, like a strong wind. When that ceased, the 
 rocks cracked, and the whole appeared to be going in a mo- 
 ment to final destruction. However, no one was injured, 
 although large portions of rock fell in several parts of the 
 cavern. 
 
 In advancing into the cavern, the avenue leads from the 
 second hoppers, west, one mile; and thence, south-west, to 
 the chief area or city, which is six miles from the entrance. 
 This avenue, throughout its whole extent from the above 
 station to the cross roads or chief area, is from sixty to one 
 hundred feet in height, of a similar width, and nearly ona 
 level, the floor or bottom being covered with loose limestone 
 and saltpetre earth. ‘“‘ When,” observes the Doctor, “ I 
 reached this immense area (called the chief city), which con- 
 tains upwards of eight acres, without a single pillar to sup- 
 port the arch, which is entire over the whole, I was struck 
 dumb with astonishment.—Nothing can be more sublime and 
 grand than this place, of which but a faint idea can be con- 
 veyed, covered with one solid arch, at least one hundred feet 
 high, and to all appearance entire.” 
 
 Having entered the area, the Doctor perceived five large 
 avenues leading from it, from sixty to one hundred feet in 
 width, and about forty in height. ‘The stone walls are arched, 
 and were from forty to eighty feet perpendicular in height 
 before the commencement of the arch. 
 
 in exploring these avenues, the precaution was taken to 
 cut arrows, pointing to the mouth of the cave, on the stones 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 115 
 
 DIOGO L III LL ILL IG DILDLS £ LLL ODI LLL DD OLLD LIC OIG 
 
 PLE IA LPL ODS 
 
 Subterraneous Wonders—The Great Kentucky Cavern. 
 
 CLP LIT POEDLLIL PPD PEL LLG LED ADL POO PDL PLL DLL PLO PIL PDE LLY PPL DPDOCOLE PDL LDL DLE DOE POL ILOG PDL IOSD 
 . 
 
 beneath the feet, to prevent any difficulty in the return. The 
 first which was traversed, took a southerly direction for more 
 than two miles ; when a second was taken, which led first east, 
 and then north, for more than two miles further. These 
 windings at length brought the party, by another avenue, to 
 the chief city again, after having traversed different avenues 
 for more than five miles. Having reposed for a few minutes 
 on slabs of limestone near the centre of this gloomy area, and 
 refreshed themselves and trimmed their lamps, they departed 
 a second time, through an avenue almost north, parallel with 
 the one leading from the chief city to the mouth of the cavern ; 
 and, having proceeded upwards of two miles, came to the se- 
 cond city. This is covered with a single arch, nearly two 
 hundred feet high in the centre, and is very similar to the 
 chief city, except in the number of its avenues which are two 
 only. ‘They crossed it over a very considerable rise in the 
 centre, and descended through an avenue which bore to the 
 east, to the distance of nearly a mile, when they came toa 
 third area, or city, about one hundred feet square, and fifty 
 in height, which had a pure and delightful stream of water 
 issuing from the side of a wall about thirty feet high, and 
 which fell on a broken surface of stone, and was afterwards 
 entirely lost to view. 
 
 Having passed a few yards beyond this beautiful sheet of 
 water, so as to reach the end of the avenue, the party returned 
 about one hundred yards, and passing over a considerable 
 mass of stone, entered another, but smaller avenue to the 
 right, which carried them south, through a third, of an un- 
 commonly black hue, somewhat more than a mile, when they 
 ascended a very steep hill about sixty yards, which conducted 
 them to within the walls of the fourth city. It is not inferior 
 io the second, having an arch which covers at least six acres. 
 In this last avenue, the extremity of which cannot be less than 
 four miles from the chief city, and ten from the mouth of the 
 cavern, are upwards of twenty large piles of saltpetre earth 
 on the one side, and broken lime-stone heaped up on the 
 other, evidently the work of human hands. 
 
 From the course of his needle, the Doctor expected that 
 this avenue would have led circuitously to the chief city ; but 
 was much disappointed when he reached the extremity, at a 
 few hundred yards distance from the fourth city. In retracing 
 his steps, not having paid a due attention to mark the en- 
 trances of the different avenues, he was greatly bewildered, 
 and once completely lost himself for nearly fifteen or twenty 
 minutes, Thus, faint and wearied, he did not reach the chief 
 area till ten at night; but was still determined to explore the 
 
116 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PID LOD DL & 
 
 + POPP ALE LIELIIL ELE ELILPOLIDL LOL ELE OE LE OELOD ST 
 
 Subterraneons Wonders—The Great Kentucky Cavern. 
 
 PPIL LL LIL LOL FLOP DDP LOS 
 
 PLL LLL LIF 
 
 GRILL IF PLDOL API L IE LIF 
 
 cavern so long as his light should last. Having entered the 
 fifth and last avenue from the chief area, and proceeded south- 
 east about nine hundred yards, he came to the fifth area, the 
 arch of which covers upwards of four acres of level ground, 
 strewed with lime-stones, and having fire-beds of an uncom- - 
 mon size, surrounded with brands of cane, interspersed. 
 Another avenue on the opposite side, led to one of still 
 greater capacity, the walls or sides of which were more per- 
 fect than any that had been noticed, running almost due south 
 for nearly a mile and a half, and being very level and streight, 
 with an elegant arch. While the Doctor was employed at 
 the extremity of this avenue, in sketching a plan of the cave, 
 one of his guides, who had strayed to a distance, called on 
 him to follow. Leaving the other guide, he was led to a ver- 
 tical passage, which opened into a chamber at least 1800 feet 
 in circumference, and the centre of the arch of which was 150 
 feet in height. 
 
 It was past midnight when he entered this chamber of eter- 
 nal darkness; and when he reflected on the different avenues 
 through which he had passed, since he had penetrated the 
 cave at eight in the morning, and now found himself buried 
 several miles in the dark recesses of this awful cavern—the 
 grave, perhaps, of thousands of human beings—he felt a 
 shivering horror. ‘The avenue, or passage, which led from it 
 was as large as any he had entered; and it is uncertain how 
 far he might have travelled had his lights not failed him. All 
 those who have any knowledge of this cave, he observes, con- 
 jecture that Green River, a stream navigable several hundred 
 miles, passes over three of its branches. 
 
 After a lapse of nearly an hour, he descended by what is 
 called the “ passage of the chimney,’ and joined the other 
 guide. ‘Thence returning to the chief area or city, where the 
 lamps were trimmed for the last time, he entered the spacious 
 avenue which led to the second hoppers. Here he met with 
 various curiosities, such as spars, petrifactions, &c. ; and these 
 he brought away, together with a mummy which was found at 
 the second hoppers. He reached the mouth of the cave about 
 three in the morning, nearly exhausted with nineteen hours 
 of constant fatigue. He nearly fainted on leaving it, and on 
 inhaling the vapid air of the atmosphere, after having so long 
 breathed the pure air occasioned by the nitre of the cave. His 
 pulse beat stronger when withinside, but not so quick as when 
 on the surface. 
 
 Here the Doctor observes that he has hardly described half 
 the cave, not having named the avenues between its mouth 
 and the second hoppers. This part of his narrative is of equal 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. "17 
 
 Subterraneous Wonders—The Great Kentucky Cavern. 
 
 GOP LOL ALL PLE OIG 
 
 LIL LOL ELD LLE LOL LOL GLE ODE ELEBOE DEL BLELE OLDE PELL OLDE BEDE CE DOE ILE POE HF 
 
 interest with what has been already given. He states that 
 there is a passage in the main avenue, upwards of nine hun- 
 dred feet from the entrance, like that of a trap-door. By 
 sliding aside a large flat stone, you can descend sixteen or 
 eighteen feet in a very narrow defile, where the passage comes 
 on a level, and winds about in sucha manner, as to pass under 
 the main passagé without having any communication with it, 
 at length opening into the main cave by two large passages: 
 just beyond the second hoppers. ‘This is called the “ glau- 
 ber-salt room,” from salts of that kind being found there. 
 Next come the sick room, the bat room, and the flint room, 
 together with a winding avenue, which, branching off at the 
 second hoppers, runs west and south-west for more than two 
 miles. It is called the “ haunted chamber,” from the echo 
 within: its arch is very beautifully incrusted with lime-stone 
 spar; and in many places the columns of spar are truly ele- 
 gant, extending from the ceiling to the floor. Near the centre 
 of this arch is a dome, apparently fifty feet high, hung in rich 
 drapery, festooned in the most fanciful manner, for six or 
 eight feet from the hangings, and in colours the most rich and 
 brilliant. By the reflection of one or two lights, the columns 
 of spar and the stalactites have a very romantic appearance. 
 Of this spar a large cellar, called ‘“‘ Wilkins’ armed chair,” 
 has been formed in the centre of the avenue, and encircled 
 with many smaller ones. ‘The columns of spar, fluted and 
 studded with knobs of spar and stalactites; the drapery of 
 various colours superbly festooned, and hung in the most 
 graceful manner; these are shown with the greatest brilliancy 
 by the reflection of the lamps. 
 
 In the vicinity of the ‘‘ haunted chamber” the sound of a 
 cataract was heard; and at the extremity of the avenue wasa 
 reservoir of water, very clear and grateful to the taste, appa- 
 rently having neither inlet nor outlet.- Here the air, as in 
 many other parts of the cave, was pure and delightful. Not 
 far from the reservoir, an avenue presented itself, within 
 which were several columns of the most brilliant spar, sixty 
 or seventy feet in height, and almost perpendicular, standing 
 in basins of water; which, as well as the columns, the Doctor 
 observes, surpass, in splendour and beauty, every similar 
 work of art he had ever seen. 
 
 Returning by a beautiful pool of water, the Doctor came 
 to the second hoppers, where he had found the mummy before 
 alluded to.. It had been removed from another cave for pre- 
 servation, and was presented to him by his friend Mr. Wilkins, 
 together with the apparel, jewels, music, &c. with which it 
 was accompanied. It has since been placed in the Washing- 
 
ms CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 
 
 PPL POL PLL OL L ODD DDL DDL ODL POL ODL ODL LPL DLOOCOD 
 
 PRI LL LLL OLE PLD ELLE LD LLP LLL LOL OLDIE 
 
 The Andes of South America, the most Stupendous Mountains in the World, 
 
 LEOL LEP LOL OD GDOLLOL DOL DIOL ODL DID LOL DELL DDL LO LL OL OP 
 
 ton Museum, the proprietor of which thinks it probable that 
 
 this mummy is as ancient as the immense mounds of the 
 
 western country, which have so much astonished the world. 
 —p__—— 
 
 THE ANDES OF SOUTH AMERICA, THE MOST STUPENDOUS 
 MOUNTAINS IN THE WORLD. 
 
 * Mountains and all hills—praise the name of the Lord; for his name 
 alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” 
 
 AmonG the wonders, or uncommon phenomena of the world, 
 may be classed stupendous mountains; and of these the 
 Andes, in South America, are the loftiest, the most extensive, 
 and, therefore, the most wonderful. Descriptions of objects 
 which are striking, because they are vast, often fail in exciting 
 appropriate ideas ; and however accurate or poetical may be 
 the accounts of this class of Nature’s prodigies, no just no- 
 tions of their vastness can be conveyed by any written or gra- 
 phical representation. The magnitude of an object must be 
 seen to be duly conceived, and mountain-wonders will be best 
 felt by those who have visited Wales, Scotland, Switzerland, 
 or the mountainous regions of America or Asia. 
 
 The stupendous mountains, called by the Spaniards the 
 Cordilleras, or Chains of the Andes, stretch north and south, 
 near the western coast, from the Isthmus of Darien, through 
 the whole of the continent of South America, to the Straits of 
 Magellan. In the north there are three chains or separate 
 ridges, but in advancing from Popayan towards the south, the 
 three chains unite into a single group, which is continued far 
 beyond the equator. In the kingdom of Quito the more ele- 
 vated summits of this group are ranged in two rows, which 
 form a double crest to the Cordillera. The extent of the 
 Andes Mountains is not less than four thousand three hun- 
 dred miles. 
 
 Rocks rich in gems, and mountains big with mines, 
 
 That on the high equator ridgy rise, 
 
 Whence many a bursting stream auriferous plays. 
 THOMSON. 
 
 In this country, the operations of nature appear to have 
 been conducted on a larger scale, and with a bolder hand, 
 than elsewhere; and in consequence the whole is distin- 
 guished by a peculiar magnificence. Even the plain of Quito, 
 which may be considered as the base of the Andes, is more 
 elevated above the sea than the summits of many European 
 mountains. In different places, the Andes rise more than 
 one-third above the famous Peak of Teneriffe, the highest 
 land in the ancieut hemisphere. Their cloud-enveloped sum- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 119 
 
 OP OF PELL I PD LIDGE LELELID EE LED LEBEL LLL LLDPE LOL LOD LE LGO LEP LAO L DDL OPO LDP DDD LOL LOD PDL LOL DLE DDE LDF 
 
 The Andes of South America, the most Stupendous Mountains in the World. 
 
 BLP LID DOLL IS 
 
 LEP LLDLDE DLE LLDOP OE PDE LOD LLL 
 
 LLL LDP DLL LLL DOL DLL! DOD DIF 
 
 LIP 
 
 mits, though exposed to the rays of the sun in the torrid zone, 
 are covered with eternal snows, and below them the storm is 
 seen to burst, and the exploring traveller hears the thunder 
 roll, and sees the lightning dart beneath his feet. 
 
 Throughout the whole of the range of these extensive 
 mountains, as far as they have been explored, there is a cer- 
 tain boundary, above which the snow never melts, which 
 boundary, in the torrid zone, has been ascertained to be 
 14,600 feet, or nearly three miles, above the level of the South 
 Sea. 
 
 The ascent of the plain of Quito, on which stand Chim- 
 borazo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, &c. is thus described by Don 
 Juan de Ulloa: 
 
 ‘“ The ruggedness of the road from Taraguaga, leading up 
 the mountains, is not easily described. The declivity is so 
 great in some parts, that the mules can scarcely keep their 
 footing ; and, in others, the acclivity is equally difficult. The 
 trouble of sending people before to mend the road, the pain 
 arising from the many falls and bruises, and the being con- 
 stantly wet to the skin, might be supported ; but these incon- 
 veniencies are augmented by the sight of such frightful preci- 
 pices, and deep abysses, as excite constant terror. The road, 
 in some places, is so steep, and yet so narrow, that the mules 
 are obliged to slide down, without making any use whatever 
 of their feet. On one side of the rider, in this situation, rises 
 an eminence of many hundred yards; and, on the other, is an 
 abyss of equal depth; so that, if he should give the least 
 check to his mule, and destroy the equilibrium, both must in- 
 evitably perish. 
 
 Having travelled nine days in this manner, slowly winding 
 along the sides of the mountains, we began to find the whole 
 country covered with a hoar-frost ; and a hut, in which we 
 reposed, had ice init. At length, after a perilous journey of 
 fifteen days, we arrived upon a plain, at the extremity of 
 which stands the city of Quito, the capital of one of the most 
 charming regions in the world. Here, in the centre of the 
 torrid zone, the heat is not only very tolerable, but, in some 
 places, the cold is even painful. Here the inhabitants enjoy 
 the temperature and advantages of perpetual spring; the 
 fields being constantly covered with verdure, and enamelled 
 _ with flowers of the most lively colours. However, although 
 this beautiful region is more elevated than any other country 
 in the world, and it employs so many days of painful journey 
 in the ascent, it is itself overlooked by tremendous mountains ; 
 their sides being covered with snow, while their summits are 
 flamiag with volcanoes. These mountains seem piled one 
 
120 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PE LPLOL EL EL LOL EL DDL LOE DLE OL OLS AIMEE RAID Croce hens Rinks ee 
 The Andes of South America.—The Wapeti, or New Species of Gigantic Hik, 
 
 PEG POP LOLI DLE LP LIL POLL EC POS POD PLLO LIL LO LL DOL ODL ILD LOD DLL DO DLS DDD LAO AIL OOF PIP LOI ODE LOO DD? 
 
 upon the other, and to rise with great boldness to an asto- 
 nishing height. However, at a determined point above the 
 surface of the sea, the congelation is found at the same height" 
 - In all the mountains. Those parts which are not subject to a 
 continual frost, have here and there growing upon them a 
 species of rush, resembling the broom, but much softer and 
 more flexible. ‘Towards the extremity of the part where the 
 rush grows, and the cold begins to increase, is found a vege- 
 table with a round bulbous head. Higher still, the earth Is 
 bare of vegetation, and seems covered with eternal snow. 
 The most remarkable of the Andes are the mountains of Chim- 
 borazo, Cotopaxi, and Pichincha.” Of these we shall give 
 the interesting particulars in course of the publication. 
 
 ae 
 
 THE WAPETI, OR NEW SPECIES OF GIGANTIC ELK. 
 
 Tue Wapeti are very extraordinary non-descript animais, 
 of the cervus or deer genus, Lut as large as the horse, and 
 nearly as gentle as the lamb; as they will caress their visi- 
 tors, and receive food from their hands. Four of these ele- 
 
 ant and interesting animals were brought into this country 
 in 1817, and purchased by Lord James Murray at a large 
 price. This nobleman has succeeded in extending the breed, 
 and has now three generations of them at Datchet, near 
 Windsor; nor has he lost a single one in breeding them. 
 
 It is remarkable that the Wapeti have scarcely been men-. 
 tioned by any European naturalist, and the history of them is 
 consequently very limited. They were first introduced into 
 the United States at Baltimore, by a German naturalist, who 
 was employed some years in exploring the Upper Missouri, 
 where they are domesticated by the Indians, drawing their 
 sledges at a rapid rate, and supply them with the most deli- 
 cious venison as food. ‘They are naturally very timid animals, 
 and at the same time of such power and activity when grown, 
 that it is not possible to take them out of the forest alive. 
 The natives, therefore, catch them in nets, when young, and 
 rear them in their houses, with great care and kindness: they 
 then use them for carrying burdens, or drawing their sledges 
 In winter over the snow and ice. 
 
 In their native wilds, each male Wapeti has his own pecu- 
 liar family or fraternity ; each family its own peculiar range 
 of pasture; and their attachment to each other is so strong, 
 that the hunters know, if they kill one ofa family, they can 
 easily get the remainder, who can scarcely be forced from the 
 body of their slain companion. Even those now exhibiting 
 ‘have lost none of their natural attachment by being domesti- 
 
richie 
 face 
 
 . nde ERIN ec rninieer s% 
 
 THE WAPETI, on. NEW SPECIES OF-ELK. w 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. le} 
 
 PIDL LO LILI IIL IF ILL DIL PLO L LP ae te AP PPDPO DIG DGL LIDPDD 
 
 The Wapeti, or Gigantic Elk.—Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 POPLDD LI OLD OI IOI IIE 
 
 cated; they cannot be separated for a moment but by force; 
 and the instant they are parted, they express their distress by 
 
 “a shrill low shriek.—The Upper. Missouri, whence these 
 Wapeti have been brought, ts in the same latitude as England, 
 but its winters are a little more rigorous, and its summers 
 somewhat warmer. 
 
 These animals, whose aboriginal name is that of Wapeti, are 
 known to the settlers in North America by the name of the 
 Elk, and are supposed to be of the same species as the great 
 antediluvian Kik, whose enormous fossil remains are fre- 
 quently found in that country ; and of which specimens may 
 be found in the British Museum. 
 
 The head of the Wapeti resembles that of the common 
 American deer and of the horse; but it is pointed, and is in 
 its action like the camel. ‘The legs are admirably formed for 
 strength and activity, resembling those of the race-horse, par- 
 ticularly the hinder legs. On the outside of each of these isa 
 protuberance covered with yellow hair. In this a gland is 
 seated that sécretes an unctious substance, which the animal 
 applies to smooth and dress its coat; and when it is thus 
 dressed, it becomes impervious to rain or to water, even in 
 swimming a river. 
 
 The Wapeti has an oblique slit or opening under each 
 eye, of nearly an inch long, which appears to be an auxiliary 
 nostril. ‘The animal has no voice like the horse or the ox, 
 and this organ seems to be given him as a compensation, for 
 with it he can make a noise or loud whistle. 
 
 The Wapeti have the cloven foot and chew the cud like an 
 ox; but they have the bridle tusk like the horse. They are 
 about twelve years old before they come to maturity, and 
 are then generally about sixteen hands high. ‘Their horns, 
 which are nearly five feet in length, weigh upwards of fifty 
 pounds. ‘They live to a great age, so that the Indians, when 
 speaking of an old man, say he is as old asa Wapeti. The 
 food of the Wapeti, in a domestic state, is the same as the 
 horse ; and they are, if properly managed, as tractable. 
 Those now exhibited have been tried in harness, in the ex- 
 hibition-room, where they draw a tilbury admirably. 
 
 The Wapeti-is justly esteemed the pride of the American 
 forest, and is the handsomest and most noble quadruped yet 
 discovered in that country. 
 
 ——— . 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [Continued from Page 58. | 
 
 “Some circumstances occurred during this family feast, 
 — were sufficiently characteristic of the partakers. Wal- 
 : R 
 
 oat. 
 
 PPL LPP LOD LLL LAI 
 
122 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOP PLS BP LOLDD LOD PIO POL LLG LL OLDS LDE POOLED PEL LDV OL OL PLD PELL OD BLL PLL OLED LODO LOD OOP OLE ODD ODE 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzmau’s Family. 
 
 POPPI D ELE LOOP GP LEO LEP DELOLODLLE LOE LDOP DLO LOD LOD LE LEG LE LODE BDO LDL LODE. 
 
 berg (himself a very temperate man) pressed his father re- 
 peatedly to take more wine than he was accustomed to—the 
 old man gently declined it. The son still pressed it heart- 
 fully, and the old man complied with a wish to gratify his son, 
 not himself. 
 
 “¢’'The younger children, too, caressed their grandmother 
 with the boisterous fondness of children. Their mother re- 
 proached them. ‘ Nay, let be,’ said the gentle old woman. 
 ‘ They trouble you, mother,’ said the wife of Walberg. ‘They 
 cannot trouble me long,’ said the grandmother, with an em- 
 phatic smile. ‘ Father,’ said Walberg, ‘is not Everhard 
 grown very tall?’ ° The last time I saw him,’ said the grand- 
 father, ‘1 stooped to kiss him ; now I think he must stoop to 
 kiss me.’ And, at the word, Everhard darted like an arrow 
 into the trembling arms that were opened to receive him, and 
 his red and hairless lips were pressed to the snowy beard of 
 his grandfather. ‘ Cling there, my child,’ said the exulting 
 _ father. .‘ God grant your kiss may never be applied to lips 
 less pure.’ ‘ They never shall, my father !’ said the suscep- 
 tible boy, blushing at his own emotions—‘ I never wish to 
 press any lips but those that will bless me like those of my 
 grandfather.’ ‘ And do you wish,’ said the old man jocularly, 
 ‘ that the blessing should always issue from lips as rough and 
 hoary as mine?’ Everhard stood blushing behind the old 
 man’s chair at this question, and Walberg, who heard the 
 clock strike the hour at which he had been always accustomed, 
 in prosperity or adversity, to summon his family to prayer, 
 made a signal which his children well understood, and which 
 was communicated in whispers to their aged relatives. ‘ Thank 
 God,’ said the aged grandmother to the young whisperer, and 
 as she spoke, she sunk on her knees. Her grandchildren as- 
 sisted her. ‘ Thank God,’ echoed the old man, bending his 
 stiffened knees, and doffing his cap—‘ Thank God for this 
 ‘shadow of a great rock in a weary land!’ and he knelt, 
 while Walberg, after reading a chapter or two from a Ger- 
 man Bible which he held in his hands, pronounced an extem- 
 pore prayer, imploring God to fill their hearts with gratitude 
 for the temporal blessings they enjoyed, and to enable them 
 ‘so to pass through things temporal, that they might not 
 finally lose the things eternal.’ At the close of the prayer, 
 the family rose and saluted each other with that affection 
 which has not its root in earth, and whose blossoms, however 
 diminutive, and colourless to the eye of man in this wretched 
 soil, shall yet bear glorious fruit in the garden of God. It 
 was a lovely sight to behold the young people assisting their 
 aged relatives to arise from their knees—and it was a lovelier 
 
CURIOSITI£ZS CF HATURE AND ANT, 128 
 
 DOP PLI II DDL PIL PPL POL PID PLDI LD PE LPL LDL LLL DLL OLE LOL OPO PLD OPE OPE PLE LL DE PLE LDP ODE DLR OD! OOP 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 POL LL ELLE LEL LPL EDO LOE LOOP LLDOL PDL PPL DF. 
 
 LIF 
 
 PPO ALP LL O LOPLI POI EF. 
 
 hearing, to listen to the happy good-nights exchanged among 
 the parting family. The wife of Walberg was most assiduous 
 in preparing the comforts of her husband’s parents, and Wal- 
 berg yielded to her with that proud gratitude, that feels more 
 exaltation in a benefit conferred by those we love, than if we 
 conferred it ourselves. He loved his parents, but he was 
 proud of his wife loving them because they were his. ‘To the 
 repeated offers of his children to assist or attend their ancient 
 relatives, he answered, ‘ No, dear children, your mother will do 
 better—your mother always does best.’ As he spoke, his chil- 
 dren, according to a custom now forgot, kneeled before him 
 to ask his blessing. His hand, tremulous with affection, rested 
 first on the curling locks of the darling Everhard, whose head 
 towered proudly above those of his kneeling sisters, and of 
 Maurice, who, with the irrepressible and venial levity of joy- 
 ous childhood, laughed as he knelt. 6 God bless you!’ said 
 Walberg—‘ God bless you all—and may he make you as good 
 as your mother, and as happy as—your father is this night ;’ 
 and as he spoke, the happy father turned aside and wept. 
 
 *¢ The wife of Walberg, who was naturally of a cool, sedate 
 semper, and to whom misfortune had taught an anxious and 
 jealous prevoyance, was not so intoxicated with the present 
 prosperity of the family, as its young, or even its aged mem- 
 bers. Her mind was full ef thoughts which she would not 
 communicate to her husband, and sometimes did not wish to ac- 
 knowledge to herself; but to the priest, who visited them fre- 
 quently with renewed marks of Guzman’s bounty, she spoke 
 explicitly. She said, that however grateful for her brother’s 
 kindness, for the enjoyment of present competence, and the 
 hope of future wealth, she wished that her children might be 
 permitted to acquire the means of independent subsistence for 
 themselves, and that the money destined by Guzman’s libera- 
 lity for their ornamental education, might be applied to the 
 purpose of ensuring them the power of supporting themselves, 
 and assisting their parents. She alluded slightly to the pos- 
 sible future change in her brother’s favourable feelings to- 
 wards her, and dwelt much on the circumstances of her chil- 
 dren being strangers in the country, wholly unacquainted 
 with its language, and averse from its religion; and she 
 mildly but strongly stated the difficulties to which a heretic 
 family of strangers might be exposed in a Catholic country, 
 and implored the priest to employ his mediation and influence 
 with her brother, that her children might be enabled, through 
 his bounty, to acquire the means of independent subsistence, 
 as if——and she paused. The good and friendly priest (for 
 he was truly both) listened to her with attention; and: after 
 
JAA CURICSITIES OCF WATURE AND AT. 
 
 POLLO L LOL ELD DOL OLL OL IA LOL PL LRPLLL IDOL ELE PEL LLL OEE LPL EOE LOL ODL E PE ODLLEOLL EOL ODS, ODRMODDOR 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PIL LOL LER 
 
 noon LOL LLC LOLI OD LOL 
 
 LLL LDL LL DL OL LOLOL OP 
 
 satisfying his conscience, by abjuring her to renounce her 
 heretical opinions, as the only means of obtaining a reconci- 
 liation with God and her brother, and receiving a calm, but 
 firm negative, proceeded to give her his best nay advice, 
 which was to comply with her brother’s wishes in every thing, 
 to educate her children in the manner which he prescribed, 
 and to the full extent of the means which he so amply fur- 
 nished. He added, en confiance, that Guzman, though, during 
 his long life, he had never been suspected of any passion but 
 that of accumulating money, was now possessed with a spirit 
 much harder to expel, and was resolved that the heirs of his 
 wealth should be, in point of all that might embellish polished 
 society, on a level with the descendants of the first nobility of 
 Spain. Finally, he counselled submission to her brother’s 
 wishes in all things—and the wife of Walberg complied with 
 tears, which she tried to conceal from the priest, and had com- 
 pletely effaced the traces of before she again met her husband. 
 
 ‘* In the mean time, the plan of Guzman was rapidly 
 realized. A handsome house was taken for Walberg—his 
 sons and daughters were splendidly arrayed, and sumptuously 
 lodged : and, though education was, and still is, on a very 
 low level in Spain, they were taught all that was then sup- 
 posed to qualify them as companions for the descendants of 
 Hidalgoes. Any attempt, or even allusion to their being pre- 
 pared for the ordinary occupations of life, was strictly forbid- 
 den by the orders of Guzman. The father triumphed in this— 
 the mother regretted it, but she kept her regrets to herself, 
 and consoled herself with thinking, that the ornamental edu- 
 cation her children were receiving might ultimately be turned 
 to account: for the wife of Walberg was a woman whom the 
 experience of misfortune had taught to look to the future with 
 an anxious eye, and that eye with ominous accuracy, had sel- 
 dom failed to detect a speck of evil in the brightest beam of 
 sunshine that had ever trembled on her chequered existence. 
 
 “¢ The injunctions of Guzman were obeyed—the family lived 
 in luxury. The young people plunged into their new life of 
 enjoyment with an avidity proportioned to their youthful sen- 
 sibility of pleasure, and to a taste for refinement and elegant 
 pursuits, which their former obscurity had repressed, but 
 never extinguished. ‘The proud and happy father exulted in 
 the personal beauty and improving talents of his children. 
 The anxious mother sighed sometimes, but took care her sigh 
 should never reach her husband’s ear. ‘The aged grandfather 
 and grandmother, whose infirmities had been much increased 
 py their journey to Spain, and possibly still more by that 
 strong emotion which is a habit to youth, but a convulsion to 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. izb 
 
 PRI on? 
 
 POL LLL LLL LDL BDL CLE GODOLOL BOD LEDOLED POPPI OSOE 
 nteresting History of Don Guzman’s Family.—Extraordina , 
 ting History of Don Guzman’s F ly.—Extraordinary Duel 
 
 DOP LOD LALLA L DDL DOO LLL DL ID IL PDD LIL DDD DIF 
 
 POLL LPL DLL LOD OLE LEC EDE LOE OODLE LAE DLL 
 
 age, sat in their ample chairs comfortably idle, dozing away 
 life in intervals of unuttered though conscious satisfaction, 
 and calm but venerable apathy ;—they slept much, but when 
 they awoke, they smiled at their grandchildren, and at each 
 other. 
 
 “ The wife of Walberg, during this interval, which seemed 
 one of undisturbed felicity to all but her, sometimes suggested 
 a gentle caution—a doubtful and anxious hint—a possibility 
 of future disappointment, but this was soon smiled away by 
 the rosy, and laughing, and kissful lips of her children, till the 
 mother at last began to smile at her apprehensions herself. 
 At times, however, she led them anxiously in the direction of 
 her uncle’s house. She walked up and down the street before 
 his door with her children, and sometimes lifted up her veil; 
 as if to try whether her eye could pierce, through walls as 
 hard as the miser’s heart, or windows barred like his coffers— 
 then glancing on her children’s costly dress, while her eye 
 darted far into futurity, she sighed and returned slowly home, 
 This state of suspense was soon to be terminated. 
 
 *‘ The priest, Guzman’s confessor, visited them often; first 
 in quality of almoner or agent of his bounty, which was amply 
 and punctually bestowed through his hands; and secondly, in 
 quality of a professed chess-player, at which game he had met, 
 even in Spain, no antagonist like Walberg. He also felt an 
 interest in the family and their fortunes, which, though his 
 orthodoxy disowned, his heart could not forbear to acknow- 
 ledge—so the good priest compromised matters by playing 
 chess with the father, and praying for the conversion of his 
 family on his return to Guzman’s house. It was while en- 
 gaged in the former exercise, that a message arrived to sum- 
 mon him on the instant home— the priest left his queen ex 
 prise, and hurried into the passage to speak with the messen- 
 ger. The family of Walberg, with agitation unspeakable, 
 half rose to follow him. They paused at the door, and then 
 retreated with a mixed feeling of anxiety for the intelligence, 
 and shame at the attitude in which they might be discovered. 
 As they retreated, however, they could not help hearing the 
 words of the messenger—‘ He is at his last gasp—he has sent 
 for you—you must not lose a moment.’ As the messenger 
 spoke, the priest and he departed. 
 | Zo be continued. | 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY DUEL, 
 
 Mr. Tuomas SuEripan, in his Life of Dean Swift, has re- 
 corded an account of a very singular character, who lived in 
 the county of Tipperary. The name of this gentleman was 
 
} 
 
 126 CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AWD ART, 
 
 POLL DL OLE POLODO LO 'GODPLPL OO COL OOLOOIGDSR 
 
 Extraordinary Duel. 
 
 PIE LE LL DDL LE PEL LOBEL LI BE LLEL OED LOD DOL 
 
 POI DP PPIL AOL MOL EDL PLD DIS 
 
 PL LLL 
 
 POF PDO LOD LOD LOL OPI L DIL LE POD LEE. 
 
 Matthew, and after a long residence abroad, he returned to 
 Dublin at the latter end of Queen Anne’s reign. At that 
 time party ran very high, but raged no where with such vio- 
 lence as in that city, insomuch that duels were every day 
 fought there on that score. There happened to be at that 
 time two gentlemen in London, who valued themselves highly 
 on their skill in fencing; the name of one of them was Pack, 
 the other Creed; the former a Major, and the latter a Cap- 
 tain in the army. Hearing of these daily exploits in Dublin, 
 they resolved, like two knight-errants, to go over in quest of 
 adventures. Upon inquiry, they learned that Mr. Mat- 
 thew had the character of being one of the first swords- 
 men in Kurope. Pack, rejoiced to find an antagonist worthy 
 of him, resolving the first opportunity to pick a quarrel with 
 him; and meeting him as he was carried along the street 
 in his chair, jostled the fore-chairman. Of this Matthew 
 took no notice, as supposing it to be accidental. But Pack 
 afterwards boasted of it in the public coffee-house, saying, 
 that he had purposely offered this insult to that gentleman, 
 who had not the spirit to resent it. There happened to be 
 pees a particular friend of Mr. Matthew, of the name of 
 VMiacnamara, a man of good courage, and reputed the best 
 fencer in Ireland. He immediately took up the quarrel, and 
 said he was sure Mr. Matthew did not suppose the affront 
 intended, otherwise he would have chastised him on the spot; 
 but if the Major would let him know where he was to be 
 . found, he should be waited on immediately on his friend’s re- 
 turn, who was to dine that day a little way out of town. The 
 Major said, that he should be at the tavern over the way, 
 where he and his companion would wait their commands, 
 Immediately on his arrival, Matthew being made acquainted 
 with what had passed, went from the coffee-house to the ta- 
 vern, accompanied by Macnamara. Being shown into the 
 room where the two gentlemen were, after having secured the 
 door, without any expostulation, Matthew and Pack drew 
 their swords; but Macnamara stopped them, saying he had 
 something to propose before they proceeded to action. He 
 said, in cases of this nature, he never could bear to be a cool 
 spectator: “ So, Sir,”’ addressing himself to Creed, *‘ if you 
 please, I shall have the honour of entertaining you in the 
 same manner.”’ Creed, who desired no better sport, made no 
 other reply than that of instantly drawing his sword ; and to 
 work the four champions fell, with the same composure as if 
 it were only a fencing match with foils. ‘The conflict was of 
 some duration, and maintained with great obstinacy by the 
 two officers, notwithstanding the great effusion of blood from 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 127 
 
 POPLIP LPL PID IGE LEP LEOPL LOO LOLA GST PLO LEODP OO PPO PLD E LOL LD ELEC L LO LED IDLE PEOCDGG GLP LOM 
 Extraordinary Duel.—Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 POP LOL LDL LOL LOD ELL LED ODE BPG GOP 
 
 PPP LLELOPLOE BEE ODE LOE ODO DOP 
 
 POP LOD AIOE IGS 
 
 the many wounds which they had received. At length, quite 
 exhausted, they both fell, and yielded the victory to the supe- 
 rior skill of their antagonists. Upon this occasion, Matthew 
 gave a remarkable proof of the perfect composure of his mind 
 during the action. Creed had fallen the first; upon which 
 Pack exclaimed: “ Ah, poor Creed, are you gone?” “ Yes,” 
 said Matthew, very composedly; “ and you shall instantly 
 pack after him ;” at the same time making a home thrust quite 
 through his body, which threw him to the ground. This was 
 the more remarkable, as he was never in his life, either before 
 or after known to have aimed at a pun. The number of 
 wounds received by the vanquished parties was very great ; 
 and what seems almost miraculous, their opponents were un- 
 touched. The surgeons seeing the desperate state of their 
 patients, would not suffer them to be removed out of the room 
 where they fought, but had beds immediately conveyed into 
 it, on which they lay many hours in a state of insensibility. 
 When they came to themselves, and saw where they were, 
 Pack, in a feeble voice, said to his companion: “ Creed, I 
 think we are the conquerors, for we have kept the field of bat- 
 tle.” For a long time their lives were despaired of; but, to the 
 astonishment of every one, they both recovered. When they 
 were able to see company, Matthew and his friend attended 
 them daily, and a close intimacy afterwards ensued, as they 
 found them men of probity, and of the best dispositions, ex- 
 cept in this Quixotish idea of duelling, whereof they were 
 
 now perfectly cured. 
 if a 
 
 BONAPARTE’S HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES. 
 [ Continued from Page 92.| 
 
 THe cannonade between General Bulow and Count de 
 Lobau soon commenced. The Prussian army marched in 
 echellon, the centre in front. Its line of battle was perpen- 
 dicular to the right flank of the French army, and parallel to 
 the causeway from La Haye Sainte to Planchenoit. ‘The 
 echelon of the centre unmasked a battery of thirty guns; the 
 artillery opposed to it an equal number. After a cannonade 
 of an hour, Count de Lobau perceiving, that the first echelon 
 was not supported, marched to the spot, pierced through, and 
 repulsed it; but the two other lines which appeared to have 
 been retarded by the bad roads, rallied the first echelon, and, 
 Without endeavouring to break through the French line, 
 sought to outflank it by a wheel to the left, in line. Count 
 de ef apprehensive lest he should be turned, executed 
 his retreat upon the army, by the alternate movement. The 
 
128 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ODD IL LILO LLL LO PL DDL DL LDL AIO DA LEE DOL DLE POLE O DDO DOO DOD LIE BODO EG LD LODO LIE DLL DD LOD 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 PLILIEL LID LIE PEPER ELI LEP ELOLRELE BLO ELE LOE LEE LOE. 
 
 fire of the Prussian batteries doubled; sixty pieces of cannon 
 were counted; the balls fell on the causeway, in front, andin 
 rear of La Belle Alliance, where the Emperor was standing 
 with his guard; it was the army’s line of operation. At this 
 most important moment, the enemy had approached so near, 
 that his case-shot ploughed up the causeway ; the Emperor 
 then ordered General Duhesme, who commanded the young 
 guard, to march on the right of the sixth corps, with his two 
 brigades of infantry, and twenty-four pieces of cannon. <A 
 quarter of an hour afterwards, that formidable battery com- 
 menced its fire; the French artillery soon acquired the supe- 
 riority, as it was better served, and more advantageously 
 placed. As soon as the young guard was engaged, the move- 
 ment of the Prussians appeared to be checked; undulations 
 were observed in their lines; but they continued still to pro- 
 long it towards their left, outflanking the French right, as far 
 as Planchenoit ; Lieutenant General Morand then moved, 
 with four battalions of the old guard, and sixteen pieces of 
 cannon, to the right of the young guard; two regiments of 
 the old guard took post in front of Planchenoit ; the Prussian 
 line being outflanked, General Bulow was repulsed ; his left 
 made a movement backward, converged, and, by degrees, all 
 his line fell back. ‘The Count de Lobau, General Duhesme, 
 and General Morand, marched forward; they soon occupied 
 the positions which the artillery of General Bulow had left. 
 Not only had that General exhausted his attack, unmasked 
 all his reserves ; but, having at first advanced, he was now in 
 retreat. The Prussian bullets no longer reached the cause- 
 way of Charleroi, nor did they even come near the positions 
 previously occupied by Count de Lobau; it was now seven 
 o'clock. 
 
 Two hours had elapsed since the Count d’Erlon had taken 
 possession of La Haye, outflanked all the English left, and 
 the right of General Bulow. The light cavalry of the first 
 corps, pursuing the enemy’s infantry on the flat of La Haye, 
 had been brought back by a body of cavalry superior in num- 
 ber. Count Milhaud now ascended the height with his cuiras- 
 siers, giving warning to General Lefebvre Desnouettes, who 
 immediately commenced a hot fire to sustain him. This hap- 
 pened at five o’clock; and the moment at which the attack 
 made by General Bulow was most menacing. Far from being 
 kept in check, he constantly showed new troops, who conti- 
 nued to extend his line on the right. The English cavalry 
 was repulsed by the intrepid cuirassiers and the chasseurs of 
 the guard. They abandoned all the field of battle between 
 La Haye Sainte and Mont St. Jean, which the whole of their 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 129° 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 BOO LIE LOO ELED a DPE POG LLL LLL LOD LOL PLL LLP LLL LIED LGD LOD LOD LDD DOD DDD LDS ODD BLE DOF L OP LOG LID OLE 
 
 POLL PPL ELL PDL PIII IPD 
 
 left had occupied, and were deprived of all means of retreat- 
 ing on their right. On seeing these brilliant charges, cries of 
 victory were heard all over the field, upon which, the Empe- 
 ror said, * it is too soon by an hour; but we must support 
 what is done.” He then sent an order to the cuirassiers of 
 Kellerman, which were still in position on the left, to move 
 briskly, to support the cavalry on the low grounds. At this 
 moment, General Bulow threatened the flank and rear of the 
 army; it was important not to make any retrograde move- 
 ment, and to maintain the position, although premature, which 
 the cavalry had taken. This rapid movement of three thou- 
 sand cuirassiers. who defiled under the cannonade of the Prus- 
 sians, shouting, “ live the Emperor!” made a happy diversion 
 at this critical moment. ‘The cavalry marched as in pursuit | 
 of the English army; but the army of General Bulow still 
 made some progress on the flank and rear. The soldiers and 
 officers sought to divine in the look of the Chief, whether they 
 were conquerors or in\ danger; while they breathed nothing 
 but confidence. It was the fiftieth regular battle in which 
 Napoleon had commanded within twenty years. In the mean- 
 time, the division of heavy cavalry of the guard, under the or- 
 ders of General Guyot, which was in the second line, behind 
 Kellerman’s cuirassiers, followed at a brisk trot, to the low 
 ground. On perceiving this movement, the Emperor sent 
 Count Bertrand to recal it; for it was his reserve: when 
 that General arrived, it was already engaged, so that a retro- 
 grade movement would have been dangerous. ‘Thus, did the 
 Emperor find himself deprived of his reserve of cavalry ever 
 since five o’clock; that reserve, which, properly employed, 
 had so often given him the victory: while these twelve thou- 
 sand select horse performed prodigies of valour; overthrow- 
 ing all the more numerous cavalry of the enemy, which wished 
 to oppose them, broke through many squares of infantry, dis- 
 organized their ranks, took possession of sixty pieces of can- 
 non, and seized six stand of colours in the midst of the 
 squares ; these trophies were presented to the Emperor at La 
 Belle Alliance, by three chasseurs of the guard, and three 
 cuirassiers. ‘The enemy believed the battle lost a second 
 time ; and he must have now seen with affright how many dif- 
 ficulties which the field of battle he had chosen, was about to 
 throw in the way of his retreat. Ponsonby’s brigade, charged 
 by the red lancers of the guard, commanded by General Col- 
 bert, was broken through, and its General was killed by seve- 
 ral lance wounds. ‘The Prince of Orange was severely 
 wounded, and on the point of being taken; but the brave ca- 
 valry not being supported by a strong mass of infantry, which 
 : 8 
 
130 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POLI LAS. 
 
 PIF 
 
 PPL LOL PDL LED DLDO LODE GOD 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 PIF 
 
 was still retained by General Bulow’s attack, was obliged to 
 confine itself to preserving the field of battle which it had con- 
 quered. At length, about seven o’clock, when Bulow’s at- 
 tack was repulsed, and the cavalry still maintained itself on 
 the flat, whence the enemy had been driven, the victory was 
 gained; sixty-nine thousand French had beaten one hundred 
 and twenty thousand men. Joy was on every countenance, 
 and hope in every heart. ‘This sentiment succeeded the asto- 
 nishment which had been felt during the flank attack made by 
 a whole army, and which had menaced our retreat for above 
 an hour. At this moment, Marshal Grouchy’s cannonade was 
 distinctly heard ; it seemed to proceed from beyond Wavres, 
 in the most distant point, and in the nearest, from the rear of 
 St. Lambert. 
 Marshal Grouchy did not set out from his camp at Gem- 
 bloux before ten o’clock in the morning, and was, between 
 twelve and one o’clock, half way between that place and 
 Wavres. He heard the terrible cannonade of Waterloo. 
 No experienced man could have a doubt of its nature; it was 
 a fire of many hundred pieces of cannon, and therefore proved, 
 that two great armies must have been engaged. General 
 Excelmans, who commanded the cavalry, was deeply affected 
 by it; and, addressing the Marshal, said, “ the Emperor is in 
 action with the English army; there can be no doubt of the 
 fact, a fire so terrible cannot be a skirmish. Marshal, we 
 ‘ought to march towards the scene of action. Jam an old 
 soldier of the army of Italy. I have a hundred times heard 
 General Bonaparte promulgate this principle. If wet urn 
 to the left, we shall be on the field of battle in two hours.” 
 *¢ T believe you are right,” said the Marshal, “ but if Blucher 
 attacks on the side of Wavres, and takes me in flank, I shall 
 then be compromised for not having obeyed my order, which 
 is to march against that General.” Count Gerard joined the 
 Marshal at this moment, and gave the same advice that Ge- 
 neral Excelmans tendered to him. “‘ Your order,” said ‘he, 
 ‘“‘ expresses that you should have been at Wavres yesterday, 
 and not to-day; the surest plan is, to march on the field of 
 battle. You cannot deny that Blucher has gained a march 
 on you; he was yesterday at Wavres, and you at Gembloux; 
 and who knows now, where he is? If he has joined Welling- | 
 ton, we shall find him on the field of battle, and there your 
 order will be executed to the very letter! If he is not there, 
 your arrival will decide the battle! In two hours we may 
 take our share in the honours of the day; and if we destroy 
 the English army, what do we care for Blucher, already 
 beaten!!’”” The Marshal appeared convinced; but at that 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 131 
 
 RMOPD LILI PO DLP LD DOODLES 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times.—Laplanders and Rein-deer. 
 
 LOPE PLO LLP LL DL OD LOPL ODL EOD LOD LOC LGD L LOD DE PLGOLDE GLO LEP 
 
 moment, he was informed that his light cavalry had arrived at 
 Wavres, and was in action with the Prussians ; that all their 
 forces were united there, and that they consisted of eighty 
 thousand men at least. On hearing this news, he continued 
 his movement on Wavres, and arrived there at four o'clock in 
 the afternoon. Thinking, that he had all the Prussian army 
 before him, he employed two hours in getting into line, and 
 in making his arrangements. It was there he was joined by 
 the officer despatched from the field of battle, at ten o’clock in 
 the morning. General Pajol was now detached with twelve 
 thousand men to Limate, a bridge on the Dyle, about a 
 league in the rear of St. Lambert. That General arrived 
 there at seven o’clock in the evening, and crossed the river 
 whilst Marshal Grouchy attacked Wavres. 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 ie 
 
 LIP 
 
 LAPLANDERS AND REIN-DEER., 
 
 Tue Rein-deer is an animal of the most extraordinary and 
 beautiful form, and is of more importance to its master than 
 any other animal, or probably than the whole of the qua- 
 druped species: indeed, the Laplander and the Rein-deer 
 seem to have been created for each other ; and this domestic 
 race of human beings must long since have ceased to exist, 
 ue for the service of their friend and companion the Rein- 
 
 eer. 
 
 The elephant, camel, horse, ox, sheep, and dog, render to 
 their respective masters services of the greatest importance ; 
 but without the assistance of the Rein-deer, there could be 
 no human inhabitants of Lapland; nothing could compensate 
 for its loss. Its flesh and its milk, prepared in various ways, 
 afford luxury and nourishment, supplying every other article 
 of food; its furry skin furnishing, in a simple manner, com- 
 fortable clothing, and the means of resisting the severity of an 
 arctic winter, which nothing else could do.—Wrapt in these 
 on the snow, or frozen ground, the Laplanders sleep with 
 their infants in comfort and security. When the change of 
 season requires their removal from one hut to another, the 
 Rein-deer offers the ready means of transporting them with 
 their families and goods. In summer he carries their slender 
 effects ; and when the snow covers the ground, which is the 
 greater part of the year, by means of a sledge he removes 
 them with a rapidity unequalled by any other animal. A 
 Laplander in his sledge will travel a hundred miles in a day ; 
 the broad spreading hoofs of the deer serving as snow-shoes 
 to prevent his sinking, and apparently made to traverse this 
 
132 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AAT. 
 
 GOSLIE LIED DDE GLO LOL LLL LLI LOD LE LDEODLDD LIP PLI POD LOO DOL LDL POP LOD DDL ODODE 6 OCP LOO ODP PPEODD DOA 
 LaplJanders and Rein-deer, 
 
 PLO LIP L LOL LOLOL LL ELLE LODG EDO LLDE PLO DLE LOO ELE LLL LOD LOL ODE PDE LOO GE? 
 
 LL PPLE PPOPIOD 
 
 frozen and otherwise untrodden waste, as those of the camel 
 and the dromedary for the scorching sands and deserts of 
 Avabia and India. There is no part of the deer useless to its 
 master; its sinews supply thread, cordage, and harness, and 
 its bones and horns are manufactured into furniture and or- 
 naments. ; 
 
 Mr. Bullock, regretting that so noble an animal as the 
 Rein-deer should so long remain unknown to us, determined 
 to try and introduce it to this country; and, after three suc- 
 cessful attempts, he at length succeeded in bringing over not 
 only a herd of Rein-deer, but also a Lapland family, with 
 their summer and winter residences, furniture, &c. and thus 
 exhibited the Rein-deer as if in their native clime. 
 
 The man, Jans Holm, and his wife, Karina Christian, are 
 about four feet eight inches high, which, in Lapland, is not 
 beneath the usual height; on the contrary, Karina is consi- 
 dered a tall woman: their son, four years and a half old, is 
 not likely to be so tall a man as his father; they understand 
 the Norwegian language, and an interpreter attended to an- 
 swer any question that was put to them. 
 
 They exhibited the deer decorated in the manner of their 
 country, and drawing light carriages and sledges. 
 
 Nothing can exceed the extraordinary appearance of these 
 noble quadrupeds; in size they excel the red deer, or stag: 
 the enormous horns in some almost exceed belief. A cord 
 passed round those of a fine male measures thirty feet: in 
 some they appear like the branches of an aged oak, stripped 
 of its foliage. ‘The immense brow antlers vary in some indi- 
 viduals, from two to four feet. 
 
 They are sleek in summer, but in winter clothed with a 
 thick impenetrable coat of long hair of a dry husky appear- 
 ance: their feet are large and wide, extending considerably 
 whilst resting on the ground, and covering a space sixteen 
 inches in circumference. Every time each foot is removed, a 
 loud clicking noise is heard, occasioned by one of the hoofs 
 striking against the other. 
 
 In. Lapland, the herds of Rein-deer are extremely nume- 
 rous: the poor have from fifty to two hundred ; the middle 
 classes from three to seven hundred; and the rich above a 
 thousand. 'Their greatest enemy is the wolf, which sometimes 
 breaks into the fold, and destroys thirty or forty at a time. 
 ‘The Laplander holds the wolf in the greatest detestation, and 
 is almost in a rage when the name is mentioned. Bears 
 sometimes destroy the deer, seizing them by surprise; but 
 this is rather a rare occurrence. 
 
 The female deer produce the young about the end of May, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 153 
 
 BHO PPL OPPPLILILEL ILI 
 
 Laplanders and Rein-deer.—Interesting Account of the Diving-bell. 
 
 PROD OL SOOO ID LID LIF 
 
 LPIPPBDLGLODILGISLDODOLEODOSDOOD 
 
 LLL PLL LLL LOPE LIL LOL PLE LLL LLL OLD DLE PEL BLIP LL !E ELD LOL LLL LPL LLOL 
 
 and soon after cast their horns, which, in a short space of time 
 are reproduced of the full size, but are covered with hair, 
 during which time they are soft and very susceptible of injury. 
 They have always a leader or captain, whose order they scru- 
 pulously obey, and in whose experience they seem to place the 
 most unlimited confidence. 
 
 The Laplanders are exhibited in the full costume of their 
 own country, with their residences and furniture. 
 
 The Kodda, or hut, is formed of double timbers, lying one 
 upon another, and has mostly six sides, rarely but four. It 
 is supported within by four inclining posts, as. thick as one’s 
 arm, crossing each other in pairs at the top, upon which is 
 laid a transverse beam, four ells in length. On each side 
 lower down is another cross piece of wood, serving to hang 
 pipes on. The walls are formed of beams of a similar thick- 
 ness, but differing in length, leaving a hole at the top to serve 
 as a chimney, and a door at the side. These are covered with 
 a layer of bark, either of spruce, fir, or birch, and over that is 
 another layer of wood like the first.—In the centre the fire is 
 made on the ground, and the inhabitants lie round it. In the 
 middle of the chimney hangs a pole, on which the pot is sus- 
 
 ended over the fire. 
 
 The height of the hut is three ells, its greatest breadth at 
 the base two fathoms. | 
 
 They always construct their huts in places where they have 
 ready access to clear cold springs. 
 
 The inhabitants sleep quite naked on skins of Rein-deer, 
 spread over a.layer of branches of dwarf birch (betula nana), 
 with similar skins spread over them. ‘The sexes rise from 
 this simple couch, and dress themselves promiscuously with- 
 
 out any shame or concealment, 
 = 
 
 THE DIVING-BELL. 
 
 THE invention of the diving-bell is generally assigned to 
 the sixteenth century. Those who had no idea of this ma- 
 chine, Mr. Beckman says, might have been easily led to it by 
 the following experiment. If a drinking glass inverted be 
 immersed in water, in such a manner that the surface of the 
 water may rise equally round the edge of the glass, it will be 
 found that the glass does not become filled with water, even 
 when pressed down to the greatest depth; for, where there is 
 air, no other body can enter, and by the above precaution the 
 air cannot be expelled by the water. In like manner, if a bell 
 of metal be constructed, under which the diver can stand on a 
 stool suspended from it, so that the edge of the bell may reach 
 to about his knee, the upper part of his body will be secured 
 
134 CURIOSITIES OF NATURS AND ART. 
 
 PLP LPO DLE ELOL PLL LD LD LOL LLL DELLE LDL ELI L PLLLLGL LLL LOL LOL LLL OPO LDL LOL EPL LEL DOP GOS 
 
 Interesting Account of the Diving-bell. 
 
 PID POL PDL LL OL OL ELL LER 
 
 a 
 
 LOL REL LOO LDS. 
 
 LPL DPD LDL OLDE PLE LEP ELE OLE LEO LOS 
 
 from water ; and he can, even at the bottom of the sea, breathe 
 the air inclosed in the bell. 
 
 The oldest information which we have respecting the use of 
 the diving-bell in Europe, is the relation of an exhibition at 
 Toledo, before the Emperor Charles the Fifth, in 1538; when 
 two Greeks, in the presence of several thousand spectators, let 
 themselves down under water, in a large inverted kettle, with 
 a burning light, and rose up again without being wetted. It is 
 described more than once in the works of Lord Bacon, who 
 explains its effects ; and remarks, that it was invented to fa- 
 cilitate labour under the water. 
 
 In the latter part of the seventeenth century, the diving- 
 bell appears to have been employed in undertakings of impor- 
 tance: particularly in attempts to recover various articles 
 from the remains of that portion of the Spanish armada which 
 was wrecked on the western coast of Scotland. In the year 
 1665, a person was so fortunate as to bring up some cannon, 
 which, however, were not sufficient to defray the expenses. 
 Of these attempts, and the kind of diving-bell used, an account 
 was given by a Scotch writer of the name of Sinclair. 
 
 Some years after, attempts of the like kind were renewed. 
 A man of the name of Phipps, formed a project for searching 
 and unloading a rich Spanish ship, which had been sunk upon 
 the coast of Hispaniola; and represented his plan so success- 
 fully to Charles I]. that the King gave him a ship, and fur- 
 nished him with every thing necessary for the undertaking. 
 He set sail in 1683, but returned without success, though with 
 a firm conviction of the possibility of his scheme. In 1687 
 Phipps, under new patronage, made another endeavour, and 
 at last succeeded in weighing up so much treasure, that he re- 
 turned to England with the value of two hundred thousand 
 pounds sterling. 
 
 The attention of the learned, in different countries, was now 
 turned to the diving-bell, the construction and use of which 
 
 appears to have been well understood by one Witzen, in 1671. 
 _ ‘The great improver of diving-bells, however, in this coun- 
 try, was Dr. Edmund Halley. The bell which he constructed 
 about 1717, was three feet broad at the top, five feet at bot- 
 tom, and eight feet in height: forming a cavity of sixty-three 
 cubic feet. It was covered with lead, and was so heavy that 
 it sunk to the bottom, even when entirely empty : weights 
 also were disposed round the lower edge, so as to insure its 
 sinking in a perpendicular direction. ln the top was fixed a 
 piece of strong glass to admit light, and likewise a valve to 
 give a passage to the air corrupted by the breath. Around 
 the inner circumference of the bell was placed a seat for the 
 
CURIOSITZES OF NATURE AND ART. 135 
 
 PPP D OL PIL LPL DLL PD BD PAF LDD OL LDP IL ADE POL LEM ELE LOD PDL EDL OOD PLL POLLED OE LO LDL DE PLD ODE LOG ODE GGL 
 
 The Diving-bell.—The Great Cavern of Guacharo, in South America. 
 
 POP LIPLIF 
 
 Ye 
 
 a 
 
 POLLED LOO LEP LOD LED LEE 
 
 LIF LED LOE LOG LDP 
 
 divers ; and a stool fixed to ropes hung below, on which they 
 could stand in order to work. The whole machine was sus- 
 
 ended from a cross-beam made fast to the mast of a ship. 
 That the bell might be supplied with fresh air, under the wa- 
 ter, large vessels, filled with air, and which had an opening 
 below through which the water compressed the enclosed air, 
 were let down by ropes. In the top of these vessels were 
 leathern pipes besmeared with oil, through which the diver 
 introduced air from the vessels into the bell. The bell was 
 thus supplied in such abundance, that Dr. Halley, and four 
 other persons remained under water for an hour and a half, 
 at the depth of ten fathoms, without suffering the least injury. 
 When the empty air-vessels were drawn up, the Doctor sent 
 his order written upon a sheet of Jead withan iron spike. Dr. 
 Halley also invented a leaden cap, in the shape of a bell, 
 which being placed so as to cover the diver’s head, enabled 
 him to leave the greater bell when at the bottom. A thick 
 pliable pipe, which conveyed air from the greater bell, served 
 also as a clue to the diver to find his way back. 
 
 The last great improvement of the diving-bell, was by Mr. 
 Spalding, of Edinburgh, by whose contrivance several defects, 
 which appeared in the construction of Dr. Halley’s bell, were 
 remedied. ‘The sinking or raising of the bell was made no 
 longer to depend entirely on the people at the surface of the 
 water; and the contrivance of a balance-weight obviated the 
 danger of being overset by the rugged prominences of con- 
 cealed rocks, to which Dr. Halley’s bell was liable. 
 
 —=_il—— 
 
 THE GREAT CAVERN OF GUACHARO, IN SOUTH AMERICA, 
 AS DESCRIBED BY BARON HUMBOLDT: 
 
 In a country where the people love what is marvellous, a 
 cavern that gives birth to a river, and is inhabited by thou~ 
 sands of nocturnal birds, the fat of which is employed in the 
 Missions to dress food, is an everlasting object of conversation 
 and discussion. Scarcely has a stranger arrived at Cumana, 
 when he is told of the stone of Araya for the eyes ; of the la- 
 bourer of Arenas who suckled his child ; and of the Cavern 
 of GuacHaro, which is said to be several leagues in length ; 
 till he is tired of hearing of them. 
 
 - The Cueva del Guacharo is pierced in the vertical profile 
 of arock. The entrance is toward the south, and forms a 
 vault eighty feet broad, and seventy-two feet high. ‘he 
 rock, that surmounts the grotto, is covered with trees of gi- 
 gantic height. The mammee-tree, and the genipa with large 
 and shining leaves, raise Aheir branches vertically toward the 
 
136 CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART: 
 
 GOP LEO LLOL EC LOD LIL IOP. LOLOL POD PEP DOL LDL ODO DIO LDL OOD PDP LDP LL OE DOOLOD ODP LDPE LDP OCD 
 
 The Great Cavern of Guacharo, in South America. 
 
 PPE LOL OID ELE LOL EOP 
 
 PIL LDL PLE POP LDP LLP LDL PLE DGG GLE PPL LOG LDL LOD DDL! GLO DID PPDGR 
 
 sky ; while those of the courbaril and the erythrina, form as 
 they extend themselves, a thick vault of verdure. Plants of 
 the family of pothos with succulent stems, oxalises, and or- 
 chidee of a singular structure, rise in the driest clefts of the 
 rocks; while creeping plants, waving in the winds, are inter- 
 woven in festoons before the opening of the cavern. We dis- 
 tinguished in these festoons a bignonia of a violet-blue, the 
 purple dolichos, and for the first time that magnificent olandra, 
 the orange flower of which has a fleshy tube more than four 
 inches long. 'The entrances of grottoes, like the view of cas- 
 cades, derive their principal charm from the situation, more or 
 less majestic, in which they are placed, and which in some 
 sort determines the character of the landscape. What a con- 
 trast between the Cueva of Caripe, and those caverns of the 
 North crowned with oaks and gloomy larch-trees ! 
 
 But this luxury of vegetation embellishes not only the out- 
 side of the vault, but appears even in the vestibule of the grotto. 
 We saw with astonishment plantain-leaved heliconias eigh- 
 teen feet high, the praga palm-tree, and arborescent arums, 
 follow the banks of the river even to those subterranean 
 
 laces. The vegetation continues in the Cave of Caripe, as 
 in those deep crevices of the Andes, half excluded from the 
 light of day; and does not disappear, till, advancing in the 
 interior, we reach thirty or forty paces from the entrance. 
 We measured the way by means of a cord: and we went on 
 about four hundred and thirty feet, without being obliged to 
 light our torches. 
 
 Day-light penetrates into this region, because the grotto 
 forms but one single channel, which keeps the same direction 
 from south-east to north-west. Where the light begins to 
 fail, we heard from afar the hoarse sounds of the nocturnal 
 birds, sounds which the natives think belong exclusively to 
 those subterraneous places. The guacharo is of the size of 
 our fowls, has the mouth of the goatsuckers and procnias, and 
 the port of those vultures, the crooked beak of which is sur- 
 rounded with stiff silky hairs. It forms a new genus, very 
 different from the goatsucker by the force of its voice, by the 
 considerable strength of its beak, containing a double tooth, 
 by its feet without the membranes that unite the anterior pha- 
 lanxes of the claws. In its manners it has analogies both with 
 the goatsuckers and the alpine crow. The plumage of the 
 guacharo is of a dark bluish-grey, mixed with small streaks 
 and specks of black. It is difficult to form an idea of the hor- 
 rible noise occasioned by thousands of these birds in the dark 
 part of the cavern, and which can only be compared to the 
 croaking of our crows, which, in the pine forests of the north, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 137 
 
 PPL LL I PBF 
 The Great Cavern of Guacharo, in South America. 
 
 PIPL LL LDF LLP OLE LODGP 
 
 live in society, and construct their nests upon trees, the tops 
 of which touch each other. The shrill and piercing cries of 
 the guacharoes strike upon the vaults of the rocks, and are 
 repeated by the echo in the depth of the cavern. The Indians 
 showed us the nests of these birds, by fixing torches to the end 
 of a long pole. ‘These nests were fifty or sixty feet high 
 above our heads, in holes in the shape of funnels, with which 
 the roof of the grotto is pierced like a sieve. The noise in- 
 creased as we advanced, and the birds were affrighted by the 
 light of the torches of copal. When this noise ceased around 
 us, we heard, at a distance, the plaintive cries of the birds 
 roosting in other ramifications of the cavern. It seemed as if 
 these bands answered each other alternately. 
 
 ‘The Indians enter into the Cueva del Guacharo once a-year, 
 near Midsummer, armed with poles, by means of which they 
 destroy the greater part of the nests. At this season, several 
 thousands of birds are killed; and the old ones, to defend 
 their brood, hover around the heads of the savage Indians, 
 uttering terrible cries, which would appal any heart but that 
 of man in an untutored state. _ 
 
 We followed, as we continued our progress through the 
 cavern, the banks of the small river which issued from it, and 
 is from twenty-eight to thirty feet wide. We walked on the 
 banks, as far as the hills formed of calcareous incrustations 
 permitted us. When the torrent winds among very high 
 masses of stalactites, we were often obliged to descend into its 
 bed, which is only two feet in depth. We learnt, with sur- | 
 prise, that this subterraneous rivulet is the origin of the river 
 Caripe, which, at a few leagues distance, after having joined 
 the small river of Santa Maria, is navigable for canoes. It 
 enters into the river Areo, under the name of Canno de Tere- 
 zen. We found, on the banks of the subterraneous rivulet, a 
 great quantity of palm-tree wood, the remains of trunks, on 
 which the Indians climb to reach the nests hanging to the 
 roofs of the cavern. The rings, formed by the vestiges of the 
 old footstalks of the leaves, furnish, as it were, the footsteps 
 of a ladder perpendicularly placed. 
 
 The Grotto of Caripe preserves the same breadth, and its 
 primitive height of sixty or seventy feet, to the distance of 
 1458 feet, accurately measured. I have never seen a cavern, 
 in either continent, of so uniform and regular a construction. 
 We had great difficulty in persuading the Indians to pass 
 beyond the outer part of the grotto, the only part which they 
 annually visit to collect the fat. The whole authority of dos 
 padres was necessary, to induce them to advance as far as the 
 brs where the soil rises abruptly at an inclination of sixty 
 
 : x 
 
 Cor 
 
188 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OOD ILD LLP LID LEE DOLLOP LOL LOL PL LP LIL OLD LLL POL LDL PDD LLL DLE LODE DLP DLL LOL DOO DOOD ELEOLOLOD IGE 
 The Great Cavern of Guacharo, in South America. 
 
 DPEPL OP POO LOS LDF LDP LED LOOP LODOLRE 
 
 LIL LOD LEL OE LOD LD LOE LLOE LOE LOE 
 
 degrees, and where the torrent forms a small subterraneous 
 cascade. The natives connect mystic ideas with this cave, in- 
 habited by nocturnal birds; they believe, that the souls of 
 their ancestors sojourn in the deep recesses of the cavern. 
 *“¢ Man,” say they, ‘should avoid places which are enlightened 
 neither by the Sun nor by the Moon.” 'To go and join the 
 guacharoes, is to join their fathers,—is to die. ‘The magicians 
 and the poisoners perform their nocturnal tricks at the en- 
 trance of the cavern, to conjure the chief of the evil spirits. 
 
 At the point where the river forms the subterraneous cas- 
 cade, a hill covered with vegetation, which is opposite the 
 Opening of the grotto, presents itself in a very picturesque 
 manner. It appears, at the extremity of a straight passage, 
 240 toises in length. The stalactites, which descend from the 
 vault, and which resemble columns suspended in the air, dis- 
 play themselves on a back-ground of verdure. The opening 
 of the cavern appeared singularly contracted, when we saw it 
 about the middie of the day, illumined by the vivid light re- 
 flected at once from the sky, the plants, and the rocks. ‘The 
 distant light of day formed somewhat of magical contrast with 
 the darkness that surrounded us in those vast caverns. We 
 climbed, not without some difficulty, the small hill, whence 
 the subterraneous rivulet descends. We saw that the grotto 
 was perceptibly contracted, retaining only forty feet in height ; 
 and that it continued stretching to the north-east, without de- 
 viating from its primitive direction, which is parallel to that 
 of the great valley of Caripe. 
 
 The missionaries, with ail their authority, could not prevail 
 on the Indians to penetrate farther into the cavern. As the 
 vault grew lower, the cries of the guacharoes became more 
 shrill. We were obliged to yield to the pusillanimity of our 
 guides, and trace back our steps. We followed the course of 
 the torrent to go out of the cavern. Before our eyes were 
 dazzled with the light of day, we saw, without the grotto, the 
 water of the river sparkling amid the foliage of the trees that 
 concealed it. It was like a picture placed in the distance, and 
 to which the mouth of the cavern served asaframe. Having 
 at length reached the entrance, and seated ourselves on the 
 bank of the rivulet, we rested after our fatigues. We were 
 glad to be beyond the hoarse cries of the birds, and to leave 
 a place where darkness does not offer even the charm of silence 
 and tranquillity. 
 
 i ee 
 MIN{ATURE WaTCH, OF MOST CURIOUS CONSTRUCTION 
 In 1704, a miniature watch of the most curious construc- 
 tion, was presented to his late Majesty, by the maker, Mr. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 139 
 
 OOD LLIP IIOP LO 
 
 LPLIP LEP LED LEP POLE L LOL OP LD DE LL DS CLEOL LE LOE LOE DOP ALD EDEL LOE L BOL OE PLD LOD 
 Miniature Watch.—The Honest Old Hostess of Oranienbaum. 
 
 PPP LEG L OLLIE DPI OLDE DLE OOF PLP DOLL LDL ODD ODL ODL EOD 
 
 Arnold, an eminent artist, who resided for many years in 
 Devereux Court, Strand. 
 
 The size of this ingenious piece of mechanism, was some- 
 thing less than a silver twopence: it contained 120 different 
 parts, and it altogether weighed no more than 5 pennyweights, 
 7 grains, and 3-4ths. 
 
 The great wheel and fuzee, weighed 2 grains and 3-4ths ; 
 second wheel and pinion, 3-4ths of a grain; barrel and main- 
 spring, 3 grains and a half; third wheel and pinion, 1-9th of a 
 grain ; fourth wheel and pinion, 1-10th ofa grain ; cylinder-wheel 
 and pinion, 1-16th of a grain; balance, pendulum, cylinder, 
 spring, and colet, 2-3ds of a grain; the pendulum-spring, 
 3-100ths of a grain ; the chain, halfa grain; barrel and main- 
 spring, | grain and 35-4ths; great wheel and rotchet, 1 grain; se- 
 cond wheel and pinion, I1-7thofa grain; third wheel and pinion, 
 1-8th of a grain; fourth wheel and pinion, 1-9th of a grain ; 
 fly-wheel and pinion, 1-17th of a grain; fly-pinion 1-20th ofa 
 grain; hour-hammer, half a grain; quarter-hammer, half a 
 grain; rack-chain and pulley, | grain and 3-4ths; quarter 
 and half-quarter rack, 2-3ds of a grain; the quarter and half- 
 quarter snail and common pinion 2-3ds of a grain; the all-for- 
 nothing piece, half a grain ; the motion wheels, | grain; steel 
 dial plate, with gold figures, 3 grains and a half; the hour 
 snail and star, one-half and the 1-16th of a grain. 
 
 — 
 THE HONEST OLD HOSTESS OF ORANIENBAUM. 
 A Singular Facet. 
 
 In the little town of Oranienbaum lived a woman, bordering 
 on ninety, by name Christophorevna, a nativeof Holstein. A 
 little cottage was her sole possession, and the visits ofa few 
 shipmasters coming over from Cronstadt to go to Petersburgh 
 by land, when the wind did not serve for sailing up, produced 
 her only livelihood. | 
 
 Several Dutch skippers having one evening supped at her 
 house, on their departure she found a sealed bag of money 
 under the table. Her surprise at this unexpected discovery 
 was naturally very great: some one of the company just gone 
 must certainly have forgotten it; but they were sailed over 
 to Cronstadt, and perhaps at sea, the wind being fair, and 
 therefore no hope of the guests returning. ‘The good woman 
 Bt up the bag in her cupboard, to keep it till called for. 
 
 owever, nobody called for it. Full seven years did she 
 carefully keep this deposit ; often tempted by opportunities, 
 still oftener pressed by want, to employ this gift of chance. Her 
 honesty, however, overcame every allurement of opportunity, 
 
140 CURIOSITIES OF MATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP L OES OL PLO POP PLL LO PL LOO GOL LLL LOLOL LO LOD PLL LEE LOE OLE LOL LDL PLO POPOL E LOE LOE PIP LIL LOP OPP 
 The Honest Old Hostess of Oranienbaum. 
 
 POP DOP GLI L LO DLO LLL DOL LLL DLO LDL POP LOD LOL OLDE ELE LOD LED D LED LOL ODL DOL ELD OL OL DEL OD ELE LOLOL EP 
 
 and every command of want. Seven years had elapsed, when 
 some ship-masters again stopped at her house, to take what 
 refreshment they could find. Three of them were English- 
 men, the fourth was a Dutchman. Conversing of various 
 matters, one of the former asked the Dutchman whether he 
 had ever before been at Oranienbaum. ‘ Yes, sure I have,” 
 returned he; “I know the cursed place but too well: my 
 being here, once cost me seven hundred roubles.”—“ How 
 so ?”—“ Why, in one of these wretched hovels, here, I once 
 got rather tipsy, and left behind me a bag of roubles.”—“‘ Was 
 the bag sealed ?” asked old Christophorevna, who was sitting 
 in one corner of the room, and had heen roused to attention 
 by what she had heard. “ Yes, yes, it was sealed; and with 
 this very seal, here, at my watch-chain.”” ‘The woman looked 
 at the seal, and knew it directly. ‘ Well, then,”’ said she, 
 **by that you may be able to recover what you lost.”—“ Re- 
 cover it, mother! no; Iam rather too old to expect that. 
 The world is not quite so honest as that comes to. Besides, 
 consider it is now seven years since. I wish I had not men- 
 tioned it; it always makes me melancholy! Let us have no 
 more of it.—Give me another tumbler of punch, mother.” 
 
 While the four gentlemen were engaged in drowning the 
 remembrance of the doleful accident in punch, the good wo- 
 man had slipped out, and was now waddling in with her bag 
 —“‘See, here! perhaps you may be convinced, that honesty 
 is not so rare as you imagined !” said she, putting the bag on 
 the table. 
 
 The guests were dumb with astonishment; and, on recol- 
 -ecting themselves, the reader may represent to himself their 
 Several expressions of commendation and gratitude. The 
 four captains were all rather stricken in years, and had navi- 
 gated the seas from Japan to Newfoundland, and from the 
 Cape of Good Hope to Archangel: they had been in habits 
 of dealing with black and brown faces, with woolly-haired and 
 powdered heads—therefore, that their amazement was so 
 great, is certainly no panegyric on our times ! 
 
 Never were such strong emotions excited in any human 
 mind, as in that of the Dutchman, From the firmest per- 
 suasion of his loss to the completest certainty of its recovery 
 —the transition was too sudden, and too great, not to set 
 every fibre of his phlegmatic body in vibration. One look at 
 the honest woman to whom he was indebted for this transport 
 of joy, brought him to himself. A sudden impulse of mag- 
 naninity overpowered him, to which all other sensations 
 reverently gave way. He seized the bag, tore open the seal, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF WATURD AND ART. 141 
 
 PRIPPPLIFS LL IE OF BIL LL IE LOL LDL PPE LLL LLL LLL LLL ODO ODL L LD ODO LOD LD OL DD DIE LA DOLE DOD IIEI LIL 
 
 The Honest Old Hostess of Oranienbaum. 
 
 PPPS LOLI IL DDI DLL DL PLD LOPE POE EDO LOL LDL LOO DPD DEO ODL 
 
 LED PDD LOL LAD LDE LLL LDE LED GD 
 
 and took one rouble out, which he laid on the table, with a 
 civil thanks-giving for the trouble of his hostess ! 
 
 If the astonishment of the other three was great before, it 
 was now not a little increased. They stood looking at one 
 another for a minute, as silent as the grave. 
 
 _ “ D—e!” at last exclaimed one of the Englishmen, strik- 
 ing his fist on the table; “ that bag, there, my lad, you shall 
 Not carry off so. Devil fetch me but the old woman shall 
 have it!” His two countrymen, who had been mute till now, 
 added their hasty concurrence to this proposal. The Dutch- 
 man turned pale: but endeavoured to console himself, by the 
 reiterated protestations of Christophorevna, that she required 
 nothing at all; that she thought she had done no more than 
 ‘her duty ; and insisted that the Dutchman should even take 
 back his rouble. However, the Britons could not so easily 
 be brought to strike sail. The conversation grew warm ; the 
 oaths followed rapidly on each other; and the fists of the 
 Englishmen were doubling spontaneously, and attitudes form- 
 ing for putting an end to the dispute by force of arms: durin 
 all which time, the Dutchman was striving to get the bag 
 into his custody. 
 
 After long debate, conducted with various degrees of heat, 
 perceiving no possibility of success against the sturdy argu- 
 ments likely to be advanced, the skipper agreed to part with 
 fifty roubles. ‘The Englishmen insisted on a hundred. This 
 proposal seemed to the Dutchman so unreasonable, that he 
 declared he would sooner encounter the whole weight of their 
 fists than comply with it. 
 
 “¢ Avast, my lads !”’ cried the captain, who had made the first 
 attack on the Dutchman’s generosity ; “ I have somewhat to 
 say. ‘The bag does not belong to us; that is true; buta 
 Briton will never stand by, and not see justice done ; and, by 
 heaven ! the woman has acted nobly, and ought to be reward- 
 ed. Give me hold of the bag: I will count out the hundred 
 roubles.” | 
 
 No sooner said than done. The Dutchman, thunderstruck 
 at this summary way of proceeding, had not time to recover 
 himself before the hundred roubles were fairly counted on 
 the table. 
 
 This brought on a truce. Where humanity, gratitude, 
 generosity, and English fists, had made the attack in vain, 
 there now conquered—national pride. The Dutchman in- 
 sisted on it, that the Britons should let him treat them; and, 
 in perfect stoical resignation, parted with a hundred of his 
 beloved, long-lamented, and lately-recovered roubles. 
 
142 CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 
 
 LPLD LOL LDL OLD LOL PDIP LO LO LDIDDEE ad 
 
 POLLO LD LOL DDS 
 
 PLDI OL LE OP PALE DLL LD PIL DOF 
 
 Account of Black Beard, a remarkable English Free-booter and Pirate. 
 
 POP LE OLDE LLDE FOGG DFL 
 
 PLL LDL ODL PLL PDE LLLP PELL OL BOLL DD ODE 
 
 wrr 
 
 ACCOUNT OF BLACK BEARD, A REMARKABLE ENGLISH FREE- 
 BOOTER AND PIRATE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. 
 
 In person, as well as disposition, this desperado, who was a 
 native of England, seems to have been qualified for the chief 
 of a gang of thieves. ‘The effect of his beard, which gave a 
 natural ferocity to his countenance, he was always solicitous 
 to heighten, by suffering it to grow to an immoderate length, 
 and twisting it about in small tails likea Ramillies wig, whence 
 he derived the name of Black Beard. His portrait, in time 
 of action, is described as that »f a complete fury, with three 
 brace of pistols in holsters, slung over his shoulders like ban- 
 doliers, and lighted matches under his hat, sticking out over 
 each of hisears. Allauthority, as well as admiration, amongst 
 the pirates, was conferred on those who, committing every 
 outrage on humanity, displayed the greatest audacity and ex- 
 travagance. Black Beard’s pretensions to an elevated rank in 
 the estimation of his associates, may be conceived from the 
 character of his jokes. Having often exhibited himself before 
 them as a demon, he determined once to show them a hell of 
 his own creation. For this purpose, he collected a quantity - 
 of sulphur and combustible materials between the decks of his 
 vessel, when kindling a flame, and shutting down the hatches 
 upon his crew, he involved himself with them literally in fire 
 and brimstone. With oaths and frantic gestures, he then 
 acted the part of the devil, as little affected by the smoke as 
 if he had been born in the infernal regions, till his companions, 
 nearly suffocated and fainting, compelled him to release them. 
 His convivial humour was of a similar cast. In one of his 
 extasies, whilst heated with liquor, and sitting in his cabin, 
 he took a pistol in each hand, then cocking them under the 
 table, blew out the candles, and, crossing his hands, fired on 
 each side at his companions; one of. whom received a shot 
 which maimed him for life. His gallantry, also, was of the 
 same complexion as his vein of humour. He had fourteen 
 wives, if they may be so called. But his conduct towards one 
 of them appears to have been too unfeeling and unmanly to 
 admit of description. The English government, having de- 
 termined to clear the sea of these ruffians, directed some ships 
 of war to effect that purpose, in the early part of the last cen- 
 tury. Black Beard, at that time, was lurking in a small ves- 
 sel in the creeks and shallows of an inlet near Cape Hatteras, 
 in North Carolina. But the chief magistrate of that province 
 having long connived at his robberies, the sufferers gave in- 
 formation to the Governor of Virginia, and the naval force on 
 that station was directed to assist in the extermination of the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 145 
 
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 Account of Black Beard, a remarkable English Free-booter.and Pirate. 
 
 PILPLLG LOL LPL DDOL PPP POE POLL PP LPF 
 
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 LADLE 
 
 pirates. The intrepidity displayed in this service by a Lieu- 
 tenant of the name of Maynard, is at least equal to that of the 
 rover, but in a better cause, and deserves a circumstantial re- 
 lation. 
 
 From the nature of Black Beard’s position, in a sloop o 
 little draught of water, on a coast abounding with creeks, and 
 remarkable for the number and intricacy of its shoals, with 
 which he had made himself intimately acquainted, it was 
 deemed impossible to approach him in vessels of any force. 
 Two hired sloops were, therefore, manned from the Pear! and 
 Lime frigates in the Chesapeak, and put under the command 
 of the gallant officer before named, with instructions to hunt 
 down and destroy this pirate wherever he should be found. 
 On the 17th of November, in the year 1718, this force sailed 
 from James River, and in the evening of the 21st came to an 
 inlet in North Carolina, where Black Beard was discovered 
 at a distance, lying in wait for his prey. ‘The sudden appear- 
 ance of an enemy, preparing to attack him, occasioned some 
 surprise, but his sloop mounting several guns, and being 
 manned with twenty-five of his desperate followers, he deter- 
 mined to make a resolute defence; and, having prepared his 
 vessel over night for action, sat down to his bottle, stimulating 
 his spirits to that pitch of phrensy, by which only he could 
 rescue himself in a contest for his life. ‘The navigation of the 
 inlet was so difficult, that Maynard’s sloops were repeatedly 
 grounded in the approach, and the pirate, with his experience 
 of the soundings, possessed considerable advantage in ma- 
 neeuvring, which enabled him for some time to maintain 
 a running fight. His vessel, however, in her turn, having at 
 length grounded, and the close engagement becoming now in- 
 evitable, he reserved her guns to pour in a destructive fire on 
 the sloop as they advanced to board him. ‘This he go success- 
 fully executed, that twenty-nine men of Maynard's small num- 
 ber were either killed or wounded by the first broadside, and 
 one of the sloops, for a time, disabled. But, notwithstanding 
 this severe loss, the Lieutenant persevered in his resolution 
 to grapple with his enemy, or perish in the attempt. _Observ- 
 ing that his own sloop, which was still fit for action, drew 
 more water than the pirate’s, he ordered all her ballast to be 
 thrown out, and, directing his men to conceal themselves be- 
 tween decks, took the helm in person, and steered directly 
 aboard of his antagonist, who continued inextricably fixed on 
 the shoal. This desperate wretch, previously aware of his 
 danger, and determined never to expiate his crimes in the 
 hands of justice, had posted one of his banditti with a lighted 
 match over his powder-magazine, to blow up his vessel in the 
 
144 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POPP OLP LID LOL POLL ELLIE LES LP OPOP LE FE ADP CDPOPEF LIPO DOG LOS 
 
 Black Beard, the English Free-booter and Pirate.—Saint Winifred’s Well. 
 
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 last extremity. Luckily, in this design he was disappointed 
 by his own ardour and want of circumspection, for as Maynard 
 approached, having begun the encounter at close quarters, by 
 throwing upon his antagonist a number of hand-grenadoes of 
 his own composition, which produced only a thick smoke, and 
 conceiving that from their destructive agency, the sloop’s 
 deck had been completely cleared, he leaped over her bows, 
 followed by twelve of his men, and advanced upon the Lieu- 
 tenant, who was the only person then in view. But the men 
 instantly springing up to the relief of their commander, who 
 was now furiously beset and in imminent danger of his life, a 
 violent contest ensued. Black Beard, after seeing the greater 
 part of his men destroyed at his side, and receiving himself 
 repeated wounds, at length, stepping back to cock a pistol, 
 fainted with the loss of blood, and expired on the spot. May- 
 nard completed his victory, by securing the remainder of these 
 desperate wretches, who were compelled to sue for mercy, 
 and a short respite from a less honourable death at the hands 
 of the executioner. 3 
 —- 
 SAINT WINIFRED’S WELL. 
 
 HotyweE.tu, in Flintshire,is famots forSaint WINIFRED’S 
 Well, one of the finest springs in the world. On account of 
 the sanctity in which it was holden, it gave name to the town. 
 This well pours out, each minute, twenty-one tons of water, 
 which, running in the middle of the town, down the side of a 
 hill, is made use of by every house as it passes, after which it 
 turns several mills, and is employed in various manufactures, 
 which greatly increases the population of the place, and its 
 neighbourhood. Over the spring, where a handsome bath 
 has been erected, is a neat chapel, supported by pillars, and 
 on the windows are painted the chief events of St. Winifred’s, 
 or, as it was anciently written, Wenefrede’s life. About the 
 well grows moss, which the ignorant and superstitious devotees 
 most stupidly imagine to be St. Winifred’s hair. This saint 
 is reported to have been a virgin martyr, who lived in the 
 seventh century, and, as the legend says, was ravished and 
 beheaded in this place by a pagan tyrant; the spring having 
 miraculously risen from her blood. Hence this bath was 
 much frequented by popish pilgrims, out of devotion, as well 
 as by those who came to bathe in it for medicinal purposes. 
 Mr. Pennant says, “ The custom of visiting this well in pil- 
 grimage, and offering up devotions there, is not yet entirely 
 laid aside: in the summer, a few are still to be seen in the 
 water, in deep devotion, up to their chins for hours, sending 
 
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 Interesting Account of Saint Winifred’s Well. 
 up their prayers, or performing a number of evolutions round 
 the polygonal well.” 
 
 It might have been supposed that the present enlightened 
 age would have been secure against a repetition of impostures 
 of this kind; but Doctor Milner, a Catholic bishop, of Wol- 
 verhampton, has taken much pains to persuade the world that 
 an ignorant proselyte, of the name of Winefrid White, was 
 there cured of various chronic diseases so late as the year 
 1804, by a miracle. Sir Richard Phillips having, in the 
 Monthly Magazine, referred this pretended miracle to the 
 known effects of strong faith on ignorant minds, in any pro- 
 posed means of cure, has been attacked by the Catholic clergy 
 for his incredulity ; but in Number 302 of the same work, 
 he replies in the following words : : 
 
 “We have no doubt whatever that Winefrid White was 
 cured by her journey to Holywell, and by bathing in the won- 
 derful natural spring at that place; but we are not credulous 
 enough to believe that her cure was effected by any antago- 
 nist properties of the water to the cause of her disease, nor 
 impious enough so to sport with ETERNAL OMNIPOTENCE, as 
 to assert that a capricious suspension of the Jaws of nature 
 took place for this purpose. On the contrary, we believe that 
 the poor woman was cured by causes well known to ever 
 medica] practitioner, and proved in hundreds of recorded in- 
 stances ; that is to say, by her faith in the means proposed 
 for her cure, wrought to the highest pitch by her religion, 
 and by the assurances of those to whom she was accustomed 
 to refer. We think, nevertheless, that the publication of this 
 ‘ Case of Winefrid White, savours strongly of religious em- 
 piricism, and is exactly analogous to the ‘ cases of cure’ which 
 we see every day advertized in all the newspapers. We refrain 
 from treating the subject theologically ; yet it appears to us that 
 Matthew, chap. xxiv. verse 24, proves that ‘signs and won- 
 ders’ are not only no evidence of divine interposition, but may 
 be used even by ‘ false prophets, so as to deceive the very 
 elect.’ The continuance of miraculous powers will be found, 
 we suspect, to depend on other circumstances than the date of 
 the year. They disappear wherever the printing-press begins 
 to be freely used, and, by its agency, explains all the circum- 
 stances that attend them; and they still continue to flourish 
 wherever the history of the circumstances depends for any 
 period on traditional evidence. | Miracles are therefore per- 
 formed in abundance, even in our days, among the Negroes, 
 the Hottentots, the Caffrees, the ‘Vartars, the South Sea 
 Islanders, and the Indians of the two Americas. The last, 
 “y believe, on record, are to be found in the Hon. Mr. Elphin- 
 
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j46 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
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 Dropping Well at Knaresborough.—Curious Mechanism at St. Petersburgh, 
 
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 stone’s published Embassy to Caubul in 1808: he states that 
 the sick were carried after him many days’ journey; and, at 
 page 28, he says, ‘some thought we could raise the dead; 
 and there was a story current, that we had made and ani- 
 mated a wooden ram at Mooltaun; that we had sold him asa 
 ram; and that it was not till the purchaser began to eat him, 
 that the material of which he was made was discovered.’—We 
 forbear, (says Sir Richard,) to press the subject further. ” 
 
 =a — 
 
 THE DROPPING WELL AT KNARESBOROUGH. 
 
 Tuis dropping well, or petrifying spring, rises at the foot 
 of a limestone rock, at an inconsiderable distance from the 
 bank of the river Nidd. The spring, after running about 
 sixty feet, divides, and spreads itself over the top of the rock, 
 whence it trickles very fast, from thirty or forty places, into a 
 channel hollowed for the purpose, each drop producing a mu- 
 sical kind of tinkling, probably owing to the concavity of the 
 rock, which, bending in a circular projection, from the bottom 
 to the top, occasions its brow to overhang about fifteen feet, 
 This rock, which is about thirty feet in height, forty-eight in 
 length, and from thirty to fifty in breadth, started in the year 
 1704 from the common bank, and left a chasm from five to 
 nine feet wide, over which the water passes by an aqueduct 
 formed for the purpose. It is clothed with evergreens and 
 other shrubs, which add greatly to the beauty of this very in- 
 teresting scene. 
 
 The water is said to abound with fine particles of a nitrous 
 earth, which it deposits, but when in a languid motion only, 
 and leaves its incrustations on the leaves, moss, &c. which it 
 meets with, in trickling thus slowly through the cavities of the 
 rock. This spring is estimated to send forth twenty gallons 
 of water in a minute. Here are to be seen pieces of moss, 
 birds’ nests with their eggs, and a variety of other objects, 
 some of them very curious, which have been incrusted or pe- 
 trified by the water. 
 
 eee 
 
 CURIOUS PIECE OF MECHANISM AT ST. PETERSBURGH, 
 Executed by an ingenious German. 
 
 A Man, and his work, must be mentioned, who does honour 
 to his country, Germany ; and, in his line, has excelled any 
 thing that the most refined ingenuity of England and France 
 has ever produced. The name of this man is Reentgen; he 
 is a native of Neuwied, and belongs to the sect of Moravian 
 Brethren. He has lived many years, at several times, in St. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 147 
 
 PPP LIED FS 
 
 LPLOLLO LDL ODD LPL OLDOL DD LOO DIE LOCO LODO DDL OD DIOL ELLE DLE ELE DIP 
 
 Curious Piece of Mechanism at St. Petersbargh. 
 
 FSIS LISL IIS IES LOO 
 
 PLOL DLL LOL DOL ODD LDOD ECO LDOE LOL DDL DELI OOLIDE LIED GL LOS 
 
 Petersburgh, and has embellished and enriched the palaces of 
 the monarch and the great personages of the court with the 
 astonishing productions of his art. Inthe Imperial hermitage 
 are a great many pieces of furniture, cabinets, clocks, and other 
 works, of his invention and execution. They are composed 
 of the greatest variety of woods, to which the artist, by a cer- 
 tain preparation, has given a peculiar hardness and dura- 
 bility; and which, by the most laborious and extraordinary 
 mode of polishing, have received a gloss which needs no rub- 
 bing for its preservation. The workmanship of these pieces 
 is not less wonderful than their invention: not a joint is visi- 
 ble; all is fitted as exactly together as if it were molten 
 at one cast. Some are inlaid with bronze-work of the most 
 beautiful and diversified gilding ; others with bas-reliefs, gems, 
 and antiques. But the most superlative production of this 
 artist, is a bureau or writing-desk, which the Empress pre- — 
 sented to the museum of the Academy of Sciences about eigh- 
 teen yearsago. Here the genius of the inventor has lavished 
 its riches and its fertility in the greatest variety of compo- 
 sitions : all seems the work of enchantment. On opening this 
 amazing desk, in front appears a beautiful group of bas-reliefs 
 in bronze, superbly gilt; which, by the slightest pressure on 
 a spring, vanishes away, giving place to a magnificent writing 
 flat, inlaid with gems. ‘The space above the flat is devoted to 
 the keeping of valuable papers or money. The bold hand 
 that should dare to invade this spot, would immediately be 
 its own betrayer; for at the least touch of the table part, the 
 most charming strains of soft and plaintive music instantly 
 begin to play on the ear; the organ from whence it proceeds 
 occupying the lower part of the desk behind. Several small 
 drawers for holding the materials for writing, &c. likewise 
 start forward by the pressure of their springs, and shut again 
 as quickly, without leaving behind a trace of their existence. 
 If one would change the table part of the bureau into a read- 
 ing-desk, from the upper part a board springs forward, from 
 which, with incredible velocity, all the parts of a commodious 
 and well-contrived reading-desk expand, and take their proper 
 places. But the mechanism of this performance of art, as well 
 as its outward ornaments, should be seen, as nothing can be 
 more difficult to describe. The inventor offered this rare and 
 astonishing piece to the Empress Catharine II. for twenty 
 thousand roubles ; but she generously thought that this sum 
 would be barely sufficient to pay for the workmanship: she 
 therefore recompensed his talents with a farther present of five 
 thousand roubles. 
 
148 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 GIOP LD PLP DDD BDDOLOG LDL LOO LOO LOOLEL POD OLLE DOLL LE LLL LOE LOD LOD PPL PODLLODDOELOG OOOLLIE ODE OD * 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PIO PIP ICL LIP LIL DDD POD LOO LIS LOD LOL DIOOLLDELOOCLOD ELL LE DD LEL LOL LPL DG DEE DDD PECL ODL DOP L DOL LODCODSP 
 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [ Continued from page 125. | 
 
 “Tue family then returned to their apartment, and for 
 some hours sat in profound silence, interrupted only by the 
 ticking of the clock, which was distinctly and solely heard, 
 and which seemed too loud to their quickened ears, amid that 
 deep stillness on which it broke incessantly ; or by the echoes 
 of Walberg’s hurried step, as he started from his chair and 
 traversed the apartment. At this sound they turned, as if 
 expecting a messenger ; then glancing at the silent figure of 
 Walberg, sunk on their seats again. The family sat up all 
 that long night of unuttered, and indeed unutterable emotion. 
 The lights burnt low, and were at length extinguished, but no 
 one noticed them; the pale light of the dawn broke feebly 
 into the room, but no one observed it was morning. ‘ God !— 
 how long he lingers!’ exclaimed Walberg involuntarily; 
 and these words, though uttered under his breath, made the 
 listeners start, as at the first sounds of a human voice which 
 they had not heard for many hours. 
 
 *“¢ At this moment a knock was heard at the door; a step 
 trod slowly along the passage that led to the room; the duor 
 opened, and the priest appeared. He advanced into the room 
 without speaking, or being spoken to. And the contrast of 
 strong emotion and unbroken silence; the conflict of speech 
 that strangled thought in the utterance, and of thought, that 
 in vain asked aid of speech; the agony and the muteness ; 
 formed a terrible momentary association. It was but momen- 
 tary ; the priest, as he stood, uttered these words: ‘ Allis 
 over!’ Walberg clasped his hands over his forehead, and in 
 ecstatic agony exclaimed, ‘ Thank God!’ and wildly catching 
 at the object nearest him, as if imagining it one of his children, 
 he clasped and hugged it to his breast. His wife wept for a 
 moment at the thought of her brother’s death, but roused her- 
 self for her children’s sake to hear all that was to be told. 
 The priest could tell no more but that Guzman was dead ; 
 seals had been put on every chest, drawer, and coffer in the 
 house ; not a cabinet had escaped the diligence of the persons 
 employed ; and the will was to be read the following day. 
 
 ** For the following day the family remained in that inten- 
 sity of expectation that precluded all thought. The servants 
 prepared the usual meal, but it remained untasted. The 
 family pressed each other to partake of it; but as the impor- 
 tunity was not enforced by the inviter setting any example of 
 the lesson he tried to teach, the meal remained untasted, 
 About noon, a grave person, in the habit of a notary, was an- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 149 
 
 POD L. 
 
 FPPLDOLR DIL OLP LG DDE DDL DL IO DILL 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 nounced, and summoned Walberg to be present at the open- 
 ing of Guzman’s will. Walberg prepared to obey the sum- 
 mons; one of his children officiously offered him his hat, ano- 
 ther his cloak, both of which he had forgot in the trepidation 
 of his anxiety; and these instances of reminiscence and atten- 
 tion in his children, contrasted with his own abstraction, com- 
 pletely overcame him, and he sunk down on a seat to recover 
 himself. ‘ You had better not go, my love,’ said his wife 
 mildly.—‘ I believe I shall; I must take your advice;’ said 
 Walberg, relapsing on the seat, from which he had half risen. 
 The notary, with a formal bow, was retiring. ‘I will go! 
 said Walberg, swearing a German oath, whose guttural sound 
 made the notary stare; ‘ 1 will go! and, as he spoke, he fell 
 on the floor, exhausted by fatigue and want of refreshment, 
 and emotion indescribable but to a father. The notary re- 
 tired, anda few hours more were exhausted in torturing con- 
 jecture, expressed on the mother’s part only by clasped hands 
 and smothered sighs ;,on the father’s, by profound silence, 
 averted countenance, and hands that seemed to feel for those 
 of his children, and then shrink from the touch ; and, on the 
 children’s, by rapidly varying auguries of hope and of disap- 
 pointment. The aged pair sat motionless among their family: 
 they knew not what was going on, but they knew if it was 
 good, they must partake of it; and in the perception or ex- 
 pectation of the approach of evil, their faculties had latterly 
 become very obtuse. 
 
 ‘¢ The day was far advanced; it was noon. The servants, 
 with whom the munificence of the deceased had amply sup- 
 plied their establishment, announced that dinner was pre- 
 pared; and Ines, who retained more presence of mind than 
 the rest, gently suggested to her husband the necessity of not 
 betraying their emotions to their servants. He obeyed her 
 hint mechanically, and walked into the dining-hall, forgetting 
 for the first time to offer his arm to his infirm father. His 
 family followed, but, when seated at the table, they seemed 
 not to know for what purpose they were collected there. 
 Walberg, consumed by that thirst of anxiety which nothing 
 seems sufficient to quench, called repeatedly for wine; and 
 his wife, who found even the attempt to eat impossible in the 
 presence of the gazing and unmoved attendants, dismissed 
 them by a signal, but did not feel the desire of food restored 
 by.their absence. The old couple eat as usual, and sometimes 
 looked up with an expression of vague and vacant wonder, 
 and a kind of sluggish reluctance to admit the fear or belief of 
 approaching calamity. Towards the end of their cheerless 
 meal, Walberg was called out; he returned in a few minutes, 
 
150 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PP OL DGL IPL ELI LOPLI PLE PLL OLE LOD DLP LLL ODP DODDOLD DLO LDL PDD LL DOOD LLP POOLE OE POE LLE LOE BOD LAL OLE 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PLOL LL LD IDG LEP DEL DD LLOLOL LDL DELLE LE LEO DODLDL ADL ALE OLE DDE 
 
 LOL 
 
 PLD 
 
 and there was no appearance of change in his countenance. 
 He seated himself, and only his wife perceived the traces ofa 
 wild smile stealing over the trembling lines of his face, as he 
 filled a large glass of wine, and raised it to his lips, pre- 
 nouncing, * A health to the heirs of Guzman.’ But instead 
 of drinking the wine, he dashed the glass to the floor, and 
 burying his head in the drapery of the table, on which he 
 flung himself, he exclaimed, ‘ Not a ducat! not a ducat! all 
 left to the church! Not a ducat !’ re . Y ~s 
 
 “In the evening the priest called, and found the family much 
 more composed. ‘The certainty of evil had given them a kind 
 of courage. Suspense is the only evil against which it is im- 
 possible to set up a defence; and, like young mariners in an 
 untried sea, they almost felt ready to welcome the storm, asa 
 relief from the deadly and loathsome sickness of anxiety. The 
 honest resentment and encouraging manner of the priest, 
 were a cordial to their ears and hearts. He declared his be- 
 lief, that nothing but the foulest means that might be resorted 
 to by interested and bigotted monks, could have extorted 
 such a will from the dying man; his willingness to attest, in 
 every court in Spain, the intentions of the testator (till within 
 a few hours of his death) to have bequeathed his whole fortune 
 to his family ; intentions which he had repeatedly expressed 
 to him and others, and to which effect he had seen a former 
 will of no long date; and, finally, gave his strenuous advice 
 to Walberg to bring the matter to legal arbitration, in aid of 
 which he promised his personal exertions, his influence with 
 the ablest advocates in Seville, and every thing—but money. 
 
 “The family that night went to bed with spirits exalted by 
 hope, and slept in peace. One circumstance alone marked a 
 change in their feelings and habits. As they were retiiing, 
 the old man laid his tremulous hand on the shoulder of Wal- 
 berg, and said mildly, ‘ My son, shall we pray before we re- 
 tire !’—* Not to-night, father,’ said Walberg, who perhaps 
 feared the mention of their heretical worship might alienate 
 the friendly priest, or who felt the agitation of his heart too 
 great for the solemn exercise: ‘ Not to-night, 1 am—too 
 happy !’ 
 
 *¢ he priest was as good as his word; the ablest advocates 
 in Seville undertook the cause of Walberg. Proofs of undue 
 influence, of imposition, and of terror being exercised on the 
 mind of the testator, were ingeniously made out by the dili- 
 gence and spiritual authority of the priest, and skilfully ar- 
 ranged and ably pleaded by the advocates. Walberg’s spirits 
 ‘rose with every hour. The family, at the time of Guzman’s 
 death, were in possession of a considerable sum of money, but 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ANT. 15k 
 
 LIP LEP LEO L DDL LIE LDL PDL ERE EEL LLL PDO L LOD DL ODP 
 
 PLP L LDL LID LOL LOT 
 
 History of Don Guzman’s Family.—Astonishing Feats of a Turkish Dervise. 
 
 PLE POL ELELOD OD LG DLD4LLE ODE LLO 
 
 PLP LIL OPE LO DL LL LOE LOL LP E LOD ODE 
 
 PPP PPF LDC LIL IDE 
 
 this was soon expended, together with another sum which the 
 frugality of Ines had enabled her to save, and which she now 
 cheerfully produced in aid of her husband’s exigencies, and in 
 confidence of eventual success. When all was gone, other 
 resources still remained; the spacious house was disposed of, 
 the servants dismissed, the furniture sold (as usual) for about 
 a fourth of its value, and, in their new and humble abode in 
 the suburbs of Seville, Ines and her daughters contentedly re- 
 sumed those domestic duties which they had been in the habit 
 of performing in their quiet home in Germany. Amid these 
 changes, the grandfather and grandmother experienced none 
 but mere change of place, of which they hardly appeared con- 
 scious. ‘The assiduous attention of Ines to their comforts 
 was increased, not diminished, by the necessity of being her- 
 self the sole ministrant to them: and smiling, she pleaded 
 want of appetite, or trifling indisposition, as an excuse for her 
 own and her children’s meal, while theirs was composed of 
 every thing that could. tempt the tasteless palate of age, or 
 that she remembered was acceptable to theirs. 
 
 ‘‘ The cause had now come to a hearing, and for the two 
 first days the advocates of Walberg carried all before them. 
 On the third the ecclesiastical advocates made a firm and vi- 
 gorous stand. Walberg returned much dispirited ; his wife 
 saw it, and therefore assumed no airs of cheerfulness, which 
 only increase the irritation of misfortune; but she was equable, 
 and steadily and tranquilly occupied in domestic business the | 
 whole evening in his sight. As they were separating for the 
 night, by a singular contingency, the old man again reminded 
 his son of the forgotten hour of family prayer. ‘ Not to-night, 
 father,’ said Walberg impatiently; ‘ not to-night; I am—too 
 unhappy !—‘ Thus,’ said the old man, lifting up his withered 
 hands, and speaking with an energy he had not showed for 
 years, ‘ thus, O, my God! prosperity and adversity alike fur- 
 nish us with excuses for neglecting thee !’ As. he tottered from 
 the room, Walberg declined his head on the bosom of his 
 wife, who sat beside him, and shed a few bitter tears. And 
 Ines whispered to herself, ‘ The sacrifice of God is a troubled 
 spirit, a broken heart he will not despise.’ ” 
 
 [Zo be continued. | 
 —— 
 
 ASTONISHING FEATS OF A TURKISH DERVISE, 
 [Translated from Le Chevalier’s Voyage to the Propontis and Euxine Seas.) 
 ON entering the town of Selivri, I had an opportunity of 
 
 being present at a sight which I had in vain endeavoured to 
 
 procure during the fifteen months which I spent in Constane 
 tinople. 
 
152 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLP PLO PLP PL OP LOL PPP LDP ODP LDL DOD LPP PDE PTS LPG SOP OID PLD DDOOLF 
 
 Prodigious Mental Powers of La Signorina Agnesi, a learned Italian Lady. 
 
 LPP LOO L ID PLL ODP LOD LLL DLS PDO LL ELI O LOO LDL GOP LLP LEO LOL PLE ODO OLE LDL ODE PDO LOF 
 
 err. 
 
 A dervise was introduced into a company of Turks and 
 Greeks, among whom [I happened to be. His figure, from 
 leanness and melancholy, was truly hideous. His first action 
 was that of taking off his clothes, and laying his kalpac, or cap, 
 on the ground, after having brought it to his forehead ; then 
 taking a scourge, consisting of little iron chains, which he 
 wore at his girdle, he threw it repeatedly into the air, catch- 
 ing it in his hand, with dexterity similar to that of our buffoons 
 at a country fair. At the instant when all were expecting to 
 see him exercise his scourge in the flagellation of his own 
 skin, he balanced himself with his bare belly across the edge 
 of a sabre, which was held at the extremities by two other 
 dervises ; and in that terrifying posture he remained at least 
 a minute! After which, he applied ‘a red-hot iron to his 
 tongue; and pierced his arms, his eyelids, and his cheeks, 
 with sharp-pointed instruments, till the blood trickled down 
 his beard. 
 
 Incited by the applause of the spectators, and encouraging 
 himself to trials each successively more cruel than the other, 
 it is impossible to say when he would have stopped, had not 
 the company, at length satisfied with, or rather shocked at 
 his extravagances, entreated him to desist. 
 
 —— i a 
 
 PRODIGIOUS MENTAL POWERS OF LA SIGNORINA AGNESI,, 
 A LEARNED ITALIAN LADY. 
 
 {Translated from the Historical and Critical Letters on Italy by De Brosses.) 
 
 Tis young lady, who appears to have been a kind of lite- 
 rary phenomenon, was only about eighteen or twenty years of 
 age; and De Brosses calls her a walking polyglot. Not 
 contented with knowing all the oriental languages, La Sig- 
 norina Agnesi undertook to support a thesis on any science, 
 against any one who chose to contend with her. 
 
 At a converzatione, to which Monsieur De Brosses and his 
 nephew were invited, they found about thirty persons, of all 
 the European nations, ranged in a circle; and La Signorina 
 Agnesi, with her little sister, seated under a canopy. ‘This 
 young lady, he tells us, who was neither ugly nor handsome, 
 had a fine complexion, and an air extremely simple, soft, and 
 feminine. His account of what passed is as follows : 
 
 “¢ | had imagined, when I went to this assembly, that it was 
 merely to converse with this young lady, in the usual way, on 
 learned subjects ; instead of which, the Count Belloni, who 
 aad introduced me, made a fine harangue to the lady in Latin, 
 with college formality. She answered him extremely well. | 
 After which, they began a disputation in the same language, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 1538 
 
 GOPL ILL OL LIA ODD LD LDL ODL LOLI O OF 
 
 Prodigious Mental Powers of La Signoriva Agnesi, a learned Italian Lady, 
 
 PLP LDL LOD DIOL DID PS 
 
 POL PILLAI 
 
 PLP BLD LER PEL LED LL LE BOD! LD ROE PFE LOE. 
 
 PEE LID LODO LO LOR GLO LLL 
 
 on the origin of fountains, and on the causes of the flux and 
 reflux which some of them have, like the sea. She spoke 
 like an angel on this subject, and | never heard it treated 
 more to my satisfaction. I was then desired by the Count 
 to discuss any topic that pleased me, with her, in the same 
 manner, provided that it was philosophical or mathematical. 
 I felt quite stupified with fear, on findimg that I was expected 
 to harangue extempore, and to speak for an hour in a lan- 
 guage of which I had lost the use. However, suchas it was, 
 i made her the best compliment that I could form; after 
 which, we disputed, at first, on the manner in which the soul 
 is impressed with corporeal objects, and afterwards communi 
 cates them to the organs of the brain; and then, on the 
 emanation of light, and the prismatic colours.  Loppin dis- 
 coursed with her on the subject of diaphanous bodies, and 
 curvilinear figures in geometry; of which 1 did not un- 
 derstand a word. He spoke in French, and she begged per- 
 mission to answer him in Latin; fearing that she should not 
 recollect the technical terms which she might want, in the 
 French language. 
 
 ‘‘ She spoke wonderfully on these points; for which she 
 could not have been prepared, any more than ourselves. She 
 is much attached to the philosophy of Newton; and it is 
 marvellous to seea person of her age so conversant with such 
 abstruse subjects. Yet, however astonished I may have been 
 with her science, I have been much more amazed to hear her 
 speak Latin (a language which, certainly, she could not have 
 occasion to use often) with such purity, ease, and accuracy, 
 that I cannot say I ever read any book in modern Latin 
 written in so classical a style as that in which she pronounced 
 these discourses, 
 
 ** After she had replied to Loppin, the conversation became 
 general; every one speaking to her in the language of his 
 country, and she answering each in the same dialect. 
 
 ‘“* She told me that she was very sorry the visit had taken 
 the form of a thesis ; that she very much disliked speaking on 
 such subjects in company, where, for one who was amused, 
 twenty were tired to death; and that such themes were only 
 fit for two or three persons of similar taste. This observa- 
 tion appeared to me at least as full of good sense as her dis- 
 courses. I was very sorry to hear that she was determined 
 to take the veil; not for want of fortune, because she is rich. 
 
 “‘ After we had conversed, her little sister played on the 
 harpsichord, like another Rameau, some of Rameau’s' best 
 pleces ; and then others, of her own composition ; concluding, 
 or ee a few airs, in which she accompanied herself.” 
 
 x 
 
154 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POF PLE PLOF OE PLE LPLELROL LEP LOE DOOD DD GDOLDOL LE POL IPL IOP DDS FOL DDO ODO LDP L EE DDD DOD LEO DEG OPO DLE 
 
 Extraordinary History of the Disappearance of Count Konigsmark from Hanover, 
 
 PPE LID LOL LO LIL IPL OO8 OPO DOD DDL ODODE DDD DDD LOL DDD DDL DOOD ODL OP DDD DLL ODD DDD DEO LIL ODE LODOTP 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY HISTORY OF THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE 
 COUNT KONIGSMARK FROM THE COURT OF HANOVER. 
 
 By Nathaniel Wilham Wrazxall, Esq. 
 
 Tus flagitious character was suspected, and not without 
 reason, of having an improper intercourse with the wife of 
 George the First. Some slight account of this affair has been 
 given by the late Lord Orford. Mr. Wraxall, in his cele- 
 brated Memoirs of the Courts of Berlin, Dresden, Warsaw, and 
 Vienna, thus circumstantially relates the whole transaction : 
 
 ‘¢ Among the strangers of distinction who visited the court 
 of Hanover, was Count Konigsmark ; a man whose crimes, 
 adventures, and tragical end, have rendered him too much 
 known. He was by birth a Saxon, though his family was 
 originally from Sweden. Handsome in his person, capti- 
 vating in his manners and address, he was formed to succeed 
 with women. He had been early known by, and peculiarly 
 acceptable to the Princess of Hanover, before her marriage, 
 when she resided at Zell, in her father’s palace. It is even 
 pretended, that she had retained a deep impression of this 
 partiality for the Count; which naturally revived, on seeing 
 him again. Konigsmark, whatever personal or external graces 
 he possessed, was unquestionably a dissolute, unprincipled, 
 enterprising man of pleasure ; capable of the greatest crimes, 
 in the pursuit or attainment of his views. He had travelled 
 over Kurope, had seen service in various countries, and dis- 
 tinguished himself by his gallantry, magnificence, and courage. 
 In Spain he had displayed his address on public occasions, 
 and was honoured by public testimonies of attachment on 
 the part of the ladies of the Court of Madrid. When in 
 England, he narrowly escaped an ignominious execution, for 
 the murder of Mr. 'Thynne, in 1682. His accomplices, for it 
 is impossible to doubt that he employed or suborned them, 
 though the fact could not be judicially brought home to him, 
 were all executed at Tyburn for that atrocious act. He him- 
 self was reserved for a destiny hardly less unfortunate, a few 
 years later ; and his name is now inseparably connected with 
 the Princess of Hanover, Sophia Dorothea. 
 
 The Prince, her husband, who served during more than one 
 campaign in the Imperial army against the Turks, was fre- 
 quently absent from her; a circumstance which naturally faci- 
 litated Konigsmark’s access to the Princess. It is unques- 
 tionable, that she entertained for him sentiments of the most 
 partial nature; and that she indulged them in a manner which, 
 if not criminal, was at least imprudent. She was accustomed, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 158 
 
 ON aed 
 
 . PPP LIP LPOG LDOD 
 Extraordinary History of the Disappearance of Count Konigsmark from Hanover. 
 
 PLOLPOLIOLIOF 
 
 LIP LILLE LOD DOO LOD 
 
 LDE LED LEE LLE DDD LOE 
 
 two or three times in a week, to feign indisposition ; under 
 which pretence, she retired to her apartment. Konigsmark 
 was then admitted: they supped together, and usually re- 
 mained at table, or in conversation, till two or three o’clock in 
 the morning. When he retired, he descended by a little pri- 
 vate staircase, near the great gate of the ducal palace, which 
 conducted him into the town. 
 
 “ Interviews of such a nature, at such hours, and in the 
 Princess’s own apartments, imply great, and one may add, 
 improper intimacy; particularly if Konigsmark’s profligate 
 character be recollected. It is even difficult, at first sight, 
 not to connect with them the idea of a criminal connection. 
 But, on the other hand, there is neither any proof that they 
 were so in effect, nor was any such proof ever attempted to be 
 made out against her; though her enemies were deeply in- 
 terested to establish the fact, if it had been possible. In ad- 
 dition to this negative presumption in her favour, it is posi- 
 tively asserted that, during the time when Konigsmark was 
 with her, they never remained alone together ; one or more 
 of her ladies of honour, and those of the most unimpeached 
 character, being always present. ‘The very imprudence of 
 admitting him to such interviews, seems to prove that. they 
 were innocent; since it was impossible that they could be al- 
 together concealed or unknown. 7 
 
 ‘“¢ Unfortunately, Konigsmark’s person and accomplishments 
 had made an impression, not only on the Princess, but on 
 Madame de Platen, mistress of Ernest Augustus. Whether, 
 as is pretended, he had divulged the favours which she con- 
 ferred on him, or whether he had returned her partiality 
 with indifference and contempt, as other persons assure us, it 
 is certain, that she deeply resented his behaviour. Irritated 
 at his preference for the Princess Sophia Dorothea, of which 
 she was well apprised, and having set spies to watch his mo- 
 tions, she soon discovered his secret interviews with her rival, 
 of which she gave information to the Duke of Hanover. It 
 was natural to suppose that he would not tolerate them; and 
 the Count soon afterwards received an indirect but peremp- 
 tory intimation, that his longer stay at Hanover would be 
 displeasing. As he delayed compliance with the injunction, 
 under various pretences, it was reiterated. He therefore 
 made public preparations for his departure ; fixed the day and 
 hour ; ordered his post-horses ; and, having commanded. his 
 servants to expect him at three o’clock in the morning, he 
 went privately to the ducal palace. The Princess, under pre- 
 tence of indisposition, admitted him as before to her apart- 
 ment, where a supper war served, and they remained for some 
 
156 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PRL LLL LLL L LL LIL PPD OD 
 
 "PPP LOL LPL ELODLL , a 
 
 Extraordinary History of the Disappearance of Count Konigsmark from Hanover. 
 POP 
 
 PLP POD PPL LOD LIDS LLD 
 
 hours together, but always in company with one or more of 
 her ladies. 
 
 “‘ No sooner was the Countess de Platen apprised that 
 Konigsmark was in the Princess’s chamber, than she instantly 
 carried the intelligence to the Duke; and represented to him 
 the insolence of thus braving, if not dishonouring him in his 
 own palace. Profiting of his indignation, she induced him to 
 give directions for punishing the Count’s temerity by an act 
 of immediate violence. It is doubtless to be lamented that 
 Ernest Augustus should have sanctioned or authorised an 
 assassination, for such it must be deemed ; but it should like- 
 wise be remembered, that he was a sovereign prince, and the 
 provocation was great, if he really believed Konigsmark’s 
 visits to his daughter-in-law to have been of a criminal nature. 
 No appeal could be made to his son, who was absent in Hun- 
 gary, and the Count was on the point of leaving Hanover. 
 How far these considerations may seem to palliate the act, I 
 leave others to determine. 
 
 ‘¢ A very general idea has prevailed throughout Germany, 
 that Ernest Augustus, having caused four of his guards to 
 put on masks, they, by his order, attacked Konigsmark as he 
 came out of the Princess’s apartment, and killed him on the 
 spot. I saw this very morning the place in the electoral pa- 
 lace, where tradition says the Count fell It is a passage 
 almost destitute of light, not above nine or ten paces in length. 
 A door at one extremity opens into a large handsome apart- 
 ment, the first of the range occupied by the Princess of 
 Hanover, and out of which Konigsmark passed when he 
 quitted her on the night that he perished. At the other end 
 is another door, near a staircase by which he was to have left 
 the palace. That this was the scene of his seizure, there is 
 no doubt, but the means used to put him out of life were more 
 secret, though not less effectual than open attack. I shall re- 
 late them from good authority. 
 
 ~“ Orders were issued on the part of the Duke of Hanover to 
 the soldier on guard at the palace gate, to stop Konigsmark as 
 he came down the private staircase before mentioned; to force 
 him by menaces of immediate death to follow ; and then to shut 
 him into a subterranean vault or cellar, which was indicated. 
 The soldier punctually executed the commission, without 
 knowing or suspecting the consequence. It would seem that 
 the Count neither made nor attempted resistance; a fact 
 which proves either his want of courage or of any means of 
 defence, unless we suppose that, confiding in his innocence, 
 he took no precaution for his security, and was unsuspicious 
 of an intention to interrupt his passage out of the palace. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 157 
 
 DPPPLOF LLP ROLL DDE PLO LD EP ELE LEP DOD LAE LOD POE LOD LOPLLDE SL 
 
 Count Konigsmark.—Singular Story of Louis Brabant, the Ventriloquist. 
 
 LIL PLOLOD LOD LDL LEAD PDL LPL S PLPLLL ELLE LOL LLLP 
 
 a 
 
 The vault into which the unfortunate Konigsmark was forced 
 could at pleasure be filled with water by means ofa pipe. It 
 was in fact a reservoir, and no sooner was he shut up, than 
 they immediately let in the water and drowned him. His 
 body on the ensuing morning was put into a heated oven, and 
 the mouth of it bricked up, as the most effectual means of 
 ‘concealing the whole transaction !”’ 
 
 ee 
 
 SINGULAR STORY: OF A VENTRILOQUIST. 
 [From the French.] 
 
 A VENTRILOQUIST, it is now very well known, is a person 
 who, by drawing the air into the lungs, has the power of 
 speaking inwardly without any visible motion of the lips; 
 and who, by means of this astonishing faculty, possesses a pe- 
 culiar art of forming his speech and modifying his voice, so.as 
 to make the sound proceed from any direction or distance he 
 pleases. The name, indeed, is derived from the Latin: Ven- 
 ter, the belly ; and loqui, to speak. 
 
 This wonderful power was possessed in a most eminent de- 
 gree by Louis Brabant, the valet of Francis I. who could not 
 only emit a voice from any distance or in any direction, but 
 had also the art of counterfeiting any voice which he had ever 
 once heard. : | 
 
 Of this extraordinary man the following story is related ; 
 and as at the period when he lived the existence of this qua- 
 lity was far from being generally known, it seems by no means 
 incredible. 
 
 ** Our ventriloquist, it seems, had fallen most desperately 
 in love with a young, beautiful, and rich heiress, but was re- 
 jected by the parents as an unsuitable match for their daugh- 
 ter. 
 
 “The father happening to die, Louis waited on the widow, 
 who was totally ignorant of his singular talent, pretending to 
 condole with her on her loss; when suddenly, in the open day, 
 in her own house, and in the presence of several friends, she 
 hears herself addressed in a voice perfectly resembling that of 
 her deceased husband, and seeming to proceed from above : 
 ‘Give my daughter in marriage to Louis Brabant; he isa 
 man of great fortune, and of an excellent character. 1 now 
 suffer the inexpressible torments of purgatory for having re- 
 fused her to him. If you obey this admonition, I shall soon 
 be delivered from this place of torment. You will at the 
 same time provide a worthy husband for your daughter, and 
 procure everlasting repose for the soul of your poor husband.’ 
 
 “The widow could not for a moment resist this dreadful 
 
158 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 OOP OLO GE PPL OL PDD PDL LOD DDO DDD DOD DOP DOP LDP LOL DOLLOP CDPD DOP LOD LLL PDL DLE DODD GADD E DIE DOODOP 
 
 Singular Story of Louis Brabant, the Ventriloquist. 
 
 PPE LOP LOD PEL LIL LDP DOD LOD PEDIEL OD LOD OEE LEP LEDOO LOD POEL DDO LD E BLD. 
 
 POLL IP ELEE DELP LOOP GOPDODR 
 
 summons, which had not the most distant appearance of pro- 
 ceeding from Louis Brabant, whose countenance exhibited no 
 visible change, and whose lips were close and motionless 
 during the delivery of it. She consents immediately to re- 
 ceive him for her son-in-law. 
 
 ‘¢ Louis’s finances, however, were in a very low situation, 
 and the formalities attending the marriage-contract rendered 
 it necessary for him to exhibit some show of riches; nor must 
 his real circumstances give the ghost the lie direct. 
 
 *¢ Accordingly, he goes to work on a fresh subject :—one 
 Cornu, an old and rich banker at Lyons, who had accumu- 
 lated immense wealth by usury and extortion, and was known 
 to be haunted by remorse of conscience on account of the 
 manner in which he had acquired it. 
 
 “« Passing over preliminary steps and preparations, behold 
 Louis Brabant téte-a-téte with the old usurer in his little back 
 parlour at Lyons, preparing him for the ensuing operations, 
 by artfully turning the conversation on religious subjects, the 
 reality of demons and spectres, the pains of purgatory, and 
 the never-ceasing torments of hell. 
 
 ‘¢ During an interval of silence between them, a voice is 
 heard, which to the astonished banker seems that of his de- 
 ceased father, complaining of his dreadful situation in purga- 
 tory, and calling on him instantly to deliver him from thence, 
 by putting into the hands of the worthy Louis Brabant, then 
 with him, a large sum of money for the redemption of Chris- 
 tians in slavery with the Turks, threatening him at the same 
 time with eternal damnation, if he did not likewise take this 
 method to expiate his own sins. 
 
 “‘ It may readily be supposed that Louis Brabant affected a 
 due degree of astonishment on the occasion, and that he far- 
 ther promoted the deception by acknowledging his having de- 
 voted himself to the prosecution of the charitable design im~ 
 puted to him by the ghost. 
 
 ‘An old usurer, however, is naturally suspicious; accord- 
 ingly, the wary banker made an appointment with the ghost’s 
 delegate for the next day, when, to render any design of im- 
 posing on him utterly abortive, he took him into the open 
 fields, where not a house, a tree, a bush, or even a pit, was in 
 sight, capable of screening any possible confederate. 
 
 “This extraordinary caution called forth all the powers of 
 our ventriloquist. Wherever the banker conducts him, at’ 
 every step his ears are saluted on all sides with the com- 
 plaints and groans, not only of his father, but of all his de- 
 ceased relations, imploring him, for the love ef God, and in 
 the name of every saint in the calendar, to have mercy on his 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 159 
 
 PRP POPP OLP LOC PLL PIF PLL EDI DILG DID. 
 
 DL PPGDIDLIOLGPPD PPL IODGDOIDDI OLS 
 
 The Ventriloqulst.— Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times, 
 
 PRO ODO LLOLOP LICL OD 
 
 PIL LDIELD LL IE LDL LED LOPE PDE DLE LIE ODODE L LLD LLLP ODE LOL DDE DOD OPE OD PY 
 
 own soul and theirs, by effectually seconding with his purse 
 the holy intention of his righteous companion. 
 
 “Cornu could no longer resist the voice of heaven; and 
 accordingly carries his guest home with him, and pays him 
 down ten thousand crowns! With which sum the honest 
 ventriloquist returns to Paris, and marries his mistress. 
 
 “ The catastrophe proved fatal to the old usurer ; for the 
 secret being revealed, and reaching his ear, he was so greatly 
 affected at the loss of his money, and the mortifying railleries 
 of his neighbours, that he took to his bed, and soon died.” 
 
 eee 
 
 BONAPARTE’S HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES. 
 [Continued from page 131. | 
 
 Marsuat Brucuer had passed the night of the 17th at 
 Wavres, with the fourth corps of his army, forming seventy- 
 five thousand men. Informed that the Duke of Wellington 
 had decided to receive battle in front of the forest of Soignes, 
 if he could reckon on his co-operation, the Prussian General 
 detached his fourth corps in the morning ; it passed the Dyle 
 at Limate, and formed at St. Lambert. This corps was en- 
 tire; it was the one which had not been engaged at Ligny. 
 The light cavalry of Blucher, which scoured the country two 
 leagues round his camp at Wavres, had as yet no news of 
 Marshal Grouchy ; at seven o’clock in the morning, it saw 
 some piquets of flankers only. Blucher therefore concluded, 
 that all the army was united before Mont St. Jean; ‘he put 
 the second corps, commanded by General Pirch, in motion, 
 and which was reduced to eighteen thousand men. He 
 marched himself with the first corps, General ‘Zietten’s, re- 
 duced to thirteen thousand men, and left General Thielman 
 with the third corps in position at Wavres. 
 
 The second corps under General Pirch marched by Lasne, 
 while Blucher with the first corps marched on Ohain, where 
 he joined the brigade of English cavalry which was flanking 
 their line; this junction was effected at six in the evening. 
 There he heard that Marshal Grouchy had presented himself 
 before Wavres at four o’clock ; that he made preparations for 
 an attack ; and that the third corps was not capable of resist- 
 ing him. Marshal Blucher had no choice. He remained 
 near his principal forces, General Bulow and the English, 
 and sent an order to General Thielman to keep his ground 
 as long as possible, and to retire on the combined army, if 
 forced to retreat. In point of fact, it was no longer in his 
 power to return to Wavres; he could not reach that place 
 before night was closed in, and if the Anglo-Belgian army was 
 
160 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 POLLO PL IL LL DLE DP LID LL PL DP LPP DLP LD LDP IPD PDE DOP DLE GP DILL LDL LOD DDO LDL LEE POPLILIAELILIG DO DOD 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Owa Times. 
 LIP. 
 
 PLP LDP PLP PDP L PEG EP LOC LDL I DOL DLP POOL LEDC LLO LOD LOL LOOLLOE LLL LL DL OE GIDE LI 
 
 beaten, he would find himself between two fires ; whereas, if 
 he continued to march on the Anglo-Belgian army, and that 
 it had the victory, there would be time enough to return 
 against Grouchy. His movement was very slow, the troops 
 being greatly fatigued, and the roads completely broken up, 
 and full of defiles. His two columns, thirty-one thousand 
 strong, opened the communication, between General Bulow 
 and the English. The former, who was in full retreat, halted. 
 Wellington, who had been in a state of the utmost despair, 
 and seen nothing before him but the prospect. of certain de- 
 feat, now saw his safety. The brigade of English cavalry 
 which was at Ohain rejoined him, as well as a part of the 
 fourth division of flankers of the right. If Marshal Grouchy 
 had passed the night before Wavres, as he should have done, 
 and as he was ordered to do, at night on the 17th, Marshal 
 Blucher would have remained in observation there with all 
 his forces, believing himself pursued by all the French army. 
 If Marshal Grouchy, as he had written in the despatch from 
 his camp at Gembloux, dated two o’clock in the morning, had 
 taken arms at day-break, that is to say, four o’clock in the 
 morning, he would not have arrived:at Wavres in time to 
 stop Bulow’s detachment ; but he would have prevented the 
 three other corps of Marshal Blucher from moving. The 
 victory was still certain; but Marshal Grouchy did not ar- 
 rive before Wavres until half-past four, and did not attack it 
 until six ; it was then too late! The French army, sixty-nine 
 thousand strong, which at seven o’clock in the evening was 
 victorious over an army of one hundred and twenty thousand 
 men, occupied half the field of battle of the Anglo-Belgians, 
 and had repulsed Bulow’s corps, saw the victory snatched 
 from it by the arrival of Marshal. Blucher with: thirty thou- 
 sand six hundred fresh: troops, a.reinforcement, which in- 
 creased the allied army in line to nearly one hundred and 
 fifty thousand men ; that is to say, ina proportion of two and 
 a half against one. 
 
 As soon as Bulow’s attack had been repulsed, the Emperor 
 gave orders to General Drouot, acting Assistant-Major-Ge- 
 neral of the guard, to rally all his men before the farm of La 
 Belle Alliance, where he was with eight battalions ranged in 
 two lines, the remaining eight having marched to support the 
 young guard and defend Pianchenoit. In the mean time, the 
 cavalry, which continued to occupy the position on the low 
 ground, whence it commanded all the field of battle, having 
 perceived the movement of General Bulow, but confiding in 
 the reserves of the guard, which it saw ready to keep that 
 General in check, entertained no alarm, and even loudly 
 
CURIOSSTINS OF NATURES AND ART. i6i 
 
 PPE PLL POE EPEC LA PLDC LEE LLL API LOE LL LLL LL LL LBL LOE BIEL LOL BLL LL DLL EPID OD LOE S CPE AOLODLG OL 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 CPDL DL LCC DOO DDD DOPE DO LID PDO PEO LDP LLL PDL DLO LDS LLL LLLP LID LOL DOL OLE DPD ODD LD OLD DL POLL DODD 
 
 cheered when it saw him repulsed, waiting the arrival of the 
 infantry of the guard to decide the victory; but it felt the 
 greatest astonishment on perceiving the numerous columns of 
 Marshal Blucher arrive. Some regiments made a retrograde 
 movement; the Emperor perceived this. It was of the highest 
 importance to restore firmness to the cavalry ; and seeing that 
 it would take him a quarter of an hour more to rally all his 
 guard, he put himself at the head of four battalions, and ad- 
 vanced on the left, in front of La Haye Sainte, sending aid- 
 de-camps along the whole line, to announce the arrival of 
 Marshal Grouchy, and to say, that, with a little firmness, 
 victory would soon be decided in our favour. General Reille 
 reunited all his corps on the left, in front of the castle of 
 H{ougoumont, and prepared his attack ; it was important that 
 all the guard should engage at once, but the eight other bat- 
 talions were still behind. Influenced by events, seeing the 
 cavalry disconcerted, and that a reserve of infantry was ne- 
 cessary to support it, he ordered General Friant to march 
 with these four battalions of the middle guard, to meet the 
 enemy’s attack; the cavalry recovered itself, and marched 
 forward with its accustomed intrepidity. The four battalions 
 of the guard repulsed alf whom they met; charges of cavalry 
 carried terror into the English ranks. ‘T’en mtfnutes after, the 
 other battalions of the guard arrived; the Emperor ranged 
 them by brigades, two battalions in line and two in column, 
 on the right and left, the second brigade in echelon, which 
 united the advantage of the two orders. ‘The sun was set; 
 General Friant, wounded, passed by at this moment ; he said 
 that all went on well, that the enemy appeared to form a rear- 
 guard to support his retreat, but that he would be entirely 
 broken as soon as the rest of the guard attacked him. For 
 this a quarter of an hour was necessary! it was at this very 
 moment that Marshal Blucher arrived at La Haye, and over- 
 threw the French corps by which it was defended, namely, the 
 fourth division of the first corps ; it fled in disorder, after op- 
 posing a slight resistance. Although it was attacked bya 
 quadruple force, if it had shown the least resolution, thrown 
 itself into the houses, or pierced their ranks, Marshal Blucher 
 would not, as it was night, have had time to force the village 
 
 It was there that the cry Swave qui peut, is said to have been 
 first heard. ‘The opening made, and line broken, by the want 
 of vigour of the troops at La Haye, the enemy’s cavalry in- 
 undated the field of battle. General Bulow marched for- 
 ward; the Count de Lobau shewed great firmness. ‘The 
 crowd soon became so great, that it was necessary to order 
 tie guard, which had formed for an advance, to change its 
 
 Y 
 
162 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PRL SLI LOL IDL ILO POE LIL DOD 
 
 POPOL MO LPL LIL 
 
 PEL OO L DPP AOE LLL LO LOGF LIL ODE OD 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 PEL PIDLE PLE SLE LOL EPLALDOD OS LOL LL FS 
 
 LLL LOPLI 
 
 LLPOLLL LOL LOL BOD LL DELLE ODL 
 
 front. This movement was executed with order: the guard 
 faced about, the left towards La Haye Sainte, and the right 
 towards La Belle Alliance, showing its front to the Prus- 
 sians, and the attack of La Haye; immediately after, each 
 battalion formed a square. The four squadrons on duty 
 charged the Prussians. At that moment the brigade of Eng- 
 lish cavalry which arrived from Ohain, marched forward. 
 ‘These two thousand horse penetrated between General Reille 
 and the guard. The disorder now became dreadful through- 
 out the field of battle; the Emperor had only time to put 
 himself under the protection of one of the squares of the 
 guard. If General Guyot’s division of cavalry of reserve, 
 which followed Kellerman’s cuirassiers to engage the enemy, 
 without an order, had not done so, it would have repulsed 
 this charge, prevented the English cavalry from penetrating 
 on the field of battle, and the foot-guards would then have 
 been able to check the efforts of the enemy, General Bulow 
 marched by his left, always outflanking the field of battle. 
 The night greatly augmented the disorder, and operated as a 
 bar to every thing. Had it been day-light, so that the troops 
 could have seen the Emperor, they would have rallied: 
 whereas nothing could be done in the obscurity of the night. 
 The guard retreated, the fire of the enemy was already but 
 four hundred toises in the rear of the army, and the cause- 
 ways cut off. The Emperor with his staff, remained a long 
 time on a small elevation with the regiments of the guard. 
 Four pieces of cannon which were planted there, kept up a 
 brisk fire on the plain; the last discharge wounded Lord Ux- 
 bridge, General of the English cavalry.. By this time there 
 was no longer a moment to lose; the Emperor could not re- 
 treat, except through the fields: cavalry, artillery, infantry, 
 all were confusedly mmgled together. ‘The staff gained the 
 little town of Genappe, hoping that it might be able to rally 
 a rear-guard there, but the disorder was horrible; all its 
 efforts were made in vain. It was now eleven o’clock: there 
 being no possibility of organising a plan of defence, the Km- 
 peror placed his hopes in Girard’s division, the third of the 
 second corps, which he had left on the field of Ligny, and to 
 which he had sent an order to march on Quatre Bras, to sup- 
 port the retreat. 
 
 Never did the French army fight better than it did on this 
 occasion ; it performed prodigies of valour; and the supe- 
 riority of the troops, infantry, cavalry, and artillery, over the 
 enemy, was such, that had not Blucher arrived with his second 
 corps of Prussians, the victory over the Anglo-Belgian army 
 would hayo been complete, though aided by Bulow’s thirty 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 163 
 
 OLDE PII IE : 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times.—Description of the Indian [chneumon. 
 
 LIP IOI LOOL OF 
 
 ee ee 
 
 LEP LLEDP ERD LED L LE LE LE LOD LEP LE LE LIL LEE DLL LOD DLE PLD PDE LOD OL OLLIE 
 
 thousand Prussians ; that is to say, it would have been gained 
 by sixty-nine thousand men opposed to nearly double their 
 number; for the enemy’s troops in the field, before Blucher’s 
 arrival, amounted to one hundred and twenty thousand men. 
 
 The loss of the Anglo-Belgian army, and that of Bulow’s 
 corps, was much greater during the battle, than on our side ; 
 and. the losses which the French sustained in the retreat, 
 though very considerable, as six thousand of them were made 
 prisoners, did not, when added to it, amount to those sus- 
 tained by the allies during the four days which had elapsed 
 since the commencement of hostilities. ‘The allies, by their 
 own accounts, lost sixty thousand men; viz. eleven thousand 
 three hundred English; three thousand five hundred Hano- 
 verians ; eight thousand Belgians, troops of Nassau, Bruns- 
 wick, &c.: those of the Anglo-Belgian army amounted to 
 twenty-two thousand eight hundred; to which add thirty- 
 eight thousand Prussians: this makes a general total of sixty 
 thousand eight hundred men. The losses of the French, 
 including those sustained during the rout, and till their ar- 
 rival at the gates of Paris, was forty-one thousand men. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 CURIOUS DESCRIPTION OF THE INDIAN ICHNEUMON, THE 
 INVETERATE ENEMY OF SNAKES. 
 
 “THe Indian ichneumon is a small creature, in appearance 
 between a weazel and a mungoose. It is of infinite use to 
 the natives, from its inveterate enmity to snakes, which would 
 otherwise render every footstep of the traveller dangerous. 
 The proofs of sagacity which I have seen in this little animal 
 are truly surprising, and afford a beautiful instance of the 
 wisdom with which Providence has fitted the powers of every 
 animal to its particular situation on the globe. This diminu- 
 tive creature, on seeing a snake ever so large, will instantly 
 dart on it and seize it by the throat, provided he finds himself 
 in an open place, where he has an opportunity of running to 
 a certain herb, which he knows instinctively to be an antidote 
 against the poison of the bite, if he should happen to be bit. 
 I was present at an experiment tried at Columbo, to ascertain 
 the reality of this circumstance. 
 
 “¢'The ichneumon procured for the purpose was first shown 
 the snake in a close room. On being let down to the ground, 
 he did not discover any inclination whatever to attack his 
 enemy, but ran about the room to discover if there was any 
 hole or aperture by which he might get out. On finding none, 
 he returned hastily to his master, and placing himself in his 
 bosom, could not by any means be induced to qui it or face 
 
164 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Extraordinary Self-inflicted Torture practised by Hindoo Fanatics. 
 
 LPP LD DOLE DL DEDELILEOL EDEL IP 
 
 PIP LL ILO GLI LE LLE LOD LOIL GOL IDL DILL E LOD LOL EL OPO DL ODPL DOL DF. 
 
 the snake. On being carried out of the house, however, and 
 laid down near his antagonist in an open place, he instantly 
 flew at the snake, and soon destroyed it. He then suddenly 
 disappeared for a few minutes, and again returned as soon as 
 he had found the herb and eat of it. This useful instinct im- 
 pels the animal to have recourse to the herb on all occasions, 
 where it is engaged with a snake, whether poisonous or not. 
 ‘The one employed in this experiment was of the harmless 
 kind, and provided for the purpose.” , 
 eerie 
 EXTRAORDINARY SELF-INFLICTED TORTURE PRACTISED BY 
 HINDOO FANATICS. 
 
 *¢ A NnumBER of people came near to our gate with drums 
 and dancing, when presently a man had two pieces of bamboo 
 of twenty feet long, and each as thick as a man’s finger; these 
 were passed through his sides, and held at each end by two 
 men, while he danced backwards and forwards in a manner 
 almost frantic, but seemingly insensible to pain. ‘To prevent 
 the violent heat arising from the rubbing of the bamboo in the 
 wounds, a man stood to throw water continually on his sides. 
 This mad practice was continued for an hour at least; and 
 several others, with long spits run through their tongues, 
 which they were continually drawing up and down, stood 
 dancing by his side, to the sound of their horrid music. This 
 was continued through the whole day. 
 
 “‘ ‘To-day the mode of their execrable self-torturing was 
 varied: a large pole was erected, and a bamboo fixed across 
 upon the top, and the poor wretches practised swinging by 
 hooks fixed in the back. I went out to see it, and a man, 
 dressed in a blue cloth like a petticoat, suspended about the 
 height of twenty feet, was swinging rapidly round ; presently 
 they stopped turning the machine, and asked him to come 
 down, which he refused, and insisted upon being whirled 
 round again. I suppose he was thus suspended for half an 
 hour, during which time his looks were perfectly placid and 
 serene, and he rattled a few twigs tied up in a bunch; he 
 then set his feet upon the top of three bamboos. When the 
 cord was unloosed, he descended with the hooks in his back, 
 and came just before me, to show me how they were fastened. 
 When they were drawn out, a man placed his two knees 
 against the wounds, and holding them over the breast, pushed 
 the wounds with his knees in such a manner as almost to dis- 
 locate the shoulder-blades ; a leaf or two being then applied 
 tothem. The hooks were then fixed in another, who ascended 
 the ladder where the cord was fastened, and he underwent 
 the same operation.” 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 165 
 
 AAAPPOPL PL ODI LDL IIT nnrcndonsedaa 
 Account of an Original and Native Exhibition of Hindoo Juggling. 
 
 POP OLD GOO LDDL LOE LDL DOLD LLL DDO LDP LL DL OODLE DOL LOO LOD PDL ODO DODDLE DDE OLE DDE DDO LDE DLE LOL OID 
 
 PL PLO DOL 
 
 ACCOUNT OF AN ORIGINAL AND NATIVE EXHIBITION OF 
 HINDOO JUGGLING. 
 
 “Tue sword used has some resemblance to a common 
 spit in shape, except at the handle, which is merely a part of 
 the blade itself, rounded and elongated into a little rod. It 
 is from twenty-two to twenty-six inches in length, about an 
 inch in breadth, and about one-fifth of an inch in thickness ; 
 the edges and point are blunt, being rounded, and of the same 
 thickness as the rest of the blade: it is of iron or steel, 
 smooth, and a little bright. 
 
 ‘¢ Having been visited by one of these conjurors, I resolved 
 to see clearly his mode of performing this operation ; and for 
 that purpose ordered him to seat himself on the floor of the 
 viranda, and having satisfied myself with respect to the sword, 
 by attempting to bend it, and by striking it against a stone, I 
 firmly grasped it by the handle, and ordered him to proceed. 
 
 “¢ He first took a small phial of oil, and with one of his fin- 
 ‘gers rubbed a little of it over the surface of the instrument, 
 then stretching up his neck as much as possible, and bending 
 himself a little backwards, he introduced the point of it into 
 his mouth, and pushed it gently down his throat, until my 
 hand, which was on the handle, came in contact with his lips. 
 He then made a sign to me with one of his hands to feel the 
 point of the instrument between his breast and navel; which 
 I could plainly do, by bending him a little more backwards, 
 and pressing my fingers on his stomach, he being a very thin 
 and lean fellow. On letting go the handle of the sword, he 
 instantly fixed on it a little machine that spun round, and dis- 
 engaged a small fire-work, which encircling his head with a 
 blue flame, gave him as he then sat, a truly diabolical appear- 
 ance. On withdrawing the instrument, several parts of its 
 surface were covered with blood, which shewed that he was 
 still obliged to use a degree of violence in the introduction. 
 
 ‘¢ J was at first a good deal surprised at this transaction 
 altogether; but when I came to reflect a little upon it, there 
 appeared nothing at all improbable, much less impossible, in 
 the business. He told me, on giving him a trifle, that he had 
 been accustomed from his early years to introduce, at first 
 small elastic instruments down his throat and into his stomach; 
 that by degrees he had used larger ones, until at length he 
 was able to use the present iron sword. 
 
 _ “ As I mentioned before, the greatest flexibility of their 
 joints and muscles, the laxness of their fibres, and their tem- 
 perate mode of life, render them capable of having consider- 
 able violence done to the fleshy parts of their bodies, without 
 
166 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POL LL I 
 
 DOO LOCL ODL DO LPP LOL DID DDL D DD DIG POLLO L LL ELL LE LOL LLL ELE LDL LPO LOS 
 
 Hindoo Juggling.—Providential Punishment of a Murderer in Design. 
 
 POEDPLLEL LPL PLL PDL LLL LLL LLL LLG LOO OLD LLL LLP LOD LLL 
 
 GPLPLLS LLA POL PDL LOO LDID ELLE DL LOR aI 
 
 any danger of inflammation, and other bad effects, which would 
 be produced in the irritable bodies of Europeans. Witness 
 their being whirled round on the point of a pole, suspended 
 by a hook thrust into the fleshy part of their backs, without 
 experiencing any fatal consequences. 
 
 ‘* There is, therefore, no great wonder, if by long habit in 
 stretching up their necks, they are able to bring the different 
 windings of the passage from the mouth to the stomach into.a 
 strait line, or nearly so; and thereby slide down the sword 
 into the latter organ without much difficulty.”’ 
 
 —=1 a 
 
 THE WONDERFUL AND PROVIDENTIAL PUNISHMENT OF A 
 MURDERER IN DESIGN. 
 
 JonaTHAN Braprorp kept an inn in Oxfordshire, on the 
 London road to Oxford, in the year 1736. He bore an un- 
 exceptionable character. Mr. Hayes, a gentleman of fortune, 
 being on his way to Oxford, on a visit to a relation, put up at 
 Bradford’s: he there joined company with two gentlemen, 
 with whom he supped, and in conversation unguardedly men- 
 tioned that he had then about him a large sum of money. In 
 due time they retired to their respective chambers; the gentle- 
 men toa two-bedded room, leaving (as is customary with many) 
 a candle burning in the chimney corner. Some hours after they 
 were in bed, one of the gentlemen being awake, thought he 
 heard a deep groan in the adjoining chamber, and this being 
 repeated, he softly awakened his friend. They listened toge- 
 ther, and the groans increasing as of one dying, they both in- 
 stantly arose, and proceeded silently to the door of the next 
 chamber, from whence they heard the groans; and the door 
 being a-jar, saw a light in the room; they entered, but it is 
 impossible to paint their consternation on perceiving a person 
 weltering in his blood in the bed, and a man standing over 
 him, with a dark lanthorn in one hand and a knife in the 
 other. The man seemed as petrified as themselves, but his 
 terror carried with it all the terror of guilt. The gentlemen 
 soon discovered the person was the stranger with whom they 
 had that night supped, and that the man who was standin 
 over him was their host. They seized Bradford directly, 
 disarmed him of his knife, and charged him with being the 
 murderer; he assumed by this time the air of innocence, 
 positively denied the crime, and asserted that he came there 
 with the same humane intention as themselves ; for that hear- 
 ing a noise, which was succeeded by a groaning, he got out 
 of bed, struck a light, armed himself with a knife for his de- 
 fence, and was but that minute entered the room before them. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 167 
 
 PLEO DOLD I PD DOL OLA DAD DOLL ELD DEP OLEL LOLOL DDL DL ODOL OE L OODLE DD DL ED BOLI DDD DLE DLE PIO LODP OP DEP 
 
 The Wonderful and Providential Punishment of a Murderer in Design. 
 
 PPI D PIO LD D LOL DDE LED LAO ELE LODLLDE ODL ELD LODE LOE LS OL 
 
 PLIPL OD LLL DLL LOD LLL DLL LDL 
 
 These assertions were of little avail; he was kept in close 
 custody till the morning, and then taken before a neighbour- 
 ing justice of the peace. Bradford still denied the murder, 
 but nevertheless with such an apparent indication of guilt, 
 that the justice hesitated not to make use of this extraordinary 
 expression on writing out his mittimus: ‘“ Mr. Bradford, 
 either you or myself committed this murder.” 
 
 This extraordinary affair was the conversation of the whole 
 country. Bradford was tried and condemned over and over 
 again in every company. In the midst of all this predetermi- 
 nation came on the Assizes at Oxford; Bradford was brought 
 to trial, he pleaded not guilty. Nothing could be more strong 
 than the evidence of the two gentlemen: they testified to the 
 _ finding Mr. Hayes murdered in his bed; Bradford at the side 
 of the body with a light anda knife; that knife, and the hand 
 which held it, bloody ; that on their entering the room, he 
 betrayed all the signs of a guilty man, and that a few moments 
 preceding, they had heard the groans of the deceased. 
 
 Bradford’s defence on his trial was the same as before the 
 gentlemen: he had heard a noise; he suspected some villany 
 transacting ; he struck a light; he snatched a knife (the only 
 weapon near him) to defend himself; and the terrors he dis- 
 covered were merely the terrors of humanity, the natural 
 effects of innocence as well as guilt, on beholding such a hor- 
 rid scene. 
 
 This defence, however, could be considered but as weak; 
 contrasted with several powerful circumstances against him. 
 Never was circumstantial evidence more strong. ‘There was 
 little need left of comment from the judge in summing up the 
 evidence. No room appeared for extenuation; and the jury 
 brought in the prisoner guilty, even without going out of the 
 box. Bradford was executed shortly after, still declaring he 
 was not the murderer, nor privy to the murder of Mr. Hayes; 
 but he died disbelieved by all. 
 
 Yet were those assertions not untrue; the murder was 
 actually committed by Mr. Hayes’s footman, who, immediately 
 on stabbing his master, rifled his breeches of his money, gold 
 watch, and snuff-box, and escaped to his own room, which 
 could have been, from the after circumstances, scarcely two 
 seconds before Bradford’s entering the unfortunate gentle- 
 man’s chamber. ‘The world owes this knowledge to a remorse 
 of conscience in the footman (eighteen months after the exe- 
 cution of Bradford) on a bed of sickness ; it was a death-bed 
 repentance, and by that death the law lost its victim. 
 
 It is much to be wished that this account could close here, 
 but it cannot. Bradford, though innocent, and not privy to 
 
168 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LOL SE POL OL OOO LOL LOD LOO LEP LOO LODE DD DOP LOL IDO PLO DLE LLP LOO OLE LG ELE EDDD LOE OL OLID DLODLP 
 
 Punishment of a Murderer in Design.—Fingal’s Cave; a Subterraneous Wonder. 
 
 LL LLL LLL LEP LE DLE LE LEE DLE LOL OLDE LED LEE OLDE ODE ALE PLE BEE DLE DLE DLE LE LE DE LLL EDEL LD DDD LLL DOP 
 
 the murder, was nevertheless the murderer in design. He 
 had heard, as well as the footman, what Mr. Hayes had de- 
 clared at supper, as to his having a large sum of money about 
 him, and he went to the chamber with the same diabolical in- 
 tentions as the servant. He was struck with amazement; he 
 could not believe his senses; and in turning back the. bed- 
 clothes to assure himself of the fact, he, in his agitation, 
 dropped his knife on the bleeding body, by which both his 
 hand and the knife became bloody. These circumstances 
 Bradford acknowledged to the clergyman who attended him 
 after his sentence. | 
 
 =o 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE GRAND STAFFA CAVERN}; OR, FINGAL’S 
 
 CAVE. 
 
 By Sir Joseph Banks. 
 
 By far the best description of this very extraordinary fea- 
 ture of the most wonderful island of the. Hebrides, the whole 
 of which constitutes as singular and romantic a spot as is any 
 where to be found, has been given by Sir Joseph Banks, from 
 whose account we extract the following particulars. 
 
 “ STaFFa, about seven miles N.N.E. of Jona, and equi- 
 distant westward from the shores of Mull, about one mile in 
 length, and half a mile in breadth, is noted for the basaltic 
 pillars which support the major part of the island, and for the 
 magnificent spectacle afforded by the Cave of Fingal, one of 
 the most splendid works of nature. 
 
 * Notwithstanding the contiguity of this island to Mull 
 and Jona, and the numerous vessels which navigate these 
 seas, this wonderful island was unknown to the world in ge- 
 neral, and even to most of the neighbouring islanders, until 
 near the close of the last century, when Sir Joseph, then on 
 his voyage to Iceland, in consequence of information received 
 in the Sound of Jona from some gentlemen of Mull, was in- 
 duced to sail thither. It is, indeed, slightly mentioned by 
 Buchanan ; but assuredly was not equally dead to fame at the 
 time the Norwegians had sway in these parts; for from them 
 it derives its name of Staffa. 
 
 “‘ Thebasaltic pillars stand in natural colonnades, mostly 
 above fifty feet high, in the south-western part, upon a firm 
 basis of solid unshapen rock ; above these, the stratum, which 
 reaches to the soil of the island, varies in thickness, In pro- 
 portion to the distribution of the surface into hill and valley. 
 The pillars are of three, four, and more sides; but the num- 
 ber of those with five and six exceeds that of the others; one 
 of sevén sides, measured by Sir Joseph, was four feet five 
 inches in diameter , 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATUBE AND ART, 169 
 
 LS POPDPIDP LPO GO IIOP DDOGCOOOSS O40 
 Fin al’s Cave , ee Subterraneous W onder . 
 A ? 
 
 PRE PGP PLL FPL POD. PLO PDF 
 
 PIP PID LOD PDP EP OE LOL DDE PLE SDE DLP LED 4 LOCPOP 
 
 ‘¢ On the west side of Staffa is a small bay, the spot where 
 boats usually land. In this neighbourhood occurs the first 
 group of pillars; they are small, and instead of being placed 
 upright, are recumbent on their sides, and form a segment of 
 acircle. Further on is a small cave, above which pillars 
 again are seen, of somewhat larger dimensions, which incline 
 in all directions ; in one place in particular, a small mass of 
 them much resembles the ribs of a ship. . Beyond the cave is 
 the first continued range of pillars, larger than the former, 
 and opposite to them is a small island called Bhuachaile, (pro- 
 nounced Boo-sha-’lay,) or the Herdsman’s Isle, separated from 
 the main by a channel not many fathoms wide. ‘The whole of 
 this islet is composed of pillars without any strata above 
 them ; they are small, but by much the neatest formed of any 
 in this quarter. 
 
 “‘ Phe first division of this islet, for at high water it is 
 divided into two parts, makes a kind of cone, the pillars con- 
 verging together towards the centre. On the other side, the 
 pillars are in general recumbent; and in the front, next the 
 main, the beautiful manner in which they are joined is visible 
 from their even extremities; all these have their transverse 
 sections exact, and their surfaces smooth ; but with the larger 
 pillars the reverse is the case, and they are cracked in all 
 directions. 
 
 **’The main island opposite the Boo-sha-’lay, and thence 
 towards the north-west, is entirely supported by ranges of 
 pillars, pretty erect, which, although not apparently tall, from 
 their not being uncovered to the base, are of large diameter ; 
 at their feet is an irregular pavement, made by the upper sides 
 of such as have been broken off. This extends as far under 
 the water as the eye can reach. | 
 
 “In proceeding along the shore, the superb cavern of 
 Fingal appears, for such is the denomination given it by the 
 Highlanders, to whom it is known. It is supported on each 
 side by ranges of columns, and is roofed by the bottoms of 
 such as have been broken away. From the interstices of the 
 roof a yellow stalactitic matter has exuded, which precisely 
 defines the different angles ; and varying the colour, tends to 
 augment the elegance of its appearance. What adds to the 
 grandeur of the scene, the whole cave is lighted from without, 
 in such a manner, that the farthest extremity is plainly distin- 
 guished ; while the air within, being constantly in motion, 
 Owing to the flux and reflux of the tides, is perfectly dry and 
 wholesome, and entirely exempt from the damp vapours to 
 which natural caverns are generally subject. The following 
 “a dimensions : 
 
 z 
 
170 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LOI PIDP LO LOD LED LOD LOO LIE GDL LDP DOLD LOE DLO L LE ODOLISD LEG OIG 
 
 Fingai’s Cave; a Subterraneous Wonder. 
 
 LIL LPO LEP L LOLOL LED DOLL RL LE LOL DOF PLL ELE LOD ELLE LE LE LL OL DO LDEP 
 
 DOP Pee POLIS SO POO LO. 
 
 PLPPL IDOL LOL ODS 
 
 Feet. Inch. 
 
 Length of the cave from the rock without .... 371 6 
 from the pitch of the arch.. 250 O 
 
 Breadth of ditto at the mouth................ 53 .7 
 at the farther end ......... my 20 
 
 Height of the arch at the mouth.............. 117 6 
 at the end......... oes Cre 70 O 
 
 Height of an outside pillar ................-. 39 6 
 one at the north-west corner........ 54 0 
 
 Depth of water at the mouth ................ 18 0 
 at the extremity.........0.0.- 9 0 
 
 “'The cave runs to the rock in the direction by compass 
 N.N.E. 
 
 “‘'The mind can hardly form an idea more magnificent than 
 such a space. And, indeed, speaking of the general aspect of 
 Staffa, Sir Joseph is led by his enthusiasm to make the follow- 
 ing reflections: ‘ Compared to this, what are the cathedrals 
 or the palaces built by man! mere models or playthings, imi- 
 tations as diminutive as such works will always be when com- 
 pared to those of Nature. Where is now the boast of the 
 architect ! regularity, the only part in which he fancied him- 
 self to exceed his mistress, Nature, is here found in her pos- 
 session, and here it has been left undescribed for ages. Is 
 not this the school where the art was originally studied? And 
 what has been added to this by the whole Grecian school? A 
 capital to ornament the column of Nature, of which they could 
 execute a model only; and for that very capital they were 
 obliged to a bush of Acanthus. How amply does Nature re- 
 pay those who study her wonderful works.’ 
 
 ‘¢ Such were his feelings, and in this way did he moralize, 
 when, proceeding along shore, and treading, as it were, on 
 another Giant’s Causeway, he arrived at the mouth of the 
 cave. 
 
 ‘¢ To the north-west are found the highest range of pillars. 
 Here they are bare to their base, and the stratum beneath is 
 visible, as it rises several feet above the water. The surface 
 of it is rough, with frequent large pieces of stone sticking in 
 it, as if half immersed. The base, when broken, appears to 
 be composed of many heterogeneous parts, and much resem- 
 bles lava. Many of the floating stones.are of a similar sub- 
 stance with the pillars, a coarse basaltes, less beautiful than 
 that of the Giant’s Causeway: the colour is a dirty brown. 
 The whole of this stratum dips gradually to the south-east, 
 
 “The thickness of the stratum of lava-like matter below 
 the pillars, the height of the pillars, and the thickness of the 
 superincumbent stratum at three different places westward of 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 171 
 
 POF 
 
 PPPL OLD LOEPDPLLDPGLLOCOLIS 
 
 PIP PPI ODL BOGDOP 
 Fiugal’s Cave; a Subterraneous Wonder.—Remarkable Escape from Death. 
 
 LIF 
 
 GIS LIS. 
 
 PLL L LD LOD LEL LLD LLL DOP LL DLE PSL OO LOD LOL PDO LOLOL OS PIL LOLI LDL DOP ODL LLLP 
 
 the mouth of the cave, beginning with the corner pillar of the 
 cave, are described as under by Sir Joseph Banks. 
 Feet. In. Feet. In; Feet. In. 
 Stratum below............ 11 0 17 1 19 8 
 Height of pillars .......... 54 0 50 O is ae 
 Stratum above............ 61 6 OUR, Oneie 
 
 “‘ The stratum above the columns is uniformly the same, — 
 consisting of numberless small pillars, bending and inclining 
 in all directions, sometimes so irregularly, that the stones can 
 only be said to have an inclination to assume a column form; 
 in others more regularly ; but never breaking into, or disturb- 
 ing the stratum of large pillars, whose tops keep every where 
 an uniform line. On the opposite side of the island is a 
 cavern, called Oua-na-scarve, or the Cormorant’s Cave; here 
 the stratum under the pillars is lifted up very high, and the 
 pillars are considerably less than at the north-west side. 
 Beyond, a bay cuts deep into the island, rendering it not more 
 than a quarter of a mile across. On the sides of this bay, 
 especially beyond a little valley, which almost divides the 
 island, are two stages of small pillars, with a stratum between, 
 exactly resembling that above, formed of innumerable little 
 pillars shaken out of their places, and leaning in all direc- 
 tions. Beyond this, the pillars totally cease. ‘The rock is of 
 a dark-brown stone, without regularity, from the hay along 
 the south-east end of the island; beyond which, a disposition 
 to columnar formation is again manifested, extending from 
 the west side, but in an irregular manner, to the bending pil- 
 lars first described.” 
 
 ; ee 
 REMARKABLE ESCAPE FROM DEATH. 
 
 Tue following example of escape from apparently inevita- 
 ble death is so singular, that it deserves to be recorded, and 
 cannot but be acceptable to our readers. 
 
 “‘ In the attack of Manilla, by Sir William Draper, in the 
 year 1762, Captain Richard Bishop, of the marines, greatly 
 distinguished himself by his intrepidity and professional know- 
 ledge ; in consequence of which, he was by that General 
 made Governor of the town and fort of Cavite, the principal 
 port in the island of Lugonia. At this time there was, in the 
 neighbourhood, a Malay of extraordinary bulk and strength, 
 and of the most ferocious disposition, who had formerly worked 
 in the dock yard, but had deserted; and having collected 
 nearly a hundred men of like characters with himself, com- 
 mitted every species of lawless violence on the persons and 
 property of the peaceable inhabitants. For the apprehension 
 
72 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOO LPL POP LIED ODO PIPL LOD LD ELIE LOD LOD PLEO POEL DD LOD LOL LODE POP LOD DOPE ODO LLG BLP L LE POPDIP BOG ODD 
 Remarkable Escape from Death. 
 PLOLLEL LDL LEP LLG LOE POO LOL IDL POP 
 
 PLP LOFP LOOP LOS PLOLOE PLOLECPLELOOLOA 
 
 of this man, Captain Bishop had long offered considerable re- 
 wards, but without effect; when one day riding out with a 
 brother officer, attended by about forty men, he saw this des- 
 perado, armed with a carbine, a brace of pistols, a scymitar, 
 and a dagger, issue out of a wood at a short distance, at the 
 head of his troop. Instigated by a sudden emotion of resent- 
 ment, Bishop determined to inflict on this man the just punish- 
 ment of his offences; but being himself without weapons, he 
 borrowed a pistol from the holsters of the officer who accom- 
 panied him. ‘Thus provided he galloped up to the Malay, 
 and presented the pistol to his head. ‘The Malay and his fol- 
 lowers, confounded at this bold act of asingle man, offered no 
 resistance. ‘The pistol missed fire, on which Bishop, striking 
 the Malay with it a violent blow on the head, knocked him 
 off his horse ; in the meanwhile, the English troop, hastening 
 to the assistance of their leader, and concluding him to be 
 fully equal to cope with his fallen antagonist, pursued the 
 banditti, who immediately fled, and both parties were soon 
 out of sight. All this was the work only of a few seconds ; 
 during which, Bishop, seeing the Malay stunned on the ground, 
 alighted in order to secure him, or, if necessary, to kill him 
 with one of his own weapons. _ No sooner, however, was he 
 off his horse, than the Malay was on his feet, and began a 
 desperate struggle with his rash assailant. It was the busi- 
 ness of the former merely to employ his own offensive wea- 
 pons ; the latter had the double necessity of defeating their 
 use, and applying them to his own use and advantage. ‘The 
 Malay was singularly strong and active, inured to hard labour, 
 and exerting himself in his own native climate: the English- 
 man of much less muscular force, and that reduced by long 
 privations, and by the influence of excessive heat; but the 
 disparity was in a considerable degree compensated by the 
 energy of an invincible mind. This contest for life continued 
 for almost an hour, when at length Bishop, almost fainting 
 with fatigue, was thrown on his back, and the Malay, kneel- 
 ing on him, drew his dagger, and, with all his force, aimed at 
 his breast the fatal blow. At that moment, Bishop, exerting 
 his last remains of strength, with both hands averted the point 
 of the dagger as it descended, and changing its direction, 
 drove it upwards into the throat of the ferocious Malay, who 
 immediately fell down dead upon him. 
 
 ‘¢ Bishop, unable to walk, crawled on his hands and knees 
 to his horse, which he found grazing at the distance of a quar- 
 ter of a mile, near the spot where the contest first began. He 
 mounted him with difficulty, and was soon afterwards happily 
 joined by his friends, who had chased their opponents into 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 173 
 
 PII LOM. 
 
 LOL LED DLE LE OLDE LAER 
 
 Remarkable Escape from Death.—Description of the City of Pekin, in China. 
 
 LIP AIS. 
 
 PIL. 
 
 PIL LEP PIC LEP PODDIS. LIL LIF 
 
 some dangerous passes, and returned not without solicitude 
 for the fate of their courageous commander, whom they had 
 so long left. 
 
 “¢ ‘The victor carried away the spoils of his enemy, part of 
 which was the fatal dagger and the scymitar. Looking to the 
 subsequent history of this gallant officer, we learn with deep 
 regret, that he was lost on board his Majesty’s ship the Thun- 
 derer, commanded by Commodore Walsingham, in the great 
 hurricane which occurred in the West Indies in the year 
 1780.” i} : 
 
 —=___— 
 INTERESTING DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF PEKIN IN 
 CHINA. 
 
 *¢ Although the approach to Pekin afforded little that was 
 interesting, we had no sooner passed the gate and opened out 
 the broad street, than a very singular and novel appearance 
 was exhibited. We saw before usa line of buildings on each 
 side of a wide street, consisting entirely of shops and ware- 
 houses, the particular goods of which were brought out and 
 displayed in groupes in front of the houses. Before these 
 were generally erected large wooden pillars, whose tops were 
 much higher than the eaves of the houses, bearing inscriptions 
 in gilt characters, setting forth the nature of the wares to be 
 sold, and the honest reputation of the seller; and, to attract 
 the more notice, they were generally hung with various co- 
 loured flags, and streamers, and ribbons, from top to bottom, 
 exhibiting the appearance of a line of shipping dressed, as we 
 sometimes see them, in the colours of all the different nations 
 in Europe. ‘The sides of the houses were not less brilliant in 
 the several colours with which they were painted, consisting 
 generally of sky-blue or green, mixed with gold; and what 
 appeared to us singular enough, the articles for sale that 
 made the greatest show were coffins for the dead. The most 
 splendid of our coffin furniture would make but a poor figure, 
 if placed beside that intended for a wealthy Chinese. These 
 machines are seldom less than three inches thick, and twice 
 the bulk of ours. Next to those, our notice was attracted by 
 the brilliant appearance of the funeral biers and the marriage 
 cars, both covered with ornamental canopies. 
 
 “‘ At the four points where the great streets intersect one 
 another, were erected those singular buildings, sometimes of 
 stone, but generally of wood, which have been called trium- 
 phal arches, but which in fact are monuments to the memory 
 of those who had deserved well of the community, or who had 
 attained an unusual longevity. They consist invariably of a 
 Jarge central gateway, with a smaller one on each side, all 
 
174 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PEOPLE LOL POP LBLIPL DIE LEL PDE OPOGE 
 
 PPLIL PLD LOIL 
 
 Interesting Description of the City of Pekin, in China. 
 
 LLLELLD POP DOD LOPE 
 
 LIL. LIPO LOLLPDLDEO LEO LDL LDL 
 
 POE LDL LOEOLED DDE LIF 
 
 covered with narrow roofs; and, like the houses, they are 
 painted, varnished, and gilt in the most splendid manner. 
 
 “The multitude of moveable workshops of tinkers and bar- 
 bers, coblers and blacksmiths; the tents and booths where tea 
 and fruit, rice, and other eatables, were exposed for sale, with 
 wares and merchandise arrayed before the doors, had con- 
 tracted this spacious street to a narrow road in the middle, 
 just wide enough for two of our little vehicles to pass each 
 other. The cavalcade of officers and soldiers that preceded 
 the embassy, the processions of men in office, attended by 
 their numerous retinues, bearing umbrellas and flags, painted 
 lanterns, and a variety of strange insignia of their rank and 
 station, different trains that were accompanying, with lamen- 
 table cries, corpses to their graves, and with squalling music, 
 brides to their husbands, the troops of dromedaries laden with | 
 coals from Tartary, the wheel-barrows and hand-carts stuffed 
 with vegetables, occupied nearly the whole of this middle space ' 
 in one continued line, leaving very little room for the cavalcade 
 of the embassy to pass. All was in motion. The sides of the 
 street were filled with an immense concourse of people, buy- 
 ing and selling and bartering their different commodities. 
 The hurry and confused noises of this mixed multitude, pro- 
 ceeding from the loud bawling of those who were crying their 
 wares, the wrangling of others, with every now and then a 
 strange twanging noise like the jarring of a cracked Jews’ 
 harp, the barber’s signal made by his tweezers, the mirth and 
 the laughter that prevailed in every groupe, could scarcely be 
 exceeded by the brokers in the Bank rotunda, or by the Jews 
 and old women in Rosemary Lane. Pedlars with their packs, 
 and jugglers, and conjurors, and fortune-tellers, mountebanks 
 and quack doctors, comedians and musicians, left no space un- 
 occupied. The Tartar soldiers, with their whips, kept with 
 difficulty a clear passage for the embassy to move slowly for- 
 ward ; so slow indeed, that although we entered the eastern 
 gate at half-past nine, it was near twelve before we entered 
 the western. 
 
 ‘¢ Although an extraordinary crowd might be expected to 
 assemble on such a particular occasion, on the same principle 
 of curiosity as could not fail to attract a crowd of spectators 
 in London, vet there was a most remarkable and striking dif- 
 ference observable between a London and a Pekin popu- 
 lace; in the former, the whole attention and soul of the mul- 
 titude would have been wrapt up in the novel spectacle ; all 
 would have been idlers. In Pekin, the show was but an ac- 
 cessary, every one pursued his business, at the same time he 
 gratified his curiosity. In fact, it appeared, that on every 
 
GUBICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 175 
 
 POLLO e BLIP DL EE DLP LOL LPL LDL DOP LOD LGD LOL BEOL DLL DDL LOL LO LID PLE LES BRE PBS PGI 
 
 Description of the City of Pekin, in China.—Spectre of the Brocken Mountain, 
 
 LAD LOL DOF 
 
 SLI PIL GLO DDS LOL EDEL LOL DP LDPE LOL PLEO LID LID LLL DLS BOLD DE LIF. 
 
 POF 
 
 day throughout the whole year, there was the same noise and 
 bustle and crowd in the capital of China. I scarcely ever 
 passed the western gate, (which happened twice or oftener in 
 the week) that I had not to wait a considerable time before 
 the passage was free, particularly in the morning, notwith- 
 standing the exertions of two or three soldiers with their 
 whips to clear the way. The crowd, however, was entirely 
 confined to the great streets, which are the only outlets of the 
 city. In the cross lanes all was still and quiet.” 
 
 —= 
 SPECTRE OF THE BROCKEN MOUNTAIN. 
 
 Tis is one of the most curious and interesting atmosphe- 
 rical phenomena, or deceptions, which produces the most im- 
 pressive effects, and which, under peculiar circumstances, 
 assume the character of the horrible and alarming. Of this 
 description of natural objects, there is none, perhaps, posses- 
 sing equal claims to our wonder and admiration as the SPECTRE 
 OF THE Brocken, an aerial figure which is sometimes seen 
 among the Hartz mountains in Hanover. This phenomenon 
 has been witnessed by various travellers, and among them, 
 M. Haue, ascientific traveller, from whose relation the follow- 
 ing particulars are extracted: 
 
 ‘* Having ascended the Brocken Mountain, (says he,) for 
 the thirtieth time, I was at length so fortunate as to have the 
 pleasure of seeing this interesting phenomenon. The sun rose 
 about four o’clock in great splendour, and the atmosphere 
 being quite serene towards the east, its rays could pass*with- 
 out any obstruction over the Heirwichshodhe Mountain in the 
 south-west, although towards the mountain Achtermannshohe, 
 a brisk west wind carried before it thin transparent vapours. 
 About a quarter past four, I looked round to see whether the 
 atmosphere would permit me to have a free prospect to the 
 south-west, when I observed at a very great distance towards 
 the Achtermannshohe, a human figure of tremendous size! ap- 
 parently a quarter of a mile in stature! a feeling of terror and 
 astonishment oppressed me, under which a person of weaker 
 nerves might well have sunk, but I was relieved by an acci- 
 dental circumstance. A violent gust of wind having almost 
 carried away my hat, I clapped my hand to it, and in moving 
 my arm towards my head, the colossal figure did the same! 
 The pleasure which I felt at this discovery can hardly be des- 
 cribed; for I had already walked many a weary step in the 
 hope of seeing this shadowy image, without being able to gra- 
 tify my curiosity, or form any distinct idea of it. I imme- 
 diately made another movement, by bending my body, and 
 
176 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART., 
 
 GOO L DE POPP LOE LOD IOP. PLP DLE PLOLPOL EOP LIOPGEPBLE OL PLO BOE LOO L LOO LOG LOG OPOLISOGOO DO 
 
 Spectre of the Brocken Mountain.—Pear! Fisheries of the Island of Ceylon. 
 
 PRL LLL LOL PLL DOD? 
 
 LPOLLLE LIS LID OP 
 
 LIS 
 
 PLIL IL DLE LDL LO? -~OF 
 
 SLI 
 
 the colossal figure before me repeated it. I was desirous of 
 doing the same thing once more, but my colossal friend had 
 vanished. I remained in the same position, waiting to see 
 whether it would return ; and in a few minutes it again made 
 its appearance on the Achtermannshche. I then called the 
 landlord of the neighbouring inn; and having both taken the 
 position which I had taken alone, we looked towards the 
 Achtermannshohe, but did not perceive any thing. We had 
 not, however, stood long, when two such colossal figures were 
 formed over the above eminence, which repeated their com- 
 pliments by bending their bodies as we did, after which they 
 vanished. We retained our position, kept our eyes fixed on 
 the spot, and ina little time the two figures again stood before 
 us, and were joined by a third; (that of a traveller who then 
 came up and joined the party.) Every movement made by us, 
 -hese figures imitated ; but with this difference, that the phe- 
 nomenon was sometimes weak and faint, sometimes strong 
 and well defined.” 
 eee 
 DESCRIPTION -OF THE PEARL FISHERIES OF THE 
 ISLAND! OF CEYLON. 
 
 Dvurine the season, all the boats regularly sail and return 
 together. A signal gun is fired at Arrippo, about ten o’clock 
 at night, when the whole fleet sets sail with the land breeze. 
 They reach the banks before day break; and, at sun-rise, 
 commence fishing. In this they continue busily employed till 
 the sea breeze, which arises about noon, warns them to return 
 to the bay. As soon as they appear within sight, another 
 gun is fired, and the colours hoisted, to inform the anxious 
 owners of their return. When the boats come to land, their 
 cargoes are immediately taken out, as it is necessary to have 
 them completely unloaded before night. Whatever may have 
 been the success of their boats, the owners seldom wear the 
 looks of disappointment; for, although they may have been 
 unsuccessful one day they look with the most complete as- 
 surance of better fortune on the next; as the Brahmins and 
 conjurors, whom they implicitly trust, in defiance of experience, 
 understand too well the liberality of a man in hopes of good 
 fortune, not to promise them all they can desire. Each of 
 the boats carries twenty men, with a tindal or chief boatman, 
 who acts as pilot. ‘Ten of the men row and assist the divers 
 in re-ascending: the other ten are divers; they go down into 
 the sea by five at a time; when the first five come up, the 
 other five go down; and by this method of alternately diy- 
 ing, they give each other time to recruit themselves for a 
 fresh plunge. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 177 
 
 POL PIL OL L DLL DLL DLE DOF 
 
 PPL LIST 
 
 Pearl Fisheries of the Island of Ceylon. 
 
 LOLI IL ILI LLL LOL LOD PED ODEO DEF 
 
 Pe 
 
 Sad 
 
 LLLP LL LPL LOL DOLD LLPLDL LD LOO LOL LOL LDL LIE OLD LEP 
 
 In order to accelerate the descent of the divers, large stones 
 are employed, five of which are brought in each boat for the 
 purpose; they are ofareddish granite, common in this country, 
 and of a pyramidical shape, round at top and bottom, with a 
 hole perforated through the smaller end sufficient to admit a 
 rope. Some of the divers use a stone shaped like a half-moon, 
 which they fasten round their body when they mean to de- 
 scend, and thus keep their feet free. 
 
 These people are accustomed to dive from their very in- 
 fancy, and fearlessly descend to the bottom in from four to 
 ten fathom water, in search of the oysters. ‘The diver, when 
 he is about to plunge, seizes the rope, to which one of the 
 stones we have described is attached, with the toes o“ his right 
 foot, while he takes hold of a bag of net-work wii\ those of 
 his left, it being customary among all Indians to use tir toes 
 in working or holding, as well as their fingers; and :uch is 
 the power of habit, that they can pick up even the su.allest 
 thing from the ground with their toes as nimbly as an §uro- 
 pean could with his fingers. The diver thus prepared, ses 
 another rope with his right hand, and holding his nostrils shut 
 with his left, plunges into the water, and by the assistance of 
 the stone, speedily reaches the bottom. He then hangs the 
 net round his neck, and with much dexterity and all possible 
 dispatch, collects as many oysters as he can while he is able 
 to remain under water, which is usually about two minutes. 
 He then resumes his former position, makes a signal to those 
 above by pulling the rope in his right hand, and is imme- 
 diately by this means drawn up and brought into the boat, 
 leaving the stone to be pulled up afterwards by the rope at- 
 tached to it. 
 
 The exertion during this process is so violent, that upon 
 being brought into the boat, the divers discharge water from 
 their mouth, ears, and nostrils, and frequently even blood. 
 But this does not hinder them from going down in their turn. 
 
 They will often make from forty to fifty plunges in one day, 
 and at each plunge bring up about one hundred oysters. 
 Some rub their bodies over with oil, and stuff their ears and 
 noses to prevent the water from entering, while others use no 
 precautions whatever. Although the usual time of remaining 
 under water does not much exceed two minutes, yet there are 
 instances known of divers who could remain four and even 
 five minutes, which was the case with a Caffree boy the last 
 year I visited the fishery. The longest instance ever known 
 was that of a diver who came from Anjango, in 1797, and who 
 absolutely remained under water full six minutes 
 a As soon as the oysters are taken out of the boats they are 
 
 . 2A 
 
178  CURZOSITINS or MATURE AND ART. 
 PP EV APL L IPE PLO LED LOE LI OG OUD ODO LOE DODO LEE PLD PELE LOD PDE LOE LOC PDE PEOP LAE ELD LDS POE LOE GPDOGCDP 
 
 Pearl Fisheries of the Island of Ceylon.—History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 LIP LOL ELL LDOL LL EGLO DEL ODL DE LODLIE 
 
 SOP LOL LIL LOD OL LL OIL IEE DD LOAD LLDEL DOLD LE LOL LE LLL 
 
 carried to the different people to whom they belong, and 
 placed in holes or pits dug in the ground to the depth of two 
 feet, or in small square places cleared and fenced round for the 
 purpose; each person having his own separate division. Mats 
 are spread below them to prevent the oysters from touching 
 the earth, and here they are left to die and rot. As soon as 
 they have passed through a state of putrifaction, and have be- 
 come dry, they are easily opened without injuring the pearls; 
 which might be the case if they were opened fresh, as at that 
 time to do so requires great force. On the shell being opened, 
 the oyster is minutely examined for the pearls; it is usual even 
 to boil the oyster, as the pearl, though commonly found in 
 wee is not unfrequently contained in the body of the fish 
 itself. 
 
 eee act t eed 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 
 [ Continued from page 151. | 
 
 “* "Pue cause had been carried on with a spirit and expedi- 
 tion that had no precedent in the courts of Spain, and the 
 fourth day was fixed on for a final hearing and termination of 
 the cause. The day dawned, and at the dawn of day Wal- 
 berg arose, and walked for some hours before the gates of the 
 hall of justice, and when they were opened, he entered and 
 sat down mechanically on a seat in the vacant hall, with the 
 same look of profound attention and anxious interest that he 
 would have assumed had the court been seated and the cause 
 about to be decided. After a few moments pause, he sighed, 
 started, and appearing to awake from a dream, quitted his 
 seat, and walked up and down the empty passages till the 
 court was prepared to sit. 
 
 “The court met early that day, and the cause was power- 
 fully advocated. Walberg sat on one seat, without ever 
 changing his place, till all was over; it was then late in the 
 evening, he had taken no refreshment the entire day, he 
 had never changed his place, and he had never changed 
 the close and corrupted atmosphere of the crowded court for 
 a moment. Quid mulits morer2 The chance of a heretic 
 stranger, against the interests of churchmen in Spain, may be 
 calculated by the most shallow capacity. 
 
 “ The family had all that day sat in the innermost room of 
 their humble dwelling. Everhard had wished to accompany 
 his father to the court; his mother withheld him. The sisters 
 lavoluntarily dropt their work from time to time, and their 
 mother gently reminded them of the necessity of renewing it. 
 
 ‘They did resume 3st hut their hands, at variance with their 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 179 
 
 LOOP OL LPPLOLGEPPDDGGEC GGG SS 1 wx 
 
 DPRSEPFPI OLD PIS IL IG IF LDIGI LES 
 Interesting History of Don Gusman’s Family. 
 
 CPO LOPLOEPL DEP PDD LOLOL DD PDD DLO. COLO L OLD LIF PLE LDL O POL ELE PEDO DLE BPI LOL PLE LBD LOL OLE LDP 
 
 feelings, made such blunders, that their mother removed their 
 work, and suggested to them some active employment in 
 household affairs. While they were thus engaged, evening 
 came on; the family from time to time suspended their ordi- 
 nary occupations, and crowded to the window to watch the 
 return of their father. ‘Their mother no longer interfered ; 
 she sat in silence, and this silence formed a strong contrast to 
 the restless impatience of her children. ‘ That is my father !’ 
 exclaimed the voices of the four at once, as a figure crossed 
 the street. ‘ That is not my father,’ they repeated, as the 
 figure slowly retired. A knock was heard at the door; Ines 
 herself rushed forward to open it. A figure retreated, ad- 
 vanced again, and again retreated. ‘Then it seemed to rush 
 past her, and enter the house like a shadow. In terror she 
 followed it, and with terror unutterable saw her husband 
 kneeling among his children, who in vain attempted to raise 
 him, while he continued to repeat, ‘ No, let me kneel; let me 
 kneel, I have undone‘ you all! The cause is lost, and I have 
 made beggars of you all !’—* Rise, rise, dearest father ;’ cried 
 the children, gathering round him, ‘ nothing is lost, if you are 
 saved !’—-‘ Rise, my love, from that horrible and unnatural 
 humiliation,’ cried Ines, grasping the arms of her husband ; 
 ‘help me, my children; father, mother, will you not help me?’ 
 and as she spoke, the tottering, helpless, and almost lifeless 
 figures of the aged grandfather and grandmother arose from 
 their chairs, and staggering forwards, added their feeble 
 strength, their vis ¢zmpotentia, to sustain or succour the weight 
 that dragged heavily on the arms of the children and their 
 mother. By this sight, more than by any effort, Walberg 
 was raised from the posture that agonised his family, and 
 placed in a chair, around which hung the wife and children, 
 while the aged father and mother, retreating torpidly to their 
 seats, seemed to lose in a few moments the keen conscious- 
 ness of evil that had inspired them for an instant with a force 
 almost miraculous. Ines and her children hung round Wal- 
 berg, and uttered all of consolation that helpless affection 
 could suggest; but perhaps there is not a more barbed arrow 
 can be sent through the heart, than by the thought that the 
 hands that clasp ours so fondly cannot earn for us or them- 
 selves the means of another meal; that the lips that are 
 pressed to ours so warmly, may the next ask us for bread, 
 and ask in vain ! 
 
 “ It was, perhaps, fortunate for this unhappy family, that 
 the very extremity of their grief rendered its long indulgence 
 impossible ; the voice of necessity made itself be heard dis. 
 tinctly and loudly amid all the cry and clamour of that hour 
 
180 CURIOSITINS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOO LL E POP L LEO LOD LL OLD LL GL POLL ODL LDO PLL PLO PDP LOE PLE ELE DL LES LLEOLEEDOPOE CELE LPO PLO PIL PDD EDP 
 
 interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 of agony. Something must be done for the morrow, and it 
 was to be done immediately. ‘ What money have you?’ was 
 the first articulate sentence Walberg uttered to his wife; and 
 when she whispered the small sum that the expenses of their 
 lost cause had left them, he shivered with a brief emphatic 
 spasm of horror; then bursting from their arms, and rising, 
 - he crossed the room, as if he wished to be alone for a moment 
 As he did so, he saw his youngest child playing with the long 
 strings of his grandfather’s band; a mode of sportive teazing 
 in which the urchin delighted, and which was at once chid and 
 smiled at. Walberg struck the poor child vehemently, and 
 then catching him in his arms, bid him ‘ Smile as long as he 
 could!’ * % * * * * % 
 
 ‘“¢ They had means of subsistence at least for the following 
 week ; and that was such a source of comfort to them, as it is 
 to men who are quitting a wreck, and drifting on a bare raft 
 with a slender provision towards some coast, which they hope 
 to reach before it is exhausted. ‘They sat up all that night 
 together in earnest counsel, ‘after Ines had taken care to see 
 the father and mother of her husband comfortably placed in 
 their apartment. Amid their long and melancholy conference, 
 hope sprung up insensibly in the hearts of the speakers, and a 
 plan was gradually formed for obtaining the means of subsis- 
 tence. Walberg was to offer his talents as a musical teacher ; 
 Ines and her daughters were to undertake embroidery, and 
 Everhard, who possessed exquisite taste both in music and 
 drawing, was to make an effort in both departments, and the 
 friendly priest was to be applied to for his needful interest 
 and recommendation for all. The morning broke on their 
 long-protracted consultation, and found them unwearied in 
 discussing its subject. ‘ We shall not starve,’ said the chil- 
 dren hopefully. ‘I trust not, said Walberg sighingly. His 
 wife, who knew Spain, said not a word. 
 
 “ As they spoke, a soft knock was heard, such as kindness 
 gives at the door of misfortune, and Everhard started up to 
 answer it. ‘ Stay,’ said Walberg, absently, ‘ Where are the 
 servants? Then recollecting himself, he smiled agonizingly, 
 and waved his hand to his son to go. It was the good priest. 
 He entered, and sat down in silence; no one spoke to him. 
 It might be truly said, as it is sublimely said in the original, 
 ‘There was neither speech nor language but voices were 
 heard among them’—‘ and felt too.’ The worthy priest piqued 
 himself on his orthodoxy of all matters of belief and form en- 
 joined by the Catholic church; and, moreover, had acquired 
 a kind of monastic apathy, of sanctified stoicism, which priests 
 sometimes imagine is the conquest of grace over the rebellion 
 
& 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART 18] 
 
 POP POP LLL PIL PDE LOD DLO LOE PLE PDE LLL ELD LOE POL ODP LOD LODE LOLGPE LOL PDD LLOLDLE LDOL LDL LOLOL PDA 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 DOD LEP LOPLI LD LLL POL PDP POLLO LD E POD LLG LOL LD O LOE PDD LEP LOOP LOL ODL L ED LDP LDL LOD 
 
 POP LIP 
 
 of nature, when it is merely the result of a profession that de- 
 nies nature its objects and its ties. Yet so it was, that as he 
 sat among this afflicted family, after complaining of the keen- 
 ness of the morning air, and wiping away in vain the mois- 
 ture, which he said it had brought into his eyes, he at last 
 yielded to his feelings, and ‘lifted up his voice and wept.’ 
 But tears were not all he had to offer. On hearing the plans 
 of Walberg and his family, he promised, with a faultering 
 voice, his ready assistance in promoting them; and, as he 
 rose to depart, observing that he had been entrusted by the 
 faithful with a small sum for the relief of the unfortunate, 
 and knew not where it could be better bestowed, he dropped 
 from the sleeve of his habit a well filled purse on the floor, 
 and hurried away. | 
 
 ‘¢ 'The family retired to rest as the day approached, but rose 
 in a few hours afterwards without having slept; and the re- 
 mainder of that day, and the whole of the three following, 
 were devoted to applications at every door where encourage- 
 ment might be expected, or employment obtained, the priest 
 in person aiding every application. But there were many 
 circumstances unfavourable to the ill-starred family of Wal- 
 berg. ‘They were strangers, and, with the exception of their 
 mother, who acted as interpreter, ignorant of the language of 
 the country. This was ‘a sore evil,’ extending almost to the 
 total preclusion of their exertions as teachers. They were 
 also heretics—and this alone was a sufficient bar to their suc- 
 cess in Seville. In some families the beauty of the daughters, 
 in others that of the son, was gravely debated as an important 
 objection. In others, the recollection of their former splen- 
 dour, suggested a mean and rancorous motive to jealous infe- 
 riority to insult them by a rejection, for which no other cause 
 could be assigned. Unwearied and undismayed, they renewed 
 their applications every day, at every house where admission 
 could be obtained, and at many where it was denied: and 
 each day they returned to examine the diminished stock, to 
 divide the scantier meal, calculate how far it was possible to 
 reduce the claims of nature to the level of their ebbing means, 
 and smile when they talked of the morrow to each other, but 
 weep when they thought of it alone. There is a withering 
 monotony in the diary of misery—‘ one day telleth another.’ 
 But there came at length a day, when the last coin was ex- 
 pended, the last meal devoured, the last resource exhausted, 
 the last hope annihilated, and the friendly priest himself told 
 them weeping, he had nothing to give them but his prayers.” 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
1&2 CURZOSIVIZS CF NATURES AND ANT. 
 DPE LPL DPE DOLE PO PLP LL DLL PLDI L ODL LLL PP LLL PPL PLE PLL PDE LLL POLE PL OPEL ODPL LOL PLL ODL OLDE LOL Pp 
 
 A Chicken with a Human Countenance.—Account of the Earthquake in Calabriaé 
 OLD LOD LDP IDEG 
 
 SLI L LOL LAE LIL. 
 
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 LIF. 
 
 PIF. 
 
 A CHICKEN WITH A HUMAN COUNTENANCE. 
 
 A Jew exhibited for money at Posen, in South Prussia, a 
 chicken with a human countenance. This chicken was hatched 
 on an estate near Wretschen (Pol. Wrzesnin) in the district 
 of Posen; and the Jew had accepted of it as an equivalent 
 for a‘small tailor’s bill due to him by the owner of the estate, 
 who asserted that another similarly formed chicken had been 
 at the same time hatched by the same hen, but soon after died. 
 The chicken which was shewn by the Jew survived, had a 
 very lively appearance, was full grown, and above a year old. 
 The body was covered with variegated feathers, and, as faras 
 the part of the neck where the head begins, in no respect dis- 
 tinguished by any singularity from other chickens. ‘The head 
 did not exceed in size that of other chickens; but it was with- 
 out feathers, and covered with a skin of a somewhat bluish 
 colour. ‘The sockets of the eyes were shaped exactly as ina 
 human countenance, and over them two arches of very fine 
 down formed regular eye-brows. The upper part of the bill 
 was so bent and blunted off as to form a well-shaped nose, 
 except that it was of a-horny substance. Under the nose, a 
 regular human mouth, with lips, and two rows of closely 
 united white pointed teeth, completed this singular dusus na- 
 ture. ‘The tongue was rounded and shaped like a human 
 tongue. Indeed, the whole countenance had so astonishingly 
 exact a conformity with that of a human being on a diminu- 
 tive scale, that, to discover it, there was not the least occasion 
 to callin the aid of the imagination. ‘The above account of 
 this phenomenon was signed and published by M. Schwartz, 
 a gentleman holding a respectable office under the Prussian 
 Government at Posen. 
 
 a 
 ACCOUNT OF THE DREADFUL EARTHQUAKE IN CALABRIA, 
 
 The dreadful earthquake which happened in Calabria in 
 1638, is described by Father Kircher, who was at that time on 
 his way to Sicily, to visit Mount Kitna. [napproaching the Gulf 
 of Charybdis, it appeared to whirl round in such a manner as 
 to form a vast hollow, verging to a point in the centre. On 
 looking towards Etna, it was seen to emit large volumes of 
 smoke, of a mountainous size, which entirely covered the 
 whole island, and obscured from his view the very shores. 
 This, together with the dreadful noise, and the sulphureous 
 stench, which was strongly perceptible, filled him with appre- 
 hensions that a still more dreadful calamity was impending. 
 The sea was agitated, covered with bubbles, and had altoge- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 1&3 
 
 PDP LPDLOP LOD LOL LO DP LIP DD IDOE PLIEP LIL PDL EO LOD LE LDPE LDL POEL LDL PELE LA PDE 
 
 Interesting Account of the Dreadful Earthquake in Calabria. 
 
 a LLI LOL LLL SLE POP 
 
 PLE LPP G POLI DP PDIP PLES BLO LLL LOE PPE LOOP BOD PDE G LODO LOD POF. 
 
 ther an unusual appearance. The Father’s surprise was still 
 increased by the serenity of the weather, there not being a 
 breath of air, nor a cloud, which might be supposed to put all 
 nature thus in motion. He therefore warned his companions 
 that an earthquake was approaching, and landed with all pos- 
 sible diligence at Tropza, in Calabria. 
 
 He had scarcely reached the Jesuits’ College, when his ears 
 were stunned with a horrid sound, resembling that of an infi- 
 nite number of chariots driven fiercely forward, the wheels 
 rattling, and the thongs cracking. ‘The tract on which he 
 stood seemed to vibrate, as if he had been in the scale of a 
 balance which still continued to waver. The motion soon 
 becoming more violent, he was thrown prostrate on the ground. 
 The universal ruin around him now redoubled his amaze- 
 ment: the crash of falling houses, the tottering of towers, 
 and the groans of the dying, all contributed to excite emo- 
 tions of terror and despair. Danger threatened him wherever 
 he should flee; but, having remained unhurt amid the general 
 concussion, he resolved to venture for safety, and reached the 
 shore, almost terrified out of his reason. Here he found his 
 companions, whose terrors were still greater than his own. 
 
 He landed on the following day at Rochetta, where the 
 earth still continued to be violently agitated. He had, how- 
 ever, scarcely reached the inn at which he intended to lodge, 
 when he was once more obliged to return to the boat: in 
 about half an hour the greater part of the town, including the 
 inn, was overwhelmed, and the inhabitants buried beneath its — 
 ruins. 
 
 Not finding any safety on land, and exposed, by the small- 
 ness of the boat, to a very hazardous passage by sea, he at 
 length landed at Lopizium, a castle midway between Tropea 
 and Kuphemia, the city to which he was bound. Here, 
 wherever he turned his eyes, nothing but scenes of ruin and 
 horror appeared: towns and castles were levelled to the 
 ground; while Stromboli, although sixty miles distant, was 
 seen to vomit flames in an unusual manner, and with a noise 
 which he could distinctly hear. From remote objects, his at- 
 tention was soon diverted to contiguous danger: the rumbling 
 sound of an approaching earthquake, with which he was by 
 this time well acquainted, alarmed him for the consequences. 
 Every instant it grew louder, as if approaching; and the spot 
 on which he stood shook so dreadfully, that. being unable to 
 Stand, himself and his companions caught hold of the shrubs 
 which grew nearest to them, and in that manner supported 
 themselves. | | 
 
 This violent paroxysm having ceased, he now thought of 
 
184 CURIOSITIES OF MATURD AND ART. 
 
 ODP PLS FOOD LOL ODP DIS POODLE DOD LDL ODL LOO DPD LLG POP OOD DOO LLL DED DOP IGG OLPLIG GOP ODP 
 
 Earthquake in Calabria.—Atmospherical Phenomenaof the Parhelia, or Mock Sun 
 
 PLL LPL LLP LOD POP LEDPO LED LOD PLD LPL O DEL OLE LOD OLDE LOOP LOL LOL LLL DOD LLL PPL LOL LDOOL LL ODE 
 
 prosecuting his voyage to Euphemia, which lay within a short 
 distance. ‘Turning his eyes towards that city, he could merely 
 perceive a terrific dark cloud, which seemed to rest on the 
 place. He was the more surprised at this, as the weather 
 was remarkably serene. Waiting, therefore, until this:cloud 
 had passed away, he turned to look for the city; but, alas! it 
 was totally sunk, and in its place a dismal and putrid lake was 
 to be seen, All was a melancholy solitude—a scene of hideous 
 desolation. Such was the fate of the city of Kuphemia; and 
 such the devastating effects of this earthquake, that along the 
 whole coast of that part of Italy, for the space of two hundred 
 miles, the remains of ruined towns and villages were every 
 where to be seen, and the inhabitants, without dwellings, dis- 
 persed over the fields. Father Kircher at length terminated 
 his distressful voyage, by reaching Naples, after having 
 escaped a variety of perils, both by sea and land. | 
 
 ea 
 
 ATMOSPHERICAL PHENOMENA OF THE PARHELIA, OR 
 MOCK SUNS. 
 
 ON the 5th of February, 1674, near Marienberg, in Prus- 
 sia, the sky being every where serene, the sun, which was still 
 some degrees above the horizon, was seen to lance out very 
 long and reddish rays, forty or fifty degrees towards the zenith, 
 -notwithstanding it shone with great lustre. Beneath this 
 planet, towards the horizon, there hung a somewhat dilute 
 small cloud, at the inferior part of which there appeared a 
 mock sun, of the same apparent size with the true sun, and of 
 a somewhat red colour. Soon after, the true sun descending 
 gradually to the horizon, towards the said cloud, the spurious 
 sun beneath it grew clearer and clearer, insomuch that the 
 reddish colour in this apparent solar disc vanished, and put on 
 the genuine solar light, in proportion as it was approximated 
 by the genuine disc of the sun. The latter, at length, passed 
 into the lower counterfeit sun, and thus remained alone. 
 This phenomenon was considered the more extraordinary, as 
 it was perpendicular under the sun, instead of being at its 
 side, as parhelia usually are; not to mention the colour, so 
 different from that which is usual in mock suns, nor the great 
 length of the tail, cast up by the genuine sun of a far more 
 vivid and splendid light than parhelia used to exhibit. ‘This 
 appearance was soon followed by an exceedingly intense frost, 
 which lasted till the 25th of March, the whole bay being 
 frozen up from the town of Dantzic to Hela in the Baltic Sea. 
 
 On the 28th of August, 1698, about eight o’clock in the 
 morning, there was seen, at Sudbury, in Suffolk, the appear- 
 
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 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 185 
 
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 Atmospherical Phenomena of the Parhelia, or Mock Suns,—Story of Don Juan. 
 
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 ance of three suns, which were then extremely brilliant. Be- 
 neath a dark watery cloud, in the east, and nearly at its centre, 
 the true sun shone with such strong beams, that the specta- 
 tors could not look at it; and on each side were the reflec- 
 tions. Much of the firmament was elsewhere of an azure 
 colour. The circles were not coloured like the rainbow, but 
 white ; and there was also, at the same time, higher in the 
 firmament, and towards the south, at a considerable distance 
 from the other phenomena, the form of a half moon, but ap- 
 parently of double the size, with the horns turned upward. 
 This appearance was within of a fiery red colour, imitating 
 that of the rainbow. ‘These phenomena failed gradually, after 
 having continued about two hours. 
 
 Two mock suns, an arc of arairFow inverted, and a halo, 
 were seen at Lyndon, inthe count, of Rutland, on the 22d of 
 October, 1721, at eleven inthe morning. ‘There had been an 
 aurora borealis the preceding night, with the wind at. west- 
 south-west. The two parhelia, or mock suns, were bright 
 and distinct, and in the usual places, namely, in the two inter- 
 sections of a strong and large portion of a halo, with an ima- 
 ginary circle parallel to the horizon, passing through the true 
 sun. Each parhelion had its tail of a white colour, and in 
 direct opposition to the true sun; that towards the east being 
 20 or 25 degrees long, and that towards the west 10 or 12 de- 
 grees, both narrowest at the remote ends. The mock suns 
 were evidently red towards the sun, but pale or whitish at the 
 opposite sides, as was the halo also. ‘Still higher in the hea- 
 vens, was an arc of a curiously inverted rainbow, about the 
 middle of the distance between the top of the halo and the 
 vertex. This arc was as distinct in its colours as the common 
 rainbow, and of the same breadth. The red-colour was on 
 the convex, and the blue on the concave of the arc, which 
 seemed to be about 90 degrees in length, its centre being in 
 or near the vertex. On the top of the halo was a kind of in- 
 verted bright arc. ‘This phenomenon was seen on the follow-. 
 ing day, and again on the 26th. On the 11th of the preceding 
 month, (September) a very splendid and remarkable aurora 
 borealis, presenting truly unaccountable motions and re- 
 movals, was witnessed in Rutlandshire, in Northampton- 
 shire, and at Bath. 
 
 ii 
 
 THE WONDERFUL STORY OF DON JUAN, FOUNDED ON FACTS, 
 AS RELATED BY MR. CUMBERLAND. 
 
 A Porrtucusse gentleman, whom IJ shall beg to describe 
 non oicgerase than by the name of Don Juan, was lately 
 : 2B 
 
186 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AMT. 
 
 PLO FROE FSS 6 OP LOL LB O LOD DDD LOD DOLD DOD DL OL LPP LOR ODL ODL DE LOC DL DL OD PO! SEE EOD LED ELEC LDE ILE LOR 
 
 The Wonderful Story of Don Juan, Founded on Facts. 
 
 PPD POO POD LOG LOO POD ODD DDO LDL LOD PDOLIOL DOL EDEL DOLL DOPOD DD DDL PLO L DOLD D ODO LOD ALE L PLL LL IOP 
 
 brought to trial for poisoning his half-sister by the same 
 father, after she was with child by him. ‘This gentleman 
 had for some years before his trial led a very solitary life 
 at his castle, in the neighbourhood of Montremos, a town on 
 the road between Lisbon and Badajos, the frontier garrison 
 of Spain: I was shewn his castle, as I passed through that 
 dismal country, about a mile distant from the road, in a bot- 
 tom surrounded with cork trees, and never saw a more me- 
 Jancholy haibtation. The circumstances which made against 
 this gentleman were so strong, and the story was in such 
 general circulation in the neighbourhood where he lived, 
 that although he laid out the greatest part of a considerable 
 income in acts of charity, nobody ever entered his gates to 
 thank him for his bounty, or solicit relief, except one poor 
 father of the Jeronymite convent in Montreiios, who was his 
 confessor, and acted as his almoner at discretion. 
 
 A charge of so black a nature, involving the crime of in- 
 cest as well as murder, at length reached the ears of justice, 
 and a commission was sent to Montremos, to make enquiry 
 into the case: the supposed criminal made no attempt to 
 escape, but readily attended the summons of the commis- 
 sioners. Upon the trial, it came out, from the confession of 
 the prisoner, as well as from the deposition of witnesses, 
 that Don Juan had lived from his infancy in the family of a 
 rich merchant at Lisbon, who carried on a considerable trade 
 and correspondence to the Brazils: Don Juan being allowed 
 to take this merchant’s name, it was generally supposed that 
 he was his natural son, and a clandestine affair of love having 
 been carried on between him and the merchant’s daughter 
 Josepha, who was an only child, she became pregnant, and 
 a medicine being administered to her by the hands of Don 
 Juan, she died in a few hours after, with all the symptoms 
 of a person who had taken poison. The mother of the young 
 lady survived her death but a few days, and the father 
 threw himself into a convent of Mendicants, making over, 
 by deed of gift, the whole of his property to the supposed 
 murderer. 
 
 In this account there seemed a strange obscurity of facts ; 
 for some made strongly to the crimination of Don Juan, and 
 the last-mentioned circumstance was of so contradictory a 
 nature, as to throw the whole into perplexity; and, there- 
 fore, to compel the prisoner to a further elucidation of the 
 case, it was thought proper to interrogate him by torture. 
 
 Whilst this was preparing, Don Juan, without betraying 
 the least alarm upon what was going forward, told his judges, 
 that it would save them and himself some trouble, if they 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 187 
 
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 PIPILOPPEDGDODES? Hy 
 
 The Wonderful Story of Don Juan, Founded on Facts, 
 
 PLPLOL LILI OD PDP LDS DOLD ORF 
 
 PLO PPE PBOL ED LLDOL EL PLE ODO PPL ODO DOLL DOODLE DOLD IDE LOD PDIP DA 
 
 would receive his confession upon certain points, to which 
 he should truly speak, but beyond which all the tortures in 
 the world could not force one syllable: he said that he was 
 not the son, as it was supposed, of the merchant with whom 
 he lived, nor allied to the deceased Josepha any otherwise 
 than by the tenderest ties of mutual affection, and a promise 
 of marriage, which, however, he acknowledged had not been 
 solemnized: that he was the son of a gentleman of consider- 
 able fortune in the Brazils, who left him an infant to the care 
 of the merchant in question: that the merchant, for reasons 
 best known to himself, chose to call him by his own name, 
 and this being done in his infancy, he was taught to believe 
 that he was an orphan youth, the son of a distant relation of 
 the person who adopted him: he begged his judges, there- 
 fore, to observe, that he never understood Josepha to be his 
 sister: that as to her being with child by him, he acknow- 
 ledged it, and prayed God forgiveness for an offence, which it 
 had been his intention to repair by marrying her: that with 
 respect to the medicine, he certainly did give it to her with 
 his own hands, for that she was sick in consequence of her 
 pregnancy, and being afraid of creating alarm or suspicion in 
 her parents, had required him to order certain drugs from an 
 apothecary, as if for himself; which he accordingly did, and 
 he verily believed they were faithfully mixed, inasmuch as he 
 stood by the man whilst he prepared the medicine, and saw 
 every ingredient separately put in. 
 
 The judges thereupon asked him, if he would take it on 
 his conscience to say, that the lady did not die by poison? 
 Don Juan, bursting into tears for the first time, answered, 
 to his eternal sorrow he knew that she did die by poison.— 
 Was that poison contained in the medicine she took? It 
 was. Did he impute the crime of mixing the poison in the 
 medicine to the apothecary, or did he take it on himself? 
 Neither the apothecary nor himself was guilty. Did the 
 lady, from a principle of shame, (he was then asked,) commit 
 the act of suicide, and infuse the poison without his know- 
 ledge? He started into horror at the question, and took God 
 to witness, that she was innocent of the deed. 
 
 The judges seemed now confounded, and for a time ab- 
 stained trom any farther interrogatories, debating the matter 
 among themselves by whispers; when one of them observed 
 to the prisoner, that according to his confession, he had said 
 she did die by poison, and yet by the answers he had now 
 given, it should seem as if he meant to acquit every person 
 on whom suspicion should possibly rest ; there was, however, 
 an interrogatory left, which, unnatural as it was, he would 
 
188 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DEE PLL FL LOLOL P LP DE PILL LLL LOD LLDD LOO ODD ODL LOL GLE LDI OLE OLE DDE DDD LODE LLP LOO DDO LDF PDGP LOL OOP LOOP 
 The Wonderful Story of Don Juan, Founded on Facts. 
 
 GIP PLP LDL LLL LOL LOG LOD LEL LOD LO LL DE LEE PD EE LOL GE LDO LOD LOE PLL LIOL DOL ODL LOP PE LIOOL OF 
 
 put to him for form’s sake only, before they proceeded tc 
 greater extremities, and that question involved the father 
 or mother of the lady. Did he mean to impute the horrid 
 intention of murdering their child to the parents? No, 
 replied the prisoner, in a firm tone of voice, 1 am certain 
 no such intention ever entered the hearts of the unhappy 
 parents, and I should be the worst of sinners if 1 imputed 
 it to them. ‘The judges, upon this, declared with one voice, 
 that he was trifling with the court, and gave orders for the 
 rack; they would, however, for the last time, demand of 
 him, if he. knew who it was that did poison Josepha; to 
 which he answered, without hesitation, that he did know, 
 but that no tortures should force him to declare it. As to 
 life, he was weary of it, and they might dispose of it as they 
 saw fit; he could not die in greater tortures than he had 
 lived. 
 
 They now took this peremptory recusant, and stripping 
 him of his upper garments, laid him on the rack; a surgeon 
 was called in, who kept his, fingers on his pulse; and the 
 executioners were directed to begin their tortures; they had 
 given him one severe stretch by ligatures fixed to his ex- 
 tremities and passed over an axle, which .was turned by a 
 windlass ; the strain upon his muscles and joints by the action 
 of this infernal engine was dreadful, and nature spoke her 
 sufferings by a horrid crash in every limb; the sweat started 
 in large drops upon his face and bosom, yet the man was firm 
 amidst the agonies of the machine; not a groan escaped; and 
 the fiend, who was superintendant of the hellish work, de- 
 clared they might increase his tortures upon the next tug, for 
 that his pulse had not varied a stroke, nor abated of its 
 strength in the smallest degree. 
 
 ‘Phe tormentors had now begun a second operation with 
 more violence than the former, which their devilish ingenuity 
 had contrived to vary, so as to extort acuter pains from the 
 application of the engine to parts that had not yet had their 
 full share of the first agony; when suddenly a monk rushed 
 into the chamber, and called out to the judges to desist from 
 torturing that innocent man, and take the confession of the 
 murderer from his own lips. Upon a signal from the judges, 
 the executioners let go the engine at once, and the joints 
 snapped audibly into their sockets with the elasticity of a bow. 
 Nature sunk under the revulsion, and Don Juan fainted on 
 the rack. The monk immediately, with a loud voice, ex- 
 claimed, ‘ Inhuman wretches, delegates of hell, and agents of 
 ihe devil, make ready your engine for the guilty, and take off 
 your bloody hands from the innocent, for behold! (and so 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 189 
 
 The Wonderful Story of Don Juan, Founded on Facts. 
 
 FPP PPOPDOLOP LOE LDPE LID ODP DIF 
 
 PRP PILP LDP PICIDL PID LOL DCLLE DODD DLO LD 
 
 PEOPLE DLO LLP DLL PLD DIL GDL BDILDID PDF 
 
 saying, he threw back his cowl,) behold the father and the 
 murderer of Josepha !” 
 
 The whole assembly started with astonishment; the judges 
 stood aghast; and even the demons of torture rolled their 
 eye-balls on the monk with horror and dismay. 
 
 “‘ If you are willing,” says he to the judges, “ to receive my 
 confession, whilst your tormentors are preparing the rack for 
 the vilest criminal ever stretched upon it, hear me! If not, 
 set your engine to work without further enquiry, and glut 
 your appetites with human agonies, which, once in your lives, 
 you may now inflict with justice.” 
 
 “* Proceed,” said the senior judge. 
 
 “‘ That guiltless sufferer, who now lies insensible before my 
 eyes,” said the monk, “ is the son of an excellent father, who 
 was once my dearest friend: he was confided to my charge, 
 being then an infant, and my friend followed his fortunes to 
 our settlements in the Brazils; he resided there twenty years 
 without visiting Portugal once in the time; he remitted to 
 me many sums of money on his son’s account: at this time a 
 hellish thought arose in my mind, which the distress of my 
 affairs, and a passion for extravagance inspired, of converting 
 the property of my charge to my own account. I imparted 
 these suggestions to my unhappy wife, who is now at her 
 account: let me do her justice to confess she withstood them 
 firmly for a time. Still fortune frowned upon me, and I was 
 sinking in my credit every hour; ruin stared me in the face, 
 and nothing stood between me and immediate disgrace, but 
 this infamous expedient. 
 
 “« At last, persuasion, menaces, and the impending pressure 
 of necessity, conquered her virtue, and she acceded to the 
 fraud. We agreed to adopt the infant as the orphan son of 
 a distant relation of our own name, I maintained a corres- 
 pondence with his father by letters, pretending to be written 
 by the son; and I supported my family in a splendid extrava- 
 gance by the assignments I received from the Brazils. At 
 length the father of Don Juan died, and by will bequeathed 
 his fortune to me, in failure of his son and his heirs. I had 
 already advanced so far in guilt, that the temptation of this 
 contingency met with no resistance in my mind, and I de- 
 termined upon removing this bar to my ambition, and pro- 
 posed to my wife to secure the prize that fortune had hung 
 within our reach, by the assassination of the heir. She re- 
 volted from the idea with horror, and for some time her 
 thoughts remained in so disturbed a state, that I did not think 
 it prudent to renew the attack. After some time, the agent 
 of the deceased arrived in Lisbon from the Brazils, 2a as 
 
190 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PRI LILO LLL ELLIE! LOL LRDIOR ET POD PIL ELE PLL ELE POPELPL ELL LELDOOCDD 
 
 The Wonderful Story of Don Juan, Founded en Facts 
 
 PL LIE PAI PLD ODO AOL ELLE DDD DPDOLDOD LLL BED DAL EDEL LIL PEL LED LOE LLL PLL LOL EPO LLE LOL LL ELLE LOD. oe 
 
 he was privy to my correspondence, it became necessary for 
 me to discover to Don Juan who he was, and also what for- 
 tune he was entitled to. In this crisis, threatened with 
 shame and detection on one hand, and tempted by avarice, 
 pride, and the devil, on the other, I won over my reluctant 
 wife to a participation of my crime, and we mixed that dose 
 with poison, which we believed was intended for Don Juan, 
 but which in fact was destined for our only child. She took 
 it; heaven discharged its vengeance on our heads, and we 
 saw our daughter expire in agonies before our eyes, with 
 the bitter aggravation of a double murder, for the child was 
 alive within her. Are there words in language to express 
 our lamentations? Are there tortures in the reach of even 
 your invention to compare with those we felt? Wonderful 
 were the struggles of nature in the heart of our expiring 
 child: she bewailed us, she consoled, nay, she even forgave 
 us. To Don Juan we made immediate confession of our 
 guilt, and-conjured him to inflict that punishment upon us 
 which justice demanded, and our crimes deserved. It was 
 in this dreadful moment that our daughter, with her last 
 breath, by the most solemn adjurations, exacted and obtained 
 a promise from Don Juan not to expose her parents toa 
 public execution, by disclosing what had passed. Alas! alas! 
 we see too plainly how he kept his word: behold, he dies 
 ‘ martyr to honour! your infernal tortures have destroyed 
 im.” 
 
 No sooner had the monk pronounced these words, in a 
 Joud and furious tone, than the wretched Don Juan drew a 
 sigh; a second would have followed, but heaven no longer 
 could tolerate the agonies of innocence, and stopped his heart 
 for ever. . 
 
 The monk had fixed his eyes upon him, ghastly with terror, 
 and as he stretched out his mangled limbs at life’s last gasp, 
 *¢ Accursed monsters!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ may God requite his 
 murder on your souls at the great day of judgment! his blood 
 be on your heads, ye ministers of darkness! For me, if 
 heavenly vengeance is not yet appeased by my contrition, in 
 the midst of flames my aggrieved soul will find some consola- 
 tion in the thought that you partake its torment.” 
 
 Having uttered this in a voice scarce human, he plunged a 
 knife into his heart, and, whilst, his blood spouted on the 
 pavement, dropped dead upon the body of Don Juan, and 
 expired without a groan. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 191 
 
 PIP PL ES OL LD POL LID LOL LOL LIE POP LED OPP LLOD ODD LDL LOC DDD LDL ODL L ID IGS LIF OLLOL LE LDL ODL OLE DDOP 
 
 Extraordinary Adventure of Franceeur, the Lunatic. 
 
 LLG L DED LOD OLD O -CODP A 
 
 PLL ILE LOD L EDD DELLE LOD 
 
 CIO LIP PLIL ES POI 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE OF FRANCGUR, THE LUNATIC. 
 
 Some years ago, there was stationed on the island of 
 Ratoneau, the centre of three islands on the coast of Mar- 
 seilles, and the most deserted of the three, an invalid of the 
 name of Franceeur, who, with his wife and daughter, and an- 
 other invalid, composed the whole population of the island. 
 Franceeur had been once deranged in his mind, and confined 
 in the Hotel de St. Lazare, near Marseilles, a hospital for the 
 reception of lunatics; but, after a time, was discharged as 
 perfectly cured. His comrade and his wife, however, per- 
 ceiving that he began to show symptoms of derangement, sent 
 information of it to the Governor-general of the three islands, 
 who resided on one of them, named the Chateau (If... The 
 Governor, not choosing to attempt seizing Francceur singly, 
 for fear of incensing him, sent an order for the whole party to 
 appear before him, hoping, in this way, to get the lunatic 
 quietly and without difficulty into his power. Francceur pre- 
 pared with the rest to obey the summons; but, at the moment 
 of their embarking, when the other invalid was already in the 
 boat, being seized with a sudden phrensy, he attempted to 
 stab, first his wife, and then his daughter. They both escaped 
 by jumping hastily into the boat; when, pushing off before 
 he had time to follow them, and hastening away to the 
 Chateau d’If, they left him alone on the island. 
 
 His first movement, on finding himself without control, 
 was to take possession of a small fort where were two or three 
 guns mounted, with a little powder and ball; and, shutting 
 himself up in it, he began a cannonade upon the Governor’s 
 house, which did some damage. 'The*Governor on this sent 
 a boat with five invalids of his own garrison, bearing an order 
 to Francceur to appear before him; but the latter, shut up in 
 his fort, told those who brought the summons to carry back 
 this answer: “ That his father was Governor of the island of 
 Ratoneau, and being his sole heir, the right of domain there 
 had devolved entirely on him, nor would be yield it up while 
 a drop of blood remained in his veins.” He immediately fired 
 on the men, who, not being amused with the joke, hastily 
 withdrew. Franceeur then began a second cannonade on the 
 Governor’s chateau; but, after firing a few shots, he was 
 diverted from this object by perceiving a vessel in the bay 
 within gun-shot, to which his battery was now directed, The 
 Captain, greatly surprised at finding himself treated in this 
 inhospitable manner, sent to enquire the reason of it, when 
 my Lord Governor replied, that he wanted a supply of biscuit 
 and wine, and if they were not sent immediately, he would 
 
192 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP LGO LPP LLG LOL ODD LEP LOD DIO LOL LP LGEO LOD ELE LLELELELDOE PLE DOOE GPE LOC ODE 
 
 Extraordinary Adventure of Francceur, the Lunatic. 
 
 PILL IF. 
 
 POE PLE GLI L OL 
 
 t 
 
 PLL LLL LLL LLL EOL LLP OLDE DDO ODO OL 
 
 sink the vessel. ‘The Captain, glad to compromise matters so 
 easily, sent the supplies required, the weather being such that 
 he could not stand out to sea at the moment; but as it was in 
 his power, he hastened to remove from so disagreeable a 
 neighbour. ‘Three or four other vessels which had the pre- 
 sumption to approach within reach of my Lord Governor’s 
 guns, were, in like manner, laid under contribution; nor 
 were the fishermen spared, but were obliged to furnish their 
 quota towards the supply of his Lordship’s table. 
 
 The Governor of the Chateau d’If, still unwilling to saeri- 
 fice the life of the unfortunate lunatic, sent a second party 
 from his garrison, with orders to seize him, under pretence of 
 demanding a conference ; but either from having taken their 
 measures ill, or from cowardice, they were obliged to return 
 without accomplishing their purpose. Extremely embar- 
 rassed how to proceed with a man, who, though not account- 
 able for his actions, was in a situation where he might do 
 mischief, the Governor of the Chateau d’If sent to the Duke 
 de Villars, who, as Governor of Provence, was then at Mar- 
 seilles, to consult him what was to be done. The Duke im- 
 mediately dispatched a party of five and twenty grenadiers, 
 with a serjeant at their head, who had orders to land in the 
 night, and get possession of the fort by means of scaling lad- 
 ders while the Governor was asleep. ‘This was done accord- 
 ingly, and his Lordship was extremely surprised, when he 
 awoke in the morning, to find himself surrounded by an armed 
 force. Perceiving that resistance was impossible, he said that 
 he was very ready to surrender to the Duke de Villars, on 
 honourable terms, but that on no account would he enter into 
 any negociation with the Governor of the Chateau @’If. The 
 terms he proposed were, that, for the accommodation of his 
 sovereign, he would consent to exchange his government of 
 the island of Ratoneau for that of the house of St. Lazare, 
 whither, he had sense enough to perceive, he should be re- 
 conducted; but he insisted on being permitted to march out 
 of the fort with the honours of war, and an instrument drawn 
 up in the proper form, which should confirm to himself and 
 his heirs for ever the government of St. Lazare; while it con- 
 tained his renunciation of all his rights to the island of Ra- 
 toneau. 
 
 A promise was made that these stipulations should be faith- 
 fully fulfilled; when, shouldering a musquet, he marched out 
 of the fort with great solemnity, and there grounding -it, 
 walked on quietly to the boat. ‘Thus ended his sovereignty 
 of three days over an island without subjects. | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARTY. 193 
 
 , POOP IIS POL ALLE LI PIL LILA PLIES BIONDL DIG DLL DDD DIOS DOLL 
 
 PLE LODE LOPDOO AD 
 Wonderful Instances of Affection and Attachment in Animals. 
 
 PPILLE PLO LLL PPL GPL PLL ELL POL LOD PLE ODT IIL GOL OLD LED LEDG LDF ORL OLDE OLDE EROL LLL EEO? 
 
 WONDERFUL INSTANCES OF AFFECTION AND ATTACHMENT 
 : IN ANIMALS. 
 
 _ANIMALS often give to man lessons by which it would be 
 his glory to profit. We shall cite only a few examples. 
 Some peasants of the Cerdanaespanola, seated on the highest 
 Pyrenees, while gathering wild spinage, saw a herd of irzans, 
 a species of wild goat, followed by their little ones. They set 
 about to take one of the latter, and they succeeded. The rest 
 of the herd fled; but scarcely had the captive uttered a few 
 bleatings, when they saw ‘an irzan stop to listen; and this 
 was its mother. One of the women resolved to try, by means 
 of the kid, to attract and take the latter. She mounted a 
 steep rock, carrying her prey with her, and showing it to the 
 mother. At the cry of her offspring, she began to approach, 
 though with trembling ; but, afterwards retired, and, like it, 
 began to bleat. The bleatings were redoubled from both; 
 the mother advanced nearer: fear seized on her afresh; she 
 ‘fled again. At length, after long struggles, she yielded to the 
 maternal impulse, approached the young one, and, without 
 the least resistance, suffered herself to be fastened by the wo- 
 man. It is added that, from this moment, she ceased to he 
 wild. The country woman easily led her wherever she would. 
 An inhabitant of the village bought the mother and the young 
 one, proposing to attempt, by crossing the breeds, to obtain 
 goats half wild and halfdomestic. The Gazeite d’ Agriculture, 
 from which we take this fact, says nothing of the success of 
 the latter experiment. 
 
 Toward the end of September, 1774, two persons of the vil- 
 lage of Chapellaticre, near the castle of Venours, going to the 
 town of Rouwille in the former Poitou, found in a hollow way, 
 at the distance of a league from their house, a badger, which 
 their dog had sprung out of a ditch: they killed it with their 
 sticks ; and it was resolved that the flesh should go to the © 
 hamlet, and that they should divide between them the value 
 of the skin. For want ofa rope, they fastened the dead ani- 
 mal to thé branch of a tree, and dragged it inturn. Scarcely 
 - had they proceeded a few paces, before one of them, turning 
 his head, saw another badger, who followed them, with a me- 
 lancholy air. They stopped, and the mournful animal threw 
 ' itself on the dead body of its companion, suffering itself to be 
 drawn away with it. It was thus carried to the village itself, 
 where it was not intimidated by the multitude of persons who 
 came to see the sight; the living badger remaining immove- 
 able on the dead one. It was given up to the boys, who killed 
 = former, and destroyed both. . i 
 
 | ’ 2c 
 
194 CURZOSITIES OF NATURS, AND ART. 
 
 DDD OLPPLPE OOP LODIOP LE DP GPIOGPR, 
 
 PEPGPE PPL IPD PLIIPIOCPODIOL 
 Wonderful Instances of Affection and Attachment in Animals, 
 
 PAP POL OGL LOD POLED LP LOD LDL DDO LIL LLL DOLE DID LOL DOL LOL DD DLIPLDE PLO DLL DOL LDL LDL I LOILEOLEOOL SD 
 
 There was exhibited at Bagouere; near Clementin, in the 
 former Haut-Poitou, a very singular friendship and attach: 
 ment contracted between a duck and aturkey. ‘These animals 
 never left each other; and death was able to separate them 
 only for a few hours. Sentence of death being pronounced 
 against the turkey, the cook prepared to perform her func- 
 tions. The duck, witness of the death of his companion, ut- 
 tered cries of despair, and even attempted to take vengeance 
 on the cook, by attacking her with his bill; but none of his 
 efforts could prevent or defer the arrival of the moment which 
 was to deprive him of his companion. His affliction was so 
 strong, that thenceforward he refused all sorts of food. He 
 passed three days without eating ; and, to all appearance, he | 
 would have starved himself to death, had he not been con- 
 demned to follow the fate of the turkey. T 
 
 The following likewise is a wonderful instance of attach 
 ment. We report it on the authority of a letter of Joseph 
 Purdew, an observer, equally exact and judicious. “ This 
 ' morning,” he says, “‘ while reading in bed, I was suddenly in- 
 terrupted by a noise similar to that made by rats, when rune 
 ning through a double wainscot, and endeavouring to pierce 
 it. ‘The noise ceased for some moments, and then recom- 
 menced. 1 was only at two feet from the wainscot, and I ob- 
 served it attentively: a great rat made its appearance at the 
 mouth of a hole; it looked about, without making any noise, 
 and having reconnoitred as much as it wished, it retired. An 
 instant after, 1 saw it come again, leading by the ear another 
 rat, larger than itself, and which appeared aged. Having left 
 this at the edge of the hole, it was joined by an her young 
 rat. The two overrun the chamber, collecting the crumbs of 
 biscuit which, at supper the preceding evening, had fallen 
 from table, and carried them to the rat which they had left at 
 the edge of the hole. I was atonished at this attention on the 
 part of the animals. I continued to observe with care. I 
 perceived that the animal to which the two others brought 
 food was blind, and unable, except by feeling about, to find 
 the biscuit they offered. I no longer doubted that the two 
 younger ones were its offspring, the assiduous and faithful 
 purveyors of a blind parent. I admired within myself the 
 wisdom of Nature, who has given to all animals a social ten- 
 derness, a gratitude, I had almost said a virtue, proportionate 
 to their faculties. From that moment, these abhorred vermin 
 seemed to become my friends. They gave me, for my con- 
 duct in a similar case, lessons which | have not often received 
 from mankind. At this juncture a person opened the door; 
 the two young rats warned the blind one by a cry; and, in 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 195 
 
 PRE COI PLP PCIE POF 
 
 ID LOO LOS DOP LOD ODI EDDIOLIES F ODP DOODLE DDO DIODLOOCD LOD SOCS ow 
 
 Extraordinary Narrative of Shipwreck in the Greenland Seas, 
 
 PRE ILE PIPL IO LIL LILI LAL LIE LDL LED POOL DP L DILDO PPE POEL DD EPIL DDD DDD PDS DLIG DLE LOO LEE LOL DLE LOR 
 
 spite of their fright, would not seek for safety till that was 
 
 secure ; they followed as the latter withdrew, and, so to say, 
 
 served him for a rear-guard.” 
 
 ‘ —a— 
 
 - EXTRAORDINARY NARRATIVE OF SHIPWRECK IN THE 
 GREENLAND SEAS, 
 
 On the 14th of April, 1794, the Wilhelmina, commanded 
 by James H. Broerties, sailed from the Texel for the whale 
 fishery, and, on the 22d of June, arrived near the western 
 coast of Greenland, alongside vast plains of moving ice 
 that overspread the sea. ‘They cast anchor, and made pre- 
 parations for the fishery. Fifty other ships had repaired 
 to the same ports, attracted by the great number of whales 
 frequenting them. On the 25th of June, huge flakes of ice 
 environed and pressed on the ship on all sides. The crew 
 then, for eight days and nights together, had to cut and saw 
 their way through the ice, thirteen feet in thickness, trying to 
 get the ship clear. Several vessels got away; but the Wil- 
 helmina and ten others were locked in the ice. | 
 
 On the 25th of July, the ice began to separate, and left a 
 sort of opening, through which the Wilhelmina attempted to 
 pass; but, after incessant rowing for four days, they found 
 their passage again intercepted by another field of ice: and 
 here -they were shut up, as it were, within a bason. Four 
 other ships reached the same place. The ice showing no 
 signs of opening, the Captain determined to shorten each 
 man’s allowance. The flakes of ice drove with such force 
 against the ships, that the Wilhelmina was shattered, and al- 
 most broken up, five or six feet above the water line. Ship- 
 wreck now appeared inevitable to all; and two out of five 
 vessels had already -been lost, and the crews distributed 
 among the remaining ones, with all the provisions that could 
 be saved. ‘The ice continued to accumulate to the height of 
 twenty-four feet above the ships. | 
 
 On the 25th of August, the three remaining ships were im- 
 moveable in the ice. The Captains dispatched twelve men to 
 four other ships, at some distance, in the same position as 
 themselves. Ron these they learned, that two ships had 
 been crushed by the pressure of the ice, and that two others 
 were in a truly deplorable state. Two Hamburgh vessels, 
 somewhat more distant, had perished in a similar manner. 
 
 Though locked up in the ice, the ships kept driving before 
 the wind. On the 30th of August, they had sight of Iceland 
 Two days after, a part of the ice was so agitated, that two 
 Captains, profiting by the circumstance, in all likelihood 
 gained the open sea, as they soon lost sight of them. 
 
196 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARTY. 
 
 DOE PES POOL LDL OD OLDE LOD LOD LOO LOD DDD POODLLO PDL EDEL DO DDE LDL DOO DLE POD DDE DOD DDL DIE AIG OOF TIP 
 
 Extraordinary Narrative of Shipwreck in the Greenland Seas. 
 
 eae SLRODIP LED DDL PLC DDD LDA EDL DDD DOD PDD DOO 
 
 Though the Wilhelmina was hourly threatened with de- 
 struction, it was the 13th of September ere it took place. On 
 that day, a mountain of ice came suddenly rushing down 
 against it, with a prodigious noise, crushing every thing in its 
 way. So sudden was the accident, that the sailors in their 
 hammocks had not time to dress, and were obliged to escape 
 half naked over the ice, exposed to all the injuries of the 
 weather. With great difficulty could they save any provi- 
 _ sions, for the ship was intersected, as it were; one part being 
 about ten feet above the surface of the water, and the other 
 entirely destroyed, or buried under an enormous heap of ice. 
 
 In this way another ship had been overwhelmed and lost on 
 the 7th of September. he crew fled for an asylum to the 
 ship of Captain Castricum ; with much toil they had stopped 
 up all the leaks, and in other respects the ship was in good 
 condition. But the crew had no small trouble to reach the 
 Castricum. ‘The ice was not uniformly solid; clefts and cre- 
 vices, opening under their feet, exposed them to the risk ofa 
 fresh wreck. At length they set up a tent on the solid part 
 of the ice, and, to guard as much as possible against the ex- 
 cessive cold, they kindled a fire with the wreck of the ship. 
 Relying with confidence on the Divine Providence, they ex- 
 pected relief, though it must obviously come in some extraor- 
 ‘dinary way. One inconvenience, as may readily be conceived, 
 would intrude upon their wretched asylum: the heat of the 
 fire melted the ice, and they had to dig holes in different 
 places, to get rid of the water ; without this precaution they 
 ‘must have been continually shifting their habitation. 3 
 
 Some rest, which these unfortunate men enjoyed in the — 
 night, served to re-animate their courage. Next day they re- 
 doubled their efforts to reach the Castricum. <A flame in mo- 
 ‘tion, that was on its mainmast, indicated its liberation from 
 the ice; a sight of this rekindled their ardour. The three 
 shipwrecked Captains, Broerties, De Groot, and Volkert 
 Jansz, proceeded each at the head of their crew. ‘Their route 
 was very dangerous; for they were obliged to leap from one 
 ice-flake to another, and, every time, ran no small risk of 
 plunging into the water. . 
 
 On the Ist of October, they judged they had arrived at the 
 end of their sufferings; but a frightful scene opened, that al- 
 most drove them to despair; the vessel was in a condition 
 much more deplorable than before. It had been carried to a 
 considerable distance; every moment it was in danger of - 
 being crushed by overhanging ice: at last, they were for- 
 tunate enough to reach it. Scarcely were they on board, 
 when there caine up fifty men of the crew of the Hamburgh 
 
 PLE L LPL DL LEE BLOE LEE LLDEDLEL OLD LED 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 197 
 
 PIPL PIF 
 
 LLP POL LEG LOOL DE LEP DOLL LEGLDLLE ODPL IDPLDGOLOA 
 Extraordinary Narrative of Shipwreck in the Greenland Seas. 
 
 PPE FIP LIP PLO LILO DL PDE LDP PLL LLODLDPE ODP DDE LOD DOP PPP LOL OLIL EL LDP DLIG LD PDE LODE DDE DDO Y OPDDP 
 
 ship, that had been lost on the 30th of September. The har-: 
 pooner, with twelve sailors, were drowned, in trying to reach 
 Iceland on floating fragments of the wreck. 
 As well as these unfortunate men were able to judge, they 
 were then in 64 degrees N. lat. A new misfortune threatened 
 
 them: the provisions on board the Castricum were too scanty 
 to suffice for all who had repaired to it; they were soon ex- 
 hausted, and these destitute mariners were obliged to feed on 
 pieces of flesh left on the skeletons of the whales. They then 
 fell to eating the dogs that had been in the vessels that were 
 lost. ‘To quench their thirst, they drank snow-water, wherein 
 was an infusion of chips. ‘They were now looking for death 
 to terminate their sufferings, when the ship that kept still 
 driving towards the coast, came within the distance of five or 
 six miles from the continent. Several sailors tried, but in 
 vain, to reach the land; they found, however, a desert island, 
 where they gathered some blackberries off the bushes: they 
 were obliged to remain there. 
 
 On the 10th of October, a tempest arose, which threatened 
 the ship with instant destruction: it was still preserved, how- 
 ever, by the crew. ‘The next day enormous ice-flakes fell on 
 the ship, so as to crush, and ina manner overwhelm it. ‘This 
 accident was so sudden, that the men on board could save 
 nothing to make a fire with; they had only time to collect 
 some sails, and bring together eleven small boats: but these 
 precautions were useless; their safety lay in flight, and in 
 running from one ice-flake to another, to find one solid and 
 ‘large enough to hold them all. No language can describe 
 the wretchedness of their situation. Exposed to all the rigors 
 of cold, on an immense island of ice, which was liable every 
 instant to be dashed to pieces, almost entirely destitute of 
 food and clothing, they could only expect dying of hunger 
 and cold, or of being buried under blocks of ice. 
 
 It is only at the last extremity that hope abandons man. 
 These sufferers, unwearied in their exertions to save their 
 lives, set up two tents with the sails which they had saved, 
 wherein they had ‘shelter, patiently waiting for the will of 
 Providence; but, after the 13th of October, they were under 
 the necessity of quitting the mass of ice that supported them, 
 as it was drifting out to sea. Then 250 men set out on a trial 
 to reach the continent ; thirty-six others, who reckoned it im- 
 Clg remained on the ice. Those who ventured to go, 
 
 eing of different opinions as to the route to be taken, sepa- 
 rated into different companies. The Captains Jansz de Groot, 
 Hans Christiansz, and Martin Jansz, accompanied by fort 
 sailors, set out on the 13th of October. Each man had thirty 
 
198 cURxosITres OF NATURE AND ART. 
 OOOCCE POP ILP LOD DIO LOD LOODID LED DIEDLODDEDODLIOOC OLDIE DDD DDD DOCLDD DDD DEO DEDEIOI IG LO OLS 
 Extraordinary Narrative of Shipwreck in the Greenland Seas; 
 
 PLOLOG CLL LEP LLP DLL LDL OPEL DD LLL DDL LOL LSOI PIE LLL LOD ELL LOD ELL DDLD EEL DIL EDIE DDE LED OILEDILDS 
 
 piscuits for his whole stock of provisions. After a short, but 
 very toilsome march, they arrived on the shore of some island, 
 where they passed the night. On the following day they were 
 for trying to get to the continent, but were disappointed ; 
 their way being partly obstructed by an immense quagmire, 
 or floating marsh. ‘To their great surprise, they found some 
 inhabitants ; and it was fortunate that some of the mariners 
 understood their language. Assistance was implored, and 
 these savages, generally considered as inhospitable, were very 
 ready to afford it, removing the shipwrecked crews in their 
 canoes to their huts, and helping them to some dried fish, to 
 the flesh of seals, and to some vegetables, to appease their 
 hunger. 
 
 They spent several days with these their benefactors ; but, 
 fearful of encroaching on the laws of hospitality, by consum- 
 ing all the provisions, they resolved to continue their route, 
 in hopes of finding a Danish colony, where they might obtain 
 relief adequate to their necessities. In their long and weari- 
 some march, they passed through different tribes of the Green- 
 landers, with some of whom they had a kind reception, but 
 from others they had ill treatment; being frequently, also, in 
 danger of perishing by hunger and thirst. A little moss, 
 scratched from the surface of the rocks under the snow, and 
 the raw flesh of the dogs which they killed, added to that ofa 
 few animals which they caught, were the only resources within 
 their reach. At length, after numberless accidents and fatigues, 
 they arrived on the 13th of March at Frederickshaab, a Danish 
 settlement, where they experienced a truly generous treat- 
 ment, and all possible aid was administered to them. Here ° 
 they remained till they could get their health re-established, 
 and embark for Denmark. At last they were fortunate enough 
 to arrive in Holland. 
 
 The Captains Castricum and Broerties, with such as had _ 
 taken their route to the north, arrived in like manner, without 
 any particular accident, at Frederickshaab; with the exception 
 of Broerties, who died on the road. 
 
 Their companions in misfortune, who could not come to a 
 resolution of joining them, had preserved a canoe, and a small 
 quantity of provisions. ‘The mass of ice on which they were 
 was driving towards Stantems Hock ; it would not bear them 
 much longer, as the sea was rolling, and, with the movement, 
 the ice was gradually diminishing: in fact, they were in the 
 greatest danger of being lost. In that crisis, the wind changed 
 to the north-west, and thereby enabled them to reach the land. 
 without difficulty. On the 6th of October, they found a small 
 boat, which the crew of the Castricum had abandoned, and a 
 
CURICSITIZES OF NATURE AND ART, 199 
 
 PPLPPT PLID 
 
 PI IGLGPP GPG OLP DOLD 
 Shipwreck in the Greenland Seas.—Zoophites, or Plant Animals. 
 
 PPP LIP PLE LP LL DLE PLL PPL PDF PLL OLE DDL LDPE PIL ODL L OP LDP ODO PLO OPO 
 
 POP PLE DLGF LOE PLD POP 
 
 man in it, who, being unable to accompany the rest, was only 
 looking for death. On the same day, three of their comrades, 
 that had been left behind, overtook them, having been obliged 
 to abandon an old man on the extremity of an ice-flake, where 
 he must have perished. They all, however, embarked, and 
 were long tossed up and down before they could reach Green- 
 land. The savage tribes were hospitable, sharing their 
 wretched provisions with them. They, at last, also arrived at 
 a Danish settlement, where provisions were in no great plenty ; 
 but they were kindly entertained with the best. At Holstein- 
 berg (lat. 67 degrees) they learned that a ship belonging to 
 the King of Denmark, was at anchor about two miles from the 
 shore. The ship was obliged to winter here, and to proceed 
 on the fishery in the spring, before they could return to Den- 
 mark. The shipwrecked sailors sought and procured employ- 
 ment on board, and, after a prosperous voyage, were conveyed | 
 to Denmark, whence, finally, they obtained a passage for 
 Holland. 
 
 Out of 400 men in the ships that were lost, only these 140 
 were saved. 
 
 Se 
 “ZOOPHITES, OR PLANT ANIMALS. 
 
 TuEse wonderful productions are so denominated on ac- 
 count of their existing in the shape of plants. They are very 
 numerous, and the greater part of them have so great a re- 
 _ semblance to vegetables, that they have generally been consi- 
 dered as such, although the horny and stony appearance of 
 several of the tribe declares them, at first view, to be of a 
 widely different nature from the generality of plants. In 
 others, however, the softness of their substance, and the rami- 
 fied mode of their growth, would lead any one not acquainted 
 with their real nature, to suppose them vegetables. The 
 hard, horny, or stony zoophites are in general known by the 
 name of corals; and of these several distinctions are formed, 
 either from the structure and appearance of the coral or hard 
 part, or from the affinity which the softer, or animal part, 
 bears to some other genus among soft-bodied animals, or mol- 
 lusca. The zoophites may be therefore said to unite the ani- 
 mal and vegetable kingdoms, so as to fill up the intermediate 
 space. } 
 
 Belonging to the class of zoophitic-worms, the fresh-water 
 polypes are infinitely curious. These animals may be found 
 in small streams, and in stagnant waters, adhering to the stems 
 of aquatic plants, or to the under surfaces of the leaves, and 
 other objects. Ifa polype be cut in two parts, the superior 
 
200 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DPLLGLLLDLLBLCD PEOPLE DODCDELAP DE DOR ED. 
 
 GROGPLCLLLCOPLLODICER®OFLIE 
 
 Zoophites, or Plant Animals. 
 
 GOP ODP LOCO LOG DDO LLOLOODOOC LOO PD OL OED OLD OE LDL DOP LDG DLE LLL DED LELDL LE LIL ELE PEL LDS ae 
 
 part will produce a new tail, and the inferior part a new head 
 and arms; and this, in warm weather, in the course of a very 
 few days. If cut into three pieces, the middle portion will 
 roduce both the head and tail; and, in short, polypes may 
 ie cut in all:directions, and will still re-produce the deficient 
 organs. .The natural mode of propagation in this animal, is 
 by shoots or offsets, in the manner of a plant: one or more 
 branches or shoots proceed from the parent stem, dropping off 
 when complete; and it often happens that these young branches 
 produce others before they themselves drop off from the pa- 
 rent; so that a polype may be found with several of its de- 
 scendants still adhering to its stem, thus constituting a real 
 genealogical tree. ‘The polype likewise, during the autumnal 
 season, deposits eggs, which evolve themselves afterwards 
 into distinct animals; and thus possesses two modes of multi- 
 plication. . It seems paradoxical that a polype should be able 
 to swallow a worm three or four times as large as itself, 
 which is frequently observed to happen; but it must be con- 
 sidered that the body of the animal is extremely extensile, and 
 that it possesses, in an extraordinary degree, the power of 
 stretching itself according to the size of the substance it has to 
 swallow. It seizes its prey with great eagerness, but swal- 
 lows it slowly, in the same manner as a snake swallows any 
 small quadruped. ‘The arms ofa polype, when microscopically 
 examined, are found to be furnished with a vast number of 
 small organs, apparently acting like so many suckers, by the 
 means of which the animal can hold a worm, even though but 
 slightly in contact with one ofits arms ; but when on the point 
 of swallowing its prey, it then makes use of all its arms at 
 once, in order to absorb it the more readily. ( 
 Corals, on being gathered perfectly fresh, and placed in sea 
 water, appear to put forth small flowers from all the minute 
 cavities, or hollow points, on the surface. ‘These supposed 
 flowers (for such an idea has been entertained) are real ani- 
 mals ; and, consequently, corals are to be considered as aggre- 
 - gates of animals, either forming, or at least inhabiting, the 
 calcareous substance of the coral in which they appear. The 
 smaller corals, commonly known by the name of corallines, or 
 sea mosses, are So many ramified sea-polypes, covered with a 
 kind of strong, horny case, to defend them from the injuries 
 to which they would be liable, in the boisterous element des- 
 tined for their abode. The harder, or stony corals, are equally 
 of an animal nature; the entire coral continuing to grow as 
 an animal, and to form, by secretion, the strong or horny ex- 
 terior, which may at once be considered as its bone, and the 
 habitation in which it has constantly to dwell. -A coral of 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 201 
 
 OPPLIPS. LIF LED PID LOO DDL. 
 
 PEP LPIDL DSF. 
 
 POP LLLP PLP BLE OLE DOD 
 
 Zoophites, or Plant Animals.—Curious Transformation of Insects. 
 
 PPP LD LL IF LID LPL LLO PLO L LPO L DDL DE LLL POD LDP 
 
 PEP LOL LD PLE PDE DOL DPE LOD PDE GLE LOD LD ELGG SE OF 
 
 this kind is, therefore, a large compound zoophite, springing 
 up from the rock, in which it seems to have taken root, and 
 shooting out into branches like a vegetable production. 
 Sponges afford another curious instance of zoophitic life. 
 There are forty-nine species of this zoophite, each of which 
 is characterised in the Linnean system as a fixed animal, flexile, 
 torpid, of various forms, composed either of reticulate fibres, 
 or masses of small spines interwoven together, and clothed 
 with a gelatinous flesh, full of small mouths on its surface, by 
 which it absorbs and rejects water. ‘The existence of the ani- 
 mal inhabitant within its cell has been satisfactorily ascertained 
 by the observations and experiments of Ellis on the spongia 
 _tormentosa. He remarked its contraction when exposed to 
 pain or injury, as well as the expiration and inspiration of 
 water through its tubes. He thus established the position 
 that sponge is an animal, and that the ends or openings of the 
 branched tubes are the mouths by which it receives its nou- 
 rishment, and discharges its excrementitious matter. This 
 position chemistry has since abundantly supported, by proving 
 the ammoniacal property of the cellular substance of sponge. 
 
 ei 
 
 CURIOUS TRANSFORMATION OF INSECTS. 
 
 “‘ Nature’s smallest products please the eye, 
 While greater births pass unregarded by: 
 Her monsters seem a violence to sight; 
 They’re formed for terror, insects to delight. 
 Thus, when she nicely frames a piece of art, 
 Fine are her strokes, and small in every part. 
 No labour can she boast more wonderful 
 Than to endow an atom with a soul; 
 
 To animate her little beauteous fly, 
 And clothe it in her gaudiest drapery.” 
 | YALDEN. 
 
 Aut winged insects, without exception, and many of those 
 which are destitute of wings, have to pass through several 
 changes before they arrive at the perfection of their natures. 
 The appearance, the structure, and the organs of a caterpillar, 
 a chrysalis, and a fly, are so different, that, to a person unac- 
 quainted with their transformations, an identical animal would 
 be considered as three distinct: species. Without the aid of 
 experience, who could believe that a butterfly, adorned with 
 four beautiful wings, furnished with a long spiral proboscis, 
 instead of a mouth, and with six legs, proceeded from a dis- 
 gusting caterpillar, provided with jaws and teeth, and fourteen 
 feet ? Without experience, who could imagine that a long, 
 white, smooth, soft worm, hid under the oe should be 
 
 9, D 
 
202 CURIOSITINS OF NATURE AND ART: 
 DGOOL DP LPL LE LOL LIG IGP SDOLIOL LOG GIGS POL LOC LOD LPO POP LIE DIP DOD ODE OLDOLTO LOO LED FLOSS A bal 
 Curious Transformation of Insects. 
 
 PEP PPP 0 PPL OP OLD OPOO PLP LOL LOPE LP ODD LOP ELE LOOLLE LEO OPE LOL EPL LOL IL EL ELE LEE EOL LEO EEL LOE DOM 
 
 transformed into a black crustaceous beetle, having wings 
 covered with horny cases ? 
 
 Besides their final metamorphosis into flies, caterpillars 
 undergo several intermediate changes. All caterpillars cast 
 or change their skins more or less frequently according to the 
 species. The silkworm, previously to its chrysalis state, casts 
 its skin four times. The first skin is cast on the 10th, I1th, 
 or 12th day, according to the nature of the season; the second 
 in five or six days after; the third in five or six days more ; 
 and the fourth and last, in six or seven days after the third. 
 This changing of skin is not only common to all caterpillars, 
 but to every insect whatever. Not one of them arrives at 
 
 erfection without casting its skin at least once or twice. 
 The skin, after it is cast, preserves so entirely the figure of the 
 caterpillar in its head, teeth, legs, colour, hair, &c. that it is 
 often mistaken for the animal itself. A day or two before this 
 change happens, caterpillars take no food; they lose their 
 former activity, attach themselves to a particular place, and 
 bend their bodies in various directions, till, at last, they escape 
 from the old skin, and leave it behind them. The intestinal. 
 canal of caterpillars is composed of two principal tubes, the 
 one inserted into the other; the external tube is compact and 
 fleshy ; but the internal one is thin and transparent. Some 
 days before caterpillars change into the chrysalis state, they 
 void, along with their excrement, the inner tube which lined 
 their stomach and intestines. When about to pass into the 
 chrysalis state, which is a state of imbecility, they select the 
 most proper places and modes of concealing themselves from 
 their enemies. Some, as the silkworm and many others, spin 
 silken webs or cords round their bodies, which completely dis- 
 guise the animal form. Others leave the plants upon which 
 they formerly fed, and hide themselves in little cells which 
 they make in the earth. The rat-tailed worm abandons the 
 water upon the approach of its metamorphosis, retires under 
 the earth, where it is changed inte a chrysalis, and, after a 
 certain time, bursts from its seemingly inanimate condition, 
 and appears in the form of a winged insect. ‘Thus the same 
 animals pass the first and longest period of their existence in 
 the water, another under the earth, and the third and last in 
 the air. Some caterpillars, when about to change into a chry- 
 salis state, cover their bodies with a mixture of earth and of 
 silk, and conceal themselves in the loose soil. Others incrust 
 themselves with a silky or glutinous matter, which they push 
 out from their mouths, without spinning. it into threads. 
 Others retire into the holes of walls or decayed trees. Others 
 suspend themselves to the twigs of trees, or to other elevated 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURS AND ART. 203° 
 
 POL LLELIPPIEPIGOPL ED DEOL DDLE I BPP LO DL ODPL OE LOO LPL BOODLE LL DP DOOLGD LOD DDD OG PDE POD DILG DDD DOF 
 
 Curious Transformation of Insects. 
 
 PPP PPI LDF IPD PPO PDD PPP PLE LLL LLL LPP PED LOE PLD OPP LOP PP PPL PPP PPP LOL PPO L OL LPOG DOOLIF 
 
 bodies, with their heads undermost. Some attach themselves 
 to walls, with their heads higher than their bodies, but in va- 
 rious inclinations: and others choose a horizontal position. 
 Some fix themselves by a gluten, and spin a rope round their . 
 middle to prevent them from falling. ‘Those which feed upon 
 trees attach themselves to the branches, instead of the leaves, 
 which are less durable, and subject to a greater variety of ac- 
 cidents. The colours of the caterpillars give no idea of those 
 of the tuture flies. ; 
 
 ‘The metamorphosis of insects has been regarded as a sud- 
 den operation, because they often burst their shell or silky 
 covering quickly, and immediately appear furnished with 
 wings. But, by more attentive observation, it has been dis- 
 covered, that the transformation of caterpillars is a gradual 
 process from the moment the animals are hatched till they ar- 
 rive at a state of perfection. Why, it may be asked, do cater- 
 pillars so frequently cast their skins? The new skin, and 
 other organs, were lodged under the old ones, as in many 
 tubes or cases, and the animal retires from these cases, be- 
 cause they have become too strait. The reality of these en- 
 casements has been demonstrated by a simple experiment. 
 When about to moult or cast its skin, if the foremost legs of a 
 caterpillar are cut off, the animal comes out of the old skin 
 deprived of these legs. From this fact, Reaumur conjectured 
 that the chrysalis might be thus encased, and concealed under 
 the last skin of the caterpillar. He discovered that the chry- 
 salis, or rather the butterfly itself, was inclosed in the body of 
 the caterpillar. The proboscis, the antenna, the limbs, and 
 the wings of the fly, are so nicely folded up, that they occupy 
 a small space only under the first two rings of the caterpillar. 
 In the first six rings of the caterpillar are encased the six 
 limbs of the butterfly. Even the eggs of the butterfly have 
 been discovered in the caterpillar long before its transforma- 
 tion. 7 . 
 
 From these facts it appears, that the transformation of in- 
 sects is snly the throwing off external and temporary cover- 
 ings, and not an alteration of the original form. Caterpillars 
 may be considered as analogous to the fetuses of men and of 
 quadrupeds. They live and receive nourishment in envelopes, 
 till they acquire such a degree of iar as enables them 
 to support the situation to which they are ultimately destined 
 by hire. 
 
904 CURIOSITIDNS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 COOPCOLEE DDD LED DOD DLO LEONEL OOD ED LDL ODE DEDLOL DID LOD IIE DILII ELIE LLL A IIIL I AIL ALE IA GOP 
 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 , ade 
 
 POP 
 
 DIP LIS PPL ODP DEL LID DILL LILDD ELL OLOOD DS LPOL LISD DIP LL DDD OLE AIS 
 
 THE LIFE AND EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF 
 
 MISS CAROLINE RYLEY, 
 
 OTHERWISE DONNA CAROLINE EISABELLA ISIDORA DE 
 REVELEYEZ, ALIAS THE COMTESSE DE CHAUTAL ; 
 
 Whose artful Impositions on the Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress were 
 exposed at the Public Office in Bow Street, before Sir Richard Birnie, on Saturday, 
 the 25th of May, 1822, developing Circumstances of a Singular Nature, almost 
 equal to those of the celebrated ‘‘ Princess Caraboo.” 
 
 Showing at one view the ingenious History she gave of herself, and the 
 many Misfoertunes she had undergone, as the Daughter of a Spanish 
 Grandee; of her being plundered of all her Property by the Captain ofa 
 Vessel, and afterwards put on shore without a Penny to help herself 
 with; of her being some time ina Convent at Liege, where she attracted 
 the notice of the Comte de Chautal, to whom she was Married, but who 
 was afterwards beheaded in consequence of adhering to the French 
 Loyalists at the time of Buonaparte’s return from Elba; and the loss of 
 all her Property in consequence thereof; her subsequent Arrival in 
 England; and eventually of the discovery of her being an Impostor. 
 Collected from Authentic Documents, and now first published. To 
 which is added a faithful Report of her Examination at Bow Street. 
 
 Every attempt to expose imposture, and to show by exist- 
 ing facts the probable consequences of deviating from the 
 strict line cf integrity by which alone success in life may with 
 safety be anticipated, deserves to be hailed with approbation 
 by every thinking mind, inasmuch as the results may prove 
 beneficial to the young and the thoughtless, the giddy and the 
 gay. 
 
 ‘The lady whose life is about to be introduced to the reader 
 in the following pages has obtained a considerable share of 
 notoriety by her introduction to the Society entitled the Friends 
 of Foreigners in Distress, through some persons connected 
 with families of the first respectability in this country; and 
 perhaps to that circumstance alone the public are indebted for 
 a knowledge of the curious occurrences of her life; as, in con- 
 sequence of her endeavours to impose upon a fund benevo- 
 jentiy raised in England for the protection of distressed per- 
 sons from. other countries, she was introduced to the Public 
 Office, Bow Street, on Saturday, May 25th, 1822, since which 
 the fullowing particulars have come to light. 
 
 According to her own account, she was the daughter and 
 sole child of the “ Marquis de Reveleyez,” of-Valladolid, a 
 Spanish Grandee, who married a beautiful wife, who gave 
 birth to our heroine, and then died.. Soon afterwards the 
 Marquis was appointed to a military command in the Philip- 
 pine Islands, and thereupon, agreeably to the custom of Spa- 
 nish noblemen going abroad, he converted all his estates into 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 205 
 
 PILL OF 
 
 COC PP LOL PLD OOP PP CLES DOL ODO OOF 
 
 PL PPPILGDPIOSOOSLS OG 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 PPP PIP LIP LEE LI OLD DIL OL LPI EDD ODP OLDIE LOE LE GFP LIPO LDL DOO LOL DOOD L ODL OD DOOLEOL OOP OOP OO OL P FILL Pa 
 
 specie, and set out on his expedition, taking with him his in: 
 fant daughter, and accompanied by a Madame Beauchane, a 
 wealthy lady, who having no little ones of her own, and pity- 
 ing the bereaved situation of the Marquis, generously volun- 
 teered her services as governante to the young Donna Isidora. 
 They reached the Philippines in safety, but the Marquis got 
 killed in an affair with the natives, and then Donna Isidora, 
 with all her property, was consigned by his trustees to the au- 
 thority of some sea-faring scoundrel, who undertook to con- 
 vey the ladies, and their materiel, in safety to their native Eu- 
 rope. They sailed from the Philippines with a prosperous 
 gale, deep regret, and full store of doubloons ; but they had 
 not been long at sea, before the water-scoundrel, above men- 
 tioned, began to cast longing eyes—not on the youthful Donna 
 Isidora, or the matronly Madame Beauchane—but on the 
 doubloons ; and at length he, like an amphibious vagabond as 
 he was, determined to appropriate the doubloons, jewels, &c. 
 to himself, and turn the ladies adrift. Meanwhile, that is 
 during these covetous cogitations of his, they sailed, and sailed 
 long dreary days, and drearier nights, “over the waste of 
 waters,” all unconscious of the impending ruin, and indulging 
 only in fond regrets for the past, and, sometimes, in rather 
 fondish anticipations of the future; when, one fatal night—a 
 night never to be forgotten—the water-scoundrel scuttled the 
 ship ; and, after taking possession of all the money and valua- 
 bles they had, he very ungallantly sent the ladies ashore with- 
 out a penny in their pockets to provide for even their imme- 
 diate necessities. : 
 
 In this deplorable situation, and almost without hope, 
 Donna Isidora still had a firm and dear friend in Madame 
 
 Beauchane; and Madame Beauchane was rich, so Madame 
 
 Beauchane adopted her as her own daughter, and placed her 
 in a convent at Liege. In the convent, Donna Isidora. soon 
 became the delight of the sisterhood, the highly favoured of 
 the superieure ; and, in due time, she fell in love with and 
 married the Comte de Chautal, a young and noble French- 
 man, who had held a command in the army of Napoleon ; 
 but, as the said Napoleon was at that time safely lodged in 
 the Island of Elba; he, M. le Comte de Chautal, was then 
 bearing arms beneath the banner of St. Louis. Well, the 
 conjugal blisses of Douna Isidora and the Comte de Chautal 
 were immense ; the weeks were days, the days were minutes, 
 the minutes were seconds, the seconds were nothing at all. 
 The Comte, enraptured past expression, “ sighed and looked, 
 and sighed and looked, and looked and sighed, and sighed 
 again.” 'The Donna, all-enamoured, looked and sighed and 
 
206 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OOF LSE LPO LOPOLO LEC LOL LEO L LOL ODL DE PLL LOL OLE LODE EOL EEL OGL LOE POCLIO LOE LEO DOOD ODE LIL OOD OLF 
 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 < PEOPLE POOL DOLOL LDL LOL LDL LOD DDL LID DOP 
 
 ‘looked and sighed, and looked and sighed, and looked again ; 
 in short, or in long, whichever you will, every thing was 
 exactly comme il faut, and comfortable. When, lo and _be- 
 hold! the honey-moon had scarcely passed, ere Napoleon 
 pops back from Elba ; and every thing (at least, love and al/ 
 that sort of thing,) was completely done up. ‘The Comte de 
 Chautal flew to meet his companions in arms at Lyons; his 
 companions in arms at Lyons declared for Napoleon; the 
 Comte de Chautal would only brandish his blade for the 
 Bourbon ; so they chopped off his head, and Donna Isidora 
 saw him no more; ah! thus bewidowed, she sought refuge 
 in another convent, and placed her jewels in the hands of the 
 superieure ; for though the water-scoundrel had carried off all 
 her patrimonial jewels, her husband had re-jewelled her bril- 
 liantly ; and the swperieure told her that she considered them 
 as a sacred deposit, and would take every care of them. Now 
 any body would suppose that by this time fate would have 
 been weary of persecuting poor Donna Isidora; but not a hit 
 of it; fate was relentless, and, as Hamlet’s royal papa-in-law 
 once said, “ when sorrows come, they come not singly, but in 
 battalions.’? This was the case with the unfortunate Donna 
 Isidora ; for she had scarcely laid down her handkerchief and 
 vinagerette, after hearing of her husband’s lamentable decapi- 
 tation, when she received a letter from her dear friend Ma- 
 dame Beauchane, informing her that she was at the point of 
 death, and desiring her to come and take her last blessing. 
 
 In consequence of this mandate from her formerly benevo- 
 lent and now dying friend and protector, the unfortunate, but 
 grateful and sympathising Comtesse de Chautal hastened to 
 the bedside of Madame Beauchane, who not only gave her 
 the promised blessing, but told her she had bequeathed her 
 all her immense property. Donna Isidora, however, would 
 not listen to this generous bequest ; she had been munificently 
 provided for by her late husband, the Comte de Chautal, and 
 she therefore begged Madame Beauchane to cancel the will 
 and leave her property to her own relations. Madame Beau- 
 chane complied—then died ; and the disconsolate Donna Isi- 
 dora returned to her convent. But she returned only to en- 
 counter fresh misfortunes. The sisterhood endeavoured to pre- 
 vail upon her to take the veil; she had not much fancy for it ; 
 she thought, and thought again ; whilst she was yet in doubt, 
 came the relatives of the decapitated Comte de Chautal, and 
 claimed the whole of his property ; they even affected to doubt 
 whether she had been actually married to him. She produced 
 a certificate of her marriage : one of “the wretches,’’ snatch- 
 ing it from her hand, tore it in pieces befere her face; they 
 
 LOL LOE POP LLE PLO LPL LLY LDE OLE LODE? 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 207 
 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 PPPPIP LPL PDE PIP LOOPED LOD LLP LOC DPD ODE DP LLLP PDL LDP LOL DPD LOL DOPPLOL LOO LOSP LILLE LR? LE LOLL OP 
 
 seize upon the whole of her late husband’s property ; an im- 
 perial edict arrives, ordering all foreigners to quit France 
 within ten days. Donna Isidora applies to the superieure for 
 her jewels ; the superieure refuses to deliver them up, alleging 
 that she considered them as a “ sacred deposit,” and had ap- 
 pues them to the use of the convent; and Donna Caroline 
 sabella Isidora de Reveleyez, veuve Comtesse de Chautal, 
 thus diddled on all sides, and having some knowledge of em- © 
 broidery, sets out forthwith to seek her fortune among the 
 marchandes des modes in London. She arrived in London 
 without further mischance ; and by relating these her manifold 
 troubles, she won upon the hearts of all she met with—from 
 Mr. Murray and the milliners up to Countesses, Duchesses, 
 and some ladies of the Royal Family themselyes:—“ A son 
 Altésse Princess of Gloucester, par exemple,” as she herself 
 said. Fashionable subscriptions were set on foot for her, she 
 was every where received as the interesting Comtesse, par ex- 
 cellence, and she was registered in the books of the Society of 
 Foreigners in Distress as a pensioner in perpetuity. 
 
 Such being the detailed particulars with which the conde- 
 scending Comtesse was kind enough to favour the British ge- 
 nerosity which fostered and protected her in her supposed 
 distress, after undergoing so many vicissitudes of fortune; it 
 will now be our duty to inform the public of the actual cir- 
 cumstances attendant upon the life of this extraordinary lady, 
 and if they are not found to be quite so interesting in the de- 
 tails as the ingenious lady herself had made her history, the 
 writer of this work believes he may say they bear the superior 
 recommendation of truth. 
 
 Miss Caroline Ryley, (for that was the real name of the 
 _ subject of this memoir,) was the daughter of a Mr. and Mrs. 
 Ryley, an honest and industrious couple, who had resided in 
 the neighbourhood of Cowes, in the Isle of Wight. It does 
 not appear that they were in affluent circumstances; still, 
 however, every attention within their power was given to the 
 education of the infant Caroline, who afterwards became a 
 teacher in several seminaries and private families in the 
 island, by which she acquired languages and the manners of a 
 well-bred woman ; and, by this means, obtained an introduc- 
 tion to society far beyond her original rank, which, it will be 
 found in the sequel, she did not fail to take advantage of, al- 
 though it did not prove exactly commensurate to her wishes ; 
 for her long residence in the Isle of Wight, after the decease 
 of her parents, had made her too well known to some of the 
 inhabitants for her to effect the ohject she had in view, since 
 it will be found that several of them appeared at the time of 
 
— 
 
 208 CURIOSI£ZIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 
 
 PLL LILO ILD IL GDCGGR 
 
 DOF 
 
 PPL LEE LOE LPOLOI? 
 
 Adventures of Miss C. Ryley—Mother Damnable, alias Mother Red Cap. 
 
 PIPPI LD LDP LOO DOL LOD LE OLLIE LG OLD OL DELO GL DO LOPL LOL FOLD OLOE LOS LOD LDL PLD LLP LOL LLL LDL DOPOD 
 
 her public examination at Bow Street, and indisputably iden: 
 tified her person. 
 
 It does not appear with what precise motive she withdrew 
 from the Isle of Wight, which it is probable she left about 
 the year 1812 or 1813, though she was afterwards recognised 
 as a teacher at a school in Chichester in the year 1816, at which 
 time she went by the title of the Comrresse DE CHAUTAL ; 
 but upon what ground it is not easy to ascertain, unless it was 
 for the purpose of levying contributions upon the generous 
 and unwary. | 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 ei 
 
 MOTHER DAMNABLE; 
 
 THE PERSON WHO GAVE RISE TO THE SIGN OF MOTHER 
 RED-CAP, ON THE HAMPSTEAD ROAD, A.D. 1676, 
 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 2. | 
 Or this shrew, whose real name has not reached posterity, 
 
 nothing further is known than the following lines, which, an- 
 nexed to the origina! portrait, state :— 
 
 You've often seen (from Oxford tipling-house, ) 
 Th’ effigies of Shipton fam’d Mother Louse, 
 
 Whose pretty pranks (tho’ some they might excel) 
 With thisold trot’s ne’er gallop’d parallel. 
 
 "Tis Mother Damnable! that monstrous thing, 
 Unmatch’d by Macbeth’s wayward women’s ring, 
 For cursing, scolding, fuming, flinging fire 
 
 I’ th’ face of madam, lord, knight, gent, cit, squire; 
 Who (when but ruffled into the least pet) 
 
 Would cellar-door key into pocket get. 
 
 Then no more ale; and now the fray begins! 
 Ware heads, wigs, hoods, scarfs, shoulders, sides, and shins! 
 While these dry’d bones, in a Westphalian bag, 
 (Through the wrinkled weasan of her shapeless crag) 
 Send forth such dismal shrieks, and uncouth noise, 
 As fill the town with din, the street with boys; 
 Which makes some think, this fierce she-dragon fell 
 Can scarce be match’d by any this side hell ; 
 
 So fam’d, both far and near, is the renown 
 
 Of Mother Damnable, of Kentish Town. 
 
 Wherefore this symbol of the cat’s we'll give her, 
 Because, so curst, a doz would not dwell with her. 
 
 It is pretty certain she is the person represented in the sign 
 of the Mother Red Cap, on the Hampstead Road, more espe- 
 cially as the house that bears that sign was the only one stand- 
 ing near the place in the memory of many now living. - . 
 
RR 
 hehe ee oe ny aa a 
 
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 regina 
 
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 Y tw ler Werte a 
 
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 ht WO7C+ 
 
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 Sy x 
 P> = | x 
 GH ah 
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 tel "Ss 
 eat rn 
 bats 3 
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 foe 
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 LLL, 
 
 LLOF. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 209 
 BPE PPOLL IL APL PLL DID ENS CEP IEPILPD SIE LOERPPIPEE GEL EOELERELEDIRES SIL PLL DELP DOI PL IL EOL DPIDG PLD EPO SOO 
 The Young Savage of Aveyron, discovered in the Forest of Canni, 
 
 POLPBI LOL LDL I DG ILL IOP LILLILD DLE PEL DED IAG LE PIODOLREOL ODEROE OEE BORMIOSD? LIL VIFDLOLDOL BLP DLA LED E DED 
 
 THE YOUNG SAVAGE OF AVEYRON, DISCOVERED IN THE 
 FOREST OF CANNI. 
 
 Tue following particulars respecting that extraordinary 
 being are extracted from the report made to the National In- 
 stitute by Mons. Degerando. 
 
 When the young creature, known by the name of the 
 Savage of Aveyron, was discovered in the forest of Canni, 
 and brought to Paris by the Professor Bonaterre, the public 
 for a considerable time echoed with this intelligence. It oc- 
 cupied the idle, attracted the curious, and gave rise to a multi- 
 tude of discussions which were at least premature, as. they 
 could then have no foundation but conjecture. 
 
 The boy was committed to the care of Mons. Ytard, physi- 
 cian of the National Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, in 
 order that, by the combination of physical and moral reme- 
 dies, the double incapacities under which he laboured might 
 be more effectually removed. M. Ytard’s exertions have al- 
 ready been crowned with a degree of success which is almost 
 prodigious ; he has published the particulars, which he has 
 dedicated to the National Institute. 
 
 The eye of this child was wild and wandering: he saw, 
 without doubt, but he never dwelt-on the object. ‘The loudest 
 noises appeared scarcely to strike his ear ; a pistol-shot would 
 not make him turn his head: superficial observers would have 
 concluded that he was deaf—but M. Ytard was aware that, 
 even when the sense is perfect, no perception is produced un- 
 less the mind is attentive, and he was not astonished that the 
 violence of this sound made no impression on a being whom it 
 could not interest. He found a new proof of the justness of 
 this observation in the attention which his pupil bestowed on 
 the smallest sound which could interest him, such as the crack- 
 ing of a nut, or the turning ofa key. 
 
 In the mean time new habits were formed in the boy; a 
 number of new necessities arose—food, dress, rest, and walk- 
 ing out, were so many new means of augmenting his depen- 
 dence. Finding himself under the necessity of availing him- 
 self of those about him, he has begun to feei the force of 
 moral affections, and has conceived a particular attachment 
 for his governess. His ideas have been multiplied and con- 
 nected ; some efforts have been made to amuse him, and it is 
 contrived to unite instruction with amusement. He has been 
 exercised at comparisons : they have accustomed him to com- 
 pa objects with their images, and in these comparisons he 
 
 as been constrained to use only the united powers of judg- 
 nie and of memory. M. Ytard thought ate a favourable 
 
 ° E 
 
910 CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 BADR IPG IOP LDP IID PPL LOPGOPGLOG GOS PODPOED LOO SOCDEDLGE EDP PCD ODE LE OLOC LO OITOISOL IS ILE PRO 
 
 Young Savage of Aveyron,—Peter the Wild Boy, found in the Woods at Hanover: 
 
 DEOL OS PDD POO LOO LL O DDE LOO LOL LDL LIE BO DLL POL PLL LLL DOL LDL PDD DOD ILD LLL PDE LIED PLE DICLOOLO® 
 
 moment to teach him our written characters, and he made use 
 of the method employed in the instruction of the deaf and 
 dumb :—he wrote the name of the object on the image, and 
 then by effacing the image, he hoped that the name would re- 
 main comencion: with the remembrance of the object ; but this 
 method proved unsuccessful. Other means were then used, 
 the effect of which was as happy as could be hoped. ‘The boy 
 now distinguishes the characters of the alphabet, and places 
 them in their order; he pronounces the words lait, soupe 
 (milk, soup), in the common tone, and then brings the proper 
 letters, and forms these words. In this manner he every day 
 acquires a new word; he has already passed the limits of 
 ignorance—he has entered on the territory of reason: he is in 
 possession of some of our terms of speech, and will soon be 
 enabled to give us some information respecting his early con- 
 dition—a subject which of all others must be most interesting 
 to curiosity. 
 
 It must be observed that he finds great difficulty in the 
 formation of articulate sounds ; from the effect of long disuse 
 of his organs of speech, there are only a few words that he 
 can pronounce perfectly ; but it is hoped that the same perse- 
 ¢erance which conquered the first difficulties that stood in his 
 way, will also help him over the others. 
 
 —=i=——— 
 
 PETER THE WILD BOY, FOUND IN THE WOODS OF HANOVER, 
 AND BROUGHT TO ENGLAND. 
 Ba [From Lord Monboddo.] 
 
 Amone the phenomena of the above nature, best authenti- 
 eated and described, is the case of Peter the Wild Boy. The 
 following particulars are from the third volume of Lord Mon- 
 boddo’s Antient Metaphysics. 
 
 Before the learned author relates what he himself saw and 
 heard of Peter the Wild Boy, he gives all the particulars of 
 him that could be collected from the newspapers of 1725, 
 when the young savage was caught, and from those of 1726, 
 when he was first brought to England. 
 
 From tfese it appears that he was found in the woods of 
 Hamelin, twenty-eight miles from Hanover, walking upon his 
 hands and feet, climbing up trees like a squirrel, and feeding 
 upon grass and moss of trees. He was at that time judged to 
 be about twelve or thirteen years old. Afterwards he made 
 his escape into the same wood, but was again caught on a 
 tree, which was obliged to be first sawed down. He was 
 brought to England in April, 1726, and again introduced 
 into the presence of his Majesty and of many of the nobility. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURB AND ART. 2h} 
 
 PIO LE POD D DLE ILO OLD LOD DDD LEE BPLIDPL ILE LLDPE LLDO LOL PLOLODL LOD ELD ODD DL OL OP GLIID LIL LIL LLDPE LOD 
 Peter the Wild Boy, found in the Woods at Hanover, and brought to England. 
 
 PLO LID SLO LDA L AIL DL LOL DLOD DF 
 
 GDI LID L LL ELIE LD OG ROO LDL LOOP LD LLEOL LEE LODLDIL LOL LODE LDO L OF 
 
 nN could not speak, and scarce seemed to have any idea of 
 things. | 
 
 ‘“¢ It was in the beginning of June, 1782, (says his Lord- 
 ship) that I saw him, in a farm house, called Broadway, 
 within about a mile of Berkhamstead, kept there upon a pen- 
 sion, which the king pays. He is but of low stature, not ex- 
 ceeding five feet three inches; and, though he must be now 
 about seventy years of age, has a fresh healthy look. He 
 wears his beard; his face is not at all ugly or disagreeable ; 
 and he has a look that may be called sensible and sagacious 
 for a savage. About twenty years ago, he was in use to 
 elope, and to be missing for several days; and once, as I was 
 told, he wandered as far as Norfolk: but, of late, he has been 
 quite tame, and either keeps the house, or saunters about the 
 farm. He has been, the thirteen last years, where he lives at 
 present; and, before that, he was twelve years with another 
 farmer, whom I saw and conversed with. ‘This farmer told 
 me that he had been put to school somewhere in Hertford- 
 shire, but had only learned to articulate his own name, Peter, 
 and the name of King George, both which I heard him pro- 
 nounce very distinctly. But the woman of the house where 
 he now is (for the man happened not to be at home) told me 
 that he understood every thing that was said to him concern- 
 ing the common affairs of life; and I saw that he readily un- 
 derstood several things that she said to him while I was pre- 
 sent. Among other things, she desired him to sing Nancy 
 Dawson, which accordingly he did, and another tune that she 
 named. He never was mischievous, but hadalways that gen- 
 tleness of disposition which I hold to be characteristical of our 
 nature, at least till we become carnivorous, and hunters or 
 warriors. He feeds at present as the farmer and his wife do; 
 but as I was told by an old woman, one Mrs. Callop, living 
 at a village in the neighbourhood called Hampstead, who re- 
 membered to have seen him when he first came to Hertford- 
 shire, (which she computed to be fifty-five years before the 
 time I saw her,) he then fed very much upon leaves, and 
 particularly upon the leaves of cabbages, which she saw him 
 eat raw. He was then, as she thought, about fifteen years of 
 age, walked upright, but could climb trees like a squirrel. 
 At present, he not only eats flesh, but also has got the taste 
 of beer, and even of spirits, of which he inclines to drink more 
 than he can get. And the old farmer above-mentioned, with 
 whom he lived twelve years before he came to this farmer, 
 told me that he had acquired that taste before he came to him; 
 that is, about twenty-five years ago. He is also become very 
 fond of fire, but has not yet acquired a liking for money ; for, 
 
9}2 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POPDPEDILODOLODD ED DEOLEDLIPDOOLDEOLOOLOD LOO LOPE IODIDE DOE DIODE ODED POL LODE ODL IS IDE LID ODD 
 Peter the Wild Boy.—Murder, and Sacrifice of an Innocent Victim. 
 though he takes it, he does not keep it, but gives it to his 
 landlord or landlady, which I suppose is a lesson that they 
 have taught him. He retains so much of his natural instinct, 
 that he has a fore-feeling of bad weather, growling and howl- 
 
 ing, and showing great disorder, before it comes on.” 
 In the latter end of April, 1785, Peter died at the farm. 
 He was then nearly ninety years of age ; but, notwithstand- 
 
 ing the length of time he lived in England, he never acquired — — 
 
 the use of speech. 
 ae 
 
 LE BRUN. 
 
 A Dreudful Case of Murder, and Sacrifice of an Innocent Victim to Circum- 
 stantial Evidence. 
 
 In the year 1689, there lived in Paris a woman of fashion 
 called Lady Mazel: her house was large, and four stories 
 high; on the ground floor was a large servants’ hall, in which 
 was a grand staircase, and a cupboard where the plate was 
 locked up, of which one of the chambermaids kept the key. 
 Yn a small room partitioned off from the hall, slept the valet- 
 de-chambre, whose name was Le Brun: the rest of this floor 
 consisted of apartments in which the lady saw company, which 
 _-was very frequent and numerous, as she kept public nights for 
 play. Inthe floor up one pair of stairs was the lady’s own 
 chamber, which was in the front of the house, and was the 
 innermost of three rooms from the grand staircase: the key of 
 this chamber was usually taken out of the door and laid ona 
 chair by the servant who was last with the lady, and who 
 pulling the door after her, it shut with a spring, so that it 
 could not be opened from without. In this chamber also 
 were two doors, one communicated with a back staircase, and 
 the other with a wardrobe which opened to the back stairs also. 
 
 On the second floor slept the Abbé Poulard, in the only 
 room which was furnished on that floor. On the third story 
 were two chambers, which contained two: chambermaids and 
 two foot-boys: the fourth story consisted of lofts and grana- 
 ries, whose doors were always open: the cook slept below in 
 a place where the wood was kept: an old woman in the kitchen; 
 and the coachman in the stable. 
 
 On the 27th of November, being Sunday, the two daughters 
 of Le Brun, the valet, who were eminent milliners, waited on 
 the lady, and were kindly received; but as she was going to 
 church to afternoon service, she pressed them to come again, 
 when she could have more of their company. Le Brun at- 
 tended his lady to church, and then went to another himself, 
 after which he went to play at bowls, as was customary at that 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 913 
 
 POP LIP LIP IVIL LI PLDC LDL LLL LL OE DDL DL PLL EL DE DDE DLE BOE DIO DED LOD LADOO LOO LD LD ~BLOLE DDO LP IOLOE DOD 
 
 Murder, and Sacrifice of an Innocent Victim. 
 
 PII PIPL LID LIP PDI LID LLL ELI PIL PDE LID LID LOD LOL LLL PLD LOL LOD ODL EDO DLE LLL DDO DLP LOL DOODLE OPP 
 
 time. From the bowling-green he went to several places, 
 and, after supping with a friend, he returned home seemingly 
 cheerful and easy, as he had been all the afternoon. Lady 
 Mazel supped with the Abbé Poulard as usual, and about 
 eleven o’clock went to her chamber, where she was attended 
 by her maids. Before they left her, Le Brun came to the 
 door to receive his orders for the next day : after which one 
 of the maids laid the key of the chamber door on the chair 
 next it. ‘They then went out, and Le Brun following them, 
 shut the door after him, and talked with the maids a few mi- 
 nutes about his daughters, and then parted, he seeming still 
 very cheerful. | 
 
 In the morning he went to market, and was jocular and 
 pleasant with every body he met, as was his usual manner. 
 He then returned home, and transacted his customary busi- 
 ness. At eight o’clock he expressed surprise his lady did not | 
 get up, as she usually rose at seven. He went to his wife’s 
 lodging, which was in the neighbourhood, and told her he 
 was uneasy his lady’s bell had not rung, and gave her seven 
 louis d’ors, and some crowns in gold, which he desired her to 
 lock up, and then went home again, and found the servants in 
 great consternation at hearing nothing of their lady. One ob- 
 serving that he feared she had been seized with an apoplexy, 
 or a bleeding at the nose, to which she was subject ;—Le Brun 
 answered, “ It must be something worse ; my mind misgives 
 me, for I found the street-door open last night after all the 
 family were in bed but myself.” They then sent for the lady’s 
 son, M. de Savoniere; who hinting to Le Brun his fear of an 
 apoplexy, “ It is certainly,” said he, ‘“ something worse; my 
 mind has been uneasy ever since I found the street-door open 
 last night after the family were in bed.” A smith being now 
 brought, the door was broken open, and Le Brun entering 
 first, ran to the bed; when calling several times, he drew 
 back the curtains, and exclaimed, “ Oh! my lady is mur- 
 dered!” he then ran into the wardrobe, and took up the 
 strong box, which being heavy, he said, ‘ she has not been 
 robbed ; how is this?” 
 
 A surgeon then examined the body, which was covered with 
 no less than fifty wounds; they found in the bed, which was 
 full of blood, a scrap of a cravat of coarse lace, and a napkin 
 made into a night-cap, which was bloody, and had the family- 
 mark on it; and from the wounds in the lady’s hands, it ap- 
 peared she had struggled hard with the murderer, which 
 obliged him to cut the muscles before he could disengage 
 himself. The bell-strings were twisted round the frame of 
 the tester, so that they were out of reach and could not ring. 
 
914 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OCOLOP LOO LOO LOD LDL LDOLDO DOO L DOLL DL OP LOD LOOP LE OLDE LOE DEE DLDLOOLOOLEDLIDDLOOLEE BAG DOE ODP 
 Murder, and Sacrifice of an Innocent Victim. 
 
 CLS LOPLOOL DOL OO LDOD LOE LDP LLIE LDL ODE LOOL DILDO LOD LLDDIIOLEL PLL LD LOL DOL EL LEE LOL LDOL LE LOOP DE 
 
 A clasp-knife was found in the ashes, almost consumed by the 
 fire, which had burned off all the marks of blood; the key of 
 the chamber was gone from the seat by the door; but no 
 marks of violence appeared on any of the doors, nor were 
 there any signs of a robbery, as a large sum of money, and all 
 the lady’s jewels, were found in the strong box, and other 
 laces. 
 
 . Le Brun being examined, said, that “ after he left the 
 maids on the stairs, he went down into the kitchen ; he laid 
 his hat and the key of the street-door on the table, and sitting 
 down by the fire to warm himself, he fell asleep ; that he slept, 
 as he thought, about an hour; and going to lock the street- 
 door, he found it open; that he locked it, and took the key 
 with him to his chamber.’ On searching him, they found in 
 his pocket a key, the wards of which were new filed, and made 
 remarkably large; and on trial it was found to open the 
 street-door, the anti-chamber, and both the doors in Lady 
 Mazel’s chamber. On trying the bloody night-cap on Le 
 Brun’s head, it was found to fit him exactly, whereupon he 
 was committed to prison. 
 
 On his trial it appeared as if the lady was murdered by 
 some person who had fled, and who was let in by Le Brun 
 for that purpose. It could not be done by himself, because 
 no blood was upon his clothes, nor any scratch on his body, 
 which must have been on the murderer from the lady’s strug- 
 gling ; but that it was Le Brun who let him in, seemed very 
 clear : none of the locks were forced, and his own story of find- 
 ing the street-door open, the circumstances of the key and the 
 night-cap, also of a ladder of ropes being found in the house, 
 which might be supposed to be laid there by Le Brun, to 
 take off the attention from himself, were all interpreted as 
 strong proofs of his guilt ; and that he had an accomplice was 
 inferred, because part of the cravat found in the bed was dis- 
 covered not to be like his; but the maids deposed they had 
 washed such a cravat for one Berry, who had been a footman 
 to the lady, and was turned away about four months before 
 for robbing her: there was also found in the loft at the top 
 of the house, under some straw, a shirt very bloody, but which 
 was not like the linen of Le Brun, nor would it fit him. 
 
 Le Brun had nothing to oppose to these strong circum- 
 stances, but a uniform good character, which he had main- 
 tained during twenty-nine years he had served his lady; and 
 that he was generally esteemed a good husband, a good father, 
 and a good servant. It was, therefore, resolved to put him 
 to the torture, in order to discover his accomplices. This 
 was done with such severity, on February 23, 1690, that he 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. ee 
 
 PLP OP PF OIPIP PLP DDE LEL LDF DID LDOL EP LED LOE LID LDL DOD BOO LOOELLOLDDODDD LE PD LL EL OL LOGE LODOE DDR 
 Murder, and Sacrifice of an Innocent Victim. 
 
 DEF PII POOP LE DIF LDPE PLE LIL DOOD LOL LLE DOODLE LD DDL DOLL DE OCPD OLDE PDL DPIC ODD LOE PDL ODLD LOE LDP DDE OOP 
 
 died the week after of the hurts he received, declaring his in- 
 nocence with his dying breath. 
 
 About a month after, notice was sent from the Provost of 
 Sens, that a dealer in horses had lately set up there by the 
 name of John Garlet, but his true name was found to be 
 Berry, and that he had been a footman in Paris. In conse- 
 quence of this he was taken up, and the suspicion of his guilt 
 was increased by his attempting to bribe the officers. On 
 searching him, a gold watch was found, which proved to be 
 Lady Mazel’s: being brought to Paris, a person swore to 
 seeing him go out of Lady Mazel’s the night she was killed ; 
 and a barber swore to shaving him next morning, who, on ob- 
 serving his hands very much scratched, Berry said he had 
 been killing a cat. 3 
 
 On these circumstances, he was condemned to the torture, 
 and afterwards to be broken alive on the wheel. On being 
 tortured, he confessed, that by the direction and order of 
 Madame de Savoniere (Lady Mazel’s daughter) he and Le 
 Brun had undertaken to rob and murder Lady Mazel; and 
 that Le Brun murdered her, whilst he stood at the door to 
 prevent a surprise. In the truth of this declaration he per- 
 sisted, till he was brought to the place of execution ; when, 
 begging to speak with one of the judges, he recanted what he 
 had said against Le Brun and Madame de Savoniere, and con- 
 fessed : “'That he came to Paris on the Wednesday before the 
 murder was committed. On the Friday evening he went into 
 the house, and, unperceived, got into one of the lofts, where 
 he lay till Sunday morning, subsisting on apples and bread 
 which he had in his pockets; that about eleven o’clock on Sun- 
 day morning, when he knew the lady had gone to mass, he 
 stole down to her chamber, and the door being open, he tried 
 to get under her bed; but it being too low, he returned to 
 the loft, pulled off his coat and waistcoat, and returned to tlie | 
 chamber a second time in his shirt; he then got under the bed, 
 where he continued till the afternoon, when Lady Mazel weut 
 to church; that knowing she would not come back soon, he 
 got from under the bed : and being incommoded with his hat, 
 he threw it under the bed, and made a cap of a napkin which 
 lay in a chair, secured the bell-strings, and then sat down by 
 the fire; where he continued till he heard her coach drive 
 into the court-yard, when he again got under the bed, and re- 
 mained there ; that Lady Mazel having been in bed about an 
 hour, he got from under the bed and demanded her money; 
 she began to cry out, and attempted to ring, upon which’he 
 stabbed her: and she resisting with all her strength, he re- 
 peated his stabs till she was dead; that he then took the key 
 
216 CURIOSITIZS OF WATURE AND ART. 
 POO LEI LLL L LE LIF PIE POL LOL LOL LL DDL LL DL OLD BO DE POL LOL LPP LIPO LIE DOL LLL LOD LOLD ILE LIL LOGLSD PLeak 
 
 Murder and Sacrifice of an Innocent Victim.— Mount Vesuvius. 
 
 POOLS OGD LODO LOO LODO LOL ODE LOO LEO LLG OLDOLD LOE LOL LOD LL DOPE L LE LOD LOE LEI D EDEL! PLP LR OL PL ELOPDOR 
 
 of the wardrobe cupboard from the bed’s head, opened this 
 cupboard, found the key of the strong box, opened it, and 
 took out all the gold he could find, to the amount of about 
 six hundred livres; that he then locked the cupboard and 
 replaced the key at the bed’s head; threw his knife into the 
 fire ; took his hat from under-the bed, left the napkin in it; 
 took the key of the chamber out of the chair, and let himself 
 out; went to the loft, where he pulled off his shirt and cravat ; 
 and leaving them there, put on his coat and waistcoat, and 
 stole softly down stairs; and finding the street-door only on 
 the single lock, he opened it, went out, and left it open; that 
 he had brought a rope-ladder to let himself down from a 
 window, if he had found the street-door double-locked ; but 
 finding it otherwise, he left his rope-ladder at the bottom of 
 the stairs, where it was found.” 
 
 Thus was the veil removed from this deed of darkness; 
 and: all the circumstances which condemned Le Brun were 
 accounted for-consistently with his innocence. From the 
 whole story, the reader will perceive how fallible human rea- 
 son is, when applied to circumstances ; and the humane will 
 agree, that in such cases even improbabilities ought to be ad- 
 mitted, rather than that a man should be condemned who 
 may possibly be innocent. 
 
 ——sE a 
 
 MOUNT VESUVIUS, NEAR NAPLES: ITS DESCRIPTION AND 
 VARIOUS ERUPTIONS. 
 
 The fluid lake that works below, 
 Bitumen, sulphur, salt, and iron scum, ‘ 
 Heaves up its boiling tide. ‘The lab’ring mount 
 Is torn with agonizing throes. At once, 
 Forth from its side disparted, blazing pours. 
 A mighty river; burning in prone waves, 
 That glimmer thro’ the night,‘to yonder plain ; 
 Divided there, a hundred torrent streams, 
 Each ploughing up its bed, roll dreadful on, 
 Resistless. Villages, and woods, and rocks, 
 
 ' Fall flat before their sweep. ‘The region round, 
 Where myrtle walks and groves of golden fruit 
 Rose fair; where harvest waved in all its pride 5. 
 And where the vineyard spread its purple store,’ . 
 Maturing into nectar ; now despoiled 
 Of herb, leaf, fruit and flower, from end to end 
 Lies buried under fire, a glowing sea! _ MALLer. _ 
 
 Tus celebrated volcano, which has for so many ages at- 
 tracted the attention of mankind, and the desolating eruptions. 
 of which have been so often and so fatally experienced, is 
 distant, in an eastern direction, about seven miles from Na- 
 ples. It rises, insulated, upon a vast and well-cultivated 
 
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SURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. O17 
 SPOIL ELI PLL ELA DLL OLD LOI DD DLOLE OL LOO LLL COOL ODL LOL OL LPLIO DL GOLDOPLGL OC LOL DILDO OIGOOL LED D0 
 
 Mount Vesuvius; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 
 CPP LOL ILI LOLI LE LE LP LLL OL LED ADDL LEO LE DD IL ELD D LOL LEE LBD LOD LED LOL LL DD OL DOD GEL DDD LEO LD OD LOE 
 
 plain, presenting two summits on the same base, in which 
 particular it resembles Mount Parnassus. One of these, La 
 Somma, is generally agreed to have been the Vesuvius of 
 Strabo and the ancients ; the other, having the greatest ele- 
 vation, is the mouth of the volcano, which almost constantly 
 emits smoke. Its height above the level of the sea is 3,900 
 feet, and it may be ascended by three different routes, which 
 are all very steep and difficult, from the conical form of the 
 mountain, and the loose ashes which slip from under the 
 feet ; still, from the base to the summit, the distance is not 
 more than three Italian miles. The circumference of the 
 platform on the top is 5,024 feet, or nearly a mile. ‘Thence 
 may be seen Portici, Caprea, Ischia, Pausilippo, and the 
 whole coast of the gulf of Naples, bordered with orange 
 trees: the prospect is that of Paradise seen from the infernal 
 regions. 
 
 On approaching the mountain, its aspect aoes not convey 
 any impression of terror, nor is it gloomy, being cultivated 
 for more than two-thirds of its height, and having its brown 
 top alone barren. There all verdure ceases; yet, when it 
 appears covered with clouds, which sometimes encompass its 
 middle only, this circumstance rather adds to, than detracts 
 from, the magnificence of the spectacle. Upon the lavas which 
 the volcano long ago ejected, and which, like great furrows, 
 extend into the plain, and to the sea, are built houses, vil- 
 lages, and towns. - Gardens, vineyards, and cultivated fields, 
 surround them; but a sentiment of sorrow, blended with ap- 
 prehensions about the future, arises on the recollection that, 
 beneath a soil so fruitful and so smiling, lie edifices, gardens, 
 and whole towns swallowed up. FPortici rests upon Hercula- 
 neum ; its environs upon Resina; and at a little distance is 
 Pompeii, in the streets of which, after more than seventeen 
 centuries of non-existence, the astonished traveller now walks. 
 After a long interval of repose, in the first year of the reign 
 of Titus, (the seventy-ninth of the Christian era,) the vol- 
 cano suddenly broke out, ejecting thick clouds of ashes and 
 pumice-stones, beneath which Herculaneum, Stabia, and Pom- 
 peii, were completely buried. This eruption was fatal to the 
 elder Pliny, the historian, who fell a victim to his humanity 
 and love of science. Even at this day, in speaking of Vesu- 
 vius, the remembrance of his untimely death excites a me-. 
 lancholy regret. All the coast to the east of the gulf of 
 Naples was, on the above occasion, ravaged and destroyed, 
 presenting nothing but a long succession of ejected matters 
 from. Herculaneum to Stabia. The destruction did not, 
 
 io. oF 
 
218 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PB. 
 
 DOD 
 
 PIOPPPPPGLOLS OD PE OPLDPID EF 
 Mount Vesuvius ; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 POP LIS SLE LOL LDP LDOLOF 
 
 PIP LDP LOOP PLP LDP LIOLE IE 
 
 LLOLEF LEP LEP LOD LOD LOL 
 
 however, extend to the western part, but stopped at Naples, 
 which suffered comparatively little. 
 
 Thirty-eight eruptions of Vesuvius are recorded in history 
 up to the year 1806. ‘That of 1779 has been described by Sir 
 William Hamilton as among the most remarkable, from its 
 extraordinary and terrific appearance. During the whole of 
 July, the mountain was in a state of considerable fermenta- 
 tion, subterraneous explosions and rumbling noises being 
 heard, and quantities of smoke thrown up with great violence, 
 sometimes with red-hot stones, scorie#, and ashes. On the 
 5th of August, the volcano was greatly agitated, a white sul- 
 phureous smoke, apparently four times the height and size of 
 the volcano itself, issuing from the crater, at the same time 
 that vast quantities of stones, &c. were thrown up to the sup- 
 posed height of 2000 feet. The liquid lava, having cleared 
 the rim of the crater, flowed down the sides of the mountain 
 to the distance of four miles. The air was darkened by showers 
 of reddish ashes, blended with long filaments of a vitrified 
 matter resembling glass. 
 
 On the 7th, at midnight, a fountain of fire shot up from the 
 crater to an incredible height, casting so bright a light that 
 the smallest objects were clearly distinguishable at any place 
 within six miles of the volcano. On the following evening, 
 after a tremendous explosion, which broke the windows of 
 the houses at Portici, another fountain of liquid fire rose to 
 the surprising height of 10,000 feet, (nearly two miles,) while 
 puffs of the blackest smoke accompanied the red-hot lava, in- 
 terrupting its splendid brightness here and there by patches 
 of the darkest hue. The lava was partly directed by the 
 wind towards Ottaiano, on which so thick a shower of ashes, 
 blended with vast pieces of scoriew, fell, that, had it been of 
 longer continuance, that town would have shared the fate of 
 Pompeii. It took fire in several places; and, had there been 
 much wind, the inhabitants would have been burned in their 
 houses, it being impossible for them to stir out. To add to 
 the horror of the scene, incessant volcanic lightning darted 
 through the black cloud which surrounded them, while the 
 sulphureous smell and heat would scarcely allow them to 
 draw their breath. In this dreadful state they remained 
 nearly half an hour. The remaining part of the lava, still 
 red-hot and liquid, fell on the top of Vesuvius, and covered 
 its whole cone, together with that of La Somma, and the val- 
 ley between them, thus forming one complete body of fire, 
 which could not be less than two miles and a half in breadth, 
 and casting a heat to the distance of at least six miles around. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 219 
 
 POLILLLIIS 
 
 PL PP PPE LOL GOP ILI PLPPL OO ELODOP GOD 
 Mount Vesuvius; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 
 The eruption of 1794 is accurately described by the foregoing 
 writer; but has not an equal degree of interest with the one 
 already cited. We subjoin a few particulars, among which is 
 a circumstance well deserving notice, as it leads to an esti- 
 mate of the degree of heat in volcanoes. Sir William oe 
 
 y 
 
 PPP LIL OOP PIL PPD 
 
 that, although the town of Torre del Greco was instant 
 surrounded with red-hot lava, the inhabitants saved them- 
 selves by coming out of the tops of their houses on the follow- 
 ing day. It is evident, observes Mr. Kirwan, that if this lava 
 had been hot enough to melt even the most fusible stones, 
 these persons must have been suffocated. 
 
 This eruption happened on the 15th of June, at ten o’clock 
 at night, and was announced by a shock of an earthquake, 
 which was distinctly felt at Naples. At the same momenta 
 fountain of bright fire, attended with a very black smoke and 
 a loud report, was seen to issue, and rise to a considerable 
 height, from about the middle of the cone of Vesuvius, It 
 was hastily succeeded by other fountains, fifteen of which 
 were counted, all in a direct line, tending, for the space of 
 about a mile and a half downward, towards the towns of 
 Resina and Torre del Greco. This fiery scene—this great 
 operation of nature—was accompanied by the loudest thun- 
 der, the incessant reports of which, like those of a numerous 
 heavy artillery, were attended by a continued hollow murmur, 
 similar to that of the roaring of the ocean during a violent 
 storm. Another blowing noise resembled that of the ascent 
 of a large flight of rockets. The houses at Naples were for 
 several hours in a constant tremor, the doors and windows 
 shaking and rattling incessantly, and the bells ringing. At 
 this awful moment the sky, from a bright full moon and star- 
 light, became obscured ; the moon seemed eclipsed, and was 
 soon lost in obscurity. ‘The murmur of the prayers and la- 
 mentations of a numerous population, forming various pro- 
 cessions, and parading the streets, added to the horrors of the 
 scene. 
 
 On the following day a new mouth was opened on the op- 
 posite side of the mountain, facing the town of Ottaiano : 
 from this aperture a considerable stream of lava issued, and 
 ran with great velocity through a wood, which it burnt; but 
 stopped, after having run about three miles in a few hours, 
 before it reached the vineyards and cultivated lands. The 
 lava, which had flowed from several new mouths on the south 
 side of the mountain, reached the sea, into which it ran, after 
 having overwhelmed, burnt, and destroyed the greater part 
 of Torre del Greco, through the centre of which it took its 
 course. 'This town contained about 18,000 inhabitants, all of 
 
990) CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 DOOLEP PDP LOP EDO LLL IODE LICL OE LOD LDL PLL LLG IDG LIC LOL LDL LLL DOG ODE PL OLG GE LLIOLDE PIP PLE LEP OOP 
 
 Mount Vesuvius ; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 
 PLL LL IGLOS LGOP LDS LE DO LLG ELE LGPLOEL DEOL EL BOE LOD LOD LDS POOLE OLE PLPOLIP 
 
 GLP LOD PLOLIS 
 
 whom escaped, with the exception of about fifteen, whio, 
 through age or infirmity, were overwhelmed in their houses 
 by the lava. Its rapid progress was such, that thé goods and 
 effects were entirely abandoned. 
 
 It was ascertained some time after, that a considerable 
 part of the crater had fallen in, so as to have given a great 
 extension to the mouth of Vesuvius, which was conjectured 
 to be nearly two miles in circumference. ‘This sinking of the 
 crater was chiefly on the west side, opposite Naples, and, in 
 all probability, occurred early in the morning of the 18th, 
 when a violent shock ofan earthquake was felt at Resina, and 
 other places situated at the foot of the volcano. ‘The clouds 
 of smoke which issued from this now widely-extended mouth 
 of Vesuvius were of such a density as to appear to force their 
 passage with the utmost difficulty. One cloud heaped itself 
 on another, and succeeding each other incessantly, they formed 
 in a few hours such a gigantic and elevated column, of the 
 darkest hue, over the mountain, as seemed to.threaten Na- 
 ae with immediate destruction, it having at one time been 
 
 ent over the city, and appearing to be much too massive and 
 ponderous to remain long suspended in the air. 
 
 From the above time until 1804, Vesuvius remained in a 
 state of almost constant tranquillity. Symptoms of a fresh 
 eruption had manifested themselves for several months, when 
 at length, on the night of the 11th of August, a deep roaring 
 was heard at the Hermitage of Salvador, and the places adja- 
 cent to tre mountain, accompanied by shocks of an earthquake 
 which were sensibly felt at Resina. On the following morn- 
 ing, at noon, a thick black smoke rose from the mouth of the 
 crater, which, dilating prodigiously, covered the whole vol- 
 cano. In the evening loud explosions were heard; and at 
 Naples a column of fire was seen to rise from the aperture, 
 carrying up stones in a state of complete ignition, which fell 
 again into the crater. The noise by which these igneous ex- 
 plosions were accompanied resembled the roaring of the most 
 dreadful tempest, and the whistling of the most furious winds; 
 while the celerity with which the substances were ejected was 
 such, that the first emission had not terminated when it was 
 succeeded by a second. Small monticules were at this time 
 formed of a fluid matter, resembling a vitreous paste of a red 
 colour, which flowed from the mouth of the crater ; and these 
 became more considerable in proportion as the matter accu- 
 mulated. 
 
 In this state the eruption continued for several days, the 
 fire being equally intense, with frequent and dreadful noises. 
 On the 28th, amid these fearful symptoms, another aperture, 
 
CURIOSITIOS OF NATURE AND ART. 291 
 
 PROP LO IO LIISF 
 
 LP 
 
 ¢ 
 
 PLE LPL PDL PDDLIFGEOS LS 
 
 PELIDGLPSPIGL PEI? 2H 
 
 Mount Vesuvius; its Description and various Ernptions- 
 
 DPOF LPP LIF LOL PLP PLDI LOD LLP OPEL DIL OP LDL LDD LDL DL DD LDPE PDL LGD LOD 
 
 LL OLLE LOD LOPE DDL LOL LDP 
 
 ejecting fire and stones, situated behind the crater, was seen 
 from Naples. The burning mass of lava which escaped from 
 the crater on the following day was distinguished from ‘Torre 
 del Greco, having the appearance of a vitreous fluid, and ad- 
 vancing towards the base of the mountain between the south 
 and south-west. It reached the base on the 30th, having 
 flowed from the aperture in less than twenty-four hours, a dis- 
 tance of 3,053 feet, while“its mean breadth appeared to be about 
 350, but at the base 860 feet. In its course it divided into 
 four branches, and finally reached a spot called the Guide’s 
 Retreat. Its entire progress to this point was more than a 
 mile, so that, taking a mean proportion, this lava flowed at 
 the rate of eighty-six feet an hour. 
 
 At the time of this eruption Kotzebue was at Naples. 
 Vesuvius lay opposite to his window, and when it was dark 
 he could clearly perceive in what manner the masses of fire 
 rolled down the mountain. As long as any glimmering of 
 light remained, that part of the mountain was to be seen, on 
 the declivity of which the lava formed a straight but oblique 
 line. As soon, however, as it was perfectly dark, and the 
 mountain itself had vanished from the eye, it seemed as if a 
 comet with a long tail stood in the sky. The spectacle was 
 awful and grand ! 
 
 He ascended the mountain on the morning succeeding the 
 opening of a new gulf, and approached the crater as nearly as 
 prudence would allow. From its centre ascended the sul- 
 phureous yellow cone which the eruption of this year had 
 formed: on the other side, a thick smoke perpetually arose 
 from the abyss opened during the preceding night. ‘The side 
 of the crater opposite to him, which rose considerably higher 
 than that on which he stood, afforded a singular aspect; for 
 it was covered with little pillars of smoke, which burst forth 
 from it, and had some resemblance to extinguished lights. 
 The air over the crater was actually embodied, and was 
 clearly to be seen in a tremulous motion. Below, it boiled 
 and roared dreadfully, like the most violent hurricane; but 
 occasionally a sudden deadly stillness ensued for some mo- 
 ments, after which the roaring recommenced with double ve- 
 hemence, and the smoke burst forth in thicker and blacker 
 clouds. It was, he observes, as if the spirit of the mountain 
 had suddenly tried to stop the gulf, while the flames indig- 
 nantly refused to endure the confinement. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
999 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OOP PDE POOL OO LOP DOL LOD LOD LOPP GO LOE BDLOLDOP LOPE LOL LOD DLE DOP DDD ODE PO LOLEE OGOLOD COELLL DDE ODP 
 Extraordinary Animals.—Speaking Dog ; Tamed Bees; Performances by Rats. 
 
 OP! BOOP POLO OL OOD GOL ODD POOPED DDE DOE PD EOCLDOO LDC LEO LOOL EL LDP IDOL DOO LIC LGD LIE LL DL DOE DOLD GSLOP 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY FACULTIES IN ANIMALS. 
 
 TuouGuH the phenomena that follow be more indebted to 
 art than to nature, the latter must have contributed suffi- 
 ciently to entitle them to a place among its wonders 
 
 THE SPEAKING DOG. 
 
 Near Zeitz, in Misnia, I have seen, says Leibnitz, a coun- 
 tryman’s dog, of the common figure and middling size, in 
 which a child discovered some disposition to speak. He had 
 heard it utter some sounds which he thought resembled Ger- 
 man words, and, on this ground, took it into his head to teach 
 him to speak. ‘The tutor, who had nothing better to do, de- 
 voted to this object all his time; and, at the end of a few 
 years, the dog could pronounce about thirty words; of this 
 number were the French words thé, café, chocolat, and assem- 
 blée. It is to be remarked that the dog was more than three 
 years old when his scholarship began. He talked only by 
 echo; after his master had pronounced a word, he seemed to 
 repeat it only through necessity and in spite of himself, though - 
 no force was used. 
 
 TAMED BEES, WASPS, AND OTHER FLIES. 
 
 _ Education does much among animals: they are singularly 
 susceptible, especially when certain methods, which it would 
 be interesting to know, are used. One Wildham, an English- 
 man, had a peculiar talent for educating bees, wasps, and 
 even several other flies. On the 4th of June, 1774, in the 
 presence of the Stadtholder and his consort, he made several 
 experiments on the education and economy of bees. He dis- 
 played a comb full of these insects; and, in the space of two 
 minutes, he caused them to leave the comb, and settle upon 
 the hat of one of the spectators. ‘Thence, he caused them to 
 alight upon his naked arm, and form him a muff. Next, he 
 caused them to settle upon his head and face, on which they 
 made a kind of mask. He afterwards caused them to march 
 upon a table, according to his orders. ‘That which was most 
 extraordinary, in the conduct and talents of this singular man, 
 was that he could make the same experiments with whatever 
 swarm was offered to him, and even wasps and other flies ; 
 and that he could tame the most mischievous in the space of 
 five minutes, without danger of being stung. © 
 
 SURPRISING PERFORMANCES BY RATS, 
 
 The following is also a phenomenon of the same kind, and 
 which may in like manner be regarded as a masterpiece of art, 
 but necessarily supposing the assistance of nature, without 
 
GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 233 
 
 PPI PPP PDP PPP POPPLOCP— DFP OC LES PPLE LE EPP PILP PDD LOPE PDL LOLOL OD 
 
 PIL IP IL IP DRDPP DIS OOD 
 Extraordinary Animals.—Surprising Performances by Rats. 
 
 PLP LIL PPD PPL LIL LL DLL LE LLL PLP LOE LOL LED OPE LLL LDL LOE DOO OOD 
 
 PIP 
 
 which art could not have produced it; a phenomenon, also, 
 which proves that we are yet far from understanding, and 
 consequently from profiting by, all the resources with which 
 nature has enabled us to operate wonders, or, at the least, 
 very extraordinary things. 
 
 M. Delafond has seen a German who had so completely 
 drilled a half-dozen of rats, that he could make them go 
 through astonishing exercises. He kept them enclosed in 
 a box, which he opened, and from which they came out only 
 as they were called; for each had its name. This box was 
 placed on a table, before which the man stood, and against 
 which he leaned. He held a wand in his hand, and called 
 such of his pupils as he wished to appear. That which was 
 called instantly came forth, and climbed up the wand, on 
 which it seated itself in an upright posture, looking round on 
 the spectators, and saluting them after its manner, and wait- 
 ing the orders of its master, which it executed with all pos- 
 sible precision, running from one end of the rod to the other, 
 putting itself into the attitude of death, or suspending itself 
 by one of its feet, and always by that which was directed. 
 
 These first performances finished, to the satisfaction of the 
 spectators and of the master, the pupil received the recom- 
 pense it had earned. "The master invited it to come and kiss 
 his face, and eat the half of a dry rusk which he had between 
 his lips. Immediately, the animal ran towards him, climbed 
 up to his shoulder, licked the cheek its master offered, and 
 afterwards with its teeth took the meat. Then, turning to 
 the spectators, seated itself on its master’s shoulder, sitting 
 spilt taking the fruit between its paws, eating it, and then 
 returning to its box. Another being called, repeated the 
 same exercises. M. Delafond saw only three of the six the 
 man employed, in the act of performing these exercises ; but 
 the others, according to the account of the latter, were equally 
 adroit: the third, however, having blundered in the perform- 
 ance of one of the orders it received, went without its reward; 
 on the contrary it was subjected to a reprimand from its mas- 
 ter, which it heard with submission, lying along the wand, 
 and declining its head (like a criminal listening to the sen- 
 tence by which he was condemned), and afterwards creeping 
 into its box with shame, and not appearing again. 
 
 The man afterwards called the five others, who came out 
 of the box, and, on the table, went through a variety of per- 
 formances which it would be difficult to describe, all con- 
 formable with his orders. They fought and uttered cries, 
 which the master, at a single word, caused to.cease, on ac- 
 
9904 CURIOSITINS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DPOAPELI IF PALE OPPLOD PIO PLE LOD LLD LED ODE LOP GDOLDLELOG LOL DOD LLOLOO LOD LLL LEDL EL ILE LED LEO DOP 
 
 Extraordinary Animals.—Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 COPLLE PLO LOG LOODPOLODOE DDE PDIOLOL ELE DPDDODOELG PDE LOD DOD DDLE LOD LDC DDD DIE LAI DID LIL LOD DILEDOELODP 
 
 count of the alarm felt by some women who were present at 
 the show, and the animals instantly ran into their box. 
 
 It ought to be added that, during the exercises thus per- 
 formed, the sixth, that which had been sent away with shame, 
 had crept towards the edge of the box, whence he stretched 
 out his muzzle, and followed with his eyes the feats of his 
 comrades. This show was exhibited in 1741, at Bourges, in 
 the Rue Bourbonoux. 
 
 If it be astonishing that animals should have been taught in 
 this manner, it is still more so that nature should have given 
 them the necessary dispositions ; and it is in this point of view 
 that these phenomena may be regarded as one of the wonders 
 of nature. 
 
 —= 
 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [ Continued from page 181.] 
 
 “ Tat evening the family sat in profound and stupified 
 silence together for some hours, till the aged mother of Wal- 
 berg, who had not for some months uttered any thing but in- 
 distinct monosyllables, or appeared conscious of any thing 
 that was going on, suddenly, with that ominous energy that 
 announces its effort to be the last—that bright flash of part- 
 ing life that precedes its total extinction, exclaimed aloud, 
 apparently addressing her husband :—‘ There is something 
 wrong here—why did they bring us from Germany? They 
 might ‘have suffered us to die there—they have brought us 
 here to mock us, I think. Yesterday—(her memory evidently 
 confounding the dates of her son’s prosperous and adverse 
 fortune,) yesterday they clothed me in silk, and I drank wine, 
 and to-day they give me this sorry crust—(flinging away the 
 plece of bread which had been her share of the miserable 
 meal)—there is something wrong here. I will go back to | 
 Germany—I will! and she rose from her seat in the sight of 
 the astonished family, who, horror-struck, as they would have 
 been at the sudden resuscitation of a corpse, ventured not to 
 oppose her by word or movement. ‘I will go bac* to Ger- 
 inany,’ she repeated; and, rising, she actually toca three or 
 four firm and equal steps on the floor, while no one attempted 
 to approach her. Then her force, both physical and mental, 
 seemed to fail—she tottered—her voice sunk into hollow mut- 
 terings, as she repeated, ‘ I know the way-—-if it was not so 
 dark. Ihave not far to go—I am very near-—home ! As she 
 spoke, she fell across the feet of Walberg. ‘The family col- 
 lected round her, and raised—a corpse. ‘ Thank God!’ ex- 
 
CURIOSITIES CF NATURE AND ART. 295 
 
 , a a 
 
 CPPSCPP LOC LICL GO? PF PLO LOO PLO LOS POP PIG PDP OPP PIP 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 POP LILA PD LLP LOL LLL LDS ODP OLDE LLL LOD DLO LLL OLDE PDP OOD OLD PDD DODD LOOL GD LOL ODE LDL LOD LEO LOD IODA 
 
 claimed her son, as he gazed on his mother’s corpse. And this 
 reversion of the strongest feeling of nature—this wish for the 
 death of those for whom, in other circumstances, we would 
 ourselves have died, makes those who have experienced it feel 
 as if there were no evil in life but want, and no object of ra- 
 tional pursuit but the means of avoiding it. Alas! if it be 
 so, for what purpose were hearts that beat,.and minds that 
 burn, bestowed on us? Is all the energy of intellect, and all 
 the enthusiasm of feeling, to be expended in contrivances how 
 to meet or shift off the petty but torturing pangs of hourly 
 necessity ? Is the fire caught from heaven to be employed in 
 lighting a faggot to keep the cold from the numbed and wasted 
 fingers of poverty? ‘ Pardon this digression, Senhor,’ said 
 the stranger, ‘ but J had a painful feeling, that forced me to 
 make it. He then proceeded. 
 
 ** The farz‘ly collected around the dead body—and it might 
 have been a subject worthy the pencil of the first of painters 
 to witness its interment, as it took place the following night. 
 As the deceased was a heretic, the corpse was not allowed to 
 de laid in consecrated ground; and the family, solicitous to 
 avoid giving offence, or attracting notice on the subject of 
 their religion, were the only attendants on the funeral. In 
 -a small inclosure, at the rear of their wretched abode, her son 
 dug his mother’s grave, and Ines and her daughters placed 
 the body in it. Everhard was absent in search of employ- 
 ment—as they hoped, and a light was held by the youngest 
 child, who smiled as he watched the scene, as if it nad been a 
 pageant got up for his amusement. That light, feeble as it 
 was, showed the strong and varying expression of the coun- 
 tenances on which it fell; in Walberg’s there was a stern 
 and fearful joy, that she whom they were laying to rest had 
 been ‘ taken from the evil to come,’—in that of Ines there was 
 grief, mingled with something of horror, at this mute and un- 
 hallowed ceremony. Her daughters, pale with grief and fear, 
 wept silently; but their tears were checked, and the whole 
 course of their feelings changed, when the light fell on ano- 
 ther figure who appeared suddenly standing among them on 
 the edge of the grave :—it was that of Walherg’s father. Im- 
 patient of being alone, and wholly unconscious of the cause, 
 he had groped and tottered his way till he reached the spot ; 
 and now, as he saw his son heap up the earth over the grave, 
 he exclaimed with a brief and feeble effort of reminiscence, 
 sinking on the ground, ‘Me, too—lay me there, the same 
 spot will serve for both!’ Hischildren: raised and supported 
 him into the house, where the sight of Everhard, with an un- 
 ia supply of provisions, made them wee the horrors 
 
 G 
 
226 CURIGSITIES OF NATURS AND ART. 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 of the late scene, and postpone once more the fears of want 
 till to-morrow. No inquiry how this supply was obtained, 
 could extort more from Everhard than that it was the gift of 
 charity. He looked exhausted and dreadfully pale—and, for- 
 bearing to press him with further questions, they partook of 
 this manna-meal—-this food that seemed to have dropped from 
 heaven, and separated for the night. * * mt 
 
 “Ines had, during this period of calamity, unremittingly 
 enforced the application of her daughters to those accomplish- 
 ments from which she still derived the hopes of their subsist- 
 ence. Whatever were the privations and disappointments of 
 the day, their musical and other exercises were strictly at- 
 tended to; and hands enfeebled by want and grief plied their 
 task with as much assiduity as when occupation was only a 
 variation of luxury. This attention to the ornaments of life, 
 when its actual necessaries are wanted—this sound of music 
 in a house where the murmurs of domestic anxiety are heard 
 every moment—this subservience of talent to necessity, all its 
 generous enthusiasm lost, and only its possible utility remem- 
 bered or valued—is perhaps the bitterest strife that ever was 
 fought between the opposing claims of our artificial and our 
 natural existence. But things had now occurred that shook 
 not only the resolution of Ines, but even affected her feelings 
 beyond the power of repression. She had heen accustomed 
 to hear, with delight, the eager application of her daughters 
 to their musical studies; now, when she heard them, the 
 morning after the interment of their grandmother, renewing 
 that application—she felt as if the sounds struck through her 
 heart. She entered the room where they were, and they 
 turned towards her with their usual smiling demand for her 
 approbation. m 
 
 ‘“‘ The mother, with the forced smile of a sickening heart, 
 said she believed there was no occasion for their practising 
 any further that day. The daughters, who understood her 
 too well, relinquished their instruments, and, accustomed to 
 see every article of furniture converted into the means of 
 casual subsistence, they thought no worse than that their 
 guitars might be disposed of this day, and the next they 
 hoped they would have to teach on those of their pupils. They 
 were mistaken.—Other symptoms of failing resolution—of 
 utter and hopeless abandonment, appeared that day. Wal- 
 berg had always felt and expressed the strongest feelings of 
 tender respect towards his parents—his father particularly, 
 whose age far exceeded that of his mother. At the division 
 of their meal that day, he showed a kind of wolfish and 
 greedy jealousy that made Ines tremble. He whispered to 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR, OT 
 
 OOS OL ILL DIL PLL POLL DIL OP L PPL OL GD OB LELOLDED ODD LOL DDL DOL ODL ELV AERLOD LOD DP LDIDODOOIDE DODO 2 
 
 History of Don Guzman’s Family.—Remarkable and unaccountable Antipathies, 
 
 POPE OL ODE IDL DLL DELI LEIL LOE L LE LLL LIP DLDD PLE DLE LOD LDL DDO LD ODE L OLE LL ODED LOLOL DOO LEP bb PPD ODP 
 
 her—* How much my father eats—how heartily he feeds, 
 while we have scarce a morsel !’—‘ And let us want that mor- 
 sel, before your father wants one!’ said Ines, in a whisper— 
 ‘I have scarce tasted any thing myself.’. ‘ Father! father !’ 
 cried Walberg, shouting in the ear of the doting old man, 
 ‘you are eating heartily, while-Ines and her children are 
 starving !’ And he snatched the food from his father’s hand, 
 who gazed at him vacantly, and resigned the contested morsel 
 without a struggle. A moment afterwards the old man rose 
 from his seat, and with horrid unnatural force (rendered still 
 more dreadful by the air of evident unconsciousness with 
 which it was accompanied,) tore the untasted meat from his 
 grandchildren’s lips, and swallowed it himself, while his shri- 
 velled and toothless mouth seemed to grin at them, in mockery 
 at once infantine and malicious.” 
 
 [ Zo be continued. | 
 
 a 
 REMARKABLE AND UNACCOUNTABLE ANTIPATHIES. 
 
 Tue Journal de Medecine for the month of August, 1760, 
 relates that the Abbé Devilledieu had, from his infancy, an 
 insurmountable aversion to all food derived from an ani- 
 mal having once had life. Neither the caresses of his parents, 
 it is said, nor the threats of his preceptors, could prevail, 
 even at a tender age, over the strength of this feeling. It was 
 the same during the progress of his youth; and, even till he 
 was thirty years of age, he fed only upon eggs and vegetables, 
 Pressed, however, to make some efforts against this habit, he 
 was disposed to yield to the reiterated solicitations of several 
 persons who had influence over his mind. He began by 
 taking soup made with beef and mutton. Insensibly, he grew 
 to eat these meats; and, for some time, he used them without 
 inconvenience. Little by little, he grew fat; but a plethora 
 soon followed: he lost his sleep, and fell into a state of 
 phrenzy, followed by convulsions ; consequences, adds the 
 writer of this article, by which we ought not to be surprised. 
 
 ‘¢ His new food (observes the latter,) furnished him with 
 juices more abundant than his former. Hence, the slightest 
 of fever (and he had this) occasioned a rarefaction of his 
 fluids, and a considerable distension in his vessels—a dis- 
 tension which extended to those of the brain, where the 
 danger was greatest. There followed a strong compres- 
 sion of the smaller vessels of the nerves, and nothing 
 more was requisite to disturb the economy of this viscera, 
 produce an inflammation, and convulsions which became 
 fatal to the patient in spite of an issue on the arm, two 
 
228 CURIOSI£IES OF NATURS AND ART, 
 
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 on the feet, one on the jugular, the use of embrocations and 
 bathings, which only procured him temporary tranquillity and 
 momentary sleep. ‘The following is another phenomenon, not 
 so fatal indeed, but equally if not more extraordinary. 
 
 A very amiable lady, much cherished by her husband, (a 
 particular which must be kept in mind, not because it is a 
 rare one, but because it adds to the remarkableness of the 
 phenomenon in question,) was unable, without becoming ill, 
 not only to eat but even to look on veal, in whatever manner 
 it was prepared. ‘This antipathy went so far that, if it were 
 brought to table, she would become unable to rise, and in 
 need of being carried away to bed. ‘The mere odour of this 
 meat produced the same terrible effect. 
 
 One day, veal soup was mixed with the beef she was to 
 take. Scarcely had she swallowed a few drops, when her 
 hands grew stiff, her countenance pale, and her look wild: 
 terrible convulsions followed ; and she suffered from the in- 
 jury during three days. 
 
 Her husband thought that, by eating veal in her presence, 
 he should insensibly accustom her to its use. The event was 
 otherwise. He became himself the object of her invincible 
 hatred; his presence produced the same symptoms and con- 
 vulsions as that of veal; and though this man loved her to 
 distraction, she detested and could not support his sight. 
 
 ——— 
 THE LIFE AND EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF 
 MISS CAROLINE RYLEY. 
 | Continued from page 208. ] 
 
 Tue general routine of boarding-school education had ini- 
 tiated her into many accomplishments, one of which, that of 
 tambour-working, she afterwards converted to a means of 
 support; and, if her own account could be believed, she had 
 furnished some persons of rank in London-with specimens of 
 her proficiency in that art, but as this assertion was not esta- 
 blished, it is more than likely that it was fabricated as a part 
 of that story which it appeared was manufactured, with some 
 ingenuity, todeceive. Be this as it may, it is clear that “man 
 (and woman too) is born to sorrow as the sparks fly up- 
 ward:” for, on Thursday, the 23d of May, 1822, it was disco- 
 vered by some unchivalrous person or other, that Donna Ca- 
 roline Isabella Isidora de Reveleyez, vewve Comtesse de Chau- 
 tal, was not Donna Caroline Isabella Isidora de Reveleyez, 
 veuve Comtesse de Chautal, but plain Caroline Ryley, daugh- 
 ter of a Mr. and Mrs. Ryley, and many years teacher in sun- 
 dry seminaries and private families in the Isle of Wight ! and 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE. AND ART. 229 
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 this was no sooner discovered than an application was made 
 to the magistracy, and a warrant issued against her per- 
 son. The warrant, however, was served very politely by 
 Blakesly, and the whole affair was very quietly managed. 
 And, on the following Saturday, there was brought before Sir 
 Richard Birnie, a genteelly dressed, and rather delicately 
 formed young lady, who called herself Donna Caroline Isa- | 
 bella Isidora de Reveleyez, veuve Comtesse de Chautal; and 
 she was accused of having assumed this high-sounding patri- 
 cian title for the purposes of fraud. 
 
 It was stated that, about three years and a half ago, she was 
 introduced to the Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress, 
 by Mr. Murray, “ Hon. Sec.” of the Bridge-Street Associa- 
 tion, as the ** Comtesse de Chautal,”’ a noble and distressed 
 lady, in need of their assistance. She represented herself as 
 the victim of a long series of misfortunes, and the heroine of 
 the most romantic adventures. ? 
 
 When the Donna first entered the room, she approached 
 Sir Richard Birnie with fashionable nonchalance, and, ad- 
 dressing him in French, begged to introduce him to a friend 
 of hers as an interpreter, as she could speak no English. 
 
 Sir Richard said he had no doubt she had English enough 
 for her purpose, but she was very welcome to. have an inter- 
 preter, if she thought one necessary; and the more so, as the 
 
 aw of England required that its proceedings should be re- 
 corded in the English language. 
 
 This point being settled, the Donna took a chair ; and the 
 gentleman, her interpreter, seated himself beside her. 
 
 There were present, the solicitor for the prosecution, a 
 gentleman belonging to the Society of Friends of Foreigners 
 in Distress;. M. Delaporte, a friend of the Donna; Mr. 
 
 -Buckle, an eminent dentist, residing at Cowes, in the Isle of 
 Wight; Mrs. Buckle, and her mother; and a gentleman from 
 the neighbourhood of Cowes, whese name we could not learn. 
 
 Mr. Buckle was the principal witness examined. He de- 
 posed that he had known the soi-disant Donna upwards of 
 nine years, as Miss Caroline Ryley, during which time she 
 had repeatedly visited at his house—sometimes for several 
 days together; and that, at different times, he had had the 
 honour of extracting four of her teeth; consequently he was 
 well acquainted with her person, and he always understood 
 her to be the daughter of a Mr. and Mrs. Ryley, a very wor- 
 thy couple in his neighbourhood. 
 
 Mrs. Buckle, and her mother, deposed to the same effect : 
 and endeavoured to recal many little familiar circumstances 
 to Miss Caroline Ryley’s remembrance; but Miss Caroline 
 
230 CURIOSITIAZSB DF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OOCPLO OPEL LD ODD DLO LD OL CO LOO DDO DDE DIDOOD LOD LOE DLODLO IOP DOD DOO DDO LIE DOOLIG LLP LIS ~ 00 
 Life and Adventures of Miss C. Ryley.—The Wood-Man of the Woods of Angt 1a. 
 Ryley still preserved the Donna, and declared that she never 
 saw either of the witnesses before Thursday last, nor had she 
 ever in her life been at the Isle of Wight. 
 
 The gentleman from the neighbourhood of Cowes next re- 
 minded Miss Caroline Ryley of sundry pleasant walks he and 
 she had taken together in the vicinity of Cowes, and of his 
 taking her to see some picturesque ruins, &c.—but it would 
 not do; the Donna still preserved her dignity, and assured 
 them they were all utterly mistaken. 
 
 M. Delaporte, a very venerable and priestlike looking per- 
 sonage, seemed quite astonished at what was going on. He, 
 however, professed his belief that the witnesses must be in 
 - some strange error; for he had known the Donna Isidora for 
 some time, and she was so good, so excellent a young woman, 
 that he firmly believed her incapable of the slightest deviation 
 from the truth. : 
 But if M. Delaporte was astonished, the interpreter was 
 
 ‘more so: for it so happened that the Donna had little or no 
 occasion for his services ! It was only when she had to lead the 
 conversation that she spoke in French, and ‘ Sare Richard’-ed 
 the magistrate ; and even her French words were eked out 
 with English terminations; but when an annoying interroga- 
 tion was put to her suddenly, she as suddenly came out with 
 a voluble reply in good, sterling, unadulterated English. 
 Nevertheless, her confidence never forsook her for a single 
 moment during an examination of more than two hours, not- 
 withstanding the grossest discrepancies in the dates of her 
 eventful narrative were repeatedly pointed out to her. Such, 
 for instance, as her fixing the return of Buonaparte from 
 Elba, and the consequent decapitation of her husband the 
 Comte de Chautal, as having taken place in the year 1813, in- — 
 stead of 1815, and many other errors equally palpable. 
 
 [To be continued. } 
 ona games 
 THE WOOD-MAN; A WONDERFUL ANIMAL IN THE WOODS 
 OF ANGOLA. 
 
 Dapper, in his Description of Africa, gives the following 
 account of this animal :— 
 
 “In the woods of the kingdom of Angola, or Dongo, we 
 find an animal called Quoyas Morov, that is, the Wood Man; 
 it is also met with in Quoya, and in Bromo: it greatly resem- 
 bles man, and hence it is believed by many that it has been 
 produced from the intercourse between a man and an ape, or 
 an ape and woman. A creature of this sort was some years 
 ago brought to Holland, and presented to Frederic Henry, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. $31 
 
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 The Wood-Man of the Woods of Angola,.—Adventures of Aitkin, the Incendiary, 
 
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 Prince of Orange. It was as tall asa child of three years 
 old, and as corpulent as one of six: it was strongly built ; 
 smooth before, but rough and overgrown with black hairs be- 
 hind. The countenance of this animal resembled that of a 
 man; the nose was flat, the ears like human ears: it had two 
 protuberant breasts, a navel, and all its limbs like those of 
 
 the human species ; as elbows, hands, legs, calves of the legs, 
 and ancles. It frequently walked erect, and could take up a 
 heavy weight and bear it away. When it wanted drink, it 
 fixed one hand to the bottom of a tankard, and with the other 
 took off the lid, and drank, wiping its lips afterwards. It 
 laid its head regularly upon a pillow, when inclined to sleep, 
 and covered itself carefully with the bed-clothes ; so that any 
 
 person would have sworn that a man was sleeping in the place. 
 It is reported that these animals attack or ravish women, and 
 they sometimes fall upon armed men. Upon the whole, this 
 animal appears to be the Satyr of the ancients.” 
 
 CRs oe 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF : 
 JAMES AITKIN, the Incendiary, alias JACK the PAINTER, 
 AS WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 
 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 29. | 
 
 “ T prew my first breath at Edinburgh, in Scotland. I 
 was brought up in the persuasion of a protestant dissenter ; 
 and, being the only son, was treated with that paternal affec- 
 tion which, by gratifying all my desires, begot in me the most 
 stubborn and obdurate disposition. ere 
 
 “On my arrival in London, I applied to people in the 
 painting way, and immediately got mto employ. But busi- 
 ness not agreeing with my inclination, I determined to re- 
 lieve myself on the highway. [accordingly provided myself 
 with pistols, and proceeded to Finchley Common. Perceiving 
 a post-chaise, I made up to it, and, with the discharge of one 
 of my pistols, demanded them to stop. My success in the 
 first attack tempted me to proceed, so that before midnight 
 came on, I had robbed several carriages and single horsemen, 
 and upon the whole had collected a considerable booty. _ 
 
 “returned to London with great satisfaction, and finding 
 out my old-companions, informed them I had just received a 
 large sum of money. ‘They congratulated me upon my good 
 fortune, and readily took me again into their party. 
 
 “‘ My own excess, and that of my companions, soon reduced 
 me to my last shilling ; at length, dreading the consequences 
 of detection, I determined to seize the first opportunity of 
 
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 leaving the kingdom. I then went to America, where I 
 stopped a short time, and again came to England in May, 
 1775. 
 
 “¢ As soon as I-had landed, having no money,| enlisted in a 
 recruiting party, and received twenty-six shillings, with which 
 in‘a few days | deserted. 
 
 ‘On my arrival at Coventry, I met with another recruiting 
 party, into which I also enlisted. I received half-a-guinea 
 ‘earnest, with which I absconded in the morning. 
 
 ‘¢ I continued in London almost four months, where I got 
 ‘into connexion with some women of the town, which led me 
 to commit:a number of street-robberies for my support. I 
 also broke open a house at Kensington, and committed several 
 robberies upon the outskirts of London. 
 
 “In March, 1776, I went to Cambridge. In my way I 
 robbed three people I met on foot, and just before 1 reached 
 Cambridge I stopped a chaise, but there being no person in 
 it, I robbed the driver of a shilling, which I afterwards found 
 to be a brass one. I had not been at Cambridge long, before 
 the want of money obliged me to break open a shop, out of 
 which I stole twenty-seven shillings in silver, and about three 
 shillings in halfpence. From Cambridge I made a circle round 
 the northern part of England, and robbed as I went to sup- 
 port myself. In my way back to London, I stopped at Colches- 
 ter, and soon afterwards enlisted in the 13th regiment of foot, in 
 which I remained some time. I deserted from this regiment 
 in August, 1776, and made the best of my way to London, 
 from thence to Chichester, Portsmouth, and Southampton, 
 between all which places [ committed several robberies on» 
 the highway. From Southampton I went to Romsey, where 
 - 1 broke open the house of one Mr. Newman, a glazier, and 
 stole two diamonds used to cut glass, and several other things. 
 With these I made the best of my way through Winchester to 
 Basingstoke, intending to return to London. 
 
 ‘One night, being in conversation concerning the American 
 war, the importance of his Majesty’s fleet and dock-yards was 
 the favourite argument ; and it was with satisfaction that I 
 heard every one agree, that the safety, the welfare, and even 
 the existence of this nation depended on them. I endeavoured 
 to keep the conversation up as much as possible; and the 
 more it was canvassed, the more evident was the truth of 
 the former conclusion. 
 
 “¢ It is amazing with what force this conversation kept pos- 
 session of my mind. In the night I had a thousand ideas, and 
 all tended to show how important would be the event in fa- 
 vour of America, provided these dock-yards and. shipping 
 
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 could be destroyed. The more I considered, the more. plau- | 
 
 sible was the undertaking. a 
 ‘| spent two days in the contemplation of this malicious 
 
 design, and promised myself immortal honour in. the accom-. 
 plishment of it. I beheld it in the light of a truly heroic en- 
 
 terprise, such as never would be equalled to the end of time. 
 I was persuaded it.would entitle me to the first rank in Ame- 
 rica; and flattered myself with the ambition of becoming the 
 admiration of the world ! . 
 
 “<I set off for Portsmouth, to inform myself of the particu- 
 
 lar situation, as also of the materials and stores with which 
 
 these magazines were composed. » 1 took account of all the 
 ships of war in the harbour, their force and number of. men. 
 1 also took a plan of the fortifications unnoticed by the senti- 
 nels, with the number of guns mounted on them, and their 
 weight of metal. | 
 
 “ From hence I went to Plymouth, where I found things 
 much in the same situation. My next care.was to visit 
 Chatham, with the same circumspect attention, and in which 
 I conducted myself with the same success. From hence 1 
 went to the yards at Woolwich and Deptford, and in both 
 places informed myself of every thing material. 
 
 ‘¢ Having spared no jabour in perfecting this general sur- 
 vey, I formed a design of going over to America, to lay my 
 plans and observations before the Congress, as well as to pro- 
 cure their sanction to the undertaking. 
 
 ‘¢ After a deal of argument with myself, at length L. re- 
 solved to proceed to Mr. Silas Deane and Dr. Franklin, at 
 Paris. I re-examined all my plans, threw my observations 
 into proper order,,and secreted them in a private part of my 
 clothes, to prevent an accidental discovery ; and having made 
 every other necessary preparation for my departure, | made 
 the best of my way to Canterbury and Dover. jane 
 
 “¢ My first inquiry at Paris was to find out the lodgings of 
 Mr. Silas Deane. [ called upon him at. two different times, 
 but I did not meet with him at home. I at last saw him on 
 the Pont Neuf, in Paris. He treated me at first with great 
 caution and indifference, but finding my solicitations very 
 earnest, he desired | would meet him the next morning at his 
 lodgings. , pia amet He Hf 
 
 “I called om him at the time appointed. To make myself 
 of as much consequence as possible, I informed him that | had 
 a plantation in America, that I was an utter enemy to Great 
 Britain: that I had contrived a scheme, which, if properly 
 calms execution, would effectually deajeay the power of 
 
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 the ministry, and throw the kingdom into the.greatest confu-. 
 sion, if not into the hands of America. — 
 
 ‘¢ He expressed great surprise at my conversation, and de- 
 sired me to give him an explanation of my meaning. [ laid 
 before him all my plans, and he at length seemed satisfied 
 that it was practicable, and gave me a letter to a friend in 
 London, to supply me with money; and, as soon as my pass 
 was procured, | set off for Calais and arrived at Dover, which 
 place I immediately left, and took the read to Canterbury and 
 Chatham. 
 
 _ © Here I spent two days, in making some fresh observations 
 on the ships and dock-yard; after which, I set out for Lon- 
 don, in order to take the road for Portsmouth. 
 
 “ T arrived at Portsmouth on Thursday evening, the 5th 
 of December, 1776, and immediately began to lay down a 
 plan of operations: I concluded, that in so large a place a 
 number of fire-engines were kept, and that, on the first alarm, 
 they would fly to the assistance of the dock, and perhaps ex- 
 tinguish the fire before any considerable damage could be 
 done.. To prevent this, I thought it would be necessary to 
 set the town on fire at the same time, in two different parts, 
 imagining that the surprise and consternation which it would 
 naturally occasion would prevent people from giving assist- 
 ance to either, till the flames had made such progress as not 
 to be got under. 
 
 “‘ In the morning I applied at two houses for lodgings. My 
 next care was to visit the dock-yard. My first intention was 
 to set fire to the hemp-house, in which I secreted myself be- 
 hind a mow or bundle of hemp, supposing there was no dan- 
 ger of being discovered, although a number of men were 
 employed in different parts of the building under which | 
 placed my combustibles, and intending to go, in about two 
 hours afterwards to set it on fire. But lest this should not 
 take proper effect, or be extinguished before it could commu- 
 nicate itself to other parts of the yard, | thought it would be 
 more effectual to set fire to some other store-house also. In 
 walking round the yard, 1 observed the rope-house open, into 
 which I went, and having gone all over it, up-stairs and 
 down, I pitched upon a room containing a parcel of ropes and 
 some hemp, which I thought would be a very proper place to 
 set on fire. [| went away,,and returned with two quarts of 
 the spirits of turpentine, some gun-powder, and some touch, 
 paper, which I had previously made. I drew the cork, from, 
 one of the bottles, and having prepared a train of hemp, 
 soaked in the spirits, | filled he neck of the bottle therewith, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 235 
 
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 Adventures of Aitkin, the Incendiary.—Bonaparte’s History‘of his own Times. 
 which I placed among the ropes, and covered over with a 
 quantity of refuse hemp, which I found lying about: I placed 
 the bottle on its side, and put the train of hemp into a paper 
 of dry gunpowder, and having covered the whole lightly over 
 with hemp, I sprinkled the remaining spirits of turpentine upon 
 the whole. I now pulled out my pistol, and ofklcavOuraaaa ; 
 my tinder-box to strike a light, in order to set it on fire; but 
 the tinder being either damp or badly burnt, would not take 
 fire. The attention with which I was endeavouring to light 
 my match prevented me from observing the time, and there- 
 fore, when I found it impossible to strike a light, and was 
 preparing to go to my lodgings, | found myself locked in the 
 house. I was a little uneasy upon the occasion, for fear of 
 raising suspicion, particularly as I should be obliged to aps 
 pear again to light the matches, which I had failed in. I went 
 from one end of the building to the other, which was of a 
 prodigious length, and tried every door I could find ; but all 
 were fast. I went up-stairs very gently, for fear of being 
 heard, intending to make my escape from one of the windows; 
 but this IL also found impossible. I then went back to the door 
 at which I came in, and knocked for a considerable time. At 
 last a lad came up, and asked who was there? [I told him I . 
 was a friend, and had come into the dock-yard out of curiosity, 
 having never been at Portsmouth before, and while I went 
 up-stairs to see this great building, somebody had locked up 
 the doors; I therefore begged he would let me out. He went 
 away to call some other person, who directed me to a certain 
 door in the building, at which he said I might let myself out. 
 In order to allay their suspicion, 1 appeared to be very igno- 
 rant in every respect, and asked them a number of simple 
 questions, for 1 very much expected to be taken into cus- 
 
 tody. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
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 BONAPARTE’S HISTORY OF HIS OWN TIMES. 
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 and eighteen thousand of their cavalry, who were repulsed in 
 every charge. Lieutenant-General Duhesme, an old soldier ” 
 of the greatest bravery and covered with wounds, was made 
 prisoner, when endeavouring‘to rally a rear-guard. ‘The Count 
 de Lobau was taken under similar circumstances. General 
 Cambronne, of the guard, remained on the field severely 
 wounded. Out of twenty-four English generals, twelve were 
 killed or badly wounded; and the Dutch lost three generals. 
 General Duhesme, although a prisoner, was assassinated on 
 the 19th by a Brunswick hussar: this crime remained unpu- 
 ‘nished. He was an intrepid soldier, an excellent general— 
 firm and unshaken in good as well as in bad fortune. 
 
 Rallying of the Army at Laon—Retreat of Marshal Grouchy—Resources 
 which remained to France—Effects of the Abdication of the Emperor. 
 The causeway of Charleroi is very wide, it was therefore 
 
 sufficient for the retreat of the army; the bridge of Genappe 
 
 is of an equal width, so that five or six files of carriages might 
 pass it abreast; but the commanders of the parks that had 
 been collected there judged it proper to barricade themselves, 
 
 by) 
 
 } placing carriages on the causeway in such a manner as to 
 leave only a passage of about twenty feet. The confusion was 
 soon dreadful. Genappe is situated in a bottom; the first 
 Prussian troops which pursued the enemy arrived, at eleven 
 o’clock at night, on the heights which command it; they suc- 
 ceeded easily in disorganizing a handful of brave soldiers 
 whom the intrepid General Duhesme had rallied, and entered 
 the town; amongst the equipages which they captured was 
 the travelling carriage of the Emperor, into which he had not 
 entered since the day of his leaving Avesne. ane 
 It was usual to bring this vehicle on the field of battle, be- 
 
 hind the reserves of the guard: it was fitted up so as to contain 
 a dressing-case, change of clothes, a sword, cloak, and an iron 
 bedstead. The Emperor arrived at Quatre Bras about one 
 o'clock in the morning; dismounted at a bivouac; and dis- 
 “ages several officers to Marshal Grouchy, to announce the 
 oss of the battle, and order him to retreat on Namur. The 
 officers whom he had sent from the field to move Girard’s di- 
 vision from Ligny, and put it in position at Quatre Bras, or 
 advance it to Genappe if they had time, brought back the dis- 
 agreeable intelligence of their not having been able to find 
 that division. The general of artillery, Negre, an officer of 
 the greatest merit, was at Quatre Bras, with the parks of re- 
 serve, But he had only a feeble escort. Some hundreds of 
 horse rallied; Count de Lobau put himself at their head, and 
 
 took every possible measure ig. organize a rear-guard, The 
 
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 soldiers of the first and second corps who had passed the 
 Sambre on the bridge of Marchiennes, took, that, direction 
 again, quitting the causeway at Quatre Bras and Gosselies, 
 to take the cross road. The troops of the guard and of the 
 sixth corps retired on Charleroi. The Emperor sent Prince’ 
 Jerome to Marchiennes, with an order to rally the army 
 between Avesne and Maubeuge; and repaired himself to 
 Charleroi. When he arrived there, at six o’clock in the~ 
 morning, a great number of men, particularly cavalry, had— 
 already repassed the Sambre, marching on Beaumont. He 
 stopped an hour on the left bank, gave some orders, and di- 
 rected his course on Philippeville, in order the more easily to 
 communicate with Marshal Grouchy, and to send his orders to 
 the frontiers of the Rhine. After having remained four hours 
 in that town, he proceeded to Laon, where he ‘arrived on the 
 20th, at four o’clock in the afternoon. Having seen the pre- 
 fect, and charged his aide-de-camp, the Count de Bussy, to” 
 superintend the defence of that important place, he sent the 
 Count Dejean to Guise, and the Count de Flahaut to Avesne. 
 While here, despatches were received from Prince Jerome, 
 who made known that he had rallied more than twenty-five 
 thousand men, and about fifty pieces of cannon in the rear of 
 Avesne; that General Morand commanded the infantry of the 
 guard, and General Colbert the cavalry; that the army aug- 
 mented every hour; that most of the generals were arrived; 
 that the loss was not so considerable as it was thought to be: 
 more than half of the guns and stores of the artillery were 
 saved; one hundred and seventy pieces of cannon were lost, 
 but the men and horses had arrived at Avesne. The Emperor 
 ordered, that these men and horses should be marched to La 
 Fére to be provided with guns; and charged ‘confidential offi- 
 cers to organize a new field equipage there. Marshal’ Soult 
 was ordered to place himself at Laon with the Emperor’s staff. 
 The prefect took all the measures necessary to complete the 
 magazines of the town, and to secure supplies of provisions 
 for an army of from eighty to ninety thousand men, which 
 would be reunited within a few days round that town. The 
 Emperor, anticipating that the enemy’s generals, profiting by 
 their victory, would push on to the Somme, ordered Prince 
 Jerome to quit Avesne with the army on the 22d, and to bring 
 it under Laon, the point of reunion given to Marshal Grouchy 
 and General Rapp. Not being more than twelve hours march 
 distant from Paris, he judged it necessary to proceed there. 
 } presence with the army was useless, during the days of the 
 i, 22d, 23d, and 24th; but he expected to return to Laon on 
 5th, after having employed these six days in meeting 
 
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 238 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
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 - Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times. 
 
 and preparing for the national crisis; in completing the pre- 
 parations for the defence of the capital; and in giving acti- 
 vity to all the succours which the depots and the provinces 
 could furnish. It was easy at that time supposing, what 
 could not well be doubted, that Grouchy’s corps would arrive 
 complete; that the loss of the French would be found inferior 
 to that which the enemy’s armies had undergone at the battles 
 of Ligny, Waterloo, and Quatre Bras; and it has, in fact, 
 been fully proved since, that. the loss of the allies amounted 
 to sixty-three thousand men, while that of the French did not 
 exceed forty-one thousand, including the prisoners which 
 were made during the retreat. " 
 Marshal Grouchy attacked Wavres at six o’clock inthe 
 evening of the 18th. General Thielman opposed a vigorous 
 resistance, but he was beaten. Count Gerard, at the head of 
 the fourth corps, forced the passage of the Dyle. Lieutenant- 
 General Pajol, with twelve thousand men, had been detached 
 towards Limate, where he repulsed the rear-guard of General 
 Bulow, passed the Dyle, and crowned the opposite heights ; 
 but the darkness became so great at ten o’clock, that he could 
 not continue his march, and no longer hearing the cannonade 
 of Mont St. Jean, he took position. Count Gerard was se- 
 verely wounded at the attack of Wavres; a ball passed through 
 his breast, but, luckily, the wound was not mortal. On the 
 19th, at day-break, General Thielman attacked Marshal 
 Grouchy, and was vigorously repulsed. The village of 
 Bielau, and all the heights beyond Wavres, were carried by 
 the French. The General of Brigade, Peine, a distinguished 
 officer, was mortally wounded during this attack. Marshal 
 Grouchy gave orders to pursue the enemy, and to march im 
 the direction of Brussels, when he received the news of the 
 loss of the battle at Mont St. Jean, and the Emperor’s order 
 to retreat on Namur. This was commenced immediately ; 
 the Prussians followed him with precaution ; but, having ad- 
 vanced too far, they were repulsed, and lost some pieces of 
 cannon, together with several hundred prisoners. General 
 Vandamme took position near Namur, Marshal Grouchy 
 towards Dinant. General Thielman; failed in all the attacks 
 which he made. On the 24th, the whole of Grouchy’s corps 
 was at Rethel, on the 26th it joined the army at Laon, and 
 amounted to thirty-two, thousand men, (independently of fol- 
 lowers of every description,) of which six thousand and five 
 hundred were cavalry; it was also provided with one hundred 
 and eight pieces. of cannon. st a 
 . The situation. of France after the battle of Waterloo was: 
 eritical, but not desperate. Every, thing had. been provided 
 
is ” 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 239 
 
 4 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his Own Times, 
 
 Pa. 
 
 PPP 
 
 for on the supposition that a failure might take place in the 
 attack on Belgium. Seventy thousand men were rallied on 
 the 27th between Paris and Laon; from twenty-five thou- 
 sand to thirty thousand men, comprehending the depots of the 
 guard in the number, were in march to join them from Paris 
 and the depots. General Rapp, with twenty-five thousand 
 select troops, was to arrive on the Marne within a few days 
 ‘after. All the losses of the artillery were repaired. Paris 
 alone contained five hundred field-pieces. ‘Thus, an army of 
 one hundred and twenty thousand men, equal to that which 
 had passed the Sambre on the 15th, having a train of artillery 
 of three hundred and fifty pieces of cannon, would’ cover 
 Paris on the Ist of July. Besides which, it, had for its de- 
 fence, thirty-six thousand national guards, thirty thousand 
 light troops, six thousand gunners, six hundred pieces of can- 
 non mounted, formidable intrenchments on the right bank of 
 the Seine; and, in a few days, those of the left bank would 
 have been completed. In the meantime, the Anglo-Belgian 
 and Prusso-Saxon armies, enfeebled by the diminution of 
 above eighty thousand men, no longer consisting of more 
 than one hundred and forty thousand, could not march ninety 
 thousand beyond the Somme. Here they would await the 
 co-operation of the Austrian and Russian armies, which could 
 not be on the Marne before the 15th of July. Paris had, 
 therefore, twenty-five days to prepare its defence, to complete. 
 1ts, arming, supplies of provisions, fortifications, and to draw 
 troops together from every part of France. Even on the 
 15th of July there would be but thirty thousand or forty 
 thousand men on the banks of the Rhine; the great mass of 
 the Russian and Austrian armies could not enter into action 
 until later. Neither. arms, ammunition, nor officers, were 
 wanting in the capital; the light troops might be easily in- 
 creased to eighty thousand, and the field artillery augmented 
 to six hundred pieces of cannon. 
 
 Marshal Suchet, united to General Lecourbe, would have 
 at the same period more than thirty thousand men before- 
 Lyons, independently of the garrison of that city, which would 
 be: well armed, provisioned, and strongly intrenched. The 
 defence of all the strong places was secured: they were com- 
 manded by chosen. officers, and guarded by faithful troops. 
 All might have been repaired; but character, energy, and 
 firmness were required on the part of the officers, the govern- _ 
 ment, the chambers, and of the whole nation!! ‘fhey should 
 have been animated by sentiments of honour, glory, and of 
 national independence; finally, their eyes should have been 
 fixed; on. Rome after the battle of Cannz, and not on Carthage — 
 
ae Fae. 18 
 
 240° CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 PLO LOOLIO DDO DODD DD DOL LOO LOL IIE DO ODDIO DIO DEDLDOIOOL DE DOP PLO DOE DISILOO LOO LOG 
 
 Bonaparte’s History of his own Times.—The Banian Tree. 
 after Zama!!! If France elevated herself:to that height) she 
 was invincible: ‘her population contained more of the elements 
 of military prowess than any other in the world; the means of 
 carrying on war were in abundance, and amply sufficient for 
 every Wants FF ROS 04 ti) BA aa oreo 
 
 On the 21st June, Marshal Blucher and the Duke of Wel- 
 lington, forming two columns, entered the territory of the em- 
 pire; on the 22nd the powder magazine of Avesne blew up, 
 and the place surrendered. On the 24th, the Prussians en- 
 tered Guise, and the Duke of Wellington into Cambray. On 
 the 26th, he was at Péronne, During all this time, the strong 
 places of the: first, second, and third lines of Flanders were 
 Invested. Meanwhile, these two Generals heard of the abdi- 
 cation of the Emperor, which took place on the 22nd, the 
 insurrection of the Chambers, the discouragement which these 
 circumstances occasioned in the army, and the hopes which 
 domestic traitors conceived from them: they determined in 
 » consequence to march immediately on the capital, under the 
 
 walls of which they arrived during the last days of June, with 
 less than ninety thousand men; this was a step which would 
 have been fatal to them, and drawn on their total! ruin, if they 
 had hazarded it before Napoleon; but that prince had abdi- 
 cated!!! The troops of the line, which were at Paris, more 
 than sixty thousand men, belonging to the depéts of the 
 guard, the light troops of the national guard of that great 
 capital, were devoted to him, and he could have fulminated 
 the internal enemies of France! ! 
 
 oe 
 
 | THE BANIAN TREE, | eh 
 
 _ Among the wonders of the vegetable kingdom, the Banian, 
 or Burr Tree, the ficus indica of Linneus, claims a particular 
 attention. It is considered as one of the ‘most curious and 
 beautiful of nature’s productions in the genial climate of India, 
 ‘where she sports with the greatest profusion and variety. 
 Kach tree is in itself a grove, and some of them are of an 
 amazing size, as they are continually increasing, and, contrary 
 to most other animal and vegetable productions, seem to be 
 exempted from decay: for every branch from the main body 
 throws out its own roots, at first in small tender fibres, seve- 
 -ral yards from the ground, which continually grow thicker ; 
 until, by a gradual ¢ its” 
 
 | descent, they reach its surface; where, _ 
 striking in, they increase to a large trunk, and become a pa- 
 
 rent tree, throwing out new branches from the top. These in 
 time suspend their roots, and, receiving nourishment from the 
 earth, swell into trunks, and shoot forth other branches ; 
 
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CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 241. 
 
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 Account of the Banian-Tree. 
 
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 thus continuing in a state of progression so long as the first 
 parent of them all supplies her sustenance. _ 
 
 A banian-tree, with many trunks, forms the most beautiful 
 walks, vistas, and cool recesses, that can be imagined. The 
 leaves are large, soft, and of a lively green; the fruit is a 
 small fig, when ripe of a bright scarlet ; affording sustenance 
 to monkeys, squirrels, peacocks, and birds of various kinds, 
 which dwell among the branches. _ : 
 
 The Hindoos are peculiarly fond of this tree: they consi- 
 der its long duration, its outstretching arms, and. oversha- 
 ' dowing beneficence, as emblems of the Deity, and almost pay 
 it divine honours. The Brahmins, who thus “ find a fane in 
 every sacred grove,’ spend much of their time in religious 
 solitude under the shade of the banian-tree; they plant it 
 near the dewals, or Hindoo temples, improperly called pa- 
 godas ; and in those villages where there is not any structure 
 for public worship, they place an image under one of these 
 trees, and there perform a morning and evening sacrifice. 
 
 These are the trees under which a sect of naked philoso- 
 phers, called Gymnosophists, assembled in Arrian’s days; and 
 this historian of ancient Greece, it is observed by Forbes, in 
 his Oriental Memoirs, affords a true picture of the modern 
 Hindoos. ‘ In winter the Gymnosophists enjoy the benefit of 
 the sun’s rays in the open air; and in summer, when the heat 
 becomes excessive, they pass their time in cool and moist 
 
 laces, under large trees ; which, according to the accounts of 
 
 earchus, cover a circumference of five acres, and extend 
 their branches so far, that ten thousand men may easily find 
 ‘shelter under them.” 
 
 On the banks of the Narbudda, in the province of Guzzerat, 
 is a banian-tree, supposed by some persons to be the one des- 
 cribed by Nearchus, and certainly not inferior to it. It is 
 distinguished by the name of the Cubbeer Burr, which was 
 given to it in honour ofa famous saint. High floods have, at 
 various times, swept away a considerable part of this extraor- 
 dinary tree; but what still remains is nearly two thousand 
 feet in circumference, measured round the principal stems ;: 
 the overhanging branches, not yet struck down, covera much 
 larger space ; and under it grow a number of custard-apple 
 
 and other fruit-trees. The large trunks of this single tree 
 amount to three hundred and fifty, and the smaller ones ea- 
 ceed three thousand : each of these is constantly sending forth 
 branches and hanging roots, to form other trunks, arid become 
 the parents of a future progeny. 7 oa 
 
 The Cubbeer Burr is famed throughout Hindostan, not 
 only on account of its great extent, but also ane surpassing 
 
 i] ae ait 
 
249 cunrosrrins OF TaTURE ‘AND ART. 
 The Wedded Banian-Tree.—Mausoleum of Hyder Ally. 
 ‘beauty. The Indian ‘armiés ‘generally encamp around 1% 
 and, at stated seasons, ‘soletin jatarras, or Hindoo festivals, 
 to which thousands of ‘votaries repair from every part of the 
 Mogul empire, are there celebrated. It ’is’said that 7000 per- 
 ‘sons find ample ‘room to repose ‘ander its'shade. It has long 
 ‘béen ‘the ‘custom of the British residents in India, ‘on their 
 hunting and ‘shooting ‘partiés, to form extensive encampments, 
 and spend weeks together, under this magnificent ‘pavilion, 
 which affords a shelter to ‘all travellers, particularly ‘to the 
 religious tribes of the Hindoos. It ‘is generally filled with'a 
 variety of birds, snakes, ‘and monkeys, the latter of whom both 
 divert the spectator by their antic tricks, and interest ‘him by 
 ‘the parental ‘affection they display‘to their young offspring, ‘in 
 teaching them ‘to ‘select ‘their food, ‘to exert ‘themselves ‘in 
 jumping from bough to bough, ard ‘in taking, as'they acquire 
 ‘strength, ‘still more ‘extensive leaps ‘from tree to ‘tree. ‘fn 
 ‘these efforts, they encourage them by caresses, when 'timorous, 
 and ‘menace, and ‘even beat ‘them, when refractory 
 _ THE WEDDED BANIAN-TREE. 
 . Amone the varieties of the Banian or Burr-trees, is the 
 Peipal, or ficus religiosa, which isnot uncommon in Guzzerat, 
 ‘and causes ‘a singular variety of vegetation. It may be con- 
 ‘sidered as. belonging to ‘the order of creepers, and often 
 ‘springs round different trees, ‘particularly the ,palmyra. ‘or 
 ipalm. The latter, -growing through the centre of a banian- 
 ‘tree, looks extremely grand. The peipal frequently ‘shoots 
 from old walls, and runs along them, sos to cause a singular 
 phenomenon of vegetation. In the province of Bahar, one of 
 ‘these trees was seen by an English ‘traveller, onthe inside of 
 a large brick well, the whole circumference of the internal 
 space of which it lined, and thas actually became a tree turned 
 inside out. ‘A ‘banian-tree thus ifverted is uncommon; but 
 the general ‘usefulness and beauty of. this variety, especially 
 in, overshadowing the public wells ‘and village markets, -can 
 only be known by those who live ina sultry climate 
 3 pres 
 | MAUSOLEUM OF HYDER ALLY. : 
 Turs ‘splendid monument of ‘oriental erandeur is ‘situated 
 
 ‘at'the western extremity of the great garden of Séringapitam, 
 ‘a city of Hindostan, ‘and capital of the Mysore territory. ‘It 
 -is surrounded by a grove of beautiful ‘cypress-trees, ‘and was 
 “erected ‘by Tippoo 'Saib in ‘honour of the deceased sovereign, 
 ‘his father. Beneath tombs of ‘black marble, ‘elevated about 
 
CURIOSITIES. OF NATURA AWD, ART: 243) 
 semeeeeeseeee rere reeset Fert tee es tS et rereerse1 tC LICe tt £9C CGC SOLOOLELILES ILE POOL OY, 
 Mausoleum of Hyder Ally.—Memopirs of Madam Tiquet, Executed for Murder. 
 eighteen inches from the ground, lie the remains. of. Hyder 
 Ally, his consort, and Tippoo Saib. They are covered, with 
 rich cloths, and have canopies over.them. The. whole; of. this 
 sumptuous edifice is, together with its dome, supported, by 
 brilliantly polished black marble columns. It is surrounded 
 by a magnificent area, within which the fakirs have cells al- 
 lotted to them ; and on an, elevated platforin are the tombs of 
 several faithful servants. The mosque.annexed to it is flanked | 
 by two towers. The Moulahs stationed there are, through 
 the liberality of the British government, still allowed two 
 thousand pagodas per annum. to. read the Koran; and. three 
 pagodas are daily distributed in charity at the. mausoleum. 
 
 =e 
 
 MEMOIRS OF MADAM TIQUET, 
 WHO, WITH HER PORTER, WAS EXECUTED. FOR THE MURDER 
 OF HER HUSBAND. 
 
 Tuts lady was the daughter of Monsieur Carlier, a book- 
 seller, at Metz, who was so fortunate in trade, that he left 
 behind him a million of French livres, or £50,000. She was 
 born in the year 1657, and lost. her father when she was but 
 fifteen years old, having none to share with her this great. for- 
 tune, except a younger brother. Her person was in every 
 respect lovely: she had. a, fine face, attractive eyes, a majestic 
 look, fine air, was tall in stature, and exactly shaped. Hernatu- 
 ral qualifications were shining, and they. had received all the 
 embellishments which could be derived: from education. Thus 
 accomplished, her only fault seemed to be a haughtiness in- 
 behaviour, and an arrogance in words, which did: not become 
 her birth. | . 
 
 Among her numerous admirers was M. Tiquet, Counsellor 
 of Parliament. He. might in all probability have sighed: with 
 a train of hopeless lovers, if he had not made use of art in 
 love as.well as in law: he practised on an aunt, who hada 
 great ascendancy, over his fair mistress; and, by a present of 
 4000 livres, so effectually, persuaded her of his passion, that 
 she was continually speaking. to her niece in his praise. 
 Having observed: in. the young: lady herself an extravagant 
 fondness for magnificence. and, expense, he, one day took an 
 opportunity of presenting her with a fine nosegay of flowers, 
 intermixed, with diamonds, to the value of: 15,000 livres. 
 These. dazzled her eyes and wounded her heart; that is to 
 say, they. induced her to prefer. M. 'Fiquet to the rest of her 
 lovers, because she looked: on him to be the most rich and 
 generous of them all. 
 
 he aunt improved the kind sentiments she entertained: for 
 
QA lt CURIGSITI4S OF NATURE AND ART- 
 
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 Memoirs of Madam Tiquet, who was Executed for the Murder of her Husband. 
 
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 this gentleman ; while he, on the other hand, never examined 
 the temper or qualities of his mistress, but believing all things 
 about her were as fair as her person, resolved at all events to 
 marry her, if he could gain her consent. Assiduities like his 
 are seldom continued long, without producing their effect : 
 the lady was not more inexorable than the rest of her sex; 
 her aunt’s lectures, and M. Tiquet’s presents, at length sub- 
 dued her heart, or, to speak more properly, procured her 
 hand, which, with great seeming tenderness, she gave to M. 
 Tiquet. 
 
 The first months of their marriage were full of smiles, and 
 overflowed with joys; the lady was delighted with her new 
 husband ; M. 'Tiquet spoke in raptures of his wife, and to 
 crown all, she brought him at one birth a son and a daughter, 
 to be the pledges of their love. 
 
 But this marriage, concluded without consideration, little 
 answered the expectations of either of the parties. Madam 
 Tiquet thought of nothing but her husband’s riches, and how 
 she might waste them in subserviency to her pleasures. The 
 Counsellor was so taken up with the beauty and fortune of 
 his wife, that he made no question of her virtue, which, to his 
 cost, he found afterwards was a point he ought to have consi- 
 dered. The lover thought his mistress rich; thus far he was 
 right. His mistress thought the same of him; in this she was 
 wrong. Here lay the source of their misfortunes. 
 
 The happy days over, the excessive expenses of Madan 
 Tiquet obliged her husband to endeavour to set some bounds 
 to them, though against his will. The Sieur Mongeorge, 
 Captain in the Guards, a person who had all the qualities of 
 a fine gentleman, so dazzled the eyes of Madam, that her hus- 
 band appeared odious; and -she and this officer quickly in- 
 dulged themselves in the criminal passion they had for each 
 other. The jealousy of the husband, excited by these pro- 
 ceedings, increased in Madam Tiquet the aversion she had 
 conceived for her spouse. A husband who crosses a wife’s in- 
 clination, and a lover who endeavours only to gratify it, must 
 each of them make a great progress in the heart of a woman; 
 the first in improving her aversion, the other in increasing 
 her affection, and each contributes to the other’s purpose, 
 without intending any thing more than to go on in his own 
 road. In the midst of all these disorders, Madam knew how 
 to preserve appearances, and to behave herself in such a man- 
 ner, that she was well received in the best companies, where 
 she expressed herself in conversation in so lively, and at the 
 same time in so elevated a manner, that no one had the least 
 idea of her foibles.. 
 
OQURIOSITIES CF NATURE AND ART. 945 
 
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 Memoirs of Madam Tiquet, who was Executed for the Murder of her Husband. 
 
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 M. Tiquet was over head and ears in debt, and his debts 
 were increased by the expenses he had incurred by his mar-. 
 riage. He was now exposed to the pursuit of his creditors, 
 who, as is usual in such cases, were for being paid all at once. 
 This circumstance, added to his constantly watching his wife’s 
 steps, in order to interrupt her pleasures, raised her hatred 
 to such a pitch, that it turned at last to fury, and she resolved 
 to have him assassinated. She had some knowledge of a vile 
 character, one Augustus Cattelain, who used to attend stran- 
 gers, while they stopped at Paris. ‘To this man she gave a 
 considerable sum of money, and promised him more, in case 
 he would take upon him to be the minister of her vengeance. 
 She gained her husband’s porter by the same means. They 
 took their measures wrong, and missed striking the blow 
 aimed at M. Tiquet, as he came home one evening, notwith- 
 standing they had drawn in several persons to waylay. him. 
 
 Madam Tiquet still persisted; she gave the porter and 
 Cattelain a further sum of money, to bury in oblivion the 
 past; giving them to understand, in the mean time, that it 
 might cost them their lives if they spoke of it. M. Tiquet, 
 who suspected that his porter favoured his wife’s commerce 
 with the Sieur de Mongeorge, discharged him, and took care 
 of the key himself. He kept his door always shut till night, 
 and no one could get in without speaking to him. ‘When he 
 went out in the evening, he carried it in his pocket, and when 
 he went to bed, he put it under his pillow. Monsieur and 
 Madam Tiquet had by this time separate beds and separate 
 apartments, so that they never saw each other but at table. 
 
 For three years together they lived in this manner, preserv- 
 ing constantly a sullen silence; their behaviour, however, 
 being of such a nature, that these mute senses sometimes con- 
 veyed as strong ideas as if there had been a great deal of noise 
 between them. In this space she gave directions to a valet- 
 de-chambre of her husband’s, to carry him a porringer of 
 broth, which was poisoned. ‘The fellow, suspecting some- 
 thing, made a false step, and threw it down; he afterwards 
 desired leave to quit his service, and as soon as he left the 
 house, he made no secret of the iniquitous affair he had disco- 
 vered. This irritated the lady so much, that she determined 
 with herself to find out a short remedy, by recurring to her 
 first project. She opened her scheme on this head to her por- 
 ter, and directed him to find persons who would execute it. 
 
 It happened that M. Tiquet went to pay a visit to a neigh- 
 bour of his, one Madam de Villemur, and staid there pretty 
 late. His servants sitting up for him, heard several pistol- 
 shots in the street before the door ; upon which, running out 
 
24.6 CURIOSITIES, OF NATURD AND ARTs 
 
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 Memoirs,of Madam. Tiquet, who. was, Executed for the Murder of- her, Husband. 
 
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 in a hurry, they found their master assassinated, and welter- 
 ing in his blood. When they came to his assistance, he. de- 
 sired that they would carry him back to Madam de Villemur’s, 
 which. was. done; his domestics, then went, to acquaint their 
 lady. She, pretending great surprise, went immediately to 
 the house where he was, to enquire. how he did, but that was 
 ali she could do; for he having earnestly desired that, she 
 might not enter the room where he was, she. was constrained 
 to go back without seeing him, at which she affected some 
 concern. He had received three wounds, but none of them 
 were mortal. | 
 
 The Commissary of that quarter of the town came to see 
 and to examine M. Tiquet, as soon as his. wounds were 
 dressed. ‘The first question he asked him, was, ‘* What ene- 
 mies have you?” The poor gentleman answered, ‘¢ I know of 
 none, except my wife.’’ This answer confirmed the suspicions 
 of the world, which, as soon as the affair was known, fell imme- 
 diately upon her. She did not, however, betray the least signs 
 of guilt, but manifested a constancy scarcely to be accounted 
 for. She went next day to the Countess d’Aunoy, where 
 though all the company observed her, she. not only appeare 
 serene, but exercised her wit as much as usual. ‘The Coun- 
 tess, wishing to put her to the test, asked her at last if M. 
 Tiquet had not some suspicion of the person who caused him 
 to be assassinated ? Madam Tiquet answered, ‘ Alas! he is 
 so unjust as to lay it upon me!’ The Countess d’Aunoy re- 
 plied, that the best thing which could be done would be to 
 secure the porter whom he had lately turned away. The 
 conversation lasted on this subject for half an hour, and, 
 though all eyes were upon this unhappy woman,. she. neither 
 by looks nor by words betrayed any confusion, but rather 
 seemed inspired by that resolution which is the effect. of inno- 
 cence. She went home, and appeared there as composed as 
 ever, notwithstanding that she was every. day advised to, rer 
 tire, and seek out some place of safety. ed 
 
 These hints were repeated to her from time to time, to the 
 eighth day, when a Theatine came hastily into her chamber, 
 and addressed her thus :—“ Madam, there is no time to be 
 lost; in a few moments you will be apprehended: I have 
 brought you one of the habits of my Reins slip it on; get 
 down stairs ; there isa sedan waiting, which will carry you toa 
 place where there is a post-chaise, in which you may go im- 
 mediately to Calais, and from thence to England, till we see 
 what turn things will take.” ‘ Such measures,” replied Ma- 
 dam Tiquet, “are proper for the guilty ; innocence is every 
 “where secure; these reports are spread by my husband, to 
 
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 Memoirs of Madam Tiquet, who was Executed for-the Murder of her Husband. 
 
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 prejudice me in the eyes of the world, and to intimidate meso 
 far as to leave ‘my countiy, that he may get my fortune \into 
 his hands: but his skill shah fail him; 1am not frightened, 
 T will fall into the ‘hands of the law, for I doubt not but the 
 Jaw will do ‘me justice.” She tlién'thanked the Theatine for 
 his civility and kindness, and waited with much seeming tran- 
  quillity the issue ‘of the business. She flattered ‘herself ‘she 
 had taken such precautions, that no proof-could possibly ap- 
 pear of her having procured the assassination '‘of-her husband; 
 and, full of these hopes, she supported her spirits, and acted 
 the heroine to the highest degree of perfection. | 
 The next day Madam de Senonville came to see her, and 
 when she would ‘have gone away, Madam Tiquet ‘detained 
 her; “ for,” said she, ‘I shall presently be arrested by the 
 officers of justice, and I would not have them find nie alone.” 
 The words were scarce out of her mouth, when the Sieur 
 Deffita, Lieutenant-criminel, ‘entered the room. Madam 
 ‘Tiquet arose, and paid him*her compliments with great gra- 
 vity. “ You needed not, Sir,”’ ‘said ‘she, “have brought this 
 mighty’escort. I never had any intention to fly, and if you 
 ‘had ‘come alone, I should have: gone with you wherever you 
 ‘were ‘pleased to carry me.” She then ‘desired him to put his 
 ‘séal upon her effects, that her fortune might suffer as little as 
 ‘possible. She next took pains to quiet her son, a boy of 
 ‘eight ‘or nine years old, of whom she was very fond, She 
 ‘gave him money to divert himself ‘with, and, to silence his 
 fears, put ona pleasantness inher looks which surprised ‘all 
 that were near her. ; 
 After taking her leave of Madam de Senonville, she went 
 ‘down stairs with the Lieuterant-criminel, and leaped with 
 ‘much alacrity into the’coach. “As they passed through the 
 ‘street, she Saw a lady of her‘acquaintance, whom she saluted 
 ‘with hér ‘usual politeness and affability. She looked some- 
 times on the guards who'accompanied her, but without emo- 
 “tion, and séemed as easy as if ‘she had been going to:pay a 
 visit. On’coming, however, to the Chatelet, she changed 'co- 
 lour ; but she presently recovered it, amd ‘appeared as serene 
 ‘asever. Augustus Cattelain put himself into the hands of 
 ‘justice, ‘hadkihg ‘an open confession that, three years before 
 Madam Tiquet had engaged him ina cofspiracy to murder 
 ‘her husband, in which also her porter was concerned : it-was 
 ‘upén this that she was apprehended ; ‘for as to the last -assas- 
 sination, there was no proof against her. Hercrime, there- 
 fore, ‘was not the actual ‘causing-her ‘husband to be assassi- 
 nated, but the having been concerned tm a‘conspiracy for that 
 purpose, which had -not, ‘however, taken’effect. For this of- 
 
948 CURIOSITIBS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PY! PPOO OPO POP ODE DDD LEP DDD LOD LILO P ED ODODE OPDID POOL LDL ED DDE LOOL EL LOO LOL LORD OE LOE PPO LIPS LOO 
 
 Memoirs of Madam Tiquet, who was Executed for the Murder of her Husband. 
 
 GPL LOE PPE PEP LEOPOP OLE LEG LDPE LOL LPG LLL PEL OLDE POL OPE LIC LOD LOD LECELE PLE LOE LOO POL PEL LDC DDD 
 * 
 
 fence she incurred a capital punishment; and the Judges of 
 the Chatelet, on the 3d of June, 1699, passed sentence upon 
 her and upon the porter, by which she was adjudged to have 
 her head cut off, and he to be hanged. This was afterwards 
 confirmed by an arret of Parliament. Augustus Cattelain, 
 notwithstanding his being an evidence, was condemned to the 
 gallies for life; a just sentence on so notorious a Villain, who, 
 questionless, made this discovery not from any principle of 
 ustice, but with hopes of saving himself from that violent 
 death which his crimes had long before deserved. | 
 
 M. Tiquet, being cured of his wounds, went to Versailles, 
 accompanied by his two children, and threw himself at the 
 feet of the King. “ Sire,” said he, “ I implore your mercy 
 for Madam Tiquet; be not more severe than God himself, 
 who doubtless has pardoned her on her repentance. Has your 
 
 justice been more offended than 1? Yet I freely forgive her ; 
 and my children lift for their mother their pure and innocent 
 hands to your Majesty. The crime she intended has been 
 expiated by the terrors and afflictions she has felt in the de- 
 plorable condition she is now in, ready to fall a sacrifice to 
 justice; as her crime, then, is done away, do not, Sire, inflict 
 death for repentance.” The King, however, was inexorable; 
 nevertheless he granted to M. 'Tiquet all the effects of his 
 wife, which would otherwise have fallen to the crown, that his 
 own and his children’s circumstances might be made more 
 easy. The brother of this unhappy woman, who was a Cap- 
 tain in the guards, as well as the Sieur Mongeorge, used all 
 their interest to save her. At last his Majesty yielded: but 
 the Archbishop of Paris, the famous Cardinal de Noailles, in- 
 terposed, and told him that, if such a crime escaped with im- 
 
 punity, it would become frequent; that the security of mar- 
 ried men’s lives depended on the death of Madam 'Tiquet ; 
 since the grand penitentiary’s ears were already stunned with 
 the confessions of women, who charged themselves with 
 having attempted their husbands’ lives. This remonstrance 
 determined the King, who declared that Madam Tiquet should 
 be made an example. 
 
 When she was brought before the Lieutenant-criminel, he 
 ordered her sentence to be read, looking all the while stead- 
 fastly upon her, that he might perceive what effects it pro- 
 duced. Madam Tiquet heard it without the least emotion or 
 change of colour. ‘The Lieutenant-criminel exhorted her to 
 confess her crime, and name her accomplices, that she might 
 escape the torture. She refused at first; but, after they had 
 given her the first pot of water, she reflected that her con- 
 stancy would be of no use, and therefore she acknowledged 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 249 
 
 PPPS OL PEG LLIL LL LOL ILE L ER. 
 
 POL PILL II OPP DOD PIL OPDPPOE 
 
 r 
 
 ve 
 
 Memoirs of Madam Tiquet, who was Executed for the Murder of her Husband, 
 
 OIL PDD PLE LLL AID LIP BALI DPE PDD DL DALE PPL IFIP OO PL EL EL DPD DOL DL LPOOLLD DOLE OLD DO DDE DBE OPE OPO LOL 
 
 all. ‘They asked her if the Sieur de Mongeorge had any 
 knowledge of this affair? upon which she cried out, “ Alas! 
 if I had communicated the least tittle of it to him, I should 
 have ‘lost his esteem beyond retrieving.” The parson of St. 
 Sulpice was then admitted to her. She heard with great do- 
 cility all his instructions. She over and over entreated him 
 to beg pardon of her husband, and assure him, that in death 
 she had for him all that tenderness which had made the first 
 year of their marriage so delightful. There was, perhaps, 
 never seen in Paris so great a crowd, as in the streets through 
 which Madam 'Tiquet passed to Le Greve. She went ina 
 coach, and the Curate of St. Sulpice with her; the porter was 
 there before her, and had with him a Confessor. At the 
 sight of this amazing multitude, her spirits began to sink ; the 
 clergyman who was with her endeavoured to console her. 
 Revived and encouraged by his words, she lifted up her hood, 
 and locked upon the spectators with. an air at once modest 
 and resolved. She then had an affecting conversation with 
 her porter, who humbly besought her pardon for any share he. 
 might have in her death. She told him that he had no reason 
 to ask her pardon, since it was she only that was culpable 
 towards him. 7 
 
 When Madam Tiquet was brought to the place where she 
 was to suffer, there fell so great a rain that they were obliged 
 to defer the execution till it was over. She had, during this 
 space, all the apparatus of her punishment in view, and at 
 the same time a mourning coach with six horses, covered with 
 black cloth, which was to carry away her body. When she 
 saw the porter executed, she lamented his destiny so much 
 that she seemed to forget her own. When she was di- 
 rected to mount the scaffold, she gave her hand to the exe- 
 cutioner, that he might help her. When she was on the 
 scaffold, she kissed all the instruments of death, and did every 
 thing with an air as if she had studied her part. She accom- 
 modated her hair and head-dress in a moment, and was in- 
 stantly on her knees in a posture ready to suffer; but the 
 executioner was so agitated, that he could hardly perform his 
 office : he missed his blow thrice, and when her head fell from 
 her body, all the spectators set up a loud cry. Though Ma- 
 dam Tiquet was forty-two years old when she suffered, her 
 beauty was not in the least decayed ; and, as she died in full 
 health and vigour, her face retained an agreeable air even 
 after her head was struck off. ribs 
 
 The Sieur de Mongeorge was at this time at Versailles, 
 where he amused himself by taking long walks in the park. 
 In the evening of that day, when he dire at court, the 
 
 it. K 
 
250 CURIOSIFTI£S OF NATURE AND ABBE. 
 OF L PPO LOS PL OL LPP PL PL IEL EPL LE LEE PDE OLE LILELE pee RAPP PESO RO PPO POS LS OPED ODD OF PP OLODPL ODP 
 
 Madam Tiquet.—Mount Vesuvius ; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 King told him that he was extremely pleased Madam Tiquet 
 had, in her last moments, justified him to the public. As for 
 himself, his Majesty said, he had never entertained the least 
 suspicion of him. ‘The Sieur de Mongeorge bowed, thanked 
 the King, and entreated the royal permission to travel for 
 eight months out of the kingdom, that he might be released 
 from those disagreeable objects which every day struck his 
 sight and renewed his sorrows. 'The King yielded to his en- 
 treaties. Now she was no more, all the world deplored the 
 hapless fate of so accomplished a lady as Madam Tiquet. 
 
 — “ 
 MOUNT VESUVIUS, NEAR NAPLES: ITS DESCRIPTION AND 
 VARIOUS ERUPTIONS. 
 
 [Continued from page 221.| 
 
 Ir is remarkable that the great eruption of 1805 happened 
 on the 12th of August, within a day of that of the preceding 
 year. Subterraneous noises had been previously heard, and 
 a general apprehension of some violent commotion prevailing, 
 the inhabitants of Torre del Greco and Annunciata had left 
 their homes, through the apprehension of a shower of fire and 
 ashes, similar to that which buried Pompeii. The stream of 
 lava took the same course with that of 1794, described above, 
 one of the arms following the direction of the great road, and 
 rolling towards the sea. The stream soon divided again, and, 
 aprandane itself with an increased celerity, swept away many 
 houses and the finest plantations. ‘The other branch, at first, 
 took the direction of Portici, which was threatened; but turn- 
 ing, and joining the preceding one, formed a sort of islet of 
 boiling lava in the middle, both ending in the sea, and com- 
 posing a promontory of volcanic matters. In the space of 
 twenty minutes the whole extent of ground which the lava 
 occupied was on fire, offering a terrible yet singular spectacle, 
 as the burning trees presented the aspect of white flames, in 
 contrast with those of the volcanic matters, which were red. 
 The lava swept along with it enormous masses of whatever 
 occurred in its course, and, on its reaching the sea, nothing . 
 was to be seen or heard for a great extent of shore besides 
 the boiling and hissing arising from the conflict of the water 
 and fire. . 
 
 The eruption of 1806, took place, without any sensible 
 indication, on the evening of the 3lst of May, when a 
 bright flame rose from the mountain to the height of about 
 600 feet, sinking and rising alternately, and affording so clear 
 a light, that a letter might have been read at the distance ofa 
 league around the mountain. On ‘the following morning, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. QF} 
 
 COOCIPOPOLLOLD IL LOL DLO LIL ILD DDDL LOD OA DOD BOO POO DEL OO DOOL OD POOP EODIODLODDODE DODOE DIOP S OY 
 Mount Vesuvius; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 without any earthquake preceding, as had been customary, 
 the volcano began to eject inflamed substances from three 
 new mouths, pretty near to each other, and about 650 feet 
 from the summit. ‘The lava took the direction of Torre del 
 Greco and Annunciata, approaching Portici, on the road 
 leading from Naples to Pompeii. Throughout the whole of 
 the 2nd of June, a noise was heard, resembling that of two 
 armies engaged, when the discharges of artillery and musketry 
 are very brisk. ‘The current of lava now resembled a wall of 
 glass in a state of fusion, sparks and flashes issuing from it 
 _ from time to time, with a powerful detonation. Vines, trees, 
 houses,—whatever objects, in short, it encountered on its way, 
 were instantly overthrown or destroyed. In one part, where 
 it met with the resistance of a wall, it formed a cascade of fire. 
 In a few days, Portici, Resina, and Torre del Greco, were 
 covered with ashes thrown out by the volcano; and, on the 
 ninth, the two former places were deluged with a thick black 
 rain, consisting of a species of mud filled with sulphureous 
 particles. On the Ist of July, the ancient crater had wholly 
 disappeared, being filled with ashes and lava, and a new one 
 was formed in the eastern part of the mountain, about 600 
 feet in depth, and having about the same width at the opening. 
 Several persons, on the above day, descended about half way 
 down this new mouth, and remained half an hour very near 
 the flames, admiring the spectacle presented by the liquid lava, 
 which bubbled up at the bottom of the crater, like the fused 
 matter in a glass-house. ‘This eruption continued until Sep: 
 tember, made great ravages, and was considered as one of the 
 most terrible that had occurred in the memory of the inhabi- 
 tants. - 
 
 {t now remains only to notice the late very recent eruption 
 which commenced on the 20th of October, about twelve o’clock. 
 A dreadful internal noise was heard throughout the neigh- 
 -bourhood ; the lava began to appear, and soon flowed ina 
 torrent about a mile broad. The next day a second body of 
 lava, half a mile in breadth, issued forth, and covered the old 
 lava on the side of Bosco-Tre-Case : a third and fourth stream 
 soon afterwards burst forth. 
 
 The following particulars of the progress of the eruption 
 are from private letters :— 
 
 “© Naples, Oct. 23.—You will have heard, my dear brother, 
 before this reaches you, of the awfully grand eruption of Ve- 
 suvius. Nothing similar has been witnessed since 1794, when 
 the town of Torre del Greco, situated at about four miles 
 from the crater, was partly destroyed. During the evening of 
 the 2ist, a little smoke appeared, and distinct reports of artil- 
 
AGIA CURICSIZIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 PLLOL LAL EOD PLL PLO LPILOEL POLLED LOLOL EOP POE LLEOCPDCLLOLD POD OL L OOD ODF 
 
 Mount Vesuvius; its Description and various Eruptions. 
 
 lery, as it seemed, proceeded from that part of the bay. Had 
 the sky not been perfectly serene, one would have considered 
 it to be thunder. ‘Towards nine o’clock, however, a little fire 
 appeared at the old crater, and left us no longer in doubt about 
 the cause of the intonations. .At a few minutes past 11, it 
 burst forth in all its fury, throwing out stones toa great height. 
 In three hours afterwards, the lava rolled forth in two grand 
 streams, one taking towards Resina, where the King’s villa, 
 ealled La Favorita, is situated, and the other inclining in a 
 more southerly direction to Torre del Annunciata. The tor- 
 rent of lava which flows towards Resina has already covered 
 100 acres of ground. 'The showers of ashes darken the sky, 
 and fall even in the streets of the capital. The stones which 
 have fallen at Bosco-'Tre-Case have accumulated to the height 
 of five palms. ‘The eruptions of stones are frequent, and the 
 sounds which issue from the mountain are frightful. All the 
 people who lived near the volcano have fled. About 800 per- 
 sons from the neighbouring villages have been received hy 
 _ order of the police and prefecture. 
 
 “ Oct. 25.—The fire seems to-day to be spent, but as the 
 wind has changed to the south-east, or, as it is called, Sirocco, 
 the smoke and ashes have come over Naples, and the moun- 
 tain, with Portici, and all along the bay, are invisible, while at 
 mid-day torches are almost necessary, and umbrellas abso- 
 lutely so. ‘The King’s villa at Resina was yesterday stripped 
 of its furniture, and I may say that the whole line of coast, — 
 from Portici to Castel-a-Mar, has been abandoned, unless we 
 except the curious who flock in crowds to see what is passing. 
 The eruption of cinders and smoke at this moment presents 
 the appearance of a very thick and elevated black cone, which 
 the wind blows towards Somma, Ottajano, and Nola. The 
 number of individuals who fled from these villages augmented. 
 considerably yesterday. Last night about 2000 of these un- 
 fortunate persons received pecuniary assistance. 
 
 “* Oct. 26.—We expect that the eruption will soon entirely 
 cease. ‘The columns of cinders and smoke are decreasing, 
 and the detonations are less frequent and loud than hereto- 
 fore. Most of the people who had fled are returning to their 
 homes. It rained copiously last night, which has had the 
 effect of purifying the atmosphere, which before was filled. 
 with clouds of black ashes. ‘The rain, too, has washed the 
 plants, which have assumed their natural colour and appear- 
 ance, which under our climate is, even at the end of autumn, 
 so striking and agreeable. The summit of Vesuvius is vi- 
 sible, and it appears that the dreadful eruption which has 
 taken piace has torn away a part of the crest of the volcano, 
 
 ~ 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATUAH AND ART. 253 
 
 PIPPI OLD POLIO LOD LOE LDL LL I DLO LLL OPED EL ODD OL DLS OBL LEE LOO DD OLROODEL bb Se CL PLL IDLE SLOP 
 
 Mount Vesuvius ; its Description and various Eruptions, 
 
 PPE LIP DILL EEL OLD DLS ODP LOL LDL LDL LLL LOE LOL LL OLDE LD OL LD LDL OOD LODE LOL ODODE DOODLE OLOOL OD ODO 
 
 * Oct. 28.—The eruption is completely at an end; but 
 violent explosions of cinders still continue. The inhabitants 
 of the country have returned to their homes. Porticiand La 
 Torre del Greco have suffered no other injury than what 
 arises from their being in a great part covered with ashes and 
 stones. A portion of the territory of Resina is covered with 
 lava, but only where lava had formerly lain. The tower of 
 the Annunciata has sustained injuries which it will not ve 
 easy either to estimate or repair. At Ottaiano, the fire has 
 consumed 50 acres of wood. ‘These are all the details which 
 have hitherto reached us.” 
 
 The following additional particulars of this interesting 
 event are contained in another private letter from Naples, 
 dated October 29 :— 
 
 ‘* Vesuvius is comparatively quiet, but it still throws out 
 immense columns of smoke, and the /apil/o and fine ashes con- 
 tinue to rain round the country according to the direction of 
 the wind. Yesterday the wind blew over Naples, and it was 
 avery rainy day. ‘To my surprise, on going out, I found that 
 the water which fell was of the colour of mud; indeed so 
 thickly was it mixed witha shower of the fine volcanic ashes, 
 that it has besmeared the houses and trees, and every thing 
 exposed, in a most curious manner. 
 
 ‘¢ The first stream of lava thrown out at the west side of 
 the crater, was about half a mile in breadth; it passed be- 
 tween the hermitage of San Salvatore and the ruins ofa little 
 country-house belonging to the King, and descended towards 
 Resina. After having damaged a considerable deal of land, 
 it stopped at a spot called Il Monte. — 
 
 ‘‘'The second came out at the same time, and from the 
 same mouth as the first; it was about two miles broad, and 
 descended towards the village called Bosco di tre Case; but 
 as it run over former lava, it did no injury. 
 
 ‘¢ The third proceeded. from a mouth that opened during 
 this eruption low down the sides of the volcano; it ran 
 towards the place called Il Monte, but it also flowing over old 
 lava, did no injury. ‘The second and third stopped nearly in 
 the same place. 
 
 “¢ The fourth and last descended from an old mouth called 
 Vulcano, on the south side; reaching Pedementina, it joined 
 itself with a-smaller stream of lava; thence it ran on over 
 old Java as far as the hollow called Atrio del Cavallo. It 
 seemed to menace La Torre del Greco. 
 
 *° It has been observed that the volcanic matter, not lava, 
 thrown out by Vesuvius this time, taken in mass, is much 
 more considerable than the lava itself. 
 
254 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ; Oe 
 CPPLIOL DL LOD DEOL DOLE DOL ILO LOL LOO LDDOLDOLDOL OD LID MOO LD OL EOL EPL EOD EDLOOL IE PIP LISI IOP 
 
 Mount Vesuvius.—Children, &c. of Wonderful Forwardness, in Body and Mind. 
 
 PPI LIS 
 POOL LL GAL LOL DOL LOL DLO PDL LOD LLL LDOLDOD OP OL DCOLDOC GLO D LOE DEL AOD LOE LS BELO E LIF LOE LOL OTF 
 
 ‘The damage done by the eruption is not so considerable 
 as the dreadful and menacing appearances of the mountain 
 would have induced me to imagine. Portici and the Torre 
 del Greco have suffered no other inconvenience than that 
 arising from some sharp showers of Japilfo and ashes. Resina 
 has had about twenty moggia of land covered. A moggia 1s 
 a Neapolitan measure, equivalent to about four-fifths of an 
 English acre. From the Torre del Greco to the Torre del 
 Annunciata, the road is now covered to the depth of two feet 
 with lapillo and fine ashes. The Torre del Annunciata has 
 suffered most ; all its finely cultivated lands are covered with 
 a very thick stratum of lapillo and ashes. Near Ottaiano, 
 about forty or fifty moggia of wood were consumed. Yester- 
 day, this part suffered greatly from a deluge of warm water, 
 mixed with ashes. 
 
 “ A great number of labourers, aided by Austrian and 
 Neapolitan soldiers, are employed in clearing the roads. The 
 heavy rains that are expected at this season will do much, but 
 I fear that the country round the Torre del Annunciata will 
 not be speedily restored to the industry of man. ' 
 
 s¢ The distance at which the fine ashes have fallen is asto- . 
 nishing; the master of an English vessel, which came in last 
 Saturday, gathered them on the deck the Wednesday evening 
 preceding, when he was off the Tuscan coast, at least two 
 hundred miles from Naples.” 
 
 la 
 
 CHILDREN, Wc. OF WONDERFUL FORWARDNESS, BOTH IN 
 7 BODY AND MIND. : 
 
 We are far from giving credit to all that, on this subject, 
 the too great credulity of our ancestors has published. Ne- 
 vertheless, however extraordinary certain facts appear, we 
 ought not, when attested by witnesses worthy of credit, to 
 condemn them as apocryphal. We have even rejected se- 
 veral, and such, perhaps, as are as well established as those 
 which we have thought ourselves justified in adopting ; but we 
 - have been unwilling to lengthen a list which our readers will 
 find sufficiently extensive to give them an idea how far the 
 bounty of nature has gone. Children may be forward either 
 _ in respect to their bodies or their minds. We have very sur- 
 prising examples of both kinds. 
 
 One of the most singular of the first is certainly that which 
 is related by Thomas Bartholin. He assures us of his having 
 seen young mice, which, at the moment of their birth, were 
 big with other mice. He says the same of a she-ass of Spain: 
 she produced a mule which was with foal of another mule, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 955 
 OOP PLE LDC PID L IL PLL LLL OLD DL ID LIL PLL DOLL LOL DDE DIL ELE PDO DOD LER OL ODOL ODED CIPEC IPOD PLE ODOL DOO 
 
 Children, &c. of Wonderful Forwardness, both in Body and Mind. 
 
 PROLIF BLOOD LID PLP LLG DDE PLL PLE LOP PLD PDL ODE LLL DLE PLL LPOG LLL LOD LLOLCDO PDE LOE LEP BObEODE DEE OGOF 
 
 and he declares that the same phenomenon has been seen in 
 the human species. ‘The testimony of Bartholin is confirmed 
 by that of Gabriel Clauderus, who cites a similar and well- 
 authenticated fact, upon the credit of Marshal de Fimpling. 
 In 1672, he says, the wife of a miller, of the burgh of Beren- 
 dorff, was, at the one time, delivered. of a little girl, which 
 appeared to be in good health, with the exception that the 
 belly was preternaturally large.—Eight days after birth she 
 was attacked with violent pains in the lower belly, and at 
 length produced a living female child. ‘This embryo was of. 
 the length of the middle finger ; and, as it was living, with 
 ‘the human form, it was baptised: but, with its mother, it died 
 on the following day. : | 
 
 Though deferred to a period much more distant from its. 
 birth, the following fact is not less surprising than the fore- 
 
 oing. | 
 5 We read in the Journal des Savans for the year 1684, that,. 
 in a village at two or three leagues from Ypres, a girl not 
 nine years of age was delivered of a lively boy. The age of 
 the mother was testified by the baptismal register. . 
 
 That which follows is of a different species, but greatly de- 
 serving of a place among the wonders of nature. De Breuil 
 Graroa, on the 25th of May, 1685, writing from the castle of 
 * Thebaudais, near Redon, says that, on the 18th, he had visited 
 a pregnant woman at Plessé, whose child was heard to ery. 
 Fe learned that the woman was eight months gone with child, 
 and that the child had begun to move on the 20th of February, 
 and that on the Good Friday ensuing, on her way to church, - 
 she had heard the child cry three times. From that day, the 
 child had continued to cry three or four times a-day, at each 
 time emitting four or five cries, sometimes as many as eight 
 or nine, and very distinctly, like those of a new-born child. 
 These cries were even sometimes uttered with so much force, 
 that the chest of the mother was seen to be inflated, as if she 
 had been about to choke. 
 
 In 1695, as we read in the Histoire de ? Academie there was, 
 near Mount Saint Claude, a boy who had been only six montha 
 old when he begun to walk. At four years he had been ina 
 state of perfect puberty ; at seven he had had a beard; and 
 at ten, at which period the fact was communicated to the Aca- 
 demy, by a magistrate of Besangon, he had the stature of a 
 man, 7 : | 
 The Mercure for the month of November, 1735, gives an 
 account of a child then eleven months of age, which was four 
 feet and a half in height, and more than forty inches broad. 
 His arm was eight inches round, at the wrist, and his other 
 
256 CURIOSI£IES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 GODCLD DY FO CPDL OD OOP LIL ID OLDS DIAL DIL OE FIDOLE CODLODDODL OF OOCOOOCO. 
 
 Children, &c. of Wonderful Forwardsess, both in Body and Mind. 
 
 DPF PSL POO LOD IDOL DIS ILE LEO LEE PID LOO POOLED EDEL OD LOD DL LOR OELOOCD DOL DOD LOL OODLE LOO LOD LOO L LP 
 
 PLOEL 
 
 members were large in proportion. He stood firmly on his 
 legs, and could pronounce a few words though with imperfect 
 articulation. Besides his mother’s milk, he drank a pint from 
 the cow every day, and gnawed bread with avidity. 
 
 The Archduchess caused him to be brought to Bruxelles, 
 where she directed medical men to examine him. ‘These were 
 of opinion, that having been born of the same size as other 
 children, he could not live long, seeing the excess with 
 which the resources of nature had been expended in so short 
 atime. We have not been able to learn whether this predic- 
 tion was verified. At first sight, it might be expected that 
 children growing thus early to a large size, should become 
 giants. But, Hf at the same time they have the signs of pu- 
 berty, the contrary ought not to appear singular. In all ani- 
 mals, the arrival of puberty announces that of their state of 
 perfection to be near. So that, when children grow in an ex- 
 traordinary manner, it betrays only a development extraor- 
 dinarily rapid, as in hot countries, and not a disposition to ex- 
 traordinary bulk. ‘To produce this, puberty, instead of ac- 
 companying this growth, ought to manifest itself only at the 
 ordinary season, or later. 
 
 Other examples, which might here be cited, but which are 
 less extraordinary than those already given, prove only that 
 nature is peculiarly liberal to certain subjects, giving the body 
 extraordinary growth, and going greatly beyond her general 
 laws ; but the following will show that she sometimes goes as 
 far in regard to the mind. 
 
 Every one knows the history of the famous Pic de la Miran- 
 dole, but the following facts are still more surprising. 
 
 We read in the Life of Christian Henry Heineckein, writ- 
 ten in German by his preceptor, Christian de Schoneich, that 
 this child was born at Lubec onthe 6th of February, 1721, 
 and that he died on the 27th of June, 1725. His life, there- 
 fore, was of only four years and about five months’ duration. 
 In this short space of time, he gave proofs of memory and un- 
 derstanding so extraordinary, that, were they not attested by 
 a very great number of irreproachable witnesses, it would be 
 difficult to resolve on giving credit to all the facts related on 
 these subjects. 
 
 At ten months he began to speak; and this on occasion of 
 seeing several prints, of which he desired an explanation. 
 This was given ; and it was suddenly observed that he looked 
 with singular attention at the lips of those who spoke. In 
 the end, he succeeded, but not without effort, in pronouncing, 
 syllable for syllable, all that was said. From that time, his 
 progress was extremely rapid; since, at twelve months old, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AWD AR. 257 
 
 OOLPOLILF POIDDS ODS OOIDDIDO DOOD COOLS PPLL ILD LLL OP LLOLRO OD DEDPOOLILDOOLPILIL EAL BOPQOODOOA 
 Wonderful Children, &c.—7The Life and Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 PRP PID LID LODE ILD L DELLE ROD LLE LP DOL EEL LI LLDOLLLELOL LE LL EL DELDE PDO LOD LO DLE LOL ELL ELE POL OS S 
 
 he knew the principal events of the five books of Moses ; at 
 
 thirteen, the history of the Old Testament ; and at fourteen, 
 
 that of the New. In the month of September, 1723, he had 
 
 acquired so exact a knowledge of history, ancient and mo- 
 
 dern, that he could make pertinent replies to various ques- 
 
 tions. He also filled his memory with a great number of 
 Latin words, and succeeded in speaking that language with 
 
 much facility. Some time after, he learned the French to- 
 
 lerably well; and at the beginning of his fourth year, he was 
 
 far advanced in the knowledge of the genealogy of the princi- 
 
 pal Houses of Europe. A great part of his fourth year was. 
 employed in travelling through Denmark, where he was ad- 
 
 mired by all the court, and where he very gracefully harangued 
 
 the King and the Princes of the blood. On returning to Lu- 
 
 bec, he learned to write, and in a very short space of time; 
 
 but, after languishing some months, he died at the epoch ~ 
 above-mentioned. ‘There was a remarkable contrast between 
 
 the extraordinary talents of this child and the delicacy of its 
 
 complexion. Another thing was equally remarkable; this 
 
 was, that it had been weaned only a few months before its 
 
 death, having always shown the utmost repugnance to every 
 
 species of food exclusive of milk, and being particularly fond 
 
 of that of its nurse. 
 
 A child which promised infinitely was in like manner lost, 
 at the age of ten years. It was the son of a physician of 
 Jenna, and by name Chrisiliel Leberecth Dexter. It died on 
 the 12th of December, 1706. Its posthumous works, in Ger- 
 man, were afterwards published. ‘They consisted of pious 
 treatises, in which there is said to be simplicity united with 
 good sense. 
 
 —a— 
 THE LIFE AND EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF 
 
 MISS CAROLINE RYLEY. 
 [Continued from page 230.) - 
 
 In short, though a Spaniard by birth, she confessed that she 
 did not understand a single word of the Spanish language ; 
 though educated by an accomplished Frenchwoman (Madame 
 Beauchane), and though, according to her account, she had 
 passed ten years of her life in a French convent, she spoke 
 French most abominably,; and though a foreigner, she occas 
 sionally spoke English as fluently as a native. 
 
 ’ Finally, she was called upon by the magistrate to give 
 sureties for her appearance on a future day; M. Delaporte 
 ‘ and the interpreter became her sureties, and she departed in 
 
 their company. 
 ii. 2 
 
O58 CURIOSITIES OF WATURE AND ART. 
 
 LPP LAGE FOL LOD LIL PEC LOL LOL LLL DLO OLD OL OLDE LEE LIL PPO LLOE LOL LOD OLE DEL LEE LOROEP OLE LOD LOE ODP 
 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 PPI LOE PPE PBPLPOPOLE LGD LLDO PEPE ELDELIPEDE LOG PLDI LEE PDE ODO DDP 
 
 PIF LLP LLD ODODE PLOLO LE LODPLOP 
 
 On Monday, Miss Caroline Ryley, alias Donna Caroline 
 Isabella Isidora de Reveleyez, alias the Comtesse de Chautal, 
 made her second appearance at Bow-Street. She was intro- 
 duced by Bleksley, the officer ; and, at the request of the Rev. 
 M. Delapurte, she was accommodated with a chair before the 
 table :—indeed, she somewhat peremptorily desired the Rev. 
 Gentleman to ask for one. 
 
 In addition to the persons present at the former examina- 
 tion, was Mr. Murray, as Secretary of the Society of Friends 
 of Foreigners in Distress, who was now in attendance. ‘The 
 office was much crowded; and all things being in readiness, 
 Miss Caroline Ryley, alias Donna Caroline Isabella Isidora 
 de Reveleyez, alias the Comtesse de Chautal, was introduced. 
 
 Mr. Murray, in the first place, opened the business by ask- 
 ing the Donna whether she had any personal knowledge of 
 him, and she having replied in the negative, he stated that the 
 case of the Comtesse de Chautal was originally sent to him 
 either by Colonel Higgins, or Major Currey, of the Duke of 
 Gloucester’s household, for the purpose of its being laid be- 
 fore the Society of Friends of Foreigners in Distress, as a fit 
 subject for their charitable consideration ; and coming from 
 such a quarter—his Royal Highness being Patron of that 
 Society—he immediately laid the whole of the documents sent 
 to him before the Directors; and it appeared that she had 
 since received various sums of money from them, amounting 
 in the whole to £12. This was all he had to say in the busi- 
 ness—the charge of imposition, he observed, rested with others. 
 
 He then produced the documents he had alluded to, and 
 amongst them was a letter from tle lady herself, signed 
 “S. C. f. I. de Reveleyez, Viscomtesse de Chautal.” ‘There 
 was also a certificate in her favour from the Rey. M. Dela- 
 pare, and Mr. Murray asked the Rev. Gentleman whether 
 
 e had any thing now to offer. 
 
 M. Delaporte replied that he was in possession of satisfac- 
 tory documents, showing that the lady was actually residing 
 in a convent in France, in June, 1816; and he was also firmly 
 persuaded that she was residing there two years previous to 
 that time. 
 
 Sir Richard Birnie now inquired of the gentleman who con- 
 ducted the charge against her, whether he had any additional 
 evidence to produce. 
 
 This gentleman immediately called a Miss Pinhorne, sister 
 to Mrs, Buckle, and she stated that she knew the lady per- 
 feetly, having seen her frequently when she, the witness, was 
 ap ncnoal at Chichester, and she was then called the Countess 
 
 autal. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 259 
 GOD LIL POD DPLILIS LIED LEP LG OLE F EDO OLD EBD POOP LOD LDL POOLE LOO LOO LOOLDODODE GPP OF LIP LLCO L POC DRD 
 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 GHEE PEL OPE LID LDPE OL I BPE LDF L OP DLE P OL PLO ILE LIP PIPL EDI OPE LDL PLE PLE PDE PLL PPE DDL OPE LOLPODIDG FP 
 
 The “ Comtesse” was asked whether she recollected this 
 young lady, and she replied, as she slightly glanced at her— 
 *¢ Non, non, not at all.—lIt is not true, it is not true.” 
 
 There was no further evidence ready, and a general con- 
 versation ensued, in which the ‘‘ Comtesse” insisted on her 
 nobility ; and mentioned, as one proof of it, that she was in 
 possession of her family seal with the arms of Reveleyez en- 
 graved thereon. She also said she had never applied for mo- 
 ney to any one in this country, except to the Society of the 
 Friends of Foreigners, and from them she had never received 
 more than one sovereign in a quarter of a year. She after- 
 wards recollected herself, and said she had applied to the 
 Duke of San Carlos, who replied that he would have done 
 something for her had he not been leaving this country ; and 
 also to the Marquis d’Osmond, who sent her a letter including 
 ‘a large note.”” She also admitted that a subscription had 
 been set on foot for her, but she returned the money to the 
 subscribers, and had supported herself by working in em- 
 broidery, both for * the altar and for private families.” — 
 
 Sir Richard Birnie asked her if she could name some of the 
 families by whom she had been thus employed. 
 
 “ Sare Riechard,” she replied, in broken English, but with 
 great dignity, “‘ Sare Riechard, they are the Lord, Chief, Jus- 
 tice, Baron, Riechard—and the diiferent branches of his fa- 
 mily ; and they have admired the beauty, and the taste, and 
 the elegance of the various works I have done for their 
 robes.” 
 
 In answer to a number of questions put to her by Mr. 
 Markland (one of the magistrates of the Queen-Square Police- 
 Office) she stated that she knew nothing at all of the Spanish 
 language, nor the name of the ship in which she sailed from 
 Spain to the Philippines, nor that in which she sailed from 
 the Philippines to Europe; all that she recollected of this 
 part of her history was, that the particular island in which her 
 father, the Marquis, lost his life, was Mindanao. 
 
 “ But pray, Madam,” asked Sir Richard Birnie, “ what do 
 you say to the evidence of these respectable persons who claim 
 you, as an old acquaintance, at the Isle of Wight ?” 
 
 ‘© Sare,” replied the ‘Comtesse,’ drawing up herself to her 
 full height; ‘‘ Sare, I stand before you as an orphan, a wi- 
 dow, and a stranger, and I claim your protection as a British 
 magistrate.” Sir Richard bowed, and the lady proceeded. 
 ¥ n am the daughter of the Marquis de Reveleyez, and the 
 widow 
 
 The worthy magistrate observed, he did not ask her to re- 
 state what she had already stated so frequently, but what she 
 
260 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 The Life and Extraordinary Adventures of Miss Caroline Ryley. 
 
 GLP LILLE LPDP LOL PLE PLL PIO LDL PLE LEL LOLOL DE LOI LIELDOOLOF PPE DOL LOL PEL ELD GOD LODE OLE DLE GDP DOOD ILE 
 
 had to. say to the evidence against that statement. The 
 ‘ Comtesse’ was silent. . 
 
 In answer to other questions that were put to her, she said 
 it would be five years, next month, since she arrived in Eng- 
 land; that she came from the Convent of St. Augustine, near 
 Montpelier ; that she sailed from the port of Dieppe, but she 
 had no French passport, nor did she know the name of the 
 vessel in which she came; that she landed at Harwich, and 
 was suffered to proceed direct to London without interroga- 
 tion; that she had never given notice at the Alien Office of 
 her arrival, nor did she know it was necessary for her to do 
 so; and if there was any penalty for the neglect, she was still 
 liable to that penalty. ei 
 
 It was stated by the gentleman through whose instrumen- 
 tality she was taken into custody, that Mr. Buckle, previously 
 to his seeing her in London, had described a mole with a tuft 
 of long hairs growing out of it, which she had upon her upper 
 lip. ‘This mole, he said, was particularly impressed upon his 
 memory, because, during their intimacy, he had frequently - 
 urged her to have the hairs extracted, as they had a very un- 
 sightly appearance. On visiting her when he arrived in town, 
 he found she had taken his advice, for the hairs had been ex- 
 tracted, and the mole itself partly eradicated, but the mark of 
 it was still distinctly to be seen, though the lady was ex- 
 tremely anxious to conceal it. 
 
 The ‘ Comtesse’ in reply to this said, when Mr. Buckle 
 and the others came to her they treated her very rudely. 
 «¢ hey even removed my bonnet,” she said, “ for which there 
 could have been no occasion, if that there mole was on this here 
 lip. One would suppose they thought to find it up here on 
 the temple.” ' | 
 
 Sir Richard Birnie observed, that foreigners, who. came to 
 this country, and obtained a knowledge of its language by 
 mixing in polite society, as she was represented to have done, 
 séldom acquired such vulgarisms as “ this here” and “ that 
 there.” | 
 
 After some further conversation, the worthy magistrate, 
 having consulted the gentlemen of the Society of Friends of 
 Foreigners present, said, addressing the witnesses, “‘ however 
 you might have been brought here, you appear before me as 
 the exposers of imposture, and in that character I trust you 
 have completely succeeded. But I am desired to say, on be- 
 half of the Society immediately concerned, that whatever may 
 be their opinion of the lady before them, and bad enough it is, 
 no doubt, still they decline to prosecute her. They are too 
 frequently imposed upon, but they hope this exposure may 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURS AND ART. 961 
 
 BLIP PPPIDF ILI PLE IPL LLL EL OLLIBOL ELE PEE LOLLOLO LLL LPO LDL DID ELELEE LED BPEL LDL LE LE LOLD LIL LOD LOS 
 
 Wonderful Exploits of Two Officers during the American War. 
 
 PIL LOD FLL LLE PDE LDL ORIG DD EDEL EPL DG OLE LOL ED ECL LOOP GE DDD DLE POPOL LD LOE LOD DODO ODE POD VEL POL LSP 
 
 operate to prevent it in future.— You are therefore discharged, 
 Madam.” | 
 
 * Sare Riechard!” exclaimed the ‘ Comtesse,’ and in- 
 stantly fell into the arms of Bleksley, who very carefully car- 
 ried her out of the Public Office into the little library ; and 
 there, by the assistance of Mrs. Buckle and the other ladies, 
 she soon revived, and left the disagreeable scene, leaning on 
 the arm of the Rev. M. Delaporte. 
 
 —{l Ee 
 
 WONDERFUL EXPLOITS OF TWO OFFICERS DURING THE 
 AMERICAN WAR. 
 
 Captain Ocutertony and Ensign Peyton belonged to 
 the regiment of Brigadier-General Monckton (the second in 
 command), ‘They were nearly of an age, which did not ex- 
 ceed thirty: the first was a North-Briton, the other a native 
 of Ireland. Both were agreeable in person, and unblemished 
 in character, and connected together by the ties of mutual 
 friendship and esteem. On the day that preceded the battle, 
 Captain Ochterlony had been obliged to fight a duel with a 
 German officer, in which, though he wounded and disarmed 
 his antagonist, yet he himself received a dangerous hurt under 
 the right arm, in consequence of which his friends insisted on 
 his remaining in camp during the action of the next day; but 
 his spirit was too great to comply with this remonstrance. He 
 declared it should never be said that a scratch received in a 
 private rencounter had prevented him from doing his duty, 
 when his country required his service; and he took the field 
 with a fusil in his hand, though he was hardly able to carry 
 his arms. In leading up his men to the enemy’s entrench- 
 ment, he was shot through the lungs with a musquet ball: an 
 accident which obliged him to part with his fusil: but he still 
 continued advancing; until, by loss of blood, he hecame too 
 weak to proceed farther. About the same time Mr. Peyton 
 was lamed by a shot, which shattered the small bone of his 
 leg. The soldiers, in their retreat, earnestly begged, with 
 tears in their eyes, that Captain Ochterlony would allow them 
 to carry him and the ensign off the field. But he was so 
 bigoted to a severe point of honour, that he would not quit 
 the ground, though he desired they would take care of his 
 ensign. Mr. Peyton, with a generous disdain, rejected their, 
 good offices, declaring that he would not leave his captain in 
 such a situation; and in a little time they remained the sole 
 survivors on that part of the field. 
 
 Captain Ochterlony sat down by his friend; and, as they 
 expected nothing but immediate death, they took leave of each 
 
262 CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 
 
 PP PDL LLP P DOP OF PCPP DIAG AL PPLE PS IGE PO PLOO ORO L OOD OODDLE DDO LDO LOC DDE LOO LODGODE GDI GOES PIP POP 
 
 Wonderful Exploits of Two Officers during the American War. 
 
 POLLOD LEO LDDO DD OBDLE LIL LIE IOS 
 
 PPL PDL LPP LLL DALE 
 
 DIE LOP LLL OPEB LO? LDPE LLL LPF 
 
 other. Yet they were not altogether abandoned by the hope 
 of being protected as prisoners: for the captain, seeing a 
 French soldier with two Indians approach, started up, and 
 accosting them in the French language, which he spoke per- 
 fectly well, expressed his expectation that they would treat 
 him and his companion as officers, prisoners, and gentlemen. 
 The two Indians seemed to be entirely under the conduct of 
 the Frenchman, who, coming up to Mr. Peyton, as he sat on 
 the ground, snatched his laced hat from his head, and robbed 
 the captain of his watch and money. This outrage was a 
 signal to the Indians for murder and pillage. One of them, 
 clubbing his firelock, struck at him behind, with a view to 
 knock him down; but the blow missing his head, took place 
 upon his shoulder. At the same instant the other Indian 
 poured his shot into the breast of this unfortunate young gen- 
 tleman; who cried out, “ Oh, Peyton! the villain has shot 
 me.” Not yet satiated with cruelty, the barbarian sprung 
 upon him, and stabbed him in the belly with his scalping- 
 knife. The captain having parted with his fusil, had no 
 weapon for his defence, as none of the officers wore swords 
 in the action. The three ruffians, finding him still alive, endea- 
 voured to strangle him with his own sash; and he was now 
 upon his knees, struggling against them with surprising exer- 
 tion. Mr. Peyton, at this juncture, having a double-barrelled 
 musquet in his hand, and seeing the distress of his friend, 
 fired at one of the Indians, who dropped dead on the spot. 
 The other thinking the ensign would now be an easy prey, 
 advanced towards him; and Mr. Peyton, having taken good 
 aim at the distance of four yards, discharged his piece the se-. 
 cond time, but it seemed to take no effect. The savage fired 
 in his turn, and wounded the ensign in the shoulder; then, 
 rushing upon him, thrust his bayonet through his body. He 
 repeated the blow, which Mr. Peyton attempting to parry, — 
 received another wound in his left hand; nevertheless, he 
 seized the Indian’s musquet with the same hand, pulled him 
 forwards, and with his right drawing a dagger which hung by 
 his side, plunged it into the barbarian’s side. A violent strug- 
 gle ensued: but at length Mr. Peyton was uppermost; and, 
 with repeated strokes of his dagger, killed his antagonist out- 
 right. Here he was seized with an unaccountable emotion 
 of curiosity, to know whether or not his shot had taken place 
 on the body of the Indian: he accordingly turned him up; 
 and stripping off his blanket, perceived that the ball had pe- 
 netrated quite through the cavity of the breast. Having thus 
 obtained a dear-bought victory, he started up on one leg, and 
 saw. Captain Ochterlony standing at the distance of sixty 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 263 
 
 PILL PL OP CLI LIP OPI LIP LLG LIE LLL LDL OLD POLE POD ODL LOL L ED LODO LOL OLD DOD LEE ~PLOPE DLE DGD LOL DO. 
 Wonderful Exploits of Two Officers during the American War. 
 
 PPE PLL IPE LIF ILE PLE LOE LOL DD EL DL LDP LLE DL DE LED ODO LOD LOO LOL DDE LOD DOE LDOOLODLOE DDE LOODIG LDIF 
 
 yards, close by the enemy’s breast-work, with the French sol- 
 dier attending him. Mr. Peyton then called aloud—“ Cap- 
 tain Ochterlony, I am glad to see you have at last got under 
 protection. Beware of that villain, who is more barbarous 
 than the savages. God bless you, my dear captain! I see a 
 party of Indians coming this way, and expect to be murdered 
 immediately.”” A number of those barbarians had for some 
 time been employed on the left, in scalping and pillaging the 
 dying and the dead that were left upon the field of battle; 
 and above thirty of them were in full march to destroy Mr. 
 Peyton. This gentleman knew he had no mercy to expect; 
 for, should his life be spared for the present, they would have 
 afterwards insisted upon sacrificing him to the manes of their 
 brethren whom he had slain; and in that case he would have 
 been put to death by the most excruciating tortures. Full of 
 this idea, he snatched up his musquet; and, notwithstanding 
 his broken leg, ran about forty yards without halting. Feel- 
 ing himself now totally disabled, and incapable of proceeding 
 one step farther, he loaded his piece, and presented it to the 
 two foremost Indians, who stood aloof, waiting to be joined 
 by their fellows; while the French, from their breast-works, 
 kept up a continual fire of cannon and small-arms, upon this 
 poor, solitary, maimed gentleman. In this uncomfortable 
 situation he stood, when he discerned at a distance, a High- 
 land officer with a party of his men, skirting the plain towards 
 the field of battle. He forthwith waved his hand in signal of 
 distress, and being perceived by the officer, he detached three 
 of his men to his assistance. ‘These brave fellows hastened 
 to him through the midst of a terrible fire, and one of them 
 bore him off on his shoulders. The Highland officer was 
 Captain Macdonald, of Colonel Frazier’s battalion; who, 
 understanding that a young gentleman, his kinsman, had 
 dropped on the field of battle, had put himself at the head of 
 this party, with which he penetrated to the middle of the field, 
 drove a considerable number of the French and Jndians be- 
 fore him, and finding his relation still unscalped, carried him 
 off in triumph, and he recovered. But poor Captain Ochter- 
 lony was conveyed to Quebec, where, in a few days, he died. 
 After the reduction of that place, the French surgeons who 
 attended him declared, that in all probability he would have 
 recovered of the two shots he had received in his breast, had 
 not he been mortally wounded in the belly by the Indian’s 
 scalping-knife. 
 
 As this very remarkable scene was acted in sight of both 
 armies, General Townshend, in the sequel, expostulated with 
 the French officers upon the inhumanity of keeping up such a 
 
264 CURICSITI£OS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DGOLOLOP OL P LOG LEP GLOLEOL LLL LOL LLL LOE LIP DOOD LOL OE LEE LOLI EL LOE LOL LOL LLILOLD LID LLE LOE PDE REP 
 
 Exploits of Two Officers during the American War,—Don Guzmais fainity. 
 
 DAP LOL FOLD LBD LOE LOS LOO LOPE PLE LOL LOE LIG LDL PLOL OLD DLL ILD OE PDPLDEDPLEOL LODE PL ELL PELE LILO DDE DLL LIL ODP 
 
 severe fire against two wounded officers who were disabled, 
 and destitute of all hope of escaping. ‘They answered, that 
 the fire was not made by the regulars, but by the Canadians 
 and savages, whom it was not in the power of discipline to 
 restrain. 
 
 ——— 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [Continued from page 227.| 
 
 “ SquaBpiine about your supper ?” cried Everhard, burst- 
 ing among them with a wild and feeble laugh; “ why, here’s 
 enough for to-morrow—and to-morrow.” And he flung, in- 
 deed, ample means for two days’ subsistence on the table, but 
 he looked paler and paler. The hungry family devoured the 
 hoard, and forgot to ask the cause of his increasing paleness 
 and obviously diminished strength... * * oP on TRS 
 
 “ They had long been without any domestics, and as Ever- 
 hard disappeared mysteriously every day, the daughters were 
 sometimes employed on the humble errands of the family. 
 The beauty of the elder daughter, Julia, was so conspicuous,. 
 that her mother had often undertaken the most menial er- 
 rands herself, rather than send her daughter into the streets 
 _ unprotected. The following evening, however, being intently 
 employed in some domestic occupation, she allowed Julia to 
 go out to purchase their food for to-morrow, and lent her her 
 veil for the purpose, directing her daughter to arrange it in 
 the Spanish fashion, with which she was well acquainted, so 
 as to hide her face. 
 
 * Julia, who went with trembiing steps on her brief errand, 
 had somehow deranged her veil, and a glimpse of her beauty 
 was caught by a cavalier who was passing. ‘The meanness 
 of her dress and occupation suggested hopes to him, which he 
 ventured to express. Julia burst from him with the mingled 
 terror and indignation of insulted purity, but her eyes rested 
 with unconscious avidity on the handful of gold which glit- 
 tered in his hand.—She.thought of her famishing parents—of 
 her own declining strength, and neglected and useless talents. 
 ‘The gold still sparkled before her—she felt she knew not 
 what, and to escape from some feelings is, perhaps, the best 
 victory we can obtain over them, But when she arrived at 
 home, she eagerly thrust the smal! purchase she had made into 
 her mother’s hand, and, though hitherto gentle, submissive, 
 and tractable, announced, in.a tone of decision that seemed to 
 her startled mother (whose thoughts were always limited to 
 the exigencies of the hour) like that of sudden insanity, that 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 265 
 
 PPLPO LP POPP POPP 
 
 GODPODPLSS 
 
 ae 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 POPPI GLI GLIPOL LED L DOPED LEO LG LDL LOL DOD LOE LL O LID LLL 
 
 she would rather starve than ever again tread the streets of 
 Seville alone. ) 
 
 “* As Ines retired to her bed, she thought she heard a feeble 
 moan from the room where Everhard lay, and where, from 
 their being compelled to sell the necessary furniture of the 
 bed, he had entreated his parents to allow Maurice to sleep 
 with him, alleging that the warmth of his body would bea 
 substitute for artificial covering to his little brother. Twice 
 those moans were heard, but Ines did not dare to awake Wal- 
 berg; who had sunk into that profound sleep which is as often 
 the refuge of intolerable misery, as that of saturated enjoy- | 
 ment. A few moments after, when the moans had ceased, and 
 she had half persuaded herself it was only the echo of that 
 wave that seems for ever beating in the ears of the unfortu- 
 nate,—the curtains of her bed were thrown open, and the 
 figure of a child, covered with blood, stained in breast, arms, 
 and legs, appeared before her, and cried,—“ Jt is Everhard’s 
 blood—he is bleeding to death,—1l am covered with _ his 
 blood !—Mother—mother—rise, and save Everhard’s life !” 
 The object, the voice, the words, seemed to Ines like the ima- 
 gery of some terrible dream, such as had lately often visited 
 her sleep, till the tones of Maurice, her youngest, and (in her 
 heart) her favourite child, made her spring from the bed, and 
 hurry after the little blood-spotted figure that paddled before 
 her on its naked feet, till she reached the adjoining room 
 where Everhard lay. Amid all her anguish and fear, she trod 
 as lightly as Maurice, lest she should awake Walberg. 
 
 “The moonlight fell strongly through the unshuttered 
 windows on the wretched closet that just contained the bed. 
 Its furniture was sufficiently scanty, and in his spasms Ever- 
 hard had thrown off the sheet : so he lay, as Ines approached 
 his bed, in a kind of corpse-like beauty, to which the light of 
 the moon gave an effect that would have rendered the figure 
 worthy the pencil of a Murillo, a Rosa, or any of those pain- 
 ters, who, inspired by the genius of suffering, delight in repre- 
 senting the most exquisite of human forms in the extremity of 
 human agony. A St. Bartholomew flayed, with his skin 
 hanging: about him in graceful drapery—a St. Lawrence 
 broiled on a gridiron, and exhibiting his finely-formed ana- 
 tomy on its bars, while naked slaves are blowing the coals 
 beneath it,—even these were inferior to the form half-veiled, 
 half-disclosed by the moonlight, as it lay. The snow-white 
 limbs of’ Everhard were extended as if for the inspection of a 
 sculptor, and moveless, as if they were indeed, what they re- 
 sembled in hue and symmetry, those of a marble statue. His 
 arms were tossed above his head, and the es: was trickling 
 
 2: M 
 
266 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POR DLE POOL OO LOD ODL LDO LD OLDE LED DOE DIC LODO LE LE LOD OLD IDE ELL DOD LIE LLIEL GE DOPDOP PPP LIG LIP OGRA 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 DPPPE PREPOOL OD ILE DLD DDD LDL EDE LOL LOD LDL ODD PDD LE DE LDOLDD PLD PLE PLE LOL ODL DDE POP LDEODOD LOS 
 
 Sst from the opened veins of both,—his bright and curled 
 hair was clotted with the red stream that flowed from his 
 arms,—his lips were blue, and a faint and fainter moan issued 
 from them as his mother hung over him. This sight banished 
 in a moment all other fears and feelings, and Ines shrieked 
 aloud to her husband for assistance. Walberg, staggering 
 from his sleep, entered the room,—the object before him was 
 enough. Ines hadonly strength left to point to it. ‘The wretched 
 father rushed out in quest of medical aid, which he was obliged 
 to solicit gratuitously, and in bad Spanish, while his accents 
 betrayed him at every door he knocked at,—and closed them 
 against him as a foreigner and a heretic. At length a barber- 
 surgeon (for the professions were united in Seville) consented, 
 with many a yawn, to attend him, and came duly armed with 
 lint and styptics. The distance was short, and he was soon 
 by the bed of the young sufferer. The parents observed, 
 with consternation unspeakable, the languid looks of recogni- 
 tion, the ghastly smile of consciousness, that Everhard viewed 
 him with, as he approached the bed; and when he had suc- 
 ceeded in stopping the hemorrhage, and bound up the arms, 
 a whisper passed between him and the patient, and the latter 
 raised his bloodless hand to his lips, and uttered, ‘‘ Remember 
 our bargain.” As the man retired, Walberg followed, and 
 demanded to know the meaning of the words he had heard. 
 Walberg was a German, and choleric—the surgeon was a 
 Spaniard, and cool. “ I shall tell you to-morrow, Senhor,” 
 putting up his instruments; ‘in the mean time, be assured of 
 my gratuitous attendance on your son, and of his certain re- 
 covery. We deem you heretics in Seville, but that youth is 
 enough to canonize the whole family, and cover a multitude 
 of sins.”” And with these words he departed. The next day 
 he attended Everhard, and so for several, till he was com- 
 pletely recovered, always refusing the slightest remuneration, 
 till the father, whom misery had made suspicious of ever 
 thing and nothing, watched at the door, and heard the horrible 
 secret. He did not disclose it to his wife; but from that hour 
 it was observed that his gloom became more intense, and the 
 communications he used to hold with his family, on the sub- 
 ject of their distress, and the modes of evading it by hourly 
 expedients, utterly and finally ceased. | 
 
 ** Everhard, now recovered, but still pale as the widow of 
 Seneca, was at last able to join the family consultation, and 
 give advice, and suggest resources, with a mental energy that 
 his physical weakness could not overcome. The next day 
 when they were assembled to debate on the means of procur 
 Ing subsistence for the following one, they for the first time 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 267 
 
 GOUPLIL PDP PPLIIPLIOLOOL OP LL BD LL LE PPE PLOD LOD DED OOP LOO LPOCTOL ODO SIO ODL GD LOPLI CLIP PDF POH. 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PPLPDG PLDI D LILLIE LOL LOD LLL PLE LLIPLD DOL ODL ELD DLE LDL DOD LOL DDL DLL PDE LOD LOD PPE PDDOLDOL LPODOEOODDOD 
 
 missed their father. At every word that was uttered, they 
 turned to ask for his sanction—but he was not there. At last 
 he entered the room, but without taking a part in their con- 
 sultation. He leaned gloomily against the wall; and while 
 Everhard and Julia, at every sentence, turned their appealing 
 looks towards him, he suddenly averted his head. Ines, ap- 
 pearing to pursue some work, while her trembling fingers 
 could scarce direct the needle, made a sign to the children not 
 to observe him. ‘Their voices were instantly depressed, and 
 their heads bent closely towards each other. Mendicity ap- 
 peared the only resource of this unfortunate family, and they 
 agreed that the evening was the best time for trying its effect. 
 The unhappy father remained rocking against the shattered 
 wainscot till the arrival of evening. Ines repaired the clothes 
 of the children, which were now so decayed, that every at- 
 tempt at repair made a fresh rent, and the very thread she 
 worked with seemed less attenuated than the worn-out mate- 
 rials it wrought on. 
 _ “Phe grandfather, still seated in his ample chair by the 
 care of Ines (for his son had grown very indifferent about 
 him), watched her moving fingers, and exclaimed, with the 
 petulance of dotage, ““ Ay,—you are arraying them in em- 
 broidery, while I am in rags—-in rags !”’ he repeated, holding 
 out the slender garments which the beggared family could 
 with difficulty spare him. Ines tried to pacify him, and showed 
 her work, to prove that it was the remnants of her children’s 
 former dress she was repairing ; but, with horror unutterable, 
 she perceived her husband incensed at these expressions of 
 dotage, and venting his frantic and fearful indignation in Jan- 
 guage that she tried to bury the sound of, by pressing closer 
 to the old man, and attempting to fix his bewildered attention 
 on herself and her work. This was easily accomplished, and 
 all was well, till they were about to separate on their wretched 
 precarious errands. Then a new and untold feeling trembled 
 at the heart of one of the young wanderers. Julia remem- 
 bered the eccurrence of a preceding evening,—she thought of 
 the tempting gold, the flattering language, and the tender 
 tone of the young cavalier. She saw her family perishing 
 around her for want,—she felt it consuming her own vitals,— 
 and, as she cast her eye round the squalid room, the gold glit- 
 tered brighter and brighter in her eye. A faint hope, aided, 
 perhaps, by a still more faint suggestion of vental pride, swelled 
 in her heart. “ Perhaps he might love me,” she whispered 
 to herself, “ and think me not unworthy of his hand.” ‘Then 
 despair returned to the charge. “ I must die of famine,” she 
 thought, “if 1 return unaided,—and why may I not by my 
 
968 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 death benefit my family? I will never survive shame, but they 
 may,—for they will not know it !”—She went out, and took a 
 direction different from that of the family. 
 
 ‘¢ Night came on,—the wanderers returned slowly one by 
 one,—Julia was the last. Her brothers and sister had each 
 obtained a trifling alins, for they had learned Spanish enough 
 to beg in,—and the olayman’s face wore a vacant smile, as he 
 saw the store produced, which was, after all, scarce sufficient 
 to afford a meal for the youngest. “ And have you brought 
 us nothing, Julia?” said her parents. She stood apart, and 
 in silence. Her father repeated the question in a raised and 
 angry voice. She started at the sound, and, rushing forward, 
 buried her head in her mother’s bosom. “ Nothing—nothing,” 
 she cried, in a broken and suffocated voice; ‘ I tried—my 
 weak and wicked heart submitted to the thought for a mo- 
 ment—but no—no, not even to save you from perishing, 
 could 1!—I came home to perish first myself!’ Her shud- 
 dering parents comprehended her, and amid their agony they 
 blessed her, and wept—but not from grief. ‘The meal was 
 divided, of which Julia at first steadily refused to partake, as 
 she had. not contributed to it, till her reluctance was overcome 
 by the affectionate importunity of the rest, and she complied. 
 
 ‘‘ [¢t was during this division of what all believed to be their 
 last meal, that Walberg gave one of those proofs of sudden 
 and fearful violence of temper, bordering on insanity, which 
 he had betrayed latterly. We seemed to notice, with sullen 
 displeasure, that his wife had, as she always did, reserved the 
 largest portion for his father. He eyed it askance at first, 
 muttering angrily to himself. Then he spoke more aloud, 
 though not so as to be heard by the deaf old man, who was 
 sluggishly devouring his sordid,meal. Then the sufferings of 
 his children seemed to inspire him with a kind of wild resent- 
 ment, and he started up, exclaiming, ‘“‘ My son sells his blood, 
 to a surgeon, to save us from perishing!-[ A fact! it occurred 
 in a French family not many years ago.| My daughter trem-_ 
 bles on the verge of. prostitution, to procure us a meal!” 
 Then fiercely addressing his father, “ And what dost thou do, 
 old dotard? Rise up, rise up, and beg for us thyself, or thou 
 musi starve !’”’—and as he spoke, he raised his arm against the 
 helpless old man. At this horrid sight, Ines shrieked aloud, 
 and the children, rushing forward, interposed. ‘The wretched 
 father, incensed to madness, dealt blows among.them, which 
 were borne without a murmur; and then, the storm being 
 
 exhausted, he sat down and wept.” ; sae 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 269 
 
 POP PL PLE LLL ELLE LOD LOL LOL LOO LLP OLDIE LGD BPEL ODL POD LOR PLE LLDPE RO BDD DOO LED LDP PDD OLE ELE ODE L EOP 
 Extraordinary Adventures of James Aitkin, the Incendiary. 
 
 PF LOL BLO LOL PLE LOE DOD LDP LOO LL IP PLL PDE ELLE EDL PDE DDO PPE OPEL PDE LOL OGD DLE LP DE DODD DDE ODED DDL OOP 
 
 ; EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURES OF 
 JAMES AITKIN, the Incendiary, alias JACK the PAINTER, 
 AS WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 
 [ Continued from page 235. ] 
 
 “ My next object was to accomplish the business in the 
 dock-yard. 1 went first to the hemp-house, and after waiting 
 a safe opportunity, got into the room where I had left the 
 materials, struck a light with my pistol tinder-box, and lighted 
 the candle which I had before placed in the tin-case under the 
 hemp. I since find that this machine did not take effect. 
 Having, as I thought, effectually completed my business here, 
 I directed my steps towards the rope-house, and after waiting 
 almost two hours, I took an opportunity of lighting the match - 
 that communicated to the gunpowder, which I believe took 
 effect in about an hour and a half. The instant [ had finished, 
 I quitted the dock-yard, intending to go immediately to set 
 fire to both my lodgings ; but meeting a person near the dock- 
 gates, who knew me when I worked at Titchfield, during the 
 time | was making my observations, and seeing him look at 
 me steadfastly, I ran very precipitately out of the town, dread- 
 ing the consequence of being taken into custody. 
 
 “When I had gone a little way out of town, I overtook a 
 cart going from market; and in order to make more haste, 
 and be less observed, I prevailed with the woman who drove 
 the cart to give mea lift; telling her [ had to go to Peters- 
 field that night, and: would make her any satisfaction. TI tra- 
 velled all night without intermission, and arrived at Kingston- 
 upon-Thames about-eleven o’clock on Sunday morning, where 
 I staid’ upwards of three hours to refresh myself. 
 
 “On my arrival'in London, I concluded myself out of danger ; 
 and began to ruminate on my plan for the destruction of 
 Plymouth. I started for that place with a design to visit the 
 dock-yard ; but, to my great surprise, found the guard stricter, 
 and the admission of strangers objected to; occasioned, as I 
 ‘was informed, by the burning of Bortamouth, which was sup- 
 - posed to be purposely set on fire. 
 
 ‘¢| was now ina worse situation thanever. I had observed 
 by the papers, that the damage at Portsmouth had not an- 
 swered my expectations, owing to the machine in the hemp- 
 house not taking effect ; and to be disappointed here would 
 destroy my plan, as I intended, after succeeding at Plymouth, 
 to have gone immediately.to Paris, to consult Mr. Deane. I 
 consulted a number of schemes to effect my purpose ; but all 
 
970 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 CLD PDD ACO LOD LOLOL DP LO DLE LOO LDOOCL LOO DOL OE LOE DICE LDL DLE ODL POOP LOL LOD L DELO PELE PEELE DLELOP 
 
 Extraordinary Adventures of James Aitkin, the Incendiary. 
 
 PLE LLL PLS ODPLLOL ODL POLLED DDE LDOELDDODL LE LDOL ODE LL SLD OLLPLLEDELELI LDC LDEPDILDOE LIE DOP LOL OPP 
 
 were impracticable. I walked several times round the walls, 
 which were every where so high, that I could see no possi- 
 bility of getting over. I knew perfectly well the very spot 
 where the magazines of pitch, tar, and hemp were situated, 
 and intended, could I scale the walls, to set them on fire. I 
 tried again for admittance into the yard, but could not suc- 
 ceed. I at last thought of a rope ladder, having taken much 
 notice of them at sea. I went into a shop, purchased a quan- 
 tity of ropes, and carried them to my lodgings, which I still 
 continued to change most nights, sometimes sleeping at Ply- 
 mouth, and sometimes at Plymouth Dock; and completed a 
 very good ladder in the course of a day; and, about one 
 o’clock in the morning of the 29th of December, I made trial 
 of it, which, after throwing upon the wall four or five times, 
 succeeded. I mounted the wall in an obscure lane, and on 
 looking over found the coast clear. I turned my ladder, and 
 let myself down into the dock-yard, intending to set it on fire 
 in three different places ; but when I had gone within about 
 fifty yards of the hemp-house, I heard some of the sentinels in 
 conversation, and not being able to distinguish their words, 
 and imagining I should be seen, I returned, and declined 
 making any further attempt till the next night, when, soon 
 after midnight, | fixed my ladder, and mounted upon the wall. 
 It was not moonlight, nor so dark but there was a possibility 
 of seeing objects at a little distance. I turned my ladder 
 while I sat upon the wall, but in attempting to get down, the 
 hold gave way, and let me down with some bricks from the 
 top of the wall. I was a little frightened at this misfortune, 
 particularly as I observed a sentinel at some distance, walking 
 backwards and forwards at his stand. I, therefore, proceeded 
 a little further, and then returned, being too much discon- 
 certed at what had happened to do the business properly that 
 night. Very much vexed at this disappointment, I determined 
 to make the best of my way to Bristol; and, as I was disap- 
 pointed at Plymouth, resolved to destroy Bristol entirely, and 
 all the shipping. I arrived at Bristol on Monday, the 13th of 
 January, and spent the whole of Tuesday, the 14th, in ac- 
 quainting myself with the shipping, upon which I intended to 
 make the first attempt, supposing, if I had any success, they 
 would communicate the flames to the whole town. About 
 midnight E proceeded, with all my materials, towards the 
 quay. I got on board the Savannah la Mar, a Jamaica-man, 
 and placed a quantity of turpentine, rosin, pitch, &c. round 
 the mizen-mast, to which | set fire. I then went on board 
 of La Fame, another Jamaica-man, which lay at a little dis- 
 tance, in which 1 also placed a quantity of combustible matter, 
 
CURIGSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 271 
 
 PEL GP PDL EF “s ta a 
 
 PPCCLIIP LIV 
 
 LF OO PGLG LPP BOP LIP DE OLPI ELD! Oa 
 Extraordinary Adventures of James Aitkin, the Incendiary. 
 
 PPI LIL DIP POD LAF 
 
 ILI LIL LID LPL PPL L OV POD LPY LIL PPL 
 
 LIL LLEP LPL LID EGE PPE LPGD LPG PLD 
 
 and set fire to it. [then proceeded to another part of the 
 quay, and got on board the Hibernia, an Irish trader, in which 
 I placed a like quantity of inflammable materials, and a quart 
 bottle of spirits of turpentine, to which [I also set fire: I then 
 broke open a warehouse belonging to a druggist, in Cypher- 
 Lane, supposing there were large quantities of oils and spirits 
 of different kinds, which would occasion a dreadful fire in that 
 part of the town. I set fire to a box in the middle of the 
 warehouse, which I supposed would soon communicate to all 
 parts of it. : 
 
 ** Having, as I thought, effected my business, I walked al- 
 most four miles out of town, and staid till near eight o’clock 
 in the morning; not perceiving any thing of the fire, [ re- 
 turned to see whether it had taken effect, which I could do 
 without suspicion, as I supposed people would see I had just 
 come into town. I went to the quay, where I observed one 
 vessel, the Savannah la Mar, was much burnt: but the fire 
 in the other two had gone out without taking effect. I also 
 found I had miscarried in Cypher-Lane, where the box of com- 
 bustible matter burnt out, without doing any damage. I was 
 mostly vexed at the miscarriage among the shipping, as I 
 found a strict watch was to be kept up in future, which ren- 
 -dered all further attempts upon them impracticable; [thought 
 of one scheme, however, which I had some hopes of succeed- 
 ing in. Observing a vast number of barrels of oil upon the 
 quay, situated very near a line of ships, I contrived, the en- 
 suing night, to convey a large quantity of combustible mate- 
 rials among them, to which I set fire, hoping by this means to 
 burn all the ships that lay near; but herein also I found my- 
 self disappointed ; my matches went out without effecting the 
 intended mischief, though greatly to my mortification. . . 
 
 ‘¢ About two o’clock the next morning, I proceeded to my 
 new business, having the evening before fixed upon a number 
 ‘of warehouses, which I supposed, as it was Sunday morning, 
 would not be frequented, and therefore little danger of the fire 
 being discovered till it had taken proper effect. 1 laid matches 
 in upwards of a dozen warehouses, which | supposed would 
 take fire before day-light, and from their number and situa- 
 tion be impossible to be got under, so that I had promised 
 myself I had accomplished the destruction of the whole town, 
 or at least that part of it which was of most consequence. 
 With this persuasion I left Bristol about six o’clock in the 
 morning, and walked about three miles out of town, when, 
 turning round, I thought the whole element was in flames, so 
 dreadful was the appearance it had at that distance, which 
 tempted me to return to be an eye-witness of the destruction 
 
972 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OPP PIO F DFS Dance PPE LGPL OD DOD POD PLD PLOL IE LDS LOD LIE PPE PLI DLO DLE PLO L OE POOL OSP PIP PIG IOP PSP 
 Extraordinary Adventures of James Aitkin, the Incendiary. 
 
 OP PLPL DS LOPLI GIOP 
 
 LOL LOG LIF 
 
 PDP LSD OLLE LEE LOD LO F. 
 
 I had wrought. On my near approach, the flames seemed to 
 abate; but I found the whole city in consternation and ter- 
 ror; though my schemes had not answered my full intention. 
 My matches had only taken effect in Quay-Lane; among the 
 warehouses of Mr. Brown, bookseller, which occasioned a 
 dreadful fire in that part of the town; in every other part I 
 found my endeavours had failed. 'To compensate for this, I 
 determined to make a fresh attempt on the Sunday night, and 
 made every preparation forthat purpose. Between one and 
 two o’clock on Monday morning, I set about this business, 
 but was prevented by the vigilance of the watch, raised by the 
 inhabitants of the city to patrole the streets, which obliged me 
 to decline attempting any thing further that night. I made 
 several fresh attempts the Monday and Tuesday nights fol- 
 lowing, but the patrole was too vigilant to allow me time to 
 proceed, I therefore left Bristol, finding it impossible to com- 
 plete my design. 
 
 ‘“‘ F now determined to make the best of my way to Paris, to 
 acquaint Mr. Deane with my success; and I reached Calne, 
 where observing a haberdasher’s shop, kept by one Mr. Lowe, 
 I broke it open, and stole therefrom twenty pounds, some 
 muslins, &c. 
 
 “It was to this little town that Mr. Lowe, whose shop I 
 had broke open, and Mr. Dalby, keeper of Andover Bride- 
 well, had both traced me. Mr. Lowe had got a description 
 of my person. Mr. Dalby finding I answered the description 
 of the person advertised for setting fire to Portsmouth Dock, 
 set out in pursuit of me, and took me at this town, in whose 
 custody Mr. Lowe found me on his arrival shortly after. 
 
 “I was taken before the Hon. Sir H. P. St. John, Knt. 
 who committed me to Odiham Bridewell, on suspicion of 
 breaking open Mr. Lowe’s house; but Government having 
 notice of my being in custody, ordered me to the New Prison, 
 Clerkenwell, to be examined before Sir John Fielding, rela- 
 tive to the fire at Portsmouth. Nothing appearing sufficiently 
 strong against me to prove guilt in this particular, I was re- 
 manded back to New Prison, in order to be conveyed to 
 Salisbury, to take my trial for breaking open Mr. Lowe’s 
 house; but my being decoyed into the trap set for me by Mr. 
 Baldwin, to whom | disclosed the whole of my proceedings 
 against Government, brought me to a death which the enor- 
 mity of my crimes deserves; but which, through sincere re- 
 pentance, I hope will be forgiven, as I forgive Mr. Baldwin, 
 and all the world. 
 
 “ JAMES AITKIN.” 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 273 
 
 BOOSIP. PPL LIS ' 
 PIL IPE PIP IID IL ELIE LE IPL IPOD LIP LDL LOL DOE LPO L DO LDOOLDO DDL ~BLIPDCDR ~bO0Cr ROO 
 
 Aitkin, the Incendiary.—Jvdges and Jurors ; an Anecdote of Olden Times. 
 
 PRI LIL LLP LLE PID LLP 
 
 POL LIE PLL PII LIL LID POLE LDL ODL ELD LOL ODL 
 
 POL LL I LLP 
 
 On the morning of his execution, he was conveyed to Ports- 
 mouth White-house, where he was put into a cart, and taken 
 into the dock-yard. He was then drawn round the remains 
 of the rope-house, which was one thousand and eighty feet 
 Jong, and desired by the public to east his eyes upon the de- 
 struction his mischievous hands had wrought. He replied, 
 that he remembered the place perfectly well, and that he was 
 the person who set it on fire; but could now make no repa- 
 ration but with his life. He was then ordered to the place of 
 execution. 
 
 ‘Soon after he got upon the scaffold, he kneeled against the 
 gibbet, and prayed very earnestly for the space of ten minutes. 
 The halter was then put round his neck. After praying a 
 few minutes longer, he gave the signal, and was drawn up by 
 pulleys to the top of the gibbet, which was made of the mizen- 
 mast of the Arethusa frigate, and was sixty-four feet and 
 a-half high. After hanging an hour, he was taken down, and 
 hung in chains on Block-house Point, at the mouth of Ports- 
 mouth harbour. 
 
 ee 
 JUDGES AND JURORS: 
 AN EXTRAORDINARY ANECDOTE OF THE OLDEN TIMES. 
 [Founded on Fact.] 
 
 Axsout the middle of the 17th century, there lived, near 
 Chelmsford, an elderly gentleman, a widower, with two sons, 
 on his paternal estate of one thousand pounds per annum. 
 The young men, although reared up from their infancy in 
 similar habits, and educated each with the most assiduous at- 
 tention to the attainment of every moral and religious duty, 
 yet appeared to have imbibed the most opposite principles : 
 the eldest was prone to acts of benevolence, a day seldom passing 
 wherein the exercise of his philanthropy in relief of distress 
 was not abundantly exemplified, while his general suavity of 
 manners gained him the love and admiration of the whole sur- 
 rounding country. ‘The younger son, on the contrary, was 
 difficult of access, repelling with bitter reproof the sorrow 
 that he would not assuage, meanly subservient to his supe- 
 riors, and of the most haughty demeanour to those whom he 
 deemed beneath him; and ail he considered beneath him, 
 however gifted by talent, or endowed by that Providence who 
 owns not the superiority of rank and riches over virtuous pro- 
 pensities, whom fortune had rejected or forsaken.—The con- 
 sequence may be easily surmised; he was shunned by his su- 
 periors, held in secret contempt by his equals, and by his infe- 
 riors dreaded, hated, and execrated. 
 
 12. 2N 
 
O74 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLO PLD 
 
 POPP POL ODE LDOOGLLOLLO LIL LOE DGG LLL ELIE LEO LOE DOR AIE ee 
 
 Judges and Jurors; an Extraordinary Anecdote of Olden Times. 
 
 < ‘ LID LLG OPP 
 PGP APOLIF LODO ILS LLLOLLL LDL DDL LOOLDO ODDO DE LOD PDO DOLL LILE GDL ELOODEEIIDLIGE 
 
 Pursuing our narrative, let us name the brothers:—-Henry 
 was the eldest, and Theodore the youngest. The frequent, 
 and probably sometimes indiscriminate benevolence of Henry, 
 drew from his more prudent and parsimonious parent remon- 
 strance and reproof. Theodore had artfully contrived to in- 
 troduce the demon of discord into his father’s mansion, and 
 Henry, experiencing day after day a continued system of re- 
 straint and opposition, now determined on leaving a home 
 that no longer afforded the enjoyment of harmony; and in 
 this resolution he was encouraged by the ardent attachment 
 of his faithful Maria, a lovely young lady of respectable con- 
 nexions, though of slender fortune, yet in the ample posses- 
 sion of every mental and personal accomplishment, to grace, 
 adorn, and dignify the female character. 
 
 Their union took place, and Henry, with his interesting 
 bride, shortly afterwards embarked, to seek, in a far distant 
 clime, the success in life from the prospect of which he seemed. 
 excluded in his native country. 
 
 Not long after the departure from England of Henry and 
 
 his amiable bride, his father paid the debt of nature, and, 
 dying intestate, the younger son took undisputed possession of 
 the property and estate. This accession of wealth produced 
 accession of power; he became a Justice of the Peace, and in 
 the exercise of his new office, gave additional proof of callosity 
 of principle, his decisions being rather guided by vanity and 
 interest than honour and equity. In Theodore the magistrate, 
 the oppressor still found an advocate, and the oppressed an 
 adversary. 
 - Twelve ‘years had now elapsed, when one day a stranger 
 requested an interview with the Justice, on business of ‘im- 
 portance. His mien and manners denoted the gentleman, al- 
 though his dejected look and threadbare garment plainly indi- 
 eated gentility in distress. His appearance ‘was in conse- 
 quence considered an intrusion, and more ‘particularly so 
 when the stranger stated that his object 'was merely that of 
 deriving the benefit of the magistrate’s gratuitous advice :— 
 “‘ T have neither time nor inclination,” answered the Justice, 
 in a tone of austerity ; “ for such purposes ; however, pro- 
 ceed, and with as much brevity as possible.” 
 
 “Tam” rejoined the stranger, “the eldest of two brothers : 
 family dissentions, nurtured, and finally matured by the secret 
 interested machinations of my frater foe, and the ascendancy 
 thus gained over the mind of a once-indulgent parent, ren- 
 dered my home the seat of misery, and twelve years ago I be- 
 came a voluntary exile from my native land.” | 
 
 The first sentence of this preludium had roused the Magis- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 275 
 
 BGIGOOIL DS IPS. 
 
 PIIPDID 
 
 PPPLODDO 
 Judges and Jurors; an Extraordinary Anecdote of Olden Times, 
 
 PILLLIS PLLA GL IL DLP LPL PEG LIL LLL LLL LDL DDL LOL BLE LLE LIL LDL LOG LPL LOL L PLL ELI LLL LD ED LE LIL ODO DDO 
 
 trate from his usual apathy, and its termination appalled his 
 soul with conscious guilt and despair. The stranger regarded 
 him with a steady eye; the Justice averted his face from the 
 scrutinizing glance, while, with a voice tremulous and indis- 
 tinct, he pronounced the word “ Proceed.” 
 
 “ T embarked with my wife, who had then only a few days 
 before united her fate with mine, for the West Indies ; where, 
 by an undeviating adherence to economy, and an unremitted 
 application to business, I succeeded so far, as in process of 
 time to realize a respectable competency ; but my ardent de- 
 sire to secure an ample provision for my two infant daughters 
 induced my continuance in mercantile pursuits, till fortune, as 
 if offended at my pertinacious disregard of her favours, indig- 
 nantly deserted me. A series of abortive speculations followed. 
 Calamity assailed me in every terrific form: hurricanes laid 
 waste my plantations; tempests agitated the ocean, and in its 
 gulph my vessels were absorbed, containing the last hope of 
 prosperity; and | became a bankrupt in fortune, but not in 
 principle. My father died many years ago. My brother, the 
 origin of all my distresses, is in quiet possession of the pater- 
 nal estate, of which I am the rightful owner. You, Sir, are 
 in the commission of the peace.—To your humanity I apply 
 for information, as to the most effective manner by which to 
 dispossess the usurper and obtain restitution of my property.” 
 
 “« Sir,” answered the Magistrate, with evident discompo- 
 sure, * I cannot, will not interfere ; it is not my duty so to 
 do.”’ 
 
 “It is your duty,” replied the stranger in an elevated and 
 determined tone of voice, “‘to do me right ; for, as Nathan said 
 unto David—rHovu ART THE MAN !” | 
 
 There needed not this energetic truth; conviction had al- 
 ready flashed on the mind of Theodore, but the monitions of 
 conscience were disregarded, and Henry was driven from the 
 presence of his brother as an impostor. 
 
 There were many respectable neighbours by whom Henry 
 was recognized. In pursuance of their advice, he waited ona 
 professional gentleman, stated the particulars of his case, and 
 solicited legal assistance. 
 
 ‘¢ Conditionally,” said the lawyer, “it shall be granted. In 
 bringing this affair to trial, a considerable expense will neces- 
 sarily be incurred, which you have not the means of defray- 
 ing; if the cause is decided against you, I shall sustain a very 
 heavy loss, while you, with the exception of disappointment, 
 will not be worse situated than you are now. Qn the other 
 hand, if my exertions in your behalf are attended with success, 
 you will thus gain a property of one thousand pounds per an- 
 
276 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GIP PLLLOOLODLDGLIDLOL LL E LOL ILD LLD LOS PEL OLE LOD PPL OLE LOO LIF 
 
 PLL LLL DPD BODGFD 
 
 Judges and Jurors; an Extraordinary Anecdote of Olden Times. 
 
 CLPOLEO LOO LOE DEC DDO LOCLDLD ODO DOD LODO DDDICLOIL DOL LOL DODD DE DOE LEP POP LODL EE ODE LOD DLE PDO PDE 
 
 in full compensation for my trouble and responsibility, the 
 
 sum of five hundred pounds, on your being put in possession 
 of the estate. On this condition, I will undertake your cause, 
 and run the hazard of the result.” 
 
 Henry cheerfully acceded to the terms proposed, and the 
 lawyer was left to his best judgment in what manner to pro- 
 ceed, the most effectually to secure his own interest as well as 
 that of his client. The cause he was about to advocate was 
 that of Riagut versus Micut. The chance was, therefore, 
 against him. Aware of this disadvantage, he came up to 
 London, and submitted the whole circumstances of the case to 
 the consideration of an eminent lawyer, not more distinguished 
 by his superior legal station than his practice of every moral 
 and religious duty. This dignified character felt much in- 
 terested by the business communicated; asked a number of 
 questions ; investigated the subject in all its bearings; gave 
 his present instructions and promise of future support; and, 
 finally, sent the country attorney back to Chelmsford under 
 the cheering auspices of hope, and congratulating himself on 
 the felicitous result of his expedition. 
 
 Amidst the ‘ note of preparation” that pervaded with 
 anxiety the surrounding country, the hour was fast approach- 
 ing that was to decide between Injustice sustained by Wealth, 
 and Equity depressed by Misfortune. 
 
 On the evening preceding the day of trial, a stranger, having 
 the appearance of a gentleman, stopped at the house of a 
 miller, at a short distance from Chelmsford. His manners 
 and conversation were so very interesting, that the miller 
 strongly pressed him to stay the night, which, without hesita- 
 tion, the stranger acceded to. In the course of social commu- 
 nication, when the substantial repast had given way to the 
 frequently replenished jug of home-brewed, the subject turn- 
 ing on the impending trial : 
 
 ‘‘Y would rather,” said the miller, “ than gain a hundred 
 pounds that the rightful owner is restored to his property ; he 
 bears a most excellent character, and his brother is a tyranni- 
 cal scoundrel ;—but ‘ Might (they say) overcomes Right;’ and 
 such will be the case, it is generally supposed, on the present 
 occasion.” | 
 
 “ J trust not,” said the stranger; “I hope the reverse, and 
 trust that not merely on this, but on every other occasion, 
 ‘Right shall overcome Might.’ I feel a strong desire to be 
 present at this trial; a thought strikes me that I may be the 
 fortunate means of essentially serving your friend, the plaintiff 
 in the cause; but I must go disguised. You shall exchange 
 
 num.—Give me a bond, by which you will engage to pay me, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 277 
 
 DRE LOL PIP PPL LIL DOD LPO LDL DLE POL DL LE LO PDO DOLD LDE DOOD OOLD ODL EL OSE LD OOO DL GP PLL LDL LDL LPL! OOP 
 
 Judges and Jurors; an Extraordinary Auecdote of Olden Times. 
 clothes with me; I shall enter the Court as a miller; and I 
 have a presage that the result will be much to your satis- 
 faction.” 
 
 The miller knew better than to press an inquiry into the 
 motives of his guest: his request, he said, should be complied 
 with. Next morning, the stranger doffed his handsome suit 
 of black, and, arraying himself in the miller’s working suit, 
 well incrusted with flour, a corresponding broad-brimmed 
 beaver, “ cloggen shoon,”’ and armed with a formidable oaken 
 staff, plodded his way into the town of Chelmsford. 
 
 The main street was crowded with people waiting the open- 
 ing of the Court ; amongst whom were the plaintiff and his 
 provident lawyer. ‘The assumed miller went up to the latter, 
 took him aside, and a private conference ensued of a few mi- 
 nutes, when they separated, and as the Court was now open, 
 it was shortly thronged with an anxious auditory. 
 
 The counsel for the plaintiff objected to so many of the 
 jury, on the charge of a predisposed bias in favour of the de- 
 fendant, that of those empannelled there was a deficiency of 
 one, and the Judge, with a display of liberal feeling, directed 
 the plaintiff’s counsel to select a juryman from amongst the 
 spectators then in Court. The counsel, looking round hin, 
 cast his eye, as if by accident, on the miller; “ Then, my 
 Lord, if you please,” he observed, “ we will have this honest 
 miller.” — 
 
 ‘“ With all my heart;” replied the Judge, and the miller 
 was sworn in. Presently afterwards, a little dapper fellow 
 came round the box, and tipped into the hands of eleven of 
 the jurymen ten gold pieces each, but to the miller he gave 
 only five. ‘The trial began: the identity of the plaintiff, as 
 eldest son, and consequently heir of his late father’s estate 
 and property, was proved by the evidence of the most respect- 
 able witnesses. On the other hand, the defendant adduced 
 testimony that his brother Henry had died some years since 
 in the West Indies ; that the present action was founded by 
 unprincipled conspirators against his honour and fortune, and 
 claimed, from their machinations, the protection of his Lord- 
 ship and the jury. 
 
 The Judge summed up entirely on the side of the defendant; 
 and was about to send the jury to their room, when their 
 foreman observed, that he believed they were all agreed in 
 their verdict. 
 
 ‘“¢ Not so,”’ said the miller, instantly starting from his seat ; 
 “1 am not agreed !” 
 
 The Judge frowned; the unanimous eleven looked dis- 
 mayed ; and the Court waited the result in mute astonishment. 
 
278 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 GIL PLE LILO LPG LEL PBL LOL LL D LIS LOD LILLE OLLIE LLL DID LIE PLE POLL LLL LPL LOI LE LD PLD PDE PPL PLO LDD PPS 
 
 Judges and Jurors: an Extraordinary Anecdote of Olden Times. 
 
 PDS POO LDP EDD LOD LOL DOO LOE LOL DDE LOD OPP PDO LD DOL OE ODL DDD DLO LOD LOD DDD LD DIL EDD LOL LILY OD DGS 
 
 “ And why are you not agreed, Master Miller ?” 
 
 “In the first place, my Lord, because my brethren of the 
 jury did not condescend to consult with me; and the second, 
 and more cogent reason is, that, in this Court, under the 
 eye of your Lordship, and immediately previous to the com- 
 mencement of. the trial, the voices of these unanimous eleven 
 were secured in favour of the defendant by a bribe of ten 
 golden pieces each, whereas, I was bribed with five pieces only.” 
 
 A shout of honest indignation burst from the assembled 
 multitude. | 
 
 ‘¢ But other reasons, still more efficient, I can adduce in 
 justification of my temerity in dissenting from the opinion of 
 my respectable fellow-jurymen.” 
 
 The miller now proceeded to analyse the evidence which 
 had been produced for the defendant, in a manner so remark- 
 able for acuteness of investigation, powerful eloquence, and 
 most perfect legal knowledge, as to strike the whole Court 
 mute with admiration andamazement, ‘The judge, recovering 
 his astounded faculties, at last exclaimed,— 
 
 “ Who art thou, in the name of God 2” 
 
 ‘’ Not what I seem;’’ answered the miller, in a tone of 
 dignified elevation. “ I am Sir Matthew Hale, Lord Chief 
 Justice of his Majesty’s Court of King’s Bench.” 
 
 The most respectful silence pervaded the Court. The last 
 sentence was productive of renovated hope to the oppressed, 
 and retributive despair to the oppressor. 
 
 “Come down,” continued the Lord Chief Justice; “ from 
 that bench, base pander of iniquity, which thou hast so vilely 
 disgraced! I shall get up and try this cause myself.” 
 
 He did so; first committing to prison his friends the unani- 
 mous eleven; he next re-examined the evidence which had 
 appeared on behalf of the defendant; and proving a complete 
 combination against the attainment of justice, and a mass of 
 subornation and perjury, sent these worthies to condole with 
 the immaculate eleven. A fresh jury was immediately empan- 
 nelled, and the Lord Chief Justice expressed his desire that 
 the parties should proceed de nova, but the defendant had 
 abandoned his ground. A verdict was taken for the plaintiff, 
 with full costs of suit, and an order was instantly issued by 
 the Lord Chief Justice, of immediate possession. 
 
 Thus did Henry gain his cause, to the great satisfaction of 
 the whole country. He acquired what was still more gratify- 
 ing, the friendship of the Lord Chief Justice, who did not for- 
 get to take another jug of the home-brewed at the honest 
 miller’s, on his return. 'The lawyer, whose happy presence of 
 mind originally led to the fortunate result of this cause, was 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 979 
 
 DPODPDG POI GNI PLP LOE LOL LOL LDP. 
 
 Automatons ;—Statue of Memnon—Flying Dove, &c. 
 
 most liberally rewarded as well by the noble munificence of 
 Henry, as by a highly increased professional practice, which 
 redounded alike to his fame and fortune. 
 
 Theodore lived in retirement, and, though supported by the 
 benevolence of Henry, would never see his benefactor. 
 
 Seated in peace and happiness, with his beloved Maria and 
 children, in the mansion of his ancestors, Henry derived, to a 
 remote period of life, his chief felicity from the exercise of his 
 philanthropic propensities. 'To all endeared, by all lamented, 
 he died at a very advanced age; and even at the present day, 
 his exile and sufferings,—his return and extraordinary resto- 
 ration to his paternal property, are the frequent themes of 
 discourse in Chelmsford and the neighbourhood. 
 
 LOL LLL DELO LOE LOD LLP OLE LDL DOLE LED BEDE ODD LED PDD LOD LE DOLE OOP 
 
 WONDERFUL MECHANICAL INVENTIONS. 
 
 AUTOMATONS. 
 
 As automatons have been the favourite objects of :me- 
 chanical contrivance from a very early period, some account 
 of these wonderful mechanical imitations, which have, at :va- 
 rious times, astonished the world, cannot fail to be interesting 
 to our readers. | 
 
 The celebrated story of the statue of Memnon (one of the 
 wonders of ancient Kgypt) has some pretensions to lead the 
 way in this historical sketch. We have positive testimony to 
 the circumstance of the most beautiful sounds being emitted 
 from this statue, at the rising and setting of the sun: and 
 from the pedestal after the statue was overthrown. What 
 was the contrivance in this case, it may be vain to conjecture; 
 but automata are, by profession, a puzzling race. Ifa certain 
 disposition of strings, exposed to the rarefaction ofthe air, or 
 to the'morning and evening breezes, after the manner of our 
 Eolian harps, produced these sounds; or if any method of 
 arranging the internal apertures so as to receive them from a 
 short distance, were the artifice, a considerable acquaintance 
 with ithe science of music, and with acoustics generally, will 
 be argued. ‘Wilkins quotes a musical invention of Cornelius 
 Dreble, of similar pretensions, which “ being set in the sun- 
 shine, would, of itself, render a soft and pleasant harmony, 
 but being removed into the shade, would presently become 
 silent.” | 
 
 Archytas’ flying dove is another of the ancient automata. 
 The inventor is said to have flourished about B.C. 400, ‘and 
 was.a Pythagorean philosopher at Tarentum. It was made 
 of wood, andthe principal circumstance of its history is:that, 
 
280 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 SOLDPOD LOD ALE PL POLO LIE ODL ODE LDODLDOPLEOLILLDOLEOLLEODPOLLDE GODS OP EGOS IOLODDDOL OP IOC LOD OOD 
 
 Friar Bacon’s Brazen Head—Iron Spider—Hydraulic Clock, &c. 
 
 PIOPLOL PDO LOL PLE L LLL OL LE DOLDELODL IR LOIPIDL DELL OP LOC ROI LEODL DOL OD LOD LOO DDD DOO LOO LIED ODOOD 
 
 like some other birds of too much wing, when it alighted on 
 the ground, it could not raise itself up again. Aulus Gellius, 
 in his Noctes Attice, attempts to account for its flight, by ob- 
 serving, that it was “suspended by balancing, and moved by 
 a secretly inclosed aura, or spirit !” 
 
 Friar Bacon, we all know, made a brazen head that could 
 speak, and that seems to have assisted, in no small degree, in 
 proclaiming him a magician. Albertus Magnus is also said 
 to have devoted thirty years of his life to the construction of 
 an automaton, which the celebrated Thomas Aquinas broke 
 purposely to pieces. It will not create surprise, that men, 
 treated as these were by the age in which they lived, had no 
 encouragement to hope that any details of their labours would 
 reach posterity. ? 
 
 Amongst the curiosities of his day, Walchius mentions an 
 iron spider of great ingenuity. In size it did not exceed the 
 ordinary inhabitants of our houses, and could creep or climb 
 with any of them, wanting none of their powers, except, of 
 which nothing is said, the formation of the web. Various 
 writers of credit relate, that the celebrated John Muller, of 
 Nuremberg, ventured a loftier flight of art. He is said to 
 have constructed a self-moving wooden eagle, which descended 
 towards the Emperor Maximilian, as he approached the gates 
 of Nuremberg, saluted him, and hovered over his person as 
 he entered the town. This philosopher, according to the 
 same authorities, also produced an iron fly, which would 
 start from his hand at table, and, after flying round to each of 
 the guests, return, as if wearied, to the protection of his 
 master. 
 
 An hydraulic clock, presented to the Emperor Charlemagne, 
 by the Caliph Haroun al Raschid, merits record in the history 
 of these inventions. It excited the admiration of all Europe 
 at the period of its arrival. “Twelve small doors divided the 
 dial into the twelve hours, and opened successively as each 
 hour arrived, when a ball fell from the aperture on a brazen 
 bell, and struck the time, the door remaining open. At the 
 conclusion of every twelve hours, twelve mounted knights, 
 handsomely caparisoned, came out simultaneously from the 
 dial, rode round the plate, and closed the doors. Dr. Clarke, 
 in-his last volume of Travels, mentions a similar contrivance 
 in a clock at Lubeck, of the high antiquity of 1405. Over the 
 face is an image of Jesus Christ, on either side of which are 
 folding-doors, which fly open every day as the clock strikes 
 twelve. A set of figures, representing the twelve apostles, 
 then march forth on the left hand, and, bowing to our Saviour’s 
 Image as they pass in succession, enter the door on the right. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR. 281 
 
 GODPOP PIP PIPL IP PPP LIL EL GOD PORS I 
 
 TOPOL DSI 
 
 Dog and Basket of. Fruit—Extraordinary: Singing-bird—Lady driving to Court. 
 On the termination of the procession the doors close. This 
 clock is also remarkably complete (for the age) in its.astrono- 
 mical apparatus ; representing the place of the sun and moon 
 in the ecliptic, the moon’s age, Nc. 
 
 Similar appendages to clocks and time-pieces became too 
 comnion at the beginning of the last century to deserve parti- 
 cular notice. “We should not, however, omit some of the pro- 
 ductions-of the Le Droz family of Neufchatel. About the 
 middle of the century, the elder Le Droz presented a clock to 
 the King of Spain, with a sheep and a dog attached to it. 
 The bleating of the former was admirably correct, as an imi- 
 tation ; and the dog was placed in custody of a basket of loose 
 fruit: .1f any one removed the fruit, he would growl, snarl, 
 gnash his teeth, and endeavour to bite, until it was restored. 
 
 The son of this artist was the original inventor of the mu- 
 
 sical boxes, which have of late been imported into this coun- 
 try. ‘Mr. Collinson, a correspondent of Dr. Hutton’s, thus 
 clearly describes this fascinating toy in a letter to the Doctor, 
 inserted in his Mathematical and Philosophical Dictionary. 
 
 «“When at Geneva,” observes this writer, “ I called upon 
 Droz, the ‘son of the original Droz,.of La Chaux de Fords 
 (where I also went). He showed me an. oval gold snuff-box, 
 about, if Lrecollect right, four inches and a half long by three 
 inches ‘broad, and about an inch and. a half thick. It was 
 double, having an horizontal partition ; so.that it may be con- 
 sidered ‘as one box placed on another, with a lid of course to 
 each box. One contained snuff; in the other, as soon as the 
 lid was opened, there rose up a-very small bird, of green 
 enamelled gold, sitting upon a gold stand. ‘Immediately this 
 minute curiosity wagged its tail, shook its wings, opened its 
 bill of white enamelled gold, and poured forth, minute as it 
 was (being only three-quarters of an inch from the beak to 
 the extremity of the tail) such a clear. melodious song as 
 would have filled a room of twenty or thirty feet square with 
 its harmony.” | 
 
 In Ozanam’s Mathematical Recreations, we have an ac- 
 
 _ count, by the inventor, M. Camus, of an elegant amusement 
 of Louis X1V. when a-boy. “It represented a lady proceeding 
 to court, in a small chariot drawn: by two horses, and at- 
 tended by her coachman, footman, and page. . When the ma- 
 chine was placed at the.end of a table. of ‘proper size, the 
 coachman smacked his whip, the horses started .off with. all 
 the natural motions, and the whole equipage drove on to the 
 - farther extremity of the table; it would now turn at right 
 angles in a regular way, and proceed to that part of the-table 
 opposite to which the Prince sat, when the Pia. stopped, 
 ) 
 
282 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP PPE POL IPP LGD ELD LIL GPO LOOP LDL FIGS PRGDIC ODO LOD SOE PDO LOL GGE PLE GPP LOO DIOLOE LOR ILOI IRIS 
 
 Automaton Duck—Flute-Player, and Explanation of its Mechanism. 
 
 PEE LOG LOLOL OD DDD LOG PPE DLOPL DEP DLL GDL GG ELE LDS PLOOP OD DOOL LOL EO DLL LLP L OP LLC DOPOD OLD OL OG POD 
 
 the page alighted to open the door, and the lady came out 
 with a petition, which she presented with a courtesy to the 
 bowing young monarch. The return was equally in order. 
 After appearing to await the pleasure of the Prince for a short 
 time, the lady courtesied again and re-entered the chariot, the 
 page mounted behind, the coachman flourished his whip, and 
 the footman, after running a few steps, resumed his place. 
 
 M. Vaucanson, a member of the Academie Royale of France, 
 led the way to the unquestionable superiority of modern times, 
 in these contrivances, by the construction of his automaton 
 duck, a production, it is said, so exactly resembling the living 
 ‘animal, that not a bone of the body, and hardly a feather of 
 _ the wings, seems to have escaped his imitation and direction. 
 The radius, the cubitus, and the humerus, had each their 
 exact offices. The automaton ate, drank, and quacked in per- 
 fect harmony with nature. It gobbled food brought before it 
 with avidity, drank, and even muddled the water after the 
 manner of the living bird. 
 
 Ingenious contemporaries of the inventor, who solved all 
 the rest of his contrivances, could never wholly comprehend 
 the mechanism of this duck. A chemical solution of the food 
 was contrived to imitate the effect of digestion. 
 
 This gentleman is also celebrated for having exhibited at 
 Paris, in 1738, an automaton flute-player, whose powers ex- 
 -ceeded all his ancestry ; and for the liberality and good sense 
 with which he communicated to the Academy, in the same 
 year, an exact account of its construction. — 
 
 The figure was nearly six feet in height, and usually placed 
 on a square pedestal four feet and a half high, and about three 
 and a half broad. The air entered the body by three se- 
 parate pipes, into which it was conveyed by nine pairs of 
 bellows, which were expanded and contracted at pleasure, by 
 means of an axis formed of metallic substances, and which 
 was turned by the aid of clock-work. ‘There was not even 
 the slightest noise heard during the operations of the bellows: 
 which might otherwise have discovered the process, by which 
 the air was conveyed ad libitum into the body of the machine. 
 The three tubes into which the air was sent by means of the 
 bellows, passed again into three small reservoirs concealed in 
 the body ofthe automaton. After having united in this place, 
 and ascended towards the throat, they formed the cavity of 
 the mouth, which terminated in two small lips, adapted to the 
 performance of their respective functions. A small moveable 
 tongue was inclosed within this cavity, which admitted or in- 
 tercepted the passage of the air into the flute, according to the 
 tune that was executed, or the quantity of wind that was re- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 283 
 
 PPP IPP LID PIV ILC IOP PECL OP LYE LEC LOD OR PLPC OPE LIF LOD LOE LIGLOP LED DILL OLE -DPPOLO LOLI DGODGD DOP 
 
 Flute-Player, and Explanation of its Mechanism—Automaton Shepherd. 
 
 PRO PIP PIP PPP PPP OOD 
 
 PLL PPD POL OLD LOD LOD PDE LLL PLL POD PDD LD E LPL LOD PIED PPG LOD 
 
 quisite for the performance. A particular species of steel cy- 
 linder, which was turned by means of clock-work, afforded the 
 a: movements to the fingers, lips, and tongue. ‘This cy- 
 inder was divided into fifteen equal parts, which caused the 
 ascension of the other extremities; by the aid of pegs, which 
 pressed upon the ends of fifteen different levers. ‘The fingers 
 of the automaton were directed in their movements by seven 
 of these levers, which had wires and chains attached to their 
 ascending extremities ; these being fixed to the fingers, 
 caused their ascension in due proportion to the declension of 
 the other extremity, by the motion of the cylinder; and thus, 
 on the contrary, the ascent, or descent, of one end of the lever, 
 produced a similar ascent, or descent, in the fingers, that cor- 
 responded to the others ; by which one of the holes was opened 
 or stopped agreeably to the direction of the music. The en- 
 trance of the wind was managed by three of the other levers, 
 which were so organized as to be capable of opening or shut- 
 ting, by means of the three reservoirs. By a similar mecha- 
 nical process, the lips were under the direction of four levers: 
 one of which opened them in order to give the air a freer pas- 
 sage; the other contracted them; the third drew them back; 
 and the fourth pushed them in a forward direction, The lips 
 were placed on that part of the flute which receives the air ; 
 and, by the different motions which have been already enu- 
 merated, regulated the tune in the requisite manner for exe- 
 cution. ‘The direction of the tongue furnished employment 
 for the remaining lever, which it moved in order that it might 
 be enabled to shut or open the mouth of the flute. 
 
 The extremity of the axis of the cylinder was terminated on 
 the right side by an endless screw, consisting of twelve threads, 
 each of which was placed at the distance ef a line and a half 
 from the other. A piece of copper was fixed abeve this screw ; 
 and within it was a steel pivot, which was inserted between 
 the threads of the screw, and obliged the cylinder above-men- 
 tioned to pursue the threads. Thus, instead of moving ina 
 direct turn, it was perpetually pushed to one side; the suc- 
 cessive elevation of the levers displaying all the different 
 movements of a professed musician. 
 
 The same artist constructed another celebrated automaton, 
 which played on the Provencal shepherd’s pipe, and beat, at 
 the same time, on an instrument called the tambour de basque. 
 This was also a machine of the first order, for ingenious and 
 difficult contrivance. The shepherd bore the flageolet in his 
 left hand, and in the right a stick, with which he beat the 
 tabor, or tambourine, in accompaniment. He was capable of 
 ‘playing about twenty different airs, consisting of minuets, riga- 
 
284 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 GOL LIL LO? SEE LPLELOE PIP BLPGLEBLOG LLL LL FE PES LEC DOL DELO LOL LPO DOL ELL L OL LED LDL LDD DOL LLL DDE LOD 
 
 Automaton Shepherd, with Flageolet~-Celebrated, Automaton Chess-Player. 
 
 POOL DE LOD LOO DOD R OD LIV LDE PDO LIP LOD LEIP LOL DOD LOL DOD LOO LOO DOL OLE LOO LOO DOL DDE DDD DDG L ID DIG 
 
 doons, and country dances: The pipe, or flageolet, which he 
 was made to play, is'‘@ wind instrument of great variety, rapi- 
 dity, and power of execution, when the notes.are well filled 
 aiid properly articulated by the tongue; but! it consists only 
 of thrée holes, and the execution, therefore, mainly depends 
 upon the manner in which they are covered,- and the due va- 
 riation of the force of the wind that-reaches them. —. i 
 
 To give the automatons power to sound the highest, note, 
 M.'Vaucanson found» it necessary to load the, bellows, which 
 supplied the air to this tone, with’ fifty-six pounds weight, 
 while that of one ounce’ supplied the’ lowest tone...Nor was 
 thé same note always to be executed by.exactly the same force 
 ofair ; it was necessary to pay the most accurate attention to its | 
 place on tle scale, and to so many difficult circumstances of 
 combination and expression,’ that: the inventor. declares hime 
 self to have been frequently. on the point of relinquishing his 
 attempt i its progress. In the tambourine. accompaniment, 
 too, there were numerous. obstacles, to: overcome; the varia- 
 tion of the strokes, and particularly the continued roll of this 
 iistrument, ‘was found to require no small ingenuity of con- 
 struction. : . 
 
 At? other exhibitions of mechanical skill, in imitation of the 
 powers of human nature, were destined, however, to give way, 
 mi’ 1769, to the pretensions: of the. chess-player of M. Wolff- 
 gang de Kempelin, a Hungarian gentleman, and Aulic Coun- 
 séllor of the Royal Chamber of the domains of the Emperor 
 in Elungary. ~Caliled in that year to Vienna by the duties of 
 his station, this gentleman was present at. some experiments 
 on magnetism made before the Empress Maria ‘Theresa, when 
 he ventured to hint, that he could construct, for her Majesty, 
 a piece of mechanism far superior to.any of those which had 
 been exhibited. His manner of remarking this excited the 
 attention of the Empress, who, encouraging him to make the 
 effort, the automaton chess-player, which has since been ex- 
 hibited in all the capitals of Europe, was, within six months 
 _after this period, presented at the imperial court. It is a pre- 
 sumption in favour of the pretensions of this contrivance to 
 - be a masterpiece of mere mechanism, that the original artist, 
 _ after having gratified his exalted patroness and her court with 
 the exhibition of it, appeared for many years indifferent to its 
 fame. He engaged himself in other mechanical pursuits with 
 equal ardour, and is said to have so far neglected this, as to 
 have taken it partly to pieces, for the purpose of making other 
 experiments. But the visit of the Russian Grand Duke Paul 
 to the court of Joseph I}. again called our automaton to life. 
 it was repaired and put-in-order ina few wecks; and, frem 
 
CUBIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 2385 
 
 GOLPAIP ISLS PP LLL LIL FLEE LISP LER OP POP PR POOt 
 PIP LDP 
 
 PILE DLP LD I LIL “BOL BPOELODL EP LS Y a eal 
 Chess-Player.— A Curious Horticultural Anecdote.—Knock-a-Big’s Close 
 
 PLL LLG LAA DIL LE PLEO DS ERP LOOP OREO L DEOL DOD OL GPL LL ILP PL LILLLE LDL EOE LOE DOLD OLE BOOOF LPIOL LOL LLL DOD 
 
 this period, (1785) has been exhibited, at intervals, through-: 
 out Germany, at Paris, and in London; first by M. de Kem- 
 pelin, and latterly by a purchaser of the property from his 
 son; de Kempelin having died in 1803. 
 
 [To be continued. } 
 
 =e. 
 A CURIOUS HORTICULTURAL ANECDOTE. 
 
 Wuen Sir Francis Carew had rebuilt his mansion-house. 
 at Beddington, in Surrey, he planted the gardens with choice 
 fruit-trees. Here he was twice visited by Queen Elizabeth:;. 
 and Sir Hugh Platt, in his “ Garden of Eden,” tells a curious: 
 anecdote relating to one of these visits. “ I conclude,” says. 
 he, “ with a conceit of that delicate knight Sir Francis Carew,, 
 who, for his better accomplishment of his. royal entertainment 
 of our late Queen Elizabeth, led her Majesty to a cherry-tree, 
 whose fruit he had of purpose kept: back from ripening at least 
 one month after all cherries had taken their farewell of Eng- 
 land. ‘This secret he performed by straining a tent, or cover 
 of canvas, over the whole tree, and: wetting it now and then 
 with a scoop as the heat of the weather required; and so, by 
 withholding the sun-beams from reflecting upon the berries 
 they grew. both great, and were very long before they had 
 gotten their perfect cherry colour; and when he was. assured. 
 of her Majesty’s coming, he removed the tent, and a few sunny 
 days brought them to their maturity.” 1 
 
 == 
 _TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW WONDERFUL MAGAZINE. 
 
 Sir,—Should the following be deemed worthy a place in 
 your entertaining work, it is much at your service. 
 
 Your’s, &c. A. K. 
 KNOCK-A-BIG’S CLOSE. 
 
 However strongly philosophy may contend against the 
 existence of supernatural agency, there are yet on record 
 many well-authenticated instances of mysterious phenomena, 
 which cannot otherwise be accounted for than as emanating 
 from beings of no ‘ mortal mould.” Without resorting to 
 numerous examples familiar to most readers, we shall confine 
 ourselves to one only, of so inexplicable a nature as to baffle 
 the utmost acuteness of penetration, and at one time too ge- 
 nerally known to admit of incredulity. 
 
 'There are many gentlemen now residing in London, natives 
 
286 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLO PLO LOO LOD PLO LLEG LOO LDOLOGL GD LOE LODLEOEDL DOR DOOG LDPE LEE EDO ODD LOE LOD LOL LODE LEE POLLED OOO EOP 
 
 “Curious Account of Knock-a-big’s Close. 
 
 PLE LIS. 
 
 POEL LE LOFP LL EL LSE DELLE LAF 
 
 POL DLE LLI DOL OLE LOG LL E LOD EDD OLE 
 
 of Dumfries, on the winding shores of the river Nith,—a town 
 of which the author of Douglas says, 
 
 “ Sweetis thy seat, Dumfries, by Nature fine, 
 And Art has made its pleasing graces thine :” 
 
 who still remember Knock-a-big’s Close, and the terror which 
 its haunted confines impressed on their juvenile minds ; they 
 will also recollect that the dread Unknown, though never 
 ocularly exhibiting himself, yet, during a period of man’s 
 years, gave most auricular demonstration of his presence. 
 
 The haunt of the Unknown was limited to one house, and 
 his vagary was solely that of annoying the inmates, by fre 
 quent heavy or big knocks against the partition of the room 
 which he chose to visit, like those given by a weighty hand 
 with a mallet ; thence this perturbed spirit derived his earthly 
 cognomen of Knock-a-big. 
 
 These knocks were generally repeated in regular succession. 
 during many minutes, seemingly on the wainscoating of the 
 room where the startled family might be assembled, and in 
 the next moment were heard to resound from the cellar or 
 the garret, and traverse with the rapidity of lightning every 
 apartment in the house. 
 
 When a cessation of disturbance took place, it was of tran- 
 sient duration, for Knock-a-big never failed to recommence 
 hostilities with renovated clamour, particularly during the 
 night, thundering with his invisible mallet in the different 
 bedchambers, and rousing the quietude of repose with “ much 
 admired disorder.” 
 
 The house destined to be the scene of these unwelcome 
 gambols was usually respectably occupied, for the harmless- 
 ness of the Unknown was the guarantee of security from per- 
 sonal injury, and induced possession of the premises, which 
 otherwise would have been deserted. 
 
 At one time when Knock-a-big was in the plenitude of his 
 power, the house was tenanted by a most respectable gentle- 
 man, one of the magistrates of Dumfries, with whose daugh- 
 ters their cousin, a young lady subsequently the wife of the 
 writer of this article, was in habits of constant association, 
 and frequently slept in the haunted house, where she was 
 often roused from the reverie of slumber by the hollow beat- 
 ing at her bed-head of the mysterious intruder. But so long 
 accustomed were the family to this strange annoyance, and so 
 familiarised to its continuance, that ultimately it excited less of 
 either interest or apprehension. 
 
 Forty years ago, the writer of the present article, then a 
 schoolboy, was used, even in the day time, to pass the haunted 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 2987 
 
 COC LOPLIIGDS 
 
 POP LPP LPPPLDLOLL: 
 
 Knock-a-big’s Close.—Wonderful Instances of Good Fortune. 
 
 POL LOS PPI LLL IOP OPI OIL PLE PPE PLO PL IE LEL LOL LL ELLOL OOF 
 
 LPP POLE LLL LPL DOL LOD an nll 
 
 house with precipitant steps, and would not, “for all beneath 
 the moon,” have entered Knock-a-big’s Close after night-fall. 
 
 Since then Knock-a-big gradually became less troublesome, 
 and it is believed has now altogether ceased his unhallowed 
 intrusion on the repose of mortals. : 
 
 There is not any elderly person, a native of, or residing in 
 Dumfries, who cannot confirm the facts contained in this state- 
 ment. ‘The mystery of Knock-a-big was performed during a 
 long series of years; but who, and of what nature, was the 
 principal actor in the drama, no one of his numerous auditors 
 dreamed otherwise to decide than thus: that of mortal mould 
 he could not be, and if of celestial or infernal attribute, he 
 had, in either case, idly employed himself. 
 
 —— 
 WONDERFUL INSTANCES OF GOOD FORTUNE. 
 
 PremisLaus III. King of Bohemia, was a husbandman, or 
 tiller of the ground, but being first entered in the catalogue of 
 the nobility, and afterwards married by Lubussa, Princess of 
 Bohemia, he in remembrance of his late employment, when he 
 was to be crowned and invested with the regalia, brought 
 with him a pair of wooden shoes, which were wont to be worn 
 by the peasants of that country, as well as in France; and 
 some one taking the liberty to ask what he meant by that 
 solecism, he answered, that they might be hung up in the 
 Castle of Visegrade, to put his successors in mind that the first 
 Bohemian Prince of that family was taken from the plough to 
 that sublime dignity, and that he who was but a mean hus- 
 bandman, being brought to wear a diadem, had nothing to 
 boast of. ‘These wooden shoes are still kept in Bohemia, as 
 relics of great esteem, and the clergy of Visegrade still carry 
 them in procession upon every coronation-day. ‘This King 
 was founder of the city of Prague, enclosed it with a wall, 
 had a long and happy reign, and was blessed with a numerous 
 issue, that long filled the throne of Bohemia. 
 
 Camer. oper. Subcisiv. cent. 
 
 Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, was son ofa blacksmith, 
 and being raised to the highest honours of the kingdom, was 
 -so far from forgetting ‘“ what he was and from whence he 
 came,” that he took all occasions to remember them. Riding 
 -in his coach through Cheapside, accompanied by the Arch- 
 ‘bishop of Canterbury, he saw a poor woman, an inhabitant of 
 Hounslow, which put him in mind that in his younger years 
 he had run in debt to her in the sum of forty shillings. He 
 caused her to be brought to him, and asked her if she was not 
 
988 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Wonderful Instances of Good Fortune. 
 
 PPP POP LOL PLD DLO DDE LDODLDOO DIL LDOL DOLLOP LOO DOOD DD DOE DOD DOLE DLO DDD LIE DDD LOE DDD DDL DODD OF ODI 
 
 LOE LOL LOL LOL LDL DDG PDD LDD LOD LLL LODE DEE DIO DDE IP 
 
 his creditor ; she said “ ‘yes, but was afraid to ask it, though 
 she was in great necessity.” His Lordship bid her go to his , 
 house, and stay till he came, and then he did not only pay her 
 debt with interest, “ but gave her an annual pension of four 
 pounds a year, and a livery once a year for her life.” Mr. 
 Frescobaldi, a merchant of Florence, who‘had assisted him in 
 his younger days, being fallen in poverty, he not only relieved 
 with‘a liberal hand, but gave him money to pay his debts, and 
 live handsomely in the world. Another time, being at dinner 
 with other great men, at the monastery at Sheen, he saw afar 
 off a poor fellow that rung the bell, and did the drudgery of 
 the convent for his bread: his Lordship called him to him, 
 and before all the noblemen at table, shook him by the hand, 
 saying,— My Lords, this poor creature’s father was ¢ sood 
 friend of mine, and gave me many a meal’s victuals when I 
 wanted-it.”. When he said ‘to the poor man, “Come to my 
 house, my friend, and I will make a handsome provision for 
 thee for thy life,” and did it accordingly. 
 
 Mr. Ignatius Jordan, born at Lime, in Dorsetshire, was 
 sent when young to Exeter, and. bound an apprentice toa 
 merchant, and from an inconsiderable beginning arrived.to.a 
 plentiful estate, bearing the offices.of mayor and of justice of 
 the peace twenty-four.years together. When some litigious 
 persons threatened they would plague him with law-suits till 
 they had scarce left him worth a groat; .he answered, smiling, 
 ‘then I shall be but twopence poorer than.when I came to 
 Exeter, for 1 brought but. sixpence with me hither.” He ad- 
 mired what rich men designed, that gave nothing to relieve 
 the poor, but heaped up great. sums for their children. ‘ Don’t 
 you see,” said he, “ what becomes on’t?”? and would give in- 
 stances of this kind. On the other:side he, would.tell of small 
 beginners, who afterwards by being industrious and charitable 
 arrived to competent estates, and would giye an example in 
 himself. ‘¢ I came,” said he, ‘* with but sixpence in my purse 
 to this city ; had I had a shilling. in my purse, I had never been 
 mayor of Exeter.” 
 
 Clark’s Marrow of Eccl. Hist. 
 
 The Rigusian Commonwealth, Swiss Cantons, and the 
 States of the United Provinces, exclude all degrees of here- 
 ditary honours, and admit none into offices but such as are 
 learned, wise, discreet, and well educated. Among the Chi- 
 nese, they only are accounted noble that have raised them- 
 selves by their personal worth; ‘ For why should not he be 
 as much honoured that leaves a noble posterity behind him of 
 his own raising; as he that descended from noble ancestors ?” 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 289 
 
 PIPLOPPIDL IGP DDO PP DL OCPL OS od 
 
 Wonderful Instances of Good Fortune.—Shocking Murder of Ann Smith. 
 
 PLP PLO FLO LDPE LOL LIE LID DOS 
 
 LIF LGPL PL PLE LEIP PL PPL LEE LDOEDLOELOD DEOL OLLLLE LOL OLE DOD LO 
 
 Cathesbeius, Sultan of Egypt, was by his parentage a slave, 
 but by his valour was inferior to no king, and therefore 
 was made Emperor of the Mamelukes. Pizarro, a poor 
 inconsiderable Spaniard, for his courage was made by 
 Charles V. Marquis of Antillo. Pertinax, Phillippus Arabs, 
 Maximinus, Probus, Aurelius, &c. from private soldiers 
 became Emperors. Pope Sextus Quintus kept hogs. Pope 
 Adrian IV. was a bastard: “ HE tenui casa sepe vir magnus 
 exit :’—* Many a worthy man comes out of a poor cottage.” 
 Castruccius Castrucanus was a foundling in a field, and yet 
 became Prince of Lucca and Senes in Italy, whom for courage 
 and conduct Machiavel compares to Scipio and Alexander. 
 Who thinks the worse of Tully for being an upstart, or of 
 Agothocles, King of Sicily, for being a potter’s son? A 
 diamond is of no less esteem for being found upon a dunghill. 
 A man rising from low circumstances to great things, is no 
 matter of reproach, if he does not forget what he was ; for it 
 is more honour to raise, than to be the ruin of, a family. Of 
 all vanities and fopperies, to boast of gentility is the greatest ; 
 for what is it they boast so much of, challenging so great a 
 superiority over those they think their inferiors, that a man 
 must forfeit his ears to the pillory, for his tongue taking the 
 liberty to tell them the truth? To conclude, let no true 
 gentleman or nobleman take offence, I detract from none that 
 are well-deserving, truly virtuous, and noble; but say they 
 ought to be preferred, if capable, before others; for learning 
 or virtue in a nobleman, is like ‘ a jewel set in gold, and is 
 as great an honour to his family, as his noble family is to him.” 
 
 ee 
 
 THE SHOCKING AND ATROCIOUS 
 MURDER OF ANN SMITH, A BALLAD SINGER. 
 
 Tue name of the deceased was Ann Smith, a ballad singer, 
 aged 22. It appeared that she was met on a footway near 
 Congleton by Thorley, who prevailed on her to accompany 
 him to a place some distance from the road, where he cut off 
 her head, tore off her arms, legs, thighs, and breasts, took out 
 her bowels and tongue, and, having cut off the calves of her 
 legs and other fleshy parts, threw what remained of the carcass 
 into a brook. He carried these parts to the house of an old 
 woman, and told her he had got some pork which he desired 
 her to put up for him. Calling again the next morning, he 
 requested permission to boil some of it, pees being granted, 
 
 P 
 
290 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART 
 
 PLP LLDPE PLP LDL PEL LOG L DD LOLPLOEP LOL LOE LOE LOPF LIL LIDOLLOLEL OOP EDOL EL ODO LOD LOD PELE LOL OD 4 OPFOR 
 
 Shocking and Atrocious Murder of Ann Smith, a Ballad Singer. 
 
 PILE LLL LLOE LLP LEO LOE OLED LDOO LDF PDP LID LP LOLD LIL LOL DLO RDO BLDG DPE LOL L DL LOD LLL LOGS OPE LL LLO DLP LDS 
 
 he ate part of it for breakfast, but finding it disagree with 
 him, he desired the rest of it to be thrown away. Soon, 
 afterwards some men who were passing the brook observed a 
 petticoat in the water, and their suspicions being aroused, 
 they searched attentively, and found several dismembered 
 parts of a human body. The head and face being seen by an 
 aged woman, she instantly exclaimed, “ It is poor Ann Smith, 
 the ballad singer.” 
 
 The manner in which the deceased was cut to pieces 
 occasioned a countryman to observe, that the act was probably 
 perpetrated by a butcher; and the ferocious disposition of 
 hiarles excited a suspicion that he was the person, though 
 he had assisted in the search for the body, and expressed a 
 strong detestation at the conduct of the unknown murderer. 
 His general character was bad, and his practice of eating raw 
 meat induced the countryman to imagine that Thorley might 
 have concealed the flesh in some barn for food. Under the 
 influence of this idea, he searched the cottage of the old 
 woman in whose custody the flesh had been left, and who 
 was, perhaps, known as an acquaintance of the murderer, 
 and was then, as far as she was concerned, informed of the 
 foregoing particulars. 
 
 The scattered pieces of the body. were produced; and the 
 man seeing they were not bristly, as a scraped pig would 
 have been, conveyed them to a surgeon, who immediately 
 pronounced them to belong to some human body. 
 
 Thorley being soon afterwards apprehended, acknowledged 
 the perpetration; and being questioned as to the motive that 
 influenced him to commit such a horrible murder, answered, 
 that, “having frequently heard that human flesh resembled 
 young pig in taste, curiosity prompted him to try if it was 
 true.” During his imprisonment and trial he behaved with 
 the greatest indifference, and at the gallows only inquired if 
 the executioner intended to strip him; when, receiving an 
 answer in the negative, he displayed a slight degree of 
 satisfaction. His body was hung in chains on a heath near 
 Congleton. 
 
 The witnesses on his trial remarked that he had never 
 shown any marks of insanity, and seemed convinced that 
 extreme avarice was the principal inducement to the commission 
 of this singularly savage act of diabolical cruelty. He was 
 executed on the 10th of April, 1777. 7 
 
 From the Octavo Edition of King’s Vale Royal. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 291 
 
 PEE LLL LOL PEI PLE DE DDE L OD LOD LEO LDL ODE DOOD PDD OOP OSS 
 
 PEGS DDPLIGP -BPDIOP EL POLDILOP ODP 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
 PPP IDL OLE LE L DDL LID ODL LILD PDL GOODELL LOD LL LE LDOLD DIOL OLLODDP ODL ODS 
 
 LOL LPEBLOLSE IE LPIL LOOP 
 
 AN EXTRAORDINARY ACCOUNT OF THE REMARKABLE 
 
 TRIAL ann EXECUTION or FRANCIS RAVAILLAC, 
 
 Yor the Murder of Henry IV. (surnamed the Great) King of 
 France, A. D. 1610. 
 
 THat enthusiasm and misguided zeal in religion will 
 prompt its votaries to commit the most execrable facts (of 
 which we have too many instances in every sect) the assassi- 
 dation of Henry IV. king of France, is a flagrant proof. 
 Francis Ravaillac, the perpetrator of that horrid deed, was 
 an unmarried man in the thirty-second year of his age, born 
 of poor parénts (who were then alive) at Angouléme; where 
 he practised as an attorney, and kept a school. He had been 
 admitted, by Father Francis St. Mary Magdalen, a lay- 
 brother among the Feuillants, begging friars of the order of 
 St. Bernard, but only wore their habit about six weeks - 
 they having turned him out, on account of his being dis 
 turbed with extraordinary visions, the common effects of a 
 distempered brain. Afterwards, he desired to be received 
 among the Jesuits; but was told, they admitted none who 
 had been of any other order. 
 
 He confessed on his trial, that he had travelled three times 
 to Paris (distant above an hundred leagues) from Angou- 
 léme; and had, the last time he came, returned homewards 
 as far as Estampes. But, whether his not having access to 
 the king (whom, he said, he wanted to admonish), or his 
 heart’s failing him the previous times he had been at Paris, 
 prevented the execution of his barbarous design, he came 
 back thither, fully resolved to accomplish it. His motives to 
 this impious regicide, he confessed, proceeded from an appre- 
 hension that the king was going to make war against Pope 
 Paul V. (though Henry then was, and intended to live, ox 
 good terms with him) and to remove the papal see from 
 
 ome to Paris; that he was too dilatory in endeavouring to 
 bring back the Huguenots to the church of Rome; and that he 
 had not permitted justice to be done upon the Calvinists for 
 ihe attempt they had made at Christmas, 1609, to murder ali 
 the Roman Catholics. 
 
 Henry, it seems, had some presages of his fate: for, upon 
 divers occasions, he dropt some expressions to the Queen, 
 the Duke of Guise, the Duke of Sully, the Marshal Bassom- 
 pierre, and others, indicating a certain inward dread of what 
 was to befal him. And although he appeared unusually gay 
 at the coronation of his Queen, Mary de Medicis, on Thurs- 
 
292 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIP EPP PLIDPLOLILS PEL LIL LOD ILT 
 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravaillac: 
 
 POP OPFPOPP PIO LES GOD OPDCDLOGLDLEGLEL DOL LLE EP OOE ELD LLE OL ELROD POPE POL EEL CLLEL DDE PLIELE DLL OLDE EOP OPP 
 
 PLILLPLEL GPL LEC LDE LDL LOE LIL PELDLLDELLEBLELEODE DLE DEOL ED DIP? 
 
 day, the 13th of May, at St. Denis ;—yet, after the ceremony, 
 
 his words plainly showed that his mind was disturbed: and 
 
 when he returned thence to the Louvre, he was uneasy and 
 
 yestless, and instead of sleeping, was most part of the night 
 
 upon his knees in bed at prayer. When he arose on the morn- 
 
 ing of the fatal 14th of May, 1610, he retired to his closet to 
 
 his devotions, where he staid longer than ordinary; and in the 
 
 forenoon, going to hear mass at the convent of Bernardins, 
 
 he staid longer there, and was observed to be more fervent 
 
 than usual in his devotions. After dinner he was pensive, 
 
 melancholy, and disturbed, and could not stay a minute in 
 
 one place: and his words were suitable. He laid himself 
 twice down on his bed, but could not compose himself to 
 
 sleep. At four of the clock, being. advised by the exempt of 
 the guard, that he would be the better of a little air, his 
 
 Majesty ordered his coach to be got ready to carry him to 
 
 the arsenal, to visit the Duke of Sully, who was then indis- 
 
 posed. He was accompanied in the coach by the Duke of 
 Epernon, who sat on his right hand; the Marshals de La- 
 
 vardin and Roquelaure, who sat near the right boot; the 
 
 Duke of Montbazon and the Marquis de la Force, who 
 
 sat on his left hand; and by the Marquis de Mirebeau and 
 
 Du Plessis Liancourt, first master of the horse, who sat near 
 
 the left boot opposite to him. As the King entered the coach, 
 
 perhaps reflecting upon some astrological prediction of the. 
 fatality of the day, he asked the day of the month. One said 
 
 it was the 13th; another said it was the 14th; “‘ You are 
 
 right,”’ said the king, ‘‘ you know your almanack better than 
 
 he:” and laughing, said, “‘ between the 13th and IAth,” and 
 
 bade the coachman drive on. Unfortunately, when the Sieur 
 
 de Vitry, the captain of the guards, begged his Majesty’s per- 
 
 mission, as he was going to the coach, to accompany him with 
 
 the guards, he would not have them; and ordered Vitry to 
 
 go and hasten the preparations at the palace for the Queen’s 
 
 public entry into Paris, which was to have been on Sunday 
 
 the 16th, so that his coach was attended only by a few gentle- 
 
 men on horseback, and some of his footmen. The King’s 
 
 erdering all the curtains of the coach to be drawn up that he 
 
 might see the preparations making in the city for the Queen’s 
 
 entry likewise facilitated Ravaillac’s attempt. 
 
 When his Majesty’s coach turned into the then narrow 
 street Féronnerie, and mzde more so by the little shops 
 erected against the churchyard of St. Innocent, it was 
 stopped against the office of one Poutrain,a notary-public, by 
 two loaded carts.. Here all the footmen but two took-an 
 easier way to the end of the street; and whilst one of them 
 
CURIOSITIES. OF NATURE AND-ART. | 993 
 
 DGOPLPP PPL PPL PPP LIP ELD DP POPPDP LE DOE PLIDOODP 
 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
 PPPLGLP PPE PDPOLGOOC PDL PDE DIL PIE LOD LOE LPOL POL LIP OPE PLE LOOP LOE ODO PDD PLL BLO DLE LDP ODD ODI PDP ODD? 
 
 went to make way for the coach, the other was: fastening. his 
 garter. 
 
 Ravaillac, who had been at the Louvre.when_ his Majesty 
 took coach, with intent to have killed: him there between the 
 two gates, but had been disappointed by finding the Duke of 
 Epernon on the King’s right hand, followed ‘the coach;. and 
 when it stopt, made up, as if endeavouring to pass by, with 
 his cloak wrapt round his left arm, which: concealed: his 
 knife, to that side where his Majesty sat: and setting one foot 
 upon a spoke of one of the wheels, and resting. the. other 
 upon a stone, drew his two-edged knife, with which he gave 
 Henry, who was then leaning towards the right, a stab in the 
 left side; which made him say, “1 am wounded.” But the 
 assassin having perceived that his knife had. touched upon a 
 rib, renewed his blow so quickly (to which the King’s lifting 
 his arm, upon receiving the first, gave the surer aim) that it 
 was not in the power of any of the seven in the coach with 
 Henry to observe or prevent it; especially as, it may be sup- 
 posed, they were leaning tv hear what the King was saying. 
 His Majesty expired immediately. 
 
 Ravaillac might have escaped in the general confusion 
 occasioned by one of the lords in the coach crying out, “ the 
 King is dead!” if he had but dropt the knife: but, either 
 with a true fanatic and jesuitical spirit, glorying in shedding 
 royal blood, or struck with a sudden horror at the heinous- 
 ness of his crime, he still held it in his hand; and was thereby 
 known to be the assassin. The lords got out of the coach 
 with such precipitation, that they hindered one another from 
 seizing the regicide; whom St. Michel, one of the King’s 
 gentlemen in ordinary, and some of his servants, would have 
 killed with their swords, had not the Duke of Epernon com- 
 manded them to secure him,-but at their peril not to do any 
 thing more. St. Michel having snatched the bloody knife out 
 of Ravaillac’s hand, he was seized by Paul Noster, exempt 
 of the guards, and Gamaliel Edovart, one of the King’s foot- 
 men, and delivered up to Francio de la Grange de Montigny. 
 
 The duke of Epernon, in order.to allay the terror and 
 tumult of the people, told them, “that the King was only 
 wounded, and had fallen into a swoon:” and whilst some of 
 the inhabitants ran to fetch wine, the doors of the coach were 
 shut, and the King was carried back to the Louvre. 
 
 This stratagem had the desired effect: for at five o’clock 
 the murder was not certainly known, even in the street 
 where it happened, or any other part of Paris, except the 
 Louvre. Thither the princes, peers, counsellors of parlia- 
 
994 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PILI LLL LL DODD DOLL GL LILO DOLL GS 
 
 Remarkable Trial and: Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
 POL PLEDGLISGISF 
 
 GGIF- 
 
 POOL OD PIL AIOE DS 
 
 POP LLP GOP LOD ODO PL OLILE LLP PLODDPL DE IODP ALG. 
 
 ment, and the great officers, repaired to attend their young 
 King, Louis XIII. then scarce nine years of age; whose 
 mother, the Queen, was that night declared regent. ‘The 
 lieutenant-civil and provost, by orders from court, secured all 
 the city gates and keys; raised their officers; and took every 
 method’to prevent mobs and disorders. The guards were 
 posted in proper places; and all precautions taken to preserve 
 and secure the public peace. | 
 
 “When it was known all over Paris that the King was 
 dead, that mixture of hope and fear, which till then had kept 
 the people in suspense, burst forth in loud lamentations and 
 piercing groans of sorrow. All ranks then bewailed the loss 
 of him as their father and friend, whom alive they honoured 
 as their sovereign.. Their unaffected grief showed their sense 
 of their loss; in which not only France, but all Europe, was 
 interested. ai i 
 
 Ravaillac, after he was seized, was carried to the Hotel de 
 Retz, where all sorts of persons were, for the first four hours, 
 allowed to see him and. converse with him; and Father Cot- 
 ton, a Jesuit, is reported to have said to him, “ My friend, 
 do not accuse good men who are innocent:” which words 
 have been variously interpreted; by some as a hint to conceal 
 his accomplices, and by others as a Christian admonition to 
 declare nothing but the truth. Next day he was removed to 
 the Conciergerie of the palace. | 
 
 Fis trial began on Monday the 17th, before Achilles de 
 Harley, first president; Nicolas Potier, president; John 
 Courtin and Prosper Bavin, counsellors of the King in his 
 court of parliament;—commissioners appointed by the said 
 court for that purpose: at which the following are the most 
 interesting particulars, relating to his regicide, not men- 
 tioned in the preceding narrative. | 
 
 Being asked his own opinion of the action he had com- 
 mitted, he said, he thought it a great fault, for which he 
 asked pardon of God, the Queen, the Dauphin (the then 
 king), the whole court, and every one injured by it; implored 
 God’s grace to enable him to continue till death in good faith, 
 lively hope, and perfect charity; and hoped God was more 
 merciful, and His will more powerful to save, than the act 
 which he had committed was to damn him. 
 
 He acknowledged that when he returned the last time tg 
 Angouléme, on the first Sunday in Lent, he made his confes 
 sion toa Franciscan friar, whose name, he said, he did not 
 know; and in his confession told the voluntary murder, 
 Being desired to explain what he meant by the word volun- 
 tary, he said, “ his meaning was, that he returned into this 
 
CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 995 
 
 GPPEPRLI POPPED LOD ODS FOOL OD PIS PDI LIS LOG LDPE LLG LOE PDO LDI ODD LLP 
 
 OF FDL LL EGIP?GSOPPE OPP. 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravailiac. 
 
 PEP LIP APP LIP PLE LOL LOE LOL LED LLOGL LOL LE BODE LOD LOE POS BOLD OLE LLL LPL LE LE LLG LDL DP 
 
 OP 
 
 city with an intention to murder the King, which, never- 
 theless, he did not tel! his confessor, who did not desire the 
 meaning ef those words.” 
 
 He confessed, that he asked Le Febure, a Franciscan friar, 
 “* Whether if a man was assaulted with a temptation, such as 
 to kill a king, and should confess it to the penitentiary, he 
 should be under a necessity of revealing it?’ but, being 
 interrupted by another friar, he could not know the friar’s 
 opinion concerning the case that he put to him. Being told 
 ** that he did not say the truth, and that the Franciscan had 
 made him an answer,” and being asked “ if he would believe 
 the Franciscan if he owned it ;”’ he said, “ that he would not 
 believe him; but that it was his opinion, that if the friar had 
 given him an answer, it was, that he ought to reveal his 
 imaginations ; but he was interrupted, and therefore would 
 not give him an answer; neither did he, the accused, propose 
 the question to himvas if he himself was the man who had the 
 temptation, but in general, as if it should happen to any man.” 
 
 Being confronted with Father James D’Aubigny, priest 
 of the College of Jesuits (whom he had mentioned before, in 
 his answers to the interrogatories), he ‘‘ acknowledged that 
 the said Father D’Aubigny was the person whom he had 
 heard say mass some time after last Christmas, in their church 
 in St. Anthony’s Street; that having been told he was the 
 friend of Father Mary Magdalen, the Feuillant or Bernardin, 
 he went to seek him, to intreat him to procure his admission 
 into that order; that after mass was over, he spoke to him by 
 the means of a lay-brother, and deciored to him, that he had _ 
 great visions and imaginations, importing, that the King 
 ought to reduce the followers of the pretended reformation; 
 and that he showed the said D’Aubigny a little knife, whereon 
 was a heart and across; believing, that the King ought to 
 bring back the followers of the pretended reformation to the 
 catholic and Roman church.” | 
 
 The said D’Aubigny replied, “ that all this was false, and 
 that he had never seen the said Ravaillac.”’ 
 
 The said Ravaillac answered, “ by the same token you gave 
 me a penny, which you asked of one that was near you.” 
 
 To this the said D’Aubigny answered, “ that the prisoner 
 was a very bad man; and after having committed so wicked 
 an action, he had sins enough to answer for, without being 
 the cause of a hundred thousand others, which might be 
 committed.” Bia 
 
 Ravaillac declared, “that he had spoke to the said D’Aubigny 
 that he went to look for him when he came out of the Louvre, 
 and told him that he had temptations ; and that when he was 
 
296 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LEP BD IL OP LDP LDL ODP LDP LDP DOD DLE DOLD DE LOD L DE DLO IDE EDL ODD DOE LIC LEO DDD LID OLE PLL ODE ODA 
 Trial and Execution of Ravaillac.—History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 , 
 PLP LER DPLPL LIL DD LDL LOPLDOL DLL DOLLS DDL DOGLOS 
 
 PPE LLP LDP LIPO LOF 
 
 in prison (at Angouleme for debt) making his meditations, by 
 permission of Father Mary Magdalen, his hands and feet sen. 
 forth a stench of sulphur and fire; which were proofs of the 
 existence of a purgatory, contrary to the erroneous opinion of 
 heretics ; that he had visions of the sacred hosts cn each side 
 of his face, having before sung the Psalms of David; and in 
 a word, that he had related all those circumstances to him : 
 and that the said D’Aubigny said to him in answer, that he, 
 the said Ravaillac, ought to apply to some great man to 
 admonish the King ; however, since he had not done it, it was 
 more proper for him to pray to God; he being of opinion, 
 that those visions he spoke of were merely imaginary, and the 
 effects of a disordered brain, as might be perceived by his 
 looks; that he ought to eat good soup, go to his own country, 
 tell his beads, and pray to God.” | 
 
 D’Aubigny replied, “ that these were all dreams and lies ; 
 and that all which the said Ravaillac had deposed against him 
 was false.” But Ravaillac persisted in his answers, and 
 *“‘ declared that they were true; and that he had only seen 
 D’Aubigny but that one time.” 
 
 Ravaillac, all along, at his trial, and when on the 25th 
 he underwent the torture of Geneva, called the barathe or 
 heurriere, the most violent of any, constantly maintained, that 
 no person whatsoever was privy to his design against the 
 King’s life: and the reason he gave, “ why he did not declare 
 his pernicious. intention to priests, and men who have the 
 care of souls, was, that he was well assured if he had disclosed 
 _ to them his design of killing the King, it was their duty to 
 seize his person, and put him into the hands of justice, since, 
 whenever the public is concerned, priests are obliged to reveal 
 all confessions ; for this reason, therefore, he would not open 
 himself to any person, through a fear that he might be 
 pe with death, as well for his intention of killing the 
 
 ing, as if he had really done it, for which he asked pardon 
 of God.” 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 —ag— 
 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [Continued from page 268. | 
 ‘¢ At this moment, to the astonishment and terror of all 
 except Walberg, the old man, who, since the night of his 
 wife’s interment, had never moved but from his chair to his 
 bed, and that not without assistance, rose suddenly from his 
 seat, and, apparently in obedience to his son, walked witha 
 firm and steady pace towards the door. When he had reached 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 997 
 
 GOCSPE LLP LIFT ILI ILI PIES 
 
 LIOLIPLEIS POEPIODII DOPING YD, DG: 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 SLLLILD ALD PIE LDI AI ILGIFT ALE LIL GLI LOL ILE LLEL LL LLEL OLDE PPL LOL ODL ED EOLOD DRE LED LOD ODL LOD LLOPDOP 
 
 it; he paused, looked back on them with a fruitless effort at 
 recollection, and went out slowly ;—and such was the terror 
 felt by all at this last ghastly look, which seemed like that of 
 a corpse moving on to the place of its interment, that no one 
 attempted to oppose his passage, and several moments elapsed 
 before Everhard had the recollection to pursue him. 
 
 ‘‘In the meantime, Ines had dismissed her children, and. 
 sitting as near as she dared to the wretched father, attempted 
 to address some soothing expressions to him. Her voice, 
 which was exquisitely sweet and soft, seemed to produce a 
 mechanical effect on him. He turned towards her at first,— 
 then leaning his head on his arm, he shed a few silent tears,— 
 then flinging it on his wife’s bosom, he wept aloud. Ines 
 seized this moment to impress on his heart the horror she felt 
 from the outrage he had committed, and adjured him to 
 supplicate the mercy of God for a crime, which, in her eyes, 
 appeared scarcely short of parricide. Walberg wildly asked 
 what she alluded to; and when, shuddering, she uttered the 
 words, “ Your father,—your poor old father!” he smiled 
 with an expression of mysterious and supernatural confidence 
 that froze her blood, and, approaching her ear, softly 
 whispered, “* f have no father! He is dead,—long dead! [ 
 buried him the night I dug my mother’s grave! Poor old 
 man !”’ he added with a sigh, “it was the better for him,—he 
 would have lived only to weep, and perish perhaps with 
 hunger. But | will tell you, Ines,—and let it be a secret,— 
 I wondered what made our provisions decrease so, till what 
 was yesterday sufficient for four, is not to-day sufficient for 
 one. I watched, and at last I discovered—it must be a 
 secret—an old goblin, who daily visited this house. It came 
 in the likeness of an old man in rags, and with a long white 
 beard, and it devoured every thing on the table, while the 
 children stood hungry by! But I struck at—I cursed it,—I 
 chased it in the name of the All-powerful, and it is gone. 
 Oh, it was a fell devouring goblin !—but it will haunt us no 
 more, and we shall have enough—enough,”’ said the wretched 
 man, involuntarily returniug to his habitual associations,— 
 * enough for to-morrow !” 
 
 “Ines, overcome with horror at this obvious proof of 
 insanity, neither interrupted or opposed him; she attempted 
 only to soothe him, internally praying against the too probable 
 disturbance of her own intellects. Walberg saw her look of 
 distrust, and, with the quick jealousy of partial insanity, said, 
 *“¢ If you do not credit me in that, still less, I suppose, will 
 you in the account of that fearful visitation with which | have 
 aac been familiar.,—“ Oh, my beloved!” said Ines, who 
 AS. 2a 
 
298 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARYT. 
 
 PDE LPL 2 OPLLS PLL LLL PELL EG PLE LOS 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PPED LDP LL F LOL OLG OLD ODE GLE PED LLP LGD LOGI G 
 
 PPI LLO LEDS LODE LE OLE LLP DPE BOD OLDE 
 
 recognized in these words the source of a fear that had 
 latterly, from some extraordinary circumstances in her husband’s 
 conduct, taken possession of her soul, and made the fear even 
 of famine trifling in comparison,—“ I dread lest I understand 
 you too well. ‘The anguish of want and of famine I could 
 have borne,—ay, and seen you bear; but the horrid words 
 you have lately uttered, the horrid thoughts that escape you 
 in your sleep,—when | think on these, and guess at’”?—— 
 “ You need not guess,” said Walberg, interrupting her, “ I 
 will tell you all :” and, as he spoke, his countenance changed 
 from its expression of wildness to one of perfect sanity and 
 calm confidence,—his features relaxed, his eye became steady, 
 and his tone firm. “* Every night since our late distresses, I 
 have wandered out in search of some relief, and supplicated 
 every passing stranger ;—latterly, I have met every night the 
 enemy of man, who” ‘¢ Oh cease, my love, to indulge 
 these horrible thoughts,—-they are the results of your disturbed 
 unhappy state of mind.”—“ Ines, listen to me. I see that 
 figure as plainly as I see your’s,—1 hear his voice as distinctly 
 as you hear mine this moment. Want and misery are not 
 naturally fertile in the production of imagination,—they grasp 
 at realities too closely. No man, who wants a meal, conceives 
 that a banquet is spread before him, and that the tempter 
 invites him to sit down and eat at his ease. No,—no, Ines, 
 the Evil One, or some devoted agent of his in human form, 
 besets me every night,—and how I shall longer resist the 
 snare, 1 know not.”’-—“ And in what form does he appear?” 
 said Ines, hoping to turn the channel of his gloomy thoughts, 
 while she appeared to follow their direction.—“ In that of a 
 middle-aged man, of a serious and staid demeanour, and with 
 nothing remarkable in his aspect, except the light of two 
 burning eyes, whose lustre is almost intolerable. He fixes 
 them on me sometimes, and I feel as if there was fascination 
 in their glare. Every night he besets me, and few like me 
 could have resisted his seductions. He has offered, and proved 
 to me that it is in his power to bestow, all that human cupidity 
 could thirst for, on the condition that—-—I cannot utter! It 
 is one so full of horror and impiety, that even to listen to it is 
 searce less a crime than to comply’ with it !” 
 
 “‘ Ines, still incredulous, yet imagining that to soothe his 
 delirium was perhaps the best way to overcome it, demanded 
 what that condition was. Though they were alone, Walberg 
 would communicate it only ina whisper ; and Ines, fortified 
 as she was by reason hitherto undisturbed, and a cool and 
 steady temper, could not but recollect some vague reports 
 she had heard in her early youth, before she quitted:- Spain, of 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 999 
 
 PLP LPP PLD EL OF?P 
 
 COOsnrrrs 
 
 PP IIP DEL IL IDLE DIL DOP IIOL LD DLDOODSD 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 a being permitted to wander through it, with power to tempt 
 men under the pressure of extreme calamity with similar 
 offers, which had been invariably rejected, even in the last 
 extremities of despair and dissolution. She was not super- 
 stitious ; but, her memory now taking part with her husband’s 
 representation of what had befallen him, she shuddered at the 
 possibility of his being exposed to similar temptation; and 
 she endeavoured to fortify his mind and conscience by argu- 
 ments equally appropriate, whether he was the victim of a 
 disturbed imagination, or the real object of this fearful 
 persecution. She reminded hin, that if, even in Spain, where 
 the abominations of Antichrist prevailed, and the triumph 
 of the mother of witchcrafts and spiritual seduction was 
 complete, the fearful offer he alluded to had been made and 
 rejected with such unmitigated abhorrence, the renuncia- 
 tion of one who had embraced the pure doctrines of the 
 gospel should be expressed with a tenfold energy of feeling 
 and holy defiance. ‘* You,” said the heroic woman, “ you 
 first taught me that the doctrines of salvation are to be found 
 alone in the holy Scriptures,—I believed you, and wedded 
 you in that belief. We are united less in the body than in 
 the soul; for in the body neither of us may probably sojourn 
 much longer. You pointed out to me, not the legends of 
 fabulous saints, but the lives of the primitive apostles and 
 martyrs of the true church. There I read no tales of § volun- 
 tary humility,’ of self-inflicted—fruitless sufferings; but I 
 read, that the people of God were ‘ destitute, afflicted, tor- 
 mented ;’ and shall we dare to murmur at following the 
 examples of those you have pointed out to me as ensamples 
 of suffering? They bore the spoiling of their goods,—they 
 wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins,—they resisted 
 unto blood, striving against sin. And shall we lament the 
 lot that has fallen to us, when our hearts have so often 
 burned within us, as we read the holy records together? 
 Alas! what avails feeling, till it is brought to the test of fact ? 
 How we deceived ourselves, in believing that we indeed 
 participated in the feelings of those holy men, while we were 
 so far removed from the test by which they were proved! 
 We read of imprisonments, of tortures, and of flames !—We 
 closed the book, and partook of a comfortable meal, and 
 retired to a peaceful bed, triumphing in the thought, while 
 saturated with all the world’s good, that if their trials had 
 been ours, we could have sustained those trials as they did. 
 Now, our hour has come,—it is an hour sharp and terrible !” 
 “‘]t is!” murmured the shuddering husband. ‘“ But shall we 
 therefore shrink?” replied his wife; “ your ancestors, who 
 
300 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. . 
 
 GIP PIS PIGLIF ICR POOLED LOOL LOL DO DIG PIPLIOLLDLIL DOE PIC LIP LID DEV IGG LODE DDGDOD ODP LI EGO IGOR 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 LOO LL ODLO LOL DELL DL IDL DDL LOL LOL LD OL DO LOOD DL DODD DDIR 
 
 PILPLIL LOL LOL L OP ODGLLDO LOS 
 
 were the first in Germany that embraced the reformed reli- 
 ~ gion, have bled and blazed for it, as you have often told me,— 
 can there be a stronger attestation to it ?”,—“ I believe there 
 ean,” said Walberg, whose eyes rolled fearfully,— that of 
 starving for it !—Oh, Ines !” he exclaimed, as he grasped her 
 hands convulsively, ‘I have felt,—I still feel, that a death at 
 the stake would be mercy, compared to the lingering tortures 
 of protracted famine,—to the death that we die daily—and 
 yet do not die! What is this I hold?” he exclaimed, grasping 
 unconsciously the hand he held in his.—“ It is my hand, my 
 love,”’ answered the trembling wife.—‘* Yours !—no—impos- 
 sible !—Your fingers were soft and cool, but these are dry,— 
 is this a human hand ?”—“ It is mine,” said the weeping 
 wife.— Then you must have been famishing,”’ said Walberg, 
 awakening as if from a dream.—“ We have all been so lat- 
 terly,” answered Ines, satisfied to restore her husband’s 
 sanity, even at the expense of this horrible confession,—* we 
 have all been so—but I have suffered the least. When a 
 family is famishing, the children think of their meals—but the 
 mother thinks only of her children. I have lived on as little 
 as I could,—I had indeed no appetite.” —-“ Hush,” said 
 Walberg, interrupting her,—‘ what sound was that ?—wasiit 
 not like a dying groan ?”—“ No—itiis the children, who moan 
 in their sleep.”—‘ What do they: moan for ?»>—“ Hunger, I 
 believe,” said Ines, involuntarily yielding to the dreadful con- 
 viction of habitual misery.—“ And [ sit and hear this!” said 
 Walberg, starting up,—‘‘ I sit to hear ‘their young sleep 
 broken by dreams of hunger, while for a word’s speaking I 
 could pile this floor with mountains of gold, and all for the 
 risk of ”’ ** Of what?” said Ines, clinging to him,—“‘ Of 
 what ?—Oh ! think of that !—what shall a man give in ex- 
 ehange for his soul ?—Oh ! let us starve, die, rot before your 
 eyes, rather than you should seal your perdition by that 
 horrible”’ ‘¢ Hear me, woman!” said Walberg, turning 
 on her eyes almost as fieree and lustrous as those of Melmoth, 
 and whose light, indeed, seemed borrowed from his; “ hear 
 me! my soul ds lost !—they who die in the agonies of famine 
 know no God, and want none—if I remain here to famish 
 among my children, I shall as surely blaspheme the Author of 
 my being, asf shall renounce him under the fearful conditions 
 proposed to me!—Listen to me, Ines, and tremble not. To 
 see my children die of famine will be to me instant suicide 
 and impenitent despair! But if I close with this fearful offer, 
 I may yet repent,—I may yet escape !—There is hope on one 
 side—on the other there is none—none—none—none! Your 
 hands cling round me, but their touch is cold!—You are 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 301 
 
 PIP LDIL DLL E DILDO OLDIE ELL DE LOC LED LES GEOOSCELOL EE COOL OCLOOLOOCLDOL DOL OO LDOOL EDP OECD OD OOD IAD 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family.—Stupendous Works of Art. 
 
 DOP DIF PDO DDD DOE LEE PLE PEL LOLLDOO LOC LOO DO OCE LO DVOCCO COOL OOCOOLOOIDOCPOE ‘i POI PDD LDP 
 
 wasted to a shadow with want! Show me the means of pro- 
 curing:another meal, and J will spit at the tempter, and spurn 
 him !—But where is that’ to be found ?—Let me go, then, to 
 meet him! You will pray for me, Ines,—will you not ?—and 
 the children ?—No, Jet them not pray for me !—in my despair 
 I forgot to pray*myself, ‘and their prayers would now be a 
 reproach to me.—Ines !—Ines !—What ? am I talking to a 
 corpse ?’’ He was indeed, for the wretched wife had sunk at 
 his feet senseless. ‘“ Thank God!” he again emphatically 
 exclaimed, as he beheld her lie to all appearance lifeless before 
 him. “ Thank God! a word then has killed her,—it was a 
 gentler death than famine! It would have been kind to have 
 strangled her with these hands! Now for the children!” he 
 exclaimed ; while horrid thoughts chased each other over his 
 reeling and unseated mind, and he imagined he heard the roar 
 of a sea in its full strength thundering in his ears, and saw 
 ten thousand waves dashing at his feet, and every wave of 
 blood. “ Now for the children !”—and he felt about as if for 
 some implement of destruction. In doing so, his left hand 
 crossed his right, and grasping it, he exclaimed, as if he felt a 
 sword in his hand,—* this will do—they will struggle—they 
 will supplicate, but I will tell them their mother lies dead at 
 my feet, and then what can they say? Hold now,” said the 
 miserable man, sitting calmly down, “ if they cry to me, what 
 shall I answer? Julia, and Ines, her mother’s namesake,— 
 and poor little Maurice, who smiles even amid hunger, and 
 whose smiles are worse than curses !—I will tell them their 
 mother is dead!” he cried, staggering towards the door of 
 his children’s apartment; ‘dead without a blow !—that shall 
 be their answer and their doom.” 
 [Zo be continued. | 
 
 = 
 
 _STUPENDOUS WORKS OF ART. 
 
 The Silver Sphere, a most noble and ingenious perform- 
 ance, which was presented by his Imperial Majesty Ferdinand 
 to Sultan Solyman, the Magnificent, is mentioned by Paulus 
 Jovius, and Sabellicus, as showing and keeping time*with. the 
 motions of celestial bodies in their various configurations. 
 It was carried to Constantinople, in. several parts, by twelve 
 men, and: there put together by the.artist that made it, in the 
 Grand Signior’s presence, who was also shown by him. the 
 
 mysterious use of it. 
 
 Knowles’s Turk. Hist. 
 _ At Segovia, in Spain, is a mint so ingeniously contrived, 
 that ome part of it dilates an ingot of gold into proper dimen- 
 
~_ POLIOS GIL OELDOL OR PLE SLE LOD LID 
 
 302 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 GOP PLIE LEL ODD PLD LOSL OL LDL LDOIOLE BLE LOE DLE PLDI 
 
 Stupendous Works of Art.—Celerity of Manufacture. 
 
 POE PDOOGLLPLOLD LEP GD PDO L DO DIE GLE LODE LOL ELE D PEL DLE DEL OLDE POE PLE GLO LOE ODE POE LG LE LOL BOP O LLP ODF 
 
 sions for coinage, another part. delivers the plate so formed 
 into another that stamps it; from that part of the engine it 
 is delivered to another that cuts it, according to the standard; 
 and, last of all, it falls into a repository in another room, 
 where the officer appointed for that purpose finds money 
 ready coined without any other help than that of the engine. 
 Sir Ken. Digby. 
 
 At Herdelburg, in Germany, upon the Town House was a 
 clock with divers motions, and, when the clock struck, the 
 figure of an old man pulled off his hat, a cock crowed and 
 clapped his wings, soldiers fought with one another, &c. but 
 this curious piece of workmanship, with the castle and town, 
 were burnt by the French, when they took those garrisons, 
 June 2, 1693. 
 
 Brown’s Tracels. 
 
 Cornelius van Drebble, that excellent artificer, made an 
 instrument like an organ that, being set in the open air, 
 under a warm sun, would make fine music of itself, without 
 the keys being touched by an organist, but would make no 
 symphony in the shade; for which reason, the curious con- 
 cluded that it was inclosed air, rarified by the strictures of 
 the radiant sun, that caused the harmony. 
 
 Ibid. 
 
 A famous mathematician named Janellus Turrianus, com- 
 monly pleased the Emperor Charles V. with some curious 
 results of his study. He would make wooden sparrows fly 
 up and down in the Emperov’s dining-room, and return to 
 him that sent them. Sometimes he would cause little soldiers, 
 armed cap-a-pee, to muster on the Emperor’s. table,—which 
 being a strange and uncommon sight, the warden of the con- 
 vent of St. Jerome, being unskilled in those mysterious arts, 
 suspected it to be downright witchcraft, done by a league with 
 
 the devil. 
 fist. of Man. Arts. 
 
 CELERITY OF MANUFACTURE. 
 
 Gveneral M‘Clure made a bet of 50 dollars, that he would 
 take wool in the fleece and manufacture a suit of satinet cloth 
 in ten hours. The bet was decided entirely in his favour, 
 he having completed the suit and put it on in eight hours and 
 forty-six minutes. The colour was a blue mixture; the wool 
 was coloured in thirty-five minutes; carded, spun, and wove 
 in two hours and twenty-five minutes; fulled, napped, dyed, 
 sheared, and dressed in one hour and fifty-nine minutes; car- 
 ried in four minutes three quarters of a mile, to Mr. Gil- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURS AND ART. 503 
 
 DOOD OILED P DPI POP LOCEDLLODL ED EDPL ILE LOL ODL LDL LLDE BLOLODLEOD DE LED DDOL EE °BG OLIGO 
 
 IGP 
 
 Celerity of Manufacture.—Horticuitural Anecdote.—The Force of Nature. 
 
 PLE PLL LDDDDP PLD LOLS LID PL DOL EO LED OD OLD DDL IPD DESDE LST LOL PILL LL ILD LOE LED LOL LEP LID LIL POL LDL OP 
 
 more’s tailor’s shop, who, with the assistance of seven hands, 
 completed the coat, jacket, and overalls in three hours and 
 forty-nine minutes. There was half-a-yard of the cloth left, 
 being in the whole eight yards and a half, and of such quality 
 as was estimated to be worth one dollar per yard. The Ge- 
 neral offers to double the bet that he will make a better suit 
 in less than eight hours, and dares the advocates of John 
 Bull’s manufactures to take him up. 
 
 There was a great collection of people assembled on this 
 occasion. Colonel Barnard, with the officers, commissioned 
 and non-commissioned, of his regiment, a full band of music, 
 and many citizens, escorted the General from the village to 
 the factory; when, after partaking of this worthy citizen’s 
 usual liberality, the procession returned to the village, the 
 air resounding with many hearty cheers.—American Paper. 
 
 === 
 
 A CURIOUS HORTICULTURAL ANECDOTE. 
 
 When Sir Francis Carew had rebuilt his mansion-house at 
 Beddington, in Surrey, he planted the gardens with choice 
 fruit-trees. Here he was twice visited by Queen Elizabeth; 
 and Sir Hugh Platt in his “Garden of Eden,”’ tells a curious 
 anecdote relating to one of these visits. ‘I conclude,” says 
 he, “ with a conceit of that delicate knight Sir Francis Ca- 
 rew, who, for the better accomplishment of his royal enter- 
 tainment of our late Queen Elizabeth, led her Majesty toa 
 cherry-tree, whose fruit he had of purpose kept back from 
 ripening at least one month after all cherries had taken their 
 farewell of England. This secret he performed by straining 
 a tent, or cover of canvas, over the whole tree, and wetting 
 it now and then with a scoop as the heat of the weather re- 
 quired; and so, by withholding the sun-beams from reflecting 
 upon the berries, they grew both great, and were very long 
 before they had gotten their perfect cherry colour; and when 
 he was assured of her Majesty’s coming, he removed the tent, 
 and a few sunny days brought them to their maturity. 
 
 —— 
 
 THE FORCE OF NATURE, OR THE INDIAN NURSE. 
 
 Captain Franklin, (R. N.) in his narrative of his journey 
 to the Polar Seas, says,—“ The Chipewyan Indians profess 
 strong affection for their children, and some regard for their 
 relations, who are often numerous, as they trace very far the 
 ties of consanguinity. A curious instance of the former was 
 mentioned to us, so well authenticated, that I shall ven- 
 ture to give it in the words of Dr. Richardson’s Journal.— 
 
 ae 
 
304, CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GPP PPE LEP PEL POP PLES OF 
 
 FPDP BLP LIS GDP LIP POG LOE PDP DD POLL LDOL GC POOL IDG SIPGOCEOO ODA 
 
 The Force of Nature, or the Indian Nurse.—Cat Eaters, 
 
 DOP 
 
 ‘ A young Chipewyan had separated from the rest of his band 
 for the purpose of trenching beaver, when his wife, who was 
 his sole companion, and in her first pregnancy, was seized 
 with the pains of labour. She died on the third day, after 
 having given birth to a fine boy. The husband was inconsol- 
 able, and vowed in his anguish never to take another woman 
 to wife, but his grief was in some degree absorbed in anxiety 
 for his infant son. ‘To preserve its life, he descended to the 
 office of nurse, so degrading in the eyes of a Chipewyan, as 
 partaking of the duties of a woman. He swaddled it in soft 
 moss, fed it with broth made from the flesh of the deer, and 
 to still its cries applied it to his breast, praying most earnestly 
 to the great Maker of Life to assist his endeavours. The 
 force of the powerful passion by which he was actuated pro- 
 duced the same effect in his case as it has done in some others 
 which are recorded; a flow of milk actually took place from 
 his breast. He succeeded in rearing his child, taught him to 
 be a hunter, and when he attained the age of manhood, chose 
 him a wife from the tribe. The old man kept his vow in 
 never taking a second wife himself, but he delighted in tend- 
 ing his son’s children, and when his daughter-in-law used to 
 interfere, saying that it was not the occupation of a man, he 
 was wont to reply, that he had promised to the great Master 
 of Life, if his child was spared, never to be proud like the 
 other Indians. He used to mention too, as a certain proof 
 of the approbation of Providence, that although he was 
 always obliged to carry his child on his back while hunting, 
 yet that it never roused a mouse by its cries, being always 
 particularly still at those times. Our informant (Mr. Went- 
 zel, the guide to the expedition) added, that he had often seen 
 this Indian in his old age, and that his left breast, even then, 
 retained the unusual size it had acquired in bis occupation of 
 nurse.’ ”” | 
 
 — 
 
 CAT EATERS. 
 
 Some years ago, for a wager of 50]. a fellow, who lived 
 near the race-course of Kildare, in Ireland, devoured five fox 
 cubs, and literally began eating each while alive. It is, how- 
 ever, to be observed, that the devourer was a natural fool, 
 having been born deaf, dumb, and without a palate. Another 
 story is ‘old, that “a fellow, a shepherd at Beverley, in 
 Yorkshire, about eleven years ago, for a bet of five pounds, 
 was produced, who was to devour a living cat. The one pro- 
 duced was a large black tom-cat, which had not been fed for 
 the purpose; but was chosen, as being the largest in that 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 305 
 y 
 
 PGOVGSPLIOL LIP POL GIG DDS 
 
 FOPPPP IPD DLP DLPI LDS a 
 Cat Eaters.—The Meduse, or Animalcule of the Polar Sea. 
 
 PIP PII POO PPL LG PPLE LPO LOPE LPS PPL PGP LPL LDE POP DEG LLL DED LDL LDP IPGL OPE LOE PPP LPL POG PPG PPP LOD 
 
 neighbourhood. ‘The day appointed was the fair-day at 
 Beverley. The parties met. The man produced was a raw- 
 boned fellow, about forty. The cat was then given to him; 
 en which he took hold of his four legs with one hand, 
 and, closing his mouth with the other, he killed him by 
 biting his head to pieces immediately, and in less than a quar- 
 ter of an hour devoured every part of the cat—tail, legs, 
 claws, bones, and every thing. ‘The man who laid the wager 
 gave the fellow two guineas for doing it, and the shepherd 
 appeared perfectly satisfied with the reward.’”’—After he had 
 done it, he walked about the fair the whole afternoon, and 
 appeared neither sick nor sorry. He took no emetic, nor had 
 this repast any effect upon him whatever. 
 
 =e 
 THE MEDUSZ, OR ANIMALCULZA OF THE POLAR SEAs 
 
 Tue Polar Sea has a peculiar colour, which is caused by 
 the great quantity of meduse and other minute animals. 
 They are most abundant in the sea water, which is of an 
 olive-green colour. Captain Scoresby, during one of his 
 voyages to the Arctic regions, examined a quantity of the 
 olive-green sea water, and found the medusw immense. They 
 were about one-fourth of an inch asunder, In this propor- 
 tion a cubic inch of water would contain 64; a cubic foot 
 110,592; a cubic fathom 23,887,872; and a cubic mile about 
 23,888,000,000,000. From soundings made in the situation 
 where these animals were found, it is prebable the sea is 
 upwards of a mile in depth, but whether these substances 
 occupy the whole depth is uncertain. Provided, however, 
 the depth to which they extend be but 250 fathoms, the above 
 immense number of one species may occur in a space of two 
 miles square. It may give a better conception of the amount 
 of meduse in this extent, if we calculate the length of time 
 that would be requisite for a.certain number of persons to 
 count this quantity. Allowing that one person could count a 
 million in seven days, which is barely possible, it would have 
 required that 80,000 persons should have started at the crea- 
 tion of the world to complete the enumeration at the present 
 time. 
 
 What a stupendous idea does this fact give of the immen- 
 sity of creation! But if the number of animals in a space of 
 two miles square be so great, what must be the amount 
 requisite for discolouring the sea through an extent of twenty 
 or thirty thousand miles. 
 
 id. QR 
 
306 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 
 
 * 
 PIODLPEDODE LIVI LLL DDI LIL ALD LOD DOL PEP LOL PLDIDED DIOL OD IIE DOL LOIL LID DIO DLE DDL DILOLDD LDC DOOLID 
 
 Wild Pigeons.—Extraordinary Volcano of Jurullo, in Mexico. 
 
 PLO LOPLI POCPOD LEO LLC CLL ODODE ELLOS DOL LOE DID LOE LOO LOD LOO POOL OD DOCS OD LOO LOD OOF PLP PPI LLP 
 WILD PIGEONS 
 
 THe accounts of the enormous flocks in which the pas- 
 senger, or wild pigeons, fly about in North America, seem to 
 an Kuropean like the tales of Baron Munchausen; but the 
 travellers are ‘all ina story.”” In Upper Canada, says Mr. 
 Howison, in his entertaining ‘“‘ Sketches,” you may kill 20 or 
 30 at one shot out of the masses which darken the air. And 
 in the United States, according to Wilson the ornithologist, 
 they sometimes desolate and lay waste a tract of country 40 
 or 50 miles long, and 5 or 6 broad, by making it their breed- 
 ing-place. While in the state of Ohio, Mr. Wilson saw a 
 flock of these birds which extended, he judged, more than a 
 mile in breadth, and continued to pass over his head at the 
 rate of one mile ina minute, during four hours—thus making 
 its whole length about 240 miles.—According to his moderate 
 estimate, this flock contained two thousand two hundred and 
 thirty millions two hundred and seventy-two pigeons. 
 
 —a— 
 
 THE EXTRAORDINARY VOLCANO OF JURULLO, IN MEXICO. 
 
 Tue most elevated summit of the intendancy of Valladolid, 
 in Mexico, is the Pic de Tancitaro, to the east of Tuspan. 
 To the east of this peak is the extraordinary volcano of 
 Jurullo, which was formed in the night of the 29th of Septem- 
 ber, 1759. ‘The great catastrophe by which this mountain 
 rose from the earth, and by which a considerable extent of 
 ground totally changed its appearance, is perhaps one of the 
 most extraordinary physical revolutions on record. A vast 
 
 lain extends from the hilis of EKguasarco to near the vil- 
 ee: of Teipa aud Petatlan, both equally celebrated for 
 their fine plantations of cotton. This plain is only from 
 two thousand one hundred and sixty to two thousand six 
 hundred and twenty-four feet above the level of the sea. In 
 the middle of this space basaltic cones appear, the summits 
 of which are crowned with evergreen oaks of a laurel and 
 olive foliage, intermingled with palm-trees. This beautiful 
 vegetation forms a singular contrast with the aridity of the 
 
 lain which was laid waste by volcanic fire. Till the middle 
 of the 18th century, fields cultivated with sugar-cane and 
 indigo occupied the extent of ground between the two brooks 
 Cuitamba and San Pedro. ‘These fields, watered by artificial 
 ‘means, belonged to one of the greatest and richest plantations 
 in the country. In the month of June, 1759, a subterraneous 
 noise was heard. Hollow noises of a most alarming nature were 
 accompanied by frequent earthquakes, which succeeded one 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. SOT 
 
 OOOREP IDL PL LOD ILODDG OLS 
 The Extraordinary Volcano of Jurullo, in Mexico. 
 
 LOPE EO DLO LOL LDP PLE LOE LEDS DDE LLL ELLE DOD DL CPL L ELLIE LD ILE LEE LPOLLO OD LOL LLL SLE EDO LOD PE PLOP EO? 
 
 another for from fifty to sixty days, to the great consternation 
 of the neighbouring inhabitants. From the beginning of 
 September, every thing seemed to announce the complete re- 
 establishment of tranquillity, when, in the night between the 
 28th and 29th, the horrible subterraneous noise recommenced. 
 
 The affrighted Indians fled to the mountains for safety. A 
 track of sround, from three to four square miles in extent, 
 
 which goes by the name of Malpays, rose up in the shape of a 
 bladder. The bounds of this convulsion are still distinguish- 
 able in.the fractured strata. ‘The ground thrown up is, near 
 its edges, thirty-nine feet in height above the old level of the 
 plain ; but it rises pi rogressively towards the centre, to an 
 elevation of five hundred feet. hose who witnessed this 
 gteat catastrophe from the top of the mountain of Aguasarco, 
 
 assert, that flames were seen to issue forth for an “extent of 
 more than half a square league; that fragments of burning 
 rocks were thrown up to prodigious heights; and that, through 
 a thick cloud ofashes, illumined by voleanie fire, t the softened 
 surface of the earth was seen to swell up like an agitated sea, 
 The rivers of Cuitamba and San Pedro rushed into the burn-: 
 ing chasms, and contributed to exasperate the flames, which 
 were distinguishable at the city of Pascuaro, though situated 
 on a very extensive table land, four thousand five hundred 
 feet above the plains of Jurullo. Eruptions of mud, and 
 especially of strata of clay, enveloping balls of decomposed 
 basaltes, in concentrical layers, appear to indicate that sub- 
 terraneous water had no small share in producing this extra- 
 ordinary revolution. ‘Thousands of small cones, from six to 
 nine feet in height, called by the natives ovens, issued from 
 the ground while it was under the influence of this confusion ; 
 and, although the heat of these volcanic ovens has suffered 
 a ereat diminution, Humboldt mentions that he has seen the 
 thermometer rise to two hundred and two degrees of Fahren- 
 heit, on being plunged into fissures which exhale an aqueous 
 vapour. From each small cone the vapour arises to the 
 height of forty or fifty feet. In many of thema subterraneous 
 noise is heard, resembling that occasioned by the pose of a 
 fluid. Inthe midst of the ovens, six large masses elevated 
 
 from one thousand three hundred to one house six hun- 
 dred feet above the old level of the plains sprung up trom the 
 chasm. ‘The most elevated of these masses is the great vol- 
 eano of Jurullo. It is continually burning,.and has thrown 
 up an immense quantity of lavas. ‘These great eruptions of. 
 the central volcano continued till the month. of February, 
 1760. Inthe following years they became less fr equent ; and 
 the Indians having been gradually accustomed to the terrific 
 
 PEO OLELE OPEC POD LOL OOCLO POE LOOP OPO LOPDOGPGODIOOLSGOGG 2 65: 
 
3808 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIPL DP DIOL OL ILIE LOOPED LOD DDLL ED ODPL ID LOL LOPE LIED IC POOPGA 
 
 PPP LBP LGPL DE PODODLSF 
 Volcano of Jurullo.—Family Elm.—Monsters, or Deviations from Nature. 
 
 PHILO LOOSE OFO PPO PIL PIL PPL PPP LOL OGL LLIL EOL PLE DILG LOE LOS PPLE LOL GGL LOE LOL PLEPPP LOD BBO POO PIP 
 
 noises of the new volcano, had advanced towards the moun- 
 tains to admire the streams of fire discharged from an infinity 
 of great and small volcanic apertures. At the first explosion 
 of this volcano, the roofs of the houses of Queretaro were 
 covered with ashes, though distant more than forty-eight 
 leagues. The subterraneous fire appears now far from vio- 
 lent ; and the desolated ground, as well as the great volcano, 
 begins to be covered with vegetables. The air, however, is 
 still heated to such a degree by the ovens, as to raise the ther- 
 mometer to one hundred and nine degrees of Fahrenheit. 
 - 
 
 THE FAMILY ELM. 
 
 In the village of Crawley there is an elm of great size, in 
 the -hollow trunk of which a poor woman gave birth to an 
 mfant, and where she afterwards resided for a long time. 
 The tree, which is a great curiosity, is still standing, but as 
 the parish is not willing to be burthened with all the young 
 elms that might be brought forth from the trunk of this sin- 
 gular tree, the lord of the manor has very wisely put up a 
 door to the entrance of this new lying-in-hospital, which is 
 kept locked, except upon particular occasions, when the 
 neighbours meet to enjoy their pipe, and tell old tales in the 
 eavity of the elm, which is capable of containing a party of 
 more than a dozen. ‘The interior of this tree is paved with 
 pricks, and in other respects made comfortable for its tem- 
 porary occupants. 
 
 —— 
 
 MONSTERS; OR, DEVIATIONS FROM NATURE. 
 
 Tue human species is not the only one in which monstrosi- 
 ties of every kind are to be met; irrational animals present 
 us with many like phenomena, and still more numerous, con- 
 sidering the great multiplicity of the individuals; but less 
 attention is paid to them, except these deformities be ex- 
 tremely striking, and deserve, by their extraordinary singu- 
 larity, to come under the observation of naturalists. Of these 
 deviations we shall undertake to give a few examples, merely 
 to show what a uniformity nature observes even in those cir- 
 cumstances in which she thinks proper to depart from her 
 established laws. 
 
 A fawn of this kind was exhibited in the cabinet of natural 
 history in Paris. Both the animals that entered into the 
 composition of this monster were united by the two sterna, 
 which, by this reunion, were placed on both sides of the 
 monster, In the same cabinet was to be seen a hog, composed ~ 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 309 
 
 PPO ROP LDOL DE DDO LIL LDP LIDOL LOD DOD DDD LLL DDD DD PL OC DDD DOD ODE DOOD OL ODD OGD OOOLDO DDO DDE FO< OOP 
 Monsters, or Deviations from Nature. 
 
 of two bodies, which were very well formed, and joined toge- 
 
 ther by the two breasts; it had three feet, one head, and 
 
 three ears, of which two were placed in their natural situa- 
 
 tion, and the third was inserted near the opening of the lips. 
 
 In 1776, a sow, belonging to the domain of Piodeuve, in 
 the parish of St. Bennet-le-Desert, had a litter of two mon- 
 sters, one of which had four ears, nearly resembling in their 
 conformation a particular species of mushroom, and a hare’s 
 lip, with three tusks in the upper jaw, an inch and a half long, 
 or very near it. ‘Two of these ran crosswise above the upper 
 part of the nose, and the third held still a higher station, 
 projecting forwards in form of a pipe, and appeared somewhat 
 longer than the two others. The fore-legs were exactly those 
 of a hog; the neck and shoulder were covered with a large 
 bristly hair, spotted with red, white, black, brown. and blue: 
 as for the rest of the body, it was just what it should be, with 
 the exception of the two hind-legs, of which one, being bent 
 at first, was raised rather up towards the back, whilst the 
 other, after several twists, terminated in a long point of five 
 inches, and at the end of which was observed a small horn 
 very finely pointed. This animal lived no more than two 
 days, being unable to suck its mother, notwithstanding all its 
 efforts to succeed in trailing itself along under the belly of 
 its parent. The second died on the very day of its birth. 
 ‘The ears of this one were split, its eyes and nose were those 
 of a hare, and its throat was the wrong way. Into this part 
 ran the nose, and came out on one side, with a very large 
 tooth, two'inches in length, fixed upon the fore part of the 
 upper jaw: the body and hair were suchas a hog should have: 
 the hind-legs, of which the hams were very large, crossed 
 each other, and were turned up upon the back. 
 
 Frezier, the King’s engineer in the island of St. Domingo, 
 1722, saw a calf that was just born, with scales on instead of 
 hair. These scales were irregular as well in form as in size, 
 and furnished with a little hair in some parts of the joints. It 
 was affirmed that in other respects besides, this monster be- 
 longed to the crocodile or cayman, but his scales were the 
 least equivocal part of the resemblance. If we suppose the 
 effects of the mother’s imagination upon the foetus, this pheno- 
 menon may be easily explained. The crocodile, it 1s well 
 known, is extremely ravenous after beef, and of this animal 
 there is a considerable number in all the rivers of St. Domingo 
 that empty themselves into the sea. A pregnant cow, just 
 escaping from this formidable enemy, of whom she had the 
 strongest apprehension, or which might have been a witness 
 of the misfortune of another cow from the ferccity of the same 
 
310° CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP PPPLRLPLOP PIO LOL LOPLI OLIO LLL IOI LOL LIDILEL LEE LOE LEE LOE DEL LOL LEGO LDS ~£FPLELLE DDOVOP GDP 
 Monsters, or Deviations from. Nature.—Remarkable Escapes. 
 
 COE LOO LOD COOCOELOOL EL OOLDEOELOL EOL LOO LID DDE DOD LEO LOE DDI ODOR OOD DL DEO DOO DED LOL ODODE OOO 
 
 enemy, might. explain this fact. It certainly is a great pity 
 that an explanation so very simple is not conformable to the 
 laws of the animal economy. 
 
 Vimont, a doctor of physic, and resident in Sap, in Nor- 
 mandy, mentions that in 1778, in a house in that village, where 
 they were accustomed to have their duck-eggs hatched by 
 hens, there were twelve laid by with that intention; but a cat 
 that had conceived a strong attachment for the hen that 
 covered them wished to share with her the labour, and took 
 three out of the twelve to himself, upon which he sat in imita- 
 tion of the hen his friend. When the period of incubation 
 was at anend, the eggs that had been covered by the hen pro- 
 duced nine ducklings ; but the three that had been fostered by 
 the warmth of the cat produced nothing in the beginning. At 
 the expiration, however, of five or six days, during which the 
 cat never left them, the persons of the house had the curiosity 
 to break them, when, to their great surprise, they found within 
 each egg aspecies of monster, partaking of the double pro- 
 perty of cat and hen, and of which two were living, but the 
 other was dead. Of these cat-hens, the doctor preserved two 
 for the gratification of the curious. bedogs 
 here are, at Munich, four aquatic monsters, half frog, 
 half eel-pout, that have been fished in the ponds that sur- 
 round the abbey of Raitembach, situated at the distance of 
 three leagues from Lech, in Bavaria. ‘The head and paws of 
 these animals, which they preserve in spirits of wine, are 
 exactly those of a frog, but on the back is a small excrescence, 
 to which, as is imagined, is attached the head of an eel-pout. 
 Three fins of the same fish are likewise to be distinguished, 
 the first situated along the back, and the two others upon the 
 stomach. In fine, the whole terminates with a tail, which can 
 be no other than that of an eel-pout. The total length of the 
 largest of these monster's is ten inches, of which the part re- 
 presenting a frog occupies two. More than 1200 of these 
 animals, it is said, were caught in the ponds above mentioned, 
 when superstition, taking the alarm, made haste to destroy 
 them, and the apothecary that attended the abbey founc it an 
 extremely difficult matter to carry off and preserve the four 
 
 that we have just been mentioning. 
 —— 
 
 REMARKABLE .ESCAPES, 
 
 Durine the horrors of the French revolution, a tradesman 
 at Lyons, of the name of Grivet, a man of mild and simple 
 manners, was brought in one evening, sentenced, among a 
 number of others, to perish the next morning. ‘Those who 
 were already in the cave pressed round the new comer to 
 
CURIOSITIOS OF NATURE AND ART: St 
 
 SIPLIL IPD EPEILIDPLPL LOL ILS LE LIP DIL DPI EP OL LOL POD PD OL DOPOD 
 
 MPP FIELIDILIED IDE PPP 
 Remarkable Escapes, during the-French Revolution, ; 
 PAP PRIDIPLILLLODIII DIOP IPI IL LISD ILLIA LID LIL LIL LIL DIL LL LID LOD DID DOI DOL LIDS DID LOD DD 
 sympathize with him, to: console him, and to: fortify him for 
 the stroke he was about to encounter: but Grivet had no 
 need of consolation, he was calm and composed as if he had’ 
 been in his own house. ‘Come and sup with us,” said they, 
 “this is the last inn in the journey of life; to-morrow we 
 shall’arrive at our long home.” Grivet accepted the invita- 
 tion,'and supped heartily. Desirous to sleep as well, he re- 
 tired'to the remotest corner of the cave, and, burying himself 
 in his straw, seemed’ not toybestow a thought om his approach- 
 ing fate. The’ morning arrived: the other prisoners were 
 tied together and led’ away, without Grivet’s perceiving any 
 thing, or being perceived. Fast asleep, enveloped in his 
 straw, he neither saw nor was seen. ‘The door of the cave 
 was locked; and when he awoke awhile after, he was:in the 
 utmost astonishment to find himself in perfect solitude. The 
 day passed, and no new prisoners were brought into the cave. 
 The next was the decade, when the judges did not sit, nor 
 did they, for some other reason, sit the following day. Grivet 
 remained all this time in his solitude, subsisting on some 
 scattered provisions which he found about the cave, and 
 sleeping every night with the same tranquillity as the first. 
 On the evening of the fourth day, the turnkey brought in-a 
 new prisoner, and became as one thunderstruck on seeing a 
 man, or, as he almost believed it, a spirit in the cave. He 
 called the sentinels, who instantly appeared. ‘* Who art 
 thou?” said he to Grivet, “and how camest thou here?” 
 Grivet answered, that he had been there four days: “ Doubt- 
 less,” he added, “when my companions in misfortune were 
 Ted away to death, I slept and heard nothing, and no one 
 thought to awaken me. It was my misfortune, since all would 
 now have been past, whereas 1 have lived with the prospect 
 of death always before me; but the misfortune will now un- 
 doubtedly be repaired since I see you.” The turnkey hastened 
 to the tribunal to excuse himself for what had happened. 
 Grivet. was summoned before it; he was interrogated anew. 
 It was a moment of lenity with the judges, and he was set at 
 liberty. | ) 
 An instance once occurred of escape after condemnation 
 which deserves to be mentioned, because the fact is both re- 
 markable and well attested. A number of persons were 
 returning back to prison after sentence had been passed upon 
 them that they were to be guillotined the next morning. 
 ‘They were, according to custom, tied together by the hands, 
 twoand two, with a cord, atid were escorted by a guard, In 
 their way they were-met by a woman, who, with loud cries, 
 reclanned her husband, asserting that he was a good ‘patriot, 
 
312 CURIOSITIBDS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LIP POOL EO DLO DLL LDL LEO LPO EDO LIE DOODLE ODP LGD PEC DOE GEO DOO OLO LSD LGOC DLDL OE OCOFOEEDE OOP 
 
 Remarkable Escapes, during the French Revolution. 
 
 PIF. POP LOP DL LE LEE POOL LF 
 
 PLP LOL PD O PDO LLL LLL LOL PED LOG DPDLLDOL OC LOL POOL OL LOG ODOP 
 
 and had been unjustly condemned; and she could bring proofs 
 of his patriotism, known to all the world. It so happened, 
 that the judge, who had condemned the prisoners, passed by 
 at the moment, and, hearing the clamours of the woman, in- 
 quired what could occasion them. This being explained, and 
 the judge very happily being in a more merciful humour than 
 usual, said that a good patriot must not be executed, and if 
 the woman’s assertions were true, if was very right that her 
 husband should be released. He accordingly ordered the man 
 to be unbound and brought to him, when he asked several 
 questions respecting his patriotism, and what he had done for 
 the good of the republic, to all which he received answers so 
 satisfactory, that he declared him to be a good sans-culotte, 
 uaguatly condemned, and ordered him to be set at liberty on 
 the spot. 
 
 This affair, as may easily be imagined, soon drew a num- 
 ber of people together, so that the prisoners were mingled 
 promiscuously with the multitude. The companion with 
 whom the man had been yoked, finding himself single and 
 totally unobserved, the eyes and attention of all present being 
 now otherwise engaged, thought that a favourable opportu- 
 nity of escape was presented; thrusting, therefore, the hand 
 which had the cord round it into his waistcoat, that the cord 
 might not be seen, which would have betrayed him, he with 
 great coolness and composure made his way through the 
 crowd, as if he had been a spectator only, drawn among them 
 by curiosity. When he found himself at liberty, he hastened 
 to the port, which was not far off, and jumping into a boat, 
 ordered the boatman to row in all haste to a place which he 
 named at the other end of the port. ‘The boatman obeyed ; 
 but here a difficulty arose which had not immediately occurred 
 to the fugitive, that he had not so much as a sol in his pocket 
 to pay his fare; for when any one was arrested, whatever 
 money he might have about him, or any thing else of value, 
 was immediately taken away as confiscated property. What 
 was to be done in a situation so embarrassing ?—He did not 
 lose his presence of mind; but, feeling in his pocket, said, with 
 a well-affected surprise, that it was very unlucky, but he had 
 forgotten his purse, and had not any money with him. The 
 boatman began to swear and make a great outcry, saying that 
 this was all a mere excuse, that he was a cheat, and wanted 
 to make him work without being paid. . 'The fugitive then, as 
 if a sudden recollection had struck him, put his hand in his 
 pocket, and drew out the cord, from which, during the pas- 
 sage, he had contrived to disengage it: ‘“‘ Here, my friend,” 
 said he, “take this; I by no means wish to cheat you: I 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 313 
 TOO PPP DIS LIS IIS ODIO IS . POCDODDOLLLODPOLDPDIIODO DD GE: 
 Remarkable Escapes, during the French Revolution.—Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PLP POL PLP LOD DID PDE LLL OBL POEL EDL IDI LDC LLL LDL LLP LL ODDOP DOL 
 
 cannot tell how it has happened that I have come out without 
 money; but this cord, if you will accept it, is worth more than 
 your fare.’ “Oh, yes, yes, take it, take it,” said a number 
 of other boatmen who were standing by; ‘the citizen is 
 right, the cord is a good cord, and worth triple your fare; I 
 don’t believe he meant to cheat, he looks like an honest. 
 citizen.” The boatman took the advice, and accepted the 
 cord; and the liberated victim walked off to the house of a 
 friend in the neighbourhood, where he remained concealed 
 the rest of the day. When night came, he made his escape 
 from the town, his friend furnishing him with money and 
 other necessaries for his journey ; nor had many days elapsed 
 before he was safe out of the republic. mids 
 
 —<———— 
 INTERESTING HISTORY OF DON GUZMAN’S FAMILY. 
 [Concluded from page 301.| 
 
 “ As he spoke, he stumbled over the senseless body of his 
 wife ; and the tone of his mind once more strung up to the 
 highest pitch of conscious agony, he cried, ‘‘ Men !—men !— 
 what are your pursuits and your passions ?—your hopes and 
 fears ?— your struggles and your triumphs ?— Look on 
 me !—learn from a human being like yourselves, who 
 preaches his last and fearful sermon over the corpse of 
 his wife, and approaching the bodies of his sleeping chil- 
 dren, whom he soon hopes to see corpses also—corpses 
 made so by his own hand !—Let all the world listen to me !— 
 let them resign factitious wants and wishes, and furnish those 
 who hang on them for subsistence with the means of bare 
 subsistence !—There is no care, no thought beyond this! Let 
 our children call on me for instruction, for promotion, for 
 distinction, and call in vain—I hold myself innocent. ‘hey 
 may find those for themselves, or want them if they list—but 
 Jet them never in vain call on me for bread, as they have 
 done,—as they do now! I hear the moans of their hungry 
 sleep !—World, world, be wise, and let your children curse 
 you to your face for any thing but want of bread! Oh, that 1s 
 the bitterest of curses,—and it is felt most when it 1s least 
 uttered! | have felt it often, but I shall feel it no longer !”— 
 And the wretch tottered towards the beds of his children. 
 
 “ Father !—father !”. cried Julia, “‘are these your hands? 
 Oh, let me live, and I will do any thing, any thing but” 
 “ Father !—dear father!” cried Ines, ‘spare us !—to-morrow 
 may bring another meal!’ Maurice, the young child, sprung 
 from his bed, and cried, clinging round his father, “ Oh, dear 
 mek forgive me !—but I dreamed a wolf was in the room, 
 
 . 28 
 
a 
 
 S14 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 POODOORODD DODD PL DO DOLD LOD DID DOD PDPLOOLDOLIO LIS 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PPP OPCOLROR EDO LLL LLO DIOL OD DLE DOP LOD LOL LIE LL OGLE LED LID 
 
 - and was tearing out our throats ; and, father, I cried so long, 
 that I thought you never would come. And now—oh, God! 
 oh, God !”’—as he felt the hands of the frantic wretch grasping 
 his throat,—“ are you the wolf?” d 
 
 ‘¢ Fortunately those hands were powerless, from the very 
 convulsion of the agony that prompted their desperate effort. 
 The daughters had swooned from horror,—and their swoon. 
 _ appeared like death. ‘The child had the cunning to counter- 
 feit death also; and lay extended and stopping his breath 
 under the fierce but faltering gripe that. seized his young 
 throat—then relinquished—-then grasped-it again—and then 
 relaxed its hold'as at the expiration of a spasm. 3 
 
 ~* When all was over, as the wretched father thought, he 
 -retreated from the chamber. In doing so, he stumbled over 
 the corpse-like form of his wife. A groan announced that 
 the sufferer was not dead. “ What does this mean?” said 
 Walberg, staggering in his deliriam,—“ does the corpse re- 
 proach me for murder ?—or does one surviving breath curse 
 me for the unfinished work ?”’ 
 
 “As he spoke, he placed his foot on his wife’s body. At 
 this moment, a loud knock was heard at the door. “ They 
 are come!” said Walberg, whose frenzy hurried him rapidly 
 through the scenes of an imaginary murder, and the conse- 
 quence of a judicial process. ‘“ Well!—come in—knock 
 again, or lift up the latch—or enter as ye list—here I sit, 
 amid the bodies of my wife and children.—I have murdered 
 them—lI confess it—ye come to drag me to torture, | know— 
 but never—never can your tortures inflict on me more than 
 the agony of seeing them perish by hunger before my eyes. 
 -Come in—come in—the deed is done!—The corpse of my 
 wife is at my foot, and the blood of my children is on my 
 hands—what have I further to fear?” But while the wretched 
 man spoke thus, he sunk sullenly on his chair, appearing to 
 be employed in wiping from his fingers the traces of blood 
 with which he imagined they were stained. At length the 
 knocking at the door became louder,—the latch was lifted,— 
 and three figures entered the apartment in which Walberg 
 sat. ‘They advanced slowly,—two from age and exhaustion,— 
 and the third from strong emotion. Walberg heeded them 
 not,—his eyes were fixed,—his hands locked in each other ; 
 nor did he move a limb as they approached. 
 
 “ Do you not know us?” said the foremost, holding up a 
 lanthorn which he held in his hand. | Its light fell on a group 
 worthy the pencil of a Rembrandt. The room lay in coms 
 plete darkness, except where that strong and unbroken light 
 fell. . It glared on the rigid and moveless obduracy of Wal- 
 
 * 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 815 
 
 POP POL PIL DIL PIL PL ILD LADLE LILLE LL PL LDIPDLI LPP LOD DDL L DDS GODS 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 DAP LOL PDL IPP LID IID LOE ILD BDI LOLDLLEIELIL ES PLL PDD LIL ODO LDL ODD LIP OLDE ADODOD LALO LBD L LODE OPOPLOF 
 
 berg’s despair, who appeared stiffening into stone.as he sat. 
 Ltishowed the figure of the friendly priest who had been Guz- | 
 man’s director, and whose features, pale and haggard with 
 age and austerities, seemed to struggle with the smile that 
 trembled over their wrinkled lines. Behind him stood the 
 aged father of Walberg, with an aspect of perfect apathy, ex- 
 cept when, with a momentary effort at recollection, he shook 
 his white head, seeming to ask himself why he was there—and 
 wherefore he could not speak. Supporting him stood the 
 young form of Everhard, over whose cheek and eye wandered 
 a glow and a lustre. too bright to last, and instantly succeeded 
 by paleness and dejection. He trembled, advanced,—then, 
 shrinking back, clung to his infirm grandfather, as if needing 
 the support he appeared to give. Walberg was the. first to 
 break the silence. ‘1 know ye who ye are,” he said, hollowly—: 
 *“‘ ye are come to seize me—ye have heard my confession— 
 why do you delay ? Drag me away—I would rise and follow 
 you if I could, but I feel as if 1 had grown to this seat—you 
 must drag me from it yourselves. 
 
 ** As he spoke, his wife, who had remained stretched at his 
 feet, rose slowly but firmly ; and, of all that she saw or heard, 
 _ appearing to comprehend only the meaning of her husband’s— 
 words, she clasped her arms around him, as if to oppose his 
 being torn from her, and gazed on the group with a look of 
 impotent and ghastly defiance. ‘‘ Another witness,” cried 
 Walberg, ‘ risen from the dead against me? Nay, then, it is 
 time to be gone ;” and he attempted to rise. .“ Stay, father,” 
 said Everhard, rushing forward, and detaining him in his 
 seat; ‘“ stay,—there is good news, and this good priest has 
 come to tell it,—listen to him, father; I cannot speak.”— 
 ** You? oh you! Everhard,” answered the father, with a look 
 of mournful reproach, ‘‘ you a witness against me too,—I 
 never raised my hand against you!—Those whom I mur- - : 
 dered are silent ; and will you be my accuser ?” 
 _ © They all now gathered round him, partly in terror, and 
 partly in consolation—all anxious to disclose to him the 
 tidings with which their hearts were burdened, yet fearful lest 
 the freight might be too much for the frail vessel that rocked 
 and reeled before them, as if the next breeze would be like a 
 tempest to it. At last it burst forth from the priest, who, by 
 the necessities of his profession, was ignorant of domestic feel- 
 ings, and of the felicities and agonies which are inseparably 
 twined with the fibres of conjugal and parental hearts. He 
 knew nothing of what’ Walberg might feel as a husband 
 or father,—for he could never be either ; but he felt that good 
 news must be good news, into whatever ears they were poured, 
 
316 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 Interesting History of Don Guzman’s Family. 
 
 PIPLEP PLO L OP PGP PDP LPG LIP 
 
 or by whatever lips they might be uttered. “ We have the 
 will,” he cried abruptly—* the true will of Guzman; the 
 other was—asking pardon of God and the saints for say- 
 ing so—no better than a forgery. The will is found; and 
 you and your family are heirs to all his wealth. I was 
 coming to acquaint you, late as it was, having with diffi- 
 culty obtained the Superior’s permission to do so, and in 
 my way I| met this old man, whom your son was conducting— 
 how came he out so late?” At these words Walberg was 
 observed to shudder with a brief but strong spasm. ‘“ The 
 will is found!” repeated the priest, perceiving how little 
 effect the words seemed to have on Walberg,—and he raised 
 his voice to its utmost pitch. ‘The will of my uncle is found,” 
 repeated Kiverhard. ‘* Found,—found,—found !”’ echoed the 
 aged grandfather, not knowing what he said, but vaguely 
 repeating the last words he heard, and then looking round as 
 if asking for an explanation of them. “ ‘The will is found, 
 love,” cried Ines, who appeared restored to sudden and per- — 
 fect consciousness by the sound ;—“ do you not hear, love ? 
 We are wealthy,—we are happy! Speak to us, love, and do 
 not stare so vacantly,—speak to us!’ A long pause followed. 
 At length, “‘ Who are those?” said Walberg, in a hollow 
 voice, pointing to the figures before him, whom he viewed 
 with a fixed and ghastly look, as if he was gazing on a band 
 of spectres. ‘* Your son, love,—and your father,—and the 
 _ good friendly priest. Why do you look so doubtfully on us 2” 
 ** And what do they come for?” said Walberg. Again and | 
 again the import of their communication was told him, in tones 
 that, trembling with varied emotion, scarce could express their 
 meaning. At length he seemed faintly conscious of what was 
 said, and looking round on them, uttered a long and heavy 
 sigh. ‘They ceased to speak, and watched him in silence. 
 “© Wealth !—wealth !—it comes too late. Look there,—look 
 there!’ and he pointed to the room where his children lay. 
 
 ‘Ines, with a dreadful presentiment at her heart, rushed 
 into it, and beheld her daughters lying apparently lifeless. 
 The shriek she uttered, as she fell on the bodies, brought the 
 priest and her son to her assistance, and Walberg and the old 
 man were left together alone, viewing each other with looks 
 of complete insensibility ; and this apathy of age, and stupe- 
 faction of despair, made a singular contrast with the fierce 
 and wild agony of those who still retained their feelings. It 
 was long before the daughters were recovered from their 
 death-like swoon, and still longer before their father could be | 
 persuaded that the arms that clasped him, and the tears that 
 fell on his cold cheek, were those of his living children, 
 
& 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 317 
 
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 ~ History of Don Guzman’s Family.—Trial and Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
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 “ All that night his wife and family struggled with his 
 _despair. At last recollection seemed to burst on him at once. 
 He shed some tears ;—then, with a minuteness of reminiscence 
 that was equally singular and affecting, he flung himself be- 
 fore the old man, who, speechless and exhausted, sat pas- 
 sively in his chair, and exclaiming, “ Father, forgive me !” 
 buried his head between his father’s knees. he * 
 
 ‘* Happiness is a powerful restorative,—-in a few days the 
 spirits of all appeared to have subsided into a calm. They 
 wept sometimes, but their tears were no longer painful ;—they 
 resembled those showers in a fine spring morning, which an- 
 nounce the increasing warmth and beauty of the day. The 
 infirmities of Walberg’s father made the son resolve not to 
 leave Spain till his dissolution, which took place'in a few 
 months. He died in peace, blessing and blessed. His son 
 was his only spiritual attendant, and a brief and partial inter- 
 val of recollection enabled him to understand and express his 
 joy and confidence in the holy texts which were read to him 
 from the scriptures. ‘The wealth of the family had now given 
 them importance ; and, by the interest of the friendly priest, 
 the body was permitted to be interred in consecrated ground. 
 The family then set out for Germany, where they reside in 
 prosperous felicity ;—but to this hour Walberg shudders with 
 horror when he recals the fearful temptations of the stranger, 
 whom he met in his nightly wanderings in the hour of his 
 adversity ; and the horrors of this visitation appear to oppress 
 his recollection more than even the images of his family 
 perishing with want.” ° 
 
 =i 
 
 AN EXTRAORDINARY ACCOUNT OF THE REMARKABLE 
 TRIAL ano EXECUTION or FRANCIS RAVAILLAC, 
 
 For the Murder of Henry IV. (surnamed the Great) King of 
 France, A. D. 1610. 
 
 [Concluded from page 296. ] 
 
 On Thursday, the 27th of May, 1610, the court, in the 
 chamber de la Beuvette, consisting of the great chambers of 
 the Tournelle and the Edict, having seen the criminal pro- 
 ceedings formed by the commissioners, at the requisition of 
 the King’s attorney-general, against Francis Ravaillac, as 
 also the information made against him, the interrogatories, 
 confessions, answers, and cross-examinations of the witnesses, 
 and the state of the case by the King’s attorney-general; and 
 the said Ravaillac -having been heard and examined by the 
 said court, touching the matters laid to his charge, and touch- 
 
818 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 SNODDIDOGO DIODE 
 
 DOP FIS PIDP POPOL OD LOL LLDIDOLIOD LOL IOL ELE DOALLIE LIA 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
 PLDI LILI LEILD ILI PLE LELDOLE LIDLLE LDL LDP LOE LOL 
 
 PPD LP LLOL EL OPO 
 
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 ing the verbal process of the interrogatories administered to 
 him on the rack, which, by order of the said court, he under- 
 went on the 25th of that month, for the discovery of his ac- 
 complices: on the consideration of the whole, 
 
 “ The said court declared the said Ravaillac duly attainted 
 of the crime of high treason, divine and human, in the highest 
 degree, for the most wicked, most abominable, and most de- 
 testable parricide, committed on the person of the late King, 
 Henry 1V. of good and laudable memory; for reparation 
 whereof, the court condemned him to make the amende honor- 
 able before the principal gate of the church of Paris, whither 
 he should be carried and drawn in a tumbril in his shirt, 
 bearing a lighted torch of two pounds weight; and that he 
 should there say and declare, that wickedly and traitorously 
 he had committed the aforesaid most wicked, most abomina- 
 ble, and most detestable parricide, and murdered the said 
 lord the King, by stabbing him twice in the body with a knife; 
 that he repented of the same, and begged pardon of God, the 
 King, and the laws: from thence he should be carried to the 
 Greve, and, on a scaffold to be there erected, the flesh should 
 be torn with red-hot. pincers. from his breasts, his arms and 
 thighs, and the calves of his legs; his right hand, holding the 
 knife wherewith he had committed the aforesaid parricide, 
 should be scorched and burnt with flaming brimstone; and on 
 the places where the flesh was torn with pincers, melted lead, 
 boiling oil, scalding pitch, with wax and brimstone melted _ 
 together, should be poured: after that, he should be torn in 
 pieces by four horses, his limbs and body burnt to ashes and 
 dispersed in the air. His goods and chattels were also declared 
 to be forfeited and confiscated to the King. And it was further 
 ordained, that the house in which he was born should be pulled 
 down to the ground, (the owner thereof being previously in- 
 demnified,) and that no other building should ever thereafter 
 be erected on the foundation thereof: and that within fifteen 
 days after the publication of this sentence, his father and 
 - mother should, by sound of trumpet and public proclamation 
 in the city of Angouleme, be banished out of the kingdom, 
 and forbid ever to return, under the penalty of being hanged 
 and strangled, without any farther form or process at law. "I'he 
 court did also forbid his brothers, sisters, uncles, and others, 
 from that time to bear the name of Ravaillac, enjoining them 
 to change it to some other, under the like penalties; and or- 
 dering the substitute of the King’s attorney-general to cause 
 this sentence to be published and carried into execution, 
 under the pain of being answerable for the same; and before 
 the execution thereof, the court ordered that the said Ra- 
 
 ¢ 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 319 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
 PLO DLE DODD DDL DE DDL DGD LDLDL BOL LID LLL PLE DL I PDE PDD PDL DLS LPP DOD OPDDIP DOG DDO DDD LOD OOD DOO OGG 
 
 POLE 
 
 vaillac should again undergo the torture for the discovery of 
 his accomplices.” #, 
 
 After this sentence was pronounced, Ravaillac was exhort- 
 ed to redeem himself from the torture, by an ingenuous dis- 
 covery of his prompters, abettors, and accomplices in his — 
 parricide, and of those to. whom he had communicated his 
 intention of committing it. But he answered, “ by the sal- 
 vation I hope for, no one but myself was concerned in this 
 action.” . | | 
 
 He was then ordered to be put to the torture of the brode- 
 quin (buskins), which is a strong wooden box, made in the 
 form of a boot, just big enough to contain both the legs of 
 the criminal, which being put therein, a wooden wedge is 
 drove with a mallet between his knees, and after that is 
 forced quite through, another of a larger size is drove in like 
 manner. | | , 
 
 When the first wedge was driving, he cried out, “God have 
 mercy upon my soul, and pardon the crime I have committed! 
 I never disclosed my intention to any one.” | 
 When the executioner began to drive the second wedge, 
 Ravaillac, with loud cries and shrieks, said, “I am.a sinner; 
 i know no more than I have declared, by the oath I have 
 taken, and by the truth which I owe to God and the court: 
 all | have said was to the little Franciscan, which I have 
 already declared: I never mentioned my design in confession, 
 or in any other way: I never su. ke of it to the visiter of An- 
 gouleme, nor revealed it in ceufession in this city. I beseech 
 the court not to drive my soul to despair.”” And, as the wedge 
 was driving through, he cried out, “my Ged, receive this 
 penance as an exniation for the great crimes I have committed 
 in this world: O God! accept these torments in satisfaction 
 for my sins. By the faith i owe to God, I know no more 
 than what I have declared. Oh! do not drive my soul to de- 
 spair.”” : : 
 
 At. driving the third wedge lower, near his feet, an univer- 
 sal sweat covered his body, and he fainted away: and being 
 quite speechless and incapable of swallowing some wine forced - 
 into his mouth by the executioner, he was released from the - 
 brodequin, and had water thrown upon his face and hands. 
 After he had some wine forced down his throat, he recovered 
 his speech, and was laid upon a mattrass. When he had re- 
 covered his strength, he was conducted to the chapel by the 
 executioner, where he dined. Here, being admonished to — 
 think of his salvation, and confess by whom he had been 
 prompted, persuaded, and abetted to commit the parricide 
 which he had so long resolved on, he said, in the presence of 
 
320 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GIP PIE PPPP GGL OPP LPF. PIL PPP LIP LOO POD PDE DOP DOE PDE LDOO DDO DLO PLOOPL DDE GEG GDA 
 
 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravuillac. 
 
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 Messieurs Fillemasqs and Gamaches, two doctors of the Sor- 
 bonne, and the clerk of the court, “that if he had known 
 more than what he had declared to the court, he would not 
 have concealed it, well knowing, that in this case he could 
 not have the mercy of God, which he hoped for and expected; 
 and that he would not have endured the torments he had 
 done, if he had any farther confession to make. He jikewise 
 said, he acknowledged that he had committed a great crime, 
 to which he had been incited by the temptation of the devil; 
 that he entreated the King, the Queen, the court, and the 
 whole kingdom to pardon him, and to cause prayers to be put 
 ‘up to God for him, that his body might bear the punishment 
 for his soul. . 
 
 The two clergymen having been left alone with him, to 
 perform the duties of their office, a little after two o’clock 
 sent for Voisin, the clerk of the court, that he might sign Ra- 
 vaillac’s confession; which was, ‘*‘ That no one had been con- 
 cerned with him in the act he had committed; that he had not 
 been solicited, prompted, or abetted by any other person 
 whatever, nor had discovered his design to any one; that he 
 acknowledged he had committed a great crime, for which he 
 hoped to have the mercy of God, which was still greater than 
 his sins, but which he could not hope to obtain, if he conceal- 
 ed any thing.” He desired that this confession might be re- 
 vealed and even printed: and declared upon his oath, “ that 
 he had said all he knew, and that no one had incited him to 
 commit the murder.” — 
 
 At three o’clock, as he was carrying out of the Concier- 
 gerie, he was insulted by the prisoners, who would have struck 
 him, had not the archers and other officers of justice kept 
 them off. : | 
 
 When he was put into the tumbril, the crowd was so great — 
 it was with much difficulty the archers and officers of justice 
 could force a passage to the church of Notre Dame, before 
 which he performed the amende honorable according to his 
 “sentence. From thence he was carried to the Greve; where, 
 before he was taken out of the tumbril, he was again exhort- 
 ed to discover his accomplices; but he persisted in his former 
 declaration, and asked pardon as before. 
 
 After he was put upon the scaffold, he declared to the two 
 divines, “that no person but himself was privy to his design 
 of killing the King.” When the fire was put to his right 
 hand, holding the knife with which he had stabbed the King, 
 he cried out, “ Oh God!” and whilst his breast, &c. were 
 tearing with red-hot pincers, and the melted lead, scalding 
 oil, &c, were by intervals poured upon his wounds, he conti- 
 
CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 32) 
 
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 Remarkable Trial and Execution of Ravaillac. 
 
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 nued his cries and ejaculations; during which, being often 
 
 admonished by the two doctors and the clerk to be ingenuous, 
 
 he still denied his having any accomplice. | 
 
 As the doctors were preparing to offer up publicly the 
 prayers used for the condemned, they were interrupted by the 
 enraged populace. bi 
 
 He was then tied to four horses, and drawn by intervals for 
 half an hour: during which time, being admonished to make 
 a full discovery, he persisted in his former declaration, and 
 earnestly desired absolution. The doctors refused his request, 
 unless he would discover his accomplices. - ‘‘ Give it me,” said 
 Ravaillac, ‘upon condition that the declaration I have made, 
 that I had no accomplices, be true.”’ “I will give it you upon 
 that condition,” replied one of the divines; “but assure your- - 
 self, if you tell a lie.in these moments, your soul, at its sepa- 
 ration from your body, will be carried directly to hell.” “I 
 accept and receive it upon that condition,” said Ravaillac. 
 These were the last words he spoke to them. 
 
 The numerous spectators expressed their resentment for 
 the loss of their beloved sovereign, in bitter exclamations 
 against the parricide; some of them eagerly assisted in pull- 
 ing the ropes; and a gentleman, observing one of the horses 
 tired, alighted off his own to have him put in his place. Ra- 
 vaillac was of so robust a texture that the horses, in an hour’s 
 pulling, could not dismember him; and therefore the execu- 
 tioner was obliged to cut him into quarters: which the mob 
 took by force from him, dragged through the streets in great 
 rage, and burnt in different parts of Paris. 
 
 The court, when sentence was passed upon Ravaillac, made 
 the following decree: . . 
 
 “The court, consisting of the great chambers of the Tour- 
 nelle and the Edict, being assembled, and proceeding to judg- 
 ment on the criminal process extraordinary, formed at the 
 requisition of the King’s attorney-general, on account of the 
 most wicked, most cruel, and most detestable parricide, com- 
 mitted on the sacred person of the late King Henry 1V. and 
 having thereupon heard the King’s said attorney-general, hath 
 ordered, and doth order, that at the instance of the dean and. 
 syndic of the faculty of divinity, the said faculty shall be 
 assembled as soon as may be to deliberate; and having heard 
 the tenor of the decree of the said faculty of the 13th of De- 
 cember, 1413, and the resolution founded on the opinion of 
 one hundred and forty-one doctors of the said faculty, since 
 confirmed by the council of Constance; ‘That it is not law- 
 ful for any one, whoever he be, to make any attempt on the 
 sacred persons of kings, and other os. princes :’’ the 
 
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 Trial and Execution of Ravaillac.— Wide and Inhospitable Deserts 
 
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 said decree thereon to ‘be made by the said assembly shall be 
 subscribed by all the doctors of the said faculty, who shall 
 have been present at the said deliberations; and also by all 
 the bachelors who are members of the body of divinity; which 
 decree being communicated to the said attorney-general, and 
 produced to this court, such order shall be made thereon as 
 reason shall require.” 
 Done in Parliament, the 27th of May, 1610. 
 
 ——iia 
 
 WIDE AND INHOSPITABLE DESERTS: 
 ASIATIC DESERTS. 
 
 Tne chief Asiatic Deserts are in Persia and Arabia, the for- 
 mer of which countries contains three of considerable extent 
 and celebrity. ‘The first of these commences on the east of 
 the Tigris, in latitude thirty-three, is pervaded by the river 
 Ahwas, and extends to the north of Shuster. ‘The second 
 reaches from the vicinity of Korn very nearly to the Zurra, 
 in a line, from east to west, of about four hundred English 
 miles, and, from north to south, of about two hundred and 
 fifty. In the latter direction it joins the great desert of Ker- 
 man, which alone extends over a tract of three hundred and 
 fifty miles. ‘The two may, therefore, be considered as form- 
 ing one common desert, and stretch, north-west and south- 
 east, over a space of about seven hundred miles, thus inter- 
 secting this wide empire into two nearly equal portions. This 
 vast extent is impregnated with nitre and other salts, which 
 taint the neighbouring lakes and rivers; and has, on that ac- 
 count, been denominated the Great Saline Desert. 
 
 ARABIAN DESERTS, 
 
 Vhe sandy Deserts of Arabia form one of the most striking 
 objects of that country. From the hills of Omon, which ap- 
 pe to be a continuation of those on the other side of the 
 
 ersian Gulf, as far as Mecca, the greater part of Negad is 
 one prodigious desert, interrupted towards the frontiers of 
 Hejaz and Yemen, or Arabia Felix, by Kirgé, containing the 
 district of Sursa, and several oases, or fertile spots. The 
 north-west. part of Negad presents almost a continued de- 
 sert, and is considered as a prolongation of the one above- 
 mentioned. 7 
 
 The Beled el Haram, or Holy Land of Islam, of which 
 Mecca is the capital, is comprehended between the Red Sea, 
 and an irregular line which; commencing at Arabog, about 
 ‘sixty miles to the north of Djedda, forms a bend from the 
 
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 north-east to the south-east, in passing by Yelemlem, two 
 days’ journey to the north-east of Mecca. It thence continues 
 to Karna, nearly seventy miles to the east of the same place, 
 and twenty-four miles to the west of Taif, which. is without 
 the limit of the Holy Land; after which, turning to the south- 
 west, it passes by Drataerk, and terminates at Mehherma 
 upon the coast, at the port named Almarsa Ibrahim, about 
 ninety miles to the south-east of Djedda. 
 
 It therefore appears that the Holy Land is about one hun- 
 dred and seventy miles in length, from the north-west to the 
 south-east, and eighty-four miles in breadth, from the north- 
 east to the south-west—which space is comprehended in that 
 
 art of Arabia known by the name of El Hedjeaz, or the 
 Fane of Pilgrimage, and includes the cities of Medina and 
 Taif. It has not any river; and the only water to be found 
 is that of some inconsiderable springs, which are not numer- 
 ous, and the brackish water obtained from the deep wells. 
 Thus it is areal desert. It is at Mecca and Medina alone 
 that cisterns have been wrought to preserve the rain-water; 
 on which account, a garden is very rarely to be seen through- 
 out this vast territory. The plains are composed either of 
 sand or bad earth, entirely abandoned; and, as the inhabit- 
 ants do not, in any part of the country, sow any description 
 of grain, they are supplied with flour, &c. from Upper Egypt, 
 Yemen, and India. 
 
 AFRICAN DESERTS, 
 
 The most striking feature of Africa consists of the immense 
 deserts which pervade its surface, and which are supposed to 
 comprise the one half of its whole extent. The chief of these 
 is, by way of eminence, called Sahara, or the Desert. It 
 stretches from the shores of the Atlantic, with few interrup- 
 tions, to the confines of Egypt, a space of more than forty-five 
 degrees, or 2700 geographical miles, by a breadth of twelve 
 degrees, or 720 geographical miles. It is one prodigious ex- 
 panse of red sand, and sand-stone rock, of the granulations of 
 which the red sand consists. It is in truth an empire of sand ; 
 which seems to defy every exertion of human power or in- 
 dustry, although it is interspersed with various islands, and 
 fertile cultivated spots of different sizes, of which Fessan is 
 the chief of those which have been hitherto explored. 
 
 Nearly in the centre of this sandy ocean, and nearly mid- 
 way between the Mediterranean Sea and the coast of Guinea, 
 rise the walls of 'ombuctoo, the capital of the very interest- 
 ing empire of Bembarra—a city which constitutes the great 
 mart for the commerce of all the interior of Africa. ‘To main- 
 
S24 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
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 tain this commerce is the laborious work of the akkabaars, or 
 caravans, which cross this enormous desert from almost every 
 part of thé African coast. The mode in which it is traversed 
 is highly curious. 
 
 The caravans consist of several hundred loaded camels, 
 accompanied by the Arabs who let them out to the merchants 
 for the transport of their goods. During their route, they are 
 often exposed to the attacks of the roving Arabs of Sahara, 
 who generally commit their depredations on the approach to the 
 confines of the desert. In this tiresome journey, the caravans 
 do not proceed to the place of their destination, in a direct line 
 across the trackless desert, but turn occasionally eastward on, 
 westward, according to the situation of certain fertile, inha- 
 bited, and cultivated spots, called oases, interspersed in various 
 parts of the Sahara, like islands in the ocean. ‘These serve . 
 as watering-places to the men, as well as to feed, refresh, and 
 replenish the hardy and patient camel. At each of these cul- 
 tivated spots, the caravan sojourns about seven days, and then 
 proceeds on its journey, until it reaches another spot of the 
 same description. In the intermediate journeys, the hot 
 winds, denominated Shume, or Simoom, are often so violent, 
 as considerably, if not entirely, to exhale the water carried in 
 skins by the camels for the use of the passengers and drivers. 
 On these occasions it is affirmed by the Arabs, that five hun-, 
 dred dollars have been frequently given for a draught of 
 water, and that ten or twenty dollars are commonly paid, 
 when a partial exhalation has occurred. 
 
 In 1805, a caravan proceeding from 'Tombuctoo to Tafilet, 
 was disappointed in not finding water at one of the usual wa- 
 tering-places, when, horrible to relate, the whole of the per- 
 sons belonging to it, two thousand in number, besides one 
 thousand eight hundred camels, perished of thirst ! Accidents 
 of this nature account for the vast quantities of human and 
 other bones which are found heaped together in various parts 
 of the desert. 
 
 The following is the general route of the caravans, in cross- 
 ing the desert. Having left the city of Fez, the capital of 
 Morocco, they proceed at the rate of three miles and a half 
 ~ an hour, and travel seven hours each day. In the space of 
 eighteen days they reach Akka, where they remain a month 
 as this is the place of rendezvous at which they are formed 
 into one grand accumulated caravan. In proceeding from 
 Akka to 'Tagassa, sixteen days are employed ; and here again, 
 the caravan sojourns fifteen days to refresh the camels. It 
 then directs its course to the oasis and well of Taudeny, which 
 Is reached in seven days; and, after another stay of fifteen 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. $25 
 
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 Wide and Inhospitable Deserts of Africa. 
 
 days, proceeds to Arawan, a watering-place, situated at a like 
 distance. After having sojourned there fifteen days, it sets 
 out, and reaches Tombuctoo on the sixth day, after having 
 performed a journey of fifty-four days of actual travelling, 
 and seventy-five of repose, making, altogether, from Fez to 
 Tombuctoo, one hundred and twenty-nine days, or four lunar 
 months and nine days. 
 
 Another caravan sets out from Wedinoon and Sok Assa, 
 traversing the desert between the black mountains of Cape 
 Bojador and Gualata: it touches at Tagassa and El Garbie, 
 or West Tagassa, where having staid to collect salt, it pro- 
 ceeds to Tombuctoo. The time occupied by this caravan is 
 five or six months, as it proceeds as far as Gibbel-el-bied, 
 or the white mountains, near Cape Blanco, through the 
 deserts of Mograffra and Woled Abusebah, to a place named 
 Agadeen, where it sojourns twenty days. 
 
 The caravans which cross the desert may be compared to 
 fleets of merchant vessels under convoy, the stata, or convoy ~ 
 of the desert consisting of a certain number of Arabs, belong- 
 ing to the tribe through whose territory the caravan passes. 
 Thus, in crossing the territory of Woled Abusebah, it is ac- 
 companied by Sebayfrees, or people of that country, who, on 
 reaching the confines of the territory of Woled Deleim, deliver 
 their charge to the protection of the chiefs of that country. 
 These, again, conduct it to the confines of the territory of the 
 Mograffra Arabs, under whose care it at length reaches 'Tom- 
 buctoo,. Any assault on the caravan during this journey is 
 considered as an insult to the whole tribe to which the convoy 
 belongs ; and for such an outrage they never fail to take am- 
 ple revenge. 
 
 Besides these grand caravans, others cross the desert on an 
 emergency, without a convoy, or guard. ‘This is, however, 
 a perilous expedition—as they are too often plundered near 
 the northern confines of the desert, by two notorious tribes, 
 named Dikna and Emjot. In the year ]798, a caravan con- 
 sisting of two thousand camels, laden with the produce of the 
 Souhan territory, together with seven hundred slaves, was 
 plundered and dispersed, with great slaughter. ‘These des- 
 perate attacks are conducted in the following manner, ‘The 
 tribe being assembled, the horses are picketed at the entrance 
 of the tents, and scouts sent out to give notice when a caravan 
 is likely to pass. ‘These scouts being mounted on the heirie, 
 or fleet horse of the desert, quickly communicate the intelli- 
 gence, and the whole tribe mount their horses, taking with 
 them a sufficient number of female camels, on whose milk they 
 entirely subsist. Having placed themselves in ambush near 
 
- 
 
 396 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LOD LPDOD DO OL LLL E PDOROOOOL DDD DOD LDO OLE DDE POLOGD 
 
 Pilgrimage across the Deserts. 
 an oasis, or watering-place, they issue thence on the arrival 
 of the caravan, which they plunder without mercy, leaving the 
 unfortunate merchants entirely destitute. 
 
 The food, dress, and accommodations of the people who 
 compose the caravans, are simple and natural. Being prohi- 
 bited by their religion the use of wine and intoxicating liquors, 
 and exhorted by its principles to temperance in all things, they 
 are commonly satisfied with a few nourishing dates, and a 
 draught of water, travelling for weeks successively without 
 any other food. At other times, when they undertake a jour- 
 ney of a few weeks across the desert, a little barley meal, 
 mixed with water, constitutes their only nourishment. In 
 following up this abstemious mode of life, they never com- 
 plain, but solace themselves with the hope of reaching their 
 native country, singing occasionally during the journey, when- 
 ever they approach a habitation, or when the camels are 
 fatigued. ‘Their songs are usually sung 7m trio, and those of 
 the camel-drivers who have musical voices join in the chorus. 
 These songs have a surprising effect in renovating the camels; 
 while the symphony, and time maintained by the singers, sur- 
 pass what any one would conceive who has not heard them. 
 The day’s journey is terminated early in the afternoon, when 
 the tents are pitched, prayers said, and the supper prepared 
 by sunset. ‘The guests now arrange themselves in a circle, 
 and, the sober meal being terminated, converse till they are 
 overcome by sleep. At daybreak next morning, they again 
 proceed on their journey. | 
 
 PILGRIMAGE ACROSS THE DESERTS. 
 
 The following very lively description of a pilgrimage across 
 the desert is given by Ali Bey, in his travels in Morocco, 
 Tripoli, &c. It is an animated picture which pourtrays in 
 the strongest colours the perils and sufferings encountered in 
 these enterprises. 
 
 “We continued marching on in great haste, for fear of 
 being overtaken by the four hundred Arabs whom we wished 
 to avoid. For this reason we never kept the common road, 
 but passed through the middle of the desert, marching through 
 stony places, over easy hills. This country is entirely with- 
 out water ; not a tree is to be seen in it, not arock which can 
 offer a shelter or a shade. A transparent atmosphere; an in- 
 tense sun, darting its beams upon our heads; a ground almost 
 white, and commonly of a concave form, like a burning glass; 
 slight breezes, scorching like a flame :—such is a faithful pic- 
 ture of this district, through which we were passing. 
 
 “‘ Every man we meet in'this desert is looked upon as an 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. $27 
 
 PPP LPO LP POP LP PPP. 
 
 BGOPOPPIIG 
 
 PIL LIL PPLE OP LEP OPCPPOOL GEL PPDPODBOCOOOLR. 
 Pilgrimage across the Deserts. 
 
 PPP LEL PIED PL PP DPD LDIL DDE LOG LLL LLL LIGL EL IDL BOODLE DOO LOD LOD LAL ODL OPO ROO DPD OL POP OCOTODOOOD 
 
 enemy. Having discovered about noon a man in arms, on 
 horseback, who kept at a certain distance, my thirteen bedouins 
 united the moment they perceived him, darted like an arrow 
 to overtake him, uttering loud cries, which they interrupted 
 by expressions of contempt and derision ; as, ‘What are you 
 seeking, my brother ?’—‘ Where are you going, my son?’ 
 As they made these exclamations, they kept playing with their 
 guns over their heads. ‘The discovered bedouin profited of his 
 advantage, and fled into the mountains, where it was impos- 
 sible to follow him. We met no one else. 
 
 ‘We had now neither eaten nor drank since the preceding 
 day; our horses and other beasts were equally destitute ; 
 though ever since nine in the evening we had been travelling 
 rapidly. Shortly after noon we had not a drop of water re- 
 maining, and the men, as well asthe poor animals, were worn 
 out with fatigue. The mules, stumbling every moment, re- 
 quired assistance to lift them up again, and to support their 
 burden till they rose. ‘This terrible exertion exhausted the 
 little strength we had left. 
 
 *¢ At two o’clock in the afternoon a man dropped down stiff, 
 and as if dead, from great fatigue and thirst. I stopt with 
 three or four of my people to assist him. The little wet 
 which was left in one of the leathern budgets was squeezed 
 out of it, and some drops of water poured into the poor man’s 
 mouth, but without any effect. I now felt that my own strength 
 was beginning to forsake me ; and becoming very weak, I de- 
 termined to mount on horseback, leaving the poor fellow be- 
 hind. From this moment others of my caravan began to drop 
 successively, and there was no possibility of giving them any 
 assistance ; they were abandoned to their unhappy destiny, as 
 every one thought only of saving himself. Several mules with 
 their burdens were left behind, and I found on my way two 
 of my trunks on the ground, without knowing what was be- 
 come of the mules which had been carrying them, the drivers 
 having forsaken them as well as the care of my effects and of 
 my instruments. A> th win | 
 ‘‘ I looked upon this loss with the greatest indifference, as 
 if they had not belonged to me, and pushed on. But my 
 horse began now to tremble under me, and yet he was the 
 strongest of the whole caravan. We proceeded in silent 
 despair. When I endeavoured to encourage any one of the 
 party to Increase his pace, he answered me by looking steadily 
 at me, and by putting his fore-finger to his mouth to indicate 
 the great thirst by which he was affected. As 1 was reproach- 
 ing our conducting officers for their tnattention, which had 
 occasioned this want of water, they excused themselves by 
 
328 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP OLDE BP PPLDE PPPP PLP LDGP LP PDOL LOE POPPI POO LPG O ODO EPC PLP ODL ODP OPO LDP ODE POE LLOOLDPDOID POE GOGGOD 
 
 Pilgrimage across the Deserts, 
 
 PLOOOCO LOOP LO PLD DOD PDE DLL PDO PLEO DOL ODP DLL LL DL LLL LOL DOL LL POEL LOL DLL LPL PO ODE LL PDIDG PPD DLP 
 
 alleging the mutiny of the oudaias; and besides, added they, 
 ‘Do we not suffer like the rest?’ Our fate was the more 
 shocking, as every one of us was sensible of the impossibility 
 of supporting the fatigue to the place where we were to meet 
 with water again. At last, at about four in the evening, I 
 had my turn and fell down with thirst and fatigue. 
 
 “ Extended without consciousness on the ground, in the 
 middle of the desert, left only with four or five men, one of 
 whom had dropped at the same moment with myself, and all 
 without any means of assisting me, because they knew not: 
 where to find water, and, if they had known it, had not strength 
 to fetch it, I should have perished with them on the spot, if 
 Providence, by a kind of miracle, had not preserved us. 
 
 ‘“¢ Half an hour had already elapsed since I had fallen sense- 
 less to the ground, (as L have since been told,) when, at some 
 distance, a considerable caravan, of more than two thousand 
 _souls, was seen advancing. It was under the direction of a 
 marebout or saint called Sidi Alarbi, who was sent by the 
 Sultan to Ttemsen or Tremecen. Seeing us in this distressed 
 situation, he ordered some skins of water to be thrown over 
 us. After I had received several of them over my face and 
 hands, I recovered my senses, opened my eyes, and looked 
 around me, without being able to discern any body. At last, 
 however, 1 distinguished seven or eight sherifs and fakeers, 
 who gave me their assistance, and showed me much kindness. 
 I endeavoured to speak to them, but an invincible knot in my 
 throat seeméd to hinder me; I could only make myself un- 
 derstood by signs, and by pointing to my mouth with my 
 finger. 
 
 ‘“‘ They continued pouring water over my face, arms, and 
 hands, and at last I was able to swallow small mouthfuls. 
 This enabled me to ask, ‘Who are you?? When they heard 
 me speak, they expressed their joy, and answered me, ‘ Fear 
 nothing; far from being robbers, we are your friends,’ and 
 every one mentioned his name. [I began by degrees to recol- 
 lect their faces, but was not able to remember their names. 
 They poured again over me a still greater quantity of water, 
 gave me some to drink, filled some of my leather bags, and 
 left me in haste, as every minute spent in this place was pre- 
 cious to them and could not be repaired. s 
 
 ““'This attack of thirst is perceived all of a sudden by an ex- 
 treme aridity of the skin; the eyes appear to be bloody, the. 
 tongue and mouth, both inside and outside, are covered with 
 a crust of the thickness of a crown piece; this crust is of a 
 dark yellow colour, of an insipid taste, and of a consistence 
 like the soft. wax from a beehive. A faintness or languor takes 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARYT. 329 
 
 PIG LOGLLLDE OPPPPGP PDD LIP L OE DOE GPE OOF 
 
 Pot OSPF 
 Pilgrimage across the Deserts.—Conviction of J. Miles on Circumstantial Evidence. 
 
 PLL PLIGLPELDOD LOD LOL LDL LIED DPE DE LOL LLILOD OF 
 
 ON a ea ae 
 
 LILLIE LOD LL O LEO LET 
 
 away the power to move; a kind of knot in the throat and 
 diaphragm, attended with great pain, interrupts respiration. 
 Some wandering tears éscape from the eyes, and at last the 
 sufferer drops down to the earth, and in a few moments loses 
 all consciousness. ‘These are the symptoms which I remarked 
 in my unfortunate fellow-travellers, and which 1 experienced 
 myself. | et 
 
 ©] got with difficulty on my horse again, and we proceeded 
 on our journey. My Bedouins and my faithful Salem were 
 gone in different directions to find out some water, and two 
 hours afterwards they returned, one after another, carrying 
 along with them some good or bad water, as they had been 
 able to find it; every one presented to me part of what he 
 had brought: I was obliged to taste it, and I drank twenty 
 times, but as soon as | swallowed it my mouth became as dry 
 as before; at last 1 was not able either to spit or to speak. 
 
 “The greatest part of the soil of the desert consists of pure 
 clay, except some, small traces of a calcareous nature. The 
 whole surface is covered with a bed of chalky calcareous 
 stone of a.whitish colour, smooth, round, and loose, and of 
 the size of the fist; they are almost all of the same dimension, 
 and their surface is carious like pieces of old mortar; | look 
 upon this to be a true volcanic production. ‘This bed is ex- 
 tended with such perfect regularity, that the whole desert is 
 covered with it; a circumstance which makes pacing over it 
 very fatiguing to the traveller. 
 
 ‘* Not any animal is to be seen in this desert, neither quad- 
 rupeds, birds, reptiles, nor insects, nor any plant whatever; 
 and the traveller who is obliged to pass through it, is sur- 
 rounded by the silence of death. It was not till four in the 
 evening that we began to distinguish some small plants, 
 burnt with the sun, and a tree of a thorny nature without 
 blossom or fruit.” - | ae Re 
 
 | [To be continued. | 
 ———a— 
 
 ‘ LAMENTABLE AND SHOCKING CASES OF CONVICTION ON 
 CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. 
 
 JOHN MILES. 
 
 Wixwiam Ripiey kept the Red Cow, a public-house, at 
 Exeter. John Miles was an old acquaintance of Ridley’s, 
 but they had not seen each other for some time (Miles living 
 some distance off,) when they met one morning, as the latter 
 ‘Was going a little way to receive some money. ‘hey ad- 
 journed to the next public-house, and, after drinking toge- 
 ther, Ridley told Miles that he must go shou the business 
 
 14. | U | 
 
330 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARTY. 
 * Lamentable Case of the Conviction of John Miles on Circumstantial Evidence. 
 
 GLIAL PPG LES 
 
 m e 
 
 GPLILLLLELP LD LPS 
 
 PPL PPDLOF 
 
 a 
 
 which brought him from home, which was to receive a sum 
 of money, but made him promise to wait for his coming 
 back. Ridley returned, and they drank together again. 
 Ridley now insisted upon Miles’s accompanying him home to 
 dinner. They dined, they drank, they shook hands, repeated 
 old stories, drank and shook hands again and again, as old 
 acquaintances in the lower classes, after long absence usually 
 do; in fine, they both got at last pretty much in liquor. The 
 room they sat in was backwards, detached as it were from the * 
 house, with a door that went immediately into a yard, and 
 had communication with the street, without passing through 
 the house. 
 _ As it grew late, Mrs. Ridley at length came into the room, 
 and not seeing her husband there, made inquiry after him of 
 Miles. Miles being much intoxicated, all that could be got 
 out of him was, that Ridley went out into the yard some 
 time before, as he supposed, on account of there being no 
 chamber-pot in the room, and had not returned. Ridley was 
 called, Ridley was searched after by all the family; but nei- 
 ther answering, nor being to be met with, Miles, as well as 
 ‘he was able for intoxication, went his way. | 
 Ridley not coming home that night, and some days passing 
 “without his returning or being heard of, suspicions began to 
 arise in the mind of Mrs. Ridley, of some foul play against 
 her husband:on the part of Miles; and these were not a little 
 increased on the recollection that her husband had received a 
 “sum of money that day, and that Miles had replied to her in- 
 quiries after him in a very incoherent, unintelligible, broken 
 -manner, which at the time she had attributed to his being in 
 liquor. These suspicions went abroad, and at length a full 
 belief took place in many that Miles was actually the murderer 
 of Ridley; had gone out with him, rebbed and murdered him, 
 disposed of the body, and slid back again to the room where 
 they were drinking, unseen by any one. 
 
 The officers of justice were sent to take up Miles; and, he 
 giving before the magistrate a very unsatisfactory relation of 
 his parting with Ridley, which, he affirmed, was owing to his 
 having been intoxicated when Ridley went out of the room 
 from him, but which the magistrate ascribed to guiltiness, he 
 was committed to Exeter Gaol for trial. 
 
 Whilst Miles was in confinement, a thousand reports were - 
 spread tending to warp the minds of the people against him. 
 Supernatural as well as natural reasons were alleged in proof 
 of his guilt. Ridley’s house was declared to be haunted! 
 frequent knockings were heard in the dead of the night ; two 
 of the lodgers avowed they had seen the ghost! and, to crown 
 
_CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 331 
 DOPLIP LIP POL IPP IGP POOL EDP LL I POP DOP. : . 
 . _ Lamentable Cases of Conviction on Circumstantial Evidence. 
 
 PPI LL a 
 
 POn 
 
 POF 
 
 PIF 
 
 a 
 
 the whole, an old man, another lodger, positively affirmed 
 that once at midnight his curtains flew open, the ghost of 
 _Ridley appeared all bloody! and, with a piteous look and 
 hollow voice, declared he had been murdered, and that Miles 
 was the murderer. 
 
 Under these prepossessions amongst the weak and super- 
 stitious, and a general prejudice even in the stronger minds, 
 was John Miles brought to trial for the wilful murder of 
 William Ridley. Circumstances upon circumstances were de- 
 posed against him; and, as it appeared that Miles was with 
 Ridley the whole day, both before and after his receiving the 
 money, and that they spent the afternoon and evening toge- 
 ther alone, the jury, who were neighbours of Ridley, found 
 Miles guilty, notwithstanding his protestations, on his de- 
 fence, of innocence; and he was shortly after executed at 
 Exeter. 
 
 It happened that, some time after, Mrs. Ridley left the Red 
 Cow to keep another alehouse, and the person who suc- 
 ceeded her making several repairs in and about the house, in 
 emptying the necessary, which was at the end of a long dark 
 “passage, the body of William Ridley was discovered. In his 
 pockets were found twenty guineas, from whence it was evi- 
 dent he had not been murdered, as the robbing of him was 
 the sole circumstance that could be, and was, ascribed to Miles 
 for. murdering of Ridley. The truth of Miles’s assertions 
 and defence now became doubly evident; for it was recol- 
 lected that the floor of the necessary had been taken up the 
 morning before the death of Ridley, and that, on one side of 
 the seat, a couple of boards had been left up; so that, being 
 much in liquor, he must have fallen into the vault, which was 
 uncommonly deep; but which, unhappily, was not adverted 
 to at the time of his disappearance! 7 
 
 A man was tried for and convicted of the murder of his 
 own father. The evidence against him was merely circum- 
 - stantial, and the principal witness was his sister. She proved 
 that her father possessed a small income, which, with his in- 
 dustry, enabled him to live with comfort; that her brother, 
 the prisoner, who was his heir-at-law, had long expressed a 
 great desire to come into the possession of his father’s effects ; 
 _and that he had long behaved in a very undutiful manner to 
 him, wishing, as the witness believed, to put a period to his 
 existence by uneasiness and vexation; that, on the evening 
 the murder was committed, the deceased -went a small dis- 
 tance from the. house, to milk a, cow he had for some time 
 
332 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Lamentable Conviction on Circumstantial Evidence.—Eddystone Light-house. 
 
 PLOLPDD PLDI DLE LD OE LOC LOD ODI LODE DOL LOL SE ae oe 
 
 PPE LOL LDLE PELL LDL OP 
 
 POP LLP LIT 
 
 kept, and that the witness also went out to spend the evening 
 -and to sleep, leaving only her brother in the house; that, re- 
 turning home early in the morning, and finding that her father 
 and brother were absent, she was much alarmed, and sent for 
 some neighbours to consult with them, and to receive advice 
 what should be done; that, in company with these neigh- 
 bours, she went to the hovel in which her father was accus- 
 tomed to milk the cow, where they found him murdered in a 
 most inhuman manner, his head being almost beat to pieces; 
 that a suspicion immediately falling on her brother, and there 
 being then some snow upon the ground, in which the foot- 
 steps of a human being, to and from the hovel, were ob- 
 served, it was agreed to take one of the brother’s shoes and 
 to measure therewith the impressions in the snow: this was 
 done, and there did not remain a doubt but that the impres- 
 sions were made with his shoes. ‘}hus confirmed in their 
 suspicions, they then immediately went to the prisoner’s 
 room, and after a diligent search, they found a hammer in the 
 corner of a private drawer, with several spots of blood upon 
 it, and with a small splinter of bone, and some brains in a 
 crack which they discovered in the handle. The circum- 
 stances of finding the deceased and the hammer, as described 
 by the former witness, were fully proved by the neighbours 
 whom she had called: and upon this evidence the prisoner 
 was convicted and suffered death, but denied the act to the 
 last. About four years after, the witness was extremely ill, 
 and understanding that there were no possible hopes of her 
 recovery, she confessed that her father and brother having 
 offended her, she was determined they should both die; and, 
 accordingly, when the former went to milk the cow, she fol- 
 lowed him with her brother’s hammer, and in his shoes; that 
 she beat out her father’s brains with the hammer, and then 
 Jaid it where it was afterwards found; that she then went 
 from)-home to give a better colour to this wicked business, 
 and that her brother was perfectly innocent of the crime for 
 which he had suffered. She was immediately taken into cus- 
 tody, but died before she could be brought to trial. 
 
 EE 
 THE EDDYSTONE LIGHT-HOUSE. 
 
 Tue Eddystone Rocks, on which this celebrated Light- 
 house is built, are situated nearly south-south-west from the 
 ‘middle of Plymouth-sound, being distant from the port of 
 Plymouth nearly fourteen miles, and from the Promontory 
 called Ramhead about ten miles. ‘They are almost in the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE ‘AND AR. 333 
 
 PL I PPP GILG LP DDO PPPIPPG POPP IIAP > 
 
 DAR PROOPDI DI IIDID IDI DIO LLL OLD IIOD DILDO DOD 
 ‘The Eddystone Light-house. 
 
 PLP PLL DOD POD DDL BLE LIL DDE PIL LDI LDL LOL LOD DOLE LLL LDP ODE LLL LLL DOI DIL LODO DDG 
 
 DORE PIPL PDL 
 
 line, but somewhat within it, gehich joins the Start and the 
 Lizard Points; and as.they lie nearly in the direction of ves- 
 sels coasting up and down the Channel, they were necessarily, 
 before the establishment of a light-house, very dangerous, 
 and often fatal to ships under such circumstances. Their 
 situation, likewise, relatively to the Bay of Biscay and the 
 Atlantic Ocean, is such, that they lie open to the swells of 
 both from all the south-western points of the compass; which 
 swells are generally allowed by mariners to be very great 
 and heavy in those seas, and particularly in the Bay of 
 Biscay. It is to be observed, that the soundings of the sea, 
 from the south-west towards the Eddystone, are from eighty 
 fathoms to forty, and that in every part, until the rocks are 
 approached, the sea has a depth of at least thirty fathoms; 
 insomuch that all the heavy seas from the south-west reach 
 them uncontrolled, and break on them with the utmost fury. 
 
 The force and height of these seas are increased, by the cir- 
 _cumstance of the rocks stretching across the channel, in a 
 direction north and south, to the length of above one hundred 
 fathoms, and by their lying in a sloping manner toward the 
 south-west quarter. ‘This striving of the rocks, as it is tech- 
 nically called, does not cease at low-water, but still goes on 
 progressively ; so that, at fifty fathoms westward, there are 
 twelve fathoms of water; neither does it terminate at the 
 distance of a mile. From this configuration it happens, that 
 the seas are swollen to such a degree, in storms and heavy 
 gales of wind, as to break on the rocks with tremendous vio- 
 lence. 
 
 It is not surprising, therefore, that the dangers to which 
 navigators were exposed by the Eddystone rocks should have 
 made a great commercial nation desirous to have a light-house 
 erected on them. The wonder is that any one should have 
 had sufficient resolution to undertake its construction. Such 
 a man was, however, found in the person of Mr. Henry Win- 
 stanley, of Littleburgh, in Essex, who, being furnished with 
 the necessary powers to carry the design into execution, en- 
 tered on his undertaking in 1696, and completed it in four 
 years. So certain was he of the stability of his structure, 
 that he declared it to be his wish to be in it “ during the 
 greatest storm which ever blew under the face of the hea- 
 vens.” In this wish he was but too amply gratified; for while 
 he was there with his workmen and light-keepers, that dread- 
 ful storm began, which raged most violently on the night of 
 the 26th of November; 1703; and of all the accounts of the 
 kind with which history has furnished us, not any one has ex- 
 ceeded this in Great Britain, nor has been more injurious or 
 
334 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LILOILSLDILGL OOP 
 
 POL 
 
 The Eddystone Lig ht-house. 
 
 POF PLL LDL GDP LOE LOL LIF 
 
 DOE LOL POP LOGLILGPOLOOLIGP LDS 
 
 ae POP LL LE POL 
 
 extensive in its devastations. On the following morning, 
 when the storm was so much abated, that an inquiry could 
 be made whether the light-house had suffered from it, not 
 any thing appeared standing, with the exception of some of 
 the large irons by which the work was fixed on the rock; nor 
 were any of the people, nor any materials of the building, 
 ever found afterwards. 
 
 In 1709, another light-house was built, of wood, on a very 
 
 different construction, by Mr. John Rudyerd, then a silk- 
 mercer on Ludgate-hill. This very ingenious. structure, 
 after having braved the elements for forty-six years, was 
 burned to the ground in 1755. On the destruction of this 
 light-house, that excellent mechanic and engineer, Mr. Smea- 
 ton, was selected as the fittest person to build another. He 
 found some difficulty in persuading the proprietors, that a 
 stone building, properly constructed, would be in every re- 
 spect preferable to one of wood; but having at length con- 
 vinced them, he turned his thoughts to the shape which would 
 be most suitable to a building so critically situated. Reflect- 
 ing on the structure of the former buildings, it seemed to him 
 a material improvement to procure, if possible, an enlarge- 
 ment of the base, without increasing the size of the waist, or 
 that part of the building placed between the top of the rock 
 and the top of the solid work. Hence he thought a greater 
 degree of strength and stiffness would be gained, accompanied 
 with less resistance to the acting power. On this occasion; 
 the natural figure of the waist, or bole, of a large spreading 
 oak, occurred to our sagacious engineer. 
 - With these very enlightened views, as to the proper form 
 of the superstructure, Mr. Smeaton began the work on the 
 2d of April, 1757, and completed it on the 4th of August, 
 1759. The rock, which slopes towards the south-west, is cut 
 into horizontal steps, into which are dove-tailed, and united 
 by a strong cement, Portland-stone and granite. The whole, 
 to the height of thirty-five feet from the foundation, is a solid 
 body of stones, engrafted into each other, and united by every 
 means of additional strength that could be devised. ‘The 
 building has four rooms, one over the other, and at the top a 
 gallery and lantern. The stone floors are flat above, but con- 
 cave beneath, and are kept from pressing against the sides of 
 the building by a chain let into the walls. It is nearly eighty 
 feet in height, and since its completion, has been assaulted by 
 the fury of the elements, without suffering the smallest injury. 
 
 To trace the progress of so vast an undertaking, and to show 
 with what skill and judgment this unparalleled engineer over- 
 came the greatest difficulties, would far exceed our limits — 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. “$35 
 
 POLI DEP LLP I PPD LOLOL 
 
 POL PLIL IDL DP LLL PLLEGD OLD DPD DDL ODP PDDOPGOBOGE) 
 Curious Account ef Mary Hast. the Female Husband, 
 
 POL LOLO LIP L ELI LE LOD L ED OLDE PDE LOD DOF 
 
 POEPL OD LIL LD LE LAO DEE LE PL DOE OPEL LD GOP BDEL 
 
 MARY EAST, THE FEMALE HUSBAND. 
 
 Axourt the year 1736, a young fellow courted one Mary 
 East, and for him she conceived the greatest liking ; but he, 
 going upon the highway, was tried for a robbery and cast, but 
 was afterwards transported : this so affected our heroine, that 
 she resolved ever to remain single. In the same neighbour- 
 hood lived another young woman, who had likewise met with 
 many crosses in love, and had determined on the like resolu- 
 tion; being intimate, they communicated their minds to each 
 other, and determined to live together ever after. After con- 
 sulting on the best method of proceeding, they agreed that 
 one should put on man’s apparel, and that they would live as 
 man and wife in some part where they were not known: the 
 dificulty now was who was to be the man, which was soon 
 decided, by the toss-up of a halfpenny, and the lot fell. on 
 Mary East, who was then about sixteen years of age, and 
 her partner seventeen. ‘I'he sum they were then possessed of 
 together was about £30; with this they set out, and Mary, 
 after purchasing a man’s habit, assumed the name of James 
 How, by which we will for awhile distinguish her. In the 
 progress of their journey, they happened to light on a little 
 eee at Epping, which was to let; they took it, and 
 
 ived in it for some time; about this period a quarrel hap- 
 pened between James How and a young gentleman. James 
 entered an action against him, and obtained damages of £500. 
 which was paid him. Possessed of this sum, they sought out 
 for a place in a better situation, and took a public-house in 
 Limehouse-hole, where they lived many years as man and 
 wife, saving money, in good credit and esteem: they after- 
 wards left this and removed to the White Horse at Poplar, 
 which they bought, and after that several more houses. | 
 
 About the year 1750, one Mrs. Bentley, who lived on Gar- 
 lick-Hill, and was acquainted with James in her younger 
 days, knowing in what good circumstances she lived, and 
 of her being a woman, thought this a good scheme to build a 
 project on, and accordingly sent to her for £10. at the same 
 time intimating that if she would not send it, she would dis- 
 cover her sex. James, fearful of this, complied with her de- 
 mand, and sent the money. It rested here for a considerable 
 time, during which James lived with his supposed wife in 
 good credit, and had served all the parish-offices in Poplar, 
 excepting constable and churchwarden, from the former of 
 which she was excused by a lameness in her hand, occasioned 
 by the quarrel already mentioned ; the other she was to have 
 the next year, if this discovery had not happened: she had 
 
$36 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Curious Account of Mary East, the Female Husband. 
 
 CLO LOO OLD POC DOO LLLL DL DOP LOL DIE LOD DID IDG DID LELDDIO PDL L IL DEOL OLDLL PDL DIL DDL PDE PDD DDODD OD 
 
 been several times foreman of juries; though her effeminacy 
 indeed was remarked by most. At Christmas 1765, Mrs, 
 Bentley sent again with the same demand for £10. and with 
 the like threatening obtained it: flushed with success, and not 
 yet contented, she within a fortnight after sent again for the 
 like sum, which James at that time happened not to have in 
 the house: however, still fearful and cautious of a discovery, 
 she sent her £5. The supposed wife of James How now died, 
 and the same conscionable Mrs. Bentley now thought of some 
 scheme to enlarge her demand: for this purpose she got two 
 fellows to execute her plan, the one a mulatto, who was 
 to pass for one of Justice Fielding’s gang, the other to be 
 equipped with a short pocket staff, and to act as constable. 
 In these characters they came to the White Horse, and in- 
 quired for Mr. How, who answered to the name; they told 
 her that they came from Justice Fielding to take her into 
 custody for a robbery committed by her thirty-four years ago, 
 and moreover that she wasa woman. ‘Terrified to the greatest 
 degree on account of her sex, though conscious of her inno- 
 cence in regard to the robbery, an intimate acquaintance, one 
 Mr. Williams, a pawnbroker, happening to be passing by, she 
 called to him, and told him the business those two men came 
 about, and withal added this declaration to Mr. Williams,— 
 “JT am really a woman, but innocent of their charge.” On this 
 sincere confession, he told her she should not be carried:to 
 Fielding, but go before her own bench of justices; that he 
 would just step home, put on a clean shirt, and be back in five 
 minutes. . At his departure, the two fellows threatened James 
 How, but at the same time told her, that if she would give 
 them £100. they would trouble her no more; if not, she 
 would be hanged in sixteen days, and they should have £40. 
 a-piece for hanging her. Notwithstanding these threat- 
 enings she would not give them the money, waiting with im- 
 patience till the return of Mr. Williams: on her denial, they 
 immediately forced her out, and took her near the fields, still 
 using the same threats; adding with imprecations, ‘‘ Had you 
 not better give us the £100. than be hanged ?” After awhile 
 they got her through the fields, and “brought her to Garlick- 
 Hill to the house of the identical Mrs. Bentley, where with 
 threats they got her to give a draft on Mr. Williams to Bent- 
 ley, payable in a short time ; which when they had obtained, 
 they sent her about her business. Williams came back punc- 
 tual to his promise, and was surprised to find her gone: he 
 immediately went to the bench of justices to see if she was 
 there, and not finding her, went to Sir John Fielding’s, and 
 not succeeding, came back, when James soon after returned ; 
 
 PPPLOP 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 337 
 
 PRE PDO LLL LLP DLO LPL OL IPL LOE LID LOD LDL ILI LOE OLE DDG LD OLD LDOP PDE GOGGLE LOLOL SF PIE LPS GDP 
 
 Curious Account of Mary East, the Female Husband. 
 
 PLP PIPL LO DPEL LLLP LPL ODP LPL DLE OLDILOD LOL PLP GLO DID EOD LOOP 
 
 when she related to him all that had passed. The discovery 
 was now public. On Monday, July 14, 1766, Mrs. Bentley 
 came to Mr. Williams with the draft, to know if he would 
 pay it, being due the Wednesday after: he told her if she 
 came with it when due, he should know better what to say; 
 in the mean time, he applied to the bench of justices for ad- 
 vice, and Wednesday being come, they sent a constable with 
 others to be in the house. Mrs. Bentley punctually came for 
 the payment of the draft, bringing with her the mulatto man, 
 both of whom were taken into custody, and carried to the 
 bench of justices sitting at the Angel in Whitechapel, where 
 Mr. Williams attended with James How, dressed in the pro- 
 per habit of her sex, now again under her real name of Mary 
 East. ‘The alteration of her dress from that of a man to that 
 of a woman appeared so great, that, together with her awk- 
 ward behaviour in her new-assumed habit, it caused great 
 diversion. 
 
 In the course of their examination Mrs. Bentley denied 
 sending for the £100; the mulatto declared likewise, if she 
 had not sent him for it he should never have gone. In short, 
 they so contradicted each other, that they discovered the 
 whole villainy of their designs. In regard to the ten pounds 
 which Bentley had before obtained, she in her defence urged 
 that Mary Hast had sent it to her. After the strongest proof 
 of their extortion and assault, they were denied any bail, and 
 both committed to Clerkenwell Bridewell, to be tried for the 
 offence: the other man made off, and was not afterwards 
 heard of. At the following session, the mulatto, whose name 
 was William Barwick, was tried for defrauding the female 
 husband of money, and was convicted ; when he was sentenced 
 to four years imprisonment, and to stand four times in the 
 pillory. 7 
 
 During the whole time of their living together as man and 
 wife, which was thirty-four years, they were held in good 
 credit and esteem, having during this time traded for many 
 thousand pounds, and been to a day punctual in their pay- 
 ments; they had also by honest means saved up between 
 £4000. and £5000. It is remarkable that it has never been 
 observed that they dressed a joint of meat in their whole lives, 
 nor ever had any meetings or the like at their house. They 
 never kept either maid or boy; but Mary East, the late James 
 How, always used to draw beer, serve, fetch in and carry out 
 pots herself, so consistent were they in each particular. | 
 
 15. aX 
 
338 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 PPP GOD GDOE EGDLPODPLEIPPDEPOPDPLPODGDPPILOGLOGEPLD LDP 
 Murder in India. 
 
 PLIL LPL LPL PLL ELLE POE LIL LPP LDPE POLOPDOP PODS 
 
 a 
 
 PIQODRDDD 
 
 POF POODOD COD 
 
 MURDER IN INDIA. 
 
 One Khrishnoo Doss, a carpenter, residing at Benyapookur 
 of Etally, in the eastern suburbs of Calcutta, suspected his 
 wife, a very beautiful young woman, to have fallen in love 
 with one of her neighbours. On the evening of the 26th of 
 April, while the woman and her paramour were passing their 
 happiest moments in her own chamber, the carpenter returned ; 
 and so much pressed was he with hunger, that without pay- 
 ing the least attention to any thing that was going on, 
 he, as usual, cried out from the very door, “ Bow, kolah geli 
 bhat de ;’’ that is, “ Come, wife, set my dinner before me.” 
 The voice of her husband filled her mind with terror, and she 
 came out to give him a pot of water to wash his feet, and then 
 went to light up the lamp. The carpenter took his seat upon 
 the lower beam of the door, and the gallant seeing no other 
 means left of making his escape but breaking through the out- 
 side wall, he in that manner effected his retreat. The noise 
 made upon this occasion escaped not the attention of the car- 
 penter, who, thus knowing the treachery of his wife, discovered 
 not the least symptom of anger, but with the same tone as 
 before told her, “* Mah ami aur bhai khabo noh,; amar boro 
 matha dhoriacce ; cholo gye sooya thaki ,” or “1 won't dine 
 now; I have got a severe headach; let us goto rest.” They 
 then went to bed and entered into a long conversation; and. 
 about midnight, seeing his wife wrapped in profound sleep, 
 the carpenter rose up, and to satisfy the violent passion which 
 he had hitherto suppressed, he cruelly thrust a knife into her 
 throat, and thus at once put an end to her days. The perpe- 
 tration of this criminal act gave rise to a variety of reflections 
 in his mind, and he at last came to the conclusion that his cwn 
 life must pay for the murder which he had committed. Very 
 early next morning he locked the door of his house, and went 
 to Callee Ghaut, where having offered a grand Pajoo to the 
 goddess Calloe, he came back to the Kutcherry, at Allipoor, 
 with a garland of Jova (a red flower) on his neck, and. 
 a spot of vermilion on the forehead, after they had been 
 offered to the goddess. Upon his return, and finding the 
 house to be a scene of great noise and tumult, he cried out, 
 “ What’s all this clamour about ?”—“ How came your wife 
 to be murdered ?”’ rejoined the Thannadar. At this Khrishnoo 
 Doss candidly confessed his crime, saying, “ It is | who have 
 killed her; no one else; therefore bind me.” Moreover he 
 boldly related every particular attending the murder of his 
 wife, which induced the Thannadar to secure him and take 
 
 him before Mr. Barwell, the judge of Allipoor. 
 
CURIOSITIBS OF NATURE AND ART, 339 
 
 DPOPLOL OL LED PIPL AGID IS PPPLOS? PP PP PLL LLP IS PPPLIP DIPLO 
 Groaning Tree in Lincolnshire.—Canine Nurse.-—The Algerine Conspiracy, 
 POOL LOL OP LOL POD LDIF POP LPO LD LOL IDG LPOL OD ID ELD OLPIOCE LOE LEE LE OLPOP ODE. PPP DOP 
 
 GROANING TREE IN LINCOLNSHIRE. 
 
 I HAVE a letter by me, says Clarke in his “ Looking Glass,” 
 dated July 7, 1606, written by one Mr. Ralph Bory, to a 
 godly minister in London, wherein he thus writes :— 
 
 “ Touching news, you shall understand, that Mr. Sher- 
 wood hath received a letter from Mr. Arthur Hildersam, 
 which containeth this subsequent narrative: viz. that at 
 Brampton, in the parish of 'Toksey, near Gainsborough, in 
 Lincolnshire, an ash-tree shaketh in body and boughs thereof, 
 sighing and groaning like a man troubled in his sleep, as if it 
 felt some sensible torment. Many have climbed to the top of 
 it, who heard the groans more easily than they could below. 
 But one among the rest, being on the top thereof, spake to 
 the tree, but presently came down much aghast, and lay 
 grovelling on the earth three hours speechless: in the end, 
 reviving, he said, ‘ Brampton, Brampton, thou art much bound 
 to pray.’ ‘The Earl of Lincoln caused one of the arms of the 
 ash to be lopped off, and a hole to be bored through the body, 
 and then was the sound or hollow voice heard more audibly 
 than before, but in a kind of speech which they could not 
 comprehend.” , 
 
 CANINE NURSE. 
 
 In 1805, a small mongrel bitch, the property of a gentle- 
 man in Truro, having a litter of puppies, and being detained 
 from them for the space of three or four days, upon her return 
 found that another bitch (her offspring in a former litter, and 
 then about seven months old) had adopted the litter as her 
 own; and though she had never borne puppies herself, actually 
 suckled her adopted children : and so copiously did the milk 
 flow from this virgin nurse, that she alone nourished and 
 reared the whole litter, while their own mother abandoned 
 them. | 
 
 —<—— 
 THE ALGERINE CONSPIRACY. 
 
 On the 11th of December, 1754, about eight o’clock in the 
 morning, the Dey of Algiers was assassinated in his palace, 
 and the Grand Treasurer mortally wounded, by six soldiers, 
 desperadoes, whilst the Dey and the Treasurer were distri- 
 buting the’ pay to the soldiery, in the court-yard of the palace. 
 The assassins were at last cut to pieces ; though not so soon, 
 but that things hung in the balance for more than half an 
 hour, whether the government should be subverted or not. 
 The Treasurer died of his wounds; he had a pistol-ball in 
 
S40 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Account of the Algerine Conspiracy. 
 
 A i od LOC L LL GDF LPL L LIE LOL OLE LLL LOE PLL PPL LLL PELE LLL LODLEL ELE LDOELDLOLODOE LDE LLP 
 
 his collar-bone, two deep wounds in his arm, two cuts with a 
 sabre across his ‘head, his right hand cut off, and the other 
 cleft down to his wrist.—One of the rebels, after receiving 
 the pay, and taking the Dey’s hand to kiss according to cus- 
 tom, drew a concealed dagger, and thrust it through the Dey’s 
 breast, then fired a pistol, which wounded the Dey in the 
 side. The Dey rose, and walked a few yards, calling to his 
 attendants, &c.—“ if, amongst so many of them, they could not 
 destroy such a villain ;” and then dropped. Another, at the 
 same time, assassinated the Treasurer. The first conspirator, 
 after killing the Dey, took off his turban, and putting. it on 
 his own head, seated himself where the Dey had sat; and think- 
 ing himself secure, from the sanction of the seat, he began to 
 harangue the divan, and the Dey’s Secretaries, who were all 
 seated near him; telling them, that he would govern them; 
 that he would make war with some powers, Algiers being at 
 peace with too many; and that he would do justice to all: 
 brandishing his drawn sabre in his hand. He bid them order 
 the Dey’s band of music, who were there, to play, and the 
 drums to beat ; which the divan was forced to order. He had 
 sat thus unmolested for more than a quarter of an hour, whilst 
 the five others were at work, with their pistols and sabres. 
 When in this crisis (for had he sat but a quarter of an hour 
 longer, the guns would have been fired, and he had been 
 acknowledged sovereign) one of the chiauses, or messengers 
 in the palace, took courage, and snatching up a carbine, fired 
 it at him and killed him. 'This example was followed by some 
 other chiauses, and his five accomplices were also soon 
 destroyed. 
 
 Though there appeared but six actors, it is believed there 
 must have been more at hand, but that the rest, who were 
 perhaps ready to join on the first appearance of success, find- 
 ing afterwards that things went ill, stole off in the crowd; for 
 the Dey was at that time giving pay to no less than three 
 hundred soldiers, in his court-yard. Yet as incredible as it 
 seems, that six men should attempt such an action, it is much 
 more so, that it should have been, as it was, very near suc- 
 ceeding. It was acknowledged on all hands, and even the 
 new Dey, afterwards, declared, “ That had the conspirator 
 kept his seat a few minutes longer, all would have been lost, 
 and the government subverted.”” ‘These men seemed to have 
 laid their scheme, and founded their hope on a circumstance, 
 which one would have thought would have rendered the at- 
 tempt absolutely impossible; but which, however, had brought 
 it very near an accomplishment, viz. the number of soldiers then 
 receiving their pay; who indeed enter without arms, when 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 341 
 
 GIO LOP LOL ILS PLL LOG LEP PLD LL E LOPLL OLD EDDC LOD LOIO LDP LOL 
 
 MLL LOL LLE LS PGLOI POD 
 Algerine Conspiracy.—Singular Intrepidity. 
 
 FREL OL LEOP LOL LODE LDL LL E ODL 
 
 PLLLL PP IL LID LDS 
 
 LPILLLL LLL LDL LLL PDL LOL ODL 
 
 they receive it; but when the conspirators fell to work, the 
 soldiers not imagining such an attempt could be made by six 
 men, without numbers at hand to back them, uncertain for 
 some time what course to take, ran all away by a private 
 back-door to their barracks, lest they might be suspected to 
 be of the number of the conspirators, and the guard of the 
 Dey’s palace, who always wait without the gates completely 
 armed, might come in upon them. But the gates having been 
 shut by some of the conspirators, the guard could not get in 
 to the Dey’s defence, or perhaps had not the courage to at- 
 tempt it; as they concluded, on hearing the pistol shots, and 
 the confusion, that all the soldiers within were confederates, 
 and had come secretly armed for that purpose. Many-more 
 persons were wounded besides the hasnague or treasurer. Ali 
 Bashaw, the aga of the sophis, or generalissimo, was imme- 
 diately sent for, and placed in the seat of the murdered Dey. 
 The cannon were fired, and, in one hour’s time, from the 
 most disturbed situation imaginable, perfect tranquillity was 
 restored to the city.—Gazetieer, December, 1754. 
 
 —=na—— 
 
 SINGULAR. INTREPIDITY. 
 
 A singular instance of intrepidity took place at Agoada, 
 near Goa, on the 21st of March, 1809. Early in the morn- 
 ing a report was received at the cantonments, that a large 
 Cheetur had been seen on the rocks near the sea.. About 
 nine o’clock, a number of officers and men assembled at the 
 spot where it was said to have been seen, when, after some 
 search, the animal was discovered to be in the recess of an 
 immense rock; dogs were sent in, in the hopes of starting 
 him, but without effect, they having returned with several 
 wounds. 
 
 Lieutenant Evan Davies, of the 7th regiment, attempted 
 to enter the den, but was obliged to return, finding the pas- 
 sage extremely narrow and dark. He, however, attempted it 
 a second time, with a pickaxe in his hand, with which he re- 
 moved some obstructions that were in the way, and having 
 proceeded a few yards, he heard a noise, which he conceived 
 to be that of the animal in question. He then returned and 
 communicated this to Lieutenant Threw, of the artillery, who 
 also went in the same distance, and was of a similar opinion. 
 What course to pursue was doubtful; some proposed blow- 
 ing up the rock, others smoking him out. At length a port- 
 fire was tied to. the end of a bamboo, and introduced into a 
 small crevice which led towards the den. Lieutenant Davies 
 went on his hands and knees down the narrow passage which 
 
3AQ CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIP LIL PIL LEO LLOLG EL 
 
 PLP LPL LPL LODE PPP LOD. 
 
 PLL SL 
 
 Singular Intrepidity.x—Turkish Justice. 
 
 POEL ODPL OO LLL LE DELLE OOF 
 
 LIP POP DOP 
 
 LIS 
 
 PPI LD OLBDIL EL LL O LDL DOL. 
 
 PLO LIL. 
 
 POP 
 
 led to it, (which he accomplished with imminent danger to 
 himself,) and by the light he was enabled to discover the 
 animal; having returned, he said he could kill him with a 
 pistol, which being procured, he entered again and fired, but 
 without success, owing to the awkward situation he was then 
 placed in, with his-left hand only at liberty. He went back 
 with a musket and bayonet, and wounded him in the loins, 
 but was obliged to retreat as quick as the narrow passage 
 would allow, the tiger having forced the musket back towards 
 the mouth of the den. He then procured a rifle, with which 
 he again forced his way into the place, and taking a deliberate 
 aim at his head, fired, and put an end to his existence. 
 
 Another difficulty still presented itself; how to get him out 
 required some consideration. Ropes were procured, but 
 every attempt to reach him proved fruitless, till Lieutenant 
 Davies, with a pickaxe in his hand, cut his way into the den, 
 and got sufficiently near to fasten a strong rope round his 
 neck, by which he was dragged out, to the no small satisfac- 
 tion of a numerous crowd of anxious spectators. He mea- 
 sured seven feet and a half from the nose to the tail Bom- 
 bay Courier. 
 
 —=—ai a 
 
 TURKISH JUSTICE. 
 
 A grocer of the city of Smyrna had a son, who, with the 
 help of the little learning the country could afford, rose to 
 the post of naib, or deputy to the cadi, or mayor of that city, 
 and as such visited the markets, and inspected the weights 
 and measures of all retail dealers. One day as this. officer 
 was going his rounds, the neighbours, who knew enough 
 of his father’s character to suspect that he might stand in 
 need of the caution, advised him to shift his weights for fear 
 of the worst; but the old cheat, depending on his relationship 
 to the inspector, and sure, as’ he thought, that his son would 
 never expose him to a public affront, laughed at their advice, 
 and stood very calmly at his shop-door waiting for his com- 
 ing. The naib, however, was well assured of the dishonesty 
 and unfair dealing of his father, and resolved to detect his 
 villainy, and make an example of him. Accordingly he stopped 
 at his door, and said coolly to him, “ Good man, fetch out 
 your weights that we may examine them.” Instead of obey- 
 ing, the grocer would fain have put it off with a laugh, but 
 was soon convinced his son was serious, by hearing him order 
 the officers to search his shop, and seeing them produce the 
 instruments of his frauds, which, after an impartial examima- 
 tion, were’ openly condemned and broken to pieces. His 
 
CWRIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 343 
 
 POPP OP POL LOG LPL ODLOL ED LIL LDL DDE LOO LID DAS 
 
 BPDGPIDPOOPOIIGES 
 Turkish Justice.—The Great Viper of Martinique. 
 
 POPL LO LOC LDOOOLO POC PLD OLD LEDG BOLDLLDE PLE PLLLOL PL GL LEE ODI 
 
 DPOOPLPELAL IO DLE LEP LOD ELS 
 
 shame and confusion, however, he hoped would plead with a 
 son to remit him all further punishment of his crime; but 
 even this, though entirely arbitrary, the naib made as severe 
 as for the most indifferent offender; for he sentenced him to 
 a fine of fifty piastres, and to receive a bastinado of as many 
 blows on the soles of his feet. All this was executed upon 
 the spot; after which the naib, leaping from his horse, threw 
 himself at his feet, and watering them with his tears, address- 
 ed him thus: ‘ Father, 1 have discharged my duty to my 
 God, my sovereign, my country, and my station; permit me 
 now, by my respect and submission, to acquit the debt I owe 
 a parent. Justice is blind; it is the power of God on earth; 
 it has no regard to father or son. God and our neighbours’ 
 rights are above the ties of nature. You had offended against 
 the laws of justice; you deserved this punishment; you would 
 in the end have received it from some other; [ am sorry it 
 was your fate to receive it from me. My conscience would 
 not suffer me to act otherwise. Behave better for the future, 
 -and, instead of blaming, pity my being reduced to so cruel, a 
 necessity.” ‘This done, he mounted his horse again and con- 
 tinued his journey, amidst the acclamations and praises of the 
 whole city for so extraordinary a piece of justice; report of 
 which being made to the Sublime Porte, the Sultan advanced, 
 him to the post of cadi, from. whence, by degrees, he. rose. to: 
 the dignity of mufti, who is the head both of religion and law 
 among the Turks. 
 a 
 
 THE GREAT VIPER OF MARTINIQUE. 
 
 This formidable reptile is peculiar to the islands of Mar- 
 tinique, St. Lucie, and Beconia, and has never been traced to 
 the American continent. On account of its triangular head, 
 resembling that of a spear, it has been named by the French na- 
 turalists Trigonocephalus: when full grown it is nearly eight 
 feet in length, and its bite is highly dangerous. Its agility, is, 
 as well as its mode of darting, very remarkable: it rolls the 
 body in four circles, one upon another, the circumvolutions of 
 which incline all at once at the will of the animal, so as to 
 throw the whole mass forward five or six, feet. After, the 
 manner of the crested or hooded snake, it can raise itself ver- 
 tically on its tail, and thus attain the height of a man; at the 
 Same time that, by means of large scales, laid over each other, 
 with which the belly is covered, this serpent, like the adder, 
 can climb large trees, and creep among the branches, in order 
 to reach the birds’ nests, whose young he devours, and in 
 which he has often been found coiled up. 
 
SAA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIF. 
 
 PGLLPG POLE GFL PIF PIL PLL LLL PLP LOL LLIE PLL LL OLD LD ELE LLL OL DL OL LP BOSIO OL CCDDGLG 
 
 Fascinating Power of Snakes, 
 
 POI PDO LIPL ODL DOL LDL LDL I DD IIE DEP DDS DOD DIDO LOD IE BOE DLO LIL DLL LL DL IG DDD DDO DDG DDD OOO OPODD 
 
 FASCINATING POWER OF SNAKES, 
 
 A remarkable instance of the fascinating power of snakes 
 is given in Lichtenstein’s ‘Travels in Southern Africa. In 
 rambling in the fields near Cape Town, he saw, at the brink 
 of a ditch, a large snake in pursuit of a field mouse. The 
 poor animal was just at its hole, when it seemed in a moment 
 to stop, as if unable to proceed, and, without being touched 
 by the snake, to be palsied with terror. The snake had raised 
 its head over him, had opened its mouth, and seemed to fix 
 its eyes steadfastly upon him. Both remained still awhile; 
 but as soon as the mouse made a motion, as if to fly, the 
 head of the snake instantly followed the movement, as if to 
 stop his way. ‘This sport lasted four or five minutes, till the 
 author’s approach put an end to it: the snake then snapped 
 up his prey hastily, and glided away with it into a neighbour- 
 ing bush. ‘ As I had,” he observes, “ heard a great deal of 
 this magic power in the snake over smaller animals, it was 
 very interesting to me to see a specimen of it. I think it 
 may be made a question, how ae the poisonous 
 breath of the reptile might not really have had the effect of pa- 
 ralysing the limbs of the mouse, rather than that its inability to 
 move proceeded either from the fixed eye of the snake, or the 
 apprehension of inevitable death. It is remarkable, and very 
 certain, that serpents will sport with their prey, as cats do, 
 before they kill it.” 
 
 This author notices several, peculiarities of the snakes of 
 South Africa. A very rare description of serpent is there 
 called the Spurting Snake. It is from three to four feet long, 
 
 of a black colour, and has the singular property, as the colo- 
 nists assert, that, when it is attacked, it spurts out its venom, 
 and knows how to give it such a direction to hit the eyes of. 
 the person making the attack. This is followed by violent 
 pain, and by so great an inflammation, that it frequently oc- 
 casions the entire loss of sight. The Pof-Adder, one of the 
 most poisonous species, is distinguishable by a disproportion- 
 ate thickness, and by a body handsomely spotted with black 
 and white spots on a brownish ground. It has this pecu- 
 liarity, that, when it is enraged, it swells out its neck to a 
 very great size. One which was caught measured in length 
 about an ell and a half, and was about six inches round in its 
 greatest circumference.—One of the species called the Tree 
 Snake, was caught while in the act of climbing up the wall 
 of a farm-house, to take the swallows which had their nests 
 under the roof. This snake is extremely adroit at climbing, 
 and is, therefore, a terrible enemy to small birds, Its bite is 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 3A5 
 
 Saal 
 
 POP LLLP LP DEL PLL OD F 
 
 POOPD IDOL LIL ILI LP LIDLILDIILOLAGIS 
 Fascinating Power of Snakes.—The Elephant. 
 
 PEP PIO LIF DDD LID LDL LIL PDE DIL LILI LLL LOI DEL DDD LDL LDL ODE LDL DLL ODI DDL ODE DOEDLPLLLDD JOP PPO OOP 
 
 extremely venomous, and is considered as mortal. The one 
 
 here noticed measured six feet in length, with a black back 
 
 and greyish belly. In the belly were found six half-digested 
 
 young swallows.—The Lemon Snake measures about five 
 
 feet in length, and has a skin of a fine lemon colour, regu- 
 “larly spotted with black. | 
 
 aii 
 
 THE ELEPHANT. 
 How instinct varies, in the grov’iling swine, 
 Compar’d, half-reasoning elephant, with thine! 
 *T wixt that, and reason, what a nice barrier ! 
 For ever separate, yet for ever near! Pore. 
 
 The largest elephants are from ten to eleven feet in height; 
 some are said to exceed it, but the average is eight or nine 
 feet. ‘They are fifty or sixty years before they arrive at their 
 full growth; and their natural life is about one hundred and 
 twenty years. Their price increases with their merit during 
 a course of education. Some, for their extraordinary qua- 
 lities, become in a manner invaluable; when these are pur- 
 chased, no compensation induces a wealthy owner to part with 
 them. ‘ : 
 
 The skin of the elephant is generally a dark grey, some- 
 times almost black; the face frequently painted with a variety 
 of colours; and the abundance and splendor of his trappings 
 add much to his consequence. In India, the Mogul princes 
 allow five men and a boy to take care of each elephant; the 
 chief of them, called the mahawut, rides upon his neck to_ 
 guide him; another sits upon his rump, and assists in battle; 
 the rest supply him with food and water, and perform the ne- | 
 cessary services. Elephants bred to war, and well disci- 
 plined, will stand firm against a volley of musquetry, and 
 never give way unless severely wounded. One of these ani- 
 mals has been seen with upwards of thirty bullets in the 
 fleshy parts of his body, perfectly recovered from his wounds 
 All are not equally docile; and when an enraged elephant 
 retreats from battle, nothing can withstand his fury: the driver 
 having no longer a command, friends and foes are involved in 
 undistinguished ruin. 
 
 The elephants in the army of Antiochus were provoked to 
 fizht by showing them*the blood of grapes and mulberries. 
 The history of the Maccabees informs us, that “to every 
 elephant they appointed a thousand men, armed with coats of 
 mail, and five hundred horsemen of the best; these were ready 
 at every occasion; wherever the beast was, and whithersoever 
 he went, they went also; and upon the cleans were strong 
 
 2Y¥ 
 
346 CURIOSITIES OF Nf TURE AND ART. 
 
 POL OLIP IP IPIGIIGLLLELIOLOL LISI LILIES LOLLIL LEON FED LPL POLL LDO LOE ABB PLD DD OLD VI GALL 
 
 The Elepant. 
 
 PLDI SLL LOL LPP ELE LIP LOL PEL OEP PEL ORE DLO LD DOE ODE Lys PELL LI PLDI LOL PPL LDPE LOL LEL ODL OLE LOD CDP GOS 
 
 towers of wood, filled with armed men, besides the Indian 
 that ruled them.” | 
 
 Elephants in peace and war know their duty, and are more 
 obedient to the word of command than many rational beings. 
 It is said they can travel, on an emergency, two hundred 
 miles in forty-eight hours; but will hold out for a month, at 
 the rate of forty or fifty miles a-day, with cheerfulness and 
 alacrity. “I performed,” observes Forbes in his Oriental 
 ‘Memoirs, “ many long journeys upon an elephant: nothing 
 could exceed the sagacity, docility, and affection of this noble 
 quadruped. If I stopped to enjoy a prospect, he remained 
 immoveable until my sketch was finished; if I wished for ripe 
 mangoes growing out of the common reach, he selected the 
 most fruitful branch, and breaking it off with his trunk, 
 offered it to the driver for the company in the houdah, ac- 
 cepting of any part given to himself with a respectful salam, 
 by raising his trunk three times above his head, in the man- 
 ner of the oriental obeisance, and as often did he express his 
 thanks by a murmuring noise. When a bough obstructed 
 the houdah, he twisted his trunk around it, and, though of 
 considerable magnitude, broke it off with ease, and often 
 gathered a leafy branch, either to ve off the flies, or as a 
 fan to agitate the air around him, by waving it with his 
 trunk;. he generally paid a visit at the tent-door during 
 breakfast, to procure sugar-candy or fruit, and be cheered by 
 the encomiums and caresses he deservedly met with: no spa- 
 niel could be more innocently playful, nor fonder of those 
 who noticed him, than this docile animal, who, on particular 
 occasions, appeared conscious of his exaltation above the brute 
 creation.” 
 
 However surprising may be the docility of this animal, 
 when tamed, its sagacity, in a savage state even, is a sub- 
 ject of still greater wonder, as is evidenced by the follow- 
 ing narrative extracted from Lichtenstein’s Travels in 
 Southern Africa. 
 
 “Two individuals, named Miller and Prince, being en- 
 gaged, in the Caffre territory, where these animals abound, 
 in an elephant hunt, discovered the footsteps of a very large 
 elephant, and soon espied the animal himself on the declivity 
 of a naked and widely outstretched hill. Itis a rule, when 
 an elephant is thus found, to endeavour to get above him on 
 the hill, to the end that, in case of necessity, the hunter may 
 fly to the summit, whither the animal, on account of the un- 
 wieldiness of its body, cannot follow him fast. This precau- 
 tion was neglected by Prince, who shot too soon, while they 
 were yet at too great a distance, and the elephant on higher 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 347. 
 
 PE PIO PDD LOE PDO L LILLIE LG LILLIE LOD LOS LLL LDL DOD PLOLIG DOLD IDE DODDIST PDP IDE PPC LEP- , 
 
 The Elephant. 
 
 PLPL PLD LPOP PDP LLD GLP LOE POE OLOPGE LOD OLDOPIS. PLO LLGP SDE POP LLP 
 
 ground than himself and his companion. The wounded ani- 
 mal rushed down towards them, while they endeavoured to 
 push their horses on, and gain the brow of the hill. Being 
 able, on favorable ground, to run as fast as a horse, he soon 
 came up with them, and struck with his tusk at Miiller’s: 
 thigh, he being the nearest of the two fugitives. Miller now 
 considered his fate as inevitable, as he endeavoured in vain 
 to set his almost exhausted horse into a gallop, and saw the 
 animal, after giving a violent snort, raise his powerful trunk 
 above his head. It was not, however, on himself, but on his 
 companion, that the stroke fell; and in an instant he saw him 
 snatched from his horse, and thrown up into the air. Scarcely 
 in his senses, he continued his flight, and only in some degree 
 recovered himself by finding Prince’s horse running by his 
 side without a rider: then looking back, he saw his unfortu- 
 nate friend on the ground, and the elephant stamping upon 
 him with the utmost fury. He was now convinced, not with- 
 out the greatest astonishment, that the sagacious animal had 
 distinguished which of the two it was who wounded him, and 
 wreaked his whole vengeance upon him alone. Miller, on 
 this, went in search of the rest of the party, that they might 
 collect the mangled. remains of their companion, and bury 
 them; but they were soon put to flight by the elephant rush- 
 ing again from a neighbouring thicket, to vent his wrath once 
 more upon the corpse, already so dreadfully mangled. While 
 he was busied in doing this, however, he was attacked by the 
 dispersed hunters, and sacrificed to the manes of his unfortu- 
 nate victim.” 
 
 The contrivances for taking elephants are various; but the 
 most curious are those employed by the natives of Ceylon, 
 where the finest race of these animals is found. They some- 
 times surround the woods in bands, and drive, with lighted 
 torches, and amid the clamour of trumpets, discharge of fire- 
 arms, and noises of every description, the elephants which 
 inhabit them, till they are at length entrapped into a particu- 
 lar spot surrounded with palisades, so as to prevent all escape. 
 At other times a kind of decoy, or female elephant, is sent 
 out in order to induce some of the males to pursue her, who 
 are by that means secured. When a wild elephant is taken, 
 it still remains to reduce it to a quiet state, and to tame it, in 
 order to its being made useful: this is effected by throwing 
 ropes round the legs and body, which are well secured; and 
 two tame elephants, properly instructed, are placed on each 
 side. The captive animal finds himself gradually so fatigued 
 by his ineffectual struggles, and so much soothed by the ca- 
 resses occasionally given by the trunks of the tame elephants, 
 
538 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOO OL GLO SLID LI LOO LOPE LILI PLPLILLLE LLP BLL OPE OLL ELE BOL LOD LOL LLL LDL LLLLDDPDPDOPP 
 
 The Elephant. 
 
 POL PIL DIF LIE POLPDPOL PLL LPLIL LILLE LLL LOOP DL LDP 
 
 PF 
 
 PLL LOL ELE LLL DOP DLP 
 
 by the food from.time to time presented to him, and the water 
 with which he is refreshed by its being poured over him, that 
 in the space of a few days, unless more than usually untract- 
 able in his nature, he becomes completely tame, and is placed 
 with the rest of the domesticated troop. Sometimes, in order 
 more effectually to subdue them, the elephants are deprived 
 of sleep for a considerable time. 
 
 The anecdotes recording the sagacity, and also the amiable 
 qualities, of the elephant are numerous. Of these, the follow- 
 ing are selected as highly interesting. In Delhi, an elephant 
 passing along the streets, put his trunk into a tailor’s shop, 
 where ‘several persons were at work. One of them pricked 
 the end of the trunk with his needle; the beast passed on; 
 but at the next dirty puddle filled his trunk with water, re- 
 turned to the shop, and, spurting it among those who had 
 offended him, spoiled their work.—At Adsmeer, an elephant 
 who often passed through the bazar, or market, as he went 
 by. a certain herb-woman, always received from her a mouth- 
 ful of greens: at length he was seized with one of his period- 
 ical fits of rage, broke his fetters, and, running through the 
 market, put the crowd to flight, and, among others, this wo- 
 man, who, in her haste, forgot a little child she had brought. 
 with her. ‘The animal recollecting the spot where his bene- 
 factress was wont to sit, took up the infant gently with his 
 trunk, and placed it in safety on a stall before a neighbouring 
 house.—At the same place, another elephant, in his madness, 
 killed his cornac, or governor: the wife, witnessing the mis- 
 fortune, took her two children and flung them before the ele- 
 phant, saying: “now you have destroyed their father, you 
 may as well put an end to their lives and mine.” it instantly 
 stopped, relented, took the eldest. of the boys, placed him on 
 his neck, adopted him for his governor, and never afterwards 
 would permit any other: person to mount him.—A painter was 
 desirous of drawing the elephant kept in the menagerie at 
 Versailles in an uncommon attitude, namely, that of holding 
 his trunk raised up in the air, with his mouth open. The 
 painter’s boy, in order to. keep the animal in this posture, 
 threw fruit into his mouth; but as the lad frequently deceived 
 him, and made an offer only of throwing the fruit, he grew 
 angry; and, as if he had known that the painter’s mtention 
 of drawing him was the cause of the affront thus offered, in- 
 stead of avenging himself on the lad, he turned his resent- 
 ment on the master, and taking up a quantity of water in his 
 trunk, threw it on the paper on which the painter was draw- 
 ing, and spoiled it. 
 
Za ORGS oO bi ay od AOE O 
 
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 tt 
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 gu 
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 i 
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 ye 
 
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 UA TA 
 
 dtl 
 rill i} 
 
 Mi 
 
CURIOSITZIES OF NATURE AND ART. 349 
 
 DOIISOIL IOP LIS LLOLF EL DIDO PL DLS LL IL OD LOS DODL DL DOO LOD DPDLOD DEOL OE ~6L ILL LSP LEDIDP OF A 
 
 The Orang Outang, 
 
 CRE LOL LOE LPC LIP PEL ELE PLE LLL LOL OLE EPA LLEL ERE POI LOD SLD LLD DDE LLL OLPEOCEL PDE PEL AOL LOL BOLD ORD 
 
 THE ORANG OUTANG. 
 
 Tuis singular animal, likewise called the satyr, great ape, 
 or man of the woods, which has, on account of its near ap- 
 proximation to the human species, so strongly excited the 
 attention of naturalists, is a native of the warmer parts of 
 Africa and India, where it resides principally in woods, on 
 the fruits of which it feeds, like the other species of the simia 
 race. Such of these animals as have been imported into 
 Kurope have rarely exceeded the height of two or three feet, 
 and have therefore been supposed to be young; those full 
 grown being said to be at least six feet in height. ‘The gene- 
 ral colour of the orang outang is a dusky brown: the face is 
 bare ; the ears, hands, and feet nearly similar to the human; 
 and the whole appearance such as to exhibit the most striking 
 approach to the human figure. The likeness, however, is 
 only a general one, and the structure of the hands and feet, 
 when examined with an anatomical precision, seems to prove 
 that the animal was principally designed by nature for the 
 quadrupedal mode of walking, and not for an upright posture, 
 which is only occasionally assumed, and which, in those exhi- 
 bited to the public, is, perhaps, rather owing to instruction 
 than truly natural. Buffon, indeed, makes it one of the dis- 
 tinctive characters of the real or proper apes, of which the 
 orang outang is the chief, to walk erect on two legs only; 
 and it must be granted that these animals support an upright 
 posture much more easily and readily than most other quae 
 drupeds, and may probably be often seen in this attitude even 
 in a state of nature. 
 
 The manners of the orang outang, when in captivity, are 
 gentle, and perfectly devoid of that disgusting ferocity so con- 
 spicuous in some of the larger baboons and monkeys. It is 
 mild and docile, and may be taught to perform, with dexterity, 
 a variety of actions in domestic life. ‘Thus it has been seen 
 to sit at table, and, in its manner of feeding and general be- 
 haviour, to imitate the company in which it was placed; to 
 pour out tea, and drink it without awkwardness or restraint ; 
 to prepare its bed with exactness, and compose itself to sleep 
 ina proper manner. Such are the actions recorded of one 
 which was exhibited in London, in the year 1738. 
 
 The orang outang described by Buffon was mild, affection- 
 ate, and good-natured. His air was melancholy, his gait 
 grave, his movements measured, his dispositions gentle, and 
 very different from those of other apes. He had neither the 
 impatience of the Barbary ape, the maliciousness of the baboon, 
 nor the extravagance of the monkey tribe. “It may be alleged,” 
 
350 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LOD FOP PEO LODLGF 
 
 LIE LDOP LIDS LDPE PLO PDE LDL LOOP LLG LOLOL OO POP LOC LOOL GOEL LE DLE DOGOGD 
 The Orang Outang. 
 
 PEP PLOLDDEL EL LDOL OO LIOGLOE LOD LIS LDL LD F 
 
 LIF. 
 
 LEG L DIO LOD DDG 
 
 . observes this writer, “that he had had the benefit of instruction; 
 but the other apes J shall compare with him were educated in 
 the same manner. Signs and words alone were sufficient to 
 make our orang outang act; but the baboon required a 
 cudgel, and the other apes a whip; for none of them would 
 obey without blows. 1 have seen this animal present his hand 
 to conduct the persons who came to visit him, and walk as 
 gravely along with them as if he had formed a part of the 
 company. I have seen him sit down at table, unfold his nap- 
 kin, wipe his lips, use a spoon or a fork to carry the victuals 
 to his mouth, pour his liquor into a glass, and make it touch 
 that of the person who drank along with him. When invited 
 to take tea, he brought a cup and a saucer, placed them on 
 the table, put in sugar, poured out the tea, and allowed it to 
 cool before hedrank it. All these actions he performed without 
 any other instigation than the signs or verbal orders of his 
 master, and often of his own accord. Far from doing an in- 
 jury to any one, he even approached company with circum- 
 spection, and presented himselfas if he wished to be caressed.” 
 
 Dr. Tyson, who, about the close of the seventeenth century, | 
 gave a very exact description of a young orang outang, then 
 exhibited in the metropolis, observes that, in many of its 
 actions, it seemed to display a very high degree of sagacity, 
 and was the most gentle and affectionate creature imaginable. 
 Those whom it had known on shipboard it embraced with the 
 greatest tenderness, opening their bosoms, and clapping its 
 hands around them; and although several monkeys had been 
 embarked, still it was observed that, during the passage to 
 England, it would never associate with them, and, as if nothing 
 akin to them, would carefully avoid their company. 
 
 But however docile and gentle the orang outang may be, 
 when taken young, and instructed, it is said to be possessed 
 of great ferocity in its native state, and is considered as a 
 dangerous animal, capable of readily overpowering the 
 strongest man. Its swiftness is equal to its strength, and 
 for this reason it is but rarely to be obtained in its full-grown 
 state, the young alone being taken. 
 
 The orang outang now exhibiting at Exeter "Change, is a 
 native of Borneo, and is remarkable, not only on account of 
 its extreme rarity, but as possessing, in many respects, a strong 
 resemblance to man. What is technically denominated the 
 cranium is perfectly human in its appearance; the shape of 
 the upper part of the head, the forehead, the eyes (which are 
 dark and full), the eyelashes, and, indeed, every thing relat- 
 ing to the eyes and ears, differing in no respect from man. 
 ‘The hair of his head, however, is merely the same which 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 351 
 
 FPODPDCDELODPLODPLDFSCOS EGET 0 2b: 
 
 SOOGOL DIP IILIG LAID IILLIIOIIGOIG 
 The Orang Outang. 
 
 POL LAAE 
 
 PLPLIL LOO OOD PPI PLP PDI EADE PDD EL LODO PDE DODP ODI PLE LLG PLOL OD DOP OLE OPP 
 
 covers his body generally. The nose is very flat,—the dis- 
 tance between it and the mouth considerable ; the chin, and, 
 in fact, the whole of the lower jaw, is very large, and his teeth, 
 twenty-six in number, are strong. The lower part of his face 
 is what may be termed an ugly, or caricature, likeness of the 
 human countenance. The position of the scapule, or shoulder- 
 blades, the general form of the shoulders and breasts, as well 
 as the figure of the arms, the elbow-joint especially, and the 
 hands, strongly continue the resemblance. The metacarpel, 
 or that part of the hand immediately above the fingers, is 
 somewhat elongated ; and, by the thumb being thrown a little 
 higher up, nature seems to have adapted the hand to his mode 
 of life, and given him the power of grasping more effectually 
 the branches of trees. The fingers, both of the hands and 
 feet, have nails exactly like those of the human race, with the 
 exception of the thumb of the foot, which is without a nail. 
 
 He is corpulent about the abdomen, or, to employ the com- 
 mon phrase, rather pot-bellied, looking like one of those 
 figures of Bacchus often seen riding on casks: but whether 
 this is his natural appearance when wild, or acquired since 
 his introduction into new society, and by indulging in a high 
 style of living, it is difficult to determine. 
 
 His thighs and legs are short and bandy, the ankle and heel 
 like the human ; but the fore-part of the foot is composed of 
 toes, as long and as pliable as his fingers, with a thumb a lit- 
 tle situated before the inner ankle ; this conformation enabling 
 him to hold equally fast with his feet as with his hands. 
 When he stands erect, he is about three feet high, and he can 
 walk, when led, like a child; but his natural locomotion, 
 when on a plain surface, is supporting himself along at every 
 step, by placing the knuckles of his hands upon the ground. 
 
 His natural food appears to be all kinds of fruits and nuts ; 
 but when he was embarked on board the Cesar, the vessel 
 which brought him to England, Mr. M‘Leod observes, in his 
 Narrative, that he ate biscuit, or any other sort of bread, 
 and sometimes animal food. He drank grog, and even spirits, 
 if given to him; and has been known repeatedly to help him- 
 self in this way; he was also taught to sip his tea or coffee: 
 and since his arrival in England, has discovered a taste for a 
 pot of porter. His usual conduct, while on board, was not 
 mischievous and chattering, like that of monkeys in general ; 
 but he had rather a grave and sedate character, and was much 
 inclined to be social and on good terms with every body. He 
 made no difficulty, however, when cold, or inclined to sleep, 
 in supplying himself with any jacket he found hanging about, 
 
352 GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLE LOL OIL. 
 
 LIL LDF BD OLD PDP CDG OOD OOD 
 Wide and Inhospitable Deserts—Sands of the Desert. 
 
 PLE FPDP LAD PDO P LOL BVOLIF LEE LAD EDS ICE LEP LODE SF 
 
 PLE LIL LOOP OLE 
 
 LOPS LOL LOE LES 
 
 LLLOLLE LOD L LO PLP 
 
 or in‘stealing a pillow from a hammock, in order to lie more 
 soft and comfortably. 
 
 Sometimes, when teazed by showing him something to eat, 
 he would display, in a very strong manner, the human pas- 
 sions; following the person whining and crying, throwing him- 
 self on his back, and rolling about apparently in a great 
 rage, attempting to bite those near him, and frequently lower- 
 ing himself by a rope over the ship’s side, as if pretending to 
 drown himself; but when he came near the water’s edge, he 
 always reconsidered the matter, and came on board again. 
 He would often rifle and examine the pockets of his friends 
 in quest of nuts and biscuits, which they sometimes carried 
 for him. He had a great antipathy to the smaller tribe of 
 monkeys, and would throw them overboard if he could; but 
 in his general habits and dispositions there was much docility 
 and good-nature, and when not annoyed, he was extremely 
 inoffensive. 
 
 << 
 
 WIDE AND INHOSPITABLE DESERTS. 
 [Coneluded from page 329. | 
 SANDS OF THE DESERT. 
 
 “ Now o’er their head the whizzing whirlwinds breathe, 
 And the live desert pants aud heaves beneath; 
 Tinged by the crimson sun, vast columns rise 
 Of eddying sands, and war amid the skies; 
 In red arcades the billowy plain surround, 
 And stalking turrets dance upon the ground.” DARWIN. 
 
 In the pathless desert, high mounds of sand, shifting with 
 every change of wind, surround the traveller on every side, 
 and conceal from his view all other objects. ‘There the wind 
 is of a surprising rapidity, and the sand so extremely fine, 
 that it forms on the ground waves which resemble those of 
 the sea. ‘These waves rise up so fast, that in a very few hours 
 a hill from twenty to thirty feet high is transported from one 
 place to another. ‘The shifting of these hills, however, does 
 not take place on a sudden, as is generally believed, and is 
 not by any means capable of surprising and burying a caravan 
 while on the march. The mode in which the transposition of 
 the hills takes place is not difficult of explanation. ‘The wind 
 sweeping the sand from the surface continually, and that with 
 an astonishing rapidity, the ground lowers every moment: 
 but the quantity of sand in the air, increasing as quickly by 
 successive waves, cannot support itself there, but falls in 
 
' - 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 353 
 
 POLL LPL LI PDO PDO DOP 
 Wide and Inhospitable Deserts—Sands of the Desert. 
 
 PAP LIP ODPLODP PELE LOOP DLLD PLP LLEO LDL LLDO LOD D OF 
 
 COP ROP L OF 
 
 POPP LL LLL ELLE LOD LOLS ODE PPE 
 
 PIP 
 
 heaps, and forms a new hill, leaving the place it before occu- 
 pied level, and with the apbearance of having been swept. __ 
 
 It is necessary to guard the eyes and mouth against the 
 quantity of sand which is always flying about in the air; and 
 the traveller has to seek the right direction, to avoid. being 
 lost in the windings made in the middle of the hills of sand 
 which bound the sight, and which shift from one spot to ano- 
 ther so often, as not to leave any thing to be seen besides the 
 sky and sand, without any mark by which the position can be 
 known. Even the deepest footstep in the sand of either man 
 or horse disappears the moment the foot is raised. 
 
 The immensity, the swiftness, and the everlasting motion of 
 these waves disturb the sight both of men and beasts, so that 
 they are almost continually marching as if in the dark. The 
 camel gives here a proof of his great superiority; his long 
 neck, perpendicularly erected, removes his head from the 
 ground, and from the thick part of the waves; his eyes are 
 well defended by thick eyelids, largely provided with hair, 
 and which he keeps half shut; the construction of his feet, 
 broad and cushion-like, prevents his treading deep into the 
 sand; his long legs enable him to pass the same space with 
 only half the number of steps of any other animal, and there- 
 fore with less fatigue. These advantages give him a solid 
 and easy gait, on a ground where all other animals walk with 
 slow, short, and uncertain steps, and in a tottering manner. 
 Hence the camel, intended by nature for these journeys, affords 
 a new motive of praise to the Creator, who in his wisdom has 
 given the camel to the African, as He has bestowed the rein- 
 deer on the Laplander. 
 
 Lieutenant Pottinger, in his Travels in Beloochistan, a 
 province of India, gives the following interesting account of. 
 these curious phenomena. He had to pass over a desert of — 
 red sand, the particles of which were so light, that when taken 
 in the hand they were scarcely more than palpable, the whole 
 being thrown by the winds into an irregular mass of waves, 
 principally running east and west, and varying in height from 
 ten to twenty feet. The greater part of them rose perpendi- 
 cularly on the opposite side to that from which the prevailing 
 north-west wind blew, and might readily have been fancied, 
 at a distance, to resemble a new. brick wall. ‘The side facing 
 the wind sloped off with a gradual declivity towards the base 
 of the next windward wave, again ascending in a straight 
 line, in the same extraordinary manner as above described, so 
 as to form a hollow or path between them. Our traveller 
 kept as much in these paths as the direction he had to take 
 me allow; but it was not without great difficulty and. 
 
 ° 22 
 
3a4 CURIOSITIES GF NATURE AND ART. 
 PLLLPID LLE GL LDOD OS PAPI PIL LOD LPL LOLOL OL ELL PLE DID DLE LLODL EL LL EDI LIL OR FAP FDL DP PLE ELE LLL LOS 
 
 Wide and Inhospitable Deserts—Sands of the Desert. 
 
 POL LIF PLELPEP LOE LDL DO DODLODE DIOP OLE LIL LOL PELE LOL DLE POE LOD LOE LOC ELE LOED LL POL OLDE LOD DOE EOP OLD 
 
 fatigue that the camels were urged over the waves, when it 
 was requisite to do so, and more particularly when they had 
 to clamber up the leeward or perpendicular face of them, in 
 attempting which they were often defeated.. On’ the oblique 
 or shelving side they ascended pretty well, their broad feet 
 saving them from sinking deeper than did the travellers them- 
 selves; and the instant they found the top of the wave giving 
 way from their weight, they most expertly dropped on their 
 knees, and in that posture gently slid down with the sand, which 
 was luckily so unconnected, that the leading camel usually 
 caused a sufficient breach for the others to follow on foot. 
 The night was spent under shelter of one of these sand waves, 
 the surrounding atmosphere being uncommonly hot and close. 
 
 On the following day, in crossing a desert of the same de- 
 scription, the like impediments occurred; but these were 
 trifling compared with the distress suffered, not only by our 
 traveller and his people, but also by the camels, from the 
 floating particles of sand—a phenomenon for which he con- 
 fesses himself at a loss to account. When he first observed 
 it, in the morning, the desert appeared to have, at the distance 
 of halfa mile or less, an elevated and flat surface from six to 
 twelve inches higher than the summits of the sand waves. 
 This vapour appeared to recede as he advanced, and once or 
 twice completely encircled his party, limiting the horizon to a 
 very confined space, and conveying a most gloomy and un- 
 natural sensation to the mind of the beholders, who were at 
 the same moment imperceptibly covered with innumerable 
 atoms of small sand, which getting into the eyes, mouth and 
 nostrils, caused excessive irritation, attended by an extreme 
 thirst, which was increased in no small degree by the intense 
 heat of the sun. ‘This annoyance is supposed by the natives 
 to originate in the solar beams causing the dust of the desert, 
 as they emphatically call it, to rise and float through the air— 
 a notion which appears to be in a great measure correct, this 
 sandy ocean being only visible duriag the hottest part of the 
 day. The following simple theory of these moving sands is 
 submitted by the author. When the violent whirlwinds which 
 prevail in the desert terminate in gusts of wind, they usually 
 expand over several square miles of surface, raging with irre- 
 sistible force, and bearing upwards an immense body of sand, 
 which descends as the curient of air that gave it action dies 
 away, thus creating the extraordinary appearance in question. 
 If it should be asked what prevents the sand from subsiding 
 altogether, when it has so far accomplished this as to rest ap- 
 parently on the waves, the answer is, that all the grosser 
 particles do settle, but that the more minute ones become 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. $55 
 
 DODD DIOL DOL LIL DE BAL LELO PPP ADP OLE BLL LOLOL LD LL OLDE PDD PLD ODP PIOIDDLDOIPDOD PPO DGIDP OL DOPODE SD 
 Wide and [nhospitable Deserts—Sards of the Desert. 
 
 CDDLIL LD DIP EE LLP PLP OE DOL DL BLO LIS DOD LIL ODD LL DDO IO? 
 
 PLP PAF PLP IGF 
 
 rarefied to such a degree by the heat produced by the burning 
 sand on the red soil, that they remain as it were in an unde- 
 cided and undulating state, until the returning temperature 
 restores their specific gravity, when, by an undeviating law. 
 of nature, they sink to the earth. ‘This in some measure 
 coincides with the opinion of the native Brahoes; but, con- 
 formably to their notion, it is evident that the floating sands 
 would be apparent at all periods of excessive solar influence, 
 which not being the case, it becomes necessary to find a pri- 
 mary cause for the phenomenon. ‘To remove any suspicion 
 of his having been deceived in the reality of this floating va- 
 pour of sand, he adds that he has seen this phenomenon, and 
 the Suhrab, or watery illusion so frequent in deserts, called 
 by the French mirage, in opposite quarters at the same mo- 
 ment, each of them being to his sight perfectly distinct. 
 While the former had a cloudy and dim aspect, the latter was 
 luminous and could only be mistaken for water. To corro- 
 borate what he has here advanced, he states that he was after- 
 wards joined by a fakeer from Kaboul, who informed him 
 that he had witnessed the moving sands, in passing through 
 the desert from,Seistan, to a much greater degree than has 
 been described; and, what is scarcely credible, he spoke of 
 having been forced to sit down, in consequence of the density 
 of the cloud in which he was enveloped. 
 
 Our traveller next proceeds to a curious description of the 
 pillars or columns of sand formed in the deserts. He expe- 
 rienced a violent tornado, or gust of wind, which came on so 
 suddenly, that if he had not been apprised of its strength by 
 the guide, it might have been disastrous to his party, in whom 
 it would have been an act of temerity to have endeavoured 
 to sit on the camels during its impetuous fury. Before it be- 
 gan, the sky was clear, save a few small clouds in the north- 
 west quarter; and the only warnings it afforded were the op- 
 pressive sultriness of the air, and a vast number of whirlwinds 
 springing up on all sides. ‘These whirlwinds, he observes, 
 might perhaps be more correctly expressed by some other 
 name; but as the wind issued from them he adopts the term. 
 They are vast columns of sand, which begin by a trifling agi- 
 tation, with a revolving motion’ on the surface of the desert, 
 and gradually ascend and expand, until their tops are lost to 
 the view. In this manner they move about with every 
 breath of wind, and are observed, thirty or forty of them at 
 the same time, of different dimensions, apparently from one 
 to twenty yards in diameter. ‘Those who have seen a water- 
 spout at sea may exactly conceive the same formed of sand 
 on shore, The moment the guide saw the whirlwinds dis- 
 
556 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DODIPGP POP DOP OPP PPO LLLP LPP POOLED ODE POLL OD GOP LOD GICLEE DDE LOD ELE LOD LLCO DDEOLP LOD OPP PLE OG POOP 
 
 Wide and Inhospitable Deserts—Sands of the Desert. 
 
 PLP PPP PPE PLP LPLPLP PIL DEDE FODP EL 
 
 perse, which they did as if by magic, and a cloud of dust ap- 
 proaching, he advised the party to dismount, which they had 
 hardly time to do, and lodge themselves snugly behind the 
 camels, when a storm burst upon them with a furious blast of 
 wind, the rain falling in huge drops, and the air being so 
 completely darkened, that they were unable to discern any ob- 
 ject at the distance of even five yards. 
 
 The following is Bruce’s account of this singular pheno- 
 menon, which he represents as one of the most magnificent 
 spectacles imaginable, and by which himself and his compa- 
 nions were at once surprised and terrified. Having reached 
 the vast expanse of desert which lies to the west and north- 
 west of Chendi, they saw a number of prodigious pillars of 
 sand at different distances, at times moving with great cele- 
 rity, and at others stalking along with majestic slowness. At 
 intervals the party thought they should be overwhelmed by 
 these sand pillars; and small quantities of sand did actually 
 more than once reach them. Again, they would retreat so 
 as to be almost out of sight, their summits reaching to the 
 very clouds. There the tops often separated from the bodies; 
 and these, once disjointed, dispersed in the air, and did not 
 appear more. They were sometimes broken near the middle, 
 as if struck with a large cannon-shot. About noon they began 
 to advance with considerable swiftness upon the party, the 
 wind being very strong at north. Eleven of them ranged 
 alongside, at about the distance of three miles from them; 
 and at this interval the greatest diameter of the largest of 
 them appeared to Mr. Bruce to be about ten feet. They re- 
 tired with a wind at south-east, leaving an impression on our 
 traveller’s mind, to which he could give no name, though 
 assuredly one of its ingredients was fear, blended with a con- 
 siderable portion of wonder and surprise. It was in vain to 
 think of flying: the swiftest horse, or fastest-sailing ship, 
 would not have been of any use in rescuing him from his 
 danger. ‘The full persuasion of this riveted him as it were 
 to the spot where he stood, and he allowed the camels to gain 
 on him so much, that it was with difficulty he could overtake 
 them. , 
 
 On a subsequent occasion, an assemblage of these moving 
 pillars of sand, more numerous, but less in size than the 
 former, appreached Mr. Bruce’s party soon after sunrise, 
 and appeared like a thick wood. They almost darkened the 
 sun, the rays of which, shining through them for nearly an 
 hour, gave them an appearance of pillars of fire. His people 
 became desperate, some saying it was the day of judgment— 
 and others, that the world was on fire. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 357 
 
 PAS ODD PIE PDD PID PDL PDO LOL DLL LLG PLO DLE LOL LLP LOD DOL LEE DOE LLO LOL DDD DDO LDD OLE L LO DOPOD LOR 
 
 Wide and Inhospitable Deserts.—Unparalleled Instance of Voluntary Starvation 
 
 PAPI IL ID ELE LL DP LED DIE EPL ELL L IL LE LOE DDD DLE LLG LOE LOD LOOL DE PLOLDL LDL DDE LOD OLDE DDL PL OLE PDD 
 
 Dr. Clarke, in his more recent travels in Egypt, thus de- 
 scribes this phenomenon. 
 
 One of those immense columns of sand, mentioned by 
 Bruce, came rapidly towards us, turning upon its base as 
 upon a pivot; it crossed the Nile so near us, that the whirl- 
 wind by which it was carried placed our vessel upon its beam- 
 ends, bearing its large sail quite into the water, and nearly 
 upsetting the boat. As we were engaged in righting the ves- 
 sel, the column disappeared. It is probable that those co- 
 lumns do not fall suddenly upon any particular spot, so as to 
 be capable of overwhelming an army or a caravan; but that, 
 as the sand, thus driven, is gradually accumulated, it becomes 
 gradually dispersed, and. the column, diminishing in its pro- 
 gress, at length disappears. A great quantity of sand is no 
 doubt precipitated as the effect which gathers it becomes 
 weaker; but, from witnessing such phenomena upon a smaller 
 scale, it does not seem likely that the whole body of the sand 
 is at. once abandoned. 
 
 a 
 
 UNPARALLELED INSTANCE OF VOLUNTARY STARVATION. 
 [From a Paris Paper.) 
 
 In the year 1822, Louis Antoine Viterbi was tried before 
 the Court of Cassation in Paris as an accomplice in the assas- 
 sination of a person named Frediani—a crime which he denied 
 to the last moment. He was condemned to death, and 
 towards the end of November was confined in the prison of 
 Basria, where he was guarded in the usual manner. Viterbi 
 determined not to die on the scaffold, but to be his own-exe- 
 cutioner, though not by any desperate act of suicide. 
 
 To effect this purpose, he abstained from food during three 
 days, and then ate voraciously, and to a forced excess, in the 
 hope that after fasting so long, he should thereby put an end 
 to his existence. Nature deceived him; and on the 2d of 
 December, he determined to starve himself to death. From 
 that day nothing could subdue this terrible resolve : although 
 Viterbi, who had already sustained two dangerous attacks of 
 illness, did not expire until the night of the 21st of that month. 
 
 During the three first days, Viterbi, as was the case when 
 he made the first attempt, felt himself progressively tormented 
 by hunger, and did not endure these early sufferings with less 
 courage than he had shown on the former occasion, Under 
 these circumstances, a report was made to the public minister, 
 who ordered bread, water, wine, and soup, to be taken daily 
 to his cell, and placed conspicuously in view. ‘This order was 
 punctually executed until the day of his death: but Viterbi 
 
3)8 CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLL LIL DIL LED DLL LLL ELLE LED ELL OLE LIL BOL OP ELOLLLDE BOD LDL ODL DPLOSD* 
 
 Unparalleled Instance of Voluntary Starvation. 
 
 PPL LLL PPE POE LOD LID LL D OBL EDOLDOL LEER PE LLDPE LEE LOL LOL PLL LLL DEL LDL DOL OLD LOL LOE LPL DOL LOL OOP 
 
 PLL GIDL ED LELLIG 
 
 always caused the provisions of the preceding day to be dis- 
 tributed amongst his fellow-prisoners, without ever tasting 
 the fresh supply. No debility was manifest during these 
 three days—no irregular muscular movement was remarked— 
 his intellect continued sound, and he wrote with his usual 
 facility. 
 
 From the 5th to the 6th, to famishment insensibly succeeded 
 the much move grievous suffering of thirst, which became so 
 acute, that on the 6th, without ever deviating from his reso- 
 lution, he began to moisten his lips and mouth occasionall 
 and to gargle with a few drops of water, to relieve the burn- 
 ing pain in his throat ; but he let nothing pass the organs of 
 deglutition, being desirous not to assuage ‘the most insupport- 
 able cravings, but to mitigate a pain which might have shaken 
 his resolution. On the 6th, his physical powers were a little 
 weakened ; his voice was nevertheless still sonorous. s, pulsation 
 regular, and a natural heat extended over his whole frame. 
 From the 3d to the 6th, he had continued to write; at night, 
 several hours of tranquil sleep seemed to suspend the progress 
 of his sufferings; no change was observable in his mental 
 faculties, and he complained of no local pain. 
 
 Until the 10th, the burning anguish of thirst became more 
 and more insupportable ; Viterbi merely continued to gargle, 
 without once swallowing a single drop of water; but in the 
 course of the day of the 10th, overcome by excess of pain, he 
 seized the jug of water, which was near him, and drank im- 
 moderately. During the last three days, debility had made 
 considerable progress, his voice became feeble, pulsation had 
 declined, and the extremities were cold. Viterbi, however, 
 continued to wr ite; and sleep, each night, still afforded him 
 several hours’ ease. 
 
 From the 10th to the 12th, the symptoms made a slight 
 progress. ‘The constancy of Viterbi never yielded an instant ; 
 he dictated his journal, and afterwards approved and signed 
 what had thus been written agreeably to his dictation. During 
 the night of the 12th, the symptoms assumed a more decided 
 character ; debility was extreme, pulsation scarcely sensible, 
 his voice extraordinarily feeble ; the cold had extended itself 
 all over his body, and the pangs of thirst were more acute 
 than ever. On the 13th, the unhappy man, thinking himself 
 at the point of death, again seized the jug of water, and drank 
 twice, after which the cold became more severe ; and congra- 
 tulating himself that death was near, Viterbi stretched himself 
 on the ‘bed, and said to the gendarmes who were guarding him, 
 “Look how well [ have laid myselfout.”” At the expiration 
 ofa quarter of an hour he asked for some brandy ; the keeper 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 359 
 
 DGOLLLGLE LLL LPL ILE OLOLDOPLE OL IOF PII LO PL LO DLP CL DO LOD? 
 
 LIL BL PLP PDD LEP PLE PG 
 
 Unparalleled Instance of Voluntary Starvation. 
 
 LIF POL LLL LEI LIL PEP LDL DELL DOL PLL ELE LED EDL LED DLE LDE DPD LOD LOL DLE LOL LOD LDL LOD LLL DLO DDL DOL 
 
 not having any, he called for some wine, of which he took four 
 
 spoonfuls. When he had swallowed these, the cold suddenly 
 
 ceaastl heat returned, and Viterbi enjoyed a sleep of four 
 ours. 
 
 On awaking (on the morning of the 13th) and finding his 
 powers restored, he fell into a rage with the keeper, protest- 
 ing that they had deceived him, and then began beating his 
 head violently against the wall of the prison, and would in- 
 evitably have killed himself, had he not been prevented by 
 the gendarmes. 
 
 During the two following days he resisted his inclination 
 to drink, but continued to gargle occasionally with. water. 
 During the two nights he suffered a little from exhaustion, 
 but in the morning found himself rather relieved. 
 
 On the 16th, at five o’clock in the morning, his powers were 
 almost annihilated, pulsation could hardly be felt, and his 
 voice was almost wholly inaudible; his body was benumbed 
 with cold; and it was thought he was on the point of expir- 
 ing. At ten o'clock he hegan to feel better, pulsation was 
 more sensible, his voice strengthened, and, finally, heat again 
 extended over his frame, and in this state he continued during 
 the whole of the 17th. From the latter day, until the 20th, 
 Viterbi only became more inexorable in his resolution to die; 
 he inflexibly refused all offers of aliment, and even resisted 
 the torturing pangs of thirst ; not a drop of water did he swal- 
 low, although he still, from time to time, moistened his parched 
 lips, and sometimes his burning eyelids, from which he found 
 some relief to his agony. 
 
 During the 19th the pangs of hunger and thirst appeared 
 more grievous than ever; so insufferable, indeed, were they, 
 that, for the first time, Viterbi let a few tears escape him. 
 But his invincible mind instantly spurned this human tribute. 
 ¥or a moment he seemed to have resumed his wonted energy, 
 and said, in presence of his guards and the gaoler, “I will 
 persist, whatever may be the consequence; my mind shall be 
 stronger than my body ; my strength of mind does not vary, 
 that of my body daily becomes weaker.” 
 
 A short time after this energetic expression, which showed 
 the powerful influence of his moral faculties over his physical 
 necessities, an icy coldness again assailed his body, the shiver- 
 ings were frequent and dreadful, and his loins, in particular, 
 were seized with a stone-like coldness, which extended itself 
 down his thighs. : 
 
 During the 19th, a slight pain at intervals affected his heart, 
 and, for the first time, he felt a ringing sensation in his ears, 
 At noon, on this day, his head became heavy ; his sight how- 
 
560 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LP LE PLPPDPP LIPIDS. 
 
 PID PDIDPIDEDIC LID DDE LIE PDP LEE EOP DDD DDD DLO LDP OPPO LL ODP ODA 
 
 Unparalleled Instance of Voluntary Starvation.—Memoir of Lord Rokeby. 
 
 GLE PLI ALS 
 
 LPLOGLL EPL OLE PIP 
 
 POPE LLL LPL LOD LDF 
 
 GLI PLP PLL DOL BOL LIL OOO LOD 
 
 ever was perfect, and he conversed almost as usual, making 
 some signs with his hands. 
 
 On the 20th, Viterbi declared to the gaoler and physician, 
 that he would not again moisten his mouth, and feeling the 
 approach of death, he stretched himself on the bed, and asked 
 the gendarmes, as he had done on a former day, whether he 
 was well laid out, and added, “ 1 am prepared to leave this 
 world.” Death did not this time betray the hopes of a man 
 who, perhaps, of all others invoked it with the greatest fer- 
 vour, and to whom it seemed to deny its cheerless tranquil- 
 lity. Until the day of his death, this inconceivable man had 
 regularly kept his journal. On the 21st, Viterbi was no 
 more, 
 
 —— 
 
 LORD ROKEBY. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 27] 
 
 Lorn Roxkesy was born about the year 1712, near Hithe, 
 in the county of Kent. He was the eldest son of Sir Septimus 
 Robinson, Kat. whose family possessed considerable influence in 
 the court of George II. He was sent, at the usual age, to West- 
 minster School, where the children of respectable parents are 
 educated for the university. Accordingly, the subject of our 
 memoir was, in due time, admitted a member of Trinity Col- 
 lege, Cambridge. Here he applied to his learning with great 
 diligence, and acquitted himself with ability. A proof of his 
 progress may be ascertained by his early election to a fellow- 
 ship, which he retained to the close of his life. The taste 
 which he acquired for literature in bis youth never forsook 
 him. His library was large and well chosen; and he could 
 refer to the contents of his several volumes with wonderful 
 facility. Education is always sure of cherishing those seeds 
 of good sense which lie latent in the mind, and is an excellent 
 means of raising the character to a meritorious celebrity. 
 And though it may not be wanted as a medium of livelihood, 
 it will greatly enhance the respectability of the possessor. 
 
 After the education of Lord Rokeby was completed, he 
 went to Aix-la-Chapelle, in Germany, a place celebrated for 
 its baths, and, at that period much distinguished for the peace 
 made there, by which the European nations were once more 
 brought back to their accustomed serenity. ‘The members 
 who continually frequented this spot rendered it the resort of 
 fashion—and here his Lordship passed much of his time, in- 
 dulging himself in every species of gaiety. His wit and po- 
 Jiteness attracted no small attention, and he soon became the 
 object of general admiration. Upon his return to his native 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND A%.T. 361 
 
 PLP DLPPPIPDPP PP LI PPGDPLPDIPPDLOPOGOGLD 
 Memoir of Lord Rokeby 
 
 PEP LID LIS. 
 
 ye 
 
 PPOLIP ROO LOL PDS LPOLDIL LL DI LGP 
 
 country, the electors of Canterbury chose him to -represent 
 them in parliament. The duties of this public station he dis- 
 charged with uncommon integrity. Duly apprised of the im- 
 portance of his office, he made himself acquainted with the 
 views of his constituents, and deemed himself only the organ 
 through which they were to legislate for their country. Such 
 were his ideas of the province of a member of parliament, 
 and, agreeably to these notions, he acted in his public capacity 
 with zeal and activity. At the ensuing general election he 
 was re-chosen with acclamations of applause. ‘The electors, 
 who knew him to be an honest man, were proud of his ser- 
 vices; whilst he, on the other hand, considered their approba- 
 tion as a token of the most refined satisfaction. During the 
 American war, he remonstrated with peculiar energy against 
 the measures taken against the colonists by this country. He 
 foresaw the evil consequences which would proceed from 
 coercion. He reprobated that species of taxation which was 
 long a bone of contention with the Americans, and which in- 
 duced them to aspire after that independence which ultimately 
 crowned their exertions. 
 
 How long Lord Rokeby continued in parliament, we are 
 not able to say, nor can we with certainty assign the reasons 
 of his resignation. He, however, positively refused to be 
 chosen at the next election, and retired to his seat near Hythe, 
 where he passed his life free from those cares and anxieties 
 which generally attend public stations. ‘The sensible mind is 
 never at a loss for enjoyment. Nature and Art lay their stores 
 at the feet of that man who properly appreciates their worth. 
 
 About this period his father died, when he came into the 
 enjoyment of the paternal estate, which aided him considerably 
 in the peculiar gratifications of his temper. He now led the 
 life of a country gentleman, and indulged himself in those 
 eccentricities for which he was long distinguished. It must, 
 however, be mentioned in his praise, that, with ali his pecu- 
 liarities, he entertained his company with a liberal hospi- 
 tality. His table, on such occasions, was plenteous, and the 
 conversation was generally conducted with freedom and 
 hilarity. His connexions being large and respectable, and 
 his person attractive, guests were seldom long absent, and 
 were always handsomely entertained. vel 
 
 His seat, named Mount Morris, is pleasantly situated. near, 
 Romney Marsh, in the vicinity of Hythe, where he was known, 
 and was beloved. For his eccentricities, individuals who 
 knew him well would make due allowance—but in strangers, 
 ~no saw him for the first time, and were unacquainted with 
 ~ ith the odd appearance of his person, ‘and the singu- 
 
 . SA 
 
362 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PDP LDP LOPLEP 
 
 PIP LIEDI OP LOL LICL IPL OL DOE ODL LOL 
 
 Memoir of Lord Rokeby. 
 
 LIF LIL ORF 
 
 PIP GOD PIP LPP PLO LOOP IOP 
 
 PLE LIL LOE LOP LOD 
 
 PIL LOE OF 
 
 larity of his manners, excited the most curious sensations 
 But the interior constitutes the man, and is, therefore, that 
 
 art of the human character which deserves principal attention. 
 
 t was not till the year 1794, that the subject of our memoir 
 acquired the title of Lord Rokeby, by the death of his uncle, 
 the Archbishop of Armagh. Thus he became a peer of the 
 realm. This accession of honour produced no evil effect on 
 his mind. Far from being elated on this account, he conti- 
 nued the same plain, honest man— a character on which he 
 greatly prided himself. He knew that talents and virtue 
 were the only criterions by which a man’s character could be 
 properly estimated. He considered all besides as mere empty 
 externals, and perfectly unworthy of his attention, he 
 trappings of grandeur were, in his opinion, only calculated to 
 gratify the herd of mankind. 
 
 This venerable nobleman died at his seat in Kent, in De- 
 cember, 1800, in the 88th year of his age. No particulars 
 relative to his dissolution, worthy of being detailed, have 
 transpired. His person, his manners, and his mode of con- 
 ducting his paternal estate, are subjects of legitimate curiosity. 
 We shali touch on each of these topics, because in them he 
 displayed no small degree of eccentricity. Ist. With respect 
 to the person of his Lordship, he was distinguished by a long 
 beard, which reached down almost to the middle of his body, 
 as represented in the capital likeness which accompanies this 
 article. ‘This venerable appendage made him look like an 
 inhabitant of the antediluvian world. We cannot ascertain 
 the period when he first suffered it to grow, but its length 
 proclaimed it of no recent date. Beards were once marks of 
 respectability, particularly among the ancients, who were no 
 mean judges of beauty. In this age, however, the case is re- 
 versed—and it is now considered as an indubitable token of 
 eccentricity. Why his Lordship adopted it we know not— 
 reasons for such conduct are not easily found—it bids defiance 
 to conjecture, and baffles sagacity. 2d. His manners and 
 habits of life approached to a primitive simplicity, and, though 
 perfectly polite, he, in most things, studied dissimilarity. He 
 spoke and acted in a way peculiar to himself, at the same time 
 treating those around him with frankness and liberality. His 
 chief diet was beef-tea ; wine and spirituous liquors he held 
 in abhorrence. Indeed, with respect to exotics, he discou- 
 raged their consumption, from an idea that our own island 
 was, by means of its productions, competent to the support of 
 its inhabitants. Beef, placed on a wooden platter, and over 
 which boiled water had been poured, was a favourite dish, 
 by which his appetite was frequently gratified. ‘T'ea or coffee 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 363 
 
 SPDGOL POL LL IP LILO ILDID 
 Memoir of Lord Rokeby. 
 
 PRPPLI PDE LEG DLL ELL PEDPLDDE LE L PDOD EL OL ELLE L IS OPE ODO LL O DOL DODD LPO LLID LOD ODD IPGL OL ELI LP 
 
 he would not touch; for sugar he substituted honey, being 
 particularly partial to sweets. Of course many stories were 
 told of his diet, not true; but with regard to the particulars 
 already specified, the reader may rely on their authenticity. 
 Nor should we here forget to mention that he was extremely 
 fond of bathing, even from an early period of life, and conti- 
 nued the practice almost to his dying day. The frequency of 
 his ablutions is astonishing, and he used to remain in the 
 water a considerable length of time. His constitution had 
 been accustomed to it, and, probably, his health required such 
 reiterated purifications. T’o this circumstance is ascribed 
 Lord Rokeby’s great Jongevity. ‘This subject is further cor- 
 roborated by the following account of his Lordship, whick 
 was published some time ago. A gentleman, making the tour 
 of Kent, thus speaks of his visit to Mount Morris :—“ On my 
 approach to the house I stopped for some time to examine it. 
 itis a good plain gentleman’s seat ; the grounds were abun- 
 dantly stocked with black cattle, and I perceived a horse or 
 two on the steps of the principal entrance. After the proper 
 inquiries, | was carried by a servant to a little grove, to the 
 right of the avenue, which being entered at a small swing- 
 gate, a building, with a glass covering, dipping obliquely to 
 the south-west, presented itself, which, at first sight, appeared 
 to be a green-house. ‘The man who accompanied me opened 
 a little wicket, and, on looking in, I perceived a bath imme- 
 diately under the glass, with a current of water supplied from 
 a pond behind. On approaching a door, two handsome 
 spaniels, with long ears, and apparently of King Charles’s 
 breed, advanced, and, like faithful guardians, denied us access, 
 until soothed into security by the well-known accents of the 
 domestic. We then proceeded, and gently passing along a 
 wooden floor, saw his Lordship stretched on his face, at the 
 further end. He had just come out of the water, and was 
 dressed in an old blue woollen coat, and pantaloons of the 
 same colour. ‘The upper part of his head was bald, but the 
 hair on his chin, which could not be concealed even by the 
 posture he assumed, made its appearance between his arms 
 on each side. I immediately retired, and waited at a little 
 distance until he awoke, which he did shortly after, when he 
 opened the door, darted through the thicket, accompanied by 
 his dogs, and made directly for the house.”” ‘This character- 
 istic anecdote accords exactly with other accounts that have 
 been communicated respecting this extraordinary nobleman. 
 3d. His manner of conducting his paternal estate forms ano- 
 ther singular trait in the character of his Lordship. It was 
 lis mode to suffer every thing on his lands to run out in ali 
 
364 . CURSOSITIES OF NATURE AND AKT. 
 
 POP LIF PLP POE LOLLDODL OD PLE LIG LOD LOE LD 
 
 Memoir of Lord Rokeby.—The River Rhone 
 
 GOP LPLI DIP LOL PLP PLE PLE LDI LD LIL OL LDL LL LE OLIL OL ODE LOD LLP LOL OLD OOO LDP OLE OOP 
 
 directions. The woods and parks with which his mansion 
 was encircled, were left to vegetate with a wild luxuriancy. 
 Natu.e was not, in any respect, checked by art—she sported 
 herself in ten thousand charms, and exhibited the countless 
 forms of variety. The animals also, of every class, were left 
 in the same state of perfect freedom, and were seen bounding 
 through his pastures with uncommon spirit and energy. In 
 some respects, this general licence which he gave to the ani- 
 mate and inanimate objects around him may challenge admi- 
 ration. Nature, in such a case, must undoubtedly be more 
 unrestrained in her operations, and expand with greater gran- 
 deur and sublimity. But, nevertheless, it must be confessed, 
 that this idea was carried by his Lordship to an excess. ‘The 
 God of Nature has left much to be performed by the care and 
 industry of man. We are expected to reduce many things to 
 juster proportions—and to render this lower world, by im- 
 provements, subservient, in a still higher degree, both to our 
 pleasure and utility. Such, then, is the portrait of Lord 
 Rokeby :—-we have endeavoured faithfully to delineate his cha- 
 Yacter—and happy shall we deem ourselves should it be found 
 we have sketched the features with fidelity. 
 
 —i 
 
 THE RIVER RHONE. 
 
 , Tuts fine river rises in the glacier of Furca, near the canton 
 of Uri, in Switzerland, but in the north-east border of the 
 Valais. It first precipitates itself with great noise from amid 
 several rocks, and, in flowing into the vale beneath, has the 
 appearance of a single cataract, with several cascades. It is 
 afterwards joined by the Meyanwang stream, issuing from the 
 Grimsel mountain, and then directs its course from east to 
 west, until, after taking a winding course to the north, it dis- 
 charges itself with great impetuosity into the lake of Geneva. 
 All the streams and smaller rivers of the Valais, issuing from 
 the mountains, flow into it. 
 
 The waters of the Rhone rush into the lake with such 
 rapidity, that for the distance of half a league they continue 
 unmixed with those of the latter ; but there is not afterwards 
 any visible distinction, as has been affirmed. At its efflux 
 from the lake it forms an island, on which, and on the banks 
 on either side, the city of Geneva is built, being divided into 
 three unequal parts, having a communication by four bridges. 
 Onward it forms. the boundary between France and Savoy. 
 It. then takes a western direction, and, dividing the province 
 of Burgundy from that of Dauphiné, flows to Lyons, from 
 which city it proceeds due southward, forming the eastern 
 
WL. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 365 
 
 FO PLIPPLPLD S21 
 
 PP PPP DPIOLOPLLCODS 
 The River Rhone.—An Extraordinary Fly. 
 
 boundary of Languedoc, which it divides from Provence at 
 
 Avignon. It discharges its waters into the Mediterranean ny 
 
 several mouths, a little below Arles. . 
 
 CORLOP 
 
 ae 
 
 AN EXTRAORDINARY FLY. 
 
 It is not our design to take a review of all the wonders 
 with which the insect tribes present us. ‘To accomplish such 
 a project as this, a complete Treatise on Insectology would 
 be requisite ; but there are certain facts, certain observations 
 of this kind, which we cannot pass over in silence ; and our 
 readers will, doubtless, hear with pleasure the history of a 
 particular species of fly, that makes an explosion resembling 
 that of a musket-shot. 
 
 The celebrated De Geer, an excellent Swedish naturalist, 
 who has carried to such an extent his researches upon insects, 
 has published, in the Memoirs of the Academy of Stockholm, 
 the history of an insect that constantly sends from the anus so 
 many little bubbles that the animal is quite covered over with 
 them. Barrere, in his Account of Equinoctial France, de- 
 scribes a bird which is the ortiganetra of Linneus, that pro- 
 duces divers cracks successively through the anus and the 
 beak. ‘There is in Mexico an animal called Yzquicpatli, which 
 makes an explosion through the anus, when pursued by the 
 hunters, and by it tosses its excrement to the distance of 
 eighteen feet behind. ‘This is the only weapon of defence with 
 which nature has armed it: but nothing can be more admirable 
 in this kind than the fly discovered by Rolander, and described 
 in the Memoirs of the Society of which he is one of the most 
 celebrated members. ‘This fly, unknown it seems until the 
 present time, even to the naturalists themselves, is of a mid- 
 dling size, and of the glow-worm species : its horns are short, 
 of a brisk red near the head, and cinerous towards the other 
 extremity: its eyes are prominent, and of a blackish hue. 
 Its head, stomach, thighs, and fore-feet are of a bright yellow, 
 and the extremities of the hind-feet of a deep blue. ‘The cases 
 of its wings are of an equal length, and have obtuse points. 
 The belly is of a dirty red, and inclining to rusty. 
 
 Towards the end of March, or the beginning of April, when 
 the season becomes mild, this fly makes its appearance from 
 under the earth. At first it keeps itself concealed under 
 stones, but by degrees loses its shyness, and springs about. 
 The first time that Rolander laid hold of this insect, it sent 
 forth instantly from the anus a smoke of a white blue colour, 
 wit 2. noise as loud as the report of a musket. He assured 
 us, that his fright was so great on hearing this explosion, that 
 
3CE CURPGISITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POF PPL LDOLP OL LDS POD ILDP 
 
 PLL LLL EDD LOL PLL LLL LLL EDL LODEL EOP CL LEED LOL LOD LOCO OP 
 Av Extraordinary Fly—The Fly Plant. 
 
 LPOPLE PL LOD LIF LLE LIL LIS 
 
 POL LIL PIPL DD EC LOE LDL DLL LEI. 
 
 GAL OLD LE DL ED LLOLD DL LPLDG OIG 
 
 he let it slip from his fingers, and could not recover it. Some 
 davs atterwards he found another of this kind upon lifting up 
 a stone. As soon as he had secured it, the insect acted in the 
 same manner as the former, but Rolander, being now somewhat 
 more familiarised with the artillery of flies, took it into his 
 head to tickle his prisoner on the back with a pin, and it in- 
 stantly began a fire which it continued to the number of twenty 
 rounds in succession. Astonished to find so much wind con- 
 tained within a body of so smal! a compass, he opened the in- 
 sect, and found about the anus a little bladder pressed down, 
 but this he could not assure himself to be either a reservoir 
 for air, or some other intestine. 
 
 This insect has an enemy that is unceasingly pursuing it ; 
 this is the great carabus, described by Linneus in the Fauna 
 Suecica. When this insect-musketeer is fatigued by the 
 pursuit of the carabus, which chases him with the same ardour 
 that a greyhound does a hare, he lays himself down before his 
 enemy. ‘The latter, with his mouth and nippers open, is just 
 upon the point of devouring his prey—but in the very moment 
 that he is in the act of springing upon it, the musketeer dis- 
 charges his piece, and the carabus retires in affright. The 
 insect, but lately the object of pursuit, now in his turn seeks 
 to foil his adversary, and should he be happy enough to finda 
 hole, for this time he makes his escape from danger; other- 
 wise, having prolonged his life for some little space by force 
 of his artillery and fluttering about, he at last falls a victim 
 to the carabus, which takes him by the head and swallows 
 him. Rolander is surprised that this fly, which is possessed 
 of wings, does not seek his safety in flight ; but he adds that 
 to all appearance it acts like the goose, which is said to fly 
 before the hawk, and only to jump or flutter about before the 
 fox. : 
 
 The fly-plant, or vegetating fly of the Caribs, deserves like- 
 wise a particular article among the Wonders of Nature. 
 Many naturalists have been deceived, and may still continue 
 to be deceived by it. This name, says Bomare, is given 
 to a dead and withered chrysalis, of the grasshopper or bee 
 kind, lately brought over from St. Domingo and Cuba, and 
 which bears on its skull a species of mushroom (clavaria 
 fungus soboskera) of three inches and more. Sometimes, 
 even, the fungus grows from the back of the chrysalis; but 
 wherever its situation may be, the curious regard this acci- 
 dent as a production that unites at the same time the vegetable 
 and the animal together. Needham and Fargeroux have 
 already spoken of this singularity, which is now to be met 
 with in most of the cabinets of Europe. ‘The cause of was 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 367 
 
 POOLOGL OPP PILD IIL LP DIS LIE OP IE LOPE GOS 
 
 PPGD POLY LOL PIL PDD LIP LOL LE LOL P 
 
 The Fly Plant. 
 
 IP LIF 
 
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 LOS. 
 
 vegetation, it seems, may be attributed to the nature of the 
 seeds of the plant, which, like certain funguses, never spring 
 up in the open ground, but only on the hoofs of dead horses. 
 The clavaria militaris crerea produces in Europe the same 
 phenomenon. 
 
 Watson, in the Philosophical Transactions, says, that the 
 vegetating flies of the caribs are to be found in Domingo, 
 where they bury themselves in the month of May, and begin 
 their metamorphosis in that of June. The litile shrub from 
 which they originate, says he, resembles a branch of coral. It 
 grows to the height of three inches, and bears several small 
 purses, where certain worms are produced, that afterwards 
 take the form of flies. The real fact, if we may trust to the 
 observations of Hill and other writers on the subject, is this ; 
 that there are some grasshoppers very common as well in 
 Domingo as Martinique, which bury themselves in their state 
 of chrysalis, under dead leaves, waiting to undergo their me- 
 tamorphosis. Ifthe season be unfavourable, a great number 
 of these insects perish.: ‘Then the various seeds of the clavaria 
 attach themselves to the dead bodies, and unfold themselves 
 nearly, or in the very same manner, as we have explained 
 above, like the fungus ex pede equino, which vegetates upon 
 dead horses’ hoofs. ‘The worms that, according to Watson, 
 are to be found in the cods, are those that eat away the head 
 of the clavaria. Sometimes we see growing upon grasshop- 
 pers a kind of fucus consisting of long white and silky threads, 
 that cover the whole body of the insect, and go beyond it by 
 seven or eight lines, both above and below the belly. This 
 observation tends to confirm the cpinion that there are plants 
 which vegetate upon the carcases of certain animals; that 
 such as are known are almost all of the genus of fungus ; and 
 that some even grow upon animals while yet living. 
 
 It is perhaps worthy of observation with what constancy 
 the clavaria seems to attach itself, through preference, to the 
 chrysalis of the American grasshopper; and to take notice 
 that wherever these insects multiply, this plant is to be found 
 either upon them, or upon their chrysalis: but the smallest 
 attention will suffice to convince us that nothing is more 
 natural. These plants are of the parasite kind, and it is well 
 known that the parasite affects to attach itself to a plant of a 
 determined species. It is not then surprising if the one in 
 question attaches itself in preference to a like species of insect. 
 It is as easy to see that the great number of chrysalises, that 
 are to be met with in America, depend upon the circumstances 
 of climate and place, both which render this kind of pheno- 
 menon yery common there, although it come not under our 
 
368 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIPE POLI PS OP DO OLODP 
 
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 The Fly Plant.—Singular Instances of Credulity and Fanaticism. 
 
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 obse vation in those countries of Europe where grasshoppers 
 are to be met with in greater abundance. 
 
 Le Cat has observed a kind of body upon the head of a 
 young bee, between the two antenne and the place of their 
 insertion, in the scaly forepart of the head; and this body, 
 examined both through a magnifier, and with the naked eye, 
 seemed to be composed of four small yellow pedicles, one 
 line in length, having each of their summits terminated by a 
 yellow button inclining to green. These pedicles were half 
 transparent, and of a soft and flexible consistence; the but- 
 tons appeared solid and opaque to the naked eye, but examined 
 through the magnifier, it was discovered that they were so 
 many knots composed of little buds or vescular excrescences, 
 lengthened out, and collected into a ball. Perhaps even these 
 might have been a collection of mushrooms of the genus of 
 clavaria, similar to those that grow upon the chrysalises of 
 the little caribbee grasshopper, named improperly the vege- 
 tating fly. But it must be allowed us to observe once more, 
 says Bomari, that here this production was upon the live 
 animal. This little observation, of which naturalists have 
 taken no notice, deserves still to be confirmed by proof, be- 
 cause in the various operations of nature there is no circum- 
 stance which may not become interesting, either of itself or 
 by comparing it with others. The same singularity has been 
 remarked some years back, with respect to a honey-fly. 
 
 Aes 
 
 SINGULAR INSTANCES OF CREDULITY AND 
 FANATICISM. 
 
 SABBATEI-SEVI, A MOST SINGULAR FANATIC. 
 
 During the siege of Candia, in the year 1669, an affair 
 happened among the Turks, that drew the attention of all 
 Europe and Asia. A general rumour was spread at that 
 time, founded on an idle curiosity, that the year 1666 was to 
 be remarkable for some great revolution. The source of this 
 opinion was the mystic number of 666, found in the book of 
 Revelations. Never was the expectation of the Antichrist so 
 general. On the other hand, the Jews pretended that their 
 Messiah was to come this year. 
 
 A Smyrna Jew, named Sabbatei-Sevi, who was a man of 
 some learning, and son of a rich broker belonging to the 
 English factory, took advantage of this general opinion, and 
 set up for the Messiah. He was eloquent, and of a graceful 
 figsve; he affected modesty, recommended justice, spoke like 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 369 
 
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 Account of Sabbatei-Sevi, a most Singular Fanatic. 
 
 PPPLGP PDE LID DPLGDP PGP GLE GLO PDOL DOL LL PDODIG 
 
 an oracle, and proclaimed, wherever he came, that the times 
 were fulfilled. He travelled at first into Greece and Italy. 
 At Leghorn he ran away with a girl, and carried her to Je- 
 rusalem, where he began to preach to his brethren. It is a 
 standing tradition among the Jews, that their Shiloh, or 
 Messiah, their avenger and king, is not to appear till the 
 coming of Elijah; and they are persuaded that they have had 
 one Elijah, who is to appear again at the renewing of the 
 world. Elijah, according to them, is to introduce the great 
 sabbath, the great Messiah, and the general revolution of all 
 things. This notion has been even received among Christians. 
 Elijah is to come to declare the dissolution of this world, and 
 a new order of things. Almost all the different sects of fa- 
 natics expect an Elijah. The prophets of the Cevennes, who 
 came to London in 1707, to raise the dead, pretended to have 
 seen Elijah, and to have spoken to him, and that he was to 
 show himself to the people. In 1724, the lieutenant of the 
 police at Paris, sent two Elijahs to prison, who fought with 
 each other, who should be accounted the true one. It was 
 therefore necessary that Sabbatei-Sevi should be announced 
 to his brethren by an Elijah, otherwise his pretended mission 
 would have been treated as an imposture. 
 
 He met with one Nathan, a Jewish rabbi, who thought. 
 there was something to be gained by playing a part in this 
 farce. Accordingly Sabbatei declared to the Jews of Asia 
 Minor and Syria, that Nathan was Elijah; and Nathan, on 
 his part, insisted that Sabbatei was the Messiah, the Shiloh, 
 expected by the chosen people. They both performed great 
 works at Jerusalem, and reformed the synagogue. Nathan 
 explained the prophecies, and demonstrated that at the expi- 
 ration of that year, the sultan would be dethroned, and Jeru- 
 salem become mistress of the world. All the Jews of Syria 
 were convinced. ‘The synagogues resounded with ancient 
 prophecies. ‘They grounded themselves on these words of 
 Isaiah: “ Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put 
 on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city, for 
 henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircum- 
 cised and the unclean.” All the rabbies had the following 
 passage in their mouths: “And they shall bring all your 
 brethren for an offering unto the Lord, out of all nations, 
 upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, 
 and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem.” In 
 short, their hopes were fed by these and a thousand other 
 passages, which both women and children were for ever re- 
 peating. There was not a Jew but prepared lodgings for 
 ae of the ten dispersed tribes. So great was their enthu 
 
 6. 3B 
 
370 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPS POG P OD LIC LGD LODLIDL IPGL LD ODL LIL LOL PLD DLO LLL ELD LLG OLE LOVGOLDE LOD LELO LOD LDOCPD LLP DL DOG LID 
 Account of Sabbatei-Sevi, a most Singular Fanatic. 
 
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 siasm, that they left off trade everywhere, and held them- 
 selves ready for the voyage to Jerusalem. 
 
 Nathan chose twelve men at Damascus, to preside over 
 the twelve tribes. Sabbatei-Sevi went to show himself to his 
 brethren at Smyrna, and Nathan wrote to him thus: “ King 
 of kings, Lord of lords, when shall we be worthy to put our- 
 selves under the shadow of your ass? I prostrate myself to 
 be trod under the sole of your feet.”” At Smyrna, Sabbatei 
 deposed some doctors of the law, who did not acknowledge 
 his authority, and established others more tractable. One of 
 his most violent enemies, named Samuel Pennia, was publicly 
 converted, and proclaimed him to be the Son of God. Sab- 
 batei having presented himself one day before the cadi of 
 Smyrna, with a multitude of his followers, they all declared 
 they saw a column of fire betwixt him and the cadi. Some 
 other miracles of this sort set his divine mission beyond all 
 doubt. Numbers of Jews were impatient to lay their gold 
 and their precious stones at his feet. 
 
 The bashaw of Smyrna would have arrested him; but he 
 set out for Constantinople with his most zealous disciples. 
 The grand vizir, Achmet Cuprogli, who was getting ready 
 for the siege of Candia, gave orders for him to be seized on 
 board the vessel that brought him to Constantinople, and to 
 be confined. ‘The Jews easily obtained admittance into the 
 prison for money, as is usual in Turkey; they went and pros- 
 trated themselves at his feet, and kissed his chains. He 
 preached to them, exhorted them, and gave them his blessing, 
 but never complained. ‘The Jews of Constantinople, be- 
 lieving that the coming of the Messiah would cancel all debts, 
 refused to pay their creditors. The English merchants at 
 Galata waited upon Sabbatei in jail, and told him, that, as 
 king of the Jews, he ought to command all his subjects to 
 pay their debts. Sabbatei wrote the following words to the 
 persons complained against: “'To you, who expect the sal- 
 vation of Israel, &c. discharge your lawful debts; if you re- 
 fuse it, you shall not enter with us into our joy, and into our 
 empire.” 
 
 Sabbatei, during his imprisonment, was continually visited 
 by his followers, who began to raise some disturbances in 
 Constantinople. At that time the people were greatly dissa- 
 tisfied with Mahomet IV. and it was apprehended that the 
 Jewish prophecy might occasion some disturbance. Under 
 these circumstances, one would imagine, that such a severe 
 government as that of the Turks would have put the person 
 calling himself King of Israel to death. Yet they only re- 
 moved him to the castle of the Dardanelles. The Jews then 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 37] 
 
 PLP OLE DLE LDPE LE OF 
 
 PROD LR PPO DE LAD PPP PEP LOD PPL OLD PDL LOG ODL PLE POL DOE PDD DLO DOL DOP 
 Account of Sabbatei-Sevi and Anthony, two Extraordinary Fanatics. 
 
 PPO PEP ODD DDD DLP LED BDF PDD LOL PPL DDL DLE ODL LIL LOL ODL 
 
 PEP PPG LLL PLD LLL PGLLOP LDL 
 
 cried out, that it was not in the power of man to take away 
 his life. 
 
 His fame had reached even the most distant parts of Ku- 
 rope; at the Dardanelles he received deputations from the 
 Jews of Poland, Germany, Leghorn, Venice, and Amster- 
 dam: they paid very dear for kissing his feet; and probably 
 this was what preserved his life. ‘The distributions of the 
 Holy Land were made very quietly in the tower of the Dar- 
 danelles. At length the fame of his miracles was so great, 
 that Sultan Mahomet had the curiosity to see the man, and 
 to examine him himself. The King of the Jews was brourht 
 to the seraglio. The sultan asked him, in the Turkish Jan- 
 guage, whether he was the Messiah? Sabbatei modestly an- 
 swered, he was; but as he expressed himself incorrectly in 
 this tongue, “You speak very ill,” said Mahomet to him, 
 “‘for a Messiah, who ought to have the gift of languages, 
 Do you perform any miracles?” “ Sometimes,” answered the 
 other. ‘‘ Well then,” said the sultan, “let him be stripped 
 stark naked; he will be a very good mark for the arrows of 
 my pages, and if he is invulnerable, we will acknowledge him 
 to be the Messiah.” Sabbatei flung himself upon his knees, 
 and confessed it to be a miracle above his strength. It was 
 el ede to him immediately, either to be impaled, or to turn 
 Mussulman, and go publicly to the Turkish mosque. He 
 did not hesitate in the least, but embraced the Turkish reli- 
 gion directly. ‘Then he preached that he had been sent to 
 substitute the Turkish for the Jewish religion, pursuant to 
 the ancient prophecies. Yet the Jews of distant countries 
 believed in him a long time. ‘The affair, however, was not 
 attended with bloodshed, but increased the shame and confu- 
 sion of the Jewish nation. 
 
 aia 
 
 ANTHONY, A MAD FANATIC, 
 
 The history of Anthony is one of the most extraordinary 
 of any which have been preserved in the annals of madness 
 | have read the following account of him in a very curious 
 manuscript. Something like it may be found in the works of 
 Jacob Spon. ' 
 
 Anthony was born at Brieu, in Lorrain; his parents were 
 Catholics, and he was educated by the Jesuits at Pont a 
 Mousson. The preacher Feri, at Metz, induced him to em- 
 brace the Protestant religion. On his return to Nanei, he 
 was persecuted as a heretic; and if a friend had not exerted 
 himself to save him, he would have been hanged. He sought 
 
S72 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
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 Anthony, a Mad Fanatic —Cherries Preserved Forty Years. 
 
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 an asylum at Sedan, where he was suspected to be a Roman 
 Catholic, and with difficulty escaped assassination. 
 
 Seeing that, by some strange fatality, his life was in danger 
 among Papists and Protestants, he went to Venice and turned 
 Jew. He was thoroughly convinced, even to the last mo- 
 ments of his life, that the Jewish religion alone was authen- 
 tic; for, he observed, if it was once the true religion, it must 
 be always so. The Jews did not circumcise him, lest they 
 should have some difference with the magistrates; but he was 
 inwardly a Jew. He went to Geneva, where he concealed his 
 faith, became a preacher, a president in a college, and at last 
 what is called a minister. 
 
 The perpetual contention in his mind between the religion 
 of Calvin, which he was under the necessity of preaching, 
 and that of Moses, the religion he believed in, occasioned a 
 long illness. He grew melancholy, and becoming quite mad, 
 he often cried out in his paroxysms, that he wasa Jew. The 
 ministers came to visit him, and tried to restore him to his 
 senses ; but he continually said, that he adored none but the 
 God of Israel; that it was not possible God should change; 
 that he could never have given a law, and written it with his 
 own hand, intending that it should be abolished. He spoke 
 to the disadvantage of Christianity, and afterwards retracted 
 what he had said, and even delivered up a confession of faith 
 to escape punishment ; but after having written it, the unfor- 
 tunate persuasion of his heart would not suffer him to sign it. 
 The council of the city assembled the preachers to consider 
 what was to be done with the unfortunate Anthony. The 
 smaller number of those preachers were of opinion, that he 
 should be pitied, and that some attempts should be made to 
 cure his disease, rather than punish him. The greater num- 
 ber determined he should be burnt, and he was burnt accord- 
 ingly. This transaction is of the year 1652. A hundred 
 years of reason and virtue are hardly sufficient to atone for 
 such a determination. 
 
 — 
 
 CHERRIES PRESERVED FORTY YEARS. 
 
 In 1646, an apothecary being desirous of keeping some sour 
 cherries for some time without spoiling, put such as were pro- 
 perly ripe into a glass jug, with a very wide mouth to it. 
 Between each cherry he placed as many vine-leaves as were 
 necessary to keep them asunder, and closing the top of the 
 vessel with a cover of the like material as the vessel itself, 
 and filling up the crevice with soft wax to prevent the admis- 
 sion of air, he placed the jug in a well, suspended by a cord. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 373 
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 Cherries Preserved Forty Years.—The Ancient History of Giants. 
 
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 This cord, however, broke, and the vessel fell to the bottom, 
 where it was at length forgotten. 
 
 In 1686, some workmen who were repairing this well, met 
 with it floating on the surface of the water, and carried it to 
 the apothecary by whom it had been suspended there forty 
 years before ; he recollected it, opened it, and found the cher- 
 ries quite entire, preserved indeed from rottenness, but with- 
 out their natural flavour. 
 
 THE ANCIENT HISTORY OF GIANTS. 
 
 In all times there have been men of a stature above the 
 ordinary standard, with more or less regularity of proportion, 
 to whom the world has given the appellation of giants. So 
 far, there is no difficulty, but on the face of the earth is there 
 known any country where this particular race of men might 
 be said to have existed? This is the question to be decided. 
 Yet, notwithstanding the respectable authorities, and the re- 
 lations of different travellers, who seem inclined to favour the 
 opinion of their existence, it still does not appear admissible. 
 We will not deny that some men have been of a stature above 
 the ordinary size, to whom we are willing to allow gratuitously 
 the quality of giants. Numbers of incidents of this kind are 
 to be met with, for the authenticity of which we have no other. 
 voucher than the confidence due to first-rate historians, but 
 who themselves might have been deceived in what they granted 
 to the relations of others, from whom they have borrowed 
 their facts. In order to gratify the curiosity of our readers, 
 we shall introduce a few solitary incidents of this nature, but 
 in doing ‘so, we do not mean to establish the opinion, nor 
 prove the existence of a race of giants. 
 
 Solin, in Phalibist. cap. 5, says, that during the Cretan 
 war, after the overflowing of the rivers, a man was found 
 who measured thirty-three cubits in length, according to the | 
 report of Metellus, and his Lieutenant, Lucius Flaccus, who 
 were eye-witnesses of the monster. His stature must then 
 have been forty-nine feet and a half. 
 
 Pliny, in the sixth chapter of the seventh book of his Na- 
 tural History, speaks of a mountain in Crete that had been 
 overturned by an earthquake, where they found a body stand- 
 ing upright sixty-nine feet in length ; it was supposed to have 
 belonged to one of the giants Otyo or Orion. 
 
 Plutarch likewise mentions another still larger, when he 
 says, that Serterius being in Mauritania, he caused the se- 
 pulchre of Anteas, in Tangiers, to be opened , and found in it 
 
STA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
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 a carcass of seventy cubits in length, which amounts to the 
 enormous size of a hundred and five feet. 
 
 Philostrato says that, by the falling in of one of the sides 
 of the Orontes, a body forty-six feet in length was discovered 
 in the sepulchre belonging to the Ethiopian Ariadnes. He 
 adds, that in a cavern of Mount Sigea they found the body of 
 a giant measuring twenty-two cubits. 
 
 If the ancient customs kept up in cities are proofs sufficiently 
 authentic of the facts that they are intended to represent, it 
 cannot be denied that there existed a time when Sicily was 
 inhabited by giants. ‘Two gigantic figures are annually 
 paraded through the streets of Messina, representing, as they 
 say, Malthea and Banxone, husband and wife, who formerly 
 exerted their tyranny over the inhabitants. But, perhaps, it 
 may be with these two colossal statues as with that of the 
 Swiss which is dragged about and then burnt every year at 
 Paris. Although the figure be colossal, it would not be just 
 to conclude that the Swiss represented by it was of an unna- 
 tural stature. 
 
 However exact may be the historian, Thomas Tasellus, we 
 doubt if he will gain implicit credit to his description of Sicily, 
 In the Ist decad. 4th chap. of his first book, we read, that in 
 1342, some rustics having been digging on the eastern side, 
 at the foot of Mount Erix, which the Sicilians call Monte di 
 Tripani, they discovered a large cavern, since known by the 
 appellation of the Giant’s Cavern, in which they saw the body 
 of a colossal figure seated: he had in his hand, says the his- 
 torian, the mast of a vessel for a stick, which enclosed within 
 it a mass of lead weighing 1500 pounds. 
 
 Tasellus will more easily command our belief, when he tells 
 us that in 1516, John Franciforte, Count of Mazarine, having 
 caused a pit to be dug towards the south, in a plain called 
 Gihilo, ahout a mile distant from the village of which he was 
 the Lord, found in a sepulchre the body of a giant measuring 
 twenty cubits, or thirty feet. Still less will we refuse him our 
 assent when he informs us that between Syracuse and Leon- 
 tium, in a small village named Melitis, there were discovered 
 a great number of sepulchres and gigantic skeletons, and that 
 many more of the like kind were met with near the ancient 
 village of Hicara, which the Sicilians call Carini, in an im- 
 mense cavern situated at the foot of a mountain ; and when 
 he relates also that in 1547, in the territory of Palermo, where 
 is the famous fountain called Soft-Sea, Paul Leontino exa- 
 mining the soil at the foot of a mountain, in order to erect 
 saltpetre works, met with the body of a giant twenty-seven 
 feet in length. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 373 
 
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 The Ancient History of Giants. 
 
 LOPE PLOBIO CPL DDD PLD LOLOL DLL LE PLP DDD OLDE LOD LOD DOF LOC LED DDD PLD LDP DOD PLP DLIDPDOLDE DLP LOPE PLIDGHL 
 
 But Sicily is not the only place where mighty carcases and 
 enormous skeletons have been found. Phlegenitral assures 
 us, in his work De Mirabilibus et Longeevis, that in the famous 
 eavern of Diana, in Dalmatia, many bodies were discovered 
 of the length of six yards. He tells us likewise that the Car- 
 thaginians, when sinking their trenches, met with two coffins 
 containing each the skeleton of a giant. The length of the 
 one was twenty-three cubits, and of the other twenty-four. 
 He adds, moreover, that in the Cimmerian Bosphorus, an 
 earthquake having thrown down a hill, several huge bones 
 were found, which, being ranged according to the disposition 
 of the human body, formed an enormous skeleton of twenty- 
 four cubits in length. 
 
 Aventine, an historian very deserving of credit, assures us 
 in a work of his, entitled Annal. Bojor. lib. 4, that the Em- 
 peror Charlemagne had in his army a giant named A‘notherus, 
 a native of Turgan, near the lake of Constance, and that this 
 giant threw down whole battalions with the same ease that 
 he would have mowed down a field. 
 
 Saxo, the grammarian, relates in his 7th book, that the 
 giant Hartebenunf was no more than thirteen feet and a half 
 high, but that his twelve companions were each of them twen- 
 ty-eight feet. 
 
 Antonius Pagaseta says, that he met with some men among 
 the cannibals twice as big as any European; he adds, more- 
 over, that in the streights of Magellan there exist men of a 
 prodigious size. 
 
 . Melchior Nugez, in his Letters from India, speaks of soldiers 
 that guarded the gates of the royal city of Pekin, whose 
 formidable size was fifteen feet. 
 
 The history of the giant Pallas is related by a number of 
 grave authors who can scarcely be suspected of too great a 
 degree of credulity. ‘They all assure us, that under the Em- 
 peror Henry the Second, the body of a giant in a stone se- 
 pulchre was found near Berne, which, when standing upright, 
 might have overlooked the walls of the city. This body was 
 as entire as if it had been deposited there only a short time 
 before. A wound was discovered on the breast four feet and 
 a half wide, and on the sepulchre the following epitaph was 
 legible ; 
 
 COP PLP OCPD PO GPILAELIGT 
 
 “ Filius Evandri, Pallas, quem Jancea Turni 
 Militis occidit, morto sua jacet hic.” 
 
 Sigibert relates that in the year 1171, an overflowing of the 
 ralepienversd in England the body of a giant fifty feet in 
 ength. 
 
376 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIP LIE LDL ILLG LPOG PDPLLLE LED LOL LOD LLL LOL LLL PDL CLL LLL PRPLLIO PLE POI LOL ELL EL LPL LD OLE LOL ECDOLOS 
 
 The Ancient History of Giants. 
 
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 _ in the canton of Lucerne, in Switzerland, the bones of a 
 giant were found in 1577 under an-old oak thrown down by a 
 tempest in the small village of Beypen. Platerus, a physician 
 of Bath, sketched out the figure of the skeleton, and presented 
 it, together with the bones, to the senate of Lucerne in 1584. 
 
 Fulgesius, book Ist. cap. 6th, says, that under the reign of 
 Charles VII. King of France, the sepulchre with the bones of 
 a giant thirty feet high was to be seen, which the Rhone, in its 
 excavations, had exposed to view in the hills of Vivarais, op- 
 posite Valence. 
 
 _Celius Rhodoginus says, that under the reign of Lewis the 
 Eleventh, the body of a giant eighteen feet in length was dis- 
 covered upon the borders of a river which flows through the 
 village of St. Peray, opposite Valence in Dauphiny. : 
 
 According to the relation of Father Jerome des Monceaux, 
 the missionary and Capuchin, the skeleton of a giant ninety- 
 six feet long was found ina wall, in a village named Chailliot, 
 six leagues from Thessalonica, in Macedonia. This fact he 
 got from Father Jerome de Rhetel, of the same order, and 
 missionary in the Levant, who adds in a letter written from 
 the Island of Scio, that this giant’s skull was found entire, and 
 Was so capacious as to be able to contain 210 pounds of corn; 
 that a tooth belonging to the under-jaw, when drawn, weighed 
 fifteen pounds, and was seven inches two lines in length; that 
 the smallest bone of the little toe of one of his feet was equal 
 to it in size; that the arm-bone, from the elbow to the wrist, 
 was two feet, four inches, eight lines round; and that two 
 soldiers with their jackets and coats with large sleeves on, 
 found no difficulty in running their arms thus covered through 
 the cavity of this stupendous bone. 
 
 Quenel, French Consul at Thessalonica, ordered an authen- 
 tic account of this monstrous skeleton to be drawn up, and 
 deposited among other public acts in chancery. He received 
 from the Pasha the principal bones, and purchased the re- 
 mainder from other persons who had taken them into their 
 possession. 
 
 Thus we are not without numerous authorities to prove 
 that in all times giants have been seen; but it must likewise 
 be allowed that the immeasurable size attributed to those 
 which we have been mentioning, can scarcely engage our con- 
 fidence in behalf of the truth of such statements. Moreover, all 
 these accounts put together do not prove in any incontestible 
 way that a gigantic nation or people have ever inhabited any 
 parting region of our globe. ‘The testimony of Antonius 
 
 agapeta, which we have adduced higher up, does not estab- 
 lish this historical point beyond the reach of doubt, no more 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 377 
 
 LOO LL PE DID LLL PDE LOLOL LA EL PLD OLDL EDP IDOL ODL DE DLE LINE DO DOF 
 
 The Ancient History of Giants. 
 
 POP POP LDP LDL PPP LED DOL BOP BL OLD P POL BDO LOL POOLE OL L OLDE PDD DOLLOP LDILDOL DOD LOD DDO PLE DDO PID 
 
 _ than the Letters of Melchior Nugez, nor even the very author 
 of the Books of Genesis, whom the partisans of this opinion 
 are so ready to cite in its favour, and look upon as the most 
 authentic proof that can be advanced for the establishment of 
 such a fact. Whatever may be the respect which the work 
 itself inspires, we find nothing in the text that establishes the 
 opinion in question. 
 
 It is true we read expressly in the 4th verse of the 17th 
 chapter of the first book of Samuel, that Goliah was six cubits 
 and a span, which is equivalent to nine feet three inches, a 
 stature surpassing by one foot four inches, that of the greatest 
 giant that has been seen at Paris ; but the text does not add 
 that all the other inhabitants of Gath were of the like colossal 
 stature. He was of course a singular and extraordinary man 
 in his own country, such as may be met with from time to time 
 in various places, but he constituted no part of a race of 
 giants. 
 
 It will perhaps be alleged that the inhabitants of the coun- 
 try of Astaroth were all giants, since we read in Joshua, that 
 the children of Israel took possession of the kingdom of Og, 
 King of Basan, in the county of Bastaroth, de reliquis Baphaim: 
 but this expression Baphaim, does not signify giants, no more 
 than Zuzine and Emimes, and it is only some babies that give 
 them this interpretation. People versed in the Hebrew lan- 
 guage, such as James Bolduck for example, assure us that 
 such names are only honorary epithets given before and after 
 the deluge to those men who had distinguished themselves by 
 their virtue or some extraordinary and praiseworthy quality. 
 They answer, say they, to Mighty, Puissant, Illustrious, &c. 
 
 Let it not be objected to us that the scouts whom Moses 
 sent to reconnoitre the Land of Promise brought back word 
 that they saw the people of Nephilim, descendants of the an- 
 cient Onakims, and that the Israelites, in comparison with 
 them, were no larger than grasshoppers. We see evidently 
 in this expression the answer of a timid and cowardly spy, in 
 whose eyes every object had been magnified by fear. If the 
 stature of the Israelites was below five feet, and that of the 
 people of Nephilim was five feet six inches, this was enough 
 to make the affrighted spies look upon them as giants and 
 themselves as grasshoppers. Such hyperboles are common 
 among people who do not accustom themselves to speak with 
 precision, particularly when their mind Jabours strongly under 
 the influence of fear. The historical passages in the Old 
 Testament which seem to lean to the support ef a nation of 
 giants, ought to be otherwise received, nor have we any cer- 
 7 proof that a nation of this kind existed. We do not 
 
 . IC 
 
 PPP ODP OPCPDIDPPLOILGIF 
 
378 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POL EDO PDO L EPL LPL OP LED #D PPP PLD LOD POP LP DD 
 
 LPLO LL LOL LOL LLL LOE LLL OLD ODO OGL 
 History of Giants.—Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 PP PPLD LILI LDIF. 
 
 ar. LISI PILLLLE LED PPE LOD 
 
 mean, however, to decide dogmatically upon the question, 
 nor to enter into the dispute that arose in 1766, with respect 
 to the Patagonians, formerly observed by Magellan. 
 
 = 
 
 NARRATIVE OF A MOST EXTRAORDINARY 
 CASE OF IMPOSTURE. 
 
 [Tre following Narrative, which is extracted from the old Records of the Criminal 
 Courts of France, is, perhaps, the most interesting case of imposture from false 
 personation any where to be met with, both as relates to the unparallelled audacity 
 of the attempt, the extraordinary circumstances of the imposition, and the utterly 
 irreparable nature of the injury to the sufferers.] 
 
 Martin Guerre was born in the province of Biscay, 
 about the year 1548. At an early age he married Bertrand 
 De Rols, of Artigues, in the diocese of Rieux, a girl about 
 his own age, and equally distinguished for her beauty and her 
 good sense. In temporal gifts the parties were in comfort, 
 being a degree above the class of peasants. ‘They loved each 
 other tenderly, but, during the first eight or nine years of 
 their marriage having no offspring, several of the wife’s friends 
 wished her to leave her husband, but she constantly answered, 
 her affection was unabated, and that she would on no account 
 forsake him. 
 
 At length, in the tenth year after their marriage, Bertrand 
 had a son, who was named Sanxi. Not long after this, Mar- 
 tin, having a dispute with his father respecting a quantity of 
 corn, thought fit to withdraw for a short time to avoid the 
 effects of his anger. At first, in all probability, he did not 
 intend to absent himself long, but, either charmed with liberty, 
 or having conceived, on some account, a dislike to his wife, 
 which neither her beauty nor wit could entirely obviate, he for 
 eight years together neglected to give the least notice to his 
 family of his condition, or where he might be found. Such 
 conduct as this might well have exasperated a young woman, 
 and inclined her, perhaps, to dishonor her husband; but her 
 conduct was unexceptionable ; she neither did any thing which 
 deserved blame, nor provoked those who are too ready to 
 blame where there is no just reason. ‘Towards the end of 
 these eight years of the husband’s absence, a person named 
 Arnaud Du Tilk, of Sagias, commonly called Pansette, ap- 
 peared, bearing so exactly the features, stature, complexion, 
 and the entire person of Martin Guerre, that he was unhesi- 
 tatingly acknowledged for the true husband by Bertrand De 
 Rols herself, by her husband’s four sisters, his own uncle, 
 and all her own relations. This man was extremely perfect 
 in his tale, having known Martin Guerre abroad, and having 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 379 
 
 - 
 
 POOLS LE PPL OL LPLDODDIDL OL PDP PP GLOL GPP DODPOOG® 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 PLDPPI OLED PD LID IPE L EDP LOD IPOD PLD LOE ILST 
 
 ae 
 
 iearned from him all the little secrets which may be supposed 
 to exist between man and wife, and of their tenderest con- 
 versations he was so well informed in all respects, that Mar- 
 tin himself could not have given a better account of his own 
 adventures. As for the poor woman, who sincerely loved 
 her husband, had grieved much for his absence, and ardently ~ 
 wished his return ; never doubting for a moment that he who 
 now appeared was the true Martin Guerre, she was overjoyed 
 and happy at the event, and in the space of three years had 
 two children by him, one of which, however, died soon after 
 its birth, 
 
 The impostor all this while lived in full enjoyment of all 
 the true Martin Guerre’s possessions, not only in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Artigues, but also in Biscay, where he even sold 
 some lands to which Martin was heir. Some persons after- 
 wards considered that all this could not have been effected 
 if the wife had not assisted him; because, however other per- 
 sons may be deceived, wives are generally too well acquainted 
 with their husbands to be imposed on so completely. How- 
 ever, by some means, Peter Guerre, the uncle of Martin, and 
 some other persons in the town, at length suspected the cheat, 
 and by degrees improved their information so far that they 
 not only satisfied themselves, but Bertrand De Rols, the wife. 
 She thereupon applied to the magistrate, and caused him to 
 _ be apprehended, presenting a formal bill of complaint against 
 him before the criminal judge of the province. 
 
 In answer to the complaint, Arnaud Du Tilk violently ex- 
 claimed against the wicked conspiracy which he asserted his 
 relations and his wife had formed against him. He asserted 
 that Peter Guerre had fabricated this charge with a view to 
 possess himself of his effects; that he had drawn in his wife 
 through the weakness of her understanding, to be a party in 
 this wickedness, and loudly execrated what he termed an un- 
 heard-of villainy. He also gave a clear and circumstantial 
 account of the reasons which induced him to leave his habita- 
 tion, and of his adventures from the time that he quitted it. 
 He asserted that he served the King of France in the wars 
 near eight years; and that he afterwards enlisted into the 
 army of Spain; but that, burning with desire to return to his 
 dear wife and family, he quitted that service in a few months, 
 and made the best of his way to Artigues. That on his arrival 
 he had the satisfaction of being received, notwithstanding the 
 alteration which time and the cutting off his hair might be 
 easily supposed to have made, with the utmost joy by all his 
 relations and acquaintance, not even excepting this very 
 
380 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POL LOL LPL L OO LDP LL ESDP LOD LDOOL OP LDS PDP LIG LOD LEL ODL LOD OLE LPO LEE PBDPLCD ODO LIE ODOOOD 
 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture, 
 
 SB PP LOPS LEE PLP LHO LPO POL LOF 
 
 PLL LLDPE I POL LPL POLE LOE PLL BPLPL LDL LEE PLL 
 
 PROLLORDL LDP 
 
 Peter Guerre who had stirred up the present prosecution. 
 That this man had frequently differed with him since his 
 coming home, their quarrels having sometimes produced 
 blows, and that once he would have killed him but for his 
 wife’s interposition. He submitted to a long examination 
 before the criminal Judge, who minutely interrogated him as 
 to matters which happened in Biscay, the place of Martin 
 Guerre’s marriage, his father-in-law, mother-in-law, the per- 
 sons who were present at the nuptials, those who dined with 
 them, their digwvant dresses, the priest who performed the 
 ceremony, all the little circumstances that happened that day 
 and the next, extending the inquiry even to naming the per- 
 sons present when they were put to bed. His answers to 
 each of these points were clear and distinct ; and as if he had 
 not been satisfied with performing what the Judge required 
 of him, he spoke of his own accord of his son Sanxi, of the 
 day on which he was born, of his own departure, of the per- 
 sons he met with on the road, of the towns through which he 
 had passed in France and Spain; and that nothing might be 
 wanting to confirm his innocence, he named several persons 
 who were able to testify the truth of all he had declared. 
 
 The accused now cited the wife, and several other persons, 
 whom the Court ordered to answer upon interrogatories. 
 Vhe wife answered in a manner which exactly corroborated 
 all that the impostor had advanced, except that she related an 
 account of his being bewitched during eight or nine years, 
 which he had omitted. ‘The accused was then questioned on 
 that point, and his replies agreed correctly with the wife’s evi- 
 dence; he repeated all the methods resorted to, to remedy 
 that enchantment, and did not vary in the most minute cir- 
 cumstance. He was next confronted with the wife, and with 
 all the witnesses, and he now demanded that she might be 
 kept securely and apart from her enemies, which was granted. 
 He offered certain objections to the credit of the witnesses, 
 and required that an admonition should be published, exhort- 
 ing all persons to come, and afford the Court such informa- 
 tion as they could, as to the subornation of the wife’s perjury, 
 and the character of the witnesses which he impeached. This 
 too was allowed him. But it was at the same time directed 
 that an inquisition should be taken at Pin, at Sagias, and at 
 Artigues, of all the facts which might concern both Martin 
 Guerre, the accused, Bertrand De .Rols, the wife, and the 
 reputation of the several witnesses. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 38] 
 
 PI POPDALLS POLLO FOG DLODPOGLPIPPOPIPDIGDELPIID Prope 
 
 OPOLFA SLO LIIS 
 
 Horrible Custom of Infanticide at Pekin, in China.—The Alligater Harmless, 
 
 PLP ILD FID IID PIPL ODP DOL DED PEL ELE L EDP ELD LOD LOD DDD PPE ODL DDE PLL DDD EDO ODE Lo POLO DDL DOF LODOPD 
 
 THE HORRIBLE CUSTOM OF INFANTICIDE AT PEKIN IN 
 CHINA. 
 
 Ir is considered as a part of the duty of the police of Pekin, 
 to employ certain persons to go their rounds, at an early hour 
 in the morning, with carts, in order to pick up such bodies of 
 infants as may have been thrown out into the streets in the 
 course of the preceding night. No inquiries are made, but 
 the bodies are carried to a common pit without the city walls, 
 into which all those that may be living, as well as those which 
 are dead, are thrown promiscuously. At this horrible pit of 
 destruction, the Roman Catholic Missionaries, established at 
 Pekin, attend by turns, as a part of the duties of their office, 
 in order, as one of them expressed himself, to choose among 
 them those that are most lively, and make future proselytes, 
 and by the administration of baptism to such of the rest as 
 might be still alive—pour leur sauver Vame. The Mahomedans, 
 who, at the time their services were useful in assisting to pre- 
 pare the national calendar, had a powerful influence at court, 
 did much better: those zealous bigots to a religion, whose 
 least distinguishing feature is that of humanity, were, how- 
 ever, on these occasions, the means of saving the lives of all 
 little innocents they possibly could save from this maw of 
 death, which was a humane act, although it might only be for 
 the purpose of bringing them up in their own faith. I was 
 assured by one of the Christian Missionaries, with whom | 
 had daily conversation during a residence of five weeks within 
 the walls of the Emperor’s palace at Yuen-min-yuen, and who 
 took his turn in attending—pour leur sauver ?ame,—that such 
 scenes were sometimes exhibited on these occasions as to make 
 the feeling heart shudder with horror. When I mention that 
 dogs and swine are let loose in all the narrow streets of the 
 capital, the reader may conceive what will sometimes neces- 
 sarily happen to the exposed infants, before the police-carts 
 can pick them up. 
 
 >_> 
 
 THE ALLIGATOR HARMLESS. 
 
 A TRAVELLER of modern times, and of unquestionable 
 credibility, relates thus :—‘“ This being the season that the 
 alligators, or American crocodiles, were beginning to crawl 
 out of the mud, and bask in the sun, it was a favourable 
 time to take them, both on account of their torpid state, and 
 to examine the truth of the report of their swallowing pine- 
 knots in the fall of the year to serve them on account of their 
 difficult digestion during the term of their torpor, which is, 
 
882 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 POP LOD PID ILD LOL PDE PLE LLDOLDO LOD PELL LDL IE LOO LLL LED LALO LEE LED ELE LDL LOLLDLDLOE LEE OED LOG OED 
 
 Alligator Harmless.—A Man becoming Wild bya long Secession from Society. 
 
 LILLE IL LOD LE LOE DE LOL BIOL LE LOE 
 
 PROLIF. 
 
 PLL LDL LAF. POL LOL OLDE DOP 
 
 probably, about three months. For this purpose, two alli- 
 gators, of about eight or nine feet in length, were taken and 
 opened, and in the stomach of each was found several pine 
 and other knots, pieces of bark, and, in one of them, some 
 charcoal; but, exclusive of such indigestible matter, the 
 stomachs of both were empty. So far, the report appears to 
 be founded in fact ; but whether these substances were swal- 
 lowed on account of their tedious digestion, and therefore 
 proper during the time those animals lay in the mud, or to 
 prevent a collapse of the coats of the stomach, or by accident, 
 owing to their voracious manner of devouring their food, is 
 difficult to determine. 
 
 ‘“¢ The alligator has been so often and so well described, 
 and those descriptions so well known, that other attempts 
 have become unnecessary. It may, nevertheless, be proper 
 to remark, that so far as the human species are concerned, the 
 alligators appear much less dangerous than has generally 
 been supposed, particularly by those unacquainted with them. 
 And I do not recollect meeting but with one well authen- 
 ticated fact of any of the human species being injured by them 
 in that country, where they are very numerous, and that was 
 a negro near New Orleans, who, while standing in the water 
 sawing a piece of timber, had one of his legs dangerously 
 wounded by one of them. My opinion on this subject is 
 founded on my own experience. I have frequently been a 
 witness to Indians, including men, women, and children, 
 bathing in rivers and ponds, where those animals are extremely 
 numerous, without any apparent dread or caution. The same 
 practice was also pursued by myself and people without cau- 
 tion and without injury.” 
 
 — 
 A MAN BECOMING WILD BY A LONG SECESSION FROM 
 CIVILIZED SOCIETY. 
 
 One of the prisoners belonging to the outgangs, being sent 
 into camp on Saturday, to draw the weekly allowance of pro- 
 vision for his mess, fell unfortunately into the company of a 
 party of convicts, who were playing at cards for their allow- 
 ance, a thing very frequent amongst them. With as little 
 resolution as his superiors in similar situations, after being 
 awhile a looker on, he at length suffered himself to be per- 
 suaded to take a hand; and, in the event, lost, not only his 
 own portion, but that of the whole mess. Being a man of a 
 timid nature, his misfortune overcame his reason, and con- 
 ceiving his situation amongst his messmates insupportable, he 
 formed and executed the extravagant resolution of absconding 
 into the glens. | ' 
 
CURIOSITIES GF NATURE AND ART. 3°3 
 
 PIP LPS OOP LIE 
 
 LOPLI 
 
 PPD IPL ILI LAL LIF POLL LI LOEL PLO E ODL OE LOD 
 
 A Man becoming Wild by a long Secession from Civilized Society. 
 
 DAI DLL PDO DDO DLE PDE LED LDP LOD LOL LDODL IDL DE PLO LEE LD D DDE PDL DOLE DDE DOLD LPLD ODE LOD LOL DDL LE DLP 
 
 Every possible inquiry was now made after him; it was 
 known that he had drawn the allowance of his mess, and almost 
 in the same moment discovered that he had lost it at play; 
 search upon search, however, was made to no purpose; but as 
 it was impossible that he could subsist without occasionally 
 marauding, it was believed that he must shortly be taken in 
 his predatory excursions. These expectations, however, 
 were in vain, for the fellow managed his business with such 
 dexterity, keeping closely within his retreat during the day, 
 and marauding for his subsistence only by night, that in 
 despite of the narrow compass of the island, he eluded all 
 search. His nocturnal depredations were solely confined to 
 the supply of his necessities;—Indian corn, potatoes, pump- 
 kins, and melons. He seldom visited the same place a second 
 time; but, shifting from place to place, always contrived to 
 make his escape almost before the theft was discovered, or 
 the depredator suspected. In vain was a reward offered for 
 his apprehension, and year after year every possible search 
 instituted ; at all times it was considered that he was dead, 
 till the revival of the old trade proved that the dexterous and 
 invisible thief still existed. : 
 
 In the pursuit of him, his pursuers have often been so near 
 him, that he has not unfrequently heard their wishes that they 
 might be so fortunate as to fall in with him. The reward 
 being promised in spirits, a temptation to which many would 
 have sacrificed their brother, excited almost the whole island 
 to join in the pursuit; and even those whose respectability 
 set them above any pecuniary compensation, were animated 
 with a desire of hunting in so extraordinary a chase. 'These 
 circumstances concurred to aggravate the terror of the un- 
 happy fugitive, as from his repeated depredations he indulged 
 no hope of pardon. 
 
 Nothing of this kind, however, was intended; it was hu- 
 manely thought that he had already sustained sufficient punish- 
 ment for his original crime, and that his subsequent depreda- 
 tions, being solely confined to necessary food, were venial, 
 and rendered him a subject rather of pity than of criminal in- 
 fliction. Of these resolutions, however, he knew nothing, 
 and therefore his terror continued. 
 
 Chance, however, at length accomplished what had baffled 
 every fixed design. One morning, about break of day, a man 
 going to his labour observed a fellow hastily crossing the 
 road ; he was instantly struck with the idea that this must be 
 the man, the object of such general pursuit. Animated with 
 this belief, he exerted his utmost efforts to seize him,: and, 
 after a vigorous opposition on the part of the poor fugitive, 
 
3a4 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ANT. 
 
 PIP LID IOGR 
 
 POL LL LLIOG LOL PLEO LLLOOL PLD OPP LOD LOE. 
 
 A Man becoming Wild by a Secession from Society.—Henrietta of England. 
 
 ad 
 
 PIL PLL PDP LDP PL LLL PPL LLL PLE LOD ODF o. 
 
 Por 
 
 finally succeeded in his design. It was to no purpose to 
 assure the affrighted wretch that his life was safe, and that 
 his apprehension was only sought to relieve him from a life 
 more suited to a beast than a human creature. 
 
 The news of his apprehension flew through the island, and 
 every one was more curious than another to gain a sight of 
 this phenomenon, who, for upwards of five years, had so 
 effectually secluded himself from all human society. Upon 
 being brought into the camp, and the presence of the Gover- 
 nor, never did condemned malefactor feel more acutely ; he 
 appeared to imagine that the moment of his execution ap- 
 proached, and, trembling in every joint, seemed to turn his 
 _ eyes in search of the executioner. His person was such as 
 may well be conceived from his long seclusion from human 
 society: his beard had never been shaved from the moment 
 of his first disappearance ; he was clothed in some rags he 
 had picked up by the way, in some of his nocturnal pere- 
 grinations, and even his own language was at first unutterable 
 and unintelligible to him. 
 
 After some previous questions as to what had induced him 
 to form such a resolution, and by what means he had so long 
 subsisted, the Governor gave him his pardon, and restored 
 him to society, of which he afterwards became a very useful 
 member. 
 
 POS. 
 
 HENRIETTA OF ENGLAND. 
 
 Henrietta, the daughter of Charles the First, and the 
 first wife of Monsieur, brother to the King of France, was 
 poisoned. On the morning of her death, D’ Effeat, a creature. 
 of the Chevalier Lorraine, who had been driven from the 
 Duke’s service by Madame, was seen rubbing the inside of a 
 cup with paper, out of which Madame was accustomed to 
 drink. About twelve o’clock she called for some endive 
 water; after drinking it out of the cup, she cried out that she 
 was poisoned. She was put to bed, and expired in the greatest 
 torments an hour or two after midnight. The poison must have 
 been of the most violent and subtle nature, for the cup was 
 obliged to be passed through the fire before it could be again 
 used with safety. According to the superstition of the day, the 
 ghost of Madame was said to wander for a‘considerable time 
 after near a fountain in the park of St. Cloud; anda laquais of 
 Mareschal Clerambault, who saw a white figure near the spot 
 one night, which rose up at his approach, fled in the utmost 
 affright towards the house, protested most solemnly that he 
 had seen the shade of Madame, took to his bed and died. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 385 
 
 PIPPIGIPP PPS. 
 
 FLIP LEP 
 
 PLP 
 
 PPD SOPRECLE DP OL OO 
 Remarkable Well.— Awful Presentiment of Death. 
 
 DPOOPOODIO IDG LPILLLIL LLL DDL LLL LIOLOP PIL LOG 
 
 PLEIPL LD LODLEOLIG FED LIGLOD 
 
 REMARKABLE WELL. 
 
 On the 19th of February, 1815, a paper by Dr. Storer was 
 read to the Royal Society, giving an account of a well dug in 
 Bridlington Harbour, Yorkshire, within high-water mark. 
 The bottom of the harbour is a bed of clay, through which 
 they bored to the bed below ; a tinned copper pipe was then 
 
 ut into the circular cavity, and the whole properly secured. 
 
 he cavity was soon filled with pure water. When the tide 
 rises to within about fifty inches of the mouth of this well, 
 the fresh water begins to flow over, and the quantity flowing 
 increases as the tide rises, and the flow continues till the tide 
 sinks more than fifty inches- below the mouth of the well. 
 During storms, the water flows in waves similar to the waves 
 of the sea. Mr. Milne accounts for the flowing of this sin- 
 gular well in this way: the whole bay, he conceives, has a 
 clay bottom. ‘The water between the clay and the rock can 
 flow out nowhere except at the termination of the clay, which 
 is under the sea. As the tide rises, the obstruction to this 
 mode of escape of the water will increase. Hence less wiil 
 make its way below the clay, and of course it will rise and 
 flow out of the mouth of the well. 
 
 s 
 
 AWFUL PRESENTIMENT OF DEATH. 
 
 In 1813, Mrs. Eagen, wife of a dealer in marine stores, of 
 Little Drury Lane, went to an opposite neighbour’s, and ex- 
 pressed an earnest desire to see his eldest daughter. On 
 being informed she was from home, she appeared highly 
 disappointed, and said, although she was then in perfect 
 health, she had a strong presentiment that she should not 
 long survive; this was, of course, treated with levity She, 
 then took the hand of another daughter, and a niece, of 
 her neighbour, saying, “ God bless you, girls, I shall never 
 see you again.” She next called on a Mrs. Chaplain, who 
 works for Morgan and Saunders, in Catherine Street, and 
 informed her she was shortly to die, requesting her to 
 perform the accustomed offices on such occasions. She like- 
 wise took leave of a woman who keeps a chandler’s shop near 
 Clare Market. The same evening she spent cheerfully, in 
 company with her husband and a female friend, and retired 
 to rest at her usual hour. She slept well in the night, nor 
 did she complain of indisposition when her husband rose at 
 seven in the morning; but, about eight, on attempting to rise, 
 she was seized with a violent vomiting; this was succeeded 
 by an acute pain in the head, which speedily berate so alarm- 
 
 D 
 
386 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLO LOO PEIL OP CEP LOR SSS AGD IID DOT DEG OPTI SOC TE SSS GOT OOP FO ERGOT TO CCHD ODDO ODIO SO IERO 
 Extraordinary Coincidence.—Ewe and Robin.—Sailors on Pompey’s Pillar. 
 
 ing, that two medical practitioners were called to her aid, but 
 without effect, as she continued in a state of insensibility, and 
 lingered until seven in the evening, when she expired. 
 
 =a 
 
 MOST EXTRAORDINARY COINCIDENCE. 
 
 HUGH WiLLIAMS. 
 
 In the year 1664, on the 5th of December, a boat on the 
 Menai, crossing that strait, with eighty-one passengers, was 
 upset, and only one passenger, named Hugh Williams, was 
 saved. On the same day, in the year 1785, was upset another 
 boat, containing about sixty persons, and every soul perished, 
 with the exception of one, whose name also was Hugh Wil- 
 liams. And on the 5th of August, 1820, a third boat met the 
 same disaster; but the passengers.of this were no more than 
 twenty-five, and, Aa cat to relate, the whole perished with 
 the exception of one, whose name was Hugh Williams. 
 
 eae 
 
 SINGULAR EWFe-—DOMESTICATED ROBIN. 
 
 Me. W. Hewitt, of Harrington Mill, has an ewe, which, 
 this spring, yeaned a lamb, of which the following is a descrip- 
 tion: the eyes were placed in the middle of the forehead with- 
 out any division betwixt them, one eyelid covering both: the 
 nostrils opened into the mouth, and the under jaw was turned 
 _ up in an oval shape. It was unable to suck, and died in the 
 course of the day. 
 
 A Robin is now sitting her eggs ina bed-room at Tatton 
 Park, the seat of Wilbraham Egerton, Esq. M.P. which is 
 constantly occupied. ‘The male bird pays every attention to 
 his mate by bringing her daily food, which he begins to per- 
 form at an early hour in the morning; and for this purpose 
 the window is regularly thrown open at the time of rising, by 
 the person who occupies the room. : 
 
 —_ 
 
 BRITISH SAILORS ON POMPEY’S PILLAR. 
 
 Tue spirit of daring is so prominent a feature in the 
 character of British sailors, that scarcely any thing they 
 undertake can excite much surprise among those to whom 
 their adventurous disposition is known; and yet the circum- 
 stance of a few hardy sons of Neptune drinking a bowl of 
 punch on the top of Pompey’s Pillar might have staggered 
 our belief, had not the fact been too well authenticated to 
 admit of doubt. | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 387 
 
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 British Sailors on Pompey’s Pillar. 
 
 PPLIL LD PLDP PDD OLDE LLL PLE LOL OLDELEG ODPL OD LOL. POO DOL OL PLP LEP PILELIDEOPGODODLE LDOLLLE JOP BOL ODE 
 
 _ Pompey’s Pillar is situated about a quarter of a league 
 from the southern gate of Alexandria, ‘a city of Lower Egypt, 
 and once its capital. It is composed of red granite; the 
 capital, which is nine feet high, is Corinthian, with palm 
 leaves, and not indented. The shaft, and the upper member 
 ' of the base, are of one piece of granite, ninety feet long and 
 nine feet in diameter. ‘The base, which is one solid block of 
 marble, fifteen feet square, rests on two layers of stone, bound 
 together with lead. ‘The whole column is one hundred and 
 fourteen feet high. It is perfectly well polished, and only a 
 little shivered on the eastern side. Nothing can equal the 
 majesty of this monument, which, seen from a distance, over- 
 tops the town, and seems as a signal for vessels. Approach- 
 ing it nearer, Pompey’s Pillar produces astonishment mixed 
 with awe: and the beauty of the capital, the length of the 
 shaft, and the extraordinary simplicity of the pedestal, excite 
 the admiration of all travellers. 
 
 It was not, however, to mere admiration that a party of 
 English sailors confined themselves. These jolly sons of 
 Neptune had been pushing the can about on board their ship 
 in the harbour of Alexandria, when they determined to go on 
 shore and drink a bow! of punch on the top of Pompey’s Pil- 
 lar. The eccentricity of the idea was sufficient to make it be 
 immediately adopted, and its apparent impossibility a certain 
 spur for putting it into execution. On arriving at the spot, 
 many contrivances were tried, but without effect, and the 
 British tars began to despair of success, when the officer who 
 had planned the frolic suggested the means of accomplishing ~ 
 it, by a paper kite, for which one of the men was dispatched 
 to the city. 
 
 The inhabitants were, by this time, apprised of what was 
 going forward, and flocked in crowds to witness the exploit. 
 The Governor of Alexandria was told that the English sea- 
 men were about to pull down Pompey’s Pillar, but he would 
 not interfere, saying, the English were too great patriots to 
 injure the remains of Pompey. He knew little, however, of 
 the disposition of the people engaged in the undertaking; for 
 had the Turkish empire risen in opposition, it would not, per- 
 haps, at this moment have deterred them. 
 
 The kite was brought and flown directly over the pillar, 
 by which means a cord was carried over the capital, This 
 accomplished, a rope was then drawn over, and one of the 
 seamen ascended by it to the top, where being arrived, other 
 ropes were handed to him by the same conveyance, and in 
 little more than an hour a regular set of shrouds was erected, 
 -by which the whole company went up, and drank their bowl 
 
888 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LLL LIL PLL DOP LOD PPP DOD LEO DDD OLD OOP PIE LGD DOP 
 
 POOLE L POPP PDE LG PPLE LPOPELPD LOG LOG LOE 
 British Sailors on Pompey’s Pillar.—The Great Wall of China. 
 
 POP LIF PIP PIP 
 
 PDP DIE. 
 
 LOL LADLE 
 
 PLEOP IP LOD LD OL DOL ICD LE LIEDMI SF 
 
 of punch amidst the shouts of several thousand people col- 
 lected to see what they termed a miracle, as no one had before 
 been known to have seen the top of that stupendous edifice, 
 - which overtops the highest buildings of the city. To the eye 
 below, the capital does not appear capable of holding more 
 than one man, but our seamen found it would contain no less 
 than eight persons very conveniently; they also discovered, 
 what before was unknown, that there was originally a statue 
 on this pillar, of gigantic size, of which the foot and ancle are 
 the only parts now remaining. ‘The only injury. the pillar 
 sustained was the loss of one of its volutes, which fell down, 
 and was brought to England by one of the captains. The 
 sailors, after painting the initials of their names in large let- 
 ters, just beneath the capital, descended, to the great astonish- 
 ment of the Turks, who to this day speak of it as the madcap 
 
 experiment. | 
 EE 
 
 THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA. 
 
 Tuts stupendous wall, which extends across the northern 
 boundary of the Chinese empire, is deservedly ranked among 
 the grandest labours of art. It is conducted over the sum- 
 mits of high mountains, several of which have an elevation of 
 not less than 5225 feet, (nearly a mile,) across deep vallies, 
 and over wide rivers, by means of arches: in many parts it is 
 doubled or trebled, to command important passes ; and at the 
 distance of nearly every hundred yards is a tower or massive 
 bastion. Its extent is computed at 1500 miles; but in some 
 parts, where less danger 1s apprehended, it is not equally 
 strong or complete, and towards the north-west, consists 
 merely of a strong rampart of earth. Near Koopekoo it is 
 twenty-five feet in height, and at the top about fifteen feet 
 thick: some of the towers, which are square, are forty-eight 
 feet high, and about forty feet in width. The stone employed 
 in the foundations, angles, &c. is a strong grey granite; but 
 the materials for the greater part consist of bluish bricks, and 
 the mortar is remarkably pure and white. 
 
 The era of the construction of this great barrier, which 
 has been and will continue to be the wonder and admiration 
 of ages, is considered by Sir George Staunton as having been 
 absolutely ascertained; and he asserts that it has existed for 
 two thousand years. In this assertion he appears to have 
 followed Du Halde, who informs us that “ this prodigious 
 work was constructed two hundred and fifteen years before 
 the birth of Christ, by order of the first Emperor of the family . 
 of ‘T'sin, to protect three large provinces from the eruptions 
 
200 | LY PD 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 3889 
 
 Eehag SS Peay Siete ett tal 
 The Great Wall of China.—Singular Adventure of a Soldier in North America. 
 
 PPP LPL PIL PIP PPLE DIP PDL LLP DIED PDE LOL PIL ELE DDD LDL PDE PLDODPLE DOLL LO LOE LDL OLEL DE LED DDO GOP PSD : 
 
 of the Tartars.’” However, in the History of China, con- 
 tained in his first volume, he ascribes this erection to the 
 second Emperor of the dynasty of Tsin, named Chi Hoang 
 Ti; and the date immediately preceding the narrative of this 
 construction is the year 137 before the birth of Christ. Hence 
 suspicions may arise, not only concerning the epoch when 
 this work was undertaken, but also relatively to the purit 
 and precision of the Chinese annals in general. Mr. Bell, 
 who resided some time in China, and whose travels are de- 
 servedly esteemed for the accuracy of their information, 
 assures us that this wall was built somewhere about the year 
 1160, by one of the Emperors, to prevent the frequent incur- 
 sions of the Monguls, whose numerous cavalry used to ravage 
 the provinces, and effect their escape before an army could be-. 
 assembled to oppose them. 
 
 PPP 
 
 —— a 
 
 SINGULAR ADVENTURE OF A BRITISH 
 SOLDIER IN NORTH AMERICA. 
 
 In the year 1779, when the war with America was con- 
 - ducted with great spirit upon that continent, a division of the 
 English army was encamped on the banks of a river, and in 
 a position so favoured by nature, that it was difficult for any 
 military art to surprise it. War in America was rather a 
 species of hunting than a regular campaign. “ If you fight 
 with art,” said Washington to his soldiers, “ you are sure to 
 be defeated. Acquire discipline enough for retreat and the 
 uniformity of combined attack, and your country will prove 
 the best of engineers.” So true was the maxim of the Ame- 
 rican General, that the English soldiers had to contend with 
 little else. The Americans had incorporated the Indians into 
 their ranks, and had made them useful in a species of war to_ 
 which their habits of life had peculiarly fitted them. They 
 sallied out of their impenetrable forests and jungles, and, 
 with their arrows and tomahawks, committed daily waste 
 upon the British army,—surprising their sentinels, cutting off 
 their stragglers, and even when the alarm was given and pur- 
 suit commenced, they fled, with a swiftness that the speed of 
 cavalry could not overtake, into rocks and fastnesses whither 
 it was dangerous to follow them. 
 
 In order to limit as far as possible this species of war, in 
 which there was so much loss and so little honour, it was the 
 custom with every regiment to extend its outposts to a great 
 distance beyond the encampments ; to station sentinels some 
 miles in the woods, and to keep a constant guard round the 
 main body. | 
 
390 GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LG OL LOL IDE. 
 
 LLOL DOL BCL DLLDOL ELD PONG I OL ISP 
 
 Singular Adventure of a British Soldier in North America. 
 
 PLP GLE POL EDOOLOELP LE LEGLOLD BOPP CLEOD OBE 
 
 LOL PCE BOE DOE DPLOELDELOLLOL GLE LLCLEBEE LCL LDL LEDELOG | 
 
 A regiment of foot was at this time stationed upon the con- 
 fines of a boundless Savannah. Its particular office was to 
 guard every avenue of approach to the main body ; the sen- 
 tinels, whose posts penetrated into the woods, were supplied 
 from its ranks, and the service of this regiment was thus more 
 hazardous than that of any other. Its loss was likewise great. 
 The sentinels were perpetually surprised upon their posts by 
 the Indians, and were borne off their stations without com- 
 municating any alarm, or being heard of after. 
 
 Not a trace was left of the manner in which they had been 
 conveyed away, except that, upon one or two occasions, a 
 few drops of blood had appeared upon the leaves which covered 
 the ground. Many imputed this unaccountable disappearance 
 ‘to treachery, and suggested, as an unanswerable argument, 
 that the men thus surprised might at least have fired their 
 muskets, and communicated the alarm to the contiguous posts. 
 Others, who could not be brought to rank it as a treachery, 
 were content to consider it as a mystery which time would 
 unravel. 
 
 One morning, the sentinels having been stationed as usual 
 over night, the guard went at sunrise to relieve a post which 
 extended a considerable distance into the wood. ‘The sentinel 
 was gone! the aa was great; but the circumstance had 
 occurred before. ‘They left another man, and departed, wish- 
 ing him better luck. ‘ You need not be afraid,” said the 
 man with warmth, “ i shall not desert !” eo 
 
 The relief-company returned to the guard-house. == 
 
 The sentinels were replaced every four hours, and, at the 
 appointed time, the guard again marched to relieve the post. 
 
 o their inexpressible astonishment, the man was gone! ‘They 
 searched round the spot, but no traces could be found of his 
 disappearance. it was now necessary that the station, from 
 a stronger motive than ever, should not remain unoccupied ; 
 they were compelled to leave another man, and returned to 
 the guard-house. The superstition of the soldiers was 
 awakened, and terror ran through the regiment. The 
 Colonel being apprised of the occurrence, signified his inten- 
 tion to accompany the guard when they relieved the sentinel 
 they had left.. At the appointed time, they all marched toge- 
 ther ; and again, to their unutterable wonder, they found the 
 post. vacant, and the man gone! 
 
 Under these circumstances, the Colonel hesitated whether 
 he should station a whole company on the spot, or whether 
 he should again submit the post to a single sentinel. The 
 cause of this repeated disappearance of men, whose courage 
 and honesty were never suspected, must be discovered ; and 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 891 
 
 PP PPP PLP LIP LLPOL LI LEP LOL LEP OLDE LOE PDLCLELE PDE LOL PEO LEE LED OGGLOU GCLGLLO OLE LED GO DLE GDP LOPOGDOL 
 Singular Adventure of a British Soldier in North America, 
 
 DPIPPDPP LDP DDI LLL LOD LLL LOL OLOL DLL II PLD ELLE BILLED DDD PLE LPLOLLPLI LLL LOL LLG LPDL IDE DOLLOP 
 
 it seemed not likely that this discovery could be obtained by 
 poe ans in the old method. ‘Three brave men were now 
 dost to the regiment, and to assign the post to a fourth, seemed 
 nothing less than giving him up to destruction. The poor 
 fellow whose turn it was to take the station, though a man in 
 other respects of incomparable resolution, trembled from head 
 to foot. | 
 
 “] must do my duty,” said he to the officer, “I know that; 
 but I should like to lose my life with more credit.” 
 
 “‘T will leave no man,” said the Colonel, “ against his 
 will.” 
 
 A man immediately stepped from the ranks, and desired to 
 take the post. Every mouth commended his resolution. 
 “‘ | will not be taken alive,” said he, “and you shall hear of 
 me on the least alarm. At all events, I will fire my piece if I 
 hear the least noise. If a bird chatters, or a leaf falls, you 
 shall hear my musket. You may be alarmed when nothing is 
 the matter; but you must take the chance as the condition of 
 the discovery !” | 
 
 The Colonel applauded his courage, and told him he would 
 be right to fire upon the least noise which was ambiguous. 
 -, His comrades shook hands with him, and left him with a 
 melancholy foreboding. ‘The company marched back, and 
 awaited the event in the guard-house. 
 
 An hour had elapsed, and every ear was upon the rack for 
 the discharge of the musket, when, upon a sudden, the report 
 was heard. The guard immediately marched, accompanied, 
 as before, by the Colonel, and some of the most experienced 
 officers of the regiment. As they approached the post, they 
 saw the man advancing towards them, dragging another man 
 on the ground by the hair of his head. When they came up 
 with him, it appeared to be an Indian, whom he had shot. An 
 explanation was immediately required. 
 
 “7 told your honour,” said the man, “that I should fire if I 
 heard the least noise. The resolution I had taken has saved 
 my life. I had not been long on my post when | hearda 
 rustling at some short distance; I looked, and saw an Ame- 
 rican hog, such as are common in the woods, crawling along 
 the ground, and seemingly looking for nuts under the trees 
 and amongst the leaves. As these animals are so very com- 
 mon, I ceased to consider it for some minutes; but being on 
 the constant alarm and expectation of attack, and scarcely 
 knowing what was to be considered a real cause of apprehen- 
 sion, I kept my eyes vigilantly fixed upon it, and marked tts 
 progress among the trees; still there was no need to give the 
 alarm, and my thoughts were directed to danger from another 
 
E92 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 POOLE OLED LOE DOLL DO LIE PDE EPL DIO LOD 
 
 Singular Adventure of a Soldier in North America.—The Ceylon Serpent. 
 
 LOO LOE LODE GOODE 
 
 IAF. 
 
 PDL LOL LLL LOL LOO DDS 
 
 PLE LIL L OL PIOOL LE DDIOLG EF 
 
 quarter. It struck me, however, as somewhat singular to see 
 this animal making, by a circuitous passage, for a thick cop- 
 pice immediately behind my post. 1 therefore kept my eye 
 more constantly fixed upon it, and as it was now within a few 
 yards of the coppice, hesitated whether I should not fire. My 
 comrades, thought I, will laugh at me for alarming them by 
 shooting a pig! I had almost resolved to let it alone, when, 
 just as it approached the thicket, I thought I observed it give 
 an unusual spring. I no longer hesitated; I took my aim; 
 discharged my piece; and the animal was instantly stretched 
 before me with a groan which I conceived to be that of a 
 human creature. I went up to it, and judge my astonish- 
 ment, when I[ found that I had killed an Indian! He had en- 
 veloped himself with the skin of one of these wild hogs so 
 artfully and completely ; his hands and feet were so entirely 
 concealed in it, and his gait and appearance were so exactly 
 correspondent to that of the animal, that imperfectly as they 
 were always seen through the trees and jungles, the disguise 
 could not be penetrated at a distance, and scarcely discovered 
 upon the nearest inspection. He was armed with a dagger 
 and a tomahawk.” 
 
 Such was the substance of this man’s relation. The cause 
 of the disappearance of the other sentinels was now apparent. 
 The Indians, sheltered in this disguise, secreted themselves 
 In the coppice ; watched the moment when they could throw 
 it off; burst upon the sentinels without previous alarm, and, 
 too quick to give them an opportunity to discharge their 
 pieces, either stabbed or scalped them, and bearing their 
 bodies away, concealed them at some distance in the leaves. 
 The Americans gave them rewards for every scalp of an 
 enemy which they brought. 
 
 ——_ 
 
 THE CEYLON SERPENT; OR, MIRACULOUS 
 ESCAPE. 
 
 _A recent Fact. 
 
 “ THE forests of Ceylon,” says a recent Dutch traveller in 
 that country, from whose highly interesting work we have 
 extracted the following story, ‘“‘ have almost always some- 
 thing in them so inexpressibly great and majestic as in- 
 stantly fills the soul with astonishment and admiration. 
 
 “Trees are there of a prodigious height and thickness, that 
 appear to have outlived several ages, and whose closely inter- 
 woven leaves form an impenetrable shade, and afford a plea- 
 sant and refreshing coolness. 
 
 * How beautiful is nature when she shows herself in all 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AWD ART. 393 
 
 OTOL NY TON OS aad 2 LOL LO FPO LLP DDD PILE DIF 
 
 PRP LPP LOOP OF 
 
 The Ceylon Serpent; or, Miraculous Escape. 
 
 POP LOD LLL PPI LOL OLROLGISF 
 
 her magnificence, or in all her simplicity, and without the 
 misplaced additions and changes of art! She has then some- 
 thing so attractive, something so perfectly congenial to the 
 original state of our senses and our soul, that I have often 
 felt an irresistible desire to spend my days in these terrestrial 
 paradises—the forests of Ceylon. 
 
 ““] have travelled,” says he, “in many forests, and tra- 
 versed many woods in various countries, but I have never 
 seen one that can in any degree be compared to those of this 
 island ; there, when the sun shoots his burning rays, only a 
 trembling and coloured light can be perceived.—The loss of 
 my companion,” continues he, ‘ who was killed by an alli- 
 gator, induced me to think of returning to Chilaw. I did not 
 long hesitate about the road I should take; to return through 
 the wilderness by the way we had come was, in my present 
 forlorn situation, to expose myself to certain destruction: 
 I shuddered at the recollection of the dangers we had encoun- 
 tered in our approach to the Bocaul Mountains: I therefore 
 resolved to proceed along the banks of a canal or ditch, up- 
 wards of thirty feet wide, in the hope of finding its source, as 
 it was impossible to ford it, in consequence of the immense 
 quantity of weeds, bushes, and brambles; following the bed 
 of the river, I continued my solitary way, much depressed in 
 spirits at the unhappy fate of my too-venturous companion, 
 until I arrived at the foot of a steep rock, about sixty feet 
 high, and as smooth as a wall, rising like an insurmountable 
 barrier across my path. I looked anxiously about for some 
 time, but no passage or opening appeared. At this frightful 
 prospect, my strength gave way—I sunk down upon the 
 earth; in this state | remained for some time, almost bereft 
 of reason at my hopeless situation, until I began to reflect 
 that this despair only exhausted my remaining strength, and 
 rendered me incapable of any exertion to clamber over the 
 rock. I then got up to examine the place more closely, and 
 found my situation as dreadful as the mind can form an idea 
 of. On the left was the canal, whose banks, from the eleva- 
 tion of the ground, had become extremely steep and high, 
 and its bed still seemed one solid mass of weeds, thorns, and 
 brambles ; before me was the rock, which on one side over- 
 hung a fearful abyss, and on the other extended far into an 
 impenetrable wood, thus completely shutting in the small 
 space that lay between them; there were, it is true, at dis- 
 tances, clefts or holes in the rock, but the idea of hanging over 
 this gulph, into which the least false step would have plunged 
 me, and dashed me in'a moment to atoms, deterred me; besides, 
 I should -have been obliged to leave sits gun and provisions 
 
 17. E 
 
 POR 
 
 LIL PIL LEG LLP DL LL LED PLD L DL LEG POO DPO LOD PGODIOLDDDODD IDE DLO 
 
394 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 POLLO LDP DLP OLDE D DIL DDD DOO GID 
 
 POP LPOL OP PLD POLL OP DOL LDP LOO LOD LOL L GE INNININIE BIG 
 The Ceylon Serpent; or, Miraculous Escape. 
 
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 POL LLE LLL LOL LOL LOL DDE ODD 
 
 (the only sources of existence at such a distance from any 
 habitation,) behind me, had I ventured upon the undertaking. 
 
 ‘“‘ There remained, therefore, no other alternative than to 
 follow the direction of the rock into the forest, and get round 
 it if possible, or find a place where it was less steep, or the 
 summit more easily attainable; but the mass of thorns, &c. 
 prevented an easy advance. 
 
 “ Struggling with disappointment and vexation, I had pro- 
 ceeded about fifty yards along the edge of the wood, when | 
 had the satisfaction to perceive a small opening, through 
 which, with much difficulty, I penetrated into the wood. 
 Scarcely had I entered it, when I heard a loud hissing and 
 uncommon motion in a large tree that stood some paces from 
 me; with all the speed terror would permit, I flew towards 
 the rock, dropping my gun and provisions in my fright ; before 
 1 reached the base of the rock, my ears were again assailed 
 with the same hissing, but louder. In dreadful anticipation 
 of the worst, I looked round, when I saw a monstrous ser- 
 pent, of enormous size, crawling slowly out of the opening I 
 had just entered but a few moments. At this sight the earth 
 seemed to open under my feet: 1 uttered a horrible yell, and 
 my courage and my hope instantly forsaking me, I stood 
 _as if thunderstruck, and could form no resolution. Where 
 could I fly? Where conceal myself? I saw the terrific mon- 
 ster ready to dart upon me,—his eyes glaring, and his throat 
 swelling with fury; my situation was such as cannot be 
 described; shut in on every side, death in its most horrible 
 form appeared certain; 1 was without any weapon of de- 
 fence, my fowling-piece being between the serpent and the 
 place where I stood. An unconquerable irresolution still 
 made me hesitate: but seeing the monster open his immense 
 jaws and quicken his pace, and now only a few paces from 
 me, I sprung about five feet from the rock, and an equal 
 height from the ground, to lay hold of a cleft with my hand. 
 It succeeded! I remained for some moments hanging by my 
 hands over the abyss, before I could find any small projection 
 to place my feet on, and relieve my arms from the weight of 
 my body ; at last, however, calling forth all my strength and 
 agility, I obtained a foot-hold, and seizing every projection, 
 and holding fast by every cleft, I reached the edge of the 
 rock, and drew myself to the top. During this anxious 
 struggle for life, 1 expected every moment to be devoured by 
 the monster ; but, fortunately, it was not of that species that 
 crawl upon their tails, with their heads erect, like the Naga. 
 Being now beyond the reach of the serpent, I cast my eyes 
 towards it, and observed, it greedily eating my rice; it was 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 395 
 
 PROP ID IID IDG LIL IL ILIE LED LIDL DDL LD PDP LDIPLIDL DOL DLE LLP L DOLLOP LOL LOL LLP LOE LEP DODD LD ODP ODL 
 
 The Ceylon Serpent; or, Miraculous Rscape.—The Cameleon. 
 
 PEPIPP PLP LEP PLE LOD PDE POF PIL PIP LED OLED LE PLO DOP ODO 
 
 Se ae LLP POP VIG PPG IDP 
 
 what the natives call the Pambon Rajah, or Royal Serpent ; 
 it appeared at least fifty feet in length, and its body was con- 
 siderably thicker than mine, covered all over with yellow and 
 black spotted seales; it sometimes raised its head, and its 
 general motion was slow and regular. 
 
 “The thought of the great danger I had escaped from, 
 made me sensible of the mercy of the.Creator, to whom I in- 
 stantly offered up a grateful thanksgiving for my astonishing 
 deliverance.” 
 
 a 
 
 THE CAMELEON. 
 
 No numbers can the varying robe express, 
 While each new day presents a different dress. 
 
 Few animals have been more celebrated by naturalists than 
 the cameleon, which is said to possess the power of changing 
 its colour at pleasure, and of assimilating it to that of any 
 particular object or situation. This, however, is to be re- 
 ceived with certain limitations, the change of colour it takes 
 varying in degree, according to the circumstances of health, 
 temperature of weather, and other causes. It is a native of 
 Africa and India, and has likewise been seen in the southern 
 _ parts of Europe. It is harmless in its nature, and supports 
 itself by feeding on insects, for which purpose the structure 
 of the tongue is admirably adapted.—It consists of a long 
 missile body, furnished with a dilated, and somewhat tubular 
 tip, by means of which the animal seizes insects with great 
 ease, darting out its tongue in the manner of a woodpecker, 
 and retracting it instantaneously with the prey on its tip. It 
 can also support a long abstinence, and hence arose the popu- 
 lar idea of the cameleon being nourishec by air alone. : 
 
 A very interesting account of the cameleon is given by 
 Forbes in his Oriental Memoirs. ‘This great curiosity, he re- 
 marks, is so common in India, that it is found in every thicket. 
 He describes with great accuracy, and in the following terms, 
 one which he kept for several weeks. 
 
 ‘The cameleon of the concan, including the tail, is about 
 nine inches long; the body only half that length, varying in 
 circumference, as it is more or less inflated; the head, like 
 that of a fish, is immoveably fixed to the shoulders; but 
 every inconvenience is removed by the structure of the eyes, 
 which, like spheres rolling on an invisible axis, are placed in 
 deep cavities, projecting from the head: through a smal. per: 
 foration in the exterior convexity appears a bright pupil, sur: 
 rounded by a yellow iris, which, by the siagular formation 
 and motion of the eye, enables the animal to see what passes 
 
396 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 POCPLPLDD DODD DODO CLIP DOLL OD DOO LOL LOD LD D LED DIO DOCLOO DOP DDO DDD 
 
 The Cameleon.—The Cerastes; or, Horned Serpent. 
 
 LLOLLL LLL PDL LOD GDC LOE LOE OLE LOLG LLEL LER ODPL LE LOL GDL L DELLE LIL OLED DLOLDE LLOM GOOD 
 
 PIT 
 
 before, behind, or on either side: and it can give one eye all 
 these motions, while the other remains perfectly still: a hard 
 rising protects these delicate organs; another extends from 
 the forehead to the nostrils: the mouth is large, and fur- 
 nished with teeth, with a tongue half the length of the body, 
 and hollow like an elephant’s trunk; it darts nimbly at flies 
 and other insects, which it seems to prefer to the aerial food 
 generally supposed to be its sustenance. ‘The legs are longer 
 than usual in the dacerta genus; on the fore-feet are three 
 toes nearest the body, and two without: the hinder exactly 
 the reverse; with these claws it clings fast to the branches, to 
 which it sometimes entwines itself by the tail, and remains 
 suspended : the skin is granulated like shagreen, except a 
 range of hard excrescences, or denticulations, on the ridge of 
 the back, which are always of the same colour as the body ; 
 whereas a row of similar projections beneath continue per- 
 fectly white, notwithstanding any metamorphosis of the 
 animal. 
 
 “ The general colour of the cameleon, so long in my pos- 
 session, was a pleasant green, spotted with pale blue: from 
 this it changed to a bright yellow, dark olive, and a dull 
 green; but never appeared to such advantage as when irri- 
 tated, or a dog approached it; the body was then consider- 
 ably inflated, and the skin clouded like tortoise-shell, in shades 
 of yellow, orange, green, and black. A black object always 
 caused an almost instantaneous transformation; the room 
 appropriated for its accommodation was skirted by a board 
 
 ainted black; this the cameleon carefully avoided; but if he 
 accidentally drew near it, or we placed a black hat in his 
 way, he was reduced to a hideous skeleton, and from the 
 most lively tints became black as jet ; on removing the cause, 
 the effect as suddenly ceased ; the sable hue was succeeded b 
 a brilliant colouring, and the body was again inflated.” 
 
 THE CERASTES, OR HORNED SNAKE. 
 
 Tuts curious species is a native of many parts of Africa, 
 and is also frequent in Egypt, Syria, and Arabia. It is about 
 two feet in length, and is distinguished by a pair of horns, or 
 curved processes, situated above the eyes, and poititing for- 
 wards: these horns have not any thing analogous in their 
 structure to the horns of quadrupeds, and are by no means 
 to be considered in the light of offensive or defensive wea- 
 pons: they increase, however, the natural antipathy so 
 generally felt against the serpent tribe, and give the animal a 
 
 more than ordinary appearance of malignity. Its bite is much 
 
oumtosrrivs oy warons AND ANT. 307 
 
 The Cerastes ; or, Horned Serpent. 
 
 PPP LIS 
 
 to be dreaded, since, exclusively of the danger of treading 
 accidentally on this reptile, and thus irritating it unawares, it 
 possesses a propensity to spring suddenly to a considerable 
 distance, and assail without provocation those who happen to 
 approach it. ‘“ When,” Mr. Bruce observes, “ he inclines to’ 
 surprise any one, the cerastes creeps with his side towards 
 the person, and his head averted, till, judging his distance, he 
 turns round, springs upon him, and fastens on the part next 
 to him.” 
 
 On the subject of the incantation of serpents, this cele- 
 brated traveller remarks as follows: “ ‘There is not any 
 doubt of its reality : the scriptures are full of it; and those 
 who have been in Egypt have seen as many different instances 
 as they chose. Some have suspected that it was a trick, and 
 that the animal so handled had been first trained, and then 
 disarmed of the power of hurting; and, fond of the discovery, 
 have rested themselves upon it, without experiment, in the 
 face of all antiquity. But I will not hesitate to aver, that I 
 have seen at Cairo (and this may be seen daily, without trou- 
 ble or expense,) a man who came from above the catacombs, 
 where the pits of the mummy-birds are kept, who has taken a 
 cerastes with his naked hand, from a number of others lying 
 at the bottom ofa tub, has put it upon his bare head, covered 
 it with the common red cap he wears, then taken it out, put it 
 on his breast, and tied it about his neck like a.necklace; after 
 which it has been applied to a hen, and bit it, which has died 
 in a few minutes ; and, to complete the experiment, the man 
 has taken it by the neck, and, beginning at the tail, has eaten 
 it, as one would do a carrot, or a stock of celery, without any 
 seeming repugnance. 
 
 “‘ However lively the snake may have been before, when he 
 is seized by any of these barbarians he seems as if taken 
 with sickness and feebleness, frequently shuts his eyes, and 
 never turns his mouth towards the arm of the person who 
 holds him. On their being questioned how they are exempted 
 from its attack, the gravest and most respectable among the 
 Egyptians reply that they were born so; while the lower sort 
 talk of enchantments by words and by writing. ‘They all 
 pretend to prepare any person by remedies, that is, by decoc- 
 tions of herbs and roots. Be this as it may, the records of 
 history attest, that where any country has been remarkably 
 infested by serpents, there the people have been screened by 
 a secret of some kind; Thus it was with the Psylli and Maro- 
 onides of old.” 
 
 “ Tame at whose spell the charm’d Cerastes lay.” 
 
398 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR. 
 
 DOP PIE LEP GPE LGPGOCLDOELOLLLEEDLELDOL PLL LOL LDOGLLLE GLE L LODE? LILO LOL GOCLOPLGOPIPDF SOR 
 
 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
 DIG DOF PLE OPGLEPLIIPE LGD LOD PLELDODBOEL ODL LLIOLE EBE LEE LDEL LOLOL EDDOL CEL LOL LOL LEAL ELE DLE LAE LDP 
 
 ISLANDS WHICH HAVE RISEN FROM THE SEA. 
 
 Besipes the convulsions of nature displayed in volcanoes, 
 the most remarkable particulars of which we have given in 
 our history of mountains, other operations are carried on 
 below the fathomless depths of the sea, the nature of which 
 can only be conjectured by the effects produced. Nor is it 
 more astonishing that inflammable substances should be 
 found beneath the bottom of the sea, than at similar depths 
 on land, or that there also the impetuous force of fire 
 should cause the imprisoned air and ‘elastic gasses to expand, 
 and, by its mighty force, should drive the earth at the bot- 
 tom of the sea above its surface. ‘These marine volcanoes 
 are perhaps more frequent, though they do not so often 
 come within the reach of human observation, than those 
 on land; and stupendous must be the operations carried on, 
 when matter is thrown up to an extent which the ingenuity 
 of man does not enable him to reach by fathoming. 
 
 Many instances have occurred, as well in ancient as in 
 modern times, of islands having been formed in the midst 
 of the sea; and their sudden appearance has constantly been 
 preceded by violent agitations of the surrounding waters, 
 accompanied by dreadful noises, and, in some instances, by 
 fiery eruptions from the newly-formed isles, which are com- 
 posed of various substances, frequently intermixed with a 
 considerable quantity of volcanic lava. Such islands remain 
 for ages barren, but in a long course of time become abun- 
 dantly fruitful. It is a matter of curious inquiry, whether 
 springs are found on such newly-created spots, when ihe con- 
 vulsions which gave them birth have subsided; but on this 
 point it would seem that we are not possessed of any certain 
 information, as it does not appear that they have been visited 
 by any naturalist with the express view of recording their 
 properties. 
 
 Among the writers of antiquity who have transmitted 
 accounts of islands which have thus started up to the view 
 _of the astonished spectator, Seneca asserts that, in his time, 
 the island of 'Therasea, in the Avgean Sea, was seen to rise in 
 this manner by several mariners who were sailing near the 
 point of its ascent. Pliny’s relation is still more extra- 
 ordinary; for he says that, in the Mediterranean, thirteen 
 islands emerged at once from the sea, the cause of which he 
 ascribes rather to the retiring of the waters, than to any sub- 
 terraneous operation of nature: but he speaks at the same 
 time of the island of Hiera, in the vicinity of 'Therasea, as 
 having been formed by subterraneous explosions, and enu- . 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 399 
 
 PIP LIP LIS PPE PDF 
 
 BIP PIP PIPL DDL OP LOOP ISL AS DIE LOL LIDPP/ DP GLE LDOEPLDOLDPDLOOCLDLODOLDDL 
 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
 PLP LIP LDP POP LIG PLE DEL LOL LOL LELDOEO LODO LOLOL LODE ODL LOH LDP LOE LOLDLDI LOL LGPDLDLE LOLDDIF GOP OPED OGD 
 
 merates several others said to have been derived from a sim1- 
 lar origin, on one of which, he says, a great abundance of 
 fishes were found, of which however ali who ate perished 
 soon after. 
 
 It is to the Grecian Archipelago and the Azores that we 
 are to look for the grandest and most surprising instances of 
 this phenomenon. We will select an example from each of 
 these groups of islands, beginning with the former. 
 
 Before we enter, however, on the somewhat minute details 
 we shall have to bring forward on this very curious and 
 interesting subject, it may not be improper to observe, that 
 the island of Acroteri, of great celebrity in ancient history, 
 appears to have its surface composed of pumice-stone, en- 
 crusted by asurface of fertile earth ; and that it is represented 
 by the ancients as having risen, during a violent earthquake, 
 from the sea. Four neighbouring islands are described as 
 having had a similar origin, notwithstanding the sea is in that 
 part of the Archipelago of such a depth as to be unfathomable 
 by any sounding-line. ‘These arose at different times: the 
 first long before the commencement of the Christian era ; the 
 second in the first century, the third in the eighth; and the 
 fourth in 1573. ’ 
 
 To proceed to a phenomenon of a similar nature, belong- 
 ing to the same cluster of islands, which being of a more re- 
 cent date, we are enabled to enter into all its particulars. 
 They are such as cannot fail to interest and surprise. 
 
 On the 22d of May, 1707, a severe earthquake was felt at 
 Stanchio, an island of the Archipelago; and on the ensuing 
 morning a party of seamen, discovering not far off what they 
 believed to be a wreck, rapidly rowed towards it; but finding 
 rocks and earth instead of the remains of a ship, hastened 
 back, and spread the news of what they had seen in Santorini, 
 another of these islands. However great the apprehensions 
 of the inhabitants were at the first sight, their surprise soon 
 abated, and in a few days, seeing no appearance of fire or 
 smoke, some of them ventured to land on the new island. 
 Their curiosity led them from rock to rock, where they found 
 a kind of white stone, which yielded to the knife like bread, 
 and nearly resembled that substance in colour and consistence. 
 They also found many oysters sticking to the rocks ; but while 
 they were employed in collecting them, the island moved and 
 shook under their feet, on which they ran with precipitation 
 to their boats. Amid these motions and tremblings the island 
 increased, not only in height, but in length and breadth; still, 
 occasionally, while it was raised and extended on the one side, 
 it sunk and diminished on the other. ‘The person to whom 
 
400 - ‘RIOSITINS OF NATURE AND ART. 
 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
 DPOPPDP LIED IDNA SDPO LDL DDO IDOLOS Or 
 we are indebted for this narrative observed a rock to rise out 
 of the sea, forty or fifty paces from the island, which, having 
 been thus visible for four days, sunk, and appeared no more: 
 several others appeared and disappeared alternately, till at 
 length they remained fixed and unmoved. In the mean time 
 the colour of the surrounding sea was changed: at first it 
 was of a light green, then reddish, and afterwards of a pale 
 yellow, accompanied by a noisome stench, which spread itself 
 over a part of the island of Santorini. 
 
 On the 16th of July, smoke first appeared, not indeed on 
 the island, but issuing from a ridge of black stones which sud- 
 denly rose about sixty paces from it, where the depth of the 
 sea was unfathomable. ‘Thus there were two separate islands, 
 one called the White, and the other the Black Island, from 
 the different appearances they exhibited. ‘This thick smoke 
 was of a whitish colour, like that of a lime-kiln, and was car- 
 ried by the wind to Santorini, where it penetrated the houses 
 of the inhabitants. 
 
 In the night, between the 19th and 20th of July, flames 
 began to issue with the smoke, to the great terror of the in- 
 _ habitants of Santorini, especially of those occupying the castle 
 of Scaro, who were distant about a mile and a half only from 
 the burning island, which now increased very fast, large rocks 
 daily springing up, which sometimes added to its length, and 
 sometimes to its breadth. The smoke also increased, and, 
 - there not being any wind, ascended so high as to be seen at 
 Candia, and other distant islands. During the night, it re- 
 sembled a column of five, fifteen, or twenty feet in height ; 
 and the sea was then covered with a scurf or froth, in some 
 places reddish, and in others yellowish, from which proceeded 
 such a stench, that the inhabitants throughout the whole 
 island of Santorini burnt perfumes in their houses, and made 
 fires in the streets, to prevent infection. ‘This, indeed, did 
 not last above a day or two; fora strong gale of wind dis- 
 persed the froth, but drove the smoke on the vineyards of 
 Santorini; by which the grapes were, in one night, parched 
 up and destroyed. ‘This smoke also caused violent headache, 
 attended with retchings. Ys 
 
 On the 3Ist of July, the sea smoked and bubbled in two 
 different places near the island, where the water formed a 
 perfect circle, and looked like oil when beginning to simmer. 
 This continued above a month, during which time many fishes 
 were found dead on the shore of Santorini. On the following 
 night, a dull hollow noise was heard, like the distant report 
 of several cannon, which was instantly followed by flames of 
 fire, shooting up to a great height im the air, where they sud- 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 401 
 
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 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
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 denly disappeared. The next day the same hollow sound was 
 several times heard, and succeeded by a blackish smoke, 
 which, notwithstanding a fresh gale blew at the time, rose up 
 to a prodigious height, in the form of a column, and would 
 probably in the night have appeared as if on fire. 
 
 On the 7th of August, a different noise was heard, resem- | 
 bling that of large stones thrown, at very short intervals, into 
 a deep well. This noise, having lasted for some days, was 
 succeeded by another much louder, so nearly resembling thun- 
 der, as scarcely to be distinguished from three or four real 
 claps, which were heard at the same time. 
 
 On the 2lIst, the fire and smoke were very considerably 
 diminished ; but the next morning they broke out with still 
 greater fury than before. The smoke was red, and very. 
 thick, the heat at the same time being so intense, that all 
 around the island the sea smoked and bubbled surprisingly. 
 At night, by the means of a telescope, sixty small openings or 
 funnels, all emitting a very bright flame, were discovered on 
 the highest part of the island, conjointly resembling a large 
 furnace ; and, on the other side of the great volcano, there 
 appeared to be as many. 
 
 On the morning of the 23d, the island was much higher 
 than on the preceding day, and its breadth increased by a 
 chain of rocks which had sprung up in the night nearly fifty 
 feet above the water. The sea was also again covered with 
 reddish froth, which always appeared when the island seemed 
 to have received any considerable additions, and occasioned 
 an intolerable stench, until it was dispersed by the wind and 
 the motion of the waves. 
 
 On the 5th of September, the fire opened another vent at 
 the extremity of the Black Island, from which it issued for 
 several days. During that time little was discharged from 
 the large furnace’; but from this new passage the astonished 
 spectator beheld the fire dart up three several times to a 
 vast height, resembling so many prodigious sky-rockets of 
 a glowing lively red. The following night, the sub-aqueous 
 fire made a terrible noise, and immediately after a thousand 
 sheaves of fire darted into the air, where breaking and dis- 
 persing, they fell like a shower of stars on the island, which 
 appeared in a blaze, presenting to the amazed spectator at 
 once a most dreadful and beautiful illumination, ‘To these 
 natural fireworks succeeded a kind of meteor, which for 
 some time hung over the castle of Scaro, and which, having a 
 resemblance to a flaming sword, served to increase the con- 
 sternation of the inhabitants of Santorini. 
 
 On the 9th of September, the White and bf Islands 
 
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AOD? -  +QURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POOP OO LOB LOD ODO LOE LOD LOO LLL LDL DDE PL OLOO DOD LID DIOP LOO LAP GED DCL OOCEEE ¢ Pew DO ODP PDE OCG OOM 
 {[slands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
 COO LOPLI CCL OO DLOL EDL EL POC LLL LOL LO DL DOLD DLL OLD IOP DOOCL GL LDDOL DDL DOLL OL DOO LID LDL DODOP OLR 
 
 united; after which the western end of the island grew daily 
 in bulk. There were now four openings only which emitted 
 flames: these issued forth with great impetuosity, sometimes 
 attended with a noise like that of a large organ-pipe, and 
 sometimes like the howling of wild beasts. 
 
 On the 12th, the subterraneous noise was much augmented, 
 having never been so frequent or so dreadful as on that and 
 the following day. The bursts of this subterraneous thunder, 
 like a general discharge of the artillery of an army, were re- 
 peated ten or twelve times within twenty-four hours, and im- 
 mediately after each clap, the large furnace threw up huge 
 red-hot stones, which fell into the sea at a great distance. 
 These claps were always followed by a thick smoke, which 
 spread clouds of ashes over the sea and the neighbouring 
 islands. 
 
 On the 18th of September, an earthquake was felt at San- 
 torini. It did but little damage, although it considerably en- 
 larged the burning island, and in several places gave vent to 
 the fire and smoke. The claps were also more terrible than 
 ever; and, in the midst of a thick smoke, which appeared like 
 a mountain, large pieces of rock, which afterwards fell on the 
 island, or into the sea, were thrown up with as much noise 
 and force as balls from the mouth of a cannon. One of the 
 small neighbouring islands was covered with these fiery stones, 
 which being thinly crusted over with sulphur, gave a bright 
 light, and continued burning until that was consumed. 
 
 On the 2ist, a dreadful clap of subterraneous thunder was 
 followed by very powerful lightnings, and at the same instant 
 the new island was so violently shaken, that part of the great 
 furnace fell down, and huge burning rocks were thrown to 
 the distance of two miles and upwards. 'This seemed to be 
 the last effort of the volcano, and appeared to have exhausted 
 the combustible matter, as all was quiet for several days after: 
 but on the 25th, the fire broke out again with still greater 
 fury, and among the claps one was so terrible, that the churches 
 of Santorini were soon filled with crowds of people, expecting 
 every moment to be their last; and the castle and town of 
 Scaro suffered such a shock, that the doors and windows of 
 the houses flew open. The volcano continued to rage during 
 the remaining part.of the year; and in the month of January, 
 1708, the large furnace, without one day’s intermission, threw 
 out stones and flames, at least once or twice, but generally 
 five or six times a day. 
 
 On the 10th of February, in the morning, a pretty strong 
 earthquake was felt at Santorini, which the inhabitants con- 
 sidered as a prelude to greater cemmotions in the burning 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 408 
 
 PREPLPP LIE PPG COL PPD LDL LLL PD OL LIEL EE LO PL OE LOO LLL DOE LDCR EOP DLE LLDE PDE LOL CF DIO LE DELS DOLD LS 
 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
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 island ; nor were they deceived, for soon after the fire and 
 smoke issued in prodigious quantities. ‘The thunder-like 
 claps were redoubled, and all was horror and confusion: 
 rocks of an amazing size were raised up to a great height 
 above the water; and the sea raged and boiled to such a de- 
 gree as to occasion great consternation. ‘The subterraneous 
 bellowings were heard without intermission, and sometimes 
 in less than a quarter of an hour there were six or seven 
 eruptions from the large furnace. ‘The noise of the repeated 
 claps, the quantity of huge stones which flew about on every 
 side, the houses at Santorini tottering to their very founda- 
 tions, and the fire, which now appeared in open day, surpassed 
 all that had hitherto happened, and formed a scene terrific 
 and astonishing beyond description. 
 
 The 15th of April was rendered memorable by the number 
 and violence of the bellowings and eruptions, by one of which 
 nearly a hundred stones were thrown at the same instant into 
 the air, and fell again into the sea, at about two miles distance. 
 From that day until the 22d of May, which may be considered 
 as the anniversary of the birth of the new island, things con- 
 tinued much in the same state, but afterwards the fire and 
 smoke subsided by degrees, and the subterraneous thunders 
 became less terrible. 
 
 On the 15th of July, 1709, the Bishop of Santorini, accom- 
 panied by several friars, hired a boat to take a near view of 
 the island. They made directly towards it on that side where 
 the sea did not bubble, but where it smoked very much. 
 Being within the range of this vapour, they felt a close suf- 
 focating heat, and found the water very hot; on which they 
 directed their course towards a part of the island at the 
 farthest distance from the large furnace. The fires, which 
 still continued to burn, and the boiling of the sea, obliged 
 them to make a great circuit, notwithstanding which they felt 
 the air about them very hot and sultry. Having encompassed 
 the island, and surveyed it carefully from an adjacent one, 
 they judged it to be two hundred feet above the sea, about'a 
 mile broad, and five miles in circumference; but, not being 
 thoroughly satisfied, they resolved to make an attempt at 
 landing, and accordingly rowed toward that part of the island 
 where they perceived neither fire nor smoke. When, how- 
 ever, they had proceeded to within the distance of a hundred 
 yards, the great furnace discharged itself with its usual fury, 
 and the wind blew upon them so dense a smoke, and so heavy 
 a shower of ashes, that they were obliged to abandon their 
 design. Having retired somewhat further, they let down their 
 sounding-lead, with a line ninety-five fathoms in length, bat 
 
AOA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LECOSO LOS “COLOORIODOLOOILDOD 
 
 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 it was too short to reach the bottom. On their return to 
 Santorini, they observed that the heat of the water had melted 
 the greater part of the pitch employed in caulking their boat, 
 which had now become very leaky. 
 
 From that time until the 15th of August, the fire, smoke, 
 and noises continued, but not in so great a degree; and it 
 appears that for several years after the island still increased, 
 but that the fire and subterraneous noises were much abated. 
 The most recent account we have been enabled to collect, is 
 that of a late traveller, who, in 1811, passed this island at 
 some distance. It appeared to him like a stupendous mass of 
 rock, but was not inhabited or cultivated. It had then long 
 ceased to burn. 
 
 We have stated that similar eruptions of islands have oc- 
 curred in the group of the Azores. Thus, in December, 
 1720, a violent earthquake was felt on the island of Tercera. 
 On the following morning, a new island, which had sprung up 
 in the night, made its appearance, and ejected a huge column 
 of smoke. The pilot of a ship, who attempted to approach it, 
 sounded on one of these newly-formed islands, with a line of 
 sixty fathoms, but could not find a bottom. On the opposite 
 side, the sea was deeply tinged with various colours—white, 
 blue, and green; and was very shallow. ‘This island was 
 larger on its first appearance, than at some distance of time 
 afterwards; it at length sunk beneath the level of the sea, 
 and is now no longer visible. 
 
 “¢ What can be more surprising,” observes the author of 
 the preceding account, “ than to see fire not only force its 
 way out of the bowels of the earth, but likewise make for 
 itself a passage through the waters of the sea! What can be 
 more extraordinary, or foreign to our common notions of 
 things, than to observe the bottom of the sea rise up into a 
 mountain above its surface, and become so firm an island as 
 to be able to resist the violence of the greatest storms! I 
 know that subterraneous fires, when pent up in a narrow 
 passage, are able to elevate a mass of earth as large as an 
 island ; but that this should be done in so regular and pre- 
 cise a manner, that the water of the sea should not be able to 
 penetrate and extinguish those fires; and that, after they 
 should have exhausted themselves, the mass of earth should 
 not fall down, or sink again with its own weight, but still re- 
 main in a manner suspended over the great arch below—this 
 seems to me more surprising than any of the facts which have 
 been related of Mount Etna, Vesuvius, or any other volcano.” 
 
 In the first part of the Transactions,of the Royal Society 
 for the year 1812, Captain Tillard, of the British navy, has 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF WATURE AND ART. 405 
 
 PLPPO PP PPIPPGP PPI LIP GE PLGLPIGDE LOGLP POG LOF 
 
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 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
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 published his very interesting narrative of a similar pheno- 
 non, which occurred in the same sea near the Azores. We 
 give this narrative in his own words. 
 
 “Approaching the island of St. Michael’s, on Sunday, the 
 12th of June, 1811, in his Majesty’s sloop Sabrina, under my 
 command, we occasionally observed, rising in the horizon, two 
 or three columns of smoke, such as would have been occa- 
 sioned by an action between two ships, to which cause we 
 universally attributed its origin. This opinion was, however, 
 in a very short time changed, from the smoke increasing and 
 ascending in much larger bodies than could possibly have 
 been produced by such an event; and, having heard an ac- 
 count, prior to our sailing from Lisbon, that in the preceding 
 January, or February, a volcano had burst out within the 
 sea, near St. Michael’s, we immediately concluded that the 
 smoke we saw proceeded from that cause, and, on our anchor- 
 ing the next morning in the road of Ponta del Gada, we 
 found this conjecture correct as to the cause, but not as to 
 the time, the eruption of January having totally subsided, 
 and the present one having only burst forth two days prior to 
 our approach, and about three miles distant from the one 
 before alluded to. 
 
 “* Desirous of examining as minutely as possible a contention 
 so extraordinary between two such powerful elements, I set 
 off from the city of Ponta del Gada on the morning of the 
 14th, in company with Mr. Read, the Consul-General of the 
 Azores, and two other gentlemen. After riding about twenty 
 miles across the N.W. end of the island of St. Michael’s, we 
 came to the edge of a cliff, whence the volcano burst suddenly 
 upon our view in the most terrific and awful grandeur. It 
 was only a short mile from the base of the cliff, which was 
 nearly perpendicular, and formed the margin of the sea ; this 
 cliff being, as nearly as I could judge, from three to four hun- 
 dred feet high. ‘To give you an adequate idea of the scene, 
 by description, is far beyond my powers ; but, for your satis- 
 faction, 1 shall attempt it. 
 
 “¢ Imagine an immense body of smoke rising from the sea, the 
 surface of which was marked by the silvery rippling of the 
 waves occasioned by the light and steady breezes incidental 
 to those climates in summer. In a quiescent state, it had the 
 appearance of a circular cloud revolving on the water like an 
 horizontal wheel, in various and irregular involutions, ex- 
 panding itself gradually on the lee side,—when suddenly a 
 column of the blackest.cinders, ashes, and stones, would shoot 
 up in the form of a spire, at an angle of from ten to twenty 
 
AN6 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Islands which have risen from the Sea. 
 
 FPP LOL GOO LLL OLED EOL LE LDL LOD LOL LEP LLE LGD LCE DOE LOE LEE LDL LLL LDL OPE LDL LIL PLE LOR PODLROE POP 
 
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 degrees from a perpendicular line, the angle of inclination being 
 universally to windward; this was rapidly succeeded by a 
 second, third, and fourth shower, each acquiring greater 
 velocity, and overtopping the other, till they had attained an 
 altitude as much above the level of our eye as the sea was 
 below it. 
 
 “* As the impetus with which the columns were severally pro- 
 pelled diminished, and their ascending motion had nearly 
 ceased, they broke into various branches, resembling a group 
 of pines; these again forming themselves into festoons of 
 white feathery smoke, in the most fanciful manner imaginable, 
 intermixed with the finest particles of falling ashes, which at 
 one time assumed the appearance of innumerable plumes of 
 black and white ostrich feathers surmounting each other; at 
 another, that of the light wavy branches of a weeping willow. 
 
 ‘“‘ During these bursts, the most vivid flashes of lightning 
 continually issued from the densest part of the volcano; and — 
 the cloud of smoke, now ascending to an altitude much above 
 the highest point to which the ashes were projected, rolled 
 off in large masses of fleecy clouds, gradually expanding 
 themselves before the wind in a direction nearly horizontal, 
 and drawing up to them a quantity of waterspouts, which 
 formed a most beautiful and striking addition to the general 
 appearance of the scene. 
 
 ‘‘' That part of the sea where the volcano was situated was 
 upwards of thirty fathoms deep, and at the time of our view- 
 ing it the volcano was only four days old. Soon after our 
 arrival on the cliff, a peasant observed he could discern a peak 
 above the water: we looked, but could not see it: however, 
 in less than half an hour, it was plainly visible, and before we 
 quitted the place, which was about three hours from the time 
 of our arrival, a complete crater was formed above the water, 
 not less than twenty feet high on the side where the greatest 
 quantity of ashes fell; the diameter of the crater being appa- 
 rently about four or five hundred feet. 
 
 “‘'VYhe great eruptions were generally attended with a noise 
 like the continued firing of cannon and musketry intermixed, 
 as also with slight shocks of earthquakes; several of which 
 having been feit by my companions, but none by myself, | 
 had become half sceptical, and thought their opinion arose 
 merely from the force of imagination; but, while we were 
 sitting within five or six yards of the edge of the cliff, partak- 
 ing of a slight repast which had been brought with us, and 
 were all busily engaged, one of the most magnificent bursts 
 took place which we had yet witnessed, accompanied by a very 
 
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 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 407 
 
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 Islands which have risen from the Sea.—The White Wolf and Dog-rib-rock, 
 
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 severe shock of an earthquake. The instantaneous and invo- 
 luntary movement of each was to spring upon his feet; and I 
 said, “ This admits of no doubt.” The words had scarcely 
 passed my lips, before we observed a large portion of the 
 face of the cliff, about fifty yards on our left, falling, which it 
 did with a violent crash. So soon as our first consternation 
 had a little subsided, we removed about ten or a dozen yards 
 further from the edge of the cliff, and finished our dinner. 
 “On the succeeding day, June 15th, having the Consul and 
 some other friends on board, I weighed, and proceeded with 
 the ship towards the volcano, with the intention of witness- 
 ing a night view; but in this expectation we were greatly 
 disappointed, from the wind freshening, and the weather be- 
 coming thick and hazy, and also from the volcano itself being 
 clearly more quiescent than it was the preceding day. It 
 seldom emitted any lightning, but occasionally as much flame 
 as may be seen to issue from the top of a glass-house or 
 foundry chimney. On passing directly under the great cloud 
 of smoke, about three or four miles distant from the vol- 
 cano, the decks of the ship were covered with fine black 
 ashes, which fell intermixed with small rain. We returned 
 the next morning, and late on the evening of the same 
 day I took my leave of St. Michael’s to complete my cruise.” 
 
 ee 
 
 THE WHITE WOLF AND DOG-RIB-ROCK. 
 
 One of the most arduous enterprises ever undertaken even 
 by British sailors, whose very nature it is to set difficulties 
 and dangers at defiance, was the expedition of Capt. Franklin 
 to the shores of the Polar Sea, in the years 1819-1822; of 
 which a most interesting narrative has just been published. 
 
 The object of the expedition was to facilitate the discovery 
 of the North-west Passage, in the prosecution of which, 
 another of our gallant countrymen, Capt. Parry, is engaged. 
 Capt. Franklin, though not succeeding to the extent that 
 could have been wished, has made many interesting discoveries 
 in those regions, which have rarely been penetrated by civilized 
 man, and never before with the same means of observation. 
 In the course of the journey, our brave countrymen endured 
 the most dreadful privations, and suffered all the horrors of 
 cold, hunger, and fatigue. Snow for their bed, and a slab of 
 ice for their pillow, they still were contented, and had no other 
 regret but that their success was not more decisive, and their 
 discoveries of more importance; and thus it ever is with 
 
408 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 eo 
 CLO IDG PDOLE ODED LD EDOO LOD LOD IOP DDO DPD ICDDD LL OLDE DDE LDL LOD DLE L EL LDO LED LOD LOD LOO DGS PDOGOD 
 
 The White Woif and Dog-rib-rock. 
 
 PRE PPE POL DGPD LOL LELPLLDLIDG LOE PDE LDE LL ELIL LDL LLL LOR LLL LDL OLE LOL LDLO LLP DDL LLL LDP LOE GOEL OF 
 
 Britons, who, however difficult or dangerous may be the 
 object in which they are engaged, sink all personal considera- 
 tions in zeal for their duty to their country. 
 
 The Dog-rib-rock, near Fort Enterprise, is so called from 
 a tribe of Indians, named the Dog-ribs, who inhabit the coun- 
 try to the westward of the Copper Indians, as far as Macken- 
 zie’s River. They are ofa mild, hospitable, but rather indo- 
 lent disposition. They spend much of their time in amuse- 
 ments, and are fond of singing and dancing. In this respect 
 they differ much from the other aborigines of North America, 
 as they do in the treatment of women. The men do the 
 laborious work, whilst their wives employ themselves in orna- 
 menting their dresses with quill-work, and in other occupa- 
 tions suited to their sex. 
 
 When bands of Dog-ribs meet each other, after a long ab- 
 sence, they perform a kind of dance. A piece of ground is 
 cleared for the purpose, if it is winter, of the snow, or if sum- 
 mer, of the bushes; and the dance frequently lasts for two 
 or three days, the parties relieving each other as they get 
 tired. The two bands commence the dance with their backs 
 turned to each other, the individuals following one another 
 in Indian file, and holding the bow in the left hand, and an 
 arrow in the right. ‘They approach obliquely, after many 
 turns, and when the two bands are closely back to back, they 
 feign to see each other for the first time, and the bow is in- 
 stantly transferred to the right hand, and the arrow to the 
 left, signifying that it is not their intention to use them against 
 their friends. At a fort, they use feathers instead of bows. 
 ‘The dance is accompanied by a song. These people (says 
 Capt. Franklin, to whose Narrative we are indebted for these 
 particulars) are the dancing-masters of the country. 
 
 A white wolf was killed at Fort Enterprise, during the 
 second winter that the expedition remained in the interior. 
 Its length was four feet four inches; its height, two feet ten 
 inches ; and the length of the tail was nineteen inches. It 
 was at first intended to preserve the animal, but proving too 
 bulky, it was left behind. It was previously known that 
 white wolves existed in the vicinity of the Arctic seas; and 
 itis probable that the loss of colour is effected by the severity 
 of the winter season. A white wolf, and a Polar bear, brought 
 from the Arctic regions by Capt. Ross, are now among the 
 curiosities in the British Museum. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AYD ART. 409 
 
 PPE PPS PLD PDE BSI PLL. 
 
 Barbara Urselin.—Blash De Manfre, the Water Spouter.—Spotted Negro Boy. 
 
 PRP PLIL LOD PDP DDD POL LLL LODE PDD LDL DLE LDL AGOL PDL LOD LDO DOLE DPD ODL DDLEDOLROD DOD PDE GDOE DOE PLL IPD 
 
 BARBARA URSELIN. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 24.| 
 
 In the year 1655, this female was exhibited for money. 
 Her name was Augusta Barbara; she was the daughter of 
 Balthazar Urselin, and was then in her twenty-second year. 
 Her whole body, and even her face, was covered with curled 
 hair of a yellow colour, and very soft, like wool; she had 
 besides a thick beard that reached to her girdle, and from her. 
 ears hung long tufts of yellowish hair. She had been married 
 above a year, but then had no issue. Her husband’s name 
 was Vaubeck, and he married her merely to make a show of 
 her, for which purpose he visited various countries of Europe, 
 and England among others. Barbara Urselin. is believed to 
 be the hairy girl mentioned by Bartoline, and appears not to 
 differ from her whom Borelli describes by the name of Barba, 
 who he believed improved, if not procured, that hairiness 
 by. art. 
 
 =e 
 
 BLASH DE MANFRE, THE WATER SPOUTER. 
 
 Briasy pE MAnFre, commonly called the Water Spouter, 
 rendered himself famous for drinking water in large quantities 
 and discharging it from his stomach converted into various 
 sorts of wine, simple waters, beer, oil, and milk. ‘This he 
 performed before the Emperor and several continental Kings. 
 He is said to have been one of the most wonderful jugglers 
 that ever appeared, and was considered as a magician by 
 many. He travelled through most of the countries of Europe, 
 but declined going to Spain on account of the Inquisition, 
 where a horse that had been taught to tell the spots on the 
 cards, the hour of the day, &c. was, with its owner, put ona 
 charge of having dealt with the devil. The supposed human 
 criminal soon convinced the Inquisitors that he was an honest 
 juggler, and that his horse was as innocent as any ass of the 
 Inquisition.- Blash de Manfre died in 165], at the age of 
 seventy-two. ei 
 
 a 
 
 THE SPOTTED NEGRO BOY. 
 
 Grorce ALEXANDER Gratton, the Spotted Negro Boy, 
 was well known to the inhabitants of the metropolis and its 
 vicinity about twelve years ago, at which time he was exhi- 
 bited at the fairs, by Richardson, a famous purveyor of objects 
 of entertainment at those places of popular festivity. 
 
 ig the parents of George Alexander were black, and 
 
 é 3G 
 
410 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LOPL ODPL ODL ODL LDL LDL DOLD DL OLE DLO LOE LOD CIE 
 
 The Spotted Negro soy. 
 
 a 
 
 PDD LILA LIPS 
 
 PPL LID 
 
 PPGELOP LIE LIE LEP S 
 
 PLL LOE PDD LOL 
 
 natives of Africa. He was born in the island of St. Vincent, 
 on the plantation of Mr. Alexander, of which one Gratton 
 was overseer, about the month of June, 1808; and the 
 curiosity of his appearance was such, that he was shown, in 
 the capital of his native island, at the price of a dollar each 
 person. It is added, that the superstitious prejudices of the 
 negroes placed his life in some danger, and that he was, on 
 that account, shipped for England. Probably the prospect of 
 a profitable disposal of him, in this country, was an equally 
 powerful motive for his removal. 
 
 The child was only fifteen months old, when, in September, 
 1809, being brought to Bristol, in the ship called the Friends 
 of Emma, Mr. Richardson, the proprietor, as before intimated, 
 of a travelling theatre, was applied to, and an engagement 
 entered upon, by which he was consigned to Mr. Richardson’s 
 care for three years. . 
 
 His skin and hair were every where party-coloured, trans- 
 parent brown and white. On the crown of his head, several 
 triangles, one within the other, were formed by alternations 
 of the colours of his hair. In figure and countenance he 
 might truly be called a beautiful child. His limbs were well 
 proportioned, his features regular and pleasing, his eyes 
 bright and intelligent, and the whole expression of his face 
 both mild and lively. His voice was soft and melodious ; 
 and, as his mind began to develop itself, much quickness and 
 penetration were betrayed. 
 
 When nearly five years of age, he was unfortunately at- 
 tacked with a swelling in the jaw, and died on the 3d of 
 February, 1815. Mr. Richardson, who had always treated 
 him with a parental kindness while alive, was sincerely afflicted 
 at his death. Soon after he had been placed with him, he 
 had caused him to be baptized at the parish church of New- 
 ington, in the county of Surrey; and, on his death, he was 
 buried at Great Marlow, in Buckinghamshire, in a brick 
 vault, which Mr. Richardson caused to be purposely con- 
 structed. Mr. Richardson, fearful that the body might be 
 stolen, had previously kept it unburied for the space of three 
 months. ’ 
 
 In the vestry of the church of Great Marlow hangs a fine 
 painting of this extraordinary natural phenomenon, executed 
 from the life, by Coventry, and presented to the corporation 
 of Buckingham by Mr. Richardson ; who finally closed his 
 displays of affectionate regard for a child, which was not 
 originally more recommended to his attention by his curiosity, 
 than he was afterwards endeared to him by disposition and 
 manners, by erecting a monument to his memory at Great 
 
‘CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. All 
 The Spotted Negro Boy.—Renee Corbeau. 
 
 PLE POF LID PLP DPD LOI D DELLE DDI DLO LDP ODO LEO DPDGD LDL PEPE LLOLELLODGODOPOL ODE LOL ODE LDL LORE OPDOP 
 
 Marlow, and placing upon it the following inscription and 
 
 epitaph — 
 
 POP PLD I LID LIE PDO DDE POP LLDPE LOD PLP P LOL DOL OPP OLLOL FP POLOD. 
 
 TO THE MEMORY 
 OF 
 GEORGE ALEXANDER GRATTON, 
 THE SPOTTED NEGRO BOY, 
 
 From the Carribee Islands, in the West Indies, died February 3d, 1813, aged Four 
 Years and three-quarters. 
 
 This Tomb, erected by his only Friend and Guardian, Mr. John Richardson, of 
 London. 
 
 Should this plain simple tomb attract thine eyc, 
 Stranger, as thoughtfully thou passest by, 
 Know that there lies beneath this humble stone, 
 A child of colour haply not thine own. 
 
 His parents born of Afric’s sun-burnt race, 
 
 Tho’ black and white were blended in his face, 
 To Britain: brought, which made his parents free, 
 And show’d the world great Nature s prodigy. 
 
 Depriv’d of kindred that to him were dear, 
 
 He found a friendly Guardian’s fost’ring care, 
 But, scarce had bloom’d, the fragrant flower fades, 
 And the lov’d infant finds an early grave. 
 
 To bury him his lov’d companions came, 
 
 And dropp’d choice flowers, and lisp’d his carly fame; 
 And some that lov’d him most, as if unblest, 
 Bedew’d with tears the white wreath on his breast. 
 
 But he is gone, and dwells in that abode, 
 Where some of every clime must joy in God! 
 
 =i 
 
 RENEE CORBEAU. 
 
 In the year 1594, a young gentleman, whose family dwelt 
 in the town of Sues, in Normaudy, came to the university of 
 Angiers, in order te study the law. There he saw Renee 
 Corbeau, the daughter of a citizen of that place. This 
 amiable girl was young, prudent, handsome, and witty. 
 Though her parents were not rich, yet she inspired in the 
 heart of the young student a passion so vehement, and love 
 inspired him with such eloquence,—that, in a very short time, 
 their attachment, become mutual, was so fervent, that in his 
 transports he offered to espouse her, and gave her a solemn 
 promise in writing. The young woman, agreeably deluded 
 by his putting this paper into her hands, forfeited her honour. 
 The consequence was, a child. Her parents reproached her 
 In severe terms, and began to consult about the means b 
 which her error might be repaired. The result of their deli- 
 berations was, that she should make her lover an appoint- 
 
A12 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP POP LGD PLS PPD PPEPL LE PPOLPGLOLLPEDLE ODE LOL LOOP LPL LOO LOL LOL DOLLOP LOECLIOL LLL DPDODG LOL PLO DOO LGOS 
 
 Account of Renee Corbeau. 
 
 LPO LID OPPPP GOL ODPL LOPE LF LE LEP GEL L OP PEF LDE LLL PDE LOE LDL POE LOL PLE LDL BOE LOD PEL OGL LOE LGD LOL OOP 
 
 ment at their country-house, and thus give her parents an 
 opportunity of surprising them together. 
 
 This scheme was effectually carried into execution, and 
 while love possessed the heart of the young inamorato, he 
 gave the daughter a contract of marriage. 
 
 The moment he had put his hand to this instrument, it filled 
 him with disgust. ‘Those charms, which had pierced his heart 
 a few hours before, now lost their force, and the fair one, 
 from being the most lovely of her sex, now appeared the least 
 agreeable. After a few days, he left her abruptly and re- 
 turned home to his father, to whom, without the least reserve, 
 he related the unlucky event. The father was extremely 
 chagrined at this story of his son’s, and disapproving of the 
 match, he told him there was but one way left, and that, if he 
 would regain his favour, he must follow it immediately. The 
 young gentleman, in obedience to his father’s directions, en- 
 tered into holy orders, and was actually ordained a priest ; 
 so that it was impossible for him to perform his contract. 
 
 Renee Corbeau heard this news with the utmost grief, nor 
 was it possible for her to dissemble the anger she conceived 
 against her lover, for committing so black an act of perfidy. 
 lt is very likely, however, that her wrath would have vented 
 itself in complaints, and all her threatenings evaporated in 
 words; but her father immediately accused the young man, 
 before the magistrate, of seduction, and on hearing the cause, 
 he was found guilty. However, he appealed to the parlia- 
 ment of Paris, and the cause was moved to the Tournelle, 
 where Monsieur de Villeroy at that time presided. On the 
 hearing all parties, the behaviour of this young gentleman 
 appeared so gross, and capable of ‘so little alleviation, that 
 the Court decided he should either marry the woman or 
 suffer death. ‘The first was impossible, because he had taken 
 orders; the Court, therefore, directed that he should be led 
 to execution. Accordingly, he was put into the hands of the 
 executioner, and the Confessor drew near who was to assist 
 him in his last moments. ‘Then it was that Renee Corbeau 
 found her bosom agitated with the most exquisite afiliction, 
 which was still heightened when she saw the pomp of justice 
 about to take place, and her lover on the point of being led 
 to the scaffold. 
 
 Furious through despair, and guided only by her passion, 
 she rushed with such impetuosity through the crowd, that she 
 got into the inner chamber before the Judges were separated, 
 and then, her face bathed in tears, and all in disorder, she 
 addressed them in the following terms: “‘ Behold, my Lords! 
 the most unfortunate lover that ever appeared before the face 
 
CURIOSITIES OF WATURE AND ART. 413 
 
 POPPIIIPDIPS. 
 
 PLO PE LLIE LE PPODL LE L DD DLP 
 
 PIF PP 
 
 POE 
 
 Account of Renee Corbeau. 
 
 POO DOD ODL DDD DID IDE DID DIL PLID DDL DDD BOLL LLI DDD ILL DIE DDD LODLLIL DD IPD DDI LIL LIL DDI IIL IIS OP 
 
 of justice. In condemning him I love, you seem to suppose 
 that either I am not guilty of any thing, or that, at least, my 
 crime is capable of excuse ; and yet you adjudge me to death, 
 which must befal me with the same stroke that takes away 
 my lover. You subject me to the most grievous destiny, for 
 the infamy of my lover’s death will fall upon me, and I shall 
 go to my grave more dishonoured than he. You desire to 
 repair the injury done to my honour, and the remedy you 
 bring will load me with eternal shame; so that at the moment 
 you give your opinion, that lam rather unhappy than criminal, 
 you are pleased to punish me with the most severe and most 
 intolerable pains. How agrees your treatment of me with 
 your equity, and with the rules of that humane justice which 
 should direct your court? You cannot be ignorant of the 
 hardship I sustain ; for you were men before you were judges. 
 You must have been sensible of the power of love, and you 
 cannot but have some idea of the torment which must be felt 
 in a breast where the remembrance dwells of having caused 
 the death, the infamous death, of the dear object of her love. 
 Can there be a punishment equal to this? or, after it, could 
 death be considered in any other light than as the highest 
 blessing of heaven? 
 
 “ Stay! Oh, stay, my Lords! I am going to open your 
 eyes. 1] am going to acknowledge my fault, to reveal my 
 secret crime, which hitherto [have concealed that, if possible, 
 the marriage of my lover might have restored my blasted 
 honour. But, urged now by remorse of conscience, I am 
 constrained to confess that ] seduced him.—Yes, my Lords, I 
 loved first! It was 1, that, to gratify’ my passion, informed 
 him of my attachment, and thus made myself the instrument 
 of my own dishonour. Change then, my Lords, the senti- 
 ments you have hitherto entertained of this affair. Look 
 upon me as the seducer; on my lover as the person injured ; 
 punish me; save him. If justice is inexorable, and there is a 
 necessity for some victiin, let it be me. You look upon it asa 
 crime that he took holy orders, and thereby rendered it impos- 
 sible for him to comply with his contract ; but this was not his 
 own act; it was the act of a barbarous father, whose tyran- 
 nous commands he could not resist. A will in subjection, my 
 Lords, is no will at all to deserve punishment. The offender 
 must be free; his father could only be guilty; and were he 
 not the father of my love, I would demand justice of you on 
 him. Is it not clear then, my Lords, that your last sentence 
 contradicts yeur first? You decreed that he should have his 
 choice to marry me, or to die, and yet you never put the first 
 in his power. How odious must I appear in your eyes, when 
 
Al4 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR". 
 
 PLO EPP PEDPL ED ODEO LIF 
 
 PLP PLD LOOL ED LOL LDE BDLPLELO DDE LOL POLI LDDPIP OLDIE GDDOOP 
 
 Account of Renee Corbeau. 
 
 Do a ee LOL LOL L LE BDC L DEE LLL ODF 
 
 LIL LLL LLEE POE ODL OPS 
 
 PLE PDD DPP 
 
 you choose rather to put a man to death, than to allow him to 
 marry me. He has declared, that his present condition will 
 not allow him to marry, and, in consequence of this declara- 
 tion, you have condemned him to death; but what signifies 
 that declaration? his meaning was, that he would have mar- 
 ried me if he could, and if so, your sentence is unjust ; for, by 
 your former decree, he was to have his option. But you will 
 say, a priest cannot marry. Ah! my Lords, love has taught 
 me better. Love brings things instantly to our minds that 
 may be of service to the object of our loves. 'The Pope, my 
 Lords, can dispense with his vow: you cannot be ignorant of 
 this, and therefore his choice may be yet in his power. We 
 expect every moment the Legate of his Holiness; he has all 
 the plenitude of power delegated to him which is in the 
 Sovereign Pontiff. I will solicit him for this dispensation, 
 and my passion tells me that I shall not plead in vain; for 
 what obstacle will it not be able to surmount, when it has 
 overcome that of your decree. Have pity then, my Lords! 
 Have pity on two unfortunate lovers; mitigate your sen- 
 tence, or, at least, suspend it till I have time to solicit the 
 Legate fora dispensation. You look on my lover, it is 
 true, as a man guilty of a great crime; but what crime 
 too great to be expiated by the horrors he has already sus- 
 tained? Has he not felt a thousand times the pains of death 
 since the pronouncing his sentence? Besides, could you enter 
 into my breast, and conceive what torments I have endured, 
 you would think our fault, foul as it is, fully atoned. I see 
 among your Lordships some who are young, and some who 
 are advanced in years ; the first cannot sure have their breasts 
 already steeled against the emotions of a passion natural to 
 their sex ; and I may hope the latter have not forgot the ten- 
 der sentiments of their junior years. From both, I have a 
 right to pity; and if the voices for me are few, let the hu- 
 manity of their sentiments prevail against the number of their 
 opponents. But if all I have said is vain, at least afford me 
 the melancholy pleasure of sharing his punishment, as I 
 shared his crime. In this, my Lords, be strictly just; and, 
 as we have lived, let us die, together.” 
 
 This amiable woman was heard with equal silence and com- 
 passion ; there was not a word lost of her discourse, which 
 she pronounced with a voice so clear, and with a tone so ex- 
 pressive of her affliction, that it struck to the hearts of the 
 Judges. Her beauty, her tears, her eloquence, had charms 
 too powerful not to incline the most frozen hearts to think 
 with her. The Judges receded unanimously from their opi- 
 nions. Monsieur de Villeroy having collected. their senti- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AWD AMT. 41) 
 
 SPP PPE LOE DL EE POD DOP 
 
 PODIGO LEP LOO LIL DOL LIL LILI I POP LIE GS PPP LIE ILILIAG IE PIE IEL LIE 
 Account of Renee Corbeau.—Whirlwinds. 
 
 PPP LIP LOD PLL PDD LPL PDE PDD LOD LOL LOE LDIDDPODEDE PED ECE LELED EDEL ODO 
 
 PPP LP PID LAF 
 
 ments, and declared that he agreed with them, proceeded to 
 suspend the last edict, and to allow the criminal six months 
 to apply for a dispensation. | 
 
 The Legate immediately after entered France. It was the 
 great Cardinal de Medicis, afterwards Pope, by the name of 
 Clement the Eleventh, though he enjoyed the chair not quite 
 amonth. He heard the whole of this affair, and inquired nar- 
 rowly into all its circumstances, but finding the young man took 
 holy orders with a premeditated design to avoid the per- 
 formance of his contract, he declared, that he was unworthy 
 of a dispensation, and that he would not respite such a wretch 
 from the death he deserved. | 
 
 Renee Corbeau had a passion too strong to be overcome; 
 she threw herself at the feet of the King, Henry the Fourth. 
 He heard her with attention, answered with tenderness, and 
 going to the Legate in person, requested the dispensation in 
 such terms, that it could not be refused. He had the good- 
 ness to deliver it the lady with his own hands; the criminal 
 gladly accepted Renee for his wife; they were publicly mar- 
 ried, and lived long together in the happiest union. 
 
 a 
 
 WHIRLWINDS. 
 
 On the 30th of October, 1669, about six in the evening, the 
 wind being then westwardly, a formidable whirlwind, scarcely 
 of the breadth of sixty yards, and which spent itself in about 
 seven minutes, arose at Ashley, in Northamptonshire. Its 
 first assault was on a milkmaid, whose pail and hat were 
 taken from off her head, and the former carried many scores 
 of yards from her, where it lay undiscovered for some days. 
 It next stormed a farm-yard, where it blew a waggon-body 
 off the axletrees, breaking in pieces the latter and the wheels, 
 three of which, thus shattered, were blown over a wall. 
 Another waggon, which did not, like the former, lie across 
 the passage of the wind, was driven with great speed against 
 the side of the farm-house. <A branch of an ash-tree, so large 
 that two stout men could scarcely lift it, was blown over a 
 house without damaging it, although torn from a tree a hun- 
 dred yards distant.. A slate was carried nearly two hundred 
 yards, and forced against a window, the iron bar of which it 
 bent. Several houses were stripped; and in one instance, 
 this powerful gust, or stream of air, forced open a door, 
 breaking the latch ; whence it passed through the entry, and, 
 forcing open the dairy door, overturned the milk pans, and 
 blew out three panes of glass. It next ascended to the cham- 
 bers, and blew out nine other panes. Lastly, it blew a gate- 
 
416 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Whirl winds.—Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours, 
 
 PDP LOS ODE POLLO OE LEI LDOP DOO LOL LLL LDL POL LOO LOD LDS COG 
 
 post, fixed two feet and a half in the ground, out of the earth, 
 and carried it many yards into the fields. 
 
 On the 30th of October, 1731, at one in the morning, a very 
 sudden and terrific whirlwind, having a breadth of two hun- 
 dred yards, was experienced at Cerne-Abbas, in Dorsetshire. 
 From the south-west side of the town it passed to the north- 
 east, crossing the centre, and unroofing the houses in its pro- 
 gress. It rooted up trees, broke others in the middle, of at 
 least a foot square, and carried the tops a considerable dis- 
 tance. A sign-post, five feet by four, was broken off six feet 
 in the pole, and carried across a street forty feet in breadth, 
 over a house opposite. The pinnacles and battlements of 
 one side of the church-tower were thrown down, and the leads 
 and timber of the north aisle broken in by their fall. 
 
 About the middle of August, 1741, at ten in the morning, 
 several peasants being on a heath near Holkham, in Norfolk, 
 perceived a wind like a whirlwind approach, pass through the 
 field where they were ploughing, and tear up the stubble and 
 grass in the ploughed ground, for two miles in length, to the 
 breadth of thirty yards. In reaching an enclosure at the top 
 of arising ground, it appeared like a great flash or ball of 
 fire, emitting smoke, and accompanied by a noise similar to 
 that of carts passing over a stony ground. Both before and 
 after the wind passed, there was a strong smell of sulphur ; 
 and the noise was heard long after the smoke had been pers 
 ceived. ‘This fiery whirlwind moved so slowly forward, that 
 it was nearly ten minutes in proceeding from the enclosure to 
 a farm-house in the vicinity, where it did much mischief. 
 
 § PO PPL PDL DEEL OL LDL LPO LLL LD EL DLL OP LP 
 
 PII LIF 
 
 PDIP LP LOE LEP LD ED LDF. 
 
 = 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCES OF SUBTERRANEOUS FIRES 
 AND INFLAMMABLE VAPOURS. 
 ‘¢ Nature and art are both combin’d, 
 To show the great Creator’s mind ; 
 _ If such a term be fairly given 
 To Him who governs earth and heaven.” 
 
 In a work professedly devoted to the promulgation of all 
 that is remarkable, curious, and extraordinary, it may fairly 
 be expected that every endeavour will be made to present the 
 inquiring reader with the most authentic accounts upon record 
 of what has been, as well as the results of immediate observa- 
 tion. Nature is in herself all wonderful, and art is progres- 
 sively advancing to the extraordinary ; by attentively observ- 
 ing the effects, and striving to discover the causes of the 
 former, the latter is stimulated, and in many instances brought 
 to almost inconceivable perfection. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. AIT 
 
 PPP LIL LL ODLGP LED LIS DPD ODI. PLP GL PIDL DIPIOOGI LP 
 
 Extraordinary Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours. 
 
 POE PLD LOD LLL DDL LODO LOD LOPLI DG GLOEL OD LGPL DL ODF 
 
 arr 
 
 Under the above appellation we include the several species 
 of fires that proceed from the earth, whatever be their cause, 
 or however they may be produced; such as those which kin- 
 dle themselves in mines, pits, common-sewers, and even in 
 the bosom as it were of the sea. The generality of writers 
 who treat upon the breaking up of mines, give us instances 
 of these singular phenomena, which indeed are more common 
 than is generally imagined ;—some of the most remarkable 
 instances are here collected. 
 
 A coal-mine opened in the mountains near Briangon, for 
 the use of the French troops, had been worked for many 
 years without inconvenience or accident of any kind, when, in 
 February, 1763, the workmen were interrupted in their labours 
 by a phenomenon which they had never before witnessed, 
 and by which numbers of them were considerably injured. 
 The mine had been shut up for one day only; in the mean 
 time, an inflammable vapour had collected near the works, 
 which took fire with a very considerable explosion when the 
 men entered with their candles. The danger they ran, and 
 the injury done to others, who, not believing the account 
 given by these men, were resolved to have the demonstration 
 of their own senses, determined the proprietors to abandon 
 the mine and open another: this precaution, however, proved 
 useless; for they still found the same enemy. M. Bajot, 
 Intendent of the province, hearing of the accident, examined 
 the workmen, who informed him, that when they approached 
 the works of the mine, the flame of their candles gradually 
 increased in length, and that the explosion almost instantly 
 took place. From the report of M. Duhamel and M. De 
 Montigny, who were deputed by the Academy to inquire into 
 the minute circumstances of the case, we learn that a similar 
 phenomenon was known in the coal-mines in Hainault, by 
 the name of Feu Brison ; a whitish vapour, somewhat resem- 
 bling a spider’s-web, issued with violence through the crevices 
 in the walls of the works. ‘This vapour, it is well known, is 
 very inflammable, and makes so violent an explosion when it 
 takes fire, as to strike down and nearly deprive every work- 
 man of life, who does not take the precaution of throwing 
 himself prostrate on the earth: for it deserves to be remarked 
 that the vapour exercises its chief force towards the upper 
 part of the mine, while little or no effect is felt at the bottom. 
 
 Hook, in his Philosophical Collection, relates a similar 
 accident which happened in the mines near the Mendip Hills, 
 in the county of Somerset. By the explosion, several work- 
 men were thrown from the end of the mine to the entrance ; 
 — effort of the inflamed matter, he oe is sometimes 
 
 ; i 
 
Als CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ’ Extraordinary Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours. 
 
 IFIPPP SO 
 
 ee 
 
 LOL 
 
 PLP LIP 
 
 so great, as even to carry away the machine at the mouth of 
 the mine. 
 
 The Philosophical Transactions mention various pheno- 
 mena of this kind observed in the mines of Newcastle and 
 Lancashire; one particularly, which took place in the year 
 1750, when three men, who were at work in one of the former, 
 were so forcibly struck by the explosion of the inflamed mat- 
 ter, that their limbs were actually separated from their bodies. 
 
 These transient inflammations have been known to produce 
 permanent fires, and frequently kindle without the action of 
 any foreign cause. Ina mine in the parish of Feugerolles, 
 in Forez, a fire kindled of itself, and consumed the whole bed 
 of coals; and a similar accident, in the same canton, destroyed 
 part of the mountain called Viale. In 1738, a fire kindled in 
 like manner in a mine near St. Etienne, but, by great exer- 
 tion, the communication was fortunately intercepted, and the 
 fire extinguished. 
 
 These inflammable vapours are not the only ones which the 
 workmen have to apprehend in coal-mines. ‘There is another, 
 less terrifying, but equally dangerous; it does not take fire; 
 on the contrary, it extinguishes the lamps and candles, and 
 stifles, in the space of a few minutes, every person in the mine. 
 It is called by the name of foul air. 
 
 In the mines of Hainault and Auvergne, these vapours are 
 frequently discovered by a kind of mist or fog; sometimes, 
 however, they are absolutely invisible. They are also found 
 in the coal-pits or mines, both in England and Scotland. 
 The Philosophical Transactions mention eight persons who 
 were suffocated in one day at the bottom of a ladder placed 
 at the entrance of a mine belonging to Lord Sinclair, in Scot- 
 land. Such are the dangers to which the miners are exposed ; 
 and, notwithstanding the various methods adopted to guard 
 against them, they are frequently attended with fatal conse- 
 quences. 
 
 In the Lancashire mines, when the men are obliged to dis- 
 continue their work, they send into the mine, before they 
 enter it again, a man, dressed in a kind of coarse sack with 
 sleeves, which covers him from head to foot, so that he can 
 only see by means of two pieces of glass placed conveniently 
 for that purpose; the shirt, or sack, is made perfectly wet. 
 The man carries a lighted candle in his hand. When he 
 arrives at the place where the vapour is collected, he throws 
 himself on the ground, and waits in this posture till the 
 vapour, which appears in the form of a small cloud, ap- 
 proaches him. He then sets fire to it with his candle. It 
 flames, and puts the air in violent commotion; after which the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A19 
 
 ROP DOD LPL PLL PDE PDL PEL DOD IP LIS PIG LOL PIDLOP DOLD LOL LLL PLD LPL LEDIPLDD PLD OLDE EDP POD ODP 
 
 Extraordinary Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours. 
 
 PPL LIL LLL DOD LOD LD DLO L LOD DDD LOL EO DDGOPP 
 
 FRPP IP PIL DIP III DIL DIS LOD LLE PLL DID 
 
 men may enter without apprehension of danger. It is, how- 
 ever, necessary this operation should be made in time, as the 
 vapour, if not soon exhausted, will increase by new exhala- 
 tions, and the cloud become so considerable that it cannot be 
 set on fire without the most serious risk; but this method 
 aifords no remedy for the vapour called foul air. 
 
 In the mines of Hainault, they employ less dangerous, and, 
 at the same time, more certain means. They open pits at re- 
 gular distances, which, in the language of the country, are 
 called Bures D’airage, or vent-holes. ‘They place as many 
 as possible at the two extremities of each gallery. The air 
 by this means has a free passage in the mine, and carries off 
 these formidable vapours. When the circulation is not suffi- 
 ciently quick, they increase it by suspending in the pits, near 
 the extremities of the galleries, large pans of lighted coals. 
 The rarefaction of air occasioned by these fires attracts the 
 air of the mine, which is, at the same time, replaced by that 
 which enters through the other apertures. 
 
 All animal and vegetable substances, in a state of putre- 
 faction and enclosed in places where they have no free com- 
 munication with the air, produce inflammable matter that fre- 
 quently takes fire of itself, a remarkable instance of which 
 took place on the 25th of July, 1757. 
 
 Mr. Garnier, a master-mason, accompanied by two of his 
 workmen, went to examine the shore of a privy, the conduit 
 of which was supposed to be stopped up. ‘The entrance to 
 the sewer was closed up by means of a stone which fitted it 
 very exactly. Upon taking up the stone, a blue flame was 
 seen around the edge of it. Having taken a lighted candle, 
 in order to inspect the vaults, Mr. Garnier was incapable of 
 distinguishing any thing, on account of a very thick vapour, 
 with which the cavity was filled, and the very strong smell 
 which issued from it. The blue flame seen round the stone 
 did not at all terrify him, as he had witnessed similar pheno- 
 mena on similar occasions, and he was desirous of ascertain- 
 ing the state of the vault. Accordingly he made use of a ° 
 method which increased the fire in a most alarming degree ; 
 that he might be able to see clearly to the bottom of the vault, 
 he threw into it a piece of lighted paper. The flame commu- 
 nicated to the inflammable vapour with which the vault was 
 filled, and so considerable a fire issued from it, as to pass the 
 opening of the vault and extend into the court, where it 
 ascended to the height of eighteen or twenty feet. In this 
 state it continued to flame for the space of half an hour, when 
 it appeared to be extinguished. In a few minutes, however, 
 it rekindled, but it was merely for an instant, when it totally 
 
420 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Peeroessescssoccss. 
 
 PIPIPL PPPLDIO PDD LIS POP GOP LDP LLPDL ES POOLLD ODE LIL GOL OGD 
 
 ' Extraordinary Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours. 
 
 PDP LLLP GDP POP PDO OPP OPE PPE ODP LDE LOE LOD PLES 
 
 DOE. LIL LIP DIL PPO PLD. 
 
 ceased. The flame was of a beautiful blue colour, and the 
 noise it made was like the sparkling of fire in a blacksmith’s 
 forge. The neighbours were dreadfully alarmed, and were 
 scarcely able to support the sulphureous odour which it dif- 
 fused ; fortunately, however, it was attended with no fatal 
 consequences, though the workmen. experienced a sharpness 
 and violent burning on the breast, which continued for the 
 space of a fortnight, and occasioned a violent spitting of 
 blood. 
 
 It was discovered that the cause of this phenomenon was. 
 the stoppage of the conduit; the vapour of the vault having 
 no vent, became condensed, and, being of a sulphureous 
 nature, readily took fire. On the under surface of the stone, 
 a whitish and sulphureous matter had collected, nearly an inch 
 thick, which caught fire the instant a light was applied to it, 
 and even by simply rubbing it. 
 
 In 1664, an inhabitant of Rome, who had a house on the 
 banks of the Tiber, was desirous of emptying a pit situate be- 
 hind a dunghill. The men whom he employed had nearly 
 finished the undertaking, when one of them descended into 
 the pit with a lighted candle; but, scarcely had he arrived 
 half way, when he exclaimed with all his might, desiring to 
 be drawn up again on account of the extreme heat which he 
 felt, added to a most sulphureous and insupportable smell. 
 He was drawn up, and a second descended, having, like the 
 first, a lighted candle in his hand. As soon as he was in the 
 middle of the pit, a blue flame issued out of it, which con- 
 tinued for several minutes. The man was a shocking spec- 
 tacle; his hands and face were scorched, his beard and hair 
 entirely consumed, and his clothes had caught fire. 
 
 M. Raouil, formerly a Counsellor in the parliament of 
 Bourdeaux, wrote to the Academy in the month of July, 
 1740, stating that there was, in the Priory of 'Tremolac, five 
 leagues from the town of Belgerac, an inflammable and burn- 
 ing rivulet. This rivulet was first discovered by a person 
 _ catching crawfish, who, in order to ascertain where the fish 
 concealed themselves, made use of a lighted straw. As long 
 as this man walked upon the gravel of the bed, nearly hori- 
 zontal with the stream, the water did not take fire; but when 
 he came to places more unequal, and where there are fre- 
 quent hollows, the water took fire instantly; the flame was of 
 a bluish colour. The Abbé of the Priory made the experi- 
 ment several times, and always with success. From the ob- 
 servations of M. Bougiere, and M. Pelissier De Barri, made 
 upon this rivulet, in 1764, it is evident that there ascends 
 from the bottom of certain waters an etherial principle 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AQ} 
 
 Extraordinary Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours, 
 susceptible of inflammation. They perceived, when they 
 walked in the water, that they disturbed a fine slime, but not 
 clayey, from which a great quantity of bubbles proceeded, 
 which, burning upon the surface of the water, diffused an 
 inflammable vapour. The flame, according to their account, 
 was of a bluish colour, and nearly of the same heat as lighted 
 
 aper. It burned till the vapour was consumed, when it was 
 in vain to endeavour to rekindle it, until the water had time 
 to form new vapours. By the same authority it is stated, 
 that the same phenomenon is observable in almost all the 
 streams, pools, and reservoirs of the canton. 
 
 In the year 1763, Mr. George West, an apothecary of 
 Hermanstadt, informed Mr. Henry Volgnad, that four leagues 
 from this town there issued, from a mountain covered with 
 vines, a stream, the water of which was so inflammable at its 
 source, that when a light was brought near it, it took fire 
 and burnt like brandy. ‘The flame rose to the height of about 
 three feet, and communicated to every combustible substance 
 that it touched. ‘This water, when once set on fire, burned 
 for a considerable time, and could only be extinguished by 
 throwing earth upon it. Though on fire, the water still re- 
 mained cold. It had a sulphureous taste, but no smell was 
 occasioned by the flame. If the water was taken from its 
 bason, the fire was immediately extinguished. It was pre- 
 tended, by the inhabitants of the canton, that the eruption of 
 this fountain took place about twenty years before. It was 
 not till 1762, that its inflammable property was discovered, 
 upon occasion of some rushes which the villagers had set fire 
 to near the fountain, when the water flamed for the first time, 
 and continued to burn night and day for several weeks. 
 
 In the Journal des Scavans for the year 1684, it is recorded, 
 that in the palatinate of Cracou, in the middle of a mountain, 
 the soil of which is slimy, full of greyish flints, and commonly 
 covered with herbs and odoriferous flowers, there is a large 
 fountain, the water of which is clear, and at its source of an 
 agreeable odour and taste. It issues out with violence, and 
 bubbles so loud as to be heard at a great distance. The 
 water of this fountain rises higher and higher. as the moon 
 approaches its full; and falls again when the moon is in its 
 wane. When a lighted torch or candle is applied to the bub- 
 ble of this water, it burns like spirits of wine ; but it is only 
 at its source that it possesses this quality. ‘The flame, though 
 very subtle, will consume wood; it is extinguished by strik- 
 ing the surface of the water with besoms made of the branches 
 of trees. 
 
 Various other phenomena of this kind, equally curious, 
 
 ILS 
 
499 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GIPPOPP DOP IPI PDGODIGIIGF 
 
 POP LLIO LPI LDP LEO DOD LDOD DIOS OR 
 Extraordinary Instances of Subterraneous Fires and Inflammable Vapours. 
 
 GPILIL LE POLLO LOL ERELEPE 
 
 PIL LIS. 
 
 LLL LAF 
 
 PIL LIL DLE PPL PDOF 
 
 might be mentioned ; but we shall, for tne present, close our 
 list with an account of one observed near Broseley, in Salop, 
 at the commencement of the eighteenth century, which occa- 
 sioned the utmost alarm and consternation to those who were 
 witnesses to it. 
 
 ' “ The fountain of Brosely,” says the account given of it at 
 the time, ‘ made its first eruption in 1700. ‘Two days before 
 the inhabitants had been alarmed by a tempest the most vio- 
 lent they had ever witnessed. The hurricane had scarcely 
 ceased, when a new phenomenon terrified them still more. 
 They were roused from their sleep about two o’clock in the 
 morning, by a tremendous noise, and the earth trembled to 
 such a degree, that they conceived the general dissolution of 
 all things to be approaching; those who had the courage 
 hurried out of their houses, and repaired to the place from 
 whence the noise appeared to proceed, in order, if possible, 
 to ascertain its cause. About two hundred persons had 
 assembled, seven or eight of whom ventured to approach a 
 small hill, or rather mountain, about one hundred yards from 
 the river Severn, and at the foot of which was a foundry. 
 They soon perceived that the noise proceeded from thence ; 
 all the surface of the ground was in a violent agitation; it 
 rose and sunk several times in the space of a minute. One of 
 the company, more daring than the rest, made, with a knife, 
 a hole in the ground of a few inches in diameter ; immediately 
 there issued from the place a water-spout, which rose six or 
 seven feet high. The eruption was se violent, as to throw 
 down the person who made the hole in the ground. Shortly 
 afterwards, having put a lighted candle to the water-spout, it 
 took fire, and was ina flame. The same experiment having 
 been repeated many times, the proprietor of the land, desirous 
 of preserving so singular a curiosity, had a cistern made on 
 the spot, upon which he placed a lid, leaving at the same time 
 an opening for the gratification of the public. Upon the 
 application of a candle to the opening in the lid of the cistern, 
 the water took fire, and burned like spirits of wine, as long 
 as the external air was prevented from exerting its power ; 
 but as soon as the lid was raised, the flames disappeared. ‘The 
 heat of the fire was such, that meat put into a pot, and placed 
 on the hole in the lid of the cistern, could be cooked almost 
 as expeditiously as in the hottest furnace. The most sur- 
 prising circumstance was, that notwithstanding the heat of this 
 fire, the water was not the least warm, but as cold as that of 
 springs in general, consequently the fire could not reside in 
 the water ; hence it is, perhaps, merely an inflammable vapour 
 which takes fire and burns as zaptha burns in water.” 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARTY. 493 
 
 LOL LIP LOG 
 DOP DIC OPP DOLLOP DLE LOD LGD DL EL LPLE EDD P DDO OOO DOD BOO DOP LODE LL DOD ILI IIS “EDIE POP 
 
 Phebe Brown, the Female Dwarf.—Ruins of Balbec. 
 
 PAI PIP LIS FOF 
 
 PHEBE BROWN, THLE FEMALE DWARF. 
 
 “THE greatest wonder I ever saw,” says Mr. Hutton, of 
 Birmingham, “ was Phebe Brown. She is five feet six inches 
 in height, is about thirty, well proportioned, round face, and 
 ruddy; has a dark penetrating eye, which, the moment it 
 fixes upon your face, sees your character, and that with pre- 
 cision. Her step (pardon the Irishism) is more manly than a 
 man’s, and can cover forty miles a day. Her common dress 
 is a man’s hat, coat, with a spencer over it, and men’s shoes, 
 She is unmarried. 7 
 
 ‘¢ She can lift one hundred weight in each hand, and carry 
 fourteen score ; can sew, knit, cook, and spin, but hates them 
 all, and every accompaniment to the female character, that of 
 modesty excepted. A gentleman at the New Bath had re- 
 cently treated her rudely: ‘she had a good mind to have 
 knocked him down.’ She assured me she never knew what 
 fear was. She gives no affront, but offers to fight any man 
 who gives her one. If she never has fought, perhaps it is 
 owing to the insulter having been a coward, for the man of 
 courage would disdain to offer an insult to a female. 
 
 ‘* Phebe has strong sense, an excellent judgment, says 
 smart thing's, and supports an easy freedom in all companies 
 Her voice is more than masculine, it is deep-toned. With 
 the wind in her favour, she can send it a mile. She has 
 neither beard nor prominence of breast; she undertakes any 
 kind of manual labour, as holding the plough, driving a team, 
 thatching the barn, using the flail, &c.; but her chief avoca- 
 tion is breaking horses, for which she charges a guinea a week 
 each. She always rides without a saddle, is thought to be 
 the best judge of a horse or cow in the country, and is fre- 
 quently employed to purchase for others at the neighbouring 
 fairs. 
 
 “‘ She is fond of Milton, Pope, and Shakspeare, also of 
 music ; is self-taught, and performs on several instruments, 
 as the flute, violin, and harpsichord, and supports the bass- 
 viol in Mallock church. She is a markswoman, and carries 
 the gun on her shoulder. She eats no beef or pork, and but 
 little mutton. Her chief food is milk, which is also her drink, 
 discarding wine, ale, and spirits.” 
 
 —za—— 
 RUINS OF BALBEC. 
 
 TuH&se magnificent ruins are described by Mr. Bruce as 
 even surpassing what he had seen at Palmyra. He was par- 
 ticularly struck by the splendid vestiges of the great temple, 
 
494 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 * PHLPPLOPOLSG. IP POPLEOSF. PLP LP LOEL DDL LF POEL LOLDOD DPIPGLEGD OLD 
 
 Ruins of Balbec. 
 supposed to have been dedicated to the sun. ‘The Castle of 
 Balbec, or ‘Tower of Lebanon, is described by Father Lean- 
 der, of the order of bare-footed Carmelites, in his interesting 
 Travels, as a surprising monument of antiquity, built, accord- 
 ing to the tradition of the natives, by Solomon. His relation 
 is as follows :— 
 
 “* Balbec is distant from Damascus, towards the north, 
 about fifty miles, and on the southern side is watered by 
 springs and rivulets, brought thither, no doubt, to fill the 
 ditches by which it was to have been surrounded for defence, 
 but which were not completed. It is situated on the loft 
 summit of a’hill, in approaching which the facade of the Castle 
 is seen, having two towers at its angles, between which is a 
 great portico, resembling the mouth of a vast cave, and pro- 
 vided with very strong walls. That on the right hand, by 
 which the portico is attached to the tower, from the west to 
 the north, is composed of four stones only, the fifth, which 
 was to have completed the fabric, being deficient. ‘The length 
 of each of these stones is not less than sixty-two feet, and 
 their breadth and height thirteen. They are so artfully 
 brought together, without ‘any cement, that they appear to 
 be only one solid block. ‘The remainder of the wall to the 
 left is of hewn stones, well cemented with quick lime, the 
 smallest of which are six feet in length, and four feet six 
 inches in height; there are many which are upwards of 
 fifteen feet in length, but the height of all of them is the same. 
 
 ‘¢ Having entered the cavern by the grand portico, the tra- 
 veller proceeds in obscurity to the distance of eighteen paces, 
 when he at length perceives a ray of light proceeding from 
 the aperture of the door which conducts to the centre. At 
 each of the sides, and within this grand portico, is a flight of 
 stone steps which leads to the subterraneous prisons. ‘Their 
 aspect is horrid, and they are dangerous, inasmuch as they 
 are wont to be frequented by bands of robbers, who here 
 plunder, kill, and bury such wretched travellers as are impru- 
 dently led by their curiosity to penetrate, and risk the descent, 
 without being well escorted. Following the road above, by 
 the cavern, to the extent of fifty paces, an ample area of a 
 spherical figure presents itself, surrounded by majestic columns 
 of granite, some of them of a.single piece, and others formed 
 of two pieces, the whole of them of so large a dimension, that 
 two men can with difficulty girt them. They are of the [onic 
 order of architecture, and are placed on bases of the same 
 stone, at such distances from each other that a coach and six 
 might commodiously turn between them. They support a 
 flat tower or roof, from which projects a cornice wrought with 
 
TRAN 
 
 ‘Wiss of Pallec. 
 
 : , 
 
 Cader Sieie,c Nort Habs 
 
 7; 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AQ5 
 DODLOPD PLPPPLDI PDD OPDGPDE PD OLD ELP?DPGPIOP PDP 
 
 Ruins of Balbec. 
 
 PDP IPP LLPOIPDGLD POP PAD 
 
 LOL PLL OLD PPL PLD DPE LID PDL OPP 
 
 PLL LLL PPD LLL PPLE LDL DDL ODD POP 
 
 figures of matchless workmanship: these rise above the capi- 
 tals with so nice an union, that the eye, however perfect it 
 may be, cannot distinguish the part in which they are joined. 
 At the present time, the greater part of this colonnade is 
 destroyed, the western part alone remaining perfect and up- 
 right. This fabric has an elevation of five hundred feet, and 
 is four hundred feet in length. In its exterior, and behind, 
 it is flanked by two other towers similar to those of the first 
 facade, the whole projecting from the wall, which withinside 
 is provided with loop-holes, to keep off the enemy, in case of 
 necessity, by the means of stones, fire, &c. It also surrounds 
 the colonnade, more particularly in the part which looks 
 towards the east. At the left flank rises a temple, which tra- 
 dition says was the hall of audience of Solomon, in height at 
 least eighty feet, and long and large in proportion. Its stones 
 are all sculptured with bas-reliefs, similar to those which 
 ornament Trajan’s column at Rome, representing many 
 triumphs and naval engagements. Several of these bas- 
 reliefs have been defaced by the Saracens, who are the decided 
 enemies of all sculptures. Withoutside this grand hall is an 
 avenue of the same size and breadth, where the traveller ad- 
 mires a large portal, constructed with three stones only, 
 attached to which, in the middle part, serving as an architrave, 
 is seen, in a garland of laurel interwoven with flowers, a large 
 eagle admirably sculptured in bas-relief. At the sides of the 
 portal are placed two columns, in one of which, although 
 formed of a single stone, is a winding staircase by which to 
 ascend to the architrave: the passage is however very nar- 
 row. ‘There is in the vicinity another temple, of an octan- 
 gular shape, with a portico of superb architecture, and having 
 three windows on the side opposite to the former.” 
 
 On a large stone are inscribed these words in Latin: 
 Divisio Mose, on which Father Leander confesses he knows 
 not what interpretation to bestow. Thrice he returned to 
 visit this splendid vestige of antiquity; and on the last of 
 these occasions, being well escorted, he proceeded to the dis- 
 tance of about a mile, to the foot of the mountains of Da- 
 mascus, whence the stones employed in its construction were 
 brought. He measured the stone which remained there, and 
 which has been already noticed as having been intended for 
 the fifth in the construction of the wall: it had been hewn 
 out on all sides, was lying on the ground, and was simply 
 attached to the rock at the inferior part. Its length and 
 dimensions were such, that he could not conceive how it 
 would have heen possible to detach it, and still less with what 
 machines to move, transport, and raise it to the height at 
 
 18. 31 
 
426 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DNF IDL ALLL EPL OO LDP LLL PLOL OS LLL BLDG LLLP LOL LEP DDL LED! ODD LOL 
 
 PDIP PIPPGM 
 The Mountain of Cader Idris.—A most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 PIL 
 
 LOO LLLDOD OL OE DOD L DOL DOL LIF 
 
 which the other stones are placed, more especially as the sites, 
 the roads, and the masses of rock are such, as to exceed in 
 asperity whatever the imagination can picture to itself. In 
 the vicinity of the cave whence these stones were drawn, is a 
 very beautiful sepulchre, supported by columns of porphyry, 
 over which is a dome of the finest symmetry. ; 
 
 atl 
 THE MOUNTAIN OF CADER IDRIS. 
 
 Caper Ipris towers above the subject mountains, which 
 seem to retire, to allow its base more room to stand, and to 
 afford to their sovereign a better display. It stands on a 
 broad rocky base, with a gradual ascent to its brow, when the 
 peaks elevate themselves in a manner at once abrupt, pic- 
 turesque, and distinct. ‘The point emphatically named Cader 
 appears to the eye below to be a little superior in height to 
 the saddle; but the third point, or apex, which has a name 
 expressive of its sterility, 1s neither equal in height, nor in 
 beauty, to the other two. On its loftiest peak, a stone pillar 
 has lately been erected, for the purpose of a trigonometrical 
 survey. | 
 
 (ana: Idris is the commencement of a chain of primitive 
 mountains, and is computed to be 2850 feet above the green 
 of Dolgelly, and 3550 feet, nearly three-fourths of a mile, 
 above the level of the sea. A recent traveller has attempted 
 to demonstrate that at some remote period it was a volcano 
 of immense magnitude. 
 
 The tract to the south of Cader Idris, as far as Talylyn 
 and Malwydd, is peculiarly grand. High and rugged moun- 
 tains of every possible form close in on all sides, while huge 
 masses of rock hang over, or. lie scattered in misshapen frag- 
 ments by the side of the road. ‘To add to the effect of this 
 scene, the river Difi forms one continued cataract for five or 
 six miles, overflowing with the innumerable tributary torrents 
 which precipitate themselves from the highest summits of the 
 surrounding rocks ; while, to crown the whole, the shaggy 
 head of Cader Idris towers, the majestic sentinel of the 
 group. 
 
 aS 
 NARRATIVE OF A MOST EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF 
 IMPOSTURE. | 
 
 [Concluded from page 380.] 
 Aut the discoveries consequent on these proceedings were 
 perfectly favorable to Bertrand De Rols; confirmed the 
 opinion which had been entertained of her virtue, and proved 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AQT 
 
 OBO LOPL IP DIP DDE L IP IIE LOL DED DDL PDO DLOD DOP. 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 PLE PLO PDD PPI LOL LLG LDL LID LEL DDE PDD DLE LDL LDL DLP LOL LDP DLO POL GD DE LOL LLL LDE DDO DLP GDL OLD ODP 
 
 POP LPLL PDD LOL 
 
 PIP. 
 
 that she had not lost her senses during the absence of her 
 husband, as the impostor had suggested. 
 
 As to the accused, of near one hundred and fifty witnesses 
 that were examined, between thirty and forty deposed, that 
 he was the true Martin Guerre; that they had known him 
 and conversed with him from ‘his infancy; that they were 
 perfectly acquainted with his person, manners, and tone of 
 voice; and that they moreover were convinced of the truth of 
 what they asserted, by the observation of certain scars and 
 secret marks, which it was impossible for time to efface. 
 
 On the other hand, a great number of witnesses deposed 
 positively, that he was Arnaud Du Tilh, called Pansette, and 
 that they were perfectly acquainted with his person, manners, 
 and voice. ‘The rest of the witnesses, to the number of sixty 
 and upwards, declared that there was so strong a resemblance 
 between the two persons concerned in this matter, that it was 
 impossible for them to determine whether the accused was 
 Martin Guerre or Arnaud Du Tilh. | 
 
 The Criminal Judge of Rieux ordered two reports to be 
 made; one of the likeness or unlikeness of Sanxi Guerre to 
 the accused ; the other as to the likeness of the same child to 
 the sisters of Martin Guerre. By the first it appeared, that 
 Sanxi did not resemble the accused at all; and by the second, 
 that he was very like his father’s sisters. In fine, this Judge 
 thought proper to pronounce his definitive sentence, which 
 was as follows :—“ ‘That Arnaud Du Tilh is guilty, and con- 
 victed of being an impostor, and for that crime is condemned 
 to lose his head; and further, that his body be afterwards 
 divided into four quarters.” 
 
 From this sentence, Arnaud Du Tilh appealed to the par- 
 liament of Thoulouse. ‘This assembly, as a preliminary step, 
 ordered the parties to be confronted in open court. On this 
 occasion, the accused maintained so steady a countenance, 
 spoke with such an air of assurance and truth, and answered 
 every question with such quickness and perspicuity, that the 
 members of this tribunal were induced to think that he was 
 the true Martin Guerre ; while, on the other hand, the terror 
 and confusion of Peter Guerre and Bertrand De Rols was so 
 great, that they created strong suspicions of their being per- 
 jured persons and false accusers. But, as these circumstances 
 could not be held as full evidence, an inquisition was ordered 
 as to the principal facts in dispute, with this limitation, that 
 none but new witnesses should be examined. This ordinance 
 of the parliament of Thoulouse was so far from procuring 
 any new lichts, that it served only to render the intricate 
 affair still more obscure than it was before. Thirty new wit- 
 
 ¢ 
 é 
 
A28 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 rekhnbiebenigicbonebtasatbhtsnetaccisunun 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 LVI DIG POD LOD DEV ELD LIO DLL L IL DLEID LED ELELLEE DED LEE LDLD BOD LOL LOL LDEBROD DLL OPE LOE LLDO OLDE ODLP POOP 
 
 PIP LOPDOD DS # 
 
 nesses were examined ; nine or ten of these were positive that 
 he was the true Martin Guerre; seven or eight were as posi- 
 tive that he was Arnaud Du Tilh; the rest having weighed 
 all circumstances, and being afraid of injuring their consciences, 
 declared plainly that they were not able to say who he was. 
 The parliament were now more in doubt than ever; they 
 could not concur with the Criminal Judge of Rieux, and yet 
 they were afraid of discharging the criminal. In order to put 
 an end to so odd a cause, they summed up the proofs on both 
 sides. 
 
 On one hand it appeared, that forty-five witnesses had 
 affirmed in terms the most express, that he was not Martin 
 Guerre, but Arnaud Du Tilh, which they said they were the 
 better enabled to do, because they had known both persons 
 intimately, ate and drank with them, and conversed constantly 
 with them from their very childhood; nay, some of them went 
 still farther :—Carbon Barreau, uncle, by the mother’s side, 
 of Arnaud Du Tilh, acknowledged that he was his nephew, 
 and observing the irons that were upon his legs, cried bitterly, 
 and bewailed his misfortune in having a relation in sucha 
 condition. He said also, that he had in his lifetime been con- 
 cerned in several contracts with his nephew, and he actuall 
 produced those writings signed by Arnaud Du Tilh. Most 
 of these witnesses agreed, that Martin Guerre was taller, and 
 of a darker complexion ; that he was slender, his legs a little 
 crooked, stooping in the shoulders, his chin forked and turn- 
 ing up, his lower lip hanging, his nose large and flat, the 
 mark of an ulcer in his face, and a scar in his right evebrow ; 
 whereas Arnaud Du Tilh was a dapper well set man, his legs 
 large and full, and he had neither a flat nose, nor was his 
 chin crooked ; but in his face, indeed, he had the same marks 
 with Martin Guerre. The shoemaker who used to make 
 shoes for Martin Guerre, deposed that Martin’s foot reached 
 to the twelfth mark, whereas the foot of the accused reached 
 no farther than the ninth mark upon his rule. Another wit- 
 ness swore, that Martin Guerre was dexterous in wrestling, 
 whereas this man knew nothing of the matter. John Espagnol, 
 who kept a public-house, declared that the accused acknow- 
 ledged to him that he was not Martin Guerre. Valentine 
 Rougie deposed, that the person accused, perceiving that he 
 knew him to be Arnaud Du Tih, made a sign to. him with his 
 finger, that he should say nothing. John De Liberos deposed 
 to the same effect, and added, that the accused gave him twa 
 handkerchiefs, with a strict charge to give one of them to 
 John Du Tilh, his brother. There were also some hearsay 
 evidences produced. ‘Two persons swore that a soldier of 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 429 
 
 PRE PLO PLPP LIP LOD LOL LIF 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 PLE LIL LIL LLLP LOL LDPE LPL LOO LLL L DOLD DOLL DLE DODO LDOD LDL LDL DDL DL DD LOE DIE DIS 
 
 POPP LIL DIPOLE PIL OP 
 
 PPE PPD LOL PEPSI IS. 
 
 the regiment of Rochfort, passing through Artigues, was sur- 
 prised at seeing the accused assume the name of Martin 
 Guerre, declaring aloud, and without ceremony, that he was 
 a notorious impostor, for that Martin Guerre was actually in 
 Flanders, and had a wooden leg, in the place of one he lost 
 before St. Quintin, in the battle of St. Laurence. It was also 
 remarked, that Martin Guerre, being a Biscayner, had the 
 tone of his country, the Bask being a language very different, 
 not only from the French, but from the Gascoon, whereas the 
 accused could not speak the Bask, but took pains to mingle a 
 few words which he had learned of it with his French, repeat- 
 ing them with a visible affectation. ‘There was likewise a 
 cloud of witnesses who deposed, that Arnaud Du Tilh was 
 from his infancy very wickedly given, and that his impudence 
 was from his youth surprising; that he was always light- 
 fingered, a great swearer, one that had no fear of God, anda 
 flagrant blasphemer ; ina word, that he was every way capable 
 of the crime laid to his charge, and that an obstinate persistance 
 in falsehood and mischief was exactly suitable to his cha- 
 racter. 
 
 But, on the other hand, there were thirty or forty witnesses 
 who swore roundly that he was the true Martin Guerre ; that 
 they knew him intimately, and remembered him from his child- 
 hood. Among these were the four sisters of Martin Guerre, 
 who were all brought up with him, and who had all the repu- 
 tation of being women of good sense ; two of their husbands, 
 brothers-in-law to Martin Guerre, were likewise of the num- 
 ber. Such as were present at the nuptials of Martin Guerre 
 and Bertrand De Rols, deposed in favor of the accused. 
 Catharine Boere, in particular, said, that when she carried 
 the posset after they were in bed, she saw Bertrand’s spouse, 
 and that the person now accused was the same. All, or at 
 least the greatest part of these witnesses agreed, that Martin 
 Guerre had two strokes under his eyebrow, that his left eye 
 was blood-shot, the nail of his first finger crooked, that he 
 had three warts on his right hand, and another on his little 
 finger; all of which were plainly to be seen on the accused. 
 It was alleged also in his favor, that Bertrand De Rols 
 never had it in her own mind to accuse him; but was per- 
 suaded and even frightened to it by others, Peter Guerre 
 had married her mother, and these two having conceived a 
 spleen against the accused, did all they could to set him and 
 Barshai at variance; that, by the contrivance of these per- 
 sons, the accused was once taken up before for a crime of 
 which he was not guilty, and that upon his being discharged 
 and coming home, his wife received him with all possible 
 
480 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POIPCLOOPIO? 
 
 POP LIL BDL LLG PDD LOD 
 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 LOD LIAL 
 
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 POOLED LOD LDF. 
 
 PIL IDI 
 
 kindness, gave him a new shirt, washed his feet, and went to 
 bed to him, where all things passed between them which is 
 usual among married persons ; and yet the next morning he 
 was hurried to prison by Peter Guerre, by virtue of a paper 
 signed by Bertrand De Rols the night before, that is, the 
 night in which she had expressed all this fondness for him ; 
 nay, that she had discovered her tenderness since his being in 
 prison, by sending him money and clothes. 
 
 The parliament still continued in doubt, and considering 
 the nicety of the case, and the consequences which might at- 
 tend it, in respect to annulling a marriage, and illegitimating 
 a child, they began to incline to the part of the accused, and 
 had thoughts of reversing the judgment of the inferior Judge, 
 when, of a sudden, as if he had dropped out of the clouds, 
 Martin Guerre himself appeared, having a wooden leg as the 
 soldier had said. He asserted, that he came from Spain; 
 gave a distinct account of the impostor who had taken his 
 name; and, presenting a petition to the parliament, demanded 
 that he might be heard. Upon this the Court gave directions 
 that he should be kept in safe custody, submit to an interro- 
 gatory in form, and be confronted with the accused, with Ber- 
 trand De Rols, with his sisters, and with the principal wit- 
 nesses who had deposed in favour of the accused. He was 
 interrogated as to the same facts on which the accused had 
 been questioned, and his answers were true ; but they were 
 neither so clear, so positive, nor so'exact, as those given by 
 the accused. When he came to be confronted with Arnaud 
 Du Tilh, the latter treated Martin Guerre as an impostor, a fel- 
 low picked out by Peter Guerre to support this character and 
 take away his life; he even proceeded so far as to say, ina 
 high tone, that he would be content to be hanged, if he did not 
 unravel the whole mystery, and prove all his enemies cheats. 
 He then asked Martin Guerre abundance of questions, as to 
 several of his transactions, to which Martin answered but 
 faintly, and with some confusion; but the Commissioners, 
 having directed Arnaud Du Tilh to withdraw, put several 
 questions to Martin Guerre that were new, and had never 
 been asked before, and his answers were very full and satis- 
 factory; then they called for Arnaud Du Tilh, and questioned 
 him as to the same points, to the number of ten or twelve; 
 but all his replies were so clear, and so correspondent to what 
 Martin Guerre had said, that some began to think there was 
 witchcraft in this business, which still grew darker and darker. 
 
 The Court, resolving to clear up this unaccountable ob- 
 scurity, directed that now, both the persons being present, 
 the four sisters of Martin Guerre, the husbands of two of 
 
OURIOSITIZS OF NATURE AND ART. ASI 
 
 PLE LLL LLL BLO LLL ODL PLL LLL LOL DOLL DL ELL LLL LLL BLD DOP LIE POP 
 
 “ADP PDD POLPLOG PDL POD PID LLL 
 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 PPPPLLP LOL LIL LLL LDL DDL LDL DDL DIL LLL LIL DLE DOS [POL DDL LLL LDL DLL DOL PLE DPS 
 
 them, Peter Guerre, the brothers of Arnaud Du Tilh, and 
 the chief of those witnesses who were obstinate in owning the 
 accused for Martin Guerre, should be called in, and obliged 
 to point out him that they should now judge to be the true 
 Martin. Accordingly, all these persons appeared, except the 
 brothers of Arnaud Du Tilh. The first who drew near the 
 two persons claiming the name of Martin Guerre was the 
 eldest of the sisters, who, after she had looked upon them a 
 moment, ran to Martin Guerre, embraced him, and having let 
 fall a shower of tears, addressed herself to the Commissioners 
 in these words, “ See, gentlemen,” said she, ‘* my brother, 
 Martin Guerre; I acknowledge the error into which this 
 wicked man (pointing to Arnaud Du Tilh) drew me, and 
 many other of the inhabitants of Artigues, and in which, by a 
 multitude of artifices, he has made us persist so. long.” Mar- 
 tin all this time mingled his tears with those of his sister, and 
 received her embraces with the utmost affection. All the rest 
 knew him as soon as they saw him, and there was not one of 
 all the witnesses who did not acknowledge that the matter 
 was now plain, and that Arnaud Du Tilh was an impostor. 
 
 Last of all, Bertrand De Rols was called in. She no 
 ' sooner cast her eyes on her husband, than she turned pale, 
 burst into tears, and fell a trembling like leaves in a-high 
 wind ; she approached him slowly, fell at his knees, and taking 
 hold of his hand, after some moments, she addressed herself 
 to him in words the most eloquent imaginable, because they 
 seemed clearly to flow from a spirit of innocence and truth. 
 She said it was the error of his sisters that was the original 
 cause of her misfortune; that the strong passion she had for 
 him, and her earnest desire to see him again, helped on the 
 cheat ; she affirmed that the many particularities which the 
 impostor repeated, and the exact knowledge he had of all that 
 had passed between them, for awhile quite closed her eyes; 
 that as soon as she discovered her mistake, she would have 
 instantly put him to death with her own hands, if the fear of 
 God had not withheld her; that, however, she put him into 
 the hands ef justice, and demanded, by her bill of complaint 
 that he should be most severely punished; that in consequeng 
 of her vigorous prosecution, he was condemned to be beheaded, 
 and to have his body cut into four quarters ; which sentencg 
 was not prevented by any tenderness on her part, but by his 
 Own appeal to the parliament. 
 
 But Martin Guerre, who had been so sensible of the testi- 
 monies of the love, friendship, and tenderness given him by 
 his sisters, remained wholly unmoved by these excuses of. his 
 wife. He heard her indeed without interruption; but, then, 
 
 POF. 
 
432 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GOP LLP PGOLOOP LOL LIS. 
 
 Narrative of a most Extraordinary Case of Imposture. 
 
 with an air of contempt, and putting on a severe brow, “ You 
 may cease crying,” said he, in a surly tone; “ my heart can 
 never be touched by your tears ; it signifies not your pretend- 
 ing to justify yourself from the conduct of my sisters and my 
 uncle; a wife has more ways of knowing a husband than a 
 father, a mother, and all his relations put together ; nor is it 
 possible she should be imposed on, unless she has a mind to 
 be deceived; you are the sole cause of the misfortunes of my 
 family, and I shall never impute my disgrace to any body but 
 you.” In vain the Commissioners endeavoured to enforce 
 what the unfortunate Bertrand De Rols had said, in order to 
 make her husband comprehend her innocence ; he persisted in 
 a sullen air of indifference, and showed plainly enough that 
 his anger was such as time only could efface. 
 
 No doubt now remaining as to the guilt of Arnaud Du 
 Tilh, the Court condemned him “ to make amende honorable 
 in the market-place of Artigues, in his shirt, his head and feet 
 being bare, a halter about his neck, and holding in his hands 
 a lighted torch; to demand pardon of God, the King, and the 
 justice of the nation; of the said Martin Guerre and De Rols 
 his wife: and this being done, the said Du Tilh shall be deli- 
 vered into the hands of the capital executioner, who, after 
 making him pass through the streets, and other public places 
 in the said town of Artigues, with a rope about his neck, at 
 last shall bring him before the house of the said Martin 
 Guerre, where, on a gallows set up for that purpose, he shall 
 be hanged and strangled, and afterwards his body shall be 
 burnt.” 
 
 In order to the execution of the sentence, Arnaud Du Tilh 
 was carried back to Artigues; he was then examined in 
 prison, by the Criminal Judge of Rieux, who first condemned 
 him, on the 16th of September, 1560, and made a very long 
 and exact confession. He stated, that he was determined to 
 commit this crime by the following accident : coming from the 
 camp in Picardy, he was mistaken for Martin Guerre by some 
 of Martin’s friends; from them he learned abundance of cir 
 cumstances concerning Martin’s father, wife, sisters, and other 
 relations, and of every thing he had done before he left that 
 country. ‘hese new lights, added to the materials he had 
 obtained from Martin Guerre himself, in a multitude of con- 
 versations, put it fully in his power to carry on the cheat he 
 had projected in the artful manner he did. He owned other 
 crimes which he had committed, and persisted in every poiif 
 of his confession, when it was read over to him. At the foot 
 ofthe gallows, erected opposite the house of Martin Guerre, 
 he in the most humble manner asked pardon of him and of his 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 433 
 
 POP OPP PLE LIP PIPL GP LIF DIOL GE LIE DIE LLD DDL ODP DDO DDD DDL DDE POO DDO POP DD OP DOP LOD DDD DPF PD? POP 
 
 Extraordinary Case of Imposture,—Credulity and Fanaticism—Simon Morin. 
 
 PLO LIL LLP IDL ADL. 
 
 PIPL LIP LOL PPP BOPP PLS DPE PPP IOP LDODIP ODO LGDPLDLGL GE DLO LDP PPP 
 
 wife ; appeared a hearty and sincere penitent ; testified the 
 most lively grief for the offences he had committed, and was 
 executed.— Causes Celebres. 
 
 SINGULAR INSTANCES OF CREDULITY AND 
 FANATICISM. ‘ 
 {Continued from page 372. ] 
 i SIMON MORIN, 
 
 Tue tragic end of Simon Morin was truly horrible. It 
 was amidst the feasting, pleasures, and gallantry of a brilliant 
 court; it was in times of the greatest licentiousness, that this 
 unfortunate madman was burnt at Paris in the year 1663. 
 He was an idiot, and imagined he saw visions; he carried his 
 folly so far as to believe he was sent from God, and that he 
 was incorporated with Jesus Christ. 
 
 The parliament prudently condemned him to be confined in 
 a madhouse. What was remarkable, there happened to be 
 in the same house another idiot, who called himself the Eter- 
 nal Father. Simon Morin was so struck with the folly of his 
 companion, that he saw his own, and appeared for a time to 
 have recovered his senses. He declared his repentance to the 
 magistrate, and, unfortunately for himself, obtained his liberty. 
 He relapsed soon after into his former nonsense and dogma- 
 tism. His unhappy destiny brought him acquainted with St. 
 Sorlin Desmarets, who for many months was his friend, and 
 who afterwards, from a jealousy of his reputation, became his 
 most cruel persecutor. 
 
 This Desmarets was no less a visionary than Morin. His 
 first follies indeed were innocent. He printed the tragi-co- 
 medies of Erigone and Mirame with the translation of the 
 Psalms; the romance of Ariane, and the poem of Clovis, with 
 the office of the Holy Virgin turned into verse. He also 
 published dithyrambic poems, containing invectives against 
 Homer and Virgil. From such follies he proceeded to others 
 of a more serious nature. He attacked Port-Royal; and 
 after confessing that he had converted some women to atheism, 
 he commenced prophet. He pretended God had given him, 
 with his own hand, the key of the Apocalypse; that with 
 this key he would reform the whole world, and that he should 
 command an army of a hundred and forty thousand men 
 against the Jansenists. 
 
 It would have been very reasonable and just to have con- 
 fined him; but can it be believed, that he found credit with 
 the Jesuit Annat, Confessor to the King? He persuaded him, 
 that Simon, another crazy fanatic, would establish a sect 
 almost as dangerous as the Jansenists themaelyes, In short, 
 
 19 K : 
 
ASa CURICSITI£S OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 PIP POP GPGPLGL IP GEOL OGL EPLOF PIP 
 
 PPO L LIP POPP LIP LLOLD OD DEP GO OPP 
 
 Credulity and Fanaticism—Robert Francis Damiens. 
 
 PPP LGPL GOP OP DLO LOL DEL PDE LOL LDP LDL DL LDDDE OP LLL IL DS LDL I LDL LOE DLP 
 
 PLP LPP L OL FOF LOOIOD 
 
 becoming so abandoned as to turn informer, he procured an 
 order to seize the person of his rival. Shall I tell it? Simon 
 Morin was condemned to be burnt alive ! 
 
 When he was led to the stake, a paper was found in one of 
 his stockings, begging forgiveness of God for all his errors. 
 This should have saved him. No: his sentence was con- 
 firmed, and he was executed without mercy. 
 
 Such actions make one’s hair stand on end with horror. 
 But where is the country that has not beheld such deplorable 
 events ? Mankind universally forget they are brethren, and 
 persecute each other even to death. Let us console ourselves 
 with the hope, that such horrid times are passed, never more 
 to return. 
 
 ROBERT FRANCIS DAMIENS. 
 
 A MISERABLE wretch, of the dregs of the people, named 
 Robert Francis Damiens, born in a village near Arras, had 
 been a considerable time a servant in several houses in Paris ; 
 he was a man whose gloomy and fiery disposition had always 
 bordered upon madness. ‘The general murmurs that he had 
 heard in all public places, in the grand hall of the palace, and 
 elsewhere, heated his imagination.* He went to Versailles 
 like a distracted person, and in those agitations which his in- 
 conceivable design threw him into, he desired to be blooded 
 at hisinn. Physic has so great an influence over the minds 
 of men, that he protested afterwards in his interrogatories, 
 ‘* That if his request had been complied with, he should not 
 have committed the crime.”’ His design was the most un- 
 heard-of that ever entered the head of a monster of this sort; 
 he did not intend to kill the King, as in effect he declared - 
 since, and as unfortunately he could have done, but was re- 
 solved to wound him; and this is in reality what he declared 
 in his criminal prosecution before the parliament :— 
 
 ‘I had not the intention of killing the King. I could have 
 done it, had I the inclination. All that I did, was in order 
 that God might touch his heart, and incline him to re-establish 
 all things as they should be, and restore the tranquillity of 
 his dominions; and the Archbishop of Paris alone is the sole 
 cause of all these troubles.” This idea had inflamed his mind 
 to such a degree, that in another interrogatory he said, “I have 
 mentioned counsellors of parliament, because I have served 
 one, and because almost all men are enraged at the conduct 
 
 * These raurmurs were chiefly occasioned by the priests against Louis XV. 
 because that monarch had introduced several salutary regulations into the 
 government, to restrain the licentiousness of the clergy. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 4355 
 
 Credulity and Fanaticism—John Francis Damiens. 
 
 of the Archbishop.” Ina word, fanaticism had troubled the 
 mind of this unfortunate man so far, that in the interrogatories 
 he underwent at Versailles, are found these his own words : 
 being interrogated what motives had excited him to assassi- 
 nate the King’s person, he replied, “ That it was for the 
 cause of religion.” All the assassinators of Christian princes 
 have urged this cause. The King of Portugal had not been 
 assassinated but by virtue of the decision of three Jesuits. © 
 It is very well known that Henry III. and IV. of France 
 perished by the hands of fanatics; but with this difference; 
 they lost their lives because they appeared to be enemies of 
 the Pope, and the. life of Louts Xv. was attempted, because 
 he seemed to be too complaisant to him. | 
 
 The assassin was furnished with a spring-knife, at one end 
 carrying a long sharp-pointed blade, and at the other, a pen- 
 knife about four inches in length. He waited for the moment 
 when the King should step into his coach to go to Trianon. 
 It was near six in the evening, quite dusky, and exceedingly 
 cold; almost all the courtiers wore cloaks, which, by corrup- 
 tion, are called redingotes. 'The assassin, thus dressed, pro- 
 ceeded towards the guards, and in passing ran against the 
 Dauphin: he then forced his way through the files of the 
 gardes-du-corps, and of the hundred Swiss; came up to the 
 King, and stabbed him with the penknife in the fifth rib, then 
 He his knife in his pocket, and remained with his hat upon 
 nis head. ‘The King finding himself wounded, turned about, 
 and espying this stranger, who was covered, and whose eyes 
 stared wildly, he said, ‘* That is the man who stabbed me; 
 arrest him, but do him no harm.” 
 
 While every one was seized with fright and horror, the 
 King was carried into his bed, surgeons sought, and it was 
 uncertain whether his wound was mortal or not, or whether 
 the knife was empoisoned. The regicide often repeated, 
 ‘¢ Let them take care of Monseigneur le Dauphin, that he 
 does not go out the whole day.’ At these words the uni- 
 versal alarm redoubled. It was not doubted that there was 
 a conspiracy against the royal family: every one figured to 
 himself the greatest dangers, the greatest and most preme- 
 ditated crimes. 
 
 Happily, the King’s wound was but slight; but the general 
 trouble was considerable; and fears, suspicions, and intrigues, 
 multiplied at court. The Grand Provost of the Household, 
 to whom the punishment of crimes committed in the King’s 
 palace belongs, immediately seized the regicide, and com- 
 menced the proceedings in form, as practised at St. Cloud, on 
 the assassination of Henry UI. An exempt of the Provost’s 
 
456 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPL PPP POPCOD 
 
 PPC ODP OOP 2 BOP BDL D POD OL OP LOF DOO LOE LOG LEE PEG LEDGE LEE PDC LOD PDP LOE DIF. 
 
 Credulity and Fanaticism—John Francis Damiens. 
 
 PLP PLO PLP DIL PPL PPP LPL LOL LDO PLP LPDE PDL LLL LLL PLE PDL PLL PELE DDL LLL LLL LIP 
 
 PPP LPL OPE OP 
 
 guard having obtained a little confidence, either seeming or 
 real, in the distempered mind of this wretch, engaged him to 
 be so hardy as to write a letter from his prison to the King 
 himself. Damiens write to the King! An assassin write to 
 him whom he had assassinated ! 
 
 His letter was foolish, and conformable to the meanness of 
 his condition ; but it discovered the object of his fury, In it 
 is seen, that the public complaints against the Archbishop had 
 turned the criminal’s brain, and excited him to his vile at- 
 tempt. It appeared by the names of the members of parlia- 
 ment cited in his letter, that he knew them by serving one of 
 their brethren; but it would have been absurd to suppose 
 that they had explained their sentiments to him, much 
 less that they had ever spoken, or even dropped a word to 
 encourage him to the crime; so the King did not hesitate to 
 refer his punishment to those of the grand chamber who had 
 not resigned; he insisted even that the princes and peers 
 should, by their presence, add more authenticity and solemnity, 
 in all points, to the trial in the eyes of the public, who are as 
 suspicious as curious exaggerators, and who always see in 
 these horrid adventures beyond the truth. Never, in effect, 
 did truth appear more clearly. 
 
 It is evident, that this madman had no accomplice. He 
 always declared, he did not think of killing the King ; but 
 that he had formed the design to wound him ever since the 
 banishment of the parliament. Directly, upon the first inter- 
 rogatory, he said, “ That religion alone had determined him 
 to this attempt.””> He acknowledged that he only spoke bad 
 of the Molonists, and those who refused the sacraments; and 
 that these people apparently believe in two Gods. 
 
 He cee out on the torture, “ I thought I should have 
 done a meritorious work for Heaven; and it is what I have 
 heard said by all the priests in the palace.” He constantly 
 persisted in saying that it was the Archbishop of Paris, the 
 refusal of the sacraments, and the disgraces of the parliament, 
 that had stirred him to this act of regicide: he declared the 
 same again to his confessors. This wretched man was no 
 more than a foolish fanatic, less abominable, in fact, than 
 Ravaillac and John Chatel, but more mad, and having no 
 more accomplices than those two furies had. ‘The only ac- - 
 complices, generally, for these monsters, are fanatics, whose 
 heated brains light up, without knowing it, a fire in weak, 
 desperate, hardened minds. A few words dropped by chance 
 is sufficient to set them on flames. Damiens acted ‘under 
 the same illusion as Ravaillac, and died in the same tor- 
 ments.— Age of Louis XV. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AST 
 
 PS WPODPP LPG LID LOS ODO DOCODI LOO LOG 
 
 PLP PPD LOE LIEGE LLL POOL 
 
 Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracles. 
 
 PIP POL LOD PDE PPLE LPL DOL LPOG PPD IP LDL LID PLD LIP PDD LOD LOE LDL DDO LOE LID DLO LOL LOL LOL LDL DLO L DOL OD 
 
 PRINCE HOHENLOHE AND HIS MIRACLES. 
 
 “Ye shall have miracles, ay, sound ones too, 
 Seen, heard, attested, every thing—but true.” 
 Moort. 
 
 Tue Roman Catholic church has ever boasted of its mira- 
 cles, and human credulity is still heavily taxed by the artful 
 representation, or mistaken zeal, of monks and bigots. We 
 say mistaken zeal, for we are far from accusing the Roman 
 Catholic clergy of knowingly fabricating all the relations of 
 pretended miracles; though this is not unfrequently the case. 
 
 The barefaced imposiures of priests in former times, had 
 become so notorious, as to throw a general discredit on all 
 Catholic miracles, and hence they were not very frequent. 
 They have lately, however, been revived in several instances, 
 but 1n none so strikingly as in Prince Alexander of Hohen- 
 lohe, whose extraordinary feats in curing diseases, in all parts 
 of the world, the newspapers are now recording. 
 
 This Prince, whose elder brother is now serving in the 
 French army in Spain, is of one of the oldest families in Ger- 
 many. His ancestors were among the first to embrace the 
 reformed religion, but returned to the Catholic church in 
 1667. In 1744, the houses of Hohenlohe were elevated to 
 the rank of Princes of the Holy Roman Empire by Charles V1. 
 They are divided into two reigning families, or houses, viz. 
 of Neuenstein and of Waldenburg, to the latter of which the 
 Rev. Prince Hetenlohe belongs. He is one of the canons of 
 the noble Chapter of Olmutz, and a Knight of Malta. 
 
 In June, 1821, Prince Hohenlohe visited Wurzburgh, 
 where he preached frequently, and celebrated high mass, after 
 which he commenced his miracles, which Father Baur, his 
 biographer, thus briefly sums up :— | 
 
 “¢ With perfect confidence he has restored persons declared 
 incurable; he has made the blind see—the deaf hear—the 
 lame walk; and paralytics he has perfectly cured. The 
 number of these already amounts to thirty-six persons ; 
 amongst whom is the Princess Matilda of Schwartzenberg. 
 Amongst others who have been restored to sight, the mother 
 of Mr. Polzano, the man-milliner, deserves to be mentioned. 
 She is the general subject of conversation throughout the 
 city. By firm confidence in God, with God and in God, he 
 performs these cures. This is his secret, his magnetic power, 
 and his sympathy.” | 
 
 Such miraculous doings naturally attracted a great con- 
 course of people from town and country, and the house of the 
 Prince was surrounded by thousands: the cures, which on the 
 
A38 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 OO DOE LOL OE DEOL EL ODI LEE DID DID DLG DOLDDE DIE LIL IIL L IP IP DOD DDL ODD LOE DOODLP DEALS OOPOOD 
 Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracles. 
 
 27th of June amounted to thirty-six, had, on the following 
 day, increased to sixty; but the cure on which the Prince’s 
 historian most dwells, is that of the Princess of Schwartzen- 
 berg, who had been lame from her eighth to her seventeenth 
 year ; 80,000 florins had been spent in medical advice for her, 
 and fourteen days before the Prince saw her, her life was 
 despaired of :— 
 
 “‘ It was only,” says Father Baur, “ with the most violent 
 pain, that she could lie in a horizontal position, and only by 
 means of a machine, constructed by Mr. Heine, could she be 
 something freer from pain in bed; because it supported her 
 and brought her nearer to a perpendicular direction ; and in 
 this state the Prince of Hohenlohe found her, where, praying 
 with him and his disciple Martin Michel, and with full confi- 
 dence in God, at his command to arise, she was instantly 
 cured. She stepped out of bed alone, threw the machine from 
 her, was dressed, and walked afterwards in the court-yard 
 and in the garden, performed her devotions the next morning 
 in the church with praises and thanksgivings, visited the gar- 
 ~ den of the court and Julius’ Hospital, and went on the 24th 
 instant, in company with her Serene Highness the Princess of 
 Lichtenstein, born Princess of Esterhazy; his Serene High- 
 ness the Duke of Aremberg ; also her uncle, his Serene High- 
 ness the Prince of Baar, and others, to the sermon of the 
 Prince of Hohenlohe, in the Collegiate Church of Haug, and 
 continues to this hour perfectly well. 
 
 “‘ The public will do well to reflect on this,” says Father 
 Baur; “ and the more so, as on the preceding day, as well 
 as on the 20th of June, in the morning, the Princess could 
 neither turn herself in bed nor stand on either of her feet! 
 The Crown Prince of Bavaria, who was deaf, was also re- 
 stored to his hearing, on which he exclaimed, full of joy, 
 ‘ How happy I am that I can now hear the birds sing, and 
 the clock strike!’”—Great gratifications certainly, but we 
 should have thought there might have been higher pleasures 
 derived from it. 
 
 When the Prince left Wurzburgh for a short time for 
 Bamberg, he met a great number of invalids on the roads ; “he 
 stopped, got out of his carriage, and healed them.” At Bam- 
 berg “ he restored two sisters to the use of their limbs, who 
 had not left their beds for ten years.””> The Rev. Mr. Sollner, 
 of Hallstadt, “in the presence of a number of persons, was 
 cured of the gout as he sat in his carriage, and immediately 
 alighted and went through the town on foot.” 
 
 On the return of the Prince to Wurzburg, he continued his 
 healing powers :— | , 
 
 ? 
 
CURTOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AS9 
 POP POO PPO BIDE PGS POL LPIE IE POG PPE ELD LOE POD LLOE PIP COD LPIL CEP ODE GOP EPODOGD 
 
 Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracles. 
 
 PLP PLL POL POLL LOE LOL LED LOL LDL PDD PELE LOUDLD PLE DDPOLDOL DOD PDL LDL DOE LPDDLOOPLLD EOD D LP DDD IP OPE PDPL 
 
 ‘¢ In the morning of Saturday, the 30th of June, a chaise 
 drove up to Staufenberg’s hotel. It was immediately con- 
 jectured that it brought some poor creature in need of help ; 
 and actually, an old man, by trade a butcher, was carried out 
 of it in sheets into the hotel; for all his members were so 
 crippled, that he could not be touched with hands. The 
 crowd assembled in the place before the hotel were astonished 
 to see a person so extremely afflicted, and many, said aload— 
 ‘If this man is cured, the finger of God will be manifest.’ 
 The whole multitude were full of expectation for the event. 
 After some time, a lady was heard in the hotel, calling out of 
 the window to those in the windows of the adjoining house— 
 ‘Good God! the man is cured! he can walk already ! The 
 crowd below were now more eager with expectation, when 
 another lady called out to them—‘ Clear the way before the 
 door, the man is coming out—let him have a free passage !’ 
 The man came out, and walked to his chaise; but, after 
 driving a little way, he stopped the coachman, and desired 
 him to take him back to the gracious Prince, as, through 
 excessive joy, he had forgotten to return him thanks.” 
 
 The miracles of the Prince do not stop here, for other re- 
 markable cures follow :— 
 
 ‘¢ The sister of Mrs. Brioli, the grocer, who lay under the 
 physician’s care almost dead, was healed on the spot, and now 
 enjoys full health and vigour.—Likewise on a bookkeeper of 
 hers, a native of Volkach, whose speech was greatly affected 
 by a disorder in his tongue, but who now speaks perfectly 
 well. 
 
 ‘¢ The child of Mr. Gulemann, who was attended by medical 
 men, being entirely blind, was restored on the spot, and to 
 this hour remains blessed with perfect sight. 
 
 «““ A most remarkable case was the cure of the wife of the 
 forester Kiesling, and that of the clerk of the courts, Mr. 
 Kandler, who had almost given up all hopes of relief from 
 physicians, and was perfectly healed of a lingering disease. 
 
 “‘ Moreover, the daughter of Mel, the King’s cellarer, who 
 was deaf; she ran about the house, crying out for joy—‘ I 
 can hear perfectly well ! 
 
 “‘ Previous to his departure on the 11th of July, his 
 Serene Highness worked the following cures, among many 
 others, which are certainly miraculous in their kind :— 
 
 «A boy of four years old was brought from Grossenlang- 
 ‘heim, who, for three years and a half, had one of his eyes en- 
 -tirely covered by the eyelid, so that no one could tell whe- 
 ther the eye existed at all; and his other eye was covered 
 
 PIPL IEP P PPO PPP 
 
440 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 2 
 
 POP PDP LLP LO OLE COOL DL CLO LLL ODDO 
 
 Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracles. 
 
 , 
 
 POP LPP EBC LOOLOPLIGI OS. 
 
 PGP PPP OLE OOF 
 
 PPP OOPS OL OL DP POG ODP IOP OPS 
 
 POP PPL PPE LOL POLL LPL LOD LOL PLE ODD PD PPL POP 
 
 with a film. This boy was so perfectly restored by the 
 prayers of the Prince, that both his eyes are now sound and 
 well, and the same afternoon he went up and down all the 
 steps of the Quanteischer House in this place. 
 
 ‘© A wine-merchant came from Konigshofen, whose hands 
 and feet had been for four years so much contracted, that his 
 hands were fast clenched like a fist, and he could scarcely use 
 them at all. This man was instantaneously restored, so that 
 he can stand upright on his feet and walk, and also open and 
 shut his hands, and enjoys the perfect use of them. 
 
 “ A man from Schwemelsbach, who had not been able for 
 eight years to raise himself once in his bed, was brought in a 
 carriage before the residence of the Rev. Prince, who was 
 just about to begin ajourney. ‘The Prince was in the greatest 
 haste, but still wished to relieve this afflicted man, and accord- 
 ingly opened his window, and began to pray from it, desiring 
 the sick to pray at the sametime. After giving him his bless- 
 ing, he called out to the man to arise. ‘This he could not do, 
 and the prayer was repeated, whereupon the sick man raised 
 himself a little, and declared that he was quite free from pain. 
 ‘The prayer was again repeated, and then the man arose en- 
 tirely by himself, got out of the vehicle, went from thence te 
 the Collegiate Church of Haug, and there returned thanks to 
 God for his deliverance.” ; 
 
 Such are a proof of the miracles related by Father Baur, 
 in his life of Prince Hohenlohe. 
 
 To those who are well read in the history of the Roman 
 Catholic religion, these absurdities or known impostures will 
 not excite much surprise. We do not mean to deny that 
 imagination may have considerable influence on many diseases, 
 but imagination will not give eyes to the blind, ears to the 
 deaf, or feet to the lame. Besides, with regard to the cures 
 said to have been performed by the Prince, although we are 
 told they are all well attested, yet there is not a single affidavit 
 or attestation given. On the contrary, the chef d cuvre of the 
 Prince, the cure of the Princess of Schwartzenberg, is par- 
 tially contradicted, at least as to her debilitated state, by her 
 medical attendant. The fact appears to be, that the Princess 
 was so far recovered as to be able to walk before the Prince 
 of Hohenlohe saw her. Mr. Heine, her surgeon, says, that 
 ‘‘ she was enabled to perform the full functions of the lower 
 extremities, namely the backward and forward steps in walk- 
 ing, without any difficulty ;’ and that this was her state the 
 day before the Prince saw her, though, for fear of overstrain- 
 ing, it was not thought advisable to encourage any desire to 
 
CURIOSICIES OF NATURES AND ART. ASL 
 
 POLE GCPOE POL LOL LPYD GLE LIP LOE LPE LOD ODF 
 
 PGP PLP ODL POP PLD PPE OGD GOEL IL POE PDE OLE LIP 
 
 Prince Hohenlohe.—Bituminous and other Lakes—Pitch Lake of Trinidad. 
 
 OP PDE PPL PDL EFL OLS LDP DOPOD DLE POP LOPSP 
 
 PDP LPF PPP POP PPE PPL ODPL DOE PLO PPE LLP OPP POP ELS ODP 
 
 go alone. What, therefore, was there remarkable that, when 
 encouraged, she should make the experiment of walking, and 
 succeed? | 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 BITUMINOUS AND OTHER LAKES. 
 PITCH LAKE OF TRINIDAD. 
 
 Near Point La Braye, Tar Point, the name assigned to 
 it on account of its characteristic feature, in the island of 
 Trinidad, is a lake which at the first view appears to be an 
 expanse of still water, but which, on a-nearer approach, is 
 found to be an extensive plain of mineral pitch, with frequent 
 crevices and chasms filled with water. On its being visited 
 in the autumnal season, the singularity of the scene was sa 
 great, that it required some time for the spectators to recover 
 themselves from their surprise, so as to examine it minutely. 
 The surface of the lake was ofan ash colour, and not polished 
 or smooth, so as to be slippery, but of such a consistence as 
 to bear any weight. It was not adhesive, although it received 
 in part the impression of the foot, and could be trodden with- 
 out any tremulous motion, several head of cattle browsing on 
 it in perfect security. In the summer season, however, the 
 surface is much more yielding, and in a state approaching to 
 fluidity, as is evidenced by pieces of wood and other substances, 
 recently thrown in, having been found enveloped init. Even 
 large branches of trees, which were a foot above the level, 
 had, in some way, become enveloped in the bituminous mat- 
 ter. The interstices, or chasms, are very numerous, ramify- 
 ing and joining in every direction; and, being filled with water 
 in the wet season, present the only obstacle to walking. over 
 the surface. These cavities are in general deep in proportion 
 to their width, and many of them unfathomable: the water 
 they contain is uncontaminated by the pitch, and is the abode 
 of a variety of fishes. ‘The arrangement of the chasms is very 
 singular, the sides invariably shelving from the surface, so as 
 nearly to meet at the bottom, and then bulging out towards 
 each other with a considerable degree of convexity. Several 
 of them have been known to close up entirely, without leaving 
 any mark or seam. | d 
 
 The pitch lake of Trinidad contains many islets covered 
 with grass and shrubs, which are the haunts of birds of the 
 most exquisite plumage. Its precise extent cannot, any more 
 than its depth, be readily ascertained, the line between it-and 
 the weighbouring soil not being well sig but its main 
 
 19. L 
 
A42 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PRO DOIL OD LOL LPL DIDI DEL IILIIL IIE LL EDIE ILD DIL DOL A ELLIS LIL LLL LILI LIL PEL ALLA DDD 
 Bituminoasand other Lakes—Pitch Lake of Trinidad; Mud Lake of Java. 
 body may be estimated at three miles in circumference. It is 
 bounded on the north and west sides by the sea, on the south 
 by a rocky eminence, and on the east by the usual argillaceous 
 
 soil of the country. 
 
 MUD LAKE OF JAVA. 
 
 Tue following details relative to the volcanic springs of 
 boiling mud in Java, are extracted from the Penang Gazette. 
 
 “¢ Having received an extraordinary account of a natural 
 phenomenon in the plains of Grobogna, fifty paals north-east 
 of Solo, a party set off from Solo the 25th of September, 
 1814, to examine it. On approaching the dass or village of 
 Kuhoo, they saw, between two tops of trees ina plain, an ap- 
 pearance like the surf breaking over rocks with a strong spray 
 falling to leeward. Alighting, they went to the ‘ Bluddugs,’ 
 as the Javanese call them. ‘They are situated in the village 
 of Kuhoo, and by Europeans are called by that name. ‘ Ve 
 found them,’ says the narrator, ‘ to be an elevated plain of 
 mud about two miles in circumference, in the centre of which, 
 immense bodies of soft mud were thrown up to the height of 
 ten to fifteen feet, in the form of large bubbles, which, burst- 
 ing, emitted great volumes of dense white smoke. These 
 large bubbles, of which there were two, continued throwing 
 up and bursting seven or eight times in a minute; at times 
 they threw up two or three tons of mud. The party got to 
 leeward of the smoke, and found it to stink like the washings 
 of a gun-barrel.—As the bubbles burst, they threw the mud 
 out from the centre, with a pretty loud noise, occasioned by 
 the falling of the mud on that which surrounded it, and of 
 which the plain is composed. It was difficult and dangerous 
 to approach the large bubbles, as the ground was all a quag- 
 mire, except where the surface of the mud had become har- 
 dened by the sun; upon this, we approached cautiously to 
 within fifty yards of one of the largest bubbles, or mud-pud- 
 ding, as it might properly be called, for it was of the con- 
 sistency of custard-pudding, and was about a hundred yards 
 in diameter : here and there, where the foot accidentally rested 
 on a spot not sufficiently hardened to bear, it sunk—to the no 
 small distress of the walker. 
 
 “ We also got close to a small bubble, (the plain was full 
 of them, of different sizes,) and observed it attentively for 
 some time. It appeared to heave and swell, and, when the 
 internal air had raised it to some height, it burst, and the niud 
 fell down in concentric circles; in which state it remained quiet 
 until a sufficient quantity of air again formed internally tv 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A43 
 
 POPLIP LIP LIV LDP IDO DDD DEP LL OPPO LL OPO PDOD PDO LOL OPE DOP DODD DDD DD LD OTED PLGDDO LDP DGDLGDD DOP 
 
 Bituminous and other Lakes—Mud Lake of Java. 
 
 DPIIPPO PDD LOD LS er LOL LLD DOP LDP DIL LPL DPD LOD LO? 
 
 POL PIPL LIL LOL LLL 
 
 raise and burst another bubble, and this continued at intervals 
 of from about half a minute to two minutes. 
 
 “‘ From various other parts of the pudding, round the large 
 bubbles, there were occasionally small quantities of sand shot 
 up like rockets to the height of twenty or thirty feet, unac- 
 companied by smoke :—this was in parts where the mud was 
 of too stiff a consistency to rise in bubbles. The mud at all 
 the places we came near was cold. 7 
 
 “The water which drains from the mud is collected by the 
 Javanese, and, being éxposed in the hollows of split bamboos 
 to the rays of the sun, deposits crystals of salt. The salt thus 
 made is reserved exclusively for the use of the Emperor of 
 Solo; in dry weather it yields thirty dudgins of 100 catties 
 each, every month, but in wet or cloudy weather, less. 
 
 ‘¢ Next morning we rode two and a half paals to a place in 
 a forest called Ramam, to view a salt lake, a mud _ hillock, 
 and various boiling pools. 
 
 “The lake was about half a mile in circumference, of a 
 dirty-looking water, boiling up all over in gurgling eddies, 
 but more particularly in the centre, which appeared like a 
 strong spring. ‘The water was quite cold, tasted bitter, salt, 
 and sour, and had an offensive smell. 
 
 ‘¢ About thirty yards from the lake stood the mud-hillock, 
 which was about fifteen feet high from the level of the earth. 
 The diameter of its base was about twenty-five yards, and its 
 top about eight feet, and in form an exact cone. ‘The top is 
 open, and the interior keeps constantly boiling and heaving 
 up, like the bluddugs. ‘The hillock is entirely formed of mud 
 which has flowed out of the top. Every rise of the mud. was 
 accompanied by a- rumbling noise from the bottom of the hil, 
 lock, which was distinctly heard for some seconds before the 
 bubble burst; the outside of the hillock was quite firm. We 
 stood on the edge of the opening and sounded it, and found it; 
 to be eleven fathoms deep, The mud was more liquid than at 
 the bluddugs, and no smoke was emitted either from the lake, 
 hillock, or pools. ; 
 
 “‘ Close to the foot of the hillock was a small pool of the 
 same water as the lake, which appeared exactly like a pot of 
 water boiling violently ; it was shallow, except in the centre, 
 into which we thrust a stick twelve feet long, but found no 
 bottom. The hole not being perpendicular, we could not 
 sound it without a line. # 
 
 “ About 200 yards from the lake were two very large pools 
 or springs, eight and twelve feet in diameter ; they were like 
 the small pool, but boiled more violently and stunk excesively. 
 
AAA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DPE PPE PLE OPP 
 
 PIPPOL OGL LILLE LOLILDLOD LSD LOE PLE LE EPP #F 
 Mud Lake of Java.—Purchase of Wives.—Vision of Charles XI. of Sweden. 
 
 LOOP PLD LOD DDD OOP LOE OLE LOE LOOLOLP 
 
 POF. 
 
 POL 
 
 DLE LLP PPE BPPLPP DOL LPO DOL ELE LED ELE DEL LIP LGD OLR? 
 
 We could not sound them for the same reason which prevented 
 our sounding the small pool. . 
 
 ‘© We heard the boiling thirty yards before we came to the 
 pools, resembling the noise of a waterfall. These pools did 
 not overflow—of course the bubbling was occasioned by the 
 rising of air alone. The water of the bluddugs and of the 
 lake is used medicinally by the Javanese.” 
 
 —— Ese 
 PURCHASE OF WIVES. 
 
 In the Virginia papers lately received, we find some ola 
 documents, proving that in the early settlement of that colony, 
 it was necessary to import from England young women as 
 wives for the planters. A letter accompanying one of these 
 shipments, and dated London, August 12, 1621, is illustrative 
 of the simplicity of the times, and the concern for the welfare 
 of the colony. It is as follows :— 
 
 ‘Ss We send you, in the ship, one widow and eleven maids, 
 for wives for the people of Virginia: there has been especial 
 care had in the choice of them; for there hath not any of 
 them been received but upon good commendations. In case 
 they cannot be presently married, we desire that they be put 
 with several householders that have wives, till they can be 
 provided with husbands. There are nearly fifty more that 
 are shortly to come, and are sent by our most Honorable 
 Lord and Treasurer, the Earl of Southampton, and certain 
 worthy gentlemen, who, taking into consideration that the 
 plantation can never flourish till families be planted, and the 
 respect of wives and children for their people on the soil ; 
 therefore have given this fair beginning, for the reimburse- 
 ment of whose charges, it is ordered, that every man who 
 marries them gives 120lbs. of the best leaf tobacco for each 
 of them. ‘Though we are desirous that the marriage be free, 
 according to the law of nature, yet we would not have these 
 maids deceived and married to servants, but only to such 
 freemen or tenants as have means to maintain them. We 
 pray you, therefore, to be fathers to them in this business, 
 not enforcing them to marry against their wills.” 
 
 puna” de 
 
 VISION OF CHARLES XI. OF SWEDEN. 
 
 Tue following singular narration occurs in the Rev. J.T. . 
 James’s Travels in Sweden, Prussia, Poland, &c. during the 
 years 18]3 and 1814. The most marvellous part of the affair 
 Is, that, as the reader will see, no less than six persons (the 
 monarch inclusive) concur in attesting the reality of the pre- 
 tended vision. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 449 
 
 PPP OPP PAP IDO PPP LLP LOPE LOR 
 
 PPP LPOG LIP LOI BOLE LDP LOL LLL LDL PBODOL 
 
 Vision of Charles XI. of Sweden. 
 
 Charles XI. it seems, sitting in his chamber between the 
 hours of eleven and twelve at night, was surprised at the ap- 
 pearance of a light in the window of the hall of the diet: he 
 demanded of the Grand Chancellor, Bjelke, who was present. 
 what it was that he saw, and was answered that it was only 
 the reflection of the moon: with this, however, he was dis- 
 satisfied; and the senator, Bjelke, soon after entering the 
 room, he addressed the same question to him, but received the 
 same answer. Looking afterwards again through the win- 
 dow, he thought he observed a crowd of persons in the hall : 
 upon this, said he, ‘Sirs, all is not as it should be—in the 
 confidence that he who fears God need dread nothing, I will 
 go and see what this may be.”” Ordering the two noblemen 
 before-mentioned, as also Oxenstiern and Brahe, to accom- 
 pany him, he sent for Grunsten, the door-keeper, and de- 
 scended the staircase leading to the hall. 
 
 Here the party seem to have been sensible of a certain de- 
 gree of trepidation, and no one else daring to open the door, 
 the King took the key, unlocked it; and entered first into the 
 ante-chamber: to their infinite surprise, it was fitted up with 
 black cloth: alarmed by this extraordinary circumstance, a 
 second pause occurred; at length the King set his foot within 
 the hall, but fell back in astonishment at what he saw; again, 
 however, taking courage, he made his companions promise to 
 follow him, and advanced. The hall was lighted up and ar- 
 rayed with the same mournful hangings as the ante-chamber : 
 in the centre was a round table, where sat sixteen venerable 
 men, each with large volumes lying open before them : above 
 was the King, a young man of sixteen or eighteen years of 
 age, with the crown on his head and sceptre in his hand. On 
 his right hand sat a personage about forty years old, whose 
 face bore the strongest marks of integrity ; on his left an old 
 man of seventy, who seemed very urgent with the young King 
 that he should make a certain sign with his head, which as 
 often as he did, the venerable men struck their hands on their 
 books with violence. 
 
 ‘‘ Turning my eyes,” says the King, “a little further, I 
 beheld a scaffold and executioners, and men with their clothes 
 tucked up, cutting off heads one after the other, so fast that 
 the blood formed a deluge on the floor: those who suffered 
 were all young men. Again I looked up and perceived the 
 throne behind the great table almost overturned; near to it 
 stood a man of forty, that seemed the protector of the king- 
 dom. I trembled at the sight of these things, and cried 
 aloud—‘ It is the voice of God!—What ought I to under- 
 stand ?—When shall all this come to pass?’ <A dead silence 
 
446 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND art. 
 
 OCCOLD OLED LED POODIE LOL DLO LIP IDLE LOL DD LD PDD DDE DLE DPD DDE DDO DLL DLE ODE DLO LOL DL OL DG DDO DODD DD 
 Vision of Charles XI, of Sweden.—Sound. 
 
 PEOPLE GGPLOLP LOE ROE DOD LOL ODE LDL DDS LLC LDF DOLE LOL LDE DODD OIE PII LLE LOL ELE POPE PDL LO P. 
 
 IL 
 
 revailed; but on my crying out a second time, the young 
 King answered me, saying, ‘ This shall not happen in your 
 time, but in the days of the sixth sovereign after you. He 
 shall be of the same age as I appear now to have, and this 
 personage sitting beside me gives you the air of him that shall 
 be the Regent and Protector of the realm. During the last 
 year of the regency, the country shall be sold by certain young 
 men, but he shall then take up the cause, and, acting in con- 
 junction with the young King, shall establish the throne on a 
 sure footing ; and this in such a way, that never was before, 
 or ever afterwards shall be, seen in Sweden so great a King. 
 All the Swedes shall be happy under him; the public debts 
 shall be paid; he shall leave many millions in the treasury, 
 and shall not die but at a very advanced age: yet before he 
 is firmly seated on his throne shall an ‘effusion of blood take 
 Pace unparalleled in history. You,’ added he, ‘ who are 
 
 ing of this nation, see that he is advertised of these matters: 
 you have seen all; act according to your wisdom.’ 
 
 “¢ Having thus said, the whole vanished, and” adds he, “ we 
 saw nothing but ourselves and our flambeaus, while the ante- 
 chamber through which we passed on returning was no longer 
 clothed in black.—‘‘ Nous entrémes dans mes appartemens, 
 et je me mis aussitét 4 écrire ce que j’avois vu: ainsi que les 
 avertissements, aussi! bien que je le puis. Que le tout est 
 vrai, je le jure sur ma vie et mon honneur, autant que le 
 Dieu m’aide le corps et l’ame. 
 
 * Charles XI. aujourd’hui Roi de Suéde. L’an 1791, 
 17 Dec.” 
 
 “ Comme témoins et présents sur les lieux nous avons vu 
 tout ce que 8. M. a rapporté, et nous laffermons par notre 
 serment, autant que Dieu nous aide pour le corps et l’ame. 
 H. L. Bjelke, Gr. Chancelier du Royaume,—Bjelke, Séna- 
 teur,—Brahe, Sénateur,—Ax. Oxenstiern, Sénateur,—Petre 
 Grunsten, Huissier.” 
 
 ‘The whole story,’ says Mr. James, “ is curious, and 
 well worth attention; but unless the young King’s ghostly 
 representative made an error in his chronological calculation, 
 it will be difficult to reconcile the time specified with that 
 which is yet to come. I can offer no explanation, and be. 
 queath the whole, like the hieroglyphic in Moore’s Almanack, 
 
 ‘to the better ingenuity of my readers.’ ”’ 
 1 
 
 SOUND. 
 Every observer knows that when a gun is fired at a con- 
 siderable distance from him, he perceives the flash a certain 
 time before he hears the report; and the same thing is true 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 447 
 
 Sound.—Singular Eche.—-The Parricide punished. 
 
 PII LPIL LIS LIL PIL DIL PPD LOL LDL LPL LIL LILLE L BDL DOL LIL OPDPDDD LL DDL DDE LOD DDD DDL PLP PPD IOP DPD 
 
 © 
 - 
 
 with respect to the stroke of a hammer, or of a hatchet, the 
 fall of a stone, or, in short, any visible action which produces 
 a sound or sounds. In general, sound travels through the 
 air at the rate of 1142 feet in a second, or about thirteen 
 miles in a minute, This is the case with all kinds of sounds, 
 the softest whisper flying as fast as the loudest thunder. 
 Sound, like light, after it has been reflected from several 
 places, may be collected into one point as a focus, where it 
 will be more audible than in any other part. 
 
 —e ae, 
 
 SINGULAR ECHO. 
 
 Tue most remarkable echo recorded, is at the palace of a 
 nobleman, within two miles of Milan, in Italy. The building 
 is of some length in front, and has two wings jetting forward ; 
 so that it wants only one side of an oblong figure. About 
 one hundred paces before the mansion, a small brook glides 
 gently; and over this brook isa bridge forming a commu- 
 nication between the mansion and the garden. A pistol 
 having been fired at this spot, fifty-six reiterations of the re- 
 port were heard. . The first twenty were distinct ; but m pro- 
 portion as the sound died away, and was answered ata greater 
 distance, the repetitions were so doubled that they could 
 scarcely be counted, the principal sound appearing to be 
 saluted in its passage by reports on either side at the same 
 time. A pistol of a larger calibre having been afterwards 
 discharged, and consequently with a louder report, sixty dis- 
 tinct reiterations were counted. 
 
 = 
 
 THE PARRICIDE PUNISHED. s 
 A very singular Adventure. 
 
 Tue following very singular adventure is related asa fact 
 ina French work, entitled La Nouvelle Bibliotheque de Société , 
 and is said to have happened in one of the provinces of France. 
 It is related in a letter to a friend. 
 
 ‘‘'The adventure which I am going to relate to you, my 
 dear friend, is of so strange and dreadful a nature, that you 
 are the only person to whom I must ever disclose the secret. 
 
 “The nuptials of Mademoiselle de Vildac were celebrated 
 yesterday; at which, as a neighbour, custom and good man- 
 ners required my attendance. You are acquainted with M. 
 de Vildac: he has a countenance which never pleased me; 
 his eyes have often a wild and suspicious glare, a something 
 which has always given me disagreeable sensations for which 
 
448 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 i 
 DEPP DE OB LPOPP ODE LOL ODL LPL OLE DOP DIO DOCDLG LOE EPG LGOPIE DDE LIP PPP LOE LOE DOO LDD PPP PIO PEOCPD 
 
 The Parricide punished. 
 
 ¥ cowld in no way account. I could not help observing 
 yesterday, that, in the midst of joy and revelry, he partook 
 not of pleasure: far from being penetrated with the happiness 
 of his new son and daughter, the delight of others seemed to 
 him a secret torment. 
 
 “The feast was held at his ancient castle ; and, when the 
 hour of rest arrived, I was conducted to a chamber imme- 
 diately under the Old Tower at the northend. I had just 
 fallen into my first sleep, when I was awakened and alarmed 
 by a heavy kind of noise over head. I listened, and heard 
 very distinctly the footsteps of some one slowly descending, 
 and dragging chains that clanked upon the stairs: the noise 
 approached, and presently the chamber-door was opened, the 
 clanking of the chains redoubled, and he who bore them went 
 towards the chimney. ‘There were a few embers half extin- 
 guished; these he scraped together, and said in a sepulchral 
 voice—‘ Alas! how long it is since I have seen a fire!’ I own, 
 my friend, 1 was terrified: I seized my sword, looked between 
 my curtains, and saw by the glimmer of the embers a withered 
 old man, half naked, with a bald head and a white beard. 
 He put his trembling hands to the wood, which began to 
 blaze, and soon afterwards turning towards the door by which 
 he entered, fixed his eyes with horror upon the floor, as if he 
 beheld something most dreadful, and exclaimed with agony, 
 ‘ My God! my God!’ 
 
 «¢ My emotion caused my curtains to make a noise, and he 
 turned affrighted. ‘ Who is there?’ said he. ‘ Is there any 
 one in that bed ??—‘ Yes,’ I replied: ‘and who are you?’ 
 Contending passions would not for awhile suffer him to speak; 
 at last he answered, ‘I am the most miserable of men. 
 This, perhaps, is more than I ought to say; but it is so long, 
 so many years since | have seen or spoken to a human being, 
 that I cannot resist. Fear nothing; come towards the fire; 
 listen to my sorrows, and fora moment soften my sufferings !’ 
 
 “¢ My fear gave place to pity; I sat down by him. My 
 condescension and my feelings moved him; he took my hand, 
 bathed it with his tears, and said—‘* Generous man! let me 
 desire you first to satisfy my curiosity. Tell me why you 
 lodge in this chamber, where no man has lodged before for 
 so many years ; and what mean the rejoicings | have heard? 
 what extraordinary thing has happened to-day in the castle 2’ 
 
 ** When I had informed him of the marriage of Vildac’s 
 daughter, he lifted up his hands to heaven—‘ Has Vildac a- 
 daughter? and is she married? Almighty God grant she may 
 be happy; grant she may never know guilt !’ He paused fora 
 moment—‘ Learn who I am,’ said he. ‘ You see, you speak 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 449 
 
 PODLPLPVP PPP, 
 
 The Parricide punished. 
 to the father of Vildac—the cruel-Vildac! Yet what right have 
 I to complain? Should I~should I call man or tiger cruel ??— 
 ‘What!’ exclaimed I with astonishment, ‘is Vildac your son ? 
 Vildac! the monster! shut you from the sight of man! load 
 you with chains! and lives there such a wretch?’ 
 
 “* Behold,’ said he, ‘ the power, the detestable power of 
 riches. The hard and pitiless heart of my unhappy son is 
 impenetrable te every tender sentiment: insensible to love 
 and friendship, he is ae deaf to the cries of nature; and, to 
 enjoy my lands, has hung these eating irons on me. 
 
 *¢¢ He went one day to visit a neighbouring young nobleman, 
 who had lately lost his father ; he saw him encircled by vas- 
 sals, and occupied in receiving their homage and their rents : 
 the sight made a shocking impression upon the imagination of 
 Vildac, which had long been haznted with a strong desire to 
 enjoy his future patrimony. I observed at his return a de- 
 ere of thoughtfulness and gloom about him that was unusual. 
 
 ive days afterwards, I was seized during the night, carried 
 off naked by three men masked, and lodged in this tower. I 
 know not by what means Vildac spread the report of my 
 death ; but 1 guessed, by the tolling of the bells, and funeral 
 dirges, more solemn than for inferior persons, they were per- 
 formed for my interment. The idea was horrid; and I en- 
 treated most earnestly to be permitted to speak for a moment 
 to my son, but in vain: those who brought me my food, ne 
 doubt, supposed me a criminal condemned to perish in prison. 
 It is now twenty years since I was first confined here. I per- 
 ceived this morning that my door was not secured, and I 
 waited till night to profit by the accident: yet I do not wish 
 to escape ; but the little liberty of a few yards more is much 
 to a prisoner.’ : 
 
 “© « No,’ cried I, * you shall quit that dishonourable habi- 
 tation. Heaven has destined me to be your deliverer, de- 
 fender, support, and guide. Every body sleeps; now is the 
 time; let us be gone!’ 
 
 “¢ It must not be!’ said he, after a moment’s silence. 
 ‘ Solitude has changed my ideas, and my principles. _Happi- 
 ness is but in opinion. Now that J am inured to suffer, why 
 should I fly from my fate? What is there for me to wish in 
 this world? The die is thrown, and this tower must be my 
 tomb 
 
 ““< Surely you dream,’ answered I. ‘ Let us not lose 
 time ; the night is advanced: we shall presently have but a 
 moment. Come?’ | | 
 
 “ ¢ T am affected,’ replied he: ‘ but cannot profit by your 
 kindness. Liberty has no charms for my small remaius of 
 
 7; | 3M 
 
 ae 
 
 PIB PPP IGLLOPPGP OOP 
 
450 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PP PPP LOO LOD POD LG PLO DIPLO LDL LOD LLG LLP OPPO OO ODP DDD PLO OOP IPLDEODO Pe 
 The Parricide punished. 
 
 POP LEP PPOPLP GOL OD PPO PLO LEO PLPE LODE LOD BPEL 
 
 PLP ODL PPP LOD OP LL DE LPP LE POPOL EL OE OPP LOL OLD DLO 
 
 life. Shall I dishonour my son? or which way has his daugh- 
 ter given me offence, to whom I was never known, by whom 
 I was never seen? This sweet innocent sleeps happily in the 
 arms of her husband, and shall 1 overwhelm her with infamy ? 
 Yet might I but behold her! might I but lock her in these 
 feeble arms, and bedew her bosom with my tears! Tis in 
 vain! It cannot be! I never must look upon her! 
 
 ‘¢ ¢ Adieu! day begins to break, and we shall be surprised. 
 I will return to my prison.’ 
 
 “¢ No,’ said I, stopping him; ‘I will not suffer it. Slavery 
 has enfeebled your soul; I must inspire you with courage. 
 Let us be gone; we will afterwards examine whether it be 
 proper to make the matter public, My house, my friends, 
 my fortune, are at your service, No one shall know who you 
 are; and, since it is necessary, Vildac’s crime shall be con- 
 cealed. What do you fear ?’ 
 
 “© ¢ Nothing! I am all gratitude! Oh, no! it cannot be! 
 Here I will remain !” 
 
 “¢ Well, act as you please; but if you refuse to fly with 
 me, I will go immediately to the Governor of the province, 
 tell him who you are, and return armed with his authority 
 and his power, to wrest you from the barbarity of an inhuman 
 child.’ 
 
 “‘ ¢ Beware what you do! abuse not my confidence. Leave 
 me to perish. You know me not. I amamonster! Day and 
 the blessed sun would sicken at my sight.: Infamous I am, 
 and covered with guilt—guilt most horrible! Turn your eyes 
 upon that wall; behold these boards; sprinkled with blood, 
 a father’s blood !—murdered by his sen; by me!—Ha! look! 
 behold! do you not see him! He stretches forth his bleeding 
 arms! he begs for pity! the vital stream flows out! he falls! 
 he groans! Oh, horror! madness! despair !’ 
 
 _ © The miserable wretch fell convulsed with terror on the 
 floor ; and when fear and passion. in part subsided, he durst 
 not turn his guilty eyes towards me, where I stood transfixed 
 with horror. .As soon as he had the power, he approached 
 the door :—‘ Farewell,’ said he; ‘ be innocent, if you would 
 be happy! The wretch who so lately moved your pitv is now 
 become detestable to you as well as to himself: he goes unla- 
 ‘mented to the dungeon, whence alive he never shall return !’ 
 
 “IT had neither the power to speak or move. The castle 
 was become a place most abominable; and_I departed in the 
 morning. I must leave the neighbourhood; 1 cannot bear 
 the sight of Vildac, nor the remembrance of this night. How, 
 my friend, is it possible that humanity can produce wicked- 
 ness so intolerable and unnatural!” | ' 
 
CURIOSITIOS OF NATURE AND ART. — ABL 
 
 PPO PDF PLO DDD ILD DOL PLD LL DP PP POLL OP POP LLP OOO LIE LOL LOOP LO LD OLOD DOP DGD DOP PDL LOPLI OP OLD DDD 
 Supernatural Warning. 
 
 LEE DOO LOPE IID I OE LOD LOD LOL LOE LOO LEO LOL ODO LOL DOL OOO L OD LEP LOL DED LOL LO DPI DELECLODED LOL LGOIIP 
 
 SUPERNATURAL WARNING. 
 
 THE age of superstition is past, and there are few, except in 
 the lower rank of society, who will now give credit to impro- 
 bable tales, however well they may be persuaded of the re- 
 spectability of their source, unless they have the means of 
 being acquainted with their truth and authenticity. Super- 
 stition, however, has still her votaries; and in spite of the 
 enlightened and civilized state of society at the present time, 
 there are few who will not feel some interest at the recital of 
 a story in which any thing connected with supernatural agency 
 is introduced, and more particularly so when that story is in 
 the most remote manner founded on fact. The tale I am 
 about to narrate deviates but very slightly from one which 
 has been well authenticated, and at the time when it was fresh 
 upon our memory, was almost universally believed. 
 
 A young gentleman, by the name of C , was, some years 
 ago, residing with a clergyman in the north of England, for 
 the purpose of completing his education. -He was heir toa 
 large fortune, particularly amiable, of a lively disposition, gay 
 in his manners, and entirely free from any taint of superstitious 
 belief. He was strong and healthy, and very unlikely, in any 
 manner, to give credit to the workings of his imagination, or 
 to believe in dreams. I mention this because there are some 
 people whose weak state of health, or whose melancholy dis- 
 position, might make them more liable to be exposed to the 
 impression produced by any sudden alarm, or any unusual 
 agitation. One morning, however, at breakfast, his haggard 
 and pale looks, and his thoughtful manner, attracted the at- 
 tention of his friends, who were accustomed to see him anie 
 mated and healthy; and upon their pressing him to account 
 for this sudden alteration, he confessed that he had, during 
 the night, had a dream, which made so deep an impression 
 upon him, that: he could not drive it from his thoughts. He 
 said, that he had seen a young woman enter his room soft] 
 with a light in one hand, and a knife in the other; that she 
 made several attempts to stab him, but upon his resistance, 
 she had disappeared.. He then described her person and 
 dress, both of which, he said, were so deeply impressed upon 
 his memory, that they never could be effaced. 
 
 His friends treated the matter lightly, and endeavoured to 
 ridicule him for giving so much credit to a dream; and Mr. 
 C—— himself, as if ashamed of his weakness, tried to banish 
 it from his thoughts. Several months passed away, and he 
 resumed his usuvai gaiety of manner; every thing appeared 
 
452 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP ODO ODP PPP LG POP DP ODPL GDL LO POP PDS IOP LOG: . PPOLF FL LPG LOGP PEPOCOD 
 
 Supernatural Warning.—The Odd Family. 
 
 oad PLL PLL POPDPP LE POL OOP LOE OLE LGD LDPE PLL LIL POL PPL PLE LIE PPL PLL POE LPL LOL 
 
 PLP LLL PLP DLA 
 
 forgotten; and when his dream intruded itself upon his recol- 
 lection, he laughed at himself for having ever thought of such 
 a trifle. : 
 
 Years had elapsed, and Mr. C having come into the 
 possession of a large property, proposed to an intimate friend 
 to visit the continent. They left England together; and after 
 having travelled through most of the countries in Europe, 
 were returning home, in the autumn of A long and 
 tedious day’s journey brought them very late one evening toa 
 retired village on the borders of Hungary; there was but one 
 inn in the place, and that, from its appearance, did not pro- 
 mise them very comfortable accommodation. However, they 
 had no choice; it was too late to proceed, and they alighted. 
 There was nothing remarkable in their reception; they were 
 proceeding to the apartment which was allotted to them, 
 when Mr. C—— suddenly stopped short, and uttered a scream 
 of horror; his friend ran to his assistanee, surprised at an 
 emotion for which he could not account: but Mr. C 
 having closed the door, related the circumstances of the dream 
 which had made so much impression upon him some years be- 
 fore, adding, at the same time, that the female servant who 
 had lighted them up stairs, was the same person, both in face, 
 appearance, and dress, who had appeared to him in his vision. 
 The sudden and unexpected recollection of a cireumstance 
 which had been so long forgotten could not fail te agitate 
 Mr. C exceedingly ; but as there was nothing suspicious 
 in the manners of the inhabitants of the inn, the friends re- 
 tired to rest, having first taken care to fasten the door, and 
 place their pistols near them. 
 
 Overcome by the fatigue of travelling, they were soon both 
 asleep; but Mr. C—— awaking suddenly, beheld, to his ex- 
 treme horror, the same woman, standing over him, with a 
 light in one hand, anda knife in the other, having the blade 
 directed towards his breast, apparently about to strike. In 
 his agony of horror, he uttered a scream, which awoke his — 
 friend, who springing from his bed, was just in time to catch 
 her arm. ah ; 
 
 N. G. 
 
 ———iia 
 THE ODD FAMILY. 
 
 In the reign of William the Third, there lived in Ipswich, 
 in Suffolk, a family, which, from the number of peculiarities 
 belonging to it, was distinguished by the name of the Odd Fa- 
 mily. UWKvery event remarkably good or bad happened to this 
 family on an.odd day of the month, and every one of them had 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A453 
 
 PROP PC PLP LEG LIP LD IP POO DOD LL DOO DL CLO PO DP DOD LED LOLOL PL DO LDL DOO DD OLDS OPP PDP LPPCDOD DIP PIP 
 
 The Odd Family.—The Unconscious Poet.: 
 
 POLE LED PO LODP PE PPE LOE PPO LOD 
 
 LPL PLD POP 
 
 PRP PIO LED ODE LID LID LDS 
 
 something odd in his or her person, manner, and behaviour ; 
 the very letters in their christian names always happened to be 
 an odd number. ‘The husband’s name was Peter, and the 
 wife’s Rabah; they had seven children, all boys, viz. Solo- 
 mon, Roger, James, Matthew, Jonas, David, and Ezekiel. 
 The husband had but one leg, his wife but one arm. Solo- 
 mon was born blind of the left eye, and Roger lost his right 
 eye by accident; James had his left ear pulled off by a boy in 
 a quarrel, and Matthew was born with only three fingers on 
 his right hand; Jonas had a stump-foot, and David was hump- 
 backed; all these, except David, were remarkably short, 
 while Ezekiel was six feet two inches high at the age of nine- 
 teen; the stump-footed Jonas and the hump-backed David 
 got wives of fortune; but no girl would listen to the addresses 
 of the rest. ‘The husband’s hair was as black as jet, and the 
 wife’s remarkably white, yet every one of the children’s was 
 red. ‘The husband had the peculiar misfortune of falling into 
 a deep saw-pit, where he was starved to death in the year 
 1701; and his wife, refusing all kinds of sustenance, died in| 
 five days after him. In the year 1703, Ezekiel enlisted asa 
 grenadier, and although he was afterwards wounded in twen- 
 ty-three places, he recovered. Roger, James, Matthew, 
 J onas, and David, died at different places on the same day in 
 1713, and Solomon and Ezekiel were drowned together in 
 crossing the Thames, in the year 1723, | 
 see: 
 
 THE UNCONSCIOUS POET. 
 
 In the year 1758, John Wilson, a young man of slender 
 education, was condemned to suffer death for a riot. The 
 contrition he evinced for the crime he had committed, with his 
 youth and good character, induced his Majesty, on the repre- 
 sentation of several respectable persons, to extend the most 
 amiable prerogative of the crown—the royal mercy. Ina few 
 hours after the reprieve reached the repentant convict, he 
 
 oured forth the effusions of his grateful heart in the follow- 
 ing verses, which he wrote with his own hand, though it was 
 not known that he had ever attempted any thing of the kind 
 before :— 
 
 And live I yet, by Power divine ! 
 And have I still my course to run? 
 
 Again brought back, in its decline, 
 The shadow of my parting sun? 
 
 Wond'ring I ask, is this the breast 
 Struggling so late with grief and pain? 
 
 The eyes which upward look’d for rest, 
 And dropt theix wearied lids again? 
 
ADA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 * POPP ALOP POL PLP PDE LOG POL POS PEP LO PLO PL OL DOP ODL ODPL L OF POD PLL PDD OLO LLL POD LDL DDD PDE POP PGA 
 The Unconscious Poet.—Hoaxes and Impostures—Elizabeth Canning. 
 
 PPO PLES PLIPLIPLOED PIE LIOF GPP PLP DLL LDL ODE LOL OLOO DE BLO LDLOEDEO LOE ODE LOD DDE ODD OLE LL D LOE POC PDDP 
 
 The recent horrors still appear : 
 
 Oh, may they never cease to awe: 
 Still be the King of Terrors near, 
 
 Whom fate in all his pomp I saw. 
 Torture and grief prepar’d his way, 
 
 And pointed to a yawning tomb ; 
 Darkness behind eclips’d the day, 
 
 And check’d my forward hopes to come. 
 
 But now the dreadful storm is o’er, 
 Ended at last the doubtful strife ! 
 And, living, [ the hand adore 
 ‘That gave me back again my life. 
 God of my life, what just return 
 an sinful dust and ashes give? 
 I only live my sins to mourn, 
 To love my God I only live. 
 To thee, benign and sacred Power, 
 I consecrate my lengthen’d days ; 
 While, mark’d with blessings, ev’ry hour 
 Shall speak thy co-extended praise. 
 
 cape 
 HOAXES AND IMPOSTURES. 
 ELIZABETH CANNING, 
 
 “Twas in London,” says Voltaire, “in the year 1753, 
 when the adventures of Elizabeth Canning made so much 
 noise. Elizabeth had quitted the house of her parents, and 
 disappeared for a month; when she returned thin, emaciated, 
 and her clothes in rags—‘ Good God! in what condition are 
 you returned! where have you been? whence are you come? 
 what has befallen you ??—* Alas, my dear aunt, as I passed 
 through Moorfields, in order to return home, two strong 
 ruffians threw me down, robbed me, and carried me off to a 
 house ten miles fromi London.’ Her aunt and her neighbours 
 wept at this tale. ‘Oh, my dear child! was it not to the 
 house of that infamous Mrs. Webb that the ruffians con- 
 veyed you? for she lives about ten miles from Town. —‘ Yes, 
 aunt, it was to Mrs. Webb’s.’-—‘ To a great house on the 
 right ??—‘* Yes, aunt.’ The neighbours then described Mrs. 
 Webb; and the young Canning agreed, that she was exactly 
 such a woman as they described her. One of them told Miss 
 Canning, that people played all night in that woman’s house ; 
 that it was a cut-throat place, where young men resorted to 
 lose their money and ruin themselves. ‘Indeed it is a cut 
 throat place:’ replied Elizabeth Canning. ‘ They do worse,’ 
 said another neighbour, ‘ those two ruffians, who are cousins 
 
 to Mrs. Webb, go on the highway, take up all the pretty 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 455 
 Hoaxes and Impostures—Elizabeth Canning. 
 
 girls they meet, and oblige them to live on bread and water 
 until they consent to abandon themselves to the gamblers in the 
 house.’—‘ Good God! I suppose they obliged you, my dear 
 niece, to live upon bread and water ??—‘ Yes, aunt.’ She was 
 asked, whether the ruffians had not offered violence to her 
 chastity, and whether she had not been ruined? She answered, 
 ‘ That she had resisted them ; that they beat her to the ground, 
 and put her life in danger.’ Then the aunt and the neigh- 
 bours began to cry out and weep. | 
 
 “ ‘They conducted the little girl to the house of one Adam- 
 son, who had been long a friend of the family; he was a man 
 of fortune, and of great consequence in the parish. He 
 mounted his horse, and took with him some friends, as zealous 
 as himself, to reconnoitre the house of Mrs. Webb. On 
 viewing the house, they thought there could be no doubt of 
 the girl’s having been confined there; and on perceiving an 
 outhouse where there was some hay, they concluded that to 
 have been the place of her confinement. The pity of the good 
 man Adamson was excited; he described the place on his re- 
 turn, which Elizabeth acknowledged she had been confined | 
 in. He interested the whole neighbourhood in her behalf, 
 where a subscription was set on foot, in favour of a young 
 woman so cruelly treated. 
 
 ‘*¢ In proportion as Canning recovered her appearance and 
 beauty, the people grew warm in her interest. Mr. Adam- 
 son presented a formal complaint to the sheriff in behalf of 
 injured innocence. Mrs. Webb, and all those who lived in 
 her house, while tranquil and unapprehensive in the country, 
 were arrested and thrown into a dungeon. The sheriff, in 
 order to be the better informed of the truth of this transaction, 
 commenced his proceedings by enticing amicably to him a 
 young woman who was servant to Mrs. Webb, and engaging 
 her by gentle words to say all that she kmew. -The servant, 
 who had never seen or heard of Miss Canning, answered in- 
 genuously at first, that she knew nothing of the person he 
 spoke of. But when the sheriff told her she must answer in 
 a court, and that she would certainly be hanged if she did not 
 confess, she said every thing he wished her to say. In short, 
 a jury was assembled, and nine persons were condemned to 
 be hanged ! 
 
 ‘The time drew near at which these nine persons were to 
 be executed ; when the paper, called the ‘ Session Paper,’ fell 
 into the hands of a philosopher, named Ramsay. Ele read 
 the account of the trial, and found the whole of it absurd. 
 He was moved with indignation ; and sat down to write a 
 pamphlet, in which he stated it as a principle, that it is the 
 
456 OURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 ; PODPODLELLOODIO ODD DIDIOO DNA 
 Hoaxes and Impostures—Elizabeth Canning—The Bottle-Conjurer. 
 
 - 
 PLE LL O DL LP DLE POP ODP 
 
 EDALPP SPA P DPS DDO POP DIL LDS LDP DDD DOP DIP DDL PDDODO 
 
 first obligation of a juryman to be possessed of common sense. 
 He showed that Mrs. Webb, her two cousins, and the rest of 
 the family, must have been different from the rest of mankind, 
 if they obliged young girls to fast on bread and water with a 
 view to prostitute them; for, on the contrary, they should 
 have dieted and dressed them well, in order to render them 
 agreeable ; because, in all cases, merchants who have goods 
 to dispose of take care not to injure or tear them. He 
 showed, that Miss Canning had never been at the house of 
 Mrs. Webb, and that she had only repeated the foolish things 
 which her aunt had suggested to her, and that the good Mr. 
 Adamson had, by the excess of his zeal, occasioned this ex- 
 travagant prosecution: in short that, in all probability, the 
 lives of nine of his Majesty’s subjects would be sacrificed, be- 
 cause Miss Canning was handsome and would tell falsehoods. 
 The servant, who had been induced, in an amicable manner, 
 to say before the sheriff what was not true, could not safely 
 contradict herself before the court. A person, who has given 
 false testimony through passion or fear, commonly adheres to 
 what he has said, and lies, from fear of passing for a liar. 
 
 *¢ It is in vain, said Mr. Ramsay, ‘the law has ordained 
 that two witnesses should be sufficient to prove a capital 
 crime, and to take away the life of a citizen. If the Lord 
 Chancellor and the Archbishop of Canterbury should swear 
 that they have seen me assassinate my father and mother, and 
 in half an hour eat them up for my breakfast, the Chancellor 
 and the Archbishop should be put in Bedlam, rather than I 
 should be burnt upon their evidence. If on the one hand a 
 thing be impossible and absurd, and on the other there be ten 
 thousand witnesses and a thousand reasoners, the impossibility 
 of the thing should determine it against the evidences and 
 reasonings. ‘This little pamphlet opened the eyes of the 
 sheriff and the jury. They were obliged to revise the pro- 
 ceedings. {t was alleged, that Miss Canning was a little im- 
 postor, who had retired to lie in, while she pretended to have 
 been in prison at Mrs. Webb’s; and all the city of London, 
 which had espoused her cause, was as much ashamed as it had 
 been when a wag proposed to jump into a quart-bottle, brought 
 two thousand people to see the spectacle, carried off their 
 money, and left them the bottle.” 
 
 PLO LIL ODP 
 
 THE BOTTLE-CONJURER. 
 WHEN coryjurers the quality can bubble, 
 Aud get their gold with very little trouble, 
 By putting giddy lies in public papers,— 
 As jumping in quart bottles,—such like vapours ; 
 
 ¥ =e 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AST 
 
 Hoaxes and Impostures—The Bottle-Conjurer, 
 
 PE PPD IG PIP PID LI PILGLLPLLOL POL OLP LOC DOD LED OLOP LIL PLOELILP DIE PDD DIVDDGDILILE DOP LOILS SOLOP 
 
 OOO PLP DODO 
 ; Daten’ ony 
 
 And further yet if we the matter strain, 
 
 Would pipe a tune upon a walking-cane; i, 
 Nay, more surprising tricks! he swore he’d show « 
 Grannams who died a hundred years ago: 
 
 "Tis whimsical enough, what think ye, Sirs? 
 
 The quality can ne’er be conjurers,— ‘ 
 
 The de’il a bit ;—no, let me speak in brief,— | 
 
 The audience fools, the conjurer a thief. " si 
 
 London Magazine for 1749. 
 
 We cannot, perhaps, select.a more appropriate continua- 
 tion to our “ Hoaxes and Impostures,” than that remarkable 
 hoax which was played upon the good people of the metro- 
 polis in the year 1749, by the facetious Duke of Montague, 
 and which has ever since been referred to as a proof of human 
 credulity. This nobleman being in company with some friends, 
 the conversation turned on public curiosity, when the Duke 
 said it went so far, that if ayperson advertised that he would 
 creep into a quart-boitle, he would get an audience. Some 
 of the company could not believe this possible, a wager was 
 the result, and the Duke, in order to decide it, caused “the ioe 
 lowing advertisement to be put in all the papers. 
 
 “ At the New Theatre in the Hay Market, on Monday next, 
 the 16th inst. to be seen a person who per forms the several 
 most surprising things following ; viz. first, he takes a common 
 walking- cane trom any of the spectators, and thereon plays 
 the music of every instrument now in use, and likewise sings 
 to surprising perfection, Secondly, he presents you with a 
 common wine-bottle, which any of the spectators may first 
 examine ; this bottle is placed on a table in the middle of the 
 stage, and he (without any equivocation) goes into it in sight 
 of all the spectators, and sings in it; during his stay in the 
 bottle, any person may handle it, and see plainly that it does 
 not exceed a common tavern bottle. 
 
 ‘¢ Those on the stage or in the boxes may come in masked 
 habits (if agreeable to them,) and the performer Gif desired). 
 will inform them who they are. 
 
 “ Stage, 7s.6d. Boxes, 5s. Pit, 3s. Gallery, 2s. 'To 
 begin at r half an hour after six o ’clock. Mes 
 
 “ "Tickets to be had at the theatre. 
 
 “%,* The performance continues about two hours and 
 a half. 
 
 “N.B. If any gentleman or lady, after the above per-, 
 formances, (either singly or in company, in or out of mask,) 
 are desirous of seeing a representation of any deceased per- 
 son, such as husband or: wife, sister or brother, or any inti- 
 mate friend of either sex, (upon making a gratuity to the per- 
 former,) shall be gratified by seeing and fonvenaipe with them 
 
 20. N 
 
‘je a 
 
 vu 
 
 Ad8 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 
 
 Hoaxes and Im postures—The Bottle-Conjurer. 
 for some minutes as ifalive: likewise (if desired) he will tell’ 
 you the most secret thoughts in your past life; and give youa 
 full view of persons who have injured you, whether dead or 
 alive. 
 
 ‘“‘ For those gentlemen and ladies who are desirous of see- 
 ing this last part, there is a private room provided. 
 
 ‘‘ These performances have been seen by most of the 
 crowned heads of Asia, Africa, and Europe, and never ap- 
 peared public any where but once; but will wait of any at 
 their houses, and perform as above, for five pounds each time. 
 
 ‘¢*,* Phere will be a proper guard to keep the house im 
 due decorum.” 
 
 The following advertisement was also published at the 
 same time, which one would have thought sufficient to prevent 
 the former having any effect. | 
 
 “ Lately arrived from Italy. si 
 
 “ Signor Capitello Jumpedo, a surprising dwarf, no taller. 
 than a common tavern tobacco-pipe; who can perform many 
 wonderful equilibres on the slack or tight rope: likewise he'll 
 transform his body in above ten thousand different shapes and 
 . postures; and after he has diverted the spectators two hours 
 and a half, he will open his mouth wide, and jump down his 
 own throat. He being the most wonderfullest wonder of 
 wonders as ever the world wondered at, would be willing to, 
 join in performance with that surprising musician on Monday 
 next, in the Hay Market. ; | 
 
 “¢ He is to be spoke with at the Black Raven in Golden Lane, 
 every, day from seven, till twelve, and from twelve all day 
 ong.” 
 
 The bait, however, took even better, than could have been 
 expected.) ‘The playhouse was crowded with dukes, duchesses, ~ 
 lords, ladies, and, all ranks and degrees, to witness the bottle- 
 conjurer. Of the result, we quote the following account from, * 
 the journals of the time. é | 
 
 “ Last night (viz. Monday the 16th) the much-expected 
 drama of the Bottle-conjurer of the New Theatre in the Hay 
 Market, ended in the tragi-comical manner following :— 
 Curiosity had drawn together prodigious numbers. About 
 seven, the theatre being lighted up, but without so much as a 
 single fiddle to keep the audience in good-humour, many grew" 
 impatient. Immediately followed a chorus of catcalls, height- 
 ened by loud vociferations, and beating with sticks; when a 
 fellow came from behind the curtain, and bowing, said, that 
 if the performer did not appear, the money should be returned. 
 
 4 "i . 
 Ss 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A459 
 
 Or. 
 
 IPP ODGL OL LOL DBOLO SF. 7 POL LLP LIS DOLLOP PLD DRE DOD 
 
 Hoaxes and Impostures—The Bottle-Conjurer—Conjurer Baker. 
 
 LPOLLLE LIP LLLD SD 
 
 Dae «PLL DLS —PLLLI LL LL OE BDCD LDL DDD POP 
 
 At the same time, a wag, crying out from the pit, that if the 
 ladies and gentlemen would give double prices thec onjurer 
 would get into a pint-bottle, presently a young gentleman in 
 one of the boxes seized a lighted candle, and threw it on the 
 stage. ‘This served as the charge for sounding to battle. 
 Upon this the greater part of the audience made the best of 
 their way out of the theatre; some losing a cloak, others a 
 hat, others a wig, and others hat, wig, and sgvords also. One 
 party, however, staid in the house, in order to démolish the 
 inside, when the mob breaking in, they tore up the benches, 
 broke to pieces the scenes, pulled down the boxes, in short, 
 dismantled the theatre entirely, carrying away the particulars 
 above-mentioned into the street, where they madé a mighty 
 bonfire; the curtain being hoisted ona pole, by way of a flag. 
 A large party of guards were sent for, but came time enough 
 only to warm themselves round the fire. We hear of no 
 other disaster than a young nobleman’s chin being hurt, occa- 
 sioned by his fall into the pit, with part of one of the boxes, 
 which he had forced out with his foot. "Vis thought the con- 
 jurer vanished away with the bank. Many enemies to a late 
 celebrated book, concerning the ceasing of miracles, aregreatly 
 disappointed by the conjurer’s non-appearance in the bottle ; 
 they imagining, that his jumping into it would have been the 
 most convincing proof possible that miracles are not yet 
 ceased.” . : 
 
 Several advertiseinents were printed afterwards; some 
 serious, others comical, relating to this whimsical affair ; 
 among the rest was the following, which, we hope, may be 
 a means of curing this humour for the future. 
 
 “ This is to inform the Public, 
 
 “ That notwithstanding the great abuse that has been put 
 upon the gentry, there is now in town a man, who, instead of 
 creeping into a quart or pint bottle, will change himself into 
 a rattle; which he hopes will please both young and old. If 
 this person meets with encouragement to this advertisement, 
 he will then acquaint the gentry where and when he performs.” 
 
 The reason assigned, in another humourous advertisement, 
 for the conjurer’s not going. into the quart-bottle, was, that 
 after searching all the taverns, not one could be found due 
 measure, r 
 
 ‘i CONJURER BAKER. 
 
 Rrenarp Baker, of Westleigh, in the parish of Burlis 
 _combe, Somersetshire, a small farmer, but better known by 
 ‘the name of “ Conjurer Baker,’ died in 1819, full of years 
 
 = 
 
460 CURICSITIES OF NATURE, AND ART: 
 ay . ; f ‘ 
 
 LOO ELLE LED LE PLO LO LIL LOO L LEDGE PDO LIE PODOBDE PDO LER 
 
 PLOL DF 
 
 Hoaxes aud Impostures—Conjurer Baker. 
 
 LPO LL ES LIL LLOL ODL LOL DL LDL DE DOOLD PD LOD DP LGD OL LLL LLG DDL DOOD LD LOE DOP ODD LDP DOL DL LD ODL L IE DOODLE 
 
 and iniquities, being seventy years old, and having, during the 
 far greater part of his life, practised the gainful tactics of the 
 *¢ Black Art.” In noticing the death of a character who, for 
 nearly half a century, has been daily and hourly employed in. 
 alternately counting the wages of his villainies, and im laugh- 
 ing at the follies of a cheated multitude, it would be no unfit 
 opportunity for taxing the risibility of our readers, by pour- 
 traying the deceased knave with all the mirthful embellish- 
 ments of which his life and occupations are so abundantly 
 susceptible. In common justice, we might for once laugh at 
 him, who has, in so many thousand instances, amused and 
 profited himself by making a jest of others ; but his life is too 
 much clogged with the heaviness of a guilty account, to allow. 
 one redeeming ray to qualify the lurid aspect of his mortal 
 reckoning. It may surprise the distant reader, whose ears 
 have never been afflicted with the doleful superstitions of the 
 western counties, to be informed, that such was the fame of 
 the deceased wizard, that the educated, as well as the unin- 
 structed, of all classes, were in the habit of resorting to him 
 from all parts of this and the neighbouring counties for the 
 exercise of his cabalistic skill, and on a Sunday, which was 
 the day for his high orgies, vehicles of superior as well as of 
 lowly descriptions were found to*bring him an eager throng 
 of votaries. His reputation was universal, and his gains pro- 
 portionate. The wonders of his art would fill the Alexans 
 drian library. Bad crops, lost cattle, lost treasure, and lost 
 hearts, brought their respective sufferers in ceaseless crowds 
 to his door. ‘They were all overlooked, he said; and the 
 overlooked his knavery in their confidence of his skill. He 
 foretold to the Southcottians that the Shiloh would not come, . 
 and who, but a conjurer, would have known this? The tenant 
 of sterile land was, after a careful inspection of his presiding 
 star, advised to provide a certain quantity of manure, which, 
 being spread over his ground in the form of rams’ horns, at 
 twelve o’clock precisely, on the full-moon night, would »fal- 
 libly secure a good crop. This astonishing prediction has 
 been repeatedly verified ! Strayed stock and mislaid property 
 have been strangely recovered, by only being well looked 
 after, provided the wise man had once taken the matter in 
 hand; and many arelenting Phillis, who had parted with her 
 Strephon in a Auff, has been heard to exclaim, on finding him 
 return at the very hour calculated by the conjurer, that *‘ sure 
 Baker and the devil were in, partnership.” If to juggling 
 artifices and petty fooleries of this description, the man had 
 limited his imposture, he might have left the world with the 
 ‘simple reputation of a knaye; but his avarice led him-to de- 
 
roe 
 otnrGsitres OF NATURE AND ART. A61 
 
 Conjurer Baker.— Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracles. 
 
 DOL 
 
 lude the victim of disease into a fatal reliance on) his affected 
 skill, and very numerous are the instances of this description. 
 Charmed powders and mystic lotions were confided in, to the 
 exclusion of rational advice and proper remedies, and the 
 ~ death of the old and young has been the consequent penalty 
 of such deplorable imbecility. A child died at Wellington, a 
 martyr to its mother’s folly of this nature. She consulted the 
 heartless villain, and was assured that the infant was “ overs. 
 looked.” Some powders were given to her, accompanied 
 with the slang verbosity of his craft, which the little sufferer 
 was compelled to swallow, notwithstanding the mother de- 
 clared that “ it made her heart bleed to see the agonies of her 
 child while taking the dose.’”’ ‘The consequence was as we 
 have stated; and thus the guilt of a cold-blooded murder is 
 superadded to the atrocities which have marked the career of 
 this miscreant through life., His habits were those of an un- 
 social drunkard; but his necromancy, notwithstanding the 
 expense of his selfish indulgence, enabled him to leave some 
 
 property. 
 
 POEL LD PLL LPP DIL 
 
 - 
 
 ‘ F 
 PRINCE HOHENLOH£ AND HIS MIRACLES. 
 t [Concluded from page 441. | 4 
 
 ‘Tr would far exceed the limits of our work to attempt to- 
 chronicle all the miracles said to be performed by the wonder-. 
 working Prince Hohenlohe ; in fact, no journal could keep- 
 pace with him, since to him time and distance are no obstacles ; 
 for he can work miracles by the post, as well as. when present. 
 —at least, so the catholics assure us ;—nay, even a protestant. 
 physician bears testimony to one of his cures—not, however, 
 as a miracle, but as the effect of imagination. This was the 
 ‘ case of a Miss Barbara O’Connor, anun, in the convent of 
 New Hall, near Chelmsford ; who had been attacked with a, 
 swelling in the thumb, which extended along the arm to the 
 elbow, defying the most skilful treatment ofthe surgeons. Ad. 
 length, Prince Hohenlohe was applied to. He writes a let- 
 ter, telling the nun that at eight o’clock on the 3d of May, 
 1822, he will offer up prayers for her recovery, and bidding 
 her pray at the same time. “On the 2d of May,” says Dr. 
 Badeley, “ I was requested to look at Miss O’Connor’s hand. 
 and arm, which I found as much swollen and as.bad as I had: 
 ever seen them. The fingers. looked ready to burst, and the- 
 wrist was fifteen inches in,cireumference.” bRRRD 
 
 The next day, Miss O’Counor went through the. religious- 
 process prescribed by Prince Hohenlohe. .“ Mass being nearly 
 
be 
 
 462 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 IG LOIP DEE DOLL OE GLE DIL SOL OLL LEO LLP OLE LOO LED LALO ELL LE LER DOE BPP 
 
 Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracies, 
 DPLOOLOD OPEL OLE LOE LOC LEE ADD ODS 
 
 AOD, OR PIGS 
 
 OPS: 
 
 PRP LIL LE L LOLI DIF Ow a 
 
 ended,” says Dr. Badeley, “ Miss O’Connor, not finding the 
 immediate relief she expected, exclaimed, ‘ Thy will be done, 
 oh Lord! thou hast. not thought me worthy of this cure,’ 
 Almost immediately after, she felt an extraordinary sensation 
 through the whole arm to the end of her fingers. ‘The pain 
 instantly left her, and the swelling gradually subsided ; but it 
 was some weeks before the hand resumed its natural size 
 and shape.” 
 
 Our next, and the last miracle we shall mention, rests en- 
 tirely on the authority of a catholic priest, and the world 
 knows that things of this sort lose nothing in such hands. It 
 is a letter from the Rev. Mr. O’Connor to Dr. Doyle, and we 
 subjoin it without comment. 
 
 “ Maryborough, June, 1823. 
 
 “My Lorp,—In compliance with your request, I send you 
 a statement of the facts relative to Miss Lalor, which I have 
 heard from others and witnessed myself. 
 
 “¢ Tam now in the house where she was first deprived of 
 her speech. She is at present in the eighteenth year of her 
 age; and as she is connected with most of the respectable 
 catholic families in this country, and has had frequent inter- 
 course with them, her privation of speech, during six years 
 and five months, is established beyond contradiction. Her 
 hearing and understanding remained unimpaired, aud she car- 
 ried a tablet and pencil to write what she could not communi- 
 eate by signs. 
 
 ~ Medical aid was tried by Dr. Ferris, of Athy, and Sur- 
 geon Smith, of Mountrath, but without effect. ‘The latter 
 gentleman (as a similar case never occurred in the course of 
 his practice) resolved to have it submitted to the most emi- 
 nent physicians in Dublin, eight of whom were consulted by 
 him, and the result was; that no hopes could be entertained 
 of her recovery. This decision was imparted by Dr. Smith 
 ‘o her father, apart from Mrs. and Miss Lalor, all which cir- 
 cumstances the Doctor recollected on the 14th instant, when 
 he saw Miss Lalor, heard her speak, and declared the cure 
 to be miraculous. 
 
 “You, my Lord, are already aware, that, aecording to your 
 directions, written to me on the Ist of June, I waited on 
 Mr. Lalor, and communicated to him and to. his family all 
 that you desired. ‘They observed it with every exactness; . 
 and on the morning of the 10th instant, having heard Miss 
 Lalor’s confession by signs, and disposed her for receiving 
 the holy communion, I read to her again from your Lord- 
 ahip’s letter the directions of the Prince; namely, that she 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AGS 
 
 PDIP PPG GPDPL IS TLLLE PLOPPOLOGLD IP LOG LDL PLPEDPOLDDDPDIPPDLOLE LPPLLDODGILDODPLODS QO 
 Prince Hohenlohe and his Miracles. 
 
 POP LOLIOL LIS. 
 
 PPL LAI 
 
 GOP LLIO?E F 
 
 would excite within her a sincere repentance, a firm resolu- 
 tion of obeying God’s commands, a lively faith, and unbounded 
 confidence in his mercy, an entire conformity to his holy will, 
 and a disinterested love of Him. 
 
 ‘I had previously requested the clergy of this district to 
 offer up for Miss Daler the holy sacrifice of the mass, at 
 twelve minutes before eight o’clock in the morning of the 
 10th, keeping the matter a secret from most others, as you 
 had recommended; however, as it transpired somewhat, a 
 considerable number collected in the chapel, when my two 
 coadjutors, with myself, began mass at the hour appointed. 
 I offered the holy sacrifice in the name of the church. I be- 
 sought the Lord to overlook my own unworthiness, and re- 
 gard only Jesus Christ, the great High Priest and Victim, 
 who offers Himself in the mass to his Eternal Father, for the 
 living and the dead, I! implored the Mother of God, all the 
 angels and saints, and particularly St. John Nepomuscene ; 
 I administered the sacrament to the young lady at the usual 
 time, when she heard, as, it were.a voice distinctly saying to 
 her, ‘ Mary, yow are well !—when, she exclaimed, ‘ O. Lord! 
 - amt 2? and, overwhelmed with devotion, fell prostrate on her 
 face. She continued in this posture, for a considerable time, 
 whilst I hastened to conclude the, mass; but was interrupted 
 in my thanksgiving immediately after by the mother of the 
 child, pressing: her to, speak. 
 
 “When at length she. was: satisfied in pouring out her soul 
 to the Lord, she took her mother by the hand, and said to 
 her, ‘ dear mother!” upon which Mrs. Lalor. called the clerk, 
 and sent for me, as 1 had retired to. avoid, the interruption, 
 and on coming to, where the young lady was, I, found her | 
 speaking im an agreeable, clear, and distinet voice, such,as 
 neither she nom her mother could recogaize,as her own. | 
 
 “ As she returned home im the afternoon, the doors, and 
 windows in the street through. which she passed were crowded 
 with persons, gazing with wonder at this, monument of the 
 power and goodness of Almighty God. | 
 
 ‘“ Thus, my Lord, in obedience to. your commands, L have 
 given you a simple statement of facts, without adding to, or 
 distorting, what I have seen and heard, the truth of which 
 their very, notoriety places beyond all doubt;, andi which 
 numberless witnesses, as well: as myself, could attest by, the 
 most solemn appeal to heaven. I cannot forbear remarking 
 to your Lordship, how our Lord confirms now the doctrine 
 of his church, and his.own presence upon our altars, by. the 
 same miracles to. which he referred the disciples ef John, say-. 
 
 ® 
 
AGA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE awp ART. 
 
 POP LGILGE LP GILDOLDDILODLIDD BEILEI PDPLPLLLOG PLL LLL LLL LLL LLL DOE QOD LPP DOL LOL DE LL LOD LOO DID 
 
 Prince Hohenlohe.—Eccentric Biography—Mr. Stukeley. 
 
 PRP IPF PDI FGF BOP LDIF PIE LIL LDPE LODE IE LLL DDE DEG ELE OLDE LOO LOO LEP LD ECL DELL OL DODD IE 
 
 ing, Go tell Je#in the dumb speak,’ &c. ‘as a proof that he 
 
 was the Son of God who came to save the world. | 
 “ T remain your Lordship’s dutiful and affectionate servant 
 
 in Christ, | ‘“N. O'Connor.” 
 “To the Right Rev. Dr. Doyle, Old Derrig, Carlow.” 
 
 aa 
 
 ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHY. 
 
 MR. STUKELEY, THE PERPETUAL MOTION SEEKER. 
 
 PL OF 
 
 Mr. STuKELEY was a gentleman of fortune, bred to the 
 law, but relinquished the profession,.and retired into the coun- 
 try, filled with the project of discovering the perpetual motion. 
 During a period of thirty years, he never went abroad but 
 ouce, which was when hewas obliged to take the oath of alle- 
 giance to King George the First ;. this was also the only time 
 he changed his shirt. and clothes, or shaved himself, during 
 the whole period of his retirement. 
 
 Mr. Stukeley was at once the dirtiest and the cleanliest 
 man; washing his hands twenty times a day, but his hands 
 only. His family consisted of two female servants; one lived 
 in the house, and the other out of it. He never had his bed 
 made. After he had relinquished the project of the perpetual 
 motion, he devoted himself to observing the works and eco- 
 nomy of ants; and stocked the town so plenteously with that 
 insect, that the fruits in the gardens were devoured by them. 
 
 During the reign of Queen Anne, whenever the Duke of 
 Marlborough opened the trenches against a city in Flanders, 
 he broke ground at the extremity ofa floor in his house, mad 
 with lime and sand, according to the custom of that c 
 and advanced in his approaches regularly with his { 
 gaining work after work, chalked out on the ground acco 
 ing to the intelligence in the gazette; by which he took the 
 town in the middle of the floor at Bideford, the same-day the 
 Duke was master of it in Flanders; thus ‘every city cost him 
 a new floor. 
 
 Sterne no doubt had Mr. Stukeley in his eye when he drew 
 the character of My Uncle Toby. 
 
 _ Mr. Stukeley never sat on a chair, and when he chose to 
 warm himself, he made a pit before the fire, into which he 
 leaped, and thus sat on the floor. He suffered no one to see 
 him but the heir to his estate, his brother, and sister; the first 
 never but when he sent for him, and that very rarely; the 
 
 others sometimes once a year, and sometimes seldomer, when | 
 
 he was cheerful, talkative, anda lover of the tiitle-tattle of — 
 
® 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: AGD 
 
 PLIPLIP LIF. PPP LIL. PLE LOD LOL PLD LED LDL LIL 
 
 Eccentric Biography—Mr. Stukeley; 
 
 LIP LIL LOL LOD PLE LDL DOL LDL LOD LLL ODE LALO LDD LOO DOD IDE DLO PIL PDD ELIE LIE 
 
 PRPIPPIIPPY 
 
 the town. Notwithstanding: his apparent: avarice,, he, was 
 by no means‘a lover of! money; for,. during. his, seclusion, 
 he’ never received. nor asked for any rent from. many. of 
 his tenants:;| those who brought» him money: he’ would. often 
 keep at-an inn more than: a; week;; and then pay all their 
 expenses,; and, dismiss, them, without: receiving a shilling. 
 He lived well in his house, frequently gave to the poor, 
 always ate from large joints-of-meat, never saw any thing 
 twice at table; and at’ Christmas’ divided a certain sum of 
 money amongst the’necessitous of the town. He seemed to 
 be afraid of two’things‘only:;, one,. being killed for his riches ; 
 the other’ being infected with disease; for which reasons: he 
 would send his maid.sometimes to borrow a half-crown from 
 his neighbours,.to hint he was-poor.; and always:received the 
 money which. was’ paid him ‘in, a basin'of water, to prevent 
 taking infection from those’who paid him. He did not. keep 
 his money locked up,; but: piled’ it. on- the shelves. before the 
 nlates in his kitchen.. In:his chamber, which no servant had 
 ntered during the-time of his remaining at home, he had two 
 thousand:guineas-on the top of.a:low. chest of drawers, covered 
 with dust; and five haadidion the floor, where it lay five-ande 
 ' twenty years ;. this last. sum,a child had thrown. down, which 
 he was fond of playing, with, by oversetting a table that stood 
 upon one foot; the table continued.in the same situation also 
 through this money he had made. two. paths, by kicking.the 
 pieces on one side, one. of which, led from the door. to the win- 
 dow, the other from the window to the bed. When he quitted 
 the Temple in London, he left an old portmanteau over the 
 portal of the ante-chamber, where it had continued many 
 years, during which. time the chambers. had passed through 
 several hands; at length a gentleman who possessed them 
 ordered his servant to pull it down; it broke, being rotten, 
 and out fell four or five hundred pieces of gold, which were 
 found to belong to him, from the papers enclosed. It was 
 generally supposed, at his death, that he had put large sums in 
 the hands of a banker, or lent them tosome tradesman in Lon- 
 don, without taking any memorandum; all which was lost to 
 his heirs, as he would never say to whom he lent it, through 
 fear, perhaps, lest he should hear it was lost; which some 
 minds can bear to suspect, though not to know positively. 
 After more than thirty years living a recluse, he was at last 
 found dead in his bed, covered with vermin. ‘Thus ended the 
 life of this whimsical being, at the age of seventy. 
 
 The gentleman who accompanied him to the Town Hall, 
 when he went to take the oath of allegiance, talked with him 
 on every subject he could recollect, eae discovering in 
 
 30 
 
# 
 466 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POLIS LIF. 
 
 POPC IP PEC LE PLDI IDI 
 
 DPOLDEL LEP LOLI DIL ODL ODDIE GOODIE 
 Eccentric Biography—Mr. Stukeley—Lady Cathcart. 
 
 PLE PIG LLOL LE LO SF 
 
 PILL LE LEP 
 
 PILE LIL LLL LOD LDPE LLDPE D LOD LDEDDD ODA 
 
 him the least tincture of madness. He rallied himself on the 
 perpetual motion, laughed at the folly of confining himself in- 
 doors, and said he believed he should come abread again, like 
 other men. He was always esteemed a person of good under- 
 standing before his shutting himself up. \At the time of his 
 death, he was building a house, the walls of which were seven 
 feet thick. | 
 
 LADY CATHCART, 
 
 © Lapy Catucart (who died on the 11th of August) was one 
 of the four daughters of —— Malyn, Esq. of Southwark and 
 Battersea, in Surrey. ‘She was four times married, but never 
 had any issue: first, to James Fleet, Esq. of the city of Lon- 
 don, Lord of the Manor of Tewing: (believed to be the son 
 and heir of Sir John Fleet, Lord Mayor of London in 1693, 
 and to have died April 30, 1733.) Secondly, to Captain 
 Sabine, younger brother to General Joseph Sabine, of Quino- 
 hall, in Tewing aforesaid. Thirdly, in 1739, to the Right 
 Hon. Charles, eighth Lord Catchcart, of the kingdom of 
 Scotland, Commander in Chief of the forces in the West 
 Indies, who died at Dominica, December 20, 1740. And, 
 fourthly, May 18, 1745, to Hugh Macguire, an officer in the 
 service of the Queen of Hungary, for whom she bought a 
 Lieutenant-colonel’s commission in the British service, and 
 whom she also survived, but was not encouraged, by his treat- 
 ment of her, to verify her resolution, which she inscribed as a 
 poesy on her wedding-ring:— | 
 ee “ If I survive, 
 
 I will have five.” Pek . 
 "Her avowed motives for these multifarious engagements 
 were, the first to please her parents, the second for “money, 
 the third for title, and the fourth because “ the devil owed 
 her a grudge, and would punish her for her sins.” In the 
 last she met with her match. The Hibernian fortune-hunter 
 wanted only her money. Soon after she married him, she 
 found that she had made a grievous mistake, for that he was 
 desperately in love, not with the widow, but with the “ widow’s 
 jointured land ;” and apprehending that he designed to carry 
 her off, and to get the absolute power of all her property, she 
 endeavoured to prepare for the worst, by having some of her 
 jewels plaited in her hair, and others quilted in her petticoat, 
 and constantly wearing them. ‘The Colonel’s mistress in- 
 sinuated herself into his wife’s confidence so well, that. she 
 learnt where her will was ; and Macguire getting sight of it, 
 insisted on her altering it in his favour, threatening to shoot — 
 her. Her apprehensions proved to be not without foundation ; 
 
CURIGSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AST 
 
 PPP PL PP LPP LIL LOD 
 
 Eccentric ‘Biography—Lady Cathcart.’ 
 
 PPP LIT 
 
 LIP LOL LOD LDP IDLOL DODD DED L9 DDD ODE 
 
 for one morning, when she and her caro sposo went out to 
 take an airing from Tewing in the coach, she proposed to re- 
 turn, but he desired to go a little further. The coachman 
 drove on; she remonstrated, “ they should not be baek by 
 dinner-time.”’ At length the Colonel told her,’ that “she 
 might make herself easy, for they should not dine that day‘at | 
 ‘Tewing; they were on the high road to Chester, and to Ches- 
 ter they should go.” Her efforts and expostulations were 
 vain. Upon her disappearing, her friends found out what 
 had happened, and whither she was gone. ‘They sent an at- 
 torney in pursuit of ‘her, with a writ of habeas corpus or ‘ne 
 exeat regno, who overtook her at an inn at Chester. The 
 Colonel was not deficient in expedients. The attorney found 
 him, and demanded a sight of my lady, but he did not know 
 her person. ‘The Colonel told him, that he should see her im- 
 mediately, and he would ‘find that she was going with him to 
 Ireland with her own free consent. ‘The Golonel persuaded 
 a woman, whom he had properly tutored, to personate her. 
 The attorney asked the supposed captive, if she was going 
 with Colonel Maéguire to Ireland of her own free will? “ Per- 
 fectly so,”’ said the woman. © Astonished at such an answer, 
 he begged her pardon, made her a low bow, and set out again 
 for London. ‘The Colonel thought that possibly Mr. Attor- 
 ney might recover his’ senses, ‘find how he had been deceived, 
 and yet stop his progress ; and‘in order to make all safe, sent 
 two or three fellows after him, with directions to plunder him 
 of all-he had, and particularly his papers. They faithfully © 
 executed their commission ; and when -the Colonel had the 
 writ in his possession, he knew that he was safe. He then 
 
 Welwyn assembly, with the spirit of a young woman, alien 
 
 i! 
 rt 4 ' 
 
A468 | CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LEP LIPO DIF IO LODE DOO GEO IEE AE IIE AOE LOE OP 
 Miraculous Wie he of Sir Brook Watson from a Shark. 
 
 PO LIPIIS PIP LOG FOF LOL LILLE EC IDOLOS 
 
 PIG LIL LIL ODF 
 
 PEL LOL POL ODL EDL OLS 
 
 a 
 MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF “SIR BROOK WATSON FROM A 
 SHARK, 
 
 Sir Broox stoner of a na family in 
 
 % 
 
 ele in 2 sunirtaae np Pe ee pk rang “which 
 seized him by the right leg, from which it tore the flesh and 
 ‘The voracious animal made a 
 
 completely separated t 2€ fo 
 second attack, and was. a npting a third, when one of the 
 boat’s crew, seeing | the perilous situation of the young mariner, 
 struck.it on the head with a boat-hook, and thus fortunately 
 abled the wounded youth to escape from its deadly fury. 
 We have subjoined a description of the shark, concluding it 
 will be interesting to many of our readers. 
 
 The animals of the shark genus are altogether marine, and 
 are said to be much rarer in the Baltic than any other sea: 
 they are viviparous, and are observed to produce more young 
 at a time t an the rays, but each included, as in those fishes, 
 in a quadrangular capsule, or involucrum, each extremity of 
 which is extended into a long, contorted, cartilaginous thread 
 of great length. Many of the sharks are said to emit a phos- 
 phoric light “during the night: they are chiefly of a solitary 
 
 nature; and, in general, devour with indiscriminati mg voracity, 
 almost. every animal substance, whether living or < : some 
 _ few species, however, are observed to feed clue | 
 other marine vegetables. 7 : 
 The great or white shark, so remarkable 
 
 and its powers of destruction, i is an inhabitant m: mh crinais “y4 
 the globe, though much more frequently see 1 the warmer 
 than the colder latitudes: it is said to resi i I 
 
 the depths of the ecean, from, 
 order to p e is 
 
 so imbedded i in hola nvest 
 r depressed at pleasure ; t 
 laginous, and the throat 
 ost of the anne of a bluish or 
 
 greenish cast, 
 
 . 5 eee a ees 
 
 id 
 a 
 
 ojy* 
 
Cateacrdinary Coracity of AN dliigator. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 469 
 
 PPP LI PLDOG PIPPI DPILDIGIPL DEPLDOPGPIDLEL 
 
 PIP PGP DOBLOPIDE 
 Interesting 
 
 Description of the Shark. __ 
 
 rather small, and half overhung by their skinny veil: the 
 pectoral fins are large, strong, broad, and pointed; the first 
 dorsal fin moderately large, somewhat falcated behind, and 
 pointed ; the second is situated very low on the back, near 
 the origin of the tail, which is slightly lengthened, and of 
 a bilobate shape, the upper lobe or division slightly pointed, 
 and the lower er terminal lobe rather rounded: so great is 
 the strength of this part, that even a young shark, of about 
 six feet in length, is able, by a stroke of its tail, to break a 
 man’s leg; it is usual, therefore, with sailors, to cut off the 
 tail the instant they drag a shark on board: the anal fin is 
 placed somewhat beyond the middle of the abdomen, and 
 is of a moderate size, and of a somewhat square outline: 
 the general colour of the whole animal is a pale or whitish 
 ash, darker or browner on the upper parts; the mouth is 
 situated considerably beneath the front, for which reason the 
 animal is said, like most others of this genus, to be obliged to 
 turn on its back in order to seize its prey; an observation as 
 ancient as the days of Pliny. This, however, i 3 much doubted 
 by Dr. Bloch, who rather supposes the shark to seize its prey 
 _ in a direct position, or like the generality of fishes. ‘The skin 
 of the shark is very rough, and is used as a kind of shagreen, 
 as well as for smoothing various kinds of wood-work, Xc.; 
 and from the liver is drawn a great quantity of oil. 
 
 ‘“‘ Sharks,” says Mr. Pennant, “are the dreadof sailors in all 
 hot climates, where they constantly attend the ships, in ex- 
 pectation of what may drop overboard: a man who has that 
 misfortune perishes without redemption : they have been seen 
 to, dart at him like gudgeons to a worm.” ‘They are said to 
 attack negroes in preference to Europeans; and:are observed, 
 in particular, to attend with unremitting assiduity the passage 
 of the slave-ships from the coasts of Africa to the West Indian 
 islands; and, as Cepede very happily and. justly observes, 
 may be. considered as forming a proper escort to. the cruel 
 conductors. of those most accursed vessels. ‘A master of a 
 Guinea ship,” says Pennant, “informed me,. that a; rage of 
 suicide prevailed among his new-bought slaves, from a notion 
 the unhappy creatures had, that after death they should be 
 restored to their families, friends, and:country. ‘To convince 
 them that at least they should not re-animate their bodies, he 
 ordered, one of; their, corpses. to be tied by the heels to a rope, 
 and lowered into the. sea ; and though it was drawn up again 
 as fast as the united force of the crew could be exerted; yet 
 in that short space, the sharks had. devoured every part but 
 the feet, which were secured at the end ofithe cord.” Swim- 
 mers very often perish by. them :. sometimes they lose an: arm 
 
 ae “3 , * 
 iy ibid hy. a : yaa ee hs 
 
A70 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 
 
 PIL LPO LIL PLO PEG PDL PDD PPD LDL DIOP PL OLDE BOD L OL DDD DEL ODD DOO DOD OL IILOIL 
 
 POP PIP IEF 
 Interesting Description of the Shark. 
 
 es MOG LOG POTS OCCREI ODD CELDT CDG LOS COPIED LOG 100 C06 FOR GTGGYTITADA SOSA CHF I VT TT SY ne 
 
 or a leg, and sometimes are bit quite asunder, serving but for 
 two morsels for this ravenous animal: a melancholy tale of 
 this kind is recited in a West Indian ballad, preserved in Dr. 
 Percy’s Reliques of Ancient English Poetry. 
 
 The size to which the shark sometimes grows is far superior 
 to that mentioned in-the former part of the present descrip- 
 tion: we are informed by Gillius, that a shark was seen of the 
 weight of four thousand pounds, and that in the belly of 
 one was found an entire human body; and Muller asserts, 
 that in a shark taken at the isle of St. Margaret, was found a 
 
 prophet Jonah. | 
 
 The internal parts of the shark present many remarkable 
 particulars: the brain is small: the heart furnished with one 
 ventricle, and one auricle, which latter is of a very large size, 
 and receives the vena cava; the aorta, and other arteries, are 
 of great strength; the throat is very short, and of a diameter 
 not greatly inferior to that of the beginning of the stomach, 
 which is of vast size, and dilatable to a great degree: the in- 
 testinal canal consists of two portions ; one analogous to ‘the’ 
 small, and the other to the large intestines of quadrupeds ; 
 but this latter portion is very short in proportion, and is’ so 
 composed as to compensate by its interior structure for its 
 brevity ; since instead of forming a mere continued tube, as 
 in most animals, it consists rather of a large series of meshes 
 or divisions, placed in a spinal direction throughout its length: 
 the liver is large, and divided into two unequal lobes: in the 
 stomach and intestines, according to Commerson, are usually 
 found a great many teniw, or tape-worms, which not only 
 infest the cavities of these parts, but even penetrate into and 
 lodge themselves between the interior coats: these animals, 
 therefore, by their vellication and motions, must'be supposed 
 to aggravate the natural voracity of the shark, and to impel 
 it to engorge a large quantity of food, in oraer to allay the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. — ATL 
 
 a 
 
 Description of the Shark.—Extraordinary Instance of Voracity in tbe Alligator. 
 
 LIL LP IILAE DLE LDL DLLODILIL ELL DOLL GD LED LOL DLE LPL LOD LIE LOELIE DDD LLG DOD DOD EDL ODL ODI 
 #24 
 
 PLD LO DL IL LDL LOL LDL DDDIDL OL DLE LDL LDP DDD DOG 
 
 sensations excited by these internal enemies: the milt, in the 
 male fish, is disposed into two portions, and equals the length 
 of about a third of the whole animal ; and, in the female, the 
 ovaries are of a similar length: during the breeding season, 
 which takes place at different periods in different climates, the 
 sharks are observed to approach the shores, in order to de- 
 posit their young in the most favorable situations; these are 
 discharged to the number of two or three at a time, .still ad- 
 hering to the capsule in which they had been before enclosed, 
 and are excluded before the young animal has had time to 
 break from it: the length of the newly-hatched shark does not 
 exceed that of a few inches. | he 
 at 
 EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF VORACITY IN THE 
 ALLIGATOR. 
 
 Berore we enter upon the present narrative, it may not be 
 uninteresting to our readers if we give some general descrip- 
 tion of the alligator. It differs from the crocodile principally 
 in being more smooth on the upper part of the head, and in 
 the snout being much wider and flatter, and rounder at the 
 end. It grows to.the length of 18 feet, and abounds particu- 
 larly in the torrid zone; but it is found so far north as the 
 river Neus in North Carolina. It is met with both in the 
 fresh and salt parts of rivers, and amidst the reeds along the 
 banks; lurking in ambush for its prey, and seizing upon dogs 
 and cattle which approach within the reach of its fatal bound. 
 Alligators are equally forniidable in their appearance, and 
 ferocious in their dispositions, seizing both man and. beast 
 with almost indiscriminate voracity, and pulling them to the 
 bottom to lessen their means of resistance and devour them 
 with less interruption.. By the close union of the vertebra 
 this animal can proceed with celerity only in a straight for- 
 ward direction, so that the intended victims pursued by them 
 -aré enabled to elude this destination by lateral and cross 
 movements. But though the alligator is deficient in flexibility, 
 it supplies this defect in a great degree by sagacity or cunning, | 
 ‘and appearing on the surface of the water like the stock of a 
 tree, thus attracts the various animals within his grasp. 
 Fowls, fishes, and turtle, all are drawn, whether by curiosity 
 or for convenience, towards this object, supposed completely 
 harmless, but from which the jaws of destruction are instantly 
 opened todevour them. Alligators are said to swallow stones 
 and yarious other substances incapable of affording nourish- 
 ment, merely to prevent the contraction of their intestines, 
 
 and thus allay their. hunger; and Catesby observes, that on 
 Opening a great. number, he has seen nothing but clumps of 
 « 
 
 ie e 
 
A72 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 + POPPI ODD PPL IPP LPP LID L OD CEE LIED ORS 
 
 PPP LIP PGP PPI DFG? 
 Extraordinary Instance of Voracity in the Alligator. 
 
 DDOLOP POOL DODDS ODO DD OL DDD DEL DPL YD IDE DDD D IE DOP PDP DP PP DO DOD 
 
 PPP DOP IPD FPP 
 
 PIP LLP PLL PDP LOI? POP 
 
 light wood and pieces of pine-tree coal (in one instance a 
 piece of the weight of eight pounds), worn by attrition to a 
 surface perfectly smooth, implying that they had long remained 
 in their bodies. Their eggs are deposited on the banks of 
 rivers, sometimes in a nest composed of vegetables with con+ 
 siderable care, and are hatched by the sun; and the young 
 ones are not only devoured by fishes and birds, but become 
 the victims often of their own voracious species. In Carolina 
 they seldom attack men or large cattle, but are formidable 
 enemies to hogs. From October to March they continue in 
 the sequestered caverns of the river banks in a state of torpor, 
 re-appearing in the spring with the most violent and terrific 
 noises. Some parts of them are used by the Indians for food, 
 and the flesh is of an attractive whiteness, but has a very 
 strong flavour of musk. The growth of this animal, and of 
 the crocodile, is extremely slow, and both are imagined to be 
 long-lived. a TRE 
 
 We are favored with the following interesting particulars 
 of an instance of the great voracity of the alligator, by a me- 
 dical officer many years in the East Indies, where these animals 
 are very numerous. He states that a native, being employed 
 in the repairs of a ship lying in the Bengal river, carelessly 
 put his legs off the stage upon which he was seated at the 
 side of the vessel, and being engaged in conversation with his 
 wife and child (who were on the deck) forgot the danger of 
 his situation; as he proceeded in his labours, it was necessary 
 to lower the stage until it came within a few feet of the sur- 
 face of the water. He had not placed himself thus many 
 minutes, when an immense alligator rose suddenly from the 
 river; and ere the man perceived it, seized one of his legs, 
 and snapped it off from the knee, with which he immediately 
 descended. ‘The poor man in vain now attempted to get on 
 board the ship; the pain, the terror, the loss of his limb, so - 
 entirely bereft him of strength, that all his efforts were ren- 
 dered futile-—The wife hung terror-struck over the side of 
 the vessel, not knowing what to do, calling for assistance, 
 and shrieking distractedly; the boy clung to his father, and 
 endeavoured with all his little strength to lift him up. The 
 cries of the woman at length brought some people off to ascer- 
 tain the cause. At this moment the horror of their situation 
 was heightened by the re-appearance of the insatiate monster : 
 they redoubled their efforts to drag him from the jaws of his 
 impending fate, but with as little success as before; to their 
 joy they now perceived people coming on board, brought by 
 the incessant cries of the distressed mother and son. Some 
 of them threw stones, sticks, or any thing that happened to be 
 
 im 
 
CURIOSIYIES OF NATURE AND ART. AT3 
 
 PPP POP PIF LIP IV? ; 
 Voracity of the Alligator.—Animal Flower.—A Good Shot. 
 
 in their way, while the wife, thinking her -husband’s deli- 
 verance certain, hastened on shore for surgical aid. As the 
 creature advanced, the cries of the child became truly piercing, 
 he seemed convulsed with terror, and increased his exertions | 
 to pull his father on board, loudly calling to the men to hasten 
 and join their efforts with his. But either through surprise 
 or fear, they totally unheeded him; still continuing to pelt 
 the creature off: from anguish, and the loss of blood, the suf- 
 ferer by this time was exhausted, and at the mement the 
 strength of the youth could scarcely support the almost inani- 
 -mate body, the alligator seized the remaining leg. “ Not- 
 withstanding,” says our informant, “ the boy still kept his 
 hold, and so contrived to throw a rope round the body of his 
 nearly expiring parent, as to prevent him from being pulled 
 into the river. At this instant the wife returned with the 
 surgeon; but, alas! they came too late,—the poor Indian re- 
 cognized his wife—gave one parting look,—then sunk in 
 death on the bosom of his child.” 
 
 a 
 ANIMAL FLOWER. 
 
 Tue inhabitants of St. Lucie have lately discovered a most 
 singular plant. Ina cavern of that isle near the sea is a large 
 basin, from twelve to fifteen feet deep, the water of which ts 
 very brackish, and the bottom composed of rocks. From 
 these at all times proceed certain substances, which present at 
 first sight beautiful flowers of a bright shining colour, and 
 pretty nearly resembling our marigolds, only that their tint is 
 more lively. ‘These seeming flowers, on the approach of a 
 hand or instrument, retire like a snail out of sight. On exa- 
 mining their substance closely, there appear in the middle of 
 the disk four brown filaments, resembling spiders’ legs, which 
 - move round a kind of petals with a pretty brisk and spon- 
 taneous motion. These legs have pincers to seize their prey ; 
 and, upon seizing it, the yellow petals immediately close, so 
 that it cannot escape. Under this exterior of a flower is a 
 brown stalk of the bigness of a raven’s quill, and which ap- 
 pears to be the body of some animal. It 1s probable that this 
 strange creature ‘lives on the spawn of fish, and the marine 
 insects thrown by the sea into the basin. 
 
 ei 
 
 A GOOD SHOT. 
 
 “ Ir is now,” said Von Wyk, “ more than two years since, 
 in the very place where I stand, I ventured to take one of 
 the most daring shots that ever was hazarded. My wife was 
 Ne within the house near the door, the Sau were play- 
 
 20. P 
 
ATA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND art. 
 A Good Shot.—Singular Funeral.—Singular Recognition. 
 
 PLP LDF. 
 
 ing about her, and I was without, busied in doing something 
 to a waggon, when suddenly, though it was mid-day, an enor- 
 mous lion appeared, came up, and -laid himself quietly down 
 in the shade, upon the very threshold of the door! My wife, 
 either frozen with fear, or aware of the danger attending any 
 attempt to fly, remained motionless in her place, while the 
 children took refuge in her lap. The cry they uttered .at- 
 tracted my attention, and I hastened towards the door; but 
 my astonishment may well be conceived, when | found the 
 entrance to it barred in such a way.—Although the animal 
 had not seen me, unarmed as | was escape seemed impossible; 
 yet I glided gently, scarcely knowing what I meant to do, to 
 the side of the house, up to the window of my chamber, where 
 J knew my loaded gun was standing. By a most happy chance, 
 I had set it in the corner close by the window, so that I could 
 reach it with my hand; for the opening was too small to ad- 
 mit of my having got in; and still more fortunately, the door 
 of the room was open, so that I could see the whole danger 
 of the scene. The lion was beginning to move, perhaps with 
 ‘the intention of making a spring. There was no longer any 
 time to think: I called softly to the mother not to be alarmed, 
 and, invoking the name of the Lord, fired my piece. The 
 ball passed directly over the hair of my boy’s head, and lodged 
 in the forehead of the lion, immediately above his eyes, which 
 shot forth, as it were, sparks of fire, and stretched him on the 
 ground so that he never stirred more.” —Lichtenstein’s Tra- 
 vels in South Africa. 
 
 PLES 
 
 ee 
 SINGULAR FUNERAL. ie 
 Mr. G. Scoray died at Minsteed, in 1811, aged eighty- 
 three years. At his wedding, about fifty-two years before, 
 he preserved three candles, one of which he burnt at the 
 funeral of his wife, and another at that of a relation ; and he 
 ordered that the third should be burnt when his own funeral 
 took place; and that some mead, preserved also at the mar- 
 riage-feast, with all the cider and liquors in the house, should 
 then be drank. . His friends followed his remains to Minsteed 
 church, witnessed the funeral rites, and heard an excellent 
 sermon ; after which they returned to his house, burnt the 
 candle, and drank out all the liquor. | 
 —<aE=—— 
 SINGULAR RECOGNITION. 
 
 A FEW weeks ago, (says the daily papers,) two gentlemen, 
 who were travelling in different directions, stopped at the Bell 
 Inn, Hounslow, when the host, Mr. Strange, while attending 
 them and other guests, remarked a great similarity of counte- 
 
e 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AT5 
 
 ~ 
 
 POP LIG IPP PPP IDL LDODOD LE BPE E POLL OO OM 
 
 IND 
 
 PILPOPIL PIaLP 
 
 Singular Recognition.—Interesting Account of Diamond Mines, 
 
 PRI LLP OPE PPL LOD LIE LLP LOE LLDE LDL LLL EDP POL OGD DOO? 
 
 nance between these strangers, which produced a conversa- 
 tion, in which they recognized each other as brothers. A 
 gentleman present, many years resident in that town, named 
 Stables, who is unfortunately blind, appeared deeply interested 
 in the explanation, and claimed the same affinity. The re- 
 cognition was a scene difficult to describe. The youngest 
 brother is in his fiftieth year, and their last meeting was in 
 his‘infancy. 
 a ee 
 
 DIAMOND MINES, 
 
 Tue high value attached to diamonds does not depend so — 
 much on their beauty and hardness, as on their great scarcity 
 and the labour and expense necessary in procuring them. 
 Hitherto they have been observed in the torrid zone alone; 
 and Brazil is the only part of the Americas in which they 
 have been found. ‘The historical account of their discovery 
 in that country is as follows. Near the capital of the territory 
 of Serro do Frio flows, the river Milho Verde, where it was 
 the custom toe dig for gold, or rather to extract it from the 
 alluvial soil. The miners, during their search for gold, found 
 - several diamonds, which they were induced to lay aside in con- 
 sequence of their particular shape and great beauty, although 
 they were ignorant of their intrinsic value. 
 
 The diamond-works on the river Jigitonhonha are described 
 by Mr. Mawe as the most important in the Brazilian terri- 
 tory. The river, im depth from three to nine feet, is inter- 
 sected by a canal, beneath the head of which it is stopped by 
 an embankment of several thousand bogs of sand, its deeper 
 parts being laid dry by chain-pumps. 'The mud is now washed 
 away, and the cascalhao, or earth which contains the diamonds, 
 dug up, and removed to a convenient place for washing. ‘he 
 process is as follows :—A. shed, consisting of upright posts, 
 which support a thatehed roof, is erected in the form of a 
 parallelogram, in length about ninety feet, and in width forty- 
 five. Down the middle of its area, a current of water is con- 
 veyed through a canal covered with strong planks, on which 
 the earth is laid to the thickness of two or three feet, Onthe 
 other side of the area is a flooring of planks, from twelve to 
 fifteen feet in length, imbedded in clay, extending the whole 
 length of the shed, and having a gentie slope from the canal. 
 This flooring is divided into about twenty compartments, or 
 troughis, each about three feet wide, by means of planks placed 
 on their edge ; and the upper end of these troughs communt- 
 cate with the canal, being so formed that water is admitted 
 into them between two planks about an inch separate from 
 
] 
 AT6 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. i 
 
 DO PL LL GLDPL DL LILI DP DID IOP DOGDOS 
 
 PLP DOS. 
 
 LOO LOOP OL LEP ODL DDDLODDLOL IODIDE § 
 Interesting Account of Diamond Mines. 
 
 POG DP LOL L LOG PLL LOL OLDOLOE LIL LDL BLO DOL PDD CLL PLLG PDE LEL ODE LDL PDE LOL LEO LOLPLDLDO BPODLOEDOLODOR 
 
 each other. Through this opening the current falls about six 
 inches into the trough, and may be directed to any part of it, 
 or stopped at pleasure, by means of a small quantity of clay. 
 Along the lower ends of the troughs a small channel is dug, 
 to carry off the water. 
 
 On the heap of earth, at equal distances, three high chairs 
 are placed for the overseers, who are no sooner seated than 
 the negroes enter the troughs, each provided with a rake of a 
 peculiar form, and having a short handle, with which he rakes 
 into the trough from fifty to eighty pounds weight of the earth. 
 The water being then allowed to pass in by degrees, the earth 
 is spread abroad, and continually raked up to the head of the 
 trough, so as to be kept in constant motion. This operation 
 is continued fora quarter of an hour, when the water begins 
 to run clearer; and, the earthy particles having been washed 
 away, the gravel-like matter is raked up to the end of the 
 trough. At length the current flowing quite clear, the largest 
 stones are thrown out, and afterwards those of an inferior 
 size: the whole is then examined with great care for diamonds. 
 When a negro finds one, he immediately stands upright, and 
 claps his hands: he then extends them, holding the gem: be- 
 tween the fore-finger and the thumb. An overseer receives 
 it from him, and deposits it in a bowl, suspended from the 
 centre of the structure, and half filled with water. In this 
 vessel all the diamonds found in the course of the day are de- 
 posites and at the close of the work are taken out and de- 
 
 ivered to the principal overseer, who, after they have been 
 weighed, registers the particulars in a book kept for that 
 purpose. 
 
 When a negro is so fortunate as to find a diamond of the 
 weight of seventeen carats and a half, the following ceremony 
 takes place: he is crowned with a wreath of flowers, -and car- 
 ried in procession to the administrator, who gives him his 
 freedom by paying his owner for it. He also receives a pre- 
 sent of new clothes, and is permitted to work on his own ac- 
 count. For smaller stones proportionate premiums are given; 
 while many precautions are taken to prevent the negroes from 
 stealing the diamonds, with which view they are frequently 
 changed by the overseers, least these precious gems should 
 be concealed in the corners of the troughs. When a negro 
 is suspected of swallowing a diamond, he is confined in a soli- 
 tary apartment, and means taken to bring the gem to light.. 
 
 in the East Indies, the kingdom of Golconda, extending 
 two hundred and sixty miles along the bay of Bengal, and 
 having a breadth of two hundred miles from east to west, 
 abounds in diamond mines. They are chiefly in the vicinity 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. ATT 
 
 DIP LIP LDOL LOL DIID BLE DDD DIG. PIPLOD DIG P DP 
 
 Interesting Account of Diamond Mines. 
 
 POLLO L LID LDP L DD PDP ILD DDI PDIL DL LDE PLO LIE LL DL DC LLL GLO DDO LDPE LOOP LO LDDL DIC LOD ODD NDI DODDIOS 
 
 PLP LID 
 
 of the rocky hills and mountains which intersect the country, 
 and in the whole of which diamonds are supposed to be con- 
 tained. In several of the mines they are found scattered in 
 the earth, within two or three fathoms of the surface, and in 
 others are met with in a mineral substance in the body of the 
 rocks, forty or fifty fathoms deep. The labourers having dug 
 five or six feet into the rock, soften the stone by fire, and pro- 
 ceed till they find the vein, which often runs two or three fur- 
 longs under the rock, The earth being brought out, and 
 carefully searched, affords stones of various shapes, and of a 
 good water. ‘This earth is of a yellowish, and sometimes ofa 
 reddish colour, frequently adhering to the diamond with so 
 strong a crust that the separation becomes difficult. 
 
 To find the diamonds, the workmen form a cistern of a kind 
 of clay, with a small vent on one side, a little above the bot- 
 tom: in this vent they place a plug, and throwing into the 
 cistern the earth they have dug, pour in water to dissolve it. 
 They then break the clods, and stir the wet earth in the 
 cistern, allowing the lighter part to be carried off in the form 
 of mud, when the vent-hole is opened to let out the water. 
 They thus continue washing until what remains in the cistern 
 is pretty clean; and then, in the middle of the day, when the 
 sun shines bright, carefully look over all the sand, at which 
 practice they are so expert, that the smallest stone cannot 
 escape them. ‘The brightness of the sun being reflected by 
 the diamonds, aids them in their research, which would be 
 foiled if a cloud were to intervene. 
 
 The specific gravity of the diamond is to that of water in 
 the proportion of somewhat more than three and a half to 
 one. It is the hardest of all precious stones, and can only be 
 cut and ground by iiself and its own substance. To bring it to 
 the perfection by which its price is so greatly augmented, the 
 lapidary begins by rubbing several of these stones against 
 each other, while rough, having first glued them to the ends 
 of two wooden blocks, thick enough to be held in the hand. 
 The powder thus rubbed off the stones, and received in a 
 small box for the purpose, serves to grind and polish them. 
 
 The greatest known diamond was found in Brazil, and be- 
 longs to the King of Portugal. It weighs 1680 carats; and, 
 although uncut, is estimated by Romé de I’Isle at the enor- 
 mous sum of two hundred and twenty-four millions sterling, 
 which gives an estimate of nearly eighty pounds sterling for 
 each carat, the multiplicand of the square of its whole weight 
 being taken. The one next in magnitude and value is that 
 purchased in.1772 by the late Empress of Russia: it weighs ~ 
 seven hundred and seventy-nine carats, and has been esti- 
 
AT8 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 
 
 a e PILE LOOP OIL PB. 
 
 Diamond Mines.—Salt Mines.of Cracow. 
 
 PIF 
 
 IR ELI LIS EIOLIE REO LLM INL, SLIP LOL LO PRLE LEAL LIE . 
 
 PLD PIG LEE PLD 
 
 PPM 
 
 PDP BDDP 
 
 mated at nearly five millions sterling. It ought, however, 
 to be observed, that these estimates, founded on the magni- 
 tude and brilliancy of the gems, are very different from the 
 prices which the most princely fortunes can afford to pay for 
 them. The diamond in question cost about one hundred atid 
 thirty-five thousand pounds sterling; and the one called the 
 Pitt or Regent, although it weighed one hundred and thirty- 
 six carats only, was, on account of its greater brilliancy, pur- 
 chased of a Greek merchant for one hundred thousand pounds 
 sterling. Several other large diamonds are preserved in the 
 cabinets of the sovereigns and princes of Kurope. 
 
 eee Fea 
 
 SALT MINES OF CRACOW. 
 Thus, cavern’d round, in Cracow’s mighty mines, 
 With crystal walls a gorgeous city shines; 
 Scoop’d in the briny rock long streets extend 
 Their hoary course, and glittering domes ascend: 
 Down their bright steeps, emerging into day, 
 Impetuous fountains burst their headlong way, 
 O’er milk-white vales in ivory channels spread, 
 And wondering seek their subterraneous bed. 
 Form’d in pellucid salt, with chisel nice, 
 ‘The pale lamp glittering through the sculptur’d ice. 
 With wild reverted eyes fair Lotta stands, 
 And spreads to heaven, in vain, her glassy hands: 
 Cold dews condense upon her pearly breast, 
 And the big tear rolls lucid down lier vest. 
 Far gleaming o’er the town, transparent fanes 
 Rear their white towers, and wave their golden vanes ; 
 Long lines of lustres pour their trembling rays, 
 And the bright vault resounds with mingled blaze.- 
 DARWIN. 
 Tues celebrated excavations are about five miles distant 
 from the city of Cracow, ina smali town named Wielicza, 
 which is entirely undermined, the cavities reaching to a consi- 
 derable extent beyond its limits. The length of the great 
 mine, trom east to west, is six thousand feet; its breadth, 
 from north to south, two thousand ; and its greatest. depth, 
 eight hundred: but the veins of salt are not limited to this 
 extent, the depth and length of them, from east to west, being 
 yet unknown, and their breadth only hitherto determined. 
 There are at present ten shafts, but not a single spring has 
 been discovered throughout the extent of the mine. 
 In descending to the bottom, the visiter 1s surprised to find 
 a kind ofsubterraneous commonwealth, consisting of many 
 families, who have their peculiar laws and polity. Here are 
 likewise public reads and carriages, horses being employed to 
 draw the salt to the mouths of the mine, where it is taken up ‘by 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A479 
 
 Account of the Salt Mines of Cracow. 
 
 engines. ‘These horses, when once arrived at their destination, 
 never more see the light of the sun; and many of the people 
 seem buried alive in this strange abyss, having been born 
 there, and never stirring out; while others are not denied 
 frequent opportunities of breathing the fresh air in the fields, 
 and enjoying the surrounding prospects. ‘The subterraneous 
 passages, or galleries, are very spacious, and in many of them 
 chapels are hewn out of the rock salt. In these passages cru- 
 cifixes are set up, together with the images of saints, before . 
 which a light is kept constantly burning. The places where 
 the salt is hewn out, and the empty cavities whence it has 
 been removed, are called chambers, in several of which, where 
 the water has stagnated, the bottoms and sides are covered 
 with very thick incrustations of thousands of salt crystals, 
 lying one on the other, and many of them weighing half a 
 pound and upwards. When candles are placed before them, 
 the numerous rays of light reflected by these crystals emit a 
 surprising lustre. 
 
 in several parts of the mine huge columns of salt are left 
 standing, to support the rock; and these are very fancifull 
 ornamented. But the most curious object in the inhabited 
 
 art, or subterraneous town, is a statue which is considered. 
 by the immured inhabitants as the actual transmutation of 
 Lot’s wife into a pillar of salt; and, in proportion as this 
 statue appears either dry or moist, the state of the weather 
 above-ground is inferred. The windings in this mine are so 
 numerous and intricate, that the workmen have frequently 
 lost their way; and several, whose lights have been extin- 
 guished, have thus perished. The number of miners to whom 
 it gives employment is computed at between four and five 
 hundred ; but the whole amount of the men employed in it is 
 about seven hundred. 
 
 The salt lies near the surface, in large shapeless masses out 
 of which blocks of sixty, eighty, or a hundred feet square, may 
 be hewn; but at a considerable depth it is found in smaller 
 lumps. About six hundred thousand quintals of salt are an- 
 nually dug out of the mines of Cracow. The worst and 
 cheapest is called green salt, from its greenish colour, occa- 
 sioned by an heterogeneous mixture of a greyish mineral, or 
 clay, and entirely consists of salt crystals of different dimen- 
 sions. A finer sort is dug out in large blocks; and the third 
 kind is the sal gemma, or crystal salt, which is found in small 
 pieces interspersed in the rock, and, when detached from it, 
 breaks into cubes of rectangular prisms. ‘This is usually sold 
 unprepared. ‘The colour of the salt stone is a dark grey 
 mixed with vellow, 
 
 PPPL OL PLE. 
 
480 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LBP PIP LLGP LIL LPP LDL LLG LOD OL OS m PPL GDIL GL LEP LIE CLL ELO LOR 
 Salt Mines and Salt Springs of Cheshire. 
 
 POP POL OLED LOL DIOLGIS GOP 
 
 PIP 
 
 DPOPGO PEGI DIOLS BOL ODL LDL III FE 
 
 SALT MINES AND SALT SPRINGS OF CHESHIRE. 
 
 Tue Cheshire rock salt, with very few exceptions, has 
 hitherto been ascertained to exist only in the vallies border- 
 ing on the river Weaver and its tributary streams; in some 
 places manifesting its presence by springs impregnated with 
 salt, and in others being known by mines actually carried 
 down into the substance of the salt strata. Between the 
 source of the Weaver, and Nantwich, many brine springs 
 make their appearance; and occur. again at several places, in 
 proceeding down the stream. At Moulton, a mine has been 
 sunk into the body of rock salt, anda similar mine is wrought 
 near Middlewich. At Northwich, brine springs are very 
 abundant; and there also many mines have been sunk for the 
 purpose of working out the fossil salt. In that vicinity a body 
 of rock salt has been met with in searching for coal. 
 
 The brine in this district is formed by the penetration of 
 spring or rain waters to the upper surface of the rock salt, in 
 passing over which they acquire such a degree of strength, that 
 one hundred parts have yielded twenty-seven of pure salt, 
 thus nearly approaching *to the perfect saturation of brine. 
 Their strength is therefore much greater than that of the salt 
 springs met with in Hungary, Germany, and France. The 
 brine having been. pumped out of the pits, is first conveyed 
 into large reserveirs, and afterwards drawn off as it is needed, 
 into pans made of wrought iron. Here heat is applied in a de- 
 gree determined by the uwature of the salt to be manufactured, 
 and. various additions are made to the brine, with a view 
 either to assist the crystalization of the salt, or to promote the 
 separation of the earthy particles, which exist in a very small 
 proportion. ‘The importance of the manufacture of Cheshire 
 salt will be sufficiently obvious from the statement, that, be- 
 sides the salt made for home-consumption, the annual amount 
 of which exceeds 16,000 tons, the average of the quantity sent 
 yearly to Liverpool for exportation, has not been less than 
 140,000 tons. 
 
 The mine.of rock salt first worked was discovered by acci- 
 dent at Marbury, near Northwich, about a century and a half 
 ago; and this bed had been wrought for more than a century, 
 - when, in the same neighbourhood, a second and inferior stra- 
 tum was fallen in with, separated from the former by a bed of 
 indurated clay. This lower stratum was ascertained to pos- 
 sess a very great degree of purity, and freedom from earthy 
 admixture ; on which account, and from the local advantages 
 of Northwich for exportation, the fossil salt is worked in the 
 vicinity of that place only. It occurs in two great strata or 
 
 ? 
 
CURIOSITIES OF WATURE AND ART. 4S) 
 PPPS bE PL OIDL ILS DOE POL PI LLP DI “BLIP LPG LID DOPE DDD LOD DLE POLLO L GAN POPLOD LLL L DE LIL LOD PPG OBS 
 
 -Salt Mines and Satt Springs of Cheshire: 
 
 OLS PLO LLL LDL ODE PPL EDL LOD LE LE LED LIE ELE LGPE LOE LLG LED LPP DPD OLE PDLDOL DPD LOF 
 
 beds, lying nearly horizontally, and separated. the superin- 
 eumbent from the subjacent stratum, by several layers of in- 
 durated clay, or argillaceous stone. These intervening beds - 
 possess in conjunction a very uniform thickness of from thirty 
 to thirty-five feet, and are irregularly penetrated by veins of 
 fossil salt. ‘There is every reason to believe that the beds of 
 rock salt at Northwich are perfectly distinct from any others 
 in the salt district, and from what are termed by mineralogists 
 incumbent bodies or masses of mineral. 
 
 ‘These enormous masses stretch a mile and a half ina longi- 
 tudinal direction from north-east to south-west; but their 
 transverse extent, as measured by a line at right angles from 
 the former, does not exceed 4,200 feet, somewhat more than 
 three-quarters of a mile. Without this area, the brine which 
 is met with is of a very weak and inferior quality, and at a 
 short distance disappears altogether. ‘The thickness of the 
 upper bed varies from sixty to ninety feet; and a general 
 estimate made from its level shows that its upper surface, 
 which is ninety feet beneath that of the earth, is at least 
 thirty-six feet beneath the low-water mark of the sea at 
 Liverpool—a fact not unimportant in determining the nature 
 of the formation of this mineral. The thickness of the lower 
 wed has not hitherto been ascertained ; but the workings are 
 usually begun at the depth of from sixty to seventy-five feet, 
 and are carried down for the space of fifteen or eighteen feet, 
 through what forms the purest portion of the bed. In one of 
 the mines a shaft has been sunk to a level of forty-two feet 
 still lower, without passing through the body of rock salt. 
 There is thus an ascertained thickness of this bed of about a 
 hundred and twenty feet, and without any direct evidence 
 that it may not extend to a considerably greater depth. 
 
 Although two distinct beds only of fossil salt have been met 
 with at Northwich, it has been ascertained that the same 
 limitations do not exist throughout the whole of the salt dis- 
 trict. At Lawton, near the source of the river Wheelock, 
 three distinct beds have been found, separated by strata of 
 indurated clay ; one at the depth of 126 feet, four feet in thick- 
 ness; a second, thirty feet lower, twelve feet in thickness ; 
 and a third, forty-five feet farther down, which was sunk into 
 seventy-two feet, without passing through its substance. ‘The 
 intervening clay, the structure of which is very peculiar, is 
 called the shaggy metal, and the fresh water which passes 
 through its pores has the expressive appellation of Roaring 
 Meg. This epithet will not appear too strong, when it is 
 mentioned that m a mine in which the section of strata was 
 wer and where the shaggy metal was ae at the depth of 
 
 2). Q 
 
4892 CURYOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. — 
 
 PDP OB EOLGP DIOL LOD PPL LPP PLP DIPDPLLPLLIPLSD OE PLELPE PIL LE EL LL LLE PIL BPP PDD DY CLPBLOL 
 
 Sait Mines and Sait Sorings of Cheshire. 
 
 wer OL PLE PDD PDIL LLL DLO LOD LOLDLIG DOE LIL LP GOLLL PLE GOD LOL DLE LOL DID LDL EDIE DDD ELE DDL DDE DIG are 
 
 about eighty feet, the quantity of water ascertained to issue 
 from its pores, in one minute, was not Jess than three hundred 
 and sixty gallons ; a circumstance greatly enhancing the diffi- 
 culties of passing a shaft down to the body of rock salt. 
 
 In many of these beds of argillaceous stone, a portion of 
 salt, sufficiently strong to affect the taste, 1s found to exist ; 
 and this saltness increases, as might be expected, in propor- 
 tion as the body of rock salt is approached: in the strata or 
 layers iminediately above the rock, which in all the mines are 
 perfectly uniform in their appearance and structure, it is par- 
 ticularly remarkable, notwithstanding there are not, in these 
 strata, any veins of rock salt connected with the great mass 
 below. On the contrary, the line between the clay and rock 
 salt is drawn with great distinctness in every instance, without 
 presenting any of those inequalities which would arise from a 
 mutual penetration of the strata. Not any marine exuviz, or 
 organic remains, are found in the strata above the rock salt; 
 and the almost universal occurrence of gypsum, in connexion 
 with beds of fossil salt, is a fact still more deserving of ob- 
 servation, because it appears, not only in these mines, but also 
 in the salt mines of Hungary, Poland, and ‘Transylvania, on 
 which account Werner, in his geognostic system, assigns to 
 the rock salt and floetz gypsum a conjwncet situation. 
 
 The fossil salt extracted from the Northwich mines is of 
 different degrees of purity, and more or less blended with 
 earthy and metallic substances. ‘The purer portion of the 
 lower bed yields a rock salt, which, being principally exported: 
 to the Baltic, obtains the name of Prussian rock. The ex- 
 tent of the cavity formed by the workings varies in different 
 mines, the average depth being about sixteen feet. In some of 
 the pits, where pillars from eighteen to twenty-four feet square 
 form the supports of the mine, the appearance of the cavity 
 is singularly striking, and the brilliancy of the effect is greatly 
 increased when the mine is illuminated by candles fixed to 
 the sideofthe rock. ‘Thescene thus formed almost appears to 
 realize the magic palaces of the eastern poets. Some of the 
 pits are worked in aisles or streets, but the choice here is 
 wholly arbitrary. Among the methods employed in working 
 out the rock salt, the operation of blasting is applied to the 
 separation of large masses from the body of the rock, and 
 these are afterwards broken down by the mechanical imple- 
 ments incommon use. The present number of mines is eleven 
 or twelve, from which there are raised, on an annual average, 
 fifty or sixty thousand tons of rock salt. The greater part of 
 this quantity is exported to Ireland and the Baltic, the re- 
 mainder being employed in the Cheshire distrvt, in the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A483 
 PLPLIE POCCIE DDG PDE DDL LOD PDD L OD DOD DED OO BDODPD DLO DD PLODDEID PO LPDDOP LOO DGD GOP ODOCCOOLG 
 
 Salt Mines and Salt Springs of Cheshire. 
 
 LOL LLL PDE PPP LPG PDL LOL ILE PLE PLD LOD PDD DID POL OOP DIGI PDE OOP 
 
 manufacture of white salt by solution and subsequent eva- 
 poration. 
 
 The general situation occupied by the rock salt in Cheshire 
 is very similar to that of the Transylvanian and Polish mines, 
 the beds of this mineral being disposed in small plains, bounded 
 by hills of inconsiderable height, forming a kind of basin or 
 hollow, from which there is usually only a narrow egress for 
 the waters. The situation of the Austrian salt mines near 
 Saltzburg is, however, very different. The mineral there 
 appears to be disposed in beds of great thickness, which oc- 
 cur near the summits of limestone hills, at a great elevation 
 above the adjoining country. This is a singular fact; and if 
 the hypothesis be allowed that rock salt is formed from the 
 waters of the sea, it is necessary to suppose the occurrence on 
 this spot of the most vast and surprising changes ! | 
 
 The theory of the formation of rock salt presents some diffi- 
 culties, at the same time that little doubt can exist of the 
 general fact, that the beds of this mineral have been formed 
 by deposition from the waters of the sea. Such an opinion ac- 
 quires much probability from the situation in which these beds 
 usually occur ;. occupying the valleys-and lower parts of the 
 plains which are so surrounded by hills of secondary formation, 
 as to leave only a narrow egress for the waters collected on their 
 surface. ‘The structure of the plain which constitutes the salt 
 district of Cheshire, regarded in its general character, leads 
 strongly to the conclusion that the waters of the sea must, at 
 some former period, have occupied the lower parts at least of 
 the basin thus formed, which at that time hada level lower by 
 two hundred and fifty or three hundred feet than the one now 
 appearing. ‘To account for the great depositions of salt in 
 the lower parts of this basin, it is necessary to suppose that 
 some barrier must have been afterwards interposed to pre- 
 vent the free communication of the waters of the sea with 
 those thus collected ; and the general course of the streams, 
 the position of the beds of rock salt, and the contractions in 
 the valley of the Weaver, which appear below Northwich at 
 Anderton and Frodsham, point out with some distinctness 
 the place where these obstructions may probably have occurred. - 
 
 he principal objection to this theory undoubtedly is, the 
 non-existence of marine exuvig, either in the rock salt, or in 
 the adjacent strata of clay; a fact very difficult to connect 
 with the idea of a deposition from the waters of the sea. 
 Other objections, though perhaps of less moment, arise from 
 the appearance of the earthy salts in smaller proportion in the 
 rock salt than in sea-water ; from the apparently partial depo- 
 sition of the beds; and from the difficulty of explaining the 
 
 PLP OLE POL LOO PLL LOLDLS 
 
ASA CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIO EDI PIPL Eo OPIPOLIP. 
 
 PIDPLIPD IE DODDLIII AG PPP DOIG LDDOL OL PPOLLDP LDL OL IOL DI DLO DODGOID 
 
 Salt Mines and Salt Springs of Cheshire.—Fata Morgana. 
 
 PLD LDP DLDOE LOL LOD LOO OLD BAG 
 
 PPO PPE: 
 
 PLLLPL ELLE LOL LLE PLL PLL LOE 
 
 formation of certain figured appearances which occur in the 
 substance of the rock. ‘These circumstances, however, by no 
 means authorise the rejection of the general idea which has 
 been given of the origin of this mineral, strengthened as it is 
 by the situation and appearances observed in the foreign salt 
 mines, where the proofs of marine deposition are still stronger 
 than those presented in the Cheshire district. 
 
 ae 
 
 ‘FATA MORGANA; OR OPTICAL APPEARANCES OF FIGURES 
 IN THE SEA AND AIR. 
 
 As when a shepherd of the hebrid isles 
 
 Placed far amid the melancholy main, 
 
 (Whether it be lone fancy him beguiles, 
 
 Or that aérial beings sometimes deign 
 
 To stand, embodied to our senses plain,) 
 
 Sees on the naked hill, or valley low, 
 
 The whilst in ocean Phoebus dips his wain, 
 
 A vast assembly moving to and fro; ’ 
 
 Then all at once in air dissolves the wondrous show. 
 THOMSON. 
 
 THEsE optical appearances of figures in the sea and air, in 
 the Faro of Messina, are the great delight of the populace, 
 who, whenever the vision is displayed, run about the streets 
 shouting for joy, and calling on every one to partake of the 
 glorious sight. ‘To produce this pleasing deception, many 
 circumstances must concur which are not known to exist in 
 any other situation. ‘The spectator must stand with his back 
 to the east, in some elevated place behind the city, that he 
 may command a view of the whole bay, beyond which the 
 mountains of Messina rise like a wall, and darken the back- 
 ground of the picture. The winds must be hushed, the sur- 
 face quite smoothed, the tide at its height, and the waters 
 pressed up by currents to a great elevation in the middle of 
 the channel. All these events coinciding, as soon as the sun 
 surmounts the eastern hills behind Reggio (on the Calabrian 
 coast opposite) and rises high enough to form an angle of 
 forty-five degrees on the water before the city, every object, 
 existing or moving at Reggio, will be repeated a thousand- 
 fold in this marine looking-glass, which, by its tremulous mo- 
 tion, is, as it were, cut into facets. Each image will pass 
 rapidly off in succession, as the day advances, and the stream 
 carries down the wave on which it appeared. ‘Thus the parts 
 of this moving picture will vanish in the twinkling of an eye. 
 Sometimes the air is at that time so impregnated with vapours, 
 and undisturbed by winds, as to renew objects in a kind of 
 
OURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A85 
 
 POIPPIP PLP POP. 
 Fata Morgana.—Lunar Rainbow,—Concentric Rainbow. 
 
 PPP LOE PPE PDIP LOG PLL LAOS? LIL PIL LLL LAID LED LDL DOP DLO? BDG OLE LOD LIL LLD LEG DDE GLE LLG DLE DRILLED DOL 
 
 PLP I LLILO POP? 
 
 POLLO P—L GL OL 
 
 aérial screen, rising about thirty feet above the level of the 
 sea. Incloudy, heavy weather, they are drawn on the surface 
 of the water, bordered with fine prismatic colours . . 
 
 Swinburne, in his travels, cites Father Angelucci as having 
 been the first to describe this phenomenon accurately. His 
 relation is as follows :—‘ On the 15th of August, 1643, as I 
 stood at my window, I was surprised with a most wonderful 
 and delectable vision. ‘The sea which washes the Sicilian 
 shore swelled up, and became, for twelve miles in length, like 
 a chain of dark mountains; while the waters near our Cala- 
 brian coast grew quite smooth, and in an instant appeared as 
 one polished mirror, reclining against the aforesaid ridge. 
 On this glass was depicted, in chiar-oscura, a string of several 
 thousands of pilasters, all equal in altitude, distance, and de- 
 gree of light and shade. In a moment they lost half their 
 height, and bent into arcades, like Roman aqueducts. A long 
 cornice was next formed on the top, and above it rose castles 
 innumerable, all perfectly alike. ‘These soon split into towers, 
 which were shortly after lost in colonnades, then in windows, 
 and at last ended in pines, cypresses, and other trees, even 
 ~ and similar. This was the Fata Morgana, which, for twenty- 
 ‘six years, I had thought a mere fable.” 
 
 ee 
 
 LUNAR RAINBOW. 
 
 THis very rare phenomenon was witnessed at Glapwell- 
 Hall, in Derbyshire, on the 25th of December, 1710, about 
 eight in the evening, with a remarkable and very unusual dis- 
 
 lay of colours. ‘The moon had passed her full about twenty- 
 foiir hours, and the evening had been rainy; but the clouds 
 were dispersed, and the moon then shone pretty clear. This 
 iris lunaris had all the colours of the solar iris, exceedingly 
 beautiful and distinct, only faint in comparison with those 
 which are seen in the day; as must necessarily have been the 
 case, both from the different beams by which it was occasioned, 
 and the disposition of the medium. What most surprised the ~ 
 observer was the largeness of the arc, which was not so much 
 less than that of the sun, as the different dimensions of their 
 bodies, and their respective distances from the earth, seemed 
 to require; but the entireness and beauty of its colours fur- 
 nished a charming spectacle. 
 
 =z 
 
 CONCENTRIC RAINBOW. 
 
 Tus extraordinary phenomenon, which is seen at sun-rise 
 on the Cordilleras of the Andes, in South America, was first 
 
 LPP PLIPDGPIPGPGPL PD PG ‘ 
 
486 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIPPI? 
 
 Concentric Rainbow. 
 witnessed by Ulloa and his companions in the wild heaths of 
 Pambamarca, and is thus described by him :—* At day-break 
 the whole of the mountain was enveloped in dense clouds, 
 which at sun-rise were dissipated, leaving behind them vapours 
 of so extreme a tenuity as not to be distinguishable to the 
 sight. At the side opposite to that where the sun rose on the 
 mountain, and at the distance of about sixty yards from the 
 spot where we were standing, the image of each of us was 
 seen represented, as if in a mirror, three concentric rainbows, 
 the last, or most exterior colours of one of which touched the 
 first of the following one, being centered on the head. With- 
 out the whole of them, and at an inconsiderable distance, was 
 seen a fourth arc purely white. They were all perpendicular 
 to the horizon; and in proportion as any one of us moved 
 from one side to the other, he was accompanied by the phe- 
 nomenon, which preserved the same order and disposition. 
 What was, however, most remarkable, was this, that although 
 six or seven persons were thus standing close together, each 
 of us saw the phenomenon as it regarded himself, but did not 
 perceive it in the others. This, adds Bouguer, is a kind of 
 apotheosis, in which each of the spectators, seeing his head 
 adorned with a glory formed of three or four concentric crowns 
 of a very vivid colour, each of them presenting varieties simi- 
 lar to those of the first rainbow, tranquilly enjoys the sensible 
 pleasure of reflecting that the brilliant garland he cannot dis- 
 cover in the others, is destined for himself alone.” 
 
 A similar phenomenon is described by Mr. Hagarth, F.R.S. 
 as having been seen by him on the loth of February, :780. 
 His relation is as follows :—‘ In ascending, at Rhealt, the 
 mountain which forms the eastern boundary of the vale of 
 Clwyd (in Derbyshire) I observed a rare and curious pheno- 
 menon. In the road above me, I was struck with the peculiar 
 appearance of a very white shining cloud, which lay remark- 
 ably close to the ground. The sun was near setting, but. 
 shone extremely bright; I-walked up to the cloud, and my 
 shadow was projected into it, its superior part being sur- 
 rounded, at some distance, by a circle of various colours, 
 _ whose centre appeared to be near the situation of the eye, and 
 whose circumference extended to the shoulders. ‘This circle 
 was complete, except what the shadow of my body intercepted. 
 It exhibited the most vivid colours, the red being outermost, 
 all of them appearing in the same order and proportion as: 
 they are presented to the-view by the rainbow. It resembled 
 very exactly what in pictures is termed a giory, surrounding 
 the heads of saints; not indeed that it exhibited the luminous 
 radiance which is painted close to the head, but an arch of 
 
7 
 CFTC, ae oer? 
 
 é 
 
 iy 
 << 
 
 iyi 
 
 cuit 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AS87 
 
 PPO OPP BOL POL PPD PPP PLL POL LPIPD LPP PPP LLP DPLG PPL PPP LEE PLO PLO DDO LPO LOD PPE PDIP LLO OLS 
 
 Coneentric Rainbow.—Attack of a Lioness. 
 
 ‘ 
 PRE PLE POL ODL POL EP E LVL LID LOPE LLL ODS PLL LIL LLL LPL LLL POLP LLL LPL ODL PDE LOL LLL LOD LOL DOL OPO PDA 
 
 concentric colours placed separately and distinctly from it. 
 As I walked forward, this glory approached or retired, just 
 as the inequality of the ground shortened or lengthened my 
 Shadow. ‘The cloud being sometimes ina small valley below 
 me, sometimes on the same level, or on higher ground, the 
 variation of the shadow and glory became extremely striking 
 and singular. 'Tovadd to the beauty of the scene, there ap- 
 peared, at a considerable distance, to the riglt and left, the 
 arches of a white shining bow. ‘These arches were in the 
 form of and broader than’a rainbow : but were not completely 
 joined into a semicircle above, on account of the shallowness 
 of the cloud.” 
 —a— 
 
 ATTACK OF A LIONESS. f 
 
 On Sunday evening, October 20, about a quarter before 
 eight, the mail-coach, from Exeter to London, was attacked 
 at Winterslowe Hut, seven miles from Salisbury, in a most 
 extraordinary manner. At the moment when the coachman 
 pulled up to deliver his bag, the off-leader was suddenly seized 
 - by a ferocious animal. This produced great confusion -and 
 alarm: two inside passengers got out, ran into the house, and 
 with little ceremony proceeded up stairs, where they locked 
 themselves in; the horses kicked and plunged violently, and 
 it was with difficulty the coachman could prevent the carriage 
 from being overturned. It was soon perceived, by the light: 
 of the lamps, that the animal which had seized the horse was 
 a huge lioness; and which it appeared had escaped from a 
 caravan, standing on the road-side, belonging to the pro- 
 prietors of a menagerie, on their way to Salisbury Fair. An 
 alarm being given, the keeper immediately came forward, and 
 rendered every assistance. A large Newfoundland dog, be- 
 tween which and the lioness a fondness had existed, was set 
 at her, and seized her by the leg. The lioness, on finding 
 herself attacked, quitted the horse and turned upon the dog, 
 _ which it was expected would very soon become the victim of 
 her fury ; but the animal, with more reproach than vicious- 
 ness, inflicted a slight punishment on it, and on hearing the 
 voice of the keeper, reiired underneath a staddle granary, 
 
 where, soon after, the keeper very deliberately got in, put his 
 arms around her neck, seid aeeunel her without any further 
 injury. The lioness, it appears, attacked the horse in front, 
 and springing at his throat, had fastened the talons of her 
 fore-feet on each side of his neck, close to the head, while the 
 talons of her hind-feet were forced into his chest. In this 
 situation she hung, while the blood was seen flying, as if a 
 
ARS CURIOSITIES OF MATURE AND ART. 
 
 OF LPP PPL LOD IPP DOP GIDL OOD LLY PIO LLL PO LLIF PPP ILO LO LL LD PDL PLL LOD POLE DOPL DOL DDL PY PE PEDO ADP 
 
 Attack of a Lioness. —Peeke’s Combat with Three Spaniards, 
 
 PPPLALL LOL LOL LOS PLE DILDLIIL LOL ODL LED LPD LIL LDPE LPL LLD LOL LEL PPL ELL DIL PLL LIL DOL POL PLO EPP PPP 
 
 vein had been opened by a lancet. The ferocious animal 
 missed the throat and the jugular vein, but the horse was so 
 dreadfully torn, he was not expected to survive. ‘The ex- 
 pression of agony, in his tears and moans, was most piteous 
 and affecting. He was a capital horse; anda great favorite 
 of the proprietor (Mr. Weeks, of Salisbury) ; he is descended 
 from Sir Solomon, and was well known on the turf by the 
 name of Pomegranate.—A fresh horse was procured, and the 
 mail drove on, after being detained three-quarters of an hour. 
 The lioness is an uncommonly fine young animal, only five 
 years old; and the manner in which she was secured, after her 
 attack on the horse, affords a remarkable proof of the extreme 
 state of tameness.to which such ferocious creatures are brought 
 by the management of their keepers: when she had retired 
 under the staddle granary, her owner and his assistants, after 
 a short deliberation, followed her upon their hands and knees _ 
 with lighted candles, and having placed a sack on the ground 
 near her, they made her lie down upon it; they then tied her 
 four legs, and passed a cord round her mouth, which they 
 secured; in this state they drew her out from under the 
 granary, upon the sack, and then she was lifted and carried 
 by six men into her den in the caravan. ‘To the astonishment 
 of every one who beheld this part of the transaction (which 
 lasted about a quarter of an hour), the lioness lay as quietly 
 as a lamb during her removal to the caravan ; but when there, 
 she became sensible of the restraints she was under, and her 
 rage was excessive, till the cords which annoyed her were 
 loosened. 
 
 =i 
 PEEKE’S COMBAT WITH THREE SPANIARDS. 
 
 Ir would be a very difficult matter to persuade the public 
 that one Englishman will not at any time beat three French- 
 men; indeed, to doubt it for a moment would be deemed 
 heresy. In the field we have often done much more, as the 
 ensanguined plains of Cressy, Poictiers, Agincourt, and Min- 
 den, bear witness. It has, however, been generally consi- 
 dered that our national superiority lay more in our physical 
 strength than in generalship, though in this we have, to say 
 the least of it, always been a match for the French. 
 
 A singular instance of English skill and valour is related 
 in a very.scarce tract, entitled ‘“‘ Three to One.—Being an 
 English Spanish Combat, performed by a Westerne Gentle- 
 man of ‘l'avystoke, in Devonshire, with an English Quarter- 
 Statfe, against three Spanish Rapiers and Poniards, at Sherries, 
 in Spain, the 15th day of November, 1625. In the presence 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AWD ART. AS9 
 Peeke’s Combat with Three Spaniards, 
 of Dukes, Condes, Marquesses, and other great Dons of 
 Spain, being the Counsel of Warre. The author of this book 
 and actor in this encounter, R. Peeke.” 
 
 Richard Peeke was a native of Tavistock, who had been a 
 voyage to Algiers, entered as a volunteer in the expedition 
 against Cales in Spain, and who, to use his own phrase, “ per- 
 formed some desperate service” at the castle of Puntall, on 
 that coast. On the surrender of the castle, the English troops 
 landed, when some of them, wandering up the country for 
 plunder, were set upon by the Spaniards and killed. Peeke, 
 who landed after them, hearing there was no danger in ven- 
 turing up the country, set out alone. He had scarcely pro- 
 ceeded a mile on his way when he discovered the bodies of 
 three Englishmen dead, and one just dying: he reselved if 
 possible to carry the wounded man on board the English ship, 
 and set out with him on his back. He was pursued bya 
 Spanish horseman, whom he threw to the ground, and then 
 began to rifle his pockets ; but a party of fourteen musketeers 
 came up at the time and took him prisoner. He was leda 
 prisoner into the town of Cales, where he reports to have 
 seen “ Englishmen’s heads kicked about the streets like foot- 
 balls, and thefr ears cut off and worn in Spanish hats, in 
 scorn.” . 
 
 After Peeke had been confined eighteen days in prison at 
 Cales, he was ordered to Xeres, about three leagues distant, 
 to take his trial, where he underwent a long examination 
 before several of the nobles, who passed bitter taunts and 
 jokes on his countrymen. One Spaniard compared the Eng- 
 lish to hens, which so roused Peeke’s indignation, that he 
 said, if the English were hens, the Spaniards were chickens 
 and pullets. The Duke of Medina, who was present, frowned, 
 and asked Peeke if he dared fight with one of those pullets. 
 This was readily accepted ; a combatant was brought forward, 
 but Peeke soon disarmed him, and presented his weapons, 
 rapier and poniard, to the nobles. He was then asked if he 
 would engage ancther Spaniard. ‘ Another!” says Peeke, 
 ‘“‘ ay, for the honor of my country 1 will do good service 
 against any six, and that without any other weapon than a 
 halberd, deprived of its head.”’ 
 
 The noblemen present thinking six persons too many for 
 one man to encounter, restricted the number to three, who 
 were armed with two weapons, a rapier and poniard each. 
 Peeke modestly excuses his presumption in undertaking so 
 unequal a contest by saying, “ ‘To die 1 thought most certain, 
 pu to die basely I would not; for three to oa one, had been 
 
 21. R 
 
ASN CURIOSITIES OF WATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP POP COP L OP PLO POL LLOL EDL LDL PDL LOD DOD PDL DDL LOO LDE LID LO LODO PLO LEP LOO DDO DOD ODO LDOLOCELOPD 
 
 Peeke’s Combat with Three Spaniards.—The Fatal Revenge. 
 
 POLI EPP LIL IPL IEPLIOF LOL 
 
 LOE LEL LLO LEO LOE LLL 
 
 PIL LIL LG LIE LLOL ALE ELE LDODLIE PRE ILS 
 
 to me no dishonor, to them (weapons considered) no glory. 
 Upon these thoughts I fell to it.” 
 
 The Spaniards made many desperate thrusts with their 
 rapiers, which Peeke parried, and at length by a well-directed 
 blow laid one of his adversaries dead at his feet. ‘The other 
 two were soon so handled, that they both took to their heels, 
 one running to the band of soldiers for protection, and the 
 other sheltering himself behind the judges. The Spaniards 
 who were assembled, seeing their countrymen thus defeated, 
 became clamorous against the Englishman; but the Duke of 
 Medina Sidonia immediately declared it death to any man 
 that dared to injure him. A collection of nearly five pounds 
 was made for him by the judges; he was presented to the 
 King at Madrid, who offered him a place, but he refused, and, 
 returning to England, published the narrative from which 
 this account is taken. 
 
 pas Pa 
 THE FATAL REVENGE. 
 
 On the 8th of September, 1727, some strollers took a pup- 
 ‘pet-show to the village of Barnwell, in Cambridgeshire, for 
 the purpose of exhibiting it in a large thatched barn ; but just 
 as the show was about to begin, an idle fellow attempted to 
 enter the barn without paying, which the owners of the show 
 prevented, and a quarrel ensued. After some altercation, 
 the fellow departed, and the door being fastened, all was quiet; 
 ‘but this execrable villain, to revenge the supposed injury he 
 ‘had received from the showman, went to a heap of hay and 
 ‘straw which stood close to the barn, and secretly set it on fire. 
 ‘The spectators of the show, who were in the midst of their en- 
 tertainment, were soon alarmed by the flames, which had now 
 communicated rapidly to the barn. In the sudden terror 
 ‘which instantly seized the whole assembly, every one rushed 
 towards the door, which unfortunately happened to open in- 
 ‘wards ; and the crowd that was behind still urging those that 
 were before, they pressed so violently against it, that it could not 
 ‘be opened; and being too well secured to give way, the whole 
 ‘company, consisting of more than one hundred and twenty 
 persons, were kept confined in the building till the roof fell in, 
 which covered them with fire and smoke: some were suffo- 
 ‘cated in the smouldering thatch, and others were consumed 
 alive in the flames: six only escaped with life; the rest, among 
 ‘whom were several young ladies of fortune, and many inno- 
 cent children, were reduced to one undistinguishable heap of 
 “mangled bones and flesh, the bodies being half consumed, and 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AQ} 
 
 PIPPI PPLILP PIPL IOP LIL PDP PLEL DG DLO LLL ODL DOLE LDL LLL DOOD LDD DOD PLP PDL LIP 
 
 The Fatal Revenge.— Wonders of Littleness. 
 
 LOL PLP LLI LLP PLOL DEE LOE LOD? GLE LOL DOL LOL LED LLE DOD LOO L OCD LE LOD ELE ODF 
 
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 totally disfigured. The surviving unhappy friends of the 
 dead not knowing which were the relics they sought, a large 
 hole was dug in the churchyard, and all were promiscuously 
 interred together in one grave: and what contributed still 
 more to heighten this horrible event was the escape of the 
 villain without any punishment being inflicted on him. 
 
 —— 
 
 WONDERS OF LITTLENESS.. 
 
 Puiny and Atlian relate, that Myrmecides ‘wrought out of 
 
 ‘Ivory a chariot with four wheels and four horses, and a ship — 
 with all her tackling, both in so small a compass, that a bee 
 could hide either with its wings. Nor should we doubt this, 
 when we find it recorded in our own domestic history, on less 
 questionable authority, that in the twentieth year of Queen 
 Elizabeth’s reign, a blacksmith of London, of the name of 
 Mark Scaliot, made a lock of iron, steel, and brass, of eleven 
 pieces, and a pipe key, all of which only weighed one grain. 
 Scaliot also made a chain of gold, of forty-three links, which 
 he fastened to the lock and key, and put it round the neck of a 
 flea, which drew the whole with perfect ease. ‘The chain, 
 Key, lock, and flea, altogether, weighed but one grain and a 
 alf! . | 
 
 Hadrianus Junius saw at Mechlin, in Brabant, a cherry- 
 stone cut into the form of a basket; in it were fourteen pair 
 of dice distinct, the spots and numbers of which were easily 
 to be discerned with a good eye. 
 
 But still more extraordinary than this basket of dice, or 
 any thing we have yet mentioned, must have been a set of 
 turnery shown at Rome, in the time of Pope Paul the Fifth, 
 by one Shad of Mitelbrach, who had purchased it from the 
 artist, Oswaldus Norhingerus. It consisted of sixteen hundred 
 dishes, which were all perfect and complete in every part, yet 
 so small and slender, that the whole could be easily enclosed 
 in a-case fabricated out of a peppercorn of the ordinary size! 
 The Pope is said to have himself counted them, but with the 
 help of a pair of spectacles, for they were so very small as to 
 be almost invisible to the naked eye. Although his holiness 
 thus satisfied his own eyes of the fact, he did not, we are 
 assured, require of those about him to subscribe to it on the 
 credit of his infallibility; for he gave every one an oppor- 
 tunity of examining and judging for himself, and among the 
 persons ‘thus highly favored, particular reference is made to 
 Sip Schioppins, and Johannes Faber, a physician of 
 
 ome. 
 
 Turrianus, of whose skill so many wonderful things are re- 
 
4992 “CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ' PP PPP GPP IPOLPLOPPGOLP OPE OOP OEI PIPILD EPP PLP EP IP OPIPGL PDP LGPL OPLOO POP 
 Wonders of Littleness, 
 
 PPP OPP LDP PPOL DEG ODL ODPL DESL OE LE LOE LOD LD ELLE LDPE LES OPE LOE OLDE LEE DLDE DGD OPP ODL LOGO LDL PDO OPE OOP 
 
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 Jated, is said to have fabricated iron mills, which moved of 
 themselves, so minute in size, that a monk could carry one in 
 his sleeve; and yet powerful enough to grind, in a single 
 day, grain enough for the consumption of eight men. 
 
 In penmanship, the productions of this class hive been very 
 numerous, and some of them not a little extraordinary. In 
 the reign of Queen Elizabeth, as Dr. Heylin, in his Life of 
 King Charles, relates, ‘“‘ there was one who wrote the Ten 
 Commandments, the Creed, the Pater Noster, the Queen’s 
 name, and the year of our Lord, within the compass of a 
 penny; and gave her Majesty a pair of spectacles, of such. 
 an artificial making, that by the help thereof, she did plainly 
 and distinctly discern every letter.” 
 
 A gentleman now living in Liverpool, has written the whole 
 of Mr. Roscoe’s poem of “ Mount Pleasant,” in a square of 
 three inches and one-sixth, by two inches and seven-sixteenths ; 
 Goldsmith’s poem of “The Traveller,” (488 lines) in a square 
 of three inches and a half, by three inches and a half; the 
 book of the Prophet Malachi, in a kind of pyramid, not ex- 
 ceeding an ordinary little finger in bulk; and the Lord’s 
 Prayer, in the circle of three-sixteenths of an inch, which may 
 be distinctly read with a magnifying glass, and by some with- 
 out that help. Legh tt 
 
 This astonishing instance of industry and perseverance was 
 produced by the exertions of Mr. Beedle, of Ottery St. Mary, 
 whose skill in minute penmanship has placed him far beyond 
 the reach of competition. He has just executed another spe- 
 cimen, comprehending ninety-three thousand four hundred and 
 eighty letters in a space of three inches and a half, by three 
 inches and a half, exceeding his former attempt within the 
 same limits by many thousand letters. The following are 
 the pieces he has chosen, and which are written without the 
 slightest abbreviation : — Goldsmith’s Traveller, Deserted 
 Village, Essay on Education, Distresses of a disabled Sol- 
 dier, the Tale of Azim, Essay on Justice and Generosity, on 
 the Irresolution of Youth, on the Frailty of Man, on Friend- 
 ship, on the Genius of Love, and the national anthem of “God 
 save the King.” In the central circle he had delineated Ottery 
 church, all the shades and lines of which form part of the 
 writing. Though written without the aid of glasses, it re- 
 quires microscopic powers to distinguish the characters. We 
 understand that Mr. Beedle will make no further attempt, in 
 consequence of the injury it has occasioned his sight, and the 
 confidence that what he has now done cannot be surpassed, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. A93 
 
 DIGPIP PP OPEL OLE PDOL LODE OLDE PDP LEOPOLD DP PLP DLO ODO DODD 
 
 PPS PPIPPLIPLDS COE 
 Lord Lyttleton’s Presentiment of his own Death. 
 
 DIE ILE PPL PLP PP OP ILL ODE LOP LPP LIE LOE OPE DIL LOD LOL GOGO DOD DOD DLO DDPD LOC DLC PPO DDO LIL ODO DPLL DOP 
 
 LORD LYTTLETON’S PRESENTIMENT OF HIS OWN DEATH. 
 
 Tue singular circumstances attending the death of the 
 celebrated Lord Lyttleton are thus related by his friend 
 Miles Peter Andrews, Esq. 
 
 About a week before thintMatén died, he said he went to 
 bed pretty well, but restless; soon after his servant had left 
 him, he heard a footstep at the bottom of his bed ; he raised 
 himself in order to see what it could be, when one of the most 
 angelic female figures that imagination could possibly paint 
 presented itself before him, and, with a commanding voice and 
 action, bade him attend, and prepare himself, for on such a 
 night, and at the hour of twelve, he would surely die! He 
 attempted to address the vision, but was unable, and the ghost 
 vanished, and left him in a state more easily to be conceived 
 than could be described. His valet found him in the morning 
 more dead than alive, and it was some hours before his Lord- 
 ship could be recovered sufficiently to send for his friends, to 
 whom he thought it was necessary to communicate this ex- 
 traordinary circumstance. Mr. Miles Peter Andrews was 
 one of the number sent for, being at that time one of his most 
 intimate associates. Every person to whom Lord L. told the 
 tale, naturally turned it into ridicule—all knowing him to be 
 very nervous and superstitious; and tried to make him believe 
 it was a dream ;—as they. certainly considered so themselves. 
 Lord L. filled his house with company, and appeared to think 
 as his friends would wish him. Mr. M. P. Andrews had busi- 
 ness which called him to Dartford, and therefore soon took 
 his leave, thinking Lord Lyttleton quite composed on this 
 subject, so that his friend’s dream dwelt so little on his ima- 
 gination, that he did not even recollect the time when it was 
 
 redicted that the event would take place. One night after 
 2 left Pitt Place, the residence of Lord Lyttleton, he supposed 
 he might have been in bed half-an-hour, when, endeavouring 
 to compose himself, suddenly his curtains were pulled open, 
 and Lord L. appeared before him at his bedside, standing in 
 his robe-de-chambre and night-cap. Mr. A. looked at him 
 some time, and thought it so odd a freak of his friend’s, that 
 he began to reproach him fur his folly in coming down to 
 Dartford Mills without notice, as he could find no accommo- 
 dation ; ‘“ however,” said he, “ V’ll get up and see what can 
 be done.”’ He turned to the other side of the bed, and rung 
 the bell, when Lord L. disappeared. Mr. Andrews’s servant 
 soon after entered, when his master inquired, ‘‘ where is Lord 
 Lyttleton ?”” The servant, all astonishment, declared he had 
 not seen any thing of his Lordship since they left Pitt Place. 
 
494A CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Lord Lyttleton’s Presentiment of his own Death. 
 
 ‘¢ Pshaw, you fool,” replied Mr. A. “ he was here this moment 
 at my bedside.” The servant persisted that it was not possible, 
 Mr. A. dressed himself, and, with the servants, searched every 
 part of the house and garden, but no Lord 1. was to be 
 found; still Mr. A. could not help believing that Lord L. 
 had played him this trick for his disbelief of his vision, till, 
 about four o’clock the next day, an express arrived to inform 
 him of Lord L.’s death, and the manner ef it, by a friend who 
 was present, and gave the following particular account of it. 
 That on the morning before Lord L. died, he entered the 
 breakfast-room between ten and eleven o’clock; appeared 
 rather thoughtful, and did not answer any inquiries made by 
 his friends respecting his health, &c. At dinner he seemed 
 much better, and, when the cloth was taken away, he ex- 
 claimed “‘ Richard’s himself again !’? but, as night came on; 
 the gloom of the morning returned. However, as this was 
 the predicted night of dissolution, his friends agreed that it 
 would be right to alter the clocks and watches in the house. 
 This was managed by the steward, without Lord L. suspect- 
 ing any thing of it, his own watch, which lay on his dressing- 
 table, being altered by his valet. During the evening they 
 got him into some pleasant discussion, in which he distin- 
 guished himself with peculiar wit and pleasantry. At half- 
 past eleven, as he conceived it, from the alteration of the 
 clocks, (but it was only eleven,) he said he was tired, and 
 would retire to bed; bade them a good night, .and left them 
 all delighted with his calm appearance. During the day, not 
 the least hint was given by any one to him of the dream. 
 But of course, as soon as he had withdrawn, the conversation 
 instantly turned upon it. The discourse continued till nearly 
 twelve o’clock, when the door being hastily opened, Lord 
 L.’s valet entered, pale as death, crying out, “ My Lord is 
 dying!” His friends flew to his bedside; but he expired be- 
 fore they could all assemble round him! Lord L.’s valet gave 
 to them the following statement, viz. that Lord L. made his 
 usual preparations for bed; that he kept every now and then 
 looking at his watch; that when he got into bed, he ordered 
 his curtains to be closed at the foot. It was now within a 
 minute or two of twelve, by his watch, he asked to look at 
 mine, and seemed pleased to find it nearly keep time with his 
 own. His Lordship then put them both to his ear, to satisfy 
 himself if they went. When it was more than a quarter after 
 twelve by our watches, he said, “‘ This mysterious lady is not a 
 true prophetess, I find..—When it was near the real hour of 
 twelve, he said, “ Come, I'll wait no longer; get me my me- 
 dicine ; I’ll take it, and try to sleep!” 1 just stepped into the 
 
CURICEITIES OF NATURE AND ART. AQ5 
 POP POG GOL LIL PLD PPI PPLE PLL LOL LOO LE DOL OLLPIPD PLE LOG LEE PIE LED LEDGE GOEDEL PDP OL LD OLDS OL ODPL OPP PLL 
 
 Lord Lyttleton’s Presentiment of his Death.—Murder in Russia.— Deafness Cured. 
 
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 dressing-room to prepare the physic, and had mixed it, when 
 I thought I heard my Lord breathing very hard—I ran to 
 
 him, and found him in the agonies of death! 
 ee 
 MURDER IN RUSSIA. 
 
 Aw extraordinary murder was lately committed at Peters- 
 burgh. The servant of.a family, on going into the kitchen, 
 found a basket containing an infant, together with a letter, 
 and ,purse of 200 roubles. he letter escaped her notice, 
 and, tempted by the money, the inhuman wretch resolved to 
 destroy the child. She threw it into the large stove used in 
 that country, where the poor innocent was speedily con- 
 sumed, the money secreted, and every ‘thing likely to lead to 
 suspicion put away, by the time that the family, which had 
 been abroad, returned home. The master, however, a hu- 
 ‘mane and respectable man, by accident found the letter, 
 which informed him of the deposit, and stated that he should 
 receive 200 roubles every quarter while the infant, whom cir- 
 cumstances forced its parents to conceal, lived under his 
 charge. He called up the servant, who at first denied all 
 knowledge of the fact; but being closely questioned, at last 
 _confessed her crime, to the enormity of which the ashes from 
 the stove bore horrible testimony.—She was committed to 
 _»yrison, and paid her forfeit life to the laws. 
 
 DEAFNESS CURED. ; 
 
 It is mentioned in a German Journal, that in 1750, a mer- 
 chant of Cleves, named Jorrissen, who had become almost 
 totally deaf, sitting one day near a harpsichord, where some 
 persons were playing, and having a tobacco-pipe in his mouth, 
 the bowl of which rested against the body of the instrument, 
 was agreeably surprised to hear all the notes in the most dis- 
 tinct manner. By a little reflection and practice he again ob- 
 tained the use of this valuable sense, which, as Bonnee says, 
 connects us with the moral world; for he soon: learned, by 
 means of a piece of hard wood, one end of which he placed 
 against his teeth, to keep up a conversation, and to be able to 
 understand the least whisper. He soon afterwards made his 
 beneficial discovery the subject of an inaugural dissertation, 
 published at Halle, in 1754. Perolie has given some excel- 
 lent observations on ‘the capability of hard bodies to conduct 
 sound, in the Memoirs of the Academy of Turin, for 1790 and 
 1791. Theeffect is the same if’the person who speaks rests 
 the stick against his throat or his breast; or when one rests 
 the stick which he holds in his teeth against some vessel into 
 which the other speaks. : 
 
4C6 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 COP LOLS L OLLIE ELI OL OLD LL LPELOLLLD ODL PDE EOL DLE DDDDIDL ILE LLL DLS PLL PPD LOLI OLD LPL EID ODP OM, OP 
 
 Lashionab.e Rat.—Legal Murder—John Calas. 
 
 FES MAI FOLLOOLEDLIOOC POOR IO ILIDLAE PDF 
 
 POOL DOR IE ODO LES LOD LOC GOLD ODL LODGED LE DESDE OCOIOE OEP 
 
 FASHIONABLE RAT. 
 
 In December, 1815, a full-grown rat was caught in a shop 
 here, the neck of which was found to be embellished with the 
 very unusual decoration of two finger-rings; these were of 
 the description manufactured as baubles for children, and 
 were fancifully disposed round the neck of the animal, the 
 stone of one gracing the breast, while that of the other adorned 
 the centre of the neck behind. Conjecture is at a loss to ac- 
 count for the circumstance of the rat becoming so oddly equip- 
 ped: the rings were so small as to be even less than half the 
 circumference of the head; and the skin around the neck, ex- 
 posed to the tight friction of the rings, had become completely 
 excoriated ; beneath them the hair was entirely worn off, and 
 the flesh protruded in some parts over the rings. This suffi- 
 ciently indicates that the poor animal must have become pos- 
 sessed of this piece of troublesome finery when very young, 
 and leads to the conclusion of the rings having been stolen by 
 the parent-rat and carried to her nest, where, by a singular 
 fatality, this one of her progeny might have put its head 
 through both, and been afterwards unable to extricate itself 
 from either. It is well known that these animals are ex- 
 tremely fond of trinkets, and in the present case, several rings 
 of the same description had been, at some distance of time, 
 missed from the shop where the rat was caught. It havin 
 been killed in the taking, a gentleman in town had it stuffed, 
 which has been admirably performed by an ingenious mechanic 
 in Large, of the name of Wilson, and it is now in the pos- 
 session of the former.—Glasgow Paper. 
 
 Ee 
 
 LEGAL MURDER; OR THE DANGER OF TAKING AWAY LIFE 
 ON CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE, 
 
 JOHN CALAS. 
 
 Tue murder of Calas, committed at Toulouse, by the hand 
 of justice, on the 9th of March, 1772, is one of the most sin- 
 gular events which can be offered to the attention of the pre- 
 sent age, or of posterity. We soon forget the crowds that 
 perish in battle, not only because their lot is the inevitable 
 consequence of war, but because those who die by the fate of 
 arms might have slain their enemies, and have not perished 
 without defending themselves. Where the danger and the 
 advantage are equal, our astonishment ceases, and even our 
 pity is weakened ; but if the father of an innocent family is 
 delivered into the hands of error, of passion, or of fanaticism ; 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 407 
 Legal Murder; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence —J.Calas. 
 if the accused has no defence but his virtue; if his judges 
 have nothing to apprehend from his death but the imputation 
 of error; if they can murder him by their sentence with impu- 
 nity, then the public voice is raised, every one fears for himself; 
 we see that no man can hold his life in any security before a 
 tribunal erected with a view to guard the lives of citizens; 
 and we all unite in demanding vengeance. 
 
 In this strange affair, religion, suicide, and parricide have 
 been blended. The questions were, whether a father and. 
 mother had: strangled their own son to obtain the favor of 
 God? Whether a brother had strangled his brother, or a 
 friend his friend; and whether the judges had the guilt of 
 having broken on the wheel an innocent father, or of having 
 saved a guilty mother, brother, and friend? 
 
 John Calas, at the age of sixty-eight, had been in the busi- 
 ness of a merchant at ‘lVoulouse for forty years, and was con- 
 sidered by all those who had lived with him as.a good father. 
 He and his wife were protestants, and so were all his children 
 except one, who had abjured heresy, and to whom he allowed 
 a small annuity. He was so far removed from that absurd 
 fanaticism which breaks all social bonds, that he approved the 
 conversion of his son Louis Calas, and had kept in the house 
 for thirty years a female servant who was a zealous. catholic, 
 and. who had brought up)all his children. 
 
 One of the sons of John Calas, called Mark Anthony, was 
 a man of letters. He was deemed.a person of a restless, me- 
 lancholy,:and violent disposition. ‘This young man, not being 
 able to manage or to succeed in mercantile business, for which 
 he was not qualified, and not being admitted as advocate: or 
 counsel, because a. certificate of his being a catholic was 
 necessary, resolved to put an end to his life, and communi- 
 cated his design to one of his friends. He, strengthened his 
 resolution by reading every thing that had been written on 
 
 suicide: 
 In short, having lost his money one day at play, he was de- 
 termined by that circumstance to execute his design. A friend 
 of his, as well as of the family, called Lavaisse, arrived from 
 Bourdeaux in the evening. He was a youth of the age of 
 nineteen, remarkable for the candour and sweetness of his 
 manners, and the son of a celebrated advocate at ‘Toulouse. 
 He supped, by a kind of accident, at the house of Calas, The 
 father, the mother, Mark Anthony, the eldest, and Peter, the 
 second son, were of the company. After supper, they with- 
 drew into a little hall, and Mark Anthony disappeared, 
 When the young Lavaisse had taken his ate and Peter 
 21, I 8 
 
498 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POLI PEP OD EPL PBI PPPOE PO OD OPE E DPPOG DOE PD PPE PCP PPLE LL PLP PLL POPOL PL LOL LLL OL POLO LDP LOBE PLE LOO PEA 
 Legal Murder ; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J.Calas. 
 
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 Calas was accompanying him down stairs, they found Mark 
 Anthony stripped to his shirt, and hanging at the door of the 
 warehouse. His clothes were folded and laid on the counter ; 
 his shirt was but a little discomposed; his hair was carefully 
 combed, and his body had neither wounds nor bruises. 
 
 We shall not here repeat the details of what passed on this 
 occasion, given by the advocates; we shall not attempt to 
 describe the grief and despair of the father and mother, whose 
 cries were heard through the neighbourhood. Lavaisse and 
 Peter Calas, in a state Tittle short of distraction, ran to bring 
 surgeons and officers of justice. 
 
 While they were acquitting themselves of this duty; while 
 the father and mother were sobbing and shedding tears from 
 the bitterest grief, the people of Toulouse crowded round the 
 house. ‘They are superstitious and passionate; each of them 
 would regard, as a monster, a brother who was not of the same 
 religion with him. It was at Toulouse that solemn thanks 
 were offered up to Gaod for the death of Henry III. and that 
 an engagement was entered into, upon oath, to cut the throat 
 of the first person who should speak of acknowledging the 
 title of the great and good Henry LV. ‘That city continues a 
 yearly solemnity, in which, by a procession, and by fewx de 
 Joie, they celebrate the day in which, two centuries ago, they 
 massacred four thousand citizens for the misfortune of heresy. 
 Six edicts of council have been issued in vain to forbid these 
 odious festivals. ‘The inhabitants of Toulouse’ continue to 
 rejoice in them, as those of a better disposition would in the 
 Games of Flora. 
 
 Some fanatic among the populace exclaimed, that John Calas 
 had hanged hisown son. ‘That exclamation being repeated, 
 was unanimously assented to ina moment. It was added by 
 some persons, that the deceased young man was to have made 
 his abjuration the following day, but that his family, assisted 
 by the young Lavaisse, had put him to death out of hatred to 
 the catholic religion. ‘This was admitted beyond doubt. 
 The whole city was persuaded, that it is a principle of religion 
 among the protestants, that a father and mother should assas- 
 sinate their son, when he entertained any thoughts of being 
 converted. 
 
 When the minds of men are once set in motion, it is not 
 easy to stop them. It was supposed, that the protestants of 
 Languedoc had assembled the preceding evening ; that they 
 had chosen by a plurality of voices an executioner of their 
 sect; that the choice had fallen on young Lavaisse; that the 
 young man, in four-and-twenty hours, had received the news 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 499 
 
 PPO PLO PLD DIL DOO PPL DLE PIPL LIL LLL LOL LOD LOL BLO D PDE DLL DLL PDL DPD DDL LOL DLE PLL DDD IOP DLE OP OG OD 
 
 Legal Murder; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J.Calas 
 
 PLO L IL PDL PLE DDG PLE DOI OLDE PLD LDL LLLP LLL LLL PDD LLL DLO DLO L LE PDO PLOL DLE LODPDLD DOLE ODD DIA GDI PIS 
 
 of his election, and had travelled from Bourdeaux to aid John 
 Calas, his wife, and his son Peter, to murder a friend, a son, 
 and a brother. 
 
 Sieur David, Sheriff of Toulouse, roused by these rumours, 
 and wishing to have the merit of a prompt execution, insti- 
 tuted a process contrary to the rules and laws observed on 
 such occasions. The family of Calas, Lavaisse, and the ca- 
 tholic servant, were put in irons. 
 
 A monitory letter enjoining those who knew any thing of 
 this affair to reveal it, and which was no less iniquitous than 
 the process, was published. They went further: Mark An- 
 thony Calas died a calvinist—and if he had put an end to 
 his own life, his body should have been dragged through the 
 streets; but he was buried with the greatest pomp in the 
 church of St. Etienne, though the curate protested against it 
 as the grossest profanation. 
 
 There are in Languedoc four fraternities of penitents—the 
 white, the blue, the grey, and the black. These brothers 
 wear a large cowl and a mask of cloth, with two holes to see 
 through. They had hopes to engage Duke Fitz-James, the 
 commandant of the province, to become one of their body, 
 but he refused them. ‘The order of white brothers celebrated 
 a solemn service at the interment of Mark Anthony Calas, as 
 if he had died a martyr. No festival sacred to a real martyr 
 was ever observed with more solemnity ; but the pomp of it 
 was terrible: they placed on a magnificent scaffold a skeleton, 
 which they could cause to move, that represented Mark An- 
 thony Calas holding a palm in one hand, and in the other a 
 
 en, with which he was to have signed his abjuration of heresy, 
 but which, in effect, wrote the death-warrant of his unhappy 
 father. 
 
 There was but one step further to be taken with the poor 
 youth who had put an end to his life, and that was canoniza- 
 tion. The people considered him as a saint; some invoked ; 
 some prayed at his shrine; others requested miracles, and 
 others related those which he had performed. A monk drew 
 out some of his teeth, in order to be in possession of durable 
 relics. A devotee, who had been deaf, said he had heard the 
 sound of the bells; and a priest, who had received a stroke of 
 an apoplexy, was cured on taking only an emetic. ‘They pre- 
 pared narratives of these miracles. The auther of this account 
 has an attested case of a young man who lost the use of his: 
 understanding by remaining whole nights in prayer on the 
 tomb of this new saint, and not obtaining any of the miracles 
 which he implored. 
 
 Some of the magistrates were of the fraternity of white 
 
500 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 * POPOL PEP LPG POP GP PPPIPF 
 
 PDP POP ODPPDPECEL DE GGL PPP ODP 
 Lega) Murder ; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantia] Evidence—J.Calas. 
 
 DPRPISS POO LLP POL GGL LBD ERG LIF. 
 
 PIL LOLIE LPG LOE LIE DLP LPL LOR LEP LEP PIF ILO 
 
 penitents. This circumstance ensured the death of John | 
 Calas. , 
 
 ‘I'he minds of men were particularly inclined.to his punish- 
 ment by the approach of that singular festival, in which the 
 inhabitants of ‘Voulouse recognised the massacre of four thou- 
 sand Huguenots; the year 1762 was their secular year. They 
 prepared throughout the city the apparatus of.this solemnity. 
 This fired the imaginations of the people, which were already 
 warmed. ‘They publicly said, that the scaffold on which Calas 
 was to be broken on the wheel would be the greatest orna- 
 ment of the festival, and that providence had prepared this 
 victim as a sacrifice to our holy religion. Many persons’ have 
 heard and attested this kind of discourse. It seems hardly 
 credible at this time, when philosophy has made so greatia 
 progress and when a hundred academies are writing to me- 
 
 iorate our manners. Fanaticism, irritated by the success cf 
 reason, struggles under it with uncommon rage. 
 
 Thirteen judges assembled every day to try that cause. 
 There was no proof of guilt, indeed there could‘be none, 
 against the family of Calas: but false religion furnished what 
 would serve as such. Six judges insisted, long and violently, 
 that John Calas, his son Peter, and young Lavaisse, should 
 be broken on the wheel, and that the wife of Calas should be 
 burnt. The other seven, something more moderate, wished 
 to have the affair examined into. This occasioned long and re- 
 peated debates. One of the judges, convinced of the innocence 
 of the accused, and even of the impossibility of their having 
 committed the crime, spoke warmly in their favor; he opposed 
 the zeal of humanity to that of cruelty. He became the pub- 
 lic advocate of the family of Calas, throughout Toulouse, 
 where the constant clamor of false religion required the 
 blood of those unfortunate persons. Another of ‘the judges, 
 remarkable for his violence, was proveked by their being de- 
 fended, and used more zeal and industry in inflaming the 
 city against them. In short, this contest grew so warm, that 
 both the judges were obliged to decline their attendance on 
 business, and to retire into the country. 
 
 But, unfortunately, the judge most favorable'to Calas had 
 the delicacy to persist in his absence ; and the other returned 
 to give his voice against persons whom it had not been decent 
 for him to sit in judgment upon. His voice was fatal to the 
 pretended criminal, who was condemned by eight against five; 
 one out of the six judges favorable at the: commencement, 
 after long persuasion being brought over to’the more severe 
 and cruel party. 7 
 [To be continued. | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 591 
 
 PPP PIL LPL POL LPIDPDOP 
 
 PP PIL PLO LO ODDS 
 
 A Learned’ Hebrew.—Longevity : Mr.‘Samuel’Welch-ami otliets. 
 
 are PPLIOI LED ILL IDLLILS PIP LIE LILLIE DED LPL DOD LLL LID ODD DDE PLO PDD DPPDDODDDDCDODP DE ODDOPD PPS 
 
 A LEARNED HEBREW. 
 
 Wuen M. Cailland, the French mineralogist, was travelling 
 in Egypt, he one.day indulged his genius in sporting with the 
 penetration and antiquarian knowledge .of a .contemporary 
 traveller, then at Thebes ;.a gentleman well informed in mat- 
 ters of general observation, but not generally skilled in the 
 finer shades and. more precise discrimination of profound re- 
 search. M. Cailland instructed an Arab to present him with 
 a pipe, on which had ‘been. engraven, with some art, several 
 hieroglyphical characters. This amateur of rarities was.a 
 stranger to the bychante pipes commonly used in Abyssinia ; 
 he examined the pipe with great care, and conceiving it to be 
 an object extremely interesting, became an eager purchaser, 
 and gave the mysterious Bedouin thirty dollars for what was 
 not worth accepting. 
 
 ie 
 
 LONGEVITY. 
 MR. SAMUEL WELCH, AND OTHERS. 
 
 Mr. Samvet We tcu, now living at Bow (United States) 
 has advanced more than eight months in the one hundred and 
 twelfth year of his age. He was born in Kingston, September 
 ], 1710. Mr. Welch has resided in Bow nearly ‘fifty years. 
 His life has been marked by no extraordinary vicissitude; he 
 was never sick but once during his long life, and then.of a 
 slight fever. He was always: temperate. ‘Through life he 
 has been.a man of hard labor; and appears:to have beenrof a 
 retiring disposition, preferring the most obscure retreats to 
 the noise, the vexations, and dangers of society. We lately 
 visited this old man, and found him sitting in his chair—his 
 present wife, now eighty-four years of age, smoothing his 
 white locks with her comb, and exhibiting the utmost interest 
 in his welfare. He is now unable to walk, except by holding 
 upon chairs or the arms of his attendants, though his heaith 
 does not appear rapidly to decline. When at the age of 105, 
 he used to work about his little farm, cut his fire-wood, &c. 
 and until the last two years he walked out of doors without 
 assistance. He is in person rather above the middle size, of 
 Grecian features, with dark penetrating eyes. His locks are 
 of a clayed white, looking as if they had already mouldered in 
 the grave. His frame is now feeble—the least movement 
 causes his bones to grate at the joints; and we feel a moment- 
 ary chill at the presence of a man whose appearance speaks 
 such a lesson of decay and gradual dissolution! His hands 
 
5N2 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP L OP PGP L OP OLOL OP LOG L IF POP L?GL IOP POP PGP OPP LDS L DE PDE LOD POLLO PLL DED LDP LDODDL DP DOE OOOGOA 
 
 Longey'ty : Mr. 8, Welch—James Sands—Ann Grime—Mr. Edw. Byrne. 
 
 PIG PILI DL GLP PIPL PGP PPP LIE PIPL OF. 
 
 PLP OL 
 
 PPL LIP LOL PPLE LIPO PLE LLE PLL OLDE DLO DOLP 
 
 are withered, dry, and cold—the expanded veins starting out 
 in ruddy fulness. His countenance is fair, though wrinkled 
 with the cares of a century and an eighth. His mental facul- 
 tins appear to be little impaired; his memory, however, as 
 his wife informed us, begins to fail, and he cannot connect his 
 ideas with much precision. He is still amiable and social, 
 and were it not that his hearing is somewhat affected, he 
 would be a most interesting person in conversation. We 
 asked him many questions, to all which he made very sensible 
 replies. ‘‘ His life,” he said, “ was but a span, though he had 
 lived more than half the time since the landing of our fathers 
 at Plymouth rock. It had now become a burthen to him, and 
 he was willing to depart when it should please the Almighty.” 
 In the annals of longevity in this state, there are but three 
 to be found who have reached the age of Mr. Welch. ‘Those 
 three are, Mr. Lovewell, of Dunstable, who lived to be 120; 
 William Perkins, of Newmarket, 116; and Robert Macklin, 
 of Wakefield, 115. ‘The two first are supposed to have been 
 born in England; the last was a native of Scotland. We 
 cannot recal to recollection a single instance of any one born 
 in the State of New Hampshire, who has arrived at the age 
 of Mr. Welch.—American Paper. 
 
 James Sanps, of Horborn, in Staffordshire, lived to the 
 age of 140 years, and his wife 120. He outlived five leases 
 
 of twenty-one years each after his marriage, and died about 
 the year 1625. 
 
 On Sunday, the 23d of March, was interred, at Pilling, 
 Ann Grime, widow. She was married the first time at the 
 age of seventeen, was a wife eighteen years, then continued a 
 widow fourteen years ; married again and was a wife twenty- 
 seven years; again a widow four years; at the age of 
 eighty, she married for the last time, and continued a wife 
 thirteen years. She died at the age of ninety-three, being 
 only a widow a few months. She had no children save to her 
 first husband, from whose loins sprung upwards of three 
 hundred children and grandchildren, forty of whom were 
 great-great-grandchildren. 
 
 Died lately, at Six-mile Bridge, county Clare, at the ad- 
 vanced age of 100 years, Mr. Enwarp Byrne, formerly an 
 eminent clothier; he retained his faculties to the last; his 
 wife still survives him, and she is in her 105th year, to whom 
 he was married nearly eighty years ; she possesses her facul- 
 ties, with the exception of sight. | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 593° 
 PPO LLL ILE BLE PDDL OL ODO PPO LLL PLL PLP PPP IPP ODP POL ODO PDO POO PLO DDO LLL LD OL OPO LPO LDL OD SOOLOL 
 
 Eccentric Biography—Chevalier D’ Eon. 
 
 PIL LIL LLL LID DIO LED IDL LED LEE LED LPDO PL OLED LOD LDP L LOL DOD LOD DOD DDE DOS DOE OOO LOO ODE LIIL OL e~ _ 8 
 
 ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHY. 
 CHEVALIER D’EON. 
 
 Tue Chevalier D’EKon, who was well known in London, 
 was employed on diplomatic missions, and figured in some 
 affairs of honor, passed many years of his life as a female. 
 The Chevalier was born at Tounerre, in Burgundy, in 1728, 
 and when of a proper age was, through the interest of the 
 Prince of Conti, presented with a cornetcy of dragoons. He 
 was afterwards employed as secretary of legation, in important 
 embassies to Russia and England; and served as aide-de- 
 camp to Marshal Broglio on the Rhine: he acquitted himself 
 so well on these several occasions, as to be invested with the 
 order of St. Louis, by the French king. 
 
 It was about the year 1771, that doubts first publicly arose 
 in England as to the sex of the Chevalier D’Eon, although it 
 had previously been the subject of conversation at St. Peters- 
 burgh. ‘The English, who wish to decide every disputed point 
 by a wager, made the Chevalier’s sex a sporting subject. 
 Considerable bets were laid, and gambling policies of insur- 
 ance, to a large amount, were effected on his sex.’ In 1777, 
 an action was brought on one of these before Lord Mansfield, 
 for the recovery of £700.. The plaintiff was a surgeon, of 
 the name of Hayes, and the defendant, Jacques, a broker, who 
 received premiums of fifteen guineas, for every one of which 
 he engaged to return £100, whenever it should be proved that 
 the Chevalier was a woman. ‘The plaintiff brought two 
 French witnesses, who swore that the Chevalier was a female. 
 Lord Mansfield reprobated the transaction, but held the wager 
 fair ; in consequence of which, a verdict was given for the 
 
 laintiff. ‘The matter was afterwards solemnly pleaded before 
 ies Lordship, when the defendant pleading the act of parlia- 
 ment, which rendered legally null all gambling debts above 
 ten pounds, the insurers in this shameful transaction were de- 
 prived of their expected gains. 
 
 The Chevalier was now regarded as a woman, and, accused 
 of being an accomplice in these gambling transactions, anda 
 sharer of the plunder, was compelled to leave England. 
 
 - He however previously published the following letter in 
 the newspapers :— aie j ae 
 
 “ By an article of advice (or caution) inserted in the Morning 
 Post of the 13th and 14th Nov. 1775, Nos. 951 and 952, I had 
 most earnestly desired the public of England, who have always 
 testified their benevolence towards me, not to renew any yell 
 on my sex. I declared that I would not manifest it juridically 
 
54 GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART 
 eee tat 080226 LOE PL OPDEDIECOLELDIDDGE ID 
 Eccentric Biography—Chevalier D’Eon. 
 
 CLE LOG BODOG LOE OL LOLP LDL LOPLOO LGD LIOLDL ODPL LED LEE LLL ODL L DEL EL LDL L DE LDP EDD LL LS LOD ODPL IL OOP 
 
 DIPLO OOO DIP POP. 
 
 while my policies were made, and till the old ones were an- 
 nulled: but, if that was impossible, I should be obliged to 
 retire from this country, that I esteemed as next to my na- 
 tive one. 
 
 ‘¢ The avidity that my enemies have proved for money, the 
 auri sacri fumes that possess them, has unhappily prevailed. 
 “i‘hey have not only renewed the old policies, but they have 
 also obtained, on ‘Vuesday, the Ist of July last, a judgment at 
 the tribunal of the King’s Bench to decide my sex. | 
 
 ‘¢ In consequence, I keep, with regret, my word with the 
 alles I leave, with pain, my dear England, and where I be- 
 
 ieved I had found tranquillity and liberty, to retire to my na- 
 tive country, to be near to an august master, whose protection 
 and goodness will prove a greater assurance of tranquillity 
 than all the Magna Chartas of this island. ’ | 
 
 ‘“‘ If the parties interested and losing in those policies, would 
 take my advice, I would counsel them not to pay any thing 
 yet; because the judgment of the King’s Bench, where they 
 have decided the question of my sex, was given without my 
 being privy to it, and against my consent; because I will op- 
 pose myself to that judgment when the tribunal of the King’s, 
 Bench shall have resumed their sittings, and thatthe King m 
 master will permit me to return to England. It will then be 
 the proper time and place to offer all my reasons against the 
 three witnesses who gave evidence on my sex. 
 
 ‘¢ | had rather perish than be triumphant from the weakness. 
 of the sex imputed to me. I have never made use of aught 
 ~ but my quality of captain of dragoons to combat my enemies, 
 when they have had the heart. How sad for me to have had 
 to do, since my misfortunes in England, with only a.set of 
 avaricious wretches and poltroons? My sex was never in- 
 quired into when I was sent to fight and negociate with the 
 enemies of my country. Iam always wnus et idem. 
 
 ‘“¢ Being unwilling to abuse the public patience, though on 
 the eve of my departure, and that it will very likely be for 
 the last time, I here declare authentically, that, if any one, 
 whether in France or in England, can convict me, in any court 
 of justice, of being interested for a single shilling in any one 
 or more policies, [ will distribute all 1 am worth in the world 
 to such hospital or charity that the said tribunal shall indicate. 
 
 | “ Le Cuev. D’Eon.” 
 
 London, \Wth Aug. 1777. 
 Brewer Street, Golden Square. 
 
 On his return to France, we find him confirming the rumors 
 against. him by assuming the female dress. In excuse for this, 
 it was said that this.was not a matter, of choice, but insisted 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. ‘505 
 
 PPP LEP PPI 
 
 PLP LLP PLD LLP OOP rr POPP PDD DPP PDIP DD PDP LIP 
 Eccentric Biography :—Chevalier D’ Eon—Mr. Howe, the Absent Husband. 
 
 , ae 
 
 LIOOLLO LLL SLO LOL DID DOT attain 
 
 on by the French court. The female garb once assumed was 
 never relinquished. 
 
 In 1785, the Chevalier returned to England, living on his 
 pension, until deprived of it by the French revolution. In 
 4795, he issued an advertisement, in which ‘the Chevalier 
 D’Eon states—“ That at the age of sixty-eight, she embraces 
 the resource of her skill and long experience in the science 
 of arms, to’cut her bread with her sword, and instead of idly 
 looking up for support from professed’ friends, she relies on 
 the liberality of Britons at large, to protect an unfortunate 
 woman of quality from the ‘ stings and arrows of outrageous 
 fortune’ in a foreign land, and in the vale of years.” 
 
 ‘Phe appeal was not made in vain; the Chevalier, who was 
 well skilled in fencing, opened an academy, and “ cut her 
 bread with her sword,” until the year 1810, when the Chevalier 
 died; and her friends were for the first time enabled with full 
 confidence to say to all the world,—“ rus was A MAN.” 
 
 7 
 
 : £ 
 MR. HOWE, THE ABSENT HUSBAND. 
 
 _ 
 
 “ Asour the year 1706, 1 knew” says Dr. King, “one Mr. 
 Howe, a sensible well-natured man, possessed of an estate of 
 £700. or £800. per annum; he married a young lady of good 
 family, in the west of England; her maiden name was Mallet, 
 she was agreeable in her person and manners, and proved a 
 very good wife. Seven or eight years after they had been 
 married, he rose one morning very early, and told his wife he 
 was obliged to go to the ‘Tower to transact some particular 
 business: the same day at noon, his wife received a note from 
 him, in which he informed her, that he was under the necessity 
 of going to Holland, and. should probably be absent three 
 ' weeks or a month. He was absent from her seventeen years, 
 during which time she never heard from him or of him. ‘The 
 evening before he returned, whilst: she was at supper, and 
 with some of her friends and’ relations, particularly one Dr. 
 Rose, a physician, who had married her sister, a billet, with- 
 out any name subscribed, was delivered to her, in which the 
 writer requested the favor of her to give him a meeting the 
 next evening in the Birdcage’ Walk, in St. James’s’ Park. 
 When she had read the billet, she tossed it to Dr. Rose, and 
 laughing, said, ‘ You see, brother, old as | am, I have a gal. 
 lant.’ Rose, who perused the note with more attention, de- 
 clared it to be Mr. Howe’s handwriting: this surprised all 
 the company, and so much affected Mrs. Howe, that she 
 fainted. away; however, she soon recovered, when it was | 
 agreed that Dr. Rose and his wife, with sil gentlemen 
 
 22. BT 
 
506 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Eccentric Biography :—Mr. Howe, the Absent Husband, 
 
 OPP OOO LID DLID COO LOE GOP 
 
 POP PIP LOR 
 
 LIF. 
 
 ait 
 
 POP LAF. 
 
 PRO 
 
 and ladies who were then at supper, should attend Mrs. Howe 
 the next evening to the Birdcage Walk: they had not been 
 there more than five or six minutes, when Mr. Howe came to 
 them, and after saluting his friends and embracing his wife, 
 walked home with her, and they lived together in great har- 
 mony from that time to the day of his death. But the most 
 curious part of my tale remains to be related. 'When Howe 
 left his wife, they lived in a house in Jermyn Street, near St. 
 James’s Church: he went no farther than to a little street in 
 Westminster, where he took a room, for which he paid five or 
 six shillings a week, and changing his name, and disguising 
 himself by wearing a black wig (for he was a fair man) he re- 
 mained in this habitation during the whole time of his absence ! 
 He had two children by his wife when he departed from her, 
 who were both living at that time; but they both died young 
 in a few years after. However, during their lives, the second 
 or third year after their father disappeared, Mrs. Howe was 
 obliged to apply for an act of parliament to procure a proper 
 settlement of her husband’s estate, and a provision for herself 
 out of it during his absence, as it was uncertain whether he 
 was alive or dead; this act he suffered to be solicited and 
 passed, and enjoyed the pleasure of reading the progress of it 
 in. the votes, in a little coffee-house, near his lodging, which 
 he frequented. Upon his quitting his house and family in the 
 manner I have mentioned, Mrs. Howe at first imagined, as 
 she could not conceive any other cause for such an abrupt 
 elopement, that he had contracted a large debt unknown to 
 her, and by that means involved himself in difficulties which 
 he could not easily surmount; and for some days she lived in 
 continual apprehensions of demands from creditors, of seizures, 
 executions, &c. But nothing of this kind happened; on the 
 contrary, he did not only leave his estate quite free and un- 
 encumbered, but he paid the bills of every tradesman with 
 whom he had any dealings; and upon examining his papers, 
 in due time after he was gone, proper receipts and discharges 
 were found from all persons, whether tradesmen or others, 
 with whom he had.any manner of transactions or money con- 
 cerns. Mrs. Howe, after the death of her children, thought 
 Pater to lessen her family of servants, and the expenses of 
 
 ér housekeeping; and therefore removed from her house in 
 Jermyn Street to a small house in Brewer Street, near Golden 
 Square. Just over against her lived one Salt, a corn-chan- 
 dier. About ten years after Howe’s abdication, he contrived 
 to make an acquaintance with Salt, and was at length in such 
 a degree of intimacy with him, that he usually dined with him 
 once or twice a week. From the room in which they ate, it 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 507 
 
 POOLIDDOY DOF 
 
 DIP 
 
 OPORAEIPLIIL ODS 
 Eccentric Biography :—Mr. Howe, the Absent Husband.— Petrified Corpse. 
 
 POP 
 
 PPL LPL IPL IP 
 
 GIF PILL PLL LIL PDD LOS PDL OLED LE POP OPP 
 
 was not difficult to look into Mrs. Howe’s dining-room, where 
 she generally sat, and received her company ; and Salt, who 
 believed Howe to be a bachelor, frequently recommended his 
 own wife to him as a suitable match. During the last seven 
 years of this gentleman’s absence, he went every Sunday to 
 St. James’s church, and used to sit in Mr. Salt’s seat, where 
 he had a view of his wife, but could not easily be seen by her. 
 After he returned home, he would never confess, even to his 
 most intimate friends, what was the real cause of such a sin- 
 gular conduct ; apparently there was none; but whatever it 
 was, he was certainly ashamed to own it. Dr. Rose has often 
 said to me that he believed his brother Howe would never 
 have returned to his wife, if the money which he took with 
 him, which was supposed to have been £1000. or £2000. had 
 not been all spent: and he must have been a good economist, 
 and frugal in his manner of living, otherwise his money would 
 scarcely have held out; for I imagine he had his whole for- 
 tune by him, I mean what he carried away with him in money 
 or bank-bills, and daily took out of his bag, like the Spaniard 
 in Gil Blas, what was sufficient for his expenses.” 
 
 oa 
 
 PETRIFIED CORPSE. 
 
 On the 31st of May, 1781,.a grave was opened to make way 
 for another coffin at Hathersedge, in Derbyshire, a village 
 on the road between Castleton and Sheffield. In this grave 
 Benjamin Ashton had been buried on the 29th of December, 
 1725, aged forty-two ; his coffin was opened either from acci- 
 dent or curiosity, when his body was discovered, the whole 
 mass quite petrified—not incrusted, but the whole substance 
 changed to stone. The appearance induced the people to 
 take it out of the coffin, in doing which, the head was broken 
 off, and showed that the whole substance was become a solid 
 mass. 
 
 The likeness remained so strong, that some who knew him 
 when alive remembered his features perfectly.—His face and 
 belly were swarthy, the under parts of a somewhat different 
 color. It was replaced in the coffin and buried again. ‘I'he 
 coffin, which was made of oak plank, one inch and a haif thick, 
 was as sound as when put into the ground, and was without 
 any appearance of petrifaction about it! 
 
 here was a strong spring of water in the grave, which hai 
 made its way into the coffin, yet had made no change in that, 
 nor has it been otherwise known to possess a petrifying quality. 
 
508 CURIOSITIES OF NATURES AND ART. 
 
 POP LOS ELBOLODIOPR EOS LIL LOL LEO LG IIG PDLOLOLL LD OIL DOP LID LDICLIO LEE EGP POP ODILLE DDE GIA 
 
 A Trinitarian. —Delicate Spinning.—Method of Hatching Chickens in Egypt. 
 
 PHIL LGLOOYOEPLOLE LOD LOL LPP LLOLLELOLPE LOD ODE LEE LLL LOL LOL LLG 
 
 4 
 LOLI tinted 
 
 A TRINITARIAN,. 
 
 THERE is now living in a country village, a man who has 
 been three times married; each of his wives’ names were the 
 same; he had three children by each, and each lived with him 
 three years. He was a widower between each marriage three 
 years, has three children living, the third by each wife, and 
 whose birth-days are within three days of each, other :—his 
 last wife has been dead three years, and he expects to be 
 married again in three months. 
 
 escape 
 DELICATE SPINNING. . 
 
 SomE years ago a pair of worsted stockings were made, of 
 such delicate texture, that they could be drawn through a 
 lady’s ring of ordinary size; and a machine has since been 
 invented, which spins woollen yarn wnuch superior in fineness: 
 By this machine a pound of yarn may be rendered worth ten 
 guineas, producing ninety-five hands of five hundred and sixty 
 yards each in length, 55,200 yards, or thirty miles and four 
 hundred yards. | 
 
 eee 
 CURIOUS METHOD OF HATCHING CHICKENS 1N EGYPT. 
 
 ‘ Berore daylight in the morning, Sept. 5,” says Dr. 
 Clarke, in his Travels, ‘‘ we went to the village of Rerinbal, 
 to see the manner of hatching poultry, by placing their eggs 
 in ovens, so frequently mentioned by authors, and so well 
 described by one of otr ablest travellers, George Sandys. 
 Notwithstanding this, the whole contrivance, and the. trade 
 connected with it, are accompanied by such extraordinary 
 circumstances, that it required all the evidence of one’s senses 
 to, give them credibility. We were conducted to one of the 
 principal buildings constructed for the purpose; and entered 
 by a narrow passage, on each side of which were two rows of 
 chambers, in two tiers, one above the other, with cylindrical 
 holes, as passages, from the lower to the upper tier. ‘The 
 floor of the upper tier is grated and covered with mats, on 
 which is laid camel’s dung ; somewhat resembling the manner 
 of placing hops, for drying, in English oast-houses. We 
 counted twenty chambers, and in each chamber had been 
 placed 3000 eggs; so that the aggregate of the eggs then_ 
 hatching amounted to the astonishing number of sixty thou- 
 sand. .Of these, above half are destroyed in the process. 
 The time of hatching continues from autumn until spring. 
 At first all the eggs are put in the lower tier. The most im- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 509 
 DOP LOG IPP PLS. 
 
 Curious Method of Hatching Chickens in Egypt.—Whirlwinds, &c. of Egypt. 
 
 POP LIE FOF 
 
 IF PLP PLILE POP GG PD OP DID DOP DOOD 
 
 DOX 
 
 LPP LIL LDL LID DIG PLDILDE LID LOE DOG LDOL OO LDL LOD LOO LED DOD DOD DDE LID DIO DIS 
 
 portant part of the business consists, of course, in a precise 
 attention: to the requ‘site temperature: this we would wil- 
 lingly have ascertained by the thermometer, but could not 
 adjust it to the nice test adopted by the Arab superintendent 
 of the ovens. His manner of ascertaining it is very curious.— 
 Having closed one of his eyes, he applies an egg to the out- 
 side of hi¥ eyelid: and if the heat be not great enough to 
 cause any uneasy sensation, all is safe; but if he cannot bear 
 the heat of the egg thus applied to his eye, the temperature of 
 the ovens must be quickly diminished, or the whole hatch will 
 be destroyed. During the first eight days of hatching, the 
 eggs are kept carefully turned. At the end of that time the 
 culling begins. Every egg is then examined, being held be- 
 tween a lamp and the eye; and thus the good are distin- 
 guished from the bad, which are cast away. ‘Two days after 
 this culling, the fire is extinguished—then half the eggs upon 
 the lower are conveyed to the upper tier, through the cylin- 
 drical passages in the floor; and the ovens are closed. In 
 about ten days more the chickens are hatched. At this time, 
 a very singular ceremony ensues. An Arab enters the ovens; 
 stooping and treading upon stones placed so that he may walk 
 among the eggs without injuring them, and begins clucking 
 like a hen, contiruing this curious mimicry until the whole 
 are disclosed. We heard this noise, and were equally sur- 
 _ prised and amused by the singular adroitness of the imitation. 
 The chickens thus hatched are then sold to persons employed 
 in rearing them. Many are strangely deformed; and great 
 numbers die, not onlyin rearing, but even during the sale ; 
 for, to add to the extraordinary nature of the whole under- 
 taking, the proprietors of those ovens do not give themselves 
 the trouble of counting the live chickens in order to sell them 
 by number, but dispose of them, as we should say, by the gal- 
 lon, heaping them into a measure containing a certain quan- 
 tity, for which they ask the low price of a parah, rather more 
 than a farthing of our money.” — | 
 
 | breton 
 
 THE WHIRLWINDS, MIRAGE, AND LOCUSTS OF EGYPT. 
 
 “‘ A strone wind that arose this day leads me to mention 
 some particulars of the phenomena that often happen in Kgypt. 
 The first I shall notice is the whirlwinds, which occur all the 
 year round, but especially at the time of the camseen wind, 
 which begins in April, and lasts fifty days.. Hence the name 
 of camseen, which in Arabic signifies fifty. It generally blows 
 from the south-west, and lasts four, five, or six days without 
 varying, so very strong, that it raises the sands to a great 
 
510 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 LF. BLL LPG PLE LLPOLPPPOLIOOD GOL 
 
 The Whirlwinds, Mirage, and Locusts of Egypt. 
 
 POLLO G POL LLL LOD LOL PLE POL PDL PDL LLIE LOLDGOG! GLEE LLL LDL LLL DOLE DLOGLD PPP 
 
 wer 
 
 PLL PDL PDL LLP? 
 
 height, forming a general cloud, so thick that it is impossible 
 to keep the eyes open, if not under cover. It is troublesome 
 even to the Arabs ; it forces the sand into the houses through 
 every cranny, and fills every thing with it: The caravans 
 cannot proceed in the deserts; the boats cannot continue 
 their voyages ; and travellers are obliged to eat sand in spite 
 of their teeth. The whole is like a chaos. Often a quantity 
 of sand and small stones gradually ascends to a great height, 
 and forms a column sixty or seventy feet in diameter, and so 
 thick, that were it steady on one spot it would appear a solid 
 mass. ‘This not only revolves within its own circumference, 
 but runs in a circular direction over a great space of ground, 
 sometimes maintaining itself in motion for half an hour, and 
 where it falls it accumulates a small hill of sand. God help 
 the poor traveller who is caught under it ! 
 
 ‘The next phenomenon is the mirage, often described by 
 travellers, who assert having been deceived by it, as at a dis- 
 tance it appears to them like water. This is certainly the 
 fact; and I must confess that I have been deceived myself, 
 even after I was aware of it.. The perfect resemblance to 
 water, and the strong desire for this element, made me con- 
 clude, in spite of all my caution not to be deceived, that it 
 was really water I saw. It generally appears like a still lake, 
 so unmoved. by the wind, that every thing above is to be seen 
 most distinctly reflected by it, which is the principal cause of 
 the deception. If the wind agitate any of the plants that arise 
 above the horizon of the mirage, the motion is seen perfectly, 
 at a great distance. If the traveller stand elevated much 
 above the mirage, tho apparent water seems less united and 
 less deep; for, as the eyes look down upon it, there is not 
 thickness enough in the vapour on the surface of the ground 
 to conceal the earth from the sight. But, if the traveller be 
 on a level with the horizon of the mirage, he cannot see 
 through it, so that it appears to him clear water. By putting 
 my head first to the ground, and then mounting a camel, the 
 height of which from the ground might have been about ten 
 feet at the most, I found a great difference in the appearance 
 of the mirage. On approaching it, it becomes thinner, and 
 appears as if agitated by the wind, like a field of ripe corn. 
 lt gradually vanishes as the traveller approaches, and at last 
 entirely disappears when he is on the spot. : 
 
 “‘ The third phenomenon is the docusts. These animals I have 
 seen in such clouds, that twice the number in the same space 
 would form an opaque mass, which would wholly intercept 
 the rays of the sun, and cause complete darkness. ‘They 
 alight on fields of corn, or other vegetables, and in a few 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. All 
 
 PECLIS PIE POL PIPL PIS 
 
 PLP GPL PPP PPLE LIL LPL LIP 
 
 ; PLIPIPPRDPOD 
 The Whirlwinds, Mirage, and Locusts of Egypt.—Confusion of the Senses. 
 
 POL IPP LOL ELE LDL LOD PII ADS 
 
 De ee 
 
 POP. 
 
 PPP DLP ?® LE GPP OPP 
 
 minutes devour their whole produce. The natives make a 
 great noise to frighten them away, but in vain; and, by way 
 of retaliation, they catch and eat them, when fried, consi- 
 dering them a dainty repast. They are something like the 
 grasshopper in form, about two inches in length. They are 
 generally of a yellow or gold color, but there are some red 
 and some green.” —Belzoni’s Travels. 
 
 CONFUSION OF THE SENSES. 
 
 SOME years ago there was a woman residing in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Lyons, who seemed to have the quality of one 
 sense transferred to another. A very learned physician, a 
 writer in the Journal de Santé, gives an account of having 
 visited this woman at Lyons. He says :—“ To believe in 
 apparent impossibilities is often the necessity of men of 
 science ; but it is their good fortune likewise to discover, that 
 the world contains many more miracles than is at first ima- 
 gined ; that nothing is impossible, as referred to the omnipo- 
 tence of the Deity; and that impossibilities are much rarer 
 in the combination of human life than the vanity of science 
 will acknowledge. 
 
 ‘The woman whom I visited, and to whom I presented 
 several sorts of medicines, powders, simples, compounds, and 
 many other substances, which | am convinced she never saw 
 before, told me their several tastes, as nearly, and with as 
 much precision, as taste could pronounce. She described 
 them, indeed, with astonishing exactness, and frequently when 
 my own palate was confounded. 
 
 ‘¢ Her eyes were next bound with a thick bandage, and I 
 drew from my pockets several sorts of silk ribbands. All 
 those that differed in the original colors she immediately told 
 me. It was in vain to attempt puzzling her; she made no 
 mistake ; she passed the ribband merely through her hand, and 
 immediately decided on its peculiar color. She could, in fact, 
 discover the quality of any thing by the touch or taste as ac- 
 curately as I could do with my eyes. 
 
 “The organs of hearing were then closed, as well as the 
 contrivance of stuffing the ears would answer the purpose. I 
 then commenced a conversation with a friend in the apart- 
 ment, and spoke in almost inaudible whispers. She repeated, 
 with great power of memory, every word of the conversation. 
 in short, | came away a convert; in other words, believed 
 what | had seen. A philosopher knows the fallibility of the 
 senses; but he should know, likewise, that science ought not 
 io reject. because. it cannot have demonstration.” 
 
512 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. ~ 
 
 POPPGE DOG * 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 DDFS EPP PEL IPF DP PAPE LOC ODO BOLD OLD 
 
 GPP PILI IO LIL LDS 
 
 DLDL LOOP LE LDOP DL BOP LOD DDL DD OD LD LOL DOI PDO PIE OOF ’ 
 
 CAPTAIN PARRY’S NORTHERN EXPEDITION. 
 
 ‘Tue return of the Expedition under the command of Cap- 
 tain Parry from the voyage to discover a North-west passage 
 is an event of so much public interest, that the readers of the 
 Wonderful Magazine will, we trust, not only.excuse our de- 
 voting a considerable portion of our present number to an 
 account of its proceedings, but will feel that we have done 
 our duty towards. them, in using strenuous exertions to gather 
 from every authentic quarter the leading particulars of this 
 narrative. 7 | 
 
 On the 10th instant, the Fury and Hecla arrived at Ler- 
 wick, in Shetland, and were received with demonstrations of 
 such welcome as was due to our gallant countrymen on their 
 safe arrival from so perilous an undertaking, and after so long 
 an absence, during which no true tidings concerning them 
 had reached their native land. The town was illuminated, 
 _ and the navigators were entertained in the most hospitable 
 manner. Leaving Lerwick, the vessels made the northern 
 . coast of England on Thursday the 16th, where Captain Parry, 
 Lieutenant Hoppner, and the Reverend Mr. Fisher (the 
 chaplain and astronomer to the Expedition) were landed, and 
 immediately set off for London, which they reached on Sa- 
 turday morning. Meanwhile the ships sailed for the River, 
 and on ‘Tuesday afternoon anchored in the Galleons, about 
 three miles below Woolwich. On Wednesday, at noon, they 
 again sailed, and in a couple of hours were moored off the 
 dock-yard at Deptford, amid the’ cheers of hundreds, who 
 lined the shore as they passed along to their destination. 
 
 ‘On their way up the river, they were boarded by several 
 persons of note, and by many kind and anxious friends, whose 
 meetings with their respective relations, and persons dear to 
 them, formed a scene altogether of the most interesting de- 
 scription. Here was Sweethearts and Wives far better acted 
 than even at the Haymarket, and the representation produced 
 a much more striking effect. The recognitions, the inquiries, 
 the groupings, and the various expressions of voice, counte- 
 nance, and gesture, were at once highly entertaining and . 
 affecting, and we can truly say that we never witnessed a 
 sight which afforded us greater pleasure.’ The sides were 
 ascended and the decks almost crowded by the curious who 
 were fortunate enough to have the privilege of visiting the 
 ships, and by those connected with the crews. In one part 
 might be seen an honest tar embracing his partner with a 
 heartiness which did credit to a tedious absence, and was cer- 
 tainiy without example in the whole history of Esquimaux 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AMD AR. 513 
 
  PEPPL POD LIPS. 
 
 PDDO PLE PLP GPE LOL LD DOL ODLE EOE LBP LOL PDP LDS 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 LIL OLOLIAEDLOIL LET 
 
 PCIE LIPO PIP CH 
 
 a 
 
 oD IF. LOE LE OLDOL DOLD LS 
 
 fellowship :—the only human intercourse enjoyed (if it may be 
 so called) during two years and a half. In another direction 
 the cooking apparatus was speedily put in requisition, and 
 fresh provisions and vegetables had justice done to them, as 
 luxuries of no common cast. Here were strangers examin- 
 ing the canoes, large animal specimens, and other rarities, 
 brought from the Arctic regions; and in the long-boats, slung 
 upon the deck of each vessel, were six or eight of those wolf- 
 looking dogs which are so important to the natives, howling 
 and fighting like wild beasts-of the most savage nature. We 
 mention these circumstances, not as of any consequence to the 
 voyage, but as forming a spectacle of so singular and inter- 
 esting a character, that we only wish our graphic powers were 
 more adequate to its description. On arriving at Deptford, 
 most of the officers hastened ashore, and from an intimacy 
 with some of them, we have collected the following Digest, 
 for whose irregularities and want of proper order, the haste 
 in which it is thrown together must be our apology. 
 
 The outward voyage in 1821 was fair and prosperous. 
 Passing up Hudson’s Straits, the navigators kept. near the 
 land on their South, and explored the coast towards Repulse 
 Bay. The farthest west which they attained was 86° of longi- 
 tude, and the highest latitude only 69° 48’ N; and they finally 
 brought up for winter-quarters at a small isle, which they 
 named Winter Island, in 82 53' W. longitude, and latitude 
 66° 11 N.. By inspecting the common maps, it will be seen 
 that they are very faulty in laying down both Jand and water in 
 this direction; though the later and best charts are somewhat 
 more correct. The globe and chart-makers, however, will 
 have very little trouble in laying down the discoveries made 
 in the present voyage. ‘The chief part of the summer of 1821 
 was occupied in examining Repulse Bay, and some inlets to 
 the eastward of it, through some one or other of which they 
 hoped to find a passage into the Polar Sea. In this they 
 were disappointed, as all the openings proved to be only deep 
 inlets, which ran into the continent of America. While thus 
 occupied, early in October the sea began to freeze; and on 
 the Sth of that month the ships were laid up for the winter, 
 in the situation noted above. Here, at Winter Island, the 
 Expedition was frozen up from the 8th of October, 1821, to 
 the 2d of July, 1822. The vessels were within two or thrée 
 hundred paces of each other; and occupations and amuse- 
 ments, similar to those practised in the preceding voyage, 
 were resorted to. We are informed, however, that the plays 
 did not go off so well; nor were the ships’ companies altoge- 
 ther so harmoniously social as on ae occasion. ‘ihe 
 
 29 ' y 
 
514 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 rd SP LPP OL LGPL PPO PTOLEDP OLS POPLOP POPP OP DOD LIE PODL GP LOD LDL ODO LAC DOODLE OL OD LOO LOD ODP OG: 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 POPPE SL ALIF LILI L ES POG LLLP LE LOGE LOL GLE PILL OO LOI LOF 
 
 necessity for maintaining discipline, and other causes, to which 
 we need not allude, stood in the way of this perfect accord 
 and satisfaction. 
 
 One of the principal events which we have to notice in this 
 
 eriod, was the beneficial effects produced by the system of 
 Lente the ships by currents of warm air. ‘These were 
 directed to every requisite part, by means of metallic 
 tubes, and so well did the contrivance answer its purpose, 
 that the lowest temperature experienced during the winter 
 was 35° below zero. In the second winter it was ten degrees 
 lower, viz. 45° below zero; but this was not near so difficult 
 to endure, nor so tnconvenient, as the cold in Captain Parry’s 
 first voyage, nor indeed, if we are rightly instructed, as that 
 felt in the northern stations of the Hudson Bay traders on 
 the American continent. 
 
 The provision-cases, we understand, did not turn out so 
 well; for, though the meats were preserved fresh, they were 
 found to be very insipid on constant use, and the men got as 
 tired of them as they generally do of salt provisions. From 
 the quantum of boiling needed in these preparations, the nu- 
 tritive Juices are extracted, and the taste so reduced that it is 
 not easy to tell veal from beef. ‘They, however, (like French 
 cookery done to rags,) made a change, and were so far ac- 
 ceptabie. } 
 
 Fish were caught, and formed another more welcome va- 
 riety. ‘hese were chiefly a small salmon of about seven or 
 eight pounds weight, of which about 300 were taken; the 
 coal-fish, and the alpine trout, which latter was found in a 
 fresh-water stream on an island to the westward of Winter 
 Island. ‘This river, according to the native accounts, flowed 
 from a lake whence aiso another river ran into the sea on the 
 other side; that is to say, one stream flowed in a south-east- 
 erly direction towards Hudson’s Bay, and the other in a 
 south-westerly course towards (perhaps) the Polar Sea. The 
 small fish known by the name of the miller’s thumb was also 
 in great abundance, and the sea swarmed with molusca; but 
 we shalj enumerate the natural productions more particularly 
 hereafter. 
 
 Nothing occurred, during the first part of the winter, de- 
 serving of any particular notice; but one morning, in the be- 
 ginning of February, our people were surprised by the ap- 
 pearance of strange forms upon the snow-plain in their 
 vicinity, and of persons running to-and-fro. This was a 
 tribe of about fifty Esquimaux, who were erecting their snow- 
 huts, and taking up their residence at a short distance from 
 the vessels. At first it was hoped that this might be Captain 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARE. 515 
 
 PO PL DP LL OL GV BOP LOD I POLE LIP LOD LIL PL LO DDI 
 
 PP LOLOL LLL 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 Franklin’s Expedition, but the hope quickly vanished; and 
 the settlers were found to be one of those wandering hordes 
 which roam along the shore in search of food, and make their 
 habitations wherever it can be obtained in sufficient quantity. 
 The great dependence of these people upon the produce of 
 the sea for their sustenance, necessarily confines their migra- 
 tions to the coasts, and, except hastily travelling across land 
 in any journey occasionally, it may be presumed, from their 
 habits, that they never establish themselves ten miles from- 
 the water’s edge. Thus we may infer, that all the interior 
 parts are totally uninhabited. ‘The intercourse of the voy- 
 agers with their new and singular neighbours, afforded them 
 much and much-wanted amusement during the remainder of 
 the winter; as, never having seen Europeans before, their 
 manners and customs were quite original. The snow began 
 to melt about the beginning of May, and put an end to their 
 intimacy. | 
 
 In the season of 1822, the vessels having steered along the » 
 coast to the north, penetrated only to long. of 82° 50’, and 
 lat. 69° 40'; and after exploring several inlets, &c. in their 
 brief cruise, they were finally moored for their second winter, 
 about a mile apart, in 81° 44' W. long. and lat. 69° 21’. N. 
 Here, close to another small isle, they remained from the 24th 
 of September, 1822, to the 8th of last August. ‘They had 
 latterly entered a strait leading to the westward. From the 
 accounts of the Esquimaux, and their own observations, they 
 had every reason to believe that this strait separated all the 
 land to the northward from the continent of America. After 
 getting about fifteen miles within the entrance of it, however, 
 they were stopped by the ice, but from the persuasion that 
 they were in the right channel for getting to the westward, 
 they remained there for nearly a month, in daily expectation 
 that the ice would break up. In this last hope they were 
 again quite disappointed, and on the 19th of September the 
 sea having begun to freeze, they left these straits, and laid 
 the ships up in winter-quarters near the small island alluded 
 to, and called by the Esquimaux Igloolik. 
 
 From these data it is evident that the expedition has 
 failed in its leading objects. In short, any annual whale- 
 ship might do as much as it has been able, with all its 
 perseverance, to accomplish; and we apprehend that few 
 or no new lights can be thrown by it upon the great ques- 
 tions of science which were raised by the former voyages. 
 The magnetic pole was not crossed; and it is curious to 
 state, that all the electrical appearances, lights, halos, me- 
 teors, &c. were seen to the south. In natural history the 
 
 Fo 
 
516 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LPO LOCLIGD CP 
 
 PDP 
 
 PPPL OL DOP 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 PLE LLP PLE LLL OLE LLL O EL LOL SD BLD LOOP LLL OLD OP L LOD LLL OLD LOL POL LLE LOL EOL LOE OPE LOD LOL GLE PODOP ODP 
 
 DIOP LILIES 
 
 acquisitions are very scanty. We have on our table twenty- 
 eight botanical specimens, dwarf willow, saxifrage, grasses, 
 mosses, &c. which nearly comprehend the stunted vegetable 
 world of these northern latitudes. One new gull has, we be- 
 lieve, been added to that class; but, generally speaking, hardly 
 any novelty has, been ascertained, or remarkable discovery 
 made, in ornithology, piscology, botany, or other branch of 
 science. 
 
 * In the second winter, a more numerous tribe of the Esqui- 
 maux, about 150, and including the visiters of the preceding 
 year, settled near the ships, and were in daily intercourse with 
 them. We shall here throw together what we have learned 
 respecting this people. | 
 
 ‘They are represented as being peaceable and good-natured : 
 not stupid, but not eminent for feeling or intelligence. The 
 first tribe lived together on terms of perfect liberty and équal- 
 ity; in the second there was an angekok or conjuror, who 
 exercised a certain degree of influence and authority. There 
 are no signs of the worship of a Supreme Being among them, 
 and they do not appear to have a perfect idea of oNE; nor 
 have they, apparently, any religious rites at marriages or bu- 
 rials. An Esquimayx bespeaks his wife while she is yet a 
 ‘child, and when she is of marriageable age she is brought 
 home to him, and there is a feast on the occasion. ‘Their 
 funerals are equally simple: if in winter, the corpse is merely 
 covered over with snow; if in summer, a shallow trench is 
 dug, where it is deposited, and two or three flat stones at top 
 complete the rude sepuichre. They are careful not to allow 
 any stones or weighty matter to rest on the body; and seem 
 to think that even after death it may be sensible to the op- 
 pression. ‘They appeared to have some crude notions of a 
 future state; but all their ideas on these matters were so 
 blended with superstition, that they hardly deserve to be 
 mentioned. ‘'wo wives were possessed by several of the 
 natives, and one is almost always much younger than the 
 other: yet'the copartners seemed to live on very good terms 
 with one another! The children rarely appear to be more 
 than two, three, or four in a family; though six grown-up 
 ‘brothers and sisters were met with. ‘They live to a good 
 age. Many were above sixty years old, and in one case the 
 great-grandmother of a child of seven or eight years was a 
 healthy old woman at the head of four generations. ‘The 
 stature of the males is about the average of five feet, four, 
 five, or six inches; and none exceeded five feet ten inches. 
 Their color is a dirty-looking yellowish white, and their pro- 
 portious by no means robust | 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 517 
 
 SLO POP PPPL IL LES PPO PILILPIDILS 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 POL LOD. 
 
 PPD PPG PPP LID LIF. PPL OL PPPOGOOD 
 
 “a 
 LID 
 
 PPP LOD LOD LLL POL LOL OLD EL O LOL LOL ODOR 
 
 POOFL 
 
 We have mentioned the appearance of their snow-houses 
 when first seen: they are curiously shaped and constructed, 
 resembling three immense beehives grouped together, and en- 
 tered, by one long passage, by all the three families to whom 
 these yield an abode. A trefoil affords a tolerable idea of 
 them. ‘They are about nine feet in diameter, and seven or 
 eight feet in height. The passage is about 20 feet in length, 
 and so low that you must creep along nearly on all-fours, in 
 order to reach the hut. This is ingeniously intended to ex- 
 clude the cold air, which. it does effectually, though widened 
 in parts for lodging the dogs belonging to the several house- 
 holds, and which are stationed in the ljast sort of anti-cham- 
 ber, before the entrances turn off to the right and left for the 
 two nearest huts. The huts theniselves are entirely made of 
 square blocks of solid snow, with a larger key-block at the 
 top of the rotunda.. The window is a piece of flat transpa- 
 rent ice. Round the interior runs a seat of the same mate- 
 rial as the walls, upon which the skins of animals are thrown 
 for seats and beds. Beds are also made of a plant, on the 
 floor (see farther on). The houses are without any artificial 
 _ warmth, except what is produced by a sort of oil-lamp, in 
 which they used pieces of dry moss for wicks, also hereafter 
 described. 
 
 In the winter of 1822-3, native dwellings or huts con- 
 structed of bone were also seen. ‘The Esquimaux often eat 
 flesh in a raw state; but it is sometimes cooked, and the wo- 
 men almost invariably submit their food to that process. The 
 utensils are uncommon, though simple. ‘They consist of two 
 vessels of stone; generally the pot-stone or lapis-ollaris, 
 also used in parts of Germany for the same purpose. The 
 lower vessel a good deal resembies an English kitchen ash 
 shovel: the upper one a trough, of a wide coffin form. In 
 the first, which is filled. with oil, a number of moss-wicks 
 float, and are lighted for the fuel. The oil is gradualiy sup- 
 plied from strings of fat hung up above the flames, the heat 
 of which melts them into so many reservoirs of grease. In 
 the second utensil, placed over the fire thus made, the meat 
 is stewed. he natives are filthy in their eating, and hardly 
 reject any thing, from the blubber of whale to the flesh of 
 wolf. When hungry, they devoured the carcasses of ten or a 
 dozen of the latter which were killed by our seamen, ‘Their 
 _ food, indeed, consisted chiefly of seal and wolves’ flesh; but 
 notwithstanding this, they appeared to be perfectly contented, 
 nay, even happy. ‘Their dresses were made entirely of skins, 
 chiefly those of the reindeer. 
 
 The lapis-ollaris is originally so soft that it may be cut 
 
518 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 POP IIPLOP 
 
 PP NDP 
 
 PLP PLP LLL PLE PDP POP DDI INGE LOG DOF POOP DLP LPO LLO LOS 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 PLP IBSILP LEP LEL OE LOPDGE LIES LIG LED LL 
 
 POL LLDE OLLI GEL ODL DLE ODE PRA DGD EOLO PDS 
 
 into form with a knife; and when it is not to be found, an 
 extraordinary substitute is manufactured into pots and pans. 
 This is a cement composed of dogs’ hair, seals’ blood, and a 
 particular clay, which soon becomes as hard as stone, and 
 bears the effect both of oil and fire below, and moisture and 
 stewing above. ; | 
 
 In the beginning of their intercourse, the Esquimaux were 
 somewhat reserved, and shy of communicating their opinions; 
 but as their reserve wore off, they divulged a number of in- 
 teresting particulars. ‘The women, especially, were less se- 
 cret than the men, who (we may here state, by the bye,) had no 
 hesitation in bartering their wives and daughters with the 
 sailors, at first for so poor a bribe as a nail, or two or three 
 beads, and at last for the price of a paltry knife. 
 
 ‘These females are not, it is true, the most lovely objects in 
 nature. Their features are disagreeable, and they have long 
 and harsh, but exceedingly black, hair. We have been shown 
 a map drawn by one of them, (a remarkable instance of in- 
 telligence,) in which she represents two islands to the north 
 of the second winter’s position of the ships, and others in 
 different directions, giving rather sonorous names to them all. 
 The nearest on the north is several days’ journey across, and 
 the roaming of the Esquimaux tribes is confined to these 
 islands, as they never venture upon the continent. Every 
 family has a sledge, and generally five or six dogs, with 
 which they travel with great ease, and hunt. 
 
 They say that their race originally sprung from a bene- 
 ficent female Spirit; and that from another wicked female 
 Spirit are descended the other three creatures who inhabit the 
 earth: namely, the ftkali, or Indians ; the Cablune, or Euro- 
 peans; and (after long hesitation before they would express 
 it,) the dogs which they drive! The Itkali they abhor and 
 speak of as murderers, who never spare their tribes. Of the 
 Cablunez they had only heard by report, never having seen a 
 European till they encountered those in the Fury and Hecla; 
 but it is clear, from their classing them with the Indians and 
 dogs, that they have no very exalted idea of their virtues. 
 
 With their own appellation of Esquimaux they are not 
 acquainted, but call themselves Hnuee. ‘The other name is 
 understood to be a term of reproach, meaning “ Eaters of 
 raw flesh.” 
 
 From the above it! appears, that they entertain a belief in 
 certain spirits or superior beings; but their notions concern- 
 ing them are extremely rude and vague. This was displayed 
 by the angekok, or conjuror, of whom we have spoken. ‘This 
 great man was, after much entreaty, prevailed upon to ex- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 519 
 
 PP LIP LID DIOS, 
 
 S$ PLEL LIE LPP IL IOP LEO LIL PDP LDL. 
 
 PIG PLO DIP r-GG 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 PLP PLOLP PDP LIL PLL OLE DDI 
 
 hibit his supernatural powers in the captain’s cabin of one of 
 the ships. He was accompanied. by his wife, and began his 
 operations by having every glimpse of external light carefully 
 excluded. Still the fire emitted a glimmering, and this was 
 covered with a thick mat; so that at length all was utter 
 darkness, The angekok then stripped himself naked, and lay 
 down upon the floor, and pretended that he was going to the 
 lower regions where the spirits dwell. His incantations con- 
 sisted of hardly articulate sounds, not appearing to have any 
 meaning attached to them, but to be the muttering and whin- 
 ing of strange syllables. He also practised a kind of ventri- 
 loquism ; and modulated his voice so as to give it the effect 
 of nearness and greater distance, in the depths to which he 
 wished it to be believed he had descended. This farce lasted 
 about twenty minutes; and on the re-admission of light, the 
 actor gave an account of his adventures, and of what the 
 spirits had told him. As a proof of the truth of his facts and 
 the reality of his colloquies, he produced several stripes of 
 fur, which one of the spirits had fastened on the back of his 
 skin-coat since he went down—which, indeed, his wife had 
 - been busily stitching on during the dark performance. Yet, 
 by such fables and impostures, he maintained his sway over 
 his ignorant countrymen, who implicitly credited his inven- 
 tions and powers. ‘The latter were consequently invoked 
 upon all important occasions. Thus, for example, when they 
 became scarce, or rather when the evil genius took away from 
 the waters and the earth, to her caverns beneath, the animals © 
 which constitute the principal food of the Knuee, our angekok 
 was employed to bring them back again. This he accom- 
 plished, agreeably to his own story, by the following means: 
 He called to his assistance Torngak, his familiar and a 
 friendly spirit, in company with whom he journeyed to the 
 realms below, to combat with the Evil Genius. With 
 this aid, and by his own address, he vanquished the enemy, 
 and forced her to submit to his decrees. He then cut off 
 the lower joints of her four fingers, and immediately the 
 bears were released, and found their way to the upper re- 
 gions. His next operation was to cut off the second joints, 
 by which the seals were liberated. ‘The excision of the upper 
 joints performed a like service for the walruses; and, finally, 
 by amputating the hand, the whales were freed to revisit the 
 shores of the Esquimaux. To substantiate the truth of this 
 grand exploit, the bloody knife with which the deed had been 
 done, is produced, and the re-appearance of the bears, seals, 
 walruses, and whales, infallibly follows. é 
 
 An immense value is set upon the testimonies of superna- 
 
520 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 SPOR LPP LDL LODO BOOLS DIOP 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 POF POP POL LOL LLLP OL PPE PDL ODE. 'PLOL LOL LOE LOE LLDILDE ODF 
 
 PIF. 
 
 tural intimacy: thus the Angekok declared that he would not 
 exchange the spirit’s gifts, one of the stripes of fur, for any 
 thing that could be offered to him; and it was with much diffi- 
 culty that Capt. Parry did prevail upon him to barter one for 
 some highly-coveted article ; nor would he part with any more. 
 
 From the length of time during which the natives were 
 daily with them, our people were enabied to pick up a rather 
 copious vocabulary of their language. Some of the journals 
 contain from 500 toa larger number of words. ‘Their know- 
 ledge of figures is very limited—five and ten being their most 
 obvious enumerations. When they wish to express the former, 
 one hand is held up; the latter, of course, requires both: but 
 when the sum exceeds that number, the Esquimaux calls on 
 a neighbour to help him out, by holding up one or two hands, 
 as the occasion requires. One of our friends related a whim- 
 sical anecdote connected with this sort of dumb-show. He 
 was conversing with a native alone, who wanted to make the 
 large and unusual sign of thirty. He accordingly held up 
 both hands, and was then sadly puzzled how to go farther. 
 It never occurred to him to break off and repeat the signal in 
 any way; but at length he happily struck upon ten more by 
 getting the officer to raise his digitals. Here were twenty; 
 but the ten to be added was the grand pons asinorum of Esqui- 
 maux numerals! The difficulty seemed insuperable, but again 
 his genius befriended the calculator; he held up one of his 
 feet,—twenty-five ! What was to be done? Like one of the 
 wise men of Gotham, our clever native tried to hold up the 
 other foot at the same time, and his efforts to have all his 
 limbs simultaneously in the air were the most ludicrous that 
 can be imagined. But it could not be managed; and it was 
 not without an immensity of trouble that the proposed num- 
 ber was finally expressed by the four hands, and one foot each, 
 of the conversing parties. : 
 
 Other characteristic traits of these simple people may be 
 told in this place. The wives of two of them, one with a baby 
 suckling (which nutriment they supply for several years), were 
 taken on board the vessels for medical treatment, both belng 
 in the last stages of disease. It was indeed too late to save 
 them, and they died. ‘The husband of the mother evinced some 
 distress, and howled a little when she expired; but very scon 
 seemed to forget his loss. Yet he attended very sedulously 
 te the proceedings of the Cablune. They enveloped the body 
 decently, as is done with sailors, in a hammock, and dug a - 
 grave for its reception. 'To this it was borne, accompanied 
 by the husband, who manifested much uneasiness. At last he 
 made himself understood that he was afflicted by the confine- 
 
 ~ 
 
CURIOGITIZNE OF NATURE AND ART. 521 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 ment of the corpse. Having obtained a knife, he was per- 
 mitted to gratify his own feelings, and he cut all the stitches 
 which held the hammock together down the front, so as to 
 give a kind of liberty to the dead form. _ The covering-in of 
 the grave with earth and stones seemed also to give-him pain; 
 but he asked leave to bury the living child with its dead 
 mother. ‘The reason assigned for this horrid proposal was, 
 that being a female no woman would take the trouble to nurse 
 it, as that was never done among them, If it had been a boy, 
 perhaps some one might have adopted and reared it. In fact, 
 the infant, without sustenance, did die on the ensuing day, and 
 was placed at the disposal of its:parent, who drew it away in 
 his sledge to a short distance, and raised a small mound of 
 snow over its lifeless corpse. 
 
 It is curious to remark, that while they dislike the idea of 
 hurting the dead by putting any thing heavy upon them, they 
 feel no regret at the consequence of their own insufficient 
 mode of sepulture—the dragging of the bodies from their 
 slight snow-tombs to be torn to pieces and devoured by dogs 
 and wolves, as was frequently witnessed by our men, who, 
 when the spring dissolved the snow, had to dig graves for the | 
 mutilated remains of several of the native corpses thus ex- 
 posed to view. ‘There was a considerable mortality among 
 them; no fewer than sixteen, old and young; dying within the 
 few months they spent near the Expedition in its second — 
 winter. 
 
 In the management of the canoe, the Esquimaux are very 
 expert. These are amazingly light, and formed of skin over 
 whalebone. The largest which Captain P. obtained is 26 feet 
 in length; and we observed another, between decks in the 
 Hecla, which is 19 feet long and only 19 inches in width, half 
 of which are in the depth. - : 
 
 ln these the native pursues his marine chase, and spears 
 the fish and fowl. The spear is double-pointed with bone, 
 about six or seven inches in length, and barbed. ‘he shaft 
 is of very light wood, five or six feet long, and below the 
 handle, or part by which it is thrown, are three other barbed 
 bones, standing out a few inches from the wood, and calculated 
 to strike the prey, should the bi-forked point miss. ‘They kill 
 at twenty yards distance. The bow-and-arrow is also em- 
 ployed in killing game and wild animals. The arrows are. 
 pointed with stone, smoothed into a lance-head shape by 
 friction against other stones. 
 
 A method of catching seals (and, if we remember correctly, 
 fish also,) through a hole in the ice, is one of the most dexter- 
 ous of Esquimaux contrivances. A line Pate down, at the 
 
 99. * 
 
 PROPOI DOPLIG IDS ODI DPF. 
 
 ore 
 
599 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 \ GIIGDIDPR PDS. 
 
 PIE PIP ODS. 
 
 IOP IOLPLPILIL LOS DGDDGP DO OLDGDP DIG OOP POP PDA 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 POPPE PILE L DE LOD LOD LOL LIF. 
 
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 PLE LOL L OP DOT 
 
 POL 
 ~ 
 
 end of which is fastened a small piece of white bone or tooth, 
 above an inch long, cut intoa ie fish-form; and having two 
 morsels of pyrites stuck into it to resemble eyes. This bait 
 is drawn through the water, and when seals or other prey ap- 
 proach to. examine it, the watchful native spears them from 
 above. : 
 
 The knives used by the women are curiously constructed, ' 
 and as cleverly employed in skinning animals and carving 
 victuals as the instruments of hunting are by the men. ‘They 
 resemble a small cheese or saddler’s knife ; the iron or cutting 
 part being semicircular, and inserted in a bone handle. The 
 whole is three or four inches long, and the edge three or four 
 inches in breadth. With these they carve away underhanded 
 in a very dexterous style. ) 
 
 Spectacles are another of their articles, which struck us as 
 curious and well-contrived. They consist of a piece of wood 
 scraped thin, like a bandage, and perforated with two narrow 
 horizontal slits, something like pig’s eyes, where we would 
 have glasses ; a rim about an inch broad projects in the same 
 direction as that of a hat would; and this simple mechanical 
 process, tied about the head, protects the eyes from the drift- 
 ing snow and spicule, and improves the sharpness of the 
 sight. . 
 
 eee already stated the longitudes, latitudes, and periods 
 of sailing and wintering, we shall not deem it necessary to_ 
 go much into the details of the Expedition, which has in fact 
 neither added much to geography, nor been able to explore 
 farther than was done by Middleton and preceding navigators, 
 The last year seems to have been so unproductive, that the 
 ships might as well have returned home in the autumn of 
 1822; but it is not the character of British seamen to desist 
 while the slightest prospect of success can be entertained. 
 Our own opinion is, that there may be many openings into the 
 Polar Sea, and that probably the best, after all, is in Lancas- 
 
 ter Sound, and where Capt. Ross showed the way, but did 
 
 not pursue it. Certainly the course taken upon the present 
 occasion does not appear to have answered the expectations 
 formed, or to promise any advantageous results for future 
 attempts, should such be persevered in. 
 
 ‘The inlet where the second winter was spent, presented a 
 solid mass of everlasting ice. It is about ten miles in breadth; 
 its length (of course, not having been traversed,) uncertain. 
 The ebb-tide is from the south-west, and the flood from south- 
 east; small channels ran through it, but not wide enough to 
 work a ship. While they lay here, and indeed during the 
 voyage, the vessels do not seem to have encountered much 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 523 
 
 PLD PLP ELLA PDP LP DLLDIE BL LDILELL LE LDP LDL DIDPDG LO LDP DDO OLE DCDO LLL LOO DEDEODE ODO DOP DDE PLE DDL DDS 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 BOPLDD LIL DL DD OL DLP OPI L ODPL LODO POP 
 
 LIP QOL LOD POO LIL LOL LDS DOD DDP LEP LLN COE DLE ODP 
 
 danger from the ice; at any rate they have pitched and painted 
 them in coming home, so as to make them look fresh and well 
 in the ‘Thames. About the bows, we noticed some rather 
 harsh grazing, and the bolt-heads sticking out a few inches 
 from the wood. In one instance, we were informed, a field 
 of ice, coming down at the rate of about two miles an hour; 
 almost lifted the Hecla out of the water, and snapped five of 
 the strongest cables and ropes by which she was moored. 
 
 ‘The absence of the sun was experienced for about a month. 
 In June (the 9th) the first flower was seen: asmail but richly 
 colored blue of the saxifrage genus. © 
 
 To beguile the tedious time, our countrymen occasionally 
 lived in tents on shore, and hunted, shot, and fished, for the 
 general consumption. Rein-deer were sometimes killed; the 
 carcass of the largest weighed (without offal) 150 1bs. These 
 were very acceptable to the ships’ companies ; but their fresh 
 provisions were not always so dainty as venison. he hearts, 
 livers, and kidneys of whales and walruses (brought by the 
 Esquimaux) were not irreconcileable to Kuropean palates; 
 and many a hearty meal was made on these not very delicate 
 dishes. According to the report of the natives, there were 
 rein-deer on the large island towards the north. No musk- 
 oxen were seen in any part; and from the same authority it 
 was gathered that they only appeared to the westward of the 
 longitude to which the Hixpedition penetrated. 
 
 Of birds there were prodigious numbers; but their flesh 
 was of a fishy and unpleasant taste: it was made neverthe- 
 less to serve at times, to vary the Arctic cuisine. 
 
 Gardening was another expedient for occupying the time, 
 and supplying the table. Mustard-and-cress were grown as 
 on the preceding voyage, and served out to the men in consi- 
 derable quantities, to the great benefit of their health. In- 
 deed, the looks of the crews bear testimony to their careful 
 treatment in this respect; for we never saw a set of more 
 healthy and well-conditioned fellows set out on, still less re- 
 turn from, along sea-trip. Their loss, as has been mentioned 
 in the newspapers, amounted to five men in the two years and 
 a half. The first two died in the Fury within twenty-four 
 hours ofeach other, in 1822; the one of internal inflammation, 
 and the other of a consumption of long standing. ‘They were 
 consigned to one grave; and a tumulus of stones placed over 
 their bones; their names, &c. being engraved on one of the 
 largest. Soon afterwards, a sailor of the Hecla fell from the 
 mast, and dislocated his neck. He died ou the spot. Last 
 spring, another sailor died of dysentery in the same ship ; and 
 Mr. Byffe, the master, fell a victim to the scurvy, while on 
 
not CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AWD ARTY. 
 
 LID OLD PES LEP POL LOL PIP 
 
 PEPLO LD LOL LLL LOE 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 LOL OL PLIEL DLE PPL OLLLOEL EO LOE LLOL LOPE ODL ELLE LOG LLL OLDE LLL ODE LOL LE LD DLO! GOL 
 
 COPEL 
 
 POO DIA 
 
 the passage home. We remember his person on sailing ;—he 
 was a stout, florid, good-looking seaman; and we believe a 
 native of Northumberland. 
 
 _ It does not appear that any far excursions were attempted 
 from the ships, overland, inany direction. The chief journey 
 was performed by Lieutenant Foppner, and a party under his 
 command, in consequence of news brought by the Esquimaux 
 that two ships had been wrecked last year (1822) five days’ 
 journey to the north-east, where the wrecks still remained. 
 The truth of this report was confirmed by the staves, cask- 
 heads, and iron, in their possession. ‘They represented that 
 the crews had gone away in boats; whither, no one could tell. 
 To ascertain who the sufferers were, Lieut. Hoppner and his 
 party set out, accompanied by the natives as guides; but, after 
 travelling a few days, the latter declared they would proceed 
 no farther. ‘They pointed to the line in which they said the 
 ships would be found, and told their associates they might go 
 without them; but the risk of following this counsel was too 
 great, and the Kuropeans returned, after a fruitless march. 
 
 In these journeys, and their continual migrations, the value 
 of the Esquimaux dog is witnessed. ‘These strong and hardy 
 animals draw the country sledges at the rate of five miles, 
 and more, an hour. Nor is this performed with a light 
 weight attached to them. Eight in harness will draw three 
 or four persons with ease and speed in this manner. On one 
 occasion an anchor and stock, weighing about a ton, was 
 dragged to its destination by fifteen or sixteen of them; and, 
 generally speaking, they are fully equal to a load of one hun- 
 dred weight per dog. , ) | 
 
 They are also bold and vigorous in the chase... With them 
 the Esquimaux hunts the great white Polar bear; and some 
 of those brought to England carry the scars of their prowess 
 in this way. ‘They seize their adversary by his long shaggy 
 hair, and worry and detain him till their masters come up 
 with their spears to end the conflict. * 
 
 ‘Those in the ships, twelve or fourteen in number, are large 
 creatures, of various colors,—tan, grey, but mostly black, 
 with white spots over the eyes and on the feet and tip of the 
 tail. They are exceedingly fierce, and more like wolves than 
 dogs. ‘They do not bark, but snarl, growl, and howl in a 
 savage manner. A good many died in consequence of the 
 heat, on their way to England; and though Wednesday was 
 a cold October day, the survivors were panting as if they had 
 exhausted themselves with running. In the Hecla was one 
 dog bred between the Esquimaux dog and a lurcher taken 
 out from this country. She had six female pups, and the 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 595 
 PHILIP PIP PLE LDPE LIP IDE DODCLLOLD OCP DOD POL IPOD LLL LOI ODODE LOO 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 DIEILPIP LIS LED LOL LDL DOLL LDE DOLL DODO LD ILD DOL DDO ODP OPOCODOD DOLL DL OD DODODOL DOLE LL OD DDD OOO DDD 
 
 POLO LL ODP POEL OP PDO DPA 
 
 specimen we saw is now a fine powerful animal and quite 
 tame. It gave a singular proof of its sagacity, in the rivér :-— 
 A lighter came alongside with some casks of fresh water, into 
 which it immediately leaped over the side, and ran from cask 
 to cask, trying to get its head into a bung-hole. ‘This being 
 Impossible, one of the men good-humouredly drew a bowl-full 
 for it, which it dispatched with evident delight, and then begged 
 for another draught. This it also obtained, drank it nearly 
 all, and, with signs of gratification and thankfulness, made its 
 way back into the ship. 
 
 On their native soil, however, these ferocious animals are 
 often destroyed by the still more ferocious wolves. The 
 latter hunt in packs, and even drag the dogs from the huts, to 
 devour them. Attracted by the scent, they were always 
 prowling about our vessels, and daringly carried off whatever 
 came in their way. Thirteen of them were seen in one pack; 
 all of which were trapped and slain. It was of these the 
 hungry Esquimaux made their dinners. At one time they 
 bore away a dog from the Fury, in spite of the pursuit of 
 the men. . 
 
 The animals which may be enumerated besides are—bears, 
 foxes, rein-deer, hares, lemmings, the white ermine, and the 
 marmot. 
 
 ‘The birds are—the swan, the beautiful king duck, the eider 
 duck, the long-tailed duck, the silver Arctic duck, &c. &c. 
 Guils of every.kind; the Arctic diver, the loom, the red-throat, 
 guillemots, the snow bunting, the ptarmigan; ravens, snowy 
 owls, and hawks; birds of song, with a short low chirping 
 note,—the Siberian lark and the Lapland finch. 
 
 The insect creation is very limited. There are about six 
 species of flies: the mosquito, very troublesome, but existing 
 only about one month; the wild-bee, i. e. the large black and 
 not our hive-bee; the spider; the butterfly (a smali kind of 
 the golden); and the white moth. . 
 
 The water teems, as we have stated, with molusca, the food 
 for the enormous whale and other species of fish. ‘There is 
 also another minute creature in extraordinary abundance; 
 we mean the small shrimp which is known by the name of 
 “the sea-louse.’”’ ‘These performed a very curious office to 
 the naturalists in the Expedition, and their usefulness was 
 very drolly discovered. An officer one day was desirous of 
 preparing a Solan goose for cooking, and, in order to reduce 
 its saltness, he plunged it through an ice-hole into the water; 
 but, alas! next morning, when the goose was to be drawn up 
 for spitting, nothing but the skeleton appeared. ‘The sea-lice 
 had picked its bones as clean as any anatomist could have 
 
526 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOO PLE POPLOD GLO POG LDOGLGEPODPGDPLG OLD LOGPLE ODP LLO PIG OLE BOL LODO LOE CPL LLE DLPLOP PLP LIGIFIOID 
 
 Captain Parry’s Northern Expedition. 
 
 PLE LOLI LOEDEL LE LIT 
 
 PLP LOS POL LOL LOL POL DOOD PIL DLO PLL PLL LPL LOLOL LI OPEL GF I 
 
 scraped them,.and thus finely prepared it for any collection of 
 natural history which might want sucha specimen! The hint 
 was not lost; for, after this time, whatever skeletons or bones | 
 required polishing were submitted to the lice-operators, and 
 so diligent were they in executing the task confided to them, 
 they would eat a sea-horse’s head clean in a couple of nights! 
 
 In the botanical department we have already mentioned the 
 hortus siccus, which has been so kindly presented to us. 
 Hardly one of the plants exceeds two or three inches in height, 
 and the flowers are all small. Yet some of them are very 
 pretty; and they bloom in such profusion as entirely to ena- 
 mel their wiid and drear locality, for a season of two or three 
 months. ‘The most remarkable which we observe among our 
 specimens, besides the early blue saxifrage, is the andromeda, 
 of which the natives make their beds; and the potentilla, or 
 wild tansey, the roots of which they eat. This, we believe, 
 is also done in some of the most northern Scottish isles: itis 
 a very minute plant, not more than two inches in height, and 
 the root not larger than that of a single corn-stalk. The an- 
 dromeda is wiry, like heath. All the flowers are yellow or blue; 
 and we find the poppy, one resembling a cowslip, one with a 
 curious berry-seed, several of saxifrage, grasses, a beautiful 
 bright-yellow moss, &c. &c. among our specimens. 
 
 On the voyage home, the ships touched at Winter Island, 
 and were surprised to find their garden-vegetables thriving. 
 Whether the plants had resown themselves, or sprung again 
 from the roots, could not be ascertained; but the singular fact 
 of salads and peas growing spontaneously on the arctic circle 
 was exhibited, to the wonder of the visiters. 
 
 On leaving the Esquimaux, some muskets of small worth 
 were given them; and one native and his wife were willing 
 to have come to England, but the trouble and uncertainty of 
 restoring them to their own country prevented their voyage. 
 An axe, and still better a saw, would console them for any 
 disappointment. l 
 
 We have now related, we are persuaded, nearly all the 
 principal occurrences which attended this interesting Expe- 
 ‘dition. For the want of order and polish, our circumstances 
 will, we trust, obtain pardon; and especially as our inform- 
 ation, though hastily put together, and not much extended by 
 descriptions, is very complete in its character, and may be 
 relied upon as accurately embracing nearly all the leading 
 features of a voyage, than which none ever excited a stronger 
 public feeling. Anxious to gratify this, we have done our 
 utmost endeavour, and cannot but hope that it will afford 
 very general satisfaction. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 527 
 
 POLPIGS 
 
 egal Murder ; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J.Calas. 
 
 PLE PII DID ILL LIS 
 
 PPP LPIP DIL LIL LID LOD DLP P LP DED LDP PLL PP POOP GOS 
 
 PPO LE LP LLL LPDLDE 
 
 PIL OLD PERE LID PLE PILI LOE LOL ODP 
 
 LEGAL MURDER; OR THE DANGER OF TAKING AWAY LIFE 
 ON CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE. 
 
 JOHN CALAS Z 
 [Concluded from page 500.] . 
 
 Ir might be expected, when parricide was the crime under 
 
 consideration, or when the father of a family was to be deli- 
 vered up to a horrible punishment, that the judgment against 
 him should have been unanimous, because the proofs of so 
 extraordinary a crime should be evident to al] the world. 
 The least doubt, in such a case, should make a judge tremble 
 who was preparing to pronounce a sentence of death. | The 
 weakness of our reason, and insufficiency of our laws, are 
 daily perceived. But in what instance can we point out and 
 lament the wretched tenure of human happiness, if not where 
 the preponderance of a single voice condemns a citizen to be 
 broken alive on the wheel? At Athens, a sentence of death 
 could not be pronounced, but by the judgment of a majority | 
 of fifty voices. ‘This only proves what we have long known 
 without effect, that the Greeks were wiser and more humane 
 than we are. 
 - It must appear impossible that John Calas, a man sixty- 
 eight years old, whose legs had long been swoln and feeble, 
 should alone have strangled or hung up a son who was but 
 eight-and-twenty, and who was a youth of uncommon strength. 
 He must have been assisted in the execution of such a design 
 by his wife, by his son Peter, by Lavaisse, and by the servant. 
 They had been together the whole of the evening in which the 
 fatal event took place, But this supposition was as absurd 
 as the former; for how could it be supposed, that: a servant 
 who was a zealous Catholic would suffer Huguenots to assas- 
 sinate a young man brought up by her, as a punishment for 
 being attached to the religion of that very servant?) How 
 could it be supposed, that Lavaisse should come with the 
 utmost expedition from Bourdeaux to murder his friend, of 
 whose conversion he was ignorant? Who will imagine, that 
 a tender and affectionate mother should lay violent hands on 
 her own son?. And how, even supposing them all agreed, 
 could they put to death, by hanging, a young man whose 
 strength was equal to that of all of them, without long and 
 violent struggles? without cries or groans, which would have 
 brought the neighbourhood together—and without leaving 
 marks of violence on the bodies or even the clothes of the 
 combatants ? | 
 
 Jt must have been evident, if the crime was committed, that 
 
528 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 we DP PIP LLG DIL IL ID IG LED PDPD IIOP ILI LLL ILIE PLILDE PPL PDL LLLIDE DP DEP DED DD DED LOG LID IDDDD DD DODLDE 
 
 Legal Murder ; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J. Calas. 
 
 PPP PLL PLO LIC LOOLOCL LLL LDL LOD POD 
 
 POL LOL LDPE PLL LPOLGS! DOL LOL LPL LDL LOL LLDODE OE POP 
 
 all the persons accused were equally culpable; for it appeared 
 they had been together the whole evening. It was evident, 
 the father alone could not have committed it; and yet the 
 decree of the judges condemned the father alone to perish on 
 the wheel. ! | 
 
 The motive of this proceeding was as inconceivable as that 
 the crime should have been committed. The judges who 
 were resolved on the punishment of John Calas, endeavoured 
 to persuade the others, that the feeble old man would not be 
 able to sustain the torments inflicted on him; and that, under 
 _ the hands of the executioner, he would confess his crime, and 
 that of his accomplices. ‘They were confounded when the old 
 man, dying on the wheel, appealed to God as the witness of his 
 innocence, and prayed that he would pardon his judges. 
 
 They were obliged to issue a second decree, which contra- 
 dicted the first, and by which the mother, her son Peter, 
 young Lavaisse, and the servant, were to be enlarged. But, 
 being told that the one discredited the other, that they con- 
 demned themselves, that all the accused had been together 
 during the whole time in which the murder was supposed to 
 have been committed, they discharged the surviving prisoners, 
 and thereby plainly proved the innocence of the father who 
 had been executed. To preserve some appearance of con- 
 sistency, they banished Peter Calas. This seems to have been 
 as absurd as the rest of their conduct; for Peter Calas was 
 either guilty or innocent of the death of his brother: if he 
 was guilty, he should have been broken on the wheel as well 
 as his father; if he was innocent, it was wrong to banish him. 
 But the judges, alarmed by the unjust punishment of the old 
 man, and affected by the tender piety with which he died, 
 imagined they might save their honor, by inducing the world 
 to believe they showed mercy to the son; as if this pretended 
 mercy could appear otherwise than an act of prevarication ; 
 and they believed that the banishment of this young man, who 
 was poor and friendiess, would be a matter of no consequence, 
 and could be but a small act of injustice, in comparison with 
 that which they had had the misfortune of committing. 
 
 They began by menacing Peter Calas in his dungeon with 
 treating him as his father had been treated, in order to induce 
 him to change his religion. ‘This is what the young man has 
 attested upon oath. His words were, “A Dominican came — 
 into my dungeon, and said I should undergo the same kind of 
 death with my father, if I did not abjure my religion. This I © 
 attest before God. | July 23, 1762.” . 
 
 As Peter Calas was leaving Toulouse, he met a zealous 
 abbé, who obliged him to return into the city.” Hle was shut 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. , 599° 
 PIGLET PP PPO LOIN OAC OOO LEE POG LEP POLL IP LOL IOLODIERYCIPOLIODEERLEDOLO £00048 PPL LOPP DP OOD 
 
 Legal Murder ; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J. Calas. 
 
 PLP LLL BLIP LI LDDO DP LIO DL LEE LEL LOL LIG EPO DL EDDOODS LDI OIL LOL LEP LI LOL OF LIF FIL PVE LEP LLD ROC LDS 
 
 up in a convent of Dominicans, and forced to go through the 
 several ceremonies and duties enjoined by the Catholic reli- 
 gion. This seemed to be an equivalent to the blood of the 
 father, and religion appeared satisfied, when it thought itself 
 amply revenged. 
 
 _ ‘the daughters were taken away from the mother and placed 
 maconvent. ‘This unhappy woman, who had lately pressed 
 in her arms the breathless corpse of her eldest son, while, as 
 it were, sprinkled with the blood of her murdered husband, 
 saw her other son banished, was deprived of her daughters, 
 stripped of her goods, and left alone in the world, without 
 bread, without hope, and sinking under the weight of her 
 miseries. Some persons who had attentively examined the 
 circuinstances of this horrible affair, were so struck with their 
 iniquity, that they advised the widow Calas to quit the place, 
 and to demand justice at the very foot of the throne. At the 
 time, she was so reduced as to have but few and short intervals 
 from fainting; besides, being a native of England, and brought 
 over to that part of France very young, the very thought of 
 Paris alarmed her. She imagined, that the cruelty and bar- 
 barity which influenced the magistrates of Toulouse, must be 
 more dreadful in those who governed the capital. At last, 
 however, the duty of doing justice to the memory of her hus- 
 band prevailed over her weakness. She arrived at Paris 
 almost expiring under her wretchedness, and was astonished 
 at the reception she had, and the tenderness with which she 
 was countenanced and supported. At Paris, reason prevails 
 over fanaticism, though it be extremely powerful; in the pro- 
 vinces, fanaticism has always prevailed over reason. 
 
 Mr. de Beaumont, a celebrated advocate of the parliament 
 of Paris, immediately undertook her cause, and stated an 
 opinion on it, which was signed by fifteen advocates. Mr. 
 Loiseau, a man no less eloquent than Mr. de Beaumont, wrote 
 a memorial in favcr of the family; and Mr. Mariette, advo- 
 cate of the council, drew up a petition, on the principles of 
 law and justice, which struck the minds of all men with con- 
 Viction. 
 
 Those generous defenders of innocence and of the laws, 
 gave up to the widow all the profits arising from the several 
 editions of their memorials, petitions, &c. Paris, and even 
 Europe, was moved with compassion, and joined this unfortun- 
 ate woman in demanding justice. Judgment was given by 
 the public in her favor long before the decree was signed by 
 the council. * . 
 
 Compassion forced its way even to the minister,—in spite of 
 the continual torrent of affairs which oF exclude it, and 
 
 23 ¥ 
 
530 CURIOSITIES OF NATURH AND ART. 
 
 PLP LCDSE LLG LOV LID PDO LOE PLL PILED SE 
 
 Legal Murder ; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J. Calas. 
 
 LIP PLP LOE LIL LLC LID DDD DDO PEE ODL LOD DDE LOL ODOL DO IDL PIL LIDS 
 
 POP POD LIL PLL LOO LOL LOD LOD LDL DLE LIE DLE DOD OROLDOP 
 
 PLPLOP LLD LOPE LO DDO DPIGL OS 
 
 against the habit of seeing the unhappy, which has still a 
 greater effect in hardening the heart. ‘The daughters were 
 restored to the mother; and they were seen, dressed in crape, 
 and bathed in tears, to draw tears from their judges. 
 
 This family had still some enemies; for religion was in- 
 volved in their case. Several persons, who are called in France 
 devotees, said publicly, it was much better that an old calvinist, 
 admitting that he was innocent, should be broken on the wheel, 
 than that eight counsellors of Languedoc should submit to the 
 indignity of confessing they had been mistaken. It was the 
 cause of the whole magistracy, which consisted of much greater 
 numbers, and persons of greater importance, than the family 
 of Calas, which ought to be sacrificed to the honor of magis- 
 tracy. They did not consider that the honor of a judge, 
 like that of any other man, consisted in repairing the effects 
 of his faults. ‘The people of France do not believe that the 
 pope, assisted by his cardinals, is infallible: it might be ima- 
 gined, that eight judges of Toulouse could never have been 
 thought so. All disinterested and sensible men said, that the 
 edict of Toulouse would be reprobated throughout Europe, 
 though particular considerations might prevent its being re- 
 pealed in the council. 
 
 On the 7th of March, 1763, the council of state being as- 
 sembled at Versailles, the ministers assisting, and the chan- 
 cellor presiding at it, M.de Crosne, master of requests, re- 
 ported the affair of Calas, with the impartiality of a judge, 
 the precision of a man perfectly informed, and with the simple 
 and real eloquence of a senatorial orator, which alone is 
 suitable to such an assembly. In the gallery a prodigious 
 crowd of persons, of all ranks, waited with impatience the 
 decisions of the council. In a short time, a message was sent 
 to the king, that it was the unanimous opinion of the council, 
 the parliament of Toulouse should send up the minutes of 
 their proceedings, and the motives of their judgment, which 
 had caused John Calas to be broken alive on the wheel. His 
 majesty approved of the decree of the council. 
 
 From the 7th of March, to the time in which the definitive 
 judgment was pronounced, two years elapsed; so easy is it 
 for fanaticism to take away the life of an innocent person, and 
 so difficult for reason to obtain justice to his memory. ‘Those 
 long delays it was necessary to bear, because they were occa- 
 stoned by forms. ‘The less those forms had been observed in 
 the condemnation of Calas, they were to be the more rigor- 
 ously attended to by the council of state. It took up more 
 than a year to compel the parliament of Toulouse to send the 
 minutes of their proceedings, in order to be examined, and to 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 531 
 
 POO PLE PEDIPEP POP PPOLID LID PLPILILDLLO PLO OL CPLIGLDO LIV ODOLL LOLOL LDL LIE DOL ODY DD DR: 
 
 Legal Murder; or the Danger of taking Life on Circumstantial Evidence—J.Calas. 
 
 PLE LLE LPL OLE LOLA ID LLL DDL ELE LE LD OPO SD IP IF IDLE LLL DLL LIL ADE LDL LLL LLL LDL EL IDOL POOL LOD LDL OOP 
 
 be reported by the council. M. de Crosne was entrusted 
 with that laborious undertaking. An assembly of near eighty 
 judges reversed the decree of the parliament of Toulouse, 
 and ordered a revisal of the whole process. 
 
 The king committed the final decision to a tribunal called 
 Les Requétes de ? Hotel. This chamber was composed of mas- 
 ters of requests, who sat on processes between the officers of 
 the court, and on causes which the king referred to their de- 
 termination. A tribunal could not have been fixed upon 
 better instructed in this affair. It consisted of the same ma- 
 gistrates, who had twice given judgment on the preliminary 
 steps to the revision, and who were perfectly acquainted with 
 the merits and forms of this business. 
 
 The widow of John Calas, her son, and young Lavaisse, 
 surrendered themselves, and were put in prison: the old ca- 
 tholic woman, who had been the servant of the family, and 
 who would not quit it at a time when it was supposed that 
 she had murdered a child and a brother; this poor creature 
 was brought to Paris from the centre of Languedoc. The 
 court deliberated on the same evidence, which had served to 
 condemn John Calas to the wheel, and his son Peter to exile. 
 
 It was then a new memorial appeared, drawn up by the 
 eloquent M. de Beaumont, and another by the young La- 
 vaisse, so unjustly included in the criminal procedure by the 
 judges of Toulouse, and whom, to complete their absurdity, 
 they had not acquitted. ‘That young man himself drew up a 
 state of his case, which was deemed worthy to appear with 
 that of M. de Beaumont. He had a double advantage in 
 speaking for himself, and in behalf of a family in whose suf- 
 ferings he had shared. He might have been set at liberty, if 
 he had only said he would desert the family of Calas, when 
 the father and mother were accused of having - assassinated 
 their son. He was menaced with punishment; the rack and 
 death had been held before him; a word would have set 
 him at large; he chose to expose himself to punishment, ra- 
 ther than pronounce that word, which would have been a 
 falsehood. His detail of facts was given with a candor so 
 noble, so simple, and so free from ostentation, that it affected 
 those whom it could not convince, and conferred on him a 
 reputation which he did not seek, His father, an advocate 
 of character, had no share in this work; and he saw himself” 
 suddenly rivalled by his son, who had never practised at the 
 bar. 
 
 In the mean time, persons of the first consideration re- 
 sorted in crowds to visit the widow Calas in prison, where 
 her daughters were shut up with her. “They were affected 
 
532 CURYOSTTIES OF NATURES AND ABT: 
 
 ODO LDS CPL LOP LLL LOS 
 
 PDE BOD ILO ODP LOC DIV LLL OBE OOO ODD OL ODL G DLE OIG ODL LIE PEPER 
 
 Legal Murder; J. Calas.—Mont Blanc, in Switzerland, with the Glaciers, 
 
 CLL POOL LDL DOD LOD LDL LOD DDE GDL DDL PL IODEL IE ILE PIL LIT BLL LIS DOF LIE IID FIL LIE LOLOL LL EL ELE LIP 
 
 even to tears. Humanity and generosity were lavish of their 
 assistance. What is called charity afforded them none. 
 Charity, which is so often niggardly and insulting, is the vir- 
 tue of devotees; and the devotees were inimical to the family 
 of Calas. 
 
 The day at last arrived when innocence obtained a full 
 triumph. M. de Baquancourt having reported the proced- 
 ure, and having stated the minutest circumstances of the 
 affair, all the judges unanimously declared the family inno- 
 cent; cruelly and wrongfully condemned by the parliament 
 of Toulouse. They did justice to the memory of the father. 
 They permitted the family immediately to commence actions 
 against their judges, in order to be reimbursed their ex- 
 penses, and obtain damages for their injuries, which the ma- 
 gistrates of Toulouse ought to have offered themselves. 
 
 This occasioned an universal joy in Paris; people crowded 
 
 the public squares and walks; they ran to bebold a family. 
 which had been so cruelly injured, and so ably justified; they 
 cheered the judges as they passed, and loaded them with be- 
 nedictions. And, to render the spectacle still more affecting, 
 it was on the 9th of March, the same day of the month on 
 which John Calas perished by the most cruel punishment. 
 . The judges of the court of requests had done complete 
 justice to the family of Calas, and in that they had only done 
 their duty. There is a further duty, that of beneficence, 
 rarely practised by tribunals, who seem to think themselves 
 instituted merely to be equitable. The masters of the court 
 of requests resolved to draw up a petition to his majesty, in 
 the name of their whole body, praying he would repair, by 
 his bounty, the ruin of the family, ‘he letter, or petition, 
 was written; the king answered it, by ordering thirty-six 
 thousand livres to be paid to the widow, who was to give 
 three thousand to that virtuous woman her servant, who had 
 persisted in supporting the truth, by defending her master and 
 his family.— Voltaire on Toleration. 
 
 = 
 
 MONT BLANC, IN SWITZERLAND, WITH THE GLACIERS. 
 
 When mid the lifeless summits proud 
 Of Alpine cliffs, where to the gelid sky 
 Snows piled on snows in wint’ry torpor lie, 
 The rays divine of vernal Phoebus play; 
 Th’ awakened heaps, in streamlets from on high, 
 Roused into action, lively leap away, 
 Glad warbling through the vales, in their new being gay. 
 ‘THOMSON. 
 ‘\‘H1s mountain, so named on account of its white aspect, 
 
 belongs to the great central chain of the Alps. It is truly 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR‘. 533 
 
 PLLPL POP LDEPLOD LOL PLE DLE PLE LDL DD EDO PL EP ODO LOE CELL LOL EDP LLL ODE DLL OLOG LLG LPL DDO DOE DLP oe al 
 
 Mont Blanc, in Switzerland, with the Glaciers. 
 
 GPL LIS LIF LLL DDE PDE DLE LOL PDL LOL LDP LOL BLD LL O POE DDG ODF 
 
 gigantic, and is the most elevated mountain in Europe, rising 
 no less than 15,872 feet, somewhat more than three miles, 
 above the level of the sea, and 14,624 feet above the Lake of 
 Geneva, in its vicinity. It is encompassed by those wonder- 
 ful collections of snow and ice, called “ Guacienrs,” two of 
 the principal of which are called Monts Dolent and Triolet. 
 The highest part of Mont Blanc, named the Dromedary, is 
 in the shape of a compressed hemisphere. From that point 
 it sinks gradually, and presents a kind of concave surface of 
 snow, in the midst of which.is a small pyramid of ice. It 
 then rises into a second hemisphere, which is named the Mid- 
 dle Dome; and thence descends into another concave surface, 
 terminating in a point, which, among other names bestowed 
 on it by the Savoyards, is styled ‘‘ Déme de Gouté,” and 
 may be regarded as the inferior dome. 
 
 The first successful attempt to reach the summit of Mont 
 Blane was made in August, 1786, by Doctor Paccard, a phy- 
 sician of Chamount. , He was led to make the attempt by a 
 guide, named Balma, who, in searching for crystals, had dis- 
 covered the only practicable route by which so arduous an 
 undertaking could be accomplished. ‘The ascent occupied 
 fifteen hours, and the descent five, under circumstances of 
 the greatest difficulty ; the sight of the doctor, and that of his 
 guide, Balma, being so affected by the snow and wind, as to 
 render them almost blind, at the same time that the face of 
 each was excoriated, and the lips exceedingly swelled. 
 
 On the first of August of the following year, 1787, the 
 celebrated and indefatigable naturalist, M. de Saussure, set 
 out on his successful expedition, accompanied by a servant 
 and eighteen guides, who carried a tent and mattresses, toge- 
 ther with the necessary accommodations and various instru- 
 ments of experimental philosophy. ‘The first night they 
 
 assed under the tent, on the summit of the mountain of La 
 Cote, 4986 feet above “the Priory,” a large village in the 
 vale of Chamouni, the journey thither being exempt from 
 trouble or danger, as the ascent is always over turf, or on 
 the solid rock; but above this place it is wholly over ice or 
 snows. 
 
 Early next morning they traversed the glacier of La Cote, 
 to gain the foot of a small chain of rocks enclosed in the 
 snows of Mont Blanc. The glacier is both difficult and dan- 
 gerous, being intersected by wide, deep, irregular chasms, 
 which frequently can be passed only by three bridges of snow, 
 which are suspended over the abyss. After reaching the ridge 
 of rocks, the tract winds along a hollow or yalley, filled 
 with snow, which extends north and south to the foot of the 
 
534 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPD LPLL DLE DDE POL LIOL LLL LIC ODL BDDLDOLIG DOG LDD DOD DOOCLDL 
 
 we PLR PIP LIE POD PIL DIL IID ILA 
 
 Mont Blanc, in Switzerland, with the Glaciers. 
 
 LODLPLE POL LLL PLE DLE PLE PLD ELE LLELLE LOL GD! PLL LDL LDL PDE LOD PDE LOE ODPL 
 
 PLILE PE POLARS 
 
 highest summit, and is divided at intervals by enormous cre- 
 _vices. These show the snow to be disposed in horizontal 
 beds, each of which answers to a year, and, notwithstanding 
 the width of the fissures, the depth can in no part be mea- 
 sured. At four in the afternoon, the party reached the second 
 of the three great platforms of snow they had to traverse, 
 and here they encamped at the height of 9312 feet above the 
 Priory, or 12,768 feet, nearly two miles and a half, above the 
 level of the sea. 
 
 From the centre of this platform, enclosed between the far 
 thest summit of Mont Blanc on the south, its-high steps, or 
 terraces, on the east, and the Déme de Gouté on the west, 
 nothing but snow appears. It is quite pure, of a dazzling 
 whiteness, and on the high summits presents a singular con- 
 trast with the sky, which, in these elevated regions, is almost 
 black. Here no living being is to be seen; no appearance of 
 vegetation; it is the abode of cold and silence. ‘“* When,” 
 observes M. de Saussure, “I represent to myself Dr. Pac- 
 card and James Balma first arriving, on the decline of day, 
 in these deserts, without shelter, without assistance, and even 
 without the certainty that men could live in the places which 
 they proposed to reach, and still pursuing their career with 
 unshaken intrepidity, it seems impossible to admire too much 
 their strength of mind and their courage.” 
 
 The company departed at seven the next morning, to tra- 
 verse the third and last platform, the slope of which is ex- 
 tremely steep, being in some places thirty-nine degrees. It 
 terminates in precipices on all sides; and the surface of the 
 snow was so hard, that those who went foremost were obliged 
 to cut places for the feet with hatchets. The last slope of all 
 presents no danger; but the air possesses so high a degree of 
 rarity, that the strength is speedily exhausted, and on ap- 
 proaching the summit, it was found necessary to stop at every 
 fifteen or sixteen paces to take breath. At eleven they reached 
 the top of the mountain, where they continued four hours 
 and a half, during which time M. de Saussure enjoyed, with 
 rapture and astonishment, a view the most extensive as 
 well as the most rugged and sublime in nature, and made 
 those observations which have rendered this expedition im- 
 portant to philosophy. 
 
 A light vapor, suspended in the lower regions of the air, 
 concealed from the sight the lowest and most remote objects, 
 such as the plains of France and Lombardy; but the whole 
 surrounding assemblage of high summits appeared with the 
 greatest distinctness. / 
 
 M. de Saussure descended with his party, and the next 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 535 
 
 PPP PPS POLPLILPEIE PIG DGIGLIILISS 
 
 PPE PIPL IPD PIOPGP ODE LIDLEOGL DP LOL LDODDIDDOLP PGC LOGO 
 
 The Glaciers, or Ice-Masses, 
 
 PPL PLD POLL PDPPLLDOPG LIL LLP LOE LODGL LOL PLDI LOD PPLE PLP LPG LLL PDE DDD DLL DGDDDPPLD DIOL LDPE LOL LOD ODL OOD 
 
 morning reached Chamouni, without the smallest accident. 
 As they had taken the precaution to wear veils of crape, their 
 faces were not excoriated, nor their sight debilitated. ‘The 
 cold was not found to be so extremely piercing as it was de- 
 scribed by Dr. Paccard. By experiments made with the hy- 
 grometer, on the summit of the mountain, the air was found 
 to contain a sixth portion only of the humidity of that of 
 Geneva; and to this dryness of the air M. de Saussure im- 
 putes the burning thirst which he and his companions expe- 
 rienced. The balls of the electrometer diverged three lines 
 only, and the electricity was positive. It required half-an- 
 hour to make water boil, while at Geneva fifteen or sixteen 
 minutes sufficed, and twelve or thirteen at the sea-side. Not 
 any of the party discovered the smallest difference in the 
 taste or smell of bread, wine, meat, fruits, or liquors, as some 
 travellers have pretended is the case at great heights; but 
 sounds were of course much weakened, from the want of ob- 
 jects of reflection. Ofal! the organs, that of respiration was 
 the most affected; the pulse of one of the guides beating 
 ninety-eight times in a minute, that of the servant one hun- 
 dred and twelve, and that of M. de Saussure one hundred 
 _and one; while at Chamouni the pulsations respectively were 
 forty-nine, sixty, and seventy-two. A few days afterwards, 
 Mr. Beaufoy, an English gentleman, succeeded in a similar 
 attempt, although it was attended with greater difficulty, 
 arising from enlargements in the chasms in the ice. 
 
 The three great Glaciers, or Ice-Mountains, which descend 
 from the flanks of Mont Blanc, add their ice to that of the 
 Miage, and present a majestic spectacle, amid the astonishing 
 succession of icy summits, of deep valleys, and of wide 
 chasms, which have become channels for the innumerable tor- 
 rents and cataracts with which these mountains abound. The 
 view which the Glacier of Talafre affords from its centre, 
 looking towards the north, is as extraordinary as beautiful. 
 It rises gradually to the base of a semicircular girdle, formed 
 of peaks of granite of a great height, and terminating in 
 sharp summits, extremely varied in their forms; while the 
 intervals between these peaks are filled up by ice, which falls 
 into this mass, and this mass of ice is crowned by masses of 
 snow, rising in festoons between the black and vertical tables 
 of granite, the steepness of which does not allow them to re- 
 main. A ridge of shattered wrecks divides this glacier length- 
 wise, and forms its most elevated part, being 8538 feet, up- 
 wards of a mile and a half, above the level of the sea. This 
 prospect has nothing in common with what is seen in other 
 parts of the world. The immense masses of ice, surrounded 
 
5386 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP POD PIP PLEOLOPE PEG DDE LEE OLE DDOLOF FE 
 
 PIPPODPLGPPLOILOLEPLIOECL GE EPELEP POR 
 The Glaciers, or Ice- Masses. 
 
 PLPLLI ODO LOPL DOD OOL ODED OL LILLE EL LOD DIE DIE DOE DEEP IL LLP LLEL DL ELE LOD LOE BOE LLE LOD BOO LDL ODP 
 
 and surmounted by pyramidal rocks, still more enormous in 
 magnitude; the contrast between the whiteness of the snows 
 and the obscure colors of the stones, moistened by the water 
 which trickles down their sides; the purity of the air; the 
 dazzling light of the sun, which gives to these objects extra- 
 ordinary brilliancy; the majestic and awful silence which 
 reigns in these vast solitudes—a silence which is only inter- 
 rupted at intervals by the noise of some great mass of gra- 
 nite, or of ice, tumbling from the top of the mountain; and 
 the nakedness of these elevated rocks themselves, on which 
 neither animals, shrubs, nor verdure are to be seen, com- 
 bined with the recollection of the fertile country and rich 
 vegetation which the adjacent valleys at so small a distance 
 present ;—tend to produce a mixed impression of admiration 
 and terror, which tempts the spectator to believe that he has 
 been suddenly transported into a world forgotten by the great 
 Author of Nature. | 
 The Glacier of Triolet is covered with the wrecks of an- 
 other ice-mountain, which fell some years ago, and buried 
 many huts, flocks, and shepherds, beneath its ruins. . 
 Before we take our leave of Mont Blanc and of the Alps, 
 the peculiarly brilliant view from the summit of the Buet 
 ought to be noticed. “ Never,” says M. Bourrit, “ did prospect 
 appear so vast. ‘Towards the west the Rhone is seen, wind- 
 ing for a space of thirty-six leagues through the rich plains 
 of the Valais; the parts of the river which the mountains 
 cover with their shade seeming like threads of silver, and 
 those which the sun illumines, like threads of gold. Beyond 
 the river and its rich plains, the view extends to the highest 
 mountains of Switzerland, St. Gothard, and the Grisons, all 
 covered with ice; while, on the east, the heights sink sud- 
 denly, from some of the loftiest elevations on the globe, to 
 level plains washed by the sea. Geneva seems like a spot at 
 one end of the lake, and the lake itself like a sinuous band, 
 dividing the fields which it waters. Beyond it are discovered 
 the vast plains of Franche Comté and Burgundy, the mount- 
 ains of which diminish by almost imperceptible gradations. 
 Here the eye has neither power nor extent of sight to em- 
 brace the whole of the objects presented to its view. Amid 
 the fearful aspect of the precipices which descend on every 
 side, what a contrast between the country decorated with all 
 that is smiling and gay, and the sublime spectacle of the Alps, 
 their gloomy and aspiring summits, and, above all, the pro- 
 digious height of Mont Blanc, that enormous colossus of 
 snow and ice, which parts the clouds, and pierces to the very 
 heavens! Below this mountain, which bids defiance to time, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 537 
 
 POP PLD LLP POL LOOP LOD VBE 
 
 PIL LPLIPLE LIL LLL LIF DGPDOGPLE POE DDG LED ODGDLOL OLE POOPOGP DIE ODO OG 4 
 
 The Glaciers.— Montserrat, and its Convent. 
 
 POC LOLOL LP LODE OL OPI LEOD LOE LOOP OF 
 
 LPLOE PEP LPP LDS LED LDOE LLL ODE DOF 
 
 PIL LIL LD ODPL 
 
 and whose eternal ice disregards the dissolving power of the 
 sun, a band of pyramidal rocks appears, the intervals be- 
 tween them being so many valleys of ice, the immensity of 
 which appals the imagination. ‘Their deep chasms may be 
 distinguished, and the noise of the frequent avalanches (falls 
 of immense masses of snow,) presents to the mind the gloomy 
 ideas of horror, devastation and ruin. Farther on, other 
 summits of ice prolong this majestic picture. Among these 
 are the high mountains of the St. Bernard, and those which 
 border on the Boromean Islands. 
 
 Perhaps there is not, in our hemisphere, a theatre more 
 instructive, or more adapted for reflection, than the summit 
 of this mountain. Where besides can be seen such variety and 
 contrast of forms—such results of the efforts of time—such 
 effects of all the climates, and of all the seasons? At one 
 glance may be embraced frosts equally intense with those of 
 Lapland, and the rich and delightful frontiers of Italy ; eter- 
 nal ice, and waving harvests; all the chilling horrors of 
 winter, and the luxuriant vegetation cf summer; eighty 
 leagues of fertile plains, covered with towns, with vineyards, 
 with fields and herds, and, adjoining to these, a depth of 
 twenty thousand feet of everlasting ice. 
 
 —— 
 MONTSERRAT, AND ITS CONVENT. 
 
 Here, ’midst the changeful scenery, ever new, 
 
 Fancy a thousand wondrous forms descries, 
 
 More wildly great than ever pencil drew ; 
 
 Rocks, torrents, gulfs, and shapes of giant size, 
 
 And glittering cliffs on cliffs, and-fiery ramparts, rise. 
 BEATTIE. 
 
 Tuts Spanish mountain, which has been so long celebrated 
 on account of the singularity of its shape, but chiefly for its 
 convent and its numerous hermitages, is nine leagues north- 
 west of Barcelona, in the province of Catalonia. It is in 
 height only 3300 feet above the level of the sea, but it com- 
 mands an enchanting prospect of the fine plain of Barcelona, 
 extending to the sea, as well as of the islands of Majorca and 
 Minorca, distant 150 miles. 
 
 Towards Barcelona this mountain presents a bold and 
 rugged front; but on the west, towards Vacarisas, it is 
 almost:perpendicular, notwithstanding which, a carriage-road 
 winds round to the convent, which is placed in a sheltered ~ 
 recess among the rocks, at about half the height of the mount- 
 ain. ‘The Llobregat roars at the bottom; and the rock pre- 
 sents perpendicular walls from the edge of the water: but 
 above the convent, :the.mountain divides into two crowns or 
 
 23. sz 
 
538 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Montserrat, and its Convent. 
 
 cones, which form the most prominent features; while smaller 
 pinnacles, blanched and bare, and split into pillars, pipes, 
 and other singular shapes, give a most picturesque effect. 
 Here are seen fourteen or fifteen hermitages, which are scat- 
 tered over different points of the mountain, some of them on 
 the very pinnacles of the cones, to which they seem to grow, 
 while others are placed in cavities hewn out of the loftiest 
 pyramids. The highest accessible part of the mountain is 
 above the hermitage of St. Maddelena, the descent from 
 which is between two cones, by a flight of steps, called Ja- 
 cob’s Ladder, leading into a valley which runs along the 
 summit of the mountain. The cones are here in the most 
 grotesque shapes, the southern one being named “ the Organ,” 
 from its resemblance to a number of pipes. 
 
 At the extremity of this valley, which is a-perfect shrub- 
 bery, and on an eminence, stands the hermitage of St. Je-. 
 rome, the highest and most remote of all; and near it is the 
 loftiest station of the whole mountain, on which is a little 
 chapel, dedicated to the Virgin. From this elevated pinnacle 
 the prospect is vast and splendid. 
 
 Although the elements have wreaked all their fury on these 
 shattered peaks, yet Nature has not been sparing in her gifts; 
 the spaces between the rocks being filled up with close woods, 
 while numerous evergreens, and other plants, serve to adorn 
 the various chasms, rendering them valuable depositories of 
 the vegetable kingdom. Few, indeed, are the evergreens of 
 Europe which may not be found here; and when the mount- 
 ain was visited by Mr. Swinburne, the apothecary of the con- 
 vent had a list of four hundred and thirty-seven species of 
 ‘plants, and forty of trees, which shoot up spontaneously, and 
 grace this hoary and venerable pile. There being two springs 
 only on the mountain, there is a scarcity of water, which is 
 chiefly collected in cisterns ; an inconvenience, however, which 
 is in a great measure counterbalanced by the absence of 
 wolves, bears, and other wild beasts. 
 
 _ Captain Carlton, an Englishman, who visited Montserrat 
 some years ago, ascended to the loftiest hermitage, that of 
 St. Jerome, by the means of spiral steps hewn out in the 
 rock, on account of the steep acclivity. This, he observes, 
 could not, in his time, be well accomplished by a stranger, 
 without following the footsteps of an old ass, who carried 
 from the convent a daily supply of food to the hermits. This 
 animal having his two panniers stored with the provisions 
 divided into portions, climbed without a guide, and having 
 stopped at each of the cells, where the hermit took the por- 
 tion allotted to him, returned back to the convent. He found 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 53S 
 
 DPE OPOL DP LIE LPIP LIL LDP DID DIOLED I PDD LE L OP LP DOE GODLDOL LID L ODDIE LOL DDE LICL DE DDL DLO DDD LDP DIF POG 
 
 Montserrat and its Convent,—Falls of Niagara. 
 
 PLO LPI PLP PIPL DIL LIL LIS LILLGD BLEEP DE PID LPL LLI PLE PLE PLE LOD LODGED! CPL PDD DOLL OLE PLL LOL DOD PDAS 
 
 that one of these hermits, to beguile the wearisomeness of his 
 solitude, had contrived so effectually to tame the birds which 
 frequented the groves surrounding his hermitage, that he 
 could draw them together with a whistle, when they perched 
 on his head, breast, and shoulders, taking the food from his 
 mouth. 
 
 The convent is situated on the eastern side of the mountain, 
 which seems to have been split by vast torrents of water, or 
 by some violent convulsion of nature: in this way a platform 
 has been formed in the cleft, sufficiently ample for the purpose 
 of its construction. It is one of the forty-five religious houses 
 of the Spanish congregation of the order of St. Benedict. 
 The monks are bound to supply food and lodging for three 
 days to all pilgrims who come up to pay their homage to the 
 Virgin; besides which, they entertain the hermits on Sundays. 
 The latter, who make a vow never to quit the mountain, take 
 their stations by seniority, the junior hermit being placed at | 
 _ the greatest distance from the convent, and descending pro- 
 gressively as the vacancies happen. ‘They are not altogether 
 idle, taking pains to rival each other in making basket-works 
 and other fanciful productions, which they display with great 
 affability to their visiters. ‘They assemble every morning to 
 hear mass and perform divine service, in the parish-church of 
 St. Cecilia, which lies considerably above the convent; and 
 twice a-week they confess and communicate. They wear their 
 beards long, and are clad in brown. | 
 
 The church of St. Cecilia is a gloomy edifice, the gilding 
 of which is much sullied by the smoke of eighty-five silver 
 lamps, of various forms and sizes, suspended round the cor- 
 nice of the sanctuary. For the supply of these with oil, funds 
 have been bequeathed by devotees. The choir is decorated 
 with wood carvings, curiously wrought, representing the 
 most prominent passages in the life of Christ. 
 
 << 
 
 FALLS OF NIAGARA. 
 
 Tue river Niagara, in Upper Canada, takes its rise in the 
 eastern extremity of Lake Erie, and, after flowing for twelve 
 leagues, empties itself into Lake Ontario. Its breadth is nine 
 hundred feet, and its depth very considerable ; but its current 
 is so exceedingly strong and irregular, and its channel so fre- 
 quently interspersed with rocks, that it is navigable for small 
 boats only. picdeaedine lower, the stream widens, the rocks 
 gradually recede from the view, and the current, though 
 strong, is smooth and regular. At Fort Chippeway, however, 
 situated sae league above the cataracts, the scene is again 
 
540 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 { POLLPP OD IPGL LEP LED LPP ILE LIE DLP LES OPPLLIELOPL OF 
 
 ILL LIOL LED DLOL OP LOPGL EE CLE LLG - BO 
 Falls of Niagara. 
 
 PLP LLE LOP DOE LROP. LOE LLP L LL ELD LOD PLE LOE LOL LD LEL LSD EE DOL LOE LOO DG Lh 
 
 GIF 
 
 changed, and the river so violently agitated, that a boat 
 would be inevitably dashed in pieces, were it permitted to 
 pass Fort Niagara, situated on its bank. So impetuously do 
 the waves break among the rocks, that the mere sight of 
 them, from the adjacent shore, is sufficient to strike terror 
 in the spectator. As it approaches the Falls, the stream 
 rushes along, with redoubled fury, until it reaches the edge 
 of the stupendous precipice, when it tumbles suddenly to the 
 bottom, without meeting with any obstruction in its descent, 
 Precisely at this place, the river strikes off to the right, and © 
 the line of cataracts winds obliquely across, instead of extend- 
 ing, in the shortest direction, from one bank to the other. 
 It ought to be observed, that the water does not precipitate 
 itself down the vast abyss in one entire sheet, but, being 
 separated by islands, forms three distinct collateral Falls. 
 One of these is called the Great, or Horse-shoe Fall, from 
 the similarity of its form to that of a horse-shoe. Itis situated 
 on the north-west extremity of the river, and is most deserv- 
 ing of the attention of the spectator, as its grandeur is evi- 
 dently superior to that of the adjacent cataracts, although its 
 height may be considerably less. As the extent of this Fall 
 can be ascertained by the eye only, it is impossible precisely to 
 describe its limits; but its circumference is generally com- 
 puted at one thousand eight hundred feet, somewhat more 
 than one-third of a mile. Beyond the intervening island, the 
 width of which may be equal to one thousand and fifty feet, is 
 the Second Fall, about fifteen feet wide; and at the distance — 
 of ninety feet, occupied by the second island, is situated Fort 
 Scloper Fall, so called from its proximity to that fort. The 
 dimensions of this cataract may be reckoned equal to those of 
 the large island; so that the entire extent of the precipice, 
 including the intermediate islands, is four thousand and five 
 feet ; acomputation which certainly does not exceed the truth. 
 The quantity of water precipitated from the Falls is prodi- 
 gious ; and, agreeably to a late estimate, amounts to six hun- 
 dred and seventy thousand, two hundred and fifty tons per minute! 
 From the eminence entitled “ the Table Rock,” the spec- 
 tator has a fine prospect of the terrific Rapids, above the Falls, 
 and of the surrounding shores, embellished with lofty woods. 
 He there sees to advantage the adjacent Horse-shoe Fall, and 
 the dread abyss, inte which he may look perpendicularly from 
 the edge of the rock, if his courage be equal to his curiosity. 
 The immensity of the various objects which here present 
 themselves to the view, infallibly overwhelms a stranger with 
 astonishment, and several minutes must elapse before he can_ 
 Possibly collect himself sufficiently to form any just conception 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 5AL 
 
 OLD FPP PPP LOD PIG CIG LIF 
 
 PLP LOL LEP LOL LOL GPE LLE aA OL GOD OORE SE 
 Falls of Niagara. 
 
 PPL PLO LL ELLE BL GELLE PLE L LE LOL ODD L LOD ELE LDL BODE DOP 
 
 IPP DEP OIL 
 
 PPLDF 
 
 PPL 
 
 of the awful and magnificent scene before him, which requires 
 that all its component parts should be separately examined, 
 and which affords so truly surprising an exhibition, that per- 
 sons who have resided in its vicinity for several years, and 
 who have been constantly habituated to its sublimity, ingenu- 
 ously acknowledge, at their last visit, that they were never 
 able before to discover its peculiar grandeur. 
 
 From a cliff nearly opposite to one extremity of Fort Sclo- 
 per Cataract, the Falls are seen in a very interesting point of 
 view ; the scenery there, it is true, is less magnificent, but is 
 infinitely more beautiful than from any other station. For 
 several miles beneath the precipice the river is bounded, on 
 either side, by steep and lofty cliffs, composed of earth and 
 rocks, which in most parts are perpendicular. The descent to 
 the bottom of the Falls is here accomplished by two ladders, 
 formed of long pine-trees, with notches on their sides, on 
 which the traveller rests his feet, and passes down amidst a 
 variety of huge misshapen rocks and pendent trees, which 
 seem to threaten him with instantaneous destruction. The 
 breadth of the river in this part is about two furlongs ; and 
 towards the right, on the opposite side, Fort Scloper Fall 
 appears in a very advantageous point of view. About the 
 one-half of the Horse-shoe Fall is concealed by the projecting 
 cliff, but its partial Dee is extremely fine. The bottom 
 of the former of these Falls is skirted with a beautiful white 
 foam, which ascends from the rock in thick volumes, but does 
 not rise into the air like a cloud of smoke, as is the case with 
 that of the latter Fall, although its spray is so considerable, as 
 to descend like a shower of rain, near the second ladder, on 
 the opposite side of the river. On its brink, and along the 
 strand, to the Great Fall, are to be constantly seen shattered 
 trees and bodies of animals, which have been carried away by 
 the extreme violence of the current. 
 
 The color of the water of the cataracts, as it descends per- 
 pendicularly on the rocks, is occasionally a dark green, and 
 sometimes a foaming brilliant white, displaying a thousand 
 elegant variations, according to the state of the atmosphere, 
 the height of the sun, or the force of the wind. A portion of 
 the spray, resulting from the Falls, frequently towers above 
 the height, and literally mingles with the clouds: while the 
 remainder, broken in its descent by fragments of rocks, is in 
 continual agitation. ‘The noise, irregularity, and rapid de- 
 scent of the stream, continue about eight miles farther ; and 
 the river is not sufficiently calm to admit of navigation, till it 
 reaches Queen’s Town, on the west side of the straits of Nia- 
 gara, and nine miles distant from the Falls 
 
 t ¢ 
 
549 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLL LLL LL DO BLO LLDELDE LOD DLE LOD LPLE OLD LLL LOL PDD LOO LDL ODD ID. OOF 
 
 Fails of Niagara.—Gold and Silver Mines. 
 
 PLO LOL DLE DLE PDL ODO DDO LOO LDL 
 
 POP LIF. 
 
 PLP LIL 
 
 , ae 
 
 POLL LI EO PPG L IS 
 
 To attempt an adequate description of them would be a 
 fruitless task. Their wondrous reality puts to flight the most 
 sublime ideas of anticipating fancy, and overpowers the soul 
 of an intelligent spectator with such enthusiastic feelings as 
 can never be rightly conceived, unless by those who have, on 
 some occasion, contemplated a similar scene. 
 
 ——— ee 
 
 GOLD AND SILVER MINES. 
 
 DaLmATIA is said in ancient times to have produced an 
 abundance of gold. Pliny reports that in the reign of the 
 Emperor Nero, fifty pounds of this precious metal were daily 
 taken from the mines of that province; and that it was found 
 on the surface of the ground. It is added that Vibius, who 
 was sent by Augustus to subdue the Dalmatians, obliged that 
 hardy and warlike people to work in the mines, and to se- 
 parate the gold from the ore. 
 
 Bossina, in Sclavonia, contains many mineral mountains, 
 and has rich mines of gold and silver. ‘The district in which 
 the latter are found is named Srebrarniza, being derived from 
 the word srebr, which signifies silver in all the Sclavonian 
 dialects. ‘Their produce resembles the native silver of Po- 
 tosi, and is found, combined with pure quartz, in small, thin 
 leaves, resembling moss. 
 
 The kingdom of Norway formerly produced gold; but the 
 expense of working the mines, and procuring the pure ore, 
 being greater than the profit, these have been neglected. 
 There are, however, silver mines, which are extremely va- 
 luable, and give employment to several thousands of persons. 
 The principal of these is at Konigsberg, and was discovered 
 in 1623, when the town was immediately built, and peopled 
 with German miners. In 1751, forty-one shafts, and twelve 
 veins, were wrought in this mine, and gave employment to 
 three thousand five hundred officers, artificers, and laborers. 
 
 The silver ore is not, as was at first imagined, confined to 
 the mountain between Konigsberg and the river Jordal, but 
 extends its veins for several miles throughout the adjacent 
 districts, in consequence of which new mines have been un- 
 dertaken in several places, and prosperously carried on. One 
 of the richest and most ancient of the mines, named “ Old 
 God’s blessing,” has sometimes, in the space of a week, yielded 
 several hundred pounds’ weight of rich ore. ‘he astonishing 
 depth of this mine, which is not less than a hundred and 
 eighty fathoms perpendicular, fills the mind of the beholder 
 with amazement; and the circumference at the bottom forms 
 a clear space of several hundreds of fathoms. Here the sight 
 
OURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 54S 
 
 BOD LPI LOD DEG LIOL GD \I EP BOO DILL IE GLP DIP DPD GLO DLS PDO PDE PDO LDEDDDPOLDODOLDD DEE OOPLDP DOE GOP OG? 
 
 Gold and Silver Mines. 
 
 POOP LG PLDC LOLS OL LDP LOO PDP LLLP GDP PPG LID LDOLE LOE DDE GLO ODP 
 
 PPI PDP PLP PG LG LDP OPP DLP LL OS DOP 
 
 of thirty or forty piles, burning on all sides in this gloomy 
 cavern, and continually fed to soften the stone in the prose- 
 cution of the labors, seems, according to the notions com- 
 monly entertained, an apt image of hell; and the swarms of 
 miners, covered with soot, and bustling about in habits accord- 
 ing to their several employments, may well pass for so many 
 infernal spirits; more especially when, ata given signal when 
 the mine is to be sprung in this or that direction, they exclaim - 
 aloud—* Berg-livet, berg-livet !” “'Take care of your lives.”’ 
 
 The gold mines of Cremnitz lie forty miles south of the 
 Carpathian hills; and twenty miles farther to the south, are 
 the silver mines of Shemnitz. These are called mining towns ; 
 and the former is the principal, its rich ores being found in 
 what is styled metallic rock. Its mines also produce a certain 
 proportion of silver. Hungary is besides enriched by a mi- 
 neral peculiar to itself, or one, at least, which has not hitherto 
 been discovered elsewhere, namely, the opal—a gem preferred 
 to all others by the oriental nations. ‘The opal mines are 
 situated at Ozerwiniza, where they are found ina hill con- 
 sisting of decomposed porphyry, a few fathoms beneath the 
 surface. ‘Their produce is of various qualities, from the 
 opake-white, or semi-opal, to the utmost refulgence of the 
 lively colors by which this noble gem is distinguished. 
 
 Transylvania and the Bannat contain numerous and va- 
 luable mines, consisting chiefly of grey gold ore, and white 
 gold ore. The finest gold is found at Olapian, not far from 
 Zalathna, intermixed with gravel and sand. The sands of 
 the Rhine, on the shores near Germerscheim and Sels, also. 
 contain gold. 
 
 The mountains of Spain were, according to ancient writers, 
 very rich in gold and silver; and accordingly Gibbon calls 
 that kingdom “ the Peru and Mexico of the old world.” 
 He adds that “ the discovery of the rich western continent by 
 the Phenicians, and the oppression of the simple natives, who 
 were compelled to labor in their own mines for the benefit of 
 strangers, form an exact type of the more recent history of 
 Spanish America.” The Phenicians were simply acquainted 
 with the sea-coasts of Spain; but avarice as well as ambition 
 carried the arms of Rome and Carthage into the heart of the 
 country, and almost every part of the soil was found pregnant 
 with gold, silver, and copper. A mine near Carthagena is said 
 to have yielded daily twenty-five thousand drachms of silver, 
 or three hundred thousand pounds sterling a-year. ‘The pro- 
 vinces of Asturia, Gallicia, and Lusitania, yielded twenty 
 thousand pounds weight of gold annually: the modern 
 
b44 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 Gold and Silver Mines.—Quicksilver Mines. 
 
 PPP DOD LOG 
 
 POLE LLP LOL LOL PELL 
 
 ADPLP LLG LOL LL ELLIS PLP LLL LPP DIP 
 
 Spaniards have, however, chosen rather to import the pre- 
 ious metals from America, than to seek them at home. 
 Portugal is in many parts mountainous, and these mountains 
 contain, besides others, rich ores of silver; but the Portu- 
 guese, like the Spaniards, being supplied with metals from 
 their trans-atlantic possessions, and particularly with an abund- 
 ance of gold and silver from Brazil, do not work the mines in 
 their own country. Gems of all kinds, as turquoises and 
 hyacinths, are also found in the above mountains, together 
 witha beautifully variegated marble, and many curious fossils. 
 QUICKSILVER MINES. 
 
 THE quicksilver mines of Idria are the most interesting of 
 these, and demand a particular description, as they have been 
 celebrated in natural history, poetry, and romance. ‘The ban 
 of Idria isa district immediately subject to the Chamber of 
 Inner Austria, and lies westward of Carniola. The town, 
 which is small, is seated in a. deep valley, amid high mountains, 
 on the river of the same name, and at the bottom of so steep a 
 descent, that its approach is a task of great difficulty, and 
 sometimes of danger. 
 
 The mines were discovered in 1497, before which time that 
 part of the country was inhabited by a few coopers only, and 
 ‘other artificers in wood, with which-the territory abounds. 
 
 _» One evening, a.cooper having placed a new tub under a drop- 
 
 ping spring, to try if it would hold water, on returning next 
 morning, found it so heavy that he could scarcely move it. 
 He at first was led by his superstition to suspect that the tub 
 was bewitched; but perceiving at length a‘shining fluid at the 
 bottom, with the nature of which he was unacquainted, he 
 collected it, and proceeded to an apothecary at Laubach, who, 
 being an artful man, dismissed him with a small recompense, 
 requesting that he would not fail to bring him further supplies. 
 
 ‘The subterraneous passages of the great:mine are so exten- 
 ‘sive, that it would require several hours to pass through 
 them. ‘The greatest perpendicular depth, computing from 
 ‘the entrance of the shaft, is 840 feet; but as these passages 
 advance horizontally under a high mountain, the depth 
 would be much greater if the measure were taken from the 
 surface. One mode of descending the shaft is by a bucket; 
 but, as the entranc€ is narrow, the bucket is liable to strike 
 -against the sides, or to be stopped by some obstacle, so that 
 it may be readily overset. A second mode of descending 
 ‘is safer, by the means of a great number of ladders, placed 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 545 
 
 POP LOS PP PL LE GOD ODL ELI LOL DP. 
 
 Quicksilver Mines.—Jeffery Hudson in the Pie. 
 
 DOS PIL PDL DDE LED ALD LIED DP II ELE LOD LOL LEP LE L DLE DDD LOC DED RLOEDDL DEC OPL ODEO LDS SPP OLO DDG 
 
 obliquely, in a kind of zig-zag: as the ladders, however, are 
 wet and narrow, a person must be very cautious how he steps, 
 to prevent his falling. In the course of the descent, there 
 are several resting-places, which are extremely welcome to 
 the wearied traveller. In some of the subterraneous passages 
 the heat is so intense, as to occasion a profuse sweat; and in: 
 several of the shafts the air was formerly so confined, that 
 several miners were suffocated by an igneous vapor, or - 
 gaseous exhalation, called the fire-damp. This has been 
 prevented by sinking the main shaft deeper. Near to it is a 
 large wheel, and an hydraulic machine, by which the mine is 
 cleared of water. 
 
 ‘Yo these pernicious and deadly caverns criminals are oc- 
 casionally banished by the Austrian government; and it has 
 sometimes happened that this punishment has been allotted 
 to persons of considerable rank and family. An incident of 
 this nature, in the person of Count Alberti, laid the found- 
 ation of Mr. Sargent’s elegant dramatic poem entitled “ The 
 Mine.” — 
 
 The Count having fought a duel with an Austrian general, 
 against the Kmperor’s command, and having left him for 
 dead, was obliged to seek refuge in one of the forests of 
 Istria, where he was apprehended, and afterwards rescued 
 by a band of robbers who had long infested that quarter, 
 With these banditti he spent nine months, until, by a close 
 investiture of the place in which they were concealed, and. 
 after a very obstinate resistance, in which the greater part of 
 them were killed, he was taken and carried to Vienna, to be | 
 broken alive on the wheel. This punishment was, by the 
 intercession of his friends, changed into that of perpetual 
 confinement and labor in the mines of Idria—a sentence 
 which, to a noble mind, was worse than death. ‘To these 
 mines he was accompanied by the Countess, his lady, who 
 belonged to one of the first families in Germany, and who, 
 having tried every means to procure her husband’s pardon 
 without effect, resolved at length to share his miseries, as she 
 could not relieve them. They were terminated, however, by 
 his pardon being procured by the general with whom he had 
 fought the duel, on the latter being recovered from his wounds ; 
 and this nobleman, on his return to Vienna, was again taken 
 into favor, and restored to his rank and fortune. 
 
 E..  S 
 JEFFERY HUDSON IN THE PIE. 
 
 Jerrery Hupson, the famous English Dwarf, who contri- 
 buted to the amusements of the court of Charles Li. was born 
 pt AA. 
 
546 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPOP GE PLPPPEG POR PD SF. 
 
 PLE LDF 
 
 DIP LOD LDP ILIG DE PLDD POP LPO LOO DEOL LDD OLPPELEOOPGOE 
 
 Jeffery Hudson in the Pie.—Extraordinary Sympathies and Antipathies. 
 
 OPP PCFPL GGL DO ODPELIL ELE LDL DIF 
 
 PIL LAD FDL DGD LOD PLEO L DS PIE LOL LEE LE LL OPEL OI OLS 
 
 POF 
 
 at Oakham, in Rutlandshire, in the year 1619. When about 
 the age of seven or eight, being then but eighteen inches high, 
 he was retained in the service of the Duke of Buckingham, 
 who resided at Burleigh-on-the-Hill. Soon after the mar- 
 riage of Charles 1., the king and queen being entertained at 
 Burleigh, little Jeffery was served up to table in a cold pie, 
 and presented by the duchess to the queen, who kept him as 
 her dwarf. From seven years of age to thirty he never grew 
 taller; but after thirty he shot up to three feet nine inches, 
 and there fixed. Jeffery took a considerable part in the enter- 
 tainments of the court. Sir William Davenant wrote a poem, 
 called “* Jeffreidos,”’ on a battle between him and a turkey- 
 cock; and in 1638 was published a very small book, called 
 “The New Year's Gift, presented at court from the Lady 
 Perceval to the Lord Minimus (commonly called little Jeffery,) 
 her Majesty’s servant,’ &c. written by Microphilus; with a 
 little print of Jeffery prefixed. Before this period Jeffery was 
 onepie’ on a negotiation of great importance: he was sent 
 to France to fetch a midwife for the queen; and on his return 
 with this gentlewoman and her Majesty’s dancing-master, and 
 many rich presents to the queen, from her mother, Mary de 
 Medicis, he was taken by the Dunkirkers. Jeffery, thus made 
 of consequence, grew to think himself really so. He had 
 borne with little temper the teazing of the courtiers and 
 domestics, and had many squabbles with the king’s gigantic 
 porter. At last, being provoked by Mr. Crofts, a young gen- 
 tleman of family, a challenge ensued ; and Mr. Crofts coming © 
 to the rendezvous arn:ed only with a squirt, the little creature 
 was so enraged, that a real duel ensued; and the appointment 
 being on a level, Jeffery with the first fire shot his antagonist 
 dead. This happened in France, whither he had attended 
 his mistress in the troubles. He was again taken prisoner by 
 a Turkish rover, and sold into Barbary. He probably did 
 not remain long in slavery-; for at the beginning of the civil 
 war he was made a captain in the royal army, and in 1644 at- 
 tended the queen to France, where he remained till the 
 restoration. At last, upon suspicion of his being privy to the 
 popish plot, he was taken up in 1682, and confined in the 
 Gate-house, Westminster, where he ended his life, in the 
 sixty-third year of his age. 
 
 = ae 
 
 EXTRAORDINARY SYMPATHIES AND ANTIPATHIES, 
 
 “Tat a human body,” says Mr. Boyle, “is so framed as 
 to suffer great changes from seemingly gentle impressions of 
 external objects, appears from many instances already men- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 547 
 Extraordinary Sympathies and Antipathies. 
 
 tioned. ‘Thus, likewise, to go suddenly into the sunshine will 
 sometimes instantly occasion that violent motion we call 
 sneezing. ‘l’o look from a precipice will make the head giddy ; 
 the sight of a whirlpool has caused men to fall into it; and to 
 fix the eyes upon the water beneath a ship under sail will 
 prove emetic; as I, for my health’s sake, have sometimes ex- — 
 perienced. Ifa person be ticklish, stroke the sole of his foot 
 with a feather, and it shall, against his will, affect the remote 
 muscles of his face and provoke him to laughter. As the 
 tickling of a straw in the nostrils excites sneezing, many kinds 
 of grating noise will set the teeth on edge, and a servant of 
 mine complained that the whetting ofa knife would make his 
 gums bleed. Henricus ab Heer mentions a lady who would 
 faint at the sound of a bell, or any loud noise, even that of 
 ringing, and lie as if she were dead; but as she was thoroughly 
 cured by a course of physic, it appears that this disposition 
 proceeded from some particular texture in her body. With- 
 regard to sounds, one hysterical woman in fits shall even com- 
 municate them to another by aspect; and to show that dis- 
 tempered bodies may receive alterations, while sound ones 
 remain the same, we need only consider that the subtle 
 efiluvia, which float in the air before any change of weather, 
 are felt by those valetudinarians who have formerly received 
 bruises, wounds, or other injuries, and that too only in the 
 very parts where they happened. Others we daily see, who 
 are disordered by riding backwards in a coach; and the scent 
 of musk or ambergris, though grateful to others, will throw 
 hysterical women into strange convulsions. Zacutus Lusitanus 
 tells us of a fisherman, who, having spent his life at sea, and 
 coming accidentally to the reception of the king of Portugal, 
 in a maritime town where perfumes were burnt, he was thereby 
 _thrown into a fit, judged apoplectic by two physicians, who 
 treated him accordingly; till three days after, the king’s phy- 
 sician guessing the cause, ordered him to be removed to the 
 sea-side, and there to be covered with sea-weed, which soon 
 recovered him. 
 
 ‘‘ But there are many strange peculiarities,’ says the same 
 author, ‘‘ in some persons both in sickness and health, These 
 differences, indeed, between healthy men may not be greater 
 than those observable in the same person when in a sound or 
 distempered state; yet we frequently see that some bodies 
 are so framed as to be strangely disordered by such things as 
 either not at all, or else differently, affect those of others. 
 Thus it is common for men to express great uneasiness, and 
 fall into fits of trembling, at the sight of a cat. ~ This was the 
 case of the late gallant and noble Earl of Barrymore, who 
 
548 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OPPO EG LLOE LLL DOD EDOL LIL LILLE DIS POL LDS LOR? LOL LOG LOL LLL LLL LOL LDOLLDE DOE PPP DIO DGD 
 
 Extraordinary Sympathies and Antipathies. 
 
 POLO OE LOL LDL DDE DEP DDL LLL OLE LOL DEL POL DOLL ILE LOE PIE 
 
 LPLILPP LLLP LOL DOD PDO DPD VWI) DIP DOD 
 
 had the like aversion to tansy; and I, myself, cannot behold 
 a spider near me without a great commotion in my blood, 
 though I never received any hurt from that creature, and 
 have no abhorrence of toads, vipers, or other venomous ani- 
 mals. 1 also know an excellent lady who is remarkable for a 
 strange antipathy to honey. Her physician, supposing this 
 in some measure imaginary, mixed a little honey in a remedy 
 he applied to a very slight scratch she happened to receive in 
 her foot; but he soon repented of his curiosity; for it caused 
 a strange and unexpected disorder, which ceased upon the 
 removal of that medicine and the application of others. The 
 same excellent person complained to me, that the vulgar pec- 
 toral remedies did her no service in coughs wherewith she 
 was troubled, and which nothing relieved but either the fumes 
 of amber received by a pipe with that of proper herbs, or the 
 balsam of sulphur. 1 know an ingenious gentlewoman on 
 whom cinnamon, which generally is considerably astringent and 
 stomachic, has a quite contrary effect, and this in a strange 
 degree; so that, having found, by two or three accidental 
 trials, that a very. little cinnamon seemed to disorder her 
 stomach and prove laxative, she once resolved to satisfy her- 
 self whether these discomposures came by chance or no; and 
 having strewed some powdered cinnamon on a toast, she ate 
 it, and was thereby purged for two days together with such 
 violence that it caused convulsions and a spasmus, which she 
 continues to be troubled with from time to time, though it is 
 three years since she made the experiment, as was averred to 
 me by her husband, a physician.* A person of quality lately 
 asked me, whether he should continue the use of coffee 
 as an emetic, because he had found it operate very vio- 
 lently with him. Inquiring particularly into this odd effect, 
 I found that an ordinary wine-glass-full of the common liquid 
 coffee would, in two hours, make him vomit more severely 
 than the infusion of crocus metallorum, or other usual emetics. 
 That this had been for several years his constant vomit; that 
 scarcely any one was more irksome than this of late grew to 
 take, so that the scent of a coffee-house would make him sick; 
 and lastly, that he himself had formerly used it long together 
 for the fumes which offended his head, without observing any 
 emetic quality therein.”’ 
 
 M. Zimmerman relates the following instance of antipathy 
 to spiders :—“ Being one day in an English company,” says 
 
 * On the other hand, M. Lemery tells us that he knew a chemist who 
 could eat mercurtus dulcis as if it were bread; and that he has seen him 
 chew and swallow down four ounces at once, without any sensible effect 
 Hist. de VAcadem. An. 1699, p, 69. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 549 
 
 POP DOP 
 
 PLL LPL LLP PDP 
 
 POE LaF LEP PIR 
 
 PRIS 
 
 Extraordinary Sympathies and Antipathies.—Subterraneous Forests. 
 
 PLP LIE LIL LDS 
 
 ILD LOD LOL 
 
 POL POP PEP PELL OL LOD LOLL OLE LIL IOLOOL IG L IL ELE SIP 
 
 he, “consisting of persons of distinction, the conversation 
 happened to fall on antipathies. The greater part of the 
 company denied the reality of them, and treated them as old 
 women’s tales; but I told them that antipathy was a real 
 disease. Mr. William Matthew, son of the governor of Bar- 
 badoes, was of my opinion; and as he added that he himself 
 had an extreme antipathy to spiders, he was laughed at by 
 the whole company. 1 showed them, however, that this was 
 a real impression of his mind, resulting from a mechanical 
 effect. Mr. John Murray, afterwards Duke of Athol, took it 
 into his head to make, in Mr. Matthew’s presence, a spider of 
 black wax, to try whether this antipathy would appear merely 
 ona sight of the insect. He went out of theroom, therefore, and 
 returned with a bit of black wax in his hand, which he kept 
 shut. Mr. Matthew, who in other respects was a sedate and 
 amiable man, imagining that his friend really held a spider, 
 immediately drew his sword in a great fury, retired with 
 precipitation to the wall, leaned against it, as if to run him 
 through, and sent forth horrible cries. All the muscles of 
 his face were swelled, his eyeballs rolled in their sockets, and 
 his whole body was as stiff as a post. We immediately ran 
 to him in great alarm, and took his sword from him, assuring 
 him at the same time that Mr. Murray had nothing in his 
 hand but a bit of wax, and that he might himself see it on the 
 table where it was placed. He remained some time in this 
 spasmodic state, and I was really afraid of the consequences. 
 He, however, gradually recovered, and deplored the dreadful 
 passion into which he had been thrown, and from which he 
 still suffered. His pulse was exceedingly quick and full, and 
 his whole body was covered with a cold sweat. After taking 
 a sedative, he was restored to his former tranquillity, and his 
 agitation was attended with no other bad consequences.” 
 We must not be surprised at this antipathy: the largest and 
 most hideous spiders are found in Barbadoes, and Mr. Matthew 
 was born in that island. Some one of the company having 
 formed of the same wax, in his presence, a small spider, he 
 looked at it, while making, with the utmost tranquillity; but 
 it would have been impossible to induce him to touch it. 
 He was not, however, of a timid disposition. 
 —z— 
 
 SUBTERRANEOUS FORESTS. 
 
 In the year 1708, a breach made by the Thames, at an 
 extraordinary high tide, inundated the marshes of Dagenham 
 and Havering, in Essex. Such was the impetuous rush of 
 the water, that a large passage or channel was torn up, three 
 
550. CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AWD ART. 
 
 Subterraneous Forests. 
 
 LOO DLO DDL SE LOLODCOLO LEO DLOL DOLL DE LDDD OL ODDO DODD LOE LOOP GEAE 
 
 PLP LOPS 
 
 PLO LE OL DOLE LE LOD DLE DLE GDL IGF 
 
 hundred feet in width, and in some parts twenty feet in depth. 
 In this way, a great number of trees, which had been buried 
 there many ages before, were exposed to view. With one 
 exception, that of a large oak, having the greatest part of its 
 bark, and some of its heads and roots, in a perfect state, these 
 trees bore a greater resemblance to alder than to any other 
 description of wood. They were black and hard, and their 
 fibres extremely tough. Not any doubt was entertained of 
 their having grown on the spot where they then lay; and they 
 were so numerous, that in many places they afforded steps to 
 the passengers. They were imbedded in a black oozy soil, 
 on the surface of which they lay prostrate, with a covering of 
 grey mould. 
 
 In passing along the channel torn up by the water, vast 
 numbers of the stumps of these subterraneous trees, re- 
 maining in the posture in which they grew, were to be seen, 
 some with their roots running down, and others branching 
 and spreading about in the earth, as is observed in growing 
 trees. That they were the ruins, not of the deluge, but ofa 
 later age, has been inferred from the existence of a bed of 
 shells, which lies across the highway, on the descent near 
 Stifford-bridge, leading to South Oxendon. At a perpendi- 
 cular depth of twenty feet beneath the bed of shells, and at 
 the distance of nearly two hundred feet, in the bottom of a 
 valley, runs a brook which empties itself into the Thames at 
 Purfleet. This brook is known to ebb and flow with the 
 ‘Thames; and, consequently, if the bed of shells, as has been 
 conjectured, was deposited in that place by an inundation of 
 the 'Thames, it must have been such as to have drowned a 
 vast proportion of the surrounding country, and have over- 
 topped the trees near the river, in West Horrock, Dagenham, 
 and the other marshes, overturning them in its progress. In 
 support of this hypothesis, it should be remarked, that the 
 bed of earth in which the trees grew was entire and undis- 
 turbed, and consisted of a spongy, light, oozy soil, filled with 
 the roots of reeds, of a specific gravity much less than that of 
 the stratum above it. 
 
 The levels of Hatfield Chase were, in the reign of Charles J. 
 the largest chase of red deer in England, ‘They contained 
 about one hundred and eighty thousand acres of land, about 
 one-half of which was yearly inundated; but being sold to 
 one Vermuiden, a Dutchman, he contrived, at great labor and 
 expense, to dis-chase, drain, and reduce these lands to arable 
 and pasture grounds, not subject to be overflowed. In every 
 part of the soil, in the bottom of the river Ouse even, and in 
 that of the adventitious soil of all marsh land, together with 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 551 
 
 COP LOG LOL PIG LOL LED BL PG LD OLD ELE DDE LIS LDGL OL ODI DDDGPD OLE DDECDDOGDELDOD ODE ODOLDL IDG DOP DDG 
 
 Subterraneous Forests.—Short Method of bringing a Ghost to light. 
 
 PPI LILO LID PLIES BL OELDI PIL LID DLE LOE LDL LLL LLL DDE DEP OLD LGD LOL DOLD LDOS FOO DEOL DOD LDE DP P PLD LDDSGDP 
 
 the skirts of the Lincolnshire Wold, vast multitudes of the 
 roots and trunks of trees of different sizes are found. The 
 roots are fixed in the soil, in their natural position, as thick as 
 they could have grown; and near to them lie the trunks. 
 Many of these trees appear to have been burned, and others 
 to have been chopped and squared; and this in such places, 
 and at such depths, as could never have been opened, since 
 the destruction of the forest, until the time of the drainage. 
 That this was the work of the Romans, who were the de- 
 stroyers of all the woods and forests which are now found 
 underground in the buttoms of moors and bogs, is evidenced 
 by the coins and utensils, belonging to that nation, which have 
 been collected, as well in these levels, as in other parts of 
 Great Britain where these subterraneous forests have been 
 discovered. 
 
 =a 
 
 A SHORT MODE OF BRINGING A GHOST TO -LIGHT. 
 
 Mrs. Wa'tErR, a widow lady, who, with her family, occu- 
 pied a.cottage at Hampstead, during the autumn of 1817, was 
 much alarmed by unusual noises in various parts of her pre- 
 "mises at the dead hour of the night. At first she was induced 
 to believe these sounds proceeded from thieves, but having 
 missed nothing to confirm her suspicions, this idea was aban- 
 doned, and one of a more solemn description found place in 
 her breast; namely, that the disturbance arose from some 
 supernatural agency; a belief which was confirmed by both 
 her servant-maids, who declared most positively that they had 
 seen things, which had the appearance of a human figure 
 clothed in white, flitting through the garden after nightfall. 
 The terror arising from the continuance of these supposed 
 visitations from the other world, which were kept a secret from 
 the neighbourhood, at length induced Mrs. Water to apply to 
 her nephew, who at once suspected the cause, and by agree- 
 ment was secretly admitted on the premises, in company with 
 a friend, without the knowledge of the servants, on the night 
 fixed upon; when taking their station behind some trees in 
 the shrubbery, they patiently waited the midnight-hour, 
 being provided with a dark lantern, in the event of artificial 
 light being necessary to unravel the mystery. Soon after one, 
 a figure, enveloped in white, entered the garden from a door 
 leading into an adjoining field, and approaching directly to 
 the house, rattled several of the shutters and doors. This 
 turned out to be the signal of his arrival, and in a few se- 
 conds a female came from the house and joined the aerial 
 visitant, which, without much ceremony, encircled her, not in 
 
5x CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 { PPDPP LIE ILO LOPDPD GE POPIDOI LG IG POPLELO LOI PGP IDDDL DS LOS PLPLID LED POOP DP DOLE DOPF pry 
 
 Short Method of bringing a Ghost to light.—Curious Discovery of Murder. 
 
 DP LLP LL EL AL. 
 
 LLP BELLE REL LEDLEOE LOLOL DEL DIL OD PELE RELL E BOF BODE LDLS 
 
 PIE LES IOPL LIF. 
 
 his shadowy, but sinewy, arms. While in this state of bliss, 
 the triends approached with as much silence as possible, but 
 not with sufficient precaution to prevent alarm; and before 
 they could secure the spirit he vanished, not into the air, but 
 into an adjoining pig-sty, which happened to be untenanted, 
 and was filled with dry straw. ‘The female vanished with as 
 much celerity into the house, and shut the door, waiting, in a 
 state more easily conceived than described, the issue of the 
 untoward interruption to her joys. ‘The friends having ap- 
 proached the pig-sty, exhorted the evil spirit to come forth, 
 with every argument of which they were masters, but all in 
 vain, till at length one of them very deliberately set fire to 
 the straw, the light and smoke of which produced the desired 
 effect, and, to their infinite surprise and amusement, out crept 
 a young gentleman, whose parents resided in the vicinage, 
 and who had adopted this mode of carrying on an intrigue 
 with the housemaid. It is needless to say that the shame of his 
 exposure, as well as the danger which he had incurred, ope- 
 rated as a sufficient caution to prevent the repetition of similar 
 idle and mischievous expedients, by which, on more occasions 
 than one, the lives of our fellow-creatures have been sacri- 
 
 ficed. 
 
 —<—_i 
 
 CURIOUS DISCOVERY OF MURDER, 
 
 Tue men who lately committed a murder in the county of 
 Clare, upon a person named Ryan, have been, through the 
 activity of the police, apprehended in the following curious 
 manner :—A party of the police, commanded by Serjeant 
 Jameson, reached the spot within about an hour after the 
 perpetrating of the horrid deed, and followed the foot-prints 
 of the murderers with the most persevering assiduity. ‘The 
 men remarked, from the impression on the ground, that one 
 of them wore new brogues, or strong shoes, the soles of which 
 were thickly set with nails; and so vigilant were they, that 
 they observed the vacancy left by the head of a nail being 
 wanting in one of them. ‘This track they pursued to the 
 ruffian’s house, where they took him into custody, with the 
 identical shoes yet wet upon his feet! ‘They inimediately 
 measured the shoe with the impression upon the fatal spot, 
 and found it to answer in every respect, even to the absent 
 nail. ‘The other man, they observed, had on but one shoe. 
 This track they also followed, and actually took him into cus- 
 tody, in his own house, having on a wet and a dry shoe! This 
 circumstantial evidence, we are glad to say, has been strength- 
 ened by the identification of both the prisoners by the family 
 
 - 
 
* 
 ‘ 2 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 553 
 
 » 
 DPPAPP LED IPP FOO PPD LDL PPD LEE LPL DEL GEL ODL ODD LIL 
 
 Curious Discovery of Murder.—Fecundity of Fish.—Fatal Effects of Fear. 
 
 PLO CLE LID LIT 
 
 LIL ILL DDD LDL PDL PLD BOLL DDD LOL LOD ODE LOL GGL LDL DODD 
 
 of the unfortunate victim. We cannot but recognize a re- 
 markable Providence in the apprehension of these men, and 
 we wish it may impress upon the minds of the evil-disposed, 
 the awful warning, that the murderer will not, even upon 
 earth, be suffered to escape the vengeance due to his crime. 
 Both the above men have been committed to gaol, and the 
 family of Ryan has been brought into town for safety.— Water- 
 ford Paper, September, 1823. 
 
 eh a 
 
 FECUNDITY OF FISH. &, 
 
 Tue prolific powers of fishes are scarcely credible. Immense 
 tracts of the ocean are so thickly and deeply covered with their 
 spawn, that, as the waves break, and ships dash through 
 them, the phosphoric light emitted from the substance which 
 surround the animalcule, gives the waters, during a dark 
 night, the appearance of flames of fire, terrific, but harmless. 
 Liewenhoek calculated that a cod-fish, of ordinary size, con- 
 tained more young than there are inhabitants upon the face 
 of our globe.—The writer had once the curiosity to count 
 the young in a herring seven inches in length, and found 
 40,000! But these things sink into insignificance before the 
 following, taken from Scoresby’s Account of Last Greenland, 
 lately published. Perceiving the waters of the sea, to a wide 
 extent and a great depth, to be of a beautiful but deep yel- 
 low color, he had some of the water taken up. Applying a 
 microscope of moderate powers to the same, he found that 
 the color of the water proceeded from the number of animal- 
 cule in it, each so ifftonceivably small, that a single drop 
 contained 26,000! An ordinary-sized glass tumbler contained 
 150 millions of these creatures, which lived, and moved, and 
 sported about, each in his place, without disturbing or press- 
 ing upon his neighbour. 
 
 a 
 
 FATAL EFFECTS OF FEAR. 
 
 A man of color, of middle age, rather above the common 
 stature, robust, and apparently in good health, was received 
 into the London Hospital, laboring under a moderate-sized 
 aneurism of the femoral artery. An operation was proposed 
 to him, to which he readily assented; on entering the theatre, 
 however, he fainted; some wine-and-water was given to him, 
 which he distinctly swallowed, and the operation was pro- 
 ceeded in, the artery exposed, and the ligature applied, but 
 not tightened. During the operation, it was observed that 
 no apenas could be felt in the tumor, but oy was accounted 
 
 ZA, | AB 
 
A i 
 
 554 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ‘ 
 
 PPPLLD 
 Fatal Effects of Fear.—Species of Organized Beings.—Rats and Florence Oil, 
 
 Fo ee de i i i 
 
 PPG P IT PLL LLL LPO L LIP 
 
 for by the fainting. Before tightening the ligature, it was 
 suggested by the operator to wait until the pulsation was re- 
 established ; some increased attention was then paid to arouse 
 the dormant energies of the patient, and it was remarked that 
 the syncope had continued an unusual time; after the attempts 
 had been some time persevered in, a more attentive observa- 
 tion proved that he was quite dead. All the usual resuscitative 
 means were tried, but without effect. On dissection, both 
 sides of the heart were found empty, and the lungs turgid 
 with blood: no other particular appearance was observable 
 
 ae 
 
 NUMBER OF THE KNOWN SPECIES OF ORGANIZED BEINGS. 
 
 From the collections in the Paris museums, M. Humboldt 
 estimates (Ann. de Chimie, xvi.) the known species of plants 
 at 56,000, and those of animals at 51,000; among which, 
 44,000 insects, 4,000 birds, 700 reptiles, and 500 mammalia. 
 In Europe live about 400 species of birds, 80 mammalia, and 
 30 reptiles; and on the opposite southern zone, on the Cape, 
 we find likewise almost five times more birds than mammalia. 
 Towards the equator, the proportion of birds, and particu- 
 larly of reptiles, increases considerably. However, accord- 
 ing to Cuvier’s enumeration of fossil animals, it appears that, 
 in ancient periods, the globe was inhabited much more by 
 mammalia than birds. 
 
 ig a 
 
 RATS AND FLORENCE OIL. 
 
 A GENTLEMAN receiving a present of some Florence oil, the 
 flasks were set in his cellar, at the bottom of a shallow box; 
 the oil not being wanted for use, they remained there some 
 time; when the owner, going one day by chance into the cel- 
 lar, was surprised to find the wicker-work, by which the flasks 
 were stopped, gnawed from the greater part of them, and upon 
 examination, the oil sunk about two inches, or two and a 
 half, from the neck of each flask. It soon occurred to him, 
 that it must be the work of some kind of vermin; and being 
 a man of a speculative turn, he resolved to satisfy the curio- 
 sity raised in his mind; he accordingly found means to watch, 
 and actually detected three rats in the very fact. The neck 
 of the fiasks was long and narrew, it required therefore some 
 contrivance: one of these stood upon the edge of the box, 
 while another, mounting his back, dipped his tail into the 
 neck of the flask, and presented it to a third to lick. They 
 then changed places; the rat which stood uppermost de- 
 scended, and was accommodated in the same manner with the 
 
CURICSITIES OF — AND ART. 
 
 PEPOOIPLIDP PAT PID IDS PPLE LLP OPP DOG 
 
 Rats and Florence Oil.—The Cornish Murder. 
 
 DOODLE LOD DDO DIODI 
 
 a LLL LLL LOL LOL LLL POL A 
 
 PIL LIL GLE PIL LD DLP L APE BODLOLDS 
 
 tail of his companion, till it was his turn to act the porter, 
 and he took his station at.the bottom. In this manner the 
 three rats alternately relieved each other, and banqueted upon 
 the oil, till they had sunk it beyond the length of their tails. 
 
 een .- 
 
 THE CORNISH MURDER. 
 
 Litto, the author of the tragedy of George Barnwell, 
 wrote another tragedy, called the “Fatal Curiosity,’? which 
 was founded on the following dreadful murder :— 
 
 “fn September, Anno Christi 1618, there lived a man at 
 Perin, in Cernwall, who had been blessed with an ample pos- 
 session and fruitful issue; unhappy only in a younger son, 
 who, taking lrberty from his father’s bounty, joined with a 
 crew like himself, who, weary of the land, went roving to sea, 
 and, in a small vessel, southward, made prize of all whom they 
 could master; and so increased in wealth, number, and 
 strength, that in the Straits they adventured upon a Turkish 
 man of war, where they got great booty: but their powder 
 by mischance taking fire, our gallant, trusting to his skilful 
 swimming, got to shore upon the Island of Rhodes, with the 
 best of his jewels about him; where, after awhile, offering 
 some of them for sale to a Jew, he knew them to be the, go- 
 vernor’s of Algiers, whereupon he was apprehended, an& for 
 a pirate condemned to the galleys, among other christians, 
 whose miserable slavery made them Use their wits to recover 
 their former liberty; and accordingly watching the opportu- 
 nity, they slew some of their officers, and valiantly released 
 themselves. After which, this young man got on board an 
 English ship, and came safe to London, where the experience 
 he had acquired in surgery, preferred him to be servant to a 
 surgeon, who, after awhile, sent him to the East Indies: 
 there, by his diligence and industry he got money, with which 
 he returned home: and longing to see his native country, 
 Cornwall, in a smail ship from Lendon he sailed westward ; 
 but ere he attained his port, he was cast away upon that coast ; 
 where, once more, his excellent skill in swimming brought 
 him safe to shore. But then, having been fifteen years ab- 
 sent, he understood that his father was much décayed in his 
 estate, and had retired to live privately in a place not far off, 
 being indeed in debt and danger. 
 
 “‘ His sister he finds married to a mercer, a meaner match 
 than her birth promised. ‘To her he first appears as a poor 
 stranger, but after awhile privately reveals himself to her, 
 showing her what jewels and gold he had concealed in a bow- 
 case about him; and concluded that the next day he intended 
 
 | ia 
 
556 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP LIS GOP ICG LOD POS GGOLOPLODD OGLE LIS LODSPOOLROS LOC LIDLDOD SOO TET POG LOD DOO LOD LPOP OPP LPOCIIO IO? 
 
 The Cornish Murder. 
 
 GLE LOL LOD LOL LOE LIED DDE LIE LOPE LLEL DOL LOE DAE LED LOL ELE DLL LOL ELE LLEL DE LOL EG EDLLIEDDE DDE DOP LODE? 
 
 to appear to his parents, yet to keep his disguise, till she and 
 her husband should come thither, to make their common joy 
 complete. 
 
 “‘ Being come to his parents, his humble behaviour, suitable 
 to his poor suit of clothes, melted the old couple into so 
 much compassion, as to give him shelter from the cold season 
 under their outward roof; and by degrees, his stories of his 
 travels and sufferings, told with much passion to the aged 
 people, made him their guest so long by the kitchen-fire, that 
 the husband bade them good night, and went to bed. Soon 
 after, his true stories working compassion in the weaker ves- 
 sel, she wept, and so did he; but withal, he, taking pity on 
 her tears, comforted her with a piece of gold, which gave her 
 assurance that he deserved a lodging, which she afforded him, 
 and to which she brought him: and being in bed, he showed 
 her his wealth, which was girded about him, which, he told 
 her, was sufficient to relieve her husband’s wants, and to spare 
 for himself; and so being weary, he fell asleep. 
 
 “The old woman being tempted with the golden bait that 
 she had received, and greedily thirsting after the enjoyment 
 of the rest, she went to her husband, and awaking him, pre- 
 sented him with this news, and her contrivance what further 
 to do; and though, with horrid apprehensions, he oft refused, 
 yet her pewling eloquence (Eve’s enchantment) moved him 
 at last to consent, and to rise to be master of all that wealth, 
 by murdering the owner thereof: which accordingly they did, 
 and withal covered the corpse with clothes, till opportunity 
 served for their carrying of it away. 
 
 ‘“‘'The early morning hastens the sister to her father’s 
 house, where, with signs of great joy, she inquires for a sailor 
 that should have lodged there the last night. ‘The old folks 
 at first denied that they had seen any such, till she told them 
 that he was her brother, her Jost brother, which she knew as- 
 suredly by a scar upon his arm, cut with a sword in his youth, 
 and they were resolved to meet there the next morning and 
 be merry. 
 
 “The father hearing this, hastily runs up into the room, 
 and finding the mark, as his daughter had told him, with hor- 
 rid regret for this monstrous murder of his own son, with the 
 same knife wherewith he killed him, he cut his own throat. 
 The mother, soon after, going up to consult with her husband 
 what to do, in a strange manner beholding them both welter- 
 ing in blood, wild and aghast, finding the instrument at hand, 
 readily rips up her own belly. 
 
 “The daughter, wondering at their delay in returning, 
 seeks about for them, whom she found out too soon, and with 
 
qn 
 
 57 
 
 IF PDD 
 
 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POO LIP POP LDS. 
 
 IOI PEL LLG PL ILLLD LOG DDE PLP LOPLLIOF 
 
 POL APF 
 
 The Cornish Murder.—Eccentric Biography :, Sir John Dinely, Bart. 
 
 BOE ALL PLE LPL LID DLE POS LOD LDL BIL LOL LOPE DLL ODD GLE GCLODDLEL ELD ODED OD LOD LIE ODE LED DDE P OL LOD FOS 
 
 the sad sight of this bloody scene, being overcome with sud- 
 den horror and amazement for this deluge of destruction, she 
 sank down and died, the fatal end of that family. The truth 
 of these things was soon made known, and quickly flew to 
 King James’s court, clad with these circumstances: but the 
 imprinted relation conceals their names, in favour of some 
 neighbour of repute, and kin to the family.”—Sanderson’s 
 History of King James. 
 
 <a 
 
 ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHY. 
 
 LIFE AND SINGULAR MANNERS OF SIR JOHN DINELY, BART 
 AND POOR KNIGHT OF WINDSOR. 
 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 12.] 
 
 Tuis truly eccentric character was actually of an ancient 
 and honorable family, but having run through his portion of 
 the family entailments in various chivalrous pursuits after the 
 ladies, he took to advertising for a wife, which scheme, though 
 it did not ultimately succeed, made him a very remarkable 
 man of his age. 
 
 His friendship with the Pelham family, and the interest of 
 Lord North, together, procured him the pension and resident 
 situation of a poor knight of Windsor, where he very orderly 
 resided, and was known to wear the Windsor uniform. 
 Platonic gallantry was his profession, and to show the system 
 reduced to practice, he always abode by himself, not having a 
 single servant-maid to wait on him in his solitude. Yet, with 
 all his oddities, he was particularly loquacious and chatty when 
 abroad, though his discourse was ae overcharged with 
 egotism and his amorous proceedings. 
 
 In his dress he was no changeling, but uniform and exact 
 to time in every thing: For nearly thirty years he was re- 
 marked in town on his occasional visits to the pastry and con- 
 fectionary ee where his assignations to meet the fair ob- 
 jects of his advertisements were fixed. On these occasions 
 his figure was truly grotesque. If it was wet he was mounted 
 on a high pair of pattens. His accoutrements were generally 
 second-hand finery of a fashion at least a century old. He 
 was then seen in his grandest style of elegance, with a velvet 
 embroidered waistcoat, satin breeches, silk stockings, and a 
 full-bottomed wig. On these occasions, not a little inflated 
 with family pride, he seemed to imagine himself as great as 
 any lordling: but, on the day following, he might be seen 
 slowly pacing from the chandler’s shop near his country re- 
 treat—with a penny-loaf in one pocket ; a morsel of butter, a 
 quartern of sugar, and a three-farthing candle in the other. 
 
 4a Ne ak 
 Tee bo 
 yt 
 
 a 
 
558 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIP LOOP OL DIF DOr 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windsor. 
 
 PIL POL LLL OCOLEOP POD LEE LOE LOD LEO ELE DEL DE LPE DLO BLD LEE ODO LES EOE 
 
 GLI LILI LDP LOL LIL LIT 
 
 Sir John was im the habit of receiving’epistles in answer to his 
 advertisements, and several whimsical interviews and ludicrous 
 adventures occurred in consequence. He has more than once 
 paid his devoirs to one of his own sex, dressed as a fine lady. 
 At other times, when he has expected to see his fair enamorato 
 at a window, he has been rudely saluted with the contents of 
 a vessel which shall be nameless. But his passiom for the 
 fair sex was not so easily to be allayed; he appeared resolved 
 to have a wife; and his advertisements in the Reading Mer- 
 cury, of 1802, appear dictated with the same warmth, and un- 
 der the very same extravagant ideas, which distinguished Sir 
 John at a period when the hey-day of his blood must have 
 beaten considerably higher. 
 
 Sir John, we are told, once practised physic, but, in many 
 respects, the Medice Curate ipsum could never be retorted 
 with more propriety than upon him. Sir John, however, who 
 was in the habit of attending book-sales, always made large 
 purchases of medical works. It was customary with him to 
 attend twice or thrice a-year at Vauxhall and the theatres, of 
 which he apprised the public through the medium of the most 
 fashionable daily papers. At Vauxhall, he paraded the most 
 conspicuous parts, and at the theatre he was to be found in the 
 front row of the pit ; and whenever it was known that he was 
 to be there, the house, especially by the females, was sure to 
 be well attended. When in town, Sir John always made a 
 point of attending the different auctions, to which he was sei 
 cularly attached ; but if he bought a catalogue, he was always 
 sure to make a purchase to the value of a shilling, to cover 
 the expense. Lord Fitzwilliam, it is said, ranked among the 
 number of Sir John’s benefactors, as he made him an allow- 
 ance of £10. per annum. Of late, Sir John added a piece of 
 stay-tape to his wig, which passed under his chin to the other 
 side ; from this circumstance, some persons might infer that 
 he was rather chop-fallen; an inference by no means fair, if 
 we still consider the gay complexion of his! advertisements 
 and addresses to the ladies. 
 
 it appears that Sir John persevered in his addresses to the 
 Jadies till the close of his life. His applications to the British 
 fair were addressed both to the young and old. 
 
 Those who objected to his age he treated as envious re- 
 vilers; and as to their saying that he was upwards of fifty, 
 he could refer to his portrait, or his person, and challenge 
 them to believe it 7fthey could. 
 
 Sir John Dinely lived at Windsor, in one of the habitations 
 appropriated to reduced gentlemen of his description; and in 
 one of the many advertisements imputed to him, it appears 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. - §59 
 
 PPPOCP 
 
 LPP LLL LE DG PDELLELDOLELOEOLOL PDE LODE LOE LLL LLL LEOPOLD § 
 
 Eccentric Biography : Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windser. 
 
 PLS POLE DID LID AIT 
 
 that he expected the numerous candidates for his hand would 
 present themselves individually, or in a body, before his re- 
 sidence. His fortune (if he could recover it) he estimated at 
 £500,000. He invited the widow as well as the blooming 
 miss of sixteen, to his longing arms; and addressed them in 
 printed documents that bear his signature ; and in which he 
 judiciously enumerates the sums the ladies must possess, who 
 are candidates for his hand. 
 
 In his advertisements for a wife, he was always remarked 
 to expect less property with youth than age or widowhood, 
 yet he modestly declared, that few ladies would be eligible 
 that did not possess at least £1000. a-year, which, he observed, 
 was nothing compared to the honor his high birth and noble 
 descent would confer; and referred the incredulous to Nash’s 
 History of Worcestershire. Asa finishing-stroke to this por- 
 trait, we shall present the reader with three of his latest ad- 
 vertisements—most of which, if desired, might be found in 
 “¢ Captain Grosse’s Way to Wealth, Honor, and Riches.” 
 
 “ For a Wife. 
 
 ‘¢ As the prospect of my marriage has much increased 
 
 lately, 1am determined to take the best means to discover the 
 
 lady most liberal in her esteem, by giving her fourteen days 
 more to make her quickest steps towards matrimony, from 
 the date of this paper until eleven o’clock the next morning; 
 and as the contest evidently will be superb, honorable, sacred, 
 and lawfully affectionate, pray do not let false delicacy inter- 
 rupt you in this divine race for my eternal love, and an infant 
 baronet. For ’tis evident I’m sufficiently young enough for 
 you. 
 
 " « An eminent attorney here is lately returned from a view 
 of my superb gates before my capital house, built in the form 
 of the Queen’s house. I have ordered him, or the next emi- 
 nent attorney grere, who can satisfy you of my possession in 
 my estate, atid every desirable particular concerning it, to 
 make you the most liberal settlement you can desire, to the 
 vast extent of £300,000. Where is your dutiful parents, 
 brothers, or sisters, that has handed you to my open arms? 
 Venus, indeed, with her bow and quiver, did clasp me in her 
 arms at the late masquerade; but give me the charming Venus 
 who is liberal enough to name the time and place’for our 
 marriage, as | am so much at your ladyship’s command.” 
 
 An Advertisement for a Wife in the Reading Mercury, 
 May 24, 1802. 
 
 ‘© Miss in her Teens,—let not this sacred offer escape your 
 
560 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DP PDIPGO ILS. 
 
 PPOL LIE E PE LIP OR 
 Eccentric Biography - Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windsor, 
 
 LAI LDP LOL LOIOD ELE GD DLIED LED LED LDE LOL PLE LEE LDE DLP OGLE EOL LOT 
 
 GFL LIS PIE Se anil 
 
 eye; I now call all qualified ladies, marriageable, to chocolate 
 at my house every day at your own hour.—With tears in my 
 eyes, I must tell you that sound reason commands me to give 
 you but one month’s notice before I part with my chance of 
 an infant baronet for ever: for you may readily hear that 
 three widows and old maids, all aged above fifty, near my 
 door, are now pulling caps forme. Pray, my young charmers, 
 giving me a fair hearing, do not let your avaricious guardians 
 unjustly fright you with a false account of a forfeiture, but let 
 the great Sewell and Rivet’s opinions convince you to the con- 
 trary; and that I am now in legal possession of these estates, 
 and with the spirit of an heroine command my £300,000. and 
 rank above half the ladies in our imperial kingdom. By your 
 Ladyship’s directing a favorable line to me, Sir John Dinely, 
 Baronet, at my house, in Windsor Castle, your attorney will 
 satisfy you, that if 1 live but a month, £11,000. a-year will be 
 your Ladyships for ever.” 
 
 In the Ipswich Journal, August 21, 1802. 
 
 “ To the angelic fair of the true English breed :—worthy 
 notice. Sir John Dinely, of Windsor Castle, recommends him- 
 self and his ample fortune to any angelic beauty of good breed, 
 fit to become, and willing to be, a mother of a noble heir, and 
 keep up the name of an ancient family, ennobled by deeds of 
 arms and ancestral renown. Ladies at a certain period of 
 life need not apply, as heirship is the object of the mutual 
 contract offered by the ladies’ sincere admirer, Sir John Dinely. 
 Fortune favors the bold. Such ladies as this advertisement 
 may induce to apply, or send their agents, (but net servants 
 or matrons,) may direct to me at the Castle, Windsor. Hap- 
 piness and pleasure are agreeable objects, and should be re- 
 garded as well as honor. ‘The lady who shall thus become 
 my wife will be a Baroness, and rank accordingly as Lady 
 Dinely, of Windsor. Good-will and favor to all ladies of 
 Great Britain; pull no caps on his account, but favor: him 
 with your smiles, and pans of pleasure await your steps.” 
 
 He finished his career in the continued expectation of form- 
 ing a connubial connexion with some lady of property, and the 
 papers announced his death in May, 1808, at Windsor. 
 
 We have already spoken of the dignity of Sir John’s de- 
 scent; the following particulars further illustrate the subject 
 attested. The family of Dinely continued to flourish in great 
 repute, in the county of Worcester, till the last century, 
 when it expired at Charlton, in the person of Sir Kdward 
 Dinely, Knt. some time justice of peace, and deputy-lieutenant, 
 for this county; who, by Frances, his wife, daughter of Lewis 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 561 
 
 eoevor , PPID OES. , . 
 
 SOP PLILOPLPDRGO OOD 
 Eccentric Biography: Sir John Dinely, Bart.—Ann Siggs. 
 
 GPP PLP PPI POLDOP POD LOS LOL PIP PLIODOE 
 
 PIL LPDE PDP DIG DIF 
 
 LIP PLL PLL DLE LDP LDP POD LOL 
 
 Watson, Lord Rockingham, left an only surviving daughter, 
 Eleanor, his heir; who was married to Edward Goodyere, of 
 Burghope, in Herefordshire, Esq. ; which Edward was created 
 a baronet, 5th December, 1707, sixth of Anne, and was mem- 
 ber in several parliaments for the borough of Evesham, and 
 some time knight of the shire of the county of Hereford. He 
 died at a great age, 29th March, 1739, and was succeeded by 
 Sir John Dinely Goodyere, of Charlton, Bart. his eldest son, 
 who assumed the name of Dinely, in respect to the large 
 estate he inherited from his mother. He was the last of the 
 family who enjoyed it, for having lived upon bad terms with 
 his younger brother, Samuel Dinely Goodyere, captain of the 
 Ruby man-of-war, and threatening to disinherit him in favor 
 of his sister’s son, John Foote, of Truro, in Cornwall, Esq. 
 it so alarmed and disgusted the said Samuel Goodyere, that 
 he.came to the dreadful resolution of murdering his brother, 
 which he executed on the 17th of January, 1741. 
 
 John Foote, Esq. son of Eleanor, sister to Sir John, and 
 elder brother to Samuel Foote, Esq. the celebrated comedian, 
 was heir to his uncle, and assumed the name of Dinely; but 
 Dame Mary Dinely Goodyere, the widow of Sir John, sur- 
 viving her husband, and holding the Charlton estate in dower, 
 was re-married to William Rayner, a painter, in White 
 Friars, London, who being thus in possession, partly by 
 marriage, and partly by purchase from Mr. John Foote 
 Dinely, became seised of the whole in fee, and sold Charlton 
 to Joseph Biddle, of Evesham, Esq.; whose executors sold 
 it, in 1774, to Messrs. Bessley, Socket, Lilly, and Bevington, 
 of Worcester, in partnership, who, or their representatives, 
 were the possessors in 1779. 
 
 A friend at Bristol, who knew the mortal antipathy of the 
 above-mentioned brothers, invited them both to dinner, in 
 hopes of reconciling them, and they parted in the evening in 
 seeming friendship; but the Captain placed some of his crew 
 in the street near College-Green, Bristol, with orders to seize 
 his brother, and assisted in hurrying him on-board his ship. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 ANN SIGGS. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 1.] ” | 
 THis poor woman was well known to many new living ; 
 she used to be seen most days walking the streets of London, 
 on crutches, and from the singularity and cleanliness of her 
 dress became an object of observation. = 
 Her parents were respectable, residing in the county of 
 Surrey. Ata very early period of life, she had to deplore the 
 24. Ac 
 
562 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POWL EOS PODLOL ODOR ORG. PLIL ILE DLIOLEG LLL LEDE LECDLIE POP PGOLIG SDS BDO LOD ILO CORP LIG ODP OIE, 
 
 Eccentric Biography : Ann Siggs—Roger Smith—Daniel Lambert. 
 
 PIL LIL LDL LOD PDL LOPE LDP. 
 
 PPL LIL LID LDL PLO LIIL IDL LID GD LOL LLL LOL LPS ODO OLD LDP 
 
 loss of her father; which misfortune, leaving her destitute of 
 a protector, it is supposed, was the cause of her abject poverty. 
 Nothing but the inclemency of the weather confined her at 
 home; as she generally left her habitation at nine o’clock in 
 the morning.—Poor Ann Siggs for some time received a 
 weekly stipend from the churchwardens of St. Michael’s, 
 Cornhill, which, with the contributions of the benevolent 
 christians, added considerably to her comfort. We may class 
 her as one of the most pitiable of London mendicants, and 
 truly deserving the charity of the well-disposed. Her demise 
 took place very recently. 
 
 ROGER SMITH. 
 [ See Frontispiece, fig. 4.] 
 
 Tis itinerant musician is a native of Norwich, where he 
 followed the trade of a weaver, but having received an injury 
 in his sight, he was compelled to resign his trade for the pro- 
 fession which he now follows. He is remarkably civil, and 
 constant in his attendance at church. 
 
 He constructed a belfry near Broad-wall, containing a peal 
 of eight bells, from which he obtained a tolerable livelihood ; 
 which he was obliged to quit, in consequence of some building 
 improvements. He has ever since exercised his art in the 
 most public places, on eight, ten, and sometimes twelve bells; 
 and frequently accompanies the song-tunes with his voice, 
 which adds considerably to the effect, though he has neither a 
 finished nor a powerful style of execution. While he performs 
 upon the hand-bells (which he does sitting) he wears a hairy 
 cap, to which he fixes two bells; two he holds in each hand; 
 one on each side, guided by a string connected with the arm; 
 one on each knee, and one on each foot. 
 
 DANIEL LAMBERT. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 19.] 
 
 Tuts remarkably great personage was born in Leicester- 
 shire; where he was apprenticed to an eminent engraver. 
 Until he arrived at the age of twenty years, he was not of 
 more than usual size, but after that period he so increased in 
 bulk, that he became a complete prodigy. In the early years 
 of his life, he was much accustomed to exercise, and excelled 
 in walking, riding, and shooting ; and devoted himself, as his 
 corpulency increased, more particularly to field-exercises, but, 
 to the great astonishment of his numerous friends and ac-_ 
 quaintances, it proved not only unavailing, but seemed to 
 produce a directly opposite effect. He remained in full pos- 
 session of perfect health; and whether sitting, lying, stand- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 563 
 
 PEP LIDS OL PLP L LOE LEO FE ODE LOI LOD ELE POL LLOE LED ODL LOD DDE ODE LL EL DOO LEC G LOLOL BOE LOD LED OES ODS OO 
 Eccentric Biography : Daniel Lambert. 
 
 LOLL OED DOLD DDD ODL DO LOL LOL LOO LED LDL LOE LOD DLO DDL OLF 
 
 PPPLIFG PPI LIP LEP LLIIGIS 
 
 ing, or walking, was quite at his ease, and required no more 
 attendance than any common-sized person. He enjoyed his 
 night’s repose, though he did not indulge himself in bed 
 longer than the refreshment of sleep became necessary. 
 
 Some time since, as a man with a dancing-bear was going 
 through the town of Leicester, one of Mr. Lambert’s dogs, 
 taking a dislike to his shaggy appearance, made a violent at- 
 tack upon the defenceless animal. Bruin’s master did not 
 fail to take the part of his companion, and, in his turn, began 
 to beat the dog. Lambert, being a witness of the fray, hast- 
 ened with all possible expedition to rescue his dog. At this 
 moment the bear, turning round suddenly, threw down his 
 unwieldy antagonist, who, from terror and his own weight, 
 was absolutely unable to rise again, and with difficulty got rid 
 of his formidable opponent. 
 
 Mr. Lambert was particularly abstemious in his diet; and, for 
 nearly twelve years, he took nothing but water. He was well- 
 informed, affable, and polite; and having a manly countenance 
 and prepossessing address, he gained the esteem of all who 
 had the pleasure of conversing with him. His strength (it is 
 worthy of observing) bore a near proportion to his wonderful 
 appearance. About the year 1802, he carried more than four 
 hundred weight and a half, as a trial of his ability, though 
 quite unaccustomed to labor. His parents were not beyond 
 the moderate size; and his sisters, who are still living, are by 
 no means unusually tall or large. A suit of clothes cost him 
 twenty pounds, so great a quantity of materials were requisite 
 for their completion. 
 
 It is reported, that among those visiters who went to see 
 him, was a gentleman weighing twenty stone; he seemed to 
 suffer much from his size and weight. Mr. Lambert, on his 
 departure, observed, that he would not (even were it possible) 
 change situations with him for ten thousand pounds. He had 
 a most excellent character at his native town, which place he 
 left, to the great regret of many, on Saturday, April 4, 1806, 
 for his first visit to the metropolis. On his arrival he issued 
 the following hand-bill. 
 
 ‘“ Kxuipition.—Mr. Daniel Lambert, of Leicester, the 
 heaviest man that ever lived: who, at the age of 30 years, 
 weighs upwards of fifty stone, fourteen pounds to the stone, 
 or eighty-seven stones, four pounds, London weight, which 
 is ninety-one pounds more than the great Mr. Bright weighed. 
 Mr. Lambert will see company at his house, No. 53, Picca- 
 dilly, next Albany, nearly opposite St. James’s Church, from 
 11 till 5 o’clock.—Tickets of admission ene shilling each.” 
 
 Mr. Lambert died at Stamford, Lincolnshire, on Wednes- 
 
B64 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP PLO LDOPG PLD BLIP LPP LPP PPIPP POL PAL. 
 
 f 
 
 PPPPIPLOD 
 Eccentric Biography : Daniel Lambert. 
 
 PIO PIP LIE LLL LOL ELL LDL ODPL LOLOL GPP OPP LEP OGD 
 
 PLOLOP POP PDO OOD PDE LDPE LOL LAE LD! LIF 
 
 day, July 11, 1809. He had arrived from Huntingdon but a 
 few days previous to his decease, intending to receive the 
 visits of the curious who might attend the ensuing races.. On 
 Tuesday evening he sent a message to the office of the Stam- 
 ford paper, requesting, that as the “ mountain could not wait 
 upon Mahomet, Mahomet must go to the mountain ;”"—or, in 
 other words, that the printer would call upon him, and re- 
 ceive an order for executing some hand-bills, announcing Mr, 
 Lambert’s arrival, and his desire to see company. The orders 
 he gave upon that occasion were delivered without the slightest 
 idea that they were to be his last. He was in bed—one of 
 large dimensions—fatigued with his journey, but anxious that 
 the bills might be quickly printed, in order to his seeing company 
 next morning. Before nine o’clock that morning, however, 
 he was a corpse! Nature had endured all the trespass she 
 could admit; the poor man’s corpulency had constantly in- 
 creased, until, at the time we have mentioned, the clogged 
 machinery of life stood still, and this prodigy of mammon was 
 numbered with the dead. 
 
 He was in the 40th year of hisage; and upon being weighed, 
 within a few days, by the famous Caledonian balance, (in the 
 possession of Mr. King, of Ipswich,) was found to be 52 stone 
 Illbs. in weight, 141bs. to the stone, which is 10 stone 1 Lbs. 
 more than the great Mr. Bright, of Essex, ever weighed. 
 He had apartments at Mr. Berridge’s, the Waggon and Horses, 
 in St. Martin’s, on the ground-floor, for he had long been in- 
 capable of walking up stairs. His coffin, in which his remains 
 were with great difficulty placed, was six feet four inches long, 
 four feet four inches wide, and two feet four inches deep; the 
 immense substance of his legs made it necessarily almost a 
 square case. 
 
 The coflin, which consisted of 112 superficial feet of elm, 
 was built upon two axletrees and four clog-wheels; and upon 
 these the remains of the big man were rolled into his grave, 
 in the new burial-ground at the back of St. Martin’s Church, 
 A regular descent was made, hy cutting away the earth slop- 
 ingly, for some distance. The window and wall of the room 
 in which he lay were taken down, to admit room for the corpse 
 to pass. 
 
 He was buried at eight o’clock on the Friday morning fol- 
 lowing. Having been extricated from the lodging in which 
 he died, his remains were drawn by eight men with ropes to 
 the burial-ground : into the church it was not possible to take 
 him. As might be expected of such a corpse, in a very few 
 hours after death almost all identity of feature was lost; and 
 although he was buried in eight-and-forty hours, his remains 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 565 
 
 . POP PLP PLD PLO POD LOE POE LOE EP DOLE EPL ID DIF L DO LO? 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Daniel Lambert—The Infant Lambert. 
 
 LOD LDL DLL PDL ODPL ELD OLDE GLL BOE LIL DLE DL DE PLP LDL LID POX 
 
 had been kept quite as long as was prudent. <A large con- 
 course attended his funeral: and, in the course of the day, 
 
 many hundred persons from the neighbourhood visited his 
 rave. 
 
 Mr. Lambert was an intelligent and pleasant companion: 
 and, notwithstanding his extreme corpulence, his limbs are 
 said to have borne a very exact proportion to each other. In 
 his youth he was an excellent swimmer; and was for many 
 years much celebrated in the sporting world as a great breeder 
 and feeder of cocks. He was also famous for dogs; some of 
 which were sold at Tattersall’s, a short time ago, at prices 
 which proved the estimation in which Lambert was held by 
 sportsmen of the first eminence. Extraordinary as it may 
 appear, it is true, that he had his greyhounds with him at 
 Stamford when he died, and intended to have taken diversions 
 of coursing in the season !—that is, he meant to have been taken 
 in his carriage to an open country, where he might have seen 
 his dogs pursue the game. It is said that Stamford is the last 
 place at which he meant to exhibit himself for money. He 
 had a sister living at Leicester, who attended his funeral. 
 
 At the time Mr. Lambert was in London, he was the chief 
 star of attraction; and thousands went daily to visit him. 
 
 THE INFANT LAMBERT. 
 
 A REMARKABLY fat child, says the Journal de l Empire of 
 1813, has been for some time exhibited at Paris. If we may 
 believe his parents, he is not more than five years and nine 
 months old: but an examination of his teeth proves him to be 
 eight years old: be that as it may, he exhibits a combination of 
 very singular phenomena. He is three feet four inches in 
 height. He weighs fifty pounds. He has the thighs, arms, 
 and body of an adult, in size, though not in development of 
 bone and muscle. His hands and feet are not in proportion 
 with his other limbs, they do not exceed in size those ofa 
 child from eight to ten years of age. His head is large, his 
 hair woolly, and his eyebrows thick. His face is very fat and 
 high-colored, and his neck short. He has fine black eyes. 
 His figure is not disgusting; it bears some resemblance to 
 that of a very fat woman of thirty. His smile has much in 
 it of archness and infantine grace. The breasts of the child 
 are as prominent as those of a very large woman, but they 
 have neither nipples nor glands. ‘They are extremely soft, 
 and are, as it were, curved from the armpits towards the ster- 
 num, so that the two ends meet, notwithstanding which curv- 
 ation, they resemble the breasts of a woman. ‘The muscles 
 of this enormous child are a soft, light fat, which feels like 
 
566 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LPP PLP LDL PLD OLDE LOOL LO DID LOD DLL 
 
 PLP L ODP LL POP POE LIE 
 
 Eccentric Biography : Infant Lambert—Mr. Thomas Gascoigne. 
 
 PLL LOE LDF 
 
 GLE DOL ODO LOD ODL OOS PIE PIL PLD LLL LLL LIL LOD DOL DLE LDL OCOOOR 
 
 hogs’ lard, and covers the fleshy parts. It would appear as 
 if all the vital powers were directed to the development of 
 fat, at the expense of the muscles and bones. The back is 
 covered with a heap of soft fat, which floats as it were be- 
 neath the skin. It is easily taken up by the hand in distinct 
 masses. ‘This fat increases in such a degree beneath the arm- 
 pits, that the child cannot but with difficulty raise his hand to 
 his mouth. His respiration is laborious, and he cannot with- 
 out much exertion rise from his chair. When he is up, it is 
 easy to see that the weight of his fat is very distressing to 
 him. ‘There is every reason to suppose that an apoplexy will 
 put an end shortly to his existence. His manners are childish, 
 nor is his understanding above that of ordinary children. His 
 voice is not strong. He articulates badly when answering 
 the questions put to him; but when he gets into a passion, 
 which is not unfrequently the case, his voice becomes loud 
 and vehement, and something like that of irritable market- 
 women. Buried in his fat he speaks only in monosyllables, 
 when he is not enraged. Whenever he is contradicted, he 
 upbraids his adversary in very gross terms, which appear to 
 have been taught him with a view to the amusement of those 
 who visit him. . The avarice of the person who exhibits the 
 child induces him to envelop his moral existence with ridi- 
 culous mystery ; in consequence of which it is impossible to 
 obtain any information with respect to it, such as would be 
 useful to the naturalist. His answers to the simplest ques- 
 tions consist of stupid and irrelevant arguments. 
 
 MR. THOMAS GASCOIGNE, 
 
 Mr. Tuomas Gascoiene, of East Retford, a well-known 
 penurious character, who died some months ago, was a na- 
 tive of Derby, and was born on the 24th of June, 1738, be- 
 ing the same month and year as that in which his late Majesty 
 was born. At an early period of his life, Mr. Gascoigne’s 
 parents removed from Derby to Ordsall, a village near Ret- 
 ford: when arrived at a proper age he was bound apprentice 
 to a shoemaker, of Retford, who was a burgess of that place, 
 and, at the close of his apprenticeship, Mr. Gascoigne was 
 consequently entitled to the privilege of a freeman, and at 
 his death, he was the oldest burgess upon the list. Some 
 time after the expiration of his apprenticeship, he obtained a 
 situation in the Excise, and was appointed to fulfil the duties 
 of his office at Derby, which he did to the satisfaction of his 
 superior officers, as also those whom it was his duty to survey, 
 till an accident obliged him to retire on a pension when about 
 
 ibe! 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 567 
 
 PIPPLL LEP LEL PDO LIS 
 
 PPP LEP LOD LDL LDL ELD LOD LIP LLL POD LDL LOD LIE LEP GGEOCLOSD ODD LOOP 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Mr. Thomas Gascoigne, 
 
 PPP LPLDEL LD LOD LLP LOLI 
 
 the age of forty. About this period an uncle of Mr. Gascoigne’s 
 died, who left him the owner of several houses, situate in 
 Derby, one of which is the Crown Inn; he now returned to 
 Retford, and again followed his vocation as a shoemaker, 
 which he continued to do till within the last ten years. Dur- 
 ing the whole of his long life, he was never known to employ 
 a doctor, and was generally his own tonsor, except upon par- 
 ticular oceasions, such as the dinners of the freemen, which 
 were about twice a-year, and which he regularly attended, 
 when he repaired to the hair-dresser’s to be finished, having 
 himself previously applied the scissars and razor, and taken 
 off the greatest part, purposely with a view to save expense. 
 He regularly went once a-year to Derby to receive his rents, 
 on which occasion he put on his best coat and boots, and 
 cocked hat, each of which have now been in use more than 
 forty years. It was his practice always to walk, carrying 
 with him a pair of old saddle-bags, hung over his shoulders, 
 containing provisions necessary for his whole journey. On 
 his way thither, as also on his return, he generally reposed 
 during the night on Nottingham Forest, thinking himself and 
 his property more safe there than sleeping in a public-house, 
 ~and being too penurious to pay for a bed, or call at an inn 
 for refreshment. His saddle-bags, on these occasions, were 
 not only used for the purpose of carrying the provisions ne- 
 cessary for his journey, but were also a subservient recep- 
 tacle for potatoes, and every other eatable which might chance 
 to fall in his way, and which he did not fail to carry home 
 with him. During his absence on one of his tours to Derby, 
 about five years since, his house was broken open, and robbed 
 of bills and cash to the amount of 5001. which was but a small 
 sum compared with what was secreted in the house, and 
 escaped the scrutinizing search of the robbers. His punc- 
 tuality as a paymaster, for his rent, and that which necessity 
 compelled him to purchase, was very strict, as was also his 
 accuracy as a book-keeper; for, at the time of the robbery, 
 he had carefully booked the number of every note, the name 
 of the person who signed and entered them, and the date; he 
 likewise kept an account of his expenditure, many weeks in 
 which appeared to be only a penny and twopence, as he 
 chiefly subsisted on what he picked up in the streets, particu- 
 larly on market-days, by which means he became well-known 
 to ail who frequented the market, as he always wore a long 
 coat, which, with his stockings, could not be said to contain a 
 particle of the original, they being so patched and darned 
 with worsted. A ton of coals would serve him seven years, 
 in the use of which he was very sparing and economical; for, 
 
568 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PPP LOPS PDPLELLLP POD LLP PLL PIL PL LEONG DLOD 
 
 LOPE LOL IIVIDP IN 
 Eccentric Biography: Mr. Thomas Gascoigne—Marens Levi. 
 
 PRP POL GOP ODO LIP DEP PDL OOP 
 
 POO. POP ID ODDO DLS PDP DOP 
 
 in making his fire, he first put a few sticks and coais, then a 
 tier of stones, next a few more coals, and at the top another 
 tier of stones, which, in time, became red-hot; but it was 
 only to bake his bread that he made a fire, at which times he 
 also roasted potatoes sufficient to serve him till he again 
 baked. His house was indeed a miserable abode, and had 
 more the appearance of a receptacle of filth, than the resid- 
 ence of a human being ; it was indeed unfit for “ mortal ken,” 
 the walls not having been white-washed, nor the floor washed, 
 for more than twenty years. In one corner lay a heap of 
 stones for his fire, m another, hundreds of pieces of leather, 
 such as old soles, which he had gathered for the purpose of 
 mending his own. Many other instances of his parsimonious 
 disposition might be named, but they would occupy too much 
 of our space. The principal part of his furniture consisted 
 of an old clock, a table, bed, and several old chairs, all of 
 which had been the property of his father; none of them ap- 
 peared to have been cleansed for a number of years, or even 
 removed from their situation, being covered and surrounded 
 with dust to a great thickness. Mr. Gascoigne lived and 
 died a bachelor. ‘The full amount of his property is not 
 known, but supposed’ to be some thousands, the whole of 
 which will belong to his two nephews. Mr. Gascoigne’s 
 patched coat, an ancient saddle which he used when in the 
 Excise, and several other antiquities of the same description, 
 it is said, would make a valuable addition to the curiosities 
 in the British Museum. In an electioneering squib, printed 
 in 1802, are the following lines, which show the state of the 
 coat at that time, and of a truth he continued to wear it ever 
 after :— 
 
 “Had I been this fam’d poet, I’d have wrote 
 
 ’Bout Gascoigne’s bald old hat, or worsted coat; 
 No man dare undertake to count the stitches, 
 
 Or take the grease in nine days from his breeches.” 
 
 MARCUS LEVI. 
 
 An eccentric individual died at Richmond, Virginia, in the 
 United States, on the 2d of July, 1823. His name was Mar- 
 cus Levi, and he was of the Hebrew congregation. He con- 
 stantly wore his beard with great circumspection, and de- 
 clared himself a prophet who had many peculiar favors from 
 the Almighty. Amongst which was one, that he should not 
 die, but be removed as Enoch and Elijah were. Indeed his 
 departure did not seem to partake of any of the pains of death, 
 As he was returning from market near his own house, and in 
 
 A 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 4569 
 
 POOOLO DOP POL PLE BIE PPL ODP LOD PLP BOO PF OPDD PLL PLDI PDAL IEE PLL LIP LPIODOL 
 Eccentric Biography: Marcus Levi— Fire Eater—Henry Brown, &c. 
 
 LOL PLD POEL LOD I PDL LD EF 
 
 arr. 
 
 PIL LLL LLL LIL LDL LLL BLO LLL LDL OLDIE PDI DDD PDL DPD DLP DOL ODF 
 
 his usual health, he suddenly fell down—his tobacco-pipe flew 
 out of his mouth, and with the last puff of smoke, that then 
 departed, his spirit fled, without one convulsive motion. Mr. 
 Levi’s appearance seemed to indicate penury, and sometimes 
 great indigence :—he lived quite solitary, having no wife, child, 
 or other person in his house; yet, it is said, that there have 
 been found in his house, since his departure, upwards of 
 
 60,000 dollars.— American Paper. 
 
 RICHARDSON THE FIRE-EATER. 
 
 Tue following is an extract from Evelyn’s Diary ;— 
 
 “Oct. 8, 1672.—I took leave of my Lady Sunderland, who 
 was going to Paris to my lord, now ambassador there. She 
 made me stay dinner at Leicester-house, and afterwards sent 
 for Richardson, the famous fire-eater. He before us devoured 
 brimstone on glowing coals, chewing and swallowing them. He 
 melted a beer-glass, and eat it quite up; then taking a live 
 coal on his tongue, he put on it a raw oyster; the coal was 
 blown on with bellows till it flamed and sparkled in his mouth, 
 and so remained till the oyster gaped and was quite boiled; 
 then he melted pitch and wax with sulphur, which he drank 
 down as it flamed. I saw it flaming in his mouth a good 
 while.” 
 
 HENRY BROWN. 
 
 A New York paper contains the following :—Henry 
 Brown, a native of New Jersey, residing near Beavertown, 
 was born January, 1686: consequently is now in his 129th 
 year. He is a black man, with long straight hair, and wears 
 it tied. He was in General Braddock’s defeat, in 1755, and 
 then was fifty-nine years old. He had been a slave seventy 
 years. Has been a free-man fifty-eight years—is now in good 
 health, can walk pretty well, has a good appetite at times, 
 but is getting weak. He was never married; and says he 
 wishes to die, but fears he never shali.—1814. 
 
 FEMALE IN CALABRIA.- 
 
 There was living in Drosi, a little village of Calabria, a 
 woman whose age was 125 years, and who has lived in three 
 different centuries. She enjoys all her faculties, as well mo- 
 ral as physical, and what renders her age the more extraor- 
 dinary is, the fact that the air of the village has been long 
 considered unhealthy. She was married four times; her first 
 marriage took place 105 years ago. 
 
 2A, AD 
 
570, CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 
 
 CL LOE OLB EP ELOE PEL LL RD 
 Eccentric Biography : Thomas Pett, the Miser. 
 
 DPPLLOL LLL LOE DEL ODPL ODL PIF PIP PLE PLE LOE ECBO OL OL OR? 
 
 PLL LLL LLL L I PLE Lene ne LOLA OL BOL LIL L LL LOL ELE BLE PLD ELD DLD LOD 
 1 
 
 OOP OO POL DLS DOL LL DLIE DOE DDL 
 
 THOMAS PETT, THE MISER, 
 
 Tuomas Pert, who died in Clifford’s Passage, on the 2d. 
 of June, 1803, was a native of Warwickshire. At the age 
 of ten years he came to London with a solitary shilling in 
 his pocket. As he had neither friends nor relations in the 
 capital, he was indebted to the humanity of an old woman 
 that sold pies, for a morsel of bread, till he could procure him- 
 self a crust. In the course of a few days he was engaged as 
 an errand-boy by a tallow-chandler. Mrs. Dip, a lady of 
 London mould, however, could not reconcile herself to his 
 rustic manners and awkward gait; so that she dismissed him 
 one cold winter’s evening, with this observation, “ Your 
 master hired you in my absence, and I'l] pack you off in his.” 
 The good husband did not desert Tom; he found him out, 
 and bound him apprentice to a butcher, in the Borough of 
 Southwark. He behaved so well during his apprenticeship, 
 that his master recommended him, when he was out of his 
 time, to a brother of the cleaver in Clare-market, as a jour- 
 neyman. Tom’s maxim was, that honesty was not the shortest 
 road to wealth, but that it was by far the surest. For the 
 first five years he was engaged at twenty-five pounds a-year, 
 meat and drink. The accumulation of money, and the abridg- 
 ment of expense, were the two sole objects of his thoughts. 
 His expenses were reduced to these three heads, lodging, 
 clothing, and washing: as to the first, he fixed on a back- 
 room on the second-floor, with one window, that occasionally 
 admitted a straggling sunbeam. As to dress, every article 
 was second-hand, nor was he choice in the color or quality; 
 jocosely observing, when he was twitted on his garb, that, 
 according to Solomon, there was nothing new under the sun; 
 and that, as to color, it was a mere matter of fancy; and that 
 that was the best which stuck longest to its integrity: then, 
 as to washing, he used to say, a man did not deserve a shirt 
 that would not wash it himself; and that the only fault he 
 had to find with Lord North, was the duty he imposed on 
 soap. ‘There was one expense, however, that lay heavy on 
 his mind, and which robbed him of many a night’s sleep, and 
 that was shaving; he often lamented that he had not learned 
 to shave himself; he used to console himself by hoping that 
 beards would one day be in fashion, and that even the Bond- 
 street loungers would be driven to wear artificial ones. He 
 made a promise one night when he was very thirsty, that as 
 soon as he had accumulated a thousand pounds, he would 
 treat himself to a pint of porter every Saturday. Fortune 
 soon put it in his power to perform this promise, and he con- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 571 
 
 PLP PPDPILDD LPP LIE DIP 
 
 PPL OLD F 
 
 DOO LPP PLE LIP POOPSOD 
 
 Eccentric Biography : Thomas Pett, the Miser. 
 
 PIF EOP DGLLP OLDIE LIE GDL PPG LIP 
 
 PEI LOE DOE DDL BDI DLL DLEDL ELD DLL DP OLDPEC DLL L DLE LOL LIL ODL LOLOL 
 
 tinued to observe it till the additional duty was laid on 
 porter; he then sunk to half-a-pint, as he thought that sufh- 
 ecient for any man that did not wish to get drunk, and, of 
 course, die in a workhouse. If he heard ofan auction in the 
 neighbourhood, he was sure to run for a catalogue, and when 
 he had collected a number together, he used to sell them for 
 waste-paper. When he was first told that the Bank was re- 
 stricted from paying in specie, he shook loudly, as Klopstock 
 the poet says; took to his bed, and could not be prevailed on 
 to taste a morsel, or wet his lips, till he was assured that all 
 was right. On Sundays, after dinner, he used to lock himself 
 up in his room, and amuse himself with reading an old news- 
 paper, or writing rhymes, many of which he left behind him 
 on slips of paper. ‘The following will serve as a specimen of 
 his talents in this way. 
 
 ON HEARING THAT SMALL-BEER WAS RAISED 
 
 They’ve rais’d the price of table drink 
 What is the reason, do you think? 
 
 The tax on malt, the cause, I hear: 
 
 But what has malt to do with table-beer? 
 
 He was never known, even in the depth of the coldest 
 winter, to light a fire in his room, or to go to bed by candle- 
 light. 
 
 ae was a great friend to good cheer at the expense of an- 
 other. ‘“‘ Kivery man,” said he, “ought to eat when he can 
 get it—an empty sack cannot stand.” 
 
 If his thirst at any time got the better of his avarice, and 
 water was not at hand, he would sometimes venture to step 
 into a public-house, and call for a pennyworth of beer. On 
 trying occasions, he was always sure to sit in the darkest 
 corner of the tap-room, in order that he might drink in every 
 thing that was said with thirsty ear. He was seldom if ever 
 known to utter a word, unless Bonaparte or a parish-dinner 
 were mentioned, and then he would draw a short contrast 
 between French kickshaws and the roast-beef and plum-pud- 
 ding of old England, which he called the staple commodity 
 of life. Once on a time he was prompted, by what demon I 
 cannot tell, to purchase a pint of small-beer ; but the moment 
 he locked it up in his closet, he repented, tore the hair out of 
 his wig, and threw the key out of the window, lest he should 
 be tempted, in some unlucky moment, to make too free 
 with it. 
 
 Thus far of the life of Thomas Pett; whose pulse, for the 
 last twenty years thereof, rose and fell with the funds ;— 
 who never Jay down or rose that he did not bless the first in- 
 
572 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART 
 
 POP PLE PIL PDL LOD EDL PLL PDP LDL L OLD PLE PPD DDE DOP PDL LLP DILDPLOLIDDDOPOL DDD LOD PDD DDL ODP DODD D 
 Eccentric Biography : Thomas Pett, the Miser.—Dog of Montargis. 
 
 PPP: 
 
 POEL POLE PLDI PLE LDL OLE LIF 
 
 PIL PLP 
 
 PLS 
 
 ventor of compound-interest ; whose constant saying was, 
 ‘¢ that gold was the clouded cane of youth, and the crutch of 
 old age;”’ who for forty-two years lived in Clare-market as a 
 journeyman-butcher ; who lodged thirty years in one gloomy 
 apartment, which was never brightened with coal, candle- 
 light, or the countenance of a visitant; who never treated 
 man, woman, or child, to a glass of any kind of liquor; who 
 never lent or borrowed a penny; who never spoke ill or well 
 of any one; who never ate a morsel at his own expense; who 
 never said a civil thing, as far as is known, to that part of the 
 creation which renders life tolerable; who would not trust a 
 washerwoman with a pocket-handkerchief; who looked on 
 all mankind to be fools, or mad, who did not pile up yellow 
 dirt; and who wanted to bargain for a coffin half-an-hour 
 before he died. 
 
 About three days before his dissolution, he was pressed by 
 his mistress to make his will, which he at last reluctantly as- 
 sented to, observing, as he signed his name, that it was a hard 
 thing that a man should sign away all his property with the 
 stroke of a pen. 
 
 He left 2,475]. in the three-per-cents. to distant relations, 
 not one of whom he had ever seen or corresponded with. 
 
 The following list of his wearing-apparel, &c. was taken 
 after his death, by a wag in the neighbourhood :— 
 
 An old bald wig. 
 
 A hat as limber as a pancake. 
 
 Two shirts that might pass for fishing-nets. 
 
 A pair of stockings, embroidered with threads of different 
 colors. 
 
 A pair of shoes, or rather sandals. 
 
 A betiiead instead of a bed. 
 
 A toothless comb. 
 
 An almanack out of all date. 
 
 A gouty chair and a leafless table. 
 
 A looking-glass that had outlived reflection. 
 
 A leathern bag, with a captive guinea, &c. &c. 
 
 = ie 
 
 Sh 
 
 THE DOG OF MONTARGIS. 
 
 THE fame of an English bull-dog has been deservedly 
 transmitted to posterity by a monument in _ basso-relievo, 
 which still remains on the chimney-piece of the grand hall, at 
 the castle of Montargis, in France. The sculpture, which 
 represents a dog fighting with a champion, is explained by the 
 following narrative :— 
 
 Aubri de Mondidier, a gentleman of family and fortune, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 573 
 
 PO OCC POP LOP IES LOE AOPIILOIG POP LOL ODO BDP OGD 
 
 The Dog of Montargis. 
 
 DPE POLLED LDL DEL LOL LID PDL DLL DDE LID LOL DOL LOD LOD ODD 
 
 LLLP LPLDD LLLP LOL PDE POL 
 
 travelling alone through the forest of Bondi, was murdered, 
 and buried under a tree. His dog, an English bull-dog, 
 would not quit his master’s grave for several days; till at 
 length, compelled by hunger, he proceeded to the house of 
 an intimate friend of the unfortunate Aubri’s, at Paris, and 
 by his melancholy howling seemed desirous of expressing the 
 loss they had both sustained. He repeated his cries, ran to 
 the door, looked back to see if any one followed him, returned 
 to his master’s friend, pulled him by the sleeve, and with 
 dumb eloquence entreated him to go with him. 
 
 The singularity of all these actions of the dog, added to 
 the circumstance of his coming there without his master, 
 whose faithful companion he had always been, prompted the 
 company to follow the animal, who conducted them to a tree, 
 where he renewed his howl, scratching the earth with his feet, 
 significantly entreating them to search that particular spot. 
 Accordingly, on digging, the body of the unhappy Aubri was 
 found. 
 
 Some time after, the dog accidentally met the assassin; 
 who is styled, by all the historians that relate this fact, the 
 Chevalier Macaire; when, instantly seizing him by the throat, 
 he was with great difficulty compelled to quit his hold. 
 
 In short, whenever the dog saw the chevalier, he continued 
 to pursue and attack him with equal fury. Such obstinate 
 virulence in the animal, confined only to Macaire, appeared 
 very extraordinary, especially to those who at once recollected 
 the dog’s remarkable attachment to his master, and several 
 instances in which Macaire’s envy and hatred to Aubri de 
 Mondidier had been conspicuous. 
 
 Additional circumstances increased suspicion; and at length 
 the affair reached the royal ear. The king (Louis VIII.) ac- 
 cordingly sent for the dog, who appeared extremely gentle till 
 he perceived Macaire in the midst of several noblemen; when 
 he ran fiercely towards him, growling at, and attacking, him 
 as usual. 
 
 In those rude times, when no positive proof of a crime ap- 
 peared, an order was issued for a combat between the accuser 
 and the accused. ‘These were denominated the Judgments 
 of God, from a persuasion that heaven would much sooner 
 work a miracle than suffer innocence to perish with infamy. 
 
 The king, struck with such a collection of circumstantial 
 evidence against Macaire, determined to refer the decision to 
 the chance of battle; in other words, he gave orders for a 
 combat between the chevalier and the dog. The lists were 
 appointed in the Isle of Nétre Dame, then an unenclosed, un- 
 inhabited place; Macaire’s weapon being a great cudgel. 
 
574A. CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 -DPOPIL IDR LOS. 
 
 PLP LIF DOP 
 
 PIPLODL GD LOL OOP 
 
 PLPDDPEC LDP PIP PO 
 Dog of Montargis.—Enormous large Oak.—Cascade in Buckinghamshire, 
 
 PBRP LIOLOELLDODL DD PDE DDE 
 
 LLL PLO LIE LOL LLE DLE L DEED E DLE LOL LEP LOE BLE 
 
 PPP LOL LEE 
 
 The dog had an empty cask allowed for his retreat, to en- 
 able him to recover breath. Every thing being prepared, the 
 dog no sooner found himself at liberty, than he ran round his 
 adversary, avoiding his blows, and menacing him on every 
 side, till his strength was exhausted; then, springing forward, 
 he griped him by the throat, threw him on the ground, and 
 obliged him to confess his guilt in the presence of the king 
 and the whole court. In consequence of which the chevalier, 
 after a few days, was convicted upon his own acknowledg- 
 ment, and beheaded on a scaffold im the Isle of Nétre Dame. 
 
 The above curious recital is translated from the Mémoires 
 sur les Duels, and is confirmed by many judicious critical 
 writers; particularly Julius Scaliger and Montfaucon, neither 
 of whom have ever been regarded as fabricators of idle sto- 
 ries. On this narrative the melo-drame of the Forest of Bondi 
 is founded. 
 
 KS - 
 
 ENORMOUS LARGE OAK. 
 
 Great numbers of persons are daily viewing the large’ 
 oak-tree, which has lately been felled in Tooley Park, Lei- 
 cestershire. ‘This surprising oak is ten yards round the butt, 
 of solid timber, and is valued at about two hundred guineas. 
 The bark is estimated at three tons; and the tree, and branches 
 now fallen, cover half an acre of land. it is supposed to have 
 been growing several hundred years. Many of the branches 
 are from three to four yards long. 
 
 gg a 
 
 CASCADE IN BUCKINGHAMSHIRE. 
 
 At the village of Blidlow, in Buckinghamshire, there is a 
 natural curiosity close by the churchyard. It is a cavity of 
 about thirty feet deep, twenty-one wide, and fifty long, formed 
 of solid rock, from whose sides innumerable streams of water 
 issue, and falling into one (the noise of which much resembles 
 that of a waterfall), roll gently on, and, uniting with another 
 stream, about half a mile distant, flow through Wycombe, &c. 
 till joining the canal at Uxbridge, in Middlesex, they fall into 
 the Thames afterwards. Nothing is wanting to give this cavity’ 
 a picturesque appearance, for its sides are encircled with wood- 
 bine and ivy, and its top crowned with spreading oaks and 
 weeping willows, whose roots are discernible at some distance 
 from the surface of the earth: and the bottom is so dry, that 
 I have passed many a half-hour at it, surveying, with wonder 
 and admiration, this “ dream of Nature.” | 
 
- CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. | 575. 
 
 GRPLLE SD OF 
 
 PL IEPLP PID L LED LOL LI DLO L LE DDD LDL DOLE ELE DLO LLLP LE LL EEL OL ODED LDL LDYI DLE DDe a 
 
 Marble Ponds of Persia.—Vampires and Vampirism. 
 
 ae 
 
 PLL LIL LL DELO LE LEOD DLE OLE DOLD ELE LED LOL LOOP 
 
 MARBLE PONDS OF PERSIA. 
 
 TuesE wonders of nature consist of certain pools, or 
 plashes, whose indolent waters, by a slow and regular pro- 
 cess, stagnate, concrete, and petrify; producing that beautiful 
 transparent stone, commonly called Tabriz marble, much used 
 in the burial-places of Persia, and in their best edifices. 
 These ponds are contained within the circumference of half 
 a mile, and their position is distinguished by heaps of stone, 
 which have accumulated as the excavations have increased. 
 The petrifactive process may be traced from its commence- 
 ment to its termination: in one part, the water is clear; ina 
 second, it appears thicker and stagnant; in a third, quite 
 black; and, in its last stage, it is white, like a hoar-frost. 
 When the operation is complete, a stone thrown on its sur- 
 face makes no impression, and a man may walk over it with- 
 out wetting his shoes. Such is the constant tendency of this 
 water to become stone, that when it exudes from the ground 
 in bubbles, the petrifaction assumes a globular shape, as if 
 the bubbles of a spring, by a stroke of magic, had been ar- 
 _rested in their play, and metamorphosed into stone. The 
 
 substance thus produeed is brittle, transparent, and sometimes 
 richly streaked with green, red, and copper-colored veins. It 
 admits of being cut into very large slabs, and takes a good 
 prec So much is this stone looked on as an article of 
 uxury, that none but the king, his sons, and persons privi- 
 leged by special firman, are permitted to take it. 
 ies 
 
 VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM. 
 
 ALTHOUGH superstition is perhaps more prevalent in the 
 north than in any other part, yet there is strong reason to sup- 
 pose that the belief in Vampires originated in the east ;—in 
 Arabia, it had long been quite common, but it did not reach 
 the Greeks until after the establishment of christianity. On 
 the division of the Latin and Greek churches, the superstition 
 assumed its present form, the idea becoming prevalent, that a 
 Latin body could not corrupt if buried in the territory of the 
 Greeks; it gradually increased, and formed the subject of 
 many wonderful stories still extant, of the dead rising from 
 their graves, and feeding upon the blood of the young and 
 beautiful. The superstition, with very little variation, ex- 
 tended itself all over Austria, Hungary, Lorraine, and Po- 
 land, and even in Iceland it became quite prevalent; and 
 there is little doubt of the superstition having once prevailed 
 in this island. It is in the highest degree probable, that our 
 
576 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 1 POP PPPPOD LIF, 
 
 LIE PDP LPF 
 
 POD LIDOL GDP IPGL OP. 
 
 PPPCPP re: 
 Vampires and Vampirism. 
 
 POLL ODP LEP LOL ELE POP ALE DEOL ODL ELE LDP LOL PDO L DEL EOP LDL PELE LEP PLE LLL OLDE LOL. 
 
 IPP PDL LEG ODL 
 
 custom of driving a stake through the body of a félo-de-se, 
 had its origin in the popular horror of the self-murderer ; in 
 the apprehension of his being a vampire; and in the design of 
 preventing his body from leaving its unhallowed grave. 
 
 Sir Walter Scott, in his translation of Eyrbyggia Saga, 
 relates a traditionary story of several vampires, who com- 
 mitted dreadful ravages in Iceland, in the year 1000, so that, 
 in a household of thirty servants, eighteen died. These vam- 
 pires were not blood-suckers, the sucking of blood being only 
 a particular feature of the general superstition concerning 
 vampires; all vampires were not suckers of blood, but des- 
 patched their victims by inflicting on them a contagious dis- 
 ease. At length, a singular means of getting rid of them was 
 adopted, no less than that of instituting judicial proceedings 
 against the spectres. ‘The inhabitants were regularly sum- 
 moned to attend upon the inquest, as in a cause between man 
 and man; a tribunal was constituted with the usual legal 
 solemnities,—charges were preferred against the individual 
 spectres, accusing them of molesting the mansion, and intro- 
 ducing death among the inhabitants. All the solemn rites of 
 judicial procedure were observed on this singular occasion ; 
 evidence was adduced, charges given, and the cause formally 
 decided. It does not appear that the vampires put themselves 
 on their defence, so that the sentence of ejectment was pro- 
 nounced against them individually, in due and legal form. 
 Each of the spectres, as they heard their individual sentence, 
 left the place, saying something that indicated their unwilling- 
 ness to depart. ‘The priest afterwards entered with holy 
 water, and the celebration of a solemn mass followed; this 
 completed the conquest over the goblins, which had been 
 commenced by the power and authority of the Icelandic law. 
 
 In Dr. More’s Antidote against Atheism, there are some 
 curious accounts of vampires in more modern times. Among 
 the Hungarians and the Moravians it is a very general notion, 
 that certain dead persons possess the power of returning by 
 night, to molest the living, especially those with whom they 
 have been intimate; to suck their blood, and by such refresh- 
 ment to continue their own terrestrial existence at the ex- 
 pense of their victims, who furnish them with the means of 
 subsistence. This absurd prejudice is also, more or less, ac- 
 credited among the Polanders, the Silesians, the Servians, and 
 the Greeks; to whom others might be added. The Hungarians 
 have almost reduced the persuasion and its consequences toa 
 system: they discover, by infallible signs, attendant on dead 
 bodies, whether they have the power of returning to prey on 
 the living ; they employ means to counteract this power, and 
 
GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. | ‘517 
 
 POVLOP LPP IOD LIP LDODOOLOP LE B PDPPP LS OG. 
 
 Vampires and Vampirism. 
 to preserve themselves from such disastrous assaults. More- 
 over, from these people is derived the name Vampires, given 
 to the dead who possess the power of self-resuscitation, and 
 of maintaining this second life by sucking blood: the name 
 imports bloodsuckers. The Greeks, who are alive to every 
 impulse of superstition, are infected with nearly the same 
 notions; and have invented an appellation, barbarous enough, 
 to denote these supernatural bloodsuckers: they call them 
 Broucocolakoi ; and by this name they are known as well on 
 the continent, as among the islands of the Archipelago. 
 Tournefort, in his “ Travels into Greece,” relates a history 
 that places this superstition and its consequences in a striking 
 point of view. 
 ““’The man whose story we are going to relate, was a 
 peasant of Mycone, naturally il-natured and quarrelsome ; 
 _circumstances to be noticed as truly important in such cases: 
 he was murdered in the fields, nobody knew how, or by whom. 
 ‘Two days after his burial in a chape! in the town, it was ru- 
 mored that this quarrelsome fellow, ever restless, was seen to 
 walk in the night with great rapidity through the town; that 
 he tumbled people’s goods about, put out their lamps, griped 
 them a posteriori, tore their clothes, forced open doors, broke 
 windows, found his way to the wine-cellars, and emptied the 
 bottles most heroically; with a thousand other mad pranks 
 and diabolical performances. At first, the thing was treated 
 as ridiculous ; and the losers who complained were laughed 
 at: but on a sudden, the affair took another turn ; the better 
 sort of people began to be involvedin apprehension; the 
 papas (priests) gave credit to the fact, and the traveller hints 
 at reasons more sagacious than gracious for this sanction on 
 their part. Masses must be said; and masses were repeatedly 
 said; but, zon obstante, the ill-natured peasant continued to 
 play his former antics; and paid no deference to exorcisms 
 and holy water. I have never seen, (says Tournefort) so 
 pitiable a state as this island was in, at that time; the whole 
 population was struck with alienation of mind. All ranks 
 were equally affected: it was truly a scene of universal brain- 
 fever; no less dangerous than absolute insanity and canine 
 madness. Entire families were seen, in all parts, forsaking 
 their houses, and flocking from the extremities of the town 
 into the public square, bringing their beds with them, for the 
 sake of passing the night in company, and in hope of at least 
 artial safety, and of obtaining some repose. Every individual 
 had a new insult to complain of. At the approach of night 
 nothing was heard» but groans and lamentations from all 
 quarters, The most considerate withdrew ris the country. 
 20. E 
 
578° CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OOP LOD FOOLED LDP OPES. 
 
 PDD PLEDDLP LOS LDODBIPLIP DDL DDD LOPLI L IE ODO PDO SPOLILD OPE IRD 
 Vampires and Vampirism. 
 
 PLE LPS. LIL LEE LIL LO DL OL DELL DE. 
 
 How was it possible to withstand the madness of a whole 
 people ? Tbose who inferred from our silence that we doubted 
 the truth of the fact, came and reproached our incredulity : 
 they brought evidence in proof that such things as Broucoco- 
 lakoi really do exist, and quoted the Buckler of Faith, the work 
 ofa Jesuit missionary, and therefore true; ay,and doubly true. 
 
 “‘ The chief people of the city held meetings, at which the 
 priests and the monks assisted; these meetings ‘ Resolved, 
 that it was necessary, in consequence of certain rites performed, 
 or to be performed, to wait nine days after the interment ; and 
 in the mean while to stay proceedings. On the tenth day, a 
 mass was said in the chapel, in order to expel the devil who 
 might peradventure be there, whether from custom, or from 
 curiosity ; then they took up the body, and got every thing 
 ready for pulling out the seat of this supernatural vitality, the 
 heart. At this moment the whole assembly began crying out 
 Broucocolas ; and Broucocolas re-echoed from the chapel-: 
 vault to the roof, and from the roof to the vault: throughout 
 the whole of every street nothing was to be heard but shouts: 
 of Broucocolas!!—except an intermixture of heavy and in- 
 dignant curses on the malevolent deceased, for not being 
 thoroughly dead ; but suffering himself to be re-animated by 
 a devil, and then returning to plague and terrify his neigh- 
 bors. ‘They determined, as the wisest course, to burn the 
 heart on the seashore; and the heart was burnt accordingly. 
 In vain; the numbers of nocturnal assaults and batteries in- 
 creased beyond what even Westminster Hall can conceive of 
 after a general election. Where the doors were strongly 
 bolted and fastened, the Broucocolas opened the roof and 
 descended—who but he? As to clattering of windows, creak- 
 ing of doors, howlings in the chimneys, subterraneous noises, 
 and, as aforesaid, cracking of bottles and emptying of casks, 
 the culprit had acquired as much additional impudence, and 
 perhaps dexterity too, as if he had been instructed by a dozen 
 accusations and acquittals at the Old Bailey. The rascal had 
 the knack of being every where at once, in his burglaries. 
 
 “‘ Some of the citizens,” says Tournefort, “ who were most 
 eminently zealous for the public good, saw clearly enough 
 where the error lay :—the priests, they argued, had said mass 
 before they pulled out the heart: had they said mass afterwards, 
 the devil would as lieve be as return to his old haunt: 
 whereas, the cunning dog of a devil—(and it was a very cun- 
 ning dog of a devil they had to do with,) had only fled for 
 awhile, and after the danger was over, back he came again, as 
 rampant as ever. Notwithstanding these dead certainties, 
 they found their perplexities increase : they met in the coun- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ANY. 579 
 
 DOL PP PIP POL PGP POPLOP POO PIE DDD LPF 
 
 POLLGID SD 
 
 Vampires and Vampirism. 
 
 cil-chamber night and morning : they debated and discussed— 
 and determined nothing: they made processions three days 
 and three nights: they obliged the papas to fast: and these 
 religious were called to all parts, were never off their legs, 
 running from house to house, incessantly plying the holye 
 water-sprinkler ; scattering the element in all directions; 
 washing the doors with it; nay, they even poured it abund- 
 antly into the mouth of the insensible Broucocolas. 
 
 *¢ Alas! for the wit and wisdom of mortal man! An acute 
 Albanese, who happened to be at Mycone, observed, that it 
 was no wonder the devil continued in—for, how could he 
 get out 2 if they deluged the body with holy water, could the 
 devil come through that? if they stuck naked swords by 
 dozens over his grave—which they did—the sword-handles, 
 being crosses, terrified the devil from passing them. He, 
 therefore, recommended Turkish scimitars; and Turkish 
 ‘secimitars were tried—without efficacy: the wine-tubs of 
 those who were so foolish as to leave them exposed, were 
 continually emptied; and though Turks abhor pork, yet 
 whether that abhorrence extended to the devil in question, 
 our author does not say; but he hints very shrewdly at the 
 loss as well of bacon as of eggs. 
 
 The advice of the learned Albanese was eventually found 
 to be fruitless; the inhabitants had prayed to every saint of 
 their acquaintance in heaven, without obtaining a hearing— 
 or, if the saints did hear, they were as much at a loss as their 
 votaries ; unless, indeed, by way of answer, they sent down a 
 general inspiration among their petitioners aforesaid, who 
 now began to bawl with universal vociferation, that the 
 Broucocolas should be burnt entire; and then, let the devil 
 lurk in it, if he could. With this the magistrates complied, 
 seeing the island was in danger of being deserted; for all the 
 best families were packing up in preparation for departure 
 to Syra or Tinos :—accordingly, the carcass was reduced to 
 ashes, January 1, 1701. The Myconians now boasted that 
 the devil had met with his match: they had made the Brouco- 
 colas too hot to hold him; and their poets sported a number 
 of humorous ballads, and treated their late disturber with 
 some excellent jokes, and abundance of wit and ridicule. All 
 would have ended well, if the Turks, at their next visit to 
 receive the capitation-tax, had not laid a fine on the island 
 and turned the whole adventure to the profit of the Grand 
 Signior’s treasury : not forgetting that of his officers, through 
 whose hands the money was supposed to pass.” | 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
580 CUBIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARTY. 
 
 PLP LOE LLOLOO FPO LOE PDL EDO LDL LOO LOD LOC DPL LOD LEO LIPIDS BOP OOP DOE OGD LL O GOPPPD CDP ODE OOPOOD 
 
 Voicanoes tn the Sun, 
 
 PEP PDL PPD LOL LGD LOL LOG DOD ELD DDE LDL LE LE PLL LLDPE LLL L PPE LOL OOLODOCL LD LOL LLP DDL OLE ODO LDOLP OF 
 
 VOLCANOES IN THE SUN. 
 
 A German journal contains the following curious facts, 
 by Count Moscati and his assistant M. Quirio Mauri, which 
 were drawn up at Milan, having been deduced from ob- 
 servations of the former in that city ;— 
 
 “On the 3d of October, 1814,” says that astronomer, “ the 
 craters of the three volcanoes lately discovered in the surface 
 of the sun, appeared quite distinct, but elliptical: they were 
 situated about the edge of the sun, in the form of a transverse 
 belt. On the 4th, the two nearest to the edge were invisible, 
 owing to the sun’s revolution, and the contour of the other 
 was less distinctly marked than before. On the opposite edge, 
 however, appeared very plainly on the sun’s disk, two de- 
 tached planetary masses, in conjunction; on the 5th was ob- 
 served a single but thicker mass of the same kind, likewise in 
 conjunction. On the 7th, half of the middle crater of the 3d 
 was seen nearly circular, because it had approached to the 
 centre of the solar disk. On the 9th, the circumference of 
 this crater appeared lengthened, and the crater observed on 
 the 4th seemed almost round, and nearest to the centre of 
 the disk, as did, in its turn, the last and only one visible on 
 the 4th. On the 17th were remarked three different planetary 
 masses In conjunction, like those above-mentioned, but not 
 so large: on the 18th, appeared three small but probably 
 similar masses; on the i9th, three smaller : on the 23d, three 
 still smaller; on the 29th, five, little different from the pre- 
 ceding ; and, finally, on the 30th, near the edge of the sun, a 
 small portion of one of the craters described above. All 
 these masses, without exception, were in the above-mentioned 
 zone. ‘The powers of the telescope would not allow of any 
 farther discoveries during the time specified.” 
 
 From these phenomena M. Mauri deduces the following 
 inferences :— 
 
 *‘ The sun must be considered as a body, containing a mat- 
 ter capable of preducing distinct volcanoes, because it has re- 
 cently exhibited traces of such craters, and the fan cc 
 masses really, or at least to appearance, covered the luminous 
 surface in several places. ‘There is every reason to believe 
 that the sun is a solid, not a fluid, body ; because the volcanic 
 craters were distinctly to be seen open for a considerable time 
 together. The sun is, on the other hand, a cold body, not so 
 hot as to melt or produce a red glow; because the parts ob- 
 served in these abysses, were not fiery, but black. ‘The sun 
 has, for the promotion of fertility, a luminous, slightly fluid, 
 envelope, like the green carpet tbat covers our fields ; because 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 581 
 -@ PSPOD GAP IO LODO LED LD OL OODLE LOD IO COPD DLOODEDP LOD LEO LOD 
 
 Volcanoes in the Sun, 
 
 BAL ODP OLD PIL POL PLD LOD LO LO P LD OLDE LOL DOLL LOL DOL POD LL EDPDD PDL PPE GL! BOL ODPL ODEIDE LD PLL BLD DDE “AGP 
 
 LOL 
 
 PDE PLE LDF Br 1 
 
 some folds of luminous matter inclined downward, in order to 
 cover the bare places on some of the interior edges of the 
 craters. ‘The sun, underneath the above-mentioned envelope, 
 is not luminous; because the interior of the newly-opened 
 craters was quite dark, as well as the masses thrown up by 
 them. The sun has, probably, a warmth nearly approaching 
 to the temperature of our earth; because volcanoes, which 
 are hotter than the rest of the mass of the earth, make their 
 appearance there. The sun reproduces the luminous en- 
 velope, wherever the latter is broken through; because the 
 volcanoes are gradually covered again with it, after the man- 
 ner of an organic, and, to us, unknown matter. ‘The sun ac- 
 complishes its daily revolution in about one hundred and 
 eight hours of our time. This period is ascertained by the 
 re-appearance of the individual craters discernible by us on 
 the surface of the sun; and on this occasion it may be affirmed, 
 that the spots, as they are called, upon the sun, which have 
 hitherto been considered as attached to its body, are either 
 atmospheric phenomena, or aérolites, passing about it, be- 
 cause they change their situation with respect to each other. 
 
 Perhaps they may be wrecks from that remote catastrophe 
 _ described by Moses: perhaps fragments, though of smaller 
 dimensions, yet of a similar nature with those which we 
 have in a former place denominated planetary masses ; 
 fragments of that kind, which I remarked in diverging co- 
 lumns, more or less fan-shaped, which accompanied the last 
 beautiful comet, like an atmosphere illuminated in oppo- 
 sition with the sun, and through which, on account of the in- 
 ferior power of reflecting light, I discovered the real opaque 
 nucleus of that meteor. I could appeal, for the truth of this 
 to the testimony of various eye-witnesses, and among the rest 
 of a professor, who observed it with me, and who entertained 
 no doubt of the reality of the phenomenon. The sun has, on 
 its surface, prodigious concavities, and proportionate pro- 
 tuberances ; because the situation of the elliptic axis of the 
 crater differed from that of those which would have been pro- 
 duced on a perfectly level sphere. Besides its annual and 
 diurnal motion, the sun has a conical revolution round its 
 pole, which is performed by its axis in about twenty-seven 
 days of our time; because the last portion of crater, in the 
 zone originally discovered, re-appeared in that period, after 
 the positive passage of the craters into other zones. I might 
 mention some other discoveries worthy of notice; but this 
 letter is already long enough. Allow me, however, to express 
 my ardent wish, that astronomers, possessed of the requisite 
 instruments and skill, would examine and confirm the dis- 
 
582 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLI PLO LLP ODP 
 
 POL LLP LDP LOL LPG PDE LE LOE LOD LOPS LO OL OL 
 
 PLPIDD 
 Volcanoes in the Sun.—Singular Recovery of a Female unjustly Executed. 
 
 PLL LIL DLL LOD LEP LIF 
 
 PIL LIL LID LOL ILE DLE LED LDL DDE LDPE LOL LDL 
 
 LIF LLLP L DDG LIP PLD OLDS 
 
 covery of the latest planets that have issued from the sun. 
 The three largest seemed to me to helong to the class of 
 Venus and Mercury. If the sun’s light should preclude ob- 
 servations of them at present, in their elliptical situation, they 
 might be found hereafter in a more favorable position. The 
 discoverers might then give them what appellation they please, 
 with the exception of the three largest, which I reserve to 
 myself the right of naming.” 
 
 — ia 
 
 SINGULAR RECOVERY OF A FEMALE UNJUSTLY EXECUTED. 
 
 Tue following account of the case of a poor girl who was 
 unjustly executed in 1766, is given by a celebrated French 
 author, as an instance of the injustice which was often com- 
 mitted by the equivocal mode of trial used in France :— 
 
 ‘“* About seventeen years since, a young peasant girl, pos- 
 sessed of a very agreeable figure, was placed at Paris in the 
 service of a man, depraved by all the vices consequent on the 
 corruption of great cities. Smitten with her charms, he tried 
 every method to seduce her: but she was virtuous, and resisted. 
 The prudence of this girl only irritated the passion of her master, 
 who, not being able to make her submit to his desires, deter- 
 mined on the most black and horrible revenge. He secretly 
 conveyed into her box many things belonging to him, marked 
 with his name. He then exclaimed that he was robbed, called 
 in a commissaire (a ministerial officer of justice,) and made 
 his deposition. The girl’s box was searched, and the things 
 were discovered. ‘The unhappy servant was imprisoned. 
 She defended herself only by her tears; she had no evidence 
 to prove that she did not put the property in her box; and 
 her only answer to the interrogatories was, that she was in- 
 nocent. The judges had no suspicion of the depravity of the 
 accuser, whose station was respectable, and they administered 
 the law in all its rigor; a rigor undoubtedly excessive, which 
 ought to disappear from our code to give place to a simple 
 but certain penalty which would leave fewer crimes un- 
 punished. ‘The innocent girl was condemned to be hanged. 
 The dreadful office was ineffectually performed, as it was the 
 first attempt of the son of the great executioner. A surgeon 
 had purchased the body for dissection, and it was conveyed to 
 his house. On that evening, being about to open the head, 
 he perceived a gentle warmth about the body. The dissecting- 
 knife fell from his hand, and he placed in his bed her whom 
 he was about to dissect. His efforts to restore her to life 
 were effectual ; and at the same time he sent for a priest, on 
 whose discretion and experience he could depend, in order to 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 583 
 
 PILI LOL 
 
 PIPLIP LLL LID L DDL IS 
 peeyee. DILDOS PIP IPD LOD IDL 
 
 Recovery of a Female unjustly Executed.—Procession of Penitents, 
 
 PPL PLO LID, 
 
 POL LOD OLE LOLI LDL PLP DIL PLL LLL DDL DOLD PDL PLD ODD LPL 
 
 consult with him on this strange event, as well as to have him 
 for a witness to his conduct. The moment the unfortunate 
 girl opened her eyes, she believed herself in the other world, 
 and perceiving the figure of the priest, who had a marked and 
 a majestic countenance, (for I know him, and it is from him 
 that I have this fact,) she joined her hands tremblingly, and 
 exclaimed, “ Eternal Father, you know my innocence, have 
 pity on me!’ In this manner she continued to invoke the 
 ecclesiastic, believing, in her simplicity, that she beheld her 
 God. They were long in persuading her that she was not ° 
 dead—so much had the idea of the punishment and of death 
 possessed her imagination. Nothing could be more touching 
 and more expressive than the cry of an innocent being, who 
 thus approached towards him whom she regarded as her Su- 
 preme Judge; and, independently of her affecting beauty, 
 this single spectacle was sufficient to create the most lively 
 interest in the breast of an observing and sensible man. What 
 a scene for a painter! What a moral fora philosopher! What 
 a lesson for a legislator! 
 
 “‘'The process was not submitted to a new revision, as was 
 stated in the Journal de Paris. 'Yhe servant having returned 
 to life, recognised a man in him whom she had adored, and 
 who directing her prayers towards the only adorable Being, 
 cuitted the house of the surgeon, who was doubly unquiet 
 on her account and his own. She retired to hide herself in a 
 distant village, fearing to meet the judges or the officers, 
 who, with the dreadful tree, mcessantly haunted her imagina- 
 tion. The villainous accuser remained unpunished, because 
 his crime, though manifested to the eyes of two individual 
 witnesses, was not so clear to the eyes of the magistrates and 
 of the laws. ‘The people subsequently became acquainted 
 with the resurrection of this girl, and loaded with reproaches 
 the execrable author of her misery; but, in this immense 
 city, his offence was soon forgotten, and the monster perhaps 
 still breathes; at least, he has not publicly suffered the pu- 
 nishment which he deserves. 
 
 “A book should be published, contaming a collection of 
 cases in which innocent persons have been punished, in order, 
 by showing the causes of error, to avoid them for the future. 
 Perhaps some man of the law may undertake this important 
 work ” | 
 
 —nee ae 
 
 PROCESSION OF PENITENTS IN SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. 
 
 Untit the French revolution, an extraordinary procession 
 took place in all the principal towns of Spain and Portugal. 
 
584 CURIOSIYIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POCODR ODOC POLED G DOF PPD LIL LDPE LID PDP LDL PLE LED ORL DDD 
 
 Procession of Penitents in Spain and Portugal. 
 
 POL LLG PLD LPL PLL LDL LIO LOD PPL LOE LOL 
 
 PLPPPPOLES <6 
 
 DOP 
 
 It is called the Procession of Penitents, and is composed of 
 all the religious orders, both regular and secular; of the se- 
 veral parishes in the city, and their fraternities; of all the 
 tribunals and corporations; and of the several companies of 
 tradesmen. ‘The players also bore a part with the rest; and, 
 in Madrid and Lisbon, the whole of the royal family fre- 
 quently attended. 
 
 The penitents in this procession walked each with a sword 
 by his side, and a wax-taper in his hand; and every nobleman 
 was followed by a great many footmen with torches. An air 
 of gloom appeared in every part of the ceremony; the several 
 parties of soldiers had their arms in mourning, and the horses 
 were led by grooms in sable attire. There were also men 
 clothed in black and masked, holding various musical instru- 
 ments in their hands, such as trumpets, drums, flutes, &c. 
 The drums were covered with black, and beat a dead-march. 
 The crosses and banners of the several parishes were also 
 covered with black crape. Heavy and cumbersome machines, 
 raised on scaffolds, were drawn along, being painted with 
 figures representing the mysteries of our Saviour’s passion. 
 At this ceremony, all the ladies appeared at their windows 
 or balconies, dressed as on their wedding-day, and leaning on 
 rich and sumptuous carpets. All the penitents, or self 
 scourgers, of the city, never failed of making a part in this 
 procession. They wore on their heads a long lawn cap, three 
 feet long, and sloped like a cone, on which a piece of linen 
 cloth was fixed that fell down and covered their faces. They 
 whipped themselves in cadence, with a scourge made of whip- 
 cord, at the ends of which were small round lumps of wax, 
 stuck full of pointed pieces of glass. He who scourged him- 
 self with the greatest courage and dexterity, was looked upon 
 as the bravest man; and such as did otherwise, were hooted 
 by the women, who are so used to this cruel and bloody spec- 
 tacle, that they cannot forbear breaking out into injurious ex- 
 pressions against these who do not whip themselves as se- 
 verely as they would have them. Sometimes, however, these 
 penitents had so little devotion in this part, as to return the 
 reproaches that were cast upon them, and even to insult the 
 spectators as they passed along. Whenever they observed a 
 fine woman, they were so dexterous at scourging as to make 
 the blood spirt just upon them; and the ladies who were thus 
 distinguished, never failed to return thanks for the honor. 
 But they proceeded much further when in sight of their mis- 
 tress’s house, for then they lay on with so much violence and 
 fury, that they almost tore the flesh from their backs and 
 shoulders; and the lady who saw this from the balcony, and 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 585 
 
 PPPDLPDP  2FI PF 
 
 APF PLD LPI OL DI DDE PLL DIG PLL DOLL PPE DLE GOL PDP DDE OGOLOL OL EPOP LDPE DDL PLP DIRS 
 
 Procession of Penitents.—Longevity: Welsh Patriarch. 
 
 POL PLE POD DID PLL LDIOL DIL LID DOS 
 
 POL DIL PLL PELE LID LIP DIG DOE LIOPLLLL DL PL PIP OCPLDLE DOP DIE 
 
 who was conscious that it was all done for her sake, was 
 highly pleased with it, and very grateful for the favor. These 
 penitents were persons of all degrees and conditions, from 
 those of the highest quality to the meanest plebeian; and 
 some of them practised austerities of a much more severe 
 nature than the above-mentioned. These went barefooted, 
 and had a mat tied on tight about them, which covered their 
 arms, and part of their bodies to the waist. Scme drew after 
 them a cross of a prodigious weight, others carried drawn 
 swords fixed in the back and arms, which made very deep, 
 wounds every time they happened to stumble. Others, being 
 stripped to their shirts, had themselves tied to a cross at the 
 church-door, when they broke out into long and doleful la- 
 mentations. ‘The persons who practised these austerities were | 
 always masked, as were the servants who attended upon them; 
 and whether these penitents, or self-scourgers, whipped them- 
 selves from devotion or gallantry, it is certain that these 
 mortifications were the death of a great many of them every 
 year. 
 
 ih 2 
 
 LONGEVITY. 
 WELSH PATRIARCH. 
 
 TuE following copy of a very remarkable instance of lon- 
 gevity, and a numerous offspring, is extracted from an old 
 register belonging to the parish of Tregauan, which is part 
 of the rectory of Liangesney, in the county of Anglesea, and 
 transcribed into the new register thereof, for the satisfaction 
 of posterity. , 
 
 There died the 11th of March, 1581, in the said parish of 
 Tregauan, in the said county of Anglesea, one William Ap- 
 howelaph Yerweth, aged one hundred and five. He had heen 
 thrice married; his first wife was Ellen serch William; by 
 her he had twenty-two children. The second wife was Kath- 
 erine serch Richard; by her he had ten children. ‘The third 
 wife was Ellen uch William, now living; by her he had four 
 children, His eldest son was Griffith ap William, now liv- 
 ing, aged eighty-four: he has children’s children to the fourth 
 generation in abundance. His youngest son is also called 
 Griff ap William, aged two years and a half, now living in the 
 said parish, and the difference between the two brothers’ age 
 is eighty-one years and a half, for the eldest was of that age 
 when the youngest was born: his eldest daughter is called 
 Alice serch William, aged seventy-two; she has been twice 
 married, and has a numerous progeny: there being living. 
 now, of the old man’s offspring, in the said parish, eighty 
 
 25. F 
 
586 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POPOPPIP PPS. 
 
 PP PFPPPDGGPPGLLGOGEP GPE PPD GDC SOO LOO G OF: 
 Longevity: Welsh Patriarch.—Eccentric Biography: Sir John Dinely, Bart. 
 
 GLP LLLP? 
 
 PGPPLP GOP IOP FG 
 
 PPP 
 
 POI LPEL LIL ELD LD E LOL ODP 
 
 persons; and, at his funeral, there were computed to be about 
 three hundred persons that were descended from him. The 
 said old man was of a middle stature, of good complexion, 
 never troubled with cholic, gout, or stone, seldom sick, of 
 moderate diet, lived by tillage, exercised himself in fishing 
 and fowling, and had his senses to the last. . 
 
 <i 
 
 ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHY. 
 
 LIFE AND SINGULAR MANNERS OF SIR JOHN DINELY, BART. 
 AND POOR KNIGHT OF WINDSOR. 
 
 [Concluded from page 561.] 
 
 Tue account of the unhappy fate of Sir John’s father is so 
 remarkable, that we shall lay the following particulars before 
 our readers :— 
 
 At the Sessions held before the Worshipful the Mayor of 
 the city of Bristol, Michael Foster, Esq. recorder, and others 
 of his Majesty’s justices of the peace for the said city, March 
 26, 1741, Samuel Goodyere, late commander of his Majesty’s 
 ship Ruby, was indicted for aiding, assisting, and abetting, 
 the murder of Sir John Dinely Goodyere, Bart. 
 
 At the same time, Matthew Mahony and Charles White 
 were separately indicted for the actual murder of the said 
 Sir John Dinely Goodyere, Bart. 
 
 Mr. Smith, an attorney-at-law, in College Green, Bristol, 
 deposed, that the Sunday before this murder was committed, 
 the deceased, by the deponent’s invitation, was to dine at his 
 house the Sunday following, of which the prisoner being ap- 
 prised, came into the neighbourhood, and sent for this de- 
 ponent, and earnestly interceded with him to admit him into 
 the company of his brother, the baronet, under the pretence, 
 as the prisoner said, to accommodate and reconcile their dif- 
 ferences in an amicable manner. 
 
 The prisoner being at College Green Cotfee House, Mr. 
 Smith went to him, and was greatly pleased with the pro- 
 posals of the prisoner, and the hopes of all disputes between 
 them being settled ; he, without the least hesitation, intro- 
 duced the prisoner into the company of his brother, the de- 
 ceased; and the prisoner behaved so well, that he and the 
 deceased seemed to be as good friends as ever ; and just as 
 the deceased was about to depart, he took leave of the Ba- 
 ronet in the most affectionate manner imaginable. It was 
 then dark, and about six o’clock in the evening. 
 
 Mr. Roberts, who kept the White Hart on College Green, 
 opposite to Mr. Smith’s house, deposed, that the prisoner 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 587. 
 CE BOP DOCLDO DDD PDD LOL IID LOL DLO LIOL DI DDE IDE DLEPL GIDE DOPDIDIOPLIDI DD IDOL LD LOE ILL ILL ILS 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windsor. 
 
 PPS PPE PLD PII GIT 
 
 PPI PPD ELE ELE DPD LOL LPP LD ELL POS 
 
 PLL PPL LL DE PLE LL ELLE LOD LOL 
 
 came to his house early in the morning, the day before the 
 murder was committed, and ordered him to get a dinner ready 
 for six men, who were to dine there that day. 
 
 Mahony was not one of the six that dined, but the company 
 talked much about one Mahony ; he was a man well known 
 to Roberts, and had been often at his house: the people that 
 dined there were dressed like seamen, and Roberts took them 
 for Captain Goodyere’s men, and that the Captain had a mind 
 to treat them at his house. ‘They dined in the balcony ur 
 one pair of stairs towards the green, and in the afternoon, 
 after dinner was over, Goodyere sent word to Roberts to 
 make tea for the six men, which greatly surprised him, it 
 being very uncommon drink for jack-tars. They all went 
 away of a sudden, and Roberts bid them welcome without 
 going out of doors. 
 
 Charles Bryant being called upon by the Court, deposed, 
 that he was one of the six men hired by Captain Goodyere, 
 to seize the deceased, and forcibly to run him aboard the 
 Ruby man-of-war, then lying in the King’s-road. ‘They met, 
 by the prisoner’s directions, at the White Hart, on College 
 Green, where a handsome dinner was provided. 'They were 
 placed in the balcony to receive a signal, and obey the word 
 of command, without giving the least suspicion to the people 
 of the house. About six o’clock in the evening the signal 
 was given, and they left the White Hart, and overtook the 
 deceased just before he came to College Green Coffee-house, 
 where Bryant and others seized him at the word of command 
 of the prisoner. They then rushed on the deceased, and 
 dragged him along towards the Rope-walk, where was a gang 
 of twelve more of them, who were ready to assist according 
 to the prisoner’s instructions. The deceased was hurried 
 towards the Hotwells, where a boat was waiting purposely 
 to receive him. 
 
 The prisoner was with them all the while, directing, aid- 
 ing, and assisting, and when the deceased cried out, ‘“* Mur- 
 der! murder! Iam Sir John Dinely Goodyere;” the prisoner 
 stopped the deceased’s mouth with his cloak, so that the 
 people, not knowing his name, only asked what was the mat- 
 ter ? The answer the prisoner and the ruffians gave was, that 
 he, the deceased, was a thief and a murderer, and had made 
 his escape from a ship, and they were going to take him 
 aboard to secure him, in order for his trial ; the prisoner still 
 stopping the deceased’s mouth, to prevent his crying out. 
 
 When the deceased got into the boat he had a little more 
 liberty than before, and he made use of it to speak to the 
 prisoner to this effect :— Brother, I know you have an in- 
 
588. OURIUSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GOI LOL LEOL? OF 
 
 i PPPOC POPP ISS. 
 
 Kcecentric Biography : Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windsor. 
 
 GPLPPLIPLP LLL LLL IE PPL GE LOL LEE LOL LLL LOL EL OEP ODL LE LEE ODL LOD DEL LLL OOF LLP LID LLP LLL LPS POL LOO EC POOLP 
 
 ILLIA EL ALL EP LLL PPL DPD LEP LDDPLDO DPPCOO LOG: 
 
 tention to murder me; I beg that if you are resolved to do it, 
 that you would do it here, and not give yourself the trouble 
 of taking me down to your ship.” ‘To which the prisoner re- 
 plied :—“ No, brother, | am going to prevent your rotting upon 
 land; but, however, I would have you make your peace with 
 God this night ;” and, in the most unfeeling manner, hurried the 
 deceased aboard the ship. He cried out loudly for help, and 
 made a great noise; but the prisoner took the precaution to 
 tell the crew, “ That they need not mind his noise, because he 
 was mad; and that he had brought him on board, on purpose 
 to prevent his making away with himself.” They then con- 
 veyed him to the purser’s cabin, and all of them, except 
 Mahony and White, were ordered ashore, with directions to 
 conceal themselves, and keep out of the way of inquiry. : 
 
 Bryant further deposed, that he and five more were hired 
 by the prisoner, at a guinea a-head, to bring the deceased on 
 board ; that neither of them belonged to the Ruby, but to the 
 Vernon schooner. 
 
 Mr. Berry, the first lieutenant of the prisoner’s ship, de- 
 posed, that being on deck he saw the deceased brought on 
 board late in the evening of the 23d of January last. The 
 deceased was immediately carried into the purser’s cabin, and 
 there kept till five o'clock inthe morning. ‘That the prisoners 
 Goodyere, White, and Mahony, were with the deceased 
 That he saw the prisoner and deceased through a crevice in 
 a cabin, adjoining to the purser’s cabin. ‘That the deponent, 
 and the cooper of the ship, and his wife, were together, and 
 by means of the crevice saw the whole transaction. The 
 agreement between Goodyere, White, and Mahony, was, that 
 Mahony should have £200; White £150. and what money 
 the deceased had in his pockets, and his gold watch. After 
 the agreement was concluded on, Mahony and White went 
 about their bloody work, the prisoner Goodyere standing 
 sentry with his drawn sword in one hand, and a pistol in 
 the other, to kill the first person that should make any oppo- 
 sition in what they were about. | | 
 
 The first thing they did, they took a handkerchief out of 
 the deceased’s pocket; White held his hands, while Mahony 
 put it about his neck, and then each of them pulled as hard 
 as he could, in order to strangle the deceased at once; but 
 Sir John making a desperate struggle, the prisoners could 
 not effect it, so as to prevent his crying out “‘ Murder! what, 
 must 1 die? Help! help! murder!” &c. To prevent any 
 further noise, the prisoner Goodyere ordered Mahony to take 
 acord he had laid ready. The prisoner Mahony then slipped 
 off the handkerchief, and put the cord about the deceased’s 
 
CYRICSITIZS OF NATURE AND ART. 589 
 
 PILDIDDG PPP LIP PPDPOS. 
 
 Hecentric Biography. Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windsor. 
 
 PLL LDF 
 
 LLG LLL PLL PLL LLG DOL 
 
 PIF 
 
 Be ee til 
 
 neck, and, with the cord in one hand, he thrust the other in 
 the deceased’s throat, and his knee against his stomach. In 
 the mean while White held the deceased’s hands, and took 
 out of his pocket eight guineas and a gold watch. Then 
 White came directly to the prisoner Goodyere, and acquainted 
 him with what was done, and showed him his brother’s watch 
 and money. The prisoner then asked Mahony and White, 
 whether the job was quite completed? They answered, Yes. 
 Then the prisoner gave Mahony and White what money he 
 had about him, and bade them get ashore directly, that they 
 might the more easily make their escape before day-light 
 came on. 
 
 Mr. Jones, the cooper of the ship, and his wife, confirmed 
 the evidence of the Lieutenant; and Mr. Ford deposed, that 
 he had Mahony under his cure for the foul disease for three 
 weeks, when he told him he had a private job to do for Capt. 
 Goodyere, for which he was to have £200. and then he would 
 reward him handsomely for his trouble. 
 
 The prisoner, by way of defence, said, it was peculiarly 
 hard that because his brother had been killed, he must, right 
 or wrong, be considered the murderer. He was innocent of 
 the fact, and had no hand in the murder laid to his charge. 
 His brother was a lunatic, and, in a fit of phrenzy, strangled 
 himself, which he said he could prove by witnesses ; and call- 
 ing one Sarah Gettings, she swore the deceased was mad by 
 turns, and very often attempted to make away with himself. 
 One Ann Gettings swore, that the deceased had been a long 
 time subject to strange whims and phrenzies, and often talked 
 of shooting, drowning, and strangling himself. 
 
 The discovery of the murder was perfectly accidental, and 
 nearly as follows: Mr. Smith, (the gentleman at whose house 
 Sir John Dinely Goodyere, and his brother Captain Goodyere, 
 spent a sociable hour together the day before) accidentally 
 heard that evening, that a person who had the appearance of 
 a gentleman, was hurried in a very violent manner over Col- 
 Jege Green, and that a gentleman,.who, by the description 
 of him, answered to the person of the Captain, assisted ; 
 and Mr. Smith knowing the ship was to sail the first fair 
 wind, and remembering that they went out of the house 
 nearly together, it came directly into his head that the Cap- 
 tain had taken him on board, with intent to destroy him 
 when he came upon the high seas. ‘This suspicion being 
 strengthened by other circumstances, made so deep an im- 
 pression on his mind, that early in the morning he applied 
 himself to Henry Combe, Esq. the mayor, for an officer to go 
 and search the ship, before she sailed out of the liberty of the 
 
590 > CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 {| PPPGHPOLPOOSF PLL P BPP LIS PP PDP P LPP LLL DOL PPP LD LIE POG: PPELLM REO 
 
 Eccentric Biography : Sir John Dinely, Bart. and Poor Knight of Windsor. 
 
 GO PLLLLLD LOD DOP DOPE LOE LEO LOGL IE ODE DLL D DELLE LLE LED LID DLE LLL LOL COE LEO LOL LOLOL LAP LDP LEO PDL 
 
 city, which reaches ten or fifteen miles down the river. The 
 officer the mayor thought fit to send was the water-bailiff, with 
 proper assistance, and full orders to search the ship for Sir 
 John Dinely Goodyere, Bart. The officer obeyed his orders : 
 and coming to the ship, the cooper, his wife, and Lieutenant 
 Berry, acquainted him that they had been just consulting 
 about the affair, and discovered to him what they knew of the 
 whole matter, the Captain being then safe in the cabin. The 
 water-bailiff sent immediately this account to the city magis- 
 trates, who thought proper to reinforce him with a strong 
 guard to secure the Captain ; but before the guard came, the 
 cooper and Lieutenant had done the business. 
 
 A letter was sent, written with Captain Goodyere’s own 
 hand, and directed to Mr. Jarit Smith, attorney-at-law, on 
 College Green, Bristol, purporting, that to his (the Captain’s) 
 great surprise, he had discovered that his brother, Sir John, 
 had been murdered by two ruffians, and that the villains 
 suspected had made their escape. ‘This confirmed Mr. Smith 
 in his suspicions; and the Captain being seized, as before- 
 mentioned, was brought before the mayor at the Town-hall, 
 where many of the aldermen and magistrates of the city were 
 also assembled. 
 
 On the death of Sir Edward, (the father of these unhappy 
 brothers and of Mr. Dinely,) Sir John, to whom the title of 
 Baronet devolved in right of his father, had a very pretty 
 estate, when his father’s, and that for which he changed his 
 name, were both joined. It is said that he was possessed, in 
 the counties of Hereford and Worcestershire, of upwards of 
 4000. per annum; but we are assured his income was as 
 good as £3000. Sir John, about the age of twenty-three, 
 married a young lady, the daughter of a merchant of that 
 city, who gave her a fortune of £20,000. 
 
 But it so happened, some years after, through domestic 
 jars in Sir John’s family, that Sir Robert Jason, a neighbour- 
 ing baronet, who came pretty frequently to visit Sir John, 
 was suspected of familiarity with Lady Dinely.—Sir John’s 
 suspicions were raised to such a degree, that he forbade Sir 
 Robert his house. The consequence of this was, that Sir 
 John brought an action in the Court of Common Pleas, at 
 Westminster, for criminal conversation, and laid his damages 
 at £2000. The jury gave Sir John £500. damages. 
 
 Sir John, after this, indicted his lady for a consniracy to 
 take away his life; and by the evidence of a servant-iiaid, the 
 lady was found guilty, and committed to the King’s Bench pri- 
 son for twelve months, and to pay a small fine. White she re- 
 mained in prison, he petitioned for a divorce: hut che being 
 
CURIOSITIZS OF NATURE AND ART- 591 
 
 POP PPI GIG LII LIA? PPL PDD PPDPP ID LIS LPF PPP PPOPDD 
 
 Eccentric Biography : Sir Jonn Dinely—Wybrand Lolkes, the, Dutch Dwarf. 
 
 POPLDO DOE DOL ODO DIL DIDLLDP DLE DDO DOD 
 
 LPP PPO BGLLD PPDPDLPE PDE PLLDPDE LPOG LDL PDD DOLD LLG 
 
 assisted with money by Captain Goodyere, and other friends, 
 opposed it so strongly, that the House of Lords were of 
 opinion that it could not be granted; and so dismissed the 
 petition. 
 
 The Captain’s view in furnishing the distressed lady with 
 money, as he himself told Sir John, was, that he should not 
 marry a young woman, and so beget an heir to his estate; 
 and this was one of the principal motives that induced Sir 
 John to leave the greatest part of his estates to his sister’s 
 sons. 
 
 By the death of Sir John, an estate of £400 per annum 
 devolved to the Lady Dinely, his widow, not as a jointure, 
 but as an estate of her own; which Sir John, while living, 
 kept in his own hands. 
 
 Thus the principal occasion of this horrid and barbarous 
 murder, was the injury Captain Goodyere apprehended Sir 
 John had done him in cutting off the entail of his estate, 
 except £600 per annum, which he could not meddle with, in 
 order to settle it on his sister’s sons. 
 
 Captain Goodyere, Mahony, and White, received sentence 
 of death, and they were accordingly executed, and hung in 
 chains to the north of the Hot-wells, in sight of the place 
 where the ship lay when the murder was committed. 
 
 WYBRAND LOLKES, THE DUTCH DWARF. 
 
 Mynueer Wyesranp Loxkes was a native of Holland, 
 and born at Jelst, in West Friezland, in the year 1730, of 
 parents in but indifferent circumstances, his father being a 
 fisherman, who, besides this most extraordinary little crea- 
 ture, had to support a family of seven other children, all of 
 whom were of ordinary stature, as were both the father and 
 mother. Wybrand Lolkes, at an early age, exhibited proofs 
 of a taste for mechanism; and when sufficiently grown up, 
 was, by the interest of some friends, placed with an eminent 
 watch and clock maker at Amsterdam, to learn that business : 
 he continued to serve this master for four years after the ex- 
 piration of his apprenticeship, and then removed to Rotter- 
 dam, where he carried on this trade on his own account, and 
 where he first became acquainted with, and afterwards mar- 
 ried, the person who accompanied him to England. His trade 
 of a watchmaker however failing, he came to the resolution 
 of exhibiting his person publicly as a show; and by attending 
 the several Dutch fairs obtained a handsome competency. 
 Impelled by curiosity and in hopes of gain, he came to Eng- 
 land, and was visited at Harwich, (where he first landed) b 
 
599 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Wybrand Lolkes, the Dutch Dwarf.—Lakes of Italy. 
 
 PPLE LPG LOELPPL LOL LED LED LPG PLE LOG DPOF 
 
 PIL LOD LLP LDL OLS PLL 
 
 LIL 
 
 POLLO L PLL LLL ODL 
 
 crowds of people: encouraged by this early success, he pro- 
 ceeded to London, and on applying to the late Mr. Philip 
 Astley, obtained an engagement at a weekly salary of five 
 guineas. He first appeared at the Amphitheatre, Westmin- 
 ster Road, on Easter Monday, 1790, and continued to exhibit 
 every evening during the whole season. He always was ac- 
 companied by his wife, who came on the stage with him, hand 
 in hand, but though he elevated his arm, she was compelled 
 to stoop considerably to meet the proffered honor. : 
 
 Mynheer Lolkes was a fond husband; he well knew the 
 value of his partner, and repaid her care of him with the 
 most fervent affection; for he was not one of those men, who 
 
 are April when they woo, 
 December when they wed. 
 
 He had by this wife three children, one of which, a son, 
 lived to the age of twenty-three, and was five feet seven 
 inches in height. | 4 Ng 
 
 This little man, notwithstanding his clumsy and awkward 
 appearance, was remarkably agile, and possessed uncommon 
 strength: he could with the greatest ease sp ng from the 
 ground into a chair of ordinary height. He was rather of a 
 morose temper and extremely vain of himself, and while dis- 
 coursing in broken English was extremely (as he imagined) 
 ‘dignified. He continued in England but one season, and 
 through the help of a good benefit, returned to his native 
 country, with his pockets better furnished than when he 
 left it. Ye) OAS 
 
 eae 
 LAKES OF ITALY. 
 
 THE striking superiority of the lakes of Italy over those of 
 other countries, renders them objects of great interest with 
 the traveller. | 
 
 The lakes of Westmoreland and Cumberland are to England 
 what those of the Milanese territory are to Italy: but in 
 beauty, magnitude, and grandeur, there is scarcely any com- 
 parison to be drawn. Although England is considered, as 
 regards the face of the country, to be a fine miniature picture 
 of Europe at large, yet with respect to its lakes and moun- 
 tains, it is very far inferior; the lakes and hills of Britain 
 sink into insignificance, when compared with similar objects 
 in the Alpine regions. Toa traveller accustomed to the pro- 
 digiously grand scenery of this, and indeed every part of Italy 
 our boasted Windermere becomes a lifeless pool, our lofty 
 Skiddau shrinks into a hillock. The lake of Ullswater alone, 
 
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 L,, Yt! Oe te wey 3 Ladoga 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 593 
 
 CPODLOD POL GDP PPP LDP PE DDO GPL LLL DILDO PLL PLE PLL PLL PDPODOD LOO LOO DOO EL OPPO PLP ODO PPP DPD ODP PHS 
 
 Lakes of Italy.—Miraculous Escape from the Inquisition. 
 
 POP PLP PPP PPD PPPDLILP PIL POL LIP PLS 
 
 PPE LLL LOL PLE DLL OD EDOPP 
 
 in comparative ‘boldness of its banks, may perhaps present a 
 faint resemblance to some parts of the Lago di Como, but 
 the parallel is confined to ‘that single feature. The rocks of 
 Buttermere are certainly of a grand character, but the sheet 
 of water beneath them is insignificant. Our famous Scotch 
 Jake, Loch Lomond, has a certain similarity to the Benacus 
 of Italy, in its width of expanse and the gradual swell of its 
 banks, but the resemblance goes no farther ; the little islands 
 which are interspersed in the broadest part of Loch Lomond, 
 possess a considerable share of beauty ; but the heavy form 
 of Benlomond, its heathy sides and naked brow, with the life- 
 less masses around it, which are, however, the only grand 
 features the prospect can pretend to, are very indifferent sub- 
 stitutes for the noble ridge of the Alps that borders the Be- 
 nacus, and presents every mountain form and colour, from the 
 curve to the pinnacle, from the deep tints of the forest to the 
 dazzling brightness of snow. When to these conspicuous 
 advantages we add the life and interest which such scenes 
 derive from churches, villas, hamlets, and towns, placed, as 
 if by the hand of a painter, in the most striking situations, so 
 as to contrast with the surrounding picture and give it relief, 
 we describe the peculiar and characteristic features which 
 distinguish the lakes of Italy, and give them an undisputed 
 superiority. | 
 i 
 
 MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FROM THE INQUISITION. 
 
 In the year 1702, Don Estevan de Xeres, a rich inhabitant 
 of Mexico, quitted America in order to reside in Spain. He 
 disembarked at Lisbon, and took a lodging, intending to pass 
 a few days in that city, in order to recover from the fatigues 
 of his voyage. 
 
 The avarice of his landlord was inflamed at the sight of his 
 riches, and in order to appropriate a part at least to himself, 
 he resolved to accuse him to the Inquisition, and make use of 
 the interim between the information and the arrival of the 
 officers, to secrete something of value, judging he should not 
 be called to account forit. In conjunction with his son, who 
 had acquired a slight knowledge of Don Estevan while he 
 resided in Mexico, this execrable plan was formed and carried 
 into effect ; for the next day, late in the evening, he was ap- 
 prehended. Fortunately, he had, among his domestics, a 
 young negro named Zamora, whom he had educated from his 
 infancy, and the faithful youth had abundantly repaid the con- 
 fidence which he placed in him. He was present when his 
 master was arrested, and followed, at a distance, the familiars 
 
 AG 
 
524 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIP LIPLIO?P 
 
 POP LPDLE OLOP LIE BOP OPP OL 
 
 Miraculous Escape from the inquisition. 
 
 PLP POLE POLLED LOD PLE POE LLEOPLE LDL ELE LEP LEE ELE LOS 
 
 '\BGGPPOPODP IPP. 
 
 PIL LOL LLL ODL BLD LLL LID LIED EOLP DOD POP 
 
 who conducted his benefactor. He saw them enter the gates 
 of the Inquisition; and from that moment he formed the re- 
 solution of saving his life, or of perishing in the attempt. 
 
 But what was to be done without money? Le therefore 
 hastened back to his master’s lodging, and knowing from the 
 confidence placed in him, where the most valuable effects were 
 deposited, he seized a small chest filled with diamonds, and a 
 pocket-book containing valuable notes. He then hastened to 
 the house of the French Consul, related to him the particulars 
 of his master’s apprehension, and besought him to take charge 
 of the treasure. ‘Fhe Consul consented; and furthermore 
 promised to preserve that part of Estevan’s property which 
 he had insured at Bourdeaux, by causing it to be sequestered. 
 He also gave him the key of a private door in his garden, 
 showed him a secret staircase by which he might ascend, un- 
 noticed, to his chamber ; and agreed upon a private signal to 
 be made at the door. They then parted; Zamora to set 
 about his master’s liberation, and the Consul to plan the safety 
 of his property, which he was in a great degree fortunate 
 enough to effect, by insisting on its not being disposed of till 
 the conclusion of his trial, and laying claim to the greater 
 pt of it on behalf of the Insurance Company at Bourdeaux. 
 
 amora in the mean time repaired to the Holy Office, and 
 begged to speak to the Grand Inquisitor. After some diffi- 
 culty he was admitted and obtained an audience of one of the 
 Inquisitors. He represented himself as a servant of Don 
 Estevan, who had promised to have him baptised while in 
 Mexico, but had delayed it; and now his master having been 
 arrested he was fearful of losing his salvation. He concluded 
 by placing fifty pieces of gold in the hand of the Inquisitor to 
 have masses said for his salvation. He represented himself as 
 destitute of employment; and the Inquisitor, after asking a 
 few questions as to his talents, agreed to attach him to the 
 service of the Holy Office. A bell was rung, and he was 
 placed under the care of an officer who appeared to the sum- 
 mons, to be initiated in the mysteries of his new situation. 
 This was what he wanted; and it was with difficulty he could 
 express his transports at the success of his plan. By dint of 
 unwearied diligence, circumspection and artifice, he succeeded 
 in obtaining the good will of the Grand Inquisitor and the 
 principal officers, and obtained access to the dungeons of up- 
 wards of fifty prisoners, but without entering the only one he 
 wished to behold. He likewise managed to apprise the Con- 
 sul of his proceedings. 3 
 
 One morning, as he stood in the gallery with the guards, 
 the Majordomo brought a note to the Alcaide. The Alcaide 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 595 
 
 DPOPLPIP PPP PPP. 
 
 FP PPPLOP. 
 
 Miraculous Escape from the Inquisition. 
 
 a 
 
 ial 
 
 PPP PLL PPP OP OLIPP PIS DIG 
 
 immediately ordered six of them to take their carbines. This 
 was the usual sign that they were about to conduct a prisoner 
 to the Mesa, or Board of the Holy Office. Zamora was going 
 to retire, when the Alcaide said to him, ‘Come you also with 
 us; you will behold a quarter you are not as yet acquainted 
 with.”” These words made him tremble with anxiety. He 
 followed them. The Alcaide then opened a door which, till 
 then, Zamora had always seen shut. ‘They ascended to an 
 upper floor and came to a gallery less dark than that below. 
 ‘This is the quarter of the Hidalgos, or people of quality,” 
 said the Alcaide. At last they arrived at one chamber; the 
 bars were withdrawn, the double doors were opened; “ You 
 are summoned,” said the Alcaide to the prisoner within; a 
 person then came forth: it was Estevan himself. What a 
 moment to Zamora! what surprise! Estevan proceeded with 
 his eyes fixed upon the ground: he raised them, and beheld 
 his faithful follower. Zamora, shuddering with terror, lest 
 some slight gesture might occasion the destruction of both, 
 placed his finger upon his lips. Estevan understood the ‘sig- 
 nal, and went forward without betraying the least emotion. 
 Zamora being thus set at ease, suffered him to proceed with 
 ‘his escort, and, availing himself of the confidence which he 
 enjoyed in the house, returned, during the absence of Estevan, 
 to his dungeon, the door of which was left open ; he examined 
 its position, upon what external part of the building the win- 
 dow opened, how many bars secured it, and at what height it 
 stood from the ground, It was over the garden, the elevation 
 of about fifty feet. No windows where any dangerous ob- 
 servation could be made, were directed towards this quarter : 
 this was all he wanted to:know. He came forth, and nobody 
 observed him. He then descended and waited Estevan’s re- 
 turn. Fora long time Zamora had been ready to take ad- 
 vantage of any fortunate event. After a lapse of about two 
 hours, Estevan returned, with the same retinue, their eyes 
 again met, and much meaning was in the glance. Being ar- 
 rived at the door of his dungeon, Estevan entered, the Alcaide 
 was about to bolt the door, the officious Zamora offered to 
 spare him the trouble, and, pretending to employ some force, 
 and drawing close the inner door, he passed his hand through 
 the wicket, by which the food of the prisoners is introduced, 
 and let a small billet fall within; then, having shut both the 
 doors, he retired with the guards and the Alcaide. Hstevan 
 snatched this billet as the palladium of his fate, and read :— 
 “‘ Courage, patience, silence, attention, and above all, destroy 
 after you read.” What a moment! what transport! As soon 
 as they had descended the stairs, the Alcaide said to ‘Zamora, 
 
 PIL LIF 
 
 PPP LILLE L GOLF LLDOE LPP DDE LID POP 
 
595 CURICSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOP LID PIPL IDOL IIS. 
 
 Miracufous Escape from the Inquisition. 
 
 “« He did not recognise you, I observed him attentively ; not 
 the least symptom of emotion escaped him.” “ It was owing 
 to his passing suddenly from darkness into light,”. answered 
 Zamora; ‘and what if he had recognised me? In coming 
 hither I have done my duty, and let him do his.” |“ That is 
 well said,” replied the Aleaide, “ but when are you to be. bap- 
 tised ?” “ I know not; in three or four months, as his Rever- 
 ence promised me: my godmother ts gone to Madrid, and he 
 waits for her return. But, Mr. Alcaide, you must be fatigued, 
 ti glass of wine and a biscuit will not be unacceptable, let us 
 ascend to my chamber.” “ With all my heart.”’ 
 
 ‘The next morning he was in the garden, which laid beneath 
 the window of Estevan; he had worked there an hundred 
 times Without suspecting he was so near. his unfortunate mas- 
 ter. ‘The gardener was accustomed to see him there, and never 
 interfered with any work that he did: he knew that Father 
 Juan was his protector, and that was enough. The gardener 
 was a man above sixty years old, who was extrayagantly fond 
 of brandy, and Zamora took care that he should not want his 
 favourite liquor.. By day or by night, at any hour that he 
 pleased, he could: enter the garden unnoticed. Upon that 
 day, he employed himself in ascertaining which of the win- 
 dows, that opened into the garden, belonged to the dungeon 
 of his master ; he had taken care to count the number of doors 
 which opened into the gallery, and by reckoning the same 
 humber of windows, he flattered himself that he had ascer- 
 tained the right one. However, to remove all doubt, he took 
 a spade, and pretending to dress. some beds of flowers, he 
 whistled a plaintive air which is well known to the inhabitants 
 of Mexico. He was not mistaken: by reason of the silence 
 which reigns in the Inquisition, the tune reached the ear of 
 Estevan, who instantly made signal, by coughing within, that 
 he was sensible of the presence of his faithful servant. 
 
 He then managed to become one of those who supplied the 
 prisoners with food, and had opportunities of approaching his 
 master. At length, one evening, as he conveyed to Estevan 
 his supper through the wicket he contrived adroitly to let fall 
 a second billet—‘‘ To-morrow, at the same hour: caution!” 
 The next evening, at the hour of distribution, he took care to 
 be at hand. His comrades arranged the suppers of the pri- 
 soners upon plates, in order to convey them to their cells. 
 Zamora took charge of the basket which contained the por- 
 tions of bread. They then set forward. In going along he 
 contrived to let one piece of bread fall from the basket. He 
 picked it up and placed it under his arm. This distribution 
 then was made from door to door, and Zamora contrived to 
 
 PPP PIP PLP PLD LIP LOD LOL 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 597 © 
 
 PP PPP PPP LPP POOP PPP LPLPO GOP LL OE PDPLP OP EP PP PDOP ODD L OP PDE LDPE LOD DLL LAD DILL DL LOD PDP LLE PDE OLE POG 
 
 Miraculous Escape from the Inquisition. 
 
 POP POPP PPO GPO PPO LOD LOL LOL PDE PPP PPL EPL LOEPL EDL OLD PDE LOPE PLL LOL OG! POL LOL LLE LIL PDOLIDL OPE POP 
 
 introduce, through that of Estevan, the piece of bread which 
 he had picked up. Never, in his entire existence, did he ex- 
 perience anxiety equal to that which he suffered, from the. 
 moment when his pretended awkwardness caused the bread to 
 fall from the basket, until that in which he conveyed it to the 
 hand of Estevan. He had substituted it by stealth in the 
 kitchen for another piece which he left there, in order that 
 there might not appear to have been a piece too many, which 
 might create suspicion in such a place as the Holy Office, . 
 where the smallest trifles do not pass unnoticed. This piece 
 of bread contained a file. The sudden transition, from so 
 tormenting a state of inquietude to the rapture which he felt 
 in his success, so completely overpowered his spirits, that, the 
 moment he had descended the stairs, he fainted away. He 
 quickly recovered his senses, and with his native presence of 
 mind ascribed his weakness to the oppressive heat of the day, 
 and the little food which he had taken. He then allowed 
 Estevan time sufficient to avail himself of the invaluable pre- 
 sent of the file. The festival of Christmas approached, and 
 this was the season which Zamora had made choice of for his 
 enterprise. re ft 
 “In those days the friars were accustomed to spend more 
 time ‘than usual at table, and were therefore likely to pass 
 their nights in more profound repose. The nights then were 
 long and dark, and Zamora took care to choose a time when 
 there was nomoon. On the night which preceded the eve of 
 Christmas-day, Zamora cast into his master’s cell a third bil- 
 let—‘* if you are ready, to-morrow, after dinner, leave some 
 wine in your bottle.” The answer that he wished for was. 
 returned: this was on Christmas-eve.. Upon the day of this 
 festival, Zamora enjoyed a still greater facility of correspon- 
 dence; at the hour of distributing their supper to the pri- 
 soners, the greater part of the servants, the guards, and the 
 Alcaide, were still at church. Zamora then threw in ‘his 
 fourth and last billet-—“* To-morrow, between midnight and 
 one o’clock, let down the cord and get yourself ready.” » The 
 evening came; the routine of duty being over about six 
 o’clock, the Grand Inquisitor and the majority of the superior 
 members of the Inquisition'sat down to table. The wine was 
 not spared; at nine they separated, and in half:an hour 
 more they were all buried in a profound sleep. The Alcaide 
 then said to Zamora, “ Every body is asleep, as you perceive, 
 there are no rounds to go to-night, I will go and spend a few 
 hours with Donna Jacintha” (his mistress.) “ Well,” replied 
 Zamora, “1 have promised to sup with the gardener and his 
 wife, if you please we will go out together.” The Alcaide 
 
598 » CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POP OLD LDL LOD BOLO LLL LDL PDE DDE LDODLD EOE LOO OPEL LOL ODL OP CED ODOOR: 
 
 Miraculous Escape from the Inquisition. 
 
 POL PEL OLE LOL LPC LOL BL LOR DE LOE PLE LLL ELE PPLE LOE LOE LOC LOO L LO OLE 
 
 PPE I OOPILS OP 
 
 GLPPLP LPL PPIILS FL 
 
 desired the guard to watch well, they promised as usual, and 
 m half an hour after they were as fast asleep as every other 
 Bape! Zamora supped with the gardener and his wife: he 
 
 ad supplied himself with excellent wine; joy, laughter, and 
 songs, heightened the pleasure of the repast, bumper followed 
 bumper, and at eleven o’clock the gardener and his wife 
 leaned snoring upon the table. 
 
 The clock now struck twelve. Zamora extinguished the 
 candles, and on tiptoe descended the stairs. He entered the 
 garden, it was perfectly dark, and rained violently. He first 
 ran to dig up a rope-ladder, which he had concealed beneath 
 a bed of flowers, of which he alone had the care, under the 
 pretence of cultivating them for Father Juan Maria. After. 
 some search he foundit, he flew to the window, a slight 
 whistle was the signal, in a moment after he saw descend a 
 thin cord which he had conveyed to Estevan, he seized it, 
 fastened to it his ladder, and then gave it a gentle pull.. With 
 the utmost extacy he saw the ladder ascend ; the agitation 
 which he endured was now most dreadful. Estevan appeared; 
 and a moment more gave him to the extatic embrace of the: 
 delighted Zamora. They flew across the garden, entered the, 
 street, and were soon at a distance from this dreadful place. 
 Zamora, unable to speak, again strained his master to his: 
 heart, the tears bedewed both their cheeks, and spoke with an. 
 eloquence, which it is not in language to express. ‘* Come,” 
 at length cried Zamora, “ thanks to the Father of all mercies, 
 we are safe.”” ‘They were then about to enter the street 
 which was adjacent to the garden of the Consul, when a man 
 appeared. It was the Alcaide. “Is this you, Zamora ?” 
 said he; “‘ and this man, surely I know his face?” The mo- 
 ment was a decisive one. Zamora seized the arm of the 
 Alcaide, and put a pistol to his breast: ‘‘ If you speak,” said 
 he, “ death ! ifyou are silent, a thousand franks.” ‘* Neither,” 
 said the Alcaide: “you fly, I perceive; let me accompany 
 you, that is all I wish.” Zamora hesitated. ‘ Fear nothing,” 
 replied the Alcaide, “ 1 have lost every thing ; Lisbon is now 
 no place for me.” ‘ Come,” said Zamora. The meeting, 
 the conversation, the resolution, all passed in a time much 
 shorter than the description. They then entered the garden 
 of the Consul, flew across it ina moment, reached the door, 
 ascended the stairs, and here had their liberty secure in the 
 asylum of his chamber. 
 
 The Consul received them with kindness, returned the 
 wealth with which Zamora had entrusted him, and detailed 
 his plans for their future security. ‘The sun had risen before 
 their interesting conversation was ended, ‘The Alcaide, whom 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 599 
 
 PIPL PPP PPDPOS 
 
 PPL LIP PPP LPL PLO 
 
  wwoee 
 Escape from-the Inquisition.— Murder discovered by Touching the Dead Body. 
 
 PLLLLOLD LLL LID LDP POP LOPE LOL DOD POR 
 
 PLL LPP LLL PPP LP DE DLL 
 
 POP PIVIDPISGOLIS 
 
 they had totally forgotten, now returned to their recollection. 
 On entering, they had, in a few words, informed the Consul 
 _of his case, who entrusted him to the care of’ his valet, with 
 orders to watch him carefully. Zamora then hastened to see 
 him. ‘“ J expected you,” said the unhappy man; ‘I can fol- 
 low you no further, a burning fever consumes me: I have 
 lost every thing that bound me to this life. The faithless— 
 what shall 1 say? Love—revenge—oh! revenge! if men but 
 knew the horrid remorse by which it is succeeded !” 
 
 From the very first day, a violent delirium distracted the 
 miserable sufferer: his strength decayed, the violence of his 
 disorder increased, all remedy became fruitless, and in that 
 dreadful situation he expired. In order to avoid all danger- 
 ous explanations, he was privately interred in the chapel of 
 the Consul, and it was generally believed, by the Inquisition 
 of Lisbon, that he had favoured the escape of Estevan, and 
 fled in his company. | 
 
 The Consul suffered some days to pass away, during which 
 he caused a report to be circulated, that Estevan and Zamora 
 had been seen in the mountains of Alenteijo, as they were en- 
 deavouring to gain the little port of Lagos, in order doubtless 
 to endeavour to embark thence. This piece of news, passing 
 from one person to another, at last gained the greatest credit, 
 and all the attention of the familiars of the Holy Office was 
 turned in that direction. This was what the Consul had ex- 
 pected, and, accordingly, some spies, who had been observed 
 about his hotel, entirely disappeared. He profited by this 
 moment of calm. The master of the vessel was now ready, 
 he accordingly sailed, and brought-to near the Cape of La 
 Roca. The Consul set out in the evening with Estevan and 
 Zamora behind his coach, whom he had dressed in his livery, 
 ‘and reached Cascao. ‘The ship’s cutter was waiting for them. 
 The Consul saw them on board ; the vessel instantly sailed, 
 and they arrived safe at Bourdeaux. 
 
 ie 
 
 A MURDER DISCOVERED BY TOUCHING THE DEAD BODY. 
 
 Tue following account of an extraordinary case of murder, 
 in Hertfordshire, was found amongst the papers of that emi- 
 nent lawyer, Sir John Maynard, one of the Lords Commis- 
 sioners of the Great Seal of England. 
 
 “The case, or rather the history of a case, that happened 
 in the county of Hertford, I thought good to report here, 
 though it happened in the fourth year of King Charles I. that 
 the memory of it may not be lost by miscarriage of my papers 
 or otherwise. 1 wrote the evidence which was given, which I 
 
600 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR « 
 
 UPPPDPPIPI PDP EL GP/LEGPLIOPDP ODPL LD ODDO DEL 
 
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 A Murder discovered by Touching the Dead Body. 
 
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 LIL DLL DOP ELE PLE DOLE POL LEPALLDD LEE DOP 
 
 and many others did hear, and I wrote it exactlvaccording to 
 what was deposed at the bar of the King’s Bench, viz. 
 
 *“¢ Johan Norkett, wife of Arthur Norkett, being murdered, 
 the question was, how she came by her death ? ‘The Coroner’s 
 Inquest on view uf the body, and depositions of Mary Nor- 
 kett, John Okerman, and Agnes his wife, inclined to find Johan 
 Norkett ‘ felo de se ,’ for they informed the Coroner and Jury 
 that she was found dead in her bed, the knife sticking in the 
 floor, and her throat cut; that the night before she went to 
 bed with her child, the plaintiff in this appeal, (her husband 
 being absent,) and that no other person, after such time as she 
 was gone to bed, came into her house, the examinants lying 
 in the outer room, and they must needs have seen or known if 
 any stranger had come in, whereupon the Jury gave up to the 
 Coroner their verdict, that she was ‘felo de se.’ But after- 
 wards, upon rumour among the neighbourhood, and their 
 observance of divers circumstances which manifested that she 
 did not, nor, according to those circumstances, could ever 
 possibly murder herself, whereupon the Jury, whose verdict 
 was not yet drawn into form by the Coroner, desired the 
 ‘Coroner, that the body, which was buried, might be taken out 
 -of the grave, which the Coroner assented to; and thirty days 
 after her death, she was:taken up in the presence of the Jury, 
 and a great number ofthe people, whereupon the Jury changed 
 their verdict. The persons being tried at Hertford Assizes 
 were acquitted; but so much against the evidence, that Judge 
 Hervey let fall his opinion that better an appeal were brought 
 than so foul a murder escape unpunished ; and Pascha, 4th 
 Car. they were tried on the appeal, which was brought by the 
 young child against his father, grandmother, and aunt, and 
 her husband, Okerman; and because the evidence was so 
 strange, I took exact and particular notice, and it was as fol- 
 lows, viz. 
 
 “After the matters above related, an ancient and grave 
 person, minister to the parish where the murder was com- 
 mitted, (being sworn to give evidence according to custom,) 
 deposed, ‘ That the body being taken out of the grave thirty 
 days after the party’s death, and lying on the grass, and the 
 four:defendants present, they were required each of them to 
 touch the dead body. Okerman’s wife fell upon her knees, 
 and prayed God to show tokens of her innocence, cr to some 
 such purpose—her very words I have forgot. ‘The appellees 
 did touch the dead body, whereupon the brow of the dead, 
 ‘which was before a livid and carrion colour, (that was the 
 verbal expression in terminis of the witness,) began to havea 
 dew or gentle sweat arise upon.it, which increased by degrees 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 601 
 
 PLO PLE PIP LIP LDL LDL ODE DLL 
 
 POROPROP PID DOO DISD 
 A Murder discovered by Touching the Dead Body. 
 
 POPS PO ORODOODODIOCL ID 
 
 LIF BOT 
 
 till the sweat ran down in drops upon the face, the brow 
 turned and changed to a lively and fresh colour, and the dead 
 opened one of her eyes and shut it again, and this opening the 
 eye was done three several times ; she likewise thrust out the 
 ring or marriage finger three several times, and pulled it in 
 again, and the ‘finger. dropped. blood, on the grass.’ Sir Ni- 
 cholas Hyde, chief magistrate, seemed to doubt the evidence, 
 and asked the witness, ‘Who saw this besides you? Witness. 
 “I cannot swear what others saw ; but, my Lord,’ said he, ‘I 
 believe the whole company saw it; and if it had been thought 
 a doubt, proof would have been made ot it, and many would 
 have attested with me.’ 
 
 ‘Then the witness, observing some admiration in the au- 
 ditors, he spake further. 
 
 “© ¢ My Lord, I am minister of the parish, and have known 
 ali the parties, but never have had any occasion of displeasure 
 against any of them, nor had to do: with them, nor they with 
 me; but as I was minister, the thing was wonderful to me; 
 | have no interest in the matter, but as called upon to testify 
 the truth, and that | have done.’ 
 
 ‘¢ This witness was a reverend person; as I guessed, was 
 about seventy years of age; his testimony was delivered 
 gravely and temperately, but to the: great admiration of the 
 auditory ; whereupon, applying himself to the Chief Justice, 
 he said, ‘My Lord, my brother here present, is minister of 
 the parish adjacent, and, f am assured, saw all done that I 
 have affirmed.’ Therefore that person was sworn to give 
 evidence, and deposed to in every point, viz. the sweating of 
 the brow, changing of its colour, opening of the eye, and the 
 thrice ‘motion of the finger, and drawing it in again ; only the 
 first witness added, that he himself dipped his finger in the 
 blood which came from the dead body, to examine it, and he 
 swore he believed it was blood. I conferred afterwards with 
 Sir Edward Powell, barrister at law, and others, who all 
 concurred in the observation ; and for myself, if 1 were upon 
 oath, I can depose, that these depositions, especially the first 
 witness, are truly reported in substance. 
 
 “« The other evidence was given against the prisoners, viz. 
 the grandmother of the plaintiff, and against Okerman and 
 his wife, that they confessed they lay in the next room to the 
 dead person that night, and that none came into the house till 
 they found her dead the next morning. Therefore, if she did 
 not murder herself they must be the “murderers ; to that end 
 further proof was made ;— 
 
 “First. That she lay in a composed manner in bed, the bed- 
 nothing at all disturbed, and‘her child by aer-in bea. 
 
 ey AN 
 
G02 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIPL LS. 
 
 PID PPLE LD PLL LLLLEL LD LLL LLL LOL 
 
 POPPI Gr 
 A Murder discovered by Touching the Dead Body.—The rial Plant. 
 
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 “Secondly. Her throat cut from ear to ear, and her neck 
 broken ; and if she first cut her throat, she could not break 
 her neck in the bed, nor contra. 
 
 “Thirdly. ‘There was no blood in the bed, saving there 
 was a tincture of blood on the bolster where her head lay, but 
 no substance ef blood at all. 
 
 “Fourthly. From the bed’s-head there was a stream ot 
 blood on the floor, which ran along till it ponded in the bend- 
 ings on the floor to a very great quantity ; and there was also 
 ancther stream of blood on the floor, at the bed’s feet, which 
 ponded also in the floor toa very great quantity; but no con- 
 tinuance or communication of either of these two places from 
 one to the other, neither upon the bed, so that she bled in two 
 places severally ; and it was deposed, turning up the mats of 
 the bed, there were clots of congealed blood in the straw of 
 the mats underneath. | 
 
 “ Bifthly. The bloody knife was found in the morning 
 sticking in the floor, a good distance from the bed, but the 
 point of the knife, as it stuck, was to the bed, and the haft 
 from the bed. 
 
 “‘ Sixthly. ‘There was a print of a thumb and fore-finger 
 of a left hand. 
 
 * Sir Nicholas Hyde, Chief Justice, said to the witness, 
 ‘ How can you know the print of a left hand from the print of 
 a right hand, in such a case??—Witness. ‘It is hard to 
 describe ; but if it please that honourable Judge to put his 
 left hand upon your left hand, you cannot possibly put your 
 right hand in the same posturé? Which being done, and ap- 
 pearing so, the defendants had time to make their defence, 
 hut gave no evidence to any purpose. The Jury departing 
 from the bar, and returning, acquitted Okerman, and found 
 the other three guilty, who being severally demanded what 
 they could say, why judgment should not be pronounced, said 
 no more than ‘I did not do it !—* I did not do it 
 
 “¢ Judgment was given, and the grandmother and the hus- 
 band executed, but the aunt: had the privilege to be sparea 
 execution, being with child. 
 
 “ | enquired if they confessed any thing at their executiun, 
 but rey did not, as | am told.” 
 
 —— 
 
 THE ARIAL PLANT. 
 
 Tue burning sands of hot climates, even the karo fields of 
 the Cape of Good Hope, which are so arid and scorched that 
 ao water can be extracted from them, are the media in which 
 the most succulent vegetables of which we have any know- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 603° 
 
 LOLPOPL OF 
 The #riel Plant.—The Acuminatus, or Shooting Fish.—Fighting Monkies. 
 
 POLLAT 
 
 bo aa 
 
 PLP PLE LIL PLE LL IS PEE LOE ELE PDL LOL OLDE LDL LEI DGODL LE GLE BPLE DRS 
 
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 PLIL PIG 
 
 PILI LLL 
 
 PRIS 
 
 ledge flourish and evolve; so deleterious indeed is a wet sea- 
 son to their growth, that they are destroyed by it. There 
 are also various tribes of vegetables that are destitute of 
 roots, and which can only be supported and nourished by the 
 air, and by the moisture which the atmosphere contains. A 
 large portion of the class of fuci have no root whatever; and 
 it is stated that the Atrial Epidendron, (the Epidendron flos 
 cris,) denominated erial from its extraordinary properties, 
 and which is a native of Java, on account of the elegance of 
 its leaves, the beauty of its flower, and the exquisite odour 
 which it diffuses, is plucked up by the inhabitants, and sus- 
 pended by a silken cord from the ceiling of their apartments, 
 from whence it continues, from year to year, to put forth new 
 leaves, to display new blossoms, and exhale new fragrance, 
 although fed out of the simple bodies before stated. 
 
 —— i 
 
 THE ACUMINATUS, OR SHOOTING FISH. 
 
 Tunis very remarkable fish is a native of the East Indies. 
 It has a hollow cylindrical beak. It frequents the sides of 
 the sea and rivers, in search of food; from its singular man- 
 ner of obtaining which, it receives its name. When it spies 
 a fly sitting on the plants that grow in shallow water, it swims 
 to the distance of four, five, or six feet; and then with a sur- 
 prising dexterity, it ejects out of its tubular mouth a single 
 drop of water, which never fails striking the fly into the water, 
 where it soon becomes its prey. 
 
 =i 
 
 FIGHTING MONKIES. 
 
 A sURPRISING instance of passion, making a near approach 
 to reason, is to be found in the Natural History of the 
 Ukraine, or country of the Cossacks, bordering on Poland. 
 A sort of animals that bear a strong resemblance to monkies, 
 abound in the plains and forests of the Ukraine. ‘These 
 creatures form separate parties, or classes, and on certain 
 days meet in hostile bands, and engage in pitched battles. 
 The opposing armies have their respective chiefs, and officers 
 - of several subordinate ranks; the various combatants appear 
 to obey orders, and proceed with the same regularity that 
 men do on the like occasions. Cardinal Polignac, who was 
 sent ambassador by Louis the Fourteenth to Poland, in order 
 to support the interests of the Prince of Conde, against Sta- 
 nislaus, had often an opportunity of seeing these animals en- 
 gage. He tells us, that they gave the word of cummand for 
 the onset by a sort of cry, or inarticulate sound; that he has 
 
604 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OPP PPP POP POL OPPLOD LOS. 
 
 POOLPLI PPPPPP. PLDIPPPD PEP POORGA 
 Fi hting Monkies.—Oaks Planted by Squirrels.—Camel’s Stomacu. 
 
 seen them march in regular companies, each led by its. parti- 
 cular captain. On meeting, both parties have drawn up in 
 battle array, and, on the signal being given by their chiefs, 
 have engaged with a degree of fury that has surprised him 
 
 —— 
 
 OAKS PLANTED BY SQUIRRELS. 
 
 Ir is a curious circumstance, and not generally known, that 
 most of those oaks which are called spontaneous, are planted 
 by the squirrel. ‘This little animal has performed the most 
 essential service to the British navy. A gentleman, walking 
 one day, in the wood belonging to the Duke of Beaufort, near 
 Troy-house, in the county of Monmouth, his attention was 
 diverted by a squirrel, which sat very composedly upon the 
 ground. He stopped to observe his motions. In a few mi- 
 nutes, the squirrel darted like lightning to the top of a tree 
 beneath which he had been sitting. In an instant, he was 
 down with an acorn in his mouth, and began to burrow in 
 the earth with his paws. After digging a small hole, he 
 stooped down, and deposited the acorn; then covering it, he 
 darted up the tree again. In a moment he was down with 
 another, which he buried in the same manner. This he con- 
 tinued to do as long as the observer thought proper to watch 
 him. The industry of this little animal is directed to the pur- 
 pose of securing him against want in the winter; and, as it is 
 probable that his memory is not sufficiently retentive to ena- 
 ble him to remember the spots in which he deposits every 
 acorn, the industrious little fellow, no doubt, loses a few 
 every year. ‘These few spring up, and are destined to supply 
 the place of the parent tree. Thus is Britain, in some mea- 
 sure, indebted to the industry and bad memory of a squirrel 
 for her pride, her glory, and her very existence. 
 
 — La 
 
 WONDERFUL CAPACIOUSNESS OF A CAMEL’S STOMACH. 
 
 Tue stomach of the Camel is well known to retain large 
 quantities of water, and to retain it unchanged for a consi- 
 derable length of time. This property qualifies it for living 
 in the desert. Let us see, therefore, what is the internal or- 
 ganization upon which a faculty so rare and so beneficial de- 
 pends. A number of distinct sacks or bags (in a dromedary 
 thirteen of these have been counted) are observed to lie’ be- 
 tween the membranes of the second stomach, and to open into 
 the stomach near the top by small square apertures. ‘Through 
 these orifices, after the stomach is full, the annexed bags are 
 filled from it; and the water so deposited is, in the first place, 
 
OURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 605 
 
 POOPPP PPPP PSP. 
 
 Capaciousness of a Camel’s Stomach.—Alleged Miracle in favour of Innocence 
 ORDA PIN DOD DOL LLL DIE LIL LIE DIP LIS EDL DLS DDL LIS DYE DEL LIE DDL LIE LOL LIE DOD LAL DOL DEL DDE D OD 
 not liable to pass into the intestines; in the second place, is 
 kept separate from the solid aliment; and, in the third place, 
 is out of the reach of the digestive action of the stomach, or 
 of mixture with the gastric juice. It appears probable, or 
 rather certain, that the animal, by the conformation of its 
 muscles, possesses the power of squeezing back this water 
 from the adjacent bags into the stomach, whenever thirst ex- 
 cites it to put this power in action. 
 
 —— 
 
 ALLEGED MIRACLE IN FAVOUR OF INNOCENCE. 
 
 In the Gazette Litteraire of Berlin, of January, 1769, is 
 the following extraordinary story: 
 
 ‘“‘ A. father and son, of the town of Gand, were accused with 
 having murdered the rector of the parish church, and steal- 
 ing from it the plate, to a considerable value; for which sup- 
 posed offence they were hastily tried, and condemned to lose 
 their heads on a certain fixed day. It happened, however, 
 that the executioner was too ill to attend his duty, and as the 
 sentence, by the law of the country, could not be deferred to 
 another day, the magistrates offered the life of one, to become 
 the executioner of the other. The father rejected the pro- 
 posal with horror; but the son, without any hesitation, ac- 
 quiesced. ‘The father was accordingly led out to execution, 
 but did not know by whose hands he was to suffer, till he saw 
 his son armed with a naked sabre on the scaffold, where he 
 embraced him, and poured out affliction like a flood. It is 
 not, said he, the fear of death, but the unnatural. hand by 
 which I am to die, is what afflicts me;:for being innocent of 
 the crime laid to my charge, I have more to hope than fear. He 
 then took a tender leave of his son, and laid his head on the 
 billet to submit to the fatal blow; but to the astonishment of 
 all present, when the son was lifting up the sabre, the blade 
 without any violence broke in the middle; a circumstance so 
 extraordinary, that the multitude, with one voice, called out 
 for grace (pardon) and the civil magistrates conducted the 
 father and son to their former confinement, and informed the 
 prince with what had happened upon the scaffold, who, in 
 consequence thereof, pardoned them both: soon after which, 
 a criminal was executed, who confessed being the real mur- 
 derer of the Cure, and the plunderer of the church.” 
 
 In confirmation of this story, there is upon a little bridge 
 near the fish-market, in the town of Gand, two statues im 
 bronze, where one is represented in the’ very act of cutting 
 off the head of the other, is very certain; and the same story 
 seems'to be represented in a picture still preserved in the 
 
 Hotel de Ville of Gand 
 
6O& CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARK 
 POPPE POP LOO LED L IED LIP LOO LICL OD GLE BLE IPE LIP LLIEDLGEDEED PEP DOF POO LCO LEE OO OPOO OODPLDOCOCOPIOD: 
 
 Superstitions uf the Hindoos. 
 
 LIL DOP L DOL DE LOL ELE DLOL OLE ODOLDOE PIR 
 
 SUPERSTITIONS OF THE HINDOOS 
 
 Tue following are a few of the particulars respecting the 
 transmigration of souls, from one of the Hindoo writings :— 
 
 ‘¢ Fle who destroys a sacrifice will be punished in hell; he 
 will afterwards be born again, and remain a fish for three 
 yzars, and then ascend to human birth, but will be afflicted 
 with a continual flux. He who kills an enemy subdued in 
 war, will be cast into the hell Krukuchu; after which he will 
 become, a bull, a deer, a tiger, a bitch, a fish, a man; in the 
 last state he will die of the palsy. He who eats excellent 
 food without giving any to others, will be punished in hell 
 30,000 years, and then be born a musk-rat; then a deer; then 
 a man whose body emits an offensive smell, and who prefers 
 bad to excellent food. ‘The man who refuses to his father 
 and mother the food they desire, will be punished in hell, and 
 afterwards be born a crow; then a man: in the latter birth 
 he will not relish any kind of food. The stealer of a water- 
 pan will be born an alligator, and then a man of a monstrous 
 size. ‘The person who has lived with a woman of superior 
 cast, will endure torments in hell during seventy-one yoogus 
 of the gods: after this, in another hell, he will continue burn- 
 ing, like a blade of grass, for 100,000 years; he will next 
 be born a worm, and after this ascend to human birth; but 
 his body will be filled with disease. The stealer of rice will 
 sink into hell; will afterwards be born, and continue eighteen 
 years a crow; then a heron for twelve years; then a diseased 
 man. He who kills an animal, not designing it for sacrifice, 
 will, in the form of a turtle, be punished in hell; then he 
 born a bull, and then a man afflicted with an incurable dis- 
 temper. He who kills an animal by holding its breath, or 
 laughs at a pooranu at the time of its recital, will, after en- 
 during infernal torments, be born a snake; then a tiger, a 
 cow, a white heron, a crow, and a man having an asthma. 
 He who steals alms will sink into hell, and afterwards be 
 born a blind man, afflicted with a consumption. A beautiful 
 woman who despises her husband, will suffer in hell a variety 
 of torments; she will then be born a female, and losing her 
 husband very soon after marriage, will long endure the mise- 
 ries of widowhood.” 
 
 The Ugnee Pooranu says, that “a person who loses human 
 birth, passes through 8,000,000 births among the inferior creas 
 tures before he can again obtain human birth: of which hg 
 remains 2,000,000 births among the immoveable parts of th¢ 
 creation, as stones, trees, &c.; 900,000 among the watery 
 tribes; 1,000,000 among insects, worms, &Xc.; 1,000,000 among 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 60% 
 
 PEPPP PGP PPL POPP POD LPL LOP LIE LLP PLE DL ILD OLLDLLDE LOO DDO L OLD LOL DDE ELE DDELEE PDE DLE LEE PDF DG) 
 
 Superstitions of the Hindoos. 
 
 PRLPPPE LOL PPD PIP PIL ELE LOL DLL LLP LLL PLL PDE LOE DLL PLE DDE PLE POL GL! POL DDL 
 
 the birds; and 3,000,000 among the beasts. In the ascending 
 scale, if his works be suitable, he continues 400,000 births 
 among the lower casts of men; during 100 births among 
 bramhuns ; and after this he may obtain absorption in 
 Bramhu.”’ 
 
 The opinion of the Hindoos respecting judgment of men 
 after death is equally curious. Yumu, the judge of the dead, 
 is believed to have his residence at the extremity of the earth, 
 southwards, floating on the water. 
 
 “‘ Those who perform works of merit are led to Yumu’s pa- 
 lace along the most excellent roads, in some parts of which the 
 heavenly courtezans are seen dancing or singing; and gods, 
 gundhurvus, &c. are heard chanting the praises of other gods ; 
 in others, showers of flowers are falling from heaven ; in other 
 parts are houses containing cooling water, and excellent food ; 
 pools of water, covered with nymphceas; and trees, affording 
 fragrance by their blossoms and shade by their leaves. The 
 gods are seen to pass on horses or elephants, with white um- 
 brellas carried over them ; or in yey tc eg or chariots, 
 fanned with the chamurus of the gods, while the dévurshees 
 are chanting their praises as they pass along. Some, by the 
 glory issuing from their bodies, illumine the ten quarters of 
 the world. 
 
 “* Yumu receives the good with much affection, and, feast- 
 ing them with excellent food, thus addresses them :—‘ Ye are 
 truly meritorious in your deeds; ye are wise; by the power 
 of your merits ascend to an excellent heaven. He who, born 
 in the world, performs meritorious actions, he is my father, 
 brother, and friend.’ 
 
 “The wicked have 688,000 miles to travel to the palace of 
 Yumu, to receive judgment. In some places they pass over 
 a pavement of fire ; in others, the earth, in which their feet 
 sink, is burning hot; or they pass over burning sands, or 
 over stones with sharp edges, or burning hot; sometimes 
 showers of sharp instruments, and, at others, showers of burn- 
 ing cinders, or scalding water, or stones fall upon them; 
 burning winds scorch their bodies ; every now and then they 
 fall into concealed wells full of darkness, or pass through nar- 
 row passages, filled with stones, in which serpents lie con- 
 cealed; sometimes the road is filled with thick darkness, at 
 other times they pass through the branches of trees, the leaves 
 of which are full of thorns; again they walk over broken pots, 
 or over hard clods of earth, bones, putrifying flesh, thorns, 
 or sharp spikes ; they meet tigers, jackals, rhinoceroses, ele- 
 phants, terrible giants, &c.; and, in some parts, they are 
 
608 _ CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AXT. 
 
 DOP ODEN 
 
 PGP LPP LOS PDP ODF. 
 
 POPPED OPP LDP CIPD PF. PPPP OT 
 
 Superstitions of the Hindoos. 
 
 PLP LIL LLP IR? PPP PGF POL PLP DL OF. 
 
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 LPLOLP LPP LOD LLL ODE 
 
 scorched in the sun without obtaining the least shade. They 
 travel naked; their hair is in disorder ; their throat, lips, &c. 
 are parched; they are covered with blood or dirt ; some wail 
 and shriek as they pass along; others are weeping ; others 
 have horror depicted on their countenances ; some are dragged 
 along by leathern thongs: tied round their necks, waists, or 
 hands; others by cords passed through holes bored in ‘their 
 noses ; others by the hair, the ears, the neck, or the heels ; 
 and others are carried, having their heads and legs tied toge- 
 ther. On arriving at the palace, they behold Yumu clothed 
 with terror, two hundred-and forty miles in height; ‘his eyes 
 distended like a lake of water, of a purple colour: with rays 
 of glory issuing from his body ; his voice is as loud as the 
 thunders at the dissolution of the universe; the hairs of his 
 body are each as long as‘a palm-tree ;a flame of fire proceeds 
 from his mouth ‘the noise of the drawing of his breath’ is 
 greater than the roaring of a tempest; his'teeth. are exceed- 
 ingly long, and his nails like the fan for winnowing corn, In 
 his right ‘hand he holds an iron club; his garment is an ani- 
 mal’s skin; and he rides on a terrific buffalo. Chitru-gooptu 
 also appears asa terrible monster, and makes a noise like a 
 warrior when about to rush to battle. Sounds terrible as 
 thunder are heard, ordering punishments to be inflicted on the 
 offenders. At length Yumu orders the criminals into his pre- 
 sence, and thus addresses them :—‘ Did you not know that I 
 am placed above all, to award happiness to the good, and 
 punishment to the wicked? Knowing this, have’ you lived 
 in. sin? Have you never heard that there: are different 
 hells for the punishment of the wicked? Haye you never 
 given your minds to religion? .To-day, with: your own 
 eyes, you shall see the punishment of the wicked.—From 
 yoogu to yoogu stay in these hells !~—You have pleased your- 
 selves in sinful practices: endure now the torments due to 
 these sins. What will weeping avail?’ Yumu next directs 
 Chitru-gooptu to examine into the offences of the criminals, 
 who now demand the names ofthe witnesses: let such, say 
 they, appear, and give their evidence in‘our presence. 
 
 _“ The witnesses called are all the elements and the divisions 
 of time; as wind, fire, wether, earth, water, a lunar day, day, 
 night; ‘morning, evening’; the evidence against them being 
 conclusive, Yumu, gnashing his teeth, beats the prisoners with 
 his:iron club till they roar with anguish* after which he drives 
 them to different hells.” 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 609 
 
 The Broken Heart. 
 
 DLP LLL LOL LOD POE DPD OLD OPE PPD DPD LLDE DOLD P 
 
 PRP PIO IAG PEP PPD PPP POP DIL PPS POP 
 
 THE BROKEN HEART. 
 
 SHENSTONE’S pathetic and affecting ballad of Jemmy Daw- 
 son has drawn tears from every person of sensibility, or pos- 
 sessing the feelings of humanity ; and it will continue to be 
 admired as long as the English language shall exist. This 
 ballad, which is founded in truth, was taken from a narrative 
 first published in the Parrot of the 2d of August, 1746, three 
 days after the transaction it records. It is given in the form 
 of a letter, and is as follows :— 
 
 ‘“¢ A young lady ofa good family and handsome fortune had 
 for some time extremely loved, and was equally beloved by 
 Mr. James Dawson, one of those unhappy gentlemen who 
 suffered on Wednesday last, at Kennington Common, for 
 high treason ; and had he either been acquitted, or have found 
 the royal mercy after condemnation, the day of his enlarge- 
 ment was to have been that of their marriage. 
 
 “¢ [ will not prolong the narrative by a repetition of what 
 she suffered on sentence being passed on him ; none, excepting 
 those utterly incapable of feeling any soft or generous emo- 
 tions, but may easily conceive her agonies ; besides, the sad 
 catastrophe will convince you of their sincerity. Not all the 
 persuasion of her kindred could prevent her from going to 
 the place of execution: she was determined to see the last of 
 a person so dear to her, and accordingly followed the sledges 
 in a hackney-coach, accompanied by a gentleman nearly re- 
 lated to her, and one female friend. She got near enough to 
 see the fire kindled which was to consume that heart she knew 
 was so much devoted to her, and all the other dreadful pre- 
 parations for his fate, without betraying any of those emotions 
 her friends apprehended ; but when all was over, and that she 
 found he was no more, she threw her head back into the 
 coach, and ejaculating, ‘ My dear, I follow thee! I follow 
 thee! Lord Jesus, receive both our souls together ;’ fell on 
 the neck of her companion, and expired the very moment she 
 had done speaking. ‘That excessive grief which the force of 
 her resolution had kept smothered within her breast, is 
 thought to have put a stop to the vital motion, and suffocated 
 at once all the animal spirits.” In the Whitehall Evening 
 Post, August 7th, this narrative is copied with this remark, 
 that ‘ upon enquiry every circumstance was literally true.’ 
 A ballad was cried about the streets at the time, founded on 
 this melancholy narrative, but it can scarcely be said to have 
 aided Shenstone in his beautiful production. ; 
 
 96. at 
 
6lo CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY:. 
 ee ee eed POP LIL PID IIG IIL ILD PIPPI LANL PIP PPL LOVOPLOC EOP LELLOL LPL OCLLL LOD PLI LL POPOL LOP 
 
 A Brand from the Burning. 
 
 PLE PALL OLLIE ALE LDILOIE DIL DPLE DIE LPL LOL LDL LOL LOD EOE LED LDL LOD LOD LOL LOD DLE LDO DOL ODF LD ODOR 
 
 A BRAND FROM THE BURNING. 
 
 Joun Westey’s favourite phrase, that “ he was a brand 
 plucked out of the burning,” had a literal as well as a figura- 
 tive meaning. Mr. Wesley’s father was Rector of Ebworth, 
 ‘a market-town in the Lindsay division of Lincolnshire, irre- 
 gularly built, and containing at that time in its parish about 
 two thousand persons. The inhabitants are chiefly employed 
 in the culture and preparation of hemp and flax, in spinning 
 these articles, and in the manufactory of sacking and bagging. 
 Mr. Wesley found his parishioners in a profligate state; and 
 the zeal with which he discharged his duty, in admonishing 
 them of their sins, excited a spirit of diabolical hatred in 
 those whom it failed to reclaim. Some of these wretches 
 twice attempted to set his house on fire, without success ; 
 they succeeded in a third attempt. At midnight some pieces 
 of burning wood fell from the roof upon the bed in which one 
 of the children lay, and burnt her feet. Before she could give 
 the alarm, Mr. Wesley was roused by a cry of fire from the 
 street: little imagining that it was his own house, he opened 
 the door, and found it full of smoke, and that the roof was 
 already burnt through. His wife being ill at the time, slept 
 apart from him, and ina separate room. Bidding her and the 
 two eldest girls rise and shift for their lives, he burst open the 
 nursery-door, where the maid was sleeping with five children. 
 He snatched up the youngest, and bade the others follow her ; 
 the three eldest did so, but John, who was then six years old, 
 was not awakened by all this, and in the alarm and confusion 
 he was forgotten. By the time they reached the hall, the 
 flames had spread every where around them, and Mr. Wesley 
 then found that the keys of the house-door were above stairs. 
 He ran and recovered them, a minute before the staircase 
 took fire. When the door was opened, a strong north-east 
 wind drove in the flames with such violence from the side of 
 the house, that it was impossible to stand against them. 
 Some of the children got through the windows, and others 
 through a little door, into the garden. Mrs. Wesley could 
 not reach the garden-door, and was not in a condition to 
 climb to the windows: after three times attempting to face 
 the flames, and shrinking as often from their force, she be- 
 sought Christ to preserve her, if it was his will, from that 
 dreadful death: she then, to use her own expression, “‘ waded” 
 through the fire, and escaped into the street, naked as she 
 was, with some slight scorching of the hands and face. At 
 this time John, who had not been remembered until that 
 moment, was heard crying in the nursery. The father ran to 
 
 s ; 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 611 
 
 PODS 
 
 A Brand trom the Burning.—Recovery of a Woman who was Hanged for Murder, 
 PLE LOL PPL PL DDPIP PPLE PP EOD DL PPF 
 
 PLPLIF 
 
 LOL 
 
 LIL LID LL D LOL LLL LLL LLL ODL DOP 
 
 the stairs, but they were su nearly consumed, that they could 
 not bear his weight, and being utterly in despair, he fell upon 
 his knees in the hall, and in agony commended the soul of the 
 child to God. John had been awakened by the light, and 
 thinking it was day, called to the maid to take him up; but 
 as no one answered, he opened the curtains, and saw streaks 
 of fire upon the top of the room. He ran to the door, and 
 finding it impossible to escape that way, climbed upon a chest 
 which stood near the window, and he was then seen from the 
 yard. There was no time for procuring a ladder, but it was 
 happily a low house ;. one man was hoisted upon the shoulders 
 of another, and could then reach the window, so as to take 
 him out: a moment later and it would have been too late: 
 the whole roof fell in, and had it not fell inward, they must 
 all have been crushed together. When the child was carried 
 out to the house where his parents were, the father cried out, 
 ‘Come, neighbours, let us kneel down; let us give thanks to 
 God! he has given me all my eight children; let the house 
 go, | am rich enough.’ John Wesley remembered this pro- 
 vidential deliverance through life with the deepest gratitude. 
 In reference to it he had a house in flames engraved as an 
 emblem under one of his portraits, with these words for the 
 motto, “ Is not this a brand plucked out of the burning 2’ 
  — 
 RECOVERY OF A WOMAN WHO WAS HANGED FOR MURDER. 
 
 Tue following singular circumstance is recorded by Dr. 
 Plot in his Natural History of Oxfordshire :— 
 
 ** In the year 1650, Anne Green, a servant of Sir Thomas 
 Read, was tried for the murder of her new-born child, and 
 found guilty. She was executed in the castle-yard at Oxford, 
 where she hung about half an hour, being pulled by the legs, 
 and struck on the breast (as she herself desired) by divers of 
 her friends ; and, after all, had several strokes given her upon 
 the stomach with the but-end of a soldier’s musket. Being 
 cut down, she was put into a coffin, and brought: away to a 
 house to be dissected; where, when they opened it, notwith- 
 standing the rope still remained unloosed, and straight about 
 her neck, they perceived her breast to rise; whereupon one 
 Mason, a tailor, intending only an act of charity, set his foot 
 upon her breast and belly; and, as some say, one Orum, a 
 soldier, struck her again with the but-end of his musket. 
 Notwithstanding all which, when the learned and ingenious 
 Sir William Petty, (who was the son of a clothier at Rumsey, 
 Hants; his son was made Lord Shelbourne, and: his lineal: 
 descendant is now Marquis of Lansdown,) then Anatomy 
 Professor of the University, Dr. Wallis, and Dr. Clarke, then 
 
612 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND Af <. 
 
 PPPIPPLIL IOS. POP oLPOP PPE PO PDPGP OPPO PP 
 
 POF LPP LD OLPGO PDD POP OOO 3% 
 
 Recovery of a Woman who was Hanged for Murder. 
 
 PIE DOE PPE ODL LDL BLIP EDE PLP ODO PDS OPP LPOPLDE OPPs 
 
 PE PLOP LOO OLDE DOODLE LOE DLE LIG LODE DEF 
 
 President of Magdalen College, and Vice-Chancellor of the 
 University, came to prepare the body for dissection, they per- 
 ceived some small rattling in her throat; hereupon desisting 
 from their former purpose, they presently used means for her 
 recovery by opening a vein, laying her in a warm bed, and 
 causing another to go into bed to her; also using divers re- 
 medies respecting her senselessness, head, throat, and breast, 
 insomuch, that within fourteen hours she began to speak, and 
 the next day talked and prayed very heartily. During the 
 time of this her recovering, the officers concerned in her execu- 
 tion would needs have had her away again to have completed 
 it on her; but, by the mediation of the worthy doctors, and 
 some other friends with the then Governor of the city, Colonel 
 Kelsey, there was a guard put upon her to hinder all further 
 disturbance until he had sued out her pardon from the powers 
 then in being ; thousands of people in the mean time coming 
 to see her, and magnifying the just providence of God in thus 
 asserting her innocence. 
 
 “ After some time, Dr. Petty hearing she had discoursed 
 with those about her, and suspecting that the women might 
 suggest unto her to relate something of strange visions and 
 apparitions she had seen during the time she seemed to be 
 dead (which they already had begun to do, telling about that 
 she said, she had been in a fine green meadow, having a river 
 running round it, and that all things there glittered like silver 
 and gold) he caused all to depart the room, but the gentle- 
 men of the faculty who were to have been at the dissection, 
 and asked her concerning her sense and apprehensions during 
 the time she was hanged. ‘To which she answered at first 
 somewhat impertinently, talking as if she had been then to 
 suffer. And’when they spake unto her concerning her mira- 
 culous deliverance, she answered that she hoped God would 
 give her patience, and the like. Afterwards, when she was 
 better recovered, she affirmed, that she neither remembered 
 how the fetters were knocked off; how she went out of the 
 prison; when she was turned off the ladder; whether any 
 psalm was sung or not; nor was she sensible of any pains 
 that she could remember. She came to herself as if she had 
 awakened out of sleep, not recovering the use of her speech 
 by slow degrees, but in a manner altogether, beginning to 
 speak just where she left off on the gallows. 
 
 ‘¢ Being thus at length perfectly recovered, after thanks 
 given to God and the persons instrumental in it, she retired 
 into the country to her friends at Steeple Barton, where she 
 was afterwards married and lived in good repute amongst her 
 neighbours, having three children afterwards, and not dying 
 till 1659.” 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 613 
 
 PORLPEE OP OL PP POS 
 
 PPIIP PLP IP ?P. 
 
 POPP DID GILPPO LN SLOP L GL OD EO £DE PGP LOD LGD PDE PGD 
 
 ‘he Rusty Nail.—The Sea- Wolf, 
 
 DOP PPA POL LOE PDO PDD LOL PDI POD LPC LIL LID OPE OLE GOL LOE DEE PAL ODD DOO DDO LOL DOD GDL DDE DDD DDD DOD 
 
 THE RUSTY NAIL. 
 
 Wuen Dr. Donne took possession of his first living, he 
 took a walk into the church-yard, where the sexton was dig- 
 ging a grave, and throwing up a skull, the Doctor took it up 
 and found a rusty headless nail sticking in the temple, which 
 he drew out secretly, and wrapped it up in the corner of his 
 handkerchief. Ue then demanded of the grave-digger whe- 
 ther he knew whose skull that was. He said it was a man’s 
 who kept a brandy-shop; an honest, drunken fellow, who 
 one night having taken two quarts, was found dead in his bed 
 next morning. ‘ Had he a wife ?”—“ Yes.” “ What cha- 
 racter does she hear ?”—“ A very good one: only the neigli- 
 bours reflect on her because she married the day after her 
 husband was buried.” This was enough for the Doctor, who, 
 under the pretence of visiting his parishioners, called on her : 
 he asked her several questions, and among others what sick- 
 ness her husband died of. She giving him the same account 
 he had before received, he suddenly opened the handkerchief, 
 and cried in an authoritative voice, ‘“* Woman, do you know 
 this nail?’ She was struck with horror at the unexpected 
 demand, instantly owned the fact, was tried, and executed. 
 
 <a 
 THE SEA-WOLF. 
 
 Tue sea-wolf is often caught at Heligoland, an island not 
 far from the mouth of the Elbe; it is about three feet in 
 length, and has a larger and flatter head than the shark. 
 The back, sides, and fins, are of a blueish colour, the belly is 
 nearly white; the whole skin is smooth and slippery, without 
 any appearance of scales. He is of a very voracious nature, 
 and has a double row of sharp and round teeth, both in the 
 upper and lower jaw. However, his appetite does not lead 
 him to destroy fishes similar in shape to himself, as he is sup- 
 posed to feed entirely on crustaceous animals, and others, 
 whose shells he easily breaks with his teeth. He is sometimes 
 found in the northern seas exceeding six feet in length, and 
 owes his name to his natural fierceness and voracity. The 
 fins nearest to the head spread themselves, when the animal 
 is Swimming, in the shape of two large fans, and their motion 
 contributes considerably to accelerate his natural swiftness. 
 We do not hear that his flesh is good to eat. 
 
G14 | CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AXT. 
 
 LIP LLP LLDLDD DOS LOE IL IPDD DOP DOP ODD PDD DEEODO DOP ODPDEEDIPODD 
 
 Longevity of the Pike.—The Sun-Fish,—The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 PLL LID OLD DDE LOD PDF. 
 
 GOP IPE POP LOL DILL L LS. 
 
 POL LOL LDL LED PLL LOR POE LBOL LEP LLOL LOL LE. 
 
 LOL PLO LDP LOOP 
 
 LONGEVITY OF THE PIKE, AND ITS RAPACITY. 
 
 THE regions of fresh water have their sharks as well as the 
 empire of the seas. The p'ke lives in rivers, lakes, and ponds ; 
 and, in a confined piece of water, he will soon destroy all 
 other fish, as he generally does not feed upon any thing else, 
 and often swallows one nearly as large as himself ; for, through 
 his greediness in eating, he takes the head foremost, and so 
 draws it in by little at a time, till he has swallowed the whole. 
 ¢¢ } remember,” says the writer of this anecdote, “to have 
 seen in the stomach of a large pike a gudgeon of goodisize, 
 the head of which had already received clear marks: of the 
 power of digestion, whilst the rest of the fish was still fresh 
 and unimpaired.” 
 
 It is a very long-lived fish. In the year 1479, a pike was 
 caught at Hailbrun, in Suabia, to which was affixed a brazen 
 ring, with the following words engraven on it in Greek cha- 
 racters :—* I am the first fish wkich was put into this lake by 
 the hands of the Governor of the Universe, Frederic the Se- 
 cond, the 5th of October, 1230.” The pike has a flat head, 
 and sharp teeth tm his jaws, the under one of which is more 
 prominent than the superior one. 
 
 2 ie — 
 THE SUN-FISH. 
 
 THe shape of this fish is round, and surrounded with a fin 
 which answers the purpose of nature, and brings to our mind 
 the idea of the sun, as it is painted, encompassed with rays of: 
 light. This fish is also known by the name of Diodon. He. 
 appears like the upper part of the body of a very deep fish 
 which had been amputated in the middle. The mouth is 
 small, with two broad teeth only in each jaw. When alarmed, 
 he inflates his body to.a globular shape of great size, and is 
 beset with large and sharp; spines, which the; animal can erect 
 and depress at pleasure; by this mancuvre he defends or 
 secures himself against the attacks of his enemies, and might; 
 have been named the hedgehog of the sea, ifother fishes had 
 not already obtained the name of Echini. The back of this: 
 curious marine animal is ofa rich blue colour. He frequents: 
 the coasts of both the ancient and new continents, and’ has: 
 been found on, the shores of England. 
 
 —— ie 
 
 THE SAVAGE GIRL OF CHAMPAGNE. 
 
 Tue following account of a savage girl, caught wild in the 
 woods of Champagne, extracted from a curious pamphlet pub- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 615 
 
 PPP LDIOL OP DOLL DPO LIP AF 
 
 PLO LLDPE DOD OLY OLD I POP PPD PLE PDE GOP GGL LD EDDIE ODD DIL ODIDIF OP 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 POL PPO LOC LOG PPO LOD PDD LLL LDPE BOPOL OGL ODE BPD LPLLE LOLOL DLE LDE LOE DORE 
 
 LPL LLL LIF 
 
 tished about the year 1771, is ‘a translation from the French, 
 to which the translator prefixed a preface, containing a va- 
 riety of particulars, not in the original, which he had an op- 
 portunity of learning from the girl herself, when in France in 
 the year 1765. He gives the following account of the authen- 
 ticity of this publication. 7 
 This narrative was drawn up under the immediate inspec- 
 tion of M. de la Condamine, whose curiosity and accuracy in 
 matters of this sort is universally known. It not only bears 
 the plainest marks of truth and authenticity, but, if any doubt 
 on this head remained, the facts it relates could be still at- 
 tested by many living witnesses.. ‘The woman herself is yet 
 alive, at least she was so in the year 1765, when the transla- 
 tor had an opportunity of seeing her, in several different 
 conversations that she had with a Scots gentleman of distinc- 
 tion, then at Paris, who was introduced to her by M. de la 
 Condamine, and who again mentioned her to most of the Bri- 
 tish persons of distinction then at Paris, to some of whom he 
 likewise introduced her. ‘To that gentleman Le Blanc con- 
 firmed, with her own mouth, in the hearing of the translator, 
 every circumstance in this relation; mentioning at the same 
 time several particulars not here taken notice of. The trans- 
 lator likewise attended the same gentleman in ‘a journey 
 which he made, merely with a view of searching to the hot- 
 tom every circumstance of this curious history, all the ‘way 
 from Rheims to Chalons, in a convent of which town Le 
 Blanc was placed very soon after being taken; and from 
 thence to Songi, the place of her capture. In that journey 
 he had occasion to hear all these particulars amply confirmed, 
 both by the abbess of the convent in which she had resided at 
 Chalons, as well as by several other persons of that place, 
 and likewise by several of the inhabitants of the village of 
 Songi, who had been witnesses to her capture, and to the 
 facts which immediately followed: ‘These persons too, par- 
 ticularly the abbess, mentioned several anecdotes of Le Blanc 
 omitted in this narrative; such as some instances of her sur- 
 prising agility in ‘climbing walls, and running on the tops of 
 houses, and of her imitating the notes of singing birds, such 
 as the nightingale, and that so naturally, as often to deceive 
 the people of the convent. One of the chief objects of this 
 gentleman’s journey to Songi, was to view the bludgeon used . 
 by Le Blanc as her principal weapon, in her wild state, which 
 she said was in the possession of the Viscount d’Epinoy, the 
 proprietor of Songi. From some characters which Le Blane 
 informed him were engraved on this bludgeon, this gentle- 
 saan hoped to have been able to form more certain conjec- 
 
oid” CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND AR. 
 
 | POPOP PLO GOL 4 BO PPLIP POP LDEDP OF E GPP POE GPPPIPPOSODLGDI PPG PGGPGP PLP OGDGOP OOF 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 PIP PID 
 
 POP EPP DOP roe 
 
 LPP POL BOD LPO DOE OPP LOL LLL ODE LID PILLLOPS LLL PLE DBE LOD LED OLE DLD COOL 
 
 tures about her native country, and the more early part of 
 her history and adventures. 
 
 The history proceeds as follows:—“ One evening, in the 
 month of September, 173], a girl, nine or ten years old, 
 pressed, as it would seem, by thirst, entered about the twi- 
 light into Songi, a village four or five leagues south of Cha- 
 lons, in Champagne. She had nothing on her feet; her body 
 was covered with rags and skins, her hair with a gourd leaf, 
 and her face and hands were as black as a negro’s. She was 
 armed with a short baton, thicker at one end than the other, 
 like a club. Those who first observed her, took to their heels, 
 crying out ‘There is the devil.’ And, indeed, her dress and 
 colour might well suggest this idea to the country people. 
 Happy were they who could soonest secure their doors and 
 windows; but one of them, thinking, perhaps, that the devil 
 was afraid of dogs, set loose upon her a bull-dog with an iron 
 collar. The little savage seeing him advance in a fury, kept 
 her ground without flinching, grasping her little club with 
 both hands, and stretching herself to one side, in order to give 
 greater scope to her blow. Perceiving the dog within her 
 reach, she discharged such a terrible blow on his head as laid 
 him dead at her feet. Elated with her victory, she jumped 
 several times over the dead carcass of the dog. ‘Then she 
 tried to open a door, which not being able to effect, she ran 
 back to the country towards the river, and, mounting a tree, 
 fell quietly asleep. 
 
 ‘The late Viscount d’Epinoy happened to be then at his 
 country seat of Songi; where, having heard the various ac- 
 counts of the little savage that had appeared on his grounds, 
 he gave orders to catch her, and particularly to the shepherd 
 who had first discovered her. 
 
 “‘ One of the country people, by a very simple thought, but 
 which was attributed to his great knowledge of the manners 
 and customs of savages, conjectured that she was thirsty, 
 and advised to place a pitcher full of water at the foot of the 
 tree in which she was sitting, to tempt her to come down. 
 They followed his advice; and, after placing the pitcher, re- 
 tired from the tree, but still kept privately a close watch on 
 her. Upon which the little savage, after hav*~¢ first looked 
 sharply around, to see whether any body observed her, came 
 down the tree, and went to drink at the pitcher, plunging her 
 chin into the water; but something having startled her, she 
 regained the top of the tree before they had time to appre- 
 hend her. 
 
 “ This first stratagem having failed, the same person by 
 whom it had been suggested, again advised to placu a woman 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 617 
 
 PLE PPPLPLLPBQLLEED 
 
 SOP FP PILI IOS 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne, 
 
 PPL OOD LIE DEL ELO DL DLP LIDL LIS DOF POL LPP LOT 
 
 PILI DLO PLL OLE OLE LDF 
 
 and some children near the tree, because savages commonly 
 are not so shy of them as men; and he bade them above all 
 show her a friendly air and a smiling countenance. His di- 
 rections were complied with. A woman with a child in her 
 arms walking near the tree, carried different. sorts of roots, 
 and two fishes in her hands, which she held out to the savage, 
 who, desirous to have them, descended a branch or two, but 
 went back again. The woman, still continuing her invitation 
 with an affable pleasant countenance, accompanied with all 
 possible signs of friendship, such as laying her hand upon 
 her breast, as if to assure her that she loved her, and would 
 do her no harm; the savage was at last emboldened to come 
 down the tree to receive the roots and fishes that were offered 
 her in so kind a manner: but the woman, enticing her from 
 the tree, by retiring insensibly, gave time to the men, who 
 were lying in wait for her, to advance and seize her. 
 
 ‘¢ The shepherd and the rest, who had caught and brought 
 her to the castle, carried her first into the kitchen, till M. 
 d’Epinoy should be informed of her arrival. The first thing 
 there that appeared to draw her attention, was some fowls 
 which the cook was dressing; at these she flew so greedily, 
 and with such amazing agility, that the astonished cook be- 
 held one of them between her teeth before he imagined she 
 had reached it. M.d’Epinoy arriving in the mean time, and 
 seeing what she was eating, caused them to give her an un- 
 skinned rabbit, which she instantly stripped of the skin and 
 devoured. 
 
 ‘¢ Those who considered her then, were of opinion that she 
 was about nine years of age. She supposes she was a child 
 only about seven or eight years of age, when she was carried 
 away from her own country; yet, by that time, she had learnt 
 to swim, to fish, to shoot with the bow and arrow, to climb, 
 and to leap from one tree to another like a squirrel. She was 
 taken up at sea, where she was, with other children, set in a 
 little round canoe, which was covered with a skin that drew 
 about her middle like a purse, and prevented the water from 
 getting in; for, she says, it is the manner in her country, to 
 put the children early to sea in such canoes, in order to ac- 
 custom them to bear the sea, which breaks over them; and 
 though it may overturn the canoe, does not sink it. When 
 she was taken up, she was put aboard a great ship, and was 
 carried to a warm country, where she was sold for a slave; 
 the person who sold her having first painted her all over 
 black, with a view, no doubt, to make her pass for a negress. 
 
 ‘¢ She says further of the country from which she was thus 
 cargied away, that the people there had no vpuung but skins, 
 
 : K 
 
618 CURIOSITIES OF NAYURE AND ART. 
 
 GF OLE GOL ODP LLG PLD LOL 
 
 PIP DIP LPP PGOP 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 GR? PO LIP PLP LOL LIT 
 
 and had no use of fire at all; so that when she came to 
 France, she could not bear the fire, and hardly even the close 
 air of a room, or the breath of persons who were near her. 
 There were, she says, another sort of men in this country, 
 who were bigger and stronger than her people, and all co- 
 vered with hair; and they were at war with her people, and 
 used to eat them when they could catch them. 
 
 “In the hot country to which she was first carried, she says 
 she was re-embarked, and performed a very long voyage, dur- 
 ing which the master, to whom she had been sold, wanted to 
 make her work, particularly at a sort of needle-work, which 
 obliged her to crouch and then look up; and when she would 
 not work he beat her; but her mistress, who, she thinks, 
 spoke French, was very kind to her, and would hide her 
 when her master was seeking her to make her work. The 
 ship having been wrecked, the crew took to the boat; but 
 she, and a negro girl that was on board, were left to shift for 
 themselves. The negro girl, she says, could not swim so 
 well as she, and therefore she was obliged to assist her, and 
 she kept herself above water, by taking hold of Le Blanc’s 
 foot; and, in this way, they both got on shore. They then 
 traversed a great tract of country, commonly travelling 
 
 “might, and sleeping in the day-time on the tops of trees; and 
 ~“¢Ahey subsisted upon roots which she dug out of the ground 
 with her fingers, and particularly with her thumb, which by 
 that, and by the use she made of it in climbing and leaping 
 from tree to tree, was much broader, and every way larger 
 than the thumbs of other people. They also caught as much 
 game as they could, which they eat raw with the hot blood in 
 it, in the manner as a hawk or wild beast does; and she re- 
 members particularly that they killed a fox, of which they 
 only sucked the blood, finding the flesh very disagreeable. 
 She remembers also that they caught a hind. She says far- 
 ther, that besides the being able to subsist herself in the man- 
 ner above-mentioned, she had learned the use of several 
 roots and herbs, which were good for the stomach and head, 
 and could cure wounds. She seemed black, as I have already 
 said; but it soon appeared, after washing her several times, 
 that she was naturally white, as she still continues. ‘hey 
 observed dikewise, that her fingers, and particularly her 
 thumbs, were extraordinarily large, in proportion to the rest 
 of her hand, which was otherwise neat enough; and to this 
 day her thumbs retain somewhat of that largeness. By her 
 account, these large strong thumbs were very useful to her 
 during her wild life in the woods; for when she had a mind 
 to pass from one tree to another, without being at the trouble 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 619 
 
 PPIDPL LL ELLE PLL PLE LID LLDE LDL LDL PLD PLE LOL LOD LD ID DOL. 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne.—The Vine-Fretters. 
 
 POL LDL OLE DS ELLE LL DO LOO LDL DLO LID DDE LDL LL OE LOD LAP 
 
 of descending and remounting, if the branches of the two 
 trees were but at a small distance from each other, and though 
 of no greater thickness than her finger, would place her 
 thumbs on a branch of the tree in which she happened to be, 
 and by their means spring to the other just like a squirrel. 
 
 [To be continued. | 
 
 PI LLIP LO? 
 
 a 
 THE VINE-FRETTERS. 
 
 You have frequently (says M. Bonnet in his “ Contempla- 
 tion of Nature’’) seen little flies fastened in great numbers to 
 the upper extremities and leaves of plants, and twist them 
 round in various forms: these are vine-fretters, whose species 
 are almost as numerous as those of vegetables, and whose re- 
 markable properties are multiplied in proportion to the atten- 
 tion we pay them. They bring forth living young ones. Their 
 births are easy to trace, there needs only good eyes and a lit- 
 tle patience. ‘Take up a little one as soon as it is produced, 
 enclose it immediately in the most perfect solitude, and in 
 order to be the better assured of its virginity, carry your 
 precautions to a degree of scrupulousness; be with respect to 
 it a more vigilant Argus than the fabulous one. When the 
 little recluse has acquired a certain growth, it will begin to 
 have young, and after some days, you will find it amidst a 
 numerous family. Make the same experiment on one of the 
 individuals that you have tried on its chief: the new hermit 
 will multiply like its father, and this second generation brought 
 up im solitude, will not prove less fruitful than the first. 
 Repeat the experiment from one generation to another; abate 
 nothing of your cares, your precautions, your suspicions ; 
 proceed, if your patience will permit you, to the ninth gene- 
 ration, and they will all present you with fecund virgins. After 
 these experiments so decisive and reiterated, you are easily 
 persuaded that there is no distinction of sex in vine-fretters. 
 What indeed would be the use of such a difference among a 
 people, where all the individuals are constantly sufficient for 
 themselves ? Natural history is the best logic, because it best 
 teaches us to suspend our judgment. Vine-fretters are really 
 distinguished by sexes, and their amours are the least equi- 
 vocal of any in the world. 1 do not know whether there are 
 in nature any males more amorous than they. What then is 
 the use of coupling between insects that multiply without its 
 assistance? Of what service can an actual distinction of sex 
 be to real androgynes. ‘The clearing up of this point depends 
 on another singularity afforded us by these little animals. 
 
620 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLLPDL ELD PP DPD D LID DDD DDE DOG 
 
 PIF 
 
 PPP POO LPPPLPIOC PPI PGOLPDGLOLD OID DOLDP DF 
 The Vine-Fretters. 
 
 PLP PDO LEP OOF PDP LPO LLG POE ODE DOF 
 
 PGP PII 
 
 iF 
 
 During the summer season they are viviparous; they all 
 bring forth living young. ‘Towards the middle of autumn 
 they become oviparous; they all then lay reai eggs, which 
 are hatched at the return of spring. ‘The males begin to ap- 
 pear exactly at the time the females begin to lay. ‘There are 
 always found in the bodies of the females, eggs and young 
 ready to be produced. The young then were originally en- 
 closed in eggs. During the fine season they are hatched in 
 the belly of the mother, and are brought into the world alive. 
 Plants at that time furnish them with proper nourishment. 
 The developement depends ultimately on nutrition: vine-fret- 
 ters that are produced alive, are more unfolded in the matrix 
 than those which are brought forth enclosed in eggs. The 
 former then have received a nourishment in the matrix. Had 
 not coupling, then, for its primary end, the supplying the 
 defect of this nourishment in such germs as were not to be 
 nan till after they had issued from the belly of -he mo- 
 ther ? 
 
 How astonishing must the activity of these laborious in- 
 sects be, by which they are enabled to collect the materials 
 necessary for the construction of their nest! Behold their 
 sagacity in uniting together, and assisting each other in scoop- 
 ing out the earth, in order to transport to their habitation 
 bits of herbs, straw, scraps of wood, and other bodies of the 
 like kind, which they employ in their work. ‘They seem only 
 to pile it up in heaps at random; but under this apparent 
 confusion is couched art and design, which is perceived upon 
 a strict examination. Under this little heap, of which their 
 lodging consists, and whose form facilitates the passage of the 
 water, are discovered galleries, which communicate with each 
 other, resembling the streets of a little city. We are particu- 
 larly struck with the solicitude of ants for their nurslings, 
 with the care they take to convey them, in proper time, from 
 one place to another, their nourishing them, and causing them 
 to shun every thing that may prove hurtful to them. One 
 cannot but admire the readiness with which they withdraw 
 from danger, and the courage they show in defending them. 
 An ant has been seen, after being cut asunder in the middle, 
 to transport eight or ten of its nurslings, one after another. 
 They seek their provisions at a great distance from their 
 abode. Various paths, which are often very winding and in- 
 tricate, terminate at their nest. The ants pass over them in 
 rows, without ever missing their way, any more than the re- 
 publican caterpillars. Like the latter they leave tracks 
 wherever they pass. These are not discernible to the eye; 
 they are much more sensible to the smell; and it is well 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 621 
 
 PIP 
 
 PID PIPP DP PLOL 
 
 PPI LPF 
 
 OP IGF 
 
 The Vine-Fretters.—The Stupendous Himalaya Mountains in the East Indies. 
 
 PII PPD DDO P PPP ODO PLO DPILD PDD 
 
 PPI PIPL LLP P 
 
 PIP 
 
 known that ants have a very penetrating one. However, if 
 we draw a figure severai times backward and forward along 
 the wall, by which the ants pass and repass up and down in 
 rows, they will be stopped on a sudden in their march, and it 
 will afford some amusement to observe the perplexity they ~ 
 are in. 
 
 The foresight of ants ..as been greatly celebrated. Near 
 three thousand years ago it was remarked, that they amassed 
 provisions for the winter; and were skilful in building maga- 
 zines for containing the grain they had collected during the 
 fine season. It would seem that these magazines must be al- 
 together useless to them, insomuch that they sleep during the 
 whole winter, like dormice and many other animals. A small 
 degree of cold would be sufficient to benumb them. We may 
 conclude thence that they have no use for these pretended ma- 
 gazines, and consequently do not build them. The corn 
 they convey with so much activity to their dwelling, is by no 
 means intended by them for food ; but consists only in simple 
 materials, which contribute to the construction of their edifice, 
 in the same manner as little bits of wood, straw, Xc. 
 
 —a 
 
 THE STUPENDOUS HIMALAYA MOUNTAINS IN THE 
 EAST INDIES. 
 
 In the twelfth volume of the Transactions of the Asiatic 
 Society, recently published, an account is given of the height 
 of the stupendous mountains of Himalaya in the East Indies, 
 till lately inaccessible to Europeans. They have been long 
 believed, in India, to surpass in height all other mountains on 
 the earth Yhe Himalaya chain is visible from Patna, on the 
 southern banks of the Ganges, as a continued well-defined — 
 line of white cliffs, extending through more than two points » 
 of the compass, at a distance of about sixty leagues ; while at 
 an equal distance, Chimborazo, the highest of the Andes, is 
 seen as a single point, the rest of the Cordillera being invisi- 
 ble. It appears from Captain Turner’s account, that the 
 Peak of Chamalasi, near which he passed, after crossing the 
 frontier of Thibet, is the same mountain which is seen from 
 various stations in Bengal, the most remote of which is not 
 less than 238 English miles distant. This, in the mean state 
 of the atmosphere, requires an elevation of 28,000 feet. The 
 President himself observed the usual altitude of a peak of the 
 Himalaya to be 1° 1’, as viewed from a station in Bengal, dis- 
 tant not less than 150 English miles, which, after a due al- 
 lowance for terrestrial refraction, would give a height of not 
 
622 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIP POPLOSS PLO LPP PDP ODP LG 
 
 POPPE LLD POS ID. 
 The Stupendous Himalaya Mountains in the East Indies.—Ghost Story. 
 
 PLE LLL LLL LDL OPE LLL LIL LLL LOD DE 
 
 PPP LP LOL LLL PLL LDL ODL LPF 
 
 PLLLLL PLL POLL LLL 
 
 less than 26,000 feet. According to the mean-of several ob- 
 servations of a peak, taken by Lieutenant-Colonel Colebrook, 
 its height above the level of the plains of Réhilkhand, is 22,291 
 feet, or about 22,800 feet above the level of the sea. Ac- 
 cording to the observations communicated to the President, 
 Mount Dhaibin is 20,140 above Cathmandu, which is itself 
 more than 4500 above the level of the sea; and another ex- 
 ceeds the elevation of the same station by 17,819 feet—another 
 by 20,025—another by 18,662 feet. All these are visible from 
 Patna, the nearest being nearly 170 English miles distant, and 
 the farthest about 226 miles. ‘ihe Dhawalagiri, or White 
 Mountain, supposed to be situated near the source of the Glan- 
 dac River, was found, by observations of bearings taken by Mr. 
 Webb, from four points, and of altitudes from three, to be (al- 
 lowing one-eighth for refraction) 26,784 teet ; and, allowing one- 
 eleventh, 27,551. Supposing the errors arising from refrac- 
 tion, and those from observation, to be the highest pessible, 
 and both in excess, the President calculates that its height, 
 above the plains of Gorakhpur, cannot fall short of 26,462 
 feet, or 26,863 above the level of the sea. Since the publica- 
 tion of the above volume of the ‘Transactions of the Asiatic 
 Society, Lieutenant Webb, of the Bengal establishment, has 
 transmitted to Europe the result of his observations for ascer- 
 taining the heights of some of the principal mountains beleng- 
 ing to the Himalaya or Himaya-chain, in the Nepaul territory. 
 He has ascertained that several of these mountains exceed in 
 height any known before. Of twenty-seven peaks, nineteen 
 are higher than Chimborazo. ‘This mountain of South Ame- 
 rica, according to Reddel’s chart, is 20,900 feet above the 
 level of the sea; but the highest of the Asiatic peaks has an 
 elevation of not less than 25,669 feet, exceeding it by 4,769 
 feet, considerably more than three-fourths of a mile, or neariy 
 one-fourth of its own height. Several others of these Asiatic 
 peaks have an altitude of more than four miles, 
 
 é —L a 
 
 GHOST STORY. ~° 
 
 In the year 1704, a gentleman, to all appearance of large 
 fortune, took furnished lodgings in a house in Soho Square. 
 After he had resided there some weeks with his establishment, 
 he lost his brother, who had lived at Hampstead, and who on 
 his death-bed particularly desired to be interred in the family 
 vault in Westminster Abbey. The gentleman requesied his 
 landlord to permit him to bring the corpse of his brother to 
 his lodgings, and to make arrangements there for the funeral. 
 The landlord, without hesitation, signified his compliance. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 623 
 
 PIPL LLL LS OL PLE POL OGD FF 
 
 POL LPD OLD DDL ODP DDO GLO DDD LGP OGLE OIE IS EDOLDO ODE DDD OPS 
 
 The Ghost Story. 
 
 PLILOF 
 
 POPLIPF. 
 
 The body, dressed in a white shroud, was accordingly 
 brought in a very handsome coffin, and placed in the great 
 dining-room. ‘The funeral was to take place the next day, 
 and the lodger and his servants went out to make the neces- 
 sary preparations for the solemnity. He staid out. late, but 
 this was no uncommon thing. The landlord and his family, 
 conceiving that they had no occasion to wait for him, retired 
 to bed as usual, about twelve o’clock. One maid-servant was 
 left up to let him in, and to boil some water, which he had 
 desired might be ready for making tea on his return. The 
 girl was accordingly sitting alone in the kitchen, when a tall, 
 spectre-looking figure entered, and clapped itself down in a 
 chair opposite to her. 
 
 The maid was by no means one of the most timid of her 
 sex; but she was terrified beyond expression, lonely as she 
 was, at this unexpected apparition. Uttering a loud scream, 
 she flew out like an arrow, at a side-door, and hurried to the 
 chamber of her master and mistress. Scarcely had she 
 awakened them, and communicated to the whole family some 
 portion of the fright with which she was herself overwhelmed, 
 when the spectre, enveloped in a shroud, and with a deathlike 
 paleness, made its appearance, and sat down in a chair in the 
 bed-room, without their having observed how it entered. 
 The worst of all was, that this chair stood by the door of the 
 bed-chamber, so that not a creature could get away without 
 passing close to the apparition, which rolled its glaring eyes 
 so frightfully, and so hideously distorted its features, that 
 they could not bear to look at it. The master and mistress 
 crept under the bed-clothes, covered with profuse perspira- 
 tion, while the maid-servant sunk nearly insensible by the 
 side of the bed. 3 
 
 At the same time the whole house seemed to be in an up- 
 roar; for, though they had covered themselves over head and 
 ears, they could still hear an incessant noise and clatter, 
 which served to increase their terror. 
 
 At length all became perfectly still in the house. The 
 fandiord ventured to raise his head, and to steal a glance at 
 the chair by the door; but, behold, the ghost was gone! 
 Sober reason began to resume its power. ‘Uhe poor girl was 
 brought to herself after a good deal of shaking. In a short 
 time, they plucked up sufficient courage to quit the bed-room, 
 and to commence an examination of the house, which they 
 expected to find in great disorder. Nor were their anticipa- 
 tions unfounded. ‘The whole house had been stripped by 
 artful thieves, and the gentleman had decamped without pay- 
 ing for his lodging. It turned out that he was no other thar 
 
624 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PLO DPPL LL SE PDOL IOP ODPL OOP Py 
 
 PBI PLL IGP LOL PDO LGGI LES. 
 
 Ghost Story.—Awful Legacy.—Extraordinary Instances of Second Sight. 
 
 GOP COP POO LOL DDC LDE POL LOD LLDE DILL DDD LDLLLDE LOD DEE DEL PPD DEL DDE LOE DLL LOD DDL LDL LIE LOD LOS OPP 
 
 an accomplice of the notorious Arthur Chambers, who was 
 executed at Tyburn in 1706, and that the supposed corpse 
 was this arch rogue himself, who had whitened his hands and 
 face with chalk, and merely counterfeited death. About mid- 
 night he quitted the coffin and appeared. to the maid in the 
 kitchen. When she flew up stairs, he softly followed her, 
 and, seated at the door of the chamber, he acted as a sentinel, 
 so that his industrious accomplices were enabled to plunder 
 the house without the least molestation. 
 
 mana 
 AWFUL LEGACY. 
 
 In the confession of Edward Clarke, who was executed at 
 Chelmsford, is the following curious article :—“ I, Edward 
 Clarke, now in a few hours expecting to die, do sincerely 
 wish, as my last request, that three of my fingers be taken 
 from my hands, to be given to my three children as a warning 
 to them, as my fingers were the cause of bringing myself to 
 the gallows, and my children to poverty; and I also request, 
 that C. Brown, and two brother prisoners, will be so kind as 
 to see it done—they knowing which fingers they are, by their 
 marking them at my wish with ink.”’ ‘This request was com- 
 plied with. 
 
 ose 
 EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCES OF SECOND SIGHT. 
 
 A GENTLEMAN connected with the family of Dr. Ferriar, 
 an officer in the army, and certainly addicted to no supersti- 
 tion, was quartered early in life, in the middle of the last cen- 
 tury, near the castle of a gentleman in the north of Scotland, 
 who was supposed to possess the second sight. Strange 
 rumours were afloat respecting the old chieftain: he had 
 spoken to an apparition, which ran along the battlements of 
 the house, and had never been cheerful afterwards: his pro- 
 phetic vision excited surprise even in that region of credulity, 
 and retired habits favoured the popular opinion. One day, 
 while the officer was reading a play to the ladies of the family, 
 the Chief, who had been walking across the room, stopped 
 suddenly, and assumed the look of a seer; he rang the bell, 
 and ordered the groom to saddle a horse, to proceed imme- 
 diately to a seat in the neighbourhood, and to inquire after 
 the health of Lady ; if the account were favourable, he 
 then directed him to call at another castle, to ask after ano- 
 ther lady whom he named. The reader immediately closed his 
 book, and declared that he would not proceed till these abrupt 
 orders were explained, as he was confident they were produced 
 
EA i 
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 \ 
 AN 
 
 ee 
 
 ¢ the Ylear— 7 lgice t2e wh Vl 1¢ COO). - 
 
 ae | Earthgiahe at. Mefsina’ . 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 625 
 
 PRODI DIP LEP POP LED LIL DIL IDE PEEL DD LP LILLE LDL DLP DDO LIL LED LDILIE LED DLE DLE LDDEDDL PPO DDD pg 
 
 Extraordinary Instances of Second Sight.—The Great Plague in London. 
 
 PLP LELAL DI PBL LPL LDL LPL DDL BOL PDOLDOL LODE DOL GEL LPP OLD DDO LL SE PIL LOL LOD PPP 
 
 PPPLLIE LOL PLL 
 
 by the second sight. ‘The Chief was very unwilling to explain 
 himself, but at length he owned that the door had appeared 
 to open, and that a little woman, without a head, had entered 
 the room; that the apparition indicated the sudden death of 
 some person of his acquaintance, and the only two persons 
 who resembled the figure were those ladies after whose health 
 he had sent to inquire. 
 
 A few hours afterwards the servant returned, with an ac- 
 count that one of the ladies had died of an apoplectic fit, 
 about the time when the vision appeared. | 
 
 At another time the Chief was confined to his bed by indis- 
 position, and my friend was reading to him, in a stormy win- 
 ter night, while the fishing boat bélonging to the castle was 
 atsea. The old gentleman repeatedly expressed much anxiety 
 respecting his people, and at last exclaimed—‘‘ My boat is 
 lost!” The Colonel replied—‘‘ How do you know it, Sir?” 
 He was answered—‘“ I see two of the boatmen bringing in 
 the third drowned, all dripping wet, and laying him down 
 close beside your chair.” ‘Vhe chair was shifted with great 
 precipitation ; in the course of the night the fishermen returned, 
 with the corpse of one of the boatmen. 
 
 THE GREAT PLAGUE IN LONDON. 
 
 Tue year 1665 is memorable in London from the direful 
 ravages of the Great Plague, which first broke out at a house 
 in Long Acre, near Drury Lane, in the parish of St. Giles in 
 the Fields, whither goods had been imported from the Levant. 
 
 On the first rumour, therefore, of the plague having broken 
 out in Long Acre, about the beginning of December, and 
 that two persons, said to be Frenchmen, had died of it in one 
 house, the Secretary of State ordered the bodies to be in- 
 spected by two physicians and a surgeon ; and, on their report, 
 it was inserted in the weekly Bill of Mortality, that two per- 
 sons were dead of this disorder. This occasioned considerable 
 alarm threughout the metropolis; and the death of another 
 man of the plague in the same house where it had first ap- 
 peared in the last week of December, increased the apprehen- 
 sions that were already entertained. 
 
 The prevalence of a frost, attended by sharp winds, checked 
 the mortality till the months of April and May, when a gra- 
 dual increase of deaths by the plague was returned in the 
 Bills, and particularly within the parish of St. Giles. During 
 the two last weeks of May, and the first week of June, the 
 disorder spread in a dreadful manner; whole streets were in- 
 — with it, and, though many arts were employed to cone 
 
 2 © , 44 
 
626 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART, 
 
 POO OOOO LOD ODO LIED ODL OD LOO LD LOD LOL LLG IDLE DIEDDL DOLL DL PDDDOL DDD DODD ODODE DID IDG GOODE 
 The Great Plague in London. 
 
 PP PL OLOLS LOOP LOO LOO LOC LOO LO ELD ODL DO LOD LID DOODDO DLO L OL LLE LLL DLE LOD LD OLDOL DOLLA OOP 
 
 ceal its ravages, apprehension and dismay spread over the 
 metropolis. In the second week in June, the deaths greatly 
 increased: in St. Giles’s parish, where its strength yet lay, 
 about one hundred died of the plague; but within the city 
 walls, only four were enumerated. 
 
 About this time, his Majesty, with his whole court, departed 
 for Oxford, where they continued till after Christmas ; leaving 
 the chief weight and direction of the capital, in this most ca- 
 lamitous era, to the Duke of Albemarle, and Sir J. hn Law- 
 rence, * London’s generous Mayor.” | 
 
 In June and July the infection spread rapidly, and con- 
 sternation and horror dwelt in every bosom. All whose cir- 
 eumstances or duties would permit, quitted the metropolis, 
 and the roads were thronged with multitudes hastening from 
 the scene of death. From the parishes of St. Giles, West- . 
 minster, St. Martin, and St. Andrew, the disorder passed 
 eastward on the outskirts of the city to Clerkenwell, Cripple- 
 gate, and Shoreditch, where the crowded habitations of the 
 poor and labouring classes offered a full pray to its ravages, 
 
 During the month of August, the infection greatly extended 
 its ravages, and, though every precaution that prudence and 
 skill could suggest, was taken to prevent its spreading, it now 
 began to rage with considerable violence, even within the 
 walls of the city itself’ All trade, but for the immediate ne- 
 cessaries of life, was at an end; the streets were deserted of 
 passengers, every place of diversion was closed, and assem- 
 blies, of whatever kind, except for the celebration of prayer 
 and divine worship were strictly prohibited. 
 
 In the last week of August, that is, from the twenty-second 
 to the twenty-ninth, and whilst the city was as yet compara- 
 tively free, the number of deaths by the plague was recorded 
 in the Bills at 7496. It should be remembered too, that this 
 was at a time when nearly 200,000 persons are thought to 
 have previously quitted the metropolis. . the dead augmented 
 beyond the means of ‘enumeration, the church-yards were no 
 longer capable of receiving the bodies, and large open spaces, 
 on the outskirts of the metropolis, were appropriated for the 
 purpose. ‘* Whole families, and, indeed, whole streets of 
 families, were swept away together, insomuch, that it was fre- 
 quent for neighbours to call to the bellman to go to such and 
 such houses, and fetch out the people, for that they were all 
 dead.” 
 
 The grave was now a “ yawning abyss :’ deeper and more 
 extensive pits were dug, and the rich and the poor, the young 
 and the aged, the adult and the child, were all promiscuously 
 thrown headlong together into one common receptacle. By 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 627 
 
 FPOLP POLL LL LIS DOLE LIDLIDLIS 
 
 PIP DLL LDPE LLL LLD LDPE PLEL IL LL DELO DL EE LEP BIG BIOPSY 
 
 The Great Plague in London. 
 
 LLLP OLDE DDD 
 
 CPO LLP BALE DLLIDL?S 
 
 PILL LILLE PELID LOL LDL LOE PLDI ELE OOD LOL DOL LDE DOL LOS 
 
 day, the streets presented a most frightful aspect of desolation 
 
 and misery ; and at night, the dead-carts, moving with slow 
 
 pace by torch-light, and with the appalling cry, “ Bring out 
 
 hea dead!” thrilled horror through every heart that was not 
 ardened by suffering to calamity. 
 
 In the three first weeks of September, the numbers returned 
 dead in the Bills amounted to upwards of 24,000: a most 
 frightful aggregate in itself, yet a most imperfect one in respect 
 to the actual number that fell victims to the plague alone 
 within that period. Many of the searchers and other officers, 
 whose duties enjoined them to make the returns, acknowledged 
 their incorrectness ; and many more, before they could give in 
 their lists, were themselves numbered with “ those that were.” 
 The more probable calculation is, that at this time not fewer 
 than 10,000 persons, weekly, were carried off by the infection 
 itself, without enumerating those who died by the different 
 disorders which it degenerated, or of which it increased the 
 malignancy. ‘* Now, it was indeed a dismal time,” says De 
 Foe, “ and for about a month together, not taking any notice 
 of the Bills of Mortality, I believe there did not die less than 
 1500 or 1700 a-day, one with another.” 
 
 In the last week of September, the pestilence began to abate 
 its virulence ; for, though more persons were now sick than 
 at any former period, the number of dead returned in the 
 weekly Bill had decreased upwards of 1800, viz. from 8297 to 
 6460. ) 
 
 Another week succeeded, and the deaths were still found to 
 lessen; a third passed, and the trembling confidence of the 
 multitude was fixed in certainty. The “ destroying angel”’ 
 was indeed “ stayed;” and though the number “ hearsed in 
 death”’ in the second week in October, amounted to upwards 
 of 5000, yet the decrease was so great, that joy once more was 
 seen to spread itself over the metropolis. | 
 
 From this period till the end of October, every week’s ac- 
 count showed that the infection had lost much of its malig- 
 nancy; for though considerable numbers still died, the in- 
 stances of convalescence were so numerous, that many thou- 
 sands of those whom apprehension had driven from. their 
 homes, now daily returned in the full assurance of security. 
 The conduct which this feeling inspired, merged into rashness ; 
 even the limited suggestions of common prudence were des- 
 pised, and the healthy associated with the diseased, as if the 
 contagion had no power to excite alarm. ‘Through this im- 
 prudence, the deaths, in the first week of November, increased 
 about 400, and “ there were more people infected and fell 
 sick now, when there did not die above 1000 or 1200 in a 
 
 £ 
 
628 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 POPLRIL GLE GED LLDE DOL LDPE IDELDOLE LOG. ILL LID LP PLP PLL LOL LOC LOL LO LODE LOEOLODG DLE LOD LOL LL 
 
 The Great Plague in London. 
 
 PEE PLE OLOLOFL DEL IOPLOL LDPE PIE DLE L LOLOL LEE DLL BOF LOOP L OL DL LOL LDEL DOL LOL LIO LOG LEE. GRILLE LIP 
 
 week, than there was when there died four or six thousand 
 in a week; and the physicians had more work than ever, only 
 with this difference, that more of their patients recovered ; 
 that is to say, they generally recovered.” 
 
 During the eight weeks, beginning with the 8th of August, 
 and ending with October the 10th, when the mortality was at 
 its greatest height, the number of deaths returned in the Bills 
 of Mortality amounted to 59,870; of these, 49,705 were re- 
 corded under the head, Plague. It must be evident, however, 
 from what has been said above, that nearly the whole of this 
 melancholy aggregate ought to be referred to the infection, 
 as the average of deaths from other causes would not have 
 amounted to 2300 within the time mentioned. The entire 
 number returned in the Bills, as having died of the plague 
 within the year, was 68,590; yet there can be no doubt that 
 this total was exceeded by many thousands who feil by the 
 infection, but whose deaths were not officially recorded. 
 
 The general manner in which the pestilence affected its 
 victims, was by fevers, vomiting, head-ache, pains in the back, 
 and tumours, or swelling in the neck, groin, and arm-pits, 
 accompanied by inflammation and gangrene. In the height 
 of the disease, the deaths occurred within two or three days 
 after the patient was taken ill; and sometimes within three, 
 four, or six hours, where the plague-spots, or tokens, as they 
 were called, had shown themselves without previous illness. 
 In a few instances, the same person had the distemper twice. 
 The violence of the pain arising from the swellings, frequently 
 occasioned delirium; and where the tumours could not be 
 maturated, death was inevitable. In the milder stages of the 
 contagion, the deaths did not occur for eight or ten days ; and 
 when the disease was subsiding, the patient was relieved by 
 profuse sweats, and the swellings dispersed or broke, without 
 exciting that insufferable torrent which had proved so de- 
 structive. 
 
 The dead-caris, as they were emphatically called, appear to 
 have been first employed about the month of July, when all 
 the common ceremonies of interment were obliged to be dis- 
 pensed with, through the dreadful augmentation in the num- 
 ber of the deceased. ‘These carts were not confined to any 
 particular parish or district, but went their rounds nightly to 
 collect the dead wherever the service was required; and 
 when, in the opinion of the “ buryers,”’ a sufficient load was 
 heaped up, such load was drawn to the most convenient or 
 nearest pit, and there thrown in, as hastily as possible ; some- 
 times immediately from the cart, and sometimes by means of 
 long hooks, made like a shepherd’s crook, with which the 
 
CO’ RIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 62% 
 
 GPEPPIP POP PEL OIXPP PIP PIG 
 The Great Plague in London.—Force of Imagination. 
 
 PILI LPP LOL ROP ELE DLE LLVEL DE EDD LOL LOD LEDLOL LOL LOL LPL LELL PLD DDD LODSIO LOL OLLD LOD LDE LOD LD OD IP 
 
 PIG LIPO LIG PLE DELP LID LIOOLII 
 
 bodies were dragged out. From the narrow lanes and alleys. 
 where the carts could not enter, the bodies were carried to 
 the carts on a kind of hand-barrow, by the buryers, whose 
 chief precaution against catching the infection themselves, 
 was the free use of rue, garlic, tobacco, and vinegar. These, 
 however, were ineffectual preservatives in most instances, yet 
 the extreme misery and want that reigned among the poor, 
 produced a constant succession of persons ready to undertake 
 the dangerous office. 
 
 In the delirium which the pain of the disorder often pro- 
 duced, many committed suicide, chiefly by drowning; many 
 also died of mere fright, and others of anguish of mind, at the 
 loss of their dearest relatives. Child-bed women suffered 
 particularly, the number of those who died in the course of 
 the year amounting to more than three times as many as were 
 returned in the Bills during the preceding twelvemonth. 
 
 The stoppage of public business, in the height of the conta- 
 gion, was so complete, that grass grew within the very area 
 of the Exchange, and even in the principal streets of the city. 
 All the inns of court were shut up, and all law proceedings 
 ' suspended. Neither cart nor coach was to be seen from 
 morning till night, except those employed in the conveyance 
 of provisions, in the carriage of the infected to the pest-houses, 
 or other hospitals, and a few coaches used by the physicians. 
 
 Since this dreadful period, the plague has entirely ceased in 
 London: a circumstance that must be regarded as the more 
 remarkable, when reference is made to the yearly Bills of 
 Mortality for nearly all the preceding part of the century. 
 It will be seen from them, that scarcely a year passed without 
 some persons or other falling victims to the infection; and 
 that, in 1609 and 1647, the numbers were respectively as 
 high as 4240 and 3597, without distinguishing those years 
 when the pestilence raged with great violence. 
 
 The survivors were struck with the dreadful apprehension, 
 that in a few days the living would not be sufficient to bury 
 the dead; in this, however, they were happily mistaken, for the 
 contagion gradually diminished, having swept away, accord- 
 ing to Lord Clarendon, who thought the computation under- 
 rated, 160,000 ; though Dr. Hodges collected from the Bills 
 of Mortality only 68,596. | 
 
 ——— 
 
 FORCE OF IMAGINATION. 
 
 Tuere was in the Hospital of Incurables at Paris, a young 
 man, an ideot from his birth, whose body was broken in the 
 same places in which criminals are broken.—He lived near 
 
630 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE. AND. ART. 
 
 CUPPPODPPP LOL PIP PIP P/LOLODLE €DDDLDELLLOLAILL ODL DL LOEDLDOEL IL LLL LOL LOD LOD LLEOLDOO PDO LOODODG - 
 
 Force of Imagination.—The Marine Spectre. 
 
 DLO LOL LOD LODLDI DOL LOLD LOL LOE LLL LP AD COLL EE PAE 
 
 AP OLPG LOD LPP E OO BPGE LEE LL FLOP BOE LAF: 
 
 twenty years in that condition; many persons saw him, and 
 the Queen-Mother making a visit to that hospital, had the 
 curiusity not only to see, but even to touch the arms and legs 
 of this youth, in the places where they were broken. The 
 cause of this unhappy accident was soon found to be, that the 
 mother, while big with child, was present at the execution of 
 a malefactor, who was broken alive on a cross, with an iron 
 bar: that she was excessively terrified, it is easy to believe ; 
 but how the force of her.imagination could produce such an 
 effect on the foetus is a matter of great difficulty. Mallebranche 
 attempts to account for it, in his usual manner, by ingenious 
 conjectures, saying, that the imaginary faculty is a certain in- 
 ward sensation, which is entirely performed by the assistance 
 of the animal spirits; that the foetus ought to be deemed a 
 part of the mother’s body, so that whatever part of the mother 
 suffers, is, by some occult communication, transmitted to the 
 same part of the foetus; wherefore, when the pregnant wo- 
 man was shocked at that dreadful sight, possibly she suffered 
 pain, and even some degree of laceration of the fibres, in the 
 same limbs which she saw broken in the malefactor: but as 
 her bones were firm and solid, they were capable of resisting 
 the shock, whereas those of the foetus, being scarce knit, were 
 easily broken, so as never to unite again. But whether this 
 reasoning be just or not, the fact is a manifest proof, that the 
 
 Imagination has a wonderful degree of power to affect the 
 body. 
 
 =a 
 THE MARINE SPECTRE. 
 
 Wuen Mr. Walker was setting out on his second cruise in 
 the Boscawen private ship of war, in 1745, a report made by 
 the French officers, when the ship was taken, that a gunner’s 
 wife had been murdered on board, began now to be looked 
 upon by the men as ominous of the misfortunes which would 
 attend the cruise. One of the seamen, remarkable for his 
 sobriety and good character, one night alarmed the ship, by 
 declaring he had seen a strange appearance of a woman, who 
 informed him, among other particulars, that the ship would 
 be lost. The story spread among the crew, and laid such 
 hold of the imagination, as would have been attended with 
 the most serious consequences, had not Mr. Walker contrived 
 a device for turning it into ridicule, and with great presence 
 of mind related the following anecdote to the assembled ship’s 
 crew :— 
 
 In June, 1734, Mr. Walker lying at an anchor at Cadiz, in 
 hix ship, the Elizabeth, a gentleman of Ireland, whose name 
 
 ° 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 631 
 
 POL DPPOP PPP PIC PLOP IDE BLOP LE OL OS POPP LEP LPI P LLL LLDIP LDL LOOP ODL OOLRE LE 
 
 GLILLOPLOPIOPPP OOD 
 The Marine Spectre. 
 
 PIP LPL OLRPLE PIL LELIE LOD LOL DDL PEL LLL BLL DLL ODI PDO LOL LOL MDE POG DPD LD DIL ODP OOP ODA 
 
 was Burnet, was then on board, going to take his passage 
 over to Ireland. This gentleman was a particular acquain- 
 tance of Mr. Walker’s, and he was extremely fond of him, 
 being a man of great good sense, and very lively in conversa- 
 tion. The night before the affair we speak of happened, the 
 subject turned upon apparitions of deceased friends, in which 
 this gentleman seemed much to believe, and told many strange 
 stories as authorities for them, besides giving some meta- 
 physical arguments, chiefly that the natural fear we had 
 of them proved the soul’s confession of them. But Mr. 
 Walker, who was entirely of another way of thinking, 
 treated all his arguments with ridicule. Mr. Burnet, who was 
 bred a physician, was curious to try how far fancy might be 
 wrought on inan unbeliever, and resolved te prove the power 
 of this natural fear over the senses: a strange way, you will 
 say, to convince the mind by attacking the imagination ; or, 
 if it was curiosity to see the operations of fear work on fancy, 
 it was too nice an experiment to anatomize a friend’s mind 
 for information only; or perhaps the humour of the thought 
 was the greatest motive, for he was a man of a gay temper, 
 and frolicsome. 
 
 About noon, as they were standing, with more of the ship’s 
 company, upon deck, near the forecastle, looking at some of 
 the Governor’s guard-boats making fast to a buoy of a ship 
 in the bay, in order to watch the money, that it might not be 
 carried out of the country, Mr. Burnet proposed, as a plan 
 for a wager, he being aremarkable good swimmer, to leap off 
 the gunwale of the ship, and dive all the way quite under water, 
 from the ship to the boats at that distance, and so rise up 
 upon them, to startle the people at watch in them. A wager 
 being laid, he undressed, jumped off, and dived entirely out 
 of sight. Every body crowded forwards, keeping their eyes 
 at the distance where he was expected to come up; but ‘he 
 never rising to their expectation, and the time running past 
 their hopes of ever seeing him more, it was justly concluded 
 he was drowned, and every body was in the greatest pain and 
 concern ; especially those who, by laying the wager, thought 
 themselves in some measure accessary to his death. But he, 
 by skilful diving, having turned the other way behind the 
 ship, and being also very active, got up by the quarter ladder 
 and in at the cabin window, whilst every body was busy and in 
 confusion at the forward part of the ship; then concealing 
 himself the remaining part of the day in a closet in the state-_ 
 room, wrapped himself up in a linen night-gown of Mr. 
 Walker’s. Evening coming on, the whole ship’s company 
 being very melancholy at the accident, Mr. Walker retired 
 
632 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DODPIFE SPGPPPL IDG LS. 
 
 POD LDOODLE DODDLO DOP LOP LOO DDE LED DOG BOE DLO LES LOOLED ODP DOS GOGGGD 
 
 The Marine Spectre. 
 
 DIL IL ODPL IL LIELIPLIDP PII LDP DIL 
 
 LLOLLE LOL LPL LLL LOLOL LLL OD LDS DLE PDOLOODPF 
 
 with a friend or two to his cabin, where, in their conversation, 
 they often lamented the sad accident and loss of their friend 
 and dear companion, speaking of every merit he had when liv- 
 ing, which is the unenvied praise generally given to our friends, 
 when they can receive nothing else from us. The supposed 
 dead man remained still quiet, and heard more good things 
 said to his memory than perhaps he would else have ever in his 
 life-time heard spoken to his face. As soon as it was night, Mr. 
 Walker’s company left him ; and he being low in spirits went to 
 bed, where lying still pensive on the late loss of his companion 
 and friend, and the moon shining direct through the windows, 
 he perceived the folding-doors of the closet to open; and, 
 looking steadfast towards them, saw something which could 
 not fail startling him, as he imagined it a representation of a 
 human figure; but recalling his better senses, he was fain to 
 persuade himself it was only the workings of his disturbed 
 fancy, and turned away his eyes. However, they soon again 
 returned in search of the object; and seeing it now plainly 
 advance upon him, in a slow and constant step, he recognised 
 the image of his departed friend. He has not been ashamed 
 to own he felt terrors which shook him to the inmost soul. 
 The Mate, who lay in the steerage at the back of the cabin, 
 divided only by a bulk-head, was not yet a-bed; and hearing 
 Mr. Walker challenge witha loud and alarmed voice, ** What 
 are you ?” ran to him with a candle, and meeting Mr. Burnet, 
 in the linen gown, down drops the Mate, without so much as 
 an ejaculation. Mr. Burnet, now beginning himself to be 
 afraid, runs for a bottle of smelling spirits he knew lay in the 
 window, and applied them to the nose and temples of the 
 swooning Mate. Mr. Walker, seeing the ghost so very alert 
 and good-natured, began to recover from his own apprehen- 
 sion, when Mr. Burnet cried out to him, “Sir, I must ask 
 your pardon; I fear I have carried the jest too far; I swam 
 round and came in at the cabin window; I meant, Sir, to 
 prove to you the natural awe the bravest must be under at 
 such appearances, and have, I hope, convinced you in your- 
 self.” “Sir,” says Mr. Walker, glad of being awakened 
 from a terrible dream, and belief of his friend’s death, “ you 
 have given me a living instance—there needs no proof; but 
 pray take care you do not bring death amongst us in earnest.” 
 He then lent his aid in the recovery of the poor Mate, who, 
 as he retrieved his senses, still relapsed at the sight of Mr. 
 Burnet: so that Mr. Walker was obliged to make him en- 
 tirely disappear, and to call others to his assistance; which 
 took up some considerable time in doing, every body, as Mr. 
 Burnet advanced to them, being more or less surprised; but 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 633 
 
 OPP PPL LPS GPP IGS LOO MF POL LIP LDP PLD DPPE LLG LOL ODIO LD LOD POG LIL DLE ELE DE EDGE ODPEOPEP GOOGEOG ORS 
 
 The Marine Spectre.— Pope’s Three Escapes. 
 
 PIL LIEL LL LOLOL LDL LLL LDL DLE LEDGE PLD PL LOD DOLL 
 
 PILE LIF 
 
 PPL LIL LOL PDL PIPL LLL GLL LLL LOL DPD 
 
 they were called to by him, and told the manner of the cheat, 
 and then they were by degrees convinced of his reality; 
 though every one was before thoroughly satisfied of his death. 
 I being persuaded that this story carries a lesson in it, which 
 speaks for itself, shall conclude it by mentioning this circum- 
 Stance, that the poor Mate never rightly recovered the use of 
 his senses from that hour. Nature had received too great a 
 shock, by which Reason was flung from her seat, and could 
 never regain it afterwards; a constant stupidity hung around 
 hita, and he could never be brought to look direct at Mr. 
 Burnet afterwards, though he was as brave a man as ever 
 went, in all his senses, to face death by day-light. 
 ee 
 
 POPE’S THREE ESCAPES. 
 
 Mr. Pore’s life, that was so valuable to the world, was 
 in danger several times; and the first so early as when he 
 was achild in coats. A wild cow, that was driven by the 
 place where he was at play, struck at him with her horns, tore 
 off his hat, wounded him in the throat, beat him down, and 
 trampled over him. 
 
 His second escape was when he was about two-and-twenty. 
 He was travelling in a coach by night, : id with a coachman 
 that did not know the road so well as he should have done. 
 They were to cross the Thames, and the coachman drove into 
 the water; but, after they were a little way in, the horses 
 stopped short, and all his swearing and whipping could not 
 make them stir a foot on. Some passengers, that happened 
 to come by just in the height of his endeavouring to force 
 them to go on, called to the man, and told him that his horses 
 had more sense than himself; that the Thames was not ford- 
 able there; that they were just on the brink of a hole twice 
 as deep as the coach; and that, if they had proceeded a step 
 farther, they must all have been lost. .So he drew back, and 
 got out of the river again; and they were very glad to lie at 
 a little ale-house on the bank they had just quitted. 
 
 His third danger was in a coach too, with six spirited 
 horses. They took fright, ran away, and overturned the 
 coach, with him only in it, into a ditch full of water. He 
 was almost suffoeated there, and broke the glass with his 
 hand to let in the air; but, as the coach sunk deeper, the 
 water gained very fast upon him, and he was taken out but 
 just time enough to save him from being drowned. 
 
 oF. Am 
 
634 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PG POLI LL OLDE DDE PPP OEP POP 
 
 GPELPOP IOP OPE PGP PPP POP IOP OL OPEL LEE DEL DIGLIOCLIS 
 Apparition of Marshal Saxe. 
 
 PEI LOL ODL LLL ELE LEP EOP PEL PLL LLL OLD DLOL DL PLO LIL OCD D LD OLDE OBL LOL LOL ODL DOL DLE LODE LO DOL OLS 
 
 APPARITION OF MARSHAL SAXE. 
 
 A mAN of the name of Schrepfer, who originally resided at 
 Leipsic, ef which city he was a native, and where he kept a 
 coffee-house, pretended to study magic, and to have acquired 
 many secrets connected with that imaginary science. He 
 boldly asserted that he had intercourse with, and a controul 
 over spirits, whom he could summon, command, and cause to 
 disappear, if not altogether at his pleasure, yet by the force of 
 his invocations. Pretensions so extraordinary, sustained by 
 some exhibitions which impressed the spectators with asto- 
 nishment, soon procured him no little reputation. 
 
 Schrepfer, about this time, while he still resided at Leipsic, 
 had offended Prince Charles of Saxony, who ordered an offi- 
 cer belonging to his household to repair to Leipsic, and there 
 to give Schrepfer, in his name, personal chastisement. But, 
 while the gentleman inflicted it, Schrepfer threw himself on 
 his knees, and Joudly invoked his invisible allies to come to 
 his assistance; and the officer was so much alarmed at the 
 invocation and its possible consequences, as to quit the cham- 
 ber with precipitation. 
 
 A circumstance so degrading to Schrepfer, induced him to 
 leave Leipsic. After an absence of some time, he appeared 
 at Dresden, where his pretences to skill in magic attracting 
 many followers, his reputation speedily reached Prince 
 Charles, and induced that prince to make every exertion for 
 obliterating the recollection of the indignity lately offered him. 
 He did not hesitate to go in person to the inn where Schrepfer 
 lodged; solicited his pardon and offered every amends. 
 Schrepfer having accepted the apologies, the prince then re- 
 quested to see some proofs of his supernatural art. It is 
 said that he exhibited many; but the most difficult operation 
 of magic in all ages, has been to raise departed spirits from 
 the tomb: a prodigy which Schrepfer made no secret of his 
 ability to perform. Prince Charles having earnestly besought 
 it, obtained at length a reluctant promise to present before 
 his eyes an apparition. It only remained, therefore, to fix 
 the spirit to be summoned. After long consideration, the Che- 
 valier de Saxe was named, and Schrepfer undertook to pro-~ 
 duce his ghost before a select company. ‘The place chosen 
 for the experiment was Prince Charles’s palace in Dresden ; 
 and the strictest secrecy was observed previous to the affair. 
 
 The Chevalier de Saxe died only a few years ago, at his 
 palace, which his nephew Prince Charles, who was his prin- 
 cipal heir, occupied after his decease. As he left no issue, he 
 was supposed to have amassed great sums. Reports liad been 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 635: 
 
 OL PPI LIILEL GIL LOL PCE LED LOL GEOL LE DOL 
 
 PIF LIL DOL POL OL IR GDL GLE LLIDG DLP LOE LDIF CDE LOS 
 Apparition of Marshal Saxe. 
 
 PIL OLD PDL OLD PLL EDL DDI DL DDL DE OLU DDD ODO DDE ODE LOD POLI DD PLLOI PLL GDP LIL OLED LOLEP LLL LOL DLE D LOAD 
 
 circulated, that money was concealed in the palace; and if his 
 spirit could be compelled to appear, that interesting secret 
 might be extorted from him. This motive prompted Prince 
 Charles to name his uncle as the object of the experiment. 
 
 On the appointed night the company assembled. They were 
 nineteen in number, persons of consideration, character, and 
 respectability. ‘The first object of all present was to secure 
 the windows and doors. They did so; and were satisfied that 
 nothing except violence could procure access or entrance. 
 
 Schrepfer then acquainted them, that the act which he was 
 about to perform would demand all their firmness, and ad- 
 vised them to fortify their nerves by partaking of a bowl of 
 punch, which was placed upon the table. Several of them very 
 readily followed it, but one gentleman declined the advice. 
 ‘“‘] am come here,” says he to Schrepfer, “to be present at 
 raising an apparition. Hither I will see all or nothing. -My 
 resolution is taken, and no inducement can make me put any 
 thing within my lips.” Another of the company placed him- 
 self close to the principal door, in order to watch if any one 
 attempted to open or force it. These preparatory steps being 
 taken, the great work began with the utmost solemnity. 
 
 Schrepfer commenced it by retiring into a corner of the 
 gallery, where, kneeling down with many mysterious ceremo- 
 nies, he invoked the spirits to come to his aid. A very con-: 
 ‘siderable time elapsed before they obeyed; during which in- 
 terval, he laboured apparently under great agitation of body 
 and mind, being covered with a violent sweat, and almost in 
 convulsions. At length a loud clatter was heard at all the 
 windows on the outside; which was soon followed by another 
 noise, resembling more the effect produced by a number of 
 wet fingers drawn over the edge of glasses, than any thing 
 else to which it could well be compared. ‘The sound an- 
 nounced, as he said, the arrival of his good or protecting 
 spirits, and seemed to encourage him to proceed. A short 
 time afterwards, a yelling was heard of a frightful and un- 
 usual nature, which came, he declared, from the malignant 
 spirits, whose presence was necessary and indispensable to the 
 completion of the catastrophe. 
 
 The company were now petrified with horror; and Schrep- 
 fer continuing his invocations, the door suddenly opened with 
 violence, and something that resembled a black ball or globe 
 rolled into the middle of the room. It was invested with 
 smoke or cloud, in the midst of which appeared to be a human 
 face, like the countenance of the Chevalier de Saxe. From 
 this form issued a loud and angry voice, which exclaimed in 
 German, Carl, was wolte du mit me? ‘ Why dost thou dis- 
 
\ « 
 636 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LOOP LD ODL LDN DOP 
 
 LPL LE PLEAD DPLD LOL LODE LLEL LLL LDF 
 
 Apparition of Marshal Saxe.—Lesson from a Spider. 
 
 POLL LO LOG DLE GGE ODE DOA 
 
 POG OCLOIIF LIF 
 
 PLE LI LPL EOLP LOD LDLOE LEP GLP OLED DD LREF 
 
 POLPL LIP LIS 
 
 turb me?” Language, as may be supposed, can ill describe 
 the consternation produced among the spectators at sucha 
 sight. The prince, whose impious curiosity had summoned 
 his uncle’s ghost, and to whom the spectre principally ad- 
 dressed itself, far from manifesting coolness, or attempting re- 
 ply, betrayed the strongest marks of horror and contrition. 
 Throwing himself on his knees, he called on God for mercy ; 
 while others of the terrified party earnestly besought the ma- 
 gician to give the only remaining proof of his art for which 
 they now were anxious, by dismissing the apparition. But 
 near an hour elapsed before, by the force of his mvocations, 
 the spectre could be compelled to disappear. Nay, when at 
 length Schrepfer had succeeded in dismissing it, at the mo- 
 ment that the company began to resumea degree of serenity, 
 the door, which had been closed, burst open again, and the 
 same hideous form presented itself anew to their eyes. ‘The 
 most resolute and collected among them were not proof to 
 its second appearance, and a scene of universal terror en- 
 sued. Schrepfer, however, by reiterated exorcisms or ex- 
 ertions, finally dismissed the apparition. The terrified spec- 
 tators soon dispersed, overcome with amazement, and fully 
 satisfied of Schrepfer’s supernatural powers. 
 
 Schrepfer did not long enjoy his celebrity, and his death is 
 not the least extraordinary part of his history. ‘These gen- 
 tlemen, whom he had in some measure initiated in his myste- 
 ries (for he professed to instruct in the science of magic) were 
 promised by him an exhibition more wonderful than any at 
 which they had yet assisted. For this purpose they attended 
 him into the wood of Rosendaal, which is at a small distance 
 from the gates of Leipsic. It was in summer, before the sun 
 rose, between three and four in the morning. When they 
 came to a certain part of the grove, he desired them to stay a 
 little, while he went on one side to make the requisite invo- 
 cations. After waiting a few minutes, they heard the report 
 of a pistol. Running to the spot, they found that he had 
 shot himself, and was already without sense. He soon ex- 
 pired, 
 
 =e 
 A LESSON FROM A SPIDER. 
 
 Kine Rogert Bruce, the restorer of the Scottish mo- 
 narchy, being out one day reconnoitring the enemy, lay at 
 night in a barn belonging to a loyal cottager. In the morn- 
 ing, still reclining his head on the pillow of straw, he beheld 
 a spider climbing up a beam of the roof. The insect fell to 
 the ground, but immediately made a second essay to ascend. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 637 
 
 POL DLP 
 
 A Lesson from a Spider.—Horrors of a Guilty Conscience. 
 
 F a ee 
 
 PPP POD PPP PLL DPD LIL PLDDLLOE LPP DPPOGL OE ELS DOO POOOGGH 
 
 POP LOL AEP ODP LOD LOL PLE OLS 
 
 PDF. 
 
 CLPPL OIE POL GLE PLO DIP 
 
 This attracted the notice of the hero; who, with regret, saw 
 the spider fall a second time from the same eminence. li 
 made a third unsuccessful attempt. Not without a mixture 
 of concern and curiosity, the monarch twelve times beheld the 
 insect baffled in its aim; but the thirteenth essay was crowned 
 with success: it gained the summit of the barn; when the 
 king, starting from his couch, exclaimed, ‘This despicable 
 insect has taught me perseverance,—I will follow its example! 
 Have I not been twelve times defeated by the enemy’s superior 
 force? On one fight more hangs the independence of my 
 country.” Ina few days his anticipations were fully realized, 
 by the glorious result to Scotland of the battle of Bannock- 
 burn, and the total defeat of Edward the Second. | 
 
 ne 
 
 HORRORS OF A GUILTY CONSCIENCE. 
 
 Ir was in the city of Amiens that the hand of Justice over- 
 took Joseph Le Bon. He was executed amidst the curses of 
 that very populace, who, a few weeks before, had received 
 him with shouts of applause, and loaded him with caresses. 
 While he was on mission, a poor harmless priest happened to 
 fall under his displeasure: Le Bon issued an order for his 
 arrest ; but the priest obtained intelligence of his danger and 
 fled into the woods. ‘This circumstance aroused the.fury of 
 the vindictive tyrant: he wrote instantly to the Committee of 
 Public Safety, denouncing a great conspiracy, declared that 
 he had discovered all the conspirators, and that an agent of 
 Pitt had fled into the woods, but from the vigorous measures 
 he had adopted, he had no doubt whatever, that the criminal 
 would be brought to justice. He kept his word. Vigorous 
 measures were adopted with a vengeance. The genérale 
 was beaten, and all the armed citizens were ordered to scour 
 the woods, in order to seize the agent of Pitt. On the en- 
 suing day, the poor creature, exhausted with fatigue, half 
 famished, and hunted like a wild beast, returned to the city, 
 and surrendered himself to his tormentors. He was carried 
 on the same night before the Revolutionary tribunal. He 
 was asked his name, and he no sooner replied, than the Jury, 
 without hearing either the indictment or the evidence, pro- 
 nounced him guilty, and sentenced him to die. He was then 
 remanded to prison. ‘The whole of the night he spent in 
 prayer, and on the next morning, when the gend’armes arrived 
 to attend him to the place of execution, the fears which had 
 prompted him to take shelter in the woods, instantly forsook 
 him; he became resigned and courageous. Fortified by his 
 religious sentiments and conscious innocence, he proclaimed 
 
638 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 POO EOE LOL RDP DDE DOD LIG LIC LOL LIL LOL LOL LOE LLL LILO LDS PII LIP LLL LOG LODDDL LOO LDE LOODPDLE OOO POO 
 
 Horrors of a Guilty Conscience. 
 
 ere POOLE PL ELLIE DOD LDEDLDG LOL LDL LOD LEE LEED OL LLL DDL L OODLE LD DL DOD DEL EDD LDE DDO DLO LODLID LIE 
 
 that he preferred death to living in a society, in whose breasts 
 every spark of justice was extinguished ; that the very cir- 
 cumstance of his having been condemned unheard, and with- 
 out even the forms of a trial, proved that the time was come 
 when good men should no longer desire to live; and that as 
 death was now the object of his highest ambition, he would 
 show his fellow-citizens in how calm a manner an innocent 
 man could die. On these considerations he refused to get 
 into the cart, but stated his resolution to walk to the place of 
 execution. With a firm countenance and a steady step, sur- 
 rounded by the Sbirri of Le Bon, and the miscreants who de- 
 lighted in the blood of men, he walked to the scaffold, which 
 he mounted with joy. But even in the moment of death the 
 bloody tyrant continued to torment him; he desired the exe- 
 cution to be delayed until his women appeared at the corridor 
 of a house that was opposite; and when these unfeeling 
 wretches, with a ferocity unusual in their sex, waved their 
 handkerchiefs as symptoms of exultation, the fatal knife was 
 permitted to fall, and released the victim from a world that 
 was unworthy of him. 
 
 This melancholy event is mentioned merely to contrast it 
 with the conduct of Le Bon at the place of his execution. 
 The night before he suffered the most excruciating agonies 
 of mind; his conscience, like a devouring vulture, preyed 
 upon all his faculties, and awakened the horrors of futurity 
 in his breast. At intervals, he attempted to destroy himself, 
 but fear and hope withheld his hand, and he was heard to 
 give loud shrieks, not such as are given by those who suffer 
 from bodily pain, but the tremendous yell of a demon, imply- 
 ing many agitated passions, rage, disappointment, terror, and 
 despair. When he was brought out of the prison to be seated 
 in the cart, the shout that rent the air cannot be described. 
 A person who was present, assured me that the howls of can- 
 nibals were nothing compared with it. ‘The populace spit 
 upon him; they asked him, as it was a fine day, why he did 
 not walk to the guillotine as the priest had done, and die like 
 aman? He was goaded with a thousand terrible questions ; 
 and as the procession moved, women and children danced in 
 _ the streets, clapping their hands, and reproaching him with a 
 number of bitter recollections. Yet these were the very per- 
 sons who, but a few days before, danced and clapped their 
 hands when an inoffensive minister of religion was led to be 
 slaughtered! | 
 
 Le Bon was silent, but convulsed with passion, and some- 
 times he cried; but when he reached the scaffold, he gave a 
 horrible shriek, which produced no other effect than peals of 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 639 
 
 POLS PILISPLPDEPDDODIOL GCL ES & PEEL PP PLO PL DP POL PLS POP POPS. 
 
 wer 
 
 Horrors of a Guilty Conscience.—Eccentric Biography: Martin Van Butchell. 
 laughter from the spectators. He was taken out of the cart, 
 for fear had completely deprived him of strength; and during 
 the short period that elapsed before the knife descended, a 
 thousand different voices wished him a good voyage, and a 
 happy meeting with all his friends in hell. Thus accursed, 
 this ferocious monster expired, leaving a terrible example to 
 guilty minds. 
 
 a 
 
 ECCENTRIC BIOGRAPHY. 
 MARTIN VAN BUTCHELL. 
 [See Frontispiece, fig. 8.] ° 
 
 SINGULARITY of manners and appearance has been as- 
 sumed by some to excite that attention which they did not 
 deserve, and to gain credit for qualifications they never pos- 
 sessed. By such this method has been employed to make 
 themselves known and to acquire a reputation, which, by the 
 ordinary mode of conduct, unaided by talents, they could 
 never have obtained. Such was not the case with Mr. Mar- 
 tin Van Butchell, one of the most eccentric characters to be 
 found in the British metropolis, and a gentleman of indis- 
 putable science and abilities, but whose strange humours and 
 extraordinary habits, have rather tended to obscure than to 
 display the talents he possessed. 
 
 The family of Van Butchell was originally from Flanders, 
 and the father of Martin was well known, at the beginning of 
 the reign of George the Second, as tapestry-maker to the 
 King. Martin Van Butchell was born on the 5th of February, 
 1735, in Eagle Street, Red Lion Square, but afterwards re- 
 moved with his family to a large house, then called the Crown 
 House, situated a short distance on the Surrey side of West- 
 minster Bridge. Having received an education suited to the 
 circumstances of his parents, and disliking his father’s profes- 
 sion, he obtained a recommendation to Sir Thomas Robinson, 
 as a travelling companion to his son. On this occasion, the 
 candour, integrity, and independent character, which have 
 distinguished Mr. Van Butchell through life, were remarkably 
 displayed; for hearing an unfavourable, and as it happened 
 an unjust account of the temper and disposition of Sir 
 Thomas, he declined the engagement. He soon afterwards 
 entered in the capacity of groom of the chambers into the 
 family of Lady Talbot, in which he lived nine years. 
 
 The economy of Mr. Van Butchell, in this situation, enabled 
 him, on leaving it, co devote himself to his favourite studies, 
 mechanics, medicine, and in particular anatomy. Under the 
 
 a 
 
640 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 GOPLIS PLOPPDO LOD IGF 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Martin Van Butchell. 
 
 \ 
 OLED DIL DOL LDL DDD LLL LOLOL DE LLG ILL LOD LLG LD DL LL LDOD LDL DLE ODE LOD ODL 
 
 PLO PLO PLE DBE LPO DDDIGE BIL OGD OOP LLO LOD LOD L DO ODPL GO OPPS” 4 
 
 PPL LF ODF PPP LPP LIP 
 
 tuition of those eminent masters, the late celebrated Doctors 
 William and John Hunter, he enjoyed an excellent oppor- 
 tunity of obtaining a competent knowledge of the various 
 branches of the healing art. The latter gentleman he has 
 thus commemorated in one of the singular advertisements, 
 which he was for many years in the habit of sending forth into 
 the world. 
 
 “ The first Magistrate 
 And other sincere lovers of this State 
 Are now informed most respectfully 
 That, some years ago, Martin VAn BurcHeLn 
 had an appointment to meet 
 (—At Lady Hunloke’s house in Stratford Place—) 
 his able teacher, Joun Hunter, Esq. 
 Who overtook him in Grosvenor Square, and bade him get 
 into his chariot: soon as he was seated, 
 
 John said, What mischief are you about now ? 
 
 Martin.—Curing the king’s evil. 
 
 John.—\ can’t cure the king’s evil. 
 
 Martin.—1 know you can’t cure the king’s evil. If you © 
 could cure the king’s evil, I should not trouble myself about 
 the king’s evil: but I want to do 
 
 What you cannot do! 
 
 John.—That is right. Do you try to get first, (we know 
 nothing compared to what we are ignorant of,) make yourself 
 of consequence, and then every body will make you of conse- 
 quence ; but if you don’t make yourself of consequence, no- 
 body else will. Ido assure you many are in very high esteem 
 and very full praciice that (comparatively) know no mere 
 about healing than dray-horses: they have not powers. 
 
 You try to be first !” 
 
 The first publie appearance of Mr. Van Butchell was in the 
 profession of a dentist, having been led to make human teeth 
 a principal object of his attention, by the accidental breaking 
 of one of his own. It is related that in a very early, and con- 
 sequently not the most lucrative period of his practice, a lad 
 being dissatisfied with some teeth with which he had furnished 
 her, he voluntarily returned the money (ten guineas) she had 
 paid for them. It was not long, however, before she came 
 back, requesting as a favour, that she might have them again 
 at the original price. So eminently successful was Mr. Van 
 Butchell in this line, that for a complete set of teeth he is 
 known to have received so high a price as eighty guineas. 
 
 Mr. Van Butchell next turned his attention to the treat- 
 
GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 641 
 
 P PDOPL DLP GOL PL OL ODP DO LOO LDP SD 
 
 Eccentric Biography. Martin Van Butchell. 
 
 PPI L EL LOD LDL PPO LDP 
 
 errrs 
 
 PIPL ALL DID LOD LED DOLD LIE LLL LLG SL LE LDDL DOL LLL DDG DLO DDS 
 
 ment of ruptures ; and in this practice acquired so extensive a 
 reputation, that a Dutch physician paid a visit to this coun- 
 try, for the express purpose of placing himself under his care. 
 In return fer the relief he received, he instructed Mr. Van 
 Butchell in the art of curing fistulas, which he afterwards 
 practised with unparalleled success. 
 
 The numerous inventions of Mr. Van Butchell are suffi- 
 cient demonstrations of a mechanical genius. While he was 
 engaged in the making of trusses for ruptures, he contrived 
 what he denominated elastic bands, or braces for small clothes; 
 but being necessarily of a high price, they have not come into 
 general use. He was also the inventor of spring girths for 
 saddles, of cork bottoms to iron stirrups, to prevent the feet 
 from slipping, and many other things of a similar description. 
 
 The ingenuity and eccentricities of Mr. Van Butchell often 
 attracted the notice of his late Majesty. He says of himself, 
 in one of his curious advertisements, that “ your Majesty’s 
 
 etitioner, about ten years ago, had often the high honour, 
 before your Majesty’s nobles, of conversing with your Ma- 
 jesty, face to face, when we were hunting of the stag in 
 Windsor Forest.” 
 
 It is said that, at one time, this extraordinary character 
 aspired to the honour of being appointed dentist to the late 
 King, and applied for that purpose to the Marquis of Salis- 
 bury, then Lord Chamberlain of the household. His wish 
 was intimated to his late Majesty, whose consent was obtained; 
 when Van Butchell, from some unaccountable whim, wound 
 up a public advertisement, with a notice, that Lord Salisbury 
 had no occasion to trouble himself about procuring him the 
 appointment of dentist to the King. 
 
 The conduct of Mr. Van Butchell, after the death of his 
 first wife, served to render him more than ever an object of 
 public notice. We have heard of an Irish gentleman who 
 was so distractedly fond of a beautiful wife, prematurely 
 snatched from him by death, that he had her embalmed, and 
 kept her in a closet adjoining his room. He never sat down 
 to table without having a chair, and a plate, with knife and 
 fork, placed for her; nay, so powerful was the effect of his 
 grief on his intellects, that when he wished perfectly to enjoy» 
 himself, he would place her im a chair opposite to his own, 
 and talk to her as though she had still been alive. Whether 
 Mr. Van Butchell was actuated by the same feelings as this 
 fond and unfortunate husband, we cannot pretend to decide, 
 but certain it is that he had the corpse of his wife embalmed, 
 and kept it for many years ina parlour in his house, where it 
 was inspected by great numbers of anit visiters. This 
 
 27. | N 
 
642 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. . 
 
 GOPP OP PPL OLODO LOS, PIE PIP IDOE DOE LOE PLODDE DELL DODODLLO LE OOLO ODE ODP DDE DOP OLE. 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Martin Van Butchell. 
 
 PIPL LL ODL LPOG OLE ILE LIL LEO LDODLLE LOL LLLP LEB OECL LOLOL L DE LOL LOE LODE LL DDL EOD LDL LOL ODO LD OD OP 
 
 singularity gave rise to a report, that, by a clause in the mar- | 
 riage-settlement, he was entitled to the disposal of certain 
 property as long as she remained above ground. 
 
 Like the late Lord Rokeby, Mr. Van Butchell was a de- 
 cided enemy to the razor, which never touched his chin for 
 a number of years. It has been asserted, that this singularity 
 was not the mere effect of caprice, but the result of a philo- 
 sophical conversation with Dr. John Hunter, in which it was 
 agreed that this natural appendage is conducive to the strength 
 and vigour of the human body. His allusions to this orna- 
 ment, in the eccentric compositions of which we have already 
 given some specimens, are frequent and amusing. He was 
 fond of using the following quotation from the entertaining 
 Mr. D’Israeli’s Curiosities of Literature : 
 
 “ Beards the Delight of ancient Beauties. 
 
 ‘“‘ ‘When the fair were accustomed to behold their lovers 
 with beards, the sight of a shaved chin excited sentiments of 
 horror and aversion. 
 
 “To obey the injunctions of his bishops, Louis the Seventh 
 of France cropped his hair, and shaved his beard. Hleanor 
 of Acquitaine, his consort, found him, with this uncommon 
 appearance, very ridiculous and very contemptible. She re- 
 venged herself, by becoming something more than a coquette. 
 The King obtained a divorce. She then married the Count 
 of Anjou, who shortly after ascended the English throne. 
 She gave him for her marriage-dower the rich provinces of 
 Poitou and Guienne ; and this was the origin of those wars 
 which for three hundred years ravaged France, and which 
 cost the French nation three millions of men. All which, 
 probably had never taken place, if Louis the Seventh had not 
 been so rash as to crop his hair and shave his beard, by which 
 he became so disgustful in the eyes of the fair Eleanor.” 
 
 In another of his advertisements he says :—‘ Girls are fond 
 of hair: (and love comforters.) See their bosom friends ;— 
 large waists—muffs, tippets. Let your beards grow long, 
 that ye may be strong, In mind and body.” Again he exhorts * 
 his readers to “leave off deforming: each himself reform: 
 wear the marks of men: incontestible. Jesus did not shave: 
 for he knew better. Had it been proper our chins should be 
 bare, would hair be put there by wise Jehovah, who made all 
 things good ?” 
 
 But the most extraordinary, and perhaps the reader ma 
 conceive the most unintelligible of Mr. Van Butchell’s effu- 
 sions on this subject, is the following: ‘Am not I the first 
 
GURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 643 
 
 LIP PED LEO DLE LOL BOP LPODLDL PID IDPDDGE GP IDLE LOL OOS 
 
 PREPS PIP PPPLLE ODS 
 Eccentric Biography :—Martin Van Butchell. 
 
 healer (at this day) of bad fistula ? With an handsome beard, 
 like Hippocrates! The combing I sell one guinea each hair. 
 (Of use to the fair, that want fine children :—I can tell them 
 how; it isa secret.) Some are quite auburn; others silver- 
 white :—full half-quarter long, growing—(day and night—) 
 only fifteen months.” This appears, from the concluding 
 words, to have been written only a year and a quarter after 
 he first began to cherish the excrescence, and when it had at- 
 tained the length of half a quarter of a yard, or four inches 
 and a half. About two years afterwards he describes himself 
 as ** a British Christian man, with a comely beard, full eight 
 inches long.”’ 7 
 
 The favourite exercise and recreation of Mr. Van Butchell 
 was riding. ‘The principle on which he retained his beard he 
 extended also to animals, which he contended should never 
 be docked, nicked, or trimmed. His steed was a grey poney, 
 which, it is said, he sometimes took into his head to paint 
 with spots or streaks of purple, black, or other colours. The 
 tout ensemble of the rider, with a shallow narrow-brimmed 
 hat, nearly white with age, a venerable flowing beard, a rusty 
 brown coat, and boots of the same complexion, and the poney, 
 with the above-mentioned whimsical decorations, had a most 
 ludicrous effect, and often attracted a considerable number of 
 spectators. (A striking representation of this singular couple 
 will be seen in the Frontispiece, fig. 8.) A bridle, which he 
 occasionally used, was a curious contrivance. A blind was 
 fixed to the head, and this he could let down over the horse’s 
 eyes and draw up again at pleasure, in case the animal should 
 take fright, or to prevent him from seeing any particular 
 object. 
 
 Mr. Van Butchell resided between thirty and forty years in 
 the same house in Mount Street, Berkley Square, the singu- 
 lar inscription on which often arrested the attention of the 
 passenger. Elis success in the various branches of his prac- 
 tice had been very great, and the sphere of his utility, as well 
 as his own profits, might have been much increased, had he 
 not taken the resolution, to which he inflexibly adhered, of 
 seeing patients only at his own house. On this subject it is 
 re.ated, that he was once sent for to attend a gentleman of 
 eminence in the law, but he referred to the notice in his ad- 
 vertisement— I go to none.” Five hundred guineas were 
 offered to induce him to alter his resolution, but in vain. 
 The sum was doubled, but with truly admirable consistency 
 he still replied, “‘ I go to none.” 
 
 From one of the whims for which Mr. Van Butchell was so 
 remarkable, he used, a few years ago, to sell cakes, ginger- 
 
644 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LOEPL LL LOL LO PLO DLOPLLDO LOD DOPGGP 
 
 PLP LPGLLO LPG LOO GPG LRAT 
 
 Eccentric Biography - Martin Van Butchell. 
 
 POPE LDOL ODL ODL DO LID DOL DDE LL LE DODD DOL EDIE LDELD LDL DDO L OP LOD DID 
 
 « t AGPP PILL OP CIOLOD 
 
 PPI LLL OPP LIE LILLIE 
 
 bread, apples, nuts, and the like, to children at his door. — It 
 has been suggested, that his motive for engaging in this line 
 of business, might be to afford employment to his own chil- 
 dren, of whom he had a numerous family. 
 
 In his domestic habits, he is said to have preserved the 
 same characteristic singularity as marked the rest of his con- 
 duct,—making it an invariable practice to dine by himself. 
 His wife and children also dined by themselves, and the only 
 method in which he called the latter was by whistling. It is 
 likewise reported, that on his marriage with each of his two 
 wives, he gave them the choice of the two extreme colours 
 for clothes, white or black; and after they had made their elec- 
 tion, never suffered them to wear any other. ‘The first chose 
 black and the second white, in which they constantly appeared. 
 
 The political sentiments of Mr. Van Butchell may be ga- 
 thered from the following facts. During the agitation pro- 
 duced in the kingdom by the writings of Paine, and the arti- — 
 fices of designing men, he thus commenced one of his adver- 
 tisements: ‘ Corresponding Lads—remember Judas, and the 
 year 80.” At the same period, he was a frequent attendant 
 at the Westminster Forum, where he exercised the right be- 
 longing to every individual by reading a chapter of the New 
 Testament, probably by way of antidote to the infidel princi- 
 ples which many of the visiters of that place had imbibed. 
 He never failed to act his part with extraordinary gravity, 
 and from this circumstance undoubtedly originated the report 
 of his having occasionally performed the functions of -a 
 preacher. Nevertheless, so far was he from being bigotted to 
 a party, and such was the humanity of his disposition, that he 
 paid many friendly visits to Newgate while the persons appre- 
 hended for seditious practices were confined in that prison, 
 
 Mr. Van Butchell’s good state of health, at an advanced 
 time of life, may perhaps be ascribed to his manner of living. 
 He used to retire‘early to rest and rise betimes; taking no 
 wine or strong drink, and eating but little flesh. The tea 
 used by his family, a fragrant wholesome beverage, was pre- 
 pared by himself. 
 
 We cannot dismiss the remarkable subject of this article, 
 without noticing the severe domestic affliction which befel 
 him in the summer of 1806, in the death of one of his sons, an 
 amiable young man, of twenty-two, while on a party of plea- 
 sure ina boat onthe Thames. The same accident also proved 
 fatal to two young ladies of the company. ‘The premature 
 end of the youth was the more deeply regretted on account of 
 the act in which he lost his life. ‘The boat was overturned, 
 and perceiving his mother sinking, he directed all his efforts 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 645 
 
 PPLIPIP LIP LD LILORD FLIP 
 
 PIL LL OL OP ODF 
 
 ae 
 
 Eccentric Biography: Martin Van Butchell.—Hypocrisy Detected. 
 
 PLL PIPL LOL PLS 
 
 LDPLLPPL PLD LPL LPE LDL OLE LLL LP DLLE DIL LOL GG! 
 
 PLPIL LL DLL LLL DOD PPP 
 
 to her preservation. Rising with her in his arms, he struck 
 his head against the side of a barge with such force as to 
 fracture his skull, which occasioned his immediate death. 
 
 eet 
 
 HYPOCRISY DETECTED. 
 
 In the parish of Severin, in Paris, there lived an individual, 
 who exteriorly was of the most regular conduct, and enjoyed 
 the reputation of loving virtue and delighting in good; assi- 
 duous to every exercise of religion, he seemed to follow its 
 maxims with exemplary fervour. The clergy and the inha- 
 bitants of the parish were edified by his behaviour, he was 
 looked up to as a paragon of piety, and named the Holy Man. 
 He was far from being what he appeared. Under the veil of 
 devotion he concealed the most atrocious and depraved soul. 
 When out of church, his sole occupation was to inveigle poor 
 young girls into his house, and promise to put them apprentices 
 with honest people. But far-from fulfilling such respectable 
 engagements, the wretch sold the unhappy victims, and deli- 
 vered them up to the most shameful prostitution. One of the un- 
 happy girls, who for three days was struggling for her virtue, had 
 courage enough not only to resist, but to form the praisewor- 
 thy resolution of making the suborner known to the police. 
 She found a bit of paper in her place of confinement, and with 
 her blood traced the detail of her misfortunes on it, and then 
 threw it out of the window, after having directed it to the 
 rector of the parish. Luckily it was found by a gentleman 
 who brought it to the priest, and told him where he had picked 
 itup. The priest went to the Attorney-General, and made 
 him acquainted with the subject of the note he had received. 
 The Attorney-General said, he had for a long time been search- 
 ing, but in vain, for a wretch in that predicament; he assured 
 the ecclesiastic that he would,without loss of time, bring the vil- 
 lain to condign punishment: he accordingly wrote to him in 
 the following terms :—‘ Being informed that your charity is 
 become proverbial in the parish you live in, I wish you would ° 
 grant me half an hour’s conversation at my hotel, | have some- 
 thing important to communicate to you; and that you may 
 favour me sooner with your company, I do not hesitate to 
 tell you that it has reference to some pious designs.”’ ‘The 
 man, full of confidence, flies to the Attorney-General, who 
 received him with the most apparent cordiality, and told him 
 - that he had some thoughts of proposing to his Majesty the 
 creation of a new office, and that he destined him for it, that 
 the title of ‘“‘ Father of the Poor,” would perfectly agree with 
 his virtuous conduct. In the meantime a commissary and 
 
646 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DPODIDE DOPPGP ODE: 
 
 PIL LDF. 
 
 LIE LLP LPS PP 
 
 Hypocrisy Detected.—The Cruel Infanticide. 
 
 DOP L LE LEC LOD LaF PLE LLOOL DOL LOL OD LPO LIL DD OL OE BOL ODE LOE LOE LIL DDI POD DLO GPE LOE LP! BOP DLE ODF 
 
 1 OPIIS LIL ISS. 
 
 four agents of the police were rummaging his house. They 
 there found twelve young girls in the greatest misery, most 
 of whom had already sacrificed their virtue. ‘They reported 
 the whole affair to the Attorney-General, who had the hypo- 
 critical villain arrested and conducted to prison, where he 
 was destined to pass the remainder of his days. ‘The young 
 
 girls were taken care of by the parish. 
 —==_ i 
 
 THE CRUEL INFANTICIDE. 
 
 A person of the name of Elizabeth Burnet was committed 
 to Yarmouth Gaol for the murder of her natural child. This. 
 young woman had kept company for some time with a sailor, 
 and it was generally believed he was to be married to her. 
 Business called him away, and the lady at whose house Betty 
 lived, suspected from appearances that she was with child ; 
 but the girl, on being questioned, positively denied it. On 
 the 23d of August, 1785, there was a great wash in the family, 
 and in this she was employed. The fatigue of such a busi- 
 ness brought on her labour, and she retired from the laundry, 
 at about seven o’clock in the evening, to the sea-side, where 
 Nature performed the part of the accoucheur, and she was 
 safely delivered of a male infant. The tender innocent babe, 
 as soon as she had strength to rise, she threw into the sea, 
 and departed tottering from the shore. She had not gone 
 above a hundred paces hefore she heard the child cry: on 
 that noise she returned; and found her son thrown by the 
 surge back to the shore, strong and alive. She threw it a 
 second time with equally bad success as to the murder, for it 
 came back with the waves alive: she threw it in a third time, 
 but her strength being so much exhausted she could not send 
 it as far out as at the first or second attempt, and therefore 
 throwing it but a little way, the child again cried. Provi- 
 dence seemed to have given this inhuman wretch sufficient 
 time for repentance, but, instigated by some hellish agent, she 
 lost all sense of parental feeling, all motherly affection, and 
 taking up a stone she beat out the brains of the child; then 
 waded as far into the sea as she could, and committed its body 
 to the waves, and returned home. Her manner of going out, and 
 her returning in so debilitated a state, alarmed the other ser- 
 vants ; and her mistress being told of her state, ordered her.to 
 bed, (imagining she was in labour,) and sent for a man-midwife. 
 When he arrived, and enquired scientifically into the fact, he 
 informed the lady of the house that the girl had been delivered 
 within a very short time. ‘This naturally brought on an en- 
 quiry, to which she gave many evasive answers ; until next 
 morning, when a fisherman having found the body of the in- 
 
\s CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 547 
 
 PLP PLE POL LIL LLG LOL AID 
 
 Saath nhee an 
 Cruel Infanticide.— Execution of Damiens for attempting to Assassinate Louis XV. 
 
 LOL LOL LOD DDD DDO O DE LID DLS 
 
 PPG LIL PPLE PIE PLD 
 
 PIE LID ILE LEE LEL LEE DLO DL LEDLI FEL ODD L LOD EOL R EL DDD GOLD LDP 
 
 fant, and it being brought into the room to her, (for the whole 
 town had heard the report,) she confessed the fact as before 
 related, and was thereupon committed to gaol. She was 
 shortly after tried for the murder and executed. 
 
 ai 
 
 DREADFUL EXECUTION OF DAMIENS FOR ATTEMPTING TO 
 ASSASSINATE LOUIS XV. KING OF FRANCE, 
 
 Tis unhappy man, who fell a victim to his fanatical spirit, 
 or the temporary influence of insanity, for it is doubtful which 
 instigated him to the commission of the crime, was a native 
 of St. Pol, a village in France. He had for some months 
 meditated the assassination of the king, and was only pre- 
 vented by circumstances from putting it into execution be- 
 fore. On the afternoon of the 5th of January, 1757, his 
 majesty was stepping into his coach at Versailles, when Da- 
 miens, who had concealed himself at the bottom of the stairs, 
 rushed forwards and stabbed him at the fifth rib. Damiens, 
 instead of endeavouring to escape, which he might have done 
 in the confusion, remained with his hat on, which the king 
 observing, gave him into custody. He soon underwent the 
 most agonizing tortures to induce him to confess his accom- 
 plices, and he handed over a list, which he afterwards owned 
 to be false. He was tried on the 25th of March, and the 
 following day being Sunday, he was ordered to be executed 
 on the 28th. 
 
 A little before three o’clock, the commissioners went from 
 the Conciergeri to the town-hall, preceded, according to cus- 
 tom, by the archers, or halberdiers. Damiens was brought 
 in a tumbril, or dung-cart, before the principal gate of the 
 church of Notre Dame, in his shirt, where he performed the 
 ceremony of the amende honorable by holding a lighted torch 
 of two pounds’ weight, acknowledging his crime, and begging 
 pardon of God, the king, and the laws. 
 
 He was carried to the Gréve, and the whole city was well 
 guarded. 
 
 When Damiens arrived at the Gréve, he asked pardon for 
 the calumnious expressions which he had used, since his con- 
 finement., against the archbishop of Paris; acknowledging 
 them to be false and groundless; declared that his wife and 
 daughter were entirely innocent, and no ways accessary to 
 his crime; most earnestly entreating, that they might be used 
 with mercy and compassion; and asserted, that he had neither 
 inciter, accomplice, or associate in what he had done. ‘The 
 two clergymen, in order to impress him more strongly with 
 devout sentiments (hoping thereby to induce him the more 
 
648 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PILE LODP LE CLLE OLE PLL LDL PDP BLL LDL DLE LIT POP LLP LIL LP 
 
 POP PDE LGOLPPIL IS PREF 
 
 Dreadful Execution of Damiens for attempting to Assassinate Louis XV. 
 
 LOL LIOL DOD LGD LOD LOL LIF LLOLLO LDL LOL DOLD LOD LD D LOD DOP LDOE DOD OO LOD 
 
 PPE OOD DDI LDOIGIE DIS 
 
 readily to speak the truth) and to put him in mind of his cru- 
 cified Saviour, frequently presented him with a crucifix, which 
 he respectfully kissed. ‘The commissioners, finding that all 
 their endeavours to induce him to confess were ineffectual, 
 commanded him to be carried back to the Gréve. But the 
 executioner not having every thing prepared to proceed to 
 immediate execution, Damiens waited some time, during which 
 the two divines (who attended him to his last moments) were 
 incessant with him in their duties. The hangman, for his 
 neglect, was afterwards imprisoned. 
 
 A little before five Damiens was stripped, and even gave 
 proofs of his firmness, by surveying all his body and limbs 
 very minutely with great attention, and by looking undaunt- 
 edly round on the vast concourse of people, who were in- 
 veighing against him most vehemently. He was then laid on 
 the scaffold, to which he was instantly tied, and soon after- 
 wards fastened by two iron gyves, or fetters, one placed over 
 his breast below his arms, and the other over his belly, just 
 above his thighs. 'Then the executioner burnt his right hand 
 (with which the villainous stab had been given) in flames of 
 brimstone; during which operation Damiens gave a very loud 
 and continued cry, which was heard at a great distance from 
 the place of execution ; after which, Damiens raising his head 
 as well as he could, looked for some time at the burnt hand 
 with great earnestness and composure. The executioner 
 then proceeded to pinch him in the arms, thighs, and breast, 
 with red-hot pincers; and Damiens, at every pinch, shrieked 
 in the same manner as he had done when his hand was 
 scorched with the brimstone; and viewed and gazed at every 
 one of the wounds, and ceased crying as soon as the execu- 
 tioner gave over the pinching. ‘Then boiling oil, melted wax 
 and resin, and melted lead, were poured into all the wounds, 
 except those on the breast; which made him give as loud 
 shrieks and cries as he had done before when his hand was 
 burnt with sulphur, and his breast, arms, and thighs, torn 
 with hot pincers. The words which he exclaimed at every 
 repetition of torment, were:—‘‘ Strengthen me! Lord God! 
 strengthen me!’ “ Lord God, have pity on me!” ‘ O Lord, 
 my God, what do I not suffer!” ‘* Lord God, give me pa- 
 tience !”’ 
 
 When he had undergone all these excruciating torments, 
 and every thing being ready for the execution of the next part 
 of the sentence, the executioner and his assistants proceeded 
 to fasten round the criminal’s arms, legs, and thighs, the ropes 
 with which the horses were to tear those limbs from his body. 
 This operation being very long, and the tight tying of the 
 
GURLIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 649 
 
 x PLPOPLIE LIF BLP LOL POL PLIP DED LOD LIS POP LOD OD PLIES 
 
 POP LOE LEP ODED LE DLE LOE LOL DDO L LL 
 
 Dreadful Execution of Damiens.— Massacre of St. Bartholomew. 
 
 PPI LLL. 0 ah a 
 
 PPL LD ELLE LOD ODO L GL LOE LLE PDE ODE LDGO!D ODE LOPE 
 
 ropes upon the fresh wounds, augmenting his pain, made the 
 miserable Damiens renew his shrieks and cries most hideously; 
 but such was his continued firmness, that even then, he sur- 
 veyed his body minutely, and with surprising curiosity. 
 
 When the cords were fixed, four stout, young, and vigor- 
 ous horses continued their repeated efforts above an hour, 
 without doing any thing further towards the dismembering of 
 the unhappy criminal, than stretching his joints to a prodi- 
 gious length; which probably was owing to the youth and 
 vigour of the horses, as being for that reason too headstrong 
 and unmanageable for pulling in concert. ‘The physician and 
 surgeon then acquainted the commissioners, that, unless the 
 principal sinews of the sufferer were cut, it would be very 
 difficult, if not almost impossible, to put that part of the sen- 
 tence in execution. This was done, as night was coming on, 
 and it was desirable that the execution should be accom- 
 plished before the day was over. ‘The sinews being cut, the 
 horses began to draw anew, and after several] pulls, a thigh 
 and arm were torn from the body. Damiens looked at his 
 several members, and had some remains of sense after the 
 other thigh was pulled off; nor did he expire, till the other 
 arm was likewise torn away As soon as there was no ap- 
 pearance of life left, the trunk and dismembered quarters 
 were thrown into a large blazing pile of wood, erected for 
 that purpose near the scaffold, where they continued burning 
 till seven o'clock next morning, and afterwards his ashes were, 
 according to the sentence of the court of parliament, scattered 
 in the air. 
 
 a 
 
 MASSACRE OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW. 
 
 Cuaruss IX. of France, anxious to shed the blood of his 
 subjects, was desirous to present the Pope’s Legate with a 
 ring, as a pledge of the sincerity of his intentions. This the 
 Legate refused to take, assuring him that the word of so great 
 a monarch was sufficient; but after the massacre of St. Bar- 
 tholomew, the king sent it to him with a suitable inscription. 
 
 When the news of the massacre was brought to Rome, Car- 
 dinal Alexandrini exclaimed to the Pope, “‘ God be praised, 
 the king of France has kept his promise!” A medal was 
 struck on the occasion at Rome with this inscription: 
 
 * Pontifex Maximus Cologni necem probat.” 
 
 On the accursed day of St. Bartholomew, this prince 
 threatened the King of Navarre with immediate death, if he 
 did not directly declare himself not to be a Protestant. On 
 
 28. 40 
 
650 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART: 
 
 PLOON OIL 
 
 POLO LDP LAL LOL LL LL LOL OLE LOE LOE LLE BL ELLE LEE PDE LOBEL SE 
 
 Massacre of St. Bartholomew.—Vampires and Vampirism. 
 
 PLE LL 
 
 PLL LEADED DOL BIT 
 
 LLLLOELE BOD L OL LL IL LE DEO! LOE. 
 
 POLL ODL EL LIL LDL LIL DIP 
 
 another occasion he behaved with more good humour. During 
 the mass, previous to the ceremony of marriage between the 
 King of Navarre and Princess Marguerite, Henry walked in 
 the choir of Notre Dame at Paris. Charles came out to him, 
 took off his velvet hat, very richly decorated with diamonds, 
 and threw it into the choir. ‘* Now, brother,” said he, “ you 
 shall hear mass, though it were but to get your hat again.” 
 ‘The only two Protestants he wished to save from the massacre 
 at Paris, were his niece and his surgeon, the celebrated Am- 
 brose Paré. ‘1 cannot,” said he, “‘consent to take away the 
 life of a person who can save tliat of so many others.” 
 
 A few days before he died, he said to Paré, “1 do not know 
 what ails me, but within these three days I find both my body 
 and my mind in the same state of agitation asf I had a fever” 
 Every instant, whether 1 am awake or asleep, I see human 
 bodies flit before my eyes, covered with wounds and with 
 blood! I wish that in the massacre of Paris I had spared the 
 innocent and the young.” 
 
 — ae 
 
 VAMPIRES AND VAMPIRISM. 
 [ Continued from page 579. ] 
 
 Tue worst part of the theory of Vampirism remains to ne 
 told: this faculty proved contagious ; and those who had been 
 sucked by a vampire, felt themselves condemned to become 
 vampires in their turn. They faded away; every body saw 
 it; they became mere walking skeletons : they had no enjoy- 
 ment of life. In vain they rubbed themselves with turfs and 
 earth taken from the grave of their tormentor ; in vain their 
 tormentor was disinterred, and treated with the customary in- 
 dignities due to his malevolence. About the year 1732, the 
 affair of vampirism made a great noise in the Austrian states ; 
 and the report resounded through Europe. <A heyduke, - 
 named Arnold Paul, was crushed to death under a load of hay. 
 Report affirmed, that this Hungarian had been, when living, 
 sucked by a vampire: consequently, he being now dead, be- 
 gan to suck, in his turn, the inhabitants of the town. Ina 
 short time it was believed that four persons had died from the 
 effects of his nocturnal visitations. The baillie of the place 
 proceeded to take cognizance of the facts: the tombs of this 
 vampire and his victims were opened with all the solemnities 
 of justice. ‘Che symptoms of vampirism were obvious, were 
 demonstrated: in the presence of the magistrate the bodies 
 hada stake driven through each of them, and suffered a post- 
 humous decollation. The minds of the people were appa- 
 rently calmed for a moment; but the calm was in appearance 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND art. 651 
 
 PO DIROPIP LIPS DI DOL LDL DD OLE LD LDL LLL LE DILL LLELIS POPOL IDS EDL DOD LOLS OOO DIC IDO LOL IOP ODO ADO 
 
 Vampires and Vampirism. 
 
 PLL ELI LIS PLD L LL LLL LLP DBF OPE PPL LLL DEL LOL LLL EOL ODL ODOL OG! PLL LDL PLL LLDI DIED DPLOI LOD PPO 
 
 and momentary only: every body believed that the country con- 
 tinued subject to the selfsame suffering ; for it was proved, that 
 Arnold Paul had not only killed four inhabitants by his suctions, 
 but that he had sucked the cattle also; and there could be no 
 doubt, not the least in the world, but that those who had 
 eaten of the flesh of such cattle, and those who should here- 
 after eat of such as were not yet brought to market, would 
 become vampires also, after their death. Where could this 
 end? What was infection by the small-pox, or by a sweeping 
 pestilence, to this? Not less than seventeen tombs were opened 
 by way of. precaution; and. the usual proceedings against 
 vampires were resorted to. The bodies were eventually 
 burned, and the ashes were thrown into the river.. The 
 whole was conducted under the inspection of a military com- 
 mission appointed by the government; and the process-verbal 
 was duly forwarded to Vienna. The learned Germans got up 
 dissertations on vampires and vampirism: the French press 
 did the same: the ‘most moderate (among whom was Dom. 
 Calmet himself,) did not dare wholly to deny the possibility of 
 the re-appearance of deceased persons; though they inclined to 
 discharge the devil from the imputation of creating vampires. 
 The doctors of the Sorbonne commended the work of Dom. 
 Calmet for avoiding two rocks, equally fatal, said they, on 
 the subject of re-appearances—that of vain credulity, on the 
 one hand; that of dangerous phyrrhonism, on the other. It 
 should seem, therefore, that he concluded, somewhat like Dr. 
 Johnson, “ Why, Sir, all testimony is for it; and all argu- 
 ment is against it.” 
 
 In Dr. Moore’s Antidote against Atheism, previously re- 
 ferred to, there is a singular account of a shoemaker, at Bres- 
 lau, in Silesia, who committed suicide in the year 1591, but 
 whose violent death was concealed by his family, and he had 
 Christian burial. In about two months after his interment, 
 it is stated that he appeared to several persons in his exact _ 
 shape and habit, not only at night but at mid-day. “Those 
 that were asleep it tempted with horrible visions: those that 
 were waking it would strike, pull, or press, lying heavy upon 
 them like an ephialtes, so that there were perpetual complaints 
 every morning of their last night’s rest through the whole 
 town.” ) | 
 
 For nearly eight months these proceedings continued, when 
 the magistrates were determined to do something to put a 
 period to them, though they did not, like the Icelanders, 
 adopt a judicial process ; they dug up his body, which was 
 found entire, ‘* his joints limber and flexible as in those that 
 are alive.’ They kept his body out of earth six days, but 
 
OF 4 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 OOO PODLIOLODLOPLODLI POLI IDLO LLL OF LPIOPLDD ODP ODD PPR: 
 
 Vampires and Vampirism.—The Jew’s Leap 
 
 the “ unquiet stirs’ did not cease for all this; they then 
 buried it under the gallows; but this did not do. At length 
 they took up his body again, ‘cut off the head, arms, and legs 
 of the corpse, and opening his back, took out his heart, which 
 was as fresh and entire as in a calf new killed; these, together 
 with his body, they put on a pile of wood, and burnt them to. 
 ashes, which they, carefully sweeping together, and putting 
 into a sack, (that none might get them for wicked uses,) poured 
 into the river, after which the spectrum was never seen more.” 
 <a y 
 
 THE JEW’S LEAP. 
 
 Caprain Ritey and his fellow sufferers from shipwreck, 
 in their journey from Santa Cruz, towards Moggadore, crossed 
 a remarkably dangerous and frightful pass, called the Jew’s 
 Leap. “ The path,” says Captain Riley, “ which we were 
 now obliged to fullow, was not more than two feet wide in 
 one place, and on our left it broke off in a precipice of some 
 hundred feet deep to the sea; the smallest slip of the mule 
 or camel would have plunged it and its rider down the rocks 
 to inevitable and instant death, as there was no bush or any 
 thing to lay hold of, by which a man might save his life. Very 
 fertunately for us, there had been no rain for a considerable 
 time previous, so that the road was now dry. Rais told me, 
 when it was wet it was never attempted, and that many fatal 
 accidents had happened there within his remembrance; though 
 there was another road which led round -over the mountain 
 far within the country. / 
 
 “* One of these accidents he said he would mention :—A 
 company of Jews, six in number, from Santa Cruz for Mo- 
 rocco, came to this place with their loaded mules in the twi- 
 light, after sunset; being very anxious to get past it before 
 night, they did not take the precaution to look out and call 
 aloud before they entered on it; for there is a place built at 
 each end of this dangerous piece of road, from whence one 
 may see if there are others on it, not being quite half a mile 
 in length; a person, in hallooing out, can be heard from one 
 end to the other, and it is the practice of all who go this way 
 to give this signal. A company of Moors had entered, at the 
 other end, going towards Santa Cruz, at the same time, and 
 they also supposing that no others would dare to pass it at 
 that hour, came on without the usual precaution. When 
 about half way over, and in the place the two parties met, 
 there was no possibility of passing each other, or turning 
 about to back either way; the Moors were mounted, as well 
 as the Jews; neither party could retire, nor could any one, 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 653 
 
 PLP LLLP PIO LOPE DLE LOD SO LIL LLL LDL DLE EDL LEL BPE LLL OLDE PLE BDL LDPE LOL GLELDE LLP ERED LES LVELE OG: 
 
 The Jew’s Leap.—Account of a Family who were all afflicted with loss of Limbs. 
 
 PIO LOL LOL PIS 
 
 SALLE LPL LDF 
 
 PLA LLEL LLL LAD 
 
 PEELED LLL LLL OLE PLDE DDL LAL ODE DEP 
 
 except the foremost, get off his mule: the Moors soon be- 
 came outrageous, and threatened to throw the Jews down 
 headlong: the Jews, though they had always been treated 
 like slaves, and forced to submit to every insult and indignity, 
 yet tinding themselves in this perilous situation, without the 
 possibility of retiring, and unwilling to break their necks 
 merely to accommodate the Moors, the foremost Jew dis- 
 mounted, carefully, over the head of his mule, with a stout 
 stick in his hand; the Moor nearest him did the same, and 
 came forward to attack him with his scimitar; both were 
 fighting for their lives, as neither could retreat; the Jew’s 
 mule was first pitched down the craggy steep, and dashed to 
 atoms by the fall. The Jew’s stick was next hacked to pieces 
 by the scimitar; when, finding it was impossible for him to 
 save his life, he seized the Moor in his arms, and, springing 
 off the precipice, both were instantly hurled to destruction. 
 Two more of the Jews and one Moor lost their lives in the 
 same way, together with eight mules! and the three Jews, 
 who made shift to escape, were hunted down and killed by the 
 relations of the Moors who had lost their lives on the pass, 
 and the place has, ever since, been called the Jew’s Leap. It 
 is, indeed, enough to produce dizziness, even in the head ofa 
 sailor; and if 1 had been told the story before getting on this 
 frightful ridge, lam not certain but that my imagination might 
 have disturbed my faculties, and rendered me incapable of 
 proceeding with safety along this perilous path.’ 
 a 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF A FAMILY WHO WERE ALL AFFLICTED 
 WITH THE LOSS OF THEIR LIMBS. 
 
 Joun DowtinG, a poor labouring man, living at Wattis- 
 ham, hada wife and six children; the eldest a girl, fifteen years 
 ofage, the youngest about four months. They were all at that 
 time very healthy, but one of them had been ill for some time 
 before. On Sunday the 10th of January, 1762, the eldest girl 
 complained, in the morning, of a pain in her leg, particularly 
 in the calf of her leg ; towards evening the pain grew exceed- 
 ingly violent. ‘The same evening, another girl complained of 
 the same violent pain in the same leg. On the Monday, the 
 mother and another child ; and on Tuesday, all the rest of the 
 family were afflicted in the same manner, some in one leg and 
 some in both legs. The little infant was taken from the mo- 
 ther’s breast ; it seemed to be in pain, but the limbs did not 
 mortify: it lived a few weeks. The mother and the other 
 five children continued in violent pain a considerable time. 
 Jn about four or five days, the diseased leg began to turn 
 
654 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 ‘DRIPIPIP ILS, LIL LOG PPO PIPPLL ODIO L DE PPE LOP Dr, : 
 Account of a Family afflicted with loss of Limbs.—Sulphur Mountain of Iceland 
 
 DOLLIES FOL LODLODODD DOL ID DEO LEBEL LDDOL OD LOL LD EDGE BOLLE LIE DOLL LE PLO LL DE DDL PLL ELE PDD E LPL DE FINI 
 
 POL DIO CLE PCLDG DDE PGPPDIP LIF LOS 
 
 black gradually, appearing at first covered with blue spots, 
 as if it had been bruised. The other leg of those who were 
 affected at first only in one leg about. that time was alse 
 affected with the same excruciating pain, and in a few days 
 the leg also began to mortify. The mortified parts separated 
 gradually from the*sound parts, and the surgeon had, in most 
 of the cases, no other trouble than to cut through the bone, 
 which was black and almost dry. The state of their limbs 
 was thus: Mary, the mother, aged 40 years, has lost the right 
 foot at the ancle; the left foot is also cut off, and the two 
 bones of the leg remain almost dry, with only some little pu- 
 trid flesh adhering in the same places. The’ flesh is sound 
 to about two inches below the knee.. The bones would have 
 been sawn through that place, if she would have consented 
 to it. 
 
 Mary, aged fifteen years, both legs off below the knees.— 
 Elizabeth, aged thirteen years, both legs off below the knees. 
 Sarah, aged ten years, one fuot off at the ancle: the other 
 foot was affected, but not in so great a degree, and was now 
 sound again.—Robert, aged eight, both legs off below the 
 knees.—Edward, aged four years, both feet off.—An infant, 
 four months old, dead. | 
 
 ‘The father was attacked about a fortnight after the rest of 
 the family, but in a slight degree; the pain being confined to 
 his fingers. Two fingers of the right hand continued fora 
 long time discoloured, and partly shrunk and contracted; but 
 he subsequently had’some use of them.—The nails of the other 
 hand were also discoloured; he lost two of them. 
 
 It is remarkable, that during all the time of this misfortune, 
 the whole family are said to have appeared well, in other re- 
 spects; ate heartily, and slept well, when the violence of the 
 pain began to abate. ‘The mother was quite emaciated, and 
 had very little use of her hands. The eldest girl had a super- 
 ficial ulcer in one thigh. The rest of the family were pretty 
 well. The stumps of some of them perfectly healed. 
 
 = Le 
 
 THE SULPHUR MOUNTAIN OF ICELAND. 
 
 ‘Tis mountain is distant about three miles from the village 
 of Krisuvik, in Iceland. At the foot of the mountain is a | 
 small bank, composed chiefly of white clay and sulphur, from 
 every part of which steam issues. Having ascended this bank, 
 a ridge presents itself, immediately beneath which is a deep 
 hollow, whence a profusion of vapour arises, with a confused 
 noise of boiling and splashing, accompanied by steam escaping 
 from narrow crevices in the rock. This hollow being, as well 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 655 
 
 PLP POP POCPPP LIL PLO PLE LOD 
 
 The Sulphur Mountain of Iceland. 
 
 LIL ARG 
 
 POL PLP APP LDP OLDE DDDODIE LIF LOL LLE LIE LOL DLL PDO LOL GLI DDL DOLE DOE DDD 
 
 as the whole side of the mountain opposite, covered with sul- 
 phur and clay, it was very hazardous to walk over a soft and 
 steaming surface of such a description. The vapour conceal- 
 ing the party from each other occasioned much uneasiness ; 
 and there was some hazard of the crust of sulphur breaking, 
 or of the clay sinking beneath their, feet. They were thus 
 several times in danger of being scalded, as, indeed, happened 
 to one of the party, Mr. Bright, who accidentally plunged one 
 of his legs into the hot clay. When the thermometer was 
 immersed in it, to the depth of a few inches, it generally rose 
 to within a few degrees of the boiling point.. By stepping 
 cautiously, and avoiding every little hole from which steam 
 issued, they soon ascertained how far they might venture. 
 Their good fortune, however, observes Sir George Macken- 
 zie, (from whose ‘Travels in Iceland we take this account.) 
 ought not to tempt any person to examine this wonderful 
 place, without being provided with two boards, with which 
 every part of the banks may be traversed in perfect safety. 
 At the bottom of the hollow, above described, they found the 
 cauldron of mud, which boiled with the utmost vehemence. 
 They approached within a few yards of it, the wind favouring 
 them in viewing every part of this singular scene. ‘The mud 
 was in constant agitation, and often thrown up to the height 
 of six or eight feet. Near this spot was an irregular space 
 filled with water, boiling briskly. At the foot of the hill, in a 
 ‘hollow formed by a bank of clay and sulphur, steam rushed 
 with great force and noise from among the loose fragments of 
 rock. 
 
 In ascending the mountain, our travellers met with a spring 
 of cold water, which was little to be expected in such a place. 
 Ata greater elevation, they came to a ridge, composed en- 
 tirely of sulphur and clay, joining two summits of the moun- 
 tain. The smooth crust of sulphur was ,beautifully crystal- 
 lized; and beneath it was a quantity of yloose granular 
 sulphur, which appeared to be collecting and crystallizing, as 
 it was sublimed along with the steam. On removing the sul- 
 phureous crust, steam issued, and annoyed the party so much, 
 that they could not examine this place to any depth. 
 
 Beneath the ridge, on the farther side of this great bed of 
 sulphur, an abundance of vapour escaped with a loud noise. 
 Having crossed to the side of the mountain opposite, they 
 walked to what is called the principal spring. This was a 
 task of much apparent danger, as the side of the mountain, 
 to the extent of about half a mile, was covered with loose 
 clay, into which the feet of our travellers sunk at every step. 
 In many places tiiere was a thin crust, beneath which the clay 
 
656 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ARY. 
 
 PPL PLL LE LPL LE PELODP LIL LDL LED LL DOP 
 
 POL LLOE PIG IDE LIL PGE LIP DIL ILI PEL OOP LOE LID 
 
 The Sulphur Mountain of Iceland.—The Radiant Boy. 
 
 , ae 
 
 POPE OOO LOL LE DOIDE LOD LED OLDE LOS 
 
 PIE DLO LDS LOOP 
 
 was wet, and extremely hot. Good fortune attended them; 
 and, without any serious inconvenience, they reached the ob- - 
 ject “they had in view. A dense column of steam, mixed with 
 a small portion of water, forced its way impetuously through 
 a crevice in the rock, at the head ofa narrow valley, or break 
 in the mountain. The violence with which it rushed out was 
 so great, that the noise, thus occasioned, might often be heard 
 at the distance of several miles. During night, while the 
 party lay in their tent at Krisuvik, they more ‘than once list- 
 ened to it with mingled awe and astonishment. Behind the 
 column of vapour was a dark-coloured rock, which feat to 
 the sublimity of the effect. | 
 
 ‘“‘ It is quite beyond my power,” observes Sir Gevites Mac- 
 kenzie, “to offer such a description of this extraordinary 
 place, as would convey adequate ideas of its wonders, or of 
 its terrors. ‘The sensations of a person, even of firm nerves, 
 standing on a support which feebly sustains him, over an abyss 
 where, literally, fire and brimstone are in dreadful and inces- 
 sant aetion; having before his eyes tremendous proofs of what 
 is going on beneath him, enveloped in thick vapours; his ears 
 stunned with thundering noises; must be experienced before 
 they can be understood.” 
 
 ea ed 
 
 THE RADIANT BOY; AN APPARITION SEEN BY THE LATE 
 MARQUIS OF LONDONDERRY. 
 
 Ir is now more than twenty years since the late Lord Lon- 
 donderry was, for the first time, on a visit to a gentleman in 
 the north of Ireland. The mansion was such a one as spectres 
 are fabled to inhabit. The apartment, also, which was ap- 
 propriated to’ Lord Londonderry, was calculated to foster 
 such a tone of feeling, from its antique appointments ; from 
 the dark and richly carved pannels of its wainscot ; from its 
 yawning width and height of chimney, looking like the open 
 entrance to a tomb, of “which the surrounding ornaments ap- 
 peared to form the sculptures and entablature ; from the por- 
 traits of grim men and severe-eyed women, arrayed i in orderly 
 procession along the walls, and scowling a contemptuous en- 
 mity against the degenerate invader of their gloomy bowers 
 and venerable halls; and from the vast, dusky, ponderous, 
 and complicated draperies that concealed the windows, and 
 hung with the gloomy grandeur of funeral trappings about 
 the hearse-like piece of furniture that was destined for his bed. 
 
 Lord Londonderry examined his chamber; he made him- 
 self acquainted with the forms and faces of the ancient pos- 
 sessors of the mansion, as they sat upright in their ebony 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 657 
 
 ‘ POOSC 6 LO POPBRDISP PLPDGLIPOPLELILILL IL IDL ELE DPD ILE LLL DID DIG DIG 
 
 anerannonens 
 The Radiant Boy ; an Apparition seen by the late Marquis of Londonderry. 
 
 PEI POL ADE DDE EDD POD BILD PGI ADD OOF 
 
 PPI LPL I LOL LOL LL! LDL LAE ODE 
 
 frames to receive his salutation; and then, after dismissing his 
 valet, he retired to bed. His candles had not long been exe 
 tinguished when he perceived a light gleaming on the draperies 
 of the lofty canopy over his head. Conscious that there was 
 no fire in the grate—that the curtains were closed—that the 
 chamber had been in perfect darkness but a few minutes be- 
 fore, he supposed that some intruder must have accidentally 
 entered his apartment; and, turning hastily round to the side 
 from which the light proceeded, saw, to his infinite astonish- 
 ment, not the form of any human visiter, but the figure of a 
 fair boy, who seemed to be garmented in rays of mild and 
 tempered glory, which beamed palely from his slender form, 
 like the faint light of the declining moon, and rendered the 
 objects which were nearest to him dimly and indistinctly 
 visible. "he spirit stood at some short distance from the side 
 of the bed. Certain that his own faculties were not deceiv- 
 ing him, but suspecting he might be imposed on by the inge- 
 nuity of some of the numerous guests who were then visiting 
 in the same house, Lord Londonderry proceeded towards the 
 figure,-—it retreated before him :—as.he slowly advanced, the 
 form with equal paces slowly retired :—it entered the gloomy 
 arch of the capacious chimney, and then sunk into the earth. 
 Lord Londonderry returned to his bed, but not to rest: his 
 mind was harassed by the consideration of the extraordinary 
 event which had occurred to him.—Was it real ?—Was it the 
 work of imagination ?—Was it the result of imposture ?—It 
 was all incomprehensible. | 
 
 He resolved in the morning not to mention the appearance 
 till he should have well observed the manners and countenances 
 of the family: he was, conscious that, if any deception had 
 been practised, its authors would be too delighted with their 
 success to conceal the vanity of their triumph. When the 
 guests assembled at the breakfast-table, the eye.of Lord Lon- 
 donderry searched in vain for those latent smiles—those con- 
 scious looks—that silent communication between the parties, 
 by which the authors and abettors of such domestic conspi- 
 racies are generally betrayed. Every thing apparently pro- 
 ceeded in its ordinary course: the conversation flowed rapidly 
 along from the subjects afforded at the moment, without any 
 of the constraint which marks a party intent upon some secret 
 and more interesting argument, and endeavouring to afford 
 an opportunity for its introduction. At last the hero of. the 
 tale found, himself compelled to mention the occurrence of the 
 night :—it was most extraordinary :—he feared that he should 
 not be credited :—and then, after all due preparation, the 
 story was related. ‘Those among his auditors who, like him 
 
 28. Ap 
 
658 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART... 
 
 OOO LPP PED LE PPLE L LE LPPLLOLIDP LOLOL LEIP LIC LOD IGP EOI PEP LOCLOP LED POD LOL DDOL EE LOC PIOLOOELOODPODOD 
 
 The Radiant Boy.—Explosion of Two Vessels at Sea. 
 
 PIE LPL ODL LED DLL OLDOD PDO DIL LOD LOD LED DDD LDL ALOE LGD LOD DOD PLE LOD LDL DELLE DLE LED PDO PDOL DOOD OO DLS 
 
 self, were strangers and visiters in the house, felt certain that 
 some delusion must have been practised: the family alone 
 seemed perfectly composed and calm. At last, the gentleman - 
 whom Lord Londonderry was visiting interrupted their va- 
 rious surmises on the subject, by saying—“ The circumstance 
 which you have just recounted must naturally appear very 
 extraordinary to those who have not long been inmates of my 
 dwelling, and not conversant with the legends of my family ; 
 and to those who are, the event which has happened will only 
 serve as the corroboration of an old tradition that has long 
 been related of the apartment in which you slept. You have 
 seen the Radiant Boy—be content—it is an omen of prosper- 
 ous fortunes. I would rather that this subject should no 
 more be mentioned.” And here the affair ended. 
 
 —a 
 
 EXPLOSION OF TWO VESSELS AT SEA. 
 
 Tuis dreadful event happened on board a French vessel 
 during an engagement with an English ship off Port Cabinda, 
 in September, 1695. The latter had attempted to board the 
 former; but their grappling irons missing their stern, the ad- 
 vantage was in favour of the Frenchman. The circumstance 
 is contained in a narrative written by the captain of the 
 French vessel. ‘I already,” he says, “ rejoiced within my- 
 self in capturing so considerable a prize, and the more so, as 
 after having taken her, which was the guard-ship of the coast, 
 and the largest belonging to the English in these seas, I should 
 be in a condition to attack any man-of-war that I should meet, 
 and make prizes still greater. My crew were no less satisfied 
 than myself, and were executing their work with much ala- 
 crity. But the enemy’s powder suddenly taking tire, from a 
 match purposely left burning by the captain, who hoped to 
 escape in his two boats, both the vessels blew up with a most 
 dreadful explosion. 
 
 **'To describe the horrible spectacle is impossible; the spec- 
 tators were themselves the actors in the bloody scene, hardly 
 knowing whether they beheld it or not, and so confounded, as 
 to be unable to judge of what was passing. ‘The reader must 
 figure to himself our horror at two ships.blowing up above 
 two hundred fathom into the air, where there was formed, as 
 it were, a mountain of fire, water, and wreck; the awfulness 
 of the explosion below, and the cannon going off in the air; 
 the rending of the masts and planks; the tearing of the sails 
 and cordage, added to the cries of the men. ‘These things, I 
 say, must be left to the imagination of the reader, and I shall 
 only describe what befel myself. 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 659 
 
 * PP PPL IOIP COS, 
 
 PIF I BOLP LEE POPBLOL LID LIE PDE PLE LLP LDL ODD LOD ODL. 
 
 PII PPP POD 
 
 Explosion of Two Vessels at Sea.—Awful Death of Mr. Munro. 
 
 OPP OPP PPD PLDT 
 
 SPL L LI PLE LE L PDL ELE DDE PPD L OD PLIE DDL LLL DEL LDDBLODOL LE DED DODO DDDOLD POP 
 
 “¢ When the ship first took fire, I was on the forecastle giv- 
 ing orders, and then carried so far up on the deck, that it was 
 the height alone, as I conceive, that saved me from being in- 
 volved in the wreck of the ships, where I must have infallibly 
 perished. I fell back into the sea, and remained a consider- 
 able time under water, without being able to gain the surface. 
 At last, struggling like one afraid of beiig drowned, I got up 
 and seized a piece of a ‘mast, which I found near at hand. I 
 called to some of my men, whom | saw swimming around me, 
 and exhorted them to take courage, as we might yet save our- 
 selves, if we could fall in with any of the boats. 
 
 “What gave me more distress at this moment than even 
 my own misfortune, was seeing two half bodies, still with 
 some remains of life, rising from time to time to the surface 
 of the watér, and then disappear, leaving the place dyed with 
 blood. It was equaily deplorable to behold so many limbs 
 and fragments of bodies, spitted, fur the greater part, on frag- 
 ments of wood. ; 
 
 ‘¢ At last, one of my men having met with a boat, almost 
 entire, amidst all the wreck, swimming in the water, informed 
 me that we must stop some holes which were in it, and endea- 
 vour to take out the yawl lying on board. Fifteen or sixteen of 
 us, each supported by a piece of wood, nearly reached the 
 boat, and attempted to disengage the yaw], which we at length 
 effected. All then went on board, and, after getting there, 
 saved the principal gunner, who had his leg broke in the en- 
 gagement. Then taking up three or four oars, we sought out 
 something to make a small mast and a sail; and, having pre- 
 pared all things as well as we possibly could, committed our- 
 selves to the protection of Divine Providence, who could 
 alone give us life and deliverance.” _ 
 
 They at length reached Cape Corso, where they were re- 
 lieved by some negroes, and after enduring many hardships, 
 arrived at Martinique. 
 
 ie 
 
 AWFUL DEATH OF MR. MUNRO, 
 
 Tuts dreadful event is thus related in a letter from a friend 
 of the unfortunate gentleman, dated December 23, 1792. 
 
 ‘‘'To describe the awful, horrid, and lamentable accident I 
 have just been an eye-witness of, is impossible. Yesterday 
 morning, Mr. Downey, of the Company’s troops, Lieutenant 
 Pyefinch, and poor Mr. Munro and I, went on shore on Sau- - 
 gur Island, to shoot deer; we saw innumerable tracks of 
 tigers and deer, but still we were induced to pursue our sport, 
 and did the whole day; about half past three we sat down on 
 
660 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 CLIP ODP. 
 
 PIP PLP LLL BLE PIL DDO DIG LIO EDEL ODL IL LLG DOE LIL LLL PLE LINING 
 
 Awful Death of Mr. Munro. 
 
 DPE OODLE PC LOD OLD OO POC DOD PLO LOL LLL DLO POLLO L LLL SOL DOD DDE LL EL OL LLL OOD DLE DDE LOE DLS FIDE PIT arr 
 
 the jungle to eat some ccld meat sent us from the ship, and 
 had just commenced our meal when Mr. Pyefinch and a black 
 servant told us there was a fine deer within six yards of us; 
 _Mr. Downey and I immediately jumped up to take our guns— 
 mine was the nearest; and I had but just laid hold of it, when 
 I heard a roar like thunder, and saw an immense royal tiger 
 spring on the unfortunate Munro, who was sitting down. In 
 a moment his head was in the beast’s mouth, and he rushed 
 into the jungle with him with as much ease as I could lift a 
 kitten, tearing him through the thickest bushes and trees— 
 everything yielding to his monstrous strength. The agonies 
 of horror, regret, and, I must say, fear (for there were two 
 tigers, a male and female), rushed on me at once; the only 
 effort 1 could make was to fire at him, though the poor 
 youth was still in his mouth. I relied partly on Provi- 
 dence, partly on my own aim, and fired a musket. I saw the 
 tiger stagger and become agitated, and I cried out so imme- 
 diately. Mr. Downey then fired two shots, and 1 one more. 
 We retired from the jungle, and a few minutes after Mr. 
 Munro came up to us, all over blood, and fell; we took him 
 on our backs to the boat, and got every medical assistance for 
 him from the Valentine Tndiaman, which lay at anchor near 
 the island, but in vain. He lived twenty-four hours in the 
 extreme of torture; his head and skull were alitorn and broke 
 to pieces, and he was wounded by the beast’s claws all over his 
 neck and shoulders; but it was better to take him away, 
 though irrecoverable, than leave him to be devoured limb by 
 limb. We have just read the funeral service over the body, 
 and committed it to the deep. THe was an amiable and pro- 
 mising youth. 
 
 ‘“¢ 1 must observe there was a large fire blazing close to us, 
 composed of ten or a dozen whole trees: I made it myself on 
 purpose to keep the tigers off, as I had always heard it would. 
 ‘There were eight or ten of the natives about us; many shot 
 had been fired at the place, and much noise and laughing at 
 the time, but the ferocious animal disregarded it all. 
 
 “the human mind cannot form an idea of the scene; it ' 
 turned my very soul within me. The beast was about four 
 feet and a half high, and nine long. . His head appeared as 
 large as an ox’s, his eyes darting fire, and his roar, when he 
 first seized his prey, will never be out of my recollection. 
 We had scarcely pushed our boat from that cursed shore, 
 when the tigress made her appearance, raging mad almost, 
 and remained on the sand as long as the distance would allow 
 me to see her, ” 
 
 aa 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 66] 
 
 DPOEVPOL PDIP DIDS 
 
 PLE E BLE LOL PDP PLDPO LOL D DE OIC IPOD DY CLLOLL LOO DOC DOP HOO IPLPPDPLIP POP O98 
 
 Hoaxes and Impostures: Princess Caraboo. 
 
 DPF PPL ILD ILL LDL PLD DIP LEI PDL L DE LOO LOL LOE PLE DOL LED LBL LDL OOO LB DODDD POE PDOD DOCOOE OOD LOD PID 
 
 HOAXES AND IMPOSTURES 
 
 PRINCESS CARABOO. 
 
 Some few years ago, a singular female impostor appeared, 
 and attracted great attention at Bath and Bristol. She was 
 supposed to be some Eastern Princess, who had either been 
 wrecked on our: coast or put on shore, but as she did hot 
 speak any language that was known here, her history was not 
 easy to come at. Dr. Wilkinson, of Bath, very humanely in- 
 terested himself in her behalf. As she could write, pen, ink, 
 and paper were furnished her, and she wrote a letter which 
 was sent to one or both of the Universities to decipher, but 
 without effect. At length it was discovered that Miss 
 Caraboo was a Devonshire girl, who had in her life “ played 
 many parts.” 
 
 The following account of her early life will, we are assured; 
 be acceptable to our readers :— 
 
 ‘This girl was born at Witheridge, in Devonshire, in the 
 year 1792. From a very early age, she was accustomed to 
 roaming about. Her mother taught her to spin wool, and 
 obliged her to work as much as she could, and in the season 
 she was employed in weeding in the cornfields ; but Mary 
 evinced a strong inclination to follow the occupations and 
 amusements of a boy. When fatigued, she would go into the 
 water. Her mother being uneasy at her way of life, pro- 
 cured her a place of service at Exeter; but she soon left it, 
 and commenced in earnest the life of a wandering mendicant. 
 Sometimes she met with encouragement, and sometimes with 
 rebuffs ; but she soon acquired a habit of tearing her clothes 
 to tatters, and to appear as miserable as possible. In a word, 
 she became a proficient in all the artifices, and was exposed 
 to all the vicissitudes of the trade she had chosen. | 
 
 From Exeter she wandered to Taunton, sleeping under hay- 
 ricks and in barns, always exciting compassion rather than 
 importuning for alms. In this way Mary’s stars guided her 
 to Bristol a few years ago. When she had expended all the 
 money she had collected on the road, she applied to the — 
 Strangers’ Friend Society ; but an inquiry having been set on 
 foot as to her character and history, she deemed it prudent to. 
 decamp, and set off to London. 
 
 On the road she was taken ill, and the future Princess of 
 Javasu, was conveyed in a humble waggon to St. Giles’s hos- 
 pital, where she was confined a considerable time with a 
 frenzy fever. Her youth and engaging manners induced the 
 chaplain of the institution to commiserate her forlorn situa- 
 
 ~ 
 
662 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DOP PLS PDOLOPPDO DIS. DLO DIODLE DOD ODE DOD LP DE LID DOO DOO DID LE POOLDD DOOD IE COILED 
 
 Princess Caraboo.—Remarkable Preservation of Three Wonien. 
 
 DOIG LLL FPO PLL LLP LDL LOE LED LOD LOL LEE 
 
 PLL LOL LO? LIES LES LOPE LOLOL 
 
 tion, and he humanely procured her a situation, as servant in 
 a family, with whom she remained three years; but her mis- 
 tress being very strict, and refusing to allow her as much 
 liberty as she wished, Mary packed up her little wardrobe, and 
 bade her mistress farewell. 
 
 She now assumed the male attire, and procured a place as- 
 footman ; and in this disguise she actually lived in her native 
 place, close to her father’s house, without exciting the least 
 suspicion, having acquired the art of altering her features so 
 completely that no one knew her 
 
 After residing at Witheridge' some time, she removed to a 
 neighbouring village; but being sent with a message during 
 a heavy fall of snow, she was overwhelmed, and lay buried all 
 night. In the morning she was benumbed and insensible. 
 The removal of her wet clothes discovered her sex, and she 
 was obliged to leave the place, and set out in pursuit of new 
 adventures. 
 
 —= ' 
 REMARKABLE PRESERVATION OF THREE WOMEN. 
 
 In 1755, they had in Turin a great fall of rain; and as it 
 generally snows in the mountains, when it only rains in the 
 plains, it cannot appear surprising, that during this interval, 
 there fell vast quantities of snow on the mountains, which 
 of course formed several valancas. ‘he bad weather which 
 prevailed in so many other places, prevailed likewise at Ber- 
 gemoletto, a little hamlet, seated in that part of the Alps 
 which separates the valley of Stura and Piedmont from Dau- 
 phine and the country of Nice. : 
 
 On March 19th, many of the inhabitants of this hamlet be- 
 gan to apprehend that the weight of the snow which had al- 
 ready fallen, and still continued to fall, might crush their 
 houses, built with stones peculiar to the country, cemented by 
 nothing but mud, anda very small portion of lime, anid co- 
 vered with thatch laid on the roof of shingles, and large thin 
 stones, supported by thick beams. ‘They therefore got upon 
 their roofs, to lighten them of the snow. 
 
 At a little distance from the church, stood the house of 
 Joseph Roccia; a man of about fifty, who with his son James, 
 a lad of fifteen, had, like his neighbours, got upon the roof of 
 his house, in order to lessen the weight of it, and thereby pre- 
 vent its destruction. 
 
 in the meantime, the clergyman, who lived in the neigh- 
 bourhood, and was about leaving home, in order to repair to 
 the church, and gather the people together to hear prayers 
 perceiving a noise towards the top of the mountains, descried 
 two valancas driving headlong towards the village - where- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 6638 
 
 PPPILO ING PID DIP P OS 
 
 POF 
 
 LIL DDI. 
 
 Remarkable Preservation of Three Women. 
 
 POP LIP ROP POLLS DOP LOI LIF 
 
 ILIPPOL 
 
 OLD DLO FDL DIO DDD DOL LOD LOD DDO DOD LDL LOD ILD 
 
 fore, raising his voice, he gave Joseph notice instantly to come 
 down from the roof, to avoid the impending danger; and 
 then immediately retreated himself into his own house. 
 
 _ Joseph Roccia immediately came off the roof at the priest’s 
 notice, and with his son fled as hard as he could towards the 
 church. He had scarce advanced forty steps, when hear- 
 ing his son fall just at his heels, he turned about to assist him, 
 and taking him up, saw the spot on which his house, his sta- 
 ble, and those of some of his neighbours stood, converted into 
 a huge heap of snow, without the least sign of either walls or 
 roofs. | 
 
 Such was his agony at this sight, and at the thoughts of 
 having lost, in an instant, his wife, his sister, his family, and 
 ail the little he had saved, that he lost his senses, swooned 
 away, and tumbled upon the snow. His son now helped 
 him, and, coming to himself a little, he made a shift to get to 
 . a friend’s house, at the distance of a hundred feet from the 
 spot where he fell. 
 
 Mary-Anne, his wife, who was standing with her sister-in- 
 law Anne, her daughter Margaret, and her son Anthony, a 
 little boy two years old, at the door of the stable, looking at 
 the people throwing the snow froin off the houses, and waiting 
 for the ringing of the bell, that was to call them to prayers, 
 was about taking a turn to the house, in order to light a fire, 
 and air a shirt for her husband, who could not but want that 
 refreshment after his hard labour: but before she could set 
 out, she heard the priest cry out to them to come down 
 quickly; and raising her trembling eyes, saw. the aforesaid _ 
 valancas set off, and roll down the side of the mountain; and | 
 at the same instant she heard a terrible report from another 
 quarter, which made her retreat back quickly with her family, 
 and shut the door of the stable. Happy it was for her that 
 she had time to do so: this noise being occasioned by another 
 immense valanca, the sole cause of all the misery and distress 
 she had.to suffer for so long a time; so that in a very short 
 time the snow was lodged about forty-two feet in height, two 
 hundred and seventy in length, and about sixty in breadth. 
 
 ‘The inhabitants of Bergemoletto, whom it pleased God to 
 preserve from this disaster, being gathered together, in order 
 to sum up their misfortunes, first counted thirty houses over- 
 whelmed ; and then every one calling over those he knew, 
 twenty-two souls were missing, of which number was their 
 parish priest, who had lived among them forty years. 
 
 The news of this terrible disaster soon spread itself over 
 the neighbourhood ; and all the friends and relations of the 
 sufferers, with many others, to the amount of three hundred, 
 
664 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LPP. PPP IPS. 
 
 LOEPLIEE PLO LED LOL DID LOPE LOP 
 
 Remarkable Preservation of "Three Women. 
 
 oe) 
 
 flocked of their own accord from the adjacent villages, to give 
 their assistance on this melancholy occasion. 
 
 Joseph Roccia, notwithstanding his great love for his wife 
 and family, and desire to recover part of what he had lost, 
 was in no condition to assist them for five days. In the mean- 
 time the rest were trying, by driving iron rods ‘through the 
 hardened snow, if they could discover any roofs; but they 
 tried in vain: the great solidity and compactness of the va- 
 lanca, the vast extent of it in length, breadth, and height, to- 
 gether with the snow that still continued to fall in great 
 quantities, baffled all their efforts: so that after some days’ 
 labour, they were obliged to desist until the valley should 
 begin to assume its pristine form, by the melting of the snow 
 and ice, from the setting in of the warm winds, which conti- 
 nued to blow from the end of March till about April 20th. 
 
 On the 18th of that month they began to resume their in- 
 terrupted labours. Ali the persons that were missing, were 
 found dead, except those of Joseph Roccia’s family. Assisted 
 by the two brothers-in-law, and son, he at length penetrated 
 to his house, but found no dead bodies in it. 
 
 Knowing that the stable did not lie 100 feet from the house, 
 they immediately directed their search towards it, and having 
 got a long pole through a hole, they heard a hoarse and lan- 
 guid voice issuing from it, which seemed to say, ‘* Help, my 
 dear husband! help, my dear brother ! help !” : 
 
 The husband and brother, thunderstruck, and at the same 
 time encouraged by these words, fell to their work with re- 
 doubled ardour, on the place whence the voice came, which 
 grew more and more distinct as the work advanced. 
 
 It was not long before they made a pretty large opening, 
 through which the brother descended, as into a dark pit, ask- 
 ing who it was that could be alive in such a place? Mary- 
 Anne knew him by his voice, and answered with a trembling 
 and broken accent, intermixed with tears of joy, “Tis I, my 
 dear brother, who am still alive, in company with my daughter 
 and my sister-in-law, who are at my elbow. God, in whom I 
 have always trusted, still hoping that he would inspire you 
 with the thoughts of coming to our relief, has been graciously 
 pleased to keep us alive.” 
 
 The passage being enlarged, they were taken out with all 
 convenient speed; and being brought to a friend’s house, ~ 
 were there fed on a thin diet, and in small quantities at a time, 
 as suiting their state of inanition: when their strength was a 
 little recruited, they gave an account that they subsisted ail 
 that time on the milk of two goats, which had been shut up 
 with them, and about a dozen chesnuts, that lay in the man- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 665 
 
 PODPGE LIC LE PN DOLD ONL DIF PLELOL DID LDP LOO LIE RDIOODDD LDL LEDE DDDOLEDLOLL PO LDODLDLS. 
 
 Remarkable Preservation of Three Women.—The Mermaid.—Guardian Snake. 
 
 PLP DLL LOD ELS LOL BOD PPE LDELDPD LIF 
 
 PLL ILI LEE LPL EDPLODL DIE DPI LDPDPOLE DDD PLEBPL&EDGELSE DIED D 
 
 ger, where they found some hay with which they fed the 
 goats; that one of the goats becoming dry, the other, fortu- 
 nately with kid, dropped it, which, having killed, this goat 
 yielded them about a pint of milk each day, till their deli- 
 verance: that the little boy of two years old died in a short 
 time after they were confined in the stable, as did an ass, and 
 some hens that then happened to be in the same place; and 
 that they suffered extremely from cold and wet, the snow 
 continually dripping upon them as they lay in the manger. 
 These poor sufferers were relieved by the munificence of 
 
 the King of Sardinia, their sovereign ; and the several dona- 
 tions which they received enabled them to rebuild their house, 
 
 and set their other affairs to rights. 
 In April of the year 1757, they ali cnjoyed perfect health, 
 except Mary-Anne, who suffered a dimness of her sight, by 
 being too hastily exposed to the light. The others returned 
 to their usual field labour, and ever after continued to live 
 the same life they did before their misfortune. 
 
 ee 
 
 THE MERMAID. 
 
 Mr. Lawrence Epmonston, a surgeon of Zetland, in a 
 letter recently published, says, that an animal answering to 
 the following description, so far as the account of six fisher- 
 men, who captured it, can be depended on, was actually in 
 their possession for three hours, but unluckily, from séme su- 
 perstitious dread of injuring it, they returned it to its native 
 element, and thus prevented the scientific identification of an 
 animal, which appears very nearly to have resembled what has 
 been generally regarded as a merely fabulous creation. Length 
 of the animal, three feet; body without scales or hair; silver 
 grey above, whitish below, like the human skin; no gills were 
 observed; no fins on the back or belly; tail like that of a 
 dog-fish; body very thick over the breast; by the eye, the 
 girth might be between two and three feet; the neck short, 
 very distinct from the head and shoulders; the body rather 
 depressed; the anterior extremities very like the human hand, 
 about the length of a seal’s paw, webbed to about an inch of 
 the ends of the fingers; mammez as large as those of a wo- 
 man; mouth and lips very distinct, and resembling the hu- 
 man. 
 
 eels 
 
 THE GUARDIAN SNAKE. 
 
 On a journey from Baroche to Dhuboy, a Mr. Forbes 
 stopped at Nurrah, a large ruined town, which had been. 
 2. | Aa 
 
666 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DLO 8 GOP ED LOO CLO DDD LED DOO LOD DODO LOL OO LDC DDOLD OLED OL OL OD LD OL DE DED LOD DY DOOD DOP CED OCOREOA 
 
 The Guardian Snake. 
 
 PLO DLL PLL LOD POO LDL LDPE LOOL DLL DL LDD DODD LE DIL LLP LPL LIL LODLLL LIED LIL LOD LOOP OLD OODOH 
 
 plundered and burnt by the Mahrattas. The principal house 
 had belonged to an opulent man, who emigrated during the 
 war, and died in a distant country. Mr. Forbes was privately 
 informed that under one of the towers there was a secret cell, 
 formed to contain his treasure; the information could not be 
 doubted, because it came from the mason who constructed the 
 cell. Accordingly, the man accompanied him through several 
 Spacious courts and apartments, to a dark closet in a tower; 
 the room was about eight feet square, being the whole size of 
 the interior of the tower; and it was some stories above the 
 place where the treasure was said to be deposited. In the 
 floor there was a hole large enough for a slender person to 
 pass through; they enlarged it and sent down two men by a 
 ladder. After descending several feet, they came to another 
 floor, composed in like manner of bricks and channam, and 
 here also was a similar aperture. This also was enlarged, 
 torches were procured, and by their light Mr. Forbes per- 
 ceived from the upper apartment a dungeon of great depth 
 below, as the mason had described. He desired the men to 
 descend and search for the treasure; but they refused, de- 
 claring that wherever money was concealed in Hindostan, 
 there was always a demon, in the shape of a serpent to guard 
 it. He laughed at their superstition, and repeated his orders 
 in such a manner as to enforce obedience, though his attend- 
 ants sympathised with the men, and seemed to expect the event 
 with more of fear and awe than of curiosity. ‘The ladder was 
 too short to reach the dungeon; strong ropes therefore were 
 sent for, and more torches. The men reluctantly obeyed, and 
 as they were lowered, the dank sides and the moist floor of the 
 dungeon extinguished the light which they carried in their 
 hands. But they had not been many seconds on the ground 
 before they screamed out that they were enclosed witha large 
 snake. In spite of their screams, Mr. Forbes was incredulous, 
 and declared that the ropes should not be let: down to them 
 till he had seen the creature; their cries were dreadful; he 
 however was inflexible; and the upper lights were held stea- 
 dily, to give him as distinct a view_as possible into the dun- 
 geon. ‘There he perceived something like billets of wood, or 
 rather, he says, like a ship’s cable seen from the deck, coiled 
 up in a dark hole; but no language can express his sensation 
 of astonishment and terror, when he saw a serpent actually 
 rear his head, over an immense length of body, coiled in vo- 
 lumes on the ground, and working itself into exertion by a 
 sort of sluggish motion. ‘ What I felt,’’ he continues, “on 
 seeing two fellow-creatures exposed by mry orders to this 
 fiend, I must leave to the reader’s imagination.” ‘lo his ims 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AWD ART, 667 
 
 POOLS OL DOODLES LOO PDO PILI DOL DE PDP DIDI LLP DOLDLLEPD OLD PLE DLE PLE OLE OL OLIE LDL DOOLOID DPE EDE BIG D. 
 
 The Guardian Snake —The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 DLE POE POE POD AIA OPT 
 
 LPL PLL DELL PLL LEP LE LOL EOL DDD ODE PLL LOE LED OL LE LE DLE LDL LEE PLL ODL ELA 
 
 expressible joy they were drawn up unhurt, but almost life- 
 less with fear. Hay was then thrown down upon the lighted 
 torches which they had dropped. When the flames had ex- 
 pired, a large snake was found scorched and dead, but no 
 money. Mr. Forbes supposes that the owner had carried 
 away the treasure with him, but forgot to liberate the snake 
 which he had placed there as its keeper. Whether the snake 
 were venomous or not, he has omitted to mention, or perhaps 
 to observe; if it were not, it would be no defence for the 
 treasure; and if it were, it seems to have become too torpid 
 with inanition, confinement and darkness, to exercise its powers 
 of destruction. Where the popular belief prevails that snakes 
 are the guardians of hidden treasure, and where the art of 
 charming serpents is commonly practised, there is no difficulty 
 in supposing that they who conceal a treasure (as ts frequently 
 done under the oppressive government of the East) would 
 sometimes place it under such protection. 
 
 ee 
 THE SAVAGE GIRL OF CHAMPAGNE. 
 [ Continued from page 619. | 
 
 M. D’Eprinoy committed the savage girl of Champagne to 
 the care of the shepherd, who dwelt near the castle, recom- 
 mending her to him, and promising to reward him handsomely 
 for his pains. ‘The man accordingly took her to his house, in 
 order to begin to tame her; and on this account they called 
 her, in the neighbourhood, the shepherd’s beast. We may 
 well conceive, that it would require a considerable space of 
 time, and some harsh usage, to wean her from her former 
 habits, and to temper her fierce and savage disposition ; 
 and I have good reason to believe, that she was very 
 closely confined in this house; for she informed me her- 
 self, that she found means to make holes in the walls, and 
 in the tiles of the roof, upon which she would run: with 
 as much unconcern as on the ground, never suffering herself 
 to be retaken without a great deal of trouble, and passing so 
 artfully (as they afterwards told her) through small holes, 
 that they could scarcely believe their eyes, after they had seen 
 her do it. It was thus that she escaped once, among several 
 other tinies, out of his house, in a most severe storm of frost 
 and snow; on which occasion, after making good her escape, 
 she betook herself for shelter toatree. ‘The dread of the re- 
 sentment of M. D’Epinoy threw the whole family that night 
 into a hurry and confusion; who never imagining that, in so 
 excessive a frost, she would have ventured into the country, 
 rummaged every corner of the house; but finding all their 
 
 > 
 
668 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 LIP LOD DOILVIGE G 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 researches in vain, they at last resolved, that they might leave 
 no means untried, to look for her out of the house likewise ; 
 
 when, behold, they find Miss perched, as I have just said, on 
 the top of a tree; from whence, however, they were lucky 
 enough to prevail on her to descend. , 
 
 i myself have been an eye-witness of some instances of the 
 ease and swiftness with which she ran, than which nothing 
 could be more surprising ; and yet what I saw was but the 
 remains of her former agility, which long sickness, and the 
 want_ of practice for many years, have greatly impaired. 
 Without having seen it, it is hardly possible to imagine her 
 singular and agile manner of running. It was not at all by 
 setting one foot before the other alternately, as we do; it 
 was a sort of flying gallop, almost too quick for the eye. It 
 was rather jumping than running, one foot being kept con- 
 stantly behind the other. One could scarcely observe the 
 motion either of her body or feet ; and to run along with her 
 was impossible. ‘The small example I was shown, which was 
 but a trifle, having been performed only in a hail ‘of no great 
 length, convinced me, nevertheless, of the truth of what she 
 had told me before, that even for several years after she was 
 caught, she could overtake the game in the chase. Of this 
 she gave proof in presence of the Queen of Poland, mother to 
 the Queen of France, about the year 1737, as she was going 
 to take possession of the duchy of Lorraine. That princess, 
 in passing by Chalons, having heard of the young savage, 
 who was at that time in the convent des Regenies, had her 
 brought before her. ‘Though she had been then several years 
 tamed, yet her disposition, her behaviour, even her voice and 
 speech, were, as she affirms herself, but like those of a child 
 four or five years old. ‘The sound of her voice, though weak, 
 was sharp, shrill, and piercing; and her words were short 
 and confused, like those of a child at a loss for. terms to ex- 
 press its. meaning. In a word, her childish and familiar ges- 
 tures and behaviour showed plainly, that as yet she only took 
 notice of the persons who caressed her the most; which the 
 - Queen of Poland did extremely. On being informed of the 
 swiftness of her running, the Queen desired that she might 
 accompany her to the chase. T here, finding herself at liberty, 
 and giving full scope to her natural inclination, the young 
 savage pursued the hares and rabbits that were started, took 
 them, and returning at the same pace, delivered them to the 
 Queen. 
 
 Mademoiselle Le Blanc, the name by which she is now 
 called, remembers perfectly well her having passed a river 
 two or three days before she was taken ; and we shall see bv- 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND “ART. 669 
 
 SPL LLLP DI DIP PIP PDP DLE PDF ODPL LOG DOE LLL LLL LLP DDI ODD OLE DLE PLE LOL LL LOL O DOP ODD POL LLY POD DDL 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 PEM PAP LDL PD IPP IPPOLOP LPO GOD I GLALPLLOLP LOL LDPE GDF 
 
 SPPLLGLDE DOLEPP OAL 
 
 DLL LLE LLP OPP 
 
 and-by, that this is one of the most certain facts of her history. 
 She was then accompanied by another girl, a little older than 
 herself, and a black likewise; but whether that was her na- 
 tural colour, or whether she was only painted like Le Blane, 
 is uncertain. ‘They were swimming across a river, and diving 
 to catch some fish, when they were observed by one M. De St. 
 Martin, a gentleman of that neighbourhood, as Mademoiselle 
 Le Blane was afterwards told, who, seeing nothing but the 
 two black heads of the children now and then appearing above 
 the water, mistook them, as he says himself, for two water- 
 cocks, and fired at them from a good distance. Luckily, 
 however, he missed them; but the report made them dive, 
 and retire farther off. 
 
 The little Le Blanc, on her part, had a fish in each hand, 
 and an eel in her teeth. After having gutted and washed 
 their fish, she and her companion eat, or rather devoured it ; 
 for, by her account, they did not chew their meat; but hold- 
 ing it in their hands, tore it with their fore-teeth into small 
 pieces, which they swallowed without chewing. After finish- 
 . Ing their repast, they directed their course into the country, 
 leaving the river at their back. Soon after, she who is now 
 become Mademoiselle Le Blanc, first perceived a chaplet 
 on the ground, which, no doubt, had been dropped by some 
 passenger. Whether the novelty of the object delighted her, 
 or whether it brought to her remembrance something of the 
 same kind that she had seen before, is not known; but she 
 immediately fell a dancing and shouting for joy. Being ap- 
 prehensive lest her companion should deprive her of her little — 
 treasure, she stretched out her hand to take it up; upon 
 which the other, with her baton, struck her so severe a stroke 
 on the hand, that she lost the use of it for some moments. 
 She had, however, strength enough left, as with the weapon 
 in her other hand, to return the blow on the forehead of her 
 antagonist, with such a force as to knock her to the ground, 
 screaming frightfully. The chaplet was the reward of her 
 victory, of which she made herself a bracelet. ‘Touched in 
 the mean time, as it would seem, with compassion for her 
 companion, whose wound bled very much, she ran in search 
 of some frogs, and finding one, she stripped off its skin, which 
 she spread on her forehead, to stop the blood, binding up the 
 wound with a thread of the bark of a tree, which she peeled 
 off with her nails. After this they separated; she that was 
 wounded taking the road towards the river, and the victorious 
 Le Blanc that towards Songi. . 
 
 There is much greater uncertainty still as to what hap- 
 pened to these two children, previous to their arriving in 
 
670 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DIL PIL OD PLL POL LLL LDDL IL LOD SILL ID DIL LOE LID PPG PDE BEDI 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 LOL ELE LOE LED PEEP LLL DEL PDF 
 
 GIP PEL IDL SLED PE OOCLE LOL BLLO LOE LDE DEE 
 
 Champagne; Le Blanc’s memory on that head being very 
 indistinct and confused. 
 
 The squeaking cries she uttered through her throat, by 
 way of language, were, I believe, not the least occasion of 
 the harsh treatment she sometimes underwent; she has lost 
 almost entirely the language of her country, remembering 
 only the tone of it, and manner of speaking, and some wild 
 cries, with which she used to frighten the French people 
 after she was first caught; and it was by these cries, and by 
 signs, that she conversed with her companion, the negro girl, 
 who did not speak nor understand her language, but had a 
 language of her own, of which Le Blanc only remembered 
 one word, viz. “ Broutut,”- signifying any thing that was eat- 
 able. As to her own language, she says it was all spoken 
 from the throat, with very little use of the tongue, and none 
 at all of the lips; and this she represented in a very lively 
 manner, so as to convince every body who heard her, that her 
 language was no more than a collection of guttural sounds, 
 with very little articulation. Her mouth, she says, when she 
 was caught, was much less than it is now, and almost round ;~ 
 and when she laughed, she did not open her mouth as we do, 
 but made a little motion with her upper lip, and a noise in 
 her throat, by drawing her breath inwards. She remembers 
 some of the idioms of her language ; such as, for wounding 
 aman, “ to make him red ;”’ and, instead of killing, she used 
 the phrase, “* to make him sleep long ;” and that the common 
 salutation in her country is, “I see you.”” She remembered also 
 a good deal of the funeral ceremonies used in her country ; and, 
 particularly, that the dead man was set up in a kind of case, 
 something like an arm-chair, and was addressed by his nearest 
 relation, in a speech, of which she gave the substance in 
 Krench, importing, that he had eyes, yet could not see ; ears, 
 yet could not hear; legs, yet could not walk; a mouth, yet 
 could not eat; what then was become of him? and whither 
 was he gone? And the ceremony was concluded with what 
 she called “ un cri de tristesse,”’ which was a horrid shriek 
 that she used first when she was caught, upon every occasion 
 of surprise or distress, to the terror and astonishment of every 
 body that heard her. 
 
 Her screams were indeed frightful, those of anger or fear 
 especially, which I could easily conceive from a specimen ex- 
 hibited by her in my presence, of one of the most moderate, 
 expressive of her joy or friendship ; and at which, had I not 
 been put on my guard beforehand, I should have been heartily 
 frightened. ‘The most terrible of all were uttered by her on 
 the approach of any unknown person, with an intention to : 
 
 PLP LLP ODP 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 671 
 
 DPIPLI LPP IPLLLELORPDG 
 
 ¢ GIL LL LOE LEE DOLE LOL LED LOCLLOOPED OOD 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne, 
 
 LIL LDPL DDL IDL LILLDED LOL LOPE LEO LE L ODL ELE LROD LOD OOD 
 
 LDIIPPI GOLF POG GP 
 
 PIP LLL 
 
 PLOELIDL LO LEOIF LDL PDP ODL 
 
 take hold of her, at which she discovered a horror that ap- 
 peared altogether extraordinary. Of this she once gave a 
 strong instance in the house of M. De Beaupre, at present a 
 counsellor of state, but at that time intendant of the province 
 of Champagne, to whom she had been brought soon after 
 _ being placed in the Hospital-general of St. Maur at Chalons; 
 which, by the certificate of her baptism, is fixed on the 30th of 
 October, 1731. A man, who had heard of her abhorrence of 
 being touched, resolved nevertheless to embrace her, in spite 
 of the danger that he was told, as an unknown person, he ran 
 in going too near her. She had in her hand at the time a 
 piece of raw beef, which she was devouring with great satis- 
 faction: and, by way of precaution, he kept fast hold of her 
 clothes. ‘The instant she saw the man near her, in the atti- 
 tude of taking hold of her arm, she gave him such a violent 
 stroke on the face, both with her hand and the piece of flesh 
 she held in it, that he was so stunned and blinded as to be 
 scarcely able to keep his feet. ‘he savage, at the same time, . 
 believing the strangers around her to be so many enemies, 
 who intended to murder her, or.dreading, perhaps, punish- 
 ment for what she had done, sprang out of their hands towards 
 a window, through which she had a view of trees and a river, 
 intending to jump into it, and so make her escape ; which she 
 would certainly have done, if they had not again caught hold 
 of her. | 
 
 The weaning her from feeding on raw flesh, and the leaves, 
 branches, and roots of trees, was the most difficult and dan- 
 gerous part of her reformation. Her stomach and constitu- 
 tion having been constantly accustomed to raw food, full of 
 its natural juice, could by no means endure our artificial 
 kinds of food, rendered by cookery, according to the opinion 
 of several physicians, much more difficult of digestion." While 
 she continued at the castle of Songi, and for the two first 
 years that she staid in the Hospital of St. Maur at Chalons, 
 M. D’Epinoy, who took care of her, gave orders to carry her, 
 from time to time, the raw fruits and roots of which she was 
 fondest ; but in the hospital she was entirely deprived of raw 
 flesh, and raw fish, which she had found in great plenty about 
 the castle of Songi. She appeared particularly fond of fish, 
 either from her natural taste, or from her having acquired, 
 by constant custom from her childhood, the faculty of catch- 
 ing them in the water with more ease than she could the wild 
 game by speed of foot. M. De L—— remembers that she _ 
 retained this inclination for catching fish in the water two 
 years after her capture: and the same gentleman informed me, 
 
672 CURICSITIES OF HATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIISP DOD OO GL IO LOE POSGPD ELE L GGL OL LIGLELL DLL LOL LDL LIL LLG LOG ROE LOO MOE DIL EOD & 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 POP LLP LOL LLP LOL DLO LLG LOD PIL LICL IL BDL III PLE LDL SIL LLLE PDI DDD LLL DLL 
 
 PPL PLL LLL LCOS BOR 
 
 that the little savage having been brought, by order of Viscount 
 - D’Epinoy, to the castle of Songi, where M. De L—— then 
 happened to be, no sooner perceived a door open which led 
 to a large pond, than she immediately ran and threw herself 
 into it, dressed as she was, swam round all the sides of it, and 
 landing on a small island, went in search of frogs, which she 
 ate at her leisure. This circumstance puts me in mind of a 
 comical adventure which she told me herself. au 
 
 When any company visited M. D’Epinoy at Songi, he used 
 to send for the girl, who soon became more tame, and began 
 to discover much good humour, and a softness and humanity 
 of disposition, which the savage life she had been obliged to 
 follow for self-preservation, had not been able altogether to 
 efface; for when she did not appear apprehensive of any 
 harm, she was very tractable and good-humoured. One day, 
 when she was present at a great entertainment in the castle, 
 observing none of the delicacies she esteeméd, every thing 
 being cooked, she ran out like lightning, and traversing all 
 the ditches and ponds, returned with her apron full of living 
 frogs, which she spread very liberally on the plates of all the’ 
 guests; and, quite overjoyed at having found such good cheer, 
 cried out, “ Tien man, man, donc tien ;’—“ Hold man, man, 
 hold then :’”’ almost the only syllables she could then articu- 
 late. We may easily figure to ourselves the confusion and 
 bustle this occasioned among the guests, every one endeavour- 
 ing to avoid or throw away the frogs that were hopping all 
 about. The little savage, quite surprised at the smail value 
 they seemed to.set on her delicate fare, carefully gathered up 
 the scattered frogs, and threw them back again on the plates 
 and table. The-same thing has happened several times in 
 different companies. : 
 
 it was with the utmost difficulty that they prevented her 
 from eating raw flesh, and, by slow degrees, reconciled her to 
 our cooked victuals. ‘The first trials she made to accustom 
 herself to victuals dressed with salt, and to drink wine, cost 
 her her teeth, which, together with her nails, were preserved 
 as a curiosity.. She recovered, indeed, a set of new. teeth, just 
 like ours, but she irrecoverably. hurt her health, which con- 
 tinues to be extremely delicate. Krom one dangerous disor- 
 der she immediately fell into another, all occasioned by into- 
 lerable pains in her stomach and bowels, but especially in her 
 throat, which became parched and inflamed, owing, as the 
 physicians asserted, to the little exercise and nourishment de- 
 rived io these parts from her new regimen, in comparison of 
 what they had received from the raw victuals she formerly 
 
“CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 673 
 
  WIIIDDOE PO DOD DOLL OD MPO DOD LOOT LO DOODLE OLE DDO DOOD DDD LE POO DOOOIEDOETOOREL EOOLOOODEDNNCLI 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne, 
 
 fed upon. These pains frequently produced an universal 
 
 a over the whole body, and weaknesses irreparable by 
 
 all the arts of cookery. 
 
 I was informed by M. L——, that M. D’Epinoy, who was 
 solicitous to save her at any expense, sent a physician to see 
 her, who being at a loss what to prescribe, hinted, that it was 
 necessary to indulge her now and then with a bit of raw flesh. 
 Accordingly, she says, they gave her some, but she could, by 
 that time, only chew it and suck out the juice; not being able 
 to swallow the flesh. Sometimes, too, a lady of the house, 
 who had a great affection for her, would bring her a chicken 
 or pigeon alive, of which she immediately sucked the blood 
 warm, which she found to be a kind of balsam that penetrated 
 every part of her body, softened the acrimony of her parched 
 throat, and brought back her strength. It was with all this 
 trouble, and these narrow escapes, that Mademoiselle Le 
 Blanc, by slow degrees, gave over her raw diet, and accus- 
 tomed herself to the cooked victuals we eat; and that so en- 
 tirely, that at present she has a disgust at raw flesh. 
 
 As to her two embarkations, of which she has preserved a 
 pretty distinct idea, and about which she has never varied ; 
 the truth of them, as well as her having remained some time 
 in a hot country, such as our West India islands, seems to 
 be in some measure confirmed by this, that sugar-canes, cas- 
 save, or manioc, the known productions of the hottest climates, 
 were by no means new or unknown objects to her, for she 
 remembers to have ate of them; and the first time they were 
 shown her in France, she seized them very greedily. I take 
 notice of these circumstances, because they tend to form a 
 connexion between the several parts of the adventures that 
 may have conducted Mademoiselle Le Blanc from the northern 
 regions, of which she appears to be a native, first into the 
 West Indies, and from thence into Europe, somewhere near 
 to the frontiers of France. 
 
 She and her companion caught the fish with their hands, 
 either in the sea, in lakes or in rivers; but Mademoiselle Le 
 Blanc could not explain to me which; nor could she give me 
 any other description of their manner of fishing, except, that 
 when they saw in the water, where their sight was extremely 
 acute, any fish, they instantly pursued and caught them, then 
 returned to the surface of the water to gut and wash them, 
 immediately afterwards eat them, and then went in quest of 
 more. It must, therefore, have been either in some river, or 
 if in the sea, it could only be when the ship was at anchor in 
 some pogt or road, that they fished in this manner. Of this I 
 was persuaded by. one of her adventures ; jie she told ine, 
 
 29, R 
 
G74 GURIOSITINS OF NATURE AND. ART. 
 
 . The Savage Girl of Champagne. 
 
 that having one day thrown herself into the water, not to fish, 
 as it would seem, because she did not choose to return again, 
 but to make her escape, on account of some harsh usage, and 
 having swam about a considerable time, she betook herself at 
 last to a steep rock, on which she scrambled, as she says, like 
 a cat; and having been pursued thither by a boat or canoe, 
 she was retaken with much difficulty, being found concealed 
 among some bushes. All this shows, that the ship was. not 
 far from land; though it is not unlikely that this escape may 
 be the same with that mentioned above, of which M. De L—— 
 was an eyewitness at Songi. | 
 
 On account of this flight, perhaps, or some other attempts 
 of the same kind, the two little savages were confined to the 
 hold of the ship; but this precaution had like to have proved 
 fatal both to them and to the rest of the crew likewise. Per- 
 ceiving themselves near the water, their favourite element, 
 they formed a scheme of scratching a hole in the ship, by which 
 they might make their escape into the water: the crew, how- 
 ever, luckily discovered their operations time enough to pre- 
 vent the effect of them, and thereby escaped an unavoidable 
 shipwreck. This attempt made them chain the two little 
 savages. in such a wayas to put it out of their power to re- 
 sume their work, 
 
 It appears, that after the escape of these two children, from 
 whatever place it was, being then incapable of any. other 
 views or intentions than those of liberty and self-preservation, 
 they pursued no other route than chance or necessity pre- 
 sented. At night, when, according to Le Blanc, they saw 
 more distinctly than in the day, (which, howeyer, must not be 
 understood literally, though her eyes do still retain somewhat 
 of that faculty,) they travelled about in search.of food and 
 drink. The small.game which they caught sitting, and the 
 roots of trees, were their provisions; their arms. and nails 
 supplying the place of caterer and cook. They passed the 
 day either in holes, in bushes, or upon trees, as the nature of 
 the place permitted. The trees were their refuge against the 
 wild beasts which they discovered ; they served them likewise 
 as their watch-towers, from whence they could observe at a 
 distance whether any of their enemies were near, when they 
 wanted tocome down; and it was here they waited, as it were 
 in ambush, for the passing of any game, upon which they either 
 leaped all of a sudden, or went in pursuit of them. Provi- 
 dence, which bestows on every creature the instincts and 
 faculties necessary for the preservation of its kind, had en- 
 dued them with a power of motion in the eyes quite incon- 
 ceivable; their movement-was so extremely quick, and their 
 
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 YMG = 
 
 SSS 
 
 rss 
 
 SE 
 
 ——— 
 ———S 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 675 
 
 The Savage Girl of Champagne.—The Ostrich, 
 
 POP LPP GP DODO POE POD LOL PIL PIO LIL ODP DID LOL EDL DDD 
 
 PLL LIL LLL LPL LDPE PLE OOD LOL 
 
 sight so sharp, that they might be said to see in the same in- 
 stant on every side of them without hardly moving their heads. 
 The little of this faculty that Le Blanc still retains, is asto- 
 nishing, when she chooses to show it; for at other times her 
 eyes are like our’s ; which she reckons a lucky circumstance, 
 it having cost a great deal of pains to deprive them of their 
 quick motion, and in which she had almost despaired of suc- 
 ceeding. 
 
 The trees were likewise their beds, or rather their cradles ; 
 for, according to her description, they slept soundly in them, 
 either sitting, or probably riding on some branch, suffering 
 themselves to be rocked by the winds, and exposed to every 
 inclemency of the weather, without any other precaution than 
 the securing themselves with one hand, and using the other 
 by way of pillow. | 
 
 The largest rivers did not at all stop their journey, either — 
 by day or night; for they always crossed them without any 
 dread : sometimes they entered merely for the sake of drink- 
 ing, which they performed by dipping in their chins up to the 
 - mouth, and sucking the water like horses. But they most 
 frequently entered the rivers to catch the fish they perceived 
 at the bottom, which they brought ashore in their hands and 
 mouths, there to open, skin, and eat them. 
 
 The French author imagines this savage girl to have been 
 of the Esquimaux nation of Indians; the translator, however, 
 thinks there is much greater probability of her being of ahe 
 Huron race, and advances many ingenious arguments in sup- 
 port of his opinion. 
 
 a 
 THE OSTRICH. 
 
 Tue beauty of the plumage of the ostrich, particularly of 
 the long feathers that compose his wings and tail, is the chief 
 reason why man has been so active in pursuing him into de- 
 serts, at so much expence and labour. The Arabs, who 
 make a trade of killing these birds, formerly converted their 
 skins into a kind of cuirass and buckler. The ancients used 
 their plumes as ornaments for their helmets. The ladies in 
 the east make them still an ornament in their dress; and not 
 long since, the fine gentlemen of our own country made use 
 of them in decorating their hats. In Turkey, the janissary, 
 who has signalized himself by some military achievement, is 
 allowed to assume them asa decoration to his turban; and 
 the sultan, in the seraglio, when meditating conquests, and 
 feats of a gentle nature, puts them on, as the most irresistible 
 ornament of his person. : 
 
676 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART*. 
 
 POCLO GCF GCL LPC CGPPOPGDLGBELOLLGP GL GL LEE LDL ODD PPG SDE DLYGOD 
 
 The Ostrich. 
 
 PPP LPG LOL LPP LE ELOP LOG OPI. 
 
 < pein me 
 
 PPP PLPP LP PLOL GOEPOLOGOE DOP LOF 
 
 POP LE FP PPLE LOPE OP GPO F- 
 
 The spoils of the ostrich being thus a valuable article of 
 commerce, the hunting of that bird is one of the most serious 
 employments of the Arabs, who train the fleetest horses for 
 the purpose. Although the ostrich be far swifter than the 
 best courser, yet, by hunters on horseback, he is commonly 
 taken; and, of all the varieties of the chace, this is perhaps 
 the most laborious. The Arab, when mounted, still keeps 
 the ostrich in view, without pushing him so close as to make 
 him escape to the distant mountains ; but, at the same time, so 
 as to prevent him from taking any food. ‘This is the more 
 easily done, as the foolish bird takes his course in a waving 
 and circuitous direction, which is greatly shortened by the 
 hunters, who come up behind, and, relieving each other by 
 turns, thus keep him still running. After two or three days 
 of fatigue and famine, he becomes so exhausted, that the 
 hunters fall upon him, and, in a few moments, dispatch him, 
 by striking him on the head with cudgels, that his blood may 
 not tarnish the lustre of his white feathers. It is said, that 
 when he finds all possibility of escape cut off, the ostrich hides 
 his head, in the vain expectation that the whole of his body 
 will then be concealed from his pursuers. ‘There are still 
 other methods of hunting the ostrich, as with dogs and nets ; 
 but that practised by the Struthophagi appears most inge- 
 nious. ‘They covered themselves with ostrich skins; and, 
 passing their arms through the necks of them, counterfeited 
 all the motions of these birds. When admitted into their 
 society, they readily surprised them. 
 
 The ostriches, though inhabitants of the desert, and pos- 
 sessed of prodigious strength, are, especially if taken when 
 young, neither so fierce nor so difficult to tame as-might be 
 expected. The inhabitants of Dara and Libya are said to 
 render them almost domestic, like herds of cattle, with scarcely 
 any other means than constantly accustoming them to the 
 sight of man; to receive from him their food; and to be 
 treated with gentleness. 
 
 Besides the use of their feathers, ostriches, in their domes- 
 tic state, are said to be mounted and rode upon in the same 
 manner as horses. Firmius, an Egyptian prince of the third 
 century, used them for that purpose; and, in after times, 
 Moore assures us, that, at Ivar, in Africa, he saw a man tra- 
 velling upon an ostrich. Adanson asserts, that at the factory’ 
 of Podore, he had himself two ostriches, that, although young, 
 ran faster than a race horse, with two negroes on their backs. 
 But, although these birds may be so tamed, that, like cattle, 
 they will suffer themselves to be driven in flocks to and from 
 their stalls, and even to be mounted like horses, yet there is 
 
CURIOSILIES OF NATURE AND ART. 677 
 
 PIPPS PP GLP POP IDR FF 
 
 PLL PLL PLL LDPE LDL PLL LOL GDL PLL PDE ODL ODE OLE POPOL OE OLE OLE PPIPD 
 
 The Ostrich.—The Unconscious Incest. 
 
 POPP PPL LIL PID LOL DELP PDP LDPE LGD PDD DPD DIL PID DIL PLL LID LID PDD LILLE PPL DOL LLL LOL DOO PLE PDL OOD ODL 
 
 reason to apprehend, from their invincible stupidity, they can 
 never be taught to obey the hand of the rider, to comprehend 
 the meaning of his commands, or to submit to his will. For 
 it appears, by Adanson’s narrative, that the ostriches at Po- 
 dore, though they did not run to a great distance, scampered 
 several times around the village, and that they could only be 
 stopped by barricading the passage. From this intractable 
 disposition, there is reason to apprehend, that man will never 
 be able to avail himself of the strength and swiftness of the 
 ostrich, as he has availed himself of those qualities in the. 
 horse. 
 
 The voracity of this bird far exceeds.that of any animal 
 whatever, for it will devour, and that with equal greediness, 
 every thing that it meets with; stones, wood, brass, iron, or 
 leather, as readily as it will grain and fruit, which, in its na- 
 tive wilds, are probably its principal food. ‘Those dissected 
 by Warren and Ramby, had their stomachs so crammed with 
 these heterogeneous substances, that they were astonished that 
 these animals were able to digest such a mass. The fact is, 
 notwithstanding the marvellous accounts of this bird’s diges- 
 tive powers, that iron, and other hard substances, pass through 
 it without undergoing a greater change by the action of its 
 stomach, than they are known from experience to undergo in 
 passing through the stomach and intestines of the common hen 
 or turkey. Whether by trituration, or by the gastric juice, it 
 is not, perhaps, yet fully ascertained; but it is a well esta- 
 blished fact, that all metals lose somewhat of their weight 
 when exposed to the action of the stomach of birds. 
 
 The cause of the insatiable voracity of the ostrich is the 
 largeness of its stomachs, and the necessity it is under of fill- 
 ing them ; its swallowing indiscriminately whatever comes in 
 its way, arises from its want of taste and smell. The tongue 
 and mouth are covered with a soft cartilaginous substance, 
 which renders them insensible to the particles of any body 
 that is applied to them. So obtuse and dull is its sense: of 
 smell, that this bird will devour what is perfectly poisonous..- 
 Vallisnieri saw one that had died from having swallowed a 
 large quantity of quick lime. | 
 
 | a : 
 THE UNCONSCIOUS INCEST. 
 
 A younG woman of Glasgow having the misfortune to be- 
 come a mother before she was a wife, and at so early an age 
 as fourteen years, for the better concealment of her unlucky 
 situation, retired to Edinburgh to lie in, where she was deli- 
 vered of a boy. The lad, at the age of twelve years, either 
 
678 CURIOSITINS OF NATURH AND ART. 
 
 DLP PPL PD LIPI PLD PLO GDL IDOE 
 
 DPHPOLODP LOLOL DO DIOL LOD DOELILG PIL LDEL LOL LPDODE LIAL 
 The Unconscious Incest.—Fairy Rings. 
 
 PPP LPD LOD ODL L DOLD DIP LILLIE DID DDO DDD DDL LAD PEP LOP DDL DLL DDD DOP LPP POPOGO 
 
 Fae 
 
 from a disposition incapable of submitting to the controul of 
 his guardians, or the severity of his preceptor, ran away from 
 school, nor could any tidings of him be afterwards obtained. 
 The mother, in the meantime, set up a house in Glasgow, for 
 the reception of boarders, to which the better sort of sailors’ 
 in the merchants’ service generally resorted. A young man 
 of about twenty-two years of age, master of a West India 
 vessel, happened to take up his abode with her, and in a short 
 time, by his attractions and assiduity, awakened a flame in 
 the breast of his landlady; a mutual.attachment ensued, 
 which was cemented by matrimony. The happy couple lived to- 
 gether for three years, without interruption to their domestic 
 felicity, each year producing them a child as the reward of their 
 conjugal fidelity ; when one morning the husband putting’on 
 his shirt in the presence of his wife, she discovered a mark on 
 his shoulder, by which she knew him to be her long lost son. 
 She instantly became frantic, and seizing him by the hair, tore 
 him to the ground ; her madness supplying her with strength, 
 ‘she would probably have destroyed him, had not his cries 
 procured him the assistance of some of the family. She after- 
 wards, however, recovered reason sufficient, to give an al- 
 most unintelligible account of the melancholy circumstance © 
 that bereft her of her senses, and then relapsed into an in-— 
 curable delirium. ‘The consequences of the eclaircissement. 
 were equally fatal to the unhappy son and husband, whose 
 
 reason was entirely overturned. 
 —— 
 
 FAIRY RINGS. 
 
 Tuts curious phenomenon has been differently accounted 
 for. ‘The following is Mr. Nicholson’s description and expla- 
 nation :—* he appearance in the grass,” says he, * com- 
 monly called Fairy Rings, is well known. It consists. either 
 of a ring of grass of more luxuriant vegetation than the rest, 
 or a kind of circular path, in which the vegetation is more de- 
 fective than elsewhere. It appears to be pretty well ascer- 
 tained, that the latter state precedes the former. Two causes 
 are assigned for this phenomenon: the one, which cannot be 
 controverted, is the running of a fungus; the other, which: 
 has been considered as an effusion of theory, is grounded on a 
 supposition that the explosion of lightning may produce effects 
 of the same kind on the ground, as Dr. Priestley’s battery was 
 found to produce on the polished surface of a plate of metal, 
 that is tosay, aseries of concentric rings. ‘Some observations, 
 which | find in my common-place book, appear to show that 
 this last effect may, in certain circumstances, take pla 
 
 * On ‘Tuesday, the 19th of June, 1781, a very poy < 
 
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CURLOSITIES. OF NATURE AND ART. 679 
 
 ORPPIDPPIDOGPIF. 
 
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 PPLE PIPL PPL IPP PP LPOP 
 Fairy Rings. 
 
 PLP LIL DLE DIL ODI PLE BIL LII LIL LDL DDL IDO DLL BEDILE LDL IGE DDL PDL ODO LDP PPL ODOPRODDD 968 00088 
 
 PPO PPP PDP LOG LI 
 
 thunder-storm passed over the western extremity of London. 
 I was then at Battersea, and made no other remark on the 
 phenomena than that the explosions, which were very marked 
 and distinct, were in many instances forked at the lower end, 
 but never at the top; whence it follows, that the clouds were 
 in the positive state for the most part. On the following 
 Sunday, namely, the 24th, I happened to be in Kensington 
 Gardens; in every part of which extensive piece of ground 
 the lightning had left some marks of its agency, chiefly by dis- 
 colouration of the grass in zigzag streaks, some of which 
 were fifty or sixty yards in length. Instances of this super- 
 ficial course of the lightning along the ground, before it enters 
 the earth, are sufficiently frequent. But the circumstance 
 which attracted my attention the most was seen in a small 
 grove of trees at the angular point of one of the walks.” 
 
 Journal of Natural Philosophy, vol. i. p. 546. 
 
 Dr. Darwin is well known to have been one of the chief 
 advocates for this electrical hypothesis. It is thus he adverts 
 to it in his Botanic Garden, Canto I. 1. 369 :— 
 
 ‘“* So from dark clouds the playful lightning springs, 
 Rives the firm oak, or PRINTS THE FAIRY RINGS.” 
 
 Upon which he has the following note towards the end of the 
 volume :-— 
 
 ‘¢ There is a phenomenon, supposed to be electric, which is 
 yet unaccounted for: I mean the fairy rings, as they are 
 called, so often seen on the grass. ‘The numerous flashes of 
 lightning which occur every summer are, I believe, generally 
 discharged upon the earth, and but seldom (if ever) from one 
 cloud to another. Moist trees are the most frequent conduc- 
 tors of these flashes of lightning, and I am informed by pur- 
 chasers of wood that innumerable trees are thus cracked and 
 injured. At other times larger parts or prominences of clouds, 
 gradually sinking as they move along, are discharged on the 
 moister parts of grassy plains. Now this knob or corner of 
 a cloud, in being attracted by the earth, will become nearly 
 cylindrical, as loose wool would do when drawn out into a 
 thread, and will strike the earth with a stream of electricity 
 perhaps two or ten yards in diameter. Now, as a stream of 
 electricity displaces the air it passes through, it is plain no 
 part of the grass.can be burnt by it, but just the external ring 
 of this cylinder, where the grass can have access to the air; 
 since without air nothing can be calcined. This earth after 
 having been so calcined becomes a richer soil, and either fun- 
 guses ora bluer grass for many years'mark the place. That 
 
680 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 BP PIP LPP DIP LOD PPO POF [PPP LLP LLP OPO PPLD DPE LODPDE DEP LOE LOL PDD ODP DDE DLO BOE EDIE EDD 
 
 ‘Fairy Rings. 
 
 POL LOE POL PPP LL EDOL 
 
 lightning displaces the air in its passage, is evinced by the 
 loud crack that succeeds it: which is owing to the sides of the 
 aerial vacuum clapping together when the lightning is with- 
 drawn. That nothing will calcine without air is well under- 
 stood, from the acids produced in the burning of phlogistic 
 substances, and may be agreeably seen by suspending a paper 
 on an iron prong, and putting it into the centre of the blaze 
 of an iron furnace; it may be held there some seconds, and 
 may be again withdrawn, without its being burnt, if it be 
 passed quickly into the flame and out again, through the ex- 
 ternal part of it which is in contact with the air. I know 
 some circles of many yards diameter of this kind near Fore- 
 mark, in Derbyshire, which annually produce large white fun- 
 guses and stronger grass; and have done so, I am informed, 
 above thirty years. This increased fertility of the ground by 
 calcination or charring, and its continuing to operate so many 
 years, is well worth the attention of the farmer; and shows 
 the use of paring and burning new turf in agriculture, which 
 produces its effect, not so much by the ashes of the vegetable ~ 
 fibres, as by charring the soil which adheres to them. 
 
 ‘¢ Those situations, whether from eminence or from mois- 
 ture, which were proper once to attract and discharge a thun- 
 der-cloud, are more liable again to experience the same. 
 Hence many fairy rings are often seen near each other, either 
 without intersecting each other, as I saw this summer in a 
 garden in Nottinghamshire, or intersecting each other, as de- 
 scribed on Arthur’s seat, near Edinburgh, in the Edinb. Trans. 
 vol, il. p. 3.” 
 
 Bot. Gard. Additional Note xiii. p. 26. 
 
 There are, nevertheless, various objections to this hypo- 
 thesis ; and which seem rather to establish the opinion that 
 these singular patches are the result of the insidious operation 
 of the agaricus orcades, a fungus common to the moist wastes 
 of our own country. Mr. Gilbert White first observed, with 
 his usual correctness, that the cause of the fairy rings exists 
 in the turf, and is conveyable with it; “ for the turf of my 
 garden walks,” says he, “ brought from the down above, 
 abounds with these appearances, which vary their shape, and 
 shift their situation continually, discovering themselves now 
 m circles, now in segments, and sometimes in irregular patches 
 and spots. Wherever they obtain, PUFF-BALLS ABOUND; the 
 seeds of which were doubtless brought in the turf.”’ 
 
 Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 259. 
 
 This puff-ball has been yery plausibly stated, and nearly 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 681 
 
 PPPOE OPPVPPIT PIS ' 
 
 PPE POP DODD DP PDODGPE EDI GLE OLE PLDLDD GODS PGC GLGOGOE BSE PPGLS 
 Fairy Rings. 
 
 PPP POF ODE OPP GPP PLP LODGPDILDDE ODP PPG POLOP 
 
 PPE PGF LIE PPG PIPL GLE GPP LOD 
 
 ascertained, by Dr. Withering, to be that of the agaric we 
 have above referred to. An able writer in the Monthly Ma- 
 gazine, for April, 1803, whilst he embraces this latter opinion, 
 states several very forcible reasons against the electrical hypo- 
 thesis. 
 
 ‘¢ However plausible,” says he, “ this idea (that of electri- 
 city) may seem to the theoretical philosopher, it is found by 
 the observant naturalist to be inadequate to the explication of 
 the phenomenon. Wiaithout intending to enter into any kind 
 ef controversy upon this subject, which, doubtless, will be 
 thought by some readers already to have occupied too many - 
 pages of the most popular miscellanies, allow me to mention 
 a few facts which appear irreconcilable with the above-men- 
 tioned theory. 
 
 ‘¢ Moisture is stated as requisite for the attraction of light- 
 ning to turf—but fairy rings are discoverable in situations 
 which have no pretensions to moisture. 
 
 ‘“¢ It is next observed, that the cloud attracted by moisture, 
 will become cylindrical, or conical; and consequently the 
 stream of electricity descending on the turf, by its external 
 ring will there form the circular mark vulgarly called a 
 fairy ring; but instead of these marks being uniformly circu- 
 lar, which they would be from such a cause, they, as Mr. 
 W hite accurately states, ‘ vary their shape, and shift situation 
 continually, discovering themselves now in circles,’ (though 
 seldom entire,) ‘now in segments, anc. sometimes in irregular 
 
 atches and spots.’ . 
 
 “ Vhe gradual shifting of situation furnishes another objec- 
 tion to the phenomenon’s being occasioned by lightning; as 
 does the not mere permanency, or decrease, or dying out, of 
 such marks, but the annual increase of size which may be 
 frequently noticed in some; and the fact that fairy rings ori- 
 ginate in small patches, militates strongly against such a 
 theory. 
 
 : it is urged on the above hypothesis, that in the rings 
 formed by lightning the turf is thereby calcined—but it must 
 occur to every one that where lightning falls so powerfully as 
 to calcine turf, some effect will be perceptible on the substrata 
 of soil, or gravel, &c. for even quartz has been vitrified by 
 lightning ; but that no similar effect in any degree is to be 
 discovered under fairy rings, either-recent or old, has been 
 ascertained by accurate examination. | 
 
 “ Instead of troubling you with any further observations of 
 my own, in refutation of the above theory, permit me to close 
 with a quotation from the accurate botanical work of the late 
 Dr. Withering ; in which, after describing the agaricus or- 
 
 29. As 
 
C82 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DIG. PRP LPP LOPLIG GO 
 
 F PLP 
 
 PREP DPPLIIIILD IF PPL PPS 
 Fairy Rings.—Horrible Murder of a Child by Starvation. 
 
 FOP PPP PDI LOD PLL LDPE POL LDL LOD LED L DOD DLE LEE OLDE LDL OPO LED LDL LLE LED POL LDP LIODG LPG PLP OPP 
 
 cades, the author explains the phenomenon of fairy rings in a 
 more satisfactory manner than has been done by any other 
 writer. 
 
 ‘<< T am satisfied that the rare and brown, or highly-clothed 
 and verdant circles, in pasture fields, called fairy rings, are 
 caused by the growth of this agaric. We have many of them 
 in Edgbaston Park, on the side of a field sloping to the south- 
 west, of various sizes; but the largest, which is eighteen feet 
 in diameter, and about as many inches broad in the periphery, 
 where the agarics grow, has existed for some years on the 
 slope of an adjoining pasture field, facing the south. The 
 soil is there on a gravelly bottom. ‘The larger circles are 
 _ seldom complete. ‘The large one just now described, is more 
 than semi-circle, but this phenomenon is not strictly limited 
 to a circular figure. Where the ring is brown and almost 
 bare, upon digging up the soil, to the depth of about two 
 inches, the spawn of the fungus will be found of a greyish 
 white colour; but where the grass has again grown green 
 and rank, I never found any of the spawn existing. A similar 
 mode of growth takes place in some of the crustaceous lichens, 
 particularly in the L. centrifugus, which spreads from a centre 
 to the circumference, and gradually decays in the middle; an 
 observation made by Linnzeus, and which is equally appli- 
 cable to the general tendency of growth in the agaricus 
 orcades.’ ” | 7 
 
 Monthly Mag. vol. xv. Editor. 
 
 HORRIBLE MURDER OF A CHILD BY STARVATION. 
 
 Tue annals of crime scarcely furnish a more diabolical in- 
 stance of cruelty than the one we are about to record; but 
 the circumstances of the murder are eclipsed, in point of har- 
 dened depravity, by the means taken to conceal it. 
 
 “In July, 1762, Sarah Metyard and Sarah Morgan Metyard, 
 mother and daughter, were placed at the bar of the Old Bai- 
 ley, for the murder of Ann Nayler, a girl, thirteen years of 
 age, by shutting up and confining her, and starving her to 
 death. There was also a second indictment for the murder 
 of Mary Nayler, her sister, aged eight years. The unfortu- 
 nate child (Ann) it appeared, had been apprenticed to the 
 elder prisoner, and it was principally on the evidence of her 
 own apprentices that she and her daughter were convicted. 
 They deposed that about Michaelmas, 1758, Ann Nayler at- 
 tempting to escape, she was used so ill; being frequently 
 beaten with a thick walking-stick and a hearth-broom, and 
 made to go without her victuals. The day she endeavoured 
 
CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 683 
 
 PLPPP PIDPPIHIP PFD. 
 
 PLP PPP DDE OL ODPPP LDP POP PLP DOP PPP LOP DOP. 
 
 Horrible Murder of a Child by Starvation, 
 
 LOP PPP PD CPPP POO BD 
 
 PPP PPP IPD PDP PPS DPD GOD 
 
 to run away, a milkman who served the family, stopped her, 
 as she was running from the door, and brought her back to 
 the prisoners. The daughter dragged her up stairs, and while 
 the mother held her head, beat her cruelly with a broomstick. 
 She was then tied up with a rope round her waist, and her 
 hands fastened behind, so that she could neither sit nor lie, 
 and in this position she remained for three days, without food. 
 During this period she never spoke, but used to stand and groan. 
 At the end of the three days, the witness observed she did not 
 move; she hung double; and when this was mentioned to the 
 daughter, she said, she’d make her move. She ran up stairs, 
 and struck her with a shoe, but there was no animation in 
 her. The mother came up, laid the child across her lap, and 
 sent one of the girls for some drops. The girls were ordered 
 down stairs, and the unhappy victim was never afterwards 
 seen by them. In order to remove the suspicion of her death 
 from the minds of the apprentices, by leading them to imagine 
 she had made her escape, the old woman, two days after this, 
 left the garret-door open, and the street-door ajar, and sent 
 one of the girls up stairs to tell Navler to come down to din- 
 ner. The girl returned with the intelligence of the door being 
 open, and Nayler missing. The old woman made answer, 
 *¢ She is run away. I suppose she run away while we were 
 at dinner.” The girl replied, “ Then she has left her shoes 
 behind her.”’—* 61 returned the other, ‘she would not 
 stay for her shoes.” 
 
 Richard Rooker deposed that he lived in the prisoner’s 
 house about three months, which was long since the child had 
 been missing. He observed the children were very ill used, 
 and had very little food. When they had any, they were not 
 allowed more than five minutes to eat it. The old woman’s 
 disposition was so violent that he was obliged to remove; 
 and out of compassion to the daughter, who was repeatedly 
 beaten by her, he took her into his service. The mother, 
 however, would not suffer her to remain in peace. She 
 came almost every day, insulting the witness and the daugh- 
 ter. On one occasion he heard the cry of murder; and 
 going into a little room, he found the girl in agonies, strug- 
 giing with the old woman. She had driven her up into 
 a corner, and had got a sharp-pointed knife in her hand, 
 with which she was attempting to stab her. During the 
 altercation he heard the daughter say to the mother :— 
 ‘‘ Mother, mother, remember the gully-hole.”” Some time 
 after, he questioned the girl as to the meaning of those 
 words, when with great reluctance she told him that the child 
 and her sister had been both starved to death. That a few 
 
4 
 
 684 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 PIGGPLIPLIGLIS OOP 
 
 DIP PDL PPL DDE PLO PIG IGG PPE PPG OPODIC DIDLEGPDILGOSD GP 
 
 Horrible Murder of a Child by Starvation. 
 
 PLI PIL PPP DIDLP ED LOL OIC PDE PLE ELD LOD EPL LEA LOL LEP LPLOL DDL LIL OLE LOL LDPE DLELODP LE DPOD LLG DOS OPE OOP 
 
 days after Ann Nayler’s death, the body was carried up into 
 a garret, and locked up in a box, where it was kept upwards 
 of two months till it became putrified, and maggots came from 
 her. ‘The mother then took it out of this box, cut it in pieces, 
 cut off the arms and legs, and burnt one of the hands in the 
 fire, cursing her that her bones were so long consuming ! say- 
 ing the fire told no tales. ‘Then she tied the body and head 
 in a brown cloth, and the other parts in another, being part 
 of the bed-furniture. She carried them to Chick Lane gully- 
 hole, and threw them in.- Her mother told her, that as she 
 was coming back, she saw one Mr. Inch, who kept a public- 
 house, near Temple Bar, who cried out, *“ What a stink there 
 is!” to which she replied, that he had it all to himself, for 
 she smelt none. She called for some brandy and went away. 
 In consequence of this confession, Rooker wrote a letter to 
 the officers of the parish where he dwelt, acquainting them 
 with the particulars. 
 
 Thomas Lovegrove, overseer of St. Andrews, deposed that 
 on the 12th of December, at near twelve at night, the con- 
 stable came to him with two watchmen, and told him there 
 were parts of a human body lying at the gully-hole in Chick 
 Lane. He went with them to the spot, and the smell of the 
 body was so offensive, that the watchmen were unwilling to 
 remove it. It was at length taken to the workhouse; the 
 parts were washed, and laid upon a board; a coroner’s in- 
 quest set upon it, and returned a verdict of wilful murder. 
 In the meantime, in consequence of Rooker’s letter, the mo- 
 ther and daughter were apprehended. : 
 
 Some other witnesses were examined, who corroborated 
 the essential parts of the above evidence. 'The mother, when 
 asked for her defence, told a lame story of the girl’s running 
 away, and called one or two witnesses to prove that she used 
 her apprentices well, and gave them sufficient food, but in 
 this they failed. One of them said he had been in her 
 house at meal-times, and never saw the children have any. 
 He described the place in which they worked to be a little - 
 slip room, two yards wide at the widest part, and opening at 
 the end. 
 
 The daughter denied all participation in the murder ex- 
 cepting the concealment; and»threw all the odium on her 
 mother. “ When the girl was dead,” she said, “ I desired 
 my mother to apply to the parish to have her buried. She 
 said I was a fool, for if she did, every body would see the girl 
 had been starved ; and if the girls were asked, they could tell 
 how long she went without victuals. I then asked her to get 
 the other girls not to say how long she had been kept without 
 
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 SETH NAAR LAN! 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. C87 
 Extraordinary Suicide.—The Gossamer Spider. 
 month of April, found hanging in their bed-chamber, at about 
 a yard distant from each other, and, in a separate apart- 
 ment, the child lay dead in a cradle. They left two papers, 
 enclosed in a short letter, to their landlord, whose kindness 
 they implored in favour of their deg and cat. They even left 
 money to pay the porter who should carry the enclosed papers 
 to the person for whom they were addressed. In one of these 
 the husband thanked that person for the marks of friendship 
 he had received at his hanes and complained of the ill offices 
 he had undergone from a different quarter. The other paper, 
 subscribed by the husband and wife, contained the reasons 
 which induced them to act such a tragedy on themselves and 
 their offspring. ‘This letter was altogether surprising, for the 
 calm resolution, the good humour, and the propriety with | 
 which it was written. ‘They declared, that they withdrew 
 themselves from poverty and rags; evils that, through a train 
 of unlucky accidents, were become inevitable. They appealed 
 to their neighbours tor the industry with which they had en- 
 deavoured to earn a livelihood; they justified the murder of 
 their child, by saying, it was less cruelty to take her with them, 
 than to leave her friendless in the world, exposed to ignorance 
 and misery. They professed their belief and confidence in an 
 Almighty God, the Fountain of Goodness and Beneficence, 
 who could not possibly take delight in the misery of his crea- 
 tures; they, therefore, resigned up their lives to him without 
 any terrible apprehensions; submitting themselves to those 
 ways which, in his goodness, he should appoint after death. 
 These unfortunate suicides had been always industrious 
 and frugal, invincibly honest, and remarkable for conjugal 
 affection. 
 ie 
 
 THE GOSSAMER SPIDER. 
 
 THE manner by which spiders form those long filmy lines 
 that are frequently met crossing our path betwixt hedge-rows, 
 and sometimes stretching across streams of considerable width, 
 I had often puzzled myself to account for, till 1 chanced to 
 make the following observation :—Amusing myself in a gar- 
 den some years ago, I happened to find a spider of the above 
 description, of an unusually large size, which I secured upon 
 a twig, and stationed myself on the top of the wall, with a 
 view to observe by what method the insect should endeavour 
 to extricate itself. The spider, after having travelled back- 
 wards and forwards upon the twig, and finding no means of 
 escape from his novel situation, suddenly dropped by its 
 thread; and, at short intervals of rest and apparent consider- 
 
688. CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 
 
 DPE PIF PL OEP OL ODO PPOLP LE PLE PDL LPL PDE PEE PPP PPD LPI LODE dl PPP PPP OPP OPC POPO 
 
 The Gossamer Spider.—The Victim of Passion. 
 
 CLL PL IPOS POOLS F POI L PF LLOLPDD ODE POELLOEL LOE LL SE LOOP GES. 
 
 PLPLOLGD 
 
 ation, gradually lowered itself to about twelve feet. Unable 
 to reach our planet with this length of line, he ascended back 
 to the twig I held in my hand, and remained motionless. I 
 shortly observed, glancing in the sun-beams, another line, 
 which was gradually drawn out by the wind from the abdo- 
 men of the spider in a horizontal direction, to about three 
 yards distance, where, coming in contact with a tree, it was 
 fastened, thus forming one of those lines alluded to, and by 
 which it would appear they transport themselves from one ob- 
 ject to another. 
 
 Dr. Paley, in his work on Natural Theology, under the ar- 
 ticle “ Compensation,” seems to suppose that those spiders 
 are wafted through the air on this substance, which from its 
 specific lightness he has compared to a balloon. ‘The above 
 experiment shows that the spider does not venture upon it till 
 it has been carried by the wind to some remote object, serving 
 them rather as a bridge than a balloon, and trusting more to 
 the strength than to the buoyancy of theiraérial pathway. 
 
 —= 
 
 THE VICTIM OF PASSION, 
 
 SuLLIVAN was an Irishman, hurried by impetuosity and 
 resentment, into a bold and unwarrantable enterprize. He 
 did not, like his American namesake, help to convert success- 
 ful rebellion into a glorious revolution, but fell an ignomini- 
 ous victim to the passions, those arbitrary tyrants, which so 
 few of us are able to resist. . 
 
 Having formed an attachment to an amiable young woman, 
 of polished and engaging manners, he was admitted as her 
 lover; but, from some trifling disagreement, in which his con- 
 stitutional ardour somewhat overleaped the bounds of discre- 
 tion and decorum, his visits. had, for a short time, been for- 
 bidden. Stung with keen desire, and wearied by tedious ex- 
 pectation, he broke into her mother’s house at the dead of 
 night, seized her in his arms, and in spite of her outcries, 
 tears, and resistance, conveyed her to a lonely sequestered © 
 spot in the county of Limerick. | 
 
 After securing the avenues of his retreat, which was an an- 
 cient castle, and considering himself as safe from the danger 
 of immediate pursuit, he conducted the trembling fair one 
 into a retired chamber, and addressed her in the following 
 words: 
 
 ‘You have tortured me so long on the tenterhooks of sus- 
 pense, and in the agonies of delayed hope, that it is not pos- 
 sible to flatter myself with enjoying the least share of your 
 affections :—but it is now too late to struggle against an infa- 
 
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CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AND ART. 689 
 
 DPOIPLIL PD IOS. 
 
 PLB LLE LODE LEE OLE LL OE LEP PLL LDL DLO LLL PBF SLE PLA ELE LOL POG DO 
 
 The Victim of Passion.—Aqueducts. 
 
 POE PLO L OD ODP ELD LOE SIO PLL OIL OLE LEE LOS 
 
 PLL LLE LIE PDO ROI 
 
 POL LIP LIP 
 
 tuation which has wound itself round the fibres of my heart; . 
 it shall not,” (continued Sullivan, his eyes flashing with ven- 
 geance and fierce desire) “it shall not remain for an insulting 
 rival, to riot on those beauties, which, to contemplate, has 
 been, for many a day, the only solace of my life.” 
 
 Deaf to her most earnest entreaties, inattentive to remon- 
 strances: and tears, he grasped her in his arms, with the rude . 
 energy of savage appetite, and was as happy as the struggles 
 < reluctant beauty, and raptures, not mutual, could make 
 
 im. : vag : 
 
 So flagrant a violation of the laws, alarmed the country; 
 and:a detachment of soldiers, headed by the sheriff, in a few 
 days rescued 'the lady, and:conducted Sullivan to prison. He 
 was tried and convicted; but, before sentence of death was 
 passed, the court permitted him to put the following question: 
 ** Madam! matters have been carried against me with a high 
 hand, and they are now come to an extremity, which it is only 
 in your power to palliate; if you will marry me, the court 
 will perhaps consider my case in another light, and save my 
 life?” “If IT loved you,” (instantly replied the violated and 
 indignant female, erect, with just pride and resentment) “if I 
 loved you to distraction, I would not stir a step to save your 
 life; though the punishment you are about to undergo will 
 not restore my blasted honour, it may hereafter protect inno- 
 cence from violence and villainy.” 
 
 This impetuous and misguided pupil of impulse soon after | 
 suffered an ignominious death. 
 
 aga 
 
 AQUEDUCTS. 
 
 AqueEnpucts of every kind were long ago the wonder of 
 Rome; the vast quantity of them which they had; the prodi- 
 gious expence employed in conducting: waters: over arcades 
 from one place to another, at the distance of 30, 40, 60, and 
 100 miles, which were either continued or supplied by other 
 labours, as by cutting mountains and piercing rocks; all this 
 ought to surprise us; nothing like it is undertaken in our 
 times: we dare not even think of purchasing public conve. , 
 niency at so dear arate; (although it has been successfully 
 attempted on a trifling scale in the case of the Peat-forest 
 ‘Canal.) Appias the censor, advised and constructed the first 
 aqueduct. His example gave the public luxury a hint to 
 cultivate these objects; and the force of prodigious and inde- 
 fatigable labour diverted. the course of rivers and floods to 
 Rome. Agrippa, in that year when he was edile, put the 
 last hand to the magnificence of these works. It is chiefly in 
 
 29. aT 
 
699 CURIOSITIES OF NATURE AwyD ART. 
 Aqueducts.—The Geyzer, or Boiling Spring. 
 
 this respect that the modern so much resembles the ancient 
 city of Rome. For this advantage she is peculiarly indebted 
 to Sextus V. and to Paul V. who for grandeur and magnifi- 
 cence emulated the masters of the universe. There are still 
 to be seen, in different places contiguous to Rome, striking 
 remains of these aqueducts; arches continued through a long 
 space, over which were extended the canals which carried the 
 water to the city. The arches are sometimes low, sometimes 
 raised to a vast height, to humour the tumidities or depres- 
 sions of the ground. ‘There are some which have two arcades, 
 one constructed above the other; and this precaution was 
 observed, lest the height of a single arcade, if extended as far 
 as the situation required, might render the structure less firm 
 and permanent. ‘They are commonly of bricks ; which by 
 their cement cohere so strongly, that the parts are not sepa- 
 rated without the utmost difficulty. When the elevations of 
 the ground were enormous, it became necessary to form sub- 
 terraneous aqueducts. ‘These carried the waters to such 
 aqueducts as were raised above ground, in the declivity or at 
 
 the foot of mountains. 
 Se 
 
 THE GEYZER, OR BOILING SPRING. 
 
 THESE springs, from whence the water overflows in great 
 quantity, are to appearance perfectly pure. The most re- 
 markable of them is distinguished by the people of the neigh- 
 bourhood by the name of the little Geyzer. The water of it 
 boils with a loud and rumbling noise in a well of an irregular 
 form, of about six feet in its greatest diameter ; from thence 
 it bursts forth into the air, and subsides again, nearly every 
 minute. The jets are dashed into spray as they rise, and are 
 from twenty to thirty feet high. Volumes of steam or vapour 
 ascend with them, and produce a most magnificent effect, 
 particularly if the dark hills, which almost hang over the 
 fountain, formed a back ground to the picture. The jets 
 are forced in rising to take an oblique direction, by two or 
 three large stones, which lie on the edge of the basin. Be- 
 tween these and the hill, the ground (to a distance of eight 
 or nine feet) is remarkably hot, and entirely bare of vegeta- 
 tion. A steam instantly rises, if the earth is stirred, which 
 in some places is covered with a thin coat of sulphur, or ra- 
 ther, I should say, some loose stones only are covered with 
 flakes of it. In one place, there is a slight efflorescence on the 
 surface of the soil, which by the taste appears to be alum. 
 
7S SSS Se = 
 
 Ge Great Geyser, or? Loitirag String we’ ¢ Asie 
 
INDEX. 
 
 —? 8a 
 A. PAGE PAGE 
 Acuminatus, or shooting fish 600 | Caraboo, princess 661 
 Adven ture, an extraordinary 6 | Cascade in Buckinghamshire 574 
 - singular, of a British soldier 389 | Cat eaters 304 
 - Aerial plant 602 | Cathcart, Lady 466 
 Affection and attachment in animals 193 | Cave of deat. a surprising prison escape 22 
 African deserts 323 | Cavern, great, of Guacharo 135 
 Aitkin, the incendiary 231, 269 | Cerastes, or horned snake 396 
 Algerine conspiracy 339 | Ceylon serpent, a miraculous escape 392 
 Ali Mustapha, the outrageous Turk ,Anec- Charles XI. of Sweden, vision of 444 
 dote of 15 | Cherries preserved forty years 372 
 Alligator, the, harmless 381 | Chicken with a human countenance 182 
 extraor dinary instance of voracity 471 | Children, wonderful 254 
 Alps, dreadful catastrophes among Coincidence, most extraordinary 386 
 Andes, the, of South America 118 | Colossus of Rhodes 686 
 Animal flower 473 | Concentric rainbow 485 
 Anthony, a mad fanatic 371 | Confusion of the senses 511 
 Antipathies, remarkable 227, 546 | Cornish murder, the 555 
 Ants, sagacity of 62 | Corbeau, Renee All 
 Apparitions of Souter Fell 3 | Credulity and fanaticism, singular in- 
 —- of Marshal Saxe 634 stances of : 68, 433 
 Aqueducts 689 D. 
 Arabian Deserts 322 ) Damiens, a fanatic 234 
 Atmospherical phenom. of themock suns 184 | ——-—— dreadful execution of 647 
 Awful death of Mr. Munro 659 | Damnable, Mother 208 
 —_—— presentiment of death 385 | Dancer, Daniel, the miser 87 
 legacy 624 | Deafness cured. 495 
 : Delicate spinning 508 
 Beker, the, of St. Giles’s, a singularly D’Eon, chevalier 503 
 whimsical circumstance 7 Deserts, wide and inhospitable 322, 353 
 Baker, the conjurer 459 | Devil-sticker of South America, a de- 
 Banian tree, account of 240 scription of : 29 
 - Birds, migration of 93 | Diamond mines 475 
 Bituminous and other lakes 44] | Dinely, Sir John 597, 586 
 Blackbeard, a pirate and freebooter 142 | Diving-bell 133 
 Blash de Manfre, the water spouter 409 | Dog of Montargis 572 
 Boa Constrictor, account of 49 | Domestic calamity, case of 16 
 Bonaparte’s account of the battle of Wa- Don Juan, wonderful story of 185 
 terloo 17, 32, 63, 90, 127, 159, 235 | Dropping well at Knaresborough 146 
 Bottle conjurer 456 | Duel, extraordinary 125 
 Brand from the burning 610 eS 
 British sailors on Pompey’s pillar 386 KE. 
 Broken heart, the 609 | Earthquake, dreadful, in Calabria 182 
 Brown, Henry 569 | East, Mary, the female husband - 335 
 Brown, Phebe, the female dwarf 423 | Eccentric biography 464, 503, 557, 586, 639 
 Buchell, Martin Van 639 | Echo, singular 447 
 Byrne, Edward 502 Eddystone light- house 332 
 Elephant, anecdotes of 345 - 
 C3 _Escape from massacre, by the presence of 
 Calas, John, cage of 496, 527 mind and coolness of a lady 30 
 Camel’s stomach, capaciousness of 604 | —-— miraculous, from the Inquisition 593 
 Cameleon 395 remarkable, from death - 17] 
 Canine uurse 339 miraculous, of Sir Brook Watson, 
 Canning, Elizabeth 454 from a shark 468 
 
INDEX: 
 
 PAGE PAGE 
 Exploits of two officers in America 261 | Infanticide at Pekin 381 
 Explosion of two vessels at sea 658 | — the cruel 646 
 Ewe, singular 386 | Imposture, extraordinary case of 378, 426 
 ; Incident, an affecting and extraor dinary 36 
 
 Faculties, extraordinary, in avimals 222 | Insect which destroys the elephant 19> 
 Fairy rings 678 | Insects, destructive 28 
 Falls of Niagara 539 | Intrepidity, singular instance of 34] 
 Family elm 308 | Invention, curious, for walking on water 47 
 
 Family, a, all afflicted with loss of limbs 653 
 Farquhar, Mr. aud Fonthill Abbey 
 Fashionable rat 496 
 Fata Morgana, or optical appearances of 
 
 figures in the sea and air 484 
 Fatal revenge, horrible case of 490 
 ——— effects of fear 553 
 Feats, astonishing, of a Turkish dervise 151 
 
 553 
 
 Fecundity of fish 
 Fell, Miss, a case of domestic calamity 16 
 
 F emale i in ‘Calabri ia 569 
 Fighting monkeys 603 
 Fingal’s cave, description of 168 
 Fly, an extraordinary 365 
 Force of nature, or Indian nurse 303 
 a imagination 629 
 Franceeur, the lunatic 191 
 Funeral, a singular 474 
 G. 
 
 Gascoigne, Thomas 566 
 
 690 
 
 Geyzer, the, or boiling spring 
 Ghost, a short method of bringing to light 551 
 622 
 
 soe OLY 2 
 
 Giants, ancient history of 373 
 Glaciers, the, in Switzerland 532 
 Gold and silver mines 542 
 Good fortune, wonderful instances of 287 
 Gossamer spider 687 
 Grime, Ann 502 
 Groaning tree in Lincolnshire 339 
 Guardian snake 665 
 
 Guzman (Don) interesting history of - 
 21, 53, 121, 148, 178, 224, 264, 296, 313 
 
 H. 
 Hanging tower of Pisa 96 
 Hatching chickens, curious method 508 
 Henrietta of England 384 
 Himalaya mounrains 621 
 Hindoo juggling 165_ 
 Hoaxes and impostures 454, 661 
 
 Hoheniohe, Prince, and his miracles 437, 461 
 Honest old hostess of Oranienbaun 139 
 Horrivie narrative of a person buried alive 72 
 Horrors of a guilty conscience , 637 
 
 Horse, anecdotes of 109 
 Horticultural anecdote 285 
 Howe, Mr. the absent husband 508 
 Hudson, Jeffery, in the pie 545 
 Hypocrisy detected 645 
 Ichneumon, Indian, description of 163 
 mig 8 the, Lambert 565 
 
 lll. 
 
 I slands, which have risen from the sea 398 
 
 Jew’s leap 652 
 
 Judges and jurors, an extraordinary anec- 
 dote , 273 
 
 K. 
 
 Kentucky cavern, the great ited 
 
 Kettlewell, Lumley, singular biography of 45 
 
 Knock-a- big’ s close 285 
 
 Konigsmark, Count, extraordinary disap- 
 pearance of ] 
 
 L. 
 Lakes of Italy 594 
 Lambert, Daniel 562 
 Laplanders and rein-deer 131 
 Learned Hebrew 501 
 ——— Italian lady 152 
 Le Brun, a dreadful case of murder 212 
 Legal murder 496, 527 
 Lesson from a spider 636 
 Levi, Marcus 568 
 Lioness, attack of a, ona mail coach 487 
 Littleness, wonders ‘of 491 
 Lolkes, the Dutch dwarf _ 591 
 Longevity, cases of 501, 585 
 Longevity of the pike 614 
 
 Lovat, Matthew, extraordinary self-cru- 
 cifixion of 
 
 Lunar rainbow 485 
 Lyttleton’s, Lord, Be eiiae =~ of his 
 own death 493 
 M. 
 Man with the iron mask, hist.of 37, 101 
 Marine spectre 630 
 Marble ponds of Persia 575 
 Masaniello, the fisherman of Naples 12° 
 Masked executioner of Charles I. 5 
 Massacre of St. Bartholomew _ 649 
 | Mausoleum of Hyder Ally 242 
 Mechanism, curious piece of 146 
 Mechanical inventions 79 
 Medusz, or animalcule of the polarsea 305 
 Mendicant robber of Orleans 81 
 Mermaid 665 
 Miles, John, a lamentable case 329 
 Miracle, alleged 605 
 Monsters, or deviations from nature 308 
 Mont Blauc, in Switzerland 532 
 Montserrat, and its Convent 537 
 Morin, Simon, a fanatic’ 433 
 Mountain of Cader Idris | 426 
 Mud lake of Java 442 
 
 Murder, horrible, of a child bystarvation 682 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 Mvrder, midnight, of a whole family pre- 
 vented 
 
 extraordinary, in Russia _ 495 
 
 in India 338 
 
 discovered by touching the dead 
 body | 599 
 
 —-——Sshocking and atrocious, of Ann 
 Smith 
 
 ——- curious discovery of — ~ 
 
 Murderous barber ol! the Rue de la Harpé 
 
 Musical pigeon 
 
 289 
 952 
 1 
 8 
 
 N. 
 Nepenthes, description of 
 North Cape, account of 
 
 : 85 
 Number of the known species of organized 
 
 beings 554 
 O. 
 
 Oak, enormous large 574 
 
 planted by squirrels 604 
 
 Odd family 4 452 
 
 Old Boots, a singular character 19 
 
 Orang outang 349 
 
 Ostrich, the 675 
 PF; 
 
 Parricide punished 447 
 
 Parry’s, Capt., northern expedition 512 
 
 176 
 488 
 173 
 210 
 507 
 570 
 
 326 
 44} 
 625 
 633 
 
 Pearl fisheries of Ceylon 
 
 Peeke’s combat with three Spaniards 
 Pekin, city of, interesting description 
 Peter, the wild boy 
 
 Petrified corpse 
 
 Pett, Thomas, the miser . 
 
 Pilgrimage across the Deserts- 
 
 Pitch lake of Trinidad 
 
 Plague, the great, in London 
 
 Pope’s three escapes 
 
 Porcelain tower at Nankin 96 
 Preservation of a miner buried alive 83 
 remarkable, of three women 662 
 Procession of penitents in Spain & Portugal 583 
 
 et 
 
 Punishment of a murderer in design 166 
 Purchase of wives 2 444 
 Q. 
 
 Quicksilver mines 544 
 R. 
 
 Radiant boy, the, an apparition 656 
 Rainbow, lunar, of 1710 485 
 
 concentrated ibid. 
 Rats, surprising performances of 222 
 and Florence oil 554. 
 Ravaillac, trial and execution of 291, 317 
 Recognition, singular 474 
 Recovery, singular, of a female unjustly 
 executed 582 
 — of a woman hanged for murder 611 
 . Richardson, the fire-eater 569 
 River Rhone 364 
 Robin, domesticated 386 
 
 (Se a ee eee eee ee TT ee SE aS REE as a ee a a, eet 
 
 PAGE 
 Rokeby, Lord 360 
 Ruins of Balbec 423 
 Rusty nail, the 613 
 
 Ryley, Miss Caroline 204, 228, 257 
 
 S. 
 Saint Winifred’s well 
 
 144 
 
 Salt mines of Cracow 478 
 Salt mines and springs of Cheshire 480 
 Sands, James 502 
 Savage, the young, of Aveyron 209 
 —— girl of Champagne 614, 667 
 
 Second sight, extraordinary instances of 624 
 Sea-monster, a.terrible 9 
 Sea-dragon, sea-devil, & other monsters 7] 
 
 —— wolf 613 
 Shipwreck in the Greenland seas 195 
 Shipwreck, horrible circumstances of — 10 
 Shot, a good 473 
 Siggs, Ann | 561 
 Situation of extreme horror 20 
 Smith, Roger 562 
 Smoking ladies 31 
 Snakes, fascinating power of 344 
 Sound, rapidity with which it travels 447 
 Speaking dog 222 
 Spectre of the Brocken mountain 175 
 Spectres, actual appearance of 97 
 Spotted negro boy 409 
 Starvation, voluntary 357 
 Stukeley, perpetual motion seeker 464 
 Subterr aneous forests 549 © 
 tires 416 
 wonders 113 
 Suicide extraordinary 686 
 Sulphur mountain of Iceland 654 
 Sun fish 614 
 Supernatural appearances 58 
 ——— warning 451 
 Superstition of the Hindoos 606 
 Sympathies and Antipathies 546 
 ie 
 Talipot leaf, description of 101 
 Tamed bees, wasps, &c. 222 
 Tiquet, Madame, memoirs of 243 
 Torture, self-inflicted, by Hindoo fanatics 164 
 Transformation, curious, of insects 201 
 ‘Trinitarian, a 508 
 Turkish justice 342 
 Two brothers, the 61 
 V.& Uz 
 Vampires and vampirism 575, 650 
 Ventriloquist, singular story of a 157 
 Vesuvius, its eruptions, &c. 216, 250 
 Victita of passion 688 
 Vine -fretters 619 
 Viper, great, of Martinique 343 
 Volcanos in the sun 580 
 Volcano of Jurullo 306 
 Urselin,; Barbara 409 
 
INDEX. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Unconscious incest 677 
 —— poet 453 
 
 W. 
 
 Wall, the great, of China 388 
 Wapeti, or gigantic elk 120 
 Watch found in a shark 86 
 
 —-— miniature, of curious construction 138 
 Water spouts, curious account of 92 
 
 ! PAGE 
 White wolf, and dog-rib-rock 407 — 
 Wild pigeons 306 
 
 man, by long secession from soviety 382 
 Wine drinking, excessive 8 
 
 Wolf, singular attachment of 82 
 
 Wonders of the universe 73 
 
 of littleness 491 
 
 Wood-man, a wonderful animal 230 
 
 Works of art, stupendous 301 
 Y. 
 
 Yanar, or perpetual fire 94 
 : He 
 
 Zoophites, er plant animals 199 
 
 DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. 
 
 Welch patriarch 585 
 Welch, Samuel 501 
 Well, a remarkable 385 
 Whimsical (singularly) circumstance ré 
 Whirlwinds 415 
 ea — mirage and locusts of Egypt 509 
 FRONTISPIECE - - 
 
 View of the North Cape - 
 Boa Constrictor ~ - 
 Chinese Porcelain Tower, and 
 Hanging Tower of Pisa - 
 Wapeti or Gigantic Elk - 
 
 Dropping Well at Knaresborough, an 
 
 St. Winifred’s Well, North Wales 
 Cave of Fingal, and Bist kaa 
 
 ' Needle Rocks, Isle of Wight poe 
 Mouut Vesuvius - . 
 Skeleton of the M animate a 
 Phenomena of the Mock Suns’ . 
 Young Savage of Aveyron, and _ 
 
 Peter, the Wild Boy - 
 Banian Tree, and - 
 Mausoleum of Hyder Ally - 
 Elephant Hunting — - 
 
 Subterranean disappearance of the Rhowe : 
 
 Great Wall of China 
 
 Aqueduct of the Peat Forest Canal 
 Whirlwind of Sand in Arabia, and 
 Water Spout in the Pacific Ocean 
 
 Miraculous Escape of Sir B. Watson, and 
 
 - Voracity of an Alligator ~ 
 
 Attack of a Lioness on the Mail Coach 
 
 Great Plague of London, and =  - 
 Earthquake at Messina - 
 Lunar Rainbow, and - 
 Comet of 1811 - - 
 Fairy Ring near Shrewsbury 
 Ruins of Balbec, and - 
 Cader Idris, Nor th Wales - 
 View of the Lake bene - 
 Silver Mines - 
 Great Geyzer, or Boiling Spring 
 Rhodes, with the Colossus - 
 Ostrich Hunt - - 
 
 C, Baynes, Printer, Duke Street, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. 
 
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