DY I know not, however, whether the very worst part of the business is not yet to follow. NOBODRINKS WINE-(all attributable to the snowy ground on which the bottles move to and fro!) Nobody touches and eulogizes your port or your claret. In vain has Carbonell furnished the former, and Barnes the latter. In vain have the labelled pedigress been suspended over your bin, or the fruits of your enterprise and courage at the sale of an ambassador's cellar, been treasured up in your subterraneous retreats! Nobody drinks wine. 'Tis the fashion. In vain have Anacreon and Horace written in choicest verse-Nunc est bibendum.'-There is no eye to read, and no heart to feel, the beauty of the verse, or the soundness of the doctrine. All is now grave, and silent, and oft-times sullen. English hospitality is sadly changed. I augur dreadful results from this unnatural and morbid state of things : and predict, that those Pindar ees, who delight and revel in water, will be called on one day to pay dearly for their heresies and abominations. They may safely reckon on being haunted by the ghost of Capt. Morris. Sir, I am no advocate for vinous potations which end in uproar and temporary insanity; but I am an advocate for all those social and innocuous indulgences which blend heart with heart more closely, and diffuse one general and joyous emotion amidst rational and well-educated society; and, as an old soldier, will prove, at the point of the bayonet, that a pint of port, or of claret, (I always drink the former, especially if it be one month above seven years old) can hurt no man; but, on the contrary, will send him up stairs into the drawing-room a more amusing guest, and a more welcome companion. One of the most virtuous female hearts and fascinating forms ever won, was won by a gentleman of the cloth, in consequence of his exquisite repetition of some verses of Cowper, which his memory and his voice, refreshed and strengthened by six moderate glasses of wine,* enabled him to go through with an irresistible effect. But there was then no table-cloth left, after the dinner had disappeared! To conclude I am of opinion that FORMAL DINNERS, SO called, are dreadful taxes on your time and your patience. Parties are too often very strangely shuffled together. A is not introduced to B, nor B to C-and so the thing is understood, and felt, from the top to the bottom of the table. Beauty does not smile with the fair, nor wisdom develope itself with the brown, sex. All is dull, cold, and suspicious. And when a feeling breast (which I am sadly inclined to believe mine is) begins to think of the expense, toil, and previous fatigue of the scene before one, it is really distressing. But we must not CUT our connexions-only let them 'cut' such an unnatural state of things. As a contrast to the foregoing, what happiness do I anticipate in the dinner of next Wednesday, with my neighbour and friend Mr. Lightfoot! You shall have (says his note) no garnished dishes; mere mutton, unemblazoned even with currant jelly. And if I ask a friend or two to meet you, remember, that if we are more numerous than the Graces, we shall be more limited than the muses in number. To the best of my recollection it was claret. So, | invariably written with a c, and are, of course, made plural by the addition of an s. In all these examples, the derivative adjectives are formed by changing the c into s; as expensive, defensive, offensive, &c. The word defence, though it is derived from the Latin, defensus, is nevertheless always spelled with a c. Now the word suspense, from the Latin, suspensus, is as invariably written with an s. Such irregularities as these, it must be allowed, occasion no small embarrassment to learners, as custom seems to prevail against analogy, and without any assignable or satisfactory reason for the variation which prevails in the mode of spelling different words which are of similar derivation. SpiteVisitorWaggon This very common word is spelled in Johnson's Dietionary with only one g; which is at variance not only with all the authorities he has quoted, but is, in fact, contrary also to general practice. He adds, however, that, although wagon is more conformable to the etymology; yet that waggon is the prevailing form, Notwithstanding this admission on the part of Dr. Johnson, Dr. Mant, in his Family Bible, has adopted the former spelling, with one g; which is not only contrary to the prevailing form, but it is, at the same time, different from every preceding edition of the Bible, whether printed at Oxford or at Cambridge. It were to be desired, indeed, that the Bible should be, in all respects, what LOCKE has predicated of it, according to a much higher acceptation than that of correct orthography," truth, without any mixture of error." LOVE AND REASON. At a wedding that happen'd, I cannot tell where, The word canvass signifies a sieve, or straining cloth, Respecting this word, Dr. Johnson says, it seems to be established, that the substantive should derive the termination from the French, descendant, and the adjective, from the Latin, descendens. A similar diswho is in the power of, or dependent upon, another; tinction seems to be made in the words dependant, one and dependent, the adjective, hanging down. But, Dr. Johnson adds, these and many other words of like termination, are written with ent or ant, as they are supposed to flow from the Latin or the French. 5. The word, licence, when a noun substantive, is generally written with a c, and when a verb, with an Dr. Johnson gives it only with an s; though, out of nine authorities which he quotes in his Dictionary there is but one in favour of that mode of spelling the word. In this instance, Mr. Todd has not altered the orthography of the different writers; one authority, exemplifying the third meaning of the word, is from a passage in the New Testament, Acts xxv. 16. expence, it may be remarked, our old authors always wrote it expence, and, in the plural, expences, which has, perhaps, a more legitimate appearance than expenses. Defence, offence, and many similar words are Of In the feast, in the jest, in the lond swelling chorus; “ Really, Ma'au, you have charms that are very uncommon, "Your movements are formed of precision and grace,"I declare you're a mighty good sort of a woman; "You teach me the figure, and keep me in tane; "I own I am subject to hurry a little, "Nor to wait for the time, and to tire myself soon; "But with you I am sure to be right to a tittle. "What a pity it were that we ever should sunder; "One wedding, they say, seldom fails to make two; "Let us be, of the world, both the envy and wonder, "Yield, sweet REASON, to LOVE, so shall Love yield to you." "If ever we sever," the Lady replied With a blush, "gentle Sir, it shall not be my fault: In vain REASON argued ;-with passion transported, METEOROLOGICAL RESULTS Of the Atmospherical Pressure and Temperature, Rain, Wind, &c. deduced from: Diurnal Observations, Matoriai Made at MANCHESTER, in the Year 1822, by Mr. THOMAS HANSON, Surgeon. The mean annual temperature of the past year, is 519; the mean of the first three months 44° 2; second, 57° 6; third, 59° 5; fourth, 46° 1; of the six winter months, 45° 1; six summer months 58°5. The maximum, or hottest state of the year, was 85°, which occurred on the 5th of June; the minimum or coldest state, was 24°, this happened on the 16th of December; making an annual variation of 61°. The annual mean of the barometer, is twenty-nine inches, and seventy-seven hundreds; highest 30.54, which was on the 27th of February; lowest 58.49, which occurred on the 5th of December; the difference of these extremes, makes 2.05 inches. Mean of the six summer months, 29.80; of the six winter WEEKLY DIARY. FEBRUARY. REMARKABLE DAYS. SUNDAY 2-Sexagesima Sunday. See Septuagesima Sunday, p. 30. -Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary. MONDAY, 3.-Saint Blaize, For some interesting particulars, see Iris, vol. 1. p. 7. WEDNESDAY, 5.-Saint Agatha. The fete of this saint is celebrated with great pomp at Catania, in Sicily. The following account is given by a traveller who witnessed it in 1819. The image of the saint, of the natural size, is carried on the shoulders of four priests to the church: this object of the adoration of the people was decorated with diamonds and all kinds of precious stones, and reclined on a massive piece of silver; it was covered with a veil. Cries of 'Long live St. Agatha' resounded through the church, which was splendidly illuThe soldiers, ranged in two lines, minated. could scarcely make a passage for it: every one was in motion, and was continually leaping before the statue, exclaiming, Oh, how handsome she is! Oh, how good,' &c. From the church the image was conveyed to an enormous car, drawn by twenty pair of oxen, and thus paraded round the city amid peals of applause infatuated multitude. The fete was from the terminated by a display of fire-works and a general illumination. months, 29.78 inches. The mean daily movements of The reporter has bad several interruptions, during SINGULAR BIOGRAPHY. (CONCLUDED FROM OUR LAST.), The following letters could not well be embodied in our former article, but are now added by way of supplement. To Mr. Coniston, July 26, 1754, coarse blue frock, trimmed with black horn buttons; a * Then follows a letter from another person, dated 1755, from which an extract shall be given. are drawn from the observations at Crumpsall: however, barometer and thermometer, for the last five months, would have been in town, by adding .22 parts of an they are made to approximate pretty near to what they inch to the results of the former, and 2 to those of the latter. Mr. B.'s barometer is situated higher than the one in Bridge-Street, which accounts for the above difference. The notations on the wind at Crumpsall, embrace a at Manchester, and as they do not agree, it is thought greater number of daily observations, than those made proper to omit the sums at bottom. Bridge-Street, Jan. 29th, 1823. By his frugality and good management he keeps the wolf from the door, as we say; and if he advances a little in the world, it is more owing to his own care than any thing else he has to rely upon. I do not find that his inclination leads him to seek any preferment. He is settled among happy people, and lives in the greatest, unanimity and friendship with them and, I believe the how can they be dissatisfied, when they have a person people are exceedingly well satisfied with him; indeed, of so much worth and probity for their pastor? A man, who, for his candour and meekness, bis sober, chaste and virtuous conversation, his soundness in principle and practice, is an ornament to his profession, and an honour to the country; and bear with me if I say that the plainness of his dress, the simplicity of his manners, the sanctity of his doctrine, and the vehemence of his expression, have a strong resemblance of the pure practice of primitive christianity. To the above we add the following memorandum made by one of Mr. Walker's descendants. There is a certain chapel in the diocese of Chester, where a clergyman has regularly officiated above sixty years; aud, a few months ago, be administered the sacrament of the Lord's supper to a decent number of After the clergyman had. devout communicants. received it himself, the first company who approached and kneeled down to be partakers of the sacred elements, consisted of the parson's wife, (to whom he had wife, four daughters and their husbands, whose united been married upwards of sixty years,) one son and his ages amounted to 714 years. The several distances more than 1090 miles. Though this narration may from the place of each of their abodes, would measure appear surprising, it is a fact, that the same persons, exactly four years before, met at the same place, and all joined in performing the same solemn duty. That Mr. Walker was most zealously attached 39 to the doctrines and ceremonies of the established church, might be inferred from his exultation that he had no dissenter in his cure. Some allowance must be made for the state of opinion, when his religious impressions were first received, before the reader will acquit him of bigotry on this account, when I mention that at the augmentation of his cure, he refused to invest part of the money in the purchase of an estate offered to him, upon advantageous terms, because the proprietor was a quaker-whether from scrupulous apprehension that a blessing would not attend a contract framed for the benefit of the church, between persons not in religious fellowship with each other or as a seeker of peace, he was afraid of the uncomplying disposition, which at one time was too frequently conspicuous in that sect. Of this a signal instance had fallen under his own notice; for while he taught a school at Lowes-water, certain persons of that denomination refused to pay the annual interest due from them, under the title of church stock; a great hardship upon the incumbent, for the curacy of Lowes-water was then as poor as that of Seathwaite. We have already said, that it is in the quiet inclosure of consecrated ground, belonging to the latter place, that the remains of this venerable man lie interred. The sounding brook that rolls close by the church-yard, is now laid bare; but, not long ago, it participated with the chapel, the shade of some stately ash trees which will not spring again.—While the spectator, from this spot is looking round upon the girdle of stony mountains that encompasses the vale,-(masses of rock, out of which monuments for all the men who ever existed might be hewn,) it would surprise him to be told, as with truth he might be, that the plain blue slab dedicated to the memory of this aged pair, was produced from a quarry in North Wales. It was sent as a mark of respect, by one of their descendants, from the Vale of Festiniog, a region almost as beautiful as that in which it now lies! was strong enough, and some because I was not too strong. There were few tasters who did not look forward with pleasure to a second draught. In a short time the usual vicissitudes of popular favour afflicted me; people began to find in me a hundred faults, of which they had not so much as dreamed before. I was too sour, and too noisy, and too heavy; I inspired nothing but puns and quibbles; every fume I sent forth savoured of Satire; every cup I filled tasted of Absurdity. It was said, that I made young heads giddy, and disrespectful to their superiors; that I was a sad abettor of idleness and impertinence; that I was an utter enemy to all discipline and regularity; in short, that I ought never to be tolerated in the place of which I had possessed myself. me. senses, but yet he had an affection for me, because I gave life to the feelings. The incidents of my short life have been few, but among those whom they immediately concerned they of course excited great interest. Wherever The Etonian' made his appearance, The King of Clubs' led the way with the Punch-bowl in his arms; I was tasted by the literati, who read every thing, and the illiterate, who read nothing at all. Many a glutton in literature smacked his lips at my approach, and many a boarding-school belle relinquished the unbroached Tears of Sensibility' for the more inviting flavour of the streams of his Majesty's Punch-bowl. These glorious days, however, are fleeting swiftly away! Once more will my orb be replenished, and the potion I will then afford shall Even my Patrons, the Members of the be sweeter than I ever afforded before! Once Club, began to cool in their good opinion of more, and then my wonted spirits will no longer "The King of Clubs,' like many other effervesce within me; my wonted friends will Kings, began to think of sacrificing his Favour- no longer laugh around me; I shall be as sorite, in order to conciliate popular favour: my rowful as the hearts of my patrons,—as empty spirits subsided, and I began to be of opinion as the heads of my detractors !-Almighty Bacthat the Members were all cracked, and that I chus! Shall bis Majesty's Punch-bowl sink into should be cracked too, in a short time. I beI be a vile piece of crockery? Ere plebeian lips lieve I owed my safety to a fortuitous circum-shall defile the rim which the touch of a King stance, to which I never look back without ex- hath hallowed,-ere the vessel in which wit has ultation,-Mr. Oakley, my most formidable bathed, shall become the receptacle of earthly enemy, dared to introduce a Tea-pot into the liquor,— Club-Room. The Members retreated from his flag with disgust; and, though I never could get rid of the vile little intruder, yet a proposal for exiling me, and substituting chocolate, was negatived by a large majority. I kept my place, therefore, and although I continued to meet with my quantum suf of disapprobation from many with whose stomachs I disagreed, I did not cease from being the nectar of the Club, and the inspiration of the writings of The Etonian.' The fame of me was diffused far and wide, and the brightest ornaments of Mater Etona became anxious to have a hand in my composition. They were perpetually sending presents of ingredients, and iny limited circumference was frequently unable to contain their liberality. One poured in a stream of Good Sense; another gave me a sparkling fountain of Wit; a third dropped from his hand the sugar of Urbanity; a fourth scattered on my surface the flowers of Parnassus. The disposition to jollity, which I had upon my first appearance betrayed, was gradually refined. I became as quiet and civil a Punch-bowl as ever was concocted. Even Ladies ventured to sip from me, and Exquisites pronounced me tolerable. The playful Fancy, which dictated the 'March to Moscow' was derived from my influence the pen which wrote Godiva' was dipped in my liquid. When I am accused of misdemeanors, and riot, and disaffection, I answer by holding up a list of my friends!-You shall know me by the company I keep! 6 Yet why do I complain of hostility or cenfriends, it is true, mixed up something of consure? I never had reason to do so my greatest demnation with their praises; but I need not fret on this account, since my bitterest enemies united something of approbation with their sarcasms. It has been my peculiar lot to please and to displease every body. One considered me lukewarm, but there was sometimes a mellowness in my taste which pleased him; another thought me insipid, but there was sometimes a little acid in my beverage, which redeemed me from total neglect; a third complained that too much of me sent him to sleep, but still he came to me, because he found a little of me was enlivening; a fourth swore I was death to the Be ready, Gods, with all your thunderbolts, Dash it to pieces.' Before this dreadful consummation shall take place, let me, as far as possible, provide for the probable contingency. I know that when my protector, The King of Clubs,' shall have vacated his throne, a crowd of petty calumniators will arise, to hide my good qualities and exaggerate my failings. Let- me, then, draw my own character before a less partial hand shall do it for me, and tell you what candour will say by-and-bye of the Punch-bowl. It had many failings, but it had some virtues to counterbalance them; it promoted a fashion of levity, an indifference to rebuke, and an appearnce of improprieties which never in reality existed. Many persons have assumed the dress of sanctity where sanctity was not; but few, like The King of Clubs,' have taken the world worse than they actually were. But, to intoxication in print, in order to appear to on the other hand, the Punch-bowl gave life and vivacity to The Etonian,' which had never been found in the shop of Mr. Twining. It had mendation where youth is to be the judge; and the grace of novelty, which is no small recomit affords an opportunity of talking a great deal of nonsense, which could not have been talked half so well round a copper kettle or a silver It was always warming,-often exhilarating,-seldom, I hope, intoxicating,-never, I am sure, unwholesome.-Etonian. urn. A worn out dandy had a jealous wife, Now, let s = 2t=AB; 2c=CK, and m=,5236, also, x=IF. Then, 2c= ・(2) 2tm 7.4183, and Me, when love's ardent flames began to flow, Or in the rights of Venus or the Vine. MR. EDITOR,-Should the following lines appear to you worthy of insertion, their appearance in your next Yours &c. AF=t+ x; also B Ft. By conics, 12 c2 paper, will oblige RETALS. :: 12 x2: 4c2 x2 12c2 - c2x2 E F2, and E L' = Hail to the hoary sage and studions youth, But when Troy fell, and war's alarms were o'er, MARIA'S REMEMBRANCE TO HER HEART. Ah! why art thou cast down my heart And why so nearly burst; Thy lover acted honour's part, His treach'rous friend the worst. Let then this thought dispel the mood, Of tears, that word farewell! What weighs most heavily upon the heart, lines given for that purpose in your Iris of last week, MR. EDITOR,-In attempting to fill up the blank I may have mistaken the Author's meaning, but have drawn my supposition from the last word. I perfectly agree with E. H. that such exercises call forth the genius of youth, and bring into action its dormant powers, but at the same time think, that your correspondent might have chosen more easy words for the first verse. I am aware this may be considered as an apology for my weak production, but shall be happy to see another communication from E. H. Liverpool, Jany. 28th, 1823. IGNOTO. Farewell! I fear my beating heart Beneath our wayward fate will burst To think that we so soon must part ;But could I deem this ill the worst. Ah, no! in melancholy mood, A thousand fears around me swell, And drown me in the rising flood: Farewell! again, my love, farewell! SCIENCE, ETC. OIL A PROTECTION AGAINST SCALDING. MR. EDITOR,-It is a fact not generally known, I believe, that if a person dip his hand in oil, he may afterwards immerse it in boiling water without injury or even inconvenience. I have seen the experiment made by others, and I have tried it myself. I am assured that there was, in this country, some years ago, a performer who leaped, in the presence of the audience, into boiling water, and came out unhurt. It seems to me that he must have had recourse to some such. resource as that stated above, to protect him from the effects which boiling water would produce under other circumstances. I am, Chester, Jan. 25, 1823. A CONSTANT READER. ON THE DIVISIBILITY OF MATTER. MR. EDITOR,-1 have read so much, pro and con, in different Authors, upon the subject of the divisibility of matter, that I am still at a loss to understand in what sense I am to take the expression. One writer tells me that matter itself is so divisible; another asserts that extension only is capable of infinite division; and a third contends that the conception of either of the preceding cases is an utter impossibility, to which no demonstration can apply. How, then, is one to decide amid these conflicting testimonies? Permit me to request something in the way of explanation upon the subject from some of your scientific correspondents. QUERIST. Liverpool, Jany. 27th, 1823. CARBONIC ACID IN THE BLOOD. To the Editor of the Morning Chronicle. SIR,-1n your valuable and widely circulating paper of yesterday's date, I perceive you attribute the discovery of carbonic acid gas as a component of the blood, to Sir Everard Home. Be it far from me to detract from this gentleman's deserts, but I think if you, or any of your numerous readers, will refer to "Thackrah's Essay on the Blood,' he will find the above subject treated in a manner that will show in some degree that Sir Everard is not quite the origin of this important discovery. Mr. Thackrah is a surgeon at Leeds, Yorkshire, and well known in that neighbourhood for his depth of learning and research. Yours, very obediently, 'A MEMBER of the COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. Surrey-street, Blackfriars, Jan. 9, 1823.' LATE ERUPTION OF MOUNT VESUVIUS. Naples, Nov. 5th, 1822. The eruption of Vesuvius has been one of the most striking and remarkable on record. It much resembled (but on a smaller scale) that of the year 79 of our era; and we have experienced a part of what is related by Pliny the younger. On the evening of the date of my last letter, (Oct. 15) the fury of the volcano appeared to be consider ably increased; the torrents of lava burst forth in all directions. Towards eleven o'clock the appearance was terrible; an enormous column of black ashes rose from the crater, in the form of a cone, to an extraordinary height; the lightnings darted from the mouth of directions, and in infinite ramifications. Issuing thence, Vesuvius, traversing the immense cloud of ashes in all they struck the sides of the mountain or the surface of the sea. I cannot give you a better idea of the ling magic picture exhibited in electrical experiments. surprising effect, than by comparing it with a sparkThe cloud was really a gigantic work of this kind, being composed of volcanic sand floating in the air. Every thing passed in the same manner, except that this magic picture was several miles in extent. When there was a superfluity of electrical fluid, it discharged with a great noise; whereas the currents of electricity, which crossed it in every direction, did not occasion any sensible detonation. The consternation was general; the inhabitants of Torre del Greco, Annunziata, Bosco tre Case, and Ottajano, precipitately forsook their dwellings. Day-light came, but all the environs of Vesuvius were involved in darkness. The shower of ashes carried by the wind was scattered to a great distance. At Naples no one could go out without an umbrella to keep off the coarser ashes. The appearance of the city was most mournful, and the news we received from the places threatened was very alarming. The furniture of the Royal Palaces of Portici and of the Favourite was removed with the utmost speed; and four or five thousand fugitives, who had fled to the city, done but little mischief, having only covered ancient I have collected several pounds of these ashes, which fell in my balcony. They were of a reddish brown in the beginning, then whitish. The first appear to me to be a powder of pumice-stones, it is excellent to deaden metals. He is naked :—a publican, or a coachman would make but evening the grass is dried up and withered. He is as He been subdued. The fellabs, when I have been shooting, have run away eight or ten together; but the Nubian, though alone, bas unslung his spear and maintained bis ground. The Arab is so completely in dread of the Pasha that he never carries his natural propensities beyond robbery, but the Nabian does not hesitate to commit murder. Three men at the cataracts killed a traveller whom they asked to supper; a breach of hospitality unknown among the Bedouins or freebooters of the desert. placed himself on one side of it, saluted the company he imagined he was ushering out, and bowed as each of them seemed to pass him: this ceremony over, he returned up stairs very quick, extinguished his taper, and put it back in the place where he had found it. This scene he repeated three times the same evening. Having left the ante-chamber, he went into the dining room, searched his pocket for the key of the beaufet, and called for the servant whose duty it was to deliver that key to him every night, before he went to bed. On receiving it, he opened the beaufet, took a silver waiter or salver out of it, on which he put four glass decanters, and went to the kitchen, in order, no doubt, to fill them with water. came back with them empty however; and, Several chymists have analysed it, and M. Pépé has when he had reached the middle of the stair case, discovered in it the following ingredients: sulphate of he put what he had in his hands upon a kind of potash, sulphate of soda, sub-sulphate of alumine, of post or pillar, ascended the remaining steps, chalk, and of magnesia; hydro-chlorate of potash, that and knocked at a door: as it was not opened for of soda, a good deal of oxid of aluminium, calcium, him, he returned down stairs, went in search of silicium, and magnesium; much trioxid of iron, anti- the valet-de-chambre, asked him some questions, mony, and a little gold and silver. The chymist, who turned upon his heel, and, running precipitately they should not be so as soon as the sun has suflicihas contented himself with announcing the existence of the staircase, accidentally touched the salverently warmed the atmosphere, every man takes off his these different substances in the ashes of the eruption, with his elbow, and broke the decanters. He shirt and commences a search after certain little animals promises to investigate and publish their respective that abound greatly in this country, and in which he is Other substances which the mountain again knocked at the door, but to no purpose; consequently very successful. When he catches any proportions. continues to throw out are very different from the pre-salver with him, which, having carried into the and, on his return down stairs, he took the This eruption appears to me to favour the hypothesis, that the volcanic fire may be produced by the infiltration of the sea-water, in the masses of potassium, sodium, &c. which are not yet oxidated; and the production of electrical fluid in such great abundance may arise from the same source, since the effects of the voltaic pile (auge) are obtained by the oxidation of metals. ceding. INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF A SOMNAMBULIST. JOHN BAPTISTE NEGRETTI, of Vicenze, a domestic of the Marquis Louis Sale, was a man of a brown complexion, of a very hot constitution, by nature choleric, and by custom a drunkard. From the age of eleven he became subject to sleep-walking, but was never seized with these fits, except in the month of March; and at the farthest they left him by the middle of April. Messrs. Reghellini and Pigatti took a particular pleasure in observing him, while in this condition; and it is to the latter of these gentlemen, whose veracity is beyond the reach of suspicion, that we are now indebted for the following circumstantial detail. In the month of March, 1745, towards the evening, Negretti having sat down upon a chair, in an ante-chamber, fell asleep, and passed a quarter of an hour, like any other man in the same situation: he then stretched himself for some time, and afterwards remained motionless, as if he wanted to pay attention to some thing. At length he arose, walked across the apartment, took a tobacco-box out of his pocket, and seemed desirous to have some tobacco; but finding he had hardly any left, he assumed a look of disappointment, and advancing to the chair which a certain person was wont to occupy, he called him by his name, and asked him for some tobacco: the other accordingly presented him his box open, and Negretti having taken a quid, put himself in an attitude of listening, when, imagining he heard himself called, he ran with a wax taper to the place where there usually stood a burning candle. Thinking he had lighted his taper, he crossed the hall with it, and went gently down stairs, stopping and turning about from time to time, as if he had been conducting a visitor on reaching the outward door, he : up dining room, he placed it upon a little table. a cloth, held them to the fire as if he wanted to (To be concluded in our next.) PORTRAIT OF A NUBIAN. The Nubian is slender but gracefully made, his beauty, like that of a statue, never changes, and he is entirely free from fat; this is the more fortunate, as be The Nubians of our crew are far too merciful when' of the vermin, as he is forbidden to put them to death, he throws them into the river or gives them to the winds, and therefore often to his neighbour, so that the hunt is renewed day after day with equal success. We saw a snake in our path, one of the men threw a stone at it, which nearly severed the head from the body, I desired him to put the poor animal ont of its misery, which he refusen, alleging that it would be wicked to deprive it of life. The natives of Egypt are particularly merciful to all animals, as if it were a continuation of the ancient custom of the country, and it might almost be looked upon as a species of worship. It certainly is not so ridiculons as to see people of consequence in Rome go on St. Anthony's day in their coaches and six to have their horses blessed! The sprinkling holy water over these and other animals fills up three days in the year to please St. Anthony and the pigs. The Nubian is so uncourteous that he will scarcely return the salutation of a Franc, or when he does grum"now be off ble out " Alekum Salamm," he adds also, with you, don't look at our women." If he happens to deviate from this sulkiness it is because he has experienced the liberality of travellers, and then he runs up with all the interest of a "Je suis charmé." exclaiming, Salam alekum howbahbe, howbahbe, tyebbint, tyeb, tyeb, tyeb, wa hall tyeb,-becksheesh ma feesh? "Health to you, welcome, welcome, are you well, very well, exceedingly well, well by G- Is there no becksneesh for me?" I never could ascertain upon what plea they demanded money, unless it is, that I have come upon their land, and am therefore liable to an action for trespass. In passing a village, we observed several women in line, carrying each a platter. Upon enquiry we learnt that news had just arrived of the death of a man belonging to the place, and these people were going to assist at the ululu; as it is the custom at a wake to eat as well as administer consolation, and the widow in this case happened to be too poor to treat her friends, every one who went to weep carried a plate of provisions to the pic nic.-Henniker. SLAVE TRADE IN EGYPT. At Derahvy we were informed that a caravan had just arrived, with gum, ostrich feathers, and slaves; the latter are registered at this place as soon as they are brought into Egypt, and a poll-tax is paid to the Pasha; it is one of the largest and cheapest human Smithfields in the kingdom. The price of a slave varies from seven to twenty-five pounds; they are allowed to bask during the day in a walled court-yard, and at night they are distributed among the cottages like a subscription pack of hounds. The whipper-in carried a caravash or thong, made of the rhinoceros's hide, an instrument too cruel to beat even a donkey with, and switching this about in a masterly manner, he accompanied me to the |