Imatges de pàgina
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How much it would conduce to our happiness to be select in our books and in our friends, to choose each more for their good sense than their knowledge, more for their being Christians than Philosophers, to be contented with a small but certain income, to have no master, and few servants, to be without ambition, envy, avarice, or a law-suit; to preserve our health by exercise instead of medicines, to adhere to our religious opinions, to love and hate only on just grounds, to let the pleasures of life pass by us without a murmur, and to wait with confidence for an eternal home hereafter.

CONTENTMENT

Is the true philosophers stone. The poor are rich that have it, and the rich are poor without it.

REASON.

Reason requires culture to expand it. It resembles the fire concealed in the flint, which only shews itself when struck with the steel

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From remotest antiquity, the hair of the head and chin has been cherished with a degree of respect, bordering, among Eastern nations, upon positive veneration; nor has even Jew, Turk, or Russian, in our own days, departed from the predilection of their forefathers for this once reverenced adornment of the human face divine.' We are informed by Pocock, that, when the Egyptians permitted their slaves to wear beards, the mere permission denoted that they were restored to freedom. A greater insult or disgrace could not be offered to a person, than to deprive him of his beard. The loss, indeed, of the hair, either of the head or chin, was of itself symbolical of vassalage; and we may judge of the excess of idolatry, to which this prejudice in favour of the lock and beard was carried in ancient times, by the

Supernatural potency, which Samson ascribed to his hair.

The Greeks, it is true, were accustomed to clip their locks, and, in general, did not allow them to descend below the shoulder; yet, that it might not, on this account, be inferred, that they were bondmen, they scrupulously sacrificed the first rape of those locks to some favourite deity. The haughtier Greek, however, prided himself on suffering his hair to grow at full length and flow in copious tresses, down to his waist or elbows, aud delighted in having it said of him, not that he was polished," but that he wore long hair. The reverse of this custom prevailed among the earlier Christians, who considered it a proof of humility to have their heads shaved, precisely after the fashion of the Thracian slaves, whose distinguishing mark was a bald pate, with a tuft of air on the crown of it. It is more than probable that the tonsure of monachism arose out of this practice.

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The hair was equally a token of freedom among the Arabians. Combatants, releasing their prisoners without ransom, cut off a lock from their brows, and carefully preserved it in their drinking-cups, as a proof that it had stood in their power, either to slay their captives, or retain them as slaves. It was also customary, at the celebration of the baptismal ceremony, to present the sponsor with a locket of the infant Christian's hair, as a sign that he was consigned to the care and protection of the party responsible for his nurture in the true faith. From this custom sprung the ceremony of cutting off the hair, which the Greek Church ordains to be celebrated on the eighth day after baptism, and the Latin Church equally admitted among its rites in earlier times. Nor should it be forgotten, that among the various modes of adoption, formerly practised, one of them consisted in shaving a child's nead; in proof of this, it is recorded, that when Charles Martel, the French major-domo, sent his son, Pepin, to Luitpraud, king of Lombardy, he entreated him to cut off his hair, or in other words, to adopt him as his child.

At a later period, we find Bormund, prince of Antioch, when taken prisoner by the infidels, sending a confidential message to Baldwin, subsequently king of Jerusalem, with a lock of his hair in token of his captivity; and, on another occasion, that of the Saxon's breaking out into rebellion against Clothaire of France, and defeating Dagobert, his son, in Holland,--the latter despatched one of his suite, with a lock of his hair, requiring instant succour from his parent.

Surely, enough has now been adduced

to show that, when Saladin, who deemed himself the mightiest of all earthly potentates, sent the locks of his wives to 'Muraddin, he meant to intimate that he was reduced to the last extremity, and apprehensive of seeing those, who constituted his dearest treasure upon earth, dragged into foreign slavery.

Before we take leave of the reader, we will glean for his amusement an interesting fact or two, not unconnected with these topics, from the annals of our Gallic neighbours, the lords of taste and fashion in a semi-refined age.

bearded party,' and

Of old, a lengthy beard not only distinguished a native of Gaul, from the inhabitants of the various countries his prowess had subdued; but was esteemed a badge of honour, every youngster, in consequence, felt himself bound to bestow a more than common care on the first shoots of his chin and lower lip. Towards the end of the eleventh century, however, William, Archbishop of Rouen, thought proper to declare war against long hair and beards, and carried his hostility to such a pitch, as to prevail upon a Council, held in 1096, to issue a decretal, that all such as irreligiously persevered in wearing their hair long, should for ever be excluded the pale of the Christian Church, as well as the benefit of being prayed out of purgatory after their decease. Custom, however, is second nature, and the laity refused to be shorn by the clergy. Zealous and gallant defenders arrayed themselves on the side of the such was the fury with which the point was contested, that either side could boast a number of victims in its own good cause. But the most melancholy consequence arising out of this broil, was Lewis the Seventh's permitting his beard to be abscinded, and becoming thereby so despicable an object in the eyes of his consort, Eleanor of Aquitaine, that his days were not only bereaved of all domestic peace, but he was at last obliged to divorce himself from her. Within a period of six week's time, she became the wife of Henry, Duke of Normandy, and subsequently King of England, who received the provinces of Poitou and Guyenne, as her marriage portion. From so trivial a cause as this, may be said to have arisen that succession of wars, which desolated France for a space of three hundred years afterwards. Three millions of Frenchmen lost their lives, because an archbishop chose to denounce the use of beards, a king allowed himself to be shaved, and a queen consort considered him a contemptible puppy, from the moment he attempted to salute her cheek with a smooth chin.

In the course of time, beards went out

of fashion, and remained in banishment, until Francis the First restored them to their quondam dignity; their cousins german, the ringlets and long tresses, however, had continued to maintain their reputation, until that monarch, meeting accidentally with a blow upon his head, was compelled to undergo the operation of the tonsure, and, in order that he might divest himself of the appearance of a monk took immediate care to promote the growth of his hitherto beardless chin. From this moment, every dandy about the court decorated his phiz with a long beard, whilst the jurisconsult and ecclesiastic continued to strut in beardless gravity. Dating from the reign of Henry the Fourth, human ingenuity was actively engaged in devising perpetual variations in the form and cut of the beard. Some wore it round, others in the fashion of a fan, some in ringlets, and others of a long, narrow, pointed shape, like a cat's tail; it was tended day and night; perfumed, anointed, and deposited in a bag, when the owner sought his pillow. Its ultimate fate merged into the retention of a diminutive tuft below the under lip, and the creation of an upper beard-the renowned mustachio.-The Athenæum.

CUSTOMS OF VARIOUS COUNTRIES, (No. XIV.)

HOKE DAY OR TIDE FESTIVAL. AMONG the ancient annual customs held in this country by our ancestors, that of Hoke-day, Hock-day, or Hock Tuesday, was conspicuous, it took place on the fifteenth day, or the second Tuesday after Easter, and was a solemn festival celebrated for many ages in England to commemorate according to tradition, the great slaughter of the Danes under Ethelred, in the year 1002, they having been during the time that monarch held sway, almost all destroyed in one day in different parts of the Kingdom, and that principally by women, but this traditional account cannot be relied on because that event took place on the feast of St. Brice, in the month of November. Another and more reasonable opinion is, that the institution celebrated the final extinction of the Danish power by the death of Hardicanute on the sixth day before the ides of June, 1042. Let the origin have arisen from what circumstance it may, the festival is still kept up in many counties, the women being the principal and busiest actors in the mirthful scene, they stopping all passengers with ropes and chains, and exacting some small matter from them to spend

in conviality. This day was very remarkable in former times, insomuch as to be used on the same footing with Michaelmas, for a general term or time of account. We find leases without date reserving so much rent payable ad duos anni terminos, scil ad le hoke day, and ad festum sancti Michaelis. In the accounts of Magdalen College, Oxford, there is yearly an allowance promulieribus Hockantibus, of some manors of theirs in Hampshire, where the men hock the women on Mondays, and the women hock them on Tuesdays. The meaning of it is, that on that day the women in merriment intercept the way with ropes, and pulled passengers to them, desiring something to be laid out for pious uses.

SINGULAR CUSTOM AT BEARN.

FORMERLY in Bearn, a province of France, a singular custom prevailed, when the wife was brought to bed, the woman when sufficiently recovered, arose, and the husband succeeded to her place, and to all the ceremonies attending that situation. It has been supposed that the people of Bearn received this custom from the Spaniards, of whom Strabo in his third book of Geography relates a similar usage. The same ridiculous farce was acted among the Tibareni, a people of Themiscyra, in Cappadocia, according to Nymphodorus, in his admirable Scholia on Appollonius Rhodius, book II, and among the Tartars, as is related by Marco Paolo, the Venetian in his voyages, book II, ch. 41.

Science and Art.

THE NEW NATIONAL REPOSITORY.

A number of workmen are busily employed in preparing the upper part of the King's Mews, at Charing Cross, which has been liberally assigned for the first exhibition, (which will be opened for public inspection in the ensuing May,) of our national productions in the various departments of the arts, mechanics, and manufactures, upon a plan similar to that of the Exhibition of National Industry, which takes place annually at Paris.This country is greatly indebted to the Hon. Agar Ellis, for patronizing and carrying into effect so highly laudable a design. It is to be regretted that such an annual display as that which is about to be commenced in this kingdom, has never taken place before, as it is eminently calculated to be productive of the most beneficial results to the manufacturers of this great commercial nation.

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MEDICINE.

"Professor Delpech, of Montpelier, asserts that six thousand soldiers, afflicted with the itch, were cured in a few days, by washing their bodies twice a day, first with soap and water, and afterwards with a solution of the sulphuret of potass, (about four drachms of the sulphuret to a pint of distilled or fresh rose water).”The Professor also states, that he has discovered by comparative trials, made in the hospital at Montpelier, that olive oil, rubbed over the skin, will as speedily cure those labouring under the disease, as the most sulphureous preparations in common use. He says that one hundred soldiers were entirely cured in an average period of seventeen days, by this treatment."-New Monthly.

MECHANICAL HAND.

An artificial hand has been made by Mr. John Veith, dentist of Edinburgh, which is constructed so as to effectually answer the most necessary purposes: the joints of the thumb and fingers are all complete; and besides being able to manage a knife and fork with ease, the person using it can, by the action of a spring, hold a book, make a pen, and do many other things with equal facility. When not in use, the artificial hand, covered with a glove, can be placed in any position the wearer chooses, and is then not distinguishable from the natural one.— Ibid.

CLEANSER FOR THE TEETH.

It is said that a mixture of honey with pure charcoal, will render the teeth white as snow. It should be remembered, however, that there is an acid in each of these substances.

WIRE-BRIDGE.

A suspension wire-bridge has been constructed over the Charente at Jarnac, in the west of France.

ULTRA-MARINE.

M. Tunel of France, has discovered the means of making an artificial ultramarine, which is finer and more brilliant than the natural, and which he can afford to sell at less than half the price of the natural. The process at present remains a secret. We wish this discovery may prove successful, as it will be a great desideratum to artists, to possess such a beautiful blue at a rate more reasonable than that they have hitherto been obliged to pay, we believe about twelve shillings a small cake.

NEW INVENTED RIFLE.

A rifle-gun on the percussion principle, and a new construction, to fire by means

of a spring instead of lock, has been lately invented by Col. Miller, of the Artillery. Instead of having the stock made of wood, the entire piece is formed of iron, the hinder part of the stock being perforated in order to render it lighter in the hand. On the right hand side of the stock, a strong spring is fixed by means of a screw; the head of the spring striking against the nipple or head of the touchhole, on which the detonating cap is fixed preparatory to firing. The spring is provided with a strong pin or pivot which slides through the stock in a horizontal direction, when the piece is respectively cocked or discharged. This pivot contains a notch, which catches the trigger when the spring is set up for firing, and by pulling the trigger in the usual way, the spring strikes the cap, and the piece is instantly discharged. The principal merit of this invention is its simplicity and less liability to get out of order, its cost being not more than half the price of common firelocks. - Weekly Review.

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WHILE Lord Coalstoun lived in the Advocate's Close, Edinburgh, a strange accident befel him. It was at that time the custom for advocates to dress themselves in gowns and wigs at their own houses, and walk so habited, to the Parliament house. They usually breakfasted early, and when dressed, were in the habit of leaning over their parlour windows for a few minutes, before St. Giles' Bell started the sounding peal of a quarter before nine, enjoying the agreeable morning air. It so happened that one morning

while Lord Coalstoun was preparing to enjoy his morning treat, two girls who lived in the second floor above, were amusing themselves with a kitten, which they had slung over the window by a cord tied round its middle, hoisting it up and down, until the creature became desperate by its exertions.

In this crisis, his lordship had just popped his head out of his window below, little suspecting what danger was over his head, hanging like the sword of Dionysius, when down came the exasperated animal, at full career, on his senatorial wig! No sooner did the Girls perceive what sort of a landing place their kitten had found, in their terror and surprize they began to to draw it up, but this measure was now too late, for along with the animal up also came the judge's wig, fixed full in its determined talons. His lordship's surprize on finding his wig lifted off his head was ten thousand times redoubled on beholding it dangling its way upward, without any means visible to him by which its motion was to be accounted for. The astonishment of the senator below-the half mirth and terror of the girls abovetogether with the fierce energy of Puss between, altogether formed a scene to which language cannot do justice. A subject from this scene might be embodied by George Cruikshank with considerable effect. G. B. C.

CHOICE ENTERTAINMENT FOR TRA-
VELLERS.

The following laughable anecdote is to form a part of Mr. Yates' forthcoming New Entertainment, which has been written for him by Hood, the prince of punsters. A traveller entered a hedge public-house, and desired to be served with dinner. Landlord: Got no dinner, sir.-Traveller: Well, then, let me have some tea and coffee.-Landlord : Got no tea and coffee.-Traveller: Some brandy and water, then, and a biscuit.Landlord: Got no brandy and water, nor no biscuits.-Traveller: Give me some beer.-Landlord: Got no beer.-Traveller: No beer! why, you've got nothing in the house.-Landlord: Yes, we have, we've got an-execution!

UNION OF COURAGE AND COMPASSION.

WHEN the Duke of Wellington advanced towards Paris in the July of 1815, "it was suggested that there was plunder enough to raise a magnificent monument to the victor." The conqueror replied, 66 a monument to our army must never be built with pillage." As he approached

the city he was reminded that "when he entered the metropolis of France in 1814, the British troops had behaved to the French people with excessive delicacy;" "and I promise you," he answered, "that they shall behave with equal delicacy now.' ."-Pub. Char.

TOKAY WINE.

Is, without doubt, the best wine in the world. With its taste, spirit, and fire, nothing can be compared: it is among the wines what the pine-apple is among the fruits. The reason why this wine is less properly valued in foreign countries, Russia and Poland excepted, is that there are four sorts of it. The first, called Essence, is even in Tokay, or Vienna sold at not less than 27. sterling a bottle; so in proportion, the lesser sorts. What is drunk in London and Paris as Tokay, is genuine English or French produce.

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In the Temple Church, is the following lines to John White, who died 1664, the Son of Henry White, a member of the House of Commons, and a bencher of the Middle Temple.

Here lies a John, a burning shining light, Whose name, life, actions, were alike all White,

ON A WOMAN, Here lies the body of Mary Sextone, Who had three Husbands. Who pleas'd three men, and never vex'd one; This she can say beneath the next stone.

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