Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

champions turned themselves continually round, whereas jousts passed in a straight line.

Henry III. in the twenty-ninth year of his reign, 1245, by a mandate forbad tournaments within five miles of Cambridge, because they interfered too much with the studies of the scholars, who delighted more in attending a tournament, than in the acquirement of knowledge.

R. J.

himself, whom our ancestors distinguished by a name, which, while it was generally understood, could not, it was supposed be offensive to the stern inhabitant of the regions of despair. This was so general a custom, that the church published an ordinance against it as an impious and blasphemous usage.

This singular custom sunk before the efforts of the clergy in the seventeenth century; but there must still be many alive, who in childhood have been taught to look with wonder on knolls and

Customs of Various Countries. patches of ground left uncultivated, be

INDIAN WAR FEASTS.

The Menis-se-no We-koon-de-win, or war feast, is generally celebrated by the tribes of North American Indians before starting, or on the way towards an enemy's country. Two, four, eight, or twelve men, may be called, but by no means an odd number. The whole animal, whether deer, bear, or moose, or whatever it may be, is cooked, and they are expected to cat it all; and, if it is in their power, they have a large bowl of bear's grease standing by, which they drink in place of water. Notwithstanding that a man who fails to eat all his portion is liable to the ridicule of his more gormandizing companions, it frequently happens that some of them are compelled to make a present of tobacco to their entertainer and beg him to permit that they may not eat all he has given them. In this case, and when there is no one of the company willing to eat it for him, some one is called from without. In every part of this feast, when it is made after the warriors leave home, they take care that no bone of the animal eaten shall be broken; but after stripping the flesh from them, they are carefully tied up, and hung upon a tree. The reason they assign for preserving, in this feast, the bones of the victim unbroken, is, that thus they may signify to the Great Spirit their desire to return home to their own country, with their bones uninjured.

Tanner's Narrative.

SUPERSTITIONS OF OUR OWN COUNTRY. In many parishes of Scotland, there was suffered to exist a certain portion of land, called the gudeman's croft, which was never ploughed or cultivated, but suffered to remain waste, like the TEMENOS of a pagan temple. Though it was not expressly avowed, no one doubted that the goodman's croft was set apart for some evil being; in fact, that it was the portion of the arch-tiend

cause, whenever a ploughshare entered the soil, the elementary spirits were supposed to testify their displeasure by storm and thunder. Within our own memory, many such places, sanctioned to barrenness by some favourite popular superstition, existed, both in Wales and Ireland, as well as in Scotland; but the high price of agricultural produce during the late war, renders it doubtful if a veneration for grey-bearded superstition has suffered any one of them to remain undesecrated. For the same reason, the mounts called Sith Bhruaith were respected, and it was deemed unlawful and dangerous to cut wood, dig earth and stones, or otherwise disturb them. Fam. Lib. No. XVI.

Anecdotiana.

BENSLEY AND HIS WIG.

When Bensley came on one evening for his first soliloquy in Richard, a nail at the wing caught the tail of his majestic wig, and dismounting his hat, suspended the former in the air. An Irish gallery know how to laugh, even in a tragedy. Bensley caught his hat as it fell by a feather, and replacing it on his nob,shorn of its beams,' advanced to the front, and commenced his soliloquy, amidst a volley of importunities to resume his wig.-(" Mr. Bensley, my darling, put on your jasey-bad luck to your politics-will you suffer a wig (whig) to be hung?" &c.)-The tragedian, however, considering that such an act would have compromised, in some measure, his dukely dignity, continued his meditations in despite of their advice, and stalked off at the conclusion, as he had stalked on. An underling then made his appearance, and released his captured hair, with which he exited in pursuit of Richard, to as loud a demons. tration of approval as Richard himself. Bernard's Retrospec.

THISTLEWOOD.

(For the Olio)

re

water.

some men to dig gravel in his garden, in the midst whereof they found, beneath an arch of stone, the once-famed This discovery was made about the year 1683. After Sadler's decease, one Francis Forcer, a composer and musician, became possessor of the well his son, who first exhibited there the and music-room; he was succeeded by diversion of rope-dancing and tumbling, which was then performed abroad, in the garden.

NORTHCOTE.

C. H. B. G.

It is, perhaps, not generally known, that the notorious Thistlewood ceived his education at the respectable private seminary kept by the Rev. Addison, (better known as Parson Addison), at Thirsk, Yorkshire; where the turbulent democrat distinguished himself as ringleader in the numerous affrays of the scholars with the boys of that town. If an orchard were to be pillaged, the owner, though uniting the watchfulness of Argus to the strength of Hercules, was sure to be outwitted In a copy of proof illustrations to "Northcote's Fables," we have seen the by young Thistlewood. Of the terrible following inscription, in the masculine castigations given by him to sundry and bold character of the author's handjuvenile offenders, there are living wit-writing, who at a very advanced age nesses. Once, and once only, an ill- traces a MS. in such a style as would treated urchin had the courage to complain to the "Parson" of Thistlewood's do credit to the best schoolmaster yet abroad:assaults,- for which the hero was horsed, and soundly whipped. But, woe to the informant! So cruel a thrashing did Thistlewood administer to him, that he was necessitated to keep the house for some days after. An idiot, known by the cognomen of "Charley Topping," was the unceasing butt of young Thistlewood's merciless freaks. On one occasion he persuaded the poor fellow to go as far as Ripon, eleven miles distant, to see a new moon and stars, which they had got, differing in shape and material from those at Thirsk! -It is also related of Charley, that, another time, having found a shilling, which an unprincipled fellow after wards endeavoured to extort from him, he put to him the sapient question, "Had the shilling you lost, a hole through it?" "Yes," was the reply.

Then," says Charley, "this is n't it, because this has n't a hole through it."

SADLER'S WELLS.

The water of Sadler's Wells, before the Reformation, was celebrated for its extraordinary virtues; it was therefore counted sacred and called Holy-well.The priests belonging to the priory of Clerkenwell often attended there, and made the people believe that the rare quality of the water proceeded from the efficacy of their prayers; but at the Reformation the well was forbidden to be resorted to, and covered in accordingly, upon the supposition that the frequenting of it was altogether superstitious; and so by degrees it grew out of remembrance, and was wholly lost, until a gentleman named Sadler, who had lately built a new music house on the spot, and being surveyor of the highways, had employed

To Mr. BEHNES, Sculptor,

From his friend, JAMES NORTHCOTE,
Behnes and Death for ever are at strife;
Death turns the life to clay, he, clay to life.

66

SHOOTING SEASON.

"What have you shot to-day?" said a cockney at the waterside to a coalheaver. Why, twenty chaldrons of coals, to be sure!" said the black dia mond vender.

The first sermon preached after the marriage of a noble officer in Wiltshire by his chaplain, was upon the following text:-"When a man taketh a wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business, but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath

taken."-Deuter. xxiv. 5.

CONUNDRUMS.

Why is the land which the sea washes away like a false accusation?-Because it is ground-less.

Why is a laundress like a person making her way to a smith's shop?Because she is going to iron.

A BLUNT SHAVER.
(VIDE WINDOW SEVEN DIALS.)

Halt, bearded pard! behold! come in!
I'll trim your lips, or smooth your chin:
I takes the Sunday Papers in;
Bring in your head for snip, or shave,
I nose the fashions to a pin:-
A penny's all the blunt I craves.

Z.

TO A GENTLEMAN WHO LOST HIS

WATCH.

Fret not, my friend, or peevish say
Your fate is worse than common;
For gold takes wings and flies away,
And Time will stay for no man.

H. B. A.

Diary and Chronology.

Tuesday, Sept. 28.

St. Eustochium, v. d. A D. 419. – High Water 33m after 10 Morn-59m after 10 Aftern Sept. 28, 1827.-Died C. G. Kiesewetter, the celebrated violinist. This clever artist was the first person who introduced into England the beautiful compositions of Mayseder. Of Kiese wetter it has been observed, that he was on the violin what Munden was in comedy; likė him, he could either raise a smile by his comic skips, and eccentric roulemens, or move the heart by his touches of exquisite feeling.

Wednesday, September 29.

St. Michael,-Sun rises 8m after 6-sets 51m after 5.

MICHAELMAS DAY.-This festival is celebrated in commemoration of St. Michael and all the order of angels. It is called the Dedication of St. Michael, from a church being dedicated to him on this day, on Mount Garganus. Michaelmas Day, says Brady, is one of the regular periods of settling rents, &c. throughout England, but it is no longer peculiar for that hospitality which we are taught to believe formerly existed, when the landlords used to entertain their tenants in their great halls upon GEESE, then only kept by persons of opulence, and, of course, considered as a peculiar feast, as was before the case at Martinmas, which was the old regular quarterly day. There is a current, but erroneous tale, assigning to Queen Elizabeth the introduction of this custom of the day :-Being on her way to 1ilbury Fort, on the 29th of September, 1588, she is alleged to have dined with Sir Neville Umfreville, at his seat near that place, off a goose, which the knight, knowing her taste for high seasoned dishes, had provided. She drank a half-pint bumper of Burgundy to the destruction of the Spanish Armada: soon after she received the joyful tidings that her wishes had been fulfilled;-that, being delighted with the event, she commemorated the day annually by having a goose for dinner, and that consequently, the court adopted the like practice, which soon became general throughout the kingdom. But the custom is of much older date, and equally observed on the continent as in England, though by the opulent alone, who could sustain the expense; and among other testimonies of its having been a very long established luxury, may be adduced a well-known wish expressed by Christiern, King of Denmark, who reigned from 1455 10 1492, "that he hoped to see the time when not only nobles but good burghers through this land shonld feed on a FAT goose every St. Martin's Day."

Thursday, September 30.

St. Gregory, Apostle of Armenia, 4th Cent-High Water Oh 3m Morn-0h 30m After. Sept. 30, 1822.-Expired Ludwig Heinrick Christian, a painter, actor, aud dramatic writer of considerable repute in Germany. Painting was his earliest pursuit, and that to which he was more particularly attached. Yet a passion for theatrical amusements, and the hope of finding the stage a more lucrative profession, induced him to become an actor. As a dramatic writer, his compositions, although not numerous, were successful.

Friday, October 1.

St. Wasnul, Confessor, d. A.D. 651.--Sun rises 12m after 6-sets 47m after 5. Oct. 1, 1795 Died at Dishley, in Leicestershire, on the spot where he first drew breath, Robert Bakewell, the most successful farmer and improver of horses and cattle that England ever knew. Many anecdotes are related of his remarkable humanity to animals of every kind. He constantly deprecated the atrocious barbarities practised by butchers and drovers. of cattle, showing, by examples on his own farm, the most pleasing instances of docility in the animals under his care. This extraordinary man was certainly much more deserving of the gratitude of bis country than the warrior who slays his thousands, or the startesfman who drains the treasures, and subverts the liberties of a nation.

Saturday, October 2.

St. Leodegarius, bish and mar.-Full Moon, 57m after 7 Morn

Oct. 2, 1263-On this day, Haco, King of Norway, who came into the Firth of Clyde with a powerful armament, and made a descent at Largs, in Ayrshire, was encountered by Alexander III. and signally defeated. This disgrace to his arms so affected him, that he died soon after in Orkney, where he retreated soon after his overthrow by the Scottish King.

Sunday, October 8.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

Lessons for the Day-14 chapter Ezekiel, mórn-18 chapter Ezekiel, Even.

st. Dionysius the Areopagite.

Our saint, who was a member of the senate of the Areopagus at Athens, was converted by St. Paul, who ordained him Bishop of Athens as early as the year 51. The Greeks tell us in their Menologies, that St. Dionysius was burnt for his faith.

Monday, October 4.

St. Edwin, King and mar. 633.-High Water 12m after 3 Morning-35m after 3 Afternoon Oct 4, 1821-Expired to-day John Rennie, the justly celebrated civil engineer. Mr. R., în his earliest youth, discovered a taste for mechanics, and commenced life as a mill-wright, bat fortunately soon afterwards connected himself with the late Mr. Watt, the inventor of the steamengine. On the death of Mr. Smeaton, Mr. Rennie succeeded him in many public works, and was soon at the head of his profession. He had now sufficient scope for the exertion of his talents; nor did he neglect the opportunity of acquiring fame as well as emolument don and East India Docks, the harbours of Portsmouth, Plymouth, Liverpool, Leith, &c., the Bell Rock Light-house, the Quay at Woolwich, above all, the Waterloo Bridge, are indisbutable proofs of his genius, and will perpetuate his name.

The Lon

ERRATUM.-At page 223. column 1, for “odio,” read “odil.” On the 1st was published Fart 37, containing Nos. 145 to 150, inclusive, with Six Engravings, price 1s. 6d.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][graphic]

Ellustrated Article.

THE BROKEN HEART. (From the Diary of a late Physician.)

THERE was a large and gay party assembled one evening, in the memorable month of June, 1815, at a house in the remote western suburbs of London. Throngs of handsome and well-dressed women—a large retinue of the leading men about town-the dazzling light of chandeliers blazing like three suns overhead-the charms of music and dancing -together with that tone of excitement then pervading society at large, owing to our successful continental campaigns, which maddened England into almost daily annunciations of victory;- all these circumstances, I say, combined to supply spirit to every party. In fact, England was almost turned upside down with universal feting! Mrs., the lady whose party I have just been mentioning, was in ecstacy at the eclat with which the whole was going off, and charmed with the buoyant animation VOL. VI. Q

See page 245.

with which all seemed inclined to contribute their quota to the evening's amusement. A young lady of some personal attractions, most amiable manners, and great accomplishments-particularly musical-had been repeatedly solicited to sit down to the piano, for the purpose of favouring the company with the favourite Scottish air, "The Banks of Allan Water." For a long time, however, she steadfastly resisted their importunities, on the plea of low spirits. There was evidently an air of deep pensiveness, if not melancholy, about her, which ought to have corroborated the truth of the plea she urged. She did not seem to gather excitement with the rest; and rather endured, than shared, the gaieties of the evening. Of course, the young folks around her of her own sex whispered their suspicions that she was in love; and, in point of fact, it was well known by several present, that Miss was engaged to a young officer who had earned considerable distinction in the Peninsular campaign, and to whom she was to be united on his return from the continent. It need

152

not therefore be wondered at, that a thought of the various casualties to which a soldier's life is exposed-especially a bold and brave young soldier, such as her intended had proved himself-and the possibility, if not probability, that he might, alas! never

"Return to claim his blushing bride,"

--but be left behind among the glorious throng of the fallen-sufficed to overcast her mind with gloomy anxieties and apprehensions. It was, indeed, owing solely to the affectionate importunities of her relatives, that she was prevailed on to be seen in society at all. Had her own inclinations been consult ed, she would have sought solitude, where she might, with weeping and trembling, commend her hopes to the hands of Him "who seeth in secret,"

and "whose are the issues" of battle. As, however, Miss 's rich contralto voice, and skilful powers of accompaniment, were much talked of, the company would listen to no excuses or apologies; so the poor girl was absolutely baited into sitting down to the piano, when she ran over a few melancholy chords with an air of reluctance and displacency. Her sympathies were soon excited by the fine tones-the tumultuous melody of the keys she touched -and she struck into the soft and sooth

ing symphony of "The Banks of Allan Water." The breathless silence of the bystanders for nearly all the company was thronged around-was at length broken by her voice, stealing, "like faint blue gushing streams," on the delighted ears of her auditors, as she com menced singing that exquisite little ballad, with the most touching pathos and simplicity. She had just commenced the

verse,

"For his bride a soldier sought her,

And a winning tongue had he!"

when, to the surprise of every body around her, she suddenly ceased playing and singing, without removing her hands from the instrument, and gazed steadfastly forward with a vacant air, while the colour faded from her cheeks, and left them pale as the lily. She continued thus for some moments, to the alarm and astonishment of the company -motionless, and apparently unconscious of any one's presence. Her elder sister, much agitated, stepped towards her, placed her hand on her shoulder, endeavoured gently to rouse her, and said hurriedly, "Anne, Anne! What now is the matter?" Miss - made no answer; but a few moments after,

without moving her eyes, suddenly burst into a piercing shriek! Consternation seized all present.

She

Oh!

Ah!-now

"Sister-sister! - Dear Anne, are yon ill?" again enquired her trembling sister, endeavouring to rouse her, but in vain. Miss did not seem either to see or hear her. Her eyes still gazed dually to expand, as it were, with an fixedly forward, till they seemed graexpression of glassy horror. All present seemed utterly confounded, and afraid to interfere with her. Whispers were heard, "She's ill--in a fit-run for some water. Good God, how strange -what a piercing shriek," &c. &c. At length Miss's lips moved. began to mutter inaudibly; but by and bye those immediately near her could distinguish the words, "There!-there they are with their lanterns. they are looking out for the dead. no-that little hill of slain-see, They turn over the heaps. by one-There! THERE HE IS!—Oh, see!-they are turning them over, one horror! horror! horror!-RIGHT THROUGH THE HEART!" and with a long shuddering groan, she fell senseless into the arms of her horror-struck sister. Of course all were in confusion and dismay-not a face present, but was blanched with agitation and affright uttered. With true delicacy and proon hearing the extraordinary words she priety of feeling, all those whose carriages had happened to have already arrived, instantly took their departure, to prevent their presence embarrassing or interfering with the family, who were The already sufficiently bewildered. those who were immediately engaged in room was soon thinned of all, except rendering their services to the young lady; and a servant was instantly despatched, with a horse, for ine. On my arrival, I found her in bed, (still at the house where the party was given, which was that of the young lady's sister-inlaw.) She had fallen into a succession of swoons ever since she had been carried up from the drawing-room, and was perfectly senseless when I entered the bedchamber where she lay. She had not spoken a syllable since uttering the singular words just related; and her whole frame was cold and rigid-in fact, she seemed to have received some strong shock, which had altogether paralysed her. By the use, however, of strong stimulants, we succeded in at length restoring her to something like consciousness, but I think it would have been better for her-judging from the event

« AnteriorContinua »