urged all that could be urged to mitigate her suffering, and he conjured her to find consolation in the precepts he had taught her from her cradle. His countenance was calm and almost cheerful, until her fit of insensibility. As he pressed her to his heart, his face was strongly agitated; but when they unclasped his arms, and took her from him, his features were convulsed-he looked after her with a wild stare, and falling on the side of his iron bedstead, he wept long and piteously, with his face hid in his hands, and supported between his knees. The bold, bad man -the iron-hearted criminal was, with his child, as fond and as weak as childhood. The scene was too painful to be witnessed by any possessed of feeling; and recalled to memory even now, it harrows every sense, and cannot be endured. But for the crime for which he suffered, Desfield's conduct throughout the last scenes of his existence, would have afforded a deep impression of philosophic grandeur. The concourse of people to witness his execution was immense; and the Press Room, as it is called, was full of the gentry of the neighbouring counties, with several public characters, attract ed from London by the extraordinary circumstances of the case. The solemn dignified composure and strong reasoning powers of the culprit, left him as the jailor advanced to secure his wrists. Člasping his hands together, he exclaimed with a voice and manner which struck every person with terror, "In the name of God, 1 implore you not to let my crimes or fate produce unkindness or neglect towards my poor child: she was ignorant of my course of life, and my guilt made me more careful of her spotless purity of mind. I see around me the richest gen tlemen of the county-have mercy-be charitable! Oh! there are fathers among you, and will none soothe a father's last agony, which implores protection to the orphan-the helpless, innocent victim of his errors?" "You have confessed nothing, you repelled our faith, and refused all the rites of our holy religion, and the Lord visits the sins of the father upon the children, to the third and fourth generation." A thrill of horror, an involuntary shuddering was felt by every person, as a clerical magistrate thus insulted and tortured the dying man. Poor Desfield trembled, and cast his eyes to hea ven in beseeching misery, and his head at length sunk on his breast. "Hard-hearted, bad man!" said a tall, grey-headed old gentleman, pushing aside the apoplectic, plethoric magistrate, and advancing to the culprit. "Mr. Desfield, I am old and childless fortune has just deprived me of the fondling of my old age-the comfort of my gray hairs. I will be to your orphan as a father, and my wife shall take her to her bosom. O no! God cannot persecute the innocent, the young and fatherless!" "And God will be your judge, and reward you," earnestly replied the criminal, falling on his knees, and weeping over the old man's hand, which he pressed to his lips. One sigh seemed to tear his bosom as he rose from the ground. He turned to the executioner with perfect composure, was secured, and led to the scaffold. I thank the God of mercies for my child's safety," said the culprit, as the drop fell. The rope stranded with his weight, and was broke by his struggle. He was placed apparently dead in a chair, but as he gradually revived, he stared around with wildness, as yet unconscious whether he had not awoke in the other life. "Why put me to unnecessary pain," he at last faintly said to the sheriff. The cause was explained, and the miserable man was supported in the chair, whilst they sent into the town for another cord. As they placed this more fatal instrument on his neck, he again spoke feebly to the sheriff. "I entreat you, sir, to conceal this accident, if possible, from my Emily: do not afflict the poor child fered such an unusual affliction." with a knowledge that her father suf The last office of the law was again inflicted,- and the sorrows for his daughter ceased. WHEN first we enter a crowd, there is little to be done but to push on through those before us, while our limbs are fresh and our spirits high; but we soon feel that multitudes are gathering behind us, and that the most we can hope, with probability of success, is to maintain our ground in advance of the new comers. And thus it is in a literary life. We set out with a view of overtaking our forerunners in the chace! but eventually find it sufficiently toilsome to preserve our advantage over those youthful competitors who are momently threatening to outstrip us. ENGLISH PORCELAIN.-The first manufactories of porcelain in England were those at Bow, and at Chelsea, near London. In these, however, nothing but soft porcelain was made. This was a mixture of white clay and fine white sand from Alum bap, in the Isle of Wight, to which such a proportion of pounded glass was added as, without causing the ware to soften so as to lose its form, would give it, when exposed to a full red heat, a semi-transparency resembling that of the fine porcelain of China. The Chelsea ware, besides bearing a very imperfect similarity in body to the Chinese, admitted only of a very fusible lead glaze; and in the taste of its patterns, and in the style of their execution, stood as low perhaps as any on the list. The china works at Derby come the next in date; then those of Worcester established in 1751; and the most modern are those of Coalport, in Shropshire; of the neighbourhood of Newcastle in Staffordshire, and in other parts of that county. The porcelain clay used at present in all the English works is obtained in Cornwall, by pounding and washing over the gray disintegrated granite which occurs in several parts of that county; by this means the quartz and mica are got rid of, and the clay resulting from the decomposition of the felspar is procured in the form of a white, somewhat gritty powder. This clay is not fusible by the highest heat of our furnaces, though the felspar, from the decomposition of which it is derived, forms a spongy milk-white glass, or enamel, at a low white heat. But felspar, when decomposed by the percolation of water, while it forms a constituent of granite, loses the potash, which is one of its ingredients to the amount of about fifteen per cent. and with it the fusibility that this latter substance imparts.- Repertory of Patent Inventions. THAT the style of such writings as are intended to attract the public eye be more elevated than that of private letters, is as requisite as it is for the pulpit of a preacher to be somewhat above the level of his auditors. Customs. THE ABORIGINES ON THE NORTHERN COASTS OF AMERICA.-As soon as Matonabbee and his party gained the banks of the river, three spies were sent out to discover whether any Esquimaux were in the neighbourhood. After a short absence they returned with intelligence that they had seen five tents, about twelve miles distant on the west side of the river. All was now warlike preparation; the guns, knives, and spears, were carefully examined; and as they learned that the nature of the ground would render it easy to advance unperceived, it was determined to steal upon their victims in this manner, and put them to death. This plan was executed with the most savage exactness; and nothing could present a more dreadful view of human nature in its unenlightened state, than the perfect unanimity of purpose which pervaded the whole body of Indians upon this horrid occasion, although at other times they were in no respect amenable to discipline. "Each man first painted his tarret, some with a representation of the sun, others of the moon, and several with the pictures of beasts and birds of prey, or of imaginary beings, which they affirmed to be the inhabitants of the elements, upon whose assistance they relied for success in their enterprise. They then moved with the utmost stealth in the direction of the tents, taking care not to cross any of the hills which concealed their approach. It was a miserable circumstance that these poor creatures had taken up their abode in such ground that their enemies, without being observed, formed an ambuscade not 200 yards distant, and lay for some time watching the motions of the Esquimaux, as if marking their victims. Here the last preparations for the attack were made: the Indians tied up their long black hair in a knot behind, lest it should be blown in their eyes; painted their faces black and red, which gave them a hideous aspect; deliberately tucked up the sleeves of their jackets close under the armpits, and pulled off their stockings; whilst some, still more eager to render themselves light for running, threw off their jackets, and stood with their weapons in their hands quite naked, except their breech clothes and shoes. By the time all were ready, it was near one o'clock in the morning; when, finding the Esquimaux quiet, they rushed from their concealment. In an instant, roused by the shouts of the savages, the unfortunate wretches, men, women, and children, ran naked out of the tents, and attempted to escape; but the Indians had surrounded them on the land side, and as none dared to leap into the river, all were murdered in cold blood; whilst Hearne, whom a regard for his personal safety had compelled to accompany the party, stood a short way off rooted to the ground in horror and agony. 'The shrieks and groans of the poor expiring wretches,' says he, in his striking account of this dreadful episode in savage life, were truly distressing; and my horror was much increased at seeing a young girl, about eighteen years of age, killed so near me that when the first spear was struck into her side she fell down at my feet and twisted round my legs, so that it was with difficulty I could disengage myself from her dying grasps. As two Indian men pursued this unfortunate victim, I solicited very hard for her life; but the murderers made no reply till they had struck both their spears through her body and transfixed her to the ground. They then looked me sternly in the face, and began to ridicule me by asking if I wanted an Esquimaux wife, whilst they paid not the smallest regard to the shrieks and agony of the poor wretch, who was turning round their spears like an eel. Indeed, after receiving from them much abusive language on the occasion, I was at length obliged to desire that they would be more expeditious in despatching their victim out of her misery, otherwise I should be obliged out of pity to assist in the friendly office of putting an end to the existence of a fellow-creature who was so cruelly wounded. On this request being made, one of the Indians hastily drew his spear from the place where it was first lodged, and pierced it through her breast near the heart. The love of life, however, even in this most miserable state, was so predominant, that though this might be justly called the most merciful act which could be done for the poor creature, it seemed to be unwelcome; for, though much exhausted by pain and loss of blood, she made several efforts to ward off the friendly blow.' "—Edin. Cabinet Lib. CUSTOM OF THE FEAST OF LOTS. Pur is a Persian word, signifying a lot, and the Feast of Lots' is called Purim, a lottery. It commenced the fourteenth of Adar (February) and continued to the end of the fifteenth. This feast was instituted by Mordecai in remembrance of the delivery of the Jews from Haman, before whom lots were cast daily and monthly for their destruction. During the two lottery days the history of Esther was read in the Synagogues; and as often as the name of Haman was repeated the congregation beat the benches with their fists and hammers, and the floors with their feet, intimating a similar impression on Haman's head. Though this custom is more honoured in the breach than in the observance, in the services of the modern" Israelites, yet on very particular occasions, when it falls to their lot to come in contact with those portions of writ which bear reference to the knocking and bumping, symptoms are heard, (if not felt) and understood. It is probable from this custom is derived the knocking in the popish services, the hearty ejaculations of the Irish páviours, the bumping in the allotted parochial perambulations; and the origin of" hitting the right nail J. R. P. on the head." Table Talk. i SHELLEY'S DISLIKE TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.-" A certain nobleman (says he) advised me to turn my thoughts towards politics immediately. You cannot direct your attention that way too early in this country,' said the Duke; they are the proper career for a young man of ability and of your station in life. That course is the most advantageous, because it is a monopoly. A little success in that line goes far, since the number of competitors is limited; and of those who are admitted to the contest, the greater part are altogether devoid of talent, or too indolent to exert themselves: so many are. excluded, that, of the few who are permitted to enter, it is difficult to find any that are not utterly unfit for the ordinary service of the state. It is not so in the church; it is not so at the bar: there all may offer themselves. The number of rivals in those professions is far greater, and they are, besides, of a more formidable kind. In letters, your chance of success is still worse. There none can win gold, and all may try to gain reputation: it is a struggle for glory, the competition is infinite,there are no bounds;-that is a spacious field, indeed-a sea without shores!' The Duke talked thus to me many times, and strongly urged me to give myself up to politics without delay; but he did not persuade me. With how unconquerable an aversion do 1 shrink from political articles in newspapers and reviews! I have heard people talk politics by the hour, and how I hated it and them! I went with my father several times to the House of Commons, and what creatures did 1 see there! What faces!-what an expression of countenance!-what wretched beings!" Here he clasped his hands, and raised his voice to a painful pitch, with fervid dislike. "Good God! what men did we meet about the House in the lobbies and passages! and my father was so civil to all of them to animals that I regarded with unmitigated disgust."-New Mon. COMEKALA. Comekala, a native of King George's Sound, had entreated to be carried to China, and returned with Captain Meares. He was kind and honest when it suited his own interest; but stole without scruple whatever he wished to have, and could not procure by fair means. Brass and copper were metals which he might almost be said to worship. Copper halfpence, but tons, saucepans-all possessed in his eyes the highest charms. It was evident that he coveted the brass buttons of the captain's uniform; and his mode of fixing his eyes on the object of his desire, and the pangs of ungratified avarice, as exhibited in the contortions of his countenance, proved matter of much amusement to the crew. The cause of his insatiable thirst for copper became afterwards apparent. After a long and hazardous passage, the ship anchored in Friendly Cove in King George's Sound, abreast of the village of Nootka, on the morning of the 13th of May. Comekala, who for several days had been in a state of high excitation, now enjoyed the genuine delight of once more beholding his native shore; and when his intention of landing was made known, the whole inhabitants poured forth to give him wel come. The dress in which he chose to appear for the first time after so long an absence was very extraordinary; on a former occasion, when visited by Hannapa, a brother chief, he contented himself with an ordinary European suit; but he now, says Meares, arrayed himself in all his glory; his scarlet coat was decorated with such quantities of brass buttons and copper appendages of one kind and the other, that they could not fail to procure him profound respect from his countrymen, and render him an object of unbounded admiration to the Nootka damsels. At least, half a sheet of copper formed his breastplate! from his ears copper or naments were suspended; and he contrived to hang from his hair, which was dressed with a long pigtail, so many handles of copper saucepans, that their weight kept his head in a stiff upright position, which very much heightened the oddity of his appearance. For several of the ornaments with which he was now so proudly decorated, Comekala had lived in a state of continual hostility with the cook, from whom he purloined them; but their last and principal struggle was for an enormous spit, which the American prince had seized as a spear to swell the circumstance of that splendour with which he was preparing to dazzle the eyes of his countrymen. In such a state of accoutrement, and feeling greater delight than ever was experienced on the proudest European throne, the long boat rowed Comekala ashore, when a general and deafening shout from the crowd assured him of the universal joy felt on his return.— The whole inhabitants moved to the beach, welcomed the stranger on shore, and afterwards conducted him to the King's house, which none but persons of rank were permitted to enter, and where a magnificent feast of whale blubber and oil was prepared. On the whole, Comek ala's reception, and the impression made by his extraordinary costume, evinced his intimate knowledge of the character of his countrymen; for though to the English the effect was irresistibly comic, the natives regarded him with a mixture of silent awe and wonder, which, after a while, broke forth into expressions of universal astonishment and delight. REMARKABLE EFFECTS OF GALVANISM. -When I entered the room where the experiments were to take place, the body of a man named Carter, which had been cut down from the gallows scarce half an hour, was lying on the table; and the cap being removed, his frightful features, distorted with the agonies of suffocation, were visible. The crime he had been hanged for, was murder; and a brawny, desperate ruffian he looked! None of his clothes were removed. He wore a fustian jacket, and drab knee-breeches. The first time that the galvanic shock was conveyed to him will never, I dare say, be forgotten by any one present. We all shrunk from the table in consternation, with the momentary belief that we had positively brought the man back to life; for he suddenly sprung up into a sitting posture-his arins waved wildly -the colour rushed into his cheekshis lips were drawn apart, so as to shew all his teeth-and his eyes glared at us with apparent fury. One young man, a medical student, shrieked violently, and was carried out in a swoon. One gentleman present, who happened to be nearest to the upper part of the body, was almost knocked down with the violent blow he received from the left arm. It was some time before any of us could recover presence of mind sufficient to proceed with the experiments. Blackwood's Mag. anecdote:-" The Duke of Orleans, in making an inspection of one of the hospitals in Paris, recognised in one of the wards a soldier who had greatly distinguished himself in Napoleon's compaigns. 'My brave fellow,' said his royal highness, approaching and taking him by the hand, hope to hear shortly of your recovery. The country cannot spare the services of -.' 'My lord.' interrupted the veteran, when I was at Jaffa, sick of the plague, the Emperor condescended to take me by the hand; but he did not wear gloves.'" 6 BRIEF EPITAPH.-Dr. Walker, among other things, wrote a work on the English particles, and this caused him to get the very short and pithy epitaph PRESIDENT JACKSON. The President of the United States is considered a generous man. An indigent musician of Philadelphia was determined to put it to the test; previous to his de"Here lie Walker's Particles." parture, he composed a piece which he WILLIAM PITT, EARL OF CHATHAM. entitled, "The President's March." When he arrived at the capital, Wash- nently dignified and -In figure, Lord Chatham was emicommanding. ington, he found a ready admittance to "There was a grandeur in his perthe General; after remaining some time sonal appearance," says a writer, who in his company he perceived a piano- speaks of him when in his decline, forte, and requested permission to per-which produced awe and mute attenform his composition on that instrument; the request was readily granted, the performance of which so pleased the General, that he made enquiry respecting the title of the piece. The musical composer informed him that it was "General Jackson's March;" the information caused him to smile, but he nade no answer; on the departure of the composer, the president accompa nied him to the door, and placed in his hand a fifty dollar bill, 10'. sterling. -- tion; and, though bowed by infirmity and age, his mind shone through the ruins of his body, armed his eye with lightning and clothed his lip with thunder." Bodily pain never subdued the lofty daring, or the extraordinary activity of his mind. He even used his crutch as a figure of rhetoric. "You talk, my lords," said he, on one occason, "of conquering America - of your numerous friends there, and your THE LUXURY OF NATURE. - Talk of might as well talk of driving them bepowerful forces to disperse her army. buman luxury! The duchess on her fore me with this crutch!" Sir Robert ottoman- the countess in her easy Walpole could not look upon, or listen couch--the ennuye on the air-pillow-to him, without being alarmed; and told the poet in ecstasy-the drowsy sweep on the soot bag-the heiress lolling in the new landau -the elective pleasures of an M. P. or a lady mayoress Bah! nothing can be compared with the luxury of a Pullet in the noontide of an autumnal sunshine, when she shakes her feathers in a bed of dust. Varieties. J. R. P SINGULAR MONUMENT.-The monument erected by Count Schimmelman near Copenhagen, is called the weeping eye. That nobleman's grief for the death of his wife was so excessive, that he caused a monument to be erected over a spring, and made the water spout from the eye, as a continual flood of tears. ORLEANS AND NAPOLEON.-A Belgian journal furnishes the following his friends, "that he should be glad, at any rate, to muzzle that terrible cornet of horse." IRISH FIGURE OF RHETORIC BY A POPULAR PREACHER. "Let us, my friends, never forget that we are all carried down the stream of time, to be landed in the ocean of eternity!" |