Imatges de pàgina
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prevail at this season, to repletion. Thus, the youngest will leave the elders in their glory,' while they will draw liberally on their purse-strings,

And trot the busy town

For pleasure and renown.

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After six months absence from the coteries of chat and fashion, what changes have been made elder brothers, sisters, and cousins, are married. The bridal visits must be paid. Lace caps and pincushions furnished. The tall misses that left home the last vacation, are now finished and ready to accept advantageous offers to settle in life, and prefer, should an elopement be advis ed, to take a trip to Gretna. That they are grown out of knowledge none will deny. Their brothers are also finished and enter the counting-house, or shop, or prepare their taste for an indenture for five or seven years. At all events, parties are visiting in all directions. Trade is the better for it. Exhibitions look 20, bazaars 50, and perfumers, a 100 per cent. Locks and bolts (ladies of course) are at a high premium. The theatres are bringing out their operas and pantomimes. Tragedians, orangemerchants, and butchers' shows, are in vogue. The emblems of peaceful, druidical, and friendship-lasting verdure, are in the order of decoration. Beadles and dustmen, postmen and pew-openers, porters and butlers, bring the revenue of their boxing perquisites into the calculating fund, and bankers wind up their cash accounts. Yet, after all, these incumbencies and annuity duties--whether young, in prime, or aged, none should forget the moral obligations- the ties of consanguinity-the power of the rich the duty to the poor. None should omit self-examination, as to how the account of gratitude stands with that Being who has created man but a little lower than the angels,' in spite of the prurient cavils of the Dramatic Licenser,' and has given the most beautiful link in creation, woman, to be his help-mate, not his check-mate. None should neglect the opportunities of doing good, as they cannot be more nobly registered than in the scroll which Time will shortly hand into the care and keeping of inviolable Truth and inscrutable Justice." As the love of life is great, so should be the love of harmony, the love of kindness and benevolence. As the love of nature is strong, so should be the love of knowledge united with the

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.bisite A YOUNG lady resided in the same street of St. Malo, where stood the pris son of the town. One evening, while sitting at needle-work in her own room, the door was suddenly but noiselessly opened, and a man stood before her She did not scream, as many young ladies would have thought themselves! obliged to do; for, although the cir cumstance was undoubtedly singular}} it was impossible that there could be any real danger. It was >broad oday!! light; the street was crowded with pas sengers, and in the house itself there were her father, and brothers, and3 a numerous family. The stranger gazed in her face for some moments as if he would read her very soul. An expres sion of relief, or satisfaction,oate length beamed on his features and, turning round cautiously, he shut and bolted the door. "Lady," said he, “I have escaped from the prison over the roofs of the houses. Save me! At the mo ment a knocking was heard at the door!!! There was no time to reflect; she acted on the instinct of her woman's heart and, pointing to a closet, where shel was accustomed to keep her clothes and books, the stranger entered, and " she locked him in. "Why do you keep your door locked ?" cried her elder brother. You are wanted to come down to dinner." "I was asleep,”''! said she; "I forgot that I had locked it." She went down to to dinner, and subtracting a portion from every thing she put upon her plate, hid it in a towel, for the economy of the household was so managed, that she could not otherwise have 'obtained a morsel of bread without exciting surprise. On returning soon after to her room, she handed in the stolen property to her protege, but without uttering a word; for her younger sister, who slept with her, and who rarely stirred from her side, was close at her heels. At midnight, when this sister was asleep, and the whole house was buried in silence, the young lady rose from bed, and, dressing her

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self, went into the closet to inquire into the stranger's wishes and intentions. A hurried whisper was all they could es change, either now or afterwards. Dur ing the two days he remained in the house, she never so much as touched: his hand; and a brief question, and a monosyllable in reply, was their only intercommunication. At length, seizing the opportunity of a festival, when the streets were crowded at night, even after her father and his family had retired to bed, she called him from his lurking place, opened noiselessly the outer-door, and set him free, neither party daring to utter a word. From this time a change appeared to take place in the manner of the young lady. She be came restless and uneasy. Her only business was gazing from her window into the street, and her only amusement poring over newspapers. One day, when at this latter employment, she was observed to grow pale; but not a word, nor sign, nor even look, escaped her which could betray the cause of her emotion. In that newspaper she read that her protege had been retaken, and shot at Bordeaux. Soon after, to the grief and amazement of her friends, she expressed a wish to take the veil. No argument, no entreaty, had any effect. She was equally firm in adhering to her choice of a locality; and is at this moment a nun in one of the convents at Bordeaux-Turner's Annual Tour.

ukases-your lawyer may find an ukase perfectly applicable to your view, and to the justice of the affair in question: you may feel quite satisfied, in your own mind, that the decision must be in your favour; but your antagonist's solicitor will, in all probability, fində another ukase of a diametrically op posite tendency, or (which is the same thing to you,) it will be coaxed into : the signification desired, by the attrac tive influence of a parsonage well-known in Great Britain by the appellation of the Old Lady in Threadneedlestreet, and who issues her firmuns › here in the shape of Russian banknotes. It is true that a third ukase might pos¬ sibly be discovered, which, accompa nied by a roulean of ducats, would make the scales of justice incline to your side; but this would be a costly proceeding, and even a just decree might be evaded by an adept, who would be more than a match for you, with your old-fashioned, straightforward English ideas. Enough, rejoined it has always been my opinion that» : one had better make a great sacrifice than go to law but here nothing short of total ruin could ensue to an honest man who might be tempted to meddle with imperial ukases. Upon express→ ing my astonishment at the existence of such disgusting abuses, observing that > I had imagined that the emperor was high-minded and just, and that dopre sumed he must be ignorant of these vile proceedings, I was told that the Czari knew all about it that he deplored the evil-but that the government being too poor to pay the public officers adeUNFORTUNATELY (says Mr. Moore,) Iquately, these poccudilloes were winked am able to speak positively as to the at! To this was attached another piece total absence of all justice in this coun- of information, viz. that after a man has try. It has fallen to my lot to have to been at his post long enough to have manage a very unpleasant and compli- lined his pockets well by his mal-praccated business; and, although I have tices, he is put on the shelf to make contrived to keep out of a law-suit, I room for some half-starved aspirant: have thought it my duty to make inqui-so that the system is carried on from ries as to what remedy I should have, one generation to another. The cons in case matters should be pushed to ex- tracts for the government supplies are tremity. Alas! I find that "the glo- secured and acted upon in the most ne rious uncertainty of the law" is doubly farious manner. I know, from a good uncertain here. The Russian tribunals source, that the contractors bribe the are all corrupt. The judges generally authorities whose duty it is to superinreceive fees from both plaintiff and de- tend the due performance of their enfendant, and the highest bidder usually gagement, and that the most wholesale gains the cause! But,' said I to my peculation is carried on unblushingly. informant, the laws are there; the judge must surely decide according to the statutes.' 'Ah! my dear sir,' replied my friend, you speak as an Englishman; but the jurisprudence of this country is all founded upon imperial

THE ADMINISTRAION OF JUS-
TICE IN RUSSIA.

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LIFE.

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Life's like lump sugar into water thrown,
The simile is new—but odd,' you say;
It bubbling lessens in the liquid zone,
'Till every particle dissolves away.

J.R.P

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IT was agreed that we should commence the combat with our pistols, and if they failed, we were to determine it by our swords. The ground was measured, and, at the distance of eight paces, my antagonist and I stood face to face. Our seconds had arranged that the challenged party should fire first. We were asked if we were prepared, and, having replied in the affirmative, the signal was given. I saw the flash, and trembled to and fro for a few se conds, then fell back wards on the earth: the ball of my toe had passed through my body. Dreadful, excruciating were the sensations which I endured during the few succeeding minutes, while 1 lay on the grass the crimson grass, which I had prophesied should be the bed of my enemy. In spite of the great effusion of blood, which, conjoined to what I had previously lost, induced a mortal weakness, I yet retained a vivid consciousness of all that passed around me. My antagonist had thrown the discharged pistol on the earth, and stood with his arms folded across his breast, regarding with a stern and fixed countenance the wound from which my life blood was fast issuing. Motionless and impenetrable as a statue, it was impossible to infer from his impassive countenance the nature of his feelings; but he appeared to be awaiting the result without anxiety, and without exulta tion. My second advanced to assist me ; but I snatched the handkerchief from his grasp, and applied it myself to the wound. An increased feebleness then subdued me, and I fell back on the grass, still keeping my eyes fixed on the countenance of my adversary, who retorted with an equally immovable gaze. I had thus lain during what appeared to me an eternity, but, in rea lity, perhaps, did not exceed a couple of minutes, when his second approach ed him, and advised him to depart. "No, no!" I shrieked in the agony of my dread lest my anticipated victim should escape me" stay, stay, I com mand you! I am prepared, and capable of tiring" and I presented my pistol. But the second of my adversary interfered, and stated that so long as I remained prostrate on the ground, the laws of duelling required that I should be considered hors de combat; and that unless I arose, he could not consent that my foe should sustain my fire. My friend then approached, in the intention of aiding me to rise; but the

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opposing second again intervened, and declared that unless I could stand, and fire without assistance, he should re-i move his principal from the ground. I groaned with anguish; and nothing, I fear, prevented me from sending my bullet through the head of this zealous adviser, but the dread of thereby suffering my far more hated antagonist to escape. I instigated my second to protest against the injustice of this proceeding; but his remonstrances were vain; for, as we both too well knew, the other was acting in accordance with the common rules and precedents on such occasions. During this discussion I was momenta rily growing weaker. Hastily, there fore, in the fear of becoming utterly incapacitated, I struggled to rise, and partially succeeded, but immediately fell again. A second time I made a still more violent effort, and contrived, with the assistance of the pistol, to raise my self on one knee. But the pain I then suffered was excruciating, and the great difficulty was yet to be surmounted. How vividly intense, even at this moment, is my recollection of the scene! My foe was still intently regarding me with the same impassive, inscrutable gaze. Not an emotion was apparent in the stony rigidity of his fixed and pale features. He neither quailed beneath my wrathful glances, nor retorted with a similar expression. His dark, deepset eyes seemed to penetrate the inmost recesses of my soul, but offered no clue to the secrets of his own. At length I succeeded in attaining my feet. moment I reeled as though in a state of utter ebriety; then, with one final, and 1 may also say, superhuman exertion of my remaining strength, I stood for a single moment as firm and motionless as a rock, deliberately levelled my pistol at his throat, and fired. With the fierce shriek of the death-agony he sprang convulsively into the air, and with a dull heavy sound fell on the earth a corpse. I saw the result-saw that my prophecy was fulfilled, that the green grass was red beneath him, uttered a faint cry of exultation, and sank into the arms of my second.

ATHENIAN PRIESTS.

FOR THE OLIO.

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THERE were various persons among the Athenians in Holy Orders.' The Greek word parasitoi,' of a parasite, was held in derision, and understood in comic satire as equivalent to

shark," or "smell-feast; and though

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many of the class were estimable men, yet the object of Terence was more to attack the bad portion of them, and bring them to a life of practical reformation, than to cast odium on the lives of those who were worthy of commendation. For, when these had set apart such a parcel of land as they thought the revenues would suffice for the sacrifices, they chose certain men who should regulate the proportions of the harvest, and with the income were the charges of the public sacrifices defrayed. Hence, great f yearly substance' is used by Aristophanes for great sacrifice,' and conducted by Ceryces,' a crier; but in sacred functions, a minister, who slew and offered the victim. Athenio, the comedian, ascribes much honour to them, as if they had first taught men to seeth victuals, the flesh of sheep and oxen; while before, they devoured each other raw. Their name is taken from Ceryx, the son of Mercury and Pandrosus. In the time of divine rights, they craved the silence of the people, and when the service was concluded, they invoked praise. It was the duty of these ministers to preserve that which was found in the church, and to keep it in repair, there being a law that what they laid out should be repaid them. These are the priests ever waiting on the gods, whose prayers the ancients aequired at their sacrifices, out of which they had a fee the trot ters and skins,' as the Ceryces had the tongues. And, indeed, there was no necessity for there being tables in their temples on which they might lay their oblations. Demosthenes states there were priestesses, on whom devolved the proper administration of the linen, and they were compared by Dionysius to vestals. PYLADES.

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METHOD OF SELLING WOMEN IN CONSTANTINOPLE.

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THE Circassians and Georgians, who form the trade supply, are only victims of custom, willing victims; being brought up by their mercenary parents for the merchants. If born Mohammedan, they remain so; if born Christian, they are educated in no faith, in order that they may conform, when purchased, to the Mussulman faith, and therefore they suffer no sacrifice on that score. They live a secluded life, harshly treated by their relations, never seeing a stranger's face, and therefore form no ties of friendship or

love, preserve no pleasing recollections of home, to make them regret their country. Their destination, is constantly before their eyes, painted in glowing colours; and, so far from dreading it, they look for the moment of going to Anapa, or Poti, whence they are shipped for Stamboul, with as much eagerness as a parlour-boarder of a French or Italian convent for her emancipation. In the market they are lodged in separate apartments, carefully secluded, where, in the hours of business

between nine and twelve they may be visited by aspirants for possessing such delicate ware. I need not draw a veil over what follows. Decorum prevails. The would-be purchaser may fix his eyes on the lady's face, and his hand may receive evidence of her bust. The waltz allows nearly as much liberty before hundreds of eyes. Of course the merchant gives his warranty, on which, and the preceding data, the bargain is closed. The common price of a tolerable looking maid is about 1001. Some fetch hundreds, the value depending as much on accomplishments as on beauty; but such are generally singled out by the Kislar Aga. A coarser article, from Nubia and Abyssinia, is exposed publicly on platforms, beneath verandahs, before the cribs of the white china. A more white toothed, plump, cheeked, merry eyed set I seldom witnessed, with a smile and a gibe for every one, and often an audible "Buy me." They are sold easily, and without trouble. Ladies are the usual purchasers for domestics. A slight inspection suffices. The girl gets up off the ground, gathers her coarse cloth round her loins, bids her companions adieu, and trips gaily, bare footed, and bare headed, after her new mistress, who immediately dresses her à la Turque, and hides her ebony with white veils. The price of one is about 161.

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Slade's Records of Travels in Turkey.

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him they parabled in mysteries: at one time he heard them speak in anguish of "Agnes Broome" breaking her heart for love: at another they lamented the suicide of "Ellen Scrope:" sometimes they talked of the ghost of the squire appearing at the sun-dial in the green plat; and at others they detailed oral traditions, which, ever and anon, amused him. When they discovered this symp

and devotion in the identities of Castle Coombe. Whichever way we enter, we suddenly quit the airy hills, and descending by an abrupt and narrow road, with the stones of rugged age beside us, almost topple into the presence of chimnies and low habitations. The very tops of the church are rarely concealed, till we seem, like Munchausen, to tie the bridles of our horses to them. In this remarkable town, once cele-tom of reason dawning at the age of brated for its castle, but now in utter seventeen, they encouraged the exerretirement, many families lived and cise, though he could not be induced died without travelling far beyond the to look into a book but for a loved pefosse. Of the castle nothing remains rusal of the picture. To be sure he but a mound, the broken walls shrinking went regularly to church on Sundays, into the green usurpation of the ground, and his demeanour in it was inimitable as if desirous of being concealed with the former grandeur of the possessors, and ashamed of the ruin to which mute survivors are liable. The ditch, once doubtless of considerable importance and fortified, is scarcely observablerank weeds, briars, and stagnant waters have converted it into a swampy spot. Castle Coombe is now a Coombe". for there are woolcombers in it-with-valent to squire and a mark of honour. out a castle.

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By the side of an herinit-like meeting-house in the stony recluse of the road, a weaver lived in comfort. This dwelling possessed the usual accompaniments of a cottage. A well in the garden, a long window for the light of the loom, and a pretty bird's-eye view up and down the hill, with a few steps willowed each side down into a narrow path, which cut off the distance and formed a rather interesting object to the perspective of an observer.

When Peter Jones, the only son, had arrived to years old enough to work with his father, Nelly, who had assisted in driving the shuttle and the quills between the warp or chain, many and many a long day, now initiated Peter, her dear boy," into the service. Consequently he was kept in ignorance of the doings of other boys in the shambles of the market-place, and, moreover, being very destitute of a natural capacity; which, singularly enough, was that which constituted him a perfect natural in any thing but weaving.Peter's judgment and experience, like a couple of unread novels, lay on the shelf; yet, very often, after the labours of the day were closed and the fire was brightened up, when his father sat smoking and his mother darned the chasms of the hose-Peter, half drowsy, with the petted feline crop-eared tabby on his knees, listened to the casual conversation between his parents. To

for he rose, and sat, and mumbled the responses to the best of his ability, and his heart indited the service faithfully. This was so remarkable to those who knew him that he was known by the appellative of "poor Peter!" Indeed, he was so far pleased with this significant epithet, that he considered being called "poor Peter!" was equi

But with all the descriptions of those in a supernatural world, none had so strong an effect upon his mind as the accounts his father detailed to him which happened when he was a boy, during the weaving of the day,of the tricks he and his old playmates invented with the Will o' the Wisp, round the ditch of the castle.

Many a night Peter lay awake in his bed, and resolved in his contracted brain what he should do in imitation of his father; and, no doubt, he ripened his scheme to his fancy, ere he determined to put it in practice. This, however, is only conjectural; for, one star-light night, when the moon slept on the waters, and the grass was crisp with globules of silvery dew, being assured that his parents were fast as death in the realins of nature's sweet restorer, he rose, and dressing himselfin hushing secrecy, went forth alone with a stake in his hand, to see if he could not play a prank, or two with the Will of the Wisp" round the outer dyke of the castle's mound.

It was the distance of a mile from his home, for the zig-zag road deceived the eye and the foot, and made it appear only half as far. Peter reached the spot of his intention, though he lost his life in accomplishing his supposed object, It is evident in the sequel that he went in pursuit of the Will o' the Wisp, by the situation in which he was found. Well, then, when his father and mother

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