Imatges de pàgina
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Table Talk.

THE YELLOW COLOUR OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS.-It is a curious fact, that animal and vegetable yellows should be so much more permanent than all other colours. The yellow of the petals of flowers is the only colour which is not discharged by the fumes of sulphureous acid. If a lighted match be held under a flower, heart's-ease (Viola tricolor) for example, the purple tint will instantly disappear, but the yellow will remain unchanged; the yellow of a wall-flower (Cheiranthus fruticulosus) will continue the same, though the brown streak will be discharged-Field Naturalist's Mag.

A CHOICE OF EVILS.-More than half the ills of life may be said to proceed simply from two causes- -inanity, and selfishness: poverty on the one hand, and over-indulgence on the other.

Nell Gwynne.-As the new play now performing, entitled Nell Gwynne, will revive many anecdotes of that extraordinary woman, it probably is not generally known that her house in Cleveland-row still remained unaltered at the commencement of the present century, until it was newly modelled by the Duke of Bridgewater, and afterwards devolved to the Marquis of Stafford. There were a great number of the portraits of Nell in the old house, which were excellent likenesses. Her hair was represented in graceful ringlets precisely similar to the fashion adopted about three years ago by ladies of fashion; and her countenance was pleasing, with a marked expression of intelligence. The old house was remarkable for the gradual ascent of its spacious staircase, for the accommodation of Charles the Second, who ascended it on horseback, being so much afflicted with the gout that he could scarcely walk, and visited his favourite mistress on a sure-footed pony, Nell, after receiving the king, often mounted the pony, and paced up and down the long gallery, to the great amusement of the

amorous monarch.

THEATRICAL TABlet.
What does the theatre resemble, pray?
A needy man that would, but cannot, pay.

Varieties.

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'Ma

some time before, one day asked him if
he had lately talked as much nonsense
as usual. "Madam," replied he, I
"Pray,"
have not heard so much."
said the Duchess,
as you know all
that occurs in the political world, tell
me some news." "I am sorry, madam,"
said the minister, " that I cannot oblige
you, as I have not read the papers to-
day." "I wish you to dine with me at
ten to-night," said the Duchess.
dam, I cannot-for I am engaged to sup
with the Bishop of Lincoln at nine."-
While the volunteer mania was raging,
the corporation of London offered to
raise a troop of cavalry, on condition
that it should not be expected to leave
the country. "It certainly never shall,”
said Pitt, except in case of an inva-
sion."
Georg. Era.
THE ONLY HONEST LAWYER.-A few
days since, the sexton belonging to St.
Pancras old burial-ground was engaged
in digging a grave, when he discovered
part of a head-stone, which from length
of time had sunk a considerable depth
into the ground. On its being taken
out, and the earth cleared away from it,
the following lines were found inscribed
upon it:-

"Here lays one, deny it if you can,
A lawye, though an honest man;
To him heaven's gates are open wide,
But shut to all the tribe beside."

in the cha

LISTON'S MAWWORM.-(Original.) When this celebrated comedian paid his visit to T, in 182-, a managing wag in the place hit on the following expedient to make his arrival known in that class only where he was sure of patronage-namely, the church folks. He wrote on a slip of paper: "This is to give notice, that the Rev. Mr. Mawworm will deliver a discourse to-morritable behalf of the funds of that inrow evening at the stitution; to which, it is hoped, all benevolent Christians will attend. Amen. God save the King." When the notice to the parish clerk in the the proper time appeared, he handed desk,who, putting his specks down from his horse-shoe forehead, and considering it a bona fide document, enunciated the whole to the congregation, not apprised of the joke till its conclusion, when a general titter shook the nerves of the young and elderly, while the clergyman looked with amazement. Suffice it to say, the next evening_the

Hypocrite" was performed, and Liston's Mawworm encored to a full house. As the writer had the above anecdote from the comedian's lips, he willingly attests the fact.

WITTICISMS OF MR. PITT.-Many witticisms have been attributed to Pitt, which are utterly unworthy of his great talents. The following, however, deserve repetition:-The lively Duchess of Gordon, who had not seen him for ERRATA.- Page 376, for Dislocobus' read Discobolus – for • ridiculous' read sublime, and vice versa.

J.R.P.

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Ellustrated Article.

THE MORNING STAR.* MANY years since there was a small village about a mile and a half from the eastern gate of the city of Liege. The best house in it was the little inn, which stood apart from the rest about a stone's throw. What its sign may have originally been I do not know, for it was known through all the country round by the name of the "Morning Star," which it had acquired from the alert ness of its inmates. No house in the whole province of Flanders kept such early hours. The landlord, Adam Polder, was an old man, and his wife not much younger than himself. Their niece, Trinette (Catrine was her real name, but all the world called her Trinette,) assisted them, and was, in fact, the efficient person; and great credit indeed she had of it, for it was the very pattern of a village inn, with its pink front and its green outside shutters, and the white benches on each side of

From Original Compositions in Prose and Verse.' Lloyd.

VOL. X.

See page 404

the door, and the four poplar-trees between it and the road; and then inside the nicely sanded floor, and the rafters loaded with hams and dried fish, and the blazing hearth, and the shelf decorated with Tournay earthenware, and the store of bright brass jars and dishes which Trinette polished till they shone like gold. It was quite a little Flemish Paradise. But the thing she was prouder of than of all besides was the little garden behind it, where over and above the onion-bed, which supplied her mistress with the magnificent clusters she delighted in hanging up in her window, Trinette contrived, with the assistance of Jan Van Bloemen, to rear some tulips which both believed to be the finest flowers that had ever blossomed beyond the precincts of Haerlem. Now, this Jan Van Bloemen was a young marketgardener, whom all the world pointed out as Trinette's bachelor. It was very true, that whenever he had occasionto go into the city, and these occasions had occurred almost daily for the last seven or eight months, he always discovered that his shortest road was that which

280

led him by the "Morning Star;" and he would often stop, in a neighbourly way, to chat with old Adam, or to help his pretty niece to tie up her flowers. Moreover, he had danced with Trinette at the kermesse of their own, and all the neighbouring villages; and when he carried off the prize at the last popinjay, credible witnesses asserted that he had been heard to declare, that he felt much less satisfaction in his success than in the reflection that she had been a witness of his triumph; at which avowal Trinette was said to have blushed and smiled. In short, it was supposed to be a settled thing, and every body called Jan a very lucky fellow; for, besides her being very pretty, it was beyond a doubt, as Adam had no child, that she would inherit the contents of a long leathern purse which he kept in the large household chest, with the brass belts and hinges, which stood in the kitchen, acting in the double capacity of receptacle and dresser, and into which, every Saturday night, he emptied the gains of the preceding week and Adam's gains were sure gains. It was not one of those beer-houses where you see cards about all day, and hear the billiard-balls rattling till midnight, as is too frequently the case; but respectable customers, good beer, short accounts, and early hours, characterised the "Morning Star ;" early hours, indeed, for the family went nightly to bed with the lamb, and reason good, for they rose before the lark. Now, it happened one day towards the end of Autumn, that Jan had been detained at Liege till a much later hour than usual, yet he was unwilling to return home without communicating to his friend Adam some important intelligence he had just received from the brother-in-law of the cousin of the burgomaster's confidential servant, relative to an expected rise in the price of hops. He almost feared that the door might have been closed for the night, but there was no harm in trying if it were still on the latch. His surprise and pleasure may be conceived when, as he approached, he saw the fire-light darting bright, cheering gleams through the still-open casement. I will not venture to affirm that his feelings experienced no check, when a closer examination enabled him to discover that Adam's kitchen that evening received unwonted guests. Three men of unprepossessing physiognomy, in whose dress the trader and the military adventurer were anomalously blended, were seated smoking

round the table, on which stood a flask of Rhenish wine, and a Dutch cheese, which Jan well knew was seldom produced except on occasions of ceremony. Adam sat in his stiff-backed oak chair, listening with an air of deferential respect to the occasional observations of the strangers; the hostess plied her knitting in the chimney corner, and Trinette, who was busied in removing the remains of dinner, was laughing gaily at the witticisms which ever and anon escaped from their lips, in the intervals between their long whiffs. Neither did it escape Jan's notice, though certainly it was but a trifle, that the village coquette was dressed with more than usual attention to effect-her linen cap arranged with more than ordinary care over her glossy dark hair, and the wrought clocks of her blue wotsted stockings more ostentatiously displayed than was her wont. It was perhaps not unnatural that a jealous lover, and such was the market-gardener, should combine the circumstances, and conclude that this holyday attire was exhibited in honour of the, to him, very objectionable associates in whose company he beheld her. The real key to Trinette's unusual finery and superabundant lightness of heart had escaped his penetration-she sported, for the first time, a pair of long gold ear-rings! Jan had been standing for about ten minutes an unsuspected observer of the group, when Trinette suddenly perceived him, as she passed the window in the course of her household arrangements, and her surprise was indicated by a start, which the jealous lover thought betokened less gratification than her manner towards him usually evinced; and his reflections did not become less gloomy, when she joined him, exclaiming in her liveliest tone, "A fine night, Mynheer Jan! but somewhat of the chilliest. Methinks it would be wiser in your worship to turn in, and take a seat by our fire-side, than to stand out here in the frosty wind, counting the stars, like M. le Cure, or the bishop's chaplain." "I am not cold, Trinette," replied Jan, exasperated by her ill-timed pleasantry, "neither was I counting the stars, neither am I disposed for a seat by the fire-side in the company of strangers." "For that matter," returned the damsel, with a toss of her little head, "nobody wishes to constrain your self-willed_inclinations. But I find it cold, and I must go in; my master and these honourable gentlemen will require my attendance."

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"These honourable gentlemen, indeed! I never saw more unprepossessinglooking individuals in my life. Let me tell you, Trinette, it is not for the credit of the "Morning Star" to harbour such suspicious characters. Honour able gentlemen! Why, they are more like smugglers, or deserters, or brigands," continued he, in rising wrath; If old Adam world take my advice, he would close his door against such desperadoes." "Vastly well, Heer Van Bloemen!" retorted the maid of the inn ; "but old Adam knows his interest, and my interest, and the interest of the "Morning Star" better than to close his door against respectable travellers from foreign parts, with their memories full of old stories from distant countries, and reports of the wars of our own days, and their purses full of broad pieces, which they are ready and willing to spend." "Ay, and their knapsacks full of trinkets and toys, which they are willing to bestow on the host's pretty niece," cried the indignant gardener, furiously glancing at the new ear-rings which had just met his eye. Now, Trinette really loved Jan as well as she loved any thing excepting herself; so, perhaps, had she not been self-convicted of a superabundance of complacency in her new bravery attire, she would have condescended to relieve his uneasiness by acknowledging that the obnoxious ornaments were the present of her sister, the wife of a respectable grocer at Namur; but offended by his jealousy, and not quite displeased to consider herself the injured party instead of the aggressor, she contented herself with replying scornfully, "These ear-rings were not given me by the honourable gentlemen. It is very strange, Jan Van Bloemen, that you will imagine there is no one disposed to make me a present but yourself or old Adam, or these guests of our's." "I wish your guests were—at Liege,” interrupted he, suppressing a less charitable wish. "The gates will soon be shut, and they will hardly like to spend the night in the fields." "Neither will they require to do so they propose lodging here." "Here?" reiterated Jan, who knew, from the proximity of the city, such a thing had never occurred as a traveller's spending the night under old Adam Polder's roof." It is impossible, Trinette; "you have not accomodation to receive them." "It is very certain, however, that these honourable gentle men have pressing business; they will

set forward on their way before the city gates are open in the morning ; and as for their lodging, my mistress and I will sleep in the inner room, and the eldest of the travellers will have a bed in the kitchen; old Adam will do very well for one night, rolled in a good blanket, and lying on the household chest; and the two others, being active young men, have no objection to climb the ladder and sleep in the loft." "You have managed well; and yet St. Gudule help me! but I have great misgivings about these men.' "" "You are valorous," replied Trinette, laughing affectedly. Good Jan! mind your cabbages, and let us manage our affairs for ourselves. It's lucky you have not yet authority to command in the "Morning Star," and may be it were wiser that I never put it in your power to do so." It might be better for us both that I never attempted to influence a stubborn will, or attach a fickle heart." "As you will, Jan-the loss would be yours, not mine," retorted the offended girl.

The tone of forced mirth in which these words were pronounced was infinitely displeasing to Jan's feelings, and he was far too angry to observe that tears of vexation gushed into her eyes. The insulting laugh was conclusive ; he turned sullenly on his heel, and left her without one parting word. She watched him with half-relenting interest till he was out of sight; twice she was about to recal him, and twice pride overcame her better feelings. I will make friends with him to-morrow,' said she-to-morrow.' The morrow broke, and Jan, magnanimously nursing his much-abated indignation, resolved to betake himself for his morning meal to any place in the neighbourhood, except the Morning Star.' Fearful that he might be tempted to break through this praiseworthy resolution, he would not even trust himself to look in that direction, and actually proceeded to his master's garden by the straight path across the fields, revolving in his mind thoughts not very complimentary to the constancy of the fair sex in general, and of the individual culprit in particular. He had not proceeded very far on his way, before be was accosted by Wilhelm Stein, the mason, who observed in that tone of peculiar bitterness which distinctly indicates that the individual speaking has suffered a disappointment in the matter of his matin meal, Friend Jan! the 'Morning Star' will lose its reputation for early hours:

I have been knocking at the door till I am tired, and no one answers; the shutters are still closed, and the household doubtless still asleep. As a friend, let me advise you to remonstrate with Trinette, or the leathern purse will be lighter than you think for.' In the bitterness of his wrath, Jan was about emphatically to declare his total indifference to the weight of the purse, and his unqualified conviction of the absolute inutility of any remonstrance from him in that quarter; but as no man likes to point himself out as the object of indifference and contempt to the ladye love, he allowed the observation to pass, as if unheard, and contented himself with forming a very fervent mental aspiration, that, ere long, by word or deed, William Stein might give him a legitimate excuse for knocking him down. Wilhelm passed on, and Jan, who soon reached his destination, addressed himself diligently to his work; but before noon, many passers-by had remarked on the tardiness of the Morn ing Star,' and some expressed a doubtful wish that all might be well within.' Coupling these remarks with the recollections of the night before, a sudden apprehension flashed across the gardener's mind. He threw down his spade, and hurried to the little inn; the shutters were still closed, and, to his inexpressible horror, he perceived that no smoke curled from its chimneys. He knocked, but there was no answer: he called, but nothing appeared to stir within. Some persons, however, hearing him, hastened from the neighbour ing fields to his assistance. The door, upon trial, appeared firmly fastened; and they were considering what course they should next pursue, when a faint, a very faint moaning decided them to enter, let follow what might There was a low window at the back of the house, which occurred to them as offering more facility for gaining admission than any other. It looked into the garden, and the flower-beds beneath had evidenly been recently trampled. The shutters, which were here simply closed, not bolted, yielded immediately to their hands, and Jan Van Bloemen sprang in hastily, and gained the interior of the cottage before any of his companions had followed him. An exclamation of horror prepared them in some degree for the scene within. The stream of light from the garden window disclosed an appalling spectacle. The lifeless body of old Adam, gashed with wounds, lay on the kitchen floor, close by the

brass-belted chest, whose lid had been burst open, and the contents rifled. The corpse of his wife was also stiffening in her blood, and a weak, feeble groaning alone indicated that the murderers had left one deed of blood incomplete. Could affection stay the parting breath, Jan's assurances of pardon were not wanting. But Trinette's moments were numbered; and gathering her little remaining strength by an effort, to point out the last night's travellers as the perpetrators of the crime, she sunk back upon his shoulder to wake no more! Search was made instantly for the fugitives, and they were very shortly discovered, concealed in a low oakcopse, about half a mile from the spot. They offered no resistance when seized, but suffered themselves tranquilly to be conducted to the Hotel de Ville, where, as it happened, the tribunal of justice was at that moment sitting. Trinette's dying deposition, and Jan's identification of their persons were unnecessary to convict them, as they made a full confession of their guilt, which was accompanied by circumstances of peculiar barbarity and duplicity. Sentence was passed upon them, and every individual present acquiesced in the justice of the award; but a thrill of horror ran thro' the whole court, when one of the prisoners stepping forward, declared in his own name and that of his accomplices, that from the moment of committing the crime for which they were justly about to suffer, they felt that they were delivered over, body and spirit, to the enemy of souls. They had wandered for hours, but always in a circle; for an irresistible force restrained their steps, and withheld them within sight of the home of their unoffending victims. They were removed from the bar, and a pious priest never after left their side, urging them to employ their few remaining hours in making their peace with Heaven. But they turned a deaf ear to his admonitions; they spurned the offers of pardon, and awaited in hardened impenitence or stolid apathy, their fearful doom. The fated hour arrived, and an immense crowd collected to witness their execution. I will not enter into the details-suffice it to say, that the sentence decreed them to be burnt, that their very remains might not encumber the earth. But no human hand scattered their ashes to the winds of heaven; for, while the flames still crept lazily round the blackened pile, a tempest arose which, in violence, surpassed any that the oldest Liegeois present ever remem

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