she retreated on his approach, and at last, he thought, went into the castle, though the gates were shut: this obliging him to think he had seen a spirit, sent him home very much terrified; but the next day, relating his adventure to some people who lived in the castle, and describing, as near as he could, the garb and stature of the apparition, they told him it was that of the woman above-mentioned, who had been frequently seen, by the soldiers on guard, to pass in and out of the gates, as well as to walk through the rooms, though there was no visible means to enter.

Though so familiar to the eye, no one has yet, however, had the courage to speak to it, and, as they say, a spirit has no power to reveal its mind without being conjured to do so in a proper manner, the reason of its being permitted to wander is unknown.

But having run on so far in the account of supernatural appearances, I cannot forget what was told me by an English gentleman and my particular friend. He was about passing over Douglas bridge before it was broken down, but the tide being high, he was obliged to take the river, having an excellent horse under him, and one accustomed to swim. As he was in the middle of it, he heard, or imagined he heard, the finest symphony, I will not say in the world, for nothing human ever came up to it. The horse was no less sensible of the harmony than himself, and kept in an immoveable posture all the time it lasted, which, he said, could not be less than three quarters of an hour, according to the most exact calculation he could make, when he arrived at the end of his little journey, and found how long he had been coming. He who before laughed at all stories of spirits, now became a convert, or at least suspended his incredulity, and allowed that there might be some extraordinary visitations in the world for providential purposes.

As to uncommon knockings and noises, I cannot deny but I have been a witness to many things of that

kind, which the professors of modern philosophy would enjoy themselves much in ridiculing me for; yet, in spite of their laughter, I must declare I once thought I heard a whistle, as though in my ear, when nobody that could make it was near me.

For my part I shall not pretend to determine if such appearances have any reality, or are only the effect of the imagination; but as I had much rather give credit to them than be convinced by ocular demonstration, I shall leave the point to be discussed by those who have made it more their study; and only say, that whatever belief we ought to give to some accounts of this kind, there are others, and those much more numerous, which merit only to be laughed at; it not being at all consonant to reason, or the idea religion gives us of the fallen angels, to suppose spirits so eminent in wisdom and knowledge, as to be exceeded by nothing but their Creator, should visit the earth for such trifling purposes as to throw bottles and glasses about the room, and a thousand other as ridiculous gambols mentioned in those voluminous treatises of apparitions.

It is also absolutely a fact, that before any person die, the procession of the funeral is seen by several persons in procession, as it will go to the church-yard in reality by a sort of beings, which for that end render themselves visible. I know several that have offered to make oath, that as they have been passing the road, one of these funerals has come behind them, and even laid the bier on their shoulders, as though to assist the bearers. One person, who assured me he had been served so, told me, that the flesh of his shoulders had been very much bruised, and was sore for many weeks after.-There are few in the island but one time or another have seen and heard these supernatural obsequies, for it wust not be omitted that they sing psalms in the same manner as those do who accompany the corpse of a dead friend, which so little differ from real ones, that they are not to be known

till both coffin and mourners are seen to vanish at the church doors. These they take to be a sort of friendly demons, and their business, they say, is to warn people of what is to befal them; accordingly they give notice of any stranger's approach, by the trampling of horses at the gate of the house where they are to arrive. As difficult as I found it to bring myself to give any faith to this, I have frequently been very much surprised, when on visiting a friend, I have found the table ready spread, and every thing in order to receive me, and been told by the person to whom I went, that he had knowledge of my coming, or some other guest, by these good-natured intelligencers. Nay, when obliged to be absent some time from home, my own servants have assured me they were informed by these means of my return, and expected me the very hour I came, though perhaps it was some days before I hoped it myself at going abroad. That this is fact I am positively convinced by many proofs; but how or wherefore it should be so, has frequently given me much matter of reflection, yet left me in. the same uncertainty as before.

MARSHAL WADE was greatly attached to gambling, and not very nice in the company he gamed with. Once, when at play, he missed a very valuable gold snuff-box, richly set with diamonds. Enraged, he swore no man should leave the room until it was found; and insisted upon an immediate search. A gentleman, who sat on his right, dressed as an officer, with clothes much worn, and who with great humility had asked and obtained permission, four or five times, to go his shilling with the Marshal, with great vehemence declared, upon the honour of a soldier, that he had not the box, nor knew any thing of it, but that he would. die rather than be searched. He was willing, however, to retire to the next room, and defend his honour, or perish in the attempt. The Marshal, who before had his suspicions, was now confirmed in them, and, as the sword was to be referred to, in

stantly prepared for the attack, but, to his confusion, in drawing, he felt the box in a secret pocket. Stung with remorse at having wounded the honour of a soldier, he said, as he hastily left the room, "Sir, I here, with great reason ask your pardon; and hope to find it granted by your breakfasting with me, and hereafter ranking me among your friends." At breakfast the Marshal said, "Why, Sir, could you refuse being searched ?”

"Because, Marshal, being upon halfpay, and friendless, I am obliged to husband every penny. I had that day little appetite; and as I could not eat what I had paid for, nor afford to lose it, the leg and wing of a fowl, with a manchet, were then wrapped up in a piece of paper in my pocket the idea of these being found there appeared ten times more terrible than fighting the room round.”"Enough," said the Marshal; "we must prevent your being again subjected to such a dilemma." The next day the Marshal presented him with a Captain's commission, and a purse of guineas to enable him to join the regiment.

COMPRESSED WAISTS.-Now-a-days it is the fashion to look like an hourglass, or a huge insect, or any thing else cut in two, and bolstered out at head and feet.-A fashion that gracefully shows the figure, is one thing: a fashion that totally conceals it, may have its merits; but voluntarily to accept puffed shoulders in lieu of good ones, and a pinch in the ribs for a body like that of the Venus de' Medici, is what no woman of taste should put up with who can avoid it. But as fashion is naturally at variance with beauty, it is also at variance with health. The more a woman sacrifices of the one, the more she loses of the other. Thick legs are the least result of these little waists. Bad lungs, bad livers, bad complexions, death, melancholy, and, worse than all, rickety and melancholy children

are too often the undeniable consequences of the tricks that fashion plays with the human body. By a perverse spirit of justice, the children are avenged on the parents, and help, when they grow up, to pervert those who have the advantage of them.

THE HIGHLANDS have been represented as a nursery for seamen and soldiers, as the sole defence of the empire; and thus every emigration has been lamented as if it were the ruin of Britain. And, to all this, England

and Scotland listen and seem to consent, confessing thus their own inferiority and disgrace. To say that the Highlands have defended Britain by their numbers, is an arithmetical absurdity; it is for the English and Scottish military to admit, if it pleases them, the superiority of the Highland troops. If they allow that the Highlanders have bled for them, and that the great balance of war was turned, not by the weight of hundreds and tens of thousands from England and the Lowlands, but by thousands and hundreds from the Highlands, no one has a right to dispute it. It was said, that in the American war, there were 70,000 Highland soldiers employed. That was more nearly the population of the country than the amount of its army; which, through the whole campaigus, never exceeded 12,000 men. But as popular opinions become current by repetition, every one still speaks of the thousands of men which this

country, annually furnished to the navy and the army. By how many fallacious statements this number has been swelled, and how often that service, which was the result of influence and threats, amounting virtually to conscription, has been represented as voluntarily, I shall avoid showing, that I may avoid a tedious and an idle controversy. To write pages for the purpose of convincing the public that there are persons who do not choose to be convinced, is to occupy space that may be much better employed. (Macculloch's Highlands of Scotland.)

CANDOUR-The following is said to be a speech of Judge Jefferies to the Mayor and Aldermen of Bristol, of which city he was Recorder :-" I have brought a brush in my pocket to rub off your dirt; I tell you I have brought a stout besom, with which 1 will sweep every man's door, both within and without, for in good truth you want rubbing; the dirt of your ditch is in your nostrils. Where am I? in Bristol, a city in which it seems you claim the privilege of hanging, drawing, and quartering-a privilege you ought to enjoy at least once a month. I have a calendar of your city in my hands, and hope, before I have done, to hang one-half of you at least."

OLD MAIDISM.-Some time ago, Miss Vansittart, daughter of Lord Bexley, presented several of the poor on her father's estate with blankets, when, in the excess of their joy at her good nature, some of them lustily cried out, "Miss Vansittart for ever." "Oh, law!" says she, "Pray don't cry that, I have been Miss Vansittart too long already."

To Correspondents.

WHETHER the subject Giaour speaks of will be farther noticed in the Nic-Nac. must depend upon circumstances which we cannot at present explain; he, however, shall hear from us ere long.-We have inquired into the cause of the inconvenience described by J. L. T. and will endeavour to remove it.-Mr. Burden will see one or two of his Poems inserted, but the "Lines on Friendship" we must decline, for though prettily written, they are devoid of novelty.

ERRATA. P. 122, col. 1, line 3, from the bottom, read "terrestrial.”—P. 132, col. 1, 1. 33, read "p 148."-P. 134, col. 2, 1. 19, for gems read" genus."

LONDON--Printed and Published by T. Wallis, Camden Town.

even called houses, and they ought not to be, they are called cabins, they are built of mud, and covered with thatch partly, and partly with a surface which they call scraws, and any continuance of rain necessarily comes in; I have observed at night, how-. ever, that there is this advantage in their being built so, that where they have firing, the entire house warms, and is like a stove, and it produces almost the effect of a vapour-bath upon the inhabitants.

What sort of furniture have they