The following extract from Forbes's Oriental Memoirs shows that the inhabitants of the east still retain many of the patriarchal customs. Hospitality to travellers prevails throughout Guzerat: a person passing through the province, is presented, at the entrance of a village, with fruit, milk, butter, firewood, and earthen pots for cookery: the women and children offer him wreaths of flowers. Small bowers are constructed on convenient spots at a distance from a well or lake, where a person is maintained by the nearest villages, to take care of the water-jars, and supply all travellers gratis. There are particular villages, where the inhabitants compel all travellers to accept of one day's provision; whether they be many or few, rich or poor, European or native, they must not refuse the proffered bounty." Dover.

H. I.

Ar Calicut, in the East Indies, (whence the cotton-cloth called calico derives its name,) the price of labour is one

college. It is also pleasing to remark in what manner both the president and the fellows conducted their opposition. With the greatest firmness and determination, there was, at the same time, an evident reluctance to oppose themselves to the king's authority :-there was a modesty of deportment and a decency of language, which showed that their resistance sprung, not from passion nor from faction, but from principle; and, as such, it should have been apparent to all good judges of human nature, that it was more likely to be steady than if it had vented itself in violence. In the event, this aggres

sion of the king upon the privileges of the college was as unsuccessful as it was unwarrantable. It excited a great dissatisfaction throughout the kingdom; and, coupled with other arbitrary acts, particularly the prosecution of the seven bishops for refusing to read in their churches an illegal declaration, had a material effect in driving the ill-advised monarch from his throne.

Hough was not only confirmed in his presidentship

from British looms.- -BABBAGE.

BISHOP HOUGH.

BISHOP HOUGH is one of those persons, who, however loved and honoured in their own generation, might have been little known to posterity, had not peculiar circumstances obliged him to act an important and conspicuous part at a memorable period of our history, and thus inseparably mixed his name with the great events of the day in which he lived. At the same time, the manner in which he sustained his part, would show that the seeds of magnanimity and patriotism exist in many an obscure individual, and only require a favourable conjuncture of circumstances to call them into life and activity.

JOHN HOUGH, the son of a citizen of London, was born in 1651, and the first six-and-thirty years of his life were passed in a state which gave little promise that his name would afterwards become illustrious in history. But in the year 1687, James the Second was vigorously prosecuting his design to supplant the Protestant faith in this kingdom; and, among other measures, was desirous of placing Roman Catholics at the head of the several institutions of education throughout the country. He had succeeded in his intention with respect to Christ Church and University Colleges in Oxford: and, when the presidentship of Magdalen, in the same university, became vacant, he sent to the fellows of the college a letter mandatory, requiring them to elect as their president Antony Farmer, a Roman Catholic, who, besides being of a disreputable character, was not eligible according to their statutes. The fellows braved the king's resentment by rejecting his candidate, and, in his stead, elected the Rev. Mr. Hough, who is described as gentleman of liberality and firmness, who, by the simplicity and purity of his moral character, by the mildness of his disposition, and the happy temperament of his virtues, and many good qualities, had given every reason to expect that he would be a distinguished ornament to the college and to the whole university." It seems that the choice of the fellows could not have fallen on a fitter person.

a

The king, warmly resenting the refusal to obey his mandate, sent down commissioners to visit the college, who expelled the refractory fellows, and forcibly possessed themselves of the president's lodgings. But Hough asserted his rights with intrepidity and dignity; and, of the twenty-eight fellows, only two submitted to retain their fellowships by acting con

Oxford, and afterwards, in succession, advanced to the sees of Lichfield and Worcester. It is also said that he refused the archbishopric of Canterbury on the death of Dr. Tenison. In his highest elevation, his mild and amiable virtues appeared happily combined with the firmer qualities that first brought him into distinction: and, eminent for almost every Christian excellence, he was remarkable for none more than for his boundless munificence.

He almost rebuilt, at his own cost, the episcopal residences at Eccleshall and Hartlebury; and one anecdote recorded of him is so pleasing, that it deserves to be given at length.-" He always kept a thousand pounds in the house for unexpected occurrences, perhaps to pay his funeral expenses or legacies. One day, the collectors of one of the excellent societies of this country came to him to apply for his contribution. The bishop told his steward to give them Five Hundred Pounds. The steward made signs to his master, intimating that he did not know where to find so large a sum. He replied, You are right, Harrison, I have not given enough: give the gentlemen the Thousand Pounds; and you will find it in such a place with which the old steward, though unwillingly, was forced to comply." He lived to his ninety-third year, in the continued possession of his faculties, reverenced and beloved by all for his cheerfulness, his serenity of temper, his beneficence to man, and his heartfelt and unaffected piety toward God. It has been said of him, "His end was peace, and he enjoyed tranquillity to the last. The easiness of his death seems to have been as much derived from the serenity of his mind, and his good conscience, as from his insensibly exhausted spirits; or rather, from the concurrence of both: in scripture language, he gently fell asleep."

More brilliant characters than Bishop Hough may easily be found; but few appear more thoroughly to exemplify the workings of the true Christian spirit. He seems, too, by a singular felicity of manner, though he had acted so prominent a part in public affairs, to have lived without an enemy. Pope's lines are well known:

Such as on Hough's unsullied mitre shine,

And beam, good Digby, from a soul like thine. He received, also, the panegyric of Lord Lyttelton and of Hawkins Browne: and, in later days, Sir Thomas Bernard has introduced Bishop Hough as the principal speaker in his excellent dialogue on the comforts of old age; where he has made the good

I MEAN to be a soldier,

With uniform quite new;

I wish they'd let me have a drum,
And be a captain too;

I would go amid the battle

With my broadsword in my hand,
And hear the cannon rattle,

And the music all so grand.
MOTHER.

My son! my son! what if that sword
Should strike a noble heart,

And bid some loving father

From his little ones depart! What comfort would your waving plumes And brilliant dress bestow,

When you thought upon his widow's tears, And her orphans' cry of woe!

WILLIAM.

I mean to be a president,

And rule each rising state

And hold my levees once a week
For all the gay and great.

I'll be a king, except a crown,
For that they won't allow;
And I'll find out what the tariff is,
That puzzles me so now.

MOTHER.

My son my son! the cares of state
Are thorns upon the breast,
That ever pierce the good man's heart,
And rob him of his rest;

The great and gay to him appear
As trifling as the dust,

For he knows how little they are worth-
How faithless is their trust.

LOUISA.

I mean to be a cottage girl.

And sit behind a rill,

And morn and eve my pitcher there
With purest water fill;
And I'll train a lovely woodbine
Around my cottage door,

And welcome to my winter hearth
The wandering and the poor.
MOTHER.

Louisa, dear, a humble mind
'Tis beautiful to see;
And you shall never hear a word

To check that mind from me;
But ah! remember, pride may dwell
Beneath the woodbine shade;
And discontent, a sullen guest,
The cottage heart invade.

CAROLINE.

I will be gay and courtly,

And dance away the hours;
Music, and sport, and joy, shall dwell
Beneath my fairy bowers;

No heart shall ache with sadness
Within my laughing hall,
But the note of love and gladness
Re-echo to my call.

MOTHER.

Oh, children! sad it makes my soul
To hear your playful strain;

I cannot bear to chill your youth
With images of pain.

Yet humbly take what God bestows,
And, like his own fair flowers,
Look up in sunshine with a smile,
And gently bend in showers.

EDUCATION

24TH, 1832.

PRICE ONE PENNY

THE PURI INDIANS. THE level woody country to the north of the river Paraiba, in Brazil, is inhabited by a tribe of Indians, known by the name of Puris. The following account of their mode of life in their native forests is abridged from the Travels of Prince Maximilian, who visited Brazil about the year 1818.

Having sent a messenger into the woods to announce his intention of visiting them, the Prince says, "Five men and three or four women, with their children, accepted the invitation to meet us. They were all short,-not above five feet five inches high; most of them, the women as well as the men, were broad and strong-limbed; they were all quite naked, except a few, who wore handkerchiefs round their waists, or short breeches, which they had obtained from the Portuguese. Some had their heads entirely shorn; others had their thick, coal-black hair, cut over the eyes, and hanging down in matted locks behind.

In general, they have but little beard, which forms only a thin circle round the mouth, and hangs down about three inches below the chin. Round the neck, or across the breast and one shoulder, they had rows of hard black berries strung together, in the middle of which, in front, was a number of the eye-teeth of monkeys, ounces, cats, and other wild animals. They had other ornaments, which seemed to have been formed of the thorns of some shrub. The men carried in their hands long bows and arrows, VOL. I.

which, as well as all their effects, they at our desire bartered for trifles. We informed them of our intention of visiting them in the woods, early the next morning, if they would receive us well.

"We had scarcely left the house the next day, when the Indians were perceived coming out of the woods. We proceeded in their company back into the forest, and as we advanced, we found the whole horde lying on the grass. The group of naked brown figures presented a most singular spectacle: men, women, and children, were huddled together, and contemplated us with curious, but timid looks. They had all adorned themselves as much as possible; a few of the men, by way of ornament, had the skins of monkeys fastened round their brows. Some of the women carried their children by the help of bandages made of bark, which were fastened over the right shoulder, while others bore theirs on their backs, with the assistance of a band that crossed the forehead; in this latter manner they generally carry their baskets of provision when they travel. A number of the men and girls were much painted-they had red spots on the forehead and cheeks, and some had red stripes on the face; others black stripes lengthwise, and strokes running across, with dots between, on the body. Many of the little children were marked all over with spots like leopards. This painting seemed to be arbitrary and regulated by the taste of the individual. The females, in general, fasten a bandage

25

of bass or cord tightly round the wrists and ancles, in order, as they say, to make those parts small and elegant.

"The bow of the Puris measures six feet and a half, and even more; it is smooth, and made of the hard tough dark-brown wood of a kind of palm. Their arrows are six feet long, and made of a firm knotty reed, feathered at the lower end, with beautiful blue or red feathers, or with those of the peacock pheasant. "When our curiosity was satisfied, we requested the savages to conduct us to their huts; the whole troop went forward, and we followed on horseback. The road led into a valley, and, at length, by a narrow path we reached the thickest part of the forest, and came suddenly on some huts belonging to these people; they are certainly some of the most simple in the world. The sleeping-net, which is made of bass, is suspended between two trunks of trees; to which, higher up, a pole is fastened across by means of a rope of a large kind of bind-weed, against which large palm-leaves are placed in a slanting direction on the windward side, and these are lined below with the leaves of the banana, &c. Near a small fire, on the ground, lie a few gourd-shells, a little wax, various trifles of dress or ornament, reeds for arrows, and arrow-heads, some feathers, and provisions, such as bananas and other fruit. The bows and arrows stood against a tree.

"Fire is a prime necessary of life with all the Brazilian tribes, and they keep it burning during the whole of the night, since owing to their want of clothing they suffer severely from the cold, and it is also attended with the important advantage of scaring off wild beasts.

"They are said to devour human flesh out of revenge, but as for their eating their own deceased a token of affection, according to the report of some early writers, no trace of such a custom exists at present. They offered for sale large balls of wax, which they collect when gathering wild honey, and use in preparing their bows and arrows, and also in the manufacture of candles, which burn extremely well, and are made by wrapping a piece of cotton round a thin stick of wax, and then rolling the whole together. They set a high value on a knife, which they fasten to a string round the neck, and allow to hang down upon the back; it frequently consists of only a piece of iron, which they whet on stones, and keep very sharp. If you give them a knife, they generally break off the handle, and make another according to their own taste, putting the blade between two pieces of wood, which they bind together with a string.

"Some writers are disposed to deny to these Amecan tribes all religious ideas, but among all that I visited I found evident proofs of the prevalence of some religious belief. The savages of Brazil believe in various powerful beings, the mightiest of whom they recognize in the thunder, by the name of 'Tupa or Tupan. Most of the Indians of South America have also a confused idea of a general Deluge."

THE ANCIENT ENGLISH MINSTRELS. THE Minstrels seem to have been the genuine successors of the ancient Bards, who united the arts of poetry and music, and sung to tunes upon the harp, verses and poems of their own composing. It is well known what respect was shown to these Bards by the Britons and no less was paid to the northern Scalds, as they called their Bards, by most of the nations of the Gothic race. Our Saxon ancestors, as well as their brethren, the ancient Danes, had been accustomed to hold men of their profession in the highest

reverence. Their skill was considered as something divine, their persons were deemed sacred, their attendance was solicited by kings, and they were every where loaded with honours and rewards; in short, poets and their art were held among them in that rude admiration which is ever shown by an ignorant people to such as excel them in intellectual accomplishments.

When the Saxons were converted to Christianity, in proportion as letters prevailed among them, this rude admiration began to abate, and poetry was no longer a peculiar profession. The poet and the minstrel became two persons. Poetry was cultivated by men of letters indiscriminately, and many of the most popular rhymes were composed in the leisure and retirement of monasteries; but the Minstrels continued a distinct order of men, and got their livelihood by singing verses to the harp at the houses of the great. There they were still hospitably and respectfully received, and retained many honours shown to their predecessors, the Bards and Scalds; and, indeed, though some only recited the compositions of others, many still composed songs themselves, and all of them could probably invent a few stanzas on occasion.

In the early ages, as is hinted above, this profession was held in great reverence among the Saxon tribes, as well as among their Danish brethren. This appears from two remarkable facts in history, which show that the same arts of music and song were equally admired among both nations.

When our British king, the great Alfred, was desirous to learn the true situation of the Danish army, which had invaded his realm, he assumed the dress and character of a Minstrel; and, taking his harp, and only one attendant, he went with the utmost security into the Danish camp. Though known to be a Saxon, the character of a Minstrel procured him an hospitable reception: he was admitted to entertain the king at table, and stayed in the midst of the enemy's camp long enough to plan that assault which afterwards destroyed them. This was in the year 878.

About sixty years after, a Danish king made use of the same disguise to explore the camp of our king, Athelstan. With his harp in his hand, and dressed like a Minstrel, Anlaff, king of the Danes, went among the Saxon tents; and taking his stand near the king's pavilion, he began to play, and was immediately admitted. There he entertained Athelstan and his lords with his singing and his music; and was at length dismissed with an honourable reward, though from his songs he must have been known to be a Dane. Athelstan was saved from the consequence of this stratagem by a soldier, who had observed Anlaff burying the money which had been given him, from some scruple of honour, or motive of superstition.

Even so late as the reign of Edward the Second, the Minstrels were easily admitted into the king's presence, as appears from a passage in Stow, which also shows the splendour of their appearance. "In the year 1316, Edward the Second solemnized his Feast of Pentecost at Westminster, in the Great Hall: where sitting royally at the table with his peers about him, there entered a woman adorned as Minstrel, sitting on a great horse, trapped as Minstrels then used, who rode round about the tables, showing pastime; and at length came up to the king's table, and laid before him a letter, and forthwith turning her horse, saluted every one, and departed." The subject of this letter was a remonstrance to the king on the favours heaped by him on his minions, to the neglect of his knights and faithful servants.