been wholly engaged in eating, ftopt in an To the Editor of Exftaw's Magazine. MONG other ludicrous effects of cer The fabbath-breakers Aoned-from a cotletion belonging to Mr. &c. The miraculous draught of fibes-from á defign in the poffeffion of Lord North. The rape of the Sabines-admirably exis cuted. Abel murdered-by Mr. The introduction of fin-an original de fign. The chafity of Jofeph-very fearee. Orpheus' defcent into hell for his wifelately cleaned. A head of Lord Lovat-finely executéď. Heaven and hell-lately fuppofed to belong to the Pope." From this fpecimen, Mr. Editor, you may fee the difadvantage of having a fet of technicals which are taken from common life. If the cant of painting does not foon change its prefent form, a lift of paintings will be looked upon by pofterity as a libel on the age we live in. How aftonifhed will our defcendants be to hear that the rape of Lucretia was done by Mr. Weft, or that Sir Joshua Reynolds turned water into wine? What may be neceffary to do in this cafe, in order to rectify the languarge, is not for me to determine. only throw out a few hints on the fubject, for the benefit of those who may have Atain or binations of work, I of fur- er leifure. Mean time prifed that no writer has ever yet noticed the odd combinations produced by auctioneering puffs upon paintings. I have often noticed a wonderful fort of connection betwixt the words ufually applied to paintings, and the paintings themselves, and, I think, that with a little attention, fuch a number of humourous congruities may be found as will afford fome entertainment to your readers. By way of inftance, there was the other day, an auctioneer put up a painting of the fcourging of our Saviour, which, he obferved, was a firiking reprefentation. Other occafions have furnished me with the following collection, which is much at your service. Belfhazzar's discovering the hand-writ ing-a fine print. I am, Sir, Your moft obedient humble fervant, Character of a Mifer, founded on Fall, In vain are pomp and fplendor chofen, In coach or horfeback, run or trot, Jofeph: feofing his brethren-an entertain-USCUS was Lord of the manor he ing reprefentation. The rape of Lucretia-in Taylor's beft manner. Judith with Holofernes's head-a capital engraving. Mary Queen of Scots-a fine piece. David playing on the barp before Saul -great execution in this. The gates of Gaza taken away-by Grignion and Walker. The refurrection-by that rising artif Mr. starved in, and had the largest disencumbered estate in all the hundreds, if not in the whole county. He had a pair of old geldings, who looked as lean as himself, and were fuffered to graze in the green ground of his garden, to fave provender. He wondered at the extravagance of his father, who had fet apart a whole acre of land for his pleasure, and expended on it many needlefs pounds in trees and flowers. The trees Fufcus cut down and burnt in winter, as long as they lafted, and then fat shivering without a fire. As to the roots of the perennial flowers (the only flowers that were aliv the fecond year of poffeffion) they fent up the promife of their bloom together Bon Mot. OME officers of the army, who had fer. preeds which were allo cropped off with them. S ved during the American' wan, walking in their earliest verdure, by Barebones and Rofinante. He would have had never a fervant of either fex if all his tenants could have paid their rents, but the duteous fon of one honeft unfortunate farmer, and the daughter of another, fubmitted to the miferable captivity, to keep their ancient parents out of goal. They had no wages of Fufcus, their fathers being obliged to cloath them, by way of intereft for their arrears of rent; nor would they have had fufficient diet of the meaneft kind if the poor old men had not continually added to their own poverty by fupplying their children with food as well as raiment. Fufcus lived till the fevere winter of 1739-40, which put an end to his wretched being, and in that inftance conferred a benefit on the reft of mankind. His garden and orchard were entirely bare of trees; the pales that divided them were all confumed; and Barebones being quite ftarved to death, hardly old Rofinante was left to fhift for himself abroad, in the midst of the froft, that his own rotten rack and manger might be the next offering to Vulcan. When none of thefe, nor any other combuftible thing which Fufcus thought useless, were left about the houfe, coals were become fo dear that he could not afford to buy any. He foon contracted a violent cold in the ftomach, he could not afford a glass of generous liquor to drive it thence. It was now the beginning of February, and Fufeus declined every day. One of his tenants was an apothecary, who went to visit him in this condition out of charity. Galen pleaded the neceffity of a good fire, and a little wine by way of cordial; for as to a cordial from his fhop, he knew it would be in vain to recommend, unless it were gratis. Fufcus declared that his rents did not come in, that he had no money by him, and that he would not fend for any thing on credit. Though the apothecary did not believe him, he yet fell in with the humour, and offered him five guincas for the prefent ufe, to be deducted from the half year's rent. Fufcus took the money, put it to his heap, fent for neither coals nor cordial, and in a few days after died; when about 1000l. in ready cash, which he had received fince he was unable to go abroad, was found in the houfe, befides fecurity for 20,00cl. more in the public funds and elfewhere. Let the man who has above competency, and a licart to use it,reflect on the cafe of Fufcus,and he will foon perceive that great abundance will not alone increase his happiness. in the Park, dreffed in their regimentals, W1 HEN the French courier was carrying the ratification of the laft treaty of peace between us and the court of Verfailles, he took a poft chaife, and four of the beft horfes he could met with upon the road; but nevertheless, he thought the poftilion drove tardily, and when he got about half way to Dover, he flew out in a violent paffion crying out," Allons-dine -e allons-donc." The dri f-e-fver miftaking his meaning, not understanding French brought him back with all expedition "A London." To depict the rage, phrenzy, and madness of the couri er, would baffle the pencil of the greatest artift, therefore, I fhall not attempt itbut it is faid l'infortune courier did not long furvive the shock he met with from this mortification. A Theatrical Anecdote. HE firft Comedy was acted at A. Tthens on a fcaffoid, by Suffarian and Dolon, 562 years before Chrift; those of Terence were firft performed 154 years be fore Chrift; the firft in England was in the year 1551. Tragedy was firft acted at Athens on a waggon, 535 years before Chrift, by Thefpis, a native of Icaria, a town of Attica, in Greece, in whofe time tragedy was carried on by a fet of musicians and dancers, who, as they danced, fung hymns to the praife of Bacchus; and that the musicians and dancers might have time to reft, and that the people thould have fome new diverfion, introduced an actor, who, between every two fongs, repeated fome difcourfe on a tragical fubject. This actor's difcourfe was called the epifode. Thefpis alfo furnifhed fatyr with actors; and Horace fays he brought forth his fatyrs in an uncovered chariot, where they rehearfed their poems, their faces being daubed with dregs of wine, or, according to Suidas, painted with cerufe and vermillion, to reprefent the fatyrs, who are reprefented with a red and high-coloured vifage. The epifode meeting with a kind reception amongst the people, Efchylus introduced two actors, and Sophocles added a third, which brought tragedy into its full perfection. Collection Collection of Voyages and Travels. (Continued from Page 404.) 66 HERE is only one shrub or tree in the Tcountry which produces fruit, which is a kind of berry almost tastelefs; but they have a plant which anfwers all the ufes of hemp and flax. There are two kinds of this plant, the leaves of one of which are yellow, and the other a deep red, and both of them refemble the leaves of flags. Of thefe leaves they make linen and cordage, and much ftronger than any thing of the kind in Europe. Thefe leaves they likewife fplit into breadths, and tying the flips together, form their fishing nets. Their common apparel, by á fimple procefs, is made from the leaves, and their finer, by another preparation, is made from the fibres. This plant is found both in high and low ground, in dry mould and in deep bogs; but as it grows larger in the latter, that feems to be its proper foil. "The natives here are as large as the largeft Europeans, their complexion is brown, but little more fo than that of a Spaniard. They are full of flesh, but not lazy and luxurious; and are ftout and well fhaped. The women poffefs not that delicacy, which diftinguishes the European ladies; but their voice chiefly diftinguishes them from the men. The men are active in a high degree; their hair is black, and their teeth are white and even. The features of both fexes are regular; they enjoy perfect health, and live to an advanced age. It is faid they appear to be of a gentle difpofition, and treat each other with the utmost kindness: but they are perpetually at war, every little diftrict being at enmity with all the reft. This is owing moft probably, to the want of food in fufficient quantities at certain times. As they have neither black cattle, fheep, hogs, nor goats; fo their chief food is fish, which being not always to be had, they are in danger of dying through hun ger. They have a few dogs; and when no fifh is to be gotten, they have only vegetables, fuch as yams and potatoes, to feed on; and if by any accident thefe fail them, their fituation must be deplorable. Notwithstanding the cuftom of eating their enemies, the circumstances and temper of these people are defcribed to be in favour of thofe who might fettle among them as a colony. "The inhabitants of New Zealand, are as modeft and reserved in their behaviour and conversation as the moft polite nation of Europe. The women, indeed, were not dead to the fofter impreffions; but their mode of confent was in their idea as harmlefs as the confent to marriage with us, and Gent. Mag. September, 1785. equally binding for the ftipulated time. If any of the English addreffed one of their women, he was informed, that the confent of her friends muft be obtained, which ufually followed, his making a prefent. This done he was obliged to treat his tempo rary wife as delicately as we do in England. A gentleman who failed in the Endeavour, having addreffed a family of fome rank, received an answer, of which the following is an exact translation. "Any of these young ladies will think themselves honoured by your addreffes, but you must first make me a prefent, and you must then come and fleep with us on fhore, for daylight muft by no means be a witness of what paffes between you." "Thefe Indians anoint their hair with oil melted from the fat of fish or birds. The poorer people use that which is rancid, fo that they fmell very difagreeable; but thofe of fuperior rank make use of that which is fresh. They wear combs both of bone and wood, which is confidered as an ornament when stuck upright in the hair. The men tie their hair in a bunch on the crown of their head, and adorn it with feathers of birds, which they likewife fometimes place on each fide of the temples. They commonly wear fhort beards. The hair of the women fometimes flows over the fhoulders, and fometimes it is cut short. Both fexes, but the men more than the women, mark their bodies with black stains, called Amoco. In general the women stain only the lips, but fometimes mark other parts with black patches: the men on the contrary put on additional marks from year to year, fo that thofe who are very ancient are almoft covered. Exclufive of the amoco, they mark themselves with furrows. Those furrows make a hidious appearance, the edge being indented, and the whole quite black. The ornaments of the face are drawn in the fpiral form with equal elegance and correctnefs, both cheeks being marked exactly alike; while paintings on their bodies refemble fillagree work, and the foliage in old chafed ornaments; but no two faces or bodies are painted exactly after the same model. The people of New Zealand frequently left the breech free from these marks; which the inhabitants of Otaheite adorned beyond any other. These Indians likewife paint their bodies by rubbing them with red oker, either dry or mixed with oil. "Their drefs is formed of the leaves of the flag split into flips, which are interwoven and made into a kind of matting, the ends, which are feven or eight inches in length, hanging out on the upper fide. One piece of this matting being tied over the fhoulders, reaches to the knees: the piece being wrapped round the waift falle Mmm almof faftened to a ftring, which by means of a bodkin of bone is paffed through, and tacks them together. The men wear the lower garment only at particular times. They have two kinds of cloth befides the coarfe matting or fhag above-mentioned: one of which is as coarfe, but beyond all proportion fironger than the English canvas; the other which is formed of the fibres of a plant, drawn into threads which crofs and bind each other, refembles the matting on which we place our dishes at table. "They make borders of different colours to both thefe forts of cloth, refembling girls famplers, and finished with great neatnefs and elegance. What they confider as the most ornamental part of their drefs is the fur of dogs, which they cut into ftripes, and few on different parts of their apparel. As dogs are not plenty, they dispose these ftripes with economy. They have a few dreffes ornamented with feathers; and one man was feen covered wholly with thofe of the red parrot. The women never tie their hair on the top of their head, nor adorn it with feathers; and are less anxious about drefs than the men. Their lower garment is bound tight round them, except when they go out fishing, and then they are careful that the men fhall not fee them. It once happened that fome of the fhip's crew furprised them in this fituation, when fome of them hid themselves among the rocks, and the reft kept their bodies under water till they had formed a girdle and apron of weeds; and their whole behaviour manifefted the most refined ideas of female modesty. "The ears of both fexes were bored, and the holes ftretched fo as to admit a man's finger. The ornament of their ears are feathers, cloth, bones, and fometimes bits of wood; a great many of them made ufe of the nails which were given them by the English, for this purpofe, and the women fometimes adorned their ears with white down of the albetrofs, which they fpread before and behind the hole in a large bunch. They likewife hung to their ears by ftrings, chiffels, bodkins, the teeth of dogs, and the teeth and nails of their deceafed friends. The arms and ancles are adorned with fhells or bones, or any thing elfe through which they can pafs a ftring. The men wear a piece of green tale or whalebone, with the refemblance of a man carved on it, hanging to a ftring round the neck. They faw one man who had the grifile of his nofe perforated, and a feather pafied through it, projecting over each cheek. "Thefe people fhew lefs ingenuity in, the ftructure of their houfes, than in any thing else belonging to them; they are from twelve wide, and fix or eight in height. The frame is of flight fticks of wood, and the walls and roof are made of dry grafs pretty firmly compacted. Some of them are lined with bark of trees, and the ridge, of the house is formed by a pole which runs from one end to the other. The door is only high enough to admit a perfon crawling on hands and knees, and the roof is floping. There is a fquare hole near the door, ferving both for window and chimney, near which is the fire-place. A plank is placed over the door, adorned with a fort of carving, and this they confider as at ornamental piece of furniture. The fide-walls and roof projecting two or three feet beyond the walls at each end form a fort of portico where benches are placed to fit on. The fire is made in the middle of a hollow fquare in the floor, which is enclosed with wood or ftone. They fleep near the walls, where the ground is covered with ftraw for their beds. Some who can afford it, whofe families are large, have three or four houfes, inclofed in their court-yard. Their clothes, arms, feathers, fome ill-made tools, and a cheft, in which all these are deposited, form all the furniture of the infide of the house. Their hammers to beat fern-root, gourds to hold water, and baskets to contain provifions, are placed without the house. One house was found near 40 feet long, 20 wide, 14 high. Its fides were adorned with carved planks of workmanfhip fuperior to the reft; but the building appeared to have been left unfinished." Though the people fleep warm enough at home, they seem to despise the inclemency of the weather, when they go in search of fish or fern-roots. Sometimes, indeed, they place a small defence to the windward, but frequently fleep undreffed with their arms placed round them, without the least shelter whatever. Befides the fern-root, which ferves them for bread, they feed on albetroffes, penguins, and fome other birds. Whatever they eat is either roasted or baked, as they have no veffel in which water can be boiled. The English faw no plantations of cocoas, potatoes, and yams, to the fouthward, though there were many in the northern parts. The natives drink no other quor than water, and enjoy perfect and uninterrupted health. When wounded in battle, the wound heals in a very fhort time without the application of medicine; and the very old people carry no other mark of decay about them than the lofs of their hair, and teeth, and a failure of their mufcular ftrength:-but enjoy equal share of health and chearfulnefs with the youngest. The canoes of this country are not un like the whale-boats of New-England, being long and narrow: The larger fort feem to be built for war, and will hold from 30 to 100 men. One of thefe at Tolaga measured near 70 feet in length, fix in width, and four in depth. It was fharp at the bottom, and confifted of three lengths, about two or three inches thick, and tied firmly together with ftrong plaiting; each fide was found of one entire plank, about twelve inches broad, and about an inch and a half thick, which was fitted to the bottom part with equal ftrength and ingenuity. Several thwarts were laid from one fide to the other, to which they were securely fastened, in order to ftrengthen the canoes. 4 Some few of their canoes at Mercury-Bay and Opoorage, are all made entirely of one trunk of wood, which is made hollow by fire; but by far the greater part are built after the plan above defcribed. The Imaller boats which are ufed chiefly in fishing, are adorned at head `and stern with the figure of a man, the eyes of which are compofed of white fhells: a tongue of enormous fize, is thruft out of the mouth, and the whole face a picture of the most abfolute deformity. The grander canoes, which are intended for war, are ornamented with open work, and covered with fringes of black feathers, which gives the whole an air of perfect elegance; the fide-boards which are carved in a rude manner, are embellished with tufts of white feathers. These vessels were rowed with a kind of paddles, between five and fix feet in length, the blade of which is a long-oval, gradually decreasing till it reaches the handle; and the velocity with which they row with thefe paddles are very furprifing. Their fails are compofed of a kind of mat or netting, which is extended between two upright poles, one of which is fixed on each fide. Two ropes, faftened to the top of each pole, ferve inftead of fheets. The veffels are fteered by two men having fuch a paddle, fitting in the ftern; but they can only fail before the wind, in which direction they move with confiderable fwiftnefs. The Indians ufe axes, adzes, and chiffels, with which laft they likewife bore holes. The chiffels are made of jafper, or of the bone of a man's arm; their axes and adzes of a hard black ftone. They use their small jafper tools till they are blunted, and then throw them away, having no inftrument to fharpen them with. The Indians at Tolaga having been prefented with a piece of glafs, drilled a hole through it, and hung it round the neck. A fmall bit of jafper was thought to have been the tool they ufed in drilling it. Their tillage of the ground is excellent, owing to the neceffity they are under of cultivation or running the rifque of ftarving At Tegadoo their crops were juft put into the ground, and the furface of the field was as smooth as a garden, the roots were ran-ged in regular lines, and to every root there remained a hillock. A long narrow ftake, sharpened to an edge at bottom, with a piece fixed across a little above it, for the convenience of driving it into the ground with the foot, fupplics the place both of plough and spade. The foil being light, their work is not very laborious, and with this inftrument alone they will turn up ground of fix or feven acres in extent. The feine, the large net which has been already noticed, is produced by the united labour, and is probably the joint property of a whole town. Their fith-hooks are of thell or bone; and they have baskets of wickerwork to hold the fifh. Their warlike weapons are fpears, darts, battle-axes, and the patoo-patoo. The fpear which is pointed at each end, is about fixteen feet in length, and they hold it in the middle, fo that it is difficult to parry a pufh from it. Whether they fight in boats or on fhore the battle is hand to hand, fo that they muft make bloody work of it. They trüft chiefly in the patoo-patoo, which is faftened to their wrist, by means of a strong ftrap, that it may not be wrefted out of their hands. Thefe are worn in the girdles of people of a fuperior rank, as a military ornament. They have a kind of staff of diftinction, which is carried by the principal warriors. It is formed of a whale's rib, is quite white, and adorned with carving, feathers, and the hair of their dogs; and they fometimes carried a stick fix feet long, inlaid with fhells, and otherwife adorned like the military staff. This honourable mark of distinc tion was commonly borne by the old men. When they came to attack the Engish, there was ufually one or more thus diftinguifhed in each canoe. It was their custom to ftop at about 50 or 60 yards distance from the fhip, when the commanding officer arifing, and putting on a dog-skin garment, used to direct them how to proceed. When they were too far from the fhip to reach it with ftones or lances, they ufed to cry out in their language, "Come on fhere to us, and we will kill you all with our patoo-patoos." While they threatened thus, they approached the veffel, yet talking in a peaceable manner at intervals; but afterwards, fuppofing the English to be afraid of them, they renewed their menaces, and an engagement generally terminated the matter, in which they were repulfed by the fuperior arms of their European adverfaries. When thefe favages exhibited their war dance, all their limbs are diftorted, and Mmma the |