6 deed, was the tone of the notifications, which referred to my multifarious signatures; in one E.'s elegy' was 'not considered elegible;' in another, 'C' was advised to content himself with reading poetry, and allowing others to write it; in a third, 'B' was reminded, that rhyme and poetry are different things;' in a fourth, 'A' was instructed where a cheap edition of Murray's grammar' could be purchased; a fifth considered that 'D' was a good signature, being the initial of Dunce;' a sixth kindly remarked, that Z' was a 'Zany;' while a seventh advised 'T.'s friends' to take care of him, he being 'evidently insane;' although I cannot call the remainder to mind, I can remember they were equally complimentary, and quite as gratifying to my vanity and literary pride. The reader may, perhaps, be able to judge of my feelings: instead of finding myself, as I expected, praised to the very echo by sixteen literary papers, I could not avoid seeing that I was an outcast from all of them-the butt for their amusement-the target for their wit. Instead of finding my poetry welcomed with congratulations, I found that my effusions were treated with marked contempt, and considered vastly below even the very mediocre productions with which some of the aforesaid papers abounded: in place of being raised to the top of the class, I was turned out of the school: instead of being received with the honours due to a valuable volunteer, I was drummed out of the regiment. My situation was any thing but enviable,-but greater tribulation was yet in store. I had, cunningly enough, contrived to keep myself and my real name quite incog., so far as the unpoetical editors and the generality of their readers were concerned; and had I acted with the same prudent precaution with regard to my private connections, the invisible veil I had raised for myself would have afforded me a sanctuary, through which no profane eye could have pierced. But, fully expecting to see my verses "in print," I had, in the pride of my heart, informed one of my young friends, who had been most liberal of his censures, of their intended public appearance; he had obtained froin me, in an unguarded moment, the signatures under cover of which I had purposed to come out," and the names of some of the intended chaperons: as it happened, these were the most biting in their jokes and banter; and the consequences appeared before me in more than their native ugliness. My friend, as a matter of course, read the unlucky "notices" almost as soon as I did myself; and with the innate spirit of fun, so natural to young people, lost no time in making our common acquaintances as well informed upon the subject as himself. To attempt to describe the merriment which followed, at my expence, would be absurd; the reader may, if he pleases, imagine it. I decided, and so I told my tormentors, upon making one bold stroke. I had very soon come to the conclusion, that the sixteen weekly papers were mere dabblers in literature, and not imbued with the spirit to discern and encourage genius when it presented itself before them: the monthly magazines I considered were of a higher grade, and to one of them I sent a copy of my ill-fated "Elegy," and, at the same time, in order to insure a lenient judgment, I informed the editors, that it was written by a stationer's apprentice. One number of the magazine appeared, and I found myself passed over in silence; the jokes which had been passed upon me werc evidently subsiding, and I began to hope that I should hear no more of the matter, when the next number completed the catastrophe of my mortifications, with the following notice : "If the 'Stationer's Apprentice,' who sent us some trashy verses, occupies much of his time in rhyming, he will certainly contribute something towards his master's stock of waste paper." I will not tire the reader with an account of the persecutions I underwent after the above appeared: suffice it to say, that it became a standing joke against me, every body who knew any thing of the matter, taking all opportunities of inquiring if we were likely to be out of waste paper! 1 could almost have cursed, in my heart, poetry, and all appertaining to it. Strange, as it may seem, the rough usage my writing then met with, was the beginning of future improvement: my whole energies were directed to the deserving of better treatment. If I have ever succeeded in my attempts-if I have, at any time, written anything calculated to instruct or amuse my fellow-creatures, I may refer, in a great degree, for the cause to the failure of my FIRST RHYME. R. JARMAN. MY MOTHER'S VERSION. 6 6 To the Editor of the Olio. SIR,-IN the perusal of the Strange Discovery,' as the 'Leading Article' of your last number, I was struck by the similarity of a story told by my mother five and thirty years ago to her servants, no doubt to caution them against the improper intercourse which they might thoughtlessly form with plausible strangers. My mother's version, which I perfectly remember, ran thus: "There was a young woman left in the care of the house, her master and mistress being in the country. One night on her going to bed when she was undressing herself she looked in the glass, and said, as she smiled before it in selfcomplacency, How handsome I look in my nightcap!' When she rose in the morning she found the house robbed. She was taken into custody on suspicion of being concerned in the robbery, but tried and acquitted. Some time afterwards as she was walking in company with another female, a man in passing her, said softly so her, 'How handsome I look in my night-cap!' This expression so forcibly struck her mind that he was the man that robbed the house, she seized hold of him with the utmost intrepidity, and held him fast, assisted by her companion, till he was given into custody; at which time he confessed that when he was under the bed he heard her use the expression previously to his robbing the house,and he suffered accordingly." This is my mother's version of a simple fact, which may serve as an illustration of vanity on the one hand, and burglar hardihood on the other. I am, Sir, your constant reader, THE POSTSCRIPT. 'You dare not go down in your chemise.' While I am writing and the subject is fresh in my memory, I cannot forbear relating another little circumstance connected with robberies, which, though it varies in detail, corroborates the utility of faithful domestics. Two female servants were undressing themselves, and in the act of retiring to rest. One of them, perceiving the legs of a man under the bed, said to the other, 'There are no matches you dare not go down in your chemise to fetch them.' 'I know that,' said she, but I dare,' the first replied. She immediately left her fellow-servant,unconscious of her perilous Rippon.-Is a very considerable town and ancient borough, governed in and after the Saxon times by a chief magistrate, called vigilarius, wakeman, or watchman. It was anciently noted for its wealthy monastery, and St. Wilfred's Needle, a narrow passage in a vaulted room under the church, through which (it is said) any woman, if chaste, might pass with ease, if otherwise, she was detained and stopped after a very extraordinary manner. Brotherton. At this place, Margaret, Queen to Edward I., fell in labour as she was hunting, and was brought to bed of a son, who was christened Thomas, because his mother, in the extremity of her pain, cried to St. Thomas of Canterbury for ease; and surnamed de Brotherton from this place. He was afterwards made Earl of Norfolk, and Marshal of England. It is said of him, that he could not endure the milk of a French woman who was designed for his nurse; but an English woman being brought, he liked her's very well. Whitby. This place was anciently famous for its abbey, as it has been of later times for spiral stones resembling serpents, by naturalists called cornua ammonis, frequently found here, which according to a superstitious tradition, were originally serpents, mortified and transformed by the prayers of Hilda, the first Abbess; but are more truly observed by a judicious naturalist, Dr. Nicholson, to be merely spiral petrifactions produced in the earth by a sort of fermentation peculiar to alum mines, wherefore they are plentifully found in the allom pits at Rome, Rochel, Luneburgh, &c., as well as here. The sudden and remarkable falling down of wild geese, whenever they fly over certain grounds hereabouts, (because nature has not let us into all her secrets), are likewise religiously ascribed to the influence of the female saint. Pontefract, or Broken Bridge, com FINE ARTS. For the Olio. monly called Pont-freit, but in the Saxon times its name was Kirkby, the occasion of changing that name was, (as it is related), when William, Archbishop Fisher's Drawing room Scrap-Book ; of York, and sister's son to King Stephen, returned from Rome, he was welcomed here with a crowd of people, that the bridge broke and they fell into the river; but the Archbishop prayed and wept so fervently, that none of them were lost. Here Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, was beheaded by Edward II, and was afterwards sainted by the people. Here also Richard II., deposed by Henry IV., was barbarously destroyed with hunger, cold, and other unheard of torments. And, here Anthony Earl Rivers and Sir Richard Grey, were both murdered. Dunmali-Raise Stones.-Are supposed to have been erected by Dun-mail, King of Cumberland, for the bounds of his kingdom. Mal-wood Castle.-Has on the north side of it an oak, which it is imagined, very remarkably buds on Christmasday, and withers again before night. There is a vulgar tradition that this is the tree on which Sir W. Tyrrel's arrow glanced that killed W. Rufus. Charles II. ordered it to be paled in, whether out of respect to the tree, or the said King, is uncertain. Hungerford.-Gave both name and title to the Barons of Hungerford, a noble family raised by the merit of Walter Hungerford, who was Speaker to the House of Commons in the reign of Edward III., (which was the first Parliament in which a Speaker sat.) John of Gannt gave this town a horn, which is shewn to this day; and the grant of Riall fishing in the river, affording trout and crawfish. Riadergowy.Near this town, Llewellin, last Prince of Wales, being betrayed, ended his life anno 1282. Hither Vortigern, King of the Britons, who called in the Saxons and incestuously married his own daughter, retired and built him a city of refuge on a mountain hard by, called after him, Kaer-Gwortigern, but was himself and it destroyed by lightning. -u. Near this place, the River Mole has a subterraneous passage, burying itself; and so running almost two miles under ground, and rises again near Lethe read, vulgarly called, for what reason I know not, Leather-head. Nonsuch. At this place was a stately house, built by Henry VIII. A vein of earth was here discovered fit for making crucibles. P. By with Poetical Illustrations. THE OLIO, we may humbly assume, is entitled to no small praise, for having so assiduously noticed from time to time, the efforts of the pencil and the graver, duly assigning to each competitor his true meed of praise; and constituting their little work, at the same time, the repository of many a critique which else had not met the public eye. We refer our readers to our last volume, as a little cabinet collection of such critical notices, and now proceed to the task immediately in hand. "The Drawing-room Scrap-Book," contains thirty-six engravings, including four or five of the Royal Family, admirably executed. The list of artists presents a galaxy of talent far outshining that which many of our other annuals can boast. Amongst their names, that of Stanfield stands conspicuous. The first landscape engraving is," Pile of Fouldrey Castle, Lancashire," a dark and somewhat terrific scene, the old black castle throwing around it an air of wildness in unison with the surrounding objects. "Carrick-a-Rede, Ireland," a desolate amalgamation of rock and stormy sea; softened, nevertheless, by some ships riding safely in the still and stormless distance. "Palace of the Seven Stories, Beejapore," from one of the indefatigable Captain Elliott's sketches, is truly a lovely scene; all the softness of evening throwing around its rays on church and ruin, on palace and tower, seems to render it a scene of fairy land. "St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall," is finely characteristic of that stormy region: the engraving is beautiful. "The Old Blind Schoolmaster," is a fine effort of the Meyers. "Tiger Island," sketched by Captain Elliott, and transferred by that master-hand, Stanfield. "Hurdwar, a place of Hindoo Pilgrimage;" "Grass Rope Bridge, at Teree, Gurwall;" "The Wuisk, Red Seas;" "The Water Palace, Mandoo ;" "Skeleton Group in the Rames wur, Caves of Ellora ;"" Benares;" "Jumma Musjid, Agra;" "Delhi;" these nine splendid scenes, for grandeur of oriental delineation, may challenge competition with any work of art ever executed in this country. But return we to comment a little on some of the scenes more adjacent to our own land, which we omitted purposely to select the sketches of Captain Elliott. On the rough seas, and surf-beaten rocks of Cornwall, we need not dwell. But to one view, the "Lake of Killarney, Ireland," we must not forget to give our due meed of praise; we could gaze upon it till admiration might fancy it to be the identical lake. There are some admirably executed views of the most striking ruins of our English abbeys; a feature to be much applauded. We have also some sweet glimpses of our home valleys; and, to complete the interesting medley, portraits of several illustrious personages, thus rendering this superb group of engravings one of the most beautiful and fascinating collections ever presented to the public, since the era of "The Annuals." Of the poetry it is superfluous to speak. It is what might have been expected from so talented and famed a poetess. The volume is got up in the most handsome style, and is truly a cheap work. We wish its sale every success; and thus we take our leave of "The Drawing-room Scrap-Book." The Note Book. I will make a prief of it in my Note pook. PURIFYING DWELLINGS. We extract from that scientific work, the "Repertory," Dr. J. C. Smith's recipe for purifying houses where contagion is supposed to exist, for the discovery of which that gentleman received a Parliamentary grant : — "Take 6 dr. of powdered nitre, 6 dr. of oil of vitriol, mix them in a tea-cup, by adding to the nitre 1 dr. of the vitriol at a time; the cup to be placed, during the preparation, on a hot hearth or plate of heated iron, and the mixture stirred with a tobacco-pipe or glass rod: the cup to be placed in different parts of the contaminated chamber. THE NEW COAL ACT.-The new coal act came into operation on the 1st of January. It is enacted after that day that no quantity less than 560lbs. of coals are to be sold without being weighed by the vendor, under the penalty of any sum not exceeding £5.A weighing machine is to be kept at all the station-houses and watch-houses, provided by the overseers of the differ ent parishes, who are to keep them in proper repair, under a penalty of any sum not exceeding £10. Dealers selling one sort of coal for another are liable to a penalty of £10. Carmen are to weigh coals if required. If there is a deficiency in the weight, the penalty is any sum not exceeding £10. If the difference of weight should exceed 224lbs., then the penalty is any sum not exceeding £50. A weighingmachine is to be carried in all carts or waggons. If any carman drive the coals away without weighing them, if required by the purchaser, the penalty is £20, and not less than £5. Penalties incurred by carmen may be recovered of their employers. Magistrates may proceed by summons for the recovery of penalties. Magistrates may summon witnesses to give evidence, if thought necessary, and they are liable to a penalty of £25 for non-attendance. Magistrates have the power, on conviction, to give any of the penalty to the informer, not exceeding one-half, as they may think fit. Parties convicted before any magistrate have the right of appeal to the quarter sessions. INSTANCE OF LONGEVITY.-As one of the most remarkable instances of longevity may be cited John Chiossick, who died at the advanced age of 117 years, in the receptacle for invalids, at Murano, near Venice, May 22nd, 1820. He was born at Vienna, and when Only eight years of age entered as a fifer in the Austrian regiment of Stahrenberg. He fought under the Emperor Charles IV. against the Turks, in Hungary, during the reign of Maria Theresa, in 1741, against Prussia, against the French, in Bohemia, in 1742, and served, in 1744, in the wars of the Low Countries. At this period he quitted the Austrian army to enter into the service of the Republic of Venice, and was engaged in several naval expeditions, particularly in that against the Turks, commanded by General Emo. On the Ist May, 1797, he was admitted into the Receptacle for Invalids, at Murano, where he continued till his death. According to this account, John Chiossick continued for eighty-seven years in effective service; and if to these be added the twentythree years spent in his last retreat, 110 years of his life will be found to have been spent in the capacity of a common soldier. This instance is unique in military history. The severe privations and fatigues which he necessarily experienced during his nu merous services by sea and land, in no respect altered his good constitution, and he preserved to the last the cheerfulness of his disposition. Exempt from the influenee of every violent passion, he was distinguished for great simplicity of manners and remarkable temperance. The father of this veteran reached his 105th year, and his paternal uncle lived to the age of 107. CRIME IN FRANCE.- -Out of every 100 persons accused, sixty-one are regularly condemned. Out of the whole population, one in every 4,460 inhabitants is accused. In every 100 crimes, twenty-five are against the person, seventy-five against property. Experience shows that the number of murders is annually nearly the same; and what is still more singular, that the instruments, or means employed, are also in the same proportion. The inclination to crime is at its maximum in man about the age of twenty-five; in woman, five years later. The proportion of men and women accused is four to one. SHAH ABBAS, Sophi of Persia, having conquered Armenia, transported a number of the inhabitants to Giulfa. Many of them escaped into Poland, and there became graziers. At this day they are still a distinct race, and preserve their language and physiognomy, with their olive tint and black hair, although they have existed for more than two centuries in a country that produces fair complexions. They are principally found in Austrian Gallicia, but they rent lands in the neighbouring principality of Moldavia, for the purpose of rearing their oxen and horses. The tyrannical nature of the Moldavian government has proved injurious to their but the Austrian agent has commerce; secured to them some important privileges, and since his intercession, their condition is more easy, and their business less disturbed. Voyage en Valachie et en Moldavie, Paris, 1832. The Zigans, or Gypsies of Moldavia and Wallachia, are the most expert persons at catching bears and teaching them to dance. Ibid. Among the original laws of Portugal, passed at the accession of Alfonso I., is a remarkable clause, that such nobles as were convicted of disguising the truth from the king, should be degraded from their rank. In theory this approaches very near to the perfection of government; in practice it is impos sible to be realised. 66 Mons. Duval, the present curate of Pleurtuit, near St. Malo in France, had formerly been both soldier and sailor. The parish is full of seamen, and as he is well acquainted with their peculiar style of conversation, he generally uses it. When, for instance, he is exhorting any of them to come to confession, he says, you have arrived from a place where it was bad weather; you let yourself drive before the wind; let me help you to tack about." The following is part of a sermon preached by him on the accession of Louis Philip. "My good friends, while you were fishing at Newfoundland, many things have happened here.-The state ship went badly; one was always obliged to be crying, 'take care!' for every minute they incurred some damage. Faith one day the crew being quite tired out threw the captain and principal officers overboard. But with all their skill the sailors did not know how to steer, and so they nominated a new captain, whom they call Louis Philip., He has been written about to Rome, and is approved of. I have asked the fitters at St. Malo about him, and they say he is very good. And now my lads we are going to pray for him, and you shall answer me with vour fine Newfoundland voices " Having said this, the curate gave out the Domine salvum fac Regem, and a chorus of seven hundred sailors replied to it in their loudest tone. There are few epigrams more severe than that addressed by Jean Baptiste Rousseau to the Journalistes de Treyoux: of which the following is a translation: Ye dwarfing authors of a vile Review, Who think yourselves Apollo's priests and sages, Try to improve your style a little, do, Or cease ta criticise another's pages. The equestrian statue of Peter the Great at St. Petersburgh, by Falconnet, is a model of ingenuity; the hind feet only of the horse are fixed on a rock, from which the animal seems to be springing. |