thought, a female guardian! I looked, and Englishman-like, hesitated. With a truly French quickness, she divined my embarrassment, and fearful of losing her perquisite, exclaimed-" Entrez, monsieur, entrez," presenting me, as she spoke, with a sheet of some unfortunate author's production. She did not once rise from her seat. Hearing, seeing, and the other senses are accustomed to take no offence. She accepted her penny, and I walked away, overflowing with reflection, and endless questions of whys and wherefores, decency and indecency, right and wrong; what is wisdom and what is folly, and where the bounding line by which they are divided may be found? Holcroft's Travels.

GARRICK, attending the rehearsal of Venice Preserved, when a new actress highly recommended to him was to make her debût in Belvidera, she repeated that tender exclamation, "Would you kill my father, Jaffier?" with so much sang froid in her voice and countenance, that, after several attempts to set her right, he whispered her, nearly in the same tone, "Can you chop cabbage, Foote's Memoirs, v. 2, p. 105.

madam?"

It was at Zarskoje-Sselo that Catharine I. of Russia surprised her husband with the original plan of the palace; but the structure itself was raised in the reign of Elizabeth, and evinces in its architecture, as well as in its exuberance of gildings, the taste of that period.

Catharine II. erected a separate palace for her residence, built in the most simple but elgant style

of architecture. Before her lay spread her own and new designs, and her eyes surveyed the monuments which she had erected in honour of her heroes, and of him who was to her more than all, of her Orloff. These were placed on the open lawn, and towards the latter part of her life were often visited by her in solemn silence. The park, which abounds in shady walks, in new prospects, in temples and bridges, in ruins, &c. occupies a considerable extent of ground. A gentle slope leads from the middle story gradually into the park, that her majesty had no use of stairs. The gallery of great men, from which the bust of Fox, on a late occasion, was obliged to disappear, hermitages, the bridges of pillars, the arcade with a marble colonnade above it, the Ru'schberg with its forest of pillars have, like every thing else remarkable in the castle, been so often described, that it would be unnecessary here to repeat it. In short, the whole was a most perfect model of the taste of its inhabitant, and her æra. Catharine's apartments were splendid, but in the style of noble simplicity, cheerful and lively, like the mein of the possessor. Her bedchamber, with the mirrors and the glass pillars, quite resembled the dwelling of a fairy. From her apartments she had an open prospect to St. Petersburgh. Here, it is said, that she was sitting at a window during the last autumn which she survived, and observed that a sudden storm was collecting over the residence. Directing the attention of the company to the circumstance, one of them had the temerity to repeat a Russian proverb, which signifies, "Command, sovereign, and

the flash shall light!" In that moment the flash actually struck and set fire to the gallies, all of which were consumed. Her majesty arose with indignation, cast a gloomy look at the unseasonaable flatterer, and retired to her apartments, where she soon received messengers from St. Petersburgh, announcing the damage sustained by the storm. Shortly after she repaired to the city, and saw her favourite Zarskoje-Sselo no more! and its splendour vanished the moment her eyes were closed. Reinbeck's Travels.

IF

If you wish to be comfortable, marry at thirty a woman of twenty-one. You will not then be in danger of your children treading too closely upon your heels.

A Roman emperor did not enjoy the luxuries of an English washer-woman. She breakfasts upon tea from the East Indies, and upon sugar from the west.

If your wife wears a wig, take care never to see her head newly shorn. It is one of the most disgustful sights that can be presented.

It is a wise provision in nature, that tall men should love little women, and that little men should love tall women. It is this that prevents the world from being filled with dwarfs and giants.

Dr. Hunter's Men and Manners.

ELIZABETH it is well known, afforded effectual aid to the united provinces, when they separated from Spain. It was at that time that the learned Baudius, a friend and correspondent of sir Philip Sidney, was sent ambassador to England; his

speech, at his first audience, is extant, and was an elaborate piece of fulsome flattery. Her majesty's reply was short, but worth preserving, being unpremeditated and delivered in correct latin.

"I am convinced, sir, as well by my own defects, as by the immoderate praise you have bestowed upon me, that you are not acquainted with my real character; yet I cannot but feel flattered by a mistake which originates from respect and friendship; under such prejudices the judgment is often led astray.

In the mean time, I hope to prove not wholly unworthy of the favourable opinion you entertain of me; and although I should not be able to a tain that perfection you describe, your praise may stimulate me to improvement, and make me endeavour, by every means in my power, to preserve the esteem of yourself and those who sent you."

Lounger's Common-Place Book, v. 1, p. 403.

A borderer, who was at mortal enmity with one of his neighbours, fell sick, and, being given over, sent for his enemy, that they might be reconciled "Ah," said he, when the man entered the room, "I am very bad, very bad indeed;-d'ye think I shall die?" "Why, hope not," replied his visitor,

hope not; to be sure you are very bad, but for all that perhaps you may do yet." "No, no," said the other, "I shall die, I know I shall die,and so I have sent for you that I may not go out of the world in enmity with any one. So, d'ye see, we'll be friends. The quarrel between us is all over, all over, and so give me your hand."

Accordingly this token of reconciliation was performed, and the other took his leave; when just as he was closing the door after him, the sick man cried out, "But stop," said he,-" if I should not die this time, this is to go for nothing: Mind now, it's all to be just as it was before, if I do not die." Espriella's Letters, v. 2, p. 196.

SOME very great men have entertained strange superstitions. Ruddiman, the grammarian, was a warm friend of royalty, and of the house of Stuart; so much so that he firmly believed and often repeated, in conversation, that every one of that line, who was to ascend the throne, was born with a red lion impressed on his right arm. Hist. of Scot. p. 58.

Inq. into the

LEE was famous for studying effect when he pleaded. On the circuit at Norwich a briet was brought him by the relatives of a woman who had been deceived in a promise of marriage; he inquired among other particulars whether the woman was handsome? "A most beautiful face" was the answer. Satisfied with this, he desired she should be placed at the bar, immediately in front of the jury. When he rose, he began a most pathetic address, directing the attention of the jury to the charms that were placed in their view, and painting in glowing colours the guilt of the wretch that could injure so much beauty. When he perceived their feelings wrought up to a proper pitch, he sat down under the perfect conviction of obtaining a verdict. But what was his surprize when the