price for the furs. He went to church, at which I much rejoiced, seeing the good things he was to hear might soften his heart, and induce him to give me a more conscientious price. Having nothing to do, I went to church likewise: but the congregation stared at me so, that I went out again, and waited at the church door for my merchant. I could hear the priest speaking with great vehemence: no doubt, said I to myself, he is desiring them to be honest and fair in their dealings, both to their God and to the Indians. Well, my merchant at last came out: I asked him if he would give me a higher price: to my astonishment he offered less than before. Now it was evident from this what the priest had been saying, and that you christians go to church only to learn how to cheat the Indians in the price of beaver." from Scandinavia, v. 2, p. 10.

Letters

CYRAN, amused himself one day with cracking nuts, and in endeavouring to throw the shells through the bars of his chamber window, in which attempt he was seldom or ever successful. His failure occasioned him to make the following sublime reflection: "Thus it is that Providence takes a delight in frustrating my designs." Sorbiere.

THE Lord Treasurer Burleigh. The consummate abilities of this great minister were always directed to the maintenance of the true interests of the nation. War he abhorred; and, to the extent of his power, avoided increasing the burthens of the people for unnecessary purposes. "I do not

love," was his expression, "to see the treasury swell like a disordered spleen, while the other parts of the commonwealth are in a consumption."* His private virtues were equal to his public conduct, and his actions were regulated by temperance, moderation, industry, and justice. His magnificence was accompanied by hospitality; and the sums he consumed in deeds of alms amounted to 5001. annually. His conduct, as a judge, was exemplary and just. "He would never," says his biographer,+suffer lawyers to digress or wrangle in pleading; advising counsellors to deal truly and wisely with their clients; that if the inatter was naught, to tell them so, and not to soothe them; and when he found such a lawyer, he would never think him honest, nor recommend him to any preferments, as not fit to be a judge that would give false council."

Beauties of England, v. 1, p. 318.

DEAN SWIFT, although not an amateur of music, was nevertheless very fond of exercising his choir on Sunday evenings. On one occasion it happened, that a choirister was in disgrace, and durst not appear; the dean however, having given peremptory orders for a full attendance on the next Sunday evening, he was obliged to be in his place, when the choir having assembled, and the dean being enthroned, the cathedral service began and continued till the anthem was given out, when the poor culprit rose up, and, looking very earnestly at the dean, began, accompanied by the or* Camden's Annals. + Collins.

gan in a very soft and plaintive strain, "Whither shall I fly from thy presence, or whither shall I go," "the dean instantly answered in a rough voice; "To gaol you dog:"--the choirister dropt on his knees, pardon was granted, and he was restored to favor. Life of Swift.

THEY have a good regulation in Lisbon with regard to fires. The watermen, who sell the water in barrels that they carry on their shoulders, are divided into wards, of each of which the individuals take the command in rotation. Every man is obliged at night to carry home his barrel full, and, in case of fire, it is the business of the head of the ward to collect all who belong to it. An English sailor happened to see a fire there; assistance came late, and the house burnt slowly. "Curse it," cried he, squirting out his tobacco," there's no spirit in this country; why we should have had a dozen houses burnt down by this time."

Southey's Letters, v. 2, p. 158.

A member of the Quorum in Cumberland, who was the very mouth-piece of eloquence in his own country, when he went up to London, enquired at a shoemaker's shop in Cranbourn Alley, if he could not meet with a pair of small shoes for his little girl in the country, with pink heels, pointed toes, and cropt straps for clasps, which he expressed in the following provincial dialect.

66 I pray yee noo, han yee gatten any neatly, feetly, shoen, poainted toen, pink'd at heel and cropped strops for clopses?"

"Sir." answered the shopkeeper, "what's that you say?"

66

Why, I pray yee noo," [repeats as before.] "The family who speaks French," said the shoemaker, "lives at the next door."

Lee Lewis' Comic Sketches, p. 150.

CONCEIVE to yourself a country formed as it were by a collection of mountains from all the other parts of the world, and covered, or rather loaded, with ice and snow, from the pole-this is Lapland. Conceive too the most uncouth squat figure possible, clothed in dirty skins of beaststhis is the Laplander. But this country, say the natives, was the paradise in which our first parents dwelt, and from which all nations have their origin. Placed upon the top of the globe, they esteem themselves above all mankind. They are of divine origin! Probably the gods of the ancients were supplied from Lapland: their chief arts at this day prove them of celestial breed: they are manufacturers of thunder, lightning, hail, and storms.

We made haste to get back to the Torneo; which at our arrival, 30th December, had a most frightful appearance. The little houses were buried in snow; which, if there had been any day-light, must have effectually shut it out. The snow continually falling, or ready to fall, hid the sun for the few moments he remained above the horizon. In January the cold was increased to such an extremity that M. Reaumur's thermometer, which at Paris in the great frost, 1709, it was thought strange to see fall to 14° below the freez

ing point, was now got down to 37°. The spirit of wine in the others froze. If we opened the door of a warm room, the external air instantly converted the vapour of it into snow, whirling it round in white vortexes. If we went out, we felt as if the air was tearing our breasts asunder. The solitude of the streets was not less than if the inhabitants had been all dead.

Such is a Lapland winter! The soul is chilled. with the idea of it, and retreats to more hospitable climes. Le Monnier's Travels.

HENRY CROMWELL was the fourth son of the protector, by whom he was appointed lord lieutenant of Ireland, in which station his integrity and talents procured him the esteem of every party. After the restoration, he retired to Chippenham, where he resided with his father and his brotherin-law nearly six years. He then removed to his estate at Spinney Abbey, where he passed the remainder of his days, "descending," says Dr Gibbons, "from the toilsome grandeur of governing men, to the humble and happy occupation of lusbandry." In this retirement he was visited by Charles the II., who, on returning to Newmarket after the diversion of hare hunting in the vicinity of Spinney Abbey, in September, 1671, expressed a wish for refreshment, and being informed by a courtier, that a very honest gentleman resided in the neighbourhood, who would think it an honor to entertain his majesty, desired to be conducted to his mansion. On entering the farm-yard, which led to the house, one of the king's attendants took