daughter of Henry II. married Philip the II. king of Spain, Eustache de Bellay, bishop of Paris, performed the celebration of the nuptials, at the church door of Notre Dame. Apparently it was then thought indecent to grant permission in the church itself for a man and woman to go to bed together.

Formerly the bride and bridegroom were not allowed to go to bed until it had been blessed. It was a little additional perquisite for the priest.

The priests of Picardy were very troublesome. They pretended the newly married could not, without their permission, sleep together for the first three nights after nuptials. An arrét appeared March 19th, 1409, prohibiting the bishop of Amiens and the curates of that town, from exacting any more money from new married people on that pretence, and it further decreed, that the said inhabitants might so sleep, each with his bride, without permission from the bishop or his officers. Saint Foix.

BOHEMIA abounds in corn, and has also some considerable forests; but what surpasses all belief, and is nevertheless very true, is the prodigious quantity of game of all sorts, which abounds in that kingdom. The prince Colloredo gave me an account of a hunting party which the emperor Francis I. made in the year 1755. There were twenty-three persons in the party, three of whom were ladies; the princes Charlotte de Lorraine was one of them. The chace lasted eighteen days, and during that time they killed 47,950 head of

game and wild deer; of which 19 were stags, 77 roebucks, 10 foxes, 18,243 hares, 19,545 partridges, 9,499 pheasants, 114 larks. The emperor fired 9,798 shots, and the princes Charlotte 9,010: in all, there were 116,209 shots fired.

Dutens' Memoirs, v. 2, p. 239.

IMMEDIATELY before lord Russel was conveyed to the scaffold, he wound up his watch, saying with a smile, "Now I have done with time, and must henceforth think solely of eternity."

Lady Rachael Russel's Letters, pref. xlv.

IN the year 1590, the king of Spain sent forces to take possession of Bretagne, a province of France, pretending a title to it for himself; and some of the English courtiers advised queen Elizabeth not to concern herself any further in the affairs of that kingdom, to her great impoverishing, and no advantage, telling her, Charles the Bold, duke of Burgundy, used to say, "It would be better for all the neighbour nations to have France under twenty kings than one:" to which she as stoutly replied, "The evening of the last day the crown of France should see, would be fatal to England.'

Bohun's Charac. of queen Eliz. p. 210, anno 1693.

DIOGENES ordered himself to be thrown any where without burying. "What," said his friends, "to the birds and beasts!" " By no means," cried he, "place my staff near me, that I may drive them away." "How can you do that," they re

plied, "Since you will not perceive them?" "How am I concerned then," added he, "in being torn by those animals, if I feel nothing of it?"

Cicero Tusc. Quæst. lib. 1, § 43.

WHEN the Parisians first saw the Opera-house of the Palais-Royal burning, they were afflicted deeply. But to shew they loved lively emotions, our author quotes the following from the Curiosités de Paris.

"The next morning the people regarded the ravages of the fire with consternation, when a cart loaded with dresses that had escaped the flames passed the square before the palace. A fellow who was in it thought proper to place a helmet, which he found near him, on his head, and throw a royal mantle over his shoulders. Erect in his car, like a conquerer making his public entry, he soon drew the attention of the people, whose sorrow soon changed into peals of laughter. Such is the sorrow of the French. A few days afterwards there were dresses couleur de fue d'Opera. Several persons perished by this fire, which continued burning eight days." Holcroft's Travels.

WE are informed, that the original of the following curious note is still in the possession of Dr. Wolcot:

“I promise to paint, for Dr. Wolcot, any picture or pictures he may demand, as long as I live; otherwise I desire the world will consider me as a d-d ungrateful son of a b―h.

JOHN OPIE."

vas.

This is a curious document, and serves to shew the opinion entertained by Opie, of the services rendered him by the doctor. Nor does it appear that he ever swerved from this voluntary obligation: but the reader will smile when he hears that he always made his friend pay 1s. 6d. for the canSuch are the eccentricities of men of genius! Mr Opie had not been long in London before his talents rendered him conspicuous. Through the recommendation of Dr. Wolcot, his pictures were shewn to Mrs Boscawen, and by this lady he was introduced to the late Mrs Delancy. It was she that procured to our artist the royal notice. Having contrived an opportunity for the royal family to see his Old Beggar Man,' the painter of that picture was soon afterwards honoured with a command to repair to Buckingham house. Opie's account of this affair was given, on his return, in a characteristical manner to the doctor, who has often been heard to relate it with great humour.

"There was Mr West," said John, " in the room, and another gentleman. First, her Majesty came in; and I made a sad mistake in respect to her, till I saw her face, and discovered by her features that she was the queen. In a few minutes afterwards his M-y came hopping in; I suppose," says John," because he did not wish to frighten He looked at the pictures, and liked them; but he whispered to Mr West,- tell the young man I can only pay a gentleman's price for them. The one he bought was that of 'A Man struck blind by Lightning; the price given was 101;

me.

F

and with this John returned to the doctor full of spirits. His friend, when he heard the story, told him," Why, John, thou hast only got eight pounds for thy picture." "Indeed but I have tho'," cried John; "for I have got the ten pounds safe in my pocket." At this he shewed him the money." Aye," rejoined the doctor, "but dost thou know that his My has got the frame for nothing, and that was worth two pounds." "D-n it, so he has," cried John: "I'll go back and knack at the door, and ask for the frame; d-n it, I will." He was about to proceed, but was dissuaded from it by his friend.

The consequence, however, of this royal interview was, that he immediately became popular.

Universal Magazine, v. 7, p. 492.

AN emperor of China, making a progress, discovered a family in which the master with his wives, children, grandchildren, daughters-in-law, and servants, all lived in peace and harmony. The emperor admiring this, inquired of the old man what means he employed to preserve quiet among such a number of persons. The man, taking out a pencil, wrote only these three words:-Patience, patience, patience. Monthly Mag. v. 12, p. 527.

PERILLO, a goldsmith, by way of paying court to Phalaris the tyrant, made him a present of a brazen bull, of admirable workmanship; hollow within, and so contrived, that the voice of a person shut up in it sounded exactly like the bellowing of a real bull. The artist pointed out to the tyrant