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cascade, and a grotto, wherein we Italians are seldom guilty of see the figures of Apollo and the drinking to excess, though their nine Muses on Mount Parnassus, country abounds with the choicest represented playing on instru- wines; but their sobriety is in a ments, and put in motion by measure owing to their parsimowater; but these works are much ny, for they are observed to be inout of order. temperate enough at other people's Within two miles of Frescati, tables. Their favourite studies at a place called Grotto Ferrate, are painting, architecture, sculpwas Cicero's country seat, called ture, music and poetry; all which, Tusculanum, where that great it must be granted, they have orator composed his Tusculan brought to a great perfection. If Questions, and gave them that they are profuse in any thing, it title from the agreeable place of is in their buildings, and in makretirement which had produced ing collections of pictures and them. statues to adorn them: they also affect splendid equipages, great trains of servants, and love to make a figure at least equal to their fortunes; which they are always desirous of advancing, and are ambitious of honour and pre

The places we have been describing were the cool recesses of the ancient Romans during the excessive heats of summer.

We now return to pay our last visit to Rome, where, instead of amusing ourselves any longer ferment. with buildings, statues, and other

[To be continued.]

productions of art, we shall con- THE TABLE IN THE MIDDLE

AGES.

The English, in the eleventh

sider the genius, and manners of that city, and of Italy in general. When a foreigner comes first to and twelfth centuries, had only Rome, he will perceive a reserv- two stated meals a-day, dinner ́ed behaviour in the citizens, who and supper: the former at nine generally study a stranger's hu- in the forenoon, the latter at five mour and temper before they ad- in the afternoon. These hours, mit him to their company and fa- besides being convenient for bumiliarity but a short acquaint-siness, were supposed to be friendance wears off this stiffness, and ly to health and long life, accordthey become civil, affable, and ing to the following verses, which obliging; observing a just medi- were then often repeated :—

:

um between the levity of the French, and the starched gravity of the Spaniard. They are of an amorous disposition, and are too much addicted to jealousy. The

Lever a cinq, diner a neuf,
Souper a cinq, coucher a neuf,
Fait vivre d'ans nonante et neuf.
To rise at seven, to dine at nine,
To sup at five, to bed at nine,
Makes a man live to ninety-nine.
Rr

We are not, however, on that lowed as a profession. The Chinese aecount to imagine, that they say of a person, that he has the were strangers to the pleasures the talent of making verses, almost of the table. On the contrary, in the same manner as one would they had not only a variety of praise, in Europe, a captain of dishes, but these, too, consisted dragoons, for being an excellent of the most delicate kinds of food, performer on the violin. A taste and were dressed in the richest for poetry, notwithstanding, preand most costly manner. Thomas vails pretty generally in China ; à Becket is said to have given and there are a few Chinese writers five pounds, equivalent to seventy who have devoted some of their five pounds at present, for one leisure hours to the muses, and dish of eels. The Monks of St. have proved themselves not deSwithins, at Winchester, made a ficient either in genius or imaformal complaint to Henry H. gination. Chinese verses admit against their Abbot, for taking only of the most energetic, picaway three of the thirteen dishes, turesque, and harmonious words, they used to have every day at and they must always be used dinner. The Monks of Canter-in the same sense in which been employed by the

bury were still more luxurious, they have for they had at least seventeen ancients. As the Chinese poets dishes every day, besides a des- have not the same resources as sert; and these dishes were dress-Europeans, in the attracting ficed with spiceries and sauces, tions of mythology, they supply which excited the appetite, as the deficiency occasioned by the well as pleased the taste.

To the Editor of the Oxford Enter.

taining Miscellany.

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE POETRY

OF THE CHINESE.

want of those beauties which our poetry derives from this aid, by several different methods.

First, by bold and ingenious metaphors, suited to the spirit of their language. The eagle, for instance, is styled, in their verses, "the host of the clouds;" a mat upon which one reposes,

the

Employed only on useful studies, and such as may conduct to fortune, the Chinese in general kingdom of sleep," the head, set very little value on poetry." the sanctuary of reason," the The art of making verses seldom eyes, "the stars of the forehead," engages the attention, or obtains &c. Secondly, they use the the rewards of their government. names of several animals in an This study therefore is generally allegorical sense; thus, the drapursued from taste, or to fill up a gon, tyger, kite, and swallow, vacant hour; but it is never fol-supply the place of Jupiter, Mars,

Mercury, and Flora.

Woman's the slender, graceful vine,
Whose curling tendrils round it twine,
And deck its rough bark sweetly

o'er.

Thirdly, they are able also to procure a great assistance from the manners and customs of high antiquity, of which they preserve sentences. Their history, the actions and repartees of their emperors, the maxims of their ancient literati, furnish them also with a great variety of beautiful and agreeable Man is the cloud of coming storm,

Man is the rock whose tow'ring crest

allusions.

Nods o'er the mountain's barren side;
Woman the soft and mossy vest,
That loves to clasp its sterile breast,
And wreath its brown in verdant
soil.

SONG.

N.

Dark as the raven's murky plume, Save where the sun-beams, light and warm,

From Ackermann's "Forget me Not," for 1825. Of woman's soul, and woman's form,

O Lady, leave thy silken thread

And flowery tapestry,

There's living roses on the bush,

And blossoms on the tree;

Stoop where thou wilt, thy careless

hand

Some random bud will meet;

Gleam brightly o'er the gathering

gloom.

Yes, lovely sex; to you 'tis given

To rule our hearts with angels'

sway,

Blend with each woe a blissful leaven,

Thou canst not tread but thou wilt Change earth into an embryo heaven,

find

The daisy at thy feet.

'Tis like the birthday of the world,
When Earth was born in bloom;
The light is made of many dyes,
The air is all perfume;

And sweetly smile our cares away.

FROM CATULLUS.

Ut flos in septis secretus nascitur hortis
Ignotus pecori, nullo convulsus aratro,

There's crimson buds, and white and Quem mulcent auræ, firmat sol, educat

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That frowns on many a wave beat Sweet fav'rite object of the gardener's

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Secure from cattle, and the plough- JACK tallyho's, then sounds his horn, The hounds are in full cry,

share's wound:

With jealous care is strongly fenc'd Bold Reynard seems them all to scorn, But Reynard soon must die.

around,

To lads and lasses when this flow'r is

shown..

The snorting steeds, with mettled hearts, And heads erected high,

Pleas'd they all wish the lovely flow'r With careless steps perform their parts,

their own;

Snapp'd from its stem, neglected now

it lies,

Fade its warm tints and every beauty

dies;

The lads and lasses who admir'd so late,

Pass the pale flow'ret, nor regard its fate.

Thus a fair virgin, innocent and pure, Whom virtue shields from every dang'-'

rous lure,

O'er hedge and ditch they fly. TOM STEADY whips the hounds along, Each sportsman's anxious care Is who shall get the fastest on,

The brush away to bear.

At length the fox is quite run down, Soon, soon he'll yield his breath; Hark! hark! I hear the yelling sound, Prognosticate his death.

R*** [We understand that the highly-re

Feels in her breast a joy, by Heav'nspected individual who is the author of

inspir'd,

And lives by friends. belov'd, by all

admir'd,

Should some curst spoiler blast her

spotless fame,

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She sinks the victim of remorse and My parents in the mead delight

shame ;*

No longer friends the fair with fond

ness eye;

The lads reject her, and the lasses fly. N.

HUNTING SONG,

By an Old Sportsman. The morning's gray, the mellow grounds Portend a hunting day, The sportsmen, horses, and the hounds. Haste to the woods away. "Hark into cover" roars OLD JOHN

With heart brim full of hope, The dogs rush in, the fox is gone, J The huntsman cries "elope" "Hark in again" says JOHN " good

'hounds:"

Hear Drunkard's* mellow toneHis voice from hill to dale resounds: Huzza! this day's our own.

A favourite hound.

I by compulsion came to light;
And well I may, for mark my woe,
I close confinement undergo.
For when my mistress thinketh fit,
I'm headlong thrown into a pit,
Where heat and force do both combine,
To change the pristine state of mine.
A glove, or cube, or what she pleases;
A fluid, solid superficies;
So pliant made, by female skill,
I take just any form she will.
Some ladies say, I help digestion;
Some me refuse for their complexion.
Now say, adepts, pray what am I?
In whom a friend, and foe, some spy.
T.G.

Answer to Enigmas in our last.
1. Shadow. 2. Egg.

TO CORRESPONDENT. We cannot at present comply with “P. H's" suggestion, but hope to be favoured with a continuance of his correspondence. "Dear Dick," and "Jeremy Joker," shall have a place in our next, as likewise shall our esteemed friend "J. W." "T. G." has been received.

Select Biography.

"No part of History is more in structive and delightful than the Lives of great and worthy Men."

BURNETT.

THE RIGHT HON. G. CANNING.
Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs.

popularity could not have made Mr. Canning, the great Commoner of the Administration, yet without the extensive support of popular favour, he probably had not been' selected for the post, and certainly could not have maintained it long. Haud semper errat fama, aliquando te eligit." Public reputation is often well founded, and sometimes appoints to office."

ent to shed lustre on the loftiest station, and on the most magnanimous temper. From subsequent acts, it is very manifest that this was not the result of immediate necessity, but the complete conquest of a great spirit over incidental and not unreasonable irritation. Not to mention several

The character and views of this The public opinion of Mr. Cancelebrated statesman, are general-ning's talents and eloquence was ly canvassed and variously judged his passport to the Foreign Office, at the present moment by the in 1822. His conduct on a meEnglish public, the Irish parti-morable occasion had unavoidably sans, and the continental devotees given deep offence in a high quar of passive submission to kings ter, but in that quarter a regard and priests. Abroad he his dis- was paid to public feeling and to tinguished by the untitled obscu- the public interest, at the expense rity of his name and ancestry. of personal considerations, sufficiIn the memory of living man, no minister has led in our popular House of Parliament, without the pride of noble blood to animate his toue in debate and strengthen his influence in division; but Mr. Canning, now leader for two years, has no other resource for personal pretension and influence, but the character he has acquired and other decisive proofs of royal apthe talents he can exert. Foreign-probation of the more liberal part ers would consider this defect of the Cabinet, the appointment fatal to the power of the Foreign of Lord Erskine is one of the Secretary, but the people of Eng-most signal instances ever exhibitland, eminently loyal as they are, ed of a Sovereign cherishing have ever shewn a more than re- kindly remembrance of an early publican deference to merit un- friend, and testifying the sincerity supported by illustrious descent of that friendship by the most or noble title, and have unequivo-seasonable patronage of his friend's cally given their suffrages for Mr. son. The Foreign Secretary may Canning. It is true that merel be considered as firmly established

S s.

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