From Nature's hands came kind, affectionate; And which, ev'n now, struck as it is with blight, Comes out, at times, in love's own native light How gladly all who've watch'd these struggling rays Of a bright, ruin'd spirit through his lays, Would here enquire, as from his own frank lips, What desolating grief, what wrongs had driven That noble nature into cold eclipseLike some fair orb that, once a sun in heaven, And born, not only to surprise, but cheer With warmth and lustre all within its sphere, • Bruce. While they, who court the world, like Milton's cloud*, "Turn forth their silver lining" on the crowd, This gifted being wraps himself in night, And, keeping all that softens and adorns, And gilds his social nature hid from sight, Turns but his darkness on a world he scorns.' Varieties. Bumper. When the English were good Catholics, they usually drank the Pope's health in a full glass every day after dinner-au bon père; whence the word bumper. "Did a sable cloud Turn forth her silver lining on the night?"..COMUS. D SPIDER BAROMETERS. The manner in which spiders carry on their operations conformably to the impending changes in the atmosphere, is simply this:If the weather is likely to become rainy, windy, or in other respects disagreeable, they fix the terininating filaments on which the web is suspended unusually short, and in this state they await the influence of a temperature which is remarkably variable. On the other hand if the terminating filaments are made uncommonly long we may in proportion to their length conclude that the weather will be serene and continue so for a week or ten days. But if the spiders be totally indolent, rain generally succeeds; though on the other hand, their activity during the rain is the most certain proof that it will be of short duration and followed with fair weather. According to further observations, the spiders regularly make some alterations in their web every twenty-four hours. If these changes take place between the hours of six and seven in the evening, they indicate a clear and pleasant night. Αλφα. The Country Dance. This mode of dancing, from its name, is generally supposed to have been borrowed from the country people, but as our dances in general come from France, so does the country dance, which is a manifest corruption of the French contredanse, where a number of persons, placing themselves opposite one to another, begin a figure. The following singular directions are taken from the bottom of the music of a country dance of ancient date: The ist Man put his Wo. from him and the 2d Man pull his Wo. to him and sett. then the ist Man and 2d Wo. back to back. and go round their Partners both on the left hand at the same time then the 2d Man and ist Wo. turn right hands round to the figure of a Diamond - The ist Man turn the 2d Wo. and right hands round, then each to their own Partners, and hands round. Till they come to the Diamond again-each Man crossover with his own Wo. with their left hands one to the other then back again to the left, till they come all on a Row longways, then clap both hands against each other the ist Man cast off to the left hand. and his Wo. follow him. the 2d Wo. Cast off to the left hand. and her Man Follow her. then each cross over with his own Partner. the ist Cu. being in the 2d Rank-then Move to the left hand to each others Places and clap hands the same back again. then right and left twice. each Beginning with his own Partner. then hands half round to the left. Origin of the word Dun. The true origin of this expression owes its birth to one Joe Dun, a famous bailiff of the town of Lin dancing country dances here in England, in the Marshal Bassompierre, speaking of his contredanses. See his Memoirs, tom. iii. p. 307. time of Charles I. writes it expressly-- coln: so extremely active, and so very dexterous was this man, at his rough business, that it became a proverb, when a man refused to pay his debts.-Why don't you Dun him? That is, why don't you send Dun to arrest him; hence it grew into a custom, and is now as old as since the days of King Henry VII. with greasy, shining, and almost black skins, and black hair, braided in a long cue behind. They began talking very fast, in so loud a tone, and so uncouth a language, that we were a little intimidated.. I shook hands with the foremost, which seemed to pacify them, and we were invited to a large tent: near its entrance hung a quantity of horse flesh, with the limbs of dogs, cats, marinots, rats, &c. Newton's Philosophy.-Sir I. drying in the sun, and quite Newton, shortly before his death, black. Within the tent, we found said, "I don't know what I may some women, although it was dif seem to the world, but, as to my-ficult to distinguish the sexes, so self, I seem to have been only like horrid and inhuman was their apa boy playing on the sea shore, pearance. Through a grated latand diverting myself in now and then finding a smoother pebble or prettier shell than ordinary, whilst the great ocean of truth lay all undiscovered before me." Travels. CALMUCKS. The following account of these singular people is given by Dr. Clarke in his Travels, speaking of one of their camps: tice in the side of the tent, we saw some younger women peeping, of more handsome features, but truly Calmuck, with long hair, hanging in thick braids on each side of the face, and fastened at the ends with bits of lead or tin. In their ears they wore shells and large pearls of a very irregular shape, or some substance much resem bling pearl. The old women were eating horse flesh, tearing it off from large bones, which they held in their hands. Others, squatted on the ground in their tents, were smoking their pipes, not two inch "The sight of our carriage, and of the party approaching with it, seemed to throw them into great confusion. We observed es long, much of the manner of Laplanders. In other respects, these two people although both of eastern origin, and both nomade tribes, bear little resemblance.The manner of living among the them running backwards and forwards from one tent to another, and moving several of their goods. As we drew near on foot, about half a dozen gigantic figures came towards us, start naked, except a Calmucks is much superior to that cloth bound round their waist, of the Laplanders. The tents of the former are better constructed, stronger, more spacious, and contain many of the luxuries of life; such as very warm good beds, handsome carpets and mats, do mestic utensils, and materials of art and science, painting and writing. The Calmuck is a giant, the Laplander a dwarf; both are filthy in their persons; but the Calmuck more so than perhaps any other nation. "Of all the inhabitants of the Russian Empire, the Calmucks are the most distinguished by peculiarity of feature and manners. In personal appearance they are athletic and very revolting. Their hair is coarse and black; their language harsh and guttural.High, prominent, and broad cheek bones; very little eyes, widely separated from each other; a flat broad nose; coarse, greasy, jet black hair; scarcely any eyebrows; and enormous prominent ears, compose no very inviting countenance. Humour. Dr. Watts was remarkable for his vivacity in conversation, al though he was never forward in "Were I so tall to reach the pole, Dr. Goldsmith. -The following announcement of the death of this eminent writer appeared in one of the Journals of the time! 1774, April 4.-Died Dr. Oliver Goldsmith. Deserted is the Village; the Traveller hath laid him down to rest; the Good-Na"Their amusements are hunt-tured Man is no more; he Stoops ing, wrestling, archery, and horse but to Conquer; the Vicar hath racing. They are not addicted to performed his sad office; it is a drunkenness, although they hold mournful lesson, from which the drinking parties, continuing for Hermit may essay to meet the half a day at a time, without indread tyrant with more than Gretermission. Upon such occasions cian or Roman fortitude. every one brings his share of brandy and koumiss; and the whole stock is placed upon the ground in the open air, the guests forming a circle, seated around To be continued in our next. In the reign of George II. the see of York falling vacant, his majesty being at a loss for a fit person to appoint to the exalted situation, asked the opinion of the The Rev. Mr. Colton, in his "Many Things in few words," is often happy in his illustrations by apt quotations. Thus-" Wit is one of the few things which has been rewarded more often than it has been defined." A certain Bishop said to his Chaplain, "What is wit?" The Chaplain replied neck." A medical mistake. - Doctor Vaughan, who, thirty years ago, resided in Union-court, Broadstreet, was called, one evening, to visit a gentleman ill with fever. The doctor, though one of the sprucest beaux of that day, was nearly seventy years of age, and quite purblind. "Put out your tongue, my friend," said he to the patient; and, applying his finger to the patient's unshaved chin instead of his tongue, cried out "Give him some drink! give him some drink! his tongue's as rough as a nutmeg grater!" "the Rectory of B-- is vacant; give it to me and that will be wit;" "prove it," said his Lordship, and you shall haveit; "it would be a good thing well applied," replied the Chaplain. A Toast. A Chaplain to a governor of Bengal, more remark able for the goodness of his heart than the brilliancy of his wit, being one day, at the table of his patron, asked for a toast, with much simplicity exclaimed"alas! andalack-a-day! what can I give?" Nothing better,' plied the governor: 'Come, gentlemen, a bumper to the parson's toast---a lass and a lack a day.' -A lack of rupees is one hundred thousand pounds. re Foote being once annoyed by a poor fiddler “ straining harsh discord" under his window, sent him out a shilling, with a request that he would play elsewhere, as one scraper at the door was sufficient. The Muff and Tippet.-The following mistake is said to have been made a few days since, by a child of 3 years old, at a village in Cumberland:-A lady passed the door with her muff and tippet; the child never having seen such ornaments cried out, "Mother, mother, here is a woman with a dog in her arms, and its tail round her |