These words are much more expressive

in the original Gaelic. When Borreray had told this story and recited these lines in the presence of the leaders of the Macdonalds, they all declared their de termination not to attack the enemy.

Thus Maclean of Borreray, with great satisfaction, effected his judicious and humane purpose; and the Lord of the Isles left Mull without bloodshed.

ANECDOTE OF HAYDN. THE musicians of Prince Esterhazy, having had some altercation with the officers of his household, threatened to quit his service, which was permitted, from a conviction that they would soon change their humour. The day, however, of their departure was fixed, and the evening previous to their performing the last concert with which they were to entertain the Prince, the celebrated Haydn composed, for that occasion, a symphony, the conclusion of which was of an extraordinary nature; being an adagio in which each instrument played alternately, a solo. At the finale of each part, Haydn wrote these words, "put out your candle, and go about your business." In fact, the premier hautbois and the second French-horn retired first; after them the second hautbois and the first horn; then the bassoons, and so on with the rest of the performers; until there were left behind only two violins to finish the symphony. The Prince, all amazement, inquired of Haydn the meaning of an occurrence so singular, Haydn replied, that the musicians were going away, and that their carriages were at the door waiting for them. The Prince had the generosity to fetch them back: he reproached them feelingly upon the manner in which they were going to desert so good a master: they threw themselves at his feet, and again entered his service.

At an Oratorio in the Old Music Hall at Paris, some years since, the symphony, with all its pantomime, was performed to the great diversion of the public. SOLO.

SPIRIT OF THE

Public Journals.

GORDON OF BRACKLEY. AN ANCIENT SCOTTISH BALLAD. Down Dee-side came Inveraye, Whistling and playing, And called loud at Brackley gate Ere the day dawning:

"Come Gordon of Brackley,

Proud Gordon, come down:
There's a sword at your threshold
Mair sharp than your own.
"Arise, now, gay Gordon,"
His lady 'gan cry,

"Look here is bold Inveraye
Driving your kye."
"How can I go, lady,

And win thom agen?
I have but ae sword,
And rude Inveraye ten."
"Arise up, my maidens,
With roke and with fan;
How bless'd would I been
Had 1 married a man!
Arise up, my maidens,

Take spear and take sword...
Go milk the ewes, Gordon,
And I shall be Lord."
The Gordon sprung up

With his helm on his head, Laid his hand on his sword, And his thigh on his steed; And he stoop'd low and said, As he kiss'd his young dame, There's a Gordon rides out That will never ride hame." There rode with fierce Inveraye Thirty and three;

But wi' Brackley were none,
Save his brother and he;
Two gallanter Gordons

Did never blade draw,
Against swords four and thirty,
Woe is me what is twa.
Wi' swords and wi' daggers
They rush'd on him rude;
The twa bonnie Gordons

Lie bathed in their blude.
Frae the source of the Dee,

To the mouth of the Spey,
The Gordons mourn for him,
And curse Inveraye.

O! were ye at Brackley?

And what saw you there?.
Was his young widow weeping
And tearing her hair?

I look'd in at Brackley,

I look'd in, and, O!

There was mirth, there was feasting,
But nothing of woe.

As a rose bloom'd the lady,
And blythe as a bride;
As a bridegroom, bold Inveraye
Smiled by her side;

Of she feasted him there

As she ne'er feasted lord,
While the blood of her husband'
Was moist on his sword.

In her chamber she kept him
Till morning grew gray,

Through the dark woods of Brackley
She show'd him the way:
"Yon wild hill," she said,

"Where the sun's shining on,
Is the hill of Glentannar,
Now kiss and begone.".

There is grief in the cottage,
There's mirth in the ha',
For the good gallant Gordon
That's dead and awa;
To the bush comes the bud,
And the flower to the plain,
But the good and the brave
They come never again.

London Magazine.

The Selector;

OR,

CHOICE EXTRACTS FROM NEW WORKS.

SOUTH SEA COMPANY-
BUBBLES.*

THE South Sea Company is one of the most inert trading corporations in the metropolis, and remains torpid while all around it is life and animation. It was established by act of parliament, in the year 1711, under the title of "The Company of Merchants of Great Britain, trading to the South Seas and other parts of America, and for encouraging the Fishery." But although it thus appeared a commercial body, yet its operations were principally financial, and have long been wholly so. It had its origin in the arrears due to the army and navy, which exceeded nine millions; this the South Sea Company agreed to pay off, and advancing an additional sum of upwards of 800,000%., which made the whole loan to Government ten millions; credit was given to that amount, and the interest fixed at 600,000l. a-year.

As this measure had been executed with success, and the value of South Sea stock had advanced above par, the directors made a proposal to government, which under more favourable circumstances might have proved equally beneficial, since the plan has been partly acted upon by the present ministers in the reduction of the 4 per cent. stock. The plan of the directors of the South Sea Company was, to be allowed to purchase at different periods, the whole of the funded debts of the crown, and by reducing the rate of interest, to render the capital more easily redeemable. The debts thus agreed to be purchased amounted to 31,664,5517. 1s. 14d. For the privilege of adding this to their capital stock, and for some exclusive advantages to be gained by a treaty with Spain, the directors agreed to advance to government 7,723,8097. So immense a sacrifice for a benefit that under any circumstances did not seem to warrant it, had, however, a very contrary effect to what might have been expected. The directors had calculated on gaining one per cent. by receiving five per cent. on the capital from government, and paying only four per cent. to the fundholders; they further anticipated, that the new

The present rage for speculation in new schemes will, no doubt, render the above inter

esting account of the bubbles of a former age acceptable to our readers.---ED. MIRROR.

stock would bear a high premium; and so indeed it did, for no sooner had parlia ment passed an act, empowering the directors to raise the money necessary for so great an undertaking, than the company's stock began rapidly to advance. The act authorised the directors" to open books of subscription, and grant annuities to such public creditors as were willing to exchange the security of the crown for that of the South Sea Company, with the advantages of sharing in the emoluments that might arise from their commerce.”

The public, not then so familiar with a national debt, as they have since become, had seen, that while the debts due to the army and navy rested with the government, the seamen's tickets, a substitute for money, were sold at a loss of 40 or 50 per cent.: they had also seen, that no sooner had the South Sea Company guaranteed those debts than they were liquidated; and they felt the utmost confidence in the plan, so much so, that before the bill received the royal assent, South Sea Stock had risen to above 300 per cent.

The promoters of the scheme are said to have exaggerated the profits; rumours were at the same time circulated, that the company, by monopolizing the whole of the national funds, would reduce government to the necessity of taking loans for them on their own terms, and that by their wealth they would possess such influence in parliament as to be able to depose ministers when they pleased, and remodel the government at their own pleasure. The public, intoxicated with these ideas, purchased with avidity; and the stock, which at Christmas, 1719, was only 126, rose at the opening of the first subscription, on the 14th of April, to above 3261.: thus the creditors of the nation made over a debt for 1001. for 331 As the frenzy in South Sea Stock. spread, and the desire of making rapid fortunes became contagious, the stock successively rose to above 1,000 per cent., at which price the books were opened for the fourth subscription on the 24th of August; and this subscription, notwithstanding the market price of the established stock was 800, was sold the same day at a premium of 30 or 40 per cent.

Although this excessively rapid rise was excited by various exaggerated statements of imaginary advantages of valuable acquisitions in the South Seas, and hidden treasures to be found by the adventurers, yet the public did not altogether go unwarned of the futility of their hopes; and a ballad written on the subject thus alludes to the Utopian dreams of the speculators :

"What need have we of Irdian wealth; Or commerce with our neighbours?

Our constitution is in health,

And riches crown our labours. "Our South Sea ships have golden shrouds--They bring us wealth 'tis granted; But lodge their treasures in the clouds,

To hide it till it's wanted."

Whether the directors had deliberately planned the delusion on the public, or only profited by it when they saw the opportunity, there is no doubt that they resorted to desperate means to keep it up, nor had the bubble burst when it did, but that their cupidity like " vaulting ambition" overleaped itself. The South Sea scheme had become so contagious, that the whole nation was infected, and became a body of stock jobbers and projectors. Every day produced some project; and whether it was for "fattening hogs," "" importing asses from Spain, in order to improve the breed of mules," "raising silk-worms," "insuring masters from the loss sustained by servants," "rendering quick-silver mallable," or "fishing for wrecks on the Irish coasts," (and these are but a few out of 200 projects equally ridiculous), subscriptions were soon raised, and the stock sold at a premium.

Fortunately for the nation, the South Sea Directors took the alarm, and these delusive projects received their first check from the power to which they owed their birth. Jealous of their success, and desirous to monopolize all the money of the speculators, the directors obtained writs of scire facias against the conductors of bubbles, and thus put an end to them. But in thus opening the eyes of the deluded multitude, they took away the main prop of their own tottering edifice the bubble burst, South Sea Stock fell as rapidly as ever it rose: and in a few weeks sunk from 1,100, which it had reached, to 135. The distress occasioned by such fluctuations was dreadful: government was compelled to interfere, and the public voice called loudly for redress from the directors. An investigation was instituted in parliament, and the conduct of the directors being condemned, a considerable portion of their estates was confiscated, to the amount of 2,014,000. The property confiscated belonging to the directors varied from 68,000 to 233,000l., and to each was allowed for subsistence a sum varying from 5,000 to 50,000%. according to their supposed delinquency.

Others, though less melancholy, are worth recording. A tradesman at Bath, who had invested his only remaining fortune in this stock, finding it had fallen from 1,000 to 900, left Bath with an intention to sell out. On reaching town it had fallen to 250; he thought the price too low, would not sell, and lost his all. The

Duke of Chandos, who had 300,000l. in this stock, was advised by the Duke of Newcastle to sell all, or at least a part; half a million: he delayed, and lost every but he anticipated it would bring him shilling. Gay, the poet, had 1,000l. stock given him by the elder Scraggs, postmaster-general, which, added to the stock he had previously purchased, amounted and Dr. Arbuthnot advised him to sell to 20,000l. He consulted his friends: out, but he hesitated, and lost every shilling. Others were, however, more forPage Turner, then a minor, had purtunate. The guardians of Sir Gregory chased stock for him very low, and sold it out when it had reached its maximum, to the amount of 200,000l. With this sum Sir Gregory built his fine mansion of land for a park. Two maiden sisters, on Blackheath, and purchased 300 acres whose stock had accumulated to 90,000%. sold out when the South Sea Stock was at 970. The broker whom they employed advised them to re-invest their money in navy bills, which were at the time at a discount of 25 per cent. ; they took his advice, and two years afterwards received their money at par.

Thousands of persons were, however, totally ruined by this speculation, which occasioned a dreadful panic in the country, and had it not been for the prudent conduct of Walpole, might have been productive of the most fatal consequences. is managed by a governor, sub-governor, The present South Sea Company, which and 21 directors, annually elected, has no funded in 1733, one-fourth was reserved as trade, although, when its capital was a trading capital stock. The amount of the funded capital in South Sea Stock and Annuities, on the 5th of January,

Percy Histories, Part V. 1123, amounted to 12,192,5801. 13s. 11d.

NEW YORK THEATRE. BY WASHINGTON IRVING, ESQ. My last communication mentioned my visit to the theatre; the remarks it contained were chiefly confined to the play and the actors; I shall now extend them to the audience, who, I assure you, furnish no inconsiderable part of the entertainment.

As I entered the house sometime before

to make some observations. I was much amused with the waggery and humour of the gallery, which, by the way, is kept in excellent order by the constables who are stationed there. The noise in this part of the house is somewhat similar to that which prevailed in Noah's Ark; for we have an imitation of the whistles and yells of every kind of animal. This, in some measure, compensates for the want of music, as the gentlemen of our orchestra are very economic of their favours. Somehow or another, the anger of the gods seemed to be aroused all of a sudden, and they commenced a discharge of apples, nuts, and gingerbread, on the heads of the honest folks in the pit, who had no possibility of retreating from this new kind of thunderbolts. I can't say but I was a little irritated at being saluted aside of my head with a rotten pippin; and was going to shake my cane at them, but was prevented by a decent-looking man behind me, who informed me that it was useless to threaten or expostulate. They are only amusing themselves a little at our expense, said he; sit down quietly and bend your back to it. My kind neighbour was interrupted by a hard, green apple that hit him between the shoulders he made a wry face, but know. ing it was all a joke, bore the blow like a philosopher. I soon saw the wisdom of this determination; a stray thunderbolt happened to light on the head of a little, sharp-faced Frenchman, dressed in a white coat and small cocked hat, who sat two or three benches a-head of me, and seemed to be an irritable little animal. Monsieur was terribly exasperated; he jumped upon his seat, shook his fist at the gallery, and swore violently in bad English. This was all nuts to his merry persecutors; their attention was wholly turned on him, and he formed their target for the rest of the evening.

I found the ladies in the boxes, as usual, studious to please; their charms were set off to the greatest advantage; each box was a little battery in itself, and they all seemed eager to outdo each other in the havoc they spread around. An arch glance in one box was rivalled by a smile in another, that smile by a simper in a third, and in a fourth a most bewitching languish carried all before it.

I was surprised to see some persons reconnoitring the company through spyglasses; and was in doubt whether these machines were used to remedy deficiencies of vision, or whether this was another of the eccentricities of fashion. Jack Stylish has since informed me, that glasses were lately all the go; though hang it, says Jack, it is quite out at present; we used

to mount our glasses in great snuff, but since so many tough jockies have followed the lead, the bucks have all cut the custom. I give you, Mr. Editor, the account in my dashing cousin's own language. It is from a vocabulary I do not well understand.

I was considerably amused by the queries of the countryman mentioned in my last, who was now making his first visit to the theatre. He kept constantly applying to me for information, and I readily communicated, as far as my own ignorance would permit.

As this honest man was casting his eye round the house, his attention was suddenly arrested. And pray, who are these? said he, pointing to a cluster of young fellows. These, I suppose, are the critics, of whom I have heard so much. They have, no doubt, got together to communicate their remarks, and compare notes; these are the persons through whom the audience exercise their judgments, and by whom they are told when they are to applaud or to hiss. Critics! ha! ha! my dear Sir, they trouble themselves as little about the elements of criticism, as they do about other departments of science and belles-lettres. These are the beaux of the present day, who meet here to lounge away an idle hour, and play off their little impertinencies for the entertainment of the public. They no more regard the merits of the play, nor of the actors, than my cane. They even strive to appear inattentive; and I have seen one of them perched on the front of the box with his back to the stage, sucking the head of his stick, and staring vacantly at the audience, insensible to the most interesting specimens of scenic representation, though the tear of sensibility was trembling in every eye around him. I have heard that some have even gone so far in search of amusement, as to propose a game of cards in the theatre, during the performance. The eyes of my neighbour sparkled at this information-his cane shook in his hand

the word puppies burst from his lips. Nay, says I, I don't give this for absolute fact: my cousin Jack was, I believe, quizzing me (as he terms it) when he gave me the information. But you seem quite indignant, said I, to the decentlooking man in my rear. It was from him the exclamation came: the honest countryman was gazing in gaping wonder on some new attraction. Believe me, said I, if you had them daily before your eyes, you would get quite used to them. Use to them, replied he; how is it possible for people of sense to relish such conduct? `Bless you, my friend,

people of sense have nothing to do with it; they merely endure it in silence. These young gentlemen live in an indulgent age. When I was a young man, such tricks and follies were held in proper contempt. Here I went a little too far; for, upon better recollection, I must own that a lapse of years has produced but little alteration in this department of folly and impertinence. But do the ladies admire these manners? Truly, I am not as conversant in female circles as formerly; but I should think it a poor compliment to my fair countrywomen, to suppose them pleased with the stupid stare and cant phrases with which these votaries of fashion add affected to real ignorance.

Our conversation was here interrupted by the ringing of a bell. Now for the play, said my companion. No, said I, it is only for the musicians. These worthy gentlemer then came crawling out of their holes, and began, with very solemn and important phizzes, strumming and tuning their instruments in the usual style of discordance, to the great entertainment of the audience. What tune is that? asked my neighbour, covering his ears. This, said I, is no tune; it is only a pleasing symphony, with which we are regaled as a preparative. For my part, though I admire the effect of contrast, I think they might as well play it in their cavern under the stage. The bell rung a second time and then began the tune in reality; but I could not help observing, that the countryman was more diverted with the queer grimaces and contortions of countenance exhibited by the musicians, than their melody. What I heard of the music, I liked very well (though I was told by one of my neigh bours, that the same pieces had been played every night for these three years); but it was often overpowered by the gentry in the gallery, who vociferated loudly for Moll in the Wad, and several other airs more suited to their tastes.

I observed that every part of the house has its different department. The good folks of the gallery have all the trouble of ordering the music (their directions, however, are not more frequently followed than they deserve.) The mode by which they issue their mandates is stamping, hissing, roaring, whistling; and, when the musicians are refractory, groaning in cadence. They also have the privilege of demanding a bow from John (by which name they designate every servant at the theatre, who enters to move a table or snuff a candle); and of detecting those cunning dogs who peep from behind the curtain.

A BRAZILIAN AMAZON. DONNA MARIA DE JESUS, the young woman who has lately distinguished her. self in the war of the Reconcave wears the dress of a soldier of one of the empe ror's battalions, with the addition of a tartan kilt, which she told me she had adopted from a picture representing a highlander, as the most feminine military dress. What would the Gordons and Mac Donalds say to this? The "garb of old Gaul," chosen as a womanish attire!Her father is a Portuguese, named Gonsalvez de Almeida, and possesses a farm on the Rio do Pex, in the parish of San José, in the Certao, about forty leagues in-land from Cachoeira. Her mother was also a Portuguese; yet the young woman's features, especially her eyes and forehead, have the strongest characteristics of the Indians. Her father has another daughter by the same wife; since whose death he has married again, and the new wife and the young children have made home not very comfortable to Donna Maria de Jesus. The farm of the Rio do Pex is chiefly a cattle farm, but the possessor seldom knows or counts his numbers. Senhor Gonsalvez, besides his cattle, raises some cotton; but as the Certao is sometimes a whole year without rain, the quantity is uncertain. In wet years he may sell 400 arobas, at from four to five milrees; in dry seasons he can scarcely collect above sixty or seventy arobas, which may fetch from six to seven milrees. His farm employs twenty-six slaves.

The women of the interior spin and weave for their household, and they also embroider very beautifully. The young women learn the use of fire-arms, as their brothers do, either to shoot game or defend themselves from the wild Indians.

Donna Maria told me several particulars concerning the country, and more concerning her own adventures. It appears, that early in the late war of the Reconcave, emissaries had traversed the country in all directions, to raise patriot recruits; that one of these had arrived at her father's house one day about dinner time; that her father had invited him in, and that after their meal he began to talk on the subject of his visit. He represented the greatness and the riches of Brazil, and the happiness to which it might attain if independent. He set forth the long and oppressive tyranny of Portugal; and the meanness of submitting to be ruled by so poor and degraded a country. He talked long and eloquently of the services Don Pedro had rendered to Brazil; of his virtues, and those of the