found means to measure the height of those same mountains; yet Democritus's researches were those of a great genius; whereas the operations of the moderns are merely organical and mechanic. Besides which, we have this advantage,—that we work upon their canvass. Finally, it may be repeated, that there is scarcely any discovery ascribed to the moderns, but what was not only known to the ancients, but supported by them with the most solid arguments. The demonstration of this position will at least have this good effect; it will abate our prejudices against the ancients, occasioned by a blind admiration of some moderns, who had never shone at all but for the light they borrowed of their masters. Their opinions fairly stated from their own works, and often in their words, must render the decision easy; and the result may restore to the early philosophers some part at least of their disputed glory. A creature of so frightful mien, It is feminine; a lower animal of the ribe Inquisitoria; and with all others of ts species indescribably restless. It is commonly found with the bosom slatternly arrayed, leaning with folded arms out of a two-pair front," looking cunningly and maliciously over the side of a garden-potike a starling through the water-hole of its age over the water-pot-with its head lways on the bob, like that of the Chinese igure in grocers' shops. Its features are ean and sharp as the bows of a Folkstone Cutter, or the face of a Port Royal pig; its ose, like a racoon's, is continually on the wist; the ears are ever pricking up for vague rumours and calumnious reports, and he eyes roll from side to side, like those of the image in the wooden clock at Kaltenach's in the Borough; the tongue is snakeike, is perpetually in motion-pretty yet bert-and venomous. Its habit is bilious, ts temper splenetic. It is a sure extractor of all secrets, a thorough heart-wormer, a iving diving-bell, a walking corkscrew. It enerally 66 appears as well as its neighours," but it is fastidious, and loves to be lifferent. Upon its legs, which are of the sparrow order, it looks a merry, lighthearted, artless, and good-natured little thing; but it is the green-bag-bearer of the parish, and its food is scandal. Hear it talk on a first meeting with a regular listener! Its voice is at first soft as the low piping of the nightingale, but gradually becomes like the loud hissing of an adder, and ends hoarse, and ominous of evil as that of the raven. It is an untiring spreader of idle and false reports, to the injury of many a good character. It is only innoxious to reasonable beings, for they never listen to it, or when obliged to do so, are no more amused by its sayings than by the singing of a tea-kettle; but these being few in number, compared with the lovers of small talk, to whom its company is always acceptable, it is a dangerous animal, mother of deceit and lies. Look at it sitting in its habitation!-every sound from the street draws it to the lighthole-every thing from a bonnet to a patten furnishes it with matter for gossipevery opening of a neighbour's door brings its long neck into the street. Every misfortune that assails others is to it a pleasure -every death a new life to itself-and the failings of the departed are eternal themes for its envenomed slander. It is at the heels of every thing that stirs, and the sooner it is trodden upon the better. But people tolerate and like it, because it is so amusing," and "so clever;" and yet each of its listeners is traduced in turn. There is no dealing with it, but by giving it rope enough; it will then hang itself, which, by the by, will be such an end as the creature merits. NAVAL MANNERS. S. R. J. When the old duke of York (brother to George III.) went on board lord Howe's ship, as a midshipman, the different captains in the fleet attended, to pay him their respects, on the quarter-deck. He seemed not to know what it was to be subordinate, nor to feel the necessity of moderation in the display of superiority resulting from his high rank, and he received the officers with some hauteur. This a sailor on the forecastle observed; and after expressing astonishment at the duke's keeping his hat on, he told one of his messmates, that "the thing was not in its sphere;" adding, "it is no wonder he does not know manners, as he was never at sea before." • Window. LEGAL RECREATION. It is alleged in a memoir of the Life of Lord Eldon, that, when plain John Scott, his zeal for knowledge of the law was so great, that he abandoned the pursuit of almost every other species of information, and never sacrificed a moment from his legal studies, beyond what was absolutely necessary to his health. His brother William, (afterwards lord Stowell,) with a view of engaging him to meet Dr. Johnson and other men of distinguished literary talent, would sometimes say, "Where do dine you to-day?" To this question John's uniform I dine on Coke to-day." answer was, William would then demur, with a "Nay, but come to my chambers-you'll see the doctor;" whereupon John argued, concerning the doctor, "He can't draw a bill;" and so the friendly suit concluded. 66 It is further affirmed, on the best authority, that it was an amusement in the early legal life of John Scott, to turn pieces of poetry into the form of legal instruments; and that he actually converted the ballad of "Chevy Chace" into the shape and style of a bill in chancery. A professional gentleman, who, during his pupilage, was recommended by a dis tinguished barrister to commit the following verses to memory, duly availed himself of that advantage, and obligingly communicates them For the Table Book. CANONS OF DESCENT. BY AN APPRENTICE OF THE LAW. Canon I. Estates go to the issue (item) Of him last seized in infinitum ; Like cow-tails, downward, straight they tend, But never, lineally, ascend : Canon II. This gives that preference to males, At which a lady justly rails. Canon III. Of two males, in the same degree, The eldest, only, heir shall be: With females we this order break, And let them all together take. Canon IV. When one his worldly strife hath ended, Those who are lineally descended From him, as to his claims and riches, Shall stand, precisely, in his breeches. Canon V. When lineal descendants fail, Canon VI. The heir collateral, d'ye see, And, of collaterals, the male FRENCH JUDICIAL AUTHORITY. 66 In the "Thuana" we read of a whimsical passionate, old judge, who was sent into Gascony with power to examine into the abuses which had crept into the administra tion of justice in that part of France. Ar riving late at Port St. Mary, he asked. "how near he was to the city of Agen?" He was answered, two leagues." He then de cided to proceed that evening, although h was informed that the leagues were long and the roads very bad. In consequenc benighted, and almost shaken to pieces of his obstinacy the judge was bemired He reached Agen, however, by midnight with tired horses and harassed spirits, and went to bed in an ill humour. The nex morn he summoned the court of justice t meet, and after having opened his commis sion in due form, his first decree was "That for the future the distance from Agen to Port St. Mary should be reckone six leagues." This decree he ordered to b registered in the records of the province before he would proceed to any other busi ness. A LONG MINUET. Hogarth, in his "Analysis of Beauty, mentions the circumstance of a dancing master's observing, that though the "m nuet" had been the study of his whole life he could only say with Socrates, that h "knew nothing." Hogarth added of him self, that he was happy in being a painter because some bounds might be set to the study of his art. The Bishop's Well, Bromley, Kent. There is a way from Bromley marketplace across meadow grounds to the palace of the bishop of Rochester. This edifice, about a quarter of a mile from the town, is a plain, homely mansion, erected in 1783 by bishop Thomas, on the site of the ancient palace built there by bishop Gilbert Glanville, lord chief justice of England, after he succeeded to the see in 1185, VOL. II.-30. instead of a still more ancient palace, founded by the prelate Gundalph, an eminent architect, bishop of Rochester in the reign of William the Conqueror. At a few hundred yards eastward of the palace is the "Bishop's Well;" which, while I minutely examined it, Mr. Williams sketched; and he has since engraved it, as the reader sees. The water of the " Bishop's Well" is a this spring is chalybeate, and rises at the chalybeate, honoured by local reputation with surprising properties; but, in reality, it is of the same nature as the mineral water of Tunbridge Wells. It rises so slowly, as to yield scarcely a gallon in a quarter of an hour, and is retained in a small well about sixteen inches in diameter. To the stone work of this little well a wooden cover is attached by a chain. When the fluid attains a certain height, its surplus trickles through an orifice at the side to increase the water of a moat, or small lake, which borders the grounds of the palace, and is overhung on each side with the branches of luxuriant shrubs and trees. Above the well there is a roof of thatch, supported by six pillars, in the manner of a rustic temple, heighten-old well, dedicated to St. Blase, is about ing the picturesque appearance of the scene, so as to justify its representation by the pencil. On visiting it, with Mr. W., this pleasant seclusion, consecrated by former episcopal care, and the fond recollections of ancient adjacent residents, was passing to ruin: we disturbed some boys in their work of pulling reeds from the thatched roof. A recent vacancy of the see seemed to have extended to the superintendence of the well; the seeds of neglect had germinated, and were springing up. I have revisited the spot, and seen the wild-briar, Of "It an two hundred yards north-west of the mi- The thorn, and the thistle, grown broader and higher. Philipot, and Hasted MISS KELLY. To the Editor. Dear Sir, Somebody has fairly play'd a hoar on you (I suspect that pleasant rogue M-x-n*) in sending you the Sonnet in my name, inserted in your last Number. True it is, that I must own to the Verses being mine, but not written on the occasion there pretended, for I have not yet had the plea meline; and I have understood, that the sure of seeing the Lady in the part of Emforce of her acting in it is rather in the expression of new-born sight, than of the previous want of it. The lines were really written upon her performance in the "Blind Boy," and appeared in the Morning Chronicle some years back. I suppose, our facetious friend thought that they would serve again, like an old coat new turned. Yours (and his nevertheless) It was.-ED. C. LAMB. Garrick Plays. No. XXVI. [From "Doctor Dodypol," a Comedy, Author unknown, 1600.] Earl Lassenburgh, as a Painter, painting his Mistress al grotesco. - Lass. Welcome bright Morn, that with thy golden rays Reveal'st the radiant colours of the world; Look here, and see if thou can'st find dispers'd Take them, and join them in the heavenly spheres ; For lovers to adore and wonder at. Luc. You paint your flattering words, Lord Lassen- Making a curious pencil of your tongue; Lass. A Painter, fair Lucilia: why, the world Look on the air, where with an hundred changes I speak not of the sundry shapes of beasts; Lass. From these base antics, where my hand hath Thy several parts, if I, uniting all, Then might thou justly wonder at my art; Comparing cherries to thy rosy lips. Here is thy brow, thy hair, thy neck, thy hand, Of purpose in all several shrouds dispersed! Lest ravish'd I should dote on mine own work, Or envy-burning eyes should malice it. A Cameo described. see this Agate, that contains The image of the Goddess and her Son, Whom ancients held the Sovereigns of Love. See naturally wrought out of the stone, Besides the perfect shape of every limb, Besides the wondrous life of her bright hair, A waving mantle of celestial blue, Embroidering itself with flaming stars; Most excellent! and see besides, How Cupid's wings do spring out of the stone, As if they needed not the help of Art. Earl Lassenburgh, for some distaste, flees Lucilia, who follows him. Lass. Wilt thou not cease then to pursue me still? Should I entreat thee to attend me thus, Then thou would'st pant and rest; then your soft feet Lass. I'll wander where some desperate river parts The solid continent, and swim from thee. Luc. And there I'll follow, though I drown for thee. Lass. O weary of the way, and of my life, Where shall I rest my sorrow'd, tired limbs ? Luc. Rest in my bosom, rest you here, my Lord; A place securer you can no way find→ Lass. Nor more unfit for my unpleased mind. A heavy slumber calls me to the earth; Here will I sleep, if sleep will harbour here. Luc. Unhealthful is the melancholy earth; O let my Lord rest on Lucilia's lap. I'll help to shield you from the searching air, Luc. Sleep then; and I am pleased far off to sit, Watching the unthankful sleep, that severs me An Enchanter, who is enamoured of Lucilia, charms the Earl to a dead sleep, and Lucilia to a forgetfulness of her past love. Enchanter (to Lassenburgh.) Lie there; and lose the memory of her, Who likewise hath forgot the love of thee |