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all Wauking too and too in our bridle wite gownds, with the Union Jacks afore us, to Pay humbel Respex to Kornel Arther, who behaived verry jentlemanny, and Complementid us on our Hansome apearences, and Purlitely sed he wisht us All in the United States. Servents mite live Long enuff in Lonnon without Being sich persons of Distinkshun. For my hone Part, cumming amung Strangers, and Pig in Pokes, prudence Dicktated not to be askt out. At the verry furst cumming in, howsummever, All is setlid, and the Match is apruved of by Kornel Arther and the Brightish goverment, who as agreed to giv me away. Thems wat I call honners, as we usid to say at wist * |

Of course you and betty will xpect me to indulge in Personalities about my intendid, to tell yew wat he is lick. He is not at All lick Eddard as driv the Fancy bred, and Noboddy else. Yew No I wood send yew his picter, Dun by himself, only it is no more like him than Chork is to Chease. In spite of the short tim for Luv to take shoots, I am convinst he is verry Passionet. As to his temper, I can't speck As yet, as I have not tride it. O mary! litel did I think too Munth ago of sendin yew Brid Cake and Weddin favers. Wen I say this, I am only Figgering in speach, for yow Must Not look for sich things from this Part of the wurld. I don't mean this by way of discurridgment; Wat I meen to Say is this, If so be as Young Wimmin prefers a state of Silly Bessy, they had Better remane ware they was Born; but as far as Reel down rite Courting, and no nonsense is concarned, this is the Plaice for my Munny. A Gal has only to cum out hear, and theirs duzzens will jump at her lik Cox at Gusberis. It will be a reel kindness to say as mutch to Hannah at 48, and Hester Brown, and Peggy Oldfield, and partickler poor Charlotte. They needn't Fear about being Plane, for you may tell them in this Land Faces don't make stumblin blox, and if the Hole cargo was as uggly as sin, Lots wood git married.

COUNT PECCHIO'S RESIDENCE IN ENGLAND. THE TOUR OF A GERMAN PRINCE set the fashion of this kind of books. Count Pecchio, an Italian political exile, is a very different man, and far inferior writer and observer; but to atone for this, he is a true man. His blunders, which are numerous, form the most amusing part of his travels, and show us the mistakes to which all travellers are liable, English as well as Italian. Some of his innocent surprises are not very creditable to the state of

manners and morals in his native state of Piedmont. The Count is the most bland and courteous of travellers. He never wearies in expatiating on the beauty of the ladies, the horses, and the children of England. The farmers' daughters ride like the damsels of old romance—the ladies are neatly dressed when they do not expect company-fathers never quarrel with their sons, and babies never cry, nor children over-eat themselves, "Cowper sees every thing of the colour of roses, and Crabbe every thing with a jaundiced eye." The Count, however, intended to be less universal in his praise, and meant to have devoted a chapter" to the eternally-hysterical, to the tyrants of families, and to those mothers who, anxious to dispose of their wares, aspire only to get their daughters once fairly married, whoever

the husband, whether an idiot, a baboon, or a worn-out libertine; but he reflected," and resolved to let every man live in his own way." The Count was astonished to find stays still used in sober, sensible England. "The English

ladies," he says, " are imprisoned in stays, and in stays so stiff that to embrace them is like embracing an oak. They stand as bolt upright in this cuirass, as our mulberry-trees with wooden fences put round them when they are still tender. This cuirass renders them as stiff and unbending as a hedge-stake, while our ladies are soft and flexible as a silken cord." During his exile, the Count, infinitely to his honour, obtained a subsistence by teaching the Italian language. This, and other modes of introduction, threw open several English houses to him; and he gives the in-door picture rather cleverly, both of the gentry who enjoy all the luxury and refinement of the opulent nobility, and of "the better class." His sketch of this class offers a fair and agreeable specimen of a work, which is but the more piquant for its blunders, and cross-readings of English acts and deeds.

AN ENGLISH VILLA.

I was a visit in debt to a widow-lady, mother of two beautiful girls, through an invitation to dinner I had received. This lady's villa is situated in a delicious spot, at the foot of a hill crowned by an old and noble wood, approached by a winding, gently-sloping path across meadows and plantations within the same enclosure. The house is protected from the wind, and from excessive heat; it is lian palaces, but is sufficiently spacious for an English villa, not large, in comparison with the immense and useless Itaand enjoys a view of a range of hills, irregular in form, clad with trees, and within the space that can be taken in by the eye. The quiet, the mystery of the neighbouring wood, the song of the birds, the flocks feeding in the meadows, all seem to say, "Here reigns love!" What, then, if I add that the two young ladies of the mansion are beautiful, graceful, and courteous, with rosy cheeks, and copious ringlets of flowing hair

"Whose large blue eyes, fair locks, and snowy hands, Might shake the saintship of an anchorite ?-BYRON. Almost every day they ride out alone with their groom, on excursions over the neighbouring country, and are sometimes present for a few moments at a fox-chase, when, at reynard's first breaking cover, the shrill horn and the cry of a hundred panting hounds are heard together, and the red-coated horsemen, leaping hedge and ditch, scour the country at a headlong gallop. They have passed two or three months at Paris, speak of it with enthusiasm, and aro eager to return. They speak French, and stammer a little Italian. The piano, the harp, drawing, light reading, the conservatory, and a little flower-garden cultivated with their own hands, divide the time that riding, visiting, balls, invitations, and the annual two-months' visit to London, leave them. I had selected a rainy day, that I might be sure of finding the family at home; but the English ladies pay little regard to the weather. I had not got half across the garden before I perceived the carriage, which was just on the point of setting out. I approach the door,-I am welcomed with a courtesy more than polite. The mother was in the coach, along with the younger daughter, who is also the handsomer of the two. On seeing this, I went through a thousand antics, professed myself au désespoir, désolé, &c., and gave in to all the caricature we practise on the Continent. The graceful F, by way of consoling me, informed me that her sister was at home, and would be This intimation recalled me to life. very glad to see me.

I should never have looked for the good fortune of such a passport ;-I devoured at a stride the piece of road between me and the house. I knock and re-knock impatientiy. A maid-servant opens the door, and invites me to walk into a room on the right. As I had always seen the mistress of the house on the left hand, I did not understand her directions, and entered another room; but the beautiful C——— soon came in, and courteously saluting me, invited me to her own room, her parlour. Severe Italian matrons ought here to reflect that the colloquy was between a beautiful young woman and a wandering exile, who leaves no trace of actions, as official persons must do wherever they pass; that I had not concealed the impression made upon mo

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the lively and sparkling eyes of the beautiful Cat other times; that in the room

"Alone we were, and all without suspicion;" that no guardian, no authorized Cerberus of that garpen of the Hesperides, was in the house; that no one would have dared to enter that sanctum sanctorum unless summoned by the beil; that a good fire was burning, that a beautiful silk soffa received an exciting warmth from the chimney ; yet, instead of the downcast eyes, the mutilated words, the burning blushes in the face, the embarrassment that would accompany such a situation in Italy, there began between us a cheerful and unrestrained conversation, with frank and sparkling eyes, with smiles and merriment. Hunting, the exhibition of pictures, the last new novel, the Parisian opera, and the eternal and the inevitable subject of the English ladies, Lord Byron, passed away two hours' time very pleasantly. Many times did the prohibited fruit, (guarded by the dragon of her own virtue and modesty,) I mean my lovely hostess, offer me something with which 1 might refresh myself, and many times also entice me to repeat my visits. We were talking before a portrait of his Lordship, which she had copied. She was dressed in green silk, with a border of yellow riband: my mention that the colour was green, will spare me the trouble of telling Italians that C had a complexion of perfect whiteness, without which a green dress would have injured her beauty; but where is the lady who does not understand the effect of colour in dress better than Titian himself? I gaily took my leave, my horse awaited me at the door, and thus I left this most innocent tête-a-tête.

of the tooth of time. This is a book to be bought, by all clubs especially. It places the reader at once abreast with the current of public affairs.

CHILDREN'S BOOKS, AND CHRISTMAS BOOKS. We confine ourselves to the juvenile literature of Edin. burgh and Glasgow. In Edinburgh we have the EXCITE. MENT, a judicious selection of entertaining extracts from books of Travels, works on Natural History, and the Periodicals. Fiction is excluded it appears, and yet the book is sufficiently exciting and attractive without its aid.

THE INFANT ANNUAL is a nice fairy quarto, for the nursery shelves; pretty infantine stories, with praise-worthy morals and amiable tendencies; and very pretty, and not garish cuts.

But Glasgow, this year, completely eclipses Edinburgh in the juvenile classics. Besides native productions, Ame rica pours out her stores by lapfuls upon Mr. Reid's counter. There is the LITTLE GIRL'S OWN BOOK, and what for not, as well this as the Boy's Ows, and the YOUNG LaDY'S OWN? And there is also a LILLIPUTIAN Code of Politeness, (THE POLITE PRESENT,) and A PRESENT TO A DAUGHTER; and many more, over which, by this time, hundreds of good children are rejoicing, and the fruits of which will be found in their minds and manners, when not a wreck is left behind of the other New Year Day presents, rade them by kind friends, whether from the confectioner's or the toy-shop.

THE UNKNOWN POETS OF SCOTLAND.

THIS resurrection, or bringing to light of poets hidden by hard circumstances, but meriting wider fame, is an excellent idea. Besides bringing forward the modest, it will consign some of the modestly assured to their true level. Mr. Campbell, of Leith, who assumes the office of editor, enters upon his, we fear, thankless task, with a becoming spirit, and a proper value for his order; claiming notice for the UNKNOWN POETS as their right, and placing the obli gation on the true side, that of the public.

These two young ladies were sisters in blood, but not in taste. The younger loved travelling on the Continent, and the theatres and balls of Paris; the elder loved her country and its fogs, above all the romantic scenery of Switzerland, above all the enchantments of Italy. The one played on the piano and the harp; the other gave up music, as she said, with amiable frankness, for want of ear. She told me one day, by way of compliment, that she cultivated Italian as a compensation for music. The elder, instead, contented herself with French. She in her mien was the more reserved and stately; the other, in her motions and her conversation, more winning. Drawing and riding were accomplishments common to both. It seemed as if, like the Roman emperors, who divided the empire between them, they had divided the provinces of amiability; perhaps it was a tacit convention, not to be rivals in matri- The poets introduced in Part I. are James Forrest, James mony, and to leave those who should offer, some variety in Home, and James Ballantine; and the last is the first. their choice. The second seemed modelled for an English-Forrest was a poor weaver of Carlops, to whom the poetic man who had travelled on the Continent; the first for one who had never left Old England. Both, however, are amiable, each in her own way; but if I were condemned to renounce one of them, I would select her who loves the Continent the most.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THE REFORM MINISTERS; With a History of the Passing of the Reform Bills, and a View of Europe at the close of 1332. By W. Jones. This may be called the POLITICIAN'S YEAR BOOK; with the further advantage, of placing the political carreer of all the leading members of the Government fairly before us. We are thus enabled to contrast the former professions of such men as Lord Althorp, and Sir John Cam Hobhouse, with their present conduct and recent declarations, and to hold them to their old text. In this view we conceive this work of great value. Things proper to be held in continual remembrance by the nation are here written (not by an adversary) in a book,-and exceedingly well written too. It is fully entitled to the merit of being the most entertaining Annual NATIONAL REGISTER ever published. The lives of Grey, Brougham, Durham, and Russell, are drawn up in the right spirit, and with great care and ability; the portraits are excellent, though some are rather flattering likenesses, and discount a good ten years of the clawings

spirit, (and the gift was to our thinking granted but in scanty measure,) proved a plague and a curse, if it begot the repining unhappy temper which embittered his humble lot, and shortened his life. There are many nonsensical and mischievous notions abroad about this same poetry; but this is not the place to discuss them. It appears to be expected that poetry, or the power of stringing together a few rhymes, should be meat, drink, and clothing, fire and fending, to "the poet." Even where the faculty really exists, that is, in one case out of five hundred, poetry is not to be blamed for not fulfilling a bargain for which poetry cannot undertake. It may and always ought to make men nobler, purer, and happier beings; but riches or improve ment in worldly circumstances are not among its privileges, though they may sometimes accidentally attend the pos session of the gift. No great poet ever yet made money by his muse. If Pope be cited as an instance, we say he succeeded by patronage and adroit management; as did Byron, Moore, and Scott, by the most potent power of modern times,— Fashion. If Forrest wished to prosper in the world, he should have invented a shawl border, or improved the ma chinery of his loom. The verses he has left, though natur al and pleasing, scarcely rise to mediocrity, with the excep

tion of a disputed piece; and if "his soul was absorbed by poesy, and his strong, melancholy, manly mind dwelt on it night and day," there has been what men of his calling term "but a short outcome," and little to encourage others to follow his example.

JAMES HOME is a man of more likelihood. He is a sturdy and gallant dyke-builder, who, on Tweedside, as an imitator of Burns, composes and sings his rustic love-lays joyously and tenderly; and, as might be expected, has an immense success among the lasses.

JAMES BALLANTINE, the third James immortalized in Part I., is a house-painter in this city; who wisely shunning all pecuniary or worldly transactions with the Muses, and placing no reliance upon them, brings no idle complaint against their ladyships for being bad payers, nor yet against the world for cruelty and cold-heartedness to the votaries of the Divine Art, provided, we presume, it retains its admiration and its want of house-painting. This is right, manly common sense. Mr. Ballantine wisely makes of the lyre, "a canty whistle with a pleasant sound," to divert his own leisure and amuse his friends, thus turning it to the best possible use in his power. This publication will greatly enlarge the circle of his admirers. The specimens of his humourous or Boswellian verse, are full of life and genuine glee. The piece we give below is of a yet higher order. It unites the finest qualities of the National Muse, pathos and kindliness with easy humour. To us it appears quite charming; and though with some fears for the difficulty of the dialect among our English readers, we adopt it at once into our most select corner-our

VERSES FOR THE YOUNG.

A SON TO HIS MOTHER.
Mine ain wee donsy sonsy minny,
Sae couthy, kindly, cosh, and cannie,
Just sit ye still a wee, an' dinna

Tent yere ain callant,
But let him sketch your picture in a
Wee hamely bailant.

There sits thou, on thy creepy stool,
Weel hap't wi flannen coat and cowl,
While, simmerin' by the chumley jowl,
Sits thy tea patty ;

An' at thy feet, wi' kindly yowl,

Whurs thy wee catty.
The bluid in thy auld veins is thin,
Sair shrivelled now's thy ance plump skin,
Close to the ribs thou hirsellest in,

Wi' clocherin' whazle,

Till in thy cutty pipe thou fin'
A redhet aizle.

Whan sunny simmer comes wi' flowers,
On the door stap thou sits for hours,
An' ilka birdie roun' thee cours,

Cock, hens, an' chickens,
While, wi' an open han', thou showers
Them walth o' pickings.

An' though thou now art auld an' doited,
Thy back sair bowed, thy pace sair toyed;
I've seen the day thou couldst hae stoyted
Wi' queenly air,

An' made thy neebour dames sair spited
At kirk or fair.

On Sunday, whan kirk bells a-jowin'
Set ilka haly heart a-lowin',

Busked brisk an' braw, I've seen thee rowin',
Fat, fair, an' dumpy,

An' mony a spruce auld beau a-bowin'
Right straught an' stumpy.
Thou'st been to me, my mair than mither,
Baith faither, mither, a' thegither;
In times o' dearth, thou didna swither
To scrimp thy coggie,

To schule an' cleed, as weel's anither,
Thy wee wild roggie.

While manhood's vigour nerves my arm,
While in my breast life's bluid flows warm,
Frae ilka danger, want, or harm,
I'll keep thee free,

Till death shall break the mystic charm,
An' close thine ee.

DIARY OF A SPORTING OXONIAN. Sunday. Waked at eight o'clock by the servant, to tell me the bell was going for prayers-wonder those scoundreis are suffered to make such a noise-tried to sleep again, but could not-sat up and read Hoyle in bed.- Ten, got up and breakfasted.-Charles Racket called to ask me to ride agreed to ride-agreed to stay till the President was gone to church. Half after eleven, rode out. Going down the High Street, saw Will Sagely going down to St. Mary's: can't think what people go to church for.Twelve to two, rode round Burlington Green-met Carciess, and a new fresh man, of Trinity-engaged them to dine with me. -Two to three, lounged at the stable-made the fresh man ride over the bale-talked to him about horsessee he knows nothing about the matter-went home and dressed.Three to eight, dinner and wine-remarkable pleasant evening-sold Racket's stone-horse for him, to Careless's friend, for fifty guineas-certainly break his neck.Eight to ten, coffeehouse, and lounged in the High Street. Stranger went home to study-afraid he's a bad one. Engaged to hunt to-morrow, and dine with Racket. -Twelve, supped, and went to bed early, in order to get up to-morrow.

Monday. Racket rowed me up at seven o'clock-sleepy and queer, but was forced to get up and make breakfast for him.. -Eight to five in the afternoon, hunting-famous run, and killed near Bicester-number of tumbles-fresh man out on Racket's stone-horse-got the devil of a fall in a ditch-horse upon him-but don't know whether he was killed or not.Five, dressed, and went to dine with Racket. Dean had crossed his name, and no dinner could be got-went to the Angel and dined. Famous evening till eleven, when the proctors came, and told us to go home to our colleges-weat directly the contrary way.-Eleven to one, went down into St. Thomas's and fought a raff. -One, dragged home by somebody, the Lord knows whom, and put to bed.

Tuesday. Very bruised and sore-did not get up till twelve-found an imposition upon my table-Mem. to give it the hair-dresser. Did not know what to do with myself; so wrote to my father for money.Half after one, put on my boots to ride for an hour-met Careless at the stablerode together-asked me to dine with him, and meet Jack Sedley, who is just returned from Italy. Two to three, returned home and dressed.-Four to seven, dinner and wine. Jack very pleasant-told good stories-says the Italian women have thick legs, no hunting to be got, and very little wine-wont go there in a hurry.Seven, went to the stable, and looked into the coffeehouse-very few drunken men, and nothing going forwards. Agreed to play Sedley at billiards-Walker's table engaged, and forced to go to the Blue Posts lost ten guineas-thought I could have beat him, but the dog has been practising at Spa.Ten, supper at Careless's-bought Sedley's mare for thirty guineas-thinks he knows nothing of a horse, and believe I have done him-drank a little punch, and went to bed at twelve.

Wednesday. Hunted with the Duke of B.-very long run-rode the new mare-found her sinking, so pulled up in time, and swore I had a shoe lost-to sell her directly

buy no more horses of Sedley-knows more than I thought he did. Four, returned home; and as I was dressing to dine with Sedley, received a note from some country neighbours of my father's to desire me to dine at the Crossobliged to send an excuse to Sedley-wanted to put on my cap and gown-not to be found-forced to borrow. Half after four to ten, at the Cross.-Ten, found it too bad, so got up, and told them it was against the rules of the University to be out later.

Thursday. Breakfasted at the Cross, and walked all the

morning about Oxford with my lions-terrible that work. Lions very troublesome-asked an hundred and fifty silly questions about every thing they saw-wanted me to explain the Latin inscriptions on the monuments of Christ Church chapel-wanted to know how we spent our time forced to give them a dinner, and, what was worse, to sit with them till six, when I told them I was engaged for the remainder of the evening, and sent them about their business. -Seven, dropped in at Careless's rooms, found him with a large party, all pretty much cut-thought it was a good time to sell him Sedley's mare, but he was not quite drunk enough-made a bet with him, that I trotted my pony from Benson to Oxford within the hour-sure of winning, for I did it the other day in fifty minutes.

Friday. Got up early, and rode my pony a foot pace over to Benson to breakfast-old Shrub at breakfast-told him of the bet, and shewed him the pony-shook his head, and looked cunning when he heard of it-good sign-after breakfast rode the race, and won easy, but could not get any money-forced to take Careless's draft-dare say it is not worth two-pence-great fool to bet with him.Twelve to three, lounged at the stable, and cut my black horse's tail-eat soup at Sadler's-walked down the High Street-met Racket, who wanted me to dine with him, but could not, because I was engaged at Sagely's. -Three, dinner at Sagely's very bad-dined in a cold hall, and could get nothing to eat-wine new-a bad fire-tea-kettle put on at five o'clock-played at whist for sixpences, and no bets-thought I should have gone to sleep-terrible work dining with a studious man.——— -Eleven, went to bed out or spirits.

Saturday. Ten, breakfasted-took up the last Sporting Magazine had not read two pages before a dun came— told him I should have some money soon-would not be gone offered him brandy—was sulky, and would not have any-saw he was going to be savage, so kicked him down stairs, to prevent his being impertinent-thought perhaps I might have more of them, so went to lounge at the stables -pony got a bad cough, and the black horse thrown out two splits-went back to my room in an ill humour, found a letter from my father-no money, and a great deal of advice wants to know how my last quarter's allowance went how the devil should I know? He knows I keep no accounts do think fathers are the greatest bores in naVery low-spirited and flat all the morning-some thoughts of reforming, but luckily Careless came in to beg me to meet our party at his rooms, so altered my mind -dined with him, and by nine in the evening was very happy.

ture.

lated.

THE WISDOM OF OUR ANCESTORS.

The practical men among our ancestors left nothing unreguThe number of dishes each rank were to have on their tables, the quality, nature, and form of their dress, the price of almost every article of food, the entertainments at funerals, baptisms and on other occasions, their arms and armour, their marriages, and even the last habiliments of their dead bodies, were all objects of legislation. Let us follow a man through the Statute Book, in the times of our ancestors. In order to "repress the superfluous expense at baptisms," it was enacted under heavy penalties in 1681, "that besides the parents, children, brothers, and sisters, and those of the family, there shall not be present above four witnesses." Then "Anent the ordouring of everie mannis house" Queen Mary enacted, "that, forsameikle as the Queenis Grace, the Lord Governour, and Lordes of Secret Council havand respect to the great and exorbitant dearth, risen in this realme, of victualles and other stuffe, for the sustentation of mankinde, and dailie increasand, and understandand that the occasion thereof is the cause of the superfluous cheere used commonlie in this realme, alsweil amongst small as well as great men, to the great hurt of the commonweil of the same; and damage to the body quhilkes makes ane man unable to exercise all leiful and gude warkes necessar and for remeid hereof, and staunching of sik dearth, and exorbitant prices foresaidis, it is devised and ordained that no Archbishop, Bishops, nor Earles, have at his meate but aucht dishes of meate; Nor na Abbot, Lord, Priour, nor Deane, have at his meate but six dishes of meate; nor na

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baronne nor freeholder have bot four dishes of meate at his messe; nor na burgess nor other substantious man, spiritual nor temporal, sall have at his meate but three dishes, and bot ane kind of meate in everie dish;" and heavy pecuniary penalties were inflicted in case of contravention. Further, King James the sixth, "understanding the great excesse and superfluitis used in bridelles and utheris banquettes amangis the meane subjectes of this realme; alsweil within burgh as to landward, to the inordinate consumption not only of sik stuffs as growes within the realme, but alswa of drogges, confectoures, and spiceries, brocht from the pairties beyond sea, and sauld at deare prices to mony folk that are very unabil to susteine that coaste, for stanching of quhilke abuse, statutest and ordained that na manner of persons his subjectes, being under the degree of prelates, erles, lordis, barounes, landin yearly frie rent twa thousande markes money, or fifty ed gentlemen, or otheris, that are worth, and may spend chalders victual, all charges deduced, sall presume to have at their bridelles, or uther banquettes, or at their tables, in daily chere, onie drogges or confectoures brocht from the pairtes beyond sea, and that na banquettes sall be at one upsittings after baptizing of bairnes in time cumming under the pain of twentie pund." And searchers were to be appointed to whom " oppen dures sall be maid of quhatsomever houses they come to search," under heavy penalties. In 1621 it was enacted that no person use any" manner of desert, of wette and dry confections at banquettings, marriages, baptisms, feastings, or any meales, except the fruites growing in Scotland; as also fruites, under the pain of a thousand marks, toties quoties." tigs, raisins, plumbdamies, almondes, and other confected ercised their wisdom. Dress was another grand object, on which our ancestors exNone of our Sovereign Lord's lieges, of whatever quality or degree, were permitted to wear any clothing of gold or silver cloathe, or any gold or silver lace upon their apparels, or any part of their bodies, and no manner of person shall have any apparel of velvet, sattin, or other stuffes of silke, except noblemen, Lords of Parliament, Prelates, his Majesty's Counsellors, Lords of Session, Barrons of quality, having free yearly rent of fourscore chalders victual, or six thousand merks of silver, and the provosts of the principal burrows within this kingdom, or those that have been provosts, with such also as shall happen to be, or have been provosts, baiburgh. It was farther enacted, "that boue weare upon their lies, Deans of Guild," and theasurers within the Town of Edinheads buskings or any feathers; and notwithstanding, it is permitted that any person may weare chaines or other goldsmith's worke and having no stones, nor pearles, within the same, that no person weare any peatles nor precious stones, except the persons before privileged." Lawns, Ziffaines, and cambric, were in like manner reserved for the sole use of the higher classes.

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ordained, "That no servants, men or women, wear any clothThe dress of the lower orders was not overlooked. It was ing except those that are made of cloath, fustians, canvass, or stuffes made in the countrie. And that they have no silk upon their cloathes, except silk buttons and button-holes, and silk garters, without pearling or roses;" but it was declared to be always lawful for them to wear their masters' or mistress's old clothes. The fashion of cloaths was not to be changed either by men or women, under heavy penalties. The husbandmen and labourers of the ground were not to wear any cloathing but gray, white, blue, and selfe black cloth, made in Scotland, and their wives and children were to wear the like, under a penalty of forty pounds.

But still more minute regulations, if possible, are to be found in our Statute-Book. No one was to allow rooks to build in his flown, then the trees were liable to be forfeited to the King, and trees; and if their nests were found at beltane, and the young the owner fined. No man under a baton, or landed man, worth a thousand merks of yearly free rent, was allowed to keep a October, and the number to be kept in the intermediate period horse" at the hard meat," from the 15th of May to the 15th of the party. Foot-ball and golf were prohibited under heavy peat hard meat was carefully regulated according to the rank of nalties. "Men of simple estate that should be labourers were required either to have half an ox in the plough, or else delve of eight oxen was bound to sow yearly at least a firlot of wheat, each day seven foot square." "And each man having a plough half a firlot of pease, and fourty beans." Did our limits permit, many other instances of the itch our legislation had in early times to interfere with the private concerns of the subject might be given, but we have cited enough to answer the purpose we had in view. We laugh at such regulations at the present day.

LONDON.

in the Thames and docks is 1,100; together with 3,000 barges, employed in lading and unlading them; 2,288 small craft engaged in the inland trade; and 3,000 wherries for the accommodation of passengers; 1,200 revenue officers are constantly on duty in different, parts of the river; 4,000 labourers are employed in lading and unlading; and 8,000 watermen navigate the wherries and craft. The household troops, comprising three regiments of foot guards, containing about 7.000 men, including officers, and two regiments of horse guards, consisting of 1,200 men, form the principal military establishment for the metropolis; but none of these troops are permitted to enter the city without especial leave of the Lord Mayor. It is difficult to ascertain the exact number of churches and chapels belonging to the establishment in the metropolis, but it is not far short of 200. The number of religious edifices belonging to the Dissenters in the metropolis is above that number. There are eighty chapels, or places of worship, for the independents, among whom are included the Scotch Presbyteri The Baptists have nearly fifty chapels; the Methodists, or followers of Whitfield and Wesley, twenty-three; the Unitarians, nine; the Arians, two; the Quakers, six; the Swedenborgians, four; the Huntingtonians, three; the Sandemonians, the Moravians, the New Lights, and the Freethinkers, have one chapel each. In the metropolis, there are six Jewish Synagogues, fifteen Roman Catholic chapels, and nineteen foreign Protestant churches.-Partington's National Views, and History of London.

ans.

NORMANDY.

THE immediate site of the city of London is about forty-five miles from the sea, westward, in a pleasant and spacious valley, stretching along the banks of the Thames, which river, as it flows through the metropolis, forms a bold curve or crescent. On the northern side, the ground rises with a quick ascent, and then more gradually, but unequally heightens to the north-west and west, which are the most elevated parts. On the south side of the river, the ground is nearly level, and was anciently an entire morass of many miles in extent; this has been reclaimed through the artificial embankment of the river, probably com menced by the Romans, which must have been the work of ages. The average breadth of the river, in this part of its course, is from four to five hundred yards; its general depth at low water, about twelve feet; but at spring tides it rises from ten to twelve feet above that level. The tides used to flow to the distance of fifteen miles above London bridge, but since the alteration at London bridge by the demolition of the old structure, it goes much higher. Considered in the aggregate, London comprises the city and its liberties, with the city and liberties of Westminster, the borough of Southwark, and upwards of thirty of the contiguous villages of Middlesex and Surrey. The extent of this district is, from east to west, or from Poplar to Kensington, near eight miles; its breadth from north to south is very irregular, and may be said to vary from three to four miles. The circumference of this immense congregation of buildings may be estimated at about twenty miles. The metropolis is computed to contain upwards of 60 squares, 12,000 streets, lanes, courts, &c.; and the whole formed by near 300,000 buildings of various descriptions, as public struc- ROUEN is a noble city. It is situated on one edge of a most tures, churches, dwelling houses, warehouses, shops, &c. It delightful valley, and close on the Seine, which river may inis a remarkable fact, that vegetation is earlier, by ten days or deed be said to pass through the city, for on the bank of the a fortnight, on the west and south-west sides of the metropolis river, which is opposite to that on which stands the original than at the northern and eastern sides. The more prevalent city, there is a good deal of building, and much business done winds blow from the north-east and south-west; and these, in the way of trade. On entering Rouen there appears to be with little variation, occupy about ten or eleven months in the as much life and stir as there is in Paris; the city is just such year. The thermometer sometimes rises to above 80 degrees another place, excepting in respect to size. The looks of the of Fahrenheit's scale, very rarely to 84 degrees; but the com- people here, as well as throughout the country parts of Normon summer heat is from 65 degrees to 75 degrees. In win- mandy, constitute the most important circumstance in favour ter it sometimes falls to 15 degrees; but the most common of this province. Normandy, excepting in the particular of winter heat, when it freezes, is between 20 degrees and 30 de- climate only, says much more for France than all the rest of grees; it has been known to fall below the point marked 0, the country that I have seen. The land is by far the richest, but very rarely; the most frequent, when it does not freeze, is and the best cultivated; the houses (farm-houses, as well as between 40 degrees and 50 deg. The annual temperature of others) are more solid, more clean, in the insides of them, and London is 51 deg. 9 min., or in round numbers, 52 deg. he kept in better general order. The people here, and those besituation of London is so very favourable, that springs, which longing to any other province through which I have passed, yield large quantities of water, are found on digging almost are as much unlike each other as though they belonged to two every where. In the year 1377, London is said to have con- different nations. The men in Normandy are larger, better tained about 35,000 inhabitants. According to the census of made, and fresher looking. The women are much the prettiest 1801, London, at that time, contained 121,229 houses, inhabit- I have seen in France. They wear a cap (amongst the peasaned by 216,073 families, making 864,755 persons. In 181, try) that is quite a pattern of neatness. This cap is, in some it had increased to 1,099,104, and in 1821 to 1,225,964 persous. parts of Normandy, very high in its shape, sometimes as much By the last census of 1831, it appears that a still further increase as thirty inches above the head, and it is so curious in other had taken place of no less than 248,105, thus making the present particulars of its fashion, that I should endeavour to give a population of the metropolis, 1,474,067. The number of oxen more minute description of it, if I were at all conversant in annually consumed in London has been estimated at 110,000, such matters. It is called in France, le bonnet cauchoix. The calves 50,000, sheep 800,000, lambs 250,000 hogs and pigs fashion belongs peculiarly to the women of the Pays de Caux, 200,000; besides animals of other kinds. Smithfield is the principal which forms one district of the province of Normandy, and market for the above articles; and the total value of butcher which Rouen stands just upon the borders of. The women of meat sold there annually is stated at L.8,000,000. There are, this district, who are called Cauchoises, are universally allowed on an average, annually brought to Billingsgate market 2,500 to be the prettiest in France. On my road from London to cargoes of fish, of forty tons each, and about 20,000 tons by Dover, through Kent, I did, however, see more beauty than land carriage; in the whole 120,000 tons. The annual con- I have seen in all the other parts of France put together, Paris sumption of wheat, in London, may be averaged at 900,000 included. The women that I have seen before I entered this quarters, each containing eight Winchester bushels; of porter province were not to be compared with those of Normandy, in and ale 2,000,000 barrels, each containing 36 gallons; spirits point of neatness in their dress and general appearance. The and compounds 11,000,000 gallons; wines 65,000 pipes; but-Normandy women have a good deal about them which answers ter 21,000,000 lbs. ; and cheese 26,000,000 lbs. The quantity the sense of the word "tidy:" a word which has so much of coals consumed is about 1,200,000 chaldrons, of 36 bushels, significance in our language, and which the French language is or a ton and a half to each chaldron. About 10,000 cows are a stranger to, and indeed need be a strange: to, as far as relates kept in the vicinity of the metropolis, for supplying the inha to the greater part of the people whose habits I have had an bitants with milk, and they are supposed to yield nearly 7,900,000 opportunity to observe. The faces that appear under the bongallons every year; even this great quantity, however, is con- net cauchoix are very pretty. The cheeks of the Normandy siderably increased by the dealers, who adulterate it, by at women are quite as rosy, though their complexions are not so least one-fourth, with water, before they serve their customers. delicate, as those of English women. There are not, I have The Port, as actually occupied by shipping, extends from Lon- noticed, so many black eyes here as I have seen elsewhere in don bridge to near Deptford, a distance of at least four miles, France; but (for I must say it, to be just) there are not so and is from four to five hundred yards in average breadth.-many dirty faces! The number of vessels belonging to this port, in September, 1800, was ascertained, by the official documents laid before Parliament, to be 2,666, carrying 568,262 tons, and 41,402 men. Comparing this number with the number returned in January, 1701-2, the increase will be seen to be astonishing. At that period the vessels amounted only to 560, carrying 84,882 tons, and 10,065 men. The average number of ships

There are some manufactories of cotton yarn, and of muslin at this place. The men employed in the factories earn from 25 sous to 3 francs a-day, (2s. 4 d.) which, considering the price of food and raiment, is very high pay.

The giving of credit is much less in fashion in France than in England. Indeed the laws of France discourage it; wisely, in my opinion; but they do it at any rate. Traders must

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