red, the bear's skin was taken off, and out came a great ing. naked Irishman, who was much delighted with being re- culiarly adapted for placing before us, in a lucid and eloTo generous minds the present moment is one pestored to manhood. Clothes were immediately procured for him, and some money collected for his immediate sub-quent narrative, the achievements of the greatest general sistence; but as he had no means of gaining a livelihood, of the age,-a man who has done more to maintain his he resolved to enlist in Captain M Carty's regiment. It is country's honour on many a hard-fought field, than persaid, that in the course of the French Revolution, he em- haps any soldier Great Britain ever produced,-a man braced the cause of liberty, and ultimately rose to a situa- whom his worst enemies respect, and whom they who tion of some importance in the armies of the Republic." feel the value of a master mind, in the hour of danger, We must now conclude with two anecdotes, both of reverence and esteem. No theme could be more grateful which are entertaining : to a grateful people than the victories it has gained under Wellington; but Captain Moyle Sherer is as incapable of doing justice to it as if he had been all his life a shearer in Campbelton. There is no system, or depth, or spirit of life in his book. It looks as if it had been clipped out of newspapers, and pinned together with pins, or fastened with wafers. The best passage we can find in it and as it must at all times be delightful to our readers, is the account of the battle of Assaye, in the East Indies; as it is to us, to peruse any tale descriptive of the old glories of old Wellington, we shall extract it entire :

ANECDOTE OF JOHN HOME, ESQ., AUTHOR OF DOUGLAS. "There could not be a livelier or more agreeable companion than the author of Douglas; and his merits, as a dramatic author, are well known. By his talents, he was early in life introduced into the best company that Scotland afforded. Claret was at that time the favourite liquor; and owing to its being admitted into the port of Leith, on Spanish instead of French duties, it was cheap, and was drunk in great quantities. A naval officer, who happened to be stationed in the Frith of Forth, by transmitting information to the Treasury, put a stop to this illegal advantage. The price of claret was so much increased, in consequence of this additional duty, that many bons vivans were obliged to renounce it, and betake themselves to port; and, in despair, at one of their convivial meetings, they applied to their friend John Home, to write some verses expressive of their feelings. He immediately produced the following:

• Bold and erect the Caledonian stood;
Old was his mutton, and his claret good;
Make him drink port! an English statesman cried;
He drank the poison, and his spirit died.'
“Fortunately, it has since been found by experience, that
port is no poison, and that Caledonian spirit does not de-
pend upon the drinking of claret; but the anecdote is worth
preserving, as an instance of the ridiculous prejudices of
former times."

ANECDOTE OF DAVID WILKIE, ESQ., THE CELEBRATED
PAINTER.

THE BATTLE OF ASSAYE.

the little army of Wellesley marched on.
"The camp colours were plucked from the ground, and
Light Dragoons, and three regiments of native cavalry
With the 19th
under Colonel Maxwell, the general himself advanced to
reconnoitre. The infantry followed. After a march of
about four miles, from an elevated plain in front of their
right, he beheld the Mabratta camp. A host of nearly
50,000 combatants, horse. foot, and artillery, lay strongly
posted behind the river Kaitna. A smaller stream, called
the Juah, flowed past their rear; and its waters joined
left, leaving there a vacant peninsulated piece of ground of
those of the Kaitna at a point considerably beyond their
the northern bank of the Kaitna. The infantry lay upon
some space. The line of the enemy ran east and west along
the left, and all the guns. The position of this wing was

The

a little retired upon the Juah, having its point d'appui on
the village of Assaye, which leaned upon that river.
right consisted entirely of cavalry. The north bank of the
Kaitna is high, rocky, and difficult; the front, for the
most part, unassailable.

"I happened to dine in company with Mr Wilkie, the celebrated painter, and, in the course of the conversation, asked him How he came to adopt that profession?' I "Upon his bay Arabian sat Wellesley, just opposite the enquired, Had your father, or your mother, or any of enemy's right, then distant about a mile and a half, and your relations, a turn for painting? or what led you to presenting to his view, in one magnificent mass, 30.000 follow that line?' Upon which Mr Wilkie said, The horses. The cavalry under Maxwell formed up their briltruth, Sir John, is, that you made me a painter.How, liant line, and remained steady. Wellesley, with rapid I! with astonishment I exclaimed, I never had the plea- glance, surveyed the ground. From beneath the thick sure of meeting with you before.' To which Mr Wilkie plumes of red horse hair, which drooped over their bronzed replied, When you were drawing up the Statistical Ac- cheeks, the manly eyes of the bold 19th dragoons looked on count of Scotland, my father, who was a clergyman in Fife, severely. The general resolved for battle. That this was had much correspondence with you respecting his parish, the calm decision of a consulted judgment, is not probable; in the course of which you sent him a coloured drawing of but there is a tide in the affairs of men;' he felt it swella soldier, in the uniform of your Highland Fencible regi-ing in his bosom, and took it at the happy ebb. ment. I was so delighted with the sight, that I was constantly drawing copies of it, and that made me a painter.'

The best

"A body of the enemy's horse moved out, advanced to within half a mile of the British cavalry, and threw out skirmishers, who fired a few shots. Some British troopers were ordered to drive back these skirmishers, and all again was quiet. The general, observing a spot with a few houses beyoud the left of the enemy, where there was probably a ford, and which he saw they had neglected to guard, resolved to pass the Kaitna at that point; to throw his small force entire upon that flank; to attack their infantry and guns; and thus to neutralize the presence of their vast cavalry, or compel them to bring it into action under very confusing disadvantages, and in a more confined field. A bright and bold conception.

The general, bidding Maxwell keep his present ground for a time, went back, and brought up the infantry in perWith these last, in steady columns he now moved

son.

A

THIS is a flimsy and unsatisfactory book. thing in it is the vignette on the title-page-a bust of the down upon the river. They marched silent and firm, every man in his place. It was to be the triumph of discipline. Duke of Wellington, beautifully engraved by Finden, The courage of the heart was to be aided by the quick eye, from a design by Corbould. Captain Sherer does not the obedient ear, and the keeping calmly in the ranks. appear to have brought to his task any of the proper canonade played upon their line of march as they approachenthusiasm, judgment, or information. He writes an ed the ford: it was distant, and without effect. As they affected and inflated style, and with one of the finest passed up out of the river, and the head of the column heroes in the world for a piece of biography, he does little gained the clear ground above, a field battery, within range, more than succeed in making him uninteresting. Surely ment of directing with care the formation of the lines for opened upon them hotly. It was at this, the anxious mohe must have compiled his 295 pages in a prodigious battle, that the orderly dragoon, riding close to the general, hurry, for if he had taken the very slightest pains, he had his skull torn away by a cannon ball. The horse, feelcould not have avoided making them more worth reading the relaxed bridle, and collapsing limb of his rider, fell

The tribes of the fearless may rush to the field,
Where the folds of thy standard are brightly reveal'd;
But the song of the bard is unpurchased and free,
And his chords shall be voiceless, Destroyer! for thee.

"Away!-for thy laurels are blighted and red,

All the bloom which they brought from the forest hath fled,

much desired! Let us give thanks to God, that he has
granted us this great honour and advantage. Let us pray
to him to guide and aid us to conquer the sea and land
which we have discovered, and which Christian has never
entered to preach the holy doctrine of the Evangelists. As
to yourselves, be as you have hitherto been, faithful and
true to me, and, by the favour of Christ, you will become
the richest Spaniards that have ever come to the Indies;
you will render the greatest services to your king that ever
vassal rendered to his lord; and you will have the eternal
glory and advantage of all that is here discovered, conquer-

They are sear'd with the curse of the chainless and brave,
They are soil'd with the touch of the dastard and slave ;-
Thy spirit is dark as the waste of the tomb,
When the midnight had wrapp'd it in tempest and gloom,-ed, and converted to our holy Catholic faith.'
Thou hast look'd on the orphan with vengeance and hate,
And the prayer of the weak hath been spurn'd at thy gate;
Thou hast frown'd on the lowly, and warr'd with the free:
Go-the wreath of renown must not blossom for thee."
Mr Lyons must be contented with the praise contained
in the first words of his motto on the title-page" sunt
et mihi carmina;" he may safely add, "neque adhuc
Varo videor."

Voyages and Discoveries of the Companions of Columbus.
By Washington Irving. (Being the Family Library,
No. XVIII.) London. John Murray. 1831.

We are here presented with a good addition to Mr Irving's Life of Columbus. None of the disciples of that -great man achieved discoveries equal to his, and many of them were actuated by motives more questionable than the desire to extend our knowledge of the globe on which we live. To secure the first fruits of the pearl fisheries of Paria and Cubaga, or to explore the coast of Veragua, which Columbus had represented as the Aurea Chersonesus of the ancients, contented the ambition of many of his immediate followers. Some there were, however, who did more; especially Vasco Nunez de Balboa, whose discovery of the Pacific Ocean forms one of the most beautiful and striking incidents in the history of the New World; and Juan Ponce de Leon, the conqueror of Porto Rico, and discoverer of Florida. Of all the captains and admirals sent out by Spain to follow up what Columbus had begun, Vasco Nunez is our favourite; and there are points in his history, that make us pause with wonder and admiration at the daring spirit of the man who surmounted, by his courage and perseverance, so many appalling difficulties; not the least of which was the piecemeal transportation across the then untraversed mountains of Darien, of the first European ships that ploughed the waves of the Pacific.

Nunez was a follower

worthy of Columbus. The most interesting chapter in the whole of the volume before us, is that which describes his

DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

"The day had scarcely dawned, when Vasco Nunez and his followers set forth from the Indian village, and began to climb the height. It was a severe and rugged toil for men so way worn; but they were filled with new ardour, at the idea of the triumphant scene that was so soon to repay them for all their hardships.

"About ten o'clock in the morning, they emerged from the thick forests through which they had hitherto struggled, and arrived at a lofty and airy region of the mountain. The bald summit alone remained to be ascended; and their guides pointed to a moderate eminence, from which they said the southern sea was visible.

"Upon this, Vasco Nunez commanded his followers to halt, and that no man should stir from his place. Then, with a palpitating heart, he ascended alone the bare mountain top. On reaching the summit, the long-desired prospect burst upon his view. It was as if a new world were unfolded to him, separated from all hitherto known by this mighty barrier of mountains. Below him extended a vast chaos of rock and forest, and green savannas and meandering streams, while at a distance the waters of the promised ocean glittered in the morning sun.

"At this glorious prospect, Vasco Nunez sank upon his knees, and poured out thanks to God for being the first European to whom it was given to make that great discovery. He then called his people to ascend: Behold, my friends,' said he, that glorious sight, which we have so

niards.

"The Spaniards answered this speech, by embracing Vasco Nunez, and promising to follow him to death. Among them was a priest, named Andres de Vara, who lifted up his voice and chanted Te Deum laudamus-the usual anthem of Spanish discoverers. The rest, kneeling down, joined in the strain with pious enthusiasm and tears of joy; and never did a more sincere oblation rise to the Deity from a sanctified altar, than from that wild mountain summit. It was, indeed, one of the most sublime discoveries that had yet been made in the New World, and must have opened a boundless field of conjecture to the wondering Spasplendid confusion of their thoughts. Was this the great The imagination delights to picture forth the Indian ocean, studded with precious islands, abounding in gold, in gems, and spices, and bordered by the gorgeous cities and wealthy marts of the East? or was it some lonely sea, locked up in the embraces of savage, uncultivated continents, and never traversed by a bark, except the light pirogue of the savage? The latter could hardly be the case, for the natives had told the Spaniards of golden realms, and populous, and powerful, and luxurious nations, upon its shores. Perhaps it might be bordered by various peoples, civilized, in fact, though differing from Europe in their and arts and sciences; who might form, as it were, a world civilisation; who might have peculiar laws and customs, of their own, intercommuning by this mighty sea, and carrying on commerce between their own islands and continents, but who might exist in total ignorance and independence of the other hemisphere.

"Such may naturally have been the ideas suggested by the sight of this unknown ocean. It was the prevalent belief of the Spaniards, however, that they were the first Christians who had made the discovery. Vasco Nunez, therefore, called upon all present to witness that he took possession of that sea, its islands, and surrounding lands, in the name of the sovereigns of Castile; and the notary of the expedition made a testimonial of the same, to which all present, to the number of sixty-seven men, signed their names. He then caused a fair and tall tree to be cut down,

and wrought into a cross, which was elevated on the spot

from whence he had first beheld the sea. A mound of
stones was likewise piled up, to serve as a monument; and
the names of the Castilian sovereigns were carved on the
neighbouring trees. The Indians beheld all these ceremo-
nials and rejoicings in silent wonder; and while they aided
to erect the cross and pile up the mound of stones, marvel-
led exceedingly at the meaning of these monuments, little
thinking that they marked the subjugation of their land.
"The memorable event here recorded took place on the
26th of September, 1513."

The subsequent fate of poor Nunez was most melancholy, and, as his biographer observes," might furnish a theme of wonderful interest for a poem or a drama.” On the whole, Washington Irving has done well in rescuing from oblivion, and introducing to the acquaintance of the English reader, the names and fortunes of many enterprising adventurers, who were fast passing into neglect, with the ancient Spanish chroniclers who tell their eventful stories.

MISCELLANEOUS LITERATURE.

A LEGEND OF THE PYRENEES.

By the Author of “ An Autumn ir. Italy," WHOEVER has visited the picturesque scenery of the Pyrenees, must allow that the epithet of la belle France, which our lively neighbours, with characteristic national

• Constable's Miscellany, Vol. 38.

vanity, bestow on their native land, though not applicable to it as a whole, justly appertains to a part.

turesque ruin on the pinnacle of an eminence on the right, is called La Tour des Anglés, once the residence of the barons of that title.

Bagneres, situated in one of the finest valleys of the Upper Pyrenees, is resorted to, chiefly in the autumn, "When the crusade, which proved fatal to St Lonis, from Barrèges and Cauterets, famed for the marvellous and to so many gallant knights, was about to leave the properties of their mineral waters. Many inhabitants of shores of France for the Holy Land, the Marquis of crowded cities derive enjoyment at these pleasing retreats, Benac, who had been only a few months married to a in the stillness and tranquil grandeur of the beautiful young and beautiful lady, thought that his religion and valley of Campaus, classically termed the Vale of Tempe, | his honour imposed on him the sacred duty of participawhere they inhale the invigorating breezes from the Picting in the glorious perils of the East, notwithstanding du Midi, or contemplate the glittering summits of the wild mountain scenery, dark pine forests, and sublime cascades. A more distant ride is the fertile valley of Ossun, its verdant meadows watered by the Gave, and varied by a succession of stately chateaux and massy grey ruins, overshadowed by extensive woods; every baronial castle having its legend, like those on the banks of the Rhine, and "the dark-rolling Danube."

his previously well-earned military fame, and recent nuptials. The Marquis told his fair spouse, when about to set off for Palestine, that if she received no tidings of him for seven years, she might avail herself of the privilege of marrying again, on condition that the young and hand. some Baron des Anglés-already too much esteemed by the Marchioness, to be viewed with a very friendly eye by her husband-was not selected in his place. The lady not only promised never to renew her marriage vows, but even added, that if she should be induced to alter her intention, the Seigneur des Anglés would certainly not be the happy man of her choice. Thus re-assured, the brave knight took an affectionate leave of his lovely companion, who had scarcely wiped the tears from her eyes, when she forgot her promise; and the Baron's visits became rather too frequent at the castle.

"In the meantime, the valiant crusader, more favoured by Mars than Venus, distinguished himself in many battles against the infidels, but had the misfortune to be taken prisoner at Damietta, and his glorious career was closed by a long captivity. Seven years thus elapsed, and the Marchioness, either forgetting, or wishing to forget, the injunctions of her absent lord, prepared to give her hand to his rival; but an extraordinary incident occurred, which raised an unlooked-for obstacle to their happiness.

I remember, some years ago, in the month of October, taking an excursion, accompanied by a friend, and attended by a guide, to the Breche de Roland, and the majestic amphitheatre of rocks, which forms the bold natural barrier that separates France from Spain. We were overtaken by one of those violent storms so common in that wild romantic region, where only deep ravines and frightful precipices are seen on every side. We entered a village church, as much for the sake of shelter-for we were neither armed with patience nor umbrellas-as to see the skulls of half-a-dozen Templars, which have ornamented an equal number of niches in it ever since the feudal ages, when the entire surrounding district belonged to the knights of that powerful and licentious order. Being little skilled in the science of phrenology, our examination of the crania was soon over;-not so the rain, which fell in torrents; and never were two unlucky wights more completely saturated than we were, before we reached the miserable auberge at Gavernie, worse than Horace's "Hospitio modico." We found a party of swarthy Spanish contrabandistas already in possession, some of whom were smoking cigars by the kitchen fire, and others were busy unloading their mules. Ascertaining that their cargo consisted of grapes, we soon became purchasers, and they proved the most delicious I ever tasted. It must, however, be allowed, that the brawny Arragonese seemed as little regardless about the price of the ostensible objects of their traffic as we did—the real one being of a much more hazardous nature, which they were pre-give you my supper, which is now before me untouched.' paring to smuggle across the mountain passes.

During six-and-thirty hours of mist and perpetual rain, without a gleam of sunshine to enliven us, my companion and I, having exhausted every topic of conversation, were beginning to give way to the English malady of ennui, Anglicé, blue devils, when we were aroused by the chattering of a loquacious French woman, the mother of our host, who, with all the garrulity of age, told us an interminable story about Madame la Dauphine and her suite, who had honoured this same auberge with a compulsory residence of a day the preceding summer, assuring us that we had the felicity of inhabiting the identical room where that illustrious lady had slept on that ever-memorable occasion. Being desirous of obtaining some local information, I discovered that the old dame was versed in legendary lore, and as she seemed too happy to secure a couple of willing listeners, we were favoured with the following tradition, which she related with much circumlocution:

"The Devil, who never sleeps, appeared to the warrior in his dungeon, announcing the agreeable intelligence of the projected union; adding, however, a tempting proposal, to transport the Marquis to his own castle before the consummation of the marriage, on the trifling condition of obtaining (by voluntary cession) control over his soul.

'My soul,' exclaimed the Christian knight, belongs to God !'

Your heart, then?'

'That belongs to my king and country; but I will

"The Marquis's Satanic ally consented, placed him on his black shoulders, and darted off through the air, at a quicker rate than ever Mercury carried the messages of Jupiter.

"Our two lovers, equally anxious to have the ceremony performed, had prepared a splendid banquet, and invited many guests for the occasion, the most important of whom was the Bishop of Tarbes, who had already arrived, and was proceeding to the chapel, in order to bestow the Episcopal sanction, when the Syrian warrior was set down from his aerial voyage at the door of his own castle. But such was the length of his beard, disfigured features, and altered appearance, from suffering and imprisonment, that even the menials in the hall repulsed their old masHe insisted, however, on being brought before his faithless wife, and succeeded just before her wishes were crowned at the altar.

ter.

‘Madam,' he said, in a voice of thunder, ' here is one half of your wedding-ring; have you preserved the other?"

"When you passed through the valley of Ossun," said the old lady," you must have remarked the inhabitants "Upon this the Marquis was instantly recognised by of the town of the same name, for they have ever been all; his old dog died at his feet, and his steed neighed in the distinguished from their neighbours by the singularity of stable. The bishop, whose services were thus rendered their dress, manners, and language. The chateau which unnecessary, mounted his mule and rode off. The baron crowns the summit of a hill on the left, coming from made an unceremonious retreat, forgetting in his hurry Pau, formerly belonged to the noble family of Benac, to congratulate the unwelcome guest on his safe return one of the most ancient in Bearn, allied by marriage to from the wars. But no one enjoyed the festive board the illustrious houses of Noailles and Elbeuf: the pic-more than the crusader, particularly as he was conscious

the feast had not been destined for him; and, in the excess of his generosity, he threw a flask of old vilandric over his shoulder to his cloven-footed assistant, to wash down the supper he had left for him in the dungeon at Damietta.

"You may believe this or not as you please," said our Gavernie hostess, observing an incredulous smile on our countenances, "but I can assure you that I have actually seen the Marquis de Benac's helmet and spurs in the mairie of Tarbes, where they remain to this day, for the brave Marquis deposited them himself in the church of the Cordeliers of that town, on his return from the Holy Land." So convincing a proof of her veracity, of course, dispelled all doubt from our minds on the subject.

works, which have not yet arrived; but it will open immediately. The catalogue, which we have seen, promises highly. There are in all twenty-nine pictures, mostly by eminent masters, among whom are Vandy ke, Titian, Paris Bordone, Sebastian del Piombo, Woovermans, Gaspar Poussin, Tintoretto, Michael Angelo, Carravagio, and Georgione. All the paintings have been purchased by the Institution, and are to form the commencement of a national public Gallery. In reference to the Royal Institution, we may further remark, that it was with sincere pleasure we lately learned that Mr Francis Grant had been chosen a director. An artist himself, he may be of vital use in teaching that body what they owe to artists. We should like to see more artists amongst them; and, in particular, we cannot fancy why the Rev. Mr Thomson has not long ago been elected. Such an We have seen a good many of the paintings preparing office is certainly as compatible with the clerical characfor the Exhibition of the Scottish Academy, and would ter as those of president of a curling-club, or judge at a have no fear of its being more than usually brilliant, but cattle-show,-offices which we know to be most ably and for one circumstance. We do not know who are at pre-efficiently filled by some of his professional brethren.

NEWS OF THE FINE ARTS.

sent the members of the hanging committee, but we know that those of last year discharged their duty in a bungling and inefficient manner. There were many excellent paintings in the Exhibition, which, from the manner they were hung, were entirely without effect; and we remember more than one instance in which individuals whom we know to possess a just and delicate sensibility to the beauties of art, left the rooms under the impression that there was scarcely a good picture in them. Another misfortune of last year's exhibition was the quantity of trash admitted, lowering its character, and, at the same time, over-crowding the walls. As, however, we are not certain whether the power of admission and rejection rests in the same committee to whom are intrusted the care of hanging the pictures, and as we are unwilling to attribute undeserved blame, we pass over this subject at present. Our object is to impress upon the hanging committee of this year, the importance of their duties, and their heavy responsibility. It is an unfortunate circumstance that none but an artist can know what pictures may be safely hung near each other, and that suspicions, not always unjustified, necessarily attach to one who is himself an exhibitor. We do not revert to the past, but if we find such pictures as those which we have seen in the ateliers of Simpson, Lauder, Gordon, and Thomson, (we hope, though we are not certain, that the last will exhibit,) hung so as not to tell in the exhibition, we propose to speak out, and that seriously.

The system recently adopted by the Board of Trustees is liberal and praiseworthy. Besides being, as formerly, open for two hours in the evening to the students, the public are now admitted three days in every week by an order, which may be procured at the Board's office, No. 81, George Street. Artists are admitted to draw from the casts every Friday, upon procuring a season ticket from the Secretary, Mr Skene of Rubislaw. The Institution has also thrown open its library of engravings to the inspection of the public. We rejoice to see such unequivocal proofs of the awakening of a liberal spirit; and it is in no captious mood, but solely from our anxiety to purge away every taint of the old leaven, that we advert to the fact, that some of the Directors have been heard to complain, that, now the gallery was opened, the artists did not attend. This is not at all unlikely, for a very simple reason that sufficient pains were not taken to announce the change in the Board's management of its gallery. And even though it had been made more generally known, we were quite prepared to expect that some time must elapse before the majority of our artists became aware of the full worth of the boon that has been conferred upon them. Those who set themselves up to foster infant art and science, must not be testy because they make slow progress.

The exhibition of ancient paintings in the building on the Mound, is only delayed on account of some expected

ΤΑ ΣΠΟΡΑΔΗΝ,

OR MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES OF ANTIQUITY, APOTHEGMS,
CUSTOMS, ANECDOTES, &c.

By William Tennant.

I HAVE not heard of a more ingenious argument proposed for the exercise of unanimity and good agreement, than that made use of by the pinguid orator of Byzantium among his divided fellow-citizens. The forum of Byzantium was raging with faction; the good-humoured orator ascended the tribune, and addressed the people in the following strain:-" Fellow-citizens, ye behold how fat I am!”—looking down upon his sleek, capon-lined rotundity of abdomen; "yet fat as I am," continued he, 'my wife is still fatter; nevertheless, fat though we both be, we both sleep in one bed, and that merely because we agree; were we to differ, the whole house could not contain us!”

66

The

One of the most extravagant and unseemly entertainments introduced after dinner for the amusement of guests, was that practised at the court of a certain king of Thrace, and recorded by an old Greek writer. Greeks, it is true, had odd enough amusements after dining; such as the performances of quacks, and miraclemen, who swallowed and vomited fire, and danced on their heads upon the points of poniards and scimitars. But the Thracian amusement possesses more originality and extravagance. It was called The Game of Hanging. They attached a strong cord with a noose to the top of the chamber-ceiling. Into this noose one of the guests, alternately as his turn came, or by lot as his chance fell, thrust his head, supporting his feet at the same time on a large voluble stone, set for the purpose of his elevation; he held, at the same time, his drawn sword in his hand, ready for the terrible exigence. When his head was adjusted into the noose, another of the guests approached and kicked from under him the voluble stone, so that his body was left to swing suspended on the cord. If he had sufficient presence of mind, and steadiness of nerve, during this suspension, he cut the cord and saved himself; if he could not do so, he was allowed to swing on and agitate himself to death-the company all the while enjoying with laughter his convulsions and strainings to extricate himself.—Barbarous and unnatural as such an entertainment may be deemed in our modern conceptions, it is nevertheless in accordance with the manners of the barbarians who practised it; but how shall we apologize for that polished people, our so much-admired Romans, whose young noblemen, after their bacchanalian dinners, were at times wont to introduce a pair or two of gladiators, who fought in their presence till one of two of the parties fell gasping in blood at their feet, while bursts