Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical.

For the Pentateuch and to the First Book of

For Chronicles, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Canti- book transmitted, they were to mark the

For the four Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and of houses for reviewing the whole trans

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THE CHEQUERS.

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played. From the colour of the chequers,
which was red, and their similarity to lat-
tice work, it was corruptly called a red
lattice, which word is frequently used by
ancient writers to signify an ale-house.
Falstaff tells Pistol, " yet you will en
sconce your red-lattice phrases under the
shelter of honour."
your

observant husbandman or mariner. A chants, or bankers, from Lombardy, who great obstacle to the progress of meteo- were the first that publicly lent money rological science is the absolute want of upon pledges. They dwelt together in a a survey of the weather of the whole street, from them named Lombard-street, globe. Could we even obtain, which it and which is still famous for money conwould be very difficult to do, a complete cerns. The appellation of Lombard was knowledge of the weather of all Europe, formerly considered as synonymous with still this is but about the sixtieth part of usurer all over Europe. the wole surface of the earth. How very possible it is that, while we complain of continued rain and deterioration Nor were the chequers, at this time a of the climate, other parts of the world common sign for a public house, less may be suffering from drought and heat! expressive; being the representation of How can the ant, whose excursions are a kind of draft board called tables, and confined to the few paces round her showing that the game might be played abode, form a judgment of what is pass. in the house where the figure was dising in the whole circumjacent country? It is a fault of the age, and a proof of the yet imperfect state of science that people fancy themselves capable of comprehending and explaining every phænomenon. Should they fail to hit upon the true cause, it matters not--they make one and owing to the universal thirst of novelty, the most absurd notions, the most fallacious positions advanced by the dabbler in science, who seeks to obtain a cheap reputation in newspapers and a person who has it in his power to inperiodical works, is caught up with jure another with impunity, by being avidity. At one time it is the lightning- clothed with power or possessed of propconductors, at another the spots on the erty. The allusion is to the ancient sun that occasion the unfavourable weath- practice of boar-hunting, in which the er; or we are told about a derangement favourite dogs were clothed with doubof the earth's axis, a gradual internal lets of thick buff leather buttoned on the refrigeration of the globe, or the influen- back, and so framed altogether as to proces of comets; and thus the credulous tect the animals from the tusks of their public is treated with the grossest ab- formidable enemy; while those that were not so defended stood the chance surdities, mingled with the most impudent falsehoods, which serve only to conof having their entraiis torn out by every fuse, instead of instructing. Censurable stroke. Some of our best pictures of as this may be, we must equally confield sports, painted by Rubens and othdemn on the other hand that avidity ers, represent part of the pack in this with which such stuff is swallowed, and attire. which induces those empirics in science to play such scurvy tricks with the public.-Panor.

From the New Monthly Magazine.
THE THREE BLUE BALLS.

The three blue balls affixed to the doors and windows of pawn-brokers, by the vulgar humorously enough said to indicate that it is two to one the things pledged there will never be redeemed, were in reality the arms of a set of mer

THOU ART A DOG IN A DOUBLET.

This phrase is commonly applied to

BY HOOK OR BY CROOK.

It has been erroneously stated, that this saying began in the reign of Charles the First, when two learned judges presided in the courts, whose profound knowledge of the law and consummate integrity, were such as to make it a proverbial observation concerning any difficult cause, that it must be gained by Hooke or by Crooke. The truth, however, is, that the proverb was in common use as far back as the time of Hen~

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Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical.

[420

ry the Eighth, for the hook is the peas- strong light, present, in general, a vertiant's instrument to cut down any thing cal pupil, as is observed in cats, owls, within his immediate reach, but when and toads. M. de Jonnes has observed that is too elevated, he must have re- the same disposition in the iris of the course to his crook, with which the lofty Trigonocephale, which he describes ; but, bough may be brought to his grasp. Thus craft allures, what force cannot conquer.

FOXES TURNED HUNTERS.

little conversant with anatomical terms, he ascribes to a winking eye-lid this peculiar disposition of the pupil; but we perceive by the details, that the author knows that all true serpents are deprived of eye-lids-a characteristic which particularly distinguishes this class from that of the Sauriens. These serpents, whose agility is very remarkable, have a manner of darting, which M. Jonnes carefully describes; they roll the body in four circles, one upon another, whose

The island of Sprogue, in the middle of the Great Belt, which is inhabited by only a single family, and in tempestuous weather is frequently for several days together the retreat of numerous travellers, has been since the last autumn over-run by a particular kind of spotted water-rats, which destroy all vegetation, circumvolutions incline all at once at the but never venture into the house, being natural enemies of the common houserats. In order to exterminate them it is intended to convey fifty foxes and as many cats to the island. In many parts of Fühnen similar complaints are made of the increase of the martins.—Pan.

WEST-INDIA SERPENTS.

will of the animal, which throws the whole mass forward five or six feet. Another fact, pointed out by M. Jonnes, is, that the Trigonocephale can, in the manner of the crested serpents, raise itself vertically on its tail, and thus attain the height of a man; he was on two occasions witness of this action, and he traces the details. He assures us also, Report in a memoir of M. MAREAU that, by means of large scales, laid over DE JONNES, intitled "Monographie du each other, with which the belly is covTrigonocéphale des Antilles on Grande ered, this serpent, like the adder, can Vipere fer de Lance de la Martinique." climb trees, and creep along the branch-The serpent, whose habits and nature es, in order to reach the bird's nests, M. Jonnes has observed with so much whose young he devours, and in which courage, and described with so much he has often been found coiled up. M. care, is a large viper, whose bite is of de Jonnes describes the symptoms which the most dangerous kind. M. de Jonnes generally precede the death of individuannounces, that he has been able to ex- als bitten by this serpent; he points out amine several hundreds of this species, the various remedies used by the negroes; of which some were nearly eight feet but he remarks, in terminating his Melong. He assures us, that these ser- moir, that the most efficacious means are pents are solely confined to the islands those employed in Europe to oppose the of Martinique, St. Lucie, and Becouia; development of the hydrophobia, viz. he believes they have never been seen on the actual cautery, or the excision of the the Continent of America. Several authors 'part bitten as soon as possible.-Mon. M. had observed the two orifices of the nostrils; and Tyson, so far back as 1683, had described them with care. But lately, one of these orifices, that nearest the In the time of the crusades, the naeye, had been regarded as an exterior tional standard of England was a White auricular organ, analogous to that of Cross, and that of the French the “Orisome Sauriens, as the ophesaure. M. de flame," a Red Cross; this was lost at Jonnes confirms, by his observations, the battle of Agincourt; and the Engthe most exact idea given of them by lish sovereigns, afterwards, pretending a Tyson. It is known that the species right to the kingdom of France, assumed of vertebral animals, which see better by the Red Cross of France. Charles VII. night than by day, or that cannot bear a then dauphin, being made acquainted

THE "RED CROSS" OF ENGLAND.

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Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical.

bis nation to a White Cross; and, the more distinctly to mark that, he willed, that, hereafter, to be considered as the national colour; he himself used an ensign entirely white, which he called a cornette, and gave it as an ensign to the first company of gendarmerie that he raised, and it has ever since borne the Dame of la Cornette blanche.—Ib.

[422

with this fact, changed the ensigns of water every hour, these valuable roots will recover their salubrious qualities and flavour.-While in the cold water, they must stand where a sufficiency of artificial heat may prevent freezing. If much frozen before laid in cold water, to each peck of Potatoes take a quarter of an ounce of saltpetre, dissolved in water, which is to be mixed with the water which boils the Potatoes. If the Potatoes are so frozen as to be quite unfit for nourishment to men or animals, they will make starch, and yield more flour than if unfermented by the icy power.-That flour, with an equal quantity of wheat flour, some butter, sugar, a little barm, and a few currants, makes excellent tea bread. If formed into small cakes, and put into a slow Z. oven, will keep a month.

PINDAR.

Pindar has been over-praised; he may dazzle by compound epithets, but he is not a maker of good odes. His poems want cohesion, wholeness, drift. He shoots his arrows, indeed,

From the Monthly Magazine.

CIRCUMSTANCES relative to two ELE-
PHANTS, brought a few years since

to PARIS.

High as a human arm may bope To burl the glittering shaft of praise, but never at the mark: the bow has force, but the archer wants skill. Το pretend to aim at a given object, and always to urge the dart in a different direction, exhibits a cross-eyed effort, which criticism should blush to admire. Probably Pindar began his career as The morning after their arrival these a hymn-writer; and, having composed animals were put in possession of their and gotten by heart certain choral songs, new habitation. The first conducted to adapted for the usual solemnities of the it was the male, who issued from his more popular temples, he and his choir cage with precaution, and seemed to were also invited to sing at the tri- enter his apartment with a degree of umphal festivals of the wrestlers. The suspicion. His first care was to reconvictor might choose the hymn of his fa- noitre the place. He examined each vourite god, and bespeak according to bar with his trunk, and tried their solidity his liking any one of Pindar's stock- by shaking them. Care had been taken songs; but there was no time to alter to place on the outside the large screws the words, the tune, or the dance. The by which they are held together. These ode must be performed without delay, he sought out, and having found them, and could at most be new-capped with tried to turn them, but was not able. an introductory line or two about the When he arrived at the portcullis, which patron of the feast. Chance preserves separates the two apartments, he observed to us no matter which of these versatile that it was fixed only by an iron bar, rhythmical superscriptions. Many cho- which rose in a perpendicular direction. russes of the Greek plays could easily He raised it with his trunk, pushed up be accommodated to a boxer's dinner; the door, and entered into the second and this was no doubt the usual resource apartment, where he received his breakof the orchestra, which was hired for the fast. He ate it quietly, and appeared to occasion.—Ibid. be perfectly easy.

To the Editor of the Panorama.

During this time people were endeavouring to make the female enter. We SIR,-As large quantities of Potatoes still recollect the matual attachment of are frequently frosted, it may prevent ig- these two animals, and with what diffinorance from throwing them away, if you culty they were parted, and induced to will remind your readers, that, if soaked travel separately. From the time of their three hours in cold water, before they departure they had not seen each other; are to be prepared as food, changing the not even at Cambray, where they passed

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Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical.

[424

the winter. They had only been sensi- is too much (replied the father,) it would ble that they were near neighbours. The not cost me more to buy a slave." "You male never lay down, but always stood are right, sir; and by that means you upright, or leaned against the bars of his will have two slaves for your moneycage, and kept watch for his female, who your son, and the one you purchase.' lay down and slept every night. On the least noise, or the smallest alarm, he sent forth a cry to give notice to his companion.

The joy which they experienced on seeing each other after so long a separation may be readily imagined.

A parent is extremely fortunate when he finds a preceptor, at once the friend of virtue and the Muses, willing to undertake the charge of a child's education, and feeling all the sentiments of a tender father; nothing is more rare than a master of this description. There are, When the female entered, she sent undoubtedly, persons in the world who forth a cry expressive only of the plea- would be excellent preceptors; but, besure which she felt on finding herself at ing sensible men, and knowing the value liberty. She did not at first observe the of liberty, they cannot bring themselves male, who was busy feeding in the se- to sacrifice it without a consideration cond apartment. The latter also did not sufficient to tempt them, viz. a little forimmediately discover that his companion tune and much respect. Generally they was so near him; but, the keeper having neither find the one nor the other; their called him, he turned round, and imme- profession is held in contempt; but, we diately the two animals rushed towards may ask, is that contempt well founded? each other, and sent forth cries of joy so What! because infancy is a state of animated and loud that they shook the weakness, ought the care of developing whole hall. They breathed also through and perfecting its powers be regarded as their trunks with such violence that the a low and disgraceful employment? Let blast resembled an impetuous gust of wind. us throw the mantle of ridicule over the The joy of the female was the most live- profession of a schoolmaster as we may, ly she expressed it by quickly flapping it is not the less certain, that the greater her ears, which she made to move with part of governments would not stand in astonishing velocity, and drew her trunk need of so many laws to reform mankind, over the body of the male with the utmost if they had taken the precaution of formtenderness. She, in particular, applied ing the manners of children in paying it to his ear, where she kept it a long more attention to their education." time, and, after having drawn it over the whole body of the male, would often move it affectionately towards her own mouth. The male did the same thing over the body of the female, but his joy was more concentrated. He seemed to express it by his tears, which fell from his eyes in abundance.

EDUCATION.

LEVIATHAN.

Job is considered as a most ancient book, and to have been written in Hebrew even before the time of Moses, as the religious knowledge of himself (Job) and his friends was in general such as might have been derived from the early patriarchs. Some writers are of opinion The Romans usually selected from that Moses himself was the author; and amongst their slaves the preceptor of others, among whom is a learned and their children. For a long time great distinguished divine,* that he was not attention was paid to education; but the writer of Job, as there is a material neglect follows close on the heels of difference in its style, and that of the luxury. Their studies were neglected Pentateuch: however, this is not of any or debased, because they did not lead to consequence with respect to the point in the first offices in the state. They va- question; for what we wish to shew, is, lued a tutor at a less price than a slave; that Leviathan is the same as the crocothe beautiful expression of a philosopher dile. The book of Job is well known on this point deserves to be recorded. to be dramatic, and abounds in sublime He demanded one thousand drachms images. A writer of our own says, for the instruction of a young man. "It * Tomline, Bishop of Lincoln.