1839.] THE NIGHTINGALE. 247 with olive; the under parts are of a pale ash colour, almost white at the throat and belly. It is about the size of a lark. In America, and other parts of the world, there are many birds which have the most splendid appearance, from the great variety of their rich and brilliant colours; but these, having no power of song, afford none of that delight which charms us in our own groves and fields. The nightingale seems to have been fixed upon, almost universally, as the most exquisite of singing birds: and this is not far from the truth. One reason, however, of this bird's being more attended to than others, is the circumstance of its singing in the night. It does sing in the day too, but we do not so much observe it then, as there are other songsters engaged at the same time; but at night, this beautiful warbler claims the whole of our attention, and has the concert nearly all to himself. The thrush, indeed, sings in the evening; and a very beautiful note he has, which at times, is not very unlike that of the nightingale. When we consider the size of singing birds, it is really amazing to what a distance their notes can be heard. It is supposed that the song of the nightingale may be heard above half a mile, if the evening be calm. Nightingales will imitate the notes of other birds: and, if a person sounds what is called a nightingale pipe, the bird will chaunt the same stiff notes. If a person whistles any particular note, the bird, it is said, will try the same. Nightingales are solitary birds, never associating in flocks like many of the smaller birds, but hiding themselves in the thickest parts of hedges and bushes, and from thence pouring out the sweet evening song. The nightingale usually leaves us about the middle of September, in order, as it is supposed, to retire to the distant regions of Asia. It returns about the beginning of April; and, about a month afterwards, begins to construct its nest. The females hatch twice, and sometimes even three times in a year.-See Bingley's Animal Biography. THE GARDENER'S SONG. Tune-"The Sicilian Mariners." SOFTLY blow the healing breezes, Nature now puts on her beauty, Following this my sweet employ : "Now I see the roses smiling, "Now the lily I behold, 'Lovely pinks my pains beguiling, "Man in Eden once did love Thee, "Man still seeks sweet Eden's bowers; "Show me there Thy boundless love." Northampton Herald. J. B. C. ANECDOTE FROM THE PARIS SOCIETY FOR REWARDING VIRTUOUS ACTIONS. In the year 1829 a lady brought a newly born infant to the wife of a cabriolet driver at Paris; and, paying 3 months in advance, gave the child into her care; the name of the cabriolet driver was Poyer; he was very poor and had 4 children. The lady did not make her appearance again for two years; but Poyer and his wife kept the child, and treated it like one of their own. At the end of two years the mother came, and claimed her child; but did not pay any more than the first 3 months. In a few weeks Poyer heard that the child had been again de serted; and put into the Foundling Hospital. He went to claim it, and found that it was ill, and was likely to lose its sight. He begged to have it again; but was told it could not be given to him, unless he paid 10 pounds to the establishment of the Foundling, which would be given to the child at the age of 21. This was a large sum to raise for so poor a man; but he did raise it, paid it on the day he took the child; and has brought it up ever since as his own. This fact well attested to be true came very lately to the knowledge of a gentleman at Paris, ten years after Poyer had the child; the poor man has received a reward of 120 pounds.--From a Correspondent. GIN DRINKING IN LONDON, AND LIABILITY OF PUBLICANS FOR ENCOURAGING EXCESS. In the course of an inquest held yesterday, Mr. Wakley said he had reason to believe that from 10,000 to 15,000 persons die in the metropolis annually from the effects of gin-drinking, on whom no inquests are held. "Since I have been coroner," said the hon. gentleman, "I have seen so many murders, and suicides, by poison, drowning, and hanging, and cutting the throat, in consequence of drinking ardent spirits, that I am confident the Legislature will, before long, be obliged to interfere with respect to the sale of liquors containing alcohol. The ginseller will be made as responsible as the chemist; and I think it is right that publicans should know, that, even now, they are, to a certain extent, responsible in the eye of the law. If a publican allows a man to stand at his bar, and serves him with several glasses of gin, and sees him drink it until he becomes intoxicated, and if the man should afterwards die, and a surgeon depose that his death was accelerated by the gin so drunk, then is the publican liable to be punished for having aided in bringing about that death.”—Morning Post. ORNAMENTAL SHRUBS. It is amusing and scarcely credible to see how very few ornamental shrubs and low trees were known to our ancestors. In the days of Queen Anne, and of George I. almost the only ornamental trees and shrubs were variegated hollies, and a few of the commoner kinds of roses. What our ancestors wanted in the variety, and we may add quality, of their shrubs, was however made up in the great quantity of each sort that was planted. High box, yew, or holly hedges, wildernesses of hornbeam, and bowers of roses, were the staple ornaments of their pleasure grounds, and a few lilacs and laburnums were introduced by those who wished it to be thought that they possessed a taste for botany. During the whole reign of Anne, according to Loudon's "Arboretum Britannicum," not above half a dozen flowering shrubs were introduced; and in the reign of George I. not above nine or ten more. About the middle of the century the American rhododendrons and kalmias began to be planted in English gardens; and from that period to the present time the taste for, and consequently the importation of, foreign trees: and shrubs have increased so rapidly, that between 1811 and 1830, about 700 new ornamental trees and shrubs were introduced into British pleasure-grounds.-Monthly Chronicle. THE CHARTISTS. WE are able to state, on the very best authority, that, at a recent meeting of the Wesleyan preachers of the Bath district, consisting of between 30 and 40 individuals, it was unanimously resolved that any member of the Methodist connexion, who should join himself with the Chartists, should be excluded from their body. This decision we cannot but regard as honourable to the parties, and in accordance with the sacred volume, and one which should be made known in every part of the kingdom.-Bath Post. GODFREY'S CORDIAL. Caution to Mothers.--An inquest was lately held at the sign of the Prince Regent, Walbrook-terrace, Shoreditch, on the remains of a child seven months old, who came by its death from having an overdose of medicine, called "Godfrey's Cordial," administered to it by its mother. It was proved to the satisfaction of the jury that the mother had no wish to do the deceased any injury 1839.] 1 SELECTIONS. 251 when she administered the medicine. Mr. Baker, a surgeon, gave it as his opinion that the deceased died from having narcotic medicine administered to it, and expressed his strong disapprobation of the practice of administering such medicine to children of such an age. The jury returned a verdict to the effect, that the deceased died in consequence of having narcotic medicine administered, casually and by misfortune, to it. SELECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT AUTHORS. A CHRISTIAN may glory that in Christ he has all things; that all the righteousness and merits of Christ are his own, by virtue of his spiritual union with Him: on the other hand, that all his sins are no longer his, but that Christ, through the same union, bears the burden of them; and this is the confidence of Christians; this is the refreshment of their consciences, that their sins cease to be theirs, judicially, because these are laid on Him, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. LUTHER. Certainly they never truly learnt Christ, who would draw over Christ's righteousness as a covering for their close wickednesses; that sever holiness from justice, and give no place to sanctification, in the evidence of their justifying; never man was justified without faith, and wheresoever faith is, there it purifieth and cleanseth. BISHOP HALL. If the eye be single; the whole body is full of light. If we have heavenly wisdom given to us, we shall first seek our own salvation, and be made wise unto salvation, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ: we shall then seek the salvation of others, and be wise to win souls. REV. E. BICkersteth. What is it to have our views spiritual when we are in our closets, unless we also retain and carry about with us the sense of invisible things, and the desire to please our unseen but present Saviour, looking up to Him for grace and strength?-O Lord, enable me thus to live; and may I practise self-examination more constantly, that I may watch myself in this important particular." MR. WILBERFORCE. |