erous in her presents, and the stream of bar- and at last took £40! On another occasion baric offerings in the shape of lions, tigers, an American offered the Society a grizzly leopards, &c., which is continually flowing bear for £2000, to be delivered in the United from tropical princes to the fair Chief of the States; and, more laughable still, a morination, is poured into these Gardens. Her bund walrus, which had been fed for nine Majesty evidently pays no heed to the super-weeks on salt pork and meal, was offered for stition once common among the people, that the trifling sum of £700! a dynasty was only safe as long as the lions We could go on multiplying ad nauseam flourished in the royal fortress. In fact, the instances of this kind, but must conclude the Gardens are a convenience to our gracious catalogue of absurdities by stating that there Monarch as well as to her subjects; for wild is a firm belief on the part of many persons animals are awkward things to have in one's that it is the Zoological Society which has back premises. Neither must we overlook proposed the large reward, which every one the reproduction which has taken place in has heard of, for the tortoise-shell Tom. the Gardens; to such an extent, indeed, has The only one ever known" has been offered the stock increased, that sales to a large accordingly at the exceedingly low figure of amount are annually made. The system of £250. On one occasion a communication exchanges which exists between the various was received from some person of consideraBritish and Continental Societies helps to tion in Thuringia, requesting to be informed supply the Garden with deficient specimens of the amount of the proffered prize which in place of duplicates. Very rare, and con- he was about to claim. This was shortly sequently expensive, animals are generally followed by a letter from another person, purchased. Thus, the first rhinoceros cost evidently written in a fury, cautioning the £1000; the four giraffes, £700, and their Society against giving the prize to the precarriage an additional £700. The elephant vious writer, as he was not the breeder of and calf were bought in 1851 for £800; and the cat, but was only trying to buy it for the hippopotamus, although a gift, was not less than its value, "in which he would brought home and housed at less than £1000 never succeed as long as the true breeder a sum which he more than realized in the lived." To prevent further applications on famous Exhibition season, when the receipts the behalf of growers of this unique animal, were £10,000 above the previous year. The we may as well state that tortoise-shell Toms lion Albert was purchased for £140; a tiger may be had in many quarters. There is in 1852 for £200. The value of some of the one for sale at the present moment at Dudsmaller birds will appear, however, more ley for a very moderate price, if any of our startling thus, the pair of black-necked maiden lady readers should wish to possess swans were purchased for £80 (they are now an animal which "everybody says" is so to be seen in the three-island pond); a pair exceedingly rare. of crowned pigeons and two maleos, £60; We have said that the value of animals a pair of Victoria pigeons, £35; four man- depends upon the state of the wild-beast darin ducks, £70. Most of these rare birds market. "Wild-beast market!" exclaims (now in the great aviary) came from the the reader; "and where can that be?" Knowsley collection, at the sale of which, in Every one knows that London can furnish 1851, purchases were made to the extent of anything for money, and, if any lady or £985. It would be impossible from these gentleman wants lions or tigers, there are prices, however, to judge of the present value dealers in Ratcliffe Highway and the adjaof the animals. Take the rhinoceros, for cent parts who have them on the premises, example: the first specimen cost £1000, the and will sell them at five minutes' notice. second, quite as fine a brute, only £350. They "talk as familiarly of lions as ladies Lions range again from £40 to £180, and do of puppy dogs;" and a gentleman, who tigers from £40 to £500. The price is gen- purchased a bear of one of them, lately inerally ruled by the state of the wild-beast formed us that the salesman coolly proposed market and by the intrinsic rarity of the that he should take him home with him in a creature. A first appearance in Europe of cab! We once had occasion to visit the course is likely to draw, and is therefore at establishment of one of these dealers, and the top price; but it is wonderful how de- were shown up a ladder into a cockloft, mand produces supply. Let any rare animal where, hearing a bumping, and perceiving bring a crowd to the Gardens, and in a a lifting motion in a trapdoor, we inquired twelvemonth numbers of his brethren will the reason, which called forth the dry rebe generally in the market. The ignorance mark that it was only three lions at play in displayed by some persons as to the value of a box below. Although these men generally well-known objects is something marvellous. *The proprietor wished to show him, we are informed, We have already spoken of the sea-captain at the Birmingham cattle-show, as extra stock, but was who demanded £600 for a pair of pythons, not permitted to do so by the rules, to his great chagrin.

10d. (for the bears and wolves and dogs chiefly); fish (for the otters, seal, pelicans, &c.), £214 8s. 8d.; green tares, £23 16s. 8d.; rabbits and pigeons (for the snakes), £33 13s. 2d.; rice and oil-cake, £66 15s.; sundries, including fruit, vegetables, grasshoppers, snakes, mealworms, figs, sugar, &e. (for the birds principally), £157 Is. 11d. : making a total of £3942 8s. 3d.; a great increase on the food bill of 1853, and which is caused entirely by the advance of prices.

manage to secure their live stock in a satisfactory manner, yet accidents will occur in the best-regulated lion-stores. A wild-beast merchant, for instance, informed us that one night he was awakened by his wife, who drew his attention to a noise in the backyard, where he had placed two lions on the previous evening. On putting his head out of the window-his room Was on the ground-floor there were the lions, loose, and, with their paws on the window-sill, looking grimly in upon him. A good whip The pitch of excellence to which the and a determined air consigned Leo to his Gardens have arrived has naturally resulted cage again without further trouble. On in drawing the increased attention of the another occasion this same man, hearing a public towards them. We have only to noise in his back premises, found to his contrast, for instance, the number of people horror that an elephant, with his pick-lock who entered in the year 1848- the first in trunk, had let out a hyena and a nylghau which a more liberal system of management from their cages, and was busy undoing the came into play with those who passed in fastenings of a denfull of lions! The same in 1854, to see that the establishment resolute spirit, however, soon restored order. flourishes under the auspices of the new Amateurs have not always the same courage secretary; for while in the former year only or self-possession, and they immediately have 142,456 persons passed through the turnrecourse to the Garden folks to get them stiles, the number had risen in the latter to out of their difficulties, as a housekeeper 407,676. It is interesting to observe that, would send to the station-house on finding a although an increase of full 100 per cent. burglar secreted in his cellar. On one occa- took place upon the privileged and ordinary sion a gentleman, who had offered a rattle- shilling visitors during that interval, yet snake and its young to the Gardens at a that the reduction of the admittance-charge high price, sent suddenly to the superintend- to sixpence on Mondays and holidays was ent to implore immediate assistance, as the the main cause of the gradual influx of said snake, with half a score venomous visitors the year 1848 showing only offspring, had escaped from their box and scattered themselves in his nursery. The possessor, to avoid worse losses, was only too glad to be rid of his guests at any pecuniary sacrifice.

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60,566 admittances of these holiday folks and working-people to 196,278 in 1854. Here, then, we have an increase of 135,712 persons, many of whom were, no doubt, rescued, on those days at least, from the fascinations of the public-house. With all this flood of life, the greater portion of it undoubtedly belonging to the laboringclasses, not the slightest injury has been done to the Gardens. A flower or two may have been picked, but not by that class of Englishmen who were once thought too brutal to be allowed access unwatched to any public exhibition. Every year that passes over our heads proves that such shows as these are splendid examples of the method of teaching introduced by Bell and Lancaster; that they furnish instruction of a nature which is never forgotten, and which

We cannot close our survey without touching upon the cost of the commissariat. The slaughtered beasts appropriated to the carnivora, we have before stated, cost in the year 1854 no less a sum than £1367 19s. 5d. If we go through the other items of food, we shall give some notion of the expense and the variety of the banquet to which the animals daily sat down during that year. Thus we see hay figures for £912 14s.; corn, seeds, &c., £700 Ss. 8d.; bread, buns, &c. (for the monkeys), £150 16s. 8d.; eggs, £87 4s. 1d. (for the ant-eater principally); milk, £69 6s. 2d.; mangold-wurzel, carrots, and turnips, £22 6s.; dog-biscuit, £135 19s. | refines at the same time that it delights.

ACCIDENTAL POISONING.

The lamentable | dinner they began to complain of illness. Mr. sacrifice of three lives by poison at Dingwall is Macdonald left the house for a walk: this exernow explained. The man-servant had been sent tion, and a robust constitution, appear to have into the garden to pull some horse-radish; by saved him. The two Roman Catholic clergymistake he got roots of monkshood — aconitum men, Mr. Mackenzie and Mr. Gordon, and Mr. napellus, an acrid and deadly poison. Of these Mackenzie of Findon, soon sank under the effects roots, grated, the cook appears to have made of the poison. Mr. M'Iver was kept walking sauce for roast beef; the party of gentlemen at about the house, and his life also was saved. Provost M'Iver's house partook of this. After - Spectator.

From Household Words. A KING WHO COULD DO WRONG.

his most noble progenitors, council, and proceedings, and stirring up of sedition and conIr had been too much the custom to look tempt in the hearts of his subjects against his majesty, which letters ye laid down in the on James the First as a mere buffoon. Sir kirk of Edinburgh, to the effect the same Walter Scott, with the chivalrous feeling of might have fallen in the hands of the people; a cavalier, came to his rescue, and elevated thereby to bring his majesty in contempt, and him to the dignity of a pedant. He endowed stir up his people to sedition and disobedience, him with good humor, wit, and the easy expressly against the laws against lesing makfamiliarity which makes monarchs and great ers, and authors of seditions and infamous men so popular. Then came other inquirers, deny, like as ye have confest the same by speeches and writings. Which ye cannot and rummaged amidst the records of contem- two several depositions subscribed with your porary sycophancy, and found sermons declar-hand." ing him to be a British Solomon, and dedications of learned books pronouncing him to be

very

All the researches of the careful compiler

From some vague

the best of scholars, and most elegant of of these trials have failed in getting a copy writers. He was evidently on the rise. Had of the "pasquils" in which Francis Tennant we been mistaken all this time? and was he had signalized his wit. indeed the wise and just and accomplished entries in one of the registers, he believes prince, whom court chaplains could only they must have contained some severe innuparallel in the line of Hebrew kings? endos on the birth of the king, calling him His leafy honors were blushing thick about him, the son of Signor Davie, by which name Rizzio was commonly known. But whatever till one day comes a frost, a biting frost. A certain laborious lawyer, by name Mr. Pit- the satire might have been, the publication cairn, ransacks all the legal proceedings of can have done no great harm, as it consisted his reign, gives transcripts of trials, the in dropping two letters on the church floor, words of the accusations, and the sentences which seem to have been immediately picked of the jury; and the man stands confest the up before they fell into the hands of the most bloodthirsty, greedy, and contemptible people. Francis Tennant made confession o. of all recorded kings. How a monster of authorship, and put himself, as it was called, such cruelty could be laughed at, however in the king's will—that is, threw himself on absurd his manner and appearance; how a the royal clemency, after pleading that the mountebank so grotesque could be feared, crime occurred three years before, and that however vindictive and tyrannical, is one of he had not been served with a copy of the the problems which carry us back to the times accusation. He also alluded to a noble senof Nero, when senate and people applauded tence in the Roman law, which it is a pleasure his wretched performances on the flute, and to quote. trembled at the slightest movement of his hand. It was again possible to fear and to despise at the same time.

We will cull a few examples of the mingled meanness and ferocity which produced these incongruous results.

On the 10th of October, in the year 1600, a merchant burgess of Edinburgh was put on his trial by the king's express command. His crime had been so great that monarchy itself was endangered by it; and the great heart of the Scottish ruler was agitated with the fate of kings.

In the chapter, Si quis Imperatori Male"If the evil dixerit, the decision is this, speaking proceeded from levity, it is to be despised; if from madness, it is to be pitied ; if from a sense of wrong, it is to be forgiven.' But whether in this case it proceeded from levity, or madness, or a sense of wrong, the king was determined on his revenge. wrote a warrant to the court to pronounce doom on Francis Tennant. Read the bitter words and remember the offence:

He

"Justice, Justice-clerk, and your Deputes We greet you well. It is our will, and we Francis Tennant was arraigned in the fol- command you, that upon the sight hereof ye

lowing words:

"Ye are indited and accused for the false, malicious, undutiful writing and dispersing of slanderous, calumnious, and reproachful letters, to the dishonor of the king's majesty, DCXVIII. LIVING AGE. VOL. XII. 50

pronounce the doom following upon Francis Tennant, burgess of Edinburgh, after his conviction of the forging and casting down of seditious pasquils-that is to say, That he shall be taken to the market-cross of Edinburgh, and his tongue cut out at the root;

and that there shall be a paper fixed upon | had not been prevented and that was his brow bearing that he is convicted for enough. forging and giving out of certain vile and seditious pasquils, detracting us and our most noble progenitors; and thereafter that he be taken to the gallows and hanged till he be dead, as ye will answer to us upon your offices and obedience. Whereanent these presents shall be your warrant."

Archibald Cornwall was one of the town officers of Edinburgh. His duties seem to have resembled those of a bailiff at the present time. Some unfortunate tenant had fallen into arrears for rent, and the relentless hand of the law had seized this man's goodschairs, benches, tables, bed, and, unfortu This was dated the 23d of September. In nately for poor Cornwall (who was perhaps no three or four days, calmer and softer thoughts great judge of the fine arts) a "portraitour" came into the king's mind. He reflected, of the king. Let us hope it was hideously probably, on the length of time which had like, and did justice to the truculent insignioccurred since the pasquinade was written, or ficance of expression of the great original. the sufferings of the poor author during his While the worthy official was preparing to long imprisonment; and generous, noble dispose of the goods by auction at the market James! he writes on the 27th to his sub-cross, it struck him that if this splendid speciservient judges that they are to omit the men of painting could be seen by the crowd tongue-cutting, and merely hang the culprit assembled, he might have a chance of getting -escheating his goods to the crown." Ay, a few extra shillings when its turn came to here is the moving power in all the interferences of this exemplary sovereign with the course of justice. Mr. Pitcairn, who defends the king's character wherever he can, gives him up here. Independently of his wounded kingly dignity," he says, "the wealthy burgess' escheat had proved too great a bait to James' cupidity to admit of his passing scot-free."

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be sold. He therefore got a hammer and a nail, and was in the act of going towards a certain tall, dark, dismal-looking beam which stood close to the rostrum he occupied, for the purpose of hanging the representation of majesty high enough to be viewed by all. What was this tall upright beam, with the projecting arm and the remains of a piece of cord dangling from it in the air? Some What the arena, with the excitement of friends stopped the auctioneer from making its gladiatorial combats, was to the Roman use of the fatal tree. The hammer was put emperors, the courts of law were to the son back in its place the nail left innocuous in of Signor Davie. He seems to have watched the wood. What is James to be disapthem with the keen interest with which Cali-pointed of his vengeance? Is he to have no gula may have observed the struggles of a blood? Listen to the "dittay," or accusaChristian martyr in the grasp of a tiger. He tion: was perpetually in a fidget till he got his victim condemned. His judges were removable at pleasure, and not displeased with the taste of blood. So king and lawyer were mutually pleased.

One day it was the 23d of April, 1601 - there was excellent sport provided for the Lord's anointed, as he called himself, and the dispensers of justice in the Parliament House. The blood of Francis Tennant was still dripping from his hands, when his wrath was roused by a much greater enormity than the mere publication of a pasquil; an enormity so great, that nothing but the doer's death could expiate the offence. The offence, to be sure, . was unpremeditated. It was not even carried into execution; but the man had shewed an intention of committing the crime he would have completed the dreadful act if he

of the town officers of Edinburgh, being en"The which day Archibald Cornwall, onc tered on pannel, dilated, accused, and pursued for the treasonable and ignominous dishonoring and defaming, so far as in him lay, of our sovereign lord, the King's majesty, by taking of his Highness' portraiture to the public market-place of this burgh, and there shamefully and vilely setting the same to the stoops and upbearers of the gibbet; and in more, and manifest, and treasonable contempt and disdain of his majesty, he stood ur upon a board or form beside the said gibbet, and drove a nail therein, so high as he could reach it, and lifted up his Highness' portrai aforesaid, and held the same upon the gibbet, pressing (intending) to have hung the same thereon, and to have left it there as an ignominious spectacle to the whole world, if he had not been staid by the indignation of the whole people, menacing to stone him to

death, and pulling him perforce from the said gibbet, to stay his treasonable fact as aforesaid."

sulted the foreigner wherever he appeared. They hooted him on account of his dress, and of course despised him because he spoke The jury found the unfortunate man with a foreign accent, and perhaps because "guilty of setting his Majesty's portrait to he occasionally washed his hands. At all the tram or beam of the gibbet, and present- events, they made the man's visit very disaing of the same to be hung high upon a nail greeable. He revenged himself by the publiinfixed in the said gibbet.' And then comes cation of a pamphlet called a Legend of Rethe sentence which sent James rejoicing proaches; and, in it, expressed some very free home: "For the which cause the said Justice opinions as to the politeness, the kindness, Depute, by the dempster of the said court, the civilization of the Scottish nation. The decerned and ordained the said Archibald king read the book; and from that hour, Cornwall to forfeit life, lands, and goods, the fate of Stercovius was sealed. He had (Oho! he was a wealthy man, this bailiff!) and to be taken to the said gibbet, whereupon he intended to hang his Majesty's portrait, and thereon to be hanged till he be dead, and to hang thereupon by the space of twenty-four hours with a paper on his forehead containing that vile crime committed by him."

left the country; he was quietly living at home. But he had a king for his enemy, and nothing could save him. An ambassador was sent over to demand his life: money was lavished to bribe compliance: the claimant was King of England. The culprit's native state was anxious to stand well with the successor of Elizabeth; and Stercovius The careful editor of these curious trials was arrested and hanged! The persecution informs us, that James took a deep and active of this poor man cost his Majesty upwards of part in the death of this poor man; and that six hundred pounds—a great sum in those on all occasions the slightest infraction on days - but revenge was sweet; and, if it his personal dignity was never forgiven. could be had for nothing, sweeter still. So Nay, we find as he advanced in years he ex- he applied to the Scotch burghs for the retended his guardianship of his individual payment of the coin expended in vindicating honor to that of his native land. Touch a the Scottish honor. We looked carefully for Scotchman, you had the king for your enemy; the result of this application, and we turned and at that time, when all the scum and out-over with some misgivings. We read, and pouring of the north forced its way into every rejoiced greatly that the applicant was foiled. cranny and corner of England, his majesty The burghs declared it a national question behad quite enough to do to restrain the re-yond their jurisdiction, and Stercovius' ghost proaches and sneers and animosities of his may perhaps have been soothed by the new and less obedient subjects. It was with agonies of grief with which the murderer difficulty the Scotch of all ranks and degrees parted with the "siller.” But what? could be protected from personal violence. foreigners are thus punished for aspersing the They were mobbed in theatres, and lampooned countrymen of the king, shall one of the Scots in prose and verse. But woe to the lam- themselves turn traitor to the cause of Scotpooner if he were discovered. There was a tish honor, and revile his auld respected mothbloated jester in Whitehall, with a broad er, and live? No, no. Call Thomas Ross Scotch brogue, with the vanity of a woman into court. and the malevolence of a coward, who resented Mr. Thomas Ross has been a minister in any depreciatory allusions to his ancient king- the Scotch kirk, but has gone to study at dom as insults to himself and attacks on his Oxford preparatory to being episcopally orsovereign power. There appeared one day in dained: a flighty, light-headed man, who has the streets of Edinburgh a Polish gentleman been sometimes in custody of his friends as of the name of Stercoff (Latinized into Ster- not quite in his right mind. They should covius). He travelled in his national garb, have kept him from pen, ink, and paper; for as he had probably done in all the other en- one day in his new-found zeal for the Englightened capitals of Europe; but the Scot-lish form of Church government, and pertish people, with an instinctive persuasion suaded, with the absurd vanity common to that nobody could visit their cold and inhos- the half-witted, that his talents would amply pitable land without some sinister object, in- redeem any little wrong his enmity might do

If