"I had," says the author of a work just published, entitled 'Medicina Clerica, or Hints to the Clergy, for the heathful and comfortable discharge of their duties," a curious circumstance happen at my own house in the country. There was frequently a knocking on the knocker of the back door, and when a servant went to open it, no one was to be seen. I myself supposed that it was some boy or man knocking and running away, out of a joke, but it was said to have happened once when the maid servant was close to the door, and opened it immediately, before any one could have run out of the yard, and still there was no one to be seen. A baby, belonging to my farming man died, and this knocking was supposed to have betokened its death. It was in vain that I laughed and reasoned against it. At length, some time after, my servant boy was looking out at the window, and saw a tom cat jump up at the knocker, and on its sounding, run up on the wall. This shook the belief in the token of the tom cat."

To this anecdote of the feline class, I will add another that took place some years ago, in what was then the rural hamlet of Hoxton. A family that occupied a house enclosed in a garden, as many others were in that quarter, were all collected one evening for the purpose of retiring to rest as soon as convenient. With this view the inner door, as well as the outer gate, had been fastened; however, after some time, the latch of the latter being heard to move repeatedly, the younger branches became awfully silent. All eyes were instinctively turned towards the door, and all doubts as to the certainty of the motion of the latch were soon done away by ocular demonstration. The idea of robbers now forcibly struck the old people, and the good man, who was not devoid of courage, was for advancing to the door, but this the good woman would not consent to, unless he armed himself with the poker, whilst she prepared to second him with the tongs. However, as it was thought fit to give the foe some warning of their approach, it was agreed to call out-Who's there, and what do ye want? Who are ye? No answer being made, and the latch continuing to play, the next exclamation was, I'll shoot ye if you don't answer. The motion, however, continuing very gentle, after due consideration it was determined to open the door, when the surprize was partly done away by the appearance of the house cat, and the recollection of one of the children who had seen him in the day-time hanging by the latch, and opening the door by his own weight. But had the entrance of this cat been made in the dark, or unperceived by one of the family, this would probably have added

one more to the tales of signs and tokens that have scared the vulgar, and excited the smiles of the better informed.

THE TURF IN FRANCE.

THE THE horse-races in the Champ de Mars commenced on Saturday, September 22, and, according to the Paris papers, attracted a great number of spectators. In the fourth race, the jockey who rode Highflyer (or, as, the Paris journals call it, l'Hygflier) was thrown, but was fortunately not hurt. The horse continued running for about one hundred toises, without a rider, but at length got entangled in the ropes and fell. A heavy rain fell during the day, which much injured the course, and the races intended for the Monday were in consequence postponed. An English gentleman has transmitted a letter, giving the following description of these races: "Paris, Sept. 29. "We have had, during the last week, two days' racing at the Champ de Mars, but which offered very few attractions. The weather was rather unfavourable; there had been a considerable fall of rain, which swamped and rendered almost impassable the deep sandy soil, which, under the most favourable circumstances, is but a very indifferent ground to run on; for the race there must be not to the swiftest, but the strongest. None of the horses were remarkable either for beauty of form or speed of foot. The number of persons who attended was scanty, or at least appeared to spread over so large a space, and it was in vain

you looked amongst them for that exhilirating excitation and contagious sympathy in the sports of the day, which pervade and render so interesting an English race meeting The French appear to have either a total inaptitude or indifference for this species of amusement, or are yet but very inexperienced in the profound mysteries and delights of turf learning.* The scene was entirely shorn of its splendour and best attractions by the absence of all manner of equipages, as none are permitted to enter the Champ de Mars, but are obliged to set down their fair burthens, and take their stand on the barriers outside. This is against policy, good taste, and gallantry, and should be reformed, as it keeps away most of the higher classes of the fair sex, except those who can procure tickets for the standhouses; and no project public or private will succeed here, if it have not the women for supporters. A person who remarks that every third man you meet in the streets of Paris is booted and spurred, is not a little surprized to see so few horsemen on an occasion of this kind, when it is natural to suppose that if a man had a horse but with three legs he would take the field, a sufficient proof that this heel armour is more for ornament than use with French cavaliers.

"There certainly were not a hundred horsemen on the ground, and nearly one half of those were English or other strangers; yet still the French portion of the cavalry was the most amusing part of the exhibition-some of them being the most solemnly-ludicrous turn-outs the sun ever shone upon;

antideluvian-looking old gentle men, in pigeon-winged wigs, equipped and accoutred, both man and horse, in the most extraordinary and droll manner, stalking about like the very ghosts of Petruchio and his horse. The ancient cavalier stuck upon his Rosinante obdurately perpendicular and unbending, as if he had dropped from the clouds upon its back, his spindle legs wandering in the vacuum of an enormous pair of boots, in the empty space of which he might, like Hudibras, have stowed a week's provisions. His horse, 'hipped with an old mothy saddle, and faded cloth of ci-devant scarlet velvet; the stirrups of no kindred, unless in the rust which completely encrusted them-then the ancient serving-man that followed after, beggared all description-a monster, a very monster in apparel, and not like a Christian foot-boy or gentleman's laquey. I have seldom had a heartier laugh in my life than on seeing some of these most strange equestrian exhibitions."

THE Moniteur informs us, that the King's watchmaker has invented an instrument which precisely marks the time that not only the winning, but every other horse takes in running the course, even if there should be thirty of them, and the interval between each, if only a quarter of a second. The "Jury of the Races," in the arrondissements of Paris, have expressed their full approbation of the contrivance.

LIVING BY PROXY.

A Man, in this happy era, is really of no use whatever to himself. It is a principle, on which

every body, that is any body acts, that no one should do any thing for himself, if he can procure another to do it for him. Accordingly there is hardly the most simple performance in nature, for the more easy execution of which, an operator, or machine of some kind or other, is not employed or invented; and a man who has had the misfortune to lose, or chooses not to use any of his limbs, or senses, may meet with people ready to perform all their functions for him, from paring his nails to forming an opinion. No man cleans his own teeth who can afford to pay a dentist; and hundreds get their livelihood by shaving the chins and combing the hair of their neighbours-many, indeed, comb their neighbour's locks for nothing. The powers of man and the elements of nature even are set aside, the use of limbs and air having been both superseded by steam. In short, every thing is done by proxy-death not excepted, for are we not told that our soldiers and sailors die for us? Marriage, in certain ranks, is on this footing. A prince marries by proxy and sometimes lives for ever after, as if he thought all the obligations of wedlock were to be performed in a similar manner. nobleman, it is true, will here take the trouble to officiate in the first instance in person, but there are plenty of cases to shew, that nothing is further from his noble mind, than the idea of continuing his slavery, while others can be found to take the labour off his hands. So numerous are the royal roads to every desideratum, and so averse is every true gentleman from doing any thing for himself, that it is to be dreaded, lest it should grow impolite to chew one's

A

own victuals; in which case, we (speaking for ourselves) should, most assuredly, be starved; for though we may permit others to think and spend our money for us, we could not stomach an attempt to assist us in the masticating way. But, be it remembered, we only speak for ourselves as we are aware that there are great numbers who, not getting their share of Heaven's provision, may be said to have their food eat for them.

FATAL ACCIDENT IN HOGHUNTING.

With an Etching.

THIS design represents an un

fortunate accident which occurred some years since to a hunting party in Bengal. The sport of hog-hunting is pursued by riding after and killing the animal by spears thrown from the hand. The use of the gun for this purpose (among British officers) is considered little better than poaching. Two gentlemen were following a wild hog through a plain of long grass, when the horse of one of them suddenly rose in the stroke of the gallop to a high flying leap, and in the instant, a leopard, which had been concealed there, sprang up, and tore the thigh of the rider with his paw. The horse carried his master with increased speed, but the wound was attended by the dreadful symptom of locked-jaw, and the patient died in a few days.

away

PORTRAIT OF A PARISIAN COQUETTE.

(From a French Paper.) Went with a friend to the new Opera; we had scarcely taken our places in the front of the amphitheatre, when a beautiful ele

gante, accompanied by an elderly cavalier, who it was easy to perceive was her husband, took the second row (by the bye, English gentlemen would have yielded to the lady and her husband the front seat.) The lady was beautiful, her tourneure distinguished, her toilette elegant, and an air of languishing candour and enchanting amenity struck every spectator. The heat induced her to take off her hat, and we discovered the most superb comb of polished steel terminating in points of diamonds. By and by, a buckle of hair escaping from the comb, obliged her to take off a glove, and left us to admire a hand and arm of the most polished symmetry, and of the most healthful freshness, enriched with precious rings and bracelets. The arm was exposed to the shoulder. It no doubt cost her some pain to conceal for a time lier finely turned neck, but it was necessary that her rich Cachemire should produce its effect. At length, however, the Cachemire dropt, and discovered the finest shoulders in the world, and a bosom the most seductive. Either my companion or I could not avoid from time to time, in audible whispers, to praise short sleeves, naked shoulders, and ornamented necks ; compliments which did not escape the attention of the lady and her husband. The latter perhaps found the air, from the occasional opening of the door, a little too keen, and he said with great sweetness, "Ma bonne amie, I entreat you to draw on your shawl and your gloves." "I as

sure you," she said in return, " I do not feel the air from the door but yet I thank you for your attention, and I will instantly give you a proof of it, my love." And in less than a minute we could see nothing. Happily for me, a little