nals are written in twelve dialects. The number of elementary schools is 1,411, attended by about 70,000 pupils; so that, compared with the number of children of an age fit to receive instruction in Russia, there is but one in 367 receiving even superficial instruction. There are seven universities, where 3,100 pupils are educated, under the superintendence of 300 professors. The seminaries are the most frequented of the establishments for education in Russia; the four academies of theology at Kiew, St. Petersburgh, Moscow, and Korsan; the 37 seminaries of the first class, and the 18 of the second, belonging to the Greek Church, contain 26,000 pupils, under the superintendence of 427 professors. The Roman Catholic Church possesses 14 seminaries; one of the first class, where are educated 250 young men for the priesthood.We are to remember that this literary provision is for the wants of a territory nearly equal to a third of the Old World. A CURE FOR THE TOOTh-Ache.— Among the many strange fancies held of old with regard to trees, was the following:-That five ivy berries beaten small, and made hot with some rosewater, in the rind of a pomegranate, being dropt into the ear, on the contrary side, will cure an aching tooth. EXECUTIONERS EXECRATED BY THE ANCIENTS. It was a custom among the Jews, imitated by the first Christians, that it should not be lawful for executioners to offer any thing, or for any alms to be received from them. This was also the case with money that came out of the publicans' or quastors' exchequer. No money obtained by the blood or life of another was fit to be received or put into the treasury. The field that was bought with it was called the field of blood. J.C. WEALTH.-A little wealth will suffice us to live well, and less, to die happily. J.C. PERFORMING OF PROMISES-A man's word, and the effect of it, ought to be as inseparable as fire and heat; the ancients represented this to us most forcibly, when they pictured a tongue bound fast to a heart. R.J. to London. The remains of the Abbey, with its ancient walls and grounds, are now in the possession of a Mr. Warner, and the grounds are occupied as a nursery and market-garden. SUPERSTITIONS RELATING TO THE ASH TREE.-Lightfoot says, that in the Highlands of Scotland, at the birth of an infant, the nurse takes a green stick of ash, one end of which she puts into the fire, and, while it is burning, receives in a spoon the sap that oozes from the other, which she administers to the child as its first food.-Near Kennety Church, in the King's County, is an ash, the trunk of which is twentyone feet ten inches round, and seventeen feet high before the branches break out, which are of enormous bulk. When a funeral of the lower class passes by, they lay the body down a few minutes, say a prayer, and then throw a stone to increase the heap which has been accumulating round the roots.-There is an ancient saying, that a serpent will rather creep into the fire than over a twig of the ash-tree. "This is an old imposture of Pliny's," says Evelyn," who either took it upon trust, or we mistake the tree."-Cowley, enumerating various prodigies, says:― On the wild ash's tops the bats and owls, J.C. GENTLE HINTS TO MASTERS.-If thou wouldst have a good servant, (says an old moralist), let thy servant find a wise master: let his food, rest and wages be seasonable; let his labour, recreations, and attendance depend upon thy pleasure; be not angry with him too long, lest he think thee malicious-nor too soon, lest he conceive thee rash-nor too often, lest he count thee humorous. Be not too fierce, lest he love thee not; nor too remiss, lest he fear thee not; nor too familiar, lest he prize thee not. In brief, whilst thou givest him the liberty of a servant, beware thou losest not the majesty of a master. Customs of Warious Countries. TIVES ON THE GOLD COAST OF AFRICA. BY MAJOR RICKETTS. LEICESTER ABBEY-Leicester Abbey RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS, &C. OF THE NAwas formerly of great local interest: it was founded in 1143, by Robert, surnamed Bossu, who was buried there; and it acquires considerable interest from having been the scene of the death of Cardinal Wolsey, who expired there Nov. 29, 1530, on his journey from York In every town of consequence, pynins (a kind of magistrate) are chosen by the inhabitants-generally from among the elder males-for the purpose of hearing and determining upon all complaints. The pynins are also the council of the caboceer, or chief of the place; with whom they sit in court or council on any important question of public interest. They wear, when employed in their official duty, a peculiarly constructed hat of straw, round the crown of which is tied a vine, emblematic of wisdom. Some of the natives possess great eloquence, and shew much animation and cleverness when pleading a cause in which they feel interested. The fetishmen, so called from being supposed to possess supernatural powers, are exceedingly artful and full of deceit; they infuse into the minds of the people the seeds of superstition, with the view of being consulted on every occasion of trouble. An individual who has been robbed, or has experienced some other calamity, imme diately consults a fetishman to discover the thief, or cause of the evil; who, after making use of some pretended magic art, and having obtained answers to questions put by him to the applicant, unhesitatingly denounces some unfortunate being as the robber or witch; and nothing can exonerate the accused, if he be poor, from the charge thus imputed to him, although circumstances might tend to prove him innocent of the crime. The fetishmen, or priests, are without difficulty bribed, which they accept under the cloak of having first consulted the deity, who had agreed to receive a certain sum. They will also afterwards demand more money in the name of the fetish, whom they will state as not being satisfied. So great is the dread of the natives to offend the fetish, that they even pawn their own children to raise the means of appeasing his wrath; as if implicit obedience should not be paid, horrid expedients are resorted to; and should forgiveness be implored, the avenging fetish expects a handsome present before he is reconciled. When a person is afflicted with any alarming disease, application for relief is made to the fetishman, who, perhaps, will order an egg near hatching, or a chicken, to be laid on a certain spot in some highway, in order to transfer the complaint to the person who might unthinkingly tread upon it. Passengers noticing any of these charms lying in their way, avoid them with the greatest caution, and no one will dare to remove them out of the path. At Cape Coast, the women, who are generally employed on this great occasion, called the yam custom, (celebration of the yam harvest,) make public offerings in a body to the great fetish; which is a large rock lying close to the walls of the castle. It breaks the great waves of the sea that incessantly dash against it, and thus preserves the fortification from injury by the surge. The waves come with such fury at times, that the spray is sent completely over the ramparts. Another great fetish which they have is a salt-pond, about a mile from, and to the westward of the castle; in which, at certain periods of the year, large and delicious mullets are taken. Previous to the offering, consisting generally of yams, eggs, palm-oil, and the blood of some animal, being made, the women, with their faces and limbs chalked, parade the town in a body, each carrying her own portion in a calabash, or an earthen vessel. They then visit the rock, on which they deposit their oblations; and no sooner do they depart than the turkey-buzzards, - apparently aware of what is going on, approach and devour the offerings.— These birds are so very tame that they will hardly get out of a person's way; and it is considered a great offence to the fetish to destroy any of them. Every family of consequence have also their own private fetish, which they keep concealed in their houses, but denote its presence there by signs hung outside on the doors. This has a great effect in deterring thieves from the premises. They bury the dead in their houses. The death of a member of a family is promulgated by discharges of musketry; and the females with their friends publicly lament the event. On the day appointed for interring the deceased, the different branches of the family, with their bodies, faces, and limbs chalked, and dressed out in all their finery, parade the streets separately, following a chest containing bottles filled with ardent spirits, with a piece of cloth laid on the top of the chest, which is carried by a young female. In this manner each branch of the family, singing as they proceed, arrive at the place of burial. If any of the relations refuse to contribute to the expences of the funeral, they are for ever after scouted-hence this parade of spirits and cloth. The scene which takes place, from the profuse use of the former both by men and women, and their lamentations, added to the stunning noise of the drumsthe discharges of musketry, generally overloaded-and the piercing voices of the singing-men, who come at times from great distances to partake of the libations, and for hire-can better be imagined than described. These scenes of revelry, if the deceased was of consequence, last frequently for a week; and repetition of it commonly takes place every seven years after, which, if possible, is still more expensive; and families, on such occasions, have been obliged to pawn some part of themselves in order to bear the expense. Cattle, sheep, pigs, and poultry, are purchased, and with the assistance afforded by friends, the scene of riot is kept up for many days. The birth of a child is announced by discharges of musketry. The women are not confined after the event, but proceed in their occupation as if nothing had taken place. When a young female becomes marriageable, she is dressed out in the gayest manner her friends can afford, with a profusion of gold ornaments; and a number of small silver keys, hung on a silver ring, is suspended by a string round her waist, and hung down low in front of her. She is then paraded round the town, to give notice that she is marriageable. The young lady pays visits to all her friends and acquaintances, who congratulate her on the happy event, and make her pre artist, withdrawn, when this prince found something kind to say of him; the effect of which, however, was lost, as he was no longer there to hear it. In this respect Louis XVI. was admirably prompt. One day the Dauphiness seeing an officer enter with a deep scar on his countenance, exclaimed, "Mon Dieu, how ugly he is!" "You are mistaken, madam," instantly replied the great monarch; "he is one of the handsomest men in my kingdom, for he is one of the bravest." LOVE OF THE LEGION.-At the first review of the troops by Charles X. an old soldier stepped from the ranks with shouldered arms, and said to him,"Sire, twenty-one years of service, thirty campaigns, and ten wounds, deserve the cross; and I have it not !""You shall have it," said the king. SABBATH-BREAKING BEER-After the death of Charles the First, fanaticism ran so high in England, that there was an order of the privy council, "That no beer should be brewed on a Saturday." This very singular order being the subject of conversation at Brussels, where Charles the Second then was, one of the courtiers wondered what they could mean by it, when his majesty quickly replied, "You may depend on it the reason why they will not suffer beer to be brewed on Saturday is, for fear it should work on a Sunday." ROYALTY Repulsed. -That loving king, Henry IV. was enamoured of the beautiful Catherine de Rohan, afterwards Duchess de Deux-Ponts. Astonished at her persevering coldness, he one day inquired the cause. "Sire," replied the Duchess, "I am too poor to be your wife, and of too illustrious a house to be your mistress." THE HOUSE OF HORSEBREAKERS.King James the First, mounting a horse that was very unruly, cried out, "The muckle de'el tak my saul, sirrah, an ye be na quiet, I'll send ye capering to the five hundred kings in the House of Commons, and they'll sune tame ye, I warrant !" WORSE THAN BAD. "My wife's so very bad," quoth Will, "I fear she ne'er can hold it; She keeps her bed."-Mine's worse," cried Phil, "The jade has just now sold it." ON A BALD HEAD. ON THE LIFE OF A SOLDIER. Diary and Chronology. Wednesday, Sept. 21. St. Matthew, Apostle. Full Moon, 55m after 9 Afternoon. St. Matthew, the holy evangelist, was the son of Alpheus, a Jew of the tribe of Issachar, and was by profession a publican or tax-gatherer. He was slain by some infidels at Nadabaer, about the year 60. St. Matthew is usually represented sitting with a pen in his hand, and a scroll before him, and he is looking over his left shoulder at an angel who is supposed to be instructing him what to indite. A halbert is placed near his person, in commemoration of the instrument by which he was put to death. This festival was first instituted in the year 1090. St. Matthew wrote his gospel in Hebrew, for the benefit of the Jewish converts; it was afterwards translated into Greek. Thursday, Sept. 22. St. Maurice and others, Mar. A.D. 286. High Water 11m after 2 Morn-28m after 2 After. Sept. 22, 1520.-The death of Selim the First, Emperor of the Turks. Mahomet II. subdued a vast number of states, but Selim I. added new conquests. He conquered in 1515, Syria and Mesopotamia, and conceived the design of compelling Egypt to his yoke. It was then defended by formidable forces, namely, Circassians, from Tartary, now called Mamelukes. Selim advancing into their country, attacked them near Cairo. Toman Bey, their Sultan, braved him in two battles, the last of which lasted three days and three nights. This unfortunate prince having been discovered in a marsh where the Arabs had concealed themselves, he was hung, by order of Selim, to one of the gates of Cairo. The barbarous conqueror reduced to his dominion the whole of Egypt, which at present is no more than a province of the Ottoman Empire. Selim was disposed to turn his arms against the Christians, when, returning to Constantinople, he died of a disease by which he had been attacked. The Turks never had a more ferocious Sultan: he put to death his father, his brothers, eight of his nephews, and a great number of Bashaws, who had served him faithfully. Friday, Sept. 23. Al St. Thecla, virgin and martyr, 1st Century. Sun rises 55m after 5-sets 4m after 6. Sept. 28, 1667.-Alphonso VI. deposed. phonso VI. succeeded his father John of Braganza, on the throne of Portugal. He was a furious, weak prince. His queen, the daughter of Nemours, being in love with Don Pedro, brother of Alphonso, conceived the project of dethroning her husband, and of marrying her lover. Having gained, by her ability, the government which ther husband lost, she shut him up in prison, and the unfortunate monarch was finally compelled to cede his crown and his wife to Don Pedro, his brother. Her sister, the Duchess de Nemours, used the same means to dissolve her marriage with the Prince of Lorraine, in order to marry Charles Emanual, Duke of Savoy. Don Pedro only took the title of Regent during the life of his brother. Alphonso died in 1683, in the Isle of Terceira. Saturday, Sept. 24. St. Chuniald. High Water 22m after 5 Mor-40m after 3 After. Sept. 24, 1828.-Died the Rev. Dr. Nicholl, D.D. ÆT. 35. The learned Doctor was educated at the College of Aberdeen, and at the early age of 15, was sent to Oxford through the interest of Bishop Skinner. On completing his studies, he took the situation of travelling tutor to a young gentleman, after which he obtained the situation of under librarian in the Bodleian Library. Whilst filling this station, he made himself master of the Hebrew, Arabic, Persic, Syrian, Ethiopic, Sanscrit, and various other Eastern dialects. He drew up and published a catalogue of the manuscripts brought from the East by Dr. Clark; and undertook the herculean task of completing the general catalogue of Oriental manuscripts in the Bodleian Library, amounting to more than 30,000 in number, which had been commenced more than a century before, by Uri, the celebrated Hungarian. This procured for Mr. N. a splendid literary reputation throughout Europe. Through the interest of the late Earl of Liverpool, Dr. N. was appointed, in 1822, to the Hebrew chair at Oxford, and he took his rank as Regius Professor, and as Canon of Christ Church, with a salary of about 2000/. instead of 2007. a year, which he received as under librarian. Sunday, Sept. 25. SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. Lessons for the Day.- Ezekiel, 14 chapter Morn. Ezekiel, 18 ch. Evening. Veneri, Saturno, Maniae, Rom. Cal.-It seems by the Julian Calendar, that this was one of the minor holidays, being a festival to Venus, Saturn, and to the Manes. The grand festival of the Saturnalia was celebrated on the 17th of December, continuing for seven days; during which time, a feast to Ops, called Opalia, used to take place. Mania, likewise noticed this day, was the mother of the Manes and the Lares, and was considered by the ancients as a goddess. Monday, Sept. 26. St. Nilus the Younger, Abb. Sun rises 1m after 6-Sets 58m after 5. The lofty and splendid Sunflower is now still abundant, and like the Hollyhock, stands a prominent inhabitant of the garden. Tuesday, Sept. 27. Sts. Cosmo & Damian, Mar. A.D. 303. High Water 20m after 5 Morn-44m after 5 After. We cannot refrain from introducing here the following lines, by Miss S. Strickland on the Luminous Arch that appeared in the heavens on the night of this day, in the year 1828. Vision of Beauty! there floats not a cloud O'er the blue vault of Heaven thy glory to shroud'The star-gemm'd horizon thou spannest sublime, Like a path to a better and lovelier clime. Thy light unreflected by planet or star, Still widens and brightens round night's span gled car, In radiance resembling the moon's placid beam, When she smiles through the soft mist that floats on the stream. Thou sittest enthroned, like the Spirit of Night, And the stars thro' thy zone shed a tremulous light The moon is still sleeping beneath the wide sea, While wonder is keeping her vigils with thee. The bow of the covenant smiles on the storm, When its dark wings are shading the brow of the morn, But thou art uncradled by vapour or cloud, On this desolate earth like a spirit of love! Erratum.-Page 99, line 26, for" bitterness," read" brittleness." In our next,--A Tale of Eld,-Cursory Thoughts on the Question of What is a Poet ?and Shakspeare. The Smuggler's Track, is intended for insertion, and the other piece by the same pen is under consideration. Illustrated Article. A TALE OF ELD. For the Olio He's no swaggerer, hostess; tame cheater, he: you may stroke him as gently as a puppy greyhound: he will not swagger with a Barbary hen, if her feathers turn back in any show of resistance. King Henry IV. Part IV. Faster than spring-time showers comes thought on thought; And not a thought but thinks on dignity; IT was toward the close of a hot summer day, in the reign of Queen Bess, that a couple of gallants rode into a certain village some thirty miles distant from our good city of London; their pace was slow, and the air of both indolent enough, perhaps from the fatigue they had endured, and the garniture of horses and riders were plentifully laden with dust. The youngest of the twain, Gilbert Mowton by name, was the son of a wealthy mercer o' the Chepe, an arrant coxcomb, and a choice mark for VOL. VIII. L See page 163 the bullying swash-buckler who rode at his side, his professed and inseparable friend-while his gold lasted. This latter worthy displayed a tall thick form cased in a buff leather jerkin, red hose, huge tanned boots, and a high sugarloaf beaver, decorated with a single cock's feather; a dag and one or two pistols were stuck in his broad leather belt, and a long basket-hilted toledo hung at his side. The other was dressed in the butterfly frippery which characterized the coxcombs of the period: a moving heap of ribbands, laces, points, silks and baubles of hues innumerable, which to particularise would be a useless waste of time and paper. This wight, the younger of his companion by some thirteen or fourteen years, to judge from his aspect, was not altogether pleased with his present enterprise, the nature of which will be gleaned from the following dialogue. "Psha!" he exclaimed, after a long silence, and sundry fidgetty turnings and twistings in his saddle, "I have no heart to this business after all, sith I had rather sit i' th' Devil and drink 207 |