and the armed natives of district fought with unanimit particular augural interpretation were favourable, under a a new city was founded on the site of the ruin. The Stewart or a Douglas, whose command was acknowledged by all in the field. Such was the case at Otterbourne and many fields of combat, where neither host exceeded a few thousand men, and still more frequently where the numbers were much smaller. The Scottish inferiority in archery was on many occasions balanced by the advantage which their national weapon, the Scottish spear, gave them over the English bill, with which that nation maintained the combat, when they joined battle hand to hand. strength and solidity of the Scottish phalanx of spearmen, either for attack or resistance, is on many occasions commemorated. If it be considered that a thrusting weapon is far more formidable than one calculated for striking, and that where troops use the former they must close and serry their ranks, while, to have room to employ the latter, they must keep loose order, it is not assuming any superior strength or courage in the Scots to say that in small skirmishes and battles of a secondary class they asserted a considerable advantage over the English. Customs of Warious Countries. CITY BUILDING AND CITY RAZING. When the ancients had consulted with their gods, by their augural observations, as to the building a city, after they chose the spot of ground in the situation whereon it should be built, they marked out the place where the wall should be erected, by ploughing the ground in a furrow, lightly lifting the plough over the space appointed for the gate, hence denominated a Portando, and afterwards Porta. This custom of the Romans is described by Cato and Virgil, the manner of which was, that he who held the plough kept the skirt of his gown on the right shoulder and girt himself round, either because this was the usual habit of such as performed holy rites, in the number of which this present action was reputed, or that he might the more readily address himself to the business, or lastly, that he might symbolically by that pacific habit intimate, that the flourishing state of a city is not so much preserved by war as by peace. Thus Ovid infers, that Where gentle oxen till the ground, Contentment smiles through husbandry around. A similar custom in the razing of a city is alluded to by Horace, when vanquished by the enemy. The line of demarkation was pointed out, and, if the Anecdotiana. E. X. AN AMERICAN STORY. An Irishman arrived at Boston last summer, and sought employment as a labourer, and finally obtained an engagement on one of the islands in our harbour. Pat had never seen a duck in his life. Shortly after his entering upon the discharge of his new duties, a brood of chickens and another of ducks, were hatched, both by hens. The owner put both broods to one hen, in order to save the services of the other, and told Pat, as he was short of meal, to be very sparing in his allowance in feeding them. Pat made a small dish of dough, and commenced feeding his mixed flock, when he was struck with the fact, that about half had broad shovels for beaks, and shovelled up the dough very fast, while the others had small sharp beaks, and got but little of the allowance. "Arrah! my darlings," says Pat, "fair play is a jewel; I'll just be after putting you upon an aqual footing." He started for the house, got a pair of shears, caught them of the shovel beak, and sheared them down to the calibre of those of the sharp, beak; put them down, and said, 66 wag away, you spalpeens; I am told this is a free country, where every man, bast, and bird, are equal; no exclusive privileges, my dar lings, if you plase." PRETERNATURAL BIRTH. Buchanan gives us a relation of a strange preternatural birth, which, below the navel, was one entire body, but in the superior parts was two. When any of the lower members received accidentally any hurt, both bodies had their share in the pain; but, if the hurt occurred upon the upper part, the body only that experienced it then felt the pain. These bodies would sometimes disagree, and thwart one another in opinion to the raising mutual heats. The one dying before the other, the body that survived sensibly pined away till death ended its misery. Diary and Chronology. Sunday, Dec. 20. St. Philogonius, Bishop of Antioch.-Sun rises 8m after 8-sets 5'm after 3. St. Philogonius.-Our saint, who died in the year 322, was brought up to the law, and was very eloquent; he may be considered as one among the many instances that Christendom affords, of a person who, educated to the examination of evidence, and the attainment of truth, became so completely convinced of the truth of the Catholic faith, that be ending his days, devoted himself wholly to the cause of Religion. Monday, Dec. 21. St. Thomas-High Water 21m after 11 Morn.—54m after 11 Afternoon. St. Thomas -The saint recorded to-day was surnamed Didymus, or the Twin; he appears to have been by birth a Galilean. Our Apostle is said to have been martyred in Ga lilee, by some people instigated by the heathens. Going a Gooding on St. Thomas's Day. Formerly, on this day, a custom prevailed in England under the above title: it consisted of women going about begging money, and in return presenting the donors with sprigs of palm and branches of primroses. According to Mr. Ellis, the practice is still kept up in Kent, in the vicinity of Maidstone. At this season of the year, it is very common for cocks to crow, all night, and frequently through the day, which has given rise to some popular and pleasing notions that Chanticleer saluteth with his perpetual crowing the Advent of our Saviour, and that he crows all night on the Vigil of the Nativity. Tuesday, Dec. 22. St. Ischyrion, martyred A d. 253. Dec. 2, 1790.-Anniversary of the taking of Ismael, a fortified town of Bessarabia, in European Turkey, by the Russians. These merciless invaders, deaf to the cries of the subdued, and callous to the feelings of nature, stained their characters as men, by the massacre of the entire garrison in cold blood, which consisted of 30000 beings, who had fought bravely for their country, their hearths, and their homes. St. Wednesday, Dec. 23. Victoria.-High Water 0h 46m Morn.—1h 12m Aftern. St. Victoria.-Our virgin saint was martyred during the fiery persecutions of Decius, for refusing to worship idols. She died a D. 250. Dec. 23, 1688.-This day records the escape of James II. from Rochester, and his safe arrival at Ambleteuse, a sea-port in the Department of the Straits of Calais, whence he hastened to St. Germain's, where Louis XIV. received him with the highest generosity and sympathy. For a curious account of the King's Escape, see page 413, of our Third Volume. Thursday, Dec. 24. For an account of ceremonies observed on Christmas Eve, &c, see our Chronology for this day in Vol. II. Dec 24, 1427.-Expired on this day the famous Robin Hood, at Kirkless, between Halifax and Wakefield, in Yorkshire. The exploits of this predatory bandit captain of the time of Richard I, and his merrie men, in Sherwood Forest, are so well known that we forbear to say more on the subject. Friday, Dec. 25. Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve, in the days of our ancestors, it was usual to fire the massy yule log, and keep it burning through the following day, to warm the hall where the family was socially seated, busy with their cheering and mirth-inspiring games. Sometimes part of the old log of the preceding year was preserved to light up the new with. Herrick, in his Hesperides, makes the following mention of it : St. Jarlath Ist bish. of Tuam, d. 6th Cen.-New Moon 36m. after 3 morn. Dec. 26, 1800.-Expired on this day the celebrated poet and novelist, Mrs. Mary Robinson. The memoirs of this lady are not only calculated to interest our sensibility, but hold forth lessons of the most salutary instruction to the female world. Sunday, Dec. 27. FIRST SUNDAY AFTER CHRISTMAS. Lessons for the Day, 37 chap. Isaiah, Morning.-38 chap. Isaiah, Evening. By some inadvertency, in the paper upon the Colosseum, at page 330, that word is mis-spelt thus, Colloseum. Note. With No. 109, will be published a Supplementary Number, containing the Preface, Index, and Title-page, to Vol. IV. with a fine Historical Vignette, illustrating an ori ginal tale contained therein. To the Editor of the Olio. SIR,-Observing that you have honoured me, by transferring to your pages a portion of one of my humble contributions to the EMMANUEL," I beg leave to offer you the following scene, which was originally included in" The Son of Perdition," but which, for certain reasons perfectly satisfactory to myself, was omitted by the Rev. Editor. This scene was intended to follow immediately after the opening soliloquy of JUDAS, ending with the words, "And I am cursed indeed."-(See the Emmanuel, p. 313.) I am, Sir, very truly yours, GEORGE BLATCH. Chelsea, Dec. 8, 1829 Immediately after the retrospective soliloquy of JUDAS, while he yet trembles at the result of his meditations a dark cloud appears before him, which slowly unfolds, and discovers a majestic figure, of great personal beauty, but bearing on its features the impress of the deadliest passions. 25-VOL. IV. 2 C JUDAS. Ha! what art thou, That thus intrudest on my misery, SATAN. Thine enemy! The enemy of souls. The foe of Heaven! Shrink not, nor look aghast-thou know'st it name; It is denied thee. Never more thy lips -109 The righteous semblance turn'd to deepest To welcome thee among them. Come, then crime Hath added tenfold to thy misery! Can never parallel again. Alone thou standst, Thy matchless sin, E'en the devils shudder, To seek repose 'neath such a weight of crime! Thou call'st for sleep, for sweet, refreshing sleep, The blest reward of wearied innocence,- Canst thou then dare to think of sleep? Canst thou Presume to hope the forfeited repose, come No peace is to thee here. Shake off thy clay: Of direst guilt already loads my soul. SATAN. Ha! beware! Nor name the Just One with polluted lips. No more to thee such utt'rance is allow'd; Curses alone be thine to fulminate. JUDAS. Liar! 'tis false! while yet there's life, there's hope! He-He who erst SATAN. Whom thou betrayedst!-HE Hath shut thee out from hope for aye! 'Tis gone From His tribunal, that Perdition's son That every sinful wretch who comes to Him, fiend! And I-ay, I-even I, may haply dare A popular Lecturer on Music and an eminent organist, has, in his wisdom, seen fit to criticise some of Handel's compositions, with about the same success as Cobbett has grilled Milton's Poetry. The • Messiah,' however, like Paradise Lost,' is held in the highest estimation as a sublime evidence of immortal genius. In compliance with an appropriate custom on Christmas Eve, the Cecilian Society,' performed the chief parts of this sacred Oratorio, with Mozart's accompaniments, in an admirable manner. By the aid of Tully's bassoon,' 'Ling's Oboe,' J. C. Nightingale's organ,' and the horns, trumpets, and trombone of several professionals,' the instrumental band exeputed the several harmonies so as to elicit plaudits and encores. To these appro * Would it not be more becoming in the Performers, when applauded, to acknowledge sit by a slight notice; and those, who are solo vals, we must, however, except the Overture, played by some of the members, out of tune and time. Mr. Walker, who opened the vocal charm of the evening with Braham's favourite Comfort ye,' gave much promise of the cultivating progress he is assuredly making. Every valley was exalted and the 'rough places plain.' Mr. Lucas sung, Thus saith," Why do the nations?' and The Trumpet shall sound,' accompanied by Irvine, in a respectable style. Mr. Raikes com> menced the airÒ thou that tellest,' and the chorus' followed with spirit. There were shepherds abiding,' He was cut off,-How beautiful!' and Thou didst not leave,' were very correctly sung by Miss Gray, and Rejoice greatly' by Mrs. Willis. The shake and cadence by Mrs. Barton, in Come unto Him,' in reply to Miss Mattley, (of whom we shall speak presently) was appreciated by the audience.† Mr. Peck sung Thy Rebuke,' and 'He that dwelleth,' extremely well. Miss Mattley (who is a pupil of Mr. R. Evans,) is a pretty dark-eyed maiden not yet in her fifteenth year, endued with melodious gifts. We were delighted, that, considering the difficulties of Handel's songs, to find she acquitted herself in, I know that my Redeemer liveth,' quite equal to the expectations of her friends. There are qualities in her voice of ardent promise and her low notes in sorrows' and 'grief;' in He was despised,' struck us as partaking of that cathedral beauty which is inestimably valuable. If she have much to learn, she has already done much. Her forte is decidedly musical. She may require expression, but her ear is true, and sweetness in what she does is the consequence. In becoming a syren of harmony, she has chosen a difficult study. As nature has befriended her, let her continue, as she is now, unaffected by the flatteries of the admirers of her genius, and persevere in the path of discipline, which will eventually promote her to distinction, and yield that reward of which she will be richly deserving. To what we have written, we add that the whole of the chorusses were remarkably well given and highly enjoyed; and, in truth, not a better performance was ever singers, to wear gloves when they use their notes at sight? + Some ignorant puppy, related to a human goose, we should premise, makes a point of hissing every thing he bears. If he can do better, we advise him to join the orchestra and give specimens of his capabilities, or cease to annoy an always respectable audience, by his captious and pertinacious singularity. |