Diary and Chronology. Wednesday, Nov. 9. Dedication of St. Saviour's at Rome. High Water 22m after 4 Morn-39m after 4 Aftern Lord Mayor's Day,-The first Lord Mayor that went by water to Westminster was John Norman, in 1453. There is a drawing of the show on the river in the Pepysian Library. Sir Gilbert Heathcote was the last that rode on horseback, in Queen Anne's time. Sir John Shaw was the first in 1501, according to Lambarde. But Grafton says, they rode before; Sir Humphrey Edwyn, who, in 1697, rode to a conventicle in his formalities, with the insignia of his office, is immortalized in Swift's Tale of a Tub, and probably occasioned the proviso in the statute 5 Geo. I. c. 4, which declares, "that any Mayor, Bailiff, or other Magistrate, being present at any place of public worship other than the Church of England, in the peculiar habit of his office, or attended with the ensigns thereof, shall on conviction, be adjudged incapable to bear any public office or employment whatsoever." Thursday, Nov. 10. St. Justus, bishop of Canterbury, A.D. 627. or stupor, to announce or retard the approach of death. Being at table with his usual fare, some bread, a few prunes, and a measured quantity of milk, diluted with water, and having the cup in his hand when the last stroke of his pulse was to be given, he set it down on his knees, which were joined together, and kept it steady with his hand, in the manner of a person perfectly at ease, and in this attitude expired without spilling a drop, and without a writhe in his countenance: as if an experiment had been required to show to his friends the facility with which he departed. His servant opened the door to tell him that some one had left his name, but getting no answer, stepped about half-way to him; and seeing him sitting in that easy posture, supporting his basin of milk with one hand, he thought that he had dropped asleep, which was sometimes wont to happen after meals. He went back and shut the door; but before he got down stairs, some anxiety which he could not account for, caused him to return: after going pretty near him, he turned away, apparently satisfied; but again coming close up to him, he found him without life. His very near neighbour, Mr. Benjamin Bell, the surgeon, was immediately sent for; but nothing whatever could be done. Friday, Nov. 11. Saturday, Nov. 12. St. Martin, pope and martyr. Moon's First Quarter, 45m aft. 6 After. Nov. 12, 1437.-On this day Charles VII. made his public entry into Paris. By the treaty of Troyes, signed the 21st of May, during the malady of Charles VI. and Henry V. of England, it was stipulated that Catherine of France should marry Henry V. which was carried into effect one month after; and that, on the death of Charles VI. the crown of France should pass to Henry V., who took the title of heir to the crown. When Charles VII. mounted the throne on the death of his father, Charles VI., a small part of the kingdom only obeyed hlm. He entered Paris by inmarked by shows, theatrical exhibitions, and trigue and force. His entrance, however, was fetes, excelling any ever before seen in the kingdom. Sunday, Nov. 13. TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. Lessons for the Day.-Proverbs, 13 chap Morning The month of November was said by the ancients to be under the tutelary protection of Diana, and this might possibly be on account of the prevalence of hunting and field sports in general dur ing this month. In the calm, dark, warm days which now often occur, when sounds are heard at Monday, Nov. 14. St. Lawrence, abp. of Dublin, A.D. 1180. High Water, 44m aft 8 Morn-26m aft 9 After Nov. 14, 1522.-Henry the Eighth married Anne Boleyn without the consent of the Pope. Henry, who was married at the time to Catherine of Spain, contrived, upon religious scruples, to divorce that Princess, and was united to his new favourite Queen of England. The Pope then excommunicated him. Henry, however, got the parliament to declare him protector and supreme head of the English Church, and all the authority of the Pontiff was abolished. The people took a new oath, called the Oath of Supremacy. Tuesday, Nov. 15. St. Malo, bish. 565. Sun rises 34m after 7-Sets 25m after 4. "Many wild creatures," says Howitt, in his Calendar of Nature, "now retire to their Winter retreats. The frog sinks to the bottom of ponds and ditches, and buries itself in the mud. The lizard, the badger, the hedge-hog, creep into holes St. Martin, Bish. of Tours, A.D. 397.. High Water 31m after 5 Mor.-58m after 5 Aftern. Nov. 11, 1673.-John Sobieski gained a victory over the Turks at the Battle of Choczim. Under the reign of Michael Coribut, the Turks penetrat-in the earth, and remain torpid till Spring. ed into Ukrania, and other provinces of Poland, which was on the point of becoming tributary to the Ottoman Porte. The Grand Marshal of the Crown, John Sobieski, averted the ruin of his country, and satisfied his vengeance in the blood of the Turks at the Battle of Choczim. This celebrated battle delivered Poland from the tribute, and insured to Sobieski the crown. Bats get into old barns, caves, and deserted buildings, where, suspending themselves by the hind feet, and wrapping themselves in the membranes of their fore feet, they sleep Winter away, except some unusual intervals of mild weather should awake and call them out for a little while occasionally. Squirrels, rats, and field-mice shut themselves up with their winter stores." With this Number is published a Supplementary Sheet, containing our First BLOOMING in the footsteps of the unregretted summer of 1831, we have the Annuals in all their perennial variety. Truly, they are rare plants and magnificent flowers; though in the fulness of our heart's love of home, we could wish them less exotic. It is almost irrelevant to observe, that to the Comic Annuals these passing remarks do not apply. We cast our mind's eye" around on the mountains and vallies the heaths and lakes - the woods and ruins which diversify our own delightful island, and wish that sketches of its scenery had been interspersed with the superb pictures of gorgeous Venice and sublime Naples, which adorn the Annuals. But may not the caterers for these attractive tomes be compared to florists, whose botanic solicitude leads them to first store their conservatory with foreign flowers, ere they bestow a thought on those beautiful ones which "blush unseen" at home, well knowing that they can at any time avail themselves of their accommodating contiguity?We will accord this: and, hope at some future period, that the delineations of the sylvan localities of home,, no longer libelled by "Guides and Pocket Books," may embellish the paVOL. VIII. S ges of these Bijoux. Before we proceed with our preliminary chit-chat with the "courteous reader," we will stay one interesting moment to reflect on the revolution in art and literature, which these elegant works have effected. Ah! had they existed at a certain by-gone era, Hogarth had not employed his pencil to raise a few paltry shillings to satisfy the imperious demand of an overbearing landlady; nor had Morland painted to defray the expenses of his dinner. Goldsmith and Savage, and thou Johnson, the "great leviathan" of the smaller fry, ye would not so often have paraded the umbrageons avenues of the Park in hungry agony; nor have slept amidst the warm ashes of a glasshouse, to revive your chilled faculties, had the Annuals flourished in your day!-the pecuniary relief ye would have derived from your efforts, would have charmed away the gaunt wolf of destitution, which daily beset your doors. Neither let engravers be forgotten. How many a garret immured genius in this branch of art would have been snatched from penury, disease, and death, by the outstretched hand of such yearly patronage! How many an unknown Bewick-how many a neglected Woollett would have been 214 brought from obscurity, directed into the honourable path of fame, and rewarded with competence and comparative ease. But a truce with our retrospect, which involves but vain regrets and unavailing sympathies. Here are the Annuals temptingly displayed before us, perplexing our judgment with their splendour and variety. Not to say that they fully equal their predecessors would be but a niggardly withholding of critical commendation, of which we should be heartily ashamed. We will begin with the Humourist, By W. H. Harrison,* as best suited to dissipate the ennui of a long drear November's night, and the appalling horrors of the impending cholera. To use Swift's words, to possess this laughter exciting volume, "You'll need no caricatura," for, in the head and tail pieces, you may trace a merry, odd, or whimsical soul in every face; turn where you will, a kill-care something meets the eye. Here, "The Master of the Rolls" is not one learned in the law, neither is he a disciple of the Land of Cakes, with peel in hand at oven mouth, but a merry drummer with "ruffle and roll," beating a reveille. Scott's well known line of "this is my own, my native land," is quaintly and happily illustrated by a few natives drawn, we presume, from life at large, thrown high and dry bump upon shore. The comic and tragic Muse, Melpomene and Thalia, are no other than two pugnacious tabbies in striking attitudes. Selfish Beings are a pair of angry Billingsgate beauties offering dabs. Nag-poor, as here given, is not that place so called in India's clime, but a picture of the Dying and the Dead, viz: one lifeless Nag, and another in a poor way. La-la-Rookh, is not a copy of Tommy Moore's best performance, but a musical prodigy in the shape of a mischievous Rook, la-la-ing over the notes of perhaps "I stood amid the glittering throng." Plymouth is not a harbour, where ships may ride safe at anchor, but a greedy boy hastily putting out of sight a tart of large dimensions. Lime-juice is not the essence of a tropical fruit admired by friends to Punch, but a couple of sturdy Emeralders labouring in their vocation, R. Ackerman, London, pp. 284, and eighty engravings. mixing mortar. Colossus at Rhodes is not that gigantic statue which compassed the shores of the long-famed Asiatic Isle, but a broad-wheeled waggon loaded sufficient to make the firm earth tremble. Nor is the Heir at Law that fortunate wight about to inherit "those moveables whereof the earldom of Hereford stood possessed," but a poacher quailing before offended justice to answer for enjoying “his delight on a shiny night at this season of the year." Those we have spoke of are a mere spice of the variety of comicalities that "throw a light upon the text of the Humourist; of the remaining pointed "flights of fancy" unnoticed by us, the following may be taken as modern Peter Pindar, who, for the sea fair specimen of the labours of our cond time to use a pugilistic phrase, if offend ears polite, has "made another we may be allowed so to do, and not successful hit." THE BULL AND THE BARBER. "LANCELOT LATHERWELL was the only barber in his village:-a man of no small importance in his own opinion, as well as in fact, seeing that he was familiar with all the heads of the place. The chief instrument of his power, however, was his razor,—a sceptre which he wielded somewhat absolutely perhaps, but uniformly with a regard to the welfare of his subjects, who were rather numerous, and consisted of such as were unable to shave themselves. "In their labours for the moral amelioration of mankind, philosophers have aimed to convince the understanding, and divines to touch the heart; but Lant addressed himself to the chin. Was it proved to the satisfaction, or rather dissatisfaction, of Latherwell, that a neighbour had beaten his wife, or spent his week's wages at a public house, instead of taking them home to his family-the culprit became a marked man-he was known by his beard, which the shaver pertinaciously refused to touch until the wearer had exhibited symptoms of repentance and amended manners. The delinquent, becoming an object for the finger of scorn to point at, was usually followed and hooted at by all the boys in the district; and it rarely happened that a villager had the courage to subject himself a second time to the disgrace and inconvenience consequent upon the "barber's ban." barber had retaliated by shaving off his customer's ear at a stroke." "Meanwhile the farmer, not satisfied with having the injury dressed by a surgeon, repaired to his attorney to get it redressed. Lawyers and prize-fighters are the only persons on earth who The pettifogger in question owed the distinction of being the most respectable solicitor in the village, to the circumstance of his being the only one in it. He told the farmer that he had been shamefully, scandalously, barberously used. The lawyer lied of course, and said an action would lie also, and therein he lied again. "Lather well, like a humane general, pursued his vocation with as little bloodshed as possible; indeed, he was wont to boast, that, since the days of his apprenticeship, he had drawn the purple stream but once, and that on the following occasion. One hot morning, while Lant was exercising his tonsor-profit by black eyes and bloody noses. ial functions upon a wealthy farmer, a short-horned bull, doubtless with a view of exciting the hair-dresser's emulation, thrust through the open window a head as nicely curled, and perhaps, as sensible, as the most fashionable of our hero's patrons. Not succeeding in immediately attracting attention, the animal addressed itself to Lant's ear, with an effect which had nearly proved fatal to that of his customer; for the operator, who had a mortal dread of horned cattle, and of the squire's bull in particular, was so startled at the roar and the apparition, that, with an involuntary flourish of his razor, he had well nigh cropped the farmer as close as any terrier in the village. Fear is doubtless an exaggerator, but Latherwell maintains that the bull not only emitted fire from its nostrils, but that it scorched his right whisker, which, maugre the application of three bottles of Macassar, has never thriven properly since. "The farmer, who had, in truth, sustained but little injury, started up in Lant's table-cloth, in which, preparatory to the operation, he had been enveloped, and rushed into the street, like the ghost of Banquo, bleeding, and breathing vengeance, and spreading consternation, as he went. The whole village was in an uproar, and a variety of contradictory reports as to the cause of the catastrophe were current. The most generally received account, however, not only stated that the barber had attacked the agriculturist, "with intent to do him some grievous bodily harm," but was exceedingly circumstantial as to the origin of their quarrel. "The farmer,' "said rumour, "having a great dread of baldness, as indicative of age, had inquired of Lant, if he did not think his hair was grown thicker? To which the other replied, No, but that he thought his head was; and, by way of a crowning climax, recommended him to select some public charity to which to leave his wealth, for that he certainly would die without a hair. Thereupon, the farmer, taking advantage of Lant's convenient position, had kicked his shins with his iron-tipped half-boots; and that the "An action, however, was brought at the next assizes, which arrived almost before Lant had recovered from the consternation into which the notice of the proceedings had thrown him.On the morning previous to the day on which the cause was expected to come on, the shaver was called upon for a cast of his office by a gentleman of some consequence in the neighbourhood, who, observing our hero to be unusually depressed, and eliciting the source of his uneasiness, despatched him, instanter, to the assize town with a letter to a barrister, explaining the case, and soliciting his good offices on the occasion. "The barrister, struck by the whimsicality of the circumstances, returned Lather well his fee, and told him he would plead his cause for the love of the thing.' "The trial came on before a jury, whose countenances alone would have qualified them as members of a club of Odd Fellows.' The plaintiff's counsel commenced with a disquisition on ears; touched upon the sensitiveness of Priscian's, and alluded to those of Dionysius, who, as would doubtless, he said, be in the classical recollections of the jury, had three ears, though two only of them, he Hibernically added, were pairs. Having considered the subject morally, physically, and anatomically, he took another field, and dwelt upon the value of ears to farmers in particular, maintaining that they could not get their bread without them. He next referred to asses' ears; and concluded by such a stentorian appeal to those of the jury, that every man of them had as just ground of action against the counsel, as the farmer had against the barber. "The witnesses for the plaintiff having been examined and cross-examin ed, the defendant's counsel rose, and expressed his concern that it was not in his power to produce the only witness of the affray in which the action had originated, namely, the bull; but, that the truth was, he could find none who would undertake to serve the subpœna personally, and that, pending the consultation of authorities as to whether flinging it over the hedge of his pasture would be a legal service, the bull had unfortunately changed his name, and become beef. 'But this, gentlemen of the jury,' he continued, 'is a circumstance which I am led to regret less on my client's account, than on my learned brother's on the opposite side, whom, as he has indulged us with an Irish bull, I should have been gratified in introducing to an English one. Gentlemen of the jury, my case lies in a nutshell, and I want no other evidence than that with which the plaintiff has kindly furnished me, to prove it. Two of the witnesses have sworn that he is quite deaf of the ear of which, he alleges, the defendant had nearly deprived him. Now, gentlemen of the jury, I contend that had my client actually sliced off the plaintiff's ear, and put it in his breeches' pocket, I should be entitled to a verdict; for what amount of damages would you award to a man for the loss of that which he himself has proved to have been utterly useless to him?" "The counsel paused for a moment to observe the effect of his appeal upon the jury; the foreman of which, after kicking three or four of his neighbours out of the land of dreams, stated that he had taken the sense of his colleagues, (which was very probable, since they appeared to have none left,) and would not trouble the learned gentleman to proceed, his last argument being conclusive. A verdict for the defendant was accordingly delivered, and the barber returned triumphant to his village.' In leaving the pleasantries of this volume to proceed onwards with our task, we can only say that we have enjoyed a hearty laugh at the expense of our funny friend, and cordially recommend it to all persons troubled with the "blues;" for the hip they may rest assured it will prove a cure, a whole cure, and nothing but a cure. The next in array is the Landscape Annual, Edited by Thomas Roscoe. of this charming and magnificent work in our last, we shall forbear to offer further comment upon its attractions, but proceed at once to transfer to our columns an extract or two, and though taken at random, we think they will be sufficient to shew that the same elegance of diction and interest pervades the descriptive accounts of the book before us, as characterised those given in preceding volumes. In the remarks accompanying the plate Ponte Santa Trinita, are the subjoined anecdotes of GIOTTO. tidings were received by Giotto of the WHILE at Florence, in the year 1322 death of his friend--the celebrated poet rest in the bosom of his ungrateful -whose ashes have twice refused to country: "Even in his ashes live his wonted fires;" as if his spirit, speaking from the urn, spurned the futile offer of being reconciled to his hated persecutors. Though iu the midst of his successful and splendid career, Giotto was much concerned at this event; and some of the next works he executed for the King of Naples, comprehending the Apocalypse and ether histories, at Assisi, he is stated to have owed, from the conversations he had held with him, to the fine invention of Dante, who thus amply repaid him. So highly did the King of Naples estimate Giotto's social qualities, as well as his genius, that he would spend hours with him, while painting in his studio, delighted with his acute remarks. The King one day observing that he was determined to make him the first man in Naples, "It was for that reason,” replied Giotto, “that I took up my quarters at Porta Reale, to be ready to receive myself." On another occasion the King said to him, "Giotto, if I were you, I would not labour so hard this hot weather.""Nor I, certainly," replied the painter, "if I were the King." One day, as he was completing a picture, the monarch observed in jest: Now, Giotto, I should like you to paint me something on a larger scale; for instance, my own kingdom."Giotto did as he was requested; and, setting to work, soon after presented the King with the painting of-an ass suffering under a heavy bastinado, which, instead of resenting, the beast was busy with his paws and nose snuf Having already spoken at some length fling up another and larger flagellum |