Swords-that with a white haft wonst belonged to General Wolfe-that's th' Whip that th' Snake was kilt with-that topmost's a Crocodile-that bottomost's an Alligator-that boot wonst belonged to Queen Elizabeth-that's an Indian Pouch -that's an ancient Stiletto-that's part of Humphrey Cheetham's Armour-that with th' white face is a Monkey-under th' monkey's a green Lizard-side o' th' monkey's a Porpus's Skull-under th' porpus's skull's an Alligator-under th' alligator's a Turtle-those Bows and Arrows belonged to the Indians-that's a Porpus's Head-those are various kinds of Adders, Worms, Snakes, Fishes, and venemous creatures- that Albine Piece was taken from th' dead body of a Frenchman that was killed at th' Battle of Waterloo, that was fought i' th' year eighteen hundert and fifteen-those are a pair of Eagle's Claws that Arrow belonged to one o' th' legions that fought under th Duke of Richmond, at the battle of Bosworth Field, in th' year 1485, when King Richard the Third, king of England, was slain-those Arrows wonst belonged to Robin Hood-that's a Sea Hen-that's a Sea Weed-that's a Unicorn Fishthat's part of an Indian's Skull-that's th' top part of it-that's part of Oliver Cromwell's Stone and Tankard — those Balls are took out of a Cow-that's part of a Load Stone-those two Pieces of Wood was Almanacks before printing was found out-that's a Hairy Manunder th' hairy man's a Speaking trumpet side o' th' speaking trumpet's a Shark's Jaw Bone-that that's leaning 'gainst th' speaking trumpet's Oliver Cromwell's Sword-that's a Leathern Bag -side o' th' leathern bag' two Cokey Nut Shells--side o' the' cokey nut shells' a Porpus's Skull side o' th' porpus's skull's a Pumpkin-side o' th' pumpkin's an American Cat-over th' pumpkin's a Turtle-side o' th' turtle's a Sea Weedthat top one's a Crocodile-under th' crocodile's an Alligator-under th' alligator's a Woman's Clog that was split by a thunder bolt, and hou wasn't hurt-side o'th' crocodile's tail's a Sea Hen-side o' th' sea hen's a Laplander's Snow ShoeThat in a box is th' Skeletou of a Nightingale!" At the termination of this account, it is usual for the show-boy to enter the reading-room, with his company, and, to the annoyance of readers, point out, with the same loud showmanlike voice, the por traits of Chetham the founder, and certain other worthies of Manchester, long since deceased, not forgetting an old inlaid oak table. In conclusion, he claims attention to the figure of a cock, carved in wood, as the last curiosity, by saying, "This is the Cock that crows when he smells roast beef." Many of the country people are far greater "curiosities" to a bystander, than any in the collection they come to see. They view all with gravity and solemn surprise, and evidently with conviction that they are at length witnessing some of the most wonderful won ders of the world. B The following ballad, in the Lancashire dialect, contains an account of a holiday trip to see the "curiosities," and is characteristic of the provincial manners. JOHNNY GREEN'S WEDDING, AND DE SCRIPTION OF MANCHESTER COLLEGE. Neaw lads where ar yo beawn so fast, Yo happun ha no yerd whot's past; Au gettun wed sin au'r here last, Just three week sin come Sunday. Au ax'd th' owd folk, an aw wur reet, So Nan an me agreed tat neet, Ot if we could mak both eends meet, We'd wed o' Easter Monday. That morn, as prim as pewter quarts, Aw th' wenches coom an browt th' sweethearts Au fund we'r loike to ha three carts, 'Twur thrunk as Eccles Wakes, mon Loike a race for th' Ledger stakes, mon. Fro soide to soide hoo jow'd um : As'd dreawn o'th' folk i' Owdham. To th' best of aw meh knowledge : Says au, we'll look at th' college. Eh! lorjus days, booath far an woide, Sich plecks there's very few so: There's a trumpet speyks and maks a din, Just loike thoose chaps o' Boney's: We seed a wooden cock loikewise, Os sure os teaw'r a sinner; That cock when it smells roast beef'll crow Boh th' hairy mon had missed meh thowt, An pots, an spoons, an ladles : An Nan ax'd proice o' th' cradles. Then th' fiddler struck up th' honey-moon, At neet oich lad an bonny lass, Ot we lay till twelve next day, mon. It should not be forgotten that in collection at the college there are two clogalmanacs, similar to that which is engraven as a frontispiece to the second vo lume of the Every Day Book, and decribed in that work.* January 14. MALLARD Day. At All-Souls College, Oxford, there is annually on the evening of this day a great merry-making, occasioned by a circumstance related in "Oxoniensis Academia, or the Antiquities and Curiosities of the University of Oxford, by the Rev. John Pointer," who says,— "Another custom is that of celebrating their Mallard-night every year on the 14th of January, in remembrance of a huge mallard or drake, found (as tradition goes) imprisoned in a gutter or drain under ground, and grown to a vast bigness, at the digging for the foundation of the College. "Now to account for the longevity of this mallard, Mr. Willughby, in his Ornithology, tells us (p. 14, speaking of the age of birds) that he was assured by a friend of his, a person of very good credit, that his father kept a goose known to be eighty years of age, and as yet sound and lusty, and like enough to have lived many years longer, had he not been forced to kill her for her mischievousness, worrying and destroying the young geese and goslings. "And my lord Bacon, in his Natural History, p. 286, says the goose may pass among the long livers, though his food be commonly grass and such kind of nourishment, especially the wild-goose: whereupon this proverb grew among the Germans: Magis senex quàm Ansernivalis -older than a wild-goose. This notice caused "A complete Vindication of the Mallard of All-Souls College, against the injurious suggestions of the Rev. Mr. Pointer:" a publication by a pleasant writer, who, with mock gravity, contends that the illustrious mallard had, through a "forged hypothesis," been degraded into a goose. To set this important affair in a true light, he proceeds to say "I shall beg leave to transcribe a passage from Thomas Walsingham, a monk of St. Alban's, and regius professor of history in that monastery about the year 1440. This writer is well known among the historians for his Historia Brevis, written in Latin, and published both by Camden and archbishop Parker: but the tract I am quoting is in English, and entitled, 'Of wonderful and surprising Eventys,' and, as far as I can find, has never yet been printed. The eighth chapter of his fifth book begins thus :"Ryghte wele worthie of note is thilke famous tale of the All-Soulen Mallarde, the whiche, because it bin acted in our daies, and of a suretye vouched unto me, I will in fewe wordys relate. "Whenas Henrye Chichele, the late renowned archbishope of Cantorberye, had minded to founden a collidge in Oxenforde, for the hele of his soule and the soules of all those who peryshed in the warres of Fraunce, fighteing valiantlye under our most gracious Henrye the fifthe, moche was he distraughten concerning the place he myghte choose for thilke purpose. Him thinkyth some whylest how he myghte place it withouten the eastern porte of the citie, both for the pleasauntnesse of the meadowes and the clere streamys therebye runninge. Agen him thinkyth odir whylest howe he mote builden it on the northe side for the heleful ayre there coming from the fieldes. Nowe while he doubteth thereon he dremt, and behold there appereth unto him one of righte godelye personage, sayinge and adviseing as howe he myghte placen his collidge in the highe strete of the citie, nere unto the chirche of our blessed ladie the Virgine, and in witnesse that it was sowthe, and no vain and deceitful phantasie, wolled him to laye the first stane of the foundation at the corner which turneth towards the Cattys-Strete, where in delvinge he myghte of a suretye finde a 3rd Edition, Oxford, 1793, 8vo. schwoppinge mallarde imprisoned in the sinke or sewere, wele yfattened and al most ybosten. Sure token of the thriv aunce of his future college. "Moche doubteth he when he awoke on the nature of this vision, whethyr he mote give hede thereto or not. Then advisyth he there with monie docters and learnyd clerkys, who all seyde howe he oughte to maken trial upon it. Then comyth he to Oxenforde, and on a daye fixed, after masse seyde, proceedeth he in solemnee wyse, with spades and pickaxes for the nonce provided, to the place afore spoken of. But long they had not digged ere they herde, as it myghte seme, within the wam of the erthe, horrid strugglinges and flutteringes, and anon violent quaakinges of the distressyd mallarde. Then Chichele lyfteth up his hondes and seyth Benedicite, &c. &c. Nowe when they broughte him forth, behold the size of his bodie was as that of a bustarde or an ostridge. And moche wonder was thereat; for the lycke had not been seene in this londe, ne in onie odir.'" Upon this "historical proof” the vindicator rests the verity of the venerable mallard, and goes on to prove that "Mr. Pointer, by taking the longevity of the mallard for granted, hath endeavoured to establish thereon the hypothesis of the goose in opposition to all truth and testimony, both historical and prophetical." The vindicator further affirms that he is greatly surprised to find "an orthodox clergyman, like Mr. Pointer, abetting errors, and proposing (though obscurely) dangerous innovations." For, he enquires, "would any one but this author have represented so august a ceremony, as the celebration of the inallard, by those vulgar circumstances of eating and drinking, and singing a merry old song?" However, to conclude al' that can be reasonably said of this commemoration and its origin, and, because this " merry old song" hath not been given by either the alleged asperser or the espouser of the bird of All-Souls, the ballad is extracted and printed below, from a collection well known to Oxonians. It must not however be forgotten that the reverend author of "A Companion to the Guide, and a Guide to the Companion," which purports to be "A complete supplement to all the accounts of Oxford hitherto published," says, in his preface, "that the Reverend Mr. Pointer, rector of Slapton in Northamptonshire. was but little ac quainted with our academical annals, is evident, from his supposing the mallard of All-Souls College to be a goose." THE MERRY OLD SONG OF THE ALL- Griffin, bustard, turkey, capon, Oh! by the blood of King Edward, The Romans once admired a gander The poets feign Jove turned a swan, Therefore let us sing and dance a galliard, Oh! by the blood of King Edward, Queen Elizabeth was crowned at Westminster on the 15th of January 1559, by the bishop of Carlisle, who was the only prelate that could be prevailed upon to perform the ceremony. She was conducted through London amidst the joyful acclamations of the people. In the course of the procession, a boy, who personated Truth, descending from a triumphal arch, presented to her a bible, which she received with gracious deportment, and placed in her bosom; declaring that it was by far more precious and acceptable than all the costly testimonies which the city had that day given her of their attachment. She acquired a popularity beyond what any of her predecessors or successors could attain.* • Hume. Country-woman's dress in queen Elizabeth's days. The picture which Dunbar, in "The Freirs of Berwick," has given us of the dress of a rich farmer's wife in Scotland, during the middle of the sixteenth century, will apply, with little difference, to the He still wealthier dames of England. has drawn her in a robe of fine scarlet with a white hood; a gay purse and gingling keys pendant at her side from a silked belt of silver tissue; on each finger she wore two rings, and round her waist was a sash of grass-green silk, richly embroidered with silver. To this rural extravagance in dress, Warner, in "Albion's England," bears equal testimony, through two old gossips cowering over their cottage-fire, and chatting how the world had changed "in their time." When we were maids (quoth one of them) An inch-broad, corked high. Some edged deep with gold: That be she ne'er so slender, yet, She cross-like seems four-square. With only tresses bare : Some (grosser pride than which, think I, Of antick't hair do frame. Once starching lack't the term, because Was lacking once the toy, And lack't we all these toys and terms, It were no grief, but joy.— Dr. Drake's Shakspeare and his Times, i. 118. Twilight ends addressed to the Morning Advertiser, by the proprietor of the theatre, disavowing connivance with the impostor, and stating that, as "The performance proposed was so Birds seek the shelter, food, and pro- very extraordinary, it was stipulated with tection of the house. The weather usually very hara. January 16. BOTTLE CONJUROR. On Monday, the 16th of January, 1749, it was announced by newspaper advertisement that a person, on that evening, at the Theatre Royal, in the Haymarket, would play on a common walking cane the music of every instrument then in use; that he would, on the stage, get into a tavern quart bottle, without equivocation, and, while there, sing several songs, and suffer any spectator to handle the bottle; that if any spectator came masked he would, if requested, declare who they were; that, in a private room, he would produce the representation of any person dead, with whom the party requesting it should converse some minutes, as if alive; that the performance would begin at halfpast six; and that a guard would be placed at the doors to preserve order. This advertisement assembled an immense audience, who waited till seven o'clock, and then, becoming impatient and vociferous, a person came before the curtain, and declared that, if the performer did not appear, the money should be returned. Afterwards, a voice behind the curtain cried out that the performer had not arrived, but, if the audience would stay till the next evening, instead of going into a quart bottle, he would get into a pint. A tumult then commenced, by the throwing of a lighted candle from one of the boxes upon the stage. The interior of the theatre was torn down and burnt in the street, and a flag made of the stage curtain was placed on a pole, in the midst of the bonfire. During the riot, the entrance money, which had been secured in a box, according to contract with the proprietor of the house, was carried away. Several persons of high rank were present, and the pick pockets obtained a rich booty. A distinguished general's rich sword was lost, for the recovery of which thirty guineas were offered. On Wednesday, the 18th, a letter was the person that hired the house that there should be a receiver of the proprietor's own appointment at the office, and, in case there should be no performance, or any notorious equivocation, that the money should be returned. All which was assented to, and, as the hirer paid the rent, and would necessarily be at other expenses before the opening of the doors," the proprietor says, “ I was thereby strongly induced to believe that he intended no real imposition, but that something (of that kind) would be exhibited to the satisfaction of the spectators. All the caution above mentioned was taken, and the money locked up in the office, guarded by persons of reputation, who would have returned it; and publicly, on the stage, told them that if the person did not appear their money should be returned. But, instead of complying with that offer, my house was pulled down, the office broken open, the money taken out, and the servants obliged to fly to save their lives. I hope, therefore, this may be deemed a sufficient justification in my behalf, and all that could be reasonably expected from me; and that those gentlemen who are conscious of having injured me will be so generous as to make me a reasonable satisfaction, considering the damage I have suffered, which, on a moderate computation, will exceed four hundred pounds. "JOHN POTTER." On the same day there appeared in the same paper an advertisement from Mr. Foote, the comedian, whence it appears that he had been accused of having been accessory to the cheat. This, Foote utterly denied, and alleged that on the morning of the expected performance he called on Mr. Lewis, Potter's attorney, and gave him his opinion that a fraud on the public was intended, and therefore advised that the doors should not be opened. Lewis's answer was, that if the man complied with his agreement, the doors must be opened. Foote then recommended him not to suffer, on any pretence, the man, or any of his confederates, to receive a shilling, but appoint a treasurer, in order, if disappointment occurred, the money might be returned, |