and growing pale as death, exclaimed My daughter?' 'Yes, Mademoiselle Marie, your daughter. Are you not M. Dumont, formerly a captain under the emperor?'-He nodded. 'Well, here is a letter from Mademoiselle Marie.' -He took it. Sir, I do not exaggerate, every hair stood on an end, and as large drops ran from his forehead as from his eyes. "She still lives,' said he; 'and it is your master who saved her: take me to her, friend, quick, quick.' He felt in the drawer of a small escrutoire, and taking out three or four five-france pieces, he placed them in my hand; I took them for fear of humiliating him. I looked round the apartment. Ah! said I to myself, thou art not over rich. I turned round and slipped the 20 francs behind a bust of the Emperor, adding, "I thank you, captain.-Are you ready? I am waiting for you.' He then began to descend as if he were sliding down the banisters. 'I say, sir,' exclaimed I, 'I can't see at all on these dark stairs of yours.' Bah! he was already at the bottom. "At length, when we were seated in the cab, I said to him, 'without wishing to be impertinent, will you be so good as to tell what you meant to do with those pistols you were loading.' He answered me with a frown, one was for that wretch, whom God may forgive, but I cannot.' Ah, thought I, for the father of her child! · The other was for myself.' 666 'Well," said I, 'it is better it should have happened as it has.' "All is not yet over,' said he; 'but tell me how your excellent young master saved my poor Marie.' "I then related all to him; he sobbed like a child; it was enough to melt the very stones to see the old soldier weep; so that at last the coachman even said to him, "Sir, really this is very silly; I can hardly see how to drive; and if the poor beast had no more sense than we have, he would take us straight to the Morgue.'* "To the Morgue,' said the captain, shuddering; 'to the Morgue. Ah, when I think of it, it was there only I had any hopes of seeing again my poor Marie, the child of my heart, stretched on that black and filthy marble. Oh tell me the name of your master, that I A house in Paris in which bodies drowned in the Seine are laid during two or three days in order to give their friends an opportunity of claiming them. No, I did not say so. It is with regard to myself I am speaking-my nose.' "We were getting over the ground in the meanwhile; for all at once the coachman said, 'Here we are.' 666 Help me, friend,' said the captain, my legs fail me; where is it?' "There, the second story, where you see a light, and a shadow behind the curtain.” "Oh, come, come!' "Poor man! he was as white as a sheet. I took his arm within mine-I could hear the palpitation of his heart. If I were to find her dead,' said he, looking wildly at me.' "At the same moment, the door of M. Eugène's apartment opened two stories above us, and we heard a female voice calling, My father, my father!' "It is she-it is her voice,' said the captain; and the old man, who a moment before was trembling like an aspen, now sprang forward like a youth, entered the chamber, and without even noticing any one else, threw himself on his daughter's bed, weeping and exclaiming, 'Marie, my dear child, my daughter!' "When I came in, it was quite a picture to see them in each other's arms; the father's rough, lion - looking face and his old moustachios rested on the face of his child; the nurse wept, M. Eugène wept, I wept; in fact, it was a regular shower. "My master, turning to the nurse and I, told us that they had better be left alone; so we all three went out; he took me on one side. 6 Watch for Alfred de Linar,' said he, when he returns from the ball, and tell him I want to speak to him.' "I placed myself as sentinel on the stairs, thinking to myself, ah, your's is no good account, M. Alfred. In about a quarter of an hour, I heard ring-ading-ding. It was M. Alfred; he came singing up stairs. I said to him very politely, That won't do-my master wishes to speak two words with you.' till to-morrow?' said he sharply. "Could not your master have waited. BY WILLIAM COX. collected, though his half-opened lips A REVERIE ABOUT OYSTERS. shewed his clenched teeth. The perspi ration flowed from his antagonist's forehead, he was getting weaker. he. "My master stepped forward. "I thought you never retreated,' said "M. Alfred made a feint, and M. Eugène's sword parried with such force, that his adversary's bent almost in twofor one moment his chest was unguarded, and my master's sword was buried in it to the hilt. "M. Alfred extended his arms, let fall his weapon, and was only prevented from falling, by the sword which had pierced him. "M. Eugène drew out his sword, and he fell. "Have I acted as a man of honour?' said he to the witnesses. They made a gesture in the affirmative, and advanced towards M. Alfred. 'My master came up to me. "Return to Paris, and take a notary to my house; mind he is there by the time I return.' "If it is to make M. Alfred's will,' said I, 'that can hardly be worth while, as he is writhing like an eel, and vomiting blood too, which is no very good sign.' 66 6 No,' he replied, it is not for that.' "What was it for then,' said I, interrupting Cantillon, in my turn. To marry the young girl, and acknowledge her child,' said he. 'And did he do it?' "Then,' said he to me, · Cantillon, my wife and I are going to travel; I should like to keep you, but your presence would be a restraint on her; you understand. Here are a thousand francs; I give you my horse and cabriolet, to do what you please with; and if you want me do not address yourself to any one else.' "As I had wherewithal to commence, I turned coachman." There is my story, sir. Now where shall I drive you to? "Home; I will finish my calls another day." On arriving at my own house, I sat down and wrote Cantillon's story, just as he had related it to me. M. A.W. SPIDERS' THREADS. The threads of the minutest spiders are so fine, that four millions of them would be required to make up a single hair of the human head. The compound, or common thread of the spider, is made up of about forty thousand smaller threads. MAN has been styled a speaking animal, a laughing animal, a bargaining animal, and a drunken animal, in contradistinction to all other animals, who neither speak, nor laugh, nor bargain, nor get drunk; but a cooking animal seems after all to be his most characteristic and distinguishing appellation. In the important art of cooking victuals he shines pre-eminent; here he taxes all his faculties, racks his invention, and gives unbounded range to his imagination. Nature has given to every other animal a peculiar taste, and furnished three or four kinds of food to suit that taste, but this sense in man accommodates itself to an innumerable quantity of materials. He has made copious selections from all things that dwell upon the face of the globe-from the birds of the air, from the fish of the sea, from the inhabitants of lake and river, yea, from the bowels of the earth has he extracted substances to minister to his palate, and the whole mineral and vegetable world has been ransacked with indefatigable industry for its gratification. Thousands of his species pass their lives in dreary mines, to send forth the simple but indispensable salt with which he seasons his viands; while others fit out frail vessels, and amid storm and tempest, traverse the wilderness of waters for certain spices that add piquancy to a favourite dish! But after he has collected all the products of the world together, that is only the commencement-the preliminary mustering of his forces. What are all these materials collectively, to the innumerable, the inconceivable quantity of dishes which he manufactures from them by skilful combinations or incongruous mixtures ?Twelve figures can be set down in thousands of different ways and no two alike; then out of those millions of primitive substances, what countless quintillions of dishes can he not compound! whilst every day new secrets are brought to light and added to the limitless list of gastronomic discoveries. The ancients knew something as regarded these matters; but still they seemed to have studied expense and vanity more than real gratification. There are few that have not heard of the extravagances of an Heliogabalus; his brains of flamingos, his tongues of nightingales, and his heads of ostriches, six hundred of which were served up in a single dish, and for which single dish the deserts of Arabia must have been scoured and desolated-but there is no ingenuity in this, nothing remarkable, save its monstrous folly. At a later period the art took a more complex form. In 1577 the abstemious cardinal, Ascanius Colonna, gave an entertainment to the prince of Nassau, when the following unique olla podrida was produced, which was looked upon as one of the greatest achievements of the times, and was so admired and lauded by all who partook of it, that a certain holy father present at the feast, composed a Latin ode upon it, and handed the receipt down to an ungrateful posterity, who refuse to avail themselves of this chef d'œuvre in the annals of cookery> The ingredients were "ten pounds of beef, three pounds of a pig, six wood pigeons, one pound of truffles, six thrushes, one capon, three pounds of turnips, six handsfull of green fennel seed, two pounds of sausages composed of curious materials, one pound of pepper, six onions, twelve larks, three lobsters, seven lampreys, four choice cardoons (a vegetable resembling celery), two heads of Bologna cabbage, three pounds of tallow, spices, salt, sugar, and other seasonings.". How stomachs were constructed in those days it is not stated. The United States possess an advantage over all the nations of the earth in two things highly conducive to human happiness-oysters and peaches. Men may disagree about forms of government, or the fine arts, or the relative merits of poets, painters, and actors; and whether they are right or wrong, may be perfectly sincere and well meaning in their opinions; but whoever denies the complete supremacy of the oysters and peaches of that part of the world, must be given over as incurably infected with prejudice and perverseness. The peaches of England are nothing, and the oysters, generally speaking, no more to be compared to these, than a crab-apple to a pippin; though there ought to be an especial reservation made in favour of what is called the "Colchester native," the flavour of which must dwell in the grateful remembrance of all who have had the good fortune to taste them; they are uncommonly sweet, but small-a very choice oyster for ladies; but when taken into a tolerably capacious mouth, do not touch the palate at every point-there is still something wanting, and you do not experience that unalloyed gratification, that fulness of delight which is the necessary consequence of swallowing a large, fresh, fat, York-bay oyster. So extremely grateful are the latter to all who truly appreciate their estimable qualities, that every additional one only creates a keener desire for its successor, "As if increase of appetite had grown By what it fed on," until the stomach signifies its incapacity to receive a farther supply of the luscious and delectable food. Man is naturally a self-opiniated contrary animal, and feels a natural inclination to disagree with his species on all earthly questions; but still he divides into parties and subdivides into factions, and it is possible to find half a dozen people who have the same views in politics, religion, and literature; but perhaps no two were ever formed since the creation with exactly the same tenets respecting the stomach. They may hold on together for some time, and confess that they both like boiled salmon or roast ducks; but let them speak upon the subject of eating for a quarter of an hour, and a hundred minute but important differences of taste discover themselves. Indeed, two men alike in this respect would be a much greater rarity than the two Dromios. There are few points on which there is a more unanimous opinion entertained than on oysters. All agree as to their virtues in the first instance; but whether they are best raw, or stewed, or fried, or broiled, or pickled, is the subject of endless cavillings, and interminable harangues. The longest dispute I ever listened to was whether it was best to devour these creatures with black pepper or red; and such was the earnestness of the dispu tants that the man employed in opening them, making a mistake, kept helping the red pepper advocate with black and the black pepper zealot with red; and to the infinite amusement of the lookers on, neither found out the difference until they were told, when both instantly declared they thought the oysters had a very peculiar taste! just as newspapers or politicians will now-a-days commence a fiery dispute concerning democratic and aristocratic parties, or the powers of the general and local governments, until they unconsciously change sides in the course of the argument, without being anything the wiser; and just so trivial and undistinguishable are half the disputes into which we poor brainless bipeds plunge with such uncontrollable fury, to the infinite amusement of all calm and dispassionate spectators. But it will not do to go on grounding general reflections on an oyster. It was made for better things than to be a theme from which to extract a questionable moral. I would if I could be eloquent in thy praise, thou best and gravest of fish thou most nutritious and digestible of moluscous substances thou stanchest friend and steadiest supporter of Afric's trampled sons, for whom thou daily effectest more than Wilberforce can ever hope to compass-much do I regret that the insatiable appetites of the citizens are robbing their bay of its greatest boast; like the boy who killed the goose for the golden eggs, they are not content with the yearly produce of thy fruitful beds, but they leave them oysterless, seize on both interest and principal, and expect a miracle to provide for the future. It is easy to foresee the ruinous consequences of such atrocious conductbut it is not in common prose that thy merits and sufferings should be commemorated. I will take my harp, and sweep its softest strings. LINES ON A NEWLY-OPENED YORK-BANKER. WITH feelings strange and undefined I gaze upon thy face, How calmly, yea, how meekly thou reclinest in thy shell, For thou hast life as well as he who recklessly seeks thine, And, couldst thou speak, might draw forth tears as briny as thy brine; Perhaps thou wast but newly joined to some soft plump young bride, Thou wast happy on thy native bed, where blithesome billows play, Thou wast bought and sold and opened, and placed in this right hand! I know that while I moralize thy flavour fades away, I know thou shouldst be ate alive,t before thy sweets decay! I know that it is foolishness, this weak delay of mine, And epicures may laugh at it as sentimental whine. Well, let them laugh, I still will drop a tear o'er thy sad fate, Ye are passing from the river, from the sea-bank and the shore, Why were ye made so racy, rich, and luscious to the taste? 'Tis that has stripped your thickest banks, and made your beds a waste; E'en I, the friend of all thy kind, when I think of what thou art, A gulp-one more-a silent pause—a sigh-and all is past! * Oysters taken from the river and kept in fresh water, open their mouths at the time of the flowing of the tide, in expectation of their accustomed food.-Dr. Kitchiner, + Those who wish to enjoy this most delicious restorative in the utmost perfection must eat it the moment it is opened, with its own gravy in the under shell; if not eaten while absolutely alive, its flavour and spirit are lost.-Dr. Kitchiner. Two famous species, found adjacent to New-York, now nearly extinct. HISTORIC GLEANINGS. COLONEL BLOOD. EVELYN, in his Journal says, " March 10, 1671,-Dined at Mr. Treasurer's, where dined Monsieur de Gramont, and several French noblemen, and one BLOOD, that impudent bold fellow, who had not long before attempted to steal the imperial crown itself out of the Tower, pretending only curiosity of seeing the regalia there, when, stabbing the keeper, though not mortally, he boldly went away with it through all the guards, taken only by the accident of his horse falling down. How he came to be pardoned, and even received into favour, not only after this, but several other exploits almost as daring both in Ireland and here, I could never come to understand. Some believed he became a spy of several parties, being well with the sectaries and enthusiasts, and did his majesty services that way, which none alive could do so well as he; but it was certainly as the boldest attempt, so the only treason of this sort, that was ever pardoned. The man had not only a daring, but a villanous unmerciful look and false countenance, but very well spoken, and dangerously insinuating." Enough has been said of Charles' protection and favour of this man; but what shall we say to the baseness of his majesty's loving subjects, who admitted this monstrous ruffian to their tables? What a strange thing is courtesy! The virtuous Evelyn, that quiet pattern of an English gentleman, sitting at the same board with a common stabber like Blood! ED. PARTErre. PERSONAL APPEARANCE OF JAMES THE FIRST. "He was of a middle stature," says Sir Anthony Weldon, "more corpulent through his clothes than in his body, yet fat enough, his clothes ever being made large and easy; the doublets quilt ed for stiletto proof; his breeches in great plaits and full stuffed; he was naturally of a timorous disposition, which was the reason of his quilted doublets; his eye large, ever rolling after any stranger that came in his presence, insomuch that many for shame left the room, as being out of countenance: his beard was very thin; his tongue too large for his mouth, which made him drink very uncomely, as if eating his drink, which came out into the cup of each side of his mouth; his skin was as soft as taffeta sarsnet, which felt so because he never washed his hands, only rubbed his finger's ends slightly with the wet end of a napkin: his legs were very weak, having had (as some thought) some foul play in his youth, or rather before he was born, that he was not able to stand at seven years of age; that weakness made him for ever leaning on other men's shoulders; his walk was ever circular." NOTES OF A READER. SIR JAMES MACKINTOSH ON HOGARTH. I perform my promise of giving you some account of what I have been reading in Hogarth. I do not think it quite justice to say that he was a great comic genius. It is more true that he was a great master of the tragedy and comedy of low life. His pictures have terrific and pathetic circumstances, and even scenes: he was a Lillo as well as Fielding. His sphere, which was English low life, was contracted, indeed, compared to that of Shakspeare, who ranged through human nature in all times, countries, ranks, and forms; but he resembled Shakspeare in the versatility of talent, which could be either tragic or comic; and in a propensity natural to such a talent, to blend tragic with comic circumstances. "Much has been said of the morality and utility of his works. Garrick said that His pictur'd morals mend the mind, And through the eye improve the heart. Too much of this sort can never be said, unless it be exclusively said. Hogarth deters men from debauchery, prostitution, and mercenary marriage, by a representation of the evils which flow from them. "But has not Raffaelle also through the eye improved the heart?' Have not dying Christs taught fortitude to the virtuous sufferer? Have not Holy Families cherished and ennobled domestic affections? The tender genius of the Christian morality, even in its most degenerate state, has made a mother and her child the highest objects of affectionate superstition. How much has that beautiful superstition, by the pencil of great artists, contributed to humanise mankind? Unless, therefore, the praise of utility be denied to those who encou rage virtue, and confined to those who |