just kindling on the verge of the horizon; it beamed like a ray of hope, irradiating the gloom which hung heavy upon my heart. Suddenly it expanded like the glowing meteor, and the ocean was illuminated with a red and gory tinge. I was struck with astonishment; but at the same moment an exclamation resounded fore and aft, "A ship on fire! a ship on fire!" and the horrid conviction was, alas! too evident. In a few minutes the flames were distinctly visible, and the ship was pronounced to be about five miles distant. Never before did I witness such alacrity among our crew as in that hour of peril. The captain, and every officer and man, were on deck immediately: and as it was impossible for the frigate to approach in time to rescue the sufferers, before ten minutes had elapsed from the period of first noticing the fire, every boat was in motion towards the scene of danger. It fell to my lot to command the captain's gig, a swift-pulling boat, with seven men, who bent to their oars with all the might of brave and generous spirits. As we drew near, the destructive element raged with increasing fury; and the shrieks of the wretched creatures came mingling with the crackling of the flames and the crash of falling masts. The frigate had fired guns and hoisted lights, to shew that succour was at hand; and the boats' crews occasionally cheered, to announce that they were approaching to their rescue. The shouts were returned from the burning ship; but so wild, so fearful, that they sounded like the expiring yell of agony, that still clung to hope and life. I would have dashed instantly alongside, but the old coxswain respectfully warned me of the danger of such a measure, "as the boat," he said, "would instantly be swamped by the crowds that would rush into her." We were now within a short distance of the A vessel, and oh! what a sight of horror was presented! The ports were all open, and the flames, pouring from them as from so many mouths, seemed eager for their prey. Numbers of poor creatures were swimming towards us, whilst others held pieces of shattered spars, with strong convulsive grasp. The forepart of the ship was nearly consumed, and the upper part abaft was rapidly falling in. Those who could swim, we left for other boats to take up; and pulling under the stern, we lay unobserved, by the gun-room ports, while the fiery fragments came tumbling thick upon us. Trusting to my skill in swimming, should it be deemed requisite to jump overboard, I instantly entered the porthole and the ship having turned before the wind, what little air there was, drove the greatest part of the smoke forward: yet there was an almost insupportable heat, and the suffocating vapours bid defiance to my efforts to penetrate further. feeling I could not account for-an indescribable feeling-urged me on, and I reached the gun-room ladder, at the bottom of which lay a human being, whose sufferings, apparently, were over. I passed my hand quickly to the heart, to feel if any palpitation yet remained, and discovered that the individual was a female she was yet living, and in a few minutes was safely in the boat. Again I returned with three of my crew, and soon had the satisfaction of rescuing eight poor wretches, who lay in a state of insensibility, and must soon have perished. Stimulated by success, we penetrated to the burning deck above; and never shall I forget the horror of the spectacle. Here all was brilliancy and light; and the devouring element, rolling its huge volumes over many a devoted victim, roared in its fierceness, as if to stifle the thrilling scream of the last death-pang. Several half-burnt and mangled bodies could be distinguished in the flames, and many others lay in a senseless state, unconscious of the awful doom awaiting them. Near the transom, abaft, sat a mother, with an infant in her arms. She seemed unconscious of any object moving near her; she saw not our approach but her eye-balls wildly glared upon the red hue of the burning fabric. I spoke to her, shook her arm, but her eyes still continued fixed-alas! the film of death was on them! She heeded me not, but clasped her infant closer to her bosom gave one wild, one dismal shriek, and mortal agony was over. The moments became exceedingly precious: the smiling infant (for it smiled amidst the horrors of the appalling scene), was secured; and several poor wretches were dragged to the gun-room scuttle, where they were thrown down, risking their limbs to save their lives; and the boat was completely filled, almost to sinking: yet numbers were still left behind, and, roused from their stupor by the increasing heat, came rushing to the port, and plunging headlong in the sea :-it was but changing their mode of death; for the watery element, equally fatal with that from which they strove to escape-engulphed them in its dark abyss, at once their destruction and their grave. I was compelled to put some of my rescued party in the launch, and then pulled briskly for the frigate. The female I had thus saved was still insensible; but yet, as she lay extended in the stern-sheets of the boat, with her head resting on my knees, I could feel the tremulous palpitation of her heart; and Hope whispered, that she might yet recover. She appeared to be young, but her dark hair hung in thick flakes down her face, so as to conceal her features. The worthy coxswain had wrapped the infant in his jacket, which was now sweetly sleeping in the box by his side. Several of the sufferers, restored to fresh air, speedily recovered; but it was only to lament some one whom they supposed had perished. In the bows of the boat, an elderly man raised his white head, and with incoherent language, inquired where he was. The bowman soothed him, and tried to explain his situation. "But my son! my daughter!" he exclaimed, "where are they?" Then turning to the burning ship Wretched, wretched man, they are lost!-lost for ever, and I yet live!" He struggled to throw himself into the sea, but, overcome with weakness, fell backward. At this moment another voice faintly uttered, "My father! my father!" A cry of ecstacy burst from the old man's lips-it was his son! The youth lay near me, and the exclamation drew my attention towards him. He started up like one awaking from a frightful dream, and glared wildly around. But, O God! in what language can I pourtray the various feelings which alternately took possession of my soul, when, fixing his look on me, I saw the countenance of Sir Edward's son. A sick shud. dering came across me. The old man had called upon his daughter. In an instant the inanimate body of the young female was raised in my arms. I parted the dark tresses that obscured her face, and as the red glare shone upon it, recognised my Agnes! Yes, it was she! my arm had encircled her neck, my hand had been pressed upon her heart-but then I knew her not: and now to find her thus! Sobs of anguish, and tumultuous bursts of joy, followed in rapid succession. The men rested on their oars; the coxswain guessed the cause, but knew not the whole truth; and it was some minutes before I was sufficiently tranquil to give directions. "You have saved her, Sir," said the coxswain, and a glow of pleasure filled my heart. Sir Edward and his son had relapsed into stupor, and shortly afterwards we reached, the frigate. I sprang upon the deck, to inform the captain whom I had brought, and then returned again to the boat, to see my richest, my only treasure, safely conducted up the side. In my arms I carried the dear girl to the captain's cabin: stole one kiss from those lips, on which I had hung with such delight in early infancy-pressed her to my heart and then hastened back to my duty. Again I reached the ship; but all approach was now impossible, and we could only pick up those who were enabled to swim; and occasionally, by great hazard, run so close as to receive some poor sufferer from the wreck. Yet there were many who still remained; and dreading to trust themselves to the sea, hung tremblingly between two deaths. My boat was once more filled, as were also all the rest, and we made for the frigate, which had arrived within a short distance. Suddenly, an awful explosion shook the whole atmosphere, the glare of light was for a moment increasedthe next a shower of blazing timbers fell in every direction around; and the pale moon alone shed her silvery effulgence on the transparent wave. No shouts, no shrieks were to be heard the bitterness of death was passed, and all was as tranquil as the grave. Happily the burning ruin had struck none of the boats, and we soon afterwards put the sufferers on board. The boats then again repaired to the place; but except the shattered remains of the wrecks, no trace was left the swelling billow rolled, smoothly on -and that gallant ship, with many a stout heart, was buried beneath its deceitful surface. Still we passed across and across, in every direction; and long after the sun had kindled up the day our search was continued; but nothing met our view, except mutilated fragments of human bodies, and pieces of blackened timber. All hands repaired on board, the boats were hoisted in, and the frigate pursued her way to England. On getting aboard, I hastened to the surgeon, and inquired the state of Agnes and her friends. They had all recovered, and were composed to slumber. Etiquette forbade my entering the precints of the cabin uninvited yet I lingered near the door, and the steward gave me all the information I could obtain. Duty compelled me to attend in another part of the ship; after which I hastened to my birth, and equipped myself in uniform, for the forenoon watch. Never was I more studious in adjusting my dress; and a feeling of pride animated me, under the reflection that I had endeavoured to earn my present distinction solely by my own efforts. We had saved ninety-seven people (including passengers), out of one hundred and forty-three. The ship was an East Indiaman, on her passage out; and Sir Edward was going in her to Calcutta, to fill a high official station. No one could tell how the fire originated, but it was supposed to have been occasioned by the communication of some combustible matter with the fodder, stowed in the orlop deck, for the live stock; but so amazingly rapid had been its spread, that the boats were rendered useless before they could be got out, excepting one small jolly-boat, which sunk soon after it was lowered. Notwithstanding my attention to dress, it would be impossible to describe the tumult of agitation under which I labored. Parents-home-Agnes -all rushed upon my heart; and the cruel blow which had occasioned my departure, mingled with the rest. When relieving watch, I found my friend, the lieutenant, upon deck, and to him I briefly related my situation. He had heard parts of my story before; but when I told BOW LEGS STRAIGHTENED. BY SIR ASTLEY COOPER. A person in this metropolis happened to have bow-shins. A part of his duties was, to teach ladies to draw and paint, and in the prosecution of this branch of his profession, he found his bow-shins, as he himself declared to me, a very great evil. He felt that his merits were less fairly appreciated, and his instructions less kindly received, by reason of the convexity of his shins; in short, that his bow-shins stood between him and his preferment. Under this impression, he went to a very noted person in this town, and in this town, and shewing him his bone, said to him, "Pray, sir, do you think you can make my legs straight?" "Sir," said the doctor, "I think I can: if "I think I can: if you will take a lodging in my neighbourhood: I think I can scrape down your shins, and make them as straight as any man's." A lodging was taken, the father of the patient assisted in the operation, and all three of them, the father, the son, and the doctor, took a turn in scraping down the convex shins. A great deal of rasping was required; an incision of very considerable extent was made in the shin, the integument was turned aside, and an instrument which was at that time contained in the surgeon's case, called a rougee, was employed to scrape the shin-bone. When the doctor was tired of rasping, the father took a spell, and the patient-in his turn-relieved his father. At last the shell of the bone became so thin that the doctor said they must proceed no further with that leg. The other leg was then rasped in a similar manner, and thus large wounds were produced in both the shin-bones. The surfaces granulated very kindly, and very little exfoliation of the bones took place; but unluckily the granulations would form a bone, so that up jumped the bones of the shin again. The doctor, however, was resolved not to be defeated, and accordingly put a layer of arsenic over the whole surface. It was in consequence of the effects of this application that I saw the patient. The arsenic was absorbed into the system, and he became pa ralytic in his arms and lower extremities. A great number of exfoliations took place in his legs; and he shewed me a large box, in which the exfoliated portions of bones were contained. I recommended him to go into the country, and he went to Bath, where he stayed for some time, and got rid of his paralysis. The case made a good deal of noise in town; and there were some surgeons who expressed a strong wish to prosecute the doctor. I recommended them, however, not to take any steps until I had seen the patient himself; and when he next came to me, I asked him whether he thought his legs improved, and whether he would again undergo the same operations, at a similar hazard of his life, to have his legs made a little straighter? He replied that he would, and under these circumstances I was of opinion, that, as the young man was content, it was a folly to think of prosecuting the doctor. The patient, in this case, appeared to be as great a fool as the doctor of whom he consulted, and deserved to be punished for his folly. I have no wish to injure individuals, and I shall not, therefore, mention the name of the operator. Some time has elapsed since the case occurred, and the transaction is now almost buried in oblivion. One of the parties is since dead; not the person, however, who underwent the operation, for he still lives, and is proud of his improved legs. The Essayist. A JOURNEY FROM LONDON TO LIVERPOOL. BY A LADY. Having long since promised my friends in Ireland to revisit them, I thought this summer would be an agreeable time to carry my purpose into effect while the Caravats are too busy in gathering the harvest, to create any disturbance, and Mr. O'Connell's word of honor is pledged for the peace of the country until such times as he may stand committed to Newgate. As soon as my resolution became known, the wildest amazement was spread over the select little circle in which I have the honour to move. "What!" exclaimed all my English friends, "go to Ireland so soon after the great rebellion of Ballinamore, and go unattended too? Heavens preserve us, you will never come back alive!" In vain I urged in reply, that I had known many ladies who had travelled without much inconvenience in England, the most civilized country on the face of the earth, where liberality and intelligence pervade all classes of society, and every one, male and female, is at liberty to go and come without let or molestation. "Go to Ireland!" they all reiterated, "and you will never come back alive." "Well," said I, "If I don't I shall never come back at all; but we shall see." And so saying, I trotted up to Snow-hill, and warbled, as I went along, the concluding words of Moore's sweet national melody On she went, and her maiden smile, "My life upon the pride of Munster!" quoth I, as I heroically paid down, as earnest, three pounds ten shillings, the half-fare of two seats to Liverpool in the " Express." I was to be accompanied by a young person whom I had engaged to take over as governess, to teach the English accent and London style to the children of my cousin Pat Pry, and I was much encouraged 'when I discovered amongst the passengers another lady, an acquaintance of mine, young and lovely, who was not afraid to intrust herself without a guarde du corps amongst the wild Irish, as far as Belfast. The morning of our de |