There cannot be a shadow of Doubt then, that, to use a fashionable phrase, they will be "Too Happy" to petition Parliament to revive at that Hour, the salutiferous and cheerful old Custom of The Curfew. Dr. Franklin, in his "Economical Project," calculates that the saving which might be annually made in the City of Paris, by using Sunshine instead of Candles, at no less than £4,000,000 Sterling, and after all the charges attending the Incorporation of this Beneficial Company are completely defrayed, and every profit promised to the Shareholders fully realised; if "THE EARLY HOUR COMPANY" be generally joined throughout the King-, dom, it is confidently expected that the Annual Savings in London only, of Physic, Fire and Candle, will be sufficient to purchase plenty of FOOD, gambols still remain, and these few are the more cherished, because years have mellowed them into veneration. In truth, we will long preserve the spirit of Christmas, even after its form has moulddered away. The green holly, retaining its freshness and beauty, when the forest is leafless and bloomless, and when the wrecks of the flowers of summer are strewed in fragments around us, calls to mind the living image of our faith, which neither the wintry blasts of life, the chills of neglect, nor the driving tempests of misfortune, can shake or impair. The green misletoe, with its white berries, once consecrated in the ceremonies of the Druids to the most sanguinary sacrifices, now hangs in our halls as the type of innocent mirth and quiet joy; while the ivy, once devoted to Bacchus, and now emblematic of Christian love, shows how the religion of mercy has vanquished the very memory of Paganism. While the days of Christmas thus recal the pious mind to the story of his redemption, and to the scenes which accompanied it, it dilates in kindness towards the family of FOR ALL THE POOR IN ENGLAND. mankind. We open wide the door of ALL hail! Merry Christmas-all hail! Thou source of fun, frolic, and festivity; of light, life, and heat, during the torpor and gloominess of winter; thou charmed goddess, who thaws every heart into a generous and kindly flow. Notwith standing that the broad pinions of Time have long flapped around thee, and in part concealed thy clear shining face; still, thou art with us to gladden our spirits, to arouse our sympathies, to re-knit our social bonds, and to quicken our affections to kindred and home. Dark, indeed, will be the day when thy beams are withdrawn from us! If thou hast not in thy train the lords of misrule, the masquins, the mummeries, the 'merie disports,' and the quaint conceits which delighted our ancestors, thou art worshipped with a more steady and intellectual attachment. What avails it that the boar's head, the peacock pie, and the wassail bowl, have given place to the sirloin, the pheasant, and the winecup; or, that the yule clog, the Christmas candles, and the Oxford grace, have been swept away by fashion's restless course? Enough of the holyday amusements and hospitality, and invite friends, relatives, and neighbours, to participate in our pleasures, and in the bounties of our board. What a gathering of connexions ! Many, whom the cares and business of the world had separated, rally round the paternal hearth again, and become young in recollection. Age forgets its infirmi tics-prudence her councils--and hypocrisy throws off her mantle. "Heart becomes knit to heart; and soul feasts with soul." The school-boy, escaping from birch and book, riots in his shortlived liberty; the gay student, from the University, renews his pastimes and his pleasantries; and the coy maiden is rewarded with the smile of him whose image is the close companion of her bosom. How sweetly eloquent is her shy glance, when accidentally she is caught below the misletoe; and how speedily is the salute pardoned and renewed! It were impossible to number up the thousand frolics and games by which this mirthful time is distinguished; but all of these have, in addition to the sweet flavour of antiquity, that delicious relish which springs from hearts attuned by the finest feelings to one another. Although the lawn may be sheeted with snow, and the heavens may lower with threatening clouds—although the wind may howl and whistle about, and give token of a coming storm, yet the desolation and dreariness of nature tend only to bring all within doors, and dispose POETRY, &c. them to while away the darkling hours in society together. When the elements are disordered, the crackling blaze is tenfold more welcome, and every warm ray it emits, is put in contrast with the chilliness without. Whatever may be said of the dissipation of Christmas, we thing its recurrence is attended with many excellent effects. In a commercial country, like England, where the merchant, during the entire year, is glued to his desk, and wholly intent on his selfish schemes, his feelings are apt to be frozen over by the palsying power of interest. In counting over his gains, he forgets that others, connected with him, and his equals in rank and character, may claim a right to share his coffers or his society; and hence the impulse of avarice too often dissevers the links in the chain of the family bond, and which go far to injure the strength and durability of the greater chain of society. But when all the members of the family once assemble under the same roof-to commemorate the Nativity of Him who came to destroy all fictitious distinctions, and to partake anew of that festive mirth which delighted their early years, there is a mingling of affection, and a re-union of sympathy, the effect of which is to render men better when they immerge anew into the troubled waters of busy life. ERRORS IN NATURAL HISTORY From the Mechanics' Magazine. 267 THE stories that there is but onc phoenix in the world, which, after many hundred years, burns herself, and from her ashes rises another; that the pelican pierces her breast with her beak, to draw blood for the support of her young; that the camelion lives upon air; that of the bird of Paradise, and of the unicorn, are all fabulous.It is an error, that the scorpion stings itself when surrounded by fire, and that music has power over persons bitten by it; that the mole has no eyes, and the elephant no knees; that the hedge-hog is a mischievous animal, particularly that it sucks cows when they are asleep, and causes their teats to be sore.It is said, that the porcupine shoots out its quills for annoying its enemies, whereas it only sheds them annually. The jackall is said to be the lion's provider, but it has no connexion with the lion.The bite of the spider is not venomous; it is also found in Ireland plentifully; has no dislike to fixing its web on Irish oak, and has no aversion to a toad.———It is an error that bears form their cubs by licking them into shape; and that storks will only live in republics and free A Frenchman, who once with hunger was – press'd, From a shop stole a shoulder of mutton; That constables came in a terrible throng, And took off Monsieur to the prison. The court being set to consider the case; Who was prov'd both a rogue and a glutton. They order'd him flogging, and fined him beside, And the judge such an awful face put on, That the Frenchman, alarm'd at the sentence, replied, "I would much rather pay for de mutton." The small Acorn from a tender root, It gains new strength with each revolving sun, The Spirit of the Magazines. ON M'ADAMISING. By the Author of the Hermit in London, Et jussas lapides sua post vestigia mittunt. our OVID. WHENEVER I consider the works of this justly celebrated son of Adam,* which have so contributed to mend our ways, my scholastic reminiscences present themselves to my imagination; and I indulge amid the flowers of fable which Ovid so profusely and tastefully spread over his path through life; which, however, was not free from dire vicissitudes, the ordinary portion of genius---may this not be the lot of modern Colossus of Roads!Amongst the many vagaries of my favourite author, after readers an account of chaos, and the giving his organization of the world, the elements, the zones, the adorning of the firmament with stars, the four ages of gold, silver, brass (which, soit dit en passant, seems to have returned again), and of iron; after the fictitious account of Jupiter's convocation of the gods, and an exquisite description of the via lactea,+ or milky way (in plain English), he proceeds to the fabulous history of the giants, to the transgressions of mankind, then announces the deluge, and lastly, the "Homines e lapidibus procreati;" whereby we are informed that the post-deluvian generation was extracted from the hard inflexible substance, whether of silex, lime-stone, or common pebble, imports not; be that as it may, this is giving great honour and antiquity to geology; and we may, therefrom, yet cherish hopes of moving the heart of a stone. I will not follow the poet through his whimsical concetti of the males and females being brought into life, the former by the hand of Deucalion, and the latter by that of Pyrrha; nor account for the obdurancy of times from this origin, proving our worldlies of to-day to be so on that account-" Inde genus durum sumus, • M'Adam, and Adam's Son, are synonymous terms. Nothing can be more sweetly expressed than the following lines: Est via sublimis cœlo manifesta sereno, Lactea nomen habet, coudore nobilis ipso : Hac iter est superis ad magni tecta Tonantis, Regalemque domum. new experiensque laborum," &c.; but merely confine myself to the subject, as far as it will serve to bestow the just meed of praise to our modern Deucalion, whose places smooth," and has procured so creation has made "the rough many facilities and advantages to the town and country at large. Our ways are altered! and it was time they should be so; how were our ancestors bumped knocked about and stunned, by the and jolted, agitated and contused, rattling of carriages! how many more asperities did life present, and still does present, in those parts of the town where the gentle M'Adam is unknown! In the formal days of powder and pomatum, the beau and belle were often in nubibus from the concussion of their equipages against the rough pavement; whilst the delicate frames of sensitive females, of the aged and infirm, of convalescents and of effeminate coxcombs, were agonized on their road to an opera, curling fluid scarcely preserves the glossy a concert, or a ball; even now, the serpentine twisting and trimmings of natural or artificial tresses, unless her ladyship is driven over M'Adam's granite the curly dog, appears with locks as carpet; whilst the dandy rival of Shock, lank as the tallow-chandler's sign, after a drive on the old pavement. gratitude is due to Mr. M'Adam from What these parties! The author and studious man, the composer of music, or of verses, billet doux, owe great obligation to our even the writer of the teuder perfumed road-making genius; how easily the thundering of numerous vehicles will drive a deep reflection, a bright thought, a happy guess, and an impassioned idea, from the brain---how is the rounded period lost; on such an occasion, how the sweet shake is marred, the cadenza lost, the sostenuto drowned and murdered, by a jolt upon a rugged stone which vibrates versation, half the good things of a on the distracted ear! In cheerful conpunster, or of a table-wit, may be thrown away, or, the thread being cut by the clattering of wheels, be entirely disfigured, or made nonsense of; whilst inaudible in a populous street. Many the whisper of Philander may be quite apothecary's and lucinian practitioner's accidents too were set down at door, which may be diminished, or made more easy, by Professor M'Adam. Nor are the inanimate beings less indebted to the There are curly dogs of divers descriptions -"A word to the wise." ON M'ADAMIZING. this gentleman, than the animated ones; the poor quadrupeds, who tramp the strect for man's use and pleasure, will be on a less painful footing on the new pavement, than on the rounded or sharp surfaces, and the harsh inequalities, of the common paving stones; whilst that noble animal, the horse, will feel his poor shoulders and joints infinitely eased by the improved system of road-making. Lastly, economy is promoted by the diminished wear and tear of carriages; so that the man of money, and the man of mind, the noble and the trader, the sick and the vigorous, the lover and the lazy, livery-stable keeper and horsedealer, coachman and modest cabriolet driver, man and beast, horse and foot, are all benefited by him who has meliorated their lot in the path of life; and I would vote for a granite column to honour him whilst living, and to bear testimony of his merit, when nothing but the remembrance of him may remain. Having said thus much in commendation of talent and industry, a well-meant remark, and disinterested piece of advice, can neither be out of place, nor offensive to the public, nor person concerned :---The M'Adamizing system has the advantages of appearance, use, and the favouring of the carrier and the carried, of rational beings, and of cattle; and if generally followed up, will give uniformity and grace to the streets; but care and attention ought immediately to be applied to the execution of the design; every thing ought to be weighed which can perfect its carrying into effect; in the operation of which, the weather is not the least object to be consulted; the M'Adamizing of the streets ought every where to be completed before the approach of the rainy season; at, and after that period, on the consistency, tenacity, firmness, and durability of the materials, depend its utility; if the work be done in inclement weather, it will fail, it will blow up, or, to speak more correctly, it will disunite, and come to nothing; it will have to be recommenced, and the work men of the old plan will raise a hue and cry against it, which will be borne out by its failure to a certain degree; if this be avoided, no doubt can exist that it will extend not only over the surface of British ground, but be received on the continent, and lay the corner-stone to Fame, and to a great fortune; which is the sincere wish of A BROTHER MASON. Literary Magnet. THE TOBACCONIST, 269 With a word or two about Snuff. Der Frieschutz Travestie. GREAT names give a sanction to any thing, a kingly head aids the circulation of a counterfeit, making even a brummagem pass current. With this feeling, I shall give a sanction to the practice of snuff-taking, by quoting the example of a great man, as it is expressed in the "Annals of Snuffing:"thus "Bonaparte was an immense snuff taker." But why do I seek for examples illustrious examples --- amongst the great? Or rather if I were to count the royal and noble names that have patronised the fashion of snuffing, where should I stop? it plumes my pen on this subject just I remember, (and the remembrance of now,) that when a boy, some five and twenty years ago, I was led into all manner of speculations, concerning the propriety, the cleanliness, and the delights of snuff-taking. I had an old friend who was so great a devotee to the nasal divinity---who peppered his nose so industriously---that he kept his snuff loose and unpapered, and unboxed, in his right-hand waistcoat pocket. Jolly old boy! (for he would make three of myself in size and I am not over thin,)--I think I see you now, with your finger and thumb carrying continual messages from the pocket to the nose-from the the while as if that choice pocket was nose to the pocket-and you looked all pleased to present its respects to that nose-and that jolly red nose sniffed in loud ecstacy, pepper me again! I need hardly say what a snuffy track there was on the right side of the old man's buff waistcoat; or which drew, ever and anon, that sensitive describe the sympathy nose to his favourite pocket. before my eyes, I might well have With such a picture of devotedness speculated-and I did so-first, on the thought I, people have a right to please propriety of taking snuff. Well, themselves, if by so doing they do not injure their neighbours: snuffing then, I continued, is a harmless thing, for if C loads his nose with Scotch or rappee, it works no injury to A or B; and there's no law, that I am aware of, declaring it a public nuisance for men to make dust-holes of their noses. Thus I settled the first point. Then, secondly, as to the cleanliness of the practice. Upon this head 1 was obliged to confess that there were at least two opinions upon every individual subject, and that cleanliness was a very loose undefined term: so loose that one might say what was clean, or vice versa, was mere matter of tasteand de gustibus non est disputandum; and, therefore, I must not be objected to for stating that when I visit a friend, who has an old snuffy cook in his house, I alway decline taking pudding or pie. My venerable aunt who makes her spectacles fairly tremble on her nose when she deposits the copious pinch (pinch? do I call it) within, is quite indignant at the thought of snuffing being considered a habit not over cleanly; and I have often heard her skilfully maintain the contrary position against the parson of her parish; accompanying her speech with sundry hints about the unquestion. able nature of smoking---a practice much admired by her Rev. Friend---on the unfashionableness of the amusement, and on the very few illustrious names that have given a sanction to it. The Court of King James the Smoker, she added, was more disgraced by the stink of tobacco than by years of misrule. But I come now to the delights of snuff-taking; and here I must observe, that I rather imagine (or take the word of my friends for) the exquisite pleasure that results from snuffing, than offer any thing of my own, practically speaking, on the subject. I am told then, by one friend, an old and inveterate snuffer, that he would as soon go without his dinner as his snuff,-and I verily believe him; and so would you believe him, good reader, if you had ever heard the extatic sniff which ushers the fragrant dust up his most sensitive* organ. One would certainly swear, that the man who indulges in the propensity under our notice, must find no inconsiderable pleasure in it; for when do we know children more fond of red cherries, than our snuffer is of his dust? and how rarely is it, that we see a moderate nose after it has but few months been cheered with the fragrant smell of "Prince's Mixture." I once took upon myself to doubt the pleasure that resulted from snuffing, in the shop of a celebrated tobacconist; I well remember his look, which he accompanied by a tap on the choicest box, and the exclamation of---" There, Sir, only try that!" His countenance mantled with exquisite sensations, as he literally devoured the dust; and from that moment I have been induced to confess there may be a pleasure of which • Query "Sensible," Printer's Devil. . I am yet ignorant. It was this same tobacconist, who learnedly insisted that snuff was the finest auxiliary to friendship,---or, in other words, that the reciprocal interchange of a pinch did more to make men acquainted, and on easy terms with each other, than visiting for a twelvemonth. We Englishmen, said my learned manufacturer of snuff, are naturally reserved and distant fellows; good in the main, and kindly at the heart; but, on a first introduction, require the aid of a third person to make us free and social; for which purpose, no one so excellent as the friendly face on the lid of the well-filled sunff-box. You are indeed a philosopher, thought I, as he peppered his nose again and again... "Bless your soul, Sir, nothing like it for thinking-it gives birth to a thousand sharp things, and promotes a thousand pleasant ones." It was only a few days sinee, that I was forcibly reminded of the tobacconist's philosophy, and constrained to admit the kindly influence of snuff. There were four of us, who received that most plea. sant of all irritations-to my taste at least, (except it be a summons to meet some of those sweet domestic divinities that give grace and peace to our day of life) which was "to eat a plain dinner, and drink a quiet bottle of wine." A plain dinner and a quiet bottle! I never refuse such an invitation-and was accordingly, in the very best spirit, first at my friend's on the appointed day. A jocund-looking personage in black, somewhere about forty, came second, and my friend left us with, "Be ye known to each other, Gentlemen." A formal acknowledgement of the purpose for which we had met followed, and my pleasant. looking companion took out his box; he glanced towards me as he opened it, but there was no sympathy between me and its contents; be marked my indifference in an instant, and quietly slipping the treasure into his pocket, set me down as a Goth. At the very niche of time, a third lover of a plain dinner and a quiet bottle came into the room; and scarcely had we recognized each other, when the jocund gentleman in black again pulled out his box,-the eyes of the last-arrived gladdened in a moment, and he instantly flourisчed his social casket-an interchange of pinches took place, the distance of a first introduction was forgotten, and my old friend the tobacconist's philosophy was again impressed upon my mind. "Such sympathy in snuffing." SNITHING. |