is singularly interesting, and indeed uniqué; it is elegant and erudite, and comprehends many of the more secret doctrines of philosophy and of the antient religion of Egypt; a learned and copious description of certain sacerdotal ceremonies, and of the initiation into the mysteries of Isis and Osiris. By patient research and diligent investigation, many facts respecting the mysteries, now buried in unopened volumes, might be brought to light the enquiry, as well as the results, would afford no common pleasure; whether leisure and opportunity for these pursuits will always be wanting, for the present, at least, it is impossible to determine. There are barbarisms, there is bad taste, there is false eloquence in the Golden Ass; there are all these faults and many more but nevertheless let him who has read it read it again; let him who has never read it, all other business being omitted, suddenly read it; and, if he cannot procure a copy on easier terms, let him, Apuleius-like, sell his coat and buy one. All that now remains, is to call the attention of the learned world to the conclusion of the Apology, in which the author warns all men against marrying a widow, for this plain reason, "because she can have nothing inposcibile about her:" the passage is as follows: "Virgo formosa, etsi sit oppidò pauper, tamen abundè dotata est. Adfert quippe ad maritum novum animi indolem, pulchritudinis gratiam, floris rudimentum. Ipsa virginitatis commendatio jure meritòque omnibus maritis acceptissima est. Nam quodcumque aliud in dotem acceperis, potes cum libuit, ne sis beneficio obstrictus, omne ut acceperis retribuere; pecuniam renumerare, mancipia restituere, domo demigrare, prædiis cedere. Sola virginitas, cum semel accepta est, reddi nequitur; sola apud maritum ex rebus dotalibus remanet. Vidua autem qualis nuptiis venit, talis divortio digreditur; nihil adfert inposcibile.": The authority is weighty, and the Philosopher did not speak without experience: but if any one, notwithstanding, shall have the hardihood to despise this caution, let him accept, as a nuptial benediction, the phrase in which.Photis used to say "Good night!" QUOD BONUM FELIX ET FAUSTUM. MINOR PIECES. TO A SPIDER RUNNING ACROSS A ROOM. THOU poisonous rascal, running at this rate Scrambling and scuttling on thy scratchy legs, Thou thief-thou scamp-thou hideous much in little, Caitiff of corners,-doer of dark deeds, Mere lump of poison lifted on starv'd threads, That while they run, go shuddering here and there, I have thee now;-I have thee here, full blown, What dost thou say? What dost thou think? Dost see Providence hanging o'er thee, to wit, me? Dost fear? Dost shrink with all thine eyes to view The shadowing threat of mine avenging shoe? Yet hold-why should I do it? Why should I, Believer in the love, though not the wrath, Flies may be kill'd as speedily as mutton, And your black spider's not your blackest glutton. Nor pulls white handkerchiefs from out his blackness, Honest the rogue is, in his way, hey, Groly?— Cry "Manners," and affect the gentleman. He holds to what he is, like her that bore him, 'Twas Cowl, not he, that by old Gizzard's fire, And chang'd his shape with his own fright, as mothers, A thousand times, and all for their own ease,→→→ For all the poison, clubb'd from all thy race, Then, from conniving to suppose him human, Have I done this? Have I endur'd e'en Murrain, Trying to slip aside from him, and cut him, |