THE LANDSCAPES-ENGLISH AND INDIAN. I STOOD Upon an English hill, And saw the far meandering rill, Sheep, like small clouds touched with light, Scattered all around were seen Or peering through the sheltering trees., Oft their glad shouts, shrill and clear, Were hues that ripened apples streak. On a gently rising ground, Sounds unto my childhood dear ;- Though from home and friends we part, Still may soothe the wanderer's care, Seated on a bank of green, I have dreams the mind to cheer, While in each the figures seem Of lustres ranged in glittering rows; Never yet hath waking vision This description has reference to the night of some religious festival. [RICHARDSON's Literary Leaves.] WE cannot comprehend the wonders of creation, much less those of the resurrection. For our belief in the possibility of this stupendous mystery, we trust to reason; for the cer tainty of it, to revelation; for the performance of it to Omnipotence!-Daubeney. UNJUSTIFIABLENESS OF REVENGE.-Let every one beware how he indulges the idea of returning evil for evil. In such deplorable contests, it is always he who comes off, as he may think, the conqueror, that is the most really to be pitied.-ST. Gregory. Man him Ir the very great, the enormous power of the Deity is sometimes urged, from a comparison with the feebleness and littleness of man; if his insignificance in the inappreciable extent of creation is pointed out; it is still, for the purpose of comparison, not with a design to debase him. self is a great effort of power; the more extraordinary that The nations Power which could perform so much more. of the world are as dust in the balance: but the poet intended to magnify God, to whom even nations could be as that dust which is unfelt. Yet, nevertheless, He is "mindful" of man. This is to understand our just relations to Him. The lesson which natural history conveys, from the extent and the population of the unbounded universe, is not a lesson of despair. The same argument which had depressed us, serves to elevate us again when it is justly contemplated. When man looks above at the boundless heaven of orbs and their incomputable inhabitants, he shrinks before the thought; when ne inspects the myriads, of incalculable smallness, and utter apparent insignificance, beneath, be rises again, secure that He, who thinks for them, as He erected them, thinks also for him, thinks and cares for all. But I have fallen, unawares, into the argument used by the highest authority which we have known on earth. That He appealed to natural history is a warranty for the choice here made; that His arguments were those of natural religion ought to prove that He thought this study worthy of man, when He thought it not beneath Himself.-MACCULLOCH. ARISTIPPUS very properly replied to a man who boasted of his reading,-" It is not those who eat the most who are Ihale and healthy, but those who can best digest."-MIL LINGEN's Experience. A BRIEF HISTORY OF GLOVES, ANCIENT AND MODERN. WHEN we draw upon our hands the comfortable and useful articles termed GLOVES, we are apt to think them | an invention of modern luxury or convenience, and need to be reminded that they were much in use in very early times. We intend, therefore, to consider this subject with reference both to the ancient and to the modern condition of the world. As the Old Testament is one of the most ancient books now existing, we naturally look first to it, for some allusions to the subject under consideration. In the book of Ruth (ch. iv., v. 7,) the custom is noticed of a man taking off his shoe, and giving it to his neighbour, as a pledge for redeeming or exchanging any thing. The events of the book of Ruth belong to the year 1245 B.C., and the word in this text usually translated shoe by the Chaldee paraphrast is in this place rendered glove. A like supposition is offered with regard to the passage at Psalm cviii. 9, where the royal prophet declares he will cast his shoe over Edom. The expression occurs likewise at Psalm LX. 8, and both these religious hymns were composed about the year 1040 B.C. Casaubon is of opinion that gloves were worn by the Chaldeans, from the word used in the book of Ruth being explained in the Talmud Lexicon by the clothing of the hand. Xenophon tells us that the ancient Persians used gloves: when describing their manners, he cites this as a proof of their effeminacy. Homer describes Laertes, the father of Ulysses, as working in his garden with gloves on his hands, to secure them from the thorns. Now Homer lived about 900, and Xenophon about 400 years B.C. Varro, who lived in the time of Cicero, tells us of their long-standing use among the Romans. He wrote a book on "Rural Business," wherein he tells us that olives gathered with the naked hand are preferable to those gathered with gloves. Athenæus speaks of a celebrated glutton, who always came to table with gloves on his hands, that he might be able to handle and eat the meat while hot, and devour more than the rest of the company. Thus far it would seem that gloves were not so much an ordinary covering, as a protection used for specific purposes: the use of them among the ancients was therefore not so common as among the moderns. In a hot climate the wearing of gloves implies a considerable degree of effeminacy, so that the early use of gloves can be more clearly traced among northern nations. When the primitive simplicity of Rome had passed away, the philosophers were found to rail at the prevailing use of gloves. Pliny the younger informs us, in his account of his uncle's journey to Vesuvius, that his secretary sat by him, ready to write down anything remarkable that occurred; and that he had gloves on his hands, that the coldness of the weather might not impede his business. It is curious to find that Musonius, a philosopher who lived at the close of the first century of Christianity, among other invectives against the corruption of the age, says: "It is shameful that persons in perfect health should clothe their hands and feet with soft and hairy coverings." The use of these articles kept on progressing, until, at the beginning of the ninth century after Christ, the church began to lay down regulations for this part of dress. At the Council of Aix it was ordained that the monks should wear gloves made of sheep-skin. Surius tells us a Romish legend respecting St. Gudula, the patroness of Brussels, that, as she was praying in a church, without her shoes, the priest compassionately put his gloves under her feet; but she threw them away, and they miraculously hung in the air for the space of an hour,-whether in compliment to the saint or the priest does not appear. Gloyes have been used on several great and solemn occasions, as in the ceremony of investitures, in bestowing lands, or in conferring dignities. Giving possession by delivering a glove has prevailed in several parts of Christendom in later ages. Bishops have been instituted to their sees by means of the glove; and it was thought so necessary a part of the episcopal habit, that when some abbots in France presumed to wear gloves, the Council of Poitiers interposed, and forbad them, as peculiar to the bishop alone. The custom of blessing gloves at the coronation of the kings of France is a remnant of the Eastern practice of investiture by a glove. The influence of this notion is exhibited in the case of the unfortunate Conradin, who was deprived of his crown and life by the usurper Mainfroy. When he had mounted the scaffold the injured prince lamented his hard fate, asserted his right to the crown, and, as a token of investiture, threw his glove among the crowd, intreating it might be conveyed to some of his relations, who would avenge his death. It was taken up by a knight, and carried to Peter, king of Arragon, who, in virtue of this glove, was afterwards crowned at Palermo, in Sicily. To deprive a person of his gloves was a mark of divesting or depriving him of his office. When the Earl of Carlisle, in the reign of Edward the Second, was impeached of holding a correspondence with the Scots, and was condemned to die as a traitor, his spurs were cut off with a hatchet, and his gloves and shoes were taken off. In former ages the throwing down of a glove constituted a challenge, which he accepted who took it up. Such sort of single combat was meant as a trial of innocence, and was likewise often practised for deciding rights and property. This custom was continued down to the reign of Elizabeth. A dispute concerning some lands in the county of Kent was appointed to be settled by duel in Tothill-fields, in the year 1571. The plaintiffs had appeared in court, and demanded single combat. One of them threw down his glove, which the other party immediately taking up, carried off on the point of his sword, and the day of fighting was appointed: but this affair was adjusted by the judicious interference of the queen. In Germany, on receiving an affront, to send a glove. to the offending party is a challenge to a duel; and this method of daring a person to fight, has been in use even in this country, where local circumstances made feuds and animosities commor; as the following narration will show. Bernard Gilpin was a faithful ecclesiastic of the sixteenth century, whose spiritual work was carried on among the northern borderers. On a certain Sunday going to preach in those parts wherein deadly feuds prevailed, he observed a glove, hanging up on high in the church. He demanded of the sexton what it meant, and why it hung there. The sexton answered that it was a glove which one of the parishioners had hung up there as a challenge to his enemy; signifying thereby, that he was ready to enter into combat hand to hand, with him, or any one else, who should dare to take the glove down. Mr. Gilpin requested the sexton to take it down. "Not I, sir," replied he, "I dare do no such thing." Then Mr. Gilpin, calling for a long staff, took down the glove himself, and put it in his bosom. By and by, when the people came to church, and Mr. Gilpin in due time went up into the pulpit, he in his sermon reproved the barbarous custom of challenges, and especially the custom which they had of making challenges by the hanging up of a glove. “I hear," said he, "that there is one amongst you, who even in this sacred place, hath hanged up a glove to this purpose, and threateneth to enter into combat with whosoever shall take it down. Behold, I have taken it down myself." Then, plucking out the glove, he showed it openly, and, inveighing against such practices in any man that professed himself a Christian, endeavoured to persuade them to the practice of mutual love and charity. At the coronation of George IV., in 1821, the ceremony was performed, probably for the last time, of challenging by a glove any one to dispute the right of the sovereign to the crown. His majesty's champion entered Westminster-hall completely armed and mounted, and threw down his glove. Gloves were also particularly used for carrying the hawk, which princes, and other great men, formerly took much pleasure in doing; so that some of them have chosen to be represented in this attitude. Judges were formerly forbidden to wear gloves on the bench; but both they and the rest of the court receive gloves from the sheriffs, whenever the session or assize concludes without any one receiving sentence of death: this is a custom of great antiquity. ings. A simple and ingenious apparatus is used for performing the process of glove-sewing, with accuracy and dispatch, when the respective pieces have been cut out. POISONOUS FLIES. NEAR this place (Castle of Golubaes) we found a range of caverns, famous for producing the poisonous fly, too well baeser fly. These singular and venomous insects, somewhat known in Servia and Hungary, under the name of the Goluresembling musquitoes, generally make their appearance, during the first great heat of summer, in such numbers as to seem like vast volumes of smoke; their attacks are always directed against every description of quadruped, and so potent is the poison they communicate, that even an ox is unable to withstand its influence, for he always expires in less than two hours. This results, not so much from the virulence of the poison, as that every vulnerable part is simultaneously covered with these most destructive insects; It appears likewise to have been a custom not to enter when the wretched animals, frenzied with pain, rush wild the stables of princes, or other great men, without pull-through the fields, till death puts a period to their suffering off the gloves, under the penalty of forfeiting them, ings, or they accelerate dissolution by plunging headlong or of redeeming them by a fee to the servants. This into the rivers. custom is likewise observed in some places at the death of the stag; in which case, if the gloves are not taken off, they are redeemed by money given to the keepers and huntsmen. The King of France always pulled off one of his gloves on this occasion; but the reason for this custom seems to be lost. Gloves are usually presented at weddings and funerals. By the term glove-money is meant money given to servants to buy gloves: this was done because they were more expensive formerly than they are now. Gloves were also a customary new-year's gift. When Sir Thomas More, as lord chancellor, decreed in favour of Mrs. Croaker against Lord Arundel, she, on the following New Year's day, in token of her gratitude, presented him with a pair of gloves containing forty angels. "It would be against good manners," said the chancellor, "to forsake a gentlewoman's New Year's gift, and I accept the gloves; their lining you will be pleased other wise to bestow." A person in company, who first sees the new moon, and thereupon salutes his fair companion, has a claim upon her for a pair of new gloves. This custom is peculiar to some of the northern parts of England. It appears that gloves did not form part of the female dress, until after the Reformation. In the time of Queen Anne they were richly worked and embroidered. Some of the oldest gloves extant exist in the Denny family. At the sale of the Earl of Arran's goods, April 6, 1759, the gloves given by Henry VIII. to Sir Anthony Denny were sold for 381. 178.; those given by James I. to his son Edward Denny, for 221. 4s.; the mittens given by Queen Elizabeth to Sir Edward Denny's lady, 25%. 4s.; all which were bought for Sir Thomas Denny of Ireland, who was descended in a direct line from the great Sir Anthony Denny, one of the executors of the will of Henry VIII. The principal leather glove manufactures in England are at Worcester, Woodstock, Yeovil, Leominster, Ludlow, and London. The number made in the town and neighbourhood of Worcester annually, has been estimated at more than six millions of pairs. At Yeovil about two thirds of that quantity are supposed to be produced, and the number of persons, including men, women, and children, engaged in the manufactures at these places, is said to be regularly increasing. Of late years, cotton or Berlin gloves have been much in use; and foreign leather gloves, principally of French manufacture, have been imported, the duty on the latter of which has amounted to 30,000l. per annum. Owing, however, to the increased use of gloves, the English trade at home is said to have experienced some increase. Silk gloves are chiefly made in the town of Derby: this department of the manufacture is connected with that of silk stock The shepherds of these countries, taught by experience the time of their approach, anoint every part of their flocks tion of wormwood, to which, it appears, these flies have and herds, unprotected by nature, with a strong decoca great antipathy. In addition to this, the shepherds keep immense fires constantly blazing, around which the poor animals, aware of their danger, tremblingly and patiently congregate. Kind Nature has, however, mercifully ordained that their existence shall be most ephemeral, for the slightest variation in the weather is sufficient to destroy the whole swarm; hence they seldom live beyond a few days: indeed their very production seems to depend upon the state of the weather: for, in those summers when the thermometer continues low, they never make their appearance except in diminished numbers; whereas, when great heat and drought prevail during the whole of that season, they have been known to swarin two, or even three times, although even then their existence is always extremely brief. countries of Servia and the Hungarian Banate; but on some Their ravages are principally confined to the surrounding occasions they have been known to extend their flight as far as the neighbourhood of Presburg, when their attacks were fatal to numbers of cattle. The peasants for this, as for every other phenomenon, have resorted to a miracle for explanation, and tell us, that in these caverns the renowned champion, St. George, killed the dragon, whose decomposed remains have continued to generate these insects down to the present day. The probable supposition, however, is, that when the Danube rises, which it always does in the early part of summer, the caverns are flooded, and the water remaining in them becomes putrid, and produces, during the heat of summer, this noxious fly. The inhabitants of the country, many years since, closed up the mouths of the caverns with stone walls, for the purpose of preventing their egress; but the expedient availed nothing, and the rushing of the waters against the sides of the rocks, in probe evident, either that the insects are not generated here, or cess of time, destroyed the useless defence; so that it must that the caverns have subterraneous communications with some other outlets at present unknown.-SPENCER's Travels in Circassia. Ip there be any one who faithfully examines the book of Nature, and the book of Revelation, to ascertain the truth, just as he would inquire into the reasons and probabilities on which he must found the expectation of any temporal benefit; if, after having done this, he find no assurance, and these things are not proved to my mind, is it proved to me still doubt, let him ask himself the question: Although that these things cannot be so? If they may be so, how earnestly does it concern me to live as though they were most clearly demonstrated.-S. LONDON: JOHN WILLIAM PARKER, WEST STRAND. PUBLISHED IN WEEKLY NUMBERS, PRICE ONE PENNY, AND IN MASTE PARTS, PRICE SIXPENCE. Sold by all Booksellers and Newsvenders in the Kingdom. MOLDAVIA AND THE MOLDAVIANS. MOLDAVIA is the most northern province in Turkey. It is bounded on the east by Bessarabia, a province which formed part of Turkey until 1812, when it was ceded to Russia; on the south by Wallachia; and on the west and north by provinces of the Austrian empire;-the province forming a compact territory about 200 miles in length, and 120 in breadth. Moldavia formed part of the Byzantine or Eastern Empire, and suffered greatly from the incursions of the rude hordes which infested Europe in the middle ages. About the middle of the thirteenth century, the province was governed by Bogdau, a Slavonic chief; and for some time afterwards, the military leader, or Voyvode, of Moldavia, was generally independent of superior authority. At length, the Turks conquered Constantinople from the Greek emperors; and Moldavia, by a timely submission, was enabled to obtain favourable treatment from the conquerors. The sultan was to protect the province; the inhabitants were to pay an annual tribute for this protection; Turks were prohibited from interfering with the native inhabitants; the Voyvodes were to be elected by the principal clergy and nobles, uncontrolled by the sultan; the Voyvode had power of life and death, peace and war, without consulting the sultan; and no Moldavian was compelled to leave his province, to enter into the sultan's service. The Voyvodes governed with the assistance of a council, or divan, composed of twelve members appointed annually by him. The laws were framed after the JusVOL. XVIII. tinian code; and the Voyvode kept up an army of 6000 men. The annual tribute paid to the sultan was not large; but the inhabitants suffered from certain oppressive commercial regulations. Wheat, timber, cattle, and other articles, were exported to Constantinople, and sold at a fixed price, which was not above one fourth of the current market price. In this situation did Moldavia remain for two centuries, disturbed occasionally by the wars between Turkey and Poland. At length, the ambitious Czar of Russia directed his attention to this province; and after several attempts, Russia succeeded, in 1774, in gaining the position of a kind of intercessor between the sultan and the Moldavians, by which certain advantages were given to the latter. In 1792, fresh advantages were granted to the Moldavians by the sultan, at the instance of Russia. In 1812, the latter power succeeded in getting possession of that part of Moldavia called Bessarabia, situated eastward of the river Pruth; and at subsequent periods she has frequently interfered between the sultan and the Moldavians, to gain advantages for the latter, but whether with any ulterior object time will show. Certain it is, that by the Treaty of Adrianople, in 1829, Moldavia has been placed in a more independent position, with regard to the sultan, than it has yet occupied. The Voyvode, called also Hospodar, is elected by the inhabitants for life; the corn, provisions, cattle, and timber, are exempted from the vexatious regulations formerly existing; and various other regulations have secured to the Moldavians a degree of liberty scarcely found in any other part of the Turkish empire. 565 154 of them are too poor to obtain this indulgence, and content themselves, in addition to their ordinary food, with eggs fried in butter. The inhabitants of Moldavia amount to about half a The principal food of the peasantry consists of a kind million, and consist of native Moldavians, Jews, Arme- of dough called mamma linga, made of the flour of InThe season of nians, and gypsies. Mr. Wilkinson, who was British dian wheat, sometimes mixed with milk. consul at Bukhorest before the improvements had taken Lent is kept by them with rigorous severity; and for the place in the government and condition of the province, first two or three days after its termination, they sparrepresented the humbler classes as ground down by op-ingly indulge themselves with a little meat; but many pressive power, and as having acquired, through the effect of this oppression, a dispirited and dejected tone of mind: being accustomed to a state of oppression, they had become unable to form hopes of a better condition, and had acquired a sort of stupor or apathy which rendered them, to a great degree, indifferent to the future. Hence, it may be inferred, says that gentleman, that they are a quiet and harmless people. Their mode of living is, indeed, with regard to the intercourse among themselve an uninterrupted calm. Although the male part are given to drinking, quarrels and fighting are almost unknown among them; and they are so much used to blows and all kinds of ill-treatment from their superiors, that they approach with the greatest respect and submission any who bear upon themselves the least external mark of superiority. There are grounds for hope that this sad picture may be relieved by the subsequent improvement in the relations between the Turkish government and the Molda vians. The reader is probably prepared to expect, that though Moldavia forms part of the Turkish dominions, the Moldavians are not Mohammedans They profess the religion of the Greek church, a superstitious and corrupt form of Christianity, professed also by the Russians. Persons who have not received baptism by the rites of the church are not deemed Christians; and frequency of confession and communion, together with the punctual observance of a vast number of fast days during the year, are prescribed with severity: the misguided people believe that an exact adherence to these rites is sufficient to expiate the heaviest crimes, particularly after the confessor's absolution, which is said to be obtainable in most cases by means of a good fee. Preaching, and the perusal of the Holy Scriptures, are almost wholly unattended to; and though we, as Christians, may feel a momentary pleasure on hearing that the Moldavians are not Mohammedans, yet there is but little cause for satisfaction, when we reflect on the gross and mutilated form in which the doctrines of Christianitity are presented to the people. It is a natural result of those forms of religious teaching which do not appeal to the heart, that supersti tion should prevail widely. The Moldavians firmly believe in all sorts of witchcraft, in apparitions of the dead, in ghosts, and in miracles performed by the images of saints. In illness, they place an image near them; and when they recover, though it were through the aid of the ablest physician, they attribute the recovery to the efficacy of the image alone. No prayers or thanksgiving are offered up either to the Deity or to the Saviour; but the Virgin, and a large number of saints, are those whose names are invoked whenever spiritual assistance is required. The towns and sea-ports of Moldavia partake of that mixed and European character resulting from the intercourse between merchants, dealers, &c.; but the villages represent the real character of Moldavian life. The peasants' huts are all built nearly of the same size and style. The walls are of clay, and the roofs thatched with straw, neither of which is calculated to protect the inmates from the inclemency of bad weather. The ground floors are, however, occupied as long as the weather will permit; and in winter the inmates retire to cells under ground, easily kept warm by means of a little fire made of dried dung and some branches of trees, which, at the same time, serves for cooking their scanty food. Each family, however numerous, sleeps in one of these subterraneous habitations, the beds being formed of coarse woollen druggets. The Their dress bears some resemblance to that of the Dacians in the time of the Romans, and has probably Their feet are suffered but little change for centuries. covered with sandals made of goat skin. They wear a kind of loose pantaloon, which is fastened to the waist by a tight leather belt, and closes from the knee downThe upper part of the dress is composed of a wards. tight waistcoat, and a short jacket over it, of coarse cotton stuff; in winter they add a white sheep skin, which is hung over the shoulders in the manner of a hussar's pelisse. The hair is twisted round the back of the head, and covered with a cap, generally of sheep skin. women are generally clothed from the neck to the ankles, in a long gown of light-coloured thick cotton, made tight at the waist, which they cover, on holiday occasions, with a shorter dress, buttoned from the neck to the waist, and ornamented with one or two rows of beads. Under ordinary circumstances, the poorer classes go barefooted, and use no covering for the head except a handkerchief. Almost every village has a small church, or chapel belonging to it, and one or more priests who act as curates. The ecclesiastics of this order are chosen from amongst the ordinary peasants, from whom they are only distinguished in appearance by a long beard. They lead the same sort of life, and follow the same avocations when not engaged in the exercise of their clerical functions; but they are exempted from the public imposts, and pay nothing more than an annual tribute of fifteen piastres to the metropolitan archbishop. The generality of them can neither read nor write: they learn the formulæ of the service by rote; and if a book is seen in their chapels, it is more for ornament then use. Perhaps the most extraordinary feature in the structure of society in Moldavia is the vast number of gypsies residing there. Their bodily constitution is strong, and they are so hardened from constant exposure to all the rigours of the weather, that they appear fit for any labour or fatigue; but their natural aversion to a life of industry is in general so great, that they prefer all the miseries of indigence to the enjoyment of comforts that are to be reaped by persevering exertion. Both men and women are rather finely formed, but are exceedingly dirty in their habits and appearance. They acknowledge no particular religion, nor do they think of following the precepts of any, unless compelled, nor is there any form of matrimonial tie between the sexes. This The relation in which they stand to the remainder of the inhabitants is a sort of mitigated slavery, the government and the nobles claiming property in them. slavery, however, so far as the government is concerned, is nothing more than a pledge not to leave the province, and the payment of a small annual tribute. Their time they dispose of as they please, strolling about the coun try, and pitching their tents near the towns and high roads. Their chief occupation, in this vagrant life, consists in making common iron tools, baskets, and other cheap articles. But their industry and gain are confined to what is absolutely necessary for procuring them the means of subsistence. They possess a natural facility and quickness in acquiring the knowledge of arts; the number of persons, however, who devote themselves to any is small. Musical performance seems to be that to which they give the preference: they frequently attend the wine-houses and taverns, and are sometimes called to the houses of the nobles, when a concert is to |