time. It has a twisting root, on which he frequently used to rest himself: probably, from this point he pictured Gondoline, who "Plung'd her in; the torrent moan'd Some years ago, in the recollection of the villagers, were the following lines by White, placed upon the tree :- "Don't you see the silvery wave; -Don't you hear the voice of God?" These have, however, long been defaced. Like the tree of Pope, in Berkshire, numerous visiters have cut their names surrounding that of White's; and this probably, or the too frequent dashing of the briny sea upon its base, has withered its upper branches. As the surge ere long may totally unroot this tree, to preserve it as a memorial of the young and pious bard, I send the accompanying sketch, which may be interesting to the readers of the Mirror. W. ANDREW. Winterton. THE ANCIENT TRAVELLER'S TALE. COME, mount upon my knee, fair boy, Of what 'twas his to know. Nay, darling child, my looks are naught, Once was I lovelier than thou; To travel east, north, south, and west, A small and tender lad was I Yet chiefly would I talk of land Curse mountain, vale, and plain. No note they take of cruel beasts, Those seize, and rend, and gnaw, and grind ; • Gruesome-an old term for rueful, ugly. In burning climes, dear boy, I've dwelt, I've visited, now mark, my child, Words may not speak-thought fails to sear There the dim, frozen sun crept round And six months' wintry night, at last, But, oh! their large, dim, mournful eyes, Ah, wretched, haunted one! no more, I thought to see-'mid the hoarse crash Yet, from this dreadful land, did 1, “Good Lord! deliver me, my pray'r: And He, the secret call who hears, The wrung soul's unbreath'd sigh, Its stormy misery. Then the wan Polar Land I fled, But sorrows press'd me sore: Suffice, dear boy, 'midst heathen men, Yet, praise to God! a heart to bear Yet, lo! kind Heav'n ordain'd that I Nay, e'en the sin from whence they rose, Then hearken, hearken, darling child! An old man's warning heed: My mother counsell'd-"Shun the sea;" + Travellers to the North Pole are familiar with this astronomical phenomenon; it is here merely presumed to be the case at the unexplored South. For this idea, see Cowper's Alexander Selkirk. AUTOGRAPHS AND LOCALITIES. COLLECTIONS of the autographs of celebrated personages of all countries having become so generally esteemed, the desires of collectors have by far outstepped the means of acquisition. Of many distinguished worthies, in numerous instances, there are but few specimens extant, and of these, no inconsiderable portion are secured in the public depositories, or in the portfeuilles of eminent, and wealthy individuals. Hence, yielding to necessity, in lieu of those of the rarest occurrence, the deficiency is generally supplied by well-engraved fac-similes, such as may be found in Mr. Charles John Smith's Facsimiles of Autographical, Historical, and Literary Curiosities, accompanied by etchings of Interesting Localities; the second part of which attractive work has lately been published. These productions, or rather reproductions, have already received the approval of autograph collectors for their close ness of imitation; and their selection is highly creditable to the Editor of the work, its contents being rarities of popular interest, connected with and illustrating important historical events, and singular traits of literary character; and the localities consisting mostly of natal houses or homes of genius, such as we are anxious to garner into our pages. A glance at the contents of Mr. Smith's Curiosities may, therefore, be gratifying to our readers. Among the letters of persons of noble blood, are two farewell letters of Thomas Howard, fourth Duke of Norfolk, executed early in 1572. The first addressed to William Dyx, his steward, implores his good offices in the care of the Duke's children after his death. 66 Forget me, and remember me in myne."-The second is a dying token of friendship, in the presentation of the duke's copy of Grafton's Chronicle"I have no other tokens to send my fryndes but my bokes-Yours dying as he was lyvyng. T. NORFOLK." The paper found in Felton's hat, after having assassinated the imperious George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, August 23, 1628, in the High-street, Portsmouth. The original, with the great mass of the Evelyn manuscripts, is in Mr. Upcott's possession. Letters of authors constitute the main ob jects of illustration: and among them are full specimens of Bishop Atterbury, respecting the time of writing St. John's Gospel; Chatterton's proffer to Horace Walpole of the fictitious priest Rowley's Ryse of Peyneteynge yn Englande, a manuscript purporting to be of the year 1469; Myles Coverdale's letter to Lord Cromwell, 1538, sent with the Paris printed edition of the English New Testament of that date-a document of high curiosity. Dr. Benjamin Franklin's Epitaph on himself, as an old book, stript of its lettering and gilding; and his Good Night bidding, after having regaled at life's feast fourscore years, written in 1784-The celebrated John Locke's letter to Sir Hans Sloane, suggesting a remedy for correcting the calendar, 1699. Bishop Potter to Bishop Atterbury, concerning a passage in St. Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians. - Smollett's letter to Richardson, the novelist, 1756, apologizing for some abusive notice of the latter in the Critical Review, with Richardson's letter in reply. Dr. Robertson, the historian, 1757, intimating his being busied on his History of Scotland-"The History of a period, which, on account of the greatness of the events, and their close connexion with the transactions in England, deserves to be better known."-Sir Richard Steele, 1713, "talking in a strange dialect from a private man, to the first of a nation."-Laurence Sterne, to Garrick, soliciting a loan, to enable him to proceed on his Sentimental Journey.Dean Swift's Journal to Mrs. Dingley, November 15, 1712, detailing particulars of the duel in Hyde Park, between Lord Mohun and Duke Hamilton, where both perished. -Horace Walpole, a long letter, 1777, confirmative of his scepticism on the authenticity of Chatterton's Rowleian verses :-" Change the old words for modern, and the whole construction is of yesterday; but I have no objection to any body believing what he pleases. I think poor Chatterton was an astonishing genius!" Of English poets, there are several interesting reliques, chiefly derived from the Upcott Collections.-The ballad of Richard and Kate, by Robert Bloomfield. — Queen Mary's Lament, by Robby Burns, the glory and pride of Scotland's bards: this poem occupies three pages.-John Gay, respecting the success of his Beggar's Opera.-A portion of the original manuscript versification by Pope, of Homer's parting of Hector and Andromache; showing the poet's alterations and amendments.-Matthew Prior, respecting the engraved portrait of him, by Vertue, after Richardson, at the expense of Edward Harley, Earl of Oxford, whose Manuscript Collections are now in the British Museum. A page in Shenstone's autograph, from his unpublished poem of the Snuff-box, 1735; successively possessed by Dodsley and Reed, and now in Mr. Upcott's library. Garrick and the histrionic professors of both sexes, of his day, afford some rich specimens. Mrs. Abingdon, Spranger Barry, Mrs. Cibber, Sam. Foote, Henderson, Hull, Gentleman Lewis, Macklin, Mrs. Oldfield, Parsons, Quin, of whom so many epicurean traits are recorded; the immortal Shakspeare, &c. from Mr. C. Britiffe Smith's Collection.Verses, by Garrick, as an Epilogue to Shakspeare's Midsummer Night's Dream; and Pitt, Earl of Chatham's Verses inviting Garrick to ruralize; from Mr. Upcott's almost exhaustless source. The localities of particular events, the birthplaces and residences of distinguished individuals, are engraved from original drawings, and indicate correctness of taste, with ability of execution. They comprise a View of the House in the High-street, Portsmouth, where Buckingham was stabbed by Felton; the house in which Locke was born, at Wrington, in Somersetshire; Sterne's parsonage house at Coxwold; Austin's Farm at Sapiston, Suffolk, the early residence of the poet Bloomfield; Sir Richard Steele's country house at Haverstock Hill; Jordaens, in Buckinghamshire, the burial-place of William Penu, the Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania, accompanied by some autograph reflections, which occupy a whole page; the residence of Milton's friend, Elwood, the Quaker, at Chalfont, St. Giles's, Bucks; Smollett's residence, Monmouth House, Chelsea, in 1756; pulled down in 1833. The Naturalist. consistencies respecting the comprehensiveness of natural history, and the other points on which, perhaps, we may be critical, Mr. Swainson's Discourse is a very useful and interesting volume; so interesting that we have read it through twice. It forms the first volume of the natural history portion of Dr. Lardner's excellent Cabinet Cyclopædia. Night-jar.-We are much surprised to find Mr. Swainson calling this bird by the objectionable name of "goat-sucker," (p. 114,) and thus fostering the old and unfounded notion of its sucking the teats of goats. We hope he is not so incorrigible as Mr. Hugh E. Strickland, who says he shall persist in calling the night-jar, "the goat-sucker, and Caprimulgus," because such were its first names. (Analyst, vol. ii. p. 318.) Alexander Wilson, in his American Ornithology, observes that it is "worse than absurd to continue to brand this bird with a knavish name, after it is universally known to be innocent of the charge. It is not only unjust, but tends to encourage the belief in an idle fable, which is totally destitute of all foundation." As the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, (except the bill,) is required in natural history, we cannot be too particular in the choice of words which convey no wrong ideas relating to the beings to which they are applied. Peacock, (p. 246.)-Mr. Swainson, when speaking of the characteristics of birds, says, "the peacock is known by its immense, fanshaped tail." Again, "the glory of the peacock is its tail; it is, indeed, a splendid ornament, but it is an ornament alone." (p. 256.) Suppose that the mane of a horse, instead of hanging over the sides of the neck, ran along the back, and then hung over NOTES ON SOME MODERN NATURAL HISTORY the rump, would it be right to call it its tail? WORKS.* 9.-Swainson's Discourse on Natural History. "Bid me discourse, and I'll enchant thine ear." Skakspeare. MR. SWAINSON should have called this book a Discourse on Zoology, as he has purposely excluded from his consideration that important branch of natural history-Geology, assigning as his reason for so doing, that "it more concerns the mineral than the animal kingdom”-(p. 429.) Though he defines natural history as embracing the consideration of "the different animals, plants, and minerals, existing on the earth," (p. 102,) yet it is clear that when he speaks of it, he usually means only zoology; for, at p. 108, he says that "natural history cannot contend with botany, in adding to the luxuries of the table, or the elegancies of taste." How, let us ask, can a whole contend with a part? Notwithstanding this misnomer, these in Continued from vol. xxvi., p. 404, -Certainly not. A mane is an appendage that has its origin from one part; while a tail is an appendage that has its origin from another part. A mane has its use, and so has a tail; but the uses of both are different. Now that "splendid ornament" which is "the glory of the peacock" is not its tail, though Mr. Swainson regards it as such; for the feathers composing it, do not grow from the rump, but from the back. Gilbert brown, stiff feathers, about six inches long, White long ago said, that " a range of short, fixed in the rump, is the real tail, and props up heavy when set on end." the long feathers or train, which is top This is only one among many instances we have noticed of the fact, that when Mr. S. leaves for awhile his generals, his beloved theories, and descends to the consideration of particulars, he commonly falls into errors, greater or less. of the diagnostics of the order Ruminantia, Pachydermata, (p. 253.)-Having spoken Mr. Swainson then mentions" the Pachyder matæ, or thick-skinned quadrupeds," as "belonging to the same order." Now, this is all wrong;-the Ruminantia form one order, and the Pachydermata an.other. Elephant, (p. 254.)-"The tusks of the elephant are no more than teeth, performing the same office." What does this mean? The elephant's tusks are not its teeth, they are not used in mastication. Horse's tail, (p. 256.)-Our good author says that the horse's tail "may be looked on as more ornamental than essential." Though we have never previously entered into the very important inquiry" Is the tail of a horse more ornamental than essential ?" yet we at once answer at a hazard that it actually is more essential than ornamental. So we think at any rate, and, may be, our readers think so too. The Rev. Mr. Crowe observes, that the horse's tail, "when of its natural length, and with thick, flowing hair, materially assists the animal in active motion, especially in quick and sharp turns, such as are constant in skirmishing. We may perceive this effect in young horses curvetting and gambolling together, or during any performance of the manége, when they are seen continually raising, spreading, and lashing their tails around, in some correspondence with their attitudes; appearing, by means of them, to act with no small power on the air.”--(Zoophilos, 3rd edition, p. 59.) It is a fact, that in the war with Spain, in 1762, the horses of the British cavalry not having their long, switchy tails to protect themselves from the swarms of annoying insects, became so restive and untractable, that, on the cause being generally remarked, orders were issued for the abolition of the cruel practice of docking in future. The poet Bloomfield thus compassionately addresses himself to the poor, curtailed horse: By th' unclouded sun are hourly bred After all this, pray what becomes of our author's strange notion that the horse's tail is more ornamental than useful? Insects, (p. 261-274.)- Mr. Swainson calls "spiders, scorpions, crabs, and centipedes" insects. This may be according to the system of classification at Tittenhanger Green, but it won't do elsewhere. Progress of Zoology, (p. 345.) — Mr. Swainson declares that at present the science of zoology is "more retrogade than otherwise," and says that those who are considered its teachers possess no taste for cultivating its higher investigations. This remark, with some few exceptions, is true, the majority employing themselves more in making observations on the habits and economy of animals, than in investigating their structure and anatomy. But, as we think the time has been when the latter were studied to the neglect of the former, we do not much regret the change. Knighthood for Men of Science, (p. 413.) -Mr. Swainson complains bitterly that none of the five orders of knighthood are awarded to eminent men of science, whose attainments deserve especial acknowledgment; and he is very angry with an honourable member of the House of Commons, for observing that honours would not confer more dignity upon those who had already invested themselves with it by genius and talent. Now, we are quite of the same opinion with that honourable member. It is really laughable to hear Mr. Swainson speak of the humiliation which scientific men, without titles, suffer by being "jostled in the crowd, and ordered to make way for a city alderman, carrying up an address for which he is to be knighted," (p. 416,) and noticing it moreover, as one of the inevitable consequences of withholding national honours from men of science." We hope we shall never see a system adopted of making eminent naturalists knights of the five orders, although there might be some propriety in calling a betanist Knight of the Thistle; but if Mr. S. wishes to be dubbed Knight of the Chimpanzée or of anything else, we shall of course not attempt to hinder his getting such a distinction, and he will have our best wishes that 66 may protect him from being jostled to make way for any alderman. Zoological Society, (p. 444.)" It is upon this," says Mr. Swainson, more than upon any other society, that the benevolent duty devolves of putting aside a small percentage from their funds for decayed naturalists and their families. Zoological collectors, exploring wild and often unhealthy regions, are exposed more than any other description of men to the chances of a premature death. It is fit, therefore, that an association like this, should be mindful of men so deserving; and should they have families, administer to their widows and their orphans some small support out of their abundant wealth. What 'golden opinions' might be gained from all men, if the Society, for instance, set apart the shillings paid by their visiters to their museum, for the purpose of forming a charitable fund of this description! How cheerfully, for such a purpose would visiters part with their money; for how nobly would it be appropriated!" Similar views we have long entertained, though we had never fixed upon the Zoological Society, (as our author so properly does,) for carrying them into effect. We have never looked on that neat and quiet asylum for decayed Turkey merchants, Morden College,* without a wish that there were some similar institution for decayed men of science, whose labours might entitle them to a residence in it. Besides a library, it might have attached to it, if practicable, a garden, a museum, a menagerie, a laboratory, and an observatory; so that each inmate might still be able to pursue his inquiries into his favourite science, free from those troubles and anxieties which wait on distress. J. H. F. THE SUN PERCH. THE sun perch, wherever found, (says Audubon, seems to give a decided preference to sandy gravelly, or rocky beds of streams, avoiding those the bottom of which is muddy. At the period of depositing their eggs, this preference is still more apparent. The little Sunfish is then seen swimming rapidly over shallows, the bed of which is mostly formed of fine gravel; when, after awhile, it is observed, to poise itself, and gradually sink to the bottom; where, with its fin, it pushes aside the sand to the extent of eight or ten inches, thus forming a circular cavity. In a few days, a little ridge is thus raised around, and in the cleared area, the roe is deposited. By wading carefully over the extent of the place, a person may count forty, fifty, or more of these beds, some within a few feet of each other, and some several yards apart. Instead of abandoning its spawn, as others of the family are wont to do, this little fish keeps guard over it with all the care of a sitting bird. You observe it poised over the bed, watching the objects around. Should the rotten leaf of a tree, a piece of wood, or any other substance, happen to be rolled over the border of the bed, the sunfish carefully removes it, holding the obnoxious matter in its mouth, and dropping it over the margin. Having many times witnessed this act of prudence and cleanliness in the little sunfish, and observing that, at this period, it would not seize on any kind of bait, I made a few experiments one fine afternoon, for the purpose of judging how far its instinct or reason might induce it to act when disturbed or harassed. Provided with a fine fishing-line, and such insects as I knew were relished by this fish, I reached a sand-bar covered by about one foot of water, where I had previously seen many deposits. Approaching the nearest to the shore with great care, I baited my hook with a living ground • Engraved in the Mirror, vol. xxv., p. 289. worm, the greater part of which was left at liberty to writhe as it pleased; and throwing the line up the stream, managed it so, that at last it passed over the border of the nest, when I allowed it to remain on the bottom. The fish, I perceived, had marked me, and as the worm intruded on its premises, it swam to the farthest side, there poised itself for a few moments, then approached the worm, and carried it in its mouth over the side next to me, with a care and gentleness so very remarkable as to afford me much surprise. I repeated the experiment six or seven times, and always with the same result. Then changing the bait, I employed a grasshopper, which I floated into the egg-bed. The insect was removed in the same manner as the worm had been; and two attempts to hook the fish proved unsuccessful. I now threw my line with the hook bare, and managed as before. The sunfish appeared quite alarmed. It swam to one side, then to another, in rapid succession, and seemed to entertain a fear, that the removal of the suspicious object might prove extremely dangerous to it. Yet it gradually approached the hook, took it carefully up, and the next instant dropped it over the edge of the bed. W. G. C. new, The Nobelist. THE MAGIC SPINNING-WHEEL. By J. K. Paulding. THERE is not in the whole universe, old or Williamston, in the county of Berkshire; a more beautiful valley than that of which, by the way, ought to have belonged to New York instead of Old Massachusetts, if every tub stood on its own bottom. But this is neither here nor there; certain it is that a more charming summer region no where lies basking in the beams of the gloriHoosac and its crystal tributaries. It is enous sun, than that which is watered by the vironed by high mountains and shady hills, from which a hundred clear streams plunge down into the depths of the valley, forming the little river Hoosac, which alternately rushes, and sleeps its winding way, in curves more graceful than the boasted lines of beauty, until it is lost in its wanderings between groups of lofty mountains, that seem to lock their fingers together to forbid its escape and keep it there for ever. In one place the traveller looks down from the sumits way like a glittering serpent through the mit of some towering hill, and sees it winding green luxury of the meadows; in another he by the shade of the lofty elms that shadow its descends to the very verge, and there, cooled waters, and soothed into a delicious reverie midst of the music and all the other harmoby their murmurs, he travels onward in the nies of nature. In the distance he sees the |