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THE LION'S HEAD.

We had the imprudence to request of a learned Scotchman the explanation of a few difficult northern words, which our readers may encounter on their way through the first tale of Lyddalcross, and we have been punished and intimidated by an array of usages and authorities from which we have singled out the following.

KANE, or CANE, or KAIN.

The payment in produce or kind made by a vassal to his lord; by a farmer to his master; hence kane-grain, kane-fowls, kane cattle.

"To death we've dearly paid the kane—

Tam Samson's dead."-BURNS.

"It was but the last week that syne

The laird got all to pay his kain."-ALLAN RAMSAY.

"For Campbell rode, but Myrie ran,

And sore he paid the kain, man."-OLD SONG.

"Had I but had the wit yestreen,

That I have coft to day;

I'd paid my kane seven times to hell,

Ere you'd been won away."-TALE OF TAMLANE.

SUNKET.

On the word Sunket our friend has been equally prolix, but we shall abridge his muster of northern authorities by a brief explanation.-In Suffolk suncate signifies a dainty, and may probably be the same with juncate or junket, a sweetmeat according to Shakspeare. Sunket means, - provisions of any kind, and is usually applied in Scotland to refreshments.

LUCKEN BROWS.

A person, the hair of whose eye-brows is connected over the nose, is called lucken-browed; and anciently the looks of such a one were reckoned "unsonsie" or ominous.-Jamieson, the learned and accurate Jamieson, has missed this singular word in his dictionary, but it is in common use among the lowland Scotch.

"If I. E. L. had written her "Stanzas" before the appearance of Lord Byron's, their merit would have been unquestionable.

We would advise all our Correspondents to try themselves on new subjects, or on such strains as less obviously suggest unfavourable comparisons. If they find themselves unable to write well, unless excited by the recollections of poetry which they admire, their judgment should then have influence enough to deter them from writing at all.

G.'s Muse should use Steer's opodeldoc, which is allowed to be excellent for "strains."

Lion's Head is really touched with the modest manner in which R. N. E. tenders her Fragmenta; but, although they are not without merit, that merit is not strong enough to allow of a reference to the Printer.

We cannot pledge ourselves for the insertion of three Sonnets, by H. B. M. R. and H. L., but they are on our books as candidates for the next vacancy.

To Y. and Y. No.-A word to the Y's!

We have "shut the Lion's Mouth," as D. has requested.

L. sends us cr a Scene from Memory, from the French."-We suppose L.'s Memory is " in French."

A. B. F.'s "Hymn, in imitation of Wordsworth," would be a sad drop in the Lake School, and Lion's Head is unfortunately obliged to decline giving it the opportunity of being " said or sung," by the Readers of the LONDON MAGAZINE.

It would be, perhaps, difficult to say no to Maria, or Anne F--: it is barely possible to refuse their verses.

We cannot book a place for "Night's Journey:" let her apply at the Saracen's Head.

Y. E. S. is our creditor for kind intention. There is a promise in his poetry, that we hope to see realized. H. L. would probably write better if he wrote less.

The author of an anonymous epistle, has our thanks for the expression of his opinion. We beg that he will make our compliments to his Uncle.

Christopherus is inflamed as requested:

J. B. "On the Management of Harriers" is deferred till the Dog-days; and

Homo's "Sonnet to Eve" is out of date.

A Correspondent has sent us some lines "On Winter," which, with much gravity, he informs us are meant for burlesque.-The following are certainly serious.

Riding on the storm, he shies

Hail and snowballs from the skies.
And the earth, all over white,

Is very bad for a weak sight:
But spectacles made of green glass
Will make it look again like grass:

And you shall dream of making hay

In the middle of Christmas day:

And think you spy green gooseberries budding

In all the eyes of a raisin pudding.

The Messiah is a very sublime subject; and A. Y. Z. must not wonder therefore at his want of success.

A. A. A.-H. alias L.-M. N.-W. W.-Guido.-B.-John Raw.-T. C. -K. L.-W. B. *****—D.-J. E. L.-Paul Drowsy.-A. B. F.-R. M. E. -E. K.--Teman.-Y.-S. H.-and the Captive-are for various reasons inadmissible.

We have received the following letter.

SIR,

After reading the other day, that Pope could have extracted poetry out of a warming pan, it occurred to me that I could, perhaps, wring a verse or two out of a bell, or strike a few stanzas out of a brass knocker. Whether I have succeeded, I leave to be judged from the following:

"PLEASE TO RING THE BELLE."

1.

I'll tell you a story that's not in Tom Moore :-
Young Love likes to knock at a pretty girl's door:
So he call'd upon Lucy-'twas just ten o'clock-
Like a spruce single man, with a smart double knock.

2.

Now a hand-maid, whatever her fingers be at,
Will run like a puss when she hears a rat-tat:

So Lucy ran up and in two seconds more

Had question'd the stranger, and answer'd the door.

3.

Tom Hood

The meeting was bliss; but the parting was woe;
For the moment will come when such comers must go:
So she kiss'd him, and whisper'd-poor innocent thing-
"The next time you come, love, pray come with a ring.”

We received in the beginning of the month the following letter from a Correspondent, calling himself Pragmaticus:

"Mr. Editor,—It appears to me that your mode of spelling is not so precise as to show a decided attachment to any system. If I am right, you will, perhaps, have the less objection to receive the suggestions of one who has made Orthography his study, if such a word may be allowed on so trifling a subject. Let me, without further preamble, recommend for your adoption the following rules:

1st. That all participles (agreeably to a very high authority) shall double the consonant before ing or ed, only when the penultimate syllable is emphatic, and composed of a single vowel, as in compelling, repelled, acquitted, &c. But when the penultimate is formed of a single vowel, not emphatic, then that the single consonant be preserved, as in galloping, riveting, traveling, reveling, &c.

2d. That the substantives formed from these verbs be spelt in the same manner, that is, with the consonant double, or otherwise, as the emphasis may require; for instance, traveler, reveler, repeller, compeller, &c."

Our Correspondent must excuse us from inserting the remainder of his Letter; a Committee of " Devils" having sat upon it, and reported it " frivolous and vexatious." We have partly adhered to the above rules in the present Number; and may, perhaps, adopt them as our standard for the future.

Now we are on the subject of innovation, we beg to acquaint our readers, that from the commencement of this year the Monthly Register will be comprized in the last sheet of each Number, which is paged separately, in order that: the whole may be bound together at the end of each volume.

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COME turn your footsteps to wild Fancy's land,
To haunted Lyddal, Solway's fairy strand;
To the charm'd ground where grey tradition tells
Of the dread lair where the old wizard dwells,

Who milk'd men's flocks, and drown'd the herds in Dryfe,
And coost seven witch-knots on proud Willie's wife;
The blessed well where the sick pilgrim drinks,

The mermaid-water where the gay ship sinks,
The heath where flits the grisly ghost,-the glen
With spectres throng'd and fiery shapes of men.
We'll pull the ragwort on which witches prance,
Through the sick air, to quaff the wines of France ;-
We'll dance upon the greensward upland, where
The elfin minstrels sooth'd the wintry air
To summer sweetness, while the dewy weet
Show'd the starr'd sparkling of ten thousand feet.
Of the fierce Kelpies, too, we'll talk-the lords
Of Lyddal's pools, and Dryfe's more deadly fords ;-
Of spectre-lights which glimmer far and nigh,
Lights of the grave where all who live must lie;
Of elfin lights;-in all the lights which gleam
Down dim tradition we shall find a theme.

On themes, too, sweeter shall we muse, and talk
With whispering maidens in the twilight walk;
With peasants revel; converse hold, and quaff
Ale berry-brown, and sing, and leap, and laugh;-
Paint the grave humour and the witty grace
Of Scotland's keen and England's honest face.
Pause 'mid our mirth, and sigh above the shroud
Where princely Percys lie and Musgraves proud;
The gallant Selbys wild of wit and will,
The Dacres hot, the Harclas hotter still:
Nor shall the Douglas be forgot,-the wight
And witty Gordons, Lindsays gay and light;

The Maxwell, too, whom Nithsdale matrons mourn,
Smote low and bleeding by the Dryfesdale thorn;
VOL. V.

C

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