assistance; but the Lord took him both sides by the poor Spaniards, to Himself. For a twelvemonth before his death he was speechless. During the greater part of that time he sat gazing on the New Testament, nodding to an attending relative when he wished the leaves turned over. On one occasion I entered and found him alone. On my saying to him, 'All alone, Andria?' he gave a negative shake of his head, and, with eyes full of animation, directed me to the Bible before him. It was as much as saying that he could not be alone when he was in possession of that precious book." RAPID DECAY OF NINEVEH. The decay of Nineveh must have been very rapid, since, in the time of the young Cyrus, Xenophon seems to have passed close by its side, yet not even the name of the once mighty city appears to have survived its downfall. He only mentions a ruined town called Mespila, which probably the Medes had erected in the neighbourhood. Yet, according to Tacitus, Ninus or Nineveh was a city worthy of being captured even in the days of Claudius. (Notes from Nineveh.) SPANIARDS UNINTELLIGIBLE IN who were in a terrible state of perspiration, from their exertions both bodily and mental. It seems they wanted to go to and return from Old Harbour, but they had forgotten the name of the place, and had been for I do not know how long, roaring at the stable-owner, “ Vieja Puerta" (Old Port). They might as well have cried "Oysters," or anything else, for no pantomime could transmogrify those words into Old Harbour in the mind of the Frenchmen. However, I soon sent them on their way rejoicing.-(A Ramble from Sydney to Southampton.) THE PEDAGOGUE AND THE PIG-IRON. The boys had no helps to inforthe master afforded them respecting mation, bad or good, except what manufactures; a branch of knowledge to which, as I before observed, he had a great tendency, and which was the only point on which he was enthusiastic and gratuitous. I do not blame him for what he taught us of this kind: there was a use in but it was the only one on which it beyond what he was aware of; he volunteered any assistance. In this he took evident delight. I remember, in explaining pigs of iron or lead to us, he made a point of crossing one of his legs with the down with great satisfaction, sayother, and cherishing it up and At the stables I found two Spanish gentlemen, who had come with us in the steamer from Sta. Martha, in rather a "fix," for al-ing, "A pig, children, is about the though in Spanish Town, they with a slavish pretence of novelty, thickness of my leg." Upon which, could not find any one who could speak that language; and when I told us so a hundred times. we all looked at it, as if he had not In came into the stable-yard I found everything else we had to hunt the owner of the place and two or three hostlers going through all out our own knowledge.—(Automanner of indescribable pantomime; but of course the English people had no more idea of what the strangers wanted than the man in the moon. After enjoying the joke for some time, I came out of my hiding-place, and was immediately collared on biography of Leigh Hunt.) CLAIRVOYANCE. The laws of suggestion, and the occasional coincidences of a dream with facts, explain all the real phenomena connected with what is called clairvoyance, bearing any re SKETCHES IN THE GREAT EXHIBITION. 329 in a nut shell, but cannot make out SKETCHES IN THE GREAT EXHIBI- A unit unperceived, I sink into the living stream again. Rich, poor, gentle, simple, wise, foolish, young, old, learned, ignorant, thoughtful, thoughtless, haughty, humble, frivolous, profound, every grade of intellect, every shade of character! lation to a supernatural knowledge clairvoyante will talk generally of of events. There is nothing incre- the seat of a disease, but never so dible in the statement of somnam- as to guide an anatomist to the bulists predicting the hour of their precise nerve, muscle, ligament, or sleeping or walking, nor in the bone affected. A clairvoyante will dying foretelling the precise time make revelations, but, like those of of their decease. These are simply the American seer, revelations of cases in which the mind, under the old discoveries, or of old speculainfluence of a strong impression, tions, or of discoveries which cannot and acting upon a feeble physical | be tested. A clairvoyante will proorganization, has the power of ful-fess to read a book through a deal filling its own prophecy. It is board, or a printed motto inclosed otherwise with the prophecies relating to persons or events over which the somnambulist could have no control, which for the most part turn out unhappy guesses. Take, for example, the prophecies, of which there were several, from mesmeric patients in the clairvoyant state, that Sir John Franklin would return home about the middle of September, last year. Had the event been realized, the coincidence would not have been extraordinary, as September was the most likely season for him to be expected, and many persons were then looking for him; but its non-fulfilment, and the vagueness of the description of the Here is a voluble circumstances of the position of Sir smatterer, suddenly discomfited John Franklin and his companions, by the chance question of a curiclearly proved that the clairvoy- ous child; and rather than own antes had not a single idea on the ignorance, will tell him falsely. subject which had not been put into There a bustling piece of earth, their heads by the conjectural para- earthy; testing_everything by graphs of newspapers, or by ques- money value. Here comes one, tions so framed as to suggest the serenely unconscious that he is a answer expected. Indeed, clair- fool. There is one suddenly starvoyance, instead of being clear-tled by a suspicion that he knows sightedness, is about the obscurest scarcely anything. Here is one kind of vision, and almost useless, listening with seeming lively inthat a human being can possess; for there is no well-authenticated case of a person discovering by it a single fact which it was of the slightest importance for him to know. A clairvoyante will describe a gentleman's country-seat, carriage-drive, lawn, trees, flowers, guished. Here is one that will conservatory; but we never heard of a person who could find the road to it from such a description. A terest, and assenting gesture, to a scientific explanation of which he comprehends nothing; but appearance must be kept up. There is one falsely thinking himself the observed of all observers; trying to look unconscious and distin not see a timid, poor relation, or an humble friend, as fashionable folk are near. Yonder is a states man, gliding about alone, watch- slightly knew, and to whom he ful, thoughtful, cautious; ponder- immediately applied for informaing national character, habits, tion. "This is the oddest thing, capabilities, localities, wants, su- Mr. Bodkin!" said the major; "I perfluities, rival systems of policy, have got an invitation from a gentheir fruits and workings, imagin- tleman who does not call himself ing new combinations, speculating Mister, but prefixes The to his on remote consequences. Here is name; and his lady is Madame. one, little thinking that he will fall Can you explain it at all?" "O, suddenly dead to-morrow; having dear, yes," replied Bodkin, "it is much on hand, both of business and the universal custom in this part pleasure. Here sits a laughing of the world; and if you wish to child upon a gleaming cannon. pay a particular compliment, the Yonder is a blind man, sightless rule is, that you must adopt preamidst surrounding pleasures; but cisely the same style yourself in there is one telling him tenderly your reply." "Certainly, whatever that he stands beside the statue of is right," said the unsuspecting Milton. There, in the glistening major; "I wish to conform to the centre of the transept, stands an etiquette of the country in everyaged exile; venerable, widowed, thing." Acting under the treachonce a queen; looking at the tranquil image of Victoria, meditating with a sigh on the happy security of her throne. Everywhere, gliding about, are forms of exquisite beauty, most delicate loveliness.-(Warren's Lily and the Bee.) THE O'CARROLL. erous instructions of Bodkin, the major wrote the following answer: "The Bullman and Madame Bullman present their compliments to Mr. and Mrs. O'Carroll, and will have the honour of accepting their invitation to dinner on Thursday next." Words are indeed faint to describe my father's rage on reMy father now amused himself ceiving this answer. He stamped, in writing cards to his intended stormed, and swore the English guests, including the English offi- rascal should pay for his audacious cer who had been mentioned by insult. "How dares he ridicule Jack Walsh. A card was des- my hereditary title with his raspatched to him in the customary cally Bullman parody? The felstyle of our Milesian invitations, low shall fight me in the hall, since which, for the benefit of my readers my evil fate confines me to the on the eastern side of the Irish Sea, house."-(The Gentleman in Debt.) I transcribe-"The O'Carroll and Madame O'Carroll present their compliments to Major and Mrs. Dr. Wigan remarks in his work Bullman, and request the honour on the mind, that he could not read of their company to dinner at five thecorrespondence between William o'clock on Thursday next. Castle Pitt and his father, without a feelCarroll, Monday." It so fell out ing allied to terror. Never did man that Bullman, who, being a stranger, go so near to destroy the intellect was perfectly unacquainted with of his son by over-excitement, as the the style assumed by the represen- arrogant, unreasonable, imperious, tatives of ancient Celtic families, and much over-rated man, the great was extremely perplexed by my Earl of Chatham, as he is called. father's hereditary designation." Courage, my son," said he in one Prior to answering the card, he of his letters, when the poor lad was chanced to meet Bodkin, whom he complaining of the enormous variety OVERTASKING THE MIND. THE PORTLAND VASE. 331 of topics urged on his attention: He invited us all to stop and dine, Courage, my boy, remember there and smoke a chillum; but as I inis only the Cyclopædia to learn." sisted on proceeding, he made a William Pitt was near falling a last request, that “if ever I reduced sacrifice to his father's ambition. the valley of Bunnoo, I would reGreat as were his talents, I do not cover for him a certain long musket, doubt that they would have been which a Murwutee had taken as much greater had they been more spoil, after killing the Akhoond's slowly cultivated; and he might father in a raid, and then sold to a then have attained the ordinary Bunnoochee, named Shah Abbas, term of human life, instead of his for sixteen rupees, though (and this brain wearing out his body at so he whispered into my ear) it's worth early an age. To see him, as I have forty!" I may as well mention here done, come into Bellamy's (a place that I did not forget the Akhoond's for refreshments), after the excite- request; but long afterwards, when ment of debate, in a state of collapse all opposition had ceased in Bunnoo, that with his uncouth countenance discovered Shah Abbas, redeemed gave the air of insanity, swallow the paternal firelock which was, a steak without mastication, and indeed, a long one, and had it duly drink a bottle of port wine almost conveyed to the delighted scholar at a draught, and then be barely of Kummur.-(Edwardes' Year on wound up to the level of ordinary the Punjab Frontier). impulse-repeat this process twice, or, I believe even three times during the night, was a fearful example of over-cultivation of the brain ere it In a small ante-room is exhibited had reached its full development. the celebrated Portland or BarbeSo much had its excitability been rini Vase, considered one of the exhausted by premature and ex-principal ornaments of the Museum, cessive moral stimuli, that when his ambition was sated, it was incapable of ever keeping itself in action without the physical stimulants I have spoken of. Men called the sad exhibition the triumph of mind over matter: I call it the contest of brain and body, where victory is attained at the sacrifice of life. A SCARRED SCHOLAR. THE PORTLAND VASE IN THE and which has acquired fresh interest of late by the misfortune which threatened to deprive the world of this unique specimen of ancient art. It is a production of Grecian genius, and till a few years ago was as perfect as when it passed from the hands of its fabricator. In an unlucky hour, a madman, an artist, we believe, found his way into the Museum, and smashed the At Swahn Khan's approach, a peerless vase to pieces. A skilful wild creature, all rags and gestures, hand has with patient care, and no rushed out, and embraced his knees, small degree of success, replaced and with many welcomes in Pushtoo, cemented the fragments, and rewhich he instantly turned into bad stored the exquisite form and proPersian when informed who I was. portions of the vase; but its homoThis prepared me for the announce-geneity of surface it is beyond the ment which followed, that he was power of art to recover. The Portthe "Akhoond," or scholar of the land vase was discovered about the place; but, as he had run out middle of the 16th century, inclosed without his turban, I could not help in a sarcophagus within the monusmiling to see the scholar's skull ment of the Emperor Alexander scored all over with sabre cuts. Severus, at a short distance from Rome. The vase remained for about two centuries in the possession of the Barberini family, in the same city, and at last fell into the hands of Sir William Hamilton, from whom it was purchased by the Duke of Portland about the end of last century, for one thousand guineas, and who ultimately deposited it in the Museum. A mould of this noble work of art was taken at Rome before it came into the possession of Sir William Hamilton; and from this mould an English modeller took sixty casts in plaster of Paris, and then destroyed the mould. Wedgewood, the celebrated potter, also obtained a mould of the vase, from which he produced thirty copies, and after selling these at twenty-five guineas each, destroyed the cast, in order to prevent the price from diminishing by the reproduction of the manufacture. Modern art has, however, in various ways, multiplied the form of this exquisitely proportioned vessel, imitations of which in stucco and other materials are by no means uncommon; but it has failed to imitate the material of which it is constructed. Although it is now nearly a century since the vase was brought to this country, so little is known of the method by which it was fabricated, that we are still left to conjecture what is the substance of which it is made, and the methods by which the beautiful basreliefs with which it is adorned have been attached to the surface. Dr. Wollaston supposed that it was formed by first producing an artificial opal, and then blowing it out as is now done with glass vessels; after which, part of the outer layer or surface was cut away, leaving the figures in relief. Wedgewood was of a similar opinion, illustrating his conjecture as to the method of producing the figures, by a reference to the mode adopted in cutting the finest cameos; and hence inferring that the construction and ornamenting of the vase must have been the labour of many years. The explanation is plausible, but not so satisfactory as it would have been, had Wedgewood successfully attempted to follow out the process. The vase is ten inches high, and its diameter six inches at the broadest part near the centre, whence it diminishes gradually towards the base, and more rapidly upwards into a narrow neck, which again opens towards the lip by a graceful flower-like expansion. Two handles spring from over the broadest and terminate in the narrowest part. The substance of the vessel is vitreous or glassy, and darkbluish coloured, but translucent. It is upon this dark-blue ground that the figures in bas-relief are laid; and it has been remarked with justice, that they are so firmly united to the ground upon which they are thus fixed, that they seem rather to have grown out of it, and to be a part of itself, than to be fastened on by art. In every view of the supposed method of its fabrication, there are difficulties which render the conjectures hitherto offered on the subject unsatisfactory. If the figures have been placed upon the surface when they were rendered plastic, and the substance of the vase itself adhesive, by means of fire, the only conceivable agent in such a method of uniting them, how is it that the finest lines in these inimitable figures have not suffered in the process, and by what dexterity of manipulation could this be avoided? On the other hand, if the figures were relieved from the surface, as in the production of cameos, by cutting out the surrounding surface, by what process of burnishing could the surface be brought up to its present crystalline smoothness and transparency? Of the figures themselves, as works of art, it is impossible to speak in terms of |