when he is so near the sun as to be lost from our sight in his beams. These different phases of his, make it obvious that he does not shine by any light of his own; for, if he did, he would always appear round. M. Vidal, the great observer of Mercury, states the time of rotation of this planet to be sixteen hours; and M. Schroeter makes it 20 hours 5 minutes. Venus and the Earth, when in opposition to the sun, shine with full orbs, and afford a noble light to Mercury. November 20, 1822. BRIGHTONIENSIS. SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH. 'Amongst the torrent of abuse poured out on your grace," said Lady Sunderland to her one day, "your worst enemies have never called you a faithless wife." 'It was no great merit," said old Sarah, first duchess of Malborough, as she was turning over the papers afterwards sent to Mallet for her husband's history: "It was no great merit; for I had the handsomest, the most accomplished, and bravest man in Europe for my husband." "Yet you don't pretend to say he was without faults," replied Lady Sunderland." By no means; I knew them better than he did himself, or even than I do my own! He came back one day, from my poor misled mistress, Qeen Anne, I believe when he resigned his commission, and said he had told her, that he thanked God, with all his faults, neither avarice nor ambition could be laid to his charge." Such was the sensible answer of old Sarah; to which she added, "I was not in a laughing humour; but, at my Lords's words, I almost bit through my tongue, to prevent my smiling in his face." Miscellanies. GRATITUDE.-There is a species of grateful remorse, which sometimes has been known to operate forcibly on the minds of the most hardened in impudence. Early in this century, a comedian, named Griffin, celebrated for mimicry, was to have been employed by a comic author, to take off the person, the manner, and the singularly awkard delivery of the famous Dr. Woodward; who was intended to be introduced on the stage in the laughable character of Dr. Fossile, in "Three Hours after Marriage." The mimic dressed himself as a countryman, and waited on the Doctor, with a long catalogue of ailments, which he said his wife was afflicted with. The physician heard, with amazement, diseases and pains of the most opposite nature, repeated and redoubled on the wretched patient. The actor's intention was to keep Dr. Woodward in his company as long as possible, that he might have the better opportunity of observing his gestures and singularities: To effect this purpose, was his aim in exhibiting such a catalogue of complaints. At length, thinking himself completely master of his errand, he drew from his purse a guinea, and, with a scrape, made an uncouth offer of it. Put up thy money, poor fellow," cried the Doctor, " put up thy money-thou hast need of all thy cash, and all thy patience too, with such a bundle of diseases tied to thy back." The actor returned to his employer, aud recounted the whole conversation, with such true feeling of the physician's character, that the author burst into raptures of approbation: But these raptures were soon checked, when the mimic told him, with the emphasis of sensibility, that he would sooner die, than prostitute his talents to render such genuine humanity a public laughing-stock. A Gentleleman, who a few years ago resided some time at Grand Cairo, has described the punishment of bakers, whose bread was deficent in weight, as extremely severe. For the first offence, the overseer of the bakers (who is the examiner and only person who tries them) immediately orders the delinquent to be bastinadoed. For the second offence, he is more severely punished in the same manner; and, for the third, without any other process than the above-mentioned officer's order, he is put into his own oven when hot, where he is suffered to perish; which punishment, the gentleman, adds, he saw executed. The punishment for butchers who are detected in selling their meat too long kept, is also very cruel. A butcher, near where the relator of these facts resided, was detected by the examining officer of being guilty of selling bad meat, and (as in the baker's case, without any other form of trial than the order of the officer) he was immediately nailed by one of his ears to the post of his own door; his nose pierced, and one end of a wire about six inches long fastened to it, at the other end of which a piece of his bad meat was fixed. In this situation he was kept for nearly four hours. Colley Cibber visited the duke of Warton, at Whinchendon, in Buckinghamshire, and taking an airing with his Grace, the carraige could hardly be dragged along through the heavy clay. "It has been said (observed the poet) that your Grace ran through your estate; but I defy you to run through this." A woman named Phoebe Harris, residing at Hanley, in Staffordshire, had a son in the army, whom she had not heard of for some time, and supposed him to be dead. A few days since the post brought a letter from him, stating that he was alive and well, and would in a short time be at home. Such was her joy, that she broke out into alternate fits of laughing and weeping, and in a few hours expired! IRISH WEDDING.-An affair of an extraordinary nature occurred a few days back in the County of Wicklow, which is likely to furnish matter for discussion in one of the Irish Law Courts. The parties are exceedingly respectable, and the occurrence has plunged two families in inexpressible affliction. Two marriages took place the two brides were escorted by their admiring bridegrooms on the wedding day to an hotel, not far from Dublin; they dined, took tea, supped, and then the ladies retired. The gentlemen unfortunately sacrificed a little too freely to the jolly God, and on retiring to bed, each entered the wrong apartment !— Freeman's Journal. An author consulted a friend in respect to a great man, to whom he should dedicate his work, when he was recommended to subcribe it to the statue at Charing Cross because that great man was not likely speedily to lose his place." When Doctor Johnson was last in Scotland, amongst other curiosities shewn him, he was taken to a very ancient and high castle, which was reckoned to command the most extensive view of any in the country. "Well sir" says his guide," what do you think of this prospect?"" It is the finest in all Scotland,”'. says the doctor," for I can here see the road to England." f Poetry. THE REBEL. (A Fragment) Apollo rous'd From the bland tones of his enwreathed harp, Of Britain's Isle, upon whose dimpled cheek Whose eye reflash'd affection on her heart. 'Twas morn: whilst in the distant dell, at times Was heard the dash of onset. Mary saw, From the broad crest of an aspiring cliff, The dread and awful conflict of the host. The rock received the foeman's hope, entranc'd The breast of Edward bled. So bright a prize The ruffian conquerer held in savage love, And to the cot where Edward writh'd in blood, From his high throne amid the gold-fraught clouds The twin associate of the rose of health. Mary receiv'd her wounded Edward's hand, J. K. GRIFFITH. THE OAK. The tall Oak towering to the skies, O'erwhelm'd at length upon the plain, MONTGOMERY. SAL SAPIT OMNIA. "Salt from corruption keeps the constitution;" This aphorism is true, experience backs it; And it affords a very fair solution Why ministers are pleas'd to highly tax it. "Dear salt!" exclaims John Bull, "bereft of thee, EXTEMPORE. By Lord Lyttleton, to Lady Brown. When I was young and debonnaire, |