a wide brook, when Mr Mayor's horse several times attempted to drink, and each time his worship checked him; which her Majesty observing, called out to him, "Mr. Mayor, let your horse drink, Mr. Mayor;" but the magistrate, bowing very low, modestly answered, "Nay, nay, may it please your Majesty's horse to drink first!" ANECDOTE (from Paramythia, or Mental Pastimes).—A friend of mine, who had long been plagued with town servants, and had found they were much too knowing for him, and that their extortions were beyond the strength of his purse, and inclination to yield to, resolved to take a boy from the country, thinking he should then be safe for a year or two at least. But alas! if you have it not in meal, you have it in malt. The lout came; and the first time he had company to dine with him after his arrival, he drilled him, and told him to be particularly attentive, and not let them want for any thing during dinner. So he was; and to show his zeal, observing a very delicate lady looking about her in a vacant and affected manner, and not eating, he went round to her, and tapping her on the shoulder, said, "What be you staring a'ter Madam? Do you want drink?" My Russian boy, just imported from the country, was almost as bad; for when he was told to snuff the candles with a patent pair of snuffers I had just received from England, he opened them, and then, opening the spring partition, very deliberately wetted his finger and thumb, with which he snuffed the candle, depositing the snuff in the socket, and carefully shutting the snuffers. wiped his fingers on his livery. IRISH HUMOUR.-An American citizen, for the purpose of arresting attention, caused his sign to be set upside down. One day, while the rain was pouring down with great violence, a son of Hibernia was discovered directly opposite, standing with some gravity upon his head, and fixing his eyes stedfastly upon the sign. On an inquiry being made of this inverted gentleman, why he stood in so singular an attitude, he answered, “I am trying to read that sign.' A DANGEROUS QUESTION.-A simple ostler being one day at confession to his priest, was asked by the father if he had never greased the teeth of the guests' horses, to prevent their eating their allowance of hay and oats? "Never," replied the ostler. In a subsequent confession the ostler acknowledged the frequent commission of that fraud-" How," said the priest, “I remember at your last confession, you said you had never done so?"-" No more I had then," answered the ostler; "for, till you told me, I never knew that greasing a horse's teeth would prevent its eating; but since you first put it in my mind I have been tempted to practise that fraud." ANECDOTE-Serjeant Weir, of the Scots Grays, was pay-serjeant of his troop, and, as such, might have have been excused serving in action, and, perhaps, he should not have been forward; but on such a day as the battle of Warterloo, he requested to be allowed to charge with the regiment. In one of the charges he fell, mortally wounded, and was left on the field. Corporal Scott, of the same regiment (who lost a leg), asserts, that when the field was searched for the wounded and slain, the body of Serjeant Weir was found with his name written on his forehead, by his own hand, dipped in his own blood. This, his comrade said, he was supposed to have done that his body might be found, and known, that it might not be imagined he had disappeared with the money of the troop. EXECUTIONS. On Monday morning, FEB. 24, at an early hour, considerable numbers of spectators assembled before the Debtors' door, at Newgate, to witness the execution of William North, convicted in September Sessions of an unnatural crime. The wretched culprit was fifty-four years of age, and had a wife living. On his trial, he appeared a fine, stout robust, man, and strongly denied his guilt. On his being brought before the Sheriffs on the above morning, he appeared to have grown at least ten years older, during the five months he had been confined with the horrid prospect before him of dying a violent death. His body had wasted to the mere anatomy of a man, his cheeks had sunk, his eyes had become hollow; and such was his weakness, that he could scarcely stand without support. Though the consolations of religion were frequently afforded to him, yet he could not sufficiently calm his mind to listen, or participate in them, even to the moment of his death. On his being assisted up the steps of the scaffold, reason returned; he became aware of the dreadful death to which he was about to be consigned; his looks of terror were frightful; his expression of horror, when the rope was being placed round his neck made every spectator shudder. It was one of the most trying scenes to the clergymen they ever witnessed-never appeared a man so unprepared, so unresigned to his fate,―The signal being given the drop fell, and the criminal expired in less than a minute. He never struggled after he fell. The body hung an hour, and was then cut down for interment. On Wednesday the 26th, the execution of no less than six unhappy men at Newgate, drew an immense concourse of spectators at an early hour. The wretched criminals were T. Watts, aged twenty-five years; W. Brown, aged thirty-three years; John Fuller, aged twenty-two years; and Mark Herd, aged twenty-two years, for burglary in the dwelling-house, of J. Rennie, Esq. No. four, Euston-square; W. Harris, for robbing his master, Col. De. Burgh, of 6001. ; and J. Wait, late of Bristol, aged fifty-three years, for forging the name of a co-trustee to a deed, with intent to defraud a young man of 4,000l.-The whole of them acknowledged the crimes of which they had been convicted. Mr. Wait, was the brother of one of the Aldermen (who was Mayor a few years ago) of the city of Bristol, and for many years had been a merchant of respectability, whose character stood high for talent and integrity, as a man of business. A great number of the inhabitants of Bristol, persons whose interference in his behalf was likely to be most influential with the executive powers petioned for a mitigation of his sentence. At half-past seven o'clock the Sheriff (Lucas) and the Under Sheriffs, arrived, and proceeded to the press yard, to which place the culprits were brought from their cells to have their irons knocked off, in succession. Wait, whose irons had been previously removed, entered last, in company with the Rev. Mr. Roberts and the Rev. Mr Clayton. He had a smile on his countenance, as he entered the place and he bowed respectfully to all present. His gentlemanly deportment, his benign and placid countenance, and his truly christian-like behaviour, excited the utmost feeling of sympathy in all present. He stretched forth his hands to the executioner to have his wrist tied, and during the time he closed his eyes, and appeared engaged in mental devotion. After he was pinioned he said that he was prepared to meet death, as he felt assured that he should soon be transported to a place of happiness. As the clock struck eight, the culprits, the executioner, Sheriffs, officers, &c. moved in procession to the dock, at the foot of the scaffold, where all of them exhibited the most surprising firmness to the last. Fuller leaped up the steps of the scaffold, two at a time, and nodded to some of the crowd. Wait repeated passages of Scripture, and conversed with the Rev. Gentlemen whilst his companions were being tied up. He said he was perfectly happy-never more so in his life! and then repeated part of a hymn ; "What though I pass through death's dark vale, On Wait's mounting the scaffold he shook hands with the Rev. Gentlemen, and said, "God bless you." They continued on the drop till all was prepared, when Wait whispered to the Rev. Mr. Roberts (we understand it was a communication to his wife) a few words, and Dr. Cotton commenced reading the Funeral Service, "In the midst of life we are in death," &c. the signal was given, and the world closed upon them for ever! Poetry. LINES WRITTEN IN RICHMOND CHURCH-YARD, YORKSHIRE. (Ry Herbert Knowles, of Canterbury.) "It is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias."-Matt. xvii. 4. Methinks it is good to be here; If thou wilt let us build--but for whom Nor Elias nor Moses appear, But the shadows of eve that encompass the gloom, Shall we build to Ambition? oh, no! Affrighted he shrinked away; For, see! they would fix him below, In a small narrow cave, and begirt with cold clay, To Beauty? ah, no!-she forgets Nor knows the foul worm that he frets Shall we build to the purple of Pride- And here's neither dress nor adornment allow'd, But the long winding-sheet and the fringe of the shroud! To Riches? alas! 'tis in vain : Who hid, in their turns have been hid; The treasures are squander'd again; And here in the grave are all metals forbid, To the pleasures which Mirth can affordThe revel, the laugh, and the jeer? Ah! here is a plentiful board ! But the guests are all mute at their pitiful cheer, Shall we build to Affection and Love? Ah, no they have wither'd and died, Or fled with the spirit above ; Friends, brothers, and sisters, are laid side by side, Unto Sorrow?-The dead cannot grieve; Not a sob, nor a sigh meets mine ear, Which compassion itself could relieve! Ah! sweetly they slumber, nor hope, love, nor fear- Unto Death, to whom monarchs must bow? Ah, no! for his empire is known, And here there are trophies enow! Beneath the cold dead, and around the dark stone, The first tabernacle to Hope we will build, And look for the sleepers around us to rise; The second to Faith, which ensures it fulfill'd; And the third to the Lamb of the great sacrifice, Who bequeath'd us them both when he rose to the skies! Richmond, Oct. 7, 1816. |