that in a few years the southern parts of the empire will supply the consumption of the whole nation.-Athenæum. Derivations.-Menage derives the word peruke from the Latin pilus, "hair," thus —pilus, pelus, pelutus, peluticus, pelutica, peruca, peruke. This is nearly as inof cu genious as Porson's derivation cumber from Jeremiah King, thus-Jere miah King, Jeremy King, Jerry King, Jer king, Ger-kin, cucumber. Isthmus of Panama.—It appears from the researches made by the special commission charged to measure the isthmus of Panama, in order to ascertain the best mode of com munication between the two seas, that the opinions are in favour of rendering the river Chaques navigable for steam-boats, and continuing the line with an iron rail-way:Literary Gazette. Dandelion Coffee.-" Dr. Harrison, of Edinburgh prefers dandelion coffee to that of Mecca; and many persons all over the continent prefer a mixture of succory and coffee to coffee alone. Dig up the roots of dandelion, wash them well, but do not scrape them, dry them, cut them into the size of peas, and then roast them in an earthen-pot, or coffee-roaster of any kind. The great secret of good coffee is, to have it fresh burnt and fresh ground."-Louden's Cottage Gardening. Oratorical Address.-Patrick Henry, in 1766, in the assembly of Virginia, moved his resolutions against the stamp act; the pause, the boldness, and admirable address with which the Virginian orator, whose enthu siasm was in advance of the calmer or more temporizing characters which surrounded him, repelled the shouts of treason, is recorded by Jefferson, who was present at the debate. Dilating on the tyranny of the obnoxious act, Henry exclaimed "Cæsar had his Brutus-Charles I. his Cromwell, and George III. -"Treason!" cried the Speaker, "Treason! treason!" echoed from every part of the assembly. It was one of those trying moments which is decisive of character. Henry faltered not for an instant; but rising to a loftier attitude, and fixing on the Speaker an eye of the most determined fire, he finished his sentence with the firmest emphasis—“ may wc profit by their example! If this be treason, make the most of it."Edinburgh Review. Piping Hot. This expression is taken from the custom of a baker's blowing his pipe, or horn, in villages, to let the people know his bread is just drawn, and consequently "hot" and light.—Lemon's Dictionary. THE PRINCESS VICTORIA. THE Princess Alexandrina Victoria, heiresspresumptive to the throne of these realins, was born May 24, 1819. Her birth took place but three days previous to that of her youthful cousin, Prince George of Cumberland. She is consequently now in her twelfth year. Her person is rather petite, but her countenance is expressive of intellect and intelligence. As a child, she is pleasing and interesting. She has excellent natural abilities, and in quickness of comprehension, and a certain vivacity of manner, very much resembles the lamented Princess Charlotte. The utmost care is taken with her education; and her docility, and the progress she makes in her studies, is such as to draw upon her the warmest commendation of her preceptors. She is remarkably quick in the acquisition of languages, has a fine taste for music, and is so perfected in singing, that already she takes part in the at Kensington private evening concerts Palace. Her mother, whose devoted attachment to her daughter is of the most exemplary kind, suffers no opportunity to pass for inculcating on the mind of the princess those amiable lessons of kindness, gentleness, and forbearance, which equally become the princess and the peasant. Though the young princess has great vivacity, her manners to those about her are of the most engaging kind. She has few young companions of her own age, but towards them she deports herself in a manner to insure their regard. Her health is in general good; she rises early, and takes great pleasure in walking about the grounds of Kensington, her own little pony-carriage following. She already takes delight in personally bestowing her charities upon the deserving poor in her vicinity, and, young as she is, has already made many hearts glad with her generous kindness. Her royal mother is particularly attentive to her daughter's due discharge of her religious duties, and to her punctual attendance at divine worship. This amiable parent delights in buying up, in great quantities, the engravings that come out of the Princess Victoria, and distributing them among her friends, &c. The careful and judicious manner in which the education of the young Princess Victoria is conducted, destined, probably, at no very distant day, to wield the sceptre of this great empire, is calculated to give confidence, and afford satisfaction to every Englishman. The engraving we present of this interesting young lady is a correct and faithful resemblance. DOG STEALERS.+ [By 7 and 8 Geo. IV. cap. 29, the offender, on conviction before a justice of peace, to forfeit, for the first offence (over and above the value of the dog), a sum not exceeding 201. For the second offence, to be imprisoned (with hard labour) not exceeding twelve calendar months, and whipped, at the discretion of the justice, sect. 31. Peisons found in possession of a stolen dog, or the skin thereof (knowing them to be stolen), are liable to the same penalties, sect. 32.4] and SUCH is here the inefficiency of the law, that dog stealing in London has now become the regular trade of men calling themselves "the Fancy," and of whom there are, at least, fifty leading characters, besides their spies and outposts. These fellows, by way of a blind to avoid suspicion, either assume the character of plasterers, carpenters, &c. &c., and carry the very tools in their hands, or hawk about oranges, hardwares, and other little articles for sale. They have dens in the neighbourhood of Whitechapel, Shoreditch, Tottenham-court Road, Westminster; outposts about Greenwich, Ball's Pond (a noted place on the right of the North Road), Lisson Grove, and Paddington; and a rendezvous in Long Acre for drinking and business. I have been told that their chief consul is an old stager of forty years' standing, who is nearly blind and worn out; but of this I cannot answer for the truth. Their system is brought to such perfection, that if your dog only turns round a corner out of your sight, he is liable to be instantly enticed away, at a rapid pace, by the never-failing means of Their plan is to take the dog off to one of the most distant of the dens from where the robbery is committed, and there keep him, in safe and close confinement, till the customer," as they term it, shall advertise a reward amounting to what they think rather more than half the value; or, to use their own words, "chanted" at a price that will "fetch" him. On this being offered, you will generally recover your dog; because their agent of the district, who is always on the look-out for "chants," will either go or send to you with the joyful tidings of your favourite; pretending, at the same time, with an oily tongue and pious face, that he gets nothing by it, except vot your honour will be pleased to give" him "for" his + From Instructions to Young Sportsmen, in all that relates to Guns and Shooting. By Lieut. Col. Hawker. Sixth edition London, 1830. N.B. This law holds good also for (as the act says) "any beast or bird ordinarily kept in a state of confineinent," &c.; and in sect. 32 it says"That if any such dog, or any such beast, or the skin thereof; or any such bird, or any of the plumage thereof, shall be found in the possession, or on the premises, of any person, and the person shall know the same to have been stolen," &c. &c., liable to the same penalties," VOL. V. 2 L 39 If "trouble," in addition to the advertised reward. But the man who actually steals the dog never appears in the business; by which he avoids all risk of being had up. The club find that this plan answers much better, and is less liable to detection, than offering the dogs for sale; particularly as they frequently get possession of the same dog several times. There have been instances of their being paid fifteen guineas, in successive rewards, for one lady's lap-dog that was perhaps not worth 10s. If a dog is not "chanted" before he becomes all but starved, they kill him and sell the skin; unless it should so happen that they have orders from " gentlemen"!! for dogs-an opportunity of starting him for Scotland, Ireland, &c.-or can find an immediate purchaser, who will give a few shillings more than the skin would produce. "hard up" for "blunt," however, some of them will go and sell the dogs in the streets as soon as possible after they have caught them; but, of course, in a diametrically opposite part of the town from where they found them. Here they sometimes cheat their own society; but of this even rob they think nothing, and will one another. "Dog rob dog" is their slang, and standing motto. All thieves have the knack of instantly quieting even the fiercest watch-dogs, by throwing them kind of narcotic ball-this they call " puddening" them-by means of which recipe some of the "Fancy" go journies to execute particular orders at a long distance from London. Be very cautious, therefore, before whom you boast about the goodness of your dogs; or what you feel a pride in, may be the very means of your losing them; because when "fancy men," in any line of "business," have orders to execute, they will assume all trades and disguises, and thus ingratiate themselves with the very servants of your household, in order to "suck" them for information. The fol a lowing circumstance is a specimen of their town manœuvres :-In the month of May last, Mr. Lang, of the celebrated shooting gallery and excellent gun repository in the Haymarket, lost a favourite setter. He posted handbills, offering two guineas reward; on hearing of which, a man came and told him the reward was not enough; but that if he would make it four guineas, he could find his dog; and the amount must be deposited in the hands of a landlord, who would procure him a ticket-card. He should then be met, to his appointment, in some private field, where he would receive his dog-on condition that no questions should be asked. Mr. Lang sent his shopman, about half-past ten at night, to White Conduit Fields to meet the parties, who, on receiving the ticket, delivered up the dog. But there was great hesitation in transacting this affair, in consequence of the dog having on a lock to a steel chain collar with Mr. Lang's name; and which therefore induced them to proceed with extreme caution, through fear, as they supposed, of detection for felony. The whole amount paid for recovering this setter was 41. 17s.-21. 10s. of which went to the man who had him. The rest was divided among others of the Fancy." The same person who gave Mr. Lang the information said, that if ever he lost a dog and applied to him, he could undertake to get him back again within thirty-six hours, provided he would make it worth his while to do so; because all dogs taken by the " Fancy" are brought to their office and regularly booked by the secretary. But if a word is said about law, the dog is immediately put to death, and either buried skin and all, or sent to the bottom of a pond. As an instance of this, a gentleman who had lost a dog offered twenty guineas to recover him, and twenty guineas more for the apprehension of the thief, or even the name of any one concerned in the robbery. In consequence of the latter part of the advertisement, the dog was instantly destroyed. Whereas, had nothing but the first clause been placarded, the dog would have been restored without loss of time. On destroying this dog, one of the "Fancy" observed to his associates-" Vot's the wally of 207. compared to a man's life?" (under an idea, it is presumed, that the theft was aggravated by some very strong case). If any one of the society was known to be untrue to his comrades, or, as they call it, not "blue" to his trade, he would be marked; and, if he was discovered in getting any of them apprehended, they would, sooner or later, "settle his bash." It is somewhat extraordinary, among so many opulent people who have been thus robbed, that no one should have ever set a trap for some of these worthies; because nothing could be more easily done, by risking a few useless dogs and expending a little money, without which, of course, no business can be executed in a workmanlike manner. JUDGMENT CLIFF.+ A REMINISCENCE OF JAMAICA. THE most delightful, and, to newly-imported Europeans, indeed almost the only tolerable, time of the day for stirring out of doors in Jamaica, is at day-dawn, before the sun has yet begun to pour his effulgence over the hemisphere of the Caribbees, and before the land-breeze, which only yields its delicious From the Edinburgh Literary Journal No. XCIV. coolness during the night, has ceased to stir the graceful, though, as seen through the twilight, spectral branches of the cocoa-nuttree, and shake the profuse and refreshing dews from the glittering leaves of the coffeeplants, studded with their wholesome and valuable berries. I know not if it has ever been explained, but, whether it has or not, it must still appear, to observers of the organization of the elements, a curious and interesting fact, that the land-breeze in the tropics blows invariably from the centre of the island, let the island be ever so small;‡ and many of them, such as Nevis and Montserrat, are mere knobs on the face of the ocean. The sea-breeze, or "doctor," as it is gratefully designated by the residenters in Jamaica, which blows from the south-east, generally sets in about 9 a. m.; at first only gently rippling the surface of the water, which previously lay glowing beneath the ardent sun like a mighty body of molten silver, and increasing gradually, until it often assumes the strength of a temporary hurricane. Its coming is hailed by the panting and literally melting inhabitants with a degree of thankfulness and a sensation of relief, which can only be known by those whose lot it has been to inhale the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere of those climes. Were it not, indeed, for this regular alternation of trade-winds and inland-breezes, I am convinced that, by Europeans at least, the islands of those seas would be perfectly uninhabitable. Let such of my readers, therefore, whose destiny has never led them beyond the cool shores of Britain, conceive, if they can, what must be the sufferings of their brethren in the tropics, when it happens, as I myself have known it to do, that" the doctor" absents himself for a whole fortnight together! To assist their conjectures, I may mention shortly, that on going on board the vessels lying in the harbour of Kingston, as I was almost daily led to do, the pitch between the planks was to be seen oozing out and running athwart the decks, as if under the immediate influence of a smelting furnace. In the afternoon, the sea-breeze dies away, as it comes, gradually; after which, for a few hours, earth and sea When the sun-beams shine down on an island, &c., the island and the air above it are heated faster than the sea; for water is very slow of heating. Heated air is thinner or lighter than cold air; for it is a property of heat to expand all bodies: and if the air over the island be lighter than that over the sea, it will be squeezed up into higher regions of the atmosphere by the cool air from the sea pressing in upon it, which itself, in a little time, becomes heated over the land, and so is squeezed up in its turn by the air at its back, and thus, during the sunny hours of the morning and forenoon, a breeze blows in upon the land from the sea on all sides. During the absence of the sun the current is reversed, because the sea, though longer in heating than the land, is also longer in cooling, and the air over the land is more heavy during the night than that over the seaExtractor, Vol. II-ED. |