useful, that humane planters are glad of the pretence of such mediation, and even will secretly procure it, to avoid punishment for trifles. Quashi therefore withdrew, resolving to conceal himself till he had an opportunity of procuring an advocate. He lurked among the negro huts, well knowing that his fellow slaves had too much honour and regard for him to betray him. The following day a feast was to take place in consequence of his master's nephew coming of age-amidst the hilarity of which Quashi hoped to succeed in his application; but before he could execute his design, his master, walking about his plantations, unfortunately discovered him. Quashi ran off, and his master, who was a robust man, pursued him. A stone tripped Quashi up just as his master had reached out his arm to seize him. They fell together, and struggled for the superiority, for Quashi also was a stout man, and despair gave him additional strength. At length, after a severe contest, Quashi got firmly seated on his master's breast, and with his weight kept him motionless. He then drew out a sharp knife, and while the other lay in dreadful expectation, thus addressed him:-" Master, I was bred up with you from a child; I was your play-fellow when a boy; I have loved you as myself; your interest has been my own. Yet you condemn me to a disgraceful punishment; thus only can I avoid it." With these words he drew the knife across his own throat, and falling down dead on his master, bathed him in his blood! tion of the simple diet of the primitive clergy, is entertained in the Olivetan convent, on the Island of St. Helena, with chesnuts and water, and several of the dignified clergy come on board the Bucentoro and present the Doge and Signorias, as they pass, with artificial flowers, which, upon returning, they make presents of to their acquaintances. The Doge, at his putting off and return, is saluted by the cannon of a fort on the Lido of the castle of the island of Erasmo, and with the small arms of the soldiers, who are drawn up along the Lido shore. In the meantime, several hymns are performed on board the Bucentoro, and several prayers are read or sung, till the Doge has passed the two forts of Lido and St. Erasmo; and then he proceeds a little further towards the Lido shore, the stern of his barge being turned to the main sea. Here the patriarch pours into the sea some water, which has been consecrated, and which is said to have the virtue of allaying storms. After this, the Doge drops a gold ring into the sea, through a hole near his seat, repeating these words in Latin: "We espouse thee, O Sea, in sign of our real and perpetual dominion over thee." The ring is of gold, but plain and unset, so that it cannot be of much value. This ceremony is said to have been first instituted by Pope Alexander the Third, in return for the good offices which the Venetians had rendered him; having, under the Doge Sabastian-aZiani, defeated and taken prisoner Otho, son of the Emperor Frederick the First. ANCIENT CEREMONY OF THE MARRIAGE OF THE DOGE OF VENICE WITH THE SEA. Upon Ascension-day, about 10 o'clock in the morning, the signal being given by a discharge of artillery and the ringing of bells, the Doge, or should he happen to be indisposed, the viceDoge, goes on board the Bucentoro, and accompanied by several thousand barques and gondolas, a great number of gallies finely ornamented, and the splendid yachts of foreign ambassadors, are rowed out to sea about two hundred paces, between the island of St. Erasmo and il Lido de Matamocco. The patriarch, who upon this day, according to an ancient custom, in commemora LINES TO If Friendship's but an empty dream, The marsh-light falsely glowing, Nor parting tear bestowing. But if in bonds it links the heart, Which death alone can severIf joy or sorrow ne'er can part Those ties that bind for ever; In youth's gay time, when hearts are light, And sweet the hopes they cherish, Let not disdain's all-withering blight Cause such sweet hopes to perish, LINES ON A KISS. Humid seal of soft affections, Love's first snowdrop, virgin kiss. Speaking silence, dumb confession, Passion's birth, and infant's play, Love-like fondness, chaste concession, Glowing dawn of brighter day. Sorrowing joy, adieu's last action, When ling'ring lips no more must join; What words can ever speak affection sidered as coming under the terms of the act, but shall be exempted from the forfeiture. An act regulating the size and weight of penny plumb buns, and enacting that not less than six, nor exceeding eight, green gooseberries, shall be put into a penny tart, under the pain of forfeiture, one half to our Lord the King, the other to the informer. Also a clause for the better ordering of lollipops. An act to oblige persons to blow cool their hot hasty-pudding in the spoon, for the space of 15 seconds before eating the same; "for that many and divers persons have been grievously burned, scalded, and damaged in their mouths, tongues, gullets, windpipes, and stomachs, by greedily, voraciously, hastily, glutton WORK FOR THE NEXT SESSION. ously eating and devouring, bolting PROPOSED BILLS. An act to oblige parents to blow their children's noses, or to cause them to be blown by nurse, cook, housemaid, groom, helper, or other proper and fit person, three times a day in summer, and nine in winter, under the penalty of, &c. An act to prevent adults from swallowing cherry-stones, and giving magistrates, suspecting the same to be practised, the right of search in private places. Penalties, quant. suf. An act to prevent cruelty to flies, black beetles, and father long-legs, with a clause providing that moths shall not approach within six inches of any wax, mould, spermaceti, dip, or other candle, nor within three inches of any farthing rushlight. An act for the better preserving the health of his Majesty's liege subjects from the dangers too often attending exposure to wet in their feet, whereby many have grievously suffered by coughs, catarrhs, and other maladies, and enacting that persons found walking in wet,damp, sloppy, greasy,splashy, dirty, mucky weather, with shoes, boots, pumps, or slippers, less than three inches thick in the sole from the heel-piece to the toe, or four inches in the heel, or with shoes of such a thickness as above recited, but cracked, damaged, burst, worn into holes, or otherwise impaired or injured, shall, on conviction before a magistrate or justice of the peace, be sentenced to the tread-mill for a term not under one month, nor exceeding six, and shall forfeit such shoes to our Lord the King. Persons barefooted, or without shoes, shall be con and swallowing, hot hasty pudding, &c. &c. It is therefore hereby enacted, that all grown persons and adults, of an estate to hold a spoon, shall blow and puff such hasty pudding in a spoon for a space not under fifteen seconds, under the penalty of, &c. &c." An act to prevent persons from eating green peas with two-pronged forks. An act to prevent cruelty to visitors prohibiting the galloping of young children, admitted after dinner, over the small-clothes of visitors, spilling their wine, eating their fruit, fouling their waistcoats, ruining their neckcloths, kicking their shins, and calling them names, bawling, squalling, crying, roaring, or singing or spouting at the request of their parents or guardians, to the great detriment of social intercourse and scandal of all good livers; all which things are hereby declared contrary to law, and punishable, under the statute, therewith framed and enacted for preventing the spoiling of children. And be it further enacted, that more than sixteen be never, and in no case, permitted or suffered to rush into the dining-room when the cloth is removed, but that such irruption shall be a riot, and quelled according to law. The act goes on to send parents to the House of Correction, for aiding and abetting such tumuls; and further regulates the size and shape of pap-boats, and the fashion and figure of corals. An act to prevent gluttons from eating worsted stockings, tallow candles, ten-penny nails, and case-knives. An act to prevent persons from biting their nails, picking their noses, and spitting in their pocket-handkerchiefs, after the manner of the French. Few quotations have more engaged the pens of critics than the following: "For he who fights and runs away Will live to fight another day," These lines are supposed to form a part of Hudibras; and so confident have scholars been on the subject, that in 1784, a wager was made at Booth's, of twenty to one, that they were to be found in that poem. Dodsley was referred to as the arbiter, when he ridiculed the idea of consulting him on the subject, saying, " Every fool knows they are in Hudibras." George Selwyn, who was present, said to Dodsley, absolutely a fool." Butler has two or three passages similar; the one that comes nearest is the following, in Hudibras, book III. canto iii. ver. 243:- Pray, sir, will you be good enough, then, to inform an old fool in what canto they are to be found?" Dodsley took down the volume, but he could not find the passage; the next day came with no better success, and the bibliopolist was obliged to confess, "that a man might be ignorant of the author of this well-known couplet without being Faustina was young, possessed of great personal attraction, and sung abroad with such eclat, that, it was said, persons lobouring under the tortures of the gout left their beds and resorted to the theatres to hear her: at Florence medals were struck in her honour. The merit of her rival consisted in a fine toned voice, and a power of expression that frequently melted the audience into tears. Till the time of Faustina's arrival, Cuzzoni was in full possession of the public favour. She had driven Durastanti out of the kingdom; Mrs. Robinson (afterwards Countess of Peterborough) quitted the stage about the same time, so that for three seasons she was unrivalled. The consciousness of her great abilities, and the stubborn resistance that Senesino had shown to Handel, in a disagreement that had happened between them, had no trivial effect upon her conduct. For some slight objections to a song in Otho, Senesino refused, at the rehearsal, to sing it; when Handel took her round the waist, and swore, if she persisted, to throw her out of the window. In the contest between Cuzzoni and Faustina some ladies of the highest fashion entered so warmly, that formidable parties were arrayed on both sides.- Private slander and public abuse were deemed weapons too innoxious, so that blows were resorted to, and, shame to tell, the two singers fought. The Countess of Pembroke headed the Cuzzoni party; and the Countess of Burlington and Lady Delaware were in the van of that of Faustina, supported by the gentlemen, Faustina being a much more agreeable woman than Cuzzoni. The directors of the opera adopted an odd expedient to terminate the dispute. The time for a new contest was at hand, and they agreed to give as a salary to Faustina one guinea more than to her rival. Lady Pembroke, and some other friends of Cuzzoni, hearing this, bound her by a solemn oath, never to take less than Faustina; and the directors continuing firm, Cuzzoni found herself ensnared, by her obligation, into the necessity of quitting the kingdom. She returned to Italy, where she was reduced to a very humble condition, being compelled for a subsistence, to employ herself in making buttons.A better fate attended Faustina. She remained in England a short time after Cuzzoni; then went to Dresden, where she married Hasse, an eminent mu. sician, and lived afterwards in respectability at Vienna. FEODOROWNA, A RUSSIAN NARRATIVE. [Continued from page 36.] He quitted her instantly, for the first cock had crown, and day was breaking; but she resolved that day should end her uncertainty. Dull in intellect and selfish in heart, her father had little claim to her confidence; but his life, perhaps her sovereign's, might be involved in the desperate plots of the Strelitz-faction. She covered herself in a common woollen garment, and a peasant's hood; determining to seek the Emperor in Moscow, and beg a pardon for her husband and her father as the price of her discovery. Thus resolved, and not without hope of a still higher price, she left her chamber unseen, and visited the hut of her Tartar servant. She asked him whether he dare depart from her father's house, and accompany her to Moscow on foot. The old man answered by filling a wallet with provisions; and digging up a square stone which lay under his pillow, took three roubles and the emerald ring from beneath it, and put them into his mis"This is all you have in tresses hand. the world, Usbeck!" said the young and I may never repay countess, you." "No, not at all," he answered, "I have still the axe which split the trees for you when you ate the wild bees' honey," There needed no farther assurance of his faith to the child of his master. The travellers entered Moscow before noon, but the emperor "What was absent from his palace. is your business with him?" asked a man of meagre and muscular figure, who stood in a plain mechanic's dress near one of the gates. Feodorowna answered, that she had a petition of great importance to present to him. The stranger perused her countenance, and advised her to wait till the captain of the guards appeared. "That would avail nothing," said she, "I must see him, and deliver this paper into his own hand." "Why not into mine?" returned the questioner, rudely snatching the paper, and thrusting himself behind the gates; but not so rapidly as to escape a blow levelled at his head by Usbeck. "Keep that blow in mind, my good friend," said the thief, laughing-"I shall not forget my part of the debt." And slily twitching the long lock which hung behind Usbeck's ear in the Black Cossack's fashion, he disappeared. Her music and her smiles were not wholly without effect, and he suddenly said, "Do you know, Feodorowna, I had never seen or desired to see you if Biron had not talked of your beauty with such passionate fondness among my guards? He piqued my fancy, for he seemed to act the part of the English Athelwold to the island King Edgar, and his fate was not far unlike." At this allusion to her first husband's affection and tragic end, Feodorowna shrunk in horror, scarcely suppressed by the secret hope this speech justified. He spoke of his guards, and compared himself to a sovereign prince. The inference was natural, and the pride of her heart increased the beauty of her countenance. He filled another cup of cogniac to the brim, and holding it to her lips, bade her wish health to the Emperor of Russia at the same hour next night. There was a cold and stony dampness in his hand, which did not agree with the purple light in his eyes. Feodorowna stood resolutely at the gateway of the palace, still expecting to see the emperor, and determining to communicate all that had happened to herself, her first husband, and her father. Presently the artisan returned again, and laying his hand familiarly on her arm, whispered "The emperor is in the guard-house, follow me!" There was an expression, an ardent and full authority in his eye, which instantly announced his rank. She was going to kneel, but he prevented her. "Be of good cheer, Feodorowna! your husband is greater and less than he appears. Return home, and drink the Emperor of Russia's health to-night, as he commanded." Usbeck stood listening anxiously near his mistress; and when she turned to him with a smiling countenance, beckoned her to follow him. But it was too late: a guard of twelve men had drawn up behind, and now surrounded them. They were forcibly separated, and each conveyed to prison, where sentinels, regularly changed, attended till about the eleventh hour of the next day, when two persons in the habit of Russian senators entered, and conducted Feoderowna to another room in the fortress. This room was filled with senators; and a bishop, whose face she recognized, stood near a couch, on which a young man sat with silver fetters on his hands. His dress was slovenly and squalid, but his person tall and well made; his complexion healthfullybrown, and his eyes and hair of a brilliant black. Another man, whose form and countenance were entirely muffled, stood behind the groupe, but sufficiently near to direct and observe them. Count Tolstoi, the chief senator, obeyed a glance from his eye; and addressing himself to the manacled prisoner, said, in a low and respectful voice, "Does your highness know this woman?"-He answered in German, and the muffled man gave a signal to the bishop, who approached the couch, and joining the hands of Feodorowna to the prisoner, declared their marriage lawful from that hour, but from that only. Though the face of her husband had been concealed from her during their mysterious intercourse, Feodorowna knew the strong stern voice, the dark hair and eyes, and the perfect symmetry of this unknown prisoner; and her heart smote itself when the letter she had written to the emperor was read aloud to him. He made no reply, and the witnesses of this strange ceremony laid before him another paper, stating, that finding himself unqualified for government, he disclaimed all right of succession to the crown, acknowledging his brother, Peter, its lawful heir. He signed it with the same unbending countenance; and the standers by having each repeated an oath of allegiance to the chosen successor, departed one by one, solemnly bowing their heads to the bishop and the muffled man who stood at his right hand. They, with Feodorowna, were then left alone in the room, until a signal-bell had sounded twice. A man, whom she knew to be Field-Marshal Wreyde, entered as it tolled the last time, bearing a silver cup and cover. His countenance was frightfully pale, and he staggered like one convulsed or intoxicated. The prisoner fixed his eyes sternly on Feodorowna, and bowing his head to the muffled stranger, took it with an unshaking hand, and emptied it to the last drop. While he held it to his lips, the bishop opened a long official paper, but the prisoner interrupted him; " have already heard my sentence of death, and know this is its execution." Even as he spoke, the change in his complexion began, and Feodorowna, uttering dismal screams, was forced from his presence. Five days after, she was carried in a covered litter to the church of the Holy Trinity, where a coffin lay in state under a pall of rich gold tissue. Her conductor withdrew into the darkness of the outer aisle, leaving her to contemplate the terrible conclusion of her father's ambitious dreams, and the last scene of human greatness. But she was yet uncertain how far the guilt of the detected faction had extended, and whether he who lay under the splendid pall, and had once called himself her husband, was the treacherous Governor of Siberia, Prince Gagarin, or a still more illustrious criminal. There was no name upon the velvet covering of the coffin, no banner, no armorial bearing; and the attendant, seeing the silent and stony stupor of the miserable widow, conducted her compassionately back to the covered litter. It conveyed her to a convent, where a few hours after her arrival, a white veil was presented to her, with this mandate, bearing the imperial signet of Peter the Great. "The widow of Alexis Czarowitz of Russia, could enter no asylum less than the most sacred and distinguished * Vide Memoirs of Peter Henry Bruce, captain in Peter's service. |