han nine in number, perished. Chinese pigs have been esteemed a luxury all over the East, from the remotest periods that we read of. Bo-bo was in the utmost consternation, as you may think, not so much for the sake of the tenement, which his father and he could easily build up again with a few dry branches and the labour of an hour or two, at any time, as for the loss of the pigs. While he was thinking what he should say to his father, and wringing his hands over the smoking remnants of one of those untimely sufferers, an odour assailed his nostrils, unlike any scent which he had before experienced. What could it proceed from? not from the burnt cottage-he had smelt that smell before indeed, this was by no means the first accident of the kind which had occurred through the negligence of this unlucky young firebrand. Much less did it resemble that of any known herb, weed, or flower. A premonitory moistening at the same time overflowed his "nether lip. He knew not what to think. He next stooped down to feel the pig, if there were any signs of life in it. He burnt his fingers, and to cool them he applied them in his booby fashion to his mouth. Some of the crumbs of the scorched skin had come away with his fingers, and for the first time in his life (in the world's life, indeed, for before him no man had known it) he tasted-crackling! Again he felt and fumbled at the pig. It did not burn him so much now, still he licked his fingers from a sort of habit. The truth at length broke into his slow understanding, that it was the pig that smelt so, and the pig that tasted so delicious; and surrendering himself to the new-born pleasure, he fell to tearing up whole handfuls of the scorched skin with the flesh next it, and was cramming it down his throat, when his sire entered amid the smoking rafters, armed with "retributory cudgel, and finding how affairs stood, began to rain blows upon

the young rogue's shoulders, as thick as hail-stones, which Bo-bo heeded not any more than if they had been flies. His father might lay on, but he could not beat him from his pig, till he had fairly made an end of it, when, becoming a little more sensible of his situation, something like the following dialogue ensued:

"You graceless whelp, what have you got there devouring? Is it not enough that you have burnt me down three houses with your dog's tricks! but you must be eating fire, and I know not what? what have you got there, I say?”

"O father, the pig, the pig! do come and taste how nice the burnt pig eats."

The ears of Ho-ti tingled with horror. He cursed his son, and he cursed himself that ever he should beget a son that should eat burnt pig.

Bo-bo, whose scent was wonderfully sharpened since. morning, soon raked out another pig, and fairly rending it asunder, thrust the lesser half by main force into the fists of Ho-ti, still shouting out, Eat, eat, eat the burnt pig, father; only taste," cramming all the while as if he would choke.

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Ho-ti trembled every joint while he grasped the abominable thing, wavering whether he should not put his son to death for an unnatural young monster, when the crackling scorching his fingers, as it had done his son's, and applying the same remedy to them, he in his turn tasted some of its flavour, which, make what sour mouths he would for pretence, proved not altogether displeasing to him. In conclusion (for the manuscript here is a little tedious), both father and son fairly sat down to the mess, and never left off till they had despatched all that remained of the litter.

Bo-bo was strictly enjoined not to let the secret escape,

for the neighbours would certainly have stoned them for a couple of abominable wretches, who could think of inproving upon the good meat that God had sent them. Nevertheless, strange stories got about. It was observed that Ho-ti's cottage was burnt down more frequently than ever. Nothing but fires from this time forward. Some would break out in broad day, others in the night-time. As often as the sow farrowed, so sure was the house of Ho-ti to be in a blaze; and Ho-ti himself, which was the more remarkable, instead of chastising his son, seemed to grow more indulgent to him than ever. At length they were watched, the terrible mystery discovered, and father and son summoned to take their trial at 'Pekin, then an inconsiderable assize town. Evidence was given, the obnoxious food itself produced in court, and verdict about to be pronounced, when the foreman of the jury begged that some of the burnt pig, of which the culprits stood accused, might be handed into the box. He handled it, and they all handled it; and burning their fingers, as Bo-bo and his father had done before them, and nature prompting to each of them the same remedy, against the face of all the facts, and the clearest charge which judge had ever given to the surprise of the whole court, townsfolk, strangers, reporters, and all present without leaving the box, or any manner of consultation whatever, they brought in a simultaneous verdict of Not Guilty.

The judge, who was a shrewd fellow, winked at the manifest iniquity of the decision; and when the court was dismissed, went privily, and bought up all the pigs that could be had for love or money. In a few days his lordship's town house was observed to be on fire. The thing took wing, and now there was nothing to be seen but fires in every direction. Fuel and pigs grew enormously dear all over the district. The insurance offices

one and all shut up shop. People built slighter and slighter every day, until it was feared that the very science of architecture would in no long time be lost to the world. Thus this custom of firing houses continued, till in process of time, says my manuscript, a 9-age arose, who made a discovery, that the flesh of swine, or indeed of any other animal, might be cooked (burnt, as they called it) without the necessity of consuming a whole house to dress it. Then first began the rude form of a gridiron. Roasting by the string or spit came in a century or two later, I forget in whose dynasty. By such slow degrees, concludes the manuscript, do the most useful and seemingly the most obvious arts make their way among mankind

Without placing too implicit faith in the account above given, it must be agreed that if a worthy pretext for so dangerous an experiment as setting houses on fire (especially in these days) could be assigned in favour of any 11culinary object, that pretext and excuse might be found in ROAST PIG.

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12 The Essays of Elia, by CHARLES LAMB.

Abyssinia, a country in Africa, west of the Red Sea, and south of Nubia. 2 mast, the fruit of the oak, beech, or other forest trees; nuts; acorns. antediluvian, before the deluge; pertaining to the time before the flood. In this instance it means simply very old. *premonitory, giving previous warning or notice. The smell of something nice to eat caused the saliva to flow from his mouth. 5 nether, lower; that which is beneath. retributory, pertaining to retribution, or making a return suitable to the merits or deserts of an action. With the cudgel the father intended to punish his son for his mischief. Pekin, the capital of the Chinese Empire, situated on a sandy plain about a hundred miles from the sea (see App.). 'assize town, a town where the judges of the superior courts make periodical visits, for the purpose of trying criminals. sage, a wise and learned man. 10 implicit, trusting to the word of another without doubt or reserve.

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The account is not

to be taken as really accurate. 1 culinary, belonging to the kitchen, or to cookery. The Essays of Elia, by Charles Lamb, were originally published in the London Magazine. Charles Lamb's essays and criticisms are of the highest order, some of them being considered among the finest in the language. (See Charles Lamb " in the Appendix.)

WHEN I was at 'Grand Cairo, I picked up several oriental 3manuscripts, which I still have with me. Among others I met with one entitled The Visions of Mirza, which I have read over with great pleasure. I intend to give it to the public, and shall begin with the first vision, which I have translated word for word as follows:

On the fifth day of the moon, which, according to the custom of my forefathers, I always keep holy, after having washed myself, and offered up my morning devotions, I ascended the high hills of 4Bagdad, in order to pass the rest of the day in meditation and prayer. As I was here

airing myself on the top of the mountaius, I fell into a profound contemplation on the vanity of human life; and passing from one thought to another, "Surely," said I,

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man is but a shadow, and life a dream." Whilst I was thus musing, I cast my eyes towards the summit of a rock that was not far from me, where I discovered one in the habit of a shepherd, with a little musical instrument in his hand. As I looked upon him, he applied it to his lips,