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put on their ordinary robes, and the usual mass of the morning is sung. The Blessing of the Candles takes place in all the parish churches.'-(Lady Morgan's Italy, vol. ii, pp. 284, 285.)

SUNDAY, 3.-Saint Blase.

Blase was a Bishop and Martyr; and his see, according to the Breviary, was Sebasta, or Seback, in Cappadocia. He is a person of great note amongst the vulgar, who, in their processions, as relative to the wool trade, always carry an effigy or representation of him, as the inventor or patron of their art of combing it. There was an order of Knighthood also instituted in honor of him. He suffered death in the reign of Diocletian, about the year 283, according to the Legenda Aurea, but authors vary much about the time of his death. Before his death, which was by decapitation, he was whipped, and had his flesh torn ferreis pectinibus, 'with iron combs.' And when he died, his prayer to our Lord was, as the Golden Legend has it in the English Version,That whomsoever desired hys helpe fro thinfyrmyte of the throte, or requyred ayde for any other sekeness or infyrmyte, that he would here hym, and myght deserve to be guarisshed and heled.|| And ther cam a voys fro Hevene to hym sayeng that hys peticion was graunted, and shold be doon as he had prayd."

In this prayer there is not a word, that

concerns the wool-combers.

The art, no doubt, had been invented long before his time; it is so very ancient that the invention is at this day entirely unknown. It is therefore probable, he was esteemed the patron of the woolcombers, merely because he was tortured with the iron comb. It is still the custom in many parts of England, to light up fires on the hills on St. Blase's night, a custom anciently taken up, perhaps for no better reason than the jingling resemblance of his name to the word blaze!

3.-Septuagesima.

The institution of this and the two following Sundays cannot be traced higher than the beginning of the sixth, or the close of the fifth century. When the words Septuagesima, Sexagesima, and Quinquagesima (seventieth, sixtieth, and fiftieth), were first applied to denote these three Sundays, the season of Lent had generally been extended to a fast of six weeks, that is, thirty-six days, not reckoning the Sundays, which were always

See Aurea Legenda. t.Collin's Dict. in voce.

He had cured a boy that had got a fish-bone in his throat; and was particularly invoked by the papists in the squinancy or quinsy.

So he was one of the 14 Saints for deseases in general, Fabric; Bibliogr. Antiq. p. 266.

celebrated as festivals. At this time, | on his head, and twelve stars over it; holding also, the Sunday which we call the first a sceptre in the right hand: to him was attriSunday in Lent, was styled simply Quad-buted the power over both heaven and earth, ragesima, or the fortieth, meaning, no and that as he was pleased or displeased, he doubt, the fortieth day before Easter. could send thunder, tempests, plagues, &c. or Quadragesima was also the name given to fair seasonable weather, and cause fertility. the season of Lent, and denoted the From him our Thursday derives its name, quadragesimal or forty days' fast. When anciently Thorsday; among the Romans, dies the three weeks before Quadragesima ceased to be considered as weeks after the Jovis, as this idol may be substituted for Jupiter. Theophany (or Epiphany), and were appointed to be observed as a time of preparation for Lent, it was perfectly conformable to the ordinary mode of computation to reckon backwards, and, for the sake of even and round numbers, to count by decades.-(Shepherd.)

TUESDAY, 5.-St. Agatha.

She suffered matyrdom under Decius, in the year 251.

SAXON IDOLS WORSHIPPED IN ENGLAND.

Whence the Names of our Days are derived.

6.-Friga; this idol represented both sexes, holding a drawn sword in the right hand, and a bow in the left, denoting that women as well as men should fight in time of need: she was generally taken for a goddess, and was reputed the giver of peace and plenty, and causer of love and amity. Her day of worship was called by the Saxons, Frigedaeg, now Friday, dies Veneris; but the habit and weapons of this figure have a resemblance of Diana rather than Venus.

7.-Seater or Crodo, stood on the prickly back of a perch: he was thin-visaged, and longhaired, with a long-beard, bare-headed, and bare-footed, carrying a pale of water in his

1.-THE Idol of the Sun, from which Sun-right hand, wherein are fruit and flowers; and day is derived, among the Latins dies Solis, holding up a wheel in his left; and his coat was placed in a temple and adored and sacri- tied with a long girdle: his standing on the ficed to; for they believed that the sun did sharp fins of this fish, signified to the Saxons, co-operate with this idol. He was represented that by worshipping him they should pass like a man half-naked, with his face like the through all dangers unhurt; by his girdle flysun, holding a burning wheel with both hands ing both ways was shewn the Saxons' freedom, on his breast, signifying his course round the and by the pale with fruit and flowers was deworld; and by his fiery gleams, the light and noted that he would nourish the earth. From heat wherewith he warms and nourishes all him, or from the Roman deity Saturn, comes things. Saturday.

2. The Idol of the Moon, from which cometh our Monday, dies Luna, anciently Moonday: this idol appears strangely singular, being habited in a short coat like a man: her holding a moon, expresses what she is, but the reason of her short coat and long eared cap is lost in oblivion.

3.-Tuisco, the most ancient and peculiar god of the Germans, represented in his garment of a skin, according to their ancient manner of clothing: next to the sun and moon they paid their adoration to this idol, and dedicated the next day to him; from which our Tuesday is derived, anciently Tuisday, called in Latin dies Martis. But this idol is very unlike Mars, whom Woden much nearer re sembles than he does Mercury.

4.-Woden was a valiant prince among the Saxons; his image was prayed to for victory the usually sacrificed the prisoners taken in over their enemies, which, if they obtained, battle to him. Our Wednesday is derived from him, anciently Wodensday The northern histories make him the father of Thor, and Friga to be his wife.

5.-Thor was placed in a large hall, sitting on a bed, canopied over, with a crown of gold

NATURAL HISTORY,

DANCING SNAKES.

(FROM FORBES' ORIENTAL MEMOIRS.)

THE cobra di capello, or hooded-snake (coluber naja), called by the Indians the naag, or nagao, is a large and beautiful serpent; but

one of the most venomous of all the coluber

class; its bite generally proves mortal in less than an hour. It is called the hooded snake, from having a curious hood near the head, which it contracts or enlarges at pleasure; the centre of this hood is marked in black and white like a pair of spectacles, from whence it is also named the spectacle-snake.

Of this genus are the dancing-snakes, which are carried in baskets throughout Hindostan, and procure a maintenance for a set of people, who play a few simple notes on the flute, with which the snakes seem much delighted, and keep time by a graceful motion of the head; erecting about half their length from the

GREENLAND DUELS.

ground, and following the music with gentle curves, like the undulating lines of a swan's neck. It is a well attested fact, that when a house is infested with these snakes, and some others of the coluber genus, which destroy poultry and small domestic animals, as also by the larger serpents of the boa tribe, the musicians are sent for; who by playing on a flagelet, find out their hiding-places, and charm them to destruction: for no sooner do the ther, he betrays not the least trace of union between Cleveland and Minna, create an enmity

snakes hear the music, than they come softly from their retreat, and are easily taken. I imagine these musical snakes were known in Palestine, from the Psalmist comparing the ungodly to the deaf adder, which stoppeth her ears, and refuseth to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely.

When the music ceases, the snakes appear motionless; but if not immediately covered up in the basket, the spectators are liable to fatal accidents. Among my drawings is that of a cobra de capello, which danced for an hour on

the table while I painted it; during which I frequently handled it, to observe the beauty of the spots, and especially the spectacles on the hood, not doubting but that its venomous fangs had been previously extracted. But the next morning my upper servant, who was a zealous Mussulman, came to me in great haste, and desired I would instantly retire, and praise the Almighty for my good fortune: not understanding his meaning, I told him that I had already performed my devotions, and had not so many stated prayers as the followers of his prophet. Mahomet then informed me, that while purchasing some fruit in the bazar, he observed the man who had been with me on the preceding evening, entertaining the country people with his dancing snakes; they, according to their usual custom, sat on the ground around him; when, either from the music stopping too suddenly, or from some other cause irritating the vicious reptile which I had so often handled, it darted at the throat of a young woman, and inflicted a wound of which she died in about half an hour. Mahomet once more repeated his advice for praise and thanksgiving to Alla, and recorded me in his calendar as a lucky man.

Hydrogen Gas.-There is a curious anecdote related of the influence of this gas on the oxide of Bismuth. It is well known that this oxide, under the name of pearl white, is used as a cosmetic by those of the fair sex who wish to become fairer. A lady thus painted, was sitting in a lecture room, where chemistry being the subject, water impregnated with sulphuretted hydrogen gas (Harrogate water) was handed round for inspection. On smelling this liquid, the lady in question became suddenly black in the face. Every one was of course alarmed by this sudden chemical change; but the lecturer explaining the cause of the phenomenon, the lady received no farther injury, than a salutary practical lesson, to rely more upon natural than artificial beauty in future.

We recommend to our men of honour, the following mode of settling disputes. It is extracted from Crantz's History of Greenland. "The natives decide their quarrels by singing and dancing, and call this a singing combat. If one Greenlander imagines himself injured by ano

vexation or wrath, much less revenge,

plot. It has some lively music by Mr. T. Cooke? who has borrowed copiously from our oldest acquaintances. An opening chorus and a glee by Fishermen, composed by a Mr. Rooke, are of a better order, The play opens with Mordaunt's rescuing Cleveland Magnus Troil, under the conduct of Bryce Snaelsfoot, from the waves. The introduction of the latter to is managed as it is in the novel. The injurious reports which have been spread of him procure Mordaunt a cool reception (wheri at Norna's instigation he goes to Burgh Westra) from all but Brenda. Norna's sudden appearance, and her forbidding the between the two young men. A duel is heard to take: but he composes a satirical poem; this place off the stage, in which Mordaunt falls just at he repeats so often with singing and dan- the moment when Norna is imparting her unfortunate cing in the presence of his domestics, against the consequences of her attachment to Cleve-' history to Minna, for the purpose of warning her and especially the women, till they have land. They rush off at the noise of deep groans all got it in their memory. Then he pub- which succeed the clashing of swords. Mordaunt lishes a challenge every where, that he having been recovered by the care of Norna, Cleveland joins the other pirate vessel at the persuasion of will fight a duel with his antagonist, not Jack Bunce, his lieutenant. On coming ashore to with a sword, but a song. The respon- procure supplies he is detained, and the hostage which dent betakes himself to the appointed was given in exchange for him having escaped, the place, and presents himself in the encir- Pirate is lodged in St. Magnus' church. Here Minna's cled theatre. Then the accuser begins to cessary by the sudden appearance of Norna, who endeavour to procure his liberation is rendered unnesing his satire to the beat of the drum, intrusts him to her dwarf Pacelot, and before parting and his party in the auditory back every he line with the repeated Anna aiah, and also sing every sentence with him; and all this while he discharges so many taunting truths at his adversary, that the audience have their fill of laughing.When he has sung out all his gall, the defendent steps forth, answers the accusation against him, and ridicules his antagonist in the same manner, all which is corroborated with a united chorus of his party, and so the laugh changes sides. The plaintiff renews the assault, and tries to baffle him a second time; in short, he that maintains the last word wins the process, and so acquires a name.-At such opportunities, they can tell. one another the truth very roundly and cuttingly, only there must be no mixture of rudeness or passion. The whole body of the beholders constitute the Jury, and bestow the laurel, but afterwards the two parties are the best friends." The letter of G. B. we gratefully acknowledge, and thank

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gives her a box, which he says was the last present

of his father. Basil Mertoun then enters, Norna. knows him to be her former lover, and the father of

her son, whom she supposes to be Mordaunt. In the course of their dialogue, and by means of the box, she discovers that Cleveland, whose destruction she has caused by bringing down the King's ship, is her son, and she hastens with Mertoun to endeavour to preserve him. In the last scene, Cleveland, with a part of his crew, has come ashore, to take leave of Minna. Jack Bunce has planned a stratagem to make his captain "happy against his will," by carrying off Minna; this fails, and they are taken by a detachment under Mordannt's command, The Halcyon frigate appears in the offing and blows up the Fortune's Favourite. Norna's apprehensions are dismissed by Mertoun's producing a pardon for his son and his companions, granted in consequence of services he had redered to the navy. The ladies and their lovers to partake of their satisfaction.

are made happy, and the rest of the company seem

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

him for his good wishes and promised support.

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FOR THE IRIS.

SARDANAPALUS.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1822.

logue between two persons, who enter a certain room
and narrate events to one another, which they must
certainly have both known before.

we are told, that he performs prodigies of valour,
and seems a second Mars, but he only appears in
propria persona, a debauchee, and we are obliged to
take his heroism on the ipse dixit of the narrator.

Sardanapalus has all these faults, and certainly is not qualified for success on the stage in its present LORD BYRON is unquestionably the greatest poet state. There is a great want of individuality of chaof the present day in that quality of vividly pourtrayracter in all but the principal one, Sardanapalus, ing the stormy passions of the mind, which has been who is well drawu in the first part; but with his the principal characteristic of most of our greatest change in the latter part of the play, the spectator is bards. But Byron has not, like them, given the gi-kept in ignorance, as far as it regards his own actions; gantic force of his pen to support the cause of virtue; he has laughed alike, at the follies, the virtues, the feelings, and the religion of his fellow-creatures; to use a passage of his own in application to himself, There is in him a vital scorn of all' which he perpetually introduces into all his pieces, and from the pleasure he takes in the monotonous repetition, the world has naturally concluded that he has drawn from self: consequently, we see the very unprecedented circumstance of a popular author telling his readers, that he despises them, and avoids the sight of any of his countrymen, with studied assiduity, and yet keep ing his ground in public estimation.

His lordship is essentially not a dramatic poet-he wants variety, the power of keeping his characters distinct from each other, of individualizing them: they are too much alike, talk in the same style, use the same figurative language, from the prince to the peasant, from the Doge to the Signor of the night.

His lordship's judgment and practice are strangely at variance with each other; he praises Pope for the purity of his ethics, and then he writes Don Juan: he admires and quotes Shakespeare, and then writes dull tragedies with strict attention to dramatic unity: proving by his own examples the inferiority of dramas, produced according to his critical standard, to those not fettered by such laws: see that splendid irregular production of his lordship's muse Manfred' which certainly is worth all three of those heavy five act classical pieces since written by him.

To avoid the inconsistency of making one spot represent two places distant from each other, and of supposing various periods of time to elapse between the falling and rising of the curtain, we are exposed to long, tedious, explanatory dialogues, to let us know what is passing without; and actions are huddled together, and dynasties overthrown, which, a few hours before, were in peaceful security. We are introduced to certain scenes, the interest of which depends on events that have preceded, and with which the spectator is but imperfectly acquainted by a tiresome dia

There is great monotony in the dialogues, which are extremely long and fatigueing, consisting of the opinions of the dramatis persona, (given more in the style of essays than in the language of passion,) in virtue, ambition, heroism, love, and so forth. The most forcible parts of the action excite very little interest, from the nonchalance with which the actors proceed to their allotted tasks.

The chief interest, as well as chief excellence, of

this tragedy, consists in poetical passages, of which
some possess exquisite beauty. I shall proceed to
make a few quotations only, as I fear to encroach too
much on your limits.

Sardanapalus' description of his own disposition,
is thus expressed in act 1st.

Since they are tumultuous,
Let them be temper'd, yet not roughly, till
Necessity enforce it. I hate all pain,
Given or receiv'd; we have enough within us,
The meanest vassal as the loftiest monarch,
Not to add to each other's natural burthen
Of mortal misery, but rather lessen,
The fatal penalties imposed on life;
But this they know not, or they will not know,
I have, by Baal! done all I could to soothe them:

I made no wars, I added no new imposts,
I interfered not with their civic lives,

I let them pass their days as best might suit them,
Passing my own as suited me.'

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WEEKLY.

PRICE 3 d.

I have watch'd,

For thee, and after thee, and pray'd to thee,
And sacrific'd to thee, and read, and fear'd thee,
And ask'd of thee, and thou hast answer'd-but
Only to thus much while I speak he sinks-
Is gone and leaves his beauty, not his knowledge,
To the delighted west, which revels in
Its hues of dying glory. Yet what is

Death, so it be but glorious? 'Tis a sunset;
And mortals may be happy to resemble
The gods but in decay."

There is great poetical beauty in the following passage.

Sardanapalus-(speaking of the stars)

I love them;

I love to watch them in the deep blue vault,
And to compare them with my Myrrha's eyes;
I love to see their rays redoubled in
The tremulous silver of Euphrates' wave,
As the light breeze of midnight crisps the broad
And rolling water, sighing through the sedges
Which fringe his banks; but whether they may be
Gods, as some say, or the abodes of gods,
As others hold, or simply lamps of night,
Worlds, or the lights of worlds, I know nor care

not.

There's something sweet in my uncertainty
I would not change for your Chaldean lore;
Besides, I know of these all clay can know;
Of aught above it, or below it-nothing.
I see their brilliancy and feel their beauty-
When they shine on my grave I shall know nei-
ther.

There is, in the last lines, the often repeated sneer at the belief in a future state, which Byron intreduces frequently, where it is totally uncalled for. Sardanapalus thus describes conscience.

'I know not what to call it; but it reckons With me oft-times for pain, and sometimes plea

sure;

A spirit which seems placed about my heart
To court its throbs, not quicken them, and ask
Questions which mortal never dared to ask me,
Nor Baal, though an oracular deity-
Albeit his marble face majestically
Frowns as the shadows of the evening dim,
His brows to changed expression; till at times
I think the statue looks in act to speak.'

The opening scene of the Fourth Act is extremely beautiful. Sardanapalus awakes from a disturbed sleep.

'Not so although ye multiplied the stars,
And gave them to me as a realm to share
From you and with you! I would not so purchase
The empire of eternity. Hence-bence-

ye,

Old hunter of the earliest brutes! and
Who hunted fellow-creatures as if brutes;
Once bloody mortals-and now bloodier idols,
If your spirits lie not! And thou ghastly beldame!
Dripping with dusky gore, and trampling on
The carcases of Inde-away! away!
Where am I? Where the spectres?'

His description of his dream is forcibly drawn, but I dare not intrude so much on your room, as to quote it.

The rising sun, on the day of the self-sacrifice of Sardanapalus and Myrrha, is thus most exquisitely painted by the latter.

nued change of air, is often too long persevered in,
until its effects sap the constitution, and lead to fatal
consequences.

My object is to point out simple and generally efficient means of ventilating almost every close room or confined place, in which our avocations or lodging, may cause us to be under the necessity of continuing in, so long as to become injurious; which a large town in particular, from the frequent narrowness of the streets, and height of the houses, tends greatly to increase; but which may be so far ventilated as to reduce those evil consequences very considerably. From the principles of Pneumatics we are taught, that a column of heated air has a tendency to rise upwards by its own levity in a ratio to its height, on a similar principle as the pressure or weight per square inch of a column of water is in proportion to its perpendicular height; so that by confining, in a perpendicular tube, a quantity of warm air, or that which has served the purposes of respiration, so that it has become lighter than the atmospheric air, it will acquire by that means a certain ability or power of rising upwards in proportion to its height; and an aperture being left open into a room below, the air will become replaced with air from that room, which, Sardanapalus on the pile which he is about to fire, if it be from its own levity lighter than the surthus apostrophizes his ancestors.

And can the sun so rise,
So bright, so rolling back the clouds into
Vapours more lovely than the unclouded sky,
With golden pinnacles, and snowy mountains,
And billows purpler than the o'cean's, making
In heaven a glorious mocking of the earth,
So like we almost deem it permanent;
So fleeting we can scarcely call it aught
Beyond a vision, 'tis so transiently
Scattered along the eternal vault and yet
It dwells upon the soul, and soothes the soul,
And blends itself into the soul, until
Sunrise and sunset form the haunted epoch
Of sorrow and of love.'

I would not leave your ancient first abode
To the defilement of usurping bondsmen ;
If I have not kept your inheritance
As ye bequeath'd it, this bright part of it,
Your treasure, your abode, your sacred relics
Of arms, and records, monuments, and spoils,
In which they would have revell'd, I bear with me
To you in that absorbing element,
Which most personifies the soul as leaving
The least of matter unconsumed before
Its fiery workings.'

After a little more moralizing, this Phoenix of voluptuaries orders the pile to be fired by his mistress, and perishes with her in the flames,

Feb. 5th, 1822.

ON VENTILATION.

NEMO.

Pneumatics, or that Science which explains the properties of atmospheric air, is, like all others, so far valuable as it teaches us how to add to our health and comforts, or how to detect and obviate what may become injurious to both; particularly in any thing where its evil consequences are most concealed, for that is most to be dreaded from its being least liable to detection.

The want of pure air for the purposes of respiration is well known to be injurious to health, and whatever tends to deprive us of it, lessens the comforts and enjoyments of life: it then becomes our duty to avail ourselves of every means with which we are acquainted, and which are in our power, to provide for the preservation of what appears so essential to happiness.

Sedentary employments and confinement in close apartments, in which there is not a frequent or conti

for, from whatever cause, the air the most rarified always rises and remains at the top: when perhaps the lower part of the room, from being below the top of the fire place, the communication with the chimney being left open and free, the air is perfectly good and pure whether there be a fire or not; for if we apply a lighted candle we shall perceive a constant current up it,- but to that height, it is of no advantage to us, for we invariably breathe in the stratum of air above it.

Now this is an expedient that will be attended with a very trifling expence; the merely breaking a hole into the chimney, either in the front or at one side where it will be least seen, or by placing in that hole á rim of tin of 4 or 6 inches in diameter, properly secured in the lime, and a lid similar to a canister lid may be made to fit into it while sweeping the chimney, or in the depth of winter, when we may not wish the ventilation to act, or by placing in the hole a regulator, formed by a circular plate of metal, with apertures in the form of a triangle, of one half of the whole area, so that by placing a similar plate behind it, moveable upon a centre, with a brass handle in front, we may open or close those apertures at our pleasure; this is most desirable in those cases where appearances is an object, and which will not hinder the draft of the fire, but in many cases increase it and in rounding air, will continue the operation until an smoky chimnies it will be less apt to smoke at the equilibrium is formed between that room and the ventilator, from the air at that elevation in the room, surrounding atmosphere. To prove this, suppose we being lighter than on the level with the top of the firelight a coal-fire in the open air in a very calm day, place, and consequently will have a greater tendency that fire, placed upon the ground without any thing or power to rise upwards, so that by opposing a round it, will perhaps soon go out-or burn very greater obstruction, it will continue to be more liable indifferently; but place a tube 8 or 10 inches in dia- to escape at the fire-place, and I apprehend it will meter, and 10 feet long, or 1 story high, over that frequently tend to cure some from smoking at the firefire, and it will burn much better. Then if we place place altogether. Now it is almost needless for me 10 feet more or a second story upon it, from its addi- to point out the innumerable cases in which this may tional height, the extended column of air, increasing be applied with great advantage; but I am disposed its levity in the ratio of its height, will cause the to cite a few by way of example, for instance in a draft to be much stronger; and if we, attach a third sick chamber, or where a number of work people are and a fourth, and at length, a fifth story, or fifty feet confined together in one room; particularly where gas of perpendicular height of tube or chimney, we shall or oil is burnt, and in kitchens, where the smell from have a draft sufficient to melt even metal in a crucible; cooking is frequently a nuisance to the whole house; for, it is from the height of the chimney that brass-indeed I have fitted up one in mine which answers founders are enabled to fuse their metal; its length, confining so lofty a column of air, increases it's levity per square inch at the base, according to the ratio of its height, and the increased intensity of its heat from the continued operation.

Now upon this principle I ground all my conclusions. It is generally thought, that by opening a window, we procure the most effectual ventilation a room is capable of, but I esteem this only like lighting a fire in the open air. Instead of that, apply a tube 10 feet high from the top of that room, and we get 10 feet of perpendicular draft. Suppose we apply 20 feet, we increase the draft up that tube, and we increase it in proportion to its perpendicular height above the room, however high we are capable of con tinuing it, so that the loftier the house, the stronger ventilation the lower rooms are capable of, which are generally such as require it the most, particularly underground kitchens, damp cellars, and warehouses, to which there are generally chimnies, or from which we could easily make communications with a chimney, to answer the purposes of this tube, as above described. The aperture to the tube or chimney should be invariably at the top of the room or warehouse;

the intended purpose most effectually, for we were before every baking day, and when roasting of meat, most excessively annoyed; now, I never know when any thing of the kind is going on; and I have likewise fitted one up in my lodging-room, the chimney of which, being contiguous to the kitchen chimney, the warmth tends to rarify the air in it, which certainly increases the draft considerably.

So powerful is the draft of a chimney so situated, that I have a stove with the flue carried several yards under ground, communicating with a chimney continued up the side of a kitchen chimney, that draws the smoke for 4 feet downwards, before entering the underground flue, and which is not at all liable to smoke, but may be heated to any extent.

I will suggest to those ladies whose philanthropy induces them to visit the miserable abodes of the sick poor in our narrow and confined streets, whether this simple ventilation in many instances, particularly where the whole family live in one room, would not tend to do as much towards their recovery as all the medicines they could provide for them.

Jan. 26th, 1822.

W. H.

THE CLUB.

No. 1.-Friday, February 1st, 1821.

may be expected to find in friendly and unreserved

conversation.

of

Our club, as I have before intimated, meets once a week at the Green Dragon. I do not name the The announcement of the Iris has very considerastreet, because we do not wish to be troubled by inbly stimulated the exertions of the writing part of the population of Manchester. Not to mention half-a-quisitive people; and, for the same reason, we have dozen impromptus addressed to the editor, most of already cautioned the landlord, who is a person which will be finished in a few weeks;-or several great discretion, to be on his guard if any enquiries are made respecting us. sonnets, written by young gentlemen who are not yet of age, in praise of different young ladies, every one of whom is the greatest beauty in the universe ;—or a great number of disquisitions, on all sorts of subjects, which the authors have modestly fathered upon various letters of the alphabet :-not to mention these, it is whispered in certain circles, that one of our eminent townsmen (the author of some conspicuous papers in a certain northern magazine,) is actually preparing for the Iris an Essay on the comparative merits of Tom Thumb and Jack the Giant Killer,' which we are assured will be distinguished by all the felicitous originality of the author's style, and like

We meet every Friday, at seven in the evening. Every member calls for what he pleases, and pays his own reckoning; but it is one of our rules that no person shall exceed three glasses; and iudeed few of us drink more than two in the course of the evening, except now and then on particular occasions. Smoking is not tolerated, but one or two of the members, who do not talk much, have permission to take snuff. We have no fixed chairman; but the person most frequently appointed to that office is a gentleman engaged in the instruction of youth; of grave aspect, and portly figure, serious and deliberate in his speech;

ry, actually converted a French barber into a great English capitalist!

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John Courtois is said to have been a native of Picardy, where he was born, about the year 1737 or 1738. He repaired to this country while yet young, in the character of valet de chambre to a gentleman who had picked him up in his travels; and as he came from one of the poorest of the French provinces, he took root, and throve wonderfully on his transplantation to a richer soil.

" On the death of his master, he removed to the

neighbourhood of the Strand; and St. Martin's-street, Leicester-square, became the scene of his industry and success. At a time when wigs were worn by boys, and a Frenchman was supposed the only person capable of making one fit for the grand monarque,' he commenced business as a perruquier, and soon acquired both wealth and celebrity. To this he joined another employment, which proved equally lucrative and appropriate, as it subjected both masters and servants to his influence. This was the keeping of a register-office, one of the first known in the metropolis, whence he drew incalculable advantages. He is also said to have been a dealer in hair, which he imported largely from the continent. And yet, after all, it is difficult to conceive how he could have realised a fortune exceeding 200,0001.! But what may not be small, and in his own expressive language, considered farthings as the seeds of guineas!"

his other papers will be very edifying-to those who and possessing that air of authority which naturally achieved by a man who despised no gains, however

ean comprehend it.

But the spirit-stirring breath of Messrs. Smith's prospectus, has produced even greater effects than these. It has not only given new vigour to the efforts, of the old labourers in the fields of literature, but it has excited in many, hitherto unknown to fame, a desire to contribute, through the medium of the Iris, to the amusement and instruction of the community, The members of the weekly club at the Green Dragon, Street, participating in this desire, have determined to furnish an essay every fortnight, and have appointed me, as their secretary, to prepare the introductory paper, and communicate their intention to the world.

in

results from the long exercise of absolute command."
When the president has taken the chair, and some
little time has been allowed for the landlord to exe-
cute his orders, and for each person to adjust himself
in a seat to his satisfaction; the members (for we are
fond of old customs) drink mutually to each other's
health.

This is done with great cordiality, and is followed
by an animated conversation, embracing, at different
times, all those topics which can be supposed to
interest men who live in a free country, who are not,
deficient in general knowledge, and who think with
freedom, but not with licentiousness.

As we have no men of irregular habits amongst us, it is customary for the president to leave the chair, and the meeting to conclude, at nine o'clock. Sometimes, however, though but rarely, we have exceeded the time by half an hour.

Our club, which has now been established more than ten years, consists at present of eight members. They will be introduced more particularly to the reader hereafter; at present it must suffice to inform him that some of them are men of business, and some engaged in professions; that some are married, one is a widower, and two are bachelors. There exists among us, great difference of opinion on most of the subjects which divide mankind; and there is almost an equal variety in our appearance and modes of life; but we are united by an intimacy of long continuance, by the pleasure we have found in discussing our opi-priate vehicle in which to convey our sentiments to nions, and by the agreeable relaxation, from business or study, which is afforded by our meeting.

Although we permit the utmost fre dom in asserting and maintaining our various opinions, we have learned to enjoy this privilege without abusing it. I scarcely recollect such a thing as a quarrel's taking place amongst us. Some of us are churchmen, and some dissenters; some friends of government, and others desirous of reform; some adınire Lord Byron, and some Mr. Southey; some prefer the Edinburgh Review, and others the Quarterly; but we differ without ill-will, and can dispute without any diminution of our mutual kindness.

I would not have the reader suppose that our club has any resemblance to a debating society. We have no formal discussions, nor do we meet to make speeches. Our object in assembling is precisely to obtain that enjoyment, which a number of men, of different pursuits, who know and esteem each other,

Such is the Club, the members of which propose to supply the Iris with a paper for every alternate number. It has often been observed amongst us that a series of essays, perhaps not devoid of interest, might be formed without much difficulty, from our repeated conversations and controversies. The appearance of the Iris has supplied us with an appro

the public; and determined us to execute that which
we had before only projected.

The following appears to be a true description of this extraordinary man, whom we ourselves have seen

more than once -Old Courtois was well known for more than half a century in the purlieus of St. Martin's and the Haymarket. His appearance was meagre and squalid, and his clothes, such as they were, fashion, and the colour always either fawn or marone. were pertinaciously got up in exactly the same cut and For the last thirty years, the venerable chapeau was uniformly of the same cock.

The following anecdote is generally credited ;Some years since, the late Lord Gage met Courtois, at the court-room of the East India House, on an election business. Ah, Courtois,' said his lordship, what brings you here?' To give my votes, my Lord,' was the answer. What are you a proprietor? Most certainly.' 'And of more votes than Yes, my Lord, I have FOUR!'- Aye, indeed! Why, then, before you take the book, pray be kind enough to pin up my curls. With which modest request the proprietor of four votes, equal to ten thousand pounds, immediately complied.'

one?

His death occurred in 1819, in the 80th or 81st year of his age.'

HYDROPHOBIA.

At Pavia, new trials have been made, which prove the efficacy of oxygenated muriatic acid in subduing the hydrophobia. Dr. Previsali had prescribed it with success, where the symptoms were advanced, in a liquid form, from a drachm to a drachm and a half daily, in citron water or syrup of citron.

As the papers will be written by different members, the reader must expect to find a corresponding diver-mitted to Europe, a memoir on the plant which the sity of style and sentiment; but he may be certain that nothing will proceed from the club at the Green Dragon, which is inimical to the true interests of society, or in the slightest degree at variance with religion and good morals.

February 5th, 1822.

M. M.

The Annual Biography and Obituary for 1821, con-
tains the following amusing account of

JOHN COURTOIS.

instance of what may be effected by persevering in-
The subject of this article affords an extraordinary
dustry. To this was superadded an economy, border-
ing on extreme penury, and a passion, or rather, rage
for accumulation, that, after the lapse of half a centu-

Dr. LYMAN SPALDING, of New York, has transbotanists call Scutellaria Lateriflora, but the people of the country, Skull Cap. This vegetable, according to the American Doctor, is an infallible remedy for the hydrophobia. It may be taken at all times; whether the individual has been fresh bitten, or the symptoms have already appeared, it's efficacy will be equally felt. The discovery of this specific is traced to 1773. Dr. Lawrence Van Der Veer, of New Jersey, made the first trials of it on a number of men, and animals, and they were ever successful. At his death, the discovery became the exclusive property of the Lewis family, of New York, and by them it was gradually made public. It came, at length, to the knowledge of Dr. Lyman Spalding, who has been stuproduces positive testimony, confirmed by a great diously circulating it among his fellow-citizens. He number of facts. The number of men restored to sanity by the Scutellaire amounts to 850, and that of animals to 1,100.

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