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pable, to a certain degree, of volition, and raged in cherishing a friendship for of the simplest operations of intellect. He others besides their husbands. This is able to distinguish between two ob.

cause is advocated by Nubilia's father, jects, and in distinguishing, to determine their respective worth, relatively to him. who, in reply to a letter from a friend, self; accordingly, if one be presented to expostulating with him on his intihim he is pleased; if the other, he is dis. macy with Julia (a married woman) pleased. The moment reason has advan- exclaims: ced thus far, that moment, I say, the mo. “ Does the human heart undergo a meral education should commence; and in tamorphosis after the ritual ceremony of nine cases out of ten, I have seen this pro- the church? Is the ring a magick circle, gress of reason take place before the whose properties are potent enough to eighth month. Then begins our work; it is confound all feeling, to hoodwink the for us to determine what shall be granted mind, to corrupt the natural sentiments of and what denied, and to erect a barrier the bosom? Is there, in the words wife against the influence of caprice; to wrestle and husband, some invisible spirit that with the first contentions for mastery pierces through our nature, and curdles which betray themselves in every peevish the genial current of human affection ? Is tear that follows a refusal. Mothers and the wide extended love, the sweet play of nurses, I know, will exclaim against the the heart, the general delight we take in cruelty of denying the poor little dear in- our species, the natural emotions of the fant; pronounce you hardhearted, unfeelsoul; are all these to vanish before the ing. Mind it not. Let the storm rage, but magical incantations of the altar? Are we proceed steadily in your path, and be as- to turn away from the world, and the sured, that every tear your infant sheds world's concerns; are we to crush the waters a bed of roses, which will bloom kindling warmth, to forego the most en. with captivating beauty; while every smile dearing intercourse of life, to tear from that succeeds the completion of capricious our hearts the sweet band of union that desire, is a hot and fecund sun which linked us to our kind, to choak up the liyripens into maturity the nettle and the ing stream of rich delight that gives unweed.”

fading verdure to the path of life; must we In the superintendence and ma- shrink back with fear and horrour, and nagement of their offspring, parents well disciplined disgust, from the mutual should make a point of having their

intercourse of the sexes, without which yea, to be indeed yea, and their nay its highest pleasures only sullen cares ?

this world were but a barren desert, and to be unalterably nay. Here we ap- Must all this be done the moment two beprove what the author before us has ings consent to strengthen the intimacy written.

of a partial connexion? It is a vulgar and “Let your word be to your child as a debasing idea, and it is degrading to the wall of brass, impregnable to all assaults. heart of man. What you have once asserted or command

Of such rant we are not enamoured, let no entreaties, no tears, no prayers ed, nor can we perceive the utility move you to retract. It is thus only that that is likely to spring from its publiyou can do justice to your offspring and cation. Nubilia, who is wiser than her yourself. If a child once succeed in making you go from your word, or alter parent, confesses that he assumes as your opinion, farewell to all future obe- a principle a greater moral purity dience from that child! Ile will always than is usually found in mankind; cherish the idea, that by imploring, he can and she calls the picture of married induce you to retract; this idea will make liberty, for which her father contends, him carelegs as to what you say, and in

a sublime one.When Nubilia is metime generate even a contempt for your will. But remember, if you lift your hand dilating on her entrance into the holy in wrath against that child, you violate the state, and on the charac er of a wife, rights of justice and humanity; for the dis- she admits that “in her breast there obedience you would chastise, you have is no room for effective friendship; fostered by your own inconsistency.” that it would draw her from the more

From the disquisition on educa. important duties of her state; tirat tion, we pass to one in which, under nature providentially foresaw this, the idea of removing the shackles of and ordained that she should fix her the married state, vives are encoue whole soulon thema and their mutual

us.

offspring."-Though, however, the night recall its wandering thoughts, and I young lady, in this respect, appears awake to life, to misery and the world !" 10 have more prudence than her fa

If this be a specimen of that “ elether, and unites herself to a virtuous vated English prose," which we are young man, the sentiments of whose promised in the preface, we shall mind and the qualities of whose heart, only say, that it is much too elevated

for were excellent, yet, at times, she is represented as very romantick; espe

In Cælebs. little in the shape of cially when contemplating the beau- courtship. occurs; and here also the ties of nature. One extract will suf- parties show their predilection for fice:

each other by none of those little at“At other times softer and more ethe. tentions which usually discriminate real images arise. When I have beheld lovers. No frivolity marks Mr. distant clouds strongly tinged with the Vaughan's character, and he becomes sun's rays, and floating, as it were, in the the object of Nubilia's preference in whiteness of surrounding ether, steadily I have fixed my eyes upon them, and consequence of “dignity of mind.”

" Mr. Vaughan,” says the lady in search imagined, that resting on their fluid bor. ders, or rolled within their fleecy folds, wholly exempt from the former.

of a husband,“ had the latter, and was angels sit hymning to the Great Creator;

“ Towards my own sex, his manners and, with heavenly voices, joined to the

were far removed from that exuberant dulcet melody of harps, sing their chorus. I fancy that the aerial strains reach devotion, which is a compound of decepmy ears; and for a moment I am transport dropped her glove, he exhibited no agonies

tion, meanness and imbecility. If a lady ed among them. Then heaven opens on

till it was restored to her, nor did he rush, my eyes ! I see transparent forms, whose milk-white wings fold, like a cincture, might be the happy individual who was to

with impetuosity, to the spot, that he round their dazzling loins; they lean on golden harps; the blazing floor, spangled be gifted with powers adequate to the

perform that duty. He believed a lady to with stars innumerable, beams like a fur

task. If he walked out with a female, he nace; pendent, from vaulted roofs, hang avoided carrying her parasol for her, eistarry lamps, burning sweet incense, ther over her head, or under his own arm; whose odours, wafted through the balmy air, fill the delighted sense with gladness. He always declined the distinction of at

to this labour also, he thought her equal. Angelick shapes glide through Dorick columns inwreathed with many a spiral tending them to a mercer’s, a milliner's, or fold of flaming cressets, which, circling in (great ones they undoubtedly are in the

a linen draper's; and for all these offences magick dance around, reach a nameless height supporting roofs of fretted gold; censured. For my own part, I considered

eyes of many) I have heard him severely these, as they move along, hold mutual

them as evidences of a mind and character discourse sweet, and look such dewy mild. ness from their eyes, as heavenly spirits than what is essential to the composition

compounded of something more dignified wont when they, of old, descended to con

of a lady's man, as such animals are emverse with man, swift messengers of God's eternal word; still, as my fancy works, phatically called. When, however, I be. methinks I'm led, to softly breathing receive, such unmeaning attentions, such

hold the one sex offer, and the other measures from viewless harps by airy min. vapid courtesies, I know not on which my strels played, along the space of heaven; contempt should fall most heavily. It is odorous perfumes from ten thousand fan. difficult to decide which is the most abning wings are wafted round me: trembling ject, the fool who pleases, or she who is I stand, even at the throne of God himself,

pleased." whence angels turn, with softened gaze, away, so bright the effulgent glory which

After all, it is fair to ask, whether irradiates from the clouds that dwell, for dignity of mind be inconsistent with ever, round the Omnipotent! The lost soul attention to little things ? “ Man," as is lapped in ecstacy and big with unuttera- lord Bacon says, ~ is a trifle, and his ble feelings: mysterious visions sweep be- life is a trifle.” And, in the interfore my sight; and, in an ocean plunged change of social duties, especially beof pleasures tempered to its state by the creative mind that formed them, it dies,

tween the sexes, a number of trifles dissolves

away, and conscious only of must attract our notice. Civility and amazing bliss. The shadows of approaching politeness are made up of trifles; and

we cannot perceive that a gentleman is degraded by carrying a lady's para sol, because she can carry it herself. On this principle, he ought not to cut up a chicken for her at table, " for to this labour she is equal."

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The author speaks of his having constructed his language with greater latitude of rhetorical embellishment than is usually thought to be consistent with English prose; and we have given a sample of these his lights into airy regions. Besides which, we have detected occasional incorrectness, and an affectation of employing terms which are not in common use. At p. 19, he exclaims: "How few are the authors whose works can be read through without receiving contamination." According to the construction of this sentence, works receive contamination in consequence of being read; a meaning which the author does not intend to

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FROM THE QUARTERLY REVIEW.

Memoir on Fiorin Grass, by W. Richardson, D. D. late Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. From Select Papers of the Belfast Literary Society. Fasciculus 1.

IN laying before our readers an account of this remarkable grass, and if it possessed but half the valuable properties described by Dr. Richardson, it would still deserve the most serious attention, not only of individuals, but, even of the legislature, we shall make an indiscriminate use of the present and of a former memoir on the same subject, contained in the sixth volume of the Com munications of the Board of Agriculture, and written by the same author. The former memoir was communicated to the Agricultural Society at the request of Mr. Davy, who witnessed the remarkable characters of this grass on its native spot; and, we are persuaded that this circumstance will excite additional interest respect ing its history.

The term Fiorin, by which the native Irish distinguish this grass, Dr. Richardson is, somewhat fanciful

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In our judgment, this work, though far from being a flimsy, and inferiour production, will not afford much satisfaction to either sex. It is barren of character; and the heroine sustains an unnatural part, when, instead of being shown the world before she makes her choice, she is presented to us as the sage moralist and the learned critick. Quodcunque ostendis mihi sic, &c.

Like most moderns, the author misquotes the couplet of Hudibras, which should be:

"He that assents against his will
Is of the same opinion still."

ly perhaps, inclined to derive from the words fave [grass] and reem [butter] observing, with respect to this etymo. logy, that to his knowledge the term "butter grass" is most deservedly applied to the Fiorin. But lest our readers should be carried away by the idea that this grass possesses the properties of the Phulwarah, or "butter tree" of India, it is right to inform them, that the butyraceous quality of the Fiorin does not show itself till the juice of the grass has passed through the lacteals and mamil lary glands of the cow; and then not without the aid of a churn. The butter, however, that is thus ultimately produced from it is remarkably excellent. The Fiorin is supposed to be the Agrostis stolonifera, of Linneus. But, as this point does not seem to have been accurately ascertained, and as Curtis, in his Practical Observatiens, says, that he has experienced

more difficulty in ascertaining the several species of the Agrostis, than of all the others put together; we subjoin the following description of it.

Each plant consists of numerous strings [stolones] which are immediately connected with the root; and these strings are knotted or jointed at intervals, of from three to five inches. From each joint a thin, grassy envelope issues in the direction of the string; within which, lateral sprouts shoot forth, nearly at right angles, to the joint. These sprouts, together with the extreme point of the strings, are of a most lively green colour. The strings themselves are much paler at all times, and in March, are nearly white. The envelope withers as soon as it has discharged its obvious office, of protecting the advancing sprout from the effects of the weather, and gives the whole a more decayed appearance than might be expected from its quantity, being itself a very thin membrane. The strings, which are the essential part, and constitute nine tenths of the crop, vary in length from three to seven feet; but are usually between four and five feet long. Their number is sometimes very great; and in one instance Dr. Richardson found one hundred and forty issuing from one spontaneous root, each of which had six buds. If the joints touch the ground, or even the damp mat formed by the intertexture of the strings, a sprout shoots upwards, and fibres strike downwards and form a root. Each joint is, therefore, a set, from which the plant may be propagated. So that the spontaneous root abovementioned, produced eight hundred and forty sets.*

who commanded the British cavalry in the late campaigns in the north of India, as soon as he saw the Fiorin was struck with its exact resemblance to the Indian grass, and was satisfied they were of the same species. The characteristick mark of the Dúb, according to colonel Macan, is this, that from each joint a root strikes downwards, and a sprout shoots upwards. It is propagated in India, not by seed, but by scattering its strings on the surface, and dibbling them in. In the rainy season it creeps along the ground, and runs to a considerable length, rooting at every joint; in the dry season it is much covered by the dust and flying sand, whence it derives its name, which, in the Persian language, signifies "hidden." Colonel Macan adds, that it is most industriously sought for, and preferred to all other grasses in India, on account of its superiorly nutritive quality, as food for cattle.

In sir W. Jones's catalogue of Indian plants, the Dúb is classed as a species of Agrostis; and the engra ving of it, which is copied from Dr. Roxburgh, represents it as a knotted or jointed grass, with fibres issuing from the lower, and sprouts from the upper side of each joint; but the panicle, or flowering part, is very different from that of the Fiorin, and resembles that of the Panicum dactylon, or creeping Panick grass; excepting that the spikes, which are there four in number, spread horizontally from the stalk.-We shall take the liberty of extracting from sir W. Jones's Botanical Observations select Indian Plants, contained in the second volume of his works, the folThe foregoing description corre- lowing account of the Dúrvá or Dub. sponds in many points, with the Dúr-Nothing essential can be added to vá, or, as it is commonly called, the Dub of India. And Dr. Richardson says, that his friend, colonel Macan,

on

*The panicle, or flowering part of the Fiorin, judging from a drawing of it which accompanies Dr. Richardson's first memoir, resembles that of the festuca pratensis or meadow fescue grass.

the mere botanical description of this most beautiful grass, which Van Rheede has exhibited in a coarse delineation of its leaves only. Its flowers, in their perfect state, are among the loveliest objects in the vegetable world; and appear, through a lens, like minute rubies and emeralds in

constant motion from the least breath of air. It is the sweetest and most nutritious pasture for cattle; and its usefulness, added to its beauty, induced the Hindoos, in their earliest ages, to believe that it was the mansion of a benevolent nymph." Even the Véda celebrates it; as in the following text of the A't'harvana: "May Dúrvá, which rose from the water of life, which has a hundred roots and a hundred stems, efface a hundred of my sins, and prolong my existence on earth a hundred years!" But the excellence of the Fiorin, supposing it to be the Agrostis stolonifera, is neither unknown nor uncelebrated in the annals of English agriculture; although, from particular circumstances, its history has been hitherto involved in much obscurity. It constitutes a considerable portion of the produce of a meadow in Wilt shire, the uncommon fertility of which was noticed by herbarists more than one hundred and fifty years since. This meadow, which is situated near Orcheston, about twelve miles to the north of Salisbury, is spoken of in Howe's Phytologia Britannica, which was published in the year 1650; and in Merret's Pinax, published in 1667. And references are made to these authors respecting it, in bishop Gibson's additions to Camden. It is again mentioned in Stillingfleet's Miscellaneous Tracts. "But no publick inquiry took place respecting it, till some years ago: the Bath Agricultural Society, struck by the accounts of its remarkable fertility, employed agents for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of its produce. Since that time it has been visited by several botanists, from whose accounts we have collected those circumstances of its history, which are most applicable to the present occasion. The meadow is situated in the lowest part of a very narrow, winding valley, sheltered on each side by gradual, but by no means lofty, acclivities of chalk. It is subject to frequent and continued inundations during the winter, and is rarely otherwise than

swampy throughout the year, being often submerged by the water of a spring, which rises at about the distance of half a mile. It has been constantly observed, that the earlier the spring swells, the more plentiful is the crop. The immediate soil of the meadow consists of a bed of small, loose pebbles, which are all of a silicious nature, with a scanty covering of mould; and though the herbage of the adjoining meadows is altogether very exuberant, yet this exuberance may be traced, increasing or declining, according as the soil varies, more or less, from that of the principal meadow. The produce of the meadow consists of several grasses; the chief of which are varieties of the Poa trivialis, the Alopecurus pratensis, and the Agrostis stolonifera. It is mowed twice in summer, and, after a favourable season for watering, the first crop is nearly five tons from each acre; the second, about half as much. The first crop consists principally of the Poa trivialis; the last, of the Agrostis stolonifera. With respect to the grass of this celebrated meadow, it is observed, that all cattle eat it eagerly, and that horses will eat the hay made from it in preference to corn, mixed with chaff.

We have carried the foregoing observations, on the Indian and the Orcheston grass, further than to many may seem necessary; hoping they may help to elucidate the subject of the present memoir, of which we shall now give as short and connected an epitome as we are able.

The testimonies in favour of the excellent pasturage of Ireland are numerous, from Giraldus Cambrensis down to the present day. That which is most to our purpose we found in a letter, dated 1693, contained in a Natural History of Ireland; which was published at Dublin in 1726. This letter, in giving an account of the Giants' Causeway, and describing the neighbouring coast as elevated very far above the sea, but rising gradually on the land side, to the edge of the precipice, says, "that it is all covered

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