VOL. 6.] Hints on the Sources of Happiness. attendant pleasures must therefore be equally within her attainment. The sphere of her usefulness is indeed more contracted; but, until she is certain that the heights of ambition lift to assured felicity, let them not be envied or desired. Limited as may be the circle of womanly duties, its importance to the well-being of society compensates for its being so limited. The good government of families leads to the comfort of communities, and the welfare of states. Of every domestic circle, woman is the centre: home, that scene of purest and dearest joy, bome is the empire of woman. There she plans, directs, performs; the acknowledged source of dignity and felicity. Where female virtue is most pure, female sense most improved, female deportment most correct, there is most propriety of social manners. The early years of childhood, those most precious years of life and opening reason, are confided to woman's superintendence. She therefore may be presumed to lay the foundation of all the virtue, and all the wisdom that enrich the world. How important the ideas impressed, the habits inculcated by the mother, in the formation of character and right development of reason, those best know who have most deeply considered the interesting subject. To woman belongs the superintendence of domestics: by her judicious regulations they are taught obedience and submission; by her advice they are informed; by her kindness they are rendered happy. The poor come especially under the protection of woman. Her exemption from professional and other public duties, enables her more fully to devote herself to private ones. She has leisure to listen to complaints, to investigate their truth, and, when possible, to remedy every want, and every ailment; while her gentler feelings render her more alive to the sorrows of the mourner, and more fitted to assuage them. How numerous are the benevolent institutions that owe their origin to the compassion, the good sense, the unwearied activity of woman! Her laW ATHENEUM VOL. 6. 161 bours of kindness in ameliorating the condition of the lower ranks, not only serve to remove distress, but often to enlighten ignorance, and check the growth of discontent and sedition. Thus the welfare and peace of a great nation may be essentially promoted by the inobtrusive, and quiet exertions of the judicious female. Never, indeed, can she more beneficially use her influence than in softening that irritation of feeling so frequently indulged by the poor. Were every woman, whatever her rank, systematically to give her leisure to the service of the poor in her immediate vicinage, and by personal visits, by conversation, by the distribution of cooks, and by every other mode her peculiar circumstances would admit, were she to inculcate knowledge, patience, and peace, how greatly would the sum of human misery, of human ignorance, of human vice, be diminished! many who do so must acknowledge that there is as much comfort and satisfaction caused to themselves as to the object of their labours by such a course of active charity. The Though women have been often known to exhibit great personal courage, even in scenes of peril and warfare, yet the true sphere of their duties preserves them from any but incidental opportunities for such display. The sick chamber, however, the suffering apartments of the hospital, and the wretched retreats of infectious disease, are hourly witnessing the disinterested, and often beroic, vigilance of female resolution. The sick, watched by the care, and soothed by the tenderness, often owe their very recovery to the good sense, and pity of the attending nurse; whilst the dying feel the pangs of dissolution lessened by her patient and ever-ready attention. As the invalid herself, woman generally manifests a firmness and patience in endurance, which men are generous enough to ac knowledge far surpasses their own. While so much duty is daily performed, while so much fortitude and courage are continually displayed by woman, she must not consider her sex as wanting occasions of usefulness and magnanimity. ORIGINAL ANECDOTES, &c. From the Monthly Magazines, Sept. 1819. ANECDOTE. HE following original anecdote of of the far-famed Hagi Achmet Pacha St. Jean D'Acre, commonly called the Gezzar (the executioner), was communicated to us in a letter from Aleppo; and we insert it as highly characteristic of these Eastern Despots. When seized with the disorder which put an end to his life, in the 75th year of his age, and the 30th of his Pachalick of Seida, he was conscious of the approach of death; and it was (says our Correspondent) curious to observe in what way Gezzar prepared for that awful period. It was not to be expected that he should show remorse for his past actions, or discover any inclination to make atonement for them; but will the most depraved disciple of Rochefoucault believe that the last moments of this tyrant were employed in uttering sentiments like these? "I perceive," said he, calling to him his father-in-law, Sheik Taha, " I perceive that I have but a short time lon ger to live, what must I do with these rascals in my prisons? Since I have stript them of every thing, what good will it do them to be let loose again naked into the world? The greatest part of them are Hakims (Governors), who, if they return to their ports, will be forced to ruin a great many poor people, in order to replace the sums I have taken from them; so it is best for their own sakes, and for that of others, that I should despatch them. They will then soon be in a place, where proper care will be taken of them-a very good place, where they will neither be permitted to molest any one, nor be themselves exposed to molestationYes, yes, that's best, despatch them." In obedience to the charitable conclusion of this pathetic soliloquy, twenty-three wretches were immediately added to the long direful list of the victims of Gezzar Pacha's cruelty; and it is said, they were thrown all together into the sea, as the most expeditious mode of execution. BONAPARTE. Accident introduced me at Ferns to the Rev. Mr. Redmond, priest of the place, who related to me a curious little anecdote. When pursuing his studies, and finishing his course of education in France, he had spent a summer in Bas Poictou, where General Bonaparte, then a thin, slight young boy, was. He had slept in the same room with him six weeks, and perceived nothing shining or engaging in him. He was generally employed in making machinery, which he placed on a small water-course. As the party were one day shooting, Bonaparte, who was not very active, fell into a brook five feet deep, which he endeavoured to leap across. He was nearly drowned, when Mr. Redmond immediately discharged his piece, and presented the end to him, by which he saved his life. Thus, in the hands of a poor Irish priest, hung, for a moment, much of the future destinies of Europe. ANECDOTE OF DR. HERSCHEL. 66 One morning a countryman knocked at his door, and requested the favour of a few words with him; he went out to the hall, when the countryman said to him, I ask pardon, Doctor, for disturbing you; but I am quite in a quandary, as the saying is, and so I made free to call and ask your advice; you must know my meadows are a great deal too long of cutting, but before I begin I should like to know whether you think the weather will soon take up?" "First look round you," said the Doctor," and tell me what you see." "See," repeated the other, "why hay that is not worth the saving; what blunderhead owns it, that lives so near you, and cuts it without asking your advice!" "I own it," said the Doctor, VOL. 6.] Hals the Painter-Bilderdyck—Origin of Sculpture. 163 " and had it cut the very day before the these words-" An Author eighteen rain came on.' FRANK HALS. resolv This celebrated painter, who was born at Malines in 1584, and was inferior only to Van Dyk in the delicacy of his colouring was much addicted to wine, and was intoxicated almost every evening. When he had been carried home on the shoulders of his scholars, and laid on his bed, he commonly began to pray with a loud voice: "O, Lord! take me peaceably into thy kingdom of heavenly joy! O, Lord! take me to Thee, that I may pray as a redeemed sinner before thy throne!" &c. evening, his scholars, among whom was the ingenious Abraham Brower, ed to play him a trick, and made the necessary preparations. When Hals began his usual ejaculations, he suddenly felt himself slowly raised up, as if the journey to heaven was commencing, This seemed to him rather serious, and be began to protest in the drollest manner-"Stop! stop! do think I am you in such a hurry? Not at all! I can very well remain here a little longer. Come again fifty years hence, if you please, but at present it does not suit me at all.' The young rogues put an end to the joke, and Hals fell asleep quite contented; but he was never afterwards known to utter his ejaculations as before. ANECDOTE. William Bilderdyck, so generally admired as the first poet that modern Holland has produced, and not less distinguished by the other brilliant qualities of his mind, did not in his youth seem to shew any happy disposition for study. His father, who formed an upfavourable opinion of his talents, was much distressed, and frequently reproached him in severe terms for his inattention and idleness; to which young Bilderdyck did not appear to pay much attention. In 1776, the father, with a newspaper in his hand, came to stimulate him by shewing the advertisement of a prize offered by the Society of Leyden, and decreed to the author of a piece of poetry signed with years old ;" who was invited to make SCULPTURE AND PAINTING. invention of sculpture :--Dibutades, Pliny tells a pleasing tale, as to the the fair daughter of a celebrated potter of Sicyon, contrived a private meeting with her lover, at the eve of a long separation. A repetition of vows of conlate hour, overpowered, at length, the stancy and a stay prolonged to a very faculties of the youth, and he fell fast sleep; the nymph, however, whose that by the light of a lamp her lover's imagination was more alert, observing profile was strongly marked on the wall, eagerly snatched up a piece of charcoal, with such success, that her father when and, inspired by love, traced the outline he chanced to see the sketch, determined to preserve, if possible, the effect. With this view, he formed a kind of clay kind had the honour to be preserved in model from it; which first essay of the to the fatal day of its destruction by that the public repository of Corinth, even bugbear to the arts, Mummius Achains. It is a trite observation, that many useful inventions have been owing, in late ages, to the eager researches which people of genius have made after the philosopher's stone. But it is not generally known, that the beautiful colour called Minium (said to be the finest red) was discovered, long before the Christian era, by an Athenian youth, who believed it to be a powder whence gold might be made. When goddesses were to be drawn, the ancient painters always chose for their model, either their own mistresses or some celebrated courtesans. This cule the Pagans, and to tell them that gave occasion for Justin Martyr to ridi they paid adoration to a set of prostitutes instead of divine beings. In this they have been imitated by modern artists. Le Brun's Magdalen was taken from the celebrated La Valliere. The Triumvir Lepidus, having been disturbed extremely during the night, in his camp, by the whistling, hooping, and screeching of many fowls, was angry with the magistrates of a neighboring town, for recommending him to so very incommodious a spot. To make their peace, they sent him a kind of flag, with a dragon exquisitely painted upon it, which terrified the noisy birds, and kept the camp quiet. Pliny recommends this expedient, which, however seems only calculated for moonlight nights. In spite of the principles of Islamism, Mahomet the second, who knew no religion but his own will, sent to Venice for Gentil Bellini, a painter, some of whose works he had seen and admired. When arrived at Constantinople, Mahomet reasoned with him on some error in a decollation of John the Baptist, which he had painted; and to convince him of his mistake, he sent in for a Greek slave, and in a moment struck off his head with his royal scymetar. Bellini wisely acquiesced in the criticism, slipped away to the harbour, and set sail for the Adriatic the same evening. Of all crowned heads, Christina of Sweden seems to have had the least share of taste as to the arts. Her father Gustavus had left her many chests of paintings (the spoils of Prague), inestimable in value. These she offered to Sebastian Bourdon, a Huguenot artist, without having even unpacked the cases, or looked at their contents. Bourdon, however, who knew how great their worth must be, had the generosity to tell her, that she knew not what she offered. It was unlucky for the world that he acted in so disinterested a manner. The Queen of Gothland* is said to have cut bands, and feet, and faces, from many of these very pieces, to adorn apt corners of her bed-chamber.-What a pity that chronology will not allow us to make Mummius Aaius her Majes * One of Christina's titles. ty's favourite and generalissimo! A few of these pieces found their way to the cabinet of the Palais Royal. The effect of good paintings has been great in every age. Portia, who had supported the farewell of her husband, after the death of J. Caesar, with philosophic firmness, could not bear the view of the parting of Hector and Andromache, well expressed on canvas, without an agony of tears. A great duke of Russia, named Uladimir, was converted to the Christian faith, by the sight of a picture, representing the Last Day, with all its borrors. Terrified at the ghastly mass of shivering guilty souls, he shrunk back, and averted his eyes. "Where would you wish to be?" said the Christian who had displayed the piece." By the side of that venerable and amiable figure," replied the barbarian, pointing to the Eternal Judge.-" Embrace the laws of Christ, and you may be placed there." The Russian assented, and his subjects followed his example. Many years since the above event, Lestock, a Hanoverian surgeon, by placing before the eyes of Elizabeth, daughter of Peter the Great, two paintings: the one, representing her in a convent, and Lestock broken on the wheel; the other Elizabeth alone, sitting on the cess with spirit enough to achieve a Imperial throne; inspired that Prinrevolution, and to seize the crown, her undoubted right. THOMAS EARL OF DUNDON ALD. Thomas, the father of Archibald, the present earl, was a very eccentric genius, an excellent mechanic, a good chemist, and engineer. The most important of his mechanical works, was his seizing the bold idea of conducting water from the Pentland-hills, near Edinburgh, up to the crest of the eminence on which the castle is built. In this grand undertaking he was assisted by his friend the Rev. Doctor Webster. When every thing was prepared, the lords of the session, and municipal authorities of Edinburgh, assembled,and went in grand procession, to give eclat to the opening Then let the Gardener mark with care From Time's Telescope, 1819. inestimable fruit is as abundant in our The kind of stocks, and what those kinds will bear; climate as the orange is in those of Por Explore the nature of each several tree, And, known, improve with artful industry: And let no spot of idle earth be found, But cultivate the genius of the ground. THE Dryden's Virgil, Geor. APPLE (Pyrus malus.) HE common apple-tree in its wild state, is armed with thorns. It forms, when cultivated alone, a spreading tree, the branches and twigs of which are distinguished from those of the pear-tree, which is of the same genus, by being more horizontal, irregular, and twisting; thus most accurate ly described by Virgil: Apple trees, whose trunks are strong to bear Their spreading boughs, extend themselves in air; Want no supply, but stand secure alone, Not trusting foreign forces but their own; Till with the ruddy fruit their bending branches groan. The flowers are tinged with red, and have an exceedingly sweet smell. The leaves are yellowish above and whitish underneath. The wood of this tree is tolerably hard, especially in its wild state it is turned into cogs for wheels, and acquires a very durable polish. The bark yields a yellow dye. Pomatum receives its name from the lard of which it is principally made, being beaten up with the pulp of apples. This * Some fruit skrubs are included in this account.. This description of Fruit Trees, though necessarily containing some information already well known, will however be found interesting to the reader from its relation of numerous medicinal and useful properties of the fruit and wood not generally known, as well as from its poetical illustrations. tugal, Spain, and Italy, where our apples are frequently called English oranges, because the apples of those countries bear no comparison with them either for richness of flavour or abundance of juice, and will never keep for any considerable time. It is not known how we have obtained the amazing number of different kinds of this fruit, now cultivated in this country; they are classed separately into four principal divisions:-1. Early or summer apples; 2. Provincial apples, or those peculiar to certain places; 3. Winter or keeping apples; 4. Cyder apples. Philips, in his poem entitled Cyder,' thus elegantly enumerates some of the most esteemed apples : The Pippin burnished o'er with gold; the Miole Tempered like comeliest nymph,with red and white; nor that from Harvey named, Quick relishing: why should we sing the Thrift, The Russet, or the Cat's-head's weighty orb, But how with equal numbers shall we match The Musk's surpassing worth! that earliest gives Its tender nonage, loads the spreading boughs Yet let her to the Red Streak yield, that once |
