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culty, procures from Cashmere. He and his witnesses and brokers, for he sometimes has two, all sit down: he does not, however, say a word; every thing being managed by the brokers, who go continually from him to the seller, whispers in their ears, and always take them to the farthest corner of the apartment. This negociation continues till the price first asked is so far reduced, that the difference between that and the price offered is not too great, so that hopes may be entertained of coming to an agreement. The shawls are now brought, and the two principals begin to negociate. The seller displays his merchandize, and extols it highly; the buyer looks upon it with contempt, and rapidly compares the numbers and the marks. This being done, the scene becomes animated; the purchaser makes a direct offer, the seller rises as if going away, the brokers follow him crying aloud, and bring him back by force; they contend and struggle, one pulls one way and one the other; it is a noise, a confusion, of which it is difficult to form an idea. The poor Hindoo acts the most passive part; he is sometimes even ill-treated; when this has continued for some time, and they think they have persuaded him, they proceed to the third act, which consists in giving the hand, and is performed in a most grotesque manner. The brokers seize upon the seller, and endeavour, by force, to make him put his hand in that of the purchaser, who holds it open, and repeats his offer with a loud voice. The Hindoo defends himself; he makes resistance, and disengages himself, and wraps up his hand in the wide sleeves of his robe, and repeats his first price in a lamentable voice. This comedy continues a considerable time, they separate they make a pause as if to recover strength for a new contest, the noise and the struggle recommence; at last the two brokers seize the hand of the seller, and, notwithstanding all his efforts and cries, oblige him to lay it in the hand of the buyer. All at once the greatest tranquillity prevails; the Hindoo is ready to weep, and laments in a low voice that he has been in too great a hurry. The brokers congratulate the purchaser; they sit down to proceed to the final ceremonies the delivery of the goods. All that has passed is a mere comedy; it is, however, indispensable, because the Hindoo will by all means have the appearance of having been deceived and duped. If he has not been sufficiently pushed about and shaken-if he has not had his collar torn-if he has not received the full compliment of punches in the ribs, and knocks on the

head-if his right arm is not black and blue from being held fast to make him give his hand to the buyer, he repents of his bargain to the next fair, and then it is very difficult to make him listen to any terms. In the affair which I assisted as a witness, the Hindoo had demanded 230,000 rubles, and come down to 180,000; and of this sum he paid two per cent. to the brokers. Our whole party sat down with crossed legs upon a handsome carpet spread on purpose. When we had taken refreshments, the merchandize was delivered; and when every thing was at last settled, the whole company knelt down to pray.

KIOW.

HORRID BARBARITY; OR, THE VICTIMS OF VENGEANCE.

A HIGHLAND STORY.

THE name of Benin Gorod, in Mull, a mountain with Basaltes pillars, 200 feet in height, discovered by Mr. Raspe, in the year 1789, and far superior to Staffa, the Giant's Causeway, or any other specimen of the kind hitherto known, arises from a story, of a nature so truly tragical, that it merits to be preserved. There are many traditions respecting it, but the following seems to be the most authentic.

A powerful chieftain, who was Lord of the Island of Mull many years ago, was no less distinguished for the extent of his territories, where he lived in great feudal magnificence, than for a ferocity of temper which knew no bounds, and a spirit of avarice which he found no means of satis fying, but by grievously oppressing his tenants and vassals, and seizing their property and estates. He was particularly anxious to acquire the possessions of a neighbour, whose name was Gorod, on account of their extent and contiguity. But he had long abstained from any attempt of this kind, both as Gorod, though above fifty years of age, had remained unmarried, and, failing of him and his heirs, the estate reverted to the chieftain, and because his only son, who was reared according to the custom of those times, in the family of a vassal, was in his custody. Gorod, however, contrary to the expectation of every one, married a young lady of great beauty and accomplishments, whom he had accidentally met with in one of the neighbouring islands; and the chieftain had reason to apprehend that the expectations with which he had flattered himself of getting his vassal's estate by a failure of his posterity, would be frustrated.

Impelled by lust and disappointment,

he resolved to destroy the hopes and hap. piness of Gorod, by seducing his wife, which he with difficulty effected, and at last carried her in triumph to his castle. Gorod concealed his rage whilst he inwardly vowed vengeance: and having contrived in the course of a great hunting party, at which the chieftain and his son, Gorod and the lady, and all the principal people of the island assisted, to bring the whole company to the summit of a lofty mountain, he seized the youth, and, standing on the brink of a frightful precipice, he exclaimed, "This instant I plunge myself and this boy down the cliff, unless that infamous woman is put to death by the hands of her seducer." The chieftain trembling for the safety of the only support of his family, and encouraged by the persuasions of his unhappy mistress, who presented her breast to receive the stroke, reluctantly obeyed. Gorod then cried out "I am revenged! but that tyrant must be punished." Then springing from the mountain with the unhappy youth in his arms, they were almost instantly dashed in pieces. The place has ever since been known by the name of Benin Gorod, or the Hill of Gorod: and the prospect from its summit, particularly when the spectator revolves in idea the scene that was there exhibited, excites a degree of horror which it is impossible to descrsbe.

Affrighted mem'ry shrinks e'en now to tell
The scene that once on Gorod-Hill befel!
E'en fiend-eyed vengeance trembles at the
thought,

And shuns the havoc that destruction wrought: To "Auld lang Syne," commits the blood-stain'd deed,

And shudd'ring, dares not in the tale proceed. UTOPIA.

FRUITS, &c. FIRST BROUGHT

TO ENGLAND.

CHERRIES were first brought over from Flanders, in the reign of Henry VIII., by the King's fruiterer, and planted in Kent, whence they had the name of Kentish cherries. Our Kentish pippins bear the same date. Lord Cromwell introduced the Perdrigon plumb in the reign of Henry VII.; and Wolfe, that King's gardener, first brought in apricots. Artichokes came in at the same time, but they were in no plenty till the reign of Queen Mary. The Levant traders brought in currants from Zante, in the time of Henry VIII.: and tulip roots first came from Vienna, in 1578. The hop, which is now thought so much of, was, under the reign of Henry VI., petitioned against in parliament, as wicked weed!" As late as the reign of

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Elizabeth, hops were fetched from the low countries. Potatoes were first brought to England by Sir Walter Raleigh; and clover grass was first introduced in this country from Flanders, in 1645. Some fig-trees, planted by Cardinal Pole, at Lambeth, in the reign of Henry VIII., are said yet to be in existence; as are the first mulberry-trees at Sion-house.

GENEVA.

THE morals of Geneva during the last half of the eighteenth century, were not by any means unobjectionable, although purer than in most other parts of Europe; luxury and idleness exerting their usual influence, the universal relaxation had gained ground, but the French revolution coming towards the latter end of this wicked age, swept away together vices and virtues, property and life. Half a century will be necessary to rebuild Genevan fortunes; adversity, in the meantime, and serious cares have restored the national character, not assuredly to Calvanistical austerity, but to simplicity, solidity, and a preference of domestic enjoyments over all others. I have occasionally heard music executed with that facility which marks great practice: drawing is very generally cultivated, and you meet with these accomplishments in families, where from all circumstances you might wonder there should be found. time to acquire them. This is explained when you remark how few women above the lower ranks are seen about the streets or any where but at home, except a few hours at night; there are no morning visits at all.

Mr. de Candole, professor of botany at Geneva, but whose reputation is European, made use, in a course of lectures, of a very valuable collection of American plants, entrusted to him by a celebrated Spanish botanist, Mr. Mosino, who having occasion for this collection sooner than was expected, sent for it back again. Mr. de Candole having communicated the circumstance to his audience, with the expression of his regrets, some ladies who attended the lectures offered to copy, with the aid of their friends, the whole collection in a week, and the task was actually performed. The drawings, 860 in number, and filling 13 folio volumes, were executed by 114 female artists; one indeed of the ladies alone did 40 of them. -In most cases the principal parts only of each plant are coloured, the rest only traced with accuracy; the execution in general very good, and in some instances quite masterly. There is not perhaps another town of 23,000 souls where such

a number of female artists, the greater part of course amateurs, could be found. Notwithstanding the wide dispersion of the drawings, there were not any lost, and one of them having been accidentally dropt in the street, and picked up by a girl not ten years old, was returned to Mr. de Candole, copied by the child, and is no disparagement to the collection. On another occasion, several drawings were carried to a wrong house, but there, too, they found artists able and willing to do their part. This taste for the arts, and for knowledge in general, is universal.

ANECDOTE OF GEORGE III. THE King was not a great reader, but what he read he remembered tenaciously. In his historic recollections he shewed

himself always particularly prompt and accurate. A curious proof of this is extant in the fine copy of the second folio edition of Shakspeare's Works, which is in the Royal library, and which originally belonged to Charles I. The book was purchased by Dr. Askew, at Dr. Mead's sale, for two guineas and a half, and at the death of Dr. Mead, Mr. Steevens became the purchaser of it, for five pounds ten shillings. In a leaf of this book, Charles I. had written with his own hand, "DUM SPIRO SPERO, C. R." And Sir Henry Herbert, to whom the King presented it the night before his execution, has also written, "Ex dono Serenissimo Regis Car. Servo suo humiliss. T. Herbert." Mr. Steevens has added, "Sir

Thomas Herbert was Master of the Revels to King Charles I." The book being subsequently purchased for the King's library at eighteen guineas, his Majesty, on inspecting it, immediately observed, that there was an error in this last note of Mr. Steevens, and taking a pen, he wrote beneath it these words,- "This is a mistake, he (Sir Thomas Herbert) having been Groom of the Bed Chamber to King Charles I., but Sir Henry Herbert was Master of the Revels."

The Gatherer.

"I am but a Gatherer and disposer of other men's stuff.---Wootton. MISTAKE.

To the Editor of the Mirror. Mr. EDITOR,-The uncommonly tall gentleman so well known about the Inns of Court and the Metropolis, as having the body of a giant and the voice of a child, was one day walking through a fair held in one of the Ridings of York

shire, when an outcry was raised, that the giant (a remarkably tall man then exhibiting there) was making off-the rabble pursued, and malgré lui brought back the supposed run away giant-the equivoque was then discovered, and it was found, the brother giant was safe in his fairy castle, to the no small entertainment of those present.

The same individual to whom I have alluded (it is supposed after a bacchanalian revel) was seen with great nonchalance, lighting his expiring segar at a lamp in the street, and he had taken off the lid for that purpose, which, when he had stolen, I may say, the sacred fire, this modern Prometheus quietly replaced.

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finding she had lost the affections of her husband, as well as the regard of her neighbours,

family disputes having been divulged by servants,

she died of vexation, July 20, 1768, aged 48 years.

months and two days,

THE motto de mortuis nil nisi bonum is Her worn-out husband survived her four generally most religiously adhered to in tomb-stone records: this however, does not appear to have been the case in the following:

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imprudent in her family.

and departed this life, Nov. 28, 1768, in the 54th year of his age. William Bond, brother to the deceased. erected this stone,

as a weekly monitor to the surviving wives of this parish,

that they may avoid the infamy of having their memories handed down to posterity

with a patch-work character.

MARRIAGE.

Cries Sylvia to a reverend Dean,
"What reason can be giv'n,
Since marriage is a holy thing,

That there are none in heaven ?"
"There are no women" he replied,
She quick returned the jest,
"Women there are, but I'm afraid,
They cannot find a priest."

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

The Stage, a brief Oration. The Origin and History of Printing. C. D. An Amateur

Abroad, her conduct was influenced by Musical Party. Clavis, and an Old Subscriber,

good breeding;

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in our next.

Leisure Hours, No. III. promised insertion in our present number, shall appear next week.

Sam Felix, in reply to a letter in the MIRROR, observes, that "if the Printer of the Almanack has made the 22d day of December the shortest day, he has committed an error."

We have great doubts of Tom Peppen's plan. A Constant Reader will find "How d'ye do" and "Good bye," in No. 26 of the MIRROR

143, Strand, (near Somerset House,) and sold Printed and Published by J. LIMBIRD,

by all Newsmen and Booksellers.

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Or all the cities of the Netherlands, Antwerp is the most celebrated for its churches, and, independent of the cathedral, of which we present a very fine view, there are the Jesuits' church, a magnificent building, and the chapel of the Virgin, of striking grandeur. The cathedral is a most noble pile, with one of the finest steeples in the world. So struck was the Emperor Charles V. with the beauty of this stately edifice when he made his entry into Antwerp, that he said it ought to be put in a case, and exhibited only once a year as a rarity.

&

The cathedral is a beautiful specimen
VOL. II.
G

of Gothic architecture. It is five hundred feet in length, and in breadth two hundred and forty feet. It is three hundred and sixty feet high, and is supported by not less than one hundred and twenty-five pillars. The exact date of its erection is not known; but it is generally considered to have been built in the thirteenth century. The choir was built in the year 1521. This superb structure was reduced to ashes, the tower and choir excepted, in the year 1533; but the year after it was rebuilt in that style of beauty and grandeur in which it now appears.

The tower of Antwerp Cathedral is

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