fortunes; landed, at length, in Turkey, assumed the turban, received a commission in the army, was raised to the rank of bashaw, and nominated to the government of certain districts of the Morea. But longing to revisit his native country, he entered into a secret correspondence with the Venetians, then at war with the Turks, obtained absolution, along with a considerable church living in Franche Comté, delivered the towns and forts under his command into the hands of the enemy, and was actually presented by Louis XIV. to the vacant see of Besançon. The pope, however, who had granted absolution, refused the bull, and Vatteville was obliged to content himself with the first deanery, and two rich abbeys. In the midst of his magnificence, he sometimes deigned to call upon his old friends, the Carthusians, and, at last, expired quietly in his bed, at the advanced age of ninety. If one of the lower class had been guilty of one half of his enormities he would have been broken on the wheel.

MELANIE DE SALIGNAC.

DIDEROT gives a very curious account of Mademoiselle Melanie de Salignac, a young lady who had been blind almost from her birth. Her feeling, hearing, and smell, were exquisite. She could distinguish by the impression of the air whether it was fine or cloudy, whether she was in an open place or a street, and whether the street was open at the end; also whether she was in a room or not, and of what size it was. Having once gone over a house, she became so well acquainted with the different parts, as to be able to warn others of any danger they were exposed to by the existence of a step or the lowness of a door. She could thread the smallest needle with the greatest dexterity, and could execute every sort of needle-work. She played very well at many games at cards, which she distinguished by some little mark, known to herself by the touch, but imperceptible to the sight of any other person. She had learnt, and understood very well, music, geography, geometry, and dancing. She was indeed extremely clever-what made her more

interesting, she was modest, mild, cheerful and affectionate. She wrote with a pin, by pricking a sheet of paper attached on a frame, and read what she had written by feeling the pin-marks on the other side of the paper. She could read a book printed on one side only-some were printed expressly for her in this manner. In a piece of twelve or fifteen lines, if the number of letters in each word, together with the letter which it began with, was given her, she could tell every word, however oddly composed. This fact, says Diderot, 66 was attested by every one of her family, by myself, and twenty other persons still alive." She died at the age of twenty-two. She was the daughter of Madame de Blacy, a woman distinguished for the eminence of her moral qualities, and moving in a respectable sphere of life."

THIRTEEN IN COMPANY.

THERE is a very old superstition, not yet wholly extinct, that thirteen in company is an unlucky number. It originated, most probably, in the Romance of "Sir Tristam." There were thirteen seats to the round table, in honour of the thirteen apostles; but the chair of Judas it was deemed unlucky to occupy.

EARLY AMERICAN LEGISLATION.

THE following curious specimens of early American legislation, and judicial wisdom, are not "weak inventions of the enemy," but authentic extracts, drawn from American sources. The first is an extract from the original laws of Newhaven, in Connecticut, which town was founded in the year 1638. These laws are known in Connecticut by the name of the Blue Laws. The second is taken from the ancient records of the province of Massachusetts. The last is copied verbatim from the minutes of the court, in the province of New York, and the case came on under the "Act for the settlement of courts of justice," which act was passed on the 1st of November, 1683. Many of the original settlers of the province of New York were

Dutchmen, which will account for the " gypsey jargon" of the respective parties.

Connecticut.

The governor and magistrates convened in general assembly, are the supreme power, under God, of this independent dominion.-Whoever says there is a power and jurisdiction above and over this dominion, shall suffer death, and loss of property.-No food or lodging shall be offered to a Quaker, Adamite, or other heretic. If any person turns Quaker, he shall be banished, and not suffered to return but on pain of death. No priest* shall abide in the dominion: he shall be banished, and suffer death on his return.— Priests may be seized by any one without a warrant.No one to cross a river but with an authorized ferryman-No one shall run on the sabbath-day, or walk in his garden, or elsewhere, except reverently to and from meeting-No one shall travel, cook victuals, make beds, sweep houses, cut hair, or shave on the sabbathday. No woman shall kiss her children on the sabbath or fasting-day.-The sabbath shall begin at sunset on Saturday.-To pick an ear of corn growing in a neighbour's garden shall be deemed theft.-A person accused of trespass in the night, shall be judged guilty, unless he clear himself by his oath.-When it appears that an accused has confederates, and he refuses to discover them, he may be racked.-A drunkard shall have a master appointed by the selectmen, who are to debar him from the liberty of buying and selling. -Whoever publishes a lie to the prejudice of his neighbour, shall sit in the stocks, or be whipped ten stripes-No minister shall keep a school.-Men-stealers shall suffer death---Whoever wears clothes trimmed with gold, silver, or bone lace, above two shillings per yard, shall be presented by the grand jurors, and the selectmen shall tax the offender at three hundred pounds estate. Whoever sets a fire in the woods, and it burns a house, shall suffer death: and persons suspected of this crime shall be imprisoned without the benefit of bail.-Whoever brings cards or dice into this dominion shall pay a fine of five pounds.-No

* Church Clergyman,

oue shall read common prayers, keep Christmas, or set days, make minced-pies, dance, play cards, or play on any instrument of music, except the drum, trumpet, or Jew's harp.-No gospel minister shall join people in marriage; the magistrates only shall join in marriage as they may do it with less scandal to Christ's Church.-A man that strikes his wife shall pay a fine of ten pounds: a woman that strikes her husband shall be punished as the court directs.-A wife shall be deemed good evidence against her husband.-No man can court a maid in person, or by letter, without first obtaining consent of her parents: five pounds penalty for the first offence, ten pounds for the second, and for the third imprisonment during the pleasure of the court.- Married persons must live together, or be imprisoned. Every male shall have his hair cut round according to a cap.

Massachusetts.

Josiah Plaistowe, for stealing four baskets of corn from the Indians, is ordered to return them eight baskets, to be fined five pounds, and hereafter to be called by the name of Josiah, and not Mr. as formerly, he used to be-Serjeant Perkins, ordered to carry forty tufts to the fort, for being drunk.-Edward Palmer, for his extortion in taking two pounds thirteen shillings and four pence, for the wood work of Boston stocks, is fined four pounds, and ordered to be set one hour in the stocks.-Captain Lovel, admonished to take heed of light carriage.-Thomas Petit, for suspicion of slander, idleness, and stubbornness, is sentenced to be severely whipped, and to be kept in hold.-Catherine, the wife of Richard Cornish, was found suspicious of incontinency, and seriously admonished to take heed.-Daniel Clarke, found to be an immoderate drinker, was fined forty shillings.

New York.

Hons Von Knippenberg, kinst Stoffle Freekhouse, -Parties called.

Hons Von Knippenberg!-Here I pe.
Stoffle Freekhouse!-Here, here.

Justice. Well, Hons, de Kort is now open. For why you call me here. Vat you kot kinst Stofflle. Hons. Vell, sir, if your honor plese, te tam raskel has kilt my tog, and a capital tog he vas.

Justice. Vell, Hons, vat you vant for te tog?

Hons. Te tog, to be sure, vasent wort one tam stiver; maur howsomever, as he kilt him as he tid, I mean to kill all vat 1 can-I vill have te full vally of him.

Justice. Vell Stoffle, you hear vat Hons says, how you kilt his tog; vat you kot to say to dat.

Stoffle. To pe sure I tid kill te tam little tog, but by my blixim he cant prove it; and since he has sute me as he tid, I vont pay never a copper, not, by my zeel.

Justice. My juchment is, dat Hons shall pay de cost of de writ, and Stoffle shall pay de cost of dis juchment. So, poys, you may go home. "A second Daniel come to judgment!"

GARRICK'S FIRST APPEARANCE.

THE bill in which Garrick's first appearance before the public was announced, is extremely curious in itself, and it will gratify our readers by shewing how he was smuggled into the presence of his countrymen. "Goodmans Fields, Oct. 19th, 1741.

At the Theatre, in Goodman's Fields, this day will be performed, a Concert of Vocal and Instrumental Music, divided into two parts.-Tickets at 3, 2, and 1 shilling. Places for the boxes to be taken at the Fleece Tavern, next the Theatre.

N. B. Between the two parts of the Concert will be presented an Historical Play, called, "The life and death of King Richard 3d," containing the distresses of King Henry the 6th; the artful acquisition of the crown by King Richard; the murder of young King Edward 5th and his brother in the tower; the landing of the Earl of Richmond, and the death of King Richard in the memorable battle of Bosworth Field, being the last that was fought between the houses of York and Lancaster, with other true historical passages.