nary men; and being raised up expressly for the work to which they devoted themselves, produced a vast amount of good in the world. They had the merit of simplicity and sincerity of heart and soul to sustain and strengthen them in their labours of love; and preached Christ and him crucified, not because it was fashionable, not because they would rather talk than work, not because they could thereby acquire a larger portion of this world's goods and gains, but because they loved the cause of true religion for its own sake, and worshipped the blessed founder of Christianity in purity of spirit and sincerity of soul. And of this complexion should be the clergy of the Methodist persuasion at the present day, and such we trust they will be ere long. Look at the early history of camp meetings, as established by the meek and holy founder of Christianity, when he first held forth to them on the plains, on the hills, or in the woods of Judea. The leaders, and preachers, and pure spirits, who presided over the primitive camp meetings, took no thought what they should eat or what they should drink, or wherewithal they should be clothed. They did not consider as do the modern camp meeting members the concerns of the body as of more moment than the concerns of the soul. They did not load waggons and charter steamboats with feather beds, and purple and fine linen, and negro servants and goodly raiment, and beef, and ham, and cider, and souchong, and hyson, and gunpowder, and chocolate, and cocoa, and coffee, and cologne, and Macassar oil, and perfumery, and silks, and the choicest fruits of the earth, and every luxury of life; but they went out on the spur and impulse of the moment, when called by their Creator to worship Him far from the "maddening crowd's ignoble strife," in the broad, green, flowery temples of nature, with neither fretted roof nor sculptured dome, but the bright, blue canopy of creation for a covering. Then, indeed, religion was properly understood, and properly practised; and so it should be in the present day. ANECDOTE OF GOVERNOR HEAD. A GENTLEMAN from the West, relates a characteristic anecdote of Sir Francis Head, and a friend informs us, that Sir Francis himself gives a similar version of the story. While travelling lately in the West, near Sandwich, his Excellency took a different road from that chosen by his secretary and servant, and alighted at a small village inn, himself covered with mud and his horse reeking with foam. He ordered the landlord to feed his beast as soon as possible, and walked about for amusement. There was then an advertise ment in the possession of Mr. Justice Sdescribing the horse which had been stolen, and while Sir Francis's animal answered the description of the missing quadruped, Sir Francis himself, in the opinion of his worship, looked pretty much like a horse thief. Judge S- accordingly made haste to his office, issued his warrant, put the constable in motion, and had his Excellency brought into his presence forthwith on a charge of horse stealing. When the constable had brought Sir Francis into "the presence," the prisoner demanded the cause of his detention. The man of authority drew down his glasses, surveyed the Governor's countenance and appearance with a look of suspicion, and replied, "there is a complaint lodged against you for stealing the horse now in your possession." Governor. Very well, sir. Justice. Where are you from? Gov. I am from Toronto, and on my way to Detroit. Just. Where did you get that horse? Gov. My name is Francis Bond Head. Just.-Well now that must be a lie, for that's our Governor's name, and he don't steal horses. Gov. It is true, sir, that I happen to be at this time the Governor of Upper Canada, but I don't know but that I look like a horse thief. The Justice, who supposed he had caught the actual delinquent, and that he was gammoning him, reproved Sir Francis for pretending to be a Governor; when at this stage of the proceedings, Mr. Secretary Joseph came up, the prisoner was identified as the true representative of Majesty, and instantly discharged from durance by the astonished magistrate, who curses his stars to this day, that he was so blind as to mistake a Canadian Governor for a horse jockey.Constitution. HE KNOWETH OUR FRAME, BY DANA, an American Poet. "It is enough!" thou'lt say, and pity show; "Thy pain shall turn to joy, thou child of wo!Thy heart find rest-thy dark mind clear away, And thou sit in the peace of heaven's calm day!" JOTTINGS DOWN IN LONDON, 1839. BY N. P. WILLIS, Author of "Pencillings by the Way." No. IV. LADY Morgan has moved her "fender" from "Kildare Street," and taken up her abode permanently in London. She has a pretty house in the neighbourhood of Belgrave Square, and, with her pension of £300 a year and the profits of her works, she lives well and entertains most agreeably. Her lady ship's eyes begin to fail her, and she complains of no longer being able to write, but her wit and humour have not commenced their décadence, and she is, I think, even amusing and delightful than ever. more I was there one evening of last week, when she had invited all the beautiful women of her acquaintance to astonish the Persian Ambassador-and certainly she assembled a constellation. Most radiant of all cynosure of the band was Mrs. Norton. She had grown paler and slighter, and had a more subdued look than when I last saw her. But with this change her beauty had heightened sevenfold. Memory embellishes most women. In meeting them after absence, we are disappointed to find that our imaginations have supplied that in which they fell short of our beau-ideal, and we are compelled reluctantly to restore them to their lower pedestal. To this same level of the beau-ideal the imagination in absence descends as well as rises-and it is by this theory alone I can account for having done injustice to Mrs. Norton's beauty in my remembrance of her. She is above even the beau-ideal of fancy. No engraving has ever done justice to this lady, because the mere light and shade of the burin cannot give the purity of that opaque white, magnolia-leaf complexion, which, in contrast with her raven black hair, forms one striking peculiarity of her face. Hers is a countenance too, which, with all the perfection of the features, is more radiant in intellect and expression, even, than in feature and complexion. The only fault I ever heard found with her beauty was one that is necessary to the powerful character of the expression that her mouth was too large to be classic. It is not too large, however, to be absolutely beautiful, and having tried in vain to remember once or twice what constituted its peculiar character, I took advantage of her singing one of her own songs to watch its movement. The upper lip, which, in most pretty mouths, resembles the bow of Cupid relaxed, in hers is like the arch at its fullest tension. When the under lip, in repose, follows this deep curve, it gives naturally to its expression the look of pride and scornfulness which has made her so many enemies. Suiting with her rather imperial motion and the massy character of her Roman face, and perhaps, too, somewhat with her native charac ter, it forms that kind of beauty which as often awakens hatred in one sex as adoration in the other, and Mrs. Norton has paid for it the bitter penalty. Lady Morgan's house is a cabinet of curious portraits mostly presented to her by the originals her great contemporaries in Europe and England. She has one excellent miniature of Byron, presented to her by Lady Caroline Lamb (the wife, you will remember, of the present Premier) on her death-bed. She drew it from beneath her pillow in her last hour. It represents Byron more of an Adonis than his other pictures, but the expression is full of thought. A capital bust of her Ladyship by David is one of the gems of the drawing room. Bulwer and Rogers were of the partyforcible contrasts enough in appearance. Mrs. Norton's departure at two, broke up the circle early for London. * * * The We met the King of Oude a few days since at a party, and were honoured by an invitation to dine with his Majesty at his house in the Regent's Park. Yesterday was the appointed day, and with the pleasant anticipation of an oriental feast, we drove up at seven, and were received by his turbaned ayahs, who took shawl and hat with a reverential salaam, and introduced us to the large drawing-room overlooking the Park. King was not yet down, but in the corner sat three Parsees, or Fire Worshippers, guests like ourselves, who in their long white linen robes, bronze faces and high caps, looked like any thing but "diners out" in London. To our surprise they addressed us in excellent English, and we were told afterwards that they were all learned men-facts not put down to the credit of the Ghebirs in Lalla Rookh. There We were called out upon the balcony to look at a balloon that was hovering over the Park, and on stepping back into the drawingroom we found the company all assembled, and our royal host alone wanting. were sixteen English ladies present, and five white gentlemen beside myself. The Orient, however, was well represented. In a corner, leaning silently against a table, stood Prince Hussein Mirza, the King's cousin, and a more romantic and captivating specimen of Hindoo beauty could scarcely be imagined. He was slender, tall, and of the clearest olive complexion, his night-black hair falling over his shoulders in profusion, and his large antelope eyes fixed with calm and lustrous surprise upon the half denuded forms sitting in a circle before him. We heard afterwards that he has conceived a most uncontrollable and unhappy passion for a high born and beautiful English girl whom he met in society, and that it is with difficulty he is persuaded to come out of his room. His dress was of shawls, most gracefully draped about him, and a cap of gold cloth was thrown carelessly on the side of his head. Altogether he was like a picture of the imagination. A middle aged, stout man, ashy black, with Grecian features, and a most determined and dignified expression of mouth, sat between Lady and Miss Porter, and this was the Wakeel or ambassador of the Prince of Sutara, by name Afzul Ali. He is in England on business for his master, and if he does not succeed, it will be no fault of his under lip. His Secretary, Keeram Ali, stood behind him, the Wakeel dressed in shawls of bright scarlet with a white cashmere turban, and the scribe in darker stuffs of the same fashion. Then there was the King's physician, a short, wiry, merry-looking, quick-eyed Hindoo, with a sort of quizzical angle in the pose of his turban ; the High Priest, also a most merry-looking Oriental, and Ali Acbar, a Persian attaché. I think these were all the Asiatics. The King entered in a few minutes, and made the circuit of the room, shaking hands most cordially with all his guests. He is a very royal-looking person indeed. Perhaps you might call him too corpulent if his fine height (a little over six feet) and very fine proportions, did not give his large size a character of majesty. His chest is full and round, and his walk erect and full of dignity. He has the Italian olive complexion, with straight hair, and my own remark at first seeing him was that of many others, "How like a bronze cast of Napoleon!" The subsequent study of his features remove this impression, however, for he is a most "merry monarch," and is seldom seen without a smile. His dress was a mixture of Oriental and English fashions-a pair of baggy blue pantaloons bound around the waist with a rich shawl, a splendid scarlet waistcoat buttoned close over his spacious chest, and a robe of very fine snuff-coloured cloth something like a loose dressing-gown without a collar. cap of silver cloth, and a brilliant blue satin cravat completed his costume, unless in his covering should be reckoned an enormous turquoise ring, which almost entirely concealed one of his fingers. A Ekbal-ood-Dowlah, Nawaub of Oude, (his name and title,) is at present appealing to the English against his uncle, who usurps his throne by the aid and countenance of the East India Company. The Mahommedan law, as I understand, empowers a king to choose his successor from his children without reference to primogeniture, and the usurper, though an elder brother, having been imbecile from his youth, Ekbal's father was selected by the then King of Oude to succeed him. The question having been referred to Lord Wellesley, however, then Governor of India, he decided that the English law of primogeniture should prevail, or in other words (as the King's friends say) preferred to have, for the King of a subject province, an imbecile who would give him no trouble. So slipped from the Nawaub's hands a pretty kingdom of six millions of faithful Mahommedans! I believe this is the "short" of the story. I wonder (we are reproached so very often by the English for our treatment of the Indians) whether a counter-chapter of "expedient wrong" might not be made out from the history of the Indians under British government in the East? Dinner was announced with a Hindostanee salaam, and the King gave his arm to Lady The rest of us "stood not upon the order of our going," and I found myself seated at table between my wife and a Polish Countess, some half dozen removes from the Nawaub's right hand. His Highness commenced helping those about him most plentifully from a large pillau, talking all the while most merrily in broken English, or resorting to Hindostanee and his interpreter whenever his tongue got into trouble." With the exception of one or two English joints, all the dishes were prepared with rice or saffron, and (wine being forbidden by the Mahommedan law) iced water was served round from Indian coolers freely. For one, I would have compounded for a bottle of wine by taking the sin of the entire party on my soul, for, what with the exhaustion of a long London day, and the cloying quality of the Nawaub's rich dishes, I began to be sorry I had not brought a fiask in my pocket. His Majesty's spirits seemed to require no aid from wine. He talked constantly, and shrewdly, and well. He impresses every one with a high estimate of his talents, though a more complete and undisguised child of Nature I never saw. sense, with good humour, frankness and simplicity, seem to be his leading qualities. Good We were obliged to take our leave early after dinner, having other engagements for the evening, but while coffee was serving, the Hindostanee cook, a funny little old man, came in to receive the compliments of the company upon his dinner, and to play and dance for his Majesty's amusement. He had at his back a long Indian drum, which he called his "tum-tum," and playing himself an accompaniment upon this, he sang two or three comic songs in his own language to a sort of wild yet merry air, very much to the delight of all the Orientals. Singer, dancer, musician, and cook, the King certainly has a jewel of a servant in him. One moment bowing ourselves out from the presence of a Hindoo King, and, the next, beset by an Irishman with "Heaven bless your honour for the sixpence you mean to give me!" What contrasts strike the traveller in this great heart of the world! Paddy lighted us to our carriage with his lantern, implored the coachman to "dhrive carefully," and then stood with his head bent to catch the sound upon the pavement of another sixpence for his tenderness. Whereever there is a party in the fashionable quarters of London, these Tantaluses flit about with their lanterns-for ever at the door of pleasure, yet shivering and starving for ever in their rags. What a life! * Une Nuit de Bal is the most stupid of ballets, and what shall I say of the Elislers? To account for their popularity and the praise that has been lavished upon them, one must for the hundredth time, (and for the hundredth time in vain,) remind the public that criticism is probably not even the opinion of the critic, and that there are all kinds of prices paid for popularity. Taglioni can buy it for grace and modesty-so can not the Ellslers. These two girls are, I believe, of German descent. Therese, the taller, dances like a pair of tongs, (or as if she had no joint at the knee,) and Fanny, called the beauty, shows her gums like Vestris when she smiles, and can walk all over the stage on the points of her toes-and, honestly, I think these particulars are all you would remember about them. As far as my observation goes, (and I have seen most of the dancers of celebrity,) we have in America the most graceful and best Danseuse in the world-after TaglioniAugusta. I was surprised to find myself so continually comparing her with Taglioni in La Gitana, when I first arrived in London. Let us make much of this fair creature while we have her, for she will go from us, I feel assured, as Malibran did, to be the new admiration of Europe. One of the most rational and agreeable of the fashionable resorts in London is Kensington Gardens, on the days when the royal band plays from five to seven, near the bridge of the Serpentine. Some twenty of the best instrumental musicians of London station themselves under the trees in this superb park, (for though called "Gardens," it is but a park with old trees and greensward,) and up and down the fine silky carpet stroll hundreds of the fashionables of "May Fair and Belgrave Square," listening a little perhaps, and chattering a great deal certainly. It is a good opportunity to see what celebrated beauties look like by daylight, and, truth to say, one comes to the conclusion there, that candle-light is your true kalydor. It is very ingeniously contrived by the Grand Chamberlain that this public music should be played in a far away corner of the Park, inaccessible except by those who have carriages. The plebeians, for whose use and pleasure it seems at first sight graciously contrived, are pretty well sifted by the two miles walk, and a very aristocratic and well-dressed assembly indeed is that of Kensington Gardens. Near the usual stand of the musicians runs a bridle-path for horsemen, separated from the greensward by a sunk fence, and as I was standing by the edge of the ditch yesterday, the Queen rode by, pulling up to listen to the music, and smile right and left to the crowd of cavaliers drawn up in the road. I pulled off my hat and stood uncovered instinctively, but looking around to see how the promenaders received her, I found to my surprise that with the exception of a baldheaded nobleman whom I chanced to know, the Yankee stood alone in his homage to her Majesty. "There she goes, nasty little vixen!" said some one behind me. 66 Ah, poor thing!" was the reply, "she has had a hard time of it lately!" It is astonishing how the Flora Hastings business seems to have hardened the people's hearts to her. I thought before I left America that I should find the stamp of the new reign on manners, usages, conversation, and all the outer form and pressure of society. One cannot fancy England under Elizabeth to have struck a stranger as did England under James. We think of Shakspeare, Leicester, and Raleigh, and conclude that under a female sovereign chivalry at least shines brighter, and poetry should. A good deal to my disappointment, I have looked in vain for even a symptom of the Queen's influence on any thing. She is as completely isolated in England, as entirely above and out of the reach of the sympathies and common thoughts of society, as the gilt grasshopper on the steeple. At the opera and play, half the audience do not even know she is there; in the Park, she rides among the throng with scarcely a head turned to look after her; she is unthought of, and almost unmentioned at balls, routes, and soirées; her personal appearance, her modesty and mental qualities are as freely and much more coldly discussed than those of the dancers of the opera; in short, the throne seems to stand on glass-with no one conductor to connect it with the electric chain of human hearts and sympathies. I have expressed my surprise at this, once or twice, to intelligent persons in London, but it was very much like expressing wonder at the growth of trees or the running of water. They never think about it. It has occurred to me, however, that the selection of the Queen's Maids of Honour or personal associates, from those of good birth, to whom emolument is of importance-in other words, from reduced or retired families of the nobility and gentry, may be one reason why the Court is in a measure unfashionable among those whose prosperity and wealth constitute them the leaders of society in London. Then again, the courtly circle, small as it necessarily is, is easily lost and forgotten in the vast extent of polished society in England, whereas in the days of Elizabeth, every person, probably, of good family and position came more or less into personal contact with the Queen and her courtiers. It seems odd, however, to one who has looked at it from a distance, to associate daily with those who by their birth should be a part of the Queen's retinue, and hear no more of her than of the Grand Lama, or the Invisible Woman who answers questions at the Adelaide Gallery. MISCELLANY. [From the American Papers.] From the Weekly Report of Interments in the City and County of New York, it appears that there were in the week ending 14th of September, 1839, 167 deaths; of which 104 were boys and girls, infants under two years of age. Out of the remainder, 29 died of consumption! 31 of the above 167, were born in Ireland; 4 in England, and not one in Scotland. Actors in America.—The majority of actors who come out from England, make the same grand mistake that Madame V- did. They take too much pains to convince the public that they are excessively moral; when they ought to take precisely the same trouble to convince their fashionable patrons that they are decidedly immoral. Look at Burton, after the row that was made about his marrying two wives, why there was no other actor in the country that drew such full houses, or was so liberally patronized by the beautiful and fashionable and pious women of this city. And if he were to be bold enough to marry a third wife, and commit trigonometry, he would undoubtedly go ahead of all the actors now in this country. And if it were possible to find an actor who has had the moral and physical courage and capacity to marry six wives at once, why he could make a fortune of a million of dollars in two or three years at the furthest. Instead therefore of actors and actresses buying up a portion of the press to puff them and praise their morality, let them hire some of the penny papers to abuse them; and if there are any errors or delinquencies in their past lives, be sure and have them published as speedily as possible. For our own part, we intend to serve the actors and managers in this way, as much as we possibly can. There are a great many rich and curious scenes that might be developed in relation to the fashionable managers and actresses of the present day, that would if published make the fortune of the whole. These favourable points of their character, with that innate modesty inseparable from the profession, they take every possible pains to conceal; and thus the public are kept in shameful ignorance of their numerous merits and the really valuable points of their character. Eloquence.-A Mississippi paper gives the following pathetic commencement of a speech of one of their lawyers some time ago, on the trial of a negro for the murder of another, named Daniel, whom he buried on the hill side in such haste as to leave one foot uncovered, which led to the detection of the crime. "Gentlemen of the jury: Daniel is no more! no more shall Daniel pluck the snowy cotton ball, or plough the straight furrow! No more shall he enliven the negro quarter on Saturday nights with the recital of coon hunts, or sing jaw bone at the corn husking! No, gentlemen, he lies buried on the hill-side, with one foot out and one foot pointing to the arched vault of heaven.” The The Elephant Shark.-One of these rare fishes was harpooned in Provincetown harbour, last week, and towed to Chelsea, where it is now on exhibition.—It is a great curiosity. The Elephant shark (squalus elephas) is the largest of all sharks, and the one we are now speaking of measures over thirty feet in length, and has fins five feet and a half long. tail flukes measure six feet and a half and four feet. When alive it could extend its jaws four feet. It has seven rows of teeth, 100 in a row, in the lower jaw, and six rows, 100 in a row, in the upper jaw. It is about as "ugly a looking customer" as one would desire to have any dealings with. A Dutiful Son.-A jockey in this town, wishing to make an advantageous display of a horse that he was desirous of selling to a bystander, placed his boy upon the back of the beast, ordering him to "ride him round a short distance. The boy, though well instructed in his trade, unfortunately in this instance, knew not whether the horse was already his father's or yet to be bargained for ; being anxious, therefore, to learn the will of his father, he stopped after riding a short distance, and inquired with a loud voice, "Father, shall I ride this horse to buy or sell?" A true case of absence of mind.-The Augusta (Ga.) Sentinel says, a man in Taliaferro county, a few days since, started to his stable to catch a horse to ride to a neighbour's -he put the bridle on his arm and taking the road, never discovered his mistake, until he arrived at his neighbour's house and hitched himself to the rack. London Gazette on announcing the marriage "Better late than never," says the New of Mr. John Lait, of Wekutee, to Miss Julia S. Never, aged 70. "What a devil of a scrape I'm in now," as the fish said to the woman who was rubbing down his back with a knife. It is an historical fact, that Charles I. was beheaded with his own consent. How was that? Because he was axed whether he would or no! |