Part 41

The following anecdote almost places the cat on a level with the dog:--"A physician of Lyons was requested to inquire into a murder that had been committed on a woman of that city. In consequence of this request he went to the habitation of the deceased, where he found her extended lifeless on the floor, weltering in her blood. A large white cat was mounted on the cornice of a cupboard, at the far end of the apartment, where he seemed to have taken refuge. He sat motionless, with his eyes fixed on the corpse, and his attitude and looks expressing horror and affright. The following morning he was found in the same station and attitude, and when the room was filled with officers of justice, neither the clattering of the soldiers' arms, nor the loud conversation of the company, could in the least degree divert his attention. As soon, however, as the suspected persons were brought in, his eyes glared with increased fury, his hair bristled, he darted into the middle of the apartment, where he stopped for a moment to gaze at them, and then precipitately retreated under the bed. The countenances of the assassins were disconcerted, and they were now, for the first time, abandoned by their atrocious audacity."

A TRANCE.

Mrs. Godfrey, sister to the Duke of Marlborough, had nearly been buried alive; the physicians all declaring that the breath of life was irrecoverably gone. Her husband, Colonel Godfrey, had, however, the pleasure to see her revive, seven days after (that day week, and same hour), and what is more, she never knew till the day of her death the length of her trance, or sleep.

THE NUMBER SEVEN.

The number is composed of the first two perfect numbers, equal and unequal, 3 and 4; for the number 2, consisting of repeated unity, which is no number, is not perfect, it comprehends the primary numerical triangle or trine, and square or quartile conjunction, considered by the favourers of planetary influence as of the most benign aspect. In six days creation was completed, and the 7th was consecrated to rest. On the 7th day of the 7th month, a holy observance was ordained to the children of Israel, who feasted 7 days, and remained 7 days in tents; the 7th year was directed to be a Sabbath of rest for all things; and at the end of 7 times 7 years commenced the grand jubilee. Every 7th year the land lay fallow; every 7th year there was a general release from all debts, and all bondmen were set free. From this law may have originated the custom of our binding young men to 7 years' apprenticeship, and punishing incorrigible offenders by transportation for 7, twice 7, and three times 7, years. Every 7 years the law was to be read to the people. Jacob served 7 years for the possession of Rachael; and also other 7. Noah had 7 days' warning of the flood, and was commanded to take the fowls of the air in by 7, and the clean beasts by 7. The ark touched ground on the 7th month; and in 7 days the dove was sent out, and again in 7 days after. The 7 years of plenty, and 7 years of famine were foretold in Pharaoh's dream by 7 fat and 7 lean beasts, and the 7 full and 7 blasted ears of corn. Nebuchadnezzar was 7 years a beast; and the fiery furnace was 7 times hotter to receive Shadrach, &c. A man defiled was, by the Mosaic law, unclean 7 days; the young of both animals was to remain with the dam 7 days, and at the end of the 7th was to be taken away. By the old law, man was commanded to forgive his offending brother 7 times; but the meekness of the revealed law extended his humility to 70 times 7: if Cain shall be avenged 7 times, truly Lamech 70 times 7. In the destruction of Jericho, 7 priests bore 7 trumpets 7 days; on the 7th they surrounded the wall 7 times; after the 7th, the walls fell. Balaam prepared 7 years for a sacrifice; and 7 of Saul's sons were hanged to stay a famine. Laban pursued Jacob 7 days' journey. Job's friends sat 7 days and 7 nights, and offered 7 bullocks and 7 rams, as an atonement for their wickedness. In the 7th year of his reign, King Ahazuerus feasted 7 days, and on the 7th deputed his 7 chamberlains to find a queen, who was allowed 7 maidens to attend her. Miriam was cleansed of her leprosy by being shut up 7 days. Solomon was 7 years in building the Temple, at the dedication of which he feasted 7 days; in the Temple were 7 lamps; 7 days were appointed for an atonement upon the altar, and the priest's son was ordained to wear his father's garments 7 days. The children of Israel eat unleavened bread 7 days. Abraham gave 7 ewe-lambs to Abimelech, as a memorial for a well. Joseph mourned 7 days for Jacob. Naaman was cleansed of his leprosy by bathing 7 times in Jordan. The Rabbins say that God employed the power of this number to perfect the greatness Of Samuel, his name answering the value of the letters in the Hebrew word, which signifies 7; whence Hannah his mother, in her thanksgiving, says, the barren hath brought forth 7. In Scripture are enumerated 7 resurrections: the widow's son, by Elias; the Shunamite's son, by Elisha; the soldier who touched the bones of the prophet; the daughter of the ruler of the synagogue; the widow's son of Nain; Lazarus, and our Lord. The apostles chose 7 deacons. Enoch, who was translated, was the 7th from Adam; and Jesus Christ was the 77th in a direct line. Our Lord spoke 7 times on the cross, on which he was 7 hours; he appeared 7 times; and after 7 times 7 days sent the Holy Ghost. In the Lord's prayer are 7 petitions, contained in 7 times 7 words, omitting those of mere grammatical connexion; within this number are concealed all the mysteries of apocalypse revealed to the 7 churches of Asia. There appeared seven golden candlesticks and 7 stars in the hand of him that was in the midst; 7 lambs before the 7 spirits of God; the book with 7 seals; the lamb with 7 horns and 7 eyes; 7 angels with 7 trumpets; 7 kings; 7 thunders; 7,000 men slain. The dragon with 7 heads and 7 crowns; and the beast with 7 heads; 7 angels bearing 7 plagues, and 7 vials of wrath. The vision of Daniel was of 70 weeks and the elders of Israel were 70. There were also 7 heavens, 7 planets (query), 7 stars, 7 wise men, 7 champions of Christendom, 7 notes in music, 7 primary colours, 7 deadly sins, and 7 sacraments in the Catholic church. The 7th son was considered as endowed with pre-eminent wisdom; and the 7th son of a 7th son is still thought to possess the power of healing diseases spontaneously. Perfection is likened to gold 7 times purified in the fire; and we yet say you frightened me out of my 7 senses. The opposite sides of a dice make 7, whence the players at hazard make 7 the main. Hippocrates says the septenary number, by its occult virtues, tends to the accomplishment of all things, to be the dispense of life, and fountain of all its changes; and, like Shakespeare, he divided the life of man into 7 ages; for as the moon changes her phases every seven days, this number influences all sublunary beings. The teeth spring out on the 7th month, and are shed and renewed in the 7th year, when infancy is changed into childhood; at twice 7 years puberty begins; at three times 7 the faculties are developed, and manhood commences, and we are become legally competent to all civil acts; at four times 7 man is in full possession of all his strength; at five times 7 he is fit for the business of the world; at six times 7 he becomes grave and wise, or never: at 7 times 7 he is in his apogee, and from that time decays; at eight times 7 he is in his first climacterick; at nine times 7, or 63, he is in his last or grand climacterick, or year of danger; and ten times 7, or three score and ten, has, by the royal prophet, been pronounced the natural period of human life.

SUPERSTITIOUS LEGEND.

We are told that when St. Helena, of pious memory, had discovered the true Cross of Christ, she permitted various fragments to be taken from it, which were encased, some in gold, and some in gems, and conveyed to Europe, leaving the principal or main part of the wood in the charge of the Bishop of Jerusalem, who exhibited it annually at Easter, until Chosroes, king of Persia, plundered Jerusalem in the reign of the emperor Phocas, and took away this holy relic.

Before this fatal event we are taught to believe, by Rigordus, an historian of the thirteenth century, that the mouths of Christians used to be supplied with 30, or in some instances, no doubt according to their faith, with 32 teeth; but that _after_ the Cross was stolen by the infidels no mortal has ever been allowed more than 23!

ORAEFA MOUNTAIN IN ICELAND.

This mountain, which is the loftiest in Iceland, has been rendered celebrated by an eruption which took place about a century ago. Nothing can be more striking than the account given of this calamity by the aged minister of the parish. He was in the midst of his service on the Sabbath, when the agitation of the earth gave warning that some alarming event was to follow. Rushing from the church, he saw a peak of the neighbouring mountain alternately heaved up and sinking; till at last, the stone, of which this portion of the mountain was composed, ran down in a melted state into the plain, like melted metal from a crucible, filling it to such a height, that no more of the mountain, which formerly towered to such a height, remains, than about the size of a bird; volumes of water being in the meantime thrown forth in a deluge from the crater, and sweeping away whatever they encountered in their course. The Oraefa then broke forth, hurling large masses of ice to a great distance; fire burst out in every direction from its side; the sky was darkened by the smoke and ashes, so that the day could hardly be distinguished from the night. This scene of horror continued for more than three days, during which the whole region was converted into utter desolation.

THE SETON SWORD.

The two-handed sword, which was introduced later than the claymore, though still so familiar to us, is perhaps the most interesting, in an archaeological point of view, of all the military relics pertaining to the Medieval Period. The huge, ponderous, and unwieldy weapon, seems the fittest emblem that could be devised, of the rude baron of the thirteenth century, who lived by "the good old rule" of physical force, and whose hardy virtues, not unsuited to an illiterate age--are strangely mistaken for a chivalry such as later ages have not seen. Calmly reasoning from this characteristic heirloom, we detect in it the evidence of just such hardy, skilless, overbearing power, as history informs us was the character of the medieval baron, before the rise of the burgher class readjusted the social balance by the preponderance of rival interests. The weapon figured here is a remarkably fine and unusually large specimen of the old Scottish two-handed sword, now in the possession of George Seton, Esq., representative of the Setons of Cariston. It measures forty-nine inches in the blade, five feet nine inches in entire length, and weighs seven and a half pounds. But the chief interest of this old relic arises from the well-authenticated family traditions which associate it with the memory of its first knightly owner, Sir Christopher Seton of that Ilk, from whom some of the oldest scions of the Scottish peerage have been proud to trace their descent. He was married to Christian, sister of King Robert the Bruce, whom he bravely defended at the battle of Methven. He was shortly after taken prisoner by Edward I., and basely hanged as a traitor.

STYLE OF LIVING IN THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY.

The most perfect notion of the living and domestic arrangements of the old English nobility and gentry will be found in the entries of what were called the Household Books of the times. One of the most celebrated of these records is the _Northumberland Household Book_, being the regulations of the establishment of the fifth earl of Northumberland, at his castles of Wrenill and Lekinfield, in Yorkshire, begun in 1512. No baron's family was on a nobler or more splendid footing. It consisted of one hundred and sixty-six persons, masters and servants; fifty-seven strangers were reckoned upon every day; on the whole two hundred and twenty-three. During winter they fed mostly on salt meat and salt fish; and with that view there was a provision of one hundred and sixty gallons of mustard per year; so that there cannot be any thing more erroneous than the magnificent ideas formed of "the roast beef of _Old_ England." On flesh days, (that is, when meat was not forbidden by the Catholic religion), through the year, breakfast for my lord and lady was a loaf of bread, two manchets, a quart of beer, a quart of wine, half a chine of mutton, or a chine of beef boiled. On meagre days (or when meat was forbidden), a loaf of bread, two manchets, a quart of beer, a quart of wine, a dish of butter, a piece of salt fish, or a dish of buttered eggs. During Lent, a loaf of bread, two manchets, a quart of beer, a quart of wine, two pieces of salt fish, six baconed herrings, four white herrings, or a dish of sprats. There was as little variety in other meals, except on festival days; and this way of living was, at the time, high luxury. There were but two cooks to dress victuals for two hundred persons; and fowls, pigeons, plovers, and partridges were prohibited as delicacies, except at my lord's table. The table-cloth was washed about once a month; no sheets were used; and only forty shillings were allowed for washing throughout the year. The family rose at six in the morning, dined at ten, and supped at four in the afternoon; and the castle gates were shut at nine. Mass was said in the chapel at six o'clock, that all the servants might rise early. The earl passed the year at three country seats, but he had furniture only for one: he carried every thing along with him, beds, tables, chairs, kitchen utensils; and seventeen carts and one waggon conveyed the whole: one cart sufficed for all his kitchen utensils, cooks' beds, &c. There were in the establishment eleven priests, besides seventeen persons, chanters, musicians, &c., belonging to the chapel. No mention is made of plate, but only of the hiring of pewter vessels. Wine was allowed in abundance for the lord's table, but the beer for the hall was poor indeed, only a quarter of malt being allowed for two hogsheads. The servants seem all to have bought their own clothes from their wages. Every thing in the household was done by order, with the pomp of proclamation; and laughable as it may now seem, an order was issued for the right making of mustard, beginning "It seemeth good to us and our council."

ANECDOTE OF A TERRIER.

A terrier, known to Professor Owen, was taught to play at hide and seek with his master, who summoned him, by saying "Let us have a game;" upon which the dog immediately hid his eyes between his paws, in the most honourable manner, and when the gentleman had placed a sixpence, or a piece of cake in a most improbable place, he started up and invariably found it. His powers were equalled by what was called a fox-terrier, named Fop, who would hide his eyes, and suffer those at play with him to conceal themselves before he looked up. If his play-fellow hid himself behind a window-curtain, Fop would, for a certain time, carefully pass that curtain, and look behind all the others, behind doors, etc., and when he thought he had looked long enough, seize the concealing curtain and drag it aside in triumph. The drollest thing, however, was to see him take his turn of hiding; he would get under a chair, and fancy that he was not seen; of course, those at play with him pretended not to see him, and it was most amusing to witness his agitation as they passed. When he was ill he had been cured by some homoeopathic globules, and ever after, if anything were the matter with him, he would stand near the medicine box, and hold his mouth open.

CUTTING A WIFE OFF WITH A SHILLING.

In the year 1772, died at Lambeth, J---- G----e, Esq. In his will was found the following remarkable clause:--"Whereas, it was my misfortune to be made very uneasy by Elizabeth G----, my wife, for many years, from our marriage, by her turbulent behaviour; for she was not content with despising my admonitions, but she contrived every method to make me unhappy; she was so perverse in her nature, that she would not be reclaimed, but seemed only to be born to be a plague to me; the strength of Sampson, the knowledge of Homer, the prudence of Augustus, the cunning of Pyrrhus, the patience of Job, the subtlety of Hannibal, and the watchfulness of Hermogenes, could not have been sufficient to subdue her; for no skill or force in the world would make her good; and, as we have lived several years separate, and apart from each other eight years, and she having perverted her son to leave and totally abandon me; therefore I give her one shilling only."

WEALTH OF THE JEWS.

About the year 1707, the Jews offered Lord Godolphin, Minister of Queen Anne, to pay L500,000, (and they would have made it a million,) if the government would allow them to purchase the town of Brentford, with leave of settling there entirely, with full privileges of trade, &c. Lord Godolphin did not comply with the request, and a curious reason is assigned by Dean Lockier, because it would provoke two of the most powerful bodies in the nation, the clergy and the merchants. The Jews had better success with Oliver Cromwell: they offered him L60,000 to have a synagogue in London. He took the money, and they had their temple.

GAMBLING EXTRAORDINARY.

The following instance of frantic or drunken gambling appeared in the _Times_ of April 17, 1812:--

"On Wednesday evening an extraordinary investigation took place at Bow Street. Croker, the officer, was passing the Hampstead Road; he observed at a short distance before him two men on a wall, and directly after saw the tallest of them, a stout man about six feet high, hanging by his neck from a lamp-post, attached to the wall, being that instant tied up and turned off by the short man. This unexpected and extraordinary sight astonished the officer; he made up to the spot with all speed, and just after he arrived there, the tall man who had been hanged, fell to the ground, the handkerchief with which he had been suspended having given way. Croker produced his staff, said he was an officer, and demanded to know of the other man the cause of such conduct; in the mean time the man who had been hanged recovered, got up, and on Croker interfering, gave him a violent blow on the nose, which nearly knocked him backward. The short man was endeavouring to make off; however, the officer procured assistance, and both were brought to the office, when the account they gave was, that they worked on canals. They had been together on Wednesday afternoon, tossed up for money, and afterwards for their clothes, the tall man who was hanged won the other's jacket, trowsers and shoes; they then tossed up which should hang the other, and the short one won the toss. They got upon the wall, the one to submit, and the other to hang him on the lamp-iron. They both agreed in this statement. The tall one who had been hanged said, if he won the toss, he would have hanged the other. He said, he then felt the effects on his neck at the time he was hanging, and his eyes was so much swelled that he saw double. The magistrates expressed their horror and disgust, and ordered the man who had been hanged to find bail for the violent and unjustifiable assault upon the officer, and the short one for hanging the other. Not having bail, they were committed to Bridewell for trial."

OLD BOOKS.

The Pentateuch and the history of Job are the most ancient books in the world; and in profane literature the works of Homer and Hesiod. The first book known to have been written in our own vernacular was "The Confessions of Richard, Earl of Cambridge," _temp._ 1415; and the earliest English ballad is supposed to be the "Cuckoo Song," which commences in the following style:--

"Sumer is icumen in Lhude sing cuccu, Groweth sed, and bloweth med, And springth ye wede nu: Singe cuccu."

FOSSIL REPTILE; THE PTERODACTYLUS.

The pterodactylus was a flying animal. It had the wings of a bat, and the structure of a reptile; jaws with sharp teeth, and claws with long hooked nails. The power which it had of flying was not by means of its ribs, nor by wings without fingers, as in birds, but by wings supported by one very elongated toe, the others being short and furnished with claws. The remains of this animal were brought under examination by M. Collini, director of the Museum of the Elector Palatine at Manheim. There was at first some discussion as to the actual character of the animal. M. Blumenbach supposed it to be a bird, and M. de Soemmering classed it among the bats. M. Cuvier, however, maintained that it was a reptile, and showed that all its bones, from the teeth to the claws, possessed the characters which distinguish that class of animals. But still it differed from all other reptiles in possessing the capability of flying. It is probable that it could at pleasure fold up its wings in the same manner as birds, and might suspend itself on branches of trees by its fore toes, though it possessed the power of sitting upright on its hind feet. This is the most anomalous of all the fossil reptiles.

TIGER CAVE AT CUTTACK.

The geographical distribution of the rock-cut caves of the Buddhists in India is somewhat singular, more than nine-tenths of those now known being found within the limits of the Bengal Presidency. The remainder consist of two groups, those of Behar and Cuttack, neither of which are important in extent, in Bengal; one only, that of Mahavellipore, in Madras; and two or three not very important groups which have been traced in Afghanistan and the Punjaub.

One of the most remarkable of these caves is that at Cuttack, which is called the Tiger cave--being in fact a large mass of rock, carved into a form intended to represent the head of that animal, whose extended jaws form the verandah leading into a small apartment excavated in the interior of the skull: our engraving is a correct representation of it.

Generally speaking, these single cells have a porch of two pillars to protect the doorway, which leads into a small room, 10 or 12 ft. square, constituting the whole cave. Buildings on precisely the same plan are still very common in India, except that now, instead of being the abode of a hermit, the cell is occupied by an image of some god or other, and is surmounted by a low dome, or pyramidal spire, converting it into a temple of some pretensions. The lower part, however, of these small temples is very similar to the rock-cut hermitages of which we are speaking.

THE JEWS IN ENGLAND.