Part 52

In the formulae of Marculphus, edited by Jerome Bignon, he tells us, with respect to lights, that the use of them was of great antiquity in the church; that the primitive Christians made use of them in the assemblies which they held before day out of necessity; and that afterwards they were retained even in daylight, as tokens of joy, and in honour of the Deity. Lactantius says, speaking of the absurdities of the wax lights in Romish churches, "They light up candles to God, as if he lived in the dark; and do they not deserve to pass for madmen who offer lamps and candles to the author and giver of light?" It is really astounding to our ideas that wax candles as long as serjeants' pikes should be held as necessary in the worship of God. That it is so held, and that by a large class of Christians, every one must allow, for they may have occular demonstration of the singular fact. The show is however extremely imposing. Thirty-five thousand seven hundred and fifty pounds of wax lights were burned every year, for nine hundred masses said in the castle of Wittemburgh! Philip Melancthon speaks of a Jesuit who said that "he would not extinguish one taper, though it were to convert all the Huguenots" (Protestants).

A RICH AND CRUEL CRIMINAL.

John Ward, Esq. of Hackney, Member of Parliament, being prosecuted by the Duchess of Buckingham, and convicted of forgery, was first expelled from the House, and then stood on the pillory on the 17th of March, 1727. He was suspected of joining in a conveyance with Sir John Blount, to secrete L50,000 of that director's estate, forfeited to the South Sea Company by Act of Parliament. The Company recovered the L50,000 against Ward; but he set up prior conveyances of his real estate to his brother and son, and concealed all his personal, which was computed to be L150,000. These conveyances being also set aside by a bill in chancery, Ward was imprisoned, and hazarded the forfeiture of his life, by not giving in his effects till the last day, which was that of his examination. During his confinement, his amusement was to give poison to dogs and cats, and see them expire by slower or quicker torments. To sum up the _worth_ of this man, at the several eras of his life; at his standing in the pillory, he was worth above L200,000; at his commitment to prison, he was worth L150,000.

FOOD OF THE ANCIENTS.

The diversity of substances which we find in the catalogue of articles of food is as great as the variety with which the art or the science of cookery prepares them. The notions of the ancients on this most important subject are worthy of remark. Their taste regarding meat was various. Beef they considered the most substantial food: hence it constituted the chief nourishment of their athletae. Camels' and dromedaries' flesh was much esteemed, their heels most especially. Donkey-flesh was in high repute: Maecenas, according to Pliny, delighted in it; and the wild ass, brought from Africa, was compared to venison. In more modern times we find Chancellor Dupret having asses fattened for his table. The hog and the wild boar appear to have been held in great estimation; and a hog was called "animal propter convivia natum;" but the classical portion of the sow was somewhat singular--"vulva nil dulcius ampla." Their mode of killing swine was as refined in barbarity as in epicurism. Plutarch tells us that the gravid sow was actually trampled to death, to form a delicious mass fit for the gods. At other times, pigs were slaughtered with red-hot spits, that the blood might not be lost. Stuffing a pig with assafoetida and various small animals, was a luxury called "porcus Trojanus;" alluding, no doubt, to the warriors who were concealed in the Trojan horse. Young bears, dogs, and foxes, (the latter more esteemed when fed upon grapes,) were also much admired by the Romans; who were also so fond of various birds, that some consular families assumed the names of those they most esteemed. Catius tells us how to drown fowls in Falernian wine, to render them more luscious and tender. Pheasants were brought over from Colchis, and deemed at one time such a rarity, that one of the Ptolemies bitterly lamented his never having tasted any. Peacocks were carefully reared in the island of Samos, and sold at such a high price, that Varro informs us they fetched yearly upwards of L2,000 of our money.

THE EARLIEST ENGLISH BIBLE.

The first translation of any part of the Holy Scriptures into English that was committed to the press was the New Testament, translated from the Greek, by William Tyndale, with the assistance of John Foye and William Roye, and printed first in 1526, in octavo.

Tyndale published afterwards, in 1530, a translation of the Five Books of Moses, and of Jonah, in 1531, in octavo. An English translation of the Psalter, done from the Latin of Martin Bucer, was also published at Strasburgh in 1530, by Francis Foye, in octavo. And the same book, together with Jeremiah and the Song of Moses, were likewise published in 1534, in duodecimo, by George Joye, sometime Fellow of Peter-House in Cambridge.

The first time the whole Bible appeared in English was in the year 1535, in folio. The translator and publisher was Miles Coverdale, afterwards Bishop of Exeter, who revised Tyndale's version, compared it with the original, and supplied what had been left untranslated by Tyndale. It was printed at Zurich, and dedicated to King Henry the Eighth. This was the Bible, which by Cromwell's injunction of September, 1536, was ordered to be laid in churches.

GREAT ERUPTION OF MOUNT ETNA.

One of the most remarkable eruptions of this mountain was that which occurred in the year 1669, which was so violent that fifteen towns and villages were destroyed, and the stream was so deep that the lava flowed over the walls of Catania, sixty feet in height, and destroyed a part of the city. But the most singular circumstance connected with this eruption was the formation of a number of extensive fissures, which appeared as though filled with intumescent rock. At the very commencement of the volcanic excitement, one was formed in the plain of St. Lio, twelve miles in length and six feet broad, which ejected a vivid flame, and shortly after five others were opened. The town of Nicolosi, situated twenty miles from the summit of Etna, was destroyed by earthquake; and near the place where it stood two gulfs were formed, from which so large a quantity of sand and scoriae was thrown, that a cone, called Mount Rossi, four hundred and fifty feet high, was produced in about three months.

AMULETS WORN BY MODERN EGYPTIAN FEMALES.

One of the most remarkable traits in modern Egyptian superstition is the belief in written charms. The composition of most of these amulets is founded upon magic, and occasionally employs the pen of almost every village schoolmaster in Egypt. A person of this description, however, seldom pursues the study of magic further than to acquire the formulae of a few charms, commonly consisting, for the greater part, of certain passages of the Koran, and names of God, together with those of spirits, genii, prophets, or eminent saints, intermixed with combinations of numerals, and with diagrams, all of which are supposed to have great secret virtues. The amulet thus composed, or _hhega'b_, as it is called, is covered with waxed cloth, to preserve it from accidental pollution, and enclosed in a case of thin embossed gold or silver, which is attached to a silk string, or a chain, hung on the right side, above the girdle, the string or chain being passed over the left shoulder. Sometimes these cases bear Arabic inscriptions, such as "Ma'sha-lla'h" ("God's will") and "Ya'cha'dee el-hhaga't" ("O decreer of the things that are needful!") We here insert an engraving of three hhega'bs of gold, attached to a string, to be worn together. The central one is a thin, flat case, containing a folded paper: it is about a third of an inch thick; the others are cylindrical cases, with hemispherical ends, and contain scrolls: each has a row of burck along the bottom. Hhega'bs such as these, or of a triangular form, are worn by many children, as well as women; and those of the latter form are attached to a child's head-dress.

PERSONAL ORNAMENTS OF THE ANCIENT EGYPTIANS.

The passion of the Egyptians for decorative jewellery was indeed excessive. Men as well as women delighted thus to adorn themselves; and the desire was not confined to the higher ranks, for though the subordinate classes could not afford the sparkling gems and precious metals which glowed upon the persons of their superiors, their vanity was gratified by humbler imitations, of bronze, glass, and porcelain.

"Costly and elegant ornaments," observes Professor Rosselini, "abounded in proportion as clothing in general was simple and scarce among the Egyptians. Girdles, necklaces, armlets, ear-rings, and amulets of various kinds suspended from the neck, are found represented in the painting, and in fact still exist on the mummies. Figures of noble youths are found entirely devoid of clothing, but richly ornamented with necklaces and other jewels."

An immense number of these "jewels of silver and jewels of gold" have been found in the tombs, and on the persons of mummies, and are deposited in profusion in every museum. The accompanying engravings will give an idea of the style and form of some of them.

The ear-rings generally worn by the ladies were large, round, single hoops (as _a_) from 1-1/2 inches to 2-1/3 inches in diameter; and frequently of a still greater size; or made of six rings soldered together (as _b_); sometimes an asp, whose body was of gold, set with precious stones, was worn by persons of rank as a fashionable caprice. Figures _c_, _d_, of gold bear the heads of fanciful animals; _e_, also of gold, is remarkable for its singularity of form, and for the delicacy of its workmanship; and _f_ for its carrying two pearls and being double in its construction.

Bracelets, armlets, and anklets were worn by men as well as by women; they were usually of gold, frequently set with precious stones, or inlaid with enamel. The one marked _a_ in the annexed cut is now in the Leyden Museum: it is of gold, 3 inches in diameter, and 1-1/2 inches in height, and is interesting, because it belonged to the Pharaoh whom we conclude to have been the patron and friend of Joseph, Thothmes III., whose name it bears. The armlet _b_ is of gold, and represents a snake; the other, _c_, is of bronze. Rings were worn in profusion, gold being the material chiefly selected. Some resemble watch seals of the present day--sometimes the stone having four flat sides, all engraved, turned on a pivot, like some seals seen at present. One of this character, which Sir J. G. Wilkinson estimates to contain 20_l._ worth of gold, is represented at _d_ in the above engraving. It consists of a massive ring of gold, bearing an oblong plinth of the same metal, an inch in length, and more than half an inch in its greatest width. On one side is engraved the hieroglyphic name of Storus, the successor of Amunoph III.; the three others contain respectively a scorpion, a crocodile, and a lion.

GREAT PEAR TREE.

The most remarkable pear tree in England stands on the glebe of the parish of Holme Lacy, in Herefordshire. When the branches of this tree, in its original state, became long and heavy, their extremities drooped till they reached the ground. They then took root; each branch became a new tree, and in its turn produced others in the same way. Eventually it extended itself until it covered more than an acre of ground, and would probably have reached much further if it had been suffered to do so. It is stated in the church register, that "the great natural curiosity, the great pear tree upon the glebe, adjoining to the vicarage-house, produced this year (1776) fourteen hogsheads of perry, each hogshead containing one hundred gallons." Though now much reduced in size, it is still healthy and vigorous, and generally produces from two to five hogsheads. The liquor is not of a good quality, being very strong and heating. An idea of the superior size of this tree, when in its prime, over others of the same kind, may be formed from the fact, that in the same county, an acre of ground is usually planted with thirty trees, which, in a good soil, produce annually, when full grown, twenty gallons of perry each. So large a quantity as a hogshead from one tree is very unusual. The sorts principally used for perry are such as have an austere juice.

LAW OF THE MOZCAS.

A very remarkable law prevailed among the Mozcas, one of the tribes of the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. There, as among more advanced nations, the king could do no wrong; but the subordinate chiefs could. These chiefs were men, the people reasoned, like themselves; they could not be punished by their vassals, for there would be a natural unfitness in that; the king, it seems, was not expected to interfere, except in cases of state offences; the power of punishment, therefore, was vested in their wives; and a power it was, says Piedrahita, which they exercised famously whenever it fell to them to be judges of their poor husbands. The conqueror Quesada calling one morning upon the chief of a place called Suesca, found him under the hands of his nine wives, who were tying him, and having done so, proceeded, in spite of Quesada's intercession, to flog him one after the other. His offence was, that some Spaniards the night before had lodged in his house, and he had partaken too freely of their Spanish wine. Drunkenness was one of the sins which fell under the cognizance of his wives: they carried him to bed that he might sleep himself sober, and then awoke him in the morning to receive the rigour of the law.

LARGEST METAL STATUE IN THE WORLD.

Arona is an island on the Lago Maggiore, and has a strong castle. Upon an eminence is a statue of bronze to St. Charles Borromeo, from whom the hill is called, Monte di S. Carlo. The statue was erected by the Pope in 1624, in memory of the Saint, who was Archbishop of Milan. The pedestal of the statue is thirty-six feet high. It is the largest metal statue in existence; and the height of the statue itself is seventy-two feet, making a total of 108 feet. Fifteen persons may get into the saint's head, which will also accommodate four persons and a table on which they can dine. The cost is said to have been one million one hundred Milanaise livres.

THE OAK OF MAMRE.

In one remarkable instance the Jews, the Christians, and the pagan Arabs united in religious feelings. This was in their reverence for the Oak of Mamre, where the angels appeared to Abraham: for Abraham's sake the Jews held the place holy; the Arabs for the angels'; the Christians, because, in their ignorance of their Scriptures, they affirmed that the Son of God had accompanied those angels to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. An annual fair was held there, and every man sacrificed after the manner of his country; nor was the meeting ever disgraced by any act of intemperance or indecency. Nothing had been done to injure the venerable antiquity of the place. There was nothing but the well which Abraham had dug, and the buildings which he had inhabited, beside the oak. These remains were destroyed by order of Constantine, in abhorrence of the _impious_ toleration exhibited there! A church was built upon the spot, and Mamre, so interesting to the poet, the philosopher, and the pious man, became a mere den of superstition.

STRANGE ADVERTISEMENT.

The following appeared in the _Evening Post_, May 23rd, 1730:--

"I, Elizabeth, duchess dowager of Hamilton, acknowledge I have for several months been ill in my health, but never speechless, as certain penny authors have printed; and so, to confute these said authors and their intelligence, it is thought by my most intimate friends, _it is the very last thing that will happen to me_. I am so good an Englishwoman, that I would not have my countrymen imposed upon by purchasing false authors; therefore, have ordered this to be printed that they may know what papers to buy and believe, that are not to be bribed by those who may have private ends for false reports. The copy of this is left in the hands of Mr. Berington, to be shown to any body who has a curiosity to see it signed with my own hand.

"E. HAMILTON."

INTERMITTENT SPRINGS.

One of the most remarkable of these is at Bolder-Born in Westphalia. After flowing for twenty-four hours, it entirely ceases for the space of six hours. It then returns with a loud noise, in a stream sufficiently powerful to turn three mills very near its source. Another spring of the same nature occurs at Bihar in Hungary, which issues many times a day, from the foot of a mountain, in such a quantity as in a few minutes to fill the channel of a considerable stream.

The Lay Well near Torbay, ebbs and flows sixteen times in an hour: and in Giggleswick Well in Yorkshire, the water sometimes rises and falls in ten or fifteen minutes.

St. Anthony's Well, on Arthur's Seat, near Edinburgh, has a similar movement, but on a smaller scale.

In Savoy, near the lake of Bourget, is another spring of this kind, but it differs from those which have been already mentioned in being very uncertain in its intervals.

CURIOUS JEWEL WHICH BELONGED TO JAMES I.

In former times it was a common practice with princes and nobles to have elaborate articles of jewellery constructed in such forms as had a religious and emblematical signification. An inventory of the Dukes of Burgundy, made in 1396, speaks of a _fleur-de-lys_ which opened, and contained inside a picture of the Crucifixion. In 1416, the Duke of Berri had "a fair apple," which opened, and contained within on one side the figure of Christ, and on the other that of the Virgin. Among the jewels of the Dukes of Burgundy in 1392 there were two pears of gold, enamelled, each containing an image of Our Lady. We find similar entries in the other different inventories of the Dukes of Burgundy: An apple of silver, enamelled, containing in the inside a picture of St. Catherine, in 1400; a pine-apple of gold, which contained figures of the birth of Christ, and of the three kings, in 1467; and, in the same year, two apples of gold, one containing, on the opposite halves, Our Lady and St. Paul, the other, St. Peter and St. Paul--the latter suspended by three small chains. These kinds of devices continued in fashion till a much later period, and a very curious example, from the collection of Lord Londesborough, which appears to have belonged to King James I., is here engraved.

The whole is of silver, and the leaves appear to have been painted green. On opening it we find in the inside the small skull here represented above the apple. The top of the skull opens like a lid, and inside are two small paintings, representing the Creation and the Resurrection, with the inscription, "_Post Mortem, vita eternitas_." The external inscription is not gallant. To give the apple externally a more natural appearance, there are marks of two bites on the side opposite that here represented, showing a large and small set of teeth.

STRANGE CURIOSITIES.

In the Anatomy Hall of Leyden is a drinking cup of the skull of a Moor, killed in the beleaguring of Haerlem. Also a cup made of a double brain pan. We observe also that No. 51 is the skin of a woman, and No. 52 the skin of a woman, prepared like leather; No. 53 the skin of a Malacca woman, above 150 years old, presented by Richard Snolk, who probably had her flayed.

THE CROSS OF CONG.

The cross, of which the following is a correct representation, possesses eminent claims to a place among our curiosities, since it constitutes the gem of the Museum of the Royal Irish Academy.

This cross was made at Roscommon, by native Irishmen, about the year 1123, in the reign of Turlogh O'Connor, father of Roderick, the last monarch of Ireland, and contains what was supposed to be a piece of the true cross, as inscriptions in Irish, and Latin in the Irish character, upon two of its sides record. The engraving affords a correct idea of the original, as the extremely minute and elaborate ornaments with which it is completely covered, and a portion of which is worked in pure gold, could not possibly be expressed on so reduced a scale. The ornaments generally consist of tracery and grotesque animals fancifully combined, and similar in character to the decorations found upon crosses of stone of about the same period. A large crystal, through which a portion of the wood which the cross was formed to enshrine is visible, is set in the centre.

FOOT-RACING IN 1699.

A remarkable foot-race was run about the year 1699, which is thus described in the manuscript journal of a lady who was one of the spectators:--"I drove through the forest of Windsor to see a race run by two footmen, an English and a Scotch, the former a taller bigger man than the other. The ground measured and cut even in a round was about four miles; they were to run it round so often as to make up twenty-two miles, which was the distance between Charing Cross and Windsor Cross, that is, five times quite round, and so far as to make up the odd miles and measure. They ran a round in twenty-five minutes. I saw them run the first three rounds and half another in an hour and seventeen minutes, and they finished it in two hours and a half. The Englishman gained the start the second round, and kept it at the same distance the five rounds, and then the Scotchman came up to him and got before him to the post. The Englishman fell down within a few yards of the post. Many hundred pounds were won and lost about it. They ran both very neatly, but my judgment gave it to the Scotchman, because he seemed to save himself to the last push."

THE CHERRY TREE.

The Cherry Tree was introduced into Great Britain before A.D. 53. The earliest mention of the fruit being exposed to sale by hawkers in London is in Henry the Fifth's reign, 1415. New sorts were introduced from Flanders, by Richard Haines, Henry the Eighth's fruiterer, and being planted in Kent were called "Flanders," or "Kentish Cherries," of which Gerard (1597) says, "They have a better juice, but watery, cold, and moist." Philips says, "There is an account of a cherry-orchard of thirty-two acres in Kent, which, in the year 1540, produced fruit that sold in those early days, for 1,000_l._; which seems an enormous sum, as at that period good land is stated to have let at one shilling per acre." Evelyn tells us, that in his time (1662) an acre planted with cherries, one hundred miles from London, had been let at 10_l._ During the Commonwealth (1649), the manor and mansion of Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles I., at Wimbledon, in Surrey, were surveyed previously to being sold, and it appears that there were upwards of two hundred cherry trees in the gardens. Since that time the cherry tree has found universal admission into shrubberies, gardens, and orchards.

INSTRUCTIONS TO A CHAPLAIN.