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VOL. 4.] New Plays-The Green Man-Jealous on both Sides. fine and romantic effect. In Puebla whole city, the houses as it were in they call them the “ Volcanoes of Mex- succession, are lifted up. This terrible ico," and in Mexico, the "Volcanoes phenomenon has awaked me many of Puebla," but the right name is the times in the night; the continued cry Volcano of Popecatepail, because only and the incessant loud prayers of the the Pico is a half extinguished and Mexican watchmen who during the sometimes smoking volcano, which is whole night do not leave the streets, without doubt the reason that the in- adding horror to this dreadful catashabitants of Mexico are often awaked trophe. This frightful and uneasy by earthquakes, and even in the day- sensation caused by earthquakes, is not time are frequently in such dreadful excited in Mexico by any experience anxiety, that one afternoon at three of the terrible consequences, but by o'clock, while the bells were tolling at the possibility of them; for unhappily the cathedral for prayers, most of the many towns in Spanish America have inhabitants were kneeling in the streets; been destroyed by earthquakes, by the whole city seemed to reel, so that which Mexico, except some small dammy windows and doors, which stood a age to the buildings, has hitherto been jar, were shut and opened, though there spared; and may it always remain so! was no wind, and the things which In my next letter I will give you an hung against the wall moved backwards account of my visit to the Glaciers, and forwards; this reeling motion, which was attended with some remarkdoes not hurt the buildings nearly so able circumstances. Your's, &c. SONNESCHMID, much as the concussions by which the

THE DRAMA.

HAYMARKET THEATRE, Aug. 29, 1818.
HE Green Man continues to be played

and, indeed, so long as peculiarly just and
fine acting is relished by the public, so long
will Terry's performance of this part draw
and delight overflowing houses.

The Green Man was produced at L'Odeon in Paris, under the title of L'Homme Gris. It is the work of Messrs. Daubigny and Ponjol, for French dramatists are much given to hunt in couples, and the plot,taken originally from a novel of Augustus La Fontaine, is in many respects similar to that of Le Dissipateur. Its success on the Parisian stage was a fair recommendation to Mr. Jones, our excellent comedian; and by his translation and adaptation, he has unquestionably added the laurel of authorship to that of acting,and now shines in both. Several of the scenes are altogether new the characters of Major Dumpling and Captain Bibber are entirely different from their two insignificant prototypes, one of whom is a lawyer in the original; and Jones's own character, of Crackley, and the secondary action of his loves with Bertha, are great improvements, since in the Parisian drama Bertha has no admirer, and Crackley is nothing more than an almost dumb adventurer, who has a little of the Anglomania, and is in league with the gamblers who win Sir George Squander's money.

ENGLISH OPERA.

Jealous on all Sides has also been published, and we gather from the title page that it is the production of Mr. S. Beazley, the author of The Boarding House,' Is he Jealous,' &c. The involution of plot, and W ATHENEUM. Vol. 4.

Spanish nature of the incidents, forbid us to think it altogether original: it is however indeed but indifferent, and there are more oaths than either humour requires or good manners sanction. By the way, we could wish that several lapses of this kind were also suppressed in the Green Man: it is a great mistake to suppose that vulgar swearing adds any thing to the spirit of dialogue. The French stage is less moral than the English, and the habits of the people more licentious; yet the one would not offer, nor the other tolerate, that breach of decorum which is with us" as common as lying." We subjoin Possado, the lodging-house keeper's song, as the most amusing specimen.

When first sweet Mrs. Poss I knew,
Oh! I was jealous, it is true

Of Mrs. Poss;
But married once, no jealous touch
E'er came my heart to trouble much
With Mrs. Poss.

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Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical.

[VOL. 4

ར

VARIETIES.

From the Monthly Magazines, August, 1818.

A Mr. Robert Aiken, at Stranraer in Scotland, has discovered a new mode of curing Herrings, so as to prevent the yellow rust, and preserve the fish in its original whiteness. The same mode of curing is applicable to meat and butter, which remain amazingly fresh, and have a pleasant taste when submitted to this process.

T is a singular coincidence, that in
1718, at the distance of precisely one
hundred years from the present, the
weather was extremely hot and dry
over all Europe. The air felt so op-
pressive that all the Theatres were shut
in Paris. Scarcely any rain fell for
the space of nine months, and the
springs and rivers were dried up. The
grass and corn were quite parched. In
some places, the fruit-tress blossomed
two or three times. The thermometer renest hours."
(Fahrenheit's) rose to 98° at Paris.

WITCHCRAFT.

Ingenious inscription upon a Sun Dial in Paris.-" I count only the se

Falstaff's Company.-During the representation of Shakspeare's Henry

The following letter is copied from IV. in the Theatre at Berlin, Falstaff the Harleian manuscript, 1686, predescribing his company, an honest served in the British Museum. It is tradesmen in the pit said to his Bride, from a Mr. Manning, dissenting teach-Only hear, all that is a joke upon the er at Halstead in Sussex, to John Mor- Landsturm!" An unequivocal testimoley, Esq. Halstead. ny that the Poet is adapted to all times.

Halstead, August 2, 1632. SIR,-The narrative wh I gave you in relation to witchcraft, and which

Cure for the Jaundice.-Drink plentifully of decoction of carrots.

Cure for the Gout.-Apply a leekpoultice to the part affected.

rately of marlamade of quinces.
Cure for Dysentery.-Eat mode-

N. B. Tincture of goose-grass is an imperial sweetener of the blood.

PHILADELPHOS.

Brixton, Surrey, 12 Aug. 1818.

you are pleased to lay your commands
upon me to repeat, is as follows. There
was one Master Collett, a smith by
trade, of Haveingham in the county of
Suffolk, formerly served in Sir John
Duke's family, in Benhall in Suffolk,
who, as 'twas customary with him, as-
sisting the maids to churne, and not
being able (as the phrase is) to make
the butter come, threw an hot iron into
the churn, under the notion of witch- An intelligent Correspondent (of
craft in the case, upon which a poore the New Monthly Mag.) says that
labourer, then employed in carrying of the tender shoots of Scotch fir, peeled
dung in the cart, cried out in a terrible and eaten fasting early in the morning
manner, They have killed me! they in the woods, when the weather is dry,
have killed me! still keeping his hand has performed many cures of pulmona-
upon his back, intimating where the ry complaints among the Highlanders."
paine was, and died upon the spot. Is the effect the same as in the instance
Mr. Collett, with the rest of the ser- of tar-water recommended in one of
vants then present, took off the poore our recent Numbers ?
man's clothes, and found, to their great
surprize, the mark of the iron that was
heated and thrown into the churn,
deeply impressed upon his back. This
account I had from Mr. Collett's own
mouth, who, being a man of an un-
blemished character, I verily believe to
be matter of fact. I am, Sir, &c.

SAM. MANNING.

P. Gumilla, Hist. Natur. de l'Oreonoque, says that 18 Spaniards seated themselves on a snake, which they mistook for an old trunk of a tree, and which, to their great astonishment, began to move! This was in the woods of Cora, Venezula.

* We insert these pithy Recipes as we have received them.---ED.

The New Monthly Magazine mentions a patent by Louis F. Vallet, of Walbrook, for the manufacture of a new ornamental surface to metal or metallic composition. This is a variety of crystallization of tin. with a brush or sponge, and consists of 1 part sulpheric acid, and 5 parts water, each mixture separate; then 10 parts of

164

Varieties.

[VOL. 4

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM ROME.
June 16.

Among all the remarkable things

Moscow, on the same spot where he wejeff went home, received the stone, afterwards erected a great building of thanked the deputies,and built his palace. stone, which (if it was not destroyed in 1812) is still standing, and belongs to the princely family of Metschtschersky. The Czar had very often advised him to build a palace, but be always that I have seen, I was very much evaded it. The Czar at length declar- struck with a religious festival in Gening that he would himself have the pal- zano (a little town between Velletri ace built for him, he answered-that he and Rome) for the celebration of Corhad already taken some measures for pus-Christi, which took place this day its erection, and he now actually order- week. It has been the custom there ed materials for building. But at that from time immemorial to spread out in time there was not sufficient stone in two particular streets a carpet, put toMoscow for the foundation. The re- gether with great ingenuity, of flowers port was soon spread that the Bojar interwoven, over which the procession Matwejeff wanted to build a house, but with the host marches. Every family could not begin for want of stones for of this town takes upon itself a comthe foundation. The Strelitzin and partment of this carpet, which is richly the people assembled and consulted, adorned with symbolical figures, heraland the next day they sent deputies to dic devices, portraits, &c.; and it is Matwejeff. These said--" The Strel- not to be described with what indusitzin and the people have learned that try, pleasure, and care the religious you want stones for the foundation of zeal of these good country people comyour house, and they salute you, and bines these various flowers in a real beg that you would accept them as a work of art. Strangers and inhabitants present from them." My dear flock from all sides; among the latter friends," answered Matwejeff," I do the country women are particularly disnot want your presents, but if you have tinguished by their beauty and antiquestones, sell them to me: I am rich, and looking dress. The fine prospect over can pay for them." The deputies an- the lake of Reme, and the appearance swered That you cannot do; those of the sea in the horizon, the glow of who sent us will not sell the stones at the colours and grace of the forms unany price, but they will gladly make der which nature is seen, the delicious their benefactor a present of them, and air, and all that you hear, see, or feel beg of you not to refuse it." It was around, elevates the mind, and imparts long before Matwejeff was persuaded, a solemn charm to this festival.

་

but he at last consented. How great was his surprise when he saw, the next

From the London Literary Gazette.

WELL.

morning, his whole court-yard filled ORIGINAL ANECDOTE. OLIVER CROM-. with TOMB-STONES! The deputies came again, and said, "We have fetch- Oliver Cromwell was one day ened these stones from the graves of our gaged in a warm argument with a lady fathers and children; and it was on that on the subject of oratory-in which account that we would not sell them at she maintained that eloquence could any price; but to the man who has only be acquired by those who made it done so much for us, we make a pres- their study in early youth, and their ent of that which we so highly vener- practice afterwards. The Lord Proate." Matwejeff begged them to wait, tector, on the contrary, maintained, and he went to the Czar, whom he that there was an eloquence which made acquainted with this singular oc- sprang from the heart, since when that currence, "Take the stones," said the was deeply interested in the attainment Czar, "the people must love you sin- of any object, it never failed to supply cerely since they rob the graves of their a fluency and richness of expression, families for your sake :-such a pres- which would, in the comparison, renent, my friend, I would myself grate- der vapid the studied speeches of the fully accept from the people." Mat- most celebrated orators.

VOL. 4.]

Varieties: Critical, Literary, and Historical.

This argument ended, as most arguments do in the lady's tenaciously adhering to her belief in the impossibility of any one making an eloquent speech, who had never scientifically studied the art of speaking in public-and in the Protector's telling her he was weil convinced that he should one day make her a convert to his opinion.

It happened some days after, that this lady was thrown into a state bordering on distraction, by the unexpected arrest and imprisonment of her husband, who was conducted to the Tower, as a traitor to the government. The agonized wife flew to the Lord Protector's, rushed through his guards, threw herself at his feet, and with the inost pathetic eloquence, pleaded for the life and innocence of her injured husband. His highness maintained a severe brow,till the petitioner,overpowered by the excess of her feelings, and the energy with which she had expressed them-paused-then his stern countenance relaxed into a smile, and extending to her an order for the immediate liberation of her husband, be said: "I think all who have witnessed this scene will vote on my side of the question in dispute between us the other day-that the eloquence of the heart, is far above that, mechanically acquired by study."

Whether the compliment could possibly make amends for the severe and painful lesson which called it forth, I must leave to my readers to decide on according to their individual characters. (From a MS. by the Author of John Sobieski,king of Poland.)

Extensive serpentine veins and rocks of chromate of iron have been discovered in the Shetland Islands. From this ore several beautiful and very durable pigments are obtained, which are highly valued in the arts. Hither to the inarket has been supplied from North America, but the abundance of it in Shetland will now form a valuable export from that island.

TRANSLATOR'S blunder.

In Germany it is said familiarly of goods conveyed by land carriage, that they are

165

transported" on the axle-tree," auf der Achse. One of our Journalists translating a German newspaper in which the phrase occurred, mistook this for a river Achse, and lamented that he could not find on the map this important medium for supplying the towns on the Elbe with merchandize when that river was blockaded!!--- Autumn on the Rhine.

PHILOSOPHICAL TEA-PO”8 AND FIRE-SCREENS.

The difference that subsists in various bodies in conducting heat, has been known

for a considerable time; the difference that takes place in various surfaces, in imbibing and discharging, as well as in reflecting it has been ascertained with accuracy but lately. From a polished metallic surface, it is found that it is as feebly emitted as it is strongly reflected while from a surface of another substance, such as glass, or, what is better, paper, it is discharged with a profusion proportional to the reluctance with which, in the same kind of surface, it is imbibed. A variety of improvements is, from tins ecenomy of nature, suggested in the practical management of heat. A vessel with a bright metallic surface must be the best fitted to preserve liquors warm, and also the best conservatory to keep them cool. A silver tea-pot will emit scarcely half as much heat as one of porcelain and the slightest varoish thenware, is reckoned to make that kind of of platina gold or silver, as appled to earmanufacture about one thad part more retentive of heat than it would be without it. On the other hand, metallic teakettles become more easily heated on the fire, when they have lost their polish, and their bottoms have become tarnished and smoked; and if any bright surface of metal be slightly furrowed, or divided by fine flutings, it will emit the heat very sensibly faster. In consequence of this doctrine, Professor Leslie says, a plate of metal, however thin, if only burnished on each side, will form a most efficacious screen. A smooth sheet of pasteboard, gilt over on both sides, would, he adds, answer the same purpose: but what he suggests as most complete in efficacy and elegant in form, would be composed of two parallel sheets of China paper placed about an inch asunder, and having their inner surfaces and their outsides sprinkled with flowers of gold and silver.

VARIATION CHARTS.

Mr. Thomas Yeates has constructed a va

riation chart of all the navigable oceans and south, from accurate documents obtained of seas between latitude 65 deg. north and Spanish surveys in the Pacific Ocean; journals at the Hydrographical Office Admiralty; and at the East Lodia House; collated with tables of the variatious recently formed from the observations of different navigators. the magnetic meridians being drawn upon it This chart is delineated on a new plan, all throughout, for every change of one degree in the variation; and it will be elucidated with explanatory notes, and a brief statement of the late discovery of an aberration in the variation resulting from the deviation or change of a ship's head from the magnetic meridian, accompanied by the rules invented

by the late Captain Flinders for correcting the same.