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and many have found it to act as an opiate, its milky juice partaking much of the qualities of the poppy. Indeed it is a wise dispensation of the beneficent God of nature, that our common articles of food should have a medicinal pro

positæ Semifloscule; and in generic character is in some instances, a vɛry powerful sedative, they all have the calyx common imbricated and cylindric, its scales also are numerous and sharp, and membranaceous on the margin: the corolla, like the calyx, is imbricated, but compound, yet uniform, with numerous corollets which are numerous, equal, and herma-perty; and this from its aperient qualities has phrodite; the corolla also is one petalled, is four, some times five toothed, and always truncated and ligulate. In the stamen we find five filaments, which are capillary and very short, whilst the anthers are tubular and cylindric. The pistil has the germ subovate; the style filiform and of equal length with the stamens; whilst the stigmas are reflex, and two in number. This genus is remarkable for having no pericarp; instead of which it has the calyx converging and ovate cylindric; the seeds also are solitary, acuminate, ovate, and compressed; with a capillary down; and on a long stipe attenuuated at the lower extremity. The particular features of the essential character of this useful vegetable are, that it has the calyx imbricate, and cylindrical, with a membranaceous margin; that the receptacle is naked; and that the seeds are even, with a simple stipitate down.

Of the lettuce there are no less than eleven distinct species, several of which have other varieties; these are the oak leaved, endive leaved, garden, prickly, strong scented, tuberous rooted, Canadian, Indian, Perennial, &c. Of these, the garden lettuce more particularly claims our attention, but it is almost unnecessary to enumerate its several varieties of the cabbage, Cilicia, Dutch brown,|| Aleppo, Imperial Cos, &e.; nor shall we present our fair readers with any novelty, when we tell them that it has large, milky, wrinkled leaves of a palish green in general, but of different tints in the different varieties; yet it is possible from this vegetable being generally cut for use before its efflorescence, that many of them have not observed it in that state, when it may be found with a strong round stem, nearly a yard in height, covered with a profusion of small yellow flowers.

There is perhaps no vegetable in common use possessed of more powerful medicinal qualities than this; fortunately, indeed, its effects are both cooling and wholesome; yet it

often been used with success when administered to those of hot and bilious constitutions. This may be pleasing intelligence to those who, according to the vulgar adage, “have more need of the cook than the doctor;" but it may also be interesting to the fair patronesses of the children of poverty in the neighbourhood of their country seats, that a very cheap medicine may be prepared from the very refuse of their kitchen gardens, by gathering the seeds of this plant which may by the help of a pestle and mortar, and a little water, be formed into an emollient emulsiou fully equal to milk of almonds, uay in some instances superior to it, being really possessed of a more refrigerating quality, and therefore extremely beneficial in many complaints arising from acrimony in the blood, the offspring of poor diet, &c.; nor has it any affinity in its opiate quality to the juice of the leaves, and therefore less likely to be injudiciously administered.

Some of the varieties of this elegant vegetable have a great resemblance to the thistle in their leaves; particularly that called the oak. leaved. This is now supposed to be a native of Germany, and also of Sweden; but has long been cultivated in this country, though not in commou use; but there is another sort called the strong scented which may be found wild in Cambridgeshire, and in several other parts of England. This latter kind too abounds with the milky juice, whose soporific qualities are so powerful that it may be administered so as to produce exactly the same effect as laudanum. The process of collecting this juice is easy; the succulent parts of the plant must be wounded in various places in April and May, when the exuding juice dries up from the heat of the sun, and it is then fit for

use.

It is rather a curious fact that the medical world should adhere so strictly to the exhibiting of foreign drugs, when there are so many medicinal plants at home which in some in

stances are more efficacious, and may with some justice be considered as specifics in particular disorders. One physician, indeed, a Doctor Collier, has given us some very favourable statements of the efficacy of the strong scented lettuce in cases of dropsy; twentyfour of which he states to have been cured by its use, the patients having taken from eighteen grains to three drachms of the extract in twenty-four hours. It is unnecessary to enter into a detail of its effects, any further than that it immediately relieves the distressing

thirst in that disorder. It is dissolved in wine, and the proportions may be easily ascertained, as a certain quantity of wine will only dissolve a certain portion of the extract, wheu a teaspoonful may be given in a glass of water.

We must now conclude this part of our dish of sallad with observing, that although this plant is so common, practical botanists have not yet agreed whether the cabbage lettuce is an improvement by cultivation from the common, or if the latter is deteriorated from the former.

Illustrations of the Graphic Art;

EXEMPLIFIED BY SKETCHES FROM THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AT PARIS.

THE MISER.

WERE it not for the date of 1664 upon this miniature, for such it is both in size and execution, it might well be supposed to have been one of the first attempts of Gerard Dow; indeed it can scarcely be believed that at fifty years of age his genius should be retrograde. But the colour of this is a dirty dingy yellow; and though all the details are very circumstantial, yet they are executed with a poor effect; for the shadows are weakened by an excess of transparency, which is a glaring defect: the left hand and arm also are too meagre; the right ones are indeed beautiful, from the accurate execution of the wrinkles and the aged skin; but then the face is too thin, and has too much of the dismality of greedy avarice. A little accessory to the general plan must not be omitted, that is, a seal of wax banging to a lease or grant. This seal has the impression of an armed knight, and the talent of the painter has certainly there done its utmost. We must not either pass by part of his arm-chair, which is finished with a degree of labour sufficient to drive an ordinary painter to despair of ever imitating its exactitude. Indeed the evident care of the artist in this point, and the importance he eeems to have given to this feature cannot escape the observation of the most cursory spectators. The companion of this piece

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A SERVANT MAID, WITH A LAMP. Painters attempt not either the sun or a candle; it is sufficient if the pencil will produce a resemblance of reflected lights. when art does attempt those difficult subjects, or rather those impossibilities, what is the event? Why, simply this, that the artist, obliged to reunite his lights, as it were, to form a luminous focus, and to preserve as much as possible the scale of natural proportion between the direct light and the enlightened object, finds himself at such a prodigious distance from the effect intended, in consequence of the extreme difference in degree, that the latter object is always less luminous than it really is in nature. The flesh is always coppery, or of an amber colour, and that even whilst the candle is not an ardent or brilliant light. All this is found in the subject before Nobody indeed could do it better than Gerard Dow has done.

us.

It is also evident that this little picture has been re-touched; for the whole of the lower half of the countenance is not from the hand of Gerard Dow; nay, we can even distinguish the seam or line of division. The eyes alone develope the pencil of the master; these are brilliant and highly finished. The effect of the hand which covers the light is also well imagined; we can see the glow between the fingers; but the whole of the band and wrist is too meagre

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9

POETRY.

We are indebted for the following Extracts to a Volume of Poems, recently published by a Lady of the name of MARY RUSSELL MITFORD.

The Work contains a variety of entertaining Sub

jects, and may be recommended as deserving the patronage of our Readers.

THE VOICE OF PRAISE.

THERE is a voice of magic power,

To charm the old, delight the young

In lordly ball, in rustic bower,

In every clime, in every tongue, Howe'er its sweet vibration rung, In whispers low, in poet's lays,

There lives not one who has not hung, Euraptur'd on the voice of praise. The timid child, at that soft voice,

Lifts for a moment's space the eye;

It bids the fluttering heart rejoice,
And stays the step prepar'd to fly :

But oh! a thousand times more sweet,
The praise of these we love to hear!
Like balmy showers in summer heat,
It falls upon the greedy ear.

The lover lulls his rankling wound,

By hanging on his fair one's name! The mother listens for the sound

Of her young warrior's growing fame; Thy voice can soothe the mourning dame, Of her soul's wedded partner riven;

Who cherishes the hallow'd flame, Parted on earth to meet in Heaven!

'Tis pleasure breathes that short quick sigh,|| That voice can quiet passion's mood,

And flushes o'er that rosy face;

Whilst shame and infant modesty
Shrink back with hesitating grace.

The lovely Maiden's dimpled cheek,
At that sweet voice still deeper glows;
Her quivering lips in vain would seek,

To hide the bliss her eyes disclose ;
The charm her sweet confusion shows,
Oft springs from some low broken word;
O praise! to her how sweetly flows
Thine accent from the lov'd one heard!

The Hero, when a people's voice

Proclaims their idol victor near, Feels he not then bis soul rejoice,

Their shouts of love, of praise to hear? Yes! fame to the generous mind is dear— It pierces to their inmost core;

He weeps, who never shed a tear, He trembles, who ne'er shook before.

The Poet too-Ah well I deem,

Small is the need the tale to tell; Who knows not that his thought, his dream, On thee at noon, at midnight dwell? Who knows not that the magic spell Can charm bis every care away;

In memory cheer his gloomy cell, In hope can lend a deathless day.

'Tis sweet to watch affection's eye,

To mark the tear with love replete,

To feel the softly breathing sigh,

When friendship's lips the tones repeat ;

Can humble merit raise on high, And from the wise and from the good

It breathes of immortality; There is a lip, there is an eye, Where most I love to see it shine,

To hear it speak, to feel it sighMy mother, need I say 'tis thine!

TO A YELLOW BUTTERFLY.
HAIL! lovelist insect of the spring!
Gay, careless, buoyant flutterer, hail !
High soaring on thy downy wing,
Or sporting in the sunny vale!
Oh! lovely is thy airy form,

That wears the primrose hue so fair,
It seems as if some passing storm
Had rais'd the beautous flower in air.
Far different from the spotted race,

That sultry June's bright suns unfold ; That seek in her fair flowers, their place,

And proud display their wings of gold. For brilliant is their varying dye,

And, basking in the fervid ray, They in the new-blown roses lie,

And round the gay carnation play.

But thou, with modest April's flower, Her violet sweet of snowy hue Tranquil shall pass the noon-tide hour, And sip content the evening dew.

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