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Arabian derivation. This name, however, ap-
plies to the whole genus, including both
gooseberries and currants; and both in botanical

arrangement are classed as PENTANDRIA
MONOGYNIA, and ranked in the natural
order of Pomacea. In generic character, these
have in the calyx, the perianth one leafed, half
five cleft, ventrecose; the segments oblong,
concave, reflex, and permanent; the corolla
has five petals, obtuse, erect, and growing to
the margin of the calyx; the stamen has five
filaments, subulate, erect, and inserted into
the calyx; whilst the anthers are incumbent,
compressed, and opening at the margin. In the
the
pistil, the germ is roundish, and inferior;
style bifid; the stigma obtuse. The pericarp
has the berry globular, and requires no further
definition, as its various properties may be
more easily ascertained even by a rambler in
Covent-Garden. In essential character, it is
unnecessary to mention more to the tyro in
botany, than that the petals are specifically
five, and inserted with the stamen into the
calyx, that the style is bifid, and the berries
many seeded.

Though we have judged the gooseberry deserving of the first notice, yet systematic botanists give the precedence to the

CURRANT;

We will, therefore, so far proceed with them as to adhere to their arrangement in recording the various species of the genus; those they divide into two grand classes; the first unarmed, being the Ribesia, or currant; the second prickly, applied to the Grossulariæ, or gooseberry. In the first there are ten species; the common currant contains both the red and white; of others there are the sweet, the rock, trailing, glandulous, tasteless mountain, || acid mountain, common black, American black, &c. The second has seven species, including the two spined, mountain, roughfruited, smooth-fruited, hawthorn-leaved, prickly-fruited, &c. ; but their cultivation, and perhaps the whim of the cultivators, have produced upwards of two hundred varieties, by rising plants from the seeds.

To conclude with the gooseberry, we shall give a few hints to fair gardeners to enable them to render it as ornamental as it is useful, even in the smallest gardens. It may be observed then, that it will flourish in any soil or situation; even under trees, either fruit or forest; in the out-skirts of the metroplis they may be trained against the low walls or pales in front of the houses, and they will have a very pretty effect on low espaliers, thus affording a pleasing variety, and taking up but

little room in a flower-knot. To those whose horticultural establishment is on a large scale, nothing is easier, though ingenious, than to produce a succession of the fruit; first by planting some against the south-east wall, or paling, which will give them a fortnight's start of the others; to these succeed the espalier fruit; then the produce of the gooseberrybush, and last of all a succession planted against a north wall, which having nothing but the rays of the morning and evening sun, will thus be retarded in their approach to maturity, though they will always ripen in our southern counties, except in very inclement seasons.

It is impossible exactly to ascertain whether the gooseberry or the currant are of earlier cultivation here; but the latter, though now improved with us by cultivation, seems to have been totally unknown to the ancient Romans and Greeks; a circumstance which clearly proves the genus to be of northern origin. Indeed, even at the present day, the southern nations of Europe do not seem to have any appropriate name for it; the modern Italians give it the diminutive name of Uvitta; the Genevese consider it as a kind of grape, to which it certainly has some resemblance both in the fruit and leaves, and call it Raisin de Mars; whilst the French class the currant and gooseberry together under the same name. The Swedes call it Reps, or risp, a word from which our raspberry is perhaps derived; and in England, our common name is nothing more than a corruption of Corinth, a name given to the small Zante, or Corinth grapes, which are too well known to require further elucidation. The common currant, though chiefly indigenous in the northern regions, where it flowers in May, enlivening the dull green of the hedges and woods, may also be found in our northern counties, and even in Scotland in the Island of Isla; to the southward, however, though sometimes found in hedges, we suspect that its appearance in a wild state proceeds from accidental

causes.

There is no fruit, perhaps, in this climate, which when cultivated, can be applied to a greater number of useful purposes; whether we take it from the hand of nature, or permit art to form it into conserves and jellies. Its uses as a basis for home-made wines it would. be superfluous to mention; and by a more speedy process, it forms a pleasant acid for punch, or an agreeable beverage which some years ago was a great favourite in Paris. Its medicinal qualities, however, may be dwelt on here with some propriety, as they may enable

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que fir pupi's to biend benevolence with amusement, and to promote the health of their poorer ue ghbours by a well-timed supply from their store of conserves. We do not, indee, expect that they will become the La Bouutiful of each parish so far as to administer the more powerful, and perhaps dau,erous remedies; but we have no doubt that in many cases of village sickness, a few prescriptions from the larder and the storecloset will do more good than the whole arı ay of pill-boxes and phials, so pompously exhibited by the village Galen ; and the butteryhatch will be a more agreeable dispensary than the half-glazed silk-curtained door, and dashing gilded sign-board! In conformity with this then, we may observe, with a modern botanical writer, that the medicinal qua lities of red currants, for white ones do not seem to be so efficacious, are in general similar to the other sub-acid fruits, which are esteemed to be moderately refrigerant, antiseptic, attenuan', and aperient. They may therefore be safely administered, and sometimes with cousiderable advantage, for the purpose of allaying thirst in slight febrile cases; or to correct a putrid and scorbutic state of the fluids arising from the cold, damp, cheerless atmosphere, and scanty coverings of the mansions of poverty. If the currant was to be cultivated merely for ornamental purposes, we should particularly call the attention of our readers to that variety called the rock currant, which grows to the height of four or five feet, and has its racemes curiously scattered over the stem and branches; these are solitary, and when in flower are always upright; and even so, when in fruit, if the berries are not very numerous. The flowers are particularly elegant, and may even, re. Jatively speaking, be called large; and these are scattered in short pedicles, which have a very short tracte at their basis.

It is a curious fact, that this species and the common sert have been reciprocally inoculated on each other, without in the slightest degree changing their properties; yet the rock currant is obstinate in resisting all amelioration from cultivation, nor will the culture of years produce any change in its acid acerbity.

To go into a strict analysis of all the varieties would far exceed our limits; but we may observe with respect to the black currant, that in Russia, not only is wine made from the fruit, and fermented with honey, and a slight addition of spirits, but even the leaves are used, when young, to give a tinge to their common spirits, thereby producing both the appearance and flavour of brandy. An in

fusion of the leaves also bears a strong resemblance to green tea, and is a useful driuk in feverish complaints.

But there is another fruit-bearing shrub of the orchard, which deserves particular notice here, not only for its culinary qualities, but also for some very curious facts connected with its sensitive flowers; we allude to the

BERBERRY,

Or barberry, and pippiredge bush, as it is sometimes called. In classification this is amongst the HEXANDRIA MONOGYNIA; in generic character, it has the perianth six leaved, patulous; leaflets ovate, with a narrow base, concave, alternately smaller, coloured, deciduous. In the corolla, the petals are six; these also are roundish, concave, erect, expanding, but scarcely larger than the calyx. The stamen possesses six filaments, which are erect, compressed, obtuse; and the anthers are two in number, fastened on each side to the top of the filaments. The pistil has a cylindric germ, which is equal in length to the stamen; it has no style, but the stigma is orbiculate, and surrounded with a sharp edge. In essential character, the calyx is sixleaved; and the petals are six, with two glands at the claws: it is also part of the essential character that there is no style. We have entered more minutely into the particulars of its classification, because that its flowers exhibit an extraordinary instance of its sensitive mechanism, and which is highly deserving of notice. It was first noticed by Linnæus that when bees alighted on this shrub in search of honey, an approximation of the anthers frequently took place, ou their touching the racemes. This has been more accurately observed by the ingenious Doctor Smith, who tells us that the stamen of such flowers as are open bend back to each petal, and shelter themselves under their concave tops; in this state no shaking of the branch either by wind, or by the haud, produces any effect upon them whatever; but if the experimentalist introduces a straw or pencil, they instantly spring from the petal and strike the anther against the stigma, like the hammer on the anvil. On au accurate examination, however, it does not appear that this irritability exists on the outside of the filament, nor even in the anther itself; which may be easily ascertained by touching either of them with a pen or feather; nay, even if a stamen is bent by the assistance of a pair of scissars to the stigma, still no voluntary contraction is produced in the filament. It is therefore evident that the high degree of contractile irritability

is lodged in the inside of the filament, next to the germ, on the touching of which, only, the phenomenon takes place. This experiment may be tried with flowers of all ages, and will be invariably successful; and even if the germ is cut off, the filament, when touched, will bend over quite to the other side. The philosophy of this experiment, as explained by Doctor Smith, is extremely simple, and is doubtless already evident to most of our readers. With

and forests, and in smaller thickets; but in England when wild, is found mostly on a chalky soil; indeed, from these various circumstances, we are inclined to believe that we are indebted to the East for its name only, as it is next to impossible that it could have been so widely scattered over Europe, if not indigenous.

It is a curious fact, among others connected with this shrub, that its flowers have a very

respect to the purpose of nature in this curi-offensive smell, when placed near the olfactory

ous contrivance, he observes, that in the original position of the stamen, the anthers are sheltered from rain in the concavity of the petals, and there probably they remain until some insect coming to extract honey from the base of the flower, forces itself between the filaments, and unavoidably touches them in the sensitive part.

organs, which however becomes a grateful odour at a small distance. So acid are the berries that few birds will peck them; yet are they so well known in our domestic arrangements, that it is superfluous to speak of their being pickled for garnishing various dishes, or of their being formed into a jelly; yet it may afford some useful hints when we mention, that a very fine yellow colour may be produced from boiling the roots in lye. In Poland, indeed, it is said that they colour leather of a bright yellow, with the bark of the roots; and we understand that several ingenious ladies have dyed linen and other

Of the barberry in general there are four species; the common, box leaved, holm leaved, and Siberian. The common barberry, however, is that of general cultivation here, and is commonly met with to the height of ten feet; its stem and brauches too are armed with thorns, which are generally triple. It is sup-substances, of a brilliant yellow, with the posed to be of Eastern nativity, and even its name is said to be of Arabic origin; it is now, however, to be found in most parts of the European Continent, where it thrives in woods

isuer bar of the stem, fixed with allum.

In our next lecture we shall lead our fair readers into the kitchen garden, to gather some of the carly product of the season.

HERALDRY, ILLUSTRATIVE OF ANCESTRY AND GENTILITY.

WE have now led our fair readers through all the mysteries of blazon; and little remains for us in the concluding lecture, but to notice the general state of heraldry in the United Kingdom, with a comparative sketch of what it was on the Continent before philosophical anarchy overturned the monuments of past ages, and endeavoured not to raise, but to reduce mankind to a speculative equality.

rial bearings was absolutely necessary for the preservation, or at least for the security of the lineal descent of property; indeed, before the vast increase of our commercial cstablishment enabled our merchants to become pos. sessed of estates, superior in value, if not in extent, to those of many of the ancient Barons, the sales of lands were very circum. scribed; so that on the extinction of the principal line of any family, the estates remained for collateral claimants, under the entails or settlements of the original proprietors. After a lapse of years such relationship would, however, have become obscure and uncertain, if a sedulous attention to genealogical inquiries had not been paid by the Herald's College. The office of herald is in itself of great anti

It has been regretted by some, that the laws of heraldry are less attended to in England than they were formerly; for the Earl Marshal's Court was once a Court of Record. It is useless, however, to lament that which is the natural result of a change of circumstances, and which is part of that gradual reform, or rather gradual alteration which has been taking place for so many centuries;quity; and some writers even attribute the alterations in which amelioration and deterioration go hand in haud; for constituted as mankind is, we cannot expect to find the one without the other.

Formerly the strict attention paid to armo

original institution as a College or corpora tion, to Alexander the Great, who, they tell us, regulated the use of arms, and the distinctious of blazonry, and a the same time granted particular coats to his principal offi

cers as rewards for valour, memorials of virtue, and as public testimonials of his favour.

Some modern sceptics, however, have considered these as idle tales, and scarcely deserving of notice; yet it must be acknow. Jedged that armorial emblems, though perhaps not hereditary, were actually in use not very long after that period, as may be readily ascertained by a visit to the British Museum, where, in the Hamilton collection, are several vases with shields, on which different devices are represented. Still it must be acknowledged that bluzonry, in its present scientific state, is the offspring of chivalry and of crusades.

or

monasteries for the purpose of research, as well as the mansions of the nobility and gentry. We have reason to believe that the registers of these monasteries were, in most instances, very correct and accurate; in the confusion, however, incident to the dissolution, most of them were lost or destroyed, to the great detriment of the public at large, and of the lovers of heraldry in particular. The latest of these visitations is in 1686, and it would seem as if men's minds took a change from their old opinions and old prejudices at the period of the Revolution; it is not easy at this distance of time to ascertain why they were dropped, though it is not impossible that they might be considered as likely to preserve those distinctions and family disputes which it was the policy of the Government to close up; and this is the more likely, as the very same principle seems to have prevailed at the Restoration in preventing the establishment of a new order, intended to be called the Order of the Royal Oak.

Many have wished that these visitations should be again had recourse to, and they would certainly be useful in many instances; but there are many difficulties in the way, not only from the change of property, but also from the change of manners.

We shall now proceed to the origin of Heralds in this country, when they were not only attached to the King's person, but also in the employ of the powerful Barons. At that time they were ordered to assist the Sheriffs with their genealogical knowledge, for it was specifically enjoined to the Sheriffs, that they should not call, name, or write in any assize, sessions, court, or other open place, or give in any writing the addition of esquire or gentleman, to or for any person whatever, unless he was able to stand to or justify the same by the law of arms, should be ascertained thereof by advertisement in writing from the provincial King at Arms." In latter times, the assuming of arms at will, and the ignorance as well as obstiof who had assumed them withnacy many out any right whatever, had produced many inconveniencies, as well as much confusion and absurdity, notwithstanding the procla mation of Henry V. by which it was ordered, "that no person whatsoever should assume or bear arms unless he held or ought to hold them by right of inheritance, or by the donation of some person who had sufficient power to give them; and that all persons should make it appear to officers to be ap-formerly, for though it has of late been the fapointed by the said King for that purpose, by whose gift they enjoyed such arms as they respectively bore, excepting those who bore arms with him in the battle of Agincourt."

It is supposed by some that the Herald's visitations had taken place previous to that period, and in the reign of Henry IV.; there is, however, no certainty of this, nor does it even appear that this was part of their duty, when first formed into a regular College by Richard III. The first commission for this purpose, upon record, is one given to Benoit, in the year 1525, empowering him to visit the counties of Gloucester, Worcester, Oxford, Wilts, Berks, and Stafford. From this it appears that they commenced just previous to the destruction of monasteries, and that the Kings at Arms were empowered to visit the

Formerly the families of the gentry were stationary in their native mansion, and the berald was certain of finding them at home, instead of being obliged to look for them at Brighton or Bath; the junior branches also were resident at the gloomy Hall, whilst now they are scattered over the world in the army, the navy, and the colonies, or else exerting themselves in commercial industry in the metropolis, or in the manufacturing towns. The families too of the present day, are more branched out by marriages than they were

shion for moralists to complain of the celibacy of the present day, yet on looking over the pedigrees of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and even later, we find that where there were many children in a family, a great proportion of them died unmarried; and the reason of this is self-evident; for a small estate could not form an establishment for so many sons, and the daughters, unable to marry in their own rank, preferred a life of maidenhood, to an union which would have placed them in an inferior station.

Most of the Visitation Books are still preserved in the Herald's College, and many of their duplicates in the British Museum; and, a pretty accurate calculation of the number of gentlemen's families may be made from the total of the pedigrees at the close of the seven

teenth century.

In the province of Norroy King of Armis, north of Trent, there were 1223 pedigrees entered, and south of Trent, under the inspection of Clarencieux, not less than 6550, making in all 7773!

Though the visitations are discontinued, yet those who wish to make entries of their pedigrees, or of the additional generations of their family, may have it done with little trouble or expence; and those who wish to trace their origin will find every facility in doing so, on application at the office of the College. By the rules at present established there for the public accommodation, one of the six heralds, and one of the four pursuivants, attend at regular hours at the College, in monthly rotations; and the office is always open for research from nine in the morning until a reasonable hour in the evening. The herald and pursuivant in attendance make all researches, and furnish enquirers with copies of coats of arms, or with extracts from pedigrecs, as required. The customary fee for a search after a coat of arms, is half-a-crown; and for a copy of a pedigree, or of an extract from it, they demand five shillings for every generation. If the enquirer has no pedigree to boast of, and being the first of his family, wishes for a new coat, it may be procured according to the rules of the institution by an application to the Kings of Arms, who are authorised to grant coats of arms to men of honourable lives, whose fortunes enable them to support the character and appearance of gentlemen.

An old French tourist who wrote of England in the early part of the last century, after describing the Herald's College, says that heraldry is observed with greater strictuess in England than in any other country he had visited. Alluding to the superiority of Eugland over France in that respect, he observes, that a Peer of England may always have his rank distinguished by a stranger, from the coronet on his carriage; but that in France every person that can keep a coach may put a coronet on it according to his fancy; so prevalent indeed was this custom, that he acknowledged that his own barber, at Paris, actually carried a Marquis's coronet over the cypher on his seal! This lively and ingenious Frenchman observes, for the information of his friend at Paris, that few under the rank of a Peer were permitted to wear supporters; none indeed but the heads of some very ancient families, and Knights of the Garter and Bath; and such was the strictness on this sub ject, oven in the reign of Queen Anne, that Brigadier General Lallo, whe was a Frenchman by birth, and of course with the easy asNo. XX. Vol. III.-N. S.

surance of his countrymen, thought himself above the rules of the herald's office, was yet obliged to relinquish the supporters which he bad assumed; because he could not adduce any proofs of being entitled by his descent to bear them in France. He also relates a characteristic anecdote of French vivacity and ignorance respecting the Duke of Shrewsbury, who was sent ambassador to France. The motto of the Talbot family, Prest d'accomplir,

or

"Ready to fulfil," being on his Grace's carriage, the inhabitants of all the towns from Calais to Paris hailed him with joy and gladuess, supposing that he carried this as an emblem of his mission, and as a public notice that he was going to conclude the peace. He then concludes his chapter on mottocs, with mentioning au heraldic pun of a gentleman who, hav. ing a goose for a crest, assumed as a mottoMon oye fait tout!

The principles of heraldry being universal, there are but few varieties to be noticed in Wales or in the sister kingdoms., In the Principality, indeed, there are some peculiarities which seem to support the conjecture that the different tribes of ancient Britons, both of Wales and Cornwall, though bearing coats of arms previous to the time of Edward I. did not adopt the common heraldic symbols of other nations until that period. Even at the present day, the bearings of many of the principal families are scenes, or delineations, of particular circumstances, either real or legendary, which fill up the space on the armorial ensign; in some of these is a wolf scen issuing from a cave, a cradle under a tree with a child guarded by a goat, and numberless others which resemble historic paintings rather than the symbols of heraldry.

In Scotland there has been great attention paid to the science of armory, and that with an affected imitation of the French heralds. Sir George Mackenzie, the great Scottish herald, acknowledges that great part of the Scottish arms are of foreign extraction, and were at first adopted to mark the countries from whence the bearers came. Even Scotland herself bears a double tressure flory and counterflory, in her shield, in remembrance of the league entered into between Achaius, the Scottish King, and the Emperor Charlemagne. It is further deserving of notice, that many families whose surnames differ, yet bear the sam arms, as holding originally of the same eudal lord Allusive arms seem also to have been very common, such as Peacock, Cockourne, &c. which had such bearings; yet the Scottish heralds acknowledge that the arms so taken are presumed not to be noble without Rr

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