He farther tells us, that this is one of the most ancient customs, which from the remotest ages has been, by repetition from year to year, perpetuated down to our days, not being at this instant totally exploded, especially in the lower classes of life. It was considered as the boundary day, that divided the confines of winter and summer, allusively to which there was instituted a sportful war between two parties; the one in defence of the continuance of winter, the other for bringing in the summer. The youths were divided into troops, the one in winter livery, the other in the gay habit of spring. The mockbattle was always fought booty; the spring was sure to obtain the victory, which they celebrated by carrying triumphantly green branches with many flowers, proclaiming and singing the song of joy, of which the burden was in these or equivalent terms:-"We have brought the summer home."

With these, the simplest modes of celebrating the rites of May-day, was anciently united the Morris-dance, consisting of several characters, which were often varied, both in number, application, and dress. The Morris-dance appears to have been introduced into this kingdom about the reign of Edward IV., and is without doubt derived from the Morisco, a dance peculiar to the Moors, and generally termed the Spanish Morisco, from its notoriety in Spain during the dynasty of that people in the Peninsula. The Morris-dance in this country, when not connected with the games of Robin Hood, usually consisted of the Lady of the May, the Fool, or domestic

buffoon of the 15th and 16th centuries, a Piper, and two, four, or more, Morris-dancers. They were originally dressed as Moors with blacked' faces, but their habit came afterwards to any species of suitable fantastic dress; and their business was to dance round the May-pole. The introduction of Robin Hood and his outlaws, with Maid Marian, the hobby-horse, and all the pageantry and pantomime accompanying them, took place considerably later, and were generally exhibited with their most complicated ceremony, in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I.

These festivities on May-day were first attacked by the Puritans in the reigns just mentioned, as relicks of Pagan superstition, and were totally set aside by their more enthusiastic successors in the Civil War. They were oncemore revived at the Restoration; but at present few vestiges remain either of these ancient rites, or of those attendant on other periodical popular festivals. The last May-pole in London was taken down in 1717. It was conveyed to Wanstead-park, to mount an immensely large telescope on, belonging to Sir Isaac Newton, and had originally been 100 feet high above the surface of the ground. It stood on the site of the New Church in the Strand. Pope thus perpetuates its remembrance:

"Amidst the area wide they took their stand,

When the tall May-pole once o'erlook'd the Strand."

Herald.

NEW NOVEL.

LYINGS AND THIEVINGS.

A NEW novel is talked of, which promises to excite a very lively sensation in certain sensitive circles, particularly among Public Defaulters. The announcement, too, is peculiar in its wording-" Preparing for publication, in post 8vo. LYINGS and THIEVINGS,"

"Full of wise saws and modern instances.

The story is said to be wholly founded on facts, if not of a romantic, at least of a very extravagant character, and possessing the sort of interest which a perusal of the Newgate Calendar inspires. Much political and even fiscal, as well as scandalous matter, will be introduced, andwhat is a rarity indeed in a novel-official papers of the Treasury and Board of Audit will, it is said, form an important part of the contents!

Examiner.

SONNET TO A CHILD.

THOU darling child! When I behold the smile
Over thy rosy features brightly stray,
(Its light unrivall'd by the morning ray),
Thy fair and open brow unpraised the while,
With an appealing glance so void of guile,
(Untaught the trusting bosom to betray);
Thy sinless graces win my soul away

From dreams and thoughts, that darken and defile!—
Scion of beauty! If a stranger's eye

Thus dwell upon thee; if his bosom's pain,
Charm'd by thine only smile, forget to smart,

Oh! how unutterably sweet her joy!

Oh! how indisolubly firm the chain,

Whose links of love entwine a Mother's heart!

Blackwood's Magazine.

VALUE OF PRINTING.

IN 1274, the price of a small Bible neatly transcribed was 301. a sum equal to at least 2 or 3001. of our money. A good and clearly printed Bible may now be had for two or three shillings. It is related, that the building of the two arches of London bridge cost only 251., which is 51. less than what a copy of the Bible sold for many years afterwards. These facts afford a curious commentary on the changes and advantages produced by the extraordinary invention of printing, which has done so much to alter or to shake all the institutions of the world, wherever the press has appeared. Chronicle.

THE PAWNBROKERS AND THE PHILANTHROPIC

LOAN.

THE men who tempt with golden balls

Indignantly decry

A Loan, which some arch witling calls
"The Loan of Mrs. Fry."

But while they practise on the town,

No wonder that they rail

At all who'd pull those symbols down,
Which needy wretches hail.

Yet must they fall-for lo! the Knight
So fam'd for shells and rockets,
Will blast pawnbrokers out of sight,
And save the people's pockets *.

Herald.

* Sir William Congreve is said to have devised the plan of the "Philanthropic Loan," and Mrs. Fry lends her earnest assistance to see it carried into execution.

SONG.

FROM "THE IMPROVISATRICE."

WHEN should lovers breathe their vows?

When should ladies hear them?

When the dew is on the boughs,

When none else are near them;

When the moon shines cold and pale,
When the birds are sleeping,
When no voice is on the gale,
When the rose is weeping;

When the stars are bright on high,

Like hopes in young Love's dreaming,
And glancing round the light clouds fly,
Like soft fears, to shade their beaming.
The fairest smiles are those that live

On the brow by star-light wreathing;
And the lips their richest incense give,
When the sigh is at midnight breathing.
Oh! softest is the cheek's love-ray
When seen by moonlight hours;
Other roses seek the day,

But blushes are night-flowers.

Oh! when the moon and stars are bright,

When the dew-drops glisten,

Then their vows should lovers plight

Then should ladies listen.

Chronicle.

INSCRIPTION ON SHERIDAN'S COFFIN.

MR. SHERIDAN died July 7th, 1816, aged 55 years; but, the man who engraved the plate for his coffin, knowing that 50 was fifty, concluded that 505, would express 55, which was really engraved.

Mirror,