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cient to appease the manes of the murdered mermaid, and to this day the appearance of any of the posterity of Shea on the face of the deep near that bay, is said to rouse her ire, and in company with a Shea few fishermen like to sail. Several persons who have treated this as an idle fancy, and held themselves superior to the fear inspired, are said to have paid dearly for their temerity, being bodily swallowed by the insatiable "avenging wave."

ON MR MOON, THE QUEEN'S PRINTSELLER,

BECOMING SHERIFF OF LONDON. Sheriff Moon of the City folk has the best wishes;

Wherever he moves a warm welcome awaits, Because they look forward to exquisite dishes From one who has shown such good taste in his plates.

Reviews.

Antiquities of Highgate.

IN. the review of Mr Prickett's book, the
History and Antiquities of Highgate,'
in the Mirror' of July the 8th, we pro-
mised a further notice, which want of room
has hitherto prevented. Where he speaks
of the ancient roads it seems preposterous
to imagine, seeing what we now see, that
a difficulty in finding a good road to travel
so short a distance as from London to
Highgate should ever have been expe-
rienced. We formerly showed, from an
enactment of the time of Henry VIII, that
his favourite hunting and shooting manor
lay in this direction. Mr Prickett gives
the following curious particulars.
writers quoted are Dr Stukeley and Nor-
den.

The

"The ancient road by Copenhagen want. ing repair, induced passengers to make this gravelly valley become much larger than in Cæsar's time. The old division runs along the road between Finsbury and Holborn division, going in a straight line from Gray's Inn's Lane to Highgate; its antiquity is shown in its name-Madan Lane.' This is the oldest account extant. The following, however, is nearly as interesting:

"The auncient Highwaie to High Bernet from Portepoole, now Gray's Inn, as also from Clerkenwell, was through a lane on the east of Pancras church, called Longwitch Lane, from thence leaving Highgate on the west, it passed through Tallingdone Lane, and so to Crouche ende, and thence through a Parke called Hornsey great Parke to Muswell Hill, Coanie Hatch, Fryarne Barnet, and so to Whetstone, which is now the common highwaie to High Barnet.

"This auncient highwaie was refused of wayfaring men and carriers, by reason of the deepness and dirtie passage in the winter season in regard whereof it was agreed betweene the Bishop of London and the countrie that a new waie should bee layde forth through the said Bishops Parkes, beginning at Highgate Hill, to lead (as now is

accustomed) directly to Whetstone, for which new waie all cartes, carriers, packmen, and such like trauellers yeelde a certaine tole vnto the Bishop of London, which is fermed (as is said at this daie) at 40l. per annum, and for that purpose was the gate erected on the hill, that through the same all traueillers should passe, and be the more aptlie staide for the same tole.""

"The name of Highgate was given to this healthy village," says Morden, "from the establishment of a gate at the top of the hill to collect the toll for the Bishop." Speaking of the healthfulness of Highgate, the same authority adds-"Upon this hill is most pleasant dwelling, yet not so pleasant as healthful, for the expert inhabitants there report that divers who have been long visited by sickness not curable by physicke, have in a short time repayred their health by that sweet salutarie aire."

Whittington's stone, at the foot of Highgate hill, which has the romantic legend attached to it of that celebrated mayor, when a boy, travelling up and listening to the bells of Bow, which he fancied said— "Turn again Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London," and which made him retrace his steps, and led to his fortune. A stone, says tradition, was placed on the spot, by desire of Whittington, to assist the traveller to mount his horse at the foot of the hill. The stone which at present occupies the site has upon it the following inscription:—

WHITTINGTON'S STONE.
Sir Richard Whittington, thrice Lord
Mayor of London.

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Richard II.

Henry IV.
Henry V.

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ing:

"Some idea of the wealth of Sir R. Whittington, and the little value he set on money, may be inferred from the following circumstance:-At an entertainment given to King Henry V at Guildhall, after his conquest of France, the king was much pleased with a fire which Sir Richard had caused to be made of choice woods, mixed with cinnamon, cloves, and other spices and aromatics. The knight said he would endeavour to make it still more agreeable to his Majesty, and immediately tore and burnt in that fire the king's bond of 10,000 marks, due to the Mercers' Company, and divers others to the amount of 60,000l. sterling, an immense sum in those days.'

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* "Sir Richard Whittington was interred in the church of St Michael, and had a splendid monument erected to his memory by his executors. Thomas Mountain held the rectory, with the mastership, when the college was dissolved (the site is now Paternoster Church), and possessed by an ungovernable spirit of avarice and folly, imagined that immense treasures were deposited with the body, which he determined to convert to his own use. With this

sacrilegious intent he opened the tomb, where he

found nothing but the body wrapped in lead. Vexed at his disappointment, he stripped the lead from the

There were and are several remarkable buildings in Highgate, viz., Arundel House, now extant, the place of imprisonment of Lady Arabella Stuart in 1611, and the scene of the last moments of that great luminary, Lord Bacon, in 1626; Cromwell House, built by the Protector in 1630, as a residence for General Ireton, who married the Lord Protector's daughter; Lauderdale House, built 1600, many years the residence of the Earls Lauder dale. The celebrated mistress of Charles II seems to have resided there:

"Lauderdale House was formerly the residence of Nell Gwynne, mistress of Charles II, and mother of the first Duke of St Alban's. It appears, Nell Gwynne was desirous of obtaining a title for her son, which for a long time she had been unsuccessful in gaining. The father, Charles II, being there, she held the child out of the window, saying, 'If you do not do something for him, I will drop it.' He immediately replied, Save the Earl of

Burford!" "

The mansion-house, built by Inigo Jones for Sir W. Ashurst, Lord Mayor of London, 1694, with its chesnut staircase, noble doorway, and tapestried chambers, was formerly the subject of admiration; it was taken down in 1830, and the new church erected on the site.

The old custom of swearing in at Highgate continues to this day, and each of the older public houses keep the horns ready. We all have heard the old jocular inquiry, "Have you been sworn at Highgate?" The manner of honouring this old custom is as follows:-The horns are fixed on a pole about five feet in height, near the person about to be sworn, who is required to take off his hat, all present doing the same. The landlord, or person appointed, proclaims aloud

"Upstanding and uncovered! silence!' Then he addresses himself to the person he swears in, thus:-Take notice what I now say unto you, for that is the first word of your oath,-mind that! You must acknowledge me to be your adopted father; I must acknowledge you to be my adopted son (or daughter). If you do not call me father, you forfeit a bottle of wine; if I do not call you son, I forfeit the same; and now, my good son, if you are travelling through this village of Highgate, and you have no money in your pocket, go call for a bottle of wine at any house you think proper to go into, and book it to your father's score. If you have any friends with you, you may treat them as well; but if you have money of your own, you must pay for it yourself. For you must not say you have no money when you have, neither must you convey the money out of your own pocket into your friends' pockets, for I shall search you as well as them; and if it is found that you or they have money, you forfeit a bottle of wine for trying to cozen

bones; and the worthy mayor was then raised and buried a second time by those who valued his

memory."

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and cheat your poor old ancient father. You must not eat brown bread while you can get white, except you like the brown the best; you must not drink small beer while you can get strong, except you like the small the best; kiss the mistress, except you like the maid you must not kiss the maid while you can the best, but sooner than lose a good chance you may kiss them both. And now, my good son, for a word or two of advice:-keep from all houses of ill repute, and every place of public resort for bad company; beware of false friends, for they will turn to be your foes, and inveigle you into houses where you may lose your money and get no redress; keep from thieves of every denomination. And now, my good son, I wish you a safe journey through Highgate and this life. I charge you, my good son, that if you know any in this company who have not taken this oath, you must cause them to take it, or make each of them forfeit a bottle of wine, for if you fail to do so, you will forfeit a bottle of wine yourself. So now, my son, God bless you! kiss the horns, or a pretty girl if you see one here, which you like best, and so be free of Highgate.' If a female be in the room, she is usually saluted; if not, the horns must be kissed-the option was not allowed formerly. As soon as the salutation is over, the swearer in commands Silence!" and then addressing himself to his new-made son, he says 'I have now to acquaint you with your privilege as a freeman of this place. If at any time you are going through Highgate, and want to rest yourself, and you see kick her out and take her place; but if you a pig lying in a ditch, you have liberty to see three lying together, you must only kick out the middle one and lie between the other two. God save the King!' This important privilege of the freemen of Highgate was first discovered by one Joyce, a blacksmith, who a few years ago kept the Coach and Horses, and subjoined the agreeable information to those he swore in.""

We now take our leave of this interesting book.

Biscellaneous.

RAILROAD. Before the age of railways, the ordinary price for an outside seat on the coach from London to Portsmouth or Southampton used to be 10s. It was the usual fare by the Red Rover Southampton coach, one of the quickest and best coaches out of London. The fares by this railway to Southampton have risen to 20s., 14s., and 8s. respectively for the three classes of carriages. To Winchester the fares are 17s. 6d., 12s., and 6s. 6d., though the The distance is but sixty-four miles. cheapest mode, that is, by the third class carriages, is only available once in the day, at seven in the morning at each terminus of the railway. The rates by the second class carriages average rather more than five miles for a shilling in long distances, and are therefore more than double the ge

HIGH CHARGES ON THE SOUTHAMPTON

neral omnibus fares in London. Through out the metropolis you are carried by the omnibuses from five to eight miles for sixpence. There seems to be no principle in assessing the fares-the more you use this railway, the higher the rate. Not only in the charges, but in the state of the carriages, is the management short-sighted. Unlike the second-class carriages on other railways, which are separated by three or more partitions, those used on this are open from end to end. Thus the seats at the end receive the most pitiless currents of wind and rain-air at all times-seasoned with the cinders from the engine. These seats expose the occupants much more to the chances of cold even than the wholly open third class carriages. These latter are open at the foot, and are as little comfortable as it is possible for them to be. -Athenæum.

The Gatherer.

Epilogue Writing.-In former days the tone of an epilogue differed materially from that which is now commonly used. Ben Jonson, in his epilogue to Cynthia's Revels,' thus rudely deals with his audience:"To crave your favour, with a begging knee, Were to distrust the writer's faculty.

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To promise better, when the next we bring,
Prorogues disgrace, commends not anything.
Stiffly to stand on this, and proudly approve
The play, might tax the maker of self-love.
I'll only speak what I have heard him say,

By God 'tis good, and if you like 't, you may!!" Swedish Discoveries.-It is mentioned in a letter from Stockholm that a Swedish brig, freighted by an English firm at Port Philip to visit the small islands of the Pacific, touched at some islands not to be found in the maps, which the captain took possession of in the name of the King of Sweden. The inhabitants were a mild race, ignorant of the use of iron, and ready to give a turtle for a rusty nail.

A Portable Light-house.-An invention has recently been made, for showing the position of a ship in danger, and directing the movements of persons attempting to give assistance from the shore. It consists of a composition, which gives a very distinct and brilliant light, and has been tried with success at the Goldstone, where the 'Pegasus' was wrecked.

Day's Windguard.-Mr Day has submitted to us an invention for preventing that greatest of nuisances-a smoky chimney. It consists of a cap, to be placed on the top of the chimney, in which the openings whereby the smoke passes are guarded by plates of metal, in such a way that the smoke, instead of being driven by the wind down into the chimney, is blown out at the sides of these projecting plates.

An Argument in Favour of Female Preaching.-Some remarks having been

made by Dr Adam Clark unfavourable to the assumption of the ministerial office by the fair sex, he was asked, "If an ass reproved Balaam, and a barn-door fowl reproved Peter, why shouldn't a woman reprove sin ?"

Funereal Rebuses.-The chapels in Winchester cathedral abound in rebuses, of which an amusing collection might be made. To commemorate Bishop Langton, there is the long musical note inserted in a tun; and a vine growing out of a tun, represents his see of Winton. Prior Hentun is represented by a hen on a tun, and Prior Silkstede by a skein of silk and a steed.

The Prince of Wales in Egypt.-An Egyptian juggler establishes a pool of ink in a boy's hand, who, looking into it while the conjuror burns incense, is supposed to see and to correctly describe any individual named. On one occasion lately the Prince of Wales was summoned to appear, and was described as a middle

aged man with mustaches, but no beard, white trowsers, black coat, straw hat, in short, the usual dress of the Franks of

Cairo!

Ottar of Roses.-This perfume is said to have been discovered by accident. NurIaham, the favourite wife of the Mogul, among her other luxuries had a small canal of rose water; as she was walking with the Mogul upon its banks they perceived a thin film upon the water, it was an essential oil made by the heat of the sun. They were delighted with its exquisite odour, and means were immediately taken for preparing by art a substance like that which had been thus fortuitously produced.Southey's Omniana.

Nes's of Coffins. In a recent description of New York we are told warehouses of ready-made coffins stand beside warehouses of ready-made clothing, and the shroud is sold with spangled opera dresses. Nay, you may chance to see exposed at sheriff's sales, in public squares, piles of coffins, like nests of boxes, one within another.

Possessed of the Devil.-Two cases of individuals considered to be possessed, Bishop Parkhurst gives as having occurred in his time, and of which there could be no manner of doubt. A certain young Dutch woman, about seventeen or eighteen years of age, a servant of the preacher of the church at Norwich, was, during a whole year, miserably vexed by Satan. In all her temptations, however, and dilacerations, she continued steadfast in the faith, and withstood the adversary with more than manly fortitude. At last, by God's help, the devil being overcome, left her, and almost at the same instant attacked the son of a certain senator, whom he also tormented in a most incredible manner for

some weeks together. Public prayers were offered in the city by my direction, and a fast proclaimed until evening. The Lord had mercy also on the boy, and overcame the enemy. The boy was thirteen, or at most fourteen years old, and, for his age, well versed in the Scriptures, which, steadfast in faith, he boldly launched forth against the enemy.

"Man, know Thyself."-It is now many years since that my thoughts have had no other aim and object than myself, that I have only pried into and studied myself; or if I do now and then study any other thing, it is to lay it up for, and to apply it to myself. And I do not think it a fault if, as others do by much less profitable sciences, I communicate what I have learned in this matter; though I am not very well pleased with what progress I have made in it. There is no description so difficult, nor doubtless of so great utility, as that of a man's self.-Montaigne.

Hard Reading.-I was reading a French book, where, after I had a long time been dragging over a great many words, so dull, so insipid, so void of all wit, or common sense, that indeed they were only words, after a long and tedious travel I came, at last, to meet with a piece that was lofty, rich, and elevated to the very clouds. Now, had I found either the declivity easy, or the ascent more sloping, there had been some excuse; but it was so perpendicular a precipice, so wholly cut off from the rest of the work, that by the first words I found myself flying into the other world, and thence discovered the vale whence I came, so deep and low that I had never since the heart to descend into it any more.-Ibid.

The Emperor Paul.-Fits of rage frequently rendered Paul insane. One day, being incensed against England, he ordered a favourite general to march immediately to Calcutta. The commander begged to know which line of march would in his majesty's judgment be the best? Calling for a map of the world, the Emperor soon answered this by drawing a straight line from St Petersburg to Calcutta.

The marked map is still in existence. He himself used to liken his paroxysms of fury to explosions of gunpowder. On one occasion he said, "I was in monstrous good humour to-day; my powder magazine (meaning his fits of passion) never blew up."

Prices at Covent Garden Theatre.-The public may now go to the boxes for 3s. 6d., just half the price charged in 1809, which gave the signal for the O. P. war.

Strange Notions. It is said that the frozen Norwegians, on the first sight of rose trees, dared not touch what they conceived were trees budding with fire; and the natives of Virginia, the first time they seized on a quantity of gunpowder which

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and tie this up in a piece of lutestring silk; then heat the plate, so that when the bag containing the ground is rubbed over the surface, the ground will pass through the interstices of the silk. Next take a piece of fine silk or satin, and tie up in it some cotton wool, to make a ball about the size of a large walnut, leaving the tied ends to hold it by. Dab all over the plate, while hot, with this ball, till it lays the ground even over the whole surface, taking care that it is not thicker than a coat of varnish. When this is completed, take a wax-taper, several folds together, so as to make a good flame. Hold the plate, still hot, with its face downwards, and pass the flame of the taper backwards and forwards evenly on the ground of the plate. This will black it to any extent you please, so that you may see clearly what you are etching, taking care not to over-black it, as the face must always shine with the ground. The plate being cool, etch upon it with any pointed instrument the design required. When that is finished, put round the plate a wax border, so as to contain an acid, which is required to be poured on it; the acid will eat away the metal where the etching has taken place, and it will not touch the part where the ground has not been removed. The acid to be used for copper is nitrous, mixed with three parts water; for iron, a mixture of sulphuric acid and nitric, diluted in the same proportion. When the plate has been sufficiently eaten, or bitten in (as it is called by engravers), remove the wax borders, and clean the plate with spirits of turpentine. It is impossible to direct our correspondent fully on all points, for it would fill a volume; but experience will soon show him how to manipulate, if he begins as above. Etching points, gravers, ground, &c. are to be purchased at all tool shops.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE 'MIRROR.

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SIR,-In the Mirror' of Saturday the 20th May last, there is an article headed "A Capitalist," in which it is stated that the late Mr Arkwright far excelled the Rothschilds in wealth

A dispute having arisen between two young persons on this point, I would be obliged for your opinion, in next week's 'Mirror,' as to the truth of the article. It seems that Mr Rothschild offered our government (as the newspapers say) £24,000 yearly to be exempt from the payment of income tax. Now upon calculation it appears that his annual income must be £822,857, for the bare allowance of 7d. in the pound, and I think he would not offer government more income tax than his income would really amount to, and his capital, to produce this income, at the rate of per cent. per annum, must be £20,571,425. D. S.

4

Lancaster, Sept. 23, 1843.

We cannot answer the above question. If any correspondent can do it, his communication will be attended to.

The "Few Words on Death" present nothing new on the subject, and are therefore inadmissible.

LONDON: Published by CUNNINGHAM and MORTIMER, Adelaide Street, Trafalgar Square; and Sold by all Booksellers and Newsmen. Printed by C. REYNELL, 16 Little Pulteney street, and at the Royal Polytechnic Institution.

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