tation. I have not yet recovered the shock to my nerves. The state you find me in will help to prove how much I have coveted the distinction of being known to you. In truth, the splendor of M. de Racan's literary reputation was the morning-star that guided my steps to Paris. M. LE P. It is the office and duty of the star mentioned by Mademoiselle to attend a far brighter luminary than himself. (Mademoiselle De Gournai courtesies, and smiles most graciously.) M. LE P. Mademoiselle has conferred an inestimable boon on Paris at the expense of a proportional affliction to her native province. MDLLE. DE G. To be frank with you, Monsieur, I feel that I have sojourned too long in Arcadia, judge my delight at finding myself at length in Athens. ELISE (aside). Now I wonder will Paris go down again to Gascony. M. LE P. 'Tis Athens, Mademoiselle, wherever you reside. We have long been in the habit in our literary coteries of speaking of Gascony as the Attica of France. ELISE (aside). MDLLE. DE G. and you alone, to phon and Plato. How very audacious! No, Monsieur, 'twas for you bring back the days of Xeno M. LE P. I am indeed happy, fair lady, that the course of my poor studies has enabled me to appreciate your performances. Were I less imbued, for instance, with Greek literature, I should not be entitled to rank, as I do, your lyrics among the masterpieces of ancient composition. MDLLE. DE G. Not lyrics, Monsieur; only epigrams. ELISE (aside). The Marquis has never read a line of her works. M. LE P. Mademoiselle would have composed my elegy in Creek, and given me immortality in exchange for life. MDLLE. DE G. Monsieur will live for ever by the vitality of his own genius. M. LE P. At all events he has attained one great object of life: he has made the acquaintance of Mademoiselle de Gournai. MDLLE. DE G. How provoked I am that I cannot present Monsieur with the little offering I meant, with great humility, to beg his acceptance of. To think of having given it to that villain! M. LE P. To be permitted to kiss the hand of Mademoiselle would more than compensate her devoted servant. (She extends her hand, which M. LE P. kisses with profoundest respect, and then retires, bowing.) SCENE IX.-MDLLE. DE GOURNAI and ELISE. ELISE. Strange, my dear; but though I have been always in Paris, I never heard before of that duel-I never heard that either the Marquis or M. de Menage had ever fought one. MDLLE. DE G. (occupied with her own thoughts). How fortunate the dear Marquis was not murdered. ELISE. Do you know, Mademoiselle, I find it hard to decide between the true article and the contraband. They were both so very cloquent and so very-sincere. MDLLE. DE G. How can you talk so, foolish girl? Is there no difference between a nightingale and a sparrow? None between the lordly bull and the pitiful croaking frog in the fable that died mimimicking him? I only marvel that impostor duped us for one moment with his pedantic, highflown compliments and contemptiM. LE P. Epigrams in form, I grant you; ble bombast. Paris marching into Gasconybut pregnant with evidence of lyrical power. such fulsome stuff! In truth, I had my suspiThe Lesbian fire in every line. By the bye, Icions before the true M. de Racan appeared. I am reminded of a dispute I had lately with M. de Menage,-you, Mademoiselle, were the subject of it. MDLLE. DE G. I, Monsieur! M. LE P. M. de Menage, you must know, drew a parallel between Mademoiselle de Gournia and Aspasia. ELISE (aside). Did he now? I very much doubt it. MDLLE. DE G. Do you tell me so? One cannot listen to such things about oneself without emotion. ELISE (aside). I know what my emotions are at this moment. M. LE P. Yes; but the comparison was unworthy of the modern. The true parallel is Sapphio. I maintained it stoutly. We quarrelled on the point. The sequel is not worth mentioning. MDLLE. DE G. Do tell me the sequel; do, my dear Marquis, I conjure you. M. LE P. Oh, nothing-we fought-I received a scratch on my arm. MDLLE. DE G. Gracious heaven! and for me! How shall I ever be sufficiently grateful to have studied Theophrastus, my dear, and rather pique myself upon my skill in the divination of character. ELISE. Another Racan, it seems. yourself, Mademoiselle,-retire-calm yourself, I implore you. M. DE RAC. Mademoiselle de GournaiMDLLE. DE G. I can stand this no more begone, sir-I am betrayed-insulted-outraged victimized. M. DE RAC. May I request like the rest. MDLLE. DE G. No, sir, you are an impostor, This is the vilest conspiracy. You are one of the gang. I am a woman, but I will be revenged! M. DE RAC. Impostor!-conspiracy!-What does all this mean? I came by Mademoiselle's my champion? Only think: had you been appointment to pay a well-deserved compliment killed. to the Sappho of France. CAPITAL EMPLOYED IN TRADE IN QUEEN ANNE'S REIGN. "Our foreign trade for forty We have received the following new books years last past, in the judgment of the most intelfrom the publishers: A History af England from the first invasion by the Romans to the accession of William and Mary in 1688. By JOHN LINGARD, D. D. A new edition enlarged by Lingard shortly before his death. In thirteen volumes. Vol. 5. Boston: Phillips, Sampson & Co. ligent persons, has been managed by a stock not less than four, and not exceeding eight millions, with which last sum they think it is driven at this time; and that it cannot be carried much farther, unless our merchants shall endeavor to open a trade to Terra Australis Incognita, or some place that would be equivalent."-Guardian, No. 76. Mr. DEMING JARVES, known as one of the oldest and best glass manufacturers in this coun- ANTICIPATORY USE OF THE CROSS.-It is try, has printed in a handsome pamphlet some strange, yet well authenticated, and has given very interesting Reminiscences of Glass Making, rise to many theories, that the symbol of the tracing the history of the art from its commence- Cross was already known to the Indians before ment to the present time, and containing much the arrival of Cortez. In the island of Cozumel, useful and interesting information not easily found in other books.-Traveller. Africa and the American Flag. By Commander ANDREW H. FOOTE, U. S. Navy-commanding brig Perry on the coast of Africa, A. D. 1850 -1851. D. Appleton & Co.: New York. With a number of colored plates. Woodworth's American Miscellany of Entertaining Knowledge. By Francis C. Woodworth. With many Illustrations. Phillips, Sampson & Co. Boston. The Turkish Empire-its History, Political and Religious Condition, its Manners and Customs. From the Fourth German Edition. With a Biographical Sketch of the Sultan; Omar Pacha; the Viceroy of Egypt; and the Members of the Turkish Cabinet. By Edward Joy Morris, late U. S. Charge d'Affaires at Naples. Lindsay & Blakiston: Philadelphia. The Undying One: Sorrows of Rosalie; and other Poems. By the Hon. Mrs. Norton. C. S. Francis & Co.: New York; and Crosby, Nichols & Co.: Boston. [A good edition. There are about a hundred of the smaller Poems. Our readers will have a personal interest in Mrs. Norton.] near Yucatan, there were several; and in Yuca tan itself there was a stone cross. And there an Indian, considered a prophet amongst his countrymen, had declared that a nation bearing the same as a symbol should arrive from a distant country! More extraordinary still was a temple, dedicated to the Holy Cross by the Toltec nation in the city of Cholula. Near Tulansingo there is also a cross engraved on a rock with various characters, which the Indians by tradition ascribe to the Apostle St. Thomas. In Oajaca, also, there existed a cross, which the Indians from immemorial had been accustomed to consider as a divine symbol. By order of the Bishop Cervantes it was placed in a sumptuous chapel in the cathedral. Information concerning its discovery, together with a small cup, cut out of its wood, was sent to Rome to Paul V.; who received it on his knees, singing the hymn Vexilla regis," &c.-Life in Mexico, by Madame Calderon de la Barca. LIQUID INDIA-RUBBER.-A correspondent of a New York paper, writing from Para, in Brazil, says: "There is a method in preparing the gum which has recently been patented, and which differs essentially from the usual curdling. The milk, as drawn from the tree, is put into large PAGE-What is the derivation of this word? glass bottles and demijohns; a preparation of In the Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, chemical nature, which is a secret, is mixed with edited by Dr. W. Smith, 1st edit. p. 679, it is the milk, and the bottles are securely sealed. said to be from the Greek Taidaywyds (pædagogus). In this way the gum is sent to the United States. But in an edition of Tacitus, with Notes by Box- It curdles twenty-four hours after exposure to horn (Amsterdam, 1662), it is curiously identified the air, and forms a pure, white, solid, and rewith the word boy, and traced to an eastern markably strong rubber. There is only one source thus-Persian, bagoa; Polish, pokoigo; house in Para which has the secret of this reOld German, pagie, bagh, bai; then the Welsh, bach-ceipt, as I learn, and a member of the firm gives gen; French, page; English, boy, and Greek, Tais. his personal attention to the preparation of the Some of your correspondents may be able to article, some thousands of miles in the interior inform me which is correct.-Notes and Queries. of the country." |