is not worthy of becoming the subject of verse. order. I, the mean one, am ashamed of my self, just as rotten wood is in the presence of aromatic herbs. I now receive your indul- "Now I reverently bow to your good words, gence inasmuch as you have listened to the and make use of them to display your goodwords of the match-maker, and given Miss S. breeding. Now I hope your honorable bein marriage to the mean one's eldest son, nevolence will always remember me without named Kang; your assenting to it is worth end. Now the dragon flies in the Sin Hai nore to me than a thousand pieces of gold. term, first month, lucky day. Mr. Tu makes The marriage business will be conducted obeisance. May the future be prosperaccording to the six rules of propriety, and I ous!" will reverently announce the business to my In external appearance, these letters, as we ancestors with presents of gems and silks. I learn from the Panama paper, are equally will arrange the things received in your curious: "Each of them is about the size basket, so that all who tread the threshold of of one of the Citizen's pages, and consists of my door may enjoy them. From this time a rich frame composed of something like our forward the two surnames will be united, and papier maché, inside of which is artistically I trust the union will be a felicitous one, and folded a scroll of richly-tinted crimson paper, last for a hundred years, and realize the delight studded with the golden letters that convey experienced by the union of the two countries the words of love and modesty. The outer Chin and Chin. I hope that your honorable surface is likewise emblazoned with a quantity benevolence and consideration will defend me of raised work, respecting robes of honor, unceasingly. At present the dragon flies in tails of distinction, the smallest of all small Sin Hai term, the first month, lucky day. I, shoes, peacock's feathers, and a variety of Mr. Su, bow respectfully. Light before." other equally tasteful designs, which are supposed to be emblematic of the vast acces sion to the wealth and honor of both contracting houses, that may be expected to flow from the union of the gallant Su Tan, junior, and the accomplished Miss Tu 0." PENNY POSTAGE TO THE COLONIES. - Mr. Eli From Papa :-"The younger brother surnamed O, named Tus, of the family to be related by marriage, washes his head clean, knocks his head and bows, and writes this inarriage-letter in reply to the far-famed and virtuous gentleman surnamed Tan, the venerable teacher and great man who manages this business. At this season the heart hu Burritt offers as an argument for direct Penny of the plum-blossom is increasingly white; at Postage beyond the seas the following curious the beginning of the first month it opens its statement, to the effect that to a large extent it petals. The eyebrows of the willow shoot out exists at present as an evasion. Newspapers their green; when shaken by the wind it are now transported to most of the colonies for displays its glory, and grows luxuriantly into nothing. The penny stamp that pays the postfive generations. "T is matter of congratula- age on a copy of the London Times from London tion the union of 100 years. I reverence your to Edinburgh, pays it also from Scotland to Nova lofty gate. The prognostic is good, also the Scotia. The difference on the postage of this divination of the lucky bird. The stars private matter in comparison with the charge are bright, and the dragons meet together. imposed upon manuscript correspondence, works In every succeeding dynasty office will be in this way. A vast number of old newspapers held, and for many a generation official vest- and other periodicals are sent to the colonies, and other countries, not with the slightest expectments will be worn -not only those of your ation that they will be read, but merely to family surname will enjoy all the afore-menconvey to distant friends what may be expressed tioned felicity--more especially will your in the manuscript direction on the band or honorable gentlemen who possess abilities cover; and the eye of parental, filial, or fratergreat and deep, whose manners are dignified nal affection can read many lines of precious and pure. I, the foolish one, am ashamed of meaning in a simple direction written by a wellmy diminutiveness. I for a long time have known hand. John. Hawkins Greytown, New desired your dragon powers, now you have not Zealand,' receives an old English newspaper by a looked down upon me with contempt, but sailing packet, post-marked Long Sutton, Linhave entertained the statements of the match-colnshire. No one but John Hawkins knows He naker, and agree to give Mr. Kang to be whose hand penned those simple words. united to my despicable daughter. We all knows full well, and they gladden his heart with this message: wish the girl to have her hair dressed, This is from your affectionate mother ; she remembers you with a mother's the young man to put on his cap of manhood. She is The peach-flowers just now look beautiful, the memory and a mother's good wishes. pretty well. Look at these words. They are not red plum also looks gay. I praise your son, written with a feeble or fever-stricken hand.' A who is like a fairy horse who can cross over nice and comforting letter that for John Hawkins through water, and is able to ride upon the for a penny. The words are few, without a verb wind and waves; but my tiny daughter is or adjective to connect or qualify them, but they like a green window and a feeble plant, and are full of meaning to John. They are all the and Post Office will allow his mother or father to send him for a penny. So they are written on the cover of an old newspaper weighing two or three ounces, instead of a sheet of note-paper weighing half an ounce. The poorest of the poor can send these newspaper-letters to their friends across the sea- and send them they do by tens of thousands weekly. There are in them only a few kernels of wheat to a bushel of chaff; but, as the chaff is transported for nothing, the bulk is not regarded by either party." "TWEEN DECKS OF THE FROZEN SHIPS.-Before we enter on the subject of returning spring, and the new occupations and excitement which it called forth, let me try to convey an idea of a day spent in total darkness, as far as the sun was concerned. Fancy the lower deck and cabins of a ship lighted entirely by candles and oil-lamps; every aperture by which external air could enter, unless under control, carefully secured, and all doors doubled to prevent draughts. It is breakfast-time, and recking hot cocoa from every mess-table is sending up a dense vapor, which, in addition to the breath of so many souls, fills the space between decks with mist and fog. Should you go on deck and remember you go from 50 degrees above zero to 40 degrees below it, in eight short steps -a column of smoke will be seen rising through certain apertures called ventilators, whilst others are supplying a current of pure air. Breakfast done and from the jokes and merriment, it has been a good one there is a general pulling on of warm clothing, and the major part of the officers and men go on deck. A few remain, to clean and clear up, arrange for the dinner, and remove any damp or ice that may have formed in holes or corners during the sleeping hours. This done, a muster of all hands, called "divisions," took place. Officers inspected the men and every part of the ship, to see that both were clean, and then they dispersed to their several duties, which at this severe season were very light; indeed, confined mainly to supplying the cook with snow to melt for water, keeping the fire-hole in the floe open, and sweeping the decks. Knots of two or three would, if there was not a strong gale blowing, be seen taking exercise at a distance from the vessels, and others, strolling under the lee, discussed the past and prophesied as to the future. At noon, soups, preserved meats, or salt-horse, formed the seamen's dinner, with the addition of preserved potatoes, a treat which the gallant fellows duly appreciated. The officers dined somewhat later 2 P. M. A little afternoon exercise was then taken, and the evening meal, of tea, next partaken of If it was school-night, the voluntary pupils went to their tasks, the masters to their posts; reading-men producing their books, writing-men their desks; artists. painted by candle-light; and cards, chess, or draughts, combined with conversation, and an evening's glass of grog, and a cigar or pipe, served to bring round bedtime again. Monotony was our enemy, and to kill time our endeavor; hardship there was none; for all we underwent in winter-quarters, in the shape of cold, hunger, or danger, was voluntary. Monotony, as I again repeat, was the only disagreeable part of our wintering at Griffith's Island. Some men among us seemed, in their temperament, to be much better able to endure this monotony than others; and others, who had no source of amusement - such as reading, writing, or drawingwere much to be pitied. Nothing struck one more than the strong tendency to talk of home and England; it became quite a disease. We, for the most part, spoke as if all the most affectionate husbands, dutiful sons, and attached brothers had found their way into the arctic expeditions. - Stray Leaves from an Arctic Journal, by Lieutenant Osborn. From Household Words. CHOOSING A FIELD-FLOWER. Flag or Poppy we 'll not gather, Columbine, and Mountain Pink ; Sad Forget-me-not 's a token Full of partings and mishaps; Crimson Loose-strife, Crowfoot, Pansy, Rustic friends in field or grove, Wild Rose! delicately flushing All the border of the dale, Do not shed a leaflet slender, LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.—No. 478.-16 JULY, 1853. POETRY: Live-Legged Tables - The Ivy in the Dungeon, 129; The Voice, 130; Heavenly Husbandry-Communion of Saints Defeated Manoeuvres, 165. SHORT ARTICLES: Lake Fishing Sports in Winter-Stoning Cherries before they Grow, 148; First Use of Gas, 152; New Cave-Sterling Money, 160. NEW BOOKS, 130, 192. From Punch. LIVE-LEGGED TABLES. HEY! The world goes on improving, Disconnected, spinning still. In my boots or in my bed? Which of marvel are a theme, None will now remark, but asses, "Wonderful invention, Steam!" What will 't lead to, that's a question To be pondered on- - because It concerneth our digestion, Which must rather give us pause. CCCCLXXVIII. LIVING AGE. VOL. II. 9 At our dinner whilst we 're sitting, Heedless of our prayer to tarry, THE IVY IN THE DUNGEON. BY CHARLES MACKAY. THE ivy in a dungeon grew, But through the dungeon grating high The ivy felt a tremor shoot L It grew, it crept, it pushed, it clomb Its clinging roots grew deep and strong, It reached the beam — it thrilled, it curled, It felt the life of bursting spring, By rains and dews and sunshine fed, Upon that solitary place Its verdure threw adorning grace; Wouldst know the moral of the rhyme? An edition of the Useful Knowledge Society's Memoir of Watt, printed in raised type for the use of the blind, and published by the Bristol Asylum. The ordinary Roman characters are the types used, and judiciously. In learning an alphabet, one form of letter or sign is as readily learned as another, and almost as readily recognizable by touch. At all events, the common forms of English letters, if not the easiest that could be contrived, are not by any means the most difficult; while the utility of being taught them far outweighs any supposed advantage to be gained by some special characters. This publication is to be followed by others of an instructive and entertaining as well as of a religious kind. Spectutor. The Evidences of Christianity as exhibited in the Writings of its Apologists down to Augustine. By W. J. Bolton, of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. of style, but full of information about the apoloA painstaking work, rather wanting in force their arguments well digested, classified, and pregetical writings of the Fathers, and exhibiting introductory essay on the uses of an acquaintance sented with clearness. The plan is to give an with the reasonings of the Fathers in favor of Christianity, which is followed by a short critical and biographical notice of each Father. The arguments themselves are classed under seven heads, and are ascribed to the respective authors, and often given in their own words. This of necessity involves some repetition, and the continual presentation of authors nominatim interrupts the regular march of the reasoning. The book, however, is less to be looked upon as an artistical treatise, than as a collection of welldigested and often curious matter. - Spectator. THE principal reïssue of the week is the first volume of Mr. De Quincey's miscellaneous writings; to which speculation he has been stimulated by the success of an American edition, published by Messrs. Ticknor, Reed and Fields of made the author "a sharer in the profits, called Boston, who not only made the collection, but upon to do so by no law whatever." The entire series in the American edition amounts to twelve volumes. What the English may extend to does not appear. The work opens with the Autobio graphical Sketches. - Spectator, 28 May. 1 From Blackwood's Magazine. THE PARADISE IN THE PACIFIC. It was a chosen plot of fertile land, Amongst wide waves set like a little nest, WHERE IS IT? repre And as it waves above our head, We'll think upon its glory! And then with hearts and voices one, The Queen the Queen! God bless the Queen, By faction never hindered! O'er her wide realm, from shore to shore, moral. - and it has THis is the glorious FIRST OF JUNE! — and it is set like a gem in the centre of the London season. O, mighty, multitudinous London, how thou art enjoying thyself! All thy bravery is on, all thy misery is hidden; and here are youth, beauty, age, wisdom, valor, These are words that come echoing cheerily genius, loyalty, all surrounding Queen Vic- from the Pacific, and may fitly find their way toria, giving them enchanting reception, dis- to the regal solitudes of Osborne and Balpensing regal hospitalities-ay, not to her Both queen and prince know who own loving subjects alone, but to the wrote these lines of simple loyalty and love; sentatives of all the great potentates and peo- and that within these last few months, and nay, they have seen and spoken with him, ple of the earth; for, vast as is her empire, at Osborne aforesaid. But he has since travshe is at peace with all the world. "Tis often said, and it has become splendidly stereo-elled from the royal presence, exhilarated typed in English phraseology, that the sun with its cheering brightness, ten thousand never sets on her empire; and the miles and more, and doubtless joined in singqueen, much as her anxieties are occupied with north, ing these same verses at that speck in the south, east, and west, had recent reason to Pacific, on the 24th of May, now immediately muse, not unpleasingly, on a certain little last past. The news has come rather quickly, speck in the Southern Pacific Ocean, where to be sure: but there is the fact she is specially loved, and where, after their also come without the aid of the submerged humble fashion, they celebrate her natal day with flag fluttering gayly, and bell-ringing, and singing and dancing- the only day, seems, in the year, in which Terpsichore can find time from her other engagements to show her merry face and foot, with feathery touch, for a moment-and, hark! the boom of a gun, forsooth, all on the same day, and to glorify the same occasion! But what a gun! In the language of the inhabitants of this little paradise, of which we are about to speak, that gun" for fifty-five years had been deposited at the bottom of the sea, on a bed of coral, guiltless of blood, during the time so many thousands of mankind became in Europe food for cannon!" Her majesty, amidst all the splendors which surround her, may hear with pleasure how her royal name. was used at a certain tiny speck in the Pacific Ocean, with all the aforesaid accompaniments, on Tuesday, the 24th of May, 1853: The Queen! the Queen! our gracious Queen! That every heart rejoices! Her natal day we 'll celebrate, Now let Old England's flag be spread it This quotation is taken from the motto of a little volume which will be mentioned in due time. electric wire ! Well! where is it? 'Tis Queen Victoria's - but somewhat out of the reach of her gay little Fairy, and, therefore, the queen may never take a trip to see it! Four years ago a French military gentleman made his appearance there, with a party of friends, all in military uniform, and politely asked, through our poet, of whom more anon, in broken English, "Veder de people had heard of Prince Louis Napoleon and de French Republique? and would dey enlist demselves under it?" And then he took out a paper for their signatures; but our poet aforesaid quietly pointed to the little English flag waving over their heads at that moment, assured the complaisant visitor that they knew all about Louis Napoleon and the French Republic, but that all the people there were faithful subjects of VICTORIA, QUEEN OF ENGLAND; on which the polite Frenchman bowed, begged pardon, returned the paper to his pocket, and said, that he did not know it was a colony!" Nor is it; but its inhabitants are entirely English; and, says their recent historian, "such a loyal and united community, as a whole, cannot be found in any of the colonies or dependencies of the British empire! The English union-jack is hoisted on all grand occasions, and to England the people would look for protection,. should any attempt be made to disturb their position." Ay, and as fast as steam or sail could bring their protectors, they would go! |