to a subject I have for some time thought of. You and I can never link our lives to people of that sort."

said this severe censor ; "and that brings me | whether our meditations would be always on profitable subjects, at least not just yet. When nuns turn out not so good as they might be, who knows what share meditation Never," said Lady Lee, fervently. may have had in it? We'll act now, Hester, "Neither will we spend them in vain and put off meditation till we grow older." regrets," said Orelia. "In men that would Now, there was something in Orelia's be unmanly, and in us 't would be equally proposal that was not unpleasing to Lady unwomanly. We will drive out thought-Lee. To banish thought which she found so we will leave it no avenue to enter we will wearisome to occupy time that hung so place a quickset round our hearts. Some do heavy to labor with an object and obtain this by openly relinquishing the world, and a result these were what she had long taking vows; our resolutions shall be none desired in a dreamy sort of way, and, now that the weaker because we only take our vows the more energetic Orelia had struck out the privately, and to one another." path, she was ardent to follow it. Thus the mind would be provided for; and, for the heart, why should n't she and Orelia, her chosen friend, be all in all to each other? which last idea was, perhaps even more brilliant than the other.

66

Lady Lee looked at her friend inquiringly. Why should we have done with life because we have been disappointed in one of its objects?" said Orelin. Why should we languish or let ourselves rust because those we prefer are withheld from us? We could not be content to go lingering and dreaming all our lives."

"Not content, certainly," said Lady Lee. "But what are we to do?"

Accordingly the noviciate commenced forthwith. They had, in Hester's maiden days, studied together French and Italian; they now began a spirited attack upon the German language. Mathematics was desirable, as it required attention, exercised the mind, and did not excite the imagination, and they plodded away at Euclid and algebra with a perseverance praiseworthy in an ambitious freshman, but, in them, lamentable to behold. The piano remained unopened, the harp untouched, except on Sunday, when they performed a piece out of Handel. Lady Lee's copy of Corinne was put in the fire by Orelia, who had never particularly admired the work; and, indeed, a great part of their library underwent such a weeding as Don Quixote's suffered at the hands of the barber and curate. Both were dressed in mourning before for Julius, so no great change was needed in their attire. To crown all, they discovered, in a couple of days, some babies in the small-pox and croup, three distressed families with the fathers out of work, and a pair of rheumatic old women, so that their charitable resolutions were not likely to fail for want of objects.

"And a contemptible thing it is," said Orelia, "that hovering between two worlds, as it were that lingering on the bridge, shilly shally. No, Hester; we won't show any such want of confidence in ourselves. we will begin after a week's trial. We must commence by closing up all paths to thoughts that might unsteady us lay aside at once poetry, romance, music, except anthems and It is very well known that heroines of reoratorios. We will prescribe for ourselves a spectability ought to be naturally benevolent. simple dress and a uniform and disciplined They ought, moreover, to have a happy knack life. Come, are you not anxious to begin?" of winning the hearts of all who experience "I do almost catch a gleam of your enthu- their bounty. I would with pleasure bestow siasm," said Hester. To relinquish my on my heroines all the good attributes that present life will be no privation" (with a belong them, but I have already said they sigh). "But we must mature the idea were far from faultless, and, to say the truth, before acting on it. We must not begin the line they had chosen was not their forte. lightly." Lady Lee's fastidious taste was speedily reLightly!" said Orelia. "I've been volted by misery, whose pathos was impaired thinking of it these four days. And, for our by selfishness or coarseness; and Orelia, after plan-feeding the poor-educating the a visit to one of the rheumatic patients, left a ignorant-comforting the sick there is a sovereign for the sufferer, and vowed she would field! So much for our duty towards our never go near that horrid old grumbler again. neighbor for ourselves, we will improve In fact, this was one of the points in which and occupy our minds with study, and I was they were both of them inferior to Rosa. going to say meditation; but I'm not so sure Their benevolence sprang from a sense of

duty, and was artificial in expression, like the [ become that formidable being, an exemplary conversation of one who has learnt a foreign woman, and I should like to see anybody tongue grammatically; while Rosa's was make love to her now. natural, and fluent in the happiest idioms of goodness.

However, they persevered, and, though they were striving against nature, their conduct was quite natural. Women are never so enthusiastic about their duties as when they have just been disappointed in love. Your pretty Puritans are sure to have had an attachment blighted, and Devotion is called in, like a Beguine, to dress the wounds made by that rascal; Cupid.

Lady Lee, too, now getting on for forty, has changed from what we knew her. She is not called, like Orelia, an exemplary woman, but is stigmatized by the equally opprobrious epithet, a superior person. Her eyes, dimmed with long perusing of good wearisome books through a veil of tears, are still beautiful in their melancholy, but the rest of her charms have withered. She does not discharge her duties with the unfailing spirit of the more energetic Orelia, but requires a new weary effort for the performance of each; and when the old obstinate question recurs of what her business in the world may be, she silences it by a contemplation of the indurated virtues Methinks I see Orelia, aged say about of her friend, which she nerves herself to imthirty-five; severe of aspect, and with what itate. There are no more confidences or connovelists call the traces of former beauty,' ," fessions of weakness between herself and though the arch of the nose has strengthened Orelia, but a friendship such as might have to Roman firmness, the mouth is quite stern subsisted between the Mother of the Gracchi in its decision, and the fire of the eyes has and Mrs. Fry. They are punctual in - but, some fierceness in its sparkle. Irreproachable, as Sterne says, when the idea of his captive but not amicable-unsparing to the indis- becomes too painful, "I cannot sustain the cretion of others, and having none of her picture that my fancy has drawn." Fane own-rigid in the performance of duties, as Onslow-to the rescue! well as in exacting them - I see her, in fact,

But yet, reader, if Hester and Orelia should really persist in their project, what a glimpse of the possible is here opened! Let imagination hold up the curtain for a moment.

66

RHUBARB WINE. - We can grow grapes no used it, and very much approved of it, discoverlonger; even our gooseberries are unsafe, and ing by mere accident that it was made from the supply from our cider counties is uncertain. rhubarb. As I before stated, the uses of rhubarb But rhubarb is always at hand, and the enor- are just beginning to be found out. I would admous quantity from one acre that might be vise amateur gentlemen to commence growing it made into wine is almost beyond calculation. for wine on a large scale; if the land is not too Cheap land at 21. an acre, and in any county, it rich, so much the better, as then wine can be matters not where, will produce it; and casks made from every crop of stalks, say at least may be readily obtained. As to the mode of three times during the growing season. making it, the only recipe which it is in my London rhubarb is full of water, and that is one power to give has been handed to me. It is as reason why I recommend the wine not to be follows:- "Bruise six pounds of rhubarb made till autumn; but if the plants are grown stalks, add one gallon of cold spring-water, let upon a poorer soil, they will always contain less it lie five or six days, stirring it up three or water and more of the acid principle; and they four times a day, strain it off through a sieve, can be converted at any time, not only into then add four pounds of foots' sugar, one lemon wine, but also into vinegar. I have likewise sliced; let this be well mixed- care must be been written to, to know where glass-preserving taken not to stir it afterwards; let it stand in bottles can be had. Why do not glass-dealers this state for about ten days. It is again strained advertise these things, so that people may know through fine muslin or a fine sieve; then put where to get them? Gardiner's Chronicle. into the barrel for good. A small quantity of isinglass dissolved in the liquid must be added. An ounce of isinglass would be sufficient for a nine-gallon cask; but as the wine ferments for several weeks, I think that the isinglass ought not to be put in until the fermentation ceases. The wine then is either bunged down or bottled off, and will be in prime condition for next summer's use. If a clear champagne is wanted, loaf-sugar can be used." The above recipe is no doubt imperfect. Rhubarb juice, however, does not end with wine, for it makes a fine, wholesome vinegar. The latter has been made by some party in town, but I cannot as yet find his whereabouts; a gentleman, however, had

MESSRS. BIELEFELD have commenced the manufacture of papier-maché houses. The framework, the flooring and the doors are of wood; but the rest is constructed of paper. A number of cottages, stores, and villas, have been erected at Messrs. Bielefeld's works at Staines; and a gentleman has purchased them as an investment for Australia, whither he is going. These buildings can be readily taken down, and reërected in a few hours. They have hollow walls, so that damp is excluded; and tropical insects will not attack the paper, from the poisonous ingredients it contains.

A TUSKI FEAST.-First was brought in on a toughness and mode of presentation, but we did huge wooden tray a number of small fish, un- not, of course, desire to appear too singular or cooked, but intensely frozen: At these all the squeamish. Next came a portion of whale's natives set to work, and we essayed, somewhat flesh, or, rather, whale's skin; this was perfect ruefully, it must be confessed, to follow their ex- ebony in hue, and we discovered some apprehenample, but, being all unused to such gastronomic sions respecting its fitness as an article of food; process, found ourselves, as might be expected, but our fears were groundless. It was cut and rather at a loss how to commence. From this di- recut crosswise into diminutive cubes; venturing lemma, however, our host speedily extricated us, upon one of which we were agreeably surprised by practical demonstration of the correct mode to find it possessing a cocoa-nut flavor, like of action, and under his certainly very able tuition which also it ate, "very short ;"' indeed, so much we shortly became more expert. But, alas! a astonished were we on this occasion that we had new difficulty as soon presented; our native com- consumed a very considerable number of these panions, we presume, either made a hasty bolt of cubes, and with great relish too, before we reeach morsel, or had perhaps a relish for the fla- covered from our wonder. This dish was ever vor of the viands now under consideration. Not afterwards a favorite with me. On its disapso ourselves; it was sadly repugnant to our pal-pearance a very limited quantity of boiled reinates, for, aided by the newly-acquired knowledge deer meat, fresh and fat, was served up, to that the fish were in the same condition as when which we did ample justice; then came portions taken from the water, uncleaned and unembow- of the gum of the whale, in which the ends of elled, we speedily discovered that we could nei- the bone lay still embedded, and I do not hesitate ther bolt nor retain the fragments which, by the to declare that this was perfectly delicious, its primitive aid of teeth and nails, we had rashly flavor being, as nearly as I can find a parallel, detached from our piscatorial share. like that of cream cheese. This, which the Tuski call their sugar, was the wind up to the repast and ourselves, and we were fain to admit that, after the rather unpleasant auspices with which our feast commenced, the finale was by no means to be contemned.- Ten Months among the Turks.

It was to no purpose that our host pressed us to "fall to;" we could not manage the consumption of this favorite preparation (or rather lack thereof), and succeeded with difficulty in evading his earnest solicitations.

The next course was a mess of green stuff, looking as if carefully chopped up, and this was also hard frozen. To it was added a lump of blubber, which the lady presiding, who did all THE ORIGIN OF THE AIR, "DON'T SAY NAY, the carving, dexterously cut into slices with a CHARMING JUDY CALLAGHAN."It is not genknife like a cheesemonger's, and apportioned out erally known that the veteran Blewitt is the at different quarters of the huge tray before men- author of this melody, which long formed "part tioned, which was used throughout the meal, of the stock in trade of every barrel-organ together with a modicum of the grass-like stuff, grinder in the kingdom.' In 1811, Blewitt to the company; the only distinction in favor of first visited Dublin; and, in the Christmas of the strangers and guests of high degree being that that year, and in 1812, was employed by Tom their slices were cut much thinner than for the Cooke, then composer and musical director to rest. We tasted this compound, and.... we the Theatre Royal, Crow Street, Dublin. Mr. did n't like it; at this no one will wonder; the Fred. Jones, the lessee, had engaged Mons. St. blubber speaks for itself, and the other stuff, Pierre, the celebrated buffo dancer, from the which really was not very unpalatable, we dis- Opera House, London, together with the Misses covered in after-times to be the unruminated Adam. Mr. Jones, anxious to bring them before food of reindeer which had been slaughtered; the Dublin audience as soon as possible, wished at least, so we were told, but I am not quite them to introduce a jig in the pantomime enticlear on this point. Our dislike to the dish had tled the Island of Saints. Mons. St. Pierre, not no offensive effect upon our host, who only seemed being well acquainted with that style of music, to be astonished at our strange want of taste, called on Mr. Blewitt, and requested he would and, with the rest of the guests, soon cleared the select a melody. The composer, anxious to meet board, the managing dame putting the finishing his wishes, played from Bunting's and Holding's stroke by a rapid sweep of her not too scrupu- Collection of Irish Jigs and Lilts; but there lously clean fingers over the dish, by way of was not one in either of the collections that he clearing off the fragments, to prepare for the re-approved, and he despaired of being able to hit ception of the next delicacy. After this interesting operation she conveyed her digits to her mouth, and, engulfing them for a brief period, withdrew them quite in apple-pie order once

more.

The board was now again replenished, this time with viands less repellent to our unnurtured taste. Boiled seal and walrus flesh appeared, and our hospitable friends were greatly relieved when they beheld us assist in the consumption of these items, which, being utterly devoid of flavor, were distasteful only from their extreme

the style of St. Pierre's wishes, when a thought struck Mr. Blewitt (which he immediately put into action), of having his pianoforte moved into the centre of the room, requesting St. Pierre to face him, and display such steps as he would like to introduce. These steps suggested the first two strains of the jig, which the composer thought sufficient, and brought it to a final close; but St. Pierre having so expressed his delight at what had been done, particularly requested that the third part might be written Mr. Blewitt desired that he would give him

LITTELL'S LIVING AGE.-No. 486.-10 SEPTEMBER, 1853.

7. Bertha's Love — concluded,

8. The Sisters of Provence,

9. The Hop-Garden; or, a Kentish Academus,

Spectator,.
Examiner,

Bruce's Portraits,

New Monthly Magazine,

British Journal,

Fraser's Magazine,

Hogg's Instructor,

}

Dublin University Magazine, .

Spectator, Examiner, and Economist, 695 to 703 . Spectator,,.

703

10. Turkish and European Crisis,
11. New Russo-Danish Question,
POETRY: Sonnets, 641; The Leaf on the Stream - Evening, 642; The Contrast, 653;
O, Lovely Night, 694.

SHORT ARTICLES: Correspondence, 641; Mercantile Marine, 642; The Policy of Peter the
Great, 651; Unequal Marriages, 652; Mint, 653; Coasting Trade- Chervil, 656; Ameri-
can Criticism, 681; The Isle of Man, 685; Protestants in Syria, 704.
NEW BOOKS: Cranford, 667; Indications of the Creator. 681.

OFFICE OF THE LIVING AGE,}

CONSIDERING the unusual nature of the Russian course in the affair with Turkey; its violence, and its insolent tone toward France and

England; the paltry pretences put forth by the
usually sagacious and dignified diplomatists of
that nation; - considering, also, the long-suf-
fering moderation of the British ministry, who
will not say a word in explanation; consid-
ering, especially, that the subject of the evacu-
ation of the provinces must not be mentioned
to the Emperor, lest it should irritate him;
we venture to suggest, as an explanation which
will satisfy all conditions of the enigma,
that Nicholas has displayed hereditary in-
sanity and that this has, by the Russian
ministers, been communicated to England,
France, and Turkey. Perhaps we shall soon
hear of the application of the mollifying part
of the Russian Constitution. Somebody said
that this was a Despotism, tempered by

Assassination.

CCCCLXXXVI. LIVING AGE. VOL. II. 41