sleep; the dragon jaws of hell again appear, vomiting devils, and flashes of fire; the devils make a merry dance to music round the sleeping tyrant, and often whisper him; they vanish, he awakes, and gives his order, &c. and with a very curious puppet representation of grim-whiskered soldiers, tearing children from their mothers and killing them, and the mothers scratching the soldiers, the admirable piece was at last brought to a conclu vomits up three devils, one of them with a SHARK. W. J. MICKLE. Additions to the Account of the Great Sea To the Editor of the Literary Panorama. SIR, I beg leave to complete your account of the Great Sea Serpent, given in p. 749, by the addition of the following particulars. tleman, of that office, is always introduced). SEA SERPENT-BLACK WORM-BASKING The scene now represents the streets and night-humours of modern Lisbon. The messenger, who is in no hurry, stops at different taverns (things like our London chandler-shops, where the canaille drink; for, except one French and one English house or two, there is not any thing like a decent tavern in all Lisbon) and every where he attempts to be the buffoon; e. g. he meets a dog, the dog barks at him, and he lectures the dog on the vices of his master, whose ill The specimen was examined by Mr. G. manners, he says, he is imitating; then he Shearer, tenant of Rothesholm, who meameets an Irishwoman, with a squalling child sured it 55 feet; and judged it might be, in her arms; he asks his way to the car- when perfect, 60 feet The tapering towards penter's, and she asks him to tell her her way the tail was gradual; the distance in length home again; both complain of the child's between the paws, was about 12 feet; they bawling, and he gives her a bit of sweetmeat appeared well adapted to the purpose of enahe had just picked up in a corner to put in bling the creature to fix itself strongly to the its mouth-but this joke ends dirtily. After rocks; the mane from the head down the meeting and talking with the variety of street- back was silver-coloured, 18 inches in length, walkers, he arrives at the carpenter's house, and when dry, of the appearance of catgut; which discovers a scene like the inside of an the spout-holes were in the back part of the English village-wheelwright's shop and head, or in the neck; the vertebræ of the kitchen; the carpenter bargains hard, and backbone were numerous. Some of these is willing to take Noah's note of hand, but have been received in Edinburgh, and laid his wife wants ready money, and insists upon before the Wernerian Society. Their strucpaying her debts before she is drowned. And ture is extremely curious and uncommon, how much do you owe? says Noah's messen- evidently intended to accommodate a mode of ger, I have got a trifle about me at your ser- life of which we have little knowledge. It vice. So much-No more?-Yes, so much is understood, that the head is fortunately more!-Joseph-Maria-Jesus-no more!— saved, as well as one of the fins. The whole Yes, ten thousand moidores will do.-Ha, ha, has been presented to the Museum of the then go and get them, for I have not ten half University of Edinburgh, by Gilbert Meason, farthings for you!-And never was a low joke Esq. on whose estate, at Stronsa, it came better relished in the days of Gammar Gur- ashore. The literati of Edinburgh have ton's Needle, than I was witness to the re-named it " Halsydrus Pontoppidani," [from ception of this, from a crowded audience that would have done no disgrace to the pits of either Drury-Lane or Covent-Garden. After this comes the story of Holofernes, the birth of Christ, and the massacre of the children of Bethlehem; with which the piece closes. Besides the few I have mentioned, innumerable are the low allusions of this performance. Before the massacre of Bethlehem, Herod is represented in the dress of a Turkish Moor, the old enemy of Portugal, walking about in great agitation; he lies down on a couch to the Greek hals, sea, and hydros, watersnake]. An account of it, with engravings, will be published in the Transactions of the Wernerian Society. This creature has been the subject of poetical description. Mr. Scott's "Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border," Vol. III. contains the following reference to him, in the " Mermaid," a poem by J. Leyden. Shun, O shun, the gulf profound, If from that unbottomed deep, With wrinkled form and writhed train, O'er the verge of Scarba's steep, The SEA SNAKE heave his snowy mane. Unwarp, unwind his oozy coils, Sea-green sisters of the main ! And in the gulf where ocean boils, Th' unwieldly wallowing monster chain. It is possible, that the poet might have seen the creature alive, which may account for the bold language he employs, independent of the furor poeticus. By way of humble companion to this "wrinkled form, and writhed train," you will be pleased to accept an account of a worm, that is occasionally found in the Firth of Forth, at Newhaven, near Edinburgh. Nov. 3, 1807.-One of the singular animals, called by the Newhaven people, Black Worms, was brought up in one of the oysterdredges, and being micasured by the fishermen, was found to be seven fathoms (or The first he encircled, as it were in a pond, formed by a circular curve from head to tail, without doing it any injury. A man then courageously cut a hole in the dorsal fin, through which he drove a hooked rope. A three inched rope doubled was then par-buc. kled round him, which he instantly snapped. A hawser from the quay was next applied to him when, after dragging a sloop's anch or, tearing up a moor-stone post on the quay, and staving a boat, he was brought into shoal water, and it being ebb tide, subdued. He measured 31 feet long, 19 feet round, 94 feet high, 7 feet mouth; and his weight is sup It is called the Bask. posed to exceed 5 tons. abounds, in the Irish Channel and on the west ing Shark, or the Sun-fish of Pennant. It coast of Scotland. As this fish commonly goes in pairs, its consort was discovered the next day, some way out at sea. THE GATHERER. No. VIII. Forty-two feet) long! This animal has been I am but a Gatherer and Disposer of other Men's figured, under the name of Lincus longissimus, by Mr. Sowerby, in his British Miscellany, tab. 8. The body is very tender: I have seen it separate into pieces, in consequence of the creature's own exertions to crawl away each portion seemed to survive, at least for a time. The Black Worms are most commonly found in the Frith in April and May, and they seem to inhabit particular grounds; for some boats constantly get them; while others, that frequent a different place of the Frith, seldom meet with them. About twelve years ago, (1796), they were very numerous, especially in the spring months. The same animal is also described and figured in Borlase's History of Cornwall, by the name of Sea Long Wor I would only further remark, Sir, that it is probable, the sea may contain creatures of dimensions, yet more extraordinary, to which the largest of those we know, are but diminutives. Their manners must ever remaju unknown to us: yet are they not less wonderful instances of creative power, and of providential maintenance and preservation. I am, your's, &c. A ZOOLOGIST. By way of Postscript, I could wish to add a few particulars which have been published of the capture of that uncommonly large specimen of the Basking Shark, which was taken on Tuesday, Jan. 3, near Penryn, mentoned by you in p. 1012. This enormous fish was descried at half a cable's length from Penryn quay, making towards the town; when three boats, under the direction of Capt. Dunn, were manned to attack him., Stuff.-WOTTON. On idle, scandalous, and profane Books. IDLE books are the licensed foilies of the age. Some are simple; and these, though they render the author ridiculous, seldom hurt the reader more than by loss of time; for, if he hath any sense, he will grow wiser by the folly that is presented to him: as drunkards are often cured by seeing the beastliness of others who are so." The least caution is necessary to be given of such books; for man will no more dwell in one of these, than a traveller of quality will lodge in an alehouse or a booth. It was Cicero, who said, Lectionem sine ullá delectatione negligo, he hated reading where no pleasure dwelt. There is another kind of books which are wanton and licentious; and these like rank flesh unsalted, carry a taint which poisons. It is true, wit is in general readier at such productions than at any other: yet, the best are never obscene. Vicious, or vulgar is his character, at best, who deals in licentious thoughts and expressions. Decency is the corrective of manners; and even although such works be refined in point of language, yet are they then but as unsavoury breaths perfumed there is only a more precious stink, which certainly shews either what the conversation hath been, or what the inclination is, for the pen is more the mind's interpreter than speech. Yet, as it regards society, writings which are scandalous are worse. They are a kind of barbarousness in death unto the dead; for printing gives perpetuity, and carries to future ages both the author's malice and the infamy of the party that is traduced. It is unworthy to traduce the absent, even though provoked by passion; but to display a man's malice in writing, is deliberate wickedness; to which(with his own disgrace) he sets his hand and seat, and does an injury for which he cannot make amends sufficient; for admit he does, retract in public, he is not sure that all who saw his first book, shall come to read his last. A spiteful pen picks out only the vices and corruptions of men, and leaves their virtues buried and untouched, which, if justly attended to, might be found to balance all their failings. But above all, to abuse the dead is most deadly. The dead is as the fatherless and widow, whose cause, because they want defenders, God himself will vindicate. How much below the gallantry of man is it, to tyrannize over the defenceless! The brave soul scorns advantages. Is it reasonable in arms to fight against the naked ? To meet my enemy without a weapon, is his protection, if I be provided. The dead are tamely passive; and should the dishonour of them be tolerated, what fame could rest uublasted in the grave? When Agesilaus was presented with Lysander's treasonable letters, and was about to read them at the head of his army, he was told Lysander was dead; and this made him abaudon his purpose. Next to scandalous books, are heretical: these fill the world with tares, which like ill plants in a good ground, if they be let grow to seed, they sow themselves, and perpetuate their corruptions to future generations. The heretic must needs be obstinate and arrogant; for by presuming on his own sense, he grows incorrigible. He is the highest papal man in the world; for he sets himself up above the church and all her doctors. While he cries down others for infallible, he acts as if he was so. His presumption must needs be vast, who builds more on his own tenet, than upon the mature judgement of all the successive fathers; as if God had revealed more to him, than to all the pillars and propagators of his church. St. Augustin tells us that he is an heretic, qui pro alicujus temporalis commodi, et maximè gloriæ principatusque sui gratiâ, falsas ac novas opiniones gignit, aut sequitur; who for some temporal profit, and for his own pre-eminence, either authors, or persists in some new and false opinions. Usually, it is for private ends and interest; and then how infinitely does he offend, who will bias God's truths, and accommodate them to his corrupted benefit? He raises himself above God, under the pretence of serving him, and sins more in his grave, and dead, than when he was alive; for he poisons from generation to generation: and, which is worst of all, he offends till the world's end, in a book which cannot repent. But above all, profane works are to be avoid ed. The very reading of them is an unhappiness, but a second pernsal, guilt, and approbation. The heretic misunderstands religion, but the profane one scorus it. Such, the very heathen admitted not to sacrifice. The profane is he, qui nihil habet sacri; qui sacru negligit, violat, conculcat; who has nothing of religion in him, but neglects, destroys, and spurns all that is sacred. He is indeed the practical atheist, who contemning heaven, hath, more than the mere pagan, forgot himself to be man. If man, made up of infirmities, be so jealous of his honour, that, with the hazard of his life, he dares duel him that stains it; how will God, who made man with this jealousy, be zealous of his own honour, by punishing such as wildly despise it? Shall the clay grow insolent against the potter, or the worm affect to hold up its head at the face of man? Beware of the profane and scorner. He who neglects God, will make no scruple of betraying man. If he sits loose to heaven, he will never hold firm to earth; but for himself, will forsake his friends, having done so alrea dy as to God, to whom he is indebted for all he has. The vicious author cannot offend alone. A corrupt book is an amphisbæna: a serpent headed at both ends; one of which bites him that reads, the other stings him that writes: for if I be corrupted by his pen, the guilt grows his, as well as mine. I will not write so as to hurt myself and posterity. I will not. read so as to hurt myself and predecessors. A foolish sentence dropt upon paper sets folly on a hill, and is a monument to make infamy eternal. From Owen Felltham's Resolves. Donation of a Lord Mayor of London, in the fourteenth Century. Reygate, Jan. 1809.' Sir,-In looking into Fabyan's "Chronicle," a very scarce book, of which I possess a inutilated copy," printed at London by William Rastell, 1533," I met with the following account of a donation to the city of London; inade by the mayor, in the year 1370, and marked it as deserving of particular attention. I do not know whether the fact is elsewhere, or otherwise, recorded; but thinking it right that "good and merytoryous dedes should be holden in memory,' I send it you, for the information of those whom it may concern, by means of your widely circulating, miscel lany.-It occurs in the seventh parte, page cxii "And-to the ende that good and meryto ryous dedes should be holden in memorye,> "here is to be noted that the mayre for thys "yere beyng John Bernys mercer, gave unto "the coynaltye of the cytye of London a chest wyth the lockes and keyes, and About 7th Edw. IV. Item. Thomas Sharman delyured to Daivd Jenkyn and John Langford, wardens, a bage wyth dedes belongynge to oure servyce in Seynte Julian's, 11 sylver spones, and a maser gilt. Memorand. of costez and expences don by the stywards agayns Corpus Xti feest, anno. &c. viii. Fyrst for cakes, xxiid. It'. for safron, vid. It'. for love brede to the childern, viiid. It'. forviii galons of ale for the childern,viii.† for cakes, safron, and ale). It'. for rysshes, 1d. It'. paid to the waites of the towne, iiid. 8 Ed. 4. A dede & indenture perteynyng to oure Ladyes servyce. «therein a thousande marke of redy money, I was delyuered to Hewe Ffyssher and Thos. "wyllyng the keyes therof to be yerely in the Becke, by Hewe Seymper and Will. Leng"kepynge of thre sundry persons, that is to don, xli torches, xli towres, xli white bendes mene the mayster of the felysshyp of the and blake bende, a skochon of rede silke, mercery to have one, the mayster of the and xi pensels*. "felysshyp of drapars the second, and thyrde to be in the kepynge of the chamberlayne "of that cytye. And so therin the sayde "thousande marke to be kept, to the entent "that at all tymes when any cytesyne wolde "borrowe any money, that he shulde have "it there for the space of a yere, to laye for "suche a summe as he wold have plate or "other jewellys to a suffycyente gayge, so "that he excedyd not the summe of an hun"dreth marke. And for the occupyenge "therof yf he were lerned, to saye at hys "pleasure De Profundis for the soule of John "Bernys and all christen soules, as often tymes as in hys summe were comprysed x "markes. As he that borowed butxagayns Sonday aft. Corp. Xt. day (after entries "marke, shulde saye but over that prayer. "And yf he had xx marke, then to saye it twyes, and so after the rate. And yf he "were not lerned, then to saye so often hys Paternoster. But how so thys money was "lent or gyded, at thys daye the cheste remayneth in the chamber of London, wythout money or pledges for the same." This donation amounted to a very considerable sum. A mark of thirteen shillings and four pence, of 1370, was equal in weight of silver to thirty-three shillings and 3 farthings of our present money, as it appears from Fleetwood's Chronicon Pretiosum that a pound weight of silver now coined into sixtytwo shillings was coined only into twentyfive shillings, from 1353 to 1421. marks consequently amounted in effective money of 1809 to £1,658. 6s. 8d. and taking into consideration the different prices of provisions and of the necessaries of life, according to Sir George Shuckburgh Evelyn's table, commencing in 1050, printed in the Philosophical Transactions for 1798, by which the average price of the various necessaries of life in 1350 compared with the estimated" average price in 1800, is in the proportion of 77 to 562, John Bernys' liberal accommodation to the needy of his fellow-citizens was equal to £12,067 58. of the present currency. 1000 I beg leave to observe that this calculation is made from the data afforded in Godwin's life of Chaucer, Vol. II. pp. 61 and 62, not having access to the original authorities. I am, Sir, your most obedient Servant, Expences of Ancient Festivities, &c. at Extracts from some ancient books of ac counts belonging to the Shearmen's company. Temp, Edw. IV. Memorand. that there 9 Ed. 4. Memd. yt Thomas Seymour hathe reservyd owt of the box to wage men to the Kyng on Seynt. Mary Mawdlen ys daye. 9 Ed. 4. Thomas Sharmah hathe delyvered all the jewels and ornaments longyng to our Ladye servyce to Thomas Relf and Thomas Byche by fore the craft. No date, but about Henry VII. Item, in the Kychyn, iiiis. & vd. ob. These costes don on the day of oure eleccon. Item, in ale, xvid. Item, in loynys of felle, iiis. viiid. Item, in motton and felle to make feu§ of, xid. *These were the trappings for the procession of Corpus Christi day. + Probably the choristers of the churches, who made an important part of the procession. By this it appears that the company were Mary, in St. Julian's church, and perhaps the patrons of the chauntry of the Virgin were called the gild of the blessed Virgin. § What is feu? Item, in fagotts and spyche, xvid. Item, spent on the balys yn the cextte, viiid. It'. payd yn the cextre on Corpus Crysti day, iis. iid. These byn the parcels the whych ben payed by John Smethe and Hewe Seympeer for ye repareen of the hawle. Imprimis, for lede for castyng, vis. xid. It'. pd. for a gat' and iii. pese tymber, viid. It'. pd. spynd upon the balys in the taverne, iid. It'. pd. for hynges and lokys to Tho. Fernzer, xxiid. It'. pd. for naylys, viis. iiid. It'. pd. for watur and beryng of ramel, xid. It'. pd. for lyme, sond clamstafs and cley, vs. viiid. It'. pd. to the tyler, xxvs viiid. It'. pd. to Williame Tyler for M stonys, xiiis. vid. It. pd. for clausyng the tourete and the seler, iiid. It'. pd. for a hundurt lattys, iiid. It'. pd. for a slate, iid. It'. pd. for lyme, viiid. It'. pd. for 2 walle plats, xiid. TURKS AND PERSIANS. Comparison of the Characters of the Turks and Persians. From Olivier's Voyage dans la Perse. A traveller who passes the Ottoman empire into Persia, perceives, at the first step, the great difference between these two people. In Turkey every thing bears the stamp of cruelty and barbarism in Persia every thing announces a mild and civilized nation. The Turks are vain, contemptuous, inhospitable; the Persians are polite, complimentary, affectionate. The former, after transporting themselves from the banks of the Jaxartes, and the Oxus, into the delicious provinces of Asia Minor, after establishing themselves in polished Greece, have retained all the rude ness of a warlike and pastoral nation; the latter, amid the Arabs, the Usbecks, the Turcomans, the Cards, the Afghans, who have successively subdued and oppressed them, have not lost their taste for the arts, their love of literature or the inclination which they have always had for traffic and com merce. While both are governed by the laws of the Koran; both subjected to a despot, to whose will every thing must bend; both placed under the same sky, in the same cli mate; the one is ferocious, slothful, and ignorant; the other is humane, active, and industrious. Doubtless the Persians have not reached that degreee of information, that delicacy of taste, that quickness of penetration, at which Europeans have arrived; because the insulated condition in which their religion has kept them, and the restraints to which their form of government subjects them, have constantly opposed improvements of that nature: but if they had, like the Turks, been within reach of the Europeans; if the harbours, the capi tal, the great cities of Persia, could have carried on a free trade with Europe; if their people could have come to visit us as easily as the Turkish people could, Persia would long ago have resembled Europe. The Turks despise other people, and repel, with obstinacy, all those who come from them, and who do not profess the religion of Mahomet: the Persians, on the contrary, estimate them at their real value, and from whatever quarter instruction comes, they receive it with pleasure. Although the latter addict themselves now more particularly to the study of the sacred books, to poetry and to astrology, yet they do not on that account neglect other sciences; they cordially receive strangers who appear to them to possess merit and knowledge.. In particular, they set great value on Europeans, they court their friendship, they treat them with politeness, and they are not backward in putting an infinite number of questions to them, respecting the manners and customs of their country, the arts which are practised, the sciences which are cultivated, and the religion which is professed in it. Equally superstitious as the Turks, they are not so fanatical; they carry their scrupulosity, in some respects, farther; they seldom eat with a person of another religion; they will not drink in a cup or a glass which has been used by a Christian, a Jew, or an Indian; yet they allow them to enter their mosques, they hear with patience all the objections which are made to them on the subject of their religion; they listen without anger to all that can be said against the prophet, and their imans. The Turk would assassinate you, were you to speak to him with irreverence of Mahomet and his laws; the Persian regards you with pity, he prays to Heaven that truth may shew itself to you in all its lustre; he refrains from speaking to you of his religion, but he continues to treat you with kindness and friendship. Equally brave as the Turk, but more active, more patient, the Persian is like him,' cruel in batile, implacable against an armed |