THE DEATHWATCH. THE deathwatch, or ptinus, is an instance of insect-hearing. It makes a ticking noise, by beating its head with great force against what it stands on. Derham, the naturalist, kept two in a box for three weeks, and found that by imitating their sound, which is done by beating with the point of a pin, or the nail, on the table, the insect would answer him, by repeating its own tick, as often as he pleased. LIKING AND DISLIKING. Ye, who know the reason, tell me Prompts the heart to like—or like not- Tell me by what hidden magic Our impressions first are led Oft before a word is said! Why should smiles sometimes repel us? Is it instinct-or some spirit By some sympathy of souls? Is it instinct?-is it nature? Or some freak, or fault of chance, Like presentiment of danger, Have their own instinctive laws? POETIC. AN editor, in speaking of a dandy's dickey, says-" It was scented and torn like a south wind after passing through a fence made of thorn bushes." "WHY what in the world has happened to Mr. 's arm ?" "Oh! nothing at all," was the reply; "he only wears it in a sling because he's too lazy to swing it!" ASIA. As Asia exceeds Europe and Africa in the extent of its territories, it is also superior to them in the serenity of its air, the fertility of its soil, the deliciousness of its fruits; the fragrancy and balsamic quality of its plants, spices, and gums; the salubrity of its drugs; the quantity, variety, beauty, and value of its gums; the richness of its metals, and the fineness of its silks and cottons. It was in Asia, according to the sacred records, that the allwise Creator planted the Garden of Eden, in which He formed the first man and first woman, from whom the race of mankind was to spring. Asia became again the nursery of the world after the deluge, whence the descendants of Noah dispersed their various colonies into all the other parts of the globe. It was in Asia that God placed his own favourite people. the Hebrews, whom he enlightened by revelations delivered by the prophets, and to whom he gave the oracles of truth. It was here that the great and merciful work of our redemption was accomplished by His divine son; and it was from hence that the light of his glorious gospel was carried with amazing rapidity into all the known nations, by His disciples and followers. Here the first Christian churches were founded, and the Christian faith miraculously prophesied and watered with the blood of innumerable martyrs. It was in Asia the first edifices were reared, and the first empires founded, while the other parts of the globe were inhabited by other wild animals. On all these accounts, this quarter claims a superiority over the rest; but it must be owned, that a great change hath happened in that part of it called Turkey, which hath lost much of its ancient splendour, and from the most populated and best cultivated spot in Asia is become a wild and uncultivated desert. The other parts of Asia continue much in their former condition, the soil being as remarkable for its fertility, as most of the inhabitants for their indolence, effeminacy, and luxury. This effeminacy is chiefly owing to the warmth of the climate, though in some measure heightened by custom and education; and the symptoms of it are more or less visible, as the several nations are seated nearer to, or farther from, the north. Hence the Tartars, who live near the same latitude with us, are as brave, hardy, strong, and vigorous, as any European nation. What is wanting in the robust frame of their bodies, among the Chinese, Mogul Indians, and all the inhabitants of the more southern regions, is in a great measure made up to them by the vivacity of their minds, and ingenuity in various kinds of workmanship, which our most skilful mechanics have in vain endeavoured to imitate. This vast extent of territory was successively governed in ancient times by the Assyrians, the Medes, the Persians, and the Greeks; but in the immense regions of India and China were little known to Alexander or the conquerors of the ancient world. Upon the decline of those empires, great part of Asia submitted to the Roman VOL. I. 3 A arms, and afterwards in the middle ages, the successors of Mahomet, or as they were usually called, Saracens, founded in Asia, in Africa, and in Europe, a more extensive empire than that of Cyrus, Alexander, or even the Roman, when in its height and power. The Saracen greatness ended with the death of Tamerlane, and the Turks, conquerors on every side, took possession of the middle regions of Asia, which they still enjoy. Besides the countries possessed by the Turks and Russians, Asia contains, at present, three powerful empires, the Chinese, the Mogul, and the Persian, upon which the lesser kingdoms and sovereignties of Asia generally depend. The prevailing form of government, in this division of the globe, is absolute monarchy. If any of them can be said to enjoy some share of liberty, it is the wandering tribes, as the Tartars and Arabs. Many of these Asiatic nations, when the Dutch came among them, could not conceive how it was possible for any people to live under any other form of government than that of a despotic monarchy. Turkey, Arabia, Persia, part of Tartary, and part of India, profess Mahometism. The Persian and Indian Mahometans are of the sect of Hali, and the others that of Omar; but both own Mahomet for their law-giver, and the Koran for their rule of faith and life. In the other parts of Tartary, India, China, Japan, and the Asiatic Islands, they are generally heathens and idolaters. Jews are to be found every where in Asia. Christianity though planted here with wonderful rapidity, by the apostles and primitive fathers, suffered an almost total eclipse by the conquests of the Saracens, and afterwards of the Turks. Incredible, indeed, have been the hazards, perils, and sufferings of Popish missionaries, to propagate their doctrines in the most distant regions, and amongst the grossest idolaters, but their labours have hitherto failed of success, owing, in a great measure, to the avarice and profligacy of the Europeans, who resort thither in search of wealth and dominion. The principal languages spoken in Asia are, the modern Greek, the Turkish, the Russian, the Tartarian, the Persian, the Arabic, the Malayan, the Chinese, and the Japanesse. The European languages are also spoken upon the coasts of India and China. Asia is bounded by the Frozen Ocean on the north, on the west it is separated from Africa by the Red Sea, and from Europe by the Levant or Mediterranean, the Archipelago, the Hellespont, the Sea of Marmora, the Bosphorus, the Black Sea, the river Don, and a line drawn from it to the river Tobol, and from thence to the river Oby, which falls into the Frozen Ocean. On the east it is bounded by the Pacific Ocean or South Sea, which separates it from America; and on the south, by the Indian Ocean; so that it is almost surrounded by sea. LORD LYNDHURST is, perhaps, the only living British subject, who personally remembers Washington, at Mount Vernon. His lordship was born a colonist in Boston. THE PINEAPPLE. TEN years ago, when the progress of horticulture had been so successful as to place the pineapple on all the tables of the rich, it grew for them only; for the price of fifteen shillings, or even a guinea, per pound, was not likely to command many purchasers among the masses, and unless the fruit weighed at least a pound and a half, your money was pretty much thrown away, and the delicious flavour unknown. Thanks to the rapidity of steam communication and to free-trade, the poorest among us are now made familiar with this and many other tropical fruits, and the pineapple, the melon, and the banana, are as much within our reach as the commonest productions of our own country. The pineapple is called, by the Spaniards and French," ananas," from " папа, its common name in the Brazils; and it has received its English name from the resemblance the fruit bears to the cones of some species of pine tree. The pineapple was introduced into England as a botanical plant, in the year 1690, by Mr. Bentinck, afterwards Earl of Portland. In the West Indies, the pineapple is not cut in slices, except when eaten with sugar and wine, but the pips are torn out with a fork, to be sucked in the same manner as the orange. MAY. For thee, sweet month, the groves green liv'ries wear; If not the first, the fairest of the year: For thee the graces lead the dancing hours, And nature's ready pencil paints the flowers. In a May-day, though still observed as a rural festival, has often little pleasure to bestow, but that arising from the name. very elegant poem, entitled The Tears of Old May-day, this newer rival is thus described : No wonder, man, that Nature's bashful face And opening charms her rude embraces fear; The sickly daughter of th' unripen'd year? With show'rs of sunshine in her fickle eyes, With hollow smiles proclaiming treach'rous peace; The blast that riots on the Spring's increase. The hedges are rich in fragrance from the snowy blossoms of the hawthorn; and the orchards display their highest beauty in the delicate blush of the apple blossoms :— From the moist meadow to the wither'd hill, And the birds sing conceal'd. All this scene of beauty and fertility is, however, sometimes dreadfully ravaged by the blights. The mischief seems to arise from innumerable small insects, brought by the north-east winds. If, brush'd from Russian wilds, a cutting gale Rise not, and scatter from his humid wings The clammy mildew; or dry-blowing, breathe Untimely frost; before whose baleful blast The full blown Spring, thro' all her foliage shrinks, For oft, engend'red by the hazy north, Keen in the poison'd breeze; and wasteful eat Thro' buds and bark, into the blacken'd core Their eager way. Among the numerous wild flowers, none attracts more notice than the cowslip : Whose bashful flowers Declining, hide their beauty from the sun, Nor give their spotted bosoms to the gaze The husbandman now looks forward with anxious hope to the reward of his industry : Be gracious, Heaven! for now laborious man AT a Camp meeting, a number of ladies continued standing on the benches, notwithstanding frequent hints from the minister to sit down. A reverend old gentleman, noted for his good humour, arose and said—" I think if those ladies, standing on the benches, knew they had holes in their stockings, they would sit down!" This address had the desired effect; there was an immediate sinking into the seats. A young minister, standing behind him. and blushing to the temples, said "Oh! brother, how could you say that ?" Say that," said the old gentleman, "its a fact, if they had'nt holes in their stockings, I'd like to know how they could get them on." Two men in dispute reflected upon each other's veracity. One of them replied that "he was never whipped but once by his father, and that was for telling the truth.' "I believe, then," retorted the other, "the truth was whipped out of you, for you have never spoken it since." MACHINERY has reached a great state of perfection. We saw some burnt peas put into the hopper of a coffee mill the other day, and in less than two minutes it was occupying a place in a grocery window, labelled "Fine old Mocha." |