to the top of these trees as to climb the steps of a ladder. Wherever the date-tree is found in these dreary deserts, it not only presents a supply of salutary food for men and camels, but Nature has so wonderfully contrived the plant that its first offering is accessible to man alone; and the mere circumstance of its presence, in all seasons of the year, is a never-failing indication of fresh water near its roots. Botanists describe the trunk of the date-tree as full of rugged knots; but the fact is, that it is full of cavities, the vestiges of its decayed leaves, which have within them an horizontal surface, flat and even, exactly adapted to the reception of the human feet and hands; and it is impossible to view them without believing that he, who in the beginning fashioned " every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed" as "meat for man," has here manifested one among the innumerable proofs of his beneficent design. The extensive importance of the date-tree is one of the most curious subjects to which a traveller can direct his attention. A considerable part of the inhabitants of Egypt, of Arabia, and Persia, subsist almost entirely upon its fruit. They boast also of its medicinal virtues. Their camels feed upon the date-stones. From the leaves they make couches, baskets, bags, mats, and brushes; from the branches, cages for their poultry, and fences for their gardens; from the fibres of the boughs, thread, ropes, and rigging; from the sap is prepared a spirituous liquor; and the body of the tree furnishes fuel; it is even said, that from one variety of the palm-tree, the Phenix farinifera meal has been extracted, which is found among the fibres of the trunk, and has been used for food.-Modern Travels in Africa.

ETYMOLOGIES.

CALF OF THE LEG.-It must be sufficiently evident that this prominence of the leg can have no reference or affinity to the young family of the cow. It is most probably a corruption of some word bearing a resemblance in sound, but of very different meaning. Other nations have explained the word they have adopted, to denote this protuberant part of the leg. The Greeks have termed it the belly of the leg. The French call it the leg, le gras de jamb. In these there is an obvious meaning, as I am inclined to think exists in all words. In referring to Cooper's Latin Dictionary, this word is spelt Caulfe, and is evidently of identical origin with the German Kolbe, which signifies a protuberance. Thus the chemical vessel which we term a retort, and which bellies out, the Germans denominate Kolbe. Dr. Johnson has been satisfied, and has incorporated it with the cow's offspring. Its real meaning will now appear to be the protuberance of the leg.

BULRUSH.-Dr. Johnson says, "from bull and rush." It should be noted, that I quote from an Irish edition of his dictionary. That this word, like the preceding calf, is a corruption from resemblance of sound, there can be little doubt. At what period of our language this corruption took place 1 am unable to state. The AngloSaxon, from whence our language is mainly derived, called it by a very natural name, the Pool-rush, as it is usually found growing in pools of water. The term they employed was Pul-sper, or Poolspear.

TO RANSACK. - Dr. Johnson says, from ran, Saxon, (but he does not tell us what ran means,) and saka, Swedish, to "search for," or " seize." There is no such word in Swedish as saka, "to search;" it is socka. The word is purely Gothic, and means, that which it now imports, to search the house; from razn (pronounced ran,) " a house," and spkjan, "to seek," or " search."

Warieties.

THE GRAND SEIGNIOR.

The following is from a private letter just received from Constantinople: -" The countenance of Mahmoud is deeply sunburned, but the expression of his features is animated and agreeable. His long, arched eyebrows, his large coal-black eyes, beard, and mustachios, and the noble air of his head, produce a striking effect on the first sight of him, and correspond precisely with one's notions of an oriental despot. He is not tall, but his broad shoulders, open expanse of chest, and nervous and wellformed arms, give an idea of great physical strength. He has lately adopted several points of the European costume; but gloves he finds very inconvenient, and never wears them. Spurs, too, though he uses them occasionally in riding, he does not approve of. He calls them a devilish invention, only fit to be adopted by persons who are anxious to break their necks. He rides a great deal on horseback; and, except on grand occasions of ceremony, and on Fridays, when he goes to the Mosque, he always uses an European saddle. He has a riding master, named Calosso, an Italian, who is a great favourite with him, and who instructs all his troops.

Dr. West, of Magdalen, better known as Jenny West, the same who provided in his will for the

building of a temple to a heathen goddess, and endowed it sufficiently for a light to be kept burning every night in the shrine, was in the habit of taking a daily promenade in the Magdalen Meadows. The grass happening to be unusually long, and nearly ready for the scythe, not only annoyed this worthy in his present daily walk, but with the anticipation of the clamours of the hay-makers. Having remarked to a dairyman how troublesome the grass was, the former replied, "My cows, Sir, would soon eat it down for you."-" You don't say so, my good friend," was the rejoinder.

Pray, how long would they be about it?"-" Why, sir, thirty cows would eat it off in a fortnight."-" Then, my good man, put in sixty, and get rid of it in a week, and I will give you twenty pounds.” The grass disappeared in the time.

We have now before us a plan and elevation of the new theatre, &c., projected by Mr. Lanza, and proposed to be erected at Battle Bridge. It is intended that the establishment be called the Royal Panarmonicon, to consist of a Public Theatre, a sort of a private Academic Theatre for Practice and Study, a Panorama, and a set of Assembly, Concert, Exhibition and Reading Rooms, -the whole situated in a spacious garden, with fountains, walks, &c. It is also proposed to connect a Dramatic School of Study with the establishment,the building, however, to be apart from the above. The elevation, which is before us, shows a very handsome building, of two stories, consisting of a centre and wings, on a rusticated basement, surmounted by columns of the Corinthian order, and topped by a ballustrade, ornamented with urns, statues, &c.,

THE DUCHESS D'ANGOULEME.

Upon a very important occasion, when Louis XVIII. had withdrawn to reflect in his closet, and had given the most particular orders to the guard that he was not to be interrupted, "even by Madame," the Duchess of Angouleme is said to have presented herself according to her custom at the door of the Cabinet, and demanded admission: the guard remonstrated, but the Duchess was determined, and on the soldier crossing his arms to prevent her entrance, she coolly boxed his ears, and forced her way into the presence of the King. The Duchess complained to the Monarch that the guard had committed a most disloyal offence, in opposing with arms a member of the royal family. To appease the feelings of the Princess, the soldier was punished with three days' imprisonment and for doing his duty, rewarded by the King, upon his release, by being promoted to a company.

Driginal Poetry.

TO ISABELLA.

And tho' I leave thee, Bella, dear! 'Tis only for a while: Then let thy beauteous cheek still wear

Its wonted roseate smile.

'Twill tend to lull thy William's fears, And soothe his irksome grief;

Yes, 'mid his varied cares will prove

A source of fond relief.

Yet oh! forgive me-nor do thou
My wav'ring faith reprove!
If, ere we part, I ask from thee
A token of thy love.

For here I vow. by yon high heav'n,
And earth's deep silent cave,
No change his heart shall know till death,
Has laid it in the grave.

And with Affection's bond we'll seal
Our mutual pledge of bliss:
The liquid shall a warm tear be;
The autograph-a kiss.

Camberwell, Aug. 1829.

TO E-V,

AN UNFORTUNATE.

Oh! marvel not this tearful eye

Meets not as wont that glance of thine, Or that this deep convulsive sigh

The greeting checks of olden time!

For, now, that guilty Passion's zeal

Hath vanish'd with thy spoiler's care. That heart how chang'd, thy words reveal, While sin and lust are revelling there.

And though a soft and roseate hue Spreads o'er thy beauteous features now, Yet are the blushes fled which threw

A charm unequall'd on their glow. When Love unhallow'd o'er thine heart Creep'd slowly, follow'd by Despair, Joy after joy it view'd depart,

And left for aye-Grief, Discord, there!

Just as the flood, which sweepeth o'er,
In wrath, the rose circled bow'r,

Subsiding, leaves upon the shore
-In sadness, ruins of its power.
Since peace, or joy, are rarely thine,
I would not give thy bosom pain,
Yet a more dreaded ere than mine
Pursues thee thro' each path of shame.

And there are hours, nor wine, nor mirth,
Reflexion's wide controul shall sway,
When not a joy, or friend, on earth,
Can bid those scenes of guilt decay!

G. H. P

OF

IN

The devil now, grown wiser than of yore,
Oft tempts by making rich, not making poor."
Pope.

THE good citizens of Manheim had already retired lo rest; the shops, the ornament and glory of the town, were all shut; and the streets, although but a few hours ago crowded with the motley group of which the wayfarers of the main street of that very busy little city is usually composed, were not quite silent and deserted, save when the clear shrill pipe of the watchman, or the devious reelings of a late reveller "gave the world assurance of a man." As yet, No. 175.-3d. S..

however, all the business of the day was not quite transacted; some of the most considerable taverns still harboured in their hospitable breasts a few choice spirits, who, not so enamoured of the delights of home as the more peaceful and domestic citizens, yet lingered over the parting cup, maugre the entreaties of mine host, that they would become invisible ere the inflexible captain of the town-guard should make his unwelcome appearance at the head of his stalwart myrmidons, and conclude the scene by accommodating the boisterers to an uncomfortable lodging within the dreary

precincts of the gaol, and suspending the official functions of the luckless landlord until, by penitence and promises, he should soften the hard hearts of the civic authorities.

Among these taverns, the principal was one that bore the sign of the White Unicorn. Many had been the jolly wights who had, on the eventful day, the evening of which we have been describing, tasted the joys of drinking; but all had now retired except two, who were too much engaged in earnest conversation to take any notice of the landlord's vociferous requisition, as to the necessity of instant departure. One of these was a youth, whose custom was too important to the host of the White Unicorn to allow of his removal in so unceremonious a manner as that in which the worthy Herr Pottelpottenhausen was wont to expel his poorer and less liberal frequenters. He was a student at the renowned university of Manheim, famed equally for his researches into metaphysics and other occult sciences, and his devotion to the rheinwein, with which the cellars of the White Unicorn were plentifully stored. His companion was a person unknown either to the landlord or any of the good burgesses of the town. He had arrived in the evening, just as dusk began to prevail, mounted on a charger perfectly "coal black," as the honest ostler remarked, " from mane to tail, and from saddle-back to fetlock." Shortly after hisentrance into the hostelry, he became accidentally engaged in conversation with the young student, (Ernest Rockenheim) who speedily became so interested in the stranger's discourse, that, vastly to the surprise and disappointment of Herr Pottelpottenhausen, not a tithe of the genuine johannesberg, usually

discussed, was called for, in the course of the whole evening. This alarming occurrence excited the curiosity of Meinherr to know the cause, for which purpose he took care to linger near the speakers as much as he could: but their words were to him an unintelligible jargon. The terms "free-agency," transmigration," "foreknowledge," and other mystical expressions, alone fell upon his unscientific ear. At length, however, the conversation took a new turn: the probability of disembodied spirits returning to the scene of their mortal career was brought under observation: this, however, speedily gave place to the discussion of those mysterious tales of contracts with the evil one, which, with all their horrific details, are so common in Germany. The blood of the innkeeper curdled in his veins as the stranger proceeded to give a description of the awful rites necessary at the signing of the bond, which he described in such vivid colours as to excite the suspicions of Herr Pottelpottenhausen, that he must himself have been one of the parties to such an infernal deed. Not so, however, the student Ernest, who vehemently declared his disbelief in such relations:--" Pshaw!" said he, contemptuously, "these are mere old wives' tales, fit but to frighten the inmates of a nursery! Shew me the man who has ever signed such a contract, and-"

"That might not be so difficult as you imagine," rejoined the stranger, with a look conveying an infinity of meaning, " perhaps they may be not far from the White Unicorn at this moment, who have seen the face of the arch fiend himself! "As he finished his speech his voice sunk, and looking hurriedly around, he, as it were, drew into himself, with the air of one